"This is for you."As Nala took out a box for him, Felix was confused."Who is it from?""Aiden."Aiden? Felix's confusion deepened."Why would he send me something?"Shaking her head, Nala explained, "I'm not entirely sure, but he made it clear that if you accept this, it'll settle the debt of him owing you a favor for saving his life. After that, you're even. No favors owed, no strings attached. "Honestly, for someone as arrogant as Aiden, he does have a shred of honor in him at times.""Repaying a life-saving favor with a mere box? Isn't that a bit too arrogant?" Felix thought to himself.However, Felix didn't care. If it had just been him and Aiden in the courtyard yesterday, there was no way he would've stepped in. The hatred between them was too deep—who in their right mind would save their enemy?Yet, yesterday's circumstances left him no choice. With so many people around, even headquarters had taken notice. Could they really have skipped over Aiden's antidote pill?
A chubby little baby danced with joy in front of the camera. His round face and big eyes made him utterly adorable.Felix knew that was him as a child, and the voice that followed sent a shiver down his spine. It was the kind of voice every child would cheer for—the voice of a loving mother."Honey, look! It seems like our son knows today's a special day. Just look at how happy he is," a man said.As the camera pulled back, two faces came into view.The man was handsome, and it was easy to tell it was Victor. However, the woman… Felix was captivated. This was what beauty truly meant. For the first time, he understood the true meaning of the word.While it's true that the woman with the most perfect looks so far was Zara, the woman in the video was the kind of beauty that would stay with one forever, especially when combined with an incomparable maternal glow. It was beyond words."Is this really my biological mother?"Just as the family was immersed in their joyful moment, the
Melissa glanced at Billy and curled her lips in disdain. "You talk like you know everything."Billy chuckled. "Of course I do. That unnamed mountain? Its core has been hollowed out quite a bit. The interior is massive, with a space that looks like some kind of martial training arena. "There are four enormous stone platforms in total, and even masters in Boneforging Realm can't leave a single scratch on them."Surrounding the platforms are stone-carved seats, clearly designed for spectating duels. The exact age of the site is unknown, and the government has been studying it for years. "Unfortunately, they haven't uncovered anything extraordinary about it. So, they decided to use it as the venue for this martial arts competition."Felix gave Billy a skeptical glance. Somehow, hearing it from him didn't make it any more believable."Yeah, right. Keep talking," Nala said as she laughed."Melissa, he's actually telling the truth."When they arrived at the base of the unnamed mount
"I'm sorry! I didn't know who I was dealing with. Please forgive me," the man begged.Though his mind was swirling with a thousand questions, the burly man apologized immediately. What choice did he have? If it came down to a match on the arena stage, was he really willing to risk getting beaten to death?"Thank you, all three of you," Felix said, nodding in gratitude.Of course, he recognized them. They were the people he had saved during the banquet incident."Dr. Zeller, you're being too polite.""This is the least we could do.""Without you, I wouldn't even be standing here today. Please, don't thank us."The three of them knew they had no hope of winning the competition. They were simply here for the experience. Even if they walked away empty-handed, building a good relationship with someone like Felix was well worth the trip.The contestants in the Stage One rest area were visibly stunned. Most of them were strangers to one another, and there had been virtually no interac
"Is that Lord Lionel? Who's the woman next to him? She's so beautiful and elegant," Melissa exclaimed in awe. Her attention was finally captured after Billy pointed out the figure in the audience."She's the legendary Chief Commander who retired from headquarters years ago. Of course, she's qualified to sit as an equal with Lord Lionel.""Really? She's so young, that's just unbelievable!" Melissa thought to herself."Mira, you really kept me in the dark," Lionel said, his tone full of mock resentment as he looked at the woman beside him."What, did you expect me to write on my forehead who my fellow apprentice is? Would that make you happy?"Despite sitting next to Lionel, she remained completely at ease, as if it were the most natural thing in the world."I didn't mean it like that. No wonder Felix is so exceptional. It turns out he's your apprentice, someone who was trained in the same school. It makes sense now. Only someone like Dr. Hoffman could produce a genius who excels i
"Fatso, are you sure you're going to jump to conclusions before the fight even starts?" Melissa said.Though Melissa had a point, Nala couldn't help but remain fixated on the mysterious Billy.She turned her gaze back toward him, curiosity gnawing at her. Honestly, she couldn't see anything extraordinary about the man bundled up in a heavy winter coat.His aura clearly marked him as someone in the Pulse Realm, so why was everyone so convinced that Ocean was doomed?When the names were announced, she finally learned that the opponent's name was Wally Ortiz. It was an odd name, to say the least."Die!"As the match began, Ocean showed no intention of holding back.This was his first fight, and he was determined to make an impression. He needed to demonstrate the brilliance of the second family of Dragonia and pave the way for future triumphs.Just as he was about to strike, the crowd collectively gasped. Ocean froze, sensing something was terribly wrong, but it was already too la
Back in the resting area, Felix had barely settled in when the announcer's voice rang out again.Suddenly, a section of the cliff face seemed to shift, startling everyone.The southern cliff wall, which appeared to ripple, revealed itself to be something entirely unexpected. It wasn't stone but a person.Until then, no one had noticed his presence. He had been sitting cross-legged with his head lowered, blending seamlessly with the cliff. One could tell he was no ordinary person."Competitor number three, Heath Stanton. Interesting," Felix muttered, a faint smile crossing his lips.Heath's ability to suppress his essence was exceptional. Even Felix hadn't sensed him. Surely, he had to be a powerful opponent."I... I surrender!"The competitor assigned to fight Heath had barely moved the boulder blocking their path when they turned to face him, then promptly bolted.Heath stood tall at nearly eight feet with a hulking frame that somehow seemed almost harmless. At the declaration
Felix mirrored the gesture as a sign of respect.Heath reminded him of Ronan in some ways—both carried an air of innocence and inexperience.The match began abruptly, with Heath making the first move. He remained rooted in place and sent a palm strike hurtling toward Felix from a distance.The power was palpable. If his earlier gesture could create gale-force winds, this deliberate attack shattered the very air.A cacophony of snapping and crackling filled the arena, showing just how terrifyingly powerful his seemingly straightforward strike truly was.Felix vanished from his spot and reappeared at Heath's flank, delivering a swift roundhouse kick.Heath didn't dodge or flinch. Instead, he absorbed the attack with his body and struck again.Immediately, Felix retreated several feet away.He felt like he'd kicked against a mountain earlier. It was completely ineffective against Heath, proving that the latter's body possessed incredible resilience to physical attacks.Moreover,
"Felix, don't worry! You're on an official mission to Martial City. That scoundrel is an unexpected problem, but I'll ensure your safety," the Protector reassured Felix as he handed Felix two tokens.The Protector explained, "The red token is essential for entering and leaving Martial City. Without it, no one can safely pass through the barriers. Each token only works once before turning to dust, so guard it carefully. They're extremely rare and valuable, even within Martial City." Felix nodded in understanding as he accepted the tokens, but his attention was drawn to the yellow one. It was round and slightly mysterious."The yellow token wasn't something I originally planned to give you," the Protector continued. "It's not ideal for your growth, but given what just happened, I want to ensure your safety above all else.""If that old man from the Elders' Council comes after you again, don't hesitate to crush this token. Someone will come to your aid immediately."Felix was unsure
"Wait over there. They won't dare touch you," Felix told Xena while maintaining a calm expression as he faced the six Council Elders.In the past, he might have been less confident against these formidable opponents. Each of them was strong enough to challenge those above their level, which was precisely why they had earned their positions as Council Elders.Having dealt with Gage before, Felix knew his cunning and temperament were terrifying. All that made him an exceptionally dangerous adversary."Felix, are you sure about this?" Xena asked worriedly, wondering how the Elders' Council dared to act so boldly and who this Grand Elder was that could hold off the Protector."Just go," Felix replied, his tone firm.Gage took a step forward, his expression cold. "I know you're keeping your cool because you have the Lone Paragon on your side, but relying on something like that won't change your fate." Felix smirked. "Skip the speech. You chose this location because you plan to hide i
"Let's go," Xena said.After getting off the plane, Felix got into a car with Xena behind the wheel. She was driving herself, with no one else accompanying them."In the backpack, you'll find everything you need for Martial City. I'll explain each item as you take them out," she said.Felix grabbed the backpack from the back seat and opened it, finding only a few items inside.Xena explained, "This phone only works in Martial City. Due to the barriers, it can't connect to satellites, but it works perfectly within the city. It's unregistered too, so you don't need to worry about being tracked."The device was more of a chunky block than a modern phone. It had an archaic feel and a tiny screen that did not support video calls or other advanced features."What's this card?" Felix asked as he pulled out another item—a card that looked like an emerald-green bank card. The only difference was that it appeared to be made of emerald, with elegant swirls of pale green throughout."That's
Felix felt a chill ran down his spine when Billy said he was haunted."A master practitioner has cursed you," Billy explained between bites. "They're so skilled that I couldn't even sense it when you first walked in."Felix checked himself but felt nothing unusual. "I feel fine, though. What kind of curse are we talking about?"Instead of answering right away, Billy casually continued eating. "There are many types of curses, both in Dragonia and abroad. From what I can tell, this is the work of a foreign expert."He paused to take another bite, then added, "These masters are especially dangerous. All they need is something you keep close to you, and they can attack you remotely. From the looks of it, they've already started." Felix jumped up in alarm. "Stop joking around! I don't feel anything, and the Dragonspine isn't even reacting!"Billy smirked. "That's because your soul is unusually strong. What's strange, though, is how much it's grown in such a short time. I mean, the th
Time flew by quickly, and the one-month deadline was suddenly upon them. Xena would come for Felix tomorrow, making this his last night in town. There was no grand farewell party since he had already said his goodbyes to everyone. Ronan and Melissa were getting along well, planning to travel the world together after Felix's departure. From the looks of it, they were not far from making their relationship official.Felix definitely approved of this match, as Ronan was a genuinely good person. The man was honest and reliable, someone worthy of trust. As for Jack and the others, they had called to say they would be laying low for a while, which had become somewhat routine by now.That night, Felix and Billy were sitting in Floral Wreath Boutique, where a few dishes and bottles of wine were on the table."Honestly, eating and drinking in a place like this gives me the creeps," Felix said, glancing around.Billy waved him off, unconcerned. "You're overthinking it. Look at me—am I not
"Ha! I can't believe you actually got up! Think you can handle it?" Averill doubled over with laughter.Karina was also chuckling, and Felix finally realized they had been teasing him. He shook his head and said, "Alright, you two, enough with the jokes."…The next day, Felix met with Kayden, the powerful Fish Man, on the outskirts of Gray City."Here's the Twin Fish Cauldron. I trust everything is in order?" Felix asked, and after carefully examining the artifact, Kayden smiled with satisfaction."Indeed, this is the genuine Twin Fish Cauldron. You truly delivered on your promise," Kayden confirmed.Felix understood why someone as powerful as Kayden had been hesitant to retrieve it himself—he feared the founding master of Skyward Guild. "And here's your Dragonspine," Kayden said as he handed over the item, making Felix smile. It was refreshing to have a straightforward exchange without any hidden agendas.…That evening, Melissa executed Shane, the imprisoned Fish Man. She
Several minutes later, Terry returned, holding a small bronze cauldron. He also brought along two young individuals—a man and a woman."Dragon Knight, this is my disgrace of a son, and that woman is his lover. Everything started because of this little bitch. I'll make things right with you today."As soon as he finished speaking, Terry raised a hand and pointed at the young woman. She collapsed into a pool of blood before she could even react."Please, spare my son's life," Terry pleaded, his voice trembling with desperation.Terry was truly out of options. Even the founder of his guild had given up trying to handle Felix, so what could he possibly do? If Felix continued to grow stronger, Terry knew his own fate would be sealed one random night. "I'm not unreasonable. We'll proceed as you suggested," Felix responded in a measured tone. If not for Xena's warning about outside threats, he might not have been so lenient. Besides, the Skyward Guild's strength made them valuable na
A terrifying aura spread from a distant building, instantly enveloping the entire Skyward Guild. Terry and his followers were overjoyed, knowing their Founding Master had been monitoring the guild's safety even during meditation."How long has it been since someone dared to cause trouble in the Skyward Guild? Such audacity!" A powerful voice echoed across the grounds, brimming with authority. Even without appearing in person, the sheer presence of this unseen force was overwhelming."Felix, you've brought this upon yourself!" Terry snarled through gritted teeth, his injuries making his anger even more palpable.The other guild members began shouting, their earlier caution forgotten. "So what if you're a Dragon Knight? You struck first, and that gives us every right to retaliate. The headquarters won't say a word against us!"Someone else growled, "Do you really think that being at the Boneforging Realm makes you invincible? Wait until you face our Founding Master!" "Mr. Miles g
Terry's only comfort was Felix's status as a Dragon Knight, believing it would keep him in check. However, Stamford could not help but laugh bitterly—how could they expect restraint after sending assassins after Felix?"Terry!" a voice suddenly boomed throughout the Skyward Guild, causing all the training disciples to freeze in curiosity."Who dares to cause trouble in my Skyward Guild?" Terry growled as he vanished on the spot, with Stamford following close behind.When they reached the front courtyard, they found Felix standing there, which immediately dampened their aggressive stance. Terry asked diplomatically, "Ah, if it isn't the honorable Dragon Knight. What brings you to our Skyward Guild?" Felix smirked at the gathered martial arts masters. "Call me Felix or Dragon Knight; I don't care—I'm here for justice."Terry's greeting was not lost on Felix. Using the title "Dragon Knight" was a calculated move to tie him to the headquarters and make things more complicated.