Florence, Jane, and Dakota were delighted by the doctor's presence. They could tell that he came from an impressive background just from how James described him. Jane and Dakota believed they deserved the best, such as seeing a skilled doctor like Fenton Reyes. "James, Dr. Reyes is a legend in Stonia. How did you get him to show up?" Florence asked curiously. James smiled. "Well, it wasn't me. It was Mr. Langford who arranged for Dr. Reyes to see Aunt Jane." "Mr. Langford?" Florence's eyes lit up upon hearing the name. Luis Langford was an aristocrat from Stonia who wielded great wealth and influence. He was also well-connected in the military and the government. More importantly, the Langford family was a close friend of the Nicholson family of Glenstead. Moreover, the Glenstead Nicholsons were greatly interested in an arranged marriage between Luis and Dahlia. In other words, if Dahlia was willing, she could marry into the wealthy Langford family in no time, elevating the ent
Dahlia caught up with Dustin at the hospital entrance and pulled on his arm. "Hey! Stop! You're walking too fast. I almost couldn't catch up!" "I'm really sorry. I can't handle those relatives of yours. You should get some other doctor to deal with them," Dustin remarked coolly. He was aversed to the two difficult women and refused to engage with them. "Did I force you to cure Aunt Jane? Why are you being sensitive?" She rolled her eyes at him. "Well, I thought …" "What? Did you think I'm an unreasonable woman who'd force you to grovel at them?" she scoffed. "No, I didn't." He flashed an embarrassed smile at her, feeling rather uneasy at her newfound considerate personality. "Alright. I know they're in the wrong. Just stay away from them in the future." She dispensed a kind reminder. "They're from a wealthy and powerful family in Glenstead. Even Natasha Harmon couldn't protect you if you get into trouble with them." "Is that so? They sound quite remarkable, then." He smil
"Once my Mom is cured, we'll hash out our past and present grievances together!" Dakota said in a sharp tone, her eyes ferocious. "Knock yourself out." Dustin shrugged nonchalantly. "You—" Dakota choked out. She was gnashing her teeth so hard that the grinding was audible, but she couldn't do anything anyway. While they were both in a stand-off, a sudden uproar broke out near the hospital entrance. They raised their heads to find a fully armed motorcade bulldozing their way over. The motorcade was from the military, and it was a huge spectacle. All the guards sitting on top were armed and radiating murderous energy. Everywhere they passed, people and cars parted to make way for them."That's strange. What is the military doing? Could they be here to arrest some outlaw?" Dahlia looked around in confusion. Dakota also looked perplexed. At that moment, the commander ordered, "Hurry, surround them now!" The guards got down from the motorcade and instantly encircled Dustin an
"I don't need it," Dustin said, rejecting Dakota outright. "You don't need it?" When Dakota heard his answer, she was stunned. She never thought that even at this moment of life and death, Dustin would still dare to reject her. Did he really not want to live anymore? "Dustin, don't make decisions based on your emotions!" Dahlia tugged on his sleeve, trying to talk some sense into him. "I don't care what crime you committed, but your life is important. The Nicholson family has connections in the military; only she can save you now!" "She can't save me, and I don't need her saving." Dustin shook his head. Judging from the license plates and flags, this troop was from the Balerno Military. The people in Glanstead couldn't do anything. Not to mention, Edwin had to pull strings to send this huge troop after him. He wouldn't let Dustin get away that easily. "Hmph! You're already on death's door, yet you're still so stubborn!" Dakota jutted her chin out derisively. "It seems like you
"What's the matter?" Natasha said, slightly stunned. "I just received word that Dustin has been arrested by the military!" In a no-nonsense manner, Ruth quickly gave a simple explanation of what happened. After Natasha heard the whole story, her face instantly grew solemn. "Using the military to arrest him? It seems like the one behind this comes from a decent background." "Natasha, do you think the Hummers did this?" Ruth asked, frowning slightly. "Yesterday, Dustin went on a killing spree at the Hummers' and even crippled Edwin's son. The Hummers definitely won't let this go easily." "It definitely has something to do with them. However, just Edwin's network alone is clearly not enough to invoke the power of the military. I'm guessing the Grant family must have played a hand in this," Natasha said thoughtfully. Jade was Joshua's fiancé. Considering their relationship, there was no way the Grant family would sit around and do nothing. As one of the Tremendous Three, the Gran
At the drill ground of a military base. Dustin had been chained to a pillar by several thick chains made of darksteel, which was extremely malleable yet also durable. The blazing sun shone down on him, and he was surrounded by a troop of armed forces. They scrutinized his every action warily. Dustin didn't seem bothered by it. He merely allowed himself to remain chained, looking poker-faced. His calmness surprised the soldiers—any ordinary person would've peed their pants long ago. It seemed there was something special about him. "So, you're Dustin Rhys?" At this moment, a man in a deputy general's uniform walked over with a troop of soldiers behind him. He had a beer belly and a round face. "Don't tell me you captured me without even knowing who I am," Dustin said coolly. "Cut the crap! Answer the general's question!" one of the military officers roared. "Fine. Yes, I'm Dustin Rhys." "Good, good …" The man nodded. "Since we didn't get the wrong guy, let's start by giving h
Each of the burly man's whips landed with a loud crack; they could be heard from miles away. Jade laughed derisively at the sound and exclaimed, "He's doing a great job!" Dustin had been so obnoxious the night before, crashing the Hummer Villa and slaughtering their men. She had to make him pay for it! "Jade, you must've been exaggerating when you said this brat was hard to deal with." The round-faced man snorted. "Look, he's nothing more than a prisoner with his life in my hands." "He's an extremely powerful martial artist, just so you know. There were several people at the Hummer Villa last night, but none stood a chance against him." Jade was still shaken from the previous night's events. "Ha. No matter how powerful he is, he's only a martial artist. Do you think he'll be able to withstand my troops?" The round-faced man looked contemptuous. "Over the years, the military's captured plenty of martial artists renowned for their prowess. Still, haven't they ultimately yielded to
"What?" The round-faced man stared at Dustin, who was cool as a cucumber, in shock. He knew very well how much the steel whip could withstand and how much pain it could cause. Not even the strongest of men could take more than ten whips in one go, yet Dustin looked perfectly fine after enduring more than that. In fact, he'd made three whips shatter. What the hell was going on? "Brat, what sort of sorcery do you have going on?" he snarled. "Look, cut the crap and do what you need to." Dustin yawned. His nonchalance made the round-faced man's blood boil. "Fucking hell. I'd like to see you survive this!" The round-faced man swiped his subordinate's sword and swung it at Dustin. There were two loud clangs as the blade came into contact with Dustin's body twice; he was fine, but the blade became chipped. "Is that—is that an Adamantine Shield?" Jade's eyes widened. As a member of the martial world, she immediately realized what was up. The fact that Dustin could make himself impermeabl
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