"Dead… dead? How is that possible?""I never expected Elder Wood from the Celestial Alliance, a prominent figure in the martial world, to die at the hands of a beast. It's truly unbelievable!""Well, he's too arrogant and overbearing. Guess karma finally caught up with him."The death of Acheron caused a stir throughout the crowd. Nobody expected such a mighty and arrogant figure to meet such an abrupt end. Predator took him down, pinned him, and bit off his head.What struck everyone as particularly unsettling was that Acheron didn't even have a chance to fight back."Elder… Elder Wood…?" Quincy, who had just arrived, stood frozen in place as he looked at the headless corpse before him.Acheron had always been a figure of power and authority, towering above Quincy and many others. Within the Celestial Alliance, his status was unrivaled.All the disciples from the Celestial Alliance who showed up for the tournament at Sacred Wrym Summit were under Acheron's supervision.Yet,
Marcia demonstrated her intelligence with a strategic move. Choosing to cut open the abdomen to reach the head could have startled the unconscious Predator, potentially putting herself in danger. That was why opting to kill him outright was a sensible choice.However, she overlooked a critical detail—the vast difference in their strengths. Taking down a grandmaster-level opponent, especially one with significant physical power, was no simple feat, even if they were unconscious.With a swift motion, Marcia drove her sword toward the Predator's chest. Before the sword tip could penetrate more than half an inch, Predator's reflexes kicked in. His muscles tensed instantly, exerting a powerful force that effectively trapped her sword in place."Hmm?" Marcia frowned and applied more pressure to push forward with her sword. But to her surprise, it wouldn't budge any further. Even more astonishing was that she couldn't withdraw her sword.She didn't know that Predator's muscles c
The two disciples from Sacred Wrym Summit moved with lightning speed, swiftly dislocating Predator's arms. In an instant, he was left powerless, his arms hanging limp after just one clash.But Predator wasn't about to give up. Despite his dislocated arms rendering him immobile, he still snarled and lunged at one of the disciples with his mouth wide open.The disciple held his ground, and a shimmering golden light enveloped his body.With a sharp impact, Predator rammed headfirst into the golden light and staggered back several feet. His face was a mess of blood and flesh, a few teeth knocked loose, leaving him dazed and swaying."What was that golden light just now? It looked so powerful," Ruby remarked, her eyes widening with surprise.She was familiar with Predator's strength. Even without his transformation or in his weakened state, he could still hold his own against formidable opponents like Quincy.Yet, his two attacks were effortlessly blocked by the golden light surroundi
Caleb's impressive techniques left the martial artists in awe. They couldn't believe that two simple pieces of paper had such immense power, effortlessly subduing the Predator."No way! He took down the leader just like that?" Ruby's eyes widened in astonishment. She hadn't taken Caleb seriously before, thinking he was too young and probably not very strong.However, the outcome surprised her greatly. The ferocious Predator was already knocked down before she could even process what was happening. Throughout the whole ordeal, Caleb hadn't even budged from his spot. He just casually waved his hand a few times."So this is the strength of the new generation genius from Sacred Wrym Summit? Truly remarkable!" Miles exclaimed in admiration. Sacred Wrym Summit was renowned for its array of esoteric techniques, including Glow Incantation, Stormcraft, and Divine Talisman. However, mastering any of these was extremely difficult.Most disciples of Sacred Wrym Summit primarily focused o
"The offer from Sacred Wrym Summit sure is tempting." Dustin nodded in agreement. Then, he suddenly said, "But I'm more interested in the person in front of me, so I'll have to apologize to you all."Everyone was shocked to hear this, finding it difficult to believe. They couldn't understand why Dustin would refuse such an opportunity.They found it baffling. It was an opportunity that could change someone's fate. Opportunities like this didn't come knocking often, yet Dustin brushed it off like it was nothing.They couldn't help but wonder if he had lost his mind."What's wrong with you, Dustin? Why would you turn down such a golden opportunity?" Miles asked, bewildered.If it were him, he would be jumping for joy. But Dustin's refusal seemed to go against the natural order of things, leaving Miles scratching his head."It seems Dustin thinks that the value of that assassin leader is higher than the favor from Sacred Wrym Summit," Dalen remarked thoughtfully."What? What valu
Miles eagerly explained, "Don't let the thin yellow paper fool you because it holds immense power. Once it latches onto someone, they'll feel like they're being crushed by a massive boulder. "As long as this talisman remains intact, that person won't be able to move a muscle for the rest of their life!""Wow, really that incredible?" Ruby widened her eyes in astonishment."Absolutely! Though I've only heard of it and never seen one. After all, there are very few who can wield the Summit Shift Divine Talisman," Miles said."Should we help?" Ruby asked."If even Mr. Rhys can't budge it, our efforts would be in vain. Let's just wait and see." Crystal shook her head.They hadn't reached grandmaster level, so they weren't qualified for this kind of confrontation."Mr. Rhys, how about letting the two of us give it a try?" Laurel and Willow stepped forward, offering themselves up for the task.Wary of the potential for deception, they decided to take the initiative and offer to go
"Let's try again!"The Sacred Wrym Summit disciple's words failed to dissuade Laurel and Willow.The sisters exchanged glances before unsheathing their swords. With swift motions, they targeted the Summit Shift Divine Talisman on Predator's back.Despite their persistent efforts, they quickly realized that removing the talisman was impossible. Thus, they redirected their efforts toward destroying it.After all, it was just a talisman. They were confident that breaking it wouldn't be any more challenging than shattering darksteel.When Laurel and Willow's swords struck the talisman, it instantly ignited with a brilliant burst of yellow light.A powerful shockwave erupted in a flash and shattered the swords upon impact. The sheer force of the blast sent the sisters flying backward, causing them to cough up blood.Stunned and bewildered, they exchanged incredulous looks. They hadn't expected that such an ordinary-looking talisman could withstand their attacks.It was truly unbelie
"Huh? How is this possible?""Weren't we just saying that the Summit Shift Divine Talisman couldn't be removed? How did he tear it off like it was nothing?""Well, that's unexpected! What exactly did he do?"Everyone was dumbfounded as their eyes fixed on the talisman in Dustin's hand.The Summit Shift Divine Talisman of Sacred Wrym Summit was revered for invincibility. Its strength was likened to a mountain, seemingly impervious to human efforts. Any endeavor to forcibly remove it was typically met with severe backlash. It was a lesson Laurel and Willow had painfully learned from their previous attempts.Yet, Dustin effortlessly tearing the talisman off went against all expectations. It was truly baffling.Ruby asked, "Wait, what just happened? It was torn off just like that? Looks like the Summit Shift Divine Talisman you mentioned wasn't that impressive." She was bewildered. She had believed in the talisman's invincibility, but now, her faith seemed misplaced.Dalen's mou
Dustin had boarded the plane back to Oakvale. His trip to Sacred Wrym Summit had been full of ups and downs. From the Combat Tournament to the invasion of the Hall of Gods, his journey had been perilous. Thankfully, the outcome was favorable. He had won the championship at the tournament, acquired three Dracan essences, and ultimately foiled the Hall of Gods' plan. In every way, the mission had been nearly flawless.After bidding farewell to his newfound allies, Dustin joined Grace on the return flight. Four of the five Dracan essences had already been gathered, leaving only one remaining. According to Grace, the last essence had been located, and the person holding it was in Oakvale. Though their identity was still unknown, she suspected it was most likely one of the three princes.With the position of heir to the throne still uncertain, the three princes were all eager to secure their power. Whoever obtained the Dracan essence would be blessed with fortune and have a higher c
The chaos of the night quickly settled.By morning, as the first light of dawn broke across the horizon, Sacred Wrym Summit had regained its usual tranquility. Yet, the bloodstains across the ground and the wreckage of buildings stood as grim reminders of the previous night's violence.The military forces summoned by Grace had already taken the Hall of Gods' prisoners into custody.Rumors spread like wildfire, fueling gossip throughout the martial world as all the major guilds watched with keen interest. After all, very few in history had ever dared to challenge Sacred Wrym Summit, and a bold invasion aimed at destroying it was nothing short of unprecedented.The outcome was clear to all who bore witness. After many years, the world had come to recognize the true terror of Arion. He was no mere mortal—he was almost a godlike figure.…Inside the Hall of Gods' headquarters in Streuqua, the core members were gathered, seated in two rows on either side of the grand hall.On the thr
After dealing with the Hall of Gods' elite fighters, Arion disappeared in a blur. When he reappeared, he was hovering above the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit.The scene at the entrance to the forbidden ground was one of utter carnage. Bodies lay strewn across the ground, and rivers of blood flowed freely. All members of the Hall of Gods, including Hank, lay motionless on the ground.Dustin and Willard, both covered in blood and exuding killing intent, had fought fiercely. After a long, grueling fight, they succeeded in defending the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit. They had thwarted the Hall of Gods' plan to destroy the Dracan force.At that instant, Dustin seemed to sense something and suddenly looked up. Through the mist and darkness, he pinpointed Arion's figure hovering above. Arion smiled faintly and nodded at Dustin before disappearing again.Crossing several mountains in mere seconds, Arion arrived above the Sacred Wrym Summit's grand hall. Below, the discipl
When the dust finally settled, Arion was the only one left standing.Bailey, Willem, Anthony, Batuul, the three elite assassins from Eskus, and several gods from the Hall of Gods were either dead or gravely injured.Willem's body had been blasted into countless pieces. Each fragment wriggled on the ground as it struggled to piece together. Batuul fared even worse. He was utterly obliterated, leaving no trace behind, not even ashes. On the contrary, Bailey and the three Eskus assassins had both their arms severed and were gravely wounded. Though Anthony's limbs were still intact, his crushed internal organs left him coughing up blood. The backlash from the demonic blade had also taken a devastating toll on his body. He now appeared decades older, his face gaunt and hollow, his hair gray. His frail frame made him look like a man standing at death's door."H-How is this possible? No… this can't be happening!" Bailey's expression was a mixture of shock and disbelief as he stared a
Arion's sudden appearance caught everyone off guard. They stared, wide-eyed and slack-jawed. What was going on? Wasn't Arion already dead? How could he be standing there in front of them? Could it be a ghost?They exchanged baffled looks, and their faces were filled with disbelief. They couldn't make sense of it. How could Arion possibly be alive? It was beyond their comprehension."You… you're not dead?" No one was more shocked than Willem. After all his effort, he had finally found the chance to bite into Arion's neck and drain every drop of his blood.He was certain Arion had died—there was no way he could have survived. But if Arion was dead, who was this person standing before them?"Everyone, calm down!" Bailey spoke up. "Arion's body is still over there. This person must be an imposter."At his words, everyone turned to look at the corpse lying nearby.Bailey was right. The body was still there, and there was no way Arion could still be alive. So, the person in front o
As the Snow Maiden attacked, Batuul's illusory Elephantine stirred into action. With a mighty roar, it charged forward and slammed into Arion. Its tusks, sharp as spears, aimed directly at his chest.Caught in the swirling snow, Arion couldn't avoid the attack and quickly invoked the Glow Incantation to shield himself. The tusks collided with the barrier in a deafening crash. The impact sent Arion flying, and the golden light surrounding him shattered like glass. Clearly, the illusory Elephantine's strength had far exceeded the Glow Incantation's limits.As Arion was tossed into the air, the three-headed, six-armed Chimera Wrath seized its moment. With six different weapons in hand, it launched a relentless assault.Arion swung his sword to block but was driven further back with each blow. With no solid footing in midair, his agility was useless against the onslaught.After several exchanges, one of the Chimera's weapons struck Arion squarely in the chest, sending him crashing to
After a prolonged battle, Anthony and the others finally realized the gravity of the situation.Arion wasn't just a sword master but also had unpredictable agility. No matter how they attacked, they couldn't even land a single hit. On top of that, his sword was a constant threat.If this deadlock continued, the situation would only worsen. So, when Bailey spoke, they knew it was time for decisive action, and there was no turning back. It was either kill or be killed.At that moment, Anthony, who had been holding back, finally decided to use his ultimate technique. He bit his finger and smeared the blood across his blade. His lips moved quickly as if whispering an incantation."Snow Maiden, arise!" As soon as the words left his mouth, he swung his sword. A white figure shot out and hovered in the air. It was a woman with fair skin and mesmerizing beauty. Her long hair cascaded like a waterfall, her dress was as white as snow, and her eyes had a sinister gleam.The moment she appe
"How many tricks does this old geezer have?"The impact of the divine talisman explosion left everyone both shocked and enraged. No one had expected that Arion would still manage to unleash such a powerful supreme divine power even after the Glow Incantation was broken and the lightning strikes failed to cause any harm.The impact of the thousands of divine talismans exploding at once was terrifying. Only the strongest fighters—Willem, Bailey, and Batuul—could withstand it. The rest of the group was severely injured. At that moment, they finally realized the terrifying strength of Dragonmarsh's strongest man."Impressive," Willem said, landing smoothly after being thrown back. His withered skin was now covered in cracks, and blood oozed from it.Most of the shockwave from the explosion had hit him directly. Despite his impressive defense, he still took some damage. However, these injuries were nothing to him. His wounds had already healed within a few seconds, as if nothing had hap
Willem's wings, black as night with a metallic sheen, erupted from his back. Fully extended, they stretched over 30 feet. With a gentle flap, a storm of wind and eerie howls swept through the air. The sheer force was intimidating to behold.His appearance had also undergone a drastic transformation. Willem's once-handsome face was now gaunt, his skin wrinkled, and his cheekbones jutted out. Fangs protruded from his mouth, and two sharp horns sprouted from his head. He had grown taller, but his body was unnaturally thin, with his ribs and sternum visible beneath his skin. From a distance, he looked like a towering, monstrous skeleton. It was an unsettling sight that sent a chill down anyone's spine.This was Willem's ultimate form. After the transformation, his speed, strength, defense, and reflexes were greatly enhanced. His thirst for blood grew even more intense, turning him into a bloodthirsty demon.The gods, who had expressed dissatisfaction moments ago, now stood paralyzed