"It's been so long, darling!" Vicky exclaimed. "I missed you!""It's just been a week." Frank sighed exasperatedly and tucked her hair behind her ear, studying her cheek.Vicky's gruesome red scars were already gone from her face—his ointment worked so well that no trace was left.In fact, Vicky's skin was fair, even bright and flushed like a baby's, her lips red without needing lipstick.Even barefaced, she would beat ninety percent of the rest of Draconia's beauties.In fact, Vicky had a slight advantage over Helen now."Heh. You're even more beautiful now, Ms. Turnbull," Frank praised after studying her face.Vicky was naturally unable to contain her delight. "Is that because I have a wonderful husband? So, shall we…?"She glanced pointedly at the bed, her gaze bewitching and her breath tender as she offered Frank a suggestion.Frank zoned out for a moment, feeling the softness in his palm and almost went to work right then.That was when someone knocked on the door, causi
"You're such a…"Frank was well aware of the weird rivalry between Helen and Vicky.He reached out, smacking Vicky's rear even as she clung to him like an octopus.He wanted to punish her for using him to mess with Helen without his consent, but the bounciness almost left his resistance crumbling.Still, he quickly said, "Vicky, Helen must have something important to tell you. You'd best go talk to her.""Hmph."Vicky released him grumpily but winked at him as she opened the door. "Harder next time, daddy.""Ahem…"Frank gulped even as he stared at Vicky's butt and started coughing violently.Naturally, it was not over just then.Just as Helen was about to leave the hallway, Vicky opened the door and poked her head out, beckoning, "Wait, Helen. Don't run off so soon! Why don't you join us?""Ahem!!!"Frank coughed so violently he almost hacked out his lungs.On the other hand, Helen wheeled on Vicky, flushing in embarrassment amid the five minute silence."Y-You're shamel
Vicky giggled at the thought.Ten minutes later, and after washing up, Frank appeared in Helen's office punctually to give his usual daily report.However, Helen kept staring distractedly at Frank's crotch, which Vicky noticed to her amusement, hiding a giggle.Even Frank was getting the creeps from Helen's stare, but he dutifully finished his report. "Our health and security department now has complete control over Zamri's underbelly, so you don't have to worry about safety. Our people will update us on anything that happens.""Oh…" Helen came to her senses a long while after Frank finished, nodding. "In that case, your safe period… Wait, I mean your health and security department…"However, Helen's mistake clearly revealed her thoughts, and Vicky was laughing so hard that she teared up.Even Frank had to step back awkwardly.As for Helen, her usual ice-queen demeanor was nowhere to be seen as she flushed and lay sprawled over her desk, murmuring, "Just kill me already…""Al
Frank appeared perplexed—why would Peter come to him?A while ago, Peter was appointed as deputy to Terry Cotton, who worked as a team captain in Lanecorp's health and security department.Under usual circumstances, Peter had Frank's number and could just call him if anything happened.But he did not and came to Frank personally? And he was in bad shape?Sensing something ominous, Frank left Lily the secretary and dashed downstairs.At the first-floor lobby, Frank found Peter bleeding from the gut as he sat by the entrance.He was bleeding all over, causing a commotion in the lobby."What happened, Peter?!" Frank exclaimed as he squeezed his way through the crowd and rushed to Peter's side."Brother… Chief…" Peter was barely breathing, choking even as he struggled to lift his bloodstained hands. "Four men attacked the bar we gathered in… They had big guns, and they killed so many of us…""What?! Guns?!" Frank was at once furious.After all, Draconia enforced strict gun cont
And as soon as the fixer division was in trouble, Peter came to inform Frank immediately despite his terrible pain and the possibility of death.Even if Peter had been a real bastard before, he had truly turned around, and Helen willingly accepted him as her brother again.Naturally, seeing him lying in a pool of his own blood left her tearing up in panic."Calm down. I've stopped his bleeding—he's safe for now," Frank said. At the same time, he thrusted a needle into Peter's bullet wounds and extracted the bullets with his pure vigor, letting them drop loudly with a metallic clink."What?! Are those… bullet holes?!" It was only then that Helen noticed Peter's injury.Frank nodded, picking up the bullets and turning toward the security guards nearby. "Let him rest at the Lanecorp dorms. He's mostly fine now.""Yes, Mr. Lawrence," the security guards replied and brought out a stretch to carry Peter away."Helen!" Frank caught her since she was about to follow, looking her sol
Frank could not help frowning at that. "Either way, I owe you a favor. And if there's nothing else…""By the way, darling…"Juno's giggle faded as her tone turned serious once again. "One of Volsung Sect's best recently touched down in Zamri, and he's with the Bearons right now. He seemed to be plotting something, but I couldn't get any details about his abilities and connections. The only thing I know for sure is that he's beneath Ascendant rank, so watch out, darling."While Frank was surprised by Juno's advice, he said, "Understood. Thank you, Clarity.""Um-hmm."As Frank hung up and mused to himself, Vicky asked, "Is her information reliable, Frank?"She did not seem worried that another woman called Frank darling, as he was clearly formal and deliberately distant."Ninety percent," Frank replied, nodding. "The last time we met, she told me that a certain land lot's value would suddenly skyrocket, and it did.""In that case, we have a name. The Bearons of Zamri… have you do
Frank nodded and added, "I'll have everyone from the health and security department come over and protect Lanecorp. This place will be fine if they're after me, but once I leave, they'll come if they're after Lanecorp in the first place."Vicky nodded. "Yeah. I'll have my family's blackguards help too.""Blackguards?"Frank remembered the Turnbull blackguards.He did not hold up much hope—those men had ability, but they also had serious attitude problems.Still, anything worked, and the more the merrier.Nodding, Frank wasted no time and took the elevator down to the basement parking lot, when his phone rang just as he got into his car.-At a nearby tower, a masked middle-aged man was sitting in a distant skyscraper, concealed behind a one-way tinted glass curtain.He lowered his binoculars as an Audi left Lanecorp, and he whipped out his walkie-talkie to call his friends on an encrypted channel. "Frank Lawrence has just left Lanecorp. Repeat, Frank Lawrence has just left Lan
Thunder, who was the boss among the four, nodded after hearing the report. "Good work. We'd still need to check—Frank Lawrence is strong, and he might really make it out.""Don't worry, boss. Even if he survived, the shockwave would have neutralized him." Galen was calmer in comparison. "Blaze and I will stay here to check for a body.""Good." Thunder nodded—that was the only way to be sure. "Bolt, how's the explosives going?!""Shit, boss! I've been made!" Bolt was wheezing, and clearly running even as he shouted into the walkie-talkie."You've been made?! Where?! I'll extract you!""The fountain downstairs of Lanecorp… this freaky woman keeps chasing me, and I can't shake her off!""Freaky woman?!" Thunder did a double take.His quartet were all Birthright rank individuals—in fact, Thunder himself had just completed Birthright rank.But to chase one of them that far, even terrorizing Bolt enough to make him scream 'freaky', that woman had to be something else."If you're c
Frank snorted. "Alright, I'm hanging up. I'm getting started over here soon.""Yeah. Good luck," Jouri replied.Hanging up, Frank looked up at the waterfall overhead, and then at Skyler, who was standing beside him. "So? Is it time yet?""Almost… Now!" Skyler's eyes were glowing even as she stared at her watch."Alright."Frank looked up just as the skies abruptly darkened. "Ah, there it is—the eclipse."The sun seemed to disappear, and the world was suddenly shrouded in darknesses.And beside him, a stone door imbued with the power of the spiritron vein also rumbled as it parted."Got it!" Frank rushed inside without another word as soon as he saw it."Hmph. I'm surprised that you could reach this place." A cold, wrathful voice resounded inside even before Frank got a hold of his surroundings.Looking up, Frank found a youth in a black cossack and sporting grey-white hair, standing upon a cliff as he looked down on him.Frank chuckled. "Hehe. Like I said, I've come to kill
Frank narrowed his eyes. "Is that so?'Crane shrugged. "I don't mind giving it to you straight—members of Torrent are actually… Ahem. A part of Torrent himself."Frank paused. "What's that supposed to mean?""You don't get it, do you?" Crane grinned. "Then let me put it to you this way—every member is a clone of Torrent.""A clone?" Frank gasped in realization."Yes," Crane nodded. "That's why I believe that challenging Crane is just suicide. You have no idea how powerful he is—only death awaits you down that path."Frank smirked. "Oh, but I don't think so."Crane rolled his eyes. "Fine, whatever—now listen closely. You will find Torrent in the Mystic Trail, but you would only find that place when the sun and moon coincide, and the entrance is beneath the waterfall south of Horton."As he finished, he snorted coldly. "I have no idea if you can actually do it, but I'm hoping you do kill him… Heh. I'm getting tired of being stuck under his control for so long."Then, waving off
Frank abruptly turned, immediately noticing one of the Cranes crouching, ready to spring forward and blindside him."Got you!" He laughed."Hah! You fell for it!"Just as Frank swung a punch to pulverize that Crane, he suddenly burst into pus that splashed at Frank's face."Damn it!" Frank took a step back, surprised that the clone's presence was identical to the real Crane, and a trap on top of that!"Die!"The Cranes around him each whipped out a dagger, all of them stabbing at Frank at the same time."Get off!" Frank bellowed, unleashing a shockwave that sent all the Cranes flying across all directions."Frank! Above you!" Skyler suddenly shrieked."Yes! I'm right here!" A strange laughter sounded above Frank just as he wiped the pus off his face.Crane was suddenly directly above him, launching an aerial kick straight at Frank's head, and Frank had no time to dodge!"Die!" Crane's smile curled into a twisted angle as he saw that too.He was very confident with this kick
"Disgusting…" Skyler murmured through her hand.Despite being skinned and scalped, the women were all still alive and singing to the music that was playing despite their anguish."Talk about a terrible fetish."Frank was scowling too—why were all the members of Torrent such sick deviants? It seemed like his plan to wipe them out was absolutely correct!"So, you killed my clone?"The lanky man on the couch slowly turned to level his bloodshot eyes at Frank.His lips were wet with bed as they curled upward into an eerie smile."Clone?" Frank narrowed his eyes."Hehe. It's a sage art."Crane shrugged as he stood up and wiped the blood off his lips. "It's only natural that you don't understand… Still, you deserve praise. If you can kill my clone, that means you're not just slightly stronger than Ghost."Naturally, the man was none other than the real Crane.Still, as Skyler studied him from a corner, even she could notice the strange twitch of his fingers, and his veins were pro
Even as Crane ran, he was looking over his shoulder, his heart pounding. "No… I won't win in a one-on-one!"No, as long as I get back to my real body… we can do this together!" He frowned, having seen how Frank sliced off the pinkies of those hood rats. It hence quickly dawned on him that Frank was not just slightly stronger than Ghost, as Torrent had put it!"Almost there!" He gasped when he saw the signboard of Pegasus Showtown in the distance. "As long as I get there and rendezvous with my real body, that brat will lose—"That was when he turned and saw that a shadow had caught up with impossible speed."What?!" Crane's eyes almost popped out in bewilderment. "What speed is that?! Are you kidding—"Even as he spotted the shadow, the shadow turned into a youth with an impassive visage.His fist outstretched, he was clearly punching toward Crane's forehead!"Argh…"Even as Crane looked on, the youth's punch slowed down by tenfold, but his fist kept closing in.Then, whe
Seeing Skyler sigh, the tattooed thug presumed that his extortion worked.He strode up, grabbing Frank's shoulder. "No one's gonna help you, boy. Pay up, or you're not leaving.""Exactly! You're not getting away!" the crowd of hood rats hollered. "Last chance."Frank's eyes were cold and fixed on Dani, however. "Are you going to intervene? If you do, you can keep that check. If you don't…""Ugh. Fuck off! I don't care!" Dani spat, her expression smug as she folded her arms before her chest. "Who do you think you are to threaten me?!""Exactly! Pay up, and you can leave!""Yeah! Ten grand, at least!""You probably don't know my boss Wyvern, but when he's here, you won't get away with just ten grand!"Even as the crowd closed in, Frank shook his head. "Well, you had your chance. Don't blame me for what happens next.""You're giving us a chance?! Hah! Who—argh!"Even before Dani could finish gloating, Frank was suddenly in front of her, grabbing her viciously by the wrist."Arg
"Five grand?! Did you hear that?! He just threw five grand!""Must be a rich kid coming here for a secret rendezvous, out of prying eyes? Those types are the easiest mark!""Fuck! And Dani got one of us… It hurts me more than losing at the races!"Frank could hear the buzz around him but ignored it as he strode past the men flanking him and headed toward the street that stank of blood."Stop!" A big tattooed man grinned sinisterly as he intercepted Frank.As his buddies encircled Frank as well, Frank snorted—it seemed that they took his reaction for a sign of weakness and thought that he could be cowed.The tattooed man rubbed his chin as he leered at Skyler's voluptuous figure, chuckling. "Look, boy. I'm short on cash, so let me take a loan. I'll pay you back some other day, how about that?"His friend laughed. "Exactly! You just gave Dani five grand, and we won't ask for more… just four, how about that?"Skyler scowled in turn and glanced worriedly at Frank beside her—was he
Frank himself had just stepped out of the nightclub when his eyes narrowed."Blood," he murmured, his nostrils twitching."Blood?"Skyler sniffed the air, puzzled. "I can't smell it.""It's from the opposite street… I smell the blood of over a dozen people.""A dozen?!" Skyler did a double take.He could identify the number of people who were killed?! That was just ridiculous!"Come on, let's take a look."Just as Frank led the way toward the source of the stench, a woman suddenly came up, catching Frank off guard and throwing herself into his arms."Hmmm?" He looked down to see that she had thick makeup, average looks, and a rather pudgy belly."Argh! He touched me!" she pointed at Frank and shrieked even before he realized what was happening."What?!" Skyler was staring at the woman too, mystified."Oh, sister! You just didn't see it!"The woman kept hollering, pointing at Frank's face. "Your boyfriend grabbed my ass! Is that how you teach him manners?!""Teach him ma
Wyvern screamed even as he clutched the stump that was his hand, screaming so shrilly one might mistake his voice as inhuman."Oh, just shut up." The lanky man glowered and launched a kick, reducing Wyvern into puddles of blood and pieces of innards, splattering all around the lobby. "Argh!!!" the devilish lady screamed as she watched the carnage unfolded."Another sound, and you'd end up just like him." The lanky man turned and frowned at her impatiently."Hngh…" The devilish lady promptly clasped a hand over her mouth, tears welling up in her eyes as she trembled."What the hell?!"Outside, Wyvern's lackeys heard the screams and ran inside, looking for him. "Hey, where's Wyvern?!"However, the lobby was too dimly lit for them to notice the blood and guts scattered around the walls, and they only sensed that terrible stench."Hngh…" The devilish lady was too scared to speak, and tears trickled out of her eyes."Fuck!"One of the lackeys strode up and seized the lanky man