LOGINAshton's hand clamped down like a vise, locking Flint in place and cutting off his resistance.Flint's eyes were bloodshot as he glared at him, fury and defiance burning in his gaze. Streams of spiritual energy erupted from within him, each surge sharpening into pure killing intent as he tried to kill Ashton. But none of it could breach Ashton's defense.Black energy coiled around Ashton's fingers, darkening them to an inhuman shade. With a furious roar, he unleashed the gathered force all at once. The surge completely overwhelmed Flint's resistance. Ashton lifted him straight off the ground, swung him overhead, and hurled him down in a brutal arc.The arena floor shattered under the impact, cracks spidering outward as violent force rippled across the stage. But this was just the beginning.Ashton didn't loosen his grip. He hauled Flint up again and slammed him in the opposite direction, then swung him back the other way, battering him repeatedly from side to side.Flint's bod
"Did Ashton just get stronger again?""His adaptive capability is terrifying. This is what a true prodigy looks like.""Maybe Flint was never his true opponent. Instead, Ashton's been fighting his own limits this entire time."At that moment, a collective gasp rippled through the arena.Ashton's figure blurred and slipped past Flint's killing strike. In the next instant, he drove forward like a black dragon plunging from the sky, his physical force crashing straight into Flint.The impact erupted in a violent burst of sparks.Flint dropped hard under the impact. He was driven straight into the ground, blood arcing through the air as he fell.His supporters shuddered as a heavy shadow of fear settled over them."The tide has turned!" someone shouted. "The scales are tipping in Mr. Gray's favor. Watching him fight is like watching art unfold.""How is that even possible?" another murmured in disbelief.Roughly ten minutes ago, Ashton had been on the brink of death, while Flint
Ashton rose from the flames. The killing intent surging from him climbed to an entirely new level. Deep within his eyes, twin black dragons seemed to writhe in black flames, looking fierce enough to unsettle anyone who met his gaze."That aura… It's now on par with the Sage's pinnacle of the semi-divine realm.""How is that possible? Someone explain this to me. Ashton didn't die, but he got stronger?""He was pushed to his limit and forced to make a breakthrough. Only the strongest can do something like that. Anyone who's reached the top will tell you the greatest opportunities come at the edge of life and death. "From the moment Ashton stepped into Grandcrest Estate, he's fought nonstop. His mindset has sharpened, and his understanding of the martial path has deepened. This breakthrough was inevitable.""That aura… Ashton hasn't stepped into the divine realm yet, but he's reached the peak semi-divine realm. He keeps breaking past his own limits. That's the aura of someone born t
"But what if Ashton ultimately wins?" Robert asked in a low voice. "If that happens, do you really think you're keeping custody of Celia?"Roxy hesitated for a moment, then replied firmly, "That won't happen. He's just a human, not a god. I trust my judgment."Almost instantly, an overwhelming killing intent surged forth again.Flint's oppressive aura intensified. With a flick of his hand, spears of light formed in midair, each one gleaming with a cold edge. They descended in a devastating barrage meant to end Ashton's life.More than a dozen of them—each carrying the killing force of a pinnacle of the semi-divine realm—drove straight into the human-shaped crater where Ashton lay."Quick! Get out of the way!" someone screamed in terror.But no one moved.The spears of light descended in a devastating barrage, driving into the arena with crushing force. The ground fractured under the chain of explosions as the human-shaped crater collapsed further into the earth, buried beneath r
The force behind Flint's palm strike was overwhelming. A violent pressure rolled forward, like a predator lunging in for the kill, swallowing Ashton whole.The strike landed at point-blank range, and the impact crushed down on Ashton's body.In an instant, the black stormwind barrier surrounding him shattered. His body dropped straight from the air and slammed into the ground, carving out a human-shaped crater. The surrounding earth fractured into powder as blood splattered everywhere.Sylvia and Wanda felt the air leave their lungs, as if they'd taken the hit themselves."Ashton…"Sylvia went deathly pale, the sight hitting her like a physical blow. It felt as though something had pierced straight through her heart, fear flooding her completely. If anything happened to Ashton, she didn't think she would have the strength to go on."Don't worry. Ashton doesn't go down that easily," Melody said, though her voice wavered. "He'll definitely win.""Yes. He will," Sylvia replied, bit
Ashton knew he had to seize the chance. If he could close the distance and force the fight into close quarters, he might end this life-or-death duel quickly."You think I've grown weak with age?" Flint let out a cold laugh. "You're dead wrong. My body reached the Adamantine state decades ago."In a heartbeat, he dipped his shoulders and surged forward without the slightest attempt to evade and met Ashton head-on.The impact detonated between them. Their bodies crashed together like reinforced steel, the surrounding air buckling as shockwaves rippled outward toward the barriers.They separated for a split second before colliding again. This was true close-quarters combat, every strike finding its mark.Their figures blurred and crossed, with neither willing to yield. But Flint was winning the exchange, his raw power steadily grinding down Ashton's momentum."Do you feel it yet, Ashton? That's what real despair feels like. Forget the fact that you're already half-dead. Even at your







