“Brother!” Lothar cried, unable to keep strangling Hal as he dropped to the floor.
When he looked up, he saw that Ciril was suddenly on his feet. However, his hair and beard were standing on ends and his eyes were thoroughly red, his veins throbbing like a raging beast.
“He’s gone amok…?!”
Even as the word came to mind, Lothar was left watching as Ciril launched a punch at him on the floor.
“Move!”
Lothar threw Hal aside as he barrel rolled out of the way, dodging Ciril’s punch by inches… which left a meter-deep crater on the floor.
“Brother, it’s me, Lothar! Get a hold of yourself!” Lothar cried out anxiously.
His words did not seem to reach Ciril, however.
If anything, it made Ciril even more violent.
He bellowed again and kept attacking Lothar.
“Go… Get Mr. Lawrence!” Lothar shouted to the retainers nearby even as he parried Ciril’s assault. “T-Tell him that Hal ruined his treatment… Ciril has gone amok!”
–
Meanwhile, Frank was slowly rising off the ground in front of Yed’s mansion.
Beside him lay the two pompous Birthright rank Janko retainers, their bodies charred and themselves unconscious, barely breathing.
“Anyone else? Come on, then,” Frank challenged, looking around pointedly at the bodyguards around him.
They were all mostly vigor wielders and were naturally trading glances, none of them daring to take a step forward to challenge Frank.
Just look at the three Birthright rank Janko retainers—two were on the ground, charred after being struck by lightning bolts.
And the other one? He was sent flying somewhere, his fate unknown.
Having seen the depth of Frank’s power, none of the bodyguards dared to mess about since none of them were suicidal!
In the distance, Yed was even more shocked than they were.
He knew that Frank was strong and possibly a Birthright rank. Naturally, he was confident he could handle Frank with his three loyal Birthright rank retainers—and including himself, that would pit Frank against four.
He just did not expect Frank to destroy the three retainers in an instant, and he could still see the moment Frank unleashed the wrath of the skies against them.
He realized right then that Frank could well be Ascendant rank… Which meant that small fries like them would stand a chance!
“He was just faking?!” He swore under his breath, his legs shaking uncontrollably. “I shouldn’t have sent the other retainers away!”
He had kept only retainers loyal to him in Janko Gardens, sending everyone else away for misdirection, so that they thought they were facing an enemy from the outside. Moreover, the ones who stayed were Birthright rank and should have been enough to handle any problems.
But Frank had to show up out of nowhere, not only bringing Ciril back from the dead, but also proving himself a formidable Ascendant rank!
What a blunder!
Yed’s spite for Frank was ablaze—if not for him, his plan would have succeeded!
“I guess your boys are scared.” Frank gloated as he looked around at the bodyguards who kept withdrawing and turned toward Yed with a sneer. “So, Mr. Janko. Time to pay up… or perhaps you have more retainers up your sleeve?”
As Frank strode toward Yed, the bodyguards in the way backed off, clearing a path for Frank straight toward Yed!
