Dahlia frowned slightly, slowly coming back to her senses. Looking at Florence hop around energetically, she was astounded. "Mom, I thought you said you broke your hands and feet? How can you still stand?""Huh?" Florence's face froze, and she forced a smile. "When I saw Julie, I got a little too emotional and temporarily forgot about the pain. I should lie back down and get some rest right away."With that, she limped to the bed.But those horrible acting skills fooled no one."Mom, are you actually fine and were just pretending to be hurt in front of me?!" Dahlia's face sank."How can I be fine? Didn't you see how Dustin hit me? Ouch … My head is starting to hurt again!" Florence held her head and began to put on a show again."You said you have a concussion and broken limbs. Well, where's the case file from the hospital? Show it to me!" Dahlia demanded."Well …" Florence and James both looked at each other, speechless.Seeing their reaction, of course, Dahlia caught on."So
"D—Dustin Rhys? How could it be him?!" After learning the truth, Florence and the others looked at each other for a while, disbelief written on their faces.Never in a million years had they considered that it wasn't Matt who saved Julie, but the person they had dubbed ungrateful.This was simply a slap in the face!"So Dustin never framed Julie in the first place, and it was you guys … purposely slinging mud at him?" Dahlia stood rooted to the ground, expressionless.Her face was as white as a sheet."W—who slung mud at him? I bet he's feeling guilty because he knows what he did wrong, so he's trying to make things up to us!" Florence insisted stubbornly.She was used to bossing people around; of course, she would never admit that she had gotten the wrong idea about Dustin.That would be too humiliating."Mom, things have already come to this, and you still want to justify yourself?" Dahlia bit her lip. Even her heart was clenching."How am I justifying myself? If that Rhys b
"Young man, I advise you to consider this carefully. I do not like to be rejected. If something catches my eye, I'll do anything to get it." Phineas began to ramp things up. "If you agree, then not only will you get the money, you'll also become a friend of the Laney family. If you ever run into trouble, our family will help you. Conversely, if you turn me down, you'll become an enemy of the Laney family. You have to decide for yourself whether you want to be our friend or foe."Dustin couldn't help but laugh when he heard that. "I don't like to be threatened. If you're going to speak like that, then we can only be enemies.""Hm?" Phineas' face darkened."Punk, are you sure you want to do this?""Of course." Dustin nodded."Hmph! Don't think you can go around fearlessly because you have the Harmons backing you. To tell you the truth, I have a hundred ways to deal with small fry like you. If you're going to remain stubborn, I don't mind playing this game with you," Phineas threat
After hanging up, Dustin began to clean the medical center with Caitlyn.Although she didn't let out a word of complaint, Dustin could tell that the death of her pet cat had taken a huge toll on her.Her eyes were constantly red, and she was trying her hardest to cry without making a sound.This young woman had had such a tough life that she lived so pitifully and carefully that she didn't even dare to cry.She was such a good kid that it tugged at Dustin's heartstrings.The two of them worked together for a long time before the medical center was finally clean.After a few moments, a silver Bentley pulled up at the entrance.The door opened, and Natasha got out of the car, dressed in a red dress."Ms. Harmon?" When Caitlyn spotted Natasha, she immediately greeted her."Come on, Caitlyn, I've told you many times that you don't need to be so formal with me. You can just treat me as your sister." Natasha smiled, patting Caitlyn's head."Okay." Caitlyn nodded obediently, but it
"A—AIDS?"Chloe was frozen in place, at a loss.She was truly shocked.Not only because Dustin hit the nail on the head for all the symptoms she was experiencing, but mainly because she had gotten a new boy toy a while back.When they were intimate, they hadn't used protection.Now, hearing his words, she couldn't help but panic a little."Dustin, are you … sure?" Natasha also looked surprised.AIDS was not a trivial matter.Could it be that this was Roderick's secret illness?"Although I can't be a hundred percent sure, I'm sure I'm not too far off," Dustin replied."You … You're bullshitting me!" Chloe shrieked. "I just had a medical checkup at the hospital this morning. How can I have AIDS? Stop trying to scare me!"It's up to you whether you want to believe me." Dustin shrugged his shoulders."Bastard, you're scaremongering and humiliating me in public. I've got to teach you a lesson! Wally, beat him up!" Chloe flew into a rage and ordered the young bodyguard standing b
"Honey, why did you hit me?" Chloe cupped her face, looking hurt.The others also looked at each other, unable to comprehend what had just unfolded.No one expected that Big Bucks Brooks, the man who had always covered for his wife's behavior, would smack her with his own hand."See for yourself!" With a dark look, he threw the phone straight at Chloe.Chloe picked up the phone and took a look. Suddenly, her face turned ashen, as if she'd been struck by lightning.It was the medical checkup report from the hospital, and the diagnosis was indeed AIDS!"How could this happen? No, it can't be!" Chloe shook her head frantically in utter disbelief. "This medical report must have been falsified! Honey, I don't have AIDS, I really don't!""Are you still trying to defend yourself at this point?!" Roderick roared, his blood was boiling.Any man would not be able to stomach finding out they were cheated on.Even worse, his wife had contracted AIDS because of it.This was simply humilia
"This young man must be the skilled healer you mentioned, Mr. Rhys, right? From what happened today, you do live up to your reputation," Roderick said."I only hope you won't take it too hard, Mr. Brooks," Dustin said.Any man wouldn't be able to handle hearing that he'd been cheated on."Speaking of, I should be thanking you, Mr. Rhys. If it wasn't for your sharp eyes, I don't know how long I would have been lied to." Roderick forced a smile.In this case, it was better to rip the bandage off.Although it was a bit humiliating, it still beat getting cheated on repeatedly."Mr. Brooks, forgive me for asking, but could the secret illness you've been suffering from be the same as your wife's?" Natasha asked tentatively. Typically speaking, if his wife got it, then Roderick must have caught it too."Um … I probably don't have it." Roderick looked slightly embarrassed. "To be honest, because of how busy I have been with work, I haven't slept with my wife for half a year.""That's
Roderick stood there frozen, his face was pale.He'd experienced all kinds of hardships all his life, but at that moment, he didn't know what to do.He thought it was bad enough that he'd gotten cheated on.He didn't expect that there'd be a bigger "surprise" that followed.His son wasn't actually biologically his?This revelation was even more severe than finding out he was being cheated on! "Mr. Rhys, are … you sure?" Roderick's eye twitched. He was clinging to the very last glimmer of hope."Mr. Brooks, it's a hard pill to swallow, but based on your body's current condition, you lost your ability to have children a long time ago. If you don't believe me, you can go get tested yourself," Dustin said firmly. To be honest, he was starting to pity Roderick.Although he was swamped with riches, his wife had an affair, and his son wasn't his.This double whammy would have driven any ordinary person insane."Alright. Thank you, Mr. Rhys. There are too many people here. Shall w
Dustin had boarded the plane back to Oakvale. His trip to Sacred Wrym Summit had been full of ups and downs. From the Combat Tournament to the invasion of the Hall of Gods, his journey had been perilous. Thankfully, the outcome was favorable. He had won the championship at the tournament, acquired three Dracan essences, and ultimately foiled the Hall of Gods' plan. In every way, the mission had been nearly flawless.After bidding farewell to his newfound allies, Dustin joined Grace on the return flight. Four of the five Dracan essences had already been gathered, leaving only one remaining. According to Grace, the last essence had been located, and the person holding it was in Oakvale. Though their identity was still unknown, she suspected it was most likely one of the three princes.With the position of heir to the throne still uncertain, the three princes were all eager to secure their power. Whoever obtained the Dracan essence would be blessed with fortune and have a higher c
The chaos of the night quickly settled.By morning, as the first light of dawn broke across the horizon, Sacred Wrym Summit had regained its usual tranquility. Yet, the bloodstains across the ground and the wreckage of buildings stood as grim reminders of the previous night's violence.The military forces summoned by Grace had already taken the Hall of Gods' prisoners into custody.Rumors spread like wildfire, fueling gossip throughout the martial world as all the major guilds watched with keen interest. After all, very few in history had ever dared to challenge Sacred Wrym Summit, and a bold invasion aimed at destroying it was nothing short of unprecedented.The outcome was clear to all who bore witness. After many years, the world had come to recognize the true terror of Arion. He was no mere mortal—he was almost a godlike figure.…Inside the Hall of Gods' headquarters in Streuqua, the core members were gathered, seated in two rows on either side of the grand hall.On the thr
After dealing with the Hall of Gods' elite fighters, Arion disappeared in a blur. When he reappeared, he was hovering above the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit.The scene at the entrance to the forbidden ground was one of utter carnage. Bodies lay strewn across the ground, and rivers of blood flowed freely. All members of the Hall of Gods, including Hank, lay motionless on the ground.Dustin and Willard, both covered in blood and exuding killing intent, had fought fiercely. After a long, grueling fight, they succeeded in defending the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit. They had thwarted the Hall of Gods' plan to destroy the Dracan force.At that instant, Dustin seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up. Through the mist and darkness, he pinpointed Arion's figure hovering above. Arion smiled faintly and nodded at Dustin before disappearing again.Crossing several mountains in mere seconds, Arion arrived above the Sacred Wrym Summit's grand hall. Below, the discipl
When the dust finally settled, Arion was the only one left standing.Bailey, Willem, Anthony, Batuul, the three elite assassins from Eskus, and several gods from the Hall of Gods were either dead or gravely injured.Willem's body had been blasted into countless pieces. Each fragment wriggled on the ground as it struggled to piece together. Batuul fared even worse. He was utterly obliterated, leaving no trace behind, not even ashes. On the contrary, Bailey and the three Eskus assassins had both their arms severed and were gravely wounded. Though Anthony's limbs were still intact, his crushed internal organs left him coughing up blood. The backlash from the demonic blade had also taken a devastating toll on his body. He now appeared decades older, his face gaunt and hollow, his hair gray. His frail frame made him look like a man standing at death's door."H-How is this possible? No… this can't be happening!" Bailey's expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief as he stared a
Arion's sudden appearance caught everyone off guard. They stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. What was going on? Wasn't Arion already dead? How could he be standing there in front of them? Could it be a ghost?They exchanged baffled looks, and their faces were filled with disbelief. They couldn't make sense of it. How could Arion possibly be alive? It was beyond their comprehension."You… you're not dead?" No one was more shocked than Willem. After all his effort, he had finally found the chance to bite into Arion's neck and drain every drop of his blood.He was certain Arion had died—there was no way he could have survived. But if Arion was dead, who was this person standing before them?"Everyone, calm down!" Bailey spoke up. "Arion's body is still over there. This person must be an imposter."At his words, everyone turned to look at the corpse lying nearby.Bailey was right. The body was still there, and there was no way Arion could still be alive. So, the person in front o
As the Snow Maiden attacked, Batuul's illusory Elephantine stirred into action. With a mighty roar, it charged forward and slammed into Arion. Its tusks, sharp as spears, aimed directly at his chest.Caught in the swirling snow, Arion couldn't avoid the attack and quickly invoked the Glow Incantation to shield himself. The tusks collided with the barrier in a deafening crash. The impact sent Arion flying, and the golden light surrounding him shattered like glass. Clearly, the illusory Elephantine's strength had far exceeded the Glow Incantation's limits.As Arion was tossed into the air, the three-headed, six-armed Chimera Wrath seized its moment. With six different weapons in hand, it launched a relentless assault.Arion swung his sword to block but was driven further back with each blow. With no solid footing in midair, his agility was useless against the onslaught.After several exchanges, one of the Chimera's weapons struck Arion squarely in the chest, sending him crashing to
After a prolonged battle, Anthony and the others finally realized the gravity of the situation.Arion wasn't just a sword master but also had unpredictable agility. No matter how they attacked, they couldn't even land a single hit. On top of that, his sword was a constant threat.If this deadlock continued, the situation would only worsen. So, when Bailey spoke, they knew it was time for decisive action, and there was no turning back. It was either kill or be killed.At that moment, Anthony, who had been holding back, finally decided to use his ultimate technique. He bit his finger and smeared the blood across his blade. His lips moved quickly as if whispering an incantation."Snow Maiden, arise!" As soon as the words left his mouth, he swung his sword. A white figure shot out and hovered in the air. It was a woman with fair skin and mesmerizing beauty. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, her dress was as white as snow, and her eyes had a sinister gleam.The moment she appe
"How many tricks does this old geezer have?"The impact of the divine talisman explosion left everyone both shocked and enraged. No one had expected that Arion would still manage to unleash such a powerful supreme divine power even after the Glow Incantation was broken and the lightning strikes failed to cause any harm.The impact of the thousands of divine talismans exploding at once was terrifying. Only the strongest fighters—Willem, Bailey, and Batuul—could withstand it. The rest of the group was severely injured. At that moment, they finally realized the terrifying strength of Dragonmarsh's strongest man."Impressive," Willem said, landing smoothly after being thrown back. His withered skin was now covered in cracks, and blood oozed from it.Most of the shockwave from the explosion had hit him directly. Despite his impressive defense, he still took some damage. However, these injuries were nothing to him. His wounds had already healed within a few seconds, as if nothing had hap
Willem's wings, black as night with a metallic sheen, erupted from his back. Fully extended, they stretched over 30 feet. With a gentle flap, a storm of wind and eerie howls swept through the air. The sheer force was intimidating to behold.His appearance had also undergone a drastic transformation. Willem's once-handsome face was now gaunt, his skin wrinkled, and his cheekbones jutted out. Fangs protruded from his mouth, and two sharp horns sprouted from his head. He had grown taller, but his body was unnaturally thin, with his ribs and sternum visible beneath his skin. From a distance, he looked like a towering, monstrous skeleton. It was an unsettling sight that sent a chill down anyone's spine.This was Willem's ultimate form. After the transformation, his speed, strength, defense, and reflexes were greatly enhanced. His thirst for blood grew even more intense, turning him into a bloodthirsty demon.The gods, who had expressed dissatisfaction moments ago, now stood paralyzed