Chapter Eleven - An Unexpected Encounter
As the hover cars left the arena, Ryker sat quietly, staring out the window at the rapidly fading neon lights. His heart still raced with excitement, but exhaustion was slowly creeping in. The day had been filled with laughter, adventure, and wonder—everything he had hoped for and more.
The convoy slowed as they approached the city's grand commercial hub, a district renowned for its luxury shops, rare artifacts, and extravagant auctions. Normally, the area was alive with traders and wealthy patrons.
There was a saying that if you couldn't find what you were looking for in the commercial hub of Searing Flame City, then you wouldn't find it anywhere else, and even if you did, you would be hard-pressed to acquire it.
Ryker disembarked from the hover vehicle, deciding to roam the stalls on his little feet. Accompanied by his guards, he browsed through many stalls, getting a few new outfits for himself as well as a few shoes and other trinkets he found interesting. Eventually, he stumbled on a large jewelry store
Ryker's eyes were immediately drawn to the massive storefront. Inside, shimmering gemstones and intricately designed mana-infused jewelry adorned glass cases, each piece radiating a faint glow. It was considerably larger than most of the stalls he had seen so far. Ryker went into the stall, admiring the jewelry pieces he was seeing.
"I want to get something for Mother and Father," Ryker declared.
Mathias nodded. "Very well, young master. Let's make it quick."
They entered the store, and almost immediately, a well-dressed clerk rushed forward, bowing deeply. "Welcome, young master Phoenix. It is an honor to serve you."
He asked the clerk who had arrived to attend to them at this point to show him their most priced pieces. The lady showed him a section where all the best quality goods were placed. Ryker looked in the shelves the lady had shown him and quickly found an extremely intricately designed ruby necklace.
I want that one Ryker said pointing to the necklace.
The clerk retrieved the piece with careful precision, placing it in a luxurious velvet box. Ryker then turned his attention to the weapons section, where decorative but fully functional daggers were displayed. His eyes landed on an exquisite blade—its handle carved from obsidian, inlaid with tiny dragon engravings, and its sheath lined with enchanted runes.
"That one for Father," Ryker said with a satisfied smile.
Mathias took the items, and they proceeded to the counter and settled the bill, each item going for not less than a million low-grade mana crystals.
The doors to the jewelry store swung open abruptly, and in walked another group—a young boy, accompanied by several guards dressed in the emblem of the Phoenix Clan. But unlike Ryker, this boy carried himself with an air of arrogance, his fiery red hair and piercing crimson eyes making his lineage unmistakable.
The boy's gaze swept across the store before locking onto Ryker. A flicker of recognition passed through his expression before it was replaced by something else.
"Good day," the boy greeted, though his tone carried little warmth. "I am Adrian Phoenix."
Ryker tilted his head slightly, sensing the unspoken challenge in Adrian's words. "Good day. My name is Ryker Phoenix."
The moment his name was spoken, Adrian's demeanor changed. His eyes narrowed, and a scoff escaped his lips. "So, you're the so-called prodigy of the main clan. Hmph. Looking at you, apart from your resemblance to our ancestors, I don't see anything special."
Ryker blinked, momentarily caught off guard by the hostility. This was the first time someone had spoken to him in such a manner. He wasn't sure how to react.
Mathias, standing behind him, stiffened. "Young master, we should leave."
He wanted to ask Adrian why he was being hostile, but he remembered what Mathias had said not too long ago: "People will hate you just by virtue of who you are." Ryker was stunned that Mathias's warning was already coming true. He looked Adrian in the eye again, but this time his demeanor had changed. No longer amiable, it now carried an air of superiority and confidence.
"Who do you think you are to talk to me in that manner? Are you an idiot? Don't you realize I'm far higher up the hierarchy than you will ever be? Get off your high horse, or I'll help you do so," Ryker replied, looking at Adrian with clear eyes and not a hint of negative emotion. His words seemed purely factual, devoid of any emotional influence. This only served to enrage Adrian further, making him feel mocked. His face morphed into an ugly frown, his brows twitching as he tried to control his anger.
"Look at you! You think you're special just because your birth had some special effects and people call you a genius. Well, sorry to break it to you, but you're nothing special. You'll never achieve anything worthwhile. I will become far superior to you and take the position of clan head. I'll surpass even Lord Aiden and one day stand at the top with you beneath my feet. Your so-called talent means nothing to me."
Ryker was genuinely shocked. Were there really such fools in the world? Was this guy brain dead, or just a clueless, arrogant bastard? This fool not only insulted the heir of the main bloodline but also dared to speak treason right to his face. Did he not know that this alone was enough for him and his family to be executed on the spot, regardless of their status within the clan? Ryker decided he was no longer going to lower his status to talk with such an idiot and simply said, "Oh really?" with the most harmless smile he could muster. "Good luck then." After that, he walked around Adrian and headed towards the exit.
Adrian turned to grab Ryker by the shoulder, but before he could even lift a finger, he felt the aura of a peak Master Rank pressing onto him, daring him to make a move. Though the aura was diluted to less than one percent, it was still more than he could bear.
The truth was that the guards were already ticked off by Adrian's hostility towards Ryker. But they let it go since Adrian was a blood-related scion of the Phoenix Clan. If it had been anyone else who even dared to look at Ryker the wrong way, their heads would be rolling on the floor by now. But here Adrian was, taking their calmness and patience for granted. Every single guard in Ryker's entourage was ready to teach this arrogant fool a lesson he would never forget. And if the few guards Adrian brought dared to interfere, they should forget ever seeing their families again.
Locked on by such a superior aura, Adrian froze. Overwhelming fear enveloped him, and he fell to his knees, clutching his head as if in severe pain. He was just a five-year-old boy who hadn't even awakened yet, so having a Master Rank lock onto him was too much. He collapsed to the ground, foaming at the mouth.
Ryker just kept walking towards the exit, not bothering to look back. He eventually left the jewelry shop, his mood soured.
While most of the guards were irritated by Adrian's behavior, Mathias felt a sense of pity. He actually felt sorry for Adrian's parents. How could they give birth to such a fool? This fool was provided with the opportunity of a lifetime, and he chose to throw it away. He had just ruined his chance to become the first friend of the heir and future paragon of the Phoenix Clan, all for some useless pride and envy. If this was not a pity, then what was?