From Outcast to Overlord The Unyielding Heir (Leander Ashcroft) novel Chapter 538

In the sprawling underground palace deep beneath the surface of Westeria, the scene remained disturbingly familiar.

Sixteen thrones floated in the air, none of them empty. Each seat was occupied by a figure representing the ultimate authority of the Arbitration Office: the sixteen Supreme Arbiters.

One of the Supreme Arbiters broke the heavy silence. "It's unbelievable," he began, "that a minor figure like Jeff could grow to this extent. Not even Neil, whose cultivation reached the King Phase, was a match for him! It appears we miscalculated. Had we simply eliminated Jeff before he rose to prominence, the East would undoubtedly be facing a major loss right now. But now, he is no longer the insignificant fighter we could crush with a wave of our hand."

His voice held a hint of exasperation and deep regret. He was clearly vexed by their strategic error.

Previously, when they spoke of Leander—even after he had killed the Son of Judgment and inflicted massive losses on the Arbitration Office—they treated it as a casual inconvenience.

But Leander's victory over Neil had elevated him to a completely different echelon in their eyes. This was the chasm separating a King Phase master from everyone else.

Another Supreme Arbiter chimed in. "Neil was once a rebel from the Church who willingly defected to the Arbitration Office. We witnessed his entire ascent. He was the first new King Phase master the Office had seen in a century, with boundless potential... yet he died at Jeff's hands! I have a terrible feeling that Jeff is destined to become a nemesis to our Arbitration Office."

The Supreme Arbiter seated farthest to the side spoke next, a sigh in his tone. "A century ago, Astria produced a Dragon Emperor, and it was his presence that halted the Westerian nations' unification of the East. Now, a hundred years later, Astria has produced another Jeff. Astria is truly blessed by fate."

He let out a deep sigh, then slightly raised his hand. A powerful wave of Primordial Energy warped the space before him, an unspoken desire to hold the entire world captive in his grasp.

The others remained silent. Just then, the massive doors of the dark palace swung open, and three figures strode in, stopping directly before the sixteen thrones.

They did not kneel before the Supreme Arbiters, as others within the Office were required to do. They merely nodded briefly, standing tall and proud.

The central figure of the three had eyes that flickered and glowed in the darkness, seemingly infused with electricity. He looked up at the Supreme Arbiters and spoke in a deep voice. "Jeff has reached this point. Do the sixteen of you have any directives?"

His words carried a faint, challenging tone, betraying extreme self-confidence. He showed no fear of the Supreme Arbiters and spoke his mind plainly.

None of the sixteen were angered. From the center of the dark assembly, the most prominent Supreme Arbiter asked, "In your opinion, what should we do now? Are you suggesting that one of you intends to personally confront Jeff?"

The man with the lightning-filled eyes replied immediately, his voice resonating, "Of course! Neil was a newly ascended King Phase master of the post-King Phase Accord era, and Jeff defeated him. This indicates that only the King Phase masters of the previous century can truly stop him.

"If we don't act, no one left in the Arbitration Office can pose any threat to Jeff. If we allow him to continue growing, he will eventually dominate the Assassin's World, the martial world, and even the entire underground worlds of the East and Westeria. If he raises his banner then, a great many powerful figures will answer his call and rally to him. Once he is fully established, killing him will become exponentially harder! Are you truly willing to wait for that day?"

His gaze fixed on the sixteen Supreme Arbiters, his eyes gleaming with purpose.

The central Supreme Arbiter paused, considering the argument, then spoke again. "Vanfleet, you are one of the founding elders of the Arbitration Office. Do not forget your place! Watch your tone!"

This time, the Supreme Arbiter's voice carried a distinct coldness, causing the expression of the man with the electric eyes to shift.

"I apologize, Your Highness."

After a moment's contemplation, he bowed slightly to the sixteen. "I did not intend to offend, but in the last year and a half, Jeff has accomplished far too much. If we allow this to continue, our position as the unchallenged power in the world's underground will eventually be shaken by him. As an elder of the Arbitration Office, I simply refuse to see a mere Astrian upstart stand above us."

His voice was passionate, surging with genuine emotion. He and the others had founded the Arbitration Office, guiding it through countless glorious eras: fanning the flames of the First and Second World Wars; suppressing the Eastern King Phase masters during the War of the King Phase; forcing the Church into submission and causing the High Priest's abdication afterward; and ultimately, in this era of modern weaponry, hiding behind the scenes to control and oversee the world.

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