"W-What?" Everyone was confused, staring at the unconscious Miles. Their eyes widened in shock because nobody expected this to happen.With just one swift slash, Marco sent Miles flying.Wasn't this too much? Just moments ago, Miles seemed to have the advantage. How did everything change so quickly? What had happened?"Did I... did I really see that? A Sword Union disciple taken down in just one move?""How is that even possible? Aren't Sword Union disciples supposed to be elites? How come they couldn't defend against a single attack?""No way! That brat can't be that strong!"After a short silence, chaos erupted throughout the entire scene.Initially, when Miles challenged Marco, everyone thought victory was assured. There were cheers and shouts of encouragement. However, the outcome was disappointing beyond imagination.The Sword Union disciple, who was highly anticipated, couldn't match up to Marco. It was embarrassing and disgraceful!"Wait, Miles lost? How is that even po
Quincy paused, took a deep breath, and spoke with authority to the gathered crowd. "Our nation has always believed in winning with virtue."If we've decided on a duel, it must be an honorable one-on-one fight. Even if we win, it won't truly be a victory if it's not done fairly!"Upon hearing this, the commotion slowly began to calm. The crowd might disagree, but they understood the importance of fair play in this martial art contest between the two nations."Elder Douglas! You hold the highest status here. We all respect you. Choose a skilled martial artist to teach those two a lesson, and let Dragonmarsh rise in pride!""That's right! We can't take this lightly. We must give it our all this time!"Amidst the clamor, everyone urged Quincy to pick another martial artist for the challenge.Quincy nodded and looked at the crowd. He then thundered, "The opponent is strong, and we shouldn't take them lightly!"He added, "I've got a condition this time: only those who are at the advan
"Y-You—" Ruby's face turned bright red, angered by Laurel and Willow's words. Just as she was about to respond, there was a soft thud.Miles, who had just regained consciousness, collapsed on the ground again.Ruby was startled and shouted, "Miles!" She quickly squatted down and administered medicine, massaging pressure points in a rush.Dustin looked at Miles. Then, he casually flicked his fingers and inserted a silver needle into Miles' body. The mystical pure energy carried by the needle swiftly penetrated Miles' limbs and body, clearing his circulatory pathways.After a few seconds, Miles finally opened his eyes again. Though weak, he seemed to be fine."I didn't expect Mr. Rhys to be a skilled doctor. I'm impressed!" Dalen exclaimed with surprise.It was not easy to accurately hit pressure points to save a person, even though injuring someone with a flying needle wasn't difficult.Dustin casually mentioned, "It's just a small trick, not worth mentioning.""Thank you, Mr. R
Vincent's arrival brought energy to the once-quiet scene. The crowd saw him as a hero, thrilled at the idea that with Vincent in the mix, defeating Marco would be easy."Great! Now that you're here, I can finally relax!" Quincy exclaimed with relief as he watched Vincent step forward. As the guardian of the Celestial Alliance, he was familiar with Vincent's skills.Vincent, at just 25, was already halfway to becoming a grandmaster—a standout talent in the entire Celestial Alliance. Only exceptional individuals like Fenley could match his strength.Vincent declared confidently, "We can't let warriors from Kimboku act recklessly on Sacred Wrym Summit, whether it's morally or logically, in public or private. We, the Celestial Alliance, can't just stand idly by!"He added, "Even if the younger generation may lack experience, we aim to bring glory to our nation and eliminate evil for the world!""Well said! With young talents like you in the Celestial Alliance, our sect is bound to thr
"Great marksmanship!" Quincy was immediately impressed by Vincent's quick and accurate shot.As they said, a person couldn't judge the skill of an elite until they were in action.Compared to Miles, a disciple of the Sword Union, Vincent surpassed him in cultivation, technique, and combat experience by more than tenfold. With a simple shot, Vincent not only possessed astonishing power but also concealed countless variations, making it nearly impossible to defend against.His strength was on par with that of a grandmaster martial artist—a true genius, no doubt.Despite Vincent's aggressive attack, Marco remained cool. Marco drew his Demon sword and slashed forward fiercely. The attack was simple and direct, without any fancy moves.However, as the blade descended, it emitted a brilliant red light, thickening the air around it. It was as if blood was flowing along the path of the Demon sword, creating a mysterious arc in the air. The blade then heavily collided with the silver s
Miles had thought Fenley was the only hero in the Celestial Alliance, but now, another figure appeared—the Spearhawk, Vincent. It was worth mentioning that Vincent was roughly the same age as Miles, but his skills far surpassed Miles. After all, Miles couldn't even withstand a single blow from Marco. Vincent not only held his own against Marco but also appeared to have the upper hand. This was enough to showcase Vincent's formidable skills. "Dustin, who do you think would come out victorious?" Dalen asked as he observed the battle. "Vincent's techniques have undoubtedly reached peak mastery. He also has rich combat experience. If they were at the same level, Vincent has a better chance of winning," Dustin commented. "Hmph! Please, even a blind person could tell," Ruby snorted. Vincent's attacks were so aggressive that Marco couldn't even fight back. Anyone could tell who was the stronger party between them. Dustin shot a glance at Ruby and responded calmly, "Vincent would
A deafening blast echoed through the air. The blood-red curved longsword wielded by the black-armored warrior had severed the silver dragon's head in half. The shockwave generated by their collision swept out in all directions like a tidal wave, blowing up debris in its path.The crowd was forced to retreat by the gusting wind, struggling to keep their eyes open.Moments later, after the chaos subsided, a transformation had already taken place on the battlefield. On the left, Vincent held his silver spear with a solemn expression, his clothes torn. His hand that was gripping his spear trembled slightly.On the right, Marco stood in silence. The eerie red glow of his Demon blade faded as he sheathed it slowly. They stood 30 feet apart, gazing at each other across the field without uttering a word. It seemed as if time had frozen. "What happened? Who won?" The crowd exchanged looks of confusion. That final blow had been too quick for ordinary martial artists to follow. The
"What just happened? How did it end up like this?"After a brief silence, the scene erupted into chaos. What happened was out of everyone's expectations. Vincent, coming from a prestigious family with exceptional spear techniques and profound cultivation, had maintained the upper hand against Marco. So, how was he defeated after just a single strike? What exactly happened?"He... lost?" Ruby was stunned. She stood with her eyes wide open, she was at a loss. From the moment Vincent made his appearance, she had been watching him. His handsome appearance, noble charisma, powerful cultivation, and unparalleled spear techniques had captivated her.She had imagined countless scenarios of Vincent winning the battle, but she never expected this outcome. "How could this be…" Miles was rendered speechless and appeared somewhat embarrassed.His earlier confident declaration that Vincent would emerge victorious and that Marco would be defeated now seemed misplaced. "Vincent is a semi
"This is interesting." Dustin smirked as the dense barrage of swords came slashing down at him. In the blink of an eye, his figure dissolved into a wisp of smoke and vanished.A storm of sword shadows carrying the force that could split rivers and overturn seas crashed down on the fishing boat where he had just been standing. The entire vessel broke apart in an instant—some sinking into the depths while others drifted across the water."What? He dodged it?" Warrick's eyes flickered with surprise.Mulder's attack just now had been a 360-degree attack. Once caught in its range, there was no chance to dodge—only the option to endure. He couldn't understand how Dustin had managed to avoid it. Did he just teleport?"Hiding like a coward? What kind of warrior are you? Come fight me face-to-face."Frustrated after his attack missed again, Mulder grew desperate. His enhanced serum would only last for 15 minutes. If this dragged on, he'd collapse from exhaustion before Dustin even touche
"Oh? Are we going all out now?" Dustin smirked, with a hint of amusement in his eyes.Mulder, who had advanced to become a grandmaster martial artist through drugs, had a weak foundation. Even after taking the enhanced serum, he still posed no threat to Dustin. If Mulder were a hundred times stronger, he might just barely be able to fight Dustin.As the serum's effects pushed his body to the limit, Mulder suddenly let out a furious roar. His muscles swelled rapidly, and his bones cracked as they expanded. His body grew larger at an alarming rate, and his clothes tore apart under the strain.His six-foot frame stretched to nearly seven feet in mere moments as his body swelled to monstrous proportions. His face twisted fiercely, and his skin darkened as black scales surfaced.With another guttural growl, his roar turned beastlike. He grabbed his shredded shirt and ripped it away, exposing his broad chest covered in dark scales. A faint, eerie sheen flickered across their surface."D
Dustin's words made Mulder frown.Mulder knew all too well that Warrick was the kind of man who had no sense of loyalty or honor. If Warrick could kill his own personal guards without hesitation, what would stop him from killing a stranger? Mulder was certain that the moment things went south, Warrick would be the first to flee. Given the choice, he'd never willingly risk his life as Warrick's sacrificial pawn. But now, there was no turning back.With his undercover identity exposed and him helping Warrick escape, Mulder became a sworn enemy of West Lucozia. His name was now on the most-wanted list.Tonight was their best chance to escape. If they missed it, finding another way out would be nearly impossible.There was only one path left for him—kill whoever stood in his way and make it onto that escape boat."Enough talk, punk. Let's see what you're really made of," Mulder said.After weighing his options, he gritted his teeth and finally decided to draw his longsword. His fig
"You had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next," Dustin said.With a slight squeeze of his fingers, the steel blades clamped between them shattered with a sharp clang.Before the two Hall of Gods members could even react, Dustin waved his hand.The two men were sent flying as if they'd been hit by a truck, hurtling over 30 feet through the air. Blood sprayed from their mouths and noses before they hit the ground. They were critically injured and on the verge of death.Dustin slowly turned his head and looked at the man who had just tried to ambush him.The man glanced at the broken sword in his hand, then at Dustin, who looked utterly unfazed. He hesitated for a split second—then bolted.With a powerful leap, he dove straight for the sea. He knew Dustin's strength was on a completely different level. There was no chance of outrunning him on land, so the only hope was to disappear into the water.It might have worked—if not for what happened next.Just before he hit
"You're not a fisherman? Who the hell are you?"Mulder's guard shot up the moment he got a clear look at the young man's face.Fishermen who spent their days at sea were usually tanned from the sun, but this one had a fair complexion. It felt a little strangeNoticing something was off, the men behind Mulder drew their blades and fixed their sharp gazes on the fisherman.The so-called fisherman standing guard wasn't just anyone—it was Dustin, who had been waiting for them all along.Since his plan was set in motion, he'd been stationed there from morning until midnight. After what felt like an eternity, his targets had finally arrived."Isn't it obvious? I'm here to capture you."Dustin rose from the deck and rolled his shoulders before speaking in an even tone. "If you don't want to die, surrender now. Otherwise, it'll be too late.""Watch out! It could be an ambush." Mulder swiftly pulled out his dagger. His sharp gaze scanned the surroundings for any sign of hidden troops.
As night fell, Warrick sat motionless in his room as he tried to calm his mind through meditation. He had always been able to clear his mind with ease. But tonight, no matter how hard he tried, focus eluded him. A restless unease settled over him and refused to let him relax.Nearly two hours passed before Mulder's scouts finally returned. This time, they brought good news.The smuggling route they had scouted was completely safe, with no signs of an ambush. The West Lucozia army had yet to discover this potential escape route.Once everything was confirmed, Mulder let out a breath of relief. Warrick, too, finally felt the weight lift from his chest."Since the route is safe, we should set out immediately to avoid any unexpected complications." Warrick said. He had no intention of waiting any longer. He was a wanted man, and every moment in West Lucozia increased his chances of capture. There was no telling when the army might surround him. Only by escaping to Thaloria would he
After a hearty meal, the burly Warrick sprawled lazily onto the bed and dozed off. He slept soundly till dusk, lost in a deep dream. When the sky was painted in brilliant hues of the setting sun, only then did he wake up leisurely.The exhaustion from the previous day seemed to have melted away. He felt invigorated, refreshed, and in high spirits.At that moment, Leigh had already set the table in the hall with quiet efficiency. Compared to the first meal, this spread was far more lavish.At the center of the table sat a whole roasted pig. Its golden-brown skin glistened with a rich, crispy sheen. The mouthwatering aroma filled the room, making it impossible not to crave a bite.Warrick had never been one for formalities. The moment he saw the feast, he didn't hesitate. He strode over, took a seat, and started digging in. He ate with zero restraint without sparing a single thought for Mulder, who was still out gathering intel.After a while, half of the roast pig was gone. His fac
"Who is it?" Warrick's grip tightened around the hilt of his steel blade. His eyes, sharp and alert, were like those of a startled predator—full of caution and menace.For the past few days, he had been on edge, like a cornered animal. He barely slept and was constantly on high alert, fearing danger would strike at any moment.The door slowly creaked open. An elderly man with gray hair stepped inside with a tray of fruit and pastries in both hands.Before he could even register what was happening, a flash of cold steel appeared, and Warrick's blade was at the elderly man's throat.The elderly man trembled with fear. The tray slipped from his grasp, and fruit and pastries scattered on the floor."Easy, Sir Prescott. He's one of us." Mulder stepped forward and pressed down on the flat of Warrick's blade with a finger. He smiled and explained, "His name's Leigh Houston. He's mute and has served the Hall of Gods for years. He keeps watch over this tunnel entrance and has never slipp
"Here's the problem—even if we know Warrick's intentions, how do we stop him?" Austin asked.Right now, Warrick had already disappeared without a trace. Austin's team hadn't even come close enough to get a hold of him, so there was no way to track him down.West Lucozia's vast territory and resources made it impossible to seal off every exit route completely. While it might be manageable in the short term, prolonging such an operation would significantly impact West Lucozia's economy. Wasting resources on a single fugitive wasn't a wise move."Warrick is a wanted man across the entire city. There's no way he's leaving through official channels. He'll have to sneak his way out," Dustin analyzed. He continued, "According to the maritime charts, if he's traveling from West Lucozia to Artea, he'll have to go through Thaloria. That's our lead. Get someone on it immediately—find out how many smuggling routes there are from West Lucozia to Thaloria.""Got it. I'll get it done right away