Chapter – 38 I’m the Boss
I’m the Boss
Dustin glanced at Azalea and gently withdrew his arm from her grasp.
“Seriously? How strong does he even think he is? Comparing him to Jared is laughable,” Desmond scoffed.
“Exactly! Jared holds the 12th rank among the Heavenly Immortals! This guy isn’t even in the same league as him!” Devon exclaimed.
“If Jared’s so incredible, how come he lost earlier?” Dustin challenged. His simple question hung in the air, leaving everyone momentarily silent.
“Hmph! Yes, I lost, but do you honestly believe you could do any better? With your skills, you wouldn’t last three hits!” Jared retorted through gritted teeth.
“Oh, really? Let’s see then,” Dustin replied with a faint smile, opting not to engage further. He preferred to prove his worth through actions rather than pointless debates.
Just then, excitement erupted as someone shouted, “Look! Oscar is stepping down from the arena!”
All eyes turned to the center of the lake, where Oscar was leaving the platform.
Another figure, graceful and dressed in white, boarded a boat and approached the platform.
“Hey, isn’t that Joel Finch, ranked tenth among the Heavenly Immortals?”
“Oh my, it’s Joel Finch! We’re in trouble now!”
“Even Oscar appeared unbeatable. Now we have Joel, who’s even stronger than Oscar. What’s the point of continuing? We might as well admit defeat!”
Once the identity of the white-clad man was confirmed, panic and cries emerged from the Balerno martial arts alliance.
“It’s him?” Dustin raised an eyebrow, finding it quite unexpected.
“Haha! Looks like luck’s not on your side, you’re in a bind facing off against Joel!” Jared taunted, amused by Dustin’s predicament.
Dustin’s prior embarrassment seemed to entertain Jared, who seemed content seeing others share his fate.
“Jared, is Joel really that formidable?” Devon asked with curiosity.
“Formidable is an understatement! He’s the tenth among the Heavenly Immortals! He’s one of the top ten divine-level martial artists! Even I would be defeated in seconds against him!” Jared affirmed.
“Wow! That’s incredible!” The others were astonished by Jared’s praise, a testament to Joel’s immense prowess.
“Hey, you there! Weren’t you all high and mighty earlier? Why not step into the arena?” Jared jeered.
“Haha! Look at him! I bet he’s shaking in his boots. Would he dare enter the arena?” Desmond mocked.
“No way! Can’t tell me he’s too scared to even try? Quite the coward!” Devon sneered.
To them, Dustin’s defeat was a given. The only uncertainty was the extent of his humiliation.
“What are you blabbering about? Joel Finch? I’m not backing down from him.”
Dustin advanced and lightly kicked the boat into motion. Gracefully, he hopped onto it, gliding toward the middle of the lake.
“Wow! Did he really go? Bold move!” Devon smirked.
“He doesn’t grasp reality. Let’s see how he crashes and burns!” Desmond added scornfully.
“Hah! Even I wouldn’t stand a chance against Joel! How dare this guy challenge him? He must really want to disgrace himself!” Jared laughed mockingly.
Dustin was a nobody. Challenging the tenth-ranked Heavenly Immortal was a fool’s errand.
In the arena, Joel stood tall, arms folded behind his back. He soaked in the applause and cheers with an air of arrogance.
Today was his chance to leave a lasting mark!
“Go, Joel! Show them the might of the Zen Order!”
“Oscar could handle four opponents alone. Joel’s even better than Oscar. This will be a cakewalk.”
Confidence radiated from the Glenstead martial arts alliance. Zen Order disciples were deeply proud.
“Relax, everyone. I’ll wrap this up swiftly.” Joel gestured to his fellow guild members by the lake, then turned to face his adversary.
However, upon seeing the familiar face on the boat, Joel felt as though lightning struck him. A surge of fear engulfed him, overpowering his senses.
“Mon-monster! The monster’s here!” After a moment of muttered words, Joel let out a sudden shriek.
Without further hesitation, he plunged into the lake and fled as if his life depended on it.
