"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
In the ring, Dustin stood tall with hands behind his back, exuding an imposing and majestic air. He no longer hid his talents and shone from the full display of his powers. No one dared to meet his eyes. The fact that he had defeated the King of Kicks with one move made everyone look at him with awe. "Surprising! The Harmons have an ace under their wings." Maximus narrowed his eyes, putting on a serious face. Dustin had won his respect through the display of strength. Not even Maximus could easily beat the King of Kicks with bare hands. "Weakling!" Dustin dusted and straightened his sleeve. Then, he coolly announced, "Next?" The Boulderthorn disciples exchanged furtive glances. They knew they weren't Dustin's match, especially after he had defeated the King of Kicks. "Max, what do we do? That punk is wild!" Feeling aggrieved, Brody clenched his jaws. "Looks like I'll have to go." Maximus stood up slowly, his eyes shining with excitement. He had shown up to the battle as the a
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