The Valkyrie Returns and Slays (Raven) novel Chapter 169

Chapter 169 Jedidiah Ortega

But just as Jedidiah finished speaking, a sharp gust of wind suddenly rushed in from behind.

Reacting instinctively, he tilted his body to the side. Even so, a shallow but stinging line. of blood was drawn across his cheek.

The pain burned like fire. As Jedidiah steadied his footing and turned to see his attacker, a glint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes.

It was Caleb–the same Vyrdenian student he had just thrown twenty feet across the courtyard.

Thanks to Raven’s relentless training in close combat, Caleb had recovered almost instantly upon landing, and without hesitation, launched a counterattack.

Jedidiah wiped the blood from his cheek with two fingers, then smeared it across his lips. His eyes locked onto Caleb with a glint as sharp as a blade, and his voice dropped to a deadly chill.

“You filthy Vyrdenian mongrel… congratulations. You’ve pissed me off.”

Before Caleb could respond, Jedidiah vanished.

To the others, it looked like he’d blinked out of existence–his speed so fast he became a blur. In the next breath, he was already in front of Caleb.

Caleb barely registered his approach. He tensed, heart pounding, but his body moved on pure instinct–the muscle memory honed during the brutal training sessions kicked in.

He threw his arm up to block.

The dull thud of fists colliding echoed through the crowd.

Caleb felt a monstrous force slam into his chest, one he had no hope of matching.

The next moment, he was airborne again–slammed violently onto the center of the stone platform.

As his back collided with the platform, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Jedidiah didn’t even bother to chase. He remained where he stood, utterly unfazed, and slowly licked the remaining blood from his lips. The way he looked at Caleb now- like a noble sneering down at a mangy mutt–dripped with contempt.

“You should be grateful your leader knew when to kneel,” Jedidiah said coldly. “If he hadn’t extended an olive branch to Sunset Empire and begged us to send someone for this pathetic little ‘exchange program‘… I’d have executed you on the spot. Vyrdenians like you aren’t even worthy of carrying my boots.”

His words had barely left his mouth when Caleb, trembling but unyielding, raised his head.

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Chapter 169 Jedidiah Ortega

Blood trailed from the corner of his mouth. His eyes, now laced with crimson threads, locked onto Jedidiah with terrifying intensity.

“I… will… kill… you.”

The last word dropped like a war drum.

And with a roar that tore from somewhere deep in his chest, Caleb surged forward.

Jedidiah narrowed his eyes at the wild charge. “Stupid rat,” he muttered, raising a hand.

Before Caleb could reach him, Jedidiah’s foot lashed out, slamming into his torso and sending him flying a third time. This time, Caleb was already coughing up blood midair.

But even that wasn’t enough to extinguish the fire in his chest.

Jedidiah’s sneers, the humiliation of being labeled low–born, that superior tone of disgust–it all stabbed into Caleb like a thousand barbed knives.

By now, pain meant nothing. The moment his body hit the ground, Caleb sprang up again like a man possessed and lunged once more.

Maybe it was the rage. Maybe it was something deeper. But this time, before Jedidiah could move, Caleb managed to throw his arms around the man’s legs–and bit down.

Jedidiah let out a sharp scream. The pain seared through his leg like fire.

His gaze snapped downward–to see Caleb’s bloodied mouth sunk into his calf, biting with everything he had.

A savage sense of humiliation surged through Jedidiah’s chest.

Him? A ranked military prodigy from Sunset Empire–reduced to this? Bitten by some flea–bitten, mud–dwelling Vyrdenian?

He’d never suffered such disgrace. Never.

With a growl, he lost all composure and began to strike.