Moses could hardly believe his eyes. He didn't only win. The entire arena was cheering for him, shouting his name. Those stages had individuals more influential than his whole family, and he had become the center of their attention.

Things didn't end there. The infamous best warrior the Global Army had ever produced stood at Moses' side, keeping his exhausted arm lifted for everyone to see. As the seconds passed, the descendant also recalled Khan's previous words, and the praise among them filled him with pride.

Khan commanded respect from nobles and alien leaders alike, so his figure appeared far bigger in the smaller families' eyes. Infamous acts aside, Khan's story was inspiring, and Moses couldn't help but feel revitalized after receiving his acknowledgment.

Khan's heavy pressure became uplifting, filling Moses' eyes with ambition. He wouldn't dare to think he could surpass Khan, but the acknowledgment had to mean something. Moreover, the best part of the tournament had yet to come, and his life was bound to change forever afterward.

Moses' excitement didn't only come from the tournament's rewards. Some screens across the arena changed their target, zooming in on the main terrace. The alien leaders became visible, but most of the audience focused on the nine nobles.

As appealing as the tournament's rewards were, the chance to join a noble family was priceless. Countless riches, many magic items, and the best martial arts humankind had to offer would become available to anyone who entered those lofty environments.

Of course, there were limitations. Only those carrying noble blood could gain access to the best of the best, but many hoped Khan's involvement would lower some barriers. The nobles might not care about their new assets, but providing them preferential treatment could put them on Khan's good side.

The nobles began talking, but the screens didn't convey their conversations. An auction was about to start, and privately screening out participants would make it easier for those who decided to push forward.

Those silent moments gave Moses some time to breathe and recover. His stance regained some firmness even after Khan let go of his arm. He could finally stand proudly without anyone's help, but a distraction arrived.

"Are you a relative of Doctor Ian Parket from Ylaco?

" Khan asked, glancing at the descendant.

Moses froze. Seeing those glowing eyes pointing at him made his mind go blank. Hearing Khan's praise was one thing, but talking directly with him required a different level of preparation, which Moses lacked.

Still, Khan didn't press Moses, giving him time to collect his thoughts and think about the question. The Parket family was neither big nor small, so Moses didn't know everyone. Yet, connecting Ylaco with the Doctor title gave him an idea of who Khan was talking about.

"He is a distant relative, Prince Khan,

" Moses said, his voice a tired whisper.

Khan didn't reply and diverted his gaze. He had praises for Doctor Parket, too, but telling them to Moses was pointless. Still, spotting another known name at the tournament felt amusing, and Moses wasn't alone there.

The fainted woman nearby was Alice Conche, and Khan had a Professor with the same family name in Ylaco. He didn't know the connection between the two, but the world suddenly felt small, nevertheless.

Of course, Khan knew it made sense for him to meet known names, especially at a tournament with such high attendance. He had interacted with countless people during his years in the Global Army, and that trend had picked up speed in the Harbor. His knowledge showed the results of his political efforts, achieving levels wealthy descendants would envy.

Murmurs slowly filled the stages, but everything went silent once again when four figures on the main terrace stood up. Princess Montares, Princess Virrai, Prince Rassec, and Prince Catlee approached the guardrail, carrying their drinks and capturing the arena's full attention.

Khan smelled problems at the sight of that arrangement. Princess Montares and Prince Rassec remained slightly behind their fellow Prince and Princess, revealing how the auctions would progress. The two in the front would fight for the Conche descendant, while the others aimed to hire Moses, and their political stances threatened to make things annoying for Khan. Khan's relationship with the noble representatives on Baoway had vastly improved during the tournament, but significant differences existed among them. The same went for the families behind them. One Prince or Princess didn't speak for the entirety of their organization, and their general stances had gradually become apparent.

As the tournament's mediator, Khan would ultimately decide the auctions' outcome, meaning he could favor one noble over the other. He could use that authority to reward those who had worked on building a genuine friendship or indulge those still undecided, hoping to earn their support.

Both auctions featured that issue, albeit in different intensities. The Virrai family already supported Khan, but the Catlee didn't hate him, either. Favoring the latter could elevate their relationship, adding another closer ally to Khan's list.

Instead, things were far more problematic between the Montares and Rassec family. Rachel openly supported Khan, and the tournament had turned her into the closest noble in his social array. Meanwhile, the situation with the Rassec family was still complicated, and the auction created an opportunity to fix it.

'What to do?' Khan wondered, waiting for the nobles to begin the auction.

"Since Miss Conche is unavailable,

" Prince Catlee announced, and the screens echoed his voice throughout the arena,

"Should we discuss Mister Parket's future first? Unless a representative of the Conche family is willing to speak in her stead.

"

Moses Parket realized his involvement in the problem. His opponent was still on the floor, and his experience told him it would take her a while to awaken. After all, the last blow had hit a troublesome pressure point.

Still, Moses also knew how to undo his martial art's effects. Conveying that to Khan was the issue in that situation. He couldn't just act on his own, and speaking without permission could hurt his reputation.

"Don't worry,

" Khan suddenly said, the arena's tech echoing his voice. Those words seemed to answer Prince Catlee's question, but Moses felt he had aimed them at him. That sensation didn't make much sense, but Khan had no interest in clarifying it.

Khan approached the fainted descendant, half-crouching toward her. He touched her back, closing his eyes to sense her mana flow. Moses had basically frozen it, but a simple impulse from Khan's energy forced it to resume working properly.

Alice Conche abruptly awakened, gasping loudly. Her ragged breath resounded through the screens, but she held it when she spotted the glowing eyes looking at her. Realizations hit her brain, but Khan's pressure prevented her from absorbing them.

"Mister Parket defeated you,

" Khan summarized.

"Prince Catlee and Princess Virrai have taken an interest in you nonetheless. Are you able to speak, or should I summon a

representative?

"

The apparent care in Khan's words didn't match his oppressive aura. Yet, Alice Conche was no ordinary descendant. She even surpassed her opponent in terms of guts, so a gulp was all she needed to prepare a reply.

"I can speak for myself, Prince Khan,

" Alice Conche stated, clumsily standing up before straightening her back.

The audience cheered at Alice's proud behavior, and even Khan internally praised her. His tournament had truly shed light on the Global Army's hidden talents, and much was bound to change in the months to come.

"Prince Catlee, Princess Virrai,

" Khan announced, bringing his attention to the terrace.

"Your

offers.

"

"The Catlee family offers a spot in our special guards' training program,

" Prince Catlee declared.

"Miss Conche will be attended by our best Masters and provided with her every need until she becomes capable enough to protect our Princes and Princesses.

"

That offer was quite standard for a noble family, but an important distinction existed. Guards and special guards were two different titles with two distinct roles. The audience wasn't aware of the details but could understand the latter's higher relevance.

"Princess Virrai?

" Khan called after allowing the audience to absorb the previous statement.

"The Virrai family acknowledges Miss Conche's determination,

" Princess Virrai announced.

"We match Prince Catlee's offer and extend it to her immediate relatives. With such a promising descendant, chances are we'll find more talent to uplift.

"

The arena went crazy, and Alice also struggled to believe those words. Becoming a noble guard was already a great honor, but Princess Virrai was ready to take care of her entire faction. That was akin to hitting multiple jackpots in a row.

"The Catlee family is willing to match Princess Virrai's offer,

" Prince Catlee continued,

"As long as the descendants and family members prove themselves worthy.

" Everyone focused on Princess Virrai, waiting for her counter, but she remained silent. She seemed unwilling to improve her offer, leaving things quite even against her opponent. As committed as Alice was, she felt utterly lost before that decision. She lacked the means and knowledge to know what would be best for her, and picking one noble family over the other would only create powerful enemies.

In a temporary second of vulnerability, Alice glanced at Khan, almost begging him for help. She was too out of her depths, so she hoped she could rely on the promises Khan had made before the tournament.

The situation felt slightly odd. Khan and Alice were the same age, but the gap between them was immense. That didn't only account for Khan's power. His political status, experience, and calm before that troublesome situation made him the adult out of the two.

'You could have added something to make it easier for me,' Khan internally cursed, knowing that the situation was forcing him to pick a side. Luckily, he didn't need to overthink the

matter to make a decision.

"Since the Virrai family has been willing to provide more benefits from the initial offer,

" Khan announced,

"I'm inclined to favor them in this auction.

"

Princess Virrai immediately smiled in victory, and Prince Catlee gracefully accepted that defeat. He nodded in understanding, offering his hand to his fellow noble. Princess Virrai shook it, and Prince Catlee stepped back to give her all the spotlight she needed.

"I welcome you to the Virrai family, Miss Conche,

" Princess Virrai declared.

"I promise we'll treat you with the respect you earned through your incredible performance in Prince Khan's

tournament.

"