A burst of blue light exploded, creating a dome of lightning that enveloped the battle ring. Waves of explosive energy hammered against the barrier like relentless tides. The shield trembled violently for several breaths before finally stabilizing.The spectators below exhaled in relief, but their hearts were still racing. If it weren't for Oron's quick reaction, the leaked energy from that explosion could have put them all at risk. After all, Fenley was an ultimate grandmaster. Even a casual strike from him could be lethal.On the battle ring, everything changed after the dust settled.Fenley stood tall and looked imposing. His robes billowed like the wings of an angel. The ethereal divine spirit behind him flickered to life, and its sharp gaze added an intimidating edge to his formidable stance.In contrast, Dalen was thrown back ten yards after the collision. His handsome face turned pale, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth, and his arms trembled uncontrollably."Th
Though Dalen had been defeated, his fanbase didn't seem to care. His female supporters were still going wild, chanting his name. It was a scene unlike anything the other contestants had experienced. Being good-looking definitely had its perks."Mr. Shade, are you alright?" Ruby asked with genuine concern as Dalen returned to his seat."It's just a minor injury. Nothing serious." He shook his head with a smile, though a hint of melancholy and regret lingered in his eyes.Dalen had entered the tournament to make a name for himself and prove he was as good as anyone. Finishing in the top eight was respectable, but he had aimed for more.Unfortunately, his strength had fallen short, and he stumbled at the threshold of the final four. Still, losing to Fenley was something he accepted wholeheartedly."You've done well, Mr. Shade. Many disciples from the major guilds are nowhere near your level. Don't be too hard on yourself," Crystal comforted him."Yeah. You're way better than me. I
Emeret stood in the battle ring with a sword in his hand. A faint smile crossed his face as he looked at Glenn. "I didn't expect us to face each other so soon. It seems we can't avoid this match."Glenn might have been the genius everyone raved about, but Emeret wasn't one to be underestimated. He had always kept a low profile, avoiding the spotlight and focusing on his training in silence.Emeret didn't enter the Combat Tournament for recognition. Instead, he wanted to test his strength. He knew training in isolation wouldn't help him improve, so he needed to challenge the best to test his abilities."You can't defeat me. Just surrender," Glenn said coldly. He didn't want to go all out against someone from the same guild."How can you tell who's better without a fight?" Emeret continued to smile. "Glenn, I joined the Sword Union a few years before you. You might be the Chosen One, but don't underestimate me. Defeating me won't be as easy as you think.""You're not on my level. Sa
“Dustin, here is the divorce agreement prepared by Ms. Nicholson. All you need to do is sign them.”In the president’s office of the Quine Group, the secretary, Lyra Blaine, placed a piece of A4 paper on the table. A man sat opposite her, dressed in plain clothing.“Divorce? What do you mean?”Dustin Rhys was taken aback.“Do you not understand what I’m saying? Your marriage with Ms. Nicholson is over. You’re not even on the same level anymore. Your existence is nothing but a smear on the president’s reputation!”Lyra pulled no punches as she spoke.“A smear on her reputation?” Dustin frowned. “Is that how she thinks of me?”Back when they first got married, the Nicholson family was in ruinous debt. He was the one who helped them when they were at their lowest point. Now that they were rich, Dahlia Nicholson was ready to just kick him out.“Something like that.” Lyra jerked her chin toward the magazine on the table. A photo of a beautiful woman was printed on the front page. “Look at t
In the elevator, Dustin stared at the crystal necklace dejectedly. Even though he had expected it, he was still sad that his marriage had ended just like that. He had once thought that happiness was simple: meals on the table, cheerful days, and simple pleasures. Now, he found out that normalcy was a sin. It was time to awaken from this prolonged daydream.Suddenly, his phone rang, breaking him out of his trance. When he picked up the phone, a familiar voice came from the other end.“Mr. Rhys, I’m Hunter Anderson from the Swinton Group. I heard that today your wedding anniversary with Ms. Nicholson, so I’ve prepared a gift for you. I’m just wondering if you have any time today?”“Thank you for your kindness, but I’m afraid we won’t be needing the gift,” Dustin said. “Why?”Hunter was taken aback. He could sense something wrong.“Is there anything else you’d like to talk about, Mr. Anderson?”“Actually, yes, there is.” Hunter cleared his throat awkwardly. “I’ve got a friend who contrac
“Fuck off!”Those two words were enough to scare Florence motionless. She had never thought that Dustin could be so scary when he was angry. He had always been so mild-tempered around them. He now looked like he could eat her alive.When she finally got her wits back, Florence began screaming, “Help! Help! He’s murdering my son!” Soon, the Quine Group’s security guards gathered around them.“What happened, Mrs. Nicholson?” The head of the security guards recognized Florence and stood at her side immediately.“Tom! Lock this guy up at once! I want him punished for beating up my son!” Florence yelled.“Holy cow! How dare you cause trouble in front of the Quine Group? Have you lost your mind?” Tom waved his hand. All the security guards surrounded Dustin.This was their chance to kiss up to the president’s mother. If they did well now, then they might get a promotion and a raise.“What are you waiting for? Beat him up!” Just as they were about to act, a voice sounded.“What do you think
“Mom, take James to the hospital. I’ll deal with this.”After a moment’s silence, Dahlia finally made her decision.“Dahlia, you must defend your brother! Don’t let that bastard off so easily!” Florence said hatefully.“Don’t worry, I know what I should do.”Dahlia nodded, gesturing for two guards to send Florence and James to the hospital.“What do you think, Lyra?”Dahlia rubbed her temples. She felt a headache coming on.“It’s obvious, isn’t it? It was Dustin who assaulted them first. The security guards were witnesses, so that can’t be a lie,” Lyra said.“But my mother’s not exactly an honest person…” Dahlia began. She knew her mother and brother well. They were a hot-tempered and ruthless duo.“Either way, it’s still wrong for him to throw the first punch!” Lyra said righteously. “Even if there was a misunderstanding, why couldn’t he talk it out? Moreover, it was James that he beat up. Your brother! He didn’t think of how you would feel when he attacked your family. This alone is
“How did you know that?”Ruth’s eyes almost bulged out of her head. She was more shocked than embarrassed that Dustin could tell so much about her health just by looking at her tongue. Everything from the migraines to diarrhea was spot on. Was he really that good, or did he just make a lucky guess?“There’s a lot you can tell about a person just by looking at them,” Dustin said nonchalantly.“Do you believe him now, Ruth?” Natasha smiled. At the same time, she also heaved a silent sigh of relief. Thank goodness Dustin knew what he was doing.“He just got lucky!” Ruth refused to admit defeat. “I’m sorry, Mr. Rhys, she’s just too stubborn for her own good. Please ignore her,” Natasha told Dustin apologetically.“It’s fine. Shall we begin?”Dustin didn’t take Ruth’s attitude to heart. He walked over to Andrew and gave him a thorough check-up. It didn’t take long for him to find out what was going on. It was obvious to him that the old man had been poisoned. The poison was pretty potent t