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
The four thousand elite soldiers of the Yelverton family had endured a nightmare. First, the poison mist left them debilitated. Then, came the venomous insects, whose bites brought chaos and suffering. Their combat strength had been severely drained."Now's the time to charge," Leopold declared."Take it slow." Drake held up a hand, his expression calm and confident. "Give it a few more minutes. The venom from the bites needs time to fully kick in."Ten minutes later, the battlefield echoed with screams of agony. The effects were gruesome. Some soldiers' skin turned black as their bodies stiffened, blood seeping from their eyes, noses, and mouths. Others emitted a putrid stench as their flesh began to rot. A few simply dropped dead where they stood, their hearts stopping without warning.The most horrifying cases were those who succumbed to madness. Poisoned and delirious, they turned on their comrades, attacking with frenzied violence."This is… monstrous," Leopold mutter
Ellis felt a chill run down his spine. A deep, primal sense of danger gripped him as he faced the cloaked figure before him. This man in a black robe radiated an air of death."Who… Who are you?" Ellis demanded, his voice trembling.Drake's lips curled into a condescending smile. "You're not worthy of knowing my name. Show me your strength, you little kid.""Have it your way!" Ellis wasted no time. His bulging muscles tensed, veins popping as he channeled all his might into a ferocious punch aimed at Drake's head."Watch out!" Leopold shouted from the sidelines.But Drake didn't flinch. With an almost lazy motion, he raised a hand and deflected the punch effortlessly, redirecting its force into nothingness."Are you using softness to counter hardness?" He sneered, his lips curling into a predatory grin. "That's your trick? Let's see how long that works. Power always trumps finesse!"Ellis lunged again, this time with even more ferocity. But once again, Drake neutralized the bl
"Mr. Yelverton, we've lost all contact with Ellis!" "What?" Harry's face darkened. The ominous feeling in his gut was now an unbearable weight. "Send out search teams. Find him." "Understood!" An hour later, his bodyguard returned, visibly shaken. "Mr. Yelverton, we couldn't find them. Not Ellis, and not even the eight thousand soldiers. It's like they vanished into thin air.""That's impossible!" Harry's voice thundered, his disbelief painted across his face. "Mr. Yelverton, there's chatter in the underworld about a major battle tonight. It could have involved our forces against Leopold's and Nino's men, but there's no confirmation. What's certain is that none of our men returned, and no messages were sent. It's… unsettling.""'Unsettling'?" Harry's frustration boiled over. "This is beyond unsettling! Eight thousand elite soldiers gone without a trace!""Mr. Yelverton, Goldspire is far more complicated than we anticipated. For your safety, I recommend you return to Drammo
"Such an eyesore," Marion muttered under her breath as the family gathered in the living room.Arnold cleared his throat and addressed Gideon, "Gideon, I called you back because we're expecting guests soon—Marion's sister, Maisy, and her family.""Understood," Gideon replied with a nod.The sisterly competition wasn't new to Gideon. He knew this was another chapter in their ongoing rivalry.Marion cut in sharply, "Gideon, you overheard what I said earlier, didn't you? I suggest you quietly step aside. I'll have Matthew come over. There's no way you can compete with Maisy's son-in-law."Gideon smiled faintly. "How can you be so sure before I've even met him?""You're all talk!" Marion sneered. "Their son-in-law is a government official with real connections and a promising future. "And you? A so-called head of a failing family with a company on the brink of bankruptcy? What could you possibly bring to the table? Please enlighten me!"Gideon leaned back casually. "Even world lea
The atmosphere grew tense, with awkwardness hanging in the air. Elara didn't know how to respond. Saying Gideon was the head of a family sounded impressive, but anyone who looked deeper would discover the truth—he was leading a declining household on the brink of financial ruin. It would be mortifying.Noticing the hesitation on Elara's and Marion's faces, Maisy's spirits soared. Her instincts told her that Gideon was no match for Sebastian. Feeling smug, she couldn't help but revel in the moment.Maisy had spent her entire life competing with Marion and losing. When Marion married Arnold, the Seymour family was prosperous and prominent, making Marion's marriage a glamorous affair. In contrast, Maisy had married Kristian, who was then a lowly salesperson. Though she'd been frustrated by his lack of status, Kristian's unwavering devotion won her over, and she chose love over status.Over the years, Kristian's fortunes turned. With the help of a well-connected benefactor, he built
Sebastian set down his coffee cup, a polite smile on his face. "Mom, as a matter of fact, I do have two friends here in Goldspire."One is in the business world and runs a sizable company. The other comes from a powerful underworld family and is the heir to a prominent faction."His words instantly elevated the room's atmosphere. Maisy and Kristian beamed with pride. Sebastian's connections bolstered their social standing, after all. Even Arnold couldn't help but feel impressed—Sebastian truly lived up to his reputation, rubbing shoulders with the elite from both business and underground circles.Meanwhile, Marion seethed silently, her frustration aimed squarely at Gideon. She could barely contain her disdain for Gideon, who had embarrassed her to no end. Her anger boiled alongside Elara's. Their thoughts aligned—Gideon was dead weight. Divorce was the only option to save their family's dignity.Arnold, oblivious to the tension, praised Sebastian, "Sebastian, you're quite rem
"Is this truly the Mystic Supreme Bone?" Gideon asked, still in disbelief that a fragment of a ninth-level apex overbeast's bone was now in his possession. Orabella smiled and replied, "You've got incredible luck. They've unknowingly set the stage for you, and they must be furious about it now." "By the way, what exactly can this Mystic Supreme Bone do? It has a majestic presence, but what is its actual use?" Gideon asked."You aren't familiar with it, are you? The Mystic Supreme Bone has numerous remarkable uses," Orabella explained seriously. "Firstly, it can be used to create weapons. The bone is extremely durable. "Although this small finger bone alone isn't sufficient to make a weapon, you can refine it and integrate it into your own hand, allowing it to merge with your finger bone.""Merge with my finger bone?" Gideon asked."Yes," Orabella said with anticipation, "If you succeed in the fusion, your finger bone will become unbreakable, and the power of a single finger st
At the same time, Gideon and Pacino sprang into action, causing the three forces to clash and the glowing object to be tossed aside. As it landed, everyone could see it clearly. "A bone?" they exclaimed in surprise. They had anticipated discovering a rare treasure or a divine weapon, not a mere piece of bone. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be a finger bone. It was as large as a palm and incomplete. It was evident that it couldn't belong to a human. It was clearly from a beast."Mystic Supreme Bone." Orabella gasped in amazement. At that moment, Pacino's eyelids twitched uncontrollably, and his aged eyes flashed with a fierce intensity. "Gideon, seize it quickly. That's the finger bone of an apex overbeast. It is Mystic Supreme Bone, with countless incredible applications. We can't let it slip away." In reality, as soon as Orabella had cried out, Gideon had already activated his Solar Titan Physique, exuding an air of dominance. "Doombringer Knuckle!" he shouted,
"Harmoni, are you positive there's treasure here?" Brantley asked, wiping the sweat from his brow. He was standing at the bottom of the large pit, peering up at Harmoni with a doubtful expression. "I've dug this far, and there's still nothing. Is it possible you got it wrong?""No, it's definitely here," Harmoni insisted confidently. "Just keep trying." With no other option, Brantley resumed his digging. Just then, Gideon appeared at the doorway. Harmoni spun around, her eyes narrowing in surprise. "What are you doing here?" she exclaimed. "Hmm?" Gideon looked utterly confused. "Do we know each other?"Harmoni pressed her lips together and stayed quiet.Earlier, during the epic clash between Brightbane Sect and Naesbrey Fortress on the eastern plains, Gideon appeared and defended Umbra from Draven and his allies. He showcased remarkable strength during that encounter. Both Harmoni and Brantley had witnessed the battle, leaving them with a lasting impression of Gideon.W
Gideon looked at Orabella with indifference and said, "Quit having your sights set on Elara!" "You think too highly of me." "What do you mean?" Gideon asked, but Orabella didn't respond. Instead, she turned away and left. Her hands, tucked inside her sleeves, had turned bluish, a sign of frostbite from the pure essence energy. Earlier, Orabella had indeed tried to use the Hellrend Severance Technique to seize Elara's pure essence core. However, she had not anticipated the strength of the core and nearly faced a backlash. Luckily, she stopped just in time, so only her hands ended up frostbitten.… A series of bombing sounds echoed at the entrance and exit.Cinque and Sei hurried over, furious at the sight. "You kids have a lot of guts coming to Bandit's Hollow to wreak havoc! Who gave you the audacity to do this?"As they spoke, a massive handprint struck toward them. Brantley glanced up, his eyes gleaming like lightning. He launched a punch. With a loud boom, the ha
"We're almost there."Under the night sky, a massive winged beast raced through the air. On its back sat a man and a woman—Harmoni and Brantley."Harmoni, what exactly is this treasure you keep talking about?""Let's keep a little mystery. You'll know when we get there. But…" Harmoni's expression grew serious. "This treasure isn't going to be easy to obtain.""What do you mean?""Up ahead is Bandit's Hollow. The treasure is hidden within it. But Bandit's Hollow is home to seven fearsome hooligans. We are no match for them."Brantley smirked. "Then, why the hell are we even going?"Harmoni replied, "Talonclaw has some history with the leader of the seven hooligans. My grandfather once fought alongside him, so there's a bit of a connection."But my grandfather has long since passed. Our clan hasn't contacted him in years. I don't know if he'll honor my grandfather's memory and let us take the treasure."Brantley frowned. "If the treasure is in Bandit's Hollow, wouldn't they have
As everyone knew, the Spirale Clan controlled highly advanced technological weaponry, a power that many coveted. Even the beast tribes kept a watchful eye on them, waiting for an opportunity.Once The Light Council and Gideon's forces launched their attack, chaos would inevitably follow. Various factions—including the beast tribes and those apex overbeasts—would all get involved, each seeking a share of the spoils.If word of this got out, it would shake nations across the world."This is big!""This isn't just any battle. It's an upheaval!""Gideon, Ms. Corthopp, you aren't messing with us, are you? You're seriously going after the Spirale Clan?"The seven hooligans suddenly felt that Gideon storming into Bandit's Hollow to humiliate them wasn't such a big deal.After all, he was now planning to attack the Spirale Clan.They could feel their perception of him shifting once again, elevating Gideon's status to an entirely new level.Orabella nodded. "Yes, we are. The Light Coun
"Hm?" Pacino was taken aback.With a meaningful look, he asked, "Ms. Corthopp, what do you want to learn that for? The Hellrend Severance Technique is a vicious and sinister art. As a member of The Light Council, how could you study something like that?"Orabella smiled. "No technique is inherently good or evil. It all depends on how it's used."Pacino was no fool. Lowering his voice, he asked, "Ms. Corthopp, are you planning to strip Elara's pure-essence core?"She replied, "If the opportunity arises, I will.""For Gideon? Tsk! It seems Gideon holds quite a lot of weight in your heart." A strange smile spread across Pacino's face.Orabella asked again, "Mr. Albe, would you be willing to teach me? Consider it a favor. I'll repay you in the future."Pacino laughed and said, "Ms Corthopp, you hold a prestigious position in The Light Council. Having someone like you owe me a favor, that's a deal well worth making. I'll teach you the Hellrend Severance Technique right now.""I'd ap
They had actually suffered a setback at the hands of some snot-nosed kid. If word got out, people would die laughing."How much farther are you planning to retreat?"At that moment, Gideon stopped in his tracks, took a deep breath to steady himself, and spoke in a detached tone, "Honestly, we're not even enemies. Ivo is dead. Why make an enemy of me for his sake?"Think about the consequences of crossing me. I could just leave Bandit's Hollow, but from that moment on, none of you would ever know peace again."Pacino's face darkened. "Are you threatening me?"Gideon shook his head. "I'm simply stating a fact. Making an enemy of me over a dead man is not a wise move."Besides, I have means of dealing an irreversible blow to you all. Initially, I intended to take you by surprise, but since I've already mentioned it, let me show you. Be careful!"Gideon waved his hand, and immediately, a mist began to spread.In an instant, the hooligans were horrified. They frantically retreated.
"No!" Mea screamed hysterically.The broken blade was pulled out. Ivo's corpse collapsed to the ground like a pile of rotten flesh, making Mea dizzy, her vision going black."You're not dead! How is that possible?" Pacino was in disbelief.His aged eyes flashed with sharp light as he scrutinized Gideon, realizing that not only was Gideon alive, but his energy was still as powerful as ever, too.It was as if the past half hour inside that eerie mist hadn't affected him in the slightest.How could this be?Gideon sneered. "What? Disappointed? That mist is indeed strange, but unfortunately, it has no effect on me.""Impossible!" "Nothing is impossible. There's a lot you don't know." Gideon was full of mockery, but his face quickly turned cold. "Now, I'll give you a chance. Hand over Elara, and we can go our separate ways peacefully. Otherwise… suffer the consequences!"Pacino sneered. "Gideon, so what if you're still alive? Do you really think you can escape?""Pacino, kill him