The audible thud when Terry fell to the ground silenced everyone, effectively cutting off all laughter and cheers. The crowd shared dismayed looks, unable to comprehend what just happened. What was going on? Didn't Terry win? Why did he spit out blood? Had it merely been a narrow win?Just as everyone was stuck in disbelief, a silhouette slowly walked out of the ruined arena. Even the dust in the air seemed to disperse and create a path for him. When the person reached the top of the platform, the audience could finally see Dustin's handsome face.Dustin stood proudly with his hands in his pocket as he studied his unconscious opponent calmly. Meanwhile, everyone's jaw dropped. They thought that Terry had been the one who won, but things have completely changed. Terry was lying on the ground, injured. While Dustin was completely unscathed. It was obvious who the winner was."N—no way! Terry Doyle lost?""Holy smokes! Balerno's martial art genius and the thirteenth person on
"I think you misunderstood something here," Paul responded calmly. "I said Dustin had a ninety percent chance of winning. Your son only had ten.""What?" Phil stiffened. It turned out that everything had been in his head. Still, he couldn't understand or accept how a nobody like Dustin was able to defeat his son, who was a genius."Mr. Doyle, thank you for 'Tempest of the Eighteen Swords'," Hector suddenly said, causing Phil's face to darken. Phil thought that today's battle would work in their favor by boosting their reputation. However, not only had his son lost the battle, he also lost their family heirloom. It was a devastating loss!Dustin's victory also taught everyone something. There was always someone far stronger than you, even if you were the strongest person around. Also, from today onward, Balerno martial arts would see a dark horse, someone more talented and stronger than Terry."Useless fools!" Tyler Grant, who stood amidst the audience wearing a mask, humphed and
After failing to sneak up on Dustin, Terry was thrown into the air, where he landed right beside Phil, who was infuriated to see his son injured and bleeding uncontrollably. "You piece of shit! How dare you hurt my son!""Are you blind or something? He snuck up on me, so I merely defended myself," Dustin answered."Nonsense!" Phil yelled. "The winner hadn't been determined yet. You were the one who left your back open to your opponent, so it was fair and just!"Although his son had been in the wrong, there was no way he could admit that now."Fine. Since the winner hadn't been determined yet, there shouldn't be a problem since I attack him normally." Dustin retorted. "Of course, there is! You deliberately injured my son!" Phil seethed."This is how the martial world works. You're putting your life at stake when you accept a challenge. Your son got hurt because he wasn't strong enough. Your family is a martial arts family. Don't tell me you're sore losers?" Dustin sneered."You!
Paul, who had been silent the entire time, finally spoke up. "Mr. Doyle, there are rules that should be kept. Since your son was the one who accepted the challenge, he should accept whatever consequences there are.""But, my son—" Phil wanted to protest but stopped when he met Paul's icy glare. "Do you plan to be condemned by everyone?""No, sir." Phil gritted his teeth and lowered his head. In terms of status and power, the Doyle family was no match for Paul."Mr. Doyle, you should send your son to Stonearay Order immediately. He might still have hope if Dr. Watkins takes a look at him," Paul reminded."Hurry! Get the car ready!" Coming to his senses, Phil gathered his son into his arms and dashed out of the arena, the rest of the Doyle family members following closely behind. Receiving treatment was the most important thing right now."Hi, mind if I have a word with you?" Paul turned his attention to Dustin. "It would be my honor." Dustin nodded and followed Paul out the door.
Outside the Doyle family gates, a Maybach revved up and drove off, successfully shaking off the group of people who were chasing after them. "Thank God I moved fast, or I wouldn't even have the chance to talk to you." Paul turned around and looked at the annoyed group behind them, impressed by his foresight. "It's not that bad." Dustin was puzzled. "You don't seem to understand your value yet." Paul shook his head, chuckling. "Being able to defeat Terry Doyle has already proven how powerful and talented you are. There are less than five people in Balerno who could even be on par with you, so countless guilds are desperately trying to rope you in.""Tsk. What a bother. I should have kept a low profile." Dustin sighed. He had only challenged Terry to warn the Doyle family not to mess with him. He didn't expect them to invite so many people to watch the battle in an attempt to boost their reputation. Still, the Doyle family has shot itself in the foot since he was the one who ended
Dustin chuckled bitterly. "Alright, I'll agree to it. It's just going to be a few fights anyway." There was no fight he couldn't win when it came to using his martial arts prowess. Paul smiled. "Great. That'll be all."Dustin was curious. "Sir Paul, since you've retired, why are you still worrying about matters regarding the martial arts alliance?" Paul kept his smile. "Even though I'm not with the alliance anymore, my heart still belongs to them. Not to mention, the current leader of the alliance is my disciple. I don't see anything wrong with helping him recruit talent.""Sir Paul, I admire that you're a man of high integrity." Dustin nodded in acknowledgment. "Alright, there's no need for the flattery. Where are you going next? I'll see you off. ""Back to the Flame Dragon Dojo."…In the afternoon, inside Stoneray Valley at Mount Cloudcrest, Terry laid on an emerald bed. His complexion was pale, and he was sweating all over. A few physicians in white were carefully te
That night, in the second-floor office of the Flame Dragon Dojo."Sir Rhys, you were so cool today! Not only did you show the Doyle family who's boss, but you also made the Flame Dragon Gang famous all across Balerno! We have around a thousand members now, and they all admire you greatly!" Nelson poured Dustin a cup of coffee while he showered him with compliments; his excitement and elation were evident. He'd been worried that the Doyles would seize the opportunity and take revenge on them if Dustin lost. He didn't expect their gang leader to be so incredible. Against all odds, Dustin turned the tide and achieved a resounding victory over Terry. He had become famous through a single battle. "That's enough, you've said that a million times now. Can't you say something new?" Dustin was speechless. Ever since Dustin's return, Nelson had been flattering him in various ways, singing all sorts of praises that Dustin could think of. If people didn't know any better, they would think Nel
"Evidence? Where is it?" Dahlia was taken aback."It's with me now." It appeared that Dustin came prepared, as he took out two pieces of evidence. "These are the autopsy results. This can prove that James was poisoned to death. While this black needle is the murder weapon.""What?" Dahlia examined it curiously. Dustin added, saying, "If you don't believe me, you can get it tested personally." Although he had the evidence, it would be hard to convince her without finding the murderer. "No need for that. I believe you." Dahlia's expression was solemn. "To be honest, I know that you're not the murderer and that this has all been a misunderstanding."Dustin smiled. "I'm happy that you think that way.""I'm sorry for misunderstanding you. But please understand, I had no other choice. My brother's death has left me in pain. I feel so lost, and I don't know what to do. I'm scared … I'm scared that I will lose you too. I'm scared that we will become enemies. I'm scared of being alone,
"We're ready for the ultimate showdown of this tournament. The winner will be crowned the Combat Tournament Champion. Now, let's welcome both contestants to the ring." Oron's voice thundered as he stepped onto the battle ring.There was thunderous applause and cheers from the audience.The long-awaited showdown was finally at hand. Today's outcome wasn't just about personal glory, but it would also decide the future of the martial world.If Glenn triumphed and claimed the crown, the Sword Union would rise as the undisputed guild. The Celestial Alliance and the Mystic Arts Order would have no choice but to bow to their supremacy.But if Dustin won, it would be even more sensational. A dark horse, without any guild affiliation, defeating the elite disciples of the major guild—such a story would send shockwaves through the martial world.Once that happened, every major guild would fight tooth and nail to claim him. It would spark a fierce battle for dominance."Dr. Rhys! Good luck!"
"H-Hold on! I-I surrender!" Abigail said urgently. With the sword inches away from her throat, she decisively raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.She didn't expect herself to win the match. Her goal was simply to take this opportunity to test Dustin's strength and also gauge her own progress. But now, it was clear that there was still a sizable gap between them."You've done well. In a few more years, I might not even be able to keep up with you." Dustin smiled and lowered his Celestial Blade. His words weren't flattery; he genuinely saw potential in Abigail.The dark Phoenix flames carried a corrosive power that even his mystical pure energy couldn't resist. In other words, Abigail's black flames were the bane of any martial artist.Her journey in the martial world was still short—barely two years. She hadn't unlocked the full potential of her Phoenix bloodline yet. But with more training and experience, the sky was the limit for her."Don't try to console me, Sir. I'm n
With a resounding bang, the golden light erupted with a burst of terrifying energy wave. In an instant, the earth trembled, and fierce winds whipped through the air.Dustin and his sword were sent flying several yards. After landing, he stumbled back several steps before finally steadying himself.He looked up and saw that Abigail's body was now covered in a layer of golden armor, though he couldn't tell when it had happened. The armor glowed brightly, and it made her look imposing and striking.It was clearly a divine artifact.The Mystic Arts Order had been around for centuries, with deep roots and countless treasures. As the Grand Sorceress, Abigail would obviously have several divine artifacts for protection.Dustin wasn't surprised, but the armor's counterforce caught him off guard. Not only did it protect her, but it also had offensive capabilities.When his sword struck the armor earlier, the blow didn't leave a scratch. Instead, the armor absorbed the hit and sent the for
Dustin raised his hand as the black feathers rained down on him. A white energy shield flared into existence to form a wall before him.The feathers slammed into the shield and sent ripples across its surface but failed to break through. However, the black flames on the feathers spread across the shield and burned through its energy at a visible pace. In the blink of an eye, the once impenetrable barrier cracked open and left a gaping hole.Dustin couldn't hide his surprise. His mystical pure energy was far stronger than the average grandmaster's internal energy in offense and defense. It was meant to be impenetrable. He hadn't anticipated it couldn't hold up against Abigail's phoenix flame.Seeing the raw strength of her bloodline, he knew he couldn't afford to take any chances. As the black flames spread, he swiftly waved his hand to summon a furious gust of wind that sent the feathers and flames flying."Glaring Wings!" Abigail wasn't done yet. She quickly formed hand seals and
Abigail moved with lightning speed, and her figure weaved in and out like a shadow. Her swift movements left a blur of afterimages that was hard for anyone watching to keep up.On the contrary, Dustin stood still without making any movement."Fallen Fist!"After closing in, she unleashed a flurry of strikes—dozens of black palm shadows slamming toward his body, and each one was like a bullet aimed at its target.Abigail practiced a unique martial art, and it was imbued with voodoo-like properties that could kill anyone who made contact with her. But Dustin's body was immune to all poisons, so it was a perfect counter to her deadly attack.As the shadow palms closed in, he remained unshaken and thrust his palm forward.A fierce gust of wind surged and ripped through the air with unrelenting force. It collided with the black palm shadows.Abigail's black palm shadows exploded on impact and disintegrated into thick clouds of dark mist that quickly spread. Within moments, the mist e
The whole arena suddenly fell dead silent. Everyone stared blankly, and not a soul dared to breathe. Alloy shot to his feet in the main spectator seats, and his face was tense with worry. Yet, he didn't dare make a sound. He feared it might startle Glenn into making a mistake that could cost Fenley's life.After all, Fenley represented the future of the Celestial Alliance. Alloy had invested all his effort into Fenley, and he provided him with endless resources. If Fenley were to die in the match, it would deal a devastating blow to the entire guild.While Alloy was gripped with worry, Cyrus and Penelope cheered silently. They secretly hoped Glenn's sword would strike Fenley. If that happened, the Celestial Alliance would take at least a decade to regain its former glory.Fenley's body stiffened as he stared at the Fang Master hovering inches from him. A shiver ran through his spine as goosebumps prickled his skin. Sweat trickled down his face, and each drop hit the ground with a
"Glenn had only seven swords in the past. I didn't expect that in just one year, two more divine swords would recognize him as their master. This punk is much better than I was back then," Cyrus remarked. He stroked his chin with a look of surprise and approval. He had always believed in Glenn's potential, but Glenn's performance had still exceeded his expectations.After all, the more swords Glenn wielded, the stronger he became. He had already topped the Legendary List with just seven swords. Now, with nine, his strength had grown even more overwhelming."He truly is the Chosen One." Even Kaden couldn't help but sigh.The nine divine swords recognized their master and responded with ease. Glenn's talent and cultivation were leagues ahead of his peers.Every generation brought forth new talent, and the old had no choice but to step aside for the new generation. Compared to their time, today's youth were on another level—monsters in their own right."Now, this is going to be int
Compared to the second green sword, Glenn's third sword was even more powerful. As it descended, accompanied by the fury of a fire dragon, it carried the destructive force of a world-shattering storm.Fenley, whose energy flow was disrupted earlier, watched the fiery red long sword streak toward like a falling meteor. His heart raced and was gripped by a sudden sense of impending doom.With a roar, he risked the backlash effect and unleashed a powerful surge of internal energy. The ethereal divine spirit behind him instantly transformed into a figure with three heads and six arms. This was the complete form of the Four Elements of God's Technique.At that instant, he threw everything he had into the fight. He controlled the spirit to slam its giant arms into the flaming sword. With a loud explosion, the sword tore through the spirit's palms and continued its unyielding path toward Fenley. But its speed had slowed slightly.Without hesitation, he controlled the spirit to strike ag
When the spectators heard the match was about to begin, the excitement reached a fever pitch. Half of them cheered for Fenley while the other half chanted Glenn's name. Both were the Chosen Ones, and their popularity was undeniable. Everyone had been waiting for their face-off in the battle ring.Though Fenley ranked slightly below Glenn on the Legendary List, his fame and influence as the successor to the Celestial Alliance's guildmaster outshined Glenn's. Ultimately, the question of who was stronger could only be answered in the ring."I've been waiting for this day, Glenn." Fenley stared at him intently. His voice was powerful and commanding. He continued, "Others say I'm not your equal, but I refuse to believe it. Today, we'll find out whether your sword is faster or if my Four Elements of God's Technique is superior.""The moment you said that, you've already lost. Your doubt shows you lack the confidence to defeat me," Glenn replied calmly. If this were a fight-to-the-deat