Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 181 181: Round Of 16Timeless AssassinC181 181: Round Of 16
(Next Day – Sky-God Arena, Round of 16)
Rodova's second match in the Interstellar Circuits had a different air about it.
They weren't cocky. They weren't smiling. They weren't underestimating anyone.
After the embarrassment they endured against Button Academy, no one—least of all Yu Shen—took anything for granted anymore.
Which was why today's roster looked like a declaration of war.
Yu Shen. Minerva. Su Yang. Leo.
And Enzo, a last-minute addition slotted in as the backup fifth, but with no expectation of stepping into the arena unless something went catastrophically wrong.
This was Rodova's true hand.
Their real starting lineup.
And the crowd could feel it.
—------------
"Well, well, well… if it isn't the fallen titans returning to the field," Derek chuckled, adjusting his headset as the camera zoomed in on the Rodova team walking toward the arena staging zone.
"Yesterday was rough for Rodova," Lee chimed in, his voice more grounded. "They went down 0-4 to Button Academy before Leo Skyshard pulled off the most epic comeback in recent Circuits history."
"Yeah, Leo was a monster yesterday," Derek agreed. "But let's not sugarcoat it—the rest of the team humiliated themselves which is why you see none of those members in today's lineup.
Button Academy was supposed to be a warm-up round for a team like Rodova, and yet they nearly lost it all."
"Well, based on today's lineup," Lee said, "they're clearly not here to mess around anymore. Yu Shen, Su Yang, Minerva… all back on the board."
"And their opponents?" Derek said, glancing at his notes. "The Red Demon Academy. An all-demon roster. Big boys. Thick skin. Twice the muscle mass of your average human."
"Expect this match to be physical Derek," Lee nodded. "The Red Demons are known for their brute strength and aggressive fighting styles. But based on what the Red Demon Academy showed us in the previous rounds, they're much more than just plain brutes…"
The camera panned to the center of the field where Su Yang stepped up for the opening bout, facing off against a massive 8.5-foot-tall demon with horns curled like twin rams and a cleaver-like greatsword slung over his shoulder.
"…It looks like Rodova brought their own monster to open against the Red Demons," Derek whistled. "I mean, just look at Su Yang. Those massive arms. That towering posture. Those unyielding golden eyes.
I'd say he looks half a demon himself. Because if it was anyone else apart from him staring against a demon, they would look tiny in comparison–"
—------------
(Pillar-Wall Arena – Su Yang's First Match)
The arena for today's fight was the simpler Pillar-Wall Arena.
Which had simple stone columns protruding out of the arena surface at various intervals.
It wasn't one of the tricky arenas where surroundings changed a lot, but you still couldn't charge in a straight line for too long.
Once both fighters took their starting spots, the referee raised his hand to signal the start.
"BEGIN!" The referee said, dropping his hand, as the demon swordsman roared and charged, lifting his cleaver high.
The ground cracked under each of his strides as he bore down on Su Yang with all the fury of a wrecking ball.
But Su Yang didn't even flinch.
He stood his ground, expression blank, sword resting against his shoulder like it weighed nothing.
*CLANG—!*
The first clash of weapons sent a shockwave rippling through the arena.
However instead of being pushed down or back, like many expected him to, when engaging in a contest of strength against a Demon, Su Yang effortlessly deflected his opponents cleaver, as he sent the demon backflipping not once, but twice—before he rolled across the arena floor and crashed into a nearby stone pillar.
*OOOO—*
The crowd erupted as "WHAT?!" Derek shouted over the roar.
"Did he just send a demon twice his size cartwheeling?!"
"He didn't just block that strike, Derek, he completely overpowered his opponent, countering his attack with more force than the demon came in with. That's not just strength, that's technique—pure, honed, explosive technique!" Lee added, as Derek hummed in agreement.
After regaining his footing, the demon snarled and charged again, but Su Yang moved like a ghost.
He sidestepped a downward cleave and swept low, slashing the demon's knee with surgical precision. Before the demon could fall, Su Yang grabbed him by the shoulder, spun, and launched him into the air like a ragdoll.
As the demon tried to stabilize mid-air, Su Yang was already there—leaping high, higher than seemed physically possible—and came crashing down with a sword strike that hit like a thunderbolt.
BOOM—
The arena floor cracked beneath the demon's body as Su Yang landed.
The demon being knocked out cold, as he was rushed to the medical bay immediately.
"KO! Rodova takes the first point!" Derek declared as the crowd roared in approval, as this was the exact type of fighting they were here to see.
"ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED?" Su Yang said, spreading his arms wide, as being the crowd pleaser that he was, he made sure to hype up his supporters before his next fight.
—------------
(Second Match – Su Yang vs. Red Demon Academy's 2nd Fighter, an axe wielder)
Another demon stepped forward, this one with a serrated axe and a brawler's stance.
But it didn't matter.
Su Yang dissected him within a minute.
Parries, feints, brutal precision—every time the demon tried to initiate a combo, Su Yang disrupted it mid-flow and punished the attempt with crushing sword strikes.
Within thirty seconds, the demon's weapon was broken, and Su Yang planted his foot against his chest, sending him flying across the arena and out of bounds.
"Point number two to Rodova! Su Yang is absolutely dominating this match!" Lee shouted, nearly out of breath.
"Who needs magic when you can fold demons like laundry?" Derek added, laughing.
—------------
(Third Match, Fourth Match, Minerva )
After his second win, Su Yang raised his hand for substitution, tagging in Minerva without saying a word, as was the pre-made plan before the match began.
Minerva stepped onto the field in silence, longbow strapped to her back, silver arrows glinting in her quiver, as the demon across from her snarled, brandishing twin whips charged with dark mana.
"Begin—" The referee declared, as the Demon dashed forward in zigzag motion, closing the distance fast—but Minerva didn't blink.
*Thwip—!*
The first arrow nailed his shoulder mid-sprint.
[Rapid Shot]
*Thwip—!*
*Thwip—!*
The next two slammed into his thigh and hip, breaking his movement rhythm entirely.
*Thwip*
*Thwip*
.
.
.
*Thwip*
By the time he got within ten feet, Minerva had planted so many arrows into his body that the poor demon collapsed under his own weight, unable to stand.
As the referee blew the whistle to signal for the end of the fight.
"Rodova takes point three." The referee declared, as the crowd cheered, this time with more awe than excitement.
"Minerva's accuracy is just cruel," Lee whispered. "She doesn't just shoot to wound—she disables key muscle groups. It's like watching a doctor dissect someone mid-combat."
"Can her next opponent give her more of a challenge?" Derek wondered, as the fourth red demon stepped up.
The fourth demon fighter was a shield warrior, the perfect counter for an archer, however, since he was just a master level warrior, the difference between the two remained too large for him to overcome.
He tried to charge at Minerva as soon as the match began, however, Minerva just responded by firing high into the sky.
Then suddenly shooting low, as the charging demon became confused on what was going on.
After that, Minerva suddenly shot an arrow behind him, as the shot ricocheted off a pillar and struck him in the back, before the one that she shot in the sky hit him on top of the head, ending the fight instantly.
"Winner, Rodova—"
The referee declared as the crowd lost it.
This was the most badass way to finish an opponent, and they loved it, as Minerva simply turned and flicked her hair before walking back towards the contestant area, as she tagged Yu Shen in.
—------------
(Fifth Match – Yu Shen Enters)
The crowd buzzed as the Rodova Captain walked into the arena.
"IT'S HIM!" Derek screamed. "THE RODOVA CAPTAIN IS FINALLY HERE!"
"Yu Shen enters the field!" Lee echoed, voice booming. "And judging by the roar from the stands, the crowd's been eagerly waiting for this moment!"
Lee said, as the excitement in the air seemed to automatically triple when Yu Shen walked into the field, as the cheers he received were unlike anything any other Rodova fighter got before him.
Wielding twin swords coated in shimmering frost, Yu Shen didn't waste any time once the match began, as he charged at his opponent with ruthless speed.
The final demon opponent was a spellcaster, building up fire spells at rapid speed.
But Yu Shen didn't let him breathe.
Using elegant footwork and blinding speed, he appeared in front of the caster before the second fireball had even charged—and slashed through his protective spells like they were paper.
With just two sweeping arcs of his blades, he froze the demon's arms at the joints—and shattered them with a final cross-slash that ended the fight instantly.
"Match over! Rodova wins all five rounds—5-0!" the announcer declared, as the crowd exploded in applause and chants praising Yu Shen.
"Now that—" Derek said, his voice breathless, "—is how you bounce back from a bad day."
"Rodova did not just win today," Lee added. "They sent a message to all the other academies watching, that don't mistake us as weak, that we are still the number one seed.
And they surely looked like it today!"
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 182 182: Crisis Averted.... For NowTimeless AssassinC182 182: Crisis Averted.... For Now
There were no wild celebrations inside the Rodova locker room after their Round of 16 win.
Everyone sat quietly, catching their breath as Yu Shen, Su Yang, and Minerva downed stamina recovery potions in silence—
Until Yu Shen finally broke the quiet.
"Tomorrow's a rest day. The quarterfinals won't begin until the day after, but we still have obligations—fan meet and greets, press events, the whole circus.
So listen up—rest your bodies. Don't go wandering off. Don't do anything that'll get us sanctioned or draw the wrong kind of attention."
He paused, letting that sink in before continuing.
"Our next opponents are the Nature Academy. They've got two Grandmasters in their lineup now, which means this won't be an easy fight.
If we get past them… chances are we'll face Clarence Academy the very next day. And they've got three Grandmasters this year, and frankly, they're looking better than they've ever looked before.
And if—somehow—we make it to the finals… then we're going up against Geneva.
A full Grandmaster roster. No weak links. No freebies.
So I don't think I need to spell out just how hard that fight is going to be."
He stood up, voice steady.
"Which means tomorrow may be the last true break you get in this tournament.
So I advise you to use it wisely."
Yu Shen said, as he gazed towards only Leo, Su Yang and Minerva, like the other members of the team, did not even matter to him.
"Yes, Captain–" Minerva replied, while Leo and Su Yang nodded, as Yu Shen sat back down looking satisfied.
However, while Leo sat care-free within the Rodova changing room, back at the Horizon Dominion head office on planet StarGate, things got real messy, real fast.
—------
(Planet StarGate, Horizon Dominion head office)
"Ma'am… there's an urgent report regarding one of our rising talents—Leo Skyshard," the assistant said, his voice low and tense as he handed over a glowing data slate.
They stood inside Horizon Dominion's head office on planet StarGate, surrounded by towering windows that overlooked the spire-heavy skyline.
The atmosphere inside the office was all marble, silence, and money as Ladina Horizon, CEO and part-owner of the Horizon Dominion Group, raised a perfectly shaped brow as she set her protein smoothie down and took a look at the slate.
She skimmed the headline—and stilled.
Subject: Leo Skyshard – Flagged as a Wanted Criminal (Planet Terra Nova)
"Tch…" she exhaled, scrolling with a practiced flick. "What now?"
The report was ludicrous.
According to Planet Terra Nova's local government, Leo Skyshard was being charged with:
1)Unauthorized leaking of classified information
2)Resisting arrest
3)Double homicide of local enforcement agents
They were suing him for a grand sum of 250 million MP in the Universal Court.
And most hilariously their report mentioned how Leo had damaged government earning potential by influencing migrant workers to make 'smarter life choices'
Amongst the poor, he was apparently hailed as a hero.
However, amongst Planet Terra Nova's corrupt elite? A nuisance who disrupted a predatory exploitation scheme.
"It's clearly a smear job," the assistant offered nervously. "A local power move. Low-level nonsense—but the real problem is that it somehow made it into the Universal Government's official registry."
Ladina leaned back in her chair, lips pursed, eyes cool.
"How did you find this so suddenly?" She asked, as the assistant presented the anonymous email they received recently.
"We got an anonymous email today, which we have traced back to the lead investigating officer on Leo's case, who is blackmailing us for money to keep this hush, hush or threatening to release it to the press--" The assistant said, as Ladina frowned.
"If he gives it to the universal media, they could try to spin this into a PR nightmare and accuse Horizon Dominion of hiring a known criminal. Try to drag our name through the mud during peak Circuits coverage.
How the fuck did this event bypass our background check system? Did no-one check out the kid before offering him a contract?" Ladina asked, turning towards her assistant, who quickly showed her another data slate.
"The background data given to us by the Rodova Military Academy came as clean. And since Rodova is such a reputed source we trusted them to know this—" The assistant replied, as Ladina let out a long sigh.
"ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK–" She said, pressing a finger to her forehead, as she contemplated on what to do next.
"How important is Leo Skyshard again? Is it fine if we throw him to the wolves?" She asked coldly, as the assistant quickly tapped his slate, pulling up Leo's metrics.
"Extremely high ceiling, ma'am. He's projected to become one of the most marketable names in the Circuits if he survives till finals. Viewer traction is already spiking."
Ladina smiled faintly, brushing a lock of hair behind her ear. "Then we protect the investment."
She tapped her nails against the desk once—twice—then issued her decision.
"Bribe the local official on Terra Nova handling the investigation. Have them alter Leo's facial profile in the records—just enough that, despite the name match, facial recognition won't flag him."
She stood and walked toward the massive glass wall, arms crossed behind her back.
"Meanwhile, grease someone inside the Universal Government's database division and have the entry wiped from the registry altogether. Use up to a million MP total. I want it done in four hours or less."
The assistant bowed. "Yes, ma'am. Understood."
"And if this ever comes back to bite us, we'll claim we ran a full background check, and nothing showed up. Clean hands, clean conscience."
With that, she turned away from the skyline, already moving on to the next crisis.
"Leo Skyshard is valuable. So until he's not… we protect him like he's royalty."
The assistant nodded and left—leaving the queen to her empire.
This was by no means an ideal situation for the Horizon Dominion Group to be in, however, this was exactly how the business world worked.
The most profitable investments always came with some caveat or the other, and you often had to handle things behind the scenes to keep the ugly truth buried.
This would not only prove as a good business decision for the Horizon Dominion Group if everything worked out as planned, but could also be used as leverage to renegotiate Leo Skyshards contract in the future, by letting him know that he owed them one.
—-------
After receiving his instructions, Ladina's assistant did not wait a single second before mobilizing the Horizon Group's 'Fixers' to take care of Ladina's instructions.
The Horizon Dominion Group was a wealthy and powerful conglomerate with deep ties within the Universal Government.
For them to go up against a small fry like some local government on an obscure planet was nothing much, as they expected to have this whole incident settled within mere hours.
The Horizon Group's fixers were specialists—ghosts in the system—trained to scrub, rewrite, and reshape official data across thousands of worlds without leaving a trace.
As by the time an hour passed, the Terra Nova official overseeing Leo's case had already "re-evaluated" his report, uploading a new facial profile that bore only a vague resemblance to the real Leo Skyshard.
Meanwhile a second fixer forwarded a silent bribe to a data registry clerk within the Universal Government, who, in exchange for a generous payout, purged Leo's criminal record from every tier of the interstellar database.
Within three hours, it was done.
No loose ends. No evidence.
To the public, Leo Skyshard remained clean. Untouched. A prodigy untainted by scandal.
And as Ladina reviewed the final confirmation on her tablet, she gave a slight nod and calmly returned to her protein drink, thinking that the crisis was already behind her.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 183 183: Media EventTimeless AssassinC183 183: Media Event
(Sky-God Arena – Rodova VIP Villa, Morning of the Rest Day)
The morning sun had barely risen over the grand lotus shaped spire's of the Sky-God Arena when a line of black hover-cars began parking outside Team Rodova's private villa.
Each vehicle gleamed with the logos of major sponsors—Horizon Dominion, Emerald Arms Consortium, Crimson Phoenix, and more—spilling out teams of stylists, PR reps, branding advisors, and media consultants.
Their movements were crisp, professional, and entirely without mercy for the sleepy fighters within, as they stormed the villa without any regard for the team's privacy.
—--------
Inside the villa, silence lingered.
Until it didn't.
*BANG—*
The door to Leo's room swung open without warning as a flurry of Horizon Dominion stylists and handlers barged in.
Leo was asleep in bed when they entered, however, he was up and alert within a split second, looking like he was ready for war.
Thankfully, it wasn't enemies that had ambushed him, as after looking at the Horizon Dominion logos on the chest of people entering his room, he simply looked up once and nodded.
"Good. You're up. That makes things easier," said one of the lead stylists, snapping her fingers as two others moved in behind her with kits in hand.
"Take this, Mr Skyshard," another added, handing Leo a small pill and a glowing vial.
"It's a rapid skin detox combo. You'll sweat a lot—for about ten minutes, but it will cleanse every pore in your body and you will be left with a clear, glowing skin"
Leo took them both without a word, swallowed them dry, and closed his eyes.
A minute later, the effects hit.
Sweat began pouring from his body like a waterfall. His shirt clung to him, drenched within seconds, as every pore opened up and heat radiated from his core.
Ten minutes passed in silence, the room filled only with the sounds of his slow, steady breathing and the quiet notes of the stylists reviewing his schedule, but once the ten minutes were over–
"Shower. Warm water only. Five minutes max," a voice instructed from the doorway, handing him a bathrobe as Leo nodded and walked into the bathroom.
By the time he emerged, towel wrapped around his waist, steam trailing behind him—his skin had taken on a clean, polished glow, hair damp and slicked back slightly from the heat.
As the stylists wasted no time.
One began blow-drying his hair into the approved shape for the day's events. Another rubbed a light serum into his jawline, enhancing the sharpness of his features, while the third held up several outfit options, each tailored precisely to Leo's physique—dark, elegant, and broadcast-friendly.
Meanwhile, the media consultants moved in with their datapads.
"The media today may ask you about the brutality with which you fight," one began. "You need to come off as measured. Not cocky. Try something like: 'The stakes are high. I don't hold back, because I can't afford to.'"
"Another likely question," added the second consultant, "is about your presence on the main roster as a first year. Especially your dynamic with Su Yang.
Our goal for this question is to project a humble, brotherly image of you. So it's recommended you reply with something like: 'I'm just trying to help the team as best as I can— and, Su Yang's like a brother to me'."
"If they ask about the Button Academy comeback," the first consultant added, "say something like: 'It looked tough, but I had faith in my fighting skills. I just focused on the next opponent. One at a time. Kept myself grounded and focused till the end'."
The consultants bombarded him with PR training, to which Leo replied nothing.
He just nodded patiently after each note being read to him as he knew that there was no point behind telling these corporate clowns that he wasn't going to follow their script, so he just pretended to be co-operative.
He had never attended a media or fan event before today, nor had he seen one play over the television, so he had no idea about what to expect from it.
However, if there was one thing that he was certain of— it was the fact that he wasn't going to pretend to be something he was actually not, just because there was a camera on him.
Whatever the event turned out to be, he'd face it the only way he knew how—which was by showing up as his genuine self.
—-----------
20 minutes before the event was scheduled to begin, Leo and every other sponsored fighter on the team looked dressed and ready for the ordeal, as Leo felt quite surprised on how good some of these guys looked.
Compared to their usual fighting gear, the aura of the team members changed drastically when they wore formal suits and custom accessories, as Yu Shen and Su Yang in particular looked like male supermodels.
"What do you think eh? Skyshard? Think I'll meet my future wife at this event today?" Su Yang asked, as Leo scoffed and began to fake-cough.
"With that muscular body of yours, the only fangirls chasing you are going to be orcs, Yang…. So unless you plan to take-in an Orc wife, don't get your hopes too high," Leo replied as Su Yang snorted in disbelief.
"Don't forget the Demon-Kind…. I think those dig Su Yang too!" Minerva added from the background, as Su Yang turned and raised his arms in protest.
"I'm popular amongst human girls too… you guys are just too jealous to admit it–" He said, as Leo just shook his head in disbelief.
This was the exact kind of pointless banter that made him feel like his time was better utilised training or doing combat drills, however, the contents of his contract with Horizon were clear.
Attending Media Events was a must!
—------
Soon, the Rodova team arrived at the event venue in a sleek private bus, its sides adorned with the academy's crest.
As the doors hissed open, the first thing they saw was Principal Alric standing just outside the barricades, waiting with his usual flamboyance.
He looked freshly arrived himself—his coat still buttoned from the shuttle ride, his silver hair untouched by the wind.
"Yu Shen, my boy!" he called out, stepping forward with open arms, as Yu Shen who was first to disembark from the shuttle, eagerly embraced the principal, with a few minor photographers excitedly snapping shots of the two embracing for the cameras.
Meanwhile, the rest of the team began disembarking behind him, each adjusting their jackets or brushing off lint as the flashes continued to spark around them.
And then—
"Skyshard, my BOYYY—!" Alric suddenly bellowed with exaggerated warmth, his voice drawing curious looks from reporters and fans alike.
As Leo paused for the slightest second, feeling unsure about why Alric was summoning him with such theatrical energy—before deciding to finally play along.
"Principal–" Leo said curtly before stepping forward, as Alric immediately swept him into a half-embrace, his grip surprisingly firm.
"Smile for the cameras," he whispered quickly into Leo's ear—his tone low and business-like.
As Leo obeyed, slipping on a faint, controlled smile just as the shutters clicked around them.
They separated a moment later, with Alric gripping Leo's hand in a firm handshake, as he squeezed just hard enough to make a point before moving on to greet the others.
He gave Minerva a nod, clapped Su Yang on the shoulder, and even gave Enzo a brief handshake.
Before finally throwing his arms around Professors David and Hen, as he pulled both men close for a hearty laugh.
"Hahaha—"
The sound filled the air, as Leo blinked in confusion.
For a moment, it was hard for him to believe what he was seeing—Principal Alric and Professor David standing side by side, laughing like old friends despite their well-known differences.
But apparently, this was what media attention did to people.
Whatever disputes they had behind closed doors did not exist here.
As in front of the cameras, the Rodova faculty presented a united front, acting as a one big, happy family, for the rest of the universe to see.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 184 184: Red CarpetTimeless AssassinC184 184: Red Carpet
(Sky-God Arena – Red Carpet Entrance)
Leo did not expect to see a long red carpet leading into the actual event hall once he stepped inside the main building.
Apparently, the media waiting outside were the small-fry—because the real frenzy began here.
Dozens of flashing lights exploded all at once as the Rodova team entered the hallway, flanked by golden pillars and a wide ceremonial carpet that stretched nearly fifty meters.
Holographic banners hovered overhead, displaying the logos of the top academies participating in today's event, and the universal government.
"Sir! Sir! Leo Skyshard, please smile for us—!"
"Su Yang, could you flex your biceps for the fans?! Just one pose, please!"
"Minerva! Gorgeous, absolutely stunning—can we get a shot with your thigh slit and a dreamy look?"
The crowd of photographers, digital streamers, and independent reporters didn't even attempt to maintain decorum when the Rodova team entered, as they yelled, begged, barked, and praised, their voices clashing into a chaotic wave of desperation.
The Rodova team advanced painfully slowly along the carpet, as Yu Shen was repeatedly pulled away by some fan or reporter for an autograph.
However, while he, Su Yang and Minerva played nice, Leo continued to remain silent and unbothered.
No matter how much the reporters around him begged.
No matter how hard some of his fans yelled for an autograph, Leo just prodded along unbothered, as if he had suddenly turned deaf.
"Leo! Just a smile—!"
"Leo Skyshard! Is it true that you follow a vegetarian diet?!"
"Skyshard! What's your secret training method?! Are you single?!"
The press yelled, however Leo ignored all of them.
Unfazed, unflinching, eyes forward—until a firm push came from the side, pushing him towards one of the biggest media houses in the room.
"Go," Alric whispered beside him, shoving him lightly in the direction of a polished reporter in a silver dress, holding a mic with the Universal Government insignia.
Her eyes lit up the moment Leo stepped forward, as she couldn't believe that she snagged the popular Leo Skyshard for her exclusive.
"Mr. Skyshard! So glad to finally meet you. Just a few questions, if you don't mind…" she began, as Leo turned slightly, his expression unreadable, as the cameras swiveled to focus entirely on him.
Leo looked around to see if he could somehow bail out of this one, however, all of his team members seemed to be involved in an interview of their own, as Leo sighed and submitted to his fate.
"Sure, Go Ahead—" He replied dryly, as he stared into the eyes of the reporter with his usual cold gaze.
"Mr. Skyshard, as you must be aware, you've become quite the universal sensation after your stunning performance against Button Academy," the reporter beamed, mic in hand, her posture picture-perfect. "How does it feel? To gain such popularity so quickly—and have thousands of fan pages pop up to support you across the GalaxyNet?"
Leo blinked once. "I'm not on GalaxyNet. Nor do I care about any fan pages."
*Cough.*
*Cough.*
The reporter let out a tense laugh, clearly caught off guard by the blunt response.
"Haha… so cold," she said, flashing a forced smile toward the camera as she frantically tapped her data slate, skipping to the next question.
"Well then! Let's try this—making it to the starting lineup of a prestigious team like Rodova as a first-year student… that must be a proud moment! You and your parents must be thrilled.
Was this always your dream growing up?" She asked, as Leo's expression didn't change at all.
He only gave a slight shrug to the camera before saying– "Who doesn't dream of becoming strong?"
"My goal was always to grow stronger—for myself. I never aimed to join any team.
But while chasing that goal, I ended up becoming strong enough to earn a spot on Rodova's roster… so I took it.
But would I have lost sleep if I hadn't made it?"
He paused for a beat.
"Nah."
The reporter's professional smile faltered ever so slightly, a thin crack appearing beneath the pressure of Leo's deadpan responses.
She tapped a few notes into her slate, already realizing this wasn't going to be the warm, promotional soundbite her producers were hoping for.
Still, she pressed on—her voice just a touch tighter, though still composed.
"Well then," she said with a strained chuckle. "Let's talk about something a little lighter."
She cleared her throat, eyes flicking to the next question.
"Su Yang publicly posted on the GalaxyNet following your comeback victory a few days ago—calling you 'A brother to him' and congratulating you for a stellar performance. The post's already viral, with millions of shares."
She turned to the camera with a polished smile. "So tell our audience—what kind of dynamic do the two of you share?"
This was supposed to be a feel good question, one where Leo replied that Su Yang was his best friend and that the bond they shared was like actual siblings.
However, Leo did not reply with what he had been trained for, as instead he spoke his truth.
"He's annoying at times," he said flatly as the reporter's smile froze.
"But I acknowledge him as a warrior," Leo continued, voice steady. "He's got grit. Perseverance. And he can eat a hundred Su Ran's for breakfast."
There was a slight pause before he added, "His speed needs work. Hopefully he trains that more in the future."
The reporter blinked, unsure whether to laugh or wince.
"And as far as him being my brother…Well I wouldn't call him that. But he's for sure my only friend in Rodova."
The camera lingered on Leo's face— as he looked calm, unreadable, yet somehow unshakably sincere.
And as awkward silence threatened to settle, the reporter quickly forced a laugh, her practiced smile sliding back into place.
"Well… you heard it here first, folks," she said, shifting on her heels. "Rodova's team chemistry seems as raw as their combat strength!"
She gestured toward the camera with a flourish. "We'll be back with more coverage from the red carpet in just a moment—don't go anywhere!"
The moment the camera blinked off, the reporter let out a long, quiet exhale, muttering to herself in distress as Leo already began walking away.
"Stars help me, I'm never interviewing that man again…" She whispered under her breath, as she thought of a dozen silent curses while staring at Leo's back.
—------
Meanwhile, unlike Leo—Su Yang, Minerva, and Yu Shen handled the media frenzy like seasoned professionals.
Su Yang was practically glowing under the spotlight, flashing his trademark grin as he flexed when requested, striking poses with dramatic flair that sent some of the younger reporters squealing with delight.
"Yes, yes, Leo's comeback against Button was amazing," he said, winking at a holo-cam. "Leo did all the heavy lifting. I'm just lucky to call the guy my teammate… and maybe his better-looking twin."
He laughed at his own joke and then gave the camera a confident thumbs-up, completely at ease.
Minerva, meanwhile, fielded questions coming her way with grace, offering measured answers about team strategy, her training routine, and how proud she was to be part of such a talented group.
When asked about Leo, she smiled softly and said, "He's a mystery—but one I'm grateful to fight beside."
She let the reporters draw their own conclusions from that and moved on like a practiced diplomat.
Yu Shen was the last to pass through the media gauntlet, exuding quiet authority in his sharp suit.
His responses were calm, articulate, and impossible to pick apart. He praised Su Yang's growth, Minerva's work ethic, and even gave Leo a nod of approval when asked about him.
"He doesn't speak much," Yu Shen said. "But Leo's one of the best first-years I've seen. Probably the most talented of us all.
I trust him a lot. And for now that's all that matters."
It was the perfect quote—firm, loyal, and PR-approved.
And just like that, the Rodova trio danced through the flashing lights and recording drones with ease—projecting the image of a polished, united front.
Smiling. Laughing. Praising each other.
Just as the universe expected them to.
Meanwhile, Leo stood off to the side, arms crossed, watching them work the red carpet like it was a battlefield of its own.
And in his own quiet way, he respected it.
He wasn't built for this game.
But they were.
And right now, they were playing it flawlessly.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 185 185: FansTimeless AssassinC185 185: Fans
(Across the Universe – GalaxyNet Livestream Commentary & Social Reactions)
As the red carpet stream continued broadcasting across GalaxyNet, comment sections, fan forums, and reaction feeds lit up in real time— with hundreds of millions of viewers watching the Rodova team strut down the carpet.
And when Leo Skyshard's interview aired?
The universe net fractured.
[GalaxyNet Stream – Top Comment Section, Sponsored by Crimson Pulse Media]
@CutieDemon_87:
> "Did he seriously say he didn't care about his fans?? What a jerk. Like, bro, we STAND UP for you and defend you on social media and you don't even feel thankful for us?"
@PeachyPhoenix:
> "He's hot, don't get me wrong. But that attitude?? Nah. Cold men are so out of fashion. My Su Yang would NEVER."
@RodovaFanMom:
> "I hope the Horizon Dominion PR team drops him after this. He's not grateful AT ALL. This kind of arrogance is dangerous for the brand."
But just as the disapproval swelled…
Another wave of fans started carving a different path entirely.
@WarCriminalWife:
> "No smiles. No fake charm. Just brutal honesty and death in his eyes. Finally… a man worth simping for."
@EmperorVibes:
> "He said 'nah' with his whole chest. This man doesn't care about fame, politics, or PR. He's just here to win. I respect that."
@SkyshardCult (Verified Fanpage):
> "Others wear suits for the cameras. Leo wears it to hide the blood of his enemies splattered on his chest. We're witnessing the rise of a true killer."
@GalaxyThorns_Alpha:
> "He's the anti-hero we didn't know we needed. The kind of guy who doesn't show up to parties… but makes sure they end early."
@MyGFLeftMeForLeo:
> "He called Su Ran food for Su Yang. I screamed. I ascended. Feed me more, King."
Even professional analysts started weighing in:
@Teller_Nova (Sports Psych Analyst):
> "Skyshard may have just tanked his marketability—or he may have pioneered a new wave of raw, brutal warrior branding. Only time will tell."
@DariusHex (Esports Commentator):
> "This kid doesn't want fame. Doesn't want friends. Doesn't even want us.
He wants victory. And that's why he terrifies the competition."
And perhaps the most viral quote of the hour?
A short clip of Leo's calm expression as he said:
> "He's annoying. But I acknowledge him as a warrior."
Followed by a fan's captioned remix:
"Bros before PR."
As within the hour, memes flooded GalaxyNet.
— Leo's face imposed over a silent assassin walking away from an exploding media stage.
— A shirtless Su Yang with the caption: "He's my brother." And Leo under it saying: "...No he's not."
—--------
Back at the Horizon Dominion Group HQ, the PR team watched in panic, as Leo did not follow the script that they had prepared for him at all.
"I'm going to get fired…. My job, my career are gone–" Said the PR head responsible for Leo, as she sulked and buried her head in her hands.
However, what she thought was a PR disaster, actually turned out to be an organic wave of promotions, as Leo was tagged and reshared 4x more than any other warrior walking the red carpet.
"Why's our engagement rate spiking?" one analyst gasped.
Another swiveled in his chair. "The negative sentiment is dropping. He's going viral in the underground forums. Dark fanbase engagement is up 400%."
"Wait… wait—look at this. We're getting repeat shares across both light and dark channels," a third data analyst blurted out, his eyes wide as a fresh wave of metrics scrolled across his monitor.
The Horizon Dominion PR lounge had gone from despair to disbelief to full-blown celebration.
"Fanpage creation just doubled in twenty minutes," someone else added. "Half of them are rebranding as Skyshard Syndicates… is that a thing now?!"
"It is now," said a fourth, already taking screenshots for the next promotional brief, as the PR head who had buried her face in her hands slowly raised her head, blinking in confusion.
"We… we didn't just survive that?"
A nearby strategist smirked and cracked open a can of synth-caffeine. "No, honey. We just struck gold."
—---------
Meanwhile, back at the head office, the executive dashboard buzzed to life— and Ladina Horizon herself skimmed through the live updates from her penthouse suite on StarGate.
She took one look at the skyrocketing metrics, the fan reactions, and the heat maps lighting up across three quadrants… before nodding once.
"Let him keep being himself," she said softly. "Turns out the galaxy likes killers more than it likes saints."
"Change the PR campaign, project him as the cold man he shows himself to be, make the most of his persona and brand him appropriately—"
And just like that, Leo Skyshard—cold, silent, brutally honest—was no longer just a promising fighter.
He had become a movement. A myth.
A media storm wrapped in midnight steel.
—-----------
(Within the VIP Meet and Greet Lounge)
After the press-walk and the red carpet, came the common meet and greet area where fighters of all teams met with some of the common ticket fans and the top sponsors of the event—
And it was here that Serina patiently waited for Leo, as although she had a VIP pass to the Rodova Team Lounge as a 'Super Fan', she couldn't go in there yet, as the Rodova team had not yet arrived.
Serina found herself dressed in a navy-blue gown today that hugged her figure with precision only noble-tailoring could buy.
The fabric was dark when no light was cast on it, yet it shimmered faintly under the overhead chandeliers, catching light at the curves and casting shadows at just the right angles to accentuate her natural beauty.
Her long dark hair was styled into soft waves that cascaded down one shoulder, her makeup flawless, that highlighted her almond eyes and high cheekbones with just enough allure to turn heads—but not enough to seem desperate.
But in case that wasn't enough, the family tailor added a bold slit in her dress that revealed a smooth line of leg that many of the young male fighters found impossible to ignore.
And they didn't ignore her.
Because, within minutes of arriving, Serina had been approached by no less than seven different warriors—two of them high-seed circuit contenders—offering her everything from compliments to drinks to dinner reservations.
However, since her instructions about who to fraternise with were clear, she simply smiled politely at them all, charming when needed, demure when it suited her, but never letting the conversations linger.
Because her eyes kept flicking toward the entrance.
Searching.
Waiting.
And though the praise and attention swirled around her, giving her a faint but undeniable boost in confidence—none of it mattered once he walked in.
Leo Skyshard.
The moment he stepped into the lounge, all noise fell away in her head. The pulse of the music, the chatter of voices, the clinking of glasses—it all blurred as her heart skipped a beat.
He was dressed in that sharp, jet-black suit tailored by Horizon Dominion, the collar high, the sleeves tight around his arms, his eyes cold and unreadable as always.
He looked like a soldier at a gala, a killer in formalwear.
And suddenly, despite her hours of preparation, the practiced lines she'd repeated in her head, and the elegance she'd wrapped herself in like armor—
Serina felt nervous.
Because now… it was showtime.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 186: A man of focus, purpose and sheer f*cking willTimeless AssassinC186: A man of focus, purpose and sheer f*cking will
(Within the VIP Meet and Greet Lounge – Moments Later)
Serina inhaled slowly, trying to steady her nerves.
'Just go up to him. Smile. Introduce yourself. You've practiced this.' She thought to herself, but before she could take a single step, a loud, high-pitched voice shattered the ambiance.
"OH MY GOD, IT'S SIR LEOOO—!"
Heads turned. Conversations paused. Even the servers stopped mid-pour.
As striding through the crowd like a meteor of chaos was a girl dressed in a sparkling red ensemble, glitter clinging to her every step.
It was the infamous Layna Cola—brash, bubbly, and impossible to ignore.
As looking at her dash towards Leo, Serina narrowed her eyes instantly.
'Oh stars, not her—'
Layna practically bounced in front of Leo, eyes wide and sparkling. "Sir Leo, I'm your BIGGEST fan! Can I please, please, please have your autograph?!"
She handed him a marker with the kind of gleam in her eyes that screamed trouble—and without a hint of hesitation, tugged the top of her dress down slightly, pushing her chest forward.
"Right here, over my heart," she added sweetly. "Make it special~"
A scandalous hush fell across the nearby area.
As watching the scene unfold Serina's jaw tightened.
'Shameless. Absolutely shameless.' She thought, but before her frustration could boil over, Leo's response stunned her.
He didn't even blink.
Instead, he calmly reached into his suit pocket, pulled out a pocket square, slightly crumpling his otherwise flawless look, and signed it in neat, fluid strokes.
"You're too young, kid,"
"Don't let strange men sign your chest or you'll never find a good husband." Leo said flatly, as he handed the pocket square over smoothly.
Layna blinked in stunned silence, the square trembling in her hands.
But rather than retreat in embarrassment, she leaned in closer, voice dropping to a husky whisper.
"If I find no one else, will you marry me then, Sir Leo? I promise I'll be a good girl… do everything you ask, satisfy you in every way you can imagine."
Leo's eyebrow lifted—but only slightly.
"No. I'd rather die single than marry you." He replied before brushing past her, as he removed himself from this awkward conversation.
Layna, heart-struck and swaying, leaned onto a nearby counter for support, sighing dreamily despite the rebuke.
"So handsome… so cold… huhuhu…"
As Serina, who had been watching from just a few feet away, felt her pulse spike.
Her fists clenched at her sides, as the words 'slut', 'shameless witch', and 'chest-thrusting trashbag' all floated through her mind in rapid succession.
But as her gaze turned back to Leo, her fury dulled into something else.
Admiration.
He could've played along. Most warriors in this hall today would've. But he didn't even flinch.
There was something about the way he handled the moment—calm, detached, completely in control—that made her heart flutter for reasons she wasn't ready to admit.
'Maybe… just maybe, he's not as bad of a man to marry. Maybe sharing a life with him wouldn't be unbearable…' She thought, as although the concept startled her, she somehow did not find it disturbing enough to chase it away from her head.
'Alright, you can do this—'
She said to herself, as gathering her courage again, Serina adjusted her dress, lifted her chin, and began walking toward Leo.
Only to freeze again mid-step, hesitating as doubt crept in.
'What if he brushes me off the same way?'
'What if he thinks I'm just another girl throwing herself at him?'
Her breath caught in her throat.
And just like that, her courage flickered.
Leo's cold nature, while an admirable quality in a husband, was a challenge to overcome as a suitor, which made her current situation difficult.
As she had to come up with an entirely new plan to approach on the fly—
One that would not make her seem like other desperate girls.
—-----------
After the first awkward approach from Layna, Leo quickly found a quiet corner to hide in—away from the cameras, the small talk, and the waves of overzealous admirers.
He stood there alone, half-shadowed by a decorative pillar, holding a vial of refreshment potion in one hand, as his eyes scanned the room in detached boredom.
He wasn't sipping the drink so much as using it as an excuse to avoid conversation.
And it was here that Serina approached him.
Not loudly. Not boldly. Just… cleverly.
She walked up beside him without fanfare, maintaining just enough distance to not seem intrusive. She faced forward, not at him and said nothing.
Then, she too reached for a vial of refreshment potion, as for a moment, the two simply stood there in silence— quietly sipping their potions under the ambient glow of the chandelier.
Then she finally spoke, her tone casual and soft.
"Social events are not your thing either?"
To which Leo replied with a "Nope."
Without so much as even looking at her.
"Mine neither," she said, taking a small sip.
"I've already been asked out by ten different warriors in here.
But frankly…" She glanced sideways, just for a moment. "...I'd kill myself before going out with any of them."
Leo gave a faint exhale—not quite a laugh, but the ghost of one—as his lips curled into the faintest wry smile.
Serina turned toward him more fully this time and extended her hand with practiced elegance.
"I'm Serina, by the way."
Leo looked at her hand for a second, as if debating whether this was another trap—but then shook it.
"Leo."
"Oh, I already know who you are," she replied, flashing him a sly grin as she pulled a sleek pass card from her clutch and showed it discreetly.
The Rodova Team Lounge Super Fan badge gleamed in her hand as she leaned in just slightly and whispered—
"I'm a super fan."
Leo raised a brow at this sudden revelation, seemingly not expecting it. However, he did not recoil back or pull away from this conversation, like he would have if she approached him directly.
Because for once, someone had managed to approach him without making him feel uncomfortable.
And he didn't hate it.
Glancing sideways, Leo took a proper look at the woman standing beside him now and found her to be truly gorgeous.
Her skin was smooth and fair, her legs effortlessly elegant beneath the navy slit of her dress. Her chest—full and perfectly framed—drew attention whether she intended to or not. And her face… delicate jawline, almond eyes, lips touched with just the right shade of red—was exactly the type Leo would've found beautiful in another life.
If he were the dating type, then this would be the kind of woman he'd pay attention to.
Poised. Composed. Stunning.
But dating had no place in his life. Not now.
Not when every breath he took was in service to sharpening his blade, strengthening his body, and chasing a version of himself that was still out of reach.
So, although the woman beside him was undoubtedly beautiful—perhaps even perfect—he didn't feel his heart flutter in the slightest.
Not a twitch of desire. Not a flicker of temptation.
Only the cold, steady silence of a man who had chosen purpose over pleasure.
And yet… he didn't walk away.
Which, for Leo, said enough.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 187: My GodTimeless AssassinC187: My God
(Within the VIP Meet and Greet Lounge)
Half an hour later, the fanfare had finally begun to settle within the VIP meet and greet lounge.
The wildest fans had already gotten their autographs, taken their pictures, and left in giggling fits, as the more composed and private guests now had a chance to approach their favorite fighters without being swallowed by the madness.
The chaos of the red carpet was long over, as the once-frantic air inside the hall had mellowed into soft music, distant chatter, and the clinking of polished glasses.
Sponsors, nobles, and VIP guests circulated through the decorated halls, mingling with warriors and exchanging words with practiced grace.
And yet, amidst the calm, one figure burst through the fan entrance with urgency in every step.
He moved like a man whose soul had caught fire, eyes scanning every inch of the elegant space with trembling desperation.
He was late—painfully late—and every second of delay weighed on him like a lifetime.
Security didn't stop him, not because they didn't notice him, but because the VIP badge strapped to his chest shimmered with unmistakable legitimacy.
And as he pushed past the final checkpoint and stepped into the fan lounge proper, his breath caught in his throat.
Because there, standing alone in a far corner, drink in hand, clad in a sharp black suit, aloof and untouched by the crowd—
Was his master.
His god.
His reason for existing.
'The Boss'. Leo Skyshard.
Tears flooded his eyes before he could even process what he was seeing, as his knees weakened and his body trembled, but his steps refused to stop.
His heart raced. His vision blurred. But that familiar aura—calm, detached, untouchable—drew him in like gravity.
"Master… that's my master…"
The words slipped from his lips like a prayer, cracked and broken as he clutched the badge on his chest.
Every fiber of his being screamed in joy, disbelief, and a desperate longing that had been buried for far too long.
And as he took a step forward, his thoughts unraveled into memory— as he remembered the day his world had ended.
The day 'The Boss' disappeared.
—----------
Just over a year ago, all Earthlings had arrived on Planet Terra Nova aboard a giant Arc-Ship, and upon landing, the local authorities began hunting his master 'The Boss'—as if he were some petty criminal.
That day, his master somehow evaded capture and escaped the godforsaken planet with the help of a shady woman, but ever since then, Chaosbringer had heard nothing.
He had been The Boss's right hand man.
The only individual outside of family to ever see his face or know his real name.
Because Leo trusted him enough to reveal that information.
Leo knew that Chaosbringer worshiped him like a god and would die before betraying him and hence he was the only man outside of his family to get the privilege to know his real name and face.
For Chaosbringer, Leo was the man he had sworn his life to serve.
And although the rest of the Earthlings only knew him as the masked assassin 'The Boss', without ever learning his true identity—
Chaosbringer had always known.
But then, the mask vanished.
The missions stopped.
The phone lines went dead.
And suddenly, Chaosbringer was lost.
He waited. For days. For weeks. For months. Sitting alone in the shadows of a crumbling underworld, praying his master would return.
But Leo never came back.
And Chaosbringer lost everything.
He spiraled. He wept. He broke.
Until one day, eyes bloodshot and spirit nearly dead, he saw a face on the galactic television—
Cold. Unreadable. Terrifying in its power.
Leo.
Unmasked and Exposed.
But with the same ruthless aura that once ruled Earth's underworld.
And in that moment, Chaosbringer's soul re-ignited.
He didn't think.
He didn't hesitate.
He sold everything.
Took loans from the worst people in the galaxy.
Begged, bribed, and bled his way into acquiring one thing: a single VIP meet and greet pass to the Interstellar Circuits.
And now, here he was.
Broke. Exhausted. Sobbing.
But alive.
Because his master was alive.
And nothing else mattered.
—----------
He moved across the lounge, oblivious to the stares his trembling form began attracting, or to the smudged makeup streaking down his cheeks, as he finally reached the man who once commanded an empire from the shadows.
'I'm here master… are you happy to see me?' He wondered, as he looked towards Leo's visage, his vision blurry because of the tears in his eyes, as he dropped down to his knees and kowtowed.
"I have found you at last… my Lord."
"Your humble servant is at your service once again." He said, pressing his forehead to the ground, as his voice trembled with sincerity.
His words stunned Leo, who hadn't expected anyone from his past to approach him like this, as the faintest flicker of doubt crossed his otherwise blank expression.
Something about this man's posture, the reverence in his voice and the pain in his eyes —stirred something within his fractured memories, as Leo felt his stomach roll.
He couldn't place the memory.
But instinct told him that he knew this man.
Or rather, had known him, once.
And as Leo stepped forward, ready to question him—
Another presence intervened.
As Muiyan Faye appeared in an instant, stepping between them as she placed a firm hand on Chaosbringer's shoulder and began dragging him away.
"Don't touch me, you filthy woman—!" Chaosbringer protested, voice rising in distress.
"Lord, Lord, she's manhandling me—!" He complained to Leo, expecting him to save him, however, Muiyan Faye's icy glare instantly shut Leo down, as he remained rooted to his spot in confusion.
"No, you crazy psycho," Faye said loudly, for everyone nearby to hear.
"I won't let you harass one of my students." She said, as she made it seem like Chaosbringer was nothing more than a crazy fan, so that the crowd would chuckle and move on.
Although that wasn't the real case.
Then, once she dragged him away from the eyes of the crowd, she leaned in close, so that only Chaosbringer could hear the next words coming out of her mouth—
"Shut up and play along. Or you'll blow his cover."
And with those words, Chaosbringer froze.
Then slowly, reluctantly, he nodded, as Leo watched from a distance, his brows furrowed ever so slightly, as he tried to make sense of what he'd just witnessed.
He didn't understand it.
Not fully.
But if there was one thing Leo was certain of, it was that he and this man once shared a connection—
A connection deep enough that, whoever he was, he had likely meant more to Leo than anyone else in this entire room.
And although Faye had dragged him away for now, Leo silently resolved to meet him in private, later.
"Are you okay? Is that some crazy fan that you're actively trying to avoid?" Serina asked calmly, pulling Leo back from his cloud of thoughts, as he nodded in response.
"Yeah he's one of those fans who thinks I'm his master… it's weird, but what can you do about them?" Leo replied, playing it cool as he shrugged his shoulders completely in-line with his usual character.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 188: A failed attemptTimeless AssassinC188: A failed attempt
A few minutes later, Muiyan Faye returned to the hall alone, with Chaosbringer nowhere to be seen in tow.
Her expression was unreadable, though the slight downward curl of her lips and the furrow just above her brow made it clear—whatever had happened outside hadn't gone smoothly.
She adjusted the cuff of her sleeve as if brushing off lingering annoyance, drawing no attention to herself as she slipped back into the buzzing flow of guests and chatter.
Leo, however, had been watching the exit door like a hawk as the moment he spotted her, he moved.
"Who is that guy?" he asked bluntly, intercepting her with a calm but firm tone. "What did he want? I'm supposed to know him aren't I?"
However, despite his bombardment of questions and demanding tone, Faye didn't flinch at all.
She simply exhaled through her nose and gave him a familiar look—one Leo had come to associate with half-truths and withheld information.
"Now's not the time for you to know who he is," she replied softly, but her words carried weight. "I took care of him. And I think… when you're ready, you'll see him again."
Leo's eyes narrowed, frustration quietly simmering beneath his neutral exterior.
"At Least tell me his name, and what my connection was with him," he demanded.
But Faye only shrugged and stepped past him.
"Like I said, Leo, all in good time—" she said, remaining adamant on her decision, as she left Leo frustrated.
Without another word, Leo turned towards the exit door that Faye had just come back from and moved to chase after Chaosbringer, only to be stopped by Faye's arm.
"The team's heading into their private lounge," she said, her tone now clipped with command. "And you have to be there too. Fans paid a pretty penny for that private interaction."
"I don't care about that."
"Your contract does."
Faye said with authority, as she did not wait for his reply and just grabbed him by the arm and steered him firmly back toward the hallway where the rest of the Rodova team was already filtering into the exclusive meet-and-greet room.
—---------
Inside the private lounge, the atmosphere was different. More intimate. More rehearsed.
Su Yang was already charming a group of fans near the center, his smile easy, his voice animated, while Minerva sat on one of the plush sofas with two young nobles hanging onto her every word.
Yu Shen stood by the corner, engaged in what looked like a sincere conversation with a dignitary's daughter.
And Leo?
Leo sat quietly near the back, one leg crossed over the other, sipping from a glass he hadn't touched since entering.
His eyes were distant, his thoughts elsewhere—trapped between past echoes and the memory of a man kneeling before him, calling him "Lord."
As Serina watched painfully from a few feet away.
She tried to ease into his orbit with the same soft grace as before, flashing polite smiles to the other guests, sharing a few light jokes with nearby fans.
However, eventually as she slipped closer to Leo and leaned down with a playful expression.
"I don't suppose I could get your autograph, Mr. Skyshard?"
Leo looked up, met her eyes for the briefest second, then turned away.
"Sure, grab me a paper and pen, " he said flatly, seemingly uninterested.
It wasn't cruel.
But it was distant.
And Serina knew what distance meant.
She laughed softly—more to mask her bruised pride than anything else—and excused herself, blending back into the crowd with a serene smile plastered across her face as she did not bother him anymore through the day.
'He's not in the mood. Pushing won't work right now…' she thought, her mind already shifting gears.
She'd have to be smarter. More tactical.
Leo wasn't a man who could be won with flattery or seduction—not tonight at least.
—--------
Later that evening, within the plush confines of the Alcazar Clan's private hotel suite, the serene smile Serina had worn all day had completely faded.
"What do you mean you don't have his private cell number?" her father thundered, slamming his palm against the marble table, as the sound echoed like a gunshot.
*THAM*
Serina flinched instinctively, her breath hitching as her father's fury surged.
"What did you even accomplish from this meeting then?! I spent a fortune to get you into that private room and now you're telling me you achieved nothing of significance?!" he barked, voice sharp and cutting.
Serina stood stiffly with her hands clasped behind her back, head bowed low in contrition, as her throat felt tight with unshed tears.
"Father, please understand. Leo Skyshard…. He isn't like other men you know.
Approaching him requires patience and subtlety.
He's too cold, distant. If I push too hard, he'll shut me out completely." Serina said, desperately making her case, as the older man huffed in disbelief.
Damien began pacing all around the room to cool off his anger, however, it didn't seem to work, as even after a few seconds had passed, his furious breathing did not seem to tone down.
"Useless," he spat, turning sharply. "You had one job to do. Just one. And you failed."
He said, accusing Serina of being worthless, as a streak of tears began flooding down Serina's eyes.
"How will you make this right, Serina? Do you even have a plan? Or do you not have that either!" Damien said furiously, as although he did not expect Serina to actually have a plan, surprisingly she did.
"I can make it right…Trust me father, I can" Serina said, her voice trembling as she forced herself to meet his gaze.
"There was a man… someone who approached Leo and called him 'Lord.' Someone from his past. The moment he appeared, Leo's entire demeanor shifted."
She narrated, as Damien Alcazar stopped pacing.
The fury in his eyes dulled slightly as he listened, his head tilting in consideration.
"I think," Serina continued, "if we can identify that man and learn who he really is, we might finally gain insight into Leo's real self. His past. His values. What he guards most. Which can give us an opening into understanding his true nature and how to get to his heart–"
Serina proposed, as she held her breath, watching nervously as her father carefully lowered himself into the armchair, steepling his fingers in thought.
"So you're betting everything… on this mystery man?" he asked, his anger now a blade sheathed in ice.
As Serina nodded once, her expression unwavering despite the weight behind his words.
She believed in this lead.
Because in that brief encounter, she had seen something rare—an opening. A crack in Leo's otherwise impenetrable wall.
"If that man was part of the event," Damien muttered, "then he'll be in the records. Leave it to me. I'll pull the right strings."
There was a pause.
Then, his voice dropped into a warning tone—soft, yet sharp as a dagger.
"Very well. We'll do it your way. But pray you're right, my daughter… Because if you're wrong, it won't just be your position within the clan that collapses—it'll be your future."
Serina bowed her head deeply, the chill of those words settling into her spine like frost.
"I understand," she replied meekly.
Because if she failed… the price wouldn't just be her pride.
It would be her freedom.
For if she failed, her fate would be sealed—not with chains, but with a wedding band to a vulgar noble twice her age, where dreams of spending a lifetime with a gentleman like Leo Skyshard would wither in silence.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 189 189: Quarter-Finals BeginTimeless AssassinC189 189: Quarter-Finals Begin
(The Morning of the Quarter-Finals – Sky God Arena, Warm-Up Room)
The lineup from the previous match remained unchanged heading into the Quarter-Finals, as Yu Shen, Leo, Su Yang, Minerva, and Enzo geared up for battle.
Their opponents today were the Nature Military Academy—ranked 10th overall in last year's Power Rankings.
It was the first time in four years that Nature Academy had clawed their way into the Quarter-Finals of the Interstellar Circuits, and this year, their momentum seemed to be the real deal.
With two Grandmaster-level fighters anchoring their roster, they didn't just look strong.
They looked like genuine threats, and within the Rodova warm-up room, they were given the respect they deserve.
"Minerva opens the fight today. It's our safest play, given her versatility as an archer," Yu Shen began, his voice steady.
"If she loses the first match—Leo goes in next. Handles the cleanup."
"But if she wins, then Su Yang follows up, keeping our momentum strong."
"While I serve as the fail-safe incase all hell breaks loose."
He paused for a moment, glancing at each of them in turn.
"Their Grandmasters are no joke. I don't expect clean victories or easy exchanges. You might not win every bout. You might not even walk away unscathed."
His eyes hardened.
"But if you fall—take something with you. An arm, a leg—anything. Make sure the next guy has an easier job finishing the fight than you did….. understood?" He asked, as Su Yang and Leo nodded back in response.
"Good— although there's no chance in hell that we lose today, we must not fuck this up!" Yu Shen concluded, clapping his hands, as the team pooled in for a huddle.
"Strength above all! Heart beyond strength! Rodova Forever!"
They said together, as Yu Shen patted Minerva on the back, before she made her entrance out to the arena.
—----------
(The Quarter-Finals – Sky-God Arena, Main Stage)
The atmosphere inside the Sky-God Dome was absolutely electric.
Unlike the earlier days of the tournament, where a few empty seats could still be spotted in the nosebleeds, today the arena was filled wall to wall with spectators. Not a single space remained unclaimed, as the Interstellar Circuits had officially entered its most thrilling stage.
From this point forward, every match promised fireworks—and the crowd knew it.
They didn't just cheer—they howled, sang, banged drums, and waved glowing banners with the names of their favorite fighters, turning the arena into a roaring storm of noise and passion.
"First Quarterfinal match of the day, Lee—and it's Rodova taking on Nature!" Derek's voice boomed across the stadium with barely contained excitement.
"It's sure to be a thriller, Derek. A mega clash for sure," Lee replied. "Rodova ain't moving past Nature easy, that's for damn sure."
"The Rodova side is unchanged today. No surprises there. Captain Yu Shen is sticking with the same five—Minerva, Leo, Su Yang, himself, and Enzo as backup," Derek noted.
"But on Nature's side?" Lee interjected, "Big changes. Aside from their Grandmaster Elf duo—Captain Jahong, the Eleven Swordsman, and Orion, the Elemental Mage—they've swapped out Harlan, Sylva, and Paige."
"In come Dru, Maher, and Joni. All three Shield Paladins."
"I think they're going to pull off the Turtle, Derek," Lee said with a knowing tone. "Send one Grandmaster in to open strong, then rely on their tanks to stall and buy recovery time for the rest."
"Ahh, the classic Turtle Strategy," Derek chuckled. "I think it was Rodova Military Academy that invented it 30 years ago in one of the most thrilling wins. But now they're on the receiving end of their own creation.
Nature Academy today is not trying to win every match. But if they can last twenty to thirty minutes per fight and grind down Rodova's stamina, it could be game on as that would be enough time for the Nature Grandmasters to recover….. what a bold strategy call by Captain Jahong."
At that moment, the battlefield shimmered into view as the arena's surface transitioned to the famed classic terrain.
A flat, open field blanketed with just two inches of light beach sand.
To the untrained eye, it looked simple—but every seasoned fighter understood its complexity.
The sand improved footing for powerful strikes and pivots, offering incredible traction. Yet at the same time, it betrayed stealth and finesse—each movement leaving subtle trails that made deception harder. For defensive fighters, it was paradise. For assassins and scouts, it was treacherous.
"It's a fan favorite for a reason," Derek said. "Clean footing. No obstacles. Just raw skill on display. That's all you want at this stage."
Then—
The lights dimmed slightly, as two figures stepped onto the sand-grip field.
Minerva emerged first, clad in sleek archer's gear, her longbow resting against her back as her eyes locked onto the center. There was no smile on her face—only cold focus.
Across from her came Orion, the Elf Elementalist. Draped in layered robes that shimmered with embedded mana veins, he walked calmly, hands loose at his sides, as arcs of elemental power danced faintly around him.
The referee stood between them and raised a hand.
"Fighters ready?" he asked, as both nodded in acknowledgement.
"Then begin!"
—--------
Orion acted first, raising a single hand as a curved [Water Wall] surged up behind him, while two spheres of flame materialized over each shoulder and began to orbit him in slow, deliberate circles in what had to be [Flaming Orbs].
Minerva wasted no time either, as she side-stepped across the sand, her movement smooth as her boots barely disturbed the grains beneath her.
As within the first three seconds of the fight starting, she unleashed her first arrow with a sharp snapping sound of her bow.
*FWOOSH—!*
The arrow travelled at breakneck speed, looking poised to impale Orion in the chest, but it was unexpectedly blocked by an invisible [Wind Wall], as it collided and bounced off harmlessly against the invisible shield.
"An invisible Wind Wall when you've already summoned a visible Water Wall? What an interesting strategy by Orion–" Derek said, as Minerva rolled to the side, already nocking her next shot—
Orion's feet barely moved, but the battlefield did—as pillars of stone rose abruptly to intercept her lines of sight, while snaking vines slithered just beneath the sand, trying to catch her ankles.
"Beautiful control from Orion!" Lee shouted. "He's manipulating all four basic elements in perfect harmony!"
"But Minerva's not backing down!" Derek countered. "She's dodging everything coming her way with finesse—if she finds a clear angle to shoot from, she can pin him down.
It was at this moment that Minerva launched three arrows in rapid-fire, the third one splitting mid-air into a scattershot of glowing flechettes, that forced Orion to raise a second [Wind Wall] to absorb the impact.
However, seizing the moment, Minerva sprinted across the right flank and drew a volatile arrow crackling with red light—an [Explosive Shot].
*FWOOM!*
The impact sent a plume of steam roaring into the air as it collided with Orion's [Water Wall], creating a brief visual smokescreen.
And Minerva didn't waste it.
She fired a grappling bolt into one of the raised stone pillars that Orion had summoned earlier and zipped upward into the air, using the elevation to her advantage as she began to rain down arrows from above like a divine storm.
*Swoosh*
*Swoosh*
*Swoosh*
Her arrow rain forced Orion to move for the first time in this fight, as he carved a sigil into the air with both hands, causing the sand beneath him to crack open, launching him sideways via a burst of compressed air— as he used the evasive move [Jet Geyser].
Then came his counter.
He extended his arms wide as the elements converged.
Fire, water, wind, and earth spun together in a spiraling surge of energy—a devastating technique known as [Elemental Spiral].
The vortex erupted outward in all directions, whipping sand into a storm and catching Minerva mid-reload.
*BOOM!*
She hit the ground hard, rolling to absorb the fall, her armor scorched and scraped—but she rose again, wounded but not broken.
Orion now hovered slightly above the field, his aura blazing with elemental energy—
As Minerva's instincts screamed at her to run.
This was his known finisher.
She had studied about it in the tapes, and hence to avoid the fate of being caught in his strongest attack, she reached back and pulled her strongest arrow—a radiant, mana-charged shot known as [Piercing Moonlight].
She pulled the string taut, her fingers shaking under the strain.
As Orion brought both palms together, condensing the elements into a singular lance— unleashing his strongest attack, the [Primal Judgment].
The duo fired at the same time.
*BAAAAAAAAAAM—!*
The collision of mana rocked the arena. Heat and pressure swept across the sand as the resulting shockwave made even the audience flinch.
As the dust settled...
Only one figure remained standing.
Orion.
Minerva, bow shattered and shoulder seared black from the blast, knelt in the sand. She tried to stand—but her legs gave out.
As the referee stepped forward, raising his hand.
"Winner—Orion of Nature Academy!"
*CHEERS*
A roar burst from the Nature supporters, their voices elated and thunderous.
They had drawn first blood—and their strategy was working.
"What an opener!" Derek exclaimed.
"That was a monster Grandmaster Fighter match-up," Lee added. "Rodova just took a heavy hit to start the Quarterfinals….. MINERVA IS OUT"
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 190 190: Remember The NameTimeless AssassinC190 190: Remember The Name
(Quarter-Finals – Sky-God Arena, Match 2)
"Leo, you're up—" Yu Shen said the moment the referee declared Minerva defeated, his voice calm but focused.
Leo didn't reply.
He simply stretched his neck once, rolled his shoulders, and began walking toward the arena, his blue-gray combat attire rustling faintly with each step as he stepped into the blinding lights of the main stage.
As per Rodova's plan, if Minerva fell early, Leo was the designated clean-up man.
He was faster, meaner, and far more efficient at ripping back momentum with ruthless precision.
And considering the possibilities of who Nature Academy could send next… this was the most logical call.
There was no way they'd leave Orion in for another fight—not after he'd just unleashed [Primal Judgment] and torched most of his mana reserves. He was spent. He had to be pulled back.
That left only two real options.
Either they sent in one of their Shield Paladins to waste time and stall for recovery—
Or...
They sent their captain.
Their ace.
Jahong.
Had Su Yang gone out next, the Shield Paladins would've been the natural answer—suited to absorb his overwhelming power.
But because it was Leo who stepped forward, everything changed.
His speed, unpredictability, and relentless aggression made him a nightmare matchup for heavy defenders. So instead, Nature was forced to respond with force.
The crowd collectively leaned forward as Leo reached the center of the sand-grip field, his expression calm as ever, as if the pressure and expectations of the crowd did not bother him at all.
And then—
From the opposite tunnel, a tall, silver-haired elf emerged, his robe flowing behind him, and his sword slung across his back as if it weighed nothing at all.
It was Jahong.
Captain of Nature Academy.
And their strongest warrior.
"Here we go!" Derek's voice crackled through the arena. "That's Jahong stepping out! Nature Academy isn't pulling any punches now!"
"This isn't a stall round anymore, Derek," Lee added. "They're trying to knock Rodova off balance before momentum swings back. They want Leo gone."
Both fighters arrived at the center, standing at their designated starting spots—yet the distance between them did not feel anything much at all, as both fighters were known to have quick feet.
They were both predators.
Two fighters with contrasting philosophies.
As while Leo was the cold-blooded killer, Jahong was known to be the ever elegant swordsman, who did not so much as break a sweat in battle.
And the crowd cheered for them both, split down the middle, with banners waving high and voices rising in unison.
Then—
As both fighters drew their weapons and slid into battle stance, the referee raised a single hand, his presence steady.
"Fighters ready?" he asked.
As Leo's eyes narrowed.
While Jahong's grip tightened around his sword.
As they both gave the subtlest nod.
And with that confirmation, the referee dropped his hand, as he yelled.
"Begin!"
—---------------
As soon as the referee yelled "Begin!", both Leo and Jahong dashed toward one another in a blur of motion—
*CHING—!*
Their blades clashed mid-air in a precise, explosive strike, the impact sending tiny ripples across the sand beneath their feet as the crowd first gasped and then erupted.
But although their first exchange looked even to a distant onlooker, in reality only one fighter had drawn blood.
Leo remained unscathed.
While Jahong, the elegant Elven swordsman, now bore a faint red line running down his cheek—proof that even in a dead-even exchange, Leo had moved faster.
"Leo makes the first cut!" Derek shouted. "The Rodova underclassman's speed is too much for Nature's captain to handle!"
"They clashed once—and Leo already won that trade!" Lee added, leaning into the mic.
But Jahong didn't seem rattled.
If anything, the cut only brought a faint glint of approval to his eyes.
Without a word, the Elven swordsman shifted his stance—as his blade shimmered with wind-enhanced mana.
Then he vanished.
*ZING—!*
[Petal Step].
Leo barely tilted his head as a strike aimed at his neck missed by a hair. His instincts screamed louder than the crowd as he flipped backward, landing lightly on the heels of his feet as Jahong came again.
[Heavenly Arc].
A sweeping slash that cut the wind in a perfect crescent came towards Leo at blinding speed, as Leo ducked beneath it and immediately activated [Mirror World], producing five illusions of himself as he darted around Jahong in a blur.
But the Elf didn't hesitate.
He twisted his sword with a flick of the wrist and thrust it straight through the closest clone—then turned and slashed through another, ignoring the fakes entirely as he locked onto the real Leo with a sharp, knowing glare.
"He's not fooled at all!" Derek exclaimed. "The Elven Captain can see through the decoys with ease!"
Once Leo realized that [Mirror World] had failed.
He changed his strategy and moved again—this time vanishing entirely with [Vanish] and reappearing behind Jahong with twin daggers aimed for his kidneys.
However, Jahong spun faster than he anticipated and blocked both strikes with the flat of his blade—his timing flawless.
[Spiral Bloom].
A flurry of strikes erupted from his stance as he spun, each cut laced with wind energy that forced Leo to retreat again, deflecting two blows and narrowly dodging the third by backflipping over a swirl of kicked-up sand.
*CHEERS*
The crowd roared with approval.
As for the first time in this tournament— they could enjoy such an even and high level exchange, as neither fighter seemed to have the upper hand.
Leo was faster and was desperately trying to find a way through the Elves guard, by darting around his form, however, each time he lunged, Jahong met him clean.
Counter for counter. Rhythm for rhythm.
As the Elven swordsman seemed to have rock solid fundamentals, high perception and great instincts.
For the first time ever, Leo felt as if his opponent could read and predict him before he made moves, as fighting Jahong was by no means a walk in the park.
Jahong could see through the feints, the illusions, the flickers of movement meant to bait mistakes.
And Leo felt it.
His lungs burned, his muscles tightened, and for the first time in a long time… he felt pressure.
But even now, he wasn't afraid.
He was calculating.
Waiting.
As he decided to take bigger risks, if Jahong wasn't falling for the small ones.
And then—
As they exchanged blades once again, Leo stumbled backwards, pretending to be thrown off balance, as he provided his opponent a big opening that was too enticing for Jahong to ignore.
"I got you now—" The Elf said, as he rushed in with a devastating sword technique — called the [Crimson Lotus Descent].
It was a high-speed, vertically dropping strike, infused with wind and fire, aimed directly at Leo's chest.
However, although Leo baited the move by showing a wide stance, it was actually all a well calculated trap, as Leo knew the limits of his speed precisely.
The crowd stood.
The commentators leaned in.
And Leo smiled.
He didn't dodge.
He didn't flinch.
He caught the strike with crossed daggers at the last possible micro second—
And activated [Full Counter].
*BAAAAAAAAAAM—!*
The recoil was deafening. The redirected force, amplified by Leo's own mana, surged back through the blade and into Jahong's body like a hurricane compressed into a fist.
The Nature captain's body flew across the sand-grip field and crashed violently into the far wall, knocking the breath out of the entire arena.
Silence.
Then—
"WHAT?!"
"DID LEO JUST FLIP THAT ATTACK BACK?!"
"THAT WAS THE MOST RIDICULOUS COUNTER I'VE EVER SEEN!"
The referee stepped forward, staring at Jahong's unconscious form embedded into the wall, before raising his hand.
"Winner—Leo Skyshard of Rodova!"
The Rodova crowd exploded with thunderous applause, chants of "Skyshard!" echoing across the dome.
Leo, still standing calmly in the sand, slowly rolled his neck again as he turned and walked away without celebrating the win, as he just gave the cheering crowd a usual thumbs-up.
He'd taken a few bruises in this fight.
But he'd baited and timed his moment to perfection—ending the fight in a single move, as only he could.
As he has managed to show the universe once again, what his real potential truly looked like.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, Leo Goddamn Skyshard, remember this boy's name…. This is a kid that's destined for greatness.
What a fighter! What an entertainer! What a warrior!" Derek said, as he seemed to have lost his mind over Leo's performance, as the Jumbotron replayed the last moments of the fight, again and again.
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