Chapter 23
The usually bustling courtyard of the Scarlet Faction was cloaked in a suffocating silence, as if the air itself dared not move. It wasn't the announcement of a new quest, nor a rare treasure unveiling. No — the atmosphere was tight and coiled like a spring for one singular reason.
Someone — a stranger — had just slapped Kael, one of the most feared and arrogant young elites of the faction.
The sharp crack of the slap still lingered in the minds of everyone present. Eyes widened. Jaws dropped. Even the birds that nested high above the faction rooftops seemed to go silent, as though nature itself paused in disbelief.
But what was even more shocking than the act... was the reaction.
Jayden, the stranger, stood there completely unfazed. No smugness. No anger. No tension. Just that cold, deadpan expression — as if what he did was the most natural thing in the world.
Kael, still holding his cheek, staggered a step back, his ego bruised more than his face. His voice trembled, not from fear but from the sheer audacity of the moment.
"Y... yo... You dare slap me?"
Jayden didn't blink. His gaze remained flat, unmoved.
"The kid isn't the trash," he said slowly, each word like a hammer slamming into Kael's pride.
"You are."
A collective gasp swept through the courtyard like wildfire.
Kael's lips twisted into a snarl. He took a calming breath, but his rage burned too hot to contain. His eyes scanned Jayden, now sizing him up properly. That's when he noticed — this bastard was still in the late stage of the Blue Plane?
Blue Plane? Compared to Kael's mid-stage Purple Plane?
He scoffed internally. This wasn't courage. This was lunacy.
"I'm going to crush you."
He spread his arms as a torrent of water erupted around him. A deep blue aura shimmered and twisted into a serpentine shape, snaking through the air before condensing into three deadly water spheres. The courtyard trembled with his pressure.
Kael's first strike came fast — a speeding water ball with the force of a cannon blast. But Jayden, with supernatural calmness, slid backward and twisted his body mid-air, the blast missing him by inches and crashing into the courtyard wall behind him, splintering stone and sending dust into the air.
Fwip.
A white glove materialized on Jayden's hand, its sleek surface catching the sunlight. Upon it, a glowing red transmutation circle pulsed like a beating heart.
He brought his fingers together slowly, his stance tightening like a coiled snake about to strike.
Just as the air crackled between them—
"ENOUGH!"
A booming voice thundered across the courtyard like the roar of a god.
A figure appeared on the balcony of the grand faction hall. Yellow-haired, golden-eyed, draped in a robe woven with spiritual threads, the man stepped forward. Each stride seemed to shake the very ground.
The tension snapped. Every single member present — even Kael — immediately bowed their heads in submission.
This was Elder Daemir, one of the most powerful elders of the Scarlet Faction. A man whose very name could shake mid-tier factions into silence. Already in the late stages of the Violet Plane, he had long surpassed what ordinary cultivators could dream of.
Daemir's gaze swept across the courtyard, landing squarely on Kael and Jayden.
"Which fools dare cause a ruckus on the sacred ground of the Scarlet Faction?"
Kael stepped forward, his expression now carefully crafted to appear respectful and victimized.
"Elder Daemir, this outsider struck me unprovoked. My brother and I were mentoring a junior when he suddenly assaulted me and began throwing threats. I only responded in self-defense."
Murmurs ran through the crowd. Some nodded. Others watched Jayden carefully.
Elder Daemir turned toward Jayden, expecting a standard grovel or apology.
"Is this true?"
Jayden held the elder's gaze, unblinking. He said nothing for a heartbeat.
Then, as casually as one might mention the weather, he replied:
"That guy is trash."
Silence.
A loud, collective gasp erupted from the courtyard. Some even flinched. Did he just… call Kael trash again? To an elder's face?
Daemir's right eyebrow twitched dangerously.
"Anything else?" he asked, his voice now carrying the weight of centuries.
Jayden shrugged.
"No."
Even Daemir looked taken aback for a moment. The elder took a deep breath, clearly struggling to keep his rising temper in check.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?"
Jayden was about to speak when the sound of heels clicking against stone echoed through the courtyard.
From the grand building behind, two familiar figures emerged:
Mephina — the genius spell-sculptor in white robes — and Toph, the stoic, stone-faced protector in his usual blue armor.
Elder Daemir turned toward them.
"Crusher,Tempest. Is this the one you were planning to bring into the faction?"
"Yes, he is," Mephina said firmly, not grasping the gravity of the situation just yet.
A deadly silence blanketed the courtyard as the elder's cold gaze pierced Jayden like a sharpened blade. His lips curled into a sneer. "Then I hereby announce," he began, his voice laced with disdain, "he is not welcome in the Scarlet Faction."
"What?!" Mephina exclaimed, her eyes flaring with disbelief.
"He made three unforgivable mistakes," the elder stated, raising a finger for each as he counted them down like sins carved into stone.
"One, he sided with trash."
"Two, he raised his hand against a member without justification."
"Three, he showed no respect, even to someone like me. An elder."
He took a step forward, his voice like thunder wrapped in venom. "Such a scum is not welcome in this faction."
Jayden's deadpan eyes narrowed, just slightly. The prestige of the Scarlet Faction, once held in mid regard within his heart, plummeted. If this was what they stood for—elitism and cruelty toward those without spiritual power—then they were no better than the so-called 'trash' they ridiculed.
"You can't do that," Mephina snapped, stepping between Jayden and the elder. "You may be an elder, but you don't speak for the entire council."
The elder's face turned glacial. His cultivation might be leagues above hers for now, but her reputation and potential held him back from acting rashly. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for the boy standing behind her.
With a mere flick of his wrist, the elder released a condensed torrent of spiritual energy, invisible to the untrained eye but deadly to those with weak defenses. It shot forward like a cannon, aimed not at Jayden's heart, but at his core—a calculated strike meant to cripple, not kill.
Jayden barely had time to register the movement before a crushing force struck his chest. The courtyard gasped as he was hurled backward like a ragdoll, spiraling through the air before crashing hard against the white marble flooring.
-40 HP. 60/100 HP remaining.
Blood gushed from Jayden's mouth as he knelt on one knee, panting hard. His ribs felt like shattered glass. But what shocked everyone even more was that—despite the overwhelming attack—he stood.
His body trembled, but he planted one foot after another until he faced the elder once again.
The elder's golden brows twitched. He's still standing…? That meant only one thing—his core was intact.
Mephina rushed to Jayden's side, her eyes blazing with fury. "Why would you do something so ruthless? Do you want to ruin his future?!"
"Ruin his future?" The elder laughed mockingly, the sound like rusted daggers scraping against steel. "Do you think I care? Look at him! At his age and still stuck in the Blue Plane? He's not a genius—he's a blemish."
Then his voice darkened, "Take him away now, or I'll finish what I started and crush his core for good."
Mephina fell silent, her fists trembling. She couldn't fight an elder at this level, not even with Toph's help. Around them, the other members of the faction looked away, unwilling to stand up to power.
Rictor stood nearby, grinding his teeth, helpless. He had wanted to protect the boy, and yet here he was—frozen. I hate this… he muttered inwardly, guilt wrapping around him like chains.
Kael was smirking, arms crossed. "Look at him now," he whispered smugly.
Jayden turned to Mephina, his voice soft but resolute. "Don't worry. I think... I need to go now. I'll just join another faction. Probably one that doesn't treat kids like trash."
As he turned to leave, a sudden sound made the courtyard flinch.
THUD!
The young boy Jayden had defended knelt before him, slamming his forehead on the marble three times, the sound echoing with raw emotion.
"I'm sorry… it's all because of me… You shouldn't have helped me…"
Jayden, still bleeding and battered, stared at him with his trademark deadpan face. Then, to everyone's surprise, he reached out and gently patted the boy's head.
"Wait for me," he said. "I'll come back for you. I'll take you away from this trash heap."
It was a heart-wrenching moment—emotional, powerful… except Jayden's face remained as blank as a stone tablet, giving the whole scene a weirdly comedic edge.
The courtyard stood in stunned silence.
Jayden turned next to Rictor and gave him a dramatic thumbs-up. "You should move on without me," he said, as if this was some tearful farewell on a cliffside. Rictor burst into exaggerated tears, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably as if Jayden were sailing off to war.
He then turned and walked away, head held high. Everyone watched, unsure whether to laugh or cry at the over-the-top display.
But once he exited the courtyard, away from prying eyes, Jayden's blank expression shifted into a small cunning smirk.
He wasn't sad. He was thrilled.
Finally, he thought. I was praying something would stop me from joining this hellhole. When I saw that boy, I knew getting involved would spark something bigger. Though… the situation escalated more than I expected… still—
He raised a finger dramatically and muttered with pride, "I currently feel like Aizen."
Then he bolted—literally. He took off like a rocket away from the Scarlet Faction, vanishing into the wilderness.
Not strong enough yet, he thought, but once I am… I'll make them all kneel.
Back at the courtyard, the yellow-haired Elder stood tall, basking in the illusion of victory. He wore a self-satisfied smirk as he glanced at Mephina's silent, helpless expression.
For once, the prodigious genius looked cornered.
"Heh," he scoffed inwardly, "These so-called geniuses… a bit of pressure and they crumble."
Rictor was still overdoing his performance, sniffling and wailing dramatically like a soap opera actor fired mid-season.
The Elder rolled his eyes. "What a bunch of sentimental brats." He turned his back and raised his leg, ready to step into the Grand Hall, proud of putting Jayden in his "place."
But then—BOOM.
A wild gust of wind howled through the courtyard like a wrathful beast. Dust scattered, robes fluttered, and the air crackled as if a god had just sighed.
Everyone froze.
"This kid… is staying," came a calm, terrifying voice.
The entire courtyard turned toward the entrance—and jaws dropped.
There he stood.
Jake.
The youngest Grand Elder in the history of the Scarlet Faction.
A man so feared and admired that his presence alone could silence conflict. He had silver-white hair that shimmered under the sun, piercing grey eyes, and an aura so refined and powerful it felt like time bent around him.
And in his hand?
He was holding Jayden by the collar, like a child caught stealing from the cookie jar.
Jayden's face was, of course, completely deadpan.
The yellow-haired Elder's face paled as if someone had poured ice down his back. This wasn't just any Elder. Jake outranked him by miles—and worse, he didn't give second warnings.
"G-Great Elder Jake…" the man stammered. "W-What do you mean by 'he's staying'? This kid has no future here. No talent, no respect, no—"
Jake turned slowly.
"Do you have a problem with that?"
It wasn't loud. It wasn't angry. It wasn't even threatening.
But everyone felt it. That quiet devastation in his words. That cosmic pressure hiding behind a calm tone.
The Elder took a step back. Then another. "N-No, sir! Of course not…"
Jake didn't even glance at him again. He turned to Jayden—who blinked at him in mute protest.
"You're going to take the trial. Pass it. Or don't. That's your business. But you're in. Deal with it."
Before Jayden could say a word, Jake tossed him through the air—right into Rictor's arms.
Rictor hugged him as if Jayden had returned from the dead. "You came back for me! I knew it! I cried real tears, man! I almost choked!"
Jayden remained stone-faced, limbs dangling as if someone tossed a mannequin into a soap opera.
Toph and Mephina walked up, nodding like proud siblings. Mephina smiled.
"Looks like you're destined to join us after all."
Jayden blinked at her. Internally, he was screaming.
> "Destiny? DESTINY? That white-haired lunatic just crushed my escape plan like a fly. I'm not 'blessed by fate.' I'm CURSED."
---
Minutes Later –
They entered the majestic arena, a towering hall of black obsidian and glowing crimson inscriptions. At the center stood a grand battle stage forged from tough nearly indestructible steel. Above them loomed three thrones, each occupied by a figure of immense power.
The first was an old man with a long white beard that flowed like a waterfall of time. His gaze was sharp enough to cut mountains.
The second, a middle-aged woman dressed in ceremonial crimson robes, her fingers glimmering with essence rings of a hundred victories.
And the third—
Jake.
Now dressed in more formal robes, sitting like a king at a child's chess match. With his eyes closed, arms crossed, and one leg resting on the other, he looked completely bored—as if world-breaking events didn't concern him.
These were the Grand Elders of the Scarlet Faction. Second only to the elusive Faction Leader, whom none had ever truly seen.
The old man in the center stood up.
He raised his hand and his voice thundered without amplification.
> "Welcome, challengers. Today, you stand at the door of greatness."
His voice carried power and elegance. It struck the heart like a hammer wrapped in silk.
> "You wish to enter the Scarlet Faction. A home to warriors. To visionaries. To monsters. But entry comes at a cost. Here, strength is law. Talent is currency. Will is everything."
""Your trial is straightforward… but far from effortless. You will each face a member of the Scarlet Faction. One who is in the same Plane and Stage as you."
"Defeat them, and you earn your place."
"Fail… and you go home in one piece. If you're lucky."
Gasps echoed around the room. Some had heard rumors. But hearing it from the One of the Grand Elders … that was different.
The challenge sounded simple. But everyone in the world knew—
A single Scarlet member was strong enough to fight three—sometimes even four—opponents of their level.
This was a lion's den. A dragon's nest.
Jayden stared ahead with dead eyes, his internal monologue returning:
"So… basically, this is a deathmatch where I fight someone built like a boss character. Cool. Great. Fantastic." he thought wryly before the Old man continue.
"Step forward, challengers. Your fate shall be forged in battle. Let the trial… begin!".
To be continued.