Everyone in the room was flabbergasted as they stared at Xavier, who’d been mercilessly battered and bruised.No one had expected Dustin to be so bold as to slap Xavier. Everyone knew that the Horst family was among the five most powerful families in the Southern province. They were the top of the top! They were essentially untouchable!As an immediate heir, he was the rising star of the Horst family.So, no matter where he went, he’d have the stars laid out at his feet.No one had ever dared to humiliate him in public like this, much less slap him like a maniac so many times.Was this guy batshit crazy?"Y—you dare hit me?" Xavier asked rhetorically. The corners of his eyes started twitching as he tried to put on a fierce expression."I'm not just going to beat you, I'm going to make sure you can never use your hands ever again!" Dustin snorted and proceeded to stomp on his wrist, breaking it."Argh!" Xavier wailed in pain as he broke out in a cold sweat, his expression twis
"S—so that was a charm after all?"Everyone at the scene was frozen in place as they stared at the red snake that Xavier vomited. One by one, their faces showed looks of disbelief. No one could’ve ever imagined that the esteemed heir of the Horst family, who had a bright and promising future ahead of him, had stooped this low just to court someone."Xavier, I never thought you’d be like this!" Claudia yelled angrily in shock.Who knew that she’d be the one who would be deceived by trusting him too much in the end? She almost became an accomplice in his schemes too!"I—" Xavier was at a loss for words as his face turned pale. The truth was already laid bare for all to see, so even if he still insisted on denying it, his attempts would be absolutely futile. "Hmph, It’s a good thing Dustin has a good eye to see through your evil schemes. Otherwise, Sheila would’ve fallen right into your trap!" Ruth spat, her expression full of contempt.She hated despicable and shameless men li
Even though she said that, she secretly knew that her father would take Xavier’s side out of his great fondness for him.When one was born into a wealthy family, joy wasn’t as much of a significant consideration as the family's interests."Alright. We all know how much Uncle Caden adores you, so he definitely wouldn’t let you suffer," Ruth replied, and she no longer pressed her for answers. "Let’s go back home and take a nice nap, Ruth," Dustin yawned. After retrieving all of his golden needles, he spun around and was about to leave when a voice piped up again. "Running away already?" Xavier taunted, his expression now full of furious rage and his gaze scorching.He immediately pounced on Dustin while he wasn’t paying attention and stabbed him with a knife!"Just die already!" Xavier roared as he pushed the tip of the blade into Dustin’s back. "Behind you!" Ruth and Sheila shrieked in horror. Everyone else at the scene was also stunned by Xavier’s sudden attack. No one expe
"Why don’t you get a better brain in your next life." Dustin spat as he looked at Xavier’s corpse. And with one swift motion, he threw his dead body to the side with one hand, as if it were trash.Xavier's body landed with a "thump" near Claudia and the other's feet.Xavier's face was riddled with fear and disbelief. Even up to his death, he didn’t understand why Dustin dared to make a move on him.Everyone gasped, petrified, as they stared at the corpse beneath their feet. Every single one of them was frozen in place and was at a loss for how to respond to the scenario in front of them.To think that an heir from an affluent family, who was also the pride of an entire city, had his life taken from him just like that?How was this remotely possible?After a brief silence, everyone at the scene erupted into a frenzy of chatter."Are you out of your mind, Dustin?! D—d—did you actually just kill Xavier?" Claudia shouted with a face full of shock, looking at Dustin as if he were a m
After sending Ruth home, Dustin returned to the Peaceful Medical Center.However, he couldn’t help but frown the moment he opened the doors to the building. The place looked as if it had been ransacked. It was a mess.Boxes of medicine were scattered all over the place, and Dahlia, who had been rushing here and there the whole time, had on a face that was drenched in sweat."Diarhica. Where did he put the Diarhica?" Dahlia mumbled to herself with a prescription in hand. After looking around for a while, she finally saw a box of Diarhica that had been stored in a medicine cabinet high above the ground. Since it was out of her reach, she could only retrieve it by stepping on a stool."What are you doing?" Dustin asked coldly.Dahlia was startled by his question and lost her balance on the stool. Seeing as she was about to fall to the ground, Dustin instinctively grabbed hold of her before that could happen.It felt as if he was carrying something precious in his arms, as a nice s
At Fallridge Haven. "Father! Please help Dustin; otherwise, he'll die!" Sheila begged on her knees."Hmph! You have the audacity to request assistance for him?! He is responsible for Xavier's death! That is the gravest of offenses! The Horst army has already assembled all of Swinton's finest warriors! No one can save him now!" Caden spoke with a frigid tone."Father! Dustin has rescued me on numerous occasions. Please help him, for my sake!" Sheila pleaded, tears streaming down her face.Ever since she returned to Fallridge Haven, she hadn't stopped begging his father for his help. That was because only her father could go against the Horst army."It is exactly because he's saved you that I refrained from taking his life!" Caden retorted coldly."Father! I will do whatever you say, as long as you save Dustin!" Sheila begged on all fours.Soon, her knees started to bruise."You fool! You have no idea what you're doing!"Caden slammed the table as he stood up. "Do you want me t
"That fellow really dared to come? He really doesn't treasure his life!""Your bravery is commendable. But showing up here is a foolish move!"The crowd erupted into an uproar, with a variety of expressions on their faces."Dustin Rhys is it?!" A guard from the Horst family took a step forward, his voice booming with authority."That's me," Dustin replied, unfazed."So, you're the one who killed my son, Xavier?" Gabriel's fierce gaze remained fixed on Dustin, his expression stern and unyielding."Yes." Dustin nodded once again."Kneel down!" Gabriel roared."Kneel? You're not worthy of such respect." Dustin retorted.Dustin added, "Horst, I'll give you a chance. Hand over the people who trespassed at Peaceful Medical Center and apologize to Gregory. Then, I'll spare your life."The crowd went wild at his statement."Holy shit! Is he out of his mind? He's still acting so brazen even when his life is at stake?""Having killed Xavier, he dares to demand an apology from Sir Gab
Ten minutes later.The entire Horst Dojo was filled with pained groans.Dustin stood amidst the crowd, emanating a presence akin to that of a god or demon. His presence was awe-inspiring, commanding, and intimidating.A few people in the audience were stunned. They stared with widened eyes as if they saw a ghost.Everyone was taken aback by Dustin's strength. Single-handedly, he had managed to sweep through the entire Horst dojo!It should be noted that these warriors were the elite of the dojo, capable of facing ten opponents alone.Yet, in the span of a few minutes, all of them were taken down. This was too absurd!"Fuck! He's that strong? He's on an entirely different level!""My goodness, where did this demon come from?!"Nigel and the others were stunned speechless, especially a few girls who covered their mouths in shock.Dustin alone faced off against a hundred soldiers, slaughtering people from all directions.It was truly unbelievable!"The Horst dojo is nothing."
"Logan, I have to admit that you're stronger than I thought. I never expected you'd push me this far," Poseidon said.His arms slowly spread wide, and his blue eyes glowed with murderous intent. "As a mark of respect, I will give it everything I've got. You'll witness the true extent of my power."With a flick of his hand, he made a grabbing gesture. His trident, which had fallen to the bottom of the sea, shot back up through the water and landed firmly in his grasp.Compared to his earlier arrogance, Poseidon now stood with a newfound seriousness. It wasn't just Dustin's strength that had him on edge but his terrifying potential.At only 20, Dustin already possessed this level of strength. If he continued to grow, he would become a serious threat to the Hall of Gods. Hence, Poseidon resolved to eliminate him today."Watch closely," he said.Poseidon slowly raised his trident and gripped it like a javelin. While channeling his energy into the weapon, it pulsed with an intense blu
Dustin was Dragonmarsh's elite prodigy, while Poseidon was the famous royal god of the Hall of Gods.Every move they exchanged unleashed destructive power. Within moments, the area within a 300-foot radius was reduced to wreckage.Dustin wielded his true energy-infused longsword. Each swing unleashed a blinding flare of light as if it could split the sky apart with the Celestial Blade.On the contrary, Poseidon's trident commanded the winds and rains. Each strike could summon huge rolling waves as if he were a god reigning over the forces of nature.Sword aura clashed against walls of water and plunged the entire area into chaos.Warrick and the others watched with rapt attention. Their eyes were locked on the battle ahead as they tried to make sense of the chaos.But Dustin and Poseidon were moving so fast that their actions were almost impossible to follow. Their movements blurred together, and they could only catch flashes of two figures constantly clashing. Their strikes ca
"Let me correct you," Dustin said.As his hand slowly tightened into a fist, a white longsword formed from his true energy. "In Dragonmarsh, there is no 'God. ' We only have the Lord of the Dead."The moment the words left his mouth, a tempest of sword aura exploded outward. Within a radius of several dozen yards, the winds howled, sand and stones were sent flying, and the waves along the shore grew even more violent."Such overwhelming pressure. That sword aura is insane. Is this Logan's actual strength?"Feeling the surge of energy, Warrick and the others couldn't help but turn pale. It was then they realized that Dustin hadn't been fighting seriously before. Or perhaps, with their strength, they hadn't even earned the right to make him fight for real. They figured only someone of Poseidon's caliber could force Dustin to go all out."Interesting… truly fascinating." Poseidon suddenly laughed. "I thought you were just a pup, but it turns out you're a hungry wolf. Now, this is s
Poseidon hovered in the air with his trident in one hand and radiated a commanding presence. He stood like a god, and his figure was so intimidating that it struck fear into those who beheld him.With a wave of his hand, an invisible energy struck Warrick and expelled the three silver needles from his body. Feeling sensation returned to his limbs, Warrick's face lit up. He quickly rose to his feet and clenched his fist to his chest in salute."Thank you, Lord Poseidon, for saving me. I will never forget this kindness!" he said."No need for formalities, Sir Prescott. Now that you've pledged yourself to the Hall of Gods, it's only natural that I ensure your safety," Poseidon replied with a faint smile as he descended gracefully."Your timely arrival was a blessing," Warrick said as he bowed his head slightly in deference. "Otherwise, we would have perished tonight."The Hall of Gods' royal gods were figures he could only look up to. Everything about Poseidon, from his power to hi
Mulder knew Warrick had been on the battlefield for years, and his physical strength was unmatched. On top of that, he was already halfway to becoming an ultimate grandmaster. Even if Warrick couldn't defeat the prodigious Logan, Mulder figured the difference wouldn't be too big. But he never expected Logan to take down Warrick with a single finger, leaving him severely injured and unable to stand. The difference in their strength was far beyond anything Mulder could have imagined.In other words, Logan had been toying with them from the start and didn't take the fight seriously. If he had, they would've all been dead.Warrick clutched his chest and coughed up blood as he staggered to his feet. His chest was a charred ruin, the flesh torn open and slick with blood. It was an awful, gory mess."I didn't expect you to be this strong. I underestimated you," he growled.He slowly raised his head, and his face twisted with a menacing look. "Guess I was just unlucky to fall into your
"Oh? You guessed it?" Dustin smirked. "Now that you know who I am, it's up to you to decide what to do."If Warrick chose to surrender, Dustin would simply seal his pressure points and leave him to Austin's judgment. But if he resisted, Dustin wouldn't hesitate to cripple him."Haven't you given up your title as the prince? Why did you return? Are you going to compete with Austin for the throne?" Warrick asked.Uncertainty flickered across his face before he continued, "If that's your intention, I can help you. Spare me today, and I guarantee you'll become the next Prince of West Lucozia."Power was a tempting beast. History was filled with stories of brothers turning against each other and fathers murdering their sons for it.In Warrick's mind, Logan's quiet return to West Lucozia meant one thing—he was after the throne."Guarantee?" Dustin scoffed. "What guarantee are you offering?" His voice was dripping with disdain. "You're a cornered rat now. You're barely holding on to you
"Warrick's blade technique is terrifying," Mulder mumbled. "This should be the finishing blow, right?"Watching from a distance, he was awestruck by the dazzling blade aura. Only now did he truly grasp the sheer gulf between Warrick and Dustin.Warrick's strike descended with such overwhelming force that it seemed to split the earth and obliterate everything in its path. Even from 300 feet away, the pressure rolling off it sent a chill down Mulder's spine.Under Mulder's stunned gaze, Warrick brought his full weight down, with blade and body merging into a single force that swallowed Dustin whole.The instant they clashed, an incandescent explosion of light erupted. It was so blinding that Mulder couldn't even open his eyes.A split second later, a deafening blast erupted, and a shockwave shot outward like a tidal surge. The force flattened the waves and overturned several fishing boats docked at the pier.Even Mulder, more than 300 feet away, was caught in the blast and tumbled
"So what if I am? And what if I push even further?" Dustin's smile slowly faded. "If you don't like it, do something about it."There was no reasoning with tyrants like Warrick."Punk, are you really willing to risk your life against me? Have you ever considered what happens if you lose?" Warrick's face turned grim as a wave of killing intent spread from him.He had already taken a step back to avoid unnecessary trouble. If Dustin refused to back down, there was no choice but to fight."Cut the crap. You wanna fight, fight." Dustin didn't bother with more words. With a flick of his wrist, a silver needle shot out and aimed toward Warrick's forehead—silent, unassuming, but deadly."Hmm?" Warrick's brow furrowed as he instinctively raised his arm. Sparks flew as the needle deflected off his arm and buried into the ground."Oh? You've mastered the Adamantine Body Technique?" Dustin narrowed his eyes. At that instant, he saw through Warrick's technique. Not only was he halfway
Mulder's body trembled, and he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. His energy drained, and his entire being seemed to collapse.Dustin's finger flick had not only shattered his sword but also injured his internal organs. With the effects of the enhanced serum wearing off, Mulder was now back to his original state and completely spent.His once-powerful frame now shrank like a punctured balloon. He looked as if he had aged ten years in an instant. Mulder could no longer fight. Even standing up was a challenge."He's finished," Dustin said coolly, then looked at Warrick. "Now it's your turn.""Hmm?" Warrick frowned, and his expression turned serious.Dustin's display of strength earlier had made him feel a sense of crisis. If they fought head-on, there was no telling who would come out on top.But Warrick was just one step away from escaping West Lucozia, bound for Artea and a life of freedom and luxury. He had no intention of risking his life in battle unless he absolutely