Gideon was completely thrown off. What the hell was going on? Back in the meeting room at the main hall a few weeks ago, Snowy had treated him like a stranger—cold, distant, and totally shut off. But now? "What are you doing?" he asked, totally confused. Before he could get an answer, he felt a sudden wave of killing intent hit him like a brick wall. He looked up. And just as expected, a whole squad of rich boys had surrounded him. "Snowy, is this the guy you came to see?" Kieran asked coldly, his expression hard as steel. "Obviously," Snowy said teasingly, still leaning sweetly against Gideon's arm like they were a couple. That set Kieran off. He was fuming.A squad of guards dropped in out of nowhere. All of them were transcendents, and a few were even fifth-tier peak transcendents."Who are you? Do you have any idea who Snowy is? Do you think someone like you gets to lay a finger on her? You've got a damn death wish!"A few of the spoiled rich kids pointed at Gid
"How long are you planning to hold me like this?" Back at the manor, Snowy's voice turned ice-cold, her tone dripping with irritation. Gideon grinned. "What's wrong with carrying my sister-in-law?" "Get lost!" Now that she felt the pressure around her loosen, Snowy quickly wriggled out of his arms. She raised her hand and slapped him. Not that it did anything. To Gideon, she was way too weak. He didn't even bother to block it. Her slap landed, sure, but it had all the force of a butterfly tap. "What the hell are you throwing a tantrum for?" He shot her a look. Then, he pulled out his communicator. "Alright. Strike a few good poses for me. I'll snap some pics. Since I can't take you with me right now, I'll have to settle for sending Winter some photos."Actually, let's shoot a video. Say a few words to Winter. Too bad the network here is not compatible with my communicator. Otherwise, I'd set up a full-on video call between you two." Snowy snorted. "Save it. I'v
"Hey, Gideon...""Yeah?" Gideon snapped out of his thoughts. "You've been calling me a lot lately. What are you up to?" "I just wanted to ask… Has my sister gotten her hands on the Snow Beast Clan's inheritance scroll?" "And why are you concerned about that?" "Back then, in Kitherglen, I was captured by a leader of the Spirale Clan. They brought me here for one reason—to decode the second half of my clan's inheritance scroll..."Snowy laid everything out, leaving nothing out of the story.Gideon fell into deep thought. The first half of the inheritance scroll was in his possession, but he hadn't brought it with him. It was stashed back on Beaker Island.Snowy said, "If I could get the full inheritance scroll, decoding it would be much easier. But once it's complete, Ewan might uncover the secret, too.""That's easy. You've got the second half of the scroll, right? Just hand it over to me," Gideon replied."What? No way it's in my hands." Snowy scoffed, rolling her eyes.
Following the flow of Blue River, Gideon finally made his way out of the city. He climbed ashore at a hidden spot, returning to the same location from over two weeks ago. But Umbra and Orabella were nowhere to be found. With no better option, he set off to look for Kingsley. Along the way, Gideon caught sight of something that stopped him in his tracks—the Dragon's Aegis legions squaring off against The Light Council legions. "Damn! That's overwhelming." Gideon was stunned. Ten legions on each side, with two million soldiers in total. They were all elites—every single one a martial artist of high caliber. Each legion moved as a single organism, able to strike hard or pull back on a dime. And to Gideon, these 20 legions could crush Kingsley, Rhett, and all eight major royal families—even if they had ten million troops combined. The sight lit something inside him. The world was shifting, and power structures were changing. It was time for him to stop relying on
"I hope they beat each other to a pulp." "What's the point of that? Honestly, I'd rather see them team up and blast through the Spirale Clan's headquarters. Then, we could swoop in while they're all bleeding." "For real! That's the dream scenario." Whispers spread like wildfire among the hidden factions watching from the shadows. Everyone was on edge and was ready to strike at any moment. Up on the city walls, the Spirale Clan's commanders looked equally tense. Every tech weapon at every major outpost had been activated and armed. If Lucifer and Samson really decided to join forces and attack, the clan wouldn't hesitate to unleash full-scale S-class firepower—no matter the cost. But to everyone's disappointment, neither Lucifer nor Samson showed up. Instead, it was just their legions standing off.There was no fighting—only the clashing of their immense energies. Nothing more. "Are they going to fight or not?" one of the champions muttered, irritated. "We've be
Gideon clenched his teeth, then dropped a bombshell. He said, "You've been trying to find the first half of the Snow Beast Clan's inheritance scroll, right? I know where it is." His eyes narrowed."I'm not telling you now," Gideon added quickly. "Just let me use your stealth aircraft. I'll give you the location once I finish what I came to do. Whether you can get your hands on it... that'll be up to you. I swear on my life. I'm not lying." Ewan stared at him hard. There was nothing but truth in Gideon's eyes."You'd better not be lying." "Come on. Do I look like that kind of guy?" Gideon said with a cheeky grin. Ewan let out a cold snort but finally turned around and led him to a military base. What came into view was a sleek, flat-shaped stealth aircraft.Its design was simple. But the simpler it looked, the more extraordinary it was."This is the most advanced fighter our clan has ever built. I call it Ghostler. And I can say with confidence that it's the fastest stea
Gideon might just gouge his eyes out if Kingsley accidentally saw something he wasn't supposed to.What the hell was he supposed to do now?Kingsley was so anxious that he started stomping his feet.Right then, Alistair, Ajax, Ian, Justin, and the other champions all sensed the chill and rushed over. "Umbra's inside meditating. I'm not sure what happened, but this cold air is flooding out.""Ms. Crescent's got a pure-essence physique. That's pure essence energy. From the feel of it, she's leveled up again. Her energy is even more intense now. This is a great sign."Fall back. Don't disturb her."The champions pulled their elite troops back several miles, leaving Umbra alone in the area.Just as they figured, she was evolving again.After the frenzy poison that had plagued her body was finally cleansed, she felt a massive wave of relief and hit a breakthrough right on the spot.Back when she was in the eastern plains, she was barely hanging on at tier six transcendent. Now? S
"All hail the King!"Almost like they were going head-to-head in secret, the ten legions of the Dragon's Aegis dropped to one knee and shouted with everything they had, voices thundering across the land.Their chant was even louder, deeper, and more powerful than the one from The Light Council's legions—so powerful that it shook the sky and the earth, drilling straight into the soul.Spectators were stunned.Two living legends—Pope of Light and the King of Dasovia—standing at the absolute peak of the world, had shown up in the same place.It was insane.Could it be that they were really about to go to war tonight? If so, it was going to tear the whole damn place apart. A clash between two ninth-tier peak powerhouses was no joke. Once someone hit that tier, they were in a whole different league. Unless one reached that same realm, they'd never understand how terrifying their strength truly was.The difference between the eighth and ninth tier was just a single tier. In reality,
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