Paul responded calmly, "It's two against two. We're not exactly at a disadvantage.""Sir Paul, I'm afraid it's two against one. You should ask Sir Moran if he's still willing to open this can of worms," Roger spoke profoundly. "Hmm?" Paul turned to Keith and realized he seemed upset. It appeared like he had decided to back out with his silence. Keith was able to go up against Tyler alone, but with Roger backing him, it was a different story. After all, he wasn't too acquainted with the Harmons. There was no need to jeopardize his career over this. The Harmons feel dejected by Keith's silence. Once he backed out, it would be hard for the Harmons to escape the situation unscathed. "Mr. Harmon, I was indeed taken by surprise by your planning. Sadly, it isn't enough. So, what is your decision?" Tyler looked up slightly, his gaze directed at Hector. With Roger's army, Paul alone wouldn't be able to save the Harmons. Hector furrowed his brow, his expression solemn. Was he to give i
"Lord Xenos! It's Lord Xenos!""Damn, even Lord Xenos has shown up! The world is turning upside down!" "Who was able to bring forth Lord Xenos?" The crowd broke out into a frenzy at the sight of the distinguished man. Lord Xenos was no ordinary man; he was the viceroy! The influential figure who held control over the entire military and government of Southern province! He was an official of the first rank and a true authority figure! A single action of his could shake up Millsburg in its entirety. Sir Leinonen and General Lionheart were mere shadows compared to him. "Why is Lord Xenos here? Did Tyler invite him?" "It's over. It's all over … There's no one to save us now!""He's the most powerful official in all of Southern province. Who else can compare to him?"The Harmons were shaken, their faces filled with fear and despair. Given their status, it was evident that they weren't the ones to invite the viceroy. So there was only one possibility—he was on Tyler's side. At t
"Oh? Is that so?" George glanced at Hector. Hector spoke truthfully, "They were indeed engaged in the past. But there were some problems recently that warranted further discussion regarding the engagement." "Problems should be solved round the table. Why be so hostile?" George expressed his dissatisfaction. "I'm open to discussion, but the Harmons are not respecting me," Tyler responded. "Marriage should be based on mutual consent. It's criminal behavior for you to force my hand in marriage by publicly deploying your army!" Natasha suddenly cried out. "She's right," George agreed. "A marriage should be between two willing parties. If one party is unwilling, you shouldn't force it." Tyler frowned slightly at his words. It appeared as if George was adamant about standing with the Harmons."Lord Xenos, what did the Harmons promise you? I'm willing to pay tenfold," Tyler unexpectedly said to George."How dare you!" George's expression darkened, and he bellowed, "Tyler Grant!
Hector was astonished at the thought. He turned his head and looked toward Dustin, finding him calm and collected. It appeared as if he were an outsider in the situation. However, that was exactly what made him indiscernible. Upon deep reflection, Hector realized that the Harmons' situation had taken a turn for the better when Dustin started challenging Tyler. Was this young man in front of him really the person who turned the tide? It would be frightening if that were the case! "Mr. Hector, I'm needed elsewhere, so I'll be taking my leave first." George left after saying his goodbyes. He didn't expose Dustin's identity as he was worried about making things complicated for him. Some things were better left untold."Guess there's no more fighting. I'll be leaving too." Paul gave Dustin a knowing look before leaving with his head held high. "Mr. Hector, see you next time." Sir Moran shook his hand and left as well.As the influential figures departed, the ballroom livened up even
Kate snorted. "You sure are jealous of Dylan, even when you are talentless. How petty is that? If you are unhappy about Dylan, tell me, who else is better than him?"Kate's remark caught Natasha off guard. Dylan was indeed the best among other family members in their generation because of his government ranks. "What's the matter? Cat got your tongue? Is it that hard to admit that Dylan's better than you?" Kate sneered at her. "Natasha, you dodged a bullet today, all thanks to me! You'd better show some gratitude," Dylan chimed in, much to Natasha's dismay. He and Kate seemed to be working together to bring her down. "All thanks to you? How?" Dustin did not like it when they laughed at Natasha. "Lord Xenos is a viceroy, and you're just a colonel. You're nowhere near his level, so why did you think he showed up for you?" "Are you claiming that he showed up for you?" Dylan scoffed. "You guessed right. He came here because of me." Dustin nodded, much to everyone's surprise. But
"I thought you guys love to laugh at others. Why aren't you laughing now?" After Dustin displayed his Consultant Badge, he openly confronted those who had looked down upon him.Dylan, Kate, and Natasha's friends gaped at the sight of the silver Consultant Badge on the table. They were smiling no more. After all, a Consultant Badge from the Hill family was a rare treasure coveted by many. With that badge in hand, one would have the backing of the Hill family, which also came with the perks of accessing and utilizing the family resources. It was not an understatement to describe the badge as priceless!However, it raised another question—how did the badge end up in Dustin's possession? Was he telling the truth when he said that he had saved Sir Paul's life? At the thought, everyone looked at Dustin differently."T-that's impossible! Why would you have the Consultant Badge from the Hill family?" Kate was still reeling from the shock, even though she was rather doubtful."I explained i
"That's right! The Hill family's Consultant Badge is as hard as steel. Only a counterfeit would be that brittle!" Kate supported Dylan's claim, and everyone else nodded in realization."So, it's a fake after all. That gave me a good shock.""This guy knows no shame! I can't believe he created a counterfeit badge just for show. He's too much!""Hmph! It's fortunate that Sir Dylan was smart enough to see through him. Otherwise, we'd all have been fooled!" Most of the crowd started berating Dustin. They trusted a wealthy son more than a lowly commoner. It was ironic how a successful person could blabber nonsense, and it would be taken as the absolute truth. While that same person, before becoming successful, could tell the absolute truth, and his words would be treated as garbage. Dustin spoke to Dylan coldly, "Dylan Harmon, have you thought of the consequences of destroying the Consultant Badge and distorting the truth in public?" "The consequences? Ha! You're the one tricking p
"Dylan!" The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. Nobody expected Dylan to collapse and spurt blood when he was still laughing a second ago. "Get him to the hospital, quickly!" Hector made a prompt decision and ordered someone to carry Dylan out. "Hey, brat! Did you do this?" Jacob was about to leave when he thought of something and turned back, his expression menacing."What does it have to do with me? It's his old injuries that resurfaced. If you're looking for someone to blame, you should blame Tyler since he attacked him earlier." Dustin shrugged. "You—" Jacob was exasperated. However, he couldn't start a scene without evidence. "Jacob. You should go now. It's more important to save Dylan," Hector reminded him. "Let's go!" Jacob glared at Dustin and left angrily, not wanting to waste any more time. Trent and Kate followed behind them. As the Harmons' most talented genius, Dylan's safety would affect their future. He was already considered equal in standing to Hec
After leaving Dash Corporation, Dustin and Natasha headed to the mall, where they picked out gifts for every member of the Ballard family. From the eldest to the youngest toddlers, no one was left out. Later, they stopped by an antique shop and chose a beautiful calligraphy painting as a special gift for Simon.By evening, Dustin had everything ready for his first visit to the Ballard estate, located in the heart of Oakvale's city center. The estate was a sprawling courtyard mansion built on a large plot of land.Simon, the Duke of Lachshire, had three sons and a daughter. His eldest son, Jonathan Ballard, was a third-ranked official in the government. The second son, Jensen Ballard, was a successful entrepreneur in the pharmaceutical industry in Oakvale, with billions in assets. Meanwhile, the youngest son, Jovian Ballard, had made a name for himself in the military and was now a third-ranked general.Simon's youngest daughter, Jessica—Natasha's mother—was highly favored with
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