The chill of the sharp wind was nothing compared to the cold stare Alex received from the old man in front of him, his father-in-law.Telling the truth he only needed two seconds to break the old man's bones, and what he thought was his greatest block.But was it morally right to hit your own father-in-law?"Father-in-law, why do you want that man to be your son-in-law? Am I not good enough?"Tommy chuckled. "Alex, you really are thick-skinned, aren’t you? Do you know who that man is? He is James Wellington, the first rank family with total assets of 10 billion dollars.""Even we Deneuves only have about 100 million dollars," Tommy mocked Alex. "Can you imagine what will happen to Sophia if she marries into a first-class family? Everyone will be happy, including her mother and me.""Father-in-law," Alex gazed at him seriously, his eyes filled with determination."I may not come from a first-rank family, but I am from an S-rank family—a royal family. Don’t you think that is enough to e
Under the blue sky and wide horizon, where the skyscraper buildings were towering, Alex stood on the penthouse balcony. He gazed down at everything, his hair tousled by the wind.“Let’s start by accusing the Wellington family of having connections with the Drakonia Federation, our enemy country,” Alex said to Lavinia. “How much time do we have to verify the truth?”Lavinia replied, “If they are accused, we can freeze their entire assets for three months for search and investigation, even if they’ve done no wrong.”Alex scoffed, “It’s impossible for a big company to not have even a speck of dirt. If we search thoroughly, we will have plenty of time to uncover their deep-rooted dirt and bury them alive with the dirt.”"Lavinia, inform everyone that the Supreme Leader suspects espionage by the Wellington family. Deploy rapid response military and police units from across Blackwood to freeze all their assets immediately."“Roger, sir.”“Go get all their family members and throw them into
Inside the penthouse, one policewoman was calming Sophia in another bedroom.Meanwhile, outside on the balcony, a police officer drew his handgun and pointed it at Tommy Deneuve through the glass door."Sir, Please unlock the door, or I'll have to shoot you," the officer warned sternly.Tommy's face turned pale, and he tremblingly opened the door.The policeman looked at him sharply. "I received a report that you, as the father, collaborated with James to harm your own daughter."Tommy’s expression was one of sheer terror as the policeman struck him on his face. "What a messed-up family! You are under arrest and will be in jail for at least ten years.""No, please don't," Tommy begged, his voice thick with fear of the consequences.Alex walked in and asked, "Where is my wife?""She's in the bedroom on the right side, Sir," the officer replied.Alex walked to the bedroom and found Sophia with the policewoman, who glanced at Alex as he entered and then quietly left the room, giving them
At the high-end country club in Blackwood City, a group of Sophia's and Victoria's college classmates had reserved a section for their reunion event.Initially, it was supposed to be a small gathering reunion for locals from Blackwood and around, but once the news spread through their classmate group’s chat, almost 85% of them decided to attend the impromptu reunion, even if it meant flying for two or three hours to Blackwood."Blackwood City will be the place where economic development will soar," one man declared. "This is the perfect time to invest in it."“Of course,” Added the other, "The Empire will spend hundreds of billions of dollars over the next five years on city development. All the land and real estate prices will skyrocket. If we don't come here to seek business opportunities, where else should we be?""You are right," a woman chimed in, "my parents told me to ask Sophia if we can make connections with Total Construction; they've secured a $500 million contract for this
The club's atmosphere suddenly turned awkward as Ravenna appeared, clearly intent on looking down on Sophia by mocking her husband’s low status.Every classmate there was aware of Ravenna's envy and her efforts to outshine Sophia.Whenever Ravenna had a chance to score points against Sophia, she never missed it, but usually, Ravenna lost miserably, 10 out of 10 times.Now, she was eyeing Alex with her eagle eyes, determined not to miss this chance to outshine Sophia for the first time.“Jack!” Ravenna yelled to the man who was fencing in a nearby area.One of the players, a burly man, abruptly utilized his strength to lunge at his opponent, causing them to stumble. Sporting a smug grin, he removed his fencing mask, tossed it aside, and confidently approached Ravenna.“What’s up, my dear?” Jack came to hug Ravenna, his arm around her shoulder showing off his domination over her.He flashed a cheeky smile, like a thug proud of his own coolness.“Let me introduce Jack to all of you,” Rav
In the chilly night air, Jack grinned widely, keeping secret from everyone that he had been a fencing champion in high school.Nobody could beat him in fencing; he was sure of it.Now, he had the chance to display his skills in front of Sophia and Victoria, whom he regarded as the most beautiful girls he had ever seen.He quickly made a bet. "No problem, if you want to make a fool of yourself. But I don't need you to bark if you lose, since I already know you're poorer than Ravenna's dog, who even has its own house."Jack turned his gaze to Sophia. "If you lose, just make sure your wife serves me well for one night."Sophia's classmates already disliked Jack due to his bad attitude. Now, after listening to Jack’s nonsense, their emotions rose to a new high.One of them yelled, "You bastard, what do you think of this place?"Another said, "Do you think this is your nightclub where all women can be treated like your Ravenna?""Enough, you're not welcome at this reunion," one declared."
Alex knew everything about fighting with all weapons, and he could clearly see what Jack planned to do using his large physique and full fencing protective gear.He threw his sabre back onto the shelf, and as Jack stepped closer, Alex struck Jack's throat with his right fist with precision and speed.Jack choked although it has protection, the force still reached his throat.Alex's anger hadn't subsided yet.So, he delivered a forceful kick to Jack’s groin; even though it was protected, it caused enough force to incapacitate him.Jack's body suddenly bent over like a shrimp and fell to the arena floor.Ravenna quickly rushed to help Jack, yelling at the top of her lungs, “You're cheating! You have no sportsmanship! You're disqualified! You lose!”Meanwhile, some classmates gave thumbs up to Alex; a few even applauded. One of them yelled, “Let’s start the reunion event!”They all ignored Ravenna and her boyfriend on the arena.Ravenna experienced a mix of shame and fury. Once Jack caug
Inside the big, closed dining hall, Alex could no longer contain himself and walked to the front, facing Jack under everyone's gaze.Jack, undaunted, approached him and said, “What? Are you going to apologize on behalf of your wife? It's too late. My brother is already on his way here.”However, Jack was utterly shocked when Alex suddenly struck him across the face in front of everyone.Staggering, Jack touched his cheek and exclaimed in disbelief, “You... you just hit me?”“What? Is your brain still not functioning properly?” Alex retorted and hit Jack again with all his might, sending him tumbling to the ground, stars clouding his vision.Ravenna, along with all of Sophia’s classmates, watched the scene unfold with a mix of shock and confusion.“You,” Jack managed to say, “my brother will come.”Alex kicked him in the face. “Let your brothers come whenever they want, but I'll make sure you'll die long before they get here.”Jack's face turned pale as Alex continued to kick him.He t
“Everyone!” Mitchell called out, his voice echoing through the hall.Without waiting for any protest, he placed a firm hand on Alex’s shoulder.“Alex has officially passed the Master Alchemy test. He will be one of us, and you can speak to him later. For now, there’s some important paperwork that needs to be done.”Before the crowd could react, Kolin stepped forward. “But what about the high-rank potion?” he asked, clearly intrigued.Mitchell offered a measured smile.“That’s part of a secret project I’m working on. I’ll make an announcement when the time is right.”With that, he grabbed Alex’s hand and swiftly guided him away, leaving the onlookers in stunned silence.A flurry of whispers erupted, spreading like wildfire.“He’s only a child!”“Not yet twenty years old—and already a Master Alchemist?”Their disbelief was tangible.Before turning twenty, Alex had already surpassed achievements most people in their thirties or forties couldn’t attain.Those who had mocked him earlier fe
Previously, when Alex used the card key to enter Mitchell’s private alchemy room, one of Mitchell’s assistants, Claire—a bespectacled young woman of striking beauty and intermediate rank in alchemy—stared at him in disbelief.“Kid, why are you in the Master’s room?” She rushed over, barely hiding her alarm. “And where’d you get that key?”Alex frowned. “Didn’t Master Mitchell notify you?”She glanced at her smartwatch, then froze. “Master Mitchell did text me to assist… but I’m warning you—don’t make a mess. I’m the one who has to keep this place organized.”Alex’s frown deepened as he studied her face. “Didn’t he also say you should give me whatever I need?”Claire scoffed. “You’re just a kid. Letting you in is already a big deal.”Alex sighed and stepped inside.The room was large, lined with shelves that carried neatly labeled boxes of every alchemical ingredient imaginable.As Alex started reading labels and picking ingredients, Claire looked at him suspiciously. “Do you even know
“This isn’t over yet!” Brian snapped, turning back to his exam, trying his hardest to pass it.Alex laughed and turned to the Alchemy Master.“Can I use one of the alchemy room now? I need to make a potion for my friend.”Mitchell Hunt, the alchemy master shocked and chatted with Alex for a while and quickly realized that Alex wasn’t just skilled in the theories of alchemy—he was also familiar with actual refinement processes.Monstrous!Mitchell had spent decades in alchemy, only reaching the Alchemy Master level at fifty years old.Thinking about Alex’s age made him feel both impressed and embarrassed.It was frustrating! How old was Alex? Yet his knowledge was already on par with seasoned masters.It was proof that knowledge didn’t always come with age.“Sure,” Mitchell said finally, “I’ll let you use my alchemy room. You can use any ingredient inside. If something’s missing, you can ask my assistant.”“Here, take this card—it’ll grant you access, and I’ll inform my assistant. Mean
"Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’ll become a Master today," Brian said, shaking his head in disgust."You’d be better off running home and nursing at your mother’s breast."Alex responded with a nonchalant shrug. "We’ll see about that," he said softly."And when I prove you wrong, I’ll treat you as my proper servant."With those quiet, confident words, Alex turned and walked toward the examination chamber, leaving Brian seething in his wake.Brian glared at the boy’s retreating back, his mind spinning with disbelief.How dare this arrogant whelp even consider taking such a demanding exam?Shaking his head, Brian stepped into the assigned room, bitter resentment burning hot in his chest.Inside the testing chamber, Alex approached the Alchemy Master presiding over the exam.The old man’s face was stern, his gaze appraising as he studied the young stranger who dared to set foot here.He looked utterly perplexed. A boy? In the Master-level exam room?"Are you lost, lad?" the Alchem
Walking down a corridor lit by soft, enchanted lamp, Alex followed the attendant who had greeted him in the lobby.His thoughts drifted to the fallen Alchemist Association.He recalled how, in recent years, so many gifted minds had abandoned alchemy for the sword and spear, leaving a generation barely touched by the old art’s wisdom.In his previous life, he had witnessed the Alchemist Association’s last stand during the siege of Miracle City.They had given everything, each member perishing in the final defense.At least, he had no reason to doubt their honor; the Bolton Family’s hand had never tainted the alchemists’ good name.His guide, a sharp-eyed young woman named Lanny, studied him with open skepticism.“You’re here to take the apprentice examination, right? I hope you’ve prepared. Anyone worth their salt knows at least five foundational tomes by heart.”Alex almost laughed as he pictured one of those massive texts.It had been thick enough to topple a grown man if hurled with
In a split second, Alex pulled the gun from his pocket and fired at the attacker.It was an ancient technology, long lost to time, and only a handful of people still owned it.The other attackers froze, their eyes wide as they watched their leader—a silver rank—fly back nearly ten meters from the force of the laser shot.Smoke rose from his chest, where a searing burn now marred his flesh.The top silver rank was dead by one shot.The remaining four glanced at each other, panic spreading across their faces.They nodded in silent agreement and suddenly turned to flee.What was supposed to be an easy job—killing a bronze-ranked kid—had turned into a nightmare.That same kid had just taken down their leader, the strongest among them, with a single shot.They were only early silver rank—staying would mean certain death.Running was their only choice.As they bolted, Alex didn’t hesitate. He fired again.A beam of light sliced through the air, and one of the fleeing attackers collapsed to
Scarlet and Cassandra had fought twice before, and both times ended in a dead heat.This was now their third match, and even though Scarlet was a senior, with Cassandra had gained new strength, the outcome looked much the same.Neither girl would back down, neither would concede defeat.Their rivalry had ignited the very first time Scarlet flaunted her affection for Alex, and Cassandra had stepped in with a warning.Scarlet ignored it, and from that day on, the two had fought for reasons that went well beyond pride.Yet, there was something else about their fights—something that drew onlookers from every corner of the academy.The pair of goddesses remained completely unaware of the chaos they unleashed every time they clashed.They crashed into walls, toppled statues, and kicked up dust storms in the courtyards. And the students loved every second of it.They lined up, whispering and joking, placing bets as if watching a grand tournament.On this particular day, as Scarlet and Cassan
Previously, Alex and Sofie were on the truck, heading back to the city, when Renault contacted them.“Sofie, Alex! Thank God you’re safe! We’ve been searching everywhere for you,” Renault’s voice crackled through the communicator.Alex smiled, knowing Renault felt truly safe was knowing the princess was unharmed.His whole family could land in prison if anything happened to her.“We’re okay!” Alex replied straightforwardly.“But you guys need to hurry and get the stuff—then leave quickly!”“Why?” Renault asked, a note of worry in his tone.“I ran into some outlaws,” Alex explained.“They’re hunting for nobles. They’ll try to steal everything and might even kidnap all of you for ransom!”Renault’s breath hitched on the other end, clearly caught off guard.If the outlaws found them, it would be catastrophic.But Alex’s warning gave them an edge—if they knew trouble was coming, they could set traps and prepare an ambush.“Thank you, Alex. I’ll make sure you’re rewarded later.”“No need,”
Jareth furiously raised his head and glared at Renault.“What?” Renault snapped back, his eyes narrowing.“Don’t think I won’t destroy your entire family if you keep trying to harm Alex and Sofie!”The tension crackled between them. Renault’s voice was like ice, sharp and cutting, and his presence felt larger, as though he were towering over Jareth.Renault’s anger simmered just beneath the surface. Sofie was a princess of Miracle City, and if anyone dared to suspect her or interfere with her gains from the expedition, they’d answer to him.Perhaps even the King himself would inspect their family treasures tomorrow.How dare Jareth think he could threaten his family?For the first time, Jareth saw Renault this angry, making his own rage falter.He took a step back, feeling the weight of Renault’s family name.Renault was a member of the major DuPont family, a direct descendant, no less. They could crush his entire lineage with a mere word.Jareth clenched his fists but dropped his gaz