The moment Caius bowed, everyone was stunned and stood frozen in place. They were all dumbfounded as their expressions filled with shock. Unbelievable! The man before them was none other than Azkaban's warden, a formidable martial arts grandmaster! He was a terrifying figure who held absolute authority over the fate of the prisoners. It wasn't an exaggeration to say the warden was revered like a God within the prison walls. His very presence commanded respect. The idea of such an authoritative and godlike figure kneeling before a prisoner seemed utterly impossible. "C-Caius? Why are you bowing? Get up …" The well-dressed, portly man was the first to react. He quickly rushed to Caius' side, attempting to help him up. "Fuck off!" Caius slapped him and lashed out, "Don't drag me down into the grave you dug!" "Huh?" The portly man slumped to the ground, his face ashen. Had he offended an incredibly influential figure? His brother-in-law disassociated himself from him witho
"Of course! Since they are your friends, they must be righteous people!" Caius flattered Dustin. Then, he waved his hand and ordered, "Release them!" One after the other, the chains made of darksteel were unshackled. It seemed like a dream. Everyone was in disbelief. They had thought they would spend their entire lives trapped in Azkaban. They never imagined that they would see the light of day again. The prisoners felt extremely fortunate. "Thank you very much, Mr. Roswell!" Cornelius and the rest of the group thanked him. "You should be thanking Sir Rhys." Caius played smart. "Thank you very much, Sir Rhys!" They bowed down profoundly. Tears of happiness welled up in their eyes. At that moment, Dustin was their savior. "I'm a part of the Shadow Gang, after all. I can't just leave all of you here to suffer. Let's go out together." With a gentle smile, Dustin confidently strode out of Azkaban. They had only spent a short time together, but Dustin could tell they wer
Their intimate behavior shocked everyone present. It wasn't just the recently released prisoners who were taken aback. Even two of Scarlet's deputy generals, Georgia and Bridget, were left dumbfounded. The Goddess of War they knew was decisive and ruthless. No matter who she was faced with, she always wore a cold and aloof expression. She was terrifying when angry. No one was able to stand in her way. Usually, any man who dared to touch her would risk losing a few limbs. But, even though she was being patted on the head in public right now, she wasn't furious. Instead, she was smiling in genuine joy. If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, they would have never believed their general had a tender and gentle side to her. Was she still the fearsome and unapproachable Goddess of war they knew? "Logan, have you been well these years?" Scarlet felt a multitude of emotions as she took in the familiar face before her. They hadn't seen each other in ten years. The once magnific
"There's no need to be nervous. I know it has nothing to do with you, but your men have a hand in it." Dustin emphasized. "I understand. I'll investigate it immediately. Please hold on!" Caius took action right away. Soon after, he dragged the well-dressed, portly man before Dustin. The man was covered in bruises. "Sir Rhys, he's behind this incident. You can kill him or torture him in any way you wish. If you don't wish to get your hands dirty, I'll do it for you." "Sir Rhys, don't kill me. It has nothing to do with me. Someone offered me money to detain you. Please spare my life!" The portly man panicked. He knelt on the floor, bowing down repeatedly. He bowed so hard that his head began to bleed from the impact. "Who gave you the order?" Dustin questioned."The Killians … It was Gavin Killian!" the portly man confessed hastily. "It really was him." Dustin narrowed his eyes. His suspicions had been confirmed. "Mr. Roswell, please arrange a ride for me," Dustin requeste
Dahlia was seen walking into the banquet hall slowly, dressed in a black evening gown. She stood out among the crowd, looking beautiful with her tall stature and poise. The moment she entered, she captured the attention of most people. There were looks of astonishment, delight, envy, and admiration. Some looks were even filled with desire. "Dahlia, I shouldn't have come with you. I put so much time and effort into my look, but everyone's attention is on you. It's like I don't exist." Julie looked upset. She expressed her frustration in a hushed tone. Hoping to catch the attention of prominent officials at the party, she meticulously planned her makeover. She also spent a fortune on her outfit. Her gown cost a hundred thousand dollars, while her jewelry was worth millions. Yet, she had become Dahlia's accessory as she stood beside her, going unnoticed. Julie wasn't ugly, but Dahlia was just too pretty. Dahlia overshadowed all women. It seemed like only Natasha could rival her
Dahlia frowned deeply, her face full of worry. "That won't do. I need to save him!" She turned around as if ready to leave the party immediately."Dahlia!" Julie grabbed her arm and tried to reason with her, "Just how are you going to help? Azkaban has the tightest security there is. No one is able to leave after getting in. If you try anything recklessly, you might get into trouble yourself!""What should I do then? I can't just let him face those charges." Dahlia was anxious. She was aware that Azkaban was a dangerous place. The longer someone stayed there, the more they would suffer. "Don't worry just yet. Isn't Mr. Killian here?" Julie turned her attention toward Gavin and said, "Mr. Killian has wide connections and is a prominent figure. It should be easy for him to get someone released from Azkaban.""Mr. Killian?" Dahlia's gaze landed on Gavin, full of hope."Azkaban is considered a no man's land. Even the military doesn't have a say in that area." Gavin rubbed his chi
Julian was surprised when he saw Dustin walking through the doors. "No way, they released him that early?" Julian had thought Gavin was just joking. He didn't expect him to actually send someone to get Dustin out. The problem was Gavin had used his connections to send Dustin to prison. And now Dustin was somehow released. It seemed like some kind of joke. Even if he wanted to impress the ladies, he didn't have to make it that complicated. "That's weird. How did he get out?" Gavin frowned slightly, equally astonished. He knew very well that he never instructed his men to contact Azkaban's warden. The timing didn't add up, either. Dustin must have been released much earlier. The most puzzling aspect was that Azkaban was notorious for being a one-way journey. How could someone so insignificant manage to escape? Did a powerful figure help him out? "Mr. Killian, you're incredible! You got Dustin released with just a simple call." Julie gave him a thumbs up, her expression fill
Gavin Killian was the young master of the Killians from Oakvale. He was also a military general who had an enormous influence in Millsburg. Dustin could lose his life for raising a hand against such a prominent figure. "Dustin, you ungrateful brat! Mr. Killian should have just let you rot in Azkaban!" Julie was furious at Dustin for repaying Gavin's kindness with enmity."How bold. Do you know the consequences of hitting me?" Gavin rubbed his burning cheek as his expression grew dark. He had never been slapped in public, ever. "So what if I hit you? You imprisoned me. That was a well-deserved slap," Dustin spat out coldly. Dahlia frowned. "Nonsense. It was clearly Mr. Killian who saved you!" "He saved me? Hah!" Dustin scoffed. "He was the one who put me in there. I wouldn't have ended up inside if it wasn't for his scheming.""I don't understand what you mean." Gavin narrowed his eyes."Do you not understand, or are you pretending not to?" Dustin sneered. "Did you think you
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
Soluna Hall had one rule—they wouldn't accept unfamiliar customers. They only served those they knew well or people introduced by someone they trusted. Every transaction required an appointment. Exceptions were made for urgent matters, but those came with an additional fee.When Dustin reached the entrance, two security guards stopped him. After stating his name and being verified by the guards, they let him through.Inside, a female attendant with a pleasant smile greeted him and led him across the main hall straight into the back garden. They passed a small fish pond and stopped in front of a secluded private room."This is Ms. Linsor's private reception area. Mr. Rhys, please come in," the female attendant said with a smile."She's not here?" Dustin asked curiously."She had something come up, but she'll be here soon. Please make yourself comfortable," the attendant said, still smiling."Alright then." He nodded and walked into the room.The room was spacious, with a vintag
"You're wrong, Tristan," Matthias said with a meaningful look.He continued, "Sure, I've got the Moseys to back me, but I'm still far from securing the throne. Nathaniel's got strong backing too, and this won't be an easy win. But if you were to support me, I'd say my chances shoot up to 80%."In his eyes, Tristan's support was worth more than the Ballard family.If he could win Tristan over, his odds would jump from 60% to nearly 80%. The only question now was whether Tristan would be willing to shelve his own ambitions and place his bet on Matthias."You know me, Matthias. I've never been one for ambition or glory. This kind of power struggle just isn't for me. I hope you can understand that," Tristan said.After thinking about it thoroughly, he finally turned his brother down. He knew his chances of winning were slim, yet he couldn't let go.Tristan was the eldest legitimate son, the rightful and undisputed heir to the throne. Aside from his poor health, he had no real shortco