As he spoke, his personal guards had already surrounded Dustin and Abigail. Their gazes were menacing. "Greetings, Sir Anders." Dustin lowered his head and replied, "My name is Rhet Adams. And this is my sister, Abigail Adams.""You look familiar. Have we met before?" Anders questioned. His gaze was as sharp as a knife as he scrutinized Dustin from top to bottom as if trying to see through him. "When you returned victorious last year, Sir Mosey held a grand banquet. I had the honor to visit and witness your impressiveness. "I didn't expect you to remember me still. I'm truly flattered!" Dustin pretended to be fearful. His statement was partially true. It was true that Anders had won a significant battle last year and hosted a celebration banquet, inviting many guests. Dustin, of course, had no time to attend. It was information provided by Ethan. To be on the safe side, he had memorized the details thoroughly, and it now came in handy. "Is that so?" Anders narrowed his eye
Looking at that detestable face of the past, Dustin frowned. He had expected to encounter familiar faces at this place. And the whole reason he disguised himself was to avoid having his identity exposed. However, he never expected to cross paths with Florence and her group in such an unfortunate manner. Fortunately, she didn't recognize him. Intending to diffuse the situation, Dustin apologized, "I'm sorry for not paying attention just now. Are you hurt?""Hmph! You must be blind!" Florence dusted herself off as she got up from the ground. She shouted arrogantly, "Do you know who I am? How dare you run into me? You must be tired of living!" Her social standing was no longer what it was before. Anyone who offended her now was essentially seeking their demise. "Hey! You were the one who didn't watch where you were going! How can you be so unreasonable and blame us when you were the one who ran into us?" Abigail was indignant. "Who the hell are you? How dare you point finge
Florence didn't know when to stop and insisted on escalating the situation. At this point, Dustin could tolerate no more."All right, seems like you won't learn your lesson till you hit a dead end! Guards! Guards! These two troublemakers are causing a disturbance! They even resorted to violence against me! Arrest them immediately!" Florence shouted. Following her orders, guards at the entrance immediately surrounded Dustin and Abigail. Dahlia was now a prominent figure among the Moseys. As her mother, Florence was considered a distinguished guest who enjoyed a high status. There were not many people who dared to offend them."Hold on!"Just as the two sides were about to clash, Dahlia suddenly walked in and exclaimed darkly, "What's going on here? Why are you drawing weapons? Don't you know what day it is today?""Dahlia, you arrived just in time!"Florence began complaining immediately upon seeing her. "These two were deliberately causing a scene. They even laid their hands
After dealing with Florence, Dahlia turned to Dustin and said calmly, "Dear sir, miss, I'm very sorry for what happened earlier. I assure you there won't be a next time. My apologies again for the disturbance." After she spoke, she lowered her head slightly to show her sincerity. The crowd nodded in approval as they watched her apology. As Sir Mosey's goddaughter, her status was second only to him. And offering a public apology was a level of humility not easily found. Her awareness of putting the situation first made the public realize that Sir Mosey had put his trust in the right person. "There's no need for such formality, Ms. Nicholson. We never wanted to make the situation worse. Having this resolved peacefully was the best outcome we could ask for." Dustin nodded slightly. "Sir, you are indeed a sensible man. May I ask for your name?" Dahlia asked politely. "I'm Rhett Adams. And this is my sister, Abigail Adams," Dustin replied. "Mr. and Ms. Adams, welcome. You a
While speaking, Seamus waved in all directions. He didn't look authoritative whatsoever. "That's the legendary Sir Mosey? He looks different from what I imagined." Abigail was puzzled as she gazed at the friendly, plump man in front of her. She had imagined a prince to be imposing and dignified. A figure that would command respect with just a glance. She was slightly disappointed with Seamus' appearance and temperament. "Are you thinking that he doesn't match the image of a prince?" Dustin asked with a smile."Yeah, he looks no different from a regular guy. Quite a contrast to Anders." Abigail nodded."Your judgment might be a bit off." Dustin shook his head. "Anders is indeed impressive. Even so, his success is ultimately rooted in the support of an influential figure. That gives him not only a head start but a relatively smooth path."Sir Mosey, on the other hand, built himself from the bottom up. He rose to the status of a prince solely through his efforts. He is the tr
When the black cloth fell, a stir swept through the crowd. They were astonished to discover that the iron cage contained a ferocious beast—a creature resembling a tiger but with a much larger build. It had pitch-black fur that emitted a metallic sheen and two long protruding fangs. Each was about a foot in length, resembling sharp swords. The claws on its paws extended like steel talons with traces of blood and flesh clinging to them. It looked extremely intimidating, sending shivers down the spines of the onlookers. Fortunately, the beast remained in a deep slumber, displaying no signs of aggression."Godfather, this is an Onyxclaw that I captured from the ancient forests of the eastern frontier. It is the king of beasts and is extremely ferocious. "It's not only powerful, but its fur is also incredibly tough, immune to blades and bullets. It's truly a rare creature."It took me quite the effort to capture this creature successfully. Do you like it?" Anders declared loudly a
After a moment, the slumbering Onyxclaw slowly opened its eyes. At the same time, a fully armed team of guards surrounded it, keeping vigilant for a reaction. They would restrain it immediately if they noticed any abnormality or aggressive behavior.The Onyxclaw seemed aware of its surrounding threat and dared not make any sudden movements. It laid down obediently in the presence of the guards."Come out!" Anders shouted.The Onyxclaw snorted and walked leisurely out of the iron cage. Its massive body resembled a tiny mountain, giving off oppressive dominance. Anders, tall as he was, appeared small in front of the Onyxclaw. It seemed as though it could swallow him in a single gulp."I heard you can discern good from evil. Now, show everyone your abilities. Of course, if you dare to misbehave, I'll have you slaughtered for soup!" Anders ordered coldly. Upon hearing this, the Onyxclaw's fur bristled slightly. It instinctively moved away from Anders, clearly fearful of him.
Abigail was weirded out and felt uneasy as she watched the Onyxclaw come to a stop. She wasn't afraid. She was just worried that her identity would be exposed. "Dustin, didn't you say it couldn't distinguish between good and evil? Why did it stop in front of us? Did it realize something?" Abigail squeaked through her teeth. "It's just a coincidence. Don't worry, relax. It'll leave soon," Dustin reassured her gently. He had just finished speaking when the Onyxclaw suddenly lowered its head, and its long canine almost touched Dustin's head. It breathed heavily onto Dustin's face. It felt warm but gave off a pungent smell. Dustin held his breath and muttered silently, "Buddy, you'd better not mess around, or I'll kill you."Seemingly sensing Dustin's threat, the Onyxclaw snorted and shifted its massive head toward Abigail. She clenched her fists, barely holding back the urge to strike.The Onyxclaw was close to the size of an elephant. With its proximity, one bite could easil
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
"Glenn had only seven swords in the past. I didn't expect that in just one year, two more divine swords would recognize him as their master. This punk is much better than I was back then," Cyrus remarked. He stroked his chin with a look of surprise and approval. He had always believed in Glenn's potential, but Glenn's performance had still exceeded his expectations.After all, the more swords Glenn wielded, the stronger he became. He had already topped the Legendary List with just seven swords. Now, with nine, his strength had grown even more overwhelming."He truly is the Chosen One." Even Kaden couldn't help but sigh.The nine divine swords recognized their master and responded with ease. Glenn's talent and cultivation were leagues ahead of his peers.Every generation brought forth new talent, and the old had no choice but to step aside for the new generation. Compared to their time, today's youth were on another level—monsters in their own right."Now, this is going to be int