Chapter 2061 – Advanced Bloodline
A magic array surrounded the crystal pillar in the center of the hall, preventing players from approaching.
Although the seal seemed quite simple, not even a Tier 4 being could force their way through it.
When Shi Feng stepped up to the barrier and lightly tapped it, a system window opened before him, introducing the magic array.
Truly amazing. If I hadn't already grasped the technique to decipher Advanced Magic Arrays, I wouldn't have been able to do anything but stare at this barrier. Shi Feng couldn't help his surprise after gaining a general understanding of the array.
There were two types of magic arrays that protected system-generated treasure in God's Domain.
The first type disappeared once the Guardian Boss protecting the treasure died.
The second type required players to unravel the magic array through their own abilities. This type didn't care for players' combat power, but their ability to understand magic arrays.
The first type was the easiest to remove, but as players leveled up, they'd begin to encounter more of the second type. Hence, it had been very important for players to take on the Magician subclass and develop it during Shi Feng's previous life. Many expert players had to study magic arrays seriously even though they hated learning about them, especially magical class players.
Due to how common the second type of magic arrays had become at later levels, God's Domain's various Guilds had also turned more focus to the Magician subclass. During the game's later stages, a Master Magician's status wasn't any lower than that of a Master Forger or Master Alchemist.
Meanwhile, to remove the magic array protecting the crystal pillar before Shi Feng, one had to be a master at deciphering Advanced Magic Arrays at the very least
Normally, players only encountered Basic ranked sealing magic arrays after Level 70. It was very rare to find an Intermediate Magic Array protecting items of this level, yet the array before him required an Advanced Magician to untangle.
Although the various superpowers had tasked many of their players to learn about magic arrays, there were very few Intermediate Magicians at this stage of the game, much less Advanced Magicians.
Once Shi Feng had inspected the array, he began to dismantle it
Dismantling a magic array wasn't particularly difficult, although that didn't mean it was easy, either. As long as a player knew how to draw the sealing magic array in question, it could be undone.
Looking at the array, Shi Feng was relieved that he had already become an Advanced Magician. Otherwise, he could only watch as a Bloodline slipped through his fingers.
Finally, after studying for five hours, Shi Feng finally learned how to draw the sealing magic array. The barrier around the crystalline pillar began to shatter, and shortly after, it fell away entirely, revealing the pillar before Shi Feng.
The crystal pillar was translucent, and the Bloodline within it shone with a dazzling light Due to the magic barrier around the pillar, Shi Feng hadn't felt anything particular from the Bloodline, but now that he had removed the magic array, he could feel an intense pressure, the difference between his Life Rating and the Bloodline's, press down on him.
Although he only stared at the Bloodline, he felt as if he were being suppressed.
Is it an Advanced Bloodline?! Shi Feng could not help his surprise as he felt the pressure.
Bloodlines fell into three categories: Basic, Advanced, and Peak. The Dark Iron Bloodline he had obtained from the Divine Shrine was a Basic Bloodline. However, since the Dark Iron Bloodline was extremely compatible with the Swordsman class, it was considered a top-ranked Basic Bloodline, yet despite that, he still felt an immense pressure from the Bloodline within the crystal pillar.
The only explanation was that his Life Rating was inferior to this Bloodline.
Hence, Shi Feng guessed that it was an Advanced Bloodline. Although he very much wished that it was a Peak Bloodline, Peak Bloodlines were as rare and valuable as Legendary items. The chances of finding one in the Ancient God's Maze were abysmally low, even for Asura Mode. On the other hand, the chances of finding an Advanced Bloodline were relatively high.
Even so, Shi Feng was stunned.
Any Advanced Bloodline could make reaching higher tiers far easier for players. With a little talent and effort, reaching Tier 5 wouldn't be a problem. An Advanced Bloodline would even help players when challenging their Tier 6 promotion, which was why God's Domain's various major powers had gone mad over Bloodlines in the past.
Without hesitation, Shi Feng strode up to the crystalline pillar and removed the crystal bottle. He then inspected the bottle's Attribute Panel.
[Elemental Bloodline]
After obtaining this bloodline, a player will become one of the elements' favored children, gaining increased compatibility with all Spells. Mainly improves Intelligence and Vitality, followed by Agility, Endurance, and Strength.
It really is an Advanced Bloodline! After inspecting the Elemental Bloodline, Shi Feng was ecstatic.
Although the Elemental Bloodline's Attribute Panel did not indicate the Bloodline's rank, Basic Bloodlines only focused on one Attribute, while Advanced Bloodlines increased two. Since the Elemental Bloodline concentrated on two Attributes, it had to be an Advanced Bloodline. Moreover, the ability it provided was incredibly powerful, increasing a player's compatibility with all Spells. It was, at the very least, far more powerful than any of the Advanced Bloodlines Shi Feng had seen in the Divine Shrine.
If a magical class player used this Bloodline, their overall prowess would increase. This was certainly a top-tier Advanced Bloodline, even more valuable than top-tier Fragmented Legendary items.
Shi Feng carefully stored the Elemental Bloodline before he continued to explore the Ancient God's Maze.
The maze was excruciatingly complex, and each time he entered a new hall, he had to face another group of Elemental monsters. Moreover, these monsters' Levels were a notch above the first group he had faced, all Level 75 or higher.
However, after equipping the Twilight Blade, Shi Feng's combat power had risen significantly, and as a result, he was able to kill these stronger monsters faster than he had the first hall's Elemental Guards.
Unfortunately, Shi Feng only dared to watch the Guardian Bosses in these halls from afar. The easiest Guardian Boss he encountered was a Grand Lord ranked Archaic Species, and some halls were even guarded by Mythic monsters. Without the ability to rely on summoned creatures, he'd only find an early grave if he tried to face these Guardian Bosses.
However, Shi Feng didn't let any of the Elemental monsters off the hook, even if he couldn't do anything about the Guardian Bosses. These monsters were walking Epic Armor Kit Fragments and Elemental Cores. Encountering an opportunity like this in the future wouldn't be easy.
As such, Shi Feng grinded in the Ancient God's Maze for 12 full days, wiping out every Elemental Creature, that was not a Guardian Boss, he came across.
After exploring the Ancient God's Maze for so long, Shi Feng eventually discovered a unique hall. This one was far better decorated than its neighbors. Rather than stone pillars, this hall's pillars were made of Mana Stone. However, due to the hall's poor lighting, Shi Feng could only see 60 yards around him.
The moment Shi Feng set foot on the floor of Magic Crystal, he struggled to breathe. A deafening roar then assaulted his ears, and the entire hall trembled violently at the sound.
The roar faded, and before Shi Feng could regain his composure, a bright light illuminated the area.
In the hall that could fit hundreds of thousands of people, a 60-meter-tall Bronze Dragon loomed before Shi Feng. The Bronze Dragon's incredible aura was so powerful that it warped space around it, and when bathed in this aura, Shi Feng couldn't even move an inch…
Chapter 2062 – Bronze Dragon King A Dragon!?
Shi Feng stared at the titanic figure before him in disbelief. Even though he stood several hundred yards away from the Dragon, its aura felt as if he stood before a towering mountain. The pressure he felt from the Dragon was absolutely stifling. Its aura was so powerful that he couldn't even move; he could only stand there quietly, staring at the being.
Powerful!
Destruction!
Death!
These words ran through Shi Feng's mind as the Dragon's aura washed over him.
[Bronze Dragon King] (Dragon, Tier 5) Level???
HP??????/??????
Shi Feng had no doubt that the slightest exhale from this Bronze Dragon could turn him to dust. Even a Tier 5 existence would be powerless before this Bronze Dragon King.
A Dragon's Life Rating was extremely high, and once it reached adulthood, it would automatically advance to Tier 5. The weakest Tier 5 Dragon was an apex existence among other Tier 5 beings, and even during the Gods' era, the Dragon race had been one of the most powerful. Even Gods and Demons were afraid of Dragons.
Meanwhile, among Dragons, there were Dragon Kings. Dragon Kings' Bloodline was beyond the reach of ordinary Dragons. At Tier 5, they could even contend with Tier 6 Gods.
If a Tier 5 human NPC encountered a Tier 5 Dragon King, they'd have no hope of surviving. If they were wise, Tier 6 God- ranked players would take the long way around a Tier 5 Dragon King. Trying to fight such a being head-on would be the epitome of foolishness.
Fortunately, this Bronze Dragon King was sealed within a magic array. Otherwise, Shi Feng wouldn't have even had time to run. With a wave of his claw, the Bronze Dragon King could send Shi Feng on a free trip back to White River City.
This is the final test?
After seeing the raging Bronze Dragon King behind the magic barrier, Shi Feng shifted his attention to his surroundings. The hall contained a second magic array, and within it sat a resplendent box.
Most players might not think much of this box, but Shi Feng, who was unusually familiar with God's Domain, realized that this box had been made with Seven Luminaries Crystal.
Seven Luminaries Crystal was incomparably valuable to both players and NPCs. It was one of the reasons that so many major corporations invested in God's Domain.
Nothing else in the hall grabbed Shi Feng's attention. Unlike the previous halls, this one only contained a Guardian Boss. There weren't any mobs for Shi Feng to kill.
Although Shi Feng wanted to approach and inspect the Bronze Dragon King, his powerful aura prevented the Swordsman from moving.
After raging for another ten seconds or so, the Bronze Dragon King eventually calmed down. The ferocity of its aura also began to lessen, and Shi Feng regained control of his body.
But as soon as Shi Feng began to relax, the imprisoned Dragon spoke.
"Little human! The fact that you have reached this place proves that you have some ability. According to the rules those despicable Gods and Demons had set, I will give you three options," the Bronze Dragon King said, watching Shi Feng. "Your first option is to accept my trial. If you pass, you'll receive the treasure those Gods and Demons left behind. Taking the Gods and Demons' oath is your second option. You can also acquire the treasure this way. Your third option involves signing a contract with me. Although you won't get the treasure, you will receive my blessing. My blessing will grant you strength beyond human limits. Make your decision."
Although the Bronze Dragon King spoke in the Dragon language, which Shi Feng knew nothing about, he was actually able to understand the Dragon King's intentions.
There are choices? The situation surprised Shi Feng a little. He had never imagined that the final hall in the Ancient God's Maze would offer him choices. He had never heard of such a thing.
According to his knowledge regarding the Secret Key's trial, players weren't given any choices. If players wanted any of the trial's treasures, they had to defeat the Guardian Bosses, yet he now had three options to consider.
The first option was undoubtedly the standard procedure. If players were confident of their strength, the first option would be the best.
The second option allowed players to obtain the treasure without risking themselves overmuch. Many players would likely choose this option without a second thought. This was the final hall in the Ancient God's Maze, after all. The treasure in this room would be extraordinary, but Shi Feng understood one thing; there were no free lunches in this world. Current players might know nothing about Gods and Demons' oaths, but he did.
During his previous life, these oaths had earned the nickname 'Divine Contracts,' and every one of them was a two-way deal.
By signing a Divine Contract, players would have to abide by the conditions the Gods and Demons had set. If they failed to do so, they'd suffer a miserable fate. Many in the past had eagerly signed Divine Contracts and failed to meet the stipulated conditions, and in the end, they had suffered such severe penalties that they had been forced to delete their accounts.
Hence, while the second option the Bronze Dragon King had stated sounded good, the risk was considerable.
The third option wasn't much different than the second, although this contract would be between the player and the Bronze Dragon King. There was no real difference between signing the Bronze Dragon King's contract and signing one with Gods and Demons. Although the third option wouldn't award the final hall's treasure, a Dragon King's blessing was just as extraordinary.
Any blessing held great significance to players, especially the Bronze Dragon King's. Its effects were likely even stronger than that of a Bloodline.
Blessings were so valuable in God's Domain because of how few were granted.
Only incomparably powerful existences could bless others, and those that received a blessing would acquire great power. However, this power had its price. The blessing's giver would have to segment a fraction of their strength, granting it to their target. In other words, the blessing giver would lose strength to empower others. Hence, even Tier 6 Gods were incredibly careful when offering a blessing. They never gave one on a whim.
"May I know what the oath's conditions are?" Shi Feng asked after giving the matter some thought.
"This I cannot answer. You may only learn more about the oath after taking it. This is a condition those Gods and Demons set for me so long ago," the Bronze Dragon King explained indifferently. "Human, I do not have much patience. You only have ten minutes to consider."
Can't tell me, huh? Shi Feng realized what was happening after listening to the Bronze Dragon King's words.
Since players could obtain the treasure by taking the oath, it's conditions were undoubtedly quite strict. However, whether or not a player could accept these conditions remained unknown. By denying players the oath's details, players couldn't determine the conditions' severity. This also ensured some sense of fairness to the Bronze Dragon King's situation. If players knew the oath's conditions, they wouldn't bother with the Dragon's blessing.
"Human, what is your choice?" the Bronze Dragon King demanded in a deep tone after ten minutes had passed.
After taking in a deep breath, Shi Feng replied, "The first option!"
Whether it was the Gods and Demons' oath or the Bronze Dragon King's contract, the risk was too great. On the off chance that he couldn't fulfill the conditions, he would have to delete his account and start all over again. He didn't dare take such a gamble.
"What? The first option?" Shi Feng's decision stunned the Bronze Dragon King. "Are you sure that is your choice?"
Chapter 2063 – Suppressed Swordsmanship
Confusion flashed in the Bronze Dragon King's eyes as he watched Shi Feng. He was so surprised by this Swordsman's answer that he couldn't help but ask for confirmation.
"Yes. I choose to accept your trial, Dragon King," Shi Feng said, nodding.
"You really are a strange human. Ever since this maze was built, thousands of adventurers have visited, but none have accepted my trial because they already knew what outcome awaited them. Do not think my trial is so easy to complete!" the Bronze Dragon King growled. "But since you have decided, according to the rules the Gods and Demons have set, if you can survive against me for three days, you will pass my trial. Let's begin!"
The Bronze Dragon King began to chant an incantation, and abruptly, he began to disintegrate into countless particles of light, passing through the magic barrier the Gods and Demons had set up. After passing through the barrier, these particles of light gathered to form a humanoid shape before Shi Feng.
After a short moment, a soldierly, middle-aged man in a suit of bronze stood within the hall.
Unlike ordinary people, golden, divine runes marked this man's face and body, as if they were a seal. Death and destruction filled his amber eyes, which didn't contain a shred of humanity.
Humanization?! Shi Feng stared at the soldierly man in astonishment.
Extremely few beings were capable of humanization in God's Domain. Rather, only legendary monsters were capable of the feat. Not only was humanization a sign of peerless strength, but it was also proof of a monster's frightening intellect.
To current players, a monster's intellect, at most, equated higher combat standards, making these monsters more difficult to defeat than normal monsters. However, as players progressed through the game, they would discover that monsters with high intellect were absolute nightmares.
Humanized monsters had, in the past, turned many kingdoms and empires upside down.
One kingdom had even perished during a humanized monster's attack. That monster had merely been a Tier 4 Mythic ranked creature, and by that time, many experts had already reached the same Tier. However, even after the various superpowers had combined their strength, the humanized monster had annihilated their forces. Since no one was capable of stopping the monster's rampage, the kingdom had been obliterated in the end.
The humanized monsters that had been defeated had only lost because they had been Tier 3 beings. Even so, defeating these monsters had required a large group of Tier 4 experts and a collection of powerful tools.
This was when players had realized the horror of high-intellect monsters in the past. The humanized monsters' superhuman-like combat standards had even surpassed that of Domain Realm experts. In fact, the two weren't even on the same level.
"Human, according to the Gods and Demons' rules, I will not use my full power against you. Moreover, you have 300 chances to succeed. You simply need to survive against me for three days," the Bronze Dragon King said as he smiled at Shi Feng. "If you don't have any more questions, let the slaughter begin!"
Shi Feng's expression darkened as an unprecedented chill wrapped around him. Almost instinctively, Shi Feng activated Void Shield, and his mind went on maximum alert.
Although he had known that this trial wouldn't be easy, he hadn't expected it to be this difficult.
Players that hadn't experienced this situation might assume that the conditions for the Bronze Dragon King's trial were quite simple. They only had to survive against a Level 70, Tier 3 monster for three days, and they were given 300 lives to do so. Even an ordinary expert could clear this trial with easy, much less a peak expert.
However, Shi Feng recognized this for what it was. This was a one-sided slaughter.
By the same time as Shi Feng's Void Shield took effect, the Bronze Dragon King, which had been 30 yards away a moment ago, stood before him. Before Shi Feng realized it, a Dragonscale Greatsword had already stabbed through the Void Shield.
What amazing footwork! Shi Feng stared at the longsword in shock.
He had focused all of his attention on the Bronze Dragon King, his five senses never deviating from his opponent, yet the Dragon King had evaded his detection and arrived before him like a ghost It was as if the Dragon King had used an Instantaneous Movement Skill, but Shi Feng knew that he hadn't relied on some low-class Skill or Spell. Rather, the Dragon King had executed a footwork technique, which had no Cooldown and could be used as the Dragon King desired, that exceeded common sense…
Meanwhile, with that one attack, the Bronze Dragon King had instantly dealt over -400,000 damage to the Void Shield. In other words, this opponent could destroy Shi Feng's Void Shield in seven hits.
Seeing this, Shi Feng didn't dare to hold anything back. He immediately leaped backward and used Shadow Blade.
Under Shi Feng's control, ten sword lights struck at the Bronze Dragon King, aimed to seal the Dragon King's movements and allow Shi Feng to increase the distance between them.
Although the Bronze Dragon King was only a Level 70 Great Lord, its Basic Attributes easily surpassed that of a Grand Lord of the same level. There was no doubt that this Dragon King's Attributes were much higher than Shi Feng's. He had no chance in a head-on clash. Hence, he could only try to put as much distance between them as possible and buy as much time as he could.
"A good attack. Despite being a mortal, you've actually reached such a standard," the Bronze Dragon King leisurely praised Shi Feng as he examined the Swordsman's incoming attacks.
Just before the ten sword lights found their mark, the Dragon King swung his greatsword, shattering the sword lights before they could come within 20 centimeters.
The Bronze Dragon King's swing created a mesmerizing arc of light, which even captivated Shi Feng, but in the next second, the Dragon King stood next to Shi Feng, and he hadn't even seen his opponent move. Again, the Dragonscale Greatsword had thrust into his Void Shield before Shi Feng had realized it
After taking the hit, Shi Feng instinctively executed Sword's Orbit, his reactions visibly slower than the Bronze Dragon King's.
Shi Feng had hoped that Sword's Orbit would force the Dragon King to retreat, but he advanced instead, his Dragonscale Greatsword vanishing suddenly. The Dragon King used the weapon to deflect Sword's Orbit and strike the Void Shield again.
So, this is a humanized monster? Shi Feng could not help his shock as his Void Shield was struck, again and again.
He had always surpassed his enemies by suppressing them with his swordsmanship, but this Bronze Dragon King's swordsmanship did the same to him.
The Bronze Dragon King's slashes were so fast that his eyes could not keep up. He didn't even have the luxury to breathe while trying to defend himself. He barely even sensed that the Dragon King was attacking him.
One hit… Two hits… Three hits…
After several strikes, the Void Shield finally shattered, and Shi Feng had to rely on his skills to avoid or block the Bronze Dragon King's attacks.
To hell with it! At this point, Shi Feng recognized how close he was to failing this trial. He immediately executed Sword's Transmigration, the strongest combat technique in his arsenal.
Chapter 2064 – Realm that Surpasses Human Limits
As Shi Feng executed Sword's Transmigration, five sword lights intercepted the Bronze Dragon King's silent attacks.
Boom… Boom… Boom-
Deafening metallic clangs echoed throughout the hall, and the collision's resulting shockwave was so intense that it made Shi Feng shudder. Moreover, his arms had gone numb from the impact. It was so severe that he struggled to move them.
The Bronze Dragon King had leisurely executed his attacks, and his Basic Attributes were only slightly higher than Shi Feng's, yet he generated enough power to overwhelm Sword's Transmigration's Strength tolerance.
Shi Feng could barely understand what could cause such a result
Without waiting for Shi Feng to recover, the Bronze Dragon King's Dragonscale Greatsword vanished once more. Unlike before, however, the Dragon King's attack was truly silent. Shi Feng couldn't sense the slightest hint of the Dragon King's attack trajectory before he felt a stinging pain in his chest. Before he realized it, the Bronze Dragon King had thrust his greatsword in Shi Feng's chest, his HP depleting rapidly without signs of stopping.
He is already beyond human limits? Shi Feng looked up at the Dragon King in surprise as the humanized Boss retrieved his weapon. Shi Feng's vision darkened as his HP fell to zero, and he fell to the ground, lifeless.
Sword's Transmigration was the strongest combat technique Shi Feng possessed. He was even confident of posing a threat to Domain Realm experts by relying on the technique.
However, against the Bronze Dragon King, Sword's Transmigration had only kept him alive for one move.
The Bronze Dragon King was an apex existence in God's Domain. Both his attacks and movement techniques were simply amazing. The Dragon King could launch his attacks without alerting Shi Feng as if the Boss's boy acted without commands from his mind. The Bronze Dragon King's reflexes were so fast that Shi Feng's mind couldn't even react.
Although such a feat was normally impossible, the Bronze Dragon King had done it. He had completely surpassed human limits.
Shi Feng finally realized why the various superpowers in the past had dispatched tons of Tier 4 experts to defeat Tier 3 humanized monsters that were a much lower level, and even they, the players had still suffered tremendously to secure victory.
Five seconds after Shi Feng died, he appeared before the magic array that had sealed the Bronze Dragon King with full HP. It felt as if the skirmish had been a dream.
However, when Shi Feng glanced at the Bronze Dragon King's humanoid form nearby, he understood that this was no dream.
"Alright, let's begin the second round!" the Bronze Dragon King stated as he unsheathed his Dragonscale Greatsword and resumed his attacks.
Now that Shi Feng had experienced the Dragon King's power, he didn't dare clash with the Boss head-on. If he wanted to avoid dying 300 times in three days, he needed to buy as much time for himself as possible. With this in mind, Shi Feng turned and fled.
As if he had predicted this ploy, the Bronze Dragon King threw his greatsword at Shi Feng, forcing the Swordsman to a halt to avoid the flying weapon. Taking advantage of the brief pause, the Dragon King appeared behind Shi Feng, and without alerting the player, another Dragonscale Greatsword appeared in the Boss's hands, swinging toward Shi Feng before he had time to register the movement.
Fortunately, Shi Feng had expected something like this and had activated Divine Steps a moment earlier. He promptly switched places with one of his doppelgangers, which were invulnerable to attacks.
The following events happened as Shi Feng had expected. Once the Bronze Dragon King realized that the doppelganger before him was immune to damage, he attacked the other Shi Feng copies. Although Shi Feng couldn't perceive the Dragon King's strikes, he knew that everyone revealed some weakness when attacking. Discovering the Bronze Dragon King's weakness was precisely his goal.
Following which, Shi Feng swapped positions with the same doppelganger. He then turned and slashed at the Guardian Boss.
As the Dragon King attacked another doppelganger, his side was exposed. Seeing this, Shi Feng was ecstatic, and the hand that held Killing Ray sped towards the opening.
Dang!
However, just before the Sacred Sword met its target, an imperceptible attack countered the weapon, stopping its advance. So fast!
The counterattack made Shi Feng realize that even if he found an opening in the Bronze Dragon King's defenses, he couldn't take advantage of it. The Dragon King was far faster than Shi Feng and could easily defend himself once he detected the incoming strike. Relying on speed to defeat the Bronze Dragon King would be impossible.
Before Shi Feng could follow up with another attack, the Bronze Dragon King shoved his greatsword through Shi Feng's chest again, and the Swordsman collapsed…
Although Shi Feng suffered a second death, he didn't feel discouraged.
Since he was no match for the Bronze Dragon King's speed, he'd have to contend with this opponent through his Strength. After running away to buy time and evading the Dragon King's thrown greatsword, Shi Feng had realized that he couldn't shake off the Boss. His only option was to face the Dragon King directly.
On his third attempt, Shi Feng used Shadow Blade and merged the ten blades into pairs. He then sent the five pairs of blades flying at the Bronze Dragon King.
The Dragon King found Shi Feng's attempt at retaliation amusing.
In response, the Dragon King swung its greatsword at the five attacks' convergence point. The convergence point of each attack was the size of a strand of hair, but the Bronze Dragon King countered all five pairs with the tip of his greatsword, nullifying one blade in each pair. This effectively transformed the five combination attacks into five ordinary attacks. The Dragon King's counter had also altered the remaining blades' trajectories.
After nullifying Shi Feng's Shadow Blades, the Bronze Dragon King killed him again.
However, Shi Feng refused to give up. Instead, he continued to try different methods of buying time and retaliated against the Dragon King.
Ten times… Thirty times… One hundred times…
The Bronze Dragon King killed Shi Feng, again and again. Without knowing how much time had passed, Shi Feng immersed himself in the battle, focusing on nothing but fighting.
Through these repeated battles, Shi Feng was able to verify his theories and challenge his ideas. As a result, he continued to extend his survival time. Initially, he had only survived against the Dragon King for a few seconds, but now, he could last more than 20 seconds.
Despite the Bronze Dragon King's ability to perfectly and effortlessly neutralize his attacks, Shi Feng's fighting spirit burned brighter as he fought. He insisted on trying out more attack methods, despite numerous failures.
After dying over 200 times, both Shi Feng's mind and body were exhausted. His reactions were slowing, and even though he was immersed in a high-Mana environment, he was still slightly pale.
Eventually, the Bronze Dragon King initiated the 300th match.
Advancing, the Bronze Dragon King arrived before Shi Feng, launching six slashes that escaped the Swordsman's notice. This time, however, Shi Feng took a half step back and swung Killing Ray and the Twilight Blade in cross slash.
Not only did Shi Feng manage to dodge four of the Dragon King's attacks, but he also deflected the remaining two with his own swords. However, due to the extreme power of the Dragon King's attacks, Shi Feng hadn't altered the greatsword's trajectory by much. As a result, one of the Dragon King's attacks grazed Shi Feng's shoulder, dealing more than -100,000 damage.
He blocked my attacks? Confusion flashed in the Bronze Dragon King's eyes as he stared at Shi Feng. Shouldn't he be exhausted by now? How did he block them? Did he get lucky?
"I don't care how lucky you may be; this is the end!"
After Shi Feng blocked the Bronze Dragon King's attacks, the Boss assaulted his target more fervently.
Nine Extreme Slashes!
Chapter 2065 – Domain Realm
Nine streaks of silver light cut at Shi Feng. Not only were the Dragon King's Nine Extreme Slashes silent, but the sword lights also bloomed like flowers, creating a mesmerizing scene. When the silver flowers bloomed, the world around the Dragon King seemed to freeze.
If Miracle Dragon, from Miracle, saw this, he'd be stunned.
He had been trying to master the technique, but the Bronze Dragon King's execution was perfect. Not only did the Dragon King's nine sword lights avoid all forms of perception, but their trajectories eventually converged at a single point, as well. The Bronze Dragon King had just executed a fully offensive combat technique.
When the sword lights met, space around them shattered. A pitch-black spatial tear extended toward Shi Feng, but despite the fact that the attack was impossible to detect, Shi Feng responded, moving his feet forward and positioning Killing Ray in front of him. Then, he activated Parry, his actions simple and straightforward. From afar, it would seem as if Shi Feng moved very slowly, and a spectator would see his every action.
However, these slow motions actually blocked the Bronze Dragon King's Nine Extreme Slashes.
Boom!
When the Dragonscale Greatsword collided with Killing Ray, a deafening boom echoed throughout the hall, and the resulting shockwave was so intense that it reached several hundred yards away. Due to the impact, Shi Feng stumbled over a dozen yards back.
After the dust settled, it revealed a deep cut in the ground at the Dragon King's feet, spreading 30 yards away from the Boss. The power of the Bronze Dragon King's Nine Extreme Slashes was even greater than some Tier 3 Skills…
The Bronze Dragon King, who was responsible for this display of power, wore an astonished expression.
A human actually saw through my attack? The Bronze Dragon King frowned at the horizontal cut before his feet The angle of the cut wasn't a result of his Nine Extreme Slashes. It was obvious that his attack had been deflected. If Shi Feng hadn't seen his attack trajectory, the human wouldn't have succeeded; he would've been sent flying.
However, the Bronze Dragon King did not know that Shi Feng hadn't seen his attacks in the least. Rather than selfreflection, Shi Feng had forced his way through the bottleneck he had been stuck in and finally entered the Domain Realm.
The outcome even surprised Shi Feng.
After such a long life-or-death battle, he was exhausted. Even his vision was blurry. He couldn't sense the Bronze Dragon King's attacks normally, much less with blurry vision. Under such extreme conditions, Shi Feng had used every method he could think of to detect the Dragon King's attacks. Finally, rather than trying to predict the Boss's attacks by watching his arms and body, Shi Feng began to read the Dragon King's breathing and subtle movements.
After repeated deaths and experiments, he finally managed to 'see' the Bronze Dragon King's attack trajectory.
So, this is the Domain Realm? Shi Feng could not help his growing excitement as he glanced at the trembling Sacred Sword in his hand.
He had finally risen to the realm he had never been able to touch.
Perhaps it was because of his widened horizons or his changed perception of the world, but he now felt as if the world around him was utterly new.
He finally understood how amazing it was to wield a Domain. It was no wonder why Domain Realm experts were considered monsters.
Now, he could predict his opponents' intentions and movements by watching the subtle changes to their bodies. It was no wonder why Domain Realm experts easily toyed with weaker players.
However, the distant Bronze Dragon King had no intention of stopping his assault as Shi Feng celebrated his successful evolution into the Domain Realm. The Dragon King immediately advanced and swung his Dragonscale Greatsword toward Shi Feng's neck.
Previously, every time the Dragon King had employed such lightning-fast attacks, Shi Feng had fallen in the next moment. But the Swordsman wasn't as blind as he had been. Although barely, he read and predicted a fraction of the Bronze Dragon King's attacks and countered them.
Dang! Dang! Dang!
Metallic clangs echoed throughout the hall.
The battle that had been one-sided for so long had evolved into a fierce back-and-forth. Although Shi Feng was still at a complete disadvantage, and his HP continued to fall, this fight was no longer a one-sided slaughter.
Although Shi Feng had entered the Domain Realm, he still shocked by the Dragon King's strength. He could counter some of the Boss's attacks now, yet the Dragon King didn't evade his counterattacks, receiving them head-on. As a result, the massive gap between them hadn't shortened in the slightest despite Shi Feng's newfound ability to predict some of the Dragon King's attacks…
Following which, Shi Feng activated one Skill after another. He had even activated Life Domain. In the end, however, he couldn't change the outcome as the Bronze Dragon King continued to shave away his HP. It was only a matter of time before he died, yet as luck would have it, this was his 300th attempt If he died again, he would fail this trial.
Seeing how little HP he had remaining, Shi Feng couldn't help but sigh. He decided to use all of his cards and see how far he could go.
Not even a full day had passed since he had begun this trial. With the small fraction of HP he clung to, he wouldn't even survive five more minutes, much less two more days.
Since he was going to die anyway, he might as well use this Bronze Dragon King to test his new strength.
Shi Feng used the Twilight Blade's two Active Skills, Twilight's Shadow and Twilight of the Gods. The Twilight Domain dominated everything within 100 yards of Shi Feng. Suddenly, he split into eight copies of himself, each with 75% of the main body's Basic Attributes. Each copy then claimed a Twilight Blade, and their Basic Attributes soared to 85% of the original form.
Although Shi Feng had sacrificed some of his Basic Attributes to activate Twilight of the Gods, he had turned the one-on- one fight into an eight-on-one battle.
As the Bronze Dragon King charged toward him again, Shi Feng activated the Ring of Gospel's Ring of Brilliance as well. Unfortunately, Shi Feng didn't have enough Magic Crystals on him to activate Miniature World, but due to Ring of Brilliance, his doppelgangers now had 100% of his Basic Attributes. Their physiques were even stronger than his main body's.
"Meaningless tricks!" The Bronze Dragon King sneered at Shi Feng. In response, he summoned a second Dragonscale Greatsword, dual-wielding the two massive weapons. The intensity of his aura also skyrocketed.
He still reserved some of his strength? Shi Feng tensed as he felt the Bronze Dragon King's aura grow.
"It's over, human!" the Bronze Dragon King growled, transforming into a streak of light as he moved toward Shi Feng. His Movement Speed was significantly higher than it had been, which made his movements more difficult to read.
Divine Flash!
Not one to fall behind, Shi Feng surrounded the Dragon King with all eight of his clones and executed Sword's Transmigration simultaneously.
However, as he exchanged blows with the Bronze Dragon King, Shi Feng's vision abruptly darkened, and he fell forward. The Dragon King stood before Shi Feng proudly, his expression as indifferent and arrogant as it had always been. The Dragon King had known that this trial was impossible for any mortal since the very beginning.
However, just as the Bronze Dragon King was about to return to the magic barrier, he halted, frozen in place. Looking down, he discovered a faint, white mark on his arm. He had actually lost 1 HP.
"He injured me?" Shock brightened the Bronze Dragon King's eyes as he stared at the mark on his arm.
Chapter 2066 – Legendary Item
Shi Feng expected the system to teleport him out of the Ancient God's Maze after his battle with the Bronze Dragon King, but when he reopened his eyes, he wasn't in the outside world. Instead, he found himself inside an elegant hall.
A red carpet crossed the hall, leading to a golden throne at one end. A beautiful galaxy of stars decorated the ceiling, allowing the hall's occupants to view the universe.
Spear-wielding Knights in golden armor stood alongside the red carpet. Not only were they all Level 200, but the weakest Knight among them was also Tier 4. The Knight Captain in the lead was even a Tier 5 being. Moreover, none of the Knights were human, but bona fide Angels.
Any one of these Tier 4 Knights could rival a Tier 5 human NPC in terms of combat power. The Knight Captain could even rival a Tier 5 Dragon.
If these Angels wished it, they could obliterate an entire empire.
Before Shi Feng could process what was happening, the sound of a system notification reached his ears.
System: Congratulations! You have triggered the hidden event, "Hero's Heart," and have been summoned by the Archange, Vatra.
Archangel Vatra? The system notification surprised Shi Feng.
The Angel race's Life Rating was only slightly weaker than that of the Dragon race, and among Angels, Archangels were akin to Dragon Kings. They could even contend with Tier 6 Gods.
Every Archangel had a mission and was more than capable of influencing the entire continent of God's Domain.
In the past, a Tier 6 Berserker God named Double Brilliance had been an unknown, ordinary player during the game's early stages, but after a fortuitous encounter with an Archangel, he had activated an ancient world and shook the very foundation of God's Domain, altering the status quo. Double Brilliance had even been responsible for some superpowers' fall. Like a raging cyclone, he had grown stronger at a tremendous rate and eventually became a Tier 6 Berserker God.
God's Domain's players had regarded Double Brilliance's achievement as one of the game's legends. Many players dreamed of their own Archangel encounter. Unfortunately, players had only encountered such beings twice in Shi Feng's previous life.
He had certainly never expected to meet an Archangel here.
Before Shi Feng could snap out of his daze, a handsome man with pure-white robes and four equally white wings appeared before him.
Shi Feng had failed to sense this Angel's movement, but more surprising, he felt nothing from this being. Although the Angel stood before him, it didn't feel as if the Angel truly existed. He was nothing like the Bronze Dragon King, who had radiated an intensely stifling pressure. If not for the magic array that had sealed the Dragon King, he would've likely killed Shi Feng with his aura alone.
"I have watched your battle with the Bronze Dragon King, and I have to say, it was very interesting! Not even the Bronze Dragon King had imagined that a human like you could injure him," the male Angel said, laughing heartily as he watched Shi Feng. He then continued in a softer tone, "During your battle, I was able to sense your bravery and tenacity. Hence, I have invited you here in the hope that you can help me with something. Are you willing to assist me?"
System: Do you wish to accept Archangel Vatra's request?
"Lord Vatra, it would be my honor," Shi Feng respectfully replied.
Only a fool would refuse a request an Archangel's request The quests Archangels issued weren't like normal quests. If one failed an Archangel's quest, they wouldn't suffer a penalty, and the quest's rewards would be beyond imagination.
Take Double Brilliance's reward, for example. According to the rumors, Double Brilliance had received his patron Archangel's blessing after completing his quest. Not only had his individual strength skyrocketed, but he had also secured an advantage from the ancient world he had activated, allowing him to perform one impossible feat after another.
"Wonderful! Currently, God's Domain's World Barrier is clashing with the Undead World's World Barrier. This, in turn, has created holes in God's Domain's Barrier. Taking advantage of this situation, some of the Undead World's inhabitants have snuck into God's Domain and begun to cause havoc. Although we Angels wish to stop them, we cannot interfere with the continent's matters due to the rules the various Gods have set for us. Hence, we need a representative to handle these matters," Vatra said. "I wish to appoint you as my representative in removing the Undead from the continent of God's Domain."
System: You have accepted the Hidden Quest "Undead World."
Quest content: You must annihilate the Undead hiding and causing chaos on the God's Domain continent. Rewards unknown.
"Of course, you cannot complete the task with your current strength. Hence, I have prepared two items for you. The first is the Dragon Summoning Flute I've carefully handcrafted. The second item is this stone. These two items will help you deal with the Undead that have snuck into God's Domain."
After saying so, Vatra revealed a shining horn and simple black stone, handing them to Shi Feng.
[Dragon Summoning Flute (Replica)] (Legendary Rank Item)
A horn rumored to summon a flock of Dragons.
Spend 3,000 Advanced Magic Cores to summon five Dragons to assist in battle for 3 hours. Cooldown: 15 days
(The Dragons summoned can only fight NPCs. They cannot fight players or monsters.)
A Legendary item?! Shi Feng was stunned into silence as he examined the Dragon Summoning Flute.
He had to admit that a Legendary item was awe-inspiring. The Dragon Summoning Flute could actually summon five Dragons. If only he could use it during his own battles, it would be a truly incredible item.
However, the cost to use the flute was painfully high. Advanced Magic Cores could only be obtained from high-ranked Bosses. Moreover, Advanced Magic Cores had a large variety of uses. Not only could they be used as a component when crafting Master Potions, Epic Weapons, and Epic Equipment, but they were also necessary for building many types of constructions. At this stage of the game, even first-rate Guilds would be fortunate if they had 2,000 Advanced Magic Cores, yet the Dragon Summoning Flute required 3,000 for each use. No ordinary Guild could afford such an expenditure.
After inspecting the Dragon Summoning Flute, Shi Feng shifted his attention to the black stone in his other hand.
[Mysterious Stone] (Consumable)
From the outside, it looks just like a simple stone. However, this stone contains a strand of a God's power. It has a chance of granting players self-awakening. This stone may be used up to 33 times.
Self-awakening?! Is this stone that amazing?! Shi Feng was still speechless after reading the black stone's introduction.
Self-awakening might be a foreign concept to current players, but Shi Feng was quite familiar with the idea. Self-awakening could allow players to master a combat technique forcibly.
Of course, learning a combat technique so brutally had a downside. Players would consume far more Stamina when using the technique they learned through self-awakening. However, this method also had its benefits. Self-awakening would allow players to experience what it felt like to use the full technique and master it, which would, in turn, lower the technique's Stamina consumption. This process was far more effective than watching a video or experiencing the technique in a different way.
As Shi Feng began to research the black stone, Archangel Vatra waved a hand. Suddenly, Shi Feng felt the system transport him out of the hall as he returned to the space-time tunnel.
Chapter 2067 – New White River City
Star-Moon Kingdom, White River City:
When Shi Feng returned to White River City, he discovered that the city had undergone massive changes while he had been gone.
He had only been away for two weeks or so, yet experts from well-known adventurer teams now crowded the streets. Even the weakest among these experts was Level 63, Tier 2, and they all wore Level 60 Secret-Silver Equipment It almost seemed as if such equipment had become widely available, something so common that it wasn't worth players' attention.
Bronze Mounts were also a common sight in the city now. Occasionally, Shi Feng even noticed players atop Mysterious-Iron Mounts. White River City had become almost as prosperous as an empire's imperial capital.
Shi Feng had very nearly failed to recognize the city due to these massive changes.
Moreover, Star-Moon Kingdom's Guards used to protect the city, but now, Guards from other nations patrolled its streets. Shi Feng even spotted players from multiple foreign first-rate Guilds as he walked through the city, including a few peak experts from these Guilds. Shi Feng wasn't the only player to notice these experts. Players who visited White River City for the first time were just as shocked.
"Amazing! Isn't that player wearing the Dawn Light Set for Berserkers!?"
"Look at that Elementalist! He's wearing the Level 60 Fine-Gold ranked Wind Spirit Set! I've heard that the set only drops from Level 60, 100-man Hell Mode Team Dungeons!"
"So, this is White River City? Isn't the equipment these players are wearing here a little too amazing? I have only seen a handful of people with Level 60 Fine-Gold Set Equipment in the Black Dragon Empire's Black Dragon City. How are there so many people with that kind of equipment here?"
The players visiting White River City for the first time couldn't help but asp when they saw the well-equipped experts wandering the city, but the original residents merely spared these experts an indifferent glance. White River City had been developing too quickly, practically every day, and this was no longer an unusual sight.
The city's rapid changes were all due to the Auction Arena System's activation. As the only NPC city in Star-Moon Kingdom and the neighboring kingdoms to have the Auction Arena System, White River City had instantly become the heart of these kingdoms. The various major powers swarmed to the city in an attempt to compete for control of it. Hence, the quantity and quality of the experts here had skyrocketed.
The Auction Arena System also provided a development opportunity for merchant and independent players, who had come running to the city, as well. As a result, White River City had grown into a large-scale NPC city with a player population exceeding 20,000,000. It also had more powers than any other NPC city in Star-Moon Kingdom and its several neighbors.
As for weapons and equipment, even the Level 60 Secret-Silver rank, which was rare in other cities, was almost a standard in White River City. Many experts even wore Level 60 Fine-Gold Equipment. At this point, only Level 60 Dark-Gold Equipment could draw attention in White River City.
Unlike White River City's newest players, the city's original residents paid no attention to the wandering experts and their equipment as they rested and chatted by the roadside. Instead, they were focused on their discussions over the fight for White River City.
"The official struggle for White River City is going to start in two days. Independent players like us will get to enjoy a good show."
"I've heard that there are already four superpowers fighting for supremacy. I wonder how Zero Wing will hold its position? If Zero Wing loses White River City, all of its investments in the city will go to waste."
"Why are we even talking about this? Zero Wing can't hold the city. One of those superpowers will take it in the end. The Auction Arena's competition isn't like field combat Players can't rely on tools in the Auction Arena. Participants will have to rely on powerful experts and resources to win it Zero Wing is much weaker than a superpower in this regard, especially when it comes to the number of peak experts it has. Zero Wing has no chance against the participating superpowers."
"I guess you're right If Zero Wing had another six months, it might have enough resources and experts to contend with superpowers. Unfortunately, White River City has been developing too fast. It was actually one of the first NPCs to get promoted. If it had been a part of the second or third batch to get an Auction Arena, Zero Wing wouldn't have had any issues securing its hold over the city."
Nowadays, nothing grabbed players' attention than the fight for White River City in the Star-Moon Kingdom. Not only would the upcoming fight determine who controlled the city, but it was also the first time these major powers seriously clashed.
The Auction Arena also presented an opportunity for independent players to display their skills in front of these powers in hopes of reaching greater heights.
While this sounded like a joke, it was the best way to become famous overnight.
Now that God's Domain had more influence in the real world, more corporations invested in the game, and they all needed talented experts to work for them. If one could show off in the Auction Arena, one of the various superpowers might extend an olive branch.
As expected of one of the first promoted NPC cities. Its development speed and competition truly are frightening. Shi Feng could not help his surprise as he noticed various Guild players wandering the city streets.
He had seen more than 30 second-rate Guilds and as many as 10 first-rate Guilds since his return to White River City. Not even imperial capitals had this many Guilds, yet this was only what he saw on the surface. Who knew how many more powers lurked in the city in secret?
In the past, Shadow hadn't had any connection to the first wave of promoted NPC cities. At the time, Shadow had already been struggling for its survival in God's Domain, and the Guild had expended all of its available resources just to secure leveling spots and raid Dungeons for its members' equipment How could it have had the strength to compete for a major NPC city?
Shi Feng had only heard stories of how powerful the various entities participating in the Auction Arena's competition were and the competition's intensity. He hadn't actually gotten a realistic sense of how extraordinary the competitions had actually been.
Now that he was a participant, he couldn't help his rueful sigh.
Shi Feng returned to Zero Wing's Residence to organize the materials he had obtained during his trial.
However, as he entered the Guild Hall, Shi Feng noticed that the hall's atmosphere was odd. He could sense a depressing energy throughout the building, and the number of experts in the hall had visibly decreased.
"Youlan, did something happen? What's with the strange atmosphere?" Shi Feng asked Youlan, who currently sorted through the Guild members' information.
"Guild Leader, you're back!" Youlan's face lit with joy when she saw Shi Feng, but then she frowned and said, "While you've been gone, Twilight Echo's survival in the Storm Empire has become unsure. Aqua Rose doesn't want to see the destruction of her family's Guild and doesn't want to implicate Zero Wing, so she has temporarily resigned as Vice Guild Leader to help Twilight Echo under her own name. Many of the players that were originally from Twilight Echo have gone with her. I tried to contact you about this, but I couldn't get through to you."
"Twilight Echo is having an existential crisis?" Shi Feng was surprised to hear the news. "What happened?"
"According to what we know, it seems that Nature Hall is trying to monopolize the Storm Empire and wants every Guild in the area to submit as a subordinate. Since Twilight Echo refuses to submit, it tried to move out of the empire, but Nature Hall refuses to let the Guild get out safely and has threatened to remove Twilight Guild from God's Domain. Thus, the Guild is in danger of perishing," Youlan explained.
"I see." Once he had a general understanding of the situation, Shi Feng revealed a bitter smile and wondered aloud, "Is Zero Wing really that unreliable?"
Twilight Echo was everything to Aqua Rose's family. Although she had broken away from her family's influence to develop independently, if Twilight Echo perished, so would Aqua Rose's family. Naturally, she couldn't just sit by and watch.
However, Nature Hall was not the first-rate Guild it had been in the past. It had secured major corporations' investments and not long ago, had successfully removed a super-first-rate Guild from the Storm Empire. Since it had a long time to develop after that incident, it was easy to imagine how powerful Nature Hall had become.
Considering Zero Wing's current problems, if Aqua Rose used her identity as one of Zero Wing's Vice Guild Leaders to help Twilight Echo, Nature Hall would turn its ire on Zero Wing, increasing its number of enemies.
"Guild Leader, should we send some people to help her?" Youlan asked.
"Of course, we should! Not only are we going to send some of our people, but I also want you to send someone to inform Nature Hall that Twilight Echo is under Zero Wing's protection!"
Chapter 2068 – Zero Wing's Protection
Storm Empire, Nether Mine:
The Storm Empire was located in a mountainous region, and various ore veins were common around the empire. As a result, the empire had become famous as an ore producer on the God's Domain continent. Meanwhile, the empire possessed the Nether Mine on one of its borders, which bathed in Nether Energy all-year-round. Because Nether Energy increased Player's Stamina consumption several-fold, and the mountains around the mine were home to Level 70 and above Demonic Beasts, players were rarely interested in grinding and leveling in the area.
However, several thousand players had gathered near one of the creeks between the two mountains. The lowest-leveled of these players was Level 62, and all of them would be considered experts.
Only, these several thousand experts were members of two groups, one with fewer than 400 players, and the other with nearly three thousand.
If the Storm Empire's players were present, they'd be shocked. The smaller group consisted of Twilight Echo's core members, the pillars that supported the Guild. Roughly 30 of them were top-ranked experts in the Storm Empire, and to ordinary players, they were unreachable. The strongest of these experts had to be Dark Wave, Twilight Echo's current Guild Leader and a player that ranked among the top ten within his class.
Many powers operated in the Storm Empire, and its player population was even more frightening. Ranking among the top ten on one's class ranking list was an impressive feat Dark Wave could easily rank among the top 20 or 30 in any kingdom's overall combat power ranking.
Such a group of experts shouldn't even fear an army of 10,000 elite players, but despite facing a legion of less than 3,000, Twilight Echo's core members wore grim expressions. Their eyes even held traces of fear.
"To think Nature Hall would send even you, Vice Guild Leader Owl, to greet us, your Guild must think highly of us," Dark Wave commented to the robust, bear-like man carrying two Epic ranked one-handed axes, fear flashing in his eyes.
Owl Life had only been an ordinary expert, but after joining God's Domain, he had repeatedly challenged the game's experts, growing stronger at a ridiculous rate. In the end, he had grown from an unknown player into one of the Storm Empire's famous experts. He then caught Nature Hall's attention, and the Guild recruited him. After joining Nature Hall, Owl Life's development speed skyrocketed, and he quickly became one of the Guild's capable generals.
When the super-first-rate Guild, Nine-star Family had operated in the Storm Empire, Owl Life had fought and defeated an army of its peak experts. He had even single-handedly killed five peak experts while leading a 5,000-man team to capture one of the super-first-rate Guild's towns. That battle had shaken the empire and made Owl Life famous. Eventually, Owl Life had become one of Nature Hall's Vice Guild Leaders.
Although Dark Wave ranked among the top ten in his own class within the empire, Owl Life ranked among the top ten in the overall rankings. While the difference might not seem major, it was like the difference between a candle flame and a roaring bonfire.
If Owl Life wanted to, he could kill every Twilight Echo expert present.
"Guild Leader Dark Wave, I assume you know Nature Hall's stance on this since I've made the trip here. You people from Twilight Echo should stop deluding yourselves," Owl Life said with a commanding tone, smiling at Dark Wave.
"Twilight Echo has already conceded every high-resource location available. We have even moved to this remote map to grind. We already intend to give up on developing in the Storm Empire. What more do you people want?" Dark Wave said as he tightened his grip on his saber, his expression darkening in frustration.
"The Guild Leader sent me to knock some sense into you," Owl Life said, chuckling. "Either submit or we will remove you from God's Domain permanently. There is no third option. Don't think that we will let you continue to develop just because you've fled to this remote location."
Dark Wave's frown deepened.
Nobody could've expected the competition between the various powers would become so intense after the Auction Arena's activation. To strengthen its hold on the Storm Empire, Nature Hall had begun an all-out war against the empire's powers, eradicating any that opposed it
"Guild Leader, why don't we just fight them?"
"That's right! If we have to go down, we'll take them with us!"
Twilight Echo's experts prepared themselves for a desperate battle in response to Nature Hall's determination to drive them into a corner.
"You want to suffer mutual destruction? Do you really think that you're capable of that?" Owl Life could not help but laugh when he heard Twilight Echo's members.
Owl Life's words incensed Twilight Echo's members further. Only Dark Wave remained silent He had nothing to offer in rebuttal. His silence wasn't due to a lack of courage, but because Owl Life spoke the truth.
No one in the Guild had a better idea than he of how powerful the players who ranked among the top ten on the empire's overall combat power rankings were. It was no exaggeration to consider these players humanoid monsters.
"We don't have any other choice! Once the battle begins, I'll try to pin down Owl Life for as long as I can! Everyone else, split up and run!" Dark Wave said. He then turned to Aqua Rose, who stood beside him, and said, "Aqua, you've seen it for yourself now. Your return can't solve this matter. You need to try to escape this. Don't let Twilight Echo ruin your future."
As Aqua Rose's fourth uncle, he was grateful that his niece had returned to help the family's Guild. Unfortunately, she couldn't change anything. After seeing how Nature Hall treated Twilight Echo, he knew that if any other superpower interfered, Nature Hall would make his Guild suffer for it.
Dark Wave knew that Zero Wing, Aqua Rose's Guild, had been developing quite well recently and was now better off than Twilight Echo. Helping Twilight Echo wasn't worth Aqua Rose losing her opportunity in Zero Wing.
Aqua Rose bowed her head and gritted her teeth in frustration. She had never expected Nature Hall to be so intent on cornering Twilight Echo. If she hadn't returned most of her weapons and equipment to Zero Wing's Guild Warehouse before leaving, she might have been able to fight Owl Life and allow more of Twilight Echo's members to escape.
"You want to flee? Are you even strong enough for that?" Owl Life ridiculed, sneering at the serious expressions on Twilight Echo's members.
However, just before a fight broke out, 1,000 players ran into the valley. An elegant girl in beautiful mage robes, looking like a fairy, led the force, and many of the players in the valley couldn't help but stare.
Among the 1,000 new arrivals, the lowest-leveled player was 63, while most were Level 64. The weakest piece of equipment these players wore was Level 60 Secret-Silver rank. Many of these players even wore Level 60 Fine-Gold and Dark-Gold Equipment. Both Nature Hall and Twilight Echo's members watched these newcomers with envy.
However, the most noticeable aspect of these players was their sharp auras. They clearly weren't ordinary experts.
"Who are you? Can't you see that Nature Hall is busy here? If you don't want any trouble, leave immediately!" Owl Life warned the approaching 1,000-man legion.
Normally, he would've already commanded his subordinates to eliminate any intruders, but this 1,000-man legion clearly wasn't a normal force. Even his players would suffer if they attacked these new arrivals without care.
"Us? We're from Zero Wing," Violet Cloud said with a faint smile.
"Zero Wing? Isn't that a Guild from Star-Moon Kingdom?" Owl Life faintly recalled such a Guild, and from what he could remember, Zero Wing had been developing excellently recently. He then asked, "Why have you come here?"
"We have orders from our Guild Leader to inform Nature Hall that Twilight Echo is under Zero Wing's protection," Violet Cloud calmly replied.