The Legendary Mage (Alavin)
Chapter 178

"Lord Marak, please!" The two guards, ignoring Marak's struggles, dragged him away.

"Why did you beat up Marak?" Balder asked, confused and secretly alarmed. Marak was not someone to be trifled with.

"He was going to come after me eventually. I just wanted to get my hands dirty first."

"What do you mean? Do you two have a history?"

"I'll explain later."

As the two guards dragged Marak past Alavin, Marak, who had never experienced such humiliation, struggled violently. Turning his head to look at Alavin, he cursed, "You scum! I hadn't come for you, but you dared to provoke me. Alavin, you're nothing but a servant. Just wait, I'll marry Celesse and in front of you, I'll..."

Bang! Alavin grabbed Marak's hair and wrenched him from the guards' grasp.

"Lord Alavin!" The two guards were shocked and moved to intervene, but Alavin slammed Marak's head hard against the floor. Blood splattered, and screams echoed down the corridor. Everyone gasped at the brutality.

"Alavin, I'll get you..."

"Bang!"

"You worthless cur, I'll..."

"Bang!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Alavin held Marak's head, smashing it against the floor five times in total. Marak convulsed a few times, then lay still. Silence fell in the corridor as everyone stood with their mouths slightly open, staring dumbfounded at the scene before them. A madman was a madman, on stage and off.

"Is he dead?" Enosto jolted, pushing through the crowd to Marak's side, checking him carefully; Marak was still breathing, thankfully still alive.

"Lord Alavin, what is this...?" The guards looked at Alavin, wanting to express their anger but replaceing themselves unable to.

Playing the fool, Alavin wiped the blood from his hands. "What's the matter with you all? When you catch a thief, you must punish them severely, not show leniency. Who is this man? Identify him quickly, and replace out who's behind this. He dared to cause trouble at the martial gathering. How bold!"

Enosto was left speechless, outwitted by Alavin's audacity.

Vinos and the others stared at the motionless Marak, then at Alavin, feeling a chill run down their spines. They hurried back into their room, no longer daring to show themselves. Alavin wasn't about to let them off the hook, pointing to their room as a reminder. "Aren't there a few more accomplices in there? Shouldn't you take them down as well?"

"Take them down!" Enosto commanded.

A group of guards rushed into the room, and with a series of thuds and clatters, they seized the young nobles and dragged them out.

Vinos and his companions were seething with rage, cursing Alavin in their minds, but daring not to speak out loud. They feared that even a single word might also provoke Alavin to strike them down. "Safe travels," Alavin sneered with a laugh, retreating into his room.

"My apologies for the scene." Balder chuckled, also returning to his chamber and closing the door behind him.

The hallway outside was crowded with onlookers, among them the Protégés of the Eight Orders.

"Alavin is a real force to be reckoned with, taking on anyone he pleases."

"Why not? Lord Viperbane and the Cobalt Strike have been at odds for ages, engaging in countless covert and overt conflicts. Lord Viperbane even slew an Elder of Cobalt Strike."

"True, and once Alavin returns as a Golden Protégé, his status won't be much less than Marak's. If Lord Viperbane wants to deal with Alavin, he'll have to see if Cobalt Strike would even allow it." "That's easy to say, but who would dare to strike a high noble lord?"

"There's surely a deep grudge between them! Did you hear Marak shout something about Celesse?"

"Heh, to think that Lord Viperbane's young son would show up during The Clash of Eight Orders. This news will surely cause a sensation. The Warriors' Vale is about to buzz with excitement once again."