"No one turns down Aarrowsmith. You ought to recognize the clout our country's name carries," Aleman said, his brow creasing in a show of authority meant to be intimidating.Yet, Ashton found the display less than compelling, akin to the posturing of an ant."You seem oblivious to the predicament you're in and clueless about who you're dealing with," Ashton said, shaking his head."I'm well aware. I'll concede your martial arts skills are remarkable. However, this world is not ready for you to rule it single-handedly. Our super-soldiers have their own brand of miracle-making," Aleman retorted."Is that so?" Ashton's eyes twinkled with amusement as he surveyed the group in their shimmering liquid metal armor.Aleman's face twisted in anger, catching the scorn in Ashton's look. "A little confidence is good, but you're overdoing it. You can't fully utilize your techniques at this range, can you? For my super-soldiers, though, it's the sweet spot."As if on cue, the ten super-soldier
"I sure hope so," she murmured, though deep down, she was not holding her breath. All she wanted was for Ashton's clout to rake in a few more perks for the company."Speaking of the company, we recently changed our name. My enterprise is now called Obsidian Gates Group," Kendra said with a twinkle in her eye.Kendra chuckled as she noticed Ashton's perplexed expression and said, "What I have now—everything—you played a role in. I can't just accept your gifts and claim them as the Lockwood family's wealth."And now, I'm all in with Obsidian Gates," Kendra said, her cheeks tinged with color."And the first lady of Obsidian Gates, no less," Madeline said.Ashton's ladies were all high and mighty within Obsidian Gates, but Kendra was the queen bee. She was the one who could run the show, keeping the machine well-oiled and humming, earning the trust and respect of everyone from the elders to the newbies.Ashton just chuckled and touched his nose."Don't you dare laugh.""Ashton, we
"Sorry, but I'm just not into that, and really, my personal life is not your concern," Kendra said, her smile polite but distant."That's a shame," Kase replied, his face twitching so slightly it was almost imperceptible, but he was quick to hide it. No one could really tell what he was thinking.Truth be told, the Hariupia elite were itching to make Kendra one of their own. If they could, they would get their hands on her world-changing drug formulas without spending a dime and snatch up her company to boot.To them, a woman was nothing more than a means to an end."Still, Miss Lockwood, if you can't manage to be the royal prince's darling, then I'm afraid your company's flawed products might just not cut it in the Hariupia market," Kase said, his eyes narrowing into a sly smile."Flawed products? I'm not sure I follow," Kendra said, her expression clouding."Oh, it's quite straightforward. Our recent studies of the La Verdure Pill suggest it harbors a toxic substance that can m
Kamil's gaze finally focused on Waldek, who could not help but feel excited. It seemed like bringing up a woman solved the problem; all of his prior attempts to strike up a discussion with Prince Kamil had failed. However, with only the mention of that lady, he had Kamil's complete attention."Prince Kamil, I ran into those three just over half an hour ago.""Really? So what?" Kamil was puzzled. People tended to cross paths with countless others every day. Why would such a casual encounter be worth mentioning? Was there more to that story?"You see, Prince Kamil, what you don't know is that those three were in a high-end boutique earlier, picking out evening wear. The gown that the woman is wearing? They chose it then.""Isn't selecting a fine evening gown just basic manners for attending a Koster family soiree?" Kamil responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world."True, but there's more to it. That woman and her friends are up to no good."Kamil's ears perked up.
Blood sprayed into the air, splattering everywhere.Kamil, still holding his wine glass, did not notice the pain. The sleazy smile had barely faded when he realized his hand had vanished without a trace.Kendra watched it all with a resigned sigh.She had expected a difficult negotiation, but it was a complete failure. Still, there was no avoiding it. Kamil had pushed Ashton too far, and the fact that Ashton did not kill him on the spot was mercy enough.Kendra gave Ashton an exasperated eye roll. "As if I'd say yes. You think I'd go off to have drinks with just anyone?""Just because you'd turn him down doesn't mean he doesn't deserve to die," Ashton replied, a ghost of a smile on his lips.Kendra might decline, but Ashton was all about action.They were like a swarm of ants, clueless about their insignificance, puffing themselves up with self-importance.Ashton would not have given the Koster royals a second thought if he had not been waiting for Harry's word. He had taken do
"It's Prince Luce!""Why is he here? Wasn't he at the Hariupian Court meeting?""Word is there's been a major shake-up back home in Sceponyol. Brighton has been turned upside down, and the news is on lockdown. The regular nobles are in the dark about the whole mess. Because of that, all the royals and big shots from the old families are heading to the Hariupian Court. The Koster family sent Prince Luce himself."The room buzzed with whispers and speculation.Prince Luce of the Koster family was a figure of high rank and deep respect—a prince among princes. Those bestowed the title usually shared blood with the royal line and commanded immense respect throughout the Sceponyol Empire."Uncle! Avenge me!" Kamil's voice broke through the murmurs, a desperate plea to his savior."Easy, Kamil. No one crosses the Koster family and gets away with it, especially not the lowly, vile Daburineans."With a frigid huff, Prince Luce gestured commandingly. Dozens of warriors, clad in distinctiv
"That's Mister Ashton Levin!"Harry's confirmation hit Luce like a ton of bricks.He might not have met Ashton before, but he knew the name carried a lot of power. The entire upper echelon of Sceponyol and their allied countries had been on edge, dealing with that Lindorm warrior's actions. Rumor had it he had come from the east, smashing through dozens of mercenary strongholds, clearing out the Bit Sea Strait, surviving a thermobaric onslaught, and marching straight into Brighton, putting the whole city on high alert.Blood Monarch Alexander had entered the fray, but even he could not withstand the onslaught and was cut down by Ashton. That bold move sent shockwaves through Sceponyol's superbeings community, leaving them humiliated and thirsting for revenge. In a show of force, the Five Great Guardians mobilized with one goal—to take down the perpetrator and restore their tarnished reputation on the world stage. After a grueling battle that lasted over an hour, the guardians lay de
"What have you been up to, Ashton? There's no way it was just about breaking Mister Darek's curse, right? When Mister Johnson saw you, he was terrified and booked us on the first flight out," Kendra said, her voice tinged with disbelief.Ashton simply smiled, unfazed. "Oh, nothing much. I just took a quick stroll around the country and picked up a few favors along the way.""When's the flight Harry booked for us?""Tomorrow morning, six sharp," Kendra said, still incredulous."He can't wait to see the back of us," Ashton said with a laugh, but he got it—it was part of the job.Sceponyol could only begin to pick up the pieces and shuffle the deck after Ashton left. With him around, everything stopped, with unexpected events lurking around every corner."Well then, let's make the most of tonight and head out bright and early tomorrow, back home.""I'm with you. It's not every day we get to go abroad. I'm too wired to sleep anyway. Might as well check out what kind of fun this coun