Just as the figure turned to leave, the other added one last instruction."The higher-ups don't want to draw too much attention from headquarters yet. So, when you retrieve that A-tier Malevolent Phantom, try not to kill anyone unless absolutely necessary.""Understood!"…At a shopping mall in Kashmere, Felix was browsing through stores, already having bought several items.It had been 24 hours since the A-tier Malevolent Phantom had consumed its last death row inmate. Had the Hall of Souls really given up? There had been no movement so far, and Felix was starting to feel frustrated. If this opportunity slipped away, getting another wouldn't be so easy.His plan couldn't be delayed for too long. After discussing with Xena, they had set a final deadline of 48 hours. If the Hall of Souls still didn't make a move by then, they would transport the A-tier Malevolent Phantom back to headquarters and hand it over to Elliott for research.If it were any other A-tier Malevolent Phanto
Once the woman was done speaking, she threw the phone over to Felix. He caught it and frowned. "Do you know me?" he asked.The woman shook her head. "No, but you probably know my brother—Ronan."Felix was surprised. "You're from the Warlock family?"The woman, Greta Morel, replied, "That's right! But don't worry—I know people like you are trustworthy. I'm sure I'll definitely see my brother in a little over half a year, right?"If it had been in the past, Felix wouldn't have been confident enough to answer—but now…"Yes, I promise your brother will come back safely. He's doing well now and isn't suffering any pain." Greta brushed her bangs aside with a smile. She was an attractive woman with a tall figure. "If my grandfather believes in you, of course, I trust you too. I actually came here on his orders this time too. There are some things I can't discuss over the phone, so I came here personally."As she spoke, she dug out a letter from her pocket and handed it over. "The w
Since the woman, Yelena Myres, was willing to cooperate, Felix was also happy to oblige. This could save him a lot of time! Otherwise, if he directly got information from her soul, he would be overwhelmed by it and have to filter it himself."You most likely outrank Viper, right?"Disdain immediately surfaced on her face as she laughed. "Viper? Hah! He's nothing but a small fry who works for us. Those martial artists aren't even worthy to join the Hall of Souls. Despite being the lowest-ranking Blue Soul member, I'm still a formal member of the Hall of Souls."As far as she knew, the Hall of Souls ranked from lowest to highest according to color. There were five, ranging from Blue, Green, Cyan, Black, and White—Yelena was the lowest ranking, a Blue Soul Scout. However, Felix was confused. "Either the A-tier Malevolent Phantom wasn't too important to you, or they sent you as bait. Why wouldn't they send someone stronger?"According to Billy, Yelena was at least a True Blood Realm
The photo wasn't particularly clear. It looked like it was taken from a dashcam. However, it was more than enough for Felix to recognize Ophelia. He thought about how much she had helped him.If Ophelia hadn't figured out the rules of the Three Forbidden Lands, he would've been in big trouble if he had foolishly gone to Misty Ridge first—so how could she do such a thing?"Do you know this woman? Is she also from the Hall of Souls?" Felix asked.Yelena had been telling him everything she knew as she didn't have a choice now. She shook her head. "I don't. She's not from the Hall of Souls either."I just received the order from a Green Soul Scout to pick up the equipment from her. She drove a van and everything she provided was in the van. She left after confirming my identity. We didn't exchange a single word after that."Felix took a deep breath and put aside the matter for the time being. He would definitely ask more when he had the chance. "So tell me about the Malevolent Phant
Zion's daughter-in-law, Serena Wilde, had always felt guilty for the fallout. Her parents had passed early on in her life, and her older sister, Sophia Wilde, had helped raise Serena. Now, for the first time, Serena was speaking up for Sophia.According to Zion, Sophia's family had always been quite well-off. Her husband's business was stable, and they made quite a name for themselves. Unfortunately, they recently experienced a financial crisis and were on the verge of bankruptcy. However, they were still stubborn and wouldn't ask for help—especially the help of a sister who had long been cut off. Serena wanted Felix to find subtle ways to help them through this crisis. Felix thought about it and felt a little helpless.It was a tricky request, but Zion was sincere. If he truly wanted to, he could easily resolve the issues with their family's power in a matter of seconds. However, with the old man's temper, Felix couldn't do anything but obey.Besides, the Malevolent Phantoms were
Felix instantly felt a strong force pulling at the depths of his soul. The Infinite Shield immediately blocked the attack, protecting its master."You!" The little girl, who had been sobbing, now widened her eyes in horror. She raised her head and turned to Felix in disbelief."Goddamn it!" Felix would've never thought the little girl was also a Malevolent Phantom—this was simply impossible to guard against! Without another second of hesitation, he launched a barrage of attacks. The little girl was reduced to the verge of death in a matter of seconds."There are actually people who were soul masters? How unbelievable," she said.Despite being reduced to only a head, the little girl's expression was devoid of emotion except looking appalled. Goddamn it!Felix's expression was terribly gloomy at this moment. By all rights, he should've killed this B-tier Malevolent Phantom—but he held himself back. He didn't forget what Donna had said.If Felix killed it now, the information on
Without wasting any time, Felix quickly changed into a set of sportswear before heading to a tennis court in Monaire. He was exchanging fast-paced shots with a staff on the court. A man and woman were sweating profusely in the field right next to him during their intense game. The woman was particularly fair, and her long legs often caught the eye of the men walking by. That was Yolanda Zuckerberg, Sophia's daughter.That was Felix's target. Since the family didn't want to accept help, he needed to make sure that they took his help without guilt through legitimate cooperation. Zion had clearly said that he initially planned to form a relationship and help them discreetly.However, he was stopped by Serena. If it was a situation that couldn't be excused, Sophia would definitely find out Serena was helping them behind the scenes and refused all help. This immediately made Felix give up on his initial idea as he had thought the same.After all, operating from the shadows would save h
Yolanda replied in confusion, "What? What do you mean?"Felix smiled. "I used to have a classmate with the same name from elementary school."Lars' expression darkened at that. "Boy, this is getting ridiculous. You're using an outdated way of flirting with her. Why not say you grew up with someone called Yolanda Zuckerberg too?"Honestly, Yolanda had felt the same. Her short hair, fair skin, and long legs often led to many boys chasing after her. She had seen and heard many ways to pick up lines. If the tennis ball was an accident, then exchanging contacts wasn't too much."No, I used to go to Monaire Elementary and there was definitely a girl called Yolanda Zuckerberg there…" Felix said after a pause—acting as if he was thinking hard.Yolanda turned to him dumbfounded. Just as Lars was about to reply, she interjected, "Monaire Elementary? Which class are you in?""3rd Class."As Yolanda thought carefully, her expression changed. "Oh my! There really was a kid in my class call
Felix had clearly found Holt's weak spot. These guys were so desperate to extend their lives that they turned the entire Aquamarinus into a breeding ground. Obviously, they were terrified of death. As long as there was even the slightest chance of survival, they'd take it.And sure enough, Holt immediately agreed. He pulled out some kind of device and flew off, clearly contacting his comrades."But even if I agreed," Holt said, "the three of us split up and searched in different directions. Even if they rush over, they won't make it until tomorrow."The fear in his eyes was obvious, so much so that Felix couldn't help but laugh."How interesting," Felix said. "You made a deal with the Ant Queen, right? Couldn't she at least give you something to help you move freely through Desolated Lands at night?"Holt shot him a bitter smile. "The Ant Queen's children—the soldier ants—are born hunters. That instinct can't be erased. And honestly, we've never needed to go out at night anyway."
Lumen flew out and quickly returned. Felix's expression eased completely, and with a step, he vanished from where he stood."Chasing me was fun last time, huh? Did you think it'd go the same this time?" he asked.When he reappeared, someone was already lying on the ground about ten yards ahead. It was a figure fully shrouded in a gray robe, a man named Holt Bovington.That was Felix holding back. Otherwise, Lumen's previous strike could've shattered Holt's soul on the spot."Felix Zeller? It really is you!" Holt's voice was full of shock. Whatever he'd planned to do was already too late. His soul had taken a devastating blow, and he no longer had the strength to fight."Yeah, it's me. Just like I suspected, you people really aren't all that strong when it comes to soul power."Felix had spared his life because he wanted answers."If you answer a few questions honestly, I'll let you live. Even with your soul badly damaged, I assume someone who knows about Nine Flames and Desolate
Three months later, deep within a mountain on Aquamarinus, a meeting was taking place. Who would've imagined palace-like structures hidden within the mountain itself?In one of the chambers, a sky-blue dome adorned the ceiling. Beneath it, three figures in gray robes sat cross-legged, their bodies cloaked in shadow. Their faces were completely obscured."I went to see the Ant Queen yesterday. There's definitely something wrong.""Enough with the vague talk. Be specific.""In just three months, the Ant Queen has lost millions of her children. Do you even understand what that means?"The atmosphere shifted as all three took a sharp breath. A long silence followed before one finally spoke, "Perhaps our earlier theory is right. Is someone hunting soldier ants in Desolated Lands at night?""It has to be. How else do you explain millions of casualties? At this rate, we're down to just a million soldier ants across the entire planet. If this keeps up, they'll be wiped out in a month. An
"I didn't expect you to be a doctor, too. Thanks," Myles said, but then suddenly froze. His mind started racing.Wait a minute! He took down a tiger of True Blood Realm. On top of that, he was extremely skilled in medicine. That could only mean…"You figured out who I am?" Felix asked with a smile, trying to put Myles at ease. Despite that, Myles couldn't hide his fear. "You're Felix Zeller?""That's right. Judging by your reaction, I take it I've become a traitor to The Recovery Association? Or maybe some kind of unforgivable villain?"The air grew a bit awkward, and Myles shot him a strained smile."Not exactly… It's just that you took down the Flame Monarch. That's kind of hard to wrap my head around."His expression shifted again."Actually, everyone's still pretty confused. When we woke up this morning, every city, town, and even the smallest villages received a message. Five days from now, the Flame Monarch is holding a Flame Ceremony."Felix paused, frowning. "What's t
With Lumen and Indigo attacking and the Infinite Shield defending, Felix held his ground. Occasionally, he cast minor spells that barely consumed any soul power. Even as the monsters surged toward him like a tidal wave, not one of them could so much as scratch him.Feeling the steady stream of energy flooding into him, Felix grinned. If things kept going like this, there was a high chance he'd break through to the next major soul realm—Soul Overlord Realm.If he could level up again during the elimination rounds, his odds of winning the whole thing would increase significantly. Especially since Soul Overlord Realm required soul enhancement, it was a whole different league compared to Aetherium Realm.Once he hit Soul Overlord Realm, he was confident he'd be able to go toe-to-toe in a soul battle with the powerful figure who had chased him during dusk.That guy didn't dare appear in Desolated Lands at night, which likely meant his soul wasn't strong. In that case, Felix might actual
The sun had already begun to set. After fleeing in a panic, Felix had no idea if there was even a single place ahead that could shield him from the coming darkness.A few minutes later, the presence chasing him within his domain disappeared. Logically, the pursuer should've caught up in less than ten minutes, but they gave up. Still, Felix didn't relax for a second. The darkness was about to fall, and that could only mean two things. Either the pursuer wasn't confident they could survive the desolate night themselves, or they assumed there was no flame nearby and Felix was as good as dead.Either way, this was the most dangerous moment yet.After sprinting several more miles, Felix finally stopped. All around him stretched a barren wasteland with no end in sight. Even though he had memorized maps to identify different areas, they were useless now. As darkness swallowed the land, all reference points vanished."Damn it! I guess I'll have to see for myself what the hell comes out i
When Eira and Luigi saw that Felix was determined to go through with it, they moved instantly. Appearing right in front of him, they dropped to their knees."Please, Felix! For the sake of all those innocent lives, stop.""If you're really set on taking this flame, then kill us first."Seeing the two of them so resolute, Felix hesitated. The lives of hundreds of thousands—maybe even millions—now hung in the balance, all dependent on one decision from him."I haven't known you for long," Eira continued. "But from the way you avenged the 200 people of Innswood Village, I know you're not someone who kills without reason. You'd never turn a blind eye to the lives of ordinary people. "Please show them mercy. They've already suffered enough."Tears streamed down her face. The purpose of The Recovery Association was clear—overthrow the Flame Monarch, destroy the Nine Flames, and return Aquamarinus to what it once was. However, when it came to principles and morals, they were unwaveri
Felix thought that Gerald's advice really was spot-on. If he hadn't achieved Extreme Mastery, he could still beat the Flame Monarch. However, his subsequent journey would have been difficult. Winning first place in the Rank-Ascending Competition to protect Earth would've been almost impossible.With a casual wave of Felix's hand, the Flame Monarch collapsed to the ground. Thankfully, no one was around to see it. Otherwise, they'd have been scared out of their minds.The most powerful being on Aquamarinus, the Flame Monarch, just got instantly wiped out by Felix. To Felix, it was like crushing an ant and required no effort at all."It's time to complete the mission," Felix said.Just like that, he vanished. His speed was insane because Nine Flames were all scattered far apart. Since travel was banned at night, he couldn't afford to waste even a second.Honestly, he was curious what it would be like to go out at night. However, after thinking it over, he decided it just wasn't worth
Under the sunlight, Innswood Village looked even lonelier. If it weren't for Felix standing in the open field, the place would've looked like a dead town. Soon, a sound broke through the silent air. A person stood 30 feet in front of Felix. It was the Flame Monarch, whom Felix had met once."I really thought you were a member of The Recovery Association and that you'd laid a trap here. But it turns out, you're really alone."Felix replied, "I am a member of The Recovery Association, but why do I need a trap to kill you?"Oh? A member of The Recovery Association? The Flame Monarch smiled. "You're really brave, you know. You're the first person in Aquamarinus who dares to face me like this. Even the leader of The Recovery Association had been in seclusion, trying to reach Heavenly Realm before facing me."I don't know where you get your confidence from."Initially, Felix wanted to attack immediately. But he still had questions to ask. "There are only the two of us here. Sinc