Lee listened to the compliments addressed to the boy and got sickened by them. The unpleasant situation was getting really annoying. Life hadn't prepared him to be number two. «Okay, we get it. The master made candy with bitter filling out of you. You should share the knowledge of your legendary master since you are a member of our great family.»

«Lee!» - Stephanie looked reproachfully at him. – «He has brought the family to the finals! The Browns blush and lower their eyes when we look at them, unfinished tigers, with pride! Is it not enough for a little grat.i.tude?»

The Stones around nodded in agreement.

Lee exhaled peacefully. «Okay, kid... I'm sorry for being rude. Thank you for your efforts.»

Kyon held back his contempt. His resentment toward Lee grew more and more.

«I believe in our family and I am happy to defend our honor.» - He said with a smile. – «Let's go back to the hall so that the princess wouldn't take our absence for disrespect.»

Kyon went to the hall. He was in the spotlight. Lee walked to his right. An unpleasant aura emanated from him. He was dangerous, not to be messed with. Charming Stephanie was to the left of Kyon. She kept glancing at him with her bright eyes. She had obviously something on her mind. She smiled at him, then, as if by accident, elbowed him in the side.

Kyon sat down at his unremarkable table surrounded by a crowd of his new admirers. He wanted to laugh out loud. The result had exceeded all his expectations!

All those who watched the tournament nicknamed him "the boy who lived." The Stones patted Kyon on the shoulders. They flattered and praised him. The other families looked at the young meat like wolves weakened by hunger stare at a large sheep. Some girls glanced at him with interest and a bit of curiosity.

Kyon had gained not only lots of opportunities but also enemies. However, the Stones had almost no enemies. He had achieved his goal. Another question is how he was going to use his new opportunities.

Kara had already changed her dress and was now playfully hugging Juno. The girl furtively glanced at Kyon. Her amazement knew no bounds. He had robbed Lee of his t.i.tle "the king of the battles" in just two fights. He was surrounded by the members of her family as if he was their leader.

{How is it possible?! Did he plan everything?!}

The girl wanted to meet his eyes. She wondered how much grat.i.tude she would see in them for saving his life. By her standards, the boy should immediately make her the bender of all the elements and disappear out of her sight.

Kyon did not honor Juni with an ounce of his attention to avoid another fit of Kara's jealousy. The s.l.u.tty creature was too dangerous. She had deprived him of all his money and rewards from the tournament.

The boy hid the molten magma of burning hatred deep in his mind. Time is the judge of everything, and he will become the judge of time. In the future, he will put his hands on the thin princess's neck and not put on a beautiful necklace on her.

At the moment he was more concerned about the echoes of the spiritual attack. Kyon sent Synergy into his soul to make a thorough a.n.a.lysis, but it did not find anything intelligible to deal with. The atmosphere in his soul had partly changed its tonality. He couldn't dilute it with "fresh air." He had to wait until everything settled and his willpower cleared up the pollution in the soul.

As for his combat skills, the boy had solved this jigsaw puzzle before his fight with Kara ended. At the present moment, he is a "poisonous snake" capable of killing a "bull."

If he was allowed to use previously manufactured poison during the tournament, as well as all his abilities in general (9 elements) he could defeat his opponents even one and a half phases higher than his development.

Kyon was 100% confident in the overwhelming victory over any opponent 5 stages above his development. He could suppress them in all respects: his speed, the concentration of elemental energy during the attack, the number of elements, his dexterity, strategy...

He also gave himself a close to 100% chance to defeat anyone 10 stages above him. All thanks to his huge speed. The opponent couldn't hit him with either a sword or any technique. The rarefied and ma.s.sive attacks like wind and flame would be suppressed or repelled. Kaisen belonged to this category of the opponents. If the idiot had used the ether barrier Kyon would have had a hard time with him. But if he had used the element of darkness… Then the b.a.s.t.a.r.d would have been defeated with the same three blows.

As for the opponents of 11 and higher stages above, the chances for victory decreased drastically from 100% down. Each battle largely depends on certain conditions and circ.u.mstances. For example, the use of poisons, the opportunity to fight with a long sword or a dangerous bow, if the enemy has control, if the enemy has ma.s.sive and at the same time concentrated techniques that are difficult to dodge. And many other factors that somehow affect the outcome of the match. If Tsayan had had a solid metal weapon, Kyon would have lost. The adversary would have rushed into a reckless attack and be the first to deliver a crus.h.i.+ng blow with the sword. That would be the end of the battle. Although, if poison was allowed... It's all unequivocal here.

Kyon wouldn't have had a chance if Kara had used weapons or those powerful techniques correctly. The stupid princess had squandered all her skills in the most ridiculous way. She was too impatient to wait for the rollback. Phoenix Relic, Tornado Razor, Phoenix Blast. Each of these techniques, if used properly, would have turned him into a corpse.

And even in spite of her stupidity, if the princess was at least one stage higher, she would have won with her overwhelming speed and power.

Roughly speaking, Kyon had to use all his wits and adapt to the situation when fighting with opponents more than 10 stages higher in development. "Speed and Dexterity" is the strongest, most stable weapon in his a.r.s.enal that would enable him to compete with enemies (of average talent) one and a half phases above him.

…

While the group of the young Stones bombarded Kyon with all kinds of questions, XiaoBai came up to the stage and gave a standard speech in the line of "it's an excellent party." Then he invited Kara and handed her a golden box with the valuable Rising Hawk medicine.

The fat guy added:

«Your Grace, I am afraid you won't find the prize valuable enough for you... Our family has paid a very dear price for the Rising Hawk medicine. Please don't hold it against us.»

Kara took the box and walked towards Juno with a graceful gait. She smiled radiantly and handed her the prize.

Juno raised her eyebrows in surprise and indescribable delight. She crossed her arms and said: «Are you giving it to me?!»

«I am, my love. I joined the tournament for the sole reason to give you the prize, not to prove my strength. You know too well, I don't care about local sc.u.m with mediocre talent.» - When she said the last word her eyes glanced towards Kyon. She resolutely took the girl by the hand and led her to the center of the hall.

Juno had seen Kara fight with Elsa lots of times. Of course, she knew her approximate level and capacity. And yet Kara had to break her word of the princess during the battle. She was stupid because of her arrogance towards the sc.u.m around her. (which, from her point of view, was quite justified) She had underestimated the underdeveloped monster in the human body and made herself a fool. At least in her eyes. The guests loved and praised her as usual. They all were her fans.

The guests experienced a surge of bright joy when they saw what the princess had done. Everyone had noticed the romance out of place. The girls dreamed to have someone like n.o.ble Kara Grand. They would dote on such a darling.

The orchestra played a tune.

The guests watched the two beauties dance. Their grace was worthy of heavenly G.o.ddesses. Kara resembled the highest priestess of love, and Juno looked like an undeservedly fallen angel. They intertwined in a single harmonious rhythm. The princess was a.s.sertive. She confidently hugged the girl at the waist and even laid her hand on her a.s.s. She immediately got an agile slap for her impudence.

Kyon thoughtfully stroked his chin. {You gave it to Juno?! Come on!} - A sly smile crept in the corners of his lips.

The dance lasted for several minutes.

The boy decided to leave the party out of harm's way. What if the vengeful princess fancied looking for him?

As he was getting up he felt someone's fingers in the back pocket of his trousers. They had slipped a note to him.

Almost all the Stones followed Kyon leave with their eyes.

Kyon made a sign to XiaoBai to follow him. When he left outside he pulled out the piece of paper. It said the frequency of a sound transmitter, the name "Stephanie" and "call me when you are alone."

{Well, well, well, romance on each step... You're not my type, baby.} - His mind was occupied by Kara against his will.

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Soon Xiao Bai came out and looked at him with a searching look. He was usually in a cheerful disposition but now he looked really serious.

«Kyon... I have underestimated you. You're a cunning, calculating b.a.s.t.a.r.d who nearly emptied my pockets for half a million! I thought you suck but you have foreseen everything. You lost the first bet to ask for the ten-fold rate later! I did not believe in your strength. I never thought you were capable of competing with opponents a phase above. You are incredible, boy! But fate loves the rich and well-fed so it sent the princess to my rescue. And you hugged her like a h.o.r.n.y nitwit. However, Juno's friends.h.i.+p and courage have saved your soul.»

Kyon smiled. «I am immensely grateful to her. As for the princess... Let's not talk about her. She appeared like thunder from a clear sky and ruined my plans. May I ask you a favor?»

«How quickly you have changed the topic…»

«I don't have much time.» - Kyon said. He wanted to get away from unnecessary worries and think about how to get rid of the consequences of the mental attack.

«Tell me.»

«You are the first student of Elder Ben who in charge of the mines and, respectively, has high authority. I want him to free a slave from the mine. His name is Byron. He is the leader of the 3rd sector. And I also want him to promote one woman to a GP on the estate. She is from the same sector and her name is Martha.»

The fat guy frowned, visibly displeased: «Should I mess up with the whole sector for free?»

«Yes.» - Kyon said firmly.

XiaoBai was about to say "no" when he touched his third chin and decided to take advantage of his future relations with a genius who also had a financial streak.

«Okay. Byron and Martha. I've got their names.» - With these words, he shook hands with Kyon.

For the next few minutes, XiaoBai asked Kyon about his master, the technique of movements, ranks, plans for the future, etc. He discussed and observed from all sides everything that had at least some financial value

Kyon gave clear and "unaffordable" answers. Nothing for certain and no promises. It all came down to the great legacy of TsyJi that no one else could even dream of. He shouldn't poke his fat nose if he didn't have enough money.

XiaoBai sighed and shook hands with Kyon. He insisted on seeing him soon in Boston. XiaoBai wanted to discuss the possible increase in the efficiency of the financial system of the family, mines, and plantations in more detail. He didn't have time at the moment. He should leave early in the morning.

They said goodbye on a good note.

Kyon returned to his room where no one would bother him.

He had started all this bedlam with the popularization of his personality for a reason. The next goal on his way was to gain strength and power in the kingdom.

Today, he had acquired two important connections: XiaoBai, the patriarch's grandson and Stephanie, the granddaughter of one of the elders. They may play an important role in the near future. He knew the frequency of their sound transmitters.

He could use the rest of the Stones, who became so fierce fans of the new talent, for his purposes, too.