Hollow Crown: SSS-Ranked Godslayer's Rise

Chapter 161 161: Thunderbolt

The guild hall fell into a tense hush as everyone turned toward the entrance.A group of adventurers strode in, their boots clattering against the wooden floorboards. At their head walked a tall swordsman, his chest puffed with pride, the polished B-rank badge gleaming on his tunic. Behind him came five teammates—bloodied and scratched, two hauling bulging sacks across their backs. The faint glimmer of metal and crystal poked through the canvas: artifacts, or at least something close.

The crowd stirred with hushed voices.

"That's Thunderbolt…"

"Look at those packs—don't tell me they actually got loot from the crack?"

"If not them, then who? They're C-rankers… and their leader, he's B-rank. Makes sense."

The swordsman let their whispers feed him. He stepped deeper into the hall, eyes sweeping over the injured like a lord looking down on beggars.

"I'll say it again—whose mutt is lying around in here, wagging its tail like it owns the place? And a maid stretched out on the benches like some jungle princess—who the fuck let that happen?"

The crowd stiffened. All eyes shifted toward Ethan.

"They're mine," Ethan said flatly, his voice carrying like a strike of iron. "Got a problem with that?"

The swordsman turned, his sneer widening. One of his companions piped up before he could speak.

"Karl, look—it's them. The same ungrateful bastards from before. Remember? We saved their skins and they didn't even bother to thank us."

Karl's jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing with recognition.

"Yeah… it's definitely him. Not only ungrateful, but reckless. Letting a beast run loose in a guild hall, parading maids around like trophies. Looks like this junior here needs to be taught a lesson."

Another teammate laughed, voice oozing sleaze.

"While we're at it, we should teach those maids of his some proper manners too. He's got another one now, huh? Gotta admit, though, his taste's not bad."

The words barely left his mouth before Ethan let out a low exhale, his tone dry and cutting.

"Haaah… I'm tired of speaking sense to deaf dogs."

"What the hell did you—" Karl began, but the words never finished.

In an instant Ethan blurred. The next is, he was directly before Karl.

"What was that you were saying?" Ethan's voice was quite.

Karl stiffened, his hand flying instinctively toward his sword. "W-what do you think you're doing? I'm a B—"

CRACK.

Ethan's hand clamped down on Karl's head, fingers digging into his scalp. With terrifying force he slammed the man's skull into the guild's stone wall. The impact shook dust loose from the mortar. Gasps erupted around the hall.

Karl's nose exploded in a spray of blood. He groaned, one hand clawing at Ethan's wrist, the other fumbling for the hilt of his blade.

"Y-you bastard—!"

Before the word could finish, Ethan lifted his head back and smashed it into the wall again.

Thud.

The stone cracked this time. Blood ran down Karl's face, dripping onto his collar and badge.

Ethan's expression never changed. Cold and bored. He jerked Karl upright, slammed him once more, this time harder, until teeth rattled free and clinked onto the floorboards.

By now Karl's teammates had jolted forward, but none moved closer. The sheer speed of Ethan's assault had turned their pride into hesitation. 's nest that destroyed others instead.

The receptionist let out a shaky breath, her shoulders slumping. She gave a helpless shake of her head.

Low-rank adventurers being punished for disrespecting seniors was common enough. And it was even expected.