So many benefits? Sasha hesitated for a moment as she thought of Felix's indifference toward her. Ted continued, "Heh! I know you're worried about Lord Kane. I knew about Felix's connection to Lord Kane a long time ago, but so what? I'm still going to teach him a lesson! Why? Because the backing of the Glover family is something even Lord Kane can't compare to." Sasha's doubts dissipated with his assuring words. The frustration of unrequited love would turn into hatred easily. Moreover, she never had much affection for Felix to begin with. Her recent change of heart was purely due to Kane's influence. Now, even that concern was taken care of. Why wouldn't she take advantage of another prospect with a better opportunity? "Mr. Glover, I'll do whatever you say, but I have one condition. You can't let anything like that night happen again. I'm not a promiscuous woman with loose morals," Sasha said. Ted sneered inwardly. The people he hired this time wouldn't spare a glance at a
Honestly, Yvonne was very pretty. Even though she couldn't compare to Xena, she definitely had Wendy beat. Her figure was incredibly striking, especially when she was dressed head to toe in black."I don't think we've met before."Felix didn't recall ever knowing a woman named Yvonne.He glanced back at the gravestone, and Yvonne's voice turned a little wistful. "My entire four years of college were funded by Mr. Zeller Senior. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was like family to me. He was a good man, always humble about what he did. "I only recently found out who he was. But by then, it was already too late."A college student sponsored by his grandfather? Felix's brows relaxed. It made sense. His grandfather, Phillip Zeller, had always been generous, often helping kids from underprivileged areas. Sponsoring a college student wasn't out of character for him. "You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself now. I'm sure my grandpa would be proud."He walked over, pull
Felix couldn't believe it. He knew Jack's parents. Could they have been so influenced by the different cultures overseas after moving abroad that their mindset had changed? It seemed almost heartless."Let's not dwell on it," Jack said with a dismissive wave. "I may be broke now, but I've still got my skills. I passed the final interview for a new job, and I start tomorrow. Wish me luck, friend."They didn't need a lot of words between them. If Jack ever really needed help, Felix knew he'd come to him, and vice versa. That was just how their friendship worked over the years.But this time, Felix decided he would offer help quietly from behind the scenes. He wanted his friend to move on from the sadness his family had caused him as quickly as possible.Since Jack's first day on the job was the next day, and making a good impression was important, their plans to catch up that night were put on hold for another time.As Felix pulled up to his driveway in front of his villa, ready to
Hugo had the confidence to speak that way because he had the power to realize such a threat. The Lambert family was one of the most prominent families in Avesburgh, only a step behind the Kinsley family, the wealthiest in the city. Shutting down a small business like Warren's would be a simple matter for him.The shock on Warren's and Nattie's faces made it clear that they realized Hugo wasn't joking."Mr. Lambert, are you talking about Felix Zeller?" Nattie asked, lost in disbelief."What? Did I mispronounce something?"Nattie became anxious as Hugo confirmed his own statement. "If you've got a grudge against Felix, take it up with him! What does this have to do with us?"Hugo laughed. "What's this? Still trying to play innocent in front of me? I know exactly what your relationship with Felix is. When you want to take someone down, you hit where it hurts most. If I'm going to deal with Felix, of course I'm going to go after his weakest points."Hugo wasn't like the brainle
From the way Hugo spoke, it was clear that Kane's influence didn't carry much weight here. It seemed unlikely that Felix had any other tricks up his sleeve.…Meanwhile, Felix was standing in the front yard of his villa in Tabiner Bay, his face dark. He was staring at the group of a dozen people gathered just outside the gate."Felix! Pay up!""You finally showed your face! Time to settle your father's debts. It's only right for the son to pay what the father owes.""Damn! You disappeared for three years. Why didn't you just vanish forever?""Enough talking! Pay up already. I'm owed 600 grand. Start with mine!"These people had shown up out of nowhere, flooding in all at once, and not even the security guards could stop them."What gives you the right to come and harass me?" Felix asked, his eyes narrowing in anger.Back when his parents ran their business, they never had significant debts. In fact, they gave money to charity every year. How could they possibly owe money to th
In that moment, the responses came quickly."Ken Zeller""Carson Zeller""Bryan Zeller"Each name that was called out made Felix's disappointment deepen. They were all his father's siblings—his own relatives.Years ago, Matthew had handed the company over to them. And now, they were pulling this kind of stunt on their nephew? It was revolting beyond words."Are these debts something my father owed?" Felix asked coldly.No one dared to lie anymore."No, Mr. Zeller. The debts are from the current Zeller Group. They've been stalling on payments, and just yesterday, they told us to collect it from you. They said if we harass you for three days straight, they'll pay us back.""That's right. That's what happened!""Same for me."Felix waved them off dismissively. "Get lost."The group scrambled to leave, practically falling over themselves in their haste. Once they were gone, Felix turned to Stinger."Stinger, what did you find out?"Stinger, ever respectful, replied, "Zeller G
"It's funny, isn't it? I heard Felix also cut ties with Warren. Apparently, he managed to squeeze nearly 30 million dollars out of him, thanks to Uncle Matthew's old connections," Sabrina said with a smirk.Someone immediately chimed in with a laugh, "That's about as far as Felix's talents go. Warren must've been the fool here. If it were up to us, Felix wouldn't have gotten a single cent."At this point, Carson spoke up, "Enough of that. Get ready, everyone. The big shot I went to great lengths to invite is coming. After tonight, Zeller Group is going to soar to new heights!"The group eagerly moved toward the banquet hall's entrance, with Sabrina trailing behind. She leaned in toward Jolene curiously and whispered, "Mom, who's this big shot Uncle Carson is talking about?"Jolene smiled knowingly. "It's someone from the Kinsley family, the wealthiest family in the city. They're interested in investing in Zeller Group, and the deal is almost finalized. If all goes well, we'll be se
The Zellers froze for a moment. Then, they either burst out laughing or wore looks of disdain."Felix, you're kicking us out? On what grounds? With that foul mouth of yours?" one of them sneered.Seeing a crowd of guests gathering to watch, Carson decided to make his move. He was already in the right, so there was no reason to hold back."You're the one who started this, and as your uncle, I've been more than fair. You're the one who doesn't know how to appreciate kindness!" he snapped, raising his hand in command. "Get him out of here!"At his signal, a group of black-suited bodyguards rushed toward Felix, clearly prepared for this moment.Nearby, the spectators murmured among themselves."Felix? Isn't he Matthew's son?""Yeah, that's him. I heard he disappeared for three years, and now, he's back.""He's young and full of himself. He probably thinks he can reclaim what was once his, but does he really believe that's possible?""This kid doesn't get it. He didn't take over wh
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
"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