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
"Sir, Mr. Alessandro put up a challenge at the center of the ancient town. "He wanted to challenge Dragonmarsh's martial artists to dampen their nation's spirit. He also wanted to gain a name for himself and bring honor to the Alessandro family."Everything was going well at first. Two Dragonmarsh's aces lost against him. Unexpectedly, a nameless person appeared at the third match. "He took advantage when Mr. Alessandro was at his weakest and defeated him unfairly. He even tortured and humiliated him. Please avenge him and kill that lowly Dragonmarsh martial artist!"The butler knelt on the floor and quickly recounted the events, embellishing the details for added effect."Fuck!" Anthony was furious after hearing that. Then, he slapped the butler's face. "Who let you set up a challenge at Sacred Wrym Summit? Do you know that it'll ruin our plan?""Sir, it's not my fault. Mr. Alessandro said that his family had been dormant for so long. He wanted to use this chance to make a nam
Anthony and the Kimbokuan warriors held on tightly to their swords with alert looks on their faces as they observed the unexpected appearance of the individuals. It appeared as if they were up against a strong opponent. They had no choice as these men and women with blonde hair and blue eyes were very imposing."Mr. Alessandro, how have you been? It's been a long time." A sturdy, middle-aged man with a neat beard and a greasy hairdo walked forward and greeted them with a smile."Bailey? It's you!" Anthony looked carefully and was very surprised, "Aren't you being held prisoner at the Hall of Gods? Why are you…" He looked around and decided it was best not to ask.He remembered that Bailey, the Grizz Lord, was the nemesis of the Hall of Gods. He was on the most wanted list of the Hall of Gods and he was finally caught with the help of many skilled fighters. After that, he was imprisoned in a secret location at the Hall of Gods.No one had expected that Bailey would be released a
Austin's words were strong and commanding, each one landing like a thunderclap.Warrick felt the weight of his presence. His brow furrowed for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure. He glanced at the so-called evidence on the floor, showing no sign of panic or guilt. Instead, he said indifferently, "Your Highness, these dead men were nothing more than ants. Is this really worth making such a fuss over? I doubt you haven't killed anyone before."As the old saying went, the higher one climbed, the heavier one's purse. Warrick had clawed his way up, risking his life at every step for the sake of rising above the masses. Everyone had their own desires—some sought fame, others fortune. Some were greedy for money, some for power, and others reveled in the adoration of the masses. To achieve those things, one inevitably had to engage in shady dealings. It was an unspoken rule among officials, and Warrick saw nothing wrong with it."Ants?" Austin sneered. "Without these 'ant
The ashen-faced Huxley was dragged away. With his crimes exposed, his fate was sealed. His entire family would be implicated, and their assets would be seized.Those guilty would be punished, and even those who had merely benefited from his corruption would be held accountable. To put it bluntly, Huxley's entire family was about to be annihilated.Austin issued his next order once the bloodstains were cleaned up. "Axel, it's time to bring in the mastermind."With Huxley dealt with, the next step was to confront Warrick. Unlike Huxley, Warrick wouldn't be easy to deal with. After all, he commanded a large number of troops. If backed into a corner, he could become a major threat."Understood!" Axel responded respectfully, then turned to his subordinates. "Gather more men and come with me."Warrick had earned his prestigious position through years of fierce battles. On the battlefield, he was a one-man army, a warrior capable of taking on thousands. His strength was beyond what mos
"You bastard! With all this evidence in front of you, what do you have to say for yourself?" Austin barked."Your Highness, please let me explain…" Huxley broke out in a cold sweat, his voice trembling with panic."This is a lie. Someone's trying to frame me! I've always followed the law—how could I possibly be involved in something so vile?""The evidence is right in front of you, and you're still trying to weasel out of it?" Austin shot back. "Looks like you won't confess until death is knocking at your door."He raised his hand and ordered, "Guards, throw him into Grimhold Keep. Use whatever means necessary—let's see how long he keeps up this act.""Yes, Your Highness."A squad of enforcement team members rushed in and surrounded Huxley.Cornered, Huxley finally lost his nerve. He dropped to his knees with a thud and begged, "Your Highness, I admit I made a grave mistake."His voice cracked as he continued, "I wasn't thinking clearly at the time. Please, for the sake of my y
Night had fallen. Austin sat in the meeting room, quietly reading a book as he waited for the results of the investigation.After successfully turning Percival against his allies, it was only a matter of time before they uncovered solid evidence of Warrick and Huxley's crimes.For years, the castle had turned a blind eye to their shady dealings. After all, corruption among officials was nothing new.But this time was different. The two had secretly orchestrated Jovian's murder, a direct challenge to the authority and dignity of the royal family. Such defiance couldn't be ignored. If Austin didn't set an example, others would surely follow."Your Highness!"Axel burst into the meeting room, panting heavily. He had clearly run the whole way to avoid any delay.Austin set his book aside and asked calmly, "Well? How did it go?""Your Highness, we've completely shut down all of Warrick and Huxley's illicit operations. Every hidden network they had built over the years has also been d
At that moment, Percival truly panicked. Earlier, he had only worried about being implicated. But now, faced with such a serious accusation, he was completely caught off guard."Hmph! The evidence is irrefutable, and you still dare deny it? Do you want me to torture the truth out of you?" Austin barked."Your Highness, I'm innocent!" Percival was so terrified he was on the verge of tears. He raised his hand and swore, "If I had anything to do with Jovian's death, may I be damned for eternity.""If swearing oaths proved innocence, we wouldn't need an enforcement team," Austin said coldly. "Out of respect for your years of service to West Lucozia, I'll give you a chance to come clean and receive a lighter sentence. Tell the truth now, or I'll throw you into Grimhold Keep."At the mention of Grimhold Keep, Percival began to shake uncontrollably. Tears and snot ran down his face as he wailed, "Your Highness, I swear I didn't do anything. Who's the bastard making up these accusations?
Ten minutes later, Warrick was escorted out of Room A1 again.Axel's demeanor had completely changed since their first meeting, and he had become unusually warm."Sir Prescott, Lord Austin has concluded the investigation. It turns out this matter has nothing to do with you. We made a mistake earlier, and I apologize for any offense caused." He smiled apologetically and spoke with a humble tone."Hm?" Seeing the fawning expression on Axel's face, Warrick raised an eyebrow and looked surprised. Just moments ago, the two sides had been at each other's throats. What had caused such a sudden change?"Did you really investigate it thoroughly?" Warrick asked tentatively."Of course! According to our findings, Jovian's disappearance was the result of a personal vendetta from his enemies in Oakvale," Axel said with a straight face.He continued, "He was a tyrant and always stirring up trouble everywhere he went. He got what was coming to him. Lord Austin only launched the investigation
"After you, Sir Prescott." With one hand resting on the hilt of his sword, Axel's other hand gestured toward the door."Hmph!" Warrick shot a cold glance at Axel's subtle movement and then turned to leave the meeting room.Even if Austin had his suspicions, Warrick knew he couldn't do anything to him without concrete evidence.Axel escorted Warrick back to Room A1. After closing the door, he went to Room A2 and led Huxley to the meeting room."Your Highness, it is my privilege to stand before you." Huxley entered the meeting room with a respectful salute."Mr. Thatcher, please take a seat." Austin's face remained neutral as he gestured for Huxley to sit, then motioned for Axel to pour him a cup of tea."Do you know why I've summoned you here today?" Austin spoke calmly, and his words carried the same probing tone as earlier."Is it about Jovian's disappearance?" Huxley asked in return."Oh? It seems you're quick on the uptake." Austin raised an eyebrow. "In that case, g
The enforcement team worked with remarkable efficiency. Within an hour, Huxley, Warrick, and Percival had been brought back to the castle.Per Austin's instructions, Axel made sure the three met briefly upon arrival, though they were given no opportunity to speak to one another. Afterward, they were taken to separate rooms and were guarded individually.Due to their status, the enforcement team treated them with respect, offering them tea and wine. However, they weren't allowed to leave their rooms and had to wait for Austin to summon them.Warrick was confined to Room A1, Huxley to Room A2, and Percival to Room A3. Their rooms were right next to each other, separated only by thin walls. If they stepped out, they would see one another, but none of them knew how close they were.This, of course, was all part of Austin's plan. He knew that extracting the truth from these three cunning foxes would require unconventional tactics.…Inside Room A1, Warrick sat calmly, sipping his te
"Hm?"Even Warrick frowned at the news.The royal enforcement team was rarely mobilized. When they did, it was always for something monumental. The question was, did a minor figure like Jovian Ballard really warrant such attention from Austin?"Mr. Thatcher, are you sure the royal enforcement team has been mobilized? And it's because of Jovian?" Warrick asked skeptically."Of course I'm sure," Huxley replied with a grave expression. "I've just received orders from above. The enforcement team captain will be taking over my duties temporarily. From now on, they'll have full control over the city's defense and investigative operations.""That's strange. Why would Lord Austin go to such lengths for someone so insignificant?" Warrick was confused, his brow furrowing.According to his intel, this was the first time Jovian and Austin had even met. Even if they had crossed paths before, it shouldn't have been enough to justify deploying the enforcement team.It seemed Warrick had undere