Novels by Lily Monroe

The arrival of nearly five thousand fighters from the Fifteen Commercial Alliances caught everyone flat-footed.“Drop your weapons and surrender! Traitors, the lot of you! You meant to wipe us out to the last!” a burly, bearded man roared at the rebels, fury blazing in his eyes.“Why aren’t you dead yet? What went wrong? Where did our plan fail?” The turncoats were rattled, unable to comprehend how the tide had turned.“Hmph. We had powerful help. Your betrayal has already reached Lord Buddha’s ears. The one aiding us is Lord Buddha’s own brother—Mr. Doyle.”At that, the members of the Fifteen Alliances all turned and bowed toward the entrance.When Adrian stepped into view, the expressions across the hall shifted in subtle, startling ways—most of all on Sebastian Simpson’s face. His pupils contracted; a tremor ran through him, raw with sudden, disbelieving relief. No one else could fathom what it meant to be dragged back from the brink.When he’d messaged Adrian earlier, Sebastian ha

The battle had erupted in full force. Even with Sebastian Simpson and the others fighting tooth and nail on the front lines, the casualties kept mounting.Before Vincent Walker and his men arrived, they had already been locked in brutal combat for hours. Now that the fight began anew, exhaustion overtook them, and their lines faltered.Sebastian Simpson watched his brothers fall one after another and fixed his gaze on Vincent Walker in the distance.“Vincent Walker, all of this began because of you. You want me dead? Then let’s see if you’ve got what it takes!”With that, he called up the last of his strength, surging forward straight at Vincent Walker.Sensing danger, Vincent lifted his longsword with a subtle flick.Though Sebastian was grievously wounded, he was still the stronger of the two. Fueled by fury, his blow landed with explosive force—Vincent grunted and was sent flying by a single punch.Sebastian threw his head back and laughed.“Hahaha! Vincent Walker! You want to be p

“Mr. Vincent, something’s come up and I have to head back immediately. We’ll have to catch up another time.”Vincent Richards’ smile faded. “Mr. Doyle, need a hand? Say the word and I’ll have the brothers go with you.”Adrian shook his head. “Not for now. I can handle it. Mr. Vincent, could you have someone run us to the airport?”Vincent immediately beckoned a sharp-looking young man to drive Adrian and his companions out.From the moment Adrian left, Ophelia drifted, her mind miles away.“You little minx,” Vincent couldn’t help teasing, “this time you can admit it—you’ve fallen for him.”Ophelia lowered her eyes, stricken. “But he already has a fiancée. I don’t even know how he feels about me. And our family…”Vincent rubbed her head. “Silly girl. You’ve never feared heaven or earth since you were a kid—how come love’s the one thing that makes you flinch? If you like him, then go after him. If you don’t ask, how will you know he doesn’t like you?“As for the family, your brother wil

Just as Adrian finished his fight, things on Vincent Richards’ side were drawing to a close as well.“The last stroke—go meet your God!”Nathaniel Ingram felt the blade’s edge lock onto him. His whole body froze. He could only watch, helpless, as the butcher’s knife closed in.“No! You can’t kill me! Don’t you dare—!”With a final, strangled scream, Nathaniel Ingram was cleaved clean in two and tumbled into the sea.Seeing their elder cut down so brutally, the people of the Order of Rebirth and the Eight-Slope Shrine lost their nerve completely. Their leaders dead, they scattered like sand in a strong wind.“How—how could this happen? How did the elder just die like that? What do we do now?”“It’s over. We’re all dead. We’re all going to die here!”Amid the chorus of dying cries, every last member of the Eight-Slope Shrine fell. The Order of Rebirth’s ranks thinned by the second. Emptiness raised his monk’s staff to send the survivors on their way to the next world, but Vincent Richar

The colossal imprint of a fist swallowed half the sky, its might overwhelming."Commander Vincent Richards, you fell to this very technique before. Today, I’ll use it to send you to your grave."Vincent laughed and swept his blade out. "Old man, that confidence of yours is something else. Ever heard a saying from the Novaland Republic? Eh—forget it. Your Goryeo lot loves to plagiarize. If you claim it as your own, that’d be awkward."With that, he cleaved down.Nathaniel Ingram was still puzzling over Vincent’s remark when the gale of the blade was already upon him.Phantom fists shattered one after another.As the arc of steel closed in, Nathaniel finally broke. Still throwing punches, he snarled, "Impossible! It’s only been days—you can’t be my match! Kill!"His fists blurred—but they still couldn’t stop Vincent’s strike.A detonation split the air.Nathaniel stared dumbly at the fresh gash carved across his chest—then dropped like a stone, slamming into the deck, grievously wounded

"So, Vincent Richards, Commander—you finally deigned to show. I was beginning to run out of patience."One of the elders on the opposing deck sneered as he spoke.Vincent didn’t answer at once. He took in the sight of his men, each of them bloodied, and rage surged hot through his chest. Hoisting his great blade, he stood at the prow with a defiant tilt to his posture."Old man, you’re in quite a rush, aren’t you? So eager to trample our Azure Dragon Hall. Don’t flatter yourselves."Then he dipped his head toward Adrian and murmured, "Those four geezers are Sato Itsuki and Sato Moku from the Eight-Slope Shrine, and Nathaniel Ingram and Lee Min-jun from the Order of Rebirth. Two Celestial Tier, two Mythical."Adrian gave a quiet nod, a dark glint passing through his eyes."Well, well. Vincent Richards, Commander—you’ve come out of disaster with a blessing. He took our beating and still broke through to the Celestial Tier. As expected of the Novaland Republic’s warlord—rare talent indee

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