Looking at the groups of elites barging into the banquet hall one after another, all the guests at the scene were dumbfounded. None of them expected Dustin to have such great connections. All he did was make a call, and hundreds of people came over to assist him. Not only were there underground organizations and official armed forces, but there was also help from a business tycoon. On top of that, even the mayor of Swinton was here to back him up in person.In other words, as long as Dustin said the word, all the forces in Swinton could be under his command.That was a terrifying connection he had.No wonder he dared to be insolent in front of the Langford family. He had come prepared. Now the Langfords were not fighting against Dustin alone, but the whole of Swinton."Who is he exactly? How come he can have influence over so many forces?"The guests exchanged glances with one another, shocked at the turn of events. At that moment, the arrogant Langford family finally sensed
Kingston forced out a smile."Stop acting like we are close friends!" Adam wasn't giving Kingston any respect. "Weren't the Langfords full of themselves just minutes ago? Come on, show me how arrogant you can be!" When Kingston heard that, his expression darkened. If it had been someone else who humiliated him today, he would have flipped his lid long ago. However, he just couldn't afford to offend the man standing in front of him. "Why aren't you saying anything? Weren't you all high and mighty just now? You even had the guts to bully my friend!" Adam pointed at them and hauled them over the coals. Kingston and Luis dropped their heads, falling into silence. At the sight of that, the guests were stunned. Who would have expected that there would be a day when Kingston from the Langford family would be chewed out publicly and dared not talk back?It was indeed shocking."What are you waiting for? Kneel down and apologize to my friend now!" Adam shouted. "This ..." Kingston
It was said that the Langfords had two master-level martial artists working for them. They were an extremely powerful pair and wouldn't show up normally. It seemed that they had come over with Ethan today. Adam rubbed his chin, thinking about how to seek revenge. It wasn't easy to take the Langfords down with the pair around. "Hmph, what's so great about the God of War? He still can't do anything to the Langfords when Uncle Ethan is here," Luis muttered inwardly. There were traces of arrogance on his face. "As expected of Ethan!" Kingston held his head up, having regained his previous confidence. Although the Spanner family was powerful, the Langfords weren't weak either. Now that Ethan was around, members of the Langford family would become unrelenting. Adam turned to look at Dustin and asked, "Dustin, it seems like they are not going to let me have my way. Shall we force our way through?"As long as Dustin agreed to it, Adam would launch his attacks straightaway. After all
Looking at the hunchbacked man, who appeared as if he had zero prestige, Ethan was scared out of his wits. He dared not say anything. This man in front of him was someone noble from Stonia. Even the crowned head would have to show him respect. Hence, it wasn't exaggerating to say that Rufus could easily take their lives at will. When Dustin saw him, his expression darkened. There was fury in his eyes. "It looks like a good show is coming up." Curling up his lips, Adam gloated and immediately retreated to one side.Under the crowd's gaze, Rufus limped in, looking like someone of ordinary status. Nevertheless, the people in the hall unconsciously made room for him to walk past them. Finally, he stopped in front of Dustin. "It's been a while. I didn't expect you to have grown this much."Staring at Dustin, who was taller than him by half a head, Rufus couldn't help but part his lips and grin. His broken front teeth made him seem a little comical. "I didn't expect you to be sti
Meanwhile, Florence was frantically rummaging through the drawers and cabinets in the Nicholson Villa to pack up their things."Dahlia, quick! Go and get all the jewelry we have in the house! We can't stay in Swinton anymore. Let's quickly pack up and flee abroad for the time being. I've already bought the flight tickets. We still have several million dollars of savings and some valuables at home. Those will be enough for us to survive for a while." Florence was on tenterhooks.Dahlia's breach of promise had not only humiliated the Langfords but also offended the Glenstead Nicholsons. Even if they were in Stonia, Dahlia and the rest wouldn't be able to find a safe place to stay, let alone in a small place like Swinton. When Florence saw that Dahlia wasn't responding to her, she became even more anxious. "Dahlia! What are you waiting for? Quickly pack your stuff!" "Mom, the matter has yet to reach that extreme. We don't need to run away." Dahlia shook her head. "Alas, don't you
"Take her away!" Dakota pointed her finger at Dahlia. "Let's see who has the guts to do that!" All of a sudden, a loud and stern voice came through the door. Then, Dustin strutted in with Maximus. "Don't blame me for being merciless if you dare challenge me today!" "Dustin?" Dahlia brightened up. At the sight of him, she finally felt relieved. He had promised her that he would come back safely. Indeed, it wasn't a lie. "You … You're still alive?" Dakota's eyes widened in disbelief.She clearly saw him surrounded by the Langfords before she left the banquet hall earlier. "How could he escape from that?" Dakota thought."Do you want me to die so badly? No matter what, I am still your mom's life savior. Don't you have any sense of gratitude toward me?" Dustin replied flatly."Hmph! Stop playing dumb! I don't care how you escaped! You have offended the Langford family, and now you're going to suffer because of that!" Dakota shot daggers at him."So what if I offended the La
"We beg for your forgiveness, Ms. Nicholson!"The rest of the Langfords followed suit and kneeled down on the floor. At the sight of that, Dahlia was stunned, and so was Dakota. Even Florence, who had been whining until a moment ago, stood there in a trance. They thought the Langfords were here to seek revenge. However, it had never occurred to the Nicholsons that the Langfords would behave so humbly all of a sudden. "Ms. Nicholson, I'm sorry. I thought too highly of myself. Please forgive me!" When Luis saw that Dahlia wasn't making any responses, he began to slap his face like he was crazy, even though his cheeks were already red and swollen. Despite the pain, he dared not stop. Half an hour ago, after finding out Dustin's true identity at the banquet hall, Luis was frightened out of his wits. He thought he was doomed. Ethan even wanted to kick him out of the Langford family and cut ties with him. However, to everyone's surprise, Dustin was willing to let Luis off the ho
Dahlia shook her head fervently with a bewildered expression. "Mr. Langford, we'd be more than thankful if you didn't find any faults with us. We would never dare blame you for anything!""Exactly! Please get up, Mr. Langford. Look at you! You're bleeding so much! I'll go get you a Band-Aid!" Florence quickly went into the bedroom to get the first-aid kit."A Band-Aid?" Luis could not believe his ears. He'd severed two of his fingers, for goodness sake! What use did he have for Band-Aids?"Why don't you go to the hospital, Mr. Langford? Your bleeding doesn't seem to be stopping," Dahlia suggested cautiously."Have you forgiven me, Ms. Nicholson?" Luis asked expectantly."I guess so. As long as you don't come and bother me anymore, you're forgiven." Dahlia nodded."No problem at all! I'll make myself scarce now and never bother you again!" Luis was elated. He nodded at both Dustin and Dahlia as a sign of apology before he made a run for it with his men in tow."Hey, Mr. Langford! Your B
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