That night, Dustin and Natasha sat by Haley's bedside in one of the wards of East Swinton Hospital. Their hearts ached for her as they watched her sleep.She had just gone through an operation. All her injuries had been treated and bandaged. Dustin had even performed acupuncture on her to ensure that her blood circulation was fine.Though she was no longer in danger, the shock of the accident was still traumatizing for a five-year-old child."Don't worry, Haley will be fine." Dustin held Natasha's hand to comfort her."Those beasts! They didn't even spare the child!" Natasha hissed through clenched teeth, furious."I will get to the bottom of this. I will not let whoever is behind this off!" Dustin was dead serious.Whatever he did should not implicate those around him. They had crossed a line now that both Natasha and Haley were harmed.He would not go easy on wicked people."Natasha!" Hector and Ruth rushed in. They were distraught when they saw the bandage around Natasha's
"Regarding this matter, I've already explained it to your father and Trent. The treasure map was stolen several years ago, and its whereabouts remain unknown," Hector said."Uncle Hector, it sounds suspicious if you put it that way."Dylan grabbed a banana and casually peeled it. "The treasure map is a precious item. You've deemed it more valuable than your own life. "How would you let someone steal it? Are you sure you didn't secretly hide it for yourself?""Are you doubting me? Where's your evidence?" Hector furrowed his brows."Uncle Hector, the day has eyes, and the night has ears. We all know the truth."Dylan took a bite of the banana and grinned. "As your nephew, I advise you to consider handing it over soon. Otherwise, no one can guarantee that today's events won't repeat themselves."Everybody's faces fell when they heard that. Especially Natasha, as her anger flared up. She rushed forward and grabbed Dylan's collar. "What did you just say? Are you saying you had a h
Dustin and the others rushed to the operating room after receiving the news.Still unconscious, Cecilia was being wheeled out. Beside her was something covered with a white sheet.Dustin's hands trembled as he lifted the white sheet. It was the baby's lifeless body.His eyes turned bloodshot, and he gritted his teeth. A wave of anger surged within him.He had promised Nelson that he would protect Cecilia and their baby.Now, not only were the mother and daughter severely injured and hospitalized, but Cecilia had also tragically lost her child.It was an earth-shattering tragedy for him. Amidst the guilt and self-blame, he was overwhelmed with anger.He was livid!"How did this happen? We were fine when we left. How did ..." Natasha's face turned pale as she struggled to comprehend the situation.Cecilia was nine months pregnant and about to give birth.They couldn't imagine the pain of losing a life that was growing in her."I'm sorry, we did our best." A doctor explained,
A red carpet was stretched from the house's entrance to the reception hall.Today marked the official announcement of Trent's position as the patriarch of the Harmon family. It was previously acknowledged within the family but was now being publicly declared. The Harmon family extended invitations to many guests and organized a banquet.Anyone who had good relations with the Harmon family or wished to gain favor with them made their way to congratulate them. The change in leadership meant that other influential families or figures would need to realign themselves with the Harmon family.…Meanwhile, Trent and the core members of the Harmon family gathered inside the conference room.Compared to before, the number of people present had significantly decreased.After the recent change, nearly half of the core members had been marginalized. Most people in the room were Trent's trusted inner circle and allies."Trent, after today, you'll be widely recognized as the patriarch of
"What the heck! What is this?"When the severed head rolled out, everyone was shocked. They instinctively backed away. Their shock only increased after they comprehended the situation.Today was supposed to be a joyous day for Trent, but someone dared to send such a gruesome gift. Were they trying to offend Trent?No!It was a provocation!"Who is it? How dare someone send me a severed head?" Trent seethed with anger.His mood was ruined instantly."You worthless piece of trash! How could you be so careless?" Furious, Jacob slapped the butler hard.As a butler of the Harmon family, he had been negligent and delivered the gift without inspecting it. What if it was a bomb?"I—I thought it was just an ordinary guest. I never expected this." The butler knelt on the ground and trembled.The person was smiling when he passed the butler the gift. So the butler thought it was a guest trying to get on the family head's good side. Who would have thought there was a severed head ins
Dustin just replied with a single word."Thanks." The girl in the blue dress smiled and motioned for her friends to sit. She thought, "This seems to be the only place with many empty seats. He looks friendly, so sitting with him shouldn't be an issue." "Hey, I'm Livia, and these are my friends, Leah and Quinton. What's yours?""We just met, so there's no need for names," Dustin replied bluntly. He was on a mission, not here to socialize.His rudeness caught Livia off guard.But Leah couldn't hold back and confronted him. "Hey, watch your tone. We're just asking for your name! "What's the big deal about that? You're not even dressed like a rich man. What makes you think you can act so high and mighty?"Quinton chimed in, "Yeah, you're not exactly dressed to impress. It's an honor for you to meet us.""It's ok, let's all forget about it." Livia tried to defuse the situation.But Leah couldn't let it go and snapped. "You can't give in to a loser like him, Liv. It's clear he d
Dustin's remark caught Livia, Leah, and Quinton off guard, leaving them puzzled."Hey, what are you babbling about? Who's going to die?" Leah raised an eyebrow and wondered if he had lost his mind."Are you jealous of Dylan, dude? You're saying nonsense now because you know he's better than you," Quinton remarked."Hmph, you know you're worthless, yet you badmouth someone you're jealous of. You're just a petty bastard!" Leah could not stand petty people like Dustin."Hey, if you've got something to say, say it to Dylan's face. What's the point of talking behind someone's back?" Quinton taunted."Yeah, be upfront and confront Dylan like a real man, not a coward," Leah added.While Livia remained silent, she shook her head in frustration. She found Dustin's behavior irritating.Ignoring their remarks, Dustin picked up a wine bottle and weighed it in his hand. Then, he shouted, "Dylan Harmon!"Dylan turned to locate the source of the voice. Suddenly, a wine bottle crashed onto his
"Unbelievable!""This is outrageous!""You have the nerve to mess with the Harmon family. You must have a death wish!"The startled guests shouted and protested.The commotion drew the guards' attention, who surrounded the area.Dylan sneered at Dustin. "You've got some nerve attacking me. If your bodyguard was here, you might have a chance. But going up against me alone is just asking for death!"Despite his previous loss to Cornelius, Dylan remained confident in defeating Dustin. Among his peers, he believed only Tyler could pose a challenge."Kid, today marks my ascent as the Patriarch. I don't want bloodshed, so surrender now," Trent shouted at Dustin. He knew Dustin's skills and gangs, but it was nothing compared to the Harmon family's forces. Besides, he had the support of the Grants."Dylan's life ends today, and anyone who intervenes will die too!" Dustin proclaimed."How dare you!" Trent barked at his guards, "Grab him!""Wait!" Dylan stepped forward. "Uncle Tr
Under the watchful eyes of the audience, Dustin and Glenn stepped onto the battle ring. They stood about 30 feet apart, and their eyes locked across the distance. Their gazes met like sparks, and they could feel the weight of the other's stare."Are you Logan?" Glenn asked, breaking the silence.He had heard the rumors about this dark horse before stepping into the ring, but now that he was facing him, he wasn't sure."Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is who wins this fight." Dustin didn't confirm or deny it, but his words left Glenn with no doubt.Both men were at the top of the Legendary List and held equal rank on the Champ-Tier List. Until they fought, no one could say who was the stronger of the two."I heard you're Seth's disciple, so I'm really looking forward to this." Glenn's gaze sharpened.Many years ago, his mentor, Cyrus, was defeated by Seth. That loss had always haunted Cyrus ever since. Now, with the disciples of both men about to face off, Glenn was determin
"Since Madam Penelope has spoken, I’ll follow her lead," Alloy said with a smile. "What about Mr. Hadley and Sage Foyer?""I'm in if you want to make a bet," Cyrus replied coolly."It's not every day we get an opportunity like this. Let me stir things up a bit." Kaden nodded with a grin.Once the three had agreed, Penelope waved for Abigail to come over.Soon, Abigail approached them with a wide grin. "Esteemed guests, I hear you want to bet. The current odds are—bet on Dustin to win, and you'll get 1.6 times your stake. Bet on Glenn, and it's only 0.4."She continued, "And no worries—if you win, I'll exchange your winnings for celestial stones." Abigail smiled brightly, and the other parties' eyes gleamed with the unmistakable shine of greed.Many had already placed their bets with her. Though she couldn't control the match's outcome, she knew how to adjust the odds to her advantage. Over time, that could turn into a huge fortune."I'm betting on Glenn to win." Cyrus quickly
"We're ready for the ultimate showdown of this tournament. The winner will be crowned the Combat Tournament Champion. Now, let's welcome both contestants to the ring." Oron's voice thundered as he stepped onto the battle ring.There was thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.The long-awaited showdown was finally at hand. Today's outcome wasn't just about personal glory, but it would also decide the future of the martial world.If Glenn triumphed and claimed the crown, the Sword Union would rise as the undisputed guild. The Celestial Alliance and the Mystic Arts Order would have no choice but to bow to their supremacy.But if Dustin won, it would be even more sensational. A dark horse, without any guild affiliation, defeating the elite disciples of the major guild—such a story would send shockwaves through the martial world.Once that happened, every major guild would fight tooth and nail to claim him. It would spark a fierce battle for dominance."Dr. Rhys! Good luck!"
"H-Hold on! I-I surrender!" Abigail said urgently. With the sword inches away from her throat, she decisively raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.She didn't expect herself to win the match. Her goal was simply to take this opportunity to test Dustin's strength and also gauge her own progress. But now, it was clear that there was still a sizable gap between them."You've done well. In a few more years, I might not even be able to keep up with you." Dustin smiled and lowered his Celestial Blade. His words weren't flattery; he genuinely saw potential in Abigail.The dark Phoenix flames carried a corrosive power that even his mystical pure energy couldn't resist. In other words, Abigail's black flames were the bane of any martial artist.Her journey in the martial world was still short—barely two years. She hadn't unlocked the full potential of her Phoenix bloodline yet. But with more training and experience, the sky was the limit for her."Don't try to console me, Sir. I'm n
With a resounding bang, the golden light erupted with a burst of terrifying energy wave. In an instant, the earth trembled, and fierce winds whipped through the air.Dustin and his sword were sent flying several yards. After landing, he stumbled back several steps before finally steadying himself.He looked up and saw that Abigail's body was now covered in a layer of golden armor, though he couldn't tell when it had happened. The armor glowed brightly, and it made her look imposing and striking.It was clearly a divine artifact.The Mystic Arts Order had been around for centuries, with deep roots and countless treasures. As the Grand Sorceress, Abigail would obviously have several divine artifacts for protection.Dustin wasn't surprised, but the armor's counterforce caught him off guard. Not only did it protect her, but it also had offensive capabilities.When his sword struck the armor earlier, the blow didn't leave a scratch. Instead, the armor absorbed the hit and sent the for
Dustin raised his hand as the black feathers rained down on him. A white energy shield flared into existence to form a wall before him.The feathers slammed into the shield and sent ripples across its surface but failed to break through. However, the black flames on the feathers spread across the shield and burned through its energy at a visible pace. In the blink of an eye, the once impenetrable barrier cracked open and left a gaping hole.Dustin couldn't hide his surprise. His mystical pure energy was far stronger than the average grandmaster's internal energy in offense and defense. It was meant to be impenetrable. He hadn't anticipated it couldn't hold up against Abigail's phoenix flame.Seeing the raw strength of her bloodline, he knew he couldn't afford to take any chances. As the black flames spread, he swiftly waved his hand to summon a furious gust of wind that sent the feathers and flames flying."Glaring Wings!" Abigail wasn't done yet. She quickly formed hand seals and
Abigail moved with lightning speed, and her figure weaved in and out like a shadow. Her swift movements left a blur of afterimages that was hard for anyone watching to keep up.On the contrary, Dustin stood still without making any movement."Fallen Fist!"After closing in, she unleashed a flurry of strikes—dozens of black palm shadows slamming toward his body, and each one was like a bullet aimed at its target.Abigail practiced a unique martial art, and it was imbued with voodoo-like properties that could kill anyone who made contact with her. But Dustin's body was immune to all poisons, so it was a perfect counter to her deadly attack.As the shadow palms closed in, he remained unshaken and thrust his palm forward.A fierce gust of wind surged and ripped through the air with unrelenting force. It collided with the black palm shadows.Abigail's black palm shadows exploded on impact and disintegrated into thick clouds of dark mist that quickly spread. Within moments, the mist e
The whole arena suddenly fell dead silent. Everyone stared blankly, and not a soul dared to breathe. Alloy shot to his feet in the main spectator seats, and his face was tense with worry. Yet, he didn't dare make a sound. He feared it might startle Glenn into making a mistake that could cost Fenley's life.After all, Fenley represented the future of the Celestial Alliance. Alloy had invested all his effort into Fenley, and he provided him with endless resources. If Fenley were to die in the match, it would deal a devastating blow to the entire guild.While Alloy was gripped with worry, Cyrus and Penelope cheered silently. They secretly hoped Glenn's sword would strike Fenley. If that happened, the Celestial Alliance would take at least a decade to regain its former glory.Fenley's body stiffened as he stared at the Fang Master hovering inches from him. A shiver ran through his spine as goosebumps prickled his skin. Sweat trickled down his face, and each drop hit the ground with a
"Glenn had only seven swords in the past. I didn't expect that in just one year, two more divine swords would recognize him as their master. This punk is much better than I was back then," Cyrus remarked. He stroked his chin with a look of surprise and approval. He had always believed in Glenn's potential, but Glenn's performance had still exceeded his expectations.After all, the more swords Glenn wielded, the stronger he became. He had already topped the Legendary List with just seven swords. Now, with nine, his strength had grown even more overwhelming."He truly is the Chosen One." Even Kaden couldn't help but sigh.The nine divine swords recognized their master and responded with ease. Glenn's talent and cultivation were leagues ahead of his peers.Every generation brought forth new talent, and the old had no choice but to step aside for the new generation. Compared to their time, today's youth were on another level—monsters in their own right."Now, this is going to be int