"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
The Seymours all sported strange expressions. They didn't know what to say about Matthew, who'd fled off quicker than anyone would've thought. What was he doing here now?Matthew also felt awkward, but he tried to explain himself. "You've misunderstood me, everyone. I only ran off to get help!""To get help?""Of course! How could I have possibly abandoned you guys? If not for the backups I found, Ella wouldn't have been able to return unscathed."Gideon's lips twitched. He couldn't believe how shameless Matthew was. From the looks of it, Matthew was trying to twist things around.However, Marion's eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "It's all thanks to you, then! Here we were thinking it was Gideon who saved Ella."Matthew was secretly pleased. He'd only made it up on a whim to see if he could get lucky. He didn't expect to actually succeed.Was it Gideon who saved Elara? Regardless of whether it was the case, Matthew was certainly going to take the credit for it.He thought, "Oh, G
"I also get a share?" Matthew asked."Of course! If not for you, Ella would've had to suffer, and we wouldn't have gotten five million dollars. You deserve half of it."Matthew was tickled pink. Why would he reject such a windfall? He was getting 2.5 million dollars without having to do anything."Well, in that case, I won't stand on formalities, Mrs. Seymour," Matthew said as he cast a smug look at Gideon.He no longer thought it was Gideon who saved Elara, either. Only a big shot could get Nino to humble himself and hand over five million dollars as a token of his apology. Neither Gideon nor the Snows could do it.Gideon was also thoroughly disappointed with Marion and Elara. Why didn't they use their brains? Did they not stop and consider what kind of family the Carters were? How could they get Nino to back down?"I'm heading home, Dad," Gideon said before leaving the room. He didn't want to waste any more of his breath on them.Marion glared at Arnold and complained, "See th
"I won't take the 2.5 million dollars you're offering me, either. Let's put all five million dollars as an investment in your name. Would that be alright with you, Mr. and Mrs. Seymour?""We couldn't possibly do that, Matthew," Marion said. "It'll be at your expense."Matthew replied, "Ella and I are such good friends. This means nothing to me. It's not like I need the money, either. I'd feel bad about taking 2.5 million dollars from you guys. Let's just invest everything to save you the trouble of having to put the money in the bank."Arnold was a little hesitant. After all, five million dollars was a massive sum of money. He was a bit worried about handing everything over just like that."What's there for you to think about?" Marion questioned. "Matthew is clearly doing us a favor. We should be overjoyed. There's no reason for you to hesitate."While speaking, she passed the box of cash to Matthew."Here. Take it all. We'll invest all five million dollars. I wish you all the be
"Eye Technique! Phantom's Serenade!" Martin yelled.The eerie glow bursting from his eyes shot into Humphrey's gaze. Instantly, Humphrey seemed frozen in place, as if bound by an immobilization spell. It was like his very soul had been taken."What?" In the distance, Bertram, who was about to slaughter Martin's subordinates, was filled with disbelief. "The Eye Technique! Good Lord, he actually knows the Eye Technique!"Bertram was shaken. Everyone in the martial world knew that the Eye Technique was incredibly rare and extremely difficult to master.A single misstep, and at best, one could go blind. If things turned for the worse, the backlash could destroy the brain beyond salvation. Even a deity wouldn't be able to save them.Yet, Martin had succeeded in mastering it!"This is bad!" Bertram's expression changed drastically.Sure enough, Martin didn't hesitate. He charged forward with the ferocity of a mountain tiger and the speed of a lightning panther, rushing straight at Hum
"My apologies!"Out of nowhere, two words came from behind Bertram, making his hair stand on end.Martin had somehow appeared behind him.Bertram's face changed drastically, but it was too late. Before the attack even landed, the terrifying force had already torn through his red robe."Judgment Spear! Slash!" At the brink of life and death, a long spear tore through the air, carrying an explosive roar, ferocious beyond measure. It locked onto Martin.A chill ran down Martin's spine. Without a moment's hesitation, he abandoned his strike against Bertram and dodged immediately.With a thud, the spear struck the ground. It landed horizontally in front of Bertram, saving his life. Bertram was completely drained, as if he had just walked out of the gates of hell.Meanwhile, Martin fixed his gaze on the man approaching from the distance. The man was clad in white battle armor and rode a white unicorn.He was like a streak of flowing light. He closed the distance in just a few breat
"Martin, surrender. You can't halt our progression on your own. The Pope and King Franco have commanded the destruction of the 39 cities held by the rebel forces within a single day. "In fact, it won't even take that long. Once we capture you—the key figure of the rebellion—the other cities will fall without resistance. "You are a skilled individual, reaching the pinnacle of the sixth rank in transcendence. Even within The Light Council, you would be significant. If you choose to surrender, I can introduce you to the Council," Bertram spoke with immense arrogance. His tone implied he was offering Martin a favor. Yet, Martin felt nothing but contempt. "The Light Council? Ha! There are only a few members there worth acknowledging. The Pope and the commander of the ten elite legions are among them. But you, Bertram, are the last person I would respect!" "Hmm?" Bertram's expression grew grim. Fury overtook him. "You're so obstinate! It appears you're intent on resisting to the end.
Gideon cautioned, "There are still some small cracks. Be careful. You need more treatment." As he spoke, the other champions began to regain consciousness one by one. While their injuries were no longer life-threatening, they remained very weak and required time to recover. "What happened to us?" "Are we dead?" Timmy exclaimed, "What are you talking about? You're all alive and fine. Gideon saved you from the brink of death, and even the Grim Reaper wouldn't dare argue!" "Sir!" The group was thrilled. Gideon comforted them, "You've all endured a lot. From now on, just focus on recovering." "Can you still contact Ian and the others? I need to find out where they are." "Sir, when we parted ways, we agreed to meet at the Great Rift of Death in southeastern Tylland. We can only head there and hope for the best!" "The Great Rift of Death," Gideon repeated to himself. "Then, that's where we'll go."As everyone boarded the aircraft, Gideon turned to Siward, asking, "Aren't y
Siward was born with an enchanting allure, which was the source of her strength. Now, with just one look, Gideon could see that her enchanting allure was compromised. For her, this was a profoundly severe injury. At that point, Siward became earnest. "Ian and the others are in trouble." "What do you mean?" "Come with me. I'll explain everything." Siward took hold of Gideon, and they left the grand hall immediately. Martin and the other generals were left behind. However, they bore no resentment. Still, a trace of disappointment appeared in Martin's eyes.… In the backyard, Siward shared some details. After the champions arrived in Tylland, they began conducting covert investigations. They had indeed found evidence of The Light Council. Furthermore, it seemed they were close to uncovering some critical information. The Light Council was engaged in some unknown and mysterious activities. "Genetic engineering?""Yes."Siward's expression was grave. "The secret we unco
"Who are they?" he asked in a frosty tone. "I don't know," came the reply. "Mr. Hager mentioned they're quite distinguished and requested you to receive them." "Very well. Let them in," Martin Hadler agreed with a nod. Moments later, Gideon led the way into the grand hall, with Umbra and Lysander trailing behind. His focus was unwavering as he ignored everyone else and locked eyes with Martin. "Are you the leader of the rebel army?" he inquired. "How dare you!" a general immediately shouted in outrage. "We are the legitimate force here. What do you mean by 'rebel army'? Choose your words carefully, young man. This is your only warning." "Kneel down!" The command was as compelling as a divine decree. The words had an instant effect. The general, who possessed transcendent abilities, found himself unable to resist, as if immense weights were placed upon his shoulders. He collapsed to his knees with a loud crash, his kneecaps shattering on impact. A piercing scream res
Shock gripped them. It was an utter shock. Benedict and his three companions were utterly dumbfounded. They gaped at Gideon, who stood at the plane's cabin door, their minds reeling and struggling to process what they had just seen. The onlookers, including the other kings, felt an even deeper sense of dread. Unbelievable! A single punch to defeat four kings! What did that signify? It was akin to single-handedly overpowering the continent's mightiest forces. Only Franco was absent. Had Franco been present and all five powerful kings subdued, it would truly signify dominion over the entire continent. Such power! In that instant, everyone looked at Gideon with admiration and awe. Some instinctively fell to their knees. Once one person kneeled, a wave of onlookers followed suit, bowing in reverence. Gideon surveyed the scene and said calmly, "I'm merely passing through. I have no other intentions. Let this matter rest here. Otherwise, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Wi
Gideon's brows furrowed, and he replied icily, "Enough. I'm merely passing through and mean no harm. If I've bothered you, I apologize, but I'm pressed for time. Keep this up and more innocents might get hurt—I don't believe that's what you want." "Silence!" Benedict snarled, gritting his teeth. He saw Gideon's words as a facade, an attempt to shame him rather than any genuine kindness. Gideon sighed, glancing around quickly. "Are all these people royalty, judging by their attire? I wonder if King Franco is present." Just then, Camila, Jorge, and Carmelo Madron, King of Naporia, hurried over. "What do you mean? Why are you asking about Franco? Are you looking for him?" Camila inquired. "Indeed, I am looking for King Franco." "He is not here. Word is that there's internal strife in Tylland, and he's occupied with those matters." "Thank you," Gideon said, preparing to close the cabin door. But Benedict shouted, "You think you can leave after embarrassing me? I can't let y
"Sir, we've entered the airspace of the Kingdom of Lullin," Lysander warned with concern. "Lullin is the most powerful kingdom on this continent. We might face serious trouble if we cross through it directly." Gideon responded, "I can't worry about that now. We need to reach Tylland as quickly as possible." No sooner had he spoken than streaks of fire erupted into the sky with a loud boom, unleashing a barrage of overwhelming firepower. The intensity surpassed what they had faced at the northern border pass, yet Lysander remained calm. He trusted Gideon completely. "Prepare for action!" Gideon reopened the cabin door. Here it came! Lysander's anticipation grew as he watched Gideon's tall and commanding figure, awaiting the "miracle". The Solar Titan Physique activated. A brilliant light and a powerful, searing presence spread out, obliterating the incoming firepower from afar."What?" The ground strike combat troops were filled with fear. What was happening? They cou