Chapitre 36: Gathering of Forces
Near the mines, there was a forest composed of black trees.
When Alex hurriedly arrived, Ryan Mitchell was already there with his elemental units, waiting.
"You're here," Ryan greeted.
"Yeah, ran into a few monsters on the way, took some time," Alex nodded in response, then got straight to the point. "What's the plan for the treasure chest?"
Ryan smiled confidently. "Of course. To be honest, my earth elementals have a large-scale earthquake skill. It's not particularly strong in terms of damage, but it can temporarily restrict others' movements."
"So, you're saying we cause chaos when the chest lands, then grab the contents?" Alex's eyes lit up.
"Exactly," Ryan nodded. "That's where your plant units' long-range advantage comes in. Grab the stuff during the chaos and retreat immediately. What do you think?"
"I think it's doable!"
Alex grew serious.
He glanced around and noticed that Ryan had brought eighteen fifth-tier units, more than half of which were earth elementals, clearly prepared for this.
As for Alex, more than half of his units were Pink Enchantresses, with vines that could extend over forty meters. They could easily rush to the chest during the chaos and seize its contents.
Not to mention, he had River, a powerful ally, by his side.
If things went south, he could use Thorny Vines to temporarily control the situation. If all else failed, the Explosive Mushrooms could blast a path through.
"Alright, since we've decided, let's work out the details to avoid any mishaps," Ryan said, clearly a cautious person. Seeing Alex agree with his plan, he immediately began discussing the specifics to prepare for the upcoming operation.
Meanwhile, in the mining area, lords from all over had gathered, bringing with them a variety of units. Fourth and fifth-tier units were everywhere, and even the rarely seen mechanical units could be spotted.
Everyone was on guard, the atmosphere thick with tension.
"There are so many people here this time," a young man whispered to his companion in a corner of the mines.
"Yeah, way more than last time, and a lot of them are fifth-tier."
"It's not going to be easy to grab anything this time."
"Not just 'not easy.' Look over there—Kyle Stone, ranked seventeenth, and Marcus Longwind, ranked eighth, are here. Who knows how many other top-ranked lords are lurking around."
"Maybe we should just give up. Otherwise, we might end up dead without even knowing how."
Hearing his companion's words, the young man grew timid.
The top-ranked lords were all fifth-tier powerhouses, far beyond their ability to contend with.
It wouldn't be worth it to risk their lives for a treasure they might not even get.
His companion seemed to share the same sentiment, also considering retreat.
But just then, a commotion broke out in the crowd.
A cold-faced young man appeared in the mining area, accompanied by over a dozen massive elemental units.
"Isn't that Ryan Mitchell? Why is he here!?"
"Ryan? The third-ranked elemental lord?"
"Oh my god, he has so many fifth-tier units!"
"Is this the strength of the third rank?"
"Damn it! If he's here, it's going to be even harder to grab anything!"
The crowd murmured, their expressions growing tense.
Ryan ignored them, striding boldly into the mining area as if he wanted everyone to know he had arrived.
Given his fame, word spread quickly, and soon everyone in the mining area knew he was there, prompting them to prepare accordingly.
After all, Ryan was a regular in the top ten of the rankings, and his strength was undeniable. He was undoubtedly the biggest threat to their chances of securing the treasure chest.
In fact, many had already begun nodding to each other in silent agreement.
If Ryan made a move, they would immediately band together to stop him. They couldn't let him get his hands on the chest, or else once he escaped, there would be no way to get it back!
Ryan, of course, could sense the shift in the atmosphere, and a faint smile crept onto his lips.
His gaze subtly flicked toward the back of the crowd, where a figure was hidden in a corner of the mines, before he confidently stepped forward, drawing everyone's attention.
Alex, hidden in the corner, had already concealed his plant units in the black forest behind the mines. He only kept River and a few Treant Chieftains by his side to avoid drawing attention.
Right now, everyone's focus was on Ryan.
No one noticed Alex, nor did they recognize him. No one would think his few units posed any significant threat.
As time passed, more and more people gathered outside the mining area, and the tension grew thicker.
Everyone looked up at the sky, watching the rapidly approaching streak of light as if awaiting something monumental.
"It's here!"
Suddenly, someone shouted.
The tense crowd collectively stiffened as they saw the streak of light, carrying immense power, crash toward the ground.
Boom!!
The entire mining area shook violently.
A wave of overwhelming force swept through, causing the surrounding stone mountains to tremble and sending up a massive cloud of dust.
Then, a gold-trimmed treasure chest, even more luxurious than any before, appeared before everyone.
"The chest!"
At the sight of the chest, everyone's hearts raced, and they were overcome with excitement.
Last time, they had missed the opportunity to compete for the treasure because they didn't know what was happening. Now that another chest had fallen, they weren't about to let it slip away.
"Move! Grab the chest first!"
"Get out of the way! The chest is mine!"
"Stop them! Don't let them touch the chest!"
"Dream on! Get out of here!"
"Ah—"
In an instant, the mining area descended into chaos.
Everyone led their units toward the chest, and a barrage of dazzling attacks exploded among the crowd.
In the blink of an eye, many were killed on the spot, meeting their end.
Ryan, in the midst of the crowd, wasn't idle either.
He led his elemental units to break through the encirclement, rapidly closing in on the chest, which startled everyone.
"Quick! Stop him!"
They knew Ryan's strength all too well. If he got his hands on the chest, the consequences would be dire.
Immediately, everyone turned their attacks toward Ryan, quickly surrounding him to prevent him from reaching the chest.
But then, a faint smile appeared on Ryan's lips.
"Earthquake!"
With a low shout, the earth elementals around him raised their arms in unison, their massive fists slamming into the ground.
Boom!
The ground cracked and collapsed, the shockwaves spreading rapidly, causing the entire area to shake violently.
Caught off guard, the people and their units lost their balance, their heads spinning from the tremors. Even the area around the chest wasn't spared.
At that moment, vines suddenly shot out from the side, slithering swiftly across the ground toward the chest.
Alex had finally made his move!
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone