As the duel between the best geniuses was about to begin, an intense discussion was taking place in another hall.
In one of the white tables closer to the wall, three princes were seated. Unlike normal, their followers were asked to stay away and didn't join in the discussion.
"Are you sure you're not thinking too much?" A young woman, who seemed to be in her mid twenties frowned.
Her hair was tied into a bun and she carried herself with elegance.
"How do I say…It's a weird feeling." The young man to her right, with dull grey hair but brilliantly bright green eyes said, rubbing the back of his neck.
"You can trust Carl, Iris. His instincts are one of the best I've seen. And you know…I socialize a lot." The third person on the table, a rather plump young woman sipped the champagne in her glass and said.
Princess Iris' brows knit together for a split second before she nodded at Prince Carl.
Even though once becoming a Prince, each one of them spent a lot of time on the frontlines, some spent a lot more than others and picked up a knack for discerning intricate things.
Like Prince Carl of Neptune.
Rumors say that he spends except for a month, he spends all his time on the frontlines.
"Alright, but you do realize how weird it sounds, right? Growing that strong in the middle of a battle? Just absurd." She said to Carl, implying she was yet to be convinced, but wanted to hear more.
Prince Carl was a smart man and he tapped on his comm.
There were a total of thirty matches on the comm.
He started all the thirty of them at once and said. "Varian, 18 years old, the intel said he's a low level 5.
But turns out, his strength is likely to be peak level 5. He's disciple of General Evander, so I'm ruling out him using forbidden drugs or too many natural treasures to advance.
Watch all the battles once."
Princess Iris was a Level 7 Super Awakener, the higher form of Enhanced.
Thus, she had no trouble in watching the thirty videos together.
Soon after she did, she asked him to play them once again.
Again.
And again.
Finally, she held out her hand and asked him to stop.
"Did you see it?" Carl asked with a raised brow.
Princes Iris' face scrunched up as she begrudgingly nodded. "It felt…normal? Unless I looked for it, no, even though I looked for it, I barely found the differences."
Prince Carl nodded in understanding and said. "It's not just you, but almost everyone would feel the same."
Princess Iris' clasped her hands and asked, her voice trembled without meaning to. "So…he really got stronger in a fight?"
"Very likely." Prince Carl nodded with a solemn face. "Varian's strength rose after he put on the gauntlets, and sometimes, his speed just increased without any? warning, maybe everyone will feel that he's hiding his strength and only raising it at certain times.
But…with my battle experience, I can see that compared to the first fight, he was a lot more comfortable with the last.
Maybe he just hid his strength all along, but…the way he handled those matches is very different.
The ease, the moves he picked and the interest in his eyes…everything changed from the first match to the last. If not for the fact that his awakening is so clearly recorded, I would've suspected he's even a Space Awakener."
Prince Carl laughed at the end. If Varian was really a Space Awakener, it would've been impossible to hide his aura from the likes of Evander.
Princess Iris and Princess Ria couldn't laugh.
"…ridiculous. But…looking at the videos, it's likely a possibility. At least 40% sure." Princess Iris drew a long sigh as she stared at the starry sky through the translucent ceiling.
40% possibility for the existence of a monster…it was too high.
"Don't think too much. It could all be him hiding his strength all along. Besides even if he is what you suspected, you think the ones above us don't realize it?" Princess Ria covered her mouth and chuckled.
"…You're right." Carl glanced at the distant tables where level 8s were seated.
And Princess Ria was right.
The Level 8 were indeed discussing the same issue.
"Is this a publicity stunt or are you trying to attract attention?" A lanky old man slammed the table and cussed.
Despite his weak appearance, he was capable of blowing continents to bits.
The aura that leaked out of him was more than suffice to prove it. Just the leaked aura could've locked down a level 4 awakener.
It would've deterred even a level 5.
Unfortunately, not his opponents.
"Shut up! Are we all prying into what your Xanders are doing and how you got that potion?
You said some bullshit story and we all believed it, even though we all know that it's crap.
So, why don't you stop asking about my Young Master?" Richard, who usually behaved like an elegant and gentle butler, pointed a wine bottle at Eve Xander and cursed.
He even told Varian to 'act properly' since his every move represents his master 'Evander'.
"What bullshit story?" Eve Xander waved his hand and squinted his eyes. "Don't divert the topic.
How did that brat get to peak Level 5?
Is it really like it looks? He improved during the matches or…was he hiding his strength all along and you instructed him to act like this?
So that you can project him as a greater genius than my young master Charles?"
"Project? You're taking yourself too seriously. What sem is my young master in? First sem! It's just mid sem and he's already reached peak level 5.
And yours? Pfft. He got some luck last year and found some bullshit herb. Or why would he reach peak level 6 so fast."
"I think it's you who gave Varian all those herbs. The more you use them, the more difficult it is to raise the levels later. Yet, you sacrificed his future just to show the world you have a successor who can reach Sovereign.
Anyway that Sarah isn't ever going to be—huek!" Eve Xander's body suddenly stiffened like someone froze him.
Well, someone really did freeze him.
"You old geezer, you can brag about your young master all you want, but don't you dare badmouth my young miss." Anna said coldly and disappeared.
"Ha! Ha! Ha!" Eve Xander panted heavily as he patted his chest.
In that one moment, he was almost crushed alive.
"Serves you right." Richard snickered and secretly glanced at Anna who sat with level 9s.
He stayed at level 9 while unknowingly, she advanced to level 9.
Was this his limit?
He hit the bottleneck but couldn't break it.
But…
'I guess Master is half-panicking and half-ecstatic. He would've never guessed that young master's strength is so high.
I don't know why he's putting on that show. If he could really improve at that speed, why wait till now? Is he trying to cement his status?
Or…is it only a show?' Shaking his head, Richard tapped his comm and instructed the people under him.
'Announce that Young Master Varian always kept his strength hidden. He is also proficient in hiding his aura, so don't expect to figure out his strength.'
It might or might not be the truth. But it was in best interests of Varian. That way, he would be away from the prying eyes.
Sometimes, human greed was far more dangerous than any Abyssal.
"Regardless of the reason, I'll not let any trouble get to you." As he muttered under his breath, Evander's voice reverberated across the hall.
"The biggest duel has begun."
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