Sergio glanced at Gerald with disdain. "Don't get your hopes up too soon. The Starmark is just a ticket in the door. We have no idea how far Felix will actually make it." Gerald immediately bristled. "Jeez! Stop being so negative about us. Would it kill you to be optimistic for once?"Whatever. I'm going to take a nap. At least I can finally explain things to those brats. I was still stressing about how to handle Eloise." Time passed. In the living room of the hotel suite, Dahlia and Karina sat on the couch, both glowing and looking more feminine than before. "I can't believe you're actually so experienced and adventurous, Dahlia." Dahlia kept a poker face. "I learned by watching all sorts of things. But I'm definitely not as loud as you." Felix, fresh from his shower and dressed, was speechless hearing this. Even with all his power, he was no match against both women. In fact, he felt he had been taken advantage of. "Can we drop this topic already? Mr. Hoffman and Eloise
As Gerald walked in, Eloise stood up. Despite what she had done, she still respected him as her mentor. She actually just wanted to know the truth. "Well, look who decided to show up!" Gerald snapped. Something flickered in Eloise's eyes, but she changed the subject. "Do you really need Dahlia and Karina here for this?" Dahlia and Karina looked dumbfounded. They still had no clue why they'd been called over, though they had a gut feeling something big was coming. "Obviously. Why else would I call them? Eloise, if I didn't care about you, I would've flown overseas and killed you myself for what you pulled. Or do you think I couldn't?" Shocked, Dahlia and Karina gasped. Why would Gerald say something so harsh? Felix was the only one who understood the situation. Indeed, Eloise had done something that had crossed some serious lines. Eloise gave a bitter smile. "I just wanted to know the truth about myself. Is that so wrong?" Gerald snorted again before speaking, "All nine
Gerald said, "My old friend had enemies—serious ones. If I don't keep you sealed, your soul's energy will start to radiate once you reach a certain level. When that happens, it won't matter how far away those enemies are—they'll sense it instantly. And by then, not even I could protect you."As he spoke, Gerald turned to look at Eloise. "Are you satisfied with that explanation? Or are you still skeptical?"Eloise stayed silent, and even Felix could tell she probably was not buying it. After all, they were already talking about aliens—stuff that sounded completely out there and impossible to verify. Naturally, it was hard to believe.Gerald seemed to read the doubt on her face and chuckled. "If you want, I can remove the seal right now. You'll be free to train however you want, and I won't stop you anymore. "But you need to understand something—if that ends up attracting the enemies and gets you and your eight apprentices killed, that has absolutely nothing to do with me. I've alre
As soon as all three of his senior apprentices turned to look at him, Felix felt the pressure pile on. There were so many things he did not quite understand yet. He asked, "Mr. Hoffman, are you serious? You're saying this Starmark doesn't just protect my seniors—it can actually stop the second wave from hitting Earth?"Gerald nodded seriously. "Would I joke about something this big? There's an organization out there in the universe called the Star Alliance. At least from my time until now, they've always followed the rulings of the Star Gate. "Every 500 years, the Star Alliance hosts a massive competition to find the top talents across the universe, where participants are put through a series of tests and battles. The prizes are insane—especially for the champion. Not only do they get rare and powerful rewards, but they also get to claim an entire planet as their own territory. Do you understand now?"Felix was starting to get it—kind of. He asked, "So, the Starmark is basically a
As he spoke, Gerald raised his hand slightly. "You don't need to know the names of every level, but let me just say this—Dragon Rebirth is a phenomenal technique. Across the universe, it's considered extraordinary. "And paired with your soul power, if you really want to increase your chances of winning that championship, you'd better reach the extreme mastery of martial cultivation. Right now on Earth, aside from me and your seniors, only three others have reached that stage. If you want to win, you must push yourself to that level, even if the bar is high."It was a realm Felix had never even heard of before. And from Gerald's tone, the fact that he did not even bother explaining the earlier levels proved just how crucial this one was."From what you're saying, I'm guessing the Ancient Sage and that guy who protects the country are probably both at that level. So, who's the third one?"Gerald's expression confirmed he had guessed right. "Billy's mentor."Felix thought that made
Facing off against the Ancient Sage would make most martial artists freeze. His legendary feats were endless, and his reputation alone was enough to send people running. Even so, Felix looked straight at Gerald and didn't hesitate.He said, "I'm in. If I can't even handle the Ancient Sage, then I've got no business entering some interstellar tournament under the Star Alliance."His three seniors looked at him with loving concern, clearly pained to see him risk so much—especially since part of it was for their sake. Only Gerald laughed out loud. " That's the answer I was hoping for. If you'd said no, I would've personally stepped in to shut my little brother down so he couldn't come after you."He raised two fingers and continued with a serious tone. "You're two full stages below Extreme Mastery. Even with Lone Paragon on your side, the chances of being one-shot by the Ancient Sage are still very real—every powerhouse has their trump cards."But honestly, he doesn't even need to u
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Felix sat alone at a small street-side barbecue joint, deep in thought. He was still wondering when he should tell Cordelia and Nerissa about the Starmark. After all, this could very well be the beginning of a final goodbye.Aside from preparing for the Ancient Sage, he had another pressing goal—he needed to push his soul cultivation even further over the next three months. The stronger he became, the better his chances of winning the championship.The fastest path forward was through the Mystical Explosive Orb. Now that he had the power to take on an S-tier Malevolent Phantom, it was time to plan things out properly. Before, he had to keep a low profile because of the looming second wave, but now that the Starmark gave him a clear path, there was no need to keep hiding his strength. Still, he would need Donna's help since there was no way he could find an S-tier Malevolent Phantom on his own, especially the first one he wanted to hunt—Specter
Felix turned around and looked straight at Daphne. She was leaning lazily against the alley wall, arms crossed, her whole posture relaxed and indifferent.Felix remarked coldly, "Playing hero? I wouldn't argue with that. But hearing that from a Malevolent Phantom just doesn't sit right."He had not originally planned to step in, but something about her had felt off. A woman who looked like that throwing herself at a bunch of trashy-looking thugs? It did not add up. So, he activated his Spirit Eye—sure enough, she was a Malevolent Phantom.Back then, Felix would not have dared to stare directly at one. But now that he had reached the Ethercore Realm and had the strength to rival an S-tier Malevolent Phantom, average ones would not even detect he was watching. So, he did not hold back.That one line made Daphne pause, visibly surprised. "Interesting. You must be pretty strong to see through my disguise without me even noticing." Felix let out a cold chuckle. "For an A-tier Malevole
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