Quincy's eyes widened in astonishment. It was shocking that he wasn't able to react in time to Dustin's silver needle with his skills. If used against Marco, Dustin might just have a chance of winning. Not to mention, Quincy had sensed the faint aura of a grandmaster through the silver needle that flew by. He wondered if the unknown young man before him could actually be a martial arts grandmaster."Elder Douglas, I think I qualify for a duel now, don't you think?" Dustin asked. After a moment's hesitation, Quincy eventually nodded. "Alright, since you're this confident, I'll give you a chance. I hope you won't disappoint us."If Dustin was a grandmaster, coupled with his amazing hidden weapon techniques, there was a good chance that he might just emerge victorious. "Elder Douglas, is this a joke? You're really going to allow him to duel?""Elder Douglas, that kid is just a lone wanderer! How is he worthy of representing Dragonmarsh in a duel?" "It's such an embarrassme
"I'm dying to see just how badly he loses!" Ruby was indignant. She didn't believe that an attention seeker would manage to turn the tide when even a talented prodigy like Vincent was defeated. She was confident that the precious sword on the Renowned Treasure List was as good as hers. "Who are you? Identify yourself!" the butler demanded as Dustin approached. He had expected Quincy to take matters into his own hands, not the sudden appearance of a young man. With an unknown figure stepping forward, even if Marco emerged victorious, it wouldn't enhance his reputation. "My name is Dustin Rhys. I'm here to witness the prowess of a Kimboku warrior for myself," Dustin declared calmly."You're no match for our master. Get Quincy to duel our master," the butler replied haughtily. To Marco and his butler, the nobodies from Dragonmarsh were simply not worth the effort. Fighting them would only be a waste of time.It was only by defeating prominent figures like Quincy that woul
"What the hell? The brat may be despicable, but Dustin shouldn't underestimate him either! What the hell is he thinking?""He might not even win with a weapon. Fighting without a weapon is just foolish!"The crowd exchanged remarks among themselves. No one expected Dustin to utter such arrogant words even after two consecutive defeats. "Is this bastard crazy? Fighting with bare hands against Marco is just like suicide!" Miles was both surprised and puzzled."Hmph! He must be trying to find an excuse when he loses. This is his way of escaping the situation. He knows he can't defeat the brat and will use his lack of a weapon as an excuse for losing. "I've seen through his petty tricks!" Ruby spoke as if she had figured out Dustin's clever plan. "Is that so?" Realization hit Miles. It was a cunning move from Dustin. Despite knowing he would be defeated, he still insisted on basking in the limelight. His shameless tricks seemed to know no bounds."Dragonmarshian, if you don't
Marco stomped forcefully on the ground, causing multiple cracks to form. He then propelled himself forward like a released arrow, charging at Dustin with a vindictive glare.In the first two battles, Marco refrained from making the first attack, allowing his opponents to showcase their skills. However, Dustin's words ignited his fury, leading him to desire a swift and brutal end to the duel as a warning to all martial artists in Dragonmarsh. Midway, Marco suddenly drew his sword and executed a horizontal slash. The next thing they knew, Marco's Demon sword emanated a brilliant crimson glow. An eerie blood-red sword light whistled through the air, slashing toward Dustin at the speed of light.Along its path, the very air seemed to distort, and the ground was left with a deep, scorched gash as if it had been seared by flames."What remarkable speed!" Quincy's eyes narrowed in astonishment. While Marco's maneuver appeared ordinary, in reality, it was exceptionally swift and bru
Dalen smirked at Ruby.Ruby snorted, "Hmph! What's so impressive about that? That brat was just testing the waters. He didn't even unleash his full strength. Even a pig could defend against it!"Dalen merely smiled in response. However, Miles, who was beside them, had a strange look on his face. Even though he knew she was referring to Dustin, her words felt particularly cutting. After all, he had been defeated by a single strike. Didn't that imply he was less capable than a pig? It was a stinging remark."Dragonmarshian, you're stronger than I thought. However, it's a pity that today, you are still going to suffer defeat!" Marco was momentarily stunned before quickly composing himself with seriousness. Despite unleashing 70% of his power in that last strike, Dustin had effortlessly defended against it. This proved that Dustin was a formidable opponent, even more so than Vincent from the earlier rounds. Vincent only had exceptional spear techniques and failed to put any pres
"I didn't expect Marco to be the successor to Jump Force. Dalen, it looks like your friend is in danger!" Crystal's gaze hardened, and she grew particularly solemn. Luca had a widely renowned reputation, even in Dragonmarsh. If Marco had direct knowledge of the skill, he was basically already in part a Sword Sage. It was obvious that he had visited Dragonmarsh and called for a public duel to make a name for himself. "No wonder he's so formidable. It turns out that he's a disciple of the strongest Sword Sage in Kimboku. It was reasonable that I lost." Miles straightened his chest, appearing proud. If he had lost to an unknown person, it would have significantly impacted the Sword Union's reputation. However, it would be a different story if he lost to Luca's direct disciple.Luca's prowess was equivalent to Dragonmarsh's top ultimate grandmaster, and his influence was comparable to the Sword Union's leader, Cyrus Hadley. Since Cyrus's direct disciple was Glenn Hadley, Marco's
When everyone could see what was happening, Marco had already appeared behind Dustin. Plus, the former was slowly sheathing his Demon sword.To Marco, the slash just now was enough to eliminate Dustin. There was no need to strike for the second time.This was how confident he was with his ability and his sword."What happened? Did it end already?" Seeing the furious Marco standing straight there, everyone exchanged confused glances.Everything happened way too fast just now. From Marco leaping into the air and drawing his sword to sheathing his sword, it happened in the blink of an eye.Before the crowd could react, the battle had ended."That's the rumored Jump Force, alright. He's way too quick!""That guy isn't dead, right? I don't see him moving!""I heard the corpse can still continue to move even if the head is cut off, provided that the sword reaches its peak speed.""Looks like he's dead. They should get ready to bury the corpse."The crowd whispered among themselves.
Without any warning, Dustin raised the branch and slapped Marco's face with it.Marco, who was chanting an incantation, was shocked. He widened his eyes and stood there at a loss. Meanwhile, there was a bloody mark on where the branch hit. The surrounding area of the bloody mark was instantly swollen."W-What?" Everyone was stunned by the sudden turn of events.Nobody expected Dustin to be fine from Marco's sword-cut technique, not to mention the former even hit his face."What happened? What exactly happened just now?""No way. Did that dude actually manage to dodge Jump Force?"Everyone exchanged glances and whispered suspiciously. When they saw Marco putting away his sword, they were sure that Dustin was dead. Their thoughts were confirmed when Marco kept chanting the word "Fall".However, Dustin wasn't injured at all despite Marco's chanting for so long. Dustin even managed to hit Marco's face. Everyone was taken aback by such a hilarious scene.Although the way Marco m
After parting ways with Boston, Jovian checked into a nearby hotel to await the good news. Boston wasted no time. After changing into a fresh set of clothes, he headed to the castle to deliver a letter of introduction. But when he arrived, he was stunned by what he saw.The gates of the West Lucozian monarchy had already gathered quite a few people, and among them were several figures he immediately recognized. These included Huxley Thatcher, the Commander of the Militia; Warrick Prescott, the Major General of the State Guard; and Percival Wentworth, the Chancellor of the National Academy.These three were first-ranking officials. In West Lucozia, they were nothing short of kingmakers who wielded immense power and influence. Warrick, in particular, was two ranks above Boston. Hence, he felt the need to be cautious in his presence and was eager not to make a bad impression.Alongside these three prominent figures, several second- and third-ranking officials also stood in line at
The following morning, Jovian stood at the entrance of West Lucozia Airport, wearing a sharp suit.Before the trip, he had contacted his comrade with whom he had fought side by side in the military. After earning military merit and with the Ballard family's influence, he was fortunate enough to stay in Oakvale and secure a decent position.His comrade, on the other hand, had moved to West Lucozia to carve out a life for himself. Years of hard work had paid off—he was now a third-rank general with considerable power, influence, and a strong network of connections. Jovian's meeting with the Prince of West Lucozia would depend entirely on his comrade's connections.Just then, the roar of an engine cut through the air as a military jeep pulled up beside him. The window rolled down, and the first thing that came into view was a bald head gleaming in the sunlight like a lightbulb. The glare nearly blinded him.Under that shiny dome was a face that looked ordinary at first glance. But w
"Grandfather, I understand why you sent Uncle Jonathan and Uncle Jensen to the Spanner and Fallon families to gather information," Natasha began. "But West Lucozia is thousands of miles away."She shook her head slightly. "They've always stayed out of the government's political matters. Sending Uncle Jovian there wouldn't achieve anything. He'd likely just be turned away." Oakvale and West Lucozia were worlds apart. The fight for the Oakvale throne didn't really affect the West Lucozian monarchy. Both sides had long adhered to an unspoken agreement to avoid meddling in each other's affairs."I know, but it'll be different this time. The royal throne is at stake, and every faction will do whatever it takes to secure West Lucozia's support. If the West Lucozian monarchy picks a side, the balance we've maintained for years will collapse. That's why I need to be ready for whatever happens," Simon replied.It would be best if the West Lucozian monarchy stayed out of the political strug
At the Ballard estate, Dustin was warmly welcomed to stay after dinner. This was the first time Natasha had brought her boyfriend home, so the Ballards made a big deal of it.Simon personally accompanied the young couple and invited them to the study to chat over tea. With his sharp eye, Simon could tell Dustin was no ordinary martial artist. His manners, speech, and broad knowledge set him apart from most people."Dustin, I fully support your relationship with Natasha. Your background or status doesn't matter. What matters most is that you two are happy together." Simon paused and said earnestly, "I want you to understand that she's been pampered all her life and hasn't faced much hardship. Now that she's with you, I hope you'll take good care of her.""Don't worry, Mr. Ballard. I would never let her down," Dustin replied sincerely.Though they had known each other for some time and hadn't yet taken their relationship to the next level, they had already made their feelings clear
After hearing Nathaniel's words, Tristan's expression darkened. His brow furrowed as he sank into deep thought.It seemed he had underestimated the situation. He had assumed it was just a simple rivalry between brothers; he hadn't anticipated Seamus seizing the chance to further his own agenda.Seamus already wielded considerable influence. Under the guise of supporting Matthias' ascension to the throne, he had been forming alliances and recruiting talents. His influence had grown to rival the royal family's.If Seamus really supported Matthias' ascension, he'd overshadow the king, and no one would be able to stop him. The worst-case scenario would be Seamus using Matthias as a puppet to overthrow the House of Linsor."Nathaniel, is everything you said true?" Tristan frowned."Absolutely. Every word," Nathaniel replied solemnly. "Of course, if you don't believe me, you can send someone to investigate.""I believe you. But… taking down Seamus won't be easy. Do you have a plan?" Tr
An hour later, Nathaniel quietly entered a private mansion wearing a disguise.Inside the living room, Tristan had already prepared tea and refreshments. He looked as if he had been waiting for a long time."Sorry to have kept you waiting, Tristan." Nathaniel took off his coat and walked forward with a smile."No need to apologize. I'm happy that you made the effort to arrange this. A few extra minutes are nothing, especially since it's rare for us to meet." Tristan gestured for him to sit while he poured two cups of tea and handed one to his brother.Nathaniel accepted the cup and discreetly set it aside. Whenever he was out, he was always cautious about food and drink—this wariness had become second nature."You asked to meet me on short notice. Is this about official matters or something personal?" Tristan took a sip from his cup and got straight to the point."Both," Nathaniel replied, still smiling."Oh?" Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it, then.""Given how things
In another luxurious mansion in the Inner City, a female spy dressed in black, cloaked in a hood, was reporting the results of her investigation to Nathaniel."Your Highness, the Moseys have been particularly active recently and are rallying allies. Many of the eight great families and other influential factions have already allied with them. If left unchecked, they'll pose a serious threat to us," she said, kneeling with her head lowered slightly."So the Moseys are backing Matthias, huh?" Nathaniel sat quietly, his expression unreadable."The Moseys have grand ambitions. While they claim to support Prince Matthias, they're merely setting him up as a puppet to rise to power and expand their own influence," she revealed.She had been infiltrating the Moseys' mansion for years and had gained a deep understanding of their operations, from the smallest details to the key players.Though Seamus appeared as a benevolent philanthropist, it was all a façade. Behind closed doors, he was r
That night, two young men sat playing chess inside a secluded mansion in the Inner City. On the left was Anders, who had visited the Ballard estate earlier. Across from him sat Matthias, a broad-shouldered man dressed in richly adorned robes.The game was intense, with fast moves followed by moments of deep thought. About ten minutes later, Anders finally conceded defeat."Anders, you've really improved since we last played. You almost had me there," Matthias said, stroking his beard in mild surprise."You flatter me, Your Highness. My chess skills are nothing compared to yours. If you hadn't gone easy on me, I wouldn't have lasted half as long," Anders replied with a modest smile."You're as smooth with words as ever." Matthias let out a hearty laugh with a look of smug satisfaction. Winning was in his nature—whether in war or on the chessboard, defeat was not an option."Well, we've eaten, and we've played. Let's get to business." With a wave of his hand, he signaled his men t
"Honestly, we shouldn't waste time debating who's better suited to be king. We just need to figure out who's most likely to take the throne," Jensen said matter-of-factly.As a businessman, he only cared about maximizing profit. To him, it didn't matter who sat on the throne but who had the best odds. He felt that backing that person would be the wisest choice."Who's most likely depends on who has the strongest backing," Jonathan said thoughtfully."Oh, right! I forgot to ask—who are the Moseys supporting?" Jovian asked, smacking his forehead. They'd been discussing this for so long but still hadn't figured out where the Moseys stood."My guess is Prince Nathaniel." Jensen narrowed his eyes as he analyzed the situation. "He's close to Anders. With his immense potential and the king's favor, the Moseys might see him as their best bet.""Anders' personal ties can't speak for the entire Mosey family," Jovian countered, shaking his head. "Family interests outweigh personal relationsh