As Potter knelt and bowed, the gesture spoke volumes: the entire Benjamin family was now prostrate at Leander's feet. The expressions of the allied families, those long at odds with the Benjamins, changed dramatically. They looked upon Leander as if he were a living god.Almost in unison, these individuals rose to their feet. Though they didn't utter a word, every one of them fixed their gaze on Leander, their faces etched with profound reverence and respect.They had come to the Benjamin family's banquet that night fully prepared for a decisive, do-or-die clash. But now, Leander, single-handedly, had shattered the powerful backing of the Benjamin family, even striking down the heir, Denzel, with a single touch.To them, Leander was nothing less than their greatest benefactor. How could they not honor him?Leander, however, offered no reaction to Potter's submission, remaining completely silent. The Benjamin family was, in his eyes, merely an ant colony—perhaps slightly stronger than others, but ultimately insignificant. He felt no need for their loyalty.He walked slowly back to his previous seat, picked up a slice of mango from the fruit platter, and began to eat it as if nothing extraordinary had just occurred.Maeve glided gracefully, her steps bringing her to Leander's side. She leaned against him and took his arm. This time, Leander didn't outright resist, though he did frown faintly.Meanwhile, Zara and Liana, finally snapping out of their shock, stammered a question to Leander, "Are... Are you really our Chief Instructor?"Though the answer was evident in their hearts, they couldn't help but ask for confirmation. The scene tonight had simply been too overwhelmingly shocking. Even as members of the Wyvern Blade, they had never witnessed such a confrontation between the world's absolute top-tier combatants, and Leander was the ultimate, transcendent power who stood victorious at the end."So, you finally figured out who I am?"Leander took the shirt Celia handed him and slipped it on. He then glanced sideways at the two sisters, a hint of amusement in his eyes."Oh!"Zara and Liana were instantly speechless. Liana, in particular, felt mortified. She had previously marched up to Leander, threatened him, and told him to stay away from Maeve, or she would deal with him. Thinking about it now, she wished the ground would swallow her whole.Leander's casual movements were capable of destroying towns and toppling buildings; she was utterly insignificant compared to him.Worse yet, she had proudly boasted to Leander that she was a member of the Southern Wyvern Blade, even instructing him to go look up what being a member of the Southern Wyvern Blade meant. Yet, Leander was the very man celebrated as the most powerful legend within their own Southern Wyvern Blade. She was utterly humiliated.The two sisters remained silent. Leander finished his mango before speaking again, his voice flat. "It seems the caliber of the new recruits in the Southern Wyvern Blade isn't what it used to be. Hasn't Larry been training you properly?"Beads of sweat began to prickle on the faces of Zara and Liana. They felt an overwhelming tension. Leander, in their eyes, was like a crushing mountain of gravity. Larry was the Southern Wyvern Blade's Deputy Instructor and still managed its operations. Leander, addressing him by his first name, showed he knew the organization inside and out."We apologize, Chief. We were blind to the truth!"The two sisters finally lowered their heads in a bow of deep respect to Leander."Attention!"Leander didn't accept their apology. He barked the command, and the two women instantly snapped their feet together, standing ramrod straight in a perfect military posture, utterly mute before him."In the Southern Wyvern Blade, what is the penalty for insulting a superior officer and threatening the Chief Instructor?"Leander's eyes were cold, devoid of emotion, causing both women's faces to seize up. Despite the anxiety churning in their stomachs, they forced themselves to answer, "Insulting a superior, according to Southern Wyvern Blade law, merits being stripped of rank and expelled from the Southern Wyvern Blade!" With every word they spoke, their hearts bled a little. The Southern Wyvern Blade was the highest honor in the military and they had only been selected because of their talent and willingness to endure hardship. Now, a single word from Leander could strip them of everything, dissolving their very identity as members of the Southern Wyvern Blade. "So, you are aware of the rules," Leander said with a faint, contemptuous smile. He scanned the two women, watching as sweat trickled down their heads. They were terrified that Leander would utter the word that would cast them into the abyss.But then, Leander abruptly changed his tone and waved his hand. "Considering you are new to the Southern Wyvern Blade, still young, and lacking experience in handling the world, I'll let this go. If it happens again, pack your bags and get out of the squad!"Both women felt a pang of indignation. They were roughly the same age as Leander, yet he called them young and inexperienced. Still, hearing that he wouldn't punish them was a massive relief. They snapped to a perfect salute."Yes, Chief!"Only members of the Southern Wyvern Blade could truly grasp Leander's significance to the organization. He was a deity, a legend. Leander's words were absolute law-no one would dare violate them, not even Darrow himself.Leander had finished chastising the two overconfident young women and ignored them, turning his attention to Nathan and the others across the room."I told you I would show you the meaning of true power today. Do you understand now why Rodrick was so terrified of me? And why I have the confidence to disregard the Benjamin family?"Nathan, Evander, and Luke seemed to wake from a dream, nodding robotically. They had questioned what kind of power Leander was talking about, one that could crush all wealth and influence. Now, they had no questions left.The power to decide life and death with one hand, a force that swept away everything in its path-how could money or political authority possibly compete with that?noveldramaNo matter a person's immense power or boundless wealth, Leander needed only one hand to dictate their life, kill them, or sweep everything before him.This was true power-the power to disregard everything the world held dear.Livia and her friends stared at Leander, unable to look away for a long time. Every single one of them felt a flicker of regret. If only they had known Leander was this powerful, they never would have prioritized Nathan and the others; they would have eagerly chased Leander instead.But now, they could only suppress that regret, focusing on their roles as proper girlfriends. They were acutely aware that with Leander's power, his influence was boundless. Since Nathan, Luke, and Evander were so welf-acquainted with him, a single word from Leander would ensure their brilliant futures. The banquet ultimately concluded with Leander single-handedly crushing the twotop organizations the Arbitration Office and the Church. News of the events in Yelem began to spread across Dechor at a breathtaking pace. Unbeknownst to Leander, in an underground intelligence base in Novaterra, several intelligence agency directors were seated, their eyes growing colder as they looked at a photograph projected onto a large screen.One of them, wearing a military cap, fixed his eyes, showcasing the dominance and shrewdness of a high-ranking officer. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke."Reliable intelligence reports that Jeff has appeared in the Sahar Wastes. Notify Blazewing Talon to closely monitor Jeff's movements. If necessary, use force to suppress him. Life or death is irrelevant."The others acknowledged the order with nods. The man in the military cap's eyes glittered with a dangerous sharpness as he murmured softly."The world has been in the age of modern weapons for decades. We absolutely cannot let one Jeff drag the world back into an era dominated by martial power and King Phase masters. This time, he must sleep forever in the Sahar Wastes."