"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
A few decades ago, Dragonmarsh was indeed a weak country. Kimboku was ahead of Dragonmarsh in all areas of development. However, they must admit that the two countries had completely switched places. If Dragonmarsh was allowed to develop freely, Kimboku would have to pay dearly in the future.As such, Kimboku had been trying their best to thwart the development of Dragonmarsh. They couldn't afford to miss any chance at weakening Dragonmarsh. This was also the reason why he came to the Sacred Wrym Summit."Mr. Bailey, what's your plan?" After a moment of silence, Anthony finally spoke up. It was very risky to attack the Sacred Wrym Summit if he relied solely on the power of the Alessandro family. It'd be a different story if he had help."I've got two plans. If we do everything according to my plans, Dragonmarsh will certainly suffer a serious setback," Bailey said meaningfully."Mr. Bailey, can you please elaborate on your plans?" Anthony was a little curious."My first plan
"Sir, is Bailey trustworthy?" After the departure of the members of the Hall of Gods, a one-eyed warrior asked in a lowered voice."Trust no one except for those from the Alessandro family." Anthony shook his head. The Grizz Lord, Bailey, whom he knew before was a loud and proud but mindless person. However, he seemed to have changed a lot now."Sir, if Bailey isn't trustworthy, are we still going to work with him?" The one-eyed warrior continued asking."Of course." Anthony narrowed his eyes and continued, "It doesn't matter if it's Kimboku or the Hall of Gods from the West, we have the same enemy which is Dragonmarsh! "What we need to do is to wreak havoc on Dragonmarsh and impede its development. With this pretext, it doesn't matter if we have our own plans. We'll work together as long as we share the same goal!""Understood!" The one-eyed warrior nodded heavily. In other words, the supposed corporation was just them using each other to achieve their own goal."Hurry up and
The one-eyed warrior was furious when he was being ignored. He quickly moved forward with his sword in his hands and delivered a powerful blow to the silhouette. The silhouette didn't turn around nor did it avoid the attack. Instead, it simply lifted its hand and caught the curved longsword aiming at him.Sparks flew when the silhouette's pale and weak-looking hand caught the one-eyed warrior's curved longsword. It was as if the hand was made of steel."W-What?" The one-eyed warrior's eyes widened in shock. He didn't think that the silhouette would be able to block a strike this strong with bare hands. He couldn't even retrieve his sword no matter how hard he tried. Who was this person?The one-eyed warrior's sword was broken into many pieces as the silhouette clenched its fist around the sword tighter. In the next moment, the silhouette turned around abruptly and revealed its pale and sickly face. Its blood-red eyes shone with a demonic glow in the dark.The silhouette growl
Mulder's body trembled, and he suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood. His energy drained, and his entire being seemed to collapse.Dustin's finger flick had not only shattered his sword but also injured his internal organs. With the effects of the enhanced serum wearing off, Mulder was now back to his original state and completely spent.His once-powerful frame now shrank like a punctured balloon. He looked as if he had aged ten years in an instant. Mulder could no longer fight. Even standing up was a challenge."He's finished," Dustin said coolly, then looked at Warrick. "Now it's your turn.""Hmm?" Warrick frowned, and his expression turned serious.Dustin's display of strength earlier had made him feel a sense of crisis. If they fought head-on, there was no telling who would come out on top.But Warrick was just one step away from escaping West Lucozia, bound for Artea and a life of freedom and luxury. He had no intention of risking his life in battle unless he absolutely
"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