The Red Cloaked Assassin attacked fast and hard, catching Dustin by surprise from behind.Dustin was still busy helping Cinna and couldn't defend himself.When the assassin's blade came, Dustin quickly activated his energy armor, creating a protective shield."Clang!" The Red Cloaked Assassin's blade hit Dustin's energy armor, creating a faint ripple.The immense recoil sent the assassin's weapon flying, making him stagger backward."How is this possible?"The Red Cloaked Assassin's eyes widened in shock.His full-force surprise attack should have at least gravely wounded Dustin.Yet, Dustin sat unscathed, while the assassin was pushed back.He was surprised that Dustin's strength might be even greater than his."Pfft!" Suddenly, as Dustin was still healing, he spat out black blood. His face turned ashen.The poison from earlier was potent. Even with his robust body, Dustin couldn't resist it. The primary reason was the extensive energy consumption in treating Cinna.
Two powerful strikes collided, creating a loud boom. Dustin merely shivered slightly and easily stopped all the force.Dustin's strike sent the Red Cloaked Assassin flying. He crashed hard onto the ground with blood pouring from his mouth. Most of his circulatory pathways shattered."How—How can you be this powerful?"The Red Cloaked Assassin clutched his chest. He looked terrified.Despite being poisoned and heavily injured, Dustin triumphed with just one hit. The Red Cloaked Assassin couldn't help but wonder if Dustin was truly that much stronger."Did you not investigate my strength before ambushing me?" Dustin's voice was cold, and a bit of black blood stained his lips.Cinna got rid of all the poison in his body, so he wasn't in danger anymore. Dustin was hurt and poisoned, but because he was really skilled, he could endure it for a little while."Although you're just a grandmaster martial artist, we are more than enough to kill you!" the Red Cloaked Assassin interrupted.
Dustin was baffled. He stared at Cinna after the sudden attack.He had suspicions about many people, such as Maximus and Brooke, but never about Cinna.Cinna had risked his life for Dustin beforeand had sacrificed so much for the West Lucozian monarchy. Even at the risk of his own poisoning and injury, Dustin felt indebted and went all out to save him.Cinna was like family to him. As a death warrior for the monarchy, it was unbelievable that he would betray him."Mr. Shaffer? What—what are you doing?" Dustin asked with a trembling voice. Even now, he could hardly believe what was happening."Dustin, I'm sorry, but I had no choice," Cinna said with a complex expression and a hint of guilt. "I told you not to dig into the past. It would bring deadly consequences. Why didn't you listen? You could have lived a peaceful life. Why did you choose this path?""You ... Who are you, really?" Dustin frowned deeply."I am Cinna, the Vice Commander of the Central Cavalry in West Luc
The only option for Dustin now was to go down with Cinna."Huh?" Facing Dustin's swift iron fist, Cinna instinctively raised his arms to block it."Thud!" A muffled sound echoed as Dustin's punch directly broke Cinna's arms. Cinna flew like a sandbag. He crashed 20 feet away and spat out blood."Traitor!" Dustin's rage made his eyes bulge as he prepared to pursue.Cinna realized the danger and swiftly formed hand seals. With a stomp of his foot, he instantly disappeared, leaving only a pile of clothes.That was undoubtedly an extraordinary vanishing technique.Dustin started coughing up lots of blood as soon as Cinna vanished.Dustin was in critical condition due to old wounds, potent poison, and a blade in his chest. He was on the verge of collapsing."Your Highness!" Rodrigo roared in frustration, but he couldn't move due to his severe injuries."Dustin!" Maximus was barely able to stay upright either.They were all in dire states and there were still many Dragon Gu
Three minutes later, all the Dragon Guard assassins lay in a pool of blood.Dustin was drenched in blood. He staggered, barely holding himself up.His life signs weakened, and his powerful energy dissipated. He was on the verge of collapse.The surroundings grew hazy. His heartbeat was near silent."After everything I've been through, I die at the hands of my own people. How ironic!" Dustin chuckled softly as he looked at the knife in his chest. He grabbed it with both hands and pulled it out.In an instant, blood sprayed.Since death was inevitable, he didn't want to have a knife stuck in him.As he pulled it out, the world spun. With a final thud, he collapsed.Everything went black.At that moment, Dustin's pendant glowed and vanished into his forehead.As the pendant entered his body, it instantly transformed into a powerful energy coursing through Dustin's limbs and bones.The strange poison Cinna unleashed swiftly dissipated upon contact with this energy.Dustin's p
Cinna, visibly injured from Dustin's attack, stood before the masked man on the dragon throne."Mr. Shaffer, are you hurt?" the masked man asked in a deep, raspy voice."Just a scratch won't kill me," Cinna replied. He coughed up blood in between words."Looks more than a scratch. Take this medicine." The masked man waved his hand and a black tablet shot out."Thanks." Cinna caught the tablet and swallowed it right away. This medicine from the Dragon Guard was exceptionally rare. It could heal serious injuries really fast, but only high-ranking members got to use it."Mr. Rever," Cinna began, but Reagan raised a hand and interrupted him. "I'm now Reagan Judd. You can call me Mr. Judd or Sir Judd. The past is best left behind.""Yes, Sir Judd." Cinna nodded respectfully."Mr. Shaffer, how did the task I assigned you go?" Reagan inquired."I stabbed Dustin's heart. He should be dead by now," Cinna reported."Excellent!" Reagan nodded approvingly. "Mr. Shaffer, you'
It was unclear how long it had been when Dustin slowly regained consciousness. His upper body was wrapped in thick bandages. His limbs were feeble and weak, and his breath was visibly frail."Didn't I die?" Dustin glanced at his palm, then around the room. The place seemed somewhat familiar. It was as though he had been there before."You're awake?" Grace entered the room carrying a bowl of soup. "You were severely injured. Fortunately, you're resilient. It wasn't easy to save you.""Did you save me?" Dustin was astonished."Who else?" Grace said lightly. "The pendant I gave you protected your vital organs. It infused powerful vitality into your body when it mattered most. It was a close call, but it pulled you back from the brink of death.""I didn't expect that that pendant could bring me back from the brink. Do you have any more of those treasures? Maybe give me a couple?" Dustin shamelessly asked."Haha! Do you think I have them lying around?" Grace replied irrita
It was actually his self-confidence that took a real hit."Dustin Rhys, let me remind you, a camel that starved to death is still bigger than a horse. The Dragon Guard might have been destroyed, but the remnants of this organization are still powerful. You have to be very careful." Grace sounded very serious."I know that." Dustin nodded. "I have learned my lesson. I'll never allow this to happen again.""I hope so," Grace replied."Anything special happened in the three days that I was unconscious?" Dustin asked."You reminded me of something!" Grace suddenly thought of something and exclaimed."According to the information I received from the royal family, the remnants of Dragon Guard appear to have left Oakvale. They even shut down all of the secret businesses they owned.""They left Oakvale? Where did they go?" Dustin continued asking."I can't say for sure. But according to the information gathered from all over, the Dragon Guard remnants might have moved on to West
After a night of chaos, some of the Red Legion's members were killed, others were captured, and the entire force had been wiped out.But the fallout didn't stop there. The Prescott estate was also raided. All embezzled wealth was confiscated, and those found guilty were thrown into prison.Anyone connected to the Prescotts was placed under house arrest and subjected to rigorous investigation.And the man behind it—Warrick—had become the kingdom's most wanted fugitive.Until he was captured, Celestria remained under lockdown. Major roads were sealed off, and patrol teams scoured every corner to ensure Warrick had no way out.Austin's crackdown sparked outrage among senior officials who didn't know the full story. They voiced their dissatisfaction, with some even gathering outside the castle gates in protest. They stomped their feet in outrage, just short of openly cursing him.To them, Warrick had made great contributions to the nation. Even if he had committed crimes, he didn't d
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