"Where's the treasure map?" Dustin demanded."It's in Reagan's underground secret chamber. I can take you there," Cinna replied."Underground secret chamber?" Austin narrowed his eyes and warned in a low tone, "Cinna, I warn you not to play any tricks. Otherwise, I won't hesitate to get tough on you."Secret chambers were usually equipped with potential traps and hidden weapons. He was concerned that Cinna might have some malicious intentions."Now that I'm backed into a corner, I won't even think about deceiving you," Cinna said, his expression filled with discomfort."Lead the way." Dustin nodded, signaling his guards to escort Cinna.Cinna suddenly said, "Wait, I need one of Reagan's hands to open the secret chamber's vault." "No problem!" Austin unsheathed his knife, swiftly severing Reagan's right hand and handing it to Cinna. "There you go, a gift for you."Cinna winced but stayed silent as he led the way.Dustin and his companions trailed behind Cinna as they enter
"Cinna, why are you standing there? Lost in thought? Come on, we need to find that treasure map!" Julius, his face contorted with frustration, unleashed it all on Cinna."Okay." Cinna promptly headed straight for the big alloy door. He took out Reagan's severed hand and placed it on the central sensing area.The heavy alloy door opened, revealing a metallic vault of about 300 square feet. In the center was an impressive stack of gold bricks. Surrounding it were an assortment of precious rarities that were closely packed, each worth a fortune."This is Reagan's private gold vault. Anything he took a liking to ended up in here," Cinna said."Wow, look at all this treasure!" Austin exclaimed, glancing around in amazement. "Imagine if we cash in on this haul, we could practically own an entire city!""These treasures can't compare to the three treasuries of the Dragon Guard. The treasures here are merely a drop in the ocean," Cinna remarked seriously."Really?" Austin's surprise an
"Exactly! Cinna took one misstep, and this is where it led him. His choices ultimately sealed his fate. Unlike someone in this room who still has a shot at redemption," Austin remarked, casting a meaningful glance in Julius' direction.Rufus actively discouraged killing their own kin, and Julius was Austin's uncle. Without these circumstances, the consequences of Julius' rebellion would have been severe, even without significant losses. Not even Julius' death would have sufficed to alleviate the gravity of his actions.Julius cleared his throat, sensing the intensity of Austin's stare. Then, he quickly changed the subject. "Logan, these three treasuries are incredibly valuable with high stakes. So, how do you plan to deal with it?""Of course, we're bringing everything back to West Lucozia. Did you think we'd just leave it for anyone to grab?" Austin said, rolling his eyes."We shouldn't hog all three treasuries," Dustin said, shaking his head. He continued, "Taking down the Dr
After handing out the treasure maps, Dustin and his team got to work and efficiently organized the Dragon Guard's base. The base's location was pretty strategic, hidden, and easy to defend. It gave them a tactical edge as it sat right on the border between two nations. It made sense to turn this stronghold into a military fortress. That way, it could be a strategic hub for launching surprise maneuvers in future conflicts with Western nations. It wasn't an urgent need, but being prepared ahead of time was always a smart move.After sorting out these issues, Dustin and his team returned to the West Lucozia castle. With the threat eliminated and victory secured, Rufus, the Prince of West Lucozia, arranged a lavish feast at the castle. He invited everyone who played a part in resolving the recent events.The whole castle was alive with excitement, inside and out. Everyone was thrilled to hear that Rufus had survived. The additional news of wiping out the remaining Dragon Guard
For a moment, the people exchanged puzzled glances. While most of them were aware that Rufus wasn't in the best of health, they believed he still had several years ahead of him. Rufus deciding to step down just as they had resolved all their issues caught everyone off guard. "Rufus, aren't you moving this too hastily?" Eloise advised. "I agree, Your Highness. You're full of vigor and likely to live a long life. There's no need to step down at this time," Wyatt said with straightforward honesty. While the others were filled with uncertainty, they dared not speak. They were afraid of offending the future Prince if they urged Rufus to stay on the throne. Those wise enough knew it was best to remain silent and observe the unfolding situation. "I know my condition best. I don't have much time left. With everyone gathered here, it is my final wish to make arrangements for the time after my departure," Rufus said with a faint smile. "Rufus—" Eloise began to speak, but Rufus ra
Lincon's statement drew many curious glances. Anyone smart enough could clearly tell that Austin had more supporters. Therefore, selecting Austin would be the wisest choice.As the brains behind West Lucozia, Lincon was seen as the strategic advisor of the region. It appeared rather unusual for him to go against the trend and support Logan."Sir Lincon, I respectfully disagree." Tyrus countered, "Prince Logan's martial talent is indeed unparalleled in West Lucozia. However, the title of Prince of West Lucozia is not merely bestowed upon a formidable warrior. "Prince Austin, on the other hand, not only excels in both martial and literary arts, but he also has widespread support. Having years to hone his skills in the military, he has demonstrated excellence in various aspects. "If Prince Austin assumes the throne, he will undoubtedly lead West Lucozia into an era of prosperity like never before!" Austin was the King's nephew and also his future son-in-law. Given the impending
Rufus smiled. "No need to be so reserved. Today is a private gathering, and everyone here is part of the family. Feel free to express your thoughts openly. There's no need to hold back.""Since Prince Rufus has spoken, I won't decline," Adam said. He rose slowly, offering a courteous nod to those around him before speaking. "These are my personal views. If they inadvertently cause offense, I hope everyone here won't take it to heart.""God of Military, you're too humble. You're an important contributor to the nation's strength, and your insights undoubtedly carry extraordinary weight.""Absolutely, God of Military. Why don't you enlighten us on your preferred candidate?" The crowd chimed in with curiosity.Adam's significance required no explanation. As Dragonmarsh's God of Military and the future heir of the royal Spanner family, his influence was immense. Surveying the room, he stood among the most distinguished attendees. "Very well, I shall express my thoughts," Adam bega
Julius' remarks attracted many sidelong glances. As the former Grand General of the Iron Stallion Cavalry, while his character was highly controversial, his capabilities were unquestionable. After all, he was only able to assume his current position through numerous hard-fought battles.If someone as charismatic and visionary as Julius similarly believed that Logan was the most suitable for the throne, they would have to reassess their views.Initially, they supported Austin because of Logan's perceived lack of influence. However, that didn't seem to be the case now. With the support of influential figures like Adam, the God of Military, and Julius, the Iron Stallion Cavalry Grand General, many were reconsidering their decisions. "Julius, could you please elaborate on your reasons for choosing Logan?" Rufus asked with a smile."My reasons are similar to Sergeant Spanner's. I value a person's talent and capability." Julius earnestly explained, "In the recent eradication of
Willem was so fast that, even to a grandmaster, it would appear as though he had teleported, leaving no time to react.Bailey had already drawn Arion's full attention, making Willem's sudden attack almost impossible to counter.When everyone thought his attack was about to succeed, a red divine talisman suddenly shot out and stuck to his forehead just as his fangs were mere inches from Arion's neck.The talisman exploded, releasing a surge of violent energy that blasted Willem over ten yards away. Before he hit the ground, a blazing fireball instantly engulfed him.He screamed as he turned into a human torch. The fire burned fiercely, scorching his flesh and charring his body.The flames clung to him like a curse and were impossible to put out. His blood energy crackled and hissed as the fire burned, and thick black smoke rose from his body.The sight shocked everyone.Just moments ago, Willem had almost succeeded in his ambush, but Arion had been prepared. With a single talisma
Thousands of golden whips lashed out with the force of a storm, and it was impossible to dodge.The group led by Bailey launched their attacks to block and continually struck the golden whips. With each collision, energy erupted, followed by loud booming sounds.Arion stood firm like a mountain. His body was enveloped in golden light as he swung his whips. Even though he was outnumbered, he still held the advantage.Bailey and the others couldn't break through at all. A few slightly weaker gods from the Hall of Gods were forced to retreat with each lash and struggled to withstand the onslaught.At that moment, everyone finally realized the terrifying power of Dragonmarsh's strongest martial artist. Even the attacks evolved from the Glow Incantation were enough to throw them off balance."I don't believe these things can stop me!"Bailey roared as his body began to change. His already large frame grew even bulkier, like a small mountain. His shirt tore as his muscles expanded, and
The sudden turn of events took everyone by surprise. No one had expected Arion to strike so suddenly; he was so fast that they couldn't even see his movement.Even Willem, renowned for his speed, couldn't react in time. One slap had sent him flying—simple, brutal, and unstoppable.At that moment, they finally realized that the seemingly harmless Arion was much more formidable than they had imagined.Willem staggered to his feet and reached up to straighten his twisted neck. His collapsed cheek began to heal at a visible rate. Fortunately for him, vampires possessed extraordinary regenerative abilities. Without it, the slap would have crippled him."You're strong for an old geezer, but it'll take more than that to finish me off," Willem hissed through clenched teeth. The bloodthirst in his eyes was unmistakable as he glared at Arion. If he could drain Arion's blood, his strength would surge to unimaginable heights."Oh? This is interesting." Arion raised an eyebrow with a faint smi
The battle between the Hall of Gods and Sacred Wrym Summit raged with unrelenting intensity. The Hall of Gods had made meticulous preparations for this invasion. Besides recruiting powerful martial artists from around the world, they also distributed valuable enhanced serums to everyone. To counter Sacred Wrym Summit's Stormcraft technique, they developed a special combat suit capable of resisting such attacks. Generally, a divine martial artist struck by Stormcraft would instantly lose their combat ability, but this special suit reduced the effectiveness of the attack by half. Even if struck, they could recover after a brief moment to continue fighting. The defensive capabilities of this gear were nearly flawless.In addition, their greatest strength was the sheer weight of their numbers. They had at least ten thousand people, including hired outlaws, under their command. During the siege, they were densely packed like a swarm of bees.In contrast, Sacred Wrym Summit had only
Willard's ultimate move cleared the battlefield in an instant. The martial artists who had rushed forward were either dead or critically wounded, with no ability to defend themselves."This… How is this possible?" Hank's eyes widened in terror as cold sweat beaded on his forehead.Under the restriction of the sealing formation, even ultimate grandmasters couldn't unleash their full strength. But Willard, with nothing more than a flask of liquor, had managed to tap into a supreme divine power far beyond his cultivation level.Though he was only at the grandmaster level, his move, Infinite Spirit Manifestation, carried the might of an ultimate grandmaster. If he were to use it again, the outcome would be grim for everyone, including himself."Retract!" Willard took a deep breath and the thousands of illusory images that had surged forth earlier instantly retracted into his body. His face turned red and pale as his breath grew heavy and ragged.The toll of using Infinite Spirit Manif
"Take a guess." Willard didn't answer. Instead, he took another sip from his flask.His cultivation had been sealed, but his strength came from the wine in his hand. The wine was refined with valuable herbs and contained dense spiritual energy, which he could absorb and convert into combat power.In short, every sip made him stronger. Even with his cultivation sealed, he could still execute powerful techniques."It's the wine, isn't it?" Garrett's gaze landed on the flask, and a quick realization set in. Willard drank before and after every attack, which hinted at something suspicious."Bingo. But no prize for you." Willard smirked and launched forward with a palm strike aimed at Garrett. Though his strength wasn't at its peak, the attack remained a deadly threat to the already injured Garrett."Mr. Styles, save me." Garrett knew he had no chance of blocking it and cried for help."Go to hell, traitor!" Hank saw the internal commotion unfold and threw a powerful punch at Willard
With a longsword in hand, Dustin plunged into the crowd like a tiger among sheep and cut down his enemies with brutal efficiency.Though he couldn't tap into his mystical energy, his physical strength far outstripped that of an average martial artist. His speed, power, reflexes, and combat skills crushed anyone in his path.Every swing of his blade was precise and targeted the enemy's vital spots with deadly accuracy, which left no room for defense.Under his relentless assault, the assassins were helpless. The air rang with their screams as bodies fell one after another.Unlike the tournament match, Dustin now unleashed his full power in this life-or-death fight. His attacks were becoming more brutal and relentless than ever."This kid's tougher than I thought." Hank frowned as he watched his men struggle.He hadn't expected Dustin to have such formidable combat prowess, even with his sealed cultivation. If an unmatched genius like Dustin couldn't be made an ally, he had to be e
"Step forward, and you're dead!" Facing the onslaught of desperate assassins, Dustin showed no mercy. With a swing of his long sword, a dazzling sword aura swept through the darkness like a crescent moon and briefly illuminated the night sky. The assassins only saw a flash of white light and instinctively stopped in their tracks. When the brilliance faded, those at the front stood frozen as if struck by a paralysis spell.A moment later, heads tumbled to the ground, like ripe fruit falling from a tree. The headless bodies stood upright for two seconds before collapsing, blood splattering everywhere.The gruesome sight shocked everyone. They exchanged uneasy glances and were hesitant to move forward. No one had anticipated Dustin's sword to be so fast that the fallen couldn't even defend themselves.The assassins who had just been killed were among the elites. Yet, none of them could block even a single strike. The difference in strength was clear."What are you standing aroun
The people who emerged from the fog wore masks that hid their faces, but each had the Hall of Gods emblem on their bodies. Among them was a small group led by Dustin.After sensing a battle nearby, Dustin had deliberately left his team behind to investigate alone. He hadn't expected another group to lead them out of the fog formation."What's going on? Why are there so many bodies scattered around?" "Looks like they ran into a strong enemy. Stay sharp, everyone!" The sight of scattered corpses put everyone on edge. Their eyes darted between Dustin and Aven."Dustin, what are you doing here alone?" The leader of the group recognized him immediately.The Hall of Gods had recruited several teams, each marked by different colored masks, with team leaders wearing a distinctive emblem."Hank?" Dustin narrowed his eyes as he recognized the voice. "What happened here?" Hank asked tentatively."I don't know. I just stepped out of the fog formation." Dustin shook his head."Really?"