"Just friends, eh? Then you won't mind going home with me right this instant!" Dustin snapped. "But …" Dahlia frowned and glanced at Dustin and Luis, troubled. Although she didn't have any feelings for Luis, the man had helped her, so it wouldn't be right to turn her back on him now. "What's wrong? You don't want to?" Dustin sneered. "Is this what you call an ordinary friend? How am I supposed to believe you?" Dustin couldn't believe that Dahlia was still hesitating. It seemed that he was even less important than her ordinary friends, and here he thought that their relationship had been improving. It must have been his imagination. "Forget it, Ms. Nicholson. You don't have to think about it so hard. We're nothing to each other now. Enjoy your meal. I'll be taking my leave." Dustin shook his head and turned around. "Wait for me." Grabbing two bottles, Adam hurried after Dustin. He didn't have any experience when it came to love, so he couldn't help Dustin. After stepping out
"Watch out!" As the truck headed toward them, Dahlia's immediate reaction was to push Dustin away, completely disregarding her safety. Realizing that she had nowhere else to escape to, she instinctively shut her eyes tightly. Right then, she came to a realization that it might not necessarily be a bad thing to die like this. At least he would remember for the rest of his life. As her eyes closed, a strong figure dashed forward and put itself in front of her. With an ear-splitting boom, a fist landed on the front of the truck, and metal bent under the force. The sudden opposing force upturned the entire truck, flipping it around, and the truck landed on the ground behind Dahlia with a crash, debris flying in all directions. "Are you okay, Dahlia?" Dustin drew his hand back and quickly surveyed the woman for any injuries before letting out a breath of relief. "What in the world happened?" Dahlia's eyes were opened wide as she gaped at the empty space in front of her before turnin
"What?" Joshua stared at his sister's body incredulously. He never thought that Dustin would be so ruthless, killing without warning. "Anything else you want to say?" Dustin calmly asked. "D-don't kill me! Please don't kill me!" Joshua fell to his knees, begging. "I was an idiot to offend you. Please forgive me. I swear I won't go against you ever again!" "You had your chance, but you didn't appreciate it." Dustin's face was void of any sympathy. "N-no. I do. I promise! Please! I'm still young. I don't want to die! Just let me go. I'll do anything you want. I swear!" Joshua began ramming his forehead into the floor. He wasn't able to win against Dustin when he was in peak condition, so why would he have a winning chance now? For Dustin, killing Joshua would be as easy as killing an ant. "I'm pretty sure that's not what you said just now." Dustin sneered. "Didn't you say that you were going to make me suffer like never before after you recovered?" "N-no, I didn't!" Joshua
"Well done. Well done, indeed!" Edwin laughed boisterously. "This Substratumis may be expensive, but it's definitely worth the price!" While he was still chortling away, another bodyguard rushed into the room anxiously. "Sir, something bad happened back home!" The guard fell to his knees, weeping. "What?" Edwin frowned. "We just received news from Swinton that Hummer Villa turned into a slaughterhouse last night. All of our fighters are dead, and Ms. Hummer and Mr. Hummer were both killed as well. The Hummer family is gone!" These words struck Edwin like lightning, and the Substratumis in his hand crashed to the floor, shattering instantly. "Son!" Edwin wailed mournfully, collapsing to the floor. The devastated man stayed on the floor for what felt like ages. When he finally staggered to his feet, he seemed to have aged ten years, looking extremely haggard. "Get ready. I want to head to Boulderthorn's branch right this instant!" Edwin seethed menacingly. He no longer had
Meanwhile, in Park Place, Swinton. "What? Joshua Hummer is dead, and his entire family was massacred? They even burned Hummer Villa down to the ground?" Jessica, who had been relaxing a second ago, sobered when she heard her guard's report. The Hummer family was well known for being the top family in Swinton. While it couldn't win against the Harmon family, it was still a force to be reckoned with, especially with Boulderthorn's support. So who could be powerful enough to destroy that family? "Do you know who did it?" Jessica pushed. "The fire burned almost everything. It'll be difficult to trace the source." The guard shook his head. "We'll be in trouble if we can't find the culprit!" Jessica frowned, pondering. Under normal circumstances, she'd be over the moon to learn that the Hummer family was gone. However, most people now knew that the Hummer family and her daughter had something against each other, so Natasha would naturally become the prime suspect. What Jessica fear
Was it wrong for a mother to worry about her daughter's safety? So why couldn't Natasha understand her? "Isfrid!" Jessica called out. A voluptuous woman immediately hurried into the room. "Yes, Madam?" "Send an anonymous letter to Clement Lincoln to let him know everything Dustin has done," Jessica instructed. "Huh?" Isfrid was stunned. "A-are you sure, Madam?" Dustin had been severely injured just to save Natasha, yet Jessica was telling her to betray him. That was crossing the line. "Shut up and do as I say! Natasha will only be safe if we sacrifice Dustin. Hurry up!" Jessica ordered coldly. "Yes, Madam." Isfrid could only nod. Although she felt sorry for Dustin, as the Harmon family's shadow guard, she had no choice but to obey Jessica. …Meanwhile, a red BMW suddenly pulled up at the door of Peaceful Medical Center. The car door flung open, and Dakota Nicholson rushed into the building frenziedly. "I know you're here, Rhys! Come out!" she yelled. "Which uneduca
"You shameless bastard!" Dustin's repeated refusal angered Dakota, the proud daughter of a wealthy family. Usually, people would be tripping over their feet trying to flatter her, yet here Dustin was, ignoring her. "Who's the shameless one?" Dustin raised an eyebrow. "Have you been eating so much junk food that you fried your brain? This is Balerno, not Glenstead, so don't give me that attitude!" "You–" Dakota was so angry she gritted her teeth, but she couldn't do anything else since she desperately needed him to save her mother. She would have already struck him if her mother's life wasn't at stake. "What do you want, Rhys?" Dakota took a deep breath, trying to keep her anger at bay. "I won't make things difficult for you, for Dahlia's sake," Dustin answered. "I can save her, but first, I want you to stop that haughty attitude of yours and give me a sincere apology. Next, I want you to write a letter of apology." "Never!" Dakota balked. "How could I, the daughter of the Gle
"Hold on." "What now?" Dakota halted and spun around, impatient. "You haven't paid yet. This medicine is precious. You can just pay me ten million," Dustin casually told her. "What? A bottle like this costs ten million dollars? You might as well rob a bank!" Dakota fumed. "This is obviously easier than robbing a bank. You can always give it back if you find it too expensive." Dustin reached out to grab the bottle back. "You're shameless!" Dakota gritted her teeth and wrote up a ten-million-dollar check before leaving angrily. She'd made up her mind to make Dustin pay after her mother recovered. After half an hour, she reached the hospital. As soon as she returned to the ward, she saw a group of doctors gathered there, shaking their heads and sighing. Her mother, Jane, was lying on the hospital bed, unable to move. "You're back, Dakota!" Florence rushed forward and asked, "How did it go? Does he have the solution? If there's no other method, we'll have to seek out Dr. Cro
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