The bundle had unfurled, revealing a spherical object that rolled out—a severed human head!"Holy crap!" Ezra jumped back, his face turning pale. To his shock, the decapitated head belonged to one of Caspian's disciples."What?" Caspian's face darkened, his gaze turning cold. "Who the hell are you? How dare you kill my disciple? You've got some nerve!""So, you're the sicko who spiked our drinks with those zombie worms?" A figure emerged from the shadows, stopping at the living room doorway. The dim light exposed Dustin's face, surprising Ezra. "Dustin? What are you doing here?!""You guys suck at hiding your tracks, so now, I'm here to settle the score," Dustin said nonchalantly."Settle the score? Who do you think you are? Acting all tough in front of Sir Yuletide? You're digging your own grave!" Ezra spat and quickly hid behind Caspian. "Sir Yuletide! This bastard here is the one I want to deal with!""You killed my disciple, and now you dare to seek revenge? You truly don
"Mystic Arts Order's flea powder? That's cool." Dustin squinted, quickly catching on—it was clear that Caspian wasn't any average mystic artist but an elite from the Mystic Arts Order."Oh? A mystic artist? No wonder you saw through my moves." Caspian gave Dustin a once-over; his gaze shone with excitement. That surprise attack moments ago would've been tough for a regular martial artist to handle. But Dustin had effortlessly diffused the danger with a slight breath, showcasing his skill."Ah! My face! My handsome face!" Ezra, now poison-free, howled in pain, covering his bloodied face. He roared, "Sir Yuletide! Take him down for me! I want to rip him to shreds!""You're noisy!" Caspian's face darkened, and with a backhand slap, he sent Ezra flying. He was a master at being unpredictable."As fellow mystic artists, why don't you kneel and apologize to me, then become my disciples? What do you say?" Caspian proposed, a sinister smile playing on his lips. His disciple was dead,
"What?" In the corner, Ezra stood wide-eyed, witnessing the unbelievable scene. The once-revered Caspian, an elite of the Mystic Arts Order, crumbled under a single strike from Dustin. Caspian, someone close to reaching the grandmaster status, was easily overpowered by Dustin. It was unimaginable"What? You're not dead yet?" Dustin raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. Even with just ten percent of the force, that last hit could've taken out anyone below the grandmaster level. The armor took the hit and saved Caspian from getting a chest-sized hole through him.Caspian coughed up blood, and bones seemed to have shattered. Even with the protective armor, his chest crumbled like twigs, and his internal organs were severely damaged."H-How can you be so powerful? Are you a grandmaster?" Caspian questioned, shocked. Caspian's face contorted in fear as he clutched his chest in pain. Despite being halfway to becoming a grandmaster, he was defeated by someone so young as Dustin.
"Stop right there!" Just as Dustin was about to finish Caspian, a sudden shout cut through the air. At the same time, a projectile shot out of the shadows, a deadly dart aimed right at Dustin's back.Dustin raised an eyebrow, swiftly turned around, and caught the dart with two fingers. Upon taking a closer look, it was a poisoned dart. It emanated a dark aura, sporting the mark written "Mystic". It was an object from Mystic Arts Order!"Who are you? You dare to attack a disciple of the Mystic Arts Order? You've got some nerve!" At this moment, an old woman in black robes emerged from the shadows.The old lady had a weathered appearance, a petite figure that seemed ordinary. But her eyes were exceptionally cold and sharp, like venomous snakes. It instilled fear in anyone who caught her gaze."Madam Beatrix? Madam Beatrix, save me!" Seeing her, Caspian acted like he had just found a lifeline. He stumbled towards her, seeking refuge.Though others might not know, he knew that Bea
In an instant, Beatrix's arm felt numb, and her heartbeat quickened."What's happening?" She watched her trembling arm in shock. Beatrix was skilled in both mystic and martial arts and had nearly achieved the rank of a grandmaster. But now, she found herself at a disadvantage against Dustin.Just how strong was this kid?"How about now? Still want to stand in my way?" Dustin remained indifferent, hoping to teach her a lesson so she'd back off for certain reasons."You're formidable, young man. I admire that." Beatrix took a deep breath, suppressing the surging blood within. "Unfortunately, you're destined to lose today. Look at your palm; it's turning black, isn't it?""Your poison is useless against me," Dustin shook his head. His body was immune to poisons, especially after breaking through."Useless?" Beatrix sneered. "Young man, you're overestimating yourself and underestimating the Mystic Arts Order! "The toxin we've used is lethal even for grandmasters. Right now, you
"Abigail?" Dustin stared at the sudden appearance of the white-haired young woman, genuinely surprised. The young woman was his only disciple, Abigail! It was unexpected for them to meet again after so many years, and she had undergone noticeable changes. She had become more beautiful and exuded a profound and mysterious aura; her every move was graceful."Hi Sir, surprised to see me?" She smiled."Kid, it's been so long! Not even a call to say you're well," Dustin said, intentionally keeping a stern face.He lightly tapped Abigail's head with his knuckles, shocking the Mystic Arts Order's high-level members. They couldn't believe their eyes.However, contrary to their expectations, the Grand Sorceress wasn't angry. Instead, she looked a bit guilty. She charmingly said, "Sir, I've been in seclusion. I just came out a few days ago, and things got a bit hectic. I genuinely forgot for a moment."The high-level members of the Mystic Arts Order were dumbfounded. What was going on
"What? Mentor?!" The room turned into a mess. Beatrix, Caspian, and Ezra stood frozen, shocked by the unexpected revelation. The idea that Dustin and Abigail had a mentor-disciple relationship, especially with the latter being the Grand Sorceress, was beyond what they had expected."How is that possible? How could this guy be connected to the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order?" Ezra widened his eyes, his fear evident. He shook uncontrollably. Eleanor claimed that Dustin was just an ordinary guy. How could he have such a powerful backing?"If you're going to take down my mentor, it's like taking me down," Abigail declared coldly, walking forward. Her icy gaze swept across the three, making each of them shudder. "Assassinating the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order—do you realize the severity of that crime?""Grand Sorceress, please have mercy! Please have mercy on me!" Caspian quickly bowed, pleading for forgiveness. "Grand Sorceress, I've seen the error of my ways
"Sir, what about this guy? You decide." Abigail glared at Ezra, who was on his knees. If looks could kill, Ezra would be dead by now.At that moment, Ezra snapped out of his daze, pleading, "Dustin, please don't kill me! I messed up; I won't mess with you again. I swear, I won't cross you from now on! Please, spare me!""Spare you?" Dustin chuckled, "After all your ploys to mess with me, you think I'd just let you off? Does that even make sense?"Ezra crawled over, grabbed Dustin's leg, and bawled, "Dustin! No, Sir Rhys! It wasn't me; it was all Eleanor's crazy idea! I just followed orders. Please, I'm begging you, let me off the hook!""Eleanor?" Dustin narrowed his eyes. "Tell me, was this attempt on my life payback, or did you have another scheme?"Ezra didn't hesitate and disclosed, "Due to the Dew Balm issue, we faced setbacks. So, Eleanor proposed to kidnap and rough you up. "They're hoping to extract more of top-notch formula to recover our losses and rebuild our reputati
At the Ballard estate, Dustin was warmly welcomed to stay after dinner. This was the first time Natasha had brought her boyfriend home, so the Ballards made a big deal of it.Simon personally accompanied the young couple and invited them to the study to chat over tea. With his sharp eye, Simon could tell Dustin was no ordinary martial artist. His manners, speech, and broad knowledge set him apart from most people."Dustin, I fully support your relationship with Natasha. Your background or status doesn't matter. What matters most is that you two are happy together." Simon paused and said earnestly, "I want you to understand that she's been pampered all her life and hasn't faced much hardship. Now that she's with you, I hope you'll take good care of her.""Don't worry, Mr. Ballard. I would never let her down," Dustin replied sincerely.Though they had known each other for some time and hadn't yet taken their relationship to the next level, they had already made their feelings clear
After hearing Nathaniel's words, Tristan's expression darkened. His brow furrowed as he sank into deep thought.It seemed he had underestimated the situation. He had assumed it was just a simple rivalry between brothers; he hadn't anticipated Seamus seizing the chance to further his own agenda.Seamus already wielded considerable influence. Under the guise of supporting Matthias' ascension to the throne, he had been forming alliances and recruiting talents. His influence had grown to rival the royal family's.If Seamus really supported Matthias' ascension, he'd overshadow the king, and no one would be able to stop him. The worst-case scenario would be Seamus using Matthias as a puppet to overthrow the House of Linsor."Nathaniel, is everything you said true?" Tristan frowned."Absolutely. Every word," Nathaniel replied solemnly. "Of course, if you don't believe me, you can send someone to investigate.""I believe you. But… taking down Seamus won't be easy. Do you have a plan?" Tr
An hour later, Nathaniel quietly entered a private mansion wearing a disguise.Inside the living room, Tristan had already prepared tea and refreshments. He looked as if he had been waiting for a long time."Sorry to have kept you waiting, Tristan." Nathaniel took off his coat and walked forward with a smile."No need to apologize. I'm happy that you made the effort to arrange this. A few extra minutes are nothing, especially since it's rare for us to meet." Tristan gestured for him to sit while he poured two cups of tea and handed one to his brother.Nathaniel accepted the cup and discreetly set it aside. Whenever he was out, he was always cautious about food and drink—this wariness had become second nature."You asked to meet me on short notice. Is this about official matters or something personal?" Tristan took a sip from his cup and got straight to the point."Both," Nathaniel replied, still smiling."Oh?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it, then.""Given how things
In another luxurious mansion in the Inner City, a female spy dressed in black, cloaked in a hood, was reporting the results of her investigation to Nathaniel."Your Highness, the Moseys have been particularly active recently and are rallying allies. Many of the eight great families and other influential factions have already allied with them. If left unchecked, they'll pose a serious threat to us," she said, kneeling with her head lowered slightly."So the Moseys are backing Matthias, huh?" Nathaniel sat quietly, his expression unreadable."The Moseys have grand ambitions. While they claim to support Prince Matthias, they're merely setting him up as a puppet to rise to power and expand their own influence," she revealed.She had been infiltrating the Moseys' mansion for years and had gained a deep understanding of their operations, from the smallest details to the key players.Though Seamus appeared as a benevolent philanthropist, it was all a façade. Behind closed doors, he was r
That night, two young men sat playing chess inside a secluded mansion in the Inner City. On the left was Anders, who had visited the Ballard estate earlier. Across from him sat Matthias, a broad-shouldered man dressed in richly adorned robes.The game was intense, with fast moves followed by moments of deep thought. About ten minutes later, Anders finally conceded defeat."Anders, you've really improved since we last played. You almost had me there," Matthias said, stroking his beard in mild surprise."You flatter me, Your Highness. My chess skills are nothing compared to yours. If you hadn't gone easy on me, I wouldn't have lasted half as long," Anders replied with a modest smile."You're as smooth with words as ever." Matthias let out a hearty laugh with a look of smug satisfaction. Winning was in his nature—whether in war or on the chessboard, defeat was not an option."Well, we've eaten, and we've played. Let's get to business." With a wave of his hand, he signaled his men t
"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