Alfie felt a stinging pain when Nala smacked the back of his head. He froze, utterly dumbfounded."When did I say such nonsense? Do you want me to hit you?" Nala asked.Rubbing the sore spot on his head, Alfie smirked. "It's over," he thought. "Lady Nala is absolutely serious this time."Five minutes later, Noah lay sprawled on the ground, struggling to get up. His body refused to obey, leaving him bruised and battered beyond recognition."Are… Are you really in Aetherial Realm?"He was utterly broken. Since stepping into Oceanus Realm, he had carried immense pride in his abilities. He wouldn't claim invincibility at his rank, but he always had absolute confidence in his strength.Yet, all that confidence had been shattered. If Felix had defeated him with some powerful technique or secret art, he could have accepted it. However, Felix had relied solely on raw physical strength. With no techniques, he had still beaten him to a pulp, leaving him on the verge of death. It was absurd
Felix's interest was piqued. Truth be told, he didn't know much about his nine fellow apprentices. For instance, Averill had her own assassin organization, and Delilah was none other than the famous singer, Dreamscape."Oh? Really? Then, tell me all about it."Noah opened his mouth as if to speak but suddenly seemed to think better of it. He shook his head vigorously."No, no! I almost walked into a disaster! She's your fellow apprentice, and if you don't know about it, it's probably because she doesn't want you to know. If I blab, and she finds out, I'll be as good as dead," Noah said, fear filling his eyes. "Worse, she won't stop with me—she'll wipe out everyone connected to me. I'm talking everyone. Even the earthworms in my backyard won't escape her blade!"Felix was dumbstruck. Was Eloise really that terrifying?"Fine. If that's the case, I won't force you." He waved dismissively. "I'm just a guy trying to live a normal life. Well, now that I know this, my impression of the
Earlier in the day, Felix had sent Xena a message about a newly released comedy movie, suggesting they watch it together in a few days. To his surprise, Xena replied that they could go that very day."Have you solved that case you were working on?" Felix asked.The case involved over a dozen children, and Felix knew how deeply it had affected her. He didn't think she'd be in the mood for a movie otherwise."It's been solved. However, I can't share the details with you.""Solved?" Felix thought to himself, frowning. He had personally dealt with the mastermind behind it, ensuring the case would remain a mystery. How could it possibly have been resolved? Something about this was odd."They've caught someone?" Felix pressed. "Come on. You know I'm not the type to spread things around. Tell me."His curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't resist probing further, even if it risked annoying her.After a moment of hesitation, Xena finally relented. "Alright. I guess I can tell
Sitting on the couch was Asher from the Greene family, which explained Felix's harsh words."Whether I die or not has nothing to do with you."Asher stood up, his eyes burning with anger."I don't care. You're the last bloodline left of Uncle Victor. As long as there's even a shred of hope, I won't just watch you throw your life away."Felix made a gesture, signaling Asher to continue, but said nothing."Humph! You have no idea just how terrifying Aiden is. I'll tell you one thing. You must give whatever he wants to him within the set time, or you'll truly die. And it will be a slow, agonizing death."Asher knew Felix well enough to understand that he likely dismissed Aiden's warning, which was why he had come personally to Canraville. He could never repay Victor's kindness, so he should at least try to do it through Felix.Still, Felix remained silent, even opening the door as if to indicate the conversation was over.As Asher stepped toward the door, he paused, leaving one la
"By the way, Rosalyn asked when you'll be coming over." Jeffrey asked."Right now," Felix replied. "My patient comes first. Since I've agreed, there's no reason to delay any further."After all, this concerned the fourth piece of the Dragonspine. He couldn't afford to waste any time.On the surface, it seemed like everything was good to go. However, Felix wasn't so sure if that'd still be the case once he arrived at Ruby Manor. To increase the likelihood of obtaining the Dragonspine, he needed more leverage."Jeffrey, do you have Axel Crayden's contact?""I do."Jeffrey was puzzled. Was there any connection between Axel and the current situation?"Call him and tell him I'll be at Ruby Manor this afternoon. You don't have to tell him anything else.""Alright. I'll take care of that now."After informing Xena, Felix boarded a flight alone. Jeffrey didn't intend to join him. His personal connection with Rosalyn made it awkward for him to go. It would attract unnecessary gossip.
"Not your boyfriend?" Felix was confused.That was until he heard Nancy's voice, barely audible as she murmured, "Husband."Felix blinked. "What's the difference?"Nancy mustered the courage to look up and explain, "If I say boyfriend, it makes him think there's still a chance. But a husband will completely shut him down."Ah, so that was her plan—quite thorough. "Alright."At the domestic arrivals gate of Aleshire Airport, the passing crowd couldn't help but take a second look. Two rows of men in black suits stood in formation. At the front, a young man with slicked-back hair held a large bouquet of roses. He was decently good-looking and was clearly waiting for someone.Some sharp-eyed observers noticed his wristwatch—a Patek Philippe—and, combined with the entourage, it was clear he was someone wealthy. In Dragonia, there was a saying, "The rich in Aleshire were the real rich, while everyone else was just playing pretend"."Isn't that Ronald Sullivan, the second heir of U
By the time Ronald snapped out of it, Felix and Nancy were already gone."Damn it! They're like the beauty and the beast. What a waste of my time!"Ronald had completely lost interest in Nancy. He had two principles when it came to women: they either had to have both beauty and a great figure, or if they were slightly lacking, they had to be untouched.Nancy wasn't stunning enough to truly captivate him, but she had kept herself well-guarded. Such a pity.Inside the taxi, Nancy's heart was still racing wildly."Did that work?"Nancy nodded. "Yes. I looked into Ronald's preferences. It should be fine now. I'm sorry for not giving you a heads-up earlier."Felix sighed inwardly. In a situation like this, where the man clearly had the upper hand, Nancy was still apologizing."It's alright. It's fine as long as we avoided trouble this time."There was one thing Nancy didn't say. That kiss had been her first. And to her surprise, she hadn't felt the slightest discomfort—in fact, she
Felix's expression darkened as he looked at the three young men, their faces filled with contempt."Is this how the Ruby family treats their guests?"Reid, the so-called fourth brother, spoke again, his tone still arrogant, "How we treat guests in the Ruby family is none of your business. If you've got the skills, prove it and make us step aside willingly instead of running your mouth."Felix sneered and turned to Rosalyn. "Your fourth brother, is it? Either he apologizes to me, or I leave right now. Did he think just any Tom, Dick, or Harry has the right to question me?"Rosalyn panicked. She hadn't expected things to escalate like this. "Mr. Zeller, please wait!"But Felix's remark completely enraged Reid."Hah! Talking big on the Ruby family's turf? You want an apology? Fine! I'll give you a chance. Apologize to me now, or you won't make it out of this house."No elder had stepped in so far, which clearly indicated that these three had been given permission to act as they ple
The existence of crossbreeds was classified as top secret by headquarters. If word got out, even if the general public remained unaware, just the knowledge reaching certain members within headquarters would cause mass panic.Would you dare to question whether your partner might be a Malevolent Phantom? Would you risk wondering if your child inherited some of its traits and became a crossbreed? No one wanted to shoulder that responsibility.Take Johann and his team, for example. They had absolutely no knowledge of crossbreeds, and their resistance right now stemmed entirely from their own moral convictions."Sir!"Johann didn't dare stop Felix outright, but he raised his voice to make his stance clear. The others followed suit, not to mention Lina, who was still sobbing uncontrollably, and Steve, whose eyes were red with fury as he glared at Felix without a hint of fear."Mr. Zeller! If you're really going to take my grandson, you'll have to step over my dead body first!"Tears st
"So what?" Lina asked. "Even if I lied, what does that person's death have to do with my son?"Felix suddenly roared, "Are you telling me that when you opened the door, your son never left your sight for even a second?""I—"Lina opened her mouth but suddenly found herself at a loss for words. That instinctive hesitation was the most telling of all."Get the car ready. Take her with us. We're going to Lina's house.""Yes, sir!"The convoy arrived at a luxurious mansion in Zuera. The moment Felix and his team rushed inside, they saw Steve sitting in the living room, holding a three-year-old boy in his arms."Mr. Zeller, why are all of you here?"Lina, restrained by Felix's men, screamed in a frenzy, "Dad! Save Leonardo! They're trying to take him away!"Then, she turned to Felix, shouting in fury, "You monsters! He's just three years old, and you suspect him of murder? I'll expose you! I'll take you to court!"By the time she finished, she was sobbing uncontrollably."Mr. Zel
Even though Lina knew Felix held an unimaginably high status—so high that even Steve feared him—his continued questioning and the direction of his suspicions pushed her to the edge. The mere idea that her son might be involved sent her into a silent rage.She was a mother, and when it came to her child, she did not care who the hell the other person was."I'm just asking questions," Felix said flatly. "Just answer them. Don't make me start quoting laws and rights to get you to cooperate."His voice was so calm. For a moment, Lina wondered if she had overreacted, so she took a breath and continued.She explained, "He wasn't in the stall. It's way too small in there. I left the door cracked open so he could see me, and since I had the tether on, plus the nanny and driver waiting outside, I wasn't worried about him wandering off."Felix did not say anything right away. He stood there, clearly deep in thought.Silvercrest Restaurant might have been an upscale dining place, but it was
"Can you cooperate now?" Felix asked calmly.Lina snapped back to her senses, her face burning with embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "I'll fully cooperate from now on."Sure enough, seeing the richest man's daughter completely fold made the rest of the group abandon any rebellious thoughts. Whatever frustration they had been feeling vanished instantly.Once they were settled, Felix began examining them closely. This was not just a casual observation. He activated his Spirit Eye, a skill from the Phaeron Codex that allowed him to see into a person's soul.After reaching Higher Spirit Realm, Felix had gained access to this ability, but he had never actually used it to inspect a Malevolent Phantom before. Still, he was sure of one thing—their souls would look nothing like normal humans'.So, checking with Spirit Sight was a far more reliable method than looking at whether someone's wounds were healing.When Felix finished scanning all nine people, he froze, completely s
A few minutes later, Felix stepped into the restroom that had been sealed off. It was a fully enclosed space, with no windows—just a single ventilation fan. That meant there was only one entrance and exit.He examined the body sitting upright on the toilet in one of the stalls. The man's head was resting gently against the tiled wall. His pants were already pulled back up and fastened, clearly indicating he had finished using the restroom. More importantly, it was obvious no one had touched or tampered with the body.Felix commented, "No need to call in forensics. There are no external wounds, and his internal organs are completely intact. We can also rule out heart failure or brain hemorrhages. This wasn't caused by any natural condition."With his medical background, it only took Felix a glance to determine the truth.Johann replied, "Yes, sir. But then… what now? Should we interrogate those nine people?"The closer they got to confirming Malevolent Phantoms were involved, the
Felix said, "Go ahead, Delilah. Zara's in your hands now—take care of her on the road.""Don't worry," Delilah replied.Once Zara was gone, Felix stood there for a moment, feeling a weight settle over his chest. She had already been through so much just surviving the ordeal of Twinshade Body, and he had promised himself—without saying a word—that he would make sure she never suffered like that again.However, no one could have predicted the sudden arrival of the Malevolent Phantoms. That was a nightmare nobody could escape, and only by ending it would they have the right to even dream of a peaceful life.…That evening, as the sun dipped low on the horizon, Felix was having dinner with Luna at a quiet restaurant, and Paul had joined them, too."Thank you, Mr. Zeller. Holden is awake and doing surprisingly well," Paul said, raising his glass.He was genuinely grateful. Even the doctors had called it a miracle. Holden had a severed artery and was transported across a long distance
"Mr. Hoffman?" Felix muttered. No wonder Delilah had shown up in person."Why didn't Mr. Hoffman just call me?" he asked.Delilah shrugged, raising both hands. "Because it's not convenient. If you make one choice, I can report back and be done with it, saving everyone the time."Felix nodded, finally curious about this big choice. Then, Delilah asked, "Zara, the one with Twinshade Body, came to see you, didn't she?"That caught Felix off guard. "How do you know about that?"Delilah rolled her eyes with a little smirk. If one of her fans saw her like this, they would probably faint from the shock.She explained, "It's not like I'm psychic. Mr. Hoffman told me. Ever since you left Martial City and came back, he's had Ophelia keeping an eye on Zara the whole time, so of course he knows."Ophelia? That explained why he had not seen her around since coming back. "So, what's the choice Mr. Hoffman wants me to make? Is it really about Zara?"Delilah nodded firmly. "Exactly. Mr. Hoff
Donna said, "Felix, Specter's the kind of guy who'll stop at nothing. I'll hold back and observe for now, but if you really prove you've got what it takes, I'll act like I never even saw that woman."…Later, Zara was resting her chin in both palms with a sweet, innocent smile on her face. She hummed, "Mhm!"Felix let out a groan and rubbed his face. "Don't just say 'mhm'! Did you even understand what I just told you?"After piecing together everything Donna had said, Felix laid it all out for Zara. Since Specter could strike at any time and Zara still did not know what Malevolent Phantoms even were, he figured she needed to hear it all."Of course I understood. Relax, honey. I'm not stupid," Zara replied casually. Since she got it, Felix finally let himself relax, too. A weight lifted off his chest, and for the first time in a while, he really looked at Zara's flawless face. He thought, "Yeah—there's no way I can hold back anymore."He said, "Let's take care of something… imp
Felix finally snapped out of it. Just moments ago, Donna had looked so grim, claiming something big was about to happen. Yet now, after her whole speech, it was all about the benefits of Zara being a Hollow Soul.Donna said, "Hollow Soul has a unique trait. If consumed, it can greatly boost your chances of success.""Consumed?" That one word made Felix's face darken instantly. "Success in what exactly?"Donna had tried to be vague, but there was no way Felix did not get the implication. To put it bluntly, she was talking about eating Zara's soul."Whether you're stuck at a plateau in your cultivation, your soul is mutating, or you're trying to master powerful soul-based techniques—offensive or defensive—if it's soul-related, Hollow Soul can drastically increase your chances of success."Felix's expression shifted as something came rushing back to him. Billy had once told him that when the Mystical Explosive Orb absorbed enough soul essence to reach capacity, it could be used to re