"I'm here to … steal the bride!" Dustin's every step resounded through the entire hall like a loud bell; his footsteps could be heard over the quiet hall.The crowd had their eyes wide open, and their expressions were filled with shock. Nobody could have imagined that someone dared object to the union between the Langford family and the Nicholson family."Oh my goodness! Who is this punk? He dares disrupt the wedding? Does he have a death wish?""You have to give him credit for being so brave. He actually dared to provoke the two powerful families!""Interesting. This is definitely interesting. Seems like a good show is about to start!"After a momentary silence, the crowd erupted in frenzied discussion, pointing and gossiping incessantly. "Dustin?" Staring at the familiar face, Dahlia’s expression revealed how happy she was. However, that happiness was quickly replaced with worry.Although she was grateful and touched, she knew his actions would bring about a disaster. By d
It was humiliating not only to him but to the entire Langford family!"Dahlia Nicholson! If you dare elope with him, you'll be the Nicholson family's enemy!" Jane and Dakota stood up in fury, screaming at the top of their lungs."Dahlia, please don't act recklessly! Once you leave with that trash, our family is done for!" Florence screamed in panic. Once they humiliated the Langfords, they weren't just losing out on wealth, their whole family would be annihilated!"Mom, I …" Dahlia wasn't able to continue."Don't worry. I'm here." Dustin tightened his grip on her hand and scanned his surroundings. He declared in a loud voice, "Nobody is stopping me from taking the bride away today! Anyone who is dissatisfied can come for me!" The moment Dustin said that, the crowd erupted in an uproar."Oh, my God! This guy is so cool! He'd fight the world for the woman he loves.""If only a guy loved me that much, I'd be happy my whole life!""He's cool, all right. But too bad he'll be paying a heav
Because of Maximus' appearance, the situation turned against the Langford family. While a few highly-skilled martial artists from the Langford family were eager to take action, they were cautious, afraid of hurting Luis. "Both of you should leave first. Leave this place to me, Dustin," Maximus said confidently. After the battle at Mount Halgue, he'd finally achieved divinity, and his skills improved tremendously."Leave?" Luis sneered. "Where do you think you can hide? Even if you survive today, you will never escape our wrath!" Dustin was about to leave when he heard Luis and stopped in his tracks. Turning around, he asked coldly, "Are you threatening me?""So what if I am?" Luis laughed diabolically. He had no qualms about confronting Dustin. "I don't know how you met this friend of yours, but if you think he can go up against me single-handedly, then you're too naive for your own good.""Do you really think you're that powerful?" Dustin questioned him."Against you? Abso
"But—" Dahlia wanted to say more. "Just go. I'll be distracted if you're here," Dustin interrupted.Left with no choice, Dahlia bobbed her head in agreement helplessly in the end. Since things had come to this point, there was no turning back. As long as Dustin could come back unscathed, she was willing to give up everything and roam all over the world with him.After making sure that Dahlia had left safely, Dustin's gaze scanned around the place and then fixed on the Nicholson family. "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and leave!""Let's go."Dakota and Jane exchanged a glance. Then, they turned around and left on the spot. Dahlia's breach of promise had caused the Langfords to have a fallout with the Nicholsons. If the latter continued to stay there any longer, trouble might land upon them."What a jinx! Look at what you have gotten us into!" Florence stomped her feet in anger before fleeing away.Now that the wedding ceremony had been ruined, the Nicholsons' dream of li
Looking at the groups of elites barging into the banquet hall one after another, all the guests at the scene were dumbfounded. None of them expected Dustin to have such great connections. All he did was make a call, and hundreds of people came over to assist him. Not only were there underground organizations and official armed forces, but there was also help from a business tycoon. On top of that, even the mayor of Swinton was here to back him up in person.In other words, as long as Dustin said the word, all the forces in Swinton could be under his command.That was a terrifying connection he had.No wonder he dared to be insolent in front of the Langford family. He had come prepared. Now the Langfords were not fighting against Dustin alone, but the whole of Swinton."Who is he exactly? How come he can have influence over so many forces?"The guests exchanged glances with one another, shocked at the turn of events. At that moment, the arrogant Langford family finally sensed
Kingston forced out a smile."Stop acting like we are close friends!" Adam wasn't giving Kingston any respect. "Weren't the Langfords full of themselves just minutes ago? Come on, show me how arrogant you can be!" When Kingston heard that, his expression darkened. If it had been someone else who humiliated him today, he would have flipped his lid long ago. However, he just couldn't afford to offend the man standing in front of him. "Why aren't you saying anything? Weren't you all high and mighty just now? You even had the guts to bully my friend!" Adam pointed at them and hauled them over the coals. Kingston and Luis dropped their heads, falling into silence. At the sight of that, the guests were stunned. Who would have expected that there would be a day when Kingston from the Langford family would be chewed out publicly and dared not talk back?It was indeed shocking."What are you waiting for? Kneel down and apologize to my friend now!" Adam shouted. "This ..." Kingston
It was said that the Langfords had two master-level martial artists working for them. They were an extremely powerful pair and wouldn't show up normally. It seemed that they had come over with Ethan today. Adam rubbed his chin, thinking about how to seek revenge. It wasn't easy to take the Langfords down with the pair around. "Hmph, what's so great about the God of War? He still can't do anything to the Langfords when Uncle Ethan is here," Luis muttered inwardly. There were traces of arrogance on his face. "As expected of Ethan!" Kingston held his head up, having regained his previous confidence. Although the Spanner family was powerful, the Langfords weren't weak either. Now that Ethan was around, members of the Langford family would become unrelenting. Adam turned to look at Dustin and asked, "Dustin, it seems like they are not going to let me have my way. Shall we force our way through?"As long as Dustin agreed to it, Adam would launch his attacks straightaway. After all
Looking at the hunchbacked man, who appeared as if he had zero prestige, Ethan was scared out of his wits. He dared not say anything. This man in front of him was someone noble from Stonia. Even the crowned head would have to show him respect. Hence, it wasn't exaggerating to say that Rufus could easily take their lives at will. When Dustin saw him, his expression darkened. There was fury in his eyes. "It looks like a good show is coming up." Curling up his lips, Adam gloated and immediately retreated to one side.Under the crowd's gaze, Rufus limped in, looking like someone of ordinary status. Nevertheless, the people in the hall unconsciously made room for him to walk past them. Finally, he stopped in front of Dustin. "It's been a while. I didn't expect you to have grown this much."Staring at Dustin, who was taller than him by half a head, Rufus couldn't help but part his lips and grin. His broken front teeth made him seem a little comical. "I didn't expect you to be sti
The crowd murmured among themselves as they looked at the broken broadsword and the stunned expression on Lycas' face."That strike was insanely fast and dead-on too," someone commented."I never expected General Derin's secret move to be defeated like that. It's unbelievable," another said."I thought General Derin could turn things around for us, but he still lost," a third added.Everyone knew how strong Lycas was. As a fully developed grandmaster with a broadsword, he was supposed to be unstoppable. However, at the critical moment, Dustin's strike shattered his broadsword.Lycas' loss was sudden and almost unbelievable. Some blamed bad luck and thought he could have won if things had gone differently. But those who truly understood what happened knew better.Even with Dustin's movement restricted and Lycas unleashing his strongest technique, he still pierced through the opening with near-impossible timing. That strike wasn't just lucky but masterful. It was a brutal display
Lycas gripped his broadsword with both hands and roared. The sound cracked through the air like a thunderclap.He sidestepped sharply and charged straight at Dustin like a raging bull.The heavy broadsword moved like it weighed nothing in his hands. He swung it with brutal speed. Each arc cut through the air with a sharp, whistling howl, as if it could slice through anything in its path.The broadsword came crashing down on Dustin with bone-crushing force, like a mountain falling from the sky.Lycas threw his full weight into the swing. As the sword descended, the force of the strike stirred up dust from the ground. It sent plumes of dirt in every direction.He knew Dustin was no ordinary opponent. If he wanted a chance to win, he had to make the first move and seize the initiative."Nice form," Dustin said.As Lycas launched a powerful, aggressive attack, Dustin remained calm and unruffled. With effortless grace, he sidestepped without the slightest rush. The broadsword whizz
Bryce knew Dustin was strong, but this was beyond anything he anticipated. Though he had gained the upper hand early on, Bryce still believed his skills matched Dustin's.From his observation, Dustin relied on martial arts techniques and hit-and-run tactics. Plus, he didn't dare to confront Bryce head-on.He had assumed that as long as he found an opening, he could exploit Dustin's weaknesses and defeat him. But when Dustin finally stopped holding back, Bryce realized how wrong he'd been.It turned out Dustin wasn't just playing hit-and-run tactics. Instead, he'd held back the entire time to spare Bryce from an embarrassing defeat.The moment Dustin stopped holding back, Bryce didn't stand a chance. Even without special techniques, Dustin's raw power, speed, and reflexes were enough to crush him.The difference in their abilities was staggering, so much so that no amount of skill could close the gap.And it wasn't just Bryce who was shocked. Except for Nathaniel, who had already
Bryce's request for a fight heated up the atmosphere.Soldiers around the training ground started murmuring among themselves."Lieutenant General Gantz is a legend in our ranks. His combat skills are no joke—he's taken down countless enemies on the battlefield. I haven't seen him in action in years," one young soldier said with awe."Yeah," a veteran agreed. "Lieutenant General Gantz has been through countless battles, and his strength is unmatched. If he steps in, Mr. Rhys might be in for a rough time."After the fight earlier, the soldiers knew firsthand that Dustin was no slouch. Otherwise, he wouldn't have easily defeated the five elite soldiers.But in their minds, no matter how skilled Dustin was, he stood no chance against Bryce.Bryce was a grandmaster not just in rank but in skill, physical strength, and battlefield experience. He was stronger than any expert from the martial world.Nathaniel had once recruited several grandmaster martial artists to spar with them, but
"Your Highness, the soldiers under me are trained solely in killing techniques. If they hurt your guest, things could get ugly," Lycas said.He didn't say it outright, but the message was clear. If Dustin wasn't strong enough, he'd better stay out of the way, or he was just asking for trouble.Bryce didn't say anything, but the look he gave Dustin was full of contempt. How could a pampered young man like Dustin measure up to soldiers who've been through the grind? He figured Dustin was probably some heir from a prominent family who knew Nathaniel and was trying to assert his relevance."You guys are blind to greatness when it's standing right in front of you." Nathaniel chuckled and shook his head. He added, "If any of you manage to land a hit on Mr. Rhys, I'll pay out a thousand gold. But honestly, I doubt any of you have what it takes."At the mention of rewards, the soldiers perked up. Their eyes lit up with excitement. They were practically itching to charge at Dustin and g
During the meal, Nathaniel arranged for two women to accompany Dustin.Throughout history, even the greatest heroes couldn't resist the allure of beautiful women. Sometimes, a woman of extraordinary beauty could be far more enticing than rare treasures or high status.Dustin remained composed. He neither showed any enthusiasm nor did he deliberately reject it.As for the women seated on either side of him, he treated them with polite respect. He enjoyed a drink and the easy conversation with them, but nothing beyond that.However, Nathaniel saw it differently. To him, it seemed that Dustin was unimpressed by the women at his side.Considering Dustin's background, it made sense. A woman of ordinary beauty would never catch his attention. Nathaniel realized he would need to pull out all the stops. Perhaps, it was time to bring out his most prized companion and see how Dustin responded.After the meal, he led Dustin to his mansion's training ground.The midday sun blazed overhead
"This…" Dustin began.He hesitated on purpose and didn't give an immediate answer.Upon seeing him deep in thought, Nathaniel was convinced that Dustin was weighing the pros and cons. He leaned in slightly, his smile widening with anticipation. "You should know how much the Dracan essence means to me," he said. "If I can gather all the essences, it’d be like fate is on my side. My path to the throne would be unstoppable—and when that time comes, your reward will be waiting."As he spoke, his gaze stayed on Dustin as he searched for any sign of hesitation in his expression.Dustin looked up and met his eyes. For a moment, something unreadable flickered in his gaze.He pressed his lips together and spoke slowly. "You're right, Your Highness. But it wasn't easy to find the Dracan essence. I went through quite a few twists and turns. Besides, if I give it to you, it might put me at odds with the other two princes."He paused deliberately and left the rest unsaid. Still, the concern
The next morning, Nathaniel was inside a lavish mansion. He was in his study, flipping through an ancient manuscript. One of his most trusted aides hurried in and lowered his voice, "Your Royal Highness, word just came in. Another trace of Dracan essence has been found."Nathaniel raised an eyebrow and closed the manuscript. "Where?""Our investigation shows it ended up in the hands of Logan Rhys," the aide replied."Logan Rhys?" Nathaniel narrowed his eyes slightly and was surprised by the name.He had tried to win Logan over before and spared no expense, but never received a response. Later, he discovered that Tristan and Matthias had done the same.Fortunately, Logan still hadn't picked a side. He might be holding out for the best offer, but at least he hadn't shut the door on Nathaniel.With the Dracan essence in his hands, Logan had become an even more valuable target. In addition to the West Lucozian monarchy, Logan was an ultimate grandmaster, which made him worth recrui
"Give me a moment to think," Dustin said.Grace's words sent him into deep thought.After all, carrying the fate of Dragonmarsh was no small burden. First, he had to be tough enough to handle it. Then, he needed the resolve to accept what came with it. Once he carried that burden, it meant taking on a heavyweight.He used to act on his own terms and do things as he pleased without worrying too much about the consequences. But once the nation's fate was involved, everything changed.Not that he had many options.Dustin could either hide in Sacred Wrym Summit and hope Arion would protect him, or take a risk and absorb the Dragonmarsh's fate to push through his cultivation's bottleneck. Between the two, he was leaning toward the latter."I can give your plan a shot," Dustin said suddenly. "But we're still missing a piece of the Dracan essence. If we're doing this, we need to find that last one first."Only once all five pieces of Dracan essence were united could he truly wield the