The Rise of a Master: It Starts With Rejection

Chapter 616

"More than 200 lives! And they were children! When you sleep at night, do their restless. souls never come to haunt you?" Felix's voice boomed, each word sharp as a blade.

Yates staggered back several steps, his face pale as a sheet. His gaze swept across the fallen sect members, none of whom dared meet his eyes.

Only the sect leader, overwhelmed with guilt, broke into sobs as he choked out an explanation. "W-We did it to save the sect! Ten years ago, something crippled all of Polaris businesses. We barely had enough money to keep the sect running for six months.

"Without resorting to desperate measures, Polaris would have crumbled. We had no other choice!"

Yates closed his eyes tightly as tears streaked down his face, his heart breaking at the revelation. For years, he had focused solely on his martial pursuits, oblivious to the horrors hidden beneath the surface..

Titus, Uzziah, and Thaddeus were equally stunned. None of them could have imagined that a prestigious sect like Polaris had committed such monstrous atrocities.

"Poor Yates..." Uzziah let out a heavy sigh. He knew Yates' character well enough to be certain that he had no knowledge of these crimes.

would have stopped it

excuses.

of the fallen elders. Their

They deserved every ounce

and conscience, I owe an unpayable debt to those children. But as the leader of Polaris, I can't let you leave unchallenged." He straightened his posture, his voice resolute. "I'll take three strikes from you. If I'm still standing after that, we will settle this in a

he stepped forward. He understood Yates had been unaware

as

a wave of golden light, accompanied by a deep, resonant dragon's roar that

Chapter 616

stone tiles beneath them and sending debris flying. Despite the overwhelming force, Yates stood his ground, making no move to defend himself. He took the

expression grim. "No, he hit him. That punch almost killed Yates. If

was stunned. "So, in a real fight, Yates wouldn't

tone heavy, "That's