Grand Return System

Chapter 262: Old Debts, New Battle

Old Debts, New Battle

"Haha, Fellow Cultivator Dario, long time no see. I miss you."

Sirius descended from the sky and arrived beside Dario.

The gray-robed old man landed lightly upon the sea breeze, his sleeves fluttering in the wind. Behind him stood dozens of renowned experts from across the Forsaken Domain. Their combined presence caused the surrounding Mana to become heavy and turbulent.

Dario’s eyes immediately lit up.

The frustration, pressure, and irritation he had been suppressing throughout the battle seemed to disappear in an instant.

"Hahaha! Sirius, you old fox, you’re finally here!"

His laughter echoed across the sky.

"For a moment there, I thought I’d have to fight these two shameless old men alone."

Sirius glanced at Tobias and Hektor before smiling knowingly.

"From the looks of it, you’ve had quite an interesting day."

"Interesting?"

Dario nearly exploded again.

"Do you know these two have been attacking me together?"

"Together!"

He raised two fingers dramatically.

"One on one, I fear no one. But these two have completely abandoned their dignity."

Tobias rolled his eyes.

"Listen to him."

Hektor nodded seriously.

"He almost sounds convincing."

The surrounding experts couldn’t help but chuckle.

Dario ignored them.

Right now, Sirius’s arrival was all that mattered.

Just moments ago, he had been troubled about how to deal with Tobias and Hektor. He never expected help to arrive so quickly.

Among the few people he truly considered friends, Sirius ranked near the top.

The two had explored ancient ruins together.

Escaped deadly situations together.

Stolen... no, acquired opportunities together.

Their friendship had been forged over countless years.

With Sirius here, the situation would undoubtedly change.

"Old Sirius..."

Dario’s eyes narrowed slightly as he carefully sized up the gray-robed old man beside him.

A hint of surprise flashed across his face.

"Your cultivation has improved a lot after all these years. Even I can’t see through you anymore."

As soon as Sirius arrived, Dario began flattering him without hesitation.

However, this time, there was genuine curiosity mixed into his words.

He had known Sirius for many years and was familiar with his strength. Yet now, the aura surrounding him felt deeper than the ocean and harder to read than ever before.

The sincerity in Dario’s voice almost made it believable.

Several nearby experts quietly looked away.

Everyone knew that whenever Dario started praising someone, he was either trying to recruit them, borrow their strength, or prepare to ask for a favor.

Sirius merely laughed.

"Haha, you flatter me. Compared to you, how would I dare to be rash with my insignificant cultivation?"

He waved his sleeve casually.

The movement seemed ordinary, yet countless strands of Mana quietly rippled around him.

Even Tobias’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Sirius continued.

"Fellow Cultivator, you once did me a favor in the past. How can I sit back and do nothing when you are in trouble today?"

His voice wasn’t loud.

Yet every expert present heard it clearly.

The meaning behind those words was obvious.

He was standing with Dario.

No ambiguity.

No hesitation.

No room for misunderstanding.

Dario was overjoyed.

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Very good!"

He laughed so hard his beard nearly shook.

"I knew I didn’t make friends for nothing."

"See?"

He pointed proudly toward Tobias and Hektor.

"This is what true friendship looks like."

"When danger comes, friends stand together."

"Unlike certain people."

Tobias immediately replied.

"You mean the same friend who once sold fake treasure maps to three different sects?"

Dario’s smile froze.

"That was a misunderstanding."

"Five sects."

Hektor corrected calmly.

"Not three."

The surrounding crowd burst into laughter.

Even Sirius coughed awkwardly.

Some stories were best left buried.

Unfortunately for Dario, everyone remembered them.

Still, regardless of his reputation, Sirius had made his position clear.

The balance of power had shifted.

Seeing the two standing side by side, Tobias slowly stroked his beard.

The amusement in his eyes gradually disappeared.

A serious expression replaced it.

Beside him, Hektor remained as steady as a mountain.

The sea winds howled around him.

His robes fluttered.

Yet his gaze never wavered.

"Fellow Cultivator Hektor."

Tobias smiled faintly.

"It seems there will be a bloody battle today."

The worry on his face had completely disappeared.

Instead, a powerful fighting spirit surged from his body.

His eyes shone brighter than before.

A worthy opponent.

A worthy battle.

For cultivators like them, there was no greater excitement.

Hektor’s expression remained calm.

His voice was steady and unwavering.

"I’m not afraid."

Three simple words.

Yet they carried tremendous confidence.

The sea beneath them calmed strangely.

The nearby experts felt their hearts tremble.

This was Hektor.

A man who had walked through countless storms.

A mountain that never bent.

A blade that never retreated.

Tobias laughed loudly.

"Haha, alright!"

"We haven’t worked together for many years."

His hand slowly reached toward the sword hanging at his waist.

"How can we miss this rare opportunity?"

CLANG!

The sword left its sheath.

Instantly—

The sky darkened.

The clouds split apart.

A terrifying sword intent shot into the heavens.

The surrounding Mana trembled violently.

Countless experts instinctively stepped backward.

Even those at the Sage Realm felt pressure.

The aura Tobias had hidden throughout the battle was no longer concealed.

Every bit of his strength erupted.

The sea churned.

Lightning flashed.

The heavens seemed to respond to his will.

Dario’s smile gradually faded.

Sirius narrowed his eyes.

The atmosphere became incomparably tense.

Everyone understood.

The true battle was about to begin.

Tobias pointed his sword directly at Sirius.

His voice thundered across the battlefield.

"Old Man Sirius!"

A fierce grin appeared on his face.

The years of accumulated resentment surged forth.

"It’s time for you to pay for your sneak attack on me at the Ancient Tomb back then..."

The moment those words fell, the atmosphere over the blood-red sea changed completely.

There was no more laughter.

No more exchanges.

No more testing.

Only battle.

The black clouds above churned violently beneath the crimson sky. Waves hundreds of meters tall crashed against one another like enraged dragons. The scarlet seawater reflected the heavens, making it impossible to tell where the sea ended and the sky began.

Tobias’s eyes flashed sharply.

Without another word, he drew his sword.

Clang!

The sword cry echoed across heaven and earth.

In an instant, the sea region within hundreds of miles erupted.

The blood-red ocean boiled.

Countless ferocious beasts lurking beneath the sea fled in terror. Some massive creatures burst through the surface before diving deeper into the abyss, unwilling to remain beneath the pressure of a peak Sage Realm battle.

"Retreat!"