Howard discerned the sincerity in the young man’s voice, which greatly increased his fondness for him.

Since he already intended to befriend him, Howard responded with a smile, “What’s rightfully yours, how can I claim it? Otherwise, what difference would there be between me and those brigands who rob others of their spoils?”

As these words fell, Pallor Swift, who was about to leave, halted in his tracks and said irritably, “If I wanted to be a robber, you two alone couldn’t stop me!”

Howard, caught off guard by Pallor Swift’s exceptional hearing, gave a sheepish laugh and chose not to respond.

Pallor Swift, holding a high position, undoubtedly had superior equipment, and his level was even higher than Howard’s.

In a real battle, Howard was no match for him.

His previous victory in the wager was merely due to a physical advantage.

Howard wasn’t the type to take advantage and act coy!

“Hmph, at least you’re sensible, kid,” Pallor Swift huffed, then added, “To be honest, I’m impressed by your talents. If you’re willing to join the Solomon Sacred Assembly, I can personally offer each of you a piece of Legendary grade equipment. What do you say?”

As his words echoed, gasps of astonishment rose from the onlookers.

Even the woman wearing the eight-eyed devil mask chuckled, “Friend from the Kennedy family, if you join the Solomon Sacred Assembly, how about I introduce you to a beautiful lady to be your wife?”

“No, thanks,” Howard quickly waved his hand, “I’ve already joined the Holy Abyss Academy, afraid I’m not fortunate enough to enjoy such offers!”

Upon hearing Howard’s words, both Pallor Swift and the woman in the eight-eyed devil mask fell silent.

“Holy Abyss Academy?”

“No wonder… No wonder his performance is so astounding!”

“So powerful, truly befitting a student from a top-tier institution within the Alliance, managing to triumph against stronger foes!”

The surrounding crowd of awakened beings erupted in admiration, highlighting the immense prestige of the Holy Abyss Academy in their eyes. 𝑖𝘦𝑎.𝗇t

After all, as a centuries-old top-tier institution, its renown certainly surpasses that of forces like the Solomon Sacred Assembly.

Pallor Swift felt a wave of relief in his heart, grateful that he hadn’t made an enemy of Howard.

He smiled and said, “So you’re a talented student from the Holy Abyss Academy. No wonder you managed to give me a tough time.”

As the conflict concluded, the crowd of onlookers began to disperse.

Everyone was astute enough to know that their primary goal was to find more treasures and the whereabouts of the Starry River Map.

Why waste time on Howard?

Before long, the once-crowded area had cleared out considerably, leaving only Howard, the young man, and a few others like Corinna Maya, whom they had encountered the night before.

Howard insisted on sharing the spoils of victory with the young man, who found it hard to refuse and gratefully accepted.

His admiration for Howard soared.

After all, when he was being pressured by Pallor Swift, none of the thousands of onlookers had dared to stand up for him!

Not to mention taking a stand, they didn’t even dare to speak out, all intimidated by Pallor Swift’s overwhelming presence.

Only Howard had been willing to risk implicating himself in a gamble with Pallor Swift. How could he not be moved?

At that moment, if Howard had suggested they become sworn brothers, he probably would have agreed without hesitation!

After a brief conversation, Howard got a clear picture of the young man’s background.

He, too, was an orphan, without even a surname, known only by his given name, Sword Seven.

Despite the oddity of the name, his strength and talent left Howard astonished.

At just nineteen, he had already reached level 53 in his training.

Although Sword Seven did not disclose the grade of his innate talent, Howard could deduce that it was at least A-level, and very likely S-level or even SS-level.

Across the entire continent, barring those who had awakened their talents early or individuals like Howard who had participated in several dungeon battles in a short period of time, no one else could achieve this feat.

Students around level 50 in the Holy Abyss Academy were usually over twenty years old!

Knowing this, Howard became even more determined to form a good relationship with him.

For some reason, Howard felt that forming a bond with him would bring significant benefits.

Although it sounded mystical, Howard decided to follow his instincts.

As they were talking, Corinna Maya and the others from Black Tortoise City approached Howard and Sword Seven.

Corinna Maya, changing her earlier demeanor, spoke cheerfully, “I never expected you to be from the Holy Abyss Academy. I wonder if you would be willing to temporarily join our team? I am prepared to offer…”

“Sorry, but I prefer to act alone.” Howard still refused Corinna Maya’s invitation, not even waiting to hear the benefits she was about to promise.

However, this time, Corinna Maya didn’t show any signs of displeasure. 𝘪𝑎.𝘤𝑜𝑚

She maintained a smile and said, “I guess I was being too forward. Since you’re from the Holy Abyss Academy, I wonder if you have any knowledge about the Starry River Map?”

Howard knew about the Starry River Map’s effects and its approximate emergence time from Rick, but he wasn’t about to share this with strangers.

He simply smiled and shook his head, “I’m afraid I’ll disappoint you. I don’t know about those matters. Otherwise, I would have already been waiting at the place where the Starry River Map is set to appear!”

“Alright then.”

Corinna Maya sensed that Howard was holding back, but she also understood that they were merely passersby in each other’s lives.

There was no reason for him to share information about such a Supreme Treasure as the Starry River Map.

All she could do was try to establish a good rapport with Howard.

After all, the Starry River Map hadn’t appeared yet, and there was still time.

The few from Black Tortoise City kept casting glances at Howard, assessing him.

Corinna Maya and her group, responsible for the well-being of the awakened in their camp, didn’t stay long.

After getting acquainted with Howard, they soon found an excuse to leave.

Sword Seven, a lone wolf like Howard, split the spoils of their victory and, after a brief conversation, also parted ways.

“Sword Seven… such an odd name! He must be hiding some secret!”

“Sigh, since he has this much influence on my mind, I must forge a closer bond with him. Perhaps he could bring me tremendous benefits!”

Watching Sword Seven’s departing figure, Howard was firm in his decision.

Truth be told, Howard, though not a bad person, was no saint either!

Had it not been for the peculiar sensation Sword Seven evoked, why would he have confronted an awakened high-ranking member of a force around level 70?

It was fortunate that the place was crowded, and Pallor Swift, caring for his reputation, dared not play dirty.

Otherwise, Howard really wouldn’t have been sure of the outcome.

Taking such a great risk, could Howard really expect nothing in return?

After being tutored by Wales, Howard had come to understand the supreme rule of a society driven by interests.

It wasn’t until Sword Seven’s figure completely vanished from sight that Howard withdrew his gaze and started wandering around again.

At present, having contacted only two or three camps, he needed to scout information from all the camps to ensure he could snatch the Starry River Map later on.

While Howard was continuously weaving through the Dark Mausoleum, a troop of cavalry clad in iron armor marched imposingly into the mausoleum.

Leading them was none other than Cameron Bartel!

Many awakened beings encountered them, each feeling a tremor of apprehension.

However, Cameron Bartel did not attack them. Instead, he kept inquiring if anyone had seen a student from the Holy Abyss Academy.

After all, Cameron Bartel was a titled noble of the Alliance, openly recognized, and this was near his territory.

The many awakened didn’t dare to defy him. Those who had witnessed Howard’s wager with Pallor Swift immediately divulged the information.

Upon learning Howard’s location, Cameron Bartel didn’t hesitate for a moment, immediately quickening his pace in search of Howard.

The awakened beings, unaware of these details, observed the scene and commented, “It’s the influence of the Holy Abyss Academy indeed, to be able to summon a titled noble for assistance!”

Indeed, they were all mistaken.

After all, within the Alliance, there are strict laws against random acts of violence, let alone against someone with Howard’s status.

Who would dare to attack him and risk the wrath of the entire Holy Abyss Academy?

In essence, Howard had the backing of both the Holy Abyss Academy and the Alliance, two formidable entities.

Otherwise, why would Pallor Swift refrain from retaliating even after Howard’s taunts?

In public, he didn’t dare to fatally harm Howard.

However, in a secluded place, he wouldn’t care about Howard’s identity.

𝘳𝑎.𝒸ℴ