Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

They had spent years laying the groundwork, pouring everything they had into this mission to kill Jerome.

It was only thanks to Alvaro arriving in Goldridge to challenge Jerome that they finally saw their chance to strike. However, no one expected Andrew to suddenly throw himself into the mix and blow the entire plan apart.

Jerome laughed wildly. "That's right! It was Dr. Lloyd who helped suppress the poison in me! If you want to kill me today, it's not impossible! But at the very least, two of you will be buried with me!"

His booming voice echoed across the Southern Martial Union's headquarters.

Outside on the stone steps and at the grand entrance where Jerome's subordinates were locked in bloody combat, his laughter reignited their morale and triggered a fierce counterattack.

Henry roared, "Edwin! Madam Valencia! We kill without hesitation! There's no turning back now! Even if the poison's been held back, the longer he fights, the more likely it'll act up! The odds are still on our side!"

With that, he led the charge, his punch whipping through the air as he lunged at Jerome. Grace and Edwin hesitated for only a second before gritting their teeth and launching themselves back into battle.

Andrew kicked Alex square in the face, and the latter let out a gut-wrenching scream as he flipped midair and slammed into the ground.

"You little brat, you..."

He was stunned. He never imagined Andrew was this strong.

Andrew grinned viciously. "Your life's mine!"

Yet, the situation still was not in their favor. If the fighting kept up, Jerome would eventually fall.

The poison from the Frostblossom was not something to mess with. Suppressing it did not mean it was gone, and if Jerome kept burning through his strength, it would explode sooner or later. When that happened, no matter how powerful he was, he would still die on the spot.

For now, Henry and the others were being held back. That bought them some time, and all Andrew needed was to finish off Alex.

He did not hesitate and turned to charge at Scarlett. While he could not directly help Jerome take on three martial saints, he could at least take down someone like Scarlett, who was only at the peak of martial king level.

She would not leave this place alive.

At this point, Andrew had completely stopped holding back. The truth was clear that if he did not kill them, they would kill him.

"Dad! I'm coming!"

Suddenly, a cold, sharp voice rang out. Eric, dressed in blue and drenched in blood, rushed up from the lower steps. He jumped straight into the fight, taking the left flank beside Jerome.

That side was exactly where Henry was charging like a mad beast, teeth gritted and fists pounding forward.

Jerome barely had time to shout, "Eric, no! It's too dangerous! Get back!"

Then, he collided with Grace and Edwin mid-air. The massive blast of force flung them back in different directions.

Grace and Edvin both flushed red, as if they had just walked out of a sauna. However, Jerome did not flinch. Despite the enemy's energy raging inside him and tearing through his meridians, he charged upward again, soaring three feet off the ground to save his adopted son.

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However, he was still a step too late. Henry had already landed a brutal kick on Eric's chest, sending him flying backward, with blood gushing out from his mouth.

"Eric!" Jerome roared and caught him midair, falling toward the ground together.

Before they even landed, a deafening scream tore from Jerome's mouth as he shoved Eric away.

Eric fell to the floor, hair wild, blood dripping from the corner of his lips. Yet, he let out a twisted, eerie laugh.

The moment happened so fast and suddenly that even Andrew froze for a second. When the next second passed, his heart dropped. There, stabbed deep into Jerome's lower abdomen, was a bloody dagger.

The entire blade had been driven straight into his body.

"Y-You actually tried to kill me?" Jerome clutched his stomach, his hand soaked in blood.

His eyes were filled with disbelief

and a trace of confusion as he

back two steps before

stumbled ba

collapsing to the ground. He did not say another word, but his eyes never left Eric, filled with heartbreak and devastation.

Andrew had just knocked Alex aside when he caught Jerome and rushed to his side. The moment he

supported him, Andrew could feet that Jerome was nearly gone. His entire body was shaking uncontrollably.

The poison that had been held back was now raging like a storm inside him,

sweeping through every inch of his system.

"Eric, you're worse than an animal!"

At that moment, fury exploded inside Andrew's chest like a volcano. He spun

around and glared at Eric, and before he realized it, his eyes had already turned blood-red.noveldrama