At that moment, Alaric felt a mix of shock, confusion, and sheer panic. He couldn't figure out how Seth mastered astral projection, but one thing was clear—it was a bad omen!This technique bypassed physical defenses, energy barriers, and all forms of protection and struck directly at the soul. It was a force that defied resistance and left no room for defense. Apart from Arion, no one else in the world could withstand such a formidable assault.As Seth's spirit projected, blood started oozing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. His skin even cracked, showing how much this technique took a toll on him.For a person to employ such an extreme measure before attaining the realm of terrestrial immortality would inevitably result in irreversible damage. This explained why Seth had only resorted to this desperate move at the eleventh hour."Alaric! Your unilateral decisions, causing harm to the innocent—today, I'll be the one to guide you to the afterlife!" Seth's projected astra
Despite narrowly avoiding death, Alaric couldn't shake off the pain lingering in his soul. The fear and despair felt impossible to shake off as they kept tormenting him."Mr. Drakon, are you okay?" Cesar hurried to Alaric's side, standing protectively."I'm alive? I made it?" Alaric gawked in disbelief. He could not believe that he had escaped certain death when he witnessed Seth's astral projection.He believed that he was the chosen one, after all."Mr. Drakon, I sensed trouble and acted fast. So, I shot an arrow and got Seth injured. Thankfully, it saved you just in time," Cesar boasted.Hearing this, Alaric glanced at Seth, who looked weak. Seth was bleeding from seven orifices and struggling to stand. At that moment, Alaric felt a mix of surprise and relief. He let out a triumphant laugh. "Hahaha! Well done. From now on, you're an elder in the Dragon Guard!""Thank you, Chief Guildmaster!" Cesar said with a bright smile, nodding."Seth, bet you didn't see that one coming?
"Quick! Run for your life!"Seth's overwhelming power and growing intensity terrified Alaric. Alaric had lost all courage to resist and fled without a second thought.Seth's astral projection was the result of a risky technique, pushing him to the edge of injury. But what he faced now was a true breakthrough. In an instant, he went from being the ultimate grandmaster to entering the realm of terrestrial immortals. At this level, each move had the power to shatter the world. Even at his best, with vital force shielding him, Alaric wouldn't dare to face Seth directly. So, the smartest move was to escape.Alaric was convinced that Seth's breakthrough was just a temporary surge. He anticipated that Seth would face a setback afterward, making him vulnerable and an easy target at that point."How dare you attempt a breakthrough in my presence? You're just asking for trouble!"Recalling his past successful sneak attack, Cesar quickly drew his bow and focused all his energy to create
A vibrant purple sword aura zoomed through the air, racing toward Oakvale at an incredible speed. Starting at three feet, it grew an inch for every foot, rapidly expanding to over thirty feet in just a few moments.As the sword aura moved, the sky and the ground changed colors, and thunder rumbled. It sliced through the clouds, leaving a smooth, mirror-like cut in its wake.Growing and speeding up, the purple sword aura appeared to possess the power to reshape the very essence of reality. It instilled a bone-chilling awe in those who witnessed it.As Seth unleashed this mighty stroke, Alaric, the second-ranked on the Astonishing World List, had wisely retreated ten miles away. The once-confident powerhouse was now sweating and panicking."Madman! You're a madman! Risking soul and sanity to boost your cultivation? I won't indulge your madness!"Alaric cursed vehemently as he fled toward the Dragon Guard, seeking refuge in the protection of vital force and ancient formations. He f
Alaric's unexpected demise happened out in the wilderness. His lifeless body eventually became a meal for wild dogs. Nobody expected that the second-ranked Astonishing World List powerhouse and Chief Guildmaster of Dragon Guard would end up as a meal for wild animals. Ironically, not even his bones were spared from this undignified fate.…Meanwhile, a pressing assembly unfolded in Dragon Guard, gathering esteemed venerated members, elders, and officials.Two hours had elapsed since Chief Guildmaster Alaric emerged from seclusion, yet there was still no sign of him. Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't raise an alarm.They were aware that he was in a fierce battle with Seth, the Sword Whisperer, who matched him closely in strength. Even though Alaric might have been stronger one-on-one, there was still concern about a possible surprise attack from the West Lucozian monarchy."Any updates from Chief Guildmaster's side?"Urgency marked the entrance of a white-bearded eld
In the upper echelons of the House of Heroes, the symbolic life essence amulet representing the Chief Guildmaster had split into two halves. The life essence amulet, crafted from a unique material impervious to blades and flames, was nearly indestructible from external forces.Its vulnerability lay in self-shattering when the amulet's owner met their demise. Despite its incredibility, the undeniable truth unfolded before their eyes. The Chief Guildmaster Alaric had indeed met an inexplicable end with no forewarning."Chief Guildmaster!" Elder Lucius collapsed as he was overwhelmed with grief. Their friendship ran deep, and Alaric's sudden death was an unbearable blow."Who did this? Who killed the Chief Guildmaster?""Whoever it is, we must avenge the Chief Guildmaster!""All disciples of the Dragon Guard, listen up! Immediately head to Quandary Mountain and annihilate the murderer!"After a brief moment of astonishment, the entire Dragon Guard erupted into chaos. Members o
The Dragon Guard lay in ruins, and the entire Wyvern Ridge, along with the vital force beneath, was severed by a single strike from Seth's sword. This powerful strike sent shockwaves throughout Aylka.…Within the Regal Observatory, the Elder Sage sat upon a massive compass, engaged in hushed recitations. Suddenly, the ground shook as if in an earthquake. The central compass, under the impact, burst open with a resounding crack. Elder Sage trembled, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was visibly wounded."Master! What happened to you?" Grace, who had just entered, was startled and rushed to assist him."It's an inevitable twist of fate! An inevitable twist!" Elder Sage sighed deeply and coughed."Master! What do you mean?" she asked."The vital force ... has been destroyed!"He said mournfully, "My earlier prediction has hit the mark. A single sword has sliced through the vital force of the Dragonmarsh. "From now on, things in the government will be a mess, and the fate of th
"Master, no matter how challenging it is, I'm determined to give it a try!" Grace declared resolutely. With her father bedridden and her unreliable brothers, she had no choice but to take up the responsibility and attempt to salvage Dragonmarsh's losses as much as possible."Go then. Be prepared. You're the only one with a chance to accomplish this," Elder Sage advised, emphasizing the importance of her role."Take care, Master. I'll visit you when I can." Grace bowed deeply and quickly took her leave. The destruction of the vital force demanded immediate action."The cycle of generations has unfolded, with each era having its rulers and subjects. As head of the Regal Observatory, the time has come for me to take my leave." Elder Sage sighed.He stood up unsteadily, performed rituals, and changed into fresh clothes. After arranging everything, he returned to his seat, closed his eyes, and waited. After some time, a gust of wind blew through, extinguishing the suspended lanterns
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
The ashen-faced Huxley was dragged away. With his crimes exposed, his fate was sealed. His entire family would be implicated, and their assets would be seized.Those guilty would be punished, and even those who had merely benefited from his corruption would be held accountable. To put it bluntly, Huxley's entire family was about to be annihilated.Austin issued his next order once the bloodstains were cleaned up. "Axel, it's time to bring in the mastermind."With Huxley dealt with, the next step was to confront Warrick. Unlike Huxley, Warrick wouldn't be easy to deal with. After all, he commanded a large number of troops. If backed into a corner, he could become a major threat."Understood!" Axel responded respectfully, then turned to his subordinates. "Gather more men and come with me."Warrick had earned his prestigious position through years of fierce battles. On the battlefield, he was a one-man army, a warrior capable of taking on thousands. His strength was beyond what mos