Chrissy realized her abrupt approach to Ashton had come across as rude, so she quickly reintroduced herself. "I am Chrissy Jones, but feel free to call me Chrissy or CC."Ashton nodded. "I'm Ashton, and yes, I'm on my way to Pailedo."A hint of awkwardness crossed Chrissy's face. She was used to being the center of attention—the company's undisputed belle with a trail of admirers. Yet, Ashton's cool demeanor threw her off. He was easy on the eyes, but he was still a man. What man would not show a little interest in a knockout like her? Unless he was not into women?She shook it off almost as quickly as it came. Her gaydar was usually spot on, and Ashton had no effect on it. He had a certain integrity about him, a captivating intensity in his gaze, and a woman accompanied him."Is she your girlfriend?" Chrissy leaned in close to Ashton, her voice a hushed whisper meant only for him as if to keep their exchange from Borra Brunner. To an onlooker, they might have seemed too cozy to be
"Looks like the game's on," Ashton said again, pausing in his tracks. He also reached out to Borra, who seemed lost, standing beside him. Her head peeked out shyly as her eyes darted around the deserted port.It was unsettlingly quiet.It was far too quiet. When Borra left for Quindlen, she remembered Sanchez Port as a hive of activity. It was always teeming with life, even in the slowest seasons, as Alara's busiest southwestern port. It was built for the hustle of international trade. However, it was deserted at the moment, with not a single fish in sight."Mister Levin, we have been looking forward to your arrival. It is a pleasure to meet you, Lindorm Land's renowned martial arts expert."A man in a military uniform emerged from a nearby building. He was smiling, one hand resting on his waist where a loaded pistol was holstered."Do you know me?" Ashton asked."Not personally," the man replied with stark honesty. His only mission was to stop Ashton immediately, to ensure he di
The Dark Dragon Society still felt pretty arrogant. In no time, they had rallied a few hundred men at one of their outposts, even if most were a motley crew barely holding it together."Idiots! Scum of the earth!""Take him down! Grab the girl!"A man in a military cap wielding a warrior blade unsheathed it and aimed it at Ashton, his roar slicing through the chaos. A horde of people surged forward in waves, their faces twisted with rage. Their bravery was unaffected by fear because they were blissfully unaware of the true horror they were about to face.Ashton raised his hand, feeling one with nature's forces. The winds that screamed around him morphed into countless razor-sharp wind blades that sliced through the air faster than bullets, their frantic howl tearing into the crowd.Dismembered limbs were strewn everywhere. Borra, her innocence intact, instinctively closed her eyes against the carnage.Anyone else might have found the scene too gruesome, like stumbling into a nigh
Gabriel Rogers, the fresh-faced Sword Saint and prized pupil of the legendary Yermolai, stood amid the chaos.A Sword Saint in Alara meant more than just being able to swing a blade; it meant he was a weapon master, a true combat virtuoso. A Sword Saint was someone who had stepped into the divine, a force of nature in human form. It was the highest honor bestowed upon Alara's warriors. Each disciple who earned the title was a titan, with a name that rang across lands and a power that dwarfed even the vaunted Shadow-class warriors."You, a renowned Eastern warrior, have dared to come to my Alara and slaughter innocents mercilessly. You have brought shame to your homeland of Lindorm Land and its proud martial arts community," Gabriel shouted from the top of the stairs. His gaze was drawn to Ashton in the distance, then to the military base, littered with bodies and the injured. The sight broke his heart.That was a calculated strike to annihilate the Dark Dragon Society's branch. The
A cyan dragon, conjured from a whirlwind, stretched over ten meters long. The Cyan Royal Dragon move, crafted from blades of wind, resembled a dragon poised to swallow the world whole.The dragon surged forward like a thundering locomotive with a single flick of Ashton's wrist. That was no ordinary energy strike. The ten-meter-long cyan dragon, spawned by the whirlwind's fury, could slice an ordinary person in half on contact, the whirling cyclone tearing flesh from bone. Even an experienced cultivator would be afraid to confront it with their inner core essence.The Cyan Royal Dragon bore Ashton's core essence, and should it clash with another, it would detonate its wind blades, unleashing a maelstrom of cyclones. It would erupt like a colossal bomb, obliterating every foe within its reach.The move sent shivers down everyone's spine.Gabriel gripped his sword, beads of sweat dotting his brow. He stood in the heart of the onslaught, trapped."Skybreaker Slash! Blade Breaker Slash
A deadly whirlwind severed Marciano's head, and his head rolled away. His eyes were wide as he tumbled, face up to the sky, eyes fixed on Borra.However, Borra was not scared. She smiled—a chilling, devilish grin. Only Borra knew it was the smile of vengeance. Turning into a monster was not the horror; it was feeling helpless while her family suffered that truly terrified her. Then, thanks to Mister Levin, she had her chance."Anyone else?" Ashton approached her.Borra shook her head gently. "The rest are the Dark Dragon Society's ordinary members. Mister Levin, you've already taken care of them."Ashton acknowledged her with a nod. "You are now free to leave. If you are worried, you are welcome to stay with me. Your sister did me a favor once, and I owe you the opportunity to choose."Borra's face was tinged with sadness when she thought of her sister. She quickly sniffed back her tears and smiled brightly. "I would like to stay with you, Mister Levin."Ashton nodded again, his
It only took Ashton eight minutes to arrive at the Dark Dragon Society's Pailedo branch and destroy it. Over 500 of the 600 people present died, with just over 60 escaping. The military base's leaders were utterly decimated.However, the news that truly shocked people was the last to be released.Yermolai's prized pupil, the Sword Saint Gabriel, had fallen to Ashton. Gabriel, a master swordsman with shadow-class skills and a likely successor to the Sword Saint title, had not stood a chance.In a shadowy chamber in Jablonski City."Could the cultivator from Lindorm Land truly be as formidable as the dark web whispers claim? Our intel confirms Ashton is just in his 20s. How has he cultivated to such an extent?" Gregorio mused, his voice a low rumble.The destruction of the Dark Dragon Society's Pailedo branch barely registered on Gregorio's radar. One perplexing question consumed his thoughts—how could young Ashton wield such staggering might in battle?If Lindorm Land's martial ar
The person locked eyes with Ashton, their bored expression instantly giving way to excitement as they bounded over."Ashton, what are the odds!" Chrissy exclaimed, her previous outfit replaced by a pristine white dress that gave her an air of timeless grace reminiscent of the fabled beauties from Lindorm Land.Ashton was surprised to see Chrissy in that location. Pailedo was a sprawling city with many entertainment options, and he had expected her to gravitate toward the glitz of bars and neon-lit streets.Chrissy had it all mapped out—Citrupa Shrine was her first destination. She rose at dawn to scale the mountain as the sun crept above the horizon to get enveloped by a raw, natural tranquility that the city's chaos could never offer."What a coincidence, huh? Is it any good here?" Ashton asked offhandedly.Chrissy's lips twisted into a pout. "Good? It's a total bust."I heard all these stories about how amazing Citrupa Shrine was, and I wanted to pay my respects to the Citrupa