"Name your price!" Liev barked, having gone through plenty in his years building a legacy in Zamri.When he realized that brute strength would not work, he must negotiate a way out.Whatever happened, he must not lose his son or his lineage ended here."Nope."But contrary to Liev's expectations, Mona had no intentions to negotiate and shook her head. "Someone told me to watch Claude and keep him here until she gets back.""So this is not up for negotiation?" Liev growled, incensed."That's right," Mona replied nonchalantly and got herself a chair to sit on.Live turned toward Jet in turn and asked, "How long does Claude have?""How long…?"Jet did a double take and quickly ran over to check Claude.It took quite a while until Claude looked up blankly at Liev, and said, "He's safe… He's not going to die.""What?!" Liev exclaimed in disbelief."It's true." Jet sighed exasperatedly. "I've checked—he had his balls kicked off, but the brat did so with precision, avoiding any ma
While the Dresdens would be helpless against Mona any other day, she was not in luck today—Percy just happened to have a cousin visiting and brought along several martial arts friends!"Alright, we'll be waiting!" Liev quickly said. "Tell your cousin that he will be rewarded handsomely once he gets this done!"Hanging up, he turned toward Mona and sneered viciously. "I'd be thinking about how to escape if I were you, brat.""Heh." Mona snorted and said nothing else.Her cool reaction left Liev uncertain, and he wondered if Mona was well-connected.However, he had no choice but to wait, since his son was in dire condition while he still had no idea who the brat was.Soon, there was a rush of footsteps down the hallway, and a blond kicked open the door, striding in with a metal bat in hand.Naturally, the blond was Percy, and his mannerisms were your run-of-the-mill street thug's.Beside him were four burly men, wearing sleeveless shirts and having bulging muscles, clearly not yo
However, even if those burly men were considered martial artists, they barely reached Birthright rank.Against Mona, who was almost reaching Transcendent rank, they simply stood no chance.With a soft cry, Mona vaulted from the windowsill as she leapt into the air like a bird.She threw a seemingly light jab, but it caught one of the burly men off guard and sent him flying.It was certainly a visual bombshell that left Liev and Jet's jaws dropping.Mona had to weigh less than a hundred pounds, but she could send a man who stood head and shoulders above her flying, slamming into a wall.There was no telling if the man was dead or alive, but Percy's cousin attacked Mona anyway."Hillbreaker!" he bellowed, his voice so thunderous it could shatter mountains.Still, Mona merely held out a finger and sent him stumbling backward, screaming as he touched his knuckle. "Y-You're Transcendent rank?!"While the layman had no idea what Percy's cousin was saying, Mona certainly did.Martia
That was when Claude regained consciousness.He jolted into his senses as he saw Winter as soon as he opened his eyes and pointed at Winter as he screamed wildly at the top of his lungs, "Dad, Jet, it's her! She told the other woman to hurt me! You have to help me!"Liev was only left even more stunned.He already realized from Jet's exchange with Winter that Winter was the chief of Zamri Hospital. He had come with a request, only for his son to end up insulting the person in question.Not only was she young, but she was a woman too!"What are you spacing out for?! Help me!" Claude was still hollering on top of his lungs.Liev finally had enough and frowned as he told his son who Winter really was."What?!"Claude was left thunderstruck—as a member of the Dresden family, he certainly knew who owned the hospital.It was Gene Pearce, the richest man of the East Coast!And what could the relationship be between Gene and Winter for her to become the chief? Anyone could tell rig
Gene Pearce's savior, a healer who sold a pill worth billions, and the man whom magister Tet Boran fawned over… Everything about Frank made him above Lieve's pay grade!And on top of that, he was a martial artist even stronger than Jaden Favoni.After all, Jaden himself had announced to everyone that he lost that duel against the mysterious martial artist and regrettably had to demote himself to third in Skyrank.In other words, that mysterious martial artist was now second in Skyrank!And even if the others did not know who that mysterious martial artist was, would Liev really not?It was Frank!Lieve was utterly dumbstruck at the thought—what monster did his son just mess with?! Did he intend to have his own family buried with him?!"Thank you, dear brother," Winter said as she took the sheet from Frank.When she said 'dear brother', Claude went limp as he realized it was all over for him.Liev was left watching as his own son blacked out in sheer terror, but he could not cr
"No can do," Winter said, scowling even before Frank could answer. "I still have plenty of matters to take up with these people!""Wake him up," Frank said, pointing at Claude and clearly intending for his father Liev to do it."Claude? Claude?" Liev quickly shook Claude.However, Claude was not waking up, and Liev felt as if a blade was hanging over his head, seeing the darkening gaze in Frank's eyes.Clenching his jaw, he raised his wrist and slapped his son across the face!Smack!The slap finally woke Claude, and he immediately realized what had happened. He clutched his face and stared at his father in disbelief."Dad… You slapped me?!"In his memory, his dad had constantly spoiled him and never so much as laid a finger on him.It naturally left him flabbergasted to see his father slap him as so many others watched now!"I…" Liev could certainly see how miserable his son was, but his rage flared again as he remembered that Claude was the reason he got caught in this ho
Winter snapped coldly at Jet, "Take a look at this invoice before you want to argue your case.""Eh?"Jet's fingers trembled even as he picked up the invoice, and he was left stunned as soon as he saw it.The invoice was a price list for all medicine and medical equipment that the Turnbulls were selling to the Draconia market.It was definitely insider information, and it was added that everything would be sold to Jet after substantial rebates.Reasonably speaking, Winter should not get her hands on this list, though Jet could feel himself dying inside even as he glanced at Frank.Not only did Winter have Gene's backing, but even Lanecorp and the Turnbulls of Morhen were her allies.It was simply horrific!Jet certainly could not argue after seeing the list and hung his head as he silently admitted to embezzling hospital funds through rebates.Somehow, Claude could feel the murderous glare Jet was shooting at him and could not help feeling that his brother-in-law would kill hi
As Liev and his men left Zamri Hospital defeated, they ran into the rest of their men at the entrance."What happened here, Mr. Dresden?!"The bodyguards at the front were left stunned, especially when they saw Percy and Claude bleeding all over."Save it. Let's just get out of here." Liev waved them off feebly, as it was really the worst day since he came to Zamri, bar none."Please, Mr. Dresden! We will restore your honor even if it kills us!"The bodyguards were clenching their knuckles when they heard how discouraged Liev was.They were bent on getting even for the sake of the Dresdens, and Liev could not talk them out as some of them started toward the building.Smack!Having had enough right then, Liev slapped the one leading them and screamed, "Are you fucking listening?! We're leaving Zamri now! It's over! You can either go in or die, or fuck off!"With that, he kicked the bodyguard away while he strode into his own car and drove off without so much as looking back. He
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