"We can only hope that the Princess Consort of Theswe will not implicate us Grants," Arthur said, swallowing dryly. He had lost his previous arrogance. It was now replaced with fear and anxiety. The Princess Consort of Theswe's appearance had changed the situation unexpectedly. "Hmph! You bunch of impudent scum! You would have lost your heads if the Prince of Theswe was here!" The beautiful woman sneered.Then, under the watchful eyes of many, she walked up to Dustin. Her previously proud and cold demeanor disappeared. It was now replaced with a rare smile. "Logan, long time no see. How have you been all these years?""Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I've been living quite well." Dustin nodded slightly without arrogance.While he didn't exactly hate the woman before him, he didn't have positive feelings about her either. "Ten years had gone by so quickly. You've grown so much, I almost didn't recognize you."She smiled, then waved to someone behind her. "Austin,
Austin's hands were on his hips. With one foot stepping down on Landon's chest, he launched into a violent tirade. Every word he uttered was an earth-shattering revelation that shocked the crowd. For a moment, the entire scene was covered in silence. Everyone was dumbfounded and in disbelief.They could never have imagined that Dustin had hidden such a huge secret. He was Austin's eldest brother, the unparalleled Kirin, and the Crown Prince of West Lucozia. The three revelations weighed upon them like three massive mountains."I—I know who he is now. He was that monstrous genius who stirred Oakvale into a storm ten years ago. Logan Rhys!""What? Logan Rhys? Isn't he supposed to be dead? How can he still be alive?""Logan Rhys … It's Logan Rhys! Oh my goodness! How did we manage to offend such an influential figure?" After a brief silence, the entire scene erupted into chaos. Everyone had their attention on Dustin. Their faces displayed astonishment, fear, doubt, and mostl
Arthur was overcome with panic as he broke out in a sweat. Dustin was the Rhys family's Kirin and the future Prince of Theswe. The Grants had provoked someone they never should have."It's over … we're done for!" Trent fell to the ground with a thud; the color drained from his face. The elders of the Harmon family were also filled with despair, deeply regretting their actions. Nobody expected Dustin to have hidden such a terrifying background. It sent shivers down their spines. The Grant family was powerful and influential enough to have support from the Minister of War and other high-ranking officials. They were undeniably a force to be reckoned with in Balerno. But all of that was nothing compared to a colossal figure like the Prince of Theswe. They were but insignificant pawns that would never be able to put up any resistance. They stood on entirely different planes of status. As the Crown Prince, Dustin could destroy the entire Grant family if he wanted to. And the Har
Arthur was slapped so hard across the face that he almost stumbled. A handprint was visible on his cheek. But he didn't dare voice his frustration. Instead, he turned around instantly and roared at Trent and his group, "All of this is happening because of all of you! "What are you doing just standing there? Let them go!" Arthur quickly distanced himself from them to avoid being implicated. "What?" Trent and his group exchanged glances, unsure of what to do. Although they knew they kidnapped Natasha, they didn't know where she was being held. Feeling helpless, they could only look to Kate for help. "In … In the secret room. They're being held in the secret room." Kate shrunk back. In the end, she confessed with her head down. "Hurry! Save them!" Landon cried as he led a group of high-ranking officials straight to the Grant family's secret room.It was the best chance for them to make amends. Naturally, they had to perform well. "All of you better pray that Natasha is s
It was the Harmons themselves, Natasha's own family, who kidnapped her and led to Hector's death.Dustin could no longer tolerate their selfish behavior. "Dustin, we were wrong. We won't do it again. Please spare us!"We promise never to go against Natasha ever again!" Kate quickly begged for mercy when she noticed their dire situation. "What's the point of saying all these now?" Dustin replied coldly. "You've repeatedly resorted to dirty tricks and fought for power. While it was already getting out of hand, at least you hadn't crossed certain lines. "But this time, your actions have shown a complete lack of humanity! You've lost all conscience and are worse than animals. What makes you think you deserve forgiveness?""Regardless, we are still Natasha's relatives. We share the same blood. If something were to happen to us, she would surely be heartbroken. "You love her so much; you wouldn't want to see her in tears, would you?" Kate began playing the emotional card. "Re
"Hey! Stop spouting nonsense! I didn't do anything! It has nothing to do with me!" In the face of the crowd's accusations, Kate was exasperated. "I'm warning you! If you accuse me again, I'll beat all of you up!"Naturally, as the matter involved her life, she would never admit her involvement. She couldn't let herself die in vain. "Kate Harmon! Stop messing around! If you don't confess, none of us will survive!""That's right! It is your crime! Why must you push the blame onto us?"The Harmon family members grew agitated. They never expected Kate to be so shameless and unapologetic in her lies. Everyone knew that the situation was already beyond redemption. There was no saving for the mastermind behind it all. If Kate confessed to her crimes, she would at least be able to save the Harmons. However, she wasn't only unwilling to admit it; she was trying to implicate the entire family. What a malicious woman! "Kate! The evidence is as clear as day. It's not something you
Despite her shameless and disgraceful behavior, she was only concerned about her life now. She was betting on whether her father would be willing to sacrifice himself for her. "Kate Harmon! Are you even human? How could you accuse your father to clear yourself of guilt? You're worse than an animal!""That's right! Your father worked hard to raise you, yet you're framing him? It's one thing to be ungrateful, but this is too much!" "What an unfilial child! You're a monster!"The Harmons rebuked her angrily. Kate's unfilial behavior angered them. She caused this mess, yet she wanted her father to bear the blame. She had no conscience at all."Shut up! All of you shut up!" Kate was furious and yelled repeatedly. She then turned her attention back to Trent and appeared pitiful once again. "Dad, you watched me grow up. You've always been so fond of me. You certainly can't bear to see me die, right?"You're already old and have a few years left to live. But I'm still young. I h
The moment the sharp blade cut through his neck, massive amounts of blood gushed out. The next second, Trent's body fell to the ground with a loud thud. There seemed to be a serene smile on his face as if he was finally free. "Dad?" Kate was bewildered as she stood frozen in place. For a moment, she was unable to react. Trent's blood just so happened to splatter onto her face. And her already maniacal expression became even more deranged, like a demon's. "Mr. Hector!" "Trent!"The Harmons screamed, filled with a mix of grief and anger. They were Trent's close confidants and shared his glory and downfall with him. With Trent's death, they knew the Harmons would never be able to recover from this. "He's dead … The criminal is dead!" After a momentary daze, Kate was relieved. She began to scream frantically, "Dustin! Did you see that? My dad is dead! "The mastermind had paid for the crime with his life! Please, put this matter to rest now." While she was slightly sad
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