"Of course! Since they are your friends, they must be righteous people!" Caius flattered Dustin. Then, he waved his hand and ordered, "Release them!" One after the other, the chains made of darksteel were unshackled. It seemed like a dream. Everyone was in disbelief. They had thought they would spend their entire lives trapped in Azkaban. They never imagined that they would see the light of day again. The prisoners felt extremely fortunate. "Thank you very much, Mr. Roswell!" Cornelius and the rest of the group thanked him. "You should be thanking Sir Rhys." Caius played smart. "Thank you very much, Sir Rhys!" They bowed down profoundly. Tears of happiness welled up in their eyes. At that moment, Dustin was their savior. "I'm a part of the Shadow Gang, after all. I can't just leave all of you here to suffer. Let's go out together." With a gentle smile, Dustin confidently strode out of Azkaban. They had only spent a short time together, but Dustin could tell they wer
Their intimate behavior shocked everyone present. It wasn't just the recently released prisoners who were taken aback. Even two of Scarlet's deputy generals, Georgia and Bridget, were left dumbfounded. The Goddess of War they knew was decisive and ruthless. No matter who she was faced with, she always wore a cold and aloof expression. She was terrifying when angry. No one was able to stand in her way. Usually, any man who dared to touch her would risk losing a few limbs. But, even though she was being patted on the head in public right now, she wasn't furious. Instead, she was smiling in genuine joy. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they would have never believed their general had a tender and gentle side to her. Was she still the fearsome and unapproachable Goddess of war they knew? "Logan, have you been well these years?" Scarlet felt a multitude of emotions as she took in the familiar face before her. They hadn't seen each other in ten years. The once magnific
"There's no need to be nervous. I know it has nothing to do with you, but your men have a hand in it." Dustin emphasized. "I understand. I'll investigate it immediately. Please hold on!" Caius took action right away. Soon after, he dragged the well-dressed, portly man before Dustin. The man was covered in bruises. "Sir Rhys, he's behind this incident. You can kill him or torture him in any way you wish. If you don't wish to get your hands dirty, I'll do it for you." "Sir Rhys, don't kill me. It has nothing to do with me. Someone offered me money to detain you. Please spare my life!" The portly man panicked. He knelt on the floor, bowing down repeatedly. He bowed so hard that his head began to bleed from the impact. "Who gave you the order?" Dustin questioned."The Killians … It was Gavin Killian!" the portly man confessed hastily. "It really was him." Dustin narrowed his eyes. His suspicions had been confirmed. "Mr. Roswell, please arrange a ride for me," Dustin requeste
Dahlia was seen walking into the banquet hall slowly, dressed in a black evening gown. She stood out among the crowd, looking beautiful with her tall stature and poise. The moment she entered, she captured the attention of most people. There were looks of astonishment, delight, envy, and admiration. Some looks were even filled with desire. "Dahlia, I shouldn't have come with you. I put so much time and effort into my look, but everyone's attention is on you. It's like I don't exist." Julie looked upset. She expressed her frustration in a hushed tone. Hoping to catch the attention of prominent officials at the party, she meticulously planned her makeover. She also spent a fortune on her outfit. Her gown cost a hundred thousand dollars, while her jewelry was worth millions. Yet, she had become Dahlia's accessory as she stood beside her, going unnoticed. Julie wasn't ugly, but Dahlia was just too pretty. Dahlia overshadowed all women. It seemed like only Natasha could rival her
Dahlia frowned deeply, her face full of worry. "That won't do. I need to save him!" She turned around as if ready to leave the party immediately."Dahlia!" Julie grabbed her arm and tried to reason with her, "Just how are you going to help? Azkaban has the tightest security there is. No one is able to leave after getting in. If you try anything recklessly, you might get into trouble yourself!""What should I do then? I can't just let him face those charges." Dahlia was anxious. She was aware that Azkaban was a dangerous place. The longer someone stayed there, the more they would suffer. "Don't worry just yet. Isn't Mr. Killian here?" Julie turned her attention toward Gavin and said, "Mr. Killian has wide connections and is a prominent figure. It should be easy for him to get someone released from Azkaban.""Mr. Killian?" Dahlia's gaze landed on Gavin, full of hope."Azkaban is considered a no man's land. Even the military doesn't have a say in that area." Gavin rubbed his chi
Julian was surprised when he saw Dustin walking through the doors. "No way, they released him that early?" Julian had thought Gavin was just joking. He didn't expect him to actually send someone to get Dustin out. The problem was Gavin had used his connections to send Dustin to prison. And now Dustin was somehow released. It seemed like some kind of joke. Even if he wanted to impress the ladies, he didn't have to make it that complicated. "That's weird. How did he get out?" Gavin frowned slightly, equally astonished. He knew very well that he never instructed his men to contact Azkaban's warden. The timing didn't add up, either. Dustin must have been released much earlier. The most puzzling aspect was that Azkaban was notorious for being a one-way journey. How could someone so insignificant manage to escape? Did a powerful figure help him out? "Mr. Killian, you're incredible! You got Dustin released with just a simple call." Julie gave him a thumbs up, her expression fill
Gavin Killian was the young master of the Killians from Oakvale. He was also a military general who had an enormous influence in Millsburg. Dustin could lose his life for raising a hand against such a prominent figure. "Dustin, you ungrateful brat! Mr. Killian should have just let you rot in Azkaban!" Julie was furious at Dustin for repaying Gavin's kindness with enmity."How bold. Do you know the consequences of hitting me?" Gavin rubbed his burning cheek as his expression grew dark. He had never been slapped in public, ever. "So what if I hit you? You imprisoned me. That was a well-deserved slap," Dustin spat out coldly. Dahlia frowned. "Nonsense. It was clearly Mr. Killian who saved you!" "He saved me? Hah!" Dustin scoffed. "He was the one who put me in there. I wouldn't have ended up inside if it wasn't for his scheming.""I don't understand what you mean." Gavin narrowed his eyes."Do you not understand, or are you pretending not to?" Dustin sneered. "Did you think you
"What?" Dustin touched his burning cheek. He looked at Dahlia in disbelief. He never imagined she would slap him in public for the sake of someone she had just met. It felt like a stab to his heart. "I …" Dahlia was at a loss for words as she looked at her hand. Regret had filled her immediately after the act. The situation was urgent, and she had acted on impulse. Gavin was a powerful general in the army, and Dustin would have faced dire consequences if he had hurt him."You actually hit me?" Dustin furrowed his brow. "You hit me for a stranger?""Dustin, calm down. I did it for your own good," Dahlia tried to explain."Calm down?" Dustin's lips formed into a wry smile. His disappointment was evident in his eyes. "Dahlia Nicholson, how am I supposed to calm down? I made myself very clear. Gavin set me up and is playing the good guy in front of you. Can you please open up your eyes and look clearly?" Dahlia's frown deepened. "Enough! Mr. Killian is a righteous person. He cou
"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
After the quarterfinals, it was time for a break. With noon approaching, contestants and spectators needed food and water to recharge. An hour later, the venue was buzzing with excitement again as Oron stepped onto the battle ring. He was accompanied by a Sacred Wrym Summit disciple, who carried a black box filled with numbered balls."It's almost time. I'd like to invite the top four contestants to the ring to draw lots," Oron announced as he surveyed the crowd.Amidst a wave of enthusiastic applause, four figures ascended the battle ring one after another. First in line was Glenn, with Fenley right behind him, followed by Abigail and Dustin."Sir, we're in the semifinals. Good luck!" Abigail winked playfully at Dustin as she stepped into the ring."You too," he replied with a smile.Given Abigail's strength, her odds against Glenn were slim. However, if she faced Fenley, she would have a solid chance at victory.After all, Fenley had only just broken through to the ultimate g