Every time Crystal swung her sword, it left a bleeding gash on the bearded-burly man. Within moments, he had been stabbed over a dozen times, left without any means of defense.Despite his strength, she outclassed him entirely in skill. The spectators were amazed and impressed as her advanced swordsmanship shone brightly."Ah!" the bearded-burly man cried in agony. With his tendons severed, he collapsed onto the ground. He was now crippled, covered in blood and numerous wounds, though they were not fatal."Chief!" The Butcher Guild disciples were shocked and enraged to witness their typically imposing and unstoppable chief suffering in such a manner."Damn it! How dare you hurt our chief? You're pushing your luck!""Everyone! Let's teach this bitch a lesson!"The Butcher Guild disciples roared, brandishing their machetes and charging at Crystal with anger.She snorted coldly and mercilessly thrust her sword into the attacking crowd. "Ember Strike!"In less than a moment, the
"W-What!" Dalen's words surprised the few people standing there. It took them a moment to process the unexpected revelation.Miles, who had been expressing his feelings, stood still with an awkward smile. His eyes widened, hands hovering in confusion.How could that happen? Could it be that his daring rescue mission, intended for a damsel, was actually for a man?"A man? You're... kidding, right?" The girl in red scrutinized Dalen with disbelief on her face. How could someone with such an attractive face be a man?Crystal hesitated, mouth slightly agape, unsure of how to react.So, the troublemakers from the Butcher Guild, who had caused a ruckus earlier, weren't harassing a woman but a man? This unexpected turn of events was truly one of a kind."I'm not kidding. I'm a real gentleman," Dalen affirmed with a nod. Mistaking his identity wasn't new for him when he ventured outside.The girl in red hesitated before stating, "But your appearance...""I've got a male body with a f
After a few drinks, everyone loosened up and started chatting.Dalen asked, "Ms. Wesley, I've heard you're the Sword Union disciples. Are you here for the Combat Tournament at the Sacred Wrym Summit?"Crystal nodded. "Yes, that's right." She was reserved and not much of a talker. Ruby, the lively one, chimed in with a smile. "Dalen, truth be told, we're here because our guildmaster told us to."The Ancient Sage is hosting the Combat Tournament at the Sacred Wrym Summit this time. It's creating quite a buzz."Not only Sword Union, but other guilds like the Celestial Alliance and the Mystics Arts Order are sending their top disciples to participate.""Ruby, did the Sword Union only send the three of you?" Dalen asked curiously."Not really," Ruby shook her head. "We're here just for fun. The real Sword Union contestants are someone else."Ruby and Miles were only at the later stages of being divine-level martial artists. Crystal, while strong, was only halfway to becoming a gran
Dustin glanced at Dalen. No matter how gorgeous Dalen was, Dustin couldn't imagine himself liking another guy.Dalen coughed uncomfortably as he sipped his drink, his face contorted in discomfort. He grinned wryly and remarked, "Ms. Wesley, I can't tell if you're praising me or teasing me with that remark.""It's a compliment! Your gorgeous face could win over any man," Crystal said with a straight face."Oh, well..." Dalen was momentarily speechless. Did she have to say that to his face? Something didn't feel right."If you don't believe me, just ask Miles," Crystal said.At that moment, Miles was staring right at Dalen. When Crystal mentioned his name, he slightly tensed, swiftly shifting his gaze away with a nervous and guilty expression."W-What? Me?" Miles awkwardly responded. "Quit joking around, Crystal. What does this have to do with me?""You seem a bit off, Miles." Ruby raised an eyebrow. She looked around mischievously and smirked. "You're not bewitched by Dalen, ar
"Isn't that the case?" Ruby asked, tilting her head in confusion."Sacred Wrym Summit has been around for years without getting involved in martial world matters. "Now, they're suddenly organizing the Combat Tournament. There must be a hidden reason," Miles explained.Organizing talent recruitment to bring honor to the nation might have been fitting for the Martial Arts Union. But with the Sacred Wyrm Summit as the host, it seemed implausible."So, tell me, what's the hidden reason?" she asked."How would I know? I'm just a bystander." He shrugged, well aware of his role."Dalen, since you raised this question, you must have some insider information, right?" Crystal asked.Dalen replied, "I don't have any insider information, but I did manage to gather some news."He added cryptically, "Word is, there's a rare treasure appearing in the forbidden area behind Sacred Wrym Summit. "This treasure doesn't just impact the destiny of the martial world in the next century. It is also
In the center square of the ancient town, a crowd of onlookers, primarily martial artists, had gathered. All eyes were on a young man in warrior gear, rocking wooden sandals and a bun hairdo. He chilled on a bench with only a bottle of wine and a sword on the table.The man sipped his drink casually, not bothering about the talks around him. Behind him stood a middle-aged man in a suit and white gloves, dressed like a butler.Though the butler seemed meek around the young man, his eyes scanned the crowd with a snobby air.The butler spoke loudly to the gathering crowd, "Listen up, people from Dragonmarsh!"Meet our young master, Marco Alessandro! We're from Kimboku and came to Sacred Wyrm Summit to challenge the best fighters from Dragonmarsh."We're having a three-day tournament. If anyone can beat Mr. Alessandro, they'll get the 'Demon Sword,' one of Kimboku's top ten swords! "But if you're not up for it, you'll have to cancel the tournament and accept that you're just a bun
"I'm Quincy Douglas, the guardian of the Celestial Alliance!" declared the elderly man, standing with his hands clasped behind him."What? He's Quincy Douglas?""The Celestial Alliance is the top martial arts group in the martial world. It has ten guardians, each overseeing a specific region. Who would've thought we'd be lucky enough to meet Elder Douglas here today?""Elder Douglas has been the guardian of the Celestial Alliance for many years, holding a high-ranking position. With him here, those two Kimbokurats won't be causing much havoc!"Conversations buzzed among the crowd, with eyes showing particular reverence toward Quincy.While many hadn't seen Quincy in person before, they were familiar with his reputation. As one of the elite top ten guardians of the Celestial Alliance, Quincy was undeniably a significant presence in the martial world. Not only was he strong and experienced, but he also commanded great respect wherever he went."So, you're the elites of the Cele
"I'm the disciple of the Sword Union! Let me deal with that bastard!"Suddenly, a loud shout came from the crowd.It was Miles, who had just arrived at the scene. He had come for some fun but ended up witnessing a warrior from the Kimboku being all boastful. Being a passionate young man and a disciple of the Sword Union, he couldn't stand it anymore."Miles, that guy is pretty tough. Dealing with him won't be easy. Don't rush into things," Crystal, standing next to him, advised.Even though Miles was talented and had joined the Sword Union for a few years, he still lacked experience and finesse. While handling a Divine-level martial artist presented no issue for him, dealing with an elite would prove to be a more demanding task.He shrugged it off, saying, "Crystal, isn't he just a brat? What's so great about him? While my sword skills might not match up to yours, handling that brat is a breeze!"Miles jumped into the martial world not too long ago, full of big dreams. Now, wit