Chapter 228: I Can Give It to You

Thinking of the conditions Gu Yi promised Rod, the atmosphere suddenly became strange. The looks in everyone’s eyes toward Rod changed—such enormous conditions and benefits, could Rod really resist?

“You… you can’t possibly agree, right?” After a moment, Aida asked doubtfully, staring at Rod. After all, the temptation was too great. Not to mention Rod, even Aida wondered if she could withstand such allure herself; it was like achieving success overnight.

“Kid, you really can’t agree, can you? None of those war faction guys are trustworthy!” Sognar asked unhappily, rolling his lips.

Everyone’s eyes were fixed on Rod, waiting for his reply. The atmosphere was so quiet that one could hear everyone’s breathing.

“No!” Rod rolled his eyes and said helplessly, looking at their expressions. Did they really have so little confidence in him?

What he didn’t know was that while such temptation might not mean much to him, it could be fatal to anyone else. He was the second-in-command of the war faction, with unparalleled status. And now that they were allied, his status would only rise further—plus, he had the Heartbreaking Sword.

Others might disregard fame and wealth, but for warriors, swords and weapons were absolutely irresistible. Comparable to the top of the list of the Ten Divine Weapons, the Heartbreaking Sword was an extraordinary existence. It was said to possess a fighting spirit and fierce killing intent, allowing its wielder to dominate the world. It could even elevate a person’s strength by a whole level.

“Really?”
“Really!”
“Tsk tsk tsk… The Heartbreaking Sword… How great it would be to die with it!” Even Sognar, who didn’t use weapons, couldn’t help but marvel.

As for Heibin and Lilith, who both used swords, their eyes sparkled with excitement, mixed with sighs. The Heartbreaking Sword—others might not know much about it, but they had heard of it before. The first Divine Weapon from ten thousand years ago, the one that caused bloodshed eight thousand years ago, and the one that dominated the heavens six thousand years ago—its glorious history was enough to make one lose themselves.

Upon hearing Rod’s affirmative reply, Eileen let out a slight sigh of relief, seemingly relaxing. She had been worried that Rod might give in to the temptation and agree to their demands. That would be troublesome—no one wanted to face such an enemy, especially one with unlimited potential.

Compared to the trust placed in people like Sognar and Lilith, Eirwen viewed this mysterious man with some suspicion, unsure of what he was thinking. Since he had already agreed, she couldn’t help but feel puzzled!

As the sky grew darker, with a battle ahead the next day, no one disturbed Rod’s training after dinner, giving him enough time and space to adjust his state. Everyone knew the battle the next day would be even harder!

Only Eirwen, when no one was looking, went to Rod’s door. After getting permission, she entered the room and sat across from him.

“Just say what you want,” Rod said in a deep voice after sighing at Eirwen. He really didn’t like being alone with her. While others might want to spend more time with such a beautiful woman, Rod knew that beautiful flowers were often deadly.

“Did you really reject Gu Yi’s request?” she asked after hesitating and looking straight into Rod’s eyes.

“Really!”

“Why? Is Gu Yi’s status and influence not enough to sway you?” Eirwen asked in confusion.

“I have the Dark Dragon!” Rod said slowly, stroking the dark dragon beside him, which had now turned deep red.

“You can join my opposing faction. As long as you swear loyalty to me, I’ll give you everything they can offer! Of course, that’s on the condition that you’re loyal to me!” After some deliberation, Eirwen voiced her thoughts.

That night, back in her room, she thought it over carefully before mustering the courage to make this decision. Although she didn’t like Rod and didn’t have a good impression of him, he was indeed a talent—a talent with endless potential. His influence and status intrigued her. If she could get him on her side, it would only be a matter of time before the opposing faction fell into her hands. Aida would no longer pose any threat to her and might even help her wholeheartedly.

That was Eirwen’s plan. If she couldn’t defeat him, she’d win him over. She wasn’t foolish; on the contrary, she was a smart woman, so she knew what the right choice was at this moment.

Rod was slightly stunned, not expecting Eirwen to say such things. He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then gave a barely noticeable smirk of disdain. “Let me help you deal with Aida? Help you seize the position of the opposing faction and become your servant?”

At those words, Eirwen’s expression changed instantly. She froze in place, looking at Rod in disbelief. He had seen through all her plans—she couldn’t help but feel panicked.

“The main battle faction’s things you can’t give me, and those they give me, I don’t need. Why would I ask for what you offer? Aida is your sister, not your enemy—keep that in mind. She won’t harm you, nor will I! Being overly clever isn’t always a good thing!” Rod said calmly as he stood up, turned around, and walked to the window.

These seemingly simple words contained so much meaning that Eirwen’s expression kept changing behind him, eventually settling on one of surprise.

“Alright, that’s enough for this matter. If there’s nothing else, you may go!” Rod then ordered her to leave.

“If that’s the case, I won’t disturb you any further. My promise remains valid—come to me if you need anything someday! As I said before, whatever Gu Yi gave you, I can give it to you; what he can’t, I can still give it to you—even at the cost of myself!” She bit her lip, seemingly making a great resolve, and said firmly to Rod.

“You? I’m not interested!” He hadn’t expected Eirwen to offer such conditions. Using herself as a bargaining chip—she was indeed a complex woman, willing to do anything to achieve her goals. But the more Eirwen persisted, the more disgusted Rod became, so he naturally refused.

“Come to me if you change your mind someday!” Rod’s words stunned Eirwen. She said them in a deep voice before leaving the room quickly, her face slightly flushed.

Watching Eirwen leave, Rod smiled indifferently, not taking it to heart at all—viewing it merely as a joke.

……

A night of training helped Rod adjust his condition to its best. Early in the morning, he was pulled by several people to the combat arena, where the second round of competitions officially began today.

Today’s matches were clearly more lively than yesterday’s. Although there were only four matches, the enthusiasm of the spectators was even greater—crowds packed everywhere, with cheers and shouts reaching the heavens.

Though they arrived early, the arena was already packed to capacity. It seemed that people had started entering at dawn just for this match. With thirty-six entrances opening at once, it took until now for everyone to get in. Five hundred thousand people—by no means a small number.

There were four rounds of competition today, and Rod’s match once again became the most watched! Followed by that strong fighter from the Purple Wing Thunder Eagle Clan. It seemed that Rod and he were now the two most likely candidates to reach the finals, hence they also received a lot of attention.

Of course, aside from his strength, the reason Rod attracts so much attention is also the fame he gained recently, which has amplified his reputation. His stunning performance yesterday further solidified his status, and now comes today’s match against his opponent.

A member of the Nash family, the source of darkness—now, who doesn’t know their history of enmity? If you claim to be unaware, you’ll only be seen as a barbarian, facing endless mockery and sarcasm. Of course, such a person seems to haven’t appeared yet!

Today’s match between these two enemies is the most anticipated and hailed as the most exciting fight. Will Rod once again bring shame to the Nash family, or will the Nash family prove their strength to avenge that arrow?

All eight competitors have arrived at the training ground. Four arenas—brand new arenas! One must admire the skills of Wuyou City; the materials used for these arenas are extremely precious and hard. The fact that they can create four brand-new arenas in just one day shows their prowess.

At noon, the match officially began, with Rod on Arena No. 2. This time, twenty magical beast cores were placed around the arenas as energy sources, and at least eight divine-level warriors stood by each arena to maintain protective barriers. Clearly, the later matches receive greater attention, with even stronger defenses.

“Rod!” The man across from him spoke to Rod first. He was burly, with muscles so massive they were intimidating. It is said this guy is the younger brother of the current head of the Nash family—Kund!

“Kund!” Rod called out his opponent’s name without any hesitation, while secretly observing him.

In an instant, both of them enveloped each other in their mental forces, monitoring every move of the other. Even before the match started, they had already engaged in a mental battle.

As the host of Wuyou City loudly announced the start of the match from the stands, the atmosphere instantly became lively, with roaring crowds, like thunder breaking through the calm.

Neither of them rushed to attack. They just stared at each other, ready to strike swiftly and decisively, leaving no chance for the other to retaliate. For strong fighters, this is often a tactical approach.

Just like in his last match against Charles—wait until necessary, then strike to kill!

The atmosphere grew tense as many people focused their attention on this arena. This time, no one rushed; they patiently waited for the most exciting match to begin, waiting for Rod to surprise them once again.