"A fair competition?" Everyone exchanged surprised glances. They never expected Rufus to agree to Julius' idea. Rufus had already turned the situation around. All he had to do was command the generals of the Black Dragon Army to capture Julius and put an end to this crisis. Instead, he offered Julius a chance to turn the tables, leaving everyone confused."Rufus—" Eloise was about to say something when Rufus raised a hand to stop her."It's fine. I know what I’m doing.""Rufus, are you really going to allow your son a fair competition against me?" Julius was taken aback. He had been ready to fight to the death, but he never expected Rufus to allow him a fair fight. What was this bastard up to? "Since you want a fair fight, I'll give it to you. I'm going to make you accept defeat on your own terms," Rufus said calmly."You've said it!" Julius' eyes narrowed slightly with a touch of satisfaction. He continued, "In West Lucozia, we value martial prowess. To become the Prince
If Julius did that, it would be akin to walking into his own demise. "Hmph! At least you're self-aware."Julius sneered and continued, "Rufus, your youngest son has already admitted defeat. So, where is your eldest son?" "Logan, you've hidden long enough. Don't you think it's time to reveal yourself?" Rufus spoke loudly. Although he hadn't laid eyes on Logan, he sensed his presence. In the previous case involving Russo, it was Logan's tip-off that provided him the opportunity to eliminate the pests. Now, with such a significant incident happening in the monarchy, given his son's character, he would definitely not stand by idly."I can't believe you not only deceived Julius but also all of us, you sly fox. And now, you're even having me serve as your scapegoat. Is this really appropriate?"After a brief moment of hesitation, Dustin finally removed his prosthetic mask. With Rufus still alive, the monarchy remained in power. Dustin had no choice but to reveal himself in the c
"You rascal, you've been back for a while but never showed yourself. How could I have drawn you out if not through some clever means?" Rufus grumbled. "Alright, enough of the small talk. We'll settle the matter of your fake death later. Let's first address the current issue." Dustin's sharp gaze shifted toward Julius. Rufus' assassination attempt was the work of the Dragon Guard remnants. After the attempt, Julius swiftly rebelled and sought to seize power. For Dustin, this hinted at a likely connection between Julius and the Dragon Guard. Whether it was planning the rebellion or colluding with the remnants of the Dragon Guard, both were grave crimes in his eyes."Logan Rhys! " After the initial shock, Julius' expression darkened. It dawned on him that he had been manipulated. Rufus was undoubtedly aware of Dustin's presence among them, hence his quick agreement. It was also his way of acknowledging Logan's strength. He had to admit that although he hadn't seen Logan in te
"You insolent brat!" Julius glared at Dustin. "Even though we're both ultimate grandmasters, I refuse to believe that a brat like you will defeat me when I have decades of experience!""Since you're so stubborn, don't blame me for disregarding seniority. Please!" With a single outstretched hand, Dustin made a gesture for him to strike first. "Behold my blade!" Without hesitation, Julius propelled forward with a tap of his feet, launching a fierce assault.Julius' swordplay exhibited swiftness and strength, with each strike aiming at vital points with deadly precision. Despite the lack of elaborate techniques, it was highly practical, leaving no vulnerabilities. Julius was blessed with innate talent. With his years of battlefield experience and the integration of various refined sword techniques, Julius could be described as having mastered all schools of martial arts.Having shed all imperfections, he had forged a unique sword technique of his own. His approach was based on sp
"The princess consort is right. Even though Prince Logan is formidable, he's still too young. The odds are not in his favor when faced with Julius, the cunning, sly fox," Wyatt said thoughtfully.Logan was a genius, but Julius was no ordinary opponent. After more than 20 years of cultivation, it would produce a terrifying gap between them. Hence, it was still uncertain as to who would emerge as the final victor. "I have a different view," Lincon spoke up again."Lincon, do you think Prince Logan has a higher chance of winning?" Tyrus probed. "Yes." Lincon nodded."Prince Rufus has remarkable strategic acumen and wisdom. He must be highly confident of winning this deal since he agreed to this competition. We should trust His Highness' judgment.""Although that's true, there are too many variables in a martial duel, especially between opponents of the same level. A tiny mistake can completely alter the course of the battle. "Until the last moment, no one can predict the outco
"Of course not." Lincon shook his head and added, "In fact, there's an unwritten rule for the Astonishing World List. High-ranking royal officials are not allowed on the list." "So, is Julius not strong enough to be on the list, or is he not allowed?" Wyatt questioned further. "He's not allowed on the list, and he's not qualified either," Lincoln responded. "That puts my mind at ease." Wyatt breathed a sigh of relief. "If the Astonishing World List is accurate, then Prince Logan must be stronger than Julius. As long as he doesn't underestimate his opponent, he should be able to secure a stable victory," Tyrus analyzed. "That may be true, but we should still exercise caution," Eloise murmured to herself. She felt a mix of emotions witnessing Logan's excellence. On one hand, she hoped for his victory to restore the monarchy's dignity. On the other hand, she harbored concerns.If Logan were to assume the throne, she worried he might follow in Julius' footsteps and take act
"General Caide, what do you think?" Shane probed, clear hesitation in his voice. Even though he aligned with Julius, he deeply respected Prince Rufus of West Lucozia. If Rufus were dead, he would have readily joined Julius in his rebellion. However, Rufus was alive, altering the dynamics. This forced Shane to contemplate the consequences. It was as Elijah had pointed out. He might dismiss thoughts of self-preservation, but he had to think about his family and friends. "General Gilby, we shouldn't rush into a decision until the final moment. I have faith that Grand General Rhys will emerge victorious in the battle against Logan. "If Grand General Rhys secures victory, we still have a chance for a turnaround." Everett expressed with depth."That's right! Grand General Rhys has unparalleled martial prowess. He'll surely win. How can Logan be a match for Grand General Rhys?" Shane nodded repeatedly."Sir Valor, please stop undermining the military's morale here. We're all in
"Uncle Julius, my patience has its limits. Will you accept my conditions or not?" Dustin's expression turned icy."You want me to agree to your conditions? Fine, but you must defeat me in a fair fight, or there's no deal!" Julius shouted. West Lucozia valued martial prowess. As a grand general who had fought his way through countless bloody battlefields, he understood the importance of strength. It was a world where respect and reason were reserved for the strong, while the weak had no right to argue."Alright, since you insist on a showdown, I'll fulfill your wish!" Dustin declared loud and clear, "I'm going to strike three times. If you can defend against all three of my attacks, I'll admit defeat!" "You insolent brat! I'm going to teach you a lesson!" Julius, incensed by the apparent disrespect, intensified his attacks. Blades filled the sky, sweeping toward Dustin like a storm. With a light tap of his toes, Dustin lifted off the ground, soaring more than a hundred fee
"Langdon, I can't tell if you're playing dumb or if you really are that stupid." Though Austin was smiling, his eyes were cold. He continued, "You asked for physical evidence, and I provided it. You asked for witnesses, and I gave you those too. Now, with both evidence and testimony laid bare, and even the criminal confessing, what else do you want?""Hmph! The government is rife with corruption. I'm simply seeking justice and preventing you from wrongfully killing the innocent." Langdon still held his righteous stance.Some of the royal advisors who had initially supported him now stayed silent. They could sense Austin's rising anger and didn't dare provoke him further. At that instant, they had lost their confidence. As Austin had pointed out, the solid evidence was right before them, and it was impossible to deny.Langdon was a member of the Rhys family and Austin's elder. He could afford to speak without a filter, but the others couldn't. If they truly angered Austin, the
"Sir Thatcher? Mr. Wentworth?" When Langdon saw their faces, his eyes went wide in disbelief. "You… How did you two end up like this?" He was genuinely stunned.Huxley and Percival were two of the most powerful figures in West Lucozia. They commanded respect wherever they went, and even Langdon himself had to show them deference.He never expected that they had fallen from their positions of prestige to become disheveled prisoners overnight."Austin! You've gone too far!" Recovering from his initial shock, Langdon's fury erupted. He didn't even bother with titles anymore. "Do you even realize what you're doing? These two men are pillars of West Lucozia and the prince's most trusted advisors. They're your elders and mentors. Yet, you tortured them like this. Are you even human?""He's right," someone chimed in. "They dedicated their lives to this country. What crime did they commit to deserve such cruelty by Your Highness?"The gathered officials erupted in outrage and condemned
"Your Highness, you mustn't speak such nonsense." Langdon put on a righteous front.He continued, "I've always prided myself on my integrity and never done anything dishonorable. I've never betrayed the prince's trust or let the people down, and I have nothing to hide.""Such lofty words," Austin scoffed. "If you have nothing to hide, why not let the enforcement team investigate?"Langdon's face tightened, and a flicker of unease crossed his eyes. After all, what official didn't have some skeletons in the closet? A full investigation would likely turn up something, no matter how small. Even if the offenses weren't serious, the damage to his reputation would be permanent.With so many officials watching, Langdon couldn't afford to back down. If he did, he would lose his standing in the political world—and his claim to integrity along with it."Go ahead and investigate." He raised his chin and said confidently, "I've lived an honest life and never engaged in anything illegal. No m
Austin sat in his chair and silently watched the royal advisors put on their pretentious act. He slowly sipped his tea as if he couldn't be bothered by their so-called accusations.His nonchalant demeanor made Langdon and the others frown. Their once-outrageous voices began to falter.They had stormed in full of righteous fury earlier, only to be met with complete apathy. What was the point of arguing when he wasn't even listening?"Are you done?" Austin finally spoke once the room had quieted down. "If not, go ahead and keep talking. Say as much as you need to until you're satisfied.""Your Highness, we're here to discuss serious matters. Your dismissive attitude is truly disappointing," Langdon said sharply."Serious matters?" Austin let out a short laugh.He went on, "You barge in here without even understanding the full picture and spewing accusations like they're facts. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different from clowns putting on a show.""You… How dare you!" Langdon
"Are you even qualified to sit while speaking to me?"Austin's words struck like the blow of a hammer. They were sharp and unrelenting, and they left no room for retort.Langdon sat frozen and was momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected a brat like Austin to have such a sharp tongue.If he admitted he had come for personal matters, he would keep his pride intact, but he would lose control of the conversation. Everything he had prepared—and all the accusations he meant to throw—would be meaningless.But if he insisted it was official business, he would have to show proper respect and offer a formal greeting. No matter how he answered, he would be conceding ground."I'll ask one more time. Are you here on official or personal matters?" Austin asked coldly."O-Official matters." Cornered, Langdon barely managed to get the words out."Well? Is this how an official conducts himself?" Austin pressed.Langdon had no choice but to rise and offer a deep bow. "Your Highness, it's an h
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