"They're here!" Crystal said, and soon, black figures emerged around the tavern.These figures were scattered in pairs or small groups. Some perched on rooftops, some lurked at street corners, others hid among the trees, and a few even stood on lampposts.Their movements were as quiet and nimble as stealthy cats. At the same time, their precise positioning effectively sealed off all entrances and exits.From an aerial perspective, they had inadvertently formed a large circle surrounding Dustin and the others.After all, these black figures were skilled assassins who had promptly reacted to the distress signal. In just two minutes after their arrival, they formed the encirclement. It showcased their exceptional training."Damn it! So many assassins showed up. Looks like we're in for a tough fight tonight."Miles slowly drew his sword and vigilantly looked at the surrounding black figures. Over a dozen assassins were out in the open, and he suspected more were hiding in the shado
Upon hearing the command, over a dozen assassins immediately charged forward with their swords drawn.These assassins were swift and incredibly agile. They darted and weaved in unpredictable patterns, making it difficult to track their movements.Their unpredictable footwork was honed through hellish training. It was specifically designed to counter long-range attacks and had become almost instinctual for them."Everyone! Attack!"As the assassins launched their assault, martial artists in the vicinity drew their weapons and charged into the battle."Let's take them on!" Dalen shouted, charging forward with a bladed folding fan.Crystal and the others followed closely behind. They quickly formed a flying wedge to create a simple offensive formation.The sudden ambush briefly threw the assassins into chaos, but they quickly regained control. Swiftly, they divided into two groups to attack the enemies from front and rear. The clash erupted instantly as both sides engaged in comb
Predator had reached the late-stage grandmaster. So, his strength was comparable to that of the guildmasters of major guilds in Dragonmarsh. With a single swing of his sword, the power and destructive force were so terrifying that it sent shivers down the spines of Dalen and the others.Their greatest concern was the possibility that Dustin might not be able to withstand Predator's onslaught and end up being killed.Seeing the giant sword aura descending toward him, Dustin acted without hesitation. He swiftly raised his hand and countered with an upward strike.A thick white sword aura appeared, clashing with the red sword aura.Dustin's white sword aura spanned a mere three feet, dwarfed by the Predator's red sword aura, which stretched over 30 feet.The odds seemed overwhelmingly against him, like an ant challenging an elephant.However, Dustin's white sword aura effortlessly shattered the Predator's red sword aura upon collision.A deafening blast followed as the white swor
At that moment, Predator transformed into a terrifying bladestorm with his giant sword. Wherever the storm swept, man or object would be torn to shreds without mercy.The two warring parties, previously locked in fierce combat, were scattered and forced to stop fighting in the face of the relentless onslaught.This indiscriminate attack showed no mercy, sparing neither friend nor foe. Anyone caught in its path was doomed to certain death, a fate everyone desperately avoided.With each passing moment, the bladestorm intensified, growing larger and swirling faster as it approached Dustin."Hmm?" Dustin's eyebrow arched in surprise. Predator's move unleashed devastation that surpassed Dustin's cultivation. If used on the battlefield, it would be a deadly weapon capable of wreaking havoc.Even in one-on-one combat among the grandmasters, only a few could withstand such an attack. Dustin couldn't help but admit that Predator was indeed skilled."Cross Slash!" Dustin immediately rais
Suddenly, Predator let out a thunderous roar that echoed throughout the entire battleground. But what was truly unsettling was that it sounded more like a beast's growl than a human.Then, a shocking scene unfolded before everyone's eyes.Predator's body began to bulk up. His muscles bulged and tore through his ragged clothes and shoes.With another deafening roar, he propped his limbs on the ground and arched his back high. Thick, coarse black fur sprouted from his skin and soon covered his entire body.At first glance, Predator resembled a giant black bear but there was more to his transformation.As the black fur continued to grow, his facial features underwent a drastic change. The area below his eyes rapidly protruded while his teeth sharpened into pointed fangs. His hands and feet morphed into claw-like appendages that completed his terrifying transformation.When Predator roared for the third time, he had fully transformed into a ferocious beast.This beast defied classif
Dustin was well-versed and knowledgeable about creatures like werewolves and vampires in Streuqua. But facing something like Predator, who turned into a beast and became ten times stronger, was completely new to him.It showed that the mysterious assassin organization held significant power and influence. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been able to nurture so many elites.Thrown back by the impact, Predator tapped into his primal instincts. His form expanded even more, akin to an elephant's, while a dark haze enveloped him and radiated a sinister air.With its four limbs forcefully pushing off the ground, it lunged forward like a cannonball toward Dustin at terrifying speed."Hurricane Slash!"Dustin gripped his sword with one hand and swiftly delivered five consecutive slashes. The resulting sword auras intertwined, forming a massive net that bore down on Predator.A thunderous crash filled the air as Predator charged headlong into the net without hesitation. Five sword auras s
Three Frost Needles streaked through the night sky, each carrying a biting cold as they targeted Dustin's upper, middle, and lower vital pressure points."Hmm?" Dustin frowned and immediately raised his sword to block.The three needles struck the sword and instantly exploded into clouds of frost. Upon contact with the frost, the sword was immediately encased in ice.Simultaneously, a biting cold followed the frozen blade, spreading rapidly along his arm. In the blink of an eye, his hand holding the sword was frozen solid."Frost Needle?" Dustin's face darkened as his mystical pure energy surged within him.The icy mist around him quickly dissipated, and cracks formed on his frozen arm. With a shiver, the ice on his arm swiftly broke apart, reverting it to its normal state.Fortunately, he managed to avoid a direct hit from the Frost Needle. If it had struck him, it would have significantly damaged his body's functions. Despite his considerable strength, such an injury would ha
"So, you know the Behemoth Punch? Well, so do I!" Dustin snorted coldly. He didn't draw his sword but raised his fist instead. He gathered his mystical pure energy and punched the gilded tiger in the air.With a deafening roar, a large ivory tiger emerged from Dustin's body and ferociously charged at the gilded tiger. Both tigers were of similar size and equally intimidating.As they collided, a resounding boom shook the earth and flooded the surroundings with energy.The white and golden light erupted simultaneously and covered half the sky each. Powerful hurricanes radiated outward from the point of impact and demolished everything in their path.When the dust settled, everyone looked on in astonishment. Dustin and Acheron stood unscathed despite the clash and couldn't gain the upper hand over the other."No way! Dustin can actually go toe-to-toe with Acheron?" Miles's eyes widened, disbelief written all over his face.Acheron was one of the eight elders of the Celestial Al
The next morning, Nathaniel was inside a lavish mansion. He was in his study, flipping through an ancient manuscript. One of his most trusted aides hurried in and lowered his voice, "Your Royal Highness, word just came in. Another trace of Dracan essence has been found."Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and closed the manuscript. "Where?""Our investigation shows it ended up in the hands of Logan Rhys," the aide replied."Logan Rhys?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes slightly and was surprised by the name.He had tried to win Logan over before and spared no expense, but never received a response. Later, he discovered that Tristan and Matthias had done the same.Fortunately, Logan still hadn't picked a side. He might be holding out for the best offer, but at least he hadn't shut the door on Nathaniel.With the Dracan essence in his hands, Logan had become an even more valuable target. In addition to the West Lucozian monarchy, Logan was an ultimate grandmaster, which made him worth recrui
"Give me a moment to think," Dustin said.Grace's words sent him into deep thought.After all, carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small burden. First, he had to be tough enough to handle it. Then, he needed the resolve to accept what came with it. Once he carried that burden, it meant taking on a heavyweight.He used to act on his own terms and do things as he pleased without worrying too much about the consequences. But once the nation's fate was involved, everything changed.Not that he had many options.Dustin could either hide in Sacred Wrym Summit and hope Arion would protect him, or take a risk and absorb the Dragonmarsh's fate to push through his cultivation's bottleneck. Between the two, he was leaning toward the latter."I can give your plan a shot," Dustin said suddenly. "But we're still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we're doing this, we need to find that last one first."Only once all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly wield the
"Royal gods? And two of them?" Dustin frowned at the news.His battle with Poseidon in West Lucozia had shown him firsthand that the Hall of Gods didn't send weaklings into the field.One royal god had already pushed him to his limit. If two came at him together, winning wasn't even the question. He'd be lucky just to make it out alive."That's right," Grace said solemnly. "The royal gods, Zeus and Hera, have crossed the border. They're even stronger than Poseidon. If they ambush you together, your chances are slim."She knew Dustin was strong, but he was still young. Moreover, Zeus and Hera weren't just anyone. They were world-class powerhouses. Surviving a fight with them would be next to impossible.The Hall of Gods had probably figured out how dangerous Dustin could become. If they had given him a few more years to grow, they might not have been able to stop him."Well, that complicates things." Dustin rested his chin in one hand with a thoughtful expression.Two royal god
Soluna Hall had one rule—they wouldn't accept unfamiliar customers. They only served those they knew well or people introduced by someone they trusted. Every transaction required an appointment. Exceptions were made for urgent matters, but those came with an additional fee.When Dustin reached the entrance, two security guards stopped him. After stating his name and being verified by the guards, they let him through.Inside, a female attendant with a pleasant smile greeted him and led him across the main hall straight into the back garden. They passed a small fish pond and stopped in front of a secluded private room."This is Ms. Linsor's private reception area. Mr. Rhys, please come in," the female attendant said with a smile."She's not here?" Dustin asked curiously."She had something come up, but she'll be here soon. Please make yourself comfortable," the attendant said, still smiling."Alright then." He nodded and walked into the room.The room was spacious, with a vintag
"You're wrong, Tristan," Matthias said with a meaningful look.He continued, "Sure, I've got the Moseys to back me, but I'm still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel's got strong backing too, and this won't be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I'd say my chances shoot up to 80%."In his eyes, Tristan's support was worth more than the Ballard family.If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias."You know me, Matthias. I've never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn't for me. I hope you can understand that," Tristan said.After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn't let go.Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortco
Tristan, Matthias, and Nathaniel weren't fools. They understood the unspoken message loud and clear.Their purpose for this trip was to take advantage of the opportunity to offer their condolences and win the Ballard family's support. Should it work, all the better. If not, they'd at least make a good impression. The key was that as long as the Ballard family didn't pick a side or turn against them, there was still room to make things work. No need to rush into anything.Tristan spoke first. "You're being too kind, Duke of Lachshire. We've always admired Mr. Jovian's loyalty and courage. We're simply here to pay our respects—nothing more."Matthias added, "That's right. Your family has a lot to deal with right now. Plus, you're not as young as you used to be, so don't wear yourself out over this. We won't take up more of your time today."He gave a respectful nod, then turned to leave."Duke—"Nathaniel opened his mouth to speak, but Tristan interrupted. "That's enough, Nathani
"Oh? I didn't expect both of you to be here," Nathaniel said.He was just about to pay his respects when he spotted Tristan and Matthias inside the mourning hall. He gave a respectful nod and said, "Hello, Tristan, Matthias."Truthfully, he wasn't surprised. He had already guessed they would show up.The four ancient houses and the eight great families were all key players he needed on his side. And with the Ballard family still undecided, he wasn't about to miss the chance to make an impression."I heard you left Oakvale on official business. Funny how quickly you came back," Tristan said, his tone laced with meaning."It wasn't anything important. When I heard about Mr. Jovian's passing, I returned immediately. I wanted to pay my respects in person," Nathaniel answered smoothly, without missing a beat.He brushed off Tristan's subtle jab and used the moment to show the Ballard family he was genuinely there to pay his respects."Don't just stand there, Nathaniel. Go pay your re
"Your Royal Highness, it's an honor to have you here," Jonathan said.Upon seeing the distinguished guest arrive, he quickly pulled himself together and aside his grief. He led his family to greet Tristan, and they bowed in respect.Before they could finish the gesture, Tristan raised a hand to stop them. "No need for such formalities," he said. "The deceased deserves our respect."He turned to Jovian's portrait, which was displayed in the mourning hall, and sighed deeply.Tristan continued, "Mr. Jovian's untimely passing is truly a great loss to Dragonmarsh. May his soul rest in peace. My condolences to your family during this difficult time."Jonathan's eyes were filled with tears as he bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, Your Highness, for your kind words. My family is heartbroken over my brother's tragic death."Tristan nodded slightly. His gaze quickly swept across the hall before asking, "I've heard that Duke Lachshire fainted from grief. How is he doing now?"Jonathan
The unrest in West Lucozia finally ended with the capture of Warrick.Every official who was his accomplice was thoroughly investigated. Those who needed to be arrested were taken into custody, and those who deserved to be punished were executed.After the purge, more than 300 officials in West Lucozia were removed from their posts. Those guilty were arrested, and those whose crimes were severe were executed.Under Austin's iron-fisted reforms, West Lucozia's government underwent a complete overhaul. Corruption, bribery, and the tangled web of illegal deals were swept away like dust in the wind.The citizens quickly noticed the difference. When they visited government offices, they no longer faced delays, refusals, or demands for bribes.Long-neglected public issues began to move forward, thanks to the organized efforts of newly appointed officials. Things were improving across the board.Instead of fearing the crackdown, the citizens welcomed it. The corrupt officials who had dr