"Is that so? Well, I wish you safe travels," Felix responded.Yvonne tried to hide her disappointment behind a smile. She asked, "I wasn't going to mention this, but… why didn't you maximize the benefit of having a Miracle Card?" She had spent enough time around Felix to know he was not foolish, and her curiosity about his choices was natural.Felix chuckled. "You were also at the Golden Prime Auction? I did maximize my benefit. Moon's Tear was exactly what I needed most." Realizing further discussion was pointless, Yvonne turned to leave. "Good luck with everything. Bye, Felix." As she turned to leave, Felix suddenly stood up. He wanted to say something, but the words would not come out. For some reason, Yvonne was walking really slowly too.Just as she reached the threshold, Felix asked, "Can you stay?" Yvonne froze on the spot, tears streaming down her face. She did not dare turn back, fearing she would give in and stay for good. While she did not care what would h
Felix breathed a sigh of relief when he received the text message. Averill had come through for him just as expected. Locating someone Yale had hidden away was a task akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Yet, she was highly efficient, taking only a few days to complete what seemed nearly impossible. Felix turned his attention back to Harold, who was still sprawled in the chair as if he owned the place. Then, Felix approached with a smirk and ordered, "Call Yale. Tell him I have crucial information about the founder that I need to discuss in person."Felix knew this would guarantee an immediate meeting with Yale, who could not afford to ignore anything related to Dragon Alliance's founder. Harold scoffed. "Do you think I'll just do what you say? That's rich. Maybe if you got down on your knees and begged, I might consider it."Before he could finish his taunt, Felix lashed out, shattering the bones in Harold's left arm with a swift kick. Next, he inserted a silver
Ernest snapped, "Mind your own business! With Felix here, I could eat poison and be fine. Those doctors worry too much." He waved off Jairo's concerns dismissively.Felix chimed in with a reassuring smile, "It's alright, Jairo. I treated Mr. Holt Senior recently, and his health is excellent. He doesn't need any dietary restrictions. Why don't you try some, too?" Seeing Ernest nod in agreement, Jairo relaxed and sat down. Only around Felix could he let his guard down and enjoy himself, trusting in Felix's skills as a master healer and his formidable abilities. "By the way, the medical competition I mentioned is set for the day after tomorrow in Yartford. You need to be there by noon tomorrow. "It's a big deal—nine talented and young traditional medicine practitioners will compete for the chance to face off against Guneria's modern medicine in the final round," Ernest said. Felix nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation as it involved national pride. He replied, "I'll
Being the shrewd old fox he was, Jaxon could see right through Jaden. Ever since Jaden had found someone to cure Curtis and Xena had helped defuse the situation, Jaden's interest in Felix had waned significantly. However, Jaxon had his own cards to play."Mr. Hault, there's something I forgot to mention. There's a reason behind Felix's persistent pursuit of Xena," Jaxon whispered.This caught Jaden's attention, though he tried to appear nonchalant. "What reason could there be? It's just a chance encounter that led to an infatuation with Xena's beauty, status, and charisma. It's only natural."Jaxon shook his head. "No, it's because Felix and Xena are betrothed." Jaden was stunned to hear the news. His expression changed, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He barely contained his anger as he asked through gritted teeth, "Do you understand the gravity of what you're saying?"He did not spell it out, but Jaxon was not dense. He replied calmly, "I wouldn't stoop so low as to fabri
After 15 minutes, Felix wiped his mouth, having eaten without interruption or questions. He asked, "I'm done. Can we talk now?" Xena nodded and began, "My grandpa has recovered. He should wake up any day now."Felix was not surprised by this news. As a skilled martial artist who visited Curtis daily, Xena would naturally notice any improvements in his condition. However, he did not share the truth about Curtis' recovery because he saw no need to. If Curtis set him free, he and Xena would have no further connection, so why bother?"That's good news," Felix replied simply. Xena seemed puzzled by his lack of reaction but did not dwell on it. After all, they were not family, so she could not expect him to be emotionally invested."I sincerely hope you'll break off the engagement yourself. I don't want my grandpa to face this situation as soon as he wakes up," Xena stated firmly.Felix stood up. "I'm sorry, but as I've said before, I respect the older generation. This isn't my d
In the cemetery, Jaden and Xena walked toward a distant figure. An elderly man stood alone before a gravestone, his silhouette a picture of loneliness."Isn't this too sudden? Mr. Summers Senior doesn't even know I'm the one who saved his life," Jaden whispered.His confidence was shaken after learning about Felix and Xena's engagement. After all, the greatest favor had not been reveal yet. Xena reassured him, "It's fine. I'll explain everything. Grandpa knew about his condition before he fell into a coma."Relieved, Jaden teased, "So, does this mean you're ready to date me?""I promised I'd give us a chance if you saved Grandpa," Xena replied. "I'll keep my word, but we'll need time to become an official couple." Jaden nodded, "I understand. Once we fall for each other, it's a lifelong commitment. I'm not in a rush." To him, the wait was nothing. His mentor had already pointed out the benefits of having Xena in his life for his martial arts training. If he had been patient
Curtis' frown deepened. "I told you before that your future husband would come for you this year. You were supposed to marry him, not get involved with another man. "Are you disregarding my wishes? I've never opposed anything you wanted to do in your life. Is fulfilling this one engagement too much to ask?"Xena sighed. It was true that Curtis had always supported her choices, even when her parents objected. Perhaps that was why she became the formidable warrior she was. Besides, the engagement was indeed his only request."But, Grandpa," Xena pleaded, "Marriage is a life-changing commitment. Why are you clinging to this outdated concept of arranged marriages? Don't I have a say in my own love life?"Curtis patted Xena's shoulder. "I'm not old-fashioned, sweetheart. This engagement wasn't my idea—it was your great-grandpa's."Xena gasped. She thought it was impossible, given how far back this mess actually started. Not only that, but her parents were probably not even born then.
"Grandpa, did I… did I just space out?" Xena furrowed her brows, feeling like something had been off previously. However, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It all felt very strange.Curtis took a step forward. "Come on, let's talk about it when we get back. I've already made up my mind."He understood how much his father sacrificed for this marriage arrangement. Felix's master was such a powerful figure. However, they still needed to consider the realities of the present world. Still, Curtis swore not to disappoint his father.…As soon as Felix stepped off the plane in Yartford, someone came up to greet him. "Mr. Zeller, I'm with the headquarters of the Traditional Medicine Association. You can call me Howard. If you need anything today or tomorrow, just let me know."Felix nodded. "Thanks for your help, Howard."Howard Xavier, who was relatively young, was genuinely surprised by Felix's demeanor. Felix was the last of the nine young, renowned doctors to arrive. The oth
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