Under the staff's guidance, Felix entered a room. There were already several people inside. Besides Aiden and Asher, there were two others wearing masks gathered together.After sitting down, Aiden suddenly turned to Felix. "Have we met somewhere before?" he asked.Felix was shocked. Aiden's perceptiveness was terrifying."Have we? I don't seem to recall…"Without saying another word, Aiden closed his eyes and began resting again. A short while later, an elderly man came in with an unpleasant-looking middle-aged man."I am Wayne Sutcliff, but you can call me Mr. Sutcliff. I'm the person in charge of the Obsidian Auction." He stretched out his right hand and introduced, "This man next to me is the consignor, Ross Livingston."With that, Wayne got straight to the point. "Mr. Livingston wants to know which master healer you're inviting."Aiden spoke first. "Magnus Grimwald from Medic's Haven."Felix's gaze deepened after he heard that. The Greenes were quite formidable. Magnus
"There's no first come, first serve. All four participants can diagnose the patient at the same time. The specific requirement to claim the item is for whoever can cure the patient the best."This is absolutely fair, don't worry," Wayne said.The severity of the patient's condition was evident. Even with a master healer like Lemuel getting invited, Wayne's calm demeanor suggested that the case was particularly challenging.…It was two in the morning when Felix returned home. He had taken off the Shadow Mask before he entered his house. Melissa, who had been waiting, threw herself into his arms. "Felix! I'm so sorry!"Felix smiled and comforted her, "It's okay, it's okay. No matter what happens next time, tell me the truth, okay?"Melissa wiped away her tears. Her fear was evident in her eyes. "It's not like that. He was always by my side. I didn't dare to tell you the truth."As she said this, Felix's expression turned solemn. "Who brought you to the auction?"If the root o
Felix almost turned around out of pure instinct. Who wouldn't react when someone called the name they had their whole life? Fortunately, Felix recognized that this was Aiden's voice, so he held back.His strong willpower allowed him to control his impulses and resume his movements, at least on the surface, without any signs of hesitation."Did you see Felix somewhere, Aiden?" Asher asked in confusion.Aiden shook his head with a smile. "I must've been mistaken."This time, the meeting place was actually the same auction hall they had been to before. Felix was still feeling a little uneasy after sitting down.After his strength improved, his wariness toward Aiden began to decrease. However, this time, it instantly shot back up to an even more exaggerated level.Calling Felix's name to test his reaction meant Aiden believed this "middle-aged man" was Felix somehow. Although he wasn't fully certain, the situation was terrifying enough.Soon, everyone gathered. Felix saw Craig from
"To me, I only care whether they are patients or healthy people—nothing else matters." After Magnus said so, Lemuel nodded in agreement. He clearly shared the same thought. Right then, Wayne turned his attention to Craig. "I hope you could do this for the sake of Skyward Guild, Dr. Dixon. We invited you here today because you're just a master healer who has no relations to the headquarters. "Once our transaction is complete and everyone leaves, whatever happens next has nothing to do with Skyward Guild." Craig remained silent. Skyward Guild was an influential powerhouse with an extensive network of connections, including many high-ranking officials at the headquarters. After all, he was just their chief medical officer, not a warlord. So, he decided it was best to let the matter drop after weighing the pros and cons. Felix was not particularly concerned. Business was business, and given the involvement of the Dragonspine, Dane's identity as a criminal could take a backseat.
Once Felix left, there was no reason for anyone else to stay. They all knew finding the Frost Crystal was crucial. Without it, everything else would be pointless. Craig's departure was particularly awkward. Even with the Frost Crystal, his skills weren't sufficient to fully cure Dane. The gap in medical expertise was just too wide. On his way back, Felix was about to call Seven when he remembered Mira's recent call. That unknown number might still be active. He was running out of options, and his resources were extremely limited in comparison to the Greenes'. Without Mira's help, even if the Frost Crystal still existed somewhere, the Greenes would have far better chances of finding it. "Felix." Felix sighed with relief when he heard Mira's voice on the line. "I thought you might have ditched this number." "I was about to, then you called." Contacting Mira would be much more reliable than dealing with Averill, who would probably just show up at his place trying to get him in
Felix was curious about what kind of strange occurrences would have the headquarters so short-staffed. "When do I leave?" "Early the day after tomorrow. Since this is your first operation, I'll send someone to assist you. You'll still be in charge. I've sent the details to your phone," Xena said.The call ended abruptly. Indeed, it was strictly business. He had to handle it properly since he had taken on this assignment, and this job was tied to the Dragonspine too. Felix immediately started reviewing the mission details. The village was called Pine Valley, tucked away in a remote mountainous region. The reported "strange occurrences" were just disappearing livestock. There were chickens, ducks, and sheep vanishing every few days. Felix had a strange look on his face after reading the information. How could livestock disappearing in a village near the mountains be considered strange? With dense forests around, weren't predators expected? Still, his opinions didn't matter if th
Felix turned around, and his expression darkened. "I won't hire her." Bewildered, Melissa's smile froze. Felix was usually quite patient. He wouldn't dismiss a stranger so harshly without even asking for more of their information. "If you hire me, I can help you find the Frost Crystal!" the woman said.Felix, who had been about to walk away, clenched and unclenched his fists. "That damn fatso!" He wanted nothing more than to storm into Floral Wreath Boutique next door and beat Billy to a pulp. "Do you know each other?" When Melissa asked curiously, Felix just nodded. He was still thinking. The nurse applicant was none other than Nala, who was still wearing her signature veil. Why else would he react this way? To his surprise, this answer only made Melissa happier as she linked arms with Nala. "Perfect! Since you know each other, Felix will definitely keep you around." Felix's expression darkened further. If he wasn't certain Melissa was fine, he would have suspected Nala
At this, Nelly's eyes started to become teary. "I… I do need something. After seeing your medical skills, I remembered my cousin. She's disabled—not from birth, but after a high fever when she was four that left her unable to hear anything. I was hoping you could take a look at her," she said.If it was not congenital, it could be treated. "Of course. Let's go. Keep your money. Every second counts when it comes to changing someone's fate, if you know what I mean," Felix said.Nelly quickly apologized, "I understand, Felix. I promise I won't do this again." Tom was still in Gray City. Killing him could wait as long as it was done before sunset. They arrived at a run-down neighborhood in Gray City, where Nelly's cousin lived. The conditions were below modest. In fact, it was downright poor. "Poor June. After her mother died, her father ran away from gambling debts and left her alone to survive. Thankfully, a factory hired her despite her disability; I can't imagine otherwise!
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