“Warriors block the enemy, and the earth holds back the flood.”Kael Ardon shot his friend a worried look. “Brother Draven, aren’t you even a little nervous?”Kael Draven just grinned and shrugged. “What’s there to be nervous about? Relax. I’ll be fine.”Kael Ardon let out a long sigh. No one knew Kael Draven better than he did. That man was born without fear—or maybe he’d just learned to ignore it. Reckless, stubborn, bold to the point of madness… that was Kael Draven in a nutshell.After a long silence, Kael Ardon finally asked, “Brother Draven, I heard you’re representing the Thunder Empire in the Two-Nation War?”“That’s right,” Kael Draven said, as if he were talking about a morning stroll. “The war starts tomorrow.”Kael Ardon frowned but didn’t press. “Alright, I won’t nag you. Just… take care of yourself.”Kael Draven raised his cup in a small toast and smiled. The two of them drank and talked deep into the night. By the time the first light of dawn crept across the horizon, t

Three strikes. And yet—it was a draw.Ella Conway’s eyes went wide. She had never imagined that Kael Draven could withstand her attacks. Not one. Not two. But all three.Ever since stepping into the Thunder Royal Court, she has studied the twenty envoys of the Thunder Empire in meticulous detail. And of all of them, Kael Draven fascinated her the most. Everything about him was baffling. Almost impossible to comprehend.Even so… she had been confident. Absolutely confident. Her strength alone should have crushed him. Three strikes? That should have been more than enough.But disdain had no place here. She took a deep breath, tensed every muscle, and unleashed her martial technique: Ella Conway Falling Explosion.As a supreme skill of the Conway family, lethal layered spikes erupted violently from her body, stabbing outward like shards of glass aimed to kill.Kael Draven, of course, didn’t flinch. A Unity Realm warrior ranked twentieth on the Hundred Battles Ranking wasn’t someone you c

Raze Calder’s intentions couldn’t have been clearer.Everyone knew what it meant when someone carried the title Dragon Warrior. It wasn’t something you saw every day—it carried history, bloodline, and power.That’s why the envoys from the Thunder Empire were staring like they’d just seen a ghost. A Dragon Warrior, in this tournament between nations? From the Flame Empire, of all places? That didn’t make sense.“A Dragon Warrior?”Even the warriors from the Flame Empire looked confused. One of them muttered, “If our empire really had one, we’d have ruled all of Celestia ages ago. Why wait till now?”“Hmph.”Raze Calder’s snort was sharp enough to cut glass. He clearly didn’t buy it.Both sides locked eyes, tension drawn tight as a bowstring—then, just like that, everything blew apart.The clash erupted into chaos—the first real all-out battle between the two empires in generations.Far from the main field, two figures stood apart from the mayhem.“Brother Draven,” Ella Conway said quie

“Kael Draven, how about joining the Thunder Guardian Hall?”A cold snort escaped him. Kael Draven knew exactly how Samuel Jaxon felt—hostile, resentful. Joining the Guardian Hall? That would only bring trouble.“Your Majesty… I’ve grown used to freedom. And I intend to keep it that way.”He didn’t outright refuse, but his meaning was crystal clear.A ripple of shock spread through the room. No one had expected him to turn down the offer so plainly.Kevin Thales forced a smile, nodding slowly. “Freedom suits you, Kael Draven. I’ve just received word from Emberfall Town—your father urgently requests your return.”Urgently? His father?Kael Draven’s brow furrowed. He knew his father wouldn’t summon him unless something serious had happened. Without hesitation, he left the royal court, heading straight for Emberfall Town.Thunder Royal Garden, Pavilion“Brother Jaxon, Kael Draven’s talent and potential are obvious,” Kevin Thales said. “A Fusion Realm warrior capable of slaying Malvinn Val

Kael Draven never learned how to hold back.News of Qilin’s wound spread like wildfire—drew the six great sects and two empires together as if pulled by a magnet. Against an assembly like that, what could a tiny Starcloud Kingdom do? Barely a ripple.Leonard Ward, Cyrus Hart, Daniel Veyne, and the others sat there catching their breath. They were tired, yes, but the room hummed with something darker than exhaustion: old loyalties fraying, old slights resurfacing. You could taste the tension.“Hall Master,” Daniel Veyne snapped, voice tight, “I can’t take this. Why are we supposed to tolerate Kael Draven? He’s nothing but a lucky fool.”There was a blade in the words. If Leonard Ward hadn’t gripped his shoulder, Daniel Veyne would already have charged for Emberfall Town.Cyrus Hart’s expression hardened. He kept quiet—because the Hall Master and Deputy Hall Master were present, and because, right now, restraint looked like the only decent option.“Brother Veyne,” Cyrus Hart said, low a