Chapter 345: Challenge

Staring at Nightingale in silence, Rod didn’t know what to say. He knew more or less about Lucy’s feelings toward him. After being together for so long, even the most insensitive person could sense Lucy’s thoughts.

But Rod had deliberately avoided this topic all along, refusing to confront it. In truth, he had always seen Lucy as just his little sister.

As for Ada, the thought of her brought a bitter smile to Rod’s lips. He first met her in the Windy Mercenaries and didn’t know her true identity, treating her as a brother. When he later learned the truth, his heart was filled with turmoil. As they got to know each other better, he couldn’t determine exactly what place Ada held in his heart, but one thing was certain—she was definitely more than just a friend.

Every time he saw her, he felt complicated emotions, though he had never brought it up. Now, with Nightingale’s words, he didn’t know how to respond.

There was also Lilith. He met her in the Void Space; she had always helped him, offering great support along the way. Yet Rod had always regarded her as his sister, without any deeper feelings. Now, looking at Nightingale, he wore a bitter smile, unsure of what to say.

Silence filled the air between them as they sat by the lake, lost in thought.

“Do you really want to keep avoiding it?” After a long while, seeing that Rod hadn’t replied, Nightingale spoke softly.

“Actually… you know, there’s only you in my heart. Even for you, I can’t promise anything until this is all over. You’re well aware of that. As for them? Maybe they’re just beautiful memories in my life!” Taking a deep breath, Rod spoke with a hint of melancholy. For some reason, saying these words left him feeling empty, with a sense of disappointment and heaviness.

“You’re still the same—completely unaware of what you want or need!” Looking up at Rod’s complex expression, Nightingale smiled enchantingly.

Her voice was soft, giving off a dreamlike feel.

“I just see Lucy as my sister. Lilith, I’ve always seen her as my sister too. And Ada… she’s my best comrade!” After a long pause, Rod said helplessly.

“Is that really the case? You’ve been avoiding it all along, never knowing what you really want. Even now, is every step you take truly your own choice? Back then, you wanted to know your origins. Now that you do, you’ve been drawn into such a turmoil, and now you have no choice but to keep going. What about the future? What can you do once this is resolved?”
“In terms of strength, you’re already at the peak of the continent—no one can compare to you. But what after this is settled? Yes, you said we can leave this turmoil and live a proper life. But can you let go of everything here? Lucy—you surely know what she thinks. Not to mention Aida! Lilith may hide her feelings well, but will she help you so much for no reason? Haven’t you noticed the strange look in her eyes every time she looks at you?” The Nightingale said slowly, still smiling.
Every word pierced deep into Rod’s heart, making him feel extremely oppressed.
“I have no objection to you being with them. Truly. When I agreed to be with you, I knew a man like you couldn’t just live an ordinary life. With me, your world is vast—there can’t be just me by your side. Actually…”
“Enough! Let’s not talk about this for now! Stop!” Rod interrupted the Nightingale, sighing. “I might need to use the Nether Hellfire of the Black Phoenix clan to train for a while. As you know, the situation is tense—one small move could trigger a bigger crisis at any time. Get ready. We’ll discuss this again once everything is resolved!”
At that moment, Rod’s mind was in chaos. Not knowing what to say, he simply used this topic to end the conversation.
Looking at Rod, the Nightingale’s eyes flickered. After a long while, she sighed softly. It was always the same—he had no idea what he wanted. Like a child. It seemed many things needed to be done by himself.
The air was cool as water. Feeling the chill, the two left the lake and returned to their respective rooms.
…
The next day, the Nether Villa was unusually bustling. The main members of the Black Phoenix clan gathered in the large square in front of it. Together with representatives from various families, there were hundreds of people there, creating a formidable presence. Anyone there could be considered strong—even the weakest had reached the Saint level. With such strength, they would undoubtedly be respected and dominate the continent.

At this moment, the people were chatting animatedly, unsure of what exactly had happened to cause such a fuss. Had something serious occurred? Or had the pro-war faction taken some action? Everyone was puzzled, except for Rod and Lucy and a few others who were in the know and remained calm.

Especially when they saw Doron, the chief enforcer of the Black Phoenix clan, who rarely appeared in such occasions, it caused even more stir. Doron, the chief enforcer of the Black Phoenix clan, would never show up in such settings under normal circumstances, so his presence now led to endless speculation.

“I’ve gathered everyone here today to announce something!” After pondering for a moment, Merk slowly spoke to the crowd below.

As he spoke, the crowd gradually quieted down, focusing their attention once again on the clan leader.

“Naitrod, as I’m sure everyone knows, our Black Phoenix clan has received a great deal of help from him. My daughter Lucy has even been saved by him several times. We all know how much we owe him. Now…” Merk frowned as he looked at the crowd.

Actually, this matter was simple in theory but complicated in practice. It was easy to say a few words, but difficult to phrase them well. It took him great effort to finish speaking. Simply put, after discussing it with the other enforcers, they decided to give him a chance to use the Netherhell Fire to break through his limitations.

As soon as he finished speaking, chaos ensued. Everyone’s gaze was fixed on Rod—filled with complexity, excitement, anger, and confusion.

As the center of attention, Rod stood there, feeling those gazes, and smiled bitterly in resignation.

“No, the Netherhell Fire is the most precious treasure of our Black Phoenix clan. Even our own people aren’t allowed to use it freely, let alone lend it to outsiders. Clan leader, this seems against the rules!” An old man, one of the elders of the Black Phoenix clan, stepped forward and voiced his opposition first.

“Indeed, we can’t lend it to outsiders! Why should we?” As this elder spoke angrily, more chaos arose among the crowd, with many expressing their doubts and dissatisfaction.

The situation became somewhat chaotic, and Rod felt awkward, as it was all because of him.

“Kid, it seems you’re in trouble, hehe…” Sognar’s carefree words drew groans from the crowd.

“That’s right! If it weren’t for your strength, we wouldn’t be waiting until now. You’d have already been taught a lesson!” Sognar continued muttering with a smirk.

Rod knew a little about this. Coming to Netherworld Manor had indeed drawn many unfriendly glances, especially from the young members of the Black Phoenix clan. Rod naturally understood this well—it must be related to Lucy. After all, Lucy was the pride of the Black Phoenix clan. Now that she was getting so close to him, it was inevitable that some people would be dissatisfied.

“Silence! This is a decision made by our group of enforcement elders. Of course, the rules must be followed. Thousands of years ago, our ancestors of the Black Phoenix clan also made such a decision, which faced strong opposition. In the end, it was only by challenging those who opposed us according to clan rules that things settled down.

The same goes today. Those who disagree can step forward and challenge him. If Rod loses, this matter will be considered never happened. But if you lose, then this decision will be carried out!” It was still Dolon, the chief enforcement elder, who played a key role at this critical moment. His authoritative words brought silence to the crowd.

Everyone looked at each other, cursing inwardly at Rod. They knew very well who he was. Competing with such a freak? The thought sent shivers down their spines.

“Hehe, kid, this is way too much!” Sognar said with a bitter smile. How could anyone think this kind of challenge wasn’t just giving Rod an easy win?

A warrior at the Yin Yellow realm was far beyond the reach of those mere god-level youngsters. Not to mention this guy’s notorious reputation—having caused so many troubles, who would want to provoke him?

The enforcement elders surely wouldn’t risk getting slapped by Rod. As for the rest, whether elders or ordinary members, none of them had a chance. It was absurd even to propose such conditions.

Rod felt a bit embarrassed at Sognar’s disdainful look. He smiled nervously, knowing he was in the wrong and refraining from any argument. Even so, he still blushed a little.

“Is there anyone willing to challenge him? If not, then it’s considered approved!” Seeing the sudden silence, Dolon asked calmly.

“I’ll challenge him!” Finally, a loud shout came from a man around Rod’s age, who stood up reluctantly and shouted loudly, drawing countless gazes.