"Why don't you trouble yourself? I don't care, but nobody touches Dustin today!" Natasha didn't give in at all. In her eyes, no one was more important than her man. Even if he was guilty, she would still defend him till the end, much less when he was being wronged right then. "Nonsense!" Jacob's temper flared, and he shouted, "How can a junior like you meddle with such an important family matter? Someone take Miss Harmon back to her room!""Yes, sir!" Mrs. Davys and the others dared not show any hesitation. They half dragged, and half persuaded Natasha out of the banquet hall. Witnessing this scene, Dustin frowned. He had wanted to take action a few times already, but he had controlled himself. The Harmon family's ways already ignited his anger. "No one's going to help you now, Rhys." Quentin took two steps forward and gave a low laugh. "I already asked you to leave earlier, but you just didn't want to listen to me. Look where it's gotten you now. You regret it, don't you?""I'
Seeing Quentin die such a sudden death, the crowd was frozen with fright. Their eyes protruded, and disbelief was written across their faces. They could never have imagined Dustin to be so daring as to kill someone over a mere misunderstanding. He was swift, brutal, and very vicious. He never even gave Quentin a chance to negotiate. Shouldn't every hostage be given a chance to negotiate first? Where was the reason for killing someone straight away without saying anything first? He was so unpredictable."It's over. It's really over this time." Ruth smacked her forehead and shut her eyes. If Dustin was just a suspect before this, he was now a murderer, no matter what the truth was. From that moment on, Dustin was the Harmon family's public enemy! After a short moment of silence, the crowd launched into uproar."How dare you kill someone with all of us watching! Today will be your last day!" "Fuck! Is that idiot crazy? How could he be so bold as to kill a member of the Harmon family o
"Everybody, I know that all of you hate me, but please let me say a few words." Dustin looked around and said loudly, "As long as you let me finish speaking, you can kill me or do anything you please. I will not resist!" "Hmmph! Are you still trying to make excuses till the very end?" Jacob demanded with a glare."I must say this regardless of whether you'll believe me, but Quentin deserved to die. That's because he is the real culprit who poisoned you!" Dustin dropped a bombshell. "Bullshit!" Jacob snorted coldly. "Quentin is a Harmon. How could he poison members of his own family? I think you're just framing him!""That's right! If you're going to make up a story, then at least make it believable. Who would believe you saying Quentin was the culprit?" Everyone scoffed and looked at Dustin with hostile gazes. If it wasn't because Natasha was shielding him, they would have attacked him long ago. "You say that Quentin is the culprit, but do you have evidence?" Hector, who had be
"Outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous! All of us saw with our own eyes that Quentin was alive and well before you killed him. Yet you dare say that he was just a corpse? How absolutely ridiculous!" Jacob's rage burned to a whole new level, and he wanted to rip Dustin apart."Hmmph! Do you take us for fools? What makes you think we would believe your bullshit?!""Exactly! You were the one who killed Quentin. We all witnessed it!"The crowd was furious, and their suspicions towards Dustin grew even stronger. How dare he deny killing someone and even use such a ludicrous excuse to clear his name? Did he think they were three-year-olds? "Young man, do you know what you're talking about?" Hector said with a frown. He had tried to give Dustin a chance to explain himself, but his words only grew more outrageous. "I know you guys don't believe me, but I have proof." Dustin walked to Quentin's corpse and ripped Quentin's clothes off, exposing patches of red lines to the crowd. "Do y
Jacob was stunned and he couldn't really believe his eyes. It was his first time witnessing such a strange incident. "The Dark Lord! It must be the Dark Lord's doing!" some members of the Harmon family started shouting. From time to time before this, some Harmon family members would die sudden deaths, but none of them had been as terrifying as this incident."How very brutal!" Hector frowned deeply, looking distressed. Someone had killed Quentin first, then controlled his body with witchcraft to poison the whole Harmon family. These tactics were not just cunning but vicious. Nobody other than the Dark Lord could be capable of it."I'm sure you guys believe my words now?" Dustin said at the perfect timing. "I …" Jacob was hesitant to speak. Although it was hard to accept, the facts were laid before him, and he had no choice but to believe it. "Dad! The truth is out. Won't you ask your men to fall back?" Natasha said. "Fall back." Hector gestured with his hand for the guards to
"The mastermind?" Everyone's gaze fell on the beautiful lady when they heard that. Had he said that at any other time, none of them would have believed him. In fact, they might even have brushed it off as a lie. But after everything that had happened, they had no choice but to consider his words seriously. After all, they had just witnessed a corpse moving around with such vitality. At this point, nothing seemed impossible anymore."Hey, miracle doctor, I haven't crossed you before this, have I? Why are you setting me up?" The beautiful lady frowned with a troubled expression."Dustin, you better not be accusing others without solid proof!" Hector warned him gravely. His brother had just experienced the pain of losing his son, and now, his wife was accused of being the perpetrator. This was no doubt rubbing salt in his wound."That's right! What proof have you got to claim that our sister-in-law has anything to do with this?" Jacob demanded loudly."I must have a certain level of
Before he could even wrap his head around what was going on, a sharp blade was already pressed up against his throat. The blade glistened with a dark sheen, obviously coated in poison. "Celeste, what are you doing?" Stunned by the sharp turn of events, Trent was at a loss at how to react. He had never thought that the day would come when his wife would threaten him with a blade against his neck."Stop calling me that. Your beloved Celeste died a few days ago." The woman smiled."You're not Celeste? Then who are you?" Trent's expression was one of utter horror and confusion."The Dark Lord is my master. Who do you think I am?" The sinister smile on her face remained unchanging."You're the Dark Lord's disciple?" Hector frowned. This was a grave matter. They had never expected the Dark Lord to plant a mole in the Harmon family disguised as one of them."So it is true that you're the one who poisoned Quentin! Guards! Get her!" Jacob ordered without further ado."Stand right there!"
With Hector and Jacob's arrangements, all the guests in attendance at the Harmon family gathering gradually left, and the annual event came to a jarring end.In order to prevent any other parties from taking advantage of the situation, Hector gave everyone firm instructions to keep what happened a secret and that under no circumstances was any information to be leaked.When all the guests had left, about 100 of the Harmons stayed back. As part of the Harmon family, they understood that if anything were to happen to the family, they would be similarly implicated, so they were all in it together."We really appreciate your help in finding the culprit, Dustin. Had it not been for you, the Harmon family would have suffered a tremendous loss." Hector patted Dustin on the shoulder with admiration in his eyes. It was rare to come by such a fine young man."Dad, Dustin saved our entire family. Surely you're not just thanking him verbally?" Natasha prompted."Of course not." Hector smiled.
While Dustin was away, Natasha couldn't help but worry about him. She would always keep an eye out for any news about him. But no matter how much she missed him, she wouldn't call him. She didn't want to distract or cause him to lose focus on the important matters concerning the nation's affairs. Understanding how busy he was, she kept her feelings in check and buried herself in work to keep her mind occupied.But when Natasha finally saw Dustin again, all the emotions she had bottled up came rushing out. Months of longing turned into overwhelming affection, and tears streamed down her face uncontrollably.Her assistant, Tanya, watched in shock. She had no idea Natasha—typically the poised, decisive, and commanding chairwoman—was in a relationship. What surprised her even more was how different Natasha seemed around Dustin. The usually unshakable "queen" now appeared soft and tender in his presence.Tanya couldn't help but watch Dustin more closely. His looks and charisma were u
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