After arriving back in Gray City, Felix received a phone call from Xena, and he left for the hotel suite."Someone from headquarters sent this. He'll evaluate the effectiveness of your disguise," Zena said.She had brought along an old man with her. He seemed to be a smoking addict—besides the clear cigarette in his hand, the whole room had a strong smell of smoke.Felix nodded. "Alright, I'll go get ready." Since Felix was using a Shadow Mask, he couldn't publicly show him using it. When he came out of the room, he had completely transformed into another young man.When the old man finished his cigarette, he circled around Felix several times. A smile grew on his face as he exclaimed, "This is great! This is the only disguise I can't see through!"Xena was also extremely happy. After all, Felix was under her, and this could be considered her achievement."I'll be heading back to headquarters now, and the results will be shown tomorrow," the old man said.After the old man lef
After returning to Dragonia, Felix and Selmer had a long discussion. Although there weren't many secrets about them, Felix learned some insignificant things about the Elders' Council.For example, there were only seven true elders in the Elders' Council. Six of them were normal elders, and one was a Supreme Elder.Selmer had only seen one, and that was Gage Shepherd, who was sitting in front of Felix at this moment. For him to be an elder in the Elders' Council, no one could fathom how terrifying his true strength was.To be honest, Felix hadn't expected Gage to show up like this. Gage smiled and nodded. "Yes, I'm Gage Shepherd. But you don't have to worry. I'm just here to see a doctor."Was he really seeking out a doctor? Selmer trembled slightly. He had seen Gage's full strength once. If Gage decided to take action, no one here could survive.However, the key question was why the Elders' Council sent someone like Gage over. Were they not worried that Eloise would retaliate?
All of a sudden, a small object appeared on the table, as if Gage had suddenly conjured it form nowhere.This little object made Felix's eyes brighten up, and he was extremely excited. "This is it!"Gage nodded with a smile. "Yes, it's an alchemy furnace."It really was an alchemy furnace! Felix started breathing heavily at the sight.. "An alchemy furnace is a magic weapon. After dripping your blood on it, it'll recognize you as its master and unfold into a bigger object. Of course, given our hostile relationship, you wouldn't trust me."You can have it recognize you as its master first and then treat me."The alchemy furnace that Felix had wished for appeared just like this. He felt like he was dreaming. He had read and reread the book Gerald had given him to the point of being obsessed.He wanted to try it out as soon as possible. And since Gage had said so, why was Felix still hesitating?He took it and dripped his blood on it. It merged into his body, and when it came out
The herbs Felix needed for alchemic refining weren't only needed in a high quantity but also extremely rare. If Felix used his connections to source them, it would take a long time.In the end, he consulted Silas, who then introduced him to Qualls Pharmaceutical."I hadn't expected you to come here personally, Ms. Qualls. I'm flattered," Felix said.Yasmin's manners were impeccable, and the way she spoke was pleasant. "Dr. Zeller, it's my honor to be of use to a genius doctor like you."Felix nodded and took out a file before handing it over. "All the herbs I need are listed here. You can take a look first, Ms. Qualls. If you have any issues, you can tell me and we'll work out the kinks together."Yasmin nodded. "Alright, please wait a minute." Half an hour passed before Yasmin finally finished reading them all."Most of the herbs are doable. We have enough reserves to supply you. There are only a dozen of extremely rare ones, but I can also guarantee the delivery within a mont
Felix looked at Xena speechlessly for a moment. Why was she becoming more and more irrational? Why didn't she tell him earlier if she didn't want him to go?Why did she tell him at this moment?"The headquarters had already issued an order. Why are you telling me to back out now?" he questioned.Xena also knew it was a bit too late to say anything, but she couldn't help herself. "Fine, then let's get back to the point. Three months ago, something strange happened in Seapoint. The residents of the town began sleeping during the day and only waking at night."Their sleep cycles were reversed? Felix clicked his tongue inwardly. This was truly the first time he had heard of such a thing."Why does it sound like they're vampires? But isn't that a fictional thing?" Felix remarked.Xena glared at Felix, signaling for him to take this more seriously. She continued, "The point is, the people in town are completely normal. There's nothing strange besides their sleep cycles. "We've sent p
"Do you think a person's soul can be disguised?" Felix asked. The reason he asked was because of the situation at Seapoint.Two people who appeared physically dead were actually alive, which meant that this should be related to their souls. Gerald had once said that souls were the most complicated things.He had advised Felix not to touch this field; otherwise, he would have driven himself crazy. However, what about the strange events in Seapoint? What if they were related to souls?The Shadow Mask couldn't change the souls, and Billy had deep knowledge of this area, so it wouldn't hurt to ask him."Interesting, why are you asking this?" Billy countered.However, Felix didn't want to expose more of the mission's details, and he remained silent.At that, Billy simply replied, "Of course, it can be disguised. Do you have anything else to ask?"Felix rubbed his nose, feeling a little guilty. Although he owed Billy a favor, he still felt like he was taking advantage of Billy."Do y
At Damien's door stood dozens of people. They were all expressionless, and they all stared at Felix blankly. It was super creepy."You… What do you want?" Felix greeted them awkwardly. His nervousness showed in his eyes.However, no one answered him. They all stood still, staring at him intently.Fortunately, there were sounds of footsteps, and the crowd immediately made way. An old man with a cane and a goatee slowly approached.Felix knew that this old man was well known in Seapoint. He was labeled the Great Teacher. With the headquarters' investigations, it was easy to find the background of Damien's life. In fact, many people worked outside of Seapoint. However, they chose Damien because he had no relatives left. After his grandmother, who depended on him, passed away, he left Seapoint to work. Tragically, Damien himself passed away in a car accident. What was left of him had no one to remember him by—except for some neighbors and some friends."Mr. Docker," Felix took t
Felix smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, but my phone has no signal. I promise to come and pay you back when it's back."When he came out of the supermarket, there were a few more people around Lena. They took the initiative to help Felix hold his bags.The enthusiasm, at least in their eyes, seemed genuine. Honestly, in today's society, it was a miracle that neighbors would even help each other, especially since Damien was a useless nobody.When they got home, Lena and a few of the townsfolk cleaned the house again without Felix asking. Soon, the house looked brand new. After a while, someone came over with a lot of food, cigarettes, alcohol, and many other necessities."This is too much!" Felix said, a little embarrassed.Lena smiled. "Damien, our town has changed dramatically now. To tell you the truth, as long as you don't leave town from now on, you don't have to spend a single penny on your future expenses."Felix pretended to be ecstatic. "Is that true? Aunt Lena, that'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