"Why are you so stubborn?" Jayden sighed tiredly, acting helpless. At that moment, Elena suggested. "Since no one can reach a middle ground, how about having a rematch?"Let's up the stakes, and the winner gets to decide. How does that sound?""I'm fine with that. Let's see if Sheila dares to have a rematch." Roxanne accepted the idea and looked at Sheila provocatively. Jayden acted concerned for Shelia. "Sheila just hurt herself. How can she ride a horse now? Aren't you making things difficult for her?""If Sheila can't do it, someone else can replace her. She has so many friends here; any one of them can help her." Roxanne lifted her head arrogantly and looked at Shelia's friends. "Hey! Which one of you has the guts to challenge me? One billion dollars for a race."You'll pay if you lose, and the winner gets to take Gale."Evan, Vivian, and the others looked at each other nervously. The stakes were high. After all, it was one billion dollars for a race. They knew their
"Am I seeing things? Dustin actually chose a pony?""He's not thinking of racing against a Thoroughbred like Midnight Shadow with this short-legged pony, right?""Oh my God! What is this guy even thinking? Is he out of his mind?"Everyone watched in shock as Dustin brought out the pony. As the name implied, a pony was a small and docile horse. They were specifically for the children or the elderly to ride. They had short and stumpy limbs and were shorter than three feet. They were primarily used for recreational activities. Meanwhile, Midnight Shadow stood at a towering 5 feet. It had long, muscular limbs, a well-proportioned physique, and ran like the wind. It outclassed the pony in every aspect. With the two horses standing together, it was like comparing a fully grown adult to a three-year-old child. There was no point in comparing them since it was clear who was the winner just looking at their size alone. "Hey, you! Are you here to make a fool of yourself? Are you
Dahlia, the ice princess, had barely said anything from the start. Her sudden statement captured everyone's attention. She had always projected an unapproachable persona, discouraging anyone from getting close. That was why her unexpected show of support for Dustin was a surprise. "Dahlia, why are you helping him?" Elena was shocked. Her actions now were clearly out of character for her usual cold personality."I'm just curious. I want to see why he's so confident of winning this race," Dahlia said indifferently. Although that was what she said, an odd sensation prickled her mind. It was like she had acted impulsively to defend this stranger. It was truly unusual."Since Ms. Nicholson is so interested, let's indulge him this once," Jayden said politely. "Out of respect for Ms. Nicholson, I'll give you a chance to lose gracefully. Now, get on your horse!"Roxanne mounted Midnight Shadow and looked down at Dustin in contempt. With ten million in the bag, she had no reaso
"Come on, come on! Keep up!"Pick up the pace! Come on, faster!"As Roxanne rode Midnight Shadow, she paused frequently, looking back to taunt Dustin. She didn't take Dustin seriously at all and began fooling around. When she got bored, she even circled the pony. This frightened the pony, causing it to run even slower."Is this even a race? It's like she's taking her dog out for a walk!" "Exactly! He's so calm even when Roxanne is toying with him. It's embarrassing!" Roxanne's friends openly mocked the situation."He openly challenged Roxanne without a good horse and riding skills? What an ignorant fool!" Vivian said scornfully."What a clown. If this useless trash wins, I'll eat a load of shit!" Evan scoffed."He's a grown man being humiliated by a woman. If I were him, I'd find myself a hole to hide in. It's so embarrassing!" Elena mocked. Ever since Dustin slapped her, she had been holding a grudge. Roxanne's actions now felt like a satisfying form of revenge on her beha
It was truly unusual. "How is this even possible? The pony outran a Thoroughbred?""What the hell just happened? How could he have won?""What the hell was Roxanne doing? Why didn't she just gallop straight to the finish line? Why did she waste time?"After Dustin won, the entire scene was thrown into chaos. Everyone gaped in disbelief, finding it hard to accept. In the beginning, they were certain that Roxanne would win. The horse race proceeded exactly as expected, with Midnight Shadow dominating the entire course. However, no one could have predicted that at the last moment, Midnight Shadow would suddenly falter and refuse to run.What just happened? Was it a protest? A tantrum? "We won! We won! Dustin won!" After collecting herself, Sheila beamed as she cheered and leaped for joy. She couldn't believe that Dustin had won even after choosing a pony. It was truly astonishing!"This guy was lucky. He won just like that." Vivian was irritated. "What the fuck? How? H
"Oh my God!" The crowd was shocked as they watched Roxanne fly in the air. Nobody expected Midnight Shadow to kick her. They could hear bones cracking even from afar. "Roxanne!" Jayden screamed and rushed up to her anxiously. He turned her over and was shocked at what he saw. Her face had been disfigured till it was hard to recognize her. It was a frightening sight. Although he had basic medical knowledge, it was limited to treating minor injuries like setting dislocated bones. There was nothing he could do about her injury."Quick! Someone call a doctor!" When he realized the severity of the situation, Jayden started yelling. His words snapped everyone into action. Soon, a severely injured Roxanne was carried away. Jayden's group departed with her in a hurry. Before Jayden left, he glared at Dustin, full of hatred. "That was terrifying. She flew a few feet away. Can the doctors even save her appearance?""She can only blame herself. She lost, so why did she have to b
"Thank you, Ms. Nicholson, but that won't be necessary." Dustin shook his head without taking the name card. "What?" Dahlia raised her eyebrow, surprised. "Are you sure you don't want to think about it?"There were only a few people who would reject her offer. Dustin not only rejected it altogether, he didn't even hesitate."No, thank you. Being an insurance agent is pretty good. I won't adapt to a corporate lifestyle." Dustin declined again. "Hey! Do you know how many people are dying to get into Ms. Nicholson's company? She's giving you a chance, don't be ungrateful!" Elena said arrogantly.As Sir Mosey's goddaughter, even the aristocrats in Oakvale had to show Dahlia respect. How dare an insurance agent decline her offer? He was disrespectful!"Why don't you take the offer instead? I don't need it." Dustin glanced at her coldly."You—!" Elena was about to retort when Dahlia raised her hand to stop her."Forget about it. Since he refused, I won't force him. I'll be off
"Uncle Edgar, these are my friends! What are you doing?" Sheila was shocked and stood before her friends with her arms wide open."Hmph! They're nothing but a bunch of troublemakers! "Just one look and you could tell that they're bad influences! Now, step aside!" Edgar roared."No! They're innocent! You can't hurt them!" Sheila reasoned."Mr. Murray, we didn't do anything. This is a misunderstanding!" Vivian hastily explained."That's right! It was an accident that Roxanne got hurt. It has nothing to do with us!" The group was panicking.Edgar was a very decisive man and held authority within the family. It would only lead to trouble if they were to be apprehended by him. Even if they escaped death, they would probably still be tortured."Still trying to argue your way out? If it wasn't for your schemes, how would Midnight Shadow have suddenly gone berserk? "Do you think I'm stupid?" Edgar bellowed.Based on the information he received earlier, he found two aspects of the
"Honestly, we shouldn't waste time debating who's better suited to be king. We just need to figure out who's most likely to take the throne," Jensen said matter-of-factly.As a businessman, he only cared about maximizing profit. To him, it didn't matter who sat on the throne but who had the best odds. He felt that backing that person would be the wisest choice."Who's most likely depends on who has the strongest backing," Jonathan said thoughtfully."Oh, right! I forgot to ask—who are the Moseys supporting?" Jovian asked, smacking his forehead. They'd been discussing this for so long but still hadn't figured out where the Moseys stood."My guess is Prince Nathaniel." Jensen narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the situation. "He's close to Anders. With his immense potential and the king's favor, the Moseys might see him as their best bet.""Anders' personal ties can't speak for the entire Mosey family," Jovian countered, shaking his head. "Family interests outweigh personal relationsh
Even without the king's involvement, the ambitious individuals would tear the Ballard family apart and leave nothing behind.If Simon chose the right side and it prevailed, his family could enjoy a century of stability and prosperity. But if he backed the wrong prince, everything could fall apart in a single night.At that moment, he didn't know what to choose. This was a critical decision—one mistake and the entire family could be ruined."Regarding this matter, I need to think it over carefully. I can't give you an answer just yet," Simon said. He knew the stakes were too high. A single misstep could lead to disaster, so he had to be cautious."I understand," Anders replied with a faint smile. "This isn't an easy decision. Still, I hope Your Lordship can decide soon.""Your Lordship, the forces seeking a marriage alliance with the Mosey family aren't limited to your family alone," Zack added coolly. "Don't think you can afford to wait for the highest bidder. Time is running out,
"In response to Your Lordship's question, this marriage alliance between our two families isn't my decision alone—it's also my godfather's and the entire Mosey family's," Anders said with a smile."According to the established rules, marriages between royal bloodlines are forbidden. Have you forgotten?" Simon replied coolly. "Sticking to outdated rules only holds us back," Anders said, shaking his head with a smile.He continued, "Right now, Dragonmarsh is going through a turbulent time—internally and externally. I've also heard the king's health is deteriorating. There are rumors he plans to name a successor and step down soon."With that, Oakvale will likely be in turmoil. When that happens, all the powerful families—the four ancient houses, the eight great families, and other factions—will be dragged into the chaos."That's why I'm hoping our families can form a marriage alliance to navigate the coming crisis together."Simon remained calm and said, "It's natural for the king
"Dad, what do you think?" Jonathan asked, turning to Simon."A guest has arrived, so we can't be rude. Invite them to the living room so we can discuss things properly," Simon replied calmly.Anders represented the Mosey family, and regardless of his intentions, Simon couldn't simply turn him away. As for the proposed marriage alliance, it was a matter that required thorough consideration."Understood," the butler replied promptly before leaving."Go on with your meal. I'm going to meet with Anders," Simon said, excusing himself from the table.Jonathan, Jensen, and Jovian exchanged glances and, without hesitation, followed their father. They were curious to see what the Mosey family had in mind."Alright, let them handle it. Let's focus on our meal," Gemma Letcher, Natasha's grandmother, said with a smile and signaled everyone to continue eating.…Three minutes later, in the Ballard family's living room, Simon sat at the head of the table near the entrance. Jonathan and his b
After leaving Dash Corporation, Dustin and Natasha headed to the mall, where they picked out gifts for every member of the Ballard family. From the eldest to the youngest toddlers, no one was left out. Later, they stopped by an antique shop and chose a beautiful calligraphy painting as a special gift for Simon.By evening, Dustin had everything ready for his first visit to the Ballard estate, located in the heart of Oakvale's city center. The estate was a sprawling courtyard mansion built on a large plot of land.Simon, the Duke of Lachshire, had three sons and a daughter. His eldest son, Jonathan Ballard, was a third-ranked official in the government. The second son, Jensen Ballard, was a successful entrepreneur in the pharmaceutical industry in Oakvale, with billions in assets. Meanwhile, the youngest son, Jovian Ballard, had made a name for himself in the military and was now a third-ranked general.Simon's youngest daughter, Jessica—Natasha's mother—was highly favored with
While Dustin was away, Natasha couldn't help but worry about him. She would always keep an eye out for any news about him. But no matter how much she missed him, she wouldn't call him. She didn't want to distract or cause him to lose focus on the important matters concerning the nation's affairs. Understanding how busy he was, she kept her feelings in check and buried herself in work to keep her mind occupied.But when Natasha finally saw Dustin again, all the emotions she had bottled up came rushing out. Months of longing turned into overwhelming affection, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.Her assistant, Tanya, watched in shock. She had no idea Natasha—typically the poised, decisive, and commanding chairwoman—was in a relationship. What surprised her even more was how different Natasha seemed around Dustin. The usually unshakable "queen" now appeared soft and tender in his presence.Tanya couldn't help but watch Dustin more closely. His looks and charisma were u
Dustin had boarded the plane back to Oakvale. His trip to Sacred Wrym Summit had been full of ups and downs. From the Combat Tournament to the invasion of the Hall of Gods, his journey had been perilous. Thankfully, the outcome was favorable. He had won the championship at the tournament, acquired three Dracan essences, and ultimately foiled the Hall of Gods' plan. In every way, the mission had been nearly flawless.After bidding farewell to his newfound allies, Dustin joined Grace on the return flight. Four of the five Dracan essences had already been gathered, leaving only one remaining. According to Grace, the last essence had been located, and the person holding it was in Oakvale. Though their identity was still unknown, she suspected it was most likely one of the three princes.With the position of heir to the throne still uncertain, the three princes were all eager to secure their power. Whoever obtained the Dracan essence would be blessed with fortune and have a higher c
The chaos of the night quickly settled.By morning, as the first light of dawn broke across the horizon, Sacred Wrym Summit had regained its usual tranquility. Yet, the bloodstains across the ground and the wreckage of buildings stood as grim reminders of the previous night's violence.The military forces summoned by Grace had already taken the Hall of Gods' prisoners into custody.Rumors spread like wildfire, fueling gossip throughout the martial world as all the major guilds watched with keen interest. After all, very few in history had ever dared to challenge Sacred Wrym Summit, and a bold invasion aimed at destroying it was nothing short of unprecedented.The outcome was clear to all who bore witness. After many years, the world had come to recognize the true terror of Arion. He was no mere mortal—he was almost a godlike figure.…Inside the Hall of Gods' headquarters in Streuqua, the core members were gathered, seated in two rows on either side of the grand hall.On the thr
After dealing with the Hall of Gods' elite fighters, Arion disappeared in a blur. When he reappeared, he was hovering above the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit.The scene at the entrance to the forbidden ground was one of utter carnage. Bodies lay strewn across the ground, and rivers of blood flowed freely. All members of the Hall of Gods, including Hank, lay motionless on the ground.Dustin and Willard, both covered in blood and exuding killing intent, had fought fiercely. After a long, grueling fight, they succeeded in defending the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit. They had thwarted the Hall of Gods' plan to destroy the Dracan force.At that instant, Dustin seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up. Through the mist and darkness, he pinpointed Arion's figure hovering above. Arion smiled faintly and nodded at Dustin before disappearing again.Crossing several mountains in mere seconds, Arion arrived above the Sacred Wrym Summit's grand hall. Below, the discipl