"Here's the deal: you get 140 thousand dollars. You sell either way, unless you're ready to say goodbye to the Rhodes family's peace and quiet!""That restaurant is worth no less than 15 million dollars, and they think they can just snatch it for a hundred thousand dollars?" Zaid was seething with rage."What's more, that restaurant is the last asset of the Rhodes family, and they still won't back off. Are they trying to corner us completely?""Enough talk, grab those papers and come with me now!" Xandros bellowed."Tell your cronies that the restaurant is mine until I draw my last breath!" Zaid shot back furiously.Before Zaid could finish, Xandros's boot sent him sprawling to the ground. "You're so eager to meet your maker, I'll oblige!" Xandros declared, then gestured dismissively. "Get to work, don't stop until he caves!""Roger that!" A group of tattooed thugs answered and advanced on Zaid."I'll take you all on!" Melaine screamed, rushing at the thugs."Out of the way!" O
"Mr. Xever Rhodes, pleasure to meet you!" Howard said, approaching Xever with a respectful nod after ending the call."And you are?" Xever finally managed, his mind still reeling from the shock.Howard had utilized his facial disguise skill, so Xever did not recognize him right away. The rest of the Rhodes family looked on, their faces a mix of bewilderment and awe. It had been ages since anyone had taken a stand for the Rhodes family like this."Mr. Xever Rhodes, let's catch up later. I've got some things to take care of at home first," Howard said, offering a slight smile before nodding towards Xandros."I'm guessing these guys were sent by the Francis and Blake families, weren't they?"Xever blinked in surprise. "How did you know?""Well, I've been asked to look into a few things myself, so I'm in the loop," Howard replied. "I'll fill you in later, Mr. Xever Rhodes.""Appreciate the concern, kid!" Xever said, a bit startled, then went on. "Look, kid, you might want to stay ou
"Sir, what's the verdict? Can my grandfather's wounds be healed?" Wynie asked anxiously, moments after Howard finished his examination."Got it!" Howard said, nodding with a grin.Xever's wounds might have stumped some average doctor, but to Howard, they were just scratches."Seriously!?" Wynie's eyes lit up as she sprang to her feet. "You can actually fix him up?"The Rhodes clan could not help but beam at the news. Their fall from grace was tied to Xever's condition. An uninjured Xever meant no one would mess with them – his reputation was that intimidating."Absolutely!" Howard reassured with another smile, then turned to Xever. "Mr. Xever Rhodes, once I've wrapped up some other business, I'll get you patched up.""Thanks a million!" Hope sparked in Xever's eyes."Don't mention it," Howard replied, all smiles.Time flew, and before they knew it, half an hour had vanished. Layton was the first to burst into the Rhodes estate, soaked in sweat, with Samuel and the four major he
"Got it!" Layton nodded, then gestured to his four major henchmen. "Take Xandros away!""Copy that!" They acknowledged with a nod and advanced on Xandros."Please... Mr. Holt, mercy... Have mercy!" Xandros' plea was stranded and desperate.Thud! Thud! Thud!At that moment, footsteps echoed at the courtyard entrance. Two middle-aged men, each flanked by their entourage, made their entrance."Mr. Camden Blake, Mr. Martin Francis, help! Help me..." Seeing the newcomers, Xandros cried out, latching onto hope like a drowning man to a life preserver."What's this? Who's responsible!?" Camden Blake's eyes narrowed upon seeing Xandros' plight.His gaze swept over the crowd before settling on Layton. "Mr. Holt, don't you think you've gone too far?"To him, Layton was the only one bold enough to strike Xandros."You don't know anything," Layton retorted with icy disdain."Mr. Holt, you think we're afraid to confront you? Just try us..." Martin Francis started, his voice thick with ange
"Don't believe me, Mr. Camden Blake? Why not give him a call?" remarked Layton nonchalantly."Don't you dare play games with me!" Camden warned, pulling out his phone and punching in Lucas' number."The number you have dialed is out of service. Please try again later," echoed a female voice from the receiver."Huh?" Camden felt a jolt of unease.He quickly punched in the number of one of Lucas' key henchmen, only to be met with the same message. The same thing happened when he tried the other three—none of his calls could get through!"Now do you believe it?" Layton asked, his voice calm and detached."Layton, you're a dead man. How could you dare to kill Lucas? You've got some serious guts!" Camden was livid."I'm the one who did it!" Howard cut in before Layton could reply."You two have ten minutes. If the cash isn't in the Rhodes family account when time's up, I'll be sending you to join Lucas in the great beyond!""What!?" Martin was momentarily stunned. "Who in the world
With a thunderous clash, two rival factions brandished their weapons and surged toward Howard and his ally."Watch out!" Zaid's family cried out."Block them!" Layton's voice boomed as he and Samuel charged to confront the attackers."Mr. Holt, would you mind stepping aside?" Yoel said with composure, taking two large strides forward before sweeping his palm out in a seemingly effortless motion.In an instant, dozens of assailants were hurled into the air, their blood-stained bodies drawing the eye as they soared. Then, one after another, they plummeted to the ground, each one either lifeless or severely injured.The jaws of Camden, Martin, and the entire Rhodes family hit the floor in shock, frozen in disbelief."Is he that strong!?" Wynie finally managed to voice her amazement.Xever, confined to his wheelchair, had a glint of terror in his eyes. "A m—martial general!?"His military background had taught him that the most formidable he had ever faced was a martial general, so
"Howard!?" Xever then gasped, nearly tumbling from his wheelchair."You… You weren't hurt five years ago? Oh, this is wonderful, truly wonderful..." Tears welled up in his eyes as he spoke."Mr. Xever Rhodes, I had my reasons for not revealing myself to you sooner. I hope you can forgive me," Howard said, his voice laden with regret."No, it's alright!" Xever reassured him, shaking his head. "Please, tell me, how did you survive five years ago?""My foster father and Mr. Mitchell sacrificed everything to get me out of that place, and then I was rescued by some really good people," Howard explained, the weight of the past heavy in his words."I see," Xever said, nodding in understanding."Mr. Xever Rhodes, it's our Ziegler family that dragged you into this mess," Howard said, his voice heavy with regret."If you hadn't asked someone to take care of my foster family's final arrangements, Rhodes wouldn't be in this terrible situation.""Implicated or not, it doesn't matter," Xever
"Alright!" Howard nodded, and a surge of harmonizing energy flowed from his palm into Xever's body."Ugh..." Not long after, Xever grunted, his face contorting with a flash of pain.Inside him, a fierce core energy tore through, slamming against his meridian like it was trying to break free from his body. Luckily, the sharp pain lasted only about 15 minutes before it started to ease.20 minutes later, Xever coughed up a clot of dark blood."Mr. Xever Rhodes, we're all set!" Howard then lifted his hand away from Xever.In an instant, a powerful presence radiated from Xever, the unmistakable aura of a martial master's initial stage."Howard, you... You didn't just heal my wounds; you've also boosted me straight to martial master status!" Xever was astounded."Mr. Xever Rhodes, you were already at the warrior's peak mastery before your injury, weren't you? I merely helped you climb two more rungs on the ladder," Howard replied with an easy smile.If other warriors could have heard
"And look at that bracelet, it's stunning! Oh, and the compact has such a unique charm! Should we get one of each to decorate our homes?""Yuffie, you're still in school. How can you afford all this?" Talia chided gently. "You have a hundred fifty-dollar budget. Spend more, and it's coming out of your allowance.""What? Only a hundred fifty dollars? You're being too tight-fisted, sis!" Yuffie's complaint was lighthearted as she playfully turned to Howard. "Howard...""Don't even think about it. His wallet is in my hands!" Talia cut her off, fully aware of her little sister's ploy."Fine..." Yuffie's pout was all in good fun."Haha! It's not every day we get to do this, honey. If Yuffie finds something she loves, let's get it for her. Who knows if it'll be here next time?" Howard chuckled."Yay! You're the best, bro-in-law!" Yuffie cheered, her face lighting up with joy."You're just making her more spoiled!" Talia gave Howard a playful eye roll and turned her attention away from
Howard's willingness to visit the antique market was not solely to assist the sisters in their quest for a legendary blade. Such weapons were treasures often stumbled upon by chance, rarely found by those who sought them.His real intent was to immerse the sisters in the rich culture of the martial arts clans they were then a part of. More exposure to the ways of the warrior guilds could only benefit them on their chosen path.The following morning, Howard's group of five set off in the direction of Nathanael. Talia and Yuffie buzzed with excitement throughout the journey, their minds alive with wonder.Nathanael, nestled in the mountains to the northeast of Mendorra and a couple hundred kilometers away, awaited them.By 10 a.m., they arrived, parking at the gates of a sprawling estate on the city's outskirts—the site of the famed market.Stepping out, they were greeted by a lively throng at the estate's entrance, many adorned in traditional robes, weapons hanging from their belts
"And that's not all. They might even be a bona fide king-level warrior." Howard's brow furrowed with uncertainty."It looks like The Dark World is a whole lot more tangled than we thought," Yoel mused aloud.Then, turning back to Howard, he inquired, "Sir, did the old man ever share anything with you about The Dark World?""Not a word," Howard replied, shaking his head."Sir, do you think our mystery person could be from one of the elite families or sects, maybe just there on some errand?" Mystical Chubby chimed in.His speculation was not unfounded. Most of the king-level warriors from Rackaham were known to hail from the secretive clans and sects."It's unlikely." Howard dismissed the idea with another shake of his head. "From what Sabertooth described, our guy seems to know The Dark World like the back of his hand.""Who's that supposed to be?" Mystical Chubby scrunched his brow in confusion."Let it go for now. We'll head back to The Dark World in a little while," said Howa
"Um..." Blood Rakshasa nodded, the woman's earlier words still ringing in her head."Sir... Sir, was what you said earlier true?" Blood Rakshasa asked Sabertooth, her voice barely above a whisper."What did I say?" Sabertooth looked puzzled for a moment."You said... You said next time, we'd go back home together to get married..." Blood Rakshasa's cheeks turned a soft pink."Hehe, absolutely," Sabertooth chuckled, his smile warm and genuine. "The boss gave me the order, and I've given my word."Blood Rakshasa's smile was shy but filled with joy.Soon after, Qemal strode in."Sabertooth, I've tracked down the hideout of the Slaying Heaven Palace," Qemal announced upon arrival."Is that so?" Sabertooth's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Tell the crew to take a two-hour breather, then we move out!"The Slaying Heaven Palace's goons had nearly wiped out them today. Payback was due.With the Palace's top fighters gone, the rest were hardly a threat. It was time to cross the Slay
"Shadow Demon Shrine?" The woman's brow creased for a moment, but she quickly dropped the subject.She then turned to Sabertooth and observed, "You and your group have the vibe of soldiers. You're not originally from The Dark World, are you?""Speaking to our savior," Sabertooth gave a respectful nod, "we were part of the Rackaham Western Region's military before we came here."He was open with the woman who had saved over a hundred of his comrades."The Western Region's military?" The woman paused, a hint of recognition in her voice, "You're with the Blood Shadow Force?""That's us," Sabertooth confirmed with another bow."Is your leader the King of the West, Master Howard?" she inquired further."You know my boss?" Sabertooth looked surprised."Not personally, but I've heard the name," the woman replied with a shake of her head. "What's he got you doing in The Dark World?""Over the past couple of years, the world's heavy hitters have been funneling their muscle and resource
"You'll live to regret this, Dark Demon Lord!" Blood Rakshasa declared, locking eyes with her adversary. "Kill us, and Master Howard will avenge us by wiping out every last one of you in your cursed palace...""Ha! That Master Howard of yours better think twice before stepping into The Dark World again, or it'll be his grave!" The Dark Demon Lord mocked with an icy laugh."You're the fool!" Sabertooth growled. "No one in The Dark World has been born who can take down our boss. Your time's coming!""Is that so?" The Dark Demon Lord sneered with disdain. "You're clueless, all of you. You have no idea how powerful the Shadow Demon Shrine truly is!""Enough babbling. Time to end this. I'll send you both to join your boss," he declared, his presence intensifying as he prepared to strike them down."I love you," Blood Rakshasa whispered, her eyes closing."No, don't!" Qemal and others shouted in despair.Then there was a thunderous boom.However, the expected tragedy did not unfold.
Sabertooth sneered, watching the man's futile efforts. "You're such a fool!"He then declared solemnly, "Blood Shadow Technique, second form, Sky Slash!"With those words, he summoned all his strength, his saber carving a fierce arc of light through the air, striking like thunder at his foe.The Blood Shadow Technique was known for turning the tides against stronger adversaries.The white-haired elder's eyes narrowed in alarm. Caught mid-leap, he desperately wanted to dodge but could not. The saber's light bore down on him, a chilling aura of death shrouding him completely.In that instant, a wave of energy crashed through the air like a tidal wave, bringing a howling gale with it.Crash!Suddenly, Sabertooth was hurled away like a shell fired from a gun, blood spraying from his mouth as he flew, before he slammed into the earth, leaving a huge crater and falling silent."Sabertooth!" Blood Rakshasa's shout pierced the chaos as she spun and dashed to his side.She barely made
The man in black was sent hurtling through the air, slamming into the ground with such force that he lay there motionlessly, struggling to rise. A gaping wound, carved by the relentless sword, oozed blood profusely from his abdomen."What in the world is that sword technique?" he gasped after a torturous effort to stand, his face ashen.He had underestimated Blood Rakshasa's swordplay. Since her breakthrough to a higher echelon of mastery, her blade's might had surged, utterly dominating her seasoned adversary."The Sword Without a Name," Blood Rakshasa declared icily.Without wasting another second, she launched another assault. Sabertooth was in dire straits, and she was determined to aid him.Her blade danced again, weaving a web of sword energy that shot toward the white-haired elder, ensnaring him in an instant.The old man's eyes narrowed in a flash of panic, realizing he was trapped with no way out."This is it!" he snarled, brandishing his blade and lunging forward.How
With a thunderous explosion of energy, Blood Rakshasa's power surged, forcing the old man before her to stagger back in disbelief."Impossible! Have you broken through?" he gasped, steadying himself, his face a mask of astonishment."You bet I have!" Blood Rakshasa's face lit up with triumph.She had done it, just as the old man had surmised. Amid her swordplay, she felt a dormant core energy within her erupt, catapulting her to the zenith of martial knight at peak mastery stage.Master Howard's words rang in her head. The core energy left in her by a once-mighty warrior was too much to absorb at once. Back in that cave, she only managed a minor mastery in martial knight. However, Howard had predicted further advancements, and he was right."Let's see if you can handle a few more of my strikes!" Blood Rakshasa challenged, her spirit soaring not just from her newfound strength but also from a deeper connection to her swordsmanship."Bring it on!" the old man bellowed, his blade re