"Mr. Ridge, since you're determined, I won't insist further," Jackson conceded as his advice went ignored.He knew that revealing these unknown creatures would create chaos once they were taken outside the oasis. However, the outcome remained uncertain.Suddenly, Aidan turned to Grace. "Little Miss, I've got a plan to catch this critter alive. Can I borrow your Dragon Rope?"Despite having enough skills to handle the creature, the real challenge was capturing and taming it. Understanding that regular ropes wouldn't work against such a strong beast, Aidan realized that only the Dragon Rope could do the job."Since you've asked, I won't say no," Grace said. She signaled to the captain of the royal guard to get the Dragon Rope. Once he returned, she handed it to Aidan.Aidan's mood improved as he took the Dragon Rope. "Thank you, I really appreciate it. Remember, if you ever run into any trouble, don't hesitate to reach out to me!" Just as he was about to approach the creature, a
Dustin smirked at Aidan. "Well, that Dragon Rope of yours seems pretty useless now, huh?"The rope, initially effective in restraining the panther-like creature, proved useless against the formidable brown giant python. In simpler terms, it couldn't even be used on the giant python.Aidan's irritation grew as he spoke, "This devilish creature killed my mount. It must be dealt with." As he prepared to face the brown giant python, an unexpected twist unfolded.Suddenly, a massive shadow swept across the sky, casting everything into darkness. A breathtaking black eagle materialized, its body a marvel of obsidian beauty, and its feathers gleamed like polished steel.When it spread its wings, they stretched over 30 feet, resembling a commercial airplane at a glance. The eagle dove from the sky, reaching an incredible speed and covering several hundred feet in the blink of an eye.As it descended, the gusts of wind caused trees to topple as sand and stones scattered around. The wind
A minor miscalculation could result in a fatal outcome. The earlier series of struggles vividly illustrated the ruthless nature prevailing in the untamed jungle."Wow, can you believe that giant python got taken down so easily?""Yeah, it was a powerful python, but it ran into its natural predator.""That's pretty scary! If even a strong python can be defeated so quickly, are we in even more danger?"Staring at the wreckage scattered around them, the group felt a mix of shock and unease. The place exuded brutality and danger, leaving them on edge. The fear of becoming prey to the exotic beasts lurking around loomed large, with a high chance of meeting a sudden demise. It finally dawned on them why Ryan had succumbed to madness. Facing such a dangerous and horrifying environment would be daunting for anyone, and it was still early in the night. The looming uncertainty of whether more creatures would emerge in the later hours only added to their apprehension."Looks like thi
"H-Hey?" the man stammered.His jaw dropped as he watched the man in yellow getting skewered by those vines. In a daze, he stood frozen, unable to grasp the sudden death of someone lively who was just talking moments ago.Rhythmic drips filled the air as the vines hoisted the lifeless body, letting fresh blood spill out and eagerly devour the body. Before their eyes, the once withered vines transformed into a more nourished and glossy look with a faint crimson hue accentuating its surface.As the vines greedily absorbed the fresh blood, the man in yellow underwent a swift and noticeable transformation. His once vital body rapidly withered, leaving behind nothing but a desiccated corpse."Help! Somebody, help! Monsters!"Finally, the other man snapped out of his stupor. He started yelling and desperately tried to escape, not even caring about the weapon he had dropped.As he turned to run, a vine shot up from the ground. Swift as lightning, it speared through the man's head li
"Hah! These darn vines dare to ambush my comrade. I shall set you ablaze!" The burly man, enraged by the stubborn, still-moving vines, swiftly grabbed a nearby torch. He was ready to set it on fire.Jackson, watching from afar, noticed a looming danger and quickly shouted, "Hey, look behind you!" "What?" Upon heeding the warning, the burly man swiftly turned. A silver vine, gleaming unlike its dull gray counterparts, approached him like a spear. It was thicker, tougher, and faster."Go to hell!" With a quick wrist flip, he swung his steel blade, aiming to cut the silver vine in half.The blade clashed with the silver vine, creating sparks and a loud metal clash. The vine's attack paused, making the burly man stagger back in shock."This is tougher than I expected." His eyelid twitched as he examined his steel blade, noticing a clear nick from his recent strike. Realizing the vine was tougher than his blade, he wondered about its origin and concluded it must be a divine weap
Dealing with one silver vine was already challenging. However, what caught everyone off guard was the sudden appearance of a dozen equally strong ones. The burly man, momentarily caught off guard, found himself impaled by the silver vines. In an instant, his body became a gruesome canvas of blood and wounds."What—" He couldn't believe his eyes. He thought he had faced the vine's deadliest move, only to discover it was just a setup for an even more ominous threat. The monstrous entity's origin and unmatched strength puzzled him.Dozens of silver vines, like tentacles, lifted the burly man into the air. The silver vines ruthlessly tore his body apart with a resounding crack. Blood sprayed and mingled with the dismembered pieces. Unlike the previous vine that drained blood, these silver vines seemed to assert dominance."No!" Jackson roared at the gruesome scene before him. Unhinged by the sight, he wasted no time and charged forward with his sword drawn."Die!" With relentless
"What on earth is happening?" A collective gasp filled the air as the group laid eyes on the majestic golden vine soaring into the sky. The gray and silver vines had already stunned them, but the dense and commanding presence of the golden vine took the spectacle to new heights.If the gray vines were akin to soldiers and the silver ones acted as generals, the golden vine now assumed the role of a commanding king. A haunting stillness surrounded the golden vine, sending shivers down the spines of all those present."I've got a bad feeling about this. That golden vine might surpass the strength of all the silver vines combined!""What should we do? What's the plan now?""Are we going to die here?"A sense of impending doom and unease gripped the disciples of the Embersteel Order, members of the Black Scorpion Squad, and Grace's envoy teams. The overwhelming presence of the vines rendered them utterly helpless."Fear not, everyone! Mr. Ridge is here. He's got this!" a voice rea
Aidan raised an eyebrow, commenting, "Let's be clear—we're just fellow explorers with our own goals. We're not allies, and even if we were, why do we have to share both good and bad times?"Jackson hesitated, momentarily lost for words. It dawned on him that the rumors about Aidan's unpredictable nature were indeed true."Mr. Ridge, state your conditions. If it's something we can accommodate, we won't turn you down," Grace replied promptly. She sensed Aidan's longing for some sort of benefit."Great!" Aidan grinned, impressed by her quick understanding. He went on, "I can help you in getting out of this situation and guarantee your safety. However, in return, I'd need you to give me the Dragon Rope.""What? The Dragon Rope?" Jackson frowned at the unexpected mention.The Dragon Rope could restrain even grandmaster martial artists, making it invaluable. Aidan's request at this moment appeared to exploit their vulnerable situation. Hence, the unexpected behavior from such a resp
"Give me a moment to think," Dustin said.Grace's words sent him into deep thought.After all, carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small burden. First, he had to be tough enough to handle it. Then, he needed the resolve to accept what came with it. Once he carried that burden, it meant taking on a heavyweight.He used to act on his own terms and do things as he pleased without worrying too much about the consequences. But once the nation's fate was involved, everything changed.Not that he had many options.Dustin could either hide in Sacred Wrym Summit and hope Arion would protect him, or take a risk and absorb the Dragonmarsh's fate to push through his cultivation's bottleneck. Between the two, he was leaning toward the latter."I can give your plan a shot," Dustin said suddenly. "But we're still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we're doing this, we need to find that last one first."Only once all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly wield the
"Royal gods? And two of them?" Dustin frowned at the news.His battle with Poseidon in West Lucozia had shown him firsthand that the Hall of Gods didn't send weaklings into the field.One royal god had already pushed him to his limit. If two came at him together, winning wasn't even the question. He'd be lucky just to make it out alive."That's right," Grace said solemnly. "The royal gods, Zeus and Hera, have crossed the border. They're even stronger than Poseidon. If they ambush you together, your chances are slim."She knew Dustin was strong, but he was still young. Moreover, Zeus and Hera weren't just anyone. They were world-class powerhouses. Surviving a fight with them would be next to impossible.The Hall of Gods had probably figured out how dangerous Dustin could become. If they had given him a few more years to grow, they might not have been able to stop him."Well, that complicates things." Dustin rested his chin in one hand with a thoughtful expression.Two royal god
Soluna Hall had one rule—they wouldn't accept unfamiliar customers. They only served those they knew well or people introduced by someone they trusted. Every transaction required an appointment. Exceptions were made for urgent matters, but those came with an additional fee.When Dustin reached the entrance, two security guards stopped him. After stating his name and being verified by the guards, they let him through.Inside, a female attendant with a pleasant smile greeted him and led him across the main hall straight into the back garden. They passed a small fish pond and stopped in front of a secluded private room."This is Ms. Linsor's private reception area. Mr. Rhys, please come in," the female attendant said with a smile."She's not here?" Dustin asked curiously."She had something come up, but she'll be here soon. Please make yourself comfortable," the attendant said, still smiling."Alright then." He nodded and walked into the room.The room was spacious, with a vintag
"You're wrong, Tristan," Matthias said with a meaningful look.He continued, "Sure, I've got the Moseys to back me, but I'm still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel's got strong backing too, and this won't be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I'd say my chances shoot up to 80%."In his eyes, Tristan's support was worth more than the Ballard family.If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias."You know me, Matthias. I've never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn't for me. I hope you can understand that," Tristan said.After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn't let go.Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortco
Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel weren't fools. They understood the unspoken message loud and clear.Their purpose for this trip was to take advantage of the opportunity to offer their condolences and win the Ballard family's support. Should it work, all the better. If not, they'd at least make a good impression. The key was that as long as the Ballard family didn't pick a side or turn against them, there was still room to make things work. No need to rush into anything.Tristan spoke first. "You're being too kind, Duke of Lachshire. We've always admired Mr. Jovian's loyalty and courage. We're simply here to pay our respects—nothing more."Matthias added, "That's right. Your family has a lot to deal with right now. Plus, you're not as young as you used to be, so don't wear yourself out over this. We won't take up more of your time today."He gave a respectful nod, then turned to leave."Duke—"Nathaniel opened his mouth to speak, but Tristan interrupted. "That's enough, Nathani
"Oh? I didn't expect both of you to be here," Nathaniel said.He was just about to pay his respects when he spotted Tristan and Matthias inside the mourning hall. He gave a respectful nod and said, "Hello, Tristan, Matthias."Truthfully, he wasn't surprised. He had already guessed they would show up.The four ancient houses and the eight great families were all key players he needed on his side. And with the Ballard family still undecided, he wasn't about to miss the chance to make an impression."I heard you left Oakvale on official business. Funny how quickly you came back," Tristan said, his tone laced with meaning."It wasn't anything important. When I heard about Mr. Jovian's passing, I returned immediately. I wanted to pay my respects in person," Nathaniel answered smoothly, without missing a beat.He brushed off Tristan's subtle jab and used the moment to show the Ballard family he was genuinely there to pay his respects."Don't just stand there, Nathaniel. Go pay your re
"Your Royal Highness, it's an honor to have you here," Jonathan said.Upon seeing the distinguished guest arrive, he quickly pulled himself together and aside his grief. He led his family to greet Tristan, and they bowed in respect.Before they could finish the gesture, Tristan raised a hand to stop them. "No need for such formalities," he said. "The deceased deserves our respect."He turned to Jovian's portrait, which was displayed in the mourning hall, and sighed deeply.Tristan continued, "Mr. Jovian's untimely passing is truly a great loss to Dragonmarsh. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to your family during this difficult time."Jonathan's eyes were filled with tears as he bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words. My family is heartbroken over my brother's tragic death."Tristan nodded slightly. His gaze quickly swept across the hall before asking, "I've heard that Duke Lachshire fainted from grief. How is he doing now?"Jonathan
The unrest in West Lucozia finally ended with the capture of Warrick.Every official who was his accomplice was thoroughly investigated. Those who needed to be arrested were taken into custody, and those who deserved to be punished were executed.After the purge, more than 300 officials in West Lucozia were removed from their posts. Those guilty were arrested, and those whose crimes were severe were executed.Under Austin's iron-fisted reforms, West Lucozia's government underwent a complete overhaul. Corruption, bribery, and the tangled web of illegal deals were swept away like dust in the wind.The citizens quickly noticed the difference. When they visited government offices, they no longer faced delays, refusals, or demands for bribes.Long-neglected public issues began to move forward, thanks to the organized efforts of newly appointed officials. Things were improving across the board.Instead of fearing the crackdown, the citizens welcomed it. The corrupt officials who had dr
Austin's expression also turned serious as he saw the doubt in Dustin's eyes. He knew Dustin wouldn't worry over nothing.There were many strange beings in Streuqua, including vampires, werewolves, and the like. These supernatural species were notoriously hard to kill. Even after being decapitated, they weren't necessarily dead.Austin wasn't sure if Poseidon had that kind of ability. After all, the Hall of Gods and its so-called royal gods were still a mystery to most people in West Lucozia.To play it safe, they needed to recover Poisedon's head for their own peace of mind.Out on the water, Jaxon led a team of soldiers and ship crews to comb the sea in search of Poisedon's severed head.At the docks, all eyes turned to Warrick, Mulder, and the others. They had been tied up and were now being dragged before Dustin and Austin one by one.Warrick looked pale, but there was a certain defiance in his eyes. He knew his fate was sealed. After Dustin killed Poseidon, Warrick knew his