Rufus smiled. "No need to be so reserved. Today is a private gathering, and everyone here is part of the family. Feel free to express your thoughts openly. There's no need to hold back.""Since Prince Rufus has spoken, I won't decline," Adam said. He rose slowly, offering a courteous nod to those around him before speaking. "These are my personal views. If they inadvertently cause offense, I hope everyone here won't take it to heart.""God of Military, you're too humble. You're an important contributor to the nation's strength, and your insights undoubtedly carry extraordinary weight.""Absolutely, God of Military. Why don't you enlighten us on your preferred candidate?" The crowd chimed in with curiosity.Adam's significance required no explanation. As Dragonmarsh's God of Military and the future heir of the royal Spanner family, his influence was immense. Surveying the room, he stood among the most distinguished attendees. "Very well, I shall express my thoughts," Adam bega
Julius' remarks attracted many sidelong glances. As the former Grand General of the Iron Stallion Cavalry, while his character was highly controversial, his capabilities were unquestionable. After all, he was only able to assume his current position through numerous hard-fought battles.If someone as charismatic and visionary as Julius similarly believed that Logan was the most suitable for the throne, they would have to reassess their views.Initially, they supported Austin because of Logan's perceived lack of influence. However, that didn't seem to be the case now. With the support of influential figures like Adam, the God of Military, and Julius, the Iron Stallion Cavalry Grand General, many were reconsidering their decisions. "Julius, could you please elaborate on your reasons for choosing Logan?" Rufus asked with a smile."My reasons are similar to Sergeant Spanner's. I value a person's talent and capability." Julius earnestly explained, "In the recent eradication of
"Huh?" The crowd was dumbfounded by Dustin's response and exchanged perplexed glances. What was going on?The position of the Prince of West Lucozia was an immensely prestigious role, a supreme authority coveted by countless individuals. Based on previous successions, they had expected the two brothers to engage in a ruthless struggle for the throne.Why were things taking such an unexpected turn?Not only were they not competing for the throne, but they were also willingly relinquishing it. It was as if the throne held no significance to them. Never in history had they witnessed such an occurrence. At that moment, both Austin's and Logan's supporters were frozen in disbelief. They stood there, mouths agape, uncertain of how to react. While they passionately debated in support of their chosen prince, the brothers were turning away from the throne instead. Was this some kind of joke? "Logan, didn't we agree on this? You would take the throne, and I would serve as your gen
Though Julius was displeased, he dared not speak. While the two brothers continuously declined the throne, unwilling to become the Prince, the reality was that the throne could only be claimed by one of them. Julius was aware of this fact and dared not entertain improper thoughts lest he meet the same fate as Reagan. "That's enough, you rascals! I'm allowing you to inherit the throne, and you act as if it's a punishment. Is it that difficult to accept?" Rufus scolded, irritated by Dustin's and Austin's behaviors.Neither of his sons wanted the throne, making it seem as if the position was worthless. Rufus felt embarrassed to have this many dignitaries witness the spectacle."I'm really not interested. You might as well pass it to Austin." Dustin shrugged. "I'm incapable of taking up the responsibility. The Prince of West Lucozia has to be you!" Austin asserted sternly."Silence! Both of you!" Rufus slammed the table and snapped, "I will decide on this matter and will not tol
"This is not something your men can help me with. Besides, this was a promise I made, and I can't just break it," Dustin said, sipping on his tea.With the Celestial Eye, he had a significantly higher success rate in searching for the Dracan essence. For anyone else, it would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. "Fine, you're free to pursue the Dracan essences. But what about after you find it?" Rufus asked again."I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. I haven't thought that far ahead." Dustin shook his head."Since you haven't considered it, I'll take the liberty of doing so for you!"Rufus asserted sternly, "Once you fulfill your promise, you'll return home and assume the throne. I'll ensure everything is well-arranged to spare you any concerns.""I told you. I don't want the throne," Dustin refused outright. "You're my son. If you don't become the Prince, who will? Austin?" Rufus snapped."Austin is talented in all aspects. So, why not?" Dustin retorted. "Aus
"Alright, it's getting late. You should go back to your room and rest," Rufus said wearily, waving his hand. The decision to appoint his eldest son as the heir to the throne was not only because he recognized his capabilities. He was also driven by a sense of guilt, wanting to make amends. Unfortunately, Dustin lacked ambition and harbored no aspirations to rise above others. Therefore, Rufus refrained from pressing too hard.As a dying man, his only wish was for the well-being and happiness of his sons. The rest was no longer a concern.Dustin opened his mouth as if to speak but ultimately remained silent. He then stood up and left. He had no desire to become the next prince, at least not now. To the outside world, the title of Prince of West Lucozia symbolized supreme power, boundless wealth, glory, and the pinnacle of prestige. However, to Dustin, it represented a burdensome role. Assuming the throne meant bearing an overwhelming load. He would no longer be able to consi
The main reason was that Dustin detested traitors, and backstabbing individuals deserved harsh punishment. After dealing with the five rebels, the remaining generals who had sided with the rebellion faced various consequences. Depending on whether they had voluntarily participated or were coerced, they were either demoted, assimilated into the monarchy's forces, or sent to prison. In the course of addressing the rebellion, Dustin also tasked Albert with leading a unit of the Draken Guardians to the Dragon Guard's hidden treasure vault based on directions from the treasure map. The entire process went smoothly. Despite the presence of the Dragon Guard's elite fighters, they proved no match for the ultimate grandmaster, Albert. With ease, he wiped out the remnants of the Dragon Guard and brought back all the treasures from the vault.Cinna had told the truth. The treasures inside the vault were piled up like mountains. It took the monarchy over a hundred large trucks and tens of
After lunch, Dustin received an unexpected call from Grace. She had something important to discuss, and they were to meet at the old house in the western city. Dustin had acquired this particular residence specifically for the training of undercover agents. These women, once victims of Russo's abuses, willingly joined the West Lucozia undercover agent camp.They were prepared to sacrifice their lives to make sure no one else would go through the same experiences they did. Dustin admired their sense of justice and honored their wishes. Under Rodrigo's training, these women had been inducted as official agents. However, they still required at least three years of further development before they could take on missions. Dustin fervently hoped that he would never have to deploy them as it would signify peace in the region. Undercover agents were only deployed in the face of potential threats and only had a 10% survival rate. Half an hour later, Dustin arrived at the old house in th
"We're ready for the ultimate showdown of this tournament. The winner will be crowned the Combat Tournament Champion. Now, let's welcome both contestants to the ring." Oron's voice thundered as he stepped onto the battle ring.There was thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.The long-awaited showdown was finally at hand. Today's outcome wasn't just about personal glory, but it would also decide the future of the martial world.If Glenn triumphed and claimed the crown, the Sword Union would rise as the undisputed guild. The Celestial Alliance and the Mystic Arts Order would have no choice but to bow to their supremacy.But if Dustin won, it would be even more sensational. A dark horse, without any guild affiliation, defeating the elite disciples of the major guild—such a story would send shockwaves through the martial world.Once that happened, every major guild would fight tooth and nail to claim him. It would spark a fierce battle for dominance."Dr. Rhys! Good luck!"
"H-Hold on! I-I surrender!" Abigail said urgently. With the sword inches away from her throat, she decisively raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.She didn't expect herself to win the match. Her goal was simply to take this opportunity to test Dustin's strength and also gauge her own progress. But now, it was clear that there was still a sizable gap between them."You've done well. In a few more years, I might not even be able to keep up with you." Dustin smiled and lowered his Celestial Blade. His words weren't flattery; he genuinely saw potential in Abigail.The dark Phoenix flames carried a corrosive power that even his mystical pure energy couldn't resist. In other words, Abigail's black flames were the bane of any martial artist.Her journey in the martial world was still short—barely two years. She hadn't unlocked the full potential of her Phoenix bloodline yet. But with more training and experience, the sky was the limit for her."Don't try to console me, Sir. I'm n
With a resounding bang, the golden light erupted with a burst of terrifying energy wave. In an instant, the earth trembled, and fierce winds whipped through the air.Dustin and his sword were sent flying several yards. After landing, he stumbled back several steps before finally steadying himself.He looked up and saw that Abigail's body was now covered in a layer of golden armor, though he couldn't tell when it had happened. The armor glowed brightly, and it made her look imposing and striking.It was clearly a divine artifact.The Mystic Arts Order had been around for centuries, with deep roots and countless treasures. As the Grand Sorceress, Abigail would obviously have several divine artifacts for protection.Dustin wasn't surprised, but the armor's counterforce caught him off guard. Not only did it protect her, but it also had offensive capabilities.When his sword struck the armor earlier, the blow didn't leave a scratch. Instead, the armor absorbed the hit and sent the for
Dustin raised his hand as the black feathers rained down on him. A white energy shield flared into existence to form a wall before him.The feathers slammed into the shield and sent ripples across its surface but failed to break through. However, the black flames on the feathers spread across the shield and burned through its energy at a visible pace. In the blink of an eye, the once impenetrable barrier cracked open and left a gaping hole.Dustin couldn't hide his surprise. His mystical pure energy was far stronger than the average grandmaster's internal energy in offense and defense. It was meant to be impenetrable. He hadn't anticipated it couldn't hold up against Abigail's phoenix flame.Seeing the raw strength of her bloodline, he knew he couldn't afford to take any chances. As the black flames spread, he swiftly waved his hand to summon a furious gust of wind that sent the feathers and flames flying."Glaring Wings!" Abigail wasn't done yet. She quickly formed hand seals and
Abigail moved with lightning speed, and her figure weaved in and out like a shadow. Her swift movements left a blur of afterimages that was hard for anyone watching to keep up.On the contrary, Dustin stood still without making any movement."Fallen Fist!"After closing in, she unleashed a flurry of strikes—dozens of black palm shadows slamming toward his body, and each one was like a bullet aimed at its target.Abigail practiced a unique martial art, and it was imbued with voodoo-like properties that could kill anyone who made contact with her. But Dustin's body was immune to all poisons, so it was a perfect counter to her deadly attack.As the shadow palms closed in, he remained unshaken and thrust his palm forward.A fierce gust of wind surged and ripped through the air with unrelenting force. It collided with the black palm shadows.Abigail's black palm shadows exploded on impact and disintegrated into thick clouds of dark mist that quickly spread. Within moments, the mist e
The whole arena suddenly fell dead silent. Everyone stared blankly, and not a soul dared to breathe. Alloy shot to his feet in the main spectator seats, and his face was tense with worry. Yet, he didn't dare make a sound. He feared it might startle Glenn into making a mistake that could cost Fenley's life.After all, Fenley represented the future of the Celestial Alliance. Alloy had invested all his effort into Fenley, and he provided him with endless resources. If Fenley were to die in the match, it would deal a devastating blow to the entire guild.While Alloy was gripped with worry, Cyrus and Penelope cheered silently. They secretly hoped Glenn's sword would strike Fenley. If that happened, the Celestial Alliance would take at least a decade to regain its former glory.Fenley's body stiffened as he stared at the Fang Master hovering inches from him. A shiver ran through his spine as goosebumps prickled his skin. Sweat trickled down his face, and each drop hit the ground with a
"Glenn had only seven swords in the past. I didn't expect that in just one year, two more divine swords would recognize him as their master. This punk is much better than I was back then," Cyrus remarked. He stroked his chin with a look of surprise and approval. He had always believed in Glenn's potential, but Glenn's performance had still exceeded his expectations.After all, the more swords Glenn wielded, the stronger he became. He had already topped the Legendary List with just seven swords. Now, with nine, his strength had grown even more overwhelming."He truly is the Chosen One." Even Kaden couldn't help but sigh.The nine divine swords recognized their master and responded with ease. Glenn's talent and cultivation were leagues ahead of his peers.Every generation brought forth new talent, and the old had no choice but to step aside for the new generation. Compared to their time, today's youth were on another level—monsters in their own right."Now, this is going to be int
Compared to the second green sword, Glenn's third sword was even more powerful. As it descended, accompanied by the fury of a fire dragon, it carried the destructive force of a world-shattering storm.Fenley, whose energy flow was disrupted earlier, watched the fiery red long sword streak toward like a falling meteor. His heart raced and was gripped by a sudden sense of impending doom.With a roar, he risked the backlash effect and unleashed a powerful surge of internal energy. The ethereal divine spirit behind him instantly transformed into a figure with three heads and six arms. This was the complete form of the Four Elements of God's Technique.At that instant, he threw everything he had into the fight. He controlled the spirit to slam its giant arms into the flaming sword. With a loud explosion, the sword tore through the spirit's palms and continued its unyielding path toward Fenley. But its speed had slowed slightly.Without hesitation, he controlled the spirit to strike ag
When the spectators heard the match was about to begin, the excitement reached a fever pitch. Half of them cheered for Fenley while the other half chanted Glenn's name. Both were the Chosen Ones, and their popularity was undeniable. Everyone had been waiting for their face-off in the battle ring.Though Fenley ranked slightly below Glenn on the Legendary List, his fame and influence as the successor to the Celestial Alliance's guildmaster outshined Glenn's. Ultimately, the question of who was stronger could only be answered in the ring."I've been waiting for this day, Glenn." Fenley stared at him intently. His voice was powerful and commanding. He continued, "Others say I'm not your equal, but I refuse to believe it. Today, we'll find out whether your sword is faster or if my Four Elements of God's Technique is superior.""The moment you said that, you've already lost. Your doubt shows you lack the confidence to defeat me," Glenn replied calmly. If this were a fight-to-the-deat