"Azalea Larson?" Abigail was puzzled. Abigail knew the woman's surname was Larson, but her name was Mandy Larson. "Are you going to deny it? Do I have to tear off your mask?" Dustin asked. "Your eyes are getting better. I spent so much time dressing up, but it wasn't enough to fool you." Azalea giggled flirtatiously. "Is your name really Azalea?" Abigail frowned. She felt like she was tricked. "I'm Azalea, but I'm also Mandy. I never lied to you," Azalea explained with a smile. "What are you doing here?" Dustin demanded. He was always on high alert whenever he was near this crazy woman. After all, it was difficult to believe someone who murdered their mentor and offered their mentor's head to the Harmon family. "Aww, aren't we friends by now? Can't you treat me more warmly?" Azalea circled Dustin like a snake eyeing a mouse. "What happened between us can only be considered a business partnership, definitely not friendship." Dustin was unfazed. "That makes me sad.
Dustin frowned and stepped back to put some space between their bodies. "I won't expose your identity, but you better behave yourself. I'll be watching you.""You'll be watching me?" Azalea bit her bottom lip invitingly. "I'll be showering later. Will you also watch me?""You're crazy!" Dustin ignored her and walked past her to go upstairs. He was certain she wasn't up to anything for now, but he was still wary of witches like her. The night passed uneventfully. The next morning, Dustin was out with Abigail for their morning practice when a black sedan pulled up at their entrance. The car door opened, and Patrick stepped out with a smile. "Congratulations, Dustin." Patrick congratulated Dustin. "The results for yesterday's tests are out. You passed the test and have been chosen to lead four other martial artists to represent the Balerno martial arts alliance!""Really? That's great." Dustin smiled softly, not surprised by the news.It would be more surprising if someone
"What?" The sudden accusation took Dustin aback. "Dominic is dead?""That's right. It's all your fault, you murderer!" Gianna shouted angrily. "Don't be stupid. What does his death have to do with me? Don't pin the blame on me," Dustin replied. "Stop lying! Dominic wouldn't have died if it weren't for your tricks!" Gianna shouted. "Did you think we won't discover that you intentionally kept the lever at the max so you could trick Dominic into entering the pressure machine. The moment the door closed, Dominic exploded!" Devon growled. Dustin was speechless by their stupid accusations. He had merely forgotten to return the lever to its initial position. How could he have known that someone would be stupid enough to start the machine without looking at the lever?He had never met such a dumb bunch. It was ridiculous that he was blamed for such an ignorant incident. "First of all, I didn't plan anything, so I had nothing to do with Dominic's death. He died because of his act
Ginna burst into tears as she watched the venom spread further, terrified. Her arrogant attitude from earlier disappeared. Without a word, Jared swung his sword and sliced Gianna's arm off. Flustered, Gianna stared at her arm lying on the floor and looked at her shoulder. After she realized what had happened, she cried before passing out. "Once the tournament ends, I'll make you pay for your actions!" Jared spat before leading his men away. "Dustin, Jared isn't someone you want as your enemy. You should be careful." Patrick warned. "He should be the one who's careful," Dustin replied. If it weren't for Patrick, he would have killed Jared. "It's almost time. Let's go and find Grandpa." Patrick gestured and led them into a luxurious lakeside villa. The spacious villa had a rustic charm and a huge courtyard where everyone was resting. Meanwhile, Paul was chatting comfortably in the villa's living room with a middle-aged man. It was none other than the leader of Balerno m
"What? Poisoned?" Everyone paled. It was no coincidence that three participants were poisoned on the day of the tournament. "How could this happen? Who did it?" Ronald growled. "We don't know yet. We're still investigating." The worker shook his head. "Bring me to them!" Ronald headed out hurriedly. Workers had closed all the exits at the temporary training grounds to stop everyone from leaving. When Ronald and the others arrived, they saw three strong men lying unconscious in the center. Their breathing was faint, and their faces were ashen. But their lips had turned black. "It's an extremely potent venom!" Ronald was displeased. The three men were martial artists on The Heavenly Immortals and were crucial to their tournament. What was he supposed to do now that they were poisoned?"Hurry, get someone from Stoneray Order!" Ronald ordered. "No need for such hassle. Dustin can take care of this," Paul said. Even Nicholas hadn't been able to treat him back when he
A gentle breeze that carried the subtle scent of earth ruffled everywhere. Many had gathered around Shinefield Lake, and the tension in the air was high as the two alliances faced off. The tournament was held in the middle of the lake, where an arena 100 meters long had been built days ago. The lake surrounded the platform, so they would need to reach it by boat. The contestants representing the Balerno martial arts alliance had gathered inside a gazebo at the South, where Ronald got three substitutes to replace the three poisoned men. Although these men weren't as strong as the earlier three, it was still better than nothing. "Today's tournament is extremely important." Ronald's expression was serious as he looked at each of them. "The Balerno martial arts alliance's reputation rests on your shoulders, so please work together. I await the good news!" He lowered his head respectfully. "Don't worry, Sir! We'll beat those guys up!" The new members were full of confidenc
"Uh …" Those from the Balerno martial arts alliance were stunned to see Fatty fall into the lake. It would have been fine if he wanted to show off, but how could he fall in? This was a tournament, for goodness' sake, not a circus performance!This was utterly embarrassing for the Balerno martial arts alliance. "That fucking loser!" Jared seethed, ashamed since he had just praised Fatty for his skills. "Pfft! Why would he embarrass himself when he's such a weakling?""Fuck off if you're a loser. Stop humiliating yourself!""Are all Balerno martial artists so weak? Is this even a competition?"Glenstead martial artists burst out in laughter and mocked. "He was too proud." Even Ronald was embarrassed by the sight. After all, martial artists that were hastily chosen were no good. "It'll be hard to win the first match." Paul shook his head. Why did Fatty have to waste his true energy to show off? In the end, he embarrassed himself and depleted more than half of his true en
Besides throwing his darts, Fatty also threw a punch toward his opponent. That way, even if his weapons failed to hit the target, his punch would still be able to hit the man in red. "Such useless tricks!" The man in red sneered before whipping his spear around to slap the darts away. Immediately after sweeping the final dart aside, the man thrust his spear forward at an incredible speed. Before Fatty had time to reach, the spear had impaled his shoulder, throwing him backward. "You—!"Fatty tried to get up, but the spear's tip was already resting against his throat. He'd be killed if he made any sudden movements now. "You've lost," The man in red said condescendingly. "W—who on earth are you?" Fatty was terrified. He never imagined that he'd be beaten so quickly and effortlessly. "Listen well. I'm Oscar Winston, and I'm the eleventh on The Heavenly Immortals," the man in red announced proudly. "Eleventh on The Heavenly Immortals?" Fatty was shocked. No wonder his opp
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