With a wave of his right hand, Felix revealed his true face. He said calmly, "Don't worry, they have no idea it was me."The old man seemed lost in thought for a moment before he finally spoke. ""As far as I know, only a Shadow Mask can achieve such a perfect disguise. Are you sure you're not from that side?" Felix was stunned. How did this old man even know about the Shadow Mask?The elderly man continued, "No wonder when our bodies made contact earlier, your bone age revealed you were just a young man despite your middle-aged appearance. It was the Shadow Mask all along." Felix was not shocked, knowing that any Blood Realm martial artist could instantly detect bone age through physical contact. This basic skill led the old man to recognize his prodigious talent."You're quite knowledgeable, sir, but I truly am not from that side," Felix stated.The old man sat down and added, "The Shadow Mask is exclusively circulated on that side, with only five existing. Obtaining one is q
Since the mysterious young man, Kendrick was the second person to identify Felix as a Dragons Destroyer practitioner. Kendrick said, "No need to hide it. Without Dragons Destroyer training, you wouldn't be able to sense the Dragonspine's energy signature and track it here."Kendrick's eyes filled with nostalgia as he continued, "The Maximus family ancestor was the first person to master Dragons Destroyer successfully. How else would I know about it or have frequent access to Dragonspine?"Felix was stunned to learn that the first Dragons Destroyer practitioner Gerald mentioned was actually Kendrick's ancestor. He admitted, "You're right—I do practice Dragons Destroyer."But I have a question. I recently encountered a young man from the other side who was incredibly powerful. I couldn't even fight back, yet he knew about my Dragons Destroyer training and even the exact number of Dragonspine pieces I possessed."Kendrick chuckled knowingly. "That must have been someone from the Max
Felix bowed deeply to Kendrick and said solemnly, "Sir, forgive me." During the drive back, Luna noticed Felix's somber mood, so she refrained from saying anything to him. Once they entered the city, Felix broke the silence and asked, "Do you have any connections for unofficial border crossings?""Yes, we have someone from Astoria who handles that. It's completely reliable," Luna replied. Felix nodded thoughtfully. "Let's keep it as a backup plan. We might need it someday."After encountering the Westerio Order, Felix suspected they might interfere with his mission. Given their absolute control abroad, legal routes home might become impossible. Hence, having alternative plans seemed wise.Felix spent the entire day indoors while Luna returned home at his request. With the looming threat of the Westerio Order, he felt it safer for her to leave Guneria. As night fell, Felix stood near an abandoned single-story house in the desert wasteland of Guneria. The nearest road was over
As Felix's words settled in, two figures emerged slowly from the abandoned house.Meanwhile, John was nearly delirious with excitement from his position far away. Despite his men being scared off by Felix's strength, John's mood remained unaffected, almost giddy. "Mr. Reynolds, why are you so happy?" his assistant, Eugene Klein, asked, confused by John's elated behavior. Given his usually cautious nature, John should have fled immediately after the failure. Yet, here he was, practically dancing with joy.John replied with a grin, "You wouldn't understand! Those two are terrifyingly skilled. Felix won't make it out of this, so I'm celebrating early. Go on, open that bottle of champagne I brought. You should have a drink too."John's experience and insight told him that Felix was most likely finished. Skyward Guild and the Greenes had sent two lethal experts, which explained why the Elders' Council had decided not to get involved. At that point, the outcome seemed pretty clear.
The Greenes' involvement was no surprise after their previous confrontation, and, of course, they would not miss this opportunity abroad. Skyward Guild's presence also confirmed Felix's suspicions."Enough talk. I'm not exactly a fan of Guneria either, so let's not waste time," one of the elders said casually."Perfect, I couldn't agree more!" Felix's smile grew brighter as his aura surged, causing both men to look at him with surprise."Gage wasn't wrong at all—this young man has indeed reached True Blood Realm," one master remarked. Though they maintained their composure, they were shocked that someone so young had achieved their level. After all, it had taken them decades of training to reach it. The comparison was enough to make them choke on their frustration. Still, it did not matter much. There were two of them, both in the True Blood Realm, while Felix was alone. Two against one—the odds were solidly in their favor.Felix chuckled, cracking his knuckles. "You two old-ti
Felix moved with lightning speed, his overwhelming presence leaving the two martial artists unable to even resist. "Enough talking! Submit, or die!" Felix demanded, his tone icy and commanding.Since gaining the loyalty of Selmer, a Blood Realm major mastery warrior, Felix had prioritized subduing his enemies whenever possible. These two True Blood Realm masters presented an opportunity too valuable to waste. "I'll submit!" Louise, the elder working for the Greenes, responded immediately. As a hired hand with no true loyalty to the Greenes, his quick surrender was unsurprising.Felix turned to Skyward Guild's master, slowly raising his right hand. "I am a Guardian of the Skyward Guild, and you expect me to submit? If you dare kill me, the Skyward Guild won't—" Before he could finish, Felix struck him down. After that, he used the Soul Sealing Needle on Louise, successfully adding him to his ranks. Though he now commanded only Selmer and Louise, Felix believed his force woul
After finishing his business, Felix decided not to let Louise return home just yet. A True Blood Realm fighter could still be quite useful, especially since Felix was about to embark on a critical mission. It was better to make some extra preparations rather than risk anything going wrong.The next day, around noon, Felix visited a restaurant in Drapetown. After ordering several dishes, he made an unexpected request to the server. "Could I speak with your owner? I'm interested in buying this restaurant—money is not an issue," Felix said.The server responded politely, "I apologize, sir, but our owner has made it clear that the restaurant isn't for sale."As if anticipating this response, Felix gestured toward the packed dining room. "Is that so? Well, all these people are with me. Don't worry, they won't cause trouble, but I can't control how long they'll stay here to dine."It was only 11:00 am, typically a time when the restaurant would have just one or two tables occupied. The
As the sun began to set, Helena sat in a private room of the Drapetown restaurant, listening to her subordinate's report."Ms. Mooney, we've uncovered his background! Felix is quite something—he's connected to the Starfires in Astoria, supposedly the beloved grandson of one of Kyro's old friends. However, our Westerio Order's investigation suggests there's more—he's likely the Shadowstalker Emperor's illegitimate son."Helena's eyes sparkled with interest as she laughed. "The Shadowstalker Emperor's son? Well, that explains everything. With Reagan's status in Astoria, it makes sense for the Starfires to step in as a cover to avoid scandal." Her subordinate nodded in agreement. "This guy seems to be quite carefree and privileged, and his features suggest mixed heritage—likely between the Shadowstalker Emperor and someone from Dragonia."Apparently, he got bored in Astoria and decided to find the best Dragonian cuisine to franchise worldwide. Money really does allow for such whims.
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