Fidwud Family Home...

Sam Fidwud was bursting with confidence.

Which is hard not to be when you're the strongest in a room.

Today they would deal the first blow to the Great families of more accurately to the Edgar family and finally get the war started. Not only would it start, but they would also get the opportunity to seize the initiative.

And seize they would.

The other Family heads had converged in the conference room of the Fidwud Family Home. Bale and Tod chose the farthest seat from the Fidwud Family head for fear that he would look to them and attack them as he had done before.

However, San did not have any interest in looking at any of them. His whole mind was on how today would go smoothly.

He looked to those closest to him; Baret and Ian who had recovered completely from their Mental breakdown during the attack on Hal's mansion.

In fact, not only had the two runemasters recovered but they also felt a significant increase in the Rank and strength of their Astral sense.

As it turned out, Hal's inadvertent attack had been a blessing in disguise for the two Runemasters who were both now Rank 3 Runemasters.

A success that would have put huge smiles on their faces and being a cause for celebration had there not been a serious situation on the horizon.

As San looked to them and was reminded of their advancement, he could not help but smile as it was something he had not factored in during his planning. And yet if his plan had been bound to succeed then, then it would now take a Colossus deterrent to ruin it now.

Yes, he could feel it.

Today was going to be a good day.

...

Meanwhile...

Guests were arriving in droves to Edgar castle. A lot of them were wealthy merchants that were there to kiss ass but their arrival was still greeted with warmth.

But it was when the Great family heads began to arrive that it truly resembled a party.

First was Edvard Krast who came with Karmen right behind him as well as so many Cosmic Armament Realm cultivators. Truce or not, Edvard was not going to take his safety for granted.

That said, the most capable of his entourage was probably Karmen who was merely at the early stage of the Cosmic Armament Realm but had already showcased better prowess in combat compared to even those at the mid-stage.

Yes, she was definitely someone Edvard trusted completely which was peculiar considering they had met not too long ago.

Along with his entourage, Edvard brought along his successors, Arnold and Selina to enjoy the festivities.

He felt he could not always coop them inside the Estate. Considering what they had faced during the competition, it was high time they saw the reality of this city.

After all, they were bound to become top echelons here very soon.

Then after Edvard came Ford Horst who came without his beautiful 'wife' Emily who was in cultivation retreat. He did come with his daughter Amelia (who had returned to the Manor the day before just so she could attend with him) as well as his son who simply exited from his room where he had been cultivating diligently and said he wished to attend as well.

First had been quite surprised at his Son's quiet that he had temporarily let go of his own issues to inquire why 'he was not being himself'.

Frank simply replied nothing and was quiet again.

Ford could detect maturity in his Son but did not know for certain to what extent or even what his new realm of cultivation was.

After his arrival came Gregory Payne who came with his Butler Burt and so many other Payne Elites but no one cared about his entourage.

Their attention was completely on him and the way his eyes looked as though he had lost something. Somehow the audience summed it all up to his decision to reconcile with his Son's killer who also happened to be his second son.

Or maybe it was the fact that his wife had attacked that very son before being whisked away by an unknown individual.

Whatever it was, despite his lost look, there was still enough anger in those eyes to pulverize an unintended victim of his wrath.

It was while they were having this thought of assessment that the Son arrived.

Hal Payne came to the event in an expensive-looking attire that clung to his body and accentuated his muscular physique.

His Sapphire blue eyes seemed to twinkle as he was all smiles and walking proudly arm in arm with a beautiful Golden eyed goddess with long black hair that reached to her calf.

Her flower-patterned gown was of the finest of material and tight-fitting enough to accentuate her curves and highlight the swell of her ample bust.

She was of course not the only one with Hal.

Right behind the couple was Rita looking especially beautiful in a gown that showed off her curves and Black eyes that looked particularly seductive.

As a succubus, Rita was bound to unconsciously release pheromone scents that could easily rev up the men in the crowd and many wondered where exactly they should look. Should it be the goddess-like Melinda or the Demonic beauty Rita?

Or maybe it was the younger of three ladies who was no slouch as well and could easily give the most beautiful lady in the city a run for her money.

Teenagers of her and Hal's age could not help but wonder where such beauty had been hiding all this while.

So it is needless to say that Hal and his ladies stole the show upon entry and if said entry meant anything, it was that despite the reconciliation, Hal was still not casting his lot with the Payne family or any of the Great families.

That said, it was quite a surprise when Hal and his ladies were directed to what looked like a seat of a much higher honor than the rest of the Great family heads.

Such arrangements had been the work of Darryl and the groom Marlon who had done so because Hal had requested it.

Edward could not help but steal glances at Hal and the ladies or more accurately, he couldn't help but steal glances at Melinda who did not like it one bit.

It wasn't that she was not flattered by the attention but she had enough of that from the other lookers, Edvard was simply an addition to that number that she was not pleased with.

"Do you want me to blind him?" Hal asked with a smile and as Edvard was seated quite close to them, he heard.

So did many others.

A lot of them were surprised that Hal would so boldly attempt to antagonize a Great family head.

Apparently, his survival of San Fidwud's assaults had gone to his head.

Melinda ignored their disapproving looks,

"Would you really do it?" She asked.

"Absolutely. If his eyes are bothering you, he should not have them.

In fact, all these perverts have been starting at you ladies from the start and while it does make me proud, I know you must not like it, so if you want them blind, just say so" Hal announced proudly.

Marla clapped and all but leaped into Hal's laps,

"Do it, Hal. Blind them"

The staring Merchants looked taken aback but it was nothing compared to how they looked when she spoke again...

"Oh Which of them?" Hal asked in a serious tone of voice.

"Why should we bother selecting? Let's pluck all of their eyes. What's the point of them having it?" She said and for some reason, they all felt it was something that could really be done.

Their backs were covered in cold sweats instantly.