Paul added, "I'm really just joking. No offense, Mr. Zeller." Even Steve frowned. What kind of ridiculous joke was this? Getting 15 fighter jets to fly over in half an hour? How many people in the entire country could pull that off? This went way beyond what connections or relationships could accomplish. Of course, Paul knew this, too. He said it on purpose to end the matter once and for all, shutting down any further discussion with Felix. "I could do it, but fighter jets aren't for shows or settling bets. They only deploy for emergency missions. Do you understand what I mean?" Felix retorted.If this involved national security, Felix would not hesitate to make the call. But this was just Luna's personal matter, and he hadn't lost his sense of perspective on what warranted such action. "You're right, Mr. Zeller. I was really just kidding." Despite the smile on Paul's face, he was inwardly looking down on Felix. How shameless this young man was—unable to deliver yet still
Felix couldn't care less about all that. He said, "So now, you can make your request. You should believe by now that there's nothing I can't accomplish, right?" Paul glanced at Steve with a helpless expression. Felix's status had reached an unimaginable level, which was totally different from all the previous buyers. If Paul offended someone like this, even without running a normal business, he'd probably find living like a regular citizen impossible. And this wouldn't just be in Zuera, but likely throughout all of Dragonia. Would he need to move abroad because of this? After thinking it over, Paul finally spoke up. "Actually, the person who really has the final say over this land is my cousin. Mr. Jacinto knows about my cousin's existence." Steve's expression changed, but Felix responded nonchalantly, "Fine. Call your cousin here, and I'll talk to him directly." Paul looked uncomfortable and seemed a bit embarrassed. "Well, my cousin has a hot temper and speaks very rudely.
When Felix saw who entered, his expression became incredibly odd—it was almost like he wanted to laugh. So Paul's mysterious cousin turned out to be Cordon, who had worked for Bazzo. At that moment, Felix marveled at the strange workings of fate. He had spared Cordon's life because of the Malevolent Phantoms and because he needed someone to handle the aftermath. Now, it seemed he had made the right choice. Coincidences really could happen all the time. "Ah, Cordon, you're here." Steve greeted him with a smile, while Paul sighed with relief. Now that his cousin had arrived, he believed this matter would be resolved. He had been very clear on the phone earlier. Just as Cordon was about to respond, he spotted Felix and froze completely. "Let me introduce you. This is Mr. Zeller, whom I mentioned on the phone. Though he's young, his status is extremely high. You'd better think before you speak." After Paul finished, he finally noticed something was wrong with Cordon. "Are you
Paul was stunned to hear that Bazzo was dead. After all, Morius was there, and the thought of him dying was unbelievable. Paul was stunned when Cordon continued, "You said it yourself—he could even command Johann. So tell me, how do you say no to someone like that, someone we can't afford to mess with in any way? He's not like the previous buyers. Our tricks are like child's play compared to what he can do."After a long pause, Paul finally let out a deep sigh. "I get it." Cordon thought Paul had come to his senses and relaxed a bit. When they entered the private room, Paul looked at Felix, his confidence completely shattered. He said, "Mr. Zeller, you can buy that land, but I have one condition."Cordon was so shocked by Paul's remark that he almost lost his balance. He thought, "What the hell! Did everything I just say go in one ear and out the other?"Upon thinking of this, he dropped to his knees. Paul might be ready to die, but he was not. He had just barely escaped with
Felix's calm demeanor wavered slightly. There was no way he could stay composed when Francis was brought into the conversation. After all, he had already witnessed Francis' incredible abilities—extending someone's lifespan and the sheer power of the Inkspire Quill. It was impossible not to be intrigued.Despite his growing curiosity, Felix kept his tone light, almost teasing, as he asked, "Mr. Rossum, isn't this a bit of a stretch? A piece of land tied to someone from so long ago? Are you saying this land once belonged to Francis?" "No, no, Mr. Zeller, I'm telling the truth! You seem well-educated, so you must know history well. You're aware that historical records say Francis had no descendants in Dragonia, right?" Felix nodded. "Yes, given the circumstances back then, he wouldn't dare. Even if he did, King Aurelius would have taken them as hostages."Paul let out a bitter laugh. "You're absolutely right. But somehow, he did have descendants. Francis hid them so well that eve
As Paul nodded, Felix continued, "So, you're saying you want me to find the serum, and then you'll sell the land?" "Yes, I can tell you're a reasonable man, Mr. Zeller. Otherwise, with your abilities, you could have taken the land by force long ago. I'm truly at my wit's end. I've searched everywhere and found nothing. Please, I beg you to help," Paul pleaded.Whatever reasons Francis had for setting this up must have been out of necessity. After all, who would deliberately curse their own descendants? Back then, Francis was in a desperate situation, constantly under King Aurelius's watch, with no other options. Felix replied, "Alright, I'll help. But I can only promise to do my best. This whole thing sounds too unbelievable to most people."Paul nearly burst into tears of relief. The fact that Felix could command Johann did not matter as much to him. What mattered was that Felix had killed Bazzo, something even Morius could not handle. This gave Paul hope that only someone lik
On the pedestal lay a black object. While the others did not seem particularly moved, Felix felt as if his soul was being drawn into it."A soul-bound weapon?" Even without any formal recognition, Felix could sense the strange power emanating from the black object. As expected, anything left behind by Francis was bound to be extraordinary.As he stepped closer, Felix spoke again. "This looks like an inkstone, doesn't it?"Paul nodded. "Yes, it's an inkstone. When we first found the land, the inkstone started emitting a black glow. According to the records, the stronger the glow, the closer we are to the serum. But no matter how much we searched, the glow never grew beyond a certain point."Felix's mind began to race. The Inkspire Quill was a brush, and now this inkstone left by Francis—both were part of the traditional scholar's tools. Could there be a connection between them? Though he could not figure it out yet, it did not stop him from wanting to claim the inkstone for himsel
Arriving at the tunnel entrance, Felix glanced at Paul. "Alright. Since Holden knows the way, you don't need to come. If things get dangerous, having an extra person to protect only increases the risk."Paul understood. He had poured enormous manpower and resources into this search, yet they still had not found anything. That alone proved that ordinary means would not work, and there was always the possibility of real danger lurking below."Mr. Zeller, please… protect Holden. He's my only child."Felix gave a small nod, and Paul pulled Holden into a tight embrace as if he were sending him off to war. Holden assured Paul, "Don't worry, Dad. Mr. Zeller's with me."The underground tunnels had electric lighting, a clear sign of just how much effort had gone into this excavation. Paul had even hired guards to keep watch, ensuring no outsiders wandered in. Though the area was remote, with only vineyard workers nearby, he had not taken any chances.Felix walked forward, keeping his eyes
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