Chapter 656: Chapter 657: Comical Name Damon didn’t really know what happened between Matia and her father, but he did sense her enter his shadow again. However, he was more focused on other things. His gaze was directed at Kadelas Moonveil, who was seated with his queen and daughter. The pavilion was hovering in the air like any other, with knights stationed on it. Damon turned away. He really should learn to let things go, but forgiveness wasn’t something he knew how to do. Frankly speaking, as someone who preached and lived by vengeance, that was just his way of life. However, the question was how he would deal some degree of damage to Kadelas, who was a world apart from him in terms of power. The answer was simple. Kadelas was a man, and men had weaknesses. They had emotions. They could get angry, and anyone who could be angered could be rage-baited. ’Hmmm... what’s to stop him from turning me into meat paste....’ The answer to that question was simple. It was none other than the eye of the people. This was a public place in a foreign nation. Kadelas wouldn’t kill him here. In fact, if Kadelas had been able to deploy even one person at the fourth class, then maybe Damon would be dead right now. The fact that he couldn’t was due to the Empire, and maybe Damon’s Deathless skill. Still, Damon wanted to at least meet him. Maybe a normal person would want to avoid meeting an ancient elf in the seventh class who wanted them dead, but Damon wasn’t most people. His gaze turned to the floating pavilion where the Temple representatives were praying over the competitors and invoking the goddess’ blessings. But Damon didn’t really feel anything from it. He knew how the goddess’ power felt. She had, after all, destroyed him once. So basically, those people were just borrowing her name to deceive the masses. After the prayer, the excitement grew to a fever pitch. It was finally time for the tourney to begin. Different stages formed, ready for different challengers to appear. Naturally, this wasn’t compulsory. It was just a small warm-up and an opportunity to impress a fair maiden. There were automatons for duels, which were called weapon trials. Here you battled against a mechanical golem with your weapon of choice. The next would be the beast arena, where you fought magical beasts in chains, proving your might. Endurance was needed for any long campaign. Thus there was also an endurance gauntlet, which was actually just a glorified obstacle course. Finally, there was the most restricting event, due to its requirements on one’s aptitude, but the one that required the least strain: The magical aptitude test, which included showing off your mana levels. That was about it. Naturally, Damon could already see some figures moving, eager to show off their might, especially after his speech earlier. "Hmmm, you’re bolder than I thought...." Damon leaned on the railings, smirking faintly. "But you’re still not impressed, right?" Seras chuckled softly, her gaze calm. "I’ve had my eyes on some of the more interesting fellows. Though... none of them seem..." "As handsome as me. I know, I get it from my father. That guy pulled quite the beauty. If she wasn’t my mother, I’d be jealous." Damon touched his face with a vain smile. "Ahhh, none of them are as frivolous. But I suppose you are somewhat easy on the eye. You’ll make a beautiful corpse." Damon smiled, his tone playful. "Necrophilia.... kinky." His gaze shifted back to the arena, watching the competitors who wanted to win a flower. There was a young man of elven origin. Damon remembered him as the youth from the Halls of Steel. "Velora Nyxfall. He’s a dark elf and an assassin. He’s the second-generation student of the old man from the Silver Glades, you know... after his first student disappeared." Damon kept his expression impassive. ’Was she talking about Back to Back?’ 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞 He was from the Halls of Steel, and if not a direct heir, he wouldn’t really have their heirloom. "Hmm. He has a shadow attribute... guess I finally meet someone with my attribute." Damon watched as the youth shot down automatons with fast, precise arrows. The other competitors couldn’t match him, so he quickly secured himself a flower, winning the automaton trial. Naturally, Damon was curious who he would give the flower to. After receiving it, the elf glanced around, then walked to the elven pavilion belonging to the Moon Glades and went straight to Sylvia. He gave the fair elven princess the flower as cheers erupted. She glanced at him but accepted the flower nonetheless. Damon continued to watch. The next trial was endurance: a massive magical obstacle course with hundreds of challengers. The one who really stood out was a fast and agile beast-kin girl who moved like a swift ghost, her monstrous strength evident in every leap. "Who’s that?" Seras crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze steady. "You have such disregard for your rivals. These are the people you challenged, you know." "Third-year student of the War Academy in the Wild Continent. Ishara Fang. She’s quite the agile one... and strong too." Naturally, to no one’s surprise, she won, securing herself a flower. She didn’t give it to anyone. Instead, she tucked it into her hair. Damon didn’t really react. "No one from the Empire is winning. Aren’t you going to compete?" Damon glanced at her with a thin smile. "Do you want me to win you a flower?" Seras pushed her hair to the side, her eyes gleaming. "I can put that on your grave when I go to visit." "How generous of you. You’ll still visit the grave of the guy you killed." Damon’s gaze shifted to the next stage, where measuring devices were being set up to test mana. A young man stepped out with slow, steady steps. He wore mage’s robes and carried the crest of a certain academy from the Magic Continent. "The Eldorian Magical Academy..." Seras smiled. "Yes. I suppose a student from Aether would know them. That is... Magnus Trombone, the magical prodigy." Damon narrowed his eyes. "Why such a name..." Seras narrowed her eyes in return, her lips curling. "You’re about to see why." Damon suddenly felt a colossal wave of mana spread from the young man’s body, the scale overflowing with magical energy. "Damn."