In an instant, everything changed. Elysia's icy breath sent chills down the spine. Everything within 30 feet became solid ice, and even Dustin became an ice sculpture."Haha! Frozen solid! This bastard is a goner!" Scott laughed, clearly enjoying the spectacle.After Dustin pummeled Cooper with a punch, he couldn't help but feel a bit shaken. Now, witnessing his opponent frozen, his confidence soared."True to Elysia's reputation, her tricks are something else." The astonished crowd noted.It was downright terrifying to freeze a martial artist master with a breath."Die!" Elysia, wide-eyed and merciless, threw a punch at Dustin's chest. Freezing was her ultimate move; anyone she froze would shatter when hit.An explosion echoed as Elysia's fist hit Dustin's chest. The ice shards scattered, but to Elysia's surprise, Dustin remained intact, not a tear in his clothes."H-How is this possible?" Elysia's eyes widened, struggling to believe her mystical arts did not affect Dustin."G
Scott's eyes twitched as he took a few steps back.Acold sweat dripped down his body, and his hair stood on end. At that moment, he finally realized the severity of the situation. Dustin's strength far exceeded his expectations. For Dustin to take down the Undead Hexcasters with a single move showed that he wasn't just some divine master but a true grandmaster martial artist! Fuck! How could an unknown kid be this powerful?"Hey, pal, I appreciate your skills. I'm giving you a chance to rise to the top now." Anders, who had been watching coldly, suddenly spoke, "As long as you're willing to join me, I can overlook today's events. "Not only that, I'll get you into the military and give you a high position. From then on, everything will be under your control!""What?" Scott's expression changed instantly upon hearing this. He hastily said, "Sir Anders, this bastard is a ticking time bomb. Keeping him around would be asking for endless trouble!"After all, Scott and Dustin had
Scott trembled, his smile frozen as a blinding flash left him bewildered. Before he could comprehend what was going on, the light had vanished."What just happened? What's going on?" Panic gripped him as his heart raced. He felt a chill on his neck. When he touched it, his hand was covered in blood.Why was there blood? How was that possible? His thoughts were interrupted as the world around him spun.A jarring thud of something hitting the ground caught his attention. In the next second, Scott was startled to see the back of his own body from the ground.He was wearing a suit and standing tall, but there was no head on his shoulders. He had turned into a headless body."Where's my head? Where is it?" Scott tried to scream, but there was no sound. All he could do was watch as his headless body fell to the ground. Darkness enveloped his vision, and he succumbed to unconsciousness.Just like that, Scott was dead. His head had been severed in one swift move by Dustin.Everything
Lana had died because of them. Dustin planned to take Scott's severed head to show he had avenged her."You're dead meat!" Dustin's indifference and disdain annoyed Anders, leading him to throw a punch without exchanging further words. A scorching golden light shot out like a missile toward Dustin.Dustin raised his hand without dodging or evading, releasing a burst of blinding white light.The golden light and white brilliance collided with each other, resulting in a deafening roar. The collision caused overwhelming waves of energy that were like a tidal wave.There was a strong blast of wind. It hit the crowd like a tornado.The collision between two grandmaster-level experts was far beyond what an ordinary person could endure, even if it was just the aftermath of their battle.Realizing the danger, people scattered immediately to keep a safe distance."This bastard is indeed a grandmaster martial artist! No wonder he's so confident." Anders squinted his eyes. Even though
Once the dust settled, a massive crater appeared at the center of the explosion. It was roughly 30 feet in diameter, resembling a dried-up pond. It was a devastating sight. At the edge of the crater, Dustin and Anders locked eyes from a distance. Dustin was expressionless, his gaze indifferent, still holding Scott's severed head. Anders had a serious expression, facing a formidable opponent.The two stood in a tense standoff, neither making any sudden moves."Wait, did this bastard block Sir Anders' earth-shattering strike just now?" someone exclaimed."Not only did he block it, but he also looks like he hasn't suffered any injuries," another added."Wow! Since when did Oakvale have a genius who can go head-to-head with the Veros Warrior? That's pretty unbelievable!"As the two contenders battled it out, members of the Moseys looked at each other in surprise.Anders had long been an idol to everyone. In Dragonmarsh, only a few could be compared to him, and each was a top-tier
Anders shot the bald man a stern look. The bald man quickly apologized and ran away. He had intended to curry favor with Anders but was instead shot down by Anders."Men! Come here!" Anders gestured, and two guards rushed over, asking, "What are your orders, sir?""Deploy all resources and conduct a thorough investigation on Dustin Rhys. I want to know everything about him!" Anders commanded with a stern tone."Yes, sir!" The guards responded and promptly departed."Acting recklessly on my turf. Let's see who you really are!" Anders muttered, his expression cold.Knowing the opponent was a crucial part of a battle. With comprehensive information about his enemies, Anders believed he could deal with Dustin easily.…Dustin held Scott's head and confidently exited Jadeleaf Manor.He knew that his bold actions might lead to problems in the future, but he couldn't concern himself with that at the moment. His priority was to avenge Lana's death using Scott's death. It wouldn't
"What did you just say?" Matteo, who was still grieving, roared at Eleanor and Elena. His sorrow transformed into anger.Seeing things were getting out of hand, two of the Camron family members by his side quickly held Matteo back.One of them whispered, "Matteo, these two are heiresses from the high society. You can't afford to make a scene. Just let it slide.""Yeah, they're trouble. If something happens here, it will affect our whole family," another chimed in.Taking a deep breath, Matteo reluctantly suppressed his emotions."Mr. Camron, no need to get all worked up. You should watch your temper. It's not good for your health," Eleanor said, smirking.She was prepared for the occasion. She wasn't about to let the Camron family intimidate her."What do you want? My daughter's gone, and you're here to add insult to injury?" Matteo shouted."Hey, Mr. Camron, don't just accuse us like that. Lana was like a sister to us, and her passing genuinely saddens us," Eleanor said, prete
The Camron family members were in a frenzy, trying to figure out how they had attracted the attention of the Moseys. As a second-tier family, the Camrons knew they couldn't match the influence of a powerhouse like the Moseys. The Camrons knew that if the Moseys wished to, they could easily wipe the Camrons out overnight.Matteo's expression soured as he asked, "What do you want?" Despite his reluctance to admit it, the Camron family was still in serious trouble. They hadn't fulfilled the conditions promised to Scott. Even with his daughter's death, the threat loomed over them."Mr. Camron, no need to worry. We're here to help you through this tough time." Eleanor smiled."Yeah. Given our deep connection with the Moseys, if we vouch for you, the Camron family will be spared," Elena added confidently."Why are you helping us when we're not even related?" Matteo asked sternly. He wasn't buying their seemingly kind acts."Well, that brings us back to the deal I mentioned earlier
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