Antonio had clearly provoked Christopher, baiting him into attacking and testing his limits. Right now, Christopher couldn't even counterattack anymore. "Old friend, you've lost the game. Today is the day you die." Antonio grinned. "But before you die, I'm going to make you watch as I slaughter your family!"With that, he snapped his fingers. In the next moment, numerous assassins emerged from underground. These were the elite warriors of the Bourbon family, honed through rigorous training. They were not only talented but also masters in the art of assassination. As they appeared, they moved like ghosts. It was nearly impossible to defend against them. "Stop them!" Christopher roared.The Murray family's black-clad assassins immediately unsheathed their swords and began their counterattack. Soon, the two sides were plunged into an all-out battle. Despite their smaller numbers, the black-clad assassins were more skilled. They could handle multiple opponents effortlessly.
"What … What did you say?" Sheila was dumbfounded and in disbelief. "You kidnapped me? You guys … have been lying to me?""That's right. We did lie to you," Diego admitted to it plainly. "However, you can only blame yourself for being a fool. You can't tell right from wrong at all. All it took was a few words to convince you. You're the biggest idiot ever!""So … I misunderstood Dustin? I was the one who hurt him without knowing the truth?" Sheila was trembling as tears streamed down her face. A wave of regret washed over her. She never expected the truth to turn out that way. She thought her cousin wouldn't deceive her. She thought her friends would never lie to her. She thought Dustin had really been scheming against her. But Deigo's words had made her realize that everything she had known was a lie.Jayden had deceived her, her good friends had lied to her, and Dustin had been the only one helping and saving her. Yet, she wasn't only ungrateful; she even kicked him out
Diego had numerous elite assassins by his side. Even the Murrays' most formidable kill team struggled to make a move. Although Dustin was skilled, it was impossible for him to eliminate everyone in a matter of seconds. "Cut the crap! If you want to save your daughter, then help me right now!" Dustin urged. "I'll help!" Lily reacted first and hurried over to untie him from the Dragon Rope. Dustin was tightly bound, and brute force wasn't going to help. Lily could only unravel him loop by loop. "One …" Right then, Diego had counted down to the final number and was grinning widely. "Since you won't drop your weapons, don't blame me for being ruthless!"With that, he raised the knife in his hands, about to slash Sheila's arm. "Stop!"Enduring the pain, Caden roared and rushed forward. But he was swiftly restrained by the Kimbokuan assassins.At that critical moment, a silver needle shot out with a sharp whistle, precisely hitting Diego's sword. A sharp metallic clang ran
The hall fell silent as everyone witnessed Diego's head explode. Caden's shouting came to an abrupt halt, while Vivian, Evan, and the rest of their group were dumbstruck. Everything had happened so rapidly that they could not react for a moment. Even with Diego using a hostage as a shield and guarded by elite assassins, Dustin still achieved a one-hit kill. It was truly horrifying. As Diego's headless corpse fell with a dull thud, Dustin grabbed a confused Sheila by the shoulder. He pulled her out of the encirclement and tossed her back to the Murray camp. Finally, Sheila was safe. "Diego!" Antonio's expression contorted in fury as he looked at his grandson's dead body. He roared in a thunderous rage, "You bastard! How dare you kill my grandson? I'll tear you to pieces! Kill him! KILL HIM!"At his command, a horde of elite assassins rushed forward. They hurled their concealed arsenal of poisoned darts and throwing blades. It was a relentless assault. The tight-knit b
Upon saying that, Caden firmly gripped Sheila's wrist and pulled her away."No! I won't leave! Let go of me!" Sheila began to struggle frantically.She already owed Dustin once and wasn't going to owe him a second time. If she did that, she wouldn’t forgive herself for the rest of her life."Sheila! Your dad is right. Time is running out. Let's go!""That's right, Sheila! This is a matter of life and death; don't be stubborn!""So what if Dustin dies? As long as we survive, his sacrifice for the Murrays will be the greatest honor of his life!"At that moment, Evan, Vivian, and the rest of the group also persuaded Sheila. It would be the greatest advantage to have Dustin's life exchanged for their safety. "Go ahead and leave if you want. I'm staying!" Sheila refused to listen to their advice."You foolish girl!" Caden was furious and slapped her.He scolded, "You can't afford to be stubborn right now! You will follow my orders!"Take her away!" Sheila was stunned by the sla
The Celestial Blade turned into a bolt of dark lighting. After piercing through Antonio's chest, it returned to Dustin's hand.Blood flowed down slowly from the blade, gathering at the tip before dripping onto the ground. It created a blossom of bloodstains.Meanwhile, Antonio's body trembled and plummeted from midair, crashing heavily onto the ground. He landed on his knees, freezing in a motionless kneeling position. Silence engulfed the entire place. It was so intense that one could hear the faintest sound of a pin dropping. A collective shock seized them all. Their faces were etched with sheer astonishment.They never could have imagined that Kimboku's mighty Sword Sage, the highly skilled Antonio, would be pierced through the chest by Dustin's sword. The entire situation happened so suddenly and without any warning that no one had time to react. All they witnessed was a bolt of dark lightning, and the next thing they knew, Antonio was already seen on his knees. "Ugh …
Even the major official institutions would have to treat Dustin with utmost respect. Dustin was young, and he displayed formidable strength. It wasn't an exaggeration to say he could easily stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Christopher in the future. A young prodigy like him was someone to be admired and looked up to for a lifetime. The biggest issue was that Evan, Vivian, and their group had treated Dustin with disdain and contempt. They had even resorted to offensive language. If Dustin ever chose to retaliate, the consequences would be unimaginable.The thought sent shivers down their spines. They regretted having offended Dustin and how foolish they acted. They had underestimated him, causing them to miss out on a valuable talent. If they had established a good relationship with Dustin, they could have effortlessly risen to greater heights."Impressive, kid. You hid your true abilities so well that even I didn't notice," Christopher remarked. He exhaled a long sigh of r
Christopher had chosen his words intentionally. On one hand, he genuinely admired Dustin. He saw him as a young talent who excelled in both the martial and literary arts and had a promising future. Not only that, he also had an impeccable character and a pleasant personality. A young prodigy like him was a rare find in the whole of Dragonmarsh. If only Dustin could become his grandson-in-law, the Murray family would be in good hands. On the other hand, he had Sheila's well-being in mind. She was a kind-hearted and rather innocent girl who easily fell for deceit. She needed a strong protector by her side, and Dustin was the best choice. They were the perfect match. Sheila stood quietly behind the both of them. Her face was tinged with a blush, reflecting both shyness and anticipation. She waited for Dustin's response, hoping to hear the answer she desired."Thank you for thinking highly of me, General Murray. But an ordinary citizen like me is not worthy of Ms. Murray."
Glenn wasn't just skilled in swordsmanship, but his technique was also flawless. Every strike was unpredictable, relentless, and impossible to block. His attacks came in waves, and each one was stronger than the last.What made him even more terrifying were the six divine swords that obeyed his every command. They were like extensions of his will. The swords threw Dustin off balance, attacking from every direction and blocking any chance of escape. They moved in perfect sync with Glenn and left no room for counterattacks.Dustin had no choice but to dodge and parry. If not for his incredible agility and mastery of the sword, he wouldn't have lasted more than a few breaths.Even so, the pressure was overwhelming. It felt like he wasn't just facing Glenn but six or seven skilled opponents at once. Any slip in focus, or any opening, could be his last.The real challenge was that Dustin wasn't gaining any ground. While he had to stay focused on dodging and blocking, he also had to se
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