"Nice to meet you, Mr. Holt Senior." "Well, well. Yvonne, you're quite a beauty with great poise. And to have Felix cook such a feast for you! Seems like you two have quite a special relationship." For some reason, Yvonne seemed flustered. "You must be joking, Mr. Holt Senior. Felix and I are just friends. His grandfather helped support me in the past." After Yvonne finished explaining, Ernest sighed. "No wonder Felix has such strong values. It runs in the family." The meal went smoothly. Ernest left early, as if knowing he should give the two young people some time alone. As soon as he stepped out, he called Sherlyn. "Grandpa." "My dear granddaughter, you have competition. Though I'm not sure of her exact background, in looks and other aspects, she's only slightly behind you." Sherlyn pouted. "Humph! Don't you have confidence in your precious granddaughter, Grandpa? As long as Felix isn't married, I still have a chance. But hearing you say that, I think I need to speed u
As night fell, the ballroom on the third floor of a five-star hotel in Avesburgh became the venue for the Stellar Group's business gala. Normally, a company of this caliber would host events at extremely grand locations like resorts. But no one thought that way here, as true luxury came from the company's own solid reputation. Countless people were desperate to attend but lacked the qualifications to receive an invitation. "Dad! Do... Do you think we can really get one of the partnership slots?" asked Sasha nervously. The Quinton family of three had arrived. As the future inheritor of the family business, Sasha naturally wanted their company to be as strong as possible. "I don't know." Beside them, Nattie smiled. "Of course we can. The fact that Felix got Lord Kane to arrange an invitation for us means a lot. Why else would he invite us? No matter what, Felix wouldn't dare mess with your father like that." Hearing this, Sasha's eyes lit up. "You're right, Mom. If Lord Kan
As Belle left, Felix furrowed his brows. He sensed something was off but was unable to pinpoint it. There would certainly be problems if Xena had interfered. But from what he knew of her, Xena was not petty enough to do that. That woman was just too proud and dismissive of others. She was not one to play underhanded tricks. In a room within the ballroom, Belle entered to find Joshua already seated. "Did you see Ms. Summers?" she asked. A flash of displeasure crossed Joshua's eyes. "I did, but she ignored me. It seems she's still upset about the dinner incident."Belle nodded and smiled. She said, "Don't mind it. I've told you. Many pursue Ms. Summers. You need to be patient! By the way, has your uncle arrived?" "Yes. He should be landing soon and coming straight here. Remember to pass on my message. This is our make-or-break moment." More than that, Belle looked forward to seeing Felix's shocked expression later. Afterward, Joshua would do something that would deliver a crus
Felix's face remained expressionless. But truthfully, he was caught off guard. This was something he had instructed Kane to handle. Kane must have been very confident for him to take full responsibility without involving the chief of Oasis Clinic. Yet it had somehow gone wrong. Combined with Belle's earlier words, it seemed someone had interfered. They clearly did not care about Kane's involvement. Felix took out his phone and called Kane. "Mr. Zeller." "Velocis Ventures wasn't chosen by Stellar Group as their business partner." What? On the other end, Kane felt like he had been hit by a bomb and instantly broke into a cold sweat. The consequences of this were extremely serious. If Felix thought he was being toyed with, Kane's life would definitely be in danger. "Mr. Zeller, I... I really don't know. I..." "Who did you talk to?" Felix was a reasonable person. From his interactions with Kane recently, he knew Kane was loyal to Dragon Alliance. So naturally, he would not
Felix felt truly guilty. He had meant to make amends for past wrongs but seemed to be worsening the situation instead. "Uncle Warren, I—" "Shut up. I don't want to hear your voice now or ever again. Is that clear?" With that, the Quinton family left. Felix's anger began to rise. Ignoring the stares of others, he walked toward Joshua. "Felix, what a show! If Mr. Rush hadn't been so kind, security would have thrown you out already. You're a disgrace!" Smack! Suddenly, Felix's hand struck Belle's face. Then, he turned to Joshua. "Come with me." The only sound in the hall was Felix's footsteps. Everyone else stood frozen in shock. After all, Belle was Xena's assistant. She had just been slapped in front of everyone—that was outrageous! "Felix!" Belle's enraged shout terrified the crowd, but Joshua held her back. "Calm down. Look at Xena's expression—something's off. I'll deal with Felix." Belle turned quickly, startled to see Xena's unusually cold gaze. She hurried over
Felix was quite surprised by the person who entered. Joshua turned with a scowl and was about to bark out. But he suddenly froze and quickly changed his tone. "Ms... Ms. Cooper? Why are you here?" Indeed, it was Yvonne who had arrived. From Joshua's address, Felix guessed that Yvonne had to be the president of Stellar Group. What a coincidence! "As president, am I not allowed at Stellar Group's city-within-a-city partnership gala?" Yvonne entered with a stern expression, followed by two others who appeared to be high-level executives. "Of course, I... I was just surprised. Please forgive me." After sitting down, Yvonne spoke, "Notify Warren Quinton of Velocis Ventures that Stellar Group has added another partnership slot for the city-within-a-city project. It's for his company." "Yes, ma'am!" One of the executives left immediately. Joshua had a bad feeling. "Ms. Cooper, won't the other five partner companies object to this?" Yvonne gave him a cold and disdainful look. "
"Felix! Don't celebrate too soon. Did you really think being a vice president at Stellar Group was my only backing? Hah, what a joke! "I admit that your connection to Yvonne as president was unexpected, but so what? You have no idea who my uncle is!" Felix asked with a curious face, "Oh? Then, tell me. Who's your uncle?" "Have you heard of Dragon Alliance?" Hearing those three words, Felix was able to connect all the pieces. No wonder Kane had asked Joshua for help. His uncle was also part of the Dragon Alliance. Based on that trust, Kane's mistake was understandable. "Never heard of it." This response left Joshua feeling dissatisfied. He sneered and said, "Of course not! Why would I discuss Dragon Alliance with trash like you? "It's a terrifying existence you could never imagine in your lifetime. And my uncle is a member. Forget about you—even that bitch Yvonne will have to apologize to me soon!"The door opened, and a middle-aged man entered. Joshua immediately went
What? Daniel looked at Kane in disbelief, then back at Felix. Could this man before him actually be the mysterious Dragon Lord of Dragon Alliance? Kane was furious. After receiving Felix's call, he rushed to the gala right away. He would not dare discuss such matters over the phone. He could only come and apologize to Felix in person. After finishing his sentence, Kane immediately knelt before Felix. "My lord! I have failed in my duties. Please punish me as you see fit." Suddenly, loud laughter rang out. "Lord Kane, your acting is truly impressive." Even Daniel was startled. Why was Joshua causing trouble at such a critical moment? "Uncle Daniel, you really believed that? I've checked. Felix is Lord Kane's relative and is even younger than Lord Kane. Now that you're here, Lord Kane is putting on this act to protect Felix. I must say that it's very convincing." Daniel frowned, barely containing his anger. "Kane, is he your relative? Did you think I'm an idiot and could be
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