Chapter 146
From Outcast to Overlord: The Unyielding Heir
Chapter 146 Leander Ashcroft? Jeff Ashcroft? Mr Ashcroft?
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“Mr. Ashcroft?” Yvette and the others were visibly shocked, expressions of disbelief spreading across their faces.
Mr. Ashcroft, the undisputed ruler of Mornwick, had subdued the city’s most prominent crime lords and unified them under his command. He had founded Jeff Enterprises with figures like Frankie, and from behind the scenes, he controlled everything with absolute authority. He was the undisputed underground emperor of Mornwick–how could they not know of him?
In ancient times, Mr. Ashcroft would have been akin to a powerful warlord. However, this was the first time they had heard his full name, Jeff Ashcroft. And even more shocking was that Grayson Shire, the Jade Emperor, was set to face Mr. Ashcroft in a duel at the top of Glidewing Mountain moments later.
“Are you saying that Mr. Ashcroft is also a martial artist? And not just any martial artist, but a Martial Sovereign who’s strong enough to fight Grayson Shire? I thought he was just a businessman?” Yvette asked, her voice trembling with disbelief.
In their understanding, Mr. Ashcroft was a businessman–the richest man in Mornwick and the undisputed ruler of its underground world. Never had they imagined he had any connection to the martial world.
“You’ve underestimated him,” the young woman in the simple dress explained softly. “Do you really think a regular businessman could make the crime lords of Mornwick bow their heads and unite under him, willingly following his orders? The reason Mr. Ashcroft can rule Mornwick is because he possesses unmatched power–the power to control someone’s fate p>
Suddenly, everything made sense to Yvette and her friends. They had always wondered how Mr. Ashcroft could keep people like Frankie Wainwright, Gumus Mardin, and Tommy Dunphy -who controlled vast territories and wielded great influence–under his thumb. If Mr. Ashcroft had the power of a Martial Sovereign, everything fell into place. No amount of wealth or connections could stand against such overwhelming power.
The young woman’s eyes gleamed with respect as she continued, “Your Mr. Ashcroft is truly a legend. He made his debut by killing Mason Tarlyn, the second–in–command of the Tarlyn Guild, with a single punch. Later, in Tardide Valley, he killed the Martial Sovereign Alek Peterson and forced the Great Seven Martial Clans of Cloudveil to bow to him! Remarkably, Mr. Ashcroft is still under twenty years old, yet he is already renowned throughout Astria. He’s one of the most brilliant young talents in the entire martial world p>
Her voice was filled with reverence, clearly in awe of Jeff’s accomplishments.
Now, Yvette and her friends were completely stunned. The fact that Mr. Ashcroft was a martial arts master was already shocking, but to learn that he was still under twenty? A young man ruling over an entire state, with wealth in the billions and the status of a Martial Sovereign,
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Chapter 146 Leander Ashcroft? Jeff Ashcroft? Mr Ashcroft?
shaking the martial world of Astria–this was nothing short of mind–boggling!
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Colin lowered his head in shame. He had always prided himself on being a promising young man, but compared to Jeff, he now felt utterly insignificant. His meager achievements were like a drop in the ocean.
Ginny, filled with excitement, eagerly asked, “So, lady, who’s stronger–Mr. Ashcroft or Grayson Shire p>
The young woman fell silent, her martial prowess far below that of a Martial Sovereign, making it impossible for her to judge between such titans.
The one–armed elder turned back toward them and spoke with certainty. “Jeff Ashcroft is incredibly talented and has made a name for himself at a young age, but he is no match for Grayson Shire p>
The group, being locals of Mornwick, frowned deeply. Though they didn’t know Mr. Ashcroft personally, he was a symbol of their state, a legend in their eyes. Naturally, they hoped he would win. But hearing the elder’s words, they struggled to accept that Mr. Ashcroft might lose to Grayson.
“Grandpa, are you sure Mr. Ashcroft can’t defeat Grayson Shire?” Ginny asked, unwilling to accept the idea.
The elder nodded firmly. “Jeff Ashcroft is indeed impressive, but his downfall is his youth. Shire has been famous for thirty years. Over the past decade and more, he’s faced nearly 90% of Astria’s Martial Sovereigns and has never lost. In fact, almost every Martial Sovereign here today has been defeated by him at some point. In all of Astria’s martial world, the only person who could possibly surpass Grayson is still in Highcliffe!
“Grayson has spent nearly two decades in seclusion, honing his skills even further. Compared to him, Jeff Ashcroft is just a rising star, far too new to be a match. In this duel, Jeff Ashcroft will undoubtedly lose p>
Everyone fell silent. The elder had vast experience and deep knowledge of the martial world, so his judgment was undoubtedly reliable. But that left the group feeling an indescribable sense of disappointment.
To them, Mr. Ashcroft was a legend, a figure to look up to. But soon, they would witness this legend fall to Grayson Shire. The thought filled them with a complex mix of emotions.
At that moment, the sun hung high in the sky, and the fog that had been swirling around the mountain peak completely dissipated, revealing a wide, clear view.
Grayson, who had been sitting motionless, suddenly opened his eyes and slowly stood up. He clasped his hands behind his back, surveying the entire scene. Those who met his gaze immediately lowered their heads, unable to bear the intensity of his stare. Even other Martial
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Chapter 146 Leander Ashcroft? Jeff Ashcroft? Mr Ashcroft?
Sovereigns like Roman averted their eyes, feeling deeply unsettled.
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Suddenly, Grayson spoke, his voice booming across the valley. “Jeff Ashcroft, the time for our duel has come. Show yourself, and let me witness the martial prowess of the Young Martial Sovereign p>
His shout echoed like the roar of a furious dragon, reverberating through the valley and causing the trees to sway violently. Yvette and her companions instinctively covered their ears, their faces pale from the overwhelming force.
The gathered fighters looked around, expecting Jeff to reveal himself. When no one appeared, whispers spread among the crowd, and many began to speculate that perhaps Jeff feared Grayson and was too scared to show up for the fight.
At that moment, Leander, standing near the cliffside, turned his head toward the one–armed elder and asked calmly, “Earlier, you said the only person capable of defeating Grayson Shire is still in Highcliffe. You were referring to Gareth Ashcroft, weren’t you p>
His tone was calm, but the elder’s face froze in surprise. “You… know Gareth Ashcroft?” The elder was stunned. Up until now, Leander had seemed like just another ordinary young man traveling with Yvette and the others, someone with no inner strength at all. How could he possibly know of Gareth?
Leander didn’t bother explaining. He simply smiled faintly. “Everyone thinks Gareth Ashcroft is the only one in Astria who can defeat Grayson. But today, I’ll show everyone that there’s more than one who can do it p>
Before anyone could react, Leander leaped off the cliff.
In an instant, everyone’s eyes widened in shock–whether it was Yvette, the elder, the woman in the simple dress, or any of the surrounding experts.
“Leander p>
“Leander p>
young
Yvette and Madeline cried out in unison, their voices filled with despair as they ran toward the cliff. As Leander jumped, they felt as if something incredibly important inside them had shattered, leaving them deeply unsettled.
They rushed to the edge of the cliff and looked down. What they saw would remain etched in their minds forever.
Instead of falling, Leander was gliding through the air like a feather, gently drifting toward Grayson as if walking on the wind.
Yvette and Madeline stood frozen, their expressions completely stiff. Ginny and Colin, who had
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Chapter 146 Leander Ashcroft? Jeff Ashcroft? Mr Ashcroft?
arrived shortly after, were equally stunned, their eyes wide with disbelief.
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The one–armed elder, his granddaughter, and the countless martial experts around them all wore expressions of utter shock. Before them was a young man, no older than seventeen or eighteen, gliding through the air, crossing dozens of feet as he floated toward Grayson. Finally, he landed gracefully atop a stone pillar, standing opposite Grayson at a distance.
“Grayson Shire, I’m here!” Leander called out.
Grayson, with his long sleeves billowing in the wind, clasped his hands in respect when he saw Leander arrive. His voice resonated clearly across the entire mountaintop. “Jeff Ashcroft, today we fight not for old grudges or seniority but to ascend the peak of martial arts p>
Woosh!
As his words echoed, the entire crowd erupted into a deafening uproar. Everyone now knew that the young man standing on the stone pillar was none other than the Young Martial Sovereign, Jeff Ashcroft, and one of the duel’s main participants.
Yvette, Madeline, Ginny, and Colin stood rooted to the spot, their minds racing.
“Leander… is Jeff Ashcroft? He’s Mr. Ashcroft p>
Their thoughts exploded like fireworks, leaving their minds completely blank.
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