"What is it?" Azalea asked curiously. "You've heard of the Mystic Arts Order, haven't you?" "Of course. It's the greatest dark faction of all time. It's even on par with Stonia's Celestial Alliance," Azalea answered. The Mystic Arts Order was a mysterious faction. Despite having only a few disciples, everyone in the group was trained in the mystic arts as well as martial arts. And because of their ruthless way of killing their targets discreetly, they quickly became the strongest dark faction of all time."I used to be part of the group," The Dark Lord said wistfully. "I might not have been the brightest disciple there, but I was still a talented individual with a bright future. However, I was kicked out after committing a crime.""Do you still wish to return there?" Azalea asked. "Of course." The Dark Lord nodded. "That place is like heaven to people like us. It's filled with numerous secret arts and is home to many powerful fighters. If I can get back in, I'd be far stronge
"Ugh … " The Dark Lord was stunned. With his eyes wide open, he looked at the knife in his chest, then up at the smirking Azalea. His pale face was a mix of shock, disbelief, and confusion. It happened so suddenly that he still hadn't registered that he had been stabbed."W—why?" The Dark Lord asked in disbelief. He never expected his most beloved disciple to kill him."Your skills have greatly plummeted since you're seriously injured, rendering you defenseless. Today is the best day to kill you." Azalea smiled. "By the way, I applied some Tranqurin on my blade. You're just like a little lamb waiting to be sacrificed now.""I've treated you well. Why would you betray me? Just when have I ever treated you badly?" The Dark Lord trembled, blood dripping from the corners of his mouth. "You've never treated me badly. In a way, you've been quite kind to me. However, you still have to die," Azalea said plainly. "Why … why? Why!" The Dark Lord's emotions surged as he grabbed Azalea's ha
"No, impossible! You were only six years old back then, and you were fast asleep!" The Dark Lord shook his head furiously.Azalea responded, "I'd be dead now if I hadn't pretended to be asleep.""You—!" The Dark Lord was at a loss for words. He could not believe an experienced fighter like him had been played by a six-year-old. "Since you now know the truth, you can die now." Azalea flashed a smile again."Wait! You can't kill me!" The Dark Lord panicked as he clamored, "Don't forget that you still carry the curse that I planted in you. If I die, you won't survive either!" He would plant a venomous curse on every new disciple. The first reason was to control them better, while the second was to prevent betrayals. The current situation was a perfect example. "The curse? You mean this?" Azalea smiled playfully and took out a clear glass bottle. Inside was a red centipede. "H—how did you get it out?" The Dark Lord's expression shifted. The curse he planted was connected to him;
As night fell deeper, the snow fell heavier. Meanwhile, Hector and the others stood outside the Harmons' meeting room, waiting in silence. They occasionally stole glances inside, where Michael and Dustin were engaged in a hushed conversation. Half an hour earlier, Michael had asked everyone to leave so he could speak to Dustin privately."Mr. Rhys, that's the gist of what happened. I concealed my identity to hide from the enemy and protect Abigail from harm." Michael poured his heart out, finally releasing all the feelings he had bottled up. "I never expected that Abigail's mother would turn out to be the Grand Sorceress of the Mystic Arts Order." Dustin was shocked. The Mystic Arts Order was known as the most formidable dark faction in existence, composed of talented individuals and high-level experts. The position of Grand Sorceress was prestigious. Dustin had always been curious about the protective seal inside Abigail. With her mother's identity as the Grand Sorceress reveal
The Harmons were naturally curious since Dustin and Michael's conversation went on for some time."Nothing much. Mr. Robinson just requested that I take care of Abigail in the future," Dustin replied."That's all? That can't be." Trent was suspicious."Yeah." Dustin shrugged. He knew that Abigail's identity as the Grand Sorceress shouldn't be made known for her safety. "Alright, let's set aside other matters for now. Our priority is to capture the Dark Lord. As long as he is alive, the Harmons will be in danger." Hector changed the subject. "Jacob has gone after him with some of his men. I wonder how he's doing." Trent was slightly worried. Although the Dark Lord was severely injured, he was still a Grandmaster martial artist. It would be a challenge to capture him. "Mr. Hector …" At that moment, the butler rushed into the meeting room, holding a square gift box. "What's wrong?" Hector looked over at him. "Mr. Hector, someone outside just passed us a gift earlier, asking
Inside the chairman's office at Nicholson Corp., Dahlia stood before the expansive floor-to-ceiling windows, gazing pensively at the falling snow. The city shimmered with vibrant lights, yet she was there alone. Her mother had returned home yesterday while she remained in Millsburg to settle pressing work commitments. On one hand, she truly had matters to attend to, but on the other, she was hiding. She didn't know how to explain James' death to the family. Until the real culprit was caught, Dustin remained the prime suspect. While she was lost in her thoughts, her phone suddenly rang. She was surprised to see that it was a call from Regulus Nicholson, the Nicholson family patriarch."Hello, Grandpa Regulus. How can I help you?" Dahlia was quick to greet him."Dahlia, I heard from your grandpa that you won't be spending New Year's at home and will be working overtime at the office instead?" Regulus asked in concern. "I have pressing matters to attend to at work. It's more co
Regulus chuckled heartily. "All right, as long as you agree! I'll arrange a family meeting tomorrow morning and officially announce you as the new head of the Nicholson family!"The surprising news came without warning, leaving Dahlia in a daze even after Regulus had hung up. She hadn't achieved much, yet she was suddenly the Nicholson matriarch, dramatically elevating her status. It felt unbelievable. Although Dahlia believed she had the talent, she lacked the confidence to lead such a prominent family at this time. However, she also realized that this was an opportunity for her to rise, and she shouldn't let it slip away. She had to give it a try, regardless of whether she was prepared. … The next morning, the heavy snowfall had stopped, and it was finally the New Year. Dustin had just returned to the Flame Dragon Gang when he saw Nelson approaching him happily. "Sir Rhys! I have good news!""What? Did your wife give birth?" Dustin asked curiously."It's better news than tha
In a luxurious private room at Ibiza Club, Hank was enthusiastically entertaining a bald man in glasses. A few alluring hostesses were by their sides, providing attentive service. "Mr. Niles, thank you for traveling all the way here. This is our show of sincerity. We hope you like it." Hank took out a check and placed it on the table, sliding it forward. The bald Niles only glanced at it before ignoring it, and he continued to drink with the beautiful women beside him. "Oh, look at me. I almost forgot to pass you a welcoming gift as well." Hank caught on immediately and took out another gift box, passing it to him with both hands. Niles opened the box and saw a gold bar that weighed a few kilograms. It was worth around one to two million dollars.Niles chuckled gleefully. "Hank, that's so generous of you. There's no need for such extravagant gifts between us," he said as he put them away nonchalantly. "Considering you traveled from Stonia, these are nothing." While Hank smiled p
Under the watchful eyes of the audience, Dustin and Glenn stepped onto the battle ring. They stood about 30 feet apart, and their eyes locked across the distance. Their gazes met like sparks, and they could feel the weight of the other's stare."Are you Logan?" Glenn asked, breaking the silence.He had heard the rumors about this dark horse before stepping into the ring, but now that he was facing him, he wasn't sure."Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is who wins this fight." Dustin didn't confirm or deny it, but his words left Glenn with no doubt.Both men were at the top of the Legendary List and held equal rank on the Champ-Tier List. Until they fought, no one could say who was the stronger of the two."I heard you're Seth's disciple, so I'm really looking forward to this." Glenn's gaze sharpened.Many years ago, his mentor, Cyrus, was defeated by Seth. That loss had always haunted Cyrus ever since. Now, with the disciples of both men about to face off, Glenn was determin
"Since Madam Penelope has spoken, I’ll follow her lead," Alloy said with a smile. "What about Mr. Hadley and Sage Foyer?""I'm in if you want to make a bet," Cyrus replied coolly."It's not every day we get an opportunity like this. Let me stir things up a bit." Kaden nodded with a grin.Once the three had agreed, Penelope waved for Abigail to come over.Soon, Abigail approached them with a wide grin. "Esteemed guests, I hear you want to bet. The current odds are—bet on Dustin to win, and you'll get 1.6 times your stake. Bet on Glenn, and it's only 0.4."She continued, "And no worries—if you win, I'll exchange your winnings for celestial stones." Abigail smiled brightly, and the other parties' eyes gleamed with the unmistakable shine of greed.Many had already placed their bets with her. Though she couldn't control the match's outcome, she knew how to adjust the odds to her advantage. Over time, that could turn into a huge fortune."I'm betting on Glenn to win." Cyrus quickly
"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