"His toe moved!""Oh, my God! It worked! That's amazing!""No wonder he's Dr. Darby's best student!"Everyone was shocked to see the old man's toe twitch. After all, doctors must be highly skilled and talented if they wanted to pass the third test. Yet all the other doctors had failed to treat the old man. On the other hand, Preston managed to make the old man's toes twitch when his legs had been paralyzed for the last eight years. It was amazing!"How do you feel, sir?" Preston removed his silver needle and smiled. "I—I think I'm starting to feel my legs again!" The old man was overjoyed. Since he lost all sensations in his legs, nothing he did could make them react anymore. Now, his legs felt numb, and he could even control some of his toes. Although the results were just small changes, it was still a miracle for someone who had been in such a state for the last eight years. "That's good to hear. You've been paralyzed for too long, so you'll take a while to recover. But
The old man pinched his thigh and was happy to feel a slight pain. His legs had been completely numb before this, but he was slowly regaining sensation in his legs. This was wonderful! "There. All done." Miranda grinned as she observed her work. "You must be extremely talented to be able to treat his symptoms so quickly. No wonder you're a genius in the medical field!" The invigilator was pleased."So I guess that means I passed?" Miranda raised an eyebrow. "Of course. Both of you passed with flying colors," the invigilator answered with a smile. His answer made Preston and Miranda very happy.They had initially received full marks on the first two tests. But because of Dustin, their marks dropped after the second round. Still, thanks to this round, they've managed to raise their points back up again. "Did you see that, bastard? That's how good our medical skills are!" Preston taunted. "It only took us half an hour to let this patient regain feelings in his legs after being p
"What?" Everyone was shocked to see the old man jump up, and their jaws dropped in disbelief. None of them expected the paralyzed old man to stand up so suddenly. They also couldn't believe that it had only taken Dustin a single needle to cure the man's paralysis. "I—Is this real? Did that old man just stand up?""What the hell is going on? Did he really cure that old man with a single needle?""Holy shit! That's amazing!"After a silent pause, an uproar broke out. All the scornful looks Dustin had received earlier had turned to shock. "I—Impossible!""How can a patient like that stand up so soon?" Preston shook his head, not believing what he was. He refused to accept that Dustin could cure a patient in three minutes when he needed a month. "How can this be? How did he do that?" Miranda was stunned. As someone who claimed to be a genius in the medical field and was better than her peers, her confidence had been destroyed by Dustin. For a condition that she struggled to t
"You—" Preston cut off, his face red with anger. However, even Miranda was forced to stay silent. "Well, they do say that heroes come in all ages." Linden stood up and beamed. He added, "Congratulations on beating everyone else. So, tell me your wish. As long as it's within my power, I'll try my best to get it done!" Most people joined the competition to join Stoneray Order, but some would request and ask Linden for rare gems, ancient medical texts, panaceas, and more."You're as generous as rumors say. Well, I'll be straightforward. I'm actually here for your thousand-year green lotus," Dustin answered frankly. "Thousand-year green lotus? It's a rare herb. I must say, you're quite ambitious." Linden raised an eyebrow. "Why? You can't give it to me?" Dustin wore a fake smile. "It might be a valuable herb, but I don't mind giving it to you." Linden chuckled. "Bring me the herb!""Yes, sir!" The invigilator left quickly and returned, holding a wooden box. The box opened t
"This is a joke, right, sir? I—it isn't proper to promote him to an elder when he just joined the group!""He's right, Dr. Watkins. This is the first time there's been an exception like this. That's not normal!""Sir, we know you favor talented individuals, but I'm afraid others might be unhappy with your decision."The elders and many disciples of the Stoneray Order were upset when they heard that Linden would promote Dustin to elder, which was only one rank below the assistant leader.Disciples usually started as junior disciples before becoming intermediate disciples. Then, they would be promoted to senior disciples. As senior disciples, if they made any major contributions, they would be promoted to upper disciples. Upper disciples were then categorized into three classes—upper third, upper second, and upper first. Only upper first disciples had a chance of being promoted to elder.Getting promoted to a higher rank took years, so for a junior disciple to climb the ranks and
"Are we being followed?" Roderick frowned and ordered his driver, "Go faster, Gary!""Yes, sir!" The driver, Gary, immediately stepped on the accelerator, and the car shot forward.Suddenly, a black van popped out from the fork in front and stopped on the road horizontally. Gary paled and stomped on the brake, causing the tires to screech. Still, the momentum caused their car to collide with the van. There was a loud bang as the impact caused the van to flip, and Roderick's Rolls-Royce could no longer work. Thankfully, no one was hurt. However, when Dustin and the others tried to run away, the cars that were following them had already caught up to them."Grab them!" The doors opened, and several burly men carrying expandable batons jumped out and surrounded them. They looked scary and threatening. "Who are you? How dare you rob my car?" Roderick roared, pissed that someone would dare to harm him when even the Fabulous Five respected him. Miranda and Preston got out of the
"There! All done!" Abigail rested the bat on her shoulder like a thug and walked toward Dustin, smiling proudly. "How did I do?""Not bad. You've improved a lot in the last few days." Dustin nodded, pleased. Abigail was an extremely talented martial artist. Compared to regular martial artists, she only needed to practice for one day to achieve what others needed a year for. Furthermore, with Dustin's guidance, there has been huge growth in her skills.She used to struggle against ten opponents, but now, she could take them on easily. "Duh. Don't you know who I am?" Abigail lifted her chin smugly. For some reason, she woke up feeling extra strong this morning, as though she had endless bursts of energy."Are you two going to leave by yourself, or must I force you?" Dustin slowly turned toward Miranda and Preston. "I underestimated you. I didn't expect you to have a female bodyguard," Preston got over his surprise and jeered. "But do you think a girl can stop us? How foolish!"
Preston's face immediately darkened. He felt insulted by Dustin's actions. "Preston, don't you go easy on him!" Miranda demanded."I'm going to beat the crap out of you!" Preston shot toward Dustin and struck him with both palms. Shadow Dance was a move that could defend and attack simultaneously, allowing Preston to catch his opponents off guard. Although Dustin's feet didn't move an inch, he raised a hand and swung it down fiercely. True energy burst forth and broke past Preston's defense. Instantly, Dustin slammed his palm into Preston's chest brutally. Blood instantly splurted from Preston's mouth as he flew backward and landed on the car. The car dented from the impact. "Did you see that, kid? That's how you're supposed to deal with him." Dustin turned his head and gave Abigail a small smile. "Um …" Abigail forced a smile. There was no way she could learn that. He was on a completely different level!"Preston!" Shocked, Miranda rushed over and pulled Preston out of t
"Your Highness, you mustn't speak such nonsense." Langdon put on a righteous front.He continued, "I've always prided myself on my integrity and never done anything dishonorable. I've never betrayed the prince's trust or let the people down, and I have nothing to hide.""Such lofty words," Austin scoffed. "If you have nothing to hide, why not let the enforcement team investigate?"Langdon's face tightened, and a flicker of unease crossed his eyes. After all, what official didn't have some skeletons in the closet? A full investigation would likely turn up something, no matter how small. Even if the offenses weren't serious, the damage to his reputation would be permanent.With so many officials watching, Langdon couldn't afford to back down. If he did, he would lose his standing in the political world—and his claim to integrity along with it."Go ahead and investigate." He raised his chin and said confidently, "I've lived an honest life and never engaged in anything illegal. No m
Austin sat in his chair and silently watched the royal advisors put on their pretentious act. He slowly sipped his tea as if he couldn't be bothered by their so-called accusations.His nonchalant demeanor made Langdon and the others frown. Their once-outrageous voices began to falter.They had stormed in full of righteous fury earlier, only to be met with complete apathy. What was the point of arguing when he wasn't even listening?"Are you done?" Austin finally spoke once the room had quieted down. "If not, go ahead and keep talking. Say as much as you need to until you're satisfied.""Your Highness, we're here to discuss serious matters. Your dismissive attitude is truly disappointing," Langdon said sharply."Serious matters?" Austin let out a short laugh.He went on, "You barge in here without even understanding the full picture and spewing accusations like they're facts. As far as I'm concerned, you're no different from clowns putting on a show.""You… How dare you!" Langdon
"Are you even qualified to sit while speaking to me?"Austin's words struck like the blow of a hammer. They were sharp and unrelenting, and they left no room for retort.Langdon sat frozen and was momentarily speechless. He hadn't expected a brat like Austin to have such a sharp tongue.If he admitted he had come for personal matters, he would keep his pride intact, but he would lose control of the conversation. Everything he had prepared—and all the accusations he meant to throw—would be meaningless.But if he insisted it was official business, he would have to show proper respect and offer a formal greeting. No matter how he answered, he would be conceding ground."I'll ask one more time. Are you here on official or personal matters?" Austin asked coldly."O-Official matters." Cornered, Langdon barely managed to get the words out."Well? Is this how an official conducts himself?" Austin pressed.Langdon had no choice but to rise and offer a deep bow. "Your Highness, it's an h
After a night of chaos, some of the Red Legion's members were killed, others were captured, and the entire force had been wiped out.But the fallout didn't stop there. The Prescott estate was also raided. All embezzled wealth was confiscated, and those found guilty were thrown into prison.Anyone connected to the Prescotts was placed under house arrest and subjected to rigorous investigation.And the man behind it—Warrick—had become the kingdom's most wanted fugitive.Until he was captured, Celestria remained under lockdown. Major roads were sealed off, and patrol teams scoured every corner to ensure Warrick had no way out.Austin's crackdown sparked outrage among senior officials who didn't know the full story. They voiced their dissatisfaction, with some even gathering outside the castle gates in protest. They stomped their feet in outrage, just short of openly cursing him.To them, Warrick had made great contributions to the nation. Even if he had committed crimes, he didn't d
Austin's words were calm and almost casual. Yet, they struck like thunder and echoed in the hearts of the three assistant generals of the Red Legion.If they answered Austin's questions, there might still be a slim chance of survival. But if they refused, death was the only outcome.After all, who would willingly choose death when they had worked so hard to achieve their wealth and status? Yet, pride and dignity held them back. They didn't want to be branded as traitors.Now, they were caught in a dilemma. Which was more important—their honor or their lives? It was an impossible choice."You have ten seconds left. If you don't speak, you'll lose your chance." Austin's voice was utterly devoid of emotion.His words seemed to pierce their souls, and the three Red Legion assistant generals broke into a cold sweat.As the countdown neared its end, Auron finally couldn't hold back. "Your Highness! I'll talk—I'll tell you everything."Dropping to his knees, he scrambled forward and wa
Axel swallowed hard, shock written all over his face. He had always known the Draken Guardians were formidable, but he had never expected them to be this lethal.He had pushed himself to his limit just to hold his own against Connor and Dave, only to end up seriously wounded. Yet, when the Draken Guardians arrived, they wiped them out—along with several dozen Red Legion soldiers—without losing a single man.If Axel hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that the Red Legion, a force renowned for its elite soldiers, could be so easily crushed. Or perhaps it wasn't that the Red Legion was weak, but that the Draken Guardians were far stronger than anyone had imagined.Even their most ordinary members were strong enough to become a mighty general. As for those at the level of captain, their strength was far beyond Axel's. The lethality of a team made up of such skilled experts had reached the point of being an overwhelming force."Mr. Cruz, please arrange some
"Damn it! This punk's tougher than I thought. We're in real trouble if this keeps up," Connor said, swinging his twin blades relentlessly. Every strike was aimed at Axel's vital points.But Axel was quick. He weaved in and out of reach and avoided direct confrontation. It was obvious he was just stalling for time."Sir Prescott should be far enough by now. There's no point dragging this out. Let's fall back."Sensing the futility of their efforts, Dave considered retreating. He didn't fear death, but he wasn't about to waste his life for nothing.Since Warrick had escaped, their interception mission was also completed."You guys hold him off. The rest of you, fall back with me."Connor was decisive. Realizing they weren't making any progress, he quickly ordered a retreat and left a few decoys behind to buy time.They had barely run a hundred yards when a wave of soldiers suddenly appeared at the alley's entrance. Hundreds, maybe even thousands, filled the narrow space and comple
"This punk's a real pain in the ass!"Connor glanced over his shoulder and noticed Axel was still hot on their trail.The squad he had sent to intercept Axel was completely outmaneuvered, and they couldn't get anywhere near him.To Connor's dismay, Axel kept shooting off signal flares as he pursued them. Each flare gave away their position. At this rate, it didn't matter which direction they ran—they were bound to be intercepted."Connor! Dave! Make a move and swat that damn fly," Warrick ordered decisively."If we leave, who's going to protect you?" Connor hesitated.Warrick was in bad shape. Without them guarding him, a single attack from an expert could be fatal."If you don't take out that fly, I'll be in even more danger. Get moving now!" Warrick snapped."Yes, sir!"Connor and Dave exchanged a glance before splitting up with their squads to surround Axel.They both knew what was at stake. If they didn't take Axel down quickly, their entire force would be stranded and do
"Kill them all!"At Warrick's command, the Red Legion charged without hesitation. Blades flashed as they stormed toward the elite enforcement unit.This time, nearly a thousand Red Legion soldiers arrived. With their sheer numbers, they launched a pincer attack from both flanks, leaving the enemy with no way to fend it off."Form the Shield Formation!" Axel shouted upon seeing the dire situation. His men immediately sheathed their blades and raised their shields to form a defensive line. Their pursuit had cut them off from the main force. Since they were up against an enemy ten times their size, forming a defensive line was their best option.If they could stall for even a moment, reinforcements from the castle would arrive, and the tide would turn in their favor. Once that happened, the thousand-strong Red Legion would be the ones on the defensive.After a brief charge, the two forces collided.Warrick had personally trained the Red Legion. He selected only the most loyal and