"Such a shame."Mobius sneered under the moon's glow, wiping the blood off his lips.Then, searching and taking the spiritron vein from Mr. Shrode's body, he nodded in satisfaction. "Along with the Bloodcrane Spiritbloom that Huub Droitner mentioned, my master will transcend mortality.""Guh…"Mr. Shrode was glaring from the floor even as he watched the spiritron vein being taken away. He raised a shaking hand to snatch it from Mobius' grasp…That was when it happened.Feeling a numbing sensation in his neck, Mr. Shrode strained himself to lower his gaze and found a swarm of black bugs crawling out of his chest.It was a harrowing sight, and when Mr. Shrode saw it, he realized that they had entered his body when he drank Mobius' wine."Guh…"Nonetheless, Mr. Shrode could not speak as his throat was chewed through. He could only watch helplessly as more of those bugs crawled out of his body, eventually devouring him.In less than ten minutes, nothing was left of the living, br
Mobius then unwrapped the red cloth to reveal the stark white phalange—the same one that Mr. Shrode had brought in last night."This is the spiritron vein I would trade with you, Mr. Lawrence," Mobius then said nonchalantly. "I can even tell you how it works—it can regenerate any wound and any missing body parts."Frank narrowed his eyes at Mobius, words, his fingers touching the card Vicky gave him before he came.There was no mistaking it now, as the card had both the address of this hotel and a photo of what the Turnbulls' lost spiritron vein looked like.It was the one Mobius was showing them right now!Vicky had also mentioned that it was unparalleled in regenerating physical wounds. However, since the Turnbulls were not a martial clan, they did not care much even after acquiring the spiritual vein, instead consecrating it at their ancestral shrine."Frank…?"Silverbell was shocked too, as she did not expect Frank's business in Bralog to involve a spiritron vein.If word g
Silverbell reasoned, "We should just stay out of this, or you will be tried for treason if the deal goes south and the spitron vein really falls into foreign hands.""Me, tried for treason?"Mickus stared at Silverbell in disbelief, but he soon reared his head and laughed. "Lady Silverbell, oh mighty chief of the Martial Alliance… you're really getting smarter with words now. Isn't that man your fiance? Aren't you just trying to protect him by lying to me? And do you think I'm some clueless toddler?"Even as they argued, Mobius frowned. "Silverbell? Chief of the Martial Alliance?"Frank cursed Mickus under his breath—there would be unnecessary trouble if Silverbell's position as the chief of the Martial Alliance was exposed. Not only would Mobius get suspicious, but they would also have trouble tracking down the heretical geomancer!To no surprise, Mobius smiled and shook his head at Frank. "I think you should really sort out your domestic issues before coming to me, Mr. Lawrenc
"Hah!" Mickus snorted. "This is just a perfectly normal deal. Also, you're only the chief of the Martial Alliance because you used your body to pleasure many bigwigs, no? Why else would someone like you get to be the chief of the Martial Alliance?"While Mickus' mockery left Silverbell bristling, Frank remained impassive as he held up three fingers and counted. "Three.""What, are you for real?"Mickus was actually surprised that Frank was counting down but soon snorted in contempt. "I pity you, having a whore as a fiancee. Who knows how many men she's had to spread her legs for—"Smack! Frank had suddenly slapped Mickus across the face so quickly he could barely see it, shutting him up."One." He counted at the same time amid the ensuing silence."What…"Touching his burning cheek, Mickus' expression alternated from disbelief to flushed fury. "You… hit me?! With that dirty paw of yours?! Don't you know who I am?! Even my father has never slapped me!"He bellowed as if craz
Watching as Frank slowly walked toward himself, terror struck Mickus' heart."Stop! Don't move!" he shrieked. "I-I'm warning you… I'm the heir to Clear Winds Pavilion! If you lay a finger on me, my father will make you pay, you hear?! He's Ascendant rank, and he—"Smack!Naturally, Mickus' threat was pointless as Frank slapped him viciously across the face again once he got near, knocking out almost every tooth."On your knees. Apologize," he growled, impassive.Mickus was left clutching his cheek and staring at Frank in disbelief.Although there was no emotion on his face, the coldness in Frank's eyes left Mickus shivering.He realized that Frank might be some novice who did not care about his threats and would keep hitting him if he threatened him again.After fighting with himself inwardly, Mickus turned with a conflicted look toward Silverbell, mumbling through his lips, "I-I'm sorry, Lady Silverbell—""On your knees!" Frank snapped coldly behind him."What…" Mickus fel
"What?!"Azar was left stunned by his son's complaint.He was naturally aware of Mickus' hedonistic lifestyle. And since the boy did not take his training seriously, he had to send over a dozen Clear Winds Pavilion elites as his escort.However, those elites were still the best among Birthright ranks! They did not even last a blow against some outsider and were instead left completely incapacitated?!While Azar was spacing out, however, the youth beside him strode up just then."Heh. Long time no see, Frank," he greeted.Beside him, Azar did a double take when he realized that the youth was acquisitioned with the rogue who hurt his son and finally turned to look at Frank."Titus."Frank remained impassive as he mentioned the youth's name.After all, it was none other than the eldest son in the Lionheart family, Titus Lionheart.And it was surprising that he would show up here… or perhaps not.If anything, Frank was just surprised that Titus was here personally, whereas the L
In fact, Frank and Titus could well be enemies.In that case, Azar had brought many of his men from Clear Winds Pavilion.With Azar's strength on top of that, taking down Frank could not have been easier.So why would Titus call for a retreat now?However, as the chief of Clear Winds Pavilion, he naturally would not disobey the Lionhearts.Azar had questions, but he respectfully led his men and followed Titus out of the hotel restaurant."Mr. Lionheart…""I know what you're going to ask."Titus chuckling, shaking his head before Azar could finish his question. "But now's not the time to do it. You and the people you've brought are no match for him.""What? No way!"Mickus was left gaping in shock before his father could speak. "Mr. Lionheart, Clear Winds Pavilion is sending everyone for this! It's not just our four Ascendant-ranked guardians—my father is right here, and he's halfway through the Ascendant rank!"And there are countless Clear Winds Pavilion apprentices waiting
Silverbell continued, "As for the Turnbulls' lost spiritron vein, only you and the higher-ups of the Martial Alliance should be aware about it, and no one else—not even the Lionhearts. So…""So the Lionhearts being here proves that the rumors are true."Frank raised a brow and finished it for her. "The rogue Turnbull executive was trying to defect to the Lionheart family, or they wouldn't have known."Silverbell nodded, looking at Frank in approval—he was always sharp. Still, she was soon hesitant. "However, that also begs another question—it's been a week since the Turnbulls have lost their spiritron vein. If the rogue Turnbull executive really wanted to defect to the Lionhearts, why would the spiritron vein show up in the hands of a foreign businessman instead?"Frank was wondering about that too, and it was a question that left both him and Silverbell stumped.Eventually, he frowned and suggested, "Knowing the Lionhearts, negotiations with the rogue Turnbull executive must ha