The old lady stood frozen in place as she watched the Eight Giants crash to the ground with dull thuds, one after another. All the calmness and confidence she had earlier on had completely vanished into thin air and were instead replaced by downright fear. Those were the Eight Giants! They were renowned bounty hunters who had yet to fail before this! Ever since they set foot in the field, they had been revered by all and had never missed a single target. No matter how great their opponents were, they had been able to wipe them out without breaking a sweat. She had thought that with the Eight Giants working alongside her, everything would have gone smoothly without any hiccups. Who would have guessed that they'd be defeated in a matter of seconds? They did not even have time to react! What freak of nature was this man standing before her?"Those are the Eight Giants that you've been harping on about? Pretty weak, aren't they?" Dustin shook his head. How dare mere mortals who had yet to
Amid a fierce battle between two divine-level masters, ordinary warriors would never stand a chance to approach them.While the battle was in full swing, Rufus, Gregory, and Albert were happily drinking inside the medical clinic.Used to such chaotic scenes, they naturally paid no mind to such minor scuffles.On the other hand, Caitlyn, who was pouring them drinks, wasn't as calm as them. She anxiously peered through the doorway, her worries evident.How could Maximus handle all the opponents alone?"Only if Mr. Rhys was here." As soon as this thought crossed her mind, Caitlyn immediately shook her head.No!Those people were here for Dustin. If Dustin were here, things would only get more dangerous!"Kid, stop fretting over there. That lad will be fine for now. Bring us another bottle of wine!" Gregory shouted."Alright. I'm coming ..." Upon hearing his words, Caitlyn promptly retrieved another bottle of wine from the counter.Observing the calm demeanor of the three men, sh
"Go to hell!" Noticing an opening, Keane immediately seized the opportunity and fiercely swung his sword down.At that moment, a silver needle suddenly appeared, flew past the crowd, and struck Keane's sword."Clang!" With a clang, Kaene's long sword shattered."What? Who the hell did that?" Keane quickly retreated and had his guard up. The fact that someone could use the needles as a weapon and break his sword demonstrated the profound internal energy of the assailant."To bully the weak with strength is one thing, but resorting to sneak attacks as well? Are all the people from Boulderthorn so despicable?" A cold voice came from behind.Everyone turned around and saw a handsome man slowly walking out of the shadows. He then stood tall under a street lamp.It was none other than Dustin, who had just arrived!"Sir Lincoln, that's the guy! That's Dustin! He's the one who murdered Tatum's nephew!"Seeing the newcomer, Luther immediately roared, "Kill him! Kill him quickly! We mu
Displaying a perfect balance between offense and defense, the seven individuals worked together seamlessly. They complemented each other with no discernible flaws.As the formation came into motion, the sharp, sword-like aura was formed and ran rampant instantly. A swirling gust of wind sent the sand and stones flying."Interesting." Dustin frowned. His figure flickered as he dodged. He moved like a fish swimming in the water, constantly evading attacks within the sea of swords.It seemed dangerous, yet he managed to dodge every strike at critical moments. The sharp, sword-like aura grazed his body, but it couldn't harm him in the slightest.Brody and Oliver clenched their fists, their expressions filled with excitement.They would loudly cheer whenever Dustin seemed to be in danger. However, they gritted their teeth with hatred when they saw him narrowly escape."Calm down. The Big Dipper Array grows more powerful as it faces stronger opponents. Once the offensive is in full swi
As they looked at the six corpses on the ground and Keane, who was heavily injured and coughed up blood, all the disciples of Boulderthorn were dumbfounded.They never expected Dustin would break the Big Dipper Array and simultaneously kill six top-notch experts from Royal Valor with just one sword.Was their opponent hiding his true strength all along?"How ... How is this possible?" Luther widened his eyes in disbelief.Dustin actually broke the renowned Big Dipper Array. Not to mention, he did it so effortlessly.Just how powerful was this guy?"No way! The seven top experts of Royal Valor couldn't defeat him?""This guy must be on some kind of drug; otherwise, how could he be so powerful?"Brody and Oliver exchanged glances, their faces full of confusion."This guy is on a different level!" Even Clement's face turned grave at that moment.Dustin wiped out the Big Dipper Array so effortlessly. Not to mention he only used a sword!From that incident, it could well be said
He slapped two of the guys hard on the head.Two loud bangs rang out the next second, and their heads exploded like watermelons.The remaining two individuals instinctively tried to step back, but the blond man caught them and crushed their skulls with his bare hands.It was bloody, cruel, and savage. Onlookers felt their scalps tingling with horror."Attack together! Kill him!" Clement's face darkened. He immediately ordered his disciples to take action."Attack!" Over a hundred disciples of Royal Valor shouted angrily and launched a coordinated assault.Grinning, the blond man slightly bent his legs and jumped off the ground."Boom!" The ground exploded, and a pit formed.Like a bullet fired from a gun, the blond man directly landed in the crowd.Wherever he went, bodies were strewn across the ground, drenched in blood. Anyone blocking his path was brutally crushed by his unstoppable force!"Hahaha ..." The blond man laughed wildly, growing more excited as he killed the dis
"Dad, what's going on? Why is the God of War from the Hall of Gods here?""Could Sir Lincoln have crossed some big shot from the Hall of Gods?" Both Oliver and Brody cowered in fear when they saw the man with blonde hair who was brimming with a murderous air. "How the fuck would I know? Why are you even asking me?" Luther gulped nervously and chided them. They had been there to ambush Dustin and had never expected to be assaulted by such a formidable individual from the Hall of Gods. This was mind-blowing!"Your Excellency, I have never offended any of you from the Hall of Gods. Why have you come to massacre the members of Boulderthorn?" Clement asked, his face pale with fear."What? Arent you all the West Lucozian army?" The blonde-haired man asked with confusion."Huh? West Lucozian army? We're members of the Boulderthorn guild!" Clement exclaimed defeatedly. After all the mess, it turns out that the members of his guild died for no reason."Oh, so you're not the West Lucozian army?
Both Oliver and Brody felt their knees start to buckle. "Why are such legendary beings here?" Luther's face was as white as a sheet as he lamented inwardly. Had he known that he would meet these masters here, he never would have come in the first place!Everyone was silenced by the presence of the four major gods from the Hall of Gods. An overwhelming, murderous aura permeated every inch of the place. The crowd stood idly in place, and no one dared to speak, move, or even so much as breathe loudly.At that moment, they knew that they were no longer in control of their lives. And the fact was, they weren't wrong. Not in the least. In the presence of the four major gods, their lives were as insignificant as ants. Beneath their fear and terror, there was also a genuine curiosity as to what exactly brought the four major gods there."Mr. Rhys, we know you're in there. Would you please come out to meet us?" The four major gods stood in a row, and it was Athena who first broke the silence.
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
"Royal gods? And two of them?" Dustin frowned at the news.His battle with Poseidon in West Lucozia had shown him firsthand that the Hall of Gods didn't send weaklings into the field.One royal god had already pushed him to his limit. If two came at him together, winning wasn't even the question. He'd be lucky just to make it out alive."That's right," Grace said solemnly. "The royal gods, Zeus and Hera, have crossed the border. They're even stronger than Poseidon. If they ambush you together, your chances are slim."She knew Dustin was strong, but he was still young. Moreover, Zeus and Hera weren't just anyone. They were world-class powerhouses. Surviving a fight with them would be next to impossible.The Hall of Gods had probably figured out how dangerous Dustin could become. If they had given him a few more years to grow, they might not have been able to stop him."Well, that complicates things." Dustin rested his chin in one hand with a thoughtful expression.Two royal god