The night was dark, and the wind howled—a perfect setting for bloodshed.Goldspire's underworld was destined for chaos.A team of elite assassins was on the move, their targets clearly marked. These killers had roamed the globe, and eliminating key figures in Goldspire's criminal world posed little challenge.Within 30 minutes, Owen received a triumphant update. The first twelve faction leaders had been eliminated.Zane said, his admiration evident, "Incredible! These international assassins operate like they were born for this world."…Meanwhile, at Monarchy Club, Nino was enjoying drinks with his crew when an urgent report interrupted their time.A subordinate burst in, breathless. "Boss, I have bad news for you. Leaders of three of our allied factions have been assassinated!""What?" Nino exclaimed, sobering up instantly."How did this happen?" Nino asked.The man said, "No idea. They were taken out in their bedrooms, without a sound. And it's not just our people. Leaders
This was Henry's terrifying power. As an internationally renowned elite assassin, severely injured as he was, he remained calm and darted toward the exit with impressive speed."Facing death, and still trying to run?" Henry sneered, his voice laced with contempt. "You really think too highly of yourself," he added, his tone cold and mocking. With a powerful leap, Henry pounced toward his prey. The assassin's face turned pale with fear. At the very last moment, a cold gleam shot through the air toward Henry. Alarmed, Henry was forced to abandon his attack on the assassin to intercept the gleam. It was a dagger.The blade collided with Henry's machete, ringing with a sharp metallic resonance. Henry's machete shattered. By then, the assassin had already escaped the encirclement, aided by an accomplice. "Chase them down!" Henry roared. Pulling out his phone, he immediately reported the incident to Nino and contacted other leaders, warning them to stay on high al
"Owen, now that you're back, can't you stick around for a while? It's been ages since we hung out," Zane said. "Zane, if it weren't for a mission, I wouldn't even be here a week," Owen replied. Zane raised a brow. "What kind of job brings you to Goldspire? Don't tell me you're here to take out some big shot." Owen didn't bother hiding the truth. "Not quite. I'm here investigating something." "Oh? Care to share? Maybe I can help out." Owen leaned forward, lowering his voice. "It's like this. I'm part of Black Sky Organization, and the second-in-command is an incredibly powerful figure known as Reaper—ranked ninth on the Shadow Ranking of Hitman Guild."However, he's recently gone missing, and we haven't been able to contact him. The last place he was seen was here in Goldspire. The organization sent me to investigate and figure out what's going on.""Got it." Zane nodded thoughtfully. "You got anything on Reaper? I can put my people on it." Owen shook his head. "Reaper is
"How dare you!" Owen roared, his voice filled with lethal intent.A cloud slid over the moon, dimming the light, and in that instant, Owen moved. He wasn't called one of Black Sky Organization's top assassins for nothing. His skill was undeniable.In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Gideon. His dagger was aimed directly at Gideon's heart while his spiked fist lunged toward Gideon's head. Those steel spikes weren't for show—one hit, and it'd leave his skull riddled with holes."Go to hell, you bastard!" Owen sneered, his eyes flashing with cruel confidence.But suddenly, his expression froze. Gideon wasn't there anymore. "What the hell?" Owen thought."You're too slow," a calm and mocking voice from behind him said. "How did someone like you even make it as an assassin?"The sound sent chills through Owen. His body tensed instinctively. He thought this was unbelievable.Despite his shock, his instincts kicked in. Twisting his body in a way only someone with years of comb
Inside the villa, Zane paced anxiously, a bad feeling gnawing at him. Something was wrong, but he just couldn't put his finger on what."Mr. Farrell!" Brody burst into the room, practically tripping over himself. His face was pale with terror.Zane's heart skipped a beat. "What's going on?""It's bad. He… He…""Stop stuttering and spit it out!" Zane snapped, his voice sharp.Brody struggled to steady himself, his voice trembling. "Mr. Saunders… He's dead!""Bullshit!" Zane roared, slapping Brody hard across the face. Blood trickled from the man's nose, but he dared not retaliate. "I swear it's true, Mr. Farrell. His body—it's outside!"Zane's face drained of color as he rushed outside, his gut screaming denial. In the courtyard, Owen's lifeless body lay sprawled on the ground, a massive hole in his chest. Blood pooled beneath him, dark and chilling."No!" Zane cried out, his voice breaking. His vision blurred, and he stumbled, nearly fainting. Owen, his best friend, one of
Leopold and Nino were nearby, watching Gideon issue orders to Rachel. While Leopold seemed unfazed—he knew Gideon's true identity—Nino was utterly floored.Rachel was not only the head of the Avila family, but she was also the chairwoman of Avila Group, the most formidable businesswoman in Goldspire, and one of the Three Beauties of Goldspire. She carried many titles.While Nino was the king of the criminal underworld, his influence couldn't hold a candle to the legacy and power of an established dynasty like the Avilas. At that moment, Nino silently vowed his absolute loyalty to Gideon.Gideon turned to them. "You two don't get to rest, either. The chaos in the criminal underworld right now is your golden opportunity. I need you to seize control of every major faction in Goldspire. "By the time we're done, I want you running this city's entire network."Leopold and Nino exchanged a look, their faces lighting up. This was what they had been waiting for—Gideon's backing."Can you
Drake knelt before Gideon, sniffling and wiping away his tears. Gideon scowled. "Six thousand people, and you brought every single one of them to Goldspire? They're quarantined in a hotel right now? "Damn it! You're not asking for help. You're forcing me to deal with your mess!"Drake looked pitiful as he pleaded, "Sir, I had no choice! I swear! Remember how obedient I was in Oasis Vale? I worked hard and stayed out of trouble. "Please, with your unmatched medical skills, this should be a piece of cake for you."Gideon sighed, his expression dark. "We'll deal with your punishment later."Turning to Leopold, Gideon barked, "Get a fleet of buses ready. Head to the hotel and bring all six thousand of them to Beaker Island."While they prepared the logistics, Gideon examined Drake. He quickly identified the toxin, confirming it was as nasty as the man claimed—potent enough to stump even the so-called Drake. But to Gideon, it was just difficult, not impossible.By that evening,
"Sir!" Lysander burst into the room with urgent news. "There's a massive force moving in Goldspire tonight. Two well-coordinated groups, and they're clearly targeting someone.""Oh, really?"Gideon leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled thoughtfully. "Hmm… could be the Farrell family," he mused. "But no… They are more likely from the Yelverton family from Drammore. Yovarian Guild's destruction must have enraged them. They wouldn't let it slide. "By now, their forces would've arrived, and splitting into two teams sounds like their style—especially if they're gunning for Leopold and Nino."Gideon wasted no time and summoned Drake.Moments later, the cloaked figure entered, his demeanor more respectful than usual. "Sir, what do you need?""No more grunt work for you tonight." Gideon smirked. "I've got something much more interesting. You'll be coordinating with Lysander on this. He's the deputy leader of the Cipher. Lysander, meet the King of Venom—the undisputed mast
Gideon declared coldly, his voice void of any sympathy, "That's not something I can allow. I'm afraid this is the end for you." The instant the young man clad in black stole the inner core, his fate was sealed."No!" The man screamed in desperation, his face contorted with unwillingness.Suddenly, a fighter jet roared into view, and a startled voice called out, "Giles, what are you doing here?"The young man in black, Giles Terrell, looked up to see a figure dressed in purple standing at the jet's cabin door. Hope surged within him, as if he'd found a lifeline.Giles cried out, "Francis! Help me!"However, Francis Hurst's eyes were riveted on the inner core, a greedy gleam flickering within them.Francis thought that it was fate for him to stumble upon the alpha beast's inner core. If he seized it and used it for his cultivation, he'd surely surpass the young leaders of factions like Martialgarde and Warbringer Gate. Giles had truly given him a wonderful opportunity.Wi
"Why are you pursuing me so persistently? Whoever reaches the inner core first should rightfully claim it. You were careless, so consider this a learning experience. Isn't that reasonable? Must we really end in a situation where both of us lose?" the young man taunted. "A learning experience? That's truly amusing. You steal my inner core and have the nerve to call it a lesson. You certainly have a lot to say," Gideon retorted coldly. He extended his hand, and a massive shadow hand materialized from above. It was the Clausum Palm. The alpha beast, ridden by the young man in black, sensed the immense power of the handprint and froze in fear, dropping to the ground. "Blast it!" The young man in black was so furious that he nearly coughed up blood. Forced to leave the alpha beast, he continued fleeing on foot. He retaliated with a punch, smashing the hand. "Oh? You still have the energy to fight back. Impressive. You're quite the young talent. What a shame you chose to seek you
Out of nowhere, a chain shot up from below, snagging the inner core and swiftly dragging it away. "What?" Gideon erupted in fury. Who would dare snatch from a tiger's jaws? This person had some guts. "Stop!" he roared. With a thunderous force, he cut through the toxic miasma, reaching for the chain. But the thief was no ordinary being. They were a formidable opponent, retracting the chain with remarkable speed. Gideon caught a glimpse of a flickering figure in the jungle. "The inner core I captured isn't something just anyone can take. Let's see if you can escape my clutches," Gideon threatened, his voice resonating with intensity. The figure in the jungle hesitated, a chill running down their spine, yet they didn't relent and fled with the inner core.The fighter jet descended rapidly. But with the dense canopy of ancient trees in the jungle, aerial navigation was not possible. Gideon landed a backhand strike on Kori, rendering him unconscious to prevent any interferenc
Jake let out a terrified scream. He quickly adjusted the fighter jet's course, but just then, a tentacle burst forth from the dense, poisonous fog. The tentacle was black and moved with alarming speed, reaching the jet in mere moments as if intent on tearing it apart. "Fire!" Jake activated the attack system, and over a dozen missiles were launched. The attack was successful, as the tentacle was blown into a gruesome mess. In the distance, a thunderous roar echoed, shaking the heavens and earth—the Shadowgnaw Overlord had felt the pain. Suddenly, more than 30 black shadows emerged from the toxic cloud."Damn it!" Jake swore. He struggled to continue operating the fighter jet amid the overwhelming number of tentacles. Their firepower was no longer enough. Desperately, he called out, "Sir!" At that moment, Gideon sprang into action. Rather than destroying the tentacles, he reached out and seized the one lunging at them. With a powerful yell, he unleashed the strength of
Luckily, Gideon's fighter jet was a state-of-the-art model, so flying through the poisonous haze wasn't a significant problem. Suddenly, a piercing scream reverberated inside the jet, making it shake violently. Kori's face went white as he yelled, "This is bad! It must be the Shadowgnaw Bug. They're venomous creatures that can survive in this toxic fog. An adult Shadowgnaw Bug can reach the size of a lion or tiger, and the Shadowgnaw Overlord is even scarier, being as big as an elephant." Just as he finished speaking, another high-pitched cry sounded. The fighter jet shook uncontrollably and began to dive. Jake did everything he could to keep the jet stable. If the jet had been a regular aircraft, it would likely have broken apart by now. Kori looked deeply concerned. "Based on the strength of that cry, it seems we've run into the Shadowgnaw Overlord." "What's the big deal about one bug? Can it really be that dangerous?" Gideon scoffed, signaling Jake to open the cockpit door.
Gideon trusted Kori completely, as Kori's life depended on him, leaving no room for hidden agendas. The fighter jet soared eastward at high altitude. Gideon was immersed in studying the Book of Medicamentum. He vaguely remembered Titus once mentioning the pure-essence physique and other rare physiques, such as the pure solar physique. These were subtly referenced in the Book of Medicamentum. His current task was to uncover information about the pure-essence physique in the latter part of the Book of Medicamentum. If successful, he might learn how to harness the methods concerning the pure-essence physique himself, enabling Elara to fully awaken and transform. Silence enveloped the entire fighter jet.That evening, the jet touched down on the summit of a large mountain. The pilot, Jake Clythe, was weary from hours of flight, was instructed by Gideon to take a one-hour break. Gideon and Kori also disembarked from the aircraft.The landscape was filled with overlapping mountains
Kori was overwhelmed with fear. "What are you doing? What have you done to me?" he exclaimed. Gideon smirked. "Don't worry. I've just set up three 'fuses.' As long as you behave, nothing will happen. But if you try anything funny, I can make your head explode with just a thought. And don't think about removing the golden needles. I won't be responsible for what happens if you do." Kori's expression flickered between anger and resignation. It was deeply humiliating for someone who had traveled the world all his life to be treated as such in his later years. However, he had no other options. Taking a deep breath, Kori calmed himself and dismissed his hostile thoughts, turning his focus to assess Elara's condition. Gideon observed from the side. No one could tell what secret method Kori was using, but gradually, the air temperature rose. This was due to the contraction of pure essence energy. Half an hour later, Kori wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled. "It's done. The
"Do you want me to be honest with you?" Kori prodded. "What? Can't you solve it? Then, you're destined to fail." A fierce, murderous intent flashed in Gideon's eyes. Kori quickly responded, "The pure-essence physique is extremely rare. If it were a martial artist with a robust constitution, I could safely help them awaken it. But your wife is just an ordinary person. Her body is too fragile, and I can't take that risk. "Though your medical skills are impressive, you can't guarantee her safety. The only solution is to find Mr. Ruggeweyn or Mr. Warth. They possess secret techniques that can awaken the pure-essence physique without risk. "However, I'm not entirely helpless. I can use a secret technique right now to suppress the essence, preventing any leakage of pure essence energy. This could safeguard your wife's body and possibly help her regain consciousness. Do you want me to proceed?" Gideon asked, "Where are Mr. Ruggeweyn and Mr. Warth? If you can reach them, do so qu
"Who on earth are you?" Kori asked. His face twisted with fury as he ran desperately, with Gideon relentlessly pursuing him like a hawk after its prey. It was both insulting and disgraceful! "Argh!" Eventually, Kori couldn't bear it any longer. He stopped and bellowed, "I'd rather die than be shamed. Kid, I'll fight you to death!" Kori spat out a mouthful of blood, unleashed a secret technique, and launched a powerful attack. Gideon's expression turned serious at that moment. He calmly extended his fist and declared, "Doombringer Knuckle!" The brilliant glow of his fist surged forward with determination. Kori's attack was instantly destroyed, and he was sent flying, his body nearly breaking apart. He crashed hard into a dirt pit and couldn't rise again. "Sir, watch out!" Harper yelled with all her strength just then. Gideon raised an eyebrow. More and more advanced weapons were being launched. Several missiles sped toward them. In fact, the high-tech weapons had been re