All eyes fixed on Leander. Some watched with glee, others with pity, but almost no one believed he stood a chance anymore.He was only twenty, had dominated a whole province, and had even crushed the Walsh family—the strongest house in Listin. That kind of record had been dazzling.Still, facing seven generals acting together and a joint petition from three provincial governors was like trying to stop a freight train with his bare hands.No matter how powerful one person was, how could he withstand the weight of the nation? Logan and his allies had effectively called in the nation's authority to sanction Leander.Not far away, the leaders of the four great families-Gareth, Teion, and the others— shook their heads, a sense of dread settling over them.They had expected friction between Leander and the Riverstone family and had even planned to take Leander's side at this banquet. Who could have guessed the Riverstones would play such a trump card?Even the combined strength of the four major elite families couldn't stand against the will of the nation. United or not, in front of a powerful government, they could be crushed in an instant."Mr. Gareth!" Dorian said, watching Gareth's distracted gaze. His voice was low and hard. "We all know Jeff is from the Ashcroft family, but he no longer owes you any loyalty. Before you decide to help him, let your family think twice."He continued without pause. "The Riverstone family's Imperion Group has already coordinated economic pressure with three of Astria's top ten firms. We will impose sanctions on Ashcroft Group."If you want to help Jeff, a single word from the Riverstones will be enough to seal Ashcroft Group off completely.noveldrama"Keep your family out of this, and after matters settle, we'll lift the blockade," Dorian added.Gareth's expression tightened; displeasure flickered across his face. He rose to his feet, icy light in his eyes."Dorian, are you threatening me?" he demanded. "You think your rank as a major general lets you boss me around? Leander is my son. If you want to attack him, you'll answer to me and the Ashcroft family first."The rest of the Ashcrofts stood as Gareth had risen to his feet."Old Mr. Riverstone," Teion said, rising with righteous anger, "this was your feud with Mr. Ashcroft. We shouldn't have intervened, but Mr. Ashcroft fought at Southern Shore and, alone against eleven, saved every one of the four great families. That debt cannot be forgotten. Whatever else happens today, we stand with the Ashcroft family."Jack and Wesley rose in agreement the moment Teion did.In an instant, the four major elite families rallied to Leander's side.Logan, Malric, and the others' faces shifted-surprise and a touch of alarm. They had not expected the four families, without exception, to support Leander.Logan straightened, a derisive sound escaping him. "So, the four great families are willing to back Jeff. Do you really think that will matter?"The government's judgment is already on its way. If you defy the state, go ahead and prop Jeff up—but in front of the nation, don't imagine that even all four great families together couldn't be struck down with a single decree."Wesley and Teion's faces had gone cold. Anger boiled under their calm, but they couldn't deny that Logan was right.Even the four great families, powerful as they were, ultimately lived under Astria's shadow. Once the government and military decided to act, they would be nothing more than dust in history.But even so, Leander had once saved them. Gratitude left them no path of retreat.The guests around the hall could only shake their heads. To them, the four families were being reckless-throwing away a century of family legacy for a single young man. Foolish, they thought. Absolutely foolish.And then, the man at the center of it all—Leander-laughed softly."So, a joint petition, calling on the government and the military to sanction me? That's the Riverstone family's grand move?"He shook his head, a mocking smile curling at his lips. "I must've overestimated you."All that talk about official decrees and deportation orders meant nothing to him.He had once assumed that a clan like the Riverstones, with two generals in their ranks, would have at least some understanding of the martial world. Now, he saw how wrong he'd been.The Riverstones were merely another family drifting between politics and the military. Their network might be wide, but they knew nothing of true strength.Even setting aside those who had reached the Transcendent Realm, warriors like Grayson were already beyond ordinary comprehension-figures who dominated everyone else.At the borders of Cloudveil, seven clans ruled two regions through sheer martial might, their power shaking entire provinces and earning the reverence of countless nobles. Their influence rivaled if noto, surpassed, the four great families of Highcliffe. Such was the weight of martial power. And someone like Leander-a being of that level was not a burden to Astria, but one of its greatest assets, a strategic force standing at the nation's pinnacle The idea that seven generals and three provincial governors could simply file complaints and have the state condemn him was absurd.The true titans of Astria-the ones who guided the nation, who spoke eye-to-eye with leaders of world powers were no fools. They knew exactly where to place their loyalty when choosing between a martial prodigy of the Transcendent Realm and a family like the Riverstones. "Jeff, disaster's at your door, and you're still talking big?"Dorian's eyes narrowed, his voice cold. "Once the directive arrives, you'll be blacklisted from Astria for life—banished, stripped of citizenship. That's the price for crossing the Riverstones."Leander chuckled and wagged a finger at the seven generals. "Westvale Peak should've been the end of it, but since you insist on dragging this out—it's my turnnow."The Riverstones claim to rule business, politics, and the military. Fine. You came for me; I'll crush you, one sphere at a time."He pulled out his phone and made a call."It's me," he said calmly. "Within a week, cut off every supply line linked to Imperion Group. Whatever price they pay, we'll pay double. I want Imperion Group gone from the business world."And one more thing-terminate all contracts with three of Astria's top ten corporations. Permanently."Leander listed the names without pause the very companies Dorian had cited moments earlier.When he hung up, he turned back to Dorian and the others. His voice was quiet but sharp. "That's the business world. Handled."Logan and Dorian exchanged uncertain glances. Around them, murmurs spread as confusion rippled through the crowd.Then, after a few tense minutes, a middle-aged man in a tailored suit abruptly shot to his feet, face drained of color.Everyone recognized him the CEO of Imperion Group, the Riverstone family's own company.The man hurried straight to Logan's side, his face pale, voice trembling."Old Mr. Riverstone," he reported urgently, "we just received word—our nine main suppliers, the ones we've worked with for ten years, have all announced they're ending their partnerships with us. Effective immediately, they'll no longer supply us with any goods."Logan froze.Though a retired soldier unversed in business, he understood enough to know how serious that was. Imperion Group had nine suppliers so stable they were considered unbreakable alliances—ten years of seamless cooperation.For all nine to cut ties at the exact same time? Unthinkable.Dorian's gaze flicked toward Leander, recalling the call he'd just made."Jeff... was that you?"His voice faltered. The more he thought about it, the less sense it made. How could Leander have possibly severed Imperion Group's entire supply chain? To do that required more than connections—it demanded staggering financial power. Such massive liquidity... Even if every powerhouse in Mornwick and all four major elite families from Highcliffe combined their resources, they couldn't pull that off. Where on earth did Leander get that kind of wealth-enough to rival nations? Leander only smiled, indifferent, and raised a single finger."That was just the business world," he said quietly. "Now... let's play in the military."The moment the words left his mouth, the deep, rhythmic thrum of helicopter blades filled the air outside the banquet hall.The Celestial Pavilion's hall was built entirely of glass, and as everyone looked up, bright lights streaked across the night sky.Three military helicopters hovered overhead—imposing, thunderous, and unmistakably real.