Dustin couldn't be bothered with a smug know-it-all like Vivian."What's the matter? Cat got your tongue now that you're feeling guilty? I knew it!"Vivian sneered with disdain. "I've seen plenty of scammers like you in the martial arts world. You may be able to fool Sheila, but you won't fool me!""Vivian, Dustin isn't a scammer. I believe him!" Sheila spoke up for Dustin. "Sheila, you're a good person, but you're just too naive and easily fooled. You should be especially careful with those with unclear backgrounds." As Vivian spoke, she glanced at Dustin, clearly implying something. To her, Dustin was no different than the pretty-faced boys who used to pursue Sheila. They tried their best to please her, aiming to climb up the social ladder and gain a foothold in upper society. Fortunately, Vivian was sharp enough to see through all the tricks."Vivian, you got it all wrong. Dustin is a good man." Sheila's brow furrowed lightly.It suddenly occurred to her that her friend
Looking at the broken glass on the floor, everyone was stunned.Nobody expected Dustin to return and knock the glass out of Vivian's hands without a word."Hey! What are you doing? Are you crazy?" After a brief moment of shock, Vivian slammed the table as she stood up. The slap had left the back of her hand swollen and burning in pain. "Outrageous! How dare you offend Vivian like that? You have nerves of steel!"The others berated Dustin in righteous anger. "If you don't explain yourself, I'm afraid you won't be able to walk out that door." Evan stood up slowly, his domineering aura gradually showing itself."The wine was poisoned. I was saving your lives," Dustin responded coldly. "Poisoned?" They all exchanged dismayed looks, feeling doubtful. They had assumed Dustin acted out in revenge, but his revelation caught them off guard. "Hah! Am I supposed to just take your word for it? How do we know you're not lying?" Vivian yelled. She was naturally suspicious and would
"Vivian, what are you talking about? Dustin saved us!" Sheila was dumbfounded."Sheila, don't be fooled by him. This guy has ulterior motives!" Vivian smugly explained, "He was the one who poisoned our drinks! He made a show of leaving before returning at a critical moment to play the hero. "He did all that to earn our trust! But these tricks won't fool me!"Vivian's explanation cast a shadow of doubt in everyone's minds. What she said did seem possible. After all, they would rather trust Vivian than a stranger. "Hey, are you that full of yourself? I'm not that desperate for entertainment to play these petty games with you," Dustin replied coldly.He had been kind enough to help them, but he didn't expect this woman to be so ungrateful!"Hmph! You still won't admit it? Fine!" Vivian said. She continued, "Then let me ask you. How did you just so happen to bump into that waiter and just so happen to pick up this vial of poison? "Don't tell me these are all just coincidences
"What?"The unexpected turn of events startled everyone. It was especially shocking for Vivian, who was left dumbfounded.She looked down to see the bleeding wound on her chest. Her face showed a mixture of shock, astonishment, confusion, fear, and disbelief.She never expected to get shot. It happened so fast and without any warning. She was in a daze. Then, she suddenly screamed and fell to the ground. The situation had finally hit her. "Assassins! Get down!" Evan was the first to react and shouted out loud. The others snapped out of their daze. They were quick to take cover on the ground. Meanwhile, several masked assassins burst into the room. They had kicked the door open. Each of them wielded a silenced pistol. Upon entering, they opened fire without mercy, shooting anyone they saw. Amidst the rapid gunfire, two people were struck down. "Damn it!" Evan got angry. Instead of retreating, he kicked a table over. It crashed into several of the assassins. Taking ad
"Simba? What the fuck is a Simba?""Whoever you are, you're going to die today since you've met Evan!"Several young men and women started shouting. They had seen Evan's performance just moments ago. They watched how he took down several armed assassins in an instant. What more was a weaponless fighter? "This person is clearly a martial artist built on strength. I have to catch him off guard and end the fight as soon as possible." Evan gave him a quick once over and made a decision. He bent his knees slightly, slowly gathering momentum. Then, pushing down with his feet, he propelled himself forward like a bullet. He launched with tremendous power."Thunder Strike!" Evan shouted. Internal energy surged through his body. Then, he threw a powerful punch straight at Simba.A faint explosion echoed as Evan's iron fist heavily struck Simba's abdomen.However, Simba didn't react. He stood like a mountain, unflinching. He showed no signs of injuries. "Is that all?" Simba cross
"What …"As they watched Simba being sent flying, a stunned silence fell over everyone. Their eyes widened in disbelief. Some of them even doubted their eyes. Simba was over two meters tall. He had a massive figure and a muscular physique, just like a mountain. Meanwhile, Dustin looked thin and fragile. It was as if a gust of wind could blow him away. Under normal circumstances, Simba should have been the winner. After all, they had a clear difference in size. So, how did the situation reverse so suddenly? "What the fuck? Who the hell is this guy? How is he so strong?"The group exchanged shocked looks. Not even Evan could rival Simba, so how could this country doctor have defeated him? "Dustin, you're amazing!" After a brief shock, Sheila immediately cheered. If it weren't for Dustin intervening, she might not have survived."Don't be that impulsive next time. Your first priority should be your own safety in a situation like this," Dustin warned. This woman was willin
"You—!" While Vivian seethed in anger, there was nothing she could do. She could only endure in silence. She could only pray that Dustin would work faster. She sensed that she was losing blood, and her body was growing weaker. Three minutes later, Dustin finally finished treating the second man. As long as the bleeding was stopped, he wouldn't die immediately. "It should be my turn now, right? Hurry up and start treating me!" Vivian was getting impatient. She rushed Dustin repeatedly. Yet Dustin appeared completely at ease. He didn't feel any sense of urgency. He wiped his hands and stretched lazily before leisurely sipping on a cup of tea. "Hey! What are you doing? Help me stop the bleeding!" "Vivian was on the verge of losing her temper. She was nearly drained of blood. How could he be in the mood to enjoy his tea? "Why the rush? It's not like you're dying." Dustin glanced at her, still unmoved. "What do you mean I'm not dying? Don't you see that I was shot? Where's
The night grew deeper. It was particularly quiet at Auspicious Restaurant. The place wasn't as lively as in the morning. One reason was its secluded location, and the other was because it didn't operate at night. Suddenly, a muscular figure jumped over the walls. He skillfully went through the restaurant. The figure was headed to a private room on the second floor. When he arrived at the door, he gave it a light knock. "Come in." A dignified voice came from inside the pitch-black room. The figure opened the door cautiously. He immediately dropped to his knees when he got inside. Speaking toward a folding screen, he announced his arrival. "I'm here, sir.""You got injured?" The voice spoke again from behind the folding screen."I failed my mission. I encountered a powerful opponent and almost lost my life." Simba lowered his head. His expression was filled with fear and respect. Blood was dripping from his wounded arm onto the ground. It sounded jarring in the sil
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