Novels by Lily Monroe

Sensing the danger, Iris Lloyd stepped back two paces, his gaze locked onto the black miasma swirling at Source Spirit’s feet.His instincts told him this was no ordinary technique—it was something deeply sinister.The dark vapor coiled and gathered, forming two grotesque, undefined shapes that writhed in the air like clawing beasts before lunging toward Iris Lloyd.No one knew what they were, yet an overwhelming dread seized the crowd, forcing them to retreat.Leonard Newman swallowed hard. "Mr. Doyle… what is that? That guy—he’s not in danger, is he?""I don’t know. Let’s watch first."Even Adrian could not yet discern its nature, though the suffocating killing intent was unmistakable.Before anyone could react, the two strands of black smoke suddenly veered—not toward Iris Lloyd, but into the crowd.Among the onlookers were not only Adrian’s group and the Hinoku warriors, but also a few Novaland Republic citizens who had secretly returned.Among them were the young women clad in Hi

The crowd on the field had not yet fully dispersed when Source Spirit made her move.The folding fan in her hand was delicate and lively, its vivid crimson hue like snow stained with blood.The cherry blossoms painted upon it seemed almost alive; as her fingers brushed across them, they bloomed with an aura of death.Blossoms drifted from the trees—at first only a few, then gathering into sweeping clusters that danced with the wind. Yet the falling petals never touched the ground.To Adrian and the others, Source Spirit appeared to be dancing, her movements so graceful they bordered on unreal—yet no one mistook this for a mere performance.A faint fragrance rode the breeze. Every petal seemed drawn by her motion, circling her body before converging at her fingertips.At this moment, they were no longer petals, but lethal weapons beyond resistance."What overwhelming killing intent!"Iris Lloyd’s expression hardened as he stepped forward.Before Adrian could stop him, he had already dr

Seeing their leader struck down, the Hinoku martial artists hurried over to help him up.“Mr. Field, are you alright?”Granary Field bared his teeth in pain, his expression twisted as he glared in Iris Lloyd’s direction.“Kill him!”At his command, every Hinoku martial artist drew their katana and charged at Iris Lloyd with loud cries.Iris Lloyd did not retreat even half a step. He met them head-on, swinging his broadsword with nothing but raw strength.The clash of steel rang out again and again. One after another, the attackers were knocked to the ground, sent flying, or left wailing in pain. The worst off were those struck directly by the flat of Iris Lloyd’s blade.Out of restraint, Iris Lloyd held back—no one was gravely injured, let alone killed.Still, out of a personal sense of satisfaction, he made sure each of them left with bruises and bloodied faces—a rather striking sight.In no time, the plaza was littered with fallen Hinoku martial artists, while Iris Lloyd stood unhar

“These bastards are vile beyond redemption—they deserve to die a thousand times over!”“They’re scum—and those Novaland Republic people who come here and shamelessly dress in Hinoku clothes are fools too!”“Why hasn’t their volcano erupted yet? I want to see it with my own eyes in my lifetime!”“I feel like strangling them all right now!”Leonard Newman and the others cursed furiously, each more incensed than the last—it was clear their hatred ran deep.The more they saw those oblivious people posing happily with Hinoku martial artists, the more their anger flared.At that moment, an infuriating voice cut through the air, drawing everyone’s attention.“Well, if it isn’t those brats who came here causing trouble earlier. What’s wrong—itching for another beating?”A burly Hinoku martial artist, his face full of menace, strode over with a broadsword slung across his shoulder.Adrian narrowed his eyes, while Iris Lloyd stepped forward at once, placing himself between them.The Hinoku mart

“They can’t intervene? Why not?”At Adrian’s question, Leonard Newman pulled a long face and sighed.“I just called my dad. This ridiculous event even hired several martial artists from Hinoku as security. We’re no match for them, so I asked him to bring people over—but he said the event is funded by the Sakura Commerce Association.”“Even if the event is infuriating, the Sakura Commerce Association followed proper procedures to get it approved. It’s technically legal.”“Without a valid reason, my dad can’t just step in.”Jude Morvek nodded in agreement. “My father said the same.”“Mine too,” another added. “Mr. Doyle, we’re out of options. You’re the only one we could think of.”Adrian fell into brief contemplation. “The Sakura Commerce Association?”“What exactly is that?”He rarely involved himself in such matters and knew little about it.“It’s a major commercial organization from Hinoku—one of their most prominent, supposedly. They mainly handle international trade.”Among them,

Instead of letting Iris Lloyd wait in the lounge, Adrian brought him straight to Daisy’s office. Seeing Adrian, Daisy was momentarily speechless—he had slipped away from work again, bold as ever.Adrian rubbed his nose and gave a sheepish grin.“Miss Daisy, I’ve brought you another excellent employee.”Noticing the young man standing behind him, Daisy frowned slightly.She was hardly short of assistants—counting Octavia, she already had three. Adrian himself was idle enough to slip off whenever he pleased; adding another would only mean yet another idle hand.As if reading her thoughts, Adrian quickly clarified, “Miss Daisy, I’m not recommending him as your assistant. I’m planning to assign him to the security department.”With someone like this on security, the company’s safety would be beyond question.Adrian felt rather pleased with his eye for talent.Daisy gave Iris Lloyd a measured look. The security department did need more staff, and this young man appeared dependable enough.

A tidal blaze unfurled between heaven and earth, and within the flames—“Holy Emperor…”The warriors of the Solar Kingdom froze.This moment—This was the end.Their power swelled, vast and violent.From all directions the distant onlookers—those who had kept their distance—felt their hearts lurch.The Holy Emperor had fallen.The great factions witnessing it didn’t even dare show their faces.“Kill!”“Kill that brat!”The Solar Kingdom’s elites were enraged.At once they broke into furious curses.In an instant, the crowd drowned in wrath.The strong of the Solar Kingdom were terrified.No one hesitated.All of them lunged to kill Dragon-Slayer and Anthony.“You really want to die together?”The next moment—Anthony struck once.A swath of top-tier experts exploded, their bodies smashed to pieces.Squelch!Some heads spun off into the air.Dead.The Holy Emperor had been killed.But they… were powerless.They could not keep fighting. If they did, the entire Solar Kingdom might be gro

Dragon-Slayer grunted, swallowed the pain in his seams, and rose into it, the sword-edge cutting a white arc.Beside them, Thirteen Smith muttered a curse. “Stupid kid.” The Holy Emperor only sneered, eyes full of scorn.Dragon-Slayer didn’t answer, his grip biting down. “Hnh. I’ll carve you up.”He fought with everything, every stroke meant to kill. Anthony watched, his gaze shifting—he seemed to read the intent, and held his tongue.Boom—the air rolled like a tide swallowing the field. The Holy Emperor’s rampage had passed understanding; each strike was huge and ruthless.A heartbeat later, the gale rose again. His offense poured like a rain-screen, fists and palms crossing, killing intent spearing the clouds. He was a hammer overfilled with thunderfire—blow after blow grinding down.Dragon-Slayer braced in a flash—swordlight fierce—meeting edge with edge.Boom! He staggered back several steps, heart pounding, a flicker of disbelief breaking through his eyes. Why? What in hell did h

Dragon-Slayer dropped lightly to the ground; a tap of the heel, dust settled. He raised his eyes to the figure standing high above, gaze cold, voice low but heavy enough to hold the field.Though his chest still heaved, he ground out each word: “I’m not afraid of you.”“Today, I’ll defeat you—and kill you.”“The Solar Kingdom will never be a match for Ardenia.”“Your warriors are garbage.”The Holy Emperor laughed softly, a rasp like a blade dragging over stone. “You’re sure? Sure you’re not afraid? Then today, I’ll cut you to pieces.”Dragon-Slayer stepped in instead of back, a short drive of the foot, his body tipping forward, killing intent sliding free like a naked edge. He lifted his head and met the sword-hard gaze above, unflinching.The cold in his eyes cut sharper than steel. “To me, you’re—nothing.”“Today, you die.”“I will kill you.”“You think that boy can really keep you safe?” His words fell like a war banner rammed into open ground, snapping in the gale. Wind licked hi

“Y-you—why are you this strong…”Anthony’s mouth pulled into a cold curve. “It’s not that I’m strong. It’s that you’re useless.”Before the last syllable faded, he surged upward, a raptor cutting through knives of wind and sleet, and stooped.Boom!Explosions flowered across the sky, force scattering like invisible hammers pounding the void. Killing intent poured down like a tangible blaze.He raised another fist. Before it even landed, the gale at its edge flayed the dust to air.Bang!The Holy Emperor’s chest was punched straight through. Blood burst like a flower. His armor shattered; a hideous hole tore open across his front. He was blasted backward, blood running in a steady ribbon from his lips, his eyes wide with a terror that couldn’t focus—grasping at reality’s edge and finding nothing.The rim of the armor writhed, trying to stitch itself—futile against the gaping wound.He lifted his gaze in disbelief, and for the first time, true fear flooded his eyes—the primal dread of t

He pulled a breath, dragging his sight back from the dark. He looked up into the Ardenian youth’s face—indifferent, eyes like a winter lake, unruffled.“Your strength isn’t bad,” Anthony said, mild, with a flat contempt folded into it. “Unfortunately for you, you’re facing me. Which makes everything you do useless.”He tipped his chin, the cold at his eye’s corner cutting sharper. “So this is the Solar Kingdom’s best? No more than this.”Contempt, complete and entire.“In all martial ways, speed breaks all.” He sheathed in one clean motion, his pace itself a declaration. The Holy Emperor was fast—unquestionably. But he was facing Anthony. That alone sealed his tragedy.In a handful of exchanges, Anthony had hammered the Holy Emperor’s confidence to splinters. He had never imagined the man before him could be this absurdly strong. Terror—there was no other word in the minds of those watching.To Anthony, it was nothing. His gaze stayed cold; his killing will drew tighter.The Holy Empe

The heaving air over the four quarters suddenly sank. A darkened silhouette dragged itself out of the heights of the sky, like a deeper thread of night within the night, easing toward them. It had no sound, no scent; even the grain of its aura felt sanded smooth—more secret than a ghost, like a frost-sheathed dagger settling wordlessly to the throat.A heartbeat later, a figure fell from the heights. He touched down without a sound, yet his presence tore the silence around him. It was a tyranny that needed no words; with just an inch of ground underfoot, hearts clenched.“Holy Emperor!!”“The Holy Emperor is here!”“Lord Holy Emperor, a god forever…”“Lord Holy Emperor, mighty and unyielding!”“We can kill these Ardenians now…”“We must kill them…”The boiling shouts surged like oil set alight, raising the temperature of every throat at once. The Holy Emperor revealed himself—a man in his middle years, features unassuming, but a severity honed to lethal stillness. When his gaze droppe