Dustin flicked his wrist as he got closer. Immediately, Celestial Blade exploded into thousands of sword shadows. Then, all of them rushed toward Nestor."Angry Ironfirst!" Nestor yelled. A golden light burst out from his body. Instantly, it formed a three-feet-tall Ironfirst illusion. The Ironfist illusion was like an armor protecting Nestor inside it.The sword shadows Dustin summoned slashed on the Ironfist illusion. However, it only sent sparks flying and did not manage to break it."You can't even break my defense. How are you going to kill me?" Nestor stood there with an arrogant and imposing aura.Without a word, Dustin continued to attack.As Celestial Blade slashed faster and faster, the sword shadows increased in numbers. When it collided with Ironfist illusion, both sides produced energy shockwaves that surged outward like waves.The energy shockwaves got larger and more powerful than the last.Nestor didn't just defend but also attacked back. His attacks were bold
Frost raised an eyebrow and answered, "Lost? Ever since I started practicing swordsmanship, I have never lost.""You're lucky. However, it's a shame at the same time." Seth shook his head. "The world consists of many things and a balance of opposites. There will be ups and downs in life. That's an unchanging rule. "If you never experienced failure, how could you comprehend the meaning behind the way of the sword?""Did you lose before?" Frost questioned."Of course not," Seth denied.Frost was rendered speechless. It seemed that Seth was just uttering nonsense.Seth had a mixed expression. "Although I've never lost a battle, I'm an utter loser as a person. "In my early days, I only focused on sword training. Thus, I neglected many people and let many people down. In the end, I became a lonely man. "Later, I hid my identity and lived a peaceful life in the fields. After I met someone I loved, I realized how beautiful life can be. Swordsmanship is way too boring.""Seth, I'
With just his sword, he broke through all layers of defense. The sky and the earth trembled, and all the soldiers fled the scene. Since that battle, the small town was formally renamed Frostbane Citadel. As for Frost Bane, he became the leader of the citadel. Until today, the residents of the citadel lived and worked happily and peacefully.Seth might have been famous, but he'd been living under the radar for the past decade. His past glory was long forgotten. Frost was living a completely different life as he trained and continued improving his skills with each passing day. As such, no one knew for sure who would win this battle."Martial artists will always be martial artists. They'll never look at the big picture. If you like to win this much, let's see what you've got."Cesar narrowed his eyes with a gloomy expression. He didn't care if Frost would die in the battle. All he cared about was for Frost to exhaust Seth's strength. It'd be helpful if Seth were exhausted from
A loud explosion could be heard. Frost's Starshine clashed vehemently with the Dragon Sparrow Sword.A huge wave of energy was generated when the tips of the swords collided. The surge of energy rippled outward and left a trail of destruction as it broke rocks and trees. The surrounding walls of the Scenic Monastery, which were located far away, started crumbling. The building shook in the wake of the energy ripple.At the base of the mountain, the crowd heard a loud explosion. When they looked up, they saw a bright ring of light in the sky. The sky turned dark as the sun was hidden behind the clouds. The people in that area could feel the terrifying pressure even though they were far from the battle. It was good that the battle was on the top of the mountain. If it had happened near the crowd, there would have been a lot of casualties.…Frost didn't stop after the first attack. Instead, he immediately followed up with another vicious attack. The first move was just to tes
A loud buzz could be heard as a gigantic ice sword came out slowly from the middle of the Hexagonal Formation. The ice sword was twelve feet long and five feet wide. It brought terrifying chills to those near it. It was as if it was a sword from the depths of hell.The coldness spread quickly, and in one breath, it had already reached a few hundred feet away. Everything in its way was frozen. Even strong fighters like Cesar and Elder Shade shivered involuntarily when the cold air swept over them."What technique is this? I've never seen this before!" Cesar looked bewildered. Frost's ice sword wasn't derived from his internal energy. Instead, it was brought into existence through the formation. As such, it was very powerful and could potentially destroy the earth. It was likely that even the Sword Whisperer couldn't withstand attacks from this sword."This sword is called the Destroyer. I've maintained this sword in extreme cold for eight years with the sole purpose of defeat
After the explosion, it was chaotic at the base of the mountain. However, it was eerily silent on top of the mountain. When the dust settled, the whole top of Quandary Mountain was bald. It was as if a typhoon had torn through the top. The Scenic Monastery was nothing but rubble, and most of the plants were uprooted.Even Cesar and Elder Shade, who were observing from the side, had to retreat further to avoid the aftermath of the explosion. At this moment, Seth stood quietly in the middle of the mountaintop. The Dragon Sparrow Sword glittered and floated in front of him.A few yards away, Frost's shimmering blue sword was stuck to the ground while he looked very pale. The skin between his thumb and index finger was slashed open, and fresh blood dripped onto the rock. His arms were trembling involuntarily."Frost Bane, you've lost," Seth said casually."Your sword skills are amazing, but unfortunately, you're still not too weak.""Who said I lost?" With a determined look,
When the swords collided, Frost's crimson sword exploded into a bloody mist. As for Frost, he lay several feet away with a pale face and blood trickling out from the corner of his mouth.The Dragon Sparrow Sword was sent flying far away in a different direction as well. It then got stuck in a huge rock."Great! Now's our chance!" Cesar's eyes lit up when he saw that the Dragon Sparrow Sword was out of control temporarily. He quickly launched his attack without any delay. He put an arrow to his bow and channeled his internal energy into the arrow. The arrow turned black, emitting a black light and extreme chills surrounding it.As it quickly gathered momentum, the black arrow was transformed into a sharp black light as it was aimed at Seth's chest. It was a fast and deadly shot. There was no warning, and it was fired at the right time. It could be said that it was the perfect sneak attack."Let's see how you can dodge this!" Cesar snickered cruelly. Seth might be the Sword
"Alaric?" Seth's eyes widened as the fiery red spear pierced the sky. In an instant, he recognized the silhouette of the unexpected visitor. The attack had a startling speed, catching Seth off guard. Unable to summon his Dragon Sparrow Sword in time, he had to resort to using his finger as an improvised blade against the incoming fiery red spear.A thunderous collision reverberated through the air. His fingertip met the spearhead, and it released a powerful wave of energy that rippled outward. The entire scene seemed to freeze at that moment, adding a dramatic intensity. Seth held his arm up. Then, a golden sword rippled as it emanated from his fingertip in defiance of the fiery red spear. A luminous spectacle unfolded as the golden sword rippled. The fiery red spear clashed, forming circles of energy that emitted a radiant glow. At the spear's shaft stood a white-haired older man with crimson eyes, poised on the weapon as though it were an extension of him. His gaze bore do
"Get lost! I'm not in the mood for anything right now. If you want to eat, go on your own." Warrick snapped, looking annoyed."I'm not going either," Percival refused flatly. "I'm on a health regimen these days—only tea, no alcohol.""Fine. If you're going to wait, then keep waiting. I won't be sticking around." Huxley forced a smile and acted like he was about to leave.But as he turned, he almost bumped into Boston, who was approaching from the other direction."Sorry, Sir Thatcher! I hope I didn't startle you." Since he was surrounded by so many high-ranking officials, Boston was already on edge. He had momentarily spaced out and almost caused a mishap by running into Huxley, which left him flustered and a bit tongue-tied.Unlike the other generals, Boston didn't come from an influential background or have any powerful connections. He had worked his way up from the bottom, and the last thing he wanted was to offend Huxley and risk losing everything he had fought so hard for.
After parting ways with Boston, Jovian checked into a nearby hotel to await the good news. Boston wasted no time. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he headed to the castle to deliver a letter of introduction. But when he arrived, he was stunned by what he saw.The gates of the West Lucozian monarchy had already gathered quite a few people, and among them were several figures he immediately recognized. These included Huxley Thatcher, the Commander of the Militia; Warrick Prescott, the Major General of the State Guard; and Percival Wentworth, the Chancellor of the National Academy.These three were first-ranking officials. In West Lucozia, they were nothing short of kingmakers who wielded immense power and influence. Warrick, in particular, was two ranks above Boston. Hence, he felt the need to be cautious in his presence and was eager not to make a bad impression.Alongside these three prominent figures, several second- and third-ranking officials also stood in line at
The following morning, Jovian stood at the entrance of West Lucozia Airport, wearing a sharp suit.Before the trip, he had contacted his comrade with whom he had fought side by side in the military. After earning military merit and with the Ballard family's influence, he was fortunate enough to stay in Oakvale and secure a decent position.His comrade, on the other hand, had moved to West Lucozia to carve out a life for himself. Years of hard work had paid off—he was now a third-rank general with considerable power, influence, and a strong network of connections. Jovian's meeting with the Prince of West Lucozia would depend entirely on his comrade's connections.Just then, the roar of an engine cut through the air as a military jeep pulled up beside him. The window rolled down, and the first thing that came into view was a bald head gleaming in the sunlight like a lightbulb. The glare nearly blinded him.Under that shiny dome was a face that looked ordinary at first glance. But w
"Grandfather, I understand why you sent Uncle Jonathan and Uncle Jensen to the Spanner and Fallon families to gather information," Natasha began. "But West Lucozia is thousands of miles away."She shook her head slightly. "They've always stayed out of the government's political matters. Sending Uncle Jovian there wouldn't achieve anything. He'd likely just be turned away." Oakvale and West Lucozia were worlds apart. The fight for the Oakvale throne didn't really affect the West Lucozian monarchy. Both sides had long adhered to an unspoken agreement to avoid meddling in each other's affairs."I know, but it'll be different this time. The royal throne is at stake, and every faction will do whatever it takes to secure West Lucozia's support. If the West Lucozian monarchy picks a side, the balance we've maintained for years will collapse. That's why I need to be ready for whatever happens," Simon replied.It would be best if the West Lucozian monarchy stayed out of the political strug
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