CHAPTER 53: GRANDEUR OF THE HUNT FAMILY HEIR

In the main hall of the Hunt estate, where most of the distinguished guests had gathered, hushed conversations mingled with the clink of glasses and the low thrum of old generator systems that powered the estate’s reinforced walls.

People spoke in voices just above whispers, their expressions a mix of curiosity and wariness.

"Can you believe it?" a man in a weathered military coat muttered to his colleague, his gaze fixed on the towering columns draped with the Hunt family’s black and gold banners. "Fifty years ago, we were fighting over scraps in the old city ruins. Now look at this place—like something out of a dream."

"Dream or not," his companion replied, her voice carrying a trace of caution, "you can’t deny how far they’ve come. To gather this many factions in one hall without a single skirmish...only the Hunts could manage it."

Near a cracked support pillar patched with alloy plates, two younger guests—both dressed in simple reinforced uniforms—spoke in hushed awe.

"I heard the heir is stronger than any recorded awakened under twenty," the young man said, rubbing his hands together nervously.

His friend swallowed, her eyes flicking toward the massive doors that led deeper into the estate. "That’s what they say. But I just want to see if he’s really...different."

At this moment,powerful auras descended like divine mountains pressing on everyone’s hearts. All those from the various forces felt their souls tremble uncontrollably as they turned to look. The master of the Hunt family appeared with his two sons, and beside them stood the vice president of the Alliance, the Human Calamity, Leon Gravis. Each of them radiated a boundless, flourishing aura that seemed to make the air itself bow in deference.

Ethan’s parents, Jack and Elina, also arrived.

"Everyone, thank you for coming to my Hunt family heir’s inauguration banquet. This old man offers his deepest gratitude," the golden-robed elder in the center—Alexander Hunt—said as he cupped his hands solemnly.

"You’re too kind!"

"It’s our greatest honor to witness the Hunt family heir’s true appearance!"

Everyone present smiled, but their expressions were tinged with profound respect and tension as they returned the gesture with cupped hands.

An elder from a powerful family hesitated, gathering his courage before he finally asked, "May I ask...where is the heir now?"

As soon as these words were spoken, countless people’s ears perked up like hounds catching a scent.

The banquet had already begun, yet the central figure remained unseen. It was impossible not to feel that something monumental was about to occur. A large part of the reason so many had gathered was precisely to behold the true face of the Hunt family heir, the young man no one could find even the slightest trace of online.

"Apologies, everyone. My great-grandson is preparing himself, and he will come here very soon..."

Just as Alexander’s voice fell, Ethan emerged from the Hunt Palace.

In that instant, a peerless figure dressed in white slowly appeared, and it felt as though heaven and earth were holding their breath.

At that moment, countless gazes—like a hundred rivers flowing irresistibly into the sea—converged upon the lone figure stepping out of the palace.

He was a slender young man enveloped in a hazy divine glow. His dresses were whiter than the purest snow, and he seemed to carry an ethereal detachment that transcended all mortal confines.

He looked like a banished immortal who had descended to the mundane world in a single stroke of cosmic chance.

His hair strands shimmered with crystal-clear luminescence, and his body glowed like the finest immortal jade, radiating an unearthly brilliance.

His face was half-shrouded in a divine, misty haze that seemed to veil reality itself, yet through it, one could still faintly glimpse features so impossibly perfect that the heart shivered to behold them.

His visage was divinely formed, naturally beautiful, and so handsome that many felt a moment of disorientation—was this truly a human being? Or an immortal who had accidentally descended from the heavens to walk among them?

In that moment, all sound in heaven and earth seemed to vanish. Even the whisper of the wind fell silent. Many women unconsciously stopped breathing, their chests tightening in an ache they did not understand.

Even the young women of the Hunt family, who had seen Ethan before, felt a suffocating sense of unreality, as though a living legend had stepped out of myth.

Ethan had imbued himself with light-element force that made his aura sublimate, expanding into something impossibly profound and sacred.

Yes, he had done it deliberately. He knew he was already handsome—he was no fool—but today, he needed to leave an impression that would be carved into the hearts of all who witnessed it. A little trick was nothing compared to that.

"A gentleman like jade...the heir is truly unparalleled in this world..."

A young woman, a close relative of the Hunt family, whispered as if possessed, her voice trembling in her throat.

And at that moment, Ethan calmly looked over the myriad gazes fixed upon him, his heart quietly astonished. Though he’d known by his mental domain how many powerful guests had come, seeing them all with his own eyes still made him feel a ripple of disbelief.

So many giants of the world, all gathered here—waiting for him.

A thrill of anticipation glimmered beneath his calm surface.

He wondered how long it would take before someone challenged him—so he could dazzle them all even further. When he fought, he would imbue himself with even more light energy, until no one could forget this day.

A faint, knowing smile played across his lips.

"Brother, the banquet has already begun."

Cedric, who had been waiting outside the palace, finally stepped forward, his voice soft but almost reverent as he addressed Ethan. As for Rose and the others, they were already inside the banquet hall.

"Mm. Let’s go to the main hall first," Ethan replied with a slight nod, his tone serene as he started forward.

It wasn’t until his figure disappeared past the great doors that the countless onlookers felt their dazed consciousness slowly returning to their bodies.

"I don’t know how strong the Hunt family heir is...but in terms of appearance and bearing, he is simply unmatched among our generation," a princess from a powerful family murmured in a daze, her gaze still fixed on the doorway where Ethan had vanished.

Inside the main hall, word had already spread: the Hunt family heir was arriving.

Moments later, a calm, gentle voice came from the grand entrance.

"Thank you all for coming to the banquet."

As the words fell, an ethereal figure dressed in a flowing trench coat whiter than snow walked in with the unhurried grace of someone born to stand above all others.

All conversation died in an instant.

Every person present turned as one to behold him, their hearts seized by awe, curiosity, and countless other emotions that swirled together like a storm.

So this was the mysterious Hunt family heir—Ethan Hunt. What a divine presence...

Many young prodigies clenched their fists beneath their sleeves, feeling a bitterness of envy they hadn’t known they possessed.

The young women, however, felt no bitterness—only a breathless, trembling fanaticism.

If only...if only they could stand by the side of such a man...

Rose and Leila also looked his way. Leila leaned closer to Rose with a teasing smile.

"Sister, it looks like if you don’t guard your fiancé like a mother hen, some crow might swoop in and carry him away."

Rose snorted coldly. "Why is he glowing? Like light is literally pouring off him. He definitely did something on purpose to attract attention. What a shameless pervert."

But the butterflies fluttering wildly in her belly told another story entirely. No matter how she scolded herself, she couldn’t tear her gaze away from that infuriating bastard.

I need to become a warrior as soon as possible...or else I won’t be worthy to stand beside him, Rose thought, her heart trembling.

Ethan walked over to Rose and Leila. Zara was also there, watching everything with curious eyes.

Ethan asked with a calm, almost amused tone, "How do I look?"

Rose didn’t answer, only turning away with a bright blush. Every time he came close, her heartbeat seemed to go out of control.

Leila and Zara answered together, their voices overlapping in pure admiration.

"You look like a prince, big brother."

Leila nodded so hard she nearly fell over, her eyes shining. As the self-proclaimed president of the Face Lovers’ Association, she was practically drooling.

She added breathlessly, "You look like a divine prince."

Ethan nodded in satisfaction. Perhaps he should make Leila his personal assistant—she would only ever praise him.

Then he walked toward Alexander.

Many of the world’s most powerful figures were gathered in that part of the hall. His gaze soon fell upon Leon.

Leon looked back with a broad, delighted smile.

"Boy, we meet again. You look even more charming than last time. It’s a pity you’re already engaged—those little princesses have no hope anymore."

Leon’s voice rang clearly through the hall.

"What? The Hunt family heir is already engaged?"

"Why didn’t I hear this before? Why didn’t anyone say anything? Then why am I even here?"

Several young princesses felt their hearts sink into sudden disappointment.

They had come today precisely to see if they might earn his favor—but it turned out this man was already taken.

Some elder nobles also felt regret. They had planned to introduce their family’s daughters to Ethan—who knew if he might have been moved by one of them?

But then the question arose: to whom was he engaged? Which family’s princess? The Windsor princess or the Frost family princess? Both had sent lavish gifts earlier.

Speculation erupted silently as everyone’s imagination ran wild.

But no matter how they searched, they found no answer. Ethan and the others had decided not to reveal Rose’s identity—doing so would only invite harassment against her at the university.

Ethan looked at Leon in exasperation. Why would you even say that? Did you think I came here to fish for girls?

Leon laughed with easy amusement.

"The president is in seclusion, or else he would have come himself to meet you. But I brought a gift in his stead."

He presented Ethan with a small stone.

Ethan examined it curiously. Something given by the vice president was certainly no ordinary trinket.

But the moment some of the most powerful figures in the hall glimpsed it, their expressions changed dramatically—even Alexander, James, and Ryder were staring, their eyes round as saucers.

"It isn’t what I think it is...right?"

Ethan saw the way everyone was looking and understood at once—this stone must be something unimaginably valuable.

He looked up at Leon.

"Mr. Vice President, may I ask what this is?"

Leon nodded gravely.

"This is the key to a realm."

Ethan frowned. "A key to a realm? Do realms require keys to enter?"

Leon shook his head slowly.

"No, not all realms require keys. But this one is unique. We found it connected to another realm. You’ve heard of the Battle Tower, correct? We acquired that supreme treasure there—along with many other world-changing artifacts. This stone was placed inside a locked pedestal."

"We discovered energy trees of an entirely different world. But the realm was sealed behind an energy barrier. We tried everything—even the president himself attempted to break it—but nothing worked."

Ethan felt a jolt of astonishment. The president—known as ’Dragon’—was a living legend on this planet. He possessed the soul talent ’Emperor Aura,’ which allowed him to become like an emperor and amplify his strength twenty times over.

A peak-level emperor—someone who had likely already increased his base power countless times through treasures—and with a twenty-fold amplification and a seven-fold boost from the Annihilation Technique...yet even he couldn’t shatter the barrier?

What sort of unimaginable wonder was this hidden realm?

Leon continued, his voice solemn.

"Then we heard a message. Only someone who has become a king before the age of twenty can enter the realm with this key."

Ethan finally understood the enormity of the gift.

A realm capable of granting a supreme treasure like the Battle Tower—and another realm probably even grander than this one sealed behind such a harsh requirement—was a place the Alliance must revere above almost anything else.

All the powerful figures recognized the key at a glance. It was an open secret. The Alliance had publicly announced the requirements: anyone who could meet them would be entitled to everything the alliance had, free of charge.

This was a divine artifact in every sense—an inheritance of destiny.

Yet now, the vice president was handing it to the Hunt family heir. Did that mean he had already qualified as a king under twenty?

Many powerhouses were struck speechless. Then they shook their heads, their minds spinning.

No, I don’t sense any overwhelming aura from him. Then what does this mean?

Leon, aware of all the silent speculation, looked at Ethan with clear eyes.

"Ethan, the president thinks very highly of you. He wanted me to give you this key, and to ask if you have the confidence to fulfill the requirement and enter the realm."

"If you can accomplish it, the president said he will make you the next alliance president directly."

Like a peal of thunder, Leon’s words exploded through the hall.

"What did the vice president just say? Make him the Alliance president directly? That’s...that’s what ’Dragon’ himself decreed!"

"The Alliance thinks so highly of this young man?"

The Hunt family...they will become the number one family in the world. No one will be able to stand against them.

Everyone’s thoughts churned wildly.

Caseous clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. He had come here to flaunt himself and humiliate Ethan, but no one had even spared him a glance. Even when they did, no one tried to curry favor. They treated him like any other unremarkable young man.

Rage twisted his features. His eyes went red with jealousy. Watching Ethan’s grandeur, hearing the vice president’s praise, he felt the urge to crush that man where he stood—to prove to everyone that he, Caseous Morningstar, was the true strongest prodigy.

He started to walk forward. His servant tried to hold him back—though they came with this purpose but after observing everything,he decided not to do it. The master would surely understood.

But seeing Caseous was walking toward Ethan, he panicked because if the Hunt family heir was injured, who knew whether the Human Calamity himself might wipe their Morningstar family off the face of the earth?

But Caseous was beyond reason, blinded by fury.

He shouted, his voice sharp and defiant:

"Heir of the Hunt family! I heard you are a heavenly genius—would you give me some pointers?"