Several minutes later, Terry returned, holding a small bronze cauldron. He also brought along two young individuals—a man and a woman."Dragon Knight, this is my disgrace of a son, and that woman is his lover. Everything started because of this little bitch. I'll make things right with you today."As soon as he finished speaking, Terry raised a hand and pointed at the young woman. She collapsed into a pool of blood before she could even react."Please, spare my son's life," Terry pleaded, his voice trembling with desperation.Terry was truly out of options. Even the founder of his guild had given up trying to handle Felix, so what could he possibly do? If Felix continued to grow stronger, Terry knew his own fate would be sealed one random night. "I'm not unreasonable. We'll proceed as you suggested," Felix responded in a measured tone. If not for Xena's warning about outside threats, he might not have been so lenient. Besides, the Skyward Guild's strength made them valuable na
"Ha! I can't believe you actually got up! Think you can handle it?" Averill doubled over with laughter.Karina was also chuckling, and Felix finally realized they had been teasing him. He shook his head and said, "Alright, you two, enough with the jokes."…The next day, Felix met with Kayden, the powerful Fish Man, on the outskirts of Gray City."Here's the Twin Fish Cauldron. I trust everything is in order?" Felix asked, and after carefully examining the artifact, Kayden smiled with satisfaction."Indeed, this is the genuine Twin Fish Cauldron. You truly delivered on your promise," Kayden confirmed.Felix understood why someone as powerful as Kayden had been hesitant to retrieve it himself—he feared the founding master of Skyward Guild. "And here's your Dragonspine," Kayden said as he handed over the item, making Felix smile. It was refreshing to have a straightforward exchange without any hidden agendas.…That evening, Melissa executed Shane, the imprisoned Fish Man. She
Time flew by quickly, and the one-month deadline was suddenly upon them. Xena would come for Felix tomorrow, making this his last night in town. There was no grand farewell party since he had already said his goodbyes to everyone. Ronan and Melissa were getting along well, planning to travel the world together after Felix's departure. From the looks of it, they were not far from making their relationship official.Felix definitely approved of this match, as Ronan was a genuinely good person. The man was honest and reliable, someone worthy of trust. As for Jack and the others, they had called to say they would be laying low for a while, which had become somewhat routine by now.That night, Felix and Billy were sitting in Floral Wreath Boutique, where a few dishes and bottles of wine were on the table."Honestly, eating and drinking in a place like this gives me the creeps," Felix said, glancing around.Billy waved him off, unconcerned. "You're overthinking it. Look at me—am I not
Felix felt a chill ran down his spine when Billy said he was haunted."A master practitioner has cursed you," Billy explained between bites. "They're so skilled that I couldn't even sense it when you first walked in."Felix checked himself but felt nothing unusual. "I feel fine, though. What kind of curse are we talking about?"Instead of answering right away, Billy casually continued eating. "There are many types of curses, both in Dragonia and abroad. From what I can tell, this is the work of a foreign expert."He paused to take another bite, then added, "These masters are especially dangerous. All they need is something you keep close to you, and they can attack you remotely. From the looks of it, they've already started." Felix jumped up in alarm. "Stop joking around! I don't feel anything, and the Dragonspine isn't even reacting!"Billy smirked. "That's because your soul is unusually strong. What's strange, though, is how much it's grown in such a short time. I mean, the th
"Let's go," Xena said.After getting off the plane, Felix got into a car with Xena behind the wheel. She was driving herself, with no one else accompanying them."In the backpack, you'll find everything you need for Martial City. I'll explain each item as you take them out," she said.Felix grabbed the backpack from the back seat and opened it, finding only a few items inside.Xena explained, "This phone only works in Martial City. Due to the barriers, it can't connect to satellites, but it works perfectly within the city. It's unregistered too, so you don't need to worry about being tracked."The device was more of a chunky block than a modern phone. It had an archaic feel and a tiny screen that did not support video calls or other advanced features."What's this card?" Felix asked as he pulled out another item—a card that looked like an emerald-green bank card. The only difference was that it appeared to be made of emerald, with elegant swirls of pale green throughout."That's
"Wait over there. They won't dare touch you," Felix told Xena while maintaining a calm expression as he faced the six Council Elders.In the past, he might have been less confident against these formidable opponents. Each of them was strong enough to challenge those above their level, which was precisely why they had earned their positions as Council Elders.Having dealt with Gage before, Felix knew his cunning and temperament were terrifying. All that made him an exceptionally dangerous adversary."Felix, are you sure about this?" Xena asked worriedly, wondering how the Elders' Council dared to act so boldly and who this Grand Elder was that could hold off the Protector."Just go," Felix replied, his tone firm.Gage took a step forward, his expression cold. "I know you're keeping your cool because you have the Lone Paragon on your side, but relying on something like that won't change your fate." Felix smirked. "Skip the speech. You chose this location because you plan to hide i
"Felix, don't worry! You're on an official mission to Martial City. That scoundrel is an unexpected problem, but I'll ensure your safety," the Protector reassured Felix as he handed Felix two tokens.The Protector explained, "The red token is essential for entering and leaving Martial City. Without it, no one can safely pass through the barriers. Each token only works once before turning to dust, so guard it carefully. They're extremely rare and valuable, even within Martial City." Felix nodded in understanding as he accepted the tokens, but his attention was drawn to the yellow one. It was round and slightly mysterious."The yellow token wasn't something I originally planned to give you," the Protector continued. "It's not ideal for your growth, but given what just happened, I want to ensure your safety above all else.""If that old man from the Elders' Council comes after you again, don't hesitate to crush this token. Someone will come to your aid immediately."Felix was unsure
Even if the old man did not ask for Felix's help, he would definitely lend a helping hand. After all, Felix was never the type to just stand by and watch, whether it was his nature or what Gerald had taught him. Since he encountered the situation, there was no way he could ignore it. Besides, it was clear the old man was having a heart attack, and the little bottle he clutched likely contained some kind of fast-acting medication. Felix quickly ran over, opened the bottle, and handed it to the old man, who immediately took three pills. In less than a minute, the man looked as if nothing had happened."Thank you so much," he said.Felix smiled and replied, "No need to thank me. It's just the right thing to do."As Felix turned to leave, the old man grabbed his arm urgently. "You're really a good person. Doing something so kind without even leaving your name? But I can't just let you go without repaying your kindness—wait a moment." With that, he pulled out his phone and made a q
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