"I'll go!"It seemed to have taken every bit of Elara's strength to get those words out. She felt weak and wobbly on her feet, as if she could fall at any minute."How wise of you, Ms. Seymour," Shawn remarked with a grin. "Excellent. Come with me, please.""Ella!"Arnold and Marion were extremely agitated. They wanted to rush up to Elara and pull her back, but the men stopped them. All they could do was watch as Elara got into the car.Overwhelmed by his anger and sorrow, Arnold spat out the blood and fainted. Marion was so terrified that she didn't know what to do. Too beside herself to even call 911, she simply clutched Arnold and sobbed."Dad! Mom!"At some point, Gideon came back and was shocked by this sight. He quickly checked on Arnold and used some medical techniques to stabilize his condition.Slowly, Arnold regained consciousness, coughing as he did."Arnie!" Marion was overjoyed. "You're finally awake. You scared me half to death!""Ella…"Arnold had a dead loo
Elara was extremely familiar with Tom Horne, the plump young man in front of her. In fact, she was traumatized by him.They'd gone to college together, and at the time, he'd persistently pursued her. She wasn't interested in him, so she rejected him countless times. Much to her detestation, he shamelessly continued his attempts anyway.In the end, she had no choice but to get a few people to beat him up. Following that, he stopped bothering her.It had been three years since then. Elara didn't expect Tom to show up here, and from what Nino said, it sounded like he was a person of some importance.Elara remained doubtful. To her knowledge, Tom came from an ordinary background. No matter how much success he achieved in three years, how could he have managed to become a big shot who could hang out with someone like Nino?"It's been a while, Elara," Tom said meaningfully. "I bet you never thought I'd show up here."Snapping back to reality, Elara said, "Mr. Duran said it was you who
Elara was dumbstruck. She thought she must've misheard Tom."What did you say, Tom?""I asked you to perform a striptease for me. You can leave when you're done. That's not too much to ask for, right?" Tom said.Elara turned red with anger and berated, "You've gone too far, Tom!""I've gone too far?" Tom guffawed. "Are you dumb or naive, Elara? Do you really think I'd look out for you? Do you think I specifically asked for Mr. Duran's men to bring you here just to make you drink a few glasses of alcohol? "How is that enough to make you pay for all the pain and suffering you caused me during our college years?"Tom's tone grew steadily colder. Even his expression was contorted maliciously.He marched up to Elara like a stalking predator and growled, "Do you still recall how you humiliated me back then? You said I was delusional and a dog you couldn't shake off. You said you'd die before agreeing to be my girlfriend. You also called me a pig and said I was an ugly clown—that no w
"Hold it right there!"Once those words rang out, Elara instinctively pulled her clothes back on properly.Gideon rushed into the room. Eyes landing on Elara, he asked, "Are you okay?""It's you!"Elara had been wondering who'd arrived to save her. She didn't expect it to be Gideon. It would've been a lie to say she didn't feel moved, but what was the use of him showing up? Nino had no respect for the Carters, much less the Snows, who had fallen from grace. He was only going to get himself killed.With a foul expression, Nino questioned icily, "Who the hell are you, punk? How dare you cause trouble on my territory? Do you want to die?"Gideon didn't answer his question. Instead, he asked, "I'd like to know who hit Arnold Seymour, Elara's father. Come forward. Let me take a look at you.""Hah!" Shawn chortled. He was one of Nino's right-hand men. "It was me who brought my men over to beat Arnold up, punk! What about it? Are you going to try and stand up for him? How are you rel
"Gideon! What is that nonsense? Hurry up and apologize to Mr. Neely!" Elara berated."Gideon, right?" Shawn asked mockingly. "Listen to your wife. She knows her place. If you apologize, I'll just break both your arms. If you don't, I'll break all four limbs."However, Gideon took out his phone."Oh? What's this? Are you trying to call someone?" Shawn taunted. "I'm dying to see who would dare to come to Mr. Duran's territory and rescue you."Instead, Gideon simply said, "I gave you a minute. You have 30 seconds left.""What?"Shawn and the others were dumbfounded."20 seconds," Gideon said."Ten seconds!""Alright. Time's up! Since you're not doing it yourselves, I'll just have to help you out."Pale with fury, Shawn snarled, "I've never met someone as dumb as you. Since you've got a death wish, I'll fulfill it for you. Get him, men!"Gideon turned around and said, "Back away. Don't get hurt."Elara was outraged that Gideon was being so stubborn, but when she saw the men in
"A misunderstanding, you say?" Gideon repeated with a look of amusement.Tom nodded fervently. "That's right. It really was just a misunderstanding. I have an important meeting at my company, so if there's nothing else, I'll get going now.""Hold it."Two words were enough to make Tom pause in his tracks. He even started shaking."Do you take me for a fool?" Gideon questioned with a snort. "You think you can leave just like that after humiliating my wife?"Chuckling awkwardly, Tom took out a debit card and said, "Yes, of course. I should make it up to you. There's 100 thousand dollars in this bank account, Mr. Snow. Please consider it a token of my apology to Ella. That should be enough, right?""You think I need 100 thousand dollars?""Well…" Tom was furious, but he dared not let it show. He was worried that Gideon would fly off the handle and cripple him, too. That would truly be the worst-case scenario."What do you want, then, Mr. Snow?""It's simple. I believe in giving p
"I have no choice but to let you suffer a little bit. I hope you can understand, Mr. Horne," Nino said.Tom was infuriated, of course. What was he supposed to understand? Running naked to his office? Was it some kind of sick joke? If he did it, it would certainly make the headline news in Goldspire. How was he supposed to show his face in public ever again?"I'm the chairman of Horne Enterprise. You'd better watch it, or else, you can't blame me for not showing any mercy.""Hah! I guess there's nothing more to be said. Sorry about this. Men, undress him.""Yes, boss!"A few burly men subdued Tom and ripped his clothes off. Tom screamed and struggled, to no avail."I'm going to kill you, Nino!" Tom cried out, his eyes bulging out in anger. Alas, this wasn't the worst of it. What came next was the real nightmare, for he saw a massive wolfdog with saliva dripping from its gnashing teeth. Its eyes were ferocious, too.Chuckling, Nino said, "I've raised him for many years now, Mr.
After Gideon left, Marion brought Arnold to Prestige Hospital for treatment. Although he was bleeding profusely, his injuries were mostly superficial, so he was fine. They were most worried about Elara, but despite crying their hearts out, they couldn't do anything."Dad! Mom!"When they abruptly heard the familiar voice calling out to them from the doorway, they looked up and were instantly stupefied.Elara flew into Marion's arms and started wailing.Back at Monarchy Club, she'd been stricken with terror. After managing to escape, she was too panicked to think of anything else. Now that she was at the hospital with her parents, she could finally vent her emotions.Marion was shocked and thrilled. "Ella! I'm so glad you're okay!"Arnold looked a little more alive, too.After a while, Elara finally stopped crying. Only then did Arnold ask, "How did you escape, Ella?""It was because of Gideon."Biting her lip, Elara sighed and said, "I guess you could say he saved me."Marion
Maximus felt like crying but had no tears left."Alright. I've put it away. You can get up now," Gideon said. He tucked the Imperial Token into his coat and patted Maximus on the shoulder. Then, he added, "Mr. Cook, you've worked hard. You're busy, so I'll take my leave.""Marshal Snow, take care."Maximus nodded repeatedly, only relaxing once Gideon left Imperial Palace. He wiped the cold sweat off his brow, his mind still in a whirlwind."His Majesty actually gave Gideon the Imperial Token. This is a one-of-a-kind thing. That means Gideon is essentially His Majesty's representative. Holy shit…"Maximus was a bit shaken by the weight of it. He dared not speak of this, nor reveal it to anyone, for fear of angering Chase.…After Gideon left Imperial Palace, he returned to the hotel and immediately began studying the Five Emperors Warlord Fist, paying no attention to Elara.In fact, Elara wasn't even in the room. After Gideon left for the palace, Elara, bored out of her mind
Gideon was floored when he heard that he had to gather nine different types of heavenly flames to evolve the Solar Divine Physique. Was that even possible?Then, a memory clicked. Back in the Spirale Clan's city, when he faced off against Pope of Light, he had summoned a white flame called Light's Fire.At the time, Gideon could feel that his Solar Titan Physique core had reacted, like it was hungry for that flame.Now, what Logan said suddenly made perfect sense."Collecting nine different heavenly flames? That's no walk in the park. It's damn near impossible. But if your fate's strong enough, and you manage it, you'll unlock the full Solar Divine Physique. "Once that happens, your control over your own power will be absolute. No outside force could mess with you," Logan said. "Thank you, sir," Gideon said, truly grateful. He gave a deep nod of respect.Logan just went right back to snoring.Gideon didn't waste any more time. He turned, pushed open the door to the old est
"The promise I made to teach you the art of the Triarchs' Codex still stands," Chase said. He continued, "But I warn you that it won't be easy. Morgan has already drafted the royal decree. Tomorrow, I'll announce your appointment publicly. You'll be granted the title of High Marshal. "You'll be independent of court control and are allowed to enter and exit Imperial Palace freely."Then, Chase added, "You will also receive the Imperial Token. With it, you carry my authority. Show it, and it will be as though I stand before them."As soon as the words left his mouth, a token the size of a palm flew through the air, landing in Gideon's hand. It was heavy, black-gold in color, and radiated a supreme energy. Gideon was stunned. Holding the Imperial Token was as good as standing in for Chase himself. It was essentially a free pass to act with full authority in Dasovia. No one outranked it except Chase.Simply put, Gideon now stood just beneath the King of Dasovia and above everyon
Chase's voice echoed like thunder, shaking the very air.It crashed into Gideon's mind like a celestial thunderclap. His ears rang, his vision blurred, and for a moment, he almost dropped to his knees on reflex.But in the next second, he snapped back to awareness, scalp tingling.Chase was clearly trying to put him in his place.For a citizen of Dasovia, kneeling before the King was tradition—absolute, unshakable, and beyond challenge. There was no flaw in the logic. So, how the hell was he supposed to counter that?Chase didn't rush Gideon for an answer. He simply sat on the throne, calm and composed, silently watching him.The palace was dead silent.Gideon's mind raced. But when he finally spoke, his voice was steady—neither arrogant nor meek. "As a citizen of Dasovia, it is right for me to pay my respects. But I am also the king of the champions—the ruler among rulers. Such a title forbids me from kneeling.""That's not convincing enough," Chase said calmly, shaking his he
That evening, Gideon and Elara arrived in Drammore. They checked into a luxury suite at Cherron Hotel. Gideon turned to her and said, "Do whatever you want. I'm heading to Imperial Palace to meet the King of Dasovia.""Imperial Palace? Sounds exciting! Can I come with you?" Elara asked.Gideon shot her a look and rolled his eyes. "What do you think?"He didn't bother waiting for her. She was a grown woman, and he wasn't about to play babysitter. Without another word, he left the hotel and made his way toward the palace under the cover of night.He'd expected to be stopped at the gates, maybe go through a whole mess of formalities. But surprisingly, a seventh-tier transcendent was already waiting for him outside the main gate."Greetings, Mr. Snow. I am Maximus Cook, Commander of the Imperial Guard. His Majesty ordered me to await your arrival," Maximus greeted."Appreciate it, Mr. Cook." Gideon replied."Please, follow me." Maximus was respectful and led the way through the pa
Arnold and Marion stared at each other, wide-eyed. Elara caused a massive hole in the roof. Was she really their daughter?"Mom? Dad? What's wrong?" Elara asked. Their thoughts snapped back. Looking down and seeing Elara's innocent face staring up at them, neither of them knew what to say. Or maybe… they just didn't dare ask."N-Nothing," Arnold stammered. "We've got another big villa. You and Mom can stay there. I'll stay here and get someone to fix this place.""No need. I'll just stay at Beaker Island. When this place is fixed, just give me a call.""Beaker Island?" Arnold repeated, stunned.That place was strictly off-limits in Goldspire—a restricted zone, officially sealed off. Rumor had it some top-tier figure lived there. Even Caius wouldn't dare step foot on the island without permission.And Elara was just casually… moving in?He opened his mouth to ask more, but Elara was already gone. The next second, Marion suddenly jumped up, eyes shining with excitement. "Arnie
"What?" Arnold and Marion were visibly shaken.Gideon then calmly said, "Don't panic. It might just be temporary. Besides, you're her parents—there are plenty of ways to help her believe. Old photos, everyday memories… stuff only family would know. That kind of proof can go a long way.""Yeah. You're right." Marion rushed to the bedroom and came back with a thick photo album. She grabbed Elara's hand, her voice trembling with hope."Ella, look. This is you from the day you were born all the way up until now. Your dad and I documented every stage of your life. Every little change is all right here. Look…"This was the day you were born—so adorable… This was your first birthday party… Here's your first steps… Your first day of kindergarten… And this one…"Marion walked Elara through the photos one by one.Elara's cold expression slowly softened, and the tension in her eyes began to fade.Gideon didn't rush to leave. He stood quietly to the side, watching and listening. Deep down,
Elara began questioning herself, who she really was and where she was.She sat there, looking totally lost. Her eyes scanned the room before landing on Gideon and Umbra. In an instant, her presence shifted—sharp and defensive."Who the hell are you two?""Do you not recognize me?" Gideon asked, surprised.Elara's expression turned cold. She kept her distance, completely on guard. "Why would I know you? Who are you? What am I doing in this place?"Gideon's brows furrowed.Last time she woke up with amnesia, at least she still remembered him and even thought he was her husband. But now?He glanced over at Umbra. Did she scramble Elara's brain or something?Umbra looked just as unsure. "Elara, you don't need to be afraid. Just think of us as friends. You were in a deep coma. We're the ones who brought you back."Elara narrowed her eyes, scanning both of them skeptically. She didn't fully trust them, but a part of her was curious. "You guys know who I am?""You don't remember?"
Who knew what Arnold and Marion would be feeling at that moment?"I want to try again," Umbra said firmly.Gideon suggested, "Don't you think you're rushing it? Take it easy. Don't let something go wrong."But Umbra was dead set. "Elara's sense is actively fighting to break free. If we stop now, it'll set her back. We've got to push through while the momentum's still there."She continued, "Gideon, if her energy flares up again, don't jump in right away. As long as neither of us is in mortal danger, let me keep going."Seeing how determined she was, Gideon knew there was no point arguing. He gave her a solemn nod. "Go for it. I've got your back.""Thanks."Umbra closed her eyes again.15 minutes later, she was back in peak condition. Then, the second round of the awakening began.…Back in the dark space, Elara noticed the strange sound was gone. The pounding from the outside had stopped, too. Disappointment hit her hard."Am I really going to be stuck here forever?" she