Larry took a seat and gestured to the manager, instructing firmly, "No one enters without my permission."Once the door closed, Felix said, "I assume you've figured things out, Mr. Laird?"Larry nodded. "I'd be a fool not to. When I see you dining with Wendy right after Vincent's call, it's not hard to connect the dots." His gesture with the expensive drinks was clearly an attempt to smooth things over after rejecting Vincent's request. It was obvious that Larry was a real people-pleaser. Felix said, "Alright. Let's just get straight to the point. I need you to relocate that grave. I only need access to the back garden for a week, and after that, you can do whatever you want with it."Larry seemed troubled. "Mr. Zeller, seeing how Wendy respects you, I know you're no ordinary person. But that grave means a lot to me, and there's a precious family heirloom buried beneath it. I simply can't agree to this."Larry assumed Felix had somehow learned about the family heirloom and wa
Felix's expression shifted slightly when Xena's name was mentioned. Of all the possibilities he considered, Xena was not among them.Mistaking Felix's reaction for hesitation, Larry decided to lay all his cards on the table. "I'm not just talking about a quick meal, Mr. Zeller. I want to give her a grand reception—if you understand what I mean."Larry's motivation made sense. He was devoted to his restaurant business, and what better way to gain instant recognition than hosting a celebrity of Xena's caliber? With proper publicity, success would be inevitable."Let me guess—you also want to take photos with her and display them in your restaurant?" Felix asked wryly.Larry shifted uncomfortably. "Come now, Mr. Zeller, I know my boundaries. Lady Summers isn't some regular celebrity, so photos are obviously out of the question."The mention of Xena made Felix contemplate the situation carefully. He considered potential alternatives but realized even someone like Vivian, the current
Since Felix had been dragged into the Phantom Poison incident because of her, Xena felt somewhat guilty. Thus, she agreed to the talk. "Alright."As they walked out, Jaden seethed with frustration. If not for his promise to Zara, he would have confronted Felix already."Felix, I'm going to win Xena over before she becomes Warlady," he muttered. "If you're smart, you'll back off now. Zara can't protect you forever."While walking through the neighborhood, Felix decided to skip the small talk. "Have you heard of Yardley Dining?""No, I haven't." Xena shook her head.However, her heart unexpectedly raced, and she could not explain why. Was Felix really planning to pursue her? "I need a favor from Mr. Larry Laird of Yardley Dining," Felix explained. "His condition is having you dine at his restaurant—a very formal, special dinner."Hearing that he was asking for a favor, Xena's excitement instantly deflated. "Absolutely not! I'm about to become a Warlady. Do you expect me to be a p
Jaden's sudden proposal caught Xena completely off guard. In all honesty, the man kneeling before her checked all the boxes of her ideal partner—handsome, kind, accomplished, and backed by the prestigious Crimson Sage Sect. Sadly, the timing was not right. Xena explained gently, "Jaden, you know my grandpa asked me to date Felix for a month. There's still about two weeks left. I hope you understand."Jaden stood up, looking somewhat embarrassed. "I'm sorry. I completely forgot about that."The euphoria from his breakthrough had made him impulsive, momentarily forgetting about Felix, whom he considered insignificant. Nonetheless, he noticed the look in Xena's eyes and felt he still had a chance, especially considering Xena's promotion to Warlady would happen much later. Shortly after Jaden left, the doorbell rang. Xena was a little annoyed, wondering how everyone seemed to know her whereabouts so easily. Then again, it could be Felix.But as soon as she saw who it was, she went
Leia continued, "The second way is to do him a favor. The only opportunity we know of is through his chronically ill sister. But this won't be easy—Alistair once used his greatest war achievement to convince Lord Hector to summon Silas for her, but even Silas couldn't help."Xena's expression fell. If Dragonia's second-ranked healer, Silas, could not help, what hope was there? Any leader knew the invaluable worth of having a capable commander. Hence, earning Alistair's genuine respect was crucial to securing her position as a Warlady."Leia, did you come here just to discourage me?" Xena asked with a bitter smile. "Both options are impossible for me."If Silas could not help, what could she do? Even if she did become Warlady, getting Silas' attention was not guaranteed. And as for the top-ranked healer, that was even less likely. Leia replied, "Don't you know any master healers? Dragonia's history spans centuries. The current top-ten-ranked healers are just those who seek the
Half an hour later, a group of men arrived at the scene, each exuding a fierce, battle-hardened demeanor. It was clear they were experienced combat veterans. "Captain Hill, punish me as you see fit," the first man said with his head bowed low. "I failed to protect Ms. Hill."The man who commanded such respect appeared to be in his 40s, with a square jaw and a cross-shaped scar on his forehead. His cold gaze alone was enough to send a shiver down anyone's spine.Alistair replied, "It's not your fault. Yara has been suicidal for a while now. She must have used her inner energy for that burst of movement, despite her condition. You couldn't have kept up. Did her trace disappear here?"The man nodded. "Yes, she could be nearby or much further away." Thanks to his unique practice, he could track a person's scent as long as they did not leave a certain radius.Alistair bit his finger until it bled and began murmuring something. His men's faces paled at this action, and one spoke up
Alistair declared, "In my life, I've only kneeled before my parents, but today, I kneel before you, sir. Please, I beg you to save Yara's life."The dozens of men present suddenly dropped to their knees as well. They all owed their lives to Alistair many times over, so this gesture came naturally to them. Alistair continued, "We broke into your home and attacked without knowing the truth. I'll cut off my own arm if that's what it takes for you to forgive us and save my sister."He raised his right hand, his expression unchanging as he prepared to strike his left arm."If you actually do that, I won't help Yara," Felix warned quickly.Alistair was caught off guard, and his eyes lit up with hope. "You'll help her?"Felix sighed. In truth, he was genuinely moved by Alistair's character. He had met many military men before, but never one like Alistair—someone who combined fierce loyalty with such devotion to family."Everyone, please stand up. This is making me uncomfortable," Feli
As the sound faded, Xena walked in and was surprised to see Felix there. She quickly masked her reaction and ignored him, secretly hoping he would not mention their relationship in front of her subordinates, especially Alistair—that would be too embarrassing."Lady Summers!" Alistair and the others bowed respectfully. Just as predicted, Alistair was not the type to disrespect authority, though his true loyalty remained questionable.Xena acknowledged them with a slight nod. "Quite a commotion here. Is there anything I can help with? I know I don't officially start until tomorrow morning, but I hope you don't mind me asking." The others remained silent until Alistair spoke up. "It's nothing serious. My sister just went missing for a while, but we've found her. Thank you for your concern, Lady Summers."Felix stood there silently, smart enough to pick up on Xena's deliberate attempt to hide their relationship."I see. I'm glad it was just a false alarm," Xena replied.As Alistair
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