"Mr. Rhys?" Otto and his company were entirely dumbfounded by Stephan's display of respect toward Dustin. Never in their wildest dreams had they ever anticipated the renowned Mr. Chapman to have come forward specifically for Dustin, let alone greet him with such reverence. What was happening? "Mr. Chapman, it's been a while. Your abilities seem to have improved." A quick glance from Dustin drew his attention to the differences he spotted in the other man almost at once. "It's all thanks to the Gemiphen you gave me, of course. Not only did it heal my internal injuries, it gave me ample power to have a small breakthrough." Stephan's face was filled with gratitude. "Really? I suppose congratulations are in order, then." Dustin smiled faintly. "Mr. Rhys, where you're sitting now doesn't seem befitting for your status. How about we head over to the reserved seats for the Harmon family?" Stephan gestured with one hand, still courteous as ever. "Very well. This place is infested
"What's going on with Boulderthorn? Why would they send that chunkster on stage? With his physique, he'll be out of breath after taking just a few steps—can he even handle the Battle Royale?" Quentin scoffed. "Don't underestimate the opponent. Since Boulderthorn dares send him into the ring, he must have some extraordinary qualities that could potentially push the tide in their favor. Which one of you wants to go first?" Natasha asked the three of them. "Ms. Harmon, let me handle the first round." Stephan stood and strode into the battle ring. Among the three of them, his strength appeared to be the weakest. Because of that, it was only natural that he took the lead. After all, if he could secure their victory in the first match, he might as well have laid the foundation for their eventual win. "Dustin, who do you think would win?" Ruth asked curiously. "It's hard to tell. The chunkster looks peculiar enough, but if Mr. Chapman can find his weaknesses and attack focally, he m
"How could this happen? Mr. Chapman … lost?" Quentin's face was slack with shock as he beheld Stephan's injuries and the blood he was still coughing up as a result of the man's attack. He'd never anticipated the strength the chunkster had shown—not even Mr. Chapman could rival that kind of power. "Who is that chunkster? Not even Mr. Chapman could break through his defenses—" Natasha's face grew serious. She was well aware of the extent of Stephan's capabilities. He was a martial artist who specialized in harnessing the body's internal energy, and his punches were enough to break through stone. And yet, for someone of his expertise to have not been able to impact the other man in the slightest—it was evident that his opponent would not be easily defeated by ordinary means alone. "If I'm not mistaken, he's Mr. Williams' second disciple. They call him Rotund Tiger." Mr. Wangley stroked his beard and said nonchalantly, "This person might seem simple-minded, but the talent he poss
"The King of Kicks?" "The one ranked ninth on The Hundred Immortals?" Everyone looked astonished upon hearing the mention. They had clearly heard of the King of Kicks—those who ranked on The Hundred Immortals were extraordinary talents, not to mention the legends who made it into the top ten! A powerful man like the King of Kicks would command respect anywhere he went. His presence at their unremarkable guild was akin to an attack from a higher level. Not even the Boulderthorn disciples could overshine him. "Wow! I'm surprised that the Harmons have hired the King of Kicks! They are indeed wealthy!" "With the King of Kicks around, the Harmons are definitely winning the battle." "He can take on every single opponent at the scene with his capability!" After the initial shock, the spectators started to anticipate the fight. After today, they could boast that they had witnessed the King of Kicks in action. "Ms. Harmon, your martial artists seem weak. Why don't you send the t
The Harmons were shocked that the handsomely-paid King of Kicks had tricked them instead of lending them a helping hand. At that moment, they were lost and helpless. Meanwhile, the Boulderthorn guild was all smiles, a stark contrast to the anger and indignation on the Harmons' end. "Hahaha … Ms. Harmon, your family has lost three rounds. Anyone else wants to get into the ring? If not, we'll declare victory!" Brody laughed insolently. Very few knew the fact that the King of Kicks was a good friend of Mr. Williams. The betrayal was part of his plan as well. That would force the Harmons into a corner! "Oh no! Are the Harmons leaving in defeat?" "I was looking forward to a great battle tonight. Who knew we'd witness such a botched situation!" "At the end of the day, the Harmons have fallen into a trap. The King of Kicks that they wasted the effort on recruiting turns out to be a rat from the Boulderthorn guild!" "Might is right! There's no point arguing over this. The Harmons a
"Oh, it's him …"Maximus smiled coolly. "It's really gutsy of a physician to join the battle. Looks like the Harmons have run out of candidates." Dustin's appearance came as a shock to the members of the Boulderthorn guild as well as Julie and her group. "Is he crazy? He can't even beat me. What makes him think he's capable of fighting the Boulderthorn masters?" Otto Marsh was dumbfounded by Dustin's decision. Even Mr. Chapman was beaten to a pulp in the ring. Where did a weakling like Dustin get the courage to enter the ring? "Hmph! He still wants to show off at this point in time. That's just courting death." Julie chuckled gleefully. She looked forward to Dustin being beaten up badly onstage. "You're damn right! Even Otto knows better than to show off at this serious event. That dude is on a suicide mission!" The group of youngsters scoffed at Dustin, whom they believed was an attention-seeker. An average person should never get involved in the battle of the masters, for a
"What the fuck? Has the battle ended?" The audience in the guild stared at Chunkster, who was lying flat on the ground lifelessly. They looked at each other in disbelief. At first, they thought that Dustin would never win, but the battle ended with a huge twist. More importantly, Dustin had only made one move throughout the battle, which was terrifying, to say the least. "Fuck! That dude won? What happened?" Otto's eyes widened, and he looked incredulous. Dustin Rhys beat Chunkster, who had defeated Mr. Chapman. Would that mean Dustin was more powerful than Mr. Chapman? "I-impossible! That guy must have pulled some tricks. Why else could he win without breaking a sweat?" Julie vehemently shook her head, refusing to accept the outcome. "What happened just now? Why did Chunkster collapse after the touch?" Brody was confounded. Chuckster's defense should have been impenetrable for most, except for Maximus and the King of Kicks. What trick did Dustin pull to win? "He's quite some
"You're asking for death!" Incensed, the King of Kicks finally decided to give it his all. He leaped into the air and served multiple flying kicks as he landed in Dustin's direction. This time, he did not only attack Dustin point-to-point—he was undiscerning in his moves, offering no escape for his opponent. "You punk! Let's see how you're going to dodge this!" He laughed maniacally as the number of kicks increased and covered a wider scope. Dustin, who was targeted, stood there without fear. "It's clear who's the winner here." Maximus shook his head and stood up to leave. He was initially surprised by Dustin's agility, but even that was no match for the King of Kicks. No level of agility could save the young man from the indiscriminate attacks by the King of Kicks. In the face of actual talent, Dustin's tricks would be of no use. All of a sudden, they heard a deafening explosion from the ring. The kicking legs in the air were nowhere to be seen. Instead, The King of Kicks stoppe
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