"Mr. Rothwell?" Drake felt his soul leave his body, his mind grinding to a halt.The man before him was none other than Caleb Rothwell, the president of Titan Holdings. He was a titan of power capable of influencing every major conglomerate in Azuria. His fearsome reputation was something only a citizen of Azuria could truly comprehend.Even if Drake had a thousand lifetimes' worth of courage, he would never dare to cross someone like Caleb."Mr. Zeller, I deeply apologize for this unexpected situation. Rest assured. I will handle this matter to your satisfaction!"Ignoring Drake completely, Caleb strode briskly to Felix and bowed in respect."Mr. Rothwell, you're too polite. Just handle it as you see fit," Felix replied casually.Meanwhile, Drake was dragged out of the room by Gavin, a dumb grin plastered on his face. He wasn't even aware of what was happening. His perception of reality had been completely shattered. Felix, a mere youth from Dragonia, not only knew the mighty
"Jenna, they're almost here. Dad just called me. This time, they'll definitely cure you," Elijah reassured.Jenna Carter was unlike many women in Azuria—completely natural and without any trace of high-tech modifications. However, anyone could see she was in poor spirits.It was understandable. Marrying into such a wealthy family was already a challenge. She was already grateful Elijah Rothwell loved her deeply, but failing to conceive a child? She couldn't imagine how many whispers and pointed fingers were directed at her behind her back. The weight of that alone was more than enough to crush her."Okay, darling. I'll do everything I can. For you, I'll endure any hardship," Jenna said with determination.A short while later, Felix and his team arrived. Everyone had gathered outside, ready to greet them."Mr. Zeller, if I may ask, my daughter-in-law, Jenna, has always looked unwell. Could there be another issue? Could you please take a look as well?" Caleb Rothwell inquired.Fe
This was Felix's suggestion, and Caleb naturally complied. Deep down, he was already uneasy. Everything was happening too fast—so fast it was almost unbelievable."To be honest with you, Mr. Zeller. Jenna has undergone numerous tests, but nothing abnormal has been found." Garrett spoke up, giving a subtle reminder that Felix recognized as well-intentioned."I wasn't finished. Just call your medical team over to confirm if she's pregnant through a blood test," Felix said.Everyone was stunned. Even Jenna, who had just stepped out of the bedroom, stood frozen in shock."Felix Zeller! What are you implying? How dare you make such malicious accusations against my sister-in-law? If she could get pregnant, why would we need you here?" Adrian seized the opportunity, rising to fan the flames of discord.Before anyone could react, Caleb struck Adrian across the face with a harsh slap, his gaze sharp and piercing."Get out! If you can't keep your mouth shut, don't speak at all," Caleb comm
Caleb didn't even wait for the blood test results to come back before having Elijah and Jenna kneel in gratitude to Felix. This gesture was a clear statement of his trust and respect—it was no wonder he had become one of the most powerful magnates in Azuria.Once Elijah and Jenna stood up, Caleb announced with a wide grin, "Spread the word—every employee under Titan Holdings will receive double their performance bonus this month!""Yes, sir!"When a family patriarch like Caleb was in high spirits, he could afford to be extravagantly generous, easily flaunting his wealth.The entire Rothwell family was swept into a wave of joy as soon as the blood test results confirmed everything Felix had said. Whether Caleb's two daughters and sons-in-law shared the same enthusiasm was irrelevant to Felix—it wasn't his concern.That evening, Caleb, still deeply moved, asked, "Mr. Zeller, are you sure you don't want any money?"He had prepared billions as a token of gratitude, only for Felix to
"We're here. The person is inside," the woman said, gesturing toward a small wooden cabin as they emerged from the forest.Felix nodded. "Alright."Although Felix spoke calmly, he immediately extended his senses toward the cabin, scanning its interior. A moment later, he realized it was completely empty.Almost simultaneously, a powerful gust of wind surged toward him. Felix's instincts kicked in, and he swiftly leaped back, his body retreating at lightning speed.But the danger wasn't over. Another ambush came from behind, forcing him to spin around and unleash a strike.The ground beneath him shattered with a boom, and Felix was pushed back several dozen yards before stopping at the cabin's doorway."After the Dexter Grimshaw incident, our Elders' Council has started taking you seriously. We even sent the two of us, but it seems we still underestimated you!"The speaker was a middle-aged man who stood beside the woman who had guided Felix here. Her face now twisted into a sini
The two pursuers were utterly baffled—Felix's speed far surpassed theirs."It must be some sort of forbidden technique. Don't worry. This is an island; at best, he'll head for the sea. With our superior cultivation level and spiritual energy, we can outlast him. Techniques like that can't last forever," the man said.As they spoke, they both broke into confident smiles. In their minds, Felix was like cooked meat on a platter—there was no escape for him. Even though he was already over the sea, as long as he remained within their sensory range, catching him was just a matter of time. After all, their strength was undeniable."Darling, what's that?"Suddenly, the woman froze in place, pointing skyward. Her husband followed her gaze, his face turning pale as he saw the massive object streaking through the sky with a fiery tail."A missile?"Those were the last words he uttered. What followed was sheer terror.Explosions erupted as Felix dived into the sea just in time."Damn! Th
Felix's expression was devoid of emotion. "Nala? What does her situation have to do with me?"On the other end of the call, Yvonne was already sobbing. "I'm sorry, Felix! Please, I'm begging you to save Lady Nala. She's abroad and can't handle this on her own. I'm begging you!"But Felix remained indifferent. "I refuse. Yvonne, don't forget—it was that woman who first took away your happiness and then sent you to your death. Is she really worth it?""She is! Without Lady Nala, there wouldn't be me! Fine, I get it. Just help her this once, and I promise to leave Caraville immediately. I won't bother you again, ever."Felix sighed. He knew agreeing now would break Yvonne's heart. But he had no choice—Madam Spring's artifact posed a deadly risk to him. He could only act harshly to completely sever Yvonne's hope. Over time, she would heal and eventually find her own happiness."Fine, I'll go check the situation. But if it's too much, don't blame me for walking away."Time passed, and
"What brings you to Azuria?" Nala asked.Even though Felix remained silent, Nala kept talking tirelessly, almost as if she were speaking to herself. Her demeanor was entirely different from the impression she had given before—she was practically unrecognizable."Are you truly not considering returning to the Greene family? You can't begin to imagine the power they hold in Dragonia. "With your background, if you went back now, the Greene family would undoubtedly welcome you. With their formidable support, your future path would be incredibly smooth. Trust me," Nala said.At that moment, footsteps finally echoed from outside. Felix silently thanked the heavens—if they hadn't come, he might've been tempted to plug his ears."Who dares to hit my men?"A middle-aged man strode in, flanked by seven bodyguards dressed in black. Hands in his pocket, his swagger was practically oozing arrogance."I did," Felix said.Julian Hale let out a derisive snort, his face full of disdain."Do y
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