Dustin didn't resist as he was dragged into the car. He was blindfolded, and a hood was placed over his head to ensure he couldn't see anything. That was the start of a long, shaky drive. Dustin could tell that they had driven out of the city, so these enforcers were definitely not from the investigation bureau. After some time, when Dustin began to feel sleepy, the car finally stopped. The doors opened, and the metallic stench of blood pierced his nose. He could also smell the disgusting scent of rotting flesh."Where are we, sir?" Dustin asked curiously. "Shut your mouth and get in!" The man beside him snapped as he dragged Dustin forward. They passed through several checkpoints and heavy iron gates before riding an elevator that kept going deeper underground. After a while, the elevator came to a halt with a clang. Different noises instantly surrounded Dustin—cries, wails, shouts, and laughter. There was also a nasty, damp stench. The man took the hood off Dustin's he
The same went for everyone else. At first, their eyes had been filled with hostility. However, after hearing Dustin's answer, they smiled welcomingly at him. "If you had done an evil deed, you'd be dead by now. Fortunately, you were just avenging your wife, so you're a real man!""It seems like Shadow Gang will have a new member!"Everyone in the cell studied Dustin carefully. Although they didn't seem happy to see him, they didn't seem as hostile anymore. "What are you guys talking about?" Dustin was confused. "Over here, there are all sorts of guilds and gangs. Ours is Shadow Gang. Our rule is simple: settle scores fairly. You can kill your enemies, but you can't hurt innocent people. If you're caught, you'll be heavily punished." The bald man grinned. "He's right. We might not be good people, but at least we're honorable men who won't allow others to hurt innocent people!" The other men agreed.Dustin was surprised. It seemed like not everyone here was evil. "You're one
"Azkaban?" Dustin was alert when he heard the name. Azkaban was known throughout Balerno. Rumors had it that the inmates here were either extremely wicked or caused great harm to the country. And there were all sorts of criminals–assassins, despised martial artists, bloodthirsty maniacs, and more. The prison had one rule: once you entered the place, there was no way out. Unlike other prisons where inmates who performed well would be given chances to reduce their sentences, the inmates here only had two choices. They could either stay here for the rest of their lives or die. Therefore, no one has ever left or escaped the place. This was also the place where Duane Welch had been sent to. "Do you understand the seriousness of the situation now?" The older man asked, concerned. "This place is a different world. Everything on the outside no longer has anything to do with you now.""Is there no way to get out?" Dustin questioned. "Get out? How?" The older man shook his head wi
"It's me." Dustin stepped forward. The well-dressed, portly man gave him a look over and asked, "Do you understand the rules in here yet?""What rules?" Dustin asked. "Everyone needs to get a beating when they first arrive. Naturally, I'm the one who determines how heavy the beating will be. Got it?" The well-dressed, portly man made a point to tap his baton. "So, you want money?" Dustin raised an eyebrow. "Smart boy!" The other man nodded, pleased. "My men and I have to take care of trash like you every day. So we deserve that much, don't we?" He rubbed his fingers greedily. "Sorry. I don't have any money." Dustin shook his head."You don't have any money?" The well-dressed, portly man frowned and snapped, "Then write a letter to your family to ask for money! Your punishment will be lighter the more you pay.""I come from a poor family. We don't have any money." Dustin shrugged. "Fuck, you're just a hobo! What a waste of my time!" the well-dressed, portly man spat.
Everyone was shocked by what just happened.The prison officers in Azkaban were far from ordinary. They were all powerful and highly skilled. Otherwise, they couldn't stand up to the evil criminals inside.No one would have expected that Dustin could have beaten these elite fighters up so quickly. It was truly frightening. Of course, more than shock, they felt fear.There were all sorts of experts in Azkaban, even Grandmaster martial artists. Beating up the prison officer would catch the mastermind's attention.When that happened, the consequences would be unspeakable!After returning to his senses, the well-dressed, portly man began yelling, "Punk, you really have big balls! How dare you touch me?!" It wasn't like nobody had challenged his authority before, but they had all ended up tortured to the brink of death."So what?" Dustin said with a calm expression."For beating me, your punishment is now doubled! If you don't stop right now, not even God can save you!" the man y
There was a crisp clap.The portly man's face became disfigured from the force. His big body instantly flew dozens of feet away, crashing heavily into the jail cell. He immediately lost consciousness.His nose and mouth were off-center, his face was contorted, and he had even lost a few teeth. He looked like an absolute mess.The others' expressions changed when they saw the well-dressed, portly man lying on the floor like a log. "Oh no!" Although he wasn't powerful, he was the warden's actual brother-in-law.Hitting him was equivalent to insulting the warden. At this point, death would be a better option."Young man, you're really in trouble this time!" Cornelius looked worried."You—you—you psycho! Get it in your head—we're the Shadow Gang, not the Loony Gang!" the bald, muscular man said in dismay."We're done for. Now that you've hit the prison officer, we're all going down with you!" Everyone was stricken with panic.They thought that they'd gotten an ordinary new member
In one of the studies in the Harmon estate, Natasha wrinkled her eyebrows in confusion. "Dad, are you really going to make Kate marry Tyler?"Not too long ago, she suddenly heard the news that there would be a union between the Harmon family and the Grant family again.And this time, the bride and groom of this marriage were Kate and Tyler."Although the Dark Lord is dead, the Grant family is still a huge thorn in our side. This time, they brought up marriage again and even selected Kate. I really couldn't reject." Hector shook his head."What did Uncle Trent say? Is he going to let his daughter jump into the fire pit?" Nathasha pressed further."That's exactly the problem." Hector let out a sigh. "Your Uncle Trent and cousin readily agreed to the marriage. They also have the support of the family elders. I was not able to intervene.""What? They agreed?" Natasha was a bit taken aback. "Don't they know that the Grants have ulterior motives? They're after something else!""I'
"George's adjutant? What is he doing here?" Caius was taken by surprise."I don't know," the prison guard said, lowering his head."Alright, let him in," Caius said, gesturing."Yes," the prison guard answered before leaving quickly. After a moment, he brought a man in a gray shirt in. "Hello, Mr. Roswell," the man in the gray shirt greeted politely as soon as he entered.He knew the man before him wasn't just an ordinary warden; he was extremely powerful and had a wide network. Even his viceroy listened to him."What's the matter?" Caius crossed his legs."On order of Lord Xenos, I'd like to ask you to release a person." The man in the gray shirt bowed his head."Release a person? Who?" Caius asked."A young man named Dustin Rhys," the man replied without beating around the bush."Dustin Rhys?" Caius narrowed his eyes. "Sorry, but I can't give him to you. No one walks out of Azkaban. This is a rule!""Mr. Roswell, I hope you can make an exception. After the deal is done,
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
"How many tricks does this old geezer have?"The impact of the divine talisman explosion left everyone both shocked and enraged. No one had expected that Arion would still manage to unleash such a powerful supreme divine power even after the Glow Incantation was broken and the lightning strikes failed to cause any harm.The impact of the thousands of divine talismans exploding at once was terrifying. Only the strongest fighters—Willem, Bailey, and Batuul—could withstand it. The rest of the group was severely injured. At that moment, they finally realized the terrifying strength of Dragonmarsh's strongest man."Impressive," Willem said, landing smoothly after being thrown back. His withered skin was now covered in cracks, and blood oozed from it.Most of the shockwave from the explosion had hit him directly. Despite his impressive defense, he still took some damage. However, these injuries were nothing to him. His wounds had already healed within a few seconds, as if nothing had hap