Grandma Saint Karen sipped her floral tea while observing the spirited duel between the two young men.

  This dreamlike battlefield had hosted over ten rounds of duels, each consisting of twenty matches. Neither Charlot Mecklenburg nor Hughes ever discussed how long these battles would continue, their mutual understanding keeping the matter unspoken.

  During this time, both had grown in strength. Hughes became increasingly adept at defeating Charlot swiftly with every increment in his power.

  Although Charlot had not achieved another breakthrough to ascend to the Saint rank in these short days, he had managed to comprehend the seventh movement of the Angel’s Twelve Movements—The Blurred State of All Things.

  From this chapter onward, his Stardust battle energy transformed from its previous radiant brilliance to a subdued and concealed lethality. Its edge now hidden, it became even more treacherous, making even Hughes wary of facing Charlot’s bde directly.

  Despite this progress, Charlot still failed to endure beyond thirty moves, suffering twenty consecutive defeats. However, he remained undeterred, bowing respectfully to Grandma Saint Karen before departing the dream realm.

  Hughes found Charlot’s behavior peculiar but couldn’t deduce the reason, nor did he care to try. He also bowed to Grandma Saint Karen before returning to the South Seraph military camp.

  After the young men exited, Grandma Saint Karen stretched zily. In her youth, she had loved watching lively contests; with age, this interest had only intensified, making her more fond of unusual events.

  Charlot and Hughes were different from most. Ordinary clever individuals, relying on their intellect, often neglected the refinement of their skills. These two, however, were exceptions, using each other as whetstones to hone their abilities. Witnessing their mutual growth firsthand, Grandma Saint Karen felt the trip had been well worth it. Otherwise, how could she have seen such entertaining young people?

  She gave a gentle cp, dispelling everything within the dream realm.

  Grandma Saint Karen stood on a mountaintop dozens of kilometers from Silver Dove Castle, her gaze sweeping over the city and the South Seraph military camp that loomed threateningly nearby. She had a premonition that the camp had recently welcomed another Saint-ranked Transcendent. This individual was clearly hiding their presence, pnning to colborate with Saint Viggo in a critical moment to ambush her.

  But they hadn’t considered the intricate powers of a Dreamwalker. Over the past days, Grandma Saint Karen had drawn almost everyone’s dreams into her domain.

  In other words, neither Silver Dove Castle nor the South Seraph forces could conceal their secrets from her—except for the Transcendents. Transcendents possessed higher spirituality than ordinary people, and unless in combat, Grandma Saint Karen preferred not to drag them into her dream realm. The spiritual strain was too taxing.

  She muttered to herself, “Saints aren’t cabbages. That the South Seraph forces have one Saint is already remarkable. A second one is impossible. If there is another, it must be from Byron’s vampires. But which cn of the Thirty-One might it be?”

  She wasn’t afraid of being surrounded by peers. Dreamwalkers excelled in the dream world and were difficult to kill. After reaching the Saint rank, they rarely appeared in person, each manifestation merely a dream projection. She doubted two Saints working together could locate her true self.

  …

  Hughes, now awake, reached for his Knight’s Lance. With a flick, the bck weapon scattered into countless spear shadows before reassembling into a single nce, its tip aimed toward Silver Dove Castle.

  He murmured, “I didn’t expect fighting such low-ranked Transcendents to refine my technique.”

  “That guy’s raw strength may be cking, but his combat instincts are terrifying.”

  “Unfortunately, my three abilities—Flesh Reconstruction, Steel Bones, and Organ Regeneration—focus on refining the body, enabling me to recover swiftly from any injury and enhance my defense, even against higher-ranked foes. But against someone as slippery as him, they’re useless.”

  “That guy seems to understand my advantages. He never trades blows and always counters with lethal intent. Truly the most cunning adversary I’ve encountered.”

  “Still, my progress is considerable.”

  “Next time we meet in reality, I’ll let you taste death.”

  Hughes stared toward Silver Dove Castle, feeling an unexpected pang of nostalgia for Charlot.

  …

  Charlot also awoke in his bedroom, running a hand along his left arm. A smile crossed his face as he murmured, “If I meet Hughes in reality, I’ll unload all my guns on him until he’s in pieces.”

  “I don’t believe he can withstand one anti-magic armor-piercing round, let alone two, ten, or twenty. Thirty? We’ll see.”

  “Besides, I’ve prepared some surprises just for him. I hope he’ll enjoy them.”

  Over the past ten days, Charlot’s swordsmanship had advanced dramatically. He also mastered two secret techniques of the Arsilo Family: Bzing Corrosion and Dark Corrosion.

  Bzing Corrosion, used with the first six chapters of the Angel’s Twelve Movements, made Stardust battle energy explosively aggressive. Once it invaded an enemy’s body, it burned their life force like an intense fire. The more the enemy used battle energy, spiritual energy, or magic to suppress it, the more it fed the fme.

  Dark Corrosion, a technique unlocked after reaching the seventh chapter, The Blurred State of All Things, was even more insidious. It operated in complete silence, infiltrating the enemy’s body and lying dormant for days or weeks before erupting violently, far deadlier than Bzing Corrosion.

  Whether Bzing Corrosion or Dark Corrosion, the Stardust energy embedded in the enemy would escape and return to Charlot, bringing with it a bounty of life essence.

  The Arsilo Family’s dominance on the Old Continent owed not only to their vampiric swordsmen and lightning-fast techniques but also to the many extraordinary abilities of Stardust battle energy, making it exceptionally difficult to resist in combat.

  However, none of these gains thrilled Charlot more than another significant achievement.

  He stepped onto the terrace, overlooking Silver Dove Castle. The bustling city streets and the diligent preparations of the West Wind Knight Order and civilian militia brought a satisfied smile to his face.

  Charlot was about to deliver a dramatic line to liven the atmosphere when the sound of the door opening interrupted him. Belisa rushed in, her voice urgent. “Charlot Mecklenburg, I beg you, please save Grand Duke Joseph!”

  “We’ve deyed here too long. I fear the Duke can’t hold on much longer. The Behemoth Principality cannot lose its Duke!”

  Despite her desperate plea, her tone carried an air of hopelessness. Belisa, the most beautiful maid by the Duchess’s side, had already been refused by Charlot countless times. To her surprise, Charlot smiled faintly and replied, “Very well.”

  “Tomorrow, we set out for Interken.”