"What?" Gordon and the others were dumbfounded by how politely and courteously Patrick had spoken to Dustin. Their eyes were round with disbelief.The son of the Hill family—one of the Ten Princes of South Province, dubbed the top aristocrat—had actually greeted that jerk with a smile?How was that even possible?!"No way. Dustin knows Mr. Hill?" The smile on Zoey's face turned to ice. She had initially thought that Patrick had walked over for Gordon; never in her wildest dreams would she have thought that he was there for Dustin. Not to mention, from the way they were acting, it seemed like they were close."How the hell did that punk climb his way up to become friends with Mr. Hill?!" Shock aside, Zeke was more jealous than anything. What right did a loser have to hit it off with the top aristocrat?"How could this be?" Gordon was rooted to the spot, astonishment written on his face. It was one thing to be ignored by Patrick, but he couldn't come to terms with how the person h
"Now, I'd like to propose a toast!" Hector raised his glass, swept his gaze over all the guests, and downed his drink.In response, everyone stood and raised their glass to toast in return.After some small talk, it was time for the gift-giving segment. "Mr. Harmon, here are some golden horses that I forged with my own hands. I wish you nothing but success in life!""Mr. Harmon, this crystal necklace once belonged to an ancient king. I hope you like it." "Mr. Harmon, this painting is an authentic masterpiece by Pikasso. It's truly a priceless treasure. That being said, I wish you the best of health and a lifetime full of smiles ahead!" One by one, the guests stepped up with their gifts in hand, offering their heartfelt birthday wishes. There were numerous rich and respected people among them, and this gift-giving segment was also a subtle display of comparison and competition. The one with the rarest and most expensive gift got to show off. They could display their power and
"What's going on?" The crowd glanced at each other and broke out in whispers at the sight of the wedding carriage being brought in. Wasn't it Hector's 50th birthday? It seemed like Tyler was deliberately stirring up trouble. "Tyler, what's the meaning of this?" Hector's smile gradually disappeared. He didn't expect Tyler to cut straight to the chase right after his arrival. He was truly relentless. "In accordance with our marriage contract, I'm picking up my bride today," Tyler stated calmly. "Marriage contract? Bride?""It can't be. Tyler and Natasha are engaged?""They're both talented and good-looking, so it's not surprising for them to be betrothed. However, this manner of retrieving the bride seems rather abrupt." The crowd was buzzing in surprise, confusion, jealousy, and curiosity. Picking up the bride at a birthday party was an unprecedented move. Hector stayed calm and composed. "Tyler, we'll discuss the details of the marriage agreement later on. It's my birthda
At that moment, Dylan suddenly shot up as he slammed the table. He bellowed, "Tyler Grant, don't think you can act as you please just because you have some talent. We're not easy targets!" "Who are you? Do you have the right to talk to me?" Tyler gave him a cold glance. "Hmph! Listen up!" Dylan straightened his chest and held his head up high. "My name is Dylan Harmon, I'm currently a high-ranking commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry. I've fought over a dozen wars and slain hundreds of men!""A mere commander is challenging me? Where did you get your courage? You're not even a deputy general," Tyler spoke indifferently."Even though I'm only a commander, Scarlet Spanner is my general! I don't believe you'd dare challenge the Goddess of War!" Dylan responded arrogantly. "Scarlet Spanner?" Tyler frowned slightly, finally betraying a hint of emotion. As Dragonmarsh's first Goddess of War, Scarlet had not only achieved incredible feats, she came from an influential background and
"What?" The crowd was shocked as they took in Dylan's seriously injured figure laying on the ground. Nobody expected Tyler to defeat a high-ranking commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry with just a finger. He was too powerful. The concerning thing was that Dylan had Scarlet backing him. When Tyler injured Dylan in public, it was akin to slapping Scarlet. The crowd wondered if he was just tyrannically arrogant or fearlessly confident. "How dare you injure one of us! Do you really think we are easy targets?" After recovering from the shock, the Harmons shot up in anger. They could no longer tolerate being bullied to such an extent. "Tyler Grant! I am a commander of the Dark Panther Cavalry. If you hurt me, Scarlet will never forgive you!" Dylan struggled to stand up, feeling shock and anger. Gifted with extraordinary talents and sharp perceptions since he was a child, he had trained into a divine-level martial artist at a young age. Armed with the abilities he was proud of, he ne
Tyler stomped on the ground heavily, causing a violent surge of energy to strike Dylan. Dylan staggered backward from the impact, spitting out another mouthful of blood. "You …" He gritted his teeth, not daring to utter another sound. He knew he had been completely defeated. "Tyler, you are too much!" Jacob erupted in fury at the sight of his son injured once again. "Cut the crap! Make a choice—The carriage or the coffin?" With his hands behind his back, Tyler gave off an imposing air. "Tyler Grant! Do you think you can suppress the entire Harmon family alone? You're absolutely crazy!" Jacob retorted angrily. "Who said I'm alone?" Tyler raised his hand and snapped his fingers. "Come in." On his orders, the sound of synchronized marching could be heard by the door. As they approached, the noise grew louder. Even the liquids on the table rippled slightly. To everyone's astonishment, following the sound was a group of black-clad, masked, and fully armed guards striding in with
"Have you asked me for permission before taking her away?" Dustin stood in front of Tyler, blocking his path. He had a frosty expression as he stood unyielding. "Huh?" The guests were dumbfounded and in shock. They could not believe someone would dare to challenge Tyler. This person must've had nerves of steel. Zoey's eyes widened in surprise. "What's Dustin doing up front? Doesn't he value his life?" Even if they disregarded Tyler's background, the armed guards behind him were terrifying enough. Zeke sneered. "Hmph, he must have a death wish to challenge General Lionheart!" Tyler commanded the armed guards with an air of dominance. With just a single command, he could have Dustin shot into oblivion. "Fool! He thinks he can show off in front of Tyler just because he's friends with Patrick. What a joke." Gordon looked like he was looking at a corpse. While Patrick held a high social standing, he had no official position. He was absolutely incomparable to Tyler. "This is spelli
Seeing that Tyler was serious, Natasha and Patrick stood up and stopped him. "Tyler, speak and behave as you wish, but he is my friend. You better not act recklessly." Patrick stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Dustin, clearly taking his side. His actions shocked many. It finally dawned on them why Dustin acted without restraint—he had someone backing him. "Patrick, no one can stop me from killing my target, not even you." Tyler's expression remained cold, not showing any sign of yielding. A rich playboy was nothing in his eyes. "There's no reason to go that far. You should forgive sometimes." Patrick frowned slightly. Tyler spat out, "Get lost. My bullets don't discriminate." "You—" Patrick's expression darkened. Even though they were both sons of affluent families, he could never compare to Tyler in terms of status and authority. If Tyler decided to use force, he would be powerless to stop him. "Mr. Grant, why are you so angry? Can't things be discussed n
Poseidon scoffed. "You're so full of yourself." The surrounding seawater surged violently. It transformed into countless razor-sharp water spikes and whistled toward Dustin. The deadly edges glinted under the sunlight. Like a silver rainstorm, the barrage swallowed every inch of space around him.Dustin's sharp gaze locked onto the incoming strikes. With a light swing of the Celestial Blade, a streak of black sword aura shot out. Every water spike in its path shattered into mist and rained down in a cascade of droplets.However, Poseidon refused to relent. His attacks came in endless waves, an unbroken torrent.He gripped his trident with both hands and spun it, creating several blue energy rings. Each one expanded rapidly and surged toward Dustin like crashing waves.Dustin's figure flickered and vanished from his spot. The next second, he reappeared just outside the energy rings.Hovering in midair, he spun at incredible speed. The Celestial Blade in his hand turned into a b
"Logan, I have to admit that you're stronger than I thought. I never expected you'd push me this far," Poseidon said.His arms slowly spread wide, and his blue eyes glowed with murderous intent. "As a mark of respect, I will give it everything I've got. You'll witness the true extent of my power."With a flick of his hand, he made a grabbing gesture. His trident, which had fallen to the bottom of the sea, shot back up through the water and landed firmly in his grasp.Compared to his earlier arrogance, Poseidon now stood with a newfound seriousness. It wasn't just Dustin's strength that had him on edge but his terrifying potential.At only 20, Dustin already possessed this level of strength. If he continued to grow, he would become a serious threat to the Hall of Gods. Hence, Poseidon resolved to eliminate him today."Watch closely," he said.Poseidon slowly raised his trident and gripped it like a javelin. While channeling his energy into the weapon, it pulsed with an intense blu
Dustin was Dragonmarsh's elite prodigy, while Poseidon was the famous royal god of the Hall of Gods.Every move they exchanged unleashed destructive power. Within moments, the area within a 300-foot radius was reduced to wreckage.Dustin wielded his true energy-infused longsword. Each swing unleashed a blinding flare of light as if it could split the sky apart with the Celestial Blade.On the contrary, Poseidon's trident commanded the winds and rains. Each strike could summon huge rolling waves as if he were a god reigning over the forces of nature.Sword aura clashed against walls of water and plunged the entire area into chaos.Warrick and the others watched with rapt attention. Their eyes were locked on the battle ahead as they tried to make sense of the chaos.But Dustin and Poseidon were moving so fast that their actions were almost impossible to follow. Their movements blurred together, and they could only catch flashes of two figures constantly clashing. Their strikes ca
"Let me correct you," Dustin said.As his hand slowly tightened into a fist, a white longsword formed from his true energy. "In Dragonmarsh, there is no 'God. ' We only have the Lord of the Dead."The moment the words left his mouth, a tempest of sword aura exploded outward. Within a radius of several dozen yards, the winds howled, sand and stones were sent flying, and the waves along the shore grew even more violent."Such overwhelming pressure. That sword aura is insane. Is this Logan's actual strength?"Feeling the surge of energy, Warrick and the others couldn't help but turn pale. It was then they realized that Dustin hadn't been fighting seriously before. Or perhaps, with their strength, they hadn't even earned the right to make him fight for real. They figured only someone of Poseidon's caliber could force Dustin to go all out."Interesting… truly fascinating." Poseidon suddenly laughed. "I thought you were just a pup, but it turns out you're a hungry wolf. Now, this is s
Poseidon hovered in the air with his trident in one hand and radiated a commanding presence. He stood like a god, and his figure was so intimidating that it struck fear into those who beheld him.With a wave of his hand, an invisible energy struck Warrick and expelled the three silver needles from his body. Feeling sensation returned to his limbs, Warrick's face lit up. He quickly rose to his feet and clenched his fist to his chest in salute."Thank you, Lord Poseidon, for saving me. I will never forget this kindness!" he said."No need for formalities, Sir Prescott. Now that you've pledged yourself to the Hall of Gods, it's only natural that I ensure your safety," Poseidon replied with a faint smile as he descended gracefully."Your timely arrival was a blessing," Warrick said as he bowed his head slightly in deference. "Otherwise, we would have perished tonight."The Hall of Gods' royal gods were figures he could only look up to. Everything about Poseidon, from his power to hi
Mulder knew Warrick had been on the battlefield for years, and his physical strength was unmatched. On top of that, he was already halfway to becoming an ultimate grandmaster. Even if Warrick couldn't defeat the prodigious Logan, Mulder figured the difference wouldn't be too big. But he never expected Logan to take down Warrick with a single finger, leaving him severely injured and unable to stand. The difference in their strength was far beyond anything Mulder could have imagined.In other words, Logan had been toying with them from the start and didn't take the fight seriously. If he had, they would've all been dead.Warrick clutched his chest and coughed up blood as he staggered to his feet. His chest was a charred ruin, the flesh torn open and slick with blood. It was an awful, gory mess."I didn't expect you to be this strong. I underestimated you," he growled.He slowly raised his head, and his face twisted with a menacing look. "Guess I was just unlucky to fall into your
"Oh? You guessed it?" Dustin smirked. "Now that you know who I am, it's up to you to decide what to do."If Warrick chose to surrender, Dustin would simply seal his pressure points and leave him to Austin's judgment. But if he resisted, Dustin wouldn't hesitate to cripple him."Haven't you given up your title as the prince? Why did you return? Are you going to compete with Austin for the throne?" Warrick asked.Uncertainty flickered across his face before he continued, "If that's your intention, I can help you. Spare me today, and I guarantee you'll become the next Prince of West Lucozia."Power was a tempting beast. History was filled with stories of brothers turning against each other and fathers murdering their sons for it.In Warrick's mind, Logan's quiet return to West Lucozia meant one thing—he was after the throne."Guarantee?" Dustin scoffed. "What guarantee are you offering?" His voice was dripping with disdain. "You're a cornered rat now. You're barely holding on to you
"Warrick's blade technique is terrifying," Mulder mumbled. "This should be the finishing blow, right?"Watching from a distance, he was awestruck by the dazzling blade aura. Only now did he truly grasp the sheer gulf between Warrick and Dustin.Warrick's strike descended with such overwhelming force that it seemed to split the earth and obliterate everything in its path. Even from 300 feet away, the pressure rolling off it sent a chill down Mulder's spine.Under Mulder's stunned gaze, Warrick brought his full weight down, with blade and body merging into a single force that swallowed Dustin whole.The instant they clashed, an incandescent explosion of light erupted. It was so blinding that Mulder couldn't even open his eyes.A split second later, a deafening blast erupted, and a shockwave shot outward like a tidal surge. The force flattened the waves and overturned several fishing boats docked at the pier.Even Mulder, more than 300 feet away, was caught in the blast and tumbled
"So what if I am? And what if I push even further?" Dustin's smile slowly faded. "If you don't like it, do something about it."There was no reasoning with tyrants like Warrick."Punk, are you really willing to risk your life against me? Have you ever considered what happens if you lose?" Warrick's face turned grim as a wave of killing intent spread from him.He had already taken a step back to avoid unnecessary trouble. If Dustin refused to back down, there was no choice but to fight."Cut the crap. You wanna fight, fight." Dustin didn't bother with more words. With a flick of his wrist, a silver needle shot out and aimed toward Warrick's forehead—silent, unassuming, but deadly."Hmm?" Warrick's brow furrowed as he instinctively raised his arm. Sparks flew as the needle deflected off his arm and buried into the ground."Oh? You've mastered the Adamantine Body Technique?" Dustin narrowed his eyes. At that instant, he saw through Warrick's technique. Not only was he halfway