After a moment of hesitation, Felix agreed to exchange contact information with Zara."I live in Avesburgh," he said.With his details in hand, Zara smiled sweetly as she watched him enter a taxi."I've met an interesting person, sir. It's the first time since leaving the mountain that I've been defeated by someone my age," Zara muttered.…Felix soon arrived at a bustling commercial street in Yartford. He couldn't help but marvel at the sight. There was a small, 20-square-yard pasta shop with a long line of customers. People were eating their pasta while standing or squatting all around."Indeed, when one door closes, another opens. It's just a matter of time."This pasta shop belonged to Madeline. Despite its tiny size, its prime location in the city meant that the annual rent was a steep one million dollars. While a price might be unreasonable in a place like Avesburgh, it was apparently worth it in Yartford."Felix, you're here," Madeline greeted him warmly as she stepped o
Although Curtis had woken up a few days earlier, Felix hadn't been overly concerned, knowing that each person's recovery time depended on their physical condition."I'm in Yartford. I'll see him when I get back," he replied to Xena.In response, she abruptly hung up, showing her impatience.Around 7:00 pm, Felix and Madeline arrived at the restaurant."Does your boyfriend's family have a lot of money?" Felix asked, glancing at the upscale entrance, which suggested a high-end dining experience.Furrowing her brows slightly, Madeline replied, "No, he just works at a company, earning a little over ten thousand dollars monthly. However, this is his family's first time meeting me, so it's understandable they'd want to splurge a little."That made sense to Felix. A young man was already seated inside when they entered the private room."Luke, let me introduce my cousin, Felix Zeller. He happened to be in Yartford for business, so I invited him along. Is that okay?" Madeline asked.Lu
Lilian slammed her hand on the table, fury radiating from her."Are you an idiot? A woman like her is fine for a fling, but marrying her? Do you think Mom and Dad would ever agree to that? Absolutely not!"After saying that, she turned her gaze to Madeline. It was clear she understood Luke's character."Listen carefully, Madeline, if you truly love my brother, then stop pestering him! You know what kind of person you are."At that moment, Felix finally spoke up. "It's true that Maddy worked as a hostess in a karaoke bar. That's undeniable, and I believe she wouldn't try to argue against it. But everyone deserves a chance, don't they? "Maddy's father left her with a heavy debt, and she had to take this job to pay it off as quickly as possible. She has maintained her integrity. She was just a hostess and didn't do anything inappropriate."He walked over and patted Luke on the shoulder, continuing, "I'm saying all this because I think your character is worth defending. At least Mad
Since Felix had promised to support her, Madeline stood up straight. She longed to prove herself, especially since she had found success in her work. She wanted to find love and a family full of warmth, too. She had known Felix since they were young. He wasn't one to make empty promises. Since he was standing up for her, he must be confident about himself.Lilian, however, sneered in disdain. "She's losing out? Are you even hearing yourself? There aren't many in Yartford who would dare to say that about joining our family. Ha! Birds of a feather flock together."Felix casually tossed a Diamond Card from Concord Bank onto the table, saying, "We're about the same age, right? Let's see how rich you really are."With a quick glance, Lilian recognized the card. After all, given her family's financial standing, there was no way she wouldn't recognize a Concord Bank Diamond Card. Her expression briefly changed, but then she scoffed."So, you aren't entirely useless. I guess you must be
"Hey, are you two here for dinner too? Are you here for dinner with Mr. Jackson?" Walter asked.Lilian hurriedly replied, "No. Is Sean having dinner here?""Yeah, he's having a meal with a few heavy drinkers. I was just on my way to grab more wine from the car. Anyway, I gotta run."Just then, Luke stopped him and asked, "Walter, do you… do you know that guy?"They had seen it clearly. Walter had stepped aside and respectfully bowed to Felix. It felt so surreal to them.Walter turned back to them, his brow furrowing. "Not exactly. Why are you asking? Do you know him?"If Walter didn't exactly know him, why was he acting so respectful to him?Luke's mind raced as he asked again, "Isn't he Felix Zeller?"Instantly, Walter's expression turned serious. "That's right! Did you offend him? Be honest; this could be serious."Lilian trembled slightly. She opened her mouth but seemed lost for words. Luke, however, laughed."Come on, Walter, relax. He's my girlfriend's cousin. There's n
Outside the restaurant, Felix and Madeline stopped in their tracks."Felix, thank you. Perhaps I've said that too many times, to the point it's lost its meaning," Madeline said.Felix smiled. "You don't need to thank me. Just make sure you don't look down on yourself."Madeline brushed her bangs back, looking calm and collected. "Don't worry. I won't do that again. However, I didn't expect Luke to stand up for me like that today."Felix nodded. "He's a good guy. It's hard for him to hold onto such values, especially given his wealthy background."At that moment, Luke and Lilian hurried over."Maddy, my… my sister wants to apologize to you," Luke said.Madeline raised an eyebrow. She looked at Lilian, who couldn't even meet her gaze. She acted so differently from her earlier haughty demeanor."Do I deserve your sister's apology? Since she has already spoken her mind, there's no point in her putting on an act."Felix, however, seemed to understand the change. It was likely becau
"Do you need me to feed you?" Zara asked. Felix looked at Zara, puzzled. For some reason, she seemed like a different person. She was suddenly acting warm and even showing a bit of a softer side."Don't act like that. You're making me nervous," Felix said.Felix devoured his breakfast, wanting to get through the meal quickly. Meanwhile, Zara sat across from him, resting her chin on her hands."Is it because you think I'm ugly?" she asked."No, not at all. I've been around many beautiful women, so I don't care if a person is beautiful or not. We are all given a life. Beauty has advantages, sure, but being less attractive doesn't mean you can't live a full life."Zara's eyes brightened. "Impressive. That's the most sincere answer I've heard from a man."By 10:00 am, people began arriving at the Traditional Medicine Association headquarters. This event was not open to the public, so the attendees were limited to those who witnessed the recommendation of nine candidates the previou
Following Timothy's pointed direction, Yvonne was stunned. If not for her training, she might have blurted out her true thoughts.Felix Zeller? It was actually Felix!Nala couldn't help but glance over as well, and a flicker of surprise crossed her gaze. This trial was kept highly confidential. Otherwise, they wouldn't have needed Timothy to ensure order and security. Not even Nala knew who the representative would be. Learning it was Felix was shocking as he was the fiancé she had dismissed. Not only was he a doctor, but his skills had also reached such a high level."Tim, you don't seem thrilled about this choice," Nala stated. She had known Timothy for years, so she easily understood his tone."Of course I'm thrilled. Why wouldn't I be?"Since Felix had already been selected, Timothy knew he shouldn't make discouraging remarks. They were all representing Dragonia, and unity was paramount."Take a seat for now. The team from Guneria just arrived, and one of them is a general,
The guide said, "This is where the selected contestants rest. The yard is huge and has everything you need. As long as you don't leave this yard, you're free to move around. I'll bring you to your room now."The yard looked huge, with fixtures of bridges and flowing rivers. Felix even passed by a fake mountain. It was large enough for hundreds of people to climb, standing thousands of feet tall and looked quite majestically.No one on Earth or Aquamarinus could have built such a luxurious residence. Felix could even see a bar and massage parlor, showing how indispensable technology was in the universe. His room was luxurious, around 2000 square feet, and was decorated with traditional but modern touches. "This is your room. I'll take my leave now, goodbye." The young man left with a bow. Felix turned around and stood on the patio. Outside his room was a large lake, with even fish swimming inside."A new neighbor? Did you just arrive today?" The sudden voice came from the patio
Felix arrived at the location of one of Nine Flames, where the guards instantly collapsed, their eyes rolling back as they fainted.By now, darkness had arrived. He walked forward without any hesitation, his right hand touching the flame.There was no need for any special tools. The flame simply vanished, and only Felix knew that it was absorbed in an instant by his Starmark.With the disappearance of the flames, people in many places immediately dropped to their knees.The light that should have lasted throughout the night vanished, and the darkness of Desolated Lands descended almost instantly. Every light went out in an instant.Screams echoed everywhere, and panic spread like wildfire. Even though their loved ones were close by, they couldn't see them with their eyes and could only communicate through voice.Scenes like this were unfolding in many places, even in Cloud City."It's really started," Eira said. She was in Cloud City. Although Luigi was standing on her left, h
Despite Thiago's murderous glare and overwhelming killing intent, Felix wasn't scared. In fact, it made him smile.Due to the unique trait of the Dragon Rebirth, his opponent had to harbor a true desire to kill him in order for Felix to grow stronger. Otherwise, it would all be meaningless. At least so far, everything was unfolding just as he expected.Meanwhile, Holt was silently praying like crazy as he lay on the ground. The battle had already begun, and his companion had understood his message. This was their only shot, however slim, at killing Felix.As time passed and the afternoon crept past 3:00 pm, his companion started to falter. His attacks were growing sluggish. He hadn't been injured, but he was clearly on the defensive now.Seeing this, Felix completely lost interest. Once his opponent lost the will to kill him, the Dragon Rebirth would no longer grow.Still, the battle wasn't for nothing. He'd made solid progress and was a little closer to becoming a Celestial Realm
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