"I'm not sure if I'm a lost cause, but what amazes me is that after everything, you still think you matter," Alora said, her voice dripping with disdain."Alora, you don't actually believe you're on my level, do you?"Ashton chuckled, his gaze drifting past the private room's window to the street below, where he spotted Aislinn and a squad of soldiers marching into HerbHaven Eatery. The issue was settled. Someone else had stepped in to handle the mess, which freed him from further involvement."It doesn't matter if we're on the same level. What matters is you've crossed the Everwood Triad Society. You're finished. You're clueless about who backs the group's boss—the Navy King of the North Sea, a top dog among the border's military elite," Alora said icily.She had her reasons for rubbing shoulders with those shady figures. It was all about the group's boss. She wanted to play a game of connections, aimed to cozy up to the boss and tap into the powerful network behind him. That was
"My apologies, Mister Levin. I did not think things through," Jared said as he entered the room, offering his apology first.He and his fellow deputy took their seats across from Ashton. Ashton noted the deputy was quite young, yet her figure seemed to defy the constraints of her formal attire.He quickly looked away."That's the least of my concerns. I want to know why you're here," Ashton said, cut to the chase."Let's wait for the meal. We'll talk over dinner. This deal is a win-win, and I'm sure you'll find it intriguing," Jared said confidently."Let's hope so," Ashton replied, not dismissing the idea.The meal arrived promptly, and the restaurant manager threw in a bottle of limited-edition wine to make amends. He knew well enough the influence of someone who could effortlessly dismantle the Everwood Triad Society; those were not people to underestimate.With the wine delivered, he respectfully excused himself.Alora seized the moment and slipped out from the side passage
Alora's glare was lethal; if her eyes were weapons, Aislinn would be nothing but crumbs.Her eyes blazed with a wild mix of rage, loathing, and sheer hysteria. However, Aislinn ignored the glare.The fury of the powerless was as harmless as a child's tantrum, utterly incapable of touching her. Instead, it was almost laughable."You have no right to preach at me!" Alora hissed.Aislinn's smile was calm and dismissive."Who's preaching? I'm simply pointing out that you've squandered the one real shot at climbing the social ladder. You'll never break through that barrier, no matter how hard you try. You're too arrogant." Aislinn shook her head and retreated to the private room.Alora's fists were balled up tight, her face twisted into an expression that was hard to pin down. "Arrogant? Just wait until I'm the one you're all looking up to. Let's see if you'll still talk down to me then."The dinner party wrapped up, and Ashton's group went to Decapilion Airport, where they boarded a
Ashton stood by the helicopter's side door, his hand on the latch. The door swung open, and a gust of wind blasted through the cabin, forcing everyone to shield their eyes."What's the hold-up? Aren't they landing?" Voices from below said.The 100 Invisidrakes watched the sky for what would happen."Look, someone's coming out!"The shout came from nowhere, and all eyes turned to see a shadowy figure at the doorway."That's not Deputy General Campbell or Deputy General Avelora. It looks like the new head instructor. What's he up to?" The scholarly man with glasses pushed them up the bridge of his nose; his eyes twinkled with an enigmatic smile."Is he about to give us a parachuting demo?" Ironwolf quipped with a smirk. Parachuting was an old hat to them; they did it daily, and each one was a pro at it. That was like a novice trying to show off to the masters."Ironwolf, is your brain rusty? You can't parachute from a hundred meters. There's no time to deploy a chute at that heigh
The Invisidrakes looked like ordinary folks, wide-eyed and slack-jawed with shock.A 100-meter free fall without gear was unheard of, channeling fictional superheroes."Whoa, my eyes must be playing tricks on me. Did he just leap out of that chopper?" Ironwolf's voice cracked as he held his head, struggling to believe what he had just seen."Unless we're all hallucinating," the guy with glasses quipped, managing a strained smile. He'd been the first to catch the jaw-dropping stunt.No tricks, no safety nets, just a freefall from a hundred meters up—it was the kind of drop that would generally turn anyone into a pancake.Yet there he was, without a scratch. He stood tall and composed as if he had strolled out of a shopping mall, not a high-flying death machine.As Ashton approached, the crowd's shock turned to awe, and they finally got a good look at him. Underneath that mop of black hair was the fresh face of a 20-something, decked out in a casual shirt and slacks that seemed to
"Chief instructor, you're not pulling our leg, right? Will all our attributes double? Does that even keep us human?" The smart guy with glasses could not help but ask the burning question.He was not alone in his concerns. Everyone wondered if they would become something other than human.When something seemed easy and required less work, it was more likely to be a trap.Drugs could work wonders when used right. It could double the results with half the effort, but if they messed it up or popped the wrong pills, they would be dead.Luckily, Ashton did not leave them hanging. He was all too happy to clear things up."Let me lay it out for you straight—you'll still be human. This little upgrade will not harm you. It will not mess with your life or your future, not one bit."But there's no such thing as a free ride, right? There is no magic bullet that has all the perks with no downsides. The catch with my little trick here is that once you're boosted, that's it. You're topped out f
The base's main conference room was quieter than the dormitory work area.Everyone was on edge, from Jared and Deputy General Avelora to staff officers, division instructors, and base administrators. All eyes were fixed on one man.Dressed in his military best, he had transformed from just another city kid to a general who looked like he could conquer the wilds.Deputy General Avelora presented Ashton with a folder without arrogance. "Here's the base's work report."Ashton waved it off without a second glance. "I don't need to see that. Teaching the cadets is my only concern here. The rest doesn't involve me." He knew the drill. It was about management and power, but it was just the base's way of currying favor, nothing more."Chief Instructor Levin, I have to ask." Deputy General Campbell leaned in, his eyes alight with intensity. "Is it true what you said about doubling the Invisidrakes' strength in just a month?" That was the burning question on everyone's mind.Ashton affirme
Ashton's heart thumped.Hamilton City.That should be the territory of the old prince, right?In his existing state, he could not estimate his chance of winning against the old prince. There were too many masters in Hamilton City, especially the masters of the ascendant realm, and the old prince's backup would go at him endlessly. Ashton had many disadvantages in this fight.He did not like the feeling of losing control. He would suffer losses if he rushed to participate in the martial arts trades fair.However, he was unwilling to watch the opportunity to obtain the millennium spirit herbs slip by before his eyes.He needed to find a way to compromise and plan things out."Are you interested in participating? Tomorrow, we can see if there is anything new in this fair." Alexander did not know what Ashton was thinking, so he immediately sent out an invitation.Ashton smiled. "Let's talk about this later, don't worry."Alexander did not continue to ask.Soon after the noon trai