"Look! Veronica is stepping onto the ring.""Veronica has been perfecting her skills for ten years. She's definitely going to make an impact this time!""Go, Veronica! Bring glory to the Celestial Alliance!"The Celestial Alliance's disciples cheered as they watched Veronica stride confidently onto the battle ring.As the top guild of Dragonmarsh, its disciples took great pride in their status. To them, anyone from their guild was bound to be superior to opponents from another guild.Aurora smiled and said confidently, "With Veronica competing, this match should be a clear win for us." Given Veronica's skills, she might struggle against a well-known genius, but her opponent was an unknown young martial artist. For someone of Veronica's caliber, this was hardly a challenge."Her opponent is from the Mystic Arts Order, so we shouldn't underestimate them." Alicia shook her head slightly.Veronica would have a clear advantage if it were just a matter of martial skills and cultivat
The spear hummed and shimmered with silver light as it exuded a bone-chilling cold. The air began to warp wherever it passed, letting out a sharp, ear-splitting screech.Azalea didn't dare take it head-on. She quickly retreated, and her hands formed intricate signs as she murmured an incantation. She pointed toward Veronica, who was chasing her.The battle ring suddenly erupted with a mass of black vines. These vines, almost as if they possessed a mind of their own, shot up with incredible speed.It wrapped around Veronica's feet and rapidly coiled upward. Within the blink of an eye, her legs, hips, and waist were ensnared entirely. She was immobilized."Huh?" Veronica frowned.She was about to raise her spear to counterattack when two thicker vines shot up from the ground, wrapping around her arms and forcefully pulling them apart. Within seconds, the black vines had her tied up like a prisoner.What was most alarming was the sheer strength of these vines. They were incredibly t
In the stands, someone clenched his fists in frustration as he watched Azalea use the Elysian amulet. It had once been his prized possession, but he had lost it in a bet. The loss stung, and the gambler's fate seemed richly deserved."Madam Penelope, your guild has impressive resources. Even one of your disciples gets to use an Elysian amulet. It's quite enviable." Alloy's tone was laced with subtle probing."When it comes to wealth and influence, the Celestial Alliance takes the lead. We only have a bit of heritage," Penelope said coolly."You're too modest," he responded with a knowing smile. "But if this young disciple has earned your favor, she must be extraordinary. I'm eager to see how she performs.""Your disciples are no pushovers either," she said with a faint smile.Cyrus observed the insincere exchange with a sneer. There was no room for all this pretense in the battle ring, so just get on with the fight."I didn't expect you to have an Elysian amulet?" Veronica's fa
"Not again!" Veronica's face paled.At that moment, the effects of her paralysis started to wear off. She didn't have time to hesitate when she saw the frost arrows descending again. She gripped her spear and spun it wildly, creating a blur of afterimages. Her spear spun like a helicopter rotor, whipping up strong winds that formed a protective barrier about ten feet in front of her. The incoming frost arrows struck the wind barrier with a series of crackling sounds. The impact forced Veronica to stagger backward, and her arms were numb from the force. The Blood Ward she had used earlier had drained her energy significantly. So, now she struggled to keep up when facing Azalea's relentless assault."Void Mire!"While Veronica was still defending against the frost arrows, Azalea performed another hand seal. She crouched and slammed her hand onto the battle ring's surface.Suddenly, a bizarre scene unfolded. The ground beneath Veronica's feet turned soft and swampy, like quicksa
Veronica was unwilling to accept her loss in this match.In terms of raw strength, she was unquestionably stronger than Azalea, with at least an 80% chance of winning in a direct confrontation. But Azalea's arsenal of divine artifacts, pills, and unpredictable techniques made her nearly impossible to defend against.In the end, Veronica was worn down and had no choice but to concede. The frustration gnawed at her."Mr. Marshall, it seems your Celestial Alliance disciples aren't as formidable as they're made out to be," Cyrus said with a smirk.He had been at odds with Alloy for years. They were constantly competing in the open and behind the scenes. Hence, Cyrus was happy to watch Alloy stumble."One unexpected loss doesn't mean much. Besides, your Sword Union may not fare any better," Alloy responded calmly.Veronica was his favorite disciple, so her early defeat blew his pride."Really? Then, let's see who wins in the end." Cyrus smiled. He couldn't wait to see Alloy's reactio
"Grand Sorceress, these... These treasures are far too valuable. I don't think I can accept them." Azalea was taken aback when she looked at the dazzling array of treasures before her.When Abigail had previously given her the Elysian Amulet and Gerandium, it had already stirred up some dissent. If she accepted these as well, she would undoubtedly become the target of envy and resentment among the Mystic Arts Order disciples."Valuable? I earned all these from the betting pool that I set up. I didn't spend a dime. Just take them, and don't worry about it. If anyone dares to gossip, I'll tear their mouths apart," Abigail said as she looked around.The nearby Mystic Arts Order members were startled and quickly averted their eyes. They pretended not to notice anything.They knew very well what Abigail was capable of. Ever since she became the Grand Sorceress, the first thing she did was clean house within the Mystic Arts Order. She dealt with dissenting voices swiftly and brutally.A
Jermaine's speed was remarkable, and his strikes were swift, like lightning. The spectators barely had time to blink before he was standing in front of George with his steel sword aiming at George's neck.Jermaine, who had fought through a tough Group B contestant, hadn't reached grandmaster level. But he had the strength of one, and this was the source of his confidence.Despite being attacked, George didn't react. He stood there blankly without trying to dodge the attack.Jermaine smirked at the sight. He knew this was the weakness of a big guy with slow speed. Their sluggish reactions made them easy targets for attacks.As expected, his steel sword struck George's neck. But soon, the smile on his face disappeared.The scene he had anticipated, where the strike would separate George's head from his body, didn't happen.Instead, the sword, which was supposed to be indestructible, created a shower of sparks upon hitting George. It was as if Jermaine was striking a hard, dark st
Before Jermaine could react, George grabbed his neck and lifted him with one hand as if picking up a chicken.Jermaine's breath hitched, and his face quickly turned red. He began to struggle frantically, kicking and flailing, but he still couldn't break free.George's grip was like a steel clamp as he tightened it. "You're ridiculously weak." He shook his head and looked at Jermaine disdainfully.Jermaine was so weak that he couldn't even block one of his moves. The worst part was that George had only used a fraction of his strength. George soon lost interest in tormenting such a weak opponent. After all, only strong opponents could stir his excitement. He knew that killing strong foes was the only way he could intimidate the Dragonmarsh martial artists. But now he was disappointed to face such a weak opponent like Jermaine."Shadow Slip!" Faced with the crisis, Jermaine quickly formed a hand seal.His body suddenly shrank, and he slipped out of George's grasp like a boneless
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