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
With a huge bang, the ground started to crack.A blood-red knife aura stemmed from the ground. Then, it headed straight toward Dustin while following the direction of the crack.Wherever the knife aura passed, a huge amount of debris shot out. Then, it rained toward Dustin like bullets.The intensity of the attack was like a relentless storm, overwhelming and unavoidable.Dustin sneered and stood his ground. With a light stomp, a semi-transparent true energy sphere formed out of mid-air and blocked before him like a shield.Debris from all directions hit the true energy sphere. However, it only created subtle ripples and didn't break the energy sphere.Meanwhile, the blood-red knife aura forcefully slashed toward Dustin's protective sphere.An explosion sounded.The protective sphere trembled, and ripples emanated from the point of impact."What? He managed to block it?" The butler was stunned.Although Dragon Flash was not as fast as the sword-cut technique, it was way more
When Marco summoned the ultimate attack, nine ferocious blood-red knife aura shot toward Dustin from all directions.The attack was unstoppable and overwhelming!"How petty!" Dustin sneered. Without dodging, he waved the tree branch in his hand.Using the same movements, Dustin slashed toward Marco nine times. Instantly, nine white sword aura popped out. Then, it collided head-on with the nine blood-red knife auras Marco summoned.When the sword aura collided with the knife aura, an explosion sounded. Two different kinds of energy collided using the same attacking method.As the white and red lights flickered, a powerful shockwave spread toward the surroundings from the point of impact like a tidal wave.Wave after wave appeared, with one overpowering the next.In an instant, dust and debris filled the air within a radius of 300 feet.All the onlookers were blown back, unable to open their eyes. Some weaker martial artists turned pale from the impact, feeling unwell."You're d
While beating Marco, Dustin questioned, "You like cursing, right? How about your Jump Force and Nine-Headed Dragon Flash? "Aren't you Luca's distinguished mentee? How dare you call us eastern scoundrels and open challenges at Sacred Wrym Summit?" Dustin's hits got quicker and faster. With every strike, he would ask a question.The once proud Marco found himself whipped and battered from the tree branch, screaming in agony.In the end, he rolled around on the ground from how painful the hits were. He no longer cared about his image.The crowd went silent after seeing Marco being beaten up. There were no other sounds except for the sound of the tree branch whipping Marco.Everyone was taken aback by what was unfolding before them. The onlooker stood there with their mouths agape in disbelief.Some even questioned their own eyes. They kept rubbing their eyes to make sure they were seeing clearly.The butler was especially stunned. He stood frozen in place, not knowing what to do
"Crystal… Is the person rolling on the ground actually the brat?" Ruby widened her eyes as she looked at the unbelievable scene.At this moment, Dustin was still whipping Marco continuously. The duo seemed funny yet absurd."It… It should be." Crystal looked carefully before nodding.She never expected Dustin to win, not to mention winning by a landslide. She found it hard to believe that Luca's mentee, an ace in Jump Force, was being to a pulp. "What the heck! This is seriously shocking. How is he so capable?" Miles gulped, looking stunned.Those who had never fought Marco before didn't know how capable he was.Even if Miles tried his best, he was still defeated by Marco in a strike. Not only him, but even Vincent, was not even close to beating Marco. Marco didn't even go all out when dealing with the both of them.On the contrary, Marco unleashed all his deadly moves when battling Dustin. The former even used Jump Force's ultimate technique.However, Marco still lost despite
The butler yelped and quickly helped Marco up. At the same time, the former shouted at Dustin, "You lowly Dragonmarshian. How dare you mistreat Mr. Alessandro. I'll make you pay for that!""Pay for it?" The corner of Dustin's lips curled. Then, he slapped the butler a few feet away and sneered. "You good-for-nothing! How dare you threaten me? You don't know what's good for you!""Well done! Those spineless people that worship foreign power deserve a harsh lesson!""That's right! He's way more despicable than that brat. Just beat him to death!"Seeing the butler getting punched, all the hot-blooded youngsters immediately cheered.Although Marco was despicable, their hatred mostly stemmed from his nationality. Meanwhile, the butler, originally from Dragonmarsh, willingly served as a lackey for the brats. Thus, this made him a genuine disgrace to Dragonmarsh, a traitor whom everyone despised.Plus, the butler even humiliated his former countrymen by calling them eastern scoundrels
"Ruby, are you going to go back on your word?" Dalen asked with a half-smile."Who said that I regretted? It's not like I can't afford to lose." Ruby rolled her eyes and quickly stepped forward. After pushing through the crowd and standing before Dustin, she said quickly yet stiffly, "Well… I misunderstood you before. I'm sorry."After saying that, Ruby turned around without giving a chance for Dustin to reply.Dustin was taken aback, confused about what was happening. Although Ruby was apologizing, she seemed unwilling to do so."I already apologized. Are you happy now?" Ruby returned to Dalen's side and pouted.Dalen shook his head with a smile. He didn't pursue it any further.At this moment, Dustin was at the center of attention.Various guilds and experts were scrambling to recruit Dustin. Plus, the conditions they offered were extremely enticing. It was obvious that they were scared of missing out on such a golden opportunity.Some even tried to seduce Dustin, hoping th
"Ledger?"Langdon's pupils contracted as he stared at the familiar red ledgers at his feet. His expression finally faltered. He had never expected the enforcement team to uncover the ledgers he had hidden in a secret compartment. Every transaction written on those pages was damning—evidence of years of collusion with officials and wealthy merchants, of bribes and embezzlement. He had kept them as leverage to ensure those officials wouldn't abandon him when things went south. But what was meant to shield him had now sealed his fate.His assets could be confiscated, and he could refuse to acknowledge his own children. But how could he possibly talk his way out of a ledger filled with his handwritten records?Langdon's frown deepened as sweat poured down his face. Before he realized it, his back was already drenched."Mr. Langdon, why are you sweating so much? Is it too hot in here? Should I have someone fan you?" Axel taunted with a sneer.The evidence they had gathered was more
"Oh? Really? Then, show them the evidence. Let everyone see for themselves." Austin said with a faint smile.Langdon swallowed hard, and a cold sweat broke out on his forehead.Had his entire past really been dug up in just half a day?"First, I investigated Mr. Langdon's assets and income sources," Axel said, pulling out a stack of documents and placing them on the table. He explained firmly, "His spending far exceeds his salary. He owns 18 luxury homes, dozens of high-end cars, and a private collection of gold, antiques, and famous paintings. "Altogether, his assets are worth tens of billions. Given his salary, it would take him several thousand years of saving every penny to afford that. So I have to ask—where did all this money come from?"The moment those words left his mouth, all eyes turned to Langdon.Everyone knew he was corrupt, but no one expected it to be on this scale. If his fixed assets alone were worth billions, his liquid assets must be even more staggering.
"And as for the rest of you, I'll be investigating each of you one by one." Austin's gaze moved past Langdon and landed on the royal advisors. He sneered and added, "You'd better keep your records clean. If I find anything on any of you, I'll handle it by the book, and there won't be any mercy."At these words, panic swept through the room. Everyone exchanged nervous glances, and their hearts pounded like war drums.As soon as they realized Austin was angry, they quickly fell silent. Langdon had always been making all the noise, but now they found themselves caught in the fire.Anyone who'd held a position like theirs usually had some skeletons in the closet. In the past, Rufus had been willing to turn a blind eye and let things slide. But now, Austin clearly wasn't following the usual rules. If he decided to investigate thoroughly, most of them would likely find their careers and reputations destroyed."Mr. Rhys, what do we do now? Lord Austin seems dead serious about this."
"Langdon, I can't tell if you're playing dumb or if you really are that stupid." Though Austin was smiling, his eyes were cold. He continued, "You asked for physical evidence, and I provided it. You asked for witnesses, and I gave you those too. Now, with both evidence and testimony laid bare, and even the criminal confessing, what else do you want?""Hmph! The government is rife with corruption. I'm simply seeking justice and preventing you from wrongfully killing the innocent." Langdon still held his righteous stance.Some of the royal advisors who had initially supported him now stayed silent. They could sense Austin's rising anger and didn't dare provoke him further. At that instant, they had lost their confidence. As Austin had pointed out, the solid evidence was right before them, and it was impossible to deny.Langdon was a member of the Rhys family and Austin's elder. He could afford to speak without a filter, but the others couldn't. If they truly angered Austin, the
"Sir Thatcher? Mr. Wentworth?" When Langdon saw their faces, his eyes went wide in disbelief. "You… How did you two end up like this?" He was genuinely stunned.Huxley and Percival were two of the most powerful figures in West Lucozia. They commanded respect wherever they went, and even Langdon himself had to show them deference.He never expected that they had fallen from their positions of prestige to become disheveled prisoners overnight."Austin! You've gone too far!" Recovering from his initial shock, Langdon's fury erupted. He didn't even bother with titles anymore. "Do you even realize what you're doing? These two men are pillars of West Lucozia and the prince's most trusted advisors. They're your elders and mentors. Yet, you tortured them like this. Are you even human?""He's right," someone chimed in. "They dedicated their lives to this country. What crime did they commit to deserve such cruelty by Your Highness?"The gathered officials erupted in outrage and condemned
"Your Highness, you mustn't speak such nonsense." Langdon put on a righteous front.He continued, "I've always prided myself on my integrity and never done anything dishonorable. I've never betrayed the prince's trust or let the people down, and I have nothing to hide.""Such lofty words," Austin scoffed. "If you have nothing to hide, why not let the enforcement team investigate?"Langdon's face tightened, and a flicker of unease crossed his eyes. After all, what official didn't have some skeletons in the closet? A full investigation would likely turn up something, no matter how small. Even if the offenses weren't serious, the damage to his reputation would be permanent.With so many officials watching, Langdon couldn't afford to back down. If he did, he would lose his standing in the political world—and his claim to integrity along with it."Go ahead and investigate." He raised his chin and said confidently, "I've lived an honest life and never engaged in anything illegal. No m
Austin sat in his chair and silently watched the royal advisors put on their pretentious act. He slowly sipped his tea as if he couldn't be bothered by their so-called accusations.His nonchalant demeanor made Langdon and the others frown. Their once-outrageous voices began to falter.They had stormed in full of righteous fury earlier, only to be met with complete apathy. What was the point of arguing when he wasn't even listening?"Are you done?" Austin finally spoke once the room had quieted down. "If not, go ahead and keep talking. Say as much as you need to until you're satisfied.""Your Highness, we're here to discuss serious matters. Your dismissive attitude is truly disappointing," Langdon said sharply."Serious matters?" Austin let out a short laugh.He went on, "You barge in here without even understanding the full picture and spewing accusations like they're facts. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different from clowns putting on a show.""You… How dare you!" Langdon
"Are you even qualified to sit while speaking to me?"Austin's words struck like the blow of a hammer. They were sharp and unrelenting, and they left no room for retort.Langdon sat frozen and was momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected a brat like Austin to have such a sharp tongue.If he admitted he had come for personal matters, he would keep his pride intact, but he would lose control of the conversation. Everything he had prepared—and all the accusations he meant to throw—would be meaningless.But if he insisted it was official business, he would have to show proper respect and offer a formal greeting. No matter how he answered, he would be conceding ground."I'll ask one more time. Are you here on official or personal matters?" Austin asked coldly."O-Official matters." Cornered, Langdon barely managed to get the words out."Well? Is this how an official conducts himself?" Austin pressed.Langdon had no choice but to rise and offer a deep bow. "Your Highness, it's an h
After a night of chaos, some of the Red Legion's members were killed, others were captured, and the entire force had been wiped out.But the fallout didn't stop there. The Prescott estate was also raided. All embezzled wealth was confiscated, and those found guilty were thrown into prison.Anyone connected to the Prescotts was placed under house arrest and subjected to rigorous investigation.And the man behind it—Warrick—had become the kingdom's most wanted fugitive.Until he was captured, Celestria remained under lockdown. Major roads were sealed off, and patrol teams scoured every corner to ensure Warrick had no way out.Austin's crackdown sparked outrage among senior officials who didn't know the full story. They voiced their dissatisfaction, with some even gathering outside the castle gates in protest. They stomped their feet in outrage, just short of openly cursing him.To them, Warrick had made great contributions to the nation. Even if he had committed crimes, he didn't d