In the sprawling underground palace deep beneath the surface of Westeria, the scene remained disturbingly familiar.noveldramaSixteen 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.This was the mighty Arbitration Office they had built with their own hands! He could not bear to see all this glory and honor trampled by a young man from Astria."Vanfleet, focus on your own duties. The matter of Jeff has not reached the point where your intervention is required. You may leave."The central Supreme Arbiter offered little further reply, simply waving his hand dismissively, his manner detached."But-"Vanfleet was unwilling to concede and prepared to argue, but the two men beside him suddenly stepped forward, placing a hand on each of his shoulders."Vanfleet, the Supreme Arbiters have their own plan for Jeff. Let's go."The two men behind him held the same esteemed rank as Vanfleet, being fellow founding elders of the Arbitration Office. Hearing them speak, Vanfleet had no choice but to extinguish his resentment and follow them out.Outside the dark palace, the three men walked through the long corridor. Vanfleet remained emotionally agitated."Why did you stop me just now?" he demanded, looking at the other two with a hint of reproach."Vanfleet, you entered the King Phase a century ago, yet your temper has not changed at all," the man in the moon-white robe said with a slight, knowing smile, shaking his head. "I know you desperately want to execute Jeff yourself, but don't forget the King Phase Accord is still in effect."Vanfleet scoffed, clearly disdainful. "That ridiculous King Phase Accord! The Arbitration Office was the main proponent of signing it back then. If your power is great enough, you can smash through any restricting rule. If the Supreme Arbiters wish it, they can abolish it at any moment!"The other two did not contradict him, apparently agreeing with the sentiment, but the robed man continued, "The King Phase Accord holds little real binding power focus, Certainly But this is still the age of modern weapons. Openly revoking the King Phase Accord would only draw the attention of the world's major powers." He walked on with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes profound and sharp."As for Jeff, you need not worry yourself sick. The King Phase masters ruled the world until a single nuclear weapon changed the era forever, causing us to retreat for half a century Jeff is the one bringing the world back into the Age of Martial Arts. Do you truly believe the current major world powers will allow him to continue?" He cracked a subtle smile, full of implication "The world order is no longer defined by the King Phase masters, but by these major powers. They will never permit anyone fo overturn the existing state of affairs. Jeff has already been marked by the great nations. He is about to face something ten times more terrifying than the King Phase masters of a century ago." Vanfleet's expression froze at these words. He fell silent, a dawning comprehensionin his eyes....At the Mornwick's military district, Darrow was sitting in his office, having just taken acall from Larry.After understanding the situation, Darrow did not immediately order the deployment of gunships. Instead, he fell into the same deep contemplation as Leander.A few seconds later, he suddenly shot up from his seat, his face contorted in shock."A disaster! The encirclement of Torre and his team was not their true objective! Torre and the others are just bait—they are trying to draw in General Ashcroft!" He realized instantly that this was a death trap designed specifically for Leander!