《The Black Market》


 Chapter 1 - The Meeting

    Year 2050, ten years after the invasion of an unknown group on Earth.


    Inside a big room, several individuals in army uniform were sitting around a round table. They all had solemn looks, like something terrible was about to happen.


    One of the individuals with two stars on his shoulders glanced at one of the soldiers standing at the back of the room and called him in a deep and authoritative voice "Colonel Sanders, tell the generals about the current status of Operation Extraction."


    A tall and lean man wearing glasses walked forward and saluted the general who called him. He adjusted the rim of his glasses and glanced at the generals in the round table before he said solemnly "Based on the vital signs shown by the transmitter, all members of the Eagle Reconnaissance Squad were killed except for their captain, Major Murphey, but his status is currently uknown after we lost communications with him during that ambush. Although we lost contact with the squad, but before that happened, Captain Murphey reported that they were able to gather some information about the origin of our enemies."


    All the generals felt nervous after they heard the report.


    Information pertaining to the origin of that unknown group was vital for their battle. The information from Major Murphey might be significant enough to help them turn the tides of the war against their enemy. Although they were uncertain of what kind of information Major Murphey holds, but it was still enough to make these war elites tremble in excitement as this information might create a big impact in the following clashes with that group.


    "Where was he last seen? Give me the exact location." a handsome middle aged man with three stars on his shoulders said while looking at Colonel Sanders making the latter tremble in fright.


    This handsome middle aged man was Major General Cale Sylvann, one of the leading figures of Earth Alliance. He was known for his tremendous skills in using guns. Any kind of guns will turn into vicious killing objects in his hands. And even in close combat, no one will dare say that they were better than him. Major General Cale Sylvann, also known as the Gun Sovereign.


    Colonel Sanders'' lips trembled in obvious dread as he glanced at the cold face of Major General Cale Sylvann. He cleared his throat and calmed his heart before he said in a shaky voice "Sir, I can only provide you with his approximate location since we chose to destroy our satellites two weeks ago."


    Cale''s eyes turned darker when heard that and said with a hint of anger "Why am I not aware of this?! And what made you decide on destroying our only ''eyes'' in this battle!?" The room''s temperature went down by several degrees following his anger.


    An old general with one star on each of his shoulders said in calm tone "Little Cale, calm your anger. It was me who suggested in destroying our satellites. And you were out on a mission when we held a meeting about this. We destroyed the satellites since they were wrestling control for it. After they were able to hack 30% of our satellite''s network, we decided to destroy it completely to avoid them from locating our exact locations."


    Cale''s anger subsided after hearing the old general. He sighed heavily and said coldly "Then give me his approximate location. I will personally go and save Major Murphey."


    The generals on the round table looked at him in surprise and the old general said hastily "No, it is too dangerous for you to go there personally and we are not even sure if the information in Major Murphey''s hands is worthy enough for our men to sacrifice themselves in getting it."


    The other generals nodded their heads solemnly.


    "Don''t worry, I have accomplished several missions similar to this one and I''m a hundred percent positive that I will be able to save Major Murphey if he is still alive." Cale answered in a calm voice while looking at the rest of the generals.


    The old general sighed and shook his head "Just make sure that you will return alive. Humanity''s strength will be crippled if we lost a strong general such as you."


    Cale smiled and looked at one of the generals sitting on the round table. His eyes were closed like he was sleeping, but no one called him out for doing this. His head was bald with thick white eyebrows and tall nose. Although his face was covered in wrinkles signifying his old age, he was still one of the strongest man in the current Earth Alliance. He was the Grand Commander of the Alliance and held the highest position, just below the president. "Grand Commander sir, please allow me to take this mission."


    The Grand Commander glanced at him briefly before closing his eyes again. His aged voice traveled in their ears "Granted." He answered simply but no one objected his orders.


    Cale smiled brightly and stood up from his seat as he gave the grand commander a salute of respect.


    "You may go." The grand commander waved his wrinkled right hand in the air signaling him to go.


    Cale saluted one last time, before going out of the room.


    Inside the same room, the old general said in a worried tone "Grand Commander sir, are you sure about making him go for this mission? That kid is quite reckless and he might do something foolish. We cannot afford to lose him."


    The grand commander''s eyes sprung open and he glanced at the old general "General Woods, you know that kid, and we can never change his decisions. Once he decides on something, then there is no turning back anymore."


    The old general sighed and looked towards the door wanting to make a hole out of it, so that he can see the silhouette of the middle aged man that he admired so much.


    "Colonel Sanders, follow Major General Sylvann and provide him the last informations provided by the Eagle Reconnaissance Squad before we lost contact with them. And also, follow him in extracting Major Murphey." The murky eyes of the old grand commander flashed with a hint of worry. Although he believe in Cale''s strength, but bullets has no eyes and it will only take a moment of carelessness to be killed.


    "Sir yes sir!" Colonel Sanders answered loudly while saluting the grand commander.

 Chapter 2 - Phantom Wolf Squad

    "Major General sir!"


    Cale turned around to looked at Colonel Sanders who called him and he saw the man hastily running towards his direction. He smiled at him which sent shivers down his spine. The title and the aura of this middle aged major general was truly too great for the likes of him. Such a man was even feared by their unknown enemy.


    He stopped right in front of Cale and saluted him "Sir, the grand commander tasked me to follow you on saving Major Murphey. And I will also tell you all the informations Major Murphey sent to us before we lost connections with him." He said while avoiding to look at the smiling face of Cale fearfully. His knees were going weak at the invisible pressure produced by the man in front of him. Although he had no superhuman strength, but the man can kill him in a blink of an eye even if he was unarmed.


    "Good! Call the Phantom Wolf Squad members and tell them that we have another mission to accomplish. Also, I want a detailed copy of all the informations provided by Major Murphey and his squad. I will give you until tomorrow to do all this. As for the Phantom Wolf Squad, I want them all ready in the open field 800 hours tomorrow." Cale''s cold voice was like a prickling needle in Colonel Sander''s ears.


    He shook off his fears and answered in a loud voice while saluting Cale "Sir yes sir!"


    Cale smirked at him and walked away, but Colonel Sanders maintained his position and only put down his hand when he can no longer see the silhouette of Cale. He sighed in relief and felt that he was sweating crazily just by talking with that guy.


    Nevertheless, he looked for the Phantom Wolf Squad and his feet suddenly turned cold at the mere thought of that squad. This squad was a group of elite individuals personally handpicked by Cale himself. It only has eight members in total and that will be nine if Cale was included. This small team might be low in numbers, but they were famous for having accomplished the ''Operation Meltdown''. The main goal of that operation was to kill all the members of the unknown group in one of their base. The enemies numbered in hundreds, but they were all killed by the squad which was personally led by Cale himself. Although that was only one of the many small camps of the enemies, but the fact that they were able to kill the several hundred elite soldiers of that unknown group sent shivers to the whole Earth Alliance. Despite the lack of fighter robots on that base camp, but they still had a more advanced weaponry. The Phantom Wolf Squad being able to kill those elite enemy soldiers with futuristic weapons was truly a magnificent feat.


    ''Shit! Would those little dragons even listen to any word I say?'' Colonel Sanders thought worriedly as he looked for the Phantom Wolf Squad.


    After more than thirty minutes of walking and asking around, he learned that they were training on an underground training room. He hastily went to the location as he was very afraid of failing to accomplish the task given by Major General Cale Sylvann.


    He arrived at the entrance of the training room but the gigantic door was locked, and without the authority of the people inside, then all he can do was wait for them fo finish their training.


    He waited outside for several hours but there was no hint of them going out. Colonel Sanders heart beat erratically and he can already surmise what will be his fate tomorrow.


    After waiting for another three hours, the room finally opened and a tall and hulking man holding a gigantic Z-Steel shield with his left hand went out of the room.


    Z-Steel was also discovered by Phantom Wolf Squad in that very same enemy base camp they conquered. Humanity also found out in glee that the Z-Steel was capable of deflecting the laser guns of their enemies. The Earth Alliance quickly extracted the Z-Steel from that base camp and made several weapons from them.


    This gigantic two meter tall shield was a personal request from the hulking man in front of him. As thanks for their squad, the Alliance approved his request and made this one ton shield. And in the entire Alliance, only this man was capable of lifting it. This man goes by the name Baron, he was also a major and was famously known as the Earth''s strongest man.


    Baron as strong as he was, still suffered greatly at the hands of Major General Cale. He defeated him within three minutes in hand to hand combat. And he also defeated Baron in less than a minute in shooting skills. But this did not stop Colonel Sanders from looking at the man fearfully. In the entire Alliance, only Major General Cale was capable of making this man submit wholeheartedly.


    He cleared his already dried throat to get Major Baron''s attention and called him in a trembling voice "Major Baron, I was tasked by Major General Cale to call your squad. He said that he has a new mission for you guys to accomplish and he wants all the squad members 800 hours tomorrow."


    The hulking Major Baron glanced at the tiny Colonel Sanders briefly before turning around. His deep voice then traveled his ears "Understood!"


    Colonel Sanders knees grew weak and he trembled in fear. ''He was only one of their members and he was not even the strongest in overall capabilities. There was still that terrifying assassin Saber and that deadly sniper Uriel. If I will not die from this mission then just being with these monstrous people is enough to drive me crazy'' he thought nervously.


    Inside the training room, Major Baron informed his squad members about what Colonel Sanders told him.


    "Good! My hands have been itching for battle for quite some time. Now with this sudden call from Major General Cale, it only means that there will be another dangerous mission for us." A middle age man holding a futuristic sniper said in excitement.


    "Will that Sanders guy go with us in that mission? If so, then he might only slow us down." said another middle age man while cleaning a Z-Steel sword in his hands with a clean white cloth.


    "Dont underestimate Sanders, he might appear cowardly and weak, but his strategic ability is even better than Major General Cale himself. He is also skilled in dual wielding pistols and his rifle skills is also top notch. As one of the students trained by the grand commander, he can never be as weak as he seems to be." said a man who was fully covered in black clothes as he was casually playing with a deadly looking knife.


    The rest of the members just sat in silence and pondered about what kind of mission they will be tasked tomorrow.

 Chapter 3 - The Vanquisher?

    The next morning, Cale went out of his room and checked the time. It was still 7:30 in the morning, thirty minutes before the deadline he gave Colonel Sanders.


    He walked towards the open field which was right outside the main base of Earth Alliance.


    Major General Cale, as one of the leading figures of Earth Alliance, was given a luxurious villa, but he declined the offer and chose to live inside the base camp together with the soldiers.


    The top brass of the Alliance were perplexed when he rejected their gift, but they still did not give him much problem as they were afraid of making the infamous Gun Sovereign angry.


    Cale himself had his reasons when he rejected their offer. It was not just him who sacrificed his life in repelling the unknown group, but he received better rewards as he was a Major General. So as to be fair with the low ranking soldiers, he declined all the material rewards and just had the Alliance provide his squad with better equipments.


    He arrived in the open field at exactly 8 in the morning and saw the Phantom Wolf Squad were already there waiting for him. Even the cowardly Colonel Sanders was already with them.


    Cale stopped in front of them and regarded the squad members one by one by nodding his head in approval.


    "My brothers, the mission we are about to do is something unlike any mission we had before. I felt something different this time which has never happened in my 49 years of living. This might be a bad omen of some sort, but I knew no one else can accomplish this mission aside from my Phantom Wolf Squad. I took the mission as this might help mankind turn the tides of war. That is of course if we accomplish it successfully. Despite this foreboding feeling I''m getting, I am a hundred percent positive that we can accomplish this mission as what we always did." He looked at them solemnly and his gaze stopped at Colonel Sanders. "Colonel Sanders, tell them the details of the mission." Cale said without a hint of change in his emotion.


    "Sir yes sir!" Colonel Sanders saluted Cale and said "The mission is to save Major Murphey and extract the information about the origin of the unknown group from him."


    The Phantom Wolf Squad members listened intently and one of them could not help but ask "Where was he last tracked?"


    Colonel Sanders gulped nervously and said with a grave tone "Before we lost communications with Major Murphey, his last location was at Ndebele Village, Zimbabwe. It appears that the Eagle Reconnaissance Squad was discovered when they were about to escape from the enemy territory. The worst thing is that Ndebele Village is one of their largest base camp. Major Murphey also said on his report that there were a lot of elite soldiers guarding the camp and they also spotted about a dozen fighter robots. And this mission was given the highest importance level since this involves the origins of our enemy."


    The members of the Phantom Wolf Squad looked indifferent, but they felt nervous inwardly when they learned that the last location where Major Murphey was found was inside one of the enemies main bases. The fact that the base camp had about a dozen fighter robots also signified its importance.


    "If you are afraid of joining me in this mission then you are free to leave. Don''t worry, I won''t hold you accountable." Cale said coldly as he studied his squad. He felt relieved inwardly that no one stepped out.


    "Good! I know I did not took in some disloyal mobs, I have faith in this squad and I believe that we will be able to accomplish this mission." Cale said as he got inside a futuristic revamped hummer. The hummer was huge enough to fit a dozen people. Aside from being huge, it was plated with Z-Steel plate armor and its mountable high powered laser cannon gave it a terrifying appearance. If this behemoth was placed on Earth 20 years ago, then it will surely bring fear to mankind.


    "Get inside! I know that your equipments are already prepared." Cale ordered as he sat at the back of the huge hummer.


    They all looked at each other before they went inside the hummer. Colonel Sanders sat beside Cale and gave him a short folder which was labeled as ''Top Secret''. Cale received the folder and hastily read what was written inside.


    He already knew several information on the report, but there was a line saying that one of the six S-class fighter robots was guarding that camp. The robot''s name was ''The Vanquisher'', as its name suggests, it has vanquished all the enemies it faced in the battlefield. Few humans survived its onslaught, and for them to face this monstrosity was nothing but bad news.


    Cae read the line again ''The Vanquisher might be there.''


    His palms were covered in cold sweat, although it was merely a possibility, but if ever that S-class robot was indeed the guardian of that base camp, then this mission will be at least ten times harder.


    After ten years of fighting this alien group, the Earth Alliance have already gathered a lot of information about their weaponry.


    They were unsure of the exact number of S-class robots the enemies had, but they have already encountered six of them. All of which had terrifying strengths.


    These S-class robots are capable of flattening the hardest tanks of humanity. Ordinary bullets had no effect on their tough armors. Even the largest true rifle bullets of humanity has little effect on these monstrous metal behemoths. Only large missile rounds had some effects on them.


    Some of the top figures of the Earth Alliance also suggested to use their nuclear weapons against the enemies, but the grand commander strongly opposed this as it might destroy the whole world completely.


    Cale read the last lines of report before tearing it into pieces. He looked at the Phantom Wold Squad members as they got inside the hummer with a look of guilt. ''I hope nothing untoward happens in this mission.'' He sighed heavily as he thought.

 Chapter 4 - Rescue

    The group arrived at the border of Ndebele Village in Zimbabwe by evening. They each prepared their weapons before heading out, with Cale and Major Baron in the vanguard.


    Cale put a silencer on his customized Smith and Wesson Magnum 500. The typical Smith and Wesson Magnum 500 cannot be suppressed as there was no way to attach the suppressor, since it requires a threaded adapter for the muzzle. Second, the flashgap between cylinder and forcing cone allows a lot of hot gas to escape, which would keep the suppressor from being effective. But the one in his hands was something custom made with a threaded adapter making it possible for him to put a silencer.


    He also told his squad to suppress their weapons so as to not allow the enemy to track them in case of possible crossfire. Cale knew that the only possible option to successfully save Major Murphey was to do it stealthily.


    They silently headed towards where Major Murphey was last seen in the tracker. He called Saber and whispered an order while giving him a flare gun and a bag of enhanced M67 grenade. "Go west and plant this little toys somewhere there."


    Saber disappeared and became one with the night.


    Colonel Sanders heard them and felt a chill ran down his spine and goosebumps sprung over his body. He saw the wicked smile of Cale for half a second before it reverted back to his usual cold look.


    After walking more than 500 meters ahead of them, Cale signaled the group to stop.


    "Uriel, do you see that giant tree with a lot of leaves?" asked Cale as he pointed towards a tall and sturdy tree. It was a good vantage point for a sniper and the thick leaves of the tree will also hide the sniper from the eyes of the enemies. And with their specially made battle suit which can escape the prying eyes of their enemies'' heat seeking equipments, then Uriel will be like an unstoppable grim reaper from afar.


    Uriel saluted Cale and hastily climbed the tall tree.


    After walking for another twenty minutes, they finally arrived at where Major Murphey was last seen. There they saw the dead bodies of the Eagle Reconnaissance squad members. All of them indeed died with only Murphey surviving by a stroke of luck.


    "Warwolf, can you track Major Murphey''s location?" Cale glanced at a middle age man whose long wavy hair was tied in a ponytail. His thick beard and aggressive appearance announced that this man should not to be trifled with.


    Warwolf crouched and studied the messy grassland. After checking for less than a minute, he pointed towards a direction and said solemnly "He is up ahead, but several dozen men are following him."


    Colonel Sanders glanced at Warwolf in admiration. To think that he was able to pinpoint the location on where Major Murphey escaped into by just looking at the messy grass. It was truly quite a useful skill in hunting and reconnaissance.


    "Good! Warwolf, lead the way. Brothers, stay alert and focused." Cale ordered silently.


    They moved silently with Warwolf leading them. They scrutinized every corner they went through and after more than thirty minutes of walking the muddy grassland, they finally heard multiple suppressed gunshots.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Bang! Bang!"


    The suppressed gunshots ceased moments after and Cale looked Warwolf.


    "2 o''clock and at least two kilometers away from our location." Warwolf said without being asked.


    "Let''s move! He might have not died yet from those gunshots."


    Two kilometers away from them, a bloodied man holding a small flashdrive was running for his life. He received multiple gunshot wounds from the last exchange of bullets. He was only able to continue running because of his strong will and determination, but despite that, he knew that his death was near. He only hoped that he can at least give the flashdrive to someone in the Alliance so that the sacrifice of his squad will not be in vain.


    "Whoosh! Whoosh!" He heard several whooshing sounds. He knew that these were suppressed bullets of a strong sniper. He suddenly remembered Uriel and his enhanced Blaser R93 Tactical. The R93 of 20 years ago had a range of around 800 meters, but the Blaser R93 in Uriels hands was enhanced and has a range of two kilomers. This enhanced version is more comfortable to use and allows for faster follow-up shots compared to the other high-powered snipers in the Alliance''s arsenal.


    He ran forward excitedly as he saw several silhouettes signaling him to come. ''Finally! Help has arrived!'' he thought in suppressed excitement.


    "Baron, ensure the safety of Major Murphey." ordered Cale as he fired his Smith and Wess Magnum 500.


    Baron pulled a gigantic shield from his back and ran towards Murphey''s direction.


    Major Murphey grew excited as he saw a familar silhouette holding a gigantic shield coming straight towards him. He hid behind the hulking man''s shield as they hastily moved out of the firing range of their opponents.


    "Asin suka bitsin patiii...." a man clad in black armor called for help in an incomprehensible language, but before he can finish relaying his message, he was put to death by a shot right straight to his temple.


    Inside the enemy camp, several black armored soldiers were moving perfectly in unison while a man clad in red armor was relaying orders calmly.


    More and more enemy soldiers poured out from their camp, their approximate numbers were in thousands.


    Somewhere in the grasslands, several men in camouflage attires were escaping quickly. Cale issued another command to Saber "Release the flare!"


    A bright light traveled in mid air before it stopped when it was about several hundred meters above ground.


    The enemies saw the signal flare and hastily rushed towards that direction. They were fully equipped with laser guns and plasma grenades, looking ready to kill any foe.


    "Uriel, cover our asses!" Cale issued a command over the radio. Several whooshing sounds followed his command that took the lives of their tailing enemies.


    "Major Murphey, where is the package?" asked Cale while shooting his pistol.


    "Here!" Major Murphey handed him the flashdrive.


    "Great!"

 Chapter 5 - Death

    "Colonel Sanders, what do you think will be our best option now?" Cale glanced at Colonel Sanders briefly before firing two shots which killed two enemies who were unaware of their exact location.


    Colonel Sanders sweat trickled down his forehead as he carefully thought of possible ways to overcome their current predicament. Although the enemies don''t know the exact location they were hinding in, but it is only a matter of time before they were discovered.


    "The enemies don''t know our exact numbers. They might be currently thinking on how many we are. So if I was the general of the opposing side, I will test the waters by letting about twenty percent of my soldiers fight. By doing this, I will be able to estimate..." Colonel Sanders blabbered his thoughts, but when he saw the darkening look on Cale''s face, he swallowed the words he was about to say and just remained silent while he looked at Cale fearfully.


    "Skip the boring crap and just provide me with the most effective plan. Do you understand me soldier?" Cale said while scaring Colonel Sanders.


    Colonel Sanders nodded his head like a chicken pecking on rice. He cleared his throat and said "For now, we should regroup with Saber and Uriel. If we remain here, then within ten minutes we will be riddled with holes from their laser guns."


    Cale nodded his head in agreement and led the group in their escape, when suddenly they heard the sound of several fighter drones firing multiple rounds of laser cannon towards them.


    The drones were about one meter in diameter with black turtle shape. They were fully plated with Z-Steel metal and Meteorium Ore. Each of their heads were attached with mini laser cannons. On each of their sides were high powered energy rifles. As long as they have sufficient energy, then these little flying dragons are capable of firing unlimited amounts of energy beams.


    The sudden emergence of more than twenty fighter drones scared them witless. They fired their enhanced weaponry towards the drones, but their bullets merely bounced of on their tough armors.


    Cale pulled out a weapon from his back and fired a shot towards one of the drones. His terrifying looking gun emitted a blue muzzle flash and a long beam of blue light emerged out of it which traveled swiftly towards a drone, intantly destroying it.


    Major Murphey glanced at the weapon and gaped in shock. "Isn''t that the ''Blue Dragon''? I thought Dr. Nicholas haven''t finished making it. To think that this particle beam weapon was capable of instantly destroying a fighter drone."


    With the advancement of human technology, several geniuses also emerged and helped the Alliance maintain a deadlock with their unknown enemy. One of these geniuses was a young scientist named Nicholas. He discovered a possible way on how to accelerate energies without an electric charge. Although it was nowhere near the proposed theory that particle beams can be shot on a speed close to the speed of light, but the model of the weapon he created which was the Blue Dragon, was strong enough to rival the advanced weaponries of their enemy.


    "Go! I will buy you time. Leo, take this flashdrive with you. Don''t worry brothers, after destroying these little mosquitoes, I will chase after you. Don''t waste time, just go!" Cale handed the flashdrive to a middle age man with a long Z-Steel sword on his back as he shot another beam of blue light which destroyed another fighter drone.


    The Phantom Wolf Squad followed the command like it was a heavenly decree. Colonel Sanders and Major Murphey looked conflicted but they still followed the order and escaped with the Phantom Wold Squad.


    Cale saw that they were already far away. He smiled and turned back his head towards the approaching enemy. He looked like an enraged lion who lost his cub. He fired multiple particle beams while evading the laser beams shot on his way. But despite his dexterous evasion, he was still hit by an energy bullet.


    He held his shoulder which now has a gaping hole.


    He gritted his teeth and endured the excruciating pain, before firing another volley of particle beams.


    After destroying the last fighter drone, Cale who now has another two gaping holes on his stomach and right leg, spat a mouthful of blood and knelt on the ground with one knee. He was breathing heavily with his eyes half closed.


    "Not here! I won''t fall here just yet! Aaarrggg!!" Cale shouted at the top of his lungs like an injured dragon. He stood up with great difficulty and chased after his squad, but before he can take another step forward, he felt the ground tremble. He turned his head back and saw something that made him smile hopelessly.


    Cale looked at the darkening sky, he saw flashes of lightning from time to time . Heavy rain poured and drenched his injured body wet.


    "The heavens doesn''t want me to live anymore. Fuck you! I will die a glorious death and even that metalloid can''t stop me here! Phantom Wolf Squad, escape from here! Allow your captain to give you some time to escape! Continue living my brothers!" His angry roar resonated in the grasslands.


    His squad which was now faraway from him, heard his shout over the radio. They all felt sad and wished that they could die with their captain in battle, but his orders were like laws to them, they dare not disobey him.


    They swiftly got inside the hummer and drove out of the Ndebele border. All of them were suppressing their tears to fall as they clenched their fists in extreme sadness.


    A middle age man with a long Z-Steel sword on his back was holding a flashdrive gently like it was a fragile little jade. While holding back his tears, he said to the rest of the squad "Let''s continue living! That was his final order. We must hold unto his words until we breathe our last."


    The men can no longer hold back their tears, and they all sobbed like little kids who lost their father.


    In the grasslands of Ndebele Village, a bloodstained man was tightly clutching his scary looking weapon and used it to remain standing. He smiled brightly which was a stark contrast to his current plight.


    He was now standing on where Saber planted the enhanched bombs. His goal was to lure ''The Vanquisher'' and die together with it. Although the bombs placed down below were not strong enough to destroy The Vanquisher, but he still had one last item that can multiply the strength of the explosion.


    "You stupid metal scrap! I, your granddaddy Cale is here to give you good ol'' fashioned ass whooping!" Cale taunted before spitting another mouthful of fresh blood.


    The Vanquisher put away its huge energy gun and pulled a long jade sword on its back. It walked slowly towards Cale, wishing to prolong his agony by making him feel despair.


    Cale smiled and turned on his radio, he waited for The Vanquisher to step on where the bombs where located before he pulled out a blue liquid from inside the long barrel of his Blue Dragon.


    This blue liquid was the source of energy of his weapon and a personal concoction of Dr. Nicholas himself. This liquid is full of unstable chemicals which will cause a massive explosion at the slight contact with fire.


    "Saber, detonate the bomb." Cale said calmly with a profound smile.


    Saber trembled when he heard the order. His heart was in turmoil but he still pressed the button in his shaking hands.


    "Boooooooommmm!!"

 Chapter 6 - Returning Back in Time

    Cale woke up with a severe headache. He clutched his throbbing head and glanced around the well-lit room.


    "Where am I? Did I not die from that explosion?"


    Cale mulled his current situation while grabbing his hurting head. He stood up and was visibly shocked when he realize where he currently was.


    "This room is kind of familiar, this messy double-deck bed, the dirty floor and the old version of computer. This is...."


    Cale hurriedly checked his pocket and found an old Iphone 12. He turned it on and was quite shocked to see the date shown on the screen.


    "7:50 AM, August 20, 2020."


    "Did I possibly return 30 years from my time? How is that even possible?" he sighed heavily.


    He went outside the room and was greeted by a loud shout of an angry teen.


    "Caaale, wake up now or you will be late for school again!"


    "Trevor, you''re alive?" Cale asked in a disbelieving tone.


    "Of course dude! What the fuck is wrong with you. Get dressed and go with me or Professor Lyndon will scold you again. I should have not allowed you to drink more beer last night." Trevor said in exasperation.


    "I really returned back in time." He walked towards Trevor and hugged him tightly.


    Trevor was surprised by Cale''s actions and was not able to escape from his hug.


    "What the fuck bro! I don''t swing that way! Get your hands off!" Trevor struggled fiercely in Cale''s arms.


    In the year 2042 when both Cale and Trevor were already soldiers of the Alliance, they were stationed in one of the temporary bases in Nigeria.


    When the sky turned dark, as soldiers who experienced the terrible flames of war, they were alert in securing their camp. But despite their carefulness, the enemies advanced weaponry still overwhelmed them greatly. Laser beams were shot at them and they can do little in fighting back such advanced weapons.


    In that very same battle Trevor and Cale were able to escape the surprised assault. But many elite enemy soldiers were able to track them making their escape a hellish one. And in order for one of them to stay alive, Trevor chose to hold the enemies back to give Cale enough time to escape.


    Trevor might be one of the most elite soldiers of the Alliance, but even someone like him died miserably at the hands of their enemies.


    Cale was able to escape death, but at the cost of his closest friend. He regretted not being strong enough to fight the enemies, and vowed to kill as many of them as possible. He honed his skills and trained everyday like a madman. His training paid off and he even had quite the reputation after his big leap in strength. He became well known as the Gun Sovereign.


    One man, one gun, and rivers of blood will flow.


    His overwhelming feeling of rage drove him into a killing frenzy. Everytime he sees those humanoid invaders, he kills them with no mercy, causing some members of the Alliance to fear him. Such strength was truly quite a scary spectacle.


    Now with Trevor alive in front of him, he felt excited that he can finally repay his favor.


    "Seriously bro, release me. If some ladies will see us, then they might misunderstand. What the hell, my handsome reputation! Fuck off!" Trevor flailed madly but to no avail can he escape Cale''s strong grip.


    Cale released him and looked at Trevor like looking at his dearest wife.


    Trevor felt a chill down his spine when he saw the look in Cale''s face.


    "I should have not allowed those guys to make you very drunk last night. Fuck! Stop staring at me like that you.." he pointed his shaking hands at Cale and put it down hurriedly after seeing his usual cold and indifferent look.


    "Wait for me, I''ll get dressed fast." Cale said as he looked at the angry face of his friend.


    "That bastard! He dares make me wait, now I will be late to Professor Lyndon''s class as well." Trevor complained helplessly.


    After about fifteen minutes, Cale went out of their room with a white shirt and black fitting jeans. He looked like a model with his handsome face and with the addition of his tall height, many girls fell head over heels with him.


    "This is the last time I will go to school Trevor." Cale said casually which made Trevor visibly shocked.


    "Are you crazy? Is this the effect of that beer last night? Did it smash your brain into craziness?" Trevor angrily asked him.


    "No, I''m serious. And I have plans as well. First of course is making money." Cale answered seriously.


    "Hey bro! Are you planning something illegal? The fuck, don''t destroy your future with that shit bro!"


    "Its not illegal, but I will be mining a lot of gold." his cold look was now replaced with an evil expression.


    Trevor was shocked at his reply, he couldn''t help but ask curiously "Did you perhaps discovered a gold mine bro?"


    Cale smiled at him and nodded his head while signaling him to keep quiet.


    Trevor glanced around and when he noticed that no one was there, he asked "Are you sure about this? How much do you think is it worth?"


    Cale said while shrugging his shoulders "I''m not entirely sure, but I think around several hundred million pesos."


    Cale merely provided him a rough estimate of the worth of the gold mine that was discovered in the year 2026 by some Filipino miners. There were even rumors about a large amount of diamonds and expensive jewelries being found as well. And if those rumors were indeed true, then the exact value of that place was more than a billion pesos.


    "So, are you with me?" Cale smiled evilly as looked at the hesitating Trevor.


    "Don''t worry, this mining plan will be much safer than you thought it was." Cale added.


    The gold mine that Cale mentioned was actually a treasure room from an ancient royalty. It was said that the golds were gifts from the Spanish colonizer to the strongest native Rajah of the Philippines in the fifteenth century.


    This Rajah killed a number of Spanish soldiers who wished to take his lands by force. With his two giant bone swords, he killed hundreds of Spanish colonizers which brought fear to them. He captured the ones that surrendered and locked them in a wooden cage.


    The Spanish colonizers left with no choice, brought a lot of gold and jewelries as gift to the Rajah in order to release their captured companions.


    ''If the story that spread that time was indeed true, then I will be rich in just one stroke.'' Cale thought as he smiled evilly.

 Chapter 7 - The Black Market

    "How about we skip class Trevor? We should not waste our time here. We are both not doing good anyway. And if by stroke of luck we indeed graduate, then which company will be willing to accept us both?" Cale argued enticingly.


    Trevor stopped in his tracks and absorbed Cale''s words slowly. He glanced at him again and asked dubiously "Are you perhaps not kidding when you said that you found a gold mine?"


    Although it was indeed a tempting offer, but to sacrifice his studies for something he was uncertain of was truly something hard to decide.


    "Of course, I will not joke around about this." Cale said seriously.


    Trevor studied his face briefly, but he found no clue if he was truly being truthful this time. But it was still too much to completely give up his studies and it might upset his parents. It was not the same case for Cale though since he became an orphan at a very young age and no one was there to scold him.


    "I really wanted to go with you Cale, but I also don''t want to disappoint my parents. I hope you understand." Trevor said as he sighed.


    Cale merely smiled and patted Trevor''s shoulders before saying "Okay brother, good luck! Don''t worry, I will help you out if you ever need me."


    Trevor was touched at the gesture and replied "Good luck to you too brother!"


    The two friends bumped their fists and bade goodbye to each other.


    Cale glanced at the university one last time before he walked away.


    One day later, in a mountainous area in Cebu Philippines, a handsome young man was busy shoveling the ground. He has been digging for more than three hours already, but still he saw no signs of gold.


    "Ding!"


    Suddenly, his shovel hit something hard which made him smile widely.


    "Finally! After more than three hours of digging! Haha!" he laughed like a madman which scared a few birds in the vicinity.


    After digging for another thirthy minutes, he finally got a clearer view of what caused the mettalic sound earlier.


    It was a mettalic door with ancient carvings. The door was rusted in its entirety, but the fact that it remained intact despite its age means that the materials used to make this door was most likely the best in the fifteenth century.


    He pushed the door open and what greeted him was the sight of glittering gold coins and shiny jewelries. Even after he became the Gun Sovereign, he has not seen this huge amount of gold and jewels. He tried picking up one gold coin and froze suddenly.


    - Do you wish to exchange this gold coin in The Black Market?


    "What the hell is this?" He was shocked at the sudden emergence of a prompt in front of him. It was like the holographic image commonly seen in his time in the Alliance.


    "How come this kind of technology is here? Wait, where in the world did this even come from? This kind of advance technology should not be present in this timeline."


    Cale studied the holographic image in front of him.


    During his time in the Alliance, this kind of holographic was common, but the thing in front of him was different than the ones made by humans. This one looks more advanced in appearance. He can even wield it with just his thoughts.


    ''This might have been something I gained when I traveled back in time and this gold coin was what opened it.'' he was even unsure of his own conjecture, but it was only the most plausible thing he could think of.


    He pressed the yes button and...


    - Gained 100 Black Coins


    - Opening The Black Market


    - Ding!


    Three images appeared in front of him.


    - Slaves


    - Weapons


    - Skills


    "What the hell?" he exclaimed.


    He click the image that says ''Slaves''.


    - Ding!


    Multiple images of humans appeared in front of him with prices down below them. There were also descriptions on what the humans were capable of and even their personalities were written in full detail.


    * Bastil (Human)


    - 100000000 Black Coins


    - A renowned general in the world known as Ethyre. His strength is unparalleled and even some superior creatures fear his might.


    * Brogen (Human)


    - 120500000 Black Coins


    - Infamously known as the Barbarian Emperor of the chaotic world known as Gallantos. Mercilessly killed multiple fierce beasts, but was also feared by humanity because of his inhuman strength.


    * Santharus ...


    He looked at their descriptions in shocked and awe. To think that there were such strong humans in the universe.


    He wondered what will happen if he clicked the purchase button. Will they appear and serve him like a loyal slave? If so, then it will be really helpful in his quest of learning the truths behind the scenes. He truly wished to know the true identities of their unknown enemies.


    It was on the year 2040 that this invaders first showed themselves, so he surmised that they should have been on Earth earlier than that. They were merely gathering their strength to catch the humans unprepared, but they never knew that the humans were quite the resilient foe. Even with their advanced weaponries, they were still not able to fully control Earth after ten years of continuous battle.


    Now with the surprise of this ''The Black Market'', then he might be able to uncover the truth.


    He then pressed the button that says ''Weapons''.


    - Ding!


    Multiple images of weapons appeared out if thin air which gave Cale quite the surprise. Although he did not see any advanced weaponries like his Blue Dragon, but he did find all the weapons present in his current timeline. After scanning a bit, he also saw several images with question marks.


    He clicked one of the images with question mark.


    - Ding! Access denied!


    - Authority level is below required!


    ''So there are some restrictions as well. And how do I even upgrade my authority level?'' he asked, but did not receive an answer. He tried clicking the hidden images again but was still greeted by the same prompt.


    He clicked the last image on the holographic image.


    - Ding!


    A multitude of orbs appeared in front of him. The orbs had different colors and shapes. He then clicked some of the orbs.


    * Swordsmanship (D-Class)


    - 100000 Black Coins


    * Muay Thai (D-Class)


    - 100000 Black Coins


    * Art of Music (D-Class)


    - 30000 Black coins


    He was intrigued when he saw that there were levels on every skills as well. All the skills he can currently access were only at D-Class. So he must have to upgrade his authority if he wanted to purchase higher level ones.

 Chapter 8 - First Purchase

    He exchanged ninety percent of the treasures he found and kept the remainder in a huge wooden box he brought with him.


    He checked his balance in ''The Black Market''.


    Balance: 1 800 000 000


    "Good, I will make purchases later. For now, I will find a way to sell the remaining treasures into cash." Cale said in extreme excitement.


    He went out of the hole he dug and pulled the big bix with a rope. After thinking for a moment he decided to buy some slaves to help him transport the box.


    - Ding!


    - Slaves


    * Brogen (Human)


    - 120500000 Black Coins


    - Do you wish to continue your purchase?


    Cale pressed the yes button and a bright cluster of light materialized in front of him. He hastily closed his eyes for fear that he might go blind if he continued to force it open. After about ten seconds, the light was gone and Cale rubbed his eyes before opening it.


    In front of him was a hulking man with rough appearance. His thick beard reached his chest and his face resembled that of a lion which can strike fear to any onlookers. His long wavy hair swayed coolly because of the strong wind. His tanned skin gleamed from the bright light of the sun.


    The hulking man knelt with one knee in front of him and said "I, Brogen the Barbarian Emperor, swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until enternity."


    Cale smiled wildly and patted the shoulder of the hulking man who was even a bit taller than Major Baron.


    Brogen was seven foot tall with a strong and muscular physique. He looked like a basketball player if not for the strange clothing he was wearing right now.


    ''All eyes will surely be on us later when we sell our treasures. Well anyway having a strong slave such us this guy is also good thing. I wonder if he knows how to use a gun.'' He thought to himself while telling Brogen to stand up.


    After the tall guy stood up, he looked like a little kid in front of him. Cale himself was also a tall man and was six foot tall, but he still looked like a preschooler in front of Brogen.


    "Brogen, carry this box for me. We will be selling it for cash. Also, we will buy you clothes later as well." Cale said as he glanced at the strange clothing that Brogen wore.


    Brogen easily lifted the huge box like it was a pillow. Cale was a bit shocked, but he already expected this since Brogen was even stronger than Major Baron.


    "Oh wait. I nearly forgot, this is not the Earth where I can just freely leave pits I dug. The people here might suspect something if they saw that door. Brogen, cover the pit first before we go down the mountain."


    "Yes, my lord!" Brogen answered loudly before putting down the huge box in his shoulder.


    After less than an hour, the pit was already covered and no resemblance of being dug can be found.


    "Good job Brogen. Now let us go." Cale complimented the big guy.


    Brogen bowed his head slightly and said "Anything for you, my lord."


    Cale smiled and replied seriously "If we are out in the public, just call me sir okay? Some people might spread rumors that a self proclaimed lord has arrived in their city."


    Brogen''s thick brows knitted into a frown and he said with anger "How dare they blaspheme your lordship''s grand name?! They deserve an excruciatingly painful death!"


    Cale felt chills run down his spine as he felt the invisible aura produced by Brogen. As the Gun Sovereign, he can feel the strength of anyone as long as they release some kind of energy. And the energy produced by Brogen was many times stronger than the members of his Phantom Wolf Squad.


    He kept his composure and told the big guy calmly "Brogen, I understand your concerns, but just follow what I say. And don''t do anything else without my permission."


    "Yes my lord!" Brogen bowed his head slight and answered in a deep voice.


    Cale patted his shoulders and said "Let us go."


    They went down the mountain and Cale pulled out his phone to make a call.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!" His phone rang three times before someone answered his call.


    "Hello! Who is this?" a lazy voice said over the phone.


    "Hello Mr. Ramon! This is Wolf King and I would like to have a huge transaction with you." Cale put on an evil smile as he replied.


    Delfino Ramon instantly adjusted his position and sat up straight. His lazy appearance was gone and was replaced by a serious look.


    In all his years in the underworld, he never heard of someone that goes by the title of Wolf King. But his rich experience and merchant senses told him that this guy was not someone to be trifled with. Just from his calm tone when he was talking with the Underworld King of the Philippines already sent alarm bells ringing on his head. Aside from his most trusted surbodinates and high valued clients, no one else knew his number. But the number used by this guy was not saved on his contacts, which confused him greatly.


    ''Who could this guy be and how the hell did he get my phone number?'' he thought with a hint of worry. It was like he was standing naked in front of someone he had no knowledge about.


    "Sir, what might you be talking about?" he was inwardly nervous, but he answered in a calm tone.


    "Delfino Ramon, king of the underworld in the Philippines, 42 years old and has four kids. Currently living in a private villa at the southern part of Cebu. Don''t worry, I only wanted to sell some of my treasures to you. Of course, this is not just a small exchange. I''m talking about billions here." Cale''s evil smile became even more prominent as he continued to scare Delfino Ramon.


    Mr. Ramon gulped nervously and stood up with a look of shock on his chubby face.


    "You you... who are you?!" He said with a hint of helpless anger.


    "I already told didn''t I? My name is Wolf King, make sure to remember that Mr. Ramon, because this will not be the last time I will call you." Cale smiled and answered him calmly.

 Chapter 9 - Preparations

    Delfino Ramon, one of the bigshots in Asia, famous in the underworld business as one of the leaders in the illegal drug industry was now nervously sweating as he talked with someone over the phone.


    As a drug lord, he was very careful in doing his job. And he always made sure that he did not leave any traces behind that will connect to him in every transactions he made. Not even his business partners knew anything about his family. But this Wolf King who came out of no where blurted his most hidden secret.


    He was truly afraid that his family might be involved if he made even the slightest mistake.


    "Okay Mr. Wolf King, when you would you like to do the exchange?" he answered carefully. His sweat trickled down his chubby face.


    "Just call me Wolf King, no need to put ''Mister'' on it. Anyway, I want the transaction done today, you have until 6pm to arrive in Busay. And don''t forget to bring a lot of money." Cale answered with a wide smile.


    "Okay Wolf King, I will arrange everything and don''t worry, I will be there before 6pm. Just wait for my arrival." It was a bit troublesome for him to do the transaction today as he still had another transaction later with some small boses.


    Cale ended the call and made preparations ad well. Although he scared Delfino Ramon greatly by exposing his secretdls, but with just him and Brogen making the exchange, then it will be quite hard.


    He opened ''The Black Market'' and clicked the Slaves category. He scanned for a bit and bought a dozen men who were skilled in wielding guns. Each of them costs at least a million Black Coins and one of them with the name Santharus costed him more than ten million Black coins. He then equipped the men with guns.


    After scanning for a bit he saw several masks in the Weapons category and was pleasantly surprised. Now he can make the transaction without disclosing his identity. He bought a silver wolf mask. Its price was a hefty two million Black Coins. But after reading the description he hastily bought it without hesitation. It wasn''t actually a mask, but a helmet. The mask can enhance his perception and also allowed him to see clearly during the night. It was also bulletproof and had a cool looking appearance with its silver color and ice blue highlights.


    He also found a military clothing in the Weapons category and bought it for his men. He then bought Gun skills for Brogen, since he was only skilled in close combat.


    A beautiful gun shaped orb floated in his hands. He then handed it to Brogen. He himself was unsure on how to use the orbs, but then he saw Brogen place the orb on his forehead. The orb slowly entered Brogen''s head which fascinated Cale greatly.


    On the southern part of Cebu, in a huge villa, a chubb man wearing luxurious clothing collapsed weakly on his million dollar sofa. His subordinates hastily supported him in worry.


    "Cancel all my appointments later and tell our men to get ready for a huge transaction." Delfino ordered helplessly.


    His men were quite shock at the sudden change of events. They thought that they will be transporting drugs again to the small time leaders of some organizations, but to think that their boss said that there will be a huge transaction happening later made them a bit nervous.


    After serving their Boss Delfino for several years, changes in his schedule never happened yet. Even if it was some bigwigs in Europe and US, his boss never changed his schedule. And now with this sudden development, it made them a bit nervous and curious to know who might be the person their boss talked with to make him helplessly change plans.


    "Yes boss!" despite their nervousness, they still obeyed him.


    "Boss, who was the person you were talking with?" Anton his most trusted subordinate asked him in curiously.


    The people inside the room were all his trusted subordinates, but this Anton was the man he trusted the most. He saved his life quite a lot of times whenever conflict happened in some of his transaction.


    He glanced at Anton briefly while frowning heavily, he then said "He called himself as Wolf King. This guy''s intelligence department was very resourceful. They knew a lot about me and the worst thing is that we don''t know something about this guy."


    Anton looked visibly shocked at his boss'' reply. To think that despite their carefulness, this Wolf King guy was able to dig a lot of things about them.


    "What are your plans boss?" he asked nervously. This unknown enemy was very dangerous for them. Its like a ticking time bomb that will explode anytime without their knowledge.


    "We will know soon. First, let us meet the guy." Delfino answered while wiping the sweat on his forehead.


    On an open grassland below a tall mountain, more than dozen men clad in full military clothing and armor were standing alertly while eyeing their surroundings like hungry wolves. Right behind them was two military hummers with M249 machine guns mounted on their backs.


    The two hummers were something he bought from ''The Black Market'' which costed him six million Black Coins each.


    "Relax guys, we are only here to make a transaction. You don''t need to be so serious. Oh by the way, call me Wolf King for now." Cale said casually.


    "Yes Wolf King!" The men answered in unison.


    Cale leaned lazily on one of the hummers while checking the time on his phone.


    When it was 5:28 pm, several vehicles moved towarsa ther location.


    "Is it them?" Anton who was driving the car at the front asked Delfino.


    "It must be them. Tell the men to compose themselves. This guy cannot be trifled with casually." Delfino answered as he scrutinized the silhouette of the man who was lazily leaning on a hummer.

 Chapter 10 - Five Billion Pesos

    Four vehicles stopped in front of Cale and his men. Several men armed with M4A1 went out of the vehicles and stood neatly as they waited for Delfino to come out.


    A moment later, a chubby man in formal clothing walked out of his limited edition Audi A8L. A tall and strong looking man was walking behind him.


    Cale smiled widely beneath his mask, but no one can see the expression behind his silver wolf mask.


    Delfino scrutinized the masked man in front of him. He was wearing a tight fitting military attire with a wolf fur scarf on his neck. He looked rather wild and the silver wolf helmet with blue highlights made him look more noble and dangerous.


    Cale walked towards Delfino with Brogen following behind him. Cale did not bother buying helmets for his men, as it was only his identity that he wished to hide.


    Delfino and Anton gulped nervously after seeing the barbaric appearance of Brogen. Anton in particular felt a dangerous sensation in Brogen, even the mysterious Wolf King gave him a much more dangerous presence.


    ''These guys are strong! We are not facing some weak little sheeps this time, but multiple strong lions.'' Anton thought as he studied Cale''s men. Each of them had an aura which was even stronger than his own.


    These auras were not something visible to the naked eye, but only something that strong people had. And the auras produced by the men in front of him made him shudder in fear inwardly.


    ''Boss Delfino, I hope you will not make any rush decisions this time.'' He prayed inwardly.


    "Mr. Ramon, you are truly a man of your words. And I am very happy that you accepted the deal I proposed with you." Cale said while laughing lightly.


    "Wolf King, you flatter me. It is my honor to do business with you and I would be more than happy and open for future transactions." Delfino forced a smile while shaking Cale''s hands.


    "Great! I like that about you Mr. Ramon! Men, allow Mr. Ramon to see the treasures." Cale said with a happy tone.


    Two of Cale''s men brought the huge box in front of Delfino.


    "Open it. Let Mr. Ramon see some of my collections." Cale ordered beneath his mask.


    Before Ramon arrived, Cale ordered his men to clean the treasures so as to not make Delfino question their authenticity. He also wanted to make it seem that the treasures were part of his collection to make him even more mysterious in their eyes.


    Cale''s men opened the box and Delfino and his men were shocked to see what was inside.


    Cale casually picked up a gold coin and tossed it in midair. He then handed it to Delfino before he said "You can check it''s authenticity. You''ve been in this industry for quite some time, so you should have knowledge on how to know if what I have are real."


    Delfino nodded his head while giving the gold coin to one of his men. The guy scrutinized it and handed it back to Delfino before whispering something "Boss, it''s the real deal. And these are not just your typical gold coins, it has the seal of the Spanish Empire in the fifteenth century. These gold coins are most likely relics from that empire. The price for these single gold coin will be worth more if we sell it on the right person."


    "Oh, I didn''t think that you have a subordinate who knows his stuff. Great, then this transaction might end better than I thought." Cale said casually while laughing lightly.


    Mr. Ramon and his subordinate were shocked, they were quite far from Cale as Mr. Ramon approached one of his men to check the gold coin, so they were about ten meters away. But even after talking silently, their conversation still did not escape Cale''s ears.


    "If you estimate the price of the treasures inside that box, how much will it be?" Mr. Ramon signaled his subordinate with his eyes.


    His subordinate saw him blinking multiples times and understood the message his boss was trying to convey. He then said "This gold might be valuable relics from the past, but it will be hard to find willing buyers for them. As only some collectors will purchase this gold in a high price, so I estimate that that entire box will be around two billion pesos."


    Mr. Ramon sucked in a deep breath of cold. Although two billion is a little amount for him, but to think that one box is equivalent to that. He trusted this subordinate a lot as he was one of his assistants and he hardly made mistakes in appraising an item. So when he said two billion, the amount of that box might be more than that.


    When Cale heard them, he suddenly laughed loudly. After five seconds, his laughter ceased and he looked at the opposing party in strange silence.


    Anton felt nervous as the situation might turn for the worst, so he held the handle of his hundgun tightly to prepare for any possible outcomes, but then they heard Cale''s calm voice.


    "Mr. Ramon, I know the worth of my treasures. And I want an honest transaction with you. Now give me the most appropriate price for my gold."


    Delfino and Anton made an eye contact and the former saw the latter shook his head. Delfino sighed and turned to look at his assistant and shook his head helplessly. His assistant then glanced at Cale with wry smile and said "Wolf King, five billion pesos is the maximum we can give for the box."


    Cale smiled behind his mask and said in calm and cold voice "Good! I appreciate your honesty. Just give the money to my men. Brogen, receive our money."


    "Yes Wolf King!" Brogen replies loudly while bowing his head slighty.


    One of Delfino''s subordinate walked towards Brogen fearfully. The briefcase he was holding was shaking visibly under the moonlight.


    Brogen received the briefcase and presented it to Cale.


    "It was a pleasure doing business with Mr. Ramon. Don''t worry, if I have another good treasure, then I will make sure to give you a call." Cale said teasinly as went inside his hummer.


    Delfino forced a smile and said "It is my honor to receive your wonderful treasures Wolf King. And if you ever need help, I will do my best to help you."


    Cale just smiled and did not give him answer. He then told his men "Let''s go!"


    His men stood on attention and answered in unison "Yes Wolf King!"


    Delfino and his men were quite impressed at Cale''s men. He knew that they were not just some random rifraff just based on their bearing alone and also to how well they execute the orders given by Cale.


    Delfino stared at the well trained group move away with his five billion pesos. He then glanced at the treasure box and felt relieve somehow.

 Chapter 11 - Daphne and Ulric

    "We will stay here for now."


    Cale told his men as he checked the big mansion he just bought for twenty million pesos.


    The interior of the mansion was so luxurious with its classic renaissance theme. It was a three-storey mansion with an underground parking lot that can hold about twenty cars. The two hummers that Cale bought was now parked there.


    The mansion also had two huge swimming pools and a large open field at the back which can fit at most three helicopters.


    "Good thing I was able to buy this luxurious mansion at a very small price." Cale thanked his lucky stars for being able to buy the mansion for a low price, what he did not know was that the owner of this mansion was in need of quick cash. Thus, when Cale offered a price of twenty million pesos, he did not even bother to haggle and just signed the contract with him.


    "Now, I can finally start my plans. With the help of ''The Black Market, I can hasten everything and it also increased my chances in avoiding the great invasion. But I need to create a firm footing here first. The money I got might looked shady in the eyes of public, so I need to establish a company of my own. With that, I will be able to avoid the suspicious eyes of the top brass in this country." Cale said as he thought deeply.


    Cale opened ''The Black Market with his thoughts and a holographic image appeared in front of him. He checked his balance and was relieved that he still had more than a billion Black Coins. He clicked the slaves category and began browsing through it.


    - Slaves


    * Daphne (Human)


    - 2800000 Black coins


    - An elite in the business industry in the world known as Magnolia. Her net worth is about 40% of her world''s total wealth. Aside from being an elite entrepreneur, she was also skilled in martial arts and markmanship.


    *Ulric (Human)


    - 3000000 Black coins


    - An underworld emperor who was skilled in combat and management. A versatile man with great intelligence and foresight. He became well known in his world as the Abyss Emperor, for even the most renowned underworld kings bow at the sight of him.


    Cale thought about it and bought the both of them, although he only needs one to run the business he wast currently thinking.


    Two bright orbs of light flashed in front of him and he could not help but close his eyes. The moment he opened them, a man and a women glanced at him briefly before they knelt down in one knee and said.


    "I, Daphne, swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until enternity."


    "I, Ulric the Abyss Emperor, swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until enternity."


    He looked at the both of them and smiled lighty before telling them to stand up. He sized them up and nodded approvingly.


    Daphne was a blonde girl who looked to be in her late teens with oval face. Her ocean blue eyes could captivate even the coldest of men. Her breasts were full and it almost burst out of her fitting clothes. Her round and sexy bottom was perfect, not to mention her slim waist.


    Cale caressed her skin which was as beautiful as the finest of jades and as white as snow which made Daphne''s beautiful face turn crimson red. Cale laughed lightly and kissed her cheeks before letting go of her pretty hands a bit unwillingly.


    He then studied the man beside her. He looked to be middle aged with thick beard and strong arms. The man''s bald head shone under the light. His appearance was quite manly and charming for his age, and he might capture the hearts of some single moms if he strolled outside.


    Cale smiled again and he then looked at the blonde Daphne while winking at her seductively.


    "Daphne, from now on, you will be my personal assistant. Are you willing to accept this position?"


    Daphne''s angelic face turned into a shade of crimson before she bowed her head and said "My lord, it is this little girl''s honor to become your personal assistant."


    Cale looked at her and patted her head affectionately while smiling brightly. "Good! Little Daphne, I hope you won''t be a bad little girl." Cale said teasingly.


    Daphne''s ears turned red at her master''s words, but she tried to looked calm on the surface.


    Cale then looked at the silent Ulric calmly.


    "Ulric, from now on, you will be the president of my company. And I am expecting good results from you."


    Ulric lowered his head and solemnly said "My lord, I will do everything in my power to not disappoint your high expectations for me."


    "The both of you may sit. Daphne, you sit beside me and massage my back." Cale said calmly but he was inwardly happy to have such a beautiful lady massage his back.


    Ulric sat down on a chair opposite him while Daphne sat down beside Cale.


    "Ulric, the company I am planning to open is a Security Company." Cale said with his eyes closed as he joined the smooth massage of Daphne.


    Ulric looked puzzled at the choice of his master, but did not voice out his concerns and just waited for him to finish.


    "But this is not the same security company that you are thinking about. We will only train the most elite of bodyguards and we will never provide our clients with some third rate security. Do you have any suggestions?" Cale added while glancing at him smilingly.


    Ulric thought for a moment and said "This is indeed a good idea my lord. And it will be better if we apply the ranking system in our security company. What will happen here is that, we will rank our men according to their strength level with D-Class being the lowest and S-Class being the highest. With this, our clients will have the option to choose the strength level of the guards that they wish go employ."


    Cale smiled and thought that this was indeed a good plan. Even Daphne who busy massaging Cale''s back nodded her head in agreement.


    "Great, then I will leave everything to you Ulric. I want this company established within two weeks. As for the guards, you don''t have to worry about that as well. By tomorrow, I''ll get two hundred men for you." Cale said as he stood up. Ulric hastily stood up and watch Cale walk slowly towards him and reach out his right hand. Ulric grabbed the outstretched hand and shook it vigorously like a little child shaking the hands of his idol.

 Chapter 12 - Bad News

    Cale gave one billion pesos cash to Ulric and said calmly "I want my security company to look grand and imposing."


    "I will do my best, my lord. By the way my lord, what will be our company''s name?" Ulric asked while looking at Cale.


    "Our company name eh. I have already thought about it. Let''s call it Tyrranical Tower."


    Ulric and Daphne both showed surprised looks at the arrogant name.


    ''Looks like the master is truly serious about this.'' they thought to themselves.


    "I will get it done as soon as possible my lord." Ulric said.


    "Good! As for you Daphne, your task is to create identities for all of you guys. It is quite troublesome to walk around the streets without any identity, so this is also of great importance." Cale glanced at Daphne and said seriously.


    "My lord, are you asking me to create fake identies for all of us?" Daphne probed.


    Cale smiled at her and said "No, I don''t want you to make fake ones. If someone from abroad investigates thoroughly then it will be quite a problem. So what you will do is to infiltrate the system of the Philippine agencies and make real identities for everyone. Can you do this?" The smiling look never left his handsome face.


    "I will do it within three to five days my lord. But if we include the two hundred men tomorrow, then I might need at least two weeks." Daphne thought for a moment before flashing two fingers at Cale.


    "That is good enough. Make sure to not make any mistakes on this. The Philippines Intelligence Department might be lacking, but there are several good men within their ranks. Don''t leave any traces behind and do everything cleanly." Cale looked at her solemnly erasing all the awkwardness she felt from earlier.


    Ulric went out of the mansion and Cale ordered two men to go with him and act as bodyguards. Daphne also started doing her assigned task and left the room hastily.


    "All I have to do is wait now. Oh, I need create an intelligence department of my own. I need to track the members of my Phantom Wolf Squad. They may be young and carefree today, but with my training, then they will reached their peak strengths within five years. If only I had the virtual training environment of Earth Alliance then I might be able to help them reached their full potential in one to two years." Cale said to himself as he thought of his brothers in the Phantom Wolf Squad.


    In the year 2036, four years before the ''Great Invasion'', the virtual reality system was invented by the collaboration between several big companies. With all the talents working together, they finally made a world in a virtual universe where realism is at least 80 percent.


    After a year of constant modification, they finally reached a realism level of 98 percent. And after the success, humanity flourished in to a new era in the virtual world.


    With this virtual technology, the Earth Alliance which was founded in 2040 made use of this system. They created a new world in where they can shape their soldiers into elites.


    The project was successfully made a year after, and Earth Alliance was able to train tens of thousands of elites in a small amount of time.


    Cale thought about the virtual world and sighed heavily.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    Cale heard his phone''s ring tone and saw that it was Trevor who made the call.


    "Hello brother, did you miss me?" Cale joked as he laughed lightly.


    "Cale, Trevor is in the hospital right now. I''m only using his phone to call you. His injuries are quite severe, but he is fine now." A worried voice of a woman sounded over the phone.


    Cale''s smile was gone and was replaced by a calm look, but this sort of calmness had an eerie air about it. Invisible waves of frightening aura was circling around Cale as he listened. "Which hospital is that?"


    "We are at Perpetual Succour Hospital, third floor, room 279." the woman answered with a shaking voice.


    "Wait for me, I will be there shortly." Cale said worriedly.


    He then remembered what had happened during his past life. When they went out for a drink after school, they saw Trevor''s girlfriend flirting with someone. Trevor who saw the scene felt humiliated and they hastily beat up the guy who was together with his girlfriend.


    After an hour, a van stopped in front of them and they saw a dozen men holding wooden bats went out of the van. They fought the group ferociously, but with the difference in number and the fact that their enemies were armed, both Cale and Trevor succumbed to a cruel beating and was left with several broken bones.


    The guy that they beat up was actually the son of an underworld king who was working under Delfino. The fact that they were not killed was already merciful for such a terrifying group.


    "Shit! I actually forgot about this event." Cale cursed under his breath.


    He hastily went out of the room and spotted Brogen standing outside the room stoically.


    "Brogen, call five men to go with us and tell Santharus to guard the mansion during our absence. And tell him to not let anyone else go inside."


    Brogen bowed his head slight and answered in a deep voice "As you say my lord!"


    "I hope nothing major changed. Fuck! I inadvertently changed the future. If something bad happens to Trevor, I will destroy that little underworld king!" Flames of hatred burned in Cale''s eyes.


    They rode on one hummer and arrived at the hospital after thirty minutes.


    The nurses and the people inside the hospital looked at Cale''s group fearfully. The massive Brogen made their legs shake in terror and the cold atmosphere around the group made them very unapproachable. No one dared to make trouble with them and they just let Cale''s group inside.


    "Which way is room 279?" Cale asked the nurse at the front desk solemnly.


    "Go.... Go... Go straight right and there is an elevator at the end of the hallway. That will be on the third floor, and.... and you can just ask the nurses there on which way is room 279." Answered the nurse stutteringly while glancing at the group timidly.


    "Thanks." Cale left immediately.

 Chapter 13 - Visiting Trevor

    "Is he really coming here Tasha?" Trevor asked the beautiful woman in front of him.


    "Yes big brother. He said he will come shortly and he should be here anytime now." Answered Tasha softly as she looked at the injured Trevor with a gaze of pity.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!" Three distinct knocking sounds can be heard.


    "Who goes there?" Tasha''s worried voice traveled their ears.


    "It''s me Cale!" Trevor and Tasha heaved a sigh of relief when they heard that it was Cale.


    Tasha opened the door and was shocked to see the men behind Cale who were acting like loyal subordinates.


    "You guys stay here for now. Do not let anybody inside without my permission." Cale ordered solemnly.


    "Tasha, can you let me talk with your big brother for a while?" Cale smiled at Tasha brightly which made her ease up a little bit.


    "Sure big brother Cale." Tasha forced a weak smile at Cale before going out of the room.


    On the bed, he saw Trevor who was wrap in bandages all over his body and he was now sporting two huge black eyes. Trevor''s look made him guilty as this would have not happened if he was there with him.


    "Brother, I''m very sorry I was not there with you." Cale looked at him guiltily.


    Trevor forced an ugly smile which made Cale''s lips twitch upwards slightly. "Brother, Kate betrayed me. She was going out with another man and I saw them kiss. I was not able to control my anger and I went up to beat him and his cronies, but about thirty minutes or so after that, more men arrived." Trevor recounted the events bitterly.


    "I understand brother. Don''t worry, I will bring you justice." Cale said calmly.


    "No! Just from the way those people worked, I knew that they were not just some small group of retards. They might be a huge organization that tackles in the underworld. Don''t bring harm to yourself brother, I will eventually heal. The doctor said that there were no broken bones and I will be fine in a month." Trevor spoke with difficulty as his his lips looked like it was bitten by a dozen bees.


    Cale smiled and shook his head. He glanced through the door and shouted an order that shocked Trevor greatly. "Brogen, come inside! The rest of you stay there and guard outside!"


    The door opened and Trevor saw a tall and hulking man in military uniform. He walked towards them in pace which was neither fast nor slow. His invisible aura covered the whole room like a strong gust of wind. He was like a lion strolling in the forest unhindered.


    Brogen stopped in front of Cale and lowered his head slightly.


    "Sir Cale!" Brogen said in a deep voice.


    Cale waved his hands and told Brogen to stand at ease.


    Moments before they arrived in the hospital, Cale told his men to call him sir in his normal identity and they can only call him ''lord'' when he is on his ''Wolf King'' persona.


    "Trevor this is one of my men Brogen and we are currently working for Lord Wolf King as a his subordinates. And Lord Wolf King does not fear the underworld king who did this to you." Cale said. He called Brogen to make his story more believable.


    "Is that true Cale?" He asked suspiciously.


    Cale was not angered by his suspicion and just smiled at him. He then said "Trevor, I told Lord Wolf King about your abilities and he was interested in you working for him. Don''t worry. Even if you decline joining us, we will still help you with your revenge."


    Trevor looked conflicted and sighed heavily. "Cale if Lord Wolf King is willing to take me as his subordinate, then how can I decline when he is even willing to help me this much." He answered solemnly.


    Cale smiled brightly in response. He stood up from his seat and told Trevor "Brother, just wait for my good news. And by the time you heal your injuries, I will contact you. Don''t worry, you will not regret the choice you made today."


    Trevor smiled and reach out his right fist towards him and Cale bumped the fist in return.


    They then talked about random things for an hour before Cale decided to go.


    "Brogen go back with me. The rest of you remain here and guard Trevor and Tasha. Tell Trevor to call me the moment he will be discharge in the hospital. And if ever those little underlings from that underworld king comes here, then beat them up." Cale ordered his men.


    "Yes sir Cale!"


    "Yes sir!"


    "As you say sir Cale."


    Cale nodded in satisfaction and patted Brogen''s shoulder.


    "Let''s go home Brogen. We need to prepare for our visit to that underworld king tomorrow."


    "Yes sir!"


    They arrived back in the mansion after less than an hour.


    "I need to hasten my plans now. I don''t want any other unexpected events to happen. First let me buy those two hundred guards for the Tyrannical Tower." Cale said to himself solemnly while clenching his fists tightly.


    He then opened ''The Black Market'' and clicked the Slaves category.


    - Slaves


    * Demetrio (Human)


    - 95000000 Black Coins


    - The patriarch of the renowned Kure Family in the world of Altura. The family was composed of skilled fighters and killers. Even the emperors from all over the world of Altura feared them.


    * Zero (Human)


    - 110000000 Black Coins


    - The strongest S-Class mercenery of the world Gallantos. Fought fiercely with the Barbarian Emperor for half a day and was able to escape with his life intact.


    Cale read the description of the human named Zero and thought that this guy might have a history with Brogen.


    "I wonder what will happen if I buy this guy? Will they dare fight in front of me?" Cale said to himself.


    He then scanned the other slaves on sale and his eyes stopped on one of them.


    * Aurora (Human)


    - 35000000000 Black Coins


    - A human empress who transcended humanity and achieved immortality. She broke the shackles of mortality and fought with the Demon Immortal Azazel for one week. She injured Azazel severely and made him go sleep for countless millennia, but this came with heavy price. She lost her immortal body and injured her nascent immortal soul. And in order to preserve her life, she used her remaining powers to seal her body in a freezingly cold ice made from her immortal blood in hopes that she will gain back her immortality.


    "What the hell is this thirty five billion Black Coins?! This woman, she was not here before when I checked the slaves category. It looks like I unlocked some of ''The Black Market''s'' hidden requirements. But I still cannot afford this huge amount. In a year, I might be able to cough up this amount after accumulating some treasures." Cale said to himself bitterly.

 Chapter 14 - Zero

    Cale chose two hundred skilled men and bought some stronger warriors as well. He was conflicted if he should buy Zero as well, but then he decided to just purchase him.


    A bright orb of light floated in front of him and he still looked fascinated even if this was not the first time he saw this beautiful scene.


    "I, Zero, the Phantom Sovereign swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until enternity."


    A tall and lean man who was clad in tight and fitting black clothes knelt down in one knee in front of him. The man''s eyes were white and does not have pupils, making him look rather mysterious and scary. He looked dashing with his long black hair that reached his waist. Two short swords were strapped on his back, one look and you could tell that both swords killed countless men just from the frightening aura they were emitting.


    Cale looked at him and nodded in satisfaction, he then looked at the two hundred men behind Zero and smiled brightly.


    "All of you may rise. From now on, you will be part of my Tyrannical Tower. Brogen and Santharus will handle your training, and you will be under the supervision of Ulric." Cale said loudly towards the strong men in front of him.


    Each one of them emitted a strong and frightening aura that can make even the bravest of men tremble in fear.


    The big room looked cramped with all the men inside, but nevertheless, Cale was extremely happy.


    "Zero, come forward." Cale looked at the dashing man and called him.


    Zero stepped forward and lowered his head slightly towards Cale.


    "My lord." Zero said in a calm voice.


    "I will appoint you as the head of my intelligence department. Are you willing to take this position?" Cale asked in a tranquil voice, but the calmness made the two hundred men feel weak. It was like they were facing a strong and baleful prehistoric dragon who can kill them any second.


    "I, Zero am willing to take this position my lord." Zero answered in the same calm voice, but Cale saw his lips trembling a bit.


    He smiled in satisfaction and nodded his head.


    "Good! Leonhart, Kenji and Demetrio step forward."


    Three men who emitted the strongest aura after Zero stepped forward. They all lowered their heads slightly and said in unison.


    "My lord."


    * Leonhart (Human)


    - 80000000 Black Coins


    - The strongest guardian knight of the Lusciana Empire. He single handedly killed thousands of men during the great war between Lusciana Empire of the Western Expanse and the Ludwigg Empire from the harsh lands of the South. The Lusciana Empire emerged victorious in that war because of the huge contribution from their wargod Leonhart.


    * Kenji (Human)


    - 90000000 Black Coins


    - The strongest wandering swordsman in the world of Luna. The noble households were fearful of strength, and even the imperial families does not dare offend him.


    * Demetrio (Human)


    - 95000000 Black Coins


    - The patriarch of the renowned Kure Family in the world of Altura. The family was composed of skilled fighters and killers. Even the emperors from all over the world of Altura feared them.


    "The three of you will be the first S-Class guards of my Tyrannical Tower. Only the best of the best clients can hire you and your job as of the moment is to ensure the safety of the tower." Cale told them seriously.


    The three men had looks of delight when they heard the importance of the job given to them.


    "As you say my lord."


    "Your will is my command."


    "Yes my lord."


    Cale then proceeded to tell the rest of the men about their rankings and duties for about two hours.


    He called Ulric and told him that he already had two hundred men with him. He then tasked Ulric on supervising the men.


    "Ulric, no one must know that the Tyrannical Tower belongs to my real identity. Don''t make it too hard for them and place clues that will lead them in knowing that it belongs to my second persona." Cale thought that it will be troublesome if someone knows that the tower belongs to his real identity.


    "Yes my lord. Everything will be ready in two weeks time and we can open the Tyrannical Tower a month from now." Ulric answered over the phone.


    "Good. I will leave everything about the tower to you Ulric."


    "I will not disappoint you my lord." Ulric replied.


    Cale ended the call and smiled widely. "Now, little underworld king, wait for my revenge."


    The men who saw his smile trembled uncontrollably.


    "Now, the people of the underworld will learn of the emergence of Lord Wolf King." Cale laughed hysterically, but his eyes were still as calm as water.


    "Zero, this will be your first task. Beat the men who injured my brother. As for that underworld king and his son, break one or their arms, but don''t kill them. It is not yet time for us to kill, just scare them. Oh and leave this letter once you are done." Cale said as he gave Zero a small piece of paper.


    "I will get this done today my lord. I will not fail your trust." Zero said with fierce lights in his eyes.


    "Good. Oh, by the way, do you know Brogen?" Cale asked mischievously.


    Zero''s pupils enlarged for a brief moment, but Cale saw through him.


    "There was indeed a feud between me and Brogen my lord. I was tasked by the Heavenly Wind Empire to take Brogen''s head. But even after using my strongest attack, I was still not able to injure him severely."


    Cale thought for a moment and said "I understand, since it was merely a mission and not a blood feud, I hope that there will be no conflict between the both of you."


    Zero bowed his head slight and said "As you say my lord."


    "Good, you may leave. I will wait for your good news." Cale smiled and waved him off.


    Zero bowed one last time and left the room to begin his task.


    The smile in Cale''s face became even more prominent and evil, but his eyes were still as tranquil as it always was.

 Chapter 15 - How Weak

    Zero headed outside the room and saw Brogen standing like a statue. There gazes met and invisible sparks clashed between their sights.


    Zero looked calm on the surface but his heart was beating wildly. A drop of sweat trickled down his jawline before dropping to ground.


    "Are you the one tasked by his lordship to accomplish this mission?" A calm and deep voice interrupted his train of thoughts.


    Zero was silent for a brief second before he cleared his throat which has gone dry.


    "Yes, do you hold any information regarding this matter sir Barbarian Emperor Brogen?"


    Brogen''s tiger-like eyes flashed a trace of nostalgia before reverting back to its usual calmness. He sighed heavily and shook his head "I am no longer the Barbarian Emperor of the past. I am now his lordship''s loyal subordinate. I will forget the matter about our conflict, just make sure to finish this task. This is of great importance since it involves his lordship''s brother."


    Zero listened carefully while calming his wildly beating heart. He may be the strongest mercenary, but in front of Brogen, he was just like a stronger ant.


    Brogen handed two pieces of paper to Zero and said seriously "These are informations provided by his lordship, everything related to the mission is already there. Don''t fail his lordship''s trust or you will face my wrath."


    Brogen''s calm eyes now looked ferocious. He was like an untamed lion who was ready to take his puny life.


    Zero forced a smile and said slowly "I will not fail this mission. Wait for my good news Brogen."


    Zero shifted his gaze away from Brogen and walked away with steady steps.


    Brogen looked at the proud back of Zero with a trace of profound sadness before turning his head away.


    "I hope you accomplish the mission as you have promised brother." A trace of worry can be seen in Brogen''s eyes.


    Outside the mansion, Zero read the information given by Brogen and was relieved that there was a map and a pictures of people that he needed to discipline.


    Zero followed the map and arrived at the location in less than two hours. With his fast speed and physical body which was many times stronger than the humans on Earth, a distance of a hundred kilometers or more is nothing. If not for the uneven roads and the human settlements, he would have arrived in a little more than an hour.


    He squinted his eyes and looked at the huge mansion two hundred meters away from him. He saw several individuals holding metallic weapons.


    "These weapons, it looks similar to the weapons from those Dwarves. But their design looked more advanced and easier to use. It will be a bit troublesome, but if it is too easy, then how can I enjoy this mission." Zero smiled evilly and slowly moved towards the mansion.


    Zero touched the thick walls that surrounded the mansion before removing ten evil looking knives from his sleeves. He then jumped high and landed at the top of the walls, he threw the knives with great accuracy and each one hit the stomach of the patrolling guards.


    Zero avoided hitting their vital parts or it would have been very easy for him to kill them all.


    Ten guards dropped to the ground without them knowing how they were attacked. They lost consciousness after a few seconds and they were not even able to shout for help.


    The knives on their stomach wriggled slowly and flew back to Zero.


    Several guards saw a man clad in black fitting clothes with knives between his fingers. He was like a ninja in the movies, that can strike fear to any men.


    They aimed their guns at him and shot him without holding back. Bullet shells dropped to the ground from time to time.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    Zero evaded the bullets with ease, his movement was like a beautiful contemporary dance. He then jumped high and spun in midair as he released knives on the armed individuals aiming on their stomach.


    The people inside the mansion were startled after hearing loud gunshots outside. They hastily removed the guns from their holster and glanced outside.


    Before they can even see what was happening outside, their backs were hit by knives thrown by Zero. Their bodies dropped to the ground with a heavy thud.


    Two men were left standing and they were looking the man in black clothes with fear. Their legs trembled and buckets of sweat trickled down their forehead.


    Even the weapons in their hands did not help in alleviating the fear in their hearts.


    The father and son pair looked at the man who was slowly walking towards them. The weapons in their hands dropped to the ground


    without them knowing how it happened.


    "Si.. Sir, who mi.. might yo.. you be?" The underworld king who usually looked at the average people with a condescending gaze was now shivering and stuttering as he asked the man in front of him.


    His son, who still had bruises on his face because of the beating from Trevor, dropped his ass to the ground and peed his pants. His eyes had a look of horror like he saw his worst nightmare. He even lost the ability to speak.


    Zero did not answer his question and gave him a strong punch in the face instead. His fat face distorted in pain as he received Zero''s punch. He was flung away like a ragdoll and his back hit the wall with loud bang, before his fat body dropped to the ground.


    Martin looked at his father''s body on the ground, before shifting his gaze slowly towards the man in front of him.


    He was suffocated by the presence this man was emitting. Even a normal person like him, can already feel the invisible aura from the man.


    "Slap!"


    His sight turned black before he can even clear his dry throat.


    "Oh, I think I slapped him too hard, I hope he does not die from this." He then stepped on Martin''s left arm and a snapping sound can be heard.


    Zero then stepped on the left arm of Martin''s father and snapped the tendon connecting his Humerus and Ulna.


    He put a piece of paper on the fat hand of Martin''s father before he went out of the room.


    The whole event happened in less than ten minutes.


    More than thirty individuals lay on the ground unconscious, but their breathing was normal like they were on a deep sleep.


    "I overestimated them, the dwarven guards of Almaro City was a lot more sturdier and skillful than these men. How weak." Zero sighed in regret and a trace of disappointment can be seen on his handsome face.

 Chapter 16 - Buying A Private Jet

    Delfino was not able to sleep carefreely these past few days. His eyes had dark circles around them and he looked much thinner than before. It was obvious that the underworld emperor of Asia did not have a very good time.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    Delfino took out his phone and he saw that the caller was Martin''s father.


    "Boss, I think my son messed up with the wrong person, I need your help." A helpless voice said over the phone.


    "Who was it? Who dares mess with my people?" Delfino said in faked anger.


    "We don''t know who the guy was, but the assassin left a note before he left." Phillip answered as he recalled the man clad in black clothes fearfully. He did not dare tell Delfino about the guy''s strength as he still wanted to get his revenge.


    "What was written on the note?" Delfino sounded doubtful.


    ''If it was really an assassin, then you shouldn''t be alive now.'' Delfino thought to himself.


    "There were only two words written on the paper boss. It says: Wolf King." Phillip answered.


    Delfino opened his mouth but no words came out of it.


    "Boss! Boss!" Phillip sensed that something was wrong for his boss to be silent.


    Delfino sighed heavily and answered in a bit of anger "Phillip I would like to help you, but this Wolf King is someone even I could not offend. Discipline your son well and never touch anyone related to Wolf King again or I will smash your son myself!"


    Delfino dropped the call and smashed his phone on the ground angrily.


    "Sir, what happened?" Anton asked his boss worriedly.


    Delfino glanced at him and his gaze softened a bit before he said "Phillip''s son offended that Wolf King."


    Anton swallowed the words he was about to say and recalled the events during their exchange with Wolf King. He thought of the men who was with Wolf King and the powerful aura they emitted which was many times stronger than his own. And the aura from Wolf King himself, was like a hibernating ancient dragon.


    Even the mercenaries from Africa did not give that kind of aura. And he was sure that he was someone that they could never afford to offend.


    Inside a room in a big mansion, Zero reported the completion of his mission.


    Cale nodded his head calmly like this was within his expectations.


    "Good job! These people will be under your care from now on and you guys will be the core members of my information network." Cale said as he glanced at the ten people behind him.


    They were the elites he bought from ''The Black Market''. Each one of them was at least ten million Black Coins, greatly hurting his remaining balance. Now, he only had a total of several million Black Coins left.


    "You guys may leave. Go find Santharus, he will tell you what to do." Cale told the group to leave the room.


    Zero and his people went out of the room with great expectations.


    Cale hurriedly opened ''The Black Market'' again. He then clicked the Slaves category and scanned it.


    "Where is she? Why can''t I find her?! What was her name again? Aurora! It must be a limited time offer. Who could afford thirty five billion Black Coins? Oh well, I''ll just collect more treasures." He said with a bit of regret as the fallen immortal Aurora can no longer be seen in the Slaves category.


    He scanned the Weapons and the Skills category before he closed ''The Black Market''.


    He then went outside the room and called Brogen.


    "My lord!" Brogen lowered his head slightly.


    Cale waved his hands and said "We will go to Macau tomorrow. It is time to build connections and find our first clients. But before that, I will buy my own private plane for us to avoid the complicated stuffs. Tell Santharus and Zero that they will be coming with us tomorrow."


    "Yes my lord!" Brogen bowed his head again before he moved away from Cale''s sight.


    Cale took out his phone and dialed Daphne''s phone number.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    "Hello my lord. Is there something you need for me to do?" Daphne''s beautiful voice washed away the stressful thoughts in Cale''s mind.


    He smiled unknowingly and answered teasingly "I need someone to warm my bed tonight. Come here my Daphne."


    "M.. My Lord, I.. If that''s what you want then.. then....."


    Before Daphne can finish the words she was about to say, she suddenly heard Cale chuckle softly. Her ears turned red and realized that Cale was just teasing her.


    "Haha! My Daphne, I have things for you to do. Find me a private plane and buy it under Ulric''s name. Is his identity ready?"


    Daphne hid her embarrassment and answered sweetly "Yes my lord, I have already prepared Ulric''s identity. As for the private plane that you wanted to buy, I will get it done tomorrow."


    "Good! I will send you the money later. Oh by the way, don''t buy the ones that are too expensive, but not the shabby ones as well." Cale said after thinking for a moment.


    "Yes my lord, I will get you the plane that you want."


    "Thanks Daphne! Bye."


    The next day, Cale together with Brogen, Santharus and Zero arrived in a private hangar owned by a billionaire in the Philippines.


    Ulric and Daphne were already there waiting for their arrival.


    Cale in his Wolf King mask looked at the plane with satisfaction.


    Daphne bought the plane for one billion and eight hundred thousand pesos. It was quite pricey for a secone hand plane, but it was still in its best condition and it was also a multi-engine plane that can survive a small storm.


    "Ulric, finish everything here, but don''t overwork yourself." Cale said as he glanced at Ulric before he moved his gaze towards the beautiful Daphne.


    "Yes my lord." Ulric answered while bowing his head slightly.


    "Daphne, after you are done with the identities, go help Ulric."


    "As you wish my lord." Daphne answered sweetly.


    Cale smiled beneath his mask before he went inside the plane with his men.


    Moments before they arrived in this private hangar, Cale bought two D-Class Plane Driving Skills from ''The Black Market'' and gave them to Santharus and Zero.


    Although it was only a D-Class skill, but it was enough to rival the skills of the best pilots in the whole world.


    Zero and Santharus skillfully checked the communication system and the control system in the cockpit.


    "My lord, please take your seat." Santharus said to Cale.

 Chapter 17 - Big Fish

    The next day inside the Grand Lisboa Casino in Macau, four men dressed in armani suit stood stoically at the corner of the gambling site. They were like four lions searching for prey in broad daylight. Even the guards inside the casino did not dare look at them.


    "Well, good thing I bought several skills related to gambling moments before we came inside here. I need to let these rich folks admire me in order to give them a good first impression. Follow me, it is time." Cale smiled evilly.


    Cale also removed the mask before they arrived in the casino and left it inside his private jet. He believed that no one was checking on his whereabouts at the moment since the name ''Wolf King'' was not known yet. But everything will change in a few months time.


    He exchanged one million for chips and headed towards the blackjack table.


    An old man in luxurious silver suit was playing at the table, he puffed rings of gray smoke from his tobacco pipe that looked like the renowned ''Smoking Dragon'' which was at least eighty five thousand dollars. He looked benign and easy going as he joked with the people at the blackjack table.


    The old man and the others saw Cale''s group moving towards the empty seat.


    Cale smiled at them and sat casually at the empty seat. Brogen and his men then put some of his chips on the table.


    "Do you mind if this little one plays with you sirs?" Cale asked them while smiling brightly. The women that was escorting the older men looked at him in admiration. This handsome young man was like the man in their dreams, dashing and cool.


    "Good! I''m also tired of winning, don''t disappoint me young man." Said the benign old man after puffing small clouds of gray smoke.


    The others merely smiled and told the female dealer to start the next round.


    The female dealer looked at them and said sweetly "You may place your bet."


    The older men placed their bets after thinking for a moment.


    Cale on the other hand looked at the card shuffler in front of the beautiful female dealer. Using his keen eyesight and senses, he saw everything inside the machine. He saw that the first card was an ace of spades.


    "Kid, place your bet." Prompted a middle age man who was playing with them.


    Cale smiled and said "I was just thanking my lucky stars in advance. Sorry to keep you waiting gentlemen."


    The older men''s lips twitched and their brows furrowed slightly, but they remained silent and waited for him to place his bet.


    According to the sequence of the dealing cards, he would get a black jack and receive triple his bet.


    Cale smiled and told Brogen to place all his chips.


    "One million. All in."


    The older men at the table were speechless at his guts. The benign old man laughed heartily and said "Good! Finally someone with the guts to play big with me."


    He then slowly inched the upturned card away while maintaining his smile.


    "Blackjack! Looks like my prayers were heard. Haha." Cale laughed lightly while looking at the female dealer who looked liked she had swallowed crap.


    His one million had become three million, what an easy money! However without the skills from ''The Black Market, as high as his guts might be, Cale would never have dared bet all-in.


    "Sirs, please place your bets." Said the beautiful female dealer while forcing a sweet smile.


    The game continued for several rounds in thirty minutes. In eighteen rounds, Cale lost eleven times and won seven times. But whenever he lost, his bet was just five thousand chips, and when he won, his bet was at least one million.


    The big pile of chips in front of Cale made the older men gape in shock and the beautiful female dealer broke out in sweat.


    "Looks like my luck is not too good this time. To think that I lost eleven times." Cale had a look of sorrow on his handsome face which made the people around him want to beat him senseless. He won more than ten million and he still dares say that his luck was bad? Then how about their crappy luck?


    "Let''s go exchange the chips. That would be enough for today. Thanks for the wonderful time gentlemen." Cale stood up from his seat elegantly and gave the people at the table a bright smile.


    They exchanged the chips for cash before they went out of the casino.


    "Sir, I thought we were fishing for big clients, why did we leave the casino?" Asked Santharus.


    Cale glanced at him and smiled "We already hooked the bigger fish. It is not too good to remain there, the people inside the casino might investigate us after winning more than ten million from them."


    "The bigger fish?" Santharus muttered to himself.


    Cale just smiled and ignored him as he led them towards the terrace outside.


    Moments after, a benign old man walked towards them. Four men dressed in black tuxedo followed behind him. Each one of them was at least six foot tall and their eyes were as sharp as swords.


    "Four former elite soldiers, this old man''s background must be quite complicated." Cale thought as he studied the group moving towards them.


    "Sir, those guys are not simple. Each one of them is least as strong as us if not stronger. As for that young man, I can''t read his strength level." Said the former military corps commander beside the benign old man doubtfully.


    ''This guy, I can''t read his strength. This only happened once when I met our military instructor. Is his strength level the same as him? Impossible! He might be just an ordinary man.'' Thought the former military commander after studying Cale several times.


    The group was at least 20 meters away from them, but Cale was able to hear their whispers like they were just right beside him.


    "Oh, isn''t this the gentleman from the blackjack table? Hello sir, I am Cale, it is a pleasure to meet you." Cale smiled brightly as he stretched out his right arm towards the old man.


    The old man shook his hand and smiled kindly. The wrinkles on his face became even more visible after giving that smile. "Good lad, this old man''s name is Fujitora Sekoujo. I am a japanese, but I grew up overseas."


    Cale smiled inwardly ''The big fish took the hook.''

 Chapter 18 - Old Man Sekoujo

    "Hello Mr. Sekoujo, what brings your grand presence here? Do you need something from this little one?" asked Cale jokingly.


    "Haha. What a funny young man you are. I am simply impressed with your skills in blackjack and I don''t know how you did it. But we all have secrets so I will not press you on that further." said old man Sekoujo after laughing lightly.


    "Mr. Sekoujo, owner of Diamond Paradise Hotel and Casino. Also one of the major shareholders of the Grand Lisboa Casino. To think that such a man with great status will admire someone like me is truly flattering." Cale said as he put on the evil smile on his handsome face.


    The men behind old man Sekoujo were alarmed at Cale''s words and they hastily looked around, afraid that someone might overhear their conversation.


    Old man Sekoujo on the other hand lost his benign look and was replaced by calm and indifferent appearance.


    The evil smile never left Cale''s face and his calm eyes were directed at the old man.


    Old man Sekoujo looked away after clashing looks with Cale for several seconds. He then smiled benignly and said "To think that someone with your level of strength went unnoticed after all these years. Who might you be little friend?"


    The change in tone from old man Sekouno''s voice was quite shocking for the men behind him. They knew that this old man was a war veteran and also a retired Brigadier General.


    He also pointed out Cale strength which means that it was at least on the same level as him.


    He might look old and weak right now, but he can definitely defeat the former soldiers with him in less than fifteen minutes of hand to hand combat.


    But the young man in front of him was different, he was sure that the young man''s strength was at least similar to his. If he was on his primes, he might be able to best Cale, but with his current old bones, then the ending was unknown.


    Cale''s smile vanished and was replaced by a stoic look. He then pulled out five beautiful invitation letters from his inside pocket and handed it to the old man.


    "Mr. Sekoujo, I am Cale, Lord Wolf King''s First General. This is an invitation letter for the grand opening of his Tyrannical Tower. There are four extra letters from here and you can give them to anyone with noteworthy status."


    "Wolf King huh? If you don''t mind, may I ask what this Tyrannical Tower is?" asked old man Sekoujo while giving the letters to the commander beside him.


    Cale smiled and said "Lord Wolf King was indeed right, he said that if old man Sekoujo will ask one question, then I can give him an answer. And to answer your question, the Tyrannical Tower owned by Lord Wolf King houses about two hundred elite warriors from all over the world. As for their strength levels? You will know once you see them."


    Old man Sekoujo smiled widely displaying an ugly wrinkled face that made Cale''s lips twitch a bit. He then sighed and said "I will be there little friend. I hope I will not be disappointed in my time of visit there."


    "I assure you Mr. Sekoujo, you will not regret it. And you might even be one of our patrons." said Cale as he winked at the old man teasingly.


    "We will go back to our rooms for now little friend, and oh by the way, I hope you join the party tomorrow night. It will help you gain more connections." said the old man before he bade goodbye to Cale.


    "Tomorrow eh? Of course I will be there. My old friend Delfino will be present tomorrow. I should at least say hello. Haha." Cale chuckled softly as he recalled the sweating fat face of Delfino during their exchange.


    Inside a luxurious room, a fat man reading a newspaper suddenly sneezed.


    "Achoo! Oh shit, I really don''t like the weather here in Macau." he said in annoyance as he wiped off the snot on his face with a clean cloth.


    Inside a deluxe suite, Cale was busy video calling with his brother Trevor.


    "Hey brother do you see this? I am currently inside one of the best rooms in a five star hotel. Everything was paid by Lord Wolf King and my only task here was to get connections from the rich people in the society. After you have recovered, you will be under my care and Lord Wolf King even said that I could bring you in my next travels in the future." boasted Cale as he showed Trevor the interior of the deluxe suite he was staying.


    The price for one night in this deluxe suite was more than forty thousand pesos. Even in his time as the Gun Sovereign, he did not experience this kind of luxury.


    Trevor was not jealous after seeing his friend enjoying a life of luxury, and was instead happy for Cale.


    He thought that with Cale''s current grades in school, no company will surely accept him as an employee.


    But now with the emergence of the mysterious Wolf King, his life turned upside down and was now one of the rich folks in the society. And since he was now involve with this Wolf King, he was rather happy as well.


    He lived an impoverished lifestyle after all these years and he wanted to be of help to his old parents and this might be the best way to do it.


    Althought it was quite sudden and dubious, he was willing to risk it all, as he also trusted Cale''s judgement.


    "Good! Don''t worry brother, the doctor said that in three weeks time, I will be fully healed. I won''t allow you to live in luxury alone you idiot. Haha." joked Trevor after seeing the smug look of Cale.


    "I will wait for you brother, and no worries, I will find you a better woman than Kate." teased Cale as he laughed loudly.


    The two good friends talked for almost an hour before they ended the call.

 Chapter 19 - Sima Ying

    In the evening of the following day, inside the grand ballroom of Grand Lisboa, many guests in luxurious clothings were busy chatting with their friends and business partners.


    The banquet was hosted by the Sima Family of Eastern China, to celebrate the ascension of their new family head Sima Ying.


    She was the eldest daughter of the former family head Sima Yantong, and also his most favorite child among his six children.


    Sima Ying was a gifted young woman, she graduated with the highest honors from one of the most prestigious universities abroad.


    And aside from her high intellect, her beauty was unrivaled among her peers as well. Many famous celebreties all over China even tried to woo her, but no one could thwart her stone cold heart.


    Sima Ying was now a very successful woman at the young age of twenty. She was already the one managing the main businesses of the Sima Family and with her leading the Sima Family, they will only continue to prosper as long as there was no internal conflict within.


    "Look, isn''t that Sima Ying?"


    "Really? Where?"


    "There, at the entrance. And the man beside her, I think I saw him online. Oh, I remember now! He is Lee Wang Min, a famous korean idol!"


    Cale heard the excited crowd and he moved his gaze towards the cause of the commotion.


    He saw a devastatingly beautiful woman wearing an icy blue long gown with shining jewel accents. Her slim waist made her look fragile and many men would instinctively want to protect her. Her bosom was ample and very tantalizing, her perky bottom was swaying seductively as she walked with elegant steps.


    Lee Wang Min who was following her like an obedient dog, was busy ogling at her round bottom. The drool on his face almost dropped to ground. When he realized that he was almost lost in a blunder, he instantly put on his usual charming smile and walked in a more noble way.


    Cale was inwardly amazed at this beautiful woman, and even he, the Gun Sovereign, almost succumbed to her immortal-like beauty.


    He hurriedly calmed his wildly beating heart and focused his gaze on her icy cold but fairy-like face.


    "What a beautiful woman." He unconsciously said what was on his mind and some of the surrounding guest heard him. They all nodded their heads in agreement and continued to stare at her.


    Even the moon outside would be embarrassed if it was put into comparison with her.


    "Oh, isn''t this little Cale from Tyrannical Tower?" Suddenly a hearty aged voice travel his ears.


    He turned back his head and saw old man Sekoujo walking slowly towards him with his Smoking Dragon pipe placed in between his dry and wrinkled lips.


    Cale smiled and walked towards the old man.


    "It is my honor to see your magnificent presence here Mr. Sekoujo. My little heart is now beating with extreme excitement." Cale teasingly said as he shook hands with the old man.


    Old man Sekoujo was not angered by this as he knew that Cale was only teasing him.


    "Little kid, you truly like to tease this old man, don''t you?" Old man Sekoujo said after laughing lightly.


    Cale just smiled and response and moved his gaze back to the beautiful Sima Ying.


    Sima Ying felt his stare and looked towards his direction. Their gazes met for a brief second, but Sima Ying moved her gaze away.


    "This woman is not simple. She is not as weak as she seems to be. Interesting." Cale smiled at his discovery.


    ''It looks like the Sima Family is not just a merchant family. Well, now it is understandable how they were able to maintain their position after all these years." He thought to himself.


    "Mr. Sekoujo, do you perhaps know something about the Sima Family?" Cale asked old man Sekoujo without moving his gaze away from Sima Ying.


    ''Did this kid felt her inherent strength after looking at her? I underestimated this kid. He might be a bit stronger than me even in my peak state. Just who can he this kid be?'' Old man Sekoujo thought.


    "Sima Family? Did you fell in love with their young family head after looking at her once?" Joked old man Sekoujo.


    "It might be the case." Cale glanced at the old man and smiled at him.


    Old man Sekoujo was speechless but was still able to give him a forced smile.


    Thirty meters away from Cale and his friends was a group of men staring daggers at them.


    "Boss, aren''t those two guys together with that Wolf King during our exchange last time?" Anton asked after seeing Brogen and Santharus.


    "Yes it is them and I am wondering who are those two men with them. Is one of them the true Wolf King?" Delfino asked in curiosity. He was truly mystefied by the identity of Wolf King.


    Brogen and the others had long since felt the stare of Delfino and his people. They just ignored them, but they still reported it to Cale.


    "Sir Cale, Delfino and his men are here thirty meters away from us." Santharus whispered to Cale.


    "Yes I know, just allow them to stare for now. I am very sure that Delfino will come here on his own." Cale smiled evilly.


    Old man Sekoujo who saw the evil smile of Cale felt chills down his spine. He then told himself to never offend the mysterious young man in front of him.


    "Boss, it looks like they are subservient to that kid. Who is he?" Anton wondered at the identity of Cale after seeing Santharus whispering something to him.


    "They knew we are here, but they refused to greet us. How arrogant these young men are." Delfino said with a bit of anger.


    "Let''s go there and greet them. We will see why these kids are acting arrogantly in front of me the Underworld Emperor of Asia. There is nothing to be afraid of if that Wolf King isn''t here, but let''s not be too overboard." Delfino said after a moment of thinking.


    They then walked towards Cale''s group attracting the attention of some guests.


    Who does not know the infamous Underworld Emperor of Asia? Even the government did not dare do anything to him.


    "Sir, Delfino and his men are moving towards us." said the former commander Nogi to old man Sekoujo.


    "They are not here for us." Old man Sekoujo replied calmly.


    "What? Then who are they coming here for?" Asked Nogi in doubt.


    Old man Sekoujo did not reply but he moved his gaze towards Cale. Nogi moved his gaze towards where old man Sekoujo was looking and a trace of understanding can be seen on his face.


    ''How can these people be acquainted with Delfino? Are they also people from the underworld?'' Nogi thought to himself.

 Chapter 20 - Xia Qingyue?

    "Hello gentleman." Delfino said awe inspiringly as he held his head high.


    "Oh, hello to you too Mr. Delfino."Answered old man Sekoujo after realizing that Cale did not even bother to glance at Delfino.


    Delfino smiled awkwardly at old man Sekoujo and looked at Cale''s back angrily.


    "Ehem!" Old man Sekoujo cleared his throat to get Cale''s attention and was relieved after seeing him turn his way.


    "Did you call me Mr. Sekoujo? Oh, who might this gentlemen be?" Cale had a look of surprise as he studied Delfino''s group.


    "Sir Cale, this is Mr. Delfino, and Lord Wolf King sold his goods to them in the previous exchange." Santharus whispered to Cale with voice which was enough for Delfino and the others to hear.


    ''I didn''t know that Santharus was also quite the fast thinker and this guy also has good acting skills.'' Cale praised Santharus inwardly.


    "Oh, I do apologize for my negligence Mr. Delfino." Cale said as he smiled lightly at Delfino.


    Delfino forced himself to look calm, but his shaking hands and quivering lips said his inner thoughts.


    ''I will not act for now. This kid might be a relative of Wolf King.'' Delfino thought to himself.


    Delfino was about to reply when a hand firmly held his shoulder. He turned his head back and saw Anton with a solemn face.


    "I''m sorry, please excuse us for a moment." Delfino said. He knew that Anton would not do something so foolish, so he chose to trust him.


    Anton dragged Delfino somewhere and whispered "Boss, that kid is not simple. He was just acting like a sheep to eat the tiger. His strength is the strongest among all the people in that group. His.. his.. aura..."


    Anton could not finish the words he wanted to say after seeing the suffocating aura around Cale.


    Delfino was sweating crazily after hearing the report of Anton. ''The good thing is I was smart and did not show my anger.'' Delfino thought after calming his heart.


    Delfino then walked towards Cale and said with an ugly smile on his fat face "I do apologize for making you wait little brother."


    Cale chuckled softly and said "No, it is okay Mr. Delfino."


    Delfino wiped the sweat on his forehead with a white handkerchief and asked carefully "Little brother, if you don''t mind me asking. Are you also part of Wolf King''s group?"


    Cale glanced at him and replied calmly while nodding his head "Yes I am indeed part of Lord Wolf King''s group. And I am his First General."


    Delfino swallowed a mouthful of saliva before producing a forced smile.


    Old man Sekoujo then interjected their conversation to alleviate the awkward atmosphere "Mr. Delfino, how about having toast with this old man?"


    Delfino glanced at the old man and smiled widely. The usual calculating look was back on his face. "It is my pleasure to have a toast with you Mr. Sekoujo."


    "No. No. The honor is mine Mr. Delfino. Even the people in my home country, Japan, trembles at the mere mentioning of your great name." Old man Sekoujo said with a benign smile.


    Delfino was flattered by the praise and his smile became even more prominent.


    "Gentlemen, excuse me for a moment." Cale said after giving them a bright smile.


    Old man Sekoujo was about to stop him, but then he saw the tranquil eyes of Cale. The calmness within those beautiful onyx eyes made his heart tremble unconsciously.


    ''Those eyes, it... it... is not the eyes of a normal human. These kid, just who is he?'' Old man Sekoujo thought to himself after he caught a glimpse of Cale''s true aura from his eyes.


    Cale walked towards where Sima Ying was located in a pace which was neither fast nor slow. Of course, his approach was noticed by the countless admirers of Sima Ying.


    "Look! Someone is having thoughts on our goddess."


    "Who is this handsome prick? Did he really think that Lee Wang Min would stay idle and allow him to get near Sima Ying?"


    "What a foolish kid. Lee Wang Min might be a silk pants, but his background is also quite complicated."


    "Hey quiet! Are you tired of living? What if Lee Wang Min will hear you?"


    Cale ignored the chattering crowd and continued walking towards Sima Ying.


    Of course he was not just moving blindly. His true purpose was to ask her about something. And although it was quite troublesome doing it in front of the crowd, but he might not even have the chance if he moved a bit later.


    Lee Wang Min saw Cale approaching towards them and he felt a bit threatened after seeing his devilishly handsome face.


    Sima Ying already noticed Cale who was moving towards them. She thought that he might be just another admirer of her. She was indeed a bit stunned by Cale''s handsomeness, but that was just it. She then glanced away from him and continued enjoying her drink.


    "Hello young miss Sima Ying, please pardon my sudden intrusion as I would only like to ask you a question." Cale said calmly as he studied Sima Ying''s side profile.


    ''They really look similar.'' Cale thought longingly as he recalled the face of a beautiful woman in his past life.


    "Hey kid. Get out of my sight right now. Don''t act so mysterious in front of Yingying. I know you are just one of those fools who wanted to ask for a date with her. Get lost normie!" Lee Wang Min said with a ridiculing smile on his face.


    Sima Ying felt disgusted at the acting of Lee Wang Min, but he did not to stop him.


    Cale did not even bother glancing at Lee Wang Min and just continued staring at Sima Ying.


    Veins protruded on Lee Wang Min''s handsome face as he realized that Cale was treating him like thin air. He then said angrily "How dare you act arrogantly in front me kid?! Do you know who I am? Do you even know my Lee Family?!"


    Cale was about to lose his cool, but then a beautiful and angelic voice traveled slowly on his ears calming his raging heart.


    "What is it that you wanted to know from me sir?" Sima Ying said calmly. Her facial expression did not change even a tiny bit, but her voice was like a pleasing melody. Anyone who would hear her voice would surely wish to have a long conversation with her.


    "Do you know Xia Qingyue?" Cale asked calmly, but the nervousness in his heart almost reached its peek.


    Sima Ying was shocked and turned to look at him.


    Cale finally got a clearer view of Sima Ying and was stunned by her appearance.


    Sima Ying then hurriedly averted her gaze and replied "I don''t know her."


    Cale sighed and shook his head. He then turned around and walked away.


    "Tch, just stop the act kid." Lee Wang Min said mockingly.


    Cale glanced at him briefly and released ten percent of his true aura and direct all of it towards Lee Wang Min.


    Lee Wang Min was still smiling in contempt when he suddenly felt that time have slowed down a bit.


    He then saw Cale''s body that was covered by a dense and black aura. His eyes was like the eyes of a primordial demon who was hungry for blood.


    He could tell that Cale was capable of killing him in less than a second.


    His knees went weak and turned jelly after sensing the profound aura that Cale was currently emitting. He knelt down on the ground unknowingly as if he was a slave submitting to someone superior than him.


    He ignored the shocked look of the crowd as he was still occupied by the suffocating aura of Cale.


    Cale then recalled his aura and walked towards terrace area leaving the dazed Lee Wang Min kneeling on the ground pitifully.

 Chapter 21 - Nangong Lanjiang

    Old man Sekoujo felt the frightening aura that Cale emitted for less than three seconds. And he finally realized how foolish he was to compare himself with such a strong man. His young appearance was just a mask to hide the sleeping beast within him.


    "This young man can only be a friend and should never be made an enemy." He said what was on his mind unconsciously, but Anton who was behind Delfino nodded his head solemnly. He told himself to warn his boss Delfino about Cale or even anyone among Wolf King''s people. As all of them gave him a feeling of profound fear.


    Brogen, Santharus and Zero followed after Cale disregarding the onlooking crowd.


    Sima Ying also felt the strong aura from Cale as she was also a martial arts practitioner. Despite looking like a fragile jade, she was at least as strong as Anton in terms of skills.


    The moment Cale exposed his strength, all the martial arts practitioner inside the grand ballroom of Grand Lisboa trembled unknowingly. They never thought that such a handsome young man hid a strength which was far greater than any man they knew.


    Perhaps, no one will know that it was merely a fraction of Cale''s true strength.


    Lee Wang Min who was still kneeling on the ground wanted to stand up, but his knees refused to listen. It was still as soft as jelly, as if the aura Cale released placed a severe trauma on him. He himself was also a martial arts practitioner, but his little bit of strength was nothing comparable to the grand might of the Gun Sovereign.


    Cale honed his strength by continuously killing the unknown enemies they had in his past life. After facing countless life and death events, his strength already reached the peak that every martial arts practitioner wished to have. He might not have practiced the most profound martial technique, but his overall physical ability was already beyond the realms of a normal human being.


    During the Operation Meltdown of the Phantom Wolf Squad, they collected all the dead bodies of their enemies and brought them back to the Alliance.


    Dr. Nicholas and his team found out that their enemies actually looked the same as humans, the only difference was that they were pale blue in color and their ears were pointed.


    Dr. Nicholas even said that the overall physical ability of these demi humans were at least ten times that of an average human.


    And Cale had fought with these beings for more than ten years, greatly honing his skills and strength. Even the average humans during his past life was at least three times stronger than the ones in his current timeline.


    "Anton, what do you think of that young man?" Delfino asked while mocking Lee Wang Min in his mind.


    "Boss, if you have thoughts about making an enemy out of their group, then please just don''t do it. That man was already this strong, how much more the mysterous Wolf King himself?" Anton replied solemnly.


    Delfino felt the graveness in Anton''s voice and took his words serioisly. He trusted the man greatly for he have saved his life countless of times already.


    The bodyguards of the Lee Family went inside the grand ballroom and helped their young master stand up. They then left the grand ballroom lest they make a fool out of themselves. At least they could salvage a little bit of the Lee Family''s shame by moving away from the crowd.


    "Young Master Nangong Lanjiang of the Nangong Family has arrived!" The announcer said in a loud voice attracting the attention of the crowd. They then turned to look towards the entrance and saw a tall young man with aggressive appearance. He was followed by some people of the Nangong Family who were acting like guards.


    Sima Ying who was still dazed did not even hear the loud announcement. It was only when Nangong Lanjiang called her that she broke away from her dazed state.


    "Young lady Ying, would you allow me to accompany you in this table?" Nangong Lanjiang said elegantly.


    Sima Ying did not even glanced at him and just nodded her head in response. But Nangong Lanjiang did not take it to heart and was instead happy that Sima Ying allowed him to accompany her.


    Cale who was enjoying the scenery outside was unaware of the happenings inside the ballroom. He just continued staring at the desolate night sky, making his mood even more somber. The cold night winds of Macau made him recall a certain woman during his past life.


    A cold and immortal-like face, cherry red lips, slim waist and long jade-like legs.


    "Xia Qingyue." Cale muttered softly, and the look on his face was full of nostalgia and deep loneliness.


    Cale shook his head and sighed bitterly.


    He then turned his head and focused it on Zero.


    "Zero, investigate the Sima Family for me. As for Sima Ying.... nevermind. Just give me a detailed report about the Sima Family. You have one week to accomplish this mission." Cale said solemnly while calming his heart which was still in turmoil.


    "Yes sir Cale! I will get it done." Zero answered and did the salute that Cale taught them by placing his right hand on his chest


    Cale nodded his head and said "You may go. Remember, your safety is top priority."


    Zero felt warm in his heart and bowed his head while doing their salute. He then jumped from the terrace of the building which was almost a hundred meters from the ground. Any normal human being would immediately die from the impact of the fall.


    Cale looked down below, but he could no longer see the silhouette of Zero.


    He smiled weakly and looked inside the grand ballroom.


    He saw an aggressive-looking young man beside Sima Ying. He was smiling brightly as he continued talking about his achievements to her. Sima Ying who was tired of these boastful young masters just nodded her head from time to time.


    She was not even listening to Nangong Lanjiang at all. She was still wondering at the question Cale asked her.


    ''How did he know that name?'' She thought to herself.

 Chapter 22 - Martial Arts Tournament

    Cale went back inside the grand ballroom and walked towards where old man Sekoujo and Delfino were located.


    They noticed Cale who was approaching them, and they did not realize that all of them unconsciously swallowed a mouthful of saliva.


    "I''m sorry gentlemen for showing you such a distasteful scene." Cale apologized but a bright smile was present on his handsome face.


    Old man Sekoujo smiled benignly and said "Little brother Cale, you hid yourself so well. Even this old man is speechless with your grand might."


    Cale smiled and replied "You flatter me Mr. Sekoujo. I knew that you were even stronger than me during your youthful days."


    Old man Sekoujo smiled at Cale''s response "What a humble young man. The young ones will eventually replace us the old generation." He said with light sigh.


    Delfino then thought that it was his time to talk and said with a face full of smiles "Mr. Cale, I never knew that you were a dragon amongs men just hiding deeply from the eyes of public. How foolish Lee Wang Min was to provoke someone like you."


    Cale was speechless at the obvious ass-kissing of Delfino, but he still smiled at him and said "I''m no dragon at all Mr. Delfino, you overestimate me too much. I could not even hold a candle to the inhuman strength of Lord Wolf King."


    Delfino was still smiling brightly, but the martial arts practitioners among the group were shocked at Cale''s revelation. If what he said was indeed true, and Wolf King was many times stronger than him, then their group was definitely not something that they could afford to offend.


    "Oh by the way, I have something for you Mr. Delfino." Cale said with a bright smile. He then glanced back at Santharus who gave him five beautiful invitation letters.


    Delfino was confused, but he waited for Cale to finish talking.


    "These are invitation letters for the grand opening of Lord Wolf King''s Tyrannical Tower. He wished that he can see you during the ceremony." Cale said after giving Delfino the letters.


    "I feel honored to be invited in the grand opening of Wolf King''s Tyrannical Tower. Don''t worry little brother Cale, I will make sure that I could come during the ceremony." Delfino said while puffing his chests.


    Anton sighed in relief and he felt like a heavy boulder was lifted off his back.


    ''Good work boss! We must be on good terms with this mysterious group or we will only continue to live in hell if we made an enemy out of them.'' He thought fearfully.


    Cale smiled and continued talking with them about random stuffs and things about their businesses.


    Cale learned a lot from talking with the both of them. Even Delfino had a much greater talent in business than what he thought.


    The banquet started after the arrival of Sima Family''s former patriarch Sima Yantong.


    He opened the celebration with a long and boring speech, but the crowd of course gave face to the man. He may look like an average middle aged man, but his martial art skills was truly strong.


    "Now to make this celebration more unique, we will hold a little martial arts tournament between our companies and families. Each one can send one member from their group to join. Of course, we will give a price for the winner." Sima Yantong said smilingly.


    "A martial arts tournament eh? That sounds fun indeed. Who should our Martin Group of Companies send to fight?" Said a middle age man wearing a brown suit.


    "Sima Yantong looked confident. He might be sure that their Sima Family would win this tournament." A middle age man said while adjusting the rim of his glasses.


    "You guys sound so excited about this as well huh? Let me say the rules before we start. Each of the contestants will fight bare handed. They can use any forms of martial arts, but they should avoid hitting the eyes, the groin and the back of the head. The first one to knock down their enemies will win the match." Sima Yantong told them the rules.


    "Little brother Cale, will you join this little tournament of the Sima Family?" Old man Sekoujo asked carefully. If Cale will join the tournament, then he was one hundred percent sure that Cale will win and claim the prize. He also wanted Nogi to join the tournament not just for the prize, but also because of the advertising effect of this kind of tournament. If your group will continue winning and get the final prize, then the name of your group will be advertised along with your wins. This was an opportunity that all the presidents and chairpersons inside the ballroom were currently thinking.


    "No, I will let Santharus fight for our Tyrannical Tower." Cale shook his head and pointed at Santharus who was standing stoically behind him.


    They were quite confused by Cale''s choice. They thought that if he won''t join the tournament, then he could at least send the tall and hulking Brogen to fight. He was also the tallest and the largest man inside the ballroom. So Cale choosing Santharus made them quite perplexed, but they did not voice out their thoughts and just speculated silently.


    "Look, these people are doubting your capabilities. Show them the strength of someone from the Tyrannical Tower." Cale said as he patted Santharus'' shoulder.


    "Yes sir Cale! I will not allow them to smear the name of our Tyrannical Tower." Santharus said solemnly while saluting.


    Cale nodded his head and whispered softly "Good! I know you will win this much, but avoid using too much strength lest you will kill these fragile people inside."


    Santharus nodded his head calmly.


    Old man Sekoujo and the others heard Cale''s whispers and they instantly changed their views about Santharus. If Cale can say such things confidently, then this guy named Santharus could not be taken lightly.


    They then studied him in great detail and realized that he look as mysterious as Cale.


    "Please send your fighters on the stage to draw lots!" Sima Yantong''s loud voice interrupted their thoughts.

 Chapter 23 - First Match

    The men and women inside the grand ballroom were all people of notable backgrounds. Some were presidents of giant corporations or chairpersons of a mega company. Even some people from the underworld like Delfino were present there.


    Each of the these noteworthy groups sent their best fighters, of course with the intention to promote their brands through winning.


    "It is your turn to draw lots representative of the Taixi Temple." Sima Yantong glanced at a bald middle age man wearing clothes meant for buddhist monks. His eyes were half closed as if he was dozing off, but the moment Sima Yantong called for him, his eyes immediately sprung open with profundity.


    "Next is the representative from Ramon Corporation, Mr. Anton." Sima Yantong''s voice became a bit louder as he called for Anton. Anton is one of the best fighters inside the grand ballroom and his strength was amongst the top eight.


    Anton walked towards the stage and picked a random piece of rolled paper inside a glass bowl. He showed it to Sima Yantong before going down the stage.


    "Anton is Delfino''s strongest fighter and although he does not know any formal martial arts technique, but his pure brute strength is astonishing."


    "Yes, I also heard that Anton fought with Arlani Nguyen, a famous Muay Thai expert from Thailand. And he defeated the guy in less than three minutes."


    "That''s quite sick! How lucky Delfino is for having such a strong man as a subordinate."


    Delfino looked smug after hearing the crowd.


    ''Anton is indeed quite strong for someone in this timeline. And with a rigorous martial arts training, then he should be able to reach D-Class level in strength.'' Thought Cale as he studied Anton from afar.


    During his time in the Alliance, all of the soldier''s strengths were measured by a certain device. The Alliance only accepted soldiers who were at least E-Class in strength. People who were weaker than E-Class can only become a staff in the Alliance. But the E-Class level people during his past life can already become a top fighter in his current timeline.


    "Now, can I have the representative from the mysterious Tyrannical Tower?" Sima Yantong glanced around and saw a handsome man who was most like in his late twenties walking slowly towards the stage. His pace was full of confidence and the aura he produced was similar to that of a cheetah.


    "Isn''t he the guy together with that young man who opposed Lee Wang Min earlier?"


    "Yes it is him. Everyone among their circle looks strong. I wonder why they did not send that hulking man?"


    "That... I don''t know as well. We will only know once the tournament starts."


    "Yes you are right indeed."


    Cale smirked evilly after hearing the incessant whispers of the crowd.


    Brogen on the other hand was also in deep thought.


    ''These guys actually dare look down on Aragard Empire''s Grand Commander Santharus? They must be tired of living. If his lordship was not here and we were on our world Gallantos, then anyone who smears the name of Grand Commander Santharus will die a cruel death. Even I don''t dare take him lightly.'' Brogen thought mockingly as he glanced around the weak humans.


    The drawing of lots continued for another twenty minutes, but the crowd waited patiently and was not bothered at all. They even cancelled some of their appointments just to join the tournament, as opportunities in advertising their brand in front of the richest people in Asia was truly rare.


    There were a total of thirty two groups who sent their best fighters to participate in the tournament.


    Each of the fighters were the best of the best in Asia. And seeing them fight in a tournament was truly an exciting scene.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, we shall not waste our time and start the tournament immediately." Sima Yantong glanced at the excited crowd and announced loudly.


    "Start the tournament brother Yantong! We are very excited to see the best fighters of Asia fight in a martial arts tournament."


    "Yes, opportunities such as this only comes rarely."


    Sima Yantong smiled and answered in a loud voice through a microphone. "Since you guys are already this excited, then I shall not ruin your moods and start the tournament. For the first match! Asahi Riku from Kaito Airlines versus Beom-soo from G Max Software Corporation.


    Asahi Riku was a Japanese man in his thirties. He stood five foot and eight inches tall with well proportioned muscles. His eyes were tiny and he almost looked like he was sleeping.


    Asahi Riku was a former Mixed Martial Arts fighter but then resigned abruptly because of the sudden employment from Kaito Airlines.


    He waited for his opponent to come onto the stage while glaring at him sharply.


    His opponent, Beom-soo was a man in his late twenties, but he looked rather old because of the thick beard that covered his jaws. He looked rather lazy, but his strength was definitely the real deal. He may not be a famous professional fighter like Asahi Riku, but he was a master practitioner of Taekkyon, a traditional Korean martial art.


    Taekkyon focused on foot movements and tbe coordination between the hands and feet to create a balance. Most Taekkyon practitioners had strong striking ability and a decent level of ground grappling techniques.


    When both fighters were already on the stage, Sima Yantong then said loudly through the broadcast microphone in his hands.


    "You guys ready?"


    Both fighters nodded their heads in response.


    Sima Yantong smiled and said "First match begin!"


    Asahi Riku raised both his hands while his palms faced his opponent and his left leg was slightly raised. This was the stance for Muay Thai and he already mastered this martial art to a high degree..


    Beom-soo placed his left foot forward and raised his right hand front-handedly. His left hand was on his waist level facing the opponent back-handedly.


    This was the defensive stance of Taekkyon.


    He knew that Asahi Riku had a very strong striking ability, thus he was cautious in facing him in a frontal combat.


    Asahi Riku slowly inched towards Beom-soo while maintining his stance. He then swayed his hips to throw a powerful overhand right.


    ''Shit! I wasn''t prepared for this'' Beom-soo thought fearfully. He knew that each punch and kicks from a Muay Thai practitioner was lethal.


    He raised his left hand hastily to deflect the punch.


    Riku''s punch connected and hit opponent''s left arm, but the power from the strike made Beom-soo take several steps backwards.


    ''Tch, you will not last long if you continue to defend like this.'' Riku thought mockingly.

 Chapter 24 - Abbot White vs Zamir Yasin

    "Riku has the striking superiority, but I commend Beom-soo''s defense as well."


    "No ordinary person could receive such a strong punch."


    Beom-soo dashed towards Riku and gave him a spinning back fist. Riku smirked and ducked slightly and in the eyes of the crowd it looked like he barely evaded the punch. But in actual truth, he already calculated where the spinning back fist will hit him and evaded at the right timing.


    Beom-soo was surprised that Riku was able to evade his spinning back fist leisurely.


    "He barely evaded the spinning back fist from Beom-soo. That kind of punch would have knock him down if he was not able to duck in time."


    ''These fools. They can never comprehend the thoughts of a fighter.'' Thought Brogen in contempt after hearing the crowd''s remarks.


    Riku inched towards Beom-soo and held his shoulders firmly. He then swung his right knee forward and hit Beom-soo''s stomach severely.


    "Urggh!" Beom-soo clutched his stomach with his left hand and glared at the smiling Riku.


    Beom-soo dashed towards Riku in madness and gave him a flurry of swift punches and kicks, but Riku evaded them with ease and deflected the stronger attacks with his thick arms.


    Riku then stepped forward, spun his body backwards and threw a devastating back kick at Beom-soo.


    Beom-soo who lost his calm because of the knee attack earlier was not able to defend and his stomach was again walloped with a much greater force.


    His body was thrown in mid air after receiving the spinning back kick and dropped off the stage.


    "What the hell!? What a strong spinning back kick! It must have broke some of his ribs."


    "Nasty strike! That was quite painful."


    Sima Yantong was also amazed by the spinning back kick and praised the Kaito Airlines'' president for being able to employ such a strong subordinate.


    "First match, Asahi Riku from the Kaito Airlines wins!" Sima Yantong announed loudly causing a massive cheering from the crowd.


    "What an amazing fight! It happened so fast that I did not even blink just to catch every part of the fight. And I am impressed by both their skills, but Riku is a much better fighter and he also has a professional fighting experience. So his win was not unexpected at all." Old man Sekoujo said after puffing rings of gray smoke.


    Asahi Riku raised his right arm and smiled towards the crowd. He then walked down the stage and sat beside the president of Kaito Airlines.


    "Good job Riku! You have fought well. Rest for a moment and prepare yourself for your next fight." The middle aged president of the Kaito Airlines said with a face full of smiles.


    "Yes sir, I will not disappoint you!" Asahi Riku answered confidently.


    Sima Yantong then announced the next fight "Can I have the fighter from the Taixi Temple to come onto the stage please."


    A bald middle aged man wearing buddhist clothes went up onto the stage. He then bowed his head slightly towards Sima Yantong with both his fists pressed on each other.


    Sima Yantong nodded his head and asked with a smile "How are you today Abbot White?"


    "Amitabha, this old monk is fine. I would have not joined the fight if not for my dear friend''s request." Abbot White answered in a calm voice.


    "Oh, then I would like to thank your friend for allowing us to see a great master like you fight in this little tournament." Sima Yantong said while maintaining a professional smile.


    Abbot White did not answer him and just muttered a few incomprehensible words quietly.


    Sima Yantong then glanced at the crowd and called for the next fighter "Can I have the fighter from the Eastern Shipping Company of Iraq to come onto the stage!"


    A man on his early thirties stood up from his seat and took off his shirt.


    The man was quite tall, standing at exactly six foot tall. His muscles were thick and looked explosive. One look from him and everyone could tell that this guy specialized in boxing.


    Abbot White who was only five foot and nine iches tall was clearly at a disadvantage in reach.


    In boxing, an advantage in reach was crucial in a match. Someone with the much longer reach was usually able to send more blows than the opponent with a much shorter reach.


    Zamir Yasin was a fomer professional boxer and also a middleweight title holder. His professional boxing record was thirty five wins, zero draws and one defeat. He also had twenty seven knockdowns from all his thirty six professional matches. He was also known for his strong overhand right.


    "Both fighters, are you ready?!"


    Both Zamir Yasin and Abbot White nodded their heads in response.


    "Second match, Zamir Yasin versus Abbot White. Begin!" Sima Yantong announced loudly.


    Zamir Yasin placed his left foot farther in front of his right foot and with both arms guarding his head.


    Abbot White did not move in his position and his fists were still pressed against each other. Zamir can hear him whisper some buddhist mantras and his eyes were half closed.


    Zamir moved towards his opponent and immediately threw a straight punch. Abbot White leisurely evaded the punch by moving his head slightly. He then elbowed the outstretched arms of Zamir causing the latter to hastily take back his arms. Zamir then hopped back several times to avoid a counter attack from Abbot White.


    "This Abbot guy is quite fast and his elbow strike does a significant damage."


    "Yeah, I didn''t know monks could fight this well."


    Abbot White then pressed his fists on each other and waited for his opponent to strike.


    Zamir Yasin was provoked by Abbot White''s nonchalant expression and moved towards him while maintaining his guard.


    Abbot White did not move, but his eyes sprung open. A ray of mystery can be seen behind his brown eyes.


    All the martial art practitioners inside the grand ballroom felt a strong amount of vicious aura on the stage. They then saw the usually quiet Abbot White releasing large amounts of strong aura.


    ''This... this is... origin essence!'' Brogen thought in shock after he felt the strange energy coming out of Abbot White''s body. Although the origin essence that Abbot White released was feint, but it still shocked Brogen. He thought that in this advanced world, no one would be able to comprehend the deepest and the truest essence of martial arts.


    ''Interesting! Someone was actually able to release this much origin essence in this timeline.'' Cale thought to himself while speculating the origin of Taixi Temple. He never heard anything about this Temple during his past life and it was quite intriguing how someone with that kind of power did not emerge in their fight with the demi humans.


    ''He might have died before those demi humans came to Earth.'' Cale thought as he studied Abbot White carefully.

 Chapter 25 - Meeting Warwolf

    Zamir Yasin who was facing Abbot White felt the tremendous amount of aura his opponent released. He felt suffocated and his heart grew somewhat fearful of the man in front of him.


    ''Shit! I should do something! I don''t know what move he is trying to pull here, but if I move a bit later, then I am going to be defeated by this baldy.'' Zamir Yasin thought.


    He took a step forward, swung his hips and threw his most powerful over hand right. The air whistled as his punch approached Abbot White.


    The ordinary people who were watching the match thought that Abbot White would be defeated. They were not able to feel the enormous amount of vicious aura coming from Abbot White. All they can see was Abbot White glaring at Zamir Yasin with his fists pressed against each other.


    "Looks like the monk is going to be defeated."


    "Zamir Yasin is serious now. Whoever receives that kind of punch will instantly be put to deep sleep."


    Brogen listened to the side remarks of the crowd and he glanced at them with contempt.


    ''That punch is indeed strong for a man who can''t sense origin energy, but it still lacking if he wants to defeat that old monk.'' Brogen thought as he watched the fight.


    ''This old monk''s origin essence is weak and he can barely be considered a D-Class level. All the soldiers in the Alliance was as strong as him, but the thing is that he did not undergo the special virtual training from the Alliance. If he could, then his strength will most likely reach C-Class level.'' Cale thought to himself after seeing the small amount of origin essence coming out of Abbot White''s body.


    Origin Essence is an energy present all throughout the universe. But not everyone is capable of sensing this energy, it needs a highly talented martial arts practitioner and an enormous amount mental fortitude to be able to feel a bit of origin essence.


    In Cale''s past life, the Alliance was able to discover the origin essence after the creation of the virtual training environment. After facing countless life and death events in the virtual training environment, the soldiers of the Alliance eventually felt the origin essence naturally being sucked by their bodies.


    But even after the absorption of origin essence, their physical abilities still fell short compared to the demi humans they fought.


    As Zamir Yasin''s punch was about to hit Abbot White, the old monk suddenly released a punch of his own. But his punch contained a strong amount of origin essence.


    ''That Zamir Yasin is strong, but he was very unlucky to fight the old monk in his first match.'' Brogen thought after seeing the punch from Abbot White.


    ''His punch''s strength will increase by three times with that amount of origin essence, but it is more than enough to defeat a fighter without origin essence.'' Cale sighed in pity for Zamir Yasin.


    Both fighter''s punch collided against each other.


    Zamir Yasin face was full of shock and disbelief after feeling the strength from Abbot White''s punch.


    He felt like he punched a thick and solid metal wall. Huge amount of pain traveled from his fist towards every part of his body, making him feel numbed.


    Zamir Yasin step back several times and knelt down with one knee on his ninth step. He breathe heavily as clutched his aching right arm.


    Abbot White also took two steps back because of the impact from their punches. He looked at Zamir Yasin admiringly. To think that a fighter who can''t even sense origin energy was able to give a punch as strong as that.


    Sima Yantong already expected Abbot White to win, but he was still shocked by the amount of origin essence that Abbot White released which was almost as strong as the representative fighter of their Sima Family.


    ''This monk''s strength improved again. If his already this strong, then how strong could the guardian of the Taixi Temple be?'' Sima Yantong thought to himself as he glanced at a burly monk seating amongst the crowd.


    "Second match, Abbot White from the Taixi Temple wins!"


    Abbot White bowed his head slighty towards Zamir Yasin with his fists pressed against each other.


    The young fighter deserves this much respect.


    "You are very strong old monk, but I will defeat you the next time we fight." Zamir Yasin said with gritted teeth. The pain from his right arm was almost unbearable, if not for him being used to pain, he would have rolled on the ground earlier.


    Abbot White smiled and said "Amitabha, I shall await for that day to come."


    The bald monk went down the stage and disregarded the shock looks of the crowd and sat beside another bald monk, but this monk was more burly and looked much stronger than Abbot White.


    "Amitabha, I already expected your win my dear friend. But that young man was quite strong as well."


    Abbot White nodded his head and muttered Buddhist mantras quietly.


    The crowd''s cheerful shouts traveled around the grand ballroom.


    "What a strong monk! Is it really true that they practice some sort of martial art that strengthens the physical body?" Asked Delfino in a bit of shock.


    ''That energy, it is the same to the energy that I have been gathering unconsciously during my training sessions.'' Anton thought as he clenched his fists tightly.


    "For the third match, can I have the fighter from Gondai Motors to come onto the stage please!" Sima Yantong did not allow the crowd to have a breather.


    A young man in his mid twenties went up the stage.


    This young man was also a famous fighter from the underworld. His bronze body glimmed because of the the light inside the grand ballroom.


    "Can I also have the fighter from Mega Soft Corporation to come onto the stage please!"


    The fighter from Mega Soft Corporation was a young man in his early twenties with tattoos all over his body. His long wavy hair gave him an untamed atmosphere.


    Cale who saw the man was stupefied and a bright smile can be seen on his handsome face.


    ''To think that I will see a member of my Phantom Wolf Squad here. Fate is truly helping me greatly in this life.'' Cale was inwardly happy and glanced at the man with long wavy hair with a nostalgic gaze.


    This man''s name was Lang Xunfu, but Cale preferred calling him as Warwolf.


    Warwolf was a strong A-Class level fighter in his past life. He specialized in tracking and reconnaissance. The man was also skilled in hand to hand combat and markmanship.


    His strength was fifth in the entire Phantom Wolf Squad excluding Cale.

 Chapter 26 - Nangong Jun

    "What an aggresive looking young man, Nangong Lanjiang looked like a little cub if compared to this man."


    "Yes, Nangong Lanjiang might be a strong fighter himself, but I also feel that he can''t defeat the representative from Mega Soft Corporation if they were to have a fight."


    Nangong Lanjiang who heard the chattering crowd looked angry. Thick veins popped up from his face, but he did not dare shout at them, as this were people with great and notable backgrounds. Even their Nangong Family won''t be able to defend their joint attack. He also did not want to show a bad image in front of Sima Ying as he still had plans of pursuing her.


    Sima Ying was still as cold and emotionless as always. Even the shocking display of strength by Abbot White did not garner much changes in her expression.


    It was nothing compared to the aura produced by Cale momentarily. It was like comparing a bright full moon''s light to the light produced by a firefly. Even the arrogant Lee Wang Min almost peed his pants in fear after facing that intense aura.


    "Third match, Allen Mallari versus Lang Xunfu! Begin!" Sima Yantong''s loud announcement made the crowd stop their chattering. They focused their gazes intently on the stage, afraid that they might miss a part of the coming fight.


    Allen Mallari was a man with no martial art background, but his strength was well known in the Asian underworld.


    Warwolf studied his opponent carefully. Although he knew that he was much stronger than Allen Mallari, he still did not show any hint of carelessness, for fists and kicks had no eyes. A moment of carelessness will spell someone''s defeat.


    ''Warwolf is already at C-Class level without the training from the virtual training environment. Without Santharus joining this tournament, he might have been the winner.'' Cale thought quietly.


    Allen Mallari dashed towards Warwolf with a crazed look. He swung his right fist with his full strength and threw it towards Warwolf.


    ''He is not even as strong as Zamir Yasin.'' Brogen thought as he shook his head.


    Warwolf evaded Allen Mallari''s punch with great ease and gave him a nasty kick to the stomach.


    Allen Mallari dropped to the ground. The strong kick made him go unconscious.


    "What a strong young man! He might be the person who will contend with the Sima Family''s representative for the championship in this tournament."


    "I am not sure with that. There is still the representative fighter from the Nangong Family. But this young man is indeed strong."


    "Third match, Lang Xunfu from Mega Soft Corporation wins!" Sima Yantong announced Warwolf''s victory loudly.


    "Oh, this guy is also quite strong, Nangong Jun might have a harder time in defeating him." Nangong Lanjiang said nonchalantly after sipping a small amount of wine from his glass in a noble manner.


    Sima Ying just nodded her head in response, her gaze was still focused on the stage.


    "Young miss Ying, who do you think will win in this tournament?" Asked Nangong Lanjiang while enjoying the side profile of Sima Ying.


    Sima Ying did not even bother glancing at him and just answered in an emotionless voice while pointing at Santharus "That man from the Tyrannical Tower will win this tournament."


    Nangong Lanjiang almost spat the wine from his mouth and he hastily swallowed it.


    He coughed once and said in an embarassed tone "Do you not believe that your brother Sima Fenglun will win against him?"


    Sima Ying shook her head and focused her gaze on the stage again.


    Nangong Lanjiang was speechless and just focused his gaze on the stage.


    "For the fourth match, can I have the fighter from the Russian Unified Bank to come on to the stage please!" Sima Yantong called loudly.


    A white man with blonde hair who stood 6 foot and three inches tall stood up from his seat. He took of his branded Tuxedo and the crowd was awed by his well built muscles.


    "And the fighter from the Nangong Family, please come onto the stage!"


    Nangong Jun was Nangong Lanjiang''s cousin and he was also one of the best fighters of the Nangong Family. He can even defeat some of the elders in the Nangong Family.


    ''His strength is at C-Class level. Interesting!'' Thought Cale after glancing at Nangong Jun briefly.


    "Both fighters, are you guys ready?!" Asked Sima Yantong loudly.


    They both nodded their heads in response.


    "Fourth match, Demetrio Maras versus Nangong Jun! Begin!" After Sima Yantong announced the beginning of the match, Nangong Jun dashed with great speed towards his opponent.


    Demetrio Maras was caught unprepared, but he hastily guarded his head with his thick arms.


    Nangon Jun jumped high, spun three hundred and sixty degrees in mid air and threw a vicious kick aiming for his opponent''s left temple area.


    Nangon Jun used the force from his spin to multiply the strength of his kick.


    "What a flashy kick! And the strength produced from that kick is not something any normal fighter could withstand." Old man Sekoujo said rubbing his beard.


    Delfino who was beside him nodded his head in respone and continued watching the fight with unblinking eyes.


    Demetrio Maras did not have the time to evade the kick, so he adjusted his left arm to receive the kick.


    "Bang!"


    Demetrio Maras took a dozen steps backward. His head felt groggy and his vision became blurry.


    Nangon Jun gracefully landed on the stage and dashed towards Demetrio Maras again. He then sent the man flying outside the stage with a very strong blow to his face.


    The match was finished in less than twenty seconds before the crowd could even swallow the excitement in their hearts.


    "The Nangong Family produced yet another strong fighter. He did not bring shame to the Nangong Family at all."


    Nangong Lanjiang''s face was full of smiles after hearing the crowd, and it made him feel proud and more confident.


    He glanced at Sima Ying, but she still sat on her seat emotionlessly.


    Nangong Lanjiang sighed and shook his bitterly with a helpless smile.


    ''What a cold woman. But this can''t stop me in pursuing you Sima Ying. Instead, this made my heart more pumped up.'' He thought eagerly while looking at her side profile with longingness.


    "Fourth match, Nangong Jun from the Nangong Family wins!" Sima Yantong announced loudly causing a loud cheering to erupt from the crowd.

 Chapter 27 - Antons Strength

    "That Nangong Jun was much stronger than I thought. He knocked down his opponent in less than twenty seconds." Old man Sekoujo said in surprise.


    "Yeah, he will most likely compete in the semi final or even the final round." Delfino said after giving it a thought.


    "What are your thoughts little brother Cale? Who do you think will win in this tournament?" Asked old man Sekoujo to the silent Cale.


    Cale glanced at him with a smile and replied "No one can defeat someone from the Tyrannical Tower, Mr. Sekoujo."


    "Oh, do you think this gentleman here would win against the fighter from the Sima Family? Aside from the Sima Family''s fighter, there are a lot of strong fighters as well. Take for example Nangon Jun, and that Lang Xunfu guy. Even the bald monk from earlier looked strong. Nogi here might even defeat your representative little brother Cale." Old man Sekouko said cheekily after puffing round smokes in the air.


    Brogen who was listening at the side almost laughed at old man Sekoujo''s words. ''Old man, you don''t know how strong Santharus is. I doubt if he even needs to use a tenth of his strength in this tournament.'' He thought in contempt inwardly.


    "We will see the results later on." Cale smiled at them and focused his gaze on the stage again.


    "For the fifth match! Can I have the fighter from the Ramon Corporation to come onto the stage please!" Sima Yantong called loudly.


    Anton stood up from his seat and walked towards the stage.


    "Good luck Anton! I know you will win this fight." Delfino said as he patted Anton''s shoulder.


    "Good luck Mr. Anton!" Old man Sekoujo said with a smile.


    "Good luck!" Cale said calmly.


    Anton waved his right hand as he walked towards the stage.


    "Can I have the fighter from the Imperio Heavy Industry to come onto stage please!"


    A man in his late twenties who was also five foot and eight inches tall walked towards the stage calmly.


    ''This guy...'' Cale thought after looking at the fighter from the Imperio Heavy Industry.


    "Both fighters, are you guys ready?" Sima Yantong asked the two fighters in a loud voice.


    Both of the fighters nodded their heads in response.


    When Sima Yantong saw them nod their heads, he announced the beginning of the match. "Fifth match, Anton Sanchez versus Stephian Perez! Begin!"


    Anton did not practice any form of martial art, but his brute strength was terrifying.


    Stephian Perez did not dare take his opponent lightly, for Anton''s name was truly too famous in Asia''s top echelons.


    Anton calmly walked towards Stephian Perez while cracking his knuckles. The former then said with a taunting smile "Are you attacking or not?"


    Stephian Perez remained calm and forced himself to stay composed. He knew that Anton was merely attacking him psychologically.


    "How boring." Anton''s face was full of disappointment as he said that.


    He then sprinted towards Stephian Perez and launched a flying kick.


    ''What a straightforward man. No flashy moves, but just natural combat style.'' Stephian Perez thought as he evaded the flying kick with a bit of difficulty.


    Anton''s flying kick missed but he followed it up with a flurry of strong punches.


    Stephian Perez used his thick arms to block the punches. He then took a step back, turned around and kicked with his full strength.


    Anton''s eyes flashed with surprise after feeling the origin essence coming out of Stephien Perez'' body. Although it was much weaker than his own, but it will still deal a substantial amount of damage if he was careless.


    "Good! Now, I will fight you seriously!" Anton laughed in excitement.


    Stephian Perez felt that the atmosphere around Anton was slowly changing. He felt a strong amount of origin essence covering Anton''s entire body.


    ''C-Class level in strength and it is almost at B-Class. How lucky Delfino is for having such a man among his ranks.'' Thought Cale after feeling the large amounts of origin essence from Anton.


    Brogen who was standing behind Cale shook his head and thought ''Anton''s strength is just a small step away from B-Class while his opponent''s strength is only at D-Class. He won''t last longer than a minute.''


    Anton charged towards Stephian Perez with a speed that was much faster than before.


    Stephian Perez threw a leg kick, but then Anton jumped lightly to avoid it and threw a kick straight towards Stephien Perez'' face.


    Stephien Perez hurriedly put up his guard, but the blow made him take several steps back.


    Delfino looked calm on the surface, but he was inwardly worried about the results of the match.


    Anton did not give his opponent a time to breathe and threw attacks in every angle.


    Stephian tried evading the attacks, but he was still hit several times. He also threw attacks of his own, but Anton calmly evaded them.


    ''Shit! This guy is too strong despite not knowing even the most basic of martial arts.'' Stephian Perez thought bitterly.


    Anton was unaware of Stephian Perez'' thoughts and just sent blows after blows.


    ''It is time.'' Anton saw that his opponent''s defense was wavering. He then disappeared in front of opponent and appeared at his side.


    ''It is over.'' Brogen thought.


    Anton threw a punch aiming for his opponent''s temple area. Stephian Perez did not have the time to block the attack and was hit with a loud.. "Bang!"


    Stephian Perez body was thrown outside the stage.


    Delfino raised his fist upwards and smiled widely from ear to ear.


    "Fifth match, Anton Sanchez from the Ramon Corporation wins!"


    Anton smiled towards the crowd and waved his hands. He then went down the stage and walked towards his boss proudly.


    "Tch, I didn''t know that Anton was this strong." Nangon Jun said in a dissatisfied voice.


    Sima Ying nodded her head slightly, still drowning in her own thoughts.


    "Good job Anton!" Delfino said loudly while patting Anton''s back with a wide smile on his fat face.


    "Congratulations on your victory Mr. Anton." Old man Sekoujo said with a benign smile.


    Cale made eye contact with him and he raised his thumbs up with smile.


    Anton smiled in response and glanced at the mysterious Santharus who will be representing the Tyrannical Tower.


    He can''t feel any hint of origin essence from the man, but the air of mystery around him was thick.

 Chapter 28 - One Punch

    The tournament continued for over an hour until it was finally time for Nogi to fight.


    "For the eleventh match, can I have the fighter from Diamond Paradise Hotel and Casino to come onto the stage please!"


    "It is finally my time to fight." Nogi said while stretching his shoulders.


    Old man Sekoujo patted his back and said "Just do your best out there Nogi."


    The others also told him good luck.


    Sima Yantong called Nogi''s opponent and announced the beginning of the match after he saw that they were ready.


    "Mr. Sekoujo, as what I can see so far, Mr. Nogi is using a form of military boxing. He was a soldier previously, right? And not just an average soldier, but a higher ranked one at that." Cale said cheekily as he glanced the old man.


    "Nothing can truly escape your eyes, little brother Cale. Nogi was indeed an elite soldier, and he was working under me before my resignation." Old man Sekoujo said after laughing lightly.


    Delfino and Anton who were listening at side were quite surprised to know that Nogi was a former elite soldier.


    They then saw him thrashing his opponent on the stage with his military boxing. His speed was also astonishing for someone with thick muscles.


    After a little more than a minute, his opponent could no longer bear the punches from Nogi and collapsed on the stage.


    "Eleventh match, Nogi from the Diamond Paradise Hotel and Casino wins!" Sima Yantong announced loudly.


    The crowed erupted into a loud cheering. All of old man Sekoujo''s friends and business partners congratulated him for Nogi''s victory.


    It was truly an honor to gain a victory in this tournament in front of all the most reputable people of Asia.


    Cale and the others also congratulated the old man and Nogi for their victory.


    "For the twelfth match, can I have the fighter from the Tyrannical Tower to come onto the stage please!"


    Cale smiled widely and patted Santharus'' shoulders.


    Delfino and the others gave him their good lucks.


    And a lot of eyes immediately focused on Santharus.


    The guy is the representative fighter of the mysterious Tyrannical Tower. And they were truly dying to know the strength of Santharus.


    Anton''s eyes flashed with strange lights as he focused his gaze on Santharus who was moving towards the stage.


    Sima Ying locked her gaze on the man who was walking towards the stage and her face showed a trace of expectation.


    Nangong Lanjiang saw the slight change in her countenance. He followed her gaze and he saw that her sight was following Santharus. He clenched his fist and felt angry that a man was able to make Sima Ying''s cold face change.


    "He is just acting mysterious and hyping up the atmosphere. What an imposter." Nangong Lanjiang said mockingly.


    Sima Ying glanced at him and said in an impassive voice "Sir Nangon Lanjiang, that man is not someone you could afford to offend. And the group he is representing is very mysterious. And amongst their group, I can feel that he is not even the strongest."


    Nangong Lanjiang was shock that Sima Ying could actually give a lengthy reply, but he did not listen to the words she said and just continued to admire her beautiful face.


    "Yes! I agree young miss Ying." Nangong Lanjiang nodded his head and smiled elegantly towards her.


    Sima Ying sighed inwardly and ignored Nangong Lanjiang. She then shifted her focus on the stage and did not bother to reply Nangong Lanjiang words.


    All the fighters participating in the tournament also looked intently at Santharus.


    "That guy, do you think he can compete with Sima Fenglun and Nangon Jun?"


    "I am not entirely sure, but he looked like an expert. He should be able to fight them."


    "You overestimate him, he is just slightly mysterious, that''s all."


    Brogen could barely hold back his laughter to erupt and coughed twice to prevent himself from doing so.


    ''You group of fools! He can decimate all of you in seconds if he used his full strength!'' He laughed inwardly.


    Cale glanced at him and asked with a slight smile "Is there something wrong Brogen?"


    Brogen shook his head and said "Nothing sir Cale!"


    Cale smiled and shifted his gaze on the stage.


    "Can I have the fighter from the Situ Family to come on the stage please!"


    A man in his late twenties went up the stage. His name was Situ Shenlong, and also the most promising fighter from the Situ Family.


    The Situ Family was a famous martial arts family in the western part of China. Although they did not have a lot of businesses like the Nangong and Sima Families, but their reputation in the field of martials was even better than both the Nangong and the Sima Family.


    Situ Shenlong enjoyed the admiring gazes of the crowd and walked towards the stage with a face full of confidence.


    Sima Yantong smiled after seeing that both fighters were already on the stage. He then thought to himself ''We can finally gauge the strength level of this Santharus. Even Sima Fenlong will have a hard time defeating Situ Shenlong.''


    "Both fighters, are you guys ready?" Sima Yantong asked them loudly. He was also excited about the outcome of this match.


    Situ Shenlong smiled and nodded his head, while Santharus just nodded his head calmly.


    "For the twelfth match! Santharus versus Situ Shenlong! Begin!"


    Santharus did not move and just glanced at Situ Shenlong impassively. The latter was not bothered by his act and showed everyone the fancy stance of Situ Family''s martial art.


    Situ Shenlong then curled his right hand and motioned Santharus to come towards him.


    He smiled at Santharus tauntingly while maintaining his stance.


    Brogen shook his head in pity and thought to himself ''What an idiot. Of all the people you can choose to provoke, you ended up choosing Santharus. Poor kid.''


    Situ Shenlong was still occupied by his own vanity and he did not even realize that Santharus was already beside him.


    Santharus threw a punch which looked very weak to any onlookers, but the strong martial artists inside the grand ballroom felt the monstrous energy hidden behind the punch.


    Situ Shelong''s smile froze and was not even able to utter a cry of pain before his body was thrown out of the stage.


    Sima Yantong''s jaw dropped to the ground in shock. It was not just him, but all the people inside the grand ballroom were shock at this one punch victory.


    Sima Yantong coughed and announced in a loud voice "For the twelfth match, Santharus from the Tyrannical Tower wins!"

 Chapter 29 - The Second Round

    The people from the Situ Family were shocked and their eyes look liked giant saucers about to popped out of their sockets. Their mouths opened widely enough for an egg to fit inside.


    They wanted to explain that Situ Shenlong was just careless, but their throats lost the strength to speak.


    They saw everything that happened on the stage. The man who defeated Situ Shenlong was not weak at all. His strength gave them chills and it was even stronger than the ones they felt from their patriarch.


    ''This guy is a monster!'' They thought fearfully in their minds.


    "Di... Did he... he just teleport?" Delfino asked in extreme surprise as he pointed towards Santharus who was standing calmly on the stage while looking at the people who doubted him earlier. His gaze was full of condescension as he glanced at the people below the stage.


    Old man Sekoujo wanted to speak, but no words came out of his mouth and he just opened and closed them from time to time.


    Nangon Lanjiang stood up from his seat in surprise and the chair he sat on dropped to the ground, but no one even noticed it as their focus was on the man calmly standing on the stage with a disdainful smile hanging on his face.


    Anton and the other fighters felt a strong feeling of powerlessness when they realized that the gap between them and the man was insurmountable. They sighed and bitterly shook their heads in dejection.


    Sima Fenglun smiled weakly and he produced and helpless sigh.


    Santharus went down the stage calmly and walked towards Cale. He then saluted Cale while bowing his head slightly.


    Cale patted Santharus'' shoulders with a bright smile plastered on his handsome face. "Good job Santharus!"


    Delfino and the others also congratulated him with forced smiles on their faces.


    ''This guy is like a Grim Reaper who can leisurely appear and take the lives of any humans.'' The fear made their hairs stand on end.


    "For the thirteenth match! Can I have..." Sima Yantong loud voice helped the crowd alleviate their messy thoughts and feelings.


    The match continued like usual, but there was no one punch victory like Santharus'' fight.


    The thirteenth and the fourteenth match were among fighters with same strength levels.


    And both fights made them go back to their usual calm and noble selves.


    "For the fifteenth match! Can I have Sima Fenglun on the stage please!" Hearing Sima Fenglun''s name made the crowd erupt into a loud cheering.


    "Sima Fenglun!"


    "Sima Fenglun!"


    "Sima Fenglun!"


    The crowd chanted his name in idolization.


    Even after seeing the strength of Santharus, some people''s admiration for Sima Fenglun did not diminish even a tiny bit.


    Sima Fenglun waved his hand while smiling brightly towards the audience.


    "Can I also have the fighter from the Rabmonovich Electronic Corporation to come onto the stage please!"


    A white man with short blonde hair went up the stage. He may look calm on the surface, but the strong martial artists could see his slightly trembling hands.


    "Both fighters, are you guys ready?!"


    Both fighters nodded their heads and Sima Yantong announced the beginning of the match loudly.


    "Before the match even began, he already lost." Cale shook his head in disappointment.


    Old man Sekoujo nodded his head in agreement. He also saw the trembling hands of the blonde man.


    And indeed, after exchanging less than fifteen blows, the blonde man collapsed on the stage.


    "For the fifteenth match! Sima Fenglun from the Sima Family wins!" Sima Yantong''s voice carried a hint of proudness as he announced Sima Fenglun''s victory.


    "Sima Fenglun''s strength increased again."


    "What a genius!"


    "Yeah! The Sima Family produced yet another young dragon!"


    Cale studied Sima Fenglun and was a bit shock when he saw the body constitution of the man. ''What a waste! This guy''s talent for martial art is so high, but the Sima Family did not have the technology to support him and maximize his talents! What a pity! He might even reach S-Class level if he had the opportunity.''


    The first round of the tournament ended after the sixteenth match.


    "I will now announce the beginning of the second round! For the first match Asahi Riku versus Abbot White!" Sima Yantong''s passionate voice caused the crowd''s excitement to soar.


    A bald monk went up the stage with his fists pressed against each other. He was still mumbling Buddhist mantras while his eyes were half closed.


    Asahi Riku went up the stage with a determined gaze. He knew that this kind of opportunity only comes once in a blue moon. And the chance to fight the best fighters in the world was truly a great honor for a warrior like him.


    Both fighters stood facing each other. The other looked like a savage beast hungry for blood, and the other was like a calm and collected predator who will instantly bare its fangs at the sight of its prey.


    "Both fighters, are you guys ready?!"


    Sima Yantong announced the fight to begin after seeing them nod their heads in response.


    Asahi Riku did not waste his time and attacked aggressively at the moment that the match began.


    His strong leg kicks and elbow attacks were lethal and even Abbot White looked careful in avoiding them.


    Abbot White knew that if he continued to hide his strength then he will surely suffer terribly from Asahi Riku''s strong blows.


    His eyes sprung open with wisdom and the air around him began to tremble.


    ''B-Class strength level. Oh, looks like the bald monk is finally serious.'' Cale watch the fight eagerly while also studying both fighters.


    ''How come I did not see these strong fighters in my previous life? And there are a lot of them inside this room.'' Seeds of doubt began to form inside Cale''s heart.


    He became even more mystified about what happened behind the scenes. Could it be that these fighters died before even the war began? Or were they killed in the war?


    No one could answer the questions popping inside Cale''s head and he can only slowly uncover the truth with his new chance in life.

 Chapter 30 - Unexpected

    Asahi Riku''s attack did not stop, instead it became even stronger and faster. He was slowly evolving as the fight went on!


    "This kid! His talent in martial art is not far behind Nangon Jun."


    "Yeah, if he can have the resources and the training sessions from those renowned martial art families, then his strength will surely climb faster."


    Abbot White shouted in anger and threw a swift punch to Asahi Riku that hit the latter squarely in the face. Asahi Riku took a few steps backwards, but he sprinted and continued his aggressive assault on Abbot White.


    ''What an unyielding kid!'' Abbot White inwardly admired the courage of Asahi Riku.


    ''He broke through the B-Class level, but he still lacks a bit if he wants to defeat that bald monk. But who knows...'' Cale felt the sudden increase in strength from Asahi Riku''s blows.


    Only talented warriors with strong wills can break thought during fights.


    Fierce lights burned in Asahi Riku eyes and his speed doubled. His blows became even more unpredictable that even Abbot White could hardly defend them.


    Abbot White step back twice and moved his hands in a circular motion. Time seemed to slow down a bit after he showed that stance.


    The burly monk below the stage sighed and shook his head. ''Oh well, at least I can see the strength of our Yin Yang Fist in a live combat.''


    The large amounts of origin essence in Abbot White''s body traveled on his fists.


    Asahi Riku smiled in excitement and produced a loud battle cry that surprised Abbot White.


    Asahi Riku dashed towards Abbot White, while the latter suddenly threw his Yin Yang Fist towards the approaching Asahi Riku.


    Asahi Riku smiled and somersaulted in mid air before delivering a kick which made the air on the stage erratic.


    Abbot White was surprised at the sudden attack and he hastily changed the direction of his Yin Yang Fist.


    The kick and the punch collided and produced a very loud...


    "Bang!"


    Both fighters were thrown from the impact. Abbot White landed with his ass on the ground, while Asahi Riku spun in mid air to minimize the impact and landed on the stage gracefully.


    The burly monk below the stage sighed in regret and mumbled softly "This should serve as a lesson for him."


    "For the first fight of the second round, Asahi Riku from the Kaito Airlines wins!" Sima Yantong loudly announced the unexpected result of the match.


    The crowd went into an uproar at the upsetting defeat of Abbot White.


    "What a match! Abbot White was careless, but Asahi Riku also showed a spectacular display of strength."


    The people from the Kaito Airlines were clapping loudly as they listened to the crowd''s admiring comments towards Asahi Riku.


    ''That man''s battle will is a lot stronger than many soldiers in the Alliance. If only I could recruit these men to fight with me against those demi humans.'' Cale sighed with regret as he watched Asahi Riku who raised both his fists upwards, obviously proud and happy at his victory.


    "Anything can happen in a fight and it is not always the stronger party that wins." Old man Sekoujo exhaled gray smokes after he said that.


    Nogi and the others nodded in agreement.


    During a war, strategy can help the weaker party win against the stronger one. And a talented tactician was a vital part in times of war.


    "For the second match of the second round! Can I have Nogi from the Diamond Paradise Hotel and Casino and Nangong Jun from the Nangong Family to come onto the stage please!"


    Nogi stood up from his seat with a resolute face. He knew that it was time to show the sharp fangs of an elite soldier. And he wasn''t a coward who retreats at the sight of any foe. No matter how strong or weak they are.


    They were trained to adapt to any kind of environment and their wills were a lot stronger than most fighters.


    Nagong Jun smiled condescendingly at Nogi as he waited for Sima Yantong to announce the start of their fight.


    Nogi was not bothered by Nagong Jun''s arrogance. A serene look can be seen on the former''s face. Strong amounts of origin essence gushed out from him and it climbed faster and faster. The amount of origin essence slowly materialized  and slowed down after it reach C-Class level. Nogi''s sudden eruption in strength only stopped at the peak of B-Class level.


    The smile on Nangon Jun''s face froze and his mouth trembled in fear.


    Nogi slowly walked towards the surprised Nangon Jun with calm and steady steps.


    The Nangong Family''s patriarch below the stage shook his head in dissatisfaction at Nangong Jun''s embarrassing actions.


    Nagon Jun swallowed a mouthful of saliva and hastily calmed himself down.


    "Both fighters, are you guys ready?!"


    Nogi nodded his head calmly, while Nangong Jun nodded in a bit of worry.


    "Second match! Nogi versus Nangong Jun, begin!"


    Nangong Jun initiated the fight with swift punches, but Nogi calmly swatted each of the punch with one hand. Nangong Jun grew angry and threw a spinning back kick with all his strength. Nogi raised his right hand and leisurely caught Nangong Jun''s foot. He then raised his left arm and threw a strong punch towards Nangong Jun''s handsome face.


    ''Fuck! This guy intends to destroy my handsome face!'' Nangong Jun thought in anger after barely evading the punch by moving his head at the side.


    He then kicked Nogi with his free foot, that made the latter let go of the Nangon Jun''s foot that was on his grasp.


    Nangong Jun punched and kicked while moving out of Nogi''s range. Nogi evaded the attacks as he followed Nangon Jun, not allowing the guy to move out of his range.


    ''What a persistent guy! Fuck!'' Nangong Jun was sweating buckets and his strength was slowly being drained from constantly attacking Nogi.


    Nogi then dashed with a much greater speed and arrived in front of Nangong Jun, greatly shocking the latter. Nogi threw punches on Nangong Jun and hit him several times despite his hasty evasion.


    Every hit from Nogi was heavy and Nangong Jun slowly became listless. Punches rained down towards Nangong Jun and his bruised body finally collapsed after receiving the ninth consecutive punch.


    Nangong Jun fell on the ground face first and his ass pointed towards the ceiling. What an embarrassing defeat!


    "For the second match of the second round, Nogi from the Diamond Paradise Hotel and Casino wins!"

 Chapter 31 - Deep Hatred

    The grand ballroom of Grand Lisboa was again engulfed by a loud cheering from the crowd. And the funny thing is that the people making the loud noise inside were actually presidents, chairpersons and CEOs of large companies all around Asia.


    Even people like them enjoyed the battles of the top fighters in Asia.


    Nogi''s victory was followed by a loud clapping and shouting from the crowd.


    The Nangong Family below the stage looked dejected and the Nangong Family''s patriarch sat weakly on his chair as he glanced at Nangong Jun who was still sprawled on the stage in an embarrassing position.


    "Go get Jun-er out of the stage. Move!" He glared at the people who was together with him and told them to get Nangong Jun off the stage.


    The servants of the Nangong Family swiftly carried their young master out of the stage and brought him towards the clinic outside to get some medication.


    Old man Sekoujo stroke his beard while glancing smugly at Cale and Delfino.


    Cale smiled at the old man, while Delfino forced himself to not punch the old man''s  complacent face.


    "For the third match, can I have Anton Sanchez from the Ramon Corporation and Amir Atsila from the Ralujah Petroleum Corporation Limited to come onto the stage please!"


    Anton went up the stage while flexing his muscles. A dark-skinned man with well defined muscles stood opposite him.


    Amir Atsila was famous in India for being a champion in an underground arena. The fighters in that arena fight with bare knuckles and to become a champion in that sort of environment tells the strength of Amir Atsila.


    Before the match even began, Amir Atsila was already glaring at Anton. The latter looked nonchalant and stared back at the former with a taunting smile.


    ''Another peak level C-Class fighter, where did these strong people come from? How come no one in the Alliance discovered these people?'' Cale''s doubt continued to grow. He was now sure that somethingmust have  happened to these fighters before the demi humans invaded Earth. But as to what happened to them, even Cale can only speculate and theorize.


    Sima Yangtong announced the beginning of the match loudly.


    Anton was B-Class level fighter, and although he was stronger than Amir Atsila, he lacked the techniques to support his strength.


    Amir Atsila on the other hand have mastered Muay Thai at a very young age, so the results of the match was truly unknown.


    The two fighters exchanged wild blows after blows. Neither of them stopped from throwing devastating blows and the result was a brutal fist fight between the two.


    Both of them received injuries from their violent exchange, but the strength behind their punches did not weaken even one bit.


    "What the hell!? This isn''t a fight amongst fighters anymore, but a battle against two wild animals."


    "Those two are like savage beasts tearing against each other!"


    Amir Atsala was used to this kind of savage fight, but he was surprised that Anton was able to remain standing and the strength behind the guy''s punch only became stronger and stronger as the fight went on.


    ''He is still not using his full strength! Dammit!'' Amir Atsila''s biceps grew a bit larger. He threw elbows attacks and knee kicks from time to time.


    Anton with a savage smile on his face shouted at the of his lungs "Bring it on!"


    Amir Atsila grew a bit fearful at the craziness of his opponent. It was his first time facing an opponent who grows a lot stronger after receiving damage.


    Before Anton was taken by Delfino as a subordinate, he led a life full of misery and hardship.


    He was a son of a rich couple, but his parents provoked a man from the underworld.


    The man was a leader of the biggest syndicate group in Germany. Their group dealt with all sorts of illegal dealings and his parents happened to have borrowed a sum of money from the man.


    When it was about time to pay for the money they owe, that man tripled the price which angered his father greatly.


    The young Anton watched from above their mansion as his father was badly being beaten up by that man''s underlings. He also saw the lifeless look of his mother who was being raped by multiple men.


    One of his father''s most trusted subordinate brought him away from the mansion to escape.


    They were able to run far away from the mansion, but Anton saw the man who saved him suddenly collapsed on the ground.


    Unending streams of blood flowed out from a huge hole on his stomach.


    Anton watched as the man died slowly and he can still recall the last words of his father''s subordinate as he looked at the young Anton with a soft gaze full of affection.


    "Con...continue li... iving.... you... young ma...master."


    The bloodied hand of his father''s subordinate dropped to the ground as the light slowly escaped from his eyes.


    ''I will never stop until I kill that man!!!'' Deep hatred poured out of Anton''s heart after he remembered his hellish childhood and the man that caused it all.


    Anton''s eyes burned savagely and his attacks became even more brutal. He did not even flinch after receiving multiple attacks from Amir Atsila and just continued his onslaught.


    ''What in the actual fuck is wrong with this guy?!'' Amir Atsila trembled unknowingly. And he finally felt the severity of Anton''s attacks.


    Even his body which was continuously strengthened from his brutal fights felt heavier than usual.


    "Brogen, the moment Amir Atsila is knocked down, go on the stage and get him before Anton can kill him." Cale''s grave voice traveled towards the people around him. And they were shock at his sudden order to Brogen.


    "Yes sir Cale!" Brogen also felt the change of Anton and he knew that something must have happened with his consciousness to suddenly become like a frenzied beast.


    Amir Atsila was not able to evade a punch towards his jaw and the attack knocked him down on the ground.


    Anton was not on his right mind and was about to deliver another deadly punch, but a huge hand suddenly grabbed his fist, instantly dispelling the strength on that punch. It felt like he punched a huge cotton pillow.


    "Sir Sima Yantong, Amir Atsila can no longer continue fighting." Brogen''s deep voice made the crowd break away from their dazed state.


    Sima Yantong hastily cleared his throat in shock.


    The fire in Anton''s eyes vanished and was replaced by an exhausted look.


    "I...I''m...."


    "For the third match, Anton from the Ramon Corporation wins!" Sima Yantong''s voice stopped Anton from saying another word.


    He just glanced at Brogen with gratitude and hurriedly went towards Amir Atsila who was still knocked out cold on the ground. He was relieved that the man only received huge bruises and nothing more severe.

 Chapter 32 - Arrogant Young Man

    The crowd was excited at the savage exchange between Anton and Amir Atsila, and they didn''t even realize that the latter almost died in that fight.


    The crowd cheered loudly despite their shock about Brogen''s sudden appearance on the stage.


    "Anton is truly as strong as the rumors!"


    "Yeah! With him behind Delfino, that fatso will live a life full of luxury."


    Brogen brought the unconscious Amir Atsila on the clinic outside to get treated and Anton who was obviously feeling guilty followed after him.


    Nogi and old man Sekoujo stared at their backs with complicated gazes and the way they looked at Brogen was like they were looking at an ancient predator with unknown strength.


    They did not feel Brogen''s presence at all when he jumped on the stage to save Amir Atsila. Now, they were puzzled about the group behind these strong individuals. Who could rally this kind of strong force?


    The second round of the tournament continued like usual. In the fourth match, Lang Xunfu defeated his opponent in less than one minute with his superior striking ability. And on the seventh match, Sima Fenglun defeated his opponent after exchanging ten blows with him.


    "For the eigth match, can I have Santharus from the Tyrannical Tower and...."


    "Finally it is his time to fight again, but I doubt if his opponent could last longer than the fighter from the Situ Family."


    "Ten million dollars! Santharus will defeat his opponent in one move!"


    "Who the hell is this prodigal asshole?!"


    "Sure five million dollars!"


    "Seriously!?"


    Sima Yantong announced the match to begin and the crowd instantly focused their gaze on the stage.


    "You might have defeated Situ Shenlong in one move, but I am not the sa-" Before his opponent could even finish what he was saying, Santharus threw him flying out of the stage in a single normal looking punch.


    Sima Yantong''s mouth gaped in shock and it took him several seconds before he was able to announce the results.


    "For the eighth match, Santharus from the Tyrannical Tower wins!"


    "Haha! Give me your five million dollars you fool!"


    "What the hell are you talking about? I don''t remember betting with you at all!"


    "You... You-"


    Santharus calmly walked towards Cale and stood behind him like nothing significant happened.


    "Let''s not waste time an-" Before Sima Yantong could even finish his announcement, a loud laughter stopped him from doing so.


    The crowd looked for the source of the loud laughter amd thought to themselves ''Who the hell is this tired of living to embarrass the former patriarch of the Sima Family like that?!''


    At the entrance of the grand ballroom, they saw a blonde young man holding a wine glass while looking mockingly at Sima Yantong.


    "Uncle Yantong, I feel sad that you did not invite me in this banquet. You did not even bother to invite the fiance of your beloved daughter on the celebration of her ascension as the new family head of the Sima Family."


    The crowd was shocked at the sudden revelation of the young man.


    "What fiance?! I didn''t know that young miss Sima Ying already have a fiance."


    Nangong Lanjiang who was sitting beside Sima Ying felt a stabbing sensation in his heart. He then looked at the blonde man with flames of fury, and if looks could kill, then the might have died multiple times already.


    The blonde man felt Nangong Lanjiang''s stare and he stared back at him with a condescending gaze.


    "Oh, isn''t this the little twerp from the Nangong Family?" The blonde man put on a fake surprised look as he glanced at Nangong Lanjiang, but the mocking tone in his voice was obvious to everyone inside the grand ballroom.


    Nangon Lanjiang''s face contorted in anger, but he held back his impulse of attacking the blonde young man for his background was truly too complicated for him to trouble his Nangong Family.


    "Jeffrey, stop causing trouble inside. You are embarrassing my Sima Family by doing this." Sima Yantong voice carried a hint of anger as he stared at the blonde young man calmly.


    Jeffrey was a bit afraid of Sima Yantong for he was an S-Class fighter like his father. And although their family was a lot stronger than the Sima Family, but he did not want to create unnecessary conflict between their two families.


    "I apologize Uncle Yantong, I just felt a little bit sad that you did not invite me on this banquet." Jeffrey had a look of sorrow as he glanced at Sima Yantong pitifully.


    The latter''s gaze softened a bit and patted Jeffrey''s back "You may join the banquet, but don''t cause trouble, as there are certain individuals here that even my Sima Family could not afford to offend."


    Jeffrey did not even listen to Sima Yantong amd just walked towards Sima Ying with an elegant smile on his face.


    The people inside felt disgusted at the young man''s act, but they did not want to offend someone that even the Sima Family was wary of.


    "Hello little Ying, did you miss your husband?" Nangong Lanjiang could not even utter a word of complaint when Jeffrey stole his seat and he can only look at the latter with with hatred.


    Sima Ying did not even bother glancing at Jeffrey and just continued to enjoy her drink.


    Jeffrey felt embarrassed and glanced behind him. He saw Nangong Lanjiang who was looking at him with a complicated gaze. "What are you looking at, fool? Are you tired of living? How dare you take liberties with my fiance earlier?" Jeffrey poured all his anger on Nangong Lanjiang.


    Nangong Langjiang swallowed his anger and replied in a calm voice "I apologize young master Jeffrey, I did not know that young miss Sima Ying was your fiance."


    "Then disappear from my sight right now and don''t ruin my mood!" The crowd was speechless at the arrogance of the young man.


    Nangong Lanjiang''s eyes burned with intense light, but a hand grabbed his shoulders that prevented him from doing anything.


    He glanced towards the owner of the hand and saw Sima Yantong shaking his head. Nangong Lanjiang sighed in sadness and walked towards where the rest of the Nangong Family were seated.

 Chapter 33 - Unparalleled Arrogance

    "Mr. Sekoujo, do you know who that young foreigner is?" Cale was surprised that Sima Ying was actually engaged to someone and he was also a bit shock at the attitude of Sima Yantong towards the young man.


    Old man Sekoujo glanced at him after puffing rings of gray smoke. "That young man is the only son of Lewis Fischer, a vice leader of a big German syndicate."


    Cale had a look of understanding after hearing his reply.


    ''That guy might be acting like pauper, but his strength is at C-Class level, as for the five people with him, they are all A-Class level in strength. And that middle age man who is standing behind him, he is at the initial S-Class level, just slightly weaker than Sima Yantong.''


    "Hey! Who are you arrogant bastards to suddenly interrupt the ongoing tournament?!"


    Asahi Riku who clearly who wanted to continue the tournament angrily shouted towards the young man and his group. Four men were holding Asahi Riku back from moving towards the young man.


    "Oh, and who is this loud doggy? Shoo! Shoo! This young master is not in a good mood to talk with some stray dog." Jeffrey laughed mockingly, while the middle aged man behind him glared sharply at Asahi Riku.


    "You little piece of shit! Let go of me  you guys! I want to tear that arrogant bastard into pieces!" Asahi Riku could no longer contain his anger and used his strength to free himself from the four men''s grasps.


    He strode towards Jeffrey who was sitting leisurely with his arms crossed, his other leg was on top of the other, while a taunting smile hanging on his handsome face.


    Before Asahi Riku could get nearer towards Jeffrey he saw Sima Yantong blocking his way. A complicated look hung on his face and he looked like he have aged several times in that moment.


    "Mr. Sima, please allow me to discipline this arrogant bastard." Asahi Riku was calm when he spoke with Sima Yantong, but his fists were clenched so tight that blood almost leaked out of them.


    "I apologize Mr. Asahi Riku, but Jeffrey is the fiance of my daughter and I cannot allow you to harm him."


    "Mr. Sima Yantong, this brat embarrassed your Sima Family in front of all these notable people and you just chose to swallow your pride? I once admired you greatly for being a powerful man with almost no one being your match, but the man in front of me is no longer the man I once admired." Asahi Riku''s voice was full of disappointment.


    Sima Yantong face changed multiple times and in the end, he only shook his head after sighing heavily.


    "That young man''s background is complicated, and be careful about the middle aged man behind him." Sima Yantong whispered quietly and moved out of Asahi Riku''s way with an exhausted look.


    Asahi Riku nodded his head as a form of thanks.


    He then walked towards Jeffrey while his aura rose continuously. Jeffrey felt a bit fearful inside, but he maintained his leisurely facade.


    The middle aged man behind Jeffrey suddenly moved and attack Asahi Riku with a swift punch.


    "Bang!"


    Asahi Riku was thrown three meters away following the loud bang.


    The crowd was stupefied at the sudden turn of events. Their joyous atmosphere turned sour after the arrival of this foreign froup. The celebration became a show and this would surely hit the Sima Family''s reputation greatly.


    Jeffrey stood up from his seat and walked towards Asahi Riku who was on the ground still struggling to get up.


    Jeffrey stepped on his stomach with force causing Asahi Riku to grimace in pain. His internal organs were already a bit injured from his fight with Abbot White earlier.


    "Young man, can you give me some face and release him right now?" Jeffrey glanced at source of the voice and saw a chubby old man walking towards him.


    "And who might you be old man?" Jeffrey''s foot was still on Asahi Riku''s stomach as he glanced at the old man with a cheeky smile.


    "This old man is the president of the Kaito Airlines, and the man you are stepping on is my bodyguard. Only I am allowed to discipline my men, so release him this instant and I will forget everything that I saw." The old president of the Kaito Airlines did not back down and retorted calmly.


    "Oh, so this guy here is your little dog? Okay I will give him a chance." Jeffrey''s arrogant voice made the old president of the Kaito Airlines furrow his brows. The wrinkles on his face became more visible and he can only swallow his anger to prevent the situation from escalating further.


    "Good! Thank for your magnanimity young man."


    The old president then signalled the men behind him to get Asahi Riku.


    Jeffrey did not stop them and allowed them to get Asahi Riku while looking at them in contempt.


    "We have accomplished our goal here. Excuse us gentlemen." Cale walked towards the exit with Santharus trailing behind him. He was a bit disappointed about Sima Yantong''s actions. And he does not want to get entangled with any troubles as he still had plans for the future.


    Old man Sekoujo wanted to stop Cale, but no words came out of his mouth.


    "Who told you bastards that you can get out without my permission!?" Jeffrey was not afraid of anyone because of his strong backing. And he also thought that the people inside the grand ballroom were only second tier corporation owners and presidents.


    Cale did not stop walking and continued towards the exit.


    Jeffrey felt angry that Cale and Santharus ignored him. "Miller, get those two idiots for me!"


    The middle aged man nodded his head and strode towards Cale and Santharus, but he saw them stopped from their tracks.


    "Looks like we will see a good show in a moment." Old man Sekoujo stood up from his seat to get a much better look of what was about to happen.


    Delfino and the others also stood up from their seats and their eyes gleamed with expectancy.


    ''You attempted to kick a tough nail this time you idiot.'' Nangong Lanjiang''s eyes had a trace of excitement in them as he waited for Jeffrey to make a fool out of himself.

 Chapter 34 - Good Job Big Brother!

    Santharus released a terrifying aura that was many times stronger than the peak S-Class martial art practitioners inside the grand ballroom.


    The middle aged man working under Jeffrey felt scared and he hurriedly bowed his head.


    "Gentlemen, I apologize greatly for failing to discipline my young master. Don''t worry, the moment we go home, I will immediately punish him for disturbing you both."


    The aura from Santharus did not weaken one bit, but instead rose even higher.


    ''Oh, looks like Santharus is slowly approaching Brogen in strength, but the King-Class level is hard to achieve.'' Cale reminisced about the things we hent through in order to promote his strength into the King-Class level.


    In the entire Alliance, aside from him, there were only three more people who achieved the King-Class level in strength.


    Miller was sweating profusely as he stared at the man in front of him. Even his boss, Lewis Fischer did not have this kind of suffocating aura.


    Santharus felt the killing intent from Miller for a brief moment. Although he had hidden it well, but he can''t escape Santharus'' senses.


    ''To think that someone dares to show their killing intent in front of me and his lordship! You must be tired of living!'' Santharus was so angry that his aura wildly covered the entire grand ballroom.


    "Santharus." Cale calm voice was like a bucket of cold water instantly erasing all the negative emotions that Santharus felt. He bowed his head towards Cale slightly and stood behind him.


    "Sir, I apologize on behalf of my young master." Miller hurriedly avoided looking at Santharus who was glaring at him and apologized for the second time.


    "Miller, who told you to apologize to them!? I ordered you to get them for me! Are you disobeying my orders now?!" Jeffrey was still unaware of the situation he was in and he even failed to sense the stifling aura from Santharus.


    ''What an idiot!'' Nangong Lanjiang covered his mouth with his right hand to prevent himself from laughing.


    "Anyone who can make this annoying fly shut his mouth up will become an honored guest of our Tyrannical Tower. He will also receive the backing and the support from us." Cale''s shocking declaration made some of the fighters a bit tempted, but their employers hastily held them back from doing anything.


    Sima Fenlung stood up from his seat and strode towards Jeffrey. Sima Yantong wanted to stop him, but a certain part of him prevented him from doing so. He only released a helpless sigh. ''I can only hope that nothing bad will happen to my Sima Family following Sima Fenlung''s choice.''


    "Are you seriously listening to that bastard brother Fenlu-"


    Sima Fenlung did not give Jeffrey the time to speak and just punched him on the face instantly without even a moment of hesitation.


    ''You bastard! I have been waiting for this opportunity to beat you up. Now with the backing from the mysterious Tyrannical Tower, I have nothing to be afraid of. You actually dared to embarrass my Sima Family in front of all these people! Fuck you! And did you really think that you are qualified to become my sister''s husband?!'' Sima Fenlung shouted inwardly as he continued to beat Jeffrey up.


    The middle aged man wanted to help his young master, but he suddenly felt a strong killing intent that almost made him drop to the ground. He then glanced back at Cale and saw his onyx eyes staring deeply at him like a Primordial Dragon looking at an ant condescendingly. Profound horror can now be seen on his face, but only Cale and Santharus could see his current expression.


    Jeffrey''s face was now full of bumps and cuts and he could only produce weak whimpers as his lips was now too big for him too speak.


    Sima Fenglun only stopped beating him when Jeffrey''s eyes turned white, an obvious sign that he was now unconscious.


    His own fists were bleeding after giving Jeffrey a rough beating. But he did not feel hurt at all, instead he felt a sudden strange calmness and serendipity like a huge boulder was lifted off his back.


    The onlooking crowd silently gave him their thumbs up and their admiration towards Sima Fenglun rose by several times.


    Nangong Lanjiang forced himself to stop clapping but he still released a few muffled laughing sounds.


    Sima Ying looked at her brother in approval and her sweet voice traveled like a beautiful melody towards the people inside the grand ballroom. "Good job big brother!"


    They all felt the admiration she held towards her big brother Sima Fenglun behind that angelic voice.


    Cale smiled in approval and said something that caused a commotion inside the grand ballroom.


    "Sima Fenlung, I admire your courage greatly. And because of that, from the power that Lord Wolf King provided me as his First General, I invite you to join our Tyrannical Tower as its first student. Are you willing to accept this offer?"


    Sima Fenglun had a look of shock, but he instantly bowed his head in happiness. "It is my honor to become Tyrannical Tower''s first student. I humbly accept your offer Mr. Cale."


    "Good! I will give you a call tomorrow and tell you what things you need to do."


    Sima Fenglun was quite confused because he knew that Cale did not have his number or anyone from his family. But he knew that Cale would not dare lie in front of a huge crowd as it will affect the reputation of their Tyrannical Tower.


    "Mr. Cale, can I bring my sister, Sima Ying, with me in the Tyrannical Tower to study?"


    Sima Ying felt warm inside that her big brother even risked offending Cale just to allow her to have a chance to further hone her martial art talent.


    Cale furrowed his brows making Sima Fenlung nervous. "Fine, but she can only come inside the training area if you are there."


    "Yes. That is more than enough Mr. Cale. Little Ying, come here and thank Mr. Cale." Sima Fenlung called for his sister happily.


    Sima Ying hastily stood up from her seat and elegantly walked towards her big brother. She left a fragrant smell in her wake that made the men close their eyes in delight. They raised their heads upwards while enjoying her fragrant smell.


    "Mr. Cale, thank you so much for allowing me to have this opportunity." Sima Yung curtsied respectfully making Cale look at her more softly.

 Chapter 35 - Crystallized Phoenix Blood

    Cale look at her calmly and nodded his head.


    "I will give you both a call tomorrow to give you instructions about what things you guys need to do."


    Sima Ying felt inwardly disappointed because of Cale''s lack of emotion. All men would look at her with greedy eyes, but the eyes in front of him was emotionless and cold.


    "Yes Mr. Cale. But I don''t recall giving you my phone number." Sima Fenlung''s voice had a hint of confusion as he glanced at Cale.


    Cale smiled lightly that made the cold heart of Sima Ying flutter a bit and it was the first time she felt this kind of sensation.


    "That is something you don''t need to know." Cale shook his head lightly and glanced at Santharus. "By the way, Santharus, give all the people inside an invitation card for the grand opening of our Tyrannical Tower."


    Santharus bowed his head lightly before going around to give everyone an invitation card.


    "I guess it''s time for me to go. Bye guys." Cale smiled brightly towards them before he turned around and walked out of the grand ballroom.


    The people inside looked at Cale''s back with complicated emotions, and they knew that he was a man that should only be made a friend and not an enemy.


    No one dared to stop Cale from going out, even his new friends old man Sekoujo and Delfino just remained standing in their positions and sighed inwardly.


    When Cale was already outside the Grand Lisboa, he took out his phone and searched for his contacts and stopped on Zero''s name.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    "Hello my lord. Is there anything you need me for?" Zero''s voice carried a hint of expectation. He was almost bored and mercenary like him was not used to staying idle.


    "I will send you pictures of two persons. I want you to eliminate the both of them tonight. Make it clean and don''t leave any traces behind. But before you kill them, extract information about the group behind them." Cale''s voice was calm, as if ordering the death of someone was nothing of great importance.


    "As you wish my Lord. How about the Sima Family?" Zero was excited that he finally received a mission to kill, but he still asked Cale about some pressing matters.


    "As for the Sima Family, dropped that mission. I have already discovered the thing that I wish to know from them." Cale''s eyes flashed a trace of warmth as he recalled the beautiful but cold face of Sima Ying.


    "Don''t worry my lord. Whoever it is that you want dead, will never see the light of tomorrow." Zero''s aura gushed out unknowingly, but he hastily hid it.


    Cale disconnected the call and glanced at the evening sky with a bright smile. "So it was you all along my Xia Qingyue. I won''t let you die again in this life and I won''t let any other man taint your pure soul."


    Inside the grand ballroom, Santharus have finshed distributing the invitation cards to everyone and was about to go out when someone called him. "Mr. Santharus, please wait for a moment."


    Santharus turned around looked doubtfully at Sima Yantong. "How can I help you Mr. Sima Yantong?"


    Sima Yantong brought out a small jade box and gave it to Santharus. "This should have been the reward for the championship, but the tournament..." His face was full of embarrassment and guilt.


    Santharus pushed back the jade box and shook his head. "Mr. Sima Yantong, please take it back with you. No one won the championship, so no one deserves this reward."


    "No no no! Take it Mr. Santharus. No one might have won, but the people inside the grand ballroom knows who would win the championship." Sima Yantong glanced at the crowd behind him and Santharus saw that most of them were signalling him to accept the jade box.


    Santharus sighed and thought to himself. ''This could be useful to his lordship.''


    He accepted the jade box and nodded his head towards Sima Yantong. "Thank you Mr. Sima Yantong. I will leave for now. Sir Cale might be waiting for me outside."


    Sima Yantong smiled and shook hands with Santharus. "I won''t stop you Mr. Santharus and I will surely come during the grand opening of the Tyrannical Tower."


    Santharus smiled and left the grand ballroom, but his display of strength from earlier will never be forgotten by the people inside.


    Santharus saw Cale and Brogen waiting for him outside the building. He looked at them apologetically. "I apologize for making you wait my lord. The old man Sima Yantong forced me to accept this jade box and I accepted it as you may have some use for it."


    Cale glanced at the exquisite jade box in Santharus'' hands and he felt a sudden trace of longing from his heart. ''Weird, why is this jade box giving me a feeling of longing?''


    He accepted the jade box from Santharus and opened it slowly. Inside the jade box was a beautiful black gem that shone resplendently even with the absence of sunlight. When he took out the black gem, he suddenly saw a familiar prompt popped up in front of him.


    - Do you wish to exchange this Cryatallized Phoenix Blood in "The Black Market" ?


    Cale was surprised that the gem he was holding was actually a crystallized blood of a legendary beast and perhaps no one else will know except him.


    ''How the hell did this legendary beast''s blood arrived on Earth?'' Cale''s mind played several scenarios on how the Phoenix'' blood arrived on Earth.


    He clicked the "Yes" button.


    - Gained 100000000000 Black Coins


    - Ding!


    - You have passed the requirements for C-Class Authority!


    - Your Authority Level is now C-Class!


    - Ding!


    - You have passed the requirements for B-Class Authority!


    - Your Authority Level is now B-Class!


    - Do you wish to open "The Black Market"?


    Cale was surprised that the small amount of Phoenix'' blood allowed him to upgrade his authority level twice in a row. And he now even have an additonal wealth of one hundred billion Black Coins.

 Chapter 36 - Millers Loyalty

    Cale clicked the "No" button as it was not the right place to make purchases in ''The Black Market''.


    "Let''s go back to our rooms." Cale was in a good mood as he got inside the car they have rented for their use in Macau.


    In less than thirty minutes, the group of three arrived in the hotel that they were staying.


    "Our mission in this place is basically done. Rest well for tonight and by tomorrow morning, we will go back home."


    After another hour, the banquet held inside the grand ballroom of Grand Lisboa was over. The people slowly left the venue, but the excitement from the earlier events were still fresh in their minds.


    A middle aged man carrying a bruised body of a young man was walking slowly with trembling knees. The horrifying killing intent that Cale produced earlier left a deep trauma on the middle aged man. Even after a few hours had passed by, his knees were still trembling continuously.


    Miller carefully placed the injured body of Jeffrey inside a luxurious looking car. It was a black Lamborghini Aventador with dark blue highlights.


    Miller got inside the driver''s seat and started the engine, but he did not even feel the presence of a man who was currently above their luxurious car. The man was clad in black clothes, his face was devoid of emotion as he held two exquisite looking knives. Both knives were from "The Black Market" and it costed Cale five hundred thousand Black Coins for each one.


    "Boss Lewis will surely punish me because of what happened to his beloved son. How dare that kid Sima Fenglun injure the son of Lewis Fischer!" Miller stepped on the pedal unconsciously because of his anger and it caused the car to accelerate with great speed, but the man crouching above was not thrown out and his feet remained planted on the car.


    The Lamborghini Aventador did not attract much attention as it was already three in the morning and the car stopped on a huge walled mansion.


    Miller got out of the car and opened the huge gate of the mansion. This was Lewis Fischer''s gift to his son Jeffrey and the mansion was still currently unmanned with only him and Miller as its occupants.


    Miller placed his right thumb on a small screen embedded on the huge double doors.


    "Access Granted!" A robotic voice sounded as the two huge doors opened slowly.


    Miller then turned around and was shocked to see a man clad in black clothes carrying the bruised body of Jeffrey with one hand. Miller grew alarmed because he could not feel any presence from the man at all.


    "Who are you?! Release the young master right now! Don''t you know that he is the son of Lewis Fischer, Vice Leader of the biggest syndicate in Germany?!" Miller wanted to scare the man by giving their background, but the man seemed unmoved and just continued staring at him with his emotionless eyes.


    He then saw the man disappeared from his sight before his vision turned dark.


    Miller opened his eyes with difficulty and felt a painful sensation on his head. He wanted to clutch it, but he found his hands tied with thick chains. He glanced around the dark room and found it familiar as it was the room of his young master inside the huge mansion.


    Beside him, he saw his young master in the same situation, tied tightly with thick chains.


    He then heard light foot steps moving towards them and he glanced on his left and saw the man in black clothes. He could not see his expression because of the lack of light, but he can still recall his detached and emotionless face.


    "What do you want?" Miller sounded calm, but his heart was beating wildly.


    "I want information about the syndicate group that you mentioned earlier." The impassive tone from that voice brought chills down his spine and the hair on his body stood on end.


    "Dream on fool! Pah!" Miller spat on the floor with contempt.


    The man did not talk and instead threw a small knife on Miller.


    "Aargggh!" Miller shouted in pain as he glanced at the small knife embedded on his right chest. The length of the knife was merely three inches, but knife''s blade looked strange and it had three sharp points. It was truly knife meant for torture!


    "Do you think this little bit of pain will make me speak?! What a fool!" Miller was loyal to the Fischer Family because he have been with them for many years.


    "Whoosh!" Another another knife pierced his left thigh, but the strange thing was that no blood flowed out from were both the knives were embedded. If not for the excruciating pain, Miller would have believe that he wasn''t attack at all.


    "Fuck yo... you!" Miller was breathing heavily as he cursed the man.


    "Whoosh!" The third knife pierced his stomach causing him to grimace in pain.


    "You basta-" Miller could not even finish his words when the fourth knife pierced left lung. But the strange thing was that he did not have any problems breathing at all.


    Miller stayed silent for a moment and looked fearfully at the man who was casually playing with several small knives.


    "Even if.. if I die, you co... could not make me talk anything about them." Miller laughed madly and Zero threw three more knives on Miller''s body.


    Zero threw the last remaining knife in his hands and it pierced Miller''s heart. But the latter only felt a stabbing sensation and can still breathe normally.


    ''What are these evil knives?!'' Miller bitterly thought as he glanced hatefully at Zero. He then saw the man took out a much bigger knife out if his sleeves. The knife gleamed coldly from the small light that the moon reflected.


    "No matter how many knives it is. I will never speak you fool!" Miller shouted at the top of his lungs. The knives embedded on his body trembled slightly, but they remained firmly planted on his body.

 Chapter 37 - Cute Side of Sima Ying

    Zero raised the knife in his hands while Miller closed his eyes and waited for the pain with gritted teeth.


    ''Why can''t I feel anything?'' Miller asked himself in confusion when he suddenly heard a loud cry of pain.


    "Aargghh!" Miller glanced to his right and saw a knife embedded on his young master''s stomach.


    The excruciating pain made the unconscious Jeffrey wake up abruptly.


    "You.. you bastard!" Miller''s face was full of remorse as he glanced at the pitiful looking Jeffrey. He then turned his head and saw Zero taking out another knife and he immediately swallowed the curses he was about to shout.


    "I will talk! Just don''t hurt the young master!" Miller''s face was bitter as he glanced at the cold countenance Zero.


    Miller told him everything he knew about the German syndicate group while ignoring the whimpering sounds from Jeffrey who was looking at him with a face full of disappointment.


    "Mmhmm... Mmhhmm!" Jeffrey was loudly whimpering as he can''t talk normally because of his injuries.


    "That''s all I know. Release the young master this instant!" Miller was gritting his teeth in pain and the part were the small knives were embedded started to itch as they all wriggled out of Miller''s body one by one.


    The first knife returned towards Zero and blood started to leak out from where the knife was previously embedded into. Miller cried in pain that made Jeffrey turn to look at him.


    The latter saw a small stream of blood flowing out of Miller''s left shoulder.


    More and more knives returned towards Zero until what remained was only the knife that pierced his heart.


    Miller was breathing heavily as multiple streams of blood leaked out of his body. He felt his vision weakening and he could not even utter a word of pain. He can only release rough breathing sounds from time to time.


    The last knife wriggled out of his heart and returned towards Zero. Blood leaked out endlessly from his heart as the light from Miller''s eyes was slowly dimming.


    After less than thirty seconds, Miller''s head lost strength and hung weakly, dead.


    "Mmmhhmm! Mmmhhmm!" Tears and snot covered Jeffrey''s ugly face. The former handsome young foreigner now looked like a pig about to be slaughtered.


    Jeffrey glanced at Zero with a horrified face and he kept on moving his body wishing that he could escape from the tight binding of the chains around his body.


    "You provoke the wrong man. Now, even your father will die and join you in hell." Zero shook his head as he inched closer towards Jeffrey while holding a knife on his hand.


    Jeffrey peed his pants in terror as he kept on wriggling on the ground. He suddenly tasted a warm and salty taste entering his tongue as wriggled on the floor. His face was now kissing the floor that he just wetted with his piss. What a disgusting sight!


    Zero crouched down and grabbed Jeffrey''s hair making the latter whimper and struggle. He placed the knife in his hands on Jeffrey''s neck and....


    A slashing sound can be heard as Zero watched the whimpering Jeffrey with a face devoid of emotions.


    Blood and piss mixed together that created a disturbing smell, but Zero calmly watched Jeffrey whose struggles became weaker and weaker as more blood leaked out of his neck.


    Zero removed the knife on Jeffrey''s stomach before his shadow vanished from the dark room. Only two dead bodies were left on the room and a huge amount of blood that drowned both bodies red.


    The sun shone brightly and gave light to the busy streets of Macau. It was another fine morning for the residents, but not for a certain person who was now looking at two dead bodies with a face full of fear.


    "Fuck! I''m done for! I''m done for!" He cursed under his breath as he remembered the promise he made with Lewis Fischer.


    He promised the man that he will protect his son and clean up his mess as he held certain amount power here in Macau. But that little bit of power was nothing significant to Lewis Fischer.


    The men behind him look at their boss strangely as they glanced at the dead bodies while covering their noses.


    "Boss, the one who killed both these guys was too cruel. This guy here has multiple stab wounds and he died from major blood loss. As for this younger man, he..." Their boss was not even listening to their reports as he continued to stare at the dead bodies in fear.


    He suddenly stood up that surprised his men greatly. They then heard his trembling voice "You guys go back to the mansion and go get my wife and daughter out. Book a flight to a faraway island and don''t leave any traces behind!"


    They looked surprised, but they still nodded their heads in response.


    "Fuck! Whoever did this will surely die from Lewis'' wrath."


    Inside the huge mansion of the Sima Family, a handsome was talking cheerfully with a beautiful young woman. Anyone who will see this scene will surely gape in shock, as the woman was Sima Ying, but the usual cold look was not present on her face as she talk with her brother Sima Fenglun.


    "I didn''t expect Mr. Cale to accept my request. The man might have taken an interest to you little sister." Sima Fenglun had a cheeky smile on his handsome face as he glanced dotingly at his little sister.


    Sima Ying''s cheeks turned into a shade of pink as she puffed her cheeks and clenched her little hands. "Hmph! That man actually dares to act cold in front of me! Hmph!" Her voice sounded angry, but her expression was like a teenage girl who had a little squabble with her boyfriend.


    Sima Fenglun laughed loudly while clutching his stomach with both hands.


    "Big brother, do you seriously think that Mr. Cale will take an interest to me? He doesn''t look like a man who will easily become interested to a beauty." Sima Ying pouted her cherry red lips in annoyance.


    If her admirers could just see her current look, then they might have rubbed their eyes in surprise an think that they were dreaming.


    Their goddess actually had this cute side of her, but only his brother Sima Fenglun can enjoy this beautiful sight.

 Chapter 38 - Gravity Training Room

    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    Sima Fenglun grabbed his ringing phone and saw an unknown number calling him. He look confused, but then he recalled Cale''s confident smile.


    "Hello." Siman Fenglun''s voice sounded a bit hoarse as he greeted the caller. He then cleared his throat hurriedly while waiting for the person over the phone to talk.


    "Good morning Mr. Sima Fenglun, this is Cale. We have already accomplished our goal here in Macau, and in less than an hour, we will fly back home." Cale''s indifferent voice sounded over the phone. Sima Fenglun put the call on loud speaker so that his sister will hear their talk, or perhaps, so that she can hear Cale''s voice.


    Sima Ying listened attentively with her eyes closed.


    "Good morning to you too Mr. Cale. You should have told me that you will go back home today, so that I can send you off." A trace of disappointment can be heard on Sima Fenglun voice.


    "There is no need for that. Anyway, a few weeks from now, the tower will be finished making. And on that day, go to the address that I sent on your email. All the stuffs you need to do and bring are also written there." Cale shook his head and answered in the same tone of voice.


    Sima Fenglun was not shock anymore about Cale knowing his email and just listened attentively to everything he said.


    "Goodbye Mr. Sima Fenglun and say hello to Young miss Sima Ying for me."


    "Goodbye Mr. Cale." Sima Fenglun kept his phone and glanced at his sister with a slight smile. Sima Ying smiled back at him, but her eyes flashed a moment sorrow.


    Somewhere in Germany, a man sitting in a sofa suddenly stood up. His face was full of anger and sadness as he rained curses after smashing his phone on the floor. "Fuck! Fuck! Who the hell dares to kill my son?! Fuck that shit! If I were to learn who did this, I will tear your flesh and burry you alive!"


    The armed men inside the room glanced fearfully at their boss. He was Lewis Fischer, Vice Leader of Verreine Camorra, one of the largest syndicate group in Germany.


    The government of Germany did their best in tracking the group, but the Verreine Camorra had ears in the government. They even have members in Germany''s military force, thus the government was truly helpless against them.


    "Noah, investigate everything that happened before my son was killed. I want a very detailed report sent to me in less than three days! Move!" Intense flames burned in Lewis Fischer''s eyes as he clenched his fists in anger.


    Inside his private jet, Cale was looking at the clouds with a determined look.


    "Warwolf, I will allow your employer to have you for now, but not for long." Cale smiled as he glanced at the city down below and enjoyed one last look of it.


    The next day, inside Cale''s mansion, a beautiful blonde woman was walking with hurried foot steps. She knocked the door on Cale''s room, but did not receive a response. She was about to knock harder when the door suddenly opened, and a topless Cale with a messy hair and slightly closed eyes greeted her sight.


    Daphne blushed slightly and calmed her fluttering heart. "My lord, I have finished making the identities for everyone. And also, Ulric told me that the tower will be finished in three weeks time. With the help, of the two hundred men you got, the building''s progress was accelerated by many times."


    Cale nodded his head slightly and was about to close the door when he suddenly remembered about the importance of owning his own private hangar with a vast complex of runways.


    "Daphne, search for a place in where we can build our own hangar and make sure that there is enough space for runways."


    Daphne nodded her head in response while pouting her red lips slightly.


    Cale saw her cute look that made him smile unconsciously. He patted Daphne''s head dotingly making the latter close her eyes in delight.


    "Of course, my little Daphne can take a rest as well. This hangar can be made some time in the future, but you still have to go help Ulric from time to time."


    Daphne nodded her head with a sweet smile on her face.


    "Daphne, call Brogen and Santharus for me please."


    "Yes my lord." Daphne bowed her head slightly before she left.


    Cale quickly went inside his room and closed the door. He coughed roughly and a small amount of blood can be seen leaking out of his mouth.


    "Shit! I forgot that this is no longer my former body and I even released a small amount of origin essence just to scare that Miller. This body is still barely at E-Class in terms of physicality and releasing origin essence with this physique almost killed me. I should begin my physical training today, and in less than one year, with my experience, I should reach my King-Class physique again."


    Cale opened "The Black Market" to find something that could be helpful in his training.


    He then saw two new options on "The Black Market" and he thought that it must have been unlocked when he upgraded his authority.


    - Virtual Training Environment


    - Storage


    Cale was surprised about the "Virtual Training Environment" tab and he clicked on it.


    His vision warped and when his sight returned to normal he saw an advanced training room in front of him. He walked nearer the training room and severals prompts popped up in front of him making him stop in his tracks.


    - Do you wish to adjust the gravity inside the Gravity Training Room?


    - Do you wish to select a scenario to practice on?


    Cale studied the prompts for several minutes. He learned that the gravity inside the Gravity Training Room can be adjusted. And this could help him hasten his strengthening plans. As for the second prompt, he can choose a mission of some sort to practice his skills and there were more than several hundred missions provided for him too choose from.


    Cale went inside the Gravity Training Room and adjusted the gravity to make it three times heavier than normal and the sudden change on the gravity made him furrow his brows in surprise.


    "Interesting."

 Chapter 39 - Continuous Training

    When Cale got inside the Gravity Training Room, he received another prompt.


    - Time inside the Gravity Training Room is three times faster than the outside world.


    Cale was very happy upon learning this feature and he excitedly proceeded with his training.


    After more than thirty minutes, he suddenly heard someone call his name.


    "Brogen?" He sounded confused, but then he remembered that he told Daphne to call Brogen and Santharus.


    He exited the Gravity Training Room by clicking the exit tab.


    - You exited the Virtual Training Environment.


    His vision warped for a brief second before it returned back to normal.


    "What a nauseating feeling." He muttered softly while shaking his head.


    He opened the door and told Brogen and Santharus to guard the room. He also told them that he must not be disturbed unless something important happened.


    Cale then went back inside the Gravity Training Room to continue his training.


    He felt nauseous at the sudden warping of his sight, but the good thing was that it only lasted for a brief second or he might have vomited.


    Inside the Gravity Training Room, Cale could barely make one hundred push ups because of the three times heavier gravity. He then did one hundred sit ups, one hudred squats and other basic exercises.


    "I ne..need wa..water." Cale was breathing heavily after finishing his basic exercises.


    - Ding!


    - A glass of Heavenly Spring Water costs 10000 Black Coins.


    The sudden prompt surprised Cale and the price for a glass of water made his eyeballs almost pop out of their sockets.


    * Heavenly Spring Water


    - A rare kind of water that is excreted by an Immortal-Class plant Heavenly Wind Grass. The Heavenly Wind Grass excretes small amounts of crystal clear water every year. The water it excretes provides a strengthening effect and erases all fatigue on the body upon consumption.


    "What a treasure!" Cale instantly clicked the "Buy" button, and a glass of crystal clear water emerged after a flash of bright light and it slowly floated in front of Cale.


    He quickly took the glass and gulped it down ravenously as he was truly too thirsty after the heavy exercises he did.


    The moment the water entered Cale''s body, he felt a sudden increase in his strength and the fatigue he felt from earlier was gone. The Heavenly Spring Water left a sweet aftertaste on his tongue making him want for more, but he instantly erased that thought after recalling the price for one glass.


    Cale stood up and resumed his intense exercise. He did not feel tired at all even after more than one hour of continuous physical training inside the Gravity Training Room with three times heavier than the normal gravity, but he felt hungry after the intense training and thought that since water was available in the training room, then food should be available as well.


    - Ding!


    - Food!


    * Fried Lightning Sparrow


    - 50000 Black Coins


    - A Lightning Sparrow is a type of bird that is bred in the Heavenly Realm. This bird might be a common sight in that world, but it is delicacy that can only be enjoyed by immortals as the bird was at least Emperor-Class in strength.


    * Barbecued Armored Boar Meat


    - 60000 Black Coins


    - An Armored Boar is an Emperor-Class beast with thick armor-like scales. But the meat behind those tough scales is a rare delicacy.


    "Looks like my one hundred billion Black Coins will be gone in less than a year." Cale smiled bitterly, but he still bought the Barbecued Armored Boar.


    A frangrant aroma traveled on Cale''s nose, making him look at the plate of Barbecued Armored Boar with a greedy eyes.


    He took a big bite out of the barbecue and the soft and tender meat slowly melted on his taste buds. The juicy texture of the meat made it a lot more exciting to eat.


    A strange energy traveled inside Cale''s body and strengthened his physicality. Aside from its wonderful taste, the barbecue also boasted tremendous strengthening effect on his body.


    Cale thought about it and he suddenly grew curious at the origin of "The Black Market". It came with him when he reincarnated back in time, but he didn''t know how it happened or how it came back with him.


    "Oh well. I will eventually uncover the truth about this. Maybe if I upgrade my Authority Level on its final stages, I will get an answer for these questions."


    Cale cleared his thoughts and just focused on his training. He did not go out of the Gravity Training Room for ten days, but only three days have passed in the outside world.


    Cale only took a rest when he slept inside the Gravity Training Room and used the rest of the time training.


    Brogen and Santharus grew worried because Cale did not leave his room for three days straight, but they just silently waited for Cale amidst their worry.


    Cale thought for a moment and exited the Virtual Training Environment. He opened the door and informed Brogen and Santharus to not worry about him.


    Brogen felt an unfamiliar sensation fron Cale and he felt the latter''s growth in strength, but he stayed silent and thought that it must be "that thing" that help Cale improve his strength.


    Brogen suddenluly felt a stinging sensation on his head and he quickly clutched his it with both hands.


    "What happened Brogen? Are you okay?" Cale''s handsome face was full of worry as this was the first time he saw Brogen acting this way.


    Brogen shook his head and glanced at Cale with a weak smile. "It''s nothing my lord. I just felt tired suddenly."


    Santharus glanced at Brogen and sighed inwardly. ''Barbarian Emperor, when will you forget those events? Countless millenia have passed and our world does not existany more.''


    Cale patted Brogen''s shoulder and told him to rest. Brogen bowed his head slightly and left.


    "Santharus, if you are tired, you may take a rest as well. But make sure to call someone else to guard my room. And also, don''t allow anyone to disturb me, unless it is something important."


    Santharus bowed his head slightly while glancing at Cale reverently. "Yes my lord."

 Chapter 40 - Shameless Trevor

    Cale felt that Brogen was acting weird, but he just swallowed the questions in his mind and continued his training.


    Almost two months have passed by inside the Virtual Training Environment, and it was only several days away from the grand opening of the Tyrannical Tower.


    Cale exited the Virtual Training Environment, but he was already used to the warping of his sight and he felt less nauseated this time around.


    Cale flexed his muscles and felt the strength of a top S-Class fighter in his body. And the amount of origin essence on him also thickened by several degress. He was now at the peak of King-Class, but with his body being at the S-Class as of the moment, he still can''t use his full strength or it might bring a considerable amount of damage on his body.


    He changed into a formal tuxedo and he also wore a striking camouflaged scarf around his neck. He looked like a model with his outfit.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    Cale grabbed his phone and saw that it was Trevor calling him.


    "Hello Trevor! How are you?" Cale smiled brightly as he sat down on a chair. His back suddenly ache a bit, an after effect of his heavy training.


    "Brother, I can finally go out of the hospital. Is it a good time to meet today? Or are you out on a mission?" Trevor''s voice was full of excitement because he can finally go out of the hospital. He was bored staying at the hospital for a long time.


    "No, today is fine. I just finished my training and I was also about to enjoy some fresh air. Let''s meet at the location I sent on your email." Cale smiled as he answered Trevor.


    "Good! Okay, I will immediately go there. Don''t you dare come late you basta-" Cale dropped the call and kept his phone while humming a joyful melody.


    "Tang inaaanng. Interneeeet sobrang bagaall."


    "That bastard actually dares to drop the call?!" Trevor cursed in mock anger.


    Cale went out of his room and saw Brogen and Santharus standing stoically like two unmoving mountains.


    "My lord!"


    "My lord!"


    They greeted Cale reverently as they lowered their heads slightly.


    "How are you Brogen? Do you feel much better now?" Cale glanced at Brogen while studying his countenance.


    "Yes my lord. Thank you for allowing me to rest." Brogen calmly replied while saluting at Cale.


    "That''s good to hear. Is there any news while I am gone?" Cale glanced at Santharus probingly.


    Santharus shook his in response. "Nothing significant my lord. But Daphne went here once and she told me that she have found a suitable place to build a hangar."


    Cale patted both guy''s shoulders with a smile. "Thanks for your hard work. You may take a rest as I will go out with Trevor today."


    "Do you want us to accompany you my lord?"


    "No need for that. I will only spend some time to talk with my dear brother." Cale shook his head.


    He then slowly left, making the strong warriors of Gallantos look at his back with smiles full of complicated thoughts.


    "He might be the only one who can help us get our revenge. But is still too early for that, even Aurora sealed her own body just to escape death." Brogen muttered silently after no longer seeing the silhouette of Cale.


    Santharus smiled at him bitterly "Brogen, we are talking about immortals here. Lord Cale will indeed reach that point, but it will still take him several hundred years or even a millennium. I only hope that I will still be alive when that time comes."


    The two became silent after that, but their hearts'' passion was stoked by Cale''s talent and strength.


    Outside the mansion, Cale took out his phone and dialed Ulric''s phone number.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    "Hello my lord. Is there something you need me for?" Ulric''s tired voice can be heard over the phone.


    Cale felt apologetic that he exhausted the man greatly. "Ulric, you should get some rest as well. Don''t overwork yourself too much. I don''t want my people suddenly falling ill because of the excessive missions I gave them. Take some rest for today, okay?"


    Ulric felt warm in his heart and smiled unconsciously. "Yes my lord."


    "Oh by the way. How is the tower? Will it be done on time?"


    "My lord, the tower has long been finished making. We are just doing the last and finishing touches here. And by tomorrow or the next day, the tower will be completely ready." Ulric felt proud of his achievement and he could not help but let out a smug smile.


    Cale was relieved and he commended Ulric''s efforts, making the latter smile widely.


    "Good job Ulric! I am truly grateful for your efforts! Goodbye for now."


    Cale got inside his new Audi R8 V10 Coupe. The car was entirely white in color with red highlights. This kind of sports car is the dream car of many men.


    "Vrooom! Vrooom!"


    "Oh, I love this car, so fancy and cool. Trevor will surely drool at the sight of this." Cale smiled cheekily as he imagine Trevor''s shock face when he sees him going out of this luxury car.


    Cale arrived at the location in less than fifteen minutes, while ignoring the jelous gazes of the people as his car passed by with great speed.


    He then saw Trevor sitting on a stone bench with a frown on his face as he checked the time on his watch with annoyance.


    He did not even have the time to glance at the luxurious car in front of him until...


    "Beep! Beep! Beep!"


    The loud honking of a car made him glance at it, and he was surprised to see its modern and classy appearance.


    "Who is this rich moron?" He muttered under his breath as he glanced at the Audi R8 V10 Coupe with a hint of jealousy.


    The car''s door opened slowly, and a man wearing black tuxedo got out of the car elegantly. The man closed the car''s door and he walked towards Trevor. The camouflaged scarf on his neck fluttered slightly as the wind blew. The man took off his sunglasses and Trevor gaped at the sight of Cale''s familiar smug face.


    He quickly ran towards Cale making the latter shock. Trevor ignored Cale''s surprised face and just took the car key in Cale''s hands.


    When Cale turned around, Trevor already started the car and was waving at him excitedly. "Come on Cale! Let me go and drive us towards the restaurant. You must be tired from the journey."


    Cale was speechless at Trevor''s shamelessness, but he still smiled and walked towards the car.

 Chapter 41 - Eve Before the Opening

    "Vrooom! Vrooom!"


    Trevor opened the window on his side as he drived the car slowly towards the restaurant.


    "Cale how was your mission in Macau?"


    Trevor smiled as he enjoyed the flirting glances of the women who saw him drive the car.


    "It was a good experience! And tomorrow, I will be out on a mission as well. But dont worry, your first job will start in two days time."


    Cale suddenly felt his phone which was on silent mode vibrate on his pocket.


    ''An unknown caller? Who is this?'' Cale was surprised to see an unknown caller calling him, but he still answered as it might be something important.


    Cale silently waited for the caller to talk first as he put on one earphone on his left ear while leaving the other dangling.


    "Hello, is this Mr. Cale?" A beautiful voice entered his ears making him smile unconsciously.


    "Yes, is there anything you need me for young miss Sima Ying?" Cale''s voice sounded detached and cold, but Trevor could see a bright smile hanging on his handsome face.


    Sima Ying felt a bit disappointed at the cold tone of Cale, but she still enthusiastically replied. "I just wanted to inform you Mr. Cale that we will fly there in the Philippines later this evening."


    "Oh, that''s great to hear. I would like to welcome the Sima Family personally, but I am currently preparing for another mission tomorrow." There was no change in Cale''s tone of voice and he still sounded cold.


    "Oh, be careful out there Mr. Cale. My brother still wanted to see you." Sima Ying laughed mischievously, but she was inwardly disappointed that she won''t be able to see Cale.


    "Thank you young miss Sima Ying. Be careful on your journey too. Don''t worry, I will let Santharus come pick you guys up. Your beauty will surely attract unwanted attention, so..." Cale swallowed the words he was about to say and facepalmed himself for having said his inner thoughts.


    His cold voice sounded warm in Sima Ying''s ears making her little heart jump in excitement. "So? What is it Mr. Cale?" She sounded a bit more upbeat this time as she asked Cale.


    "Ah, just be careful. I''ll disconnect the call for now young miss Sima Ying. Something came up. Goodbye." Cale hastily disconnected the call for fear that he might again blurt out his inner thoughts.


    "Tooot! Tooot! Tooot!"


    Sima Ying kept her phone and a sweet smile can be seen plastered on her seamlessly beautiful face.


    "Who is that? And when did your English become this good? Were you just acting dumb in school?" Trevor glanced at Cale suspiciously.


    "Just a friend I met in Macau. As for my English... Just drive the goddamn car towards the restaurant! I''m very hungry right now." Cale evaded the question while laughing lightly. It was only in front of Trevor that he can joke this carefreely.


    Inside a restaurant, two men were eating ravenously like starved wolves. The waiter would have thought that these two men were beggars in disguise if not for the fancy car they rode earlier.


    "Cale, what kind of mission are you doing tomorrow?" Trevor was obviously worried that his friend might be going on a dangerous mission.


    "Well, Wolf King was planning on making a huge hangar and runway of his own. And he tasked me to find a suitable place for this project." Cale casually answered after swallowing the food in his mouth.


    Trevor was relieved and stuffed a big piece of steak in his mouth.


    "Trevor, your first task is simple, but you need to be calm as well. Wolf King''s Tyrannical Tower will be opened in two days and your job is to engage into idle talks with our visitors and if possible, make connections with them. You might not be doing good with your grades, but your eloquence is the best in our school." Cale would have looked cool when he said that, if not for a bit of grease on his lips.


    "It was only when I was simply talking with our classmates. I don''t even know how I could remain calm while talking with those people high up in the society." Trevor was worried of making a fool out of himself.


    "Trevor, you are representing Wolf King and those people are just cannon fodder in his eyes. So don''t act like a pussy in front of them, because you are representing a much bigger force." Cale patted Trevor''s shoulder to calm his friend down. The latter felt a bit better, but he was still nervous.


    They talked about random things after that, while ignoring the other customers inside the restaurant who were looking at them strangely as the empty stacks plates on their table grew taller and taller.


    Cale dropped Trevor home and told him before going away. "Brother, just wait here and by tomorrow, someone will come to pick you up."


    "Yes sure. Be careful out there brother." Trevor waved goodbye and only went inside his home when he can no longer see the shadow of Cale''s fancy car.


    On the evening of the same day, inside the Virtual Training Environment.


    "Shit! I didn''t know that I could use guns inside the Gravity Training Room. I should have known this when even food and water was available inside." Cale sighed with regret after knowing that he could just bring a gun inside the Virtual Training Room, and he can even store them inside his storage on the new function of "The Black Market" he just unlocked. The space inside the ''Storage'' was about 20 cubic meters, not too small and not too large.


    Two days have passed inside the Virtual Training room and Cale thought that it was about time to go out. He still needed to prepare for the opening of his Tyrannical Tower.


    The moment Cale exited the Virtual Training Environment, he heard his phone rang.


    "Hello my lord. We already picked up young master Trevor and he is inside the Tyrannical Tower now talking with sir Ulric. And also, sir Santharus already picked up the people from the Sima Family last night." Daphne''s angelic voice sounded over the phone.


    "Good job! I will now prepare for the incoming event tomorrow as well. Goodbye." Cale disconnected the call and his sight moved towards the dark sky outside the open window with profundity.

 Chapter 42 - Wolf King Entering the Scene

    "So this the Tyrannical Tower? It sure looks as grand and imposing as its name." Sima Yantong said as he glanced at the tall building in front of him. The design of the building was modern, but when they came inside, they felt the historical atmosphere it invoked.


    Two men in black tuxedo were guarding the entrance looking like two huge monoliths stoic and unmoving. Sima Yantong felt the strength of an A-Class fighter from them, but he knew that he could not take this men lightly, as he felt a more dangerous sensation on them than most S-Class fighters he knew.


    The younger generation of the Sima Family that Sima Yantong brought with him looked fearfully at the men. Both men were at least six foot and nine inches tall, just a few iches shorter than Brogen and even Sima Fenglun felt wary against them.


    A beautiful blonde beauty approached them with a sweet smile on her face. "Hello Mr. Sima Yantong from the Sima Family, my name is Daphne and I am Wolf King''s assistant. I am here to guide you inside the tower. Please follow me."


    The men from the Sima Family were dazzled by Daphne''s elegance and her beauty did not fell short against Sima Ying at all.


    They stared at her swaying hips with hungry eyes, but then they suddenly felt a cold stare coming from behind them. They begrudgingly looked away from Daphne''s bottom and walk straight.


    "This kids!" Muttered Sima Fenglun angrily as he glared at his cousins and brothers.


    ''Even his beautiful assistant is at the initial stage of A-Class level. How powerful this group is!'' Sima Yantong grew alarmed as they followed Daphne inside building.


    Daphne led them towards the banquet area and left elegantly when they had taken their seats.


    The theme of the tower''s interior design is noble renaissance, making the tower look more grand.


    They also saw several men in black tuxedo patrolling inside the banquet area from time to time. And each one of them was at least A-Class level in strength.


    "All the guards here are at least A-Class level, so don''t you guys dare make any trouble, lest our Sima Family might go extinct." Sima Yantong told the younger generation of the Sima Family while glaring at them, making them nod their heads like chickens pecking on rice.


    More and more people came inside the banquet area. And all of then had an awed and surprised looks on their faces.


    Inside the huge banquet area, they saw many familiar faces, but most of them were at least owners of huge corporations. There are even some people from the US and Canada.


    "Oh, isn''t this Mr. Sekoujo?" A hearty voice surprised an old man smoking his pipe. He glanced back and saw the former family head of the Sima Family, Sima Yantong.


    "Mr. Sima Yantong, I am glad to meet you here." Old man Sekoujo smiled benignly as he shook Sima Yantong''s hands.


    "Hey hey hey! Aren''t these my friends from Macau?" A joking tone resounded behind them and they saw Delfino''s fat face jiggle as he laughed ever so happily at the sight of them. Anton was following behind him with while glancing around the banquet area.


    "These guys, are all stronger than me." Anton muttered silently to himself after seeing the men in black tuxedo patrolling inside.


    Suddenly, a beautiful melody traveled on the guests ears making them look towards the stage in surprise. There, they saw a woman playing the piano with her eyes closed. Her fingers moved elegantly as the sweet music went on.


    The men and even the women stopped talking and listened attentively to the woman on the stage as she played the piano with relative ease.


    This woman Irene, was someone Cale bought in "The Black Market". She is at least an A-Class fighter, but what Caled value from her is her superb talent in music. And he planned to make her one of the performers inside his Tyrannical Tower.


    The basic function of his Tyrannical Tower was to showcase a list of elites that anyone could hire at a certain price. But it was not just that, there were also luxurious rooms fully equipped with the tower''s world class amenities and services. There was even a huge casino on the basement for leisure and idle time.


    As the music was about to end, the beautiful fingers playing the piano suddenly changed the rhythm and moved erratically, creating a soulful but melancholic melody. The crowd felt a soft tug on their hearts, and tears were beginning to form in their eyes.


    Irene still looked at ease as she played the piano, and a frown began to form on her beautiful face as the music was about to end. She pressed the last key with a much greater force, ending the melody with a lonesome D minor key.


    The banquet area became silent for a moment, but then the crowd stood up and applauded loudly while wiping away the tears on their eyes.


    "Their performer is also an A-Class level fighter." Anton muttered bitterly as he clapped his hands in admiration.


    Even the people who were not a fan of classical music clapped their hands with respect and warm approval.


    The banquet went on, but the people haven''t seen the shadow of Wolf King yet.


    The crowd saw a man went up on the stage with a microphone on his hands. He then glanced at the crowd with a professional smile hanging on his face.


    "Good afternoon to our dear guests! Today we celebrate the grand opening of our Tyrannical Tower and we are truly grateful to everyone here who have come from distant places just to celebrate this fateful day with us. And to start the ribbon cutting ceremony, I would like to call the owner of the Tyrannical Tower, Wolf King!"


    The entrance of the room opened slowly and a man wearing silver masquerade wolf mask entered the room with confident steps. He was wearing a black tuxedo with back inner shirt and a gray wolf fur scarf can be seen around his neck. His silver hair was braided sophisticatedly making him look more noble and wild. His seductive lips which was not coverer by his wolf mask were slightly opened, making the single women inside the room gulp salaciously.

 Chapter 43 - Petty Situ Shengong

    The crowd stared at the masked man with unblinking eyes. They felt the charisma oozing endlessly out of his body, and the way he walks was very suave like how a prince walk ever so gracefully while maintaining the atmosphere of a ruler.


    Cale was already used to these kind of stares, so he did not feel overwhelmed at all.


    ''This silver mask is much better than the I bought last time. It also changed my hairstyle, making it a lot harder for the people to recognize my appearance.'' Thought Cale as he calmly walked with even foot steps towards Ulric who was holding a short sword in his hands.


    The crowd was also confused on why Ulric is holding a sword instead of a scissors, but they just stayed silent and waited patiently.


    Cale received the short sword from Ulric, before he turned around and glanced at the crowd. The silver eyes looking deeply at them made them unconsciously said. "How beautiful."


    "What a pleasing moment it is to stand here in front of these huge crowd of elites, young and old to mark these fateful event.


    It has not been all an easy journey, but never has a landfall or safe harbour looked more enticing and exciting.


    And I am infinitely grateful and proud to welcome you to the ribbon cutting ceremony of my Tyrannical Tower." Cale''s charming voice resounded inside the banquet hall. The women looked at him with gazes full of adoration and curiosity.


    A certain woman with cold countenance look at the man and she felt a familiar sensation from him. She looked confused, but she still listened attentively to the man.


    Sima Yantong looked at the mysterious man in front of him with surprise, as he can''t feel any presence from the man at all. It felt like he was looking at an adverage man with no martial art skills. If not for Cale''s previous words hinting Wolf King''s strength, then he might have believed that the man was just ordinary.


    Cale unsheathed the short sword from his hands out of its scabbard. And the sword''s metallic body reflected the light from the chandeliers, making it shine brightly, greatly dazzling the crowd in silence.


    He then slowly sheathed it back on its scabbard gracefully like he was executing a beautiful sword dance.


    The long ribbon was suddenly cut in half with just those simple but elegant movements, causing the crowd''s mouths to gape in shock and amazement.


    No one knew who started clapping, but everyone followed suit whilst their mouths were still maintaining that ''O'' shape.


    Cale smiled brightly showing two rows of white teeth and a seductive red tongue can be seen peeking behind them.


    The women shouted inwardly and wished that they could get a bite out of it, but the men in black tuxedos scared them from going forward.


    "Now, everyone can freely go around the Tower, but before that, follow me inside the grand arena to see the tower''s two hundred fighters." Cale''s words excited the crowd greatly as that was one of the reasons they went on this grand opening ceremony.


    Written on Cale''s invitation letter was a short description about the tower''s elite fighters. And who wouldn''t want a strong fighter as their guard, especially for people like them who had billions of assets?


    They eagerly followed Cale towards a huge double doors and when the two doors were fully opened, the crowd saw a huge circular arena spanning around 75 meters in diameter. There were also thousands of seats surrounding the arena.


    On the arena, the crowd saw about eighty men standing apathetically. They were like sharp spears ready to take anyone''s life.


    "My dear friends, these fighters in front of you are rated as D-Class level by our tower. But don''t look down on them just because they are D-Class. Our way of measuring strength is not just by the way of martial arts, but also their skills in weapon wielding, marksmanship and etc. And if you dont believe me, then you can freely challenge anyone among them, but please be guided that these men''s martial art skills are at the very least the initial S-Class level." Cale proudly introduced the first batch of fighters to the crowd.


    "You mean to say that all of these eighty men are at least S-Class martial art practitioners? Are you kidding me?" A disbelieving tone sounded among the crowd. The people parted ways and a middle aged man with strong physique can be seen tauntingly looking at Wolf King.


    The eighty men glared at the middle aged man with looks of anger, but Wolf King raised his right hand instantly erasing the anger on their faces.


    "If this gentleman does not believe me, then you can choose randomly among them to have a spar." Wolf King smiled confidently while glancing at the middle aged man deeply with his beautiful silver eyes.


    "Isn''t that patriarch Situ Shengong? His son was defeated with one punch by Mr. Santharus during the tournament in Macau. And to think that he still harbors a grudge because of it. What a petty man." The crowd whispered among themselves as they glanced at Situ Shengong mockingly.


    His old father, the former patriarch of the Situ Family glanced at his son in disappointment. His wrinkled face aged more significantly in that second, creating a tired and exhausted look.


    Situ Shengong pointed at the youngest man on the arena with a taunting smile. "You little baldy, let me test your strength."


    The bald young fighter did not look angry at all and remained standing stoically obviously disregarding Situ Shengong''s puny existence.


    He then felt a warm pat on his shoulder, making him look back in surprise. He saw his lord currently on his Wolf King persona smiling at him confidently.


    "Show him the strength of my Tyrannical Tower." The order traveled like a heavenly decree on his ears stoking the burning passion inside.


    "Yes Wolf King!" His voice carried a hint of anger and confidence as he glared sharply at Situ Shengong.

 Chapter 44 - Another One Punch Story

    Situ Shengong jumped towards the arena with relative ease and the seventy-nine fighters on the stage took several steps back,  providing them a huge space to spar.


    Situ Shengong look at his young opponent in contempt while thinking to himself. ''I don''t believe that I cannot even defeat the youngest fighter among them. This guy could at most be an A-Class level fighter.''


    The bald young man stood still and waited patiently for his opponent to move, while Situ Shengong inched closer to him.


    ''Of all the fighters you could choose. You chose the one with the strongest martial art skill among the eigthy fighters.'' Cale shook his head and waited for Situ Shengong to make a fool out of himself.


    As if possessed by a raging demon, Situ Shengong poured all the rage and humiliation in his attacks making it more explosive. But the bald young man swatted them leisurely like he was shooing a bunch of annoying flies.


    His expression did not even change one bit, as if he was merely sparring with a little kid.


    Situ Shengong jumped in mid air and delivered a swift and decisive kick towards the bald young man''s head. The latter as if he had eyes on top of his head suddenly raised his right hand and blocked the kick with two fingers, amazing the crowd greatly.


    "Are you done?" The bald young man spoke for the first time. His voice was hoarse and deep, not sounding like a typical young man at all.


    Situ Shengong grew alarmed all of a sudden, but he did not take it to heart and just continued to glare at his opponent without giving an answer.


    The bald young man''s aura suddenly rose to the peak of S-Class level. The origin essence in his body surged like a raging tornado that wanted to devour Situ Shengong whole.


    He disappeared from his previous location and reappeared beside Situ Shengong while sending a strong punch that whistled loudly as it approached the latter''s face.


    Situ Shengong''s face was full of horror and regret, but it was too late for that.


    "Bang!"


    The bare knuckle hit Situ Shengong on the face with a loud bang, instantly making him pass out and thrown out of the arena like a ragdoll.


    "Another one punch victory. This is free advertising for the Tyrannical Tower. Wolf King didn''t even need to do anything and someone else will already do the advertising for him. What a fool." The crowd chuckled softly to themselves while looking at the unconscious Situ Shengong with a mocking face.


    The former patriarch of the Situ Family sighed and told the rest of the members of his family to get their unconscious patriarch out.


    "What a strong young man! It wasn''t even a fight at all."


    "Wolf King was not boasting at all when he said that all of the fighters on the stage are at least the initial S-Class level. And to think that their tower rated these guys as D-Class. How strong can the rest of their fighters be?"


    Wolf King patted the bald young man''s shoulder and smiled at him. "Good job! Keep up the good work!"


    Wolf King glanced at the murmuring crowd and he raised his right hand in midair, instantly silencing them. He nodded his head in approval and smiled brightly at them.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, you have seen the strength of a D-Class fighter here in my Tyrannical Tower. Now, allow me to show you the C-Class level fighters of the tower."


    The D-Class level fighters saluted before they left the arena.


    On the opposite side of the crowd another double doors opened, and sixty men with ferocious aura arrived one by one. Each one of them sending chills to the crowd.


    "Dear guests, you may take your seats on the chairs upstairs."


    Anton froze from head to foot after clashing sights with one of the sixty fighters on the arena. "How dangerous these men are. This Wolf King could probably defeat the sub par military of the Philippines with just these men."


    "They are still at S-Class level, but the vibes I am getting from them... They are still humans right?" Asahi Riku, the fighter from the Kaito Airlines was looking at the men on the arena with a wary gaze.


    "How did Wolf King train these monsters up to this level?" Nangong Family''s patriarch was curiously staring at the fighters on the arena who were emitting wild and intense auras.


    "Next are the B-Class..."


    Wolf King called forty fighters who were rated as B-Class and the fighters among the guests could not feel the auras of some of the men on the arena. It was like they were looking at ordinary men, but Sima Yantong and the other patriarchs of the martial arts families knew that these men were probably no longer S-Class level, but someone beyond that level. Even Santharus was only slightly stronger than these men.


    The crowd grew numbed from shock and when Wolf King called the A-Class level fighters to come on the arena, they were not even shock anymore.


    "I... I can''t sense their strength levels." Sima Yantong fearfully stared at the men on the arena. There was even a woman among them, and Cale knew, that of all the seventeen A-Class level fighters of the tower, she was undoubtedly the strongest.


    * Seira (Human)


    - 60 000 000 Black Coins


    - The young princess of the Valkyrie Family in Gallantos. She was the second top warrior of the Valkyrie Family, just right behind her mother, the family matriarch.


    "What a beautiful young lady! Was she seriously at rated as A-Class by the Tyrannical Tower? Then that means her strength..." They realized that the beautiful young woman on the arena, was not as fragile as she seemed to be, but a hard adamantine wall.


    "That woman can kill me in a blink of an eye even if I''m this far from her." Anton muttered silently, but the men around him immediately erased their lecherous thoughts, lest they might get killed by her in an instant.

 Chapter 45 - Shannon Williams

    The guests were lost in their own thoughts as they imagined themselves hiring the fighters of the Tyrannical Tower. Their safety will no longer become a problem and they can live with a much lighter heart.


    They were already planning to hire some of the fighters from the tower, but they were still curious to see the S-Class fighters of the tower.


    "Now, I will introduce to you the three S-Class fighters of my Tyrannical Tower."


    Three men with unfathomable depth walked towards the arena with calm foot steps. The crowd felt the air around them pulsating wildly as if it was afraid of the three men.


    "These three men are almost on par with my First General in terms of strength. Some of you might have seen him in Macau, his name is Cale Sylvann." Wolf King glanced at the crowd with a slight smile.


    A benign old man stood up from his seat and glanced at Wolf King with with respect. "Wolf King, I am a good friend of Mr. Cale and I was looking for him earlier, but I haven''t saw him yet."


    The people who saw Cale in Macau also realized that Cale was not present on the opening ceremony.


    A woman with cold countenance among the crowd listened attentively and waited for Wolf King''s response. She was also curious if what Cale told her was true.


    "Unfortunately, my First General is out on a mission and he cannot attend the ceremony, but he will be back in a few days time." Cale was already prepared about these sorts of questions, so he answered them confidently.


    Old man Sekoujo, Delfino and the others were a bit disappointed of Cale''s absence, but they were still happy to have witnessed the strength of the Tyrannical Tower.


    The event continued and the guests were allowed to have a tour around the tower. They saw cctv cameras on every corner of the tower. "They are truly serious about their security." Muttered Anton as he knock his hands on the glass window of the tower. He felt the sturdiness of the glass and he knew that these were reinforced bulletproof glass.


    Even heavy rounds of bullets would have a hard time piercing through them. And there was not just one layer of glass, there were multiple layers of them, making it even more safe.


    In one of the upper floors of the tower...


    "The security here is even tighter than the security inside the White House in Washington." A blonde and chubby man in his forties was astonished about the security inside the tower. He even thought that the special force of the United States of America might have a hard time breaching the defenses of this tower, even with their advanced arsenal and skilled elites.


    Behind the chubby foreigner was tall and hulking man with bald head, his ocean blue eyes emitted a dangerous vibe. And a horizontal knife scar can be seen stretching from his left eyebrow towards the bottom part of his left cheek.


    As they were busy scrutinizing every part of the tower, they saw a masked man with silver hair looking deeply at the scenery from down below. The atmosphere around the man was mournful and melancholic as if he was reminiscing about a despairing event in his life.


    They were quite surprised to see the owner of the tower standing there with his hands behind his back.


    "Isn''t this Wolf King, how come the owner of this magnificent tower is here looking all sullen and downcast?" The chubby blonde man asked with a polite smile on his face. The tall and hulking man behind him glanced warily at Wolf King as he unconsciously balled his fists tightly.


    Wolf King slowly turned his head around and glanced at them with a slight smile. "Mr. William from Washington DC, I apologize for making you see such an embarrassing sight.


    "No no, it''s fine. I am very impressed with the facilities and the security of your tower. I didn''t expect to meet the mysterious owner himself." Shannon Williams shook Wolf King''s hands enthusiastically.


    "Mr. Williams, what brings you here in my Tyrannical Tower?" Wolf King was still smiling lightly, but the scarred man behind Shannon Williams felt the air stifle in that instant.


    "Good! I like talking with direct men. I came here with one purpose, trade. I heard from my friend Delfino, that you had a huge deal with him during your previous exchange. And I feel that doing business with you will bring me good fortune. How does that sound, Wolf King?" Shannon Williams smiled mischievously as he rubbed his hands together.


    Wolf King smiled brightly showing two rows of white teeth. His silver eyes seemed to sparkle as he glanced at Shannon Williams. "Mr. Williams, I am indeed open for trade. And I would love to have all sorts of treasures, modern or relic. And also, I know that you have a gold mine in Comoros, Africa. If you could part with several kilograms of gold, then I don''t mind showing you something."


    Shannon Williams was tempted, but he was alarmed about Wolf King''s knowledge about his gold mine in Comoros and even Delfino does know anything about it. "What are you talking about Wolf King?" Shannon Williams forced an ugly smile on his chubby face.


    "You know what I''m talking about Mr. Williams. You might change your mind if you follow me down below." Wolf King smiled mysteriously, making Shannon Williams even more curious about what Wolf King was about to show him.


    "You win Wolf King. Now I''m curious about what''s making you this confident." Shannon Williams jested.


    Wolf King smiled and motioned both men to follow him.


    They went inside an elevator and...


    "Welcome Wolf King!" A robotic voice of a woman resounded inside the elevator.


    "Athena, bring me to the secret room." Wolf King was not surprised about the robotic voice, but Shannon Williams and his guard, Tyler were quite surprised. Shocked looks can be seen on their faces.


    ''Is this artificial intelligence?'' Shannon Williams thought fearfully and he suddenly felt that the silver haired man beside them was becoming more and more mysterious.


    The elevator opened slowly, and they all saw a huge metallic door being guarded by a huge hulk-like man. This was Brogen, who was a few inches taller than Tyler.


    "Wolf King!" Brogen saluted with respect, while disregarding the two men behind Cale.


    "Brogen, open the door for me please." Wolf King smiled lightly as he patted Brogen''s shoulder.


    Brogen bowed his head and immediately opened the door slowly.


    Wolf King went inside without hesitation. He then signalled Shannon to come inside with his hands while smiling mysteriously at him.


    Shannon was a bit nervous, but then he remembered that Tyler was with him, so he still reluctantly went inside the room.


    The moment Shannon went inside, his mouth gape in shock and his eyeballs went large like saucers.


    "This... This is..."

 Chapter 46 - Trade With Shannon

    Shannon rubbed his eyes continuously with his fat hands. His jaw was still on the ground as he stared at the rows of guns in front of him.


    The guns were divided according to their types and Shannon could not even count the exact amount of them inside the room. But he was sure that there were more than tens of thousands of them.


    Shannon''s knees went weaker and weaker as he greedily perused the guns presented before him.


    "This is an M16A2! And there are a lot of them here!"


    "Isn''t this the Kriss Vector?! How come you have these kinds of weapons here? Are you planning to arm ten thousand elite soldiers with these advanced weaponry?! You... You even have several dozen FGM-148 Javelin!" Shannon''s voice carried a hint of horror and he wobbled weakly as he glanced at Wolf King who was still smiling brightly at him.


    "Mr. Williams, I know you have a private army of about several hundred men. Arming them with these weapons will strengthen your men." Wolf King spoke in calm tone as pointed at the rows of weapons in the room.


    "You... Aren''t you afraid of CIA or FBI learning about this?!" Shannon lost his calm as he spoke with a louder voice.


    Wolf King did not answer him and just chuckled softly. The air inside the room became thinner and thinner following his cold laugh. Tyler hastily placed Shannon behind him while looking warily at Wolf King.


    "Mr. Williams, I have my methods of hiding them and you don''t have to worry about that. I just wanted to exchange my weapons with your gold." Cale bought these guns in "The Black Market". And these outdated weapons were sold in several hundred up to several thousands of Black Coins. He only used less than two hundred million Black Coins to purchase them all and he could exchange the weapons for several billions more. It was a huge profit, but there were also some risks in doing so. He needed to find a suitable man to sell his weapons, and this Shannon Williams was one of them.


    Shannon calmed himself down and glanced at Wolf King fearfully.  "Forty-nine thousand dollars per kilo of gold, this already includes the shipping and delivery. And I can only sell less than three hundred kilograms to you."


    "Great! That''s enough. I can provide you with eight hundred M4 Carbine, eight hundred FN Five-seven pistol, five FGM-148 Javelin including 20 missile rounds. And I will also add eight hundred Interceptor Multi-Threat Body Armor."


    Shannon almost drooled as Wolf King stated the goods he wanted to trade. He then hastily walk towards Wolf King and grabbed his right hand, shaking it eagerly.


    "Deal! To our partnership!"


    Wolf King smiled in response and replied in a calm tone. "To our partnership. The goods will be delivered in your villa in Comoros within two days time. You can rest assured."


    "You... You. I haven''t even given you my adress yet. And two days? I need more time to ship the gold to your place." Shannon was a bit speechless at how casual Wolf King spoke like he was merely delivering a truck of candies.


    "Mr. Williams, no need to worry about that. In two days time, just give the gold to my men and we will do the rest." Wolf King answered confidently.


    Shannon shook his head and sighed. "I trust you Wolf King. I will wait for your men in my villa then."


    They talked randomly about business after that and Shannon gained a much deeper understanding about Wolf King.


    A man that should never be made an enemy with!


    The guests left one by one after the ceremony while asking about how they could hire the fighters from Tyrannical Tower. Ulric explained it carefully to the guests ignoring their gaping looks after hearing the price. He also exlained that the B-Class level fighters and above can only be hired by premium clients, but even so, some of them still hired the fighters despite the unreasonable price and contract.


    In the evening of the same day, inside one of the luxurious rooms in the tower, Sima Ying was staring at the night sky with a look of longing on her beautiful face.


    "Where are you?" Her forlorn voice that contained a hint of worry made the scene even more gloomy. She pouted her cherry red lips and walk back inside the room with feeble foot steps.


    Somewhere in the Antarctic regions of Earth, a small fabric of space was opened. A harsh and crimson world can be seen behind the space.


    "Thud! Thud!"


    Two humanoid creatures emerged out of it, before the small space closed. They looked around their surroundings with curiosity. The humanoid creatures spoke in an incomprehensible language as they pointed at the penguins who were running away from them.


    "Are those the creatures of this backwater planet? They looked tasty!" The humanoid spoke after removing his helmet.


    Pale blue skin, dark eyes and pointed ears and a aggressive appearance looking like a predator hungry for blood.


    "Shut up! The commander told us to not make any moves yet. Although the beings on this planet are weak and their technology is about hundred years or so behind ours, we still need to be careful."


    "What a boring man. Don''t worry, I''m not yet tired of living to disobey the orders of the commander." Replied the humanoid who took off his helmet as he glanced spitefully at his companion.


    His companion turned his head away from him after looking at him with disdain. He then stood up and scrutinized their surroundings.


    "What a beautiful place! To think that such a planet was present in the universe. And it''s crust also contains several hundred thousand tons of gold. The commander was not even sure how much gold can be found inside this planet''s mantle." The humanoid muttered in surprise and admiration as he glanced at the glacier and the deep blue ocean ahead.


    "The fools living here does not even know the real importance of gold and how to use it. They are just squandering the precious gold and make it into ornaments. Even the rich emperors in our world does not dare make an ornament out of gold." The other humanoid was stomping angrily on the fielf of ice as cursed loudly.


    "Let''s go. It will take them about another month to open a small fabric of space towards this planet."


    The two humanoid left a moment after that.

 Chapter 47 - Ambush

    Two days later, inside a large villa in Comoros, a chubby blonde man in his forties was sitting lazily in his sofa. "Do you think they will arrive? I mean, it is at least 15 hours away by plane from Comoros to the Philippines. And im not..." Before Shannon can finish what he was saying, a loud honking of cars sounded outside his villa. He glanced at at Tyler and nodded at him.


    "It must be them, speak of the devil."


    When Shannon and Tyler got out of the villa, they saw several cars parked outside. More than ten man in standard military clothing were standing stoically.


    "Hello sirs, what brings you here in my humble abode?" Shannon nervously asked as he glanced at the ''soldiers'' in front of him. They were fully equipped from head to foot and each of them were holding an FN-Scar assault rifle.


    One of the ''soldiers'' stepped forward and spoke in calm voice. "Mr. Williams, we were sent by Wolf King to deliver your package." He then turned around and ordered in a loud voice. "Men, deliver the package!"


    The ''soldiers'' saluted before moving towards the huge carrier trucks. Shannon saw them bring out multiple wooden boxes and he can already imagine what was inside. "Men, help these brothers to carry the boxes! Be careful on handling them!"


    "Yes boss!"


    "Alright boss!"


    After bringing out all the wooden boxes, Shannon walked towards one of it and opened it slowly. His eyes were greeted by a beautiful black rifle, causing his mouth to water in excitement.


    "Where is our package Mr. Williams?" A cold voice interrupted Shannon''s train of thoughts.


    "Oh, right! Men, bring out the box!" Shannon smiled confidently and shouted towards his men.


    Santharus inspected the box from Shannon and saw glittering pieces of gold. He then told his men to carry the box of gold inside their truck. "Mr. Williams, it''s time for us to go."


    Santharus went back inside one of the cars moments after, their group then left, leaving small clouds of dust.


    "Boss! What''s inside these boxes? And why are there so much of them?"


    "Open it and you''ll know." Shannon smiled mysteriously.


    His men then eagerly opened the boxes and their eyes went wide like saucers.


    "Holy shit! Guns! Armors! And even missiles!"


    The rest of Shannon''s men hurriedly swarmed around the boxes to take a look, and all of them had stunned looks after opening them.


    More than ten kilometers away from Shannon''s villa, the fleet of cars led by Santharus suddenly stopped.


    "How many of them are there?" Santharus asked in calm voice as he glanced at the red dots shown on their screen.


    "More than twenty armed individuals, their background is unknown just based on their clothings, but their weapons are not just some random toys, sir!" One ''soldier'' replied after glancing at the data shown by one of their flying drones.


    "The five of you follow me! As for the rest, remain here and protect the package!" Santharus pointed at five men to come with him and ordered the rest to remain.


    Santharus led the five men towards the hidden enemies. He then glanced at his men and mouthed two words without a sound. ''Locate them.''


    All of his men took out a round object and studied it carefully. They saw red dots scattered all over the forested terrain.


    Santharus then signalled them with his hands to move on five directions and slowly kill their hidden enemies.


    He then moved towards another direction while looking at the round object in his hands from time to time. He pulled out a suppressed Texan .45 Caliber rifle and put his eyes on the scope. The rifle may be suppressed, but it will still make a bit of noise. But the muzzle flash will be masked perfectly with its longer and improved suppressor.


    "Select lone targets. Report in team."


    "Target locked."


    "Ready."


    "Ready."


    "Ready."


    "Waiting for the signal to fire, sir."


    Santharus adjusted his scope and said over the radio. "Fire!"


    Suppressed gunshots resounded inside the forest, greatly startling the men hiding in there.


    Six men died in an instant without them even knowing where the enemies are. The leader of the hidden group decisively ordered the rest of his men to retreat.


    ''Shit! They killed a fifth of my men in a blink of an eye. Are they the elites from that tower? Impossible!'' The leader''s thoughts was in disarray as he ran in retreat.


    "Poof! Poof! Poof!"


    Three more of his men were killed and their enemies were nowhere to be found. His mind was working very fast, thinking for possible ways to counter. He then ordered his men to hide.


    "Sir, they have hidden from our sights."


    "Use the data provided by the drones in the scanner. Just leave one of them alive." Santharus coldly stated as he pressed the trigger on his rifle.


    "Poof!"


    Another man died.


    "Fuck! Throw the grenades!" Ordered the enemies leader in desperation.


    More than ten grenades were thrown at different locations...


    "Shit! One grenade is moving my way!" One of Santharus'' men said over the radio.


    "Escape fast, we will cover you. The rest of you cover fire!!"


    Multiple suppressed gunshots resounded inside the forest and their enemies heard whistling sounds from time to time.


    "They are providing cover! Look for them!" The enemy leader ordered loudly.


    "Sir! Four hundred meters 1 o''clock!"


    The enemies aimed their weapons on the said location, but their leader look elsewhere as if searching for something. He then heard a whistling sound of bullet as it grazed his left cheek, leaving a line of blood. But his expression was strangely calm as he aimed his gun towards the trajectory of the bullet.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Aargh!"


    ''Shit these guys are elites and not just some random soldiers.'' Santharus said after hearing one of his men groan in pain. He pulled his trigger, but the enemies were already hidden and his soldier who was thrown a grenade at earlier was shot as he retreated.


    "Two men down sir! What are your orders?" Santharus heard the report and he hurriedly ordered his men to extract their downed companions.

 Chapter 48 - Captured

    "Sir, they are retreating! What are your orders?"


    "Fall back! This is not their full force yet. It is foolish to fight them with more than half our men already killed." The leader said coldly as led their retreat.


    Santharus saw the enemies retreat and instantly ordered his men over the radio. "I need three men here to get our wounded brothers back, and retreat back to the fleet!"


    He then kept his Texan .45 Caliber rifle and pulled out a Kriss Vector Carbine .45 Automatic Cartridge Pistol. Its range was shorter than the Texan .45 Caliber, but it is better in close range and its accuracy was definitely top notch.


    Santharus silently followed their enemies and tracking them was not a problem with their drones in midair. The reason why the enemies were not able to see the drones was because they were high up in the sky on the direction of the sun and the sun''s bright light shielded the drones from their enemies'' sights.


    Santharus saw less than ten men moving towards several cars parked three hundred and fifty meters away.


    He pulled the trigger of the Kriss Vector.


    "Dadadadada! Dadadadada!"


    Rounds and rounds of bullets were fired towards the escaping enemies who were unaware of Santharus''s presence despite there being a rear guard.


    Another three men died from those rounds of bullets.


    The leader aimed his weapon behind and saw Santharus hiding behind a tall tree. He then pulled the trigger and fired multiple shots on Santharus. The latter hastily ran towards his left when he saw the leader aim his gun at him, barely dodging the bullets.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!" The tall tree he was hiding previously was riddled with holes.


    Santharus then grabbed a flash grenade that was firmly attached on his left hip and threw it towards the direction of his enemies.


    The enemies thought that it was hand grenade and they hastily ran. Santharus aimed at the running enemies and pulled his trigger.


    "Dadada! Dadada!"


    Two more men groaned in pain before they fell on the ground dead. And now, only three enemies were left alive.


    ''Fuck! Our mission was to ambush these men, but we are the one getting ambushed! Fuck!'' The leader cursed in his mind as he ran towards the car.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Dadada! Dadada!"


    "Aargh!"


    "Aargghh!"


    Santharus hastily ran and followed the escaping leader and he saw the latter start the car and turned to escape.


    "Vroom! Vroom!"


    Santharus took out his Texan .45 Caliber rifle hastily and aimed at the moving car''s tires before pulling the trigger.


    "Bang!"


    "Screech!"


    The car lost its balance and rammed on a huge tree with a loud...


    "Bang!"


    Santharus moved towards the car carefully not putting down his aim at all towards it at all. He saw that the driver''s seat was open and no one was there to be found. He then felt a strong amount of origin essence coming from behind him. He turned around and aim his gun, but it was swatted away by a strong kick.


    ''Peak S-Class level fighter, almost reaching the King-Class!'' Santharus thought to himself with a bit of surprise after he felt the strong amount of origin essence from the man he was currently facing.


    "You bastard! You killed all my men!" The man was tall with ripped physique and his golden hair shone brightly like a sun.


    The blonde man dashed towards Santharus in anger and threw a roundhouse kick aiming for the latter''s head.


    ''It''s hard to fight in hand to hand combat with this thick armor. I''m at a disadvantage here and I haven''t even broken through the King-Class level yet.


    Santharus blocked the kick with his arms and grabbed the outstretched foot, but the blonde man hastily took it back. Santharus inched closer to the blonde man erratically while pulling a knife from his side sneakily.


    The blonde man was unaware of what Santharus did and threw multiple punches. The latter had a hard time evading the punches with his heavy armor and took several hits. He may be wearing an armor, but it was not built to receive punches, but to block bullets. He still felt a bit of pain, but Santharus'' face did not change one bit.


    ''It is time!'' He saw the blonde man threw a straight punch towards his stomach, but Santharus allowed the man to hit him so that he can grab his arm. He then twisted the man''s arm on the opposite direction making the blonde man flinched in pain. Santharus then aimed his dagger on the man''s neck.


    "What is your purpose in ambushing us?" Santharus asked coldly as the knife in his hands touched the man''s neck.


    "Try moving one more time and your head will roll on the ground in less than a second." Threatened Santharus when he saw the blonde man move his free hand. The latter froze at the threat, obviously an effective tactic.


    "We were the one ambushed you bastard!" The man cursed angrily, but he did not move for fear that Santharus will kill him. He did not want to die a slow and excruciating death.


    "Requesting support here, I captured the enemy leader." Santharus said over the radio.


    "Roger that! Three minutes to arrive in the location by car."


    The blonde man sighed and thought to himself. ''Why do we have to provoke this group? The higher ups were just obviously tempted about the artificial intelligence they had. Shit.''


    "Vrooom! Vrooom!"


    More than ten men armed with high powered rifles came, creating a stifling atmosphere for the blonde man.


    Santharus switched his hold on the knife back-handedly and hit the blonde man''s temple with the knife''s handle.


    "Carry him inside the car. We will bring him in the tower and show him to..." That was the last words he heard before his consciousness blanked out.


    An unknown number of hours passed by. The blonde man''s eyelashes fluttered slowly as he opened his eyes with a bit of difficulty. He found himself on a dark room with only a small lamp producing a dim yellowish light. His hands and feet were tied with thick metal chains and his body was also tied tightly on the chair he was currently sitting on.


    In front of him was man with silver wolf mask and long silver hair. The man''s cherry red lips was smiling teasingly at him while his silver eyes flashed with a hint of schadenfreude.


    "Wolf King." The blonde man muttered unconsciously.

 Chapter 49 - Emperor-Class

    "What does a secret agent from the CIA need from me Mr. Hudson?" Wolf King asked the blonde man as if they were best buddies.


    Martin Hudson was surprised about Wolf King''s knowledge regarding his true identity, because getting classified informations from CIA was as hard as climbing the gates of hell.


    And even in the agency, he was not called by his real name, but by his codename. His codename in the agency was...


    "Knight, or should I call you Martin Hudson? Lives in Holly Cove St Franklin, Virginia. Passed first in the Applicant Physical Abilities Exam with his superb physical abilities. Your wife, Mary, died after giving birth to your third child. And you are also a father of three pretty children, namely Linda, Nancy and Stacey, such pretty little girls I say." Wolf King''s gaze was soft and full of adoration, but Martin felt the hidden message from Wolf King''s words.


    He was obviously threatening him!


    "You... You... how did you know all that?" Martin sighed and a look of defeat and exhaustion can be seen on his face.


    Wolf King merely smiled at him and waited for the man to talk.


    Martin shook his head after producing another heavy sigh. He knew that the man was just waiting for him to speak.


    "We heard about an advanced Artificial Intelligence installed inside your tower and... and the higher ups were thinking that you might be hiding something else that could threaten the balance of the world." Martin spoke calmly while studying his surroundings with his peripheral vision.


    "You don''t need to look elsewhere Mr. Hudson. You have no hopes of escaping here. Now tell me, if you guys were only interested with our Artificial Intelligence, why do you have to ambush my men in Comoros as well?" Wolf King was still smiling brightly at Martin with his one leg on top of the other. His casualness was like he was merely talking with a good friend, but his beautiful silver eyes looked cold from Martin''s point if view.


    "I... We... We wanted to get an evidence against Shannon as well, because his name was included on the list of people that needs to be monitored closely. We also got information that he will do a trade in Comoros, thus the agency sent us to ambush you and get the evidence." Martin answered honestly. He was obviously afraid that Wolf King would kill his daughters. Even if they were closely guarded by the agency, he still did not feel safe and thought that it wasn''t enough, especially after confronting with Santharus in Comoros.


    ''This man will turn the world''s balance of powers upside down. It was wrong to provoke him.'' He thought in regret. He could have declined the mission, but he could not do so after hearing the tempting offer that the agency promised him.


    "You killed one of my men and injured one severely. I commend your strength and I would have recruited you if not for your background." Wolf King shook his head with a regretful look.


    "Slash!"


    A slashing sound can be heard as Wolf King moved his right hand at an inconceivable speed.


    Martin saw his vision turned upside down and he can still see the bright smile from Wolf King.


    "Thud!"


    A dull and heavy sound of something dropping on the floor sounded. Martin who was slowly losing his vision saw the most horrifying thing in his life. His own body, which no longer had a head attached to it, with blood continuously spraying endlessly like a fountain of water.


    Wolf King glanced at the decapitated head on the ground emotionlessly. The expression on Martin''s face was one of extreme horror. He was still able to produce a small stream of bloodied tears, before the light on his eyes was gone.


    The smile on Wolf King''s face was gone and was replaced by a cold look. "Whoever dares to kill my people deserves a painful death."


    A huge shadow then approached the dead body of Martin as he unchained it, before putting his dead body inside a bag together with his decapitated head.


    ''Do you really think that I have forgotten you dogs from the CIA? You who had betrayed the Earth Alliance and caused the death of more than several hundred million people?!'' Wolf King stood up in anger and punched the metall wall behind him. He took his bleeding fist back and a huge dent on the thick metal wall can be seen, but his expression never changed as if it was something insignificant.


    Five years after the unending battle with demi humans. The main headquarters of the CIA was infiltrated by the elite troops of the demi humans.


    And to save their skin, they surrendered to the demi humans and told them the location of one of Earth Alliance''s main bases to get the demi humans trust.


    After having known the location of Earth Alliance''s third main base, the demi humans attacked with their main army and they even sent one of their S-Class robots, the Extinguisher.


    The third base which was housing more than several hundred million humans was attacked.


    With the surprised assault from the demi humans, the third base was caught unprepared causing more than ninety percent of its inhabitants to die a painful death.


    Oceans of human blood flowed during that time, striking fear on the humans living on the other bases.


    They felt unsafe and fearful that their base might one day suffer the same fate as the third base.


    Cale removed his wolf mask slowly, and his long silver hair turned as dark as the night. His eyes which reverted back to its original onyx color flashed a trace of profound hatred.


    The air around him was converging little by little and the sound of blowing wind traveled around the dark room ceaselessly.


    Brogen who was standing behind him felt the rising amount of origin essence and even him who was at peak of King-Class level felt a suffocating kind of pressure. ''He broke through the Emperor-Class!?''

 Chapter 50 - Endless Longing

    Three days later, inside the main headquarters of CIA.


    "All our top agents were killed, and even knight died as well. And all we know is that Wolf King did this, but we don''t even have an evidence regarding his involvement on this matter to support our claims."


    "We must send our most elite group and infiltrate that tower and if what we heard from Shannon''s men was true, then that Artificial Intelligence might be even more advanced than the one we have made."


    "No, their strength cannot be taken too lightly. How about negotiating with them?"


    The middle aged man sitting at the head seat was in deep thought. He was not even listening to the opinion of others and just continued to sit there silence. The frown on his face was becoming more prominent as the meeting went on.


    ''Wolf King, just what are you hiding?''


    Inside the Tyrannical Tower''s arena, a young man and woman was listening attentively to the middle aged man man in front of them.


    "Origin energy is like flowing water, and the meridians are the rivers that it flows into..."


    Demetrio, formerly the patriarch of the Kure Family in Altura was now teaching the basics of origin essence gathering to his new students, Sima Ying and Sima Fenglun.


    ''This brother and sister pair are both very talented, and they can even rival some young elites from my Kure Family.'' Demetrio thought to himself as he continued teaching the pair.


    A man wearing silver wolf mask was staring affectionately at Sima Ying. His shadow then vanished from the arena in a blink of an eye.


    Demetrio glanced at where Wolf King was previously located with a surprised look. ''Emperor-Class level?!''


    At the top of the tower, Wolf King removed his silver wolf mask and his features slowly reverted back to its origanal form. Short black hair, a pair of deep onyx eyes, tall nose and cherry red lips. The dream man of every woman in the world was now staring at the sky with longingness.


    "Xia Qingyue, even in this life, I still don''t have the guts to tell you what I feel. I wanted you to be with me, but I don''t want you to carry the burden of my misery. Perhaps this is my fate, to continue admiring your untainted soul and pure heart from afar, without being able to tell you my innermost feelings." Cale''s nostalgic gaze, forlorn voice and the immortal air around him made him look like a celestial being who had lived an infinite life of solitude.


    Later that night, in a faraway hill, several silhouettes in camouflage attires were waiting patiently like statues.


    "I don''t believe she will stay in that tower forever. Just wait patiently, and the moment she goes out of the tower, that''s when you will move." A blonde middle aged man with ripped physique removed the night vision telescope from his eyes and gave it to one of the men beside him.


    "Boss, Sima Ying is out of the tower with her brother Sima Fenglun. Your orders?" A camouflaged man asked with the telescope still in his eyes.


    "Wait for them to head out, and when they are already far from the tower, get them!" The blonde middle aged man''s face was full of hatred as if he wanted to rip Sima Ying into pieces.


    Inside a fancy car, Sima Ying and Sima Fenglun were talking excitedly to each other.


    "Sir Demetrio truly opened my eyes about the real form of martial arts. I thought my knowledge about it was already deep, but after his teachings, I learned how foolish I was." Sima Fenglun sighed as he shook his head.


    "It''s okay big brother. With the teachings from the top martial arts practitioner from the tower, your strength will continue to increase exponentially. You may even reach the King-Class level with their help." Sima Ying excitedly clenched her fist as she look at her brother in admiration.


    Sima Fenglun smiled at her and patted her head dotingly. The latter closed her eyes in delight and a sweet smile can be seen on her beautiful face.


    The two were still talking eagerly when the car suddenly stopped moving. The brother and sister pair glanced at the C-Class level fighter they have hired from the Tyrannical Tower questioningly. But when they saw that their car was being surrounded by multiple cars, they finally realized the situation they were in.


    "Young master, young miss, please hold on tight. The road might be quite bumpy." The C-Class fighter said seriously as he stepped on the pedal forcefully and ramming the car of the opposing party decisively.


    "Shoot their tires! Move you fools!" An angry roar resounded inside one of the cars tailing the Sima siblings.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    One of their car tires exploded.


    "Screech!"


    "Young master, young miss, the moment I step out of the car, run without looking back. I''ll stall for time." The C-Class fighter''s eyes was determined as he pulled out an MP5 submachine gun on his side.


    "But..." Sima Fenglun tapped his sister''s shoulder before she can continue speaking. She then saw her brother shook his head with a face full of seriousness. He similarly grabbed a handgun from the car''s compartment and cocked it.


    "Go!" The C-Class fighter stepped on the brake as he steered the steering wheel sideways before jumping out of the car. He aimed his MP5 on the approaching cars and pulled the trigger.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The Sima siblings did not waste time and hurriedly ran away without looking back. Sima Fenglun pulled his sister''s hands as they ran with all their might.


    "Call Mr. Cale quick! Inform him about our current situation!" Sima Fenglun shouted nervously as he pulled his sister towards a forest nearby.


    Sima Ying grabbed her phone and found to her dismay that there was no signal on their location.


    "There is no signal!" Her voice was full of worry and fear as she glanced at her brother.


    Sima Fenglun forced a calm look, but his sweating face and freezing hands can''t be masked.


    The pair continued running deep into the forest with haste.

 Chapter 51 - Dead

    "Don''t let them get away, make sure that they are within the range of our signal jammer!" The blonde middle aged man shouted towards his men.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Arrrgh!"


    "Shit! Who is this bastard? Shoot him!" The blonde middle aged man angrily ordered his men.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The C-Class level fighter hid behind a huge rock and reloaded his MP5. His face was full of sweat, but his eyes was firm and had no hint of fear. He then dashed and rolled on the ground while shooting the armed men killing another two of them. He then hid behind another rock and ducked his head while glancing at the empty magazine of his MP5.


    "This is all I can do for you, young master, young miss."


    He then grabbed a hand grenade from his pocket and waited patiently for the armed men. His finger was already on the safety pin, ready to pull it anytime.


    "Booom!"


    The Sima siblings could no longer hear any gunshots from behind them after that loud explosion and they thought that the C-Class level fighter might have died already.


    Sima Ying covered her mouth with her right hand and suppressed her choking sounds of sadness. A line of tears can be seen trickling down her exquisite face.


    "Brother, are we going to die?" Her shaking voice had a hint of regret. If she had not told her brother that she wanted to buy some local clothes, then this would have not happened.


    Sima Fenglun glanced at her and forced a weak smile. "Of course not! Wolf King will personally come and save us. Just perse..."


    "Bang!" A gunshot stopped Sima Fenglun''s words.


    Sima Fenglun then dropped to the ground and his sister Sima Ying stumbled and similarly laid on the ground pitifully. She glanced at her brother and saw his bloodied shoulder, the gun from his hands was also thrown far away.


    Sima Fenglun''s was full of pain, but he refused to groan and swallowed the blood that he was about to vomit.


    Hurried footsteps can be heard approaching towards them.


    "Run sister! Leave me! Go!" Sima Fenglun shouted at his sister with an angry look, but Sima Ying simply shook her head with a smile.


    "You... You..." Sima Fenglun sighed and clutched his bloodied shoulder as he suppressed the groans to come out of his mouth.


    A loud laughter suddenly resounded like a devil''s chant on their ears. They glanced towards the source of the sound and saw a blonde middle aged man with ripped physique walking towards them.


    They were surprised to see their assailant. It was actually Jeffrey''s father, Lewis Fischer!


    "Mr. Fischer, why are you doing this?" Sima Ying asked with a look of hatred.


    Lewis Fischer laughed madly in response and continued walking towards Sima Ying.


    "I finally caught you little rats. I would have caught you faster if not for that shitty bodyguard of yours. To think that he was able kill nine of my men! Fuck! Now, I will be severely reprimanded by the leader when I go back to Germany.


    "Don''t touch her you bastard if you still want to fucking live!" Sima Fenglun shouted angrily and stood up with difficulty.


    Lewis took a step forward and kicked him on the chest sending him flying like a ragdoll.


    "Brother!!" Sima Ying stood up, but a hand grabbed her shoulders firmly, refusing to make her move. She glanced back and saw Lewis smiling cruelly at her.


    "You little bastards from the Sima Family will pay for this! I will let my men take turns in defiling your little flower, Sima Ying! You are the main reason why my son was killed! If not for you little bitch, he would have not come in that bullshit banquet in Macau!" Lewis had a crazed look on his face and his spittle rained down, making Sima Ying look sideways. But she felt her heart turn cold at his words. Her body started shaking from head to foot as she glanced at the ground soullessly. It seems like her soul had escape from her body.


    Lewis'' men glanced lewdly at Sima Ying''s youthful body. They slowly inched closer towards her as if they can''t wait to devour her whole.


    "Try you bastards... And once the...the people from the Tyrannical Tower knows about this, then even your Verreine Camorra will not be able to hold their wrath. You don''t know how strong the Tyrannical Tower is." Sima Fenglun coughed heavily and blood began to leak out of his mouth.


    Lewis''s men stop from their tracks and glanced at their boss, waiting for his orders impatiently.


    Lewis was not affected by his threats and just laughed loudly. "Who do you think you are brat?! Do you know how strong the leader is?! He had long since surpassed the S-Class level! What lousy Tyrannical Tower are you talking about?"


    Lewis Fischer laughed like madman and his men also had smirks on their faces obviously agreeing with their boss, for they had seen that man''s strength themselves.


    Sima Fenglun suddenly chuckled softly and his eyes had a mocking look on them. He then glanced at Lewis and his men with disdain as he cursed loudly. "You fools! That trash leader of yours can''t defeat a single S-Class fighter from the tower! Your idiocy will destroy Verreine Camorra and it will become history! And if he can indeed defeat any S-Class level fighter from the Tyrannical Tower, then I will call you grandpa from then on!"


    Lewis saw the mocking smile on Sima Fenglun''s face, making his veins pop up in anger. He could not hold his anger anymore and aimed his gun at him.


    "Bang!"


    A cold and lifeless body dropped to the ground, dead. A bullet hole can be seen at the center of his forehead and blood continuously leaked out of it.


    Sima Ying glanced at the dead body, her eyes unfocused.

 Chapter 52 - Confession

    A man wearing silver wolf mask was holding a handgun in his hands, a bit of smoke came out of its opening after he had taken a shot.


    His face was impassive as he glanced at the men below who was finding the culprit who shot their leader dead.


    Two silhouettes landed on the ground gracefully like immortals. One was a middle aged man with aggressive appearance, his face was full of anger as he glared at the men in front of him. The other one was a man with long silver hair, his expression was indiscernible because of the silver wolf mask covering half his face, but Demetrio who was beside him felt the surging amount of origin essense leaking out of Wolf King''s body.


    "Leave non alive." He casually said, and the moment the words left his mouth, Demetrio disappeared from his location.


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    Several slashing sounds and gunshots can be heard, but Wolf King ignored what was happening behind him and walked towards the Sima siblings.


    He saw the scared look of Sima Ying which made his heart broken. And he truly wished to hug her and pat her back before saying ''Don''t worry, I am already here.'' , but no words came out of his mouth and he just smiled at her while patting her head.


    Sima Ying''s tears started dropping again as she glanced straight at his silver eyes. She suddenly hugged Wolf King and sobbed like a little girl, wetting the latter''s chest with her tears.


    Wolf King''s face froze for a moment and he didn''t know what do. He then heard a warm and sweet voice whispering on his ears. "I know it''s you."


    Wolf King''s eyes went wide for a moment, and his heartbeat quickened considerably. He sighed lightly and he could no longer hold back his feelings. He hugged the fragile woman tightly in his embrace and patted her back softly.


    "I''m sorry I have come late. I.. I..." Cale''s voice was full of self blame, but Sima Ying placed her finger on his lips and looked at him with affection.


    "Thank you for being here. Thank you..." Sima Ying''s face was still full of tears, but a sweet smile can now be seen on her cherry red lips.


    Wolf King''s silver eyes watered a bit after seeing her beautiful smile. He then wiped the tears from her face with his thumbs softly like he was caressing the most brittle of jades.


    "Xia Qi- Sima Ying... I..." Sima Ying smiled and hugged the man who was still reproaching himself making him swallow the words he was about to say.


    "I am back, Major General Cale. Your Xia Qingyue is back." Her melodic voice traveled like a bomb in Cale''s ears.


    "You... You also reincarnated back in time?" Cale could no longer hold back his tears and a thin line slid down slowly, but it was hidden by the silver wolf mask on his face and only small globs of liquid can be seen at the corner of his eyes.


    Sima Ying shook her head, her eyes was looking at him with tender love. "I was reborn again and I could not remember anything about my past life until I met you."


    Cale forced himself not to sob and just look at her with a weak smile.


    "I have loved you from my past life, and until now in this life, my love remains the same, Cale." Sima Ying''s affectionate voice made Cale hugged the woman in front him tighter as whispered softly. "I love you my Xia Qingyue. From now on, no one can get you away from me again. Even gods will die if they steal you from me."


    "Mhm -  mhm." Sima Ying smiled and nodded her softly as she listened to the rhythmic beating of Cale''s heart.


    "Ehem! Ehem! Could you guys help me for a moment here? My shoulder is aching so bad. Oh! Oh!" Sima Fenglun had a teasing smile on his face as he faked a painful expression despite his current plight.


    Cale looked at him with a smile, while Sima Ying glanced at her brother with embarrassment, but her eyes was still filled with worry for him.


    Cale stood up and a cup of Heavenly Spring Water suddenly appeared on his hand. Sima Fenglun was surprised, but he held on his curiosity and just received the glass of clear water.


    He put the glass on his mouth and smelled a refreshing scent from it. The moment the liquid entered his body, he felt the pain he was feeling melting away slowly. The wound on his shoulder was also recovering at a discernible speed. And in less than ten seconds, only a small scar remained from the injury.


    Sima Fenglun was shocked and looked at the glass in his hands with wide eyes. He then glanced at Cale who was smiling at him. The latter then stood up and glanced at the aftermath of Demetrio''s carnage.


    More than a dozen armed men lay dead on the cold ground. Their heads were no longer attached to their bodies. They all died in one slash of Demetrio''s short sword.


    Sima Fenglun looked at his teacher with admiration while the latter smiled at him. His short sword was still tainted with red blood as it slowly dripped on the floor. Demetrio then flicked his short sword, removing the blood from it, before he sheathed it back on its scabbard.


    Cale who was still in his silver wolf mask glanced at the dead bodies emotionlessly. His silver eyes was filled with strange energies as his aura flactuated unconsciously.


    ''Verreine Camorra, very good! You had successfully angered me. Enjoy the rest of your days, because your lives will no longer be yours the moment I step on Germany.''


    His heart then regained clarity as he turned around and glanced at Sima Ying fondly. He then grabbed her dainty hands and pulled her to his embrace.


    Sima Ying rested her head on his chest and closed her eyes. A bright smile can be seen on her stunning face.

 Chapter 53 - Time Is Up

    Inside a room in Tyrannical Tower, two naked bodies were pressed tightly against each other. They looked at one another with affection and longing as they drowned themselves in their carnal desires.


    "Hmmm! Hmm....."


    After three rounds of steamy session, Cale weakly lied down on the bed. His face was still a bit reddish as he glanced at Sima Ying''s bewitching naked body. The latter had already fallen asleep due to exhaustion making Cale feel a bit proud to himself. He then hugged Sima Ying''s body tightly and his eyes slowly closed.


    The next morning, Cale canceled his training plans and spent the rest of the day with Sima Ying.


    "Do you remember anything related to our past life Ying-er?" Cale asked Sima Ying who was resting head in his chest.


    "No, I can only remember you. And I don''t remember anything that happened in our past life. Why, do you remember anything?" Sima Ying was still resting her head in his chest when she asked that.


    Cale''s eyes flashed a strange light for a brief moment before he shook his head slowly. "No, I have no recollection of what happened in our past life as well."


    "You two are already this lovey-dovey after confessing to each other, eh? I''m jealous, when can I even find a girlfriend?" Sima Fenglun''s joking tone of voice traveled on their ears, startling Sima Ying greatly in surprise. She look back and saw her brother''s teasing smile and his eyebrows which were moving up and down while maintaining that smile.


    "Brother Feng." Cale nodded his head with a smile as he glanced briefly at Sima Fenglun.


    "Brother! It''s because you are too choosy. There are a lot of pretty girls lining themselves for you to choose from, but you refused to even take a look at them. Hmph!" Sima Ying pouted her lips as she placed her left hand in her hips while her right hand was pointing at her brother.


    Sima Fenglun scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile before scurrying away. "I shall depart for now as Mr. Demetrio might punish me."


    "Tomorrow, you should join your brother to practice. Demetrio is a good teacher and you will learn a lot from him." Cale rubbed Sima Ying''s head lovingly.


    "Mhm. And I will still sleep beside you tonight." Sima Ying nodded her head in response.


    Cale smiled and hugged her tightly. "Everyday, you will sleep beside me."


    The next day, Cale was inside the Virtual Training environment as he check "The Black Market".


    During his three months stay inside the Gravity Training Room last time, Cale used more than 20 million Black Coins for the expensive food and water. His heart ache so much, but after seeing the effects, he felt much better.


    He practiced for another 3 months inside the Virtual Training Environment which was about a month in the outside world, and also, he did as he had promised Sima Ying to sleep beside her every night.


    After his final day of practice...


    "It is time to visit Germany." Cale muttered to himself as he took out his phone and dialed someone''s number.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    Anton''s phone rang as he was watching a television show with Delfino and the latter''s kids. Delfino was a bit irritated, but then...


    "Hello Mr. Anton, this is Wolf King." The simple introduction made Delfino shut up his mouth.


    "Hello Wolf King, how can I help you today?" Anton asked carefully as he put the device on loud speaker.


    "I don''t mind Mr. Delfino listening, because you also needed his permission for the things you are about to do."


    "Okay, I understand Wolf King." Anton was surprised but he still answered calmly.


    "Verreine Camorra, I know where their headquarters is." Anton''s heart skip a beat after hearing Wolf King mention the taboo name in his life, but he waited for Wolf King to finish his words.


    "And I can help you get your revenge. Do you wish to come with me in Germany? If so, I will allow you to kill Andrei Schmidt with your own hands." Both Anton and Delfino was speechless at Wolf King''s words, as if he already had the life of Andrei Schmidt, leader of Verreine Camorra in his hands. But strangely enough, they thought that he was not boasting at all. They knew what Wolf King was capable of, after they had seen a part of Tyrannical Tower''s  strength.


    Anton glanced at Delfino while waiting for his approval. The latter sighed and nodded his head after seeing Anton''s pleading look.


    "I will come with you Wolf King." Anton answered without hesitation after having Delfino''s approval.


    "Great! And Mr. Delfino, you don''t have to worry. During Anton''s absence, I will send five B-Class level fighter to guard you temporarily." Wolf King''s words stunned Anton and Delfino greatly. They knew how strong the tower''s B-Class level fighters are and to think that Wolf King was so generous to allow five of them to take Anton''s place.


    "Thank you for your consideration Wolf King." Anton thanked Wolf King from bottom of his heart after hearing his promise.


    "Prepare now Mr. Anton and in a few days time, someone will come to pick you up. Goodbye."


    Anton removed the phone on his ears and his eyes had a trace of excitement and other unexplainable emotions. "With Tyrannical Tower''s help, I can finally exact my revenge." Anton clenched his fists tightly and his eyes was burning with hatred as he recalled the face of the man who ruined his family.


    Delfino patted his shoulder after seeing his expression, before he went back and sat down beside his kids.


    Five days after the interaction between Wolf King and Anton, inside the Tyrannical Tower.


    "Santharus, go pick up Anton." A man in silver wolf mask casually said, but his silver eyes carried a hint of coldness.


    "Yes my lord." Santharus replied after bowing his head slightly. He then left after that.


    "Brogen, call all the A-Class fighters and tell them to prepare. We will leave today and fly to Germany.


    "As you say my lord."


    After both guys left, only Cale was left in the room.


    "Verreine Camorra, your time is up." His charming lips produced a wicked smirk making him look demonically handsome.


    He then stood up from his seat and glanced outside the opened window. His silver hair fluttered elegantly as the breeze blew cold winds ceaselessly.

 Chapter 54 - Verreine Camorra

    A day ago, in Verreine Camorra''s headquarters, some where in Germany.


    A blonde man in his fifties smashed his phone on the ground, his face was contorted with extreme fury. "Fuck! How dare that Lewis Fischer turn his phone off! That fool must have been fooling around in Macau again! Shit! I will smash his face the moment he comes back here!"


    The men inside the room prayed silently for their Vice Leader, Lewis Fischer. But they never knew that the man they currently thinking about had long since left the world.


    Even Andrei Schmidt who was currently raining angry curses was unaware of his death.


    He then calmed himself down and glanced at his subordinates. "How many people were you able to kidnap during this month so far?"


    One of them glanced at him with a bit of fear before he said. "Boss, we have about several dozen healthy people."


    "Good job! Bring me to the laboratory now." Andrei nodded in approval.


    "Sure boss!" His subordinate then walked towards the door and opened it, waiting for Andrei to get out.


    Inside an underground laboratory, several dozen people were laid down on one hospital bed each. Their limbs were tightly locked with thick metal chains and their mouths were sealed with duct tapes.


    Some of them were squirming madly on their beds with desperation wishing to escape from their bindings, but to no avail. Several armed men inside the laboratory glanced at them mockingly.


    "Hey rats! Stop struggling, in a few moments, all of you will die!" One man holding a rifle laughed loudly as he glanced at the people on the bed struggling to escape.


    "Haha! These fools are actually thinking of escaping? Idiots!"


    Hey! That young chick right there is quite beautiful. How about..." One of them had lewd smile on his face as he pointed at a woman with voluptuous figure. Her youthful face was full of trepidation as the men were looking her way with greedy looks.


    "Yeah good idea. The boss won''t mind as long as we don''t kill her." One of them licked his lips greedily as he inched closer towards the voluptuous woman.


    She struggled madly on the bed, but she could not even move her hands and feet as they were chained tightly.


    Several shadows surrounded her and tears slid down her youthful face after seeing their cruel looks.


    "Look! You scared her with your ugly faces. How about this handsome brother goes first?" An ugly middle aged man jokingly said as he grabbed the woman''s clothes before tearing it into pieces.


    Their sights were greeted by two giant bossoms which looked like it was about to popped out of the bra that was binding it.


    Th men stared greedily at her breast while touching her all over. The young woman was pleadingly looking at them as her tears continued to slid down her pitiful young face.


    "Oh! Oh! I guess she is pleading us to start? Haha!"


    "Right right! Let''s not make her wait. Haha!" The men laughed lewdly as they undressed the woman impatiently.


    When suddenly, the door on the laboratory opened slowly and a blonde man on his fifties came inside. He did not feel surprised at the men''s lewd acts as he was already used to it.


    "Just don''t killer her you fools! Or I will get your organs instead!" Andrei smiled at them while walking towards their direction.


    "Boss! Don''t worry, we won''t kill her. We still want to get more money you know?" The men laughed loudly as they continued to touch the woman''s sacred places without a trace of mercy.


    When Andrei saw the woman, he was a bit stunned with her beauty as well and he felt his manhood turn stiff.


    "Move you fools! Let this daddy have her first!" He said aggressively as he swatted the lecherous hands of his men out of the woman''s body.


    He undid his pants impatiently and a little thing can be seen sticking out.


    The men behind covered their mouths and their faces turned red from preventing themselves not to laugh. One of them could not hold back his laughter anymore and produced a small chuckle. He hastily coughed as if he had asthma to masked his laughter.


    Andrei ignored them and lewdly stared at the woman.


    The woman had lost her will long ago, and her eyes looked dull and listless. She just allowed the blonde man to defile her youthful flower without struggling.


    Andrei did not stop until he had watered her chrysanthemum twice.


    "Aahhhh."


    He then pulled his pants up with a look of satisfaction before cupping the young woman''s face with his hands. "Good girl! Don''t worry, since you''re such a cooperative girl, I won''t kill you."


    "Boss! Do you plan on selling her in the auction?"


    Andrei smiled brightly and patted the woman''s cheeks softly, but his next words was like a rain of cruel metal arrows aiming straight at her soul. "You guys can have her. Just remember to not kill her as she can still be sold at a high price. And also, clean her body afterwards."


    The woman''s eyes flashed a traced of hatred and sadness as she glanced at the blonde man.


    More than two hours later, a young woman with voluptuous body lay weakly on the bed. Her body was covered with viscous white liquid which emitted a strange kind of smell. Her eyes look lifeless and dull as she stared at the ceiling.


    The men then unchained her body and brought her somewhere. Her fate unknown after that...


    Later that night, several men and women  wearing lab coats arrived inside the laboratory. Each of them were holding small bags as they walked towards the people chained on the beds.


    "Don''t include this woman. Boss said that she will be sold tomorrow in the auction." One of the armed men said as he glanced at the coated individuals.


    One of them nodded their heads and took out a long syringe filled with colorless liquid. He pressed the bottom part of the syringe, causing some of the liquid to flow out on the tip of the needle.


    This was a sedative that will freeze the patient''s movement and it also had a minor sleep-inducing effect. It also contains a pain reduction chemical that is needed to make their ''surgery'' a success. The man on the bed flailed madly, but several people held him down. The ''doctor'' injected the liquid on the man''s body and the latter slowly ceased his movements, but his eyes were still opened slightly as if he was about to sleep.


    "We only received twenty orders this time, so just dissect twenty people for now. The rest will be done on the following days." Andrei came inside the room and ordered the ''doctors'' calmly.


    Twenty people were injected with sedatives, making the rest who were not injected to feel a bit of relief. But they were infinitely worried about their bleak future inside this laboratory.


    A heart or lungs can be preserved for about six hours. The pancreas and liver had a shelf-life of 12 hours, while the kidney had a shelf-life of about 30 hours.


    After several hours, another huge refrigerator was taken out of the room and the organs inside was to be delivered on the people or groups that ordered them.


    "Burn their bodies. We can''t leave any traces behind. The government had been searching for our shadows all this time." Andrei cold voice traveled on everyone''s ears inside the laboratory.

 Chapter 55 - Easy Infiltration

    "So this is Germany? Quite a nice place indeed." Anton muttered while glancing at the buildings around him.


    Anton saw a black limousine and several black BMWs a hundred meters away from them.


    "Wolf King, welcome to Germany." Zero who was in black tuxedo bowed his head slightly at Cale.


    Wolf King nodded his head calmly before he went inside the limousine.


    ''How extravagant.'' Anton thought to himself as he went inside the limousine with a bit of excitement.


    "Mr. Anton, we will go to my mansion first to prepare before we go to their headquarters." Wolf King glanced at Anton and said while twirling a glass partially filled with wine.


    "Yes Wolf King, but can we really handle them? I mean they are not that weak." Anton was bit worried about the mission, so he could not help but ask.


    Wolf King smiled and took a small sip of wine from the glass in his hands. He put his one leg on top of the other before replied. "Mr. Anton, ten A-Class fighters from my Tyrannical Tower and Brogen is even with us. What do you think?"


    Anton glanced at the huge man sitting opposite him and he recalled the day when Brogen caught his fist during the tournament. He felt a bit relieved and thought. ''This guy, I haven''t seen him fight yet. But from how he negated my attack during that time..." Anton felt chills down his spine and felt Brogen staring at him.


    Two hours after that, inside a big mansion.


    "Everyone, wear the armors and helmets on the table. We will go and start the mission after everyone is prepared." Wolf King who was in military uniform loudly said as he glanced at the strong individuals inside the room.


    Everyone immediately wore the military attire and helmet, and in less tan fifteen minutes, everyone was done preparing.


    Wolf King glanced at everyone and nodded his head in approval. "Good! Let''s go!"


    "Yes Wolf King!" Everyone loudly shouted in unison. Anton joined them and felt his heart pumped up in excitement. The cheering from the fighters boosted Anton''s confidence making him imagine of possible ways to kill Andrei with his own hands.


    A hand suddenly patted his back and it instantly calmed his heart. He then saw Wolf King handing him a suppressed M4 Carbine. He received the gun and followed Wolf King outside while looking at the man''s back with complicated emotions.


    ''Such a strong charisma! Just his presence alone can already boost his companions'' morale." He would have pleaded to become the man''s student if not for Delfino waiting for him.


    Inside a laboratory, a blonde man in his fifties was on top of the body of a voluptuous young woman. His eyes was full of greed and desire as he pounded the young woman''s chrysanthemum.


    The woman''s eyes was slightly sunken, a clear sign that she was not able to sleep. Her red lips was shaking a bit as Andrei pounded her without stop. Plopping sounds rang out lewdly inside the laboratory.


    He then pulled out his little brother and aimed it the young woman''s face. A small amount of viscous white liquid struck her face, making her close her eyes unconsciously.


    "Gaahd damn, I don''t want to sell you, but with this face, I can get almost a million." Andrei was breathing heavily and his face was sweating profusely as he rubbed the young woman''s head softly. He then unmounted from the woman and pulled up his pants in satisfaction.


    "Boss, can we play with her for a bit? Promise we won''t injure or scratch her body. And we will also clean her afterwards." One subordinate asked as he lewdly glanced at the woman''s naked body. He stared greedily at her nether regions as if it was a pot of gold waiting to be dug.


    The others also stepped forward and expressed their desires. Impatience was written all over their greedy faces.


    "Fine! But after you are done with her, bathe her and dress her well, because she will be sold at tonight''s auction." Andrei smirked at his subordinates before he turned around to leave, when...


    "Bang!" The metal door of the laboratory was forcefully opened and several silhouettes in military clothing came in while aiming their guns at Andrei and his men.


    Some of Andrei''s men pulled their weapons and...


    "Toof! Toof! Toof! Toof!"


    Suppressed gunshots rang out, and several bodies laid on the ground dead with their own pools of blood.


    Andrei''s heart turned cold. His hands moving closer towards the gun on his hips.


    The eyes of the woman who looked lifeless seconds ago, suddenly regained clarity. She saw Andrei''s sneaky hand inching towards the gun on his hips. She felt a rush of adrenaline and shouted with her remaining energy. "He has a gun behind him!"


    The hand that was slowly moving towards the gun suddenly froze. Andrei had a look of anger, but he did not dare move as the ''soldiers'' were still aiming their guns at them.


    A man in silver wolf mask suddenly went inside the room, behind him was a tall man with lean build looking at Andrei with burning hatred.


    The ''soldiers'' then unarmed the men including Andrei roughly.


    When a ''soldier'' was about to grabbed Andrei''s gun, the latter suddenly moved and pulled the gun on his hips and choked the soldier''s neck while aiming his pistol at him.


    "You guys move out of the room and let me escape or this guy''s head will go kaboom." Andrei glanced at the masked man, as he must be their leader.


    But the man stood unmoving and just smiled mockingly at him, like he was watching a monkey on a circus with amusement.


    Andrei felt that something was wrong and he suddenly felt a strong amount of origin essence from the ''soldier'' he took as a hostage. The amount of origin essence from the ''soldier'' was even greater than his own.


    The ''soldier'' in his hands slipped away from his hold and threw him on the ground with full force.


    "Bang!" The gun in his hands was thrown away from the impact. The tiled floor broke into pieces and the ground caved in a bit.


    Andrei spat a mouthful of blood and he also heard several of his bones cracked.


    ''How strong!'' Anton thought in surprise after seeing the A-Class fighter easily knocked down Andrei on the ground who was at the initial King-Class level.


    "Boss!"


    "Boss!"


    Andrei''s loyal subordinates shouted in anger, but they were held down firmly by the ''soldiers''.


    "Undress them and tie them up. Hang them upside down." Wolf King''s impassive voice reverberated coldly inside the laboratory.

 Chapter 56 - Zero the Torture King

    The ''soldiers'' stripped the clothes of Andrei and his men, then their limbs were also tied tightly with thick metal chains. Lasty, they were hanged upside down with their heads pointed on the ground.


    "What are you going to do with us?"


    "Release me!!"


    Wolf King and his men ignored their loud shouts and just glanced at them with detached expressions.


    "Unchain the people tied on the beds and let them stay on Andrei''s mansion, but don''t let them go yet." Wolf King glanced at the pitiful looking men and women as he pulled out a sword our of nowhere.


    Sobbing sounds resounded inside the laboratory as the kidnapped people were freed one by one. They thanked the ''soldiers'' for saving them, thinking that they were soldiers of their country.


    "Thank you sir!"


    "Thank you for saving us."


    "Let her wear these clothes temporarily." A ''soldier'' emotionlessly unchained the naked woman and gave her the clothes of one of the hanged men. The young woman only wore the the large-sized shirt which looked like a dress on her.


    All the kidnapped people went out of the room, but the young woman refused to move and stood behind Wolf King.


    Wolf King glanced briefly at her and didn''t say anything else.


    The voluptuous young woman glanced at the men who had raped her many times during past few days with flames of hatred. She then heard a cold yet charming voice reverberate inside the laboratory. "This will be the last time you breathe the air of this world, so I will let you enjoy it slowly.


    "No! No! Don''t kill me!" Andrei shouted loudly with a contorted expression.


    "No! No! I''m just following orders!"


    "I did not do it on purpose! Don''t kill me!"


    They then saw the silver haired man step forward.


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    Several slashing sounds can be heard as the sword in Wolf King''s hands danced entrancingly.


    Sounds of dropping flesh hitting the floor resounded lightly as blood leaked out continuously from the men''s groin area. Their little brothers can no longer be seen on where it should have been attached.


    Andrei and his men did not see what happened as the sword moved too fast. But they all felt a numbing sensation on their groin area that made their hearts turn cold. They looked towards their groin, but all they saw was a blood covered scrotum, and their little brothers were no longer there. Their eyes widened in anger and hatred as they glanced spitefully at the silver haired man.


    "Aarrgghh! You bastard!!"


    "Aaaahhhhhh! Fuck you!"


    "Aaahhhhh! You son of a bitch!"


    The young woman did not look bothered with all the blood and gore and just silently watched the scene.


    "Zero, you know what to do and also, leave Andrei''s life for Anton to take."


    Anton walked towards Wolf King and whispered softly on his ears. "Wolf King, please let Zero handle this, I only want the last blow."


    Zero heard Anton''s whisper, but he waited for Wolf King''s orders. He then saw the latter nod his head.


    Zero then pulled out several small knives out of his bag. He then threw the knives and all of which accurately hit the men''s heart.


    "Youuu!"


    "Aahhhhh!"


    The men shouted, but then they realized that they did not feel any pain at all despite the knives piercing their hearts.


    Zero threw another batch of knives, and this time, it hit the men''s left lung, but the Andrei and his men still did not feel pain at all.


    Anton and the young woman were frowning their brows when they saw no signs of blood leaking out from pierced area.


    Anton glanced at Wolf King questioningly, but the latter merely smiled in response.


    Knives after knives were thrown at the men, but they saw no signs of discomfort and struggle from them.


    "Hahaha. Your littles toys can''t hurt us!"


    "This little knives can''t penetrate my tough muscles. Hahaha!"


    Andrei looked at his body pierced by several knives, he then glanced at his men and he was also confused that they can still speak despite their bodies being pierced. They shouldn''t be able to talk with that much attack!


    "Wolf King..." Anton swallowed his words when he saw Wolf King raise his left arm slightly. He then heard a cold and detached voice travel on his ears. "Just wait and see."


    Anton and the young woman then saw the knives on the men''s body wriggle one by one.


    They then saw something that went against the law of physics. The sword on the men''s body slowly wriggled out from them and flew towards Zero.


    ''How is that possible!?'' Anton was shocked at the display and his understanding of the world was turned upside down. He just ignored the bleeding men, and focused his gaze on the knives floating towards Zero.


    He then heard the silent Brogen''s deep voice. "Mr. Anton, this is a power that only talented people at the peak of King-Class level can control. They can control their origin essence outside from their bodies according to their wills."


    The young woman listened attentively and her curiosity reached its peak. "Is it possible for us to train up to this level?"


    Brogen glanced at her briefly and answered. "It is possible, if you are talented enough."


    The young woman''s eyes brightened and she excitedly said towards Brogen. "Sir! Can I be your student?"


    Brogen did not even look at her when he replied. "No."


    The young woman pouted her lips and look towards Andrei and his men. She then saw them bleeding from where the knives where previously embedded.


    "Ahhhhhhhhh!!! Kill me!!!"


    "Ahhhhhh!!"


    "Aahhhhh!!"


    The men felt the most painful sensation they had ever felt in their entire lives. It was like their internal organs were twisted and pounded from time to time.


    The knives embedded on their left lungs wriggled out of their bodies and returned back to Zero.


    Heavy breathing sounds resounded inside the laboratory as if the air around them thinned out and they were struggling to breathe. They looked like fishes that went out of water gasping for air.


    The knives attached on their hearts wrrigled out except for the one on Andrei.


    "Mr. Anton, remove the knife on Andrei''s heart." Zero glanced at Anton as he motionee him to step forward.


    Anton nodded his head and walked forward. He put his hand on the knife''s handle and slowly took it out of Andrei''s body. The latter twitched in pain as if a pig who was on its last breath.


    Anton stepped back and watched Andrei die slowly. Being a King-Class level martial arts practitioner prolonged his agony. His men died one by one until it was only him alive, barely. His eyes turned dull and his body kept on twitching every now and then.


    After a little more than an hour, Andrei''s eyes finally lost its light.


    Anton suddenly felt a sense of emptiness as if he had lost the reason that kept him from moving.


    He then felt a hand patting his back. He turned sideways and saw the mysterious Wolf King smiling brightly at him.


    ''Yes, this is not my only goal. I have new goal now. And that is to stand on the same level as this man.'' Anton''s passion was stoked by Wolf King''s invisible charisma. He smiled in response and bowed his head slightly at Wolf King as a form thanks.

 Chapter 57 - The Demi Humans!

    Wolf King turned around and walked towards the door. "Let''s go. The police will be here in less than an hour."


    Anton glanced at Wolf King''s back while in deep thought. ''This man is very strong and he have a lot of strong subordinates willing to do anything for him. Brogen did not even need to move and yet they were able to destroy Verreine Camorra from the roots without any difficulty as if they had just destroyed a small time gang.''


    As they were about to go inside the black limousine, Wolf King suddenly stopped walking. He glanced at the top of a building in front of them and narrowed his eyes as if searching for something. But he did not see anything out of place, so he stepped inside the black limousine after giving it one last look.


    The fleet of cars then slowly left the scene.


    A robed silhouted on top of the building watched the cars move away. His pointed ears was sticking out of the long robes he was wearing and a light smile can be seen on his savage face.


    "Interesting. He was actually able to feel my presence even at this distance. The commander was indeed right, that this world also had masters living within. Well, it should provide us a bit of fun as we slowly kill their top elites, until only a bunch of weaklings remain from them when our full force arrives." His strange laughter echoed on top of the building before his silhouette vanished on the darkness.


    Wolf King who was inside the limousine felt that someone was staring at them, he even failed to realize that the young woman followed them inside the car.


    "Why are you here? Go to your parents, they might be worried about you right now." Anton was starting to worry for the young woman after seeing Wolf King frowning visibly.


    The young woman did not reply, but she clenched her fists tightly while biting her lower lip when she heard the word ''parents''.


    "Stop the car." The limousine stopped, making the car''s following it to take a halt.


    Wolf King then glanced at Zero and Brogen, both of them were also frowning heavily. Anton looked at them and thought that they were angry at the young woman''s intrusion. He then shielded the young woman despite his rising fear. "Wo... Wolf King, she... she is just a young girl." Anton worriedly glanced at Wolf King, but the latter did not even look at him.


    "Zero, Brogen, you know what to do." The both of them nodded their heads gravely and stepped out of the car. The young woman closed her eyes, afraid that they would throw her out. But the car doors were already closed, but she was not thrown out.


    She then opened her eyes slowly and heaved a sigh of relief.


    Anton who was beside her was also surprised. He could not help but ask. "Wolf King, did something happen?"


    The latter turned to look at Anton and shook his head is response, he obviously did not want to talk about it.


    ''That presence was similar to them! They were actually here this early?! How were they able to hide for that long?! And that strength, it''s at least the peak of King-Class. That guy must be one of their lieutenants at the very least. I need to prepare fast!'' Cale''s mind was in a mess after feeling the familiar aura from the scrutinizing gaze earlier. He knew that the demi humans were finally here! And it means that his time was running out!


    Anton saw the silver eyes of Wolf King was a bit unfocused as if he was in a very deep thought. He held on his curiosity and just thought to himself. ''What could make the unfathomable Wolf King this worried?'' He suddenly felt that he had learned something he shouldn''t have known, making him extra worried.


    The next morning, on the terrace of a huge mansion, somewhere in Germany.


    A masked man was looking at the scenery outside his mansion with a deep look. Two silhouettes suddenly appeared behind him, but the masked man did not turn around and just continued staring at the scenery outside.


    "What did you find?" He spoke in a calm voice, but he was inwardly nervous.


    "My lord, we did not find anyone on that building. We tried tracking him, but it seemed that his aura vanished on the rooftop of the building, but... but that aura... Arrgghh!" Brogen''s eyes was grave and he was also about to say something when he suddenly clutched his head in pain as if he had experienced a sudden migraine.


    Cale turned around and walked towards Brogen. This was the second time he saw Brogen like this. He glanced questioningly at Zero, and saw the latter with the same grave look. "Those guys... They... Our world was... Arrghh!!" Zero knelt on the ground while clutching his head. His face contorted with pain as he clutched his head tightly.


    Two glasses of Heavenly Spring Water appeared on Cale''s hands. He hurriedly let the two of them drink the glass of crystal clear water.


    Both men felt much better after finishing the glass of water, but their heads still felt a bit painful.


    ''This must be a secret related to ''The Black Market'' and my current Authority level is not enough for me to know the secrets about it.'' Cale was ninety percent sure of his own hypothesis. He then grew more curious and nervous about its origins.


    He felt a bit relieved when he saw both guys stand up straight again.


    "The both of you may rest for now. Let''s cancel the flight today and move it tomorrow instead." Cale patted both guys'' shoulders and told them to leave.


    When the both of them was no longer there, Cale then turned his head back on the outside scenery. He twirled the glass of wine in his hands as he muttered silently to himself. "Just what are the secrets of this vast universe? I''m feeling a bit fearful now. And even me going back in time was a question never answered. Just what could have happened that allowed me to come back?"


    - Ding!


    - Authority Level is below required!


    - Please upgrade your Authority Level to Divine Level first.

 Chapter 58 - Samantha

    Cale was surprised at the sudden notification from ''The Black Market'', but at least he now knew that some of his questions might be anwered after upgrading his Authority Level to Divine Level.


    He smiled and browsed through ''The Black Market''. He opened the Slaves category and found several humans who were a lot stronger than even Brogen.


    * Atlas (Human)


    - 800 000 000 Black Coins


    - The Emperor of Agustus Empire and also the strongest man of the empire. His leadership allowed the Agustus Empire to reign supreme in the world of Aelous.


    * Nocturna (Half Human) (Half Elf)


    - 1 000 000 000 Black Coins


    - The young princess of the Elven Kingdom in Aelous. The Elven Kingdom hid away from the mundane world as they held no desire to conquer the world. Their only wish was to protect the Tree of Life that gave birth to them, but the said tree died alongside Aelous'' destruction.


    Cale was surprised as it was his first time seeing a non-human slave. He had the thoughts of having her, but he held on his desires and continued to browse.


    He opened the Skills Category.


    * B-Class Painting Skill


    -  700 000 Black Coins


    * B-Class Gunsmanship (Already Learned)


    - 5 000 000 Black Coins


    Cale frowned when he saw the Gunsmanship skill. He did not recall buying this, but he saw the words ''Already Learned''. It must be his own learning about gunsmanship.


    He then opened the Weapons Category and was pleasantly surpised at the weapon he saw.


    * Energy Gun


    - 10 000 000 Black Coins


    Although it was merely a low grade energy gun and was even weaker than the ones they had in the Alliance, but its effectivity is much better as it doesn''t need bullets. The user only needed to pour their origin essence on the weapon for it to produce energy bullets. And each of these energy bullets are at least ten times stronger and deadlier than normal bullets.


    He purchased the gun without hesitation and a bright ray of light appeared in front of him. He then saw a futuristic looking handgun appear out of thin air.


    He caught the gun and held it on his hands. The cold surface of the Energy Gun made his hands a bit numbed, but the feeling disappeared after becoming used to it.


    He then poured a small amount of origin essence and a sudden prompt appeared in front of him.


    - Ding!


    - Loaded 5 Energy Bullets


    "Eh? That little bit of origin essence can already produce five Energy Bullets? Good stuff!" Cale muttered pleasantly as he held the Energy Gun in his hands fondly.


    He then aimed at the sky outside before firing a shot.


    "Doov!" A strange sound resounded lightly when he fired the Energy Gun, but the power behind the shot was astonishing!


    ''Good weapon! It can definitely kill an Emperor-Class martial arts practitioner if he/she is not careful.'' Cale thought excitedly despite the Energy Gun in his hands being slightly weaker than the Energy Guns they had in the Alliance.


    He kept the Energy Gun on his storage before going inside his room.


    The next morning.


    "I want to go with you guys. Please bring me with you!" The voluptuous young lady pleaded with a pitiful look. She was already wearing an elegant clothing that fitted her body perfectly.


    "Look Samantha, I understand that you wanted to come with us. But your parents would surrly be very worried if you suddenly disappeared without asking their permission." Anton had a small talk with this young lady last night, but their conversation was only less than twenty minutes as the young lady was too tired from all the events that happened.


    "They... They died... They were killed by Andrei." She sniffled and was about to cry, but she held herself back and continued glancing with determination at the masked Wolf King.


    Anton sighed and he was about to answer back, when Wolf King''s impassive voice resounded behind him. "You can come witb us and you will also be a student of my Tyrannical Tower from now on."


    Samantha''s eyes brightened and she could not help but smile widely. "Thank you Wolf King." She walked towards Wolf King and opened her arms wide, clearly wanting to hug the latter. But Wolf King put his right hand on Samantha''s head and stopped her approach. The latter pouted cutely while faking an angry look. Wolf King smiled and patted her head softly, making Samantha feel a bit better.


    ''How charming! If I were a woman, I would surely fall in love with just his smile... Fuck! What am I even thinking?!'' Anton inwardly cursed himself and erased the unhealthy thoughts away.


    "Get inside the plane everyone." Wolf King then ordered everybody to board the plane.


    More than ten minutes later, only Cale, Brogen and Zero were outside.


    "Zero, stay here for a bit and gather information about those guys. But be very careful and never confront them. It''s not yet time to poke the hornet''s nest. Also, I want you to find this guy." Cald handed a piece of small paper with a sketch of a man. The sketch was very vivid and it looked like the man was about to come out of the paper.


    To draw this vivid sketch, Cale bought the B-Class Painting Skill. He also thought that the ability will be helpful in his quest of finding the rest of his Phantom Wolf Squad.


    Although the members of his Phantom Wolf Squad was not as strong as Brogen and the other slaves, but he held deep brotherly affection towards them. And also with their talent and with the help from ''The Black Market'', they will surely exceed their former selves if he trained them well.


    And there was one guy in his squad who had the weakest skill in gun wielding. But that very same guy was also the third strongest in the squad if Cale was included. The guy was like Zero, who specializes in assassination and stealth. He was just right behind Cale and Leo in terms of strength among the entire squad...


    Zero then glanced at the words written below the sketch.


    "-Eilhard Gottfried a.k.a Saber"

 Chapter 59 - Eilhard Gottfried

    One week later, inside the best room of Tyrannical Tower.


    A man and a woman can be seen snuggling to each other. And the both of them had smiles on their faces as they talked about random things.


    "Big brother have reached the peak of B-Class level. And little sister Samantha is already at E-Class well. The both of them are really close and now they even join hands in bullying me." Sima Ying pouted her lips and faked an angry expression.


    Cale could not help but give her a passionate kiss after seeing her cute appearance.


    "Aahhh, you devil. We just finished three rounds two hours ago." Sima Ying''s face turned crimson red as she felt a huge rod rubbing her stomach.


    Cale could not hold himself back anymore and thrust her sacred region while sucking her tongue greedily.


    "You... Aaahh!"


    "You.... Ah... You... De...ah devil. Stoopp!!"


    ***


    Somewhere in Germany.


    A man in black tuxedo was hiding behind a wall as he glanced at a man who was currently being beaten up by more than a dozen men.


    "Just because Verreine Camorra is gone, your group will now run rampant in Germany!?" The man who was being beaten up laughed loudly as he pointed at the men in front of him with a mocking expression.


    The men glared at him and some of them could not hold themselves back and attacked the man from all sides.


    Zero shook his in disappointment. ''I thought that the man that his lordship asked me to find was at least an S-Class level fighter. I didn''t think that he was only a young man at C-Class level. Those guys against him are all C-Class level and that muscular guy is B-Class. He can''t win against them.''


    "You sissies! Grab your weapons if you dare!" The young man taunted the men in front of him.


    "Boss! Let''s kill this prick! I''m tired of his arrogant smile!"


    "Yeah boss! It''s no use hiring someone this arrogant, but have little capabilities.


    The men spoke to their boss while glaring at the young man who was mocking them.


    The muscular man sighed ang glanced at the young man with a bit of regret.


    "Eilhard Gottfried, you just wasted your opportunity. Someone with your talent would have surely become a Vice Leader in our group, but you refused the wine offered to you. Don''t blame me for being ruthless." The muscular man grabbed a handgun attached on his waist and aimed it at Eilhard, but before he could even fire his gun...


    "Clang!" A knife flung his gun away from his grip and a part of his flesh was even grazed by the knife''s blade.


    "You bastard! All of you, go kill this bastard!!" The muscular man shouted in anger as he pointed at Eilhard with his bloodied hand.


    Eilhard pulled out another knife from his sleeves. The air around him instantly changed when the knife was already in his hands. His mocking expression was gone and is now replaced by a cold expression. It was like he changed into a different person after he held the knife.


    Zero was a bit confused after he felt the aura of a peak B-Class level fighter from Eilhard. ''His strength increases after wielding a knife?! Interesting! I know that any man that the lord fancies would never be disappointment. I was too hasty to judge him.''


    The men grabbed their own knives and bats before charging towards Eilhard.


    Eilhard evaded their attacks gracefully while also sending them swift strikes. The men could not even evade his knife attacks and they bleeded all over after being slashed by his knife.


    The muscular man''s anger reached its peak after seeing his men not faring good against Eilhard. He pulled a knife from his leg and charge at the young man. The latter was already prepared for this and stepped sideways before delivering a kick towards the back of the muscular man''s head.


    "Bang!" The kick sent the muscular man on the ground with a loud bang, greatly surprising his underlings as they glanced at their boss who was on the ground.


    They grabbed their boss while glancing warily at Eilhard. "We will be back Eilhard. This humiliation will be paid back in full!!"


    Eilhard glanced at them and smiled condescendingly. "You are very welcome to try little doggies." He then laughed loudly as he watched the men escape with their unconscious boss. His loud laughter was like a prickling needle towards the men. They all felt so humiliated and wanted to beat up Eilhard. But they saw what the man was capable of, so they just held back their anger while scurrying away.


    "Clap! Clap! Clap!" Eilhard was surprised at the clapping sound and the smile on his face immediately froze. He turned his head towards the direction of the clapping sound and saw a man wearing black tuxedo. The man was fairly handsome and he doesn''t look like a local resident of Germany.


    "Do I know you sir?" Eilhard asked carefully ad he studied the man in great detail. He unconsciously placed his hand on the handle of his knife after feeling the mysterious air around the man in tuxedo.


    "Eilhard Gottfried, it is nice to meet you. My name is Zero, Third General of Tyrannical Tower. I come here upon the orders of Wolf King and he wishes you to join us." Zero spoke with confidence as he smiled lightly at Eilhard.


    "Tyrannical Tower? I haven''t heard of that. And I don''t want to join any random group just because you fancied me. I''m sorry to disappoint you sir, but I will decline your offer. My only wish is to practice my knife skill and reach the peak of knife wielding." Eilhard relaxed his hands after seeing that the man did not have bad intentions, but his hand was still on the handle of his knife.


    Zero smiled in response and glanced at Eilhard strangely. "The peak of knife wielding eh? With your current skills and talent, you could barely reach S-Class level." Zero shook his head and turned to look at Eilhard again. "But if you join our Tyrannical Tower, that dream would never be impossible."


    Eilhard''s heartbeat quickened considerably, but he still put on a calm facade. "I don''t even know anything about this Tyrannical Tower. What if the group I joined was actually a terrorist group? Wouldn''t that be too..." Eilhard paused and caught a small card that Zero threw at him.


    The card had Zero''s photo on its lower left side. And some words were also written on it.


    Zero, Third General of Tyrannical Tower Security Inc.

 Chapter 60 - Eilhard Joins the Tower

    "A security company? You want to hire me as a bodyguard?" Eilhard threw the card back at Zero while glancing at him questioningly. He obviously did not want to end up as someone''s bodyguard.


    Zero caught the card with ease and kept it inside his pocket. "No! You will be under Wolf King himself. And you can freely use the tower''s resources for you to train. And there are a lot of masters there who can train you."


    Eilhard looked thoughtful. He just provoked a strong group with a lot of skilled fighters. The men earlier was merely a small squad. If he wish to stay alive and practice his knife skill to the peak, then he would surely need the backing of a strong group. And the man in front of him was giving him a mysteriously feeling. He was obviously an expert! He only felt this kind of power from the big leaders he saw from afar.


    "Or are you perhaps doubting my capabilities, Eilhard?" Zero smiled at the young man, but Eilhard felt chills down his spine after seeing that smile. He also unsheathed his knife and guarded himself unconsciously.


    "Oh? Such an active young man you are Eilhard." Zero put his hands behind his back and glanced at Eilhard tauntingly. "You can attack me for ten seconds, and I will not fight back during that amount of time. All I will do is just evade. Show me what you got."


    Eilhard felt provoked at Zero''s taunting smile and casual look. He knew that the guy was looking down on him. ''I will make you pay for looking down on me.'' He thought to himself as he dashed towards Zero erratically, making his approach very hard to predict.


    Zero smiled and stood still, with his hands still behind his back.


    Eilhard feigned an attack, but Zero just stood still as if he already predict it. The former then slashed his knife diagonally towards Zero. The latter took a step back while glancing tauntingly at Eilhard.


    Eilhard lips twitched and he kep on attackin in different angles, but Zero calmly evaded each attacks with just the basic movements.


    "Ahhhh!!" Eilhard shouted in anger and thrusted his knife with full strength. Zero put his right hand forward and blocked the knife attack with two fingers. He then pulled the knife out of Eilhard''s grip and did a slashing motion.


    Eilhard stopped in his tracks with thick beads of sweat on his forehead. He then glanced at the knife placed on his neck, making him gulped in fear.


    Zero took the knife back and handed it to Eilhard, who received the knife with his shaking hands.


    "Eilhard, I''ll ask you again. Are you coming with me in Tyrannical Tower?" Zero smiled lightly at the young man, making the latter curse inwardly. ''This guy is forcing me to join them. Fuck! But his strength is the real deal. Maybe they really have a lot of masters there who can train me up to his level. Then by that time, I will regain back my pride against this bastard.''


    "Okay Mr. Zero, you win. I will follow you in this Tyrannical Tower, but if ever I find out that you are just lying to me, then I will leave." Eilhard spoke with a bit of indignation.


    "Good! You will not regret this choice Eilhard. You will only thank yourself for making the wisest decision in the future." Zero smiled and shook hands with Eilhard. The latter forced a smile, but he admired the guy for being strong. He was probably at S-Class level at the very least! And a group who can casually send an S-Class level fighter to recruit someone was definitely not just a normal group.


    ***


    Inside the Tyrannical Tower''s best room.


    Two naked bodies were moving rhythmically as they enjoyed each other''s flesh. They produced passionate sounds from time to time and thick globs of warm perspiration covered both their bodies, but it did not seem to bother them as they continued their thrusting motions with euphoric expressions.


    "Eehnn! Ahhh!! Uuhh!"


    "Aahhh!!"


    Cale felt a raging torrent inside him that was about to explode. He thrusted his sword deeper inside Sima Ying''s sacred region and released a stream of warm substance with his eyes closed in satisfaction. Sima Ying felt warm liquid pouring inside her, making her moan in delight.


    "Aahhhh!"


    Cale breathe heavily and pulled out his sword from Sima Ying and then laid on the bed weakly as if his soul was sucked dry by a succubus.


    Sima Ying glanced at him with affection as he caressed his face softly. She then felt a warm liquid lewdly coming out of her youthful flower, making her face turn red like a ripe tomato.


    "You... You devil!" She pinched Cale''s skin lightly, while the latter faked a pained expression.


    "Ow! Ow! Ow! Ouch!"


    They then smiled at each other with tender expressions.


    ***


    On the circular arena of Tyrannical Tower, three silhouettes can be seen practicing martial arts. In front of them was middle aged man with aggressive appearance. He looked like a tiger with his sharp eyebrows and tall nose.


    "Apply more strength in your legs. Just because you are punching does not mean that you don''t use your leg''s strength. Use it to maximize the strength in your punches!" Demetrio shouted at his three students, but the latter three were already used to his strict attitude. But this did not stop them from respecting the man. He was not just a random instructor, but also a peak King-Class fighter!


    The three were motivating themselves to someday surpass their master and make him proud.


    "Good job Trevor! You have reached the peak of E-Class level with just a few days of training. Your talent is not any weaker than Sima Fenglun, but you just practiced a bit later than him. You can eventually bridge the gap with hardwork.


    As for you, Samantha, I didn''t know that you could catch up with my training method with your weak physique. But to think that you are now at the middle stage of E-Class is truly surprising.


    Sima Fenglun, even if you are the strongest among the three of you, don''t be too complacent. One day may come that Trevor and Samantha will surpass you, and it will be too late for regrets.


    Work harder young ones. Wolf King have high hopes for you. Don''t disappoint him."


    The three students clenched their fists in determination as they nodded their heads in response.


    "Yes master, we will work hard!"

 Chapter 61 - The Demi Humans First Strike

    Eastern China, inside the Situ Family''s mansion.


    "Father, why are you so afraid with that man?! He is just a pretentious clown acting all mighty and arrogant! This is not how the Situ Family take in humiliation!" Situ Shengong was truly angry and disappointed at his father for staying silent even after seeing his son humiliated in front of a lot of people.


    The former patriarch of the Situ Family, Situ Lengyun, glanced at his son with great disappointment. He sighed inwardly and thought to himself with regret. ''I have been too arrogant during my younger years and had provoked countless enemies. It honed my martial arts as I was talented enough to defeat everyone against me, but it also brought severe repercussions. It turned my descendants into someone the same as me, wild and arrogant. It would be okay if there was a talented and hardworking descendant, but why does it have to be all of them who are arrogant and lazy?


    It looks like the heavens does not want my bloodline to continue.'' The old man produced another heavy sigh. He did not even bother answering his son and just shook his head weakly.


    When suddenly he remembered one of his grandchildren, the bastard son of Situ Shengong, Situ Qinfeng. He was the most hardworking young man he had ever seen in their Situ Family, but he was constantly bullied by his relatives for being a bastard son.


    The muddled eyes of Situ Lengyun suddenly flashed a trace of hope. ''If I train that young man, then he will sure be able to preserve my Situ Family for another few decades. I should personally train him and shape him into someone who could inherit the patriarch position.''


    The old man was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he did not even seem to hear the ranting of his son, Situ Shengong.


    "Father, let''s not sit ba-"


    "Situ Shengong, bring me your bastard son this instant!"


    Situ Shengong cut the words he was about to say after hearing the loud shout from his old father. He was surprised and also confused at his sudden request.


    "Why, father? Did the kid do anything wro-"


    "Slash!"


    Situ Shengong evaded the sneaky sword slash. He jumped several meters away and he saw more than five tall silhouettes standing in front of him and his father.


    The silhouettes were wearing long robes that covered every part of their bodies. They also wore masks that hid their facial features and only their fiendish eyes can be seen. Their sclera were slightly yellowish while their pupils had a hint of red.


    "Who are you people?! You actually dare to attempt in killing someone from the Situ Family! Who ordered you to come here?!" Situ Shengong shouted loudly at the robed attackers, but they did not answer him. They just pulled out their swords and charge towards him and his father.


    "Shengong, evacuate everyone from the family and call the police. They should arrive in a few minutes." Situ Lengyun spoke as he glared at the robe attackers with his murky eyes.


    "But father-"


    "JUST GO!" Situ Shengong nodded his head and dashed away. ''This is the first time I saw father''s eyes like that, who are those guys?''


    The robed attackers obviously did not want Situ Shengong to escape. They dashed towards him, but Situ Lengyun did not allow them to go forward and his strength at the very peak of S-Class level exploded like an angry volcano.


    The robed individuals were quite surprised that this old man could still actually produce such a strong aura.


    They then pointed their swords at him and slashed at his direction. Old man Situ Lengyun jumped in midair and rained kicks at the attackers making them take several steps back.


    Both parties glared at each other while waiting for an opportunity to attack.


    ***


    "Brother Sima Yantong, some assassins arrived here in our mansion! I need your help! Father is currently buying time for me to call someone!" Situ Shengong did not care about their past grievances anymore and asked Sima Yantong''s help.


    "Sure brother Situ Shengong. We will be there in a few minutes. Just buy us some more time." Sima Yantong answered righteously. He was not petty to hold a grudge against someone like Situ Shengong. It would also be good for both their families to be allied.


    "Thanks brother Sima Yantong. Bye for now."


    Sima Yantong thought about it and type a message before sending it someone.


    ***


    "Toot! Toot! Toot!"


    Sima Ying''s phone vibrated. She look surprised that it was actually her father, because he rarely sends her messages.


    Her eyes then turned serious as she read the content of the message.


    "What''s wrong?" A charming voice sounded behind her. The tone carried a hint of worry as the owner of the voice glanced at Sima Ying questioningly.


    Sima Ying gave her phone to Cale, the latter became surprised at was written inside the message. ''Shit! I was too complacent! Fuck! I actually wasted my time fooling around and forgot about those demi humans! They have finally started moving. Now I know why I did not see those elites that attended the banquet in Macau during the war! They were killed before the invasion! Those bastards!!''


    "Let''s go to the Situ Residence!" Cale spoke seriously as he gave the phone back to Sima Ying. The latter nodded her head immediately, she was also a bit worried about her father and family.


    Less than ten minutes later, Cale in his silver wolf mask went out of the room together with Sima Ying.


    "Brogen, you are coming with me to China. Something serious is about to happen and we should not allow it to happen. Travel time towards there would be around one hour and thirty minutes at the full speed of the jet. Let''s go!" Cale patted Brogen''s shoulder with a serious face before he left.


    ''Shit! Just hold on Situ Family.'' Cale nervously prayed.


    In another fifteen minutes, everyone boarded the private jet with serious expressions.


    Cale even called the three S-Class fighters of the tower, Demetrio, Kenji and Leonhart to come with him.


    Three S-Class fighters, ten A-Class fighters and twenty B-Class fighters went inside the private jet. What a strong party!


    "Depart!"

 Chapter 62 - Pitiful Situ Family

    Inside the Situ Family mansion.


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    Multiple slashing sounds can be heard as the fighting inside the mansion continued.


    "Just who are you people?! And what do you want from my Situ Family?" Situ Lengyun was already bleeding all over his body from all the sword slashes he received. It would not have happened if he only had a weapon with him.


    "Father! I''m here to support you! I brought some of the A-Class fighters of our Situ Family!" Situ Shengong''s loud voice resounded behind, making Situ Lengyun a bit relieved.


    "Grand Patriarch, are you okay?!"


    "You pieces of shits actually dare to hurt our Grand Patriarch!?"


    Several angry shouts reverberated inside the mansion, making the robed individuals quite pissed.


    With their current numbers, the demi humans did not dare use their advanced weaponries. If the human organizations saw them use it, then they would be alarmed and take necessary precautions.


    If that happens, then it would be harder for the demi humans to assassinate the top fighters of humanity. And they might even reveal their identities which they didn''t want to happen or their plans might be compromised.


    The humans'' weapons might be subpar and weak, but they also had some weapons that would prove difficult for the demi humans to defend with their current pitiful numbers.


    "We''re outnumbered now! Their police will arrive in a hour or so and we don''t have much time!"


    "These humans, if we could only use our laser guns and other advance weaponries!"


    The robed individuals spoke in an incomprehensible language, surprising Situ Lengyun and the others.


    "Foreigners? Which country sent you here!? Speak!!" Situ Shengong glared at the attackers and asked them in a loud voice.


    The Situ Family''s top fighters fought back aggresively, but despite their advantage in numbers, the robe individuals still had the upper hand.


    More and more robed individuals came inside the mansion and all of them were at least S-Class level fighters.


    The fighters from the Situ Family felt scared as they glanced at the robed individuals who were emitting strong auras.


    "Just what the fuck do you want fron our Situ Family?!" Situ Shengong''s face was contorted with anger as he glared at the attackers who now outnumbered them by more than three times.


    ''More than twenty S-Class fighters? And that guy, he is at the King-Class level!'' Situ Lengyun frowned seriously after feeling the strength of the robed individual at the forefront.


    The ''man'' leading the robed individuals pulled out his sword and pointed it towards the Situ Family''s top fighters before shouting in an incomprehensible language.


    "Attack these lowly beings!"


    The robed individuals started their counter attack fiercely, making the fighters from the Situ Family overwhelmed by the attacks from all sides.


    "Shit! Is this the end?!"


    "The heavens truly wants my Situ Family to be erased from history! But I will bring down a few of you dogs with me!!" Situ Lengyun''s thin and wrinkled body slowly increased in size.


    The origin essence revolving around him became messy. Huge gusts of strong winds traveled around the mansion.


    The sickly and weak Situ Lengyun suddenly morphed into a middle aged warrior with buff physique and his origin essence...


    "Father, you broke through to the King-Class?!" Situ Shengong was pleasantly surprised about his father''s breakthrough. They might be able to turn the tides of battle or at least buy some time until the people from the Sima Family arrives.


    With the sudden breakthrough from their Grand Patriarch, the A-Class level fighters from the Situ Family felt a bit hopeful and their morale went up by a notch.


    "You foreign doggies! This daddy will tear you apart!"


    "Eat my blade!!"


    The battle between both sides became even more bloodied and crazed.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The A-Class level fighters from the Situ Family then pulled out their guns and fired shots continuously. But their bullets seemed to have no effects on the robed individuals.


    "They are wearing armors beneath those robes! These foreign dogs! Arrrghh!"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The fighters from the Situ Family succumbed to multiple slashes and one by one they dropped on the floor, dead.


    Situ Lengyun evaded several sword slashes and punch the robed individual nearest to him, sending the latter on the ground.


    The leader among the robed individuals finally moved and dashed towards Situ Lengyun. The two fought crazily and exchanged blows after blows. But Situ Lengyun was in a disadvantage because his opponent''s tough armor could negate a part of his punch''s power.


    He added origin essence on his punches and he finally heard the enemy leader groan silently after receiving his attacks filled with large amounts of origin essence.


    "Fuck! These humans are becoming crazy! Let''s kill them fast or more of them will come!" The enemy leader shouted in annoyance. He then poured more origin essence on his attacks and his strength at the peak of King-Class surged like an angry river.


    Situ Lengyun charged at the enemy leader head on as if he did not care for his life. The two were again engaged in a brutal fight, but this time only Situ Lengyun was taking damage.


    ''I can''t hold on for long! Is this the end of my Situ Family?'' Situ Lengyun was losing hope after he saw that only him and his son, Situ Shengong were left alive. All the A-Class level fighters of their Situ Family were killed and not even one from the enemies were killed yet.


    "Father! Even if I die, at least I died while fighting for our Situ Family!" Situ Shengong shouted furiously and charged towards the robed individuals like a crazed lion.


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Aaargghhh!!"


    Situ Shengong clutched his left shoulder, and his body was sweating profusely. More than half of his left arm was cut and the wound was bleeding ceaselessly.


    Situ Shengong''s face was contorted with pain, but he stood straight while glaring at the robed individuals.


    Situ Lengyun was similarly in a sorry state. He had a huge gaping wound on his right shoulder and he could barely move it. He then glanced at his son with proudness, and a smile could be seen on his blood stained face.


    "Brother Shengong! The Sima Family is here to provide support!" Sima Yantong''s loud voice was like a beautiful melody on the ears of the Situ father and son.


    "The Nangong Family is here to provide support as well!"


    More than thirty men armed with assault rifles and handguns went inside the Situ Family mansion with haste. They did not even bother to press the door bell and just the destroyed the door.


    When they got inside the mansion, they saw the dead A-Class level fighters of the Situ Family. They also saw Situ Shengon clutching the remaining part of his arm, and finally Situ Lengyun who had a huge gaping wound on his shoulder.


    Their hearts turned cold at the scene and they hurriedly aimed their guns towards the robed individuals.

 Chapter 63 - Secrets of the World

    The enemy leader saw the incoming Sima and Nangong Families. His lips which was covered by a mask twitched in annoyance. He then dashed forward and slashed his sword.


    Situ Lengyun instinctively evaded the attack, but then he felt that something was wrong.


    "Slash!" The enemy leader''s attack was not meant for him! But it was actually aimed for his son, the patriarch of the Situ Family, Situ Shengong.


    "Aaarrrghh!" Situ Shengong knelt on the ground. A long line of deep wound that stretched from his right shoulder towards the left part of his lower hips can be seen. His internal organs can also be seen sticking out as blood flowed ceaselessly from the cut.


    "Thud!" Situ Shengong dropped to the ground, his fate unknown. But even if he was still alive, he won''t last for much long.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    The fighters from the Sima and Nangong Families fired their guns widly towards the robed individuals.


    "Let''s depart for now! We can kill them next time!" The enemy leader shouted an order towards his men. He then grabbed a small circular object from his robes and threw it on the ground. A bright flash of white light emerged after the object hit the ground, making everyone inside the mansion to close their eyes.


    After more than ten seconds, they opened their eyes slowly, but the assassins were no longer there.


    They walked towards the bodies of the A-Class fighters and check if some were still alive, but all of them were already dead.


    "Grand Patriarch Lengyun, sorry we were late. We could have caught them if we arrived a bit earlier!" Sima Yantong clenched his fists tightly as he glanced at the dead fighters of the Situ Family. Both their families might have some misunderstandings in the past, but it did not reach the point where they would kill each other.


    The Nangong Family''s patriarch sighed in pity as he glanced at the old Grand Patriarch of the Situ Family.


    "My son! Shengong! Aarrgghh!!" Situ Lengyun knelt on the ground and held the bloodied body of Situ Shengong. The former did not seem to mind the blood and internal organs as he hugged the body of his dead son.


    "Why do you have to die before me?!" Situ Lengyun''s body slowly morphed back to his original form as he sobbed with extreme sorrow. He spat a mouthful of blood, but he continued holding his son''s body as if it was the most precious thing in the world.


    "Cough! Cough! Cough!" Situ Lengyun coughed heavily as if he was on his last breath.


    The Nangong Family patriarch stepped forward and wanted to help the old man, but a hand grabbed his shoulder. He then saw Sima Yantong shaking his head with a look of sadness. The Nangong Family patriarch sighed and just consoled the Situ Family with his gaze filled with pity.


    "Cough! Cough! Blergh!" Situ Lengyun coughed more blood, but he did not move. His tears never stopped from falling and continued sobbing mournful cries.


    "Screech!"


    "Screech!"


    "Screech!"


    The people suddenly heard the sound of several cars braking forcefully. They glanced outside and saw a man with silver wolf mask leading a group of more than thirty people. Each of them emitted strong auras as if they were a group of starved lions.


    They saw Wolf King signalling the men behind him with his hands. The strong men behind him seemed to understand the hand signals and moved towards separate directions.


    "Father!" Sima Ying ran towards his father and hugged him tightly. She did not even care about her image and just hugged her father tightly.


    Sima Yantong patted his daughter''s back and pushed her lightly. "Little Ying, I''m surprised that you arrived here and even Wolf King accompanied you." Sima Yantong glanced at the frowning Wolf King. He then saw the latter crouch down and scrutinize the sword wounds of Situ Family''s A-Class level fighters.


    "They were all killed by S-Class fighters and based on the amount of aura that I can feel here, there were at the very least twenty who came and attacked this place." Sima Yantong and the others were quite shock at Wolf King''s words. After checking the dead bodies of the fighters from the Situ Family, he was able to give an almost accurate findings of the battle that happened.


    "This aura... It''s really them!" Wolf King was not able to mask his voice and said what was in his mind.


    Situ Lengyun''s body jolted as if he was electrocuted. He then gently put down the body of his son on the ground. He turned his head and glanced at the silver haired man questioningly.


    "You... You know who did this?! Cough! Cough!" Situ Lengyun''s body almost dropped on the ground but a silhouette caught him before his fall.


    Situ Lengyun slowly glanced at the man who held him and saw the seriousness on his silver eyes.


    "I have been looking for them for quite sometime. And it seems that they are finally making their move." Wolf King spoke slowly and felt that the old man he was holding was getting weaker and weaker. He thought about giving him a glass of Heavenly Spring Water, but it would only prolong his agony. He might live for another day, but the pain would still be there.


    The water might be immortal-level, but it can only cure small bullet wounds and erases fatigue, but Situ Lengyun was severely injured and he also exhausted all his orign essence. Even if drank several glasses of Heavenly Spring Water, he would still die.


    "Grand Patriarch Lengyun, do you have wishes before you leave?" Wolf King whispered silently so that only Situ Lengyun will hear his voice.


    "The... There is... is a young man.. family.. He is hope... of Situ Family... Situ Qinfeng... train.... into become...patria--" Situ Lengyun''s head hang weakly and the light on his eyes was gone. He was not even able to finish the words he wanted say.


    "I promise, I will train this Situ Qinfeng and make him a student of my Tyrannical Tower. Rest in peace Grand Patriarch Lengyun." Wolf King gently laid the dead body of the old man on the floor.


    Wolf King stood up and glanced at the Sima and Nagong Families'' people. His expression was cold and detached as he spoke to them. "If you don''t want this to happen on both your families, bring all your members on the tower. I also have some things to discuss with the both of you patriarchs. This concerns not just the safety of our groups, but the safety of the whole world."


    Everyone''s expressions turned cold and they felt that they have learned the hidden secrets of the world that they should not have learned.


    And they were right...

 Chapter 64 - Bringing Situ Qinfeng Back

    "Wolf King, what do you mean about the world''s safety?" The Nangong Family patriarch, Nangong Munji curiously stared at the ever so calm Wolf King. The others also glanced at Wolf King, obviously they were also curious about his words.


    The silver haired man glanced at them briefly and shook his head. "This is not the right place to talk. Come with us later towards our place and don''t worry, your stay will be completely free of charge. But don''t bring too many people, just the important ones within both your families are enough."


    Everyone was a bit disappointed, but they did not dare show it outwardly, lest they might anger Wolf King. Everyone kept their weapons and carried the bodies of the dead the Situ Family''s fighters to their family members.


    Everyone from the Situ Family cried in anguish and sorrow as they glanced at the dead bodies of their patriarch and the others.


    A handsome youth with features that was almost similar to Situ Shengong came running towards his grandfather, Situ Lengyun''s dead body.


    "Grandpa! Why?! Who did this to you?! Ahh!!" The youth cried with a contorted expression as he watched the face of his grandfather. His voice was full of remorse as he punched the ground in anger, causing his fists to bleed profusely. But the youth did not seem to feel pain and just continued punching the ground.


    Suddenly, Situ Qinfeng felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw a silver haired man with a silver wolf mark covering the upper part of his face. "Are you Situ Qinfeng?" The masked man asked him while smiling lightly.


    Situ Qinfeng nodded his head whilst holding back his tears from falling. "Yes, I am indeed Situ Qinfeng and who might you be sir?"


    Wolf King smiled and and asked in calm tone of voice. "I am your granfather''s friend, Wolf King and before he died, he asked my Tyrannical Tower to train a member of your Situ Family. Do you know who Situ Qinfeng is?"


    Situ Qinfeng frowned slightly and looked a bit doubtful. "Why would my grandfather want me to train under you? And if ever he wants someone to train someone under you, then it should have been Situ Shenlong. He is more talented than me in martial arts, and his managing abilities are also top notch."


    Cale recalled the arrogant Situ Shenlong during the baquet in Macau and shook his head inwardly.


    "That was the final words of your grandfather, you only have until later to decide as we will come back home in a few hours." Cale stood up and glanced at the rest of the members of the Situ Family. ''They should not be targeted by the demi humans since their goal was only to assassinate the top fighters of the world.


    An hour later, sevefal silhouettes, appeared in front of Wolf King.


    "Wolf King, we were not able to track their whereabouts. We followed their tracks, but they seemed to have disappeared out of nowhere." Demetrio reported with a frown after bowing his head slightly.


    Wolf King already expected this, so he just nodded his head in response. "Tell everyone that we will depart in a few minutes. Also call Situ Qinfeng, he has to come with us, whether he likes it or not." Cale did not want to waste any more time as he felt that he had inadvertently changed a bit of the events.


    "There is no need for that. I will come with you Wolf King." A voice sounded softly behind  them. They then saw the determined Situ Qinfeng who was clenching his fists tightly.


    Wolf King smiled in approval. "Great! I know that the young man that Situ Lengyun wanted me to train would never be a coward."


    In another thirty minutes everyone boarded Cale''s private jet.


    "Dad, did you already call them?" Sima Ying asked her father worriedly.


    Sima Yantong smiled at his daughter and patter her head. "Don''t worry little Ying, I have already contacted everyone from our Sima Family to take necessary precautions. And I also called someone from the military to guard our mansion in our moment of absence."


    Sima Ying felt a bit relieved and she forced a smile on her face.


    "Everyone prepare to go inside now. Little Ying, you can sit with your father for now." Wolf King smiled affectionately at Sima Ying, making Sima Yantong somewhat surprised.


    When Wolf King was gone, he then asked his daughter. "Little Ying, what is this? Is there something going on between you and Wolf King?" He studied his daughter''s changing expressions and he could not help but sigh.


    "Father, I was about to tell you this. And it just..."


    Sima Yantong cut her off and smiled at her. "Say no more little Ying, as long as you are happy with him, then it''s fine. But if ever he makes you cry, then even if he is Wolf King, I will still smash his face."


    Sima Ying laughed lightly and felt warm in her heart. She could not help but hug her father tightly.


    "Thank you dad!"


    Sima Yantong rubbed his daughter''s head fondly. "How is your brother there? Is he doing good?"


    Sima Ying pouted her lips and put on a faked angry look. "He dares collude with my junior sister in bullying me! Now, the both of them continues to bully everyday. Hmph!"


    The father and daughter continued talking until they got inside the plane.


    "Everyone, the plane will fly in a few minutes. Please remain seated on your seats."

 Chapter 66 - Re-Establishing the Earth Alliance

    Wolf King glanced playfully at the elder from the Nangong Family. The latter was still shocked at the small Energy Gun''s power and he did not even bother looking at Wolf King''s smug look as he continued to stare fondly at the gun in his hands.


    "Do you guys believe me now?" Wolf King''s calm voice broke them out of their dazed states


    "Wolf King, we believe you now. But how were those aliens able to come to our planet?" Sima Yantong asked in a curious voice.


    "That I don''t know yet. But we will slowly find out more from them. All I can say for now is that the weakest among them are at least S-Class level in strength." The words sent their minds into another mess. They wanted to retort, but they had seen for themselves the strength of all those robed individuals. And they were indeed at least S-Class level in strength. Then that means that the group they encountered earlier was merely the cannon fodder of the alien group.


    "We cannot fight those aliens with only our groups'' strength. We need the help of the government if we wanted to repel such a strong force." Someone from the Sima Family suggested an idea and some people nodded their heads in agreement after hearing him. But Wolf King frowned as he recalled certain people from the government. "No! Some people from the government cannot be trusted. If we involved the government now, then the demi humans will be forced to use some of their strong fighters to slaughter people. Although they only have lesser numbers now, probably around several hundreds or even more than a thousand, but if they use their advanced weaponries, then only death awaits us. What we should do for now is slowly strengthen our people and warn certain Individuals that can aid us in defending our planet."


    Everyone looked thoughtful after hearing Wolf King''s words. They knew that there were indeed some people in the government that were corrupted. And they might even use the moment of confusion and chaos to extort more money from the residents.


    "Aside from that, do you think those people will believe your words? An alien invasion on Earth? I even had to pull out a gun from those aliens so that you will believe me." Wolf King added calmly, instantly making the others swallow the words that they were about to say.


    "Everyone can also send their younger generations to practice in my Tyrannical Tower. The older generations can come, but their training will not be free. Although I''m rich, I won''t make money if I provided everything for free. But don''t worry, I will provide you guys a discounted amount." Wolf King smiled teasingly as he glanced at the people from the Sima and Nangong Families.


    ''This kid still dares to charge us even if the world is already in peril. Damn kid.'' Everyone of them thought to themselves as they speechlessly glanced at the smiling Wolf King.


    "We will create an organization who are responsible for fighting, tracking and defending the planet and the people against those aliens." Wolf King continued talking and the others nodded their heads in agreement.


    "Good idea! What are the qualifications to join in this organization?" Sima Yantong glanced at Wolf King calmly. The latter smiled and said "To become a soldier in our organization, someone must be at least D-Class level in strength. And they should be background checked first. We don''t need spies and wicked people who will betray us anytime the situation turns awry."


    Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Although they only had a few D-Class level fighters now, but with the help and training from the Tyrannical Tower, they could have more people who will reach that strength level.


    "My Sima Family will provide full support on this plan. We will also send all our fighters young and old to train here." Sima Yantong loudly said as he glanced smilingly at Wolf King.


    "My Nangong Family will also provide our full support. And we will similarly send all our fighters to train here." Nangong Munji patted his chest as he glanced towards Wolf King.


    "Good! I know that both of your families can be trusted, don''t worry, I will do everything in my power to help your fighters strengthen themselves.


    "What will be the organization''s name?" Sima Yantong asked while maintaining his smile.


    "Let''s just make it plain and simple. Earth Alliance, that will be the name of our organization. And everyone present here will be the founding fathers of the organization and later you will be called as elders inside the Alliance." Wolf King answered calmly. He did not bother changing the name of the Alliance and just stuck to its name on his previous life.


    Cale adjourned the meeting and talked with Sima Ying for a bit.


    He then thought for a moment and tried bringing her inside the Virtual Training Environment. But he was stopped by a sudden prompt.


    - Ding!


    - Only the Host is allowed to train inside the Virtual Training Environment!


    ''Oh I guess I really need to build my own virtual training facility. How bothersome'' Cale felt a bit disappointed, but he just told Sima Ying to go practice with her brother. The latter also thought about the gravity of their current situation. Although she could not remember anything about the aliens during her past life, but she believed that Cale will never lie to her. She just left and followed Cale''s arrangements to go practice.


    Cale also tried bringing Brogen inside the Virtual Training Environment, but he was met with the same loud prompts.


    - Ding!


    - Only the Host is allowed to train inside the Virtual Training Environment!


    ''Fuck!'' Cale cursed inwardly as he ignored Brogen''s strange gaze after he held the latters arms upon trying to bring him inside the Virtual Training Environment.


    He then clicked the Slaves Category.


    Atlas (Human)


    - 800 000 000 Black Coins


    - The Emperor of Agustus Empire and also the strongest man of the empire. His leadership allowed the Agustus Empire to reign supreme in the world of Aelous.


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to continue your purchase?


    "Yes!"


    * Nocturna (Half Human) (Half Elf)


    - 1 000 000 000 Black Coins


    - The young princess of the Elven Kingdom in Aelous. The Elven Kingdom hid away from the mundane world as they held no desire to conquer the world. Their only wish was to protect the Tree of Life that gave birth to them, but the said tree died alongside Aelous'' destruction.


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to continue your purchase?


    "Damn yes!"


    Two bright orbs of light appearead in front of him making Cale unconsciously close his eyes.


    When he opened his eyes, a man and a woman was already kneeling in one knee in front of him.


    "I, Atlas, Emperor of Agustus Empire swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until eternity."


    I, Nocturna, Princess of Silverwing Elven Kingdon swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until eternity."

 Chapter 67 - Nocturas Thoughts

    The man was an above average-looking man that looked to be in his forties. He stood six foot and six inches tall with tough and explosive muscular body. The man''s graying hair signified his age, but his overwhelming charisma and sword-like eyebrows would make women fall head over heels for him. And the aura he produced may be a bit dominating and imperious, but the kind smile hanging on his lips change the overall atmosphere around him. A well-balanced man, that was Cale''s thought after looking at Agustus.


    The woman on the other hand had a hair as white as snow, her eyebrows which was similarly white gave her detached air. Her face was immortal-like, chiseled to perfection, her lips which was as red as ripe persimmon looked seductive but pure at the same time, her golden pupils shone a strange light of holiness like an untainted gem, the curves on her body was just on the right size, not so big and not too small and her skin which was as flawless as jade had a milky white color giving her a youthful and sacred vibe. Although she was a half human and half elf, her ears was was still human-like aside from it being a bit pointy.


    Two pairs of eyes were scrutinizing the masked man in front of them. They felt the strength of an early stage Emperor-Class level on him which was fairly weaker than the both of them, but something about him surprised them greatly. The man''s mysterious air was just too strong and his overflowing charisma made them unconsciously have a good first impression on him. The man had the qualities of a great leader and ruler, a man destined to one day reign supreme.


    "The both of you may stand up. My name is Cale, but when I have this mask on, I am Wolf King. Just make sure to remember that." The man spoke with intense clarity and charm making them both unknowingly nod their heads.


    "Good! Agustus and Nocturna, from now on you will be my swords, but don''t worry, I will treat you well." Cale flashed a bright smile instantly dispelling the uneasiness on their hearts.


    Cale patted Agustus shoulder and rubbed Nocturna head softly making the both of them smile involuntarily.


    Cale then turned around and walked a few steps before he said. "Stay here and guard me for now and don''t let anyone inside, unless something important came up that needs my presence."


    "Yes Wolf King!"


    "As you say Wolf King."


    The both of them answered after bowing their heads slightly. Cale''s body then turned stiff and stopped moving, making them both quite confused.


    They walked forward and looked at his expression. They saw that his eyes was closed as if he was in a deep sleep, his breathing was normal, but the aura around him can no longer be felt as if he had turned into a normal person.


    "Place him on the sofa, that thing should be the reason for this." An angelic voice traveled like a beautiful melody in Agustus'' ears. He glanced briefly at the fairy-like countenance of the Elven Princess and nodded his head. He carried Cale''s body and placed him gently on the sofa.


    Nocturna sat down and placed Cale''s head on her lap, her expression full of tenderness and care as he caressed Cale''s face. He might be wearing a mask, but it failed to cover his devilishly charming outline. ''What a strange power. It makes us feel that this man is our closest kin and family. But this thing also saved our lives during our world''s destruction, and the man he chose to bear its power can never be mediocre. Don''t disappoint us Wolf King, don''t disappoint as Cale. As the bearer of its power, you are the only one who can stop those people from taking over the whole multiverse...''


    Agustus who was standing at the side was similarly glancing at Cale with a complicated expression. He too was also drowning in his own deep thoughts. He kept on sighing and shaking his head as if he had regretted something in his past life.


    ***


    Cale''s vision warped making him feel a bit nauseous, but he was getting familiar with this feeling. After his vision returned to normal, he saw the familiar training room. He then felt his original body being touched by someone, but he did not feel any ill-intentions so he just let it be. ''It must be Agustus or Nocturna. Well, with them being there, no one should be able to assassinate me, even those goddamn demi humans would not be able to! With a strength at the peak of Emperor-Class and the middle stage of Divine-Class, they are the perfect pair of guardians who can protect me and the others.''


    He then went inside the Gravity Training Room with a gaze as sharp as a sacred sword.


    ***


    "Is this the Tyrannical Tower that you speak of?" The tone of voice contained a bit of surprise as the owner of the voice glanced at the towering skyscraper in front of him. The tower was giving off a majestic atmosphere as if it was gigantic shield protecting the vicinity without rest.


    Zero glanced at the man in front of him with a proud smile while nodding his head twice. "Eilhard, this is indeed the Tyrannical Tower that houses countless elite fighters and all of them had strengths greater than yours. So be good and learn from them, then maybe one day, you will surpass them." Zero''s teasing smile made Eilhard''s twitch, but he still forced out a smile. "I hope I won''t be disappointed with these elite fighters that you speak of Mr. Zero."


    Zero merely smiled in response and walked with confident steps. Eilhard followed behind him, but he was still a bit doubtful of the boastful Zero. ''Hundreds of elite fighters who are stronger than me? So your group is many times stronger than the late Verreine Camorra? I''ll see if the words from this prick is indeed true, if not then I will leave.''

 Chapter 68 - Eilhards Shock

    At the entrance of the Tower, two tall and hulking men wearing black tuxedo stood like unmoving mountains. They gave off a strong and suffocating presence, but only people who practices martial arts can discern their aura.


    Eilhard glanced warily at the men as he walked carefully towards the entrance of the tower. ''Their door guards are already this strong?! Those guys are most likely A-Class level fighters who are about to break through to the S-Class level. But something about them seems dangerous. It feels like they are stronger than most S-Class fighters. Strange...'' Eilhard was confused about his discovery regarding the entrance guards of the Tower. It was because they were both at A-Class level in martial arts, but their gun wielding and weapon wielding capabilities were way higher than most S-Class level fighters.


    Zero smirked after seeing the changing expressions of Eilhard. ''This is merely the start kid. How dare you doubt me Zero, the strongest mercenary of Gallantos, even Brogen the Barbarian does not dare do so.''


    The both of them walked towards the arena inside the Tower and Eilhard saw several men in black tuxedo giving off an aura which are not weaker than the guys at the entrance. That means they are also at A-Class level at the very least! He even saw some with stronger aura and he knew that they were definitely S-Class level martial arts practitioner. ''How the hell did this Tower invite so many strong fighters to become their guards?! And all of them are not weaker than A-Class level. Even the strongest gangs and syndicates in Germany had to be respectful when talking with these level of fighters! But here they are in this Tower, as common as wild grass and to think they are merely guards here! Just who is the owner of this Tower to be capable enough to recruit these strong fighters?!'' Eilhard suddenly forgot his doubts on Zero and just continued curiously glancing from left to right.


    ''Kid, this is only the tip of the iceberg! Once we go inside the arena, you will realize your puny existence.'' Zero laughed manically inside his heart as he glanced at the curious-looking Eilhard with a mocking smile.


    He then told the two men guarding the entrance of the arena to open the door for them.


    When the two huge doors were opened, Zero and Eilhard heard loud shouting from time to time.


    "Haaa!! Haaa!! Haaa!!"


    "Haaa!! Haaa!! Haaa!!"


    In front of them were more than a hundred men and women wearing the white disciple clothes of the Tower. They were grunting and shouting as they punched and kick rhythmically. In front of them were three men with profound auras, especially the aggressive-looking man at the center. He was shouting orders towards the disciples like a wild lion roaring at its pack.


    "This... They are?" Eilhard curiously pointed at the men and women wearing white clothes, his eyes was filled with longing. He knew that they were most likely students or disciples of this Tower after he felt their strengths. Most of them were young fighters who are close to becoming an E-Class level. But he also felt several strong auras from the others. He even saw an A-Class fighter following the movements of the rest without voicing out any complaints.


    Zero walked forward and put his hands behind his back. He then flashed a light smile as he watched the disciples on the arena. "They are the disciples of our Tower and those three experts are some of the instructors inside this Tower. Do you know how strong those guys are?" He glanced at Eilhard while putting on a mysterious look. The latter grew curious and he could not help but ask Zero. "How strong are they Mr. Zero?" His voice carried a hint of excitement and expectation as he waited for Zero''s reply.


    The latter smiled in response and turned his head back on the arena again. "Although those three are bit weaker than me, they are at least at the peak stage of King-Class level."


    The answer made Eilhard shocked, and he also felt a bit fearful. He did not doubt Zero''s words anymore after seeing the strength of the Tower. ''Fuck! I have been looking down on a King-Class level fighter all this time. And I even kept on questioning his words.'' Eilhard''s body felt cold as he flashed a forced smile towards Zero. His hair stood on end after seeing the latter''s bright smile.


    ***


    Inside the Gravity Training Room.


    "Fuck! I still can''t last long with ten times the gravity! Lower down the gravity by five times than normal!" Cale shouted weakly as he laid on the ground with his limbs stretched out forming an ''X'' shape.


    - Ding!


    - Gravity lowered down to x5!


    Cale breathe a sigh of relief after he felt the gravity inside weaken by a lot.


    "Much better! Give me glass of Heavenly Spring Water please." Cale spoke as he sat up. The moment the words left his mouth, a glass of crystal clear water hovered in midair. Cale smiled and hurriedly caught the the glass of water and gulped it down like a thirsty camel ravenously drinking riverwater in a dried up desert.


    "Hooo! Still the best drink in the whole world! Hey, do you have something better than this?" Cale asked as if there was someone who would answer his question.


    - Ding!


    - Request denied!


    - Authority Level below required!


    "Oh! So there are still drinks much better than this? What Authority Level do I need to access the next drink?"


    - Ding!


    - Authority Level must be at least S-Class level!


    "Two more upgrades eh? I need more treasures then, but I have no one else I can trust or buy. That Shannon cannot be trusted anymore. His mouth cannot be sealed even with the deterrence of power. I just hope he won''t tell anyone from the CIA about my weapons or he will die a terrible death!" Cale spoke with eyes burning like the raging hell flames.


    He then stood up and proceeded back to his training. The aura he was emitting was getting stronger and stronger as time went by three times faster inside the Virtual Training Environment.

 Chapter 69 - Famrit Empire

    "Can I choose a mission?" Cale asked after a moment of thought. Although he had been training continuously inside the Virtual Training Environment for quite some time already, he still have not tried the missions provided by the system.


    - Ding!


    - Select one mission!


    * Mission A: Kill 100 King-Class Undead Sergeants that are wrecking havoc on Famrit Empire!


    - Reward: Minor Origin Essence Bundle


    * Mission B: Kill the Undead General leading the undeads on Famrit Empire!


    - Reward: x2 Minor Origin Essence Bundle


    * Mission C: ...


    "Eh? There is a reward for this? And what is this Minor Origin Essence Bundle?" Cale asked curiously.


    - Ding!


    - A purified origin essence that can be assimilated on host''s body!


    "So do you mean it can increase my origin essence?" Cale felt a bit expectant. If the bundle can increase the amount of origin essence inside his body, then it will surely aid him in strengthening himself to terrifying degree.


    - Ding!


    - Correct!


    The impassive voice which sounded a bit feminine was like a sweet melody on Cale''s ears.


    "Good! I select mission B!" Cale clicked the ''Mission B'' excitedly.


    - Ding!


    - Warning! Once host dies during the mission, you will also die in real life! Do you wish to proceed with ''Mission B''?


    Cale''s body turned cold in an instant. "I know that there is no free lunch in this world. If I can die in this mission, does that mean the Famrit Empire truly exists in this universe?"


    - Ding!


    - Authority Level below required! Please upgrade your Authority Level to Divine-Class first!


    Cale was a bit shocked. He then decisively replied with a face without a hint of fear.


    "Proceed with Mission B!"


    - Ding!


    - Mission B selected!


    - Creating a Physical Body for host! Progress 7%!


    - Locating Famrit Empire! World of Dulan!


    - Creating a Physical Body for host! Progress 18%


    - Creating a Physical Body for host! Progress 26%!


    - Creating a .....


    - Creating a Physical Body for host! Progress 100%!


    - 3! 2! 1!


    Cale saw a bright flash of light that enveloped his surroundings. He involuntarily closed his eyes and clutched his slightly aching head.


    "Aarghh! Does it have to be this painful? Damn you! Arrggh!"


    - Welcome to the World of Dulan!


    - Mission B: Kill the Undead General leading the undeads on Famrit Empire!


    Cale opened his eyes slowly, he then blinked his eyes continuously to regain the clarity in his sight. When his vision returned to normal, he saw a huge heavy sword embedded on the ground. The design of the heavy sword was exquisite and refined as if it was made by the best dwarven weaponsmith. He clutched the hilt of the sword and....


    - Ding!


    * Sword of Lamentation (Emperor-Class)


    Cale was astonished at the sudden prompt when...


    "Booom!" A loud booming sound interrupted his train of thoughts. He then glanced in front of him and saw a tall wall being besieged by more than several thousands of Armored Skeletons.


    "This must be the undeads, but where is the Undead General?" Cale picked up the heavy sword which was almost two meters in length with ease. He then hefted it on his shoulder and dashed towards the Famrit Empire.


    ***


    "Grand General Gris, the undeads have besieged the Southern walls! General Vishnu and his men are barely holding back the undead army and they are requesting for support! Your orders sir?!" A soldier wearing medieval black armor wearily reported. His eyes had dark circles below them, an obvious sign of exhaustion and sleeplessness.


    In front of him was a man in his forties wearing the same medieval black armor, but his armor had golden dragon patterns on it making it look more domineering.


    "I will go there personally! Assemble the Empire''s Black Eagle Army and have them wait for my orders!" Grand General Gris replied with a deep and authoritative voice.


    The soldier saluted stoically and shouted with a loud voice. "Yes Grand General!"


    "Undead King, it looks like you can no longer control your greed and wanted to capture the people of my Famrit Empire as food for your Undead Kingdom! Good! Good!" The man stood up from his seat and grabbed his helmet before going out of his room.


    ***


    One day later, on Famrit Empire.


    "Shit I have searching for the Undead General since yesterday, but I can''t seem to find his shadow at all. Looks like I need to talk with this empire''s top leaders. How troublesome!" A silver haired man wearing silver wolf mask muttered in annoyance before his figure vanished from the scene.


    ***


    "Soldiers of our Famrit Empire, the undead army of the Undead King has been wrecking havoc on the Southern parts of our empire! Follow me in slaying these skeletal warriors and break their bones into pieces to avenge our dead brothers and sisters! For the glory of Famrit Empire! Kill!" Grand General Gris unsheathed his sword and pointed his blade towards the heavens. The soldiers of Famrit Empire followed suit and shouted in a loud and sonorous voice.


    "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    The air of savagery and the rising morale of the army made the soldiers'' blood boil with excitement.


    Their loud chanting suddenly stopped when they saw something descending from above. When the ''thing'' was closer to them, they realized that it was actually a person hefting a huge heavy sword on his shoulder with ease.


    The person then summersaulted in midair dispelling the speed of his descent and gracefully landed on the ground. He was wearing an exquisite looking black armor with reddish patterns on it. His silver hair fluttered elegantly along the breeze of cold winds and the silver wolf mask he wore gave him a mysterious air of profundity.


    The soldiers instantly pointed their weapons on the man while glaring warily at him. They can''t sense any strength from the man at all! It was like he was an average human, and if not for him falling from above and his overall mysterious atmosphere, they would have believed that he just was an ordinary man.


    Grand General Gris raised his right hand, signalling the soldiers to put down their weapons. He then glanced curiously at the silver haired man and sensed no ill-intentions from the him, making Grand General Gris believe that he was not an enemy.


    "How can I help you sir?" Grand General Gris asked politely as he himself could barely distinguish the strength of the man even if he was already at the peak of King-Class level.


    The silver haired man smiled mysteriously and spoke in a calm voice filled with confidence and ease. "I am here to help you."

 Chapter 70 - Fighting the Undead General

    Grand General Gris was a bit surprised at the mysterious silver haired man''s reply, but he was relieved inwardly. ''This man''s iddntity is unfathomable and he should be much stronger than me for being able to hide his aura against everyone here. If I am right, then this man''s help will impact the war greatly.''


    "I, Gris, Grand General of Famrit Empire invites you to join us in war honored sir." Grand General Gris glanced expectantly at Cale. The latter smiled and nodded his head twice. "It is my honor to join the Grand General and the bravest warriors of Famrit Empire in the war against the Undead Army."


    Grand General Gris'' expression eased considerably, he then stretched out his right hand towards Cale who shook it lightly.


    Grand General Gris then turned towards the soldiers of Famrit Empire and shouted in a loud voice. His expression warped into menace and savagery. "My brothers, for the glory of Famrit Empire! Kill!"


    The soldiers of Famrit Empire raised their swords and shouted at the top of their lungs.


    "For the glory of Famrit Empire! Kill!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    The murderous air suddenly became so thick that most of the average warriors would definitely feel suffocated.


    "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    ***


    Southern parts of Famrit Empire.


    "General Vishnu, more than half of our brothers have been killed! I suggest we retreat for now!" A soldier fearfully said as he watched their vanguard slowly being decimated by the Undead Army.


    General Vishnu gritted his teeth after seeing his soldiers die one by one. He then grabbed the shield of one of his men and shouted valiantly. "Soldiers of Famrit Empire! Don''t cower in fear! Reinforcements are on their way! All we needed to do is hold back the enemies until they arrive! I will lead the defense personally! Charge with me! For the glory of Famrit Empire! Kill!"


    The downcast expressions of the soldiers regained a trace of hope. Their faces now contained their usual savagery and fearlessness as they followed General Vishnu''s gallant charge.


    "Die you filthy beings!"


    "Die you bastards!"


    With their boosted morale, the soldiers of Famrit Empire was able to maintain a deadlock with the Undead Army.


    "Shit! Their numbers are becoming more and more even after killing a lot of them. We can''t hold on for long! Fuck!" A soldier said in exhaustion and fatigue, but then he saw the valiant General Vishnu surrounded by more than several dozen undead soldiers. He saw their General slaying the undeads like a raging tornado. No one could even get near him as they would instantly be slain under his sword.


    The scene made the soldier''s blood boil with excitement. He then charged towards the enemies like a madman and ignored the cuts he sustained. He hacked the undeads with his newfound energy, but he later succumbed after more than twenty Undead Soldiers attacked him from all sides.


    After another thirty minutes, they were again pushed back by the undeads'' growing number. General Vishnu was also getting more fatigued and his movements are becoming stiffer and slower.


    "Grand General Gris, this is the only thing I can do for you. Make sure to avenge my death."


    General Vishnu dropped his shield and supported himself with his sword.


    He hacked an approaching undead soldier in half and stood unsteadily, but his eyes still contained fearlessness. He then saw a tall undead, about four meters in height. The giant undead was holding two massive swords as it glared balefully at the human soldiers.


    General Vishnu pulled out his sword and roared angrily like an injured lion unafraid of death.


    "Kill!!"


    He charged towards the Undead General after barely evading its slash. He then used the remainder of his strength and slashed the undead with all his might.


    "Aaahhh!"


    "Puchi!" The slash left a deep line of wound on the Undead General''s body, but the undead did not even flich as it swatted General Vishnu away.


    The latter was thrown several meters away and tumbled on the ground like a broken doll. He then stabbed his sword on the ground and stood up with great difficulty. His hands and legs were trembling involuntarily as he glared at the undead charging his way. He produced a weary smile and closed his eyes while waiting for the undead to slash him.


    "Goodbye my Famrit Empire."


    "Claanngg!" A loud sound of two metals hitting each other resounded in front of him. He then opened his eyes and saw a silver haired man blocking the four meter undead''s sword slash with his heavy sword. The silver haired man then pushed the undead back by swatting it''s sword away.


    "Retreat now! Leave this guy to me!" The silver haired man glanced briefly at General Vishnu with mysterious smile on his face. The latter felt cold after seeing the silver haired man''s smile. It was like the smile of a demon who saw its prey. General Vishnu''s hair stood on end and he just nodded his head in response to the silver haired man''s words.


    Cale turned his head and stared greedily at the Undead General.


    "My x2 Origin Essence Bundle, here I come!"


    Cale charge towards the Undead General while pointing his sword towards it. The Undead General was angered by the audacity of the human in front of him and it slashed both its gigantic swords towards Cale. The air produced a whistling sound as the Undead General slashed his swords. Cale jumped in midair to avoid the sword slashes and dived towards the Undead General while aiming his heavy sword towards its head.


    The Undead General blocked the attack by raising its giant sword up.


    "Claaang!"


    Cale summersaulted in midair and and landed on the ground gracefully, but his expression is one of utter shock. ''This Undead General actually has the strength of a peak stage Emperor-Class level?!''

 Chapter 71 - Killing the Undead General

    "Reinforcements has arrived and Grand General Gris is leading the reinforcements himself!" General Vishnu shouted loudly after regaining his footing. His men instantly cheered loudly and used their remaining strength without reserve.


    General Vishnu then glanced at the silver haired man who was currently fighting the Undead General on equal footing.


    ''Who is this guy? How can he be so strong?'' He thought in shock as he himself who was at the initial stage of King-Class level could barely even follow Cale''s movements.


    "General Vishnu, are you alright?" A deep voice of a man interrupted his thoughts. He turned around and saw a man in his forties wearing black medieval armor with golden patterns. The man was looking at him with worry and a bit of guilt.


    "I''m fine Grand General Gris, but who is that man?" General Vishnu pointed at Cale who was still fighting the Undead General. Their battle created shockwaves after shockwaves that made the nearby soldiers stay far away from them.


    Grand General Gris stared at Cale''s mysterious figure and shook his head after releasing a heavy sigh. "I don''t know his name, but he is an ally. With his help, repelling the Undead Army should be easy. Let your soldiers retreat for now General Vishnu, let me finish the rest here."


    "But..." Before General Vishnu could even speak, Grand General Gris patted his shoulder and spoke. "Go! This is an order."


    General Vishnu felt conflicted, but he can only sigh lightly before he said. "Yes Grand General!" He then turned around and left the scene, but his valiant efforts will not be forgotten by his men who saw him fight like a wargod.


    Grand General Gris glanced at General Vishnu''s receding silhouette before moving his gaze towards Cale for a brief moment.


    He then glared at the Undead Army flooding the Southern parts of Famrit Empire like a huge swarm of locusts with extreme hatred.


    "Soldiers of Famrit Empire! Kill these undeads!"


    The soldiers pulled out their swords and charged towards the Undead Army like a pack of wolves.


    "Kill! Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    The battle between both sides became even more brutal and bloody, but neither sides backed down.


    ***


    Cale on the other hand was only able to maintain an equal fight against the Undead General because of the weapon and armor provided by "The Black Market". If not for those items, he would have a hard time battling against the Undead General.


    "Shit! Looks like my x2 Origin Essence Bundle is not that easy to get eh?"


    Cale tried opening his storage system, but he received several prompts.


    - Ding!


    - You are only allowed to use weapons provided by the system!


    "Fuck! You did not inform me earlier!" Cale shouted in exasperation.


    The Undead General was strong, but its weak points were clear for Cale to see. It lacked  speed and mobility with his gigantic size and huge weapons.


    Cale used his speed to his advantage and he kept on slashing the Undead General''s body, but it did not seem to weaken it one bit. The attacks only angered the Undead General further, making its attacks more frenzied and brutal. It slashed the giant swords on its hands, but Cale was able to evade its attack with ease.


    The Undead General stomped its foot on the ground, creating an earthquake that made Cale''s footing a bit unsteady.


    "Shit!" Cale hurriedly rolled on the ground and evaded another slash from the Undead General. He then hacked the latter''s outstretched hand with all his might.


    "Puchi!" The huge hand holding a gigantic sword drop to the ground, causing the Undead General to release a shrill screaming sound.


    It then hacked Cale with its remaining giant sword in a berserk state. Its attack became more unpredictable, but Cale evaded each attack with ease. He then hacked the remaining hand of the Undead General with his heavy sword, causing another shrill shriek from the Undead General.


    Cale did not stop his attack and aimed at the monster''s now unguarded neck.


    "Puchi!"


    "Thud!"


    A huge head rolled on the ground causing buckets of blood to flow.


    - Ding!


    - Kill the Undead General leading the Undead Army on Famrit Empire!


    - Mission Success!


    - Do you wish leave the World of Dulan?


    Cale released a heavy sigh of relief and thought for a moment before giving his reply. He then glanced at the soldiers of Famrit Empire who were still engaged in a brutal sword fight against the Undead Army.


    "I guess I can stay here for a bit." He then jumped high in midair and descended towards were the Undead Soldiers were concentrated.


    "Bang!" A loud bang followed after his descent creating a crater that was about five meters in diameter. The surrounding undeads were flung away from the force of his descent, giving him enough space to maneuver a spinning sword attack.


    He killed multiple undead soldiers with a casual strike from his heavy sword. The heavy sword in his hands danced elegantly along with the flying body parts and blood. No undead soldiers could even go three meters nearer him or they would immediately be put to death.


    Blood and body parts flew in the air at every slash of his sword causing the Famrit Empire''s soldiers'' morale to rise greatly. Their combined efforts finally paid off and they were able to drive the Undead Army away.


    An Undead Soldier then emitted a strange noise, making the other undeads stop their movements, before they retreated.


    The soldiers of Famrit Empire raised their swords in the air and loudly cheered.


    "Invincible Famrit Empire!"


    "Invincible Famrit Empire!"


    ***


    Grand General glanced around the battlefield looking for the mysterious silhouette, but he never saw the man. All he saw was the decapitated body of the Undead General, with its head no longer attached on its body. The sight was truly something unbelievable, but the evidence is right before his eyes.


    "Just who are you?" He muttered as he ignored the deafening cheers of his men.

 Chapter 72 - Peak Stage Emperor-Class

    Cale returned inside the familiar Gravity Training Room. The armor he was wearing moments ago was gone and the heavy sword can no longer be seen.


    - Ding!


    - Mission Success!


    - Loading Reward!


    - Received x2 Minor Origin Essence Bundle!


    - Please check your storage!


    Cale excitedly checked his storage and saw two small orbs of bluish white light floating inside his storage space. When he thought about taking out the orbs, they automatically reappeared in front of him floating steadily while producong a dim bluish white light.


    The small orbs were only about the size of a coin and they felt like cotton when Cale touched them.


    "How do I even use these little things? Do I need to eat them? I don''t need to eat this cotton-like orbs right?" Cale asked while playing with the orbs in his hands.


    - Ding!


    - Host needs to consume the Minor Origin Essence Bundle!


    "Tch! Fine.." Cale pinched one of the orbs and placed it inside his mouth.


    He felt a peculiar kind of feeling when the orb was already inside his mouth. It produced a calming effect the moment it melted on his tongue. It also had a strange sweet but sandy aftertaste the same when eating pears.


    When the orb melted on his tongue, it produced a slightly cold liquid that slowly entered his esophagus. He then felt all his pores opening as it digested the strong energy contained by the orb.


    "Delicious!" He then grabbed the remaining orb and threw it in his mouth.


    After five minutes, the sweet aftertaste was gone and his body became a bit hot. He then felt the origin essence inside his body slowly increase. It increased from the intial stage of Emperor-Class level to the middle stage of Emperor-Class level. It then went up again to the peak stage of Emperor-Class level before the increase of his origin essence stopped.


    "So every Minor Origin Essence Bundle is equivalent to an increase in one stage?" Cale felt surpriser at how easy he was able to increase his strength.


    - Ding!


    - The host needs a Superior Origin Essence Bundle to rank up to Divine-Class level!


    "Oh okay. And hmm... Can I let anyone else consume these Origin Essence Bundle?" He asked expectantly while waiting for a reply.


    - Ding!


    - No!


    "Well, I can''t be too greedy. With my new strength, I can already rival Atlas. Can I do another mission?" Cale asked.


    - Ding!


    - Mission can only be done once every month!


    - Current monthly progress. 1/1


    "Too bad! Okay, I guess it''s time to check the outside world. Bring me outside." After the words escaped his breath, his vision warped, but Cale was already used to it and did not look bothered anymore.


    When he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was an exquisitely beautiful face. The owner of the fairy-like countenance smiled sweetly at Cale as she caressed his head affectionately. "Welcome back, my lord."


    Cale was surprised at his current plight, but he enjoyed the soft sensation coming from behind his head. It was soft and warm, even a feathered pillow fell in comparison against it. The gentle touch from Nocturna also had a calming effect that was even better than when he ate the Origin Essence Bundle.


    Cale forced himself to calm down and sat up straight. He then smiled at Nocturna and rubbed her head fondly. "Thanks Nocturna for taking care of me."


    Nocturna''s little mouth opened slightly before it turned into a a beautiful smile. "You are more than welcome my lord." She then frowned slightly when felt the strength coming from Cale. "Peak stage Emperor-Class level?" She muttered in surprise.


    Cale nodded his head with a smile. "Yes, but I am still a long way to go before surpassing you." Cale teased her as he rubbed her head gently. He then stood up from his seat and saw Atlas standing behind them with a surprised expression. He similarly felt the strength that Cale released. And to think that in less than a day, he broke through two stages in one go. What an astonishing speed of growth!


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    The three people inside the room turned their heads towards the sound. Atlas then walked towards the door and opened it.


    They saw Zero outside the room looking with bewilderment at Atlas. He could not feel any origin essence from the man at all, but the dangerous presence he was unintentionally giving off was truly too strong. ''Emperor-Class level!'' Zero was shocked, but he put on a calm outer expression.


    "Is his lordship, Lord Cale here in his room?" He asked carefully while avoiding the man''s gaze.


    "Let him come inside." Cale''s voice was like a lifesaving melody in Zero''s ears, instantly dispelling the budding fear in his heart.


    Zero went inside the room and saw a devastatingly ravishing woman. He then looked away after seeing Cale beside the woman.


    As Zero approached Cale, he felt that the latter''s strength can no longer be felt even after he scrutinized him with his eyes. ''Did his lordship breakthrough again? How fast!''


    "Do you have something to tell me, Zero?" Cale''s calm voice broke Zero in his dazed state. He then took a deep breath and slowly recollected himself.


    "My lord, I have brought Eilhard with me in the Tower." Zero reported after bowing his head lightly.


    Cale looked pleasantly surprised and nodded his head calmly. "Good job Zero! I will send you portraits of seven other people. And I want you to find them for me. I don''t care if they are already contracted, you must take them back with you at all cost. As for the expenses meant for this trip, find Daphne and ask some from her."


    "As you wish my lord!" Zero bowed his head again.


    "Good! But for now, you can have a rest. Don''t overwork yourself too much. This mission doesn''t have time limit anyway. You may leave."


    Zero bowed one last time before he left.

 Chapter 73 - Treasure Auction

    "Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    Cale frowned slightly after seeing that it was Delfino who was calling him. ''What does that fatso want from me.'' Cale answered the call and he heard Delfino''s excited voice.


    "Wolf King, how are you today?"


    "Hello Mr. Delfino. I''m good, just a bit busy recently." Cale answered impassively and waited for Delfino to say his aim for calling him.


    "That''s great! Anyway Wolf King, there will be an auction in Paris, France. And there could be ancient relics as well. I called you because I remembered you mentioning that you collect treasures as a hobby." Delfino excitedly said. Delfino himself was also a treasure collector, so after hearing that there will be a treasure auction in Paris, he became really excited.


    "Yes sure. When will the auction begin? And do I need an invitation letter for this?" Cale asked in the same tone of voice as if he was not excited about a treasure auction. But he was inwardly praising and thanking Delfino. His one hundred billion Black Coins would not last for long with his current expenditure during his training. So this treasure auction was a great opportunity to increase his Black Coins.


    "The auction will begin in five days time and I plan to go there by tomorrow or the next day. As for the invitation letter, the Auction House told me that the people from the Tyrannical Tower does not need an invitation letter." Delfino replied. He was a bit disappointed from Wolf King''s detachedness. ''Can you at least show a bit of excitement''


    "Oh okay, thanks for the information. Bye Mr. Delfino."


    Delfino glanced at his phone a bit speechlessly. "Can you at least hold on for a moment? I haven''t even told you the exact place and time for the auction. Well, that''s not my problem anymore."


    ***


    Inside the Tyrannical Tower.


    Cale smirked as he kept his phone inside his pocket. ''Delfino, you are truly my lucky star. Don''t worry, when the demi humans attack, I won''t let you die.''


    "Treasure Auction eh? This time it''s Cale''s turn to surface while Wolf King hides behind the shadows. I might even find some rats to accompany me in my boredom." Cale''s smirk became even more evil and wicked that made Atlas who was beside him to swallow a mouthful of saliva. ''Only idiots will provoke his lordship. And if there are any, then they must be tired of living.''


    Nocturna on the other hand smiled sweetly as she glanced at the handsome and mysterious side profile of Cale.


    "Nocturna, Atlas, the both of you will come with me in France. I need a lot of treasures to fulfill my quest of destroying those demi humans. Atlas, the auction might even be your debut." Cale laughed lightly, making Atlas'' body to turn cold.


    ***


    Inside the Tower''s arena.


    "Master, what are the strength levels after the S-Class level? I have been curious all this time, because I heard that there were some people who exceeded S-Class." Situ Qinfeng glanced at the middle aged Demetrio with curiosity.


    Demetrio was surprised, but his expression did not change one bit. He then glanced at his students, young and old. All of them were staring curiously at him, waiting for him to answer the question that have been bugging them for a while. Especially after training inside the Tyrannical Tower, they realized how weak they were.


    There were more than hundreds of fighters inside the Tower including the men wearing black tuxedos who maintain the safety of the Tower. The weakest fighter inside the Tower is at least an A-Class level martial arts practitioner. And according to their elders, there were even some fighters who exceeded the S-Class level inside the Tower.


    "Everyone has the talent to reach S-Class level in strength, but most people squandered their potentials by destroying their bodies and by neglecting their trainings. Some people started their training earlier than the others, thus making them ahead by a great margin. Some people started late, which stagnated their potentials. Everyone here has the potential to reach S-Class level, but reaching above S-Class level needs something that we call as Origin Breakthrough."


    The Tower''s disciples, young and old listened attentively to Demetrio''s word. Their expressions kept on changing from time to time as Demetrio continued to explain.


    "From E-Class to S-Class level, what was being strengthened was merely our physical bodies. But upon achieving Origin Breakthrough, our origin essence will slowly strengthen our souls. And this is when you will achieve King-Class level. Your souls will be purified and strengthened as the origin essence inside your body increases. And there were even some talented individuals in the King-Class level who can control their origin essence to go our of their bodies. Let me show you..." Demetrio pulled out a short sword out of his sleeves. He then unsheated the sword slowly, while the disciples looked on with bewildered expressions.


    Demetrio then threw the sword above him, causing the disciples in front to take a step back unconsciously. When the sword''s tip was about to touch the ground, it suddenly stopped moving as if time had been paused. They then saw the sword slowly float in midair, giving rise to a series of shocked exclamations from the disciples.


    "The sword is floating? Is this magic?"


    "Woah! So this is the strength of a King-Class level fighter? How strong! With their origin essence, they can even make an object float!"


    "Master, can we incorporate this technique in our attacks?" Situ Qinfeng asked again. If this can be practiced and used as an attack, then it would be a very dangerous skill. Many fighters will be caught unprepared and will be defeated in an instant.


    "Of course you can. But remember only talented King-Class level fighters can control their origin essence to this degree. Even in the entire Tower, there are less than ten people who can control their origin essence up to this level." Demetrio was a bit proud when he said that, and slight smirk can be seen on his face.


    Until he suddenly heard a cute voice travel on the arena. "Master, how about Wolf King. How strong is he?"

 Chapter 74 - Wolf Kings Strength

    Demetrio glanced at Samantha who was looking at him with big cute eyes for full five seconds before shaking his head. "Wolf King had long since exceeded King-Class level. And inside the Tower, no one is his equal." Demetrio''s face was full of reverence when he said that.


    The disciples'' mouth opened widely after hearing their master''s answer. To think that Wolf King was already beyond King-Class level in strength. How unimaginable!


    "Yes, after the King-Class level is the Emperor-Class level. And in this current timeline, perhaps only Wolf King have reached this level of strength."


    The disciples eyes turned large like saucers and their jaws dropped to the ground. If Wolf King was the only Emperor-Class level fighter in the world, then that makes him the strongest man alive!  They did not doubt their master''s words at all. Any man who could invite so many high level fighters like their master could never be ordinary. Thus when they learned that Wolf King was an Emperor-Class level fighter, they instantly believed that it was true.


    "Master, are there still levels after the Emperor-Class?" Sima Fenglun asked curiously. If there was a level after King-Class, then there might be levels after Emperor-Class as well.


    Demetrio sighed lightly and was about to answer them when he heard a familiar charming voice reverberate inside the arena.


    "There are indeed levels beyond the Emperor-Class. After the Emperor-Class is the Divine-Class and after that is Saint-Class. There were also legends of humans reaching the Immortal-Class level, but reaching that kind of strength level in our current world is as hard as escaping hell. I don''t even know if I can reach the Divine-Class level in my lifetime." A man wearing silver wolf mask spoke and shook his head.


    His appearance inside the arena surprised everyone greatly. This man was the owner of the Tyrannical Tower, Wolf King! The only man they knew that had reached the Emperor-Class level!


    Demetrio and the other instructors lowered their heads slightly. He then glanced speechlessly at his disciples who were gawking at Wolf King like curious monkeys. His expression turned strict in an instant and shouted at his disciples.


    "Everyone, greet Wolf King!"


    The disciples instantly stood straight and lowered their heads slightly.


    "Greetings, Wolf King!"


    Their voices were full of respect and idolization especially after learning that the mysterious Wolf King was actually an Emperor-Class level fighter.


    Wolf King smiled and waved his hands, signalling them to stand at ease. "Raise your heads everyone. No need for formalities. I only came here to check on everyone''s training. How was your stay and training so far?" He asked lightly as he glanced at the disciples who were gazing at him with sparkling eyes.


    Demetrio''s body turned stiff for a moment and his palms involuntarily produced globs of sweat. ''I just hope these kids are not petty. I should have been kinder when I was teaching them recently.'' Demetrio thought in a bit of regret as he waited nervously at his disciple''s replies. He was afraid of disappointing Wolf King as it may decrease his trust towards him.


    "Great! Master Demetrio has been a good instructor and the other instructors were also good. Although they are quite strict in training us, but it was only for us to maximize our potentials."


    "Yeah, I have learned a lot from them. I even broke through yesterday because of their help."


    Demetrio and the other instructors sighed relief. ''What good kids. I will be lenient with them in the future.'' Demetrio thought to himself as he produced a slight smile.


    Wolf King nodded his head in approval and a satisfied smile was visible on his red lips.


    "Good job everyone! Just continue your training, I only came to take a small peek at everyone''s progress." Wolf King''s sight stopped on a cold and beautiful woman among the disciples for a brief moment before he left.


    The woman also smiled briefly before it reverted back to her usual cold look.


    Everyone inside the arena stared at the receding silhouette of Wolf King with reverence.


    Demetrio exhaled a breath of relief. He then glanced kindly at his disciples and spoke with a milder tone.


    "Let''s resume our training."


    A young man wearing a disciple''s white clothing looked at where Wolf King was last seen. He then muttered in confusion. "How come I feel that I know him? Strange."


    "Eilhard are you okay? Master said we will begin training again, so focus or he will scold you." A young man tapped Eilhard''s shoulder from behind.


    "Oh, okay."


    ***


    Two days later, inside the Tyrannical Tower.


    Cale sat up and caressed the beautiful face of Sima Ying gently. He then stood up silently and a smile can be seen on his handsome face. "It is time go."


    After showering, Cale changed into a noble-looking gray suit. He looked at himself in front of a mirror and did several poses. "How handsome." He muttered narcissistically after seeing his own reflection in front of the mirror.


    He then felt a warm embrace enveloping him tightly from behind. "What a narcissist. But my Cale is indeed good-looking." Sima Ying''s warm breath tickled Cale''s ears gently.


    Cale smiled and hugged the ravishing figure tightly. "Practice well little Ying, and don''t come out of the Tower without an instructor following you. If you want to go out, make sure to bring Demetrio with you."


    "Mmn."


    ***


    Two hours later, in an airport.


    A man with black hair and onyx eyes walked with confident steps towards a private jet. Following behind him were two individuals with stoic faces. One was a hulking man who stood seven foot tall and his ripped muscles were bursting with strength. Another was slightly shorter man who stood six foot and six inches tall, he had an overwhelming charisma and including his manly features, many women inside the airport glanced at him from time to time.


    Holding the black haired young man''s arms was fairy-like young woman. She wore an elegant blue dress that accentuated her beauty. Many men ogled at her, but after seeing the glares of the giant men behind her, they instantly recalled their sights albeit unwillingly.


    "France oh France, here I come. Don''t disappoint me."

 Chapter 75 - The Auction Begins

    Inside a new Auction House, many individuals wearing luxrious clothing were forming their own circles and as they talked about their businesses.


    "I heard that the Marchand Family is the owner of this new Auction House."


    "What, the Marchand Family? They still prefer to hide behind the shadows after all these years eh?"


    "Yeah, but don''t underestimate them. This family has been living in France for several centuries. They might not want the spotlight, but that does not mean that they won''t punish anyone who offends them. They also have many strong fighters among their ranks, I even heard that they had their own private army."


    "That scary? I barely even have about two dozen bodyguards, and their family have a private army? How strong!"


    "Yes, they also had deals with Russia and Germany regarding gun trade. With their current power, they can even turn the whole France upside down."


    "Look, isn''t that Lhun Marchand, the eldest son of Marchand Family''s patriarch?"


    "Yeah it''s him. He definitely carries the bloodline of the Marchand Family. With his own efforts, he already built several companies and is now earning billions of dollars every year."


    "Impressive! As expected of the eldest son of the Marchand Family. He should be the next patriarch right?"


    "Of course...."


    ***


    More and more guests arrived inside the Auction house, but the five VIP rooms were still unoccupied.


    "The Decaux Family has arrived!" A loud announcement surprised the guests greatly, making them turn their heads towards the entrance.


    They saw a middle aged man with graying hair, but his charm was not any less than the noble scions of the rich families. Behind him were several individuals wearing black tuxedo, and all of them emitted an overpowering aura that made the martial arts practitioners among the guests to be shocked.


    "Hello Mr. Decaux, please follow me towards the VIP room." Lhun Marchand spoke with a polite smile on his face.


    "Oh, isn''t this Lhun? You are a such a capable man now. How fast time flies by." Mr. Decaux smiled at Lhun Marchand and sighed lightly.


    "And the dashing youth from long ago is now a charming middle aged man. I have been one of your admirers Mr. Decaux." Lhun Marchand smiled brighty, causing Mr. Decaux'' expression to soften a bit.


    "You have inherited your father''s glib tongue, truly the eldest son of the Marchand Family." Mr. Decaux laughed lightly as Lhun Marchand was leading them towards one of the VIP rooms.


    Many other influential people from all over the world came inside the Marchand Family''s Auction House. The auction house was almost full with almost a thousand renowned people, but no one dared to cause trouble. Although they haven''t seen the strength of the Marchand Family, they have heard rumors about them having a private army and lots of strong fighters.


    "Where is Wolf King? I haven''t seen them yet." A chubby middle aged man asked the benign-looking old man beside him.


    Old man Sekoujo placed his Dragon Smoke Pipe in his mouth, but he did not dare light it up. "I don''t know if he will come here, but they will surely send someone. We might even see our little friend Cale again."


    Delfino smiled widely causing the fats in his face to lightly jiggle.


    "The Tyrannical Tower has arrived!" The loud announcement made the both of them to turn their heads towards the entrance. They saw a handsome young man with black hair and onyx eyes walking confidently. A young woman with immortal-like features was holding his arm intimately while two men with explosive auras followed behind them.


    "Hello sirs and young miss! My name is Lhun Marchand, please allow me to lead you towards your VIP room." Lhun glanced briefly at Cale and stopped his gaze on the beauty beside him. He then saw the giant men behind them glaring sharply at him, causing him to force out a smile.


    "Oh hello young master Lhun. I am Cale, First General of Tyrannical Tower and this is my wife Nocturna. The men behind us are Brogen and Atlas, the Second and Fourth Generals of the Tower respectively.


    Lhun smiled professionally and nodded his head while shaking hands with Cale. "It''s nice to meet you all."


    Lhun then led them towards their VIP room and left afterwards after taking one last look at Nocturna''s enchanting figure.


    "How did that kid get a VIP room from the Marchand Family? I was not even able to see Lhun Marchand when I last visited their home." Delfino frowned while glancing at Cale. The latter as if he had felt the glance of the Delfino, looked his way and smiled lightly at him.


    "Did the kid see me even from up there?" Delfino asked in surprise as he poked Anton who was sitting beside him.


    "Yes he did boss. He saw all of us." Anton replied while he was inwardly in admiration for Cale''s sensitivity.


    ***


    After a little less than fifteen minutes, a scantily dressed young woman went up on the stage. She adjusted the head microphone on her head and spoke in sweet voice.


    "Hello everyone! Thank you for coming to our Marchand Auction House! I won''t waste everyone''s time and begin the auction right away!"


    Two scantily dressed women brought a box that was covered with black cloth. They then grabbed the cloth and everyone saw an elegant-looking sword with a ruby on its hilt. It was placed on a crystal clear glass. The sword looked fairly new, but they all knew that the sword was an ancient relic.


    "The first item is one of the Marchand Family''s treasured swords, the ''Red Lion''. This sword was used by our ancestor Baron Marchand during the medieval era, this is a five hundred year old relic. Its blade is still in perfect condition as we have preserved it with great care." Her voice carried a hint of proudness as she introduced the first item to everyone.


    "The starting price for the Red Lion is five hundred thousand dollars, every increment must be at least a hundred thousand dollars."

 Chapter 76 - Demon Sword?

    The auctioning system of the current year was now more advanced than the current times. Guests only needed to press the command buttons attached on their chairs. They can just click on the following buttons:


    + 10 000 dollars


    + 100 000 dollars


    + 500 000 dollars


    + 500 000 dollars


    + 1 000 000 dollars


    + 10 000 000 dollars


    After clicking the buttons, their names and the amount of their bids will be flashed on the huge screen above the stage. Even if they did not bring any cash with them, they can still bid. They just had to deliver the money to the Marchand Family within the alloted time. And since all of them were businessmen and businesswomen, they knew how important it was to build trust. If they can''t even pay the amount they had bade, then aside from offending the Marchand Family, they will also lose the the trust they had built up for many years.


    The bidding for the Red Lion became even more fierce, especially to the sword fanatics among the guests who collects sword relics ancient swords.


    - 500 000 dollars


    - 600 000 dollars


    - 700 000 dollars


    Inside one of the VIP rooms.


    "Since when did I become your wife my lord?" Nocturna blinked her eyes innocently at Cale while clinging onto his left arm. The latter''s heartbit suddenly quickened, but he hurriedly calmed himself down. Cale then glanced at Nocturna with slight smile while rubbing her head softly. "That Lhun Monkey guy dares to oggle at my Nocturna, of course I had to drive him away." He then frowned as if he was really angered by Lhun Marchand which made Nocturna produce a light melodic laughter. "My lord, it''s Lhun Marchand."


    Cale then faked a surprised expression and asked Nocturna with round eyes. "Eh? Is it Marchand? Something might be wrong with my ears today."


    Nocturna covered her little mouth with her dainty hands while holding herself back from laughing. Atlas who was listening to their conversation was at loss for words. ''How could there be something wrong with a peak stage Emperor-Class'' ears?''


    While Cale was busy joking around with Nocturna, he suddenly felt a sense of longing within him. It was as if something inside him had felt or seen what it was wishing for.


    Cale glanced at the ancient sword ''Red Lion'' on the stage. The bidding for the sword had reached more than one million dollars and the bidding was also slowing down. Cale then pressed on the button attached on his chair.


    Tyrannical Tower + 1 000 000 dollars


    Cale bade more than half of the current bid for the sword, greatly shocking the guests inside the auction house.


    "What a prodigal! Spending more than two million dollars for an ancient sword of a baron!


    "Old man Sekoujo, the kid just bade an additional amount of one million dollars!" Delfino was shocked at Cale''s bid.


    "Let him be. The Tyrannical Tower has a lot of resources and that Wolf King might have asked the kid Cale to buy him some treasures for him." Old man Sekoujo was also dumbfounded, but he was already immune to the surprises that Cale do.


    "2 700 000 dollars for the Red Lion, anyone else who wanted bid?" The scantily dressed woman glanced around auction house and saw no signs of movement among the crowd. "Congratulations to our dear guests from the Tyrannical Tower!"


    Cale''s expression did not change one bit and he just continued to stare at the sword on the stage. ''What could ''The Black Market'' want from this sword?''


    "The next item is a jade bracelet made with several gemstones. The starting price is four hundred thousand dollars!"


    The women amongst the guests were staring fondly at the jade bracelet. They then clicked their bids while looking at the bracelet longingly.


    - 500 000 dollars


    - 600 000 dollars


    "Do you want this jade bracelet?" Cale asked Nocturna while glancing at her side profile with a slight smile.


    Nocturna glanced back at Cale and shook her head slowly. "No my lord. We elves don''t need treasures."


    Cale rubbed her head gently and clicked his bid. "Oh okay, then I will give this to my little Ying. Don''t worry, I will also buy something for you."


    Nocturna felt warm in her heart and smiled enchantingly.


    Tyrannical Tower + 1 000 000 dollars


    "Shit! The kid is wasting Wolf King''s money! This bracelet is probably for that woman who was with him!" Delfino was dumstruck about Cale''s spending. He did not even bid an amount which was less than a million dollars and just bade an additional amount of one million dollars in one go.


    Oldman Sekoujo did not even reply to Delfino anymore and was just cursing in his mind. ''Kid, don''t offend too many people. Everyone here have powerful backgrounds, and just the Decaux Family alone is already strong.''


    The women who bade for the jade bracelet were dejected and just sighed with regret.


    "Anyone else for this jade bracelet?" The woman asked the crowd while glancing around.


    "Congratulations to the guests from the Tyrannical Tower!" Her voice contained joy as if it was her who won the item and the way she spoke made the guests feel euphoric.


    Cale and the other two suddenly felt a presence behind their door, but they saw no signs of hostility.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    Cale glanced at Atlas beiefly, making the latter nod his head in understanding. He then opened the door and they saw an elegantly dressed woman smiling brightly at them. Behind her were was a man pushing a tray cart.


    "Dear guests, sorry for the surprised visit. I''m here to deliver the Red Lion for you." The woman spoke professionally and the smile did not leave her face at all.


    "Oh, great! Thanks for delivering the item for us." Cale smiled lightly at her, making the woman blush. Cale''s devilishly handsome face and his calm demeanor charmed the woman instantly. ''How handsome!'' She shouted inwardly before she left their VIP room.


    Atlas took the sword from them and presented it to Cale. The latter held the sword with one hand and sensed an evil power contained within. ''What a strange sword.''


    Nocturna glanced at the sword and a frown was visible on her face. "My lord, this sword contains too much evil energy and this is not just an ordinary ancient sword. It has the aura of a strong demon."


    Cale was surprised at her statement, but he just kept the sword inside his storage. "We will find out later."

 Chapter 77 - Praeclarum Adamantino

    The auction continued without a problem and several items were displayed for bidding. Most items were modern jewelries, but there were also a few ancient relics auctioned.


    The guests inside the auction house were surprised and excited after seeing lots of treasures. Most of the people invited by the Marchand Family were treasure collectors from all around the world. Thus, no one was bored at all despite the auction taking a lot of time. And with the scantily dressed woman who was always making the crowd excited, everyone inside were fairly satisfied.


    "The next item is a strange stone we found on our ancestor''s collection. It is only the size of a fist, but it''s weight is almost a hundred kilograms. We studied the stone for many years, but we were not able to find out the chemicals that it was made of. We also tried cutting the stone, but it does not even break even after we used a diamond cutter. This stone is definitely a treasure stone that came from the space. The starting price for this stone is thirty thousand dollars! Every increment must be at least ten thousand dollars!"


    Cale scrutinized the stone in great detail after feeling the same sense of longing inside him after seeing the stone. He did not bid immediately and waited for the others to bid first.


    "Why would the Marchand Family auction a useless stone for thirty thousand dollars? Are they trying to tarnish their reputation?"


    "Shhh! Don''t speak nonsense you idiot! If you offend the Marchand Family then forget about knowing me!"


    Cale saw that no one was bidding for the stone, so he clicked his bid with slight smile.


    Tyrannical Tower + 10 000 dollars


    The beautiful auctioneer smiled sweetly towards Cale''s VIP room. "40 000 dollars for this stone? Anyone else that wants to bid?"


    "40 000 dollars, sold!"


    ***


    "Who was that idiot who bought that useless stone for forty thoudand dollars?"


    "Lower down your voice you fool! Anyone that the Marchand Family treats as VIPs are no simple people. Their backgrounds are unfathomable and not anyone could take them lightly. Take for example the Decaux Family, they have been one of the richest and strongest families in France for many decades."


    "Oh come on. I know that, but that''s just a useless stone that is heavier than normal."


    The other person just glanced at other speechlessly and did not bother replying.


    ***


    After less than ten minutes, the stone was delivered to Cale''s VIP room. The beautiful woman who delivered their item was surprised that Atlas simply picked up the stone with one hand as if it was just an average stone. If not for the man pushing the tray cart sweating buckets while struggling to push it, she would have believed that it was just an ordinary stone.


    Atlas handed the stone to Cale who received the stone without much effort as well. ''It is indeed heavy. What could this stone be?''


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to exchange this in ''The Black Market''?


    Cale clicked the ''No'' button and kept it inside the storage space. Cale already checked the room and there were no hidden cameras anywhere, so he just kept all his items inside his storage.


    "I will exchange it later. Now is not the right time.


    ***


    "The last item for today''s auction is a 2789-Carat Blue Diamond! This diamond was discovered by our Marchand Diamond Firm in Africa and I can attest to it''s authenticity. And with its brilliance and beauty, we named it as Praeclarum Adamantino!" The auctioneer slowly said the name and emphasized it by syllables.


    When the crowd heard that it was actually a blue diamond and one that was 2789-Carat at that, they instantly erupted into surprised exclamations.


    "That means this diamond exceeded Lesedi La Rona which was the second largest diamond in the word! And look at that exquisite edges! This diamond could go beyond one hundred million dollars!"


    "Only the Cullinan diamond was much bigger than this one! But this one looks more beautiful!"


    The piece of blue diamond was sparkling brilliantly, causing the guests to greedily stare at it.


    "The price for this starts with forty million dollars, and every increment must be at least one million dollars!" The auctioneer announced in a passionate voice while seductively glancing at the crowd.


    - 50 000 000 dollars


    - 51 000 000 dollars


    - 61 000 000 dollars


    - 62 000 000 dollars


    The price for the Praeclarum Adamantino steadily increased and even the Decaux Family who only bade once earlier clicked their bade.


    "Looks like I''ll have to trade my weapons with them if I want to get this item." Cale was similarly enchanted by the blue diamond''s scintillating brilliance. But he only wanted to have it in order to exchange it for Black Coins.


    The bidding for the Praeclarum Adamantino became even more frenzied. The bidding did not even slow down after reaching more than a hundred million dollars.


    Lhun Marchand who was watching the entire scene smiled condescendingly. "This was merely the third largest diamond we found in my Marchand Diamond Firm in Africa. What would your faces be after seeing a 7669-carat blue diamond?" He chuckled in contempt as he glanced at the excited crowd. His handsome face now contained a trace of mocking smile as if he was watching a group of monkeys on a circus.


    ***


    Cale clicked the ten million button three times and his bid flashed on the screen.


    Tyrannical Tower + 30 000 000 dollars


    Decaux Family + 10 000 000 dollars


    Some other guests also clicked their bids, but when it reached a price of three hundred million dollars, the bidding slowed down and only the Decaux Family and Cale remained bidding for the blue diamond.


    Tyrannical Tower - 443 000 000 dollars


    The middle aged man from the Decaux Family gritted his teeth and clicked his bid.


    Decaux Family - 453 000 000 dollars


    Cale was still nonchalant as if he was just eating rice. He then clicked his bid and glanced on the screen calmly.


    Tyrannical Tower - 463 000 000 dollars


    The crowd gaped in shock at how the bid exploded until that amount. It was truly too expensive for a piece of ornament and although most of them were rich, they did not dare squander their money like Cale.


    "453 000 000 dollars? Anyone else?" The auctioneer glanced towards the Decaux Family''s VIP room, but she did not receive a response.


    "Congratulations to our guests from the Tyrannical Tower!"

 Chapter 78 - Deal With Clement Marchand

    The auction was over and everyone left with satisfied expressions. The guests saw many ancient relics and treasures being auctioned, and although not all of them were able to get an item, but at least they were able to spectate the emergence of the second largest diamond discovered so far. The news about the Praeclarum Adamantino will surely create a buzz on the whole world. And news of the Tyrannical Tower acquiring it will more than likely place them on everyone''s eyes.


    Cale met Delfino and old man Sekoujo along the way...


    "Little brother Cale, you truly surprised this old man that I almost had a heart attack. I didn''t know that the Tyrannical Tower was also rich in resources aside from being strong." Old man Sekoujo smiled benignly as he glanced at Cale with admiration.


    "Yeah, what would you even do with those treasures. And hmm.. Where are they? I wanted to have a look." Delfino inspected Cale from head to foot.


    Cale merely smiled at Delfino''s inquiry and told the both of them. "Mr. Delfino, Mr. Sekoujo, Wolf King told me that he will give the both of you a call to discuss on something important. I can''t give you details right now, but you guys will eventually know about it."


    Old man Sekoujo was silent for a moment before he nodded his head. "Okay little brother Cale. I will wait for Wolf King''s call."


    Cale smiled at the old man and glanced at Delfino. The latter swallowed a mouthful of saliva after seeing the towering Brogen and Atlas behind Cale. He then forced out a smile while nodding his head. "Of course I will be there when Wolf King needs me!"


    "Great! I shall not waste both of your time. I''ll take my leave now. Good bye to you gentlemen." Cale waved his right hand and left afterwards.


    A chubby middle aged man and a benign old man stared the receding back of the young man with complicated expressions. The both of them then released heavy sighs.


    ***


    "My lord, I sense a few S-Class level fighters tailing us. Your orders?" Brogen whispered towards Cale silently. He had also broken through the early stage of Emperor-Class level not too long ago.


    Cale had long sensed the people following them and just walked towards the the office of the auction house.


    They still had to sign a contract with the Marchand Family for their payment and the amount that Cale used was more than half a billion dollars. Although the Marchand Family was rich, they would never give something for free.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    "Come inside." A calm voice answered inside the room.


    "Atlas, Brogen, stay here for now and don''t let anyone inside." Cale patted their shoulders before going inside with Nocturna.


    After stepping inside the room, they saw a clean and modern themed office. An old man in his seventies sat calmly on a sofa while waiting for Cale and Nocturna. When they were near him, he gestured for the both of them to sit down on the sofa opposite him.


    "Hello Sir Clement Marchand, patriarch of the Marchand Family, who has a total networth of sixty billion dollars. It''s truly a pleasure to meet one of the best merchants in the world. My name is Cale, First General of Tyrannical Tower and this is my wife Nocturna." Cale spoke calmly and then smiled mischievously at Clement Marchand.


    Clement Marchand was a bit surprised at Cale''s words. Only a few people knew his identity, and none knew the total networth of his Marchand Family aside from him, the patriarch and a few of his family members. And although Cale merely provided a rounded amount, it was still fairly close to their total net worth.


    "The Tyrannical Tower is truly as mysterious as the rumors. Even this old man can''t hide anything from you." Clement Marchand calmly stated while smiling lightly at Cale.


    He was surprised at the old man''s calmness, even Delfino was not as calm after learning that someone knew his secrets. But the old man in front of him remained calm as if he was unruffled by Cale''s words.


    "Mr. Marchand, I am impressed with your tranquility. You are truly a descendant of a noble and one of the richest men in the world. My purpose in going here is to discuss the payment I will provide your Marchand Family with." Cale smiled mysteriously at the old man.


    "Go on, I am listening." The old man replied calmly, but his heart was beating with exectations.


    "I know that your Marchand Family has a private army of thousands of elites. You even have a few King-Class level fighters within your ranks." Cale glanced at the curtain behind Clement with a playful smile.


    Clement''s heartbeat quickened, but he still put on a composed expression. "Oh, and what do you propose young man?"


    Cale smiled and gestured Nocturna with his head. The latter then took out an iPad and handed it to Clement.


    Clement glanced at the photos shown on the iPad. There were about ten photos saved in the gallery. Each photo made Clement''s calm expression to change from time to time. He then sighed and handed back the IPad to Nocturna.


    "This is indeed enough to pay everything you have bade from the auction earlier. But where did you get these weapons?" Clement''s aged face was full of curiosity as he asked Cale. The latter smiled in response and shook his head.


    "Oh well, it''s a pleasure doing business with you young man." Clement had a look of defeat, but a smile hung on his aged face afterwards.


    "The pleasure is mine Mr. Marchand. I guess it''s time for us to go. Don''t worry about the weapons, they will be delivered by my men within one week." Cale shook Clement''s hands lightly while smiling at the old man.


    He then turned to leave and when they were about to step out of the room, he said. "Good bye Mr. Marchand and good bye Lhun Marchand." He then left the room, but his light laughter still reverberated inside the room for a brief second.


    Clement Marchand glanced at the closed door with a shocked expression. The curtain behind him then ruffled and Lhun Marchand''s silhouette appeared with a similarly dumbfounded expression. "Interesting! But your strength will be mine soon. And that woman...." Lhun Marchand laughed manically while Clement Marchand remained thoughtful.

 Chapter 79 - Zarinvienne

    One day later, inside the Gravity Training Room.


    "It''s time to exchange the things that I have gotten from the auction." Cale took out the ''Red Lion'' from his storage space and scrutinized it in great detail.


    - Ding!


    - Noble Demon''s soul identified!


    Cale felt a burning sensation in his hands, making him instantly drop the sword he was holding. He then felt a suffocating aura manifesting from the sword.


    "I''m finally free after several millennia!" A loud laughter of a woman that contained pure evilness resounded inside the Gravity Training Room. Thick white smoke came out of the sword following her laughter.  The smoke gathered together and slowly formed a physical body of a woman.


    A naked figure appeared in front of Cale, making him quite surprised of the sudden development. Her body was enchanting and her curves were perfectly seductive. Her erroneous regions were only covered by a thin veil of white smoke. Her oval face and exquisite features contained an alluring charm that would make any man prostrate on the ground in worship.


    Cale''s eyes was burning with desire, but his tempered soul and ''The Black Market'' were sending him alarm bells every now and then.


    - Ding!


    - Saint-Class Noble Demon identified!


    The enchanting demoness glanced at Cale with a seductive smile. Her gaze had a slight electrifying effect that would make even the coldest of men to moan in delight.


    "Ahhh!" Cale clutched his head and avoided looking at the woman. The latter walked enticingly towards Cale causing her towering mounds to jiggle temptingly and even the thin veil of white smoke could barely covered it.


    As she neared Cale, the latter took out the Energy Gun from his storage space and aimed it at the woman''s head. The woman merely smiled after seeing his actions and continued walking slowly towards him.


    "After I devour your soul, that Lhun Marchand will be next! How dare that lowly being order me around for many years?! Does he really think that I, Zarinvienne, a noble succubus would pledge my allegiance to a lowly existence like him!?" Her voice carried extreme hatred when she mentioned Lhun Marchand''s name. She then glanced at Cale tenderly while temptingly biting her lower lip.


    Cale felt that he was being charmed by Zarinvienne, he then fired his gun at her.


    "Doov!"


    The energy bullet bounced off her head as if there was an invisible energy protecting her. Cale fired multiple times while backing away, his body was covered by thick sweat. The woman suddenly smiled before her silhouette vanished in front of Cale. He then felt a warm body enveloping him in a tight embrace from behind. He felt Zarinvienne''s mounds rubbing against his back, making his body flare up. The erect cherries of the succubus were pressed tightly on his back. Zarinvienne''s hands then roamed around Cale''s body which had gone stiff from her suffocating aura. She drew circles on his chest while pruducing warm breaths that tickled Cale''s neck. The latter then felt a soft bite from his neck and he could not help but produce a euphoric groan. Zarinvienne held his body tightly as if she doesn''t want Cale to escape from her embrace.


    "Ahhh!" Cale felt a mixture of pain and pleasure that almost drove him crazy. He felt his strength being sucked out of his body slowly. Cale wanted to move, but a strong invisible power prevented him from moving.


    - Ding!


    - Soul is within range!


    - Do you wish to capture soul?


    Cale then shouted yes in his mind after seeing the prompt appear in front of him. He then felt the strong power enveloping his body vanish in an instant.


    He turned his body around and saw the surprised expression of Zarinvienne. The way she looked at him was complicated as if she struggling in her mind. She spat a mouthful blood and her aura weakened considerably. From a peak stage Saint-Class level, she downgraded to peak Divine-Class level.


    "A-Ahh! A-Ahh!" She moaned strangely as if she was experiencing pain and delight at the same time.


    - Ding!


    - Soul has been added to Slaves!


    *Zarinvienne (Pure blooded Succubus)


    - The daughter of two High-Ranked Demons. Her soul was sealed inside a Saint-Class Sealing Sword by her own parents and threw her into a mortal world.


    "Is she under my control now?" Cale asked coldly. His strength which was previously at the peak stage of Emperor-Class dropped to the middle stage of Emperor-Class. He glared at the succubus with intense anger as he walked towards her.


    - Ding!


    - Correct! Soul is already under host''s Slaves!


    Zarinvienne''s moaning sounds suddenly stopped and her eyes regained a bit of clarity, but it still had a tint of ecstasy. Her cheeks turned crimson red as she glanced at the angry Cale who was walking briskly towards her.


    "I, Zarinvienne, swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until eternity." Her voice was passionate and alluring and the way she glanced at Cale was like she was looking at a deity. She smiled sweetly in reverence and her formerly dominating aura was now replaced with a docile and gentle one.


    Cale paused in his steps after seeing the meek appearance of Zarinvienne, and his anger lowered down a bit. He sighed heavily and shook his head while speaking in an impassive voice. "Stand up. Do you know what you have done?"


    Zarinvienne slowly stood up, presenting a seductive naked body. The thin veil of white smoke was long gone and all parts of her body was laid bare in front of Cale. The latter''s gaze roamed brazenly around Zarinvienne''s body making the succubus lower down her head bashfully.


    "Turn around." Cale''s authoritative voice resounded lightly in her ears, jolting her out of her daze. She was confused at his orders, but she complied meekly after nodding her head timidly.


    "Slap! Slap!"


    She felt a stinging sensation on her round bum which made her unconsciously moan in delight.


    "A-Ahh! Ma-Master!"


    "You sucked my strength! This is punishment for being a bad girl!" Cale laughed evilly as he continued to slap her shapely bottom.


    "Slap! Slap! Slap!"


    "A-Ah! A-Ahhh!"

 Chapter 80 - A-Class Authority Level

    Cale glanced at Zarinvienne who was now lying on the ground weakly. Her shapely buttocks had several handprints all around it, signifying the ''event'' that happened earlier. Cale smiled smugly, but he still purchased a glass of Heavenly Spring Water and let her drink it.


    Zarinvienne''s face was still red as she breathe heavily like she had ran several kilometers without rest. Her seductive breathing aroused Cale who hurriedly averted his gaze and moved away from her tempting figure. "Stay here for a moment and don''t disturb." He spoke in a cold voice while gazing at her with a deadpan expression.


    "Yes my lord." She answered sweetly while looking at him with revernce and worship. The aching pain in her bum vanished and what remained was only a slightly intchy feeling. She closed her eyes with a delighted expression and bit her lower lip while producing slight moaning sound.


    "M-mn."


    Cale heard her tempting sounds, but he just ignored her and walked far away. He then sighed in relief when he was already quite a distance away from Zarinvienne.


    He then checked his storage space and took out the now broken Red Lion.


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to exchange this Saint-Class Sword Fragment in ''The Black Market''?


    Cale sighed and nodded his head at the prompt. ''Well it''s still a Saint-Class level sword fragment. And although it''s now broken, it should still fetch a decent price.''


    - Calculating amount!


    - Ding!


    - You received 500 000 000 Black Coins!


    Cale was pleasantly surprised that he was still able to receive half a billion Black Coins from a broken piece of a Saint-Class level sword. He wondered how strong that sword was since it was able to seal a peak stage Saint-Class level succubus.


    He took out another item from his storage space. It was a blue diamond that radiated a scintillating brilliance, and even Cale could not help but admire its exquisite beauty.


    "Bye bye little beauty. I would have kept you if not for those demi humans."


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to exchange this blue diamond in ''The Black Market''?


    Cale nodded his head expectantly and waited with his eyes sparkling a bit.


    - Calculating!


    - Ding!


    - You received 10 000 000 000 Black Coins!


    Cale smiled from ear to ear, although it was not as much as the Crystallized Phoenix Blood, but it was still a huge amount. He could already buy a lot with the additional ten billion Black Coins.


    Cale then took out the heavy stone which the Marchand Family labeled as a stone that came from space. The moment he took out the stone, he felt the familiar sense of longing from within him.


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to exchange this Fossilized Dragon''s Dung in ''The Black Market''?


    Cale almost wanted to throw the ''stone'' in his hands after learning that it was actually a dragon''s poop. He swallowed his disgust and said in an impatient voice.


    "Yes! Get this crap out of my sight instantly!"


    - Calculating!


    - Ding!


    - You received 48 000 000 000 Black Coins!


    Cale''s eyes went wide like saucers and his mouth gape in surprise after seeing the price of the dragon''s crap. He then checked his balance...


    Balance: 144 750 000 000 Black Coins


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to upgrade your Authority Level for 100 000 000 000 Black Coins?


    "What?! I can upgrade my Authority Level by using Black Coins?!" Cale was surprised and although it aches his heart to upgrade using his one hundred billion Black Coins, it will be a good help in having more options in ''The Black Market''.


    "Why do I need to pay for Authority Level now? Is this a scam?" Cale was exasperated at the inconsistencies of ''The Black Market''.


    Cale did not receive a reply and he can only sigh in bitterness, but he still clicked the upgrade button with an unwilling expression.


    - Ding!


    - Your Authority Level is now A-Class!


    - System''s soul is being formed!


    Cale saw a small ball of light the size of a mosquito appear in front of him. Its size slowly increased until it was as big as his fists.


    "What is this ball for?" Cale asked as he tried to grasped the ball of light in his hands, but it was as if it was on a different dimension as his hand passed through the ball of light like a mirage.


    - Ding!


    - This is the soul of the system!


    "So this is the one hundred billion Black Coins?" Cale didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry, but he knew that ''The Black Market will never provide any useless things.


    He sighed in a bit of sadness and opened the Slaves category.


    He found some individuals who were at Emperor-Class level and he even saw two at the Divine-Class level.


    * Raug (Half Demon)


    - 1 200 000 000 Black Coins


    - The son of a High-Ranked with a human he fell in love with. Lived the life of wanderer after his parent''s death and with his demon bloodline, he became one of the strongest existence in their world. But his identity as a half demon and half human made him an enemy to both the humans and the demons in their world. He fought for countless decades, but later succumbed after fighting more than thousands of elites from both species.


    * Vishnu (Human)


    - 1 000 000 000 Black Coins


    - A general of the Famrit Empire in the world of Dulan in his early years. And after conquering the Undead Kingdom, he later became the Grand General of the empire. With him safeguaring the empire, no one dared to invade them, thus making the Famrit Empire grow into a terrifying behemoth in the world of Dulan.


    "This guy looks familiar. Where did I see him again?" Cale then remembered the mission he accomplished a several days ago.


    "What?! When I went in Dulan to accomplish my mission, he was barely at King-Class level! Impossible!"


    £¬

 Chapter 81 - Archenemies Became Sisters

    - Would you like to proceed with your purchase?


    "Proceed!" Cale waited patiently, and a brief second later, a bright ray of light flashed in front of him. When he opened his eyes, he saw a muscular middle aged man with bald head. The expression on his face was one of surprise and happiness. He then saw the bald middle aged man kneel down on the ground and he also heard him say in a loud and excited voice.


    "I, Vishnu, Grand General of Famrit Empire swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until eternity."


    Cale was inwardly surprised, but he hid his emotions and calmly said.


    "Rise Vishnu. Tell me what happened to your world after my disappearance."


    Vishnu stood up and glanced at Cale with reverence. "My lord, after you disappeared, Grand General Gris tried to find you, but he failed. After three years from your absence, we decided to thoroughly destroy the Undead King. We battled for almost a week with those undeads and finally emerged victorious, but Grand General Gris was severely injured after the war. He retired from his post and I took his mantle and became the new Grand General of Famrit Empire." Vishnu''s voice contained  unconcealed proudness and nostalgia as he spoke.


    Cale frowned lightly after listening to his words. "How many years was I gone in your world?" He asked while glancing questioningly at Vishnu.


    The latter thought for a moment before he spoke. "More than several decades my lord. And I did not expect to see you here again. It is my honor to serve the man who saved my life. Even if you order me death, I will never frown nor hesitate." His voice carried thick emotions and deep reverence towards Cale.


    Cale smiled in response and patted his shoulder lightly. They then heard a delighted moaning sound from behind them.


    "A-Ahhh!" They saw a jade-like back figure with fiery red hair. Although Vishnu can''t see her facial features, but he knew that she was a rare beauty just from the aura that she emits alone.


    Vishnu glanced at the naked woman from afar and then glanced at Cale curiosly. The latter did not feel the need to explain and just forced out a slight smile.


    Cale sighed and walked towards Zarinvienne. He then bought her clothes on ''The Black Market'' and gave it to her.


    It was a fiery red dress with fire resistance ability. It was fairly expensive for a dress, but he still bought it for her. Zarinvienne''s expression turned into that of joy aftee she received the red dress from Cale. She immediately wore it in front of him and she did not even bother to cover her nether regions and just allowed Cale to see everything.


    After changing into her new dress, her overall atmosphere changed considerably. She looked like an innocent young woman in hee early twenties who haven''t experienced much in life. If Cale haven''t seen her real form earlier, he would have believed that she was really an innocent young woman.


    Even Vishnu was stunned at the woman''s beauty and he could not help but praise Cale inwardly. ''Aside from being strong, his lordship is also lucky with women. Truly worthy of being the bearer of ''its'' strength.'' His reverence towards Cale increased by several times during that instant and he swore to himself to someday become like his lord.


    Cale then realized that he had two slaves inside the Gravity Training Room. "Isn''t it allowed to bring anyone inside here? How come Vishnu and Zarinvienne were allowed?" He asked in silent voice, but both Vishnu and Zarinvienne heard him.


    Several prompts then appeared in front of him, but only Cale can see and hear them.


    - Ding!


    - Host did not bring them inside, but bought them inside. But once host goes out of the Virtual Training Environment, their bodies will be forcibly thrown out with the host!


    The impassive voice now contained a bit of emotion and it''s intelligence was slowly developing as well since it can now provide him with helpful answers sometimes.


    "Let''s go out for now. Bring us on the outside world." The moment the words left his mouth, his vision warped and even if he was already used to it, he could not help but close his eyes. When he opened them slowly, he saw Nocturna''s beautiful face, but she was now staring daggers at a young woman wearing  fiery red dress.


    Both the women''s gazes met and waves of invisible sparks flew inside the room. Two Divine-Class level beings emitting auras which was even stronger than Cale''s. He felt sweat forming around his palms at the sight of the two beauties glaring at each other like they were archenemies. Atlas and Vishnu who were also inside the room felt suffocated from their overpowering aura.


    "Okay, the both of you stop now. I already have a wife and I don''t plan on taking more women." Cale''s words traveled like a bucket of cold water on both women. They pouted their lips in sadness while looking longingly at Cale, but the latter just shook his head and spoke in a gentle voice. "But I don''t mind having you both as my sisters. And sisters don''t fight, so you better make up with each other."


    Both women''s eyes brightened instantly and the hostility they held towards each other vanished like puff of smoke.


    ''Women are really strange creatures.'' Cale thought to himselft after seeing both women were now holding hands like they were the best of friends. He then felt cold when the both of them looked at him with smiles on their faces.


    Atlas and Vishnu just smiled at the scene and did not help their lord at all. Cale suddenly felt a sense of schadenfreude after seeing the foolish smiles of both men. ''You bastards! If these women ever bully you guys, don''t ever expect my help! Damn it!'' Cale gritted his teeth while glaring at Atlas and Vishnu, but the latter two merely smile mockingly.

 Chapter 82 - News Spreading Like Wildfire

    With the emergence of the Praeclarum Adamantino, the second largest diamond ever found on Earth, everyone was thrown into a series of shocked expressions. And the price it was auctioned for was truly a humongous amount. It even exceeded the Hope Diamond which was only sold for about two hundred and fifty million dollars.


    News about the Tyrannical Tower acquiring the second largest diamond on earth spread like wildfire. The local media visited the tower and was requesting audience of the top management, but their request was never fulfilled. They can only wait outside the tower to interview someone and even the tower''s disciples were not spared. Although it was pleasing to be on tv, but the barrage of questions was truly overwhelming, making the disciples quite afraid of the media personnels outside the tower.


    Cale heard the news about the persistent media and he could not help but furrow his eyebrows. "Tsk! Troublesome, but this is good as well. We can advertise the tower and with this, many talented and strong martial artists will come in droves."


    Cale took out his phone and dialed Ulric''s number.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    "Hello my lord. Is there something I can help you with?" Ulric''s voice was now back to normal as he had a long break after finishing the tower.


    "Ulric, go outside and answer the media''s questions. And if you can advertise the tower as well, then do it." Cale spoke with a smile on his face. If more martial artists come inside the tower to train, then it would really be a big help for his future plans.


    "As you wish my lord. Is there anything else that you want to be done?" Ulric asked.


    "No, that''s it. Bye!" Cale then kept his phone inside his pocket.


    In front of him were two beauties holding each other''s arms while talking excitedly about random stuffs. They were like long lost sisters who were reunited after several years of separation. If Cale did not see them glaring hatefully at each other just a few moments ago, he would have believed that they were indeed real sisters.


    ''A half elf and a succubus, truly a good pair of sisters.'' Cale thought with exasperation. He can already imagine the trouble that these two will cause for him in the futute, but since he already told them that they can be his sisters, then he won''t disappoint the two women and just treat them well.


    He smiled lightly after seeing them look his way which made both women''s expression to brighten up. They then averted their gazes and resumed their random talks which made Cale scratch the back of his head. ''Well, this is good too.''


    ***


    "My lord, can I go to France with Nocturna? Promise we will be back immediately." Zarinvienne spoke sweetly at Cale and her eyes contained a hint of pleading.


    Cale glanced at her and he knew what she wants to do there in France. "Are you planning to kill that Lhun Marchand kid? You two might be strong, but it''s very dangerous. If you want, I can get Zero to kidnap that kid and bring him here for you."


    Zarinvienne thought for a moment and nodded her reluctantly. "Master when I was still sealed in the Red Lion, that guy wanted me to devour your strength and give it to him." She said with a bit of embarrassment while avoiding Cale''s eyes.


    Cale was a bit surprise and he underestimated Lhun Marchand''s cunningness. The guy must have calculated that he would be the one to get the sword in the end. The auction was merely a facade. His real goal was to suck the strength of someone from the Tyrannical Tower. ''He might have heard some news about Tyrannical Tower''s mysterious strength. After learning that, he coveted our power and wants to take it as his own. Now I know why that kid is already at the King-Class level despite being in his twenties. He must have sucked a lot of individuals to get his current strength.'' Cale thought to himself and he could not help but grow numbed. If not for The Black Market''s power, he would have been sucked dry by Zarinvienne as well.


    Zarinvienne nervously glanced at Cale and she could not help but lower down her head meekly after seeing his frowning expression. "My lord, I only wanted to unseal the sword and escape. I... I.."


    Cale walked towards her and patted her head with a smile. "I understand, let''s not talk about that anymore. Just don''t go around sucking people''s strength without my permission okay?"


    Zarinvienne glanced at him with teary eyes and nodded her head slowly.


    "Mmn."


    "Good! I will call Zero and tell him to catch the kid for you. But do you really have to bite him in order to suck his strength?" Cale asked while raising one eyebrow.


    Zarinvienne''s cheeks blushed slightly and fidgeted. "I only have to touch them and I don''t need to bite them in order to suck their strengths." Her voice was almost like a whisper and if not for Cale''s enhanced hearing, he would have had a hard time hearing what she said.


    He then glanced suspiciously at her and asked in a teasing voice. "Then why did you bite me earlier if you only have to touch someone in order to suck theit strengths? Did you enjoy sucking a bit of my blood earlier you vampiric succubus? Huh?" His warm breath was like a bird''s feather rubbing her ears, tickling her greatly and she could not help but moan in delight


    "A-Ahhh!"


    "I... I can''t help but take a bite of you my lord. I was... was..." Before she can even speak a slightly cold and dainty hand covered her mouth. She turned around and saw Nocturna glaring at her while pouting her lips.


    "Tell me what happened inside. I... I want to know how... how it tast- how.... what happened." Nocturna''s face was flushed red as she covered Zarinvienne''s mouth.


    Cale then slowly escape from their vision and scurried away, invoking a slight chuckle from both Atlas and Vishnu who saw him ran away.

 Chapter 83 - Ken Seijin

    Ten days later, in a forested area somewhere in Japan.


    A man in his twenties was holding the hilt of his longsword with his eyes closed. In front of him was a tall tree with a diameter of half a meter. He held his stance for several seconds before he unsheathed his longsword with breakneck speed. There was no signs of movement from the tree until he sheathed back his sword to its scabbard. A diagonal cut can then be seen as the upper part of the tree slowly slid down.


    "Bang!"


    The huge tree dropped on the ground. The man slowly opened his eyes and bowed his head towards the tree. He then glanced at both his hands while shaking his head with a disappointed expression. "I''m still too weak. And with the current state of peace, I can never learn the real essence of swordsmanship. The power, the skills and the techniques I learned, will they become wasted?" He sighed while looking at the blue sky with a longing expression. He then stared at a certain direction and put his hands on the hilt of his sword.


    "Who goes there?! Show your face! You can''t hide your presence from me!" The man shouted while focusing his gaze on a certain spot in the forested region.


    He then felt a hand patted his shoulder lightly. His face turned cold and he hurriedly unsheathed his sword and slashed the space behind him.


    He then realized that no one was there. He glanced around the forest, but he did not feel any presence everywhere. His face was suddenly covered by cold sweat and he swallowed a mouthful of saliva as he scrutinized the trees all around him.


    "Good day Ken Seijin!" A calm voice came from behind him startling the living daylights out of him. He turned around and forced himself to stay calm. This was the first time he encountered someone stronger than him, and the difference in strength was clear for everyone to see. He was not even able to feel the presence of the man in front of him.


    He did not release his hold on his sword''s hilt while staring at the smiling man in front of him. The man''s irises were grayish in color and his pupils were white which made it seem like he doesn''t have one. His figure was tall and lean, but a dangerous presence revolves around him. ''An expert! And not just an ordinary expert, but I high level one!''


    "What do you want from me sir? I don''t remember having met you somewhere." Ken Seijin asked warily while maintaining a safe distance from the mysterious man in front of him.


    The man smiled in response and shook his head lightly. "I am just a messenger sent by the Tyrannical Tower to invite you and become one of its disciples." His voice contained confidence as if the ''Tyrannical Tower'' that he spoke of was a behemoth existence in the world.


    Ken Seijin looked confused, but he was still wary of the man. "Tyrannical Tower? I haven''t heard of that group." He shook his head lightly. He then saw the man toss out a card towards him. He caught the card and saw the man''s identity.


    "A security company?" Ken Seijin was a bit disappointed, but he did not show it outwardly. He did not want to train his martial arts and swordsmanship just to become someone''s dog.


    "You will know once you come with me. And there are a lot of strong sword masters there as well. If you want to train your sword skills then I can say with great confidence that our Tyrannical Tower is the best place to go." Zero spoke calmly.


    Ken Seijin thought for a moment and nodded his head. "Fine, I''ll go with you and have a look." Although he was not sure about the man''s identity and if what he said was true, he knew for sure that the man was not simple. And he might even advance his swordsmanship if he followed the man.


    Zero smiled lightly and motioned Ken Seijin to follow him. The latter hesitated a bit, but his thirst for power won over him. ''I hope one day I can experience the real essence of swordsmanship.'' Ken Seijin thought to himself with yearning.


    Zero then took out a list of names from his pocket. There were eight names written on the list and four names were already crossed out. He then crossed out another name on the list with a satisfied expression.


    ''Ken Seijin also known as Leo''


    "Three more to go." Zero muttered to himself as he glanced at the three names with a smile.


    ''Baron also known as Minotaur''


    ''Uriel also known as Sniper''


    ''Lang Xunfu also known as Warwolf''


    He kept the list and walked with a slight smile as Ken Seijin followed behind him with an expectant look.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    Zero took out his phone and spoke in a reverential voice. "My lord, is there anything you need me to do?"


    Ken Seijin was surprised at the sudden change in Zero''s atmosphere. ''Who could that caller be to make someone as strong as this guy speak in a reverential voice?'' He just kept quiet and provided him a space for his privacy.


    "I want you to go to France and capture someone alive for me. But be careful, this guy is quite cunning and strong. I will draw you photos of him and send it to you in less than thirty minutes." Cale spoke over the phone.


    "As you wish my lord." Zero replied confidently as if capturing anyone in this world was very easy. And of course he had the right to be confident, because the only mission he had failed was the mission to kill Brogen.


    "Good! Okay thats it, bye for now!"


    Zero kept his phone after saying goodbye to Cale and gestured Ken Seijin to follow him with a nod of his head.

 Chapter 84 - News to Readers!

    Hello everyone! This is your author Condemned!


    I have 2 news for everyone here. One bad news and one good news.


    The good news is that this book will be free for the whole month of January.


    The bad news is that, starting Jan 1, I will only be writing 1 chapter a day.


    Hopefully the pacing will be back to normal this February.


    Happy New Year everyone!

 Chapter 85 - Capturing Lhun Marchand

    France, Marchand Family Estate.


    "How come I can''t sense my connection with Red Lion? Did the people from the Tyrannical Tower discover something about the sword?" A young man with handsome features muttered to himself with a confused expression. He then thought for a moment and a smile can now be seen on his face.


    "Interesting!


    He laughed manically with one leg on top of the other while clutching his stomach exaggeratedly.


    Two men wearing long black robes can be seen behind him standing like a statue. Their features were indiscernible, but their strength was unfathomably deep.


    Outside the room, standing on the terrace, a masked man clad in black clothes lurked like a shadow. His presence was not even felt by the three men inside the room, but the man was sweating profusely as he stared warily at the robed men behind the young man.


    ''Emperor-Class level fighters! Impossible!''


    One of the robed individuals suddenly felt a strong presence nearby. He kept on glancing around the room as if he was looking for something.


    "Is there something wrong?" Asked the young man after seeing one of the robed men''s actions. The latter did not even glanced at Lhun Marchand and just shook his head in response. He then glanced at the other robed man beside him and gestured him to check the terrace with a slight motion ot his head. The other robed man nodded his head and went towards the terrace when he suddenly felt a presence moving far away with great speed. He then dashed and followed after the presence he had felt.


    Lhun Marchand and the remaining robed man were surprised at the actions of their companion, but they remained standing as they knew how strong the man was.


    ***


    Outside the Marchand Family Estate.


    A robed man was following the aura he had felt with great speed. He then felt that something was amiss when the aura he had followed stopped from moving.


    The aura stayed on the same spot as if it was unafraid of the robed man who was moving towards his direction.


    The robed man walked carefully and scrutinized the surrounding terrain in great detail. He then saw a dagger embedded on a tree ten meters away from him. He walked towards it and realized that the aura he had been following earlier was actually a strand of aura attached on a dagger. He pulled the dagger with a humiliated expression.


    The dagger was completely black in color. The robed man then a saw small chip attached on the dagger. And suddenly, the small chip emitted a bright ray or light. The robed man felt cold and he could not help but curse in his mind.


    ''Shit!''


    "Booom!"


    Many of the surrounding trees were upooted following the explosion. The ground was dyed black and countless ashes danced with the wind.


    The robed man''s body was thrown far away because of the explosion. His body was still intact because of armor he was wearing. The mask that covered his face suddenly cracked and a pale blue face with burnt marks all over it can now be seen. His crimson red eyes contained a sense of regret and hatred as he stared the calm blue sky. ''I was played with. The humans actually had this kind of expert.'' He thought to himself before the light inside his red eyes was gone.


    Purple blood flowed out of his mouth as his breathing stopped. The bomb attached on the dagger was a small Energy Bomb that Cale bought from ''The Black Market''. He gave some to Zero several days ago as it may come in handy during his missions.


    The Energy Bomb was a powerful weapon that costed Cale five million Black Coins each, but its power was enough to kill an Emperor-Class fighter if caught unprepared. So despite Cale''s aching heart, he bought more than a hundred with him.


    And the dead demi human would never have thought that humanity actually had this kind of bomb with them. He was complacent and confident, and due to him underestimating humanity, he died a humiliating death.


    ***


    Inside the Marchand Family estate.


    Lhun Marchand stood up from his seat after hearing the loud booming sound produced by the explosion of the Energy Bomb. The robed man behind him glanced outside the window and felt the strong energy produced from that explosion. He could not believe it, but to think that the humans actually had this kind of weapon.


    ''How powerful! That explosion was enough to kill an Emperor-Class level fighter! How can the humans have this kind of weapon?!'' He was absorbed in his own thoughts that he had even failed to sense the presence of someone inside the room.


    Zero who was now inside the room saw that the two were occupied by the explosion. ''It is time!'' He dashed with his full speed and threw his dagger on the robed man''s neck.


    "Puchi!"


    "Rghhgr." The robed man emitted a gurgling sound as the dagger pierced him accurately. He clutched his neck which was now bleeding purple blood and knelt down on the ground while glancing at the man clad in black clothes with a shocked expression. He was now holding Lhun Marchand by the hair and the latter could only flail his limbs madly as Zero lifted him by the hair, but Zero''s hold was tight and escaping his hold was impossible.


    "Thud!"


    The other demi human dropped on the ground with his eyes wide open. Purpled blood flowed on the ground ceaselessly while Zero and Lhun Marchand''s silhouette can no longer be seen inside the room.


    Several individuals clad in the same long black robe came inside the room, their expressions hidden by their mask, but the overpowering aura that they were producing could make any men tremble in fright.


    They saw a slightly messy room and one of their companions who was still clutching his neck as he gurgled purple blood. Before they can even approach him, they realized that he already stopped moving.


    The leading demi human among the group glanced at his dead underling with a contorted expression which was hidden by his mask, and his rising aura brought chills towards the other demi humans inside the room.

 Chapter 86 - Good News and Bad News

    "Bring his head to me!" The leading demi human spoke in their native language with a chilly voice. His subordinates nodded their heads before they disappeared from the room.


    He walked towards the dead demi human and glanced at the slightly messy room. ''The room was only slightly messy, signifying that there was not even much of a fight. '' He then glanced back at his dead subordinate with a detached expression behind his mask. ''This guy died with only one attack and he did not even feel the presence of the assassin. Is there really such a strong assassin here in this world? And what kind of group can train this kind of man?'' He glanced outside the window and saw the smoke outside which had not yet ceased.


    ***


    Zero felt several presence following behind him and there were even some who were at the peak stage of Emperor-Class level. ''Shit! How come the Marchand Family is colluding with this alien group?!'' His back was covered in cold sweat as he sped up with all his strength, but with the extra weight he was carrying, his speed was still much slower than normal. He would have been able to escape from all those demi humans if not for carrying Lhun Marchand.


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    An energy bullet grazed his right arm, but Zero did not even flinch. He hoisted Lhun Marchand''s unconscious body on his left shoulder and pulled out several chip-like objects inside his pocket. He tweaked with them for a bit before embedding them on some trees.


    "Boooom!"


    "Booooom!"


    "Boooom!"


    Several loud explosions resounded behind Zero as he sped up his escape. After the bombs detonated, he heaved a sigh of relief after sensing that no one was tailing him now.


    ''Marchand Family, you have betrayed humanity, but for what reasons?'' Zero''s silhouette vanished from the scene and the demi humans were not able to track him anymore. They all went back to the Marchand Family estate with solemn expression which were hidden behind their masks.


    ***


    "Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    Cale looked confused about the sudden call, but he then smiled after seeing that it was Zero. ''He must have accomplished the mission already. As expected of Gallantos'' top mercenary.''


    "Zero, how was it?" He spoke with slight smile on his face.


    "My lord, I have two news for you, one bad news and one good news. Which would you like to hear first?" Zero asked with a panting voice.


    Cale''s smile vanished and a solemn look recplaced it. "Start with the good news first."


    Zero cleared his throat before he spoke. "The good news is that I have already captured Lhun Marchand and I am already on my way towards the plane. As for the bad news, the Marchand Family is colluding with the demi humans." Zero''s voice was grave as he spoke.


    "What?!" Cale was surprised after learning Marchand Family''s collusion with their enemies. ''How could a strong family such as the Marchand Family collude with those demi humans?!''


    "My lord, there are many demi humans inside their estate. I have killed about five of them, so it must have brought severe impacts on their plans. The Marchand Family is not simple my lord, I feel that there is more than just betrayal in play here." Zero added his conjectures after his ''visit'' in the Marchand Family estate.


    ''They might be wary of humanity now after this event. It is both a bad thing and a good thing for us as well. With their current wariness, they will not do anything too extreme for quite some time and we will have more time to prepare. The bad thing is that they might report this to their superiors and the demi humans will send their stronger fighters here. They might even bring the S-Class robots earlier than what had happened in my past life.'' Cale thought of several scenarios that may happen following this event, but nevertheless, he was glad to learn about this news much earlier.


    But the long-term exchange with the Marchand Family was not a good option now. If he gave them his guns, they might grow too powerful and it would be much harder for them to defeat the Marchand Family. And Zero was right, there might be more than just betrayal in play here.


    "Return home for now Zero and stay here in the tower. Your identity must not be known, so for now, you will be an instructor here inside the tower. You will take Kenji''s place and I will have him continue locating the remaining people you haven''t found." Cale was worried that the demi humans might learn about Zero''s identity, so making him as an instructor for the time being was the best choice.


    "As you wish my lord." Zero was a bit disappointed, but he understood his lordship''s concerns. He also did not want Cale''s plans to be jeopardized because of him, so he just accepted being a temporary instructor inside the tower.


    "Good job on capturing Lhun Marchand and thank you for the news Zero. Goodbye for now." Cale kept his phone with an expression full of solemness.


    "Just where did those demi humans came from? And what are their purpose here in our world?" Cale muttered in a quiet voice. The question had bugged him for many years already. Even after fighting for more than a decade with the demi humans, they still haven''t learned the reason why they were invading the world. And why would their numbers be low for such a strong race? If the demi humans had sent more than several millions, Earth would not last for even five years.


    "Just what is in our world that you guys covet so much?"


    ***


    Marchand Family estate.


    "General, we were not able to track the man. He had several Energy Bombs with him and three more of our men died." A demi human reported nervously. His voice was a bit stiff as he spoke to their general and he did not even dare glance at his eyes.


    The general was silent for a few seconds before he spoke in a cold voice. "Burn their bodies."


    He glanced at the outside scenery again and a mocking smile was hidden behind his mask.


    ''It''s not yet time to reveal ourselves to all of humanity. No one would believe that man anyway even if he reported seeing aliens here. And with the Marchand Family''s deterrence, no one would dare inspect this place. We just have to lay low for now.''

 Chapter 87 - Ancestor?

    "You have been with the Marchand Family for many years, do you know anything about them?" Cale''s body unconsciouly radiated an imposing aura as he glanced at Zarinvienne who was currently avoiding his sharp gaze. His domineering air as a former Major General scared the succubus and she could not help but produce small globs of hot tears.


    "My lo-lord, I... I was with the Marchand Family for more than ten years, but I was still sealed during that time and I don''t know much about them. All I know is that there was still someone with a higher position than Clement Marchand in the Marchand Family. And they call that guy as ''ancestor'', but I haven''t seen him yet even after being there for many years." She sniffed feebly while hold herself back from crying.


    Cale recalled the aura that unknowingly poured out of his body and consoled Zarinvienne with a tight hug. Nocturna who was looking at the sidelines pouted her lips in jealousy. She then saw Zarinvienne flashing a teasing smile at her as she clutched Cale''s back intimately.


    A small vein popped out of Nocturna forehead as she glared at Zarinvienne who was still being consoled by Cale. The man on the other hand was deep in his thoughts. ''Someone with a higher position than Clement Marchand and they call him as ''ancestor''. Just what are you hiding Marchand Family and how are you related to the demi humans?'' His eyes emitted dense killing intent, but no one was able to feel it. Even the two beauties who were at the Divine-Class level did not feel anything wrong.


    Nocturna rolled her eyes at Zarinvienne as she thought of schemes to retaliate against the latter''s shamelessness.


    Vishnu watched the entire fiasco with a forced smile on his face, but he did not dare provoke both women. Aside from their unruliness, both beauties'' strengths were also unfathomably deep. ''My lord, I give you my early condolences.''


    * * *


    A day later.


    Lhun Marchand opened his heavy eyelids with great difficulty. In his blurry vision, he saw silhouettes of multiple individuals. When his eyesight returned to normal, he saw the face of a familiar man. Cale, First General of Tyrannical Tower. Lhun Marchand saw that the man was smiling at him, but he felt that something was amiss behind that bright smile.


    "Mr. Cale, is this how the Tyrannical Tower invites their guests? This is the warmest welcome I have experienced thus far." Lhun Marchand did not have a look of fear, instead, a slight smile can be seen hanging on his face, but his composed air was only a mask to hide his fear, and he never knew that Cale had long since felt his true feelings.


    "Lhun Marchand, I''m impressed with your Marchand Family. To think that you have been colluding with the demi humans. You have betrayed humanity by joining hands with those alien group." Cale was still smiling visibly as he looked at the heavily chained Lhun Marchand. But the latter felt that he was merely seeing the facade of the former.


    "Humanity?" Lhun Marchand laughed with condescension. His eyes contained a mocking expression and the fear he felt earlier was gone. He then glanced at Cale with a smile full of maliciousness. "Don''t put me on the same level as you lowly pieces of shit! Release me this instant or you will one day face the wrath of our Marchand Family! Your little tower can''t go against us! You know nothing!" He laughed so hard as if he had lost his sanity. His handsome noble son mask was gone, and his true colors revealed itself.


    Cale released his aura and the domeering air of the famed Major General Cale Sylvann was displayed in full. Even the two beauties, Nocturna and Zarinvienne had surprised looks after sensing the overpowering atmosphere that Cale produced. Just because Cale acted indifferently, Lhun Marchand actually thought that the wild lion was a pet cat who he can provoke at will?!


    Lhun Marchand who received the full extent of Cale''s intimidating aura felt his internal organs quake in a mess. His eyes expression turned into that of extreme horror as his lips quivered noticeably.


    "Zarinvienne, do your thing. This guy will never speak anything no matter how we torture him." Cale left the room after he said that. Nocturna and Vishnu followed after him and they did not even bother glancing at Lhun Marchand again.


    Zarinvienne bowed her head towards Cale and glanced at the still shocked Lhun Marchand. Her smile vanished and it was now replaced with an evil look. She licked her cherry red lips as she inched towards the chained man. The latter realized his current predicament and shouted with a pleading look. "No! I will give you wealth! I have something more valuable than the Praeclarum Adamantino!"


    Zarinvienne ignored his shouts. Her nails suddenly grew longer and it glinted with a viciousness.


    "Master, did you miss me?" The sarcastic tone and her face which was full of condescension shocked Lhun Marchand greatly.


    "That voice... You... You are Red Lion!? My dearest servant, you are finally freed?!" He forced a smile as he glanced at Zarinvienne with a surprised look. ''I''m dead. This bitch had formed a deep grudge against me.''


    "Servant? You think too highly of yourself. You will never be on the same breath as his lordship!" Zarinvienne had a look of worship as she thought of the handsome figure.


    Lhun Marchand chuckler lightly.


    "Foolish! You never know who you had provoked. It''s only a matter of time before he awakens in full. And when that time comes, your little lord can do nothing to stop him! But if you..."


    "Puchi!"


    "Grrggglrg!" Lhun Marchand could not even clutch his bleeding neck. He stared at the woman in front of him and saw her countenance was warped into that of fury.


    "No one is allowed to slight his name." She spoke with eyes filled with killing intent.


    Lhun Marchand smiled in response to her. Blood continuously poured out of his neck as Zarinvienne absorbed his power. The former''s body was aging at a discernible speed as the origin essence inside his body was being sucked.


    ''Ancestor, avenge my death.'' That was his last thoughts before his consciousness went into eternal slumber.

 Chapter 88 - Earth Alliance Academy

    Zarinvienne glanced at the dried up body in front of her with a cold expression. She then frowned when she saw a shining gem rolling out of Lhun Marchand''s pocket. It was an uncut piece of blue diamond which was way bigger than the Praeclarum Adamantino that was auctioned a few weeks ago. She was fascinated by its dazzling radiance. She picked up the blue diamond with an excited face.


    "His lordship could use this for that thing."


    She then left the room without glancing back at the dead body of Lhun Marchand. His corpse was already dried up beyond belief. It was like all the liquid inside his body was sucked dry and all that remained was a blackish skin and bones.


    * * *


    Cale inspected the blue diamond in his hands with a smile on his face. He then patted Zarinvienne''s head softly while speaking in a joyous tone.


    "Good job Zarinvienne."


    The latter smiled from ear to ear after hearing Cale''s compliments, while Nocturna looked at Zarinvienne with her pouting lips. When Cale turned around, Zarinvienne glanced at Nocturna with a smug smile on her face. That latter forced out a smile which did not look like a smile at all because of her popping veins. Nocturna walked towards Zarinvienne with small steps and pinched her cheeks with a gloating look.


    ''My little sister, don''t you dare mess with me, your big sister. Hmph!" She then retracted her hands and smiled at Zarinvienne brightly.


    "Ow! Ow! Ouch!"


    The latter rubbed her aching cheeks while glaring at the half elf in front of her. She then pounced at her and the two beauties were suddenly embroiled in a pinching war.


    Vishnu glanced at the both of them and shook his head. ''Even beauties with high level power such as them acts like this. Women will never change, they are still creatures that are so hard to understand. Even in my world..'' Vishnu had a nostalgic smile on his face while looking at the two bickering women.


    Cale turned around and glanced at them briefly before shaking his head. He then focused his gaze back on the blue diamond in his hands.


    - Ding!


    - Do you want to exchange this in ''The Black Market''?


    Cale nodded his head calmly.


    "Yes."


    - Ding!


    - You received 12 000 000 000 Black Coins


    Cale already expected it to be much more than ten billion, so he was not surprised by this.


    ''With this I can arm everyone in the tower with Energy Guns. And by then, our force will be more than enough to know the secrets of the Marchand Family.'' Cale''s eyes radiated killing intent. During his time as the Major General of the Alliance, they had faced countless betrayals from their comrades. And because of these betrayals, many of the Alliance''s elites died. One of their bases was even destroyed. ''I cannot tolerate any more betrayal. I will kill them before they can even bring us destruction! But now is not the time. There is still that ancestor inside the Marchand Family and we don''t even know a thing or two about him.'' Cale''s expression turned cold and even the others felt the change in his atmosphere.


    Vishnu glanced at Cale with a worried expression.


    "My lord, is there something wrong?"


    Cale removed the cold look on his face and put on a slight smile.


    "Nothing, I just remembered something bad during the past."


    Nocturna and Zarinvienne paused their ''battle'' and glanced at Cale''s smiling face. They felt a slight pang in their hearts after seeing him that way. What kind of burden was he carrying all this time? Why was he so determined to strengthen everyone inside the tower?


    Cale smiled at the two beauties, but inside his head, he was deep in thought. ''I don''t want a repeat of what happened during my past life. I will not allow the world to be like hell again. And I will use this chance given by fate to turn things around.''  He clenched his fists so tightly that blood began to seep out of his palms. ''I still have twenty years to sharpen humanity''s elites. That''s more than enough time.''


    * * *


    The disciples of the tower grew exponentially after the advertising of Ulric and Daphne. Many martials art practitioners from all around the globe learned of its existence and it was even said that they provide the most advance way of training. They also gave free training sessions for the less fortunate and allowed them to stay during lessons.


    With the growing number of the tower''s disciples, Cale decided to build their own school of martial arts, the Earth Alliance Academy. He appointed Demetrio as the Academy''s headmaster while Leonhart and Kenji as the Academy''s vice headmasters.


    The Earth Alliance Academy became a global sensation as it not only teaches its students with martial arts, but also taught them advanced and rich knowledge in other fields. The fighters of the tower were also appointed as instructors of the academy.


    Now, more than a year have passed after Lhun Marchand''s death.


    It was opening of the Earth Alliance Academy, almost a million students from all around the globe took the entrance examination.


    "I heard that all the instructors of the academy are at least S-Class level fighters. How strong!"


    "Yes, I even heard the elders of my family saying that there are King-Class level instructors inside as well."


    "Really?! Then how about the headmaster then? And there were also the Tyrannical Tower''s Generals right?"


    "That I don''t know."


    The Academy''s way of examination wad different. They test their students talent for martial arts. Although there was also a written exam, but it was only a fraction of the overall score. The exam has three parts in total; Physical Exam, Martial Talent Exam and Written Exam.


    Physical Exam = 30%


    Martial Talent Exam =  50%


    Written Exam = 20%


    * * *


    One week later, the results for the exam was out. All the examinees took out their phone and searched for their names among the exam passers. After seeing their names, they rejoiced, but the more than 90% that failed cried in sorrow.


    A young man in his mid teens saw his name on the passers.


    Roan Argentos


    - Physcial Exam = 90.7%


    - Martial Talent Exam = 98.4%


    - Written Exam = 74.8%


    "Yes! I thought I won''t make due to the written exam''s difficulty, but to think I got good grades with the other two exams..." He clenched his hands and beamed happily.


    He heard that the Academy will provide  scholarship to their students. That was his next goal, to get the scholarship. Although the Academy''s tuition was not that expensive, but his family will still have a hard time earning that much. So he had to get the scholarship at all cost.


    "I, Roan Argentos will one day become as strong as the mysterious Wolf King!"

 Chapter 89 - Roan Argentos

    Inside a dilapidated woodeen house, a young man can be seen sleeping ever so soundly on a bed made of bamboo splints. His loud snoring sounds reverberated like a clap of thunder, scaring the nearby rats into hiding. A line of saliva can also be seen trickling down his lips towards his jaw.


    "Ring! Ring! Ring! Ring!"


    He slowly opened his droopy eyes which was covered by a bit of rheum and he then roughly wiped it out of his eyes using his hands. He stretched his limbs which produced crackling sounds of bones. The young man then grabbed his phone and turned off the alarm. After checking the date on his phone, a smile could be seen hanging on his face.


    "Today is Monday and also my first day in Earth Alliance Academy." His face radiated excitement which he could barely hide.


    After less than an hour of preparation, he then eagerly opened a small box which contains the academy''s school uniform. It was navy blue in color with white inner shirt. The uniform''s craftsmanship was definitely high quality.


    He looked at his reflection using his phone''s camera and he was fairly satisfied with how he currently looked. Although he was tanned and just had an average-looking face, but his overall demeanor changed after wearing the academy''s uniform.


    "Is this really a uniform? This looks even more fancy than a formal clothing. And to think that this fabric is pretty light and comfortable. This uniform can definitely be used for physical activities as well. How impressive!" Roan was surprised at his school uniform''s fancy look and its coziness.


    * * *


    Outside the Earth Alliance Academy''s gate.


    "So this is the Earth Alliance Academy? How huge and beautiful!" Roan had a look of awe on his face as he went inside the academy with several other students. All of them also had surprised looks on their faces as they walked inside the academy.


    They then all went inside a grand-looking six-storey building with expectant looks. All the students sat inside the academy''s auditorium which can fit around ten thousand people. They talked idly with the people around them to build their circle of friends.


    A middle aged man with imposing appearance went up the stage. The students quieted down after seeing him. More than ninety percent of the students here were trained in martial arts, so the aura that the middle aged man produced was felt by them.


    Demetrio glanced at the more than two thousand young students with his sharp gaze. He nodded his head slowly, clearly satisfied with their silence.


    "Good morning to the first batch of students of our Earth Alliance Academy. I am Demetrio, the academy''s headmaster.


    About fifty percent of you here are people from abroad, but you don''t have to worry about this. Our academy will treat everyone fairly, and as long as you show a hint of talent, then you can rest assured that you will definitely receive the academy''s support.


    Everyone here might also be quite confused as to why we prioritized the students who were talented in martial arts. What''s the goal of our adacemy? And why is this so? These questions will slowly be answered along the way and everyone of you will realize why you are here.


    What I can tell to all of you for now is that everyone here is the future of our world. So don''t waste the opportunity given to you, as we don''t tolerate these kinds of behaviors.


    Your homeroom advisers will give you a more detailed explanation on what to expect inside this academy.


    Again, I''m Demetrio. Good day everyone."


    The students were expecting a long and boring speech, but to think that the academy''s headmaster actually skipped the bullshit and just stated what everyone wanted to hear.


    * * *


    1st Year, S-Class Section.


    Almost a hundred students sat on their chairs excitedly as they glanced at the man in front of the class. He was a handsome man that looked like in his late twenties and his physique was ripped and lean, but it was perfectly hidden by his professor''s uniform.


    "Hello everyone! I will be the adviser for the S-Class section of the 1st year students. You can call me Professor Santharus." The man spoke with slight smile on his face while glancing at the young students inside the classroom. All of them were young teens and the oldest among them were aged around seventeen.


    The Earth Alliance Academy only accepted first year students. They did not look at the students'' background, but only cared about their talents. As long as their age was around thirteen to eighteen, then they are free to enroll inside the academy.


    The academy divided the students into twenty-five sections, each section with at most a hundred students in class.


    Roan who showed great talents in martial arts was one of the students of the S-Class section. Everyone in this section were the elites of the younger generation and all of them had the talent to surpass S-Class level!


    "Okay, I''m not sure if everyone of my students are already in class, so let''s do a roll call to see if everyone is present." Santharus took out a small black tablet inside his pocket. He scanned it for a bit and started to read out the names of everyone alphabetically.


    "Alburo, Krystal." He spoke while glancing around the room.


    "Present!" A cheerful and sweet voice resounded lighly, attracting the attention of the male students inside the classroom. She was beautiful young lady with black hair tied in a ponytail. Her face was angelic and a hint of mischievousness can be seen on her face.


    The young men gave her their most gentlemanly smile when she glanced their way, which she reciprocated with a smile of her own.


    Roan also smiled at her, but she did not even glanced at his direction. He was bit disappointed, but still he did not take it to heart. ''She is too beautiful for me. What can a poor and ugly man like me, give her?''


    "Argentos, Roan."


    "Argentos, Roan." Santharus called out a second time after hearing no response.


    Roan hastily raised his right hand and spoke in a slightly embarrassed voice.


    "Here, present!"


    Santharus glanced calmly at him which sent shivers down his spine.


    "Pay attention when you are inside this classroom."


    "Yes professor Santharus!" Roan gulped a mouthful of saliva while looking at their professor''s stoic face. ''The professor is quite serious. I must not be distracted.''


    Some students glanced gloatingly at him while telling themselves to always pay attention in class.


    "Good!" Santharus nodded his head and continued the roll call.

 Chapter 90 - Revelations

    "I will give you guys a handbook. Written inside this handbook are the rules inside the academy. Make sure to read eveything inside this, as the academy is very strict about these rules." Santharus distributed the handbooks to the students on the front rows.


    "Pass them around, and tell me if you haven''t received one." The students all received a small black handbook. It was fairly ordinary, but it''s clean.


    Santharus nodded his head after seeing that everyone received their handbooks.


    "Great! For now, please keep the handbooks. You will have to read them after class. Okay, so aside from being your homeroom teacher, I will also be mentoring you guys regarding your origin essence cultivation. So let''s start with the fundamentals. Your body..."


    Santharus discussed in a very detailed manner that even the slow learners in class were able to get a good grasp of it. They were not bored during his lessons at all, and in fact they were enjoying it. Their perspective regarding origin essence cultivation changed instantly and they became even more passionate about it.


    "Just to inform you guys. All of you might have known of it, but just to make sure, I will start from the beginning. The strength levels that most of you knows is the; E-Class level, D-Class level, C-Class level, B-Class level, A-Class level and S-Class level. But did you know that there are still something beyond the S-Class level?" Santharus asked the class while looking at everyone''s reaction. Most of the students had surprised expression, but there were a few who already knows this. There were descendants from the Sima, Nangong at Situ Family inside the S-Class section. And all of them were already told by their elders regarding these matters.


    "Who can give me the strength levels after the S-Class level?" Santharus glanced around and saw a young man raising his right hand.


    "State your name please before you answer." Santharus gestured the student to stand up using his hands.


    "My name is Situ Kui, a descendant of the Situ Family from China. According to what my elders told me, the strength levels after the S-Class level are; King-Class level and Emperor-Class level." Situ Kui was lean young man with long black hair tied in a ponytail. He may not be on the handsome side, but his features were quite manly.


    His classmates were surprised about Situ Kui''s answer. To think that there are still something beyond the S-Class level.


    Santharus smiled and shook his head. "You are correct, but there are still more after the Emperor-Class level. After that is, the Divine-Class level, then next is the Saint-Class. As of the moment, we will only discuss until the Saint-Class level."


    The students grew numbed after the revelations, and at the same time, they were excited. Perhaps the school will groom them to exceed the S-Class level. And if that is so, then Earth will face a new era of martial arts in the following years.


    They never would have thought everyone of them will someday become the first batch of students to have everyone in class reach the King-Class level. But that is a story that will later be told.


    * * *


    Roan gasped in shock, he now learned that he was merely a frog at the bottom of the well. He was not even at E-Class level and he was also confused on how the academy gave him very high scores in talent and in physical exams. He raised his right hand and Santharus gestured him to stand up.


    "My name is Roan Argentos. Professor Santharus, will it be okay for you to tell us how strong you are right now?" Everyone in class turned silent and they focused their attentions on their professor. Santharus on the other hand recalled the hellish training he experienced with Atlas. The guy was really passionate about instructing them, but after one year of training, the results were not in vain. All of them had their strengths increase significantly.


    "I am at the Initial stage of Emperor-Class level." His reply shocked the whole class. To think that their professor was already at the Emperor-Class level. How astonishing!


    Roan was also surprised, but he asked another question before he sat down. "Then how strong is Wolf King, the owner of Tyrannical Tower and this academy?"


    Although Roan had a humble origin, he still received news about the famous Wolf King. His fame grew exponentially after he accepted one of the media''s interview. Of course his identity was still a big mystery. Even during his interview, he did not take off his mask. But it did not stop the crowd from speculating and theorizing his background. Nevertheless, none of them were sure of their hypothesis.


    Santharus felt a sense of deja vu. This question was also asked by the first disciples of the tower a year ago.


    "Wolf King... Several months ago, he already reached the Divine-Class level. As for his current strength, even I could no longer tell..." He shook his head, but the reverential tone of voice can be felt upon the mentioning of Wolf King''s name.


    The whole class were thrown into a series of shocked exclamations. Their awe towards the mysterious Wolf King increased by several levels after learning his strength.


    Roan clenched his fist tightly while his eyes burned with determination. It''s not just him, but everyone in class also told themselves to practice hard in order to someday reach the same height as Wolf King.


    Santharus smiled after seeing the whole class'' determined gazes.


    "Don''t worry, that''s one of the goal of this academy. We will groom everyone here to become elite fighters. And S-Class level is not the maximum. The academy will support everyone into exceeding it.


    And as to why we are grooming everyone to become elite fighters, you will slowly learn why this is so. But now is not the right time."


    "Oh right! I forgot to tell everyone that from now on, you will also be living inside the academy. All expenses will be free, including the room, food, water and etc. And don''t worry, we already asked your guardians'' permissions regarding this matter. And all of them gave us their approval.


    Now, if some of you don''t agree with this, then you are free to leave the academy, but going back will never happen."


    The students were already speechless, but somehow, they felt that living inside the academy was not a bad idea.

 Chapter 91 - Roommates

    Roan was pleasantly surprised that everything will be free, but the matter regarding the tuition fee was still bugging him greatly. He raised his right hand.


    "Yes, Roan Argentos, what is your question?" Santharus glanced at Roan with smiling expression.


    Roan gulped his already dried saliva before he spoke.


    "Professor, what about the tuition fee? Will it also be free?" He was nervous after saying his question, and there was also a hint of expectation on his countenance.


    Santharus smiled even more visibly.


    "Tuition will also be free. Regarding the payment that you have made during the entrance examination, just take it as a donation towards the academy."


    Roan smiled and his tears were welling up as he clenched his fist tightly. He was very troubled about his expenses in his school and he was afraid that his family won''t be able to support him anymore. Now, after learning that tuition will be free, he was so moved that small globs of liquid began to form in his eyes.


    ''Good! How could there be such an academy? Most of the schools would suck their students dry and live off of them. But this one is different. Whoever betrays this kind of school can never be called human.''


    "Oh, and also you guys will earn points from time to time. And you can use the points you gained to buy items inside the academy. There some things that could not even be found outside the academy, so make sure to earn more points." The students'' eyes glowed with excitement.


    Some students raised their hands and asked Santharus how they would be able to gain points.


    "As to how you will earn points. There are many ways to do so. One of which is by earning good scores during exams. You can also gain points by being ranked among the top students in the academy. One more is to complete missions in the Virtual Training Facility." Santharus answered their question one by one with great detail.


    "Professor, what are the missions?"


    Santharus smiled in response.


    "About the missions, you will slowly learn what they are."


    The class continued for another hour, but the students were never bored during that entire time. Instead, all of them had excited looks on their faces.


    "Okay that''s it for now. I will distribute everyone''s keys towards their room. Don''t expect much about the rooms, there will be at most four people in one room. But the male and female dorms are separated. The keys with blue highlights will be for the boys and the ones with red highlights will be for the girls." Santharus distributed the keys to all of them.


    * * *


    Roan glanced at the words written on his key.


    "Room 40-A. This should be my room, now where is this located?"


    He walked around the male dormitory and found his room after less than thirty minutes of walking around. The dorm was fairly big and he was almost lost.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    Roan did not need to wait for long for someone to open the door for him. It was fat young man with beady eyes. The fatty smiled widely, making it hard for Roan to see his eyes.


    "Oh, it might be our last rommate. So he is finally here? That took him so long."


    "I can''t blame him. The academy is huge and even the dormitory is already like a hotel."


    Roan heard voices inside the room which made his quite embarrassed. The fatty gestured him to come inside the room by waving his fat hands.


    After going inside, Roan saw two more youths. One of them was frail-looking young man wearing eyeglasses. His eyes were sharp and it glowed with knowledge. The other young man was a buff youth with a bald head. His atmosphere was kind of rough, but the young man didn''t look like a poor villager.


    "Since all of us are here. We should introduce ourselves now. I''ll start the introduction.


    My name is Levi Stoklasa, I''m half-Russian and half-German, but we lived in US for many years. I scored perfect during the written examination and about the other two exams, they are passable. I''m from the A-Class Section under the guidance of Professor Ken Seijin a peak stage King-Class level fighter." He adjusted the rim of his glasses as he spoke with a calm voice.


    "Oh I didn''t know you were from the A-Class Section. I thought I was the best here. Anyway, my name Ryuu Barone and I came from Greece. I''m from the B-Class Section and Professor Eilhard Gottfried, also a peak stage King-Class level fighter is our homeroom adviser. About my scores in the exam, let''s not talk about it." He waved both his hands and shook his head, clearly, he didn''t want to talk about his scores.


    "I guess it''s my turn. I''m Zhou Ming from China, but you can call me fatty Zhou as that is how my friends call me. Our mentor is Professor Sima Fenglun, a middle stage King-Class level fighter. I am from the F-Class Section. About my scores..." Fatty Zhou scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed look while glancing at the newcomer, Roan. He was thinking that this bronze-skinned youth might have a worse score than him.


    Roan smiled while glancing at his three roommates.


    "Hello guys. My name is Roan Argentos, a native here in the Philippines. I''m from the S-Class Section under the tutelage of Professor Santharus, an initial stage Emperor-Class level fighter. And uhmm, I... I forgot about my scores." Roan was a bit embarrassed as he could no longer recall his scores.


    His three roommates were quite surprised. To think that they have a roommate from the S-Class Section. They heard from their professors that the students from the S-Class Sectionsl had very high talent in martial arts.


    "Just forget about the scores. You don''t need to tell us. Someone from the S-Class Section could not never have a low grade. It''s a great honor to have a roommate from the best section." The buff Ryuu spoke with a hearty chuckle as he patted Roan''s shoulder. His other two roommates also had smiles on their faces.

 Chapter 92 - Peak of Divine-Class Level

    - Ding!


    - Mission Succes!


    - Loading Reward!


    - You received x1 Major Origin Essence Bundle


    Cale took out the Major Origin Essence Bundle from his storage space. This was the first time he received this kind of reward as he always received a Minor Origin Essence Bundle. A small orb of light the size of a coin appeared in his hands. It was golden in color and Cale could already feel the origin essence it contained. He hastily consumed the whole thing.


    He did not need to chew the Major Origin Essence Bundle as it immediately melted on his tongue like an ice cream. It produced a cool sensation when it traveled down his esophagus and he could not help but inhale a mouthful of fresh air.


    Following his consumption, the origin essence inside his body continued to soar. The increase in origin essence stopped until he reached the very peak of Divine-Class level. As for his physical body, it had long since cope up with his cultivation.


    "Even a Major Origin Essence Bundle could not help me reach the initial stage of Saint-Class level. Perhaps next month I will be able to ascend to that level." Cale sighed and shook his head. He was a bit dejected, but he immediate calmed down.


    "During my time as the Major General of Earth Alliance, the strongest was merely at the peak stage of King-Class level. Only the Grand General was able to reach that level, but now, things are different. Demi humans, I, Cale Sylvann, is awaiting your invasion." Cale''s eyes burned with hatred as he recalled the ten years of continuous battle during his past life. Now he was sure that those demi humans were merely playing with them, or was just using them to sharpen their new troops.


    "You dare make us your training tools?!" Cale punched the wall of his room which bore a fist size hole.


    The door opened and several silhouettes went inside his room with worried looks.


    "My lord, what happened?" Asked Vishnu who was now at the late stage of Divine-Class level. Atlas and Brogen did not speak, but their eyes contained clear concern for him. Both guys were at the middle stage of Divine-Class level.


    Cale removed the killing intent in his eyes and produced a light smile.


    "Nothing happened. I was just practicing with my new cultivation, because I already reached the peak of Divine-Class level." Cale shook his head as he tapped the men''s shoulder faintly.


    He then heard several hurried footsteps and saw two beautiful figures running in their direction. Both the beauties had anxious looks on their faces.


    "My lord, are you okay?" Nocturna stopped in front of Cale and asked while holding his right arm.


    Zarinvienne on the other hand hugged Cale tightly. She looked at him with small globules of liquid in her eyes.


    "My lord..."


    Cale rubbed Zarinvienne''s head gently and hugged her back. He then pulled the pouting Nocturna in his embrace and hugged her tightly. Both women felt much better and they had forgotten the strong killing intent they had felt earlier from Cale.


    The three men, Vishnu, Atlas and Brogen had smiles on their faces, but their eyes still contained a hint of distress.


    "Call Ulric for me please, I want him inside this room as fast as possible. I need to ask him about the Virtual Training Facility for our students." Cale glanced at Brogen who nodded his head.


    Brogen stepped out of the room and took out his phone to call Ulric.


    "The rest of you, go back to your stations." Cale glanced at the men while patting both women''s head.


    "Yes my lord."


    Atlas and Vishnu left immediately, while the women pouted before they left unwillingly.


    Brogen went back inside the room and told Cale that Ulric is already coming.


    In less than thirty minutes, Ulric arrived at Cale''s room. The former saw the fist size hole on the wall and the spider web cracks around it, but he shut his mouth after seeing Cale''s stoic face.


    "My lord, I have arrived." Ulric spoke in a reverential tone of voice while bowing his head lightly.


    "Good. Ulric, I called you here to ask you about the Virtual Training Facility for the Earth Alliance Academy. How is it?" Cale sat down and gestured Ulric to sit on the chair opposite him.


    Ulric sat down and cleared his throat before he spoke.


    "The Virtual Training Facility is all set and ready my lord. Daphne told me that it will be fine for the students to use it. And I can guarantee that no problems will happen my lord." Ulric reported with a confident tone.


    Cale put his right leg on top of his left leg and nodded his head in approval.


    "Good job! Tell Demetrio to allow the students on using the Virtual Training Facility next week. Their training must be hastened. We don''t have the luxury of time to be complacent."


    "As you wish my lord. Oh right! The hangar and runway will be ready in a month my lord." Ulric smiled after recalling that they were almost finish with their other project.


    "That''s good, but don''t overwork too much Ulric. Tell Daphne that I''m giving the both of you a week off. You may leave." Cale stood up and gestured Ulric to leave. The latter bowed his head and left.


    * * *


    One week later, inside the S-Class Section of Earth Alliance Academy.


    "Okay everyone, it''s time for your first mission as a class. The Virtual Training Facility is now open for all the students. Follow me." Santharus smiled after seeing the excited looks on everyone''s faces. He then gestured the class the follow him outside.


    It''s not just the S-Class Section, but all Sections of the academy went out if their rooms and walked towards the Virtual Training Facility to do their first mission.


    They never know that it was the start of experiencing the cruelty of war. And it was also the beginning of Cale''s plan on creating the strongest army for humanity. Many years from now, a book will be written about the first training of Earth Alliance Academy''s students, but that is for another story.

 Chapter 93 - First Mission

    "What do you think will our mission be?" Roan asked his new friend in class, Situ Kui.


    "I don''t know, but we have been learning how to shoot for the past week. We were also trained with high level martial arts. So the mission should at least be related to combat. And..." Situ Kui thought for a moment before answering with a frowning face.


    "And... And what?" Roan raised both his eyebrows while waiting for his friend''s anwer.


    Situ Kui glanced at him with a serious expression.


    "I heard some rumors from my Situ family that this academy is planning to train elite warriors. But as to why they are doing so, I am not sure myself. However, based on all these events alone, I am feeling that war is close by."


    Roan became serious after seeing the stoic expression of Situ Kui. He was also impressed by his buddy''s intelligence. He was actually able to deduce a theory with the little amount of information he held.


    The class later arrived in the underground floor. There were a lot of rooms, most likely twenty rooms, but they went inside the room with an S-Class label. After stepping inside the room, they saw a vast space with approximately a hundred futuristic gaming capsules. The whole S-Class section were fascinated by the what they saw. But they did not think much of it. If it was indeed a Virtual Training Facility capable of sending them to a different world, then the realism should not be that similar to their world. They have never heard of any group or company that was capable of creating a realism level of almost a hundred percent. But they were still excited of experiencing the Virtual World.


    Santharus turned to face his class. His smiling expression was replaced by a serious look. He glanced at everyone and waited for them to quiet down before he spoke calmly.


    "I know it''s a bit early for you to guys to experience war, but this is inevitable. This was also one of the reason why the academy was built, to train elite troops, and those troops are you, the students of the academy.


    In this mission, your goal is to repel the invasion of a zombie army and to kill the zombie boss. Do take note that each zombies are at least E-Class level in strength. The boss on the other hand is at the C-Class level.


    This mission''s difficulty was rated as ''Easy'' by the academy. And each zombie is worth five points, while the boss is worth a hundred points. Upon completion of the mission, each of students in class will also receive twenty-five points.


    Now, go inside your capsules, then wear the helmets placed inside, and once you are already seated, then please refrain from moving. Good luck everyone!"


    Roan went inside the futuristic-looking capsule. After stepping inside, he saw a grayish helmet that looked like a robot''s head, but it has no room for the eyes to see. He sat down eagerly and felt a comforting sensation. He then wore the helmet before leaning on the chair which looked like as a dentist''s chair, but with a more advanced and robotic feel.


    After wearing the helmet, he felt as if he was inside a dark room. There was also a timer in front of him.


    "10, 9, 8, 7, ..."


    "3, 2, 1"


    His vision turned blanked for what felt like an eternity, but only a few seconds had passed by.


    Santharus smiled and left the room, but his calm voice echoed inside.


    "I know you could accomplish this mission, but as to how you do so, you only have yourselves to think about it. Good luck my students."


    * * *


    Roan''s felt a numbing sensation in his head, but it subsided after a few seconds. When he opened his eyes, he saw himself inside a small room with ten double deck bed. His classmates were still asleep on their beds, but moments later, they started to wake up.


    "What?! This feels similar to our world! This sense of touch, this smell. Everything is the same. It''s like we are on the real world."


    "Amazing! How was the academy able to make this kind of technology?! I bet even the company with the most number of talented individuals would need at least ten years or more to develop this kind of virtual world."


    "Everyone wake up!" Situ Kui stood up and clapped his hands while shouting loudly. Everyone inside the room immediately focused their attention on him. The young man was the one who showed the most impressive talent in both shooting and martial arts. He already got everyone''s approval of being their class'' leader.


    "The mission we received was to repel a zombie army and to elimate their leader. We should not waste our time here. Follow me and wake the others up." Situ Kui grabbed an M4A1 Carbine rifle before stepping out of the room. Everyone followed suit without hesitation. Although they were nervous, they were also excited about earning their first points.


    In less than fifteen minutes, everyone in the S-Class section was already awake. They stood neatly in attention while Situ Kui spoke.


    "We will divide everyone into groups of five, so there will be twenty groups in total. Each group should at least have a sharpshooter within them. Now the goal for this kind of grouping is to ensure everyone''s safety and also to make sure that everyone is involved. Again our mission is to repel a zombie army and to kill their boss. S-Class section move!"


    Roan was one of the best sharshooters in class, just right behind Situ Kui. Even without formal training background, he was able to excel in class. His classmates knew that he was a talented young man. So his group members already thought of him as their leader.


    "Brother Roan, where should we go?" Asked a young man who was grouped with Roan.


    The latter glanced at his group''s expectant gazes and thought for a moment. He was a bit nervous shouldering everyone''s expectations, but he should act as the leader, like how Situ Kui acted.


    "Let''s study the terrain for now. With that, we will be able to make use of our understanding towards the environment to our advantage. Let''s be careful. Load your weapons and avoid firing without my command. Let''s go!" Roan spoke calmly, but his heart was beating with a bit of anxiousness.

 Chapter 94 - Zombie Boss

    Somewhere inside the Earth Alliance Academy, several men and one woman sat elegantly inside a room. All of them had powerful auras, but everyone inside was not bothered at all. Everyone of them had expectant gazes as they watched the big screen in front of them.


    They were all professors of the academy, and they were looking at their students'' progress on their first mission as a class. Some of the professors were nervous, while a few appeared rather calm as if they already knew the results.


    "Professor Santharus, how do you think your S-Class section will do in this mission?" Ken Seijin broke the ice and asked Santharus with a faint smile. The former was infinitely grateful towards Santharus for inviting him to join the Tyrannical Tower. And he thanked his past self for accepting the invitation. If he had rejected the offer, he would have been stuck at the S-Class level for many years. Now, after a little more than a year inside the Tyrannical Tower, he was already at the peak of King-Class level. Aside from that, he also enhanced his swordsmanship by several times with the help of the tower''s top swordmasters.


    The latter glanced at him briefly before he spoke.


    "My S-Class section will successfully accomplish this mission. As to how they will do it, I''m not sure though. But I am certain that they will be fine. The Situ Family''s Situ Kui is the best inside the academy so far. His leadership capabilities will play a big factor in doing this mission. Not just that, there are also other talented youths in the class who can similarly lead everyone. With that, this mission''s success is already a foregone conclusion. Unless an accident happens, which is highly unlikely to happen."


    Ken Seijin smiled and glanced at his class on the screen in front of them. His A-Class section also had a very capable tactician who scored perfect in the academy''s written exam. He should have become one of the S-Class students, but due to his unsatisfactory score in the Physical Exam, he was placed in the A-Class section instead. His tactical capabilities was even greater than that of Situ Kui''s. His name was Levi Stoklasa, one of the most brilliant students in the academy. If he could train him in shooting and swordsmanship, perhaps he would be able to stand toe to toe with the S-Class section''s top geniuses.


    * * *


    Virtual World, S-Class section.


    "Everyone! The zombies are here! Don''t shoot randomly! Aim before taking a shot and stand your ground! We must not let them inside the camp or it will be much harder for us to kill them on by one!" Situ Kui shouted at his classmates who had different expressions. Some looked nervous, some were excited and some other kinds of emotions surfaced within their minds after seeing the zombies. After hearing his shout, the class instantly turned serious and they held their weapons with much strength. They followed the orders and aimed before taking a shot, which made their attacks more accurate and efficient.


    Situ Kui smiled before pointing his M4A1 at a distant zombie.


    "Bang!"


    The zombie''s head exploded like a watermelon smashed on the floor.


    He aimed for the more distant zombies and fired his shots at them with great precision. His actions were similar to that of a well-trained soldier.


    Seeing their class leader''s performance, the S-Class section''s morale soared. No zombies could even go near the camp''s gate as the students fired their shots with more efficiency.


    "Ratatatatata!"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Ratatatatata!"


    Blood, limbs, internal organs and brain matter splattered on the ground as the fighting continued. It was not even a fight at all, but a one-sided slaughter.


    It was the same until they heard a loud roaring sound similar to a humongous beast''s angered cry.


    "Roar!!"


    A huge silhoute that is more than four meters tall can be seen glaring at them from afar. It was a huge zombie with explosive muscles.


    "That must be the boss! All sharshooters aim your shots at the boss! The rest of you continue shooting the little ones! Fire!" Situ Kui shouted at everyone before aiming his shot at the boss'' head.


    "Bang!"


    The zombie boss used its thick arms to shield its head. The bullets were not even able to penetrate deeply on its thick muscles and all it did was only injure it lightly. As long as a zombie''s head is intact, then it will not die.


    The zombie boss charged towards the camp with a speed similar to that of a car that is traveling at forty miles per hour. It protected its head with its muscular arms while advancing towards the camp.


    "Shit!" Situ Kui pulled out a knife attached on his leg and held it back-handedly. Roan also held a knife and waited for the zombie boss to come near them.


    Situ Kui glanced at his friend with a smile and nodded his head at him. The latter nodded his head back before glaring at the gigantic monster charging towards them. They both moved at the same time and dashed towards the it. The young men were at the peak stage of D-Class level and at the mid stage of D-Class level espectively. Although it was their first time confronting someone with a much greater strength than them, they did not appear to be afraid at all.


    Both men''s classmates were awed by two''s fearlessness. They never knew that both young men were nervous.


    ''This is just a virtual world, so we won''t really die in real life. With Roan''s help, we can definitely kill this monster.'' Situ Kui thought to himself while striking the boss'' knees which appeared to be its weak spot.


    "Slash!"


    Roan on the other hand jumped at the most perfect time and summersaulted in midair before aiming his knife towards the defenseles neck of the towering behemoth. He held his knife with both hands and thrusted his knife with full strength.


    "Roar!!" A savage cry echoed within the virtual world as Roan''s attack accurately hit the boss'' neck. Although it did not penetrate deeply on the giant''s skin, he was able to damage its spine. Roan held his knife tightly to keep himself from falling down.


    The boss grabbed the puny human on its neck and threw it with great strength. Roan could not overpower the boss who was at the C-Class and he could only allow it to throw him like a ragdoll. He protected his head with his arms, but he still received a substantial amount of damage from the throw.


    "Bang!" Roan''w body was embedded on a wall. But his movements were frail and weak, signifying the amount of damage the boss dealt towards him.


    The boss knelt on the ground while clutching its neck.


    "Shoot it now!" Situ Kui shouted at his classmates before dashing towards Roan.


    "Ratatatatata!"


    "Ratatatatatata!"


    The boss who was clutching its neck could no longer block the rain of bullets fired his way. Its huge head was riddled with bullets and crumpled on the ground with loud....


    "Bang!"


    - Mission Success!


    Everyone heard an announcement that rang beside their ears, before their vision turned blank.

 Chapter 95 - Unsatisfied

    Roan felt his vision turned dark after hearing the success of their mission. He smiled to himself despite his injuries.


    ''The pain threshold was actually similar to that in real life.'' He thought bitterly.


    With his current D-Class level physique, a throw as strong as that would really injure him severely. Although the injuries will heal through time, but it will take long for him before he was fully healed.


    He then felt that he was back in the real world. He removed the headgear and placed it back on its original position.


    When he came out of the capsule, everyone in the S-Class section was already there smiling brightly at him. He was surprised and he could not help but smile back at them. Even the usually cold Krystal was smiling at him. Roan could not help but scratch the back of his head in embarrassment.


    "Roan, good job. It was reckless, but we accomplished the mission. Thanks to you."


    Situ Kui glanced at Roan with slight smile. He then strectch his right arm and balled his hand into a fist. Roan bumped his fist and patted his friend''s back. Both young men were happy, so as the whole class. They swarmed around Roan and complimented his bravery during the fight against th zombie boss.


    They then saw their professor''s silhouette moving towards them. The S-Class section was excited, but when they saw the dark expression of Santharus, they immediately shut their mouths.


    Santharus stopped in front of his students and glanced at everyone of them emotionlessly.


    "Do you think that your results were satisfactory just because you accomplished the mission?"


    Santharus spoke in a calm voice, but the students felt that their professor was angry.


    "It was supposed to be the easiest mission and I expected no injuries from the S-Class section to happen. Why do you have to act like what you did? You could have used the environment to deal with that boss without getting injured. But you chose the most foolish route. Would you do the same in real life?" Santharus'' tone of voice did not change one bit, but everyone felt the atmosphere getting heavier and heavier by the second. Santharus was calmly glancing at Roan, but the latter felt as if a monstrous beast was glaring at him.


    "Professor, I... I... If it was in real life..."


    Santharus raised his right hand which made Roan shut his mouth up. The former glanced at everyone and shook his head.


    "Getting injured is normal in every war, but getting injured when you could have not gotten injured is plain foolishness. I want everyone in class to think the virtual world as a real world and to not think of it as merely a training environment. Let''s treat every mission as if it was a real life mission.


    Roan, next time I want you to think carefully before you move forward blindly. You are talented in both martial arts and sharpshooting, but you have to sharpen your decision making skills.


    Situ Kui, as the leader of the class, you showed nervousness at the time when a leader was supposed to be calm. You could have avoided direct confrontation, but you were clouded by anxiety that caused your misjudgement.


    And for everyone else, you are all the most brilliant students in the whole of academy. But why did you not use your talents during that mission, but instead placed all the burden of leading to Situ Kui?


    Well, I cannot really blame everyone since it was your first time experiencing that kind of event. In fact, for young men and women, what you did was already good enough. But for the academy''s standards, you did terrible.


    Use this opportunity to learn from your mistakes. Assimilate all the things that you have learned and don''t do the same mistakes over and over again. "


    Santharus glanced at everyone for one last time before turning around and leaving the room.


    The whole S-Class section was silent and their previous joyous atmosphere became bleak all of sudden. Roan glanced at his downcast classmates, even the usually calm Situ Kui currently looked troubled.


    "Clap! Clap! Clap!" Roan clapped his hands loudly, which attracted the attention of his classmates. They glanced at him with a baffled expression while waiting for him to talk.


    Roan forced a bright smile at everyone before he spoke.


    "My classmates, let''s not continue blaming ourselves here. Even if we are the S-Class section, we are still bound to make mistakes.


    Perhaps we lack combat experience today, that''s why Professor Santharus was unsatisfied with the result of our mission. But it won''t be the same for our next missions.


    If we want to become much better, then I suggest doing some extra training after class. Also, I will do some combat training every Saturdays and Sundays. If you want to join me, then raise your right hand." Roan glanced at everybody and the first one to raise his hand was Situ Kui.


    Everyone else followed suit, which made Roan smile even more visibly. He clenched his fists and spoke in a confident tone of voice.


    "Let''s show professor Santharus that the S-Class section will always be the strongest inside the academy."


    "Yes you''re right! Why should we mope here when we can practice instead?"


    "Good! I was foolish, but now I know what to do."


    The whole class'' conversation became more animated as they excitedly thought of how they can train themselves even further.


    A silhouette of a man dressed in professor''s clothing was leaning on the wall just right beside the half closed door. His arms were crossed against each other as he listened to his students'' discussion inside the room.


    "Roan, I never knew that it will be you who will rise the morale of your classmates. Now, I can''t wait to see the future of everyone with you by their side."


    He smiled faintly before walking away.


    "A tiger''s cub shouldn''t be complacent. They should learn how to hunt on their own."


    His voice which contained an indescribable emotion traveled faintly outside the room, but no one was there to hear his words.

 Chapter 96 - Failing Advancement

    Every Saturday, the S-Class section went into the shooting field to practice their marksmanship and every Sunday, they practice their martial arts. They did not even took a day off and practiced crazily for more than a month.


    Their insane training did not go unnoticed. The professors and the other students of the academy saw them practice with a little time to rest. Some students followed suit, while others continued their usual training schedules.


    Levi Stoklasa, the best student of the A-Class section, led his classmates'' practice. He followed their professor''s instructions and practiced like a deranged man. He did not disobey or perhaps, he wanted to compete with the S-Class section''s top geniuses. He also did not want to get left behind only the see the dust of S-Class section''s top students.


    Because of the fierce rivalry between the two sections, the Earth Alliance Academy became much more lively for the whole month.


    "The first exam is only three weeks away from now. Professor Santharus said that there will be three exams; Written Exam, Shooting Exam and Martial Arts Exam. With our practice during the whole month, I am very confident that everyone of us will get the top scores." Roan spoke with a smug smile while glancing teasingly at Levi Stoklasa, his roommate.


    Veins popped out of Levi''s head as he glared at the self satisfied face of Roan. He pointed his finger at him and he spoke in an exasperated tone of voice.


    "You....Just you wait Roan. After the exam''s results are out, I will remove that pleased look on your goddamn face! Hmph!" Levi harrumphed in annoyance and wrapped himself with his blanket.


    "Hey buddy, don''t sleep yet. We will still talk about the progress of our S-Class section on our shooting practice. Come on." Roan chuckled lightly.


    Ryuu and fatty Zhou didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry during the whole conversation between the two. They were already numbed to the seemingly endless exchange of words between Roan and Levi.  They both knew that both young men were simply just teasing each other.


    "I should be able to get a good score during the exam as well. But as for going into the top one hundred in overall grades, I don''t really know." Ryuu shrugged his shoulders with a nonchalant expression.


    "I would already be happy if I get a passing score during the exam. As for being one of the top one hundred in the whole of academy..." Fatty Zhou sighed and lied down on his bed.


    * * *


    - Ding!


    - Mission Success!


    - Loading Reward!


    - Your received x1 Major Origin Essence Bundle!


    Although it was already the second time that Cale received this kind of reward, he could still not help but smile in excitement. He was already at the peak of Divine-Class level and with the Major Origin Essence Bundle, he was hoping that he will be able advance to the next realm.


    During the whole month, he did not stop his training inside the Virtual Training Environment of ''The Black Market''. He barely took a rest, but he still did not feel any progress in his origin essence. Yes he felt the increase in his physical abilities, but as for the increase in his origin essence, he did not sense an ounce of growth at all.


    He took out the floating golden light in his storage space and consumed it without hesitation.


    A cooling sensation spread all over his body after consuming the tiny ball of golden light. His unmoving origin essence started to run amok as it rose to a terrifying level. But Cale felt the increasing amount of his origin essence to suddenly stop at some point as if it had crashed onto a thick metal door.


    He sensed that there was this barrier that stopped him from advancing towards the Saint-Class level. This barrier was what stopped him from advancing towards the. next realm. It might have appeared like a thin wall, but after feeling sturdiness of that wall, he knew that advancing today will not gonna happen.


    Although the Major Origin Essence Bundle was able to give a small push on his cultivation, it was still not enough to promote him towards the Saint-Class level.


    "Just why is it so hard to breakthrough towards the Saint-Class level? I should ask Zarinvienne on how was she able to reach that level before she was sealed on a Saint-Class level sealing sword." Cale sighed and shook his head. He thought that with the help of the Major Origin Essence Bundle, he would have no problem in breaking through. Now he realized that it was not that easy.


    "I don''t believe that I will be stuck at the peak of Divine-Class level forever. Perhaps after three or five more missions, I will be able to advance in level."


    "Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    The knocking of the door attracted Cale''s attention. He then remembered that he had told Demetrio to come on this time of day a few days ago.


    "Come inside."


    He took a stack of papers from the table inside his room. This was the reports given by the professors of the academy. This was delivered to him a week ago. He then sat back down, his expression calm and devoid of any ripple.


    The door opened and an aggressive-looking middle aged man came inside.


    "My lord, I have arrived." Demetrio spoke while bowing his head lightly.


    "How are the preparations for the students'' exam?" Cale asked Demetrio who was bowing reverently in front of him.


    The latter replied in a calm voice while glancing at Cale.


    "My lord, everything is already in place. We are only waiting for the day of the exam to come. And ahh...will you really give that thing as a reward for the top scorer my lord? Don''t you think it''s still a bit too early for that?" Demetrio spoke carefully. He was a bit against on giving the top scorer the item that Cale wanted to give.


    "No, it''s fine and don''t worry about it. I already know who will get the top score on the first Exam anyway." Cale smiled widely while looking at the stack of papers in his hands. The abovemost paper had a picture of a young man. He had a bright smile on his face, the clear picture of a youth''s innocence and playfulness.


    "I wonder if it will really be you...."

 Chapter 97 - The Day Before The Exam

    The next morning, inside Tyrannical Tower.


    A man wearing a silver wolf mask was sitting elegantly while gazing at the man kneeling before him. The latter''s gaze was painted with reverence as he spoke respectfully.


    "My lord, I have arrived."


    Cale nodded his head and motioned the man to stand at ease. The man''s face was now visible, his pupils were grayish-white in color, but the strange thing was that he seems to see much better than those with normal eyes.


    "Zero, did you see any movements from the Marchand Family?"


    Zero gazes turned serious and his eyebrows frowned a bit.


    "My lord, they have closed their gates and refused entry to anyone. Only their family members were allowed to go inside their mansion. As for the demi-humans, I haven''t seen anyone of them entering or going out. I believe that they have an underground entrance that we are unaware of."


    Cale''s eyes flashed for a moment before it reverted back to normal. Even Zero was not able to see anything from his reaction. Cale then nodded his head and spoke.


    "Zero, no need to go there again. I bet they already know your presence and that is why they are not allowing us to see their movements. They are just waiting for their full force to arrive before making a move. For now, continue breaking through towards the Divine-Class level. You and Brogen have been stuck at the peak of the Emperor-Class level for quite a while already, so go back to training and make sure to breakthrough."


    Zero forced a smile before bowing his head and leaving the room.


    Cale stood up and glanced at the view outside from his open window. His silver eyes shone with complicated emotions.


    "Why do I feel that even with all the preparations, we will still experience the same catastrophe? I hope I''m wrong." He shook his head lightly and produced a heavy sigh.


    * * *


    Several days later, inside the Earth Alliance Academy''s S-Class section.


    Santharus glanced at his students'' who were wearing all sorts of expressions. Some were excited, some were nervous, while others were acting as if it was just another day.


    "Tomorrow is the first exam of the academy, and I am confident with everyone''s martial arts and shooting exam, but I don''t know if any of you will get the top score in the written exam." Santharus produced a wry smile.


    "Although our academy focuses on martial arts and marksmanship, still no one must neglect their studies regarding other fields. So make sure to do a review after class.


    Oh, and more thing. The academy''s headmaster told us yesterday that Wolf King will give a reward for the top scorer during the exam. So work hard young ones." Santharus added. His words made everyone''s expression to turn excited. A reward from Wolf King himself is nothing shabby at all. Aside from that, it will also be a great honor to face the owner of the Earth Alliance Academy and the Tyrannical Tower.


    Everyone in the S-Class section told themselves to study hard. They suddenly want to become the top scorer of the exam and receive the reward from Wolf King. Everyone was already imagining what kind of glory the top scorer will get.


    "Okay, that''s it for now. Class dismissed." Santharus left the room as if he was in a hurry. He knew that his students will ask him what kind of reward will Wolf King give to the top scorer. So to avoid the endless barrage of questions from his students, he turned tail and ran before anyone can ask questions.


    Roan clenched his fists tightly. It was his dream to someday have an opportunity to have a conversation with Wolf King. He wanted to become one of his direct subordinates. And now, the opportunity is placed before him, but the problem is that he, Roan, is not that good in academics.


    His eyes suddenly flashed with determination as if he had just taken a major step in life. He glanced at the beautiful young woman inside their classroom and walked towards her.


    Everyone inside the classroom suddenly turned silent and focused their attention on Roan who was walking towards Krystal. The latter was also confused why, but she waited for Roan to tell his intentions.


    Roan sat beside Krystal and smiled at her brightly.


    "Krystal, do you mind if I study with you?"


    Krystal blushed unknowingly as she glanced at Roan''s honest-looking face.


    "Why would you study with me? Isn''t your roommate the guy who got a perfect score during the exam?"


    Roan scratched the back of his head in embarrassment.


    "Yes, Levi is my roommate, but I doubt if the guy would teach me everything he knew. That guy is very competitive, and now with the prize from Wolf King, he surely would want that as well.


    But you are different, you are the student who got the second-highest score in the written exam and you are also my classmate. I know you will help me, so can I go to study with you?"


    Krystal felt the gazes of her classmates piercing her skin. She knew that all of them were waiting for her answer. She then glanced at Roan who was still smiling brightly at her. He was not that handsome, but his physique was definitely the best in class. His features were also sharp and manly, especially his thick eyebrows.


    "Hmmm... Fine, but you will also help me practice my martial arts and shooting first, then we will study at the library by the evening."


    Roan thought for a moment before nodding his head. He then reached out his right hand towards her.


    "Deal, we will begin our practice as soon as we step out of this room."


    Krystal glanced at the outstretched hand of Roan and she shook it shyly before she spoke.


    "Deal, thank you."


    Roan felt the soft hand of Krystal which was as smooth as a cotton pillow. He felt over the moon after touching her hand, and he could not help but smile from ear to ear.


    Many boys from the class glanced jealously at Roan and they cursed themselves for moving slower than him.


    "Uhm, can you release my hand now?" Krystal asked timidly, her face crimson red.


    "Oh, sorry. I was too excited." Roan smiled at her before he released her hands unwillingly.

 Chapter 98 - Seed of Love

    "If you want to deliver a strong punch, you don''t just move your arms and fist. And don''t just wildly pour your origin essence, instead wait for the right timing on when to do it.


    Your legs and feet must be in the right position and in order to produce greater power, move your hips and torso as you punch.


    Also, do proper breathing when punching. Don''t hold your breath when punching, it will make the oxygen inside your body run chaotically. Make sure to exhale before delivering your punch and..." Roan explained his learnings in a detailed fashion so that Krystal would be able to understand it more thoroughly.


    "So there were these many things to remember when we just punch? I didn''t know that it was this complicated." Krystal pouted her lips while glancing at Roan.


    The latter smiled and gave her a bottle of water. He then spoke with an unhurried voice.


    "Krystal, when delivering an average punch, we don''t need to remember a lot of things. But if you want to exceed other people''s strengths, then there are many things to consider. Come on, let''s go back to training."


    * * *


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    Roan pulled the trigger of his Colt 45 pistol. All five bullets hit the bullseye accurately. Although the distance was merely ten meters, it was still astonishing for a young man in his teens to accomplish that.


    Krystal was awed by his marksmanship, even Situ Kui was not that good. Although Situ Kui was superior in terms of martial arts capability, even he would have a hard time defeating Roan in sharpshooting.


    She then pulled the trigger of her gun.


    "Bang!"


    "Bang!"


    "Bang!"


    "Bang!"


    "Bang!"


    She took shots in intervals since she could not copy Roan''s consecutive shots. She hit the bullseye twice and the other three bullets hit the nine-point mark.


    She looked at the gun in her hands and pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. She then glanced at the side and saw Roan who smiling brightly at her.


    "You''re already doing good."


    She shook her head in disagreement.


    "I even missed three bullseyes in this distance."


    Roan walked towards her and patted her head.


    "Krystal, listen. When you want to be the best at something, learn to be worst first. It''s not that we are good the moment we start learning. It''s a step by step process and we just need to take in what we have learned and incorporate it into what we do."


    Krystal blushed and swatted his hand away. She glared at Roan for a moment while pouting her lips, before turning her head away.


    "Humph! Don''t touch me!"


    Roan scratched the back of his head with a wry smile on his face.


    ''So quick to lose temper huh? What''s wrong with this girl?'' He thought to himself.


    * * *


    Inside the Earth Alliance Academy''s library.


    "No, they signed a treaty in order to gain peace. But they never knew that after signing that treaty, the people revolted that caused another bloody war in their country." Krystal pointed at a certain part of the book that she was holding and whispered towards Roan.


    The latter took notes while listening to her. He also asked questions from time to time which Krystal would answer without even giving much thought as if what was written on the book was already at the back of her hands.


    Some of their classmates saw them sitting together, but they ignored them and focused on studying instead. Although they were jealous of Roan, they also wanted to get the top score.


    Their studying continued for another two hours before they decided to go back to their rooms.


    "It''s getting late, we should head back," Roan said with a smile while closing the book in his hands.


    Krystal glanced at the watch in her wrist and she saw that it was already midnight. She could not help but turn pale for some reason.


    "Ahh... Can you... Can you come together with me?"


    Roan thought for a moment before a teasing smile hung on his face.


    "Are you perhaps afra-" Roan could not continue what he wanted to say because a dainty and soft pair of hands covered his mouth. He then glanced at her cheekily which made Krystal take back her arms. She then glared at him with blushing cheeks.


    "You... You..."


    Roan chuckled and nodded his head.


    "Fine. Fine. Fine. I will send you back to your room."


    Roan walked straight without turning back. Krystal hastily followed after him while glancing left and right. She then inched nearer to him and held his clothes.


    Roan felt her tugging his clothes, but he did not mind.


    "Krystal, every time you are afraid, just think that it is merely temporary. Remember, there is always a rainbow after the rain."


    He then glanced at her softly while stretching his right hand towards her.


    Krystal felt a strange emotion invading her heart after seeing the tender expression of Roan. She then shyly held his hand while facing the ground to hide her embarrassment.


    Both of them felt each other''s warmth through their hands. And they also strangely felt that their hands fit perfectly for each other.


    During the entire time, they forgot all the negative things and they focused entirely on the wonderful sensation that they were feeling. They did not even realize that an intangible knot slowly bounded both their fates. But they were too young to know what kind of feeling they were currently experiencing.


    "We''re here." A soft voice similar to a sweet chirping of birds surprised Roan for a bit. He then glanced at Krystal who was still holding his hand.


    "Bye Krystal. Good luck to you. I hope either of us will get the top score."


    He let go of her hand which made him feel a slight pang in his heart, like a certain part of him, was taken away.


    Krystal blushed and nodded her head in response before she spoke in a stuttering voice.


    "You... You too. Good luck. Bye." She then hastily went inside her dorm room. She then leaned on the door while clutching her chest, her breathing was ragged.


    "What is this strange feeling of loss?"


    Roan smiled and shook his head while looking at the closed door before he left.

 Chapter 99 - Exam

    Day of the first exam, inside the Earth Alliance Academy.


    "My lord, are you here to spectate the student''s exam?" Santharus asked a silver-haired man who was wearing a noble-looking silver wolf mask.


    The latter smiled and shook his head.


    "Spectate? You could say so, but I just want to get some fresh air. And maybe I will visit a class or two."


    Santharus became nervous all of sudden. If Cale will go inside the S-Class section, his students will be pressured or unfocused which might affect their overall scores.


    The masked Cale glanced at Santharus, his expression indiscernible.


    "Santharus, our students must learn to withstand pressure. And we are not training some random students here. Have more trust in your students. You have been teaching them for more than a month, do you not trust them?"


    Santharus hastily bowed his head.


    "I apologize, my lord. You are indeed right, our students must learn to withstand pressure."


    Cale waved his hands and continued walking.


    "You may go to your class, Santharus."


    "Yes, my lord." Santharus gave Cale one last bow of respect before he walked towards a different direction.


    Cale then went inside the P-Class section to check his friend, Trevor. It has been quite some time since he had spoken with his friend.


    He heard from Demetrio that Trevor had long since broken through towards the initial stage of the King-Class level. And he was now a professor of the academy.


    The increase in his strength was horrifying, but Cale wasn''t surprised. Trevor was one of the best soldiers of the Alliance in his past life, but he wasn''t able to fully bloom because they were ambushed by the demi-humans.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    The door opened and a man in his early twenties can be seen with a surprised expression. His raven black hair was short, while his dark brown eyes glimmered following his dumbstruck look.


    "Ah, Wolf King?"


    "Hello, Professor Trevor. How is your class doing so far?" Cale smiled while going inside the P-Class section''s room. He ignored the dumbfounded Trevor and scrutinized his students.


    Most of them were already at the E-Class level despite their young age. Although they were one of the bottom-ranked sections, their strength could still not be underestimated.


    There was also this particular student in this class that was too lazy to practice and study. If Cale, haven''t seen his background, he would have added him inside the S-Class or A-Class section.


    His name was Ace Malcolm,  a student from the United Kingdom. His talent in martial arts was on par with Situ Kui''s, and his marksmanship was on the same level as Roan. But he scored low during the written exam.


    Cale even labeled him as one of the top students of the academy, but the young man was very lazy, thus Cale added him in the P-Class section instead.


    Trevor nervously glanced at Wolf King and his students.


    ''Did one of my students violated the academy''s rules?'' He thought to himself.


    Wolf King glanced briefly at Trevor before he tapped his shoulder.


    "Don''t be anxious Professor Trevor. I am merely doing an inspection in your class." He smiled brightly before moving towards the exit.


    After Wolf King left, Trevor heaved a sigh of relief. But his students were still tongue-tied. They never would have thought that the legendary Wolf King would actually visit their P-Class section.


    Cale smiled after going out of the room.


    ''Trevor is slowly gaining confidence in himself. The Trevor that I knew is almost back.


    Hmm, the Written Exam will begin in thirty minutes. I still have time to visit two more sections.''


    * * *


    Thirty minutes later, the first exam of the Earth Alliance Academy began.


    The first was the Written Exam. All the students had two hours to answer a one hundred item test. Although it was a multiple-choice questionnaire, if the students did not study, they would have a hard time answering anything.


    The next exam was the Martial Arts Exam. All the students will be sent to the virtual world and inside that virtual world, many aliens with the same strength levels as them would spawn. And their task was to kill as much of those aliens in two hours before they surrendered or before they were killed.


    The last exam was the Sharpshooting Exam. The same thing will happen, the students will be sent to the virtual world to kill aliens with the same strength levels as them. But the difference was that, during the Sharpshooting Exam, the aliens would also be equipped with weapons.


    The exam continued without any problems and the students were fairly confident about their results.


    "I didn''t know that Wolf King will actually visit our section. It''s my first time seeing him and it feels like I''m looking at an ordinary man with no martial arts background."


    "Of course! Wolf King''s strength already far exceeded the realm of normal humans. Have you forgotten what Professor Santharus told us? He told us that several months ago, Wolf King had already reached the Divine-Class level."


    "Amazing! I wonder what kind of reward will he give to the top scorer?"


    "We will know when the time comes. It''s not a long wait anyway. The academy will announce the top scorer tomorrow, and by then we will know what the reward is."


    Roan who was listening to his classmates'' conversation clenched his fist. He was confident about his score, but that was also the same for Situ Kui. And there was even his roommate, Levi Stoklasa.


    Recalling the exasperated look of his genius friend, Roan could not help but chuckle.


    "What are you laughing at?"  Roan heard a familiar voice which made him smile brightly. He turned around and saw Krystal''s pouting face. Her left hand was on her hips while her right hand was pointing at him.


    Roan grind before grabbing her outstretched right hand which made her hastily take back her arm.


    "Hello, Krystal. How is your exam?" He asked while looking at her tenderly.


    Krystal blushed and turned her head away.


    "Humph! That''s none of your business."


    "It will be, someday." He said cheekily after he chuckled.


    "What did you say?!"


    "Nothing. Nothing."


    * * *


    A few hours later, on the terrace of Cale''s room. Everything was dark, except for the city lights which looked extremely beautiful during the night. A man with long black hair can be seen standing while looking at the night sky. His facial expression was complicated as if greatly burdened by something. He then glanced at his side.


    "How was it?" He spoke as if he was talking with someone, but no one was there.


    "My lord, all of them were killed. And all their gold was taken away as well. None were left behind except for their dead bodies." A voice answered from the shadows.


    Cale''s eyebrows creased heavily.


    "Now, even Shannon Williams was killed. With my weapons, they should be able to fight a weaker army. But how come they were all killed? Even their gold was taken away. Was it them?"


    Cale''s frown became even more prominent and he stayed silent for a few moments before he shook his head and produced a heavy sigh.

 Chapter 100 - Control the Power of Elements?

    The next day, inside the Earth Alliance Academy.


    The entire academy was in a suspenseful mood as today was when the results of the exam will be announced. All the students prepared themselves for the inevitable because they might not be able to last for long inside the academy, so some of the students were nervously waiting for the results.


    Inside the Tyrannical Tower, a man with raven black hair can be seen sparring with two hulking men.


    The three men produced monstrous attacks that would make an average man tremble in fright.


    All three of them were sweating profusely as they engaged in battle. But if one will look closely, they can see that both of the hulking men were at a disadvantage. The man with raven black hair was a lot faster and stronger than them which made it harder for them to hit or evade his attacks.


    Cale took a step back to evade Brogen''s punch, then raised his left hand to deflect Atlas'' punch. Cale then jumped and kicked both men''s chests. Both the tall and towering men who were already exhausted from the spar were not able to evade his kick.


    "Pa! Pa!"


    Their huge bodies were helplessly thrown on the ground.


    Cale glanced at Brogen while wiping the sweat on his forehead.


    "Brogen, you just broke through towards the initial stage of the Divine-Class level, so make sure to stabilize your foundations first."


    Brogen stood up and bowed his head gratefully.


    "I understand, my lord."


    Cale then glanced at the charismatic-looking middle-aged man with a questioning look.


    "Atlas, you are the same as me, stuck at the very peak of the Divine-Class level. Do you feel any hints of breaking through towards the Saint-Class level?"


    Cale had a mixed emotion after asking that. He himself did not feel any hints of breaking through towards the next realm yet.


    Atlas shook his head with a crestfallen look. He had been stuck at the very peak of the Divine-Clase level for quite some time, so he was very disheartened after not breaking through yet.


    "Breaking through towards the Saint-Class level was never easy." A cheeky feminine voice traveled swiftly beside their ears. All three men glanced at the source of the voice and saw two lithe silhouettes.


    One was a young woman with fiery red hair. Her figure was enchanting and her overall aura contained pure seduction. And a teasing smile can be seen on her beautiful face.


    The other one also looked like a young woman. Her hair was white as snow and her eyes devoid of any ripple like a sacred being. Her lips arched into a sweet smile which made the three men to unconsciously swallow a mouthful of saliva.


    "Brogen, Atlas, the both of you may leave." Cale waved his right hand while walking towards Nocturna and Zarinvienne.


    Both men bowed their heads and left without any hints of disobedience.


    The two graceful figures hugged Cale tightly and Zarinvienne did not even forget to give Cale a kiss on his cheeks.


    "Hehe." She smiled cheekily while sticking her tongue out as if she was teasing Cale. The latter was already used to her acts so he just allowed her to do as she pleases. He then patted her head which made her close her eyes on delight.


    He then hugged Nocturna which made the usually cold woman blush in embarrassment. She was not as open as Zarinvienne, but her love for Cale was obvious to see.


    Cale felt over the moon after hugging both women.


    "What are you guys doing here? Are you done eating your ice cream and you want me to give you guys a refill again? Hmmm?" Cale saw Nocturna''s cheeks turn crimson red, while the succubus shamelessly nodded her head with a smile.


    Cale chuckled softly and held both women''s hands.


    "How could I not know? You two have been ordering ice cream and cake every once in a while. And how come you ladies are not getting fat at all?" Cale glanced towards the women''s bellies. They then glared at him which made him smile wryly.


    "Humph! How could I, the beautiful and enchanting Zarinvienne grow fat?" The succubus arrogantly turned her head away after producing a mild harrumph.


    "My lord, us elves would never gain fats even if we eat for the whole day." Nocturna chuckled softly.


    "Yes, yes, yes. I believe both of you." Cale just nodded his head while rolling his eyes inwardly.


    "Oh, yes right. Zarinvienne, you were previously at the Saint-Class level. How can someone reach that realm?" Cale''s voice contained clear anticipation as he waited for the succubus to answer him.


    Zarinvienne thought for a moment before she spoke in a matter of fact tone of voice.


    "My lord, it''s not easy to break through to the Saint-Class level. It is the boundary towards immortality, so how could it be easy? And breaking through to the Saint-Class level does not mean that you can advance towards the Immortal-Class realm. I''m even stuck at the Saint-Class level for several hundred years.


    Once one reaches the Saint-Class level, their life can be extended to ten thousand years. It''s a vast difference compared to a Divine-Class level fighter who can at most live by another five hundred years.


    When you reach Sainthood, your soul is no longer that of a human. You will be considered a mythical being who wields great power because you can already control the elements. But of course, you cannot control all of the elements, but only the ones with great affinity to you."


    Cale''s mouth gaped wide, but he closed it hastily. He never knew that a Saint-Class level fighter was actually that strong. They can even wield the power to control the elements which were already beyond human science.


    "Then it looks like it''ll take long for me before I reached that level." Cale sighed and shook his head dispiritedly.


    Zarinvienne hugged him tighter and said.


    "My lord, you will eventually reach that realm. Someone as talented as you was not fated to stay forever in this mortal world. You are fated to ascend towards the immortal realm and become a full-fledged immortal or even a god."


    Nocturna nodded her head in agreement while tightening her hold on Cale''s hand.


    The latter smiled at the women''s consoling expressions.


    "Let''s go get your ice cream. I know you were looking for me because of that."


    The half-elf smiled bashfully while the succubus grinned mischievously.

 Chapter 101 - S-Class Gunsmanship

    The atmosphere inside the Earth Alliance Academy was jubilant since all the students passed the exam, which means no one will be expelled among them.


    Everyone glanced at the top one hundred scorers and they were pleasantly surprised to see some students at the bottom sections. But the majority of the spots were still taken by the S-Class section.


    Top 6 - Ryuu Barone (B-Class section)


    A bald youth with buff physique smiled from ear to ear after seeing his results. Being one of the top ten among the more than two thousand and five hundred best young martial artists of the whole world was a great honor.


    His friends and classmates congratulated him which made Ryuu feel a bit embarrassed. He then glanced at the other top students and he sucked a breath of fresh air after seeing the top five students.


    Top 5 - Krystal Alburo (S-Class section)


    Top 4 - Ace Malcolm (P-Class section)


    He ignored the fifth-ranked since it was normal for an S-Class student to ranked higher than him, but a P-Class student was among the top five scorers?! He was even at fourth, which was two steps higher than him!


    "Impossible!"


    He then glanced at the top three students and he was not surprised about his genius roommate being part of it.


    Top 3 - Levi Stoklasa (A-Class section)


    Although the young man looked frail, it does mean that he was weak. He was already at the peak of the D-Class level and his leadership skills was the best one he knew in the whole of the academy.


    Top 2 - Situ Kui (S-Class section)


    "Isn''t this the top scorer during the entrance exam? He is also a descendant of the Situ Family, but he is not first? Then who is the top scorer?"


    Top 1 - Roan Argentos (S-Class section)


    "What?! That stupid-looking guy was actually this great?!"


    * * *


    Roan was also happy with his results and he could not help but shout in excitement.


    "Ahhhh! Yes! I''m the top scorer!"


    The crowd parted ways and a tan-skinned young man can be seen smiling bashfully at everyone.


    "Sorry everyone, I was just very excited about getting the top score."


    "You are Roan Argentos?"


    Roan nodded his head in response.


    After seeing him nod his head, the students crowded over him and congratulated Roan. They shook his hands and introduced themselves to him. Who wouldn''t want to be friends with the top student of the academy? His classmates were also happy for him and they cheered for Roan. Situ Kui who was ranked second was a bit downcast, but he was happy that his friend got the top score.


    "Okay, everyone follow me back to the room." The students of the S-Class section heard a familiar voice. It was their professor, Santharus.


    In less than ten minutes, they arrived inside their classroom. Everyone sat with expectant looks on their faces as they waited for Santharus to speak.


    "I am happy that more than seventy of you were among the top one hundred scorers. And we even got the top one and top two. And like promised, the top scorer will receive a gift from Wolf King himself. Roan Argentos, follow me towards the headmaster''s office.


    Santharus smiled at the whole class and called for the top scorer of the exam.


    Roan''s classmates flashed their thumbs up at him. Although they were jealous, they were still happy for him.


    * * *


    Inside the headmaster''s office, a silver-haired man wearing a silver wolf mask can be seen sitting elegantly like a noble prince. He was holding a piece of paper with a young man''s face and background written in full detail.


    ''I was right all along, Roan Argentos or should I say, Colonel Argentos, who died a year before me during the ambush of the demi-humans on one of our main base camps. A hero who stalled for a bit of time just to allow a few thousand survivors to escape.


    The more than several million occupants of that base camp were supposed to die, but because of your efforts, more than a few dozens of thousands were able to escape.


    To think that I will see you again here my war comrade.'' Cale in his Wolf King persona thought deeply. His emotion was full of nostalgia as he recalled the former Colonel Roan Argentos.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    He cleared his thoughts after hearing the knocks.


    "Come inside." He spoke calmly.


    Two silhouettes went inside the office. One was a man in his late twenties, Santharus. And the other one was a young man in his mid-teens, Roan.


    The latter had a look of excitement after seeing the legendary Wolf King in front of him. After seeing him on tv and hearing his achievements, he became the young man''s idol.


    "Wolf King." Santharus bowed his head lightly with respect. Roan followed suit and bowed with reverence.


    "Wolf King, this kid is Roan, the top scorer of the academy''s first exam," Santharus spoke in a proud tone of voice while glancing at Roan.


    "Good job on teaching this promising young man. He is even already at the initial stage of the C-Class level, impressive. Are you here for the reward?" Wolf King spoke, his voice contained clear praise.


    Santharus nodded his head.


    "Yes, Wolf King."


    "Hmm. Come here, Roan." Wolf King gestured Roan to come near him. The former''s gaze was nostalgic, but none were able to interpret it. And only Cale will know that the young man in front of him was one of the best fighters of the Alliance during his past life.


    Roan eagerly walked towards Wolf King and waited for him to speak. He could not even feel the man''s strength. It was like he was just an ordinary man, but Roan won''t be fooled by this.


    "Before I give you your reward, promise me that you will never tell anyone about what you have seen here in this office." Wolf King smiled mysteriously at Roan. The latter involuntarily nodded his head in response.


    "I promise, Wolf King."


    "Good." He knew that a man like Roan would never betray him and his promises were worth like gold, so he was not worried about him leaking news of what he saw.


    Wolf King took out a wooden box and opened it slowly. Inside the box was a gun-shaped light. Roan felt the strength contained by the light. It made him feel and insignificant.


    * S-Class Gunsmanship

 Chapter 102 - Preposterous

    "This is... What is this?" Roan muttered in a questioning tone of voice. He was fascinated by the thing he was seeing right now. And now he knew why Wolf King did not want him to speak of anything about what he saw in the office. This was beyond the concept of science! It goes against the rules of this world!


    "Close your eyes, Roan." Wolf King''s voice traveled softly in his ears. He closed his eyes and he felt a painful sensation invading his head. It felt like millions of ants were biting his brain. The good thing was that the feeling merely lasted for a short while before it receded. Still, he turned numb after recalling the sensation.


    "You can open your eyes now." Roan opened his eyes and he realized that the light was no longer inside the box. He was surprised but then he thought of something which made him gasped in surprise. Because as of the moment, he felt like he had practiced sharpshooting for many decades. He even felt like he was now much better than even the most elite of soldiers in terms of marksmanship.


    ''How the hell is this possible? Was it that light?''


    He turned cold at the mere thought of it. Because such a thing was impossible!


    "Roan, use this skill to further enhance yourself. With this, no one else will be able to claim the top spot against you, unless you show mercy. But I hope you won''t do that though. Exceed your current self and become much stronger. The time will come when your strength will be needed by this world. You both may take your leave."


    Wolf King smiled at Roan and gestured for them to leave the office. Santharus pulled the latter out of the office since he was still in a dazed state. Roan only gained clarity after he was already outside the office. He clenched his fists tightly, and his eyes burning with intense light.


    ''I won''t disappoint you, Wolf King.'' He promised in his heart as both he and Santharus walked back towards their classroom.


    Roan faced a barrage of questions from his classmates, but he remained tight-lipped regarding the matters that happened inside the headmaster''s office. His classmates stopped pestering him after seeing his firm look. They were not dumb, they knew that what happened the inside headmaster''s office will only remain there. What happened inside might be one of the academy''s mystery and only the top scorer was qualified to learn about it.


    * * *


    A few days later, inside the Tyrannical Tower''s meeting room.


    Several men wearing formal clothing sat before a round table. They were men of different nationalities and the most astonishing thing was that they were mostly world leaders. Some were presidents of their nations, and some were vice presidents or senators of their country. There were about eighteen representatives from all over the world who were present inside the meeting room. All of them were looking solemnly at the man wearing a silver wolf mask seated on the head seat.


    They had seen the interior and the level of security inside the tower and they were indeed surprised by it. But still, they felt that Wolf King was too arrogant to dare sit on the head position when faced against them. They were leaders of their own country! And to think that a mere businessman or martial artist actually dares to act superior in their presence?!


    "Wolf King, everyone is already here. Say what you wanted to say and don''t waste our time any further. We still have a few meetings that we need to attend to." Said the president of Iran with dissatisfaction.


    Everyone remained silent, but they nodded their heads in agreement.


    Wolf King glanced at everyone present, his eyes void with emotions.


    "First, I would like to thank everyone for coming here despite their busy schedule.


    Now, to start this meeting, I will show you guys a short video." Wolf King pointed the clicker in his hands and pressed it. The big screen in front of them turned on and played.


    The world leaders were confused, but they waited patiently for what Wolf King was going to show them.


    In the video, they saw two groups fighting against each other in close combat.


    One group was cloaked with long robes to hide their appearance, while the opposing group was Wolf King''s subordinates.


    The battle between the two groups became more intense. Wolf King''s subordinates were getting pushed back, but a man with grayish-white pupils suddenly joined the fray. His presence changed the tides of the battle, and the robed silhouettes were now the ones being pushed back.


    One of the robed silhouettes was even killed during their fight. And after his death, the other robed men escaped and left their comrade behind.


    The video ended with Wolf King''s subordinates'' carrying the dead body of the robed man that was killed.


    Wolf King then signaled something at the hulking man standing behind him. The giant bowed his head before leaving the room.


    "Gentlemen, I will show you, the body of that man who was killed in that fight."


    "Are you insane?! Killing is a crime! How dare you show us the body of the man you killed?! Preposterous!" The fat vice president of Spain stood up and pointed at Wolf King.


    The latter glanced at the man with a detached look. His emotionlessness contained a pure and terrifying atmosphere which made the fat vice president shut up.


    The other world leaders also thought that everything that happened so far was absurd and incredulous. Was Wolf King signing a death contract by showing them his crimes?


    The meeting room opened and Wolf King''s subordinates came inside while holding a black cadaver pouch.


    Wolf King stood up and gestured for all the world leaders to follow him


    "You guys will know everything after seeing this. So I hope everyone will refrain from doing anything stupid."


    "Open it." Wolf King''s subordinates pulled the zipper of the black cadaver pouch. And a pale blue body of a humanoid can be seen placed inside. His features were very human-like. The only difference was that his ears were pointed and skin was pale blue in color.


    "This... This is..."


    "This was the man killed in that video." Wolf King replied in the same cold voice.

 Chapter 103 - Forcing the World Leaders

    "Is this real?" One of the world leaders spoke in a disbelieving tone of voice. How could they believe this absurd thing? An alien? But they were also confused because the dead body placed inside the black cadaver pouch was very life-like.


    "You can check it if you want. I know that one of you here was formerly a doctor. So it should not be a problem for you to know the authenticity of this body." Wolf King glanced at the vice president of Indonesia. He did thorough research on all the leaders that he had invited here. They might not have believed him from the very start of the meeting, but he knew that after seeing the body of the dead demi-human, they will slowly start to trust his words. And besides, he still had one more thing to show them.


    The vice president of Indonesia felt everyone''s stares peering on him. He sighed and stepped forward. He crouched down and held the arm of the dead demi-human. He felt a cold sensation coming from it. He pinched the skin to check its elasticity, he opened the mouth and etc. He appeared calm and focused during his inspection, but everyone saw that his sweat was getting thicker and thicker as time ticked by.


    He then stood up and glanced at Wolf King with a complicated gaze before turning to look at everyone present. His gaze turned solemn and he did not even bother to wipe away the sweat that was forming on his forehead.


    "This body... It''s real..." His words were like a raging thunderstorm that made everyone suddenly turn pale. If it was true, then why would this alien race be here? What were their goal and purpose? Everyone''s imagination ran amok after the revelation. They thought of all sorts of scenarios which made them even paler by the second.


    "Does... Does that mean those aliens are here to invade Earth?" India''s president spoke in a barely audible voice, but because of everyone''s silence, they all heard his words clearly enough.


    "Wolf King, the goal of this meeting was not just to show us this right?" One leader asked the question that was on everybody''s minds.


    Wolf King signaled his men to get the demi-human''s body before he turned to glance at everyone.


    "The body I showed you earlier was the weakest of those alien race, but he already had the strength of an S-Class level fighter, which can be considered as the top here on Earth. As for those robed figures on the video, they were indeed demi-humans as well. But those present on the video were merely the cannon fodder squad of those aliens. What does this entail? It means that those bastards are much stronger than us. And let me be honest with you, their technology is also much more advanced than ours.


    We have been clashing with this alien race for more than a year now. And we had managed to gather some of their equipment." Wolf King''s tone of voice did not change one bit. He then glanced at Brogen who was standing stoically near the exit of the room.


    "Brogen, show these gentlemen all the things that we had gathered from those demi-humans."


    "Yes, Wolf King." Brogen bowed with respect before he spoke a command on his radio.


    "Bring the items here."


    After less than a minute or so, two men came inside. They pulled a long tray cart which was about two meters in length. Placed neatly on the tray cart were several items that looked futuristic as if they had come out from a sci-fi movie.


    There were gun-shaped items, there were also spherical objects and even a few thin bionic armors.


    The world leaders crowded over the items and they were very shocked to see them.


    "Gentlemen, I advise you to not touch them. Those small spherical objects are energy bombs. And one bomb is enough to decimate this entire building, so there is no need for me to tell you guys what will happen to us once one of those things explodes." Wolf King smiled as he walked towards the items, he casually played with one of the spherical objects in his hands.


    His actions were rough and playful which made the world leaders step back a few times in alarm.


    "And now, I want to show you the authenticity of these items..." Wolf King spoke in neither fast nor slow tone of voice.


    "Wolf King, there is no need for that. I believe you entirely now." The fat vice president of Spain spoke in a shaky voice. His sweat was dropping like buckets of water as he wiped them with his palpitating hands.


    The rest nodded their heads in agreement. After everything that Wolf King had shown them, if they still not believe him, then they were really idiots.


    Wolf King nodded approvingly with a slight smile.


    "Gentlemen, you are truly wise individuals. I''m impressed." Despite the clear sarcasm in his voice, no one dared act impudently anymore.


    "Now, the purpose of this meeting was for you guys to join the Earth Alliance. But don''t worry, because you are free to decline this offer and leave the room. No one will force you to stay. But to those who are planning to decline, don''t ask my help after Earth becomes hell. You have twenty seconds to choose. 20... 19... 18... 17... 16... 15..."


    The world leaders swallowed a breath of cold air. And the twenty seconds of time that Wolf King provided them felt like a reaper who was holding them at gunpoint. One wrong move and their fates will be unknown.


    They had seen the tip of Tyrannical Tower''s strength, but it was already enough to shock them senseless. Even their presidential halls did not have that kind of security. Then how about the full strength of the tower?


    "8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."


    They all heard Wolf King chuckle softly before he spoke.


    "Welcome gentlemen, you are now part of Earth Alliance. Congratulations!"

 Chapter 104 - Surprise Assault

    "Wolf King, now that we are part of this group that you call Earth Alliance, can you at least tell us what the main purpose of this group is?" Ask one of the leaders. He can barely hide his dread after glancing at Wolf King who was still playing with one energy bomb in his hand.


    "Oh, right. I apologize for my negligence." Wolf King feigned a surprised expression as if he had really forgotten about it.


    Everyone''s lips twitched at his obvious act, but they said nothing. Would they dare say anything against such a man? No, they didn''t dare provoke Wolf King at all! Especially now after knowing a bit of the rallying power that he commands.


    "The main purpose of the Earth Alliance is to..." Wolf King purposely made a suspenseful mood while glancing at everyone''s expression.


    ''I''ll bind you guys with me. Do you think that I''m an idiot who will just threaten you guys to join me? Of course, I have to solidify my hold against you.'' He thought to himself while laughing coldly in his heart.


    Everyone held their breaths and waited for Wolf King. Their gazes were full of anticipation and a bit of expectation.


    "We have two main purposes for the establishment of Earth Alliance; first is to protect our world, and second is to kill all those demi-humans. Sound so simple right?


    But don''t get me wrong, both of which are things that we may fail to do. We might have the knowledge about their arrival, but their sheer strength and weaponry alone are enough to destroy all our preparations.


    So I want everyone''s full support here if you don''t want to end up as slaves to those alien race.


    And I am very certain that we only have a few more years before they strike. After calculating and theorizing, I am expecting them to attack us in two to three years."


    Wolf King''s words sent alarm bells ringing on their heads. They never would have thought that even the powerful Wolf King could say such words. This denotes his seriousness regarding this matter.


    "And for those who are part of our Earth Alliance, you will have to listen to every commands given by those who are superior to you. Failure to follow a command means rebellion and we are not lenient about betrayal.


    But as members of the Earth Alliance, we will give you full support when those demi-humans will attack your country or your groups. We will send the strongest fighters available to aid you.


    Later, you will receive an e-mail about everything we know about those aliens. Also written on the email are rules that are needed to be followed as members of the Alliance."


    Wolf King glanced at everyone''s numbed expressions. Now he knew that being able to control these so-called world leaders was such a satisfying feeling.


    The meeting continued with Wolf King controlling the entire flow. The leaders could not even voice out their disapproval and they could only listen obediently with gritted teeth.


    "That''s it, everyone. When there are meetings in the future, make sure to be there so that you won''t miss anything important.


    Okay, let''s end the meeting here."


    Everyone helplessly nodded their heads before they left the meeting room. But inwardly, they were happy about knowing the matters regarding those alien race. For if they did not know anything about them, then they might die without even knowing how they died.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, within the Earth Alliance Academy.


    "Boom!"


    A loud booming sound reverberated from outside the academy grounds. Everyone inside the academy was stunned shitless which made them stopped whatever they were doing.


    The academy''s alarms rang loudly and the classrooms were painted with red lights. The professor''s knitted their eyebrows while calmly evacuating their students. They pacified their students and urged them to stay composed.


    All the students were sent into the underground floor which had the tightest level of security and safety. No one will be able to hurt them here and the thick metal walls were even sturdy enough to block missiles. But with the academy''s defense system, it was nigh impossible for a missile to hit the walled basement.


    The students'' expressions were full of apprehension after the surprising event, but they were also curious as to who would dare attack the academy which was owned by Wolf King, who they knew as the strongest man on Earth.


    * * *


    Outside the academy, several robed silhouettes can be seen engaged in a crossfire with the academy''s elite guards. The robed men''s weapons emitted bright rays of light which looked like laser beams in a sci-fi movie.


    The academy''s guards who were also armed with Energy Guns fired back in response. They looked very well-practiced as if they had mastered the art of marksmanship.


    It was because all the guards of the academy were at least at the S-Class level in gunsmanship. Although they were weaker in terms of close combat, their skills in sharpshooting were beyond the best of humanity''s elite soldiers.


    The fighting between the two groups became more intense as more and more robed individuals came to attack the academy.


    The academy''s defense system had long since turned on. And multiple energy bullets and missiles were fired against the attackers, but the missiles could not even get near the attackers as all of them exploded in midair.


    The opposing party actually had an anti-ballistic missile system that intercepted all the ballistic threats fired towards them.


    In response, the attackers fired their missiles towards the academy. But the academy similarly had its own anti-ballistic missile system. So the only threat was the unending energy bullets fired by the invading party.


    Demetrio stood atop the walls of the academy. He observed the group that was attacking them. Behind him were the two vice-headmasters of the academy. Both men had solemn expressions.


    "This aura, they are not demi-humans. Then who else is capable of sending this many soldiers with such advanced weaponry?" Demetrio muttered with confusion.


    "Whoosh"


    A man suddenly appeared in front of the three headmasters. His broad back was facing them as the man looked towards the attacking group.


    "The Marchand Family! You''re finally here!"


    His grayish-white pupils radiated killing intent and his aura which was already at the initial stage of the Divine-Class level exploded wildly.


    Demetrio, Kenji, and Leonhart were surprised at the man''s strength. They never would have thought that Zero had already broken through the Divine-Class level!

 Chapter 105 - Destroying the Enemys Missiles

    More and more missiles were fired by both parties, but neither did any major damage to each other.


    The explosions of missiles in midair were so loud that they deafened the academy''s guards. They were not wearing their helmets, so the loud explosions were enough to tear their eardrums.


    On the other hand, the opposing party was well equipped. The armors that they were wearing were also capable of blocking or deflecting energy bullets, and it could even be said that they were armed to the teeth.


    They advanced forward while firing an unending amount of energy bullets. Their vehicles seemed to be capable of blocking energy bullets since all shots fired their way merely bounced off their cars'' surfaces.


    The attacking party looked to have made great preparations for this surprise assault.


    "Boom!"


    "Boom!"


    Loud booming sounds echoed within the twenty kilometers area solely owned by the academy. The air whistled from time to time as missiles and javelins were fired continuously.


    The academy''s guards were at a disadvantage because they were unprepared for the attack. They were only equipped with energy bullets and thick kevlar body armor. Still, it was not enough to block the energy bullets of the opposing party.


    Kevlar body armor might be able to block normal bullets, but the energy bullets fired at them were way beyond an average bullet in terms of power and penetrating force.


    Cale was still on the process of providing weapons and armors for his soldiers, but he was short on Black Coins after buying a lot of Energy Guns, military weapons, and also the anti-ballistic missile system from ''The Black Market''. So he was only able to buy kevlar body armors for his soldiers. It was supposed to be enough to deter any other country''s soldiers, but their current opponent seems to be backed by the demi-humans.


    Some of the academy''s guards had their bodies riddled with holes before they dropped on the ground, dead. Blood dyed the walls of the academy as more and more guards lay dead on the ground.


    "This is not good. Our energy bullets'' power is not enough to penetrate their armors. We need High-Powered Energy Rifles to kill them. But only a few of our men were equipped with those." Demetrio gritted his teeth. He did not want another repeat of what had happened to their world. He did not want to experience the same painful feeling of losing his family members.


    After staying for more than a year with Cale and his subordinates, he started to accept them as his new family, especially his disciples and the men under his command.


    "Their missiles are not unlimited, in another three minutes or so, they would consume all their missiles. As for their javelins... that I don''t know." Kenji spoke solemnly while glaring at the advancing attackers. He similarly held the same hatred towards the demi-humans. And although the attackers were humans, he knew that those aliens played a great role in this surprise attack.


    "But with our current situation, more than three minutes of continuous missile attacks would be dire for us. With that amount of time, they would be able to breach inside the academy." Leonhart fired his Energy Rifle after he spoke.


    "Defend the academy, I will destroy their missiles. I will also try to destroy their anti-ballistic missile system." Zero pulled out two Energy Pistols with a long and gleaming knife attach below their barrels. He disappeared from his location as he jumped from atop the wall of the academy.


    "Shit! What a reckless fellow!" Demetrio cursed under his breath after seeing Zero vanish from where he stood. He then glanced at the academy''s guards and shouted an order.


    "Soldiers, provide cover fire for Zero! Don''t hold back! Fire at will!"


    He then pulled his own Energy Rifle and fired madly at the advancing party.


    The attacks from their Energy Pistols might not be able to kill their enemies, but the resulting shock from directly receiving an energy bullet would still be enough to injure their internal organs. And since the attackers were human, their internal organs would be much easier to injure.


    Zero dashed amidst the ongoing crossfire. He was wearing a bionic armor that can block heavy energy rifle bullets. But he was still carefully evading the shots fired his way.


    The energy bullets appeared to be in a slow-motion in his eyes. This was the ability he gained after advancing towards the Divine-Class level. He was able to see the trajectory of each energy bullet in great detail. But it was not easy to control this ability as it consumes a lot of his origin essence.


    ''I can only use this ability for three more minutes. And after that, all of my origin essence would be consumed. But it should be enough time for me to destroy their missiles.'' He fired shots as he dashed towards the enemy''s missile carrier.


    ''How were they even able to bring these weapons here without the government detecting them? The Philippines'' government could not really be trusted. Shit! His lordship was right!''


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    He evaded the energy bullets like a phantom and arrived at the attackers'' perimeter. They fired madly at Zero, but it was hard to shoot him down at close range. Zero used the knives attached on his Energy Pistols to slash the enemies that were surrounding him.


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    More than five heads rolled on the ground while their headless corpses dropped with heavy thuds. Blood can be seen trickling down the gleaming surface of Zero''s Energy Pistols'' knives.


    Zero dashed towards the missile carrier and threw all his energy bombs, but before he could retreat, a tall and robed silhouette blocked his escape route.


    The strength of a middle stage Divine-Class level fighter burst out of his body as his reddish pupils glared at Zero.


    ''Five or ten more seconds before those Energy Bombs would explode. Looks like this is it for me. I''m sorry, my lord. I''m sorry, brother Brogen.''


    Zero smiled weakly as he pulled out several knives from his sleeve. He threw the knives towards the robed man who evaded them with ease. He then charged at Zero and kicked him with all his strength.


    Zero blocked the kick with his arms, but he was still thrown out by the force of the kick. His opponent dashed towards Zero and smashed his body with a strong punch. He then saw the human with grayish-white pupils smirking evilly at him.


    He suddenly felt that something was wrong, but it was too late for him to know what it was.


    "4... 3... 2...1..." After the words left Zero''s lips...


    "Booooooom!"


    £¬

 Chapter 106 - Retreat

    The resulting explosion of multiple missiles exploding was so loud that almost half of the guards clenched their teeth while clutching their heads in pain. The shockwave also caused chaos on the invading party''s formation, making their advance come into a halt.


    A huge grayish mushroom-like smoke can be seen after the explosion and more than twenty percent of the invader''s soldiers were killed as a result.


    "He did it!"


    "Good job, sir Zero!"


    Some of the academy''s guards cheered with joyous tones as they helped their injured comrades.


    Demetrio frowned deeply while peering at a certain location. He saw a figure of a man escaping towards the academy. Demetrio''s expression turned cold in an instant after seeing the sorry plight of the man.


    "Kenji, Leonhart, get Zero back here!" He ordered in a solemn tone of voice.


    "Understood!" Answered the two vice headmasters in unison before they vanished from where they stood.


    * * *


    Zero clutched at his left shoulder, only to find a wet, stinging pain where his arm should have been. His eyes were losing focus as he staggered forward. He knelt on the ground while still clutching his left shoulder. He had lost too much blood and he could no longer move his legs.


    ''I might have escaped the explosion, but it looks like everything is still not good for me.'' Zero smiled weakly as he recalled the faces of two individuals in his head.


    One was a silver-haired man wearing a wolf mask, he was wearing a smile that could make any woman''s heart waver. The other one was a massive man with bulging muscles, his expression was stoic but his eyes revealed a hint of gentleness.


    "Cough! Cough! Cough!"


    He spat a few mouthfuls of blood before his eyes gently closed. Blood trickled down his smiling lips as he fell on the ground.


    Blood continuously leaked out of his wounds, but there were no signs of movement from him.


    Leonhart and Kenji stormed through the crossfire to look for Zero. They felt his aura weakening and they knew that it was not a good sign.


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    "Don''t fucking die before me, Zero!" Leonhart shouted madly as he dashed with great speed. Behind him was Kenji, his expression was calm, but his eyes contained worry.


    They fired their Energy Rifles towards the approaching enemies. And although they did not have Zero''s slow-motion skill, they were still able to avoid getting injured. Now with the opposing party''s formation compromised, it was much easier for them to find Zero.


    After looking around for more than fifteen minutes, they saw a familiar figure lying in his own pool of blood.


    "Zero... His arm." Leonhart spoke in a serious voice as he glanced at the limbless left shoulder of Zero.


    Kenji hurriedly stepped forward and checked if Zero was still breathing, because he could no longer feel the man''s origin essence. It either means he had consumed all of his origin essence or... he had died.


    Kenji''s frown became deeper after feeling no pulse from Zero, but he did not believe that a man like him would die so easily. He wrapped Zero''s bleeding shoulder to prevent any more blood loss, before carrying his breathless body.


    Leonhart and Kenji nodded at each other before they disappeared like a puff of smoke.


    * * *


    Several kilometers away from the scene, a tall figure wearing a tattered long robe glanced at the mushroom-like smoke with a bit of dread. Purple blood can be seen below where he stood.


    His reddish pupils gleamed with malice as he recalled the figure of that hateful human who destroyed their missiles. He clenched his pale blue fists tightly that blood began to seep out of it.


    "How can that human be that strong?! And it should not be possible for them to have multiple strong warriors, but I felt three other auras who had strengths that were only slightly weaker than that human!


    Good thing the commander sent me here to lead this assault. If not, we would have never learned anything about these strong humans.


    I should report this to the Saint Commander after his deep meditation. Our plans must not be compromised or Viscount Geisler who sent us to this world would kill our people to feed the lesser demons.


    Humans of Earth, how unlucky you are to be chosen as food for the lesser demons. At least we were taken as vassals or our fates would be the same as yours." His blood-red eyes glinted with malevolence before he vanished from his location and only a puddle of purple blood was left behind.


    * * *


    The fighting between the two groups continued. But the tides of the battle have changed. The invading party lost more than a fifth of their soldiers and their missiles were also destroyed by Zero. Although their anti-ballistic missile system was still intact, their fighting prowess was significantly reduced.


    The academy''s guards grabbed their energy bombs and threw it towards the opposing army.


    Cale thought that it would come in handy, so he provided the academy''s guards with Energy Bombs.


    "Boom!"


    "Boom!"


    "Boom!"


    Multiple explosions reverberated within the battlefield and the vanguard of the enemy party was engulfed by a sea of flames.


    "Aahhh!!"


    "Aahhh!"


    Many were killed from the explosions and some caught fire. Their bodies burned intensely from the raging flames.


    They removed their smoldering armors which made them vulnerable to normal energy bullets from the guards'' Energy Pistols.


    Within the rear part of the enemy formation, their Deputy Leader gritted his teeth. His expression darkened after seeing his men suffering from this battle.


    The mission given to them was to infiltrate the Earth Alliance Academy and kill as much as they can. But with their current circumstances, breaching the academy''s thick walls was just a pipe dream.


    He had to balance the options, but his gut feeling told him to retreat from the battle. He didn''t know what it was, but his instincts were telling him that a beast was approaching their way.


    He did not want to risk any more losses or Clement Marchand would surely behead him. That old man would not dare throw his anger at those demi-humans, especially now that their ancestor has still not awakened.


    "Brothers! Retreat with me!"


    These soldiers were trained by the Marchand Family from birth, so they were even more skilled and loyal than most soldiers.


    The Deputy Leader glared hatefully at the guards above the walls before he retreated with a bitter expression.


    They were only able to kill more than a few dozen guards, but they had lost almost half of their soldiers.

 Chapter 107 - Old Drunkard

    "Don''t let them escape so easily!" Demetrio''s expression was full of wrath as he ordered in a hoarse voice. He glared at the traitorous Marchand Family soldiers. They had actually colluded with the demi-humans! Everyone must join hands in repelling those aliens, but one of the strongest families on Earth had already betrayed them.


    The academy''s guards fired wildly at the escaping soldiers. They did not even bother thinking about the consequences of depleting their origin essence. They only wanted to avenge their fallen comrades.


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    Demetrio then saw the two vice headmasters retreating towards the academy with solemn expressions. Kenji was carrying a lifeless body gently.


    They both landed on top of the academy''s wall, but they did not stop moving and both headed inside the academy while carrying Zero''s body.


    Demetrio glanced at them and then at the retreating enemies. He decided to stay and take command of killing a few more enemies. He was hoping that the old man would be able to heal Zero.


    Recalling that old doctor, Demetrio''s hair stood on end for some reason. He was one of the new slaves bought by Cale within the entire year. He was a drunkard and if not for Cale telling them that the old man was a doctor, they would have thought that he was just a trouble-making old man.


    "Old man, I will entrust Zero to you." He muttered in a worried voice.


    * * *


    Kenji and Leonhart brought Zero to the academy''s clinic. They had also seen the old doctor in this clinic. Although he looked like a scammer, they chose to believe him. If even Cale did not think twice about making him as the academy''s doctor, then why would they still doubt him?


    They went inside the clinic without knocking the door.


    Inside, they saw an old man lazily curled up on a chair. He held a wine flask in his hands while his eyes were closed tight. His face was flushed red, clearly drunk. He was not even able to wake up after those loud explosions.


    "Old man! Wake up! We need your help!" Leonhart was a bit annoyed so he could not help but shout while shaking the old man''s body.


    The old man''s eyes opened slowly and they saw a pair of murky orbs which had experienced the vicissitudes of life. They felt a stifling sensation which they had only felt when facing Cale. This old man''s strength was unfathomable!


    He ignored the two vice headmasters, his focus was completely on Zero''s body. He then stood and pointed towards the bed. Kenji understood what he meant and he gently placed Zero''s body on the bed.


    Zero''s face was pale with no hints of origin essence. He had also lost a lot of blood and he could be considered as a dead man. But the two vice headmasters thought otherwise. How could the strongest mercenary of Gallantos die so easily?!


    They glanced at the old doctor who was still standing nonchalantly before them.


    His sparse hair was completely white and his skin was full of wrinkles. He was not that tall, just five feet in height with a thin physique. He looked like a sickly old man who had one foot on the grave. If not for the strong burst of origin essence a few moments ago, they would have believed that he was just a normal old man.


    "Leave." The old man spoke in a barely audible voice, but with Kenji''s and Leonhart''s acute senses, they were able to hear it clearly.


    They opened and closed their mouths a few times, but no words came. Both men then obediently went out of the room after having one last look at Zero.


    After seeing that both Kenji and Leonhart had already stepped out of the room, the old man walked towards Zero. He opened the wine flask in his hands and poured three drops of ''wine'' in Zero''s mouth. He then checked Zero''s pulse and felt no signs breathing from him. He frowned and exhaled solemnly. His peak stage Divine-Class level strength burst out. His wrinkled fingers poked Zero''s body at an indiscernible speed from time to time.


    Kenji and Leonhart who was outside the clinic felt the strong burst of origin essence. It was actually at the peak of the Divine-Class level! The two vice headmasters glanced at each other. Both of them had a surprised expression.


    * * *


    Less than two hours ago, inside the Tyrannical Tower.


    Cale stood up after he heard a series of loud explosions. He went to the terrace and glanced towards where he heard the explosions. It did not stop and continued for a long while. Cale knew that something must have happened to the academy.


    He wore his silver wolf mask before he jumped from the terrace of the building without hesitation. He was on the seventieth floor which was also the topmost floor of the tower!


    He spread his limbs to reduce his speed and wrapped himself with his origin essence. He then manipulated his origin essence when he was close to the ground before he somersaulted in midair and landed gracefully. He ignored the awed and shocked looks if everyone as he went inside a black hummer.


    "Broom! Broom! Broom!"


    The pedestrians thought that someone was shooting an action film after seeing Cale''s stunt. All of them stood rooted on the ground and their hearts were on their throats as they spectated the entire scene. How awesome!"


    Inside the hummer, Cale took out his phone and dialed Brogen''s number.


    "Ring! Ring!"


    The call was answered after the second ring and Cale heard Brogen''s reverential voice.


    "My lord."


    "Brogen, I know you guys also heard that explosion. Call Atlas and go to the academy. Bring a few fighters with you." Cale did not wait for Brogen''s reply and dropped the call.


    His silver eyes were devoid of emotions, but his aura was dancing wildly around him as he stepped on the gas pedal. The hummer accelerated with great speed, scaring a few drivers within its way.

 Chapter 108 - Zero in Comatose State

    Cale arrived at the academy after more than an hour by using a secret tunnel. After stepping out of the hummer, he heard the seemingly endless firing of energy bullets from the academy''s side.


    He dashed towards the academy''s wall and was greeted by the sight of several dead guards. Some injured guards were also carried by their comrades towards the clinic.


    He then saw Demetrio''s dark look as he ordered the guards. The latter merely noticed Cale''s presence after hearing someone''s footsteps. Demetrio''s expression turned solemn as he bowed towards Cale.


    "My lord."


    Cale nodded his head calmly and spoke in a questioning tone.


    "Demetrio, what happened here? And who are those men?"


    Demetrio gritted his teeth and clenched his fist as he spoke with anger.


    "My lord, we suspect that those men are from the Marchand Family. And they are in possession of Energy Rifles, low-grade bionic armors, and they also brought missiles with them. With this, we can say that the demi-humans planned this assault."


    Cale turned cold after hearing Demetrio''s report.


    ''It looks like the demi-humans wanted to test our power. Now that they know about our strength, they would be warier against us. Now, I''m not sure how much time we have left before they strike.''


    "And..." Demetrio spoke with a bit of hesitation as he glanced at Cale who was deep in his thoughts.


    Cale turned to look at Demetrio and saw his conflicted look. He was confused after seeing the latter''s expression.


    "Speak your mind."


    Demetrio recounted everything that happened before Cale arrived. He told Cale about how Zero dashed towards the enemy lines just to destroy their missiles. He also told Cale about the fate of Zero after he had destroyed the Marchand Family''s missiles.


    Cale nodded his head and went towards the clinic. He was worried about Zero, although he trusted the old drunkard, according to Demetrio, Zero''s condition was not that good.


    He arrived at the clinic and saw several men waiting solemnly. A few dozen injured men were also there waiting to be checked.


    Cale did not think twice and bought a few dozen Heavenly Spring Water for his injured men. Although it cost him several hundred thousand Black Coins, Cale did not frown.


    After drinking the Heavenly Spring Water, all the injured guards'' injuries healed miraculously. Although some deep wounds still had scabs, at least they were now safe from death.


    "Thank you, my lord."


    All of them spoke reverently as they gaze at the stoic expression of Cale. The latter nodded at the guards before he glanced at Kenji and Leonhart who was worriedly pacing around.


    * * *


    Inside the clinic.


    An old man with wrinkled facial features was solemnly looking at the one-armed man lying on the bed. He was able to save him, but there were no signs of him waking up.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    He heard the knocking of the door which made him frown deeper, but after sensing who was outside, his expression changed. He hurriedly opened the door and saw a man with a silver wolf mask looking at him with a detached look. The old man may not fear anyone, but this was the man he respects the most.


    "My lord, come inside." The old man spoke respectfully. Cale nodded his head and went inside the clinic. On the bed, he saw the one-armed Zero breathing slowly.


    "Old man Bu, how is he?" Cale did not turn around and was still looking at the unconscious Zero.


    * Bu Fang (Human)


    - Bu Fang was a renowned alchemist and doctor in his previous world. Aside from his alchemy and healing abilities, he was also known for his unparalleled strength. But due to his eccentric nature, he lived his life alone and enjoyed peace.


    Old man Bu shook his head bitterly.


    "I was only able to get him back to life, but he is still in a comatose state. And if ever he awakens, his strength might regress by one or two ranks."


    Cale sighed with sorrow. But he knew that there was still a way of saving Zero. He still had ''The Black Market''!


    "Old man Bu, you take care of Zero. I will make you a much bigger clinic and hire several good doctors to serve under you. Just make sure that Zero lives. And this is for the injured soldiers who will come here later." Cale bought a big jar of Heavenly Spring Water which was equivalent to a hundred glass. Although it cost him another one hundred thousand Black Coins, he did not hesitate in purchasing it.


    "I will do my best, my lord." Old man Bu bowed his head respectfully.


    Cale nodded his head and stepped out of the room. He told everyone that Zero was still alive, and he also told them that he was in a comatose state. Everyone turned silent, but they were still somewhat happy after hearing that Zero was still alive.


    In more than ten minutes, Brogen and Atlas together with several strong fighters arrived inside the academy. They saw several injured guards being sent towards the clinic.


    "My lord, we have arrived."


    Cale waved his right hand and signaled his men to stand at ease.


    "Brogen, Atlas, I want the both of you to follow the escaping Marchand Family. Don''t let your presence be known. We must at the very least learn where their base is so that we can check their movements and prevent similar things from happening."


    Brogen and Atlas saluted snappily while speaking in unison.


    "Yes, my lord!"


    "Kenji, Leonhart, call Demetrio and tell him to come here."


    Kenji took out his phone and dialed Demetrio''s number.


    He relayed Cale''s order and told Demetrio that his presence was needed.


    In a little more than ten minutes, a sweaty Demetrio arrived near the clinic. He saw Cale''s stoic expression and bowed respectfully at him.


    Caleglanced seriously at the headmaster and spoke in an emotionless voice.


    "Demetrio, hasten the students'' training. After this even, I know for sure that we don''t have much time left."


    "Consider it done, my lord."


    Demetrio answered confidently.


    ''It seems like I need to use force now. I''m sorry, but this is for Earth.'' Cale solemnly thought to himself.

 Chapter 109 - The Black Markets Soul

    The fighting between the two parties was over, but a lot of people heard the loud explosions caused by the missiles.


    Cale told the president to cover up for him. The latter who was also part of the Earth Alliance could not oppose the Alliance Head''s orders.


    The president, Rodriguez Butete, announced that because of the ongoing conflict between countries, he decided to test their weaponry.


    The people became nervous at his answer and they were afraid that their country which can be considered as one with the weakest military force would be foolish enough to join the squabbling of the bigger countries.


    It added more problems for President Butete, but when Cale presented his full support, he felt that it was worth it.


    * * *


    Another year had passed by after the Marchand Family''s surprise assault. Cale ordered everyone from the Earth Alliance to provide him with precious gem, relics or gold in exchange for guns and armors.


    The members of the Earth Alliance did not know what he was up to, but they accepted the deal. Since the demi-humans'' invasion was close by, they chose to accept his offer. It was better to arm themselves before the war will start.


    The world leaders who joined the Earth Alliance also accepted the trade. They thought that it was a good exchange especially now that the Earth''s waters were getting muddier and muddier as time passed by.


    Cale also ordered his men to raid the bases of several Underworld Kings. They never would have thought that Wolf King would actually lead the raid himself. They were able to raid more than a dozen places owned by big bosses who got their wealth through illegal means. Of course, their said wealth was exchanged in ''The Black Market''.


    Cale in his Wolf King persona also helped the homeless and the impoverished. He fed them and provided them home, while the adults in their families were trained as soldiers receiving thousands of cash in salary despite them being in the training phase.


    Because of Wolf King''s deeds, his fame had risen to the highest levels. The commoners treated him as a god and all of his words were taken as a heavenly verdict.


    Daphne, who was famously known as Wolf King''s assistant, also won the Philippines'' presidential election a few months ago. She won under the titanic support of Wolf King and his millions of supporters.


    It could be said that Wolf King was now in control of a country. But it was not just the Philippines, he also held other world leaders by the throat. He was secretly manipulating them to do his bidding without their knowledge.


    The Earth Alliance was secretly growing, from eighteen countries, a few dozen more countries joined his cause. With their growing numbers, news about the Earth Alliance was bound to leak out, but Cale was unbothered about this.


    He had already amassed enough wealth to upgrade his authority level to Divine-Class and he was also able to equip all his men with stronger weapons.


    * * *


    Inside the Virtual Training Environment, Gravity Training Room.


    After Cale had upgraded his authority level to the Divine-Class, the soul of the system started to take shape and formed a human-like figure of a woman. He was surprised by what he saw that his mouth gaped in shock.


    He glanced at the woman in front of him with incredulity. His pupils almost popped out of their sockets as he blinked his eyes continuously.


    In front of him was a woman who was about five feet and six inches tall. Her figure was voluptuous with perfect round curves. Her long green hair reached the ground as it gently swayed. Her facial features were the epitome of beauty, even Nocturna and Zarinvienne would not dare say that they were more beautiful than her. Her green eyes stared curiously at Cale and her persimmon-like lips curved upwards.


    Cale''s nose almost bled as he looked at the naked green-haired woman. He bought a fox coat from ''The Black Market'' and wrapped it around the woman''s body. He then erased all his unhealthy thoughts before he spoke in a questioning voice.


    "Who are you?"


    The woman''s gaze turned emotionless and she shook her head in response. The fox coat merely covered a part of her body, and her long slender legs were still visible.


    "Cale, I am ''The Black Market'' and this is my body. Thank you for helping me gain a physical body."


    She bowed her head while maintaining her unperturbed look.


    Cale was shocked. This woman was actually ''The Black Market''?! He cleared his mind and studied the woman in great detail. He can''t feel her strength at all, it was like she was just an ordinary woman.


    "Calling you ''The Black Market'' is so lame, do you mind if I give you a name?" Cale looked earnestly at her.


    The woman was confused, but she still nodded her head in response.


    "Then, how about Asteria?" Cale thought for a moment before he gave her the first name that came to his mind.


    "Asteria... Asteria... My name is Asteria." The woman''s lips curved upwards to form a faint smile. It was the first time Cale saw her smile, it was beautiful.


    "It''s good that you like it, Asteria." Cale smiled and rubbed her head gently. Asteria closed her eyes and enjoyed the unfamiliar sensation.


    Cale asked her about many things, but the answers he got were not what he had expected.


    First, she does not know her origins. Asteria only knew that she was a fragment of a Universal Law that governs the entire universe.


    Cale also asked her about the demi-humans, and he was surprised about her answer. According to her, the demi-humans were merely one of the demon race''s vassal forces.


    Their goal in invading Earth was to kill them and feed their bodies to the lesser demons. The lesser demons were the main force of the demon race and these beasts lacked intelligence, but their physical strength was at least King-Class level and the strongest was at most Divine-Class level. Once a lesser demon evolves, they will gain intelligence and advance to the Saint-Class level.


    In addition, they also planned to excavate Earth''s gold since the demi-humans used it as a source of energy. Of course, they still needed to add a few more ingredients before it can be used as an energy source. But a gram of gold was enough to provide power for one of their low-level fighter robots for several months.


    Cale then asked her if she knew the reason why he returned back in time, but Asteria shook her head in response.


    "I don''t know, but as a Universal Fragment holder, it''s not impossible."


    Cale turned silent for a moment and sighed heavily.

 Chapter 110 - Blueprint

    "Asteria, do you know how to make Energy Rifles, fighter drones or fighter robots?" Cale asked nervously. He knew that he could just buy these things in the ''Store'', but if he could manufacture them, then he would have a stable production of these weapons of war.


    He already bought several dozen, skilled dwarven men, a few months ago and several hundred human workers to help them. Their current task was to replicate the Energy Rifles, Energy Bombs and the Bionic Armors.


    They were able to make a few, but it was not on par with the weapons that they should replicate. It''s not that they are not skilled, it is just that the making or the creation of these futuristic weapons were too hard without a diagram to follow.


    Asteria thought for a moment before she spoke.


    "Yes, it''s easy. I can draw them for you."


    "Yeah, I know it''s hard... Wait what?!" Cale perked up his ears and moved near Asteria.


    "Can you say it again, Asteria."


    Asteria glanced placidly at Cale and spoke in a matter of fact tone.


    "It''s easy and I can draw them for you. Just give me a pen and paper."


    Cale''s heart was beating wildly. He could not help but hug the cold woman in front of him. His face was full of smiles as he pulled Asteria in his embrace. The latter did not move and allowed Cale to hug her, but her expression did not change. She only felt an unfamiliar sensation invading her heart.


    Cale released Asteria from his embrace before he told her to go out of the Virtual Training Environment with him. He then scanned her body and recalled that he only bought her a fox coat. Those guys Brogen and Vishnu might misunderstand him again. Recalling their foolish smiles, he gnashed his teeth in exasperation.


    He then purchased a blue knee-level dress for which has a cold nullifying effect. Cale then gave her the dress and she accepted it with a confused look. The former was speechless after seeing that she did not even know how to wear the dress.


    ''You have knowledge about many things, you can even draw a diagram of advanced weaponry, but you don''t know how to wear clothes? Ay...'' Cale glanced at Asteria who was innocently looking at him and sighed while patting her head.


    He then removed the fox coat draped over her body and almost had a nose bleed after seeing her naked body again. He might have the soul of a middle-aged major general who had trained his composure through a decade of bloody war, but he was not immune to beautiful women. He hurriedly helped her wear the dress he bought for her and wiped away the sweat on his forehead.


    ''She''s not wearing any underwear beneath that dress.'' Cale shook his head and erased the unhealthy thoughts.


    Cale was already used to the warping of space and was unbothered about it, while Asteria appeared to be much calmer than Cale was.


    Brogen and Vishnu, who were inside the room were surprised to see another galaxy-toppling woman appearing beside Cale. They scanned the woman from head to foot, then glanced at Cale in admiration. They were truly lacking in comparison to their lord!


    Cale ignored their expressions and grabbed Asteria''s slender arms gently. He then pulled her towards his table and gave her a pen and paper.


    "Asteria, can you draw it for me now?"


    Asteria expressionlessly accepted the pen and paper before she began drawing. Cale watched her meticulously draw lines and circles here and there. She even wrote what materials should be used to make those things. And she also added the exact measurements of the said parts with lines of explanations written below.


    Cale broke out in cold sweat because he failed to understand everything that she had written. He then turned his head away from her drawing and just silently focused on her deadpan side profile.


    ''What a pity, such a cold personality does not match her beauty.''


    * * *


    Cale handed the blueprints drawn by Asteria towards the dwarven smiths. All of them gasped in surprise and amazement after seeing the detailed instructions written on the blueprint.


    They crowded over the blueprints that Cale gave them as if it was some kind of holy artifact.


    Dwarves were known for their physical strength and matchless smithing skills. With the appropriate materials and blueprints, it would be an easy thing for them to make any items.


    With Asteria''s nearly-perfect blueprint, they will be able to make a lot of that advanced weaponry in less than a month''s time.


    They excitedly talked among themselves and completely ignored Cale which amused the latter.


    "My lord, we will now begin in manufacturing these weapons. Please excuse us." A middle-aged dwarf glanced earnestly at Cale while barely holding back his excitement. His dwarven companions similarly had the same expressions.


    Cale rolled his eyes at them and waved his right hand impatiently. "Go leave."


    The dwarven men hurriedly bowed their heads before sprinting away. Cale smiled and shook his head before he left.


    "The graduation of Earth Alliance Academy''s first batch of students is also close by. I wonder how those kids will do after making them go to war?"


    Cale muttered to himself after seeing Demetrio coming towards him with an excited look.


    "My lord, the graduation of our students will happen in three days'' time. You will be surprised by their growth." Demetrio said mysteriously.


    Cale smiled and put on a curious look. "I will personally attend the ceremony. Just by looking at your smug look, something good must have happened."


    Demetrio awkwardly chuckled and talked with Cale briefly before he left.


    "Ah, Demetrio, of course, I already knew what had happened with the S-Class section''s students." Cale smiled faintly as he watched the retreating figure of the academy''s headmaster.


    "Two years had passed by since I was stuck at the peak of the Divine-Class level, but I still failed to breakthrough. Just what is stopping me from advancing..."


    Cale sighed and left the manufacturing plant with heavy strides.

 Chapter 111 - An amalgamation of Elemental Energies

    Three days later, Earth Alliance Academy. It was the graduation day of the academy''s first batch of students. Everyone was in a celebratory mood, especially the students.


    They finally graduated after one year of rigorous training. Throughout the whole year, all they did was practice their marksmanship, martial arts, and survival abilities. They also experienced bloody wars during their missions in the Virtual World.


    Their innocence was gone and was replaced by sharp looks of battle-hardened soldiers. They emitted bloodthirsty auras that engulfed the entire graduation venue. The professors had smiles on their faces after seeing their students'' growth.


    All of them still looked fairly young, but don''t be fooled by their outer facade. The weakest among these young graduates were at the very least B-Class level fighters.


    During their one year of training, they were also told that once they graduated, they would be part of Wolf King''s Phantom Wolf Department. The task of the said department was to aid their comrades in times of war and also to do reconnaissance and counter reconnaissance.


    At first, some of them opposed this arrangement, but after seeing those videos about the demi-humans, they thought that it was the best option. The academy also promised the safety of their families. They finally knew why the Tyrannical Tower built the Earth Alliance Academy. Its main purpose was to train young elites to become super soldiers.


    They also realized the true strength of the academy and the tower. But even with that strength, they were still wary of the demi-humans.


    Their missions in the Virtual World included several fights against those demi-humans, so they were not unaware of their strength.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, I stand here before you to welcome..." Demetrio began his speech. The students and the professors glanced in his direction and listened attentively. They admired this headmaster so much because of his strength and leadership.


    "And to end this speech, let me tell you a quote spoken by a wise person.


    Do not follow where the path may lead. Go, instead, where there is no path and leave a trail.


    Good day everyone!"


    His ending quote made the students and professors ponder deeply before their faces brightened in realization. They clapped their hands loudly as they watched the aggressive-looking middle-aged Demetrio walk down the stage.


    The graduation ceremony began. It''s just like any other graduation ceremony, but instead of receiving a congratulations card, the students received Energy Rifles and bionic armors.


    Cale spent more than a billion Black Coins just for these graduation gifts, but he did not regret it. These batch of elites will be the future of humankind, so arming them with the best weapons was only natural.


    Cale went inside the graduation venue in his Wolf King persona. Beside him was Sima Ying, who was holding his arm tightly. They sat on the seat prepared for them and watched the graduation ceremony with nostalgic gazes.


    Although Cale was a dropout, he still reminisced about his younger days where there was only peace. He had lived a tough life in his later years battling with the demi-humans without end. And it was the first time he felt a sense of peace.


    Cale''s expression softened as his heart calmed down. The tensions of shouldering the entire world vanished at that moment. He did not realize it but all the pores within his body opened and greedily sucked the origin essence around him.


    The professors and several stronger students felt the change in the atmosphere. They glanced at Wolf King who was sitting calmly on his seat. His eyes were tranquil and devoid of any ripple.


    Time seemed to have stopped in his point of view as he felt the change in his body. He saw the amalgamation of energies around him and the strange thing was that those energies were sucked by the pores of his body.


    He felt a sense of serenity as he absorbed the elemental energies around him. Sima Ying who was now at the peak of King-Class level was surprised at the changes happening on Cale.


    Vishnu and Atlas who were stuck at the peak of the Divine-Class level glanced at each other with excited expressions. The rest of the people inside the graduation venue felt what was happening on him and was pleasantly surprised.


    The students heard that Wolf King was already at the peak of the Divine-Class level. So that means after his breakthrough, he will be promoted to the Saint-Class level!


    Everyone focused their gazes on the masked man sitting on his chair with his eyes closed tight.


    Cale, who was the epicenter of the event seemed unaware of everyone''s stares. He continued to enjoy the changes happening inside his body. He felt every fiber of his skin glisten with power. His origin essence also mixed together with the elemental energies his body had greedily sucked.


    He heard from Zarinvienne that an average Saint was supposed to have at least one element. Having two elements means potential, and three elements mean being a prodigy with a higher chance of ascending to the Immortal-Class level. She also said that having four elements meant that it was easier to breakthrough towards the Immortal-Class level, but she only knew one person who had achieved that, her father, the Incubus Sovereign.


    Cale felt that there were multiple elements inside his body. He felt the element of wind, fire, earth, water, wood, lightning, darkness and light. He also felt two other elements within him, but he didn''t know which element they represent. All he knew was that those two alone produced a much more profound feeling than the other elements combined.


    "Time and Space elements, how rare!" Cale suddenly heard a familiar and surprised voice beside his ears. A small woman with glittering golden wings on her back can be seen floating around his head. Her expression was that of surprise as she watched Cale.


    No one seemed to have seen the small fairy-like woman flying gracefully around Cale. It was as if her entire being was masked by an unknown energy. Even her voice was not heard by anyone, including Sima Ying who was merely inches away from her.


    "Asteria?" Cale spoke within his mind after feeling a sense of connection with Asteria.


    "Cale, you have gained the acknowledgment of both Time and Space elements. As expected of a fragment holder, only a peerless genius like you is worthy of acquiring a Universal Law fragment." Asteria''s aloof voice echoed beside his ears, but Cale felt a hint of admiration within that aloofness.

 Chapter 112 - Demon Saint Awakens

    "Time and Space elements... Are both elements really that powerful?" Cale spoke telepathically.


    "Of course they are! Not even most of the peerless geniuses who had four elements can have any of the two elements. It looks like Earth is not the end for you Cale..."


    Asteria''s voice contained a hint of yearning, but it was not for herself. It was a yearning for Cale to one day ascend the greater worlds.


    "That is if we can kill those demi-humans and there are still those demons that you mentioned. As for the going outside Earth, it''s a dream that is far from reality."


    The vortex of elemental energies around Cale lessened after some time and he had also reached the initial stage of the Saint-Class level.


    Origin essence and elemental essence were both present on Earth despite it being a mortal planet. Both of the essences were even abundant here on Earth. But Cale''s breakthrough still created a disturbance which was felt by someone who had reached the Saint-Class level.


    Cale''s subordinates, the students and the professors only felt the thick origin essence surrounding Cale, but they did not feel the elemental essence on him. Only Saint-Class level cultivators could sense the energies of the elements.


    Somewhere in Eastern China, a tall silhouette wearing a long robe that covered his entire body stood up and peered in a certain direction. His blood-red pupils flashed a trace of surprise and killing intent. His aura danced wildly as raging flames engulfed his entire body, but he was unaffected about it. It was the fire element he controlled after breaking through to the Saint-Class level.


    "A human achieving Sainthood?! Impossible!"


    The individual removed the hood of his robe and a savage face with blue skin can be seen. His red pupils were radiating intense killing intent.


    "The Demon Saint should have felt this vortex of elements as well. What kind of element did that human manage to control? It does not matter. We should begin our attacks earlier than planned."


    He shook his head before giving a series of commands to his subordinates. Several robed individuals moved in an orderly fashion after receiving his orders.


    He then disappeared from his location, leaving the group of robed figures standing in bewilderment.


    * * *


    Eastern China, Marchand Family''s new base.


    "Patriarch Clement! The ancestor has awakened!"


    The old man, Clement Marchand stood up from his seat with a huge grin on his face. The others from the Marchand Family were also excited about the news. They can finally exact their revenge on that hateful Earth Alliance Academy and those demi-humans would no longer dare make them the cannon fodder again. But they did not dare blame the demi-humans, because there was a figure among them who was as strong as their ancestor.


    The one that they call ancestor was a demon who had achieved Sainthood. They were not really related to this demon by blood, in fact, it was this demon who had killed their true ancestor many decades ago.


    The Saint-Class level demon would have also killed everyone from the Marchand Family, but he decided to spare them and use them to cover his identity while he recuperates his injuries.


    He came from the Shura Planet where killing was a normal thing. On that planet, only the strong had the right to govern. While the weak can only become subordinates or food for the higher beings.


    During his primes, he was a notorious demon who killed anyone who had provoked him, but one day, he had killed someone from a Royal Demon Family.


    To build a demon kingdom there must be at least several Immortal-Class level cultivators leading them, and a few dozen Saint-Class level fighters defending the kingdom. So he was a bit scared after learning that he had killed someone from a royal demon family


    After he had killed someone from that Royal Family, he had faced countless assassination attempts. He barely escaped them and used an artifact to arrive on Earth.


    He was severely injured on his arrival on Earth, so he badly needed to consume blood to recover his lost energy. The first person he saw was the real ancestor of the Marchand Family. He who badly needed someone''s vital blood killed the Marchand Family''s ancestor and devoured his body. He then decided to spare the rest of the humans within the vicinity and used them to cover his identity in this unknown world.


    The Marchand Family who had seen how their ancestor was killed and also the display of power of the demon decided to stay quiet and served him. After many years of serving the demon, they decided to call him as ancestor...


    Suddenly, a robed silhouette appeared on the Marchand Family''s base. He walked inside while ignoring the surprised looks of everyone. The Marchand Family knew that he was a demi-human based on his height and clothing, so they decided to move out of his way.


    The Saint Commander took off his hood and displayed his savage facial features to everyone. The Marchand Family members stepped back after seeing his appearance. His overwhelming aura was also in full display as if he was facing an enemy who was strong enough to threaten him.


    "Demon Saint Muchen, I, Faramis, the Saint Commander of the Avran race, under the command of Viscount Geisler, have come to visit you." His loud voice was hoarse and grating which made everyone from the Marchand Family cover their ears.


    "So Geisler has come to visit me, but are you guys, my enemy or my friend?" A voice full of evilness answered in response. A tall and broad man walked towards the Saint Commander. His face was pale white with handsome facial features. Two short horns can be seen at the sides of his head just right above his ears. His sharp rows of teeth can be seen sticking out as he smirked at the Avran Saint Commander. The Marchand Family members glanced at the demon with respect and fear after they saw him.


    "Demon Saint Muchen, our meeting in this world was purely coincidental. Viscount Geisler had long since planned on making Earth a breeding place for his lesser demons. He plans to build a huge army to help Duke Vaal oust the royal family and claim the throne from them."


    Muchen''s eyes flashed a trace of surprise after hearing Faramis'' words, but he waited for the latter to continue speaking.


    "I know that you are an enemy of the Royal Family, so if you don''t mind joining our cause, I will vouch for you."


    Muchen almost wavered at the proposition, but he did not show it outwardly. He still had to maintain his image as a demon.

 Chapter 113 - Faramis Plans

    Faramis glanced around and shook his head.


    "This is not the right place to talk about these matters, Demon Saint Muchen."


    Muchen smiled and put on an apologetic look.


    "I apologize for my negligence, Saint Commander Faramis. Please follow me to my quarters."


    He then walked back to where he had come from, while Faramis followed after him.


    * * *


    Cale slowly opened his eyes and was surprised to see everyone staring at him with all sorts of emotions, but most of them were reverence and idolization. He then stood up from his seat and spoke in a loud voice.


    "I apologize for my behavior everyone. I suddenly gained enlightenment and finally had the chance to breakthrough towards the Saint-Class level... And ah... Congratulations to everyone for graduating..."


    Everyone erupted into shocked exclamations after hearing his words. Their admiration towards Wolf King increased yet again by several degrees. They clapped their hands exaggeratedly while staring at the masked man with worshipping gazes.


    He was Wolf King, the owner of Tyrannical Tower and Earth Alliance Academy. He was also the strongest human on Earth! In front of them was a legendary man worthy of their respect.


    The graduation ceremony then continued after that. Everyone walked towards the stage and accepted their Energy Rifles and bionic armors. They were excited about their new start, but after the teachings of the academy, they also knew that a violent war is about to come.


    The distribution of the students'' weapons continued and everyone was surprised to see someone from the P-Class section achieving the mid-stage of King-Class level. The young man''s name was Ace Malcolm. He was a student of Cale''s best friend Trevor, who was now a peak stage Emperor-Class level fighter.


    The B-Class section similarly had a few students at the initial stage of the King-Class level. The A-Class section also had half of their class reaching the King-Class level. But when the students from the S-Class section walk on the stage, everyone gasped in surprise. All of them had actually reached the King-Class level! Even their two best students, Situ Kui and Roan had reached the late stage of the King-Class level.


    Cale smirked after seeing their strengths. His plans on establishing the Phantom Wolf Department will now come into play.


    When all the students received their weapons, Wolf King walk on the stage and announced the establishment of the Phantom Wolf Department. He also gave both Roan and Situ Kui the rank of Second Lieutenant for having the highest cultivation level while he gave those who had achieved King-Class level the rank of Sergeant.


    He then appointed Zero as the Department Head. His Intelligence Department also merged with the new Phantom Wolf Department.


    A man with grayish-white pupils walks towards the stage with a calm gaze. His black bionic arm was noticeable as it gleamed with power. It was something that the dwarven blacksmiths made for him and was Cale''s gift to Zero right after he awakened from his comatose state.


    Brogen glanced at the figure with a faint smile on his face. His messy beard was no longer there after he shaved it, but his appearance was still barbaric.


    ''You have grown up, Zero. You are already on the same level as your big brother.''


    Brogen thought to himself after feeling the strength of Zero which was already at the peak of the Divine-Class level.


    Nocturna, Zarinvienne, and Daphne glanced at Wolf King who was waiting for Zero on the stage. Nocturna and Zarinvienne haven''t reached the Saint-Class level yet, but they were infinitely close to breaking through. While Daphne who merely tackled on the logistics side was still at the initial-stage of King-Class level.


    The three beauties stared at the masked man with longing. Although their relationship with Cale was close, it was not on the same level as Sima Ying.


    * * *


    Eastern China, Marchand Family''s new base, inside Demon Saint Muchen''s quarters. Two figures sat opposite each other. They were silent for a moment before the robed figure spoke to break the silence.


    "Demon Saint Muchen, what do you propose? Although you are a Saint-Class level demon, we are not short on Saints. And besides, if the Royal Family knows that you are here without anyone''s backing then... Hehe..." Faramis grinned while waiting for Muchen''s response.


    Muchen glared at Faramis and dark elemental essence wildly revolved around his body.


    "Saint Commander Faramis, are you threatening me?"


    Muchen''s voice was calm, but Faramis knew that the former was angry. Faramis shrugged his shoulders while disregarding the malicious look of Muchen.


    "I am merely stating facts here. Of course, if you join us, then that would be a different matter. The Royal Family won''t touch you since you will be protected by Viscount Geisler and Duke Vaal. Now... What is your choice, Demon Saint Muchen?" Faramis'' smile became wider after seeing Muchen sigh in defeat.


    Muchen shook his head.


    "Since when did the Avran race gave birth to someone as cunning you, Faramis? Fine... I will join Viscount Geisler and help Duke Vaal claim the throne."


    Faramis clapped his hands and laughed jovially.


    "Good choice, Demon Saint Muchen!"


    They then discussed about the burst of elemental energy in the Philippines. Faramis told Muchen about their plans on attacking China and show themselves to the world. Although it was earlier than planned, they did not have a choice after knowing that there was a Saint on the human''s side.


    Saint Commander Faramis left the Marchand Family''s base and ordered his men to prepare for war. On the other hand, Demon Saint Muchen ordered everyone in the Marchand Family to aid the demi-humans.


    Clement Marchand could only sigh. If he refused to follow the command of Muchen, then everyone from his family would surely die. And after seeing the military strength of the demi-humans, he knew for sure that humanity had no hopes of defeating them.


    A masked man with silver hair appeared in his mind, but he shook his head.


    ''I wonder if Wolf King would be able to defeat those beasts? With the ancestor''s awakening and the Saint of the demi-humans, there would be no hope in securing victory for humanity. I apologize, but I only want our bloodline to continue.''


    His aged eyes suddenly flashed fiercely.

 Chapter 114 - Attack on Beijing

    Three days later.


    It was another busy day for Beijing, China''s capital city. The sun was shining ever so brightly, but air pollution was still so thick within the city. Almost everyone was wearing masks as they walked towards their destination.


    Suddenly, everyone saw a thick cloud of black smoke approaching the city. They were surprised and thought that heavy rain was about to fall, but when it went nearer, the people realized that it wasn''t actually a cloud.


    It was several hundred circular drones with what looked to be guns attached on their wings. They looked like a thick cloud of black smoke from afar, but they were actually aerial beasts flying arrogantly in broad daylight.


    Everyone became wary of the sudden visit of those drones. They knew that it was not just a simple tour based on the atmosphere it released. How could that amount of drones not have some sort of plans especially after seeing the weapons attached to their bodies?


    The drones suddenly came to a halt for a brief moment before they moved to separate directions. Their speed became much faster and they fired shots to any human within their range.


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    "Doov!"


    The poor people who were mercilessly shot had their bodies riddled with holes. Cars bumped unto each other causing loud explosions and chaos among the crowd. The whole city suddenly turned into hell in merely a few seconds after the arrival of those drones.


    Burning cars, people shouting for help, destroyed buildings and etc.


    The helpless people could only run inside the buildings to seek shelter, but the energy bullets were capable of penetrating even the thickest walls of these buildings.


    Several robed silhouettes also arrived within the city. In their hands were energy rifles gleaming coldly because of the sun''s light. They walked in a solid formation and moved separately after the leading figure signaled the rest using his long arm which was covered by the robe he wore.


    They fired their weapons on the humans moving towards their direction. Men, women, children and old, no one escape their merciless slaughter.


    "Doov! Doov! Doov!"


    "Doov! Doov! Doov!"


    The city''s defense force arrived in a few minutes, but many had already died before they even arrived. They aimed their weapons at the drones in the sky and fired madly at them.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Ratatatatatatatata!"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Ratatatatatatatata!"


    Their bullets seemed to have no effect on the drones as they merely bounced off the drones'' metallic bodies. Their shells were not even dented after the wild firing from the city''s defense force. The soldiers'' hearts turned cold after realizing that their weapons did not even do any damage to the drones.


    The aerial beasts fired back at them and the soldiers'' thick body armors did nothing to stop the energy bullets fired their way. The soldiers appeared defenseless in front of these fighter drones despite them wearing full body armors. Their bodies were like plastics full of water suddenly punctured by a thick needle.


    "Ahhhhh!"


    "Ahhhhh!"


    Their body dropped on the ground one by one, while the lucky survivors scrambled to find a place to hide.


    They continued firing shots at the drones, but all of it was futile. More and more soldiers died and the remaining few hid behind the buildings.


    A soldier with a bloodied left shoulder hid behind the walls of a nearby building. He glanced at his dying comrades with an aching heart. He then spoke over the radio, his face was filled with sweat.


    "This is Lieutenant Bu Angka, requesting for argghhh..."


    His body became a human sieve in less than a few seconds, and blood flowed out from the holes on his body. The shocked look was still evident on his face as his body crumpled on the ground.


    In front of him was a robed ''man'' holding an energy rifle aimed at him. He then continued moving and searched for other humans.


    * * *


    Sima Ying came running inside Cale''s room.  Brogen and Atlas who were guarding the room did not stop her from going inside.


    Cale glanced at the worried look of Sima Ying and he felt that something wasn''t right.


    Sima Ying handed her phone to Cale who received it silently.


    "Hello..." He spoke while waiting for the other party to speak.


    "Alliance Head, this is Sima Fenglun. Beijing China is under attack and their defense force is trying to defend their capital city, but I doubt if they can hold on for long. In less than an hour, Beijing will fall. We are waiting for your orders, Alliance Head." Sima Fenglun, the former patriarch of the Sima Family spoke in a weak voice. He appeared tired and weary, but he tried his best to sound normal.


    "I will send a thousand elite soldiers and a hundred fighter drones to aid China, just make sure to stay away from the battle before their arrival." Cale was not surprised at the sudden attack. He already expected it after he broke through to the Saint-Class level.


    He knew that there were bound to be Saint-Class level fighters among them. With his sudden breakthrough, the cunning demi-humans would surely attack earlier than they had planned.


    ''They want me to show myself!'' Cale thought to himself.


    "Roger that." Sima Fenglun answered snappily.


    Cale handed the phone back to Sima Ying and hugged the beauty in his arms to console her. He rubbed her head gently and spoke in a mild tone.


    "Don''t worry, we will try our best to help as many people as possible."


    "Mmn." Sima Ying nodded her head, but she was still worried about her family and country.


    * * *


    The attack on China was broadcasted live all around the globe. Everyone saw the tragic deaths of countless people in Beijing. Humanity was in a state of panic after seeing the futuristic drones with advanced weapons attached to their wings.


    The Internet by the surprising news. Videos and images about Beijing China''s fate were posted on almost all social media sites. It sent fear to the neighboring countries, like Korea, India, and Vietnam. While the rest of humanity were fearful of what the future may hold for them.


    "What the hell happened to China?"


    "Is this some sort of alien invasion? Look at those drones. Our drones are not capable of traveling that fast in the air. And what the fuck are those guns attached to their bodies?!"


    "This video is legit right?"


    "Fool! Look at the sender, it is China''s local media who posted it online."


    Several big countries prepared their soldiers to send aid, while also bolstering the defenses of their own countries. While the other countries continued to gather more information.

 Chapter 115 - Evacuating the Civilians

    The local Chinese army evacuated the residents of Beijing. The evacuation site was full of people shouting and crying for help. Many had lost their loved ones and they mourned for their losses. The soldiers were also worried about their family, but they remained in their positions to save more of their countrymen. They can only pray that their families were being rescued by the government.


    Meanwhile, Uriel, who was the former best sniper in Cale''s past life was currently stationed near Beijing. He arrived with his men while carrying their energy rifles. Uriel, on the other hand, carried his energy sniper rifle.


    His small squad only had about twenty soldiers including him, but under the orders of Cale, they went towards Beijing without protest. Although they were only together with the people from the Tyrannical Tower for a little more than a year, they had already felt a sense of brotherhood. And they also greatly rever the tower''s mysterious boss, Wolf King. They treat his commands seriously and even though the current order seemed so absurd, they did not frown nor complain.


    They saw the people running away from the city with faces painted with grief, sorrow, and fear. They also saw the local army and police pacifying the scared crowd of people. The atmosphere was tense and the people were full of apprehension.


    Uriel and his men stepped out of their hummer. Their arrival did not go unnoticed from the Chinese soldiers and police especially because they were driving on several high profiled hummers.


    Uriel glanced at one of his soldiers who speaks Chinese and signaled him with a nod of his head. The soldier nodded in response before stepping forward.


    "Hello, friends from China. We are soldiers from the Philippines here to support the evacuation of the people who are still trapped inside the city. We are requesting you to allow us to go inside." He spoke in fluent Mandarin.


    The Chinese commander saluted as a form of thanks and responded in a deep voice.


    "I thank you guys for sending aid, but are you sure about going inside?" The commander glanced behind the soldier and realized that there were only less than two dozen among them.


    Going inside with only two dozen men was no different than going inside to die. The battle inside was only to provide time for the civilians to escape so that the army can send their aerial fighters. Meaning, the soldiers inside were merely there to slow down the demi-humans.


    Although it was cruel to sacrifice their own soldiers, it was the only way the Chinese government could think with the little amount of time that they had


    Uriel''s subordinate, Nangong Lei, nodded his head in response.


    "Yes sir, and more soldiers from our country will come in less than one hour to help China."


    The Chinese commander Sun Jimeng saluted once again. If even soldiers from another country were willing to risk their lives to save his fellow Chinese people, then why not them as well?


    "Sir, I will allow you to go inside, but I will come together with you and bring twenty of my men."


    Nangong Lei frowned slightly. If the local soldiers will come with them, they might only be a burden. But before he can decline the offer, he heard Uriel''s voice resound from behind him.


    "Sergeant, are you sure you will decline someone who wants to save his own people? Look at his eyes, those are the eyes of someone willing to die just to save his own countrymen. Do you really want to reject such a man?"


    Nangong Lei was surprised and glanced at the commander in front of him. His eyes were indeed full of determination. He admired the commander''s resolute gaze. Nangong Lei smiled and saluted him.


    "Affirmative, request approved!"


    Commander Sun Jimeng smiled and called twenty of his men to come inside with him.


    "Deputy Commander, after I go inside, you lead our men here. Make sure to evacuate everyone safely and wait for our return."


    The deputy commander solemnly saluted. He knew how dangerous the situation was inside, but he could not go against his commander''s orders. So he can only helplessly accept the order.


    "Sir, yes sir!"


    Uriel smiled and spoke over the radio. "Warwolf, this is Uriel. Do you copy?"


    A static radio sound echoed briefly before he got a reply. "Loud and clear. Any news captain Uriel?"


    Uriel instantly replied. "My squad was allowed entry, but we will be accompanied by twenty local soldiers. Nothing will change about the plan. Your squad will still evacuate people from the north side, while mine would evacuate the civilians here on the south side."


    "Copy that."


    Uriel turned off the radio and went inside the city, forty soldiers followed behind him.


    * * *


    In the central part of the city, the local army was still resisting the demi-humans'' advance. They were retreating as they fired their M16 towards the robed demi-humans. They were only able to leave holes on their robes, but the demi-humans were wearing bionic armors beneath their robes. The normal rifle bullets seemed to have no effect on them.


    "Ratattatatata!"


    "Ratatattatatata!"


    "Doov! Doov! Doov!"


    "Doov! Doov! Doov!"


    More and more Chinese soldiers died but they still fearlessly fired back.


    They suddenly heard the sound of helicopters and fighter jets coming their way.


    "The aerial support is here, just hold on for a few more minutes!"


    They emptied their magazines after their hope was renewed. Bullet shells dropped on the ground with clanging sounds. The endless firing sounds reverberated within Beijing.


    "Ratatatatata!"


    "Ratatatatatata!"


    "Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    But despite their frenzied firing, no harm was dealt on their advancing enemies. Their formation was still intact with no casualties.


    Someone suddenly took out an anti-tank M9A1 rocket launcher and aimed it on the demi-humans. He fired his weapon and a huge armor-piercing rocket capable of penetrating the tough shells of a tank was shot towards the incoming demi-humans.


    The demi-humans felt a sense of danger but it was already late when they realized it.


    "Booom!"


    A loud explosion reverberated within the city. The demi-humans who were hit by the rocket were flang away because of the strong shockwave caused by the explosion. Their armors appeared to be intact, but their internal organs received substantial damage from the shock. Some of them died, with purple blood leaking out of their mouths.


    The other demi-humans fired their energy rifles in anger. The drones above the sky also fired energy bullets on the human soldiers below.


    "Doov! Doov! Doov! Doov!"


    The fighting continued, but the local army was still on the losing side.

 Chapter 116 - World in State of Panic

    More and more demi-humans arrived inside of Beijing. Each of them carrying energy rifles and they were also wearing bionic armors beneath their robes. Thousands of fighter drones covered the sky. They were like a plague of locusts filling the entire sky black.


    The demi-humans fired their weapons on the Chinese soldiers who were still fighting back despite the overwhelming deficit in terms of weaponry. The Chinese soldiers took out their M9A1 anti-tank missiles after seeing its effectiveness against those aliens.


    The demi-humans were wary of those long barrel-shaped weapons taken out by the humans since it was capable of killing them. So they covered their bodies with origin essence. They also hid behind the buildings.


    Even with the anti-tank missiles, the local soldiers were still being pushed back because of the growing numbers of the demi-humans. The fighter drones in the sky were also growing more and more.


    The local soldiers then saw the silhouettes of their fighter jets flying with great speed towards their direction.


    "The aerial support is here. Fall back!"


    "Great! Everyone, retreat down south with your fastest speed!"


    "Evacuate the stranded civilians!"


    The human soldiers retreated after the arrival of aerial support. They knew that the place would be bombed in less than a few minutes. And the result of the aerial battle might cause unnecessary casualties within their ranks if they continued to stay.


    The fighter jets fired their Gatling guns on the drones and demi-humans below. The drones merely swayed after being shot, but the demi-humans grimaced in pain after they were hit by the heavy bullets. Although their armors were still intact, it could not fully absorb the force of a Gatling gun''s rounds of bullets. The excess force from the Gatling gun''s bullets spread on the demi-humans'' bodies, causing light to fatal internal injuries.


    They may be wearing bionic armors which were made of Z-Steel capable of withstanding heavy round of bullets. But the knockback force of the bullets could not be absorbed entirely. Some of the remaining force will hit their bodies, and even with their origin essence, their internal organs may still receive fatal injuries.


    The fighter jets then used their revolver cannon which killed multiple demi-humans down below. It was also capable of destroying the fighter drones, but the fighter drones were also capable of destroying the fighter jets effortlessly. They were also much smaller than the jets which made it harder for the Chinese Airforce pilots to land a direct hit on them even with the help of the auto-aim system.


    The fierce fight above the sky continued. The fighter jets were much faster than the fighter drones, but the former''s bodies were also much bigger in comparison, thus making them a much easier target to aim.


    More and more fighter jets came within Beijing''s territory. China who had boasted a total of three thousand active military aircraft mobilized almost a third towards Beijing. Their land units were also on the move towards the central part of the capital city steadily, but it will take some time before they arrive.


    Several countries sent a part of their aerial force towards Beijing. Even the US and Russia who did not have a favorable relationship with China also sent their support.


    They disregarding their conflicts after seeing the alien force invading them. And they really hoped that they could stop them from destroying China.


    The world was in a state of panic after the sudden attack of the demi-humans in Beijing. They were afraid that their countries would be invaded next. The news was continuously broadcasted live, so the whole world knows of China''s current plight.


    After seeing the attack on Beijing, the smart people went out of their homes to buy necessary goods and materials to survive for several months. They bought canned goods and all sorts of stuff. Some people even resorted to stealing and robbery.


    China''s aerial force arrived within Beijing, but the drones were also growing in number. There were now more than five thousand drones above the capital city engaged in aerial combat with China''s military aircraft.


    The sky was painted with flames and smoke. The sound of explosions and gunshots reverberated within the whole of Beijing. Drones and fighter jets exploded above the sky as the fighting between the two aerial units continued fiercely.


    Many civilians died and a lot of them were still stranded inside the city. Local soldiers disregarded their safety and evacuated the poor civilians trapped in their homes.


    Uriel''s men were almost on the central parts of Beijing but they stop along the way to evacuate the civilians they saw.


    "Commander Sun, send some of your men to lead these groups of civilians towards the evacuation center." Nangong Lei relayed Uriel''s orders to Sun Jimeng.


    The commander nodded his head and called eight of his men to lead the civilians towards the safe area.


    They then continued moving, their destination was the central part of Beijing. But even from their current location, they can already hear the intense fighting. They hastened their speed and arrived after less than an hour. They saw the thousands of drones filling the entire sky and also a few hundred military aircraft. The local infantry soldiers were also engaged in a vicious battle against the demi-humans.


    Anti-tank missiles, javelins, and etc were fired without reservation. The demi-humans also fired their advanced guns on the Chinese soldiers.


    "Bloody hell, support the Chinese soldiers! Provide cover fire as they retreat! Aim for their fighter drones!" Uriel shouted towards his men. He then aimed and pulled the trigger of his energy sniper rifle which was a gift from Wolf King.


    "Doov!"


    His movements were natural as if he was born with the weapon. His shot destroyed a fighter drone in the sky. Sun Jimeng and his men were surprised at his accuracy. The distance between him and the destroyed drone was about one mile, but he was able to take it down. How impressive!


    Commander Sun Jimeng ordered his men to help their comrades retreat while Uriel and his men aimed at the drones in the sky.


    "Bang! Bang! Bang!"


    "Ratatattaatatatta!"


    "Ratatatatattaatta!"

 Chapter 117 - Diversion Attack

    ''The support team that Wolf King sent should have arrived by now.'' Uriel thought to himself as he fired his energy sniper rifle.


    "Men, hold your ground! Reinforcements are coming to help us!" He shouted fiercely.


    Under the intense training led by Atlas and Brogen, Uriel and the tower''s soldiers were strengthened significantly. Their growth rate increased exponentially after they had used the Virtual Training World. Uriel was already at the initial stage of Emperor-Class level while most of his soldiers were above the C-Class level in strength.


    In the virtual world, they had faced countless life and death situations. And the battle in front of them was more or less the same in terms of difficulty. With their experience, they appeared calmer than the Chinese soldiers, and their actions were more skillful.


    "Brothers, move towards the direction of our friends from overseas!" Commander Sun Jimeng was a Major in the Chinese Army, so he had a bit of reputation. After hearing his words, the Chinese soldiers unhesitatingly scrambled towards Uriel and his men while carrying their injured comrades.


    The local soldiers were able to retreat successfully. They then regrouped and sent their injured comrades towards a much safer location.


    "This is Eagle One. Major Sun, do you copy?"


    Commander Sun Jimeng took his radio and answered. "Sir, yes sir!"


    The radio produced a brief static sound before someone replied.


    "Evacuate the area, we will drop the bombs in less than a minute."


    Sun Jimeng''s face fell and answered hastily.


    "Roger tango, over and out."


    He then turned towards his men and shouted in a loud voice.


    "The aerial force will release the bombs in less than a minute. Retreat!"


    Nangong Lei hurriedly told Uriel about the message. The latter cursed under his breath and glanced at some of the local soldiers who were still within the bombing spot with pity. He gritted his teeth before he ordered his men to retreat.


    After a minute, China''s bomber planes dropped incendiary bombs towards the hiding spots of the demi-humans. The materials used to make incendiary bombs were very destructive. The buildings were engulfed by a sea of fire in less than a few seconds and the hiding demi-humans were incinerated by the flames, leaving an intact bionic armor and charred bodies.


    The fighter drones aimed their energy guns on the bomber planes who were causing more casualties.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, a few other countries were also attacked by the demi-humans. And with everyone''s focus being in China, they failed to see that some other countries were also being attacked by the demi-humans. There were even low-grade fighter robots appearing and huge crescent-shaped jets were also seen bombarding laser shots unscrupulously.


    The attack on China was merely a diversion and the demi-humans'' goal was to attack the countries with the weakest military forces.


    Their plan was successful and they were indeed able to take three countries under them. It was already too late for humanity to realize their plans. They had thought that it was already the true strength of the demi-humans. They never would have believed that the army sent on China was the weakest.


    And even with that being the case, they were already having a very hard time fighting back against them.


    The Tyrannical Tower''s support troops arrived in China. Leading them was Vishnu, behind him were about a thousand elite soldiers that were at least C-Class level in strength. They were the impoverished people who suffered the cruelty of life a year ago. But now, they were strong and muscular soldiers emitting a strong aura of danger.


    The local Chinese soldiers gasped in surprise. They did not formally train their origin essence, so the thick aura produced by foreign soldiers almost suffocated them.


    "We are soldiers from the Philippines here to aid our ally in battle. Please allow us to go inside the city." One of Vishnu''s men spoke in a deep voice.


    * * *


    Uriel and his men retreated with great speed, but the resulting explosion from the napalm bombs released by the fighter jets still made their eardrums hurt.


    The scene in front of them was like hell with all the burning buildings and metal debris from destroyed jets and drones. The injured soldiers were crying for help and the ground where they previously stood was charred black.


    A demi-human suddenly appeared in front of them. His red pupils were glaring menacingly at them as he walked closer towards Uriel and his men. They fired wildly at the demi-human, but he seemed to be capable of evading their shots.


    "A Divine-Class level fighter! Fuck!" Uriel cursed nervously while signaling his men to retreat.


    Some of the Divine-Class level fighters were capable of evading bullets at the expense of their origin essence and the demi-human in front of them seemed to be capable of doing just that.


    The demi-human took out his weapon and fired it towards Uriel and his men. Some were hit by the energy bullets while some of them were grazed.


    "Shit!" Uriel aimed his sniper at the demi-human and fired.


    "Doov!" The demi-human''s eyes flashed a trace of surprise before he barely evaded Uriel''s shot. He then aimed his weapon at Uriel and pressed the trigger of his energy gun.


    "Doov! Doov!"


    ''I''m fucked!'' Uriel closed his eyes in resignation, but he suddenly felt a strong presence shielding him from the attack. He opened his eyes and saw a familiar broad back and bald head. He sighed in relief and almost dropped himself on the ground in nervousness.


    "General Vishnu, thanks." He spoke with a faint smile.


    "Uriel, get out of here now. This guy is dangerous. Lead my men and escape from here together with the injured local soldiers and civilians. The fighter drones sent by Wolf King are currently headed north to aid Warwolf and his men, so we cannot provide aerial support here on the south side." Vishnu responded without turning his head back. His focus was completely on the body of the demi-human in front of them.


    Uriel clenched his fist and felt powerless. He thought that after reaching the initial stage of Emperor-Class level he will already be strong enough to protect his people. But the reality was cruel, he wasn''t even able to protect himself. And without Vishnu saving him at the right time, he would have died already.

 Chapter 118 - Void Wolf Immortal Set

    Uriel looked deeply at Vishnu''s back figure before turning his head away. He then glanced at his men who were waiting for his command. He saw that everyone of them was silently watching him while waiting for him to speak.


    "Let''s return and regroup with Warwolf and his team." He left the scene, Vishnu''s men and Uriel''s men followed behind him. The local soldiers also followed after them.


    After they left, the epic battle between two Divine-Class level fighters started. They left afterimages as they clashed and when their punches and kicks met, a huge shockwave will be created.


    The fighting above the sky also continued. The fighter drones and China''s military aircrafts fired shots at each other.


    "Booom!"


    "Baang!"


    "Booom!"


    "Baang!"


    Loud explosions reverberated above the sky. The buildings and houses down below were already in ruins. The former majestic city now looked like the edge of hell.


    * * *


    Cale rubbed his aching temples and his eyebrows were frowning deeply.


    ''It shouldn''t be like this. Think! Think! Think!''


    Cale''s eyes flashed for a moment.


    ''How did I not think about that? I can just kill their leaders and then slowly kill the rest. If an army doesn''t have a leader, they will be like a pile of loose sand.''


    He then called Brogen and Atlas to come inside his room. Two gigantic men came inside his room. They glanced at Cale and respectfully bowed their heads.


    ''How fast time flies by. Two years ago, I was still stronger than his lordship, but now...''


    Brogen stared at the silver-haired man wearing a wolf mask reverently. He thought that maybe Cale would really be able to kill that Immortal-Class demon...


    "Brogen, you stay here and protect the tower. As for you Atlas, you will be stationed in the Earth Alliance Academy. Protect your designated stations at all costs and during your idle time, try breaking through towards the Saint-Class level.


    Brogen, you will stay here in the tower with Zero. Most of our personnel are here and also all of the important information and equipment, so make sure nothing goes wrong.


    Atlas, the dwarven manufacturing plant was created within the Earth Alliance Academy''s territory. It is of paramount importance because it is where we build our weapons.


    And don''t worry, the old doctor is also there to assist you when an attack will happen."


    That''s it, I will go now."


    Cale vanished from where he stood and teleported outside of the tower. He used spatial elements to teleport. He had already gained a bit of understanding about his elements and he had no problems using them.


    He glanced at the majestic tower that he had built together with his loyal servants and smiled unconsciously. He produced a heavy sigh before flying at a certain location.


    Using the element of wind, he can fly as fast as a plane.  And it does not consume much of his energy except if he wants to fly faster than that.


    "Now, how could I make their leader come out?" Cale asked himself and thought deeply. A crazy idea suddenly surfaced inside his head and he could not help but chuckle softly.


    He consumed the surrounding elemental essence unscrupulously. His wild consumption of elemental essence created a vortex of invisible energy, but no one could feel it except two individuals who were currently talking about their plans.


    "What the hell?! That guy is crazy! Does he have a death wish?! He will explode after taking in that much elemental essence..." Faramis was stunned at the disturbance created by Cale. Demon Saint Muchen who was beside him was also surprised. There was actually such a crazy Saint here on Earth.


    "Looks like he wanted to die. Then it will be much easier for us..." Commander Faramis chuckled eerily and ignored the disturbance on the elemental essence around them.


    Although they were far from Cale, the elemental essence around them was slowly converging on Cale''s location.


    They thought that Cale was going crazy and wanted to die, but the vortex of elemental essence became stronger and stronger. The elemental essence around them was also thinning at a very fast rate of time. And after several hours, Cale''s crazy consumption still did not stop.


    "Shit! What the hell is happening?! He should have exploded earlier!" Commander Faramis stood up and flew above the sky. Demon Saint Muchen followed behind him. They peered at a certain location and flew towards the eye of the vortex. Their faces were dark. If Cale continued what he was doing, then the elemental essence on Earth would be consumed and it will take some time before it regenerates again. They should stop this fool or they would not be able to replenish the energy that they had expended.


    Meanwhile, in the eye of the vortex, a masked man can be seen floating nonchalantly above the sky. His silver eyes were looking at a certain direction and his lips curved up to form a faint smile.


    "Asteria, are you done with the conversion?" He spoke to the small fairy floating beside him.


    "Conversion complete, I will turn this into a Superior Elemental Essence Bundle that you can consume safely," Asteria spoke in a child-like voice, but her usual aloofness was still there.


    Asteria is capable of changing her appearance into that of a fairy and a human, and then she was also capable of masking her presence to anyone as long as they were not significantly stronger than Cale.


    "What... That much elemental essence was only equivalent to one Superior Elemental Essence Bundle? You''re not kidding me right, Asteria?" Cale glanced at the small hand-sized fairy floating in front of him gracefully. The latter merely frowned and did not bother to reply.


    Cale awkwardly smiled while patting the small head of Asteria. ''They will be here in an hour.''


    "Asteria, do I still have time to consume this Superior Elemental Essence Bundle before their arrival?" Cale asked Asteria.


    Asteria thought for a moment before nodding her head in response. "Yes, you still have time before they arrive."


    "Great!" Cale smiled and took a small bead-like item inside his storage space. It was soft when he touched it. The feeling was similar when you pinch a stress ball.


    A wave of fragrant aroma invaded his nostrils. He greedily inhaled the air with his eyes closed. He then swallowed the bead-like Superior Elemental Essence Bundle.


    A burst of energy invaded his body gently. It was like he was floating in a sea of cotton candy. All the pores inside his body opened in full and greedily sucked in the surrounding elemental essence while he digested the pure energy contained inside the Superior Elemental Essence Bundle.


    His Saintly aura stabilized even further and became even more solid. He clenched his fists tightly which produced crackling sounds. Although his cultivation did not achieve a leap, his aura became more solid. It felt like he was a Saint for more than several decades already.


    He opened his eyes slowly and checked the condition of his body. He felt every fiber of his body increase in power. He smiled and crossed his arms on his chest while looking at the two figures moving towards him at a very fast speed.


    Saint Commander Faramis and Demon Saint Muchen stopped in their tracks and floated one thousand meters away from a man wearing a very eye-catching wolf mask. His silver hair fluttered elegantly as the wind blew ceaselessly. The two parties continued staring at each other while sensing the other party''s strength.


    "Asteria, can I win against them using the Energy Guns?" Cale spoke inside his head while smiling faintly at the two distant figures.


    "No, the energy guns and laser guns will be ineffective against a Saint-Class level fighter. I recommend buying a Saint-Class level sword." Asteria''s loli voice resounded inside his head.


    "Hmm okay, can I afford one with all the Black Coins that I had saved up until this point?" Cale thought it was a pity that he could no longer wield his best weapon, but he was also skilled in using other weapons, so he did not really mind that much.


    "Yes, it''s more than enough to buy eight Saint-Class level weapons."


    "Oh okay, give me the best sword, the best armor, and the best shield. It would be good if it is a set." Cale thought briefly before speaking telepathically with Asteria.


    "There is a set, but it has four Saint-Class level items. I recommend buying this. Your chances of victory will multiply by several times.


    "Sure, I should buy everything that could help humanity win in this war. Confirm purchase, Asteria." Cale spoke confidently.


    "Understood."


    A series of prompts appeared in front of him.


    - Void Wolf Immortal Sword (Saint Level)


    - Void Wolf Immortal Armor (Saint Level)


    - Void Wolf Immortal Shield (Saint Level)


    - Void Wolf Immortal Wings (Saint Level)


    "Cale, this set of equipment is a growth-type. Meaning, it will grow stronger as you grow stronger. Do you wish to equip it?" Asteria mysteriously said.


    Cale nodded his head. His body was enveloped by a bright light that made Faramis and Muchen blink for half a second. They were shocked after they opened their eyes.


    In front of them was a man wearing a full-body black and gold medieval armor with a futuristic feel. A golden wolf was engraved at the center of the armor. Behind him was a black cape with a howling golden wolf head drawn on it. A burning pair of evil-looking wings can also be seen attached to his shoulder blades. On his right hand was a menacing black sword with archaic carvings. And on his left hand was a shield with a strange shape similar to a crab''s pincers. A wolf head was also engraved at the center of the shield.


    This was the full set of the Void Wolf Immortal set. It gave off a terrorizing aura that would make any mortals kneel down in fear.


    Cale''s current look was similar to that of an evil war god who was hungry for blood. His facial features were now covered by a ferocious wolf head.


    "I have been waiting for you two to arrive." Cale''s voice also changed. It now sounded threatening and malicious.

 Chapter 119 - Compromise?

    Both Saint Commander Faramis and Demon Saint Muchen took a step back after hearing Cale''s frightening voice. They were now more wary of him after he had equipped the Void Wolf Immortal Set.


    Cale''s overall aura changed entirely. If his aura before was as serene as a still pond of water, then his aura now was that of a savage beast.


    Saint Commander Faramis was a mid-stage Saint-Class level fighter, while Demon Saint Muchen was also on the verge of breaking through towards the mid-stage of Saint-Class level.


    Cale who was weaker in terms of cultivation level did not look weak at all, especially after he equipped the full set of Saint-Class level set equipment.


    Cale pointed his menacing sword at the two aliens. The sword produced dark and space elements around it. These two were the elements of his weapon. Cale glared at the two men and his silver eyes produced a dense killing intent.


    "Today, I will end your lives. None of you two will be able to escape my wrath!"


    Cale disappeared from where he previously stood right after he had spoken those words. Saint Commander Faramis and Demon Saint Muchen suddenly felt a dreadful aura behind them. Their faces fell and they used their fastest speeds to evade Cale''s sword strike while enveloping their bodies with elemental essence.


    "Baang!"


    Dark sparks can be seen on Cale''s Void Wolf Immortal Sword and a baleful black sword wind was produced after he slashed his Saint-Class level sword. The sword wind traveled at a terrifying speed on Faramis'' and Muchen''s location. They turned around and fired their attacks to block the raging sword wind.


    Saint Commander Faramis fired a huge fireball while Demon Saint Muchen produced dark sword blades. The three attacks met and it created an ear-shattering explosion that reverberated loudly above the sky.


    The people down below thought that a violent thunder had struck the planet after they heard the explosion. Their faces were painted with fear and they thought that the gods were punishing them for destroying the planet.


    A shockwave was produced by the clashing of their attacks. Cale effortlessly blocked the shockwave with his shield. The two aliens cross their arms to protect themselves from the shockwave that is capable of tearing the toughest tanks on Earth.


    Cale did not want to give them a moment of respite. His Void Wolf Immortal Wings fluttered swiftly as he flew towards his two enemies at top speed. He then brandished his sword towards the two.


    Demon Saint Muchen produced a wall of darkness to block Cale''s attack. The wall made of dark elements was only able to stop Cale for half a second before it disintegrated.


    ''Fuck! This guy is actually this strong?! Didn''t he just broke through?!''


    Saint Commander Faramis cursed in his mind while hastily conjuring multiple layers of fire wall.


    The walls of fire successfully blocked Cale''s attack, but that had consumed a lot of Faramis'' elemental energy. He then cast a glance at Cale who was hovering above them. His black wings flapped as Cale stared at them mockingly.


    ''Viscount Geisler, you have made a wrong decision this time. We shouldn''t have antagonized this monster or we would have had a strong ally. What a pity.'' Saint Commander Faramis shook his head regretfully as he thought to himself.


    "Honorable sir, how about we compromise? We will stop the attacks on your planet as long as you allow the both of us to leave. What do you think?" Saint Commander Faramis flashed an ugly and crooked smile while staring at Cale with slight fear. Demon Saint Muchen who was behind him nodded his head in agreement. After seeing Cale''s strength, they knew that they would not be able to kill him, instead, it was Cale who was capable of killing them.


    Cale laughed condescendingly after hearing Saint Commander Faramis'' proposal. He wanted to retreat after knowing that they don''t have the capabilities of killing him? They came on Earth with the plan to kill everyone. And they had already killed more than several million people in Beijing and in other countries, and they want him to let them go?


    "And what if I don''t want to let the both of you leave?" An evil voice echoed on the ears of the two alien men. Their bodies turned cold after hearing his words.


    "Honorable sir, we may be weaker than you, but if the worst comes, then we don''t mind dying with you here." Demon Saint Muchen gritted his teeth angrily. How could he, a reputable Saint of the Shura world be looked down upon? He hated Cale''s way of looking at him, it was like he was staring at a dead man. Only him, a Saint-Class level fighter of the noble demon race was allowed to look down on his enemies!


    "Kill me? Wishful thinking." Cale laughed arrogantly. He then unequipped his shield and held his sword with two hands before he vanished from his location. He swung his sword with full strength which produced a whistling sound. Dark and space elements covered his entire sword.


    Faramis and Muchen were surprised at Cale''s sudden attack. They blocked his attack with their elemental spells, but a strong rebound force still catapulted them away. Purple and red blood splashed as the two figures were flung away. They spun in midair and balanced themselves before wiping the blood at the corner of their lips.


    "Fuck! This fellow is serious about killing us! Even in the kingdom, only a few noble figures had a Saint-Class weapon, so how could he have one? And it''s clearly stronger than the royal family''s Wrathful Star Halberd! A mortal world should not be capable of producing such a weapon, unless.." Saint Commander Faramis stared at Cale fearfully as he spoke.


    "Unless what?" Demon Saint Muchen was also afraid of Cale, he could not help but ask.


    "Unless... that guy is not a native here on this planet. Because it is impossible for someone to make that kind of weapon here. It''s even a full set, this guy must have come from a very complicated background. Just based on his demeanor alone, I can say that he is not ordinary." Faramis answered helplessly. He would have never thought that such a man was actually guarding this planet.


    "Then... Does that mean his background is even more powerful than the royal family?" Demon Saint Muchen was taken aback.


    "That could only be the case. It was wrong to make this planet as a food supplier for the lesser demons." Saint Commander Faramis shook his head after a heavy sigh.


    "Are you done talking among yourselves?" A nonchalant, but malicious voice traveled behind them. They were shocked and before they could even turn around, they felt strong force gripped their necks tightly. Their elemental essence was also locked, so all they could do was hold the arms of the person who was choking them while violently kicking his body with their feet. But how could they damage Cale''s Saint-Class level Void Wolf Immortal Armor, especially now that their elemental essence was sealed?


    Cale did not budge even after being kicked multiple times, or he did not feel any attacks at all. He then crushed the neck of Demon Saint Muchen.


    "Craack!"


    The snapping sound of bones resounded and a head with two short horns dropped from the sky. Cale then produced a searing flame that engulfed the headless corpse of the Demon Saint. His ashes scattered along with the cold winds.


    Saint Commander Faramis struggled fiercely from Cale''s grip after seeing the tragic death of Muchen, but he could not overpower the latter.


    "I won''t kill you now. I still have a few questions for you before I will do that." Cale spoke evilly while glancing at the Avran Commander with his emotionless eyes.


    ''Asteria, can you consume his elemental essence?'' Cale asked Asteria who was currently hovering beside him. She then morphed into her human form with a beautiful pair of glittering wings behind her back. Her sudden appearance surprised Faramis greatly.


    ''A fairy... How could someone from the fairy race be here?'' He thought to himself. Now he was sure that Cale wasn''t someone from Earth.


    Cale did not know what Faramis was thinking, but even if he knew? So what?


    Asteria stared curiously at Faramis. She then turned towards Cale and spoke in a melodic, but unperturbed tone of voice.


    "I can turn him into your slave, and with that, you can be sure that he will answer all your questions truthfully."


    Cale frowned after hearing her suggestion. He wanted to kill him for ordering the deaths of his fellow humans, but Asteria was also right. He gritted his teeth and finally conceded his own grudge.


    "Fine, do it for me, Asteria."


    Asteria nodded her head slightly before pointing her slender arm towards Faramis. A ball of light emerged from her hand which traveled towards Faramis'' head. The moment it touched his head, he violently swung his limbs. His strength grew weaker and weaker before his eyes closed tightly.


    Cale released his hold on his neck and held the collar of his shirt. "Let''s go, Asteria. There is still a war down below."


    Cale unequipped his armor and only a pair of black wings remained. He then flew back down towards Beijing, Asteria followed after him.

 Chapter 120 - Display of Might

    Cale arrived above Beijing. What he saw down below was a majestic city engulfed in terrifyingly hot flames. The battle in the sky was also not yet over when he came.


    His arrival was very high-profile because of his beautiful flaming black wings. And all of the drones immediately aimed their energy guns towards the newcomer.


    "Doov! Doov!"


    "Doov! Doov!"


    "Doov! Doov!"


    Multiple energy bullets were fired his way, but Cale remained unperturbed. His pair of burning wings covered his entire body. The energy bullets were not even able to penetrate his wings.


    He then flapped his wings while taking out a demonic sword with archaic patterns, before vanishing from his location.


    He reappeared in front of a drone and nonchalantly slashed his sword. The burning heavy sword slashed the drone like a hot blade slicing through butter. A clear overkill!


    Cale repeated this action several times, but in reality, his attacks only happened for several seconds, but dozens of drones were already destroyed.


    The soldiers down below gaped in shock and they almost dropped the weapons they were holding on the ground.


    One soldier could not help but matter to himself. "Is he a fallen angel or something?"


    Some soldiers heard him, but they were too overwhelmed to reply. They merely thought it should be possible, considering how the guy had wings that any normal human does not have.


    It was different for Vishnu and his men. They stared carefully at the figure who was destroying the drones like he was merely stomping on ants. Specifically, they stared at the man''s familiar wolf mask.


    As of the moment, Cale removed his Void Wolf Immortal Armor and Void Wolf Immortal Shield in order to lessen his weight and fly faster. That is why his men were able to see his familiar wolf mask.


    Their reverence towards their lord increased yet again. While the demi-humans were cursing under their breaths while escaping fearfully.


    They knew that the man above the sky was most likely a Saint-Class level fighter. And no one below the Saint realm would be able to stop such a monster. Only their Saint Commander Faramis was capable of stopping such a man. So they did not think twice and escape out of Beijing.


    Cale''s arrival turned the tides of the battle. The human side was losing significantly earlier, but after he arrived, the battle became a one-sided slaughter with the alien group being on the losing end.


    They came with the thoughts of being able to taste the meat of humankind, but they never would have thought that a Saint-Class level fighter was actually guarding the planet. It was way out of their expectations since they only thought that humanity''s best fighter should be at the Emperor-Class level at most.


    Cale did not want to let them escape so easily. He used the element of time to slow down their speed before sending them a ball of raging fire.


    The sky suddenly turned brighter after a rain of fireball was released by Cale. The scene was jaw-dropping and the soldiers down below could only look on with dumbstruck expressions, while Vishnu and his men cheered loudly. Their loud cheering reverberated within the city of Beijing which ignited the valiance of all the soldiers of China.


    All the drones and demi-humans that were hit by Cale''s raging fireballs were incinerated. Only their ashes and burnt metal scraps remained. But even with that, there were still a few demi-humans and drones that managed to escape.


    Cale turned around and glanced at the soldiers down below. He then shouted an order that woke everyone.


    "Soldiers of the Tyrannical Tower, destroy those rats that managed to slip away! Don''t allow them to leave! Kill them all!"


    The soldiers of the tower stood snappily and saluted Cale as they replied in a loud voice.


    "Sir, yes sir!"


    They then pulled out their weapons and sprinted towards where most enemies escape into. The local Chinese soldiers were left stunned in their places as they glanced at the Tyrannical Tower''s soldiers moving with perfect coordination.


    They did not even bother questioning the order and just followed after the command was spoken. That was how a soldier must move! The local soldiers then felt the difference between their two armies. They were like a bunch of untrained children when compared to the tower''s soldiers.


    Who could blame them? They were not trained to fight aliens or defend against an alien invasion. They were only trained to maintain the peace of their country''s borders and intimidate the other countries.


    On the other hand, the tower''s soldiers had experienced more than a year of hellish battles inside the Virtual World. They also experienced multiple life and death situations, hence their fear during every battle was almost insignificant.


    After facing the endless wars inside the Virtual World, the current invasion was like a playback of what they had experienced. Besides, this was not the most elite force under Cale''s command. He still had the hot-blooded young members from the Phantom Wolf Department.


    Aside from that, the dwarven blacksmiths were also manufacturing a supply of advanced weaponry day and night to arm his soldiers. Cale''s army alone was equivalent to the whole world''s army combined. Of course, this was in terms of skills and battle efficiency.


    After less than an hour, all the escaping enemies were hunted one by one and were mercilessly slaughtered by Cale''s soldiers. Not one was able to live, even the Divine-Class level demi-human was slaughtered by Vishnu who was burning with valor.


    They raised their weapons in the air and cheered loudly to announce their victory against the demi-humans.


    Cale glanced at his soldiers and his lips can be seen curving upwards which formed a faint smile. He then glanced at a certain direction and flew away while flapping his wings which created multiple gusts of wind.


    His calm voice then echoed inside Vishnu''s head which surprised the latter.


    ''This must be a skill that only Saints can use.''


    He was indeed right, the telepathic speech was a skill that only Saints were capable of doing. They use the power of the elements to deliver a message to someone. But, the recipient should be at least within twenty miles of their location.


    "Help the local soldiers evacuate everyone to a much safer location. And if there are any demi-humans alive, kill them all."


    A hint of coldness was present on Cale''s tone when he said the word ''kill''. Vishnu felt a chill and thanked his lucky stars for not having to stand against such a terrifying man.


    He then glanced at the disappearing back view of Cale above the sky and fiercely saluted while speaking in a deep voice.


    "Roger, that."


    * * *


    Cale flew with his top speed towards the direction of the demi-humans'' remaining soldiers. He sped towards the nearest country that they had occupied while taking out a radio from his storage space.


    "Zero, I want eighty percent of our soldiers to come in India. I don''t want any more rats to escape and live freely within our world. Let the ladies remain and safeguard the tower and the academy. Don''t worry about them, they are not any weaker than you guys. Those ladies might even be more powerful than you men."


    Zero who was guarding his spot listened attentively to Cale''s command. When the other side turned silent, he then replied in a confident voice. ''As you wish, my lord."


    Cale put the radio back inside his storage space. What he said to Zero was not an exaggeration at all. Zarinvienne and Nocturna had non-human bloodlines with much stronger physical abilities and talent. The only reason why they did not breakthrough towards the Saint-Class level was that they did not practice hard. Instead, both ladies used their time on buying and eating the wondrous delicacies of Earth.


    Cale promised himself to be more strict towards them after the war. And besides, he had planned on bringing them towards the demon''s planet. He might already be at the Saint realm, but he should still bring a few subordinates with him on that planet to do the minor errands. It would be too troublesome if he does everything on his own.


    "Asteria, tell me. Should I be harsher towards the ladies?" Cale asked Asteria to relieve his boredom while traveling towards the country occupied by the demi-humans.


    He only heard a reply after waiting for a few more seconds.


    "Up to you."


    Asteria''s nonchalant and calm voice was like a bucket of cold water. This little lady hasn''t changed one bit. He then stopped his plans on talking with Asteria or he might really die from exasperation. He just silently increased his speed. He disregarded the huge expense of elemental essence since there was still undigested energy from the Superior Elemental Essence Bundle that he had consumed earlier. He used that remaining energy to recover his fast consumption of elemental essence.


    After traveling for less than an hour, he arrived at the periphery of India''s border. A part of India was invaded by the demi-humans. But surprisingly, India was able to defend its lands for a long while. They actually hid a terrifying weapon that was almost on par with the world''s best, but several parts of their land still succumbed under the advanced weaponry of the demi-humans.


    "Next... India." Cale flapped his wings and flew towards where he felt the aura of thousands of demi-humans.

 Chapter 121 - Meeting The Vanquisher Again

    Cale gazed in amazement down below. India was actually able to struggle against the demi-humans. Although they were on the losing side, it was still admirable for them to hold on this long. Aside from that, they were able to make hasty preparations after hearing a piece of news about the invasion on Beijing, China.


    It''s not that China was weak, in fact, it was one of the strongest countries in the world in terms of military prowess. They were just caught unprepared by the sudden attack on their capital city, if not, they would have been able to apply necessary precautions to prevent the downfall of Beijing.


    The soldiers of India were well trained, but then again, they were not trained to fight against an alien invasion. Still, it was already good for them to hold on up to this point.


    Cale no longer wasted his time. He instantly took out his Void Immortal Sword from his storage space while flying towards the attacking demi-humans.


    The attack on India was definitely was a much bigger scale than the one in Beijing. There were fighter robots and Cale even saw a familiar robot that brought him nightmares during his past life, The Vanquisher.


    "We meet again, my dear friend. Looks like the conflict from our past lives will finally come to an end today..." Cale''s smirk contained a sense of deja vu. He then sped downwards and started his surprise attack on the rear part of the demi-humans'' formation.


    He was like a flash of lightning that burned the demi-humans asunder. With a slash of his Saint sword, multiple demi-humans will fall. They were not even able to defend themselves against his attacks, but even if they could, how could they be able to overpower an enraged Saint-Class level fighter with a full Saint level set equipment?


    Cale hovered in between the army of India and the army of the demi-humans. His back was facing India''s soldiers and people as if he was telling them that no harm could be done on them as long as he was in front. He glanced calmly at the alien''s army. His silver eyes flashed with strange lights as he stared at them.


    The demi-humans were surprised at the sudden arrival of Cale. He was even hovering in midair, with his ever-burning hell-like wings. No one was capable of doing that in all of the Avran people, aside from their Saint Commander Faramis and Grand Immortal Tukku whom they haven''t seen yet. The latter was one of the protectors of the demon royal family and was also an Immortal-Class level fighter.


    The man in front of them was definitely a Saint, but his aura was so strong that they could not help but think that this man might be one of those legendary Immortals. Cale''s serene gaze was definitely giving them a sense of chilliness that they could not explain. His indifference was even more terrifying than their Commander''s wrath.


    Cale raised his right arm and swipe the space in front of him as if he was swatting a fly. His movements were unnaturally calm, but the demi-humans suddenly felt goosebumps.


    Everyone including India''s soldiers saw countless dark swords appearing out of thin air above the sky. Their sharp blades were pointed towards the demi-humans'' army, scaring them out of their wits.


    This kind of thing would only appear on their nightmares, but now, it was laid before their eyes in full display. The swords above the sky were entirely black in color and their sharp points gleamed with malice.


    Millions of dark elemental swords were hovering in midair like a cluster of thick cumulus clouds that were about to drop large globs of rainwater. But in this case, it was a rain of sharp blades...


    Suddenly, a tranquil voice then reverberated on everyone''s ears when they were still processing the incomprehensible scene right before their very eyes.


    "Sword Rain..."


    When the words left Cale''s mouth, the swords above the sky dropped towards the stunned army of demi-humans. Millions of baleful swords impaled the aliens and their robots down below.


    "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"


    The demi-humans were not even able to escape. Tens of thousands of demi-humans died with their bodies impaled by sharp dark elemental swords. They were not even able to utter cries of despair before their bodies were impaled by the swords like porcupines. Purple blood flooded the capital city of India. Metal scraps from the fallen fighters drones and robots can be also be found everywhere.


    India''s elite soldiers were horrified at the scene. Just a few moments ago, that large army of demi-humans was threatening to destroy their capital city, but now, their figures were barely recognizable with all those holes on their bodies.


    The attack that Cale made earlier was something he never thought he was capable of doing. In fact, it was close to impossible for any Saint-Class level fighters on doing that. Cale was only able to make that attack because of the remaining elemental essence from the Superior Elemental Essence Bundle that he had consumed earlier. But even with that, Cale still felt that all the stored elemental essence inside his body was almost used up.


    Cale then swept his unperturbed gaze towards the local soldiers of India. They were taken aback and waited for the mysterious man to speak.


    "My soldiers will be here in a few hours'' time. They will help your people in evacuating trapped civilians. For now, tend to your injured comrades..." Cale spoke before he turned his gaze towards a nearby dilapidated building. His lips curved slightly as he flew towards the building.


    "Did you really think that I would forget about you? Oh, my dear friend... Vanquisher... It has been quite some time since we last met..." Cale muttered to himself after chuckling softly.


    Meanwhile... Behind the dilapidated building, a tall fighter robot was doing its best to hide from Cale. But how could he escape the detection of a Saint-Class level fighter? Besides, he would have died already if not for Cale making him stay alive for a little bit longer. Cale intentionally avoided hitting the direction of ''The Vanquisher'' earlier since he still wanted to settle the grudge that was worth two lives.


    The scene of dying in front of this behemoth was still vivid in Cale''s memory. He would have lived longer in his past life if not for that metalloid. He wondered, what could have happened if he did not die during that mission on saving Major Murphey? Perhaps humanity would be able to turn the tides of war after getting the flash drive which contains the demi-humans secret... Or the outcome would still be the same... Death...


    Cale shook his head and removed his stray thoughts. He then brandished the sword in his hand nonchalantly which cut the building in half, exposing a tall robot hiding behind it.


    "We meet again..." Cale smiled while glancing at ''The Vanquisher''. His calm eyes sent chills on the robot''s pilot. He felt his knees shake uncontrollably after seeing the building that he was hiding being cut in half like it was just a sausage cut by a kitchen knife.


    Cale calmly walks towards the fighter robot. His steps were neither fast nor slow, but it appeared to be more than several years in the eyes of the robot''s pilot. He was covered in cold sweat, and he could not even move his fingers anymore. Even if he could, would he be able to damage the monster in front of him? Definitely not...


    Cale wanted the pilot to experience the same tormenting scene that he had experienced under the robot''s cruel mental torture in his past life.


    He then swiped his Saint sword four times.


    "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"


    Four metallic limbs were removed out of the robot''s body. The Z-Steel metal might be one of the hardest metals that Cale ever knew, but in front of his Void Immortal Sword, it was like a thin candle that can easily be cut.


    "Crash!"


    The huge limbless body of the robot dropped on the ground with a loud crashing sound. The cockpit of the robot which was behind its neck suddenly opened slowly. A tall figure in full bionic armor came out of the cockpit. Cale could not see his expression because he was wearing a helmet, but he can see the demi-human''s trembling body.


    Cale arrived in front of the demi-human in a blink of an eye and he instantly clutched the demi-human''s neck tightly while raising him slowly from the ground. The demi-human swayed his feet while clutching the arm that held him tightly, but his resistance was futile. The arm that was holding him did not even budge nor move.


    "Cale, you could turn him into a slave. He would be a valuable asset." Asteria''s child-like voice traveled inside Cale''s head.


    Cale frowned and twitched his lips before he replied.


    "What do you mean about this guy being a valuable asset?"


    "You currently don''t have elite pilots among your people. It should be a good idea to take him under your wings and let him train some of your people to pilot the fighter robots that the dwarven blacksmiths are making. But of course, this is merely a suggestion. You could buy the skill, but it will cost you a lot of Black Coins. The decision is yours to make, Cale." Asteria spoke aloofly.


    Cale glanced at the demi-human and sighed weakly before releasing his tight hold on him.

 Chapter 122 - Ailah

    The demi-human breathes heavily while clutching his chest tightly. He then glanced at Cale, but his expression was unknown because his facial features were covered by his helmet.


    Cale stared back at the demi-human calmly. He may not be able to see the latter''s expression, but he could sense the feeling of fear on him.


    "Asteria, do it now." He spoke without removing his gaze on the demi-human.


    A figure suddenly appeared in between Cale and the demi-human which surprised the latter. The alien then saw the little fairy flick her hands which produced a bright orb of light that traveled slowly towards him.


    The demi-human did not resist, he knew that any form of resistance was futile with Cale observing his every move. The orb of light penetrated effortlessly inside his head. He then felt his gaze softening when he look at Cale as if he had finally found his long lost family member.


    "Cale, it''s done. The demi-human is now one of your slaves." Asteria spoke calmly and disappeared from the scene again, but she was still visible from Cale''s point of view.


    Cale nodded his head solemnly. He then stared at his new slave sitting on the ground while looking at him.


    The demi-humans were known for their tall and strong bodies. Their skin was also pale blue with sharp and pointed ears. But the demi-human in front of him was two heads shorter than all the other demi-humans. Nevertheless, he was still tall and stood five feet and eleven inches tall. Just a few inches shorter than Cale. His physique was also thinner in comparison to his fellow Avrans.


    "Remove your armor..." Cale was a bit annoyed that he can''t see the expression of the demi-human. So he asked the latter to take off his armor, but he did not move and only continued to stare curiously at Cale.


    "Cale, he could not understand the human language. I recommend buying the Avran Language book. This is cheap, just about a hundred thousand Black Coins. Do you wish to purchase it?" Asteria asked nonchalantly.


    Cale nodded his head and answered while face-palming himself.


    "Yes, Asteria. Buy it for me."


    - Ding!


    - You received the Avran Language!


    A book-shaped light hovered in front of Cale and penetrated inside his head. He felt a stinging sensation inside his head for a brief second before it vanished. A series of information suddenly invaded his mind, but with his strengthened Saintly body, it was not that uncomfortable.


    ''This is interesting...'' He thought to himself while checking the information that assimilated inside his head. He then spoke towards the demi-human for the second time.


    "Remove your armor..."


    The Avran pilot stood up after hearing Cale''s command. He then removed his helmet which revealed a pale blue face, perfectly beautiful facial features, and long silver hair. The demi-human was actually a woman! And she was fairly young and stunning as well.


    She then removed her armor slowly. She was actually not wearing anything under that bionic armor! Her shapely body was in full display in front of Cale. She looked embarrassed, but she bit her dark blue lips while peeking at Cale''s reaction.


    Cale''s eyes flashed a trace of surprise. To think that the one who caused his death during his past life was actually a young Avran woman.


    Her face had dark blue freckles, but it did not negatively impact her beauty. Instead, it made her look even more beautiful. Cale was speechless and avoided glancing at her erroneous regions. He then gave her the standard military clothing of Earth Alliance.


    "From now on, you will be one of my own people..." Cale could not remove his habit of patting a woman''s head. He rubbed her head gently after giving her the uniform.


    "Wear it before someone would see you standing naked there. And... tell me your name."


    She glanced at Cale with a sweet and innocent smile before she spoke.


    "My lord, I am called Ailah, the only daughter of Saint Commander Faramis."


    Cale was surprised, but he still nodded his head while ignoring her naked body. "Wear the uniform now. You will meet a fellow Avran in a short while to discuss a plan with me."


    She was curious about who Cale was talking about, but she held in her curiosity and just wore her uniform.


    After she was done wearing her military uniform. Cale embraced her body tightly from behind before flapping his wings. When Ailah felt Cale''s warm arms wrapping on her body, she felt a slight jolt. She could not help but blush. It was the first time that a man held her intimately aside from her father.


    It was quite a strange feeling. She saw Cale mercilessly slaughtering her people, but she did not feel any ounce of anger towards him. All she felt was endless respect and reverence. It was even greater than her worship towards her father, the Saint Commander of the Avran race.


    After flying for over an hour, they arrived in Beijing, China. Above the sky, they saw a demi-human hovering in midair while glancing at the humans down below. When he felt Cale''s aura, he turned towards his direction. He then saw his beloved daughter wrapped tightly in Cale''s embrace. He sighed in relief after knowing that his daughter was safe.


    "Father! Father!" Ailah excitedly shouted when she saw her father. Faramis was also excited, but he controlled himself. After becoming Cale''s slave, he felt his personality changing. He also felt a sense of worship and respect for Cale.


    ''To think that I unintentionally spared a father and daughter pair. What a coincidence...'' Cale thought to himself.


    "Faramis, you go down with me. We will discuss a few things related to your remaining people..." Faramis felt his chest tighten after hearing Cale''s words, but he still nodded his head solemnly.


    "Yes, my lord."


    They slowly descended and landed on top of a building. Cale then released Ailah from his embrace. The latter ran towards her father and hugged him tightly.


    "Father..." Faramis held his tears from falling after he heard his daughter''s emotional voice, but he still hugged his daughter back.


    "Don''t worry, father is still alive."


    "Sorry to interrupt your reunion, but I have pressing matters to discuss with the both of you regarding the lives of your fellow Avran people." Cale''s words were like a bucket of cold water. The father and daughter pair then glanced at Cale respectfully.


    "I will allow your people to live, but with one condition," Cale spoke emotionlessly while staring at the two Avrans.


    "My lord, we will do anything as long as you spare our people''s lives." Faramis bowed respectfully. Ailah did the same and also bowed her head.


    "From now on, your people and their future descendants will serve as Earth Alliance''s guardians..." Cale replied, unperturbed. But he was excited at the thought of getting several hundred thousand Avran elite soldiers for free.


    Faramis thought that it was something difficult and he was relieved that Cale only wanted them to be the guardians of his force. He had already planned to do that after becoming Cale''s subordinate. So he had no problems with his people becoming the guardians of Earth Alliance.


    "As you say, my lord. I, Faramis, the commander of the Avran race, swears that from now on, my people will be the guardians of Earth Alliance."


    Faramis was sure that he can convince his people. Aside from that, he also felt that Cale will one day ascend towards their world and even to the greater worlds. Such a man was destined to ascend the greater realms.


    Cale nodded his head in satisfaction.


    "Now, go get all your people to retreat and tell them about our discussion."


    Faramis bowed once again and pulled his daughter who was standing there like a statue.


    Cale stared at their disappearing back figures with a faint smile.


    "Now, I feel less worried about leaving Earth. But for now, I should stabilize everything here first before going to the planet, Shura." He muttered to himself before taking out his radio communicator. He then told his men to spare the remaining demi-humans.


    * * *


    After one week, Faramis managed to convince his people. And Earth also returned to its peaceful state. Although many countries were still recovering from the damage done in their lands, everyone was doing good since the Earth Alliance provided everyone with medical and other forms of support.


    In another month, everyone was still busy repairing all the damages done on their lands. All the other countries also joined the Earth Alliance and supported each other in the rehabilitation process of their planet. They had also learned to accept that they were not the only ones living in the vast galaxy. And that there were infinite possibilities out there.


    They were like ants trapped in a sandbox, unable to explore the garden outside.


    They also realized that conflicts would only bring harm on their planet, thus everyone learned to accept Cale''s Earth Alliance as the one true ruler of the planet. Aside from his strength and charisma, he was also in command of a huge military force with a strength that could rival the entire planet.


    The name ''Wolf King'' was spoken by everyone in the whole world. But no one knew who he really was. Of course, excluding Cale''s trusted subordinates. But aside from them, there were only two people who know who really was, Sima Ying and Sima Fenglun. But the two were tightly lipped regarding that matter and they did not want to betray Cale.


    Cale, on the other hand, enjoyed the past few weeks with Sima Ying and the other ladies. But then again, most of his time was spent with his lover in two lives, Sima Ying.


    Cale felt guilty for not spending much time with her during the past few years, so he decided to make up for everything before he leaves Earth.

 Chapter 123 - Planet Shura

    Following the defeat of the Avrans, it was peaceful on Earth once again. But the aftermath of the recent war was still visible in some countries. Nevertheless, everyone was looking forward to the future.


    Because of the war, people realized how important strength was. The knowledge regarding origin essence was publicized by Earth Alliance. And people who wanted to train their martial arts under the Tyrannical Tower will be allowed to train for free, as long as they serve Tyrannical Tower''s military for five years. After finishing that five years of service, they had the option to continue as full-time soldiers.


    With regard to that, many of the poor populace were interested. They came in droves after hearing about the news.


    On the other hand, the rich decided to send their younger generation to the Earth Alliance Academy to study. They have heard of the academy''s first batch of students. Their top section, in particular, graduated with all of them breaking through towards the King-Class level. Thus, many tried their best during the entrance examination. But of course, only the best of the best were chosen for the S-Class section.


    * * *


    "My lord, Viscount Geisler gave me fifty years to occupy this planet. And by that time, he will come here to release all his lesser demons and to make this planet as one of his breeding grounds. He had long since planned to forcefully breed humans and make Earth as a food manufacturing planet..." Faramis spoke while avoiding Cale''s gaze. He was the leading figure sent by Geisler to occupy Earth.


    He had even killed a lot of humans within the past few years before he had become Cale''s subordinate. So he was afraid of making Cale recall his dark past.


    Cale sat solemnly on his seat while frowning heavily. He appeared to be in deep thought, thus, Faramis just silently waited for him.


    ''Fifty years... So that was why I haven''t seen any demons in my past life. It was in the year 2050 when I died, but no demons were there. The Avrans appeared on Earth three years ago, 2020. So calculating that... I still have more than forty-five years before they come on Earth. All I have to do is kill them before that time...'' Cale''s eyes flashed a trace of killing intent, but he instantly hid it.


    But Faramis, who also a Saint felt that dreadful aura. He felt his palms sweating after sensing that faint killing intent.


    "Faramis, your daughter Ailah will stay on this planet to teach our pilots..." Faramis sighed in relief after hearing that. He feared that Cale would bring his daughter with him towards the planet Shura. If she stays here, then her safety would be guaranteed.


    "As for you... You will also remain on this planet..." Cale calmly spoke while tapping his fingers on the table.


    "But my lord... Who would accompany you on that planet? You haven''t seen the cruelty of that place." Faramis was taken aback and he could not help but raise his voice slightly.


    Cale swept his indifferent glance on Faramis which made the latter shut his mouth.


    "Your identity will spell trouble for us once we are discovered. So the only option left for you is to stay here and guard Earth. Can you do this, Faramis?"


    Faramis swallowed back the words at the tip of his tongue when he saw Cale''s calm gaze. He sighed weakly and nodded his head.


    "As you wish, my lord. I will make sure that Earth will be safe during your absence."


    Cale nodded in approval and he did not bother questioning Faramis'' loyalty. Asteria had long already told him that once someone was taken as ''The Black Market''s slave, then they will never be able to disobey, unless Cale died. In case that happens, he already had a backup plan, but of course, Cale was not that foolish to have himself killed.


    * * *


    A year later, many events happened.


    The Marchand Family was eradicated by the tower''s soldiers including their patriarch, Clement Marchand.


    The Earth Alliance Academy also taught its new batch of students. Although they were not as good as the first batch, they were still the cream of the crop in the whole world.


    Ailah also taught the tower''s robot pilots how to effectively control their fighter robots. She might be young and naive, but her strength was the real deal.


    Some of Cale''s subordinates had also broken through the Saint-Class level. Of course, Cale had something to do with their fast breakthrough. He had provided them with ample cultivation resources, that accelerated their cultivation speed. They were Vishnu, Atlas, Brogen, Zero, Zarinvienne, Nocturna and also the old doctor.


    Cale ordered Vishnu to remain as Tyrannical Tower''s guardian, while the old doctor as the academy''s guardian. The rest will come with him on Shura to start their plans.


    Before he left Earth, he spent almost all of his time with Sima Ying. They traveled around Earth for almost a year. Cale knew that it was a waste of time, but it was the only thing he could do to make her happy before finally leaving his birth planet.


    * * *


    On the day of Cale''s departure, he called all of his trusted subordinates to come before he leaves with the others.


    Cale who was wearing his wolf mask, calmly swept his gaze on everyone before he stopped his glance on one person.


    "Trevor, step up." Wolf King spoke, unperturbed. But some of them felt a hint of encouragement within that indifferent voice.


    Trevor pointed to himself with a surprised expression before walking towards Wolf King nervously.


    ''Did I do something wrong?''


    When Trevor was already in front of him, Wolf King then patted his should with a faint smile on his face.


    "Everyone, listen. From now on, Trevor will be the new head of the Earth Alliance. All of you must follow his orders the same way you follow mine. Does someone oppose me appointing Trevor as the new Alliance Head?"


    Trevor''s mouth gaped in shock. He could not believe that Wolf King was actually appointing him as the new head of the Alliance. There were many people who were more than capable than him, so he was surprised by Wolf King''s choice.


    Everyone was also surprised. They thought that Wolf King will choose someone like Sima Ying''s father or someone from the older generation. But they never would have thought that Wolf King will choose a professor from the academy, someone from the P-Class section at that.


    Some of the world leaders and patriarchs of the big clans wanted to oppose, but after seeing Wolf King''s smile, they held themselves back. They only shook their heads and sighed regretfully.


    Cale nodded his head after seeing that no one disagreed with Trevor''s promotion.


    "Good! Of course, I had a specific reason why I chose Trevor as the new head, as for what it is... No one is qualified to know." Everyone was speechless when they heard that, but they did not dare say any words of protest. Wolf King was already like a god in their eyes.


    "Right buddy?" Wolf King whispered silently while patting Trevor''s back.


    "Buddy? You... You..." Trevor''s jaw almost dropped on the ground after seeing Wolf King winking at him playfully.


    ''That cheeky look, I could never be wrong... What the fuck? Cale is Wolf King?'' Trevor almost had a heart attack after realizing Cale''s hint.


    Wolf King''s Void Wolf Immortal Wings suddenly emerged on his back. He then flapped the dark ever-burning wings slowly.


    His peerless figure hovered above the people of Alliance. Five other figures followed after him and flew away from their sights. The members of the Alliance stood there and silently watch them disappear from the sky.


    "They''re gone..." Trevor muttered silently while clenching his fist.


    ''Don''t worry buddy. I won''t disappoint you..'' Trevor promised...


    * * *


    "Asteria, are you sure this will work?" Cale spoke telepathically.


    "Are you doubting the words of a Universal Law Fragment?" Asteria''s voice contained a bit of annoyance as she rebuked Cale.


    "No no no... Not at all. I''m merely trying to make sure that everything will be fine." Cale forced a smile while glancing at the small fairy who was sitting on his shoulder.


    Asteria remained silent, but she was pouting her small lips while ignoring Cale.


    "My lord, we''re here..." Brogen''s voice resounded beside Cale''s ears. The latter then glanced at the ten feet tall gate hovering in midair. Its appearance was holy and lofty as if it was a gate towards the heavenly realms.


    "So this is the World Gate that you made, Asteria?" Cale felt the overwhelming aura produced by the gate. His subordinates also felt the suffocating atmosphere around the gate.


    ''I spent all my remaining Black Coins on this. I would really cry if this won''t work.'' Cale thought to himself. His heart bled so much after Asteria demanded an exorbitant price for making the gate


    "I can hear you, Cale. You... How dare you question me, Asteria?! Hmph!" Asteria harrumphed angrily.


    Cale scratched the back of his head while moving towards the World Gate.


    "So what do I do, Asteria?" Cale asked while observing the archaic carvings on the gate. He was fascinated by the intricate patterns and he could not even decipher anything on it.


    "Don''t waste your time. This is not the same as that lousy Immortal-Class treasure that the demons used, but an authentic Go-" Asteria turned silent after that.


    "Pour your elemental essence on the gate to activate it." Asteria did not give Cale the time to ask her about what she had just said.


    Cale knew that if Asteria does not want to speak then no matter how much he pleads, she will still not speak.


    "Everyone, pour your elemental essence on the World Gate."


    Cale asked for Asteria''s help on making the World Gate. They can easily use the gate that Faramis and the Avrans used, but if they did that, then they will be teleported inside the demon''s territory.


    Cale and his subordinates poured almost all of their elemental essence on the gate. And finally, after more than thirty minutes, the space at the center of the gate rippled and a crimson world can be seen.


    "Hurry, all of you get inside first!" Cale shouted while using both hands to pour his elemental essence. He gritted his teeth while his subordinates jump inside the gate without objection. He then followed after seeing that all of them had gone inside the gate.


    Meanwhile, on planet Shura. A ten meters wide space opened above the sky and several silhouettes came out of it. Their bodies fell down from the sky, but they hurriedly used their remaining elemental essence to stabilize themselves in midair.


    The space behind them then slowly closed.


    Cale flapped his wings and glanced at the reddish sky with a faint smile.


    "Planet Shura, I, Cale has arrived."

 Chapter 124 - Bandits

    Cale and his subordinates descended slowly. They scrutinized their surroundings and felt that the origin and elemental essence was much thicker on this planet than on Earth. The gravity here was also twice as strong, but it did not bother them much.


    "What thick origin essence! There should be a lot of strong beings living here on this planet..." Atlas spoke in amazement after sensing the thick amount of origin and elemental essence in the air. The others nodded in agreement, but there was no fear in their eyes at the mention of strong beings.


    "For now, we should search for the nearest town. Faramis told me that there is a human empire here, but it will take longer for us to arrive on that empire." Cale took out a metallic ball from his storage space. He clicked the bulging part of the ball and a holographic map was projected in front of him.


    In this world, only the Avran race used advanced weaponry to fight, while the rest used cold weapons. The advanced weaponry of the Avrans was only effective for enemies who were below the Saint-Class level. Once they fight someone who was a Saint, it was the time they use cold weapons.


    Their cold weapons were not ordinary. Engraved on their weapons are array carvings which will enhance its strength. But there were only a few array masters on Shura, thus, a piece of Saint-Class equipment which was inscribed by an array master will surely cause a bloody war.


    Aside from that, there were also savage beasts living on the planet. There were even some Saint-Class level beasts and a few known Immortal-Class level beasts. Once a beast achieves sainthood, they had the ability to transform themselves as humans, but their beastly auras were difficult to mask.


    Cale bought enough Divine-Class level set equipment for him and his men. It was much cheaper than a Saint-Class level set equipment. Also, he did not want to show his Saint-Class level set equipment or he will look like a pile of walking treasure in everyone''s eyes.


    "This is the nearest town, and it is governed by the beastman race. There are also several other races living inside the town. As for demons... There are some, but not high-level ones. Saints can be considered as one of the strongest here on this planet, so there should be no problem once we go inside. Let''s go." Cale spoke while reading the information on the town by clicking the holographic image of Manu Town. Rows of Avran texts can be seen, describing the town.


    Everyone draped themselves with the black robes that Cale provided them. Although there was a strong human empire on this planet, a lot of humans still experience the contemptuous glances of the other races due to their bodies being much weaker than the rest.


    The black robe covered all parts of their bodies. Their facial features were covered by masks, of course, Cale was still wearing his wolf mask.


    They chose to walk since they had consumed a lot of their elemental essence. And while they were walking, Zero suddenly talk with Cale telepathically.


    "My lord, do you want me to kill them?"


    Cale did not reply telepathically, but he spoke calmly.


    "Leave one alive..."


    The others heard his voice, but they were not surprised. They had long since felt that a few people were following them, but they chose to ignore them since they were merely Emperor-Class level fighters.


    Emperor-Class level fighters were already considered as the top on Earth, but they were merely the dregs here on Shura.


    Zero vanished from his spot and he reappeared behind the group that was following them.


    Zero felt the killing intent that this group of bandits released when they looked at them. He knew that their goal was to murder them and steal their stuff. But the bandits never knew that everyone from the group that they had planned to attack were actually Saints.


    Zero brandished his two knives as if he was painting a beautiful image. His movements were as calm as the floating clouds and flowing of the river. The scenery was dyed red as the heads of the bandits were detached from their bodies. Blood gushed out from their headless corpses like a torrent. But no blood can be seen on Zero''s body. His long black robe was untainted and there seemed to be an invisible force blocking the buckets of blood from tainting his robe.


    The remaining bandit did not even realize what had happened to his comrades. It was only when their heads rolled on the ground and when the blood of his comrades drenched his entire body that he turned his head around.


    What he saw was an individual draped in a long black robe. The individual''s mask was facing his direction. His comrades'' headless bodies dropped on the ground. Blood gushed out ceaselessly from their necks. His face turned ashen white and he felt his legs turned into jelly.


    ''Who did we choose to offend this time?'' The bandit thought to himself with remorse and regret.


    He then felt a strong force gripping his neck tightly. He kept on thrashing his body, but he could not escape the grasp. He just glanced fearfully at the masked man while holding the arm that was clutching his neck. He then felt himself hovering in midair.


    ''Flight? Fuck... This man is a Saint!'' The bandit thought in fear while he was being carried by Zero towards Cale and the others.


    The ability to fly was something that only Saints were capable of doing. Of course with the exception of the birdman race and a few other winged races.


    Zero then released his grip on the man''s neck. The bandit coughed roughly as if he had tuberculosis. He then swept his scared gaze towards the group of people draped in black robes.


    His group thought that they had seen a group of fat sheep, but they never knew that what they saw was actually a group of mysterious monsters.


    "Sires, please spare my life! I will do anything as long as you let me live!" Tears and snot can be seen on the beastman bandit as he knelt on the ground.


    "Who is the strongest person in Manu Town?" Cale asked calmly while ignoring the pitiful look of the beastman.


    "Its... Every...Everyone knew that...that it is Lord Alucard. He is a human who wields a... a demonic sword. He''s also an Adamantine-Rank mercenary from the Heavenly Wind Empire, the strongest human empire on Shura." The bandit spoke fearfully. He felt like his soul was leaving his body the more he spoke.


    "This Alucard... What''s his cultivation realm? And what is this Adamantine-Rank mercenary?" Cale asked emotionlessly. He was not told by Faramis about the mercenaries'' rankings. So he did not want to miss any information about them.


    The beastman bandit looked at Cale weirdly while thinking to himself.


    ''These people might have come from afar if he does not even know anything about the Mercenary Guild.''


    "Sire, in the Mercenary Guild, all the mercenaries were ranked according to their achievements and strengths. Their ranking will be Wood-Rank, Bronze-Rank, Silver-Rank, Gold-Rank, Diamond-Rank, Platinum-Rank, and lastly, the Adamantine-Rank. As for Lord Alucard, he is one of the strongest Saint-Class level fighter who wields a Saint-Class demonic sword." There was admiration in the bandit''s tone when he described Alucard.


    In Shura, the one with the strongest fist will rule, while the weak can only remain as cannon fodder. Although most humans were bullied on a daily basis, there were also some humans that were admired by many. One example was the Adamantine-Rank mercenary, Alucard.


    He was one of the twenty-five Adamantine-Rank mercenaries and a higher ranked one at that. He was rank eleventh among all the mercenaries of the Mercenary Guild. Thus, many admired him on Shura.


    To become an Adamantine-Rank mercenary, one should defeat someone from the twenty-five Adamantine-Rank mercenaries of the guild. But of course, it was not that easy to gain the chance to fight them. They would still be monitored closely by the Mercenary Guild.


    So anyone who was an Adamantine-Rank mercenary was never weak, how much more Alucard who was rank eleventh among the twenty-five.


    There where also rumors that the top ten mercenaries were all Immortal-Class level fighters...


    "Interesting..." Cale muttered softly to himself before walking straight to Manu Town. He did not even bother glancing at the beastman bandit. Although leaving him alive would most likely be troublesome, but it was also part of his plans. Their arrival would slowly spread within Manu Town. He also made a slight modification on his plans after hearing the bandit''s words.


    He planned to meet this Alucard and speak with him about the Mercenary Guild. Cale could not defeat the demons alone. He had to have a force who was willing to fight for him. And for that to happen, he needs to gain a reputation within Shura. His plan was for him and his subordinates to become an Adamantine-Rank mercenary!


    They walk towards the Manu Town, leaving the stunned beastman bandit kneeling on the ground. Even after seeing that Cale and his group were already far, he did not dare stand up. He only stood up after no longer seeing their back figures.


    "Looks like the Manu Town will be quite lively with the arrival of this mysterious group. All of them are most likely Saints, but who are they?" The bandit was curious about the identities of the robed individuals, but he was also fearful of them.

 Chapter 125 - News About the Expedition

    The night has fallen when Cale and his subordinates arrived inside Manu Town. The security inside the town was quite strict and Cale''s group was even thoroughly checked by gate guards. The good thing was that they were allowed to go inside without any problem.


    Hanging in the sky were three partially full moons emitting chilling beams of light as if covering Shura with a thin gossamer veil.


    Under the forbidding moonlight, the bleak atmosphere of the planet turned even more dreary. There were only a few people moving about outside their homes, and most of them were people with a stronger cultivation level.


    Murder was a normal thing during the night inside the town. This was what the gate guards told Cale and his group. But Cale and the others ignored the warning.


    "Asteria, can you tell me how many Saints are inside this town?" Cale spoke telepathically.


    "Why would I tell you? Hmph!" Asteria pouted her lips, but she still hovered in midair. She then scanned the entire town with her beautiful eyes before going down towards Cale.


    Cale waited for her to talk while allowing her to sit on his shoulder.


    "There are three Saints inside this town. Among the three, one is close to breaking through towards the Immortal-Class level..."


    Cale nodded his head while patting the small head of Asteria with his index finger. The latter''s eyes turned bright, but Cale was focused on his own thoughts to see her expression.


    "Let''s find a place to stay first."


    Cale and his group saw an inn after walking for a little more than thirty minutes. After stepping inside the inn, they saw that the inn''s dining hall was densely packed with people.


    "I heard that Lord Alucard and two other Adamantine-Rank mercenaries are here for a high-level mission."


    "What kind of mission could it be? To think that it needs three Adamantine-Rank mercenaries to band together!"


    "Haven''t you heard about the Goblin Army up north? I heard from the guards that tens of thousands of goblins are preparing to invade this town. Three Saint-Class level Goblin General were even found by the Mercenary Guild. And because there are a lot of humans in this town, the emperor of Celestial Sword Empire requested this mission to be done by the high-rank mercenaries of the Mercenary Guild."


    "Then aren''t we gonna die once they fail their mission?"


    "Are you nuts? Do you think someone like Lord Alucard would fail this mission? And besides, he is not alone this time. Two more Adamantine-Rank mercenaries are with him."


    Cale felt that this news was quite interesting. So that was why the security was tight at the town entrance.


    Cale walked towards the two humans who were talking about the goblin army. He then took out a piece of glittering gold coin inside his storage space. This was something that Faramis gave Cale. The former does not have any more use for his coins, so he gave all of them to Cale.


    The currency of Shura was by coins. One thousand copper coins were equivalent to one silver coin. One thousand silver coins were equivalent to one gold coin, and one thousand gold coins were equivalent to one diamond coin.


    Cale placed the glittering gold coin on the table which attracted the attention of the two men who were talking animatedly. They glanced at the robed person who placed the gold coin on their table. He gave off a feeling of mystery and profound air.


    "I want to hear more about this goblin army expedition. If I deem your information satisfactory, then I don''t mind giving you more rewards." Cale spoke in a hoarse voice while sitting on an empty chair.


    The two men''s eyes brightened after hearing his words. The information was something that they had only heard from the guards, so they did not mind telling Cale about it.


    They spoke about what they had heard from around the town in hopes that Cale would reward them with more money for their information.


    According to the two men, the three Adamantine-Rank mercenaries sent by the Mercenary Guild would hire several hundred men from Manu Town to come with them for the mission. The hiring would start tomorrow morning, and the expedition will start after hiring the appropriate amount of men from Manu Town.


    The two men also said that the ones who will join the expedition will receive fifty gold coins after accomplishing the mission. Thus, many vagabonds were interested in the goblin army mission tomorrow.


    "Sire, I also heard that after the three Adamantine-Rank mercenaries accomplish the mission, they will bring the able-bodied humans from inside the town towards the Celestial Sword Empire. As for why this is so, I have no idea..."


    Cale took out another five gold coins and placed it on the table before he stood up from his seat.


    "Thanks for the information..." He then walked towards his subordinates who were waiting patiently for him.


    "My lord, there are only two vacant rooms. So you will stay with us... As for these stinking men... They will stay together in the other room." Zarinvienne stuck her tongue out towards Brogen and the others.


    Cale smacked the back of her head lightly which made the rest of them burst into peals of laughter.


    "Let''s go and rest for now. Tomorrow, we will check this goblin army expedition." Cale spoke calmly, but his lips curled up to form a faint smile.


    The two ladies then pulled him towards their room, leaving the three men to think of what scenarios might happen inside their room.


    Zero slapped their backs which surprised Atlas and Brogen.


    "I know what the two of you are thinking. But his lordship is not that kind of man... Hopefully..." Zero was not even sure of his own words which made both Brogen and Atlas chuckle softly.


    They then went inside their rooms. All of them had expended a lot of their elemental essence. Thus, they badly needed a night of good sleep.


    Inside Cale''s room. He took off his robes and his wolf mask. His long black hair cascaded elegantly. The cold moonlight reflected a beautiful sheen on his ink black hair. The two ladies were mesmerized by his elegance, but Cale turned a blind eye to their expressions.


    "I will sleep on the floor. Make sure to have a good sleep. Tomorrow, we will join those mercenaries on their expedition." Cale smiled faintly while taking out a foam from his storage space.


    Zarinvienne''s and Nocturna''s faces fell. How could they allow their lordship to sleep on the floor while they sleep comfortably on the bed?  Absolutely not...


    "My lord, I won''t be able to sleep knowing that you will only sleep here on the floor." Zarinvienne puffed her cheeks while Nocturna nodder her head in agreement.


    "The bed is quite big, so it should not be a problem for three people to sleep together," Nocturna spoke softly.


    Cale sighed after seeing the expressions of both women.


    "Fine, but just for today."


    Both women nodded their heads excitedly before pulling him towards the bed. They placed him at the center, while they were on both his sides. They then snuggled happily on his arms while closing their eyes with smiles on their peerless faces.


    Cale smiled gently and closed his eyes while absorbing the elemental essence around them. He had also consumed a lot of his energy in order to open the World Gate. He knew for sure that they needed to be in their full strength tomorrow. So he did not waste his time and just cultivated.


    Cale felt the warm breaths of the ladies. They were both tightly clutching his arms, afraid that he will escape.


    Since he could not escape, he just continued to silently cultivate. Saints really did not need much sleep anymore, unless they had expended a lot of their elemental essence.


    After breaking through to the Saint realm, one''s body and soul will undergo a drastic change. Their physical body will be strengthened, prolonging their life span for more than thousands of years. Their soul will also be cleansed by the elemental essence, making it more powerful.


    Cale felt that he had reached his peak state after cultivating for a few hours. He opened his eyes and saw that both women were staring at him with gazes filled with longing. He sat up and patted their heads gently. He was not that dense to not know their feelings for him, but he wasn''t ready to open his heart for more women. And besides, he was thinking that maybe they were only like that because of ''The Black Market''s'' interference. He didn''t want to take advantage of that fact, Cale wanted a genuine feeling from both of them.


    "Cale, I didn''t know that you are very foolish with regards to love. You are almost perfect in other things, but you are a complete noob in this department... I already told you that ''The Black Market'' will only make them rever you, not love you... Ayy... Cale... You disappoint me..." Asteria spoke inside his head with a faint mocking tone.


    Cale''s eyes flashed for a moment as if a heavy boulder has been lifted off his back.


    What Asteria told him was true. Then as long as Sima Ying was fine with it, he didn''t mind accepting both Zarinvienne and Nocturna. Besides, he also liked both of them.


    "It''s time to get up, ladies. The hiring will start any time soon." Cale spoke gently while glancing at Zarinvienne and Nocturna tenderly.


    He then stepped out of the bed with an eager expression.


    ''Our journey on Shura will now begin...'' Cale thought to himself while draping himself with his long black robe. He took out his wolf mask from his storage space and wore it to cover his devilishly handsome face.

 Chapter 126 - Flashy Introduction

    Cale went out of their room and saw that the three men were already outside. They were already draped in their long black robes, but Cale knew that they kept on looking at him weirdly. Cale just chose to ignore them and stepped out of the inn.


    "Let''s go," Cale spoke calmly, but there was a trace of excitement in his silver eyes. His subordinates smiled and followed behind their lord. They were also eager to explore this new world. Besides, it seemed that Cale had grand plans for them.


    Meanwhile, near Manu Town''s entrance. Hundreds of strong-looking men and women from different races were standing neatly in attention. They listened attentively to the man discussing the mission. He was a handsome middle-aged man with short blonde hair. A huge black sword was strapped behind his back. The sword emitted a baleful aura even though it was still sheathed.


    The man was Alucard, who was the top eleventh Adamantine-Rank mercenary of the Celestial Sword Empire. The sword behind his back was the infamous demonic sword that he used to take the lives of his enemies. It reeks the aura of death and demonic energy, but it was strangely subdued and meek whenever Alucard wields it.


    "Brothers and sisters, you are the ones brave enough to follow us on this expedition. You might have already heard of it, but I will say it one more time for those that didn''t know a thing.


    We will be fighting with thousands of goblins, and three Goblin Generals are leading this huge goblin army.


    I''m not sure about the presence of goblin shamans in that army, but the possibility is high.


    This mission is of utmost importance since this involves the safety of Manu Town. But if some of you wish to not join the expedition, then please step out..." Alucard swept his gaze on the warriors who had volunteered.


    Most of them were vagabonds who hunts for savage beasts to sell for money. They were already used to placing their lives on the line, so it was not a problem for them to join the expedition. Especially with three Adamantine-Rank mercenaries leading them. Thus, after hearing that Alucard was hiring adventurers to follow them, many vagabonds were tempted and immediately set off to apply.


    Vagabonds and adventurers were often mistaken as two the same sets of people. But there are a few things that are different about them.


    Vagabonds are wanderers that do all sorts of jobs as long as they were paid. They also prefer to travel from different places to another to search for wealth.


    On the other hand, adventurers hunt for savage beasts to exchange for money. They also settle in one place as their base, but they seek to travel on a regular basis.


    Hundreds of vagabonds and adventurers came to apply for the expedition. They all knew the dangers of the mission, but the fifty gold coins reward was truly too enticing for them to ignore.


    Alucard nodded his head after seeing that no one stepped out. He smiled faintly and spoke in a calm voice.


    "There are about nine hundred and fifty-four here with us to join the expedition. This number may be lacking compared to the several thousand goblin soldiers, but we are stronger than them! Victory will be..." Alucard paused his speech. Behind the hired adventurers and vagabonds were six silhouettes draped in long black robes. Their aura was masked, so he was unable to discern their strength. But he knew that someone who could hide their auras from him was definitely strong.


    One of the robed figures stepped forward. He then glanced at Alucard, but his facial features were hidden by a silver wolf mask.


    The figure wearing long back robe had a regal bearing and an air of profound mystery. His every action was full of elegance that could not be hidden as if it was deeply engraved in his bones.


    Alucard''s gaze turned sharp and serious as he scrutinized the man who was walking straight towards him. He adjusted his position slightly to prepare for an attack in case something untoward happens. The two Adamantine-Rank mercenaries behind him also held the handle of their weapons while staring solemnly at the robed man.


    "Ah, you guys are so stiff. My group only wanted to join you guys on this expedition. You can still add a few more people, right?" The masked figure spoke calmly, but Alucard and the two other mercenaries felt a sense of danger from the man.


    They had only felt this kind of sensation when facing stronger enemies that they were unsure of defeating.


    "Who are you?" Those were the words that came out of Alucard''s mouth after Cale spoke.


    Cale was taken aback and he could not help but laugh softly. He removed the hood of his robe which made his long silver hair cascade down elegantly. It fluttered gently when the wind blew past him.


    Cale''s lips curved up and he did a fist-palm salute to introduce himself.


    "Pardon my lack of courtesy. In our land, I was known by my people as Wolf King. And those guys are my subordinates."


    Alucard hurriedly returned the gesture and did a fist-palm salute. Coincidentally it was how the inhabitants of Shura show their respect to someone.


    When everyone heard that the silver-haired man called himself as Wolf King, they drew gasped of surprise.


    Only a few people received the ''King'' title. A few princes from the empires, or people who had been termed as such due to their overwhelming strength.


    But they were unsure which of the two was the silver-haired man classified into. They never knew that it was merely Cale''s personal choice to be called as such.


    So after his introduction, everyone gaze at him respectfully. Even Alucard and the other two mercenaries were looking at him with respect.


    "Sire, my name is Alucard. That lovely mage there is Amelia. She is rank twenty-first in the Adamantine leaderboard." The mage Amelia blushed at Alucard''s introduction, but she still curtsied as a form of respect towards Cale.


    "This man here is Falkor, one of the best spearmen of our empire. He is rank fourteenth in the Adamantine leaderboard." Falkor did a fist-palm salute while glancing solemnly at Cale. The silver-haired man deserved his respect. Aside from his mysterious background, the man also had an indiscernible strength.


    Cale nodded at two Adamantine-Rank mercenaries behind Alucard while doing a fist-palm salute.


    "And to answer your question, I am more than happy to accept your group as part of this expedition." Alucard smiled at Cale.


    Cale then gestured towards his subordinates to come forward. They then removed the hoods of their robes. But their facial features were similarly covered by masks.


    Alucard and the others were curious about their identities, but they knew that it was not a good thing to ask. Especially because Cale''s group didn''t look weak at all.


    "That red-haired beauty is Zarinvienne, a Saint with demon blood." Zarinvienne curtsied elegantly after Cale''s introduction. Her fiery red hair fluttered along with the wind.


    "The one with snow-white hair is Nocturna, a Saint with an elven bloodline." Nocturna curtsied after the introduction.


    "The tallest among them is Brogen, also a Saint-Class level fighter." Brogen bowed slightly.


    "Next is the man with gray hair. His name is Atlas, a human who is also a Saint-Class level fighter." Atlas did a fist-palm salute.


    "Lastly, that guy with long black hair. His name is Zero, and he is also in the Saint realm." Zero calmly nodded his head.


    Everyone was taken aback. All of his subordinates were actually Saint-Class level fighters! Then just how strong is this Wolf King who was commanding these Saints?!


    Even Alucard was tongue-tied at Cale''s introduction.


    "When do we set off, sir Alucard?" Cale spoke calmly.


    Alucard removed the stunned look on his face and put on a serious facade.


    "We will set off immediately. We will finish the battle as soon as possible because we will be at a disadvantage during the night."


    "Sounds good. We will follow your lead, Alucard." Cale said generously while moving back to his group.


    Alucard did a fist-palm salute towards Cale before glancing at the crowd of vagabonds and adventurers.


    "Brothers and sisters, let''s go!"


    The one thousand strong party set off to search for the goblin army. It was still morning, so the were only a few savage beasts lurking.


    They stepped out of Manu Town and went towards the forested area right outside the town.


    Mosts savage beats prefer to hunt during the night. Their senses were sharper in darker environments and they could also hunt for prey more effectively. Using their enhanced senses and superior bodies, they catch their prey unprepared. Because of this, only a few vagabonds and adventurers hunt during the night.


    The group encountered a few stray savage beasts which were immediately taken down by the hired people. Alucard and Cale''s group did not even need to intervene.


    Most beasts also chose to stay away from them after seeing that their group was composed of strong people.


    Their morale was sky-high after effortlessly slaying beasts along their path. But Alucard and his companions were still scrutinizing their surroundings solemnly as if they were searching for something.


    "Zero, get those goblin scouts for me. I detect several presences up ahead hiding behind those bushes." Cale spoke emotionlessly while pointing at a certain location, but Alucard and the two other mercenaries were surprised. They did not feel any presence at all, but to think that Wolf King was able to sense something from this distance.


    Cale didn''t know what they were thinking, but even if he knew, he would not clarify anything. It was actually not him who had felt the presence of those goblin scouts, but Asteria.


    Her detection ability was even stronger than Cale''s.


    Zero bowed his head at Cale before he vanished from his spot. His speed was like the gust of wind, traceless and fast.


    Alucard became even more curious about the identities of these people.


    ''Just who are they?'' He thought to himself while peering through the distance that Cale pointed earlier.

 Chapter 127 - Collision of Two Armies

    Zero dashed towards the bushes that Cale pointed earlier. He believed that Cale was never wrong, so immediately left after he was ordered.


    After nearing on the bushes, he felt the presence of several creatures. He took out his two Divine level knives which gleamed coldly after reflecting the sun''s light. With his long black hair hanging loosely, it fluttered roughly along with the wind.


    Zero caught sight of four green creatures with savage facial features. They were quite tall with ripped physiques. In each of their hands were huge machetes made from beasts'' bones.


    They were not even able to sense Zero''s approach, and they only felt his presence after he was just a few meters away from them. They glared at the human while baring their sharp teeth. They raised their machetes in a bid to hack Zero into pieces.


    Zero calmly evaded their disordered attacks with a simple sidestep. Although their strength was surprising, their movements were stiff and full of holes. Zero who specialized in hitting the enemies'' vital points smiled coldly.


    These hobgoblins were merely at the Emperor-Class level. He used the handle of his knives to hit their temples in a swift and fluid motion. He looked like he was dancing a romantic contemporary dance as he hit them with the handle of his knives.


    Four faint thudding sounds resounded as the four hobgoblins dropped on the ground.


    Zero scratched the back of his head while glancing at the four unconscious hobgoblins.


    "I think I used a bit more strength. They are still alive, right?"


    Zero casually picked up a twig somewhere nearby and poke a hobgoblin''s face. He then heard the sounds of heavy footsteps approaching his direction.


    Alucard''s and Cale''s groups were the first ones to arrive. They saw Zero comically poking a hobgoblin''s face with a twig. His facial features were hidden by his mask, but he should be annoyed after making them go unconscious.


    Cale''s lips lifted upwards, while Alucard frowned heavily.


    "Why are they hobgoblins? There is a mistake in the report given. We should only be facing normal goblins, but based on this alone, it looks like the goblin army that we will be facing is much stronger than we thought. Hopefully, there are only three Goblin Generals like what was mentioned." Falkor observed the unconscious hobgoblins. They were all at the Emperor-Class level. They might be weaker than him who was at the Saint realm, but the overall strength of their party was more or less the same with the hobgoblins. But there were less than a thousand of them, while there were several thousand hobgoblins.


    Falkor stood up and spoke while facing Alucard.


    "Alucard, what do you think? Should we continue our advance or should we retreat?"


    Alucard was not a fool, but he also didn''t want their dignities to be sullied. He then glanced at Cale''s group and felt much better. They had six more Saints with them. It should not be a problem to fight against those hobgoblins. He gritted his teeth and replied in a firm tone of voice.


    "We have already marched far enough, and retreating is impossible. It will only bring discontent among the hired adventurers and vagabonds. Let''s continue our march, the hobgoblin army should be close by..." Alucard''s eyes contained a trace of killing intent.


    He had to accomplish this mission at all costs in order for him to receive the Immortality Pill which was the reward for this mission. With that pill, he will have a much higher chance of ascending towards the Immortal-Class level. Ans by then he could challenge that man who had tarnished his reputation.


    Falkor said no more, he knew that Alucard was right. He also knew the reason why the latter was so eager to complete this mission.


    "Let''s move!" Alucard shouted towards the whole group. Zero sighed in relief. He then slit the throats of the hobgoblins, his eyes emotionless.


    After walking for another hour, they finally caught sight of the goblin army, one thousand meters from their location. Similarly, the goblin army also saw their group. The two opposing armies stood solemnly while glaring at each other while gripping their weapons tightly.


    They were now on an empty plain with only grasses and shrubberies present, thus it was not too hard to see each other.


    The adventures and vagabonds glanced at the huge hobgoblin army just a kilometer away from them. Beads of sweat dropped on the ground as the warm rays of sunlight pierced their skins unceasingly.


    "Shielders, take the vanguard position!" Alucard shouted an order. Following his shout, several dozen buff men went in front with varying sizes of shields. Brogen carried his massive spiked rectangular shield. Every step from him left a deep imprint on the ground, signifying the weight of his shield. But there was not even a hint of difficulty in him.


    "Archers, nock your arrows, aim!" Alucard shouted while facing the hobgoblin army.


    The sound of multiple bowstrings being pulled echoed.


    The hobgoblin army suddenly produced a loud battle cry as they charged towards the expedition party. They raised their long machetes with malicious grins on their savage faces. Their approach caused the ground to shake, making the hired hunters feel a bit agitated.


    Goblins are known for their brutal natures. They kill anything that does not belong to their race. Some women from all races were even held captive to serve as sex slaves for these savage beasts. As for the men, they will be used as ingredients. In short, food.


    "Release your arrows! Shielders prepare! Warriors, stay behind the shielders!" Alucard calmly ordered everyone. He had experienced countless wars during his younger years, and he had an experience of leading a large group of soldiers.


    Dozens of arrows were released and they looked like a plague of locusts from afar. The hobgoblins raised their shields to block the arrows, but some were still hit. They stumbled on the ground while groaning in pain. Nevertheless, the hobgoblins continued their fierce charge.


    Cale was impressed by Alucard''s commanding skills since he was not that confident in his leading abilities. He smiled widely while glancing at Alucard, it was as if he had seen a treasure.


    ''It would be good to have this kind of subordinate.'' Cale thought to himself while disregarding the battle in front.


    Amelia, the mage raised her staff in midair while softly chanting. Light elemental arrows appeared, she then pointed her staff at the approaching hobgoblins. The light arrows produced whistling sounds as they streak towards the hobgoblins. Dozens of hobgoblins dropped on the ground with holes on their bodies. Still, it did not stop their army from advancing.


    "Zarinvienne, Nocturna." Cale calmly gestured the two beauties to attack.


    The two ladies stepped forward and raised their slender arms gracefully. They chanted an incomprehensible incantation that produced multiple blazing fireballs and sharp ice spears respectively.


    Zarinvienne was a fire elemental Saint, while Nocturna was a rare ice elemental Saint. The latter was still part of those water elemental Saints, but her attacks were much fiercer in comparison to the usual water attacks who mainly focused on buffs and supporting damage.


    Zarinvienne''s flames were not ordinary as well. It was imbued with her demonic energy which made her flames appear purplish in color. It burner intensely like the sun''s radiance.


    They released their elemental attacks which killed more than a hundred hobgoblins.


    A loud shout reverberated behind the hobgoblin army. Five gigantic Goblin Generals charged towards them while wielding their massive axes. Behind the Goblin Generals were three Goblin Shamans draped in long grey robes, each of them was holding wooden staves with glimmering symbols.


    Alucard glanced at Cale solemnly and spoke in a mild tone.


    "Wolf King, follow us on stopping those Goblin Generals. We should not allow them to kill our men."


    Cale smiled and took out a huge heavy sword from his storage space. This was a Divine level weapon. Although it was significantly weaker than his Void Wolf Immortal Sword, it was more than enough to kill those hobgoblins.


    Alucard unsheathed his demonic sword. Waves of baleful aura revolved around his sword like a torrent. His countenance changed and he looked like a Vampire Sovereign after wielding his sword.


    Alucard charged towards the Goblin Generals, Falkor followed behind him while gripping his spear tightly.


    Cale did not want to be outdone. He teleported in front of one Goblin General using spatial elements. He then hacked his massive heavy sword towards one of the surprised giants.


    The Goblin General hastily raised his axe to block Cale''s attack. The sound of two metals crushing against each other reverberated violently like an eruption of a volcano. The Goblin General took multiple steps back while Cale gracefully spun in midair before he landed on the ground. His long silver hair unceasingly danced, his lips parted to form an excited smile.


    ''Tch, that axe should have been sliced if I used my Void Wolf Immortal Sword.'' Cale snorted and vanished from his spot.


    Everyone was surprised at Cale''s speed. They were still quite a distance away from the Goblin Generals, but he had already attacked one of them. The giant Goblin General was even pushed back after his attack. How strong!


    Goblins were known for their unparalleled physical strength. And an average Saint would have a hard time besting a Goblin General in terms of physical prowess.


    Alucard smiled faintly. He summersaulted in midair while slashing his demonic sword. A baleful cry resounded as a huge ghost-like head emerged, following his strike.


    The Goblin Shamans from behind chanted in unison which produced a brilliant light that covered the Goblin Generals like resplendent armor.


    Alucard''s attack hit one Goblin General, but the latter stood up after stumbling a few times. He glared at Alucard while producing a bestial roar. He hacked his axe towards Alucard who blocked the strike with his demonic sword.


    "Claanngg!"


    The force of the attack threw Alucard several meters away. He then spun in midair to dissolve the force in his body, before landing on the ground.


    "Tsk, this will be troublesome. With those Goblin Shamans providing support, the Goblin Generals will be significantly strengthened." Alucard spoke coldly.


    With Brogen and the ladies supporting the vagabonds and adventurers against the several thousand hobgoblins, the remaining Saints found it difficult to defeat the Goblin Generals. Especially with the Goblin Shamans providing them buffs that strengthened them.


    Cale, Alucard, Zero, Atlas, and Falkor faced against one Goblin General each. They glared at the giant beasts while gripping their weapons.


    "Alucard, can you hold two of those monsters for a few minutes?" Cale spoke, his focus was on the five Goblin Generals.


    Alucard furrowed his brows and nodded his head confidently.


    "Of course, Wolf King."


    "Good! Atlas, Zero, Falkor kill those Shamans. We will hold these Goblin Generals for a while, so make sure to kill them fast!" Cale ordered loudly while charging towards the Goblin Generals.


    He brandished the massive three-meter tall heavy sword with ease. It was longer than his Void Wolf Immortal Sword, but it was a few times lighter.


    "What a crazy man..." Alucard muttered silently with admiration before tapping his feet lightly. He charged towards two Goblin Generals while slashing his demonic sword twice.


    Zero, Atlas and Falkor no longer hesitated. They aimed their attacks on the three Goblin Shamans hiding behind the Goblin Generals.


    The Goblin Shamans were also Saints, so defeating them was not that easy. But the three men attacking them were not your average Saints as well.


    Zero generated multiple wind blades as he approached one of the shamans.


    Atlas stomped on the ground which produced earthen spikes that threatened to impale the three shamans.


    Falkor''s spear crackled with lightning. He aimed his spear thrust towards one of the shamans.


    The shamans hastily conjured light shields to block the attack of the three men. They were catapulted in midair after the combined attack of the three men. The shamans were not good in close combat since they specialize in long-range and support.


    With the three shamans occupied by Zero and the others, the buff on the five Goblin Generals were removed.


    Cale glanced at the five giants in front of them while smirking derisively. His silver eyes flashed a trace of mockery.

 Chapter 129 - Savage Horned Knights

    Cale held a recommendation letter in his hands. This was something that Alucard gave him before they parted ways.


    Alucard''s group still had some things to do in Manu Town, so he just provided Cale with the letter and told him to present it to the Mercenary Guild.


    "With this recommendation letter from Alucard, we shouldn''t have problems with our application to become mercenaries, right?"


    Cale muttered to himself with a bit of doubt. Although he had a good impression with Alucard, the latter also held so many secrets. So he was unsure if everything would go well according to Alucard. Nonetheless, Cale already planned to go straight to the Celestial Sword Empire.


    Of course, it was not that easy to reach the empire. They still had to pass by the forested region of Death Forest. Although it was merely the outskirts of the Death Forest, there were still strong beasts lurking within. Especially during the night, when savage beasts were more active.


    Cale glanced at the darkening sky calmly, before looking at his subordinates who looked rather bored.


    ''These people... It''s as if they didn''t fight a cruel battle just this morning...'' Cale speechlessly glanced at them before he spoke.


    "Let''s rest for the night. We have consumed a lot of elemental essence this morning, so a good sleep is very important."


    "Yes, my lord!" They answered in unison while glancing respectfully at Cale. More than a year ago, they were still stronger than their lord, but now... They don''t even know if they could last ten exchanges against him.


    They set up their camp within the forest, disregarding the danger. The Death Forest was notorious for the large number of savage beasts living inside, especially in the central parts of the forest where the strongest beasts live. There were even reported sightings of Immortal-Class level savage beasts in the central parts of the forest.


    Aside from that, its name also had quite the history... A bloody past that no one wishes to remember. Every one hundred years, a huge horde of beasts will attack the surrounding settlements, big or small. And it''s not just a small scale attack, but millions of savage beasts will ravage the surrounding cities and empires. It was as if they were being commanded by someone since it was impossible for savage beasts to band together. Unless a much stronger beast with high enough intelligence had the capability of ordering the beast horde.


    Regarding these tales, Cale and his group ignored them. They merrily set up their camp and even barbecued the meat of the beasts that they have hunted along the way.


    A fragrant aroma wafted in the air from the meat that they had barbecued, assailing their nostrils. They closed their eyes and took in a deep breath as they inhaled the mouth-watering smell.


    Cale''s eyes lit up as he took a big bite from the barbecue. His lips were stained with grease, but he continued on chewing the succulent meat.


    "A high-level savage beast really tastes heavenly. Brogen, I didn''t know you were this good at barbecuing meat." Cale praised Brogen which made the latter laugh heartily in response.


    "My lord, I was used to this kind of life in my previous world." Brogen''s voice contained a faint trace of nostalgia.


    The group who were happily eating their barbecue suddenly glanced at a certain direction. They heard countless savage beasts moving towards them. They might have smelled the fragrant aroma coming from the barbecue.


    Cale was still nonchalantly eating and he had no plans of moving from his spot. Zero who looked bored stood up and smiled at the incoming group of savage beasts.


    He squinted his eyes after seeing their appearance. They were tall and muscular horses with one horn on their foreheads. Their eyes contained malice and greed as they stared at the barbecue that Cale''s group was eating. Their sharp teeth were like saws, and their large nostrils emitted fumes as they glared at Cale''s group.


    There were about several dozen of these beasts surrounding them. If not for the profound aura that Cale and his subordinates were emitting, these savage beasts would have long since pounced on them.


    Cale glanced nonchalantly at the horses and his eyes suddenly lit up.


    ''I wonder how these horses would taste like. With those toned and muscular bodies, their meat shouldn''t be that bad when cooked properly, right?''


    "Cale this group of Savage Horned Knights would help you arrived faster in Celestial Sword Empire. Since your group is still recovering their elemental essence, using these horses as a means of transportation is a good option. And besides, it is easy to subdue this group of Savage Horned Knights." Asteria''s calm voice instantly erased Cale''s plan on having a horse meat barbecue.


    "How could I even subdue these starve horses?" Cale asked dejectedly.


    "Simple... Subdue their leader, the Savage Horned Knight King." Asteria replied in the same calm voice.


    "You''re making it sound so easy. Look at these horses. All of them are at the Divine-Class level. Even Zero would have to use a considerable amount of time to defeat them all. And their leader shouldn''t be that weak either." Cale calmly analyzed while looking at the horses who were getting impatient.


    He stood up and patted at the dust off his butt. He then held Zero back from attacking the horses and spoke with a faint smile.


    "Zero, let me do this..."


    Zero was taken aback, but he still bowed his head at Cale before moving back on his spot. Everyone glanced at Cale in amusement, while waiting for him to move. They thought that Cale would use his Saint level set equipment to kill this group of savage horses, but they were surprised to see him calmly walk amidst the group of horses.


    The Savage Horned Knights parted a path for Cale as if they were afraid of him. They were wary of this human who had emitted the strongest aura among his group. They neighed warily, but they did not attack Cale.


    Savage beasts can easily detect the fluctuation of energy on other beings. They use this ability to escape from much stronger predators. But in this case, the barbecued meat was too alluring for them to ignore.


    Cale glanced at the tallest horse among the group. It also had one horn, but its horn was different than the others. It was safer to say that it was like a sword. Its ash black scales were like thin bionic armors, providing it with a sturdy defense. There was also a pair of long black wings attach on its back.


    "How can a savage beast look so elegant and domineering at the same time?" Cale muttered to himself after seeing the muscular horse neighing warily at him.


    "Eh? This isn''t a Savage Horned Knight King... Strange, did it mutate?" Cale then heard Asteria''s surprised voice which was a bit astonishing, since it rarely happens.


    "What do you mean, Asteria?" Cale asked doubtfully.


    "Ah... Nothing, just do what I told you to do... You might even get a strong companion... As expected of a fragment holder..." Asteria murmured the last sentence so Cale failed to hear it clearly. His gaze was focused on the elegant stallion who was looking at him aloofly like a noble beast.


    Cale took out a piece of barbecued meat from his storage space and stretched out his hands. The muscular stallion snorted mockingly as if it won''t fall for the human''s tricks.


    Cale smiled and took out more barbecued meat from his storage space. He then inhaled the fragrant smell of the meat before walking closer to the stallion.


    The smell traveled on the stallion''s large nostrils, invoking its sense of hunger. A line of drool appeared on its mouth as it glanced at the barbecued meat from Cale''s hands.


    Cale smiled while looking at the stallion''s conflicted look.


    "Come on buddy, this is for you. My only wish is for us to become friends, that''s all. I also don''t want to hurt your lovely subordinates." Cale spoke earnestly. Asteria harrumphed coldly when she heard Cale. If she hadn''t heard Cale''s thought earlier about the horse meat barbecue, then even she would have believed his earnest words.


    The stallion''s gaze softened as if it understood Cale''s words. It then sniffed the barbecued meat in front of it, before it took a big bite. The stallion did not even spare the stick and happily munched on it as if it was a rare delicacy.


    "Good, there there... Don''t worry, there are still more..." Cale stroke the cold scales of the stallion while taking out more barbecues from his storage space.


    The stallion allowed Cale to stroke its scales. Its focus was completely on the barbecue that Cale gave to it.


    He then pulled the horse towards his subordinates and instructed them to give the rest of the barbecue to the hungry horses.


    His subordinates were surprised after seeing the muscular horse that was rubbing its head on Cale. It was actually a Saint-Class level savage beast!


    "What luck! You actually subdued a Brutal Armored Pegasus! How did this backwater world even give birth to such a creature... Strange, there should be more about this world than what meets the eyes. Interesting!" Asteria muttered to herself mysteriously.


    Cale ignored her as he was busy playing with his new friend.


    "From now on, your name will be Ember.

 Chapter 128 - Brogen the Barbarian

    Cale raised his massive heavy sword and tapped his feet on the ground. In midair, he did three slashes in succession which produced three blazing sword winds that traveled swiftly towards the Goblin Generals. They hastily raised their axes to block the searing sword winds.


    "Bang!"


    "Bang!"


    "Bang!"


    Three huge bodies were thrown away from the shockwave caused by Cale''s attack. Blood trickled down their lips as they glared fiercely at Cale. The chill visible in the depths of their pupils were enough to cause one to feel terrified. But Cale was still nonchalantly smiling as if unbothered by the gazes of the three. If it were any other person, they would have trembled from fright already.


    Cale pointed his heavy sword at the three Goblin Generals, taunting them to come forward.


    The three Goblin Generals were furious for being mocked by the tiny human. They emitted loud bestial roars that shook the entire plain.


    Cale smiled and imbued his heavy sword with the time element. Cale''s aura drastically changed after he used the element of time. This was a very rare element, even rarer than the space element.


    The air of profundity around Cale thickened by several degrees. He propped up his sword and dashed towards the Goblin Generals.


    He slashed their thick bodies wildly and he did not even bother putting up a defense. Every slash of his sword contained the power of time and the moment his sword touched the bodies of the Goblin Generals, the wounded part would age significantly, making them weaker.


    The Goblin Generals were horrified. They could not even block Cale''s attack anymore.


    Releasing the element of time consumed a lot of Cale''s elemental essence. He hovered in midair while looking down on the three Goblin Generals kneeling helplessly on the ground.


    "I guess I have to end this now. The fun time is over." Cale said regretfully. He planned to use the Goblin Generals to practice his sword skills, but he knew that he shouldn''t waste time.


    He returned his heavy sword in his storage space and took out a black sword with archaic carvings. A savage wolf head was depicted on the sword''s hilt. It looked even more menacing than Alucard''s demonic sword. The malicious aura it produced was enough to cause one''s hair to stand on end.


    Cale walked slowly while hefting his Void Wolf Immortal Sword on his shoulder. As long as he doesn''t equip a full Saint level set equipment, then everything should be fine.


    He casually slashed his sword thrice.


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    Three massive heads rolled on the ground. Their headless bodies dropped lifelessly, and blood flowed without end.


    The Goblin Generals were about the same level as Faramis. Even the latter did not last long under Cale''s Void Wolf Immortal Sword.


    Alucard''s mouth turned agape after looking at the scene. Wolf King effortlessly killed three Goblin Generals like he was merely slashing three normal goblins to death.


    Although the Goblin Generals no longer had the supporting buffs from the Goblin Shamans, their bodies were still strong and resilient enough to block powerful strikes. But Wolf King made it look very easy when he decapitated the heads of the three Goblin Generals.


    As someone who was on the verge of breaking through towards the Immortal-Class level, Alucard did not want to be outdone by Wolf King. The two Goblin Generals that he was facing were already severely injured. He sped towards them with his demonic sword in hand.


    He then jumped in the air when he was only a few meters away from the two Goblin Generals. He slashed his sword twice which produced two ghost-like heads aiming directly at the injured Goblin Generals. The two ghost-like heads were wailing balefully. They then opened their huge mouths and devoured the two Goblin Generals. Blood splashed like a torrent.


    * * *


    Brogen charged fiercely at the center of the hobgoblin army with his shield, knocking countless hobgoblins in his wake. He then pulled out a giant mace and swung it savagely. A merciless grin was plastered on his face.


    ''This is like my life in Gallantos. A life of endless war and bloodshed.'' Brogen was like a war god slaying enemies with a casual swing of his mace. He killed his enemies so easily as if he was stomping on ants.


    No hobgoblin could go near five meters from him or they will immediately be killed by his vicious mace attack.


    Brogen''s fearlessness ignited the valor of the hired vagabonds and mercenaries. Their attacks became even more frenzied as they hacked the hobgoblins charging towards them.


    Amelia, Zarinvienne, and Nocturna also did heavy casualties on the hobgoblin army as they bombarded them with elemental attacks.


    A huge number of the hobgoblin army was being pushed back by less than a thousand vagabonds and adventurers. Anyone who would see this scene would surely be stunned senseless.


    Brogen unequipped his shield and stomped his feet on the ground to jumped in midair. He held his massive mace with two hands and used his full strength to strike the central part of the hobgoblin formation.


    He planned to divide the formation of the hobgoblin army. It was a crazy plan but he was fairly confident that he could hold his own against thousands of hobgoblins.


    The strongest among these hobgoblins was merely at the Divine-Class level. Most of them were at the Emperor-Class level and the King-Class level, so Brogen who was a Saint will have no problem with slaying them effortlessly.


    He was also an Earth Elemental, so he can control the element of Earth. His strike landed on the head of a hobgoblin before it struck the ground. His attack created a huge crater on the ground, cobweb-like fissures can be seen after his vicious strike. Many hobgoblins stumbled and lost their footing. Their bodies dropped down the huge crater were Brogen was waiting for them like a predator.


    Brogen swung his mace around like a meat grinder. Limbs and body parts scattered beneath the crater. The smell of blood permeated, causing him to feel nostalgic.


    During his younger years in Gallantos, he had experienced countless battles before everyone called him Barbarian Emperor. His style of fighting was savage and wild, disregarding the orthodox way. His brute force alone would overpower the top sword masters of Gallantos, making them feel helpless.


    But after becoming Cale''s subordinate, he was transported in a world were cold weapons were but a matter of the past. He wasn''t able to show his true abilities, but now... He was like a starved camel who had seen an oasis in the hot desert.


    All the hobgoblins that he had killed didn''t have an intact body. Countless unrecognizable parts of their bodies were scattered on the ground.


    He jumped out of the crater after seeing that all the hobgoblins that fell inside the crater were already dead. Or to be exact, they were grounded into pieces.


    They then finished off the remaining hobgoblins.


    The vagabonds and adventurers glanced fearfully at the towering Brogen as if he was a demon. They had seen how this person had killed his way into the hobgoblin army. It looks like he had even killed more than a thousand hobgoblins all by himself. Such a scary man would make anyone tremble in fright with his presence alone.


    They then glanced at the other Saints who were finishing off the Goblin Shamans.


    The vagabonds and adventurers sat on the ground while breathing heavily. They consumed a lot of origin essence in fighting against that army. They would have become goblin meals if not for the Saints. Their fighting prowess could truly change the tides of war.


    From the nine hundred and fifty-four hired vagabonds and mercenaries, only a little more than three hundred managed to come out alive. The rest were now lifeless and cold corpses.


    Alucard took the three heads of the Goblin Generals that Wolf King killed. He would show this to the Mercenary Guild to report the completion of the mission. At the thought of the mission''s reward, he was very excited. But he forced himself to look calm on the surface.


    With the help of Wolf King and his subordinates, they finished the mission without any problem. Of course, aside from the heavy casualties among the people they hired.


    He then distributed the promised reward for the hired adventurers and vagabonds. He even added another fifty gold coins to each and everyone. This was merely a small compensation compared to the pill that he will receive.


    Aside from that, he still hasn''t thought of how he could thank Wolf King and his subordinates. Now that''s quite troublesome. As he was thinking of ways on how to thank them, a robed figure wearing a silver wolf mask approached him.


    Alucard nodded his head while giving the man a fist-palm salute.


    "Thank you for your help, Wolf King. Is there any way I can help you with in order to repay this favor?"


    Wolf King smiled and thought for a moment before he spoke.


    "There is indeed something that I need your help with, sir Alucard."


    Alucard smiled and nodded his head.


    "As long as it is something that I can do, then I don''t mind helping you, Wolf King."


    "Actually, I and my subordinates really wanted to become mercenaries. Is there any way for you to introduce us to the Mercenary Guild?" Wolf King smiled abashedly.


    Alucard was stunned for a moment and he could not help but laugh heartily.


    "Wolf King, I won''t boast... but my words have some power in the Mercenary Guild. Don''t worry, I will help you with this matter.


    I will recommend you and your subordinates become Platinum-Rank mercenaries. But as for becoming Adamantine-Rank mercenaries... You guys have to work on that."


    Alucard patted Wolf King''s shoulder. He thought that the latter would ask for something troublesome. He was relieved that Wolf King only asked for himself and his subordinates to become mercenaries. With his authority, he should be able to help them get the Platinum-Rank without problems.

 Chapter 130 - Turmoil Inside the Imperial Palace

    The next day, in the periphery of Death Forest.


    Cale calmly watched Ember as it communicated with his horse pack. They kept on neighing and emitting bestial roars as if they were having a serious discussion.


    After about thirty minutes or so, Ember elegantly walked towards Cale. Behind it was five other Savage Horned Knights who were scrutinizing Cale''s group with their savage eyes.


    "Ember, what is this?" Cale spoke with a smile as he stroked the stallion''s cold scales. He then glanced at the five other Savage Horned Knights following behind Ember.


    They were the strongest among the pack and their strength have reached the peak of the Divine-Class level.


    Ember''s savage eyes suddenly softened after hearing Cale speak. It then rubbed its head on Cale''s body gently.


    "I didn''t know that these savage beasts could be this tamed..." Cale rubbed Ember''s head happily while looking at the rest of the Savage Horned Knights who had departed.


    "Wrong! Savage Horned Knights had the word ''savage'' on its name because of its violent nature. But they are indeed tamed once you are able to gain their acknowledgment." Asteria''s voice resounded inside Cale''s head.


    "Looks like we don''t need to walk on our way towards the Celestial Sword Empire." Cale smiled, his subordinates were also happy to get their first mounts.


    Cale climbed on Ember''s back and gestured the others to choose their mounts. The others then climbed on the backs of their chosen mounts. It was quite difficult to get used to riding a horse''s back, but since they were Saints, it was not that hard for them to familiarize themselves with it.


    Five silhouettes were riding peak Divine-Class level Savage Horned Knights. In front of them was a man wearing a silver wolf mask who was also riding his Brutal Armored Pegasus. The group radiated a powerful aura that scared off the low-level beasts lurking behind the tall trees of Death Forest''s outskirts.


    Their destination... the Celestial Sword Empire.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, inside Sword City, the capital city of the Celestial Sword Empire.


    Everyone was in a somber mood after hearing the news about their emperor''s failing health. Their emperor, Aventus Doomblade, a peak Immortal-Class warrior was on his last breaths.


    Many citizens thought that it was such a pity to lose a powerful and good emperor.


    Emperor Aventus Doomblade was one of the strongest emperors throughout the history of the Celestial Sword Empire, and he was also one of the few peak Immortal-Class level experts on Shura.


    His death was bound to create intense shockwaves in the whole world. Especially someone of his status. Aside from that, his death would also create a spark on the wolves that were eyeing the Celestial Sword Empire''s lands...


    Inside the palace, everyone was in a panic state. The generals, officials, and ministers were glancing worriedly at the closed doors of the emperor''s chamber.


    A man in his late twenties ran towards the emperor''s chambers. His strikingly beautiful facial features were stained with worry. His path was suddenly blocked by a general who glanced at him with grief.


    "Your highness, Third Prince Amro, please stay here and don''t go inside. Your father, the emperor has told me that no one is allowed to go inside the emperor''s chambers, even someone from the imperial family is not allowed inside." The general spoke firmly while forcing himself to look calm.


    The third prince balled his fists tightly while looking at the general with remorse, but he did not dare defy the emperor''s words.


    "Why would this happen to father... This isn''t  supposed to be like this..." The third prince''s lips quivered as he tried to contain his sadness.


    The people who heard him remained silent, but their eyes became even more forlorn. The presence of Emperor Aventus Doomblade was like a deterrent force that made countless major powers hold themselves back from snatching the lands of the Celestial Sword Empire.


    But now, after being check by the imperial physicians, the high officials of the empire were informed that their strong emperor would not last for long. Once the news about this will leak out to those major powers, then the whole empire would become tumultuous.


    The huge double doors of the emperor''s chamber suddenly opened. A few old men came out of the chamber, their faces sullen and serious.


    Everyone waited for them to talk with stifled breaths as they glanced at the old imperial physicians with worried looks.


    One of the physicians stepped forward. He was the oldest among the group of imperial physicians and also the one with the best capabilities in the whole empire. His grey and long beard trembled as the old physician turned his gaze at the crowd of high officials.


    "The emperor is still alive, but his health isn''t becoming better. We already did our best to prolong his life, but then again, it will only be temporary..."


    Everyone was happy that their emperor was still alive, but after hearing the old physician''s last sentence, they almost choked in sadness.


    The third prince walked towards the physicians with heavy strides, his eyes red with tears.


    "Is there any way for us to save father? Tell me, I will do anything..." The third prince''s tear-stained eyes glanced solemnly at the old physician. Some of the high officials were already crying hot tears. The news about the emperor''s incoming death was like a raging thunder that struck their bodies.


    The old physician frowned, but he still glanced respectfully at the third prince. He remained silent for a brief period of time before his eyes suddenly lit up after he had thought of something.


    His expression did not go unnoticed, everyone who was focusing their gazes on the old man saw that his eyes lit up. Of course, the third prince also saw his reaction.


    He then held the old physician''s shoulders, his gaze impatient.


    "Uncle Sun, please tell me. I will do anything that will help my father regain his health!"  The third prince spoke while staring deeply at the old physician.


    The latter glanced at the third prince with a complicated gaze.


    "It''s not that this old man does not wish the emperor to be cured. It''s just that the item that may be able to help the emperor is impossible to get. And besides, it is not guaranteed that this item could help the emperor be cured."


    The third prince''s gaze became even more serious.


    "Uncle Sun, please tell me what item this is. I will assemble my strongest men to search for it. If needed, I don''t mind going in person to search for this item."


    His words made the high officials standing outside the emperor''s chamber to glance at the third prince in admiration. Even the old physician''s gaze on him softened. Except for one person, who stared at the third prince with a complicated gaze, the Minister of the Left.


    The old physician furrowed his brows before he spoke the item''s name word by word.


    "It''s the Holy Nourishing Crystal..." Everyone sucked in a deep breath of cold air at the mention of the item.


    The Holy Nourishing Crystal was an item that can only be harvested inside one of Shura''s forbidden regions, the Cave of Endless Grievance. The Holy Nourishing Crystal was the core of a creature that lives inside the forbidden cave, the Heavenly Winged Guardian. And this core can only be harvested upon the death of the creature.


    A Heavenly Winged Guardian is a humanoid beast that is at the Divine-Class level during their infant stages. Most adult Heavenly Winged Guardians are at the Immortal-Class level, and they were the only ones that produce a Holy Nourishing Crystal after their deaths.


    The effects of the crystal were astonishing. It was capable of healing any kind of diseases and it could even completely heal a person who was on his deathbed.


    But getting such an item was as difficult as climbing the gates of hell. Aside from the dangers within the Cave of Endless Grievance, the Heavenly Winged Guardians alone were not easy opponents. They lived in groups and it was very rare to find a lone Heavenly Winged Guardian.


    The third prince''s eyes flashed for a moment before it reverted back to normal. He then put on a firm look before glancing at the generals behind him.


    "I will personally search for this Holy Nourishing Crystal! Who among you are brave enough to follow me towards the Cave of Endless Grievance?!" His voice carried a resolute tone as if unbothered by the dangers of a forbidden region.


    "Your highness, third prince Amro, with all due respect, going inside one of Shura''s forbidden regions is no different than asking for a quick death. Please, don''t endanger your life." The Minister of the Right worriedly said. Although the third prince was only the third in line for the throne, they didn''t want him to needlessly sacrifice his life for a mere chance of curing the emperor.


    The third prince glanced angrily at the Minister of the Right, he then gritted his teeth but stopped himself from flying into rage.


    "Your highness, I will personally go inside the Cave of Endless Grievance to get the Holy Nourishing Crystal. There is no need for you to come with this old man. You should remain here and wait for my return." An old general spoke calmly, but his eyes contained resolve.


    The third prince smirked in his heart, but he still put on a helpless facade in front of everyone.


    "Say no more, third prince. This old man will depart now to get this item for the emperor. I will not allow the emperor to die before me!" A blazing fire twinkled in the eyes of the old general before he stepped out of the hall.


    Everyone glanced at the broad back of the old general with hopeful gazes.

 Chapter 131 - Going Inside the Celestial Sword Empire

    Six silhouettes riding their savage beast mounts arrived at the gates of the Celestial Sword Empire. They saw a long line of people wishing to go inside the empire.


    Everyone was stunned shitless after seeing the six silhouettes draped in long black robes. They were actually riding savage beasts that emitted strong and overpowering auras!


    How could those noble and arrogant-looking beasts allow someone to ride their backs?! If they were people from the late Beast Tamer Pavilion, then they could still somewhat believe the scene. But these people didn''t look like someone from that place.


    Aside from the Beast Tamer Pavilion, there were only a handful of people who were capable of subduing savage beasts, and all of them were the peak experts of Shura. After thinking about it, they sucked in a deep breath of cold air while looking warily at Cale''s group.


    The crowd parted ways and allowed them to skip in line. Many other people were dissatisfied, but after being glared by the Savage Horned Knights, they shut their mouths tight.


    Cale smiled wryly while looking at the people who were glancing at them curiously. They were dying to know who were these people that were capable of subduing such ferocious beasts! They knew that Savage Horned Knights were violent in nature, but they appeared meek and tamed in front of this group.


    The gate guards glanced sharply at Cale''s group. Although they released an overwhelming aura, the guards looked at them fearlessly. They still had their garrison captain who was at the peak of Saint-Class level. And besides, their duty was to prevent suspicious-looking people from entering their empire as they might be spies from other major powers. And the group in front of them was giving off a feeling that screams: We are spies!


    "Stop! Who are you people and what is your purpose for going inside our empire?!" The gate guard spoke firmly, but thick beads of sweat trickled down his face as he glanced warily at the mysterious group in front of him.


    Cale remained silent for a moment before he took out the recommendation letter written by Alucard. He then tossed it towards the guard nonchalantly who caught it with a surprised look.


    The guard read the words written on the letter and his face turned graver every second. This was actually a letter personally written by the Mercenary Guild''s rank eleventh Adamantine-Rank mercenary, the mighty sire Alucard!


    The Mercenary Guild was one of the backbones of the Celestial Sword Empire. It also had a mysterious origin that dated back on the earlier establishment of the empire. Meaning, it was as old as their empire! But the past emperors up to the present did not do anything to prevent the Mercenary Guild from expanding their sphere of influence. Whereas the Mercenary Guild also helped the empire during their times of crisis. It was as if the two were working together, forming a secret alliance to further strengthen the Celestial Sword Empire.


    The Guildmaster of the Mercenary Guild was also quite mysterious. Everyone hasn''t heard anything about him for a very long time as if he had vanished out of thin air. But even with that being the case, the guild was still respected by the citizens of the empire and most of the young generation wishes to someday become strong mercenaries.


    "Are you done reading?" A calm voice broke the silence, waking the stunned guard out of his dazed state. He rolled the letter carefully before glancing at the man in front of him who was riding on a savage beast that was glaring at him. His body was covered with goosebumps after feeling the beast''s glance, and he could not help but look carefully at the man who was able to subdue such a terrifying beast.


    His facial features were covered by an aesthetically pleasing silver wolf mask. Only his charming lips were uncovered. The man gave off a feeling of profound mystery and his strength was indiscernible. The commanding air around him was very thick, but it was not unpleasant as if it was naturally engraved on him.


    The guard dazedly returned the letter to Cale while allowing them to go inside the empire. The other guards were surprised at his actions and thought that their comrade had gone crazy for allowing such a suspicious-looking group to go inside their empire.


    The guard waited for Cale''s group to disappear from their sights before he turned to look at his comrades and the surrounding people who were waiting for him to speak. He cleared his throat before speaking in a hoarse voice.


    "That group... Sire Alucard personally wrote a  recommendation letter for them to become Platinum-Rank mercenaries. Do you guys know what that means?"


    Everyone''s eyes went wide like saucers after hearing the guard''s words. Of course, they know what that means! Sire Alucard was backing them and aside from that, to get a recommendation letter to become Platinum-Rank mercenary, one should be at least a Saint. Which means those six people were all Saint-Class level fighters!


    Saints could be considered as leader level figures even on Shura. And to be recommended as Platinum-Rank mercenaries, it means that they were not just ordinary Saints, but Saints with boundless potential!


    Cale''s group looked around the city. Although it was not the empire''s capital city, it still gave off a vibe of confidence and power.


    The buildings and houses were not tall and majestic like the ones on Earth, but they were made from unknown rocks that were even sturdier than the minerals on Earth. Their design was also simple, but pleasing to the eyes.


    There was a constant stream of people walking around the city giving it a refreshing feeling. Cale smiled at the ambiance of the city.


    "Now, where can I find a branch of the Mercenary Guild? I should have asked that guard before we left..." Cale sighed regretfully.


    * * *


    Sword City, Imperial Palace of the Celestial Sword Empire.


    A majestic army of men clad in silver and golden armor with a  sharp golden sword drawn on their capes rode their horses while maintaining their formation. These horses were savage beasts bred for the purpose of becoming companions for the empire''s soldiers. So they were more tamed and obedient than typical savage beasts. Although they were weaker than Savage Horned Knights, they were also helpful during battles.


    The crowd glanced excitedly at the soldiers. They were the famous Dual Sword Army of the empire! Leading them was one of the strongest experts of the empire, General Lexus. He was a mid-stage Immortal-Class level warrior, behind him were his two deputies who were also at the initial stage of the Immortal-Class level.


    The three experts were leading about a thousand soldiers who emitted thick killing intents. They were a group of battle-hardened men who had experienced countless wars. Such a strong army was actually on the move. As for where and what their mission was... No one knows. Perhaps only the people from the Imperial Palace knows what the army''s goal was.


    "The both of you lads, stay here in the capital. I alone am enough for this mission..." General Lexus spoke solemnly without glancing at his two deputies. He climbed on his horse''s back before urging it forward. He did not even wait for the answers of his two deputies.


    The two deputies were surprised for a moment, before climbing on the back of their horses. They then chased after the old general, intending to follow him on the mission.


    They were also inside the Imperial Palace, so they have heard about their emperor''s circumstances, and as to what led to the abrupt mission of their general.


    General Lexus felt the presence of his two deputies chasing from behind him. He smiled faintly, but he still spoke in a loud and commanding voice.


    "Are you brats tired of living?! Do you not know which place I''m going to?! I''m going to one of Shura''s forbidden regions, the Cave of Endless Grievance! Now, if you still value your lives, then scram out of my sight!" General Lexus bellowed in a loud and raspy voice.


    The two deputies did not speak and just silently followed their general. The three of them have been together battling nonstop for dozens of years. They had developed a deep sense of brotherhood that could not be cut off by a mere forbidden region.


    "General, you already know that you can''t stop the both of us from coming with you on this mission. And besides, we also do not wish for the emperor to perish..." One of the deputies spoke firmly, his gaze resolute.


    "He is right, general. Us brothers should be together on this mission..." The other deputy spoke with a faint smile on his boorish face.


    General Lexus'' gaze softened. He remained silent for a moment before he laughed heartily. He then urged his horse to run towards the vanguard. The deputies glanced at each other with smiles before they chased the general.


    "Hiyaa!"


    "Hiyaa!"


    * * *


    Somewhere within Sword City, inside a luxurious villa.


    A strikingly handsome man in his late twenties was sitting lazily on his chair. A malicious grin can be seen on his face which destroyed his beautiful visage. Behind him was an old man with murky eyes, standing respectfully.


    "Say, Minister of the Left. What do you think about my plan on sending that old bastard away, wasn''t it brilliant?" The man chuckled deviously and his handsome face contorted with extreme wickedness.


    The old man glanced fearfully at the man, but he still uttered a reply, albeit in a shaking voice.


    "Your highness, it was brilliant."


    Malicious cackles reverberated inside the room giving off a feeling of eerieness.

 Chapter 132 - The Emergence of a Four-Elemental Saint

    Six people climbed down their savage beasts. They glanced at the building in front of them which gave off a feeling of power.


    Cale frowned while looking at the Savage Horned Knights and Ember.


    "Asteria, is there any way for you to store them? It will be troublesome to leave them outside." Cale spoke inside his head.


    "Yes, of course. Do you want me to teleport them inside the Gravity Training Environment? I can also change the place to make it look like a forest." Asteria spoke calmly, but Cale felt a hint of haughtiness in that voice.


    "Yes, please." The moment the words came out of Cale''s mouth,  bright rays of light enveloped the savage beasts before they vanished. Cale''s subordinates merely furrowed their brows for a brief moment before following Cale who already stepped inside the Mercenary Guild branch.


    Cale scrutinized the interior of the building. There were a few people going in and out, and all of them emitted strong auras.


    To become a mercenary, one should at least be at the Emperor-Class level. You will then be promoted as a Wood-Rank mercenary after being thoroughly checked by the guild.


    The moment Cale''s group came inside, all the mercenaries'' chattering immediately ceased. They glanced at the six individuals draped in long black robes. They looked mysterious, but there were a lot of strong mercenaries inside.


    A group of Platinum-Rank mercenaries glanced at each other with cold smiles on their faces. There were about eight of them, and everyone from their group was also Saints.


    "Oh, look! We have a group of shy newbies here, covering their faces and all." A bald and boorish man with thick curly beard slammed his hands on the table while wearing a mocking smile on his face. His companions laughed loudly at his words while looking at Cale''s group in disdain.


    Loud laughter resounded inside the guild''s dining area. They knew that group of boorish and rough men. All eight of them were Saint-Class level fighters and also Platinum-Rank mercenaries. Their strength was known by everyone, and it could even be said that they were close to the low-level Adamantine-Rank mercenaries in terms of strength.


    Brogen clenched his massive fists tightly while glaring solemnly at the bald man. He unconsciously released his powerful aura which made the bald man feel a chill that ran down his spine. He then smirked coldly before looking at Brogen''s massive silhouette.


    "Interesting..." He muttered to himself.


    Cale ignored them and continued walking towards the front desk. Cale smiled faintly at the beautiful lady who was assigned to the front desk.


    The beautiful lady was dumbstruck at Cale''s charming smile. Her face turned crimson red, but she still flashed a professional but shy smile at Cale.


    "Hello, sir! My name is Ria. How can I help you?"


    Cale glanced briefly at her face, before taking out the recommendation letter that Alucard wrote. He then handed it to Ria who received it with a surprised look. She read the letter slowly, and her face turned serious every second.


    "A recommendation letter was personally written by sire Alucard?" Ria unconsciously spoke in a loud voice. She realized her mistake so she hurriedly covered her small mouth with her hands. But her gaze towards Cale and his group turned more respectful. It was after all a recommendation letter from the eleventh Adamantine-Rank mercenary.


    Ria''s voice was actually not that loud, but it was enough for the high-level mercenaries inside the guild to hear. They then frowned while looking solemnly at Cale''s group. Who would have thought that the group that they had mocked earlier was actually recommended by one of the Adamantine-Rank mercenaries?


    "Sires, we still need to check your strength levels before I can give you your identity tokens." Ria took out a fist-sized ball of glass and placed it in front of Cale.


    "Place your right hand on the ball and release your origin or elemental essence," Ria spoke seriously while glancing at Cale.


    "Cale, that is a Spirit Crystal. It can detect your strength level and it will also show what kind of elements you are able to wield. Control your elemental essence properly if you want to hide your true strength." Asteria spoke calmly inside Cale''s head, but he was surprised about what she said.


    Cale then put his right hand on the ball while releasing his elemental essence. The moment he released his elemental essence, the ball flashed four colors which blinded Ria.


    "Initial stage of the Saint-Class level. Four elemental Saint..." Ria speechlessly glanced at Cale while covering her tiny mouth. Such a talented person was actually standing in front of her. A legendary four-elemental Saint!


    All the mercenaries who heard her stood up in alarm. Their eyes went wide as if it was about to pop out of their sockets. Being a four elemental Saint means extreme potential. And in their Celestial Sword Empire, only the emperor and the second prince were known to have four elements!


    ''Oh shit! Are four elements really that much? I should have only shown them two or three..." Cale was surprised at everyone''s reaction. He did not know that a four-elemental Saint was actually rare on Shura. What would their reaction be if they knew that Cale had ten elements in total? That would be quite interesting!


    "Sir, please tell me your age and name," Ria spoke excitedly. Her eyes twinkled like stars as she glanced at Cale.


    "Ahh... Can I just provide a codename? As for my age... I''m twenty-four." Cale was a bit embarrassed. He prefers to be called Wolf King since he was already used it.


    Ria was surprised that this four-elemental Saint was still very young, but it was not that rare. There were also a few other Saints who were still in their twenties on Shura.


    "Yes, sir. A codename will do as well." Ria nodded with a sweet smile.


    "Wolf King..."


    After Cale, Brogen and the others were also asked to give their information. And all of them were three-elemental Saints!


    "Here are your identity tokens. It can also act as your storage space where you can place your belongings." Ria handed them an armband with white and purple colors. These colors represent their rank as a Platinum-Rank mercenary.


    This time, no one mocked them anymore. All the mercenaries glanced at them respectfully, even the group of boorish men refused to glance at them now. Such people were bound to become Immortal-Class level fighters!


    Cale and his subordinates wore the armband. It immediately adjusted its own size based on its owner''s wrist length.


    ''Finally, we are now mercenaries. The first part of my plan was a success. We should take things slowly now and not rush everything.'' Cale smiled inside his heart.


    * * *


    The news about the appearance of a four-elemental Saint in the Celestial Sword Empire spread like wildfire. Such an astonishing piece of news shocked the whole populace.


    Meanwhile, inside the crown prince''s palace.


    A young-looking man wearing luxurious golden clothing was sitting elegantly on his seat. A kind smile can be seen on his handsome face.


    This man was the crown prince of the Celestial Sword Empire. Although he looked rather young, he was already in his forties.


    A shadow appeared silently behind him before he walked slowly beside the crown prince. The latter perked up his ears and a surprised look can be seen on his face after hearing the report.


    "A four-elemental Saint suddenly appears during this tumultuous time. Is this a good thing or a bad thing for our empire?" The crown prince sighed worriedly. The shadow who was draped in tight black clothes respectfully stood beside the crown prince, was also drowned deeply in his thoughts.


    * * *


    Inside a big mansion, a handsome man with long golden hair that reached his waist was breathing heavily as he pounded a beautiful young lady on his bed. A line of blood trickled down the young lady''s legs, and her face was covered with tears as the handsome man vigorously pounded her from behind.


    Four naked young ladies were also lying on the bed weakly, sweat can be seen on their stunning faces. Drops of thick white liquid can also be seen all over their bodies which emitted a peculiar scent.


    "Your highness second prince, I have an important report for you. I request to go inside!" A stoic voice of a woman can be heard outside the room.


    The second prince did not speak for a moment and just continued moving his hips wildly. He then pulled out his shaft out of the woman''s body before spraying a hot liquid on her shapely ass. He gave her round buttocks a soft slap before standing up contentedly.


    "Come inside..." The second prince then spoke in a calm voice.


    The door opened and a female knight draped in silver armor came inside. She did not look surprised after seeing the women on his bed, but she still felt angry in her heart. They were young virgins from commoner families that the second prince''s people abducted as a gift for him. To think that there was such a scum among the Doomblade imperial family!


    "Your highness, a four-elemental Saint has emerged in the empire. He is now a Platinum-Rank mercenary in the Mercenary Guild." She held the anger in her heart and put on a respectful look as she spoke.


    The second prince was still looking playfully at the female knight, but when he heard about the report, his face immediately turned serious. Moments after, the second prince grinned which made the female knight''s scalp tingle in dread.


    * * *


    Inside a villa, a strikingly handsome man was looking at the horizon. A devious smile hung on his pretty face. His laughter resounded inside the villa, and everyone who heard it trembled in fear.

 Chapter 133 - Princess Michelle

    "Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    Cale frowned after hearing someone knocking on his door.


    "Come in."


    The beautiful figure of Zarinvienne went inside his room. She looked visibly annoyed with something, and Cale found it amusing.


    "My lord, someone wishes to see you," Zarinvienne spoke begrudgingly while pouting her lips.


    "Again? Tell them that I want to rest for we have just arrived from a long journey." Cale waved his hands impatiently. He had lost count of how many people wishes to see him after hearing the news about him being a four-elemental Saint.


    "My lord, the people that came this time are someone from the Doomblade imperial family," Zarinvienne spoke a bit seriously.


    "Oh? Tell their representative to come inside my room." Cale smirked playfully while sinking deeply in his thoughts.


    Zarinvienne bowed her head gently before leaving Cale''s room.


    He also heard the news about the emperor''s failing health. During such a fragile time, he who was a four-elemental Saint suddenly appeared. The princes who were aiming for the throne would surely come to invite them in their factions.


    They could not casually leave someone like him unattended since he had a boundless potential that may harm their plans. So the only option they found was to invite him to their factions. But was Cale someone who would just serve them since they were a prince?


    Cale chuckled to himself while waiting patiently for the imperial family''s representative. He was also curious as to who it was that wants to meet him.


    Meanwhile, Border City''s Fragrant Inn''s dining hall. Zarinvienne walked elegantly towards the people dressed in luxurious clothing. Behind her were the massive Brogen and Atlas, their bodies covered by long black robes.


    Zarinvienne removed the hood of her long black robe. Her long fiery red hair sprung loose and hung loosely behind her back. A fragrant womanly scent assailed everyone''s nostrils and they couldn''t help but search for the smell''s source.


    They saw a red-haired woman draped in long black robes. Her face was covered by a mask, but they knew that she was definitely a rare beauty. Such a pity her face was covered by a mask.


    The people sent by the crown prince were also surprised. They glanced at her body which was covered by a thick robe regretfully. If only they could see her figure at least once...


    Zarinvienne smirked derisively at their reaction. She was already used to those kinds of looks, but after being together with Cale for quite some time, she found it rather amusing.


    "Wolf King asked for a representative to come inside his room." Zarinvienne''s lovely voice traveled beside their ears like a bard''s sweet melody.


    The person leading the crown prince''s people nodded her head. She was a woman with a beautiful figure. Her face was covered by a thin veil, but her deep blue eyes were visible. She was the only one who remained calm after seeing Zarinvienne''s charming silhouette.


    "The rest of you, stay here and wait for me." She spoke calmly while stepping forward, still maintaining her elegance.


    "But your high-" The woman waved her hand gently, cutting off her guard''s speech midway.


    The guard hurriedly bowed his head while looking at the departing backs of Zarinvienne and the woman. He then focused his gaze on the massive silhouettes of two figures. He could not help but shudder in fear after seeing the ice cole gazes beneath those masks.


    Zarinvienne led the woman towards Cale''s room. She was impressed by the woman''s elegance which was not any lesser than her own. Someone like her was obviously not just a prince''s representative. She might even be one of the empire''s princesses.


    Zarinvienne knocked on the door while gesturing the woman to follow her inside with a nod of her head.


    Michelle''s face was calm outwardly, but she was excited to see the third four-elemental Saint that appeared in their empire. Hopefully, she will not be disappointed with her visit.


    Michelle saw a man with long silver hair. Half his face was covered by a wolf mask, and only his lips were visible. She can also see the man''s silver eyes which faintly glowed a trace of curiosity. She sized up the man who was sitting nonchalantly on a chair, and she was surprised since she could not feel any aura from him.


    She had heard from the news that this four-elemental Saint was at the initial stage of the Saint-Class level, but after seeing him in person, she thought otherwise. She was also at the initial stage of the Saint-Class level, so how could someone at a similar rank hide their aura from her? Unless of course, if they were hiding their real strength or if they were using an Immortal level item to mask their aura.


    The man smiled at her which caused her wary heart to waver for a brief moment.


    "Please have a seat," Cale spoke warmly while gesturing Michelle to sit down on the chair opposite him.


    Michelle sat down, but her eyes never left Cale''s figure. The man was very mysterious and it was the second time she felt this kind of sensation. The first time was when she saw her third brother, the third prince. Both of them had an air of mystery, but she was more curious about Cale.


    "Pardon my negligence. Let me get you a cup of tea..." Cale smiled and snapped his fingers. A bright ray of light flashed for a moment which made Michelle close her eyes. When she opened them, a cup of tea was already placed on the table in front of her. It emitted a refreshing scent that calm her nerves.


    "So what does someone from the imperial family want from a mercenary like me?" Cale smiled faintly while staring deeply at Michelle.


    Michelle picked up the tea with her dainty hands. She inhaled its refreshing aroma before giving it a light sip. She unconsciously moaned in delight after tasting it. She blushed in alarm while avoiding Cale''s gaze.


    "I am Michelle Doomblade, the only daughter of Emperor Aventus Doomblade. I am here to represent my brother, the crown prince to invite you to the banquet that he is hosting. All the young elites of the empire will be there." Michelle''s regal air gushed out unconsciously. But it was of no effect on Cale.


    "You can call me Wolf King... And this banquet. Sorry your highness, but the presence of a commoner like me might destroy the luxurious atmosphere of the crown prince''s banquet." Cale shook his head with a gentle smile.


    ''Can you stop from smiling already?!'' I can barely hold my heart...'' Michelle thought to herself while looking at Cale''s half-covered facial features.


    "Then, can I meet with you later tonight? I want to discuss something with you." She spoke seriously.


    Cale furrowed his eyebrows and thought for a moment.


    "A beautiful princess wants to meet with a commoner at night. Your highness, do you want me to get killed?" Cale grinned teasingly.


    "Ah, n-no... I... I will go here secretly." Michelle spoke shyly, her voice a tad fainter.


    Cale chuckled lightly while nodding his head.


    "How could I refuse someone of your status. Okay, later tonight, I will wait for you."


    ''Refuse my ass! Humph!'' She berated Cale in her inwardly.


    "It was a pleasure meeting you, Wolf King. I shall take my leave now." Michelle stood up from her seat while flashing Cale a sweet smile. It was covered by her translucent veil, but Cale was still able to see it vaguely.


    Cale stood up and opened the door for her.


    "I will wait for you, your highness."


    Michelle nodded her head and stepped out of his room. Cale saw her off with his gaze, the smile on his face was no longer there.


    "Which side should I choose? Maybe I should really go to that banquet to see those so-called princes." Cale then calmly went back inside his room.


    * * *


    "Lord Lexus, we will arrive in Border City this afternoon. We should rest there for a night before we set off." The deputy spoke respectfully towards their leading general, Lexus.


    Lexus nodded his head gently in affirmation. It might be their last moments here in the empire, so he did not mind giving them a moment of respite. He only brought the oldest soldiers among his army, while leaving the young ones in the capital. It was the only thing he could think of to preserve their force while also having a slim chance of getting the Holy Nourishing Crystal.


    Although he felt that he had inadvertently stepped into someone''s vicious plot, he still held on to the hope that he could save their emperor with the Holy Nourishing Crystal.


    Hopefully, nothing bad will happen on their empire in his moment of absence. Or he would surely kill them even if they were part of the imperial family!


    Lexus'' eyes burned fiercely. He then urged his horse to move faster. Behind him were one thousand soldiers from his Dual Sword Army. All of them emitted a bloodthirsty aura, scaring off the bandits hiding in the shadows.

 Chapter 134 - Temporary Mission

    A huge army arrived inside Border City that afternoon. It was the army personally led by General Lexus, the Dual Sword Army. The said army was also the strongest ground force of the empire, and their presence brought huge impacts on the wars since the establishment of the empire.


    The army set up camp in the northern part of Border City. Tents were erected within a few minutes, and the chattering of soldiers can then be heard. Coincidentally, the Fragrance Inn was also located near the army''s camp.


    General Lexus heard about the emergence of a four-elemental Saint in Border City, but he was not in the mood to meet someone. He was still preoccupied with their mission of getting the Holy Nourishing Crystal. The result of their mission will dictate the life of their emperor, thus, General Lexus was pressured about it.


    Cale has heard about the appearance of an army, but he remained expressionless about it. He was more curious about the princess'' goal.


    He tapped the table with his fingers rhythmically while he was deep in his thoughts. Sometimes he would frown, sometimes he would smile. But most of the time, he maintained his poker face.


    * * *


    The night has descended, and three full moons can be seen high up in the sky emitting bright rays of light.


    Inside Fragrance Inn, a man with long silver can be seen sitting on his chair with a calm countenance. He felt a slight breeze coming from the window, causing his lips to faintly curve upwards.


    "You indeed came secretly, Princess Michelle. But it seems like you are unaware that a person was following you." Cale took a light sip at the tea in his hands, before he turned his head around. He saw the surprised look of Michelle, which made him smile.


    Princess Michelle unceremoniously took a chair for herself and sat gracefully on it. She then frowned while staring deeply on Cale''s face. He was still wearing that calm and collected expression.


    "What do you mean that I was being followed?" Princess Michelle was confident in her capabilities. Although she was not that strong compared to her first and second, she was still one of the empire''s rare geniuses.


    She was a three-elemental Saint who controls the element of wind, lightning, and the very rare space element. Because of her high control towards her elements, she can be considered as one with the fastest speed in the younger generation throughout the whole Celestial Sword Empire.


    Cale smirked at her question. He then spoke while glancing sideways.


    "Zero, get that rat for me."


    "Yes, my lord." A respectful voice resounded inside the room before a shadow flickered and went outside through the window.


    Michelle was shocked by the sudden appearance of the man inside the room. She did not feel his presence at all! It was like he was one with the darkness.


    "So, what do you want to discuss with me, your highness?" Cale lightly twirled the cup of tea in his hand as if it was wine.


    Michelle scolded herself for displaying a foolish expression in front of Cale. She then displayed a serious look towards the man in front of her.


    "Wolf King, I know you have already heard about my father''s dire straits. With his health declining, the empire will surely face countless troublesome entities. But that will only happen once his death was already announced. He may be suffering from a terrible illness, but he is, after all, a peak Immortal-Class level warrior. No matter how injured he is, his strength would still be devastatingly powerful."


    Cale furrowed his eyebrows after hearing the princess. Just what is the goal of this woman?


    "Your highness, I already know all these things. You''re not here just to tell me this, right?"


    Michelle smiled sweetly, but behind that smile was a feeling of hope.


    "I have hired a few high-ranking mercenaries to get an item that could possibly help my father regain his former healthy state. And I want you to join my party on that expedition..."


    - Ding!


    - Temporary Mission: Accept Princess Michelle''s proposition and get the Holy Nourishing Crystal from one of Shura''s forbidden regions, the Cave of Endless Grievance.


    - Reward: x5 Superior Elemental Essence Bundle


    ''What the hell?! Asteria, what is this?!'' Cale''s mind shook at sudden familiar prompt appearing in front of him. He had almost forgotten about it since a very long time had passed when he last did a mission.


    Aside from that, the reward was truly tempting. With that amount of Elemental Essence Bundle, he might even reach the later stages or even the peak of the Saint-Class level!


    Nonetheless, he was sure that such a mission was never easy. For the stingy Asteria to give that amount of rewards, he was confident that dangers lay within the mission. Still, how could he pass up such an opportunity?


    Asteria remained silent. She was disinclined to answer Cale''s question.


    Michelle was nervous about Cale''s silence. She really wanted to have his help to at least increase the chance of getting the Holy Nourishing Crystal. The latter then glanced at her which made her heart tighten.


    "Princess Michelle, what can you give me in return for accepting this mission?" Cale''s calm voice echoed beside her ears.


    She was stunned for a brief moment before she broke out into a smile.


    "Wolf King, once my father consumes this item, he will surely be healed. Saving his life is tantamount to saving the life of the entire Celestial Sword Empire! I can assure you that you will gain a noble title once that happens. You will earn a piece of land from the empire and possibly build your fame."


    Cale was tempted about what she said since that was his goal. He wanted to gain fame in order to command an army that could destroy the demons that invaded his planet. He flashed his thumbs up in his heart towards her for being such a good negotiator.


    "Okay, I agree. Your negotiating skill is impressive, your highness. The crown prince must have been over the moon when he got your support." Cale had a defeated look in his eyes and Michelle saw through it.


    Michelle smiled from ear to ear after hearing Cale''s reply. Although everyone believed that Cale was only at the early stage of the Saint-Class level, her instincts were telling her that there was something more about him.


    They then discussed random things after that...


    * * *


    Zero chased the shadow that was running ahead of him. He then used the element of wind to chase after the shadow.


    ''Shit! This guy''s speed is not any weaker than that lass Michelle. The people together with that four-elemental Saint are also not simple. I must report this to his highness.'' The man thought to himself as he hastily jumped through the buildings.


    Zero pulled out ten knives from his sleeves and filled the knives with his dark elemental energy. He then threw the knives towards the escaping man at breakneck speed. The latter felt his scalp tingle in dread. He unconsciously evaded Zero''s attack, but a knife still found its way towards his defenseless back.


    The attack was swift and sudden, and he had no time to dodge the attack. The dark element had a corroding effect that affected the man''s speed greatly. His movements became sluggish which made Zero overtake him.


    The two men glared at each other, showing no hints of weakness. Zero then vanished from his spot and attacked the man. The latter unsheathed a sword from out nowhere and blocked Zero''s dagger strikes.


    The sound of two metals colliding resounded above the sky. The silhouettes of Zero and the man flickered from time to time as they continued their fight. Both of them specialized in speed, thus, making it hard for someone with weaker cultivation to see their battle.


    General Lexus calmly swept his gaze towards the direction where he felt strong elemental energies colliding. He was curious about the identity of the two people who dared to fight inside the city. He floated in midair and observed the fight that was happening from afar. He looked amused while watching the two young people, and he could not help but reminisce about his past self. He took out a bottle of wine and drank a mouthful of wine from it. His gaze contained a faint trace of nostalgia as he continued watching the battle with a slight smile.


    Zero equipped the Divine level set equipment that Cale gave him and attacked the man with more domineering strikes. A few experts living inside the city were awoken by the fight. They stared in astonishment as Zero pummeled the man with his punch. The latter came falling towards the ground which created spiderweb-like cracks when his body dropped with a loud bang.


    Zero descended slowly and hoisted the unconscious body of the man on his shoulder before vanishing from everyone''s sights.


    The night became peaceful once again. Only the huge crack on the ground remained from the previous battle.


    General Lexus stared deeply at Zero''s silhouette as the latter went inside Fragrance Inn while carrying the unconscious body of the man.


    ''It looks like the fight for the throne is about to start. Hopefully, it will not be the indolent second prince who will emerge victoriously. But then again, this will only happen if the emperor is dead. So how could I allow that to happen?'' General Lexus said before taking another sip from his wine bottle. He continued hovering in midair with a complicated expression on his aged face.

 Chapter 135 - Three Different Smiles

    The next morning, General Lexus'' Dual Sword Army left Border City. The soldiers were wearing a solemn expression as they proceeded with their march. They were, after all, going inside one of Shura''s forbidden regions, the Cave of Endless Grievance. Their journey would surely be fraught with dangers, but they had to march forward. The success of their expedition will bring a huge impact on the fate of their empire.


    General Lexus'' facial expression was grim, but his eyes glowed with firm resolution. He equipped his dual long swords which were Saint level weapons. The two swords'' blades gleamed with coldness. He then sheathed them back on the scabbard that formed an X-shape behind his back.


    Meanwhile, inside Fragrance Inn, Cale, Michelle, and Zero were staring solemnly at a man who was tied tightly by thick elemental chains. Michelle could not identify the man at close scrutiny, but she was sure that it was her second brother, the second prince who sent the man to follow her.


    She felt a cold sweat dripping down her forehead. Someone was actually tailing her without her knowledge!


    ''That second brother of mine is the only one who will do something like this!'' Michelle angrily thought to herself as she stared at the man who was about to wake up. Hopefully, he did not stalk her inside her room, or she would surely kill him with her own hands! A faint trace of killing intent surged out of her peerless body.


    Cale remained expressionless as he waited for the man to wake up. Zero had dealt quite the damage towards the man, making him go unconscious for one whole night.


    "Ugghh!" The man groaned in pain as he slowly opened his eyes with difficulty. The sheer amount of pain made him grit his teeth in alarm.


    The moment he opened his eyes, he saw the familiar face of the princess who was glaring at him sharply. Beside her were two men, one with long silver hair with a wolf mask covering half his face. The other one was someone he knew, it was the guy that he had fought last night.


    He glared sharply at Zero and howled in anger. The latter smirked and immediately delivered a strong and decisive punch on the man''s face. The man''s face distorted in pain and his nose bled intensely, but he still glared solemnly at Zero. If looks could kill, Zero would have died many times over already.


    Zero chuckled eerily causing the man''s hair to stand on end. He then saw a fist coming straight towards his defenseless face. A loud sound of a face being punched resounded inside the room.


    "Ugghh!" The man groaned once more. The feeling of pain was more intense this time since Zero focused on punching his nose. He felt a searing pain coming from his face and he felt his cheeks tighten.


    Zero nodded in satisfaction after seeing the bulging reddish cheeks of the man. His nose also crooked on a different angle, blood poured out unceasingly.


    "Who sent you here to follow me?" Princess Michelle spoke calmly, but the fury in her eyes was noticeable.


    The man merely laughed at her question, but because of his current circumstances, the mere act of laughing caused him intense pain. But he ignored the pain and glanced mockingly at Princess Michelle. The scorn in his yellowish eyes was clear to see.


    Zero took out a knife from his sleeves and swiped it calmly. A line of blood splashed in front of him, but his robes remained untainted.


    The man glanced at his right hand in alarm. Two of his fingers were no longer attached to it, and only a cleanly cut part remained, blood gushed out of it. The pain signals were late to arrive, but it still caused the man to grimace like a pig.


    "When you are asked, you answer. I can gouge out your heart and still keep you alive at the same time. If you don''t want to see that happen then speak properly." Zero voice was indifferent, but the man felt extreme fear. The way he looked at Zero also changed, it was as if he was looking at the god of death.


    He then searched for the suicide pill inside his mouth using his tongue, but he was unable to find it.


    "Forget about finding it. I have already taken it out from you." Zero swiped his knife once again and another fountain of blood splashed out.


    The man gritted his teeth with a distorted expression, and he kept on emitting muffled groans. He then glared fiercely at Zero, his body shaking uncontrollably from the pain.


    Michelle who was not accustomed to seeing that kind of scene had a face as pale as snow. But she still forced herself to look calm on the surface.


    Zero suddenly conjured a dark elemental insect that wriggled maliciously in his hands. The chained man palpitated in fear after seeing it, and he peed his pants in terror as Zero slowly approached him with the insect in hand.


    "I''ll speak! I''ll speak! I''ll speak!" The man was breathing heavily as buckets of sweat slid down his bruised face, creating a sorry sight.


    The man spoke everything he knew with a stuttering voice. He kept on glancing at Zero with his peripheral vision.


    Princess Michelle''s conjectures were indeed right. Zero also did not feel any hint of falsehood from the man''s words. It was indeed the second prince who sent him towards the Fragrant Inn. He had coincidentally seen Michelle go towards the inn, hence he followed after her. He also said that the second prince told him to invite Cale in their faction, and if he declines, then the man had to kill him.


    After hearing the man''s words, Zero''s face darkened by several degrees.


    ''Someone actually dares kill his lordship?! Even if you are the empire''s prince, you will have to die!''


    Zero then felt a slight pat on his shoulder. He turned around and saw Cale''s calm expression.


    "Zero, kill him swiftly and dispose his body. We shall not waste our time on some cannon fodder."


    "Yes, my lord." Zero bowed his head calmly before slicing the man''s neck with his knife. The man had a strange smile on his face as if he had gained freedom.


    Princess Michelle swallowed her disgust as she left the room with Cale. They then discussed the princess'' plan for their expedition.


    * * *


    The next day, inside a big mansion. A man with long blonde hair laughed maliciously, but his eyes contained furious killing intent.


    "A little commoner dares to kill one of my people. Even if you are a four-elemental Saint, you still have to die for provoking me! I will let you live for now, but once I get the throne, you will either be my slave or be a pile of rotting flesh!"


    He then swept his gaze on a young woman who was shivering in fear. He grabbed the woman fiercely while tearing off her clothes like a starved lion.


    The sound of a woman crying and loud pounding sounds resounded moments after.


    * * *


    On the same day, Cale met with the party that Princess Michelle hired for the mission. There were more than two dozen of them, and all of these fighters were Saints. There were even two people wearing a black and gold armband signifying that they were Adamantine-Rank mercenaries. They looked haughtily at the other fighters of the party.


    Although all of them were Saints, the difference between their strength was huge. All of the Adamantine-Rank mercenaries were powerful people that only a few dared to confront.


    Cale arrived at their meeting spot with Princess Michelle. All of Cale''s subordinates remained to gather intelligence about the empire during his absence.  He also tasked them to protect the princess secretly.


    The two dozen Saints focused their gazes on Cale who was standing beside Princess Michelle. They stood too close to each other that it irked the fighters terribly. How could they allow any other man to stand close to their goddess?!


    It was the same case for one of the Adamantine-Rank mercenary, Ciprus. He was a late stage Saint-Class level fighter and was also ranked sixteenth in the Adamantine leaderboard, just two steps below the spearman Falkor, so he was definitely strong.


    Ciprus glared at Cale with open hostility. The latter reciprocated with an indifferent expression. Cale''s calmness annoyed Ciprus greatly, and if not for the presence of Princess Michelle, he would have already smashed that calm look out of his face. Although it was covered by a mask, Ciprus still saw his indifference.


    "Hello everyone, this man here is Wolf King. He will join you guys on the expedition to search for the Holy Nourishing Crystal. He is also a Saint and a Platinum-Rank mercenary, so his help would be immense on your party." Cale smiled at the fighters after Princess Michelle''s introduction.


    They already know that their mission was at max level difficulty, so an additional help was very much appreciated. Their earlier hostility towards Cale lessened by a notch.


    Ciprus saw the princess smiling at Cale after she introduced him towards the party. Princess Michelle was usually aloof and cold, but she actually smiled at someone, and towards a man at that! Unforgivable!


    "Your highness, when do we set off?" Ciprus was already impatient about his thoughts on killing Cale. And the only place he can do that was outside Border City, during their expedition. His lips curved into a grin at his own thoughts. No one should stay near his goddess!


    Princess Michelle was caught off guard at the sudden question, but she instantly regained her calmness.


    "We will set off today." She looked calmly at Ciprus. She already knew what kind of thoughts this man harbored, but she was disinclined to care about such a man. She believed that Cale had a way to defeat him, so she was not worried at all. Her lips lift upwards slightly.


    Cale was oblivious about their thoughts, his focus was solely on the reward of the mission. Five Elemental Essence Bundle was enough for him to reach the late stage of the Saint-Class level! There was also that promise from Princess Michelle. He could not help but smile widely.


    Three people smiled, but their smiles held different meanings.

 Chapter 136 - Wolf Pack

    "Someone from the Ignius Family will also come to lead you all for this mission. Some of you might even know her..." Princess Michelle had a mysterious smile on her face as he looked at the mercenaries.


    All of the hired mercenaries were shocked after they heard the princess'' words. How could they not know the Ignius Family? Their patriarch, Shutra Ignius was one of the four dukes of the empire.


    He was one of the empire''s strongest experts and his strength had long since reached an unfathomable level. Even outside the empire, his name was known by many.


    Everyone then heard calm and steady footsteps from behind them. They turned around and instinctively glance at the woman who was coming towards them. After seeing her face, everyone except Cale sucked in a deep breath of cold air. Even the arrogant Ciprus had a look of disbelief after seeing her.


    She was a woman with long blonde hair that reached her waist. She was wearing a white and gold knight''s armor which glistened with elegance and beauty. Her facial features were peerless beyond comparison, and she looked heroic with the knight armor she wore.


    She bowed her head at Princess Michelle as a sign of respect before reverting back to her usual cold look.


    The mercenaries were speechlessly looking at the woman. They did not even dare look at her for more than a second before looking elsewhere.


    Cale was surprised at this since the arrogant Ciprus also did the same. Just who was this woman and how come she brought this kind of reaction from the mercenaries? Cale curiously stared at her and unconsciously nodded his head in admiration.


    ''She is indeed beautiful, and her beauty is on the same level as Nocturna''s and Zarinvienne''s.'' Cale thought after getting a much clearer look at the newcomer.


    Cale did not need to wait for long to know her identity. Princess Michelle rushed towards the valiant woman with a sweet smile on her face. The veil she was wearing swayed gently as she ran towards the woman excitedly.


    "This is Seira Ignius, the fourth rank mercenary in the Adamantine leaderboard." Princess Michelle calmed herself down as she introduced the woman to everyone.


    As a fourth rank mercenary, she was also an Immortal-Class level fighter. She was on the verge of breaking through towards the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level. She was known as the strongest genius of the Ignius Family.


    You don''t need to introduce her to us, your highness. How could we not know her? Everyone in the Mercenary Guild knows her.


    That was everyone''s thoughts after hearing Princess Michelle''s introduction.


    Princess Michelle then discussed with everyone about the details of the mission and also the reward after they come back with the Holy Nourishing Crystal. After telling them that, she then left with her other subordinates.


    An awkward silence followed after the princess'' disappearance. Cale furrowed his brows at the sudden quietness. He was not here to waste his time, and his goal for coming here was to set off for the mission.


    "Young miss Seira, we should leave now and not waste our time standing here. Every moment that passes also means the worsening of the emperor''s condition..." Cale solemnly looked at the silent Seira.


    The latter''s eyes flashed for a brief moment before she nodded her head at Cale in affirmation. She then gazed at Ciprus who was the strongest in the party after her.


    "You, lead the way." Her enchanting voice was like a calm wind that caressed everyone''s ears. They did not dare show any discontent at her command.


    This woman was very strong. She was also the only daughter of Shutra Ignius, thus he cared much about her.


    There was even one noble that took liberties with her, but the noble suddenly disappeared out of thin air. And it was not the first time that it happened. Thus, all of them were very afraid of this woman.


    Ciprus smiled unknowingly after being chosen by Seira. He was also looking at the others with a smugly. He was very honored for being chosen by Seira to lead the party. The disdainful look in his eyes was evident, making everyone else wish to beat him up.


    The group started their journey, albeit with a strange and awkward atmosphere.


    * * *


    Three days later, a group of mercenaries was surrounded by a pack of savage wolves. There were several hundred wolves in total and some of them were even at the Saint-Class level.


    The mercenaries glanced solemnly at the wolf pack while holding their weapons tightly in their hands.


    The wolves bared their fangs while glaring at the mercenaries with their savage eyes.


    One wolf suddenly pounced on a mercenary, but it was swiftly taken out by Ciprus. The mercenary thanked Ciprus for saving him.


    The wolves were enraged after seeing one of their own died. They then charged towards the mercenaries and attacked them from all sides.


    Cale took out his huge heavy sword and brandished it towards the incoming wolves. His casual strike killed five wolves, slashing their bodies in half.


    Ciprus swung his gigantic hammer and pounded one savage wolf into meat paste. His actions caused the surrounding wolves to be even angrier. The wolves'' eyes were bloodshot and their attacks became even crazier. Some of the mercenaries were scratched, but luckily none of them received fatal injuries.


    Ciprus swung his giant hammer around like a battle god. All the wolves that came near him wear smashed into meat paste. Even the mercenaries did dare come closer to him, lest they might be killed accidentally.


    Seira confronted the high-level wolves among the pack. She wielded her short sword gracefully. Every slash of her sword meant the death of multiple wolves.


    She suddenly felt a sharp killing intent at her side. She unconsciously swung her short sword at the side which was met by a menacing sharp claw.


    An enraged alpha wolf slashed its sharp claws towards the beautiful face of Seira at breakneck speed.


    She calmly evaded the alpha wolf''s attack while slashing it her shortsword.


    The wolf retreated agilely while glaring at Seira. The human was actually strong enough to fight on equal terms with it. This surprised the wolf greatly.


    On the other hand, Seira was also surprised at the alpha wolf''s strength. She became even more careful about her actions.


    This was truly one of Shura''s forbidden regions. They haven''t even reached the entrance of the cave yet, but they have already encountered a wolf pack with an Immortal-Class level alpha wolf.


    Cale glanced at his party. All of them were having a hard time facing countless wolves in every direction.


    "Everyone, stick together! Don''t divide yourselves or you will be easy opponents for these wolves!"


    Everyone heard the loud and commanding tone which made them unconsciously follow the order.


    The mercenaries clustered together with their backs against each other.


    "Ranged fighters, stay inside the formation! Melee fighters, protect them!" Cale issued another command.


    With the new formation, the mercenaries were able to preserve their strength since they only needed to guard their front, while their backs were being guarded by their comrades and vice versa.


    Ciprus refused to follow the command after seeing that it was Cale who shouted the order. He remained on his spot while wildly swinging his giant hammer.


    His elemental essence was hurriedly depleting, but he refused to follow Cale''s commands.


    "Who do you think you are to command me, Ciprus?! Die you shitty wolves!" Ciprus shouted a battle cry. A huge amount of elemental essence surged out of his body.


    Every step from him left a deep footprint on the ground.


    The wolves snarled at him, but they did not dare attack. They have seen the strength of this human who looked like an uncouth barbarian.


    Ciprus was breathing heavily while glaring at the wolves who dared not come near him.


    "If you won''t attack me, then let me do the attacking!"


    He jumped and lifted his giant hammer in midair. He then smashed it towards a group of wolves.


    The attack caused a loud booming sound. Spiderweb-like cracks emerged on the ground. The epicenter of the attack also had a huge crater, while the wolves that Ciprus attacked were nowhere to be seen. They were thoroughly decimated by his giant hammer.


    Cale smirked at this high-profile display of strength. It was very reckless and wasteful to use this kind of tactic. If it was a one on one fight, then it might effectively scare the opponent, but against hundreds of hungry savage wolves, that kind of action was plainly stupid.


    His giant hammer was already very exhausting to wield, plus with his wasteful usage of elemental essence. It won''t be long before his elemental essence to be depleted.


    ''Don''t blame me for not warning you. How did a foolish man like you even become an Adamantine-Rank mercenary?'' Cale laughed coldly in his heart.


    Asteria has already told him about the killing intent that this man secretly held for him. After knowing that, Cale became more hostile towards Ciprus.

 Chapter 137 - Heavenly Winged Guardians

    Ciprus huffed and puffed as he glared coldly at the savage wolves who were eyeing him maliciously. They bared their fangs at him while snarling with anger. ;


    This despicable human has killed dozens of their comrades, how would they not get angry at him? ;


    Ciprus gripped the handle of his giant hammer tightly. He could barely lift it up as he had already consumed most of his elemental essence.


    Although his physical body was strengthened after breaking through to the Saint-Class level, it was not enough to carry the massive hammer without the help of elemental essence.


    Meanwhile, in a different area of the ongoing battle between the mercenaries and the wolf pack. Seira and the alpha wolf stood opposite each other. ;


    They warily glanced at each other''s movements with unblinking eyes. Their muscles were taut, ready to attack at any sudden movement of their opponent.


    The alpha wolf grew impatient and disappeared from its previous spot. It dashed towards Seira at an imperceptible speed. ;


    Subsequently, Seira took a step back as she felt a chill coming towards her. It was actually the alpha wolf''s claw aiming straight at her face!


    Seira slashed her short sword towards the outstretched claw of the wolf. ;


    "Puchi!"


    A furry wolf paw with sharp claws dropped on the ground. Blood gushed out unceasingly on the wolf''s severed leg.


    It then produced a bestial cry of pain, causing all the other wolves to glance at their leader in alarm. ;


    "Awoooo!"


    The sound of more than a hundred wolves howls resonated within the forested region right outside the Cave of Endless Grievance. ;


    The bird and other aerial beasts flew in alarm after they heard the howling of the wolf pack. ;


    Seira tightly gripped her sword as she stared at the alpha wolf who was looking at her with extreme hatred.


    Its eyes flashed with madness, but the pain it was feeling made it hold itself back from attacking the human in front of it.


    "Hoowl!"


    It then produced another howl before escaping with its wolf brothers.


    The mercenaries heaved sighs of relief after seeing the wolves retreat. They kept their weapons and sat on the ground while panting heavily. ;


    They had truly exhausted a lot of their elemental essence from that fight alone. ;


    Their enemies were merely wolves, but they were already in dire straits. How much more if they faced the much stronger Heavenly Winged Guardians?


    The mission this time was truly hard, but the rewards were similarly abundant. So how could these mercenaries decline such a tempting mission?


    Anyway, they only need one Holy Nourishing Crystal. After harvesting one crystal, they would immediately escape.


    But after experiencing the earlier battle, they felt that they were very naive. How could they easily escape a forbidden region? ;


    Ciprus unequipped his giant hammer and took out a Replenishing Pill from his storage space. This was a precious item personally concocted by the empire''s top physician, Elder Sun. ;


    The effect of such a pill was to replenish lost elemental essence. But the price of such a miraculous pill was also expensive, thus Ciprus felt a bit pinched after he consumed it.


    The other mercenaries nursed their injured comrades. No one received any fatal injuries due to Cale''s timely commands. ;


    The latter took out a glass of crystal clear water from his storage space. He then gulped it down in one go. ;


    After the liquid entered his stomach, he quivered in delight. His lost elemental essence was also being replenished. The crystal clear water actually had the same effect as the Replenishing Pill!


    Cale then glanced mockingly at Ciprus who was still breathing heavily. But he also had to commend the man''s strength. Ciprus alone has killed more than several dozens of those wolves. If not for his stupidity, Cale would have taken him more seriously. ;


    "How is everyone?" A soft and charming voice reached their ears. They then glanced at the blonde beauty with a short sword strapped on her back.


    She still had the cold look on her face exquisite face. ;


    "We are fine, young miss Seira." The mercenaries flashed a forced smile.


    "For those who want to return home, you may leave while we are still outside the Cave of Endless Grievance." Seira eyed the party who wore various expressions.


    She already felt the negative atmosphere of everyone. She knew that foolishly going inside the cave would only get all of them killed. ;


    The mercenaries glanced at each other after she spoke. They knew the danger inside the cave. One slight mistake will get them killed. Even if they were Saints, they could still not escape death.


    "I apologize, young miss Seira. But I have to leave here. The rewards might be tempting, but it''s not worth sacrificing my life." One mercenary bowed his head regretfully at Seira. He then left the party without turning his head back.


    After one man spoke and left the party, many others followed suit. They were also shaken by the battle earlier.


    They haven''t even gone inside the cave, but some of them were almost killed. ;


    They bowed at Seira one after another while eyeing the remaining mercenaries with a complicated gaze.


    From the initial two dozen mercenaries, only six of them remained including Seira. Ciprus and his comrade Tyrone, who was also an Adamantine-Rank mercenary. There was also Cale and two more people. They all wore solemn looks as they gaze at the retreating figure of the leaving mercenaries.


    "Pah! Those cowards!" Ciprus spat a mouthful of saliva while glaring scornfully at the silhouettes from afar.


    Cale''s eyes flashed for a moment as if he had thought of something. He then stood up and walked towards Seira.


    "Young miss Seira, I remember about Lord Lexus'' Dual Sword Army going out of Border City. I am certain that their goal is the same as ours. They should already be inside the cave. If we can overtake their army, then we can offer them our help. After all, how could they decline the help from three Adamantine-Rank and three Platinum-Rank mercenaries?" Cale smiled faintly while glancing at Seira. The latter''s eyes twinkled at the former''s words. ;


    Right! What could be the Dual Sword Army''s goal aside from getting the Holy Nourishing Crystal for the emperor?


    "You''re right. Everyone, take a rest for now. After thirty minutes of rest, we shall depart and search for General Lexus'' army." Seira''s tone was still nonchalant, but her voice contained a certain charm to it.


    * * *


    A few hours later.


    Inside the Cave of Endless Grievance. A huge army of soldiers wielding dual swords was confronting an army of winged humanoid beasts.


    The humanoid beasts had reddish skin. A pair of dark red wings flapped behind their backs as they fought fearlessly with the soldiers. ;


    These humanoid beasts were the Heavenly Winged Guardian. They lived in groups of tens of thousands. ;


    An adult Heavenly Winged Guardian has a core that can be harvested upon its death, the Holy Nourishing Crystal. ;


    This crystal had various useful effects upon consumption. It was even capable of healing someone who was on the verge of death.


    But these crystals can only be harvested from an Immortal-Class level Heavenly Winged Guardian.


    The sound of fierce battle cries reverberated from time to time. Blood flowed in buckets as more and more soldiers and humanoid beasts died.


    The metallic scent of blood gushed inside the soldiers'' noses, but they were already accustomed to it. ;


    General Lexus jumped out of his mount and charged towards the center of the huge Heavenly Winged Guardian army. ;


    His eyes were cold as he brandished his Saint level dual sword. The beasts that came near him were cut cleanly in half.


    They could not even utter cries of despair before the dismembered parts of their bodies were helplessly thrown on the ground.


    The Heavenly Winged Guardians brandished their stone weapons towards the old general, but the latter simply swiped his dual swords while disregarding his defense. ;


    His two swords sliced the stone weapons of the Heavenly Winged Guardians as if he was slicing tofu. ;


    The two deputies were similarly unstoppable as they followed behind their general with an undying will. ;


    The sound of weapons clashing against each other can be clearly heard. Thick amounts of blood flowed on the ground dyeing it with a reddish hue.


    * * * ;


    "They should be up ahead since the lair of the Heavenly Winged Guardians is close by," Tyrone whispered after checking the surroundings. It was not his first time going inside the Cave of Endless Grievance. He had come here a few years ago with a large number of mercenaries for the same mission of getting a Holy Nourishing Crystal, but only a few of them were able to escape alive.


    After walking for a few more minutes, they heard the sounds of battle that shook the entire cave. ;


    In front of them were two armies who were engaged in a vicious battle. Neither of them held the upper hand, but there were more Heavenly Winged Guardians than the number of soldiers.


    "Let''s go! We should help the old man''s army!" Seira hastily rushed to join the fight. Her long blonde hair which was left untied fluttered elegantly along with the wind. ;


    Cale and the other mercenaries joined the fray after seeing Seira rushing towards the battle...

 Chapter 138 - Fierce Battle Between Soldiers and Beasts

    The addition of Seira''s small party did not really do much help against the huge army of the Heavenly Winged Guardians.


    Nonetheless, the appearance of another Immortal-Class level mercenary would be of huge help when the a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians will arrive.


    General Lexus smiled faintly after seeing the heroic silhouette of a familiar young lady.


    ''The brat from the Ignius Family is actually here. His father, Duke Shutra would truly have a heart attack if he learns that his beloved daughter is inside the Cave of Endless Grievance.''


    The old general''s countenance turned brighter as he hacked the humanoid beasts around him.


    "Young miss Seira and her team are here to provide support!" A soldier saw Seira joining the battlefield which made him shout excitedly.


    Everyone was elated about it, making their fighting will soar to a much higher degree.


    Seira Ignius, ranks fourth in the Adamantine leaderboard. The daughter of Duke Shutra Ignius.


    The arrival of such a person made them fight more aggressively as if they were injected with chicken blood.


    The Heavenly Winged Guardians were being pushed back by the Dual Sword Army''s fierce momentum.


    The battle cry of the soldiers shook the entire cave, making everyone''s blood boil with great intensity.


    More and more Heavenly Winged Guardians were hacked into pieces following the crazy onslaught of the soldiers.


    Cale with his huge heavy sword casually brandished his weapon to slash a Heavenly Winged Guardian.


    ''These Saint-Class level humanoid beasts are much easier to handle, but I don''t know how strong would their a_d_u_l_ts be. Hopefully, the old general and the other Immortal-Class level fighters would be able to kill one. If not, then I would really have to equip the full set of my Void Wolf Immortal set equipment.''


    Cale observed the ongoing battle. His silver eyes flashed with a strange glow.


    Although Cale was only at the initial stage of the Saint-Class level, his strength was on par with Ciprus who was at the peak of the Saint realm.


    The guy was still swinging his gigantic hammer wildly without stopping. His huge expenditure of elemental essence was truly astounding.


    But as stupid as he may be. Each of his attacks destroyed countless Heavenly Winged Guardians into pieces.


    Cale smiled and shook his head before sprinting forward while raising his huge heavy sword in midair.


    His loose silver hair danced wildly, making him look more dashing and valiant. His silver wolf mask added a hint of mystery to his overall atmosphere.


    The soldiers were awed at Cale''s display of strength and they thought that he was also an Adamantine-Rank mercenary.


    "Follow that sir! Don''t bring shame to our Dual Sword Army! Charge!"


    The soldiers followed behind Cale as they charged through the army of humanoid beasts.


    "Booooom!"


    A loud explosion erupted behind the army of Heavenly Winged Guardians. Five humanoid beasts wearing metallic armor suddenly emerged.


    The soldiers'' eyes were focused on the five newcomers.


    They all felt a chill after seeing them. Those were the a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians! And each of them had the strength at the Immortal-Class level.


    General Lexus'' eyes gleamed in anticipation.


    ''So you have finally shown yourselves.''


    The old general flew straight towards the a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians. His two swords were raised in midair.


    The air vibrated at the stifling charge of the old general.


    He slashed both swords at one of the a_d_u_l_t humanoid beasts. The latter raised its stone halberd to block the old general''s attack.


    "Baaang!"


    The old general felt as if he had just hacked a humongous mountain.


    He then issued a deafening battle cry as poured more elemental essence on his attack which pushed back the a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardian.


    The old general''s entire body was then enveloped by an earthen armor, making him look like a human golem.


    His entire being radiated an overpowering aura that made the five a_d_u_l_t humanoid beasts alarmed.


    They then charged at the old general who was now covered by a bronze earthen armor.


    The stone halberd in their hands aimed straight at the old general.


    General Lexus evaded the attacks but he was still hit by one stone halberd which hurled him towards the far corner of the cave.


    His body was embedded on the cave walls leaving a huge spiderweb-like crack with him at the center.


    "Young miss Seira, go support the old general together with his deputies! Leave these small fries to us!" Cale shouted with vigor.


    Seira glanced at Cale intently before she nodded her head gently.


    She looked like a flame goddess, heroic and enchanting.


    Her sword slashes produced burning sword winds as she launched them towards the a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians.


    The two deputies also soared in midair and activated their elemental essence to the maximum as they enveloped themselves with their respective elemental energies.


    Cale grinned as he looked at the fierce battle between the Immortal-Class level fighters and humanoid beasts.


    Their violent exchange created multiple shockwaves.


    The soldiers down below were dumbfounded and amazed.


    "Everyone, focus on our battle! Charge with me!" Cale shouted an order as he charged through the vanguard of the beasts.


    Mutilated body parts flew like rain as Cale swiped his heavy sword unceasingly.


    ''The four of them should be enough to kill one a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardian.''


    The soldiers followed behind Cale, not wanting to be outdone.


    Ciprus'' body was enveloped by thick amounts of lightning.


    The Heavenly Winged Guardians that were struck by his hammer were pounded into meat paste before their bodies were charred by his lightning element.


    Tyrone, the rank twentieth in the Adamantine leaderboard was more low-profile than Ciprus.


    He pulled the string of his longbow, but no arrows can be seen. Only a traceless light arrow can be vaguely felt.


    Every time he releases the light arrows, one Heavenly Winged Guardian would plummet towards the ground, dead.


    "Focus your attacks on one of them! We only need one Holy Nourishing Crystal to save the emperor!" The old general came out of the hole which he was hurled into.


    His eyes radiated dense killing intent.


    Seira and the two deputies nodded their heads in acknowledgment.


    The other four beasts did not allow them to kill their comrade. Although they were beasts, they understood what these humans were up to.


    Their battle continued, becoming even more violent and fierce. But no clear winner can be seen on both sides.


    On the other hand, the soldiers down below were also gaining confidence against the endless amount of humanoid beasts.


    But it won''t take long before they expend all of their elemental essence. When that time comes, the tides of the battle will take a drastic turn.


    Cale gritted his teeth in indecision, but he still chose not to equip his full Saint set equipment.


    ''It''s only my last resort, and equipping the full set of a Saint equipment meant becoming the target of countless hungry eyes.''


    The soldiers'' elemental were diminishing at a fast rate of time. Following that, they became much weaker.


    One by one, they were slowly being killed by the endless amount of Heavenly Winged Guardians.


    Even Ciprus'' face was becoming paler by the second. The lightning around his body was suddenly removed. He coughed up blood as he kneeled down on the ground while panting for breath.


    He stood up with great difficulty, but he could not lift up his gigantic hammer anymore.


    Dozens of Heavenly Winged Guardians dashed towards him with their stone weapons in hand.


    Ciprus laughed mockingly to himself, but his eyes remained fearless in front of countless ferocious humanoid beasts coming for his life.


    He was about to close his eyes in resignation, but he suddenly heard a familiar voice traveling beside his ears.


    "You have done your part well, Ciprus. I hate to say it, but I admire your courage."


    He glanced in front of him and saw the familiar back figure of a man with long silver hair which sprung loosely behind his back.


    He strangely did not feel any anger after hearing the man. He only remained silent and watched in shock as the man effortlessly kill several dozen Heavenly Winged Guardians with a black sword which looked malicious and menacing.


    The humanoid beasts could not even go near Cale as he nonchalantly brandished his sword.


    He already looked dashing before, but now he looked like a celestial war god that descended the mortal realm with the sword in his hands.


    Ciprus'' eyes widened in surprise causing him to cough another mouthful of blood.


    "A Saint sword?!"

 Chapter 139 - Holy Nourishing Crystal

    Under the astonished gaze of Ciprus, Cale with his Void Wolf Immortal Sword in hand effortlessly killed dozens of Heavenly Winged Guardians with every slash.


    The latter''s entire being was enveloped by an overbearing aura that oppressed the humanoid beasts around him.


    Cale with a deadpan expression tapped his foot and disappeared from his spot before reappearing in front of the Heavenly Winged Guardians.


    He then brandished his sword with both his hands which created a baleful and dark sword wind that cut the surrounding beasts in half.


    They could not even utter any cries of despair before their bodies were slashed into two.


    Ciprus took the chance to consume another Replenishing Pill, but his eyes were still fixated on the silver-haired Cale who was slaughtering the Heavenly Winged Guardians as if they were hapless chickens.


    Fountains of blood sprayed around Cale, but his clothes remained untainted as if an invisible energy was blocking him from filth.


    Cale''s eyes remained unchanged after killing countless beasts.


    His blood-soaked Void Wolf Immortal Sword vibrated as if it wanted more blood.


    Cale, as the owner of the sword, felt its craving. He, himself was greatly affected by the sword''s thirst. But a pleasant sensation would then revolved around his body to stop the baleful sword from corroding Cale''s personality.


    Cale flicked his sword to remove the blood all over it.


    He then glanced sharply at the ongoing fight from the distance.


    Multiple shockwaves can be seen in that area as the Immortal-Class level fighters and beasts battled without rest.


    "I guess I still have to intervene..." Cale sighed lightly before flying swiftly towards the direction of those shockwaves.


    Ciprus gaped in shock as he stared at Cale''s back figure. The former''s eyes then enlarged like saucers after seeing where the latter was headed to.


    "Is that kid asking to die?!"


    Ciprus was speechless at Cale''s audacity.


    Cale could still follow the Immortal-Class level fighters and the a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians with Asteria''s help.


    There might be a whole realm of difference in their strength, but with his Void Wolf Immortal Sword and Asteria''s instructions, he should be able to preserve his life against those humanoid beasts.


    Cale activated his time and space elemental energy to the maximum to cope up with their speed.


    His sudden arrival surprised General Lexus and the others. The strange thing was that they can''t sense Cale''s strength level.


    Seira glanced at Cale in astonishment.


    ''What is he doing here? And that sword...''


    She stared solemnly at Cale''s sword.


    Cale ignored their surprised looks and slashed his Saint sword towards one of the humanoid beasts.


    "I will slow one of them down! You guys use your full strength to kill it!"


    General Lexus'' eyes flashed for a moment after sensing an unfamiliar elemental energy subduing one of the a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians.


    It was actually able to slow down the movements of those humanoid beasts!


    "This element... The element of time..." Seira muttered incredulously as she glanced at the silhouette of the man who acted low-profile during their expedition.


    To think that he was hiding his real strength!


    "What are you guys waiting for?! Kill it before my elemental essence is depleted!"


    Cale shouted loudly. Thick beads of sweat slid down his face as he controlled the element of time.


    His control over the time element was the weakest, but he was still capable of slowing one of those Heavenly Winged Guardians for a short period of time.


    ''Hopefully, it will be enough for them to kill it.''


    The Immortal-Class level fighters hesitated no more.


    They charged towards the slowed humanoid beasts while conjuring their strongest elemental attacks.


    Cale shouted in madness as he tried slowing down the five humanoid beasts.


    General Lexus flew down like a meteorite. His dual swords formed an X-shape in front of him as he slashed them with his full strength.


    His biceps enlarged twice and he gave a deafening roar as he brandished both swords.


    The two deputies also conjured their respective elemental essence attack towards the humanoid beast. The attack from both of them was only slightly weaker than the old general''s attack.


    Seira pointed her short sword at the Heavenly Winged Guardian.


    Pale yellow flame enveloped her sword entirely.


    She then raised it up in midair and slashed down ferociously at the beast who hastily raised its stone halberd to block the combined attacks of the four Immortal-Class level fighters.


    Their attacks viciously slammed the beast''s body, hurling it down towards the ground with a loud bang.


    It created a huge hole on the ground where its body slammed into.


    He reappeared in front of the dying beast and hurriedly pierced its neck with his Void Wolf Immortal Sword.


    The Heavenly Winged Guardian could not even put up a defense as it helplessly glared at Cale while the latter pierced its neck with his sword.


    It roared indignantly and thrashed its limbs around, but Cale''s hold on his sword was tight.


    The beast''s movement slowly became weaker and fainter before its huge body slumped on the ground with no signs of movements.


    Cale then felt a strong amount of energy forming inside the beast''s c_h_e_s_t.


    "Cale, that is the Holy Nourishing Crystal. Quickly take it!" Asteria''s voice still sounded emotionless, but a hint of anxiousness was mixed in her tone.


    Cale cut the c_h_e_s_t of the beast with his sword.


    Beside its heart was a coin-sized green crystal that emitted a faint light. Cale did not hesitate anymore and instantly grabbed the crystal.


    He then kept it inside his storage space.


    Cale smiled sheepishly before disappearing from his spot. He then hid behind General Lexus shamelessly.


    "I already have the crystal. We should leave here before more of those a_d_u_l_t beasts come out of their lair." Cale spoke while glaring at the four a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians who were roaring at them unceasingly.


    The old general and the others glanced at Cale deeply, but they knew that it was not the best time to talk.


    The old general then swept his gaze on the soldiers down below before shouting in a loud commanding voice.


    "Soldiers of the Celestial Sword Empire, we have already retrieved the Holy Nourishing Crystal! Retreat!"


    The soldiers'' eyes brightened considerably and they hurriedly retreated from the fight.


    Their goal was only to get a Holy Nourishing Crystal, so they did not have any more reasons to stay behind the cave.


    Besides, more and more Heavenly Winged Guardians were coming to fill in their dead comrades.


    The soldiers carried their injured brothers while escaping the cave with their top speed.


    The old general and the other Immortal-Class level fighters covered the retreat of the soldiers.


    After seeing that the soldiers were already far away, they also retreated.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, within the territory of the Celestial Sword Empire.


    The second prince colluded with the forces outside to claim the throne from his ill father.


    Sounds of battle horns resounded right outside the capital city of the empire, signifying the arrival of the second prince''s army.


    The second prince''s army which mostly consisted of the big forces from the major powers can be seen outside Sword City''s walls.


    Hundreds of thousands of soldiers glared at each other.


    The atmosphere was incomparably tense.


    The crown prince sighed with complicated emotions while looking at his second brother who was now eyeing the empire''s throne.


    "Second brother, why do you have to collude with those forces to fight for the throne?! You are simply allowing the tigers to come inside your own home!" The crown prince shouted in anger.


    His second brother, the second prince was the most talented among them. If not for his unruly nature, he would have been chosen as the crown prince instead of him.


    Now, he could no longer control the greed in his heart. He even colluded with the outside forces just to claim the throne for himself.


    The crown prince shook his head regretfully, before glaring sharply at his second brother.


    On the opposing side, the second prince laughed mockingly at the crown prince.


    "Brother, I am stronger than you in all aspects, but you were still chosen by father as the first in line for the throne! I felt indignant at his foolish move. How could a weakling like you rule the Celestial Sword Empire towards glory?! Only I, Titus Doomblade, is qualified to take the throne!"


    The second prince''s arrogant voice traveled towards the empire''s soldiers greatly angering them.


    The high-ranking ministers and generals sighed regretfully at the second prince.


    ''You are indeed the most talented and strongest prince, but your heart is also the vilest.'' They thought to themselves.


    Nonetheless, the huge army of outsiders brought fear in the hearts of everyone from the empire.


    A cruel war was inevitable.

 Chapter 140 - The Second Princes Army Attacks

    Inside a luxurious villa, a handsome man in his late twenties can be seen leisurely sipping a cup of tea.


    He put the tea near his nose and inhaled its fragrant aroma.


    The moment the tea''s smell penetrated his nasal cavities, he flashed a contented smile.


    He then exhaled a warm breath, his countenance painted with a bright look.


    His nonchalant appearance was a stark contrast to what was happening outside the capital city''s walls.


    The old man who was standing respectfully behind him was also nervous. But it wasn''t clear if he was scared about the tense atmosphere outside or about the man sitting in front of him with a carefree expression.


    "Minister of the Left, what would happen if we swam on this muddied water together with my two foolish brothers, wouldn''t it be fun?"


    The old man heard the man''s faint laughter.


    Although it sounded rather calm when the man spoke, the old man suddenly felt a chill inside his heart.


    ''Third prince, what evil plans are you concocting now? It might not be long before this old man dies from a heart attack.'' The old man sighed in his heart with a downcast look.


    * * *


    Outside Sword City, the two opposing armies were still glaring at each other.


    They were tightly clutching the handle of their weapons in preparation to attack.


    The crown prince stared at the avaricious visage of his second brother with a complicated gaze, while the latter merely smiled mockingly at him.


    "Your highness, the great elder of the Blue Ocean Pavilion, the sect master of the Titan Sect, the holy lord of Blue Jade Holy Land, and the hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall are already here to provide you support. We await your orders."


    An average-looking man with a calm disposition reported with a respectful look.


    He was a disciple from the Rising Sun Supreme Hall with great talents. And he was tasked by their hall master to act as the second prince''s tactician.


    The second prince beamed after hearing the report.


    ''Finally! With this amount of soldiers and support, I could claim the throne forcefully! No one can stop me from my ascension towards the throne!''


    Second Prince Titus'' eyes flashed with cold lights.


    "Charge!" Titus'' eyes distorted as he shouted at the top of his lungs.


    The soldiers from the outside forces issued a deafening war cry as they pulled out their weapons. They then charged fiercely while looking at the empire''s soldiers like a pack of hungry wolves.


    The crown prince''s heavy expression became even more evident, but he had to remain calm as the crown prince.


    He saw the uncertain expressions of the empire''s soldiers. They were, after all, facing multiple factions who were only slightly weaker than their empire.


    "Soldiers of the Celestial Sword Empire! Do not falter against these outsiders! Remember, the blood of the ancient swordmasters runs deeply in our blood! How could these dregs be compared to us?!


    For the glory of the empire! Blood and honor! Charge!"


    The ministers'' and the generals'' jaws dropped on the ground. They were stunned senseless at the crown prince''s boldness.


    Nonetheless, his actions made them admire him more.


    A general hurriedly urged his horse to follow behind the crown prince.


    "Protect his highness! Don''t let those dogs harm a single hair on his body!" The general shouted fiercely while urging his horse to swiftly follow behind the crown prince.


    The elite soldiers hurriedly surrounded the crown prince in a tight formation. Their eyes contained ferociousness as they eyed the approaching army ahead of them.


    Meanwhile, on the second prince''s camp, Titus'' eyes widened in surprise after seeing his foolish brother personally leading his soldiers'' charge.


    He then smirked coldly, his long blonde hair fluttered along with the wind.


    "You haven''t changed brother. You are still the same foolish and emotional person."


    He then glanced at the average-looking man who was standing beside him.


    "Call the masters, tell them to prepare. In a few moments, Duke Shutra Ignius will be here..."


    At the mention of the name, the average-looking man''s eyes immediately turned serious. He bowed his head respectfully before he went to relay the second prince''s command.


    "Those four old fogies should be enough to deal with that malignant duke." Titus clenched his fists tightly.


    ''Nothing must go wrong on this war, or all of my preparations will be for naught.''


    In a birds-eye view, the two armies were almost on the verge of clashing against each other.


    And in less than ten seconds, both armies collided!


    The land quake intensely as the two armies collided. Blood splashed on the ground painting it crimson red.


    The sounds of blades ferociously clashing against each other can be heard.


    The crown prince who joined the charge put on a savage look as he slashed his sword towards an approaching enemy soldier.


    Although he was not as talented as Titus, he was still someone who was at the peak of the Saint-Class level. Aside from that, he underwent the daily swordsmanship training after becoming the crown prince.


    The long sword in his hands was also one of the empire''s Saint weapons, Lion''s Fury.


    A savage lion head was engraved on its hilt. Its mouth was wide open, and its long and sharp teeth can be seen with a ferocious glint.


    The crown prince activated his elemental essence to protect his body while brandishing his sword on the enemies.


    His valiance ignited the empire''s soldiers'' fighting spirit.


    Suddenly, the crown prince felt an ominous feeling. He saw a shadow swiftly coming towards him.


    The shadow seemed unstoppable as he slowly killed the elite soldiers protecting the crown prince.


    "Protect his highness with your lives! Don''t let that bastard come near him!" The general who had followed the crown prince earlier was already beside him.


    He sternly peered towards the direction of the shadow who was charging recklessly at them.


    He was obviously aiming for the crown prince!


    He saw that the elite soldiers were being killed like defenseless ants. As a general, how could he allow such a man to wantonly kill their empire''s soldiers?! Absolutely not!


    "Surround his highness, don''t let anyone touch a single strand of his hair!" The general ordered sternly as he charged towards the incoming shadow.


    He must kill that man before he kills more of their soldiers!


    The crown prince was also shaken at the sudden appearance of the man.


    "An Immortal-Class level fighter?!" He felt a slight breeze in his balls after sensing the man''s aura.


    The man who was after his life was actually someone at the Immortal realm!


    * * *


    Inside the Cave of Endless Grievance, hundreds of soldiers wearing silver and gold armor retreated outside the cave. Their expressions were painted with anxiousness as they ran at their top speed.


    They were finally able to get the Holy Nourishing Crystal! All that was left was for them to deliver it to the emperor.


    The soldiers'' hearts beat wildly in excitement at the thought of their emperor''s recovery.


    Once their peerlessly strong emperor recovers his health and strength, all those top sects and powers would definitely cower in fear under his might!


    They had consumed a lot of their origin essence, but their speed was still shocking.


    "Don''t stop running, the mouth of the cave is close by! Just persevere for a moment! And when the time that we are home, we will celebrate our victorious return!" General Lexus shouted from behind them as he slew multiple Heavenly Winged Guardians at every slash of his sword.


    The two deputies were already riddled with wounds, but their expression did not contain any hints of pain as they continued to fight fiercely against the humanoid beasts.


    Seira was still bathed in pale yellow flames as she conjured multiple balls of fire before hurling it towards the beasts. She was breathing heavily, an obvious sign of exhaustion.


    Ciprus who had recovered a bit of his elemental essence swung his mace wildly while disregarding the beasts who were attacking him. He did not even frown after being scratched by their stone weapons.


    Cale looked to be absent-minded since his focus was completely on the prompts that appeared in front of him.


    - Ding!


    - Mission Success!


    - Loading rewards, please wait!


    - You received x5 Superior Elemental Essence Bundle.


    Asteria''s cold and emotionless voice resounded inside his head as the prompts appeared in front of him.


    Cale took out the five Elemental Essence Bundle from his storage space. He did not even bother admiring its beauty before he instantly stuffed all of it in his mouth.


    He then swallowed the soft ball-like objects without even chewing it.


    A contented smile can be seen on his lips after swallowing it.


    "This truly tastes the best!" He smacked his lips with his tongue while casually slashing an incoming Heavenly Winged Guardian.


    He felt his elemental essence thickening inside his body. The energy from the Elemental Essence Bundle that he had consumed slowly increased his strength.


    His weary eyes suddenly regained their liveliness.

 Chapter 141 - Arrival of Shutra Ignius

    "That''s the mouth of the cave! Hurry, let''s get out of this damned place!" The soldiers were already tired after running for almost an hour.


    The majority of them were at the Divine-Class level, hence, they were incapable of flight.


    Nonetheless, they were still able to run at the speed of a car, or even faster than the latter.


    The soldiers were like thirsty camels who had seen an oasis after they saw the cave''s entrance.


    They can already see the bright light emitted by the glaring sun. And as if injected by stimulants, their running speed increased tremendously at the sight of it.


    Chasing behind them were countless enraged Heavenly Winged Guardians.


    These humans actually dared to kill a lot of their comrades! Unforgivable!


    Cale''s eyes were half-closed and his lips were parted which formed a charming smile.


    He then casually swatted a humanoid beast with his free hand while still immersed in the pleasant sensation brought by the increase in his strength.


    His aura was rapidly rising, but no one was able to detect it. And even if they did, they didn''t have the luxury of time to care about his sudden breakthrough.


    His aura which was previously at the initial stage of the Saint-Class level rose towards the mid stage.


    But the increase did not stop. It continued until he reached the very peak of the Saint-Class level.


    Cale observed the changes inside his body, and he was pleasantly surprised to sense the big leap in his strength.


    "Amazing!" His complexion brightened and his fatigue from the overconsumption of elemental essence was instantly removed.


    It was like his body was recharged into full capacity!


    He then glanced at the thousands of humanoid beasts who emitted bestial roars with a faint smile on his face.


    "Let me test it out."


    Cale teleported towards the Heavenly Winged Guardians to test his strength.


    His actions surprised the Immortal-Class level fighters. They were the only ones who were able to feel the sudden burst of elemental essence.


    They saw Cale standing amidst tens of thousands of angry Heavenly Winged Guardians with the same casual smile on his face.


    They thought that he did that in order to buy more time for the soldiers to escape.


    Still, they admired him for that. Even Ciprus who was previously against Cale felt less angry at the latter.


    Cale waved his Void Wolf Immortal Sword and slashed the beasts that came near him nonchalantly.


    He was like a meat grinder in the middle of a flock of sheep. His movements were unrestrained and wild, but it still carried a sort of charm.


    The soldiers, on the other hand, had already stepped out of the cave. They were gasping for breath while glancing at the cave''s entrance fearfully.


    In that cave, hundreds of their brothers died. And from the one thousand strong army who came inside, only a few hundreds of them managed to get out of the cave alive.


    * * *


    The third prince, Amro Doomblade was wearing his imperial attire. He looked refined and handsome as he strolled inside his villa.


    A man wearing fitting black clothes suddenly came in front of him.


    His arrival caused the elegant-looking third prince to produce a distorted evil smile that instantly destroyed his previous image.


    "Your highness, everything has been prepared. Our men were already sent to steal the gold and other precious items inside the imperial treasury." The man in black robes spoke in a raspy voice.


    He was looking at the man in front of him who had managed to fool everyone inside the Celestial Sword Empire.


    Who would have thought that the kind and regal third prince that everyone knew was actually just a mask to hide his true self?


    The man in black robes both feared and respected the third prince.


    The distorted smile of the third prince became even more pronounced after hearing the man''s words.


    "Steal? Who told you that we are stealing? We are only taking the things that are rightfully ours." After saying that, the third prince, Amro Doomblade cackled maliciously.


    His handsome face warped into pure wickedness.


    The man in the black robes felt the skin on his neck crawl after hearing the third prince laughter.


    ''How did the valiant emperor even have this kind of son...'' A faint trace of fear was visible in his eyes.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, outside the empire''s capital city, the battle between the crown prince''s army and the second prince''s army was still not over.


    Thousands of bodies sprawled on the ground with no more signs of life.


    Rivers of blood covered the ground, making it look mournful and scary.


    The sounds of blades clashing against each other can be heard ringing unceasingly.


    The crown prince lifted up his Lion''s Fury and slashed it down towards an enemy soldier.


    The latter gave a devasted cry of despair before his body dropped on the ground with a dull thud.


    The former then glanced at his surroundings with his hazy eyes. He was tired, but he had to remain strong for his soldiers.


    They were already vastly outnumbered, so what they needed to do was to overpower the enemies with their skills and battle wit.


    Who would have thought that even with his brilliant tactics, their situation did not change? In fact, it won''t take long before they will be forced to retreat back inside their city. But if that happens, it will cause massive panic among the citizens. It was also the reason why they engaged the enemies outside the walls.


    "F_u_c_k! I''m so weak to change anything in this battle!" The crown prince gritted his teeth fiercely while glaring at the enemy soldiers.


    "Duke Shutra should be here anytime from now. But even with that being the case, would his presence be enough to change the tides of war?" The crown prince mumbled to himself worriedly while killing another enemy soldier.


    He felt that even if Duke Shutra Ignius was here, the latter could still not defeat their enemies.


    The crown prince feared that a sect master level figure was present on the enemy camp. If that is so, their chances of winning would not increase. Unless if the three other dukes will help them, or if five of the top ten Adamantine-Rank mercenaries came to aid them.


    But the chances of both things happening were close to impossible, especially the former.


    The nobles obviously wanted to profit from this war, thus they refused to send their help and merely waited for the right moment.


    With that, they will be able to preserve their military forces and also gain merits after fighting with an exhausted army. Of course, they still had to choose which side they will help.


    During such tumultuous times, one wrong move will spell their doom. Thus, all the nobles were very careful with their actions.


    When everyone was still focused on the war, a burning silhouette can be seen above the sky giving off a feeling of searing brilliance and power.


    A middle-aged man with short blonde hair hovered above the sky. He looked rather average, but his sword-like brows and tall nose increased his charm


    A solemn look can be seen on his face as he studied the opposing army down below.


    Although they were much weaker in comparison to the Celestial Sword Empire''s soldiers, they had the advantage in numbers.


    He can also feel multiple auras which were only slightly weaker than him. His countenance became graver by the second.


    "Why are the other three dukes not here yet?! Are they tired of living!? This is obviously an intolerable act of neglecting the empire''s rules! Those old bastards!" Flames of fury blazed wildly within the man''s eyes.


    The fire around his body doubled in size as his wrath increased little by little.


    "Just because the emperor is ill, you guys can already turn a blind eye on this war? After dealing with these outside forces, I will raze your dukedoms to the ground! F_u_c_k_i_n_g old bastards!"


    The man roared in hatred as he held his sword with both hands. A phantom of a burning dragon can be seen materializing as he plunged towards the enemy camp in supersonic speed.


    "Roooaarrr!"


    The huge dragon phantom emitted a draconic roar as it opened its gigantic mouth as if it wanted to swallow the heavens.


    The second prince''s long blonde hair fluttered wildly along with the wind. He squinted his eyes as he watched the dragon phantom descending towards their camp. His heart palpitated with slight fear, but he remained composed outwardly.


    "Shutra Ignius, you''re finally here!"

 Chapter 142 - Grand Battle Between Top Experts

    The second prince remained calm and composed, but his heart was beating wildly as he glanced resolutely at the dragon phantom which was descending towards their camp at top speed.


    It was an attack from someone who was at the late stage of the Immortal-Class level!


    He might be talented, but he was still at the initial stage of the Immortal-Class level. And there was no way he could block an attack at that level.


    The second prince''s lips then curved upwards after sensing a disturbance from within their camp.


    ''Those four old fogies are finally here.'' He thought to himself after sensing thick amounts of elemental essence revolving behind him.


    He then saw four old men who emitted powerful auras which were not any lesser than Duke Shutra''s aura.


    One old man conjured a water serpent that soared towards the dragon phantom with an angry hissing sound.


    Another old man summoned a giant rock golem which was as tall as a skyscr_a_p_er. Its thick limbs which were made of stone burst with unbridled power.


    Next to them was another old man with a messy beard and a bald head. He waved the staff in his hands which caused the air to tremble.


    Multiple tornadoes emerged threatening to strike the fire dragon phantom.


    Behind the three old men was a feeble silhouette who looked to be the oldest among the four men. His murky eyes were wide open.


    Two black gates emerged from above the sky. When it sprung open, thick bronze chains came out of it.


    It then wrapped around the body of the fire dragon phantom, refusing to let it make another move.


    "To think that even the hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall would come to attack our Celestial Sword Empire!" Duke Shutra proudly stood atop the head of the fire dragon phantom as he glared solemnly at the feeble silhouette of the old man who produced the bronze chains.


    The old hall master merely laughed amicably after hearing Shutra''s words.


    He was also a figure at the late stage of the Immortal-Class level!


    Although he was not someone as talented as Duke Shutra, he still held quite the reputation within planet Shura.


    The Rising Sun Supreme Hall that he controls was also a strong power that few dared to provoke.


    "But do you think that the four of you old fogies are enough to stop me?" Duke Shutra suddenly revealed a faint smile which made the four old men alarmed.


    They then felt the fire dragon phantom which they had thought was already suppressed release a strong and overpowering aura that made their scalp tingle in dread.


    The fire dragon phantom roared angrily and produced a huge fireball that destroyed the three other attacks aimed at it.


    Duke Shutra smiled coldly before raising his short sword and swinging it downwards.


    Following his movements, the fire dragon phantom resumed its descent towards the second prince''s camp.


    The four old men then hastily conjured their strongest spells to block the raging fire dragon phantom.


    "Overturning Sea Waves!"


    "Sky Shattering Earth Fist!"


    "Heaven Destroying Wind Slash!"


    "Demonic Soul Hand!"


    The attacks collided in mid-air which produced an earth-shattering booming sound.


    They saw five majestic silhouettes embroiled in a brutal elemental fight.


    Duke Shutra Ignius seemed to be capable of going toe to toe with the four old men, but he himself knew that one careless mistake would also get himself killed.


    The four old men who were against him were not just some random riffraff. They were also fighters in the late stage of the Immortal-Class level!


    Furthermore, he was also unsure if the soldiers down below would be able to defeat the second prince''s army.


    Nonetheless, Duke Shutra focused on his fight and decided to trust the crown prince. Although he was not as talented as the second prince, he had a Saint level sword in his hands. Aside from that, he was also a very good tactician in the art of war.


    Duke Shutra was confident about the crown prince''s abilities, thus, he turned his focus towards the old men in front of him.


    "You old fogies will regret this! Once the emperor heals from his illness, the supreme sects under your control will be trampled under his feet! By then, you will only have yourselves to blame with!"


    One of the four old men guffawed as if he had heard the funniest joke of the century. He then glanced towards Duke Shutra with scornful eyes.


    "Brat Shutra, that old bastard Aventus Doomblade is already at death''s door. And now you tell me this funny joke?"


    Duke Shutra clenched his teeth in profound hatred. The flames around him danced wildly threatening to burn even the air around him.


    He then attacked the four old men more viciously.


    * * *


    Inside the imperial palace of the Celestial Sword Empire.


    On the left side of the palace where the Imperial Treasury was situated, numerous guards with high cultivation levels can be seen patrolling with sharp eyes.


    "Woosh! Woosh! Woosh!"


    The sounds of multiple arrows being released suddenly resounded silently.


    Not before long, the stoic guards patrolling the Imperial Treasury lay dead on the ground. Their bodies were shot like porcupines, unable to even utter cries of help.


    In less than a blink of an eye, multiple shadows in tight black clothes emerged.


    He then placed it on the Imperial Treasury''s door. The moment the object touched the door, numerous array formations appeared.


    "Click!"


    Following the cl_i_c_k_i_n_g sound, the door of the Imperial Treasury was opened!


    The men in tight black clothes wasted no time and immediately went inside the treasury.


    * * *


    Outside the Cave of Endless Grievance, hundreds of soldiers were eyeing the cave''s entrance with worry.


    They knew that someone bought time for them to escape. And now they were waiting for him to come out.


    Furthermore, that man also had the Holy Nourishing Crystal which was why they were anxious about him.


    "Rumble!" Rumble!"


    Everyone then heard several rumbling sounds from within the cave. They gawked at the cave''s mouth with their eyes opened wide.


    There they saw a man holding a menacing-looking sword with a mocking smile on his face as he gazed at the Heavenly Winged Guardians who appeared to be fearful of stepping out of the cave.


    The humanoid beasts could only roar indignantly at him, but they were afraid of stepping out of the cave. Even the massive a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians could only glare angrily at Cale.


    The latter then stepped out of the cave with a nonchalant expression.


    Cale kept his Void Wolf Immortal Sword inside his storage space before walking towards the soldiers who eyed him with all sorts of emotions.


    General Lexus heaved a sigh of relief after seeing Cale stepping out of the cave. He then walked towards the latter with a solemn expression.


    "Young sir, can I have the Holy Nourishing Crytal? Don''t worry, the moment we go home, I will tell your accomplishments to the emperor so that you will be compensated accordingly." General Lexus studied Cale from head to foot, but he was still unable to discern his strength.


    ''How strong is this young man for him to be capable of slowing down five of those a_d_u_l_t Heavenly Winged Guardians? He was even able to control two of the rarest among all elements, the element of space and the element of time. Just who could he be?''


    "Oh, right." Cale put on a surprised expression before taking out the green colored Holy Nourishing Crystal out of his storage space.


    General Lexus body trembled unconsciously after seeing the crystal. It was the only thing that is able to help their emperor regain his health! So how could he not be excited?


    Cale then casually tossed the Holy Nourishing Crystal to the old man.


    General Lexus'' eyes enlarged after seeing Cale''s e capricious behavior. He then hurriedly caught the crystal with his heart in his mouth.


    The old general carefully held the crystal while glaring at Cale who looked at him with a foolish smile.


    "Old man, this crystal won''t be able to heal the emperor. Unless you process it and extract the pure energy inside while throwing away the bestial energy.


    If you don''t do this, then instead of healing the emperor, you will only hasten his death. But I doubt if there is anyone inside the empire capable of doing so." Cale put on a regretful look on his face as he spoke with a serious tone.


    What he said was indeed true, but he also had hidden motives for saying that. He wanted to exchange the crystal for Black Coins!


    That crystal was worth more than two hundred billion Black Coins! As for the emperor, he can simply buy him a Heavenly Restoration Wine from the store which was only worth one billion Black Coins.


    Asteria had also told him that the wine alone can save the emperor.

 Chapter 143 - General Lexus Promise

    General Lexus eyed Cale sharply which made the latter somewhat apprehensive in his heart.


    The old man in front of him was after all someone at the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level.


    Cale could not do anything to him even if he equip the full set of his Void Wolf Immortal set equipment.


    "What did you say, young sir?" General Lexus glanced coldly at Cale.


    "Old man, I already told you. If you let the emperor who is at his death''s door consume this Holy Nourishing Crystal, then you will only quicken his death." Cale calmly answered while staring at the old general solemnly.


    Seira and the two deputies who were not far away were covered in cold sweat. Cale actually dared to casually call General Lexus as ''old man''? The good thing was that they didn''t see the general swatting the young man away in anger.


    Where did he have the guts to casually call a top expert who was at the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level as ''old man'' as if they were long lost friends?


    "Then can you explain to me why?" General Lexus restrained himself from swatting away the young man on account for buying some time for his soldiers to escape and also for helping them acquire the Holy Nourishing Crystal.


    Cale pointed at the green crystal in the hands of the general before he spoke in a calm tone.


    "That crystal contains the energy of the Heavenly Winged Guardian that we had killed. Although it looked pure and abundant of elemental energy, it contains large amounts of impurities. These impurities are the remnant bestial energy from that beast, so what would happen to someone who had almost extinguished his life if he consumes that crystal which contains these impurities?"


    The old general was stunned and realization suddenly dawned on him after hearing Cale''s answer. He then looked at Cale as if he had seen a rare treasure, his old eyes glistening.


    "Then do you have a way to extract the remnant bestial energy out of this crystal?" General Lexus used his free hand to hold Cale''s shoulder tightly, looking very expectant.


    Cale shook his head and replied.


    "No, I don''t know how to extract it, but I have a way of saving the emperor. Of course, I will still need that crystal if I want to help the emperor to continue living."


    General Lexus was initially disheartened after hearing that Cale didn''t know how to extract the remnant bestial energy from the crystal, but after hearing the latter part of his words, the general''s eyes flashed with joy.


    He was excited, but he still held the excitement in his heart and glanced seriously at the masked young man in front of him who was still looking calmly at him. Inwardly, he admired the young man''s composure. Few could remain calm in his presence, even the old ministers would be respectful at the sight of him.


    "How certain are you on saving the emperor?" General Lexus asked carefully.


    Cale thought for a brief moment before giving a reply.


    "I''m not sure, but with the Holy Nourishing Crystal, the chances of saving him will be multiplied by many folds."


    "Just make sure that you are not lying to me. If you fail to save the emperor, then this old man will personally kill you."


    Cale was a bit fearful in his heart, but he did not show any hint of fear outwardly. He merely showed the old man a warm smile, albeit a little forced.


    "Old man, if I can''t save the emperor, then you don''t have to do anything since I will kill myself. But what if I was able to save him, what can you give me in return?"


    Cale''s eyes turned sharp, even the old general felt a bit uncomfortable after seeing his gaze.


    ''This young lad isn''t as simple as he seems to be.'' General Lexus thought to himself, but he still smiled at Cale.


    "If that is indeed the case and you are able to save his majesty''s life, then I will personally speak with the emperor to confer you the title of marquess. After all, saving his life means saving all the citizens of the Celestial Sword Empire. How does that sound, young lad?"


    Cale glanced calmly at the old general for a brief moment before giving him a faint smile. He then did a fist-palm salute to the old general as a form of respect.


    "I will do my best to save his majesty, the emperor."


    General Lexus grinned widely after hearing Cale''s sincere words. He then did a fist-palm salute to show mutual respect.


    "Let''s return home soldiers of the Celestial Sword Empire!"


    The soldiers'' eyes moistened after hearing the emotional voice of their general.


    They had experienced a tough journey just to get the Holy Nourishing Crystal. Many of their comrades died inside the Cave of Endless Grievance. Furthermore, all of them had various wounds all over their bodies.


    They raised their fists in midair and issued deafening shouts.


    The several hundred soldiers departed... Their destination: The Celestial Sword Empire.


    * * *


    Booming sounds resounded above the sky as the fight between five experts at the late stage of the Immortal-Class level continued. All sorts of elemental attacks were thrown by the five experts, brightly lightening up the crimson red sky.


    Duke Shutra eyed the four old men warily, his body was enveloped by thick pale yellow flames.


    ''These four old fogies are indeed strong. I can certainly defeat them one on one, but with them joining hands like this, it will be harder to defeat them.


    He then glanced at the soldiers down below. He frowned after sensing the movement from the second prince''s camp.


    ''That bastard of a prince is finally going to make a move! Shit!''


    "When you are fighting, focus your sights on your opponents! How dare you be distracted when fighting against us?!" The hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall snarled angrily as he conjured multiple bronze chains that threatened to wrap around Duke Shutra''s body.


    The latter hastily deflected the chains coming his way with his burning sword.


    "These f_u_c_k_i_n_g old dogs!" Duke Shutra roared in madness. His whole body was engulfed by raging flames which made him look like a fire god.


    He slashed his sword vertically. It cut the bronze chains as if it was a hot knife cutting through tofu.


    The five peerless figures then collided once again, producing earth-shattering sounds as their attacks collided against each other fiercely.


    Meanwhile, the battle down below was still on even terms.


    That was until the second prince moved together with his own army.


    With their appearance on the battlefield, the empire''s soldiers were forced to retreat.


    The crown prince swept his gaze on the ferocious army behind the second prince. Their strength was similar to that of their empire''s Dual Sword Army!


    ''How was he able to train this many elite soldiers without us knowing?!''


    "Retreat back to the city! Reinforce the defenses atop the walls! Tell the garrison commander to let their archers prepare!" The crown prince urged his horse to turn around and shouted loudly towards his soldiers.


    The rest of the soldiers passed the crown prince''s command towards the rest and retreated back inside the city.


    The city''s huge iron doors slowly opened, allowing the crown prince and the empire''s soldiers to retreat back inside.


    The second prince smirked derisively while ordering his soldiers to slaughter the remaining enemies.


    He then glanced at the ongoing battle from above.


    ''Tsk! That shitty duke was actually able to hold his ground against those four old fogies!'' Second Prince Titus frowned after seeing Duke Shutra majestically fighting against the four old men.


    ''But it''s fine. Without the emperor, who within the empire can block my army''s advance?'' The second prince smiled before ordering his soldiers to rest.


    It wasn''t a good move to hastily rush forward. Especially because the soldiers from the outside forces were already tired.


    * * *


    In a luxurious villa, multiple silhouettes dr_a_p_ed in tight black clothes came.


    "Your highness, the people we sent to the treasury are back." A man dressed in black clothes spoke respectfully at the man who was sitting on his chair with a faint smile.


    The third prince did not glance at the man in black robes, but anyone can see that his smile broadened by many folds.


    "Oh, they''re finally here? Go get them for me and reward our men handsomely." The third prince spoke generously.


    "Yes, your highness!" The man in black clothes answered before he disappeared.


    After sensing that the man was gone, the third prince spoke in an eerie tone, his eyes flashed with obvious scorn.


    "My two foolish brothers, no matter who wins among the both of you in this war, the winner would still be me, your little brother."


    A burst of familiar laughter followed after that.

 Chapter 144 - General Lexus Arrives!

    After three days, at the entrance of Border City, hundreds of soldiers emitting sharp auras can be seen with emotional expressions.


    Despite the look on their faces, they were like sharp swords on their sheathes ready to slaughter anyone that blocks their way.


    The gate guards of Border City looked respectfully at the soldiers.


    Who within the Celestial Sword Empire does not know General Lexus'' Dual Sword Army? Even the young kids inside the empire know a thing or two about them.


    The gate guards looked curiously at the Dual Sword Army who had varying wounds all over their bodies. Not one of them was unharmed. Just what had they gone through? And who was capable of making this renowned army suffer like this?


    Nevertheless, the gate guards dared not block their entry and just silently held back their curiosity.


    General Lexus gaze was complicated as he stared at Border City. Just a few weeks ago he was unsure about his life and death, but now he was actually able to survive after going inside one of Shura''s forbidden regions, the Cave of Endless Grievance.


    Although they did not go deep inside the cave and merely went towards the Heavenly Winged Guardians'' lair, the level of danger was still high. He even lost several hundred soldiers inside the cave. It was truly lamentable.


    But they will do anything for the sake of the empire.


    General Lexus frowned after sensing a commotion from the city''s entrance.


    "Isn''t that man the garrison commander of Border City? Why does he look so anxious?" General Lexus felt a bad premonition in his heart after seeing the expression of the man.


    The garrison commander of Border City saluted General Lexus, but everyone can still see the anxiety in his eyes.


    "Lord General Lexus, I have grave news from the capital."


    The moment these words left the garrison commander''s mouth, General Lexus heart beat wildly.


    He did not wait for the garrison commander to speak and hurriedly grabbed Cale who was eavesdropping in the sidelines before flying inside the city.


    His flight left a cloud of dust on where he previously stood, leaving the stunned garrison commander who still had his mouth opened wide.


    ''I hope it''s not too late yet...''


    Seira stopped the two deputy commanders of the Dual Sword Army from following their general. Her gaze was serious as she looked at the wounded soldiers behind them.


    "General Lexus left right away because he trusts both of you will be able to lead these men to safety. Don''t let the general down and lead these soldiers to somewhere they can safely recuperate."


    The two deputies gritted their teeth and sighed before ordering their soldiers to come inside Border City.


    Seira nodded her head at the two deputies before gracefully tapping her foot on the ground. She then flew towards the direction of Sword City, the capital of the empire.


    Meanwhile, inside Fragrance Inn, several silhouettes dr_a_p_ed in long black robes felt a stir in their hearts.


    One of them jumped out of the inn''s window and hovered above the sky as if searching for something. The other four silhouettes followed behind him.


    "This is the spiritual link between us and his lordship! He is finally here, but why is he going to the direction of the empire''s capital city?" He mumbled to himself, but he did not follow.


    He still remembered the mission given to him by Cale which was to protect the empire''s princess silently.


    "Let''s go back, his lordship should have his reasons for going there. We just have to wait for him to return and continue with our current mission." The five silhouettes then went back inside the Fragrance Inn.


    * * *


    "Hey old man, release me this instant! I know how to fly!" An exasperated voice can be heard above the sky.


    General Lexus ignored Cale who was struggling from his hold. He increased his flight speed, his gaze one of extreme solemnity.


    ''At this speed, we will arrive within the capital by less than an hour. I hope it''s not too late yet, or else... even if I have to sacrifice these old bones of mine, then I won''t rest until the instigator dies a cruel death!''


    A cold and piercing killing intent flashed from the old general''s murky eyes. Even Cale who was struggling from a few moments ago did not dare move. He just sighed with a defeated expression on his face.


    ''This old man, If I breakthrough to the Immortal-Class level, let''s see if you can still be this arrogant in front of me?! Hmph!''


    Nonetheless, Cale knew that something bad happened within the capital for someone as steadfast as General Lexus to lose his calm. So he was just grumbling and would not really do anything towards the old general.


    "Asteria, are you sure that the Holy Nourishing Crystal is worth that much? As for that wine, can it really save the emperor?" To not be bored along the away, Cale decided to tease Asteria.


    "You... Are you doubting the words of a Universal Law Fragment?" Asteria''s cute loli-like face pouted after hearing the doubt in Cale''s words and she angrily spoke inside Cale''s mind.


    "No no no... How could I doubt the cute and beautiful Asteria? I''m merely asking to make sure that..."


    The journey towards the empire''s capital was bound to be a loud one, Cale regretted provoking Asteria...


    * * *


    Three days had gone by, but the battle between the crown prince and the second prince was not yet over.


    The crown used the city''s defensive array to block the ferocious army of the second prince, but even the array was almost on its breaking point.


    The moment the city''s defensive array is broken, the second prince''s army would surely wreak havoc inside the capital.


    "Your highness, the array won''t last for long. In thirty minutes or so, the second prince''s army would be able to destroy the gates." A general with wounds all over his body reported in a worried tone.


    The crown prince frowned and continued looking at the two old men who were attacking their defensive array.


    Both of them were the hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall and the holy lord of the Blue Jade Holy Land.


    Just a day ago, the combined efforts of the four old men were able to injure Duke Shutra severely, forcing him to retreat inside the city to recuperate his wounds. But they had also paid a heavy price. The two other old men were also grievously wounded by the duke, making them unable to fight. Thus only the two old men above the sky were the only ones left that are still capable of fighting.


    "How are the duke''s injuries?" The crown prince glanced at the general with a weak voice, but he still maintained the calmness in his face.


    "Your highness, the duke is still recuperating. He told me that he needs at least half a day to recuperate..." The general shook his head with a heavy sigh.


    The city''s defensive array would be destroyed in thirty minutes, and they didn''t have the strength to hold the enemies back for half a day. And besides, could the seriously injured Duke Shutra be able to defeat the two old fogies above?


    The crown prince shook his head with a weary smile, but then his eyes suddenly regained its vigor.


    "The situation might be bleak, but how could we falter against them?! We must not allow those imbeciles to run rampant inside our empire!" The air around the crown prince changed and the aura of a ruler surged out of him, stunning the general senseless.


    "This... Am I seeing his majesty''s younger days?" The general muttered to himself after sensing the aura from the crown prince which was almost identical to the emperor''s aura in his younger years.


    The aura of a ruler!


    "Tell our men to regroup! We must not allow those outsiders to taint the reputation of our Celestial Sword Empire!  Even if we die, we must hold them back at all costs!" The crown prince''s face was calm, but the general subconsciously nodded his head.


    ''In the end, the emperor''s foresight is still unfathomable. It is indeed only the crown prince who is worthy to follow his legacy.''


    As both of them were deep in their thoughts, an angry roar reverberated above the sky, causing everyone to stop in their tracks.


    "Who dares lay their hands on our Celestial Sword Empire!?"


    The crown prince heart jolted in surprise after hearing the familiar voice of an old man.


    "Isn''t that...." He then glanced upwards to search for the origin of the voice.


    Just several kilometers away from them, a majestic silhouette can be seen, his old face was full of anger. In his hands was a... a young man?


    The crown prince rubbed his eyes and gawked speechlessly in the direction of the newcomer.


    It was General Lexus, but why was he holding a young man?


    The serious scene became comical all of a sudden.

 Chapter 145 - Soul Devouring Demonic Poison

    "Young lass Seira, stop hiding and bring this kid to his majesty." General Lexus spoke without turning his head back. He then let go of Cale who hurriedly stabilized himself in midair.


    The latter gritted his teeth while glaring at the broad back of the old general.


    Seira who was concealing herself behind a cloud not far away immediately flew towards Cale''s direction as if nothing happened.


    As she was hiding her embarrassment, she also studied the army of the second prince coldly.


    "Oh, to think that Lord General Lexus and young miss Seira Ignius are both here. I apologize, but the both of you are not allowed to go inside the city." Second Prince Titus Doomblade slowly floated in midair and hovered opposite the former two with a broad smile on his face. His long blonde hair swayed gently as the wind c_a_r_e_s_sed his handsome facial features.


    General Lexus glared fiercely at the second prince, his old face shaking in anger.


    The sc_u_m of a prince colluded with the outside forces!


    "To think that the most brilliant son of his majesty actually colluded with the supreme powers outside just to claim the throne for himself. Do you have anything else to say, your highness the second prince, Titus Doomblade?"


    The second prince merely laughed after hearing the old general words. He then glanced mockingly at him while pointing his sword straight at the old general disdainfully.


    "General Lexus, you trained me since I was young and I have long since wanted to have a spar with you. Today, allow me to experience the might of our Celestial Sword Empire''s General Lexus!"


    He was clearly provoking the old general to make a move! An initial stage Immortal-Class level fighter wants to fight against a veteran mid stage Immortal-Class level fighter! Such arrogance!


    The old general sighed and shook his head with a regretful expression on his face.


    "The Celestial Sword Empire heavily nurtured a snake only to be bitten back in return. If only we could have realized the vileness in your heart earlier, then everything would not have reached this point."


    The second prince''s face distorted into that of anger after hearing the general''s words.


    "Enough with the chitchat! Only someone like me is qualified to rule over the Celestial Sword Empire! And those who stand on my way will become the stepping stones on my path towards the peak!"


    Everyone heard the arrogant and ambitious words of the second prince which made them involuntarily suck in a deep breath of cold air.


    The old general merely shook his head before gesturing Seira and Cale with his eyes. The latter two understood his gaze and immediately headed towards the city.


    "Did I say that the both of you can leave?!" The second prince raised his sword and slashed towards the direction of Seira and Cale.


    "Clang!"


    His sword was stopped by General Lexus dual swords, not allowing him to attack the two.


    "Good good good! Now let me experience your strength, General Lexus! Don''t disappoint me, your student!" Titus'' handsome face distorted as he brandished multiple sword strikes towards the old general.


    The latter calmly block the attack with both his swords.


    Meanwhile, Cale and Seira were also blocked by two old men. They were the hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme hall and the holy lord of the Blue Jade Holy Land.


    "Do the two of you really think that you two little kids can go inside the city right in front of our eyes?!" The hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall spoke with an ugly smile on his aged face.


    Both Cale and Seira''s faces fell after hearing what the old man said.


    "Let me see who dares block my daughter from entering the city!" The familiar voice made Seira smile sweetly.


    "Father!"


    Furthermore, he looked pale and his aura was unstable. But as a father, how could he allow those two old fogies to bully his daughter?


    Despite his grievous injuries, Duke Shutra fearlessly faced off against the two old men.


    The latter two glanced at the severely injured Duke Shutra warily. They did not dare take him lightly at all even if he was seriously wounded. That man alone was able to fight against four experts with the same cultivation level as him!


    Seira worriedly glanced at her father''s injuries. None of it was light at all. Any of those injuries would be fatal to someone else. If not for the duke''s tenacious will, he would have long since succ_u_mbed to the pain as well.


    "Seira, go inside the city!" Duke Shutra was not a dumb person. After seeing General Lexus'' arrival and remembering his sudden disappearance a few weeks ago, he connected the dots which made his heart beat wildly in excitement.


    What else could make the old general leave the empire? Of course, it was to find the Holy Nourishing Crystal which was known to have the ability to heal the emperor! So how could he not get excited?


    The moment the emperor regains his health, then how would that traitorous second prince swagger arrogantly in front of the capital city?


    Seira and Cale hurriedly went inside the city under the glaring looks of the two old fogies from the supreme powers.


    Cale even gave a bright smile to both of them which made the two old men want to grab ahold of him and punch his face until they were satisfied.


    If not for his injuries, it would be no problem defeating the two old men. But his injuries this time were too severe to do that.


    Nonetheless, his goal was only to buy time for Seira and the young man to deliver the Holy Nourishing Crystal to the emperor. His remaining elemental essence should be enough for that.


    * * *


    "Your highness, we need to deliver something of utmost importance to the emperor. Can you please go with us to prevent unnecessary trouble?" Seira bowed her head lightly at the crown prince while Cale followed suit.


    The crown prince was visibly excited after hearing Seira. If his conjectures were right, then they were in possession of a Holy Nourishing Crystal! The head physician, Elder Sun, was full of praise for this wondrous crystal. So how could he not get excited about this? He hurriedly nodded his head while signaling the two to follow him.


    "Not a problem. Follow me."


    Seira smiled joyfully while Cale merely nodded his head calmly.


    The crown prince did not mind Cale''s attitude. He then flew towards the imperial palace with Cale and Seira following behind him.


    Not long after, they arrived in front of a luxurious-looking palace. Cale was inwardly amazed at the majestic building made from many precious materials. The gate guards standing motionlessly were even at the Saint-Class level! Truly inconceivable!


    "Just follow behind me. You are here to give the Holy Nourishing Crystal to his majesty, right? The crown prince spoke with a hint of excitement while glancing at the two people behind him.


    Seira nodded her head, while Cale was absentminded for a moment before similarly nodding his head.


    "This brother, I haven''t seen you around the capital. But based on your bearings alone, you should be the four elemental Saint that shook the entire Empire a few weeks ago." The crown prince spoke in a neither fast nor slow tone while also sizing up Cale. He was unable to discern his strength at all!


    Cale was surprised that the crown prince actually knows his identity, but he still nodded his head calmly in response.


    "Your highness is indeed right. I am known by everyone as Wolf King."


    Both Seira and the crown prince were shocked at Cale''s introduction. This guy actually calls himself ''king''? Truly bold!


    But still, the crown prince did not take it to heart and merely gave Cale a nod.


    After walking for more than ten minutes, they arrived in front of the emperor''s chamber.


    As the crown prince, he was obviously allowed by his father to visit him. Aside from being the rightful inheritor for the throne, the crown prince was also the emperor''s favorite child. Hence, his entry was not barred at all.


    Cale frowned briefly before his expression returned back to normal.


    Lying weakly on the bed was a man who looked like a corpse. He did not appear to be breathing and only his faint lifeforce can be felt. But the thick aura of death on him can''t be disregarded.


    "This... This is...the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison?! How vicious!" Cale''s head almost exploded following Asteria''s surprised voice.

 Chapter 146 - Heavenly Restoration Wine

    Cale was still stunned from Asteria''s sudden shout and he could help but study the body of the dying emperor.


    The former dashing middle-aged man was now very thin and look like a decaying corpse. No hint of blood can be seen on his body.


    "Asteria, what is this Soul Devouring Demonic Poison that you mentioned?" Cale could no longer hide his curiosity, so he asked Asteria with an inquiring look.


    "Soul Devouring Demonic Poison is self-explanatory. From the two words ''soul devouring'', it means that someone who was inflicted with this type of poison will have his soul slowly devoured until he dies.


    The pain of having your soul slowly being eaten by this poison is unimaginable. And for the emperor to hold on for his life up until now represents his unparalleled strength and willpower.


    Luckily, the Heavenly Restoration Wine is enough to heal him. But for this type of strong poison, you have to let him consume the wine once every day for one week before he recovers his lost soul strength." Asteria patiently explained to Cale inside his head.


    "What a scary poison." Cale unconsciously muttered to himself after hearing the horror of the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison.


    Due to the room being very silent, the two people, Seira, and the crown prince heard his voice which made them frown. Because according to their knowledge, the emperor was struck by a malignant illness and not poisoned.


    He was even personally checked by the best physician of the empire, the head physician, Elder Sun.


    And the result of his checkup... The emperor was infected by a very rare and baleful illness that is capable of slowly eating a person''s strength.


    They did not know that the emperor was actually poisoned by someone! And a very terrifying poison at that which attacks a person''s soul!


    A human''s soul is very intricate and many top experts even said that the soul is closely connected towards the realm after the Immortal-Class level! So a person with an injured soul had lesser hopes of breaking through towards this realm no matter how heaven-defying his/her talents are.


    "This brother, what did you say?" The crown prince asked with a frown. Elder Sun and the other physicians told them that the emperor was ill and not poisoned. So how could he not be surprised?


    Seira similarly glanced at Cale while furrowing her delicate eyebrows. Curiosity clouded her peerless face.


    Cale glanced at the crown prince with a calm expression that was devoid of any ripple. He then slowly said.


    "The emperor was poisoned. And this poison is the most terrifying poison that I have ever encountered so far."


    Seira and the crown prince were stunned after hearing Cale''s words. If what he said was right, then all of their physicians were wrong! And the gravity on Cale''s voice hinted the extraordinariness of the poison.


    "Are you sure, brother Wolf King?" The crown prince asked worriedly. If his father was really poisoned, then the matters were not as simple as it seemed to be.


    First was his second brother''s betrayal, second were the actions of the nobles, and now his father being poisoned. Connecting the dots, the first person that came inside his head was still the second prince.


    Thinking up to this, the crown prince''s killing intent soared. His deep blue eyes gleamed sharply, but he forcefully held himself back. He then glanced at the masked Cale who was now looking at him, waiting for his answer.


    Cale saw the anger of the crown prince, so he did not delay anymore and said.


    "I am one hundred percent sure that his majesty was indeed inflicted by a poison. A poison that slowly devours the soul, until the person who was inflicted slowly dies. This poison is called the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison..." Cale spoke the poison''s name word by word to emphasize it.


    Seira and the crown felt a chill down their spines after hearing the poison''s dreadful name.


    The crown prince then walked towards Cale and held his shoulders in agitation. His face was full of all sorts of emotions, and Cale could not blame him, so he sensibly waited for him to talk.


    "Wolf King... The emperor is very much needed during this tumultuous time. I hope that you can help us detoxify him using the antidote. And wouldn''t the Holy Nourishing Crystal be enough to heal father?" The crown prince held back his tears, but globs of liquid still slowly took form in his eyes.


    Cale''s expression did not change one bit. He then said.


    "Your highness, I indeed know the antidote of this poison. And the main ingredient is the Holy Nourishing Crystal. So if you trust me, can you please leave the room with young miss Seira? I don''t want anyone to disturb me during the creation process of the antidote. One wrong move and the ingredients will be destroyed. I hope you understand."


    The antidote that Cale was speaking about was naturally the Heavenly Restoration Wine. As for the Holy Nourishing Crystal being the main ingredient of the antidote, it was him bullshitting. But still, this little bit of compensation was only normal for saving the empire''s emperor, right?


    Seira and the crown prince glanced at each other. The latter hesitated for a brief moment before he sighed. What can he do aside from trusting Cale? And besides, it''s General Lexus who brought him here, so he should be trustworthy.


    "Wolf King, I hope you can save father. And if you do, the Doomblade Imperial Family and the Celestial Sword Empire will remember this favor." The crown prince bowed his head solemnly.


    Cale was surprised at the crown prince''s solemn respect. And he inwardly admired him for knowing when to be overbearing and when to yield.


    "Your highness, please lift your head up. This one does not deserve your bow. Don''t worry, I will make sure that I will successfully concoct this antidote." Cale hurriedly supported the crown prince.


    The latter forced a smile before he gestured Seira to leave the room with him. Seira glanced at Cale''s side profile before she went out of the room with the crown prince.


    After seeing that both of them were already outside, Cale excitedly took out the Holy Nourishing Crystal from his storage space.


    - Ding!


    - Do you want to exchange this Holy Nourishing Crystal?


    Asteria''s cold and emotionless voice resounded inside his head while a prompt similarly appeared in front of him.


    The moment Cale clicked the word ''yes'', the Holy Nourishing Crystal in his hand vanished magically.


    - Ding!


    Cale smiled from ear to ear after hearing the familiar prompt. It was very long ago since he had last heard the familiar ''cha-ching'' sound when he exchanges for Black Coins.


    He then went to the Store tab and clicked on the Slaves category first.


    Rows of cards appeared in front of him, depicting the pictures and profile of several humans and non-humans.


    Cale squinted his eyes after seeing a familiar slave that he had seen before, but he was unable to buy.


    * Aurora (Human)


    - 35 000 000 000 Black Coins


    - A human empress who transcended humanity and achieved immortality. She broke the shackles of mortality and fought with the Demon Immortal Azazel for one week. She injured Azazel severely and made him go sleep for countless millennia, but this came with a heavy price. She lost her immortal body and injured her nascent immortal soul. And in order to preserve her life, she used her remaining powers to seal her body in a block of freezingly cold ice made from her immortal blood in hopes that she will gain back her immortality.


    Cale thought for a moment before discarding the thoughts of buying her. He was in need of strong helpers that could help him against the demons who were eyeing their world with malicious eyes, but it was not the right place to buy something from ''The Black Market''. It would be very hard to explain to both Seira and the crown prince about the sudden appearance of someone inside the emperor''s chamber. So he held himself back and closed the Store tab decisively.


    "Asteria, give me one Heavenly Restoration Wine."


    * Heavenly Restoration Wine


    - 1 000 000 000 Black coins


    - Do you wish to continue your purchase?


    Cale unhurriedly clicked the word ''yes''.


    After a blink of an eye, a wine gourd made from beast skin and other types of materials hovered in midair. It then slowly landed on Cale''s hands.


    "Asteria, will this really work?" Cale could not help but ask, but he did not hear any answers from Asteria. He only heard her coldly harrumphed.


    Cale produced a wry smile and slowly opened the wine gourd.


    A refreshing aroma assaulted his nostrils, making him feel invigorated. Even just the smell already had the effects of calming one''s mind and invigorating the soul, how much more if someone drinks it?


    Now he understood Asteria''s disdain. Such a wine was indeed a heavenly treasure!


    The closed eyes of the emperor suddenly sprung open, producing a bone-chilling aura that covered the entire room.

 Chapter 147 - The Emperor Awakens

    Cale kept the Heavenly Restoration Wine with a nonchalant expression.


    The moment the emperor opened his eyes, he felt a dreadful aura that made the temperature of the room drop by several degrees.


    He was inwardly surprised after seeing him awaken. Although he trusted Asteria, it was still very inconceivable to detoxify such a terrifying poison using only a wine. But his doubts shattered into pieces the moment he saw the dying emperor open his eyes.


    Emperor Aventus was a peak Immortal-Class level figure. It could be said that his strength was almost without equal within Shura. But even a top expert like him succ_u_mbed to the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison. Just from this alone, the poison''s effects could clearly be seen.


    "Aarggh!" A suppressed groan escaped the emperor''s breath. He then spat a mouthful of black blood before his face regained a hint of rosiness.


    Cale glanced at the emperor with a hint of admiration.


    To be inflicted by such a baleful poison, but still stay alive through sheer willpower, how could Cale not admire such a man?


    Even with his current weak state, he still gave off an atmosphere of extreme power and authority.


    "Your majesty, this is your first treatment. After drinking one mouthful of the Heavenly Restoration Wine, the poison should have been suppressed. But you still have to drink one mouthful a day for six consecutive days if you want to recover fully." Cale said in a calm voice.


    Emperor Aventus who was preoccupied with the pain did not discover anyone in his room. It was only when Cale spoke did he realize that someone was actually inside his chamber!


    Even if he was currently weakened, he can still slay someone at the late stage of the Immortal-Class level. So for him to not sense someone inside his room was truly impossible! But it just happened, causing him to speechlessly glance at the masked young man who was looking at him with a deadpan expression.


    ''He could actually remain calm in my presence? And why can I not feel his cultivation realm? How is this possible?'' Emperor Aventus studied Cale from head to foot, but the more time passes, the more he became alarmed. He could not sense the other party''s strength at all!


    "Your majesty, instead of admiring my handsome face, why not take a look at the event outside? You might be surprised." Cale said with a forced smile.


    The emperor frowned for a brief moment after hearing him. His complexion suddenly darkened after he remembered Cale mentioning something about poison.


    ''Could it be... I was poisoned?'' The more Emperor Aventus thought about it, the more his complexion darkened.


    He then removed the blanket from his body and stood up while disregarding the painful sensation throughout his whole body.


    "Young man, thank you for saving this emperor''s life. Don''t worry, this emperor will not be stingy on your compensation, but I hope you will give me some time to check the overall situation outside before we talk about this. As for the poison... I want to hear about it later as well." Emperor Aventus said seriously.


    Cale smiled and bowed his head in acknowledgment.


    "I understand, your majesty."


    Emperor Aventus nodded his head while praising Cale''s bearing in his heart.


    "Good. Now, let''s see who dares swagger inside my Celestial Sword Empire!" Emperor Aventus'' peak Immortal-Class level aura was fully displayed, causing Cale''s robe and hair to flutter.


    ''So this is the strength of someone at the peak of the Immortal realm!''


    "This strength is nothing when you ascend to the higher realms. Humph!" Asteria''s impassive voice contained a bit of haughtiness when she said that.


    Cale ignored Asteria and followed the emperor who already walked out of the room with heavy strides.


    * * *


    "Young miss Seira, do you think that Wolf King is really capable of saving my father?" The crown prince, Elyon Doomblade said with a worried voice. His expression was similarly painted with doubt.


    Seira was also unsure of Cale''s skills regarding the field of medicine. Although she had seen his martial prowess, she was truly unaware of his competence in the art of medicine.


    "I am not sure as well, your highness. But even someone like Lord General Lexus trusts him, so why not we wait?"


    Prince Elyon was about to speak when the huge door of the emperor''s chamber suddenly sprung open.


    He was pleasantly surprised to see a familiar face and he could not help but walked towards the figure while suppressing the tears in his eyes to fall.


    "Imperial father..."


    Emperor Aventus'' cold eyes softened after hearing his beloved son''s voice. He then studied the crown prince''s figure with a proud smile on his pale face.


    "Truly the son of I, Aventus Doomblade! It has been hard on you. Don''t worry, since I am here, those fools outside can never see tomorrow''s sunshine." Emperor Aventus said coldly.


    "But father..."


    "Say no more. I know it is your second brother who did this. He actually dares to poison this emperor!" Emperor Aventus vanished from his spot, leaving two people with complicated gazes.


    "Step. Step. Step."


    They then heard someone''s footsteps coming from the emperor''s chamber. After glancing at the chamber''s entrance, both of them saw the silhouette of a man wearing a silver wolf mask.


    The doubt in their eyes was no longer there. Only admiration and curiosity were present in their gazes.


    * * *


    On Sword City''s walls.


    Due to the duke''s grave injuries, he was almost killed by the two old men. The good thing was that he was saved by General Lexus in the nick of time, barely saving his life.


    General Lexus glared solemnly at the three figures hovering outside their city''s defensive array. Behind the two old men was the second prince. He was glancing disdainfully at General Lexus.


    One more attack from any of the three would be enough to shatter the defensive array.


    "Allow this old man to shatter this damnable array." The hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall said.


    The other two did not stop him and just smiled condescendingly at the empire''s soldiers down below. The soldiers were looking at the three figures in trepidation.


    "Rising Sun Fist!" The Rising Sun Supreme Hall''s hall master shouted loudly while punching the city''s defensive array with all his might.


    Like a solid rock hitting a mirror, the defensive array broke into pieces causing the empire''s soldiers to tremble in dread.


    "Hahaha! So Sword City''s defensive array is only this much. This old man, ays..." The Rising Sun Supreme Hall''s hall master had a regretful look, but everyone can hear the mockery in his words.


    "We''re done for!"


    "Is this really the end?"


    "To think that this grandfather I, will be killed by those dregs outside. I''m unresigned!"


    Most of the empire''s soldiers lost their hope after seeing their defensive array being destroyed just like that. Even some of the generals sighed weakly while glancing at three majestic silhouettes above.


    General Lexus sighed sorrowfully.


    "To think that our Celestial Sword Empire would be humiliated just like this..."


    Second Prince Titus Doomblade glanced at the soulless faces of the empire''s soldiers and upper-echelon figures with a mocking smile on his face.


    "If you people will submit to me, then I will forgo the recent matters that you did. You have one minute to kneel down and pledge allegiance to me. Those that remain standing after one minute will be killed along with my foolish brother, Elyon." The second princess bared his fangs and spoke with an overly ambitious voice causing the entire crowd to shudder.


    The soldiers remained resolute even after hearing his words. Likewise, the generals also remained standing with no hints of kneeling.


    Just when everyone was enveloped in despair, someone suddenly spoke which made them fall into the abyss.


    "Your highness Titus, I have long since admired your splendor. I, Duke Abil, pledge allegiance to the new emperor." A scholarly-looking middle-aged man with average facial features spoke as he hovered in front of the second prince before kneeling down.


    "Hahaha! As expected of the most talented young genius of the empire! I''m impressed! I, Duke Maynard, pledge allegiance to the new emperor." Another awe-inspiring figure hovered above the sky and kneeled down in front of the second prince.


    Following them, many other nobles became restless and hurriedly expressed their allegiance towards him.


    The second prince smiled widely while glancing at the former arrogant nobles who were now looking at him with fear.


    "General Lexus, I will give you five breaths to think." The second prince said arrogantly.


    General Lexus stared resolutely at the second prince and shook his head.


    "This old general, only the emperor is qualified to make me kneel."


    Hearing his words, the second prince merely smiled. But his eyes produced thick killing intent. He then glanced at another old man who was standing beside the old general.


    "Duke Argus..."


    The second prince could not even continue when he was cut off by the old duke.


    "Your highness, this old duke admires your talent, but regretfully, you have walked the wrong path. This old duke will only serve the emperor."


    "Good! Good! Good! To think that you old bastards would refuse me. All of you will die!" The second prince shouted with a distorted expression, making his handsome face look very menacing.


    Just when everyone was about to resign themselves to death, they heard a familiar calm voice which made their hearts tremble.


    "Oh, someone actually wants to kill this emperor''s subjects? You''ve got guts."

 Chapter 148 - Fall of a Genius

    Everyone unconsciously turned their heads towards the source of the voice. The familiar silhouette hovering majestically in midair made their eyes widen in shock.


    Despite his current thin and sickly appearance, he still gave off a pressure equivalent to Mt.Tai.


    Staring at the silhouette who was looking at them as if they were a bunch of flies, the nobles who had defected to the second prince revealed apprehensive expressions.


    "Yo-Your ma-majesty, this..." Duke Abil was stammering as he spoke fearfully. Thick beads of sweat trickled down his scholarly face. Even his body was quivering non-stop, while the emperor simply disregarded his existence as if he was an unworthy ant.


    Duke Maynard''s present state was not any better. His knees almost felt like it turned into jelly as he was staring at Emperor Aventus.


    "Your majesty I-"


    Before he can continue his speech, Emperor Aventus glanced at him calmly which made him swallow back the words he was about to say. Despite the calmness in the emperor''s gaze, Duke Maynard felt like he was placed in a freezingly cold environment making him shudder without end.


    "Abil, Maynard, you have disappointed this emperor." The emperor shook his head, but his expression was so calm that it made everyone palpitate in fear.


    It was always the unknown that was scary.


    The two dukes felt like their bodies were being bathed in flames, making them sweat non-stop.


    "Yo... Your ma...majesty, we thought... We thought..." The two dukes could not even speak accurately at the presence of the emperor.


    Although they knew that he was terribly ill, it did not stop them from being fearful of him. Emperor Aventus'' reputation had long since spread far and wide, so how could they not know how fearsome he was? Smacking them to death was no problem at all.


    "You thought that I won''t live for long, thus, you tucked your dog tails and bowed down to my good son, Titus. Am I right?" The emperor emphasized the words ''good son'', making the second prince Titus increasingly fearful.


    "No, yo...your majesty. We c-can explain." The former scholarly appearance of Duke Abil was gone. His average face became wretched with his tears and snot. Even Duke Maynard who looked awe-inspiring just a few moments ago did not look any better than him.


    "Explain? If I wasn''t healed, you dogs would have been the reason for my Celestial Sword Empire''s destruction! What explain?! Utter bullshit!" The emperor roared like an enraged lion, scaring the traitors shitless.


    "Do you think that I have gone blind that I won''t be able to see you two dogfarts?! Today, none of you will escape alive! To dare humiliate my Celestial Sword Empire, you should have prepared your old lives to be sent to hell!" The emperor slowly hovered towards the two old men with an icy expression on his pale face.


    "You Aventus bastard! Do you think I-" The hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall clutched his neck as he gurgled in his own blood. A deep line of cut can be seen on his neck, blood flowed unceasingly, making everyone hold their breaths in dread.


    They were not even able to see when the emperor took out a seemingly ordinary sword. No drops of blood can be seen on the sword''s blade as if it disdained the blood of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall''s hall master. The blade remained spotlessly clean.


    "Is that his majesty''s Divine Soul Harvester War Blade?"


    "Right, it has been very long since I last saw him wield that blade..."


    The generals who were standing atop the capital city''s walls stared fanatically at the emperor''s majestic silhouette.


    They recalled the past when the emperor was still in his younger years, slaying his enemies with an ordinary-looking sword in hand as if they were chickens waiting to be slaughtered.


    The veneration in their gazes thickened when his former self superimposed with his current visage. This was their emperor! The emperor that paved the Celestial Sword Empire''s path with blood!


    A late stage Immortal-Class level figure and also a hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall died just like that. His corpse descended like a bird who had lost its wings, creating a massive crater as it dropped on the ground with a loud bang.


    "Baanng!"


    The sound of a human flesh dropping from that height was truly not pleasant to the ears, but everyone did not even bother glancing at the dead old man.


    Their gazes were firmly glued on that silhouette who was holding an ordinary-looking sword.


    Only after a few seconds had passed by until everyone regained their senses.


    "Long live the mighty emperor!"


    "Long live the Celestial Sword Empire!"


    No one knows who started the chant, but everyone followed suit as if they were injected with stimulants.


    "Long live the mighty emperor!"


    "Long live the Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "Long live the mighty emperor!"


    "Long live the Celestial Sword Empire!"


    Their chants resonated all throughout the whole of Sword City. Even the citizens who were fearful of their future were stunned at that loud chanting. But as if it contained a sort of illusion and charm, the citizens opened their mouths and chanted along with the empire''s soldiers.


    As if the chanting affected the sky, the cloud parted ways, showing the glaring sun, making the crown prince and his subordinates sweat profusely.


    The empire''s soldiers regained their former vigor and savageness, scaring the opposing army. Even the second prince regretted his actions.


    The latter laughed like a deranged madman, causing everyone to look at him with pity. The number one genius of the empire, the second prince, Titus, everyone knows that he won''t escape his father''s wrath.


    The holy lord of the Blue Jade Holy Land turned around to flee, but before he could even fly, his body was cut in half by the emperor''s casual sword slash.


    The two halves of his body dropped on the ground with a dull thud.


    A top-level figure in the world of Shura, another late stage Immortal-Class level expert died tragically with his body cut in half.


    * * *


    "An Immortal level sword... How could this kind of weapon be here?" Asteria''s quivering voice resounded inside Cale''s head silently, but the latter''s focus was completely on the unparalleled figure of the man that he had just healed.


    * * *


    The emperor glanced at the second prince who was still laughing crazily. There was no pity or anger in his eyes, only profound calmness.


    "I will give you the chance to kill yourself." Emperor Aventus'' emotionless voice traveled in everyone''s ears. They felt their scalp tingle after hearing his cruel words.


    The second prince''s laughter halted. He then glanced at the emperor with a distorted smile on his face. The former handsome and arrogant appearance became distorted, making everyone lament.


    ''Your future would have not been any lesser than the emperor, but you trekked the wrong road, sealing your own path of retreat.'' Everyone thought to themselves as they gazed at the trembling body of the second prince.


    Titus Doomblade pointed the tip of his sword towards his heart without blinking his eyes. He was still gazing at the emperor with a distorted smile on his face.


    "I don''t regret everything I did, but I regret being too weak. Looks like I, Titus Doomblade, am destined to be the most foolish genius in the history of the Celestial Sword Empire. Father, farewell..." The distorted smile turned gentle and the former handsome second prince resurfaced, but before the emperor could speak, the second prince had already thrust the sword in his heart.


    "Puchi!"


    The emperor arrived beside the second prince and prevented him from falling. He held his son tightly in his embrace while looking at his bloodstained body with a complicated expression.


    "Fa-father... third bro...brother...he-" The second prince''s eyes turned lifeless before he could finish his words.


    The emperor''s gaze turned solemn, but he did not know what Titus wanted to say. He sighed weakly and his countenance looked as if it had aged considerably.


    He then slowly descended on top of the capital city''s walls with the lifeless body of Titus in his hands.


    Everybody remained silent and just quietly watched the emperor''s fragile back as he walked slowly towards the imperial palace with the second prince''s breathless body in his arms.


    This was the last time he would walk with Titus in his life.


    A four-elemental Saint, a young Immortal-Class level genius died...

 Chapter 149 - Effects of the Heavenly Restoration Wine

    After Emperor Aventus killed the hall master of the Rising Sun Supreme Hall and the holy lord of the Blue Jade Holy Land, he left the scene while carrying his son''s lifeless body.


    Everyone sighed in pity while looking at his desolate back figure. Even a top expert like the emperor wad not immune to emotional pain.


    Just then, the nobles who had defected to the deceased second prince earlier shuddered involuntarily. They knew that their days were numbered in the Celestial Sword Empire, and most likely, the emperor would also cleanse the ranks of the nobility.


    The empire would undergo a thorough cleaning after this event which made all the nobles incomparably uneasy.


    Duke Abil and Duke Maynard glanced at each other and they both saw the glint in each other''s eyes.


    And as if they had reached a tacit agreement, the two dukes stood up and instantly turned to flee, but how could General Lexus allow them to do so?


    "Stop right there! Old man Argus, help me stop those snakes!" General Lexus leaped and flew straight towards the two escaping dukes. Duke Argus who remained loyal to the emperor also followed behind him.


    The traitors and the loyal subordinates of the emperor fought for almost one whole day with no clear victor between the two sides.


    They knew that the emperor left those traitors to allow his loyal subordinates to finish those people themselves.


    And then at the latter half of the day, Duke Shutra Ignius ignored his injuries and joined the fight.


    With his appearance, the side of the traitors slowly lost hope and admitted defeat one by one.


    The grand army of the outsiders was also forced to retreat by the empire''s soldiers. Even the two remaining old men who were at the late stage of the Immortal-Class level left the scene without daring to fart.


    Both Duke Abil and Duke Maynard were also captured and imprisoned inside the empire''s underground prison.


    * * *


    The next day, everyone was busy repairing the damages done on their capital city''s walls. As for the empire''s defensive array, Duke Argus volunteered to repair it himself.


    Aside from being a late stage Immortal-Class level expert, the old duke was also an array master. And it was his forefathers who maintained the defensive array of Sword City.


    Meanwhile, inside the imperial palace''s imperial chamber.


    "Your majesty, I am here to give you the second treatment," Cale said with a slight bow of his head. He did not dare act arrogantly in front of this man at all, and besides, he admires him greatly in his heart.


    "Oh, isn''t this... ah... What was your name again, young man?" The emperor''s eyes looked dispirited, but he still forced out an embarrassed smile.


    This was the young man who had saved him from death,  but he did not know this young man''s name at all. He was very anxious about the empire''s situation that he had even forgotten to ask his benefactor''s name.


    Cale smiled faintly and said.


    "Your majesty, this one''s name is Cale Sylvann, but your subjects know me as Wolf King."


    The emperor was stunned for a brief moment before he broke into loud peals of laughter.


    "Good! Young people should be like this, free and unrestrained. Am I right, Cale?"


    Cale did not expect that the high and mighty Emperor Aventus would actually be this easy-going. He then nodded his head in agreement with a smile on his face.


    "You''re right, your majesty. A martial cultivator should be free and unrestrained. If we shackle ourselves in front of someone else''s laws, then what right do we have to call ourselves as cultivators? Only by being free and unrestrained would we be able to show our true potentials."


    The emperor was stunned once again and nodded his head in approval after muttering Cale''s words silently to himself.


    "I didn''t expect to meet a young genius inside my Celestial Sword Empire. If I''m not wrong, you should be the four-elemental Saint that everyone was talking about."


    Cale merely smiled at the emperor''s words. The crown prince should have told the emperor about his origins, so he was not that surprised about him knowing his identity.


    "Young man, tell me. What is your purpose in going inside my empire? I know you are not a local here." The emperor smiled at Cale, but looking at that smile, Cale inwardly shuddered.


    "This one can truly not hide anything against the emperor sights. Your eyes are like burning torches, I concede." Cale shook his head while maintaining the smile on his face. He then continued.


    "You are indeed right, your majesty. I am not a local here and it was also fate that brought me here inside the Celestial Sword Empire. If I did not meet an Adamantine-Rank mercenary from the Mercenary Guild along the way, I would not have gone here at all. But rest assured, I bring no ill-will."


    The emperor stared deeply at Cale, and he could not feel any hint of maliciousness and deceit in his words.


    "That''s good then. So now, tell me about the poison that you mentioned..."


    The atmosphere suddenly turned serious after the emperor said those words.


    The emperor''s expression was incredibly solemn as he silently listened to Cale''s explanation about the poison. In the end, he sighed weakly while shaking his head.


    "I don''t believe that Titus would be able to do something this vicious. He was the most talented among my three sons, and he was even named as the most talented person of the younger generation in the empire. He was ambitious, unruly and unyielding, but he does not know how to scheme deeply like this."


    "Your majesty, we will eventually be able to unveil the truths behind the scenes. But for now, please drink this glass of wine." Cale said as he took out a glass of Heavenly Restoration Wine from his storage space.


    The emperor''s nose twitched after smelling the aroma of the wine and he also felt his pores opening naturally. The effect of inhaling the wine alleviated the numbing sensation on his body, making him unconsciously close his eyes with a contented expression.


    "Fine wine! Is this the one you gave me yesterday?" The emperor asked excitedly. His former serious bearing was gone and was replaced by an excited look. He was like a child who had seen a nice toy.


    Cale nodded his head while giving him the glass of Heavenly Restoration Wine.


    "Yes, your majesty. This was indeed the one that I let you consume to heal your soul and expel the poison on your body. Don''t look down on this wine, your majesty. It was only by lucky chance that I was able to get one bottle of this wondrous wine for myself. As for the effect... You have experienced it yourself yesterday."


    The emperor held the glass of wine in his hands and inhaled its fragrant aroma with a pleased look. He then slowly placed the glass of wine towards his lips and gave it a light sip.


    "Truly a miraculous wine. You actually gave me such a valuable wine. Now, this emperor is greatly indebted to you, young man." The emperor exclaimed softly after savoring the wine''s taste.


    "Your majesty, honestly, I could not bear to see a thriving empire such as the Celestial Sword Empire get destroyed just like that. Also, I have taken a liking to this place. Giving you seven glasses of this wine is worth it."


    The emperor laughed lightly and downed the entire glass of wine. He felt the pain in his body subside by a great margin, shocking him inwardly.


    If not for Cale being his benefactor, he would have snatched the wine from him just based on its effects alone. It was even able to stimulate his elemental essence and soul force! What does that mean? It means that it could help someone breakthrough to an unimaginable speed!


    ''This Cale... Just who is he?''


    * * *


    Inside a luxurious villa.


    "Bang!" A table made from valuable materials disintegrated into dust after a young-looking man smashed it with his hand which was still covered with black-purple flames.


    The young-looking man peered deeply towards the majestic-looking imperial palace which was visible from his location.


    "Someone was actually able to remove the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison from the old man''s body! Even though it was only the weakest of its kind in terms of potency, it should still be enough to kill that old man. Not even the Holy Nourishing Crystal could save him, but that person was able to make him recover... Just who is this person that foiled my plans?!"

 Chapter 150 - Ice Empress Aurora

    After giving the emperor the second treatment, Cale went out of the imperial chamber.


    The moment he stepped out of the chamber, he saw the crown prince and Seira looking at him with thankful gazes. He was, after all, the person who helped the emperor remove the poison in his body.


    They even felt their scalp tingle in dread after remembering Cale''s vivid description of the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison. And for him to detoxify that kind of poison was truly astonishing. Even the best physician of the Celestial Sword Empire, Elder Sun, was helpless against that poison. But Cale merely used a single day to help the emperor detoxify it. He was even able to regain a bit of his former strength.


    "Brother Wolf King, thank you very much for your life-saving grace. I, Elyon Doomblade will forever remember this favor." The crown prince, Elyon bowed his head lightly. He was genuinely grateful to Cale. His father would have died if they didn''t encounter Cale.


    Seira similarly bowed her head. If not for Cale, their Celestial Sword Empire will become the playground of those supreme powers. Even her Ignius Family would not have a good end if that happened.


    "Your highness, I merely did that for my own good as well. And besides, it would be a pity for this kind of place to be destroyed under those supreme powers." Cale hurriedly supported the both of them. What he said was also true. He merely did that to get a large number of Black Coins, and also because of  General Lexus'' promise back then.


    The crown prince shook his head with a resolute expression.


    "Even if that is the case, your actions still saved the citizens of the Celestial Sword Empire. For this alone, you can already be considered as our Doomblade Imperial Family''s honored guest. And also, I would like to invite brother Wolf King on the banquet that this prince would be hosting. This is to celebrate our empire''s victory against the four supreme powers and also the plan that lord father, his majesty thought of in order to eliminate the remaining rats inside our Celestial Sword Empire. I hope that you would grace us with your presence, brother Wolf King."


    Due to the second prince''s deeds, the emperor decided to hold his funeral in secret. And only the members of the imperial family were there to send him off.


    Also, to appease the restless citizens, the emperor told the crown prince to host a banquet in order to fish out the remaining rats out of the empire.


    Thinking about the emperor''s ingenious plan, Cale could not help but click his tongue in admiration.


    "That is of course not a problem. Don''t worry, your highness. I will be there." Cale smiled while patting the crown prince back with great familiarity.


    Elyon was taken aback by Cale''s casual behavior in front of him. He actually acted as if they were close friends, but the more Cale acted like that, the more he thought that Cale was different than the other young masters of the empire.


    It was his first time encountering someone who treated him like what Cale did.


    "Great! Then I will wait for your arrival later, brother Wolf King." Elyon said while looking at Cale''s back view.


    Cale did not turn his head back and merely waved his right hand as a form of acknowledgment.


    Elyon did not mind Cale''s attitude and just smiled.


    ''Making a friend out of you might be the greatest lucky encounter in my life. Maybe you can even help our Celestial Sword Empire regain its former glory.''


    * * *


    "Two hundred billion Black Coins! I actually got two hundred billion Black Coins from one Holy Nourishing Crystal! I still can''t get over it! Asteria, open the Store tab for me please."


    ||Slaves||


    * Aurora (Human)


    - A human empress who transcended humanity and achieved immortality. She broke the shackles of mortality and fought with the Demon Immortal Azazel for one week. She injured Azazel severely and made him go sleep for countless millennia, but this came with a heavy price. She lost her immortal body and injured her nascent immortal soul. And in order to preserve her life, she used her remaining powers to seal her body in a block of freezingly cold ice made from her immortal blood in hopes that she will gain back her immortality.


    "I can finally have a few more helpers who could help me with my aim, but for now, you should be enough," Cale muttered to himself after rereading Aurora''s profile and characteristics. He then pressed the purchase button.


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to continue your purchase?


    "Do it, Asteria."


    A bright ray of light converged in front of Cale for a brief moment. Even after advancing towards the latter stages of the Saint-Class level, he was still fascinated about what was happening in front of him.


    After the light vanished, a galaxy-toppling figure can be seen standing in front of him with a respectful expression on her peerless face. Although her face was covered by a thin and translucent veil, Cale knew that she was without a doubt a rare beauty.


    Her long icy-blue hair reached down her waist, swaying gently at the slight movement of her head. Her veil was lifted slightly by the wind, showing Cale a pair of reddish pupils, giving her a cold atmosphere.


    Cale s_u_c_k_e_d in a deep breath of cold air after seeing Aurora''s face. She was even more beautiful than Nocturna and Zarinvienne! Even his heart which was tempered after experiencing countless bitter battles was not unaffected in the face of her beauty.


    "I, the Ice Empress, Aurora swears loyalty to the master. I will become a faithful servant from now until eternity." Aurora kneeled down elegantly.


    Cale nodded his head coolly while looking at Aurora with an expressionless face. But he was full of shock in his heart. This Aurora was actually at the late stage of the Immortal-Class level! That was to say that her strength alone was on par with Duke Shutra Ignius, but if they will really fight, Cale felt that Duke Shutra would not last after exchanging five blows against her.


    "You may rise. Later this evening, you will follow me to join the crown prince''s banquet."


    Aurora didn''t know about this banquet, but she still nodded her head slightly.


    "I will accompany you, my lord." Her voice had this sort of magnetic effect that would make any man stunned senseless. Perhaps even the men with lesser willpower will succ_u_mb under her charming voice.


    Cale calmed the agitation in his heart and glared ferociously at Aurora.


    ''This sort of illusion charms, how strong!''


    Aurora was surprised that Cale was able to instantly extricate himself from her illusion charm. She then felt her heart palpitate after seeing his enraged appearance.


    "I apologize, my lord. I have no ill-intentions in doing that... I... I-" She hurriedly explained herself, afraid that Cale would misunderstand her.


    Of course, Cale knew that she didn''t have any ill-intentions. No matter how powerful she was, she could not overpower the Law Fragment, Asteria.


    "Even if you didn''t have ill-intentions, you actually dare use your illusion charm against me? Looks like you will be the second person who will receive my punishment." Cale smiled evilly while inching closer towards her.


    Aurora stepped back after seeing Cale''s evil expression, making her deeply regret her actions.


    "Ahh!" Aurora found her back touching the wall. She sighed in her heart and just closed her eyes.


    "Slap!"


    She felt a stinging sensation assaulting her bum, making her unconsciously blush. She bit her lower lip and pouted while looking at Cale indignantly. If it were any other man, he would have long since turn into an ice block.


    "Consider us even." Cale smiled smugly while looking at the indignant expression on Aurora''s goddess-like face.


    "Lecher..." Asteria muttered inside Cale''s head, but he just ignored her.


    Aurora knew that it was also her fault, but she didn''t know that Cale was actually shameless enough to slap her butt.


    "Don''t worry, that demon... If I gain sufficient strength, I will kill him myself and give his head to you as a gift." Cale broke the awkward atmosphere and spoke with a cold expression.


    Aurora knew who he was talking about. Who else could it be other than the Demon Immortal, Azazel? But it would be long before Cale attains the strength sufficient enough to kill Azazel.


    "I trust you, my lord." Aurora bowed her head lightly, but then she felt a palm rubbing her head gently, making her blush once again.


    "Let''s go, Aurora. We still have things to prepare for this banquet." Cale smiled gently while patting her head.


    Cale knew that many young nobles would be mesmerized by Aurora''s beauty. He can already imagine some of the events that will happen on the banquet tonight, making him smirk.

 Chapter 151 - Wenren Wushuang

    The imperial palace''s banquet hall was densely packed by people with great backgrounds. The ones qualified to attend the banquet were people who had significant strength and authority within the Celestial Sword Empire. Even the Adamantine-Rank mercenaries and some peak itinerant cultivators were invited.


    Don''t look down on these itinerant cultivators. Although they didn''t have any solid backing, some of them were still able to cultivate towards the realm were even most of the highly talented nobles were unable to achieve.


    If not for their ordinary background, they would have long since exceeded those so-called genius nobles.


    A rough-looking man with average facial features glanced excitedly at the bustling entrance of the banquet hall. He was wearing a straw hat and plain and coarse clothing.


    "I, Wenren Wushuang can finally step inside the imperial palace. This is the dream place of all the itinerant cultivators. I wonder why the crown prince invited some of us in this banquet? If my conjectures are correct, then it should be related to the war a few days ago." His expression turned calm as he walked towards the entrance.


    His sword qi then vanished and his excited eyes returned to normal. He fished out the invitation token given to him by one of the empire''s messengers and gave it to the guard.


    "Oh, I didn''t know that some trash was also invited inside to join this banquet. Truly an eye-opener for me, Pu Ta" A mocking voice resounded behind Wenren Wushuang, but the latter ignored the contemptuous glances from the people around him.


    "Brother, can I go inside now?" Wenren Wushuang calmly spoke towards the guard, but the latter felt a chill run down his spine after hearing the former''s calm voice.


    He then studied the rough and coarse-looking man in front of him.


    "Ah... Of course, yo-you may go inside, Sir." The guard hastily spoke after sensing the man''s extraordinariness. For someone with ordinary background to be invited in the banquet, his strength should not be weak.


    "Many thanks." Wenren Wushuang cupped his fists.


    "Halt! How dare you lowly commoner ignore the young lord, Pu Ta?!" Shouted a guard beside the haughty-looking noble wearing luxurious clothes.


    After hearing the noble''s name, everyone became alarmed. How could they not know the rumored unruly son of Count Pu Lutan, Pu Ta? It appears that the rumors were not exaggerated at all.


    Even before entering the banquet hall, he already made such a ruckus just because an itinerant cultivator was invited to the banquet.


    Pu Ta glanced condescendingly at Wenren Wushuang, his lips curved to form a disdainful smile.


    Although this Pu Ta was a bully, he was also not weak and easy to knead. His strength was already at the peak of the Divine-Class level. It might not be much compared to those true geniuses, but his strength was still within the medium-rank among the younger generation of the Celestial Sword Empire. Aside from his strength, his father Pu Lutan was also an initial stage Immortal-Class level expert.


    With his father and the Pu Family behind his back, Pu Ta had no need to fear anything. As long as he does not provoke the imperial family and the four dukedoms, then everything would be fine.


    "How about pledging allegiance to this young lord? I promise that you will obtain riches and power. Even the Pu Family will cover your back. What do you think?" Pu Ta said conceitedly. The mocking smile on his face became even more apparent.


    Wenren Wushuang really wanted to kill the bastard, but he did not want to bring calamity to himself just to quench his anger. He forcefully suppressed the fury inside his heart and turned around to look at Pu Ta''s face. When he saw the latter''s mocking expression, he could not help but gnash his teeth in anger.


    "You are not qualified to become, my, Wenren Wushuang''s master! Just because you have the Pu Family behind your back and now you dare provoke me?" He was after all a mid stage Saint-Class level. And for a Divine-Class level brat to dare act arrogantly in front of him truly touched his nerves.


    Pu Ta''s smiling face darkened after hearing Wenren Wushuang''s words.


    "What did you say?!"


    Wenren Wushuang smiled faintly and said.


    "You are unqualified to become my master."


    Pu Ta clenched his fists tightly and pointed his finger towards Wenren Wushuang.


    "You are courting death! You are the first one to defy this young lord! Beat him up for me! Make sure he can''t walk again!" Puta shouted angrily.


    His subordinates immediately took action and surrounded Wenren Wushuang.


    The crowd gave them space and continued to watch the scene in amus_e_m_e_nt. Does someone actually dare to confront the unruly, Pu Ta? What great guts!


    The guard was about to go inform the crown prince, but he was stopped by a man with long silver hair wearing a silver wolf mask that covered half his facial features.


    "Don''t worry. If something happens, I will shoulder the blame." The masked man spoke calmly while looking intently at the confrontation.


    "This... I wonder what''s your relationship with the crown prince, milord?"


    Cale glanced at the guard and merely smiled in response.


    Meanwhile, Wenren Wushuang was already exchanging blows with Pu Ta''s guards, but everyone was confused since he still did not unsheathed his sword. But even without his sword, he was still able to fight equally against the six guards who were wielding their weapons.


    "What an arrogant man. If you don''t wish to die, then pull your sword!" One guard said while slashing his axe towards Wenren Wushuang.


    Wenren Wushuang sidestepped and evaded the axe with ease. He then forced the six guards to take a step back.


    "If my sword is unsheathed, then I can''t guarantee your lives." Wenren Wushuang said proudly. He was not boasting at all. Among the itinerant cultivators, he was one of the few sword experts.


    Hearing him, the guards wore ferocious expressions and pounced at him. They already exchanged dozens of blows, but they were unable to hit Wenren Wushuang. On the other hand, Wenren Wushuang''s punches and kicks did quite the damage to them.


    "What''s the commotion here all about?" A familiar voice reverberated beside everyone''s ears. They involuntarily turned their heads sideways and saw the crown prince looking at the confrontation with a calm expression.


    After seeing the crown prince, the six guards ceased their attacks and stood behind their young lord respectfully.


    "I incurred your ridicule, your highness. And it seems that this lowly one is not qualified to join this banquet for me to experience this kind of treatment at the entrance."


    The crown prince was about to speak, but then he closed his mouth and frowned. Cale spoke towards him telepathically and told him about the events that transpired before he arrived.


    "Pu Ta, it looks like you don''t place this prince in your eyes anymore for you to harm someone I invited on this banquet," Elyon said icily while glancing at Pu Ta.


    "I dare not, I dare not, your highness. It''s just that this commoner... I mean this brother here... He ignored me when I spoke to him." Pu Ta sweated profusely while facing the crown prince''s questioning, but he still refused to admit his mistakes. He really kicked his own foot this time for making a fuss during the crown prince''s banquet.


    "I don''t want to hear any of your excuses. The next time you cause a ruckus here, then even if Count Pu Lutan becomes my enemy, I will still imprison you. Now scram!" Elyon said angrily.


    Pu Ta did not dare get angry at the crown prince, but he still glared maliciously at Wenren Wushuang before he left.


    "Let''s go! Hmph!"


    Pu Ta and his subordinates left with heavy strides, but they knew that the unruly Pu Ta would surely make things difficult for that itinerant cultivator after he steps out of the imperial palace''s banquet hall.


    "Everyone, I apologize for the unsightly scene. Please go inside the banquet hall." Elyon said amicably.


    "Thank you, your highness." Wenren Wushuang bowed his head slightly before stepping inside the banquet hall. He was not a fool. He knew that Pu Ta will ambush him if left now, so the best thing to do was go join the banquet while thinking of ways to escape the Pu Family''s eyes.


    Elyon glanced at his resolute back with a smile. Someone that Cale takes a fancy on can never be ordinary.


    "Your highness, let''s go inside." A familiar voice traveled beside his ears. In front of him was the mysterious Cale who was still wearing his silver wolf mask. Behind him was a dainty figure wearing a beautiful white dress which was accentuated by her long icy-blue hair. Although she was wearing a veil, the crown prince knew that she definitely a peerless beauty.


    "Brother Wolf King, I didn''t know you have such a beautiful wife with you. This prince can only sigh in admiration at your charm." Elyon shook his head with a teasing expression, but he was inwardly moved by Aurora''s beauty. Still, he did not dare have any thoughts towards her.


    Cale just smiled lightly and did not correct the crown prince''s words, but Aurora who was standing behind him blushed. But she hurriedly concealed it, replacing it with a cold and expressionless face.

 Chapter 152 - The Third Prince

    "Brother Wolf King, I wonder why you insist on saving that itinerant cultivator? Although his strength can be considered as good, it''s not that much either." Elyon inquired while glancing at Cale. He was truly curious about what Cale discovered on Wenren Wushuang.


    The man might be one of the strongest itinerant cultivators, but he was not the strongest either. There were even some who had reached the initial stage of the Immortal-Class level.


    Cale smiled at the crown prince and carelessly said.


    "He has good potential."


    Of course, Cale knew that it was not just good. According to Asteria, Wenren Wushuang was a very rare sword talent. He was even able to comprehend sword intent in Shura which can only be considered as one of the lesser worlds in the vast multiverse.


    Even in the Divine Realm where peak experts were abundant, only a few rare geniuses were able to comprehend sword intent. So for Wenren Wushuang to comprehend it in a lesser world was almost heaven-defying.


    Even Cale was yet to comprehend it, but he was not worried since he can just buy it in ''The Black Market''.


    Cale did not want to explain Wenren Wushuang''s extraordinariness to the crown prince. It would be much better for him to not know his talent.


    The crown prince shrugged helplessly and just led Cale towards the banquet hall. From time to time, he also can''t help but sneak a peek at Aurora''s peerless figure.


    ''Sigh! Brother Wolf King''s luck in love truly makes me jealous.''


    The banquet hall was in a joyous mood and many nobles also sent their regards towards the crown prince for the emperor''s successful recovery. Elyon accepted their words with a smiling face, but he was inwardly cursing their cowardliness.


    ''When my Celestial Sword Empire needed your strength, where were you bunch of trashes?!''


    The banquet was merely a facade that the emperor planned. Behind the scenes, the top experts of the imperial palace were investigating the homes of these nobles to search for any clues that would tie them towards the second prince.


    With this, the emperor would be able to know who were the traitors and who were loyal to the empire.


    "Brother Wolf King, excuse me for a moment. Duke Shutra Ignius and his people are here." Elyon smiled at Cale and cupped his fists.


    Cale similarly cupped his fists and nodded his head with a smile. He has heard of Duke Shutra''s name from Princess Michelle long ago and he also wanted to see the strongest duke of the empire.


    "Can I go with you, your highness? I also want to get acquainted with the Celestial Sword Empire''s strongest duke."


    Elyon was a bit surprised at Cale''s request, but he still agreed.


    "Of course, brother Wolf King. Let''s go."


    This was the Celestial Sword Empire''s strongest duke, Shutra Ignius.


    Behind him were three elders from the Ignius Family who were also emitting an aura which was only slightly weaker than him. All three of them were actually at the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level! The three elders were also present during the war with the traitors a few days ago.


    Beside Duke Shutra was his daughter, Seira Ignius, the princess of the Ignius Family. She was also the fourth-strongest Adamantine-Rank mercenary in the Mercenary Guild.


    "Duke Shutra, pardon my late arrival. Please don''t take offense." Elyon smiled and greeted the Ignius Family.


    "Haha! No problem! No problem at all, your highness." Duke Shutra smiled wholeheartedly. The elders also smiled warmly at the crown prince, while Seira curtsied elegantly.


    "Thank you for gracing us with your presence, Duke Shutra. You even brought Young Miss Seira here. Oh! By the way, this is brother Wolf King. He was the one who cured father of his illness." The crown prince smiled and introduced Cale to them. Although he trusted the Ignius Family, he didn''t want to divulge any information about his father being poisoned yet. It''s much better to keep it as a secret until it was proven that the one who did it was the deceased second prince, Titus Doomblade.


    Duke Shutra glanced at the masked man behind the crown prince and studied him from head to foot. He was stunned since he was actually unable to discern the other party''s strength.


    ''Interesting!''


    He then glanced at that dainty figure behind the man and his eyes almost went wide like saucers.


    ''This young lady... What the hell? Late stage Immortal-Class level?! Her aura even appears to be much stronger than mine. This...''


    The crown prince thought that the duke was stunned at Aurora''s beauty. He then glanced at Cale and was relieved to see that he did not mind. ''Perhaps he is already used to this scene...''


    The crown prince was unable to discern Aurora''s strength because he was only a peak Saint-Class level expert, but Duke Shutra was able to feel the terrifying aura on the woman behind Cale. Even the elders who were with him were unable to sense her might.


    "Pardon my actions, everyone... Young brother Wolf King, I thank you on behalf of the Ignius Family on treating the emperor''s illness. Without your help, I don''t know what would have happened to our Celestial Sword Empire." Duke Shutra bowed his head slightly. Seira and the three elders similarly bowed their heads solemnly.


    The nobles who were inside the banquet hall were surprised at the scene. Who was this young man who made the Ignius Family bow down their heads respectfully?


    In a blink of an eye, everyone''s eyes were fixated on Cale''s figure. They were curious who was this man that was capable of making the Ignius Family bow their heads.


    Cale hurriedly supported them and said with a hint of embarrassment.


    "No need for this Duke Shutra. Truthfully, I only did it on account of General Lexus."


    "No matter what, you still saved the emperor''s life. This is tantamount to saving the entire empire. I reckon the emperor will even give you a high-ranking noble title." Duke Shutra said with a smile.


    Cale smiled and accepted the duke''s good graces.


    "The third prince, Amro Doomblade has arrived!" Shouted a guard loudly as he saluted.


    Everyone glanced at the direction of the newcomer and saw a very handsome man with exquisite facial features. His every movement carried a hint of charm and he also had the regal bearing of a prince.


    Many female young missuses were mesmerized by his handsome face. Adding his charm, their eyes twinkled at the sight of him.


    Behind the third prince was a middle-aged man wearing a shiny gold and silver armor with the Celestial Sword Empire''s crest on his cape. His aura was actually as strong as Duke Shutra''s, he was also at the late stage of the Immortal-Class level.


    He was the empire''s grand general and also the empire''s strongest sword expert, Ling Tian.


    "Hello, big brother!" The third prince Amro Doomblade smiled happily after seeing the crown prince, Elyon Doomblade.


    "Cale, this person is not simple. He is hiding his real strength using an item from the Divine Realms. He should be as strong as that duke or even much stronger than him." Asteria said solemnly, making Cale somewhat surprised. He then thought about the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison.


    "Asteria, the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison, could it be..." Cale said telepathically.


    "This is likely the case..." Asteria replied and stayed silent.


    ''Third prince, Amro Doomblade... Heh.'' Cale was somewhat fearful of him. For him to successfully poison the emperor, while also staying low profile. Such meticulousness was scary. He was like a viper in the dark, waiting for its prey patiently.


    "Third brother, it''s good that you are here." The crown prince smiled from ear to ear.


    Ling Tian who was silently standing behind the third prince kneeled down in front of Elyon with a remorseful expression on his face.


    "Your highness, I apologize for being absent during the war a few days ago. After hearing the news, I immediately returned at top speed, but everything was already over upon my arrival."


    What he said was indeed true. The grand general was sent to the Death Forest a month ago to study the savage beasts'' movements since the time for the beast tide was near.


    The third prince''s eyes flashed for an instant, but he maintained a smiling and easy-going expression on his face.


    ''This Ling Tian is a tough nut to crack. Even after sending him countless gifts and hints, he still had no plans on following me. Tsk! ''


    "Grand General, I know you had your difficulties. And imperial father also does not blame you. Checking the beasts'' movements inside the Death Forest is likewise not easy." The crown prince helped Ling Tian stand up and patted his shoulders with a warm smile.


    The grand general felt much better, but he was still somewhat regretful that he wasn''t present during the war.


    "Everyone, let''s go inside the banquet hall," Elyon said warmly while leading them inside, the third prince followed behind him like an obedient little brother.

 Chapter 153 - Come Bite Me

    "Princess Michelle has arrived!" The guard shouted loudly as the crown prince was about to start the banquet. His eyes lit up after seeing the familiar figure of his sister.


    He was the one who sent his sister to Border City in order to check the four-elemental saint. He was wary of the sudden arrival of Cale, thus, he sent Princess Michelle to inquire about his identity and his goal inside the empire.


    Behind the princess was Zero and the others. When they went inside the banquet hall, they felt their connection with Cale, making their eyes light up.


    "Look! Isn''t that his lordship?" Zarinvienne said excitedly.


    "Yes, that is indeed him. But who is that woman standing behind him?" Nocturna asked with a frown.


    Zero and the two other men glanced at the woman behind Cale.


    "That woman... Isn''t that Lady Aurora who fought with Azazel?!" Brogen almost jumped in surprise after seeing the familiar figure.


    A torrent of emotions assaulted his heart. How could he not know who she was?


    She was the human leader of Gallantos who fought against the demon race''s upper echelons. But even someone like her died in battle. After her death, humanity succ_u_mbed under the overbearing invasion of the demon race and the survivors became food for the lesser demons.


    That was also the last time they saw their world.


    Nocturna was also a native of Gallantos, but she was not able to see Aurora. It was because her Elven race was the first one to be erased in the history of Gallantos after the demons'' arrival.


    Only Zero and Brogen were able to see Aurora and her final battle with the Demon Immortal Azazel.


    "Her strength... It appears to have regressed an entire realm." Zero said solemnly.


    "Sigh! She was, after all, injured by Demon Immortal Azazel and was forced to seal herself. Who knew that she still died in the end..." Brogen sighed with remorseful expression.


    "We were too weak back then, and we can only be considered as stronger cannon fodders. But now, his lordship gave us hope. Once he refines his nascent soul and steps into the Nascent God level, we will have the chance to exact vengeance for our destroyed world." Zero said while clenching his fists tightly.


    "Are you guys fine? Why do you all look so serious?" Princess Michelle asked them worriedly after seeing their expressions.


    "Your highness, don''t worry. We are just somewhat agitated to see our lord. After all, he went to the Cave of Endless Grievance."


    Zero and Brogen forced a smile on their faces and nodded their heads.


    "Young miss Nocturna is right."


    Princess Michelle no longer doubted them. She was even worried about Seira''s safety. Hence, she understood their feelings perfectly.


    After hearing the great war a few days ago, she wanted to rush back towards the capital. But Zero and the others did not allow her to go. She reluctantly agreed to stay inside Border City after reassuring her that nothing bad would happen.


    Now, after the war, they rushed back in the capital to join the crown prince''s banquet.


    "Big brother! Third brother!" Princess Michelle hugged them excitedly and muffled a cry. She was very worried about their safety that she lost her regal bearing after seeing them inside.


    The crown prince and the third prince patted her back dotingly.


    "Little sister Michelle, aren''t we fine? Shh, don''t cry anymore." Elyon consoled with a warm smile.


    "Hm, okay..." Princess Michelle nodded her head slightly.


    The third prince wiped her tears using his sleeves and patted her head with a smile.


    "Big brother, start the banquet."


    The crown prince patted Princess Michelle''s head before he told everyone the beginning of the banquet.


    "My lord, we are back." Zero and the others bowed their heads lightly at Cale.


    Aurora''s eyes flashed for a brief moment after sensing the feeling of familiarity from Brogen and Zero.


    ''Are they...''


    "Good job on protecting her highness. Oh! By the way, this is Aurora." Cale said with a smile while pulling Aurora''s hand gently.


    "Hello, Young Miss Aurora." Atlas smiled and bowed his head lightly. He already felt her extraordinariness from afar.


    The others also greeted her with warm smiles on their faces.


    The third prince was stunned after seeing Aurora''s dainty figure, but then he felt alarmed when he sensed her strength.


    ''Late stage Immortal-Class level?! Who is this woman? Her strength is actually on par with mine. This is a bit troublesome. Tsk!''


    Aurora frowned after sensing someone''s piercing gaze. She glanced at the third prince with an emotionless expression.


    ''This woman''s senses are sharp. Interesting! Looks like I have to lay low for now. Troublesome!'' The third prince smiled faintly at Aurora after she glanced at his direction. He then went away and talked with the other nobles.


    "Aurora, is there something wrong?" Cale asked.


    Aurora walked closer towards Cale and whispered silently.


    "My lord, that third prince... He is not a simple man. I sense a feeling of danger from him."


    Cale was a bit surprised that Aurora was able to sense the third prince peculiarity, but he just patted her head.


    "I already know. Don''t mind him for now. It''s not yet time for us to move."


    Aurora blushed and gently swatted Cale''s hand away.


    The latter smiled at her before he stared solemnly at the third prince''s back figure.


    * * *


    Meanwhile, inside the central part of the Death Forest.


    A cloaked silhouette can be seen standing calmly in front of several dozen thousand of ferocious-looking savage beasts.


    There were all sorts of savage beasts, and each one of them was emitting strong auras that would make any mortals die in suffocation. But they were strangely subdued in front of the mysterious person.


    "Ling Tian is gone. I can now call more beasts to join me. That Immortal level sword, only I, the Beast King am qualified to wield it. Even you Aventus Doomblade is unqualified to wield that sword. Hahaha!"


    The cloaked silhouette laughed maliciously before he flicked his sleeves. After doing that, the several dozen thousand savage beasts dispersed in different directions.


    "The beast tide this time will be much more fun than the ones before. Celestial Sword Empire, I hope you enjoy my gift for you. Hahaha!"


    * * *


    The itinerant cultivators also formed their own sphere inside the banquet hall.


    "Brother Wushuang, why do you think the crown prince invited us to join this banquet?" A middle-aged man wearing coarse clothing asked while stuffing food in his mouth.


    Wenren Wushuang furrowed his brows and said.


    "I am not sure either. But it should be related to the war a few days ago. If I am not wrong, the imperial family will be recruiting some of us to join the army."


    The other itinerant cultivators thought deeply and nodded their heads.


    "It might be possible. Especially now that the empire lost many strong soldiers. But did they really think that we would agree right away? Tch!"


    Wenren Wushuang remained silent after that.


    * * *


    "Young miss, do you mind if I dance with you?"


    Cale watched the entire scene with an amused smile on his face. This young man actually disregarded him and did not even inquire about his relationship with Aurora. This was a silent provocation to him, but Cale merely smiled.


    Aurora did not even bother glancing at the young noble and just continued to stand with a cold expression.


    The young noble''s smile twitched after having been ignored by Aurora. Who was he? He was the son of a marquess, a young genius who was admired by many people. And now he was actually ignored by a random beauty.


    ''Wait after this banquet is done. This little lord will kidnap you and we''ll see if you still wear that cold expression on your face. Don''t beg this little lord for mercy later. I will train you on how to become an obedient woman.'' The young noble smiled wickedly at his own thoughts.


    "Since young miss is busy, this young lord shall take my leave." He smiled elegantly and returned to his seat.


    Cale walked towards Aurora and smiled at her teasingly.


    "Aurora''s beauty is truly eye-catching even if you wear that veil. And it looks like that young noble would make things difficult for us after this banquet. I''m a little afraid." Cale put on an exaggerated expression as if he was really fearful, making Zarinvienne and Nocturna giggle.


    "My lord, look at his face. It was as if he had swallowed a fly." Zarinvienne giggled mischievously.


    Cale smiled at the young noble and flashed a teasing smile at him.


    ''You dare ignore me? Hmph! Come bite me! Heh!''

 Chapter 154 - Wenreng Wushuang Ambushed

    The banquet continued without a problem and Cale was able to get to know more about Duke Shutra Ignius.


    After talking with him for quite some time, he felt that the man was worth befriending. Thus, Cale and Duke Shutra talked about cultivation as if they were equals. The more they talked, the more alarmed Duke Shutra became.


    Cale actually had more in-depth knowledge about cultivation than him! It was truly inconceivable since he was many times older than Cale.


    Of course, Cale did not really know more about cultivation than the duke, but he had the Law Fragment, Asteria who was there to explain things thoroughly for him.


    "Little brother Cale, I didn''t know you had such profound knowledge about cultivation. Sigh! It is truly very disappointing to compare myself with a genius like you." Duke Shutra shook his head with a wry smile.


    Cale smiled at his words and said after shaking his head. "Duke Shutra, you overestimate me. I don''t dare say that I am a genius, it''s just luck."


    The two talked without end as if they were the best of friends, and only when the crown prince announced the end of the banquet did they stopped talking.


    Duke Shutra reluctantly bid farewell as he still had matters to do in his dukedom.


    As for the crown prince, he gave the itinerant cultivators one imperial token each. This token represents that the Doomblade Imperial Family acknowledges them as their direct subordinates.


    The itinerant cultivators were pleasantly surprised since the token that the crown prince gave them was of great value. Aside from becoming the Doomblade Imperial Family''s direct subordinates, they will also receive monthly resources from the imperial palace. So for the itinerant cultivators to receive this kind of treatment was truly hard to decline.


    "I know you guys are very surprised to receive this token, but I hope you won''t decline. I only want you guys to promise me one thing." Elyon said solemnly.


    The itinerant cultivators glanced at each other and nodded their heads firmly as if they had reached a tacit agreement.


    "Your highness, as long as it is something that we can do, then we will accomplish it wholeheartedly."


    Elyon nodded his head in appreciation. "Good! As of the moment, the empire''s strength is partially weakened after the war a few days ago. Almost half of the nobles betrayed the empire, thus our military might could be said to have downgraded by quite a margin. In order to compensate for the loss of soldiers and nobles, imperial father did a thorough investigation on who to give the vacant positions to. But I know that you guys prefer to roam freely. That''s why I only hope that when the empire faces danger in the future, you guys will lend a helping hand."


    Wenren Wushuang admired the crown prince''s foresight and courage. He then resolutely kneeled down and said decisively.


    "Your highness, I am willing to protect the empire to death."


    The other itinerant cultivators were silent for a moment before similarly kneeling down solemnly.


    "Your highness, I am willing to protect the empire to death."


    "Your highness, I am willing to protect the empire to death."


    "Your highness, I am willing to protect the empire to death."


    Elyon smiled warmly and said. "All of you, please rise. This prince is more than happy to get your promises. You may leave now. Remember to get your resources every first week of the month."


    The itinerant cultivators excitedly nodded their heads before they left.


    * * *


    As a young genius and son of a marquess, it was the first time he experienced that kind of treatment. Hence, he harbored deep resentment in his heart and vowed to toy Aurora to death and slap that masked young man until he was satisfied.


    "They dare humiliate me in front of many people. Hmph! They should be prepared to face my wrath!" His handsome face darkened at the thought of the events earlier.


    "Young lord! Young lord!"


    The young noble frowned after seeing some of his men running in his direction with faces full of sweat. He felt a sense of foreboding for no apparent reason.


    "What is it? Speak!"


    His subordinates glanced at each other with faces filled with fear. "The young... The young man earlier. They... They..."


    "Don''t waste my time and say it carefully!" The young noble shouted angrily.


    His subordinates fearfully glanced at their young lord. They knew that after he will hear the news, he would surely blame them for being useless, but they still decided to bite the bullet. "That young man earlier... His group... They disappeared out of thin air..."


    The young noble''s countenance darkened after hearing their words. His guess was right, those people should not be someone ordinary. But even with that being the case, he was still adamant about giving them punishment for humiliating him earlier in the banquet.


    "Useless bastards! Find them for me! Scram now! F_u_c_k!"


    * * *


    Wenren Wushuang walked out of the banquet hall and clenched his fists tightly in excitement. ''With the imperial family''s support, I can finally have the chance to improve my sword skills.''


    After walking far away from the palace, he stopped in his tracks and placed his hands on the hilt of his sword.


    "Friends, you have been following me for quite some time. Show yourselves!" He said calmly. The invisible sword intent in his body gushed out unbridledly.


    "Hahaha! You''ve got guts, boy! To actually dare oppose this young lord, you must be tired of living! I don''t care whether the crown prince protects you or not, as long he does not know, then I can leave without a problem. Hahaha!" More than ten silhouettes appeared. They surrounded Wenren Wushuang, not giving him a room for retreat. Behind them was Pu Ta, he was wearing a mocking smile on his face.


    Wenren Wushuang frowned after seeing Pu Ta''s figure. "It''s actually you!"


    Pu Ta smugly glanced at Wenren Wushuang. "Commoner, are you surprised? Hahaha! You shouldn''t have provoked this young lord. Now, you are going to die. Hahaha!"


    Wenren Wushuang chuckled and fished out the token given to them by the crown prince. He then flashed it towards Pu Ta with a hint of disdain. "Do you know what this is?"


    Pu Ta frowned after seeing the token in Wenren Wushuang''s hands. How could he not know the imperial family''s seal? That flashy sword engraving, who else other than the Doomblade Imperial Family uses that seal? But Pu Ta was already consumed by anger and his sense of reason was currently non-existent. "Do you really think that I won''t dare kill you just because you have become the imperial family''s dog? Foolish! Kill that lowly dog for me!"


    Wenren Wushuang''s face fell. He thought that Pu Ta would consider after seeing the imperial family''s seal, but who knew that this brat did not even give their seal face? "If I escape here, your Pu Family will face the Doomblade Imperial Family''s wrath!"


    Wenren Wushuang unsheathed his sword and fought bitterly with Pu Ta''s men. His dazzling sword skills surprised them. And moments later, their surprise turned into shock.


    Wenren Wushuang fought with them and even after exchanging hundreds of blows with him, they were still unable to kill him.


    "Such a tenacious life! This commoner is like a goddamn c_o_c_kroach!" Pu Ta gnashed his teeth in anger.


    Although Pu Ta was able to fight against more than ten men, he still received a substantial amount of damage. His strength was also weakening by the second.


    ''Shit! Would I really die under this snotty brat''s ploy? No! I must find a way to escape!''


    Wenren Wushuang brandished his sword with a calm expression, but he was inwardly in disarray. It won''t be long before his strength would dwindle, and by that time, he will be at the mercy of Pu Ta.


    Wenren Wushuang broke through the encirclement of Pu Ta''s men, but he was struck by a sword from behind.


    "Slash! Puchi!"


    "Crash!" Wenren Wushuang''s injured body dropped on the ground after tumbling many times.


    "Hahaha! Lowly dog of the imperial family, did you not think that you will die under the masterful plan of this young lord?! Hahaha! Kill him for me! Make sure to burn his body and remove all the traces of our involvement here!" Pu Ta smirk condescendingly while watching the bloodied figure of Wenren Wushuang.


    Although he was strong, even someone like him still succ_u_mbed against ten peak Saint-Class level experts'' combined strength.


    When the ten figures were about to strike the killing blow, a few silhouettes suddenly emerged from the shadows. Leading them was a man with long silver hair wearing a silver wolf mask that covered half his face. He was looking grimly at Pu Ta.


    "It appears that I have to do the cleansing on the imperial family''s behalf," Cale said with a chilly voice.

 Chapter 155 - Auroras Frozen End Domain

    Pu Ta and his men were surprised by the sudden appearance of Cale''s group. Wenren Wushuang was similarly surprised by their arrival, but he was not that optimistic either.


    First, he can sense that five of them were merely at the initial stage of the Saint-Class level. Although he can''t sense the veiled beauty and the masked man''s strength, he did not think that someone as young as them had reached the Immortal-Class level.


    Furthermore, knowing Pu Ta''s means, he should have a chance of preserving his life.


    If Wenren Wushuang knew that Aurora was actually a late stage Immortal-Class level, then he would have not thought like so.


    "Who are you, people? Do you really want to go against my Pu Family? Do you know who my father is? If you don''t want to die tragically by saving this lowly commoner''s life, then scram for me. But you have to leave those women behind." Pu Ta laughed lecherously while staring at the three beauties behind Cale.


    His subordinates also ignored the heavily injured Wenren Wushuang and focused their gazes on the three peerless beauties with shining eyes. "Young lord, after you''re done playing with them, please allow us brothers to have a round with those little beauties."


    Pu Ta smiled evilly and nodded his head. "Of course, how could I not share these little beauties with you guys?"


    They had done similar things in the past, and after Pu Ta was done playing with the women he likes, he will then pass them to his subordinates to play with. Because of this, he gained the loyalty of his men.


    Cale''s lips twitched after hearing them speak as if they were already a meal within their grasps. ''Looks like I don''t need to move this time. Sigh! You could have stayed silent, but you chose to court death by provoking Aurora.''


    Everyone suddenly felt that the temperature around them dropped considerably. An overpowering aura descended on everyone, making their breaths turn ragged.


    Suddenly, countless snowflakes gently rained down on Pu Ta and his men. Even Cale felt a chill after seeing it.


    "This is Aurora''s Frozen End Domain. Only someone who had reached the Earth Enlightenment Stage can control the power of domain." Asteria explained in an indifferent voice inside Cale''s head.


    "What''s an Earth Enlightenment Stage? And domain, what is that?" It was the first time that Cale heard these terms from Asteria, so he was curious about it.


    "Do you really think that the Immortal-Class level is already the peak of cultivation? Well, you can''t be blamed since you came from a desolate land with little elemental and origin essence.


    Cale, after you form your nascent soul, you will reach the true beginning of the cultivation path. As for the Earth Enlightenment Stage and the power of domain, you will eventually learn these things as you progress in your cultivation path." Asteria''s tone was a bit condescending, but Cale was already used to it, so he did not mind. Nonetheless, he was infinitely shocked by Asteria''s words. He finally realized that he was merely a frog at the bottom of a well. He was like an ant trapped in a sandbox unable to explore the garden outside.


    A burning d_e_s_i_r_e for strength enveloped his heart all of sudden, making Asteria smile contentedly. ''As a Law Fragment holder, you were long since destined to walk the path of gods and goddesses. And this is merely the prologue of your journey towards godhood.''


    Meanwhile, the beautiful snowflakes landed on the bodies of Pu Ta and his subordinates. And the moment it touched them, they felt their scalp tingle in dread. Their bodies were slowly turning into an ice sculpture, and they were powerless to do anything about it.


    "This... This lord... Stay your hand... I am the son of Count Pu Lutan. He is an Immortal-Class level expert and...and..." Pu Ta''s teeth were clattering as he spoke. Both his arms and legs had turned into ice. An intense feeling of despair invaded his heart.


    He thought that someone from the imperial family had known their actions and were punishing them, but he never would have thought that it was actually one of the women in front of him who did it.


    "As... As lo-long as you set us free, then... then my Pu Family will reward you handsomely." Pu Ta gritted his teeth. He can no longer feel his body, making him very alarmed


    Cale walked nonchalantly towards the stunned Wenren Wushuang and helped him stand up. His injuries were quite heavy, but it was not life-threatening. After eating a few healing pills, he will be able to fully recover.


    "You can stay with us as of the moment. You don''t have to worry about the imperial family either. We are allies and it''s only natural for us to help each other. As for these people...Sigh! They provoked the wrong woman." Cale shook his head with a faint smile on his face.


    Wenren Wushuang was surprised at Cale''s indifferent attitude. And based on his words, the thing that happened to Pu Ta and his subordinates might be related to one of the women who came with Cale. And among the three of them, two are at the initial stage of the Saint-Class level. So the remaining one must be the cause for their predicament. Thinking up to that, he glanced at the veiled beauty with a bit of fear. ''So that''s why I can''t feel her cultivation. Since that''s the case... This man beside me should also be...'' He felt a chill run down his spine. To think that these newcomers actually had two Immortal-Class level experts. Just who were they?


    Because Cale''s aura was masked by Asteria, Wenren Wushuang thought that he was also an Immortal-Class level expert.


    "Thank you for saving this lowly one, sire." Wenren Wushuang bowed down his head with difficulty.


    Cale smiled at him and nodded his head before glancing at Pu Ta and his subordinates. Only their heads were yet to be turned into ice, but some of them already passed out. He was a bit surprised that a silkpants like Pu Ta was still able to hold on up until now.


    With Aurora''s present strength, she can only control a portion of her Frozen End Domain. But it was more than enough to kill the likes of Pu Ta and his subordinates. Even Immortal-Class level experts would be wary of her domain, despite its weakened form. If it were during her peak strength, then they would not even last for more than three seconds before turning into ice sculptures.


    Although she was taken away by Asteria, her nascent soul was destroyed by the Demon Immortal Azazel during their last battle, making her cultivation regress by an entire realm. As of the moment, she can only control a part of her Frozen End Domain.


    Pu Ta wanted to speak, but his throat had turned into ice, making it impossible for him to emit even a despairing sound.


    He would have not ambushed Wenren Wushuang if he knew this would happen.


    Aurora suddenly frowned after feeling a strong aura locking onto her.


    "This young lady, please release my son." A slightly pudgy middle-aged man with small round eyes descended slowly from the sky. His eyes were narrowed into slits as he glanced at Aurora warily. ''This woman is actually a late stage Immortal-Class level expert! This unfilial son of mine kicked the wrong stone this time. Shit!''  He knew the nature of his son very well. After one glance at the scene, he knew that his son provoked their group.


    Aurora remained silent and merely glance at the pudgy man. He was the father of Pu Ta, the head of the Pu Family, Count Pu Lutan.


    He was also an Immortal-Class level expert, but he was only at the initial stage. Thus, he was inwardly afraid of the woman in front of him. It was also the first time he saw the kind of power she released. Even the emperor was incapable of doing it. ''Just who is this woman?''


    "Young lady, I promise that if you release my son, I will provide you with ample compensation." Pu Lutan forced a crooked smile on his chubby face which made his small eyes almost non-existent.


    Pu Ta was his only son, and although he had an unruly nature, his talent in martial arts was also much better than himself. He was the future of their Pu Family and the only hope so that they can rise in power.


    "Haha!"


    Pu Lutan frowned after hearing a burst of stifled laughter from the side. He then glanced at the masked young man who was staring at him with a mocking smile.


    He felt rage in his heart, but he did not dare reveal his anger. He can''t feel the other party''s cultivation level at all! ''Just who did you provoke Pu Ta?! It looks like my Pu Family will end in my hands, just because of this unfilial son of mine! F_u_c_k_i_n_g bastard!''


    "Aurora, it''s better if we hand this fatty to the imperial family. As for his son... Kill." Cale calmly said which made Pu Lutan''s countenance darken.


    "Nooo!"

 Chapter 156 - Capturing Pu Lutan Effortlessly

    "Nooo! Sire, I''m willing to give you an ample amount of compensation. Just please release my son." Pu Lutan had a look of slight begging on his face, but he didn''t have a choice but to compromise. Just Aurora alone was enough to kill him in a blink of an eye. And there was also the mysterious Cale who he can''t even sense the depth of. Although it was very humiliating for a grand Immortal-Class level expert like him to beg someone in front of many people, he didn''t have a choice but to do so. If not, then the future patriarch of their Pu Family, Pu Ta will be killed.


    "Do you think you have the qualifications to bargain with me? Killing a subordinate of the imperial family is tantamount to rebelling against the Celestial Sword Empire. You as a count should have known the gravity of your son''s sins. But you turned a blind eye on everything he did." Cale spoke in a chilly tone, causing Pu Lutan to be somewhat fearful.


    Aurora no longer hesitated. She did a swiping motion with her right hand, causing Pu Lutan and his subordinates'' bodies who had turned into ice to instantly crack. Ice shards scattered on the ground. There was not even a hint of blood on the ground.


    Wenren Wushuang glanced fearfully at the veiled beauty. ''To think that such a harmless-looking woman can wield such terrifying power.''


    Pu Ta''s body also cracked into countless fragments and only his head remained intact. He appeared to be still alive and his head was facing the direction of his father, Pu Lutan. Pu Ta''s lips moved, but no words came out of his mouth. Everyone saw a look of agony on his face. His head then slowly turned into ice, before it crumbled into countless pieces.


    The scene made everyone horrified. Their deaths only happened in less than a minute. There wasn''t even a hint of human bodies around. Only countless ice shards were scattered freely on the ground. If they haven''t seen how those people turned into ice, then they would not believe if anyone tells them that those ice shards were once human beings.


    "You demons! You killed my son! Aaargggghh!" Pu Lutan tapped his foot on the ground, leaving a deep footprint. He soared in midair in an attempt to flee. He was not a fool. If he stayed there, then he would surely be killed by them.


    "Don''t kill him. Just capture him. We will let the imperial family punish him and his Pu Family." Cale said calmly without even glancing at the fleeing Pu Lutan.


    Aurora nodded her head gently. She then gracefully waved her dainty right hand.


    Following her movements, countless ice chains materialized in midair tailing behind Pu Lutan. An ice chain wrapped itself around his calf, stopping his escape. More and more chains then wrapped around Pu Lutan''s body.


    "Aaargghhh! Release me you demons! Release me!"


    A huge ball of ice chains dropped from the sky, creating a deep crater on the ground. Pu Lutan''s chubby head can be seen sticking out of the ball of ice chains.


    "Baaang!"


    Not long after, multiple streaks of light can be seen coming towards their direction.


    "The empire''s top experts are here. Hopefully, one of them is someone from the imperial family." Cale muttered silently.


    Four top experts descended slowly towards the ground. They were staring deeply at the ''ball of ice chains''. They were surprised since all four of them were familiar with the fat head sticking out of the ''ball of ice chains''. Who could it be other than Fatty Pu from the Pu Family?


    Cale sighed in relief after seeing their familiar silhouettes. The four experts were Duke Shutra and the two elders from his Ignius Family, and the last one was the empire''s grand general, Ling Tian.


    "Little brother Cale, what happened here? And why is Count Pu Lutan in this kind of situation?" Duke Shutra asked Cale curiously while giving Aurora a quick glance.


    The other three experts were surprised at Duke Shutra''s respectful tone when he spoke with Cale, but they chose to remain silent and wait for Cale''s reply.


    "It''s good that you''re here, Duke Shutra. Count Pu Lutan''s good son..." Cale explained the series of events towards the four experts. Of course, he omitted the scene when Aurora effortlessly killed Pu Ta and his men. He only told them it was their group who killed them for trying to kill Wenren Wushuang who was a subordinate of the imperial family.


    Wenren Wushuang flashed his token to support Cale''s words. His injuries also made the four experts think that Cale''s words were more or less true.


    They then glanced at Pu Lutan''s chubby face with unkind expressions.


    "Pu Lutan, your son actually tried to kill the subordinate of his highness the crown prince?! This is an act of rebellion! And you as a count of the empire did nothing but allow your son to do countless heinous crimes for the past few years! Truly tired of living!


    Later, I will ask his majesty''s permission in order for me to personally destroy your Pu Family! I won''t rest until I raze your county to the ground!" Ling Tian said angrily. His late stage Immortal-Class level aura descended on Pu Lutan''s battered body, making his chubby face distort in pain. He then went unconscious after that.


    "This young sire, I thank you on behalf of the Celestial Sword Empire for capturing this lowlife. If not for your intervention, this father and son pair would have continued their sordid actions within the empire." Ling Tian cupped his fist towards the masked Cale. Despite his high cultivation, he was unable to determine Cale''s strength, making him look mysterious and profound. He even had a late stage Immortal-Class level expert by his side. ''Who could this young man be?''


    "I dare not claim the credit for capturing Pu Lutan. It was my friend Aurora who captured him." Cale shook his head with a faint smile on his face. He respected this Grand General Ling Tian who constantly stayed inside the dangerous parts of the Death Forest where countless ferocious savage beasts live unfettered.


    Ling Tian spoke no more and merely cupped his fists towards Aurora. He then grabbed Pu Lutan who was still trapped by Aurora''s ice chains. ''So cold...''


    Aurora gently waved her right arms to dispel the ice chains she cast on Pu Lutan. It disappeared following her movements, making it easier for Ling Tian to carry him. He then grabbed Pu Lutan''s unconscious body before giving one last look at Aurora and Cale. After that, he flew towards the direction of the imperial palace. He had to report the events that had transpired to the emperor. He will also report the mysterious variable inside their empire.


    "Since the matters here are done, then we shall take our leave, little brother Cale. Make sure to treat my daughter well when you go on the same missions. Hahaha!" Duke Shutra laughed gently before leading the two elders of the Ignius Family out of the scene.


    Cale smiled and cupped his fist towards the direction of Duke Shutra. He then helped Wenren Wushuang to stand up and asked Brogen and Atlas to carry him.


    "You should go with us for now. It''s not safe for you to stay alone after this event. Many nobles will surely kidnap you to ask the specific events that had transpired." Cale calmly said while glancing at Wenren Wushuang. The latter nodded his head with a grateful look.


    * * *


    Inside the central part of the Death Forest, countless savage beasts were prostrating respectfully towards a cloaked man. His body was shrouded by a cloud of black gas, making it hard for someone to see his face. Behind him were more than fifty silhouettes who were similarly dr_a_p_ed in long black robes. Each of them was producing an aura which was equivalent to a human cultivator''s Immortal-Class level expert. That is to say that everyone of them was in the Immortal realm. But all of them appeared to respectful at the man who was shrouded by a black gas.


    "How is our progress on subduing the low-level savage beasts?" The man covered in black gas spoke in bestial voice.


    One robed silhouette stepped forward and bowed his head at the man before he said. "Lord Beast King, we have subdued twenty percent of the Death Forest. We can subdue a few hundred thousand more savage beasts, but any more than that will make those three old fellows wary. They might cause trouble for us or even sell us out again."


    "Subdue a hundred thousand more savage beasts. As for those three old farts, I will handle them personally. Disperse!" The man said calmly before he vanished from everyone''s sights.


    The robed silhouettes then vanished from where they previously stood.

 Chapter 157 - Advance Form Of Sword Intent

    An investigation was done by the imperial family about the deeds of the Pu Family. After a week of investigation, they also discovered that the Pu Family was secretly selling slaves towards the neighboring empires.


    Everyone from the Celestial Sword Empire cursed the Pu Family''s actions. They actually sold the people from the empire just to earn more money. Their actions earned the condemnation of the people.


    The next day, the emperor ordered the Grand General, Ling Tian to exterminate the Pu Famy from the roots and also to behead Pu Lutan in front of the public to warn the other nobles who were doing the same thing behind the empire''s back.


    "The Pu Family is finished this time. This is their retribution for all the wicked deeds they have done for the past few decades."


    "That''s right! They fully deserve this ending for selling off the empire''s people as slaves to the neighboring empires."


    "I heard that the scoundrel Pu Ta provoked a mysterious young lord. It was also this young lord''s people who captured the patriarch of the Pu Family, Pu Lutan."


    "Eh? Really? I didn''t know something like this happened."


    The news about the Pu Family''s impending doom circulated around the entire Celestial Sword Empire. This was done by the imperial family to scare off the remaining nobles who were also doing atrocious deeds within the empire.


    Cale smirked after hearing the news. "Looks like the emperor wants me to be slowly known by the citizens. This will make it easier for him to reward me with a noble title without earning the discontent of the people and the other nobles.


    The emperor is truly a wise person. By circulating this news, aside from spreading about my emergence, the other nobles who had done evil deeds would also be scared out of their wits. Other than that, the empire will also gain the approval of the citizens, which will, in turn, minimize the chances of rebellion. It''s like killing many birds with one stone...


    Emperor Aventus, your present strength is not gained by luck at all, but because of your wisdom... Interesting!"


    He then glanced at a boorish-looking man in the practicing field who was exchanging pointers with Zero. The two exchanged dozens of blows, but neither of them gained the upper hand.


    The boorish-looking man was naturally Wenren Wushuang. His injuries were already fully healed, and his realm was even more consolidated than before.


    "Clang! Clang! Clang!"


    Zero was already at the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level. He appeared to be at ease as he was brandishing his two short swords, but he was inwardly shocked at the strength of Wenren Wushuang. His sword skills, in particular, were almost as impressive as Cale''s in his opinion.


    Zero''s advantage was his battle perception and exceptional speed. On the other hand, Wenren Wushuang was able to go toe to toe with him due to his elementary form of sword intent. Even Cale was yet to form his sword intent, but he did not plan to train it. He had the advantage since he can simply buy it in The Black Market, so why would he waste his time in perfecting his sword skills when he can simply gain the same skills after buying one from Asteria?


    "This is merely the elementary form of sword intent. You can learn it from me if you give me five billion Black Coins. You can also learn the intermediate form of sword intent from me for fifty billion Black Coins." Asteria''s disdainful voice resounded beside his ears. A small fairy also materialized in front of him. This was Asteria''s fairy form. She glanced contemptuously at the fight between Zero and Wenren Wushuang as if they were uncouth barbarians with no true skills.


    Cale ignored her and continued watching the two with a tranquil look. He appeared to be lost in his own thoughts, but if one would look closely in his eyes, they would find themselves sinking deeply in its profoundness.


    Asteria glanced at Cale after being ignored by him. She was about to scold him again when she saw the changes in his aura. His sword intent was rising at a discernible speed. "Sudden Enlightenment?! Hehe! I wonder what he will earn this time. This kind of enlightenment can only be sought but can''t be given. Only a few of the top prodigies from the Divine Realm had experienced this kind of thing..."


    Zero and Wenren Wushuang frowned after sensing a strong aura. They then saw Cale standing still like an ancient monolith, unmoved even after the erosion of time. They knew that he was experiencing some kind of special sensation, so they did not dare disturb him. They guarded the vicinity while looking intently at Cale. His aura was rising by the second, they even felt a hint of fear after sensing his aura.


    The crimson sky of Shura parted ways and a void slowly emerge, enlarging at a visible speed. Crackles of lightning can be heard within the void, scaring the inhabitants of Shura.


    "What the hell is that?!"


    "Are the gods going to descend on our world?"


    "This..."


    All the top experts of Shura glanced solemnly at the void. They wanted to pry at the secrets of the void, but their eyes bled after a brief second of looking at it.


    Even Emperor Aventus looked away after giving it a brief look. He clutched his aching head and swallowed the blood that was about to come out of his mouth. "What kind of being can summon this kind of heavenly phenomenon? Is this a good thing or a bad thing for our world?"


    Similar things happened to all the top experts of Shura, some even experienced a major backlash after peering at the void forcefully.


    Meanwhile, inside their temporary villa, Cale was oblivious to these events. But Asteria knew that he was the reason for the strange phenomenon above the sky.


    The void gave off an archaic aura that made everyone in Shura prostrate in awe and fear. They did not even dare glance at the sky, afraid that they will be killed.


    "Heavenly Tribulation? But why would the Void of Tribulation come down for Cale when he is only experiencing a Sudden Enlightenment? Strange..." Asteria muttered silently to herself while staring curiously at the void above the sky. She was actually unhurt even after staring at it for a very long time.


    Suddenly, Cale''s sword intent spread around him, destroying everything in the vicinity within the process. Asteria waved her right hand gently to create a small barrier that blocked his ferocious sword intent. "Tsk! Consider this as my gift to you for being my holder." She then closed her beautiful pair of eyes and chanted and incomprehensible mantra.


    A small ball of energy appeared in front of her, it was greedily s_u_c_k_i_n_g the elemental essence within ten thousand mile radius. If Cale saw it, he will surely be pleasantly surprised since it looked the same as the Superior Elemental Essence Bundle that he had consumed before. But the elemental essence on this ball of energy was many times stronger than the Superior Elemental Essence Bundle.


    Asteria tapped Cale''s glabella and shoved the ball of energy inside his mouth.


    After doing that, the sword intent around Cale became much calmer and more tranquil like still water.


    "He actually gained the advance form of Sword Intent, the Heart of Sword!" Asteria exclaimed in surprise after sensing the tranquil sword intent of Cale.


    The experts who can control sword intent were considered as the top masters of the Divine Realm, so Cale who had formed the Advance Stage of Sword Intent was destined to become a top master of the Divine Realm, but of course, that is a story that will later be told.


    "But the birth of an Advance Form of Sword Intent would not produce this kind of heavenly phenomenon. Just what kind of... What the hell? Nascent Soul?!" Asteria''s eyes went wide like saucers after seeing Cale''s soul slowly solidifying. It formed a mini version of Cale, and it silently floated above him.


    "So that''s how it is... He formed his Nascent Soul when he is only breaking through towards the Immortal-Class level. How can this be? A Nascent Soul can only be formed when a cultivator is at the Earth Enlightenment Realm... Impossible!"


    The void above the sky slowly vanished, and it reverted back to the former crimson sky. All the inhabitants of Shura felt the dreadful aura vanishing, making them sigh in relief.


    Cale slowly opened his eyes. The wolf mask on his face cracked and broke into pieces, revealing his devilishly handsome face.


    Despite losing the effects of his mask, he actually retained his look when it was on him. His long silver hair fluttered along with the wind. A faint smile hung on his face as he checked his body.


    "I broke through two minor realms in one go and reached the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level. Heh! "

 Chapter 158 - Devil Arcanum Sword Movement

    Cale balled his hands into fists causing his muscles to produce a powerful crackling sound. "I have reached the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level in one go, but why do I feel that I can defeat Duke Shutra with only one sword strike?" Cale muttered to himself in confusion.


    A small fairy appeared in front of him and she was looking at Cale as if he was a rare specimen. "Truly a frog at the bottom of a well. Of course, it is very easy for you to defeat Duke Shutra with your current strength.


    Aside from advancing two levels in a row, you were also able to give birth to the Advance Form of Sword Intent, the Heart of Sword. Not just that, you were also able to form your Nascent Soul when you are only an Immortal-Class level expert. So even ten Duke Shutra is no match for you..." Asteria said with glittering eyes. She was now looking at Cale more favorably. Now she was very sure that Cale was destined to walk the path towards godhood.


    Cale listened attentively to Asteria, but he did not understand some of the terms she spoke, causing the latter''s beautiful face to twitch. "You should buy some sword skills to match your Sword Intent. I want to recommend a sword skill to you, and I am wondering if you want to hear it..."


    Cale knew that she only baiting him to spend his Black Coins, but she was also right. He indeed needed a sword skill to match his Sword Intent. Besides, he already gained its advance form for free. So it was already a bargain for him. Cale then calmly glanced at Asteria. "What is it, Asteria?"


    Asteria smiled and waved her tiny arms. After doing that, several holographic prompts appeared in front of Cale.


    * Sacred Guiding Sword


    - 50 000 000 000 Black Coins


    * Heaven Defying Sword Slash


    - 60 000 000 000 Black Coins


    * Devil Arcanum Sword Movement


    After seeing the last prompt, Cale frowned. "Asteria, what is this Crystal Coin? It''s the first time I''m seeing this." It was indeed the first time Cale saw a different form of currency from The Black Market, so he was a bit surprised.


    Asteria smiled and patiently explained. "Cale, one billion Black Coins is only worth one Crystal Coin. So that means, the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement is equivalent to one hundred and fifty billion Black Coins."


    Cale''s eyes widened in surprise after hearing her answer. "That much? So that means, this Devil Arcanum Sword Movement is a top sword skill..." Cale muttered silently.


    Asteria''s eyes flashed for a brief moment. ''It''s not just a top sword skill, but the best one I have in my memory. The one I showed you was only the first three movements from the whole twelve sword movements. Even with your current comprehension ability, you are still unqualified to see the rest of the movements. Unless... If you pay the right amount. Hehe!''


    Cale checked his remaining balance and there was only a little more than one hundred and fifty billion Black Coins. It was just enough for him to buy the sword skill, but he will be broke after buying it. ''Asteria definitely did this on purpose. This little girl... Since when did she become this crafty?''


    "I can read your mind, Cale. Hmph!"  Asteria coldly harrumphed in disp_l_e_a_s_u_r_e.


    "I was just kidding... Come on, get that skill for me." Cale gritted his teeth and felt a slight pang in his heart. ''My one hundred and fifty billion Black Coins is gone just like that...''


    Asteria''s countenance immediately brightened. She smiled sweetly and did not even ask Cale if he wants to cancel his purchase.


    "This little girl..." Cale did not know whether to laugh or to cry after seeing the instant change in Asteria''s attitude. He just sighed silently while looking at the outline of a black spiritual sword hovering in front of him. It then penetrated deeply inside Cale''s head, causing him to clutch his head in pain.


    "Grr!" He kneeled down on the ground with both hands on his head. His face contorted in pain, but he persevered and gritted his teeth. He produced muffled roars and he kept on punching the ground to divert his pain sensors. His hands became bloodied and his eyes turned bloodshot.


    Zero and Wenren Wushuang wanted to come near him to check his condition, but they were stopped by Asteria who decided to show herself. If not, then both men might die from Cale''s Sword Intent alone. "Don''t worry about him. After this bout of pain, his strength will once again experience a qualitative leap." She said to both men coldly.


    Zero and Wenren Wushuang looked worried, but they did not come near Cale. They only watched from afar as the latter continued to smash the ground, creating a large crater every time he punched the ground.


    Cale felt his head was about to split open. It was as if his head was being drilled in every spot.


    After a little more than ten minutes, the pain slowly subsided. Cale stood up with great difficulty. He then grabbed the Heavenly Restoration Wine from his storage space.


    Even the emperor was already fully healed after giving him seven glasses of the wine. Cale placed the wine bottle in his lips and gulped it greedily. The pain in his head was then removed after five seconds of drinking the wine. "This wine is truly miraculous! No wonder the emperor who was inflicted by a Soul Devouring Demonic Poison was fully healed after drinking it. I should buy a few more bottles of this."


    He then inspected the new memories inside his head and he was pleasantly surprised. There were three sword movements inside his head. Each of them contains a dreadful power that even made Cale a bit fearful.


    The first sword movement: Roaring Dragon Slash.


    The second sword movement: Thousand Sword Strike.


    The third movement: Floating Flower Sword Rain.


    From the first sword movement until the third sword movement, the increase in power was significant. Even Cale could not imagine the strength of all three sword movements. "It seems like that little girl, Asteria did not scam me. This sword skill is indeed very powerful."


    Cale turned around and saw Zero and Wenren Wushuang staring at him worriedly. He smiled and walked towards them.


    After seeing his face without a mask, both men became stunned. They then cursed the heavens for being unfair.


    "My lord, are you alright?" Zero asked and checked Cale''s bleeding fists which were healing at a discernible speed.


    "I''m fine. Thank you for guarding me a while ago." Cale smiled gently.


    Zero and Wenren Wushuang glanced at each other. They appeared to be curious about what happened to him. But they did not dare ask him.


    Of course, Cale already knew what they were thinking, but he chose to remain silent about it. "I know what you guys are thinking, but you don''t need to know about it. By tomorrow, I will go to the Mercenary Guild to take a mission. You guys remain here to train and also gather news about the recent events that will happen during my absence. After I return, I will give you guys something that will help your cultivation increase by leaps and bounds.


    They were somewhat regretful that they could not come with Cale to complete a mission, but after hearing his last sentence, their eyes lit up in joy. They knew that Cale was not someone who randomly spouts bullshit. So they were excited about what kind of thing will Cale give them to increase their cultivation.


    "I obey, my lord." Zero bowed his head deferentially.


    "Thank you for your grace, sire!" Wenren Wushuang bowed his head respectfully. He respected Cale very much for his strength. He was also the man who saved his life, so he was grateful to him.


    Natural resources that could help someone increase his strength can only be found in the most dangerous places. One example was the Holy Nourishing Crystal. Aside from its restorative effects, it also has the effect of boosting someone''s cultivation. Of course, the raw Holy Nourishing Crystal still had to be refined by an expert in alchemy before it can be safely consumed.


    And Cale''s plan was to check the missions on the Mercenary Guild that needs someone to go towards the Cave of Endless Grievance. With that, he can increase his standing in the guild and also be rewarded for the mission. Aside from that, he can also collect many Holy Nourishing Crystals to exchange for Black Coins. He was killing three birds with one stone this time.


    Also, he did not like the feeling of being broke, and he knew that he will need more Black Coins or Crystal Coins in the future. Especially now that Asteria was becoming more and more cunning. Recalling Asteria''s smile, Cale''s lips involuntarily twitched.

 Chapter 159 - Cales Charm and Anger

    The next day, Cale left his temporary villa and went to the main branch of the Mercenary Guild. It was located in the central parts of Sword City.


    Behind Cale was a beauty wearing a long white dress. Her face was covered by a translucent veil. As for Cale, he was no longer wearing a mask. Since he was no longer on Earth, and his strength also improved by a lot, the wolf mask is no longer necessary. Unless, if he wants back to Earth.


    There were more experts in the central part of Sword City. He saw several Saint-Class level experts moving around from time to time. As for Divine-Class level experts? In every direction you look at, there would always be one.


    "Celestial Sword Empire is truly prosperous, but this empire could barely be considered as a middle-rank power in Shura. As for those demons who invaded our world, they should have come from a high-rank power in Shura." Cale muttered to himself with a determined look.


    Cale became confused because everyone was looking at him weirdly. He even smiled at one noble young lady, but she hurriedly ran away with a red face. "Do I look ugly? Why is everyone evading me?"


    Aurora who following behind him rolled her eyes secretly. ''It''s because you are too handsome. Even someone like me found it hard to look at you in eyes. How much more those defenseless young ladies?'' Humph!''


    Everywhere Cale walked, all the ladies, young and old would stand like statues after looking at him once. "This... What''s happening? I did not become a scary monster after learning the Advance Form of Sword Intent, right?"


    "Humph!" A faint harrumph resounded inside Cale''s head.


    "Sigh!  I should have bought a new mask..." Cale said regretfully. He then turned around and glanced at Aurora. His movements surprised Aurora, and she was not able to stop herself from stepping forward. Both their faces were merely inches away from each other.


    Cale could feel her warm and fragrant breath from being in close proximity to her. "How fragrant..."


    He stared deeply at the beautiful eyes behind the veil with an intoxicated expression, making her face slowly turn crimson red. She pushed Cale gently to distance herself from him. "My lord, it''s inappropriate to act like this in front of many people."


    Cale did not listen to her and held her hands with an urgent look.  "Aurora, tell me. Why is everyone looking at me weirdly? Is there something wrong with my face? I thought I look handsome. Sigh! I might be wrong."


    It was the first time someone held her hands intimately as Cale did. Even in Gallantos, no one had the guts to even glance at her for more than three seconds for fear that they might turn into ice.


    Foreign feelings invaded her heart, making the cold beauty somewhat confused. She then glanced at the man who had suddenly become her lord through a stroke of fate. He was looking at her with an expectant look which she found somewhat funny.


    Aurora became fl_u_s_tered after realizing that she was already looking at him for more than several seconds. "You look... You are... You look okay..."


    Cale sighed in relief. He then pulled her dainty hand as they entered inside the Mercenary Guild. Their arrival caused quite a sensation due to both of their unparalleled looks.


    Under the stunned gazes of everyone, Cale grabbed a mission that was marked at maximum in terms of difficulty. Those types of missions were the ones that were yet to be accomplished. It was even rated as certain death by a few mercenaries due to the number of death rates to the ones who previously took the mission.


    "Hey, pretty boy! Do you know what kind of mission did you just pick?" A boorish-looking middle-aged man stood up and walked towards the pair. There was an enormous sword strapped behind his back. Based on its look, the sword weighed around several tons.


    He was jealous of Cale for having such a beautiful companion. "Her beauty should be on par with the princess of the empire, Princess Michelle. How come a gigolo-looking scholar like you have someone as beautiful as her?! Only an expert as strong as me is qualified to have such a beautiful woman!" He pointed at Cale with his arms as thick as a grown man''s t_h_i_g_h.


    "Looks like, Brother Tiger is jealous at that handsome gigolo."


    "I heard that Brother Tiger has hundreds of women in his mansion. Looks like he wants to add one more to his harem."


    "What a pity! Since Brother Tiger fancies that veiled beauty, then we should just wait and watch the good show."


    The mercenaries eagerly watched the scene with unblinking eyes, afraid that they would not see how Brother Tiger would beat up the young gigolo into pulp.


    Cale pointed to himself while looking curiously at the man that everyone calls as Brother Tiger. "Are you perhaps talking to me?"


    Brother Tiger became even more irritated at the way Cale spoke to him. He finds him disrespectful to talk like that to someone who was superior to him. "Kid, do you know who I am?!"


    Brother Tiger coldly glanced at Cale and spoke with an irritated tone. "Listen carefully, kid! This lord''s name is Tiger! Everyone from the Mercenary Guild calls me Brother Tiger. Does it ring a bell now, kid?" Tiger proudly stated his name. He was even imagining that Cale would kneel down in submission after hearing his imposing name. But after looking at Cale''s nonchalant expression, he thoroughly became incensed.


    "I''m sorry, Brother Tiger, but I really haven''t heard of your name. But based on your mid-stage Immortal-Class level strength, you should be someone among the top five Adamantine-Rank mercenaries." Cale put on a thoughtful look, but in Tiger''s eyes, Cale was intentionally provoking him.


    "Kid, you are tired of living! If you have the guts, come outside and have a spar with me. Let me see where this arrogance of yours came from." Tiger was somewhat surprised that Cale was able to sense his cultivation, but he just sneered with a cold look, only to find Cale ignoring him completely.


    Aurora glanced at Brother Tiger in contempt. She then ignored him and followed behind Cale obediently.


    "I want to register this lady to become a mercenary. Also, I would like to update my mercenary ranking. This is my recommendation letter from the crown prince." Cale took out a letter from his storage space with the Doomblade Imperial Family''s eye-catching seal on it.


    The young female attendant appeared to be in a dazed state. It was only when Cale snapped his fingers did she awoke. "Ahh! Sorry for that, sire." She then carefully unrolled the letter after seeing the imperial family''s seal. The more she read, the more her heart beat wildly. She glanced at Cale from time to time, and she could not help but exhale a breath of cold air.


    The letter was something provided by the crown prince a few days ago after the capture of Count Pu Lutan. During that day, they were able to see the strength of Aurora. As for Cale''s strength, it remained a mystery to everyone. Of course, with the exception of General Lexus'' Dual Sword Army and Duke Shutra''s daughter, Seira Ignius. But that was his strength prior to his sudden enlightenment. As for how strong he was right now, even Cale was unsure.


    Tiger frowned after seeing the attendant''s reaction, but he already made up his mind to punish Cale for his arrogance.


    "This... I don''t have the authority for this. I will go and give this to the Guild Leader who is on the second floor. Please wait for me, sire." The young attendant bowed her head with a slightly urgent look before she went towards the second floor.


    Cale glanced at her departing back figure before turning towards Tiger''s direction. "Brother Tiger, did you say something? I was speaking to that young lady earlier, so I wasn''t able to hear anything you said. Please pardon me." Cale was still smiling faintly at Tiger.


    The latter''s face twitched and his veins protruded in anger. His fists crackled intensely from balling it tightly.


    "Who the hell is that young man to dare antagonize Brother Tiger like this?"


    "I don''t know, but since he had the imperial family''s seal, then his identity can never be ordinary."


    "Would Brother Tiger dare to harm someone from the imperial family?"


    "Shhh, let''s just wait and see. The good show has yet to be seen."


    Tiger became even more incensed after hearing the whispers of the mercenaries. He glanced hatefully at Cale and said. "You''ve got guts kid. Even if you are a slave from the imperial family, this lord will still punish you." Tiger was not a fool. He had stayed inside Sword City for several decades. He had even seen the members of the imperial family, but it was his first time seeing Cale. He believed that he was probably a boy toy of the princess or one of the female generals.


    He was confident that the imperial family would not do anything against him even if he severely injures a slave of the imperial family. He was, after all, an expert at the Immortal-Class level. His strength is very much needed by the empire, especially now that they had lost countless soldiers and nobles.


    "And how are you going to punish me, Brother Tiger?" Cale smiled at Tiger, but Aurora felt that Cale''s aura was increasing substantially.


    "Enough with the talk! Go out of this building if you consider yourself a man! I will wait for you outside!" Tiger sneered at Cale in disdain before he went out of the guild building.


    Cale''s smile slowly turned cold. An overwhelming aura enveloped the entire room scaring everyone out of their wits. When they regained their composure, Cale and Aurora were no longer there.

 Chapter 160 - First in the Adamantine Leaderboard

    Cale stepped out of the guild building and he saw Tiger looking at him mockingly.


    "Kid, you are truly brave. I don''t know if I should admire your courage or laugh at your foolishness. Haha!"  Scar laughed contemptuously.


    Cale tapped his foot on the ground and gracefully landed in front of Tiger. "I truly did not want to cause trouble here, but since you forced me to make a move, I hope that the Mercenary Guild wouldn''t blame me for being rude." He said with an expressionless face.


    Tiger was stunned for a moment before he broke into peals of disdainful laughter. He then glanced at Cale as if he was looking at a clown. "Kid, I admit that you are good at cracking jokes. You might as well apply to become an imperial comedian. Hahaha!"


    The mercenaries around the vicinity laughed alongside Tiger. They also thought that Cale was there to make a fool out of himself. Aside from that, Tiger''s reputation was already widespread in the empire. Even the young kids knew that he was one of the most powerful experts in the empire, so they were confident that Cale would be defeated.


    "I bet one thousand gold coins, that kid will be defeated within five moves."


    "I bet two thousand gold coins for three moves."


    "You guys underestimate Brother Tiger so much. I bet ten thousand gold coins, Brother Tiger will beat him in one move." A crafty-looking mercenary intentionally spoke in a louder voice for Tiger to hear him.


    Tiger smiled after hearing them and he grabbed the huge sword strapped on his back. He then hefted the huge sword in his shoulder and pointed his finger at Cale with an arrogant look on his face. "Kid, grab your weapon. I don''t want to hear you crying later for not warning you in advance."


    Although Tiger was speaking confidently, he still did not dare underestimate Cale. Because the other party was able to gauge his strength with one look, but he could not even discern Cale''s strength no matter how he looks at him. Nonetheless, he was still confident about his strength. He was, after all, rank third in the Adamantine leaderboard.


    Cale shook his head and sighed. "Are you sure that you want me to grab my weapon?" Cale asked with a calm expression.


    "Hahaha! Kid, I don''t know where your confidence comes from. But since you are this confident, how about we make a bet?" Tiger smiled and revealed a set of yellowish teeth.


    Cale frowned after seeing his look, but he was curious about what kind of bet does Tiger have in mind. "What do you want to bet?"


    Tiger smiled even more brilliantly after hearing Cale''s question. He then pointed his finger towards Aurora and revealed a lecherous look. "If I win, that woman will be mine."


    Cale''s eyes became colder after hearing what he said, but before he can even reply...


    "We accept the bet. But what if you lose?" Aurora said indifferently. She was already furious at Tiger''s o_b_s_c_e_n_e gaze. If not for Cale, she would have gouged out his eyes right there and then.


    Tiger laughed loudly after he heard Aurora. But he still put on a smile on his face. "If I lose, then you can do anything you want to me."


    Cale glanced at Aurora with a faint smile. He knew that she was already very furious. He then glanced at Tiger with pity before pulling out a menacing black heavy sword from his storage space. It was even bigger and heavier than Tiger''s sword. The ground on where Cale stood sunk a bit after he pulled out his sword.


    "Little Tiger, you asked for this." Cale smiled after seeing Tiger''s stunned face when he pulled out his sword. The Void Wolf Immortal Sword was truly eye-catching with its devilish appearance. It looked like it was forged by a devil, especially after everyone felt the baleful aura it produced.


    After Cale broke through to the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level, the Void Wolf Immortal set equipment was also promoted into the Immortal level. It means the sword in Cale''s hands was no longer just a Saint weapon, but an Immortal weapon.


    There were no major changes from its appearance, aside from growing a bit longer and heavier. It was also emitting a denser and more baleful aura.


    "What bad-ass sword! It looks even scarier than Alucard''s demonic sword!"


    "Right! This sword should also be Saint weapon. But Brother Tiger''s huge sword is also a Saint weapon, so the two of them will fight based on who has the stronger cultivation level."


    "The kid will still lose. After all, Brother Tiger is already at the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level. As for that kid, just based on his young age alone, he should only be at the initial stage of the Immortal-Class level at most."


    "Let''s just wait and see."


    Cale pointed his Void Wolf Immortal Sword''s tip at Tiger with great ease. It was as if he was wielding a short sword. "Little Tiger, make your move." He smiled brightly at Tiger.


    Tiger became irritated at Cale''s taunting. He gritted his teeth in anger and swung his huge sword towards Cale, but he only used thirty percent of his strength.


    Cale calmly lifted his Void Wolf Immortal Sword with one hand to block Tiger''s aggressive swing.


    "Claang!" A fierce shockwave erupted after their two swords clashed against each other.


    Tiger was surprised that Cale was able to block his attack, but he was not discouraged. He jumped in midair and lifted his sword with both hands. He then slashed towards Cale with all his strength.


    Cale yawned while lazily lifting his sword once again.


    "Claaang!" An even fiercer shockwave erupted following Tiger''s attack using his full strength, but Cale remained unmoved. Only the ground beneath him became a wide and deep crater, but Cale remained unharmed.


    Tiger''s arms turned numb after his attack, but he ignored the feeling and swung his sword one more time while aiming to cleave Cale''s body in half. ''This kid is much stronger than I thought. F_u_c_k!''


    Tiger''s slash looked very fast from the onlooker''s point of view, but in Cale''s eyes, it was as slow as a snail''s pace.


    Under everyone''s stunned looks, Cale nonchalantly caught Tiger''s sword with his free hand.


    Tiger pushed his sword, but it would not even budge. It was as if a devil''s hand was holding his sword tightly. "You... What kind of sorcery is this?!" Tiger fearfully glanced at Cale''s handsome face. In his eyes, the handsome face warped into that of a demon making him even more fearful.


    Cale then swung his Void Wolf Immortal Sword at the Tiger''s huge sword. The huge sword was cut cleanly in half as if Cale was slicing a soft persimmon.  "This is your punishment for provoking me earlier." He then walked slowly towards the trembling Tiger.


    "Don''t come near me! Don''t come near me!" Tiger was so terrified that he almost pissed his pants. He wanted to run, but an invisible pressure was stopping him from moving.


    Cale glanced at Tiger''s sweating face and patted the latter''s shoulder gently. "And this is for looking at Aurora with your lecherous eyes."


    Cale imbued his Advance Sword Intent in his palm when he patted Tiger''s shoulder. He then smiled and put back his sword inside his storage space.


    Tiger was still shivering non-stop, but a few seconds later, he spat a mouthful of blood and kneeled on the ground with a contorted expression. "Aargghh!" He released a muffled groan while gritting his teeth.


    A small sigh can then be heard before an old man with a buff physique appeared out of thin air. He then placed a pill in Tiger''s hand, but his focus was on the young man with long silver hair. "Thank you for being lenient, young man. Although Tiger is a lecherous man, he is a loyal mercenary of the guild." The old man cupped his fists towards Cale.


    Cale similarly cupped his fists to show respect to the old man. ''This old man... Hehe! There is actually another peak stage Immortal-Class level expert in the empire. But why isn''t he present during the attack more than a week ago?''


    "Old sir, can we get our identity tokens now? I''m sorry for my rudeness, but we are in a hurry." Cale smiled with embarrassment.


    "Hoho! No problem! No problem at all! Here are your new identity tokens. This is for the young lady. She will be the new fifth-rank mercenary in the Adamantine leaderboard." The old man tossed a token towards Aurora. She grabbed the token and kept it to herself.


    "And this is for you, young man. With your peak Immortal-Class level strength, you are now the new first-rank mercenary in the Adamantine leaderboard." The old man tossed another token towards Cale. He thought that Cale was also a peak Immortal-Class level expert after sensing the strength that he released, but he did not know that Cale was only at the mid-stage of the Immortal-Class level.


    The old man was the mysterious guild leader of the Mercenary Guild. He was also the second peak stage Immortal-Class level expert of the Celestial Sword Empire.


    After hearing the old man''s words, the crowd of onlookers was stunned senseless.


    "What?! He is actually a peak Immortal-Class level expert!"


    "Crazy! This is insane!"

 Chapter 161 - Azazel

    Cale did not bother to correct the old man''s words and just smiled in response to the crowd''s inquiries.


    For one, it might ruin the guild leader''s reputation for failing to gauge his strength correctly. And secondly, he was confident that he can compete with someone who was at the peak stage of the Immortal-Class level. And if he uses all his trump cards, he can even defeat them with a bit of effort.


    Seeing Cale''s silent agreement, the old man was still a bit surprised. Cale looked very young but his strength was already on par with him. He sighed and shook his head while looking at Cale in admiration. "The young ones have surpassed us, the old generation. Considering your talent, you have the chance to shatter the void and ascend to the Divine Realm." When the old man said the words ''Divine Realm'', there was a look of longing on his aged face. But it was then replaced by a regretful sigh.


    Cale was a bit surprised that the old man knew something about the Divine Realm. He should be someone who had wanted to shatter the void and ascend to that legendary place when he was in his younger years. But the path of cultivation isn''t something easy. No matter how talented someone was, it was still not guaranteed whether he was qualified to ascend towards the Divine Realm.


    "Old man, a cultivator''s future has endless possibilities. The road you chose to walk might have been wrong, but it''s not too late to create another path for you to take." Cale said with a faint smile on his face. The onlookers could not understand the profundity of his words, but the old guild leader felt his heart jolt after hearing Cale''s words. He felt like he had finally seen the light after being trapped in the darkness for countless years.


    "But it''s not too late to create another path. But it''s not too late to create another path... Well said! Now I know why. Now I know why! Hahaha!"  The old man''s murky eyes glowed brightly as if he had understood something. He then glanced at Cale with a hearty smile and bowed his head slightly. "Young man, your arrival here changed my fate. Or perhaps, it had even changed the fate of the Celestial Sword Empire."


    Cale held the old man gently to prevent him from bowing any further. He then said in a soft voice. "You overestimate me, old man."


    Cale and the old man talked as if they were bossom friends. Of course, Aurora isolated the place around them to avoid everyone from hearing any s_e_n_s_i_t_i_v_e topics.


    Despite the great difference in their ages, the two clicked well and they even started addressing each other as brothers. Even Aurora felt cringey at the sight of the two men talking about cultivation and etc.


    Cale also asked why the old man was not present during the second prince''s rebellion more than a week ago. The old guild leader told him that the emperor discovered that there were suspicious movements in the Death Forest. So during the past few months, he was keeping an eye on everything there.


    The old man mentioned that during his stay inside the central parts of the Death Forest, there were indeed major movements from the savage beasts. It was a sign that the next beast tide was drawing near.


    Cale frowned after hearing his words. ''It looks like I need to settle everything fast before the arrival of the beast tide.''


    "Elder brother, I wanted to have a long talk with you, but we still have something very important to do. I hope you don''t mind." Cale smiled at the old man.


    "Hahaha! No problem little brother. Don''t worry. During your absence, I will have someone keep an eye on your temporary villa." The old man laughed heartily while patting Cale''s back.


    Cale did not decline his offer since he was a bit worried about the others especially after learning the news about the incoming beast tide. "Thanks elder brother. Oh right! I have something good for you here. Take it as my gift for our brotherhood." Cale took out a new bottle of Heavenly Restoration Wine. Although it costs a lot, Cale did not mind.


    The old guild leader was a bit surprised after he checked the contents of the wine bottle in his hands. He felt a strong amount of elemental essence from inside the bottle. His eyes instantly lit up and he smiled from ear to ear.


    Cale was happy to see that the guild leader did not refuse his gift.


    "It''s time for us to go, elder brother." Cale waved his hands as he flew off with Aurora following closely behind him.


    The old man glanced at their departing backs with a faint smile on his aged face. He then shook the wine bottle in his hands lightly. "Hehe! I wonder what kind of look will Aventus give me after he sees this wine? It''s also time to tell him the things I saw inside the Death Forest." The old man flew towards the imperial palace with a wine bottle in his hand.


    * * *


    With Cale and Aurora''s speed, they arrived at the entrance of the Cave of Endless Grievance in less than a few hours'' time. Cale recalled the scenes when countless soldiers died inside the cave. He sighed faintly and offered a solemn prayer for the dead souls of the soldiers.


    Aurora remained silent and just stood behind him like a shadow. Although she was curious about Cale''s emotional look, she still did not inquire.


    "Aurora, let''s go inside." Cale calmly stated as he equipped the full set of the Void Wolf Immortal set equipment.


    Aurora nodded her head gently. "Yes, my lord." She was finding it more and more difficult to read Cale as time goes on. Just a few days ago, she was still sure that she can defeat him. But now, she might not be able to last for more than ten of his sword strikes.


    But the stronger he gets, the more she believed that they can finally avenge the destruction of their world, Gallantos. It might not even take long for that to happen, given his current speed in cultivation.


    Unknowingly, Aurora clenched her little fists tightly with a firm resolution in her beautiful eyes. ''Azazel, you won''t live for long...''


    * * *


    Somewhere in the Demon Region of Shura. A handsome young man was seated on a throne made from countless skulls of unknown savage beasts. But based on their shapes, it should be the bones of a flood dragon or even a lesser dragon.


    The young-looking man''s face was pale and slightly purplish. His pupils were black in color, giving him a devilish vibe. His two sharp canines can be faintly seen. He looked like a vampire, but he was actually a high-ranking demon.


    If Aurora was here, she would have instantly recognized who he was. For he was the demon immortal who had forced her to freeze herself in her own immortal blood. He was also the true overlord of the Demon Region, the Demon Immortal, Azazel. Aside from that, he was one of the few Earth Enlightenment Realm experts on Shura. He only lacked a bit of strength in order to shatter the void.


    In front of Azazel, more than a dozen humanoid creatures from different races were kneeling respectfully at him. Their eyes contained veneration as they gaze at the man seated on the throne.


    "Your majesty, we have already sent all our vassal races to the lesser worlds with the help of the pseudo-Immortal level item, the Mystic Door. In less than fifty years, those worlds will be ruled by the demon race." The one who spoke was someone from the Avran race. The same race that invaded Earth.


    "I don''t have much time to wait. I want those lesser worlds ready for my demon race in less than five years." Azazel spoke in a chilly voice which made everyone shiver in fear.


    "We will get it done, your majesty." The Avran leader spoke in a slightly trembling voice.


    The rest of the leaders remained silent, but they told themselves to do everything in their power, lest their races might become the food of the lesser demons.


    Azazel waved his right hand impatiently.


    When all the leaders were gone, he stood up from his throne and clenched his fists tightly. "That wretched woman! If not for her, I would have long since shattered the void! Even until now, I have still not fully healed myself after almost losing my life in her Frozen End Domain!


    But in a few months'' time, the blood bead from previous worlds we invaded should be ready. After I consume them, my injuries will be fully healed. And by then, no one can stop me from my ascension!" Azazel stated with great confidence.

 Chapter 162 - Collecting Holy Nourishing Crystals

    Cale with his full Void Wolf Immortal set equipment came inside the Cave of Endless Grievance with Aurora following closely behind him.


    When Cale first came inside this cave, he was still a bit cautious. But after his breakthrough, he swaggered inside without even bothering to mask his aura.


    "Cale, you should release your Brutal Armored Pegasus and let it consume some of the Holy Nourishing Crystals. After all, it is a progeny of a god beast. It would be a waste if you just let it cultivate inside the Virtual Training Environment." Asteria reminded Cale in a stern voice.


    After hearing her words, he was somewhat surprised. It was the first time that Asteria told her about Ember''s origins. Ember was the Brutal Armored Pegasus that Cale tamed when he was still on his way towards the Celestial Sword Empire. He thought that the savage beast was just a little special. He never would have thought that it was actually a god beast progeny.


    But in all honesty, he had really forgotten about the presence of Ember due to the series of events that had happened inside the empire. He was too focused on it that he did not recall taming a savage beast along the way.


    "Why did you not remind me earlier?" Cale smiled ruefully. He only had himself to blame since he neglected Ember for quite some time. He then summoned it out of the Virtual Training Environment.


    An elegant and savage-looking horse appeared in front of him. The moment it saw Cale, it happily rubbed its head on his body making him even more guilty about his past actions.


    Cale rubbed Ember''s head gently and spoke in an apologetic tone. "Sorry, Ember. I was not good to you during the past few weeks."


    Ember shook its head as if it had understood Cale''s words.


    Cale smiled and hopped on its back. He then extended his hand and glanced at Aurora with a bright smile beneath his armor. "Sit behind me, Aurora. It''s not a bad experience at all."


    Aurora was silent for a moment, but she still grabbed Cale''s hand. She felt his warm hand pulling her towards the back of Ember. She was seated behind Cale. The latter then held both of her hands and placed it on his waist. "Hold me tightly if you don''t want to fall." He said with a smile.


    Aurora unconsciously tightened her hold on Cale''s waist making Cale feel two soft mounds pressing against his back. His heartbeat quickened, but he hurriedly dispelled the rising heat he was feeling.


    Cale sighed in relief that Aurora did not notice anything or it would have been really awkward for them both. He then urged Ember to run towards the direction of Heavenly Winged Guardian''s lair.


    The Cave of Endless Grievance was one of Shura''s forbidden regions. And the Heavenly Winged Guardian''s lair was merely one of the tunnels inside the cave. As for how many tunnels were present inside the cave, even Cale was not sure.


    "Asteria, what do you think about this place?" Cale asked Asteria''s opinion since she was more knowledgeable than him.


    "Nothing special at all. It is merely termed as a forbidden region by the inhabitants of Shura because of the large number of high-level beasts inside the cave. But because of this, the beasts inside were also able to acc_u_mulate strength and numbers through the passing of time." Asteria replied in a disinterested voice.


    Cale was speechless at her reply. He even felt the disdain in her voice.


    After a few more minutes, they arrived at the vicinity of the Heavenly Winged Guardian''s lair. Cale saw the familiar faces of the winged humanoid beasts. He then smiled and said in an unhurried tone. "Let''s wreak havoc, little Ember. Go!"


    Ember neighed proudly and dashed towards the beasts in a flash. Cale jumped out of Ember''s back and unfurled his Void Wolf Immortal Wings. He then slashed his Void Wolf Immortal Sword in midair producing a burning sword wind that cut the humanoid beasts in half like slicing several pieces of tofu.


    Aurora gracefully hovered in midair and waved her right hand causing countless ice spears to materialize from above. Shen then swiped her right hand as if commanding those ice spears to pierce the beasts down below.


    "Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!"


    Ember roared and bashed the stunned humanoid beasts with its thick metallic skull. It even spewed flames from time to time which surprised Cale.


    "It is indeed a god beast progeny. How dumb I was to waste its potential by locking it inside the Virtual Training Environment. Sigh!" Cale muttered to himself while casually slaying a Saint-Class humanoid beast with one slash of his sword.


    The trio was like the reincarnation of the god of death. They killed countless Heavenly Winged Guardians. Although Ember was only a Saint-Class level savage beast, its advantage was its superior physical body.


    After another few minutes, more than ten Heavenly Winged Guardians with bigger physiques emerged. They glared at the trio who were causing a huge ruckus inside their lair with menacing eyes.


    "Oh, you guys are finally here... Good! But ten is still not enough to defeat us..." Cale shook his head in a slightly regretful tone.


    He was not being arrogant at all because he was confident about his strength. Just by using his cultivation alone was enough to kill these humanoid beasts. How much more if uses his Advance Sword Intent?


    The ten Heavenly Winged Guardians brandished their stone weapons and attacked Cale''s group without holding back their strength.


    "Ember, you take on those Saint-Class level beasts down below. As for these bigger fishes, we are enough for this..." Cale smiled disappeared from his spot before cleaving one Immortal-Class level Heavenly Winged Guardian in one sword strike.


    Aurora was a bit surprised after witnessing his strength. Her hope about their revenge was renewed once more, making her eyes brighten for a brief moment.

 Chapter 163 - Roaring Dragon Slash

    After effortlessly slaying one Immortal-Class level Heavenly Winged Guardian, Cale did not stop moving. He teleported behind another one and nonchalantly slashed his sword.


    "Slash! Puchi!"  One more Heavenly Winged Guardian died under his sword and the whole process only happened for a little less than twenty seconds.


    Aurora did not want to be outdone, she summoned a huge ice halberd and threw it towards one humanoid beast. The poor beast was impaled by the huge ice halberd and could only utter a desolate cry before it died.


    The remaining Heavenly Winged Guardians were alarmed, but they were also angry after seeing the deaths of their brethren. They emitted a loud bestial roar that shook the entire cave before they dashed towards Cale and Aurora as if they had turned crazy.


    Cale frowned after hearing their roar. He had a feeling that they had called for more backups. But he put it at the back of his mind. The more of them come, the more Holy Nourishing Crystal he can collect.


    As if injected with stimulants, the Heavenly Winged Guardians attacked Cale and Aurora aggressively. They even disregarded their defenses and used all their strengths to hack Cale and Aurora.


    Cale did not think too much about the change in their fighting style. The beasts were still too weak to put up a fight against him. With a casual sword strike, Cale beheaded another humanoid beast.


    Blood splashed ceaselessly on the beast''s headless corpse. Its huge body then dropped on the ground creating a huge crack.


    Cale easily avoided the aggressive attacks of the remaining humanoid beasts. As for Aurora, no beasts could go near her. The Saint-Class level Heavenly Winged Guardians that came close to her had instantly turned into ice sculptures. Even the Immortal-Class level Heavenly Winged Guardians did not dare take her lightly.


    "Bang!" Another huge humanoid beast carcass dropped on the ground. If one could see the aerial view inside the cave, they would see multiple craters down below. At the center of these craters were the carcasses of the dead Heavenly Winged Guardians.


    Cale glanced at the dark region of the tunnel with a solemn, but excited look. He felt multiple strong auras speeding towards their direction. "It must be the backups that they had called earlier. This amount should be enough, and after killing them, we will go back to the Celestial Sword Empire. The beast tide is drawing near or those savage beasts might have already started their march. Aurora, don''t hold back anymore. We need to finish things as quickly as possible."


    Aurora sensed the urgency in his tone, so she nodded her head gently in response. "Yes, my lord." She knew that Cale was worried about Zero and the others who were still inside the capital city.


    It was the first time she saw someone worried about his servants. Most of the lords did not have a trace of care towards their servants at all. Thus, she felt that Cale was different than them. They were not even worth mentioning compared to him. Of course, that was just her own thoughts and Cale was oblivious to it.


    After a few seconds, they saw more than three dozens of Immortal-Class level Heavenly Winged Guardians. Each of them was gazing at them coldly as if Cale and Aurora were their archenemies.


    Cale did not feel remorseful after killing countless humanoid beasts. He needed to swiftly enhance his strength in order to avoid the destruction of his birth planet, Earth.


    In the world of cultivation, you will only become someone else''s stepping stone if you are weak. So if you want to become stronger, then you have to do everything in your power to gain strength.


    Of course, Cale would not allow himself to devolve into a killing machine who only knows how to kill. He will only kill if needed and avoid killing innocent people. That was his bottom line.


    Cale calmed his heart before taking action. He did not want any mishap to happen no matter how weak the enemies were.


    Cale with an unfazed expression brandished his sword. A gust of wind rose inside the cave throwing away all the weaker beasts. Even the Saint-Class level humanoid beasts were barely able to stand firmly on the ground.


    "First movement, Roaring Dragon Slash!" Cale''s veins protruded beneath his armor. He swiped his sword with all his strength using the first movement of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement. It was the first time Cale used it, so he was a bit expectant about the results.


    A huge black dragon phantom morphed into being after he slashed his sword. It emitted an earth-shattering roar that instilled fear to everyone inside the cave. Even Aurora was somewhat restrained by the power emitted by Cale''s slash.


    The huge black dragon phantom was even twice larger than the one produced by Duke Shutra during his fight with the top experts of the outside forces more than several dozen days ago.


    The draconic roar it emitted stunned the Heavenly Winged Guardians.


    The huge black dragon phantom was very life-like as if it was a real dragon of the legends. The huge dragon head opened its wide mouth revealing a set of saw-like teeth.


    Eight Heavenly Winged Guardians at the Immortal realm were devoured without even being able to fight back. Eight shining crystals dropped on the ground following their deaths.


    Cale was surprised to see the destructive power of the First Sword Movement of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement. Although he had already prepared his heart, he was still shocked at the scene in front of him. The attack he released was even stronger than the one produced by Celestial Sword Empire''s strongest duke.


    "So this is the real power of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement. Just what kind of sick sword skill did Asteria sold to me?" Cale muttered to himself.

 Chapter 164 - 8000 Crystal Coins

    "Cale, this is merely the first sword movement of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement. With your current cultivation, I can only provide you with the first three sword movements. In total, it has twelve sword movements, but you are still unqualified to get the remaining ones." Asteria''s cold and haughty voice resounded inside his head.


    ''What?! You mean to say that there are still nine remaining sword movements?'' Cale was shocked at her words since he knew that the first three sword movements were already so strong. Then how about the remaining nine?


    Asteria remained silent and refused to answer Cale''s questions.


    Cale did not ask any further and held his sword firmly. He then glanced at the remaining Heavenly Winged Guardians with shining eyes.


    He flapped his Void Wolf Immortal Wings and flew swiftly towards one humanoid beast. He then slashed it with his sword with a casual sword strike.


    The Heavenly Winged Guardian raised its stone weapon, but like a hot knife slicing through butter, the stone weapon was slashed in half by Cale''s sword.


    Cale''s Void Wolf Immortal set equipment was a growth type equipment. It means that it has the ability to grow along with its owner. And after he had broken through to the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level, the Void Wolf Immortal set equipment was also promoted to the Immortal level greatly enhancing its power. Although there were no major changes in its appearance, the whole set became much more powerful.


    Cale''s sword cut the Heavenly Winged Guardian in half. Its stone weapon was not even able to resist for a second under Cale''s sword before it was destroyed.


    "Puchi!" The sound of meat being cut in half echoed faintly as the beast''s blood sprayed like a fountain. Its huge headless body dropped with a dull thud creating another crater on the ground.


    Cale with an unperturbed look glanced at the remaining Heavenly Winged Guardian. He then disappeared from his spot and reappeared behind one of them.


    "Puchi!" The beast''s head was decapitated from its body in one swift motion. Cale was emotionless after killing the humanoid beast. He knew that he had to become stronger if he wants to save his planet.


    "Roar!" Angry roars reverberated inside the cave but Cale and Aurora remained calm. They continued their onslaught with an expression that was devoid of any change.


    Aurora used her Frozen End Domain to restrict the movements of the Heavenly Winged Guardians while Cale acc_u_mulated his elemental essence to perform the second sword movement of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement, the Thousand Sword Strike.


    "Second Sword Movement, Thousand Sword Strike," Cale muttered calmly.


    One thousand clones with the same facial features as Cale emerged in a blink of an eye. Each of the clones can strike with fifty percent of the user''s strength. And with a thousand of them circling around the Heavenly Winged Guardians, the result of their strike can already be imagined.


    The one thousand clones slashed their swords at the remaining Heavenly Winged Guardians without restraint.


    Strong gusts of wind rose inside the cave throwing away all the Saint-Class level savage beasts. Only Ember was able to gain its footing with great difficulty.


    Left with no room for escape, the Immortal-Class level Heavenly Winged Guardians died from Cale''s attack with their bodies hacked into pieces.


    Cale felt a bit weakened after the attack but he was happy with the results. "So I can''t use this attack consecutively or I might exhaust the elemental essence in my body. As for the third sword movement, I might not have the ability to move anymore if I perform that attack... I should only use it when I have no other choice."


    Cale slowly descended towards the ground. "Aurora, please get the crystals for me." He said with a hint of excitement. He mentally calculated the number of Immortal-Class level Heavenly Winged Guardians that they had killed. ''We killed ten earlier and another thirty-six this time, so that''s a total of forty-six Holy Nourishing Crystal. Damn, I''m now rich!''


    Aurora handed all the Holy Nourishing Crystal to Cale after she had collected all of it.


    Cale looked calm on the surface but he was inwardly smiling from ear to ear. ''I''m filthy rich now! I''m rich! Hahahaha!''


    - Ding!


    - Do you want to exchange these to the Black Market?


    ''Asteria, just exchange forty crystals. The remaining six will be given to Ember.'' Cale said in his mind.


    Although he was somewhat pained to part with the six Holy Nourishing Crystals, he still decided to give it to Ember to make up with it. After all, he had wasted its potential by letting it stay inside the Virtual Training Environment for a long time.


    - Ding!


    - You received 8 000 000 000 000 Black Coins!


    - Converting to Crystal Coins!


    - You received 8000 Crystal Coins!


    One Crystal Coin was equivalent to one billion Black Coins.


    Cale could no longer hold back the smirk on his face. He broke into a hideous grin that made him look like a pervert. Aurora who saw Cale''s strange smile shuddered and she took several steps back in alarm.


    Cale''s expression then turned somber all of sudden. He glanced at Aurora and spoke in a cold tone. "Aurora, let''s go back to the Celestial Sword Empire. I have a feeling that something bad will happen to the empire and this might be related to that beast tide. I hope I''m wrong..."


    Aurora nodded her head gently. "Yes, my lord."


    Cale handed it to the pegasus who then munched the six Holy Nourishing Crystals like it was eating candies. After swallowing the last contents of the crystals, it then lied down on the ground and closed its eyes with a satisfied expression.


    Cale didn''t know whether to laugh or to cry after seeing its actions.


    "Don''t worry. It''s undergoing the process of evolution. It will take some time, so put him back inside the Virtual Training Environment first."


    Cale put Ember back inside the Virtual Training Environment after hearing Asteria''s words. He then gestured Aurora to follow after him and said in a stern voice. "It''s time to go back, Aurora. Let''s go!"

 Chapter 165 - Seiras Change

    The traveling distance between the Celestial Sword Empire and the Cave of Endless Grievance would usually take more than a week on foot and several days for a Saint realm expert when flying.


    With Cale and Aurora''s present realm, it only took them a little more than two days to reach the capital city with their top speed.


    Cale sighed in relief after seeing the bustling Sword City. He then glanced at Aurora and solemnly said. "Good thing we are not late yet. But I feel that the beast tide is close by. Aurora, investigate things on the Forest of Death and immediately come back after checking the situation."


    Aurora nodded her head respectfully and replied. "Yes, my lord."


    Cale then reminded her after seeing Aurora''s expressionless expression. "Remember, your safety is the top priority, so don''t linger there for long. I only want you to check the situation."


    Aurora felt the concern in his voice and she felt an alien feeling enveloped her heart all of a sudden. She concealed her inner thoughts and put on a stern look before she replied. "I will keep your words in mind, my lord."


    Cale nodded his head and said. "You may leave now."


    Aurora bowed her head and gracefully left the scene.


    Cale watched her elegant back figure with a faint smile before he went towards the direction of his temporary villa. Although his sworn brother, the guild leader of the Mercenary Guild had promised to take care of things on his behalf, he was still a bit worried.


    Hovering above the temporary villa, he was relieved to see that everyone was safe and sound. "Elder brother even left a top expert at the initial stage of the Immortal-Class level to safeguard my villa," Cale muttered with a smile after sensing a strong fluctuation of elemental essence from inside his villa. He felt that the aura was familiar but he sensed no ill-intent from the owner, so he thought that it must be an expert sent by the old guild leader to protect his subordinates.


    He descended towards his villa and did not restrain his own aura. He wanted to see what kind of person did the old guild leader sent to protect his villa. ''This aura feels quite familiar...''


    A thunderous but sweet voice reverberated within the villa. "Who is it?!"


    Following the valiant voice, a young-looking woman with long golden hair stepped out of the villa. She was glaring at the man hovering above the sky, but when she saw his face, her expression softened and she revealed a sweet smile. "Elder brother, you''re back."


    Cale was surprised to see that it was actually the beautiful and powerful daughter of Duke Shutra, the rank fourth mercenary in the Mercenary Guild, Seira Ignius.


    He elegantly landed on the ground and walked towards Seira with a bewildered expression. "Why are you here, Young Miss Seira? And why did you call me elder brother?" Cale smiled and asked.


    Seira pursed her lips and put on an annoyed expression on her delicate face. She then said in mock anger. "Why can''t I be here? Am I not allowed to visit this place when I want to? Hmph!"


    Cale was stunned to see that Seira can actually act like a girl in front of him. It was the first time he saw that kind of look in her face. She was usually taciturn or cold when she speaks with somebody else, so he was surprised about her lady-like behavior. He flashed a wry smile and said. "Of course Young Miss Seira is free to visit this place anytime you want. But can you please answer my question first? Why did you just call me elder brother just now?"


    Seira rolled her eyes at him and felt somewhat bitter. It was the first time she spoke like that to a person of the opposite gender, but Cale still kept a distance between them. "Call me Seira. I won''t answer your question unless you call me Seira." She said while pouting her lips.


    Cale did not know why the usually cold and distant Seira was acting differently today. Perhaps even Seira did not realize the change in her attitude. Still, to avoid angering the lady, Cale chose to compromise. "Okay, Seira. Please tell me now."


    Seira''s eyes brightened and she nodded her with a sweet smile. "Its because you are now rank first in the Adamantine leaderboard. Thus, you are qualified to become my elder brother. And besides, this is how we call someone who is much stronger than us."


    Cale thought for a brief moment and nodded his head in understanding. The news about him defeating Tiger must have already spread around the capital city after several days of him being gone. Considering the Ignius Family''s information network, they must have been the first ones to hear the news of him becoming the new first rank mercenary in the Adamantine leaderboard.


    He then glanced at Seira who was looking at him in admiration. She was really not good at hiding her feelings, but Cale ignored her look and just said. "It must be the guild leader who had sent you to guard my villa during my absence. Thank you, Seira."


    Seira shook her head and said in a serious tone. "I volunteered to come here because the top experts of the empire are holding a meeting in the imperial palace to discuss the plans for the incoming beast tide. The guild leader also told me to immediately escort you to the imperial palace the moment you come back."


    Cale frowned after hearing her words. His instincts were indeed right. "Since that is the case, let''s go. "


    Seira nodded her head gently and flew towards the imperial palace. Cale followed behind her with a solemn expression. ''Hopefully, everyone will help during the fight against those savage beasts. This beast tide might be different from the previous ones.'' Cale thought to himself.


    The two arrived in the imperial palace in a little more than ten minutes. The palace guards did not block them after seeing Seira. They were already informed in advance that if Seira comes with someone, they must be allowed to go in right away. "Greetings, Young Miss Seira. I will lead the both of you towards the meeting hall."


    Seira nodded her head indifferently and followed behind the palace guard. Cale remained silent and just followed behind them.

 Chapter 166 - Old Vs New

    The palace guard brought them towards a huge hall. ''This place must be the meeting hall of the imperial palace.'' Cale remained unperturbed but he admired the architecture of the building. It looked grand and imposing, even his Tyrannical Tower back on Earth was nothing in comparison.


    The palace guard who led them here whispered something to the guards protecting the meeting hall. They then opened the door and allowed the two of them to go inside.


    When they both stepped inside the huge hall, they saw more than a several dozen personages glancing at them with curiosity.


    They were the top experts of the Celestial Sword Empire and all of them were also Immortal realm level experts.


    Seira felt a bit pressured after sensing the gazes of the empire''s top experts, but Cale remained calm and collected.


    "This must be the new first rank mercenary in the Mercenary Guild. The guild leader said that you are already at the peak stage of the Immortal-Class level. But after seeing your appearance, I feel quite uncertain." A man with a ferocious appearance and athletic physique spoke after snorting in doubt. He glanced at Cale''s youthful face and shook his head.


    This man''s name was Cellan, and he was also the former number one in the Adamantine leaderboard before Cale took his place. He was dissatisfied that someone claimed his rank without even fighting with him, but he didn''t dare blame the guild leader. Of course, that does not mean that he would just accept it silently.


    Cale remained silent despite the man''s remarks. He may look calm, but he was definitely annoyed at the man''s way of looking at him. He then glanced at the man and flashed one finger at him. "If I can''t defeat you in one sword strike, then you can consider it as my loss."


    Cellan laughed loudly when he heard Cale''s words. He thought that he was the arrogant man in the empire, but today, he finally saw someone who more arrogant than him. He glanced at Cale in appreciation and chuckled.


    No matter how strong Cale was, can he defeat an expert at the level of Cellan in one move? In fact, everyone did not believe that he can accomplish it. Not because they doubt his strength, but because Cellan''s strength was already engraved in their minds. As for Cale''s strength, they did not even see his fight with Tiger, so they were unaware of his level of strength.


    Even the emperor, Aventus Doomblade who was seated in his throne frowned. He also doubted Cale''s claim. Only the old guild leader who was standing beside the emperor was smiling lightly. "Your majesty, we might see the birth of a genius today." The old guild leader said with a hearty smile on his aged face.


    Emperor Aventus glanced at the old guild leader and was surprised at his confidence regarding Cale. "Old Zhang, are you really confident about his claim? Even I would find it hard to defeat Cellan in one move. Unless if I wield my Divine Soul Harvester Warblade."


    The old guild leader smiled gently while looking at Cale with admiration. "Your majesty, that kid was destined to shatter the void. How could someone like him be unable to defeat Cellan in one sword strike?"


    The emperor was once again stunned. He had already heard the old man''s praises towards Cale for the past few days. But he was still surprised that his opinion about the young man was so high that the old man even said that Cale was destined to shatter the void.


    What does shattering the void mean? It means that you can ascend to a greater world and break the shackles of mortality to become a full-fledge Earth Enlightenment Realm expert!


    Although their current realm has the word ''immortal'' in it, they were not truly immortals.


    But it was a different case for an Earth Enlightenment Realm expert. They already formed their Nascent Souls making it very hard for someone to kill them. Unless if their Nascent Souls were destroyed. If not, then they can still slowly rebuild their bodies by acc_u_mulating enough elemental essence.


    "Old Zhang, don''t talk nonsense. How could it be easy to shatter the void? There are already beings at the Earth Enlightenment Realm, but even someone like them failed to shatter the void..." The emperor sighed and shook his head.


    "Your majesty, I also didn''t think he had the qualifications after seeing him for the first time. But this kid is full of mystery and up until now, I can''t even sense his exact cultivation base." Old Zhang smiled and said.


    ''Right! I also haven''t realized it until now. Even I was unable to gauge his strength. Perhaps Old Zhang is indeed right..."


    "Do you dare accept my challenge?" Cale said in a calm tone as he took out his Void Wolf Immortal Sword.


    Seeing his menacing-looking sword, everyone was stunned. They thought that it must be a Saint weapon at the very least.


    Cellan furrowed his eyebrows and grabbed the halberd strapped in his back. The moment he wielded it, the halberd''s size doubled. "No one dared to act arrogantly in front of me, Cellan. You are the first one and I admire your courage for doing so. If you can defeat me in one sword strike, I am willing to follow you. But... Are you strong enough to defeat me one strike?" Cellan spoke with great confidence.


    Cale smiled and hefted the Void Wolf Immortal Sword in his shoulder. He then said in a matter of fact tone. "Of course. If not, then would I dare say that I could?"


    After hearing his words, Cellan laughed heartily. "Hahaha! I like your attitude. Come, show me your sword skills."


    Cale smiled and said. "As you wish."

 Chapter 167 - Bleak Future

    Everyone backed off to give them enough space.


    The surrounding experts glanced at the two men with excited faces. It was rare to see a battle between top experts so they were very eager to spectate the scene.


    Everyone held their breaths and refused to blink their eyes for fear that they might miss anything about the battle.


    Cale and Cellan glanced at each other sharply while holding their weapons.


    Cellan''s eyes flashed after seeing an opening and he skillfully brandished his halberd towards Cale. The latter vanished from his spot making Cellan hit an empty air.


    After breaking through to the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level, Cale''s speed was his greatest strength. Aside from that, he was also capable of manipulating spatial element and wind element to enhance his speed.


    Cellan''s attack might have looked incredibly fast for the top experts inside the meeting hall, but it was still slow in Cale''s eyes.


    Cellan felt a cold sensation on his neck only to find a baleful-looking sword just a few millimeters away from beheading him. He perspired heavily and did not dare move an inch or he would surely die.


    "You''ve lost." A calm voice muttered beside his ears like a grim reaper''s voice sending chills around his body.


    Everyone did not even see how Cale teleported behind Cellan. Even the emperor and the old guild leader were stunned at his astonishing speed. "Old Zhang, did you sense that elemental fluctuation?" The emperor asked with round eyes.


    The old guild leader nodded his head absent-mindedly. "The kid used two elemental energies to enhance his speed, the space element, and the wind element. Even I would find it hard to defend against his attacks if he can maintain that kind of speed..." Old Zhang shook his head bitterly. His admiration for Cale increased by several degrees after seeing his attack.


    "He was indeed able to defeat Cellan in one move."


    "Yeah, I didn''t even see him move. With such power, he is truly qualified to become the first in the Adamantine leaderboard."


    "Right! How could the old guild leader just randomly rank someone? He must''ve already realized the young man''s power, thus, he immediately promoted him as the rank first in the Adamantine leaderboard.


    Cale kept his Void Wolf Immortal Sword and stared at Cellan with a faint smile on his face.


    The latter looked at Cale and shook his head with a wry smile. "You are indeed strong enough to defeat me in one sword strike. As a man, I would fulfill my promise and follow you from now on." Cellan said with an earnest expression.


    Cale was surprised, but then he shook his head. "You don''t need to do this, Cellan. And besides, I have many enemies." He was not scaring Cellan when he said that. He indeed has many enemies, or to be exact, as an earthling, all the demons under Azazel are their enemies.


    Cellan put on an angry look as he glanced at Cale. "Brother, are you looking down on me? I meant what I said, and even if you have many enemies, I will still stand on the same ground as you." Cellan said with a resolute expression.


    Cale knew that he could not decline him anymore after seeing his expression. He sighed and patted Cellan''s shoulder. "We will talk later. First, we have to discuss the most pressing matter."


    After hearing his words, everyone became silent.


    That''s right! The Celestial Sword Empire is currently in a precarious situation. According to the empire''s Grand General Ling Tian, there were major movements inside the Death Forest and it was definitely related to the incoming beast tide.


    The emperor''s face turned solemn. He glanced at General Ling Tian who was standing in front of him and said. "Ling Tian, tell everyone about what you saw in the Death Forest."


    Ling Tian bowed his head respectfully at the emperor before he turned to face everyone who was inside the meeting hall. "As you''ve all realized, the beast tide is indeed close. There are only a few days left before a huge army of savage beasts will attack our empire. But beast tide this time is different..."


    "Why so, grand general?" A count with heroic figure asked with furrowed brows.


    Grand General Ling Tian glanced at him and said grimly. "When I was investigating the Death Forest, I sensed more than forty Immortal-Class level experts leading the beast tide..."


    Everyone felt their bodies turn cold after hearing what he said. That amount of experts was more than enough to cause them heavy casualties and everyone was not even sure if they can survive against those beast experts.


    The emperor sensed everyone''s fearful atmosphere, but their situation was indeed bleak. Even if they won against the beast tide, many among them would surely die. This will reduce the Celestial Sword Empire''s power drastically and those major powers who were eyeing their land will not give them a chance to take a breather.


    Cale thought deeply and asked Asteria''s opinion on how they can turn the situation around. "Asteria, do you have anything in mind that can help us against the incoming beast tide?"


    Asteria was silent for a moment before she replied in disdain. "Cale, are you dumb? To defeat an army of millions, kill their leader to destroy their morale."


    After hearing her words, Cale''s eyes lit up. "Right! Asteria is still the smartest!"


    "Your majesty, I have something in mind that might increase our chances of defeating this beast tide." Cale bowed his head as he spoke.


    After hearing his words, the emperor''s eyes lit up. He nodded his head and gestured Cale to continue speaking. "Speak your mind, young man."


    "Your majesty, we are severely outnumbered by the savage beasts with their million-strong army. But there is one big flaw to this kind of army..." Cale spoke with confidence making everyone listen to him attentively.


    "Savage beasts are known to be untamed in nature. But surprisingly, they were able to band together to attack our empire. One thing is for sure, someone is capable of manipulating these beasts to do their bidding... So what will happen if this person dies?" Cale smiled faintly after seeing everyone''s thoughtful looks.


    The old guild leader''s eyes lit up and he said with excitement. "Brilliant! Brilliant! If the person that subdued those savage beasts died, then they would be like a pile of loose sand and would be easily blown away by the wind."


    The emperor smiled but then he shook his head. "Indeed, it may sound easy, but how can we easily figure out who is leading those savage beasts?"


    Everyone frowned after hearing the emperor''s words. Right! How could it be so easy to find the leader in front of more than a million savage beasts?


    "Your majesty, if you believe me, leave this thing to me." Cale bowed his head slightly and said with confidence.


    The emperor thought for a moment and sighed in his heart. He didn''t really have a choice, so he can only choose to trust Cale despite him being somewhat uncertain. "Sigh! If you can indeed accomplish this, then the whole Celestial Sword Empire will be grateful to you. Okay, I will trust you, young man." The emperor said with a solemn look.


    "I won''t fail you, your majesty," Cale replied.

 Chapter 168 - The Beast Army Arrives

    The emperor ordered everyone to prepare for the incoming beast tide. The odds might be against them, but they should be prepared when the savage beasts will come.


    All the nobles became very busy as they designated orders to their servants and subordinates. Although they felt reluctant to send their soldiers, they didn''t have a choice. If the Celestial Sword Empire will fall, then all the wealth and authority they gained will be for naught. Thus, to preserve their identities as nobles, they sent their soldiers to prepare for the incoming beast tide.


    The Death Forest was located in the northern part of Sword City. The purpose of building their capital city in that place was also to fend off the beast tide. Only the capital city had the power to repel hundreds of thousands of savage beasts. Thus, the first emperor decided to build Sword City in that location.


    The soldiers placed traps that will help in slowing down the army of savage beasts. It might do little against the million-strong army of savage beasts, but it was still necessary in order to help the soldiers build their morale.


    Meanwhile, inside Cale''s villa, Aurora arrived with a solemn look on her face.


    Cale glanced at her with furrowed eyebrows. "What did you see there, Aurora?"


    Aurora bowed her head gently and said in a serious voice. "My lord, more than a million savage beasts are coming towards the Celestial Sword Empire as we speak. With their speed, they will arrive by tomorrow morning."


    Cale frowned after hearing her report. He was surprised that the huge savage beast army was able to march at such a shocking speed. "I must inform his majesty about this as soon as possible. Aurora, go call Wenren Wushuang... No, wait... I will go to the palace in person."


    Cale did not wait for her reply and became a streak of light as he flew towards the imperial palace.


    * * *


    In the imperial palace, a handsome young-looking man with long silver hair slowly descended from the sky. Cale flashed his first rank token and was immediately allowed to go inside the palace. The gate guards were already informed that if Cale came, he will be allowed to go inside immediately.


    Cale arrived outside of the imperial chamber. He glanced at the soldiers guarding the entrance and spoke. "I have a piece of urgent information for the emperor. Please tell him that I am here." Cale showed his first rank token to them.


    After seeing his token, the soldiers'' expression changed into that of respect. "Please wait for a moment, sire."


    Cale nodded his head calmly.


    "You may go in, young man." Cale heard the emperor''s familiar voice from inside the imperial chamber. He went inside and saw the emperor sitting on a chair with tired eyes. "It has been hard on you, your majesty." Cale bowed slightly and said with a soft sigh.


    Emperor Aventus shook his head and glanced at him. "No need for formalities, young man. Your strength is already on par with me and you don''t have to bow to me anymore. Anyway, what is the purpose of your visit?"


    Cale sat down and said with a solemn expression. "Your majesty, I sent one of my subordinates to investigate the Death Forest. She told me that the beast tide will arrive by tomorrow morning."


    The emperor''s eyes turned gloomy all of a sudden. "They have come earlier than expected. Good job in informing me of this important news. Don''t worry, I will immediately tell everyone to prepare as soon as possible. You may take your leave."


    Cale bowed his head and left the imperial chamber.


    * * *


    The next day, more than several hundred thousand soldiers stood outside the city''s walls. The strategy this time was to clash with the savage beast army after they had stepped on the traps they laid.


    The emperor did not want to just passively defend the city or they might be overwhelmed by the huge number of savage beasts.


    "Rumble! Rumble!"  The earth trembled to signal the coming of the savage beast army.


    A few thousand meters ahead of them, a huge cloud of dust can be seen as all sorts of savage beasts were dashing towards the direction of Sword City.


    The soldiers revealed fear in their eyes, but none of them ran away. Behind them was where their families and friends live, so despite their trepidation, they remained standing in their positions.


    Atop the city walls, Cale swept his glance at the huge army gloomily. ''A lot of soldiers will die today. Sigh!''  Cale sighed in his heart.


    "They will step on the first trap we laid for them. Based on my calculations, thousands of them will die." Old Zhang spoke while rubbing his long white beard.


    Cale nodded his head in agreement. "Indeed, we were only able to set up two levels of traps due to the lack of time. But it should be enough to boost our soldiers'' morale. Once that happens, I hope that elder brother will lead the charge with me." Cale said with a faint smile on his face.


    "No problem at all. But are you sure about your plan? After all, it''s not easy to find their leader with all those beasts on the battlefield." Old Zhang said with a bit of worry.


    Cale''s expression turned somber after hearing his words. "To be honest, I''m not that sure myself. But I have to do it because only I am able to pinpoint his location."


    Old Zhang sighed and shook his head. His aged face was painted with worry as he glanced at the incoming savage beast army.


    The beast army stepped on the first trapped set up by the soldiers. It was a deep pitfall with long metal spears waiting down below.


    Countless beasts fell into the trap and they emitted pained shrieks as their bodies were impaled on the spears below the pitfall.


    The soldiers cheered after seeing the scene.


    Thousands of beasts fell into the pitfall but their charge never stopped. More and more beasts fell into the trap. Dead savage beast''s bodies filled the pitfall in less than a few minutes.


    After filling the pitfall with the bodies of their dead brethren, the beasts stepped on them with savage glints.


    "Shit! To think that the leader of this beast army was cruel enough to fill the pitfall with the savage beast''s corpses just to continue their charge!"


    "Don''t worry, there is still the second trap. It should be enough to slow them down."


    "Everyone, prepare for battle!" Grand General Ling Tian shouted at the top of his lungs after seeing the fearless charge of the savage beasts.


    All the soldiers grabbed their weapons tightly while eyeing the incoming beasts with cold gazes. Everyone''s hearts were in their throats as time tickled by.

 Chapter 169 - The Beasts Fearless Charge

    Cale coldly watched the beast army''s cruel charge. The savage beasts stepped on their dead brethren''s bodies and roared loudly as they dashed towards Sword City.


    "Just what is the goal of the person leading this army? He did not even think twice about sacrificing those savage beasts." Cale muttered to himself with a bewildered look.


    Just then, he saw that the beast army had already stepped on the second trap.


    The second trap was the mud they placed on the ground. It was not just an ordinary mud, but a combustible mud. Meaning, whoever steps on it will easily catch fire. And no matter how strong they were, those beasts would surely be burnt to death.


    "Elder brother, let''s go!" With a tap of his foot, Cale jumped down from the city wall and unfurled his Void Wolf Immortal Wings. Like a celestial deity, he hovered in midair and coldly glanced at the beast army.


    Old Zhang followed behind him with an unnatural calmness in his aged face. He usually had ab amicable look, but this time, he looked rather unperturbed.


    All the other Immortal-Class level experts hovered behind the two of them while eyeing the beasts with furrowed eyebrows. It was a lie if they told themselves that they were not afraid. Even Immortal-Class level experts like them would succ_u_mb if encircled by more than a million angry beasts.


    The soldiers down below glanced at them respectfully. They knew that those people hovering above them were the strongest expects of the Celestial Sword Empire. Their presence gave them a sense of security and valor despite the overwhelming pressure emitted by the savage beasts.


    "Roaar!"


    "Roaar!"


    The beasts emitted angry roars after stepping onto the sticky mud. They glared ferociously at the soldiers standing in front of Sword City as if they wanted to eat them alive.


    "Archers! Draw your arrows!" Grand General Ling Tian shouted an order in a loud and commanding voice. With a hand behind his back, he eyed the situation with an indifferent look.


    This was not the first beast tide that he had faced, so he was rather calm when facing more than a million savage beasts. But even a seasoned war general like him was a bit worried about the current beast tide. The intensity of their charge and the number of savage beasts were many times greater than the beast tides before.


    After hearing Grand General Ling Tian''s orders, the archers'' knocked their arrows while aiming for the savage beasts. The tip of their arrows was burning since it was dipped in oil.


    Cale then nodded his head at Ling Tian.


    Seeing his confirmation, Grand General Ling Tian shouted in a loud voice. "Release!"


    "Woosh!"


    "Woosh!"


    "Woosh!"


    "Woosh!"


    Countless arrows were released at the same time giving people a chilling sensation, but the soldiers were already used to it.


    The scene when countless burning arrows were aboveground was beautiful but palpitating at the same time.


    Many beasts were riddled with holes before their bodies were engulfed by flames. They emitted a loud roar of pain that reverberated towards Sword City causing the citizens to panic. That cry was the signal that the battle against the beast tide has begun!


    The whole of Sword City was enveloped by a feeling of fear and worry. Although it was not the first beast tide their city had experienced, they could not help but worry since their empire''s strength was partially crippled after the second prince''s rebellion. They had lost a lot of experts in the process and it greatly reduced their overall strength considerably.


    Outside of Sword City, the frontline of the beast army was bathing in flames. Even some of the Divine-Class level savage beasts were burnt to ashes.


    The soldiers raised their weapons in midair and cheered loudly.


    "Mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "Mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "Mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"


    The experts hovering above were also smiling, only Cale was calmly eyeing the cruel scene. He was waiting for the leader of the beast army to show himself to prevent any more losses from his side. Considering the damages done by the flames, it would be enough to kill tens of thousands of savage beasts if left unattended. The casualties might even reach by more than a hundred thousand if they continue their charge.


    "Asteria, can you sense him now?" Cale asked sternly.


    "Not yet, the savage beasts'' auras are covering my senses. I cannot accurately sense the leader unless if he was close enough." Asteria replied in a slightly annoyed tone. She was already looking for the leader for quite some time, but up until now, she still wasn''t able to catch a glimpse of their leader.


    Just as they were talking with each other, a gigantic blue serpent opened its huge mouth and issued a devastating roar. It then spouted a blast of water to put out the raging flames.


    The soldiers were stunned at the scene. If this goes on, the beast army will once again continue their fierce charge after putting out the fire.


    "Soldiers! Draw your swords!" Grand General Ling Tian shouted loudly.


    In less than thirty minutes, the fire was put out under the combined efforts of the water attributed savage beasts. They then resumed their charge with savage glints on their faces.


    "Shit! If you don''t want to show yourself, then I will make you come out!" Cale muttered coldly as he pulled out his Void Wolf Immortal Sword.


    After seeing Cale''s actions, the experts behind him also pulled out their weapons.


    "Young Brother Cale, have you sensed their leader?" Old Zhang asked with a calm look. He was still looking at the beast army while gripping a blood-red sword in his right hand.


    Cale shook his head with a frown. "This thick bestial energy is blocking my senses. It seems like I have to make him come out..."


    Old Zhang''s face changed and he glanced at Cale with a perplexed look. "What do you mean?"


    Cale smiled indifferently and responded. "I will kill more savage beasts until he comes out of his shell."


    Old Zhang''s eyes widened after hearing his insane words. It was difficult to fight against this huge beast army even with the empire''s soldiers helping them reduce the load.


    Before Old Zhang can say something to persuade Cale, the latter already vanished from his spot after a light wooshing sound.


    "Woosh!"

 Chapter 170 - Fearless Cale

    Cale flapped his Void Wolf Immortal Wings and flew straight towards the beast army with a fearless smile. "Since you refuse to come out, I will make you come out."


    Cale channeled his elemental essence and brandished his sword while aiming for the beasts down below. "First Sword Movement, Roaring Dragon Slash!" Cale roared as he slashed his sword.


    A huge and life-like dragon phantom suddenly emerged following Cale''s roar. The huge dragon phantom produced an earth-shattering roar that scared the savage beasts. As savage beasts, they had an innate fear for god beasts such as dragons.


    Their feeble beast bloodlines were nothing in comparison to a noble dragon. And although what Cale produced was merely a dragon''s phantom, it was still enough to induce fear on all of them. Even the Celestial Sword Empire''s soldiers were slightly affected by the dragon phantom''s sudden appearance.


    The savage beasts trembled and dropped on the ground with faces filled with fear. They did not even dare to raise their heads in front of the mighty dragon phantom.


    As for the blue serpent, it was having the worst feeling. As a blue serpent, it had a diluted dragon bloodline which made it more difficult for it to stay sane under the presence of the dragon phantom. It laid on the ground with froth in its mouth while trembling in dread.


    The dragon phantom uttered another devastating draconic cry before it opened its huge gaping mouth and ferociously bit the savage beasts down below.


    "Rumble!"


    The ground shook as the dragon phantom devoured tens of thousands of beasts in one go before it dissipated into nothingness. As for those savage beasts, what remained of them was a thick river of blood that dyed the ground red.


    The soldiers and the experts of the Celestial Sword Empire were stunned after seeing the havoc caused by Cale''s sword strike. In one attack, he was able to kill tens of thousands of savage beasts.


    "Is this his true strength?" Cellan muttered to himself in disbelief. The strength that Cale showed was something that he had never seen before. All those so-called masters of Shura were several times worse in comparison to him. They can only serve as a backdrop in front of his magnificence.


    Old Zhang''s murky eyes brightened in elation. He was happy to see the rise of a genius in their own empire. He was also someone that might possibly shatter the void and ascend to the Divine realm.


    With a burst of hearty laughter, he followed behind Cale and killed the savage beasts in an unbridled manner. He felt as if he had come back in his younger years when he was still free and unrestrained.


    All the other experts felt their blood boil in excitement after seeing both men''s display of strength. With a valiant charge, Cellan sprinted with a broad grin while raising his halberd in midair.


    Grand General Ling Tian smiled and raised his sword in midair while shouting in a loud voice. "Soldiers of the Celestial Sword Empire, charge with me!"


    "For the empire and the citizens!"


    "For the empire and the citizens!"


    The soldiers roared and followed behind their grand general with fearless faces. They did not cower in the face of more than a million savage beasts.


    The ground quake as the soldiers charged with a valiant glint in their eyes. Even some low-level beasts were affected by their rising momentum causing them to involuntarily step back.


    After the dragon phantom dissipated, the blue serpent felt the load on its shoulder vanished. It then uttered a furious roar feeling humiliated for being powerless against a mere dragon phantom. It then glared at Cale with its bestial eyes full of intelligence as if saying. ''It was this human who made me lose face in front of my fellow savage beasts!"


    It then slithered towards Cale and aimed its long sword-like horn towards him. It wanted to impale Cale to death!


    The blue serpent was by no means weak. After all, it was a late stage Immortal-Class level savage beast who can morph into a human. It was also one of the beast king''s generals.


    In the face of the blue serpent''s attack, Cale calmly took out a weird-looking shield with spikes. Its body was similar to a crab''s pincer with wolf engraving on its middle part.


    Cale raised his Void Wolf Immortal Shield and charged head-on against the blue serpent''s horn.


    "Claaang!"


    When the blue serpent''s horn touched Cale''s shield, a loud clanging sound was produced and it echoed within the entire battlefield.


    A huge shockwave was produced during their confrontation throwing away all the low-level savage beasts within their vicinity.


    "You are quite strong, little serpent, but you are still not my match." Cale shook his head with a faint smile on his face.


    The blue serpent felt that Cale was mocking it, so it felt incredibly furious. With a furious roar, it opened its mouth in a bid to devour Cale.


    Cale glanced calmly at the incoming blue serpent. He then turned into numerous clones as he spoke. "Second Sword Movement, Thousand Sword Strike!"


    All the clones slashed their swords at the blue serpent causing the air to stagnate as if it was full of dread from Cale''s attack.


    The stunned blue serpent tried to evade the attack but it was still hit.


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    "Slash!"


    Numerous sword wounds covered its body making the blue serpent a bloody mess before it exploded into a fog of blood.


    "Bang!"


    A late stage Immortal-Class level savage beast with dragon bloodline died with its body exploding into pieces. Such a gory scene struck fear towards the onlooking soldiers and experts. Their gaze towards Cale who was wearing his full Void Wolf Immortal set equipment was full of respect and veneration.


    He looked like an unrivaled war god who had no equal in his pursuit towards the peak of cultivation.


    After killing the blue serpent, Cale felt multiple strong auras locking on him which made him smile brightly. "Looks like I was able to gain your attention. But these dregs that you sent aren''t enough to hold me down."


    "Everyone that blocks my way shall die beneath my sword!" With a shout, Cale flapped his wings like a soaring divine phoenix.


    The beast king''s generals were taken aback, but they displayed a ferocious glint. ''This human destroyed the plans of the beast king! He deserves death!'' With furious howls, they flew straight towards Cale while unleashing their strongest attacks.


    Cale raised his shield with a maniacal laugh similar to a demon. The numerous attacks hurled his way was completely blocked by his shield. There was not even a hint of damage on his shield and it appeared completely spotless. "Is that all you''ve got?! Bring it on!" Cale taunted with crazed madness in his eyes.

 Chapter 171 - Forcing the Beast King to Come Out

    Cale''s crazed words caused immense dissatisfaction in the hearts of the beast king''s generals. They really wanted to slash the human into pieces.


    Cale pointed his Void Wolf Immortal Sword at the beast generals with a taunting look on his face. "None of you little beasts are qualified to become my opponent. You can''t even touch a single hair on my body. Hahaha!" Cale laughed mockingly while looking at the beast generals. He wanted to agitate them into making a move at the same time so that he can save the effort of killing them in one sword strike.


    After hearing his words, the beast generals were enraged. Who were they? They were Immortal-Class level savage beasts respected and feared by countless savage beasts in the Death Forest. No one dared to antagonize them, but today, they have met a human who had the guts of steel who was daring enough to provoke them.


    "Human, the beast king does not need to show himself to kill the likes of you! After killing you, we will slaughter all the citizens of this human empire and sacrifice their blood for the lives of our fallen brethren!" One of the beast generals who was in his human form spoke in a raspy voice. His voice was filled with bursting killing intent and deep malice.


    His hatred towards human beings was deep-seated and engraved on his bones. Most of his friends were killed by humans, thus his hatred towards them was deeply rooted.


    Cale merely smiled at his words. In fact, he can even kill him in one sword strike. But he did not want to scare them away. He must be patient and not show his full strength before they decide to attack together. "Since you are confident enough with your skills, I will give you the chance to fight with me..." Cale said with a taunting smirk.


    "Brother Lion, don''t fall for this human''s tricks. We have to kill him before he can cause more deaths to our beast army."


    "That''s right! Let''s go kill him!"


    One of the beast generals led the charge and morphed into a colossal bear with imposing features. Its body was covered by a thick armor-like carapace which made it seem difficult to kill. But to Cale, its thick armor was nothing worth in his eyes. He can still cleave the huge bear in half.


    Cale waited patiently for the other beast generals to move before he took a step back and gathered his elemental essence.


    In front of him were more than ten beast generals with a strength that was at the very least the initial stage of the Immortal-Class level.


    After gathering his elemental essence, Cale slashed his sword which produced a huge gust of wind. A thousand clones materialized all of sudden. The one thousand clones then slashed their swords at the beast generals who were currently stunned senseless.


    "Second Sword Movement, Thousand Sword Strikes!"


    A brilliant ray of light was produced after a thousand clones slashed their swords. The power they released caused everyone to be horrified. Could such an attack be released by an Immortal-Class level expert? Even Old Zhang who was already at the peak of the Immortal-Class level did not dare say that he could block that strike.


    "Slash!"


    A fountain of blood erupted in the skies as the beast generals were killed in one vicious move. Even the huge mountain-like bear was not spared. Their blood splattered on the ground like how rain would fall down from the skies. It was truly a sight to behold...


    Sensing his fear, the beast king howled in anger. He then hovered in midair to announce his presence towards Cale. A pair of draconic wings can be seen flapping behind his back as his half-human and half-dragon face stared at Cale gloomily. "Human, you''ve angered this beast king! Face my wrath!"


    With a flapped of his wings, the beast king flew towards Cale at breakneck speed that caused the air to split. The beast king raised his draconic arms and threw a devastating punch towards Cale.


    The air produced a splitting sound as the draconic fist sped towards Cale.


    Cale frowned after sensing the beast king''s strength. It was by no means weak. Cale even felt a bit threatened by the beast king''s power.


    He raised his shield to cover his body.


    "Baaang!"


    Like a broken kite, Cale was flung away because of the impact of the attack and he felt his left arm go numb. If he didn''t have his Void Wolf Immortal Shield, he might have suffered serious injuries.


    The beast king was similarly stunned. He already envisioned that Cale would explode from his attack. Who knew that he had such a shield which was strong enough to block his punch? He glanced at his bleeding right hand before glancing at Cale. He did not even see any hint of damage from Cale''s body. Even his shield appeared to be the same as what it previously looked like. ''That shield might also be an Immortal level weapon. Heh! My visit here in the Celestial Sword Empire was not wasted at all. First is that bastard emperor''s Immortal sword, and now a shield that could possibly be an Immortal level item.'' A trace of greed flashed in his eyes while staring at Cale''s shield.


    The human experts and soldiers who had seen their confrontation were feeling nervous. In their eyes, without Cale''s shield, he would have been killed by the beast king''s punch. He was their only hope in this battle, so if something happened to him, their morale would surely collapse.


    "Beast king? Your strength is only so-so." Cale flashed a broad grin while looking at the beast king."

 Chapter 172 - Earth-Shattering Confrontation

    "Insolent human! Die!" The beast king''s half-human and half-dragon face distorted in anger as he shouted a baleful roar.


    He then flew straight towards Cale with a flapped of his draconic wings causing the air to produce a ripping sound.


    Facing the beast king''s anger, Cale flashed a broad grin. He raised his Void Wolf Immortal Shield and flapped his demonic wings. He wanted to clash head-on with the beast king''s attack!


    "What the hell?! Does he want to have a frontal battle with our beast king?! Is that human tired of living?"


    "Foolish human! The beast king''s might is unrivaled under the heavens. Even the emperor of the Celestial Sword Empire does not dare fight with him head-on."


    The remaining beast generals sneered after seeing Cale''s actions. They did not believe that he had the strength to confront their beast king.  Even the three lords of the Death Forest were wary of the beast king''s strength.


    In their minds, the humans had a much weaker body than them. That''s why they firmly believe that no one was capable of defeating their beast king. Not even the Celestial Sword Empire''s emperor, Aventus Doomblade.


    With the emperor''s current state, he would not even be able to fight with the beast king. Although he was already completely healed from the Soul Devouring Demonic Poison, his body was still not on his peak condition. He had no problems with confronting weaker Immortal-Class level experts, but if he were to fight against the beast king who was infinitely close to reaching the Earth Enlightenment Realm, he would not even last under ten moves.


    After careful consideration, Old Zhang assured him that they would be able to repel the beast tide.


    Cale''s shield and the beast king''s claw met in midair causing another earth-shaking explosion to erupt.


    "Booom!"


    The beast king wrapped his arms with his elemental essence making it almost as powerful as an Immortal level weapon.


    Cale was surprised at the beast king''s resilient physique but did not think too much about it. He hasn''t even performed his Devil Arcanum Sword Movement nor used his Advanced Sword Intent.


    He wanted to see whether he can overpower the beast king without using both powers. But since he was unable to do so, he decided to no longer hold back.


    His actions stunned everyone present. Even the human experts thought that he had become insane.


    When they saw how his shield blocked the beast king''s attack earlier, they knew that it was no ordinary shield. Perhaps it''s even an Immortal level item.


    "What is he doing? Why is he removing his shield?" Old man Zhang frowned, but he knew that Cale was not a reckless man. He must have some reasons for doing such a thing.


    He gritted his teeth and chose to believe in Cale. "Soldiers of the Celestial Sword Empire! Crush these savage beasts while our experts fight with their generals! Grand General Ling Tian, lead them in battle!" Old Zhang shouted loudly causing the soldiers to regain their senses.


    While raising their weapons in the air, the soldiers rushed towards the savage beasts under the fearless leadership of their grand general.


    "Fight! For the Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "For the empire!"


    The Immortal-Class level experts of the empire also rushed towards the remaining beast generals.


    "Die you savage beasts!"


    Meanwhile, Cale completed his stance and slashed his sword at the beast king. "First Sword Movement, Roaring Dragon Slash!"


    A familiar draconic cry resounded as a huge dragon phantom emerged after Cale slashed his sword.


    The dragon phantom opened its huge mouth as if it wanted to devour the beast king alive.


    The beast king snorted in disdain and emitted a draconic roar seemingly unbothered by the dragon phantom''s dreadful aura. "Just a mere dragon phantom! If it were a real dragon, I would have admitted defeat, but if you think that this is enough to defeat me, then you are too naive!"


    The beast king gathered the elemental essence in his arms causing it to enlarge by more than three times. He then released a dreadful punch that produced a black aura that clashed with the dragon phantom.


    "Booooooomm!!"


    Both of their attacks met causing a violent explosion that shook the entire battlefield.


    The two experts were thrown away because of the impact.


    Cale spat a mouthful of blood while glaring at the beast king in surprise. "What?!"


    AIthough it was not his strongest attack, it was still the first sword movement of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement.


    The beast king felt his arm go numb as he spat mouthfuls of blood. He was staring intently at Cale with intense shock in his heart. What he used earlier was the skill of a true dragon. It was a skill passed down through generations to the newly elected beast kings. And only someone with dragon bloodline was able to train the skill. ''Who the hell is this human?! He was actually able to contend against my Dragon Resonance Heart Mantra''s first stance!''


    Cale grimly looked at the beast king before summoning his clones to perform the second movement. "Second Sword Movement, Thousand Sword Strikes!"


    The beast king angrily snarled while invoking his dragon bloodline. Although he was not a true dragon descendant, his dragon bloodline was many times thicker than the blue serpent''s dragon bloodline.


    The beast king transformed into a flood dragon and spat a burst of thick purple flames to counter Cale''s attack.


    "Booooooom!!"


    Another loud explosion echoed out after their attacks met.


    Everyone stopped their fight to watch the battle between Cale and the beast king. They clenched their fists while staring deeply at the two experts. They might even learn something from their battle.


    They could hardly see both experts'' shadow due to their shocking speed. Only a few top Immortal-Class level experts were able to faintly capture their confrontation. They were in awe at the powers released by the both of them.


    With blood all over his body, the beast king released another draconic roar as he spouted a breath of hot flames towards Cale.


    "Rooooooaaarr!"


    Cale watched the incoming fireball and sighed to himself. "You leave me with no choice. Since that''s the case. Third Sword Movement, Floating Flower Sword Rain!"

 Chapter 173 - Victory!

    "Third Sword Movement, Floating Flower Sword Rain!" Cale''s movements became very slow, but the high-level experts were able to feel something intricate in his actions. It was as if each of Cale''s moves contained a different sword dao. Sometimes it was sharp, sometimes it was mild, but all of which were hard to fathom.


    Following his shout, countless white petals rained down from the sky. Each petal looked fragile as they slowly descended. Although the petals were moving very slowly, the beast king felt that he could no longer move. ''Shit! What kind of shitty power is this?! It feels like something is binding my body! If this goes on, I will surely be killed by this human! F_u_c_k! Do I really have to burn my blood essence here?!'' The beast king cursed inside his head.


    Left with no choice, the beast king burned his blood essence to forcefully extricate himself from Cale''s third sword movement, but when did so, the white petals in midair turned chaotic.


    "No one can defeat this beast king! Not Aventus nor you! Break for me!" The beast king shouted furiously as he burned more than ten percent of his blood essence.


    The effect of burning one''s blood essence was very terrible. It could harm one''s foundations which will then significantly impact a cultivator''s future cultivation speed.


    The beast king did not want to do this, but he was left with no other choice. In order to escape his predicament, he had burned his blood essence to temporarily enhance his strength.


    "Roaaaarrr!" The beast king uttered a loud and baleful cry as his flood dragon body bulged even more. His legs became thicker with veins protruding around them.


    Cale remained unperturbed despite his increasing aura. He was confident in his third sword movement. Heck! It consumes so much of his elemental essence, so the power released from that attack would surely be cataclysmic.


    The white petals then dropped on the beast king''s huge body making him stop moving.


    "These petals... It can''t be... You''re an Earth Enlightenment Realm expert?! No, you''re not. But how?" The beast king''s face contorted in agony as if he was carrying the world on his back. "Roooaaaarrr!" He then emitted a devastating roar before he spat mouthfuls of blood.


    The beast king''s body trembled and his eyes looked increasingly pale. He wanted to speak a few more words, but he could hardly move his jaw.


    He then burned his remaining blood essence in an attempt to die together with Cale. "Human! You''ll die together with me!" The beast king snarled with a ferocious glint as he tried to claw the weakened Cale.


    Cale felt incredibly weak after performing the third sword movement. Seeing the beast king''s surprise attack, he hurriedly took out his Void Wolf Immortal Shield to block his attack.


    "Claaangg!"


    The draconic claws struck Cale''s shield making it produce a dull clanging sound. His body was thrown away like a broken kite before dropping on the ground creating a huge crater. "Baaangg!"


    "Rooaaarrr!" With a roar of pain, the beast king''s body exploded into pieces.


    "Boooom!"


    Mutilated body parts were flung away because of the huge explosion.


    The soldiers stood rooted on the ground after seeing the scene. The high and mighty beast king that terrorized their Celestial Sword Empire for countless years died just like that?


    "The beast king died? Impossible, how could the lord beast king die just like that?"


    "He died... We have to leave this place quickly! Retreat!"


    "All savage beasts, retreat back to the Death Forest!" The remaining beast general shouted in fear as they bolted in retreat. They did not even bother to take revenge for the fallen beast king. In fact, they were forced by the beast king to join him in battle.


    As for the human experts, they killed the retreating savage beasts with renewed valor. Each of their strikes contained more power after seeing how Cale killed the beast king.


    "Long live the mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "Long live the mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "Long live the mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"


    Everyone broke into loud cheers after seeing the savage beasts'' were retreating.


    "Cellan, check Cale''s condition!" Old Zhang shouted urgently while glancing at the huge crater where Cale was thrown into.


    After hearing the old man''s words, everyone became silent. Their victory was because of one man alone. He defeated the beast king in a fair battle making the savage beasts retreat fear.


    Cellan flew towards the crater and saw Cale gasping for breath. "Are you alright, buddy?"


    Shaking his bloodied head, Cale said with a sigh. "I have consumed a lot of my elemental essence and I can hardly move my body." Cale gritted his teeth as he tried to get up.


    "My lord, don''t force yourself." Aurora arrived with a worried expression on her beautiful face. Her sudden arrival caused Cellan to be taken aback. ''What a peerlessly beautiful woman!''


    Aurora supported the weakened Cale with two hands helping him to get up. Cale then took out a bottle of Heavenly Restoration Wine and gulped a few mouthfuls in one go.


    "Gulp! Gulp! Gulp! Gulp!"


    Cale felt his body feeling much better after drinking a few mouthfuls of the wine.


    He then held Aurora waist to tightly to prevent himself from falling down.


    His actions caused the lady to blush in embarrassment, but she did not make a sound of protest. ''He is just injured. Nothing more.'' She thought to herself, but she felt strangely excited at his soft touch.


    Cale then looked up and saw many people looking at him with faces full of worry. He was, after all, the reason for their victory. They only lost a few soldiers against more than a million savage beasts. Everyone was sure that this feat will be written down in many history books and would then be passed down through generations. Cale''s name would be engraved in the young cultivators'' hearts and make him their role models.


    "Young brother Cale, it''s good that you''re fine." Old Zhang smiled benignly while looking at Cale in admiration.


    Cale forced out a smile and shook his head wryly. "If it wasn''t for my shield, that beast king would have killed me right there and then."


    Old Zhang nodded his head seriously before glancing at everyone present. "Everyone, disperse! Clear the battlefield! As for the dead beast carcass, take them to the empire!"


    Everyone cheered loudly, even the stern Grand General Ling Tian joined the crowd''s cheering.


    "Victory! Mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "Mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "Mighty Celestial Sword Empire!"

 Chapter 174 - Unfettered Duke

    Inside the throne room, the emperor was anxiously waiting for the report of the battle. His eyebrows were tightly knitted together as he thought of possible alternatives in case something untoward happened in the fight.


    Emperor Aventus tried to remain stern and calm, but his sweating face betrayed the anxiety in his heart.


    Just as he was about to order someone to check the battlefield, he heard a servant shouting in an excited voice. "Your majesty, this humble servant has a piece of good news for you! Please open the door!"


    Emperor Aventus was surprised but then he nodded his head at the guards standing at either side of the door.


    Seeing his gesture, the guards opened the door and revealed a disheveled-looking guard. Everyone glanced at him with expectant looks. Even the emperor was eager to hear the good news that he wanted to say.


    The guard kneeled down in front of the emperor and spoke in a loud voice. "Your majesty, our Celestial Sword Empire emerged victorious against the beast tide..."


    After hearing his words, the emperor was stunned before he slapped the armrest of the throne and laughed vigorously. "Hahaha! Good! Good! Good! Tell me, how did we win? And how many of my soldiers died in battle?" When we spoke the last question, his voice turned somber.


    "Your majesty, the beast king was killed causing the early retreat of the savage beast army..." The guard replied in an agitated voice. He was there during Cale''s fight with the beast king and he was able to see the epic fight from start to finish.


    "What?! The beast king was killed?! Who killed him? Don''t tell me it''s..." The emperor was startled. Who was the beast king? He was a peak stage Immortal-Class level fighter! Even if he was the one who fought the beast king, he could not guarantee his victory. So when he heard that the beast king was killed, he was stunned silly. ''All of our experts might have expended a lot of efforts to kill the beast king, but if that''s what happened, the savage beast army would have not been deterred. So what exactly happened?''


    The guard eagerly replied. "Your majesty, the beast king was killed by Sire Cale..."


    The emperor was speechless at the guard''s reply but he nodded his head while forcing himself to remain calm. "Good job! You may take your leave."


    The guard stood up and bowed at the emperor before he left.


    "Killing the beast king is a huge contribution to the empire. It looks I have to reward him heavily for this matter..." Emperor Aventus muttered to himself.


    * * *


    On Sword City''s city gates, the gate guards saw their empire''s army at the distance. "It''s our people! Quick! Open the gate! "


    The soldiers who joined the battle held their heads high while carrying all the spoils of war. Countless beast carcasses were being carried inside Sword City causing all the citizens to feel excited.


    "Look at that savage beast carcass. It''s a Saint-Class level Mountain Swallowing Toad! And behind that is another Saint-Class level savage beast, the Mighty Sovereign Bull!"


    "Our soldiers caused the savage beast army to retreat! Awesome!"


    After hearing the surprised exclamations of the citizens, the soldiers smiled from ear to ear.


    Grand General Ling Tian was now riding his horse with a stern look on his face. His armor was stained with blood making everyone tell how intense the battle was outside. He tried to conceal his excitement but he could not help but produce a broad grin.


    As for Cale, he was riding behind Ember with Aurora in tow. She was holding Cale''s waist tightly, afraid that he would fall off due to his injuries.


    Cale enjoyed the sensation of being held by Aurora. He even felt her two peaks pressing against his back.


    An hour later, they arrived outside the imperial palace.


    All the soldiers were stained with blood and they looked very imposing as they stood in attention.


    "His majesty, Emperor Aventus has arrived!" A eunuch shouted in a woman-like voice.


    Following his shout, the emperor arrived riding an initial stage Immortal-Class level Crimson Tiger. Behind him were dozens of imperial guards riding their own mounts. His arrival was grand and similarly imposing.


    He jumped out of his mount and glanced at his soldiers who were stained with blood. He nodded his head appreciatively at them. "Good job, everyone! The beast tide today was many times stronger than the tides before, but our empire remained victorious. Your efforts will not go unrewarded. Cale, step forward!"


    Cale was not surprised that the emperor called him out. He smiled and released his hold on Aurora before he walked towards the emperor with steady steps.


    The way he walked seemed normal, but the soldiers knew that his injuries were not light. They glanced at Cale in admiration as he stood before the emperor with an awe-inspiring momentum.


    Cale cupped his fists to greet the emperor. "Your majesty."


    His actions of not bowing to the emperor did not cause any commotion and everyone thought it was only right. His strength was on par with the emperor and he was also the one who killed the fearsome beast king.


    Emperor Aventus was not angered by this. He smiled and nodded his head at Cale. "You did a good job this time, Cale. You killed the beast king which caused the savage beast army to retreat in fear. How do you want to be rewarded?"


    Everyone was not jealous of the emperor''s special treatment towards Cale. In fact, they firmly believed that he deserved to be amply rewarded.


    Cale smiled and replied. "Your majesty, I only wish to remain free and unrestrained. I hope you can grant me this, your majesty."


    The emperor was astonished, but he understood his hint. He did not wish to be shackled by the laws imposed by the empire. He was telling him that he wanted to remain free and unshackled. "Hahah! Good lad! In that case, I will bestow you the title of Unfettered Duke! You will be the fifth duke of the Celestial Sword Empire, but you will remain free and unrestrained. What do you think?"


    Cale was surprised at first, but then he smiled brilliantly. "I shall accept your bestowment, your majesty."


    "Good! Tomorrow, someone will give you your token and also your new accommodations. A duke in my empire cannot live shabbily." The emperor patted Cale''s shoulder with a smile on his face. He still looked a bit pale, but it was already better than what he looked like before.


    "I will follow your arrangements, your majesty!" Cale smiled.

 Chapter 175 - Infernal Phoenix Immortal Saber

    Three days later, it was a bright morning once again in the Celestial Sword Empire.


    All the citizens of the empire have heard the news of Cale becoming the fifth duke. They also heard that he was the one who killed the beast king. Towards this new duke, everyone held great admiration for him.


    Many young kids wished to see this awe-inspiring figure and learn the ways of a cultivator from him. Most of the young ladies in the empire also imagined becoming Cale''s wife. What a good life it would be to live as the hero''s wife!


    As for Cale, he was now inside the new manor given by the emperor. He had also hired servants and guards to maintain the security of his manor. He did not really need someone to guard his manor, but he still hired people. Just in case if he was away, at least there would be people who would guard his manor.


    Cale was wearing his new duke robe with the word ''unfettered'' written on its cape. It looked elegant and imposing at the same time.


    "Duke Cale, Lord Duke Shutra Ignius has come bearing gifts." A guard saluted at Cale and said in a reverent voice.


    "Oh, Duke Shutra is here? Tell him to come err wait.... I will go and meet him in person." Cale stood up from his seat and walked towards the guest hall.


    In the guest hall, Duke Shutra was talking with Zero with a smile on his face. Behind them were two elders from the Ignius Family and even Seira was there. She was wearing a beautiful red dress this time which accentuated her elegance.


    Just then, Cale arrived with Aurora following behind him like a faithful maid. She was expressionless but every time she gazed at Cale''s back, she would feel a different kind of emotion. Strangely, she kept on thinking about the scenes when she held Cale in her embrace. She wanted to experience that kind of sensation once again, but she was too embarrassed to admit it.


    "Duke Shutra, Young Miss Seira, and the two elders, you graced my manor with your presence." Cale chuckled as he cupped his fists towards Duke Shutra.


    Duke Shutra glanced at Cale with a complicated look. He thought that he was just an amazingly talented young man. Who knew that his power was actually greater than his own?


    "Duke Cale, your power truly surprised me. And I even thought that you were only as talented as my little daughter. I made a fool out of myself." Duke Shutra smiled wryly as he spoke.


    Cale was not yet accustomed to being called a duke, so he felt a bit unnatural. Nonetheless, he remained calm as he flashed a warm smile at Duke Shutra. "Duke Shutra, you overestimate my abilities. Anyway, come inside. Let''s talk as we walk."


    Cale nodded his head at them with a gentle smile before walking towards the meeting hall of his manor while Aurora followed behind him, not intending to be left behind.


    Duke Shutra smiled as he gazed at Cale''s broad back. He saw the word ''unfettered'' written on his cape causing him to smile even more brilliantly. He then gestured towards his daughter and the two elders to follow him.


    Inside the meeting.


    "Please take a seat, everyone." Cale warmly told them as he sat on a chair that was on the same level as them. He did not want to flaunt his status at them and besides, he treated Duke Shutra and his daughter as his friends.


    Seeing his actions, everyone was surprised but they felt warm in their hearts. Although it means nothing to Cale, Duke Shutra and the others thought that he wanted to remain friendly and on equal terms with the Ignius Family.


    "Duke Cale, we came here to congratulate you on becoming the fifth duke of the Celestial Sword Empire. Elders, present our gifts." Duke Shutra said with a light chuckle.


    Cale already knew his intentions, but he did not really think too much about it. As for their gifts, he did not feel too hopeful with it either. What could they give him? Could they provide something much better than the items sold in ''The Black Market''? Nonetheless, Cale was happy at their gesture.


    "Thank you for the gifts, Duke Shutra. In that case, I should not allow you guys to return home without receiving a gift from me." Cale said as he opened the store interface. He searched among the items sold in the store to see if there were any suitable ones to be given to Duke Shutra. He had already thought of giving him one bottle of Heavenly Restoration Wine, but he thought that it was not enough.


    "Hahah! How could I decline Duke Cale''s gifts? In that case, I will accept them shamelessly." Duke Shutra laughed loudly. He also did not think too much about Cale''s gift. He thought that he was merely returning the favor as a symbol of friendship.


    Just then, Cale''s eyes brightened after seeing a certain weapon. It was an Immortal level weapon sold for ten Crystal Coins which was equivalent to ten billion Black Coins!


    * Infernal Phoenix Immortal Saber


    - 10 Crystal Coins


    - Ding!


    - Do you wish to continue your purchase?


    Cale nodded his head internally. Although it cost him much, he did not really mind since he can just earn back that kind of amount in one day.


    Cale grabbed a wine bottle from his storage space and presented it to Duke Shutra with a warm smile on his face. "Duke Shutra, this is called the Heavenly Restoration Wine. This was the one I used to remove the poison from the emperor''s body. Aside from that, it can also heal physical and internal injuries. Furthermore, it can increase the speed of cultivation.


    Duke Shutra was dumbfounded while listening to Cale''s description. There was actually such a wine in the world? He accepted the bottle of wine while feeling slightly agitated.


    Cale then pulled out the newly bought Infernal Phoenix Immortal Saber causing everyone to be once again stunned.


    They felt a strong fluctuation of fire element in the sword making them look at the sword in amazement.


    "This sword... Is it an Immortal-Class level weapon?" Duke Shutra asked in disbelief. A weapon of that level would be treated as an imperial heirloom by the imperial family, so his surprise was not exaggerated at all.


    "That''s right, this is indeed an Immortal level weapon! This saber''s name is Infernal Phoenix Immortal Saber. This is also my gift to the Ignius Family." Cale calmly handed the saber to Duke Shutra. The latter''s hand faintly trembled after touching the saber that was still in its scabbard.


    He held the saber and pulled out its blade revealing a noble-looking blade with a grayish phoenix drawing to everyone. Its hilt had a crimson phoenix coiling its body, it added a hint of regality to the saber.


    "This gift is too precious. I cannot accept this, Duke Cale." Duke Shutra shook his head with a regretful smile. Although he liked the saber very much, he still felt that it was too valuable for him to accept.


    "You don''t have to stand on ceremony, Duke Shutra. This sword means nothing to me, but it will be of immense help to your Ignius Family who are innately talented in controlling the fire element." Cale said with a smile.


    Duke Shutra sighed and held the saber firmly in his hands. He then solemnly promised himself to never forget Cale''s help. "I shall not stand on ceremony then. I will accept this saber, Duke Cale. Many thanks!"


    Cale never knew that his gift would actually be treated as a family heirloom by the Ignius Family. What happened today will also be told to every generation of the Ignius Family, making his name always be remembered even after he had shattered the void.

 Chapter 176 - Culprit

    Cale spent his days nursing his wounds while the imperial family was still busy looking for the culprit who had ransacked their imperial treasury.


    Almost half of the Celestial Sword Empire''s treasures were taken away and they were even able to leave the imperial palace alive and unidentified.


    Emperor Aventus rubbed his aching temples and muttered to himself. "My Celestial Sword Empire had suffered quite a few setbacks during the past few weeks. Even the culprits who stole almost half of our treasures were still not captured nor identified."


    In the long history of the Celestial Sword Empire, he might be the most unlucky emperor. In less than two months, they have encountered many problems. He was even almost killed by his own son! What a disheartening story!


    Just then, Grand General Ling Tian arrived and kneeled down in front of the emperor.


    "Your majesty, we have yet to identify the culprit of this incident, but we already have a suspect..." Grand General Ling Tian said respectfully.


    When the emperor heard his words, his eyes brightened in surprise. "Oh, Grand General Ling Tian, who is this suspect that you speak of?" Emperor Aventus asked curiously.


    Grand General Ling Tian replied in a solemn voice. "It''s the Minister of the Left, Jing Nuofu."


    The emperor''s eyes flashed with a complicated light after hearing the name. The minister of the left, Jing Nuofu, was one of his most trusted court officials. He was an old bone that had been with him for many decades. So he was a bit surprised that the old man was the suspect of this crime.


    "Old man Nuofu has been with me for many years. It''s impossible for him to covet the treasures of my empire. Unless someone was instigating him from the shadows... This matter is too serious, Grand General Ling Tian. We shall not jump into conclusions when we don''t have a shred of concrete evidence yet. And besides, how did you know that he had something to do with this crime?" The emperor asked as he looked at the grand general.


    "Your majesty, our spies saw a drastic increase in his assets. It almost doubled, and this matter is very suspicious." Grand General Ling Tian replied.


    "Hmm, it looks like someone is indeed behind this operation. And they even had the ability to gain the help snd support of Jing Nuofu. It looks like we have a rat inside the imperial palace! Hmph!" Emperor Aventus'' eyes were like a scorching sun as they emitted a bright chill. Even a top expert like Grand General Ling Tian trembled after sensing his anger.


    "Ling Tian, investigate this matter further. As for Jing Nuofu, place several spies in his household. Make sure that you do everything in secret in order to not scare the rat away. Also... Investigate the third prince Amro''s recent actions. Include everything he did a few months ago..." The emperor stated with profound calmness.


    After hearing the last name that the emperor stated, Grand General Ling Tian was surprised, but then he trembled as if he had realized something. "I will get this done, your majesty!"


    "You may take your leave." Emperor Aventus waved his right hand while rubbing his temples. ''Oh, my dear son Amro. It looks like I have finally discovered your real nature. I finally know why I feel a sense of threat every time I see you...''


    * * *


    "Gulp!"


    "This Star Cyan Tea tastes good and it also has an effect on calming one''s nerves. Good tea!" He muttered in praise.


    After drinking the last contents of the tea, he crushed the cup into powder, but his face was still serenely calm. "Considering Imperial father''s intelligence, he should have already started to suspect me. Sigh! Who knew that the old man Jing Nuofu did not even realize that one of his trusted subordinates was actually imperial father''s spy.


    Now I''m implicated by his stupidity... In that case, I shall not hide my fangs anymore. Besides, I have already nurtured my own soldiers and elites. Oh, Aventus my old man, don''t disappoint your son. My two brothers disappointed me so much last time, so I hope you can make me feel a bit of thrill. Hahaha!" A burst of eerie laughter reverberated inside the villa.


    * * *


    Cale remained in his new manor. He also distributed a few treasures to his subordinates as he had promised to give them some.


    Zero and the others were exhilarated after getting the treasures from Cale.


    "My lord, I have a piece of news for you. I thought you might want to hear it since we would surely be implicated once again in the coming days." Zero respectfully bowed his head at Cale.


    Cale furrowed his eyebrows and gestured for Zero to continue speaking. "Oh, go on. What is it, Zero?"


    "I have discovered the culprit who stole the treasures inside the imperial treasury..." Zero stated in a confident tone.


    Cale frowned after he heard his words. "Who is it? If I''m not wrong, it should be someone from the imperial palace."


    "My lord, you are indeed correct. The culprit is someone from the imperial palace and he has a close relationship with the emperor. The culprit is... the third prince, Amro Doomblade." Zero calmly stated.


    During the past few weeks, Zero was investigating the events that happened inside the capital city as per Cale''s order.


    In particular, he thoroughly investigated the theft that happened inside the imperial palace. He checked every clue that he can find and everything led to one person, the third prince.


    He meticulously gathered all the results of his investigations and he even gathered the past actions of the third prince. He was able to tell that the third prince was training a huge number of soldiers behind everyone''s eyes.


    He had even managed to fool everyone from the Celestial Sword Empire by acting as the perfect and kind third prince. He instigated his second brother to raise a rebellion while he himself poisoned the emperor.


    Everything should have been perfect, but Cale''s arrival changed the fate of the empire.


    "The third prince? It''s not unexpected if we consider the hearts of the people from an imperial family... Zero, stay inside the manor for now and tell everyone to do their best in cultivating. Another war is about to happen, but this won''t be the last..." Cale fiercely said, his eyes cold and detached.


    Zero knew what he meant about it not being their last war. He knew that Cale was talking about the demons!

 Chapter 177 - Informing the Emperor

    When Zero left the room, Cale appeared to be in deep thought. With the empire''s network, they should be able to learn the culprit''s identity in a few days. What would be the emperor''s reaction after learning that his own son stole their imperial family''s treasures?


    He recalled his first meeting with the third prince during the banquet held by the crown prince. The third prince looked amicable and kind-hearted on the surface. If not for Asteria stating that he was hiding his real strength, Cale would have believed that he was a good person.


    A viper hiding in the dark was scarier than a lion in broad daylight.


    "I should inform his majesty about this as soon as possible. As of the moment, the third prince might be strengthening his own army for the upcoming battle." Cale muttered to himself.


    He then stood up went out of his room. On his way out, all the servants and guards were looking at him reverently as they bowed their heads. "Greetings, Duke Cale."


    Cale nodded his head at them and stepped out of his new manor. He then unfurled his Void Wolf Immortal Wings before he flew straight towards the imperial palace.


    The guards and servants who saw him fly gaped in amazement. He was like a phoenix soaring unhindered in the skies.


    Cale arrived in front of the imperial palace in less than ten minutes. His flight speed was increased further after unfurling his Void Wolf Immortal Wings.


    When the gate guards saw the silhouette of someone flying in midair, they were alarmed and they all put on a defensive stance. But when they got a clearer look as to who the person was, their gazes turned into that of surprise and worship. "Duke Cale, pardon our actions. We thought that it was someone else."


    Cale smiled at them and waved his right causing his new duke''s robe to flutter gently, accentuating his peerless and majestic visage. "I came here to visit his majesty and also to give him a piece of important news."


    One gate guard patted his c_h_e_s_t and said in a respectful voice. "Oh, not a problem at all, Duke Cale. Please follow me inside the imperial palace."


    Cale nodded his head at the guard and followed behind with his hands behind his back.


    Meanwhile, the emperor who was in his throne room was informed about Cale''s arrival. "Your majesty, Duke Cale has arrived. He said that he has an important news for you."


    The emperor''s eyes lit up after hearing the messenger''s announcement. ''Duke Cale might know something related to this incident.''


    "Go and bring Duke Cale inside the throne room." The emperor said.


    "As you wish, your majesty." The messenger bowed and left the throne room.


    Just a few seconds later, Cale came inside with a calm look on his face. "Greetings, your majesty."


    "No need for formalities with me, Duke Cale. How''s everything in your new manor?" Emperor Aventus stepped down his throne and stood in front of Cale. His face was full of smiles as he spoke. He did not want to put on airs towards Cale who was on par with him in terms of strength.


    Cale smiled at the emperor''s gesture, but then his face turned solemn. "Your majesty, you might already have an inkling about my abrupt visit. I have learned the identity of the person who stole half of the treasures inside the imperial treasury. You might even be surprised if you hear his identity." He said in a whispering voice.


    The emperor''s face turned serious after hearing his words.


    Cale glanced around the throne room with a stern look on his face. There were still a few imperial guards inside. He did not know if there was someone among the third prince''s people here, so he did not continue speaking.


    The emperor knew his concerns so he told the imperial guards to step out of the room. One of the imperial guard''s eyes flashed with a glint as he stepped out of the throne room.


    Cale glanced at the emperor''s tired countenance and sighed. The Celestial Sword Empire had experienced quite a few bumps during the past few weeks that severely damaged their foundations. Who knew how heavy of a burden the emperor was currently experiencing? "Your majesty, I had one of my trusted subordinates check on this matter a few days ago. And just this morning, he came back with a piece of news regarding the matter. He learned the identity of the culprit after following their tracks. The culprit is..."


    The emperor listened attentively with a solemn look on his dignified face.


    "The culprit is the third prince, Amro Doomblade." Cale muttered the name slowly while checking the emperor''s reaction.


    Contrary to his expectations, the emperor was still calm. The latter then shook his head with a desolate smile. "I have already suspected my third son for quite a while. His presence gave me a sense of unfamiliarity. He might have been blinded by power and sought to aim for more."


    Cale tactfully remained silent and consoled the emperor with his gaze.


    "Duke Cale, thank you for delivering this news. I have to gather our soldiers once again. I am certain that my third son would wage a rebellion." The emperor said with a forced smile. He then told Cale to leave the throne room and to prepare for the upcoming war.


    Cale glanced at the emperor''s solitary figure. Currently, the emperor''s dignified and regal air was replaced by a disconsolate atmosphere. Cale sighed once more before he left the throne room. ''Even a powerful man''s heart would crumble into pieces after learning that he was betrayed by his own son...''


    Cale went back to his manor and told everyone to cultivate diligently.


    All of his trusted subordinates were already at the Immortal-Class level. Even Wenren Wushuang was already at the initial stage of the Immortal-Class level. His cultivation speed increased exponentially after he received resources from Cale. Coupled with his talent and diligence, his breakthrough was not unexpected.


    A cultivator''s Nascent Soul was the embodiment of his martial arts and soul. As long as his/her Nascent Soul was intact, a cultivator could recreate his mortal body through time.


    Only someone at the Earth Enlightenment Realm could cultivate a Nascent Soul, but because Cale received a Sudden Enlightenment, his Nascent Soul was formed earlier than others.


    "Third prince, you are merely a stepping stone in my path." Cale muttered to himself with a cold look.

 Chapter 178 - Three Red Signal Flares

    Inside his mansion, the third prince was playing chess with a man wearing black fitting clothes.


    "Checkmate!" The third prince muttered with a bright smile.


    The man wearing black clothes shrugged his shoulders. "Your highness, you''ve become a great chess player..."


    "Chess? You''re right. And the Celestial Sword Empire is the biggest c_h_e_s_t board that I''m going to play with. In fact, I have been playing with it for so many years. And the victor will be known in a matter of a few days." The third prince stood up and glanced at the towering imperial palace at the distance. There was a faint smile on his handsome face.


    The person in black clothes nodded and replied. "I am certain that the victor would be you, your highness."


    The third prince turned around and glanced at the person in black clothes. He flashed a warm smile and said. "Victory was mine in the first place, but an unknown factor reduced my chance of winning."


    "Your highness, are you talking about Duke Cale?"


    The third prince nodded his head calmly. "Indeed, it is Duke Cale. But wouldn''t it be fun if it''s like this? A game of chess would be more fun and exhilarating if you could defeat a strong opponent."


    The third prince then returned his glance towards the distant imperial palace. ''Besides, my beloved old man Aventus Doomblade should have regained his strength already. Don''t disappoint me, imperial father.'' He thought to himself with an expectant gaze.


    "Blood One, gather the Blood Shadow Army. I want them prepared before the sky turns dark." The third prince said with an eerily calm face.


    The person in black clothes called Blood One felt his heart jump. ''So is it finally time for his highness'' final move?''


    "I will get this done, your highness!"


    * * *


    Just a few minutes before the sky would turn dark, the Celestial Sword Empire''s capital city, Sword City was still bustling with activity.


    Everything was supposed to be peaceful, when suddenly...


    Three bright red lights shone above the sky like beautiful fireworks. But instead of looking at the beautiful scene with smiles, everyone in the Celestial Sword Empire was enveloped by a feeling of unrest.


    Inside the imperial palace''s throne room.


    "Your majesty, I have a piece of grave news for you! I request entry."


    Emperor Aventus who was deep in his thoughts glanced at the entrance with a frowning expression. "Allow him to go inside."


    When the entrance was opened, a guard with a disheveled look came inside with a worried countenance.


    He kneeled down and spoke in a serious voice. "Your majesty... Something bad has happened to the neighboring Blue Cloud City. They fired... They fired three red signal flares!"


    There are a total of three signal flares meant to be fired whenever something threatening has come up to a certain city.


    First, the yellow signal flare means a minor threat has arrived. Second, the blue signal flare means that a threat that could severely damage a city has arrived. Lastly, the red signal flare which means that a threat that could destroy a whole city has arrived.


    With the Blue Cloud City firing the red signal flare, they might have seen a threat that could possibly destroy their whole city. But the problem was, they fired three red signal flares!


    It has never happened before in the history of their Celestial Sword Empire. So the scene brought a feeling of anxiety to all the citizens. What could have happened to the neighboring Blue Cloud City?


    After hearing the guard''s report, Emperor Aventus nodded his head calmly. "Inform all the citizens to remain in their homes. As for the guards, tell all of them to remain vigilant!"


    The guard replied in a loud voice. "As you say, your majesty!"


    "Leave." Emperor Aventus said.


    "It seems like you have made your move, Amro. You finally decided to reveal your real face towards everyone..."


    "Ling Tian!" The emperor called out.


    Grand General Ling Tian who was standing stoically below the throne glanced at the emperor before he kneeled down. "Your subordinate is here, your majesty."


    "Ling Tian, inform all the generals to prepare their armies. Also, send a message to all the nobles in the capital city to prepare themselves. And make sure that the dukes are informed about this grave matter." Emperor Aventus said sternly.


    "Your subordinate understands." Grand General Ling Tian replied.


    "Leave with haste!" Emperor Aventus waved his right hand.


    "Yes, your majesty!"


    When Grand General Ling Tian left the throne room, the emperor stood up and clenched his fists tightly.


    The emperor muttered with a cold voice. "I have regained my full strength after all those days recuperation. Amro, are you strong enough to defeat your old man now?"


    The throne room became much colder as the emperor revealed his full strength. His majestic figure was covered by a dense amount of elemental essence that made the imperial guards a bit suffocated.


    This was the true strength of their emperor! An expert who was infinitely close to breaking through towards the Earth Enlightenment Realm!


    * * *


    Meanwhile, inside Cale''s manor.


    A messenger from the imperial palace arrived. "I''m a messenger from the imperial palace, I request entry from Duke Cale."


    "You''re from the imperial palace? Come inside. Our duke had specifically told us that if someone from the imperial palace comes, he must be allowed to go inside immediately." Cale''s guard said warmly.


    The messenger from the imperial palace was taken aback. ''Looks like Duke Cale already expected this to happen. I wonder what could have happened to Blue Cloud City.''


    The guard brought the imperial palace''s messenger to the guest hall to wait for Cale. "Brother, wait for me here. I will go to inform our duke about your arrival."


    "No need. I am already here." Cale suddenly arrived inside the guest hall which surprised the two men.


    They hurriedly glanced at Cale and bowed their heads.


    "Greetings, Duke Cale." They greeted respectfully.


    Cale nodded his head and gestured for the guard to leave before turning his head towards the imperial messenger. "Based on your expression, something urgent must have happened. Speak."


    The imperial messenger was surprised, but he still replied. "Duke Cale, you''ve guessed right. Blue Cloud City fired three red signal flares just recently and Grand General Ling Tian sent me here to inform you this."


    "Oh, it seems like that man finally decided to make his move." Cale muttered solemnly.


    "Duke Cale, pardon my bluntness. But do you know something about what had happened to Blue Cloud City?"


    "You''ll know soon. And you don''t need to worry. The emperor already knows what happened to Blue Cloud City." Cale said, causing the imperial messenger to feel more curious.

 Chapter 179 - Bloodbath in Blue Cloud City

    Inside the territory of Blue Cloud City.


    The sound of swords clashing against each other reverberated in every direction. The elemental essence in the air fluctuated wildly as the fighting continued fiercely.


    "Clang!"


    "Bang!"


    "Kill the rebels! Kill!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    The Blue Cloud City''s army loudly chanted as they charged towards the invading army. Despite them being outnumbered, they stood their ground to oppose the enemies.


    The soldiers of the invading army were dressed in black armor with a red sun engraving on their c_h_e_s_ts. They looked undaunted and fearless as they fought against Blue Cloud City''s army of elites. Furthermore, they outnumbered the city''s army by more than several times. This was the third prince''s army, the Blood Shadow Army.


    He had groomed them for many years just for this very moment. The reason for the establishment of the army was to usurp the throne! And to claim the position of the emperor himself!


    On the rear part of the Blood Shadow Army was a handsome man dressed in battle armor. There was a blood-red sword strapped behind his back. He was riding on the back of a savage beast wolf, the Saber Fang Wolf. Just like its name, it had two saber-like fangs that protruded out of its mouth. Its eyes were cold and merciless.


    On the other hand, the man wore a cold expression as he stared at the ongoing carnage. Rivers of blood dyed the ground red, looking like a scene in hell, but this man remained indifferent. Even the soldiers circling around him were unmoved.


    "End the battle quickly. We still have to reassemble the troops later to fight against the incoming support of the Celestial Sword Empire." The handsome man said in a cold and commanding tone. This man was, of course, the Third Prince Amro Doomblade.


    A calm look exuding a dangerous vibe, and an aura that could make one''s heart palpitate in fear. The aura he displayed was that of a peak stage Immortal-Class level expert!


    Behind him were three men wearing the Blood Shadow Army''s armor. They were Blood One, Blood Two, and Blood Three respectively. Each one of them also emanated an aura that was not any weaker than the third prince.


    "We obey, your highness!" The three men respectfully answered in unison before they joined the battle. They leaped off of their mounts as they flew in midair to meet the Blue Cloud City''s experts.


    "Stubborn fools. They wouldn''t die if they had just surrendered willingly to me." Amro muttered to himself while looking at the experts of Blue Cloud City.


    When Blood One and the other two joined the battle, the fight became even more lopsided. The Blue Cloud City''s experts could only watch as their soldiers were killed one by one.


    "Third Prince, your highness! Why have you done this?! Is there really a need for such madness just to get the throne for yourself?!" A thin old man with white hair was looking at the third prince with a disappointed expression. His aged face distorted in fury causing his murky eyes to reveal a violent glint.


    The old man hovered in midair with a walking stick in his hands.


    The old man''s voice resonated in every direction of Blue Cloud City, making everyone hear who the invader was.


    When they heard that it was the third prince who had invaded their city, the citizens felt betrayed and disappointed.


    They had thought that he was a prince with a gentle and kind disposition. They even believed that he was someone that was most fitting to be their Celestial Sword Empire''s ruler and emperor. Who knew that such a man was actually like a viper hiding at the darkest corner as it waited for its prey.


    The citizens did not doubt the old man in the slightest for he was their Blue Cloud City''s city lord. He had led their city to new heights under his partial and just governance.


    Amro glanced at the old man who was hovering in midair like a kind sage. He hated the old man''s way of looking at him since it made him feel very uncomfortable.


    "Just a dying old dog at the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level! Who gave you the right to oppose me, old man?!" Amro pointed at the old man and snarled angrily, causing his handsome face to distort.


    The Blue Cloud City''s city lord shook his head with a regretful look. With a soft sigh, he said. "Third prince, so this is your true heart? Since that''s the case, let this old man see the strength of such a man! Let this old man see the power of the man who was able to fool the entire Celestial Sword Empire!"


    "You are unqualified to fight me, old dog! Blood Three, kill this old fool for me!" Amro ordered coldly, his face shook with fury.


    "Yes, your highness!" Blood Three answered.


    Blood Three was a huge man who was even bigger than Brogen. He was carrying a gigantic axe which was more than two times larger than his body.


    "Old fool, you''ve angered the wrong man! But don''t worry. I am a merciful person, so I will give you a quick death!" Blood Three laughed menacingly as he looked at the old city lord.


    "Die you old fool!" Blood Three brandished his axe, causing the air to vibrate intensely.


    The Blue Cloud City''s city lord weakly sighed as he waved the walking stick he was holding. There was a blade on each end of the walking stick.


    The city lord deftly dodged the wild swing of Blood Three''s axe, looking like an old pine amidst a strong hurricane.


    There might be a huge difference in strength, but Blood Three was more of a strength type expert. He was very strong and each of his strikes was capable of slashing a mountain in half.


    The old city lord might be weaker, but he was dodging Blood Three''s attacks with minimal movements.


    "Just a brute with a bit more power. If you were on the same level as this old man, I would have killed you in one strike." The city lord shook his head.


    Hearing his words, Blood Three boiled with rage.


    "Rooaaarrr!"

 Chapter 180 - Massacre

    Blood Three''s body shook with rage as he swung his gigantic axe towards the Blue Cloud City''s city lord.


    The air split sending huge shockwaves that assaulted in every direction.


    The Blue Cloud City''s people who were watching the scene became horrified. Such strength! Would their city lord be fine fighting against a man like him?


    The old city lord frowned after feeling that his body was constrained by Blood Three''s overwhelming aura. He had truly enraged him, making Blood Three use all his strength in fighting against him.


    The old city lord bent his body backward to evade Blood Three wild swing. He dodged the attack, but the resulting shockwave sent his fragile body hurtling towards a nearby building, creating a huge indent and spiderweb-like cracks.


    "Baang!"


    The old city lord shakily propped himself up. He spat a few mouthfuls of blood as he clutched his c_h_e_s_t with his right hand. There was a long line of a wound on his c_h_e_s_t, revealing a wrinkled but well-defined muscle.


    ''Just the shockwave from his attack already caused me this much damage?! What absurd strength this man has!'' The old city lord was flabbergasted.


    Blood Three''s speed might be somewhat slower for someone at his level, but his strength was many times stronger than someone with the same level of cultivation as him.


    "Old man, you''ve got some skills for being able to remain standing after that strike. But for how long can you dodge my attacks? Hahaha!" Blood Three laughed mockingly while glancing at the city lord who looked like an arrow at the end of his flight.


    The city lord spat another mouthful of blood as he shakily hovered in midair while holding his weapon tightly. Blood trickled down his lips, creating a sorry and weary image.


    Blood Three laughed cruelly before he swung down his gigantic axe towards the city lord. The latter s_u_c_k_e_d in a deep breath of cold air after sensing the immense power contained in the strike. But he did not remain stationary, he hurriedly distanced himself from Blood Three.


    Blood Three smirked after seeing the city lord''s action. His silhouette then vanished and reappeared behind the old man.


    "Die, old fool!" He shouted in a tone that was full of condescension.


    The city lord felt his heart tremble when he heard Blood Three''s voice from behind him. He turned around and lifted his weapon to try blocking Blood Three''s attack.


    "Shing!"


    "Rip!"


    The old man''s weapon broke in half before Blood Three''s gigantic axe came rushing towards his defenseless body.


    The old city lord was a veteran in many battles, but the disparity in their strength was not something that his experience could surmount.


    In the nick of time, he moved his body to the side, but his right arm was still cut off from his body. If he had not dodged at that moment, he would have been cleaved in half!


    "Aargh!"


    "Bang!"


    The city lord lost his strength and his body dropped on the ground, creating a huge crater.


    "It''s your good fortune to see my Blink skill before dying." Blood Three muttered with a sneer.


    "City Lord!"


    "City Lord!"


    The remaining experts of Blue Cloud City cried out in alarm and sadness after seeing the plight of their most respected city lord.


    The soldiers of the city lost their will to fight after seeing their strongest expert''s defeat. Their eyes became soulless and blank as their motivation to fight back died down.


    "Kill them all! Leave none alive!" Amro ordered coldly. He did not want to let them continue living as they might become a hindrance during the fight against Celestial Sword Sect''s support.


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    Bloodcurdling screams resounded as the Blood Shadow Army killed all of Blue Cloud City''s soldiers and experts. Even those who had thrown down their weapons to surrender were killed mercilessly.


    The sounds of the weeping citizens reverberated like a solemn and downcast melody, creating an eerie and chilling air.


    He looked at the entire battle with a cold and unfeeling gaze.


    "In the world of martial arts, the weak had no room to live aside from being someone else''s stepping stone. Only with strength could you gain the power and authority necessary in this kind of unforgiving world." Amro muttered to himself, his eyes revealing an indifferent glint.


    "Swoosh!"


    A faint swooshing sound resounded from behind Amro. He calmly caught the weapon thrown his way. After giving it a glance, he was a bit surprised. It was the broken half of the city lord''s weapon!


    Amro leaped off of his Saber Fang Wolf and glanced at the bloodied man who launched a sneak attack on him.


    Amro shook his head in regret. "You''ve got a tenacious life, old man. To think that you''re still alive after receiving that kind of damage... What a pity, I would have invited you before if I had known your skills..."


    The city lord''s body was dyed red with blood. He was shaking uncontrollably as if a light gust of wind could make him crumble. His lips were quivering while his murky eyes had a reddish tinge to it.


    "Yo-Your high-highness, this...this old man would only serve the...the Celestial Sword Empire''s emperor..." The city lord said with a resolute gaze.


    His injuries might be fatal, but it could not stop his indomitable loyalty towards the Celestial Sword Empire.


    Amro frowned after hearing his words. He revealed a cold look as he stroke the fur of his Saber Fang Wolf while gazing at the old man. "Since you''re tired of living, I might as well feed you to my friend here."


    The city lord glanced at the Saber Fang Wolf beside Amro. Its two fangs were dripping with saliva as it gazed at the old man maliciously.


    "Enjoy your food, my friend." Amro tapped the Saber Fang Wolf gently, signaling it to attack the old city lord.


    "Grrrr!"


    The Saber Fang Wolf snarled as it swiftly rushed towards the old man. The latter could no longer move his body and he could only look at the savage beast as it pounced on him.


    "Arrrghh!"


    The Saber Fang Wolf ferociously bit off the city lord''s head and munched on it with a savage look in its eyes. After swallowing the old man''s head, it then unceremoniously feasted on the old man''s body.


    Amro''s heart was devoid of any ripple as he watched the cruel sight.


    An expert at the mid-stage of the Immortal-Class level who was also the city lord of Blue Cloud City died in a humiliating way...

 Chapter 181 - Fall of Blue Cloud City

    Amro calmly watched his Saber Fang Wolf as it greedily devoured the old city lord like a starving demon.


    After not more than five minutes, one could no longer see the body of the city lord. Only a pool of blood was left behind on the ground to serve as a testament to the brutal scene earlier.


    The Saber Fang Wolf released a howl of satisfaction before it turned to look at Amro with a friendly gaze unbefitting of its wild nature.


    Amro understood its gaze right away. He knew that the wolf was not yet contented about its snack. It wanted to devour more human experts to satiate its beastly cravings. Furthermore, devouring experts could also improve its cultivation level and body constitution.


    Amro gently ruffled the Saber Fang Wolf''s grey fur as he spoke with a vicious smile on his handsome face. "Don''t worry my friend. More food will come later for you to feast on. I assure you that..."


    After the defeat of the Blue Cloud City''s city lord, the city''s morale hit rock bottom. Their defenses revealed flaws which Amro''s Blood Shadow Army took advantage of.


    With their battle wills dwindling down, the soldiers of Blue Cloud City were slowly killed one by one.


    Devasted and mournful cries reverberated within the city at that moment, but the perpetrator of this event remained cold and unfeeling.


    In just less than three hours, a bustling city just below the capital city in terms of strength fell into chaos and defeat.


    All soldiers of the Blue Cloud City were killed. From the young recruits, including the old veterans, all were mercilessly killed. A few citizens who had tried to help the soldiers were even killed by the Blood Shadow Army without remorse.


    Their indifference amidst the savage killings would truly cause one''s scalp to tingle in profound dread.


    Amro stood on top of the walls of Blue Cloud City while eyeing the entire scene. Behind him was his Saber Fang Wolf with its bestial eyes that emitted a cold l_u_s_ter.


    "What a stubborn city! I have wasted so much more time than I had expected. But it doesn''t matter. The army of my old man will take some time before it arrives here. The only problem is that man..." Amro clenched his fists tightly as he thought about Cale. He could not read the guy''s strength at all. In fact, it was the first time it had happened to him.


    The presence of Cale gave him a sense of invisible pressure that was even greater than what he felt towards his father, Emperor Aventus Doomblade. He knew that Cale was a dangerous man who could threaten his ascension towards the throne, but he was also confident that he was capable of beating him in a one on one fight.


    "Duke Cale, you would only serve as my stepping stone towards my ascension to the throne!" Amro said coldly, his eyes full of hate and malice.


    Just then, three silhouettes flew towards him in a flash. They were Blood One, Blood Two, and Blood Three. All three of them were covered in blood, but their eyes remained calm and savage.


    They were nurtured by Amro just for this day, and they were also expectant towards what the future will hold for them under the leadership of Amro.


    "Your highness, our Blood Shadow Army has killed all of Blue Cloud City''s soldiers. Not even one was left alive." Blood Two said in a sweet and gentle voice.


    She was an enticing woman with long black hair and a seductive body. Her two mounds were barely covered by her fitting black clothes and the outline of her n_i_p_p_l_es could be faintly seen. She was wearing a black mini skirt that barely covered her erogenous regions and her long pair of legs enthralling under the sun''s glow. In terms of seductive air, she was absolutely on par with Zarinvienne who was a pure-blooded s_u_c_c_u_b_u_s!


    Amro nodded his head with an indifferent look on his face. He was preoccupied with the thoughts on how to counter Cale''s might.


    Blood One saw that he was in deep thought, so he could not help but ask. "Your highness, is there something that is bothering you?"


    Amro frowned and shook his head. "All three of you may leave. Secure the city and make sure that our Blood Shadow Army will be prepared for the coming battle against the Celestial Sword Empire''s elites."


    The countenance of Blood One, Blood Two and Blood Three became solemn after hearing his words. Although they were strong, the elites of the Celestial Sword Empire were also not weak at all. Furthermore, they had Duke Cale who had defeated the Beast King just recently!


    The three of them nodded their heads at Amro before they left.


    "I must claim the throne and take my old man''s immortal sword as my own! With that immortal sword, my chances of ascending to the Immortal Realm would increase by many folds!" Amro gazed at the horizon with a murderous look. He felt that the Celestial Sword Empire''s army was drawing closer to them.


    * * *


    On the wild plains towards the Blue Cloud City, the army of the Celestial Sword Empire was moving with its fastest speed. Leading them were the top experts of the empire and even the emperor was among the people who were leading the charge. He was riding his Crimson Tiger with his Divine Soul Harvester War Blade strapped behind his back.


    His presence gave the Celestial Sword Empire''s elites an addition of battle morale.


    Just then, everyone saw the Blue Cloud City''s city walls. They were boiling in anger and rage after they saw the thick fog of smoke rising above the city. They knew that the battle must have already concluded after seeing no signs of signal from the Blue Cloud City''s side.


    Emperor Aventus'' eyes turned as cold as ice, and his aura unintentionally leaked out of his body, making everyone around him glance at him with fear, respect, and worship.


    Cale gazed at the city while flashing an indifferent look. Behind him were his servants, ready to do his bidding.


    "Amro Doomblade, what a cruel man you are to kill your own people just to claim the throne for yourself," Cale muttered silently and shook his head.


    This was the world of Shura where the strong reigned supreme, and it was very normal for wars to occur in such a place.


    Cale was also slowly getting accustomed to the different perspectives of the top experts regarding wars.


    In the world of cultivation, being weak was a curse while having strength meant power and authority...

 Chapter 182 - Father Vs. Son

    "Your highness, we have secured the whole city." Blood One said while bowing his head slightly at Amro.


    "Good. Call Blood Two and Blood Three. The Celestial Sword Empire''s soldiers are already here..." Amro said coldly as he gazed at the distance. He felt the ground tremble as the soldiers of the Celestial Sword Empire charged towards Blue Cloud City.


    "Yes, your highness." Blood One bowed his head before he left to find Blood Two and Blood Three.


    Amro''s countenance turned icy when he could already see the incoming army of the empire.


    "You''re really not going easy on your third son, my dear imperial father..." Amro said after sensing the strength of the incoming army. He knew that Emperor Aventus brought his strongest men with him!


    "Whoosh!"


    "Whoosh!"


    "Whoosh!"


    Three silhouettes landed beside, making his heart feel slightly at ease. Although he was confident about his Blood Shadow Army, the soldiers of the Celestial Sword Empire were also not weak. No matter who would win between the two armies, it would be a pyrrhic victory. But he did not mind losing a part of his army as long as he could secure their victory. His goal was not to rule the Celestial Sword Empire but to ascend to the Immortal Realm.


    Meanwhile, Emperor Aventus signaled his army to stop their charge by raising his right hand. "Halt!"


    He saw the Amro''s army was not planning to meet with them head-on. ''That traitorous son of mine wanted to whittle us down while we lay siege on Blue Cloud City. What a cunning bastard!''


    Cale also realized this after not seeing an army outside the city. But it would not pose a threat to someone among his servants. Brogen, the Barbarian Emperor.


    "Duke Cale, do you have something in mind that could help us break their gates without losing too many soldiers?" Emperor Aventus asked while glancing at Cale. This man was able to defeat the Beast King in a one on one fight. He might know of a way that could help them break this standstill.


    Cale glanced at the emperor and nodded his head solemnly. "Yes, your majesty. In fact, I only need one person to break their gates..."


    Emperor Aventus was surprised when he saw Cale''s confident look.


    "Then I''ll have to trouble you with this task, Duke Cale." The emperor said in a mild tone.


    Cale nodded his head at the emperor before he turned to look at one of his servants. "Brogen, break those doors for me."


    "As you say, my lord." A huge and hulking man stepped forward. In his hands was a huge hammer that was even bigger and heavier than his body by many times. Brogen had also broken through to the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level. He now had the same level of cultivation as Cale!


    The gate of Blue Cloud City was a huge double door made from sturdy wood and metal. It would take long anyone would siege it normally, but to Brogen, this was not a problem at all.


    The Celestial Sword Empire''s soldiers made way for him while looking at him curiously. Just how capable was this giant to gain Duke Cale''s trust?


    Brogen raised his gigantic hammer as he charged towards the city gates. His reckless actions stunned Amro and his soldiers, making them forget to take action for a brief moment.


    "What are you standing there for? Shoot that bastard down!" Amro shouted angrily, veins protruded on his handsome face.


    The Blood Shadow Army took out their bows and fired shots at Brogen after hearing Amro''s shout.


    Brogen did not bother on defending himself against their weak arrows. Those arrows could not even penetrate his tough muscles. Among Cale''s servants, he had the strongest physical body and vitality.


    He swung his giant hammer and aimed it towards the city gates, causing it to produce an air splitting sound.


    "Baaangg!" Countless debris exploded following that deafening smash.


    Emperor Aventus concealed his surprise and jumped out of his Crimson Tiger. He flew in midair and led the charge. "Soldiers of my Celestial Sword Empire, charge with me!"


    "Follow the emperor! Kill!"


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!"


    The empire''s army charged ferociously under the valiant leadership of their emperor.


    Cale closely followed behind the emperor while glancing at Amro who stood on top of the city walls. "Peak stage of the Immortal-Class level. The third prince was truly good at staying low profile..."


    "You traitorous bastard, die!" Emperor Aventus grabbed his Divine Soul Harvester War Blade and struck a fierce blow at where Amro stood.


    The latter smiled condescendingly at the emperor and grabbed his own sword. He met the emperor''s attack without a hint of fear in his cold eyes. "My dear imperial father, you''ve grown old and rusty. You''re not my match anymore."


    "Claangg!"


    Their swords met, causing a violent clanging sound to reverberate like a clap of thunder.


    Emperor Aventus'' eyes contained anger, resentment, and disappointment as he looked at Amro''s face. He recalled how obedient he was when he was still a young kid, but now, he had plotted a scheme to claim the throne.


    His plot caused the death of his own second brother and even his father almost died under his poisoning. It was a devious plot that must have been meticulously planned for many years!


    Thinking about his second son, the emperor''s eyes became somewhat moist. He roared in anger and brandished his sword without holding back his strength.


    Amro merely smiled mockingly after looking at the changing expressions of his father. "That''s why you aren''t qualified to shatter the void, my old man. You are too emotional to ascend to the Immortal realm."


    The two exchanged hundreds of blows in a few minutes while producing devastating shockwaves along their paths.


    Meanwhile, the top experts of the empire fought against the strongest of the Blood Shadow Army. It was an equal fight with no clear victor!


    The crimson sky of Shura revealed a reddish hue as if it had reflected the bloody scene on Blue Cloud City.

 Chapter 183 - Slashed in Half

    Cale glanced at the scene and recalled what had happened to his home planet, Earth. The scene of pure carnage when the Avran race invaded their planet resurfaced in his mind like a torrent of water.


    He then equipped his Void Wolf Immortal set equipment and charged towards Blood One who was currently engaged in a fight with Old Zhang and the Grand Commander Ling Tian.


    "Old Zhang, Grand Commander, he is my opponent. Help the others out." Cale said in a cold voice as he glared at Blood One. He trusted the emperor''s strength and if ever he could not defeat the third prince, then he could just lend him a hand.


    The old guild leader and the grand commander nodded their heads at Cale in response before they turned helped the other experts fight with Blood Two and Blood Three. Cale''s servants also joined the fight, making the battle even more intense.


    Blood Two and Blood Three might be peak stage Immortal-Class level experts, but even with their strengths, they could still not take on so many top experts at once.


    Cale brandished his Void Wolf Immortal Sword and swung it towards Blood One who was now looking at Cale warily. It could not be helped, the person in front of him had defeated the notorious Beast King who had caused major unrest throughout the whole of the Celestial Sword Empire for many decades. Even Blood One himself was not sure if he could defeat the Beast King.


    Blood One raised his arms and parried Cale''s attack with his sword.


    "Claaangg!" A violent clanging sound resounded when their swords clashed causing small snake-like sparks to be produced.


    Blood One was pushed back several meters away while Cale remained unmoved in his spot. The difference in their strengths was clear to see...


    "Duke Cale, you''re indeed as strong as the rumors say, but I haven''t used my full strength yet!" Blood One snarled angrily. He felt humiliated that he was pushed back in their frontal battle. Besides, he was telling the truth when he said that he hasn''t used his full strength yet.


    Blood One attacked Cale with a wild swing of his sword.


    Cale calmly raised his Void Wolf Immortal Shield to block the attack.


    Dull clanging sounds echoed out as all of Blood One''s slashes were blocked by Cale''s Void Wolf Immortal Shield.


    With a nonchalant look on his face, Cale cast a mocking look at Blood One. The latter was indeed strong. In fact, he was just a tad weaker than the Beast King, but Cale''s strength did not remain stagnant after that fight with the Beast King. Although his cultivation level remained the same, his understanding of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement became deeper. Furthermore, he had also fully assimilated his Advanced Sword Intent, Heart of Sword.


    Blood One was full of rage after seeing Cale''s mocking glance, but he was inwardly surprised at the strength that Cale has shown.


    He decided to no longer hold back his strength. With that in mind, Blood One icily stared at Cale while slashing his sword at him. His movements became more erratic and harder to predict. Furthermore, his speed also increased by a little more than twice!


    Cale calmly watched the events unfold in front of him. The increase of Blood One''s strength surprised him a bit. "Since that''s the case. I shall not hold back anymore. First Sword Movement, Roaring Dragon Slash!"


    A huge dragon phantom materialized in midair. It looked corporeal and imposing, even its dragon might felt very realistic.


    Its appearance brought a series of exclamations among everyone on the battlefield.


    The Celestial Sword Empire''s soldiers became ecstatic when they saw the dragon phantom. They knew that it was Cale who had summoned the dragon phantom. They saw its might during the battle against the beast tide. It had even devoured countless ferocious savage beast in one fell swoop!


    The dragon phantom released an earth-shaking roar that reverberated within the entirety of Blue Cloud City.


    "Rooaaarrr!"


    Blood One might be strong, but he didn''t have the Beast King''s savage beast body. Blood One howled angrily and slashed his sword with all his strength in a bid to destroy the dragon phantom.


    "Baaanngg!"


    Blood One was hurtled away after the loud explosion. His body had wounds with varying sizes and his left shoulder was a bloody mess. Furthermore, his left arm was no longer attached to his body.


    His sorry figure landed on the ground with a loud bang, creating a small crater on the ground.


    The battlefield turned deathly silent as they watched Cale as he slowly descended towards the small crater were Blood One was thrown.


    Cale swept his glance on Blood One who was struggling to crawl out of the crater.


    "You have great potential, but you served the wrong master." Cale muttered silently as he raised his Void Wolf Immortal Sword.


    "Noo! Duke Cale, I beg you. Please don''t kill me!" Blood One used his remaining strength to plead for mercy. He didn''t want to die just like that.


    Cale remained unmoved and he then stabbed Blood One''s body with his sword. His Void Wolf Immortal Sword was thick and huge, causing Blood One to be slashed into two. His upper body struggled for a brief moment before he breathed his last.


    The third prince felt a cold breeze blowing on his neck after seeing the death of his strongest servant.


    "Impossible! You''re not someone from Shura! Who are you?!" Amro fearfully glanced at Cale. His calm visage can no longer be seen. Heck! Even he could not defeat Blood One so easily!


    Amro thought that Cale was someone from the Immortal realm after seeing his overpowering might. In fact, it was not just him. Everyone believed that Cale must be a young junior disciple from the Immortal Realm.


    Cale shook his head amidst everyone''s curious glances.


    "Third Prince Amro, surrender now." Cale said while staring straight at Amro.


    The latter''s fearful look turned malicious as he stared back at Cale. "You! You destroyed all of my plans! If not for you, I would have long since become the Celestial Sword Empire''s emperor!!"


    Cale''s eyes became cold, but he still glanced at the emperor to seek his opinion. He was after all the emperor of the empire.


    Emperor Aventus saw that Cale was looking at him. He understood his glance and he could not help but sigh weakly in his heart. He then turned to look at Amro, his eyes becoming distant and firm. "Third Prince, you''ve disappointed the Celestial Sword Empire. Only death awaits you now..."


    Cale nodded his head approvingly after seeing the decisive actions of the emperor. "Allow me to kill him, your majesty." Cale said calmly. He knew that the emperor would feel hesitant, so he volunteered to do the dirty work. Besides, he was not willing to see the emperor kill his own son. It would be much better if he was the one who would do it.

 Chapter 184 - Cale Vs. Amro

    Amro''s eyes turned bloodshot as he glared hatefully at Cale.


    This man had destroyed all of his plans! He had painstakingly brewed that plan for many years just to achieve his goal and attain his ambition of ruling the Celestial Sword Empire! But because of Cale''s arrival, everything he had prepared was all for naught!


    "Do you really think that I would allow you to kill me so easily, Duke Cale?! I may not be your match, but I can drag you to hell with me!" Amro snarled with a malicious look on his face as he dashed towards Cale with his sword in hand.


    After seeing how easily Cale dispatched Blood One, Amro knew that he was weaker than Cale.


    Cale''s eyes did not reveal a look of panic. He was still wearing a grim and cold look as he stared at Amro''s face.


    If not for Asteria''s warning about Amro hiding his real strength, he would have also been fooled by his gentle and kind third prince facade. He wondered what could have happened to the Celestial Sword Empire if he wasn''t there. Perhaps, Amro might have already become the emperor by then.


    Cale raised his Void Wolf Immortal Shield to block Amro''s attack.


    "Claang!" Amro''s sword was not even able to leave a mark on Cale''s shield. It still appeared seamless and in perfect condition.


    "Dammit! Stop hiding behind that shield like a damned turtle and fight me like a man! Aren''t you the hero of the Celestial Sword Empire?! Aren''t you the Unfettered Duke Cale?! Then show me that you''re worthy enough for such praises from the crowd!" Amro taunted in a mocking tone.


    Cale did not get angry at his words. He flashed Amro a faint smile and said. "So the third prince would resort to this kind of taunting. In that case, let me play with you without my shield. We will see if you''re indeed as strong as you think you are."


    Cale returned his shield inside his storage space with a nonchalant look on his face.


    His Void Wolf Immortal Shield was a strong weapon for defense. All Saint level weapons were not even capable of leaving a mark on its tough surface.


    Perhaps only Immortal level weapons were capable of breaking its defenses, but what are Immortal level weapons? They are not just some random cabbages on the streets, they are treasures that were only owned by the most pinnacle of existences. And the ones capable of crafting such weapons were no longer existent on Shura.


    ''You asked for this, third prince...'' Cale smirked coldly in his heart as he glanced at Amro''s smug face.


    "At least you are not a coward, Duke Cale." Amro wore a cold look when he saw Cale has unequipped his Void Wolf Immortal Shield. He thought that Cale was only able to defeat the Beast King with his shield''s help. Now that he had unequipped it, he would be like a scorpion who had lost its tough carapace.


    "Stop the useless chatter. Make your move." Cale said while looking at Amro''s moves. The other party might be much weaker than he was, but he didn''t want to be careless. Even a wolf could threaten a tiger if caught unprepared.


    Amro''s eyes flashed with a sharp glint after he heard Cale''s words. It was the first time he had experienced being humiliated by someone. Furthermore, he had humiliated him many times in just one day!


    With a swift tap of his foot, Amro leaped towards Cale while swinging his sword ferociously at the latter. "Die!!" He shouted with a look that contorted with anger.


    Cale did not back down. He stepped forward and met Amro''s attack by raising his Void Wolf Immortal Sword forward.


    "Claang!"


    Amro pushed his sword forward, but he could not make Cale take a step back. He then pushed himself backward and sprinted towards Cale once again. He then turned and did a turning backhand slash at Cale in one swift motion.


    Cale was surprised, but Amro''s attack appeared to be in slow-motion in his eyes. He ducked down in a timely manner to avoid Amro''s flashy attack.


    The two exchanged more than a hundred moves in just a little more than ten minutes, but neither of the two received any fatal damages.


    Cale was still wearing the same cold look as he faced Amro. ''This Amro Doomblade is indeed strong. He could even contend against me if I don''t use my Devil Arcanum Sword Movement.''


    Amro slashed his sword but it was easily parried by Cale. ''Dammit! This bastard is so strong! No wonder he was able to kill the Beast King!''


    Meanwhile, on a different part of the battlefield. The emperor was now fighting against Blood Two, while Old Zhang and Grand General Ling Tian were fighting against Blood Three.


    Their fights caused multiple shockwaves that caused earth-shattering explosions in their wake.


    Even the other Immortal-Class level experts refused to come near them in fear that they might get injured from the shockwaves that they produced.


    The Blood Shadow Army and the soldiers of the Celestial Sword Empire were also locked in a fierce battle. Neither side had the upper hand. In fact, both armies appeared to be equal in terms of strength and battle power.


    The once-flourishing Blue Cloud City was now partly in ruins. The metallic scent of blood lingered in the air as the war continued. Mournful cries and devastated shouts echoed in the city, filling the air with a forlorn and dreary atmosphere.


    Cale and Amro were still embroiled in a fierce battle with the latter now huffing and puffing with a sweaty face, while Cale maintained his cold expression.


    ''This can''t go on or I might really fall against this bastard!'' Amro shouted in his heart with a slightly fearful look.

 Chapter 185 - Rest Now

    ''This guy is strong and he should be as strong as the Beast King. Too bad that this amount of power is nothing in front of the current of me.'' Cale muttered in his heart as he created a distance between him and Amro.


    He then performed the Second Sword Movement of his Devil Arcanum Sword Movement, the Thousand Sword Slash under the stunned eyes of Amro.


    One thousand clones with similar appearance as Cale appeared out of thin air.


    Amro was shocked at the sudden turn of events. He wasn''t there during the battle against the beast tide, so he didn''t know the limits of Cale''s strength. He thought that Cale might have won due to a stroke of luck or it must have been a moment of negligence on the Beast King''s side. He never would have thought that Cale had the strength to overwhelm him.


    With the materialization of Cale''s countless clones, Amro didn''t know how to respond. He just hovered in midair with a dumbstruck expression on his face.


    "What the hell is this kind of skill?! Which one is real?!" Amro shouted with a multitude of emotions. He felt fearful, bewildered, and he also felt slightly regretful.


    "If death is the only road for me, then I might as well drag you to hell together with me! Kill!" Amro roared like a severely injured wolf at the end of its rope! It was also at this moment that the beasts would reveal their most vicious fangs!


    Cale''s expression did not change after seeing Amro''s current raged state. A dying wolf was still a wolf at the end of the day and it could never kill a dragon...


    A thousand clones attacked at the same time, creating a shockwave that almost split space. An earth-shaking sound reverberated within Blue Cloud City and even the neighboring cities heard it from afar.


    The army of the Celestial Sword Empire and the Blood Shadow Army covered their bleeding ears with contorted expressions on their faces. Just the resulting shockwave of Cale and Amro''s fight caused the low-level experts to be slightly injured!


    Amro tried his best to deflect most of Cale''s strike, but he still received heavy injuries.


    He clutched his sword tightly while gritting his teeth in pain. He was now in a sorry state with dozens of sword cuts all over his body. ''F_u_c_k!'' He cursed in his heart as he cast a wary glance at Cale.


    Cale indifferently stared at Amro while slowly hovering towards him.


    Amro was now shaking in pain, but he did not release his grip on his sword. He pointed his sword''s tip towards Cale while looking at his movements with ragged breathing.


    Cale then disappeared from his spot and reappeared behind Amro like a ghost. The latter felt Cale''s presence behind him, so he slashed his sword towards the direction where he felt Cale''s presence.


    "Whoosh!" His sword strike slashed an empty air, and there was no shadow of Cale at all. He then felt a strong hand grasping his right shoulder tightly, making him freeze in shock.


    Amro felt that he could not extricate himself from the grip and he could only turn his head slowly at him.


    Amro saw Cale''s indifferently calm expression as the latter grasped his shoulder firmly. His face turned into that of horror and he even temporarily forgot the pain all over his body.


    "Third Prince, you could have made the Celestial Sword Empire an even stronger force with your talents and wits, but you made the worst decision in life." Cale coldly stated as he looked at Amro squarely.


    "Duke Cale, I have never regretted everything I did! As I grew older, I realized that my ambitions were far greater than what I possessed at that moment! And in order to achieve my ambitions, I have to sacrifice some things! Everything should have happened as I had planned, but you... You!" Amro could not continue his words as he spatted mouthfuls of blood. His silhouette swayed in midair as his elemental essence slowly decreased.


    "So just because of your ambitions, you''re willing to sacrifice your second brother? You even poisoned your father and caused major losses to the Celestial Sword Empire by stealing a lot of things from the imperial treasury!" Cale spoke in a slightly louder tone.


    "Of course! Sacrifices are necessary if you want to achieve something greater in life! If you don''t even know how to make sacrifices, then you can only stay forever in mediocrity!" Amro shouted with a ruthless look on his face.


    His words resonated deeply inside Cale''s heart. He was right. If one could not even make sacrifices, then attaining what you d_e_s_i_r_e could only remain as a dream.


    He had also done the same in his past life. He sacrificed the time meant for himself and used all of it to practice his skills in order to kill more of the Avran people. He rarely socialized with the people from the Earth Alliance and instead went to finish countless missions concerning the Avran Race.


    "You''re right, third prince. But you''re also wrong... You have been blinded by your ambitions, making you sacrifice the wrong things..." Cale shook his head coldly.


    Amro''s eyes shook as he heard Cale''s words. He then turned his head to look at his father who now had graying hair and a tired look.


    He was the strongest expert of the Celestial Sword Empire who had struck fear to countless experts of Shura, but he now looked weary and exhausted despite his calm facade. For once in Amro''s life, a seed of doubt was planted in his heart. ''Was I really wrong?''


    "You can regret everything in your next life, third prince. For now, you should rest for a long time or perhaps... it might be a perpetual rest..." Cale muttered silently as he pointed his sword towards Amro''s heart.


    "Puchi!"


    Cale''s Void Wolf Immortal Sword pierced Amro''s body effortlessly. Thick amounts of blood gushed out of his body as he glanced at the sword that pierced him with a surprised look. He then turned to look at Cale with great difficulty and he flashed a weak smile before his head hung low with no signs of breathing.


    Amro Doomblade, the third prince of the Celestial Sword Empire died at Cale''s hands on the first day of his revolution towards the empire.


    Emperor Aventus who hovered at the distance tried to remain calm, but he still felt a slight pang in his heart. Amro was, after all, the product of his blood.


    "Rest now, Amro." He muttered.

 Chapter 186 - Blood Beads

    With the death of the third prince Amro Doomblade, his Blood Shadow Army became a chaotic mess. Their fighting morale was removed the instant they saw that their leader was killed by Cale. They threw down their weapons and kneeled down on the ground to announce their surrender.


    Blood Two and Blood Three also chose to surrender. Amro was already killed, so why should they fight?


    Instead of fighting to death for a dead leader, why not just surrender? Perhaps Emperor Aventus would let them off, especially with the Celestial Sword Empire''s need for strong experts.


    Cale brought Amro''s body with him and handed it to the emperor. The latter looked calm and stoic, but Cale saw that Emperor Aventus'' eyelashes trembled the moment he laid his eyes on Amro.


    "Your majesty..." Cale muttered as he stared at the emperor with a look of pity. Two of his sons died for revolting against their empire. He knew what kind of pain the emperor was now experiencing. It should be tormenting enough just like how he had felt when he had lost his friends in his past life...


    Emperor Aventus shook his head as he held Amro''s body tightly.


    "Speak no more, Duke Cale. Don''t worry about me. Amro revolted against the empire, and only death awaited him. Thank you for everything, Duke Cale..." The emperor said in a slightly shaking voice.


    Cale opened his mouth, but the words seemed stuck in his throat. In the end, Cale could only give him a weak sigh before he turned to look at the battlefield.


    Broken stones and rubbles can be found everywhere. Dead bodies lying on their own pools of blood and bloodied human remains scattered on the ground.


    The experts of the Celestial Sword Empire tied the soldiers of the Blood Shadow Army to prevent them from escaping and making any moves. After doing all that, everyone glanced at Cale''s handsome face with admiration, veneration, and worship.


    This Duke Cale who had just come in their Celestial Sword Empire for less than a year managed to accomplish many astonishing deeds that it made everyone feel that it''s so hard to believe.


    First was his emergence as a Four-Elemental Saint. The news made everyone in the whole part of the Celestial Sword Empire feel an infinite amount of shock...


    The second was when he got the Holy Nourishing Crystal for the emperor. It was also reported by General Lexus that Duke Cale had killed countless Heavenly Winged Guardians inside the Cave of Endless Grievance.


    He also stopped the beast tide from destroying their Celestial Sword Empire. Furthermore, he had killed the Beast King who had caused terror and fright towards all of the citizens of the empire for many years.


    His feats were not so much, but all of which would surely be written down in the history books of the empire. His grand name would also be written down and would be passed to the next generation, making his name never be forgotten.


    * * *


    Demon Region of Shura.


    A young man with pale and purplish skin was seated on the throne made from flood dragons'' skulls. His chin was rested on his palm and he looked lazily at the three creatures in front of him.


    "Your majesty, the first batch of the blood beads are now ready." The one who spoke was a creature from the beastmen race. He dared not to look at the man seated on the throne for fear that he might get killed by doing so. In fact, it was not just him. The two creatures beside him were the same. They looked at the ground with thick beads of sweat covering their faces.


    When the young-looking man heard the words ''blood bead'', his eyes shone with interest.


    "Where is it? Present it to me." He said impatiently. He had waited for those things for many years...


    With the blood beads, he could finally heal himself and gain the necessary strength to shatter the void.


    The beastmen leader stood up right away and grabbed a small sack from his sleeves.


    "Your majesty, inside this small sack are the blood beads." He said with a slightly trembling voice as he stretched out his furry right arm to hand the small sack to the young-looking man.


    Azazel grabbed the small sack from the beastmen leader''s furry right hand with an expectant look on his face. He then opened it impatiently and was greeted by the sight of several dozen small beads that were blood-red in color.


    His eyes gleamed with excitement at the sight of those blood beads, making his black pupils appear darker.


    "Hahaha! With these blood beads, I should be able to recover thirty percent of my full strength. And once I get my hands on those remaining blood beads, I will regain my full power! Hahaha!" Azazel laughed menacingly, revealing his sharp canines.


    He grabbed the blood beads inside the small sack and slowly opened his mouth. His mouth was later opened so wide that it can fit an a_d_u_l_t''s head!


    He then placed the blood beads in his mouth and munched on them like he was eating candies.


    The scene looked grotesque with Azazel''s huge mouth covered in reddish liquid that emitted a metallic scent similar to blood.


    In fact, these blood beads were made from the blood of countless living creatures! The purpose of these blood beads was to heal Azazel''s injury...


    After finishing all the blood beads, Azazel released a satisfied burp. He then licked his lips with his eyes shut tight.


    "I want more of these... Make sure that it won''t take long or else... Hehe!"  Azazel said with a greedy look on his handsome face.


    The three leaders kneeling down below trembled when they heard his words. They were afraid that this crazy demon might grow impatient and take their people''s blood to make those blood beads. So in order for that to not happen, they had to hasten the progress on extracting those blood from countless worlds...

 Chapter 187 - Trouble Comes

    The three leaders went out of the throne room with pale faces. Their legs almost buckled up as they stepped out of the room.


    Who wouldn''t be afraid of the infamous Demon Immortal, Azazel? It was already known by everyone that he had surpassed the Immortal-Class level. Such a strong expert could strike a strong amount of fear towards anyone!


    Because of Azazel''s existence, his Demon Empire became more and more rampant in their actions. They did all sorts of crimes that were condemnable by the heavens, but no one dared to oppose them.


    They had seen what had happened to those who had revolted. They were eaten alive by the low-level demons and their blood was s_u_c_k_e_d away from them to be made as blood beads... Not even bones were left behind...


    "Tepu, how is it going on your side?" The one who asked was someone who was short and green in color. He was about five feet in height and was completely green. He was the leader of the goblin race, Kupa.


    His beastly eyes were now painted with worry as he glanced at Tepu, the leader of the beastmen race.


    "It would take us another year to gather more blood beads. But with our current speed, the Demon Immortal might grow impatient and would instead feed my men to his low-level demons." Tepu shook his head with a remorseful look on his face.


    He was an expert at the peak of the Immortal-Class level, but he was powerless against Azazel who was now at the Earth Enlightenment Realm. He was not even worth mentioning compared to the latter.


    Kupa, the leader of the goblin race sighed. While the other leader remained silent.


    Azazel was holding them by the throat and they didn''t dare do anything foolish for fear that their people might be killed for their actions.


    They were once free people, but Azazel conquered their lands and took them under his wing to become his soldiers or to be precise... cannon fodder for his army in times of war.


    "Keep quiet, the both of you. We are still inside his castle. If one of his demons heard you, then you might not see tomorrow''s sunshine." The other leader spoke in a slightly fearful tone.


    After hearing his words, Tepu and Kupa shut their mouths and looked around the surroundings. They sighed in relief after seeing that no one was there.


    * * *


    Earth, somewhere in China.


    An imposing-looking tower stood erect amidst the luxurious buildings of Beijing. The tower''s name was written in bold and italicized capital letters, TYRANNICAL TOWER. Edgy as it may seem, this name was well-respected by all of humanity.


    The war just a few months ago was broadcasted to the whole world, making everyone know the contributions done by this tower''s people.


    They had single-handedly turned the tides of war and they had even managed to pacify the whole world.


    As of the moment, the Tyrannical Tower was like the king of Earth. Everyone wanted to train inside this martial arts holy land.


    After the war, martial arts became a worldwide trend and even the young teens were excited to learn something about it.


    More and more martial arts schools and dojos sprouted throughout the lands, but the Tyrannical Tower remained at the peak.


    Aside from the tower''s martial arts, their advanced weaponry and technology were also brought to light. Humanity saw their fighter robots and fighter drones in display, making them stunned and in awe.


    They had also seen the tower''s leader and they were surprised to learn that he was such a young man, but when they learned his strength, everyone went ''ooh'' and ''aah''...


    A young man stood on the topmost floor of the tower. He glanced at the horizon with a nostalgic look on his face.


    He still couldn''t believe that he had become the Tyrannical Tower''s supreme leader and the head of the Earth Alliance. Just a few months ago he was just a mediocre college student who had nothing noteworthy to boast. But because of one person, his life took a drastic change.


    "Cale, where are you now? I can''t continue this leader act anymore. Only you, my friend is perfect for this position." He muttered to himself with a sigh.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!"  Trevor removed the nostalgic look on his face and replaced it with a cold and calm look after he heard the knocking of the door. He had already grown used to this facade after becoming the tower''s supreme leader.


    "Come inside."


    After he spoke, a tall and bald man stepped inside the room with an urgent look. "Alliance head, I have brought grave news for you. This was sent by the Avran leader, Faramis."


    Trevor frowned, but he maintained his composure. "Speak, what is it?" He asked while looking at Vishnu.


    Vishnu bowed respectfully and said with a grave look. "More Avran people came to our planet. They numbered in thousands. Furthermore, one of them was at the Saint-Class level..."


    Trevor''s heart shook after hearing the words ''Saint-Class level''. This was the level of strength that he had yet to reach. He knew how strong the experts of such level.


    As of the moment, they have three Saint-Class level experts in the Tyrannical Tower, Vishnu was among them. The other two were the old drunkard Bu Fang and the Saint Commander Faramis.


    Despite the presence of these three experts, Trevor could not stop the sense of urgency rising inside his c_h_e_s_t.


    "Vishnu, call Old Man Bu. We need to meet with Saint Commander Faramis as early as possible. Time must not be wasted..." Trevor said with knitted eyebrows.


    Trevor fell on his chair with a pale face. "Are they coming once again? Cale, you have to move faster... or you might not meet this brother of yours again..."


    He then stood up from his chair and prepared himself to meet with Faramis.


    Things had to be done properly or their world might be thrown into chaos once again... He did not want to break the promise he made that day...

 Chapter 188 - Faramis Background

    "Saint Commander Faramis, the Alliance Head wants you to come to the meeting hall." A human soldier reported with a respectful look.


    Although this Saint Commander Faramis in front of him was not a human being, he had taught countless things to humanity''s soldiers regarding the Avran race''s weapons of war. Because of this, he gained the acknowledgment and respect from the soldiers of the Earth Alliance.


    Aside from his valuable information about Avran''s technology, Saint Commander Faramis was also not stingy in teaching the Earth Alliance about martial arts. Furthermore, his daughter taught the new pilots of the Alliance on how to effectively drive their new fighter robots. These merits alone were enough to gain the approval of humanity.


    Faramis nodded his head while glancing at the soldier with a warm look on his face. The soldier did not dare look at Faramis'' face for too long. The Avrans looked imposing and ferocious, especially this Saint Commander who emitted a stifling kind of aura.


    "I will go meet the Alliance Head right away." Faramis said in a mild tone.


    Despite the urgency of the situation, he was able to maintain his calm. Although the sudden appearance of the new Avran invaders was somewhat troublesome, Faramis wasn''t too worried.


    Earth still had two more Saint-Class level experts aside from him. And there was only one Saint-Class level expert on the newcomers, so he wasn''t that worried.


    After hearing Faramis'' answer, the soldier bowed his head lightly and left the room.


    * * *


    Inside the meeting hall were three persons. Each of them was wearing solemn expressions on their faces as if something terrible was about to happen.


    "What do you think is the reason for the sudden appearance of those Avrans?" Trevor tapped his fingers on the table as he asked in a grave tone.


    The two other people inside the room knitted their eyebrows after they heard his question. They also didn''t know the reason for the Avran''s sudden appearance, but they knew that it was definitely not something good for Earth.


    "Alliance Head, those aliens might be here to check the situation. But I''m not really sure myself about this conjecture." Vishnu said after a moment of thinking.


    Old man Bu remained silent, but the creases on his forehead became even more evident.


    "In that case, let''s just wait for Saint Commander Faramis. He might know something about this..." Trevor drummed his fingers on the table with a solemn look. This was something that he had learned from Cale after being together with him for more than several years. It has an effect on calming his state of mind.


    A few minutes later, Saint Commander Faramis came inside the meeting hall with an apologetic look. "Sorry I''m late, everyone."


    "We don''t mind the delay, Saint Commander Faramis. Please take a seat. We will discuss the events that had transpired." Trevor warmly said while looking at Faramis. He had a favorable impression regarding this Avran Commander.


    Saint Commander Faramis lightly smiled before he took his seat.


    "Saint Commander Faramis, just a few moments ago, we were talking about the sudden appearance of the Avrans. Do you know what might be the reason for this?" Trevor asked.


    Faramis'' countenance immediately turned serious. He roughly had an idea of what might have been the cause of this. "There are two opposing factions in the Demon Region. One was led by the Demon Empire''s emperor, the Demon Immortal Azazel. The second faction was led by Duke Vaal. Both of them were experts that had transcended the Immortal-Class level, but because of their different ideologies, a rift between the two was made.


    I am a subordinate of Viscount Geisler who was also serving the Duke, Vaal. I am one of the spies sent by the viscount to monitor the demon immortal''s actions.


    We were sent here to gather resources and also to use humanity''s blood to make the blood beads for the demon immortal. This blood bead is used to heal his injuries...


    Based on the Azazel''s personality, he might have grown tired of waiting and ordered his men to hasten the progress on getting these blood beads from multiple worlds..." Faramis told them a part of his background.


    Old man Bu and Vishnu knew who this demon immortal was. In fact, he was the reason why their worlds were now just a part of history...


    Trevor frowned when he listened to Faramis'' story. It seemed like there was something more that he didn''t know about.


    "So the goal of these new Avrans is to get these blood beads from our planet?" Trevor asked while taking a sidelong glance at Faramis.


    "You are correct, Alliance Head." Faramis nodded his head.


    "If what you said is true, then it might be troublesome if we left those Avrans roam freely on our planet. Do you have something in mind that could help us in this predicament, Saint Commander Faramis?" Trevor inquired.


    Faramis thought for a moment before his reddish pupils turned a shade darker. "Kill." He said in a cold voice.


    Trevor felt his heart constrict when he heard his cold voice. He didn''t know how his good friend Cale managed to subdue this Saint-Class level Avran commander. Faramis didn''t even dare to betray Cale despite his absence.


    Cale''s image became even more unfamiliar in his heart.


    Trevor erased his distant thoughts and glanced at the three people around him. "Looks like the three of you have already decided. Since that''s the case, we will proceed to exterminate this threat as soon as possible. We will begin the operation the moment we leave this room.


    Saint Commander Faramis, Vishnu, and Old man Bu. You three will take command regarding this mission. We must wipe out all of them and not allow them to go back to their planet!"


    Trevor was slowly becoming more accustomed to his position and everyone did not find it hard to obey him anymore. Furthermore, the growth of his strength was astonishing and it won''t take long before he breaks through to the Saint-Class level.


    "Yes, Alliance Head!" The three people inside the room answered in unison.

 Chapter 189 - Saint Commander Omri

    "So this is Earth? What a beautiful planet this is!" A tall and skinny Avran soldier exclaimed with a surprised look after he surveyed his surroundings. The other Avran soldiers were looking exactly like him at the moment.


    Their army was surrounded by a thick green forest with countless animals living within. The shade of the trees provided them with a cool sensation despite the warm temperature which made them feel comfortable and pleasant.


    These Avran soldiers were accustomed to the bleak and dreary lands of Shura making their first impression on Earth into that of surprise.


    The two worlds were not even comparable in terms of livability. It''s like comparing the brilliance of the moon to a little firefly.


    "Contact Saint Commander Faramis this instant! We must know the progress of their mission!" A tall and ferocious-looking Avran with a knife scar on his left cheek roared towards the Avran soldiers with a dark look.


    He was somewhat suspicious about what had happened to Saint Commander Faramis and his men. They hadn''t heard any news coming from their side after they left Shura. Furthermore, when they were still above ground, he saw that the planet was still in pristine condition which was contrary to what he had expected.


    He thought that this world would be in shambles and chaos, but right in front of his eyes was a beautiful blue planet with no hints of disturbances.


    This ferocious-looking Avran was Saint Commander Omri.


    He was stronger than Saint Commander Faramis in terms of battle capabilities, but he fell short in commanding an army. In addition to that, he was the type of leader that thinks using his fists. He believes in the ideology: The ones with the larger firsts had the final say.


    After hearing their commander, one of the Avran soldiers grabbed a spherical object from his pocket. He fiddled with it a few times before a projection of Saint Commander Faramis was seen in what looked to be a holographic image.


    "Omri, you still looked the same." The image of Saint Commander Faramis had a sneering look as he glanced at Saint Commander Omri.


    "Faramis, you haven''t changed. You''re still as weak as a housefly." Saint Commander Omri had a mocking look on his face as he glanced at the familiar face.


    The two Saint Commanders glared at each other as if the other party owed them money. In the end, Saint Commander Faramis shook his head and said with a serious expression. "I''ve no time to quibble with you, Omri. State the reason for your appearance in the world that I was tasked to conquer."


    Saint Commander Omri knitted his eyebrows and focused his reddish pupils towards Saint Commander Faramis. He did not see any difference in him and there were no signs that the other party was being manipulated.


    When he saw the perfect condition of Earth, he thought that something might have happened to Saint Commander Faramis and his men. But after being able to contact him, he grew a bit suspicious. Did this old man dare betray the Demon Immortal? He thought to himself.


    "Faramis, you were tasked by Viscount Geisler to occupy this world within fifty years, but a lot of things changed. As what I can see, there is no progress in this mission of yours." Saint Commander Omri spoke with his lips curved.


    Saint Commander Faramis frowned for a moment before he relaxed his tensed muscles.


    The other party was just the typical brawns for brains, so he did not think too much about his suspicions. Furthermore, he knew that the other party was merely mocking his incompetency for being unable to finish his mission.


    ''This old bastard hasn''t changed at all.'' Faramis thought while sneering inwardly.


    "I don''t give a damn about your opinion, Omri! Now, f_u_c_k off! This planet is under my jurisdiction and you don''t have any rights to meddle in my affairs regarding this world!" Saint Commander Faramis roared while looking straight at Saint Commander Omri.


    The Avran soldiers behind Omri felt the oppressive aura of Saint Commander Faramis even if he was merely a holographic image. They could feel his anger and disdain towards their commander. Although they felt humiliated and angry, they didn''t dare voice it out. The other party was, after all, a Saint-Class level expert. Just one punch from him would kill them in the blink of an eye!


    Saint Commander Omri remained unfazed amidst Faramis'' roar. Omri glanced at him with an ''I don''t care'' look on his face. "Faramis, I am under the orders of Demon Immortal Azazel himself. What rights do you have to oppose his commands?!" Omri roared back.


    Faramis felt his palms moistening after hearing the name ''Azazel''. He was the nightmare of everyone in the Demon Region for his evil deeds.


    Although his soul was telling him that Cale was unmatched under the heavens, he could not forget the fear left behind by Azazel. The man was, after all, an expert at the Earth Enlightenment Realm. Someone who could swat a peak stage Immortal-Class level expert with one finger to death.


    "In that case, what are you planning to do?" Faramis asked with a milder tone. He needed to act accordingly in order to not draw their suspicions. With their Saint Commander Omri''s limited intelligence, he believed that he could catch all of them unprepared.


    "Despite my unwillingness, I have to help you conquer this world in order to accomplish the task given by the Demon Immortal. Send me your location so that we can proceed with the next steps." Saint Commander Omri said.


    Faramis sighed and showed a complicated look.


    After inwardly complimenting himself for his splendid act, he then sent them a location through his communicator. "I will wait for you, Omri. Let''s see how strong you have become after all these years of staying idle in Shura." Faramis taunted before dropping the call without even waiting for the other party''s response.


    His last words carried a lot of meaning, but he didn''t want to waste his breath explaining it to Omri.


    On a lush forest, Saint Commander Omri clenched his fists tightly, causing snapping sounds to echo in the air. "Faramis, you''ve grown gutsier after not seeing me for many years." He muttered with a cold look on his face.

 Chapter 190 - Omri Rage

    "How was it, Saint Commander Faramis?" Trevor asked while glancing at the Avran middle-aged man in front of him.


    Faramis smiled and answered. "Just as I had expected, Alliance Head. Omri is an idiotic Avran man and he did not even believe in his instincts. I sent him a location and he will be there in less than two hour''s time with his soldiers.


    We will prepare a net to catch them in one fell swoop! That guy might be strong, but we have three Saint-Class level experts on our side. Let''s just hope that there won''t be too many casualties following this battle."


    Trevor relaxed a bit after hearing Faramis'' confident tone, but when the commander spoke the last sentence, Trevor could only sigh. They couldn''t control the outcome of the battle, especially with the other party''s strength. He didn''t know how many would die among their people, but everything was necessary for the safety of their planet.


    "Just make sure that everything will be as what you have mentioned, Saint Commander. And I hope that you can reduce the casualty rate as much as possible. You know that Cale doesn''t want to see his people dying." Trevor patted Faramis'' shoulder before he left to send orders to his men.


    Faramis saluted at Trevor''s receding figure and took note of his words in his heart. "His Lordship Cale is truly someone who values his people. Following such a man is my good fortune." He muttered to himself before he left to gather his men.


    Time must not be wasted, and they only had less than two hour''s time to prepare their plan.


    Faramis'' plan was to overwhelm Saint Commander Omri''s army with their Earth Alliance''s number. With that kind of surprise attack, even a well-trained army would collapse. Furthermore, they had three Saint-Class level experts on their side.


    * * *


    Inside an airborne battleship, Saint Commander Omri stood at the command center with a bewildered expression on his ferocious face.


    "Did you get the coordinates right? Are you sure that this is the place?" Saint Commander Omri asked the navigator who had a perplexed look as he surveyed the surrounding area. He then double-checked the coordinates provided by Faramis. Moments later, he frowned. "Saint Commander Omri, it appears that we were given the wrong coordinates."


    Saint Commander Omri''s eyes turned bloodshot and veins started popping on his face. His muscles spasmed as he clenched his fists in fury.


    "That damned Faramis dared to play a prank on me! I''ll kill that bastard!" Omri said through gritted teeth.


    "Bang!" A violent explosion suddenly rang out and it was followed by a series of warnings from the battleship''s system.


    All of the Avran soldiers inside the battleship cried out in surprise. They felt a strong force for a brief second that caused their battleship to receive heavy damage.


    "Warning! More than 90% of the battleship''s system has lost its functions!"


    "Warning! The electromagnetic disturbance caused the weapon system to malfunction! 96% of the weapon system is damaged!"


    "What the hell is going on?! Are we discovered by humans?!" Saint Commander Omri grabbed an Avran soldier by the collar and he asked him with a furious look.


    "Sa-Saint Commander Omri, we have been ambushed. I assume that Saint Commander Faramis have betrayed us and is already in cahoots with the humans in this world." The soldier responded in a slightly shaking voice. He could not believe that someone actually dared to betray the Demon Immortal.


    Omri frowned and threw the soldier with one hand. He then grabbed a spherical metal from his pocket and clenched it tightly with one hand.


    Following his actions, a super-advanced bionic armor attached itself to Omri''s body making him look like a futuristic cyborg. All of this happened in less than five seconds!


    "Faramis, I admire your bravery for having the guts to betray Lord Azazel, but today you will breathe your last!" Omri jumped out of the battle ship with a huge two-handed sword made from Z-Steel in his hands.


    More than 90% of the battleship''s system was disabled after that electromagnetic disturbance making it incapable of putting up a fight. Without its weapon system, the battleship''s power was instantly reduced to zero.


    In his rage, Omri immediately went out of the battleship to search for Faramis. He really wanted to skin the bastard alive for making him look like a fool.


    "Old bastard Faramis, get out and fight with me!" Saint Commander Omri snarled angrily as he hovered in midair.


    "Hahaha! Omri you old fool, you''re still as idiotic as before! Hahah!" A loud sneer full of contempt and disdain echoed loudly.


    Omri glanced towards his left and saw the familiar face of Faramis. The latter''s face was full of ridicule as he stared back at the former. The two locked eyes sending invisible sparks between their sights.


    Omri roared and tightly grabbed his two-handed sword. He flew towards Faramis and swung his giant sword with all his strength. The slash was filled with rage towards Faramis.


    Faramis smiled, but he didn''t dare behave carelessly against Omri. He was weaker than the other party and any slight mistake would cost him his life.


    Faramis took out an enhanced Energy Pistol behind him. This was a new creation from the dwarven blacksmiths. Its power was comparable to that of an Energy Rifle. Although it can''t significantly damage a Saint-Class level expert, an attack on his/her eyes would at least damage their sights.


    "Doov! Doov! Doov!" All three Energy Bullets were aimed at Omri''s eyes.


    Omri sensed the threat and he used his thick arms to cover his face from the attack.


    The other party was incensed and he immediately proceeded to take action without holding back his strength. Each of his attacks carried a strong amount of force that could incapacitate a low-level Saint-Class level expert! But with Faramis'' speed, Omri could not even touch his shadow.


    Meanwhile, on the other part of the battlefield, humanity''s soldiers were now engaged in a crossfire with the Avran soldiers.


    Humanity''s weapons of war underwent a drastic change under the leadership of the Earth Alliance. Powerful advanced weaponry was introduced to the military which greatly boosted the soldiers'' combat power. Aside from that, a lot of fighter robots can also be seen on humanity''s side. Leading them was Saint Commander Faramis'' daughter, Ailah.

 Chapter 191 - Ambushing Omri

    Violent collisions rang out as the two Saint Commanders fought. Among them was a tall and ferocious-looking Avran who was wildly swinging his gigantic two-handed sword. This Avran commander was Saint Commander Omri.


    A thick amount of hatred and humiliation was written on his face as he continued his relentless approach.


    The fact that he was played a fool by the old bastard Faramis made his blood boil with extreme rage.


    It must be said that both of them already had past disputes even before they became commanders. The Avrans also knew the reason for the irreconcilable hatred between the two Saint Commanders.


    Many years back then, the two of them were still young Avran soldiers. They were both talented in their own fields.


    Faramis was talented in the arts of stratagem while Omri was a peak fighter among the young Avran soldiers.


    Because they had different fields of expertise, there was no conflict between the two, but there was no friendship either.


    The fate of the two only collided at the sudden appearance of one person. She was someone with incomparable grace and matchless beauty in Avran standards. Both men took a liking to her at first sight. In fact, it was not just them. Countless young Avran men also succ_u_mbed to this beauty, but among her suitors, only two stood out. It was Faramis and Omri.


    The two men did their all to gain the beauty''s affection and it was when they started to oppose each other. In the end, she chose to stay with the refined and intelligent Faramis.


    Omri felt indignant and confused about her choice. He was much stronger than Faramis, but he wasn''t chosen in the end. Starting then, a seed of envy and rage sprouted in his heart.


    Although many years have passed, the two of them could not forget the events of yesteryear.


    * * *


    "Faramis! Stop running around like a scared cat and face this old man!" Saint Commander Omri shouted as he stared at Faramis hatefully.


    Saint Commander Faramis smiled in response and said in a mocking manner. "Old fool Omri, have you gone weak after staying idle in Shura that you can''t even catch this senior''s shadow?"


    His voice was crisp and full of ridicule as he stared back at Saint Commander Omri, but he was inwardly breaking in a cold sweat. The other party was still much stronger than him like before. Although his speed was faster than Saint Commander Omri, the difference in their power was not small. Any wrong move will place him in a disadvantageous position and it might even cause him his life.


    "Faramis, I''ll kill you! Argghh!" Saint Commander Omri violently swung his gigantic two-handed sword. His speed increased by several times and his strength also doubled instantly. He was beginning to take the fight seriously!


    Saint Commander Faramis hurriedly raised his sword and lightly moved to the side. He could not evade Saint Commander Omri''s attack, so he tilted his sword and took a side step to deflect the latter''s two-handed sword.


    "Shiiinng!"


    The two swords issued a loud shinging sound as the surface of the blades scr_a_p_ed against each other.


    Saint Commander Omri remained on his spot while Saint Commander Faramis took several steps backward. The former then looked coldly at the latter, his aura rising to a terrifying degree.


    "Whoosh!"


    Saint Commander Omri flashed towards Saint Commander Faramis while swinging his two-handed sword at the latter with ease.


    ''Shit! This old man is still as hot-tempered as before!'' Saint Commander Faramis cursed in his heart as hurriedly flew away from his previous spot.


    Saint Commander Omri hit the empty air but he was not disheartened. He executed another sword swing, refusing to give Saint Commander Faramis a room to breathe.


    ''Damn! Just a little more! Once this old fool is too occupied with our fight, I will immediately signal Vishnu and the others to launch their attacks.


    Although he felt a bit of discomfort at the thought of ambushing his old rival, the words of Cale reverberated like a sacred imperial decree in his heart. "Faramis, protect my home planet during my absence."


    ''I don''t want to kill you this way Omri, but his lordship''s wishes come first.'' He felt a wave of disturbance in his heart, but he steeled himself and he put on a determined look.


    "Now." Saint Commander Faramis silently whispered in his communicator as he charged towards Saint Commander Omri.


    The latter was taken aback at the sudden charge. It must be said that Saint Commander Faramis was only evading his attacks during their confrontation. So he was surprised at this unexpected turn of events. He also felt a sense of uneasiness in his heart, but he did not dare take Saint Commander Faramis lightly. Although the other party was much weaker than him, the disparity in their strengths was not that great. Saint Commander Faramis was still capable of injuring him severely.


    Saint Commander Omri smiled hideously and did not cower at the face of Saint Commander Faramis'' attack. He brandished his gigantic two-handed sword while roaring like a furious tiger.


    "Roaarr!"


    Not far away, behind the clouds were two people dr_a_p_ed in battle armor. One of them was a bald man with a hulk-like physique while the other one was an old man with an amicable appearance. They were Vishnu and Old man Bu.


    "It''s the signal! Let''s go, old man!" Vishnu said excitedly before he flashed towards Saint Commander Omri with a huge mace in his hands. He was a general in his previous life and he was a man born for battle. Just the thought of killing a Saint-Class level expert already excited him so much!


    Old man Bu shook his head lightly and smiled before he followed behind Vishnu. A hideous-looking sickle emerged in his right hand.


    "Hmm?!" Saint Commander Omri felt two strong auras locking on him. He felt his hairs stood on end as he tried to move away.


    Saint Commander Faramis did not allow him to escape and slashed his Z-Steel sword forward.


    "Old bastard Faramis! You spineless coward dare to conspire with the human experts?!" Saint Commander Omri uttered a furious howl as he blocked Saint Commander Faramis'' attack.


    He felt the two Saint-Class level experts rushing from behind him. And he was certain that they were the experts of the human race.

 Chapter 192 - Clash of Saints

    Saint Commander Faramis felt a wave of discomfort in his heart when he heard the furious shout of his old rival. He stared at Saint Commander Omri with a look of regret, but then his eyes turned resolute.


    ''Omri, I don''t want to end it this way, but I have to. If there''s a chance that we meet again in our next lives, I promise to give you the fair battle you deserve. Sigh!'' Saint Commander Faramis sighed in his heart as he tightened his grip on his Z-Steel longsword.


    Vishnu violently swung the gigantic mace towards Saint Commander Omri. His eyes flashing with a manic light.


    It has been very long since he had fought with someone so much stronger than him. Just the thought of it made his blood boil in excitement.


    This war general was famous in his world for his violence towards his enemies, and the giant mace in his hands was the nightmare of whoever fought with him.


    "Die!" Vishnu shouted ferociously.


    Saint Commander Omri turned around and lifted his two-handed sword to block Vishnu''s mace.


    "Bang!" A violent explosion rang out as the two weapons collided.


    Saint Commander Omri remained in his position while Vishnu was thrown a few meters away despite him initiating the attack.


    ''This man is much stronger than I thought! So that''s why even Faramis was cautious towards him.'' Vishnu thought as he spun in midair to balance himself. He then stared at Saint Commander Omri in a new light.


    Old man Bu did not waste the opportunity after seeing Vishnu being thrown away. He dashed towards Saint Commander Omri with his sickle in his hands. The blade of his sickle shone and it reflected a greenish hue. The sickle was dr_a_p_ed with a poisonous liquid he personally concocted during his idle time!


    Sensing the danger behind him, Saint Commander Omri backed away while looking at Old man Bu''s direction.


    ''Ho, this young lad''s senses are sharp. Not bad!'' Old man Bu was a bit surprised, but he did not stop his approach. He cast a sidelong glance towards Saint Commander Faramis and Vishnu and saw that the two of them were already dashing towards Saint Commander Omri.


    The latter took their attacks head-on while deflecting the slashes aimed at his throat and eyes. He did not even bother blocking the slashes aimed at his torso since he was fairly confident in the defensive ability of his bionic armor.


    "Clang! Clang! Clang!"


    A series of shockwaves were produced as the four Saint-Class level experts fought it midair.


    Despite being outnumbered, Saint Commander Omri was able to fight the three experts on a standstill.


    ''Crap! The sneak attack failed! I didn''t know that his strength advanced this much after a few years of nothing seeing him! And with that bionic armor on him, we could barely deal damage to his body. '' Saint Commander Faramis thought as a dropped of sweat rolled down his cheeks.


    On the other hand, Saint Commander Omri was also feeling tensed. He might be stronger than the three experts in terms of individual power, but with the three of them joining hands to fight with him, he could barely defend his vulnerable spots. And without his bionic armor, he might have already received a fatal injury.


    ''This damn bastard Faramis actually dared to betray the Demon Immortal Azazel! What a crazy fool!'' Saint Commander Omri cursed Saint Commander Faramis in his heart.


    * * *


    As the battle between the four experts continued, the two armies were also engulfed in a brutal crossfire. Energy bullets and energy missiles were being fired causing loud explosions in the air. The sky was enveloped by crimson lights and violent explosions rang out from time to time, making the mortals down below scared at this unexpected phenomenon.


    This stuffs only happened in sci-fi movies but it was happening right above them! Numerous media personnel took their cameras out to record the fight above.


    With the fight being broadcasted live all over the world, humanity was once again enveloped by a wave of fear.


    They haven''t forgotten the war against the aliens a few months back then. Millions of humans died during that war and some countries were still on the stages of rebuilding.


    The new head of the Earth Alliance, Trevor showed himself in front of the media and told the people to stay inside their homes. He also told them that the Earth Alliance''s forces were already prepared against the new invading aliens.


    His words pacified the people somehow, but they were still nervous after knowing that a battle against aliens was happening once again.


    The appearance of Trevor towards the media wasn''t part of the plan, but he had to reassure the people that everything was under their control to prevent panic from spreading out.


    Trevor might be young and inexperienced in leading a huge force, but after undergoing the training of several experts under Cale, he grew into a capable and charismatic individual. Even those people who opposed his leadership before were now convinced with his capabilities.


    After pacifying the people during his interview, Trevor turned around and walked away with the soldiers of the Earth Alliance.


    The magnificent line-up of soldiers escorting him brought a series of admiring glances from the media personnel.


    ''Cale, where are you? I can''t play this Alliance Head role as well as you do. Don''t take too long my friend...'' Trevor suddenly thought of his mysterious best friend who was now absent for several months.


    * * *


    A devilishly handsome young man with long silver hair was sitting on his luxurious sofa with his eyes closed in p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e as a lithe woman wearing a translucent veil massaged his sore back.


    "Achoo!" Cale rubbed his nose with his hands after sneezing unexpectedly.


    "I might catch a cold, but is that even possible?" Cale murmured to himself as he enjoyed Aurora''s gentle massage.

 Chapter 193 - Remorseful Faramis

    "Roaaarr!"


    Saint Commander Omri shouted with an enraged look on his face. He coldly gazed at Saint Commander Faramis as if he couldn''t wait to slash him into pieces.


    His body was starting to feel numb from the continuous attacks of the three Saint-Class level experts. He might be wearing his bionic armor, but it could not lessen the shock his internal organs would receive from the three experts'' powerful attacks.


    "Omri, stop your struggles! You are serving the wrong lord and he does not deserve your loyalty and service! Surrender and I can plead the Alliance Head to spare your life!" Saint Commander Faramis shouted after a moment of consideration.


    Saint Commander Faramis knew Omri too well after fighting with him for many years. Saint Commander Omri might be hot-tempered and idiotic, but he never did anything underhanded during their confrontations before. After more than a decade of fighting against him, Saint Commander Faramis began to admire his old rival. He thought that the man did not deserve to die this way, so why not just imprison him inside the tightly guarded headquarters of the Earth Alliance?


    "Old bastard Faramis, don''t waste your breath! You know that I will never betray the Demon Immortal Azazel! Besides... You... You stole Ayesha from me!" Saint Commander Omri glared at Saint Commander Faramis with his hands tightly clutching his two-handed sword.


    When Saint Commander Faramis heard the name, his face froze and contorted with a look of remorse.


    Seeing his look, Saint Commander Omri frowned and felt a sense of foreboding.


    "What happened to her?!" He asked with a raging look.


    Old man Bu and Vishnu hovered beside Saint Commander Faramis while looking cautiously at Saint Commander Omri who was moving slowly towards them. When the two men were about to attack, a strong hand grabbed their shoulders firmly, making them pause their actions. They turned around and saw Saint Commander Faramis shaking his head with a small sigh escaping his breath. They were both confused, but they decided to trust him.


    Saint Commander Faramis stared at his old rival with a look of nostalgia, but it was soon replaced with regret.


    His changing facial expressions did not escape the sights of Saint Commander Omri.


    He realized that something terrible must have happened to evoke that kind of reaction from the man he had fought for many years. He did not want to hear it, but he wanted to confirm if his guess was right. He might be an unintelligent Avran, but after seeing Saint Commander Faramis'' look when he mentioned Ayesha''s name earlier, he knew that something bad must''ve happened.


    Saint Commander Omri hovered three meters away from Saint Commander Faramis while Old man Bu and Vishnu tactfully backed away to give the two men some privacy.


    "Ayesha... Is she... Is she dead?" Saint Commander Omri asked with a slightly shaking voice.


    Saint Commander Faramis'' eyes moistened after hearing the name once again. He clutched the Z-Steel sword in his right hand tightly that veins started to protrude from his blue arm. He recalled the beautiful face of his wife and her sweet voice as she called him ''husband''. Sweet memories flashed inside his head, making him unable to control his emotions. A roll of tear slid down his left cheek and his eyes turned vacant.


    Saint Commander Omri''s body shook after seeing his rival acting that way. He also knew what Faramis'' silence meant.


    Ayesha is already dead...


    The fearless and daunting Saint Commander Omri lost his grip on his two-handed sword and he looked as if he was struck by lightning.


    She was the reason why he thirsted for more power. He trained his combat skills and physical strength to the limit in order to make her realize that she chose the wrong man.


    All his blood, sweat, and tears were for her...


    But now he learned that she''s dead...


    Pain...


    Regret...


    Saint Commander Omri grabbed his c_h_e_s_t tightly that his unbreakable bionic armor almost caved-in. He felt like he was torn...


    ''Ayesha...''


    Saint Commander Faramis was not feeling any better. He saw everything that happened on that day. He saw her caring smile towards him as she was forcefully taken away. He was powerless and he regretted being weak.


    He thought that he might be able to saver her, but then news came to his ears that his wife died after being humiliated. As for the culprit...


    "Who killed her?! Who killed her?!" Saint Commander Omri clutched Saint Commander Faramis'' collar and asked the latter with a dark look.


    Vishnu was about to make a move when Old man Bu stopped him while shaking his head. Vishnu gritted his teeth, but he decided to not make a move.


    Saint Commander Faramis stared back at his old rival''s eyes with a look of hatred. "The Demon Immortal Azazel... The emperor of the Demon Region... The lord you serve..."


    After hearing the culprit''s name, Saint Commander Omri''s heart skip a bit and he unconsciously released his grip on Faramis'' collar. He took a few steps back as he clutched his head with his two hands.


    "Ayesha... No! This can''t be..."


    In his rage, Saint Commander Omri took a step forward and punched Saint Commander Faramis'' face.


    "Bang!" Saint Commander Faramis was thrown a few meters away but he was able to balance himself. The punch woke him up from his emotional state. He then stared at Saint Commander Omri and remained silent.


    Old man Bu and Vishnu remained hovering in their spots despite them wanting to step forward, but they knew that Omri''s punch was not meant to kill Faramis. With his strength, he could have killed Faramis with that punch.


    "Omri, I need your strength. We may not be able to kill Azazel, but I''m confident that my lord Cale is capable of doing that. But Lord Cale can''t face Azazel''s forces alone, we have to be there to hold back Azazel''s generals. Lend us your strength... Omri..." Saint Commander Faramis said.


    Saint Commander Omri felt conflicted, but then he recalled the smiling face of a beautiful lady. He clenched his fists tightly and stared at the man who claimed her heart with a small sigh escaping his breath.


    "For Ayesha, I will help you with your cause."


    Saint Commander Faramis smiled weakly as he sheathed his Z-Steel sword.


    The two commanders then ordered their army to a ceasefire.

 Chapter 194 - Shameless

    After hearing the order for a ceasefire from their commanders, the two opposing armies were left standing in their spots with an awkward atmosphere lingering in the air.


    Just a few minutes ago, they were aiming their weapons at each other, but now, they have to act as if nothing happened.


    They didn''t know what kind of agreement their two commanders talked about to reach such an ending, but nonetheless, the soldiers of the two armies sighed in relief.


    "Just so you know, I''m doing this for Ayesha and not for you, you damned bastard!" Saint Commander Omri muttered before he turned his communicator on to give a series of commands to his subordinates.


    Saint Commander Faramis rolled his eyes at the stubborn Avran in front of him. His lips curved into a smile at the unexpected result of the battle. He then glanced at Vishnu and Old man Bu who were now curiously looking at him. He knew that both of them were waiting for him to answer their curiosity, but it was not a good place to talk about it.


    Everything will have to wait until both armies were put into order.


    * * *


    A week later after the fall of Amro Doomblade. All of his illegal activities slowly came to light and everyone connected to his illegal dealings were all given a death sentence.


    Everyone also learned to their horror that the third prince Amro Doomblade''s influence almost took half of the imperial family. Of course, all of them were similarly put to death.


    The Celestial Sword Empire was slowly reorganizing its officials due to the past events. This time, the imperial family was more meticulous in choosing them, afraid that something similar might happen once again.


    The Blue Cloud City who received the most damage during the war was now being rebuilt under the supervision of the crown prince Elyon Doomblade. His sister, Princess Michelle was also there to assist him.


    * * *


    Just a few distance away from the imperial castle stood a luxurious manor.


    The guards guarding the gate looked proud as they gazed solemnly at the pedestrians walking outside. They couldn''t be blamed for their attitude since they were serving the Celestial Sword Empire''s hero, the Unfettered Duke, Cale.


    Inside the manor, in Cale''s room.


    ''The empire''s problem has now been dealt with. So now, I have to proceed with my plans. My cultivation at the moment is now at the late stage of the Immortal-Class level. Zero and Aurora are both on the same level as me, while the rest are all between the early stage of the Immortal-Class level and the mid stage of the Immortal-Class level. Our present strength should be enough to fight against Azazel''s men, but it''s nowhere near enough if we wanted to kill him. The man himself was at the Earth Enlightenment Realm according to Aurora... The difference in our strength is still too great. Furthermore, he has millions of demons serving under him and that is excluding the few races he enslaved. How could I gain that much support...'' Cale was deep in his thoughts when he heard a knock from his door.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    "Come in." He said as he sat on a chair while looking at the veiled beauty who stepped inside his room.


    Aurora remained calm under the scrutiny of her lord. She was already used to his naughty attitude, and after his growth in cultivation, she could no longer read his exact strength.


    "My lord, here''s your coffee." Aurora greeted Cale warmly as she handed him the cup of coffee.


    Cale smiled as he enjoyed the steaming hot coffee that was personally brewed by Aurora.


    Aurora remained standing and eagerly watched him enjoy the coffee she made. She could not understand the strange feeling of happiness and proudness when she saw that the coffee she carefully brewed was being savored by Cale.


    Cale emptied the cup of coffee before handing the empty cup to Aurora with a pleasant smile on his face.


    "I didn''t know that you were this good in brewing coffee. Starting tomorrow, bring something like this to me every day." Cale praised as he rubbed her head gently. Of course, his hand was swatted away after a brief second of contact.


    Cale smiled awkwardly and sat back on his seat.


    Suddenly, Cale''s playful eyes turned serious.


    "Aurora, how do you think can we expand the growth of our army? Currently, we only have a few hundred guards inside this manor. And even if we include our forces on Earth, it should only be a little more than a hundred thousand. With our present strength, we could barely contend against one of Azazel''s demonic armies." Cale said.


    Aurora thought for a moment and answered. "My lord, we can slowly develop our forces by inviting elites to join our army. But of course, we have to inform the Celestial Sword Empire about this if we plan to do it in order to avoid making them suspicious. Furthermore, the empire can also become our ally in the fight against Azazel."


    "If only we have much time then we can do that. But with the current progress of things, I can assume that Azazel would hasten his plans." Cale sighed.


    Aurora similarly sighed and muttered silently. "If we could just convince the races he enslaved to ally with us, then our odds of winning will be high..."


    With his acute senses, Cale''s eyes brightened when he heard Aurora''s words. "Right! The soldiers he enslaved should be around a million. If we can gain their support, then the only problem remaining would be his Earth Enlightenment Realm cultivation level... Aurora, you''re a genius!"


    Cale stood up and hugged the cold beauty tightly in his moment of happiness. A


    Aurora was too shocked to do anything and she could only helplessly hide her face in Cale''s c_h_e_s_t.


    As for Cale, it was too late for him to realize was he has done, but after seeing that Aurora did not reject him, he shamelessly held her for long.

 Chapter 201 - The Emperors Plan

    Emperor Aventus glanced at the hundreds of bottles piled neatly on the throne room before he turned to glanced at the smiling young man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail. ''This... There should be half a thousand bottles of Heavenly Restoration Wine here! How did Duke Cale manage to make this much amount of wine in a short amount of time? Perhaps there is someone working under him who is responsible for making this.'' Many thoughts flash in Emperor Aventus'' head.


    "Why are you showing me this, Duke Cale?" The emperor asked probingly as he glanced at Cale.


    Cale smiled and shook his head. "Your Majesty, I''m not showing this to you. I am giving all these bottles of wine to you."


    When the emperor heard Cale''s words, his calm heart almost leaped out of his c_h_e_s_t. But the emperor still maintained a neutral expression as if he was unaffected by what he had heard.


    Cale praised the emperor''s calmness in his heart.


    It was very rare to find someone who could remain calm in the face of countless treasures. As a man who had seen much of the world and experienced the vicissitudes of time, Emperor Aventus was surely among the few kinds of these people.


    Emperor Aventus glanced at the hundreds of bottles piled neatly on the throne room before he turned to glanced at the smiling young man with long silver hair tied in a ponytail.


    "Duke Cale, this is too much for a gift. Not to mention, if you want the help of ten Immortal-Class level experts, they would gladly offer themselves to you without payment. How can I accept this from you?" Emperor Aventus shook his head.


    Cale already expected that the emperor would reject his gift at the first moment, but he truly meant to give these bottles of wine to the Celestial Sword Empire.


    His arrival in the Celestial Sword Empire already sealed the empire''s fate against Azazel. It only meant that they opposed Azazel and supported Cale''s goal. So, to somewhat alleviate the guilt in his heart, Cale decided to give half a thousand bottles of Heavenly Restoration Wine to the empire.


    It might seem a lot to the emperor, but to Cale, even a thousand bottles were nothing. He could simply buy them in the Black Market. Of course, he had to pay 1 Crystal Coin for each bottle.


    "Your Majesty, I will be honest with you. Five hundred bottles of Heavenly Restoration Wine is nothing to me. The Celestial Sword Empire might not lack experts, but after the recent incidents, the overall strength of the Celestial Sword Empire was significantly weakened. These five hundred bottles will help the empire nurture more experts who can replace the ones who died or those who were severely injured." Cale said with a stern look.


    When the emperor heard Cale''s words, he agreed in his heart. With the five hundred bottles of Heavenly Restoration Wine, he could nurture another batch of experts loyal only to the empire.


    Emperor Aventus glanced at Cale and sighed as he spoke. "Since this is the case, I will accept Duke Cale''s kind intentions. Don''t worry, if a battle arises between you and Azazel in the future, the Celestial Sword Empire will gladly assist you."


    Cale smiled and remained unperturbed even after hearing the emperor''s promise. Of course, he was happy about the outcome and he no longer needed to worry about the imperial family regarding his future plans.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty. As long as I am here in the Celestial Sword Empire, I will not allow anyone to harm it and its citizens." Cale promised solemnly.


    Emperor Aventus smiled and was comforted at Cale''s words. He knew that Cale was a man of his words, so he did not need to be worried about Cale going back on his words.


    "Duke Cale, about your plans in expanding your military strength, I have thought about how you can do this." Emperor Aventus said with a smile.


    Cale was intrigued as he listened to the emperor''s plans.


    Cale was still nodding his head as the emperor spoke, but then his gaze turned somewhat peculiar after the emperor ended his speech.


    Emperor Aventus chuckled internally after seeing Cale''s expression. It was rare to see that kind of expression from the empire''s hero and top expert.


    And indeed, the emperor would never forget that look on Cale''s face even after many years has passed.


    Emperor Aventus glanced at the receding back figure of Cale with an amused smile on his face before he sat back on his throne. He then glanced at the five hundred bottles of Heavenly Restoration Wine with a wide grin. "Duke Cale... You''re truly an interesting person. Perhaps my Celestial Sword Empire will flourish with your presence here. As for the matter regarding Azazel, I can only hope that my intuition is correct this time."


    After a short period of silence, the emperor summoned one of his most loyal servants inside the throne room.


    A kind-looking middle-aged man dressed in plain white robes came inside the throne room. He had a graying hair that signified his long years of living.


    With a subservient look on his, he kneeled in front of the emperor. "Greetings, Your Majesty."


    Emperor Aventus glanced mildly at the kind-looking middle-aged man. "Old Han, keep these bottles of wine inside the imperial treasury. The safety of these bottles will be entrusted to you. Don''t disappoint me."


    Of course, after the recent theft event, the defenses of the imperial treasury was fortified. Not to mention that the kind-looking Old Han was also a late-stage Immortal-Class level expert!


    "I obey, Your Majesty."


    * * *


    Cale went out of the throne room with a distracted look on his face.


    "Emperor Aventus, what a wise old man you are... You''re even wiser than the old general Lexus... But this is also good. If I follow your plans, my future expansion will be much easier." Cale smiled as he looked at the horizon with his piercing gaze.

 Chapter 202 - Embers Human Form

    Cale flew back to his residence after his discussion with the emperor.


    As Cale was about to land on his manor, he heard a mighty roar that resembled the roaring of a dragon.


    A huge figure that was at least three times larger than the elephants on Earth can be seen flying towards his direction. Its muscular body was covered by ash black scales that looked many times harder than Z-Steel. Its head had two sword-like horns that gleamed with a ferocious vibe. The beast looked like a giant horse except that it had sharp claws and long saw-like teeth. This beast was non-other than Ember, the Brutal Armored Pegasus that Cale subdued while they were on the Death Forest!


    Translucent black flames covered Ember''s body as it stood before Cale with puppy eyes.


    If anyone saw this scene, their eyeballs would surely pop out of their sockets in shock.


    That was because Ember was already at the late-stage of the Immortal-Class level! The Brutal Armored Pegasus evolved once more after breaking through the Immortal-Class level. It now looked even more ferocious!


    Cale stroked Ember''s cold scales with a pleased smile on his face. "You''re almost as strong as me now, Ember. Good! The Holy Nourishing Crystal provided you with a lot of benefits indeed. But if I give you more of it now, I''m afraid that it will no longer be of help."


    As Cale was deep in his thoughts, he realized that the cold scales of Ember suddenly felt smooth and soft in his hand. He turned his gaze in front of him and realized that Ember transformed into a beautiful young woman!


    She looked like a young woman in her late teens. She had a long black hair reached her toes and it fluttered as the wind blew. She had a reddish-black pupil that fit her perfectly. Her beauty almost surpassed the elven standards and even Cale felt somewhat surprised by her looks. She was wearing a long black dress which made her look like an emissary of death. This was Ember''s human form!


    Savaged beasts evolve by consuming the flesh and blood of other beasts or if they consume a natural treasure. The talents of savage beasts also depended on their bloodline. If they had the bloodline of a primordial beast, then their paths would be much smoother.


    As for Ember, she was a pure-blooded Brutal Armored Pegasus! A primordial beast from the Ancient Era. Although her kind was significantly weaker compared to the Immemorial Celestial Dragons, Heaven Burning Phoenix, White Tiger Sovereign, and the Black Tortoise, they were still someone with the primordial bloodline. That was also why Asteria was so surprised when she sensed the primordial bloodline of Ember.


    Primordial Beasts were very rare during the Ancient Era and they were even more so rare at present. So Cale was very lucky to subdue one when it was still young!


    "Ember, is this your human form?" Cale''s right hand which was still on top of Ember''s head turned stiff as he asked the evil-looking young woman in front of him.


    "Yes, Master." Her voice was definitely not on the angelic or soothing type. It had a charming feel to it that would make the ones with weaker wills lost and spellbound


    Her expression was neutral and indifferent, but there was a trace of warmness to it when her gaze was on Cale''s face.


    "That''s good! Let''s go back home, Ember. The others might have misunderstood your loud roar earlier." Cale smiled with a teasing look on his face.


    Ember''s face remained expressionless, but her cheeks turned a shade redder.


    Cale smiled after seeing that. He then gestured for her to follow him inside the manor.


    Not long later, a few strong auras flew towards them. They were Aurora, Zero, Brogen, Atlas, Nocturna, Zarinvienne, and even Wenren Wushuang was there. They had wary looks on their faces as they surveyed the surroundings.


    Among the seven of them, the strongest was Aurora who was already at the peak-stage of the Immortal-Class level. She was followed by Zero and Brogen who were both at the late-stage of the Immortal-Class level. Atlas and the two ladies, Zarinvienne and Nocturna were surprisingly also at the late-stage of the Immortal-Class level!


    Cale thought that it was only Zero who had grown a lot. To think that all five subordinates who came with him from Earth were now at the late-stage of the Immortal-Class level!


    Cale smiled after seeing their growth. The cultivation resources he had provided them were not wasted at all.


    "It''s His Lordship. But who is the lady beside him? And why do I feel a terrifying demonic aura from her?" Zero muttered silently, but his words were loud enough for the others to hear.


    "Greetings, my lord." The group greeted in unison with respectful looks.


    Cale waved his hand and smiled. "It appears that everyone reaped bountiful harvests in your cultivation."


    Aurora and the others remained silent while Brogen spoke with a wide smile as he scratched the back of his head. "It is only after using your lordship''s cultivation resources that our strength improved by leaps and bounds."


    The other six nodded their heads slightly in agreement.


    Cale shook his head and said with a smile. "I''m comforted with the growth of you guys, but I hope that you won''t be reckless in improving your cultivation. Although we are pressed by time, too much haste might bring unnecessary trouble in your road to cultivation. You guys must keep this in mind."


    All seven of them nodded their heads before they bowed at Cale.


    "We have learned a lot from your words, my lord." Atlas said with a subservient look.


    Cale chuckled at his words. He then dragged Ember who was standing behind him as if she was his shadow.


    "Enough with the flattering words. This lady in front of you is someone you guys know." The seven people knitted their eyebrows in confusion when they heard Cale''s words.


    "She is Ember." Cale said while looking amusedly at their stunned expressions.

 Chapter 203 - Emperors Bliss

    "So this lady here was the horse that we encountered near the Dark Forest?" Zarinvienne asked playfully while she glanced at Ember''s profile with a curious look.


    Zarinvienne was honestly surprised by her beauty that even overshadowed her and Nocturna. ''Perhaps only Aurora was someone in her level...''


    Brogen glanced at Ember and then at the three ladies beside him before he turned to glance at Cale. ''Sigh! His Lordship is truly lucky to gather these bunch of peerless beauties. Even the emperors in my planet paled in comparison to his luck.''


    Ember''s eyes flashed when she heard Zarinvienne''s words.


    "I''m not a horse! I''m a Brutal Armored Pegasus. One with a pure primordial bloodline." Ember slowly said as she glanced at Zarinvienne with a dark look while the latter merely stuck her tongue out.


    The others stifled their smiles that their lips twitched into different angles.


    Cale smiled amusedly as he looked at them. ''It appears that they will go along well.''


    "Okay, stop teasing Ember, Zarinvienne. I still have something important to tell you guys. This is something that the emperor planned in order to hasten our expansion plans." Cale said with a stern look.


    Seeing his serious expression, Zarinvienne and the others did not dare joke around anymore. They nodded their heads and followed behind Cale as he walked inside his manor.


    Cale brought the group to a spacious hall.


    The room was still empty, but Cale planned to make the room as their special meeting hall. All of their plannings and meetings will be held inside this room.


    Cale waved his right hand causing the materialization of nine ordinary-looking wooden chairs. He then gestured for the group to take a seat as he sat down on his own chair.


    "In a few days, the emperor will order for our people to subjugate the holy lands that aided the second prince''s rebellion. There were four big holy lands and a few smaller ones that aided the second prince in his rebellion. Our task is to eliminate their leaders and those loyal to them. For those who surrender, we will give them leeway and incorporate them into the Celestial Sword Empire. Of course, the emperor has his ways on how to make them loyal only to the empire." Cale placed one of his legs on top of the other and tapped his fingers on the arm of the chair.


    Aurora and the others listened carefully to what Cale said.


    "My lord, you mentioned that this was the emperor''s plan that could help us in expanding our influence and army. We may be able to gain a lot of influence by subjugating those holy lands, but how will this help us in expanding our forces?" Zero asked with a thoughtful look on his face.


    Among Cale''s subordinates, Zero was the one with the most meticulous thinking. As a natural-born assassin, he was equipped with a natural talent for extensive planning. Assassins like himself had to plan out things before they could execute their assassination.


    Cale praised Zero''s wisdom in his heart.


    "Good question. Indeed, the subjugation of those holy lands will not allow us to expand our forces right away, but that was merely the first step of the emperor''s plan." Cale said with a smile.


    "The second part of the emperor''s plan is that he will give me a more important position in the Celestial Sword Empire. With that, there will be no problems with our expansion plans. Perhaps we might even be able to gather a few experts at the Immortal-Class level. As to what position the emperor plans to give me... You will know soon." Cale continued with a mysterious look.


    Zero nodded his head as he listened to what Cale said. ''It appears that the prosperity of the Celestial Sword Empire was not out of luck, but because there is a wise man helming the empire from above. Emperor Aventus, I have underestimated your intelligence...'' Zero thought to himself with a pondering look.


    * * *


    Inside the imperial treasury, a kind-looking middle-aged man was carefully putting the bottles of Heavenly Restoration Wine on the shelf filled with immortal pills.


    This middle-aged man was Old Han, one of the emperor''s most trusted subordinates. He was curious about the bottles of wine, but he refrained from asking the emperor about it. All he knew was that Duke Cale came inside the throne room to talk with the emperor about certain matters.


    "These bottles of wine might have been given by the Unfettered Duke Cale. I wonder what are they used for. His Majesty even asked me to personally safeguard these bottles of wine... Well anyway, I will know when the right time comes." Old Han muttered to himself.


    * * *


    Inside the throne room, Emperor Aventus was seated on his throne. He was holding a bottle of Heavenly Restoration Wine in his hand with a smiling look.


    "It has been a while since I last tasted this wine. The old geezer from the Mercenary Guild Old Zhang also got one bottle from Duke Cale, but he was too stingy and refused to give me a bit. Now that I have hundreds of these, I wonder what kind of expression that old bastard will have." Emperor Aventus who was usually dignified now had a cunning smile on his face.


    The emperor unscrewed the bottle of wine before he inhaled its contents.


    A familiar calming aroma assailed his nostrils.


    He felt energized and full of spirit after a brief moment of inhaling the wine. "What a peerless wine indeed! Who could have made this heavenly treasure? It''s either he is an expert or a genius. What a brilliant person!"


    The emperor lifted the bottle and placed it on his lips.


    "This is bliss..."

 Chapter 204 - Visitors

    After telling his trusted subordinates about what he had talked with the emperor, Cale went back inside his room to cultivate.


    "Asteria, how long do you think will I need to reach the peak of the Immortal-Class level?" Cale asked with his eyes closed.


    A small figure emerged standing on top of his head. It was the fairy form of Asteria.


    Asteria sat on Cale''s head with a pondering look on her face. "With your cultivation resources and talent, I think you will need a month to breakthrough. Although this is merely an assumption based on my current understanding of you, the possibility that I''m correct is high."


    Cale remained silent but he agreed with Asteria''s guess. He was quite certain that he would need a month to reach the peak of the Immortal-Class level. Of course, this was if he wouldn''t have to do anything besides cultivating.


    But with the current progress of things, Cale was certain that the emperor would ask him to do something. As to what it was, he already roughly knew it.


    ''According to Asteria, the Immortal-Class level is merely the foundation for becoming a true immortal. Although it has the word ''immortal'' in it, it does not mean that one will gain eternal life. An Immortal-Class level expert can command the power of the elements which ordinary cultivators aren''t capable of doing. True immortality is when a cultivator cultivates his Nascent Soul and reaches the Earth Enlightenment Realm.'' Cale thought to himself.


    ''Once a cultivator is able to cultivate his Nascent Soul, he/she will have an extra life. If his physical body was destroyed, he can just let his Nascent Soul slowly gather universal essence to slowly recreate a physical body. Just that it will take countless years before a new body will be recreated.''


    Cale sighed and shook his head. "I''m not even at the peak-stage of the Immortal-Class level yet. As for Azazel, he''s already been at the Earth Enlightenment Realm for many centuries. As to what his exact level of mastery is, I''m completely uncertain."


    "Knock. Knock. Knock."


    Cale opened his eyes and stood up with a thoughtful look on his face. "Come inside."


    Zero came inside and he bowed respectfully at Cale. "My lord, sorry to disturb your cultivation, but someone wishes to see you."


    Cale was a bit surprised, but he still put on a calm look. "Oh? Tell them to wait for me in the guest hall. I will be there shortly."


    Zero acknowledged and went out of the room respectfully.


    "Who could it be?" Cale muttered to himself.


    Inside the guest hall of Cale''s manor, two men were waiting with a hint of excitement on their faces.


    One was a handsome middle-aged man with had short blonde hair. There was a black demonic sword strapped behind his back which emitted a baleful aura.


    The other one was a man with countless sword scars on his body. He had a ferocious appearance like an untamed wild lion.


    When the two of them heard familiar footsteps coming towards them, they hid the excitement on their faces.


    Zero smiled at the two of them and said. "Apologies for making you both wait. His Lordship is already on his way here."


    The two men''s eyes lit up when they heard Zero''s words.


    "We don''t mind at all, Lord Zero." The handsome middle-aged with short blonde hair said with a cordial smile.


    Beside him, the ferocious-looking man nodded in agreement.


    Zero smiled and shook his head. "Gentlemen, I''m no lord. I''m just a subordinate of Duke Cale. Just call me Zero."


    The two men were not surprised at Zero''s humble attitude and his respectful look when mentioning Cale''s name. Even the two of them were fearful and in awe at Cale''s strength.


    "In that case, please pardon us, Mr. Zero." The blonde middle-aged man said with a smile.


    Zero shook his head helplessly at their respectful attitude. He couldn''t blame them. Cale''s name had already rocked the Celestial Sword Empire. Even a few surrounding holy lands outside of the Celestial Sword Empire have heard of Cale''s thunderous reputation.


    The three men exchanged words as they slowly befriended each other.


    Zero felt the two men''s sincerity so he didn''t oppose the thought of making friends with them. Furthermore, they needed stronger allies for their cause.


    "It appears that my two visitors are actually an acquaintance of mine." A man''s voice filled with charisma echoed inside the guest hall, slightly startling Zero and his two new friends.


    They glanced at the newcomer as they stood up respectfully.


    "We greet you, Duke Cale." The two men greeted as they glanced at Cale.


    Cale glanced at the handsome middle-aged man with short blonde hair. He was the first expert that his group encountered when they first stepped foot on Shura. The man who led an expedition in Manu Town, the former eleventh Adamantine-Rank mercenary, Alucard.


    He had a good impression of Alucard. He was even the one who gave them a recommendation letter which made their entrance to the Celestial Sword Empire much easier. Without Alucard''s recommendation letter, Cale''s group might have encountered a bit of resistance before they would be allowed to enter the Celestial Sword Empire.


    Although Alucard was only at the early-stage of the Immortal-Class level, he was capable of fighting against mid-stage Immortal-Class level experts if he wields his demonic sword. He might even have the chance of winning against them!


    Cale then examined the ferocious-looking man.


    Cale smiled when he saw him. This man was the former first Adamantine-Rank mercenary, Cellan.


    Cellan now looked meek at the presence of Cale which was a stark contrast to their first meeting. Cellan doubted Cale''s strength at that time and challenged him to a fight which ended in him losing in a single move of Cale. Starting then, his attitude towards Cale took a drastic turn.


    "Alucard, Cellan, what brings the both of you here?" Cale asked as he gestured for the two men to sit down.


    Zero stood respectfully behind Cale while Alucard and Cellan found themselves a seat.


    Although Cale already guessed the reason for their visit, he still asked them to ensure that his guess was right.

 Chapter 205 - Cellan And Alucard

    Alucard and Cellan glanced at each other and nodded their heads.


    "Duke Cale, I don''t know if you still recall our bet when I challenged you. I told you that if I lost to you in one move, I will follow and serve you." Cellan spoke with a bit of embarrassment. Recalling how arrogant he was back then, he couldn''t help but scold himself internally. Thankfully, Cale was not a petty person.


    Alucard who was listening at the side was surprised to hear it. During the meeting of the top experts of the Celestial Sword Empire, only those at the Immortal-Class level were invited to participate. Alucard was still on his cultivation retreat at that time, so he didn''t hear any news about their battle. So when he heard that Cellan, the former first Adamantine-Rank mercenary lost in one move, Alucard was quite surprised. Even Duke Shutra of the Ignius Family wasn''t capable of doing that.


    Cale nodded his head at Cellan''s words. He indeed recalled their bet at that time, but he didn''t take it to heart. Who knew that Cellan was quite the persistent fellow and he didn''t forget their bet. Although Cale praised him for being a man of his words.


    "Cellan, I didn''t forget about our bet, but the stakes at that time was unfair on your side." Cale shook his head with a smile.


    Cellan glances at Cale with a firm look and stated helplessly. "Duke Cale, please permit me to follow you. If you don''t accept me, my dao heart might be severely implicated..."


    Cellan didn''t have problems with serving Cale at all. Contrary to that, he even wished to become one of Cale''s subordinates. Heck! Who doesn''t want to follow someone with limitless potential? Not to mention that Cale was also very young.


    Cale sighed and nodded his head when he felt the helplessness in Cellan''s tone. He could understand the man''s thoughts.


    "In that case, I will accept you under my wing, Cellan."


    The dao heart was something intangible, but it brings a great impact on a cultivator''s life. If his dao heart was firm and solid, then his future cultivation would surely have less bottleneck, but if a cultivator''s dao heart was shaky and full of doubts, then he would be stuck in his cultivation and may even regress if not treated seriously.


    Cellan felt jubilant after hearing Cale''s approval. He even failed to mask the wide grin on his ferocious face.


    Cale then turned his glance towards Alucard. The latter smiled and said. "Duke Cale, I have the same intentions in coming here. Honestly, I was present during your fight with the Beast King. I saw that glorious battle that shook the surrounding lands. I can still vividly recall it and it always makes me thrilled. Furthermore, I learned a lot during that fight and it was also because of that battle that I broke through my bottleneck to reach the Immortal-Class level. I came here in hopes of serving under you to thank you for your help."


    Cale shrugged his shoulders and shook his head with a smile. "Since I have already accepted Cellan as one of my people, how can I reject you. In fact, we still have to thank you for giving us your recommendation letter before. Without that, we might have been barred entry to the Celestial Sword Empire."


    Alucard chuckled at Cale''s words and he felt elated in his heart. Following Cale would surely make his progress much faster.


    "Since the both of you are now part of my people, I shall not be stingy. Here, take this as a gift from me." Cale laughed as he gave them each a bottle of Heavenly Restoration Wine.


    Cellan and Alucard glanced perplexedly at the ordinary-looking bottle of wine. The bottle had no inscriptions or engravings that could enhance the wine inside it, but they strangely feel that there was something more about it.


    "Duke Cale, this wine bottle... Although it looks ordinary, I feel some sort of extraordinariness about it... This must not be simple..." Cellan''s brows were furrowed as he studied the bottle in his hands.


    Alucard might be slightly weaker in cultivation, but he also felt the strangeness of the bottle. "Indeed. This bottle must be made of a material that is not present here on Shura. Because if it was, I should have known it."


    Cale merely smiled at them and refused to speak. He himself didn''t know how the bottles were made. It was something that he bought from the Black Market for one Crystal Coin.


    (Remember 1 Crystal Coin = 1 Billion Black Coins)


    Cellan who was a man fond of wines unscrewed the bottle with a hint of expectation on his face.


    ''Since the wine bottle was already of high quality, the wine itself shouldn''t be that bad either.'' Cellan thought to himself.


    "This... What is this?!" Cellan who was normally calm, unintentionally increased the volume of his voice after he felt the weird changes in his body when he inhaled the wine''s aroma.


    Alucard was surprised at Cellan''s expression so he also opened the bottle in his hands. Not long after, his face looked even more exaggerated than Cellan''s.


    "Holy shit... What kind of wine is this?!" Alucard''s eyes widened as he exclaimed.


    "The both of you may consume it later." Cale said.


    Cale then cast his glance at Zero and said to him. "Zero, go with them and arrange their lodgings. Make sure that they are treated with care."


    Zero nodded his head in acknowledgment. "Yes, my lord."


    Cellan and Alucard smiled in embarrassment at their exaggerated expressions. They then kept their Heavenly Restoration Wine carefully as if it was fragile jade.


    Zero nodded at the two and said. "Gentlemen, please follow me."


    Alucard and Cellan nodded their heads at Zero before they bowed at Cale. "Goodbye, Duke Cale. Just call us if you need to get something done."


    Cale smiled and gestured for the both of them to leave.


    While watching their departing backs, Cale''s eyes flickered.


    "The both of you might have something to work on right away." Cale muttered with a grin on his face.

 Chapter 206 - The Next Three Sword Movements

    Cale went back to his room to resume his cultivation. He didn''t have the time to properly cultivate during the last few days because he was always occupied by certain matters.


    "Hopefully, no one will disturb me this time. His Majesty might summon me in a day or two, so I should prepare for that as well." Cale sighed and shook his head. Although he was quite busy, he wasn''t downhearted.


    All these things must be done in order to accomplish his d_e_s_i_r_ed goal. It might be troublesome for him, but as long as it would help him in his future endeavors, Cale didn''t mind the time he sacrificed.


    "Cale. I have something to tell you, but you have to listen carefully to whatever I''m about to say." Asteria''s solemn voice echoed inside Cale''s head.


    Cale was surprised since it was quite rare to hear Asteria becoming so solemn after they came to Shura. He nodded his head and said. "Go on, I''m listening."


    "The Devil Arcanum Sword Movement that you bought last time was just the first three sword movements of this sword skill. This sword skill has a total of twelve sword movements, but you are still unqualified to see the rest of the sword movements." Asteria said coldly.


    "Then why are you telling me this if I''m still unqualified to see it?" Cale asked in an exasperated tone.


    "Yes you''re not qualified yet, but maybe if you reach the peak-stage of the Immortal-Class level then your body may be able to barely handle it if you execute the fourth sword movement. I''m not completely sure about this, but since you have the Advance Form of Sword Intent as well as the Nascent Soul, I''m at least sixty percent sure that you will be able to execute the fourth sword movement. Of course, you can only execute it once. Any more than that may possibly make your physical body break from the pressure." Asteria said as her fairy form materialized in front of Cale.


    Cale abruptly opened his eyes and gave it some thought. Asteria definitely had her reasons for telling him about this, but even if he asked her, he would only receive her mocking glance. Nonetheless, her words were definitely tempting for Cale, and mastering the fourth sword movement would surely increase his strength by leaps and bounds.


    Although Cale wasn''t completely sure if mastering the fourth sword movement of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement would be enough to stand against Azazel, but at least Cale had the chance to barely stand against him. The problem is that his physical body might not be able to bear the burden of forcefully executing the fourth sword movement. That''s why Asteria told him that he only had the ability to execute it when he reaches the peak-stage of the Immortal-Class level.


    "Show me the next sword movements of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement, Asteria." Cale stared at Asteria and spoke calmly. His eyes radiated with a fierce look as his elemental essence unconsciously leaked out of his body.


    Although the elemental essence around Cale was invisible, the air inside his room became heavy.


    Low-level experts might be suffocated if they stood beside Cale at this moment!


    Asteria remained unperturbed at his fluctuating emotions. She then waved her tiny arms causing several holographic prompts to appear in front of Cale.


    Ding!


    *Devil Arcanum Sword Movement


    Fourth Sword Movement: Formless Wind Sword Dance


    Sixth Sword Movement: Shapeless Void Traversing Sword Stroke


    - 3000 Crystal Coins


    Cale''s eyes almost bulged out of their sockets after seeing the insane price of the next three sword movements of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement.


    Cale swallowed down his saliva discreetly and his emotions quickly subsided after seeing the price.


    "Asteria, I think you accidentally added another zero. It should just be three hundred Crystal Coins, right?" Cale asked with a bitter look on his face.


    Asteria''s lips twitched as she replied in a slightly disdainful voice. "You bumpkin! You don''t even know the real worth of this sword skill! The whole of the Divine Realm would be embroiled in a turmoil just to get this sword skill!"


    Cale smiled ruefully after hearing Asteria. He shouldn''t have spoken the words in his head to prevent her from mocking him. Anyway, he was already used to it so didn''t take it to heart. With a slightly heavy heart, Cale spoke. "Buy it for me. I don''t care about the price anymore. Just buy it for me. It''s just three thousand Crystal Coins anyway. I can earn it back after I hunt those Heavenly Winged Guardians."


    Asteria''s disdainful gaze warmed up a bit after hearing Cale''s words. She nodded her head as Cale spoke but when he said his final sentence, her expression turned strange.


    "No! Cale, there is a limit on how many times you can exchange a specific kind of item." Asteria said in a cold voice.


    "What?! But you didn''t tell me anything about this before!" Cale said in an unfriendly tone.


    "It''s because all those things you exchanged before isn''t even worth twenty thousand Crystal Coins! The exchange limit for a specific item is twenty thousand Crystal Coins. I can''t accept any more than that." Asteria replied coldly.


    Cale sighed and shook his head.


    Cale thought that he could just hunt a few Heavenly Winged Guardians to offset his losses, but who knew that Asteria would suddenly drop this kind of information.


    Although it was quite a pity, Cale also thought he was too greedy. He also had to maintain a calm state of mind for his cultivation to not stagnate or slow down.


    "Just give me the next three sword movements already." Cale helplessly sighed while looking at Asteria. He couldn''t blame her as well. In fact, Asteria had already helped him quite a number of times.


    Asteria''s lips slowly curved to form a smile as she nodded her head slowly. "Good! I know you will say that."


    After that, a formless and imposing sword intent descended onto Cale''s body as a sword-shaped cl_u_s_ter of light hovered in front of him.


    It slowly penetrated into Cale''s head, causing him to wince and grit his teeth in pain.


    Despite the recent increase in his strength, the pain he was feeling right now was somewhat unbearable, but Cale''s willpower wasn''t superficial. With that, he was able to tide through the pain after several hours.


    With his body covered in thick layers of sweat, Cale flashed a smile and said. "Great!"

 Chapter 207 - Eunuch Li

    Cale visualized the three sword movements that he had just learned. His eyebrows were tightly knitted, but the smile on his face was clearly evident.


    Cale was fairly satisfied with the strength of the three sword movements, especially the fifth and the sixth sword movements. Just that he couldn''t forcefully execute those two even if he reaches the peak of the Immortal-Class level. If he does, the consequences would be unimaginable. Even just executing the fourth sword movement would already drain his elemental essence and break the limits of his physical body, how much more the next two sword movements?


    "Formless Wind Sword Dance... What a fitting name for such a grand and elegant move! Whoever made this Devil Arcanum Sword Movement, he may have been a true sword prodigy without equal even in the Divine Realm." Cale felt astonished after he assimilated the next three sword movements of the Devil Arcanum Sword Movement.


    Although he was still incapable of executing the three sword movements, he already knew that the three sword movements were the strongest that he had ever seen. Perhaps, he has the chance to stand toe to toe against Azazel when their fight comes.


    Cale shook his head and removed the unnecessary thoughts in his head. He slowly immersed himself in his newly gained sword skill and incorporated each and every move in his mind.


    ''The essence of this fourth sword movement lies in manipulating the element of wind. But it''s not that simple as it seems. One must visualize a formless and gentle wind. But the gentleness of this wind hides the most brutal and fearsome sword intent that could even kill top experts... What an interesting move! Formless Wind Sword Dance, brilliant!'' Cale exclaimed in his heart.


    The truth about the fourth sword movement was like the flower Aconitum. It might look beautiful and perfect, but behind its beauty lies something terrifying. Even Cale felt a bit afraid of this sword move for its cunning facade.


    "Now that I learned a new sword skill, I should just use the remaining Crystal Coins to purchase cultivation resources for my people." Cale muttered to himself.


    Asteria who was quiet at that time suddenly emerged in front of Cale with a beaming look on her face. She smiled widely while nodding contentedly as Cale spoke.


    Oblivious to Asteria''s actions, Cale silently contemplated what he would do in the following days.


    "Asteria use my remaining Crystal Coins to buy the necessary cultivation resources for my people. Remember, only those that can be used by them must be bought." Although Cale trusted Asteria, he still emphasized the importance of this purchase by slowly phrasing his words.


    Asteria nodded her head with a radiant smile like a little girl who was given ice cream by her parents. "I know! I know!" She said.


    Cale shook his head and smiled at the sight of her foolish expression since it was quite rare to see Asteria act like that now.


    ''Asteria, just who are you?''


    * * *


    The next day, an initial-stage Immortal-Class level eunuch showed up in front of Cale''s residence. Although the eunuch was here on under the emperor''s orders, he did not dare act arrogant at all. Because the Unfettered Duke Cale, the owner of this residence was the hero of their Celestial Sword Empire. Aside from that, his strength was said to be equal to the emperor himself. Thus, as haughty as he might usually be, the eunuch remained especially meek and courteous in Cale''s residence.


    "Under the orders of His Majesty, I have something to tell to the Unfettered Duke." The eunuch''s shrill voice contained a sense of pride as he announced the reason for his visit.


    After hearing the eunuch''s words, the entrance guards of Cale''s residence respectfully allowed him to go inside.


    "So it''s Eunuch Li! We welcome your arrival here to Duke Cale''s manor." A manly voice filled with strength echoed beside Eunuch Li''s ears.


    Eunuch Li squinted his eyes and stared at the direction where the voice came from, but when his eyes locked onto the voice''s owner, his originally disdainful heart skipped a beat.


    The man had a rough appearance similar to a farmer who had gone through a lot in life. He was smiling brightly at Eunuch Li and his eyes were filled with hidden sword intent.


    ''A sword expert at this level is actually living here in Duke Cale''s manor?'' Eunuch Li was surprised when he felt Wenren Wushuang''s strength.


    Aside from being an initial-stage Immortal-Class level expert, Eunuch Li also felt that Wenren Wushuang was a top sword cultivator. Eunuch Li hurriedly concealed his surprised expression and put on an amiable smile as he said. "It appears that Duke Cale has trained quite a few top experts in his residence. I wonder what this brother''s grand name is."


    Wenren Wushuang might be an itinerant cultivator before, but he had already seen Eunuch Li quite a few times during special occasions. Thus, he already knew who he was after taking a glimpse of him.


    Wenren Wushuang chuckled in his heart, but he still maintained his bright smile. "I''m not a noteworthy man at all, Eunuch Li. This lowly one''s name is Wenren Wushuang and I am one of Duke Cale''s subordinates. I apologize for my rough welcome."


    Eunuch Li''s mouth twitched, making his smile look crooked. "Not bad at all! Not bad at all! Brother Wushuang is a man of talent, so don''t undermine yourself by saying this."


    Wenren Wushuang smiled and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture and said. "Please allow me to escort you inside the manor, Eunuch Li."


    Eunuch Li nodded his head and replied. "After you, brother Wushuang."


    Wenren Wushuang led Eunuch Li inside the manor while also intentionally showing the training field where their soldiers were practicing.


    Eunuch Li was surprised to see the soldiers training on the field. Although there wasn''t a lot of them, their strength was definitely stronger than the Celestial Sword Empire''s common soldiers. If these hundreds of soldiers were incorporated in the empire''s ranks, they would at least be at the squad leader level!


    Wenren Wushuang smirked after seeing the change in Eunuch Li''s expression. ''Baldy, no one is allowed to act arrogant inside Duke Cale''s manor. Not even the emperor''s subordinates.''

 Chapter 208 - Mission for Duke Cale

    Eunuch Li was certainly amazed by the strength of Cale''s soldiers. They were also doing all sorts of exercises that were unknown to him.


    ''How did Duke Cale train these hundreds of experts? Furthermore, I can sense that their foundation is quite stable. That means, their strength was not forcefully increased. Impossible!'' Eunuch Li could hardly maintain his indifferent facade.


    Eunuch Li shook his head and turn his glance away from the practicing soldiers. He then glanced at Wenren Wushuang''s back with a suspicious look on his face. ''Did this guy intentionally show this to me?''


    Wenren Wushuang who was silently laughing in his heart led Eunuch Li in the manor''s guest hall.


    Eunuch Li glanced around the hall with slightly squinting eyes.


    "Eunuch Li, just give me one moment to inform Duke Cale about your arrival." Wenren Wushuang smiled as he left Eunuch Li who was still checking every inch of the guest hall.


    Not long after Wenren Wushuang left, two beautiful ladies dressed in maid attire walked towards Eunuch Li with pleasant smiles on their faces. "We greet you, Eunuch Li. Do you want to have anything to eat or drink as you wait for Duke Cale''s arrival?"


    Eunuch Li studied the two maids and nodded his head in approval. ''Duke Cale has good taste indeed. Aside from that, these two ladies are also Divine-Class level experts. That''s quite impressive since they only work as his maids.''


    Eunuch Li smiled at the two ladies and said in a joking tone. "You don''t need to bother. I will wait for Duke Cale to arrive without anything. I believe he won''t let me wait for long."


    After hearing his words, the two maids smiled at him and bowed before they left.


    Eunuch Li didn''t have to wait for long before Cale arrived inside the guest hall with a dignified look on his face. His lips curved up to form a faint smile that showed his confident stature. His long silver hair swayed to and fro as he walked towards Eunuch Li.


    Following behind Cale was Wenren Wushuang.


    Eunuch Li gulped after seeing Cale and sensing his overflowing charisma and strength. He then stood up and bowed slightly. "I greet you, Duke Cale."


    Cale nodded his head slightly and gestured for Eunuch Li to sit down, but the latter waited for Cale to sit down first before he did as he was told. This was a sign of respect towards someone who had a much greater strength and authority.


    "What brings you here, Eunuch Li?" Cale asked with a smiling look.


    "Duke Cale is indeed a straightforward person. The reason I am here is that His Majesty is requesting Duke Cale''s presence in the imperial hall. His Majesty might have something important to tell Duke Cale." Eunuch Li said seriously.


    Cale smiled and nodded his head as he thought to himself. ''So His Majesty is starting his plans today. But it''s better this way. The earlier he starts to act, the more time we''ll have to expand our forces later.''


    "Oh, since that''s the case. Let''s go to the imperial palace right away, Eunuch Li." Cale said.


    Eunuch Li nodded his head.


    * * *


    An hour later, Cale arrived inside the imperial palace''s throne room with Eunuch Li escorting him.


    "Your Majesty, I have arrived with Duke Cale." Eunuch Li bowed towards the emperor as he announced in a loud feminine voice.


    Emperor Aventus stood up from the throne and nodded his head at Eunuch Li. "Thank you, Old Li. You may take your leave for now."


    Eunuch Li left the throne room after bowing respectfully at the emperor. He also gave Cale one last look as he left the throne room.


    "Duke Cale, you might have already guessed the reason for your arrival here. Anyway, we will start our plans today." Emperor Aventus said with a stern look.


    Cale nodded his head and said. "Your Majesty, so what do I have to do in order to get much influence inside and outside the Celestial Sword Empire?"


    The emperor''s stern eyes flashed for a brief moment as he turned to look at Cale. "Duke Cale, do you remember the holy lands and great sects that joined my second son''s revolution several weeks ago?"


    Cale''s eyebrows furrowed after hearing the emperor''s words. He glanced at the emperor with a look of enlightenment.


    "Your Majesty, you mean..." Of course, Cale was merely acting. He already knew the emperor''s plan right from the beginning.


    Emperor Aventus nodded his head. "You''re right, Duke Cale. I want you to lead an army to eliminate their forces. Those evil forces that wanted a piece of my Celestial Sword Empire''s land should be rooted out of this planet!"


    The emperor was feeling a bit emotional right now. Cale didn''t know if it was because of remembering the late second prince or because of the emperor''s anger towards those holy lands and great sects that invaded their empire.


    "I understand, Your Majesty. I will lead an army to eradicate those forces. Although my stay here wasn''t long, I''ve already treated this place as my second home. Whoever made the empire suffer, I will make them suffer a thousand times more." Cale said in a calm voice, but surprisingly enough, even Emperor Aventus felt slightly fearful at his calmness. The emperor felt like he was facing a lush and verdant forest that was full of unknown.


    Nonetheless, Emperor Aventus'' expression didn''t change. With the same dignified look on his face, he nodded his head at Cale''s words. "With your words, I feel at ease. Duke Cale, I allow you to lead General Lexus and his Dual Sword Army to eradicate the enemies of our Celestial Sword Empire!"


    Cale glanced at the emperor and nodded his head. "I''ll follow your arrangements, Your Majesty."


    "With Duke Cale leading the Dual Sword Army, I am at ease." The emperor smiled.


    "Just wait for my victorious return, Your Majesty." Cale chuckled with a confident look on his face.


    On that day, Cale led General Lexus and his Dual Sword Army. Their mission was to eradicate the holy lands and great sects that joined the second prince''s revolt.


    The news sent the whole of the Celestial Sword Empire into a huge commotion.

 Chapter 209 - The Second Elders Worry

    Cale rode on Ember in her Brutal Armored Pegasus form as he led the Dual Sword Army outside the Celestial Sword Empire.


    On Cale''s left side were the old general Lexus and his two deputies. On Cale''s right was Wenren Wushuang who had an excited look on his face. Behind them were thousands of dual sword-wielding soldiers dressed in silver and gold plated armors.


    "Duke Cale, where should we go first?" General Lexus glanced at Cale who was now clad in his striking Void Wolf Immortal Armor. The latter looked like the messenger of death himself with his armor on.


    Cale did not glance at General Lexus as he pondered deeply on the old general''s words.


    "There were four holy lands and great sects that aided the second prince''s revolt. They were the Rising Sun Supreme Hall, Blue Ocean Palace, Blue Jade Holy Land, and the Titan Sect. Among the four of them, the weakest is the Titan Sect with Rising Sun Supreme Hall being the strongest. Since the Titan Sect''s location is also the nearest, let''s head there first." Cale said after thinking deeply.


    General Lexus and his two deputies nodded their heads in acknowledgment while Wenren Wushuang merely glanced at Cale in excitement.


    After seeing his expression, Cale knew that the swordsman was itching for a fight. Wenren Wushuang broke through the initial-stage of the Immortal-Class level for quite some time already, but he was yet to test his strength since he was only staying inside Cale''s manor. That was also why Cale brought him to this mission.


    "Wenren, relax your fighting intent. The Titan Sect might be the weakest among the four, but they still have quite a number of experts at the Immortal-Class level. Although their sect master is already dead, their vice sect master is also someone at the late-stage of the Immortal-Class level. Remember that safety comes first." Cale looked at Wenren Wushuang sternly.


    Wenren Wushuang took a deep breath and nodded his heavily. He was indeed craving for a good fight, but after hearing Cale''s words, he hurriedly calmed himself down.


    Cale nodded his head in satisfaction after seeing Wenren Wushuang''s reaction. He then turned his gaze to General Lexus and his two deputies. "These words also apply to the three of you. Your safety comes first. But don''t worry, before anything happens, I will be there immediately."


    After that short interaction, their expedition towards the Titan Sect started.


    * * *


    Inside the Titan Sect.


    "Sect Master! Sect Master!" A disoriented and shaking voice echoed in the sect master''s abode.


    Some cultivating elders were awakened by the loud voice which incurred their disp_l_e_a_s_u_r_e. But after seeing who it was, their gazes warmed up a bit.


    "Second Elder, what''s with the urgency?" The new sect master of the Titan Sect asked in an unfriendly look. This new sect master was Song Bi, he was formerly the vice sect master of the Titan Sect, but after their late sect master died at the hands of Emperor Aventus, he rose into position.


    "Se-Sect Master Song, the...the Dual Sword Army of the Celestial Sword Empire is coming towards our sect. They clearly harbored ill intentions." The second elder said in an urgent voice.


    After the second elder''s words came out of his mouth, the sect master''s abode became quiet.


    "Did you say the Dual Sword Army?" An elder spoke in a slightly arrogant tone.


    The second elder nodded his head and replied. "Yes, it''s indeed the Dual Sword Army."


    Sect Master Song heaved a sigh of relief. He then said in a confident tone. "If it''s just the Dual Sword Army, we can still make amends with them. If they choose to fight our sect, then they will have to pay a heavy price for it. So if it''s the old general Lexus leading them here, he should be smart enough to talk it out with us instead of fighting against us."


    The other elders nodded their heads at Sect Master Song''s words. Indeed, the strength of their Titan Sect was still not to be trifled with despite losing their late sect master.


    At the moment, the Titan Sect had eight experts at the Immortal-Class level. Among them, five were at the initial-stage of the Immortal-Class level, two were at the mid-stage of the Immortal-Class level, and Sect Master Song was at the late-stage of the Immortal-Class level.


    The second elder sighed helplessly and shook his head with a despondent look. It seemed like he aged considerably in that instant. "It won''t be a problem if it''s just General Lexus leading them. But the Celestial Sword Empire''s new duke, the Unfettered Duke Cale is the one leading the Dual Sword Army."


    "What?!"


    "The Unfettered Duke Cale?!"


    "Why does it have to be him?!"


    Sect Master Song and the elders exclaimed in fear after hearing the second elder''s words.


    "Wait! It''s not yet hopeless!" Sect Master Song said in a grave tone.


    "The news about this new Unfettered Duke Cale came from the mouths of the people from the Celestial Sword Empire. Don''t you find it too suspicious for someone to suddenly rise so fast in power? I think this is merely the Celestial Sword Empire''s plot in order to maintain a deterrence to the outside powers. Although this Duke Cale might be an expert, his strength shouldn''t be as exaggerated as the rumors say." Sect Master Song touched his chin with a thoughtful look.


    The elders'' eyes brightened when they heard Sect Master Song''s words.


    Only the second elder maintained a frowning expression because he was the only one who saw Cale. ''That''s what I believed at first, but when I glanced at this Duke Cale from quite a distance away, he turned to look in my direction and flashed a smile at me. I know he detected my presence at that time despite being so far away. But how can any random expert be capable of doing that? That guy is a monster! The rumors weren''t exaggerated at all! In fact, it''s an understatement...'' The second elder thought to himself.

 Chapter 210 - How About Ten Sword Winds?

    The second elder did not voice out his thoughts as it won''t change the outcome of their fates.


    The moment he saw that bone-chilling smile from Cale, the second elder knew that their Titan Sect would no longer exist. He wanted to escape to save himself, but he had grown attached to the sect after staying within for more than a century.


    ''It looks like this the end of my old life. But it''s not that bad if I think about it. At least I will be reunited with my wife and daughter...'' The second elder glanced at the horizon with a gaze full of longing. He then turned to look at the direction of the Dual Sword Army, his eyes flashed with a savage glint. ''Even if I die, I will die a glorious death!''


    * * *


    The Titan Sect was situated in the tallest peak of the mountainous region of Sidapa Mountain Range. Even normal cultivators might find it hard to trek the steep mountains of this place, but it was not a problem for the Dual Sword Army.


    Cale glanced at the towering building of the Titan Sect. It was surrounded by thick walls in all directions and it also seemed to be protected by an array formation.


    From an outsider''s point of view, the Titan Sect seemed to be an impenetrable fortress, but in Cale''s eyes, it was just nothing but a thin piece of fancy-looking paper.


    Up above the walls were numerous experts from the Titan Sect. They all had resolute looks as they faced the Dual Sword Army. Leading them was an old figure dressed in grey robes. This old man was the new sect master of the Titan Sect, Song Bi.


    "So this gentleman right here must be the new duke of the Celestial Sword Empire, the Unfettered Duke Cale. It''s a p_l_e_a_s_u_r_e to meet you here. I''m the new sect master of the Titan Sect, Song Bi. Do you have something to talk with us, Duke Cale?" Sect Master Song smiled amiably.


    The elders behind Sect Master Song glanced at the silver-haired man clad in a striking black armor with squinting eyes. They could not fathom the depths of this silver-haired man no matter how they looked at him. The thought of it made them slightly fearful.


    Cale smiled in response and said in a calm voice devoid of any ripple. "I would love to have a chat with Sect Master Song, but unfortunately I have already promised His Majesty to fulfill my mission."


    Sect Master Song wasn''t angered by Cale''s words. He still looked at Cale with the same amiable smile. "If you don''t mind me asking, what might be the emperor''s mission for you, Duke Cale?"


    Cale''s smile widened as he replied in a freezingly calm voice. "To eradicate you all."


    Sect Master Song''s eyes contracted after hearing his words.


    It wasn''t just him, all the elders and disciples of the Titan Sect felt their hearts leap out of their c_h_e_s_ts.


    Only the second elder remained indifferent as he looked at Cale''s peerless and matchless figure. ''It was a mistake to become an enemy to the Celestial Sword Empire. With this man''s presence in the Celestial Sword Empire, it isn''t a problem to remain prosperous for the next hundreds of years as long as they don''t provoke those seclusive old people at the Earth Enlightenment Realm. Sigh!''


    "Activate the Titan Suppressing Array Formation! Elders and disciples of my Titan Sect, prepare for battle!" Sect Master Song ordered loudly as he looked murderously at Cale and the Dual Sword Army.


    The Titan Suppressing Array Formation of the Titan Sect was a defensive array formation that was capable of holding back experts at the peak-stage of the Immortal-Class level. It can also suppress the enemies within the periphery of their sect grounds.


    With their advantage in terrain, the elders and disciples from the Titan Sect shouted with morale.


    "For the Titan Sect!"


    "Kill the Dual Sword Army!"


    The Dual Sword Army felt the suppressive effect of the Titan Suppressing Array Formation of the Titan Sect. The soldiers felt their strength regressing by a minor realm which made them frown. Even the four Immortal-Class level experts beside Cale were not spared from the suppression.


    "Not bad! This Titan Sect is indeed strong, but that''s just that." Cale smiled as he raised his right arm.


    His Void Wolf Immortal Sword emerged out of thin air which then released a cold and baleful sword aura that struck fear to the onlooking Titan Sect''s elders and disciples.


    Cale hopped from Ember''s back and hovered in mid-air. He then casually waved his Void Wolf Immortal Sword which produced a pulsating sword wind that traveled towards the heart of the Titan Suppressing Array Formation.


    Some elders controlled the array formation to block Cale''s sword strike, afraid that it might break their formation.


    A huge and transparent golem materialized to block Cale''s sword strike.


    The fierce and pulsating sword wind hit the transparent golem''s body causing a loud explosion that echoed in the Sidapa Mountain Range.


    "Baang!"


    A violent gust of wind traveled in all directions after the explosion which covered the entirety of the Titan Sect in dust.


    When the dust particles receded, the transparent golem can no longer be seen, but at least it was able to block Cale''s sword strike.


    The people from the Titan Sect heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Not bad! But the strength I used then wasn''t even a hundredth of my true power. How about receiving another ten sword winds from me?" Cale smiled as he hefted his Void Wolf Immortal Sword in his shoulders while glancing at the people from the Titan Sect with his cold eyes.


    Sect Master Song felt the mockery in Cale''s tone, making him considerably humiliated. This was the first time that their Titan Sect was humiliated to this extent. They couldn''t even dare to rebut Cale, not even Sect Master Song dared to do so.


    Now, Sect Master Song knew what kind of monster this Unfettered Duke Cale was.


    ''He is a messenger of death.'' Sect Master Song was certain about it.