Hank remained unperturbed when confronted with everyone's apprehension. It was as if he had foreseen their anxieties.Despite his affiliation with the Hall of Gods, his upbringing in Dragonmarsh had endowed him with a profound understanding of the strength of Sacred Wrym Summit.Even the most renowned elites wouldn't dare to challenge the Sacred Wrym Summit.Hank reassured, "Fear not, everyone." Then, he gestured for silence and waited until the room fell quiet before continuing, "I understand your worries. But rest assured, we won't send you into danger unprepared. "Even if we venture into the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit, we'll take all necessary precautions to minimize risks.""Mr. Styles, what's the Hall of Gods' plan? It's better to be straight with us so we know where we stand," Garrett asked."Yeah, let's have some transparency here. We need to know what we're getting into," the others chimed in.They weren't eager to be sacrificial lambs and charged mindless
"Elder Mason, what do you think?" Hank turned to Garrett as the tension eased."If the Hall of Gods is extending such sincerity, it would be impolite of us to refuse," Garrett replied with a smile.With all these rare treasures being presented, they couldn't possibly refuse such an offer. They knew completing the mission would set them up for a comfortable retirement.Though risky, the potential rewards made it a gamble worth taking. Besides, they would be an unstoppable force with the Cosmos Demons on their side.After all, they never backed down from danger, even when faced with the toughest challenges."Elder Mason, your decisiveness is admirable." Hank smiled and turned to Willard. "Mr. Lent, what about you?""As long as there's good booze, then we've got a deal," Willard slurred with drunken cheer."Perfect! Then, it's settled." Hank perked up with a bright smile."Wait! I've got a question." Dustin, who had been observing quietly, spoke up."Oh? What's on your mind?" Ha
"I'm sorry. I can't answer that question because I don't know, either." Hank shook his head. He was already breaking the rules by telling them about the God King's involvement. Furthermore, disclosing the God King's identity or whereabouts was out of the question. In Dragonmarsh, even someone as powerful as the God King had to tread carefully. Any hint of their whereabouts, followed by an ambush from elites, would spell disaster."No problem. It's just a random question out of curiosity." Dustin simply shrugged it off with a faint smile."If there aren't any questions, how about we break for lunch? I've arranged a feast, and we can continue our conversation over food." Hank extended an invitation with a neutral expression."Sure." Dustin nodded."Let's go, everyone!" Hank called out before leading the group to the dining hall.Everyone was famished after waiting all morning. They immediately indulged in the feast laid out before them. Once they were full, Hank organized vari
"Sure. I'll go along with your plan." Dustin nodded.The rare treasures hidden in the forbidden ground of Sacred Wrym Summit were likely the Dracan essence.A treasure linked to the fate of the nation should never fall into the hands of the Hall of Gods. Who knew what kind of trouble that might cause?Dustin had initially braced himself to tackle this challenge alone. But now, he felt much more confident about taking on the Hall of Gods with Grace by his side.As a representative of Dragonmarsh royalty, she had the influence to rally allies and back them up.Grace said, "Okay, enough about the Hall of Gods. You need to stay focused on bringing your best at the Combat Tournament." She added, "And remember, Sacred Wrym Summit wouldn't organize something meaningless. The top three competitors are in for some serious perks and rewards.""I've already registered. I'm fully committed to giving it my all. You can count on that," Dustin replied with a smile.In fact, he was excited ab
Grace and Dustin followed a middle-aged woman into the villa.In the bedroom, a woman of striking beauty and regal presence lay unconscious on the bed. She was in her early 20s, with flawless skin and captivating features, even in her unconscious state. Her name was Alicia Marshall, and she held the fifth spot on the Beauty Ranking list.Each of the top ten women on the Beauty Ranking had a unique appeal. Alicia's beauty was like a rare alpine flower, pure and captivating, even without makeup.Aside from the unconscious Alicia, there was also a man and a young woman standing in the room.The man, around 30, dressed sharply in a suit. He was tall and handsome with a piercing gaze.The young woman, about 17 or 18, bore a strong resemblance to Alicia. She was equally beautiful and exuded a youthful energy. She was Alicia's younger sister, Aurora Marshall."Brian, Alicia's condition is worsening by the minute. When will that renowned miracle doctor you call arrive?" Aurora asked. "
"Are you telling us to leave?" Grace asked.She narrowed her eyes and added, "We're here to save Alicia, yet you're trying to drive us away. What's the matter? Don't you want her to wake up?""Ridiculous!" Brian scowled. "I'm her senior. Of course, I want her to wake up.""Then, why are you stopping us from treating her?" she countered."Because I don't trust you!" he asserted. "Who knows what your intentions are? What if you make her condition worse?""If I'm not confident, I won't do it," Dustin chimed in abruptly."Do you hear that? Regardless, let us diagnose Alicia first," Grace insisted."No! The miracle doctor I've called will be here soon. Your help isn't necessary!" Brian rejected them firmly."Aurora, what do you think?" Grace stopped arguing with Brian and turned toward Aurora instead. As Alicia's younger sister, Aurora had absolute authority in this situation. If she agreed, Grace would take action and disregard Brian's objections."How about… we let Dr. Rhys tre
"Huh?" Aurora was startled by Dustin's words.Removing the needles would mean death within three hours. Wasn't that practically a death sentence?"Hmph! I don't care about your ethereal-whatever technique. If you can't cure Alicia, you can only blame yourself for the pain you'll be in!" Brian said coldly.Dustin glanced at him and retorted, "If you can't be of any help, then please keep quiet. Your constant blabbering is getting on my nerves.""Why you—" Brian gritted his teeth but ultimately restrained himself from lashing out.If Dustin had managed to cure Alicia, Brian would have had nothing to say. But if he failed, Brian would undoubtedly teach Dustin a lesson."Dr. Rhys, what do we do now?" Aurora changed the subject."Take good care of your sister, and make sure nobody touches her. I'll go back and prepare the antidote now," Dustin said.Then, he winked at Grace before leaving the room."Aurora, remember what Dr. Rhys said," Grace reminded her before following him and e
"What's your plan?" Grace arched her eyebrow."First, we need to find a way to dispel the witchcraft from Alicia's body. Then, we'll use her as bait to lure out the mastermind," Dustin replied succinctly.Once they pinned down the culprit, they wouldn't have to do anything more. The Celestial Alliance members would handle it. After all, Alloy wouldn't just let those who hurt his daughter off the hook."What do you need me to do?" Grace asked."I need you to gather some medicinal herbs for me as quickly as possible. I plan to use poison to counteract the dark energy and force it out of Alicia's body."Dustin quickly jotted down a prescription and handed it to her.She glanced briefly and nodded. "No problem, I'll gather everything within three hours."With the power of Dragonmarsh royalty, she would have no trouble getting her hands on rare medicinal herbs.After Dustin and Grace left the lakeside villa, they got busy with their respective tasks.Just shortly after the two departed,
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