Some fence-sitters quietly stood up and discreetly followed the apprentices. Seeing this, Barlow couldn't contain himself any longer and strode to the center of the grand stage."Everyone, remain seated!" Barlow boomed, his voice carrying a level-nine pressure tinged with anger.Immediately, the restless crowd hushed. Those who had intended to leave quietly halted in their tracks before reaching the main gate. The level-nine pressure had a formidable deterrent effect."The ceremony isn't over yet. Leaving now would be defying the Roy family," Barlow continued, then gazing up at the sky, he added, "Who dared to claim earlier that it wasn't a dragon's roar?"From below the stage, silence greeted Barlow. Despite his age, the level-nine's strength was insurmountable. Anyone challenging the claim risked being executed before they could finish their sentence.Hearing no response, Barlow sneered coldly. "Lenny is Dragoria's youngest level-nine, mastering even the Dragon Fist of his prede
The Nether Dragon Armor's surface decorations and paint were instantly vaporized when struck by the thunderbolt. With its special structure and Nether Dragon alloy, the armor held up temporarily. However, the thunderbolt's intense electric energy far exceeded normal lightning.Gradually, under the relentless bombardment of the current, the outer layer of the armor began to peel away like fish scales, each piece quickly vaporized by the high temperature. Lenny started to panic as he observed this."This shouldn't be happening. How can this thunderbolt melt through the armor?" He checked his helmet's panel and saw that the armor was sustaining serious damage. In the next moment, the display screen flickered and went dark. Hissing sounds emerged from various parts of the Nether Dragon Armor. The entire set was melting and disintegrating under the thunderbolt's assault.At Caviar Restaurant below, Barlow was stunned, standing motionless and staring at the sky, his heart filled with an
The Council of Elders, Tommy, Ryden, and the others stood in disbelief as they watched the fireball descending rapidly. They were uncertain of what action to take.Barlow's heart sank, his face deeply furrowed, twitching uncontrollably. He trembled all over, consumed by a mix of sorrow, resentment, and anger. Yet, he had no target for his fury, no one to blame.As the fireball neared the ground, Barlow clenched his fists tightly. With a sudden burst of energy, he leaped, causing the stage to quake with a loud bang. He soared into the sky, ascending tens of meters high. He knew he couldn't allow Lenny to crash.Despite Lenny's strength as a level-nine powerhouse, the lightning strike had likely left him severely injured and unable to protect himself. A fall from such a height would be fatal."Lenny..." Barlow's eyes widened as he reached out, aiming to catch him.But as Barlow approached the height of the top floor of the Caviar Restaurant, a horde of enormous monsters lunged at hi
Inside Caviar Restaurant, those who remained were all supporters of the Roys. Most of them were also enemies of Adrian.Adrian's main concern remained Lenny's condition. "If Lenny were struck dead by lightning just like that, it would truly be a joke," he whispered.His senses probed into Lenny's body and quickly found a faint breath still present. "I didn't expect him to be so resilient, but it’s within expectations. He's a level-nine powerhouse, after all. Even if he survives, he's likely to be severely injured.” He sighed softly.Adrian then noticed a sudden change. Lenny, who had a faint breath and appeared stable, began convulsing violently. His whole body trembled uncontrollably, like someone having a seizure. Soon after, blood mixed with foam sprayed from Lenny's mouth and nose.Lenny suddenly opened his eyes wide and stared at Barlow, saying laboriously, "Adrian... Help me...kill him."Barlow, holding Lenny, and the other elders around him were instantly bewildered.Then
"Golden Snake!" Eden shouted angrily, startling both Golden Snake and Herald nearby. They were bewildered by his sudden outburst. "What's going on?" Eden demanded, thrusting his phone into Golden Snake's face.Golden Snake's eyes widened in shock. "What…What's happening?""That’s what I'm asking you!" Eden grabbed Golden Snake by the collar, effortlessly lifting the latter into the air.Eden was known to be exceptionally strong, close to reaching level nine according to Charlie. Though he hadn't quite made the breakthrough, his power was nonetheless formidable."I-I don't know, Mr. Eden," stammered Golden Snake, fearing for his life.Herald interjected, "Could someone have tampered with us and switched the enhancement elixirs? These creatures aren't the expected monsters from the supposed infection; they resemble..." He paused, deep in thought. "Yes, I recall the Rivera family created a drug years ago called Monkify. Injecting it caused rapid mutations, turning people into ape-l
"Damn it, the swap leads back to Adrian!" Eden cursed, his brow furrowed in frustration.Adrian had always been a thorn in Eden’s side. The pressure Adrian exerted on the Valdez family had left them no room to maneuver. Adrian had seized control of Dragoria's entire underground network, which had once been a significant asset of the Valdez family. Losing these connections had forced them to operate through legitimate channels, rendering useless all contracts enforced by coercion. The Valdezes’ businesses suffered a rapid decline until Adrian's departure allowed them to slowly recover."It's been five years. The Valdezes have finally managed to rebuild and grow. I won't let Adrian destroy it all," Eden muttered fiercely, his eyes glinting with determination.At that moment, he yearned to eliminate Adrian immediately. He even regretted turning down offers from families and factions who sought to assassinate Adrian when he was severely injured and comatose after a major battle, out of
‘If the powerhouse is already dead, why use poison on them?’ Eden wondered, and after several minutes, he suddenly had a realization. His face broke into an almost ecstatic smile.Using the poison on a deceased level-nine powerhouse. The other party wasn't just hinting—they were practically spelling out the solution. Where would one find a dead level-nine? Exactly—the dead Lenny who was in the Roys’ possession. And it hadn't been long since his death, so his body was still fresh.At that moment, the television was airing details about Lenny's funeral. There were to be two ceremonies—one in Dragoria and another in Empereon. The Dragoria service would take place at Imperial Monument Park."If Lenny were to become a monster, how powerful would he be? According to my sources, Lenny was among the top ten level-nines in Dragoria during his lifetime," Eden mused. "If he transforms into a monster, in the entire empire, perhaps only Adrian would have the ability to stop him. Even though Adri
At Imperial Monument Park, representatives from various major families and powers had been gathering for a while. The vast square was packed with people. In front of the square, Barlow stood beneath a huge monument, holding a black umbrella, quietly waiting. His face showed both sorrow and anger as his eyes scanned the crowd. He was searching for someone—Adrian.Before Lenny died, his final words demanded that Adrian be killed. Although Barlow didn't understand the reason, he had sensed Lenny's hatred. In Barlow's mind, Adrian was to blame. If Adrian hadn't been so domineering, the Roys and the Council of Elders wouldn't have needed to organize any inauguration ceremony to vie for power. Without that ceremony, Lenny wouldn't have been struck by lightning.Thinking of this, Barlow clenched his fists in hatred.However, he didn't see Adrian or any of his men in the crowd. Not only was Adrian missing, but so were the people from the Natren Military Region, like Zector. On top of that,