"That's strange. Why are they headed our way? They look like they're up to no good. They're not here to give us trouble, are they?" Florence fidgeted anxiously in her seat."They're here for me," Dustin piped up."You? Have you offended someone again?" Dahlia frowned. She noticed that Dustin ran into quite a lot of trouble these days."I wouldn't exactly say I offended him, per se. I simply beat him up to teach him a lesson on how to behave," Dustin said calmly."This is not Swinton. There are influential people all around. There are some people that we simply cannot afford to cross!" Dahlia whispered. Though she was now chairwoman of Cardinal Group, the handover had yet to be completed, so she had neither funds, connections, nor experience. At this stage of her life, what she needed to do was to make more connections, keep a low profile, and stay out of trouble."Don't you worry, Miss Dahlia. I'm here. I'll make sure that nobody kicks up a fuss here." Terrence shot her a confiden
With a loud smack, Duncan's hand made contact with Terrence's cheek. The force was so strong that he staggered backward, nearly tripping over himself. The crimson outline of a palm blossomed on his face, clear for all to see.Julie, along with the rest of them, were astonished by what they saw. It was beyond their expectation that these thugs would be so dauntless as to assault the manager of Brooks Corporation. Were they out of their minds?"You—How dare you hit me!" Terrence held his cheek in his hand, gasping in disbelief. "Do you not know who I am? I am a managerial level in Brooks Corporation!""So what?" Without another word, Duncan gave him another hard slap. "I'd probably be intimidated if Roderick Brooks himself were here. But a mere manager? Do you think I'd be afraid of you?""You scumbag! You're done for, I'm telling you! How dare you hit me! I'll make you pay if it's the last thing I do!" Beside himself with rage, Terrence pulled his phone out and was about to call for
"Ah!" There were a series of loud cries as the henchmen were caught off-guard, falling to the floor one after another and rolling around in pain. In a blink of an eye, the floor was littered with people. Everyone had a fork or a knife lodged so deeply in their thighs that they couldn't even pull it out."What?" Duncan couldn't help but be startled by the sight.He had carefully handpicked these henchmen. All of them had gone through extensive training and were highly skilled. Typically speaking, a ten-against-one battle would have ended in an overwhelming but predictable victory on one side.Yet, never in his dreams would he have expected that all of his men would have fallen just like that.Were cutleries supposed to be this deadly?"What? That bastard is this strong?" Victoria couldn't help but be shell-shocked by how nonchalant Dustin looked. In her mind, Dustin was just an insignificant small fry.How was he capable of that?"Fuck! Turns out he's had some training. Why did
Seeing Cobalt and Flint stride in, shivers ran down Terrence's spine. "Just who is this bastard? How did he manage to get the Sander father-son duo here?!"These two were renowned top dogs in the martial world. Either one of them could take on a hundred opponents at once. They rarely showed up for anyone; it was definitely no easy feat to have invited these two to a fight."Terrence, who is the Sander father-son duo? Are they very powerful?" Julie asked from the side."Powerful? To the average person, these two are monsters! Especially the one named Cobalt—he's an absolutely terrifying freak. He kills like it's nothing. Countless people have died by their hands!" Terence said solemnly.As one of the backbone members of the Brooks Corporation, he naturally knew a thing or two about the martial world."What? They're that scary?!" Julie shrunk behind Terrence.Although Florence and the others didn't say anything, they maintained their distance, afraid that they might end up as colla
However, comparatively, Dustin's fist was much smaller than Flint's."You're asking for it!" Flint snorted coldly. He exerted more force in his arm, his internal energy surging out from his body.There was a loud explosion as the two men's fists collided with each other.Dustin stood there without budging an inch. Cracks began forming beneath his feet. On the other hand, the moment their fists crashed into each other, Flint let out a grunt. He flew backward, slamming against the wall heavily, leaving a crater in his wake. The arm that he used to throw the punch was dripping with blood, and his bones were shattered. He couldn't move anymore. After two seconds, he finally couldn't hold back anymore and coughed up a mouthful of blood. His body began to crumple slowly, sliding down the wall like wet mud."How is that possible?!" Duncan was stunned by what happened. Although Flint wasn't as strong as Cobalt, he was still ranked thirteen on the Hundred Immortals. However, a figure as p
"Lord Consultant, greetings! I am fighter Cobalt Sander!"Under everyone's gaze, Cobalt got on one knee and saluted Dustin with a face full of respect. He was the Hill family's fighter; in other words, he was a high-ranking guard.Meanwhile, a consultant was completely different—a consultant was second only to the master!Everyone, no matter who, referred to him with the respectful address of "sir" or "lord."One could count on one hand the number of Consultant Badges the Hill family had given out. There were merely a handful of consultants, but each and every one of them was all-powerful figures! If Dustin was able to get a Consultant Badge, then that was sufficient proof of his power and worth!"Er …"Everyone was shocked when Cobalt suddenly got on one knee. They were completely dumbstruck, their faces full of disbelief.That was none other than the famous Master Sander, the second-ranked on the Hundred Immortals! People everywhere worshiped the ground he walked on. Yet,
The fork whizzed through the air like an arrow leaving the bow and went straight through Duncan's arm."Ah!" he screamed, cold sweat pouring down his face."Remember, if this happens again, I won't stop at just an arm," Dustin warned."You … you're ballsy!" Duncan pressed his arm that was bleeding profusely, and ran for his life—his former moments of glory had now turned into a humiliating spectacle."Dustin, what was that thing you took out earlier? Why did that guy get on his knee immediately when he saw it?" Dahlia couldn't help but ask curiously once Duncan was gone.The others didn't utter a word, but they were also bewildered."Oh, two days ago, I saved a patient, and his family gave me a badge. They told me that if I ever got into trouble, this could save my life. I didn't think I'd actually have to use it," Dustin said with a laugh."Huh? That's unbelievably lucky," Dahlia said, slightly surprised. She had almost thought that he was going to end up in deep shit."Hmph,
Dustin was in a dilemma. "Dahlia, you know I'm only average at martial arts. I've never been a Chief Security Officer before. Don't you think I'm not suited for that post?" He was good at fighting and treating illnesses, but he had no experience holding an executive position in a company. It just didn't feel right. "You just need to be good at fighting." Dahlia smiled at him. "You don't need to do anything. You just need to oversee safety matters and, at the same time, protect me from harm.""I …" Dustin didn't know what to say."Hmph! If you don't want to do it, fine." She pulled a long face. "I'll just die a quick death if someone wants to harm me. It's no big deal.""Come on, it's not that serious." His eyes twitched.Dahlia responded, "You're right, it's not that serious. Nicholson Corp. has tens of billions in assets. Of course, I don't need any protection as the newly appointed chairman. It's not like anyone is after their shares. Please just remember to collect my body wh
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