The Valkyrie Returns and Slays (Raven) novel Chapter 165

Chapter 165

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Raven’s voice rang out like thunder. “Corey, let me make one thing perfectly clear the decision of who gets into the Hundred Man Unit is mine. You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

The moment her words dropped, the entire courtyard fell into dead silence. Not a single breath was heard.

Corey’s expression darkened with pure disbelief. Since becoming a senior commander, no one had dared speak to him like that.

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Sure, he knew Raven had a solid background, but no matter how influential she might be, at the end of the day she was just Regalhold University’s acting president–a colonel at best.

Where the hell did she get the nerve?

Around them, the heads of the top families stood frozen, expressions blank. They knew Raven was a direct subordinate of the new general, and yes, they

knew she was telling the truth.

But Corey… Corey was still a Grand General. And once the Hundred–Man Unit was fully established, she and Corey would inevitably have to work

together.

Yet here she was, burning that bridge to ashes before it even finished building.

Was she seriously not afraid that Corey might turn around and whisper a few well–placed words in Lorne’s or the new general’s ear–just enough to have her authority revoked?

Several family heads paled at the thought. If someone else ended up assembling the Hundred–Man Unit, what would happen to their carefully curated nominee lists? The ones with the handsome, charming, strategically chosen candidates they’d spent months preparing?

Some families had only submitted two or even one irreplaceable nominee.

And those were the ones they were counting on–the pretty faces with just enough skill to pass, the kind Raven might favor.

But if Raven lost her authority, all that investment would vanish.

Panic sparked in their eyes as several of them prepared to step in, to speak on Raven’s behalf, to remind Corey–tactfully–who she really was.

But before they could open their mouths, Corey had already responded, his anger fully ignited.

“Well, aren’t you bold for someone so young,” he said coldly. “Alright then–let me put it this way. If you ever make it into the Hundred–Man Unit, I’ll take it as proof that my decades in the military were a waste of time. I’ll resign from my position as Grand General and walk away from the Vyrdenia Military altogether.”

The family heads froze mid–step, stunned into silence.

What did he just say?

If Raven so much as entered the Hundred–Man Unit… Corey would resign? Voluntarily step down?

Was he out of his mind?

What Corey clearly didn’t know was Raven wasn’t going to join the Hundred–Man Unit. She was the one creating it.

Their expressions twisted in disbelief as their internal screaming reached a fever pitch. What the hell was Corey thinking?!

As the family heads scrambled for a diplomatic way to clean up this mess without offending Raven, she calmly turned her gaze to Corey and said, “Your brain’s clearly all muscle and no logic. But since I can tell you’re at least doing this out of loyalty to the military–and since you haven’t actually done anything malicious to me—I’ll be generous.”

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11:02 Tue, 22 Apr B

Chapter 165

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She paused, then added with icy composure, “You don’t have to quit the military. Just make sure you stay out of my sight from now on. If you see me,