A Man Like None Other (Jared Chance) novel Chapter 5366

Silence poured over the martial arts arena. Imperial Guards who had been laughing minutes earlier stood frozen, smiles fossilized on their faces.

A mere Earthly Immortal Realm Level One had dismantled an Earthly Immortal Realm Level Seven captain as though swatting a housefly. Everything they thought they knew about strength lay in shambles.

A faint smile touched Yuliana's lips. She turned to Rylan and asked, “Commander Drake, do you still believe Jared unworthy of a proper match?”

Color drained from Rylan's face. He fixed Jared with a hard stare. “It doesn't count,” he growled. “Martin went easy—he feared killing you outright. Had he struck in earnest, you'd have had no chance.”

Even Martin, sprawled on the ground, nearly spoke in protest—he had poured every drop of fury into those blows and still never brushed Jared's clothes.

However, he couldn't possibly defy Rylan, so he had no choice but to agree.

Jared's mouth curled in thin contempt. “So, according to you, my victory is somehow dishonorable?”

“Of course!” Rylan snapped the words like flint against steel, chin jutting as if sheer defiance might carve the air to his shape.

His throat bobbed once before he yelled, voice raw with bruised pride, “You were nothing but lucky. Had Martin traded honest steel for lives, you'd have fed the dirt beneath his blade by now!”

“Very well.” Jared nodded before uttering coldly, “Then let's have a death match. No restraints, no seconds, nothing but the last man standing. But a death match deserves proper stakes. I'll put up one million celestial gems. Should I fall, the celestial gems are yours. Should you fall, you pay one million celestial gems in kind. Agreed?”

One million celestial gems was no pocket change; even a commander of the Imperial Guard, Rylan, would toil decades to hoard such a pile.

Humiliated beyond reason—and spurred on by jeers still ringing in his ears—Rylan flung caution aside. “Done! I accept. I can't wait to watch an Earthly Immortal Realm Level One try to claw his way through me.”

The armored circle of Imperial Guards tightened, helmets clanging together as they pressed in, eager for the spectacle—Earthly Immortal Realm Level One challenging Earthly Immortal Realm Level Nine in a death match.

Yuliana started forward, but Jared's silent glance pinned her in place. He needed Rylan broken, needed every watcher in Celestia to see why a mere outsider could stand as an equal to Celestia.

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