Newbie's Quest: Awaiting Challenge
Chapter 50: All Because of Felix Rayburn

Ethan Walker's face, familiar to many from live streams, caused a stir when he appeared in person.

"Is that really Ethan Walker?"

"Is it actually Ethan the legend??"

"Holy smokes, the guy who defeated over thirty players and successfully defended the arena is Ethan??"

The audience was a mix of shock and joy, hardly believing their eyes. Among them were some with varying expressions, including the instigator, Felix Rayburn.

Felix had only intended to identify his opponent to prepare for a future rematch. Annoyed by the mysterious, masked figure, he decided to unveil the person's true identity. He expected to replace a hidden fan of Ethan, but to his utter surprise, he found himself face-to-face with the very person haunting his thoughts.

Biting down hard, Felix realized this spelled trouble. Online opinion already favored Ethan over him, but they had no direct comparison until now. By his own actions, he had handed Ethan an easy victory. As a newcomer himself, Felix couldn't bear being overshadowed by Ethan.

Quietly slipping away from the excited crowd, Felix stepped outside to call his team.

Noah Williams also witnessed this scene. Just as he was about to leave through a side door, he heard the thunderous cheers behind him. A small group of Ethan's fans rhythmically chanted his name. Noah, drawn by the noise, turned back and saw the figure under the spotlight.

The person stood tall and slender, his fine black hair in disarray, wearing a disheveled outfit that starkly contrasted with the meticulously styled pro players. The public unveiling seemed to trouble him; amidst the shouting crowd, he casually placed his hand behind his neck, his dark eyes lifting to meet the glaring LED lights, shimmering brilliantly.

He was destined to be at the center of the stage, surrounded by applause and accolades. The platform at Blue Tower seemed too small to contain him.

Noah, having grown up in the guild under his father's tutelage, knew how to spot talent. He had seen their skills and heard professional evaluations; he had an eye for recognizing potential. Even without formal training, the difference between a genius and an average person was stark.

His father had once said he was among the few with exceptional talent: quick reflexes, strong intuition, decisive in dungeons. But Noah wished his father were there to see what a true, one-of-a-kind genius looked like. Unrestrained, flamboyant, shining brighter than any spotlight.

A bitter, resigned smile flickered on Noah's lips, as if mocking himself. He turned, his back to the light, and slowly walked into the shadows until he was engulfed by them.

If Ethan's identity revelation hurt anyone besides Felix, it was certainly Emily Johnson.

Adhering to the principle of "every man for himself," Emily pretended to lose signal and hung up on Alex Johnson, then clutched her phone and ran. Tomorrow Ethan might trend, but she definitely didn't want her name associated with this fiasco.

Unfortunately for her, Ethan, standing in the center of the arena, caught sight of the suspiciously fleeing figure with a sharp glance.

Ethan Walker acted quickly, aware that being surrounded by fans and spectators would make it hard to escape. Seizing the moment while everyone was still in shock, he decisively followed Emily Johnson's escape route and slipped away. Emily, trying to hide her identity, felt a heavy pat on her shoulder, making her turn around with cold sweat dripping down her back. "Why did you follow me?!" she exclaimed.

"Running away without me? That's not cool," Ethan replied.

"With you?! Our current mess is thanks to you! Hurry, this way, there are fewer people."

"It's not all my fault, you know. In my plan, we were supposed to get away clean... It's all because of Felix Rayburn."

"You had a plan? Forget it, it's too late for that now this way, the fans are catching up!"

Professional athletes through and through, they used their superior physical fitness and practiced escape techniques to finally shake off the crowd, rushing into the car Emily had wisely chosen from her garage. On the drive back to the Avalon Guild, Emily kept instructing Ethan not to spill the beans.

"When we see Alex, just say you wanted to visit the Blue Tower."

Ethan idly fiddled with the seat belt.

"Do you think Alex is a fool? He won't believe that."

After all, Ethan's classic line - "What's that?" - suggested that the Blue Tower was beyond his usual realm of knowledge.

"Don't worry, Alex cares about you and won't blame you. If I were the mastermind, you'd replace my hide nailed to the guild hall by tomorrow morning."

Ethan laughed heartlessly.

Their return trip felt much shorter than the journey to the Blue Tower. As they neared the Avalon Guild, Emily's face grew increasingly pale. Sure enough, upon arrival, Alex, the deputy leader, was already waiting. "Well, look who decided to come back," Alex greeted them, smiling but with a tone that made Emily shrink back.

Inside, Ethan followed Alex's instructions, sticking to the story they had agreed upon in the car.

"Alex, I dragged Emily out to play."

"You think I believe that?"

Ethan shrugged helplessly, leaving Emily to fend for herself.

"Alex, I was wrong," she finally admitted, resorting to an apology when in doubt.

Alex nodded.

"Your matter can wait. I'll decide what to do with you later. Ethan, come with me."

Alex led Ethan to his office. Once inside, he turned off all the lights except for a projector displaying the White Tower forum. Unsurprisingly, several hot topics featured Ethan's name. #EthanWalkerBlueTower

#EthanWalkerLittleEthan

#EthanWalkerFelixRayburn

Alex specifically opened the last topic and scrolled through the latest posts.

[Is Ethan Walker maliciously targeting newcomer Felix Rayburn?]

[Views on Blue Tower arena Ethan Walker vs Felix Rayburn]

[As newcomers, the character gap between Ethan Walker and Felix Rayburn is too wide]

"Felix Rayburn has a team behind him. They're spreading negative propaganda about you all over the net," Alex said, quickly closing a post filled with vile comments. "Our guild's PR has handled it a few times without telling you, but this time it's big. I want to hear your thoughts. If you need us to step in, we can, but this time we can't do it for free."

Ethan stroked his chin, looking at the forum filled with his and Felix's names.

"No need, I'll handle it myself."