Darius Cavanaugh's words sent a wave of cold dread washing over Ashlyn Winters.She hadn't imagined he could be this deranged, this utterly unhinged."If you have the nerve, come at me directly," she said, her voice tight.Darius laughed, a single sharp note devoid of humor. "You think I'd let you off?"His gaze swept over her like something venomous. "You're the first person who's ever dared put horns on my head. I'll make you regret every choice that led you here."Those wolf-like eyes made Ashlyn's blood run cold. A primal dread crept through her, the sensation of being marked by a predator coiled to strike.Nick Crane let out a cold laugh."Ashlyn is my woman now. What makes you think you still have a chance?"Darius didn't spare him so much as a real glance. "If you'd used your reputation as a Warlord Saint to carve out a place in the Southeastern Territories, there'd be families willing to take you in as a household guard. But you should

Darius Cavanaugh's heart jolted. Who in the world would dare interfere at a time like this?Both Warlords turned their gazes toward the entrance.An elderly man appeared before the group, dressed in a high-collared brocade coat, his bearing unmistakably commanding. The air around him carried a quiet authority that silenced the room the moment he stepped through the door.Darius let out a startled cry. "Elder Walton, why are you here?"Then his eyes fell on the figures trailing behind the old man, and his expression darkened instantly."Elder Walton, don't tell me you've come to stick your nose in Nick Crane's business too?"Nick raised an eyebrow, genuinely surprised. He hadn't expected Elder Walton to wade into these muddy waters. The ten figures standing behind the old man were unmistakable, the same ten warriors of the Warlord Saint tier he had encountered before. Was the old man here to curry favor? To beg him to spare Nolan Walton's life?The

Nick Crane killed two Warlord Saints in succession. The sheer dominance of it left everyone present stunned into silence.Elder Walton finally let the breath he'd been holding slip free, the tension draining from his shoulders. He had known all along that Nick would pull through.Behind him, the ten Warlord Saints standing in reserve felt their own shock strike far deeper. None of them had imagined Nick's strength had reached this level. Remembering how they had tried to intimidate him upon their first meeting, several of them felt heat crawl up their necks. It was like brandishing a blade in front of a master swordsman. Even in a fight between equals at the Warlord Saint tier, none of them dared claim they could sweep through opponents the way Nick did. Handling a single Warlord Saint was challenge enough, yet Nick had already killed two. When word of this spread, his name would resound across the entire world. They were nominally of the same rank, but Nick existed on an

The old patriarch's words finally put both Warlords completely at ease.The Cavanaugh family of the Southeast were not people anyone provoked lightly. If word of today's events spread, it would send shockwaves through the entire Southeastern Territories. The Dragon Warlord would inevitably become the target of a full-scale hunt by the Cavanaugh family. But now, with Elder Walton personally stepping forward to settle the matter, Nick's safety was guaranteed.This was precisely Elder Walton's intent. The Walton family ruled the Southeast as undisputed kings. If they wanted the Cavanaugh family to vanish from the face of the earth, it would be a simple thing. To ensure Nick Crane remained unharmed, he was prepared to destroy the Cavanaughs with his own hands.The Winters family had long since lost whatever boldness they'd carried earlier. Every one of them stood with pale faces, utterly shaken.None of them had imagined Nick could be this powerful.The Cavanaug

Nick Crane hadn't told anyone at the residence that he was coming back.He had no idea how surprised they would be when he walked through the door.When he arrived outside the estate, he noticed a substantial military presence ringing the perimeter. Every one of them was an elite combat operative from Warren Gallagher's unit. Warren had given them standing orders: if they ever encountered Nick, they were to treat him with the utmost respect. He hadn't disclosed Nick's true identity to these soldiers, but anyone on good terms with their commander had to be a senior officer in his own right.The moment they spotted Nick approaching, they snapped to attention and saluted in unison."Sir!"Nick raised a hand before they could say anything more. "At ease. Any unusual activity recently?""Reporting, sir. We rotate shifts around the clock. No suspicious individuals sighted.""Good." Nick gave them a nod. "I appreciate the hard work you've all been putting