2025-11-17 15:06:38Meanwhile, at the Anthony Mansion—a luxurious Victorian-style mansion that once belonged to the Ashford family—the atmosphere was full of festivities.
Crystal chandeliers sparkled on the ceiling of the spacious ballroom. Classical music flowed softly from an orchestra in the corner of the room. Dozens of formally dressed guests gathered, holding champagne glasses, laughing and chatting in low voices that sounded elegant. Tonight was Richard Anthony's 52nd birthday celebration. And not just any celebration—this was a party attended by the elite of Corholt City. Businessmen, politicians, high officials, and various influential figures. In the middle of the crowd, Richard Anthony stood in an expensive black suit, a satisfied smile plastered on his face. Beside him, Victoria wore an elegant red dress, looking like the queen of the night. Her arm was linked with a handsome man in his thirties—her boyfriend. The man was Charles Whitmore, heir to a wealthy family that owned a property business in Corholt City. He smiled broadly while raising his glass. "Mr. Richard," Charles said in a respectful tone. "Happy birthday. May Anthony Corp continue to grow rapidly. We hope to establish closer cooperation in the future." Richard smiled with satisfaction, patting Charles's shoulder. "Thank you, Charles. You'll make a good son-in-law." Victoria smiled sweetly—a fake smile she had perfected over the years. Margaret stood in the corner, greeting guests warmly. Meanwhile, Edmund Anthony sat in a luxurious armchair, like an old king observing his kingdom with satisfaction. Other guests joined in praising. "The honorable Mr. Anthony is truly visionary!" "One of the Four Great Families of Corholt City! It's truly an honor to be here!" "We hope to cooperate with Anthony Corp!" Everyone was trying to flatter. Everyone wanted to make a good impression on the Anthony family. Because now, the Anthony family had become tycoons—economic rulers of Corholt City. Richard enjoyed all the praise. He raised his glass, ready to give a speech, when— A large-bodied security guard approached him quickly, bowed, then whispered softly in his ear. "Mr. Anthony, sorry to disturb. There's someone outside who wants to see you." Richard frowned. "Who?" The guard hesitated. "A... young man, Sir. But his appearance... is very shabby. Worn shirt, torn jeans, carrying an old bag. He doesn't look like an upper-class person at all." Richard almost laughed. A beggar? At his party? But his mood was good tonight. Very good. He had just signed a 500 million contract with one of the largest property companies. His life was perfect. His wealth was overflowing. Why not share a little? He waved his hand casually. "Let that beggar in. As long as he gives me good wishes, give him some food then tell him to leave. Consider it charity on my birthday." The guests around him laughed softly, praising Richard's "kindness." The guard nodded respectfully. "Yes, Sir." He turned around, ready to return to the entrance. But before he took three steps— BANG! The large ballroom door opened violently, slamming into the wall with a loud sound that echoed throughout the room. The music stopped. Everyone fell silent. All heads turned toward the door. There, stood a twenty-six-year-old young man. Wrinkled long-sleeved shirt, worn jeans, old bag on his back. His hair was slightly messy. But his eyes... His eyes were sharp, cold, and full of blazing fire. Lein stepped inside with firm steps. Each of his steps sounded loud on the silent marble floor. Then, his voice thundered—loud, clear, and full of terrifying authority: "RICHARD! VICTORIA! COME OUT!" Total silence enveloped the ballroom. Everyone was frozen. Their mouths open. Their eyes widened in disbelief. Daring to call the honorable Mr. Anthony by his name?! Moreover, asking him to come out?! How bold! Was he looking for death?! Richard, who was holding a champagne glass, instantly his face turned dark. His smile disappeared. Victoria, standing beside him, frowned. Her eyes narrowed at the shabby man. Wait... That face... It couldn't be... Charles Whitmore, standing next to Victoria, immediately stepped forward with a red face. "How dare you—" But before he finished speaking, another security guard had already moved. A muscular man nearly two meters tall stepped quickly from the corner of the room. His name was Marcus—a former soldier, martial arts expert, and one of the Anthony family's best bodyguards. His muscles were clearly visible beneath his black uniform. "Enough!" Marcus shouted in a booming voice. "How dare you come in and shout like that in front of Mr. Anthony?!" He stepped quickly toward Lein, his hands already clenched into fists. "Get out now, or I'll make you leave by force!" Lein didn't move. Didn't even glance at Marcus. His eyes were fixed on Richard and Victoria. Marcus got angrier. He felt insulted. Ignored like dust! "You're looking for death!" Marcus threw a hard punch at Lein's face—a punch that had knocked down dozens of people, a punch honed over years on the battlefield. But— WHOOSH! Lein moved. Fast. Very fast. His hand caught Marcus's wrist in mid-air, like an eagle catching a snake. Marcus was shocked. His eyes widened. Strong! This man's grip... was so strong! He tried to pull his hand away, but couldn't—it was like being trapped in iron. Then, Lein twisted Marcus's wrist with a smooth but brutal movement. CRACK! The sound of breaking bone was heard clearly throughout the ballroom. "AAAHHH!" Marcus screamed in pain, his knees immediately hitting the floor. But Lein wasn't finished. With one quick movement, he pulled Marcus, then threw him aside—like throwing an empty sack. CRASH! Marcus's body, weighing over 100 kilograms, slammed hard onto the marble floor. His head hit the floor, his eyes rolled back, then he lost consciousness. Silence. The entire ballroom was completely silent. Everyone stared with their mouths wide open. Their eyes bulging in disbelief. Marcus—one of the Anthony family's best bodyguards, a former soldier who had defeated hundreds of people—was taken down in an instant. Not even three seconds. Who... who was this man?! Lein stood upright again, as if nothing had happened. He casually brushed off his hands, then looked back at Richard and Victoria. "Richard, Victoria," he said in a cold voice that froze blood. "Long time no see."
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Chapter 364
Lein raised his black sword.TRAAAANG!The impact sent a shockwave through the entire street. The remaining windowpanes shattered. Dust rose in a ring. And for the first time, Lein's feet shifted.He was forced backward.Two meters. His shoes carved two grooves into the stone pavement before he came to a stop.Ragnar grinned, baring his teeth, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth."FEEL THIS!"He pressed down harder. His red blade pushed downward, slowly forcing the black sword toward Lein's shoulder.But Lein's expression did not change.No panic. Not even a furrow in his brow. Only the same calm, deep gaze.Then white energy flowed from his hand into the black blade.Slowly. Densely. Unlike Ragnar's wild red explosion, the white light flowed in an orderly manner, enveloping his sword with the quiet resolve of someone who had no need to shout to make himself understood.And Ragnar's advance came to a halt.As though he were trying to push a mountain.Lein twisted his wrist.C
Chapter 363
Ragnar raised his sword above his head.CLANG!The two blades locked.Their faces were separated only by the length of their respective swords. Ragnar growled, baring his teeth as the muscles in his arms and shoulders trembled under the force he was driving downward. Before him, Lein stood with one hand on his sword hilt, without the slightest tremor."Is that all?" Lein's voice was calm, almost bored.Ragnar roared.He abruptly pulled his sword back, breaking the lock, then swept a horizontal slash from the left. Lein parried with the side of his blade. Ragnar immediately withdrew and thrust straight forward. Lein shifted his body aside. Ragnar twisted his wrist and slashed downward. Lein deflected the attack with a sword that moved like water flowing around a stone.Attack, parry. Attack, parry.The clang of metal followed one after another without pause, so rapidly that the individual sounds merged into a single roar echoing through the ruined street.The four Tyranoth men standing
Chapter 362
The greatsword came down.The broad blade, curved at the tip, rough and thick, carried the full weight of Ragnar's body, all his fury, and all the momentum from his six-meter charge, which showed no sign of slowing.Lein did not raise his sword to block it.He tilted his black blade by just a few degrees, enough to create an angle that did not resist the attack but instead guided it away.The two blades met.SKRIIIIIIING!The sound of metal scraping against metal was deafening. Sparks burst in every direction, hundreds of orange points bouncing off the stone pavement and the walls of ruined buildings, illuminating the pools of blood around them with a light that had no place in such a scene.Ragnar's greatsword did not stop.Its blade slid along the back of the black sword, skidding sideways and continuing forward, downward, toward the empty ground beside Lein. The force that had been intended to split him apart now had no target, and Ragnar was carried along with it, his body leaning
Chapter 361
He spun through the air.Once, twice, three times. With reflexes that showed this was not the first time his body had needed to regain its orientation amid something beyond his control, his feet found the ground before the rest of him. He absorbed part of the momentum, and Ragnar landed on his feet six meters from where the clash had taken place.He stood upright.His hand tightened around the hilt of his sword, and a slight tremor ran through his clenched fist. It was not caused by exertion, but by something deeper than that.Numbness.From his wrist to his elbow, the sensation in the arm that had held his sword was gone. It was as though that part of his body had simply decided to stop participating for a while.Ragnar looked at his hand.Then forward.Toward Lein, who stood exactly where Ragnar had been moments earlier, atop the horse that now stood without its rider.This man was fast.Faster than he had anticipated.And his strength was different from the kind of strength one cou
Chapter 360
From the dozens of casualties at the beginning, the number had now climbed to nearly a hundred.And this had happened not over the course of minutes, but in an even shorter span of time, because the five people from the Kingdom of Tyranoth did not need much time to produce devastating results.Bjorn had already passed through the eastern row of houses twice.The first time, he destroyed the buildings. The second time, he finished off anyone still trying to stand among the ruins. Not because he had been instructed to do so, but because they were in his path, and he did not deviate from it for anything he considered insignificant.Halvard had moved from the merchant's cart to a storage warehouse, then to a meeting hall at the western end of the street, acting like someone who chose his targets not according to their size or value, but simply according to whatever happened to be in front of him.Gunnar and Leif had already cleared an entire block.What remained of that block was not a dr
Chapter 359
The tea in her cup was still steaming.Lyris sat on a stone bench facing the fountain, holding a cup in both hands, like someone who finally had a reason not to hold anything heavier than that.She drank the tea differently from all the tea she had ever had in this garden before. It was not that the taste was different, but rather the way it felt in her mouth. Slower, more complete, like someone savoring a drink without thinking about anything else while doing so.She took a second sip, a smile appearing on her face without her intending it, emerging naturally as the cup touched her lips.She was free now.Not free in the sense that there was nothing left to do or no more responsibilities to bear. Rather, she was free in a more fundamental sense: her next choice would truly be a choice, not an obligation with no alternative.King Vaelthorn was conscious, and his body had begun to recover. With the king able to resume control of the kingdom, there was no longer any reason for her to re
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