"Hah! What a disgrace to men. I can't imagine what Nancy was thinking, getting involved with trash like you," Ronald sneered.Bertha felt vindicated, knowing she would soon have her revenge. Ronald Sullivan wasn't just anyone—he was a second-generation elite in Aleshire who was wealthy and well-connected. On top of that, she had shared a bed with him a few times, giving her some leverage in their relationship."Mr. Sullivan is one of our highest-tier Platinum members. He could slap dozens of people like you to death with a single hand."Ronald's sudden appearance was unexpected, but Felix had no interest in wasting his time on this group of clowns. There were plenty of scarf shops in Aleshire—this one wasn't unique."If I want to leave, who can stop me?"Ronald stepped aside, but his two bodyguards moved in to block Felix. Just as they reached for him, their bodies trembled simultaneously, and they stepped back, backing away."Useless!" Ronald snapped, his face darkening. These
An older woman entered. One could tell she was a beauty when she was younger. Her lashes fluttered when she looked at Felix."A-Aunt Yvette?" Felix dropped his phone out of shock when he recognized Yvette.When Yale staged a coup, he had taken Yvette hostage. They had to beg Averill to save Yvette.Although Felix wasn't particularly close with Yvette, he understood that Yvette had been Cordelia's hope. He couldn't possibly feel nothing when he finally met Yvette in person."Felix, is that really you?" Yvette dashed over and agitatedly caressed Felix's face. Tears streamed down her cheeks. "Where were you these past few years? I looked for you a few times at Avesburgh. You rascal! You worried me so much."Felix was not used to the love and care Yvette displayed. Had Yvette learned to cherish family after his parents passed away? He recalled not being that close with Yvette, though she was at least not as heartless as the Zellers."I'm fine, Aunt Yvette. How are you and your family
"Let's have dinner at home. I will cook for you. Your mom learned her cooking skills from me. There's nothing good at the restaurants nowadays," Yvette suggested."Okay," Felix agreed.He was at a stage where he craved family bonds, and Yvette was technically a relative. Otherwise, he would have no relatives showing up to his wedding."Ronald has lived a pampered life. His mom spoiled him rotten. If he offended you in any way, I hope you won't take it too personally.""Alright."Yvette's phone buzzed during the drive. She answered the phone on Bluetooth. "Hi, Margaret.""I've secured an appointment with Mrs. Walsh. Hurry over!"Yvette furrowed her brows, looking troubled. "But Margaret, I can't make it.""What's more important than meeting Mrs. Walsh? You knew she could help put in a good word. It'll help immensely with that business deal! I dropped you the location. Just come now."A thought struck Margaret Holmes. She added, "By the way, I nearly forgot that Ronald told me
A while later, Yvette and Felix showed up."Margaret, this is my nephew, Felix Zeller," she introduced Felix.Felix greeted Margaret for Yvette's sake."Felix? You look like a fine young man. I've heard about the incident at the scarf boutique. It's all Ronald's fault."Ronald offered an apology, saying, "I didn't know you were older than me. Consider us acquainted after that fight. Sorry about that."Felix absentmindedly answered him. It seemed like Margaret had since enjoyed a better status in the Sullivan family. It was either that, or Shaun was highly respected in the family. Otherwise, Ronald would never apologize.Felix regarded himself as having dealt with people from all walks of life. He believed in his judgment of character. Ronald, an impudent man, would not say sorry unless he was pressured by someone superior."Felix, the woman who will join us is Mrs. Walsh. She's a respectable figure in Aleshire. Since we're asking for her favor, please keep any grudges to yours
Who could have imagined such a thing would happen? Yvette hurried to explain, "Margaret, there must be some misunderstanding here! Let's be honest. With Felix's status, how could he possibly come into contact with someone like Evelyn York? Besides, he doesn't even reside in Aleshire."Felix was searching through his memory, trying to figure out if he had ever met someone named Evelyn York. In the end, the answer was clear—he truly hadn't."Yvette, stop defending him. I think he did it on purpose. Didn't you say before that there wasn't much point in reconnecting with old relatives? That already shows your relationship wasn't that close. He's clearly looking for trouble," Margaret said, cutting her off before she could respond."There's no need to explain further! I'll tell Nathaniel everything about this, and I'll inform Shaun as well," Margaret declared, leaving no room for discussion.At this point, Felix couldn't stay silent any longer. "If this is truly my fault, I'll take re
Yvette hurried out of the kitchen, still holding the ladle. She had never seen Shaun like this before."What happened, dear? Does it have something to do with Felix?"Shaun's expression was grim, and his face was shadowed with concern. Instead of answering her, he turned to Felix."Tell me honestly. What kind of conflict do you have with Evelyn? If we can't figure out the reason, I really can't do anything to help."Shaun, who usually carried himself with an easygoing and carefree attitude, now seemed utterly serious. It left Felix somewhere between amused and exasperated."I honestly don't know Evelyn. I've never even met her, let alone had any issues with her."Watching Shaun frown even more deeply, Yvette couldn't hold back any longer. No matter what, she couldn't just stand by and watch Cordelia's only blood relative end up in real trouble."What's going on? Just tell me!"Shaun sighed heavily, finally making a decision. "Drive Felix out of Aleshire. I'm afraid Evelyn has a
Nathaniel obviously saw an opportunity to completely crush Shaun—a perfect chance to kill two birds with one stone.Before Shaun could respond, Dominic interrupted coldly, "Shut up! Who told you we're here to cause trouble?"Then, he shot an anxious glance toward Shaun. "If I'm not mistaken, you're Shaun Sullivan, which would make Mr. Zeller your nephew. Correct?"Shaun was about to answer instinctively when he suddenly froze, wondering if the "Mr. Zeller" he meant was Felix. The others also noticed the unusual formality in the address, especially coming from the head of the Walsh family.After all, addressing an outsider as "Mister" typically meant they held a higher status and deserved special respect. However, they were puzzled as to what could make Felix so special."Dominic, what's your wife trying to do?" Felix finally broke free from Yvette's tight grip and stepped forward.That single question made Evelyn's teeth chatter with fear, while Dominic struggled to maintain a ge
That single word "wait" made Dominic and Evelyn jump in surprise. Dominic asked nervously, "What can I do for you, Mr. Zeller?""I heard you have a multi-billion-dollar deal with the Sullivan family?" Felix's question made Dominic relax slightly, as he had expected something worse."Yes, that's correct. What about it, Mr. Zeller?"Felix gestured casually before saying, "Work out the details with Uncle Shaun moving forward. If he wants to do it, great. If not, forget I mentioned it.""Of course, Mr. Zeller. I'll personally visit Mr. Shaun tomorrow," Dominic replied eagerly. The old saying about one person's success lifting up everyone around them could not have been more true. In the past, Dominic would not have given anyone in the Sullivan family the time of day. While the Sullivans had had a slight chance at this billion-dollar deal before, it had been a long shot at best. Now, everything had changed.After they left, Felix smiled and said, "Aunt Yvette, Uncle Shaun, let's
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