"You … you're shameless!" Florence was so angry her face was flushed as she gritted her teeth.She had meant to flaunt her riches. But the rascal embarrassed her in front of everyone! He was despicable!"I've stated my price. Now, you have two options. You either pay the sum I asked for or get lost!" Dustin wasn't in the mood to play nice."You're too much! You've gone overboard!" Florence was livid. Ever since her sudden rise in status, she had never experienced anything as embarrassing as this."What's going on?"A tall, lanky man who was all suited up strode over with his head held high. All the restaurant's security made way for him as soon as he arrived.The man was Lou Geek, the owner of A'roma."Lou! You're finally here!" Sue was elated when she saw him. She quickly hurried over to his side.Lou was not only her boyfriend but also her powerful backer. He had status, power, and connections. And most importantly, his connections reached both the authorities and the under
Lou's words were rude and harsh, and he showed no courtesy to Dustin.Dustin had intended to be reasonable and talk things out. But upon hearing that, his expression darkened. No wonder all the staff at A'roma were so arrogant. It was because they had such an arrogant boss!"Hey! Didn't you hear what he said? Get lost!" Sue barked."So this is how you run the place, by throwing customers out. Seems to me like you're not interested in business," Dustin said icily."It's not that we're not interested in business. We're just not interested in business from you!"Lou continued boldly, "I run the place, so what I say goes. I don't like the looks of you, so all of you better get the hell out of here within one minute, or I'll get things done my way."The crowd immediately made a big commotion when they heard that, urging Dustin to leave."Well, Rhys? The owner has made it clear that he wants you out of here. Why are you so shameless to stay?" Florence smirked as she folded her arms
Everyone who was involved in the underworld knew that the Kirin Gang was in control of the entire underworld of Millsburg. No other influences dared to go against them.So when they saw the disciples of Kirin Gang charging in, the guards were all intimidated."Whoa, I never knew that the rascal actually wielded some power." Victoria was taken aback."Hah! They're just some thugs who do not deserve our attention," Julie remarked disdainfully."Exactly! Insignificant and incapable thugs! Mr. Geek will be able to handle them easily enough." Florence acted all high and mighty.She would have been intimidated by the likes of them in the past. But now, they were nothing to her. After all, Sir Mosey's power was on an entirely different level."Sir Rhys, is something the matter?"Cornelius came running up to the second floor with their men in tow."A'roma is pushing their customers around, and I'm not happy with that. Shut the place down. This place will be closed indefinitely from now
"You want a fight?"Cornelius grinned when he saw the guards charging toward them. "Boys, you have three minutes. Go for it!""Alright!" The disciples of Kirin Gang were excited. They rubbed their fist on their palm as they went up to face them.Cornelius was the leader of Shadow Gang, and all the members were formidable figures who had escaped Azkaban. They were considered the elites even within the Kirin Gang.And now, after Dustin's vigorous training, their abilities have improved by leaps and bounds. Any one of them could easily take out a hundred opponents in one go.They would not lose out to any major guild in the martial world, much less these mediocre guards.As expected, it was immediately clear who was winning once the fight started.The disciples of Kirin Gang, who used to be from Shadow Gang, quickly crushed the guards in no time.In under three minutes, all 30 guards were sprawled on the ground. They were so badly hurt that they couldn't even move. "Trash! What
Why was Dustin so stubborn? Dahlia had spoken to him nicely and even offered to help him, but he did not appreciate it."Hmph! You've said all you can, but they insist on doing things their way. In that case, they deserve what they're about to get, Dahlia. Let them be."Florence crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at Dustin in distaste."Dahlia, you're too kind. These people are trying to steal the private room, and yet you're helping them? There's no need to be so kind to people like them." Julie shook her head."Exactly, Dahlia. Some people need to be taught a lesson to be put in their place!" Victoria exclaimed huffily."Forget it. I shall stay out of your business then." Dahlia's expression was cold as she backed off and went to take a seat in the corner.Somehow, she felt some inexplicable frustration when Dustin turned down her offer to help him. It just came on suddenly and took over her.What was going on with her? He was just a stranger that she'd met a handfu
"Pretty chick?" Lou was dumbfounded by what Vlad said.Dustin had the looks, but no matter how Lou looked at him, he could tell he was a man. So what did Vlad mean by calling him a pretty chick?Could Vlad possibly be differently inclined? Lou shuddered at the thought."Alright, alright! Who'd have guessed that I'd luck out today? There are two such pretty chicks here!"Vlad rubbed his chin with a lecherous look in his eyes. His gaze traveled between Natasha and Scarlet. One was exquisitely charming, while the other was cold and alluring.They both had looks to die for but with vastly different airs. As they sat quietly, they looked like pieces of art waiting for him to appreciate, caress, and enjoy.Compared to these two stunning beauties, the models and actresses he had been with were plain. They did not even hold a candle to these two.It was a rare enough occurrence to meet someone of their beauty, but to meet two of them at once! It was definitely a stroke of good luck for
"Hey, rascal, I'm giving you another chance. Get on your knees and beg. Also, give those two exquisite beauties behind you to me, or I'll make sure you die a terrible death!" Vlad threatened venomously.He was just a man who mooched off the women around him! How could he deserve the two bombshells? Only the powerful and prestigious like him deserved them!"And I'm also giving you your last chance. Get lost, or I'll break your legs!" Dustin warned."You've got a fucking death wish!" Vlad was all riled up and threw a punch straight at Dustin.As a son of the Grants, he could be incompetent in many aspects, but he had been forced into practicing martial arts at a young age. And for no other reason than to show off and impress girls."You overestimate yourself." Dustin scoffed. With a raise of his hand, he slapped Vlad and knocked him to the ground.For a moment, Vlad lost all sense of direction and could not even get back up."What?" Everyone was stunned by what they saw. None of t
With Ray leading them, the Grant guards began gaining the upper hand. The disciples of the Kirin Gang had no choice but to back up.Ray's abilities were exceptional. Even the divine-level martial artists of Shadow Gang were no match for him.He was like a tank, constantly pushing forward and utterly unstoppable."Yes! That's what I'm talking about! Get them, and get them good!" Vlad roared excitedly when he saw the disciples of Kirin Gang slowly getting defeated. It was fortunate for him that he had Ray with him today. He would have lost sorely otherwise."Who's that, Lou? He's amazing!" Sue could not help asking Lou in a whisper."He's Ray Reeds. He just got back from Oakvale. His powers are unbelievable. "I heard that he's an elite disciple of the Celestial Alliance!" Lou told her with a look of admiration on his face."Celestial Alliance? You mean the strongest guild in the whole of Oakvale?" Sue's eyes widened.There were three major powers in Dragonmarsh, namely the Cel
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