The outburst broke through the silence and it roused a conversation among the spectating servants. It seemed Rad Payne was getting rid of the farce and accepting the charges, why else would he use those very words?

Of course, while they did not know, It was understandable that Rad lost control of his emotions. He was upset at the unknown assailant and then heard someone call him a coward, then he went outside and discovered it was the very same man he had sent the black vine gang to assassinate. To make matters worse, this same person was apparently the unknown assailant that dared to lay his hands on Rita. He was irate and somebody was going to have to pay.

He made to dash forward after his outburst only to find himself locked in place with cosmic energy and his father’s angry words sounded in his ear

“Calm down you idiot”

Gregory could tell that this was a trick, he could see it as such, he just did not understand what the trick was. Why come here to to shed light to the crimes of a member of the Payne family if not for a pound of flesh? And if that was the case was he really here with only Melinda as backup?

Hal on the other hand seemed genuinely surprised

“I knew it was you brother, but I did not expect an admission of guilt so soon”

Rad calmed his anger and snarled but kept said nothing

“Where did you get that ring?” Gregory asked, in all the years Hal had spent in his home (17 years) he had never given him something of such value.

“One of the assassins confessed before he met his end. Unless you want to claim this ring as fake, your son is the mastermind and planned to end my life” Hal said

“And so what? You think anyone cares what happens to a disowned…”

“Ahhhrrrg” a yell interrupted Gregory and taking advantage of Gregory’s lapse in concentration Rad broke free and raced towards Hal, he would put an end to his worthless life today

He drew back his fist and as he had done once before he put forth all of his strength behind that punch but unlike before his punch would hit nothing but air as Hal dodged and counter attacked with a punch of his own…

Bam!

…knocking Rad backwards to slam against the stairs at his father’s feet

*Gasps*

“Are my eyes deceiving me?” Beanpole asked

“No I don’t think they are. Young master Hal just punched young master Rad in the face” porky replied his mouth wide in awe

“Since when can the young master cultivate?”

He was not the only one, all around the spectators had their mouth opened Staring at the young man whose figure now seemed unmoving in the violent storm that was his family.

Rad began to get to his feet wiping the blood stain trickling down the side of his lips

“Tsk, Tsk, Tsk. You should learn to calm down, I was going to kill you anyway. I came here today for a death match between me and you. We will put an end to everything today” Hal told him with a fiendish smile

“A death match? Do you really think I would allow such a thing? Gregory asked

“Your opinion means nothing” Melinda said and withdrew a scroll from her spatial pouch

“This is an order from the Mayor of salmon city.” She announced before she read it out

“Due to the presence of evidence beyond all reasonable doubt. Rad Payne is found guilty of an attempt on the life of Hal Payne for the sake of removing all possibility of not being the Payne family heir and as such if there is no chance of reconciliation, the two will meet in a death match to finally put an end to the squabble. The winner will become the Payne family’s sole heir and granted one year of immunity while the loser shall ‘swim with the fishes’.

Any form of disobedience shall be seen as rebellion and shall incur the wrath of Salmon city mayor.

Hector Edgar.”

She finished with a flourish simply loving the look on Gregory’s face, now if Hal would just allow her…

“Preposterous. What Hal Payne? You’re not my son” Gregory snarled

“I know that but the mayor and everyone else in the city don’t” Hal sighed like all this was just an inconvenience he would have loved to avoid

“You never disowned him. Your actions so far has been interpreted as that of a father who loves one son in preference of the other” Melinda said with a smile and her fist clenched

…

30 minutes earlier

“So what? I’m just supposed to cause a little chaos and a big entrance and that’s it?” Melinda was outraged, this had not been all she wanted and she was determined to prove her case as she sat up in bed and her unfettered breasts swayed but alas…

“That’s right”

…Hal would remain unmoved

“Grr”

“Now, now don’t be upset, I want to do this on my own and you want to be involved so there must be compromises” Hal tried to placate her.

The plan had been relatively simple. Hal would confront Rad with a death match but he did not expect Gregory to accept it just like that so he needed an higher power, and so far in salmon city the highest authority still belonged to the ancient mayor whose strength remains unparalleled in the city and probably in the region of small time cities like Salmon city.

There was only need for one statement and that was to mention the intended death of Gregory’s chosen heir and the mayor would readily give the order. However Melinda wanted more and that was to attack Gregory Payne.

Hal would refuse because while Melinda was very talented and very close to the peak of the Cosmic Pearl realm, Gregory Payne was older, more experienced and well past the Cosmic Pearl Realm.

“I just want to spar with him. I’m sure I can cripple him, so what if he’s stronger, he has no idea what I’m capable of” she insisted

“You have a skill, don’t you?” Hal asked and knew he was right “what grade?”

“Third grade low tier. I was able to steal one from my clan” she replied

“Mhm. Impressive. But still no”

From the Third grade, skills were divided into tiers and an attempt to use a mid tier or higher before the cosmic armament realm was akin to suicide, it also happened to be in short supply making it so that the whole of salmon city elites probably had no skill higher than the second grade.

Skills could very well make up the difference especially against someone still at the early stage of the cosmic armament realm. However Hal had no interest in taking Gregory’s life now and surely not by proxy.

…Back to the present

Melinda squeezed her fist in frustration, how she would love to be involved in a squabble with the Payne family head now

“Then I will do it now, I will disown him” Gregory said with conviction

“You should probably hold out until the end of the death match, of course by then, there will no longer be any real need” Hal chuckled

“I thought I said this ‘death match’ will not happen”

“Of course it doesn’t have to as long as there is ‘reconciliation’ at which point Rad apologizes to me publicly and you allow me to return to the payne estate as your heir. Either way, I win” Hal yawned as he stretched

Gregory’s face turned red in an instant, caught between His hatred for Hal and giving Hector Edgar the ammunition needed to ruin him, he saw one compromise…

“No. Gregory don’t” Lillian shrieked when she saw his look of conviction but he ignored her

“Rad, make sure you put an end to his life today”

Hal’s smile turned fiendish as a reddish glint appeared in his deep blue eyes.