Averill turned off the TV with a bored expression. "I'm bored, Felix. Let's play."At those words, Felix quickly waved his hands in protest. "No! Averill, don't try anything funny!" In his current state, without any martial arts abilities, he would be completely defenseless if Averill tried to force herself on him.Averill pouted and revealed a deck of playing cards from behind her back. "What's going on in that dirty mind of yours? I meant these cards, though if you want to play something else, I wouldn't mind," she teased.For once, Felix could not help but blush—he really did let his imagination run wild. He replied, "Fine. I can handle this game."Just then, his phone rang. It was Ryan, who had given him his contact info two days ago. "Felix, I'm driving over to pick you up now. Whatever important things you have planned, cancel them. The opportunity I mentioned is happening tonight."Felix frowned at the timing but agreed anyway. "Alright, come pick me up."After explainin
Solomon took a sip of his drink and laughed. "How could I possibly guess what the higher-ups are thinking? I just do what I'm told. Besides, isn't Dr. Hoffman's apprentice human too?" Ryan felt a chill at Solomon's words, considering Gerald's reputation was enough to make anyone think twice before making a move. He had known Solomon for a long time; Solomon's family was powerful, but the man was simply obsessed with martial arts.Solomon showed no interest in money or women. Instead, he would follow anyone who could make him stronger. While Ryan had never heard of the Elders' Council before, he knew they were definitely not a simple bunch of people. "Mr. Gill, do you think Dr. Hoffman's apprentice will agree?" Ryan asked uncertainly.Solomon shook his head. "How would I know what he's thinking when I've never met him? But since you've spoken so highly of him, I'll allow you to make an introduction. I must say, I admire anyone who would risk themselves to save those poor orphans.
"Excellent! You didn't disappoint me. Rest assured, I'll give it my all," Solomon declared.Seeing this, Ryan frantically backed away. Though he had decent martial arts talent and had reached the Martial King level, he knew how terrifying Solomon was and did not want to get caught in the crossfire between these two.Felix nodded and slowly raised his right hand. "After one strike, we'll see if you're worthy of making me show my true abilities."Solomon did not feel insulted; instead, he excitedly drew his sword. If anyone else had spoken like that, he would have struck them down immediately, but Felix was Gerald's apprentice—he had earned that confidence.The next moment, Felix launched a blow toward Solomon, sending a gust of wind surging across the mountaintop. The wind was so intense that an ordinary person would struggle to stand, let alone keep their eyes open.Ryan was unaffected and strained to watch, not wanting to miss a single detail. Suddenly, a blade's light flashed, s
George quickly jerked the phone away from his ear, frowning. "Mr. Gibson, are you trying to make me deaf?"Then, something suddenly clicked in his mind. "Wait, what were you saying about Felix?""Felix never lost his martial arts—did you know about this all along?" Ryan demanded.George was stunned, and his eyes turned cold. "Don't push it too far, Mr. Gibson. Felix's body was damaged after that heroic act, and you're still trying to cause trouble for him? He's not as simple as you think."Ryan froze for a moment before replying, "It seems like you knew his true identity and set me up on purpose. But forget it—it was my fault for getting involved. Everything's fine now, so let's talk when we meet."After the call ended, George's confusion only deepened. He wondered what Ryan was talking about. Just then, a voice broke the silence. "If your father's letting you handle such a big contract with me, he must be planning to hand over more responsibilities."George quickly stood up wi
"Lady Summers, you should take it. Everything's under control right now," Alistair suggested.Xena stepped aside and answered the video call. "Grandpa, what—"She stopped mid-sentence, her eyes widening in shock as the screen showed not Curtis, but a short elderly man with dark spots all over his face."Lady Summers, it's an honor to finally meet you," the man said, instantly triggering Xena's anxiety."You're Sonny Balcom!" she exclaimed.Indeed, this was Sonny, ranked second-to-last among the Thirteen Aces in the Super S-rank wanted criminals list, and the creator of Bloom Seeds. When Sonny's name was mentioned, Alistair rushed over and immediately recognized Sonny too."Well, well, Lady Summers seems to have quite a memory of us Thirteen Aces, recognizing me so quickly." Sonny chuckled.Forcing herself to stay calm, Xena exchanged a glance with Alistair, who quickly left. She asked, "What do you want, Sonny?""Oh, nothing much—just want to play a game!" Sonny smiled. "Since
"You recognized him quickly! Yes, it's your boyfriend Felix. I'm not wrong, am I? This guy solved my Bloom Seeds, and you took care of him for quite a while. Can you really say there's nothing between you?" Sonny taunted.Xena's mind went blank. That explained why Felix's phone was unreachable. Sonny had kidnapped him, too.She demanded, "What are you trying to pull here?"Sonny stepped in front of Curtis, giving her a smug look. "I told you, it's just a game. Now, let's start. Watch closely, Lady Summers."After removing Curtis' gag, Sonny asked, "Should I kill you or him? One of you must die while the other lives." Curtis remained calm, glancing at Felix before responding, "Kill me. I'm old and have lived long enough." Then, he turned to the phone camera. "Xena, live a good life with Felix—he's someone worth trusting."Xena screamed hysterically, tears streaming down her face, but she was helpless to do anything."Well done, Mr. Summers Senior. Such noble thoughts—no wonder y
Nevertheless, Alistair understood Xena's emotional state. When one's family was involved, all rationalities seemed to go down the drain. Hence, he decided to wait for another opportunity to share his thoughts.…Felix went to Yardley Dining for his four-hour training session the next morning. He noticed Vivian wanting to say something and said, "Am I that scary? Just tell me what's on your mind." Vivian nodded and explained, "The Martial Alliance asked me to visit them. I'm not sure if it's related to Andrei's situation."After some thought, Felix responded, "Then, go. Don't let Dragon Alliance appear weak."When Felix returned home, he found both the gate and the front door wide open, as if someone had broken in. Rushing inside, he was puzzled to find Xena sitting in the living room, her face ashen as if something serious had happened."Xena, what brings you here?" Felix asked.Xena stood up and examined him with ice-cold eyes. "Keep acting! Everything ended safely, and now, y
Felix's face darkened with concern. He pressed, "Ryan, are you sure you want to take responsibility for what you said?"After a pause on the other end, Ryan replied, "Nothing happened, so what do you want me to say? This is ridiculous!" Then, the line went dead, prompting Xena to let out a cold laugh. "Can't even find someone to back you up. Felix, I finally understand everything now. You're a failure as a person, but at least you can brag about fooling the Warlady once," Xena said before walking away.Her understanding of "everything" meant she believed Felix's rescue of those dozen kids was just an act to impress her. None of this would have happened if she had not been so moved by that moment. Especially since Felix admitted that saving those children would not have cost him his life—he would only lose his fighting abilities. Then again, none of that mattered. Any fool would know it was worth trading combat skills for Xena's affection. After all, being known as the Warlad
It would be a lie to say that Lachlan wasn't surprised when he saw Felix. As an Orion, of course, he was aware of the entire situation.Felix was sent to Aquamarinus, a planet that was known for its deadliness.Even a genius would most likely die there. However, Felix succeeded in breaking through. Although his strength had been confirmed indirectly, Lachlan didn't take it seriously. He even told his family that there was no need to cheat.As long as he was there, Felix wouldn't be able to pass his level. Felix sneered, but didn't respond. They just met, and they were already mortal enemies. If they had a chance, they would've killed one another. So why should they even attempt to be civil?"Julius, nothing has happened yet, and you're already kissing his ass?" Lachlan laughed mockingly. Felix stayed silent, so Lachlan couldn't be bothered to mock him. Instead, Lachlan turned to Julius, who smiled."I don't need to report everything I do to you, Lachlan. Just worry about yours
This was something Felix hadn't thought of. The Orions had been too arrogant and thought their people could kill him, but they didn't anticipate the special conditions on Aquamarinus at night. If it wasn't due to that, Felix wasn't sure if he would still be alive now."Why are you telling me this?" Felix asked.Julius looked at him oddly. "My family, the Leachs, are on par with the Orions and developing fast. We don't want any conflicts with you or Earth, so tell me, why wouldn't I make friends with a strong man like you?"Since you can break out of Aquamarinus, you have the qualifications to win. At least for now, the champions of the elimination rounds in the Rank-Ascending Competition are extraordinary people."He continued, "I'm just offering help now. Once you succeed in the future, you can help me, right? I have nothing to lose, so why not try?"Felix understood his reasons. In this case, he was completely alone, and making acquaintances with the Leachs was good."How hard
As soon as Julius entered, Felix turned on the soundproof barrier and asked impatiently, "How do you know I'm from Earth?"Everyone here was a stranger, and the distance between each of their hometowns was over hundreds of thousands of miles. How could Julius tell where Felix was from so accurately?Julius looked a little helpless. "Your name is Felix, and your elimination match was on Aquamarinus. Of course, I know you're from Earth."Well, that was quite the redundant answer."No, listen to what I have to say."After motioning for Felix to sit down, Julius continued, "In the Rank-Ascending Competition, some people in power can actually cheat within the rules. Have you heard of the Orion family?"Before Felix could answer, Julius had already guessed the answer based on his gaze. "Heh, seems like Earth isn't as barbaric as everyone thought. Since you're familiar with the Orion family, it will make things easier for me."Well, you got the right information. The Orion family is th
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