The Valkyrie Returns and Slays (Raven)

Chapter 168

Chapter 168 Investigation

Fury churned in the air like a gathering storm, and despite standing before Edric- the head of one of Regalhold's Five Great Families-the surrounding crowd had little patience left in their tone.

Edric's face was equally grim as he stared at the young man from the Sunset Empire.

His voice dropped cold as steel. "Slipping past multiple layers of security to sneak in? I'll admit that takes some skill. But since you came here uninvited-don't expect to walk out again."

At his words, the heavy tension in the air eased ever so slightly, though the killing intent in everyone's eyes remained sharp and burning.

All eyes locked onto the Sunset Empire youth with open hostility-yet the man himself remained unfazed.

With a slow, condescending sweep of his gaze across the gathered elites, he let out a low, disdainful chuckle.

"Your monarch practically begged for cooperation with Sunset Empire," he said. "And you-just a lowly family head-dare stand against us?"

His words stunned the crowd into brief silence.

Then the fury came rushing back, fiercer than before.

But Jedidiah Ortega, as if oblivious to the temperature plummeting around him, smiled calmly and continued, "Before coming here, I did my research. Anyone under twenty-five is eligible to enter Vyrdenia's new Hundred-Man Unit. There's no mention of

say

mistaken, he just received an official spot, didn't he? Then according to your own

moment his words fell, the entire

never restricted entry

But no one ever imagined another

a spot.

here to compete. He was here to

high from earning the very first nomination-felt his

beat me?"

could finish, something slammed into his

clamped down without

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Chapter 168 Investigation

words choked off into

"L-let go-" he gasped.

everything he had into trying to break the grip-but it was like trying

suffocating pressure mounted second by second, and with it came a wave of fear

second later, Jedidiah flung him

a sickening thud, skidding fifteen feet before

his flight-then snapped back to the Sunset Empire youth, who stood tall amidst the silence, eyes