Awakened Talent: 10,000 Exp Converter!-Chapter 221: Cringe

Vincent and Ara naturally heard it as well.

When they turned to the source of the sound, they saw Aevara plucking the White Temporalis.

At that moment, black lines appeared on Vincent's forehead.

The Puparans and Wolfarans widened their eyes in surprise. They hadn't noticed Aevara's presence at all.

However, their surprise quickly turned into deep frowns, their expressions furious.

"Who are you?!" the Puparan who had been arguing with the Wolfarans exclaimed.

"Let go of my White Temporalis!" the larger-built Wolfaran demanded.

"What do you mean, yours?! I found it first!" the leading Puparan retorted.

The Wolfaran merely let out a cold harrumph.

Despite their claims, Aevara ignored them completely, as if they were invisible. She walked back to Vincent, holding the White Temporalis with ease.

Before anyone could react, Aevara smiled happily at Vincent, slightly bowed, and offered the White Temporalis. "I-I offer this to you, Divine Lord."

She sounded awkward, unused to acting in this manner. Her grandmother's repeated reminders were the only reason she did so.

Meanwhile, Vincent didn't know how to react. His lips twitched uncomfortably as he felt the intense stares of the Wolfarans and Puparans.

Beside him, Ara let out a soft giggle, making Vincent feel even more awkward.

Aevara looked up in confusion when Vincent didn't immediately accept the White Temporalis.

"D-Divine Lord?" she asked softly, a bit nervous, thinking he might not like her gift.

Vincent could only accept it with an awkward smile. However, just as he was about to take it, the furious roars of the Wolfarans and Puparans echoed.

"Don't you dare!"

"Let go of my item!"

"Hand it over, human!"

"Stop standing there like a fool—stop those thieves!"

Bright lights flashed as they unleashed their skills, targeting Vincent and his group.

Seeing this, Vincent frowned beneath his remaining mask and quickly reacted.

However, Ara was even faster. She stepped forward and moved her arms in a circular motion, creating a fiery barrier that blocked the incoming attacks.

Bang!

Bang!

After a brief exchange, the Puparans and Wolfarans halted their assault, their expressions turning cautious as they observed Ara closely.

"A Drakorii!" someone exclaimed.

Hearing this, the Wolfarans and Puparans didn't hesitate. They emitted pure hostility, as though they were staring at their sworn enemy.

Vincent and Aevara wore confused expressions, but Ara remained unmoved, as if she had expected their reaction.

Their hostility stemmed from centuries of hatred.

Before the racial conflict between the Puparans and Wolfarans, they had once been allies.

However, when the Drakorii appeared, they forced both races from their homeland, compelling them to relocate to another world.

Ara was naturally aware of this history, so their animosity didn't surprise her.

"Hmph! Your race hasn't changed at all—thieves, the lot of you!" declared Wufang, the leading Wolfaran.

Dougie, the Puparans' leader, scoffed. "As much as I hate to agree with you, stinky wolf, you're right."

Although he still held animosity toward Wufang, Dougie set it aside temporarily as they faced their common enemy. He stared coldly at Ara.

Wufang glanced at Dougie but didn't refute him. Their shared enmity toward the Drakorii was stronger than their mutual hatred.

When their eyes met, after a brief silence, they both nodded in unison.

"Whoever kills that Drakorii will take the White Temporalis!" Wufang declared.

Dougie promptly replied, "Hmph, just this once, I'll temporarily forget our enmity."

With their agreement in place, Wufang and Dougie commanded their groups forward. "Kill those thieves!"

Awoo!

Arf! Arf!

The Wolfarans and Puparans howled and barked, rushing toward Ara and, naturally, Vincent, who frowned beneath his mask.

With a quick glance using his Heaven Eyes skill, Vincent assessed the leaders' levels.

Wufang — Tier 3 (1 star)

Dougie — Tier 3 (1 star)

As the leaders representing their races, they were naturally at the level limit of the Lost Grove.

Behind them were four Puparans and four Wolfarans, ranging from the initial to peak stage of Tier 2.

With their speed, Wufang and Dougie immediately surrounded Ara, while the rest encircled Vincent and Aevara, whose expression darkened cautiously.

One Wolfaran growled at Aevara. "Hand over the White Temporalis!"

Aevara subconsciously turned to Vincent. "D-Divine Lord…" she muttered, as if awaiting his decision.

When Aevara ignored the Wolfaran's demand, it let out a displeased howl and stretched out its long limb, sharp claws reaching for the White Temporalis in her hands.

Wufang, standing before Ara, noticed his kin's action. He couldn't help but grin in his mind. "Stupid dog, he actually believed me. Once my pack gets the White Temporalis, I'll let them fight each other before finishing them all in one sweep. Hehe!"

However, before Wufang could revel in his scheming, a loud explosion rang out, followed by agonized cries.

When he turned his gaze, his eyes widened in shock. Apart from the Puparans, who were barely standing, his pack—especially the Wolfaran who had reached for the White Temporalis—lay deep in the ground within a round crater.

Standing before them was the 'Divine Lord' the young Phantolisk had addressed.

It was Vincent.

With his current strength, a single strike was enough to take down the Wolfaran who had demanded the White Temporalis.

"I had no intention of getting involved, but since you came to me, don't blame me for retaliating… just a little," Vincent said softly yet clearly.

Those who overheard his words screamed in their minds. "Retaliate a little?! You just one-shot that Wolfaran to pulp!"

Wufang's expression darkened. Likewise, Dougie, who had previously ignored Vincent, now turned serious.

Retrieving the White Temporalis wouldn't be easy, but it wasn't impossible. Dougie glanced at Wufang, who was clearly displeased with Vincent.

"Stupid wolf, handle that guy. I'll take care of the woman!" Dougie ordered.

Wufang glared at Dougie, frustration evident, but after a brief moment of thought, he complied.

"Fucking dog! You're lucky it wasn't your pack on the ground!" he cursed internally.

As much as he wanted to stick to his original plan, he had no choice but to go along with Dougie's arrangement. Defeating the Drakorii woman and this 'Divine Lord' was necessary to secure the White Temporalis.

Wufang hesitated briefly before nodding at Dougie, who responded with a knowing grin.

Meanwhile, Wufang's expression remained furious, but inwardly, he smirked. "Heh. Stinky dog, let's see if you can keep smiling once I take the White Temporalis."

Ignoring Dougie, Wufang stepped forward, stopping a few feet away from Vincent.

"I don't care who you are or what kind of 'Divine Lord' you claim to be, but if you want mercy, hand over the White Temporalis and beg," Wufang declared firmly.

He didn't believe Vincent was strong—his presence only felt like a Tier 2.

"If this guy is a Divine Lord at Tier 2, then I must be the Lord of Divine Lords! Hah!" Wufang thought mockingly.

But instead of cowering, Vincent replied with a single word.

"Cringe."

Wufang frowned, confused. "C-Cringe? What the hell do you mean by that?! Are you insane?!"

Vincent only smirked, making Wufang even more furious.