"At this rate, in a few years, we'll end up like your family—fallen from grace," Rachel said.However, she quickly realized her insensitivity and added, "Gideon, you were once Goldspire's business prodigy. With your talent, I'm sure you can revive the Snow family." "So you want me to take on the Yovarian Guild?" Gideon asked.Rachel gave a bitter laugh. "The Yovarian Guild is a massive organization. I doubt you could handle them, but my grandpa's letter said you could help, so I wanted to try.""What a hassle," Gideon mumbled as he rubbed his temples. While Rachel saw the Yovarian Guild as an unstoppable force, they were small fry to Gideon. He could have world-class powers crush them within an hour, but that was not his way. Natural selection and survival of the fittest were laws of nature that applied to human society, too. Using his power to destroy the Yovarian Guild just because of his connection to Rachel would make him no better than a murderer.Besides, Titus taugh
Rachel and Gideon got into the Maserati, where Wilder was waiting behind the wheel. He asked with a smile, "Where to, Ms. Avila?""Home!" Rachel replied urgently. Wilder froze for a moment, his mind racing. He wondered if Rachel was bringing Gideon home to announce their relationship to the family, and he could not help but think they had progressed too quickly.Before he could overthink it, Rachel added sharply, "Mr. Morrick, step on it! Max from the Yovarian Guild has broken into our estate and threatened to burn it down if I don't show up in 20 minutes.""What?" Wilder's demeanor suddenly turned fierce.Gideon was surprised as he realized this elderly driver was clearly more than he appeared, which explained why he served as Rachel's driver and bodyguard."Hang on, both of you," Wilder warned, slamming the gas pedal.The Maserati sped down the streets, arriving at the Avila estate within 15 minutes. When they arrived, they were greeted by a tense standoff in the courtyard. T
Rachel and the other Avilas were seething with anger as Max lifted his chin arrogantly and questioned, "I'll ask you one more time, Rachel—are you selling Emerald Lake or not?" "Not a chance! Now, get out!" Rachel shouted.Max's expression turned grim. "You ungrateful bitch, you're really pushing it! You're signing that contract today, or things will get ugly."Wilder stepped forward with a cold smile. "You little punk, how dare you act so bold at the Avila estate? Looks like you need to be taught a lesson."For a brief moment, something flickered in Max's eyes—Gideon immediately understood that Max's real target was not Emerald Lake. Obviously, the Avila family would never sell such a crucial property, so Max was deliberately provoking them to get to Wilder. Gideon pieced everything together. Wilder was Rachel's bodyguard and a skilled fighter. If the Yovarian Guild could eliminate him, Rachel would be defenseless. It seemed that the guild was going all in to crush the Avila fa
Max stood dumbfounded. His skilled fighters had been defeated in seconds, thrown through the air like ragdolls, and knocked unconscious in the most humiliating way possible."Who the hell are you?" Max demanded. "The Yovarian Guild knows everyone in the Avila family, but we've never heard of someone like you!"Gideon scoffed. "It doesn't matter who I am, but what does matter is that you leave now and stop harassing the Avila family. Otherwise, I'll make sure to beat you up every time you show up."Max's face turned beet red, overwhelmed with rage. "What did you just say? Do you know who you're talking to—"Before Max could finish his outburst, Gideon's strike sent him flying, knocking out two teeth as he landed with a bloody face."Still think I'm bluffing?" Gideon smirked. Even though Max was burning with rage, he did not dare to lash out, fearing he might not make it out of the estate alive."Fine! Rachel, the Avilas, and you—I'll remember this!" Max retreated with his tail b
"Under pressure, Cormac handed Qyra over to the Yovarian Guild's deputy leader..." Rachel trailed off.Suddenly, an explosive wave of murderous intent filled the room, causing the temperature to plummet instantly.Wilder's hair stood on end as he stared at Gideon in disbelief. The killing energy was terrifying, and he wondered what kind of experiences could have forged such intensity. In Wilder's eyes, Gideon had transformed into a harbinger of death.Rachel was not a martial artist, but even she felt the suffocating pressure. The cold air prickled her skin, and Gideon's murderous glare sent her heart racing."Go on," Gideon uttered through clenched teeth.Rachel steadied herself and carefully continued, "After Qyra was given to the guild, the Snow family got a brief respite. But it didn't last long. Apparently, Qyra made some mistake and was thrown into the guild's prison."That was the final blow the Snow family couldn't withstand. Other families piled on, and eventually, the S
Leopold and Anna were stunned by the declaration. Even though Leopold was a major crime boss in Goldspire, his power was nothing compared to the Yovarian Guild, which was Verdura's top criminal organization.Yet, Leopold quickly calmed himself. After all, what was the Yovarian Guild compared to the King of all Kings? Any single one of the world leaders who bowed to Gideon could destroy the guild, let alone Gideon himself."Mr. Snow, I'll gather my forces immediately," Leopold said. "Tell Nino to get over here immediately," Gideon added coldly. Leopold was momentarily surprised before nodding. "Understood. I'll contact him right away."Once outside the private room, Anna could barely contain her excitement. "Dad, are we really going after the Yovarian Guild tonight? This is incredible!"Leopold chuckled confidently. "With Mr. Snow's influence, the guild doesn't stand a chance. This is also a golden opportunity for our family. Once the Yovarian Guild is destroyed, we'll seize the
"Crossing the Yovarian Guild means certain death. What should I do?" Nino mumbled as he was caught between a rock and a hard place.Time slipped away, and before long, the last rays of sunset finally disappeared. As night fell, leaders and enforcers from both Leopold's and Nino's factions assembled in front of Twilight Bar, standing in tense silence.Leopold warned, "Listen up, Nino. Don't get any bright ideas. Working for Mr. Snow is a privilege, and if you try to pull anything funny, your death won't be pretty."Nino scoffed. "Relax. I'm in too deep now. We're on the same side here, but let's be real. We've got maybe 1,500 people combined. The Yovarian Guild has triple that. How the hell are we supposed to win this?""That's not your concern," Leopold replied with a knowing smirk. "Mr. Snow has his methods."Nino could not help but wonder what kind of power Gideon held over Leopold to command such loyalty.Twilight Bar had been cleared out for the night. Finally, at precisely t
Leopold and Nino were completely stunned. Raymond had been one of the four deputy leaders of the Yovarian Guild, yet he was taken out instantly. Was this really Gideon's work, and if so, how did he manage it?The soldiers of the Yovarian Guild were equally frozen in disbelief."Let's go, guys. Charge!" Leopold was the first to snap out of it, rallying his men forward with a battle cry. Nino's forces followed close behind.Though the Yovarian Guild had originally outnumbered their combined forces by several hundred, Raymond's sudden execution had shattered their morale. Without leadership, their formation crumbled, leaving them scattered and disorganized. Despite being outnumbered, Leopold's and Nino's men quickly gained the upper hand. The chaos that erupted at Drakenspire Peak was nothing short of extraordinary. A battle of this scale was unprecedented, quickly grabbing other factions' attention.At first, many had assumed Leopold and Nino were fighting each other, but whe
When Gideon left Drammore, Ronan and Noel followed. They entered Tyrant Sea, too, but didn't get close to the floating palace.It wasn't until Gideon blasted his way out of the floating palace, using the Doombringer Knuckle to shatter the killing formation, that Ronan recognized who he really was, leaving him completely stunned."Noel, you and Gideon both inherited my Doombringer Knuckle. Maybe this is just fate. You two are destined to clash one day." Ronan sighed."I'm looking forward to it," Noel said calmly, though the fighting spirit in his eyes was unmistakable.Ronan was surprised. "I thought you'd try to intercept Gideon and take the netherflame for yourself. I didn't expect you to help him by stopping the ones that were chasing him. Are you confident you've got this?"You should know that once Gideon fuses with the netherflame, his power will spike. I know a thing or two about the Solar Titan Physique. Every time it absorbs a new heavenly flame, it evolves."Once he has
"Marshal Snow, are you alright?" Jessica asked with concern as they burst out of Tyrant Sea and made it to shore. Gideon didn't look too good at the moment."Let's get moving. We have to find a safe place." Gideon could sense powerful members of Nethercult were already on their tail.The three of them rushed into the aircraft.Just as they lifted off, Chaim and the other four appeared right behind and struck without hesitation. "Nethervoid Hands!"A howling wind filled the sky as a swarm of black handprints and claw marks materialized, echoing with ghostly wails and eerie cries. The sinister energy pressed in from all sides, trying to engulf the aircraft."Solar Fist!"The two words echoed like thunder.Blazing light exploded outward, scorching and brilliant, spreading in every direction. The mass of black handprints and claws instantly disintegrated into nothing.The aircraft tore through the sky and vanished."After them!"Chaim's group leaped onto their own aircraft and to
The netherflame, as if it had a will of its own, seized the moment and flared up again with wild, unruly energy.Brantley screamed in pain.The sudden turn of events left Harmoni completely flustered. She shrieked, "Nethercult, you bunch of scumbags! It's bad enough that you used us as bait, but now, you're intercepting at the last second? You've got a death wish!"She instinctively assumed it was Nethercult pulling a bait-and-switch."Nethercult!" Brantley's eyes were bloodshot with rage.Gideon didn't say a word. He struck again, slashing open Brantley's abdomen.The netherflame burst out immediately.Inside Gideon, his Earthcore Flame trembled, and the core of his Solar Titan Physique pulsed with anticipation. Sure enough, it drew the netherflame in like a magnet. With Gideon guiding it, the netherflame turned into a stream of ghostly green light that surged into his body."No!" Brantley roared.He had paid such a heavy price. Just as he was about to seal the netherflame,
Brantley truly lived up to his reputation. As soon as the netherflame entered his body, he immediately sat down cross-legged and began channeling his energy. His Martial God Physique reawakened, and he tried to forcefully suppress the netherflame.His body would turn blazing red one moment, as if it were about to melt, and then be covered in frost and ice shards the next.The alternating waves of fire and ice quickly tore through the internal structure of Brantley's Martial God Physique, and his condition kept worsening."No!"Harmoni was terrified. She quickly spat out an inner core—a treasure her father had given her. It was said to be the inner core of a half apex overbeast. However, it was badly damaged and no longer contained the full power of its original level.She instantly sent the inner core into Brantley's body. It exploded instantly, releasing a surge of energy that began to repair his damaged body.But it still wasn't enough. The netherflame was far too powerful. It
"Once you get the netherflame, your Martial God Physique will fully awaken in no time. When that happens, even Gideon won't be a threat."We can track Gideon down, crush him, and strip his Solar Titan Physique at the source. We'll also get the Beast Supreme Bone! Everything will be yours!" Harmoni shouted, cheering Brantley on.Gideon sneered. So, that was their plan.At this moment, Gideon couldn't help but admire the power of the Pharaoh's Shroud. They were just 100 yards away, yet neither Brantley nor Harmoni noticed them.Of course, it might have been because their attention was fully locked on breaking through to the third floor that they let their guards down."Open!" Brantley roared.His energy surged, and behind him, a phantom slowly took shape, radiating a fierce warrior-like energy. That phantom looked like a war god.Brantley kept swinging his fists, perfectly synchronized with the movements of the war god phantom behind him. Each strike made the floating palace tremb
Sure enough, floating in the deep sea ahead was a palace. It was pitch-black, and in the darkness of the deep sea, it was genuinely hard to spot.The glowing fish darted into the floating palace. Thanks to its golden light, Gideon was finally able to see that the palace gates were open.Strangely enough, the entrance seemed to carry some sort of mysterious power that blocked out the seawater completely. Not a single drop made it inside the palace."Marshal Snow, someone beat us to it.""It's fine. That just means they'll go and clear the way for us," Gideon said calmly.It didn't matter who got the heavenly flame first. As long as they weren't peak Supremes, he was confident he could take them on."Now that we've found our destination, do you two want to head back to shore first?" Gideon asked.Elara shook her head. "No. I'm not some helpless little thing. I've learned all the secret techniques you taught me. I can handle myself."Jessica chimed in proudly, "Marshal Snow, don't
Nethercult's outfits were nearly identical across the board, making them easy to recognize.As a major power in the northern region of the Wasteland, Nethercult kept a low profile. Tristan Neblanc, the leader, was as elusive as a ghost. He was heard of but rarely seen."Mr. Ballard, Harmoni and Brantley have started moving. Do you think they can get their hands on the heavenly flame?"Three people turned toward the eldest man among them—Nethercult's grand elder, Chaim Ballard.With Tristan absent, Chaim was in charge of the cult's operations.He pondered for a moment. "There's a decent chance. Brantley's working on forming the Martial God Physique. Though he's only at the half-step stage, his powerful body will attract the netherflame.""Mr. Ballard, are we waiting for the netherflame to enter Brantley's body before we suppress him?""Exactly.""That could tick off Talonclaw. And Harmoni said Brantley's from Martialgarde, the biggest faction in the eastern plains.""So what? I
Even though Gideon was locked in place and restrained, Gideon didn't sense any hostility from the giant fish. He met its gaze without flinching or acting humble.After a moment, he said, "I used your blood and triggered your phantom once, which helped me out of a tight spot. Thank you."The giant fish didn't move. It shut its eyes, clearly not interested in responding to Gideon."Mighty One, I came this time just to express my gratitude. I'll be on my way. If I get the chance, I'll come see you again."With that, Gideon bowed and turned to leave.Suddenly, a beam of golden light shot out like a sword and pierced into his body."Marshal Snow!" Jessica cried out in alarm.Gideon's body trembled, nearly losing his breath, but the sensation quickly faded.He touched his body and checked himself over. Nothing felt out of place.When he looked back, he saw the giant fish's eyes slowly closing. Clearly, that beam of light had come from its eyes just moments ago."Thank you." Gideon
"The Heavenly Sovereign is the ultimate trump card. As long as Chase doesn't have it, Attwell will always have a shot at pushing back against him."Of course, we're not expecting Attwell to actually beat Chase. We just need him to stir up some trouble and pull Chase's attention. That way, Chase won't have time to focus on the power grab," Jandial explained.Edric nodded to himself. "What you're saying makes sense, but why would Attwell even listen to you?"Jandial paused, looked around the room, and said in a low voice, "I'm only telling you all because we're brothers. Listen closely. When Attwell lost and fled to the Wasteland, his whole family was wiped out. But in reality, I secretly saved one.""What?" Everyone was shocked.Jandial said, "Attwell's only son has been living in my estate. I gave him a name—Alfsee… Alfsee Cook!"The princes around the table started murmuring, "Now that you mentioned it, I've seen that boy at your estate a few times. So that's Attwell's son? Unbe