There was no mistaking it now.The only other person who can use the Death Eater was Donn Lawrence, Lord of the Southern Woods' son and Mystic Sky Sect's senior apprentice who had gone missing three years ago!"Y-You're really alive…?Frank did not turn to look at Silverbell, however—he had more pressing business. "The combat ward may buff your vigors collectively within reach." He suddenly sneered at the Talnamese. "But what if I put in my pure vigor too?""What?!" "Impossible!"The Talnamese around them all astonished, but they soon saw the thick red pure vigor shrouding them from every direction. It was Frank's Death Eater, using their offensive vigor to pervade their combat ward."Argh!"One of the Talnamese collapsed on his knees soon enough, clutching his head.The second followed in under two seconds, and then a third…Like a chain reaction, every Talnamese casting the combat ward collapsed to the floor, their eyes beet red and their faces contorting with madness.
Five minutes after Talc died, there were no living Talnamese left in the factory.Most of them had killed each other, leaving a field of blood and guts that left Gina retching.Cindy's face was pale and stiff, and she did not dare say a word.Frank stood along among the pile of mangled corpses, when he suddenly heard it."Donn…!" He slowly turned to find a girl, her eyes locked on him, welling up with tears as if to tell him about all the years she missed him."You've got the wrong guy," he said, lowering his head in silence. When he looked up again, he was smiling. "My name is Frank Lawrence, not Donn—and I live in Riverton. Do you remember meeting me in Sage Lake Sect's enclave?"Nonetheless, Silverbell was clasping a hand over her dainty lips as she shook her head repeatedly."Stop lying," she cried. "You're Donn—you always will be! Did you know how long I've been looking for you? Everyone told me you're dead… My father, even yours… But I never believed them and kept sear
"Really? Donn… Frank? Can't you reconsider?""It's me, Silverbell… Or you don't like how I look now that I'm grown up?" Silverbell could cry, but she kept herself smiling—the bitter expression left even Ned's heart aching, let alone Frank."No." He shook his head, turning away. "It'd be better if we never meet again.""I see…" Silverbell wiped her face as she strode out of the factory without looking back."Ah, it looks like it's beginning to rain…" she said as if to calm herself, even as she disappeared from sight."Mr. Lawrence…"Ned had no words for Frank just then—he was just an outsider and did not know why Frank would reject someone as beautiful and strong as Silverbell."Phew…" Frank sighed lengthily before turning to Ned. "I'm afraid I need your help to clean up the mess. And if you could, please pretend nothing happened here.""Don't worry." Ned nodded solemnly. Frank then turned to Gina and Cindy, watching them in silence before saying, "Naturally, the same goes
Helen suddenly thought to herself how great it would be if Vicky was there with them.Kat certainly would not strut with Vicky around—not many had the honor of getting one over Vicky when it came to verbal fencing.If anything, Vicky would have tamed the child in no time at all, and Helen was a lot less smart that way—unable to riposte the brat's witty remarks, all she had was Nash's profuse apologies.Naturally, she would not stoop to getting petty with a child either.Just then, Frank led Gina and Cindy in through the door.Helen hurried to them, exclaiming, "Are you alright, Mom?"Gina was her mother after all, and she would be lying if she said she was not worried.She glanced at Frank gratefully too, seeing that he had brought Gina back in one piece."Hmph. Alright?" Gina snorted, already thinking of a script on the way back, shooting Frank a look and grumbling, "They took all our money!""What?" Helen did a double take and pressed urgently, "But the money is from the Sou
"Oh, I'm so sorry." Nash hurried over to apologize. "Children can be really ignorant…""How am I ignorant?" Kat snorted in disdain, folding her arms before her chest. "She lost the money her daughter entrusted to her, and then tells her daughter to sell her company to make up for her mistakes. She's a real bloodsucker, if not worse! Even Dracula himself would have to kowtow to her and ask her to teach him how to be such a natural, shameless bloodsucker."Gina screamed right then, "You brat! I'll tear out that rotten mouth of yours!""Hahaha!!! Fight! Fight! Fight!" Luna clapped as she watched."That's enough!" Frank snapped coldly, finally stopping the mess.On the way back, he was busy thinking about what Talc had told him before he died—Gina's drama was the last thing on his mind.Frowning, he said, "Ned Janko will recover the money the Talnamese took. Aside from the one billion he asked for in our agreement, he'll return the rest as is."Gina breathed a sigh of relief right t
Frank was convinced, but he still worried about Helen's safety.As such, he set the rule that she must stay put at Nash's cottage, which she agreed to eagerly.It appeared that she was pleased that she was allowed to stay.As for Luna, Gina, and Cindy, Frank had Hux Darman's people escort them back to Riverton, in case there were still Talnamese prowling in Morhen.When all of that was done, Frank finally had the time to gather his confused thoughts.The first of his concerns was what Talc had told him.Somehow, he started to see a strange, vague connection between Draconia's leaders, Talnam, his father, his mother's death, and even the massacre of Mystic Sky Sect.And judging from his father and Fenton's reactions, Frank had the feeling that the mastermind was someone even his father—the Lord of the Southern Woods himself—would never challenge.In that sense, Frank now had a feeling that his old man was scapegoated for the massacre of Mystic Sky Sect.However, what on earth w
Frank saw no harm in making the trip.He did not have anything else on his plate at the moment. All he was doing was waiting for Ciaran Zobel to make contact, and she would not be doing so anytime soon.Most importantly… Frank could hear the quiet footsteps shuffling toward his room.Naturally, it was none other than Kat.And with Helen staying in the next room at the moment, what else could happen if Helen caught them?Pausing for a moment, Frank then leapt to his feet, teasing Abel, "You know you'll need to pay a consultation fee if you ask me to make a trip like that, Mr. Loggins.""No problem!" Abel assured him—he was more concerned that Frank would say no.Not only was Frank's abilities as a healer profound, but Abel had to bother him on two occasions already.It was almost common for the best in any business to develop eccentricities, and asking too many favors like Abel had would upset them soon enough. If they were short-tempered, they would be snapping at him already.
Apologizing to his patient, Abel hurried off to receive Frank.However, as Loggins Apothecary was a mansion built in traditional Draconian architecture, there was much ground to cover from his office to the entrance.Abel was so excited that he almost fell a few times, but Jim managed to catch him each time—he would be a laughing stock if he got hurt even before seeing Frank!"Gramps, is the man really as amazing as you say?" asked Jim, a twentyish youth who looked especially soft-spoken with his glasses and actually appeared older than Frank.Still, he was not particularly interested despite his grandfather's excitement. While he respected Frank at first since someone like Abel would go so far as to call him mentor, the man he saw earlier was undoubtedly younger than himself.That in turn left Jim doubtful—was his grandfather senile, mistaking some shaman off the street for an actual healer?Naturally, Jim could not be fully blamed for being presumptuous.When it came to trad
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