"Oh?" Pablo followed Cody's gesture and focused his attention on Dustin. He observed Dustin closely, and his eyes glinted with interest. "You're a very impressive young man."Don't just stand there; take a seat. I want to talk to you about something." He sat on a nearby couch and took a sip of red wine from a waiter, looking confident."Dustin, this is the renowned Mr. Hans. I've brought you here to make sure you make a good impression. Don't miss out on this opportunity," Cody said with a half-smile."So, you brought me here for him?" Dustin asked casually."Mr. Rhys, Cody called you here because I want to make a deal with you."Pablo took a long drag from his cigar and exhaled a smoke ring. It drifted lightly towards Dustin's face, dissipating about a foot away from him, vanishing into thin air."A deal?" Dustin remained unfazed. "Are you talking about the Dew balm formula?""Good! I appreciate talking with smart people," Pablo snapped his fingers and grinned. "Now that yo
Upon hearing this, Pablo's smile faded, and his expression hardened. "Mr. Rhys, I can't bear to be rejected again. I have been patient long enough, so don't disappoint me," he warned menacingly."Dustin, you need to be wise. It is a privilege to earn Mr. Hans's favor; stubbornness could only get you in trouble," Cody cautioned."Enough with the chit-chat!" Pablo roared, growing impatient. "I want that Dew Balm formula today! Give it to me, and you'll be safe and get a lot of cash.""What if I say no?" Dustin asked."What if you say no? Hmph!" Pablo sneered, clapping his hands together.The VIP room door burst open, and about 40 to 50 gangsters in suits came storming in. They looked like a bunch of wolves."Kid, this is my territory. A word from me will determine your fate," Pablo said, glaring at Dustin. "If you don't give up that formula today, you may never leave this place.""Mr. Hans, I don't want any trouble. But if you continue to be stubborn, I'm pretty sure I'll en
"Mr. Hans, we all come to the Golden Balcony for a good time. What's gotten you so worked up?" Lana askedHer hips swung as she stepped into the room with a dazzling smile.As soon as she entered, she caught everyone's attention. Her voluptuous figure and the unique allure radiating made her look like a cunning fox."Ms. Camron, I've got some work to attend to, but If you're here for fun, I can arrange a private room," Pablo said, his voice softening though he still held his gun tightly."Mr. Hans, this young man is actually my friend. I hope you can cut him some slack." Lana smiled as she took Dustin's arm affectionately.Dustin was confused but didn't argue. After all, Lana was trying to help him, and he didn't want to embarrass her in front of everyone."A friend?" Pablo glanced around and said icily, "Well, Ms. Camron, your friend is quite bold. "He has refused me multiple times and threatened to damage my Golden Balcony. He does not show me any respect at all.""Really?
Lana smiled flirtatiously at Pablo. "Lana, if you want to have some fun, I'll be happy to join you later," Pablo said, then grabbed her wrist and gave her a wicked grin. "But first, I have to deal with this kid here, so stay put and stay out of trouble.""Mr. Hans, you're hurting me!" Lana complained, her face twisting into a scowl. She tried to pull away from him, but he wouldn't let her go."Slut, weren't you trying to seduce me earlier? Once I'm done with this kid, I'm sure your night will be one to remember." Pablo grinned wickedly, drawing Lana closer to him. He looked at Dustin tauntingly. "Kid, it seems like something is going on between you and this slut here, doesn't it? "I doubt your scrawny arms and legs will do her any good, but I'll make sure she has the best time of her life. She'll be on cloud nine.""Mr. Hans, please don't be reckless. I'm from the Camron family!" Lana panicked."What about the Camron family? I'll do whatever I want with you today. Your fami
Pablo's breath caught in his throat, his face flushed, and his forehead veins bulged. He tried to struggle but found his limbs weak. He felt a sudden surge of fear. He had always thought of Dustin as weak as a kitten, but now he looked like a fierce tiger. His strength was so great that Pablo had not doubted that Dustin could snap his neck easily."This is insane!""He's out of control!""Let Mr. Hans go right now!"After a short pause, the VIP room erupted into chaos. The group of gangsters in suits began shouting."Dustin! Have you lost your mind? How dare you touch Mr. Hans? You're only getting yourself into trouble. Let him go!" Cody exclaimed."Rhys, we're at the Golden Balcony. If you hurt Mr. Hans here, you'll suffer consequences you can't imagine," Harper said worriedly. She had brought Dustin in, and any harm to Pablo would put her in a difficult position."I didn't mean to do this, but you put me on the spot. You think I'm easy, don't you?" Dustin said, taking Pa
"Alright, we got it sorted out. Let's put our differences aside and have a good time together." Cody chuckled, exchanging a secretive look with Pablo.Pablo quickly caught on, stepped into the crowd, and shouted, "Hey, bastard! You dare to threaten me? You're asking for trouble! Someone, grab him!"Instantly, the group of gangsters in suits surrounded Dustin."Hold on!"Lana abruptly stepped in front of Dustin. "Mr. Hans, we had a deal. Why are you resorting to violence now?""Humph! I agreed before, but now I've changed my mind," Pablo declared."You've got a reputation to uphold, so you're not afraid of public criticism?" Lana frowned."Criticism?" Pablo scoffed. "This is my turf. After I'm done with this kid and have my way with you, I'll keep all this under wraps. No one will ever find out.""Yo-you're so shameless!" Lana exclaimed."I'll tell you what I've got in store. When we get closer later, you'll get it," Pablo leered."Pablo, I've given you a chance. If you thre
After dealing with the gangsters, Maximus glared maliciously at Pablo. "Dustin, what do we do with this big guy?""Let's break one of his arms first," Dustin calmly proposed."Sure, no problem!" Maximus rushed forward and pinned Pablo to the ground immediately."Wai-wait! Let's talk this out. I believe we can resolve this—Ah!" Pablo panicked, but Maximus twisted his arm before he could say anything. Pablo screamed in agony.Cody and Harper watched in horror. Their backs stiffened with fear at the sudden downfall of the haughty Pablo."Pablo, you made a grave mistake," Dustin asserted as he approached the giant-like figure."I gave you two chances that you didn't take. Instead, you chose a path that will lead to your death. How am I supposed to handle this now?""Kid, I surrender now!" Pablo gritted his teeth and conceded, "You've beaten and humiliated me. Let's end this now. "We won't cross paths again. Can we agree on that?""You think I'm a gullible fool, don't you?" Dust
Cody's words were a mixture of determination and a heartfelt plea that might have convinced any ordinary person to change their mind.However, Maximus was quick to react. He raised his hand and slapped Cody across the face, yelling, "You talked too much!"Cody's head spun, and his mouth was knocked open. He was dizzy, and his nose was bleeding."You ... how dare you hit me?" Cody blurted out. He covered his throbbing face with his hands, trying to comprehend what was happening. As the young master of the Ostrower family, he had never been so publicly humiliated."Why did I hit you? Keep talking, and I'll have to shut you up for good," Maximus threatened sternly.Cody was trembling with fear, and he dared not utter another word. He couldn't believe that Dustin and Maximus had acted so recklessly, disregarding Pablo's position and their safety."You two bastards sure are bold!" Pablo, who lay on the floor, roared in anger"This is the Golden Balcony, my territory, and part of t
After a night of chaos, some of the Red Legion's members were killed, others were captured, and the entire force had been wiped out.But the fallout didn't stop there. The Prescott estate was also raided. All embezzled wealth was confiscated, and those found guilty were thrown into prison.Anyone connected to the Prescotts was placed under house arrest and subjected to rigorous investigation.And the man behind it—Warrick—had become the kingdom's most wanted fugitive.Until he was captured, Celestria remained under lockdown. Major roads were sealed off, and patrol teams scoured every corner to ensure Warrick had no way out.Austin's crackdown sparked outrage among senior officials who didn't know the full story. They voiced their dissatisfaction, with some even gathering outside the castle gates in protest. They stomped their feet in outrage, just short of openly cursing him.To them, Warrick had made great contributions to the nation. Even if he had committed crimes, he didn't d
Austin's words were calm and almost casual. Yet, they struck like thunder and echoed in the hearts of the three assistant generals of the Red Legion.If they answered Austin's questions, there might still be a slim chance of survival. But if they refused, death was the only outcome.After all, who would willingly choose death when they had worked so hard to achieve their wealth and status? Yet, pride and dignity held them back. They didn't want to be branded as traitors.Now, they were caught in a dilemma. Which was more important—their honor or their lives? It was an impossible choice."You have ten seconds left. If you don't speak, you'll lose your chance." Austin's voice was utterly devoid of emotion.His words seemed to pierce their souls, and the three Red Legion assistant generals broke into a cold sweat.As the countdown neared its end, Auron finally couldn't hold back. "Your Highness! I'll talk—I'll tell you everything."Dropping to his knees, he scrambled forward and wa
Axel swallowed hard, shock written all over his face. He had always known the Draken Guardians were formidable, but he had never expected them to be this lethal.He had pushed himself to his limit just to hold his own against Connor and Dave, only to end up seriously wounded. Yet, when the Draken Guardians arrived, they wiped them out—along with several dozen Red Legion soldiers—without losing a single man.If Axel hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that the Red Legion, a force renowned for its elite soldiers, could be so easily crushed. Or perhaps it wasn't that the Red Legion was weak, but that the Draken Guardians were far stronger than anyone had imagined.Even their most ordinary members were strong enough to become a mighty general. As for those at the level of captain, their strength was far beyond Axel's. The lethality of a team made up of such skilled experts had reached the point of being an overwhelming force."Mr. Cruz, please arrange some
"Damn it! This punk's tougher than I thought. We're in real trouble if this keeps up," Connor said, swinging his twin blades relentlessly. Every strike was aimed at Axel's vital points.But Axel was quick. He weaved in and out of reach and avoided direct confrontation. It was obvious he was just stalling for time."Sir Prescott should be far enough by now. There's no point dragging this out. Let's fall back."Sensing the futility of their efforts, Dave considered retreating. He didn't fear death, but he wasn't about to waste his life for nothing.Since Warrick had escaped, their interception mission was also completed."You guys hold him off. The rest of you, fall back with me."Connor was decisive. Realizing they weren't making any progress, he quickly ordered a retreat and left a few decoys behind to buy time.They had barely run a hundred yards when a wave of soldiers suddenly appeared at the alley's entrance. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, filled the narrow space and comple
"This punk's a real pain in the ass!"Connor glanced over his shoulder and noticed Axel was still hot on their trail.The squad he had sent to intercept Axel was completely outmaneuvered, and they couldn't get anywhere near him.To Connor's dismay, Axel kept shooting off signal flares as he pursued them. Each flare gave away their position. At this rate, it didn't matter which direction they ran—they were bound to be intercepted."Connor! Dave! Make a move and swat that damn fly," Warrick ordered decisively."If we leave, who's going to protect you?" Connor hesitated.Warrick was in bad shape. Without them guarding him, a single attack from an expert could be fatal."If you don't take out that fly, I'll be in even more danger. Get moving now!" Warrick snapped."Yes, sir!"Connor and Dave exchanged a glance before splitting up with their squads to surround Axel.They both knew what was at stake. If they didn't take Axel down quickly, their entire force would be stranded and do
"Kill them all!"At Warrick's command, the Red Legion charged without hesitation. Blades flashed as they stormed toward the elite enforcement unit.This time, nearly a thousand Red Legion soldiers arrived. With their sheer numbers, they launched a pincer attack from both flanks, leaving the enemy with no way to fend it off."Form the Shield Formation!" Axel shouted upon seeing the dire situation. His men immediately sheathed their blades and raised their shields to form a defensive line. Their pursuit had cut them off from the main force. Since they were up against an enemy ten times their size, forming a defensive line was their best option.If they could stall for even a moment, reinforcements from the castle would arrive, and the tide would turn in their favor. Once that happened, the thousand-strong Red Legion would be the ones on the defensive.After a brief charge, the two forces collided.Warrick had personally trained the Red Legion. He selected only the most loyal and
Axel had no time to hesitate. He lunged forward and grabbed the overturned Dragon-Binding Net. Then, he used every ounce of his strength to pin Warrick down again."Get over here! We have to keep him restrained."As the net strained under Warrick's sheer power, Axel let out a roar and pushed his cultivation to the limit. His veins bulged and blood pounded in his ears. He threw every last bit of strength into holding Warrick down.For now, he managed to pin Warrick down, but the elite enforcement unit on the other side wasn't faring well. Warrick thrashed wildly, sending more than a dozen men swinging through the air. Some slammed into trees, while others crashed into walls. Within moments, the Dragon-Binding Net flipped over again.Several elite enforcement units tried to rush in and help, but they barely got close before getting hit by their own airborne comrades and sent flying.Against Warrick's Divine Strength, they were utterly outmatched. The regular guards didn't stand a
If Warrick had been at his peak, Axel might have been more cautious. But with Tranqurin coursing through his vein, Warrick had barely a fraction of his usual strength left. His power was still fading, and Axel wasn't about to waste the opportunity. He had to capture Warrick while he had the chance."Get the hell out of my way!"As the enforcers closed in, Warrick let out a furious roar and slammed his massive fist into the floor.With a loud explosion, the earth shook violently. The ground within dozens of yards cracked and caved in, splitting apart like a spiderweb. A powerful shockwave tore through the air, sending dirt flying and walls shattering. The entire meeting room collapsed into ruins.The elite enforcers, caught in the blast, were flung backward like ragdolls. They crashed to the ground, disoriented and battered. Even Axel was thrown back more than ten yards.Warrick panted heavily, his face pale and drenched in sweat. Forcing his internal energy into action had only
Austin's words were strong and commanding, each one landing like a thunderclap.Warrick felt the weight of his presence. His brow furrowed for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He glanced at the so-called evidence on the floor, showing no sign of panic or guilt. Instead, he said indifferently, "Your Highness, these dead men were nothing more than ants. Is this really worth making such a fuss over? I doubt you haven't killed anyone before."As the old saying went, the higher one climbed, the heavier one's purse. Warrick had clawed his way up, risking his life at every step for the sake of rising above the masses. Everyone had their own desires—some sought fame, others fortune. Some were greedy for money, some for power, and others reveled in the adoration of the masses. To achieve those things, one inevitably had to engage in shady dealings. It was an unspoken rule among officials, and Warrick saw nothing wrong with it."Ants?" Austin sneered. "Without these 'ant