Chapter 198: Showing strength

Chapter 198: Showing strengthApollo didn’t hide his presence and walked straight towards the inn, where the guards quickly noticed him and became alert. One of the guards, a broad-shouldered man with a gruff voice, stepped forward.

"Who are you, and why have you come here?" he asked, his tone cautious but firm.

Apollo remained calm, his gaze steady as he replied, "I want to meet the leader of your Rose Clan. I have something important to discuss."

The guards exchanged wary glances, their eyes scanning Apollo with suspicion. His calm demeanour and confident stride made it clear that he wasn’t an ordinary visitor.

One of the guards, a tall stern man, stepped forward. "The leader of the Rose Clan doesn’t meet just anyone," he said firmly, his hand resting on the hilt of his weapon. "State your business or leave."

Apollo didn’t waver. "I want to join your clan as a guest representative for the Ten Clan Assembly. I believe I can offer something of great value."

The guards exchanged wary looks, unsure of whether to let this stranger pass. One of them eventually turned and disappeared into the inn, leaving Apollo standing under their scrutiny. After a few moments, the guard returned, gesturing for him to follow.

"Come with me," he said curtly, leading Apollo toward the inn.

Apollo followed the guard into the inn, his footsteps steady and measured. The interior of the inn was modest yet well-maintained, with wooden furniture and subtle decorations reflecting the practical yet dignified nature of the Rose Clan.

As they moved through the hallways, Apollo could feel the watchful eyes of several clan members; their curiosity was piqued by the arrival of an outsider claiming to offer something of value to their clan.

The guard led Apollo to a large room at the end of the hallway. He knocked twice, and a firm voice from within called out, "Enter."

The door opened to reveal a spacious room with a long wooden table in the centre. Seated at the head of the table was a slender, tall, dignified, mature woman with silver hair and piercing purple eyes. Her aura was strong—undeniably the leader of the Rose Clan. Beside her stood a few other high-ranking members, each radiating an air of authority and strength.

The leader’s sharp gaze locked onto Apollo as soon as he entered. "You’re the one requesting an audience?" She asked her tone calm but demanding respect.

He inclined his head slightly in a gesture of respect. "Yes, I am Apollo," he introduced himself with calm confidence. "I’ve come to offer my services as a guest representative for your clan in the Ten Clan Assembly as I heard it is in serious need of someone like me."

The woman’s piercing eyes studied him for a long moment, the weight of her scrutiny palpable. "We have already selected our representatives," she said, her tone even but firm. "What makes you believe you are worthy of a place among them?"

Apollo met her gaze unflinchingly. "Because I have the strength to ensure victory for your clan," he said, his voice steady.

The leader’s eyebrows arched slightly in response; her interest piqued. The air in the room shifted as the other members also glanced at Apollo with their eyes flickering with curiosity.

"Many claim to possess strength," the woman replied, leaning back in her chair, her voice cool and measured. "But claims alone mean little in this assembly."

Apollo smiled faintly, understanding her scepticism. "Then allow me to prove it," he said confidently. "A simple test of strength will be enough."

The leader’s lips curved ever so slightly, a flicker of amusement crossing her face. She turned her head slightly, addressing one of the high-ranking members standing nearby—a tall, sharp-featured woman with an aura of formidable power. "Marianne," she said, her voice subtly commanding, "test him."

Marianne stepped forward, her brown eyes narrowing as she focused on Apollo. She was clearly a young, seasoned warrior, her peak Fourth-Rank strength emanating in waves, which wasn’t weak as she prepared to face him.

The room grew tense; the challenge was accepted. But Apollo remained calm, his confidence unwavering.

Marianne’s voice was cold and measured. "I hope your confidence isn’t misplaced. We’ll see if you can live up to your words."

She was extra cold as she was one of the five participants from the Rose Clan, and her strength ranked third among the five, which was quite good. Although even if Apollo joined them, it wouldn’t be a problem, but she knows the other four quite well and can be considered friends.

But Apollo’s appearance means one of them would lose their place.

Apollo didn’t care about her cold eyes and gave a nod, stepping into the open space with a serene expression. "Come then."

The Rose Clan leader then waved her hand and created a barrier of energy, and with that, everyone in the room’s attention fixed on the two warriors, the tension mounted, and the test of strength that would determine Apollo’s place in the Rose Clan began.

Marianne made the first move as a green life aura burst from her, transforming the surroundings. Numerous vines erupted from the ground, surging toward Apollo with swift, relentless force.

"Not bad," he murmured, observing the scene. He could feel the powerful wood aura flowing through the vines; their durability and attack power seemed impressive.

"But not enough."

"Freeze."

In an instant, an icy chill swept through the air. The temperature around them plummeted as a wave of freezing energy came out of Apollo. The approaching vines stiffened mid-air, their vibrant green aura full of vitality quickly fading as a layer of frost covering them. Crackling sounds filled the space as the ice spread rapidly, locking the once-menacing vines in place.

Apollo stood motionless, his gaze never leaving Marianne. The frozen vines shattered with a mere gesture of his hand, crumbling into tiny fragments of ice that scattered across the floor.

Not to mention Marianne, but everyone within the room was surprised by such a scene. Even the clan leader, who had half-god strength, was also shocked, but she maintained a calm expression.

Marianne’s voice stammered and her eyes widened in surprise, her life aura still radiating but clearly weakened by the effortless counter. "You froze my vines..."

Apollo’s calm voice cut through the icy silence. "You’ll need more than that if you want to stop me."

Her expression became grave, and she immediately used her strongest attack, exploding with all her strength.

"Spirit Plant

Star Beam."

Behind her, a towering twenty-foot plant materialized, its massive flower glowing with a radiant, ethereal starlight. In the next instant, it fired a blindingly powerful star beam, a surge of destructive energy streaking toward Apollo with the force to obliterate anything in its path.

The air crackled as the beam tore through space, its radiance illuminating the entire room with overwhelming intensity.

Apollo stood still as the radiant Spirit Plant Star Beam roared toward him, its power shaking the very air. The sheer destructive force of the attack was enough to make even seasoned warriors pause, but he remained unfazed, his eyes narrowing slightly in contemplation.

As the beam closed in, Apollo raised his hand, exuding a calm aura of control. The space around him twisted, creating an invisible wall.

"Nullify."

With a quiet command, Apollo’s hand moved, and the devastating beam seemed to disappear quietly in front of him.

"What!"

But before she could react further, the beam reappeared behind her, as if it had been redirected, racing toward her with relentless force.

BOOM!

The explosion was thunderous, but at the last moment, Apollo sensed a powerful aura—her clan leader’s—enveloping her just before the impact, shielding her from the worst of the blast.

The entire room fell silent, the aftereffects of Marianne’s attack still echoing faintly in the stunned air.

Marianne stumbled backwards, her face pale and her breath ragged as she tried to process what had just happened. Her own attack had been turned against her, and if not for the timely intervention of the clan leader, she could have been seriously injured—or worse. The room still hummed with residual energy, and the walls scorched from the redirected blast.

"Space law!..." Marianne gasped, her voice tinged with disbelief and awe. She could scarcely believe it. Manipulating attacks of such magnitude with that level of precision wasn’t something that could be done with a shallow understanding of space. With such a high understanding of space law, she believes he can remain undefeated that even many saints wouldn’t be able to defeat him.

The Rose Clan leader, who had quietly shielded Marianne at the last second, finally spoke. Her voice was as composed as ever, but there was a hard edge of respect woven into it now. "I must admit, your abilities exceed our expectations, Apollo."

She stepped forward, placing a hand on Marianne’s shoulder as if to steady her. "Few can wield space law, much less reach such a high level at such a young age."

Apollo gave a slight nod, acknowledging her words but offering no further comment. He knew the display of his power was enough to establish his position here, and there was no need to dwell on it.

The clan leader regarded him carefully. "With your strength, we would be honoured to have you represent the Rose Clan in the Ten Clan Assembly."