CHAPTER 256: CHAPTER256-WAITING FOR THE RIGHT MOMENT

Owen rushed back, his return with food bringing joy and relief to everyone.

In their hunger, the coarse food they would have once looked down upon was now devoured eagerly, satisfying them greatly.

Suddenly, a voice broke the silence.

"You thieves, this is outrageous!"

A monk, hidden behind a cluster of withered trees, revealed himself.

Owen realized he had been followed.

His current avatar, not fully integrated, had limited capabilities.

Initially flustered, Owen quickly regained his calm.

He reassured the famished group, "Don’t worry, just enjoy your meal."

They nodded, resuming their feast with renewed vigor.

"You’ll see!"

The monk, infuriated by Owen and his group’s fearless demeanor, was seething with rage.

He had intended to confront them but remembered he was alone.

Direct confrontation would surely put him at a disadvantage.

After a moment of thought, he retreated angrily.

This was not the monk’s first attempt to trouble Owen, who deliberately provoked him further.

"Your meals come from the alms of others. Is it not just for what was taken to be returned to its rightful owner?"

Marchello, though feeling a sense of retribution, worried for Owen, fearing that such defiance could lead to expulsion.

In the prevailing circumstances, without the monastery’s protection, they would be easily discovered by the National Preceptor Blois.

Otherwise, they would face the same plight of having nothing to eat.

...

Owen did not flee; instead, he returned to the monastery, believing that he wouldn’t be expelled over this incident.

There was nothing for him to hide.

The monastery’s elder held a fondness for Owen, perceiving him as no ordinary individual.

However, despite his preference, the complaints from the other monks compelled him to summon Jaddo for a stern admonishment.

Owen pretended to listen, but in reality, his mind was elsewhere, the words entering one ear and exiting the other.

The elder inquired why Owen had acted as he did.

Without hesitation, Owen responded, "Seeing people on the verge of starvation, I took some food to save lives. What’s wrong with that? In my eyes, not only have I done nothing wrong, but I’ve also performed a great deed."

His words managed to earn some approval from the elder, yet there lingered a sense that something was amiss.

"Even so," the elder said, "you should have informed the person in charge before making such a decision on your own."

"Although your act was kind, are you aware that we too are nearly out of provisions?" the elder continued.

"In these times, every grain of food is precious. In a couple of days, we might find ourselves struggling to eat, fortunate if we can have porridge twice a day."

After the lecture, the elder dismissed Owen with a wave of his hand, indicating that such actions should not be repeated.

Owen glanced smugly at the monk seated at the lowest rank, the instigator of this affair, whose face now wore a look of utter displeasure.

The monk continued to stir up trouble, complaining that the elder was too indulgent with Owen.

He feared that Owen might one day commit an unforgivable act, bringing trouble upon them all.

The elder said little in response.

His apparent leniency towards Owen had stirred dissatisfaction among some.

...

Owen’s avatar was weak, controlled solely by the consciousness of his main body, thus unable to unleash his full strength.

Beyond secretly gathering survivors from the old noble factions, a pressing priority was to enhance his power.

Consequently, Owen ceaselessly sought information on methods for rapid advancement.

One day, Owen finally seized an opportunity.

Accompanied by a few followers, all of whom were nobles that had supported him in the past, Owen hastened towards the renowned glacier, where snow perpetually lay undisturbed.

Upon their arrival, they were taken aback by the sheer number of people encircling the glacier’s base, with some even scattered halfway up its slopes.

Recently, a young Ice Soul Beast had been spotted on this glacier.

Capturing it would greatly aid Owen.

Given the scarcity of his intelligence on the matter, Owen had amassed some wealth intending to purchase any available information.

A male warrior, upon receiving a bribe, handed Owen a scroll containing information about the Ice Soul Beast.

However, before Owen could grasp the scroll, he felt a force snatch it away.

Turning, Owen saw a man dressed in a blue robe holding the scroll, a smirk on his face and his companions sharing in the mockery.

Owen furrowed his brows, realizing he had unwittingly become a target.

"Friend, what is the meaning of this?" Owen asked calmly, without showing anger.

He could tell this man was deliberately provoking him.

"Can’t you see what I mean?" The man in blue laughed heartily, then turned to his companions and added, "Is this guy’s brain not working? He can’t even figure that out?"

"You!"

Before Owen could speak, Bella, an old noble ally, couldn’t help but stand out, glaring at the antagonist.

"We obtained this scroll through a trade. What right do you have to take it?" she challenged.

The young man in blue, upon seeing Bella stand up, displayed nothing but disdain.

"They say the ugly ones always cause the most trouble. If you’re ugly, better not to embarrass yourself by coming out."

In reality, Bella wasn’t ugly.

Given that the old nobility was currently being hunted, she had disguised herself.

Bella had only recently come to seek refuge with Owen, and he was very satisfied with her capabilities.

"You’re asking for it!"

Despite her disguise, Bella’s heart surged with towering rage, and she immediately drew her sword, intending to attack.

"Bella, don’t be rash," Owen intervened, then turned to Melita, "Take good care of Bella."

Melita nodded, her gaze serious, evidently upset by the behavior of these individuals as well.

Olivia, another noble descendant, grabbed Bella’s hand, comforting her, "Don’t be angry, Bella. What’s the point in stooping to the level of such people?"

"To this gentleman, here’s your money back. Let’s not argue with him," the warrior who had made the trade with Owen, upon seeing the newcomer, suddenly became panicked, quickly returned the items to Owen, and scrambled away.

Owen frowned slightly, realizing the troublemaker was no ordinary person, and this wasn’t his first time causing such trouble, or else why would the warrior have fled in such a panic.

Seeing the warrior flee at the sight of him, the man in blue felt a rush of satisfaction.

Pointing at Olivia, he beckoned with a curl of his finger, "You, come here."

"Owen," Olivia immediately sought refuge behind Owen, clutching his sleeve tightly.

Olivia had not disguised herself much, and her innocent appearance quickly drew the man’s attention.

"Don’t be afraid," Owen reassured her softly, patting the hand that clung to his sleeve.

"With me here, even ten of him couldn’t take you away."

Over the recent days, Owen had regained much of his strength.

Not only had his injuries fully healed, but he had also integrated a trace of his original power.

Olivia, heartened by his words, nodded vigorously before returning to Melita’s side.

"Quite the protector of beauty, aren’t you?"

The man in blue, smirking, approached Owen, his formidable power gradually emanating from him.

"Just not sure if you have the ability to back up those big words!"

With those words, the man in blue dashed forward, drawing his sword in a blink and thrusting it towards Owen’s neck.

Owen, far from panicked, drew his own sword, prepared in advance, and a power no weaker than his opponent’s burst forth instantly.

"Boom!"

The collision of the two unleashed a fierce wave of energy, blowing the onlookers away for thousands of feet.

"Oh? It seems you’re not just anybody. State your name!"

In the empire, there were few who could stand a chance against him.

From just one exchange, the man in blue recognized Owen’s prowess.

Although the confrontation seemed evenly matched, Owen hadn’t exerted his full strength, displaying a level of disdain.

The man in blue let out a cold laugh, "Flattery gets you too far ahead of yourself?"

Despite his words, he made no further move to attack Owen.

In his view, their strengths were comparable, and continuing the fight would bring him no advantage.

However, Owen was not inclined to let things slide.

Not only had this man sought trouble without cause, but his insults towards Bella were something Owen could not overlook.

What would Bella think?

The influence of Bella’s family was not to be underestimated.

Even though her family had fallen, their influence remained significant.

Owen needed to win Bella’s favor.

With a look of disdain, Owen said, "What’s the matter? Scared already?"

His gaze was condescending.

"If you’re scared, kneel down, beg for mercy, and then hand over the goods and scram."

Owen’s words made the onlookers gasp in shock, silently mourning for him.

Although Owen’s strength was notable, the background of his adversary was formidable.

How else could he afford such arrogance without consequence?

"It seems you’re really asking for death."

As expected, the man in blue’s expression turned utterly cold after Owen’s remark.

He shouted to his companions, "Cripple his limbs for me. I want him to taste regret!"

"Leave it to us."

Though they were the companions of the man in blue, they obediently followed his command.

Instantly, the four unleashed their power, launching an attack on Owen.