Everyone was shocked to see Spike hanging from the ceiling. Their jaws dropped in disbelief. None of them expected things to turn out like this. After all, Dustin's opponent was Spike the Gloomster!Shouldn't such a powerful individual have easily won? So why was he defeated with a single punch? Why was he stuck in the ceiling, unable to escape?This Spike must be an imposter, or there'd have been no way he'd lose like that. "Is this for real? S—Spike Floyd was defeated?""Holy shit! Who the hell is he? Even the Gloomer was no match for him!""That's impossible!"The whole hall erupted into a frenzy after a silent pause. Everyone looked at Dustin like he was a monster. "I—impossible! There's no way Spike would lose!" Gavin's smile disappeared. He looked stunned. He knew how strong Spike was. Spike had even used his signature move, so Dustin should be dead by now. Why did things turn out like this?What on earth just happened?"He knocked Spike out with a single pun
"Stop!" Suddenly, Dahlia rushed over and put herself in front of Dustin. She yelled, "What are you doing, Dustin? It's my mom's birthday today! How could you just start beating people up? You're disrespecting me!""This is a private matter between me and Gavin. It has nothing to do with you," Dustin responded coldly. "What do you mean it has nothing to do with me? You hit my mom and caused a scene! That's not okay!" Dahlia snapped. She couldn't believe that Dustin caused so much trouble the moment he entered. Things would become much worse if this continued. "Dahlia Nicholson, we'll talk about our issue later. For now, please step aside!" Dustin's tone was stern, revealing his annoyance. "What if I refuse? Will you hit me too?" Dahlia demanded."Don't push me!" Dustin frowned."When did you become like this, Dustin? Are you even the man I know?" Dahlia's eyes widened disbelievingly. She never expected him to reply so coldly and ruthlessly. "I've always been like this.
"Hurry up! He's going to catch up to us soon!" In a black Mercedes-Benz, Gavin urged his driver and kept looking back anxiously. It hadn't been long since he managed to escape, but he realized he was being followed.No matter what they tried, the cars tagging him refused to let up. So, he could only order his driver to drive faster. He knew that if Dustin caught him, his life would be in trouble. "That fucking retard! Why would he even chase me for killing a stupid guy? "Just wait till I'm back in Oakvale. I'll order the military to destroy that fucking gang of his!" Gavin cursed despite the cold sweat dotting his forehead. He'd never been so humiliated in his life. To think that a direct descent of the Killian family and a major general of Dragonmarsh was being chased. The worst part was he had no other option than to run since his personal guards had been killed. Even Spike, his strongest bodyguard, was still hanging on the ceiling. Now, his only choice was to flee.
Gavin was about to erupt in anger.He would die if they ran out of gas in this situation. "What should we do now, Sir?" The driver broke out in cold sweat as he glanced at the blinking gas tank indicator. There was nowhere they could hide in this desolate place. "Just hang on. Help is coming!" Gavin gritted his teeth and prayed that their backup would arrive soon. Or else, they'd be doomed. After ten minutes, the black Mercedes slowed down and gradually came to a stop by the roadside. Instantly, dozens of sedans swarmed the black car and blocked off all exits. Many Kirin Gang members rushed over with weapons in their hands. Dustin took the sword Cornelius was holding and slowly approached the Mercedes-Benz, his icy glare fixed on Gavin. "Get out. It's time for you to die.""Y—you better not mess around. My reinforcement will be here soon! Your men will all die if you hurt me!" Gavin snarled. "Burn their car," Dustin ordered."Burn it!" Cornelius waved his hand, and
"Oh, so you're apologizing now? Why didn't you think of the consequences before hurting others?" Dustin's murderous intent didn't lessen despite how much Gavin begged. "I—I got careless! I'm so sorry! Please let me go! I swear, I'll turn over a new leaf!" Gavin begged timidly.He had lost all his pride, and all he cared about was staying alive. "What makes you think you still have a chance to turn over a new leaf?" Dustin asked harshly. "I—I—I've got money. And connections! I'll do anything you want if you let me live!" Gavin tried to bargain with Dustin."I don't need anything besides your death," Dustin answered uncaringly. "D—Don't kill me! Please spare my life! I'll be very useful! I can help you obtain your goals and live a lavish life!" Gavin begged frantically, all trace of his arrogance earlier gone. "That doesn't interest me." Dustin swung his sword again, leaving a long, ragged gash on Gavin's back. Dustin wasn't in a hurry to kill the other man. Instead, he wan
A cluster of laser sights gathered on Dustin's body. "Three …"Derek raised his arm and began to count. Despite counting down slowly, there was intense pressure that followed his words. This tension was worse with the presence of all the armed soldiers. "Haha! You still didn't kill me, you bastard! As long as I'm alive, I'll be as good as new with my family's help. "But what about you? You're like a fish on the chopping board that I get to slice up however I like!" Gavin sneered. "Do you know why? Well, it's because you're nothing but a commoner! "That fact won't change no matter how much you struggle. Commoners like you should know their place. How dare you challenge someone as superior as me!" Gavin grinned madly. He regained his confidence now that Derek was here to support him. "There's some truth to what you said, but there was one thing you're mistaken," Dustin suddenly said. "What is it?" Gavin was puzzled. "I'm the one who will decide your fate."With tha
"Stop struggling! There's nowhere for you to run! There's still a chance you will live if you surrender now!" Derek snorted. The Killian family was influential in Oakvale, and it was suicidal to provoke them. "Shut up!" Cornelius slapped Derek's cheek, causing one of his teeth to fall out. Derek had no choice but to bite the rest of his words back. The helicopters flew lower. Their doors opened, and Charles and 36 death warriors hopped off. Although Charles didn't bring too many men with him, the soldiers he had were the best of the best. They would give up their lives for him if he commanded them to. "You're finally here, Mr. Killian! Save me! You have to arrest these arrogant bastards and punish all of them!" Derek shouted as soon as he saw Charles. The Killian family's death warriors were well known for being incredible warriors, so they could get rid of them easily. "Why are you being held hostage, General Lester? What about my son?" Charles frowned, a bad feeling c
Just like that, an exciting turn of events began. Charles wanted to kill Dustin, who was holding Derek hostage. While for Derek to save himself, he had no choice but to ask his men to aim their weapons toward Charles instead. Thus, the three parties froze up and didn't move. "How dare you defy me, Lester!" Charles hissed. "You forced me to do this! Since I will die anyway, let's all die together!" Derek yelled, throwing his pride aside now that he might die."Well, well. Since you seem so eager to die, let me help you!" Charles signaled to his men. "Get rid of these meddlesome soldiers first!""Yes, sir!"The 36 death warriors spun in unison and attacked Derek's soldiers. "Shoot them now!" Derek roared, and gunshots rang out as the battle began. Although Charles didn't have as many men as Derek, his men were much stronger than Derek's. The death warriors were like well-oiled fighting machines, and the soldier's bullets couldn't even graze them. After a round of fight
"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