"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
Meanwhile, in the pit, Julius was still struggling. The protective armor around him flickered, with cracks rapidly spreading across its surface. Overhead, the colossal black sword vibrated slightly, pressing down on him relentlessly. Julius felt as if an entire mountain was weighing down on him. The immense force caused his hands to tremble and his knees to buckle. Yet, he had no other option but to clench his teeth and endure it. He knew that a strike from the colossal sword above would inevitably lead to his demise. It was only at this moment that Julius realized how strong Logan was. It appeared that Logan had been holding back from the start. Now, with Logan taking the fight seriously, Julius found it exceedingly challenging to withstand the onslaught. "Ah—!" Sensing the imminent threat of death, Julius let out a piercing roar. A surge of energy erupted from within him like a tidal wave, desperately trying to reinforce the protective armor. However, no matter how har
Dustin slowly raised the Celestial Blade and pointed it straight at Julius. "Second strike, Conquest Breaker!" In the next second, Dustin vanished and turned into a dark silhouette. He became one with his sword as he surged toward Julius with great momentum. Although this strike lacked the imposing aura or bone-chilling presence, its swiftness was unparalleled. Within the blink of an eye, the dark radiance had traversed dozens of feet, materializing right in front of Julius' chest."What?" Julius' eyes widened. With no time to react, he could only instinctively channel his protective energy armor. A resounding explosion echoed as the dark radiance forcefully collided with Julius' protective armor, unleashing a torrent of terrifying energy. The typically indestructible protective armor shattered like glass, offering no resistance. After the armor shattered, the residual force of the dark radiance hammered into Julius' golden armor. The mystical gold-forged armor dented from
A resonant hum filled the air as the majestic Celestial Blade came to a halt just inches above Julius' head.Julius could vividly feel the icy aura emanating from the blade, sending shivers down his spine and beads of cold sweat trickling down his back. "Withdraw!" Dustin motioned again with his two fingers. In a swift motion, the Celestial Blade transformed into a dark radiance and returned to his grasp. "Uncle Julius, you lost," Dustin commented indifferently. "I can't believe you defeated me." Julius gazed forlornly at his own hands, finding it hard to accept reality. Devoting himself to martial arts since childhood, he never allowed room for slack. His unwavering dedication, coupled with a natural talent for cultivation, propelled him to breakthrough to the level of an ultimate grandmaster by the age of 40. Within West Lucozia, he stood among the elite.He had thought he could secure an easy win with his strong foundation and rich combat experience. However, Logan's thr
"Could Julius be lying?" Everyone exchanged puzzled glances, unable to comprehend the situation. Even Rufus appeared surprised. Reston Rever was considered a legendary figure in the Black Dragon Army, sharing camaraderie with Rufus in battles that defended their homeland and achieved greatness together. However, he disappeared ten years ago during the upheaval in Oakvale. A charred corpse with Reston's insignia was found in the midst of the blaze. Later, a ceremonial tomb was erected in the cemetery to commemorate him.To their surprise, the familiar name resurfaced after many years, and even more shockingly, the person was alive. What in the world was happening? "Surprised, aren't you?" Julius grinned. "When I first saw Reston, I was just as shocked as you are now. I never expected a person declared dead for ten years to stand before me alive. "Curiosity got the better of me, so I had a good chat with him. Do you want to know what I found out?" After scanning the crowd,
After Julius finished saying that, Dustin finally spoke. "Uncle Julius, we already know about your experience. You only did this as others misled you. "However, I only want to know where Reagan is. Plus, where did you hide Dragon Guard's remnants?"Despite saying so much, Julius did not talk about the main point at all."Honestly, I don't know about Reagan's whereabouts despite having partnered with him." Julius shook his head."You don't know?" Dustin furrowed his eyebrows.This meant that Dustin had basically wasted all his efforts."Don't get anxious. Although I don't know where Reagan is, I can contact him." Julius changed the topic. "I agreed to meet him somewhere after succeeding. We'll go there to discuss matters.""Really? Where did you guys plan to meet?" Dustin furrowed his eyebrows."Are you sure you want me to answer now?" Julius scanned his surroundings meaningfully."Come and help Uncle Julius inside!" A few guards immediately appeared with Dustin's shout. The
"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