Frank ignored Sally and called out to Sadie and Ida.Both ladies were thrilled. "Are we going to fight, master?""Yes, we are—the remaining six of The Plough, in fact," Sally answered sarcastically.Both Sadie and Ida frowned—one against six was really slim odds…That was when Sally added, "That's not all either. Your mentor is challenging The Ploughs at the headquarters of an enemy. Just watch out and don't get captured, or you'll end up as slaves."Sadie and Ida were left totally confused right then, with Sadie asking, "Why charge into the lion's den alone, master? I think you could win in a single duel against any of them, but it has to be on our turf.""Exactly." Ida tried to reason with Frank too. "You must never underestimate how cutthroat those people can be. It'd be terrible if we ended up bungling this."Sally merely snorted. "Do you really have no idea what your mentor is like? No one ever gets to change his mind!"Sadie and Ida traded glances at that—others aside, th
Axel was promptly sweating buckets as his lips turned pale. "Please, Mr. Dutton! That's not what I mean."One-Armed Dutton snorted coolly but flung Axel on the floor as he turned away. "You're really getting presumptuous lately, aren't you?"Even as Axel climbed up, he was flattering One-Armed Dutton. "Don't worry, Mr. Dutton! I'll definitely change—you're all my bosses now!" One-Armed Dutton smiled but said nothing else, just as a youth ran towards them, yelling, "Mr. Hamm! Lugh Frankton has arrived!"At those words, everyone looked down the hill to see a Passat stopping there, with three women and one man alighting.Goldilocks licked her lips and sighed in disappointment. "That's Lugh Frankton? Woah, he's such a looker… shame that you're going to rub that face in the dirt."The hag snorted in annoyance. "Could you stop being such a skank? Quit falling for every man you meet, for starters."The middle-aged man with a hawkish nose quickly reasoned, "It isn't Goldie's fault. Eve
And yet, Frank managed to dispatch Bald Eagle in just a few moves. How did that even make sense?!"He's no pushover. Let's go together—don't fall behind now!"The brat led the charge this time, facing off against Frank with his deer-horn knives while the hag and Goldilocks cut off Frank's escape.Frank simply smirked. "Don't you know that the weirder the weapon, the harder you fall?"The brat was not letting up, however, watching Frank closely while signaling subtly at the hag and Goldilocks.Both women waited for their chance, with one aiming her palm while the other kicking toward Frank's vitals.When Frank vaulted past them, the brat's knives were waiting where he would land… but the brat swung and missed."It's been a while since I broke a sweat!" Frank chuckled, flexing his arms.-At the same time, Axel walked up to Sally, nodding politely. "There's really no one else like you, Ms. York, goading that brat to come to my hill with words alone. Otherwise, I really don't kno
Sadie and Ida could not help applauding right then. "That's so cool, master!"Earlier, they were actually worried if Frank really could beat The Plough, only for him to slice through them like a burning knife through butter.On the other hand, Axel was terrified and turned to whisper to Sally, "You're really sharp, Ms. York… I could never have imagined that he was that amazing!"Sally completely ignored him, however, and folded her arms before her chest as she studied her surroundings…Farek strode up to Armless Dutton just then, not holding back as he taunted, "So, do you believe me now?""What are you spacing out for?! Fight!" Armless Dutton spat.Farek was not sure if he should laugh or cry. "What am I supposed to do, boss? You're much better than I am, but he beat you anyway. I'd never win no matter how many times I try in this lifetime.""You coward!" Armless Dutton shrieked hysterically. "Why did I even recruit you to The Plough?!"Farek simply laughed himself silly. "I'm
Still, Sadie warned, "Mr. Hamm, have you considered the possibility that all of Skywyrm Guild put together wouldn't be able to beat my mentor? Quit talking big, or you'd hurt your hip."Axel ignored her, however, and waved.Countless archers appeared, training their crossbows at Frank while Axel gloated. "You're right. They won't win against that brat in a barehanded fight, but times have changed! Even if I'm not getting guns, this would still be enough!"He then spread his arms loftily like a king. "All of you, kneel!"Sadie and Ida were spooked at that, as Axel was right—no matter how good Frank was, he would be helpless against so many crossbows.Sadie promptly shielded Frank behind herself. "Master, run!""Run? Where to? The best thing to do about this is to kill that geezer!" Frank chuckled, pointing at Axel fearlessly.Axel snorted. "I must say that you're surprising me by still remaining calm—it's the first time I've met a man like you. I don't mind letting you leave a pr
"That's not what you said earlier." Frank smirked and glanced at Farek and the others. "And I'm sure someone would kill him for me even if I don't do it, right?"As he strode off, Sally and the others quickly followed, not bothered by the screams that soon rang behind them.Ida even joked with him, "That was amazing, master. You should've told me—I would've streamed it live, and you'd definitely get very popular!"Frank ignored her and turned toward Sally. "So? Are you satisfied?""What?!" Sally appeared perplexed. "What are you talking about, handsome? I'm not sure I'm following?"Frank snorted and ignored her too while hurrying ahead.Sally hurried after him, yapping endlessly, "What were you talking about? Don't keep me in the dark—I hate it when people do it to me."Frank continued to ignore her as they headed down Laron's Peak, where Frank noticed a familiar figure at the bottom.It was Jouri Yelin!"What a coincidence, handsome—we meet again." Jouri smiled as she went up
Jouri said, "Come on. Even if you don't trust me, you can trust your own strength and believe that you'd definitely overcome any hurdles I have in store for you."Frank remained half in the dark but decided he should help for Alda Ingram's sake.As they sped away, Ida and Sadie were left trading glances. "What do we do now?"Sally smiled. "I'll get you a car. As apprentices, you really shouldn't be third-wheeling when your mentor is flirting!"Both Ida and Sadie smiled but said nothing, as their mentor was really so lucky with women that even they were a little jealous.-Meanwhile, Frank drove for thirty minutes, eventually arriving outside a mansion.Jouri alighted and said, "My boss would like to see you. He has a gift waiting!"Frank followed her into the mansion, not particularly aware of what was happening.He then felt a strange sensation when he stepped inside and looked down to see that his ring was reacting with a purple glow."Your ring could sense it, it seems…" J
Frank thought about his options but eventually decided to just play along—that was the only way to uncover Hector's real goal."I'll take the box," he said. "But I won't show mercy if you're going to play some trick on me.""Then I thank you on behalf of all the major sects," Hector said, bowing at him again.That was when all the windows around shattered as thirtyish black-clad men leap inside. All of them unsheathed identical sabers, looking menacing as they stood there.Hector was not afraid, even laughing coolly, "I'm surprised… You're all really eager to die! Our informant is right—you are all a bunch of mindless fools.""No, we're surprised that KPI would come on our turf." A short man strode up, smirking in turn. "How did you get the balls to, presuming that we're pushovers?""This, of course!"Hector flashed his emerald, which flashed in green radiance that illuminated the entire room.However, before it really activated, Frank's ring flashed as well, rendering the emer
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