Global Beast Mastery: Only I Can See the Hints

"Mr. Charles, this is the oldest veteran in Genosha. He is one hundred and three years old, having experienced countless battles. He is our most treasured war hero," the person pushing the wheelchair said slowly.

His voice wasn't very quiet, yet the old man in the wheelchair seemed to hear nothing at all.

It wasn't until the person pushing the wheelchair lowered his head and leaned in close to the old man's ear, shouting loudly:

"Charles is here. You wanted to see him, and he's right in front of you!"

Then the old man turned his head slowly, looking around in confusion, and said in a slow tone:

"Where is he? Where is our little hero?"

Charles instinctively took two steps forward. As he did, the person speaking near the old man's ear explained:

"The old hero is quite aged, and after the ravages of war, his ears and eyes are nearly useless. After hearing about you, he insisted on coming to see you, wanting to talk."

At that moment, Charles had reached the old man's side. He slowly crouched in front of the wheelchair. A gentle breeze blew by, lifting the old man's pant legs, which were empty inside.

Charles took a deep breath and said in a loud voice:

"I am Charles. Grandpa, what would you like to say to me?"

The old man struggled to turn his neck to face Charles. His eyes were so cloudy, devoid of any sparkle.

The old man's mouth opened and closed repeatedly. Though his voice was faint, the tone conveyed an undeniable strength.

"Child, rest assured, Genosha is not afraid of those threats and oppressions. I can still move; I can still fight!"

"Although you are a hero, in my eyes, you are still a child—an eighteen-year-old kid who cannot bear the weight of an entire nation. You should do what you want, without being influenced. You need not worry about those threats!"

"I can still move; I can still fight!"

As Charles listened to the old man's words, he instinctively looked at the old man's back.

An aged and frail body bound an indomitable spirit.

It was only then that Charles understood that the crowd gathered at the entrance of the Cyber Academy had all come to support him.

In their eyes, Charles was a hero of Genosha, but also just an eighteen-year-old youth who should not bear such a heavy burden, especially that of a nation's interests!

"Exactly, Charles. Just focus on being yourself and grow at your own pace!"

"Don't worry, Genosha is not that weak. We will all support you!"

"Charles, that Seven is just an arrogant little man. His words are as worthless as gas; you shouldn't pay any attention to them."

"Everyone sees what you're doing. You're still so young, and there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. Once you become a top-tier alchemist, you can have a proper showdown with that Seven!"

More and more people began to speak up, and the way they looked at Charles changed, as if they were viewing a beloved family member.

Their words came from the heart, and Charles could clearly feel their genuine emotions.

For a moment, Charles, who had never experienced such treatment, almost revealed his ambition to become a top-tier alchemist.

If it were any other young person, they would likely be filled with youthful fervor, wanting to prove themselves, and would have blurted everything out.

Even the most composed character would crumble quietly under the gaze of the crowd.

But Charles was different; his calmness and composure were far beyond the norm!

Charles took a deep breath, slowly surveyed the surrounding citizens of Genosha, and said loudly:

"Rest assured, I won't let you down. I have this confidence!"

As soon as he said that, the gathered citizens of Genosha were momentarily taken aback, and then they quickly replied:

"Charles, we came here to urge you not to agree to participate in the alchemist duel. You're still young; there will be more chances to prove yourself!"

"That's right, Charles! Please don't act impulsively!"

"Seven and his teacher are just bullies, specifically targeting you. You mustn't fall for their tricks, Charles!"

Hearing Charles say that, the crowd of Genosha citizens felt a bit uneasy. They thought it might have backfired; the boy's stubbornness and impulsiveness had prompted him to say such things.

Charles shook his head and glanced at the old man in the wheelchair, who seemed unaware of what was happening.

"Don't worry, everyone. You all know what kind of person I am. Since I've said this, it means I have confidence!" Charles said once more.

It wasn't until this moment that the people around began to think seriously. More and more eyes lit up, sparkling with excitement.

Though it was hard to believe that someone who had just become a high-level alchemist claimed he had the confidence to defeat someone on the verge of becoming a top-tier alchemist, especially one from the Haunted Marsh!

But the one saying this was Charles!

The crowd gathered at the entrance of Cyber Academy suddenly became exhilarated. Someone couldn't help but ask again:

"Is it true?"

Charles nodded. He calmly bid farewell to the old man in the wheelchair and, with Camilla by his side, made his way toward the alchemist guild under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Before Charles even reached the front door of the alchemist guild, the events that had just transpired had already become a hot topic.

Owen, the president of the Genosha alchemist guild, looked at the information on his phone and then glanced at the excited Camilla, who was beaming with joy. He let out a silent sigh.

Those who are not professional alchemists have no idea about the difficulty involved. It is nearly impossible to go from a high-level alchemist to a top-tier alchemist in just one month, especially not under circumstances where all your time is dedicated to studying.

He knew that Charles only studied with Colton, a master-level alchemist, at night, and in the past month, he had been delayed by various events.

If you were to accurately tally the time Charles spent studying alchemy, it would undoubtedly be shockingly low!

This was also the reason he felt so helpless in front of Quinn; Charles simply couldn't have much confidence in defeating Seven!

Even if his talent was exceptional, it still fell within the realm of humanity.

"What's wrong, Grandpa? Don't you believe in Charles? You didn't believe he was a high-level alchemist at first either." Camilla sensed Owen's unease.

Owen sighed and looked at the worried Camilla, answering directly:

"That was before. Now that I know Charles's situation and understand the time he has dedicated to studying alchemy, no one would believe it!"

Camilla had always believed in her grandfather, but at this moment, she said:

"The more unbelievable something is, the more likely Charles is to make it happen. He is that kind of person, a miracle maker!"

Owen smiled helplessly, the expression on his face bitterly sweet. Just as he was about to say something more, an unusual sound emerged from the hall of the alchemist guild.

Owen quickly looked down through the second-floor window and spotted a figure he never expected to see.

"Charles? What is he doing here at this time? Is he really being impulsive, thinking about publicly agreeing to Seven and participating in the alchemist duel?"

"Oh no, oh no! I have to stop him!" The thought struck Owen, and he instantly dashed out of the second-floor office.

His movements were exceptionally agile, and he flew down the long stairs in just two strides.

"Charles! You must think this through! Don't act impulsively!" Owen shouted as he descended the stairs.

Hearing the voice, Charles looked up and saw Owen nearly lose his footing, almost falling to the ground.

Fortunately, they were close enough that Charles quickly reached out to steady him, responding:

"President Owen, I'm not being impulsive. I told you, I have confidence."

This was the umpteenth time Charles had said this; he felt like he was being forced into a habit.

"Nonsense! Although Seven is not a good person, he is about to become a top-tier alchemist, and his alchemy skills are no joke!" Owen, holding his waist, tried to persuade him again.

Every alchemist in the hall had their gaze fixed on Charles, each expression differing. Some Genosha alchemists believed in Charles, thinking he could indeed defeat Seven.

Others, however, felt that Charles was inexperienced, overestimating himself while underestimating his opponent.

Nonetheless, everyone was concerned for Charles and had no ill intentions.

"Forget it; it's hard to explain everything right now. How about we talk in the office?" Charles thought for a moment. He planned to reveal his ambition to become a top-tier alchemist, but only to Owen.

As for the others, it was better to keep it under wraps to avoid any leaks.

"Alright, I need to have a serious talk with you, Charles. You need to listen carefully and definitely can't act impulsively!" Owen said as he turned to head back upstairs.

Just as Owen crossed a staircase, he stopped in his tracks, standing still with his hand out, saying to Charles:

"Come help me; I rushed down too quickly and twisted my back!"

Charles couldn't help but smile wryly. He could guess that Owen must have thought he was here to announce his participation in the alchemist duel, which was why he was so anxious.

This also indirectly indicated Owen's concern and regard for him; otherwise, he wouldn't have reacted this way.

"President Owen, take it easy. Once we get to the office, I'll explain everything thoroughly," Charles quickly supported Owen as they headed back to the second floor.

Camilla exchanged glances with Charles but didn't say a word, quietly following behind.

Meanwhile, the alchemists in the hall wore looks of discomfort; everyone's attention was focused on whether Charles would participate in the alchemist duel.

They were also eager to find out what Charles had to say!