While looking into those bright eyes, Felix, who intended to brush things off, finally admitted it. "Yes, it's me."Xena waved her hand dismissively, silently telling him to leave.Felix couldn't figure out what was going on in Xena's mind. He didn't know if Willow's letter affected her.For some reason, Felix felt a sense of relief. He had done what he could—the rest didn't matter.By the time he returned to Gray City, night had fallen. Nala greeted him, "Welcome back. Come eat."The timing was perfect, and Felix didn't question it since he was hungry. "Thank you."After finishing his meal, Felix stopped Nala from doing the dishes. "You gave up everything to be with me. Is it truly out of love?"Nala thought for a moment. "Not entirely. At the very least, I do care about you."Nala was being genuine, that was if she ignored Felix's abilities and his overly protective mother.However, Felix shook his head. "You don't even dare to show me your face. You should leave. There's no
"There is a way. That woman told me that if I could find a husband to defeat her brother, she'd give me the antidote. The only condition is that my husband cannot be from our place," Nala explained.Felix understood everything. "Is that why you targeted me? Did you think I could win the antidote for you?"Nala nodded. "Yes. I didn't think much of anyone from this part of town before. But then you appeared and won my heart."Felix studied her carefully. "Here's the deal. I'll ask for your help if I ever need it. In return, I'll defeat her brother as your husband and get you the antidote. After that, we'll be even."Though Nala was excited, she felt her heart clench. "Is that it? Can't we go further in our relationship?"Judging by his gaze, she knew it wasn't because of her appearance."At least for now, it's not possible. I'm going to bed." Felix waved her off.The next day, Nala went to the clinic early. Felix, who slept in until past 9:00 am, was startled to find Averill besid
When Felix arrived at the clinic, he saw a teenage girl sitting nervously while Melissa tried talking with her.The girl was simply dressed and seemed incredibly shy."I'm Felix Zeller. Are you looking for me?" he asked curiously. He had never seen this girl before and was even more confused about who her sister might be.When she heard his name, the girl shot to her feet, flustered. "Hello, Felix."Felix tried to appear as kind and approachable as possible. "Don't be nervous. What's your sister's name? How does she know me?"The girl seemed to struggle with her words and finally pulled out her phone to play a video. "Hello, future brother-in-law. Tammy is an acquaintance. If she's ever in trouble, please lend her a hand. I'm not around anymore."Cynthia? Felix was speechless. He had never expected that the sister Tammy referred to would be Cynthia."I do know Cynthia. Tell me what's wrong, and I'll help you." It didn't matter to Felix where Cynthia was from. She had helped him
Tammy's grandmother, Gloria Locke, asked nervously, "Is… is Tammy not doing well in school?" Felix smiled. "Not at all! Tammy is doing great. I'm just here for a visit. Please don't worry."After chatting for a while, Felix excused himself and went downstairs. According to Tammy, the people threatening them had told them to leave today, or they would take drastic measures."Go back upstairs, Tammy. I'll handle the rest. I promise they won't disturb you and your grandma again," Felix promised.Tammy was moved by his actions and thanked him."I meant what I said earlier. If you get into college, I'll sponsor you with a hundred thousand dollars a year until you graduate." Felix smiled.Felix admired Tammy's resilience. He was cautious not to give her too much money all at once, fearing it might spoil her. He planned to continue supporting her once she entered the workforce."Thank you, Felix. I'll work hard!" Tammy planned to skip college, telling Gloria she failed the entrance e
Billy grinned and pointed at himself. "What's the matter? Are you mesmerized by me? Or do you know me?"After taking a deep breath, Selmer forced a smile and waved it off. "Sorry, I mistook you for someone else."Once Billy left, Felix turned to Selmer. "What was that about? Did you mistake him for someone else?"Selmer's expression was a mix of shock and fear. Only a few people could get such a reaction from Selmer, someone close to achieving Blood Realm.Selmer clenched his teeth. "Here's the thing, Mr. Zeller. 50 years ago, I was injured and fleeing through a forest. That's when I stumbled upon a fight between two people. No, you can't even call it a fight since it ended in the blink of an eye. The old man was instantly killed by a young man."Felix chuckled at the story. "You're not about to tell me that young man was Billy, are you?"Selmer nodded. "Yes! At least, he looked exactly like Billy. They have the same face and build."Felix's eyes sparkled with interest. He trust
"Interesting. Where did you learn that?" Billy asked.Felix recalled hearing about it from Nala while in Astoria. How could he forget? "You're not pulling my leg, right?"Billy was annoyed. "I never lie! Well… except for that time with Queenie when she paid me extra. Anyway, this harmonica is a genuine artifact. So, do you want it?"Felix extended a finger toward the harmonica. "I owe you one." "Two favors," Billy countered. "One," Felix insisted."Deal!" Billy huffed.As Felix fiddled with the harmonica, he asked, "Do I just play it?""First, you need to perform a blood-binding ritual. Once the artifact gets your blood, it will merge into your body, and you can use it as naturally as your own hands."Felix felt his excitement grow. This was the first time he had encountered something out of a fantasy novel. This artifact worked with a blood-binding ritual, unlike the Dragonspine, which required the Dragons Destroyer.Felix pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall
Felix eagerly took the item from Leslie and saw it was a medical book. "Was Mr. Hoffman keeping this from me?" Felix cursed at his stingy mentor."Why are all the pages blank?" He flipped through the book, only to find it empty. "Mr. Hoffman said you need to bind it with your blood to access its contents," Leslie explained. Felix's excitement grew. If it required a blood-binding ritual, it had to be something extraordinary. He pricked his finger and dripped blood onto the book. Like the harmonica, the book vanished and became one with his body.Felix quickly scanned the book's contents. Within moments, he was engrossed, oblivious to Leslie speaking beside him. "Felix, do you want me to massage your legs? You used to enjoy it when I did that for you."After some time, Felix felt something unusual and opened his eyes. To his surprise, Leslie's face was flushed red, and her hands were placed somewhere… less than appropriate."Leslie, weren't you supposed to be massaging my le
"Watch closely! A new round begins!" Thomas threw a die onto the ground. When it stopped rolling, it showed a six.Tammy moved forward, counting six steps before stopping. She looked at Hudson tearfully, who remained motionless. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry!"Thomas had devised a cruel game. When the die stopped rolling, whoever crawled the number first would win. If Hudson lost, he would be beaten. If Tammy lost, she would have to remove a piece of clothing.The game had already gone through three rounds. Hudson hadn't moved a single time, unwilling to let Tammy suffer humiliation."What a man," Thomas sneered and waved his hand. Two men stepped forward with baseball bats and began beating Hudson.Even though Hudson was a martial artist, the relentless beatings, on top of his previous injuries, were unbearable. Still, he didn't let out a single cry. Instead, he glared furiously at Thomas. "You monster! She's still in high school! You'll regret this!"Thomas stood up and smashed
Ginny was naturally present as well, and she spoke up at that moment. "Mr. Goldstein, no one wanted to see Justus die like that. But why did you bring your people to Longstone residence? Are you suggesting that his sudden death has something to do with us?"Joaquin's expression grew darker as he looked at her. He blamed Ginny for this, thinking that none of this would have happened if she had just agreed earlier. And now, they couldn't even determine the cause of death."No connection? That doctor from your household, Felix Zeller—he's the one responsible for Justus' death."Right then, someone spoke up from the crowd. "That's him! That's Felix Zeller!"Felix, who had been calmly sitting in a chair, finally saw Wagner standing among them. And in that moment, everything made sense."Wagner? You've gotten quite bold, huh?" Gras sneered.Wagner flinched at Gras's words, but remembering that he now had the Goldsteins backing him, he stiffened his spine and stood tall. "Cut the crap
In Cloud City, there were a few noble families. Nonetheless, behind the polite smiles, tensions surged. Infiltrating each other's estates with spies had practically become a tradition. While they rarely uncovered major secrets, the information they did gather always gave them a head start.So when the news broke, Gras didn't doubt it for a second. He jumped to his feet, furious. "This is outrageous! Their son dies, and somehow it's the Longstone family's fault?"Ryker looked just as puzzled, agreeing that the accusation made no sense.But Felix let out a quiet, weary sigh. "Mr. Longstone, I'm afraid this is probably my fault. I'm a doctor, and I've gotten a bit of attention lately. After they failed to determine the cause of Justus' death, and given our meeting earlier today, they likely saw an opportunity to drag your family into the mess." Gras's expression darkened, knowing that Felix wasn't wrong. After all, doctors could also be poisoners, and plenty of martial artists had fa
It was clear someone had said something to Justus. Otherwise, this situation wouldn't have escalated to this point.Felix said calmly, "It was a standard therapeutic massage technique, and I was blindfolded the entire time. Does that explanation satisfy you? Or would you rather find someone else capable of treating Ms. Longstone—I'll gladly step aside if you can."Justus sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. "Cut the crap, Felix. Don't act like I don't know exactly what's going through your head. Ginny's the heiress of the Longstone residence—Gras's precious jewel. Everyone knows that marrying her is like securing the entire household. Don't tell me that thought never crossed your mind.""It didn't," Felix said simply.Unfortunately, that answer was never going to satisfy Justus. He snarled, "Listen up, boy! I'm giving you three days to get the hell out of the Longstone residence. If you don't, you won't even get the chance to regret it. Everyone else might be afraid of Gras—but I
As Wagner watched Justus explode in rage, he felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. With what he'd just uncovered, there was no need to exaggerate—it was already explosive enough on its own.After all, Justus' future fiancée was touched in that kind of intimate way by a young, healthy doctor. Any man with a spine would lose it."But Justus," Wagner added with a smirk. "Didn't Felix just get publicly praised by the Green King?"Cloud City wasn't that big. Anyone with any influence had been keeping close tabs on Green King Manor—especially with the mystery man who walked out of Desolated Lands involved. So, the news of Felix being rewarded had already spread far and wide.Justus clenched his jaw. "So what? It's just a flash in the pan. If he was truly skilled, the Green King would've kept him. But as long as he hasn't climbed into the Green King's inner circle, I can crush him whenever I want."Wagner's grin widened. That was exactly the attitude he needed. If Justus had shown
The moment the Flame Monarch mentioned the Healer Sage, the Green King's expression shifted noticeably. "So the Sage really was living out there in seclusion... No wonder. Flame Monarch, does this mean you've taken a liking to Felix?"But the Flame Monarch waved his hand dismissively. "There's no need for that."That response made the Green King secretly rejoice. If the Flame Monarch didn't intend to recruit Felix, then he understood why—and that was perfect. It meant the opportunity to take Felix under his own wing was wide open.The night passed quietly. Felix stood beside Christopher's bedside, noticing the man's breathing had grown steady and stable.At this point, the herb had run its course and was no longer effective. But what was left inside Christopher's soul—a strange, lingering force—was exactly what Felix had hoped for.Christopher was alive but completely unconscious. The remaining energy had no regenerative properties, which meant he'd likely never wake again. For Fe
Felix wasn't the least bit surprised by the Flame Monarch's reaction, but he still feigned confusion. "Flame Monarch, I'm sorry... but I don't understand. What do you mean by soul-related injuries?"Just from that single line, Felix confirmed what he suspected—Aquamarinus had no concept of soul-based matters. Whether it was training methods or anything else, this realm hadn't yet touched that domain.The Flame Monarch stared at him, pressure radiating from his body. Felix immediately felt his limbs start to tremble under the invisible weight."You don't know? Then how could you claim to treat that man's condition?" Felix calmly pointed toward the herbs laid out on the table. "The force inside him is definitely strange. It triggered a memory... I once sensed something very similar, and it came from within that herb. It was purely instinct—when something feels familiar, there's a chance it might work."The Flame Monarch shifted his gaze to the herb, then said flatly, "Start from th
Felix gave him a direct and honest answer. "As long as I have enough herbs. I can treat him. I won't promise a full recovery, but one thing I can guarantee you is that this man won't die."For now, that was the best possible answer anyone could offer.The Flame Monarch replied, "Good. Begin. As long as you can keep him alive, you'll be handsomely rewarded."It seemed the Flame Monarch already knew something and never truly expected anyone to completely cure Christopher. Preserving his life alone would already be a feat."Flame Monarch, please reconsider!" one of the elderly doctors suddenly cut in, seething with resentment. "This boy is barely grown—how could he possibly possess such remarkable skill in medicine?"The Flame Monarch turned and gave him a cold, mocking glance. "If he can't do it, then can you?"The old man went silent. Perhaps fearing the loss of favor or acting out of sheer pride, he hesitated. Eventually, he found the courage to speak again."I admit I can't, bu
The Green King's expression changed instantly, and he turned to Felix in a hurry. "Dr. Zeller, please come with me to greet him.""Of course," Felix replied.For anyone in Aquamarinus, getting the chance to see the Flame Monarch up close was like a once-in-a-lifetime dream, and people would probably die happy just for that. Naturally, Felix put on a show of reverence as well, even if he didn't feel it deep down.As they reached the front gate, Felix saw several figures striding toward them with heavy steps. At the front of the group was a towering man, nearly nine feet tall. Even someone as built as Dave looked like a delicate bystander next to him.What stood out the most was his bright crimson hair, which flared upward like flames, making it look like his head was on fire. His facial features were fairly average, but the power behind his gaze radiated pure, undeniable authority.So, this was the Flame Monarch?Felix studied him closely. He suspected the man had cultivated some
According to the rules set by the Flame Monarch, the position of Minor Kings rotated every five years. Those who made outstanding contributions could keep their titles, but anyone who fell short would have to fight for their place all over again.The Green King knew he wasn't particularly strong—he was painfully aware of that. And with the next year marking the fifth year, the pressure was mounting fast. So when Christopher appeared, it felt like fate. If he could heal this man before the Flame Monarch arrived with his elite doctors, the credit would be immense, and his reappointment would be virtually guaranteed. Anyone who had never held a Minor King title wouldn't understand just how many perks came with it. If they did, no one would give it up willingly."I can treat him," Felix said calmly. "But I can't promise a full recovery."The Green King smiled. "Do your best. Even if you can only keep him alive, that alone is worth it."Two doctors before had said that Christopher's b