Melissa's call came at just the right moment. Felix answered it. "Felix, there's someone named Tom here. He barged into the clinic and won't get up from his knees. He's desperate to see you. Are you free?" Tom? Felix smirked. That bastard Tom must have exhausted all other options to come crawling back like this. …At the clinic, Tom looked like a shell of his former self. "Please, I'm begging you! Remove it. I'm begging you!" Tom was on the verge of losing his mind. He had never imagined urination could ever become a torture for him. He wanted to pull out that silver needle but feared death too much. The agony was unbearable. Felix ignored him at first. Instead, he looked at Nala, who understood immediately and took Melissa's hand with a smile. She said, "Melissa, let's go shopping." "Sure." As the clinic's shutters came down, Felix took a seat. "Do you know why I agreed to see you?" Tom shook his head frantically, fighting another urge to urinate. "Please, liv
On a rainy night, a coaster bus cruised down the provincial highway. From the outside, all passengers appeared to be sleeping, creating a stark contrast with the pounding rain. Felix was among them, but he was the only one with open eyes. Earlier at the clinic, he had realized that to catch a lion, one had to enter its den. After questioning Tom, he learned that Tom had scheduled a transport for tonight, so he infiltrated the group. Tom was driving, still with a silver needle embedded in him—though a different one. This served two purposes: avoiding suspicion and making sure Tom understood that his relief was still in Felix's hands. The new needle would only cause agony once in a day when urinating. While this lifted most of his nightmare, his fate remained in Felix's control. So, he would not dare do anything rash. Before boarding, everyone had been given a bottle of liquid that quickly induced sleep. These people had not shown any fear. After all, they had each received 10,00
A smirk appeared on Yadier's face."Hah! At least you know your place! As for why we're going to such lengths—first, Felix is Dragonia's master healer. Kill him, and they lose a master who can pass down the knowledge of traditional medicine. "Second, we want to prove that Dragonia's martial arts are child's play compared to our shadowstalking techniques. Now hold that coffee steady. The show's starting." By the bus, Felix had stepped out, finding the scene oddly familiar. Ten fighters in purple combat suits surrounded him, while the driver stood at a distance with a smug grin as if victory was assured. "You must be Yadier's right-hand man. You can tell me where to find him." The driver's smile widened. "How dare you talk big even at death's door? Your confidence must come from being a martial artist, isn't it? How naive. These are ten mid-ranked shadowstalkers from our homeland. You're finished!" Felix's expression turned peculiar as he asked, "Ten mid-ranked shadowstalkers?
Yadier revealed that there was another Steele family overseer for Gray City and its neighbors, named Ollie Steele. But he had returned to Astoria the day before on urgent business. This did not diminish Felix's killing intent. Yadier had revealed plenty, which was befitting his status as a direct family member. He knew almost every operation in Dragonia. Felix compiled information about other labs and personnel, then passed it to Alistair to give to Xena as an anonymous tip. This would be enough to uproot all Steele family operations in Dragonia. But prosecuting them internationally would prove challenging. Evidence aside, cross-border politics made things complicated, so Felix decided to handle this personally. He just hoped Xena would not assign him any missions in the coming days.…"I'm coming with you!" Back at the villa, Nala's eyes showed fierce determination to accompany Felix to Astoria. "Don't complicate things. I'm going there to kill people—quite a few of them.
"Felix?" a familiar voice called out as Felix was leaving the airport. He turned, surprised. "Jack? What are the odds?" It was indeed Jack, who rushed over in a few strides. He laughed and said, "I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. If we hadn't known each other for years, I might've thought you had a twin brother." Meeting Felix anywhere in Dragonia would have been one thing, but they were in Astoria. It was incredible. "What brings you here?" Felix asked."Business! Ms. Kinsley's company is doing well. She established preliminary cooperation agreements here earlier, so I'm just here to finalize things." Felix looked around and teased, "Jack, you're supposed to be a big-shot executive now. Don't you look kind of modest here, traveling alone?" Jack threw an arm around Felix's shoulders with a laugh. "I'm keeping it low-key, you know? Besides, though I hate Astoria, experiencing their unique cultural scene is easier when you're flying solo." The mention reminded F
After about 30 minutes, Jack returned to the private room. "That was quick," noted Felix. Jack grinned. "Of course! Like I said, it's just a formality. Ms. Kinsley handled everything earlier. Actually, with Nessa busy training, I thought I'd explore some local entertainment. "Do you want to join tonight? The company contacts can arrange everything. It's totally safe—no scams." Scams? Felix found it amusing. What scammer would dare try anything with a martial arts master like himself? "This liquor's basically water. Let's make do with it. By the way, I never asked—what brings you to Astoria?" Felix glanced at him with a smirk. He joked, "I got invited by a beautiful Astorian lady." Jack scoffed. "Yeah, right. Cheers!" Just as they raised their glasses, the door slid open. Four burly men sat down rudely on both sides. Judging from their tattoos, they were likely local gang members. Jack frowned and asked, "Can I help you?" They did not respond, either unable or unwill
"Jack!" Felix's voice finally snapped Jack out of his trance. "Let me introduce you. This is my good friend Jack Graham, and this is Luna Starfire." Felix was exasperated. He had called Jack's name three times while the guy just stared at Luna until she grew uncomfortable. "Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Starfire." After barely shaking hands, Jack's expression suddenly changed. He jumped up. "Excuse me. I need to use the restroom." Honestly, Felix was stunned. He could tell exactly what had happened to Jack, but wasn't this a bit extreme? Though considering Jack's obsession with Astorian media when he was younger, perhaps it made sense. The awkward moment was saved by Luna's amused smile. "Your friend's quite entertaining, Dr. Zeller." Entertaining? Felix seized the chance to change subjects. "Tell me about your friend. The case doesn't seem urgent, right?" Luna nodded. "To be direct, her situation is similar to Jenna's." Ah, fertility issues. Indeed, it was not life-threa
Why was Xena asking Felix to return, even though there was no mission for him? Felix frowned. "Why?" "No reason needed! You're a Dragon Knight under my command. When I order you back, you come back!" Such forceful authority would have been impossible before, but now Felix did hold the Dragon Knight title—no disputing that. "I have a patient here, Xena. Don't put me in this position." After a brief silence, Xena's voice softened slightly. "Whether you have a patient or not, I know you well enough. You're in Astoria for something else. I might not ask, but I know plenty. "Felix, this situation is bigger than you realize. It's not something you can handle on impulse. Understand?" Clearly, Xena had guessed Felix was targeting the Steeles. Her "urgent matters" that let him board the plane must have been Alistair's anonymous tip. "I really do have a patient. Sorry." He hung up. After several minutes without another call, Felix relaxed. He only received a text message. It was
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