《Martial Online.》


 Chapter 1: Nocklund

    <h4>Chapter 1: Nocklund</h4>


    "Well, Mr. Kraham." A doctor dressed in his usual whiteb coat nudged his sses. "We found a very small capiry fracture in your right wrist. It is not bad enough that you need cast, but you have to limit its use severely."


    "Ah." A young man sitting in a wheelchair looked at his right wrist. He carefully rubbed it and flinched in pain. "I... understand."


    "Don''t get discouraged. This is your first bone fracture in nearly three months." The doctor tried to lighten up the atmosphere. "Are you able to use a wheelchair with one hand? I can ask for the nurse to..."


    "I will be fine." The young man interrupted him and sighed. "Has the taxi arrived yet?"


    The doctor nodded and looked at his silver-rimmed wristwatch. "Yes. Then, take these with you and tell your parents to sign them."


    He handed over three pages of paperwork, which the young man epted.


    The young man then spun the wheelchair around and used only his left hand to roll himself towards the exit of the room.


    "Also, Jesse. In yourst visit, you talked about getting that new VR game. Have you?" The doctor asked.


    Jesse had his left hand on the doorhandle, but stopped after hearing the doctor''s question.


    He looked over his shoulder at the doctor and shook his head. "Not yet... I didn''t pre-order it."


    "Hmm, I see." The doctor said. "Some of my colleagues had suggested getting that game for their patients that have a hard time doing normal things.


    "It is said to be equal to the second world, which feels so real that it is hard to see the difference. Maybe, in your situation, getting that game would help your psychological situation as well.


    "I think it''s a good idea for you to get it."


    "I... understand." Jesse nodded, opened the door, and rolled slowly out of the room. He then headed down the corridor, towards the exit of the hospital.


    ''I have saved enough to purchase both the VR helmet and the game. The servers would open the day after tomorrow at 12 a.m., but I don''t want to waste my money without knowing if the game is good.


    ''Maybe I should check the reviews from Beta Testers and the in-game footage that was released a week ago. I still have a few days to decide, and I don''t necessarily need to be ying right away.''


    Jesse thought quickly, and once he reached the doors that led out of the hospital, a kind elderly man opened the door for him, allowing him to wheel out of the hospital.


    He thanked the elderly man before going to find his taxi. Soon enough, he saw a taxi with a familiar-looking driver that had been waiting outside for him.


    "Hello, Mr. Kraham. Straight home?" The taxi driver asked.


    "Yes, thank you." Jesse nodded and rolled the wheelchair towards the backseat. He tried to hop onto the backseat like he always had, but he would need to use the strength of both hands.


    Unfortunately, he had a small fracture in his right wrist, making it unusable.


    Understanding the predicament, the taxi driver offered assistance. With Jesse''s permission, the driver gently lifted him, supporting his feet and shoulders, and carefully ced him in the backseat.


    After that, the taxi driver folded the wheelchair and ced it in the trunk. Then he closed the trunk and returned to the driver''s seat. He twisted the key, started the engine, and then began driving away from the hospital.


    Jesse watched the passing buildings with a fatigued expression. His reflection in the window showed his mirrored self.


    He had blue eyes that seemed to have lost the luster of his youth and a face that was now filled with fatigue. He donned an all-ck outfit, which he had worn for years, and a high-tech wristwatch that showed his heart rate.


    His body was quite unathletic, as he couldn''t exercise much due to his condition. His face was also rather average-looking; some might consider it below average as there weren''t any noticeable features on him.


    After a while, the taxi stopped at red lights.


    Jesse still looked out of the window and saw a group of students loitering around the entrance to the school.


    A young man with quite striking red hair wrapped his arm around his femalepanion and happened to look directly towards the taxi. His smug smile conveyed thousand words.


    Jesse averted his gaze silently and waited impatiently for the red light to change. Soon enough, it turned yellow and then finally green.


    As the taxi continued moving forward, Jesse caught the sign of the school.


    Nocklund High.


    ...


    "It''s finished!" eximed a woman with disheveled hair as she excitedly sprinted down the corridor, rushing into a packed meeting room where a gray-haired man was delivering a presentation.


    The gray-haired man shot an irritated re at the messy-haired woman, clearly displeased by the interruption to his presentation. "Jonna, what the hell?"


    Jonna, undeterred, shouted with enthusiasm and proudly disyed a white-colored VR headset with a golden visor. "My baby is finished! Look!"


    The man nced at the VR headset and then back at Jonna, perplexed. "What am I looking at?"


    The rest of the individuals in the meeting room raised their eyebrows, eager for an exnation of Jonna''s disruptive behavior.


    "This VR headset is going to revolutionize the world! I just need your permission to begin mass production!" Jonna eximed passionately.


    The gray-haired man sighed, frustration evident on his face. "Not again. For heaven''s sake, just let go of this idea already! It''s never going to work!"


    "But it will work! I have a prototype, and it functions wlessly!" Jonna argued back defiantly.


    "For thest time, the answer is no. You''re a brilliant developer, Jonna, and we need you when the servers go online. Please, put an end to this... madness," the gray-haired man pleaded, his expression filled with exhaustion.


    "You guys don''t understand!" Jonna shouted. "This has the potential to revolutionize the world!"


    "Or potentially destroy ourpany," someone interjected from the table. "We don''t have time for extensive testing, let alone mass production. This VR headset is far moreplex than the standard ones."


    "It works, trust me!" Jonna insisted. "I''ve conducted experiments, and it has proven to be sessful."


    "You''ve already tested it? On yourself?" The gray-haired man clenched his teeth. "That''s dangerous! We have no knowledge of the potential side effects!"


    "Only on myself, of course," Jonna boasted, pushing her chest forward proudly. "And I feel incredible. Better than ever before!"


    "Leave and abandon this obsession!" the gray-haired man shouted, waving his hand dismissively. "If I hear another word about this VR headset, I will fire you. Do you understand?"


    "Ugh, I understand..." Jonna lowered her head, overhearing a few snickers from the people at the table. She tightly gripped the VR headset in her hands.


    Apologizing for the interruption, she exited the meeting room and walked down the corridor, passing a window that revealed a factory in full swing, assembling and packaging thousands of VR headsets for distribution.


    Jonna looked at the VR headset in her arms and smiled. "It works, I know it does. This can change the world, and I won''t let those fools halt the revolution."


    She hurried down the stairs and entered the bustling factory area wherepany workers were diligently preparing for the imminentunch of the servers.


    The pre-orders for the VR headsets had already skyrocketed, and their superiors anticipated even higher demand in the days toe.


    Nodding in acknowledgment to the workers, Jonna seamlessly made her way towards the neatly arranged boxes in the room. It wasn''t her first time in the factory area.


    Her eyesnded on a partially filled box containing VR headsets, each meticulously packed in their individual boxes.


    Ensuring no one was observing her, she surreptitiously ced her VR headset inside a vacant smaller box and securely closed it. With a stamp in hand, she pressed it against the box, imprinting only the location.


    [Location: Nocklund City]

 Chapter 2: Kraham

    <h4>Chapter 2: Kraham</h4>


    The two-story building boasted a white exterior, featuring a triangr roof with a small chimney protruding through it. Two drainage pipes descended from the left and right sides of the roof, pouring cascades of water.


    The ground floorprised a living room, kitchen, cleaning closet, and a door leading to the backyard terrace. Upstairs, on the second floor,y two bathrooms, three bedrooms, and a study room.


    Adjacent to the metal gate, a sign proudly dered the residence as the "Kraham Family Residence." The house was situated on Cavern Street, surrounded by simr-looking buildings in a humble neighborhood where middle-ss families resided.


    Using his left hand, Jesse opened the gate and maneuvered his wheelchair down the stone-tiled path toward the front door. Upon reaching the entrance, he fumbled in his pockets until he found his keys and unlocked the door.


    After the wheels of the wheelchair rolled into the house, Jesse closed the door and locked it behind him.


    Jesse sighed, used his left hand to push the wheelchair''s wheel, and headed straight towards the stairs. There was a wheelchair lift connected to the wall. It would help him ascend the stairs and reach the second floor, where his bedroom was.


    After reaching the stairs, before he was able to hop onto the one-seater lift, a voice came from the living room.


    "Food is ready." A serious voice said. It belonged to a tired-looking man who was flipping through a newspaper. A table behind him bore cold food that had lost its steam.


    "I am not hungry..." Jesse said to his father and hopped onto the one-seater.


    "Hmph, as you wish." His father, Terry Kraham, said and flipped to another page in the newspaper.


    Jesse folded the wheelchair with his only remaining hand and ced it on top of his legs carefully. He then pressed a button on the machine that was connected to the wall.


    The one-seater then started moving up the stairs, and soon it reached the second floor.


    Jesse unfolded the wheelchair and hopped onto it.


    He rolled towards the closest door and opened it, then entered the room.


    He found a small table with amp on top of it, and he turned on its light. The room was almost empty except for a bed in one corner, which was unmade. There was one wardrobe that didn''t have a lot of clothes, and then his study desk from his school days.


    His room was rather cold-looking, with empty walls and a ceiling.


    There was a desk under the window from his school days. Upon the desky a solitary book, titled "Ambrose, the Immortal Man."


    Jesse rolled next to the bed, hopped onto his bed, and pushed the wheelchair gently to the corner of the room. He thenid down and took a deep breath.


    After catching his breath, he took out his phone and opened it. The first image he saw was an old family picture of him, his parents, and his little sister.


    They were all smiling, which was one of his most fond memories. However, as he grew older, his parents and his little sister became more cold.


    Their financial situation wasn''t as good as a decade ago, and while it wasn''t Jesse''s fault, he felt like they med him for it. After all, his condition caused them to spend money.


    Jesse sighed and entered a special forum on his phone. It was a forum for a soon-to-be-released VR game that was said to be like a second world¡ªMartial Online.


    There was a lot of excitement in the air as he browsed the forums. However, he was searching for a certain post that he had seen a while back.


    Soon, he found it.


    It was from a person who imed to have been a Beta Tester. He was a famous VR yer in older games.


    Jesse skimmed past most of the post''s content, but he did read the most important parts.


    "Martial Online feels so real that it makes all other VR games pale inparison...


    "I thought I was tricked and I had been knocked unconscious and transported to another continent, then tricked that I was actually inside a game¡ªit was simply that magical...


    "The biggest concern for many has been the pain sensors. Many thought that Martial Company was obsessed with making the game as realistic as possible, including the pain.


    "However, no need to worry. There is a clear way to feel if you get hit by an attack. I got shed by a sword across my chest, and instead of pain, I felt a numb sensation that was quite ufortable.


    "There is also a way to lose limbs, but again, there is no pain, only that annoying numb sensation. Haha, I realized that Martial Company must have intentionally made that feeling annoying so that yers would avoid getting hit, which is an excellent idea.


    "In the end, I truly began fighting like my life was on the line, as I didn''t want to feel that sensation anymore, haha. Just thinking about it makes me smile.


    "The game is so amazing that my words can''t exin it!"


    Jesse thoughtfully left the forums and entered the video app. In there, he found in-game footage of Martial Online. He began watching in silence.


    It was filmed in first-person view, and it showed how it would look if he were the one currently ying.


    After the video ended, Jesse closed the phone and looked at the empty ceiling.


    "Just how real can it actually be? I would pay anything if it would make me feel like an actual person..." Jesse nced at his broken right wrist and painfully groaned. "Anything..."


    Bang, the door opened with a loud m.


    A beautiful, long-haired young woman with tanned skin entered the room. She had heavy make-up on her face and wore a tight ck dress that showed off her toned body.


    "Holly, what the heck?" Jesse groaned in pain and tried to sit up.


    "I need money; give it to me." Holly said while munching on bubblegum.


    "Money? What for?" Jesse asked after finally sitting up.


    "None of your business. Just give me or I need to ask from mom." Holly munched on the bubblegum and showed an annoying-looking smile.


    "Argh..." Jesse nced at his broken right wrist and nodded weakly. He took out his wallet, but before he was able to take anything out, Holly snatched it from his hands and took out a fifty money note.


    "Thanks." Holly tossed the wallet to the ground and left the room while mming the door shut behind her.


    Jesse took the wallet from the floor and nced at its empty inside.


    "That was my only spare money..." He sighed andid back down. He covered his face. "If I buy the VR helmet and the game, I don''t have any extra money. Is it really worth it?"


    At that moment, three faces popped up in his mind. The smirking little sister, disappointed father, and annoyed-looking mother.


    "If it allows me to escape this shitty reality, I might as well." Jesse sighed.


    He decided to go tomorrow to purchase the VR helmet.

 Chapter 3: Servers Online

    <h4>Chapter 3: Servers Online</h4>


    Jesse pushed the wheel of the wheelchair forward as he moved down the sidewalk. The weather was rather warm, with a clear blue sky and a scorching sun hovering high above.


    Shortly afterwards, he arrived at the bustling store. It was an electronic store, and many customers left the store with boxes of VR helmets in hand.


    Jesse rolled towards the door, and luckily it was an automated door, allowing him to enter the store without any hups. He looked across the store''s aisles and found the ce where VR helmets were sold.


    However, many customers left that aisle with disappointed expressions.


    Jesse had a bad feeling and quickly wheeled to the aisle, and after arriving at the shelves, he saw that there was no VR helmet for sale. They were already sold out.


    At that moment, the store clerk came to the shelves and ced a sign, saying that a new shipment of VR helmets would arrive the day after tomorrow. It made many customers upset because the servers would go online tomorrow morning.


    Jesse left the store without buying anything and headed in another direction.


    ''I can always wait for the day after tomorrow.'' Jesse thought about it, but then came across an ordinary convenience store. There was a VR helmet sign next to the door. ''They are also selling them? I guess it''s good for business. I wonder if they have any left.''


    He entered the store through automated doors and saw that there were many customers with VR helmet boxes on hand, waiting their turn on the counter.


    Jesse quickly wheeled towards the small aisle and saw that there were only three VR helmet boxes left. He heard the store''s automated doors opening behind him, meaning more and more people wereing to buy them.


    He quickly wheeled towards the boxes and grabbed one of them. He looked at the price tag, and it was the same price as announced.


    However, the box was rather crudely packed, with no protective wrapping or anything else.


    At first, Jesse thought about getting another one, but a pair of young men had already arrived at the aisle and grabbed the remaining VR helmets.


    Jesse looked at the VR helmet box in his hand and ced it on hisp. Then he wheeled towards the store''s counter, and after waiting for close to five minutes, it was his turn to pay for his.


    After the store clerk scanned the VR helmet box, Jesse paid the right amount and then took the box back before leaving the store.


    Jesse nced at the cloudless sky and then turned his gaze back to the VR helmet. He then looked around the street and decided to call for a taxi. He didn''t feelfortable returning home like this. He was easy prey for thieves.


    After dialing the taxi, he waited in the shade till the taxi arrived.


    ...


    The following morning.


    Jesse woke up groggily and sat on the bed''s edge. He looked at his watch and saw that it was already 9:30 a.m. He had slept for about five hours, but he felt tired and weak fromck of sleep.


    The pain kept me awake.


    He looked towards the corner of his room, where the wheelchair was.


    ''I should be able to make it there.'' Jesse looked at his legs and carefully stood up. His legs shook and he looked like he could be blown over by a single gush of wind.


    Slowly, he started moving his legs until he arrived at the door. He carefully opened the door and went to the bathroom. He was careful not to hit his toes on the corner of the door.


    After washing his teeth, emptying his dder, and washing his face, he slowly returned to his room.


    As he opened the door to his room, he heard the distant voices of his family members in the kitchen. He didn''t go to eat breakfast and instead returned to his room.


    He carefully sat back on the bed and rubbed his painful legs.


    ''I guess that is my limit today...'' Jesse sighed and rolled the wheelchair closer in case he needed to go somewhere else.


    ''A few more hours till the servers open. I wonder what people are saying.'' Jesseid on the bed and nced at the bedside table that had a VR helmet box on top, then pulled out his phone and checked the forum.


    ''They are excited as always.'' Jesse thought, and one post got his attention. ''Creation of dojos/fighting schools. Oh, one yer can create their own fighting style and then create his own dojo to teach it to others.


    ''So it is basically this game''s guild system from those medieval VR games. Instead of having an actual guild, yers can create and join these schools... That is pretty cool.


    ''However, is it easy to create your own fighting style? It seems difficult. I guess the game won''t be overflowing with these schools, which is good, I think.''


    Jesse rolled down further and saw another interesting post.


    ''Learning and creating skills. It is possible to learn skills from different NPC fighting schools. However, the yer has to actually learn the skill; they won''t magically learn it.


    ''To learn a skill, the yer has to reach 100%pletion. The easiest way is to have an NPC teach the skill, or just follow the instructions on the skill and then try to learn it till thepletion rate reaches 100%...


    ''Creating skills is far more difficult. The game has to register your skill as a valid move, and it can''t be any stronger than the yer''s level. Therefore, creating your own fighting style is definitely hard...


    ''Learning higher level skills is also incredibly hard...''


    Jesse thought that the game sounded quiteplex and difficult, meaning there might be a high skill ceiling. He didn''t mind, since he thought it was more exciting that way.


    In a sense, the game was simple, with only a few sses avable, but the skills and fighting styles made the game veryplex.


    Jesse closed the phone and looked at the ceiling. His lips curled slightly into a smile¡ªhe rarely smiled these days.


    ''It indeed sounds amazing. I just wonder if the game is as realistic as they say. I wish it was...''


    He closed his eyes and waited infortable silence.


    He heard the downstairs door opening, voices disappearing, and then the car''s engine humming until it also disappeared.


    Jesse opened his eyes and knew that his little sister and parents had left. His little sister left for school and his parents for work. It was often like this when he was left alone.


    The doctors suggested that he not be left alone because of his condition, as one mistake might kill him.


    Jesse didn''t mind, as he never left his bed when he was alone in a home because he still valued his life.


    He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes.


    After a few hours, the rm went off, and Jesse woke up to the irritating sound.


    He groggily checked the time, and it was exactly the time of server''s opening.


    ''The servers must be online...'' Jesse grabbed his VR helmet box, unboxed it, and took out a white VR helmet with a golden visor. It looked elegant and expensive.


    After cing it around his head, he pressed a small button on the side of the VR helmet and took afortable position on the bed.


    He closed his eyes, and when he next opened his eyes, he was standing in the middle of an empty white expanse.

 Chapter 4: Martial Online

    <h4>Chapter 4: Martial Online</h4>


    ''I don''t feel anything...'' Jesse looked around, but he couldn''t step forward or feel his body. He knew this was the starting point that one would see when they activated the VR helmet.


    "Screen." He said and a selection of choices appeared in front of him. One of them was the log out button, and the other was the store button.


    He pressed on the store, and immediately an image of Martial Online popped up. All other games were much smaller, and it was clear which game had the most importance currently.


    Jesse pressed on the game and saw the price tag. He pressed the "buy" option and filled in the credit card options, then finished the transaction.


    After finishing the transaction, the game started downloading.


    While the game was downloading, Jesse moved his hands around and sighed after not feeling anything. He expected the same thing to happen once he entered Martial Online, but he still had a small amount of hope left.


    He expected the game to feel great, but not really realistic.


    Currently, he felt like he was not disconnected from reality but just lying on his bed with a VR headset on.


    After the download waspleted, Jesse hesitated before pressing the "enter" option below the game.


    Nothing happened.


    He raised his eyebrow and looked around in confusion.


    At that moment, the white empty space disappeared, and Jesse appeared in the middle of a yard with a stone ground.


    A small breeze of wind drifted across the air and touched Jesse''s face before moving away.


    "W-what?" Jesse let out a surprised voice as he looked at the surroundings. He touched his face, as he was certain that he felt the wind clearly, as if he were really standing outside.


    Jesse lowered his gaze, and unlike in the empty white space, he saw his legs. He looked at his hands, clenched them, and then loosened them. It felt very real.


    His eyes shook, and he hesitantly looked at his legs, then moved them forward.


    After taking a single step forward, he let out a surprisedugh. "Haha!"


    His smile grew, and then he took another step forward.


    He was now standing on the front steps that led to the entrance of the dojo. It was the only building nearby.


    Jesse turned around and saw a cliff and a long stairway that led to a city below. The city looked traditional, with narrow streets lined with quaint buildings. It looked very weing and cozy.


    A river winding through the streets, mountains looming in the distance, and the presence of natural beauty added to the serene ambiance.


    Jesse imagined himself walking along a tree-lined path, enjoying the rustling leaves and listening to birds chirping in the trees.


    He then remembered the dojo.


    Jesse turned to the dojo and then back to his hands. He hesitated about whether he should try pinching his finger to test the pain sensors, but after hesitating for a moment, he decided not to.


    Instead, he entered the dojo.


    There, he saw a bald-headed man wearing traditional Japanese clothing and holding a sword in his hand. The man had his eyes closed and sat cross-legged as if he were meditating.


    "Excuse me... Where am I?" Jesse asked and was about tond his feet on the floor of the dojo.


    "Take off your shoes, youngling." The bald-headed man opened his eyes with a smile.


    "Ah." Jesse pulled his foot back and looked at his shoes. He didn''t notice that he was also wearing shoes. They were made of leather, and he''d never seen them before.


    He took them off and ced them on the side. He didn''t have any socks on.


    He then stepped onto the dojo''s floor and approached the bald-headed man.


    "Please, sit." The bald-headed man pointed at the floor before him.


    Jesse nodded and sat down carefully. All of his movements were filled with hesitation and carefulness.


    "Wee to the city of Amaterasu.


    "I am Amaterasu''s Sword Grandmaster, Kiryu. Nice to meet you." The bald-headed man, Kiryu, bowed with a smile. "My duty is to help you begin your journey."


    "Oh, nice to meet you." Jesse nodded and looked around the dojo. "This ce is..?"


    "It is my dojo, Kiryu''s Dojo. I teach Kiryu''s Swordsmanship." Kiryu smiled.


    "Oh." Jesse nodded and hesitantly asked. "Is it possible for me to learn it?"


    Kiryu smiled and shook his head. "There is only one way to learn my swordmanship; one has to impress me first."


    "Ah." Jesse nodded. ''He sounds like some kind of final boss...''


    "Now, time is limited, and I shouldn''t waste your time." Kiryu said. "First of all, decide your name. Choose carefully; it is an important choice, and you will be unable to change your name afterwards."


    "Okay..." Jesse caressed his chin and pondered. ''I shouldn''t use my real name. What kind of name... Huh, maybe that one? It is my favorite book, and that character is my all-time favorite.''


    He made up his mind.


    "I have decided." Jesse looked at the bald-headed man and said. "Ambrose."


    The bald-headed man nodded his head in approval. "Nice to meet you, Ambrose."


    Ambrose nodded, and his lips curled into a small smile. ''I should remember to use the name Ambrose primarily here. I have to abandon the name Jesse while I am here.''


    "Next, choose your ss." Kiryu said. "There are five sses¡ªSwordsman, Spearman, Archer, Brawler, and Unique."


    "What are the differences in the sses?" Ambrose asked.


    "Swordsman is a ss that specializes in swordsmanship; Spearman focuses on spearmanship; Archers focus on archery; Brawlers are unarmedbatants; and Unique doesn''t specialize in anything; they are basically able to use any weapon."


    "Swordsmen can''t use spears as an example?" Ambrose asked.


    "They can, but quite poorly. Unique yers can use both swords and spears well, but it is harder for them to learn them than for Swordsmen and Spearmen."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded. ''It sounds like a difficult ss; I shouldn''t choose it since I am a novice in VR games, and I shouldn''t give myself such a big handicap already.


    ''I am not a big fan of archery, and I don''t really want to be Brawler either; I don''t think it suits me.


    ''So, it is either Spearman or Swordsman.''


    Kiryu smiled while waiting patiently.


    Ambrose looked at him and asked. "Which one should I choose, Swordsman or Spearman?"


    Kiryu smiled and looked like he wanted him to ask that question.


    "Swords are the most majestic and powerful weapon. Spears may have range, and fighting them can be quite problematic, but swords are greatest in closebat, and with a good skillset, swords can also be extremely powerful at long range."


    "Hah, you sure are fond of swords." Ambrose wryly smiled and knew which Kiryu would prefer. He was, after all, carrying a sword already.


    "Of course." Kiryu showed his sword. It had a red patterned hilt and a fancy crimson sheath. He unsheathed the sword, revealing a long, curved, single-edged de.


    "This sword is a katana. Its name is Amaterasu, named after this city."


    Ambrose saw his reflection through the de and touched his cheek. His face was exactly the same as in real life, with dull blue eyes and shoulder-length ck hair.


    ''The face is still the same. I am kind of disappointed.'' He sighed.


    "So, which ss will you choose?" Kiryu asked with a smile.


    Ambrose looked at the fancy katana and then at Kiryu''s face.


    "Swordsman."


    "Excellent choice!" Kiryu let out augh. He seemed very pleased.


    Kiryu sheathed the katana and then smiled. "Onest thing. You received 50 stat points; you may assign them. There are strength, charm, intelligence, luck, agility, vitality, dexterity, and stamina stats. Choose carefully.


    "You receive 10 stat points with each level up."


    Ambrose nodded and then scratched his hair. He wasn''t sure how to open his interface.


    "Say¡ªInterface¡ªand it should show up." Kiryu said.


    "Interface," Ambrose said.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 1]


    [ss: Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 0/100]


    [HP: 10/10]


    [SP: 50]


    [Silver: 0]


    [STR: 0]


    [CHA: 0]


    [INT: 0]


    [LUC: 0]


    [AGI: 0]


    [VIT: 0]


    [DEX: 0]


    [STA: 0]


    ***


    ''50 stat points. There are eight stats. I need to choose carefully.''


    Ambrose rubbed his chin and looked carefully at them. ''At the beginning of the game, I would need strength, vitality, and stamina. It would help in fighting and getting experience points¡ªXP most likely means experience points.


    ''HP is only 10; that doesn''t sound a lot. I definitely need to increase my vitality.


    ''Charm sounds useless, what good does it do to me? Unless it changes my face, it doesn''t sound good at all... Luck sounds good; intelligence probably helps with learning skills, I guess; agility is quite obvious; dexterity helps with movement; stamina increases my stamina...''


    Ambrose looked at Kiryu''s smiling face and then started assigning the stat points. Soon, he had spent all fifty points.


    The interface now looked like this.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 1]


    [ss: Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 0/100]


    [HP: 30/30]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 0]


    [STR: 10]


    [CHA: 0]


    [INT: 3]


    [LUC: 1]


    [AGI: 1]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 5]


    [STA: 10]


    ***


    ''1 stat point on vitality increases my HP by 1. I think my stats look alright; I had to focus on strength and vitality. I am satisfied.''


    "Now that you are done, you are ready to embark on your journey." Kiryu pointed out the dojo. "You must have already seen the city. It is Amaterasu and your new home.


    "I wish you good luck on your journey, and perhaps we will see each other again."


    "Ah, thank you for everything." Ambrose stood up and bowed at a ny-degree angle. He then left the dojo, picked up his leather shoes, and stopped at the cliff with the steep stairway in front of him.


    "Also, remember to check your inventory!" Kiryu''s voice sounded from the dojo.


    ''Inventory?'' Ambrose turned back to the dojo and said. "Inventory."


    Another screen appeared in front of him.

 Chapter 5: Amaterasu

    <h4>Chapter 5: Amaterasu</h4>


    There was a single hovering item in the inventory. In the inventory, it looked like it was smaller than a pinky, but once Ambrose took it out, it grew in size.


    Ambrose looked at the item with a twitching eyebrow. The item was a wooden sword.


    "This is my only weapon? How could I possibly kill anything with this?" Ambrose held it and swung it across the air.


    "It is light, but still..." He turned back to the dojo and noticed that the doors had been mysteriously closed. It was a signal that he wasn''t allowed in there anymore.


    Ambrose stored the wooden sword back in his inventory and began walking down the long stairway. However, when he stepped onto the first stair step, he felt like his body went through some kind of invisible bubble.


    The empty stairway wasn''t empty anymore. There were thousands of yers walking down the stairs.


    Ambrose turned back to the dojo, and suddenly, a person appeared out of nowhere and almost walked into him.


    "Huh?" The yer looked confused as he looked around. "Where did all these yerse from?"


    ''I see. No one saw each other during the dojo; otherwise, there would be over a thousand people in the dojo, and we would never be able to leave that ce. I guess everyone also met with Kiryu privately.''


    Ambrose turned back to the stairway and followed after the rest of the yers, heading towards Amaterasu.


    At that moment, a yer identally bumped shoulders with Ambrose. The yer didn''t stay behind to apologize and instead continued running down the stairway as if he were in a hurry.


    Ambrose flinched and looked at his shoulder, imagining pain. However, he didn''t feel anything except a slight numb sensation.


    "Haah..." He breathed heavily and rxed significantly. "I didn''t feel pain... Hahahaha..."


    He turned his gaze back to the path in front of him and noticed many yers running. They were too excited to see the city of Amaterasu, and many had nned beforehand to grind levels to be strong.


    Ambrose didn''t have any specific ns in mind, but after his shoulder didn''t break, he also wanted to try things he couldn''t do before, such as fighting.


    He stepped forward and followed after thousands of yers. This time, he jogged with the wind blowing against his face. He smiled and thought that it was a good feeling to be able to run.


    ''This is life!'' Ambrose looked across the vast city of Amaterasu and grinned. "This game fucking rocks."


    ...


    Loch City. Martial Company''s Headquarters.


    "The servers are running well?" The gray-haired man asked. He was a tall, thin man with a long face and a sharp nose that seemed to have been broken at some point in his life.


    He was also Martial Company''s chairman, Graham Loch.


    "Yes, sir!" Dozens of workers echoed as their hands moved across keyboards. There were hundreds of screens showing different scenes from Martial Online.


    "Good." Graham nodded and pulled out his phone. He dialed a number and then pressed the phone against his ear.


    The call connected.


    "Hello?" A voice answered on the other end of the line.


    "It''s Graham. The servers are running well." Graham said, and he rubbed his sharp nose. "Have you prepared the VR pod?"


    "Yes, sir. Is she ready?"


    "Soon, I will take her there. Are you sure it works?" Graham wanted to make sure before doing anything irrational.


    "Yes, it worked with the previous test subject."


    "Alright, have it ready." Graham disconnected the phone call and looked at the thousands of screens with a nervous heartbeat. "This game will change lives."


    ...


    "Ah." Ambrose took thest step in the long stairway and saw streets filled with yers andizens of Amaterasu, also called NPC¡ªNon-yer Characters.


    He entered the streets and headed down the main street. He saw yers entering stores, some selling weapons, others selling food or other items.


    However, none of them had money, so they were only window shopping.


    ''Right, silvers are this game''s currency. There seem to be only a few ways to earn money: kill creatures.''


    Ambrose also came across different dojos and fighting schools. He saw men and women training on the yards, and they all looked stronger than level 1 yers.


    ''We yers are at the bottom of the strength hierarchy.'' He thought and stopped in front of a weapons store.


    He saw different-looking swords hanging from walls¡ªlongswords, heavyswords, short-handed swords, rapiers, sabers, broadswords, etc.


    ''I should aim for a better weapon.'' Ambrose wryly smiled after remembering his pathetic wooden sword. ''At least, other yers must also have simr starting weapons. Whoever earns enough to buy a better weapon will have a huge advantage over other yers.


    ''Maybe some yers will make groups. Solo yers seem to be at a huge disadvantage.'' Ambrose thought. ''Even though this is a game, I am not a good people person, so I will y solo for now.''


    He left the vicinity of the weapon store and headed towards the exit of Amaterasu. It was the same direction that most of the yers were going.


    There were wheat fields near Amaterasu''s entrance, and there, yers were fighting against small animals¡ªmostly red-eyed bunnies and blue-eyed squirrels.


    Ambrose arrived at the entrance and saw many yers running towards the wheat fields. There was loud shouting and screaming in the air.


    yers were desperately trying to kill those animals; some ended kill stealing and fights between yers happened as a result. It was a messy sight.


    At that moment, a wooden sword appeared in Ambrose''s peripheral vision. He quickly moved his head out of the way, and the wooden sword barely missed his cheek.


    "What the heck?" Ambrose wobbled backward and looked at the person who attacked him. It was a yer with an average-looking face and brown hair.


    "Did you know that attacking NPCs or yers inside the city is forbidden. It is possible to be thrown into jail for a few days. However, outside the city, everything is allowed!" The brown-haired yer shouted and rushed after Ambrose.


    The nearby yers backed away from the fight, but others agreed with the brown-haired yer''s words and attacked fellow yers that stood beside them.


    Killing animals and creatures wasn''t the only way to gain experience.


    Killing yers also gained experience points!


    Ambrose awkwardly dodged the wooden sword and shouted. "Inventory!"


    However, before he could take out his wooden sword, the brown-haired yer lunged forward and smashed the wooden sword into his gut.


    "Ouch!" Ambrose cried out as he fell to the ground with a thud. He felt a numbing sensation spreading across his stomach.


    [You lost 5 HP!]


    [HP: 25/30]


    The brown-haired yer raised his sword above his head and smashed it down.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook, and then everything turned dark.


    ''What the hell happened?'' He looked around and saw ck space all around him.


    Then a notification appeared in front of him.


    [You are dead!]


    [Do you want to revive?]


    [Yes/No]


    ''I already died? Damn it!'' Ambrose pressed "Yes" and again disappeared from the ck space.


    After opening his eyes, he was standing in the middle of Amaterasu''s bustling market street.


    ''He must be still in the entrance area...'' After remembering the brown-haired yer''s face, he opened his inventory and wanted to take out his wooden sword.


    However, his inventory was empty!


    ''No way. I lost it because I died?!'' Ambrose massaged his temples. ''Great, I don''t have a weapon anymore.''


    At that moment, he had a crazy idea.


    ''What if I go steal a wooden sword from someone? The wheat fields were such a messy ce. If I die again, it doesn''t really matter; I just have to try until I am able to steal one. I need a wooden sword; I am Swordsman, not Brawler, so I am quite weak in unarmedbat!''

 Chapter 6: Basic Slash

    <h4>Chapter 6: Basic sh</h4>


    Near the entrance to Amaterasu, light blue pixels were scattered across the ground as yers avatars were slowly disintegrating into nothingness.


    Red-eyed bunnies hopped across the wheat fields while yers chased after them with their wooden swords and wooden spears. There were even wooden arrows flying across the air, hitting both yers and a few bunnies.


    There were also madmen swinging their fists around, hoping to hit everything that was moving.


    Ambrose arrived at the entrance and saw the mess. There were also yers who avoided the mess and instead headed towards the forest, which loomed in the distance.


    However, it was clearly a more dangerous area than these wheat fields, where only innocent-looking animals resided.


    ''I can''t see that brown-haired yer anywhere. Did he also die?'' Ambrose looked across the wheat fields.


    At that moment, he saw a wooden sword on the ground. None of the yers had taken it for themselves yet.


    The wooden sword could be sold to merchants and earn a little bit of silver.


    Ambrose looked around, and there were yers standing on the sidelines, but most of them focused on the battles that were happening in the wheat fields.


    He focused his gaze on the wooden sword and took a deep breath. Then he lunged forward and ran as fast as he could.


    However, since he wasn''t used to running, it looked quite awkward at first.


    He was still approaching the wooden sword quickly.


    At that moment, a wooden arrow whooshed across the air and hit him in the back of the head.


    Ambrose tripped forward and crashed head-first on the ground.


    [You lost 18 HP!]


    [HP: 12/30]


    "Argh..." He rubbed the back of his numb head and looked in the direction where the arrow came from. There was a female archer cing another wooden arrow in the bowstring of her wooden bow.


    ''Archers seem to have a huge advantage in the early game.'' Ambrose thought and stood back up. ''They have the strongest starting weapon.''


    The female Archer looked at him and released her hand on the bowstring. Another wooden arrow flew quickly towards him.


    Ambrose dodged it, but it hit his shoulder instead of his chest.


    [You lost 8 HP!]


    [HP: 4/30]


    ''One more hit, and I am again dead!'' Ambrose nced at the wooden sword on the ground and quickly rushed towards it. Another arrow flew from the side, but it greatly missed the mark.


    The female archer clicked her tongue. "This is so hard to use!"


    Ambrose grabbed the wooden sword from the ground and ran straight back to the city of Amaterasu. He remembered the brown-haired yer''s words.


    Attacking fellow yers and NPCs inside the city was forbidden!


    Before the female archer had time to fire another arrow, Ambrose had already entered the city. He didn''t stay behind to linger at the entrance and instead ran down the main street.


    After the entrance was out of his sight, Ambrose stopped running and tried to catch his breath.


    "Ah... my stamina is at 10 points, yet I am already exhausted!" He leaned his back against the wall and breathed heavily. "At least... I got the wooden sword."


    He looked at the light wooden sword in his hand with a small smile.


    "I won''t be as helpless next time. I have to be careful of other yers; they only care about experience points currently. I should also try to be stronger quicker.


    "The longer I wait, the stronger other yers will be, and it will make things far too difficult."


    Ambrose looked at the wooden sword in his hand and thought about what he should do. He scratched the idea of going to the wheat fields, but he also didn''t want to go to the forest.


    ''Wait, leveling up isn''t the only way to be stronger. There are these dojos and fighting schools; can''t I go learn a few basic skills?''


    He turned his head towards the entrance of the bustling dojo. There were only NPCs training inside the dojo, and they happened to be training swordsmanship.


    Ambrose smiled and tossed the wooden sword back into his inventory, then headed straight to the dojo.


    After stepping through the entrance, he saw young men and women using wooden swords while sparring. None of them were very skilled, but they were better than most of the yers.


    "Hello, who are you, and why have youe here?"


    Arge shadow appeared in front of Ambrose.


    "Uh..." Ambrose lifted his gaze to look at the tall figure standing before him. "I am Ambrose, and I am here to... learn swordsmanship?"


    The tall figure narrowed his eyes and crossed his muscr arms. He scanned Ambrose''s arms, whichcked muscles, and his unathletic body. He wasn''t fat by any means, but he wasn''t fit either.


    "I am obligated to offer every newbie one-time training. However, it is up to you whether you learn anything from it.


    "To be an official pupil of my dojo, you need to be far stronger. Do you understand?"


    "Yeah..." Ambrose nodded and read between the lines. ''So, I am too low of a level to be taught more, but game developers made it so that the master of this dojo is required to teach one skill. It is up to the yer whether they can learn it.''


    "Follow me." The muscr figure said and walked to the corner of the yard. There was a wooden training dummy that had scratches across its torso.


    Ambrose followed behind him.


    "The skill is called "Basic sh". You raise the sword above your head, bend your knees, and sh diagonally."


    "Alright." Ambrose took out the wooden sword and saw the muscr figure step aside. He was clearly saying that he should try doing it against the wooden training dummy.


    Ambrose took a step forward and remembered the instructions.


    He raised the wooden sword over his head, bent his knees, and then shed it diagonally towards the training dummy''s chest.


    The wooden sword left a small scratch on the torso.


    [Basic sh: Completion Rate - 3%]


    ''Only three?'' Ambrose''s face bleached slightly.


    "No, no, no!" The muscr figure shook his head rapidly. "Have you not used a sword before? Twist your shoulder more, grab the sword harder, and hack it down with more power!"


    "I understand." Ambrose nodded, then moved the wooden sword over his head, twisted the shoulder more as he was instructed, bent the knees, and then grabbed the hilt of the sword as hard as he possibly could.


    And then,stly, he hacked the sword down diagonally with a powerful swing.


    The wooden sword shed across the training dummy''s chest, leaving a bigger sh mark this time around.


    "Haahh... haah..." Ambrose breathed heavily and nced at thepletion rate.


    [Basic sh: Completion Rate - 30%]


    ''That is better.'' Ambrose nced at the muscr man, who was still frowning. He still didn''t seem pleased.


    ''I guess I will have to do this better and try to reach 100%.'' Ambrose focused on the wooden sword and the training dummy. Then, did another sh, which was even more powerful this time.


    However, instantly afterwards, he did another sh.


    nk, nk, nk¡ªa sound of a wooden sword smacking against a wooden dummy resounded across the training yard.


    After a while, Ambrose lowered his wooden sword, sweat falling from his forehead. He was quite surprised to see that he could also sweat in the game!


    At that moment, a notification appeared in front of him.


    [Basic sh: Completion Rate - 100%]


    [Basic sh Learned!]


    [You can now use Basic sh!]


    "Still quite poor, but passable." The muscr man said sternly. "You can use the ability in battle by saying the skill name out loud. Your training has ended; you may return once your swordsmanship has improved. Until then, these doors are closed for you!"


    Ambrose watched as the muscr man returned to teach other students of his.


    ''Well, this definitely didn''t increase my self-confidence.'' He turned his gaze back to his wooden sword. ''At least I have a skill now. I guess I can try returning to wheat fields now...''

 Chapter 7: Ambrose Vs.

    <h4>Chapter 7: Ambrose Vs.</h4>


    The wheat fields hadn''t gotten any more peaceful. Instead, it might be even more chaotic than before.


    The number of hopping animals had reduced significantly. It was only a matter of time before yers had to go to the neighboring forest, where the sounds of battle echoed.


    At that moment, a young man with shoulder-length ck hair and a rtively average-looking face arrived at the entrance of the city. He held a worn-out wooden sword in his hand.


    "Haha, look at these fools." A yer leaning against a wall spoke to his friend. He and his friend were only one step away from stepping out of the city''s gates.


    However, since they were inside the city, no one dared attack them.


    "Heh." His friend snickered. "It is quite funny to see them chasing after those innocent-looking bunnies as if they were dogs chasing after a toy."


    "I wonder when they realize that this is pointless." The yer chuckled and rubbed his clean-shaven chin. "Has anyone even leveled up yet here? Apparently, the bunnies and rabbits give 1 XP each, hah. Same with yers they killed."


    "Wait, seriously?" His friend roared inughter. "Has anyone even gotten 10 XP yet?"


    "Probably not." His friend chuckled. "Going to the forest isn''t smart either. Surviving at level 1 is quite difficult."


    "What should we do then?" His friend asked.


    "Gather a group. There should be people touring around the city. Let''s recruit them." He said. "The party would split the experience points, but it is better than getting none."


    "Ah, agreed." His friend nodded and was about to turn around to start walking into the city, but then someone touched his shoulder and gently pushed him forward.


    The loud-mouthed yer watched with shaky eyes as his friend stepped out of the city. He then spun his head around but also felt a gentle shove on his shoulder. He wobbled forward and left the security of the city.


    Ambrose took a gentle step forward and raised the wooden sword above his head.


    "Basic sh!"


    After bending his knees and rotating his shoulder, he hacked the wooden sword down diagonally. The wooden de struck both yers in the neck.


    "Argh!" The loud-mouthed yer and his friend recoiled backwards after getting hit by the wooden sword. They looked at their loss of HP and turned enraged.


    "You''re dead!" The loud-mouthed yer shouted and pulled out his wooden spear. "A sneak attacking bastard!"


    "Haha, you two seemed to be having a great time." Ambroseughed out loud. "Y''know, pushing someone inside the city ain''t against the rules. I did nothing wrong."


    Actually, he wasn''t too sure about that. However, he expected the city to followmon sense. If one attacked a person with hostile intent, one would be thrown into jail, as this was a justified reason. However, he simply happened to shove a person.


    He also bumped shoulders with another yer back at the stairways and could have hurt himself. That yer didn''t get into any trouble. Therefore, he saw an opportunity and tried to grasp it.


    The loud-mouthed yer turned angry at thatment. Nothing wrong? It was clear that this ck-haired young man pushed them out of the city''s security so he could kill them!


    "Take this!" He moved the spear into a thrusting stance. It was very unstable, and the wooden de of the spear was shaking. It was a very awkward stance and told about the loud-mouthed yer''s inexperience with the spear.


    Even though the stance was awkward, the loud-mouthed yer managed to thrust the spear forward with good enough uracy.


    At that moment, Ambrose took a step backward.


    "Rick, don''t!" His friend grabbed the loud-mouthed yer''s shoulder and pulled him back.


    "Dude, what the hell?" The loud-mouthed yer screamed, and his spear missed the mark by a great deal. He looked at his friend angrily.


    "That guy is baiting you!" His friend shouted and pointed at Ambrose. "Look where he is standing!"


    The loud-mouthed yer raised his eyebrow and looked at Ambrose. His expression turned angrier. The ck-haired young man took a step backward and was now standing inside the city.


    If he had finished his attack, he would definitely have been thrown in jail for a few days. Getting thrown into jail for even a day would be catastrophic in the early days of the game. He would be way behind the other yers!


    "Your friend is smart." Ambrose said and lunged forward. The loud-mouthed yer and his friend had no time to react.


    "Basic sh!"


    The wooden sword cut through the air and smashed into the necks of both yers.


    "Ouch!" The loud-mouthed yer red angrily at the ck-haired young man. He wanted to push his spear forward, but when he tried to do so, he lost all feeling in his right arm.


    When he turned to look at his right arm, it was turning into light blue pixels.


    "Oh, sh¡ª"


    The loud-mouthed yer and his friend disappeared into pixels.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [1 XP Earned!]


    [1 XP Earned!]


    [XP: 2/100]


    ''Whew, I feel exhausted.'' Ambrose sighed. "A long way to go."


    The rest of the people in the wheat fields were too busy fighting to have been paying attention to the short fight that just transpired.


    Ambrose felt surprisingly excited. He watched as his schoolmates did some yful fighting, and he always wanted to take part, but whenever he showed willingness to y with them, everyone suddenly didn''t want to y anymore.


    They knew about his condition, which made him very unpopr.


    ''I liked that.'' Ambrose thought with a smile. ''That was fun.''


    He then noticed a wooden spear and sword that had fallen to the ground.


    Ambrose picked them up and tossed them into his inventory.


    ''I should go sell these.'' He thought and re-entered the city.


    He headed straight to the nearest merchant store.


    ...


    The merchant was a middle aged man with a long beard, wearing a brown robe with a hood over his head.


    He was cleaning disy cases with a brown rag, making them all shiny and clean.


    At that moment, a bell rang above the door, signaling that there was a new customer.


    "Wee. What may I get you, sir?" The merchant asked with a smile and returned to his desk.


    Ambrose looked at the hovering name on top of the merchant.


    ''That muscr dojo owner didn''t have one...''


    [rehead]


    "I am here to sell two items." Ambrose said and ced the wooden spear and wooden sword on the counter.


    "Hmm, two basic items." The merchant, rehard, rubbed his lengthy beard. "2 silvers."


    ''That doesn''t sound a lot, even though the currency is called silver...'' Ambrose nodded and epted the transaction.


    After finishing the transaction, he left the merchant store two silvers richer.


    His next location was the weapon store, which he saw a while back.


    After reaching the two-floor weapons store, he saw several yers leaving the store with dejected expressions. They were cursing the expensive prices.


    Ambrose hummed and entered the store. The store''s owner, a middle-aged man with a mustache and a bald head, greeted him.


    He walked straight to the wall, which had different swords hanging. There were also price tags hanging from their hilts.


    "Ah, are you serious." Ambrose sighed, as the cheapest sword was worth 120 silvers. ''I guess I will have to get used to the wooden sword...''

 Chapter 8: Prince and Barbarian

    <h4>Chapter 8: Prince and Barbarian</h4>


    A nice-looking young man made his way down a forest path while admiring the tranquil scenery and trees. He was wearing the basic yer outfit, consisting of a white shirt, leather pants, and shoes.


    He held a wooden sword in his right hand.


    His hair was nice and blond-colored and was attractive enough to make women''s hearts flutter.


    He moved a branch out of the way and appeared in an open clearing. There was a river zigzagging across the forest with a powerful-looking current. Luckily, there were several rocks peeking from below the surface.


    The young man immediately thought about using those rocks to cross the river.


    At that moment, a sharp crack sounded behind him, as if someone had stepped on top of a twig and ended up cracking it.


    The young man didn''t hesitate and jumped away from his previous position.


    Just like he expected, a brutish-looking man leaped out of the forest, swinging a wooden axe. His swing was incredibly powerful, but luckily for the young man, it missed.


    "Barbarian, why is it always you..." The young man looked exhausted already. "How the hell did you find me?"


    "Haha, of course I would know where my rival is hiding!" Barbarian roared inughter and rested the wooden axe against his broad shoulder. "Well, Prince of Saturn, I am d we can end this rivalry once and for all in this new game!"


    "It''s actually Prince now. Martial Online doesn''t allow blending more than one name." Prince said andbed his hair with his hand. "Also, a wooden axe, seriously? You chose Unique just to continue your obsession with Barbarian ss?"


    "Haha, of course. It is my identity, after all!" Barbarian shouted loudly.


    "How creative..." Prince sighed. "So, you want to fight now?"


    "Of course!" Barbarian grabbed the wooden axe with both hands. "I didn''t chase you just to chitchat!"


    "Fine by me." Prince cracked his neck. "I needed to warm up as well. This game is far more realistic than anything else before; need time to get used to it.


    "Also, where did you get that wooden axe? The Unique yers I have met had to fight mostly without weapons as they didn''t get any starting weapons."


    "I carved it from wood, obviously!" Barbarian shouted. "I am fond of woodworking and already have experience in it. Therefore, making this wooden axe was easy!"


    "I don''t understand why it''s always the idiots that have the most useful skills." Prince scoffed and spun the wooden sword nimbly. It looked like he had previous experience in swordsmanship.


    Barbarian grinned. "Basic sh!"


    Prince narrowed his eyes after seeing Barbarian''s mouth move, but not a single word reached his ears.


    ''He used a skill.'' He immediately thought so, as other yers weren''t able to hear the spoken skill name. It was the game developers way of ensuring that one wouldn''t be able to predict the attack after hearing the skill name.


    However, once Barbarian lifted the wooden axe over his head, Prince knew what attack wasing.


    ''Basic sh.'' He thought so, and after the axe began falling down, he jumped in the opposite direction from the diagonal sh.


    Because there weren''t many skills yers could acquire so early, it was easy to know what kind of skill his opponent was using.


    That was only because Prince had also acquired Basic sh, so he knew the required movement for the skill.


    "Aha." Barbarian simplyughed as his wooden axe hit the empty air. He nced with his peripheral vision at Prince, who had taken a step back and was now holding his sword in front of him.


    "This fight is quite pointless, don''t you think? We will just continue predicting our attacks; it won''t help either of us. What if we dy this fight for a little longer?" Prince suggested.


    "Heh." Barbarian pulled his wooden axe back. "Your words resonated with my warrior spirit. I agree with you, but next time I meet you, one of us will die."


    "Whatever." Prince turned to the river and used the floating rocks to cross it. He then turned back to Barbarian and made a shooing motion. "I am certain that your brainlessckeys are searching for you. Go make a dojo of Barbarians or something."


    "Heh, and yourckeys are better than mine?" Barbarian roared inughter. "Remember, your guild was the weakest of the Seven War Guilds. That''s because you only recruited cute girls, and most of them didn''t even know how to wield a weapon!"


    "Heh, it will be different this time." Prince grinned and rested his wooden sword against his shoulder. "Saturn will rise again."


    "Hmph." Barbarian scoffed and turned around, then began walking back to the forest. Hezily waved his hand without turning to look at Prince. "See youter, Prince."


    "Why did that bastard also get summoned to Amaterasu?" Prince sighed and massaged his temples. "Amaterasu will be quite a chaotic ce."


    ...


    "I still have 4 HP." Ambrose thought while he strolled through the streets of Amaterasu. ''I had to be very careful when I fought those two, because if they had hit me even once, I would have died. How can I make my HP full again?''


    Soon, he came across a stall vendor. A scent of delicious food drifted from there and caressed Ambrose''s nostrils.


    ''It smells great...'' He thought and joined the line for the street vendor. He also wondered how much the food would cost. The price of the weapons had already slightly traumatized him.


    Luckily for him, a steaming bun had a price of 1 silver. It would lessen his current wealth by half, but he wanted to test its taste.


    After purchasing the steaming bun that was wrapped to make eating easier, he left the line and found a bench in a nearby park. He blew into the steaming bun, which was still hot.


    ''I wonder if I burn my tongue if I bite on it...'' Ambrose thought and decided to check his theory. He opened his mouth wide and took arge bite.


    After munching on the food, Ambrose''s expression widened in amazement. He felt a strange, pleasant sensation on his tongue. Also, he tasted something delicious that was unfamiliar.


    ''I can actually taste food!'' Ambrose eximed in excitement. ''This game is spectacr. How did they manage to do that? It sounds soplex...''


    At that moment, he realized why this game was hyped up so much. It was a masterpiece, making all other games pale inparison.


    Ambrose then grasped at reality. He already felt like he would rather live inside the game than in real life, which was a dangerous thought.


    He couldn''t stay in the game forever. His real body would still get hungry, and he would also have to sleep to keep his mind fresh. There was also a problem with his dder.


    He would rather not log out of the game to find his bed wet.


    At that moment, a notification popped up.


    [10 HP Restored]


    [HP: 14/30]


    ''I see, food can recover HP.'' Ambrose thought. ''So, I definitely need to buy food whenever I leave the city. There must also be other healing items, but for now, I have to focus on food since it''s the cheapest.


    ''Unfortunately, I can only afford one more steaming bun. It would increase my HP by another 10, not enough to get my health bar full, but it''s good enough...''


    Ambrose decided to go purchase another steaming bun.


    And just like that, his wealth returned to zero.

 Chapter 9: Wild Hog

    <h4>Chapter 9: Wild Hog</h4>


    A beautiful, tanned young woman walked on a sidewalk with her friends. She was wearing high heels and a ck dress. They then came across a window that showed a TV screen.


    "Ah, this is that new game." A young man with striking red hair said as he saw the TV screen showing a news anchor speaking about Martial Online.


    The news anchor cleared his throat and said. "Today, the long awaited Martial Online has been released, and the yerbase is already at a record high. It broke the record yer count achieved by Viking Online in only the first hour!"


    "Has everyone turned into nerds suddenly?" Holly said with a scoff. "I thought only losers like my brother would try the game out."


    "Haha, you sure hate your brother." A ck-haired young woman giggled from the side. She looked at the TV screen and voiced her opinion. "Apparently, the game is so realistic that you can''t tell the difference. It sure sounds magical."


    "To me, it sounds dangerous." Holly said and spat out the bubblegum. "If it is that realistic, why would anyone want to live in reality?"


    The young man with striking red hairughed. "Also, where do you think people with evil desires would go? They would be thrown into jail if they sumbed to their evil desires here, but inside that game... Heh, they can do what they want."


    "That sounds scary when you say it like that, Marty!" The ck-haired young woman cried out.


    Marty, the red-haired young man, chuckled and looked at the TV screen with a slowly growing smirk.


    ''Inside there, I could do anything.''


    ??"If you want to try the game so much, go ahead, Allison and Marty." Holly flipped her hair and scoffed. She looked annoyed. "I am going home."


    "Come on, Holly, don''t be like that!" Allison shouted after her friend, who was walking away with her high heels clicking against the pavement.


    "Come on, Marty, say something!" She then turned to the red-haired young man, whose gaze was fixated on the TV screen.


    "She must be on her period; leave her be." Martyughed and saw the TV screen scene showing an image of Martial Online. His eyes glowed in anticipation. ''Oho, that looks good. This world is so boring, but the so-called new world seems like a perfect ce to fulfill my dream, heh.''


    ...


    Ambrose reached the forest. It was called Crow Forest.


    The sounds of birds chirping and insects buzzing filled the air as he entered the forest. However, that serene atmosphere quickly became disturbed as screams and the sounds of fighting reverberated from a distance.


    At that moment, Ambrose caught a glimpse of a small animal on the tree. It was quite fast and moved across trees with lightning quick speed. However, it soon stopped, showing clear blue eyes.


    It was a blue-eyed squirrel.


    Ambrose clenched the wooden hilt of his sword and carefully approached the tree.


    The squirrel looked at him with its bright blue eyes and then ran away from him, jumping from branch to branch with shing speed.


    Ambrose tried to follow it with his eyes, and soon the squirrel stopped on top of a branch. The branch wasn''t that high.


    He carefully stepped towards the tree, where the blue-eyed squirrel looked around in search for something.


    After reaching the attack range, Ambrose raised his wooden sword high and whispered.


    "Basic sh..."


    After bending his knees and twisting his shoulder, he hacked the wooden sword down.


    However, it was as if the squirrel expected it and jumped away from that branch. The wooden sword broke the branch in half.


    The blue-eyed squirrel ran with its four limbs on the ground. It was about to enter another tree when suddenly a sharp-edged wooden sword appeared and impaled him from the side.


    The blue-eyed squirrel didn''t react and instead disappeared into pixels. At its ce of death, the orangish skin of the squirrel appeared. Whenever an animal was killed, it would drop a part of its body to the ground.


    A brown-haired yer appeared from the forest and tossed the squirrel skin into his inventory with a pleased smile.


    At that moment, he caught a glimpse of another yer nearby. He turned tense and pointed the wooden sword at the ck-haired young man. But then he suddenly started smirking.


    "Aren''t you the guy I killed?"


    "Yeah, small world." Ambrose grabbed the wooden sword with both hands.


    "Hmph, you are only worth 1 XP. Not worth it." The brown-haired yer turned around and waved his handzily while re-entering the depths of the forest.


    Ambrose frowned and rushed after the brown-haired yer. He went past trees, swaying branches, and a few bushes. Soon, he arrived at an open clearing and came across a not-so-pleasant scene.


    The brown-haired yer wasn''t alone. He was with two other yers; they were both spearmen, pointing their wooden spears at Ambrose.


    "I could take your wooden sword, though." The brown-haired yer grinned and pushed the wooden sword forward, stabbing through the air while moving towards Ambrose''s unguarded face.


    ''Shit!'' Ambrose jumped backwards quickly, but his feet identally tripped on a wooden branch. He fell on his buttocks, but luckily, the wooden sword missed his head because of it.


    However, the brown-haired yer''spanions quickly chased after him and stabbed towards him with their spears.


    Ambrose quickly rose to his feet and awkwardly dodged the spears. He then turned around and ran in the same direction he came from.


    "You can''t escape~" The brown-haired yer said yfully and chased after him with his friends.


    They soon arrived back at the ce where Ambrose fought the blue-eyed squirrel.


    A short, blond-haired young woman suddenly elerated with great speed and passed Ambrose before stopping in front of him, closing his escape route.


    Ambrose came to a quick halt and noticed that he was currently surrounded.


    "Heh, I am on the track and field team." The blond-haired young woman smiled and pointed her spear at Ambrose.


    "Of course..." Ambrose sighed and saw three weapons pointing at his face. It seemed impossible to dodge or survive the iing attack. ''Is surviving solo really impossible?''


    "Sayonara!" The brown-haired yer raised his wooden sword and hacked it down.


    At that moment, the bushes behind them rustled. Suddenly, a ck-furred wild hog rushed out of the bush, its eyes showing a reddish glow.


    "Eh?" The brown-haired yer looked over his shoulder at the wild hog, who was rushing at him with hostile intent. He had to stop his attack because of it.


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose quickly lunged forward and smashed his wooden sword into the blond-haired young woman''s face.


    "Ouch!" The young woman fell to her knees and rubbed her numb face with an ufortable expression. It was as if she had lost all feeling in her face.


    "Y-you!" Another yer with light brown hair saw his friend getting attacked. He changed his grip on the spear and tried to attack.


    But Ambrose was quicker and had closed the distance on him already. It was clear which weapon was better at close quarters¡ªthe sword was king in such situations.


    "Haaa!" Ambrose roared and smashed the wooden sword across his chest. The light brown-haired man gritted his teeth and fell to the ground.


    "Shit!" The brown-haired yer heard his friends screaming, but he was upied by the raging wild hog. However, after seeing where the wild hog was rushing, he had a crazy idea.


    Instead of fighting against it, he quickly siderolled and dodged the wild hog''s maddening rush.


    However, the wild hog didn''t stop its rush and saw another target standing upright.


    "Eh?" Ambrose turned his gaze to the wild hog and widened his eyes in shock. The wild hog struck him right in the chest with its sharp tusks, which were protruding from its lower jaw.

 Chapter 10: Party

    <h4>Chapter 10: Party</h4>


    [You lost 23 HP!]


    [HP: 1/30]


    ''I can''t breathe...'' Ambrose gasped greedily for breath. He felt like he was hit by a moving car. ''How... am I still alive? This attack felt much stronger than anything else before.''


    Behind the trees, a wild hog huffed and puffed while stomping on the ground. It then noticed two yers struggling to stand. It rushed forward.


    The blond-haired young woman looked stunned and had no time to move out of the way. The sharp tusks impaled her chest. She immediately saw her vision turning dark and her body turning into pixels.


    "Alecia!" The light brown-haired yer shouted. That was a mistake. The wild hog turned its red eyes towards the screaming yer and chased immediately after him.


    The yer stood up quickly and began running away.


    "..." The brown-haired yer watched as hispanion ran away with a wild hog chasing after him. "Useless. I should really join a better party."


    He shook his head and looked in the direction where Ambrose was sent hurling.


    ''He must''ve died. I should pick up his dropped items and go sell them.'' He thought and first picked up the fallen wooden sword of the dead blond-haired woman and then started looking for the ck-haired young man''s dropped items.


    However, he couldn''t find any of them.


    ''He didn''t drop anything? Should I have added more luck?'' The brown-haired yer clicked his tongue.


    At that moment, a wooden sword appeared in his peripheral vision.


    "Basic sh!"


    The brown-haired yer panicked and hastily ced his wooden sword into the block. However, the wooden sword wielded by the ck-haired young man was far more powerful.


    ''His strength isn''t vastly above mine, but why is his attack so strong?'' The brown-haired yer''s knees buckled, and he almost fell to his knees. He barely managed to block the attack.


    ''I have only 1 HP left. I can''t get hit!'' Ambrose stopped trying to overwhelm his opponent with strength, as he didn''t expect to be able to do that. Instead, he took a step back and raised his sword above his head.


    "Basic sh!"


    ''Eh, why did his lips move but I couldn''t hear anything?'' The brown-haired yer frowned and grabbed the wooden sword with both hands before putting it in front of him.


    Ambrose''s non-existent muscles slightly bulged as he held the wooden hilt until his palms turned red. He then bent his knees, leaned slightly forward, and smashed the wooden sword down.


    The wind whistled as the wooden sword shed through the air.


    The brown-haired yer ced his wooden sword as a block. However, as the other wooden sword got closer, he realized that he wouldn''t be able to block it!


    ''Why is his attack so strong?'' The brown-haired yer panicked and dropped any idea of blocking. Instead, he put all his strength into his leg muscles and jumped backward.


    He crossed a distance of one meter with that jump.


    The wooden sword missed his body by a great deal.


    Ambrose started sweating as his attack missed. ''Ah, I can''t overuse the skill; my stamina gets drained otherwise.''


    The brown-haired yer hesitated to make any moves. However, when he checked his health bar, some of the confidence returned. He also remembered that the ck-haired yer got hit by the wild hog.


    ''He must have low health. I probably need only one strike to finish him off. I can do this!''


    He charged forward with both hands on the wooden sword. He moved the sword over his right shoulder and made a quiterge swing. The attack seemed amateurish, but it had quite a lot of strength behind it.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook as the wooden sword approached him. He felt a great deal of pressure. His mind also froze, and he couldn''t think of any good strategy to avoid getting hit.


    The wooden sword got closer and closer until it stopped right beforending on his face.


    The brown-haired yer didn''t finish his attack. Instead, he frowned and pulled his sword back.


    "Hmm, killing you is not worth it. Let''s party up. I lost my two party members, and surviving here alone is simply not possible." The brown-haired yer rested the wooden sword against his shoulder. "So, what do you say?"


    Ambrose breathed heavily and looked at his shaky hand. ''My bodypletely froze. Shit. Joining his party sounds good on paper, but can I trust him? Of course not. However, I can''t reach level 2 alone.''


    "I know your health is low. If you join, I will give you this." The brown-haired yer took out a half-eaten sandwich. "I ate half of it, but the other half is enough to increase your HP by 10. I don''t want you to die immediately after bing a party."


    Ambrose looked at the sandwich, which had already gone cold.


    "How are the XP and items split?" He asked first.


    "Fifty/fifty for XP, and the one who deals the finishing blow gets the dropped item." The brown-haired yer said. "I will reach level 2 soon, but I will also help you reach level 2. Then we split ways, deal?"


    ''He shouldn''t have needed to say that he is level 2 soon, except if it''s his way of showing sincerity by being honest.'' Ambrose thought for a moment and nodded. "Fine."


    The brown-haired yer nodded. "Party."


    After saying the word, a light blue holographic screen appeared in front of him. He removed his two previous party members, then sent an invitation.


    [yer RedBand sent you a party invitation!]


    ''So, that is his yer name.'' Ambrose thought and epted the invitation.


    RedBand looked at the party window.


    [yer Ambrose has joined your party!]


    ''Ambrose, huh.'' RedBand nodded and said. "Here."


    He tossed the sandwich over to Ambrose.


    Ambrose caught it clumsily and started munching on it without wasting any time.


    [10 HP Restored!]


    [HP: 11/30]


    After finishing eating, Ambrose checked the party window and saw that the split of XP had been put at fifty/fifty before the party was created.


    ''It must have been a 33% split in his previous party. That is a pretty cool system, but I need to be careful in the future that my future party members don''t abuse the system to make unreasonable splits. That is, if I join any party in the future.''


    "Let''s go after the wild hog. It mustn''t be far away." RedBand said and walked in the direction where his former party member fled.


    Ambrose followed after him with a wooden sword in hand.


    ...


    In the depths of Crow Forest, wild hogs ran through the forest.


    They were chased after by dozens of yers, who found the breeding ground of wild hogs. There were many wild hogs, but they were at a numerical disadvantage.


    A light brown-haired young man ran while screaming. He was being chased by a red-eyed wild hog. He then noticed that he had arrived at a ce that was far from safe.


    ''More wild hogs? Damn it!'' He quickly halted, but forgot that he was currently being chased.


    Without even having time to run around, the wild hog stabbed him with his tusks.


    The light brown-haired yer lost his footing on the ground and flew a small distance before falling neck-first on the ground. He let out a groan before disappearing into pixels.


    The wild hog huffed before turning its red eyes to other running yers, who were chasing after its kin. It looked angrier than before.


    On the outskirts of the wild hog''s breeding ground, RedBand and Ambrose arrived and saw the scene.


    "This is very good; we can reach level 2 here." RedBand smirked and said. "We have to fight together. As you can see, everyone is working alone, even though most of them are probably part of a party.


    "It doesn''t matter if we kill wild hogs alone or together; the XP would still get split."


    "Got it..." Ambrose said. ''Except the items. I shouldn''t be greedy and just follow his lead. If things go well, I can reach level 2 soon.''

 Chapter 11: Teamwork

    <h4>Chapter 11: Teamwork</h4>


    "Well, what is the n?" Ambrose asked.


    "Hmm..." RedBand caressed his chin and said. "We need to bait the wild hog toe here, where we can fight it without other yers interrupting."


    "So, who will be the bait?" Ambrose asked with narrowed eyes.


    "Heh, you catch up fast." RedBand chuckled and looked at him. "I will be bait first. You next."


    Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and said. "Fine by me."


    "Be ready." RedBand said and ran out of the forest.


    Ambrose leaned against a tree and watched as the brown-haired yer rushed towards an angry-looking wild hog, which was stomping around madly like a raging bull.


    RedBand caught a small pebble from the ground and hurled it towards the wild hog. Itnded on the wild hog''s face.


    The wild hog turned to the brown-haired yer, and it was like there was invisible fire in its murderous red eyes. Without further ado, it began chasing after RedBand.


    Ambrose stopped leaning and held the wooden sword in a tight grip. Beads of sweat trickled down the side of his face. He was still quite exhausted from previous fights.


    RedBand stopped running and spun around to face the running wild hog. He pulled out his wooden sword.


    "nk him!" He shouted and used the wooden sword as a block while the wild hog charged at him.


    The wild hog struck the wooden sword, and its charge had a lot of power behind it. RedBand''s feet slid across the ground as he crashed into the tree. His block did not have enough strength to block the charging wild hog.


    "Ugh." RedBand let out a gasp and saw the wild hog charging for another attack. His face paled significantly.


    At that moment, Ambrose appeared behind the wild hog with the wooden sword flying down.


    The wooden sword mmed into the wild hog''s body.


    "Kruh, kruh!" The wild hog screamed painfully and fell to its knees.


    RedBand saw an opportunity and rushed forward. He raised the wooden sword above his head and mmed it into the wild hog''s head.


    The wild hog became limp, and it disappeared into light blue pixels. It left behind a tusk, which RedBand grabbed and stored inside his inventory.


    [You assisted in killing Wild Hog!]


    [5 XP Earned!]


    "Let''s continue. Your turn." RedBand said.


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded and saw wild hogs running around, some getting chased by yers and others doing the chasing. There were not many free ones, meaning he had to steal a wild hog from someone.


    ''Let''s do it like this then...'' He thought and started walking towards his prey.


    A distance away, a yer was swinging his sword around while chasing a wild hog.


    ''One more kill, and I am level 2!'' He thought desperately, but he couldn''t deliver the finishing blow.


    The wild hog was running away from him at full speed.


    The yer breathed heavily, as he had been running for the entire day. He was rtively athletic in real life, and felt rtively well in game as well as if his physique was transferred to this game, but after fighting for several hours, he realized it wasn''t nearly enough.


    He slowly stopped running to catch his breath.


    "God... damn it..."


    At that moment, a wooden sword struck him in the neck.


    The yer''s vision swam as he lost his footing. Thest thing he saw before his vision turned dark was the expressionless face of a ck-haired youth.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [0.5 XP Earned!]


    Ambrose didn''t care about the experience point, but instead he was looking straight at the wild hog, who was also staring at him. They had a silent staring contest.


    Then the wild hog stomped powerfully on the ground and started charging after Ambrose.


    He quickly turned around and ran back towards RedBand.


    RedBand was already ready with a wooden sword in hand.


    Ambrose nced over his shoulder at the wild hog, who was approaching him with scary speed. Then he did a quick sidestep to the left, but the wild hog''s eyes followed him and seemed to be preparing to follow.


    However, then Ambrose did another sidestep, this time towards the right. The wild hog tried to stop its momentum, but it was running too fast and missed the ck-haired young man.


    Since the wild hog''s eyes were upied by Ambrose''s presence, it didn''t notice a wooden sword moving towards its face.


    RedBand mmed its wooden sword into the wild hog''s face. The wild hog fell to the ground with a thud. It was still breathing, but barely, and seemed to be too injured to stand up.


    RedBand turned around and nned to deal the finishing blow.


    At that moment, Ambrose rushed forward and hacked the sword down at the wild hog''s face as if he were using an axe to chop wood.


    Once the wooden swordnded on the wild hog''s head, it disappeared and left behind two tusks!


    Ambrose snatched the two tusks, which were good spoils since RedBand only received one from his kill. He then tossed them into his inventory and nced at the brown-haired yer.


    RedBand lowered his weapon and looked at Ambrose with an apathetic expression.


    Ambrose rested his sword against his shoulder and looked at RedBand with a simple smile.


    "You are a verypetitive person." RedBand chuckled.


    "Am I?" Ambrose shrugged his shoulders. It was the first time he heard someone say that about him. He then walked to the death ce of the yer he killed and grabbed the wooden sword, which he tossed inside his inventory.


    After that, he checked the notifications he had received.


    [You killed Wild Hog!]


    [5 XP Earned!]


    "Hey, you two!"


    RedBand and Ambrose turned around to look at the approaching yer. The yer was a young man with a long ponytail and a red bandana tied around his head and neck.


    "What?" RedBand narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip around the wooden sword.


    "You just killed my party member. I won''t let that slide." The yer with the red bandana said and took out his wooden spear.


    "You alone?" RedBand asked with a smile. "Rather overconfident."


    "Alone, nah." The yer said with a smirk. "I have several other party members."


    "Where are they then?" Ambrose asked.


    "Hunting a few wild hogs." The yer said. "You are at a disadvantage. I suggest giving all your inventory to us, and we will let you live."


    "But if they are there hunting wild hogs, you are alone then." RedBand said with a smile and moved the wooden sword into an attacking stance.


    "Uh, I am not alone." The yer turned to look at his party members, who were nowhere to be seen. His face turned pale. "Guys?"


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose rushed forward and delivered the first blow. The sword hit the yer in the shoulder, making him drop his spear.


    "Ah, bastard!" The yer screamed and tried to pick up his spear. But then RedBand appeared from the side and delivered a sh at the yer''s chest.


    Ambrose raised the wooden sword and hacked it down. This time, it struck the yer in the neck, causing an inaudible crack. The yer''s head twisted to the side as if his neck had been broken.


    "Uh, oh..." The yer vanished into pixels and dropped a wooden sword, a pouch of money, and six wild hog tusks.


    "Uh, a pouch?" Ambrose took the pouch and looked inside. There were ten silver coins inside. "Wait, why did he drop the money?"


    "Oh, you don''t know?" RedBand scratched his chin. "If the yer dies, they will also drop all of their money. Also, if a yer dies, the XP they have gathered will also be halved."


    "What? That is quite a serious punishment." Ambrose thought aloud.


    "Not at all. It could be much worse, and there are ways of avoiding the fate of losing all money, such as storing them somewhere before leaving out for hunting."


    "Ah, understandable."


    RedBand then looked at the six tusks and felt slightly envious. "You delivered a finishing blow, so they are yours."


    Ambrose looked at the items and first tossed the wooden spear into his inventory. He then held the six tusks in his hand and tossed three of them towards RedBand.


    RedBand caught them awkwardly and looked at him with confusion stered across his face.


    "You helped," Ambrose said.


    "Oh, you are surprisingly fair." RedBand smiled and didn''t stand in the ceremony. He stored the three tusks in his inventory.


    Ambrose ced the silver coins inside his inventory, and they immediately transferred to his interface.


    [Silver: 10]


    ''I received half XP from killing the yer too. There is still a long way to go, but it is doable.'' Ambrose thought.


    "Let''s pick up the pace." RedBand said and rushed towards the horde of wild hogs.


    Ambrose turned his gaze to the sky, which was turning orange. White clouds drifted across the clean sky, and the sun was slowly moving over to the horizon.


    ''The game is following real-life time. I also have to log out soon; my real life body is probably starving since I skipped breakfast. But before then, level 2.''

 Chapter 12: Unfair Fight

    <h4>Chapter 12: Unfair Fight</h4>


    Ambrose''s wooden sword shed across the air and delivered a finishing blow to the wild hog''s unprotected neck.


    [You killed a Wild Hog!]


    [5 XP Earned!]


    [XP: 99/100]


    He picked up another tusk belonging to a wild hog, which was his sixteenth already. He now also had three wooden swords, two wooden spears, a wooden bow, and five arrows in his inventory.


    After killing several more yers, his total wealth was now at 13 silvers.


    RedBand cleaned the animal blood off his wooden sword. He then nced at the sky, which was soon bing dark.


    "One more kill, right?"


    "Yeah." Ambrose said and looked around. There weren''t any yers or wild hogs left. They were officially the rulers of the wild hog breeding ground¡ªthe only people still alive.


    "Let''s find a squirrel or something." RedBand said as he had the intention to leave the breeding ground. "The further we go into the forest, the stronger animals we will face. Even though I am now level 2, I don''t think we can manage."


    "Alright." Ambrose nodded and took onest look at the messy forest. There were a lot of signs of fighting. Then he followed after RedBand, and they both left.


    The forest was eerily quiet. The birds had gone silent, the insects were quiet, and the wind was nonexistent. The trees were still as if they were frozen in time, and the dark sky resulted in the forest getting slowly filled with darkness.


    "Whoah, look at that." RedBand stopped in his tracks and looked at the sky.


    "Hmm?" Ambrose stopped walking and turned to look at the sky. His breath almost stopped.


    The dark sky had strange phenomena. As stars moved across the sky, purple and ck mixed with red light as if there were a firestorming from the horizon. However, it was the result of the crimson moon.


    The crimson moon was a breathtaking sight since they were used to seeing gray moon.


    "That is a sight one could die for." RedBand chuckled and scratched his head. "Now I understand why people are treating Martial Company as gods. They created a world that is miles more interesting than the real world."


    "..." Ambrose didn''t speak, but he couldn''t tear his gaze away from the crimson moon. He felt like the real world felt very dull inparison.


    "Anyway, it iste. We should move o¡ª" RedBand mouth suddenly stopped moving. He lowered his gaze and saw a steel de going through his stomach. "Oh..."


    His figure slowly vanished into pixels.


    He looked at the shocked Ambrose and said. "Run..."


    Following that word, he disappeared, and the light blue pixels hovered in the air.


    The light blue pixels slowly faded away, leaving only a faint memory of him in the air.


    [Your party member, RedBand, has died!]


    "Run, pfft!" Three differentughs echoed across the forest.


    Ambrose tensed and put his wooden sword in front of him. He then saw three figures walking from the forest, wearing ridiculing smiles. They were all athletic and handsome, with ck cloaks draped over them.


    This was the first time he met someone with a ck cloak, so he was curious about it. So far, he had seen everyone wearing basic clothes and dull wooden weapons.


    However, these three young men all had steel swords. Ambrose remembered seeing those in the weapons store¡ªthose steel broadswords cost 120 silvers each.


    ''They are definitely strong to be able to afford those swords so early in the game!'' Ambrose felt heavy pressure.


    "Booo!" A ck-haired young man took a sudden step forward while shouting loudly.


    Ambrose flinched and took a sudden step backward. That earned another fit ofughter from the three young men, who were obviously ying around with him.


    "Anthon, he looks a little bit scared, don''t you think so?" The blond-haired young man put his hands on his waist and spoke gently, like he was talking about a child.


    "You are right, Cauldron!" Anthon, the ck-haired young man, said loudly and turned to Ambrose. "Are you scared?"


    Ambrose didn''t open his mouth. He was looking for a way out, but the three young men had already surrounded him, but none of them were pointing their weapons at him. They looked very carefree, as if it were impossible for him to run away.


    "Did the cat steal your tongue?" A young man with curly brown hair said with a chuckle. "By the way, you should cut your hair. I can give you a helping hand."


    He swung the steel broadsword around menacingly.


    "Sorry about my friend." Anthon scratched his hair. "Ignite wants to be a hairdresser, but I have already said many times that he has no talent. He often ends up cutting his clients heads off!"


    "Ah, piss off. It is their fault for moving when I am working!" Ignite, the curly brown-haired young man, shouted with a grin.


    Ambrose saw that the ck-haired and brown-haired yers weren''t paying any attention to him. He saw a small gap where he could escape.


    He kicked off the ground and rushed at the small gap. However, the sudden appearance of a steel broadsword stopped his retreat.


    "Where the hell do you think you are going?" Cauldron spoke menacingly and looked at Ambrose with his cold gray eyes.


    Ambrose gulped dryly as everyone turned their gazes at him.


    ''I can''t die here. I am only one experience point away from reaching the next level, and I have so much stuff with me!''


    "What a serious fellow." Ignite looked at his own brown bangs that hovered in front of his eyes. "I should have a new haircut too."


    "Man, didn''t your girlfriend cut that for you only a week ago?" Anthon asked with a chuckle.


    "Yeah, but I broke up with her today. She was bitching about me wanting to spend more time in here with you guys than with her."


    "Oh, man!" Anthon patted his friend''s shoulder and thenughed. "I didn''t like her anyway!"


    "Me neither." Ignite said and seriously looked at Anthon. They had a silent staring contest before they both roared inughter.


    Cauldron chuckled and shook his head with an amused expression.


    At that moment, a ck blur rushed past him and started running down the forest path.


    "Oh, shit." Cauldron turned around and saw Ambrose running into the forest. "He escaped."


    Whoosh... Anthon rushed forward with great eleration. His body zoomed past the trees, and in a mere five seconds, he had already caught up to Ambrose.


    He raised his steel broadsword above his head and hacked it down.


    Ambrose felt his hair stand up as a result of the great danger heading his way. He made the first move that came to mind, and that was side-rolling.


    After rolling to the side, the steel broadsword hit the ground with a loud thud.


    Ambrose raised his head and looked at the ck-haired young man in front of him, who was still smiling carefreely. Seeing that smile caused the grip on the wooden sword to tighten.


    Without thinking for another second, Ambrose rose to his feet and raised the wooden sword above his head.


    "Basic sh!"


    Anthon raised his sword and effortlessly blocked the wooden sword with only one hand on the steel broadsword. It looked so effortless that others would think he was fighting a child.


    At that moment, Cauldron nked Ambrose from the side. He lifted the steel broadsword over his shoulder and shed it down vertically. The de reflected the eerie crimson glow of the moon.


    Ambrose''s vision was filled by the crimson glow and the approaching de. He knew he wouldn''t be able to deflect it with his wooden sword.


    ''Ah, even if I were to be fighting against them 1v1, I wouldn''t be able to win. They are too strong...''


    ''Huh, another fracture? Are you made of ss? You are pathetic, brother...'' A voice of his little sister echoed in his mind.


    shes of faces with ridiculing smiles appeared in his mind. The smiles were eerily simr to the smiles that these three young men were showing. Almost a perfect copy.


    ''Fuck you all!'' Ambrose screamed his frustration out.


    As the steel broadsword appeared in front of him, Ambrose let go of his wooden sword and rolled backward.


    Cauldron missed his strike, but he was surprised that he abandoned his weapon since this was his first time seeing that during his eight hours of ying today.


    Anthon grabbed the wooden sword and tossed it into his inventory with a smile on his face.


    Ambrose slowly straightened his posture and faced the three young men without a weapon in hand.


    Cauldron, Anthon, and Ignite were all standing in front of him with their steel swords in hand. They were all head taller than Ambrose, making it really look like an unfair fight.


    Ambrosebed his messy ck hair with his hand and opened his inventory. He saw that there were three wooden swords inside.


    He pulled out a wooden sword and tested its weight. It was as light as his previous wooden sword.


    Then he nced at the young men and used his remaining free hand to pull out another wooden sword. He then closed the inventory.


    "Dual wielding¡ªwhat good does that do to you?" Anthon asked. "Without proper training, your body doesn''t know how to use two swords simultaneously."


    "Piss off, I am not asking for a lecture." Ambrose said coldly and raised both swords above his head. He then muttered. "Basic sh."


    ''A skill? He was using Basic sh before. Could he be trying to use Basic sh with both swords? That will never work.'' Anthon thought and moved his steel broadsword into a shing stance.


    Ambrose took a deep breath, buckled his knees, and charged at Anthon.


    At that moment, Ambrose released a mighty shout and swung both swords towards the three young men.


    Ding, ding!


    [Dual Basic sh - Completion Rate - 15%]

 Chapter 13: Dual Wielding

    <h4>Chapter 13: Dual Wielding</h4>


    The two wooden swords moved across the air. They weren''t synchronized perfectly, but the attack was stronger than an ordinary attack. It also made defending the attack harder as the swords were moving in different directions.


    Anthon frowned and took a powerful step forward. He switched the grip on the steel broadsword and swung it around to block the two wooden swords. He managed to deflect the first wooden sword, but the second wooden sword struck him in the shoulder.


    A small blue holographic notification bar appeared in Anthon''s vision. He saw that he had lost a little bit of health.


    Cauldron raised his leg and mmed it into Ambrose''s gut, sending him flying across a small distance.


    Ambrose tumbled to the ground but quickly rose back to his feet with his messy, long hair covering his face.


    [You lost 8 HP!]


    [HP: 3/30]


    "Hahaha, Anthon, you got hit!" Igniteughed loudly while casually swinging the steel sword around him.


    "Yeah, my Dexterity isn''t high enough to have been able to block both swords." Anthon quickly analyzed his own mistake and what he should have done.


    "Here." Cauldron tossed Anthon a small piece of bread.


    Anthon caught it and ate it. His health bar immediately became full once again.


    Tip, tip... a small blue-eyed squirrel appeared on one of the tree branches. It was curiously looking at the battle happening before its eyes.


    Ambrose nced sideways and then returned his gaze to the front. He tightened his grip on both swords, took a deep breath, and raised them above his head once again.


    "Basic sh!"


    Ignite stepped forward and put his steel broadsword in front of him. His yful gaze disappeared, and he now looked like a veteran warrior who had visited thousands of battlegrounds.


    Ambrose moved across the ground, and once he was at attacking range, he bent his knees and swung both swords down.


    Ignite grabbed the sword with both hands and swung it up into the air. The steel de appeared in the path of both swords.


    The three swords shed mid-air, causing resounding ngs that echoed across a small distance.


    [Dual Basic sh - Completion Rate - 21%]


    Ignite''s muscles bulged, and he took another powerful step forward, then swung the steel broadsword powerfully, pushing the two wooden swords away from him.


    Ambrose''s feet slid across the ground as he couldn''t stop Ignite''s powerful sh. Beads of sweat dropped to the ground as he was being pushed back constantly.


    "Hah!" Ignite shouted and sent Ambrose flying backwards with the powerful sh.


    Ambrose flew past trees and barely managed to contact the ground with his feet before he fell down or crashed into something that would have made his HP nonexistent.


    Anthon, Cauldron, and Ignite walked past the tree and appeared in front of Ambrose. Their presence was suffocating and despair inducing.


    "Basic sh." Anthon raised the sword above his head. He slowly bent his knees and took another nce at Ambrose''s dull blue eyes before swinging his sword down.


    Ambrose looked at the approaching sword. He imagined his body being split in two by that strike. He wanted to move out of the way but knew it would just prolong his inevitable death.


    ''Pleasend...'' He lifted the right sword above his head. However, he didn''t sh it down, but hurled it across the sky.


    Ignite and Cauldron followed the flying sword with their eyes. It missed them by a great margin, it wasn''t even close.


    Anthon frowned and shed through Ambrose''s face. The sword went through the face as if it were a hot knife cutting through butter. Light blue pixels appeared in the air before disappearing like a faint echo.


    Ambrose saw the world spinning around as his head flew across the air. He saw the whole world flip upside down and then saw the brilliant crimson moon.


    Atst, everything turned dark, but before that, he heard a small dinging echo in his ear before he disappeared from the forest.


    "Hmm, he dropped a wooden spear. I thought he was a swordsman." Ignite crouched on the ground and took the wooden spear.


    "It must''ve been inside his inventory, stolen from another yer." Anthon said and saw a pouch appear on the ground. He opened it and raised his eyebrow. "13 silvers."


    Cauldron saw the thrown wooden sword on the ground and went to pick it up. However, he then noticed something strange. There was animal blood on the de.


    "Hmm?" He turned to the side and saw light blue pixels seeping into the ground. At the ce of the pixels, perfectly intact squirrel skin appeared out of nowhere.


    ''A squirrel? He happened to kill a squirrel identally with that throw?'' Cauldron picked it up and tossed it and the sword into his inventory.


    ...


    [You are dead!]


    [Do you want to revive?]


    [Yes/No]


    Ambrose hovered in the empty ck space and saw the two options. He slowly pressed the "Yes" option and once again disappeared from the ce.


    When he opened his eyes the next time, he saw the night city of Amaterasu. The streets weren''t as bustling anymore; mostly yers were walking in the streets. The NPCs had closed their stores and returned home.


    ''Now, what did I lose?'' He first checked his inventory and noticed that he was missing one wooden spear. ''A wooden spear, not bad. And since I threw the wooden sword, I only have two remaining.''


    After closing the inventory, he wanted to check something else. His heart was beating nervously.


    "Interface..."


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 2]


    [ss: Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 0/125]


    [HP: 35/35]


    [SP: 10]


    [Silver: 0]


    [STR: 10]


    [CHA: 0]


    [INT: 3]


    [LUC: 1]


    [AGI: 1]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 5]


    [STA: 10]


    ***


    ''Yes, I reached level 2!'' Ambrose felt like a huge boulder had been lifted off his shoulder. He found a bench to sit on and then caught his breath. He felt that his stamina was quite low, as he only managed to fight this far because of adrenaline.


    ''As expected, you can''t lose your level. Thank god.''


    ''I lost all my silver...'' Ambrose sighed, as this caused pain in his chest. However, he considered himself lucky that he didn''t lose much more.


    ''10 stat points, which stat do I need?'' He remembered the fights he''d been in, but his thoughts always went in the direction of the previous fight. He began thinking of ways that would have helped him fight.


    ''Strength? No, it isn''t wise to try a battle of strength against three opponents; it would leave too many openings.


    ''Charm? Hah, nope.


    ''Intelligence? Maybe with higher intelligence, I could have learned Dual Basic sh quicker. If I had it 100%pleted, maybe I could have killed one of them. That is a big maybe. Intelligence is definitely useful, but I do not have a big need for it yet.


    ''Luck? From what I heard from RedBand, luck doesn''t affect other yers. It only affects my luck if I get better drops from animals and treasure chests. I will increase this asionally, but not now.


    ''Vitality? It is one of the most important stats, but I already received 5 HP from leveling up. I can keep my HP rtively high with food, so I don''t need to increase it much.


    ''Dexterity? Hmm... That guy spoke about dexterity. If he had more dexterity, he could have blocked my Dual Basic sh. Dexterity helps yers ability to perform skills using their hands, which is the most important stat for dual wielding...


    ''However, should I really go for dual wielding? It was very difficult, and I would need to practice it a lot. I might not even be necessarily stronger with it than with just one sword. Should I really spend time on this? It will put me behind other yers.


    ''However. Those three guys blocked my one sword attacks pathetically easily, but when I used two swords, they were having a difficult time. From what I understand, no one goes for dual wielding since it is unnecessarily difficult.


    ''That could mean no one has learned to fight against dual-wielding swordsman... It could be my trump card.


    ''Yeah, that sounds good enough.


    ''Now, stamina. I need it. I will split the stat points between Dexterity and Stamina.''


    Ambrose turned his gaze to the hovering interface and started assigning the stats.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 2]


    [ss: Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 0/125]


    [HP: 35/35]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 0]


    [STR: 10]


    [CHA: 0]


    [INT: 3]


    [LUC: 1]


    [AGI: 1]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 10]


    [STA: 15]

 Chapter 14: Return

    <h4>Chapter 14: Return</h4>


    After Ambrose finished assigning the stats, he took out both of his wooden swords and tested his new Dexterity by swinging them around.


    He still looked clumsy, but he felt a little bit morefortable. only a little bit.


    ''Doubling the Dexterity barely made a dent.'' Ambrose thought. ''Well, that was expected. It would be strange if I suddenly could perfectly use dual wielding. It is a long road before I can confidently say that I am a great swordsman.''


    Ambrose then moved both swords above his head. ''It''s time to test my new stamina as well. I can try increasing thepletion rate of Dual Basic sh at the same time.''


    "Basic sh!"


    Walking down the street, a short-haired yer yawned. "Yaaaawn. Damn, I feel tired even inside the game? I suppose I should log out soon."


    "Heh, I n on visiting the bathroom before continuing again. I n on ying the whole night and getting ahead of other yers!" His friend said excitedly.


    "Well, I have school tomorrow, damn it." The short-haired yer clicked his tongue. "I wish I could act sick, but my parents definitely wouldn''t let me y either!"


    "Unlucky." His friendughed and patted his shoulder.


    The short-haired yer rolled his eyes and then noticed a lonely silhouette in the nearby park. He was dual wielding swords while swinging them down. The park was otherwise empty.


    "Dual wielding, hah." The short-haired yer shook his head. "I tried dual wielding in Viking Online, and it''s damn difficult. That guy is wasting his time."


    "Hmm." His friend looked towards the park and at the messy, ck-haired young man. "I don''t know, dual wielding is kind of cool. It is something I can only dream of doing. Unfortunately, it''s not very practical when most of the skills are designed for a single sword.


    "I went to check other dojos and fighting schools; none of them were teaching dual wielding. It is hard to learn it alone."


    "Well, I chose Spearman for a reason. I know most of the yers chose the swordsman ss, so I think with a spear, I can have an advantage over them." The short-haired yer said and turned away from the park.


    "I think my real-life body has to empty the dder. See you tomorrow?" His friend said. He still nned to return after finishing eating and visiting the bathroom, but the short-haired yer couldn''t.


    "Yeah, see ya." The short-haired yer opened his interface and logged out. The two yers vanished, leaving only floating pixels behind.


    In the park, Ambrose lowered both swords with a deep frown.


    He looked at the notification bar in front of him.


    [Dual Basic sh - Completion Rate - 60%]


    ''I can''t improve it further. It has been stuck at 60% for the past five minutes. I don''t think I can swing these swords even one more time; my stamina is at rock bottom...


    ''Well, what I learned is that my stamina is greater than before, but still not great. Way better than my real life stamina, though. Also, I don''t think I can improve thepletion rate because my Dexterity isn''t high enough...


    ''Learning skills really isn''t as simple.''


    Ambrose stored his swords inside the inventory and sat down with a sweaty forehead.


    "It''s toote to visit the merchant store. They are closed for tonight, but tomorrow I should go sell the wild hog tusks, the spear, wooden bow, and the five arrows.


    "However, for now, there is nothing else to do." Ambrose opened his interface and looked at the logout button. He sighed and pressed on it.


    His body parts slowly turned into pixels, spreading around him like a blue fire.


    Ambrose turned his gaze towards the crimson moon while his face was turning into pixels.


    ''See you tomorrow...''


    ...


    After a few seconds of struggling to open his eyes, Jesse managed to see the golden visor of his VR headset. He was inside an uninviting room with a small lighting from themp.


    The slightly open curtains showed a cityscape with a dark starry sky and a grayish moon. The city of Nocklund had entered that time of night when no one roamed the streets.


    Jesse groaned and took out the VR headset, which he then ced gently on top of the bedside table.


    After sitting up, he tried to stand up from his bed''s edge. However, a sharp pain appeared in the soles of his feet.


    Jesse panicked and stopped thinking about standing up. He looked at his legs and painfully scratched the bedsheets with anger and frustration.


    After close to ten hours of ying Martial Online, he got the illusion that he was a normal person. Unfortunately, after leaving the magical world, he was struck by the harsh reality.


    "Wait..." Jesse spoke with a hoarse tone, as if he hadn''t used his voice for quite some time. He looked at his right wrist, which he used to scratch the bedsheet.


    He gently rubbed the right wrist, which was supposed to be broken, and only felt a small amount of pain.


    "Weird, it''s not as bad as before." Jesse let out a sigh. "That''s the only good thing, it seems. I guess the fracture wasn''t as bad as I thought..."


    He then hopped onto the wheelchair and wheeled out of his room. The hallway and downstairs were dark, as his parents had already gone to bed.


    However, there was a small lighting from below his little sister''s door. She often stayed upte.


    Jesse entered the bathroom and finished his business there before moving on to the downstairs. His stomach was rumbling with hunger.


    After using the one-seater machine to reach downstairs, he rolled to the kitchen, flicked the lightswitch, and opened the refrigerator''s door.


    The refrigerator didn''t have any leftover food, and there was only one milk bottle left.


    Jesse grabbed the milk bottle and ced it on hisp. Then he looked at what he should eat since there wasn''t much in there. He soon decided on a piece of bread with butter and jam, then also took out cereal and a bowl from the cupboard.


    He carried them on hisp to the table and ced them there. Then he hopped off his wheelchair and onto the wooden chair.


    After spreading butter and jam across the piece of bread, he filled the bowl with cereal and poured milk into it.


    He started eating the cereal with a spoon while asionally taking a bite off the tough bread.


    Since the downstairs was dark except for the kitchen, the whole ce seemed very lonely.


    Jesse silently ate while staring at the empty living room and the ck TV screen.


    After he finished eating, he went to the sink, washed off the bowl and spoon, and then returned them to their rightful ce. He then cleaned off the mess he left on the table before returning to the one-seater machine.


    He then returned to his room and closed the door right behind him.


    The first thing he ensured was that the VR headset was still there. After seeing it intact, he rxed significantly and hopped back on the bed.


    "Is there anything new on the forums..." Jesse yawned and felt tired, but he didn''t feel like sleeping before reading some stuff from the forums.


    Therefore, he pulled out his phone and opened the forums.

 Chapter 15: Flower Guardian

    <h4>Chapter 15: Flower Guardian</h4>


    Inside a dark room, a young many under the nket with his phone in hand. A lighting from the phone touched the young man''s average-looking face. His blue eyes could barely stay open, but he couldn''t tear his gaze off the screen.


    ''As expected, Amaterasu is one city out of many. yers were sent to different parts of the continent. They are calling it the Light Continent. ording to NPCs, there is also a Dark Continent, but no one has traveled there and returned.


    ''This game seems to have its own lore. The NPCs are acting like they have lived there for thousands of years and have their own history, even though the servers opened today.''


    Jesse rolled down further to learn more about Light and Dark Continent. Unfortunately, there wasn''t much. The NPCs were very secretive about what they should reveal.


    However, he discovered three city names where yers were sent.


    ''Amaterasu, Yatagarasu, and Tsukuyomi.'' He thought inwardly. ''Those three are the biggest cities in the Light Continent; the rest are smaller towns and viges.


    ''Each city has its own main dojo. Amaterasu has Kiryu''s Sword Dojo. Yatagarasu has Karasu''s Spear Dojo. Tsukuyomi has Yuna''s Archer Dojo.''


    There wasn''t anything else that piqued Jesse''s interest. Instead, he went to check what yers talked about in public chat.


    There was a lot of arguing as most yersined about getting PK''d¡ªyer killed¡ªwhich hindered everyone''s progress.


    Those who had previous experience with Virtual Games and had equally experienced party members had an immense advantage.


    Jesse remembered the three guys, who were obviously close friends. They were all in their early 20s and must have earned a crazy amount of silver by PKing.


    ''I am not sure if I can continue ying alone.'' Jesse thought with a frown. ''RedBand was a great help, but it was slow when XP got split. Those three guys were already level 2, maybe even level 3.


    ''Just how many they actually killed...''


    He scratched his head. ''I would be a target if I was alone, but earning experience points in a party is painfully slow. I need to acquire a proper weapon; a wooden sword won''t cut it. Also, the clothes might have some defensive attributes.


    ''When Inded my hit on that guy, the ck cloak might have absorbed some of the damage. If I had a proper steel sword, I should have been able to slice through his shoulder.''


    Jesse closed the phone and ced it on the bedside table. His fingers identally brushed past the VR headset, and he happened to press the start button. The golden visor lit up, sending a very small ray of light across the dark room.


    ''Ah, should I?'' Jesse bit his lip gently and then took the VR headset. He turned it around and looked at the golden visor, which reflected his pale, sickly face.


    ''If I achieve level 3 and get the steel sword quickly, I would be way ahead of the average yer base. I can survive with an hour of sleep. During night, there won''t be as many yers, the somewhat empty streets proved that.


    ''However, tomorrow, there will be even more yers as more and more people receive their VR headsets. There were still rtively few people in the forests today, but tomorrow they will be filled as the wheat fields around the city are going to be filled by new yers.


    ''Therefore, from a logic standpoint, I should skip one night''s sleep for this.''


    Jesse wryly smiled as he tried to convince himself.


    ''I am not addicted; this is just a smart move.''


    He put the VR headset around his head and closed his eyes.


    After opening his eyes, he was again standing in the empty white space. Then he opened the store window and pressed on "Martial Online."


    As soon as he did, the white ce disappeared, reced by a narrow street surrounded by traditional and quaint buildings. The nearby metal fence surrounding the park was decorated with flowers and decorative lights.


    Ambrose touched his legs and pinched them. He couldn''t help but smile, and then he crouched and touched the ground with his open palm.


    It felt so real, as if he were touching real paved ground.


    After straightening his body, he turned around and embarked on his journey to the end of the city.


    As soon as he arrived there, there were sounds of fightinging from the wheat fields.


    Ambrose nced there and saw arge number of people chasing after red-eyed bunnies.


    ''There are quite a lot of yers left, but I doubt there are many in the forest. I just hope that those three guys have gone offline. It would be a tragedy if I ended up meeting them again.''


    Ambrose sighed and looked at the distance between him and the forest. He would have to walk for slightly over a kilometer to reach his destination.


    He slowly began moving faster and faster, and soon his arms also moved at a synchronized pace. He started running while the wind blew against his face, making his messy hair p around his face.


    Without him even realizing it, the forest was approaching at a scary speed, and after who knows how long, Ambrose noticed that his surroundings had been filled with trees and rustling leaves.


    He slowly stopped running and caught his breath while looking around.


    "Ah, I''ve already arrived. I guess I lost track of time." He said out loud and used the back of his palm to wipe the sweat off his forehead.


    He then focused his gaze on the dark forest. The glow of the crimson moon gave the surroundings a rather creepy-inducing effect. It really looked like he was in a horror movie.


    The distant sound of the river flowing and crashing against shores and rocks didn''t really help either.


    ''This world is beautiful, but it can also be quite creepy.'' Ambrose thought and pulled out his wooden sword. Then he began walking into the forest.


    After only walking for one minute, he came across a strange scene. There was a glowing flower in the middle of ordinary-looking flowers. Its petals were blue, but they were glowing like moonlight.


    Ambrose crouched before the flower and gently touched its petals.


    ''Strange. This doesn''t seem like an ordinary flower. I wonder if I can sell it...'' He thought about plucking it from the ground and storing it in his inventory.


    But at that moment, the nearby bush started wiggling creepily.


    Ambrose carefully turned towards the bush and tightened the grip on the sword.


    A strange-looking creature casually walked out of the bush. It was standing on two legs, but its skin color was green, and its head was round with flower petals growing out of it. Its pupils were shaped like four-leafed clover.


    The creature looked straight at Ambrose as if it could see straight into his soul and desires.


    It then turned back to the blue-petalled flower and back to Ambrose. Its expression turned angry, as if it had just seen his mother insulted right in front of it.


    "Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" Its ear-splitting scream echoed across the forest.


    After the scream, the flower monster fell to its four limbs, looking like a wild dog. Then, the flower petals growing from its head started glowing like the blue petal on the ground.


    The glow was mesmerizing, but then a strange greenish smoke drifted out of those flower petals. Whenever the smoke touched something, everything in that area turned into dead flowers.


    Ambrose slowly backed away from the smoke. He didn''t want to wait and see what happened once the smoke reached him.


    The flower monster seemed to be struggling, and soon its flower petals lost their mesmerizing glow. It slouched down and looked very exhausted. The smoke also disappeared into thin air.


    ''Eh, it is exhausted?'' Ambrose raised an eyebrow and looked for signs of that strange smoke. The smoke left behind a trail of dead flowers and grayish grass.


    ''Well, it is a monster, so it should give experience.'' Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and jumped forward. He lifted the wooden sword and smashed it into the flower monster''s face.


    The flower monster crashed into a nearby tree and looked like it was dead.


    [You killed a Flower Guardian!]


    [20 XP Earned!]


    [XP: 20/125]


    ''Eh, that''s it? It also gave me a lot of experience points.'' Ambrose was surprised, but he didn''tin. ''Free XP, I take it.''


    As he walked to the flower monster to see whether it dropped anything, the blue-petalled flower suddenly lost all its luster and turned into a normal flower once again.

 Chapter 16: Trial of Crow Cave

    <h4>Chapter 16: Trial of Crow Cave</h4>


    ''It didn''t drop anything.'' Ambrose sighed in disappointment. Since the flower creature looked quite exotic, he thought the stuff it dropped would be very valuable.


    ''Is my luck too low?'' He thought and rose to his feet. He turned around and expected to see the glowing blue-petaled flower; however, it was gone.


    "Huh, where is it?" He crouched on the ground and squinted his eyes while looking at the ordinary-looking flowers. He tried to pinpoint the location of the blue-petaled flower, but it was easier said than done at night.


    "Wait, wasn''t it this one?" Ambrose moved his head closer and looked intensely at the ordinary-looking flower. He was almost certain that the blue-petaled flower was in that spot right in the ground, but it was now reced by an ordinary flower.


    ''Maybe I am mistaken. Perhaps I identally stomped over it...'' He checked the bottom of his shoes just in case, but there was no sight of the blue-petaled flower.


    He stood up in disappointment, scratched his head, and began walking deeper in the forest while forgetting about the strange flower that had mysteriously disappeared.


    ...


    "Yeah, babe." A young woman''s giggling voice came from the other side of the phone. "He said that!"


    "Ugh." Holly rolled her eyes while lying on her bed with her makeup mirror, bag, and phone in front of her. She was adding ck eyeliner while looking at her reflection in the mirror.


    "Marty should learn to shut off his mouth." She said with a scoff.


    "Hehe." Allison''s voice came from the phone. "My lil bro got that VR headset and the game. He hadn''t been quiet since. Perhaps I will "borrow" it from him and test it."


    "Ugh, are you serious?" Holly rolled her eyes. "I don''t understand why anyone would want to spend their time in FAKE world where they can''t do anything productive."


    "Hehe, same as always, Holly~" Allison''s giggle sounded from the phone''s speakers. "Didn''t you say your brother bought one? You said something about seeing him lying on bed with a VR headset in his head while you went to stea... I mean, borrow money?"


    "Yeah, and?" Holly returned the makeup items to her bag. "That game is tailor-made for useless people like him. He can''t even get work with his condition."


    "You could "borrow" his VR headset and join me in ying!" Allison said excitedly. "Let''s have some fun!"


    "Hmm..." Holly frowned and looked at her beautiful reflection in the mirror. She then turned around and stood up. "Wait second."


    "Alrighty..." The yful voice came from the phone.


    Holly left her room and entered a dimly lit hallway. She then approached the nearby door, grabbed the door handle, and opened the door.


    Her round eyes widened in surprise after seeing a young man lying on the bed with a VR headset on his head. The gold visor was still lit up with light, sending rays of light around the very dark room.


    ''He is still ying?'' Holly scoffed and walked to the bedside. She looked down at the young man with an icy gaze. "How far have you fallen, brother."


    She then turned around, stepped out of the door, and took onest look at the bed before closing the door.


    The darkness filled the room again.


    ...


    "Hmm?" Ambrose stopped walking and turned his gaze to the crimson moon. He narrowed his eyes before shaking his head and continuing walking.


    He had soon walked deeper into the forest than with RedBand. He was being very careful without dropping his guard even once.


    "Are there really not many animals awake thiste?" Ambrose thought aloud as he soon stopped walking. He had crossed a sizeable distance already, but the flower monster was the only creature he encountered.


    He let out a long yawn and pinched his be to try to shake off the sleepiness.


    After opening his eyes, he happened to catch a glimpse of something.


    "What was that..." Ambrose moved, dodged the branches that were the size of an adult man''s arm, and came across a cave entrance.


    The cave entrance was arc-shaped, and the interior was fully dark. The cave was located on a small mountain that wasn''t too high or too wide.


    Ambrose was certain that he could walk around the mountain in fifteen minutes or less.


    "Hmm, a stone tablet?" Ambrose walked towards the stone tablet that was nailed to the mountain wall right beside the entrance.


    [The Leaderboard of Crow Cave]


    [1. Anthon]


    [2. Cauldron]


    [3. Ignite]


    ''Wait, aren''t they the ones who killed me?'' Ambrose looked around the dark forest with fear of the unknown. He expected to see those three young men jump out of the forest and ambush him.


    However, after seeing nothing, he realized something and thought about it thoroughly.


    ''They are the only ones who havepleted this trial, or whatever this is. It might be the reason why they were able to purchase a steel sword so soon!''


    Ambrose saw that there were ten spots on the leaderboard; three of them were upied by the three young men.


    ''Maybe only the ten yers whopleted this trial first receive a prize?'' He theorized, as he hadn''t heard about this on forums. ''Whatever it is, I have to try this. This might be the way to reach level 3!''


    Ambrose took onest look at the dark surrounding forest, then checked his inventory and stats. After a few seconds of thought, he decided to take the risk and enter the cave.


    As he took the first step into the cave, he felt the cold wind brushing through him as if he didn''t exist on this ne of existence.


    Ambrose froze and nced over his shoulder at the dark forest. He could see a faint crimson light descending from the sky. He then turned his gaze back to the cave and started walking forward.


    His footstep echo bounced across the rocky walls, and soon Ambrose saw light at the end of the path. He picked up his pace and soon arrived at the end of the cave.


    There was a torch with fire, enough to light up a small area around him.


    Ambrose then saw a closed granite door.


    ''That must be where the trial begins...'' He thought and took the torch from the ground to light his path. He then opened the heavy granite door and saw a dimly lit hallway, as if the walls were built by red magma.


    Ambrose entered the hallway, and the granite door closed behind him with a loud thud.


    Ding, ding.


    [Wee to the Trial of Crow Cave]


    [There are crows living inside the Crow Cave. Kill them all; do not leave a single one alive, because they carry an incurable disease that is deadly for residents of Amaterasu. If they escape the cave, their disease would carry over to Amaterasu, killing many in the process!]


    [Good luck!]


    ''Wait, seriously?'' Ambrose''s expression was a sight to behold. ''If I fail, many NPCs will be dead because of me? So, failure has big consequences in this game.


    ''My guess might be correct. Charm helps me connect with NPCs better, giving me more quests and other stuff. If I fail, my reputation will reach rock bottom among NPC...


    ''I can''t let that happen, and it seems Charm isn''t as useless as I thought if my guess is correct. Just killing creatures isn''t a good strategy. From what I heard in forums, quests were an important part of increasing strength in Viking and Ember Online.


    ''I doubt it is far from the truth in this game either.


    ''For now, I have toplete this trial. If I fail, my future will be very rocky.''


    With wooden sword and torch in hand, he started walking down the hallway.

 Chapter 17: Ambrose Vs. Disease Crows

    <h4>Chapter 17: Ambrose Vs. Disease Crows</h4>


    Ambrose looked around at the molten rock walls, which had magma veins running across the walls and ceilings, giving the ce quite an exotic feel. He was surprised that there would be any crows living in such a ce.


    After walking for nearly three minutes, he saw the end of the hallway.


    The end of the hallway had arge room with dozens of entrances. All entrances were arc-shaped with different kinds of rock carvings on the walls. The ceiling had tiny enough holes to let natural crimson light inside.


    As Ambrose stepped out of the hallway, he came across a stone tform raised high. It looked like an ancient fighting ring where warriors dueled with their fists.


    Currently, it seemed to have been unused for thousands of years. It appeared like the hallways and caves were naturally created by the molten rock. In the end, hiding the ancient civilization.


    ''Where are those crows?'' He thought as he looked around. The burning torch couldn''t light up the whole cavern.


    At that moment, his figure froze like he''d been dipped in a frozenke. He carefully looked to the right and didn''t dare to move.


    There was a ck-feathered crow perched on top of a small boulder. It was within arms'' length of Ambrose, and he couldn''t see it at all because the crow blended into the darkness perfectly.


    The ck-feather crow looked at Ambrose with its dead-looking ck eyes. It then started spreading its wings without revealing anything about its intentions.


    Ambrose tightened his grip on the wooden sword and waited for his moment to strike. He felt cold sweatdrops form on his forehead.


    The crow leaned slightly forward as if it were about to start flying.


    "CAAW!" It suddenly let out a cawing scream.


    Ambrose swung the sword and smashed it into the crow. The blunt force of the attack sent the crow flying into the molten rock wall. That single attack was enough to kill it.


    [You killed Disease Crow!]


    [1 XP Earned!]


    ''Disease Crow, so that is its name. Quite fitting if the description of the trial is correct. Can they also make yers sick with the disease?''


    Ambrose turned around to look at the darkness-filled cavern.


    ''Was that all? It talked about crows, as in multiple, but they are nowhere to be seen.''


    p, p... at that moment, he heard the sound of pping. It wasn''t just a few. It felt like there was a never-ending echo of pping.


    Ambrose gulped and hesitantly turned around. He saw nothing but darkness. However, then he stepped slightly forward, with the torch leading the way.


    The closer he got, the paler his face got. There were close to a hundred ck-eyed crows, all staring at him with the intention to kill.


    Ambrose slowly backed off, taking the light with him. Once he was a few meters away from the ck-feathered crows, the torch''s light couldn''t reach them, and they were hidden in darkness again.


    At that moment, his back crashed into another boulder, almost making him jump in fright. However, after realizing that it was only a boulder, he rxed significantly.


    p, p...


    Ambrose''s face turned paler than ever before. He already had a pale and sickly-looking face, but now it looked like his face was iced over. He turned hesitantly over and saw a dozen crows perched on the boulder, all looking at him.


    He then saw a distant lighting from the hallway where he came from and wanted to head in that direction. But then the torch lit up the area close to the hallway, and there were a dozen crows on the ground, blocking his path.


    ''They are everywhere...'' He backed off towards the tform and slowly walked up the stairs until he arrived on top of the tform. There was a sea of darkness around the tform.


    Ambrose stopped in the middle of the tform and looked at the darkness that surrounded him. He could hear the sound of pping and knew that those crows were looking at him.


    ''Fuck, this is creepy; just attack me!'' He shouted inwardly and dropped the torch. The torch still lit up the area around him while he grabbed the wooden sword with both hands and challenged the ck-feathered crows.


    "Caaaaaw..." A creepy sound resounded from the darkness.


    p, p!


    Ambrose spun around and shed his sword at the darkness. A ck-feathered crow appeared out of nowhere, but then the wooden sword mmed right into it, sending it flying away with broken wings.


    [You killed Disease Crow!]


    [1 XP Earned!]


    At the same time, a ck-feathered crow appeared from the darkness and flew past Ambrose''s face. It made a U-turn in the air and swooped down with great speed.


    Ambrose blocked the crow''s attack with the blunt side of the sword but had no time to rx as another crow appeared from the right. He quickly backstepped, dodging the crows, and then mmed his sword at another crow.


    [You killed Disease Crow!]


    [1 XP Earned!]


    Another ck-feathered crow flew low and attacked Ambrose''s legs with its ws, leaving behind shallow scratch marks.


    "Argh." Ambrose felt a slight numbness, but he didn''t even lose a single HP. However, he didn''t rx because of that. If a hundred crows attacked him with ws simultaneously, he would be scratched to death.


    He couldn''t even hear his own breathing anymore. It was like all the sounds existing in the world were the crow''s pping and cawing sounds.


    Ambrose desperately fended off the flying crows, but more and more scratches appeared on his thighs and body. He asionally managed to m his wooden sword into the crows, killing them with one swift strike.


    But it felt like the number of crows never lessened.


    ''I will die at this rate!'' He concluded and barely avoided another w strike by the crow. However, another crow appeared from his blind spot and made a bloody scratch on his cheek.


    Ambrose tumbled forward and almost dropped to his knees. A cold drop of blood dripped from his cheek.


    ''Eh, I can bleed?'' He hesitantly touched his "blood" with the tip of his finger and saw that his "blood" was actually just sticky pixels. However, it resembled blood''s texture a lot, just not the color.


    ''This can''t go on...'' Ambrose thought as he finally started losing his HP. He looked across the tform and saw ck feathers falling from the ceiling as if crows were announcing that they were surrounding him and he couldn''t do anything about it.


    "Inventory."


    A holographic screen appeared in front of him.


    Ambrose pulled out another weapon from the inventory. It was a wooden sword.


    With two wooden swords in hand, he lunged forward and left the safety of the light. He entered the darkness and started swinging both swords crazily.


    The scarlet-red lighting from the torch barely showed a distant shadow dancing around with two swords in hands. The sound of crows screaming reverberated across the cavern, and then a young man''s shouting followed.


    It was unclear which side was winning.


    ...


    The night sky above the city of Amaterasu started slowly vanishing. The sun peeked from the horizon, with white clouds slowly drifting across the sky. The crimson moon had already vanished.


    The streets of Amaterasu showed signs of life after the morning arrived. The NPCs opened their stores with smiles on their faces and chatted with their fellow Amaterasu residents.


    shes of light constantly appeared as yers logged back in with giant smiles on their faces. Most of them could barely sleep while thinking about returning to Martial Online.


    In Crow Cave, a young man sat on top of a tform with his head hanging low. There was no sign of any ck-feathered crows, and the cavern wasn''t as dark anymore as the sun''s brilliant natural light came from the holes in the ceiling.


    Ambrose continued panting as he looked at the screen in front of him.


    [HP: 6/40]


    However, a smile returned to his lips as he looked at the experience bar.


    [Level: 3]


    [XP: 3/150]

 Chapter 18: Increased Wealth

    <h4>Chapter 18: Increased Wealth</h4>


    "Ahh..." Ambroseid down on the tform and stretched his limbs after hours of fighting. "I hate crows."


    "Hahaha..." He let out a tiredugh and touched his cheeks. They were filled with scratches, and most of his basic clothes were also rags. There were barely any spots without signs of scratches and dried up pixel blood.


    Ambrose tried to tidy up his messy hair, but at the same time, he caught a glimpse of the ceiling. He frowned, and his eyes began slowly widening.


    A square-shaped hole appeared in the ceiling, and from there, a dark chest started falling.


    Ambrose''s eyes showed signs of panic, and he quickly rolled to the side.


    Smash... The chest hit the floor with a loud thud, sending dust flying everywhere.


    "What the hell?" Ambrose asked in wonder as he slowly got up. He looked at the fallen chest with a frown. It was a dark brown treasure chest, and it was covered in dust.


    "Is this the reward forpleting the trial?" He crouched and touched the treasure chest. He nned to open it, but then he remembered something.


    ''My luck is quite low. If I want a good reward, I should assign my stats first!''¡ä


    Ambrose sat on top of the heavy treasure chest and said, "Interface."


    A holographic screen appeared in front of him. He had ten stat points, which he could assign to any stat he wanted.


    "Alright." He inteced his fingers and pondered aloud. "Hmm, since Ipleted the trial, my reputation should be alright among NPC. But that is only my theory. I won''t know before I visit Amaterasu again.


    "However, I know enough that Charm should help me get quests easier. Even if I put all 10 stats into Charm, the effect shouldn''t be drastic, but I won''t find out if I don''t put anything in it.


    "Charm should be used for something, and I think it is for this reason. I have to try it. I will add five to Charm.


    "Then, I need luck. I will spend the other five on luck."


    After assigning the stats, he pressed "Apply" to apply the changes. The interface slightly changed.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 3]


    [ss: Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 3/150]


    [HP: 6/40]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 0]


    [STR: 10]


    [CHA: 5]


    [INT: 3]


    [LUC: 6]


    [AGI: 1]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 10]


    [STA: 15]


    ***


    "Alright." Ambrose then stood up and turned to the treasure chest. He saw that there was no lock; therefore, he could open it anytime he wished. He grabbed it from the edge, took a deep breath, and then pushed the chest open.


    The treasure chest''s lid opened, revealing a dusty interior.


    Ambrose frowned and tried to see inside. In there, he saw mostly dust but also several items. One of them was a ck cloak; one was a brown pouch; and thest item was a small box with a golden lock. There wasn''t a key to open it.


    ''Huh, a ck cloak, a brown pouch, and a small box that I can''t even open?''


    He took out the ck cloak, and a notification bar appeared.


    [Crow Cloak: Increases the defense of the user]


    ''Wait, this is the cloak that those guys had. I didn''t expect that they would get it here.'' Ambrose looked at the Crow Cloak and then wrapped around his shoulders. The cloak fit his figure perfectly, and there was a hood, which he could use to hide his face.


    He then took out the brown pouch and opened it. His eyes bulged in surprise.


    [189 Silvers Acquired!]


    The small silver coins sucked into Ambrose''s interface, and then the brown pouch turned into dust and seeped through the gap between his fingers before disappearing into the ground.


    ''189 silvers!'' Ambrose eximed and let out augh. That was a much better reward than he expected. ''Maybe my new luck helped? Not sure.''


    Andstly, he picked up the small box with a golden lock. However, he couldn''t do anything to open it.


    ''What is the point of this if I can''t even open it?'' He sighed in frustration and tossed it into his inventory.


    The dark brown treasure chest suddenly vibrated and began hovering a meter above the tform. Then it flew back into the ceiling and disappeared along with the square-shaped hole. The ceiling returned to normal.


    ''This was a very fruitful trip.'' Ambrose was pleased, and then he turned to the ground, where ck feathers were strewn about. He thought about selling these as well. However, when he picked up one of them, a notification appeared.


    [Disease Crow''s Feather: Brings gue and Disaster to Residents of Amaterasu]


    "Uhh..." Ambrose dropped the feather and decided not to take it with him after all. ''I would have killed those crows for nothing if I returned to Amaterasu with these. The result would be the same: many would die, and my reputation would take a massive hit.''


    After finishing his business at Crow Cave, he left through the long hallway, stepped out of the granite door, and walked out of the arc-shaped entrance.


    Ambrose inhaled loudly after entering the outside air once again. The cave was very stuffy and dusty, therefore, inhaling fresh air was a pleasant experience.


    The air was much fresher than in the real world.


    He then nced at the stone table, and there was now an extra name.


    ***


    [The Leaderboard of Crow Cave]


    [1. Anthon]


    [2. Cauldron]


    [3. Ignite]


    [4. Ambrose]


    ***


    ''Hmm, should I sell information about the location of Crow Cave?'' Ambrose thought. ''I could do it in forums. There are many sellers of different information. I, of course, can''t afford it, and some of them sound very shady.


    ''Like the location of the legendary sword. Hah, that guy might be able to scam some clueless kid, but I am not naive enough to fall for that.


    ''However, selling information about the cave sounds quite good. I could earn some extra money after spending all my savings to purchase the VR headset and the game.''


    Ambrose thought it sounded good and nned to make a post after he logged out. For now, he had to do something.


    He started walking away in broad daylight. Destination, Amaterasu.


    ...


    rehead, a middle-aged man with a long beard, was sitting on a wooden chair with a monocle on his right eye. He was looking at the items on the table.


    There were sixteen pieces of wild hog tusks, a wooden spear, a wooden bow, and five arrows.


    "Hmm, a wooden spear, a wooden bow, and five arrows are basic items. A wooden spear is worth 1 silver, a wooden bow is worth 1 silver, and those five arrows in total are worth 3 silvers. In total, five silvers."


    Ambrose nodded, as it sounded reasonable.


    "However, these wild hog tusks are slightly more valuable." rehead said and lowered his monocle before saying his price. "I will offer 25 silvers. They would only be worth 20 silvers in normal conditions, but since you have so many, I can offer slightly more. How does that sound?"


    "Oh, that sounds great." Ambrose looked surprised. ''Maybe my reputation has truly improved? Hard to tell.''


    rehead smiled and brought a pouch worth 30 silvers. "Here, and I hope you bring me more valuables in the future. I am known for giving fair prices!"


    "I will keep that in mind. Thanks." Ambrose thanked the merchant and left the store. The 30 silvers entered his interface, increasing his wealth from 189 to 219 silvers!


    ''There is only one remaining thing left to aplish before logging out.'' Ambrose looked to the end of the street. There was a two-story weapons store with different weapons on disy.


    ''Buying a proper weapon.''

 Chapter 19: Crowns

    <h4>Chapter 19: Crowns</h4>


    The bell above the door chimed as a result of another customer entering the store.


    "Wee~" A pleasant-looking store clerk weed the new customer. She looked beautiful in a ck dress and stockings, which made her look lovely.


    Ambrose nodded and looked towards the shop counter. ''There is also the bald shopkeeper. Is she his daughter?''


    After pondering for a second, he remembered the reason he came here. He walked to the wall with different sword-based weapons. There were several fancy-looking weapons, but seeing the price tag made Ambrose clutch his chest in pain.


    He thought he was rtively wealthy with 219 silvers, but after seeing the most expensive weapons, he realized that he was not even close to being rich.


    He moved over to the cheapest weapons and took a broadsword from the wall, then tested its weight. It was much heavier than a wooden sword.


    ''The de is not very bnced.'' Ambrose immediately thought about it, even though he wasn''t knowledgeable about swords. However, when he tried holding it with one hand, the de continued leaning forward.


    ''I don''t like this one. This is the weapon those guys used, but it feels ufortable...'' He ced the sword back on the wall and looked at the rest of the selections.


    ''This one is the sword with the shortest de length.'' Ambrose took one sword from the wall and immediately felt a different feeling from the broadsword. This one''s de was shorter and lighter. It was clearly designed to be a one-handed sword.


    ''This one is called a shortsword. Fitting name.''


    Ambrose then nced at the price tag and nodded. ''130 silvers. A reasonable price. I like the weight, and I enjoy how it feels when I hold it in one hand.


    ''I definitely need to use one-handed swords if I n on going the dual wielding route.'' Ambrose slowly swung it around him and liked it even more.


    He knew that it was a rather poor weaponpared to more expensive weapons, but he did like it much more than the wooden sword.


    He nodded with a smile and walked to the shop counter.


    "Hello, I would like to purchase this weapon." Ambrose ced the sword on the counter.


    "Alright." The bald-headed man groggily opened his eyes. When he saw the face on the other side of the counter, his smile grew subconsciously. "Very well. Do you want to purchase two shortswords with a discount? The total price would be 210 silvers."


    ''Ah?'' Ambrose turned silent and caressed his chin. ''That is a massive discount. Indeed, NPCs are treating me differently. However, do I want to spend all my silver? I thought about spending some on food as well...''


    The bald shopkeeper waited patiently with a smile on his face.


    ''I can''t be using dual wielding with only one shortsword. I don''t want to use a wooden sword as a second weapon. I nned on selling them at first too, but I keep them just in case I happen to lose my shortsword at my death.


    ''Still, a second shortsword would also help in case I die and lose one of them. It would be a tragedy to take a step backward and be forced to use wooden swords again.


    ''Yeah, purchasing a second one sounds good...''


    Ambrose nodded. "Sure."


    "Excellent." The bald shopkeeper pped and nodded at the beautiful shopkeeper. She went to the wall and brought another shortsword with her.


    Ambrose paid the price in full and received the two steel shortswords. He tried holding them with each hand and was having difficulty shing with both of them simultaneously.


    ''Yeah, I can''t really use dual wielding with my current Strength and Dexterity. I have to increase them next time.''


    "Thank you for shopping here at Heat and Iron Weapons. I hope you visit us again." The bald shopkeeper bowed shortly and returned to his seat.


    Ambrose nodded and left the weapons store as a much stronger yer. He was already an above average yer with a steel shortsword. He wanted to go test his current prowess, but staying awake the whole night was catching up to him.


    ''I need to go to sleep.'' He pinched his be and let out a yawn.


    When he opened his eyes again, he saw yers chatting with their friends while enjoying the atmosphere of Amaterasu. They were even asionally talking with NPCs, treating them like real people.


    ''It seems I am not the only one who is enjoying this world more than reality.'' Ambrose smiled and looked at the bright sky. He felt depressed that he had to leave this world and resented his real-life body for needing sleep.


    After sighing loudly, he opened his interface and logged out.


    ...


    "Ugh..." Jesse groaned and rolled on the bed. He slowly removed the VR headset from his head and continued lying down with his face nted on the pillow. He was feeling too tired to move.


    "Urgh..." He groaned and forced himself to stand up. He felt the need to go to the bathroom and was even feeling hungry, but he didn''t feel like going to eat.


    He hopped on his wheelchair and rolled out of his room. The downstairs was quiet, meaning his parents and little sister had already left.


    After going to the bathroom and flushing the toilet, Jesse rolled to the sink to wash his face. He turned on the faucet and started washing his face with cold water.


    After wiping his head with a towel, Jesse nced towards the shower. The shower was surrounded by ss walls. It showed his reflection sitting on a wheelchair, looking quite tired.


    "Huh." Jesse raised an eyebrow and rubbed his eyes. "I guess I am more tired than I thought."


    The reflection showed a fatigued-looking youth with dull blue eyes and messy ck hair. He had sickly pale skin, but before, his body was rather skinny, as if he had barely eaten during that week. However, now his body was filled out and looked more healthy.


    It was as if he had grown a little bit of muscle without realizing it.


    "Ugh." Jesse shook his head and rolled back to his bed. He thenid on the bed, pulled out his phone, and opened the forum.


    There were hundreds more posts than before. He didn''t read them all and instead started writing a short post.


    [Selling the location of Crow Cave]


    He then wrote about it being a trial and what it consisted of. He said that it was near Amaterasu, but not the location. He didn''t even mention it being in Crow Forest, even though many would be able to find out.


    However, finding the location wasn''t that easy.


    ''What price should I put on the information?'' Jesse wondered inwardly. He knew that people would pay a lot if he realized his rewards. However, he wasn''t certain if everyone received simr prizes, so they might me him for scamming.


    Scamming could result in his ount being banned. The forum was using a Martial Online ount. Before Martial Online, he didn''t have any ounts and could only read posts. However, now that he was making a post, he needed an ount.


    He was using his Ambrose ount because he couldn''t make another one.


    Therefore, he didn''t want others to me him for scamming.


    He also didn''t want to reveal his rewards, as yers might target him for those rewards.


    ''Hmm, 50 crowns should be enough, right?'' Jesse thought. Crowns were the currency used around the globe. The VR headset cost a total of 400 crowns, and the game cost 60 crowns.


    Therefore, 50 crowns sounded reasonable, ording to Jesse. He didn''t know how much others would be willing to pay for such information, and he didn''t want to go overboard.


    Jesse posted the forum post and then closed his phone. Hey back on the bed and closed his eyes.


    After a sleepless night, he nned on taking a nap.

 Chapter 20: The Forum Post

    <h4>Chapter 20: The Forum Post</h4>


    "Remember to finish your homework first!" A woman''s voice came from downstairs.


    "Yes, yes, mom!" A loud-mouthed young man yelled and entered his room. He mmed the door shut, tossed his backpack into the corner of the room, and rushed to his desk.


    The desk had a pile of books, aptop, and a VR headset, which was ck with a gray visor. It was the default VR headset.


    "Alright, what is new!" The young man excitedly hopped on his gaming chair and cracked his knuckles before opening theptop.


    The backpack''s zipper was open, pouring his school books onto the floor. He couldn''t care less about homework currently.


    With his fingers dancing across theptop''s keyboard, he entered Martial Online''s forum. He excitedly started looking for any information before logging back into the game.


    ''Information is the greatest asset!'' The young man nudged his sses. ''While my fool ssmates run around like headless chickens, I will gather information and find the best ce to gather experience points!''


    The forum mostly had useless posts. The new yers were asking for help, and some shared their experiments and achievements. None of them interested him.


    However, at that moment, he saw a post from a yer who was selling information.


    ''Selling the location of Crow Cave?'' The young man frowned. ''Why would anyone need the location of some random cave?''


    Out of curiosity, he clicked on the post and began reading.


    ''Wait, what? A trial?'' The young man''s interest was piqued. ''It is some kind of trial that gives rewards at the end. Apparently, there are leaderboards on a stone table at the entrance of the cave with only ten spots. The creator of this post assumes that only ten people can get rewards for it?''


    The young man inteced his fingers and started thinking. He looked very intellectual, as he was also an honor student at his school.


    ''This could be a scam. The price he is asking is a mere 50 crowns. I have seen people purchase information that costs 1,000 crowns. 50 crowns seem way too low for information of this level.


    ''Maybe the creator of this post doesn''t know the worth of this information?'' The young man looked at the name of the post''s creator. ''Ambrose, huh. Never heard of him, so most likely a newbie.''


    ''This is most likely a scam, and he is trying to get some easy money. But what if it isn''t?


    ''Crow Cave, huh. He said that the cave is near Amaterasu, so definitely in Crow Forest. There are mountains, so most likely there is also some kind of cave. It shouldn''t be too far from the entrance of the forest since no one is strong enough to venture too far into the forest.


    ''Is it a scam... What would I have thought about if I were in his position.


    ''Once I had sessfullypleted the trial, received my prize, and then saw that there were still spots in the leaderboard unupied, what would I have done? Hmm, I am a student, and I would definitely want money.


    ''Yeah, I would have thought that it was an easy way of earning money. Yeah, this Ambrose guy wouldn''t have received anything if he kept the location a secret.


    ''Maybe he already received the location of his friends, and they had done the trial as well. Or he has no friends to y with and decided to sell the information right away.


    ''He didn''t reveal how many leaderboards are left unupied, but he did hint that there are still some spots... Yeah, I think this is a legit post.


    ''At least more trustworthy than that legendary sword post.''


    The young man leaned on the backrest and nudged his sses. "Damn, I don''t have 50 crowns to purchase that information. However, since I know where the Crow Cave might be, I could go look for it."


    He looked at his VR headset, grabbed it, and put it around his head. He pressed a button on the side of the headset and entered the world of Martial Online.


    "Nico, have you don¡ª" The door opened, and a woman entered the room. She saw a young man sitting on his chair with a headset wrapped around his head.


    Her eyebrow twitched, and a scary look appeared in her eyes.


    She walked to the young man, pressed the button on the side, and grabbed the young man''s earlobe.


    "Nico..."


    "Uhhh, mom?" Nico turned to his angry-looking mother. When he entered Amaterasu''s streets, everything suddenly turned dark, and he heard his mother''s angry voice.


    His mother took a deep breath and shouted. "HOMEWORK FIRST!"


    ...


    "Haaa..." A ck-haired young man smoked a cigarette while looking at the bustling streets. Students of his age walked on the sidewalk. A few female students turned to him and shyly waved their hands.


    The ck-haired young man dropped the cigarette and put his feet down on it. After putting it out, he heard a voice.


    "Yo, Anthon." A handsome young man with curly brown hair walked out of the school with a backpack hanging loosely over his shoulder. "Has Cal arrived yet?"


    "Not yet." Anthon said, but then he saw a figure exiting from school with a girl chasing after him. "There he is."


    "Hmm?" Ignite turned around and sighed as a tall, blond-haired young man walked out of the school with a backpack in hand. A cute brown-haired girl was chasing after him, shouting, but she didn''t get any response back.


    "Cal,e one; it was your turn to clean the ssroom!" She shouted with a red face. She pouted and wanted to kick him in the leg.


    "I will clean tomorrow." Cauldron said with a cold expression. He saw Anthon and Ignite wait for him. He then stopped walking and looked at the cute girl.


    "You said the same yesterday!" She argued. "It won''t take long. Hour max!"


    "I am busy today, so I will do it tomorrow." Cauldron said coldly.


    "Nngh..." The cute girl bit her lip and sighed. "You promise?"


    "Yeah, whatever." Cauldron brushed past her and left the school through the entrance.


    The girl clenched her fist and stomped the ground angrily before turning around and running back to the school building.


    Anthon yawned and scratched the back of his head. "Are you guys done? We have a fucking quest to bepleted today."


    "Yeah, yeah." Cauldron said and received a cigarette from Anthon. He then lit it up and took a puff. "Fucking honor students, man, clean that, do that, help that. They are tripping if they think I will stay in school any longer than I need to."


    "She is into you, man." Ignite said withughter. "Anthon and I aren''t honor students either, and yet she doesn''t chase after us."


    "She is annoying." Cauldron scoffed. "Should leave me fucking alone."


    Anthon chuckled and fidgeted with his phone. He was scrolling through the Martial Online forum. But then he saw a post that made his eyes widen in shock.


    "You alright?" Ignite stopped walking after Anthon. Based on his expression, he knew something was wrong.


    "Check this out." Anthon turned around the phone and showed the post to the two young men. Cauldron and Ignite eximed in surprise.


    "So, someone also found it and is seeking profit." Cauldron said.


    "Damn, we should have done that." Ignite sighed regretfully. "We definitely could have sold it for 300 crowns at least!"


    Anthon read the post slowly and frowned. "Remember what happens if someone fails the trial. It''s often weaklings who have the biggest wallets. When they go there, they will make a mess out of it."


    "Right, that fucking disease thing." Ignite whistled. "That is a problem."


    "It doesn''t bother us, though." Cauldron said. "It''s regrettable that we can''t make a profit out of it, but a few dead NPCs won''t make a difference. It would have been bad if we failed because of the whole NPC reputation thing, but wepleted it and it can''t affect us anymore."


    "Well, yeah..." Anthon sighed and pocketed the phone. "However, if the disease kills an NPC that can give quests, it''s going to be annoying."


    "Yeah, that, but there are always more NPCs." Igniteughed. "Anyway, we should be able toplete our quest today. See you in game; I''ve got to visit a store first!"


    He crossed the street, waved his hand towards the two young men, and began running through the alleyway.


    "He is definitely going to bete." Cauldron said and smoked the cigarette. He also started crossing the street. "See you inside the game."


    "See ya." Anthon put his hands inside his pockets and walked in another direction. ''Ambrose, huh. That is a name I must remember. He isn''t weak if he manages toplete the trial.''

 Chapter 21: Stolen

    <h4>Chapter 21: Stolen</h4>


    A shimmer of natural light seeped into a dimly lit room. The room looked uninviting and rather empty for a young man''s room.


    A young man was lying on the bed,pletely oblivious to the world around him. He was wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans, and his hair was messy and filthy.


    Crack... A sudden sound of breaking ss reverberated from the downstairs.


    The young man flinched and woke up. He rubbed his eyes and looked around the room in confusion. However, he soon realized where he was and caught a glimpse of the VR headset on the bedside table.


    He reached his hand towards it, but at that moment, his stomach rumbled. He groaned in pain as he felt like he hadn''t eaten in a very long time.


    "Ugh..." Jesse sat up and rolled the wheelchair closer. He sat down, rolled out of his room, and saw the downstairs. There were soundsing from the kitchen, one from an angry-sounding woman.


    Jesse sighed, as he didn''t really want to go there. However, he was feeling very hungry.


    ''Maybe I can use my legs...'' He looked down at his legs and rubbed them.


    He grabbed the wheelchair from the armrests and pushed himself up.


    After standing with both legs, he felt sharp pain on his soles, but it wasn''t unbearable.


    Jesse wobbled and almost fell down the stairs, but managed to stabilize his body beforehand.


    He gently pushed the wheelchair towards his room''s door and then walked down the stairs towards the downstairs.


    After reaching the downstairs, he saw his father sitting on a sofa, watching a TV show. Then, when Jesse turned around a corner, he saw a slim woman sweeping broken ss pieces.


    He was Jesse''s mother, Maria Kraham. She was rather attractive, with wrinkles at the corner of her eyes and long ck hair, which she had tied in a ponytail. She had simr blue eyes to Jesse''s but looked way more serious.


    Maria looked away from the floor and saw her son standing below the stairs. She opened her mouth before closing it and turning away from him. She continued sweeping the broken ss pieces in silence.


    Jesse ignored her and walked to the refrigerator. There was more food thanst night, meaning his parents visited a store. He took out ready-made food and went to the sink to fill a cup with water.


    He then returned to the table, sat down in silence, and started eating without interacting with anyone.


    Maria poured the broken ss pieces into a stic garbage bag and then closed the lid of the garbage can. She washed her hands with cold water in silence and then dried them with a towel before returning to her food preparation.


    The atmosphere was very awkward.


    Jesse soon finished his food and went to wash the bowl and cup before putting them back in the cupboard. He then walked towards the stairs with the intention of returning to his room.


    Maria nced at her departing son from the corner of her eye. She then turned back to food preparation without the intention of talking to him.


    After reaching the second floor, Jesse came to a stop after seeing that his wheelchair had been rolled further away and his door was wide open. He looked inside the door with a frown.


    ''Did Hollye here? To steal my money probably, but I don''t have any.'' He thought nonchntly, but then he noticed something missing on his bedside table. His VR headset was nowhere to be seen.


    His eyes iced over, and he mmed his door shut before rushing to the nearby room.


    Without knocking, he mmed the door open and saw his little sister lying on her bed with a VR headset in hand. She was also talking as if she were having a phone call.


    "Huh, what the hell?" Holly sat up in a hurry, and after seeing it was her brother, she turned angry. "Jesse, what the fuck? Get out of my room!"


    "Give it back." Jesse spoke coldly.


    "Huh, give what back?" Holly innocently tilted her head as if she didn''t know what he was talking about.


    "My VR headset." Jesse pointed at the white VR headset with a golden visor. It was right beside Holly on the bed.


    "Oh, that." Holly took the VR headset into her hands and looked at the golden visor. "No, I will go y with Allison."


    "Give it back." Jesse stepped forward with his hands clenched tightly.


    "I will give it back after I am done." Holly said with a cold smile. "Now, leave my room, or I will tell mom."


    "Give it back!" Jesse shouted, his eyes having a tint of red.


    "Or what?" Holly raised an eyebrow and stood up from the bed. She crossed her arms and mockingly looked at him. "What would you do? Attack me? Hah, if you hit me, you would injure yourself."


    Jesse stopped in front of her and looked coldly at her mocking-looking face.


    "You are crossing a line, brother." Holly said coldly. "One more step, and I will also use you of sexual harassment."


    Jesse looked at Holly with an even colder expression. His nails dug into his palm, and small droplets of blood dropped to the floor.


    Holly saw that and paled slightly. She then scoffed, returned to the bed, and tossed the VR headset towards him.


    "Fine, take it."


    Jesse''s expression widened in shock, and he caught the VR headset mid-air. His heart was beating fast because it could havended on the floor and been broken.


    "Get out of my room!" Holly shouted and sat back on her bed. She looked frustrated and looked at her phone before closing the call.


    Jesse looked at his little sister before leaving the room and returning to his room after fetching the wheelchair from the hallway.


    He put the VR headset gently on his bed and looked at his bleeding palm. He felt light-headed, as it felt like he''d been stabbed.


    He rushed to his desk, took out a white bandage, and wrapped it tightly around his palm.


    His legs then again started hurting, and he hurriedly sat back on his bed.


    "God damn it." Jesse covered his face and cursed with frustration. ''They are also now trying to take away the only thing that brings me happiness? They just don''t understand.


    ''Here, I am an abomination. I can''t live a normal life. But in Martial Online, I am normal. I can do the same things as everyone else. They don''t understand how much it means to me. It is something I have dreamed of for longer than I can remember.


    ''I won''t let anyone take that away from me.''


    Jesse looked at the VR headset and sighed. He then remembered something and pulled out his phone. He went to check out Martial Online''s forums.


    To his surprise, he had over thirty messages!


    ''Oh, I wonder how many of those are nning to actually purchase the information...'' He thought curiously and opened the first message.


    [WorkHard: Can we trade information? I will tell you where a secret cave is, and you tell me where Crow Cave is. Deal?]


    "Scam." Jesse blocked the user and moved onto another message.

 Chapter 22: Cooperation

    <h4>Chapter 22: Cooperation</h4>


    ''Hmm?'' Jesse opened a message and read it out loud. "I am willing to purchase the information. I am willing to pay 100 crowns if you personally take me there."


    ''I see.'' Jesse rubbed his chin. ''This guy is smart. It is his way of ensuring that he won''t get scammed. If If he starts suspecting that I am scamming him, he can kill my yer avatar. He would then also remember my face.''


    Jesse lowered the phone for a moment and frowned thoughtfully. ''I would only ept it if he paid me first. There is also the danger that this guy might try to rob me. However, should I really be scared? I am level 3 and have a steel shortsword. I should be stronger than the average yer.


    ''However, there is a danger that he will have friends nearby, ready to help him. No matter how I think about this, I am at a disadvantage.''


    Jesse left the chat and checked other messages. None of the people who messaged him were ready to pay up front.


    ''I guess there is no other choice.'' Jesse returned to the previous chat and pondered for a little longer. ''The question remains. Is 100 crowns worth more than my stuff in the game? Any other person would say yes; 100 crowns are worth more.


    ''However, to me, it really isn''t.''


    Jesse hesitated before typing a message.


    [Ambrose: I ept, on one condition. You must be alone]


    ''If I see anyone following, I will just run into the forest and escape.'' This was Jesse''s way of ensuring a higher chance of sess. If the guy didn''t ept the condition, he would have to wait for a better offer.


    There was still a danger of more people finding the Crow Cave and also selling the information.


    ''That guy must also be aware of more people finding it. Time is of the essence, especially when I noted that only 10 people might get rewards from the trial.''


    He waited in silence, and after five minutes, he was ready to close the phone and enter Martial Online.


    Buzz... The phone vibrated as a result of receiving a message.


    Jesse quickly opened the forum and the message.


    [Prince: Deal. See you in Amaterasu''s Green Light Tea Shop]


    Jesse rxed and took a deep breath. He then checked his bank ount. He added to the post his bank details, where people could send money to. The ount could only be used by Jesse himself.


    And soon, 100 crowns appeared in his ount.


    He pocketed the phone andid down on the bed. He took the VR headset and put it over his head. After the golden visor covered his vision, he pressed the button and entered the world of endless white.


    ...


    "Haaah..." Ambrose took a deep breath after inhaling the fresh air. He opened his eyes with a smile and saw NPCs and yers walking in harmony in the street. The blue sky stretched to the ends of the world, with strange-shaped clouds drifting aimlessly.


    The yellowish wheel of fire sent rays of heat across thend, but the pleasant wind kept everyone cool.


    It looked like a perfect day for panic. However, no one had any intention of rxing, as it was also a perfect day for grinding levels!


    ''Green Light Tea Shop¡ªI''ve never heard of that ce before.'' Ambrose thought to himself, and before going out of his way to find the ce, he wanted to purchase something first.


    After spending 210 silvers on two steel shortswords, he had 9 silvers left. He didn''t n on saving them, as there was something important he had to buy.


    Steaming buns!


    They cost 1 silver individually. He could purchase nine of them, and each gave 10 HP if consumed fully. It was incredibly helpful, especially since Ambrose had only 6 HP currently.


    The HP would return to full if the yer was killed, but not if the yer logged out. Therefore, he had to eat four steaming buns alone to get back to full HP. Then he would have five buns left for the journey to Crow Cave.


    Ambrose looked around the street in search of street vendors who sold steaming buns. At the same time, he noticed that he was getting attention from fellow yers. They were looking at his ck cloak, as many yers were still stuck in basic clothing.


    ''Maybe I look like an experienced yer. It could keep yers with nefarious intent away...''


    After a while of searching, he found a street vendor who sold hot food. He bought nine steaming buns, totaling nine silvers. He was back to zero silvers.


    Ambrose looked at his interface with a pained gaze but felt better after seeing the steaming buns inside the stic bag he was carrying. He found a bench to sit on and then consumed four steaming buns.


    It was like his stomach was a limitless pit.


    After consuming them, his health returned to full.


    [HP: 40/40]


    ''Anyway, time to go find the tea shop.'' Ambrose added the rest of the steaming buns to his inventory and then went to look for the tea shop.


    He asked for directions from NPCs, and they surprisingly answered with very detailed directions. A few of them even offered to show the way.


    Ambrose simply smiled and thanked them for the directions. He didn''t need anyone to show him the way since he already had a hunch about where the tea shop was.


    He soon came across a street where the sweet scent of food lingered in the air. It was a street with a lot of restaurants, food stores, and cafes. At the end of the street, there was a three-story building with pleasant decorations and beautiful flowers on its windowsills.


    There were four steps that led to the front door, which had a sign on the window.


    [Green Light Tea Shop]


    ''Found it.'' Ambrose picked up his pace and arrived on the front steps. He looked around but only saw beautiful and handsome NPCs walking side-by-side, some entering nice restaurants while others ate food outside on terraces because of the good weather.


    The door of the tea shop swung open, and a young man dressed in a white linen shirt and brown trousers left the store. He was very handsome, with bright blue eyes, a dainty nose, and a wide forehead.


    He was clean-shaven and looked to be in his early twenties, with an athletic body as if he were a real athlete and curly blond hair, which added more charm to his appearance. He was clearly the center of attention wherever he went.


    The young man lowered his gaze and saw a hooded figure with sickly, pale skin. He then looked at the ck cloak thoughtfully.


    "Ambrose, I suppose."


    "Ah, yes." Ambrose nodded and hesitantly said. "You are... Prince?"


    "Yeah." Prince stepped down the steps and walked over to Ambrose. He put his hand out for a handshake. "Let''s have good cooperation."


    "Sure." Ambrose shook the hand and then asked. "When do you want to leave?"


    "Right away would be best." Prince said, and then he muttered softly. "Inventory."


    He reached his hand into the empty air and pulled out a woolen brown cloak, then wrapped it around his body.


    ''He also has a cloak, but this one is different.'' Ambrose looked at the handsome young man differently than before. He clearly wasn''t a nobody with a big wallet. He was clearly an experienced yer.


    "Let''s join the party." Prince said and sent a party invitation.


    ''I guess there is a reason to join the party, but I don''t know what.'' Ambrose epted the invitation, as he didn''t expect it to be harmful to him.


    "Let''s go." Prince turned around and began walking down the street. He clearly took the leading position in the party, as if he had been used to doing that.


    Ambrose followed after him. He noticed that almost all yers and NPCs took notice of Prince. He was like a famous celebrity, and they were his fans.


    ''Hmm, even NPCs are attracted to him. Is this because of his charm stat? I wonder just how high that is, or is there something to it¡­''

 Chapter 23: Steel Vs. Wood

    <h4>Chapter 23: Steel Vs. Wood</h4>


    The two reached the entrance of the Crow Forest. Thest time both of them visited, there weren''t as many yers.


    Waves after waves of yers flocked into the forest, and they were all looking for a good grinding ce where they wouldn''t get disturbed by others. However, it was nigh impossible to find one unless they were strong enough to traverse further away.


    "You shall take the lead now." Prince said. "I will follow behind, eyeing our surroundings so that no one is following us."


    "Okay." Ambrose replied simply. He looked into the forest and hoped that he knew the route. Last night was dark, and he only walked aimlessly until he found the cave.


    ''I should know the way. When I walked back, I remember vividly going past a river, then there was some crooked tree, and a field of dead nts.''


    Ambrose nodded and decided to try his luck. He cursed himself for not first ensuring the path, but it was toote for that. He stepped forward and entered the forest, closely followed by Prince.


    They didn''t have to walk even a hundred meters until they came across a clearing, where yers fought madly.


    "Haaa!" A yer swung his wooden sword and smashed into a female yer''s shoulder. She dropped her sword and fell to the ground. The yer didn''t show mercy and finished her off with another sh into her abdomen.


    The yer was about to pick up the fallen items when he was suddenly ambushed by another yer. This time, in the name of justice.


    "What has she ever done to you?!" The justice warrior shouted and smashed his wooden sword rapidly into the yer''s block. "You mustn''t hurt women!"


    "Dude, it is a fucking game!" The yer shouted and dodged the iing sh. He then ran around the justice warrior and smashed the wooden sword into his unguarded back.


    The justice warrior groaned in pain and fell to the ground.


    "Let''s move on." Prince said while eyeing the surroundings.


    Ambrose nodded, avoided the clearing, and continued heading in a specific direction. The further they walked, the fewer yers there were. However, with their keen hearing, they still heard the sounds of fighting.


    After a long walk through the forest, Ambrose stopped walking and perked up his ears. He heard the river''s powerful current winding through the forest.


    "We are nearing the ce." He turned around and said to Prince. The handsome, blond-haired young man nodded casually while looking around in case of an ambush.


    After walking slightly further, Ambrose came across the familiar river. There was a fallen tree trunk going over the river, acting as a bridge. He even used thatst night, and since it was slippery, he was very close to falling and drenching himself in the cold night river.


    Ambrose took the lead and carefully bnced himself on top of the tree trunk until he reached the other end of the river. He then turned around to see how Prince was doing.


    Prince hopped on top of the fallen tree trunk without any care in the world and walked over it like he was taking a stroll on a sidewalk. Without any trouble, he reached the other end.


    ''Is his Dexterity also insanely high?'' Ambrose had even more questions. "We should be very close."


    "Lead the way," Prince said casually.


    ''He is surely a leader of some kind.'' Ambrose thought as he started walking down a narrow path. ''Maybe he is some rich young master in real life or has some experience in VR games.''


    Ambrose, filled with questions, soon came across a crooked tree. It looked very flexible, as if it were made from rubber.


    And then, a hundred meters after that, they came across a field of dead nts. For some reason, all the nts were dead, while trees were proudly standing under the sunlight.


    At that moment, both of them heardughter. They turned their heads towards the noise and saw two yers walking side-by-side from the left side of the forest. They also entered the field of dead nts and looked around in wonder.


    ''yers? Here? Shit!'' Ambrose cursed inwardly. Those two yers were very close to the entrance of Crow Cave.


    "Did theye from the direction of the Crow Cave?" Prince asked over his shoulder.


    "No, but they are very close." Ambrose replied.


    "Alright." Prince walked past Ambrose and pulled out his steel longsword. His majestic aura was instantly amplified.


    ''Steel longsword? If I remember correctly, that costs 150 silvers!'' Ambrose rubbed his neck. If Prince had the intention of robbing him, he wasn''t sure whether he could escape anymore.


    "What happened to these nts?" A yer named Rufus asked as he crouched on the ground. He tried taking one of the nts from the ground, but his hand turned numb instantly.


    "No idea." His friend, a yer named Nurbur, looked at the nts without much interest. At that moment, he happened to look right and saw a yer approaching them with a steel longsword.


    "Rufus, attack!" Nurbur shouted in panic and pulled out a wooden sword. It paled inparison to the steel sword of Prince.


    Rufus pulled out his wooden spear hastily and pointed it towards Prince, the tip of the spear shaking. He clearlycked the strength to hold it steadily.


    "W-What do you want?" Nurbur asked while holding the wooden sword with both hands. He was shaking in his boots as his face''s frightened expression was reflected off the steel de.


    "Your experience points." Prince raised the steel sword high and casually swung it down.


    Nurbur ducked the de by a narrow margin and rushed forward with the wooden sword''s de rushing towards Prince''s abdomen.


    Rufus, on the other hand, backed further away and put the spear into a thrusting stance, waiting for the opportunity to strike.


    Prince slowly lowered his gaze and swung the steel sword casually to deflect the wooden sword. Nurbur almost tripped on his own legs, and after his sword got deflected, his bnce was a mess.


    "Haa!" Rufus rushed forward and shouted. "Basic Stab!"


    Prince sighed and bent his body to the side to dodge the spear. He then locked the spear under his armpit and rushed forward with the steel longsword.


    Rufus'' eyes panicked, and he wanted to remove the spear from the hold butcked the strength to do that.


    Prince raised the sword high and shed through Rufus like he was cutting a piece of bread. Rufus turned into a cluster of floating pixels and disappeared immediately afterwards.


    He then turned towards the frightened Nurbur, who had lost his desire to fight.


    Nurbur looked at the steel longsword in frustration. ''If only I had one, I could win this fight!''


    Without any fighting intent left, he turned around to escape.


    Prince didn''t chase after the yer, as he saw a ck-haired youth standing on the path of Nurbur.


    Nurbur soon saw another yer and gritted his teeth. "Get out of my way!"


    The ck-haired youth was a young man with pale skin and a dull gaze.


    He slowly pulled out a steel shortsword from his inventory.


    "Eeek!" Nurbur screamed and wanted to change directions, but he was already too close.


    "Basic sh." Ambrose raised the sword above his head, bent his knees, and rushed forward. The steel shortsword went through Nurbur''s body effortlessly, but it didn''t go entirely through.


    ''Prince''s strength is above mine, or is it because of the longsword?'' He thought as he saw Prince''s sh do far more damage. However, it was still a night and day difference whenparing a wooden sword with a steel one.


    Nurbur saw everything turning dark, and he soon disappeared from the forest.


    [You assisted in killing a yer!]


    [5 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [5 XP Earned!]

 Chapter 24: Vulture

    <h4>Chapter 24: Vulture</h4>


    ''5 XP? The XP is split between two party members, so killing those two would have given 10 XP. They definitely weren''t level 3, so level 2 yers give 10 XP. That is a big leappared to level 1.''


    He crouched and picked up the wooden sword and brown pouch. He checked the amount of silver and was slightly disappointed as there were only seven silvers. It was still better than nothing. He then tossed the sword into his inventory.


    Prince checked the wooden spear and brown pouch''s silver collection. He then tossed both into his inventory and looked towards Ambrose.


    ''Steel shortsword. He also has the ck cloak, meaning that he has definitelypleted one of the trials.'' Prince stored his steel longsword back in his inventory and then looked towards a small mountain, which peeked behind the forest.


    Ambrose walked towards him and passed him. He heard footsteps following him. Therefore, he didn''t turn around and instead walked past the trees until he reached the mountain.


    There was the familiar small mountain with an arc-shaped entrance and stone tablet.


    Ambrose went straight to the stone tablet and sighed a relief after seeing that no one hadpleted it beside him and the three young men.


    Prince stood beside him with crossed arms. He also checked the stone tablet, and one name stood out for him.


    ''Cauldron, the Kingyer.'' Prince frowned as old memories surfaced in his mind. ''I thought he quit VR games altogether. Why has he returned? Well, this game is like a drug for every VR game lover. I wouldn''t be surprised if even the legendary St. Julian came back from retirement.''


    "Well, this is it." Ambrose pointed at the cave''s entrance. "Go straight; there should be a granite door, and after opening it, there is a long hallway to a chamber.


    "The trial will start after you enter through the granite door."


    "Understood." Prince nodded and drew his steel longsword from the inventory. "Also, I have one more offer for you."


    "Hmm?" Ambrose listened.


    Prince nced at him and said. "There are five spots remaining on the leaderboards after Iplete this trial. I don''t want you to advertise this trial anymore. However, I will pay for those five remaining spots as well."


    ''He is sure confident that he canplete this... Purchase of the remaining five spots would greatly help me so I don''t have to bother with those demanding idiots from forums. However, he clearly doesn''t need them for himself. For his friends most likely.''


    "500 crowns for those five spots." Prince said a ridiculous price like it was nothing. "If someone happens to wander here and steal one of the spots, I won''t demand a refund."


    Ambrose crossed his arms and acted like he was pondering, but he had already made his decision. 500 crows would be a much higher amount than he would receive by selling them individually.


    He then nodded and agreed. "Alright."


    "Once I log out, I will send the money. For now..." Prince opened an interface and left the party. "This is the end of our cooperation. Thanks and farewell."


    He turned around and entered the dimly lit cave. His footsteps grew distant, but they still echoed across the rocky walls.


    Ambrose waited till he heard the loud creaking of the granite door being opened, and when it closed with a m, he turned around and walked away.


    ''I am now 600 crowns richer than this morning. That is crazy. The VR headset cost me 400 crowns, and the game cost 60 crowns. I have now made a profit by ying the game.''


    Ambrose chuckled and scratched his head. He thought it was crazy that it was possible to earn money by just ying a game he enjoyed.


    ''Hmm, should I search for more trials? I don''t believe this is the only one. Then I could also sell that location!'' Ambrose breathed heavily, and almost an image of a crown appeared in his pupils.


    He had never been crazy about money, since there wasn''t much he could use it for. His sickness limited his options; therefore, he only used money on personal things.


    He also had another reason to go searching for trials. The rewards. Because of one trial, he jumped ranks and became an above-average yer with just one trial.


    He imagined what would happen if hepleted five or even ten trials. However, he still didn''t know if there were any other trials.


    ''However, where should I start searching?'' Ambrose appeared in the field of dead nts and stopped walking. He looked around for a while.


    ''Back at Crow Cave, the mountain can be walked around. Should I try walking deeper in the forest?'' Ambrose turned around and looked back towards the arc-shaped entrance of the cave.


    ''Very risky. However, what else would I be doing? I need to continue grinding XP, especially since I took a five hour nap and more people had reached level 3, some maybe even level 4.''


    Ambrose didn''t want to return to the outskirts of the forest, where hundreds of yers were fighting for XP.


    ''Yeah, let''s go see.'' He drew his steel shortsword and returned to the Crow Cave. However, he didn''t enter it and instead started walking around it.


    It took him nearly half an hour to reach a corner that led deeper into the forest.


    Ambrose stopped walking and saw rocky terrain ahead of him. It led deeper into the mountains, but there were also forests. There were a few trees that grew in the middle of the rocky terrain.


    ''Let''s see where it leads me.'' He looked behind him from where he came and didn''t see anyone except the dimly lit forest. He then turned around and started walking on the rocky terrain while avoiding spraining his ankle.


    "Craaawh!"


    Ambrose snapped his gaze up into the sky. He saw a long-winged bird majestically flying across the air. Its scream was very loud.


    ''A... vulture?''


    The long-winged vulture turned its gaze to the ground and let out another scream. It then dived down with immense speed and attacked the ck-haired young man with its long ws.


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose quickly raised his sword and was about to sh it down, but the vulture was quicker and flew straight into him.


    He was knocked back and crashed to the ground on his back. He let out a groan of pain as he felt like all the air had left his lungs.


    ''It is... fast!''


    The vulture did another U-turn in the air and rushed back to Ambrose.


    Ambrose clumsily climbed back to his feet and ran towards the vulture, his sword about to sh. However, the vulture was faster and had already grabbed his face with its long ws. It then opened its beak and munched on his ear.


    "Argh!" Ambrose felt immensely ufortable as the vulture ate his ear. He quickly pulled out another shortsword from his inventory and shed up.


    Splurt¡ªA fountain of blue blood colored the air. The vulture screamed in pain as it lost another one of its wings. It tried to fly away with only one wing but quickly fell back to the ground.


    Ambrose felt hot liquid flow down the side of his face. He tried touching his left ear, but noticed that it was entirely gone. Also, when he tried snapping his fingers at the left side of his face, he couldn''t hear anything.


    He lost his hearing in his left ear!


    "What the fuck!" Ambrose wobbled backward and almost fell to the ground. He was astonished by the level of the animals this far into the forest.


    ''This is insane!'' He also didn''t expect the animals to be this ruthless. He was sure that if he had given the vulture a chance, it would have eaten his face off.


    ''This ain''t a kids game, that is for sure.'' Ambrose scoffed and spat out blue blood from his mouth. He knew there were a lot of kids ying the game. Therefore, he was surprised there wasn''t an age restriction of any kind.


    "Scraaaa!" The vulture screamed loudly while trying to fly back into the air.


    Ambrose grabbed his second shortsword with his blood-covered hand and walked towards the fallen vulture with two swords.


    The vulture managed to fly one meter into the air, but it fell right back down.


    "Basic sh." Ambrose lifted both swords above his head. He slowly bent his knees and rotated both swords.


    The vulture screamed and turned back to the ck-haired young man, its red eyes glowing menacingly. Its beak was still covered in blue blood.


    "You better give me good XP." Ambrose said coldly and swung both swords down.


    A blue-blooded, separated head flew across the air.

 Chapter 25: A Fight With Two Swords

    <h4>Chapter 25: A Fight With Two Swords</h4>


    [You killed Vulture!]


    [20 XP Earned!]


    [XP: 33/150]


    "Appreciated." Ambrose lowered both swords and picked up a feather from the vulture. "This might sell well."


    He stored the feather in his inventory and then checked his health.


    [HP: 24/40]


    ''I am still losing health because I am bleeding. I wonder if steaming buns can heal my ear.''


    He opened his inventory and took out two steaming buns. He ate them and felt the blood dry up. The bleeding ended, but he still didn''t have his ear.


    "My ear didn''te back?" Ambrose moved his hand to the left side of his face and snapped his fingers. However, he still didn''t hear anything.


    ''Great, don''t tell me I am now forever disfigured and half-deaf.'' Ambrose pinched his be and let out a hollow chuckle. He didn''t expect to have something like this happen to him.


    "Hah, I guess this is the game telling me to turn around and return." Ambrose sighed and rested both swords against his shoulders. He turned around and began walking back to the forest where he came from.


    "This blows. Everyone will look at me strangely, just like in real life." Ambrose clicked his tongue and moved his ck hood over his head. It covered the earless side of his face.


    The sun''s powerful light fell on top of the rocky terrain. The vulture''s corpse slowly disintegrated and became a cluster of floating pixels. The ce was empty of any intellectual life.


    However, the blue blood was still staining the rocks. There were two spots of blue blood, one belonging to a vulture and the other to Ambrose''s blood. The blood seeped into the ground bit by bit, slowly dripping.


    After the blood seeped through the ground, they suddenly exited through a crevice. The blood, in the end,nded on the ck floor.


    The blood suddenly transformed into an eight-petaled blue flower. It was glowing beautifully in the dark room. The surroundings were dark, but there was a wooden door and a small room-like space without any walls.


    There was a soft-looking sofa, carpet on the floor, and one bookshelf. It was like a small living room.


    There was a golden-framed painting on the wall, right next to the wooden door. There was strange text on the painting.


    [The Leaderboard of Amaterasu''s Study]


    [1...]


    [2...]


    [3...]


    The blue-petaled flower glowed alone in the dark room.


    ...


    ''I guess I will go sell my items.'' Ambrose sighed. ''Then, should I log out to find out how to restore body parts? There ain''t no way I will be stuck with one ear.''


    He strolled alone in the forest while the sky turned orange. It was a day with low humidity and warm weather. It was ideal weather for strolling. However, his mood wasn''t the best.


    There wasn''t a long way to go until he had left the forest. The distant sound of fighting had also turned clearer and louder, even though he could only hear the sounding from the right side.


    "Haaaa, ambush!" A loud-mouthed yer shouted with arge grin as he jumped from the left side bush. He held a wooden sword in his hand and smacked it down at Ambrose''s head.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock as he felt a blunt force on the back of his head, and his body was then suddenly leaning forward towards the ground.


    He quickly stabilized himself with his front leg and turned left with a cold expression. He saw a grinning young man with twopanions. Hispanions were unarmed.


    ''Fuck, I couldn''t hear theming because they happened toe from the left side out of all ces!''


    Ambrose wobbled backward and steadied his posture.


    "See? That guy isn''t that tough." The loud-mouthed swordsman shouted withughter. "He couldn''t even dodge my attack. You two were nervous for no reason!"


    His friends rxed and let out a sigh. The person they were attacking didn''t look like other newbies, so they weren''t as confident. However, after seeing the first attack deal a considerable amount of damage, they were confident.


    [You lost 9 HP!]


    "Argh..." Ambrose shook his head and looked at the three yers with a sharp gaze.


    The loud-mouthed yer''s friends raised their fists. They were Brawlers. Their hands were covered in linen cloth to protect their knuckles and fingers.


    The loud-mouthed yer shot forward with a wooden sword in hand. He grabbed it with both hands and raised it slightly above his head.


    "Basic sh!"


    Ambrose cracked his neck and stepped forward. He pulled out a steel shortsword from his inventory and blocked the wooden sword while only holding his sword with one hand. It looked effortless!


    "Uh..." The loud-mouthed yer saw the steel shortsword and gulped. "Oh man..."


    His friends paled and looked at their leader with hopeful gazes. However, then they saw his frightened face.


    Ambrose pushed the wooden sword away and then used his second hand to pull out another steel shortsword. He crossed the swords, making an X-sign, before lunging forward and attacking the closest person.


    The loud-mouthed yer gritted his teeth and tried blocking the first steel shortsword. He managed to stop the attack for a second before the second sword appeared from his side.


    The steel shortsword sliced through his face.


    Ambrose kicked off the ground and rushed straight to the brawlers.


    "Basic Punch!" The short-sleeved young man stepped forward and delivered a quick, straight punch.


    Ambrose swung his left-handed sword and sliced through the young man''s arm. The arm, which he used to throw a punch, flew across the air.


    The young man was stunned and then saw the second sword stabbing through his chest and heart. He coughed up blue blood before turning into a cluster of floating pixels.


    The second brawler was a young woman with a slender figure and shoulder-length brown hair. She wore basic newbie clothes, including a short-sleeved shirt, which was unique to Brawler ss.


    Ambrose swung the swords in front of him and moved both over his shoulders. His forearms looked powerful in this stance, as if he could punch through a tree. His stance also put overbearing pressure on the brawler.


    "Ghh... Basic Punch!" The brawler tried herst chance at survival. She bent her knees, twisted her waist, and delivered a strong straight punch.


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose''s eyes turned serious, and his veins protruded around his non-muscr arms. He swung both swords down in an attempt to use Basic sh with both swords. He still wasn''t able to reach 100% in Dual Basic sh.


    The two swordsnded on the fist of the brawler. The fist managed to stop the swords for a second, but then her knees buckled because of the powerful strike, worsening her posture and causing her fist to lose most of its strength.


    Ambrose sidestepped, ran past the fist, and stabbed the sword through her shoulder. She fell to her knees with an ugly expression on her face.


    "You gave a better fight than the other two. Not bad!" Ambrose raised his other sword and brought it down. It sliced through the female brawler, ending her life.


    She sighed while turning into pixels. "So unlucky, our "leader" is a dumbass..."


    After vanishing, she dropped an item.


    Ambrose swung both blood-stained swords around, getting rid of the blood, and then tossed them inside his inventory.


    [You killed yer!]


    [10 XP Earned!]


    [You killed yer!]


    [10 XP Earned!]


    [You killed yer!]


    [10 XP Earned!]

 Chapter 26: Tyrannical Smash

    <h4>Chapter 26: Tyrannical Smash</h4>


    Munch, munch.


    Ambrose fed on another steaming bun while checking out the items the three yers dropped. He soon finished eating the steaming bun.


    "Hmm, a wooden sword, two linen cloths, and then three brown pouches. In total, I received 35 silvers, which is not bad."


    Ambrose was satisfied enough and then checked his inventory. He had full HP, and the XP bar looked nice.


    [XP: 63/150]


    ''I guess it''s time to return to Amaterasu. I wish I could have gained another level, but oh well.''


    He was about to depart, but then he heard the rowdy sound of pping.


    As he turned around, he saw a glimpse of a man walking towards him while pping his hands. There was a steel axe wrapped around his back, not even bothering to hide it.


    His eyes were ck like night, and he had short and sharp brown hair. His body was massive and muscr with axe-like elbows and broad shoulders. His jawline was sharp, with bushy eyebrows and a long nose bridge.


    He wore a dark blue cloak, which didn''t really fit his body, ck trousers, and leather shoes. Because of the axe on his back, it wasn''t clear whether he was a lumberjack or an immensely powerful hunter.


    p, p, p.


    After a while, he stopped walking and pped.


    He had arge smile on his face.


    "Not bad. Dual wielding is a style I haven''t had the pleasure of fighting against in this game yet."


    "Who are you?" Ambrose asked with sweaty hands. He realized he saw him fighting and therefore knew about his steel shortswords. They were his trump cards, which he used to surprise his opponents. Now, it wouldn''t work.


    "My name is Barbarian." Barbarian''s grin grew wide as he looked at the ck-haired youth in front of him. "I would like to fight you. Your dual wielding piqued my interest."


    "I''m not going to fight against you." Ambrose said, but he doubted he had much choice. He could always run away.


    "Fine, what about making the fight fair?" Barbarian reached into his inventory and pulled out his wooden axe. "I will fight only with this."


    ''Overconfidence, arrogance, and underestimation.'' Ambrose frowned. ''Does he have the strength to have all those three? Well, in real life, he can kill me with one punch, but I am not weak here!


    ''If I manage to catch him off guard and deliver a swift blow, he might drop his steel axe. Maybe he has even more unique stuff with him. Also, axe... he must be part of the Unique ss.


    ''Unique ss is so mysterious since there isn''t much stuff about it. We just know that it will be a weak ss at the start, so the odds should be in my favor. Fine, let''s try.''


    Ambrose pulled out both his steel shortswords from the inventory.


    "Good, good..." Barbarian grinned and grabbed the wooden axe so hard that the shaft almost cracked.


    Ambrose leaned forward, kicked off the ground, making the dirt fly up in a cloud of dust, and lunged towards the muscr, tall man.


    With two shortswords in hand, he swung them at his opponent''s head with all his might.


    Barbarian casually raised his wooden axe and swung it down. The wind whistled powerfully. The wooden axe pushed both shortswords away and even shed through Ambrose''s shoulder.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook in shock as small droplets of blue blood flew past his vision. He quickly jumped away, his heart beating against his chest.


    [You lost 8 HP!]


    [HP: 32/40]


    ''His strength and speed are ridiculous!'' Ambrose felt cold sweatdrops fall down his face. ''I don''t understand. First, it was Prince, and now he. They feel like all of their stats are immensely high!''


    "This game is unfair." Barbarian suddenly said while tracing his finger against the wooden de of his axe. "This isn''t widespread information yet, but when it is, yers willin."


    "Huh?" Ambrose frowned.


    "You already have seen that your face and body are identical with your real life body. That isn''t all. Your real life body''s strength and speed are also transferred to your avatar."


    "What!" Ambrose eximed. ''No wonder, I can''t believe this. My real life body is weak and not very athletic, but I am not the only one. yers are often less athleticpared to others, but to think it has such a big impact on this game.


    ''yers will definitelyin. When there are people like this Barbarian... it''s obvious who has an advantage in the early game. Not only early, but they also have an advantageter in the game. That gap is hard to cross!''


    Ambrose looked at his sword-wielding arms and sighed. ''I am d my sickness didn''t also transfer; otherwise, I would bepletely hopeless.''


    Barbarian swung the wooden axe around and approached Ambrose. "However, this game is also amazing. Speed and strength aren''t everything. The way to cross the gap is with... techniques!"


    He raised the wooden axe high above his head. It was vastly different from the Basic sh stance, as Barbarian''s arm was entirely straight. His muscr arm protruded with bulging veins.


    "Tyrannical Smash."


    The axe smashed down, sending a loud thud into everyone''s ears, which made everyone who heard it turn silent.


    At the ce where the axe fell, the ground had a small crevice.


    Barbarian raised the wooden axe, but only the shaft remained. The wooden axe part broke apart after delivering the strike.


    "What the hell..." Ambrose stood still without moving a muscle. The axended only meter from where he was, but he still felt the strength of the attack. If it had struck him, he would have been sent straight to the afterlife.


    "And this is how to cross the gap." Barbarian said slowly and straightened his back. His tall figure was clearly taller than Ambrose. It wasn''t even close.


    "Why are you telling me all this?" Ambrose asked as sweat fell from his face. He doubted the man simply wanted to flex his strength on someone much weaker. He didn''t seem like that kind of person.


    "A friend of mine said that they saw Prince leaving Amaterasu with someone of your description."


    "Prince...?" Ambrose raised his eyebrow.


    "Prince is an old rival of mine," Barbarian said with a scoff. "I thought Prince had recruited you, so I wanted to see what kind of dojo he wanted to build, but I was wrong. You were simply his guide."


    ''A rival...'' Ambrose scratched his head. ''If Prince is the rival of this monster, just how strong is he?''


    "And the reason why I told you all this is because I want to trade information with you." Barbarian crossed his arms and asked. "Where did Prince go?"


    ''Ugh.'' Ambrose''s face turned ugly. ''Now that he told me something so important, if I refuse to say it, it could make me an enemy of him... That would be the end of me.''


    He sighed and said. "Just don''t tell him that I said this. Fuck. I guided him to Crow Cave; it is a trial of some sort. I sold the information about that ce in Martial Online forums."


    "Oh, I understand now." Barbarian nodded, turned around, and started walking back to the forest with the heavy steel axe on his back.


    Ambrose turned to the exit of the forest, but when he took one step, he remembered he had one more question left. He quickly turned around and shouted.


    "What was that technique you used?"


    Barbarian stopped walking and looked over his shoulder at the ck-haired young man.


    "It is my own technique that I created. Want to know how?"


    "Yeah," Ambrose said.


    "Not telling!" Barbarian shouted and continued walking away.


    "Right..." Ambrose sighed and headed towards the exit of the forest with many thoughts in mind.


    ''There is already someone who created their own technique, and it was so powerful... How can I do it?''

 Chapter 27: Skill Scroll

    <h4>Chapter 27: Skill Scroll</h4>


    "Two wooden swords and two linen cloths. Total of 4 silvers, but as our regr, we can give extra, totaling 5 silvers." rehead said with a smile.


    Ambrose nodded and epted the offer. He became five silvers richer, but it didn''t make him jump around in joy. He only had 47 silvers as his total wealth.


    He decided to sell two wooden swords, as he had four of them in his inventory. Since he didn''t need so much, he decided to sell two.


    After saying his farewells, he left the merchant store and headed for the market square. He only had two steaming buns left after eating another one to get back to full HP, so he wanted to buy slightly more and then return to the forest.


    He didn''t n on staying toote tonight, as he didn''t like sleeping during the day. Therefore, his goal was to reach level 4 before midnight and then go to sleep.


    After crossing a road, he walked past a familiar-looking dojo. The evening was nearing its end, yet there were many students in the dojo training swordsmanship.


    "Hey, you!"


    Ambrose nced towards the dojo, not expecting the shout to be aimed at him, but when he did, he noticed a familiar-looking man walking towards him.


    "You." The man pointed straight at him. "You have trained here before. I see that you have be stronger!"


    "I guess..." Ambrose looked at his body, and he didn''t really feel stronger. However, it could also mean that the man wasn''t talking about physical strength but just general strength.


    "I guess your body can handle another skill. What do you say you want to learn?" The tall figure asked. He packed a lot of muscle with broad shoulders and rough hands, as if they were used to feeling the weight of the sword.


    At the chest, there was a name sign "Rich", signifying his name. Ambrose didn''t see that before.


    ''Why is it different from rehead?'' Ambrose rubbed his chin and smiled at the suggestion. "I would like to."


    "Good!" Rich shouted sternly and headed towards the training dummies with Ambrose in tow.


    Ambrose looked around the yard and saw the students training against each other. They were all using the same sword style, looking rather basic.


    "The move I am teaching you today is Basic Parry!"


    ''A defensive move? Nice.'' Ambrose was pleasantly surprised. He only knew how to attack and dodge. It was obvious that he wasn''t getting too far with only those.


    "The parry is a rather simplistic skill." Rich touched the sheath on his hip and drew his steel longsword. He pointed its sharp edge towards Ambrose.


    "Attack me."


    Ambrose nodded and pulled one of his shortswords from the inventory.


    ''I might as well show my Basic sh.'' He thought and raised his sword above his head. He then slowly bent his knees, rotated his shoulder, and prepared to sh it down.


    Rich brought the sword down until its hilt was near his hip. He then stood still like a mountain.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes, took a long stride forward, and brought the sword down.


    Rich moved his sword at the same time to interject the attack. The two swords shed and caused small sparks.


    Then, Rich took a very short step forward and moved the longsword towards Ambrose''s face. The tip of the sword stopped in front of his throat.


    Ambrose gulped and looked down at the de that was inches away from his neck.


    "This is parry. A very simplistic skill." Rich said and sheathed the sword. He then straightened his back and said. "The main points are these¡ªkeep the sword close to your hip, make sure that you don''t sh toote, and be on the lookout for faints."


    Ambrose nodded. ''He lowered his sword''s hilt close to his hilt so he could easier parry from the left and right sides.''


    "With a parry, it is easy to counter-attack. If you see a chance, take it and don''t hesitate. There are only fractions of seconds where you have time to decide."


    "Understood."


    Rich then grabbed a wooden sword and raised it above his head. "Try to parry."


    Ambrose nodded and put the sword in front of him. He lowered it until his hand and hilt were near his left hip.


    Rich took a step forward and brought his wooden sword down.


    Ambrose moved his sword at the same time and was about to block the wooden de, but Rich suddenly stopped his attack and swung from the right side instead.


    ''Faint!'' Ambrose didn''t panic as he moved his sword from his left hip to his right and blocked the wooden de perfectly.


    There was a split second where he also saw an opportunity for a counterattack!


    Ambrose stepped forward powerfully and pushed his sword forward.


    Rich''s eyes shrank as he saw the steel de nearing his face. He quickly stepped backward and deflected the de with the blunt edge of the wooden sword.


    Ambrose saw that his body was now wide open for attack, but he didn''t panic. He quickly grabbed the sword with both hands and swung it horizontally towards Rich''s abdomen.


    Rich brought his sword down and swung it at the iing steel sword. The parry stopped the steel de in its tracks.


    Ambrose gritted his teeth and tried to push the wooden sword away, but he clearlycked the physical strength to do that.


    Rich narrowed his eyes and smashed his left backhand into Ambrose''s face. The ck-haired young man crashed on the ground and rolled for a few meters before he realized he had just been hit.


    "Ptui!" Ambrose spat out blue blood and quickly rose to his feet. He shakily pointed the sword at the tall, muscr figure. "What the hell was that?"


    [You lost 11 HP!]


    [HP: 29/40]


    "A true swordsman would know how to parry even without a sword." Rich said and approached Ambrose with the wooden sword. "That is the minimum requirement for any self-respecting swordsman."


    Ambrose tasted something disgusting in his mouth. He tasted the blue blood, which tasted worse than anything he had ever tasted.


    Rich narrowed his eyes and sighed. He put the wooden sword away and asked. "Have you learned the parry yet?"


    Ambrose checked the notification bar in front of him and sighed in relief.


    [Basic Parry - Completion Rate - 100%]


    ''Much easier than Basic sh.''


    "Very good. You may return once you have be stronger." Rich said and headed towards the rest of his students.


    Ambrose was about to leave, but he wondered if Rich knew the answer to one of his questions.


    "Excuse me, do you know how one can create their own skills?"


    Rich stopped and turned his head half-way around. He looked silently inside his own dojo, which was a small room with a wooden floor and walls covered with ck mats.


    "Yes, I do," He said.


    "May I know how?" Ambrose said with an expectant expression.


    "Follow me." Rich stepped into the dojo.


    Ambrose threw his sword back into his inventory and ran after the muscr dojo owner.


    Rich walked to the small altar in the dojo. There was one scroll on the altar and a framed picture of an old woman.


    He sat down on the ground, with his legs being the only body parts touching the floor. He then took the scroll into his arm and opened it.


    The scroll was brown and empty. There wasn''t a single word on it.


    Ambrose stood beside him and wondered what it was.


    "This is called Skill Scroll. The owner of the scroll can create their own skills that are within their limits." Rich then offered it to Ambrose.


    Ambrose took it gently and looked at the empty scroll. A screen about the scroll suddenly appeared in front of him.


    [Skill Scroll: A scroll to create your own technique!]


    ''So, Barbarian found his own Skill Scroll and managed to create his own skill. A skill that is within their limits... So he was capable of creating such a powerful skill. I wonder just how strong he truly is.''


    "I have been trying for two decades to create my own skill." Rich said while looking at the old woman''s picture. "I have been unsessful. I had once dreamed of creating my own style, but instead, I am stuck teaching "Basic Style" to my students, which is an honorable position but not what I want."


    "What are the requirements for creating skills?" Ambrose asked. ''Two decades... That is a crazy long time, but how did Barbarian create one so quickly?''


    "No idea. Imagination, strength, and creativity." Rich shrugged his shoulders and stood up. "Anyway, I have given up. You can have the scroll. Perhaps you will seed."


    "Ah, are you sure?" Ambrose looked at the scroll nervously. It sounded like it meant a lot to Rich, but he also wanted to try creating his own skill.


    "Yes, and if you do seed, please show it to me." Rich patted his shoulder and left the dojo to teach his students.


    Ambrose looked at the scroll and clenched it tightly. ''My own technique...''

 Chapter 28: Restoration

    <h4>Chapter 28: Restoration</h4>


    Ambrose departed the dojo and continued towards Market Square. There, he bought ten steaming buns that cost 10 silver.


    He found a bench on Market Square and took a seat there. He took out one of the steaming buns and ate it in silence.


    [10 HP Restored!]


    [HP: 39/40]


    ''I won''t waste one steaming bun for 1 HP...'' Ambrose thought and stored his steaming buns in his inventory. Whenever he ate one of the steaming buns, he felt like he was eating his money away.


    It wasn''t far-fetched. He, after all, lost money every time he lost HP, as keeping it near full was important since if he got ambushed, he might not have time to restore his HP.


    Ambrose touched his hood and ufortably touched the left side of his face thatcked one ear.


    ''I would really want to fix that right now, but I don''t know how. I better get going and reach level 4.'' He stood up and headed out of the Market Square.


    The Market Square was perhaps the busiest part of the entire city. NPCs acted like real humans, selling their wares to yers and other NPCs. They were trying to work for their livelihood and not just work because the game''s developer coded it to be.


    Every street in Amaterasu had its own history. The city was breathing with life, and the people who lived there had their own stories, their own lives, and their own problems.


    "What, it costs 100 silver to restore a limb? That sucks!" An angry-looking yer stomped down the stairs and stomped towards Market Square.


    Ambrose stopped walking and turned to the door where the angry-looking yer came from. It was a door to the clinic.


    ''100 silver to restore a limb?'' He touched the earless side of his face and looked towards the clinic. He walked up the stairs and entered the clinic.


    It was a humble-looking clinic with a waiting room that had only three sofas and a small table. There was also the receptionist desk, where azy-looking woman sat behind it.


    "Hello." Ambrose walked to the receptionist''s desk and asked. "How much does it cost to restore an ear?"


    "Hmm?" Thezy-looking receptionist raised her gaze from the desk. She saw a hooded figure with a pale and sickly face. "100 silver."


    "Huh." Ambrose was surprised. "Is restoring an ear or limb of equal value?"


    "Yeah." The receptionist repliedzily.


    "Very well." Ambrose walked to the door and exited the clinic. He stood silently on the steps of the clinic and sighed. "I guess I have to go earn money."


    ...


    The sky had gone dark, and a glowing crimson moon appeared in the sky. The stars flew across the sky as if they were racing against each other. It was a beautiful sight, making many yers on the streets of Amaterasu exim.


    At the Crow Forest, Ambrose was walking down a dirt path while munching on a steaming bun. He soon left the dark forest and entered a proper road, which led straight to Amaterasu.


    He finished his business in Crow Forest.


    He reached level 4 and, in his opinion, received enough items from animals and yers alike to get his wealth over 100 silvers so he could restore his ear.


    ''It is quitete, but perhaps merchant stores are open till midnight.'' Ambrose thought and picked up his pace.


    He soon arrived at the entrance of Amaterasu and saw the familiar sight of yers chasing after red-eyed bunnies on the wheat fields.


    After entering Amaterasu, he rushed straight to rehead''s merchant store.


    The store looked closed with a dark interior, and there didn''t seem to be anyone there.


    Ambrose sighed and sat on the steps.


    ''Shit, I''ve got to wait for tomorrow, I guess.''


    At that moment, the door behind him opened, and a long-bearded man with antern in his hand appeared in his sleeping gown.


    "Hmm, it''s you." rehead squinted his eyes and recognized the sickly-looking young man.


    "Ah, sir." Ambrose stood up. "I suppose you have closed for tonight."


    "Yes, are you here to sell items?"


    Ambrose nodded.


    "Thene in." rehead left the door open and walked inside. "I am not feeling sleepy anyway!"


    "Oh!" Ambrose entered the store and closed the door behind him. "Thanks for this."


    "It''s not a problem." rehead ced thentern on his desk and lit up the small area around him.


    Ambrose walked to the desk, pulled out his items from the inventory, and ced them on the desk.


    rehead took his monocle and put it over his right eye. "Two wooden swords, a wooden spear, linen cloth, and a wooden knife. 11 wild hog tusks and 3 white bird feathers."


    Ambrose crossed his arms and wondered how much he could get.


    "Two wooden swords, a wooden spear, and linen cloth are basic stuff, so my offer is 5 silvers for all of them. However, this wooden knife is self-made, increasing its price. I can buy it for 3 silvers.


    "Then, with 11 wild hog tusks, I can give 15 silver for them. Lastly, white bird feathers are more rare than wild hog tusks. 15 silvers each."


    ''Wow, I didn''t expect them to be that valuable, but they did also give a lot of XP.'' Ambrose faced the white bird feathers in the forest. It wasn''t a difficult fight, but they were fast and easily evaded him.


    "In total, you get 45 silvers from these." rehead opened a drawer and took out a pouch, then filled it with silver coins. He then handed it over to Ambrose.


    "Thanks." Ambrose epted it with gratitude and added them instantly to his interface. ''My total wealth is now 105 silvers. When I go to restore my ear, I will be poor again. This sucks.''


    He once again thanked rehead and then left the merchant store. He headed straight to the clinic.


    After visiting the clinic, he nned to assign his stat points.


    Soon, he reached the clinic, which was still open.


    He entered and walked to the receptionist desk, where thezy-looking woman was sleeping.


    Ambrose gently knocked on the desk, but the woman didn''t wake up. He then knocked harder, but nothing happened. She was snoring peacefully.


    At that moment, a door opened from the side, and a woman came out of it. She was very beautiful, with a gentle expression and long ck hair, which made her look lovely. She donned a traditional doctor''s outfit, which was entirely white.


    She saw the receptionist sleeping and gently shook her head.


    "I am sorry about her." On her chest, there was a name sign that said "Dr. Amelia."


    "It''s alright." Ambrose said. He felt slightly nervous about being near such a beautiful woman. He had rarely met a person of the opposite gender outside his family, especially someone this attractive. "I am here for... restoration."


    Dr. Amelia smiled and nodded. "Alright. Come in; I will see what I can do for you."


    Ambrose nodded and followed behind her. They entered a room with different equipment belonging to the doctor, including a bed and a desk with two chairs.


    "You may sit." She pointed at one of the chairs and sat on another.


    Ambrose sat down. He looked around the room to get rid of his nervousness, but it barely worked as Dr. Amelia moved closer and said.


    "Show me the injury, please." Her hot breath grazed his face.


    Ambrose gulped and hesitantly removed the hood from his face, revealing his already sickly-looking face. He then turned his head and showed the earless side of his face. There was also the dried up blue blood, which he hadn''t cleaned off.


    "I see." Dr. Amelia walked to her desk, took out a bottle of gel, and returned to Ambrose. She popped open the cork, dipped her finger inside, and then smeared the gel across his earless part of the face.


    Ambrose flinched as he felt coldness seep into his face and skull. It felt incredibly ufortable.


    However, soon she was done and closed the bottle again. She looked at the ear and smiled.


    A cluster of pixels appeared out of nowhere and drifted straight towards Ambrose. They slowly got stuck in the earless part of the face and began transforming into transparent ears. Once the transparency appeared, flesh began appearing out of nowhere.


    Slowly, Ambrose started hearing sounds from his left side as well, and soon, the pixels disappeared again. He touched the side of his face and felt his ear again.


    "That is magical..." He eximed and looked at the beautiful doctor. "Thank you! What was that gel?"


    "Oh, this?" Dr. Amelia giggled and said. "It is Restoration Gel."


    "Is it on sale?" Ambrose asked hesitantly.


    "You may buy it, but it is quite expensive." Dr. Amelia said. "It costs 500 silvers."


    ''500!'' Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched, and he stood up. "Thank you. This costs 100 silvers, right?"


    Dr. Amelia smiled with a nod.


    Ambrose paid for it and bade farewell before again leaving the clinic.


    He walked without his hood on, feeling the night air on his face. He felt much better than before, as he could also hear soundsing from the left side.


    ''It is quitete already; better get going, but before then, time to assign my stats.'' Ambrose found a bench to sit on and then crossed his legs.


    He wondered what stats he needed.

 Chapter 29: Plague Crows

    <h4>Chapter 29: gue Crows</h4>


    Ambrose tapped his chin while pondering the stats.


    ''Strength. I haven''t added anything to it since the first time I assigned stats, and I only have 10 on it, which seems low.


    ''Charm, I have seen a difference in how NPCs acted around me, but that could be because of the trial. I still don''t know how it works, but again, I only have five stats on it.


    ''Intelligence¡ªI think this is something I have to focus on. It most likely helps to learn techniques, and I now have the Skill Scroll; maybe it is the key to creating your own skill!


    ''Luck, I don''t need it for now.


    ''Agility can wait.


    ''Vitality, leveling up gave me another 5 HP.


    ''Dexterity, I need it.


    ''Stamina, don''t need it now.''


    After thinking about all the stats, he concluded that there were only three he should focus on. However, since he only had 10 stat points to use, he removed one of those stats and decided to put half on Dexterity and the other half on Intelligence.


    He nodded and started assigning the stats.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 4]


    [ss: Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 9/175]


    [HP: 45/45]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 5]


    [STR: 10]


    [CHA: 5]


    [INT: 8]


    [LUC: 6]


    [AGI: 1]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 15]


    [STA: 15]


    ***


    ''Now, with higher Dexterity and Intelligence, perhaps I canplete Dual Basic sh?''


    Ambrose looked around and soon found an empty park. He went there and took out both his steel shortswords.


    "Basic sh!" He then started doing Basic sh and hoped that hispletion rate would increase.


    [Dual Basic sh - Completion Rate - 70%]


    Ambrose let out a smallugh as it suddenly increased by 10%. He had tried using the demo Dual Basic sh version in fights before, but it wasn''t that strong.


    It was because he was just trying to mimic Dual Basic sh. He realized that when he did the Basic sh and the version where he didn''t say it aloud, the difference in strength, uracy, and speed of the attack was vast.


    Therefore, acquiring Dual Basic sh with a 100%pletion rate was incredibly crucial if he wanted to increase his strength.


    "Basic sh!"


    [Dual Basic sh - Completion Rate - 80%]


    "Basic sh!"


    [Dual Basic sh - Completion Rate - 90%]


    "Basic sh!]


    [Dual Basic sh - Completion Rate - 100%]


    "Haah..." Ambrose lowered his swords while panting loudly. He let out augh. "Yes!"


    He looked at the two swords and moved both over his shoulders. He then slightly leaned forward, bent his knees, and turned serious.


    "Dual Basic sh!"


    With perfect synchronization, Ambrose hacked both swords down and shed across the empty air powerfully. The des stopped inches from the ground, but even the grass des got cut.


    ''I doubt anyone else has this skill.'' Ambrose thought. ''Only dual wielders can have this, and from what I heard, we are a dying breed. No one dares to try dual wielding as it is too difficult.''


    Ambrose looked at the two swords in his hands. ''I can already see why no one goes for dual wielding. It needs a lot of coordination, muscle memory, and practice.


    ''It is not very practical, even though I can strike from two different sides at the same time. I just need to spend a lot of time honing my muscle memory and coordination. It needs a lot of practice, and since people can get stronger just by leveling up, I will be left behind.


    ''However, I do not n on abandoning this path.''


    ...


    After waking up from his dreamy state, Jesse removed the VR headset and ced it gently on his bedside table.


    He again felt his stomach rumbling and the bathroom calling for him.


    He groaned and sat up, but at that moment, he looked at his right wrist and gently rubbed it with a strange expression.


    ''Hmm, it is not very painful anymore.'' Jesse tried to apply more pressure and felt sharp pain, but nothing serious. "I guess it wasn''t that bad. I have gotten over a thousand fractures in my life, yet this one healed the fastest."


    Jesse shrugged his shoulders, hopped on his wheelchair, and made a quick trip to the bathroom. Then he went to the dark kitchen, ate until his stomach was rtively full, and returned to his room.


    The house was eerily quiet, as everyone was already asleep, even Holly.


    Jesseid back on his bed and pulled out his phone. He nned to check the forums before falling asleep.


    After opening the phone, he received an old message.


    "Oh, he paid." Jesse murmured. He received 500 crowns from Prince and now felt slightly quilty for exposing his location to Barbarian.


    "I better keep my distance from those two." He sighed. "They are way stronger than I am, and getting on their bad side would just hurt me."


    "They are also destined to be important figures in Amaterasu; I can already see it." Jesse sighed and opened the forums. "Is there anything interesting here..."


    After scrolling down, there wasn''t really anything that took him by surprise. There didn''t seem to be any new information either.


    Jesse closed the phone and looked at the ceiling until his eyelids grew heavy.


    ''I wonder... what I should do tomorrow... in Martial Online...''


    With those thoughts, he fell asleep without knowing that tomorrow would be the day to remember.


    ...


    Martial Online, Crow Forest, near the Crow Cave.


    Prince sat on top of the boulder and looked at the figure that was sitting on the field of dead nts. Barbarian continued smiling while sharpening his axe''s de.


    However, he had no intention of leaving the field of dead nts. He asionally stood up to stretch and killed a few animals that crossed his path.


    Prince narrowed his eyes and then heard footstepsing from the cave. A tired-looking young man left the cave with a small smile. He turned to the stone tablet with a smile.


    [The Leaderboard of Crow Cave]


    [1. Anthon]


    [2. Cauldron]


    [3. Ignite]


    [4. Ambrose]


    [5. Prince]


    [6. Worshipper]


    [7. WarAnchor]


    [8. MysticKnight]


    [9. Temperance]


    [10...]


    "Temperance, how did it go?" A red-haired young man asked the yer who had just left the cave. The red-haired young man was the person who was supposed to take the trial next.


    Prince''s friends, Worshipper, WarAnchor, and MysticKnight, sat around aforting campfire. They were also looking in the direction of Barbarian with weapons in hand.


    "It went well; good luck." Temperance patted his friend''s shoulder and walked to the boulder, then nced towards Barbarian. "He is still here?"


    "Yes," Prince said. "And he has no intention of leaving."


    "What does he want?" Temperance asked.


    "I don''t know. It is impossible to know what is running through his mind." Prince said and turned to the red-haired young man. "Go, RedDevil."


    RedDevil nodded and entered the cave with a nervous expression but excited nheless.


    The time flew by.


    Prince and Barbarian continued to look at each other. Their eyes were cold and serious. The atmosphere was tense, and only the crackling of the fire sounded in this part of the forest.


    However, at that moment, the silence was broken by a loud caw.


    Prince and Barbarian both swung their heads in the direction of the noise and widened their eyes in shock.


    The top of the mountain exploded, and thousands of ck-feathered crows flew out from it. They disappeared into the night sky, but they could still hear the pping of their wings.


    "No..." Prince leaped off the boulder and rushed into the cave, immediately followed by his trusted friends. They smashed through the granite door, ran down the hallway, and found themselves in a dark room.


    There, they saw a red-haired young man lying on a pond of blue blood.


    "RedDevil!" Prince shouted and ran to his friend. He crouched beside him and asked. "What happened?"


    "Ugh... I am sorry..." RedDevil whispered, and his body was slowly turning into transparent pixels. "I failed..."


    "Leader..." Worshipper was a serious-looking man with handsome facial features andbed ck hair. He now looked even more serious than ever before. "The crows..."


    "We need to return now." Prince stood up, and he looked extremely serious. "The crows are going to Amaterasu."


    ...


    Thousands of ck-feathered crows flew across the sky with immense speed. They soon left the airspace of the forest and saw a vast city in the distance, protected by ten-meter tall walls. However, those walls couldn''t protect them from the crows.


    The crows let out loud caws and continued their flight to the Amaterasu while corrupting everything on their path.

 Chapter 30: World Quest

    <h4>Chapter 30: World Quest</h4>


    Jesse woke up after the sunlight fell on his face.


    He immediately did his mourning routine in the bathroom, then went to the kitchen with his wheelchair. The house was empty as his parents went to work and his little sister to school.


    As he munched on the bread, he thought about checking the news while eating. He didn''t have anything else to do other than eat and stare at the emptiness.


    ''I am curious whether Martial Online has made anyments about uing updates.'' Jesse thought while rolling towards the living room. He grabbed the TV remote and returned to the kitchen table.


    After he got seated, he pressed the TV remote start button.


    The TV immediately showed a channel with running TV shows. His father often watched his favorite shows on this channel. However, during the morning, there wasn''t anything interesting to watch.


    Therefore, he changed channels until he found something interesting. Soon, he found a channel where news was about to start.


    Jesse put the TV remote down and continued eating while watching the news.


    The news started with beautiful and handsome news anchors stating their names.


    "My name is Sara, and this is Nocklund''s Morning News." A beautiful woman with long blonde hair was sitting behind a crescent-shaped desk. She held a stack of papers, and there were sses on her nosebridge, making her look intellectual.


    "And my name is Aaron." A handsome middle-aged man spoke with a deep voice. His voice was very pleasant to listen to. His face had a brownish hue, meaning that he was from Southern Nocklund. He also wore a ck suit with a blue tie and ck trousers.


    Sara arranged the papers in her hands and started talking. "Last night, a few minutes after midnight, a strange phenomenon urred in Martial Online."


    ''Martial Online?'' Jesse almost spat out the bread. "I didn''t expect the game to be this big; even the news is talking about it. But strange phenomena? I wonder what happened."


    Aaron continued, "Murder of Crows appeared from the nearby Crow Forest and entered a city called Amaterasu. It is one of the starting areas for yers. It seemed harmless at first, but then the Murder of Crows started attacking everything that moved.


    "Then, an event called "World Quest"menced, and every yer was able to take part in it. The goal is simple: kill all the crows and rescue as many Non-yer Characters as possible.


    "At the end of the event, the yers would be rewarded. However, since the event startedte at night, yers were greatly at a disadvantage, and a lot of casualties happened on both the yers'' and NPCs'' sides.


    "If you wish to take part in the event, hop on Martial Online. Unfortunately, the event is closed for yers from Yatagarasu and Tsukuyomi."


    Jesse dropped the bread, and it fell to the floor.


    "What the hell!" He quickly climbed on his wheelchair and rolled towards upstairs as quickly as he could. He waited for the one-seater machine to take him to the second floor.


    ''Murder of Crows... from Crow Forest... Could it be from Crow Cave?'' Jesse eximed and quickly hopped on the one-seater machine, folded the wheelchair, and put it on hisp.


    ''So, if even one yer failed the trial, World Quest would happen?'' Jesse looked upstairs impatiently. He wanted to hop off the seat and run to his room, but he felt sharp pain in his leg bones and didn''t dare take the risk.


    ''One of Prince''s friends must have failed... So, in a sense, I am responsible for the start of this World Quest?''


    Jesse gritted his teeth, and soon the one-seater reached the top floor. He unfolded the wheelchair, hopped on it, and went straight to his room.


    In there, he hopped on his bed, grabbed the VR headset, and put it around his head.


    ''A single decision can have such crazy consequences.'' Jesse thought and closed his eyes.


    ...


    Ambrose opened his eyes, and immediately ear-splitting screams entered his ears. He looked around the street, and there were ck feathers everywhere, falling from the ground and corrupting the streets.


    The NPCs panicked in the streets, rushing to their homes and indoors.


    ck-feathered crows flew across the sky, looking for their target, and when they found one, they dove down and sunk their ws into the skin of their target.


    [Wee to World Quest: Attack of Disease Crows!]


    [Your current rank is 37,495!]


    [Kill crows and protect NPCs to receive rewards at the end of the World Quest!]


    [Good luck, Ambrose!]


    "Simple enough." Ambrose thought out loud and pulled out both his shortswords from his inventory. He then looked around for crows to kill.


    "Ah!" A middle-aged man ran from a dark alleyway and tripped on the sidewalk. Without even a second''s dy, three crows chased after him and began wing at his scalp.


    The middle-aged NPC screamed in horror as he tried to shake off the crows.


    "Dual Basic sh!" Ambrose lunged forward, brought the swords above his head, and hacked them down. The two swords shed through two of the crows, separating them in half.


    Thest remaining crow was frightened and returned airborne, but before it could escape, Ambrose caught it in mid-air with a powerful sword strike to its neck.


    The crow fell to the ground and died instantly.


    [You killed 3x Disease Crows!]


    [3 XP Earned!]


    [XP: 12/175]


    "Ah." The middle-aged man shakily raised his head and saw the three dead crows. Then he turned to look at his savior and whispered. "T-Thank you."


    "Go inside." Ambrose said and pointed to a nearby store, where many NPCs were already hiding and peeking from the windows.


    The middle-aged man nodded his head and ran to the store while almost tripping several times.


    Ambrose looked to the end of the street and saw some wooden and steel arrows flying across the sky, trying to hit any of the flying crows.


    With two swords in hand, he began rushing towards the source of the fighting.


    ...


    "Argh!" Barbarian stomped down feather-filled streets while smashing his axe into a crow''s head. His arms and face were filled with bloody scratches.


    His health bar was also blinking red, and he didn''t have any more food to eat to regain his HP. There also weren''t any street vendors selling them, as they would get attacked by the crows.


    He was in a very bad situation, but he had no choice but to keep going forward.


    At that moment, a messy, blond-haired young man jumped from a rooftop with seven crows munching on his skin. He crashed into the building''s side and fell to the ground.


    He rolled on the sidewalk, trying to get rid of the crows. However, their ws were like sticky glue, impossible to get rid of.


    Barbarian grabbed his axe with both hands and lunged towards the crows with a mighty scream. With one sh, he got rid of four of the seven crows.


    That gave the blond-haired young man enough time to pick up his sword and swing it at the remaining three crows.


    After the three crows got their bodies split in half, the blond-haired young man rose to his feet with an exhausted expression.


    "Haha, you are not looking too well... Prince." Barbarian smirked, but his arms were shaking. He also wasn''t looking too well.


    Princebed his messy hair with his hand and sat on the ground next to the dead crows.


    "Neither are you." Prince said in exhaustion.


    Barbarian scoffed and leaned on the wall while trying to catch his breath.


    However, both of them heard sounds of screaming and pping wings. They both rolled their eyes.


    Prince climbed to his feet and slowly walked towards the sound of the screams.


    "He sure wants the top spot in the rankings..." Barbarian chuckled and breathed rapidly before mming his fist on the wall and continuing to ughter the crows.

 Chapter 31: Black Smoke of Verhan

    <h4>Chapter 31: ck Smoke of Verhan</h4>


    Antern produced light in a dimly lit room. A middle-aged man with a long beard, wearing a brown robe with a hood, stared out the window as ck feathers fell from the sky.


    "Dark times..." rehead murmured. "It resembles the sight when ck ash drifted from the Dark Continent, bringing endless darkness with..."


    Crash¡ªAnother window shattered, sending broken ss flying across the merchant store. A ck-feathered crow crashed into the floor and scanned its surroundings. Its ck eyes then glowed after seeing the long-bearded man.


    "A vile creature." rehead picked up a piece of ss and threw it at the crow, but it had already gone airborne and was heading his way.


    "CAW!" The crow screeched and showed its dark ws. It started diving down with blinding speed.


    rehead picked up a pitchfork from one of the merchant store''s disy vases and threw it at the flying ck-feathered crow.


    The crow screeched, but then the pitchfork''s three sharp forks pierced its body, and it flung straight to the end of the room, where it hit a wall and fell to the ground¡ªdead.


    rehead walked to the dead crow, pulled out the forkhead from its corpse, and turned towards the shattered window. ck feathers fell, and following that, three crows appeared on the windowsill, looking at him with their eerie ck eyes.


    "Creatures of evil, begone!" rehead raised the pitchfork above his shoulder. A very dim light appeared at the tip of the pitchfork, glowing bronze. "Inner Power!"


    Boom¡ªa window, where the crows stood, exploded into a thousand fragments.


    ...


    Loch City. Martial Company.


    Graham Loch, the Chairman of Martial Company, stood in his office, looking through the window with his hands behind his back. Behind the window, there was the room with thousands of screens and his subordinates working tirelessly.


    Knock, knock¡ªa middle-aged man with brown hair and a stylish suit knocked on the door and said. "Sir, you called for me?"


    "Do you know where she is?" Graham asked.


    "Ah, yes. She should be at Yatagarasu. We are monitoring her through yer screens." The middle-aged man replied.


    "Alright. Prepare my VR headset. I will be going to visit her." Graham said.


    "Yes, sir!" The middle-aged man bowed his head and left his office.


    Graham turned around, left his office, and entered the room with thousands of screens. His subordinates didn''t stop working as their eyes were glued to the screens.


    "Report." He walked to the leader of the department and asked while staring at screens of Amaterasu.


    "Yes, sir." A bushy-bearded man with thick sses rose from his seat and looked at the screens. "The World Quest is proceeding as nned. More and more yers are logging in, but we have a lot ofints from yers from Yatagarasu and Tsukuyomi."


    "What are they saying?" Graham asked while intensely looking at crows flying across the sky.


    "They are saying it''s unfair that yers from Amaterasu are getting special treatment."


    "Special treatment, huh." Graham chuckled. "All cities can have their own World Quest, they just have to fulfill the conditions."


    "What will we say to them?"


    "Nothing." Graham said. "They will eventually activate their own World Quests."


    The bushy-bearded man nodded. "The World Quest happened sooner than expected. What if they can''tplete it? This World Quest was never nned to be this early."


    Graham caressed his nose and said. "They are around two weeks earlier than we expected. The boss battle might prove to be very... difficult.


    "If they fail, Amaterasu yers will receive punishment, which will hinder them for several months. It is also good because it shows the consequences of failure in this game. The yers from other cities will think twice if they want World Quest, but they have no choice either way.


    "They will receive their own World Quest, and they know the severity of failure!"


    ...


    "Protect the dojo!" Rich shouted while wielding his sword. His students were gathered in the yard with proper swords, fighting against ck-feathered crows.


    A crow screeched and flew towards Rich. Its ws were stained with blue blood. It had already tasted the blood of either an innocent NPC or a yer.


    "Basic sh!" Rich raised the sword above his head and shed down diagonally. The sword shed through the crow''s body. The ck feathers fell to the ground as the crow disappeared into nothingness.


    "Keep the line tight. Do not let them inside the dojo!" Rich shouted and saw one of his students screaming while two crows were wing at her scalp, trying to rip her hair out.


    "Get away from her!" Rich lunged forward with his sword in a horizontal stance. "Basic sher!"


    The sword cut through the air horizontally and shredded through the two crows. The crows screeched as their bodies split in two. They stained the air with their blood before their corpses disappeared into a cluster of pixels.


    "Master!" His student eximed. She stood up from the ground and touched the top of her head. She flinched in pain, as there were bloody scratches that could get infected if they weren''t treated soon.


    "Go inside, apply medicine." Rich said and looked towards the bright blue sky. Only secondster, the peaceful sight was disturbed by flying crows that covered the sky in darkness.


    ...


    Dr. Amelia had her hands full as more and more injured patients came running through the front door, some still covered in ck feathers and bloody scratches as they barely escaped.


    Herzy-looking assistant was helping the injured patients by giving them medication for their injuries. However, she soon noticed something strange.


    She squinted her eyes until they bulged wide open. "Dr. Amelia,e look!"


    "Excuse me." Dr. Amelia smiled at the young girl and patted her head before heading to her assistant. She saw her assistant looking at one of the injured patient''s scratches.


    "What is it?" She asked while crouching beside the injured patient.


    "Look..." Her assistant said.


    Dr. Amelia frowned and took a deeper look at the injury. The injury was on the cheek of a middle-aged man who looked shy to be stared at by two attractive women.


    The injury was still bleeding with blue blood, but there was also something else mixed in with the blue blood. It was ck smoke that was slowly seeping out of the injury.


    Dr. Amelia''s eyes shook. "B-ck Smoke of Verhan? I-I thought you could only get inflicted by it in the Dark Continent."


    "Mister, have you visited a borderline town?" The assistant asked.


    "No..." He shook his head. "I have my own store and family to feed; I don''t have time to leave Amaterasu."


    Dr. Amelia forced a smile. "Wait for a moment; I will get some medicine for your wounds."


    She then nodded at her assistant with a knowing look and returned to her room. The assistant followed behind. They took seats with heavy looks.


    "Those crows..." Dr. Amelia whispered. "They are creatures from the Dark Continent. They can inflict people with ck Smoke of Verhan."


    "How is that possible?" Her assistant asked with a panicky look. "I thought it was only possible to receive it via air."


    "I am not sure, but whoever got scratched by the crows will be inflicted by the ck Smoke of Verhan."


    "Is there anything we can do?"


    "It takes three days for ck Smoke of Verhan to kill their victim.


    "The ck Smoke of Verhan is so diabolical because there is only one way to get rid of it: kill the person who is the reason for inflicting the person with the ck Smoke of Verhan.


    "Before, it was considered impossible as the ck Smoke of Verhan''s creator was unknown. However, now, it is the crows who are the reason for this."


    "Does this mean... if we kill the crows?" The assistant eximed.


    "It should also kill the ck Smoke of Verhan that is inside the people." Dr. Amelia crossed her supple legs. "That is still just a guess, but I bet my twenty years of medical experience that this is the only way."


    "Should we inform Lord Kiryu and his Silver Knights?" The assistant asked.


    "No." Dr. Amelia shook her head. "They live in seclusion and don''t get involved with the lives of us mortals. They are guardian spirits of Amaterasu, and they only take action if dark power rises again from the west."

 Chapter 32: Dark and Light

    <h4>Chapter 32: Dark and Light</h4>


    [A New Information Unlocked!]


    [ck Smoke of Verhan Has Infiltrated the City of Amaterasu!]


    [The ones who had been scratched by crows will be infected!]


    [Remove the Curse of Verhan by killing all the crows!]


    [Time Limit: 3 days]


    ''ck Smoke of Verhan?'' Ambrose looked at the rows of text with a nk expression. ''I have no clue what that is. The ones who had been scratched by crows will be infected... does that mean yers can also be infected?


    ''In three days, something horrible will happen if all the crows aren''t dead by then, I guess.


    ''How did such informatione to be? Did a yer discover some quest NPC, who gave the information?''


    Ambrose rubbed his chin and then heard a loud scream. He turned around and saw a screaming yer looking at his smoking arm.


    "I-I have been infected!" The yer screamed and tried to get help from his friends, but they avoided him like the gue.


    "Were you scratched by a crow?" Ambrose approached the screaming yer.


    The screaming yer looked towards the ck-haired young man with tears in his eyes. He nodded shakily. "Y-Yeah, but that was like three hours ago!"


    "I see." Ambrose nodded. "Did you kill the crow?"


    "Uh, no... I ran away." The yer ashamedly said.


    "Have you tried cutting your limb?" Ambrose asked and looked at the long, bloody scratch on the yer''s arm. "If you cut your arm from your shoulder, the ck Smoke of Verhan maybe hasn''t reached the rest of your body yet."


    "Huh?" The yer widened his eyes in shock. "Are you insane? I am not going to cut my own arm!"


    "Why not? It will grow back. Just go get some Restoration Gel." Ambrose said.


    "What is wrong with you?" The yer screamed. "Who in their right mind would cut their own arm? Pain or not, it is still far from a pleasurable experience! I-I heard someone got their leg cut off and got traumatized by the experience!"


    "Fine, I can do it for you if you want." Ambrose took out his shortsword and smiled. "It will be quick and painless, I promise."


    "No, go away from me, lunatic!" The yer screamed and ran away to a nearby alleyway, where his friends were. His friends then ran away from him, screaming that it might be contagious.


    "I am not a lunatic." Ambrose looked toward the feather-filled roads. "I am just someone who offered a helping hand. Sigh."


    "Helping hand... that is quite a dark joke." Ambrose pursed his lips and shook his head. He kicked the feathers off his shoes and headed to the sound of screams.


    When he reached the street with screams, he saw people running out of the buildings as crows chased after them. There were yers trying to get rid of the crows, but ever since the information, they have been extremely careful not to get scratched.


    "Screeech!" A crow dived down from the sky with a loud screech.


    Ambrose raised his head and put his sword above his head. "Basic Parry!"


    The crow smashed its ws into the de but couldn''t break through the block.


    The crow flew away, screeching loudly, and then it flew back to the sky again. It circled in the sky, waiting for another moment to strike.


    At that moment, an arrow crossed the distance and pierced through its eye. The crow fell from the sky, and once it hit the ground, it died.


    Ambrose turned to the rooftop and saw a female archer shooting arrow after arrow, trying to hit the flying crows.


    "I guess I have to start killing crows too..." Ambrose said and whispered. "Interface."


    He checked one bar in particr.


    [XP: 20/175]


    He had killed several crows since he logged in, but he was far from satisfied.


    ...


    Nocklund High.


    Holly leaned against her arm while looking out of the window. She could see the entire school yard and the vast city of Nocklund, which was arge city with a poption of over one million people.


    It was a simple city, allowing one to slow down and savor simple pleasures. It was a ce where you could leisurely stroll through parks, explore local markets, or sit at a cozy cafe with a hot drink in hand, watching the world go by.


    During the evenings, Nocklund City usuallyes alive with soft lighting, creating an enchanting atmosphere. The aroma of delicious food often wafted through the air, tempting everyone to test local delicacies and traditional cuisine.


    Cozy houses with flickering candles and fireces created a romantic and intimate setting, perfect for enjoying a meal with loved ones or immersing yourself in a good book.


    However, in the eyes of Holly, the streets and everything around them looked dull gray, as if all color had been sucked from the world.


    "Holly~" Allison entered the ssroom with her hips moving side-to-side seductively. Her ssmates had a hard time tearing their gazes off her.


    Holly turned to her best friend and then turned back to the window.


    Allison pouted and put her head on Holly''s shoulder. "Whatcha looking at?"


    "Nothing; what do you want?" Holly asked.


    "I heard you arguing with your brother, but then you closed the phone call and didn''t even answer my messages. Did he do something to you?"


    "What could he possibly do?" Holly scoffed. "He would break from a single touch."


    "Aha, true that." Allison giggled and asked. "So, what happened?"


    "Nothing." Holly said. "Can you lend money? I need to purchase a VR headset."


    "Oh, you want to y with me after all!" Allison eximed with a giant smile.


    "I just want to see what everyone is excited about. I don''t promise that I will continue ying."


    "No worries!" Allison smiled. "There is also no need to fight. You can get work in the city and receive Sub-ss!"


    "Oh?" Holly said without much interest. She looked at the blue sky with clouds drifting across it. Her reflection became clearer in the window. Her expression was dull,cking any joy.


    "It will be so fun!" Allison hugged her from behind. "I am in Tsukuyomi; I hope you also get teleported there!"


    "Hmm..." Holly hummed.


    ...


    "Yes... continue wreaking havoc. Hahahaha!"


    A loud, rapturousughter echoed across a dark cavern.


    Drip, drip¡ªwater dripped down from the ceiling andnded on the ground.


    A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness and stepped over the puddles. He was letting out eerieughter, his shoulders bouncing up and down as if he couldn''t stop hisughter.


    He stepped out of the cavern and into the light. The sun''s powerful light fell on his face, making him scream.


    "Aaaargh, light is the most demonic power there is!" The man shouted and screamed towards the sun. "Darkness gives a person peace and tranquility; light exposes your deepest secrets.


    "The world doesn''t need light. It should live in darkness and embrace it!"


    He stood in front of the cavern entrance, situated at the top of the hilltop. From there, he could see over the Crow Forest and the fortified Amaterasu. The sky above Amaterasu was covered in darkness as crows soared through the air.


    "I am going to show the beautiful power of darkness." The man roared inughter and spread his arms wide. A ck cloak suddenly appeared over his slender figure.


    The ck cloak had feathers as decorations¡ªck feathers.


    "A new era. Dark era!" The man shouted and leaped into the era. His body suddenly dissolved into ck feathers, and those feathers turned into screeching ck crows.


    The hundreds of ck crows pped their wings and began flying towards the fortified city of Amaterasu.

 Chapter 33: Players Vs. Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 33: yers Vs. Darkness</h4>


    Swoosh!


    A sword shed across the air, leaving behind a trail of dead crows.


    "Haaah..." Ambrose breathed heavily as he watched the crow''s corpse fall to the ground. He was wielding both of his swords and was very effective in eradicating the crows.


    ''Soon, I have reached another level.'' Ambrose looked across the empty streets, but then he heard another scream and immediately rushed towards the sound. He came across an alleyway with a dead end.


    A yer was lying dead on the ground with a dozen crows wing at its body. The yer''s corpse vanished into a cluster of pixels and seeped into the pavement.


    The crows screeched after losing another food source as each yer they killed suddenly turned into strange light pixels.


    However, some of them caught a glimpse of a ck-haired young man at the entrance of the alleyway. It didn''t take long for each crow to notice him.


    "Shit... that is many." Ambrose took a step backward. He also had to fight carefully so he wouldn''t get scratched by the crows and get infected by the ck Smoke of Verhan.


    The crows screeched menacingly and soared into the air. They already had their ck ws ready to attack him.


    Ambrose escaped behind the corner and continued running wildly down the street. The crows left the alleyway, turned around the corner, and chased after him.


    Their speed was vastly superior against someone like Ambrose, who wasn''t either a runner or an athlete in real life. He also hadn''t used a lot of agility, as he didn''t deem it important for now.


    He didn''t deem it important because of a single fact¡ªhe never nned to focus his fighting style on speed and agility. There were only 10 stat points to use after each level, and each point was important.


    He currently wanted to focus on endurance and his techniques to ovee his foes. However, it wasn''t the perfect strategy against crows. Agility would be good, but he didn''t n to start crying over spilled milk and start focusing more on his agility.


    "Haaah..." Ambrose took a deep breath and clenched both swords tightly. He then turned around without any warning and moved both swords above his shoulders. "Dual Basic sh!"


    The two swords shed across the air and sliced through the murder of crows. Several crows died straight away, a few lost their wings, and several others survived without any damage.


    Ambrose raised his feet and smashed them into the fallen crows heads, crushing them. Then, several crows closed the distance with their ws in an attacking position.


    "Basic Parry!" Ambrose quickly ced both swords on either side of his body and tried to block the attack.


    [Dual Basic Parry - Completion Rate - 1%]


    "Ugh!" Ambrose crashed into the building''s wall. He realized that he should have just used one sword to parry and not both because he was far from mastering Dual Basic Parry.


    A crow screeched and thrust its ws forward. Ambrose quickly tilted his head to the side, and the crow''s ws scratched the wall right beside his face.


    The crow screeched, and this time it tried to take a bite off his face.


    Ambrose''s face showed signs of panic, and out of habit, he closed his eyes and just did the first thing that came to his mind¡ªhe pulled his head slightly back till it touched the wall and then smashed it forward.


    His headbuttnded on the crow''s face and pushed it away. The crow recoiled and had a hard time continuing to fly.


    "Argh..." Ambrose opened his eyes and noticed he had lost a little bit of HP. His body was far from durable enough to do physical attacks.


    He then noticed the crow trying to fly back to the sky, but he didn''t n to allow that to happen.


    He lunged forward and smashed his right-handed sword straight into the crow''s body. The crow crashed into the ground, and its neck snapped at the same time. It died immediately after.


    "Huu... huu..." Ambrose sighed and looked towards the sky. There were crows circling in the sky, right on top of him.


    At that moment, a message appeared in front of him.


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 4 -> 5]


    [XP: 0/200]


    "Haah... I guess I have garnered enough experience points now..." Ambrose breathed a sigh of relief and turned to the crow-filled sky. He didn''t mind dying now, as he had already reached his goal. ''I must have killed nearly 200 crows. Yet, it looks like their amount has only increased.''


    The crows screeched loudly, as if they were announcing their intention to kill the ck-haired young man.


    Ambrose took afortable seat on the pavement and stored his swords in his inventory.


    ''I hope I don''t lose one of the shortswords.'' He thought as he waited for the inevitable death.


    At that moment, a strange, cold power swept across the entire city of Amaterasu. Every yer, NPC, and even animals felt the primordial darkness within that coldness.


    The crows all turned to the source of all that coldness and didn''t even hesitate to fly in that direction.


    The sky was a sight to behold as thousands of ck-feathered crows flew in the same direction. The blue sky was nowhere to be seen, as it seemed like night had fallen out of nowhere.


    Ambrose frowned and stood up. "Where are they all going?"


    He wasn''t the only one with that question. Every single yer watched in confusion as the crows flew across the buildings with pitched and steep roofs.


    "Hey, who is that?!" Suddenly, a female archer on top of one of the roofs shouted while pointing towards the city''s entrance.


    All yers near the entrance turned in the direction she pointed.


    On the entrance, a ck-haired man covered in a ck-feathered cloak was standing with a grin on his face. He didn''t look like a yer or any othermon NPC.


    At that moment, the yers noticed that the crows were flying towards him!


    The crows flew circles around the man, creating an enormous ck hurricane that was seen all the way to Mt. Sword.


    On top of Mt. Sword, a bald-headed man with a sheathed katana in hand looked towards the ck hurricane, which swept across the wheat field and nearby area.


    "A truly dark power." Kiryu thought alone and returned to the dojo, with no intention to intervene.


    "Master, shouldn''t we do something?" Inside the dojo, a middle-aged man donning silver armor stood in front of nine other Silver Knights.


    "No." Kiryu shook his head and sat in his usual position¡ªat the end of the dojo on top of afy pillow.


    "Whatever happens, it is all a matter of destiny and fate." Kiryu rested his sheathed katana against his shoulder and gently whispered. "Whether yers or the dark creature win, it is all ording to fate."


    ...


    The yers started approaching the entrance, and soon a crowd had gathered near the ck hurricane. There were many familiar faces in the crowd.


    Such as Prince and his friends. Barbarian and his friends, who also had simr muscr bodies. Then there was RedBand, surrounded by his new party members, and further away from them were Anthon, Ignite, and Cauldron, who looked at the scene with narrowed eyes.


    In total, there were a thousand yers gathered.


    At that moment, the ck hurricane was sucked back into the ck-haired man''s body. He took a deep breath and looked like he was in ecstasy.


    "Hahaha!" Hisughter bellowed across the city.


    A name bar and health bar appeared on top of the man. All the yers gasped in shock, some in fear. Whenever they cast their eyes on the man, they felt their bodies go numb, as if they were taking damage just by looking at him.


    [Dark Magician - Karma]


    [HP: 3,000/3,000]

 Chapter 34: Attack of Players

    <h4>Chapter 34: Attack of yers</h4>


    "That must be the boss of this event." The yers whispered among themselves.


    "That HP amount is scary..."


    "His HP is a lot if this were one-versus-one, but we have a thousand yers here!"


    "That''s right. Killing him will be easy, but getting the final hit on the boss will be the difficult part!"


    Most of the yers had the same thought of greed¡ªgetting the final hit¡ªamon term used in video games. Whoever got the final hit on the boss, which meant delivering the final blow to the boss and eventually killing him, would receive the greatest reward.


    However, since it was the boss, not only the person killing him would receive rewards. Even though others weren''t part of the same party, the ones participating in fighting the boss would share the rewards.


    The yers with the highest damage dealt would receive the greatest rewards, and since there were thousands of yers, most of them wouldn''t receive anything if they didn''t get a single damage dealt.


    The yers greedily looked at Karma as if he were nothing but a bag of experience points and rare treasures.


    "What should we do, boss?" Worshipper, a member of Prince''s party, asked.


    Prince stood on the frontlines of the yers army. He was holding a white napkin and wiping the dirt off his face.


    After hearing the question, he pocketed the napkin and unsheathed his sword. "Attack and try not to die."


    "That''s it?" Worshipper asked with a brief shock on his face.


    "This will be a messy battle. This street is far too narrow for arge scale fight, and since there are thousands of yers wishing for the final hit, we need to get close to the boss immediately."


    "I understand." Worshipper nodded and unsheathed his longsword. The steel de glowed in the sunlight.


    A yer who was only a short distance away from Prince heard his n.


    ''I need to get close too. My agility is not great, so yers could overtake me and reach the boss first. The boss has a lot of health, but when hundreds of yers attack him simultaneously, that HP bes very little.


    ''Therefore, I need a head start!''


    The yer looked at the dark-cloaked man and pulled out his steel shortsword. He nced left and right before shooting forward. All the other yers weren''t prepared, and it took about a second for them to realize what had just happened.


    "Shit, go!" Prince shouted and ran forward, with his party following suit. After that, all the yers screamed and began running wildly forward.


    Shoulders bumped, yers were knocked down, and swinging swords identally cut yers near them. It was absolute chaos.


    "A chaos, feast for the eyes." Karma chuckled and opened both his palms. A small ck feather appeared on both palms before it turned into small crows, just barely the size of a nail.


    He then tossed them into the air, and those miniature crows turned regr sized. The crows screeched menacingly and flew towards the iing yers.


    The yers gasped, and many stopped in their tracks. They still had vivid memories of the information. They knew if they got even a small scratch, they would die.


    However, the yer in front only screamed and didn''t stop running as he saw himself leading the pack. At that moment, the crows appeared in front of him and attacked him from all sides.


    The yers screams were soon subdued by the sound of arge number of crows flocking around him with their wings pping. Soon, only pixels remained, and the yer was nowhere to be seen.


    "L-Leader." MysticKnight nced at Prince and saw him only running straight towards crows. She gulped and clenched her spear tighter. She was a blue-eyed woman with rather exotic orange hair and a bronzeplexion.


    "Just keep running." Prince said sternly and tightened his grip on the sword.


    Then, hundreds of yers crashed into the crowd of crows and all began swinging their weapons wildly without caring if they struck fellow yers.


    Arrows swooshed over the yers heads and shot crows down from the sky.


    Several yers used different-looking weapons than most were used to. They were Unique yers. Some had one-handed axes, knives, and daggers, while a rare few used blunt weapons such as hammers.


    The Unique yerbase was the smallest out of the five. It was because not many wanted a handicap so early in the game, but there were still a number of yers who thought they would have an advantageter in the game.


    The weapon stores sold all sorts of weapons because of Unique ss; therefore, they could use any weapon they wished and also go for any style they wanted to.


    Martial Company hinted a month ago, before the game was released, that the Unique ss was the most versatile and content-packed ss in the game. The yers wondered what they meant by that.


    But one thing was clear: Unique ss had secrets that were yet to be discovered.


    The crows died at a zing rate while yers after yers got scratches somewhere on their bodies. However, the crows couldn''t finish them off, so yers soon overwhelmed the crows and finished them all off.


    The yers felt dread when looking at the scratches, but the scratches were magically recovered. Their eyes widened in realization. If they killed crows, the ck Smoke of Verhan wouldn''t be a threat.


    And now that they had killed all the crows in the vicinity, the scratches weren''t deadly to them!


    They all heaved a sigh of relief and turned their anger towards the dark-cloaked man, who was still casually standing as if nothing was bothering him.


    "Haaa, the kill is mine!" A yer lunged forward, wielding a blunt wooden hammer. It looked bigger than an ordinary hammer and even bigger than a sledgehammer. Its hammer was square-shaped, the shaft was a meter long, and it looked like it could deliver a crazy amount of damage.


    "Haaaaa!" The yer swung the hammer above his head and smashed it down with burning rage. The hammer approached Karma, and everyone was clear that if this attacknded, his head would explode.


    The archers hurriedly pulled their bowstrings and shot their arrows. They also wanted damage dealt before the Dark Magician got defeated.


    "Heh." Karma grinned hideously and put his hand forward. The hammer smashed into his palm, and the ground cracked before exploding. A dust cloud appeared all around the Dark Magician and hammer-wielding yer.


    The yers stopped in their tracks and groaned in disappointment.


    "Already defeated? God damn it!"


    "That guy killed the boss single-handedly? His rewards must be enormous; shit, I am jealous!"


    However, Prince, Barbarian, and every other experienced yer stood their ground with weapons in ready position.


    Atst, the dust cloud was cleared away by the wind.


    The sight yers expected didn''t happen.


    Instead, Karma was effortlessly holding the hammer with his palm. The hammer-wielding yer stood nkly on the ground. Both of his arms were missing, as they were still holding the hammer.


    The yer stumbled backward, looked at his armless torso, and screamed hoarsely.


    "You yers are so fragile." Karma chuckled and grabbed the hammer''s shaft. He looked at the two hands that were still wrapped tightly around the shaft. He then tossed them away and took the hammer for himself.


    "This is how you do it..." Karma swung the hammer over his shoulder and then smashed it into the yer''s face. The yer''s face exploded in a shower of blue blood. Its headless and armless torso fell to the ground and soon turned into pixels.


    The yers looked nkly at the scene. No one dared to move.

 Chapter 35: Karma鈥檚 Prowess

    <h4>Chapter 35: Karma''s Prowess</h4>


    Prince narrowed his eyes and instinctively weighted his step. He had faced many strong foes before, even taking part in Ember Online''s King War, where he also participated in the final battle against King Tyrantion.


    However, something about Dark Magician Karma made his skin crawl. He thought it was because the strength difference was simply so vast. He had never before faced someone so strong while he was in such a weak state.


    ''A good strategy would have archers shoot him from a distance, but there ain''t a single archer in my ranks. I am still in the early stages of creating my Saturn Dojo.''


    There was great hesitation in the air. The yers forgot about their great numerical advantage and just reyed the scene of the yer''s face getting crushed by the hammer. They felt a real fear of death.


    "Tyrannical Smash!"


    A sudden shout broke the silence.


    "Huh." Karma saw a sudden shadow loom over him. He looked up and saw arge figure falling towards him with an axe in hand.


    He quickly ced therge hammer in the way and blocked the axe strike. However, his knees buckled as the ground exploded underneath him. He felt immense strength bearing down on him.


    "Whoah..." Karma eximed.


    ''That fool!'' Prince''s eyebrow twitched, but he then forced a hideous grin and shouted. "Attack!"


    "Huh." His friends, Worshipper, WarAnchor, MysticKnight, and Temperance, were shocked at first before nodding and running towards Karma with their weapons unsheathed.


    RedDevil, the reason for the crow outbreak, was nowhere to be seen, as he didn''t log back in after his death.


    The yers woke up from their stupor and saw that the fight continued. They looked around themselves and noticed that more and more were starting to run. It didn''t take long for everyone to start slowly marching towards Karma.


    "Heh." Karma grinned and stepped backward, away from the threat of the axe.


    Barbarian gentlynded on the ground and chased after Karma with arge grin.


    "Like a wild bull." Karma swung the hammer around him nimbly as if it weighted the same as a feather. He then smashed it with a downward swing towards Barbarian''s face.


    Barbarian didn''t hesitate and ced the steel axe in the way.


    The two weapons shed, sending shockwaves across the ground.


    Boom¡ªBarbarian was sent flying backwards, and he crashed into a crowd of yers. However, he immediately climbed back to his feet and ran back to the fight.


    "Beautiful Death!" Prince''s eyes glowed with mystifying light as he leaped across the sky with a sword in hand. He swirled around like a ballerina and then, from an awkward stance, shed the sword down.


    Karma grinned and stopped the sword strike with the blunt side of the hammer, but the attack still made his legs shake a little bit. At that moment, he saw ten weapons traveling towards him.


    "A Crow Nightmare." He covered half of his body with the dark cloak, and all the feathers on the fabric came to life. The ck feathers turned into crows, who soared into the sky and attacked everyone who came near Karma.


    The yers advancement stopped as if they had run into the wall. They fought against the crows with more ferocity this time. They realized that even if they got scratched, as long as they killed the crow, it would be fine.


    "Haaa!" Barbarian rushed like a wild bull and swung the axe powerfully towards Karma. He swung the axe like he was a lumberjack, and if he were one, this strike would knock down a tree instantly.


    Karma chuckled and pushed Prince away with the hammer, then he swung it down and interjected the axe. The axe knocked him back one step, but he managed to block the steel de of the axe.


    However, Barbarian wasn''t done. He raised the axe with arge grin and started smashing it down at the hammer with ever-burning rage.


    BANG, BANG¡ªAn axe''s pummeling noises reverberated across the city of Amaterasu. It was enough to bring goosebumps to everyone''s backs, as they couldn''t imagine anyone surviving such an onught.


    The yers who saw the scene were truly frightened of Barbarian. They had no idea that there was such a strong yer. It made a dent in their confidence, as most of them believed they were close to the top in terms of strength.


    Karma blocked the axe strikes with a calm smile. His hands shook asionally, but not even once did his smile disappear.


    "Haaa!" Barbarian screamed hoarsely and delivered his strongest axe strike. The axe smashed into the wooden hammer, even going half-way through it until it finally stopped. The wooden hammer was almost cut in half!


    "This is a pitiful weapon." Karma thought aloud and let go of the wooden hammer with a silly grin. It was like he was disposing of trash.


    Barbarian looked at the wooden hammer that was stuck in his axe, then removed it and tossed it away, having no need for it.


    "You are unarmed." Barbarian rested the axe against his shoulder and grinned. "Surrender or die."


    "Hahahaha!" Karma exploded in a fit ofughter. "I don''t need weapons to defeat plebeians like you all!"


    "Oh?" Barbarian''s grin widened, and he raised his axe again, this time with both hands on the handle. "We will see about that."


    "A truly powerful person doesn''t need weapons. Weapons are for weaklings!" Karma lowered his stance and put his palm next to his waist. He let out a cold breath and then pushed his palm forward, sending shockwaves across the air.


    The shockwave struck Barbarian in the chest, sending him tumbling across the street as if he were a giant bowling ball. The yers that were on his way got knocked down and tossed to the side.


    "Hmph." Karma grinned, but it was shortlived as a sword approached him from his peripheral vision. He quickly tilted his head to the side and watched as the sword''s de''s edge missed his cheek by an inch.


    Prince gritted his teeth and swung his sword wildly towards Karma. His strikes were powerful and urate, but not quick enough.


    Karma weaved through the sword shes and then delivered a decisive palm strike on Prince''s face.


    Prince coughed blood and crashed into the building''s wall, flying through it andnding in the kitchen, where the NPC family was hiding under the table.


    They looked shocked and frightened; the children held their tears as they saw a hole in the wall and the scary-looking man.


    Karma reached his hand forward and pointed it straight at Prince, who was lying on the floor with blood flowing down from the corner of his mouth.


    "Crow..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, a sword appeared from his side with incredible speed. Karma immediately focused on dodging the attack, but his smile didn''t disappear as the de barely missed his nose.


    He looked straight at his attacker, and this time it was an unfamiliar person.


    "Oh, and who might you be?"


    "Why is it that bosses have always had such loud mouths." Cauldron moved the sword in front of his body. "You guys should learn to shut your mouth."


    "H-hey, isn''t that?" A yer, who had finished ying crows, looked at the scene of the boss battle and whispered to his friend.


    His friend looked exhausted but had enough energy to look at the person who was fighting the boss. His eyes widened in shock.


    "I-It''s him..."


    "Kingyer!"


    "A Kingyer? Did I hear that right?" Karma''s voice was filled with curiosity. He grinned and looked at Cauldron. "Which king did you y? A person who wreaks havoc on the Light Continent is a friend of mine."


    Cauldron scoffed and moved the sword into a stabbing stance. "Someone unimportant, like you will be once you turn into pixels."


    "Basic sh!" A figure leaped from the direction of dead crows and swung his sword. Karma nced at the iing de and quickly dodged the attack before sending his own palm thrust towards the person who attacked him.


    However, the curly brown-haired yer ducked the palm and rolled to the side. He climbed back to his feet and pointed his sword at Karma with a grin.


    "Another loud mouth?" Ignite asked.


    "Yeah." Cauldron sighed deeply.


    "As always." Another voice came.


    Anthon walked next to Cauldron with a sword in hand.


    "..." Karma narrowed his eyes.

 Chapter 36: Skill

    <h4>Chapter 36: Skill</h4>


    "Urgh." Prince walked out of the hole in the wall and saw three young men surrounding the dark, cloaked figure. He only recognized one of them.


    ''Cauldron, the Kingyer...''


    "I didn''t expect that it was possible to get neck pain in-game." Barbarian groaned while rubbing his neck as he walked towards Karma, soon surrounding him alongside the three young men and Prince.


    Karma soon smiled again while surveying his surroundings. He was entirely surrounded, but he didn''t look rmed. He simply opened his palms, summoned a pair of ck feathers, and transformed them into ck w-like daggers.


    They resembled crow''s ws, but in a much bigger version. The de was also letting out eerie ck smoke¡ªthe ck Smoke of Verhan!


    "I suppose you five are the strongest this city has to offer." Karma chuckled. "Light Continent truly has fallen low. I don''t understand why the Dark Continent and Lord Ravan don''t just exterminate you all."


    Swoosh!


    A metal arrow cut through the air and approached Karma''s smiling figure with blinding speed.


    Karma moved the left-handed dagger and deflected the arrow with pathetic ease. The arrow fell to the ground, and its tip had the insignia of a fluttering wind.


    ''A wind...'' Prince''s eyes widened, and he turned towards the nearby roofs, where he soon saw a green-cloaked figure standing on top of a pointy roof. She was about fifty meters from Karma.


    Her cloak fluttered against the wind, and soon the hood blew away, revealing her face. She had a pale face, like she was from somewhere cold, but it made her features look very delicate and beautiful, making everyone feel protective of her.


    She was an archer with a bow made from more durable wood than the basic version, and all her arrows were made from solid steel.


    Karma scoffed and hurled his dagger across the air, straight towards the green-cloaked woman. The distance was closing quickly, and yet she hadn''t moved out of the way yet!


    At thest possible moment, she leaned to the left and suddenly began falling from the roof to her death. She then nimbly rolled around and delicatelynded on the street, while the dagger had missed her a long time ago.


    Karma chuckled and made the dagger make a U-turn and return to his grip.


    "So, that is six. Any more fools wanting to die at my hands?" Karma asked with an eversting grin.


    The female archer climbed on top of another roof and kept her distance from Karma. She was, after all, a long-range fighter.


    "So, even she was here." Barbarian murmured loudly. "Captain Nora, the leader of one of the Seven War Guilds¡ªStormdawn."


    "I am getting hungry, so let''s get this done with." Anthon said and nodded at Cauldron and Ignite.


    "Finally." Karma rubbed his neck. "I was getting bored."


    Ignite grinned and lunged forward while swinging his sword in a wide arc.


    Anthon moved his sword overheard and shed it down with a powerful swing.


    Cauldron nked Karma from the side and stabbed his sword towards his waist. If itnded, the sword would go straight through Karma''s body.


    Karma parried Ignite''s blow with azy-looking sh and then grabbed Anthon''s sword-wielding hand''s wrist, stopping his attack. He then lifted his leg and kicked away Cauldron''s sword.


    Barbarian bent his knees and jumped high in the air with his axe above his head. He screamed mightily and brought his axe down with limitless fury.


    Karma casually looked up and tossed Anthon away like he was nothing but trash on the sidewalk. Then he moved both daggers above his head and smashed them against the axe.


    Boom¡ªthe ground exploded, and a shockwave knocked down many yers.


    Barbarian gritted his teeth, and once the dust cloud dispersed, he saw that his axe was blocked by two daggers. Small beads of sweat appeared in his brows, as he had never been beaten in a battle of strength like this.


    Karma''srge grin stretched his facial muscles. He then lifted his leg and smashed his foot into Barbarian''s gut, sending him flying through nearby buildings.


    A brown-cloaked figure charged at him and unleashed his own sword strike. The strike was powerful and urate, but Karma was faster and effortlessly parried it with his dagger.


    Karma then swung the dagger quickly and scratched Prince''s cheek. The scratch on his cheek started smoking immediately.


    Prince was infected by the ck Smoke of Verhan!


    ''Hmm, I feel cold.'' Prince frowned, changed the grip on his sword, and unleashed a barrage of attacks.


    Karma parried all the sword strikes effortlessly with incredible speed and uracy. He didn''t take even a single step backward, but instead took one step forward.


    After deflecting another strike, Karma lunged forward and stabbed his dagger towards Prince''s face. Prince sacrificed his left arm to block the dagger. The dagger stabbed through his forearm, and his health bar started blinking red.


    "Did you forget that I have another dagger?" Karma grinned and brought his second dagger towards Prince''s head.


    "Did you forget that I have a sword and a longer attack range?" Prince smiled cheekily.


    "Huh?" Karma lowered his gaze, and his eyes widened in shock. A steel sword stabbed through his waist, piercing the flesh of his abdomen. The sword went through his body, the de entirely drenched in blue blood.


    "Cough!" Karma coughed up blood.


    [HP: 2750/3000]


    [HP: 2700/3000]


    [HP: 2675...]


    He was drastically losing his health.


    Since the moment Karma summoned his daggers, Prince realized that there was only one way to harm him. He had to bring him closer and ensure that he couldn''t dodge or escape the attack. Therefore, he intentionally sacrificed his arm.


    Because of Karma''s arrogance, he took the chance for an easy kill but forgot that Prince had advantage of the range and could easily hit him before the dagger reached him.


    "Ugh, it hurts!" Karma screamed and stabbed his dagger through Prince''s face in a fit of rage. Prince''s body turned into floating pixels, and he was soon gone from the world of Martial Online.


    "Ugh..." Karma looked at the sword at his waist and was about to remove it, but then the sword turned into pixels and also disappeared.


    He touched his bleeding gut and infused the ck Smoke of Verhan into the wound. His wound slowly healed, but he couldn''t do anything about his pain or the loss of health.


    [HP: 2135/3000]


    "Whoo..." He let out a deep breath and forced a grin on his face. He turned to the rest of the yers and opened his arms wide. "Crow Death!"


    Crows flew out of his body like bullets and attacked all the nearby yers. The yers were panicking, and most of them already had low health; therefore, most of them died quickly. But there were still many yers, and they managed to fight against them fairly well.


    Swoosh, swoosh, several arrows flew, but Karma quickly deflected them with the blunt side of his daggers. He narrowed his eyes as he saw the green-cloaked woman waiting for any moment to strike.


    "Crow Targeting." Karma closed his left eye and pointed at the green-cloaked woman with his finger like it was a pistol. Then, a dozen crows flew out of his finger and charged at the woman with the speed of a bullet.


    ''Only dozen? My crow reserves are that low?'' Karma was stunned and held his painful gut. ''That attack from that bastard must have killed over a thousand crow cells. I only have less than a hundred crow cells left! God damn it!''


    At the end of the street, several yers were watching the ongoing battle. They were behind a crowd of yers and couldn''t advance. Most of them wanted to fight the boss and receive rewards. Thus, he tried to push the yers forward, but no one was moving as everyone was like sardines packed in a can.


    One of the yers looked at the battle with a thoughtful expression.


    ''Prince managed to injure the boss so much.'' Ambrose thought and looked at his swords. ''I would be dead within a second if I took part in a battle of that level. I wonder if they can even kill the boss, he is far too powerful.


    ''Is there anything I could do?'' He frowned and walked away from the street, increasing his distance from the boss battle. He took a seat in the yard of the cafe and put his swords on the circr table.


    ''Anything...''


    At that moment, he realized what he could do.


    He took out a scroll from his inventory¡ªa skill scroll.


    "A skill, but what kind? This is my first skill, and it will greatly influence my future style. For now, I just need to focus on skills that will help me against the boss.


    "What could it be..."


    At that moment, a certain scene appeared in his mind. It was part of his favorite book, Ambrose the Immortal Man. When the main character of the book first received his immortality, he wanted to test it and intentionally got injured.


    "What about that... Haha, that is insane." Ambrose let out a strained chuckle, but when he looked at his swords, he bit his lips and sighed. "My whole life, I have been trying not to get injured, but now the opposite... Fine, let''s see if the game epts this skill."

 Chapter 37: Kill

    <h4>Chapter 37: Kill</h4>


    "Rah!" Barbarian swung his axe powerfully down. Half of his face was covered in blue blood.


    Karma sidestepped, dodging the axe, and then shed through Barbarian''s midriff with his sharp dagger.


    A ck smoke consumed Barbarian''s body entirely, and he only saw darkness until his body disappeared into pixels.


    "Ha!" Anthon screamed and shed with his sword repeatedly. However, Karma deflected all strikes with precise parries.


    Cauldron jumped behind Anthon and smashed his sword at Karma''s block, but he couldn''t push him back. However, he didn''t seem defeated and continued attacking while Anthon supported him.


    Ignite ran with great speed and lowered his stance, then swung his sword towards Karma''s leg, trying to cut it. He came to the conclusion that the winning chances would increase drastically if he managed to cut one of his legs.


    Karma sensed the de nearing him and raised his leg. Once the sword was below his boot, he mmed his foot down on it, trapping it underneath the boot.


    Ignite''s muscles bulged as he tried to pull his sword back but couldn''t, as if it were under a boulder.


    Karma elbowed Ignite at his nose, sending him tumbling across the street.


    "Fuck!" Cauldron pulled his sword back and stabbed it forward. Karma dodged the sword, pinned it under his armpit, and mmed his foot deep into Cauldron''s gut.


    Cauldron spat out saliva with a mix of blue blood, but he didn''t back down. Instead, he grinned hideously and mmed his fist into Karma''s face.


    Karma staggered backwards as if he were a drunken man. He touched his bleeding nose and licked the blood off his fingertip with a crazed smile.


    "Good, good, good!" He screamed with hysteria and tackled Cauldron. They rolled on the ground, and Cauldron was pinned down by Karma''s weight.


    Cauldron put the sword in front of his face as protection, but Karma''s fist weight was heavy, and each punch hit him hard on the face.


    ''Ick strength, agility, and speed!'' Cauldron quickly realized his peril, and the worst thing was that he couldn''t do anything about it. ''Is he really someone that can be defeated so early? It would be doable if I was level 30, but I am only level 9...''


    Another punchnded on his face, and he saw his vision turning darker around the rims. He saw darkness appear from the sides, slowly consuming his vision.


    At that moment, Karma let out a scream as an arrow stabbed through his arrow. He shrieked and stood up, then looked towards the archer. Nora, the leader of Stormdawn, calmly stood in the middle of crow corpses.


    Her brown hair was slightly disheveled, but she looked otherwise fine. She put another arrow on her bowstring and fired it.


    "They are more persistent than ants!" Karma grabbed the arrow and broke it in the middle, then tossed the broken part away.


    "The reward is mine!"


    A sudden scream appeared behind him.


    Karma widened his eyes in surprise and quickly docked the iing spear strike. He turned to the unfamiliar yer and saw a bone-chilling sight. All his crows were dead, and the yers were marching towards him with greed in their eyes.


    They had seen the scene of him getting injured and saw that the health bar had already been halved. He wasn''t immortal!


    ''My crows...'' Karma put his hand forward and summoned a ck feather, but then felt a sharp pain in his chest. ''Ah right, if I spend all my crow cells here, I can''t produce them anymore. I have to restore crow cells, but I can''t do it in here.''


    He grabbed his daggers tighter and realized one thing. He couldn''t rely on his dark magic anymore. He had to rely on his dagger skills to ovee this obstacle.


    The yers screamed and swarmed towards Karma.


    Karma took a deep breath and wrapped his fingers around the dagger hilts. The yers screams vanished, and he couldn''t hear anything else. The world became quiet for him. He only heard his own steady breathing.


    He moved the daggers majestically and shed through the yers like a hot knife through butter. He left behind the corpses of yers and continued his massacre.


    The yers attacked with their weapons. The arrows flew across the air. Brawlers charged towards Karma. Swordsmen nked him. Spearsman stabbed with their spears.


    Karma did one powerful sh with the dagger, sending powerful wind to send all the arrows flying away from him. He then shed through the brawler''s exposed bodies, and following that, he deflected all sword strikes before dodging all spears.


    The hundreds of yers couldn''t even scratch his body!


    The yers felt a heavy amount of anxiety as they realized that Karma wasn''t weak. The yers fighting him earlier were just incredibly strong!


    Karma changed the grips on the daggers to a reverse grip. He then charged straight at the yer army and stabbed, shed, and cut them all down. He moved in the midst of the yers like a wolf among sheep.


    Blue blood sttered across the air,nding on the faces of nearby yers, the pavement, and the walls of buildings.


    "Come on, just hit him somehow!" yers screamed and started arguing with themselves.


    Among the yers were RedBand and his party members. They couldn''t properly fight, as every yer around them was pushing them out of the way. There was zero teamwork among the yers army, and therefore, Karma had a very easy time.


    "Boss, what should we do?" An exhausted-looking yer asked.


    RedBand sighed. "There is nothing we can do. It is a goddamn mess."


    At that moment, yers screams turned louder as Karma was about to kill them all. They realized there was nothing they could do. He still had 1500 HP left, which felt like an impossible challenge.


    "Are you alright, man?" Anthon grabbed Cauldron''s hand and helped him stand. Soon, Ignite returned to their side with a bloodied, broken nose.


    "These goddamn morons." Cauldron said while looking at the mess. Karma was ying yers as if he were ying on the easiest difficulty.


    "Should we move to Yatagarasu? Amaterasu is doomed." Ignite said while holding his bleeding nose. "We lost."


    "It takes one day to reach Yatagarasu. A lot of time wasted since we could spend it grinding XP, but I guess there is no other choice." Anthon sighed.


    Karma bathed in the blood of the yers, as he had already cut down every yer who had the intention to attack him. Now, the rest of the yers were trying to avoid his attacks but couldn''t retreat as there were still too many yers on the streets, blocking their path.


    At that moment, a single figure pushed through the yers and saw Karma charging at him with his daggers. The figure took out two swords and rushed straight at the dark-cloaked man.


    Karma continued grinning while stabbing both his daggers at the figure''s torso, expecting the yer to go straight down. The yers watching only looked at the stabbed yer like he was a fool and continued trying to run away.


    However, the yer didn''t go down.


    "Huh?" Karma looked strangely at the yer''s pale face. He was... smirking.


    Ambrose looked at Karma''s frowning face, but there was also something else in his vision. A floating light blue holographic screen.


    [Skill has been sessfully created!]


    [Do you want to name your skill?]


    [Y/N]


    ''No time for that!'' Ambrose screamed inwardly.


    [Your skill name has been randomly created]


    [Skill "Kill" has been created]


    [Kill: Release an unstoppable barrage. The skill has no time limit. The attack ends when the opponent or yer has been killed]


    "Kill!" Ambrose screamed andunched a barrage of attacks at his enemy. He felt himself losing all control of his arms and legs. His body had only one goal¡ªkill everyone who stood in his way.


    "What the hell?" Karma removed the daggers from Ambrose''s torso and hurriedly deflected the strikes. The attacks weren''t faster or stronger than the others he had fought before, but there was something dangerous about this.

 Chapter 38: Killed

    <h4>Chapter 38: Killed</h4>


    "Hey, doesn''t he look familiar?" Ignite wondered as he watched a random yerunch attacks at Karma.


    "Hmm?" Cauldron saw the pale, sickly face and remembered a certain person they killed, but had a vague memory of him. "I guess we have killed him before."


    "Oh, I remember him." Anthon spoke from the side and touched his shoulder. "Hended one attack on me, but that is pretty much it. He will die."


    Swing, swing, ng, ng¡ªKarma effortlessly weaved through the barrage of attacks and deflected the ones that would have hit him otherwise.


    "Haaah... haaah..." Ambrose breathed heavily while sweat beads appeared from his pores and fell to the ground. ''This attack is draining me out of stamina. Come on,nd at least a few attacks!''


    "This is pointless." Karma pulled his daggers back and weaved through the sword strikes while approaching Ambrose. Once he was within arms'' length, he spun his daggers around and stabbed them into the ck-haired yer''s chest.


    The yers groaned as they saw him getting stabbed. They wanted him to dy Karma a little bit longer while they retreated.


    Ambrose''s eyelids turned heavy as darkness swallowed his vision. His health bar was blinking red, and there was almost nothing left. As blood poured out of his wounds, his health dropped even more.


    Karma removed the daggers from the flesh of his opponent and knew that the fight was over. He then turned over to the rest of the yers and showed a crazy smile.


    ''Not a single attacknded...'' Ambrose thought while he sumbed to darkness. But then his arms started moving robotically, as if they were controlled by someone else.


    He squinted his eyes open and saw his arms moving again. This time, he could feel his hands tightening around the hilt of both swords. Before, he couldn''t feel anything.


    At that moment, a message appeared before him.


    [Kill - Completion Rate - 100%]


    ''Wait, you also have to reach the peak of yourpletion rate to use your own created skill?'' Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock, as he didn''t expect that.


    This meant he was fighting this whole time against Karma with only a fraction of his power in use.


    [Your skill "Kill" has acquired a rank!]


    [Kill - Rank: Rare]


    ''A rank? Howe I haven''t heard about this anywhere? Those basic skills had no rank, unless their rank was permanently basic. I wonder how high of a rank "rare" is, but it sounds powerful!''


    His vision cleared up, and a blinking red health bar hovered in his peripheral vision, but he ignored it and didn''t care what his health was. His attack was still ongoing, and he couldn''t stop even if he wanted to.


    His swords moved in the direction of Karma, who had already turned his back on him and was approaching the pale-faced yers.


    At that moment, Ambrose allowed the skill to take whole control of his body without fighting back. His legs started moving faster until he was fully running.


    "Hmm?" Karma looked over his shoulder as he heard footsteps approaching him and saw a scene he didn''t expect. A bloodied figure approached him with two swords in hand and an icy-cold look in his eyes.


    Killing intent!


    Karma''s body froze as if it were dipped in an ice cold river. The intense killing intent made his thoughts sluggish, and he couldn''t think of anything but the fear of death.


    "Wait, howe he is still moving?!" Ignite cried out, as everyone thought that Ambrose was long dead. His health should have been way down by now, and when health turns lower, the yer''s vision and movements be sluggish.


    However, Ambrose moved faster than ever before!


    Ambroseunched a barrage of attacks with all of his might behind each strike.


    Spurt!!


    Karma''s eyes shook as the de shed his shoulder, almost separating the shoulder from the body.


    "What the hell..." Karma gritted his teeth and wanted to move both his daggers to deflect the strikes, but he then felt immense pain in his right arm. He turned to his right arm''s shoulder and saw that it was heavily bleeding; therefore, he couldn''t move his arm!


    Ambrose swung the left-handed sword in a wide arc and shed across Karma''s chest, leaving behind a bloody cut and an evesting scar.


    Karma''s vision was filled with his own blood, and he fell to his knees. He tried to gather his thoughts, but they were very sluggish. It was something he had never experienced before.


    The yers expressions varied from shock to amazement as they saw the unbeatable-looking existence kneeling before a yer.


    Ambrose stabbed both swords into Karma''s chest and impaled him on the ground.


    "Cough!" Karma coughed blood and screamed hoarsely.


    "W-wait, isn''t he going to die?" The yers looked at each other and back at Karma. They unsheathed their weapons and rushed straight to the boss of this event, wanting to deliver the final hit!


    "These fools are going for the final hit!" Cauldron shouted.


    "Let''s go!" Anthon shouted and lunged forward. Because of his past as a track and field athlete, he was faster than most of the yers, but several yers were closer to Karma when they started running and reached him first.


    ''Huh?'' Ambrose raised his head and saw screaming yers running at him and Karma.


    "I WON''T DIE HERE!" Karma screamed, grabbed both sword des with his bare hands, and pulled them out of his body. He then kicked Ambrose in the chest, pushing him away, and then picked up his dagger from the ground and shed through the yers throats.


    Anthon nked him from the side and shed upwardly at his face, but Karma dodged it by shifting his body''s bnce and then delivered several sharp strikes at Anthon''s chest.


    Anthon staggered backward with blood gushing wounds on his chest.


    He was about to strike again when Karma grabbed him by the cor of his shirt and threw him to the ground.


    Anthon''s back of the head hit the ground harshly. If he were an ordinary person, his head might have cracked in half.


    Karma breathed heavily andunched an unstoppable onught on the yers. He was like a mad beast, killing everything in his sight.


    A sudden figure then appeared behind him, with two swords approaching him.


    Karma moved the dagger above his head and blocked both swords, then delivered a quick horse kick backwards and felt his bootnding on the chest of a person who had been a huge pain during this fight.


    Ambrose staggered backward and fell to the ground. He breathed heavily but then saw his health bar disappear suddenly.


    ''Ah, if those yers hadn''te... I might have... been able to kill him...'' His body disappeared into pixels, leaving behind a wooden sword on the ground.


    Karma screamed while deflecting the strikes from dozens of yers. Anthon, Cauldron, and Ignite continued to deliver powerful strikes, putting him under great pressure.


    RedBand looked from the sidelines and remembered those three young men. His grip tightened on his weapon.


    ''Those three. I will have my revenge one day, but for now, the final hit will be mine!'' He lunged forward and attacked Karma with his party members.


    Karma panicked while trying to dodge and deflect all the attacks, but more and more wounds appeared on his body. He could only use one arm because his right shoulder was almost hanging from his body.


    Swoosh¡ªseveral arrows crossed the distance and stabbed through Karma''s body. He let out a loud scream, and at the same time, five swords stabbed through his chest simultaneously.


    All the yers rushed at him and hacked their weapons at him.


    Karma dropped his dagger and looked nkly in front of him while feeling all sorts of weapons stab into his body. He felt nothing but coldness, and a certain face appeared in his vision.


    ''If it wasn''t for him... I didn''t expect there to be a lunatic like him here. Fuck...'' Karma closed his eyes and felt a sword stab into his heart. His body slouched down to the ground, and after several seconds, his body slowly vanished into pixels.


    After the second of his defeat, an announcement appeared on the orange sky of Amaterasu. However, it didn''t only appear there. All the yers on their respective cities and towns saw announcement appear on the sky.


    Martial Online''s first-ever World Announcement appeared.

 Chapter 39: Alice

    <h4>Chapter 39: Alice</h4>


    [You have been infected by the ck Smoke of Verhan!]


    [You are forbidden from entering Martial Online as long as you are infected!]


    [Time till your avatar is purified: 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds]


    ''Oh, great!'' Ambrose groaned, but his sound didn''t travel anywhere. He was floating aimlessly in ck space while looking at the messages in front of him.


    ''I will be left behind others unless I somehow earn crazy rewards from the event, but I doubt it. I failed to kill the boss after all... I wonder if they managed to kill him.''


    Ambrose opened his interface, but a strange scene happened.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: ???]


    [ss: Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: ???/???]


    [HP: ???/??]


    [SP: ???]


    [Silver: 0]


    [STR: 10]


    [CHA: 5]


    [INT: 8]


    [LUC: 6]


    [AGI: 1]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 15]


    [STA: 15]


    ***


    ''Strange...'' Ambrose thought after seeing all the question marks. ''I also lost my silvers. Well, there was only five anyway.''


    He pressed on log out button and disappeared.


    ...


    After Jesse opened his eyes, he took out the VR headset and ced it gently on the bedside table. He then took out his phone and checked the news to see if they had any updates about the situation.


    It took him barely a second to find the news he was waiting for.


    [yers from Amaterasu sessfully defeated the boss of World Quest!]


    [A World Announcement appeared on the skies of Martial Online!]


    Jesse saw the image, which showed the world announcement in all its glory.


    [WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT: Dark Magician, Karma has been defeated - Rewards will be calcted and given tomorrow night!]


    ''They did it...'' Jesse closed the phone and sighed deeply. He felt sad that he couldn''t kill the Dark Magician himself, but he was d that he still died.


    "I wonder how much damage I dealt to him in the end..." He pocketed his phone and looked nkly at the ceiling.


    "Kill, huh..."


    He still felt the sensation on his fingertips¡ªthe sensation of absolute power. Kill was something that changed his demeanor entirely, and it was indeed a powerful skill, but he wasn''t sure how to use it in the future.


    "It is a powerful skill, but I can''t deactivate the skill. That is a huge side effect, and I can''t waste the skill scroll and decide not to use it." Jesse sighed and fixed the position of the pillows under his head.


    "I need to start hunting for skill scrolls, but where can I start doing that? Rich might help me, and I can also show my skill... I wonder how he reacts to my suicidal skill, hah." Jesse let out a strained chuckle. "Also, yers seem to have a much easier time creating skills than NPCs.


    "Rich said that he tried for two decades to create skills, but I could do it just by thinking what I wanted. The skill scroll decided how the skill worked and the side effects, etc., but it is clear that yers can create it fairly easily.


    "Well, maybe not easily; I might have been lucky. I don''t know yet, and this whole skill creation is quite a mystery for now."


    Jesse sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I am sleep deprived. I might as well catch up with sleep while I can''t y."


    He closed his eyes and fell asleep in bed without caring that his stomach was rumbling with hunger.


    ...


    The next morning, Jesse woke up rather early and hurried to the bathroom before moving to the kitchen to eat. He was the first one to wake up in the household.


    But while he was munching on food, he heard heavy footstepsing from upstairs. His body tensed, and he soon saw his parents talking while moving over to the kitchen. They saw him but didn''t say a word about him and instead moved on making food.


    Terry, Jesse''s father, put coffee brewing and grabbed a newspaper from the kitchen desk. He leaned on the cab and started reading it while waiting for his coffee to finish brewing.


    Maria, on the other hand, started making breakfast.


    "Hmph, all the news is about that game these days." Terry shook his head disappointedly. "The media has truly fallen down. Where are important news stories about the newly appointed minister and about foreign news?"


    Jesse perked up his ears while silently eating the oatmeal cereal.


    "I heard about Lydia''s son, who has a respectable job in the union, spending all day inside that game. He wakes up, eats, and then goes straight to the game. She is afraid of his well-being because she doesn''t even see her son anymore." Maria said.


    "Hmph." Terry shook his head sternly. "He has a well-paying job; why bother spending time on a game that has no value in the long term? You can''t make money by ying games!"


    ''I managed to.'' Jesse thought to himself and felt happier knowing about the 600 crowns in his bank ount.


    Another set of footsteps came from the direction of the stairs. Holly entered the kitchen with a sleepy-looking expression and messy bedhair. She rubbed her eyes and saw one more person in the kitchen who rarely ate with them.


    "Are you still eating that garbage food?" Holly scoffed and sat on the opposite side of the table. "No wonder you look like a skeleton when all you consume is that."


    "Holly..." Maria sighed and shook her head.


    Jesse raised his gaze from the oatmeal cereal he was eating and looked at Holly. He didn''t answer and instead put another spoonful of food in his mouth.


    ''I would make food if I could. I can''t fucking reach the stove, and they don''t buy anything else but oatmeal these days.'' Jesse thought to himself.


    Holly pulled out her phone and started texting her friends while annoyingly ncing at Jesse asionally.


    "Jesse." Maria suddenly spoke without turning to look at her son.


    Jesse swallowed the food and asked. "Yes?"


    "Alice will be visiting you today. Don''t make things hard for her, alright?"


    ''Today?'' Jesse''s eyes popped, and he dropped his spoon into the bowl of oatmeal. He wiped his lips with a napkin and rolled out of the kitchen, hurrying to return to his bedroom.


    Holly watched as her brother left and chuckled. "She is way out of his league. I know he is half-cripple, but is he blind too?"


    "Holly, can you stop bullying him for once?" Maria''s voice turned stern, and she then continued focusing on the breakfast.


    "Hmph." Holly pouted and turned back to her phone.


    Terry changed the page on the newspaper and then saw a name mentioned on the page.


    [Dark Magician Karma was killed yesterday night, and the person who delivered the final hit was identified. The final hit was delivered by yer Serenity]


    ...


    Jesse looked at himself in the phone''s mirror and sighed deeply. He closed his phone and put it in his pocket.


    Ding, ding¡ªa doorbell rang from downstairs.


    Jesse gritted his teeth and forced himself to stand. He then rolled his wheelchair to the corner of the room and tried to stand with his back straight. He looked at his legs, and they looked skinny, as if they were malnourished.


    Knock, knock¡ªsomeone knocked on the door.


    "Come in." Jesse spoke slowly and turned over to the door.


    The door opened, and a young woman entered his room with a handbag in hand. She was very lovely, with light blue eyes and beautiful silver hair. She was wearing a white blouse and a ck skirt. It was clear that she would be the center of attention everywhere she went.


    "Thank you foring, Miss Alice." Jesse bowed slightly while hiding his nervous heartbeat.


    "How have you been doing in the past week?" Alice asked with a lovely smile, but then looked concerned. "I heard that you had another fracture?"


    "Yes, but it is fine now." Jesse said while rubbing his right wrist. He wasn''t lying, as he couldn''t feel any pain in it anymore.


    Alice smiled and was relieved. She took a seat and crossed her legs. As she moved her hair over her delicate ear, she noticed a white VR headset with a golden visor on top of the table.

 Chapter 40: Injury Of The Past

    <h4>Chapter 40: Injury Of The Past</h4>


    "Do you also y Martial Online?" Alice asked with a curious smile.


    "Ah." Jesse turned to his bedside table and sheepishly scratched his head. "Yeah, I do. The doctor rmended it because of my illness."


    "Has it helped?" She asked. "Unfortunately, it isn''t helpful for deaf and blind people, but for you, it should help."


    "Ah, yes. It is working perfectly." Jesse smiled fondly while remembering the game. "It is the first ce where I can feel normal."


    "That is excellent." Alice smiled and pped her hands. "Have you tried the exercises I gave you during myst visit? You should still take good care of your real body."


    "I tried, but..." Jesse shook his head. "I received the fracture because I tried doing the push-ups."


    "Oh." Alice''s lips curled downward, and she looked sorry. "I am sorry; I thought your body could handle that much. In that case, what about the food diet I suggested?"


    "Yes, I have done that..." Jesse forced a smile, but he was lying, as he didn''t dare ask his parents to spend more money on him. The physical therapist was thest thing they were willing to pay for.


    "Good." Alice smiled and took out a notepad from her handbag. "How are your legs? How long can you stand per day before it bes unbearable?"


    "Thirty minutes or so." Jesse said while touching the side of his leg. He was actually already feeling pain but didn''t want to show it in his face.


    ''The pain isn''t that bad anymore; it is actually bearable. Strange.'' He thought while frowning.


    "Mm." Alice nodded while writing down notes. "Could you spend those thirty minutes walking around the street?"


    "Hmm?" Jesse looked surprised, as such a thought never came to his mind. He couldn''t remember when hest walked outside without a wheelchair.


    "I could walk with you till you have grown used to it." Alice said with a smile. "I often run past your house early in the morning during my morning jog. You could join me for a walk."


    "Uh, sure then." Jesse nodded and epted the proposal, even though he felt slightly reluctant. He wasn''t sure how long it would take before his legs couldn''tst anymore.


    "Nice." Alice smiled and put the notepad inside the handbag. "That is pretty much all I wanted to check out for today. If pain returns on the right wrist, visit the doctor as soon as possible.


    "I will, thank you." Jesse walked to the door and opened it for her. Alice walked out of the door, but then turned around and looked into his dull eyes.


    "Which city are you in?" Alice asked.


    "Excuse me?"


    "In Martial Online."


    "Ah, Amaterasu," Jesse said.


    Alice''s face immediately beamed into a sweet smile. "Me too. Perhaps we will see each other there. See you tomorrow."


    "Goodbye." Jesse watched as Alice walked down the stairs and saw her discussing something with Maria at the doorway. Once she left, Maria closed the door and looked upstairs at him.


    Jesse sighed and closed the door. He immediately sat back down and groaned in pain.


    "These fucking legs." He grabbed his pants tightly and wanted to w his legs with his nails, but knew it would be a terrible idea.


    He covered his eyes with his hand and remembered the time when he ruined his legs. It happened in middle school, when he identally slipped on the stairs and fell to the bottom of the stairs, legs first.


    His legs were shattered by impact, but it was also lucky because if he hadnded head-first, he would have died.


    That was also hisst day at any school and the downfall of his life.


    Jesseid back on the bed and exhaled loudly. He then turned to the side and looked at the chair where Alice had sat just moments ago. She and a few doctors had treated him nicely, which made him grateful towards them. But he could see pity behind their gazes.


    "I wish I could just move my consciousness to my Martial Online avatar and abandon this body, hah." Jesseughed at the strange thought. However, he thought it didn''t sound too bad, as this world seemed very gray in his vision.


    He then pulled out his phone and checked for any information on forums. As soon as he entered the forums, he saw that there was a post made by Martial Online staff!


    [Ranks of the Techniques]


    [After more than a hundred people had sessfully created their skills, we decided to reveal the ranks of the techniques. The NPC styles with "Basic" in the name are part of the lowest rank, and each NPC technique will have the rank of the technique in the name.


    [However, yer techniques don''t have to be like that. You are free to choose your skill''s own name or let the system decide it for you. After creating the skill and reaching a 100%pletion rate, your skill rank will be determined.


    [The ranks are following...


    [1st. Basic.


    [2. Skilled.


    [3. Talented.


    [4. Rare.


    [5. Beyond Rare.


    [6. Epic.


    [7. Purple Epic.


    [8. Legendary.


    [9. Golden Legendary.


    [10. Mythical.]


    "There are so many ranks." Jesse thought and saw the fourth rank. "Rare is fourth. That is not bad. I didn''t expect it to be so much higher than any other skill of mine, but it makes sense."


    Jesse then checked thement section, and most asked how to make their own skills as there was no information about it, but Martial Online staff didn''t reply to them. Some even offered to purchase that information.


    Jesse felt tempted, but after remembering the Crow Cave mess, he decided to reign in his greed now and close the phone.


    "The time is moving so slowly..." He moaned in annoyance while checking the clock every five minutes. He knew it was around 7 p.m. when he died, and it was around that time when his avatar would get purified from the ck Smoke of Verhan.


    Jesse was tired of just lying down, so he set his rm clock to wake him up at 7 p.m. and then closed his eyes to catch some sleep.


    He didn''t know when he fell asleep, but it took him at least an hour to force himself to sleep.


    The next thing he remembered was a loud noise in his ears. He woke up with a loud groan and closed the rm clock in annoyance. He opened his phone with half-open eyes and saw the clock had reached 7 p.m.


    "Finally..." Jesse tossed the phone to the side, took his VR headset, and put it around his head. He then pressed the button and saw his vision go from his house to the empty white space.


    He immediately pressed on Martial Online and reappeared in the middle of the street. The streets were bustling with NPCs and yers. There were still signs of the fight that had happened yesterday, but there were celebrations happening.


    Many still had lost their loved ones, and some NPCs looked extremely sad, as if their whole lives had crashed down in the span of a few hours. The yers felt pity for them even though they weren''t actually real but were creatures of inte code.


    ''If I remember correctly, I never assigned my stats after reaching level 5.'' Ambrose thought and opened his interface.


    However, what he saw made him very confused.


    "It is still the same? What are those question marks?"


    At that moment, a loud bell rang across the city.


    An enormous message appeared in the darkening skies of Amaterasu.


    [REWARDS OF THE WORLD QUEST WILL BE GIVEN NOW]


    [RANKINGS OF THE EVENT]


    [1...]

 Chapter 41 Reverse Tiger Blade

    <h4>Chapter 41 Reverse Tiger de</h4>


    The rankings showed the top ten to everyone, and at the bottom was the individual position, which was only shown to the yer who was looking at the message.


    Ambrose saw his own ranking at the bottom of the leaderboard.


    [11. Ambrose - Points: 11,567]


    "Eleventh..." Ambrose staggered in shock and had to lean on the wall to keep him standing. He never expected this kind of result, but after seeing the number, he also had a bitter taste in his mouth.


    He was one spot away from reaching the top ten, which definitely had the greatest rewards. The top ten yers would also receive fame, which would help them in the future.


    ''It''s fine. Eleventh ce is still spectacr!'' Ambrose smiled and became very excited for his rewards.


    At that moment, message after message appeared in his vision. He couldn''t even see the street and surrounding people anymore as there were simply too many messages.


    ***


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 5 -> 6]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 6 -> 7]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 7 -> 8]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 8 -> 9]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 9 -> 10]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 10 -> 11]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 11 -> 12]


    [1500 silvers Rewarded!]


    [Teleportation Pearl (1 use) Rewarded!]


    [Skill Scroll Rewarded!]


    [Dojo Key Rewarded!]


    ***


    Ambrose looked nkly at the messages and had to take a seat on the sidewalk to soak it all in. After a few minutes, he clenched his fists and let out a silent cheer for himself. He was extremely thrilled!


    ''Skill Scroll! Teleportation Pearl! 1500 silvers! Amazing!'' Ambrose touched his chest in an attempt to calm his turbulent heart. He then took a look at thest message and frowned. ''Dojo Key? Could that be what I am thinking of?''


    He inhaled a cold breath.


    ''Dojo Key might allow me to have my own dojo. T-that is insane!'' Ambroseughed at him, but to bystanders, he looked like he had gone mad. ''But still, the top ten rewards must be miles better. I am feeling envious, but this is still good.


    ''Also, I am now level 12! Since I hadn''t used previous stat points, I must have 80 stat points that I can now assign!''


    Ambrose took a deep breath and stood up. He pulled out his dojo key to see what kind of key it was. It was a silver brass key with the symbol of a dojo on it.


    At that moment, the key started suddenly glowing, and it entirely filled Ambrose''s vision. The next time he opened his eyes, he was standing in front of a wooden gate and a dpidated dojo. The yard was messy with growing weeds.


    The key flew out of Ambrose''s hand, entered the hole in the gate, and turned clockwise. The gate creaked open, showing the empty yard and dojo.


    Ambrose stepped forth, and the key flew back into his grasp. He tossed it into his inventory and entered the dojo. The floorboards had cracks, and the pirs keeping the ceiling up were worn out.


    It looked like the dojo could fall at any time.


    But Ambrose smiled while looking around. He then saw stairs going to the second floor of the dojo. He immediately went there, and on top of the stairs there were wooden doors without locks.


    Ambrose pushed it open and saw a dusty room with an old-looking bed and an empty bookshelf.


    [Do you want to assign this room as your spawn spot?]


    [Y/N]


    ''I can make this my spawn spot?'' Ambrose looked around the dusty room and didn''t even hesitate as he pressed yes. He felt something enter his body before disappearing. He now felt connected to the room.


    "Funnily enough, this is the first ce that I own, haha." Ambrose sat on the bed and felt it shake under him. The whole ce was crude to look at, but to him, it looked brilliant.


    "I guess I can now train my swordsmanship in peace." Ambroseid on the bed and stretched his limbs with a peaceful look. "Interface."


    After opening his interface, he looked at his stat points with an amazed expression. He didn''t even have this many points to spend at the start of the game.


    "What should I spend on..." Ambrose first looked at his experience points.


    [XP: 200/450]


    "Before, every level had a 25 XP increase, but it shouldn''t be this high if this is the case now. So, the amount XP needed for each level up has bigger increase now..."


    He then refocused on his stats and thought deeply.


    "Strength. I will put more in it. I think my Kill skill would be more dangerous with greater strength.


    "Charm... This can be so useful to get quests if it works like that, but I am still not confident. But I will add more to it. I hope I am not wrong.


    "Intelligence. Sure, a little bit more is fine.


    "Luck. Hmm, I noticed that I dropped a wooden sword, which was rather lucky that I didn''t drop my shortsword. So luck could also influence that. I might as well add a little bit more.


    "Agility. Kill needs more speed, but I don''t n on relying on agility too much, so a little bit more.


    "Vitality is fine. After leveling up so much, my HP is now staggering 85.


    "Dexterity, definitely. Kill needs it.


    "Stamina; Kill needs it too."


    Ambrose rubbed his chin and nodded firmly. He began assigning the stats without any hesitation, and the interface soon looked like this.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 12]


    [ss: Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 200/450]


    [HP: 85/85]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 1500]


    [STR: 25]


    [CHA: 20]


    [INT: 10]


    [LUC: 10]


    [AGI: 10]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 35]


    [STA: 30]


    ***


    "I put 15 points on strength, 10 on charm, 2 on intelligence, 4 on luck, 9 on agility, none on vitality, 20 on dexterity, and 15 on stamina."


    Ambrose was very satisfied with it and then closed the interface. The 1500 silvers were still vivid in his memory, and he wasn''t sure where to spend them all.


    "1500 steaming buns sounds like a good investment." He chuckled after making a joke and then opened his inventory. He took out the skill scroll and teleportation pearl.


    "Teleportation pearl sounds amazing, but only for one use." Ambrose frowned. "I am not sure if I should use it even if I am about to die. I can always recover from dying, but this seems very precious. I could sell it, but I kind of want to keep it for now."


    He put it back in his inventory and then looked at the skill scroll. "Hmm, let''s try if I can make another skill.


    He looked at the nk, empty scroll and concentrated on creating the skill.


    Ambrose stood silently in the dusty room while the sky above Amaterasu turned dark.


    However, after trying everything, he couldn''t create a skill.


    "Why is it now difficult?" Ambrose pinched on his be and put the scroll back in the inventory, giving up for now.


    "Is anyone here!"


    A booming sound came from downstairs.


    "What the hell?" Ambrose frowned and left the room, then reached the dojo''s main room, which was often used by masters of the dojo to teach their students about the principles of swordsmanship.


    At the entrance of the dojo, there was a bushy-browed man with five goons behind him. He didn''t look like a pleasant person and hadn''te here to simply say hey.


    "Who are you?" Ambrose asked with a frown.


    "I am Ken from Reverse Tiger de Dojo. Your dojo is in our territory; therefore, I am here to challenge your dojo!" Ken pulled out his shortsword. However, he was strangely holding it in a reverse grip, which wasn''tmonly seen.


    "In your territory?" Ambrose rolled his eyes. ''Great.''


    "If you defeat me, we will allow you to stay here if you pay us a fee of 1000 silvers monthly. However, if you lose, you must leave this city immediately!"


    "So, even if I win, I will lose." Ambrose clicked his tongue and pulled out his shortsword. "I won''t be paying you anything."


    "You have no choice!" Ken shouted and lunged forward. "You don''t want to make enemies out of us!"

 Chapter 42 Crushing

    <h4>Chapter 42 Crushing</h4>


    "Stay on the gate. Don''t let anyone in." Ken said to the sword-wielding goons behind his back. They nodded and left the dojo to guard the gate.


    Ken then turned to Ambrose and said. "I am Ken, a user of the Reverse Tiger de. State your name!"


    "Ambrose." Ambrose grabbed the shortsword with both hands and put it in front of him. He then stepped forward with his right foot and leaned slightly forward. He was adding more weight to his front feet to increase the weight of his swings.


    "What is the name of your style?" Ken asked with a deep voice.


    "Don''t have any. As you can see, I am still starting." Ambrose said.


    Ken looked around the dpidated dojo and scoffed. "I guess you have to start somewhere, but this is still a sad sight. Zero students, a dojo at breaking point, and a style with no name. Are you even a swordsman?"


    "I have no answers to your questions. Should we start this already?"


    "Very well." Ken moved his shoulders, loosening his limbs, and then stepped forward with a long lunge. He rapidly ran across the cracked floorboards with his sword in reverse grip.


    "Reverse de!" Ken moved his arm behind his back and then whipped his arm around with a sword in hand. His arm looked very flexible, as if it were a whip, and the sword''s de curled slightly, as if it resembled a tiger''s w.


    "Basic Parry!" Ambrose lowered his sword and smashed it into the iing de. He soon noticed that it was a big mistake.


    His de got deflected by Ken''s powerful strike.


    Ken crossed his arms and shed diagonally across Ambrose''s shoulder.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose staggered with a blood-gushing wound on his shoulder. He didn''t expect his parry to be defeated so easily.


    "Amateurish mistake!" Ken shouted and repeatedly shed at Ambrose with his reverse grip.


    Ambrose desperately tried blocking the sword strikes, but Ken was both faster and stronger than him.


    "Slow, sloppy, and weak!" Ken gracefully moved behind Ambrose and mmed the side of his fist against his exposed neck.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook, and he crashed to the ground. His vision turned entirely dark for a moment before the light returned. He was knocked unconscious for a moment!


    ''You can be knocked unconscious here?'' He grabbed his head as if he had a head-splitting headache. He then climbed back to his feet and saw Ken gracefully standing while natural sunlight fell on his face.


    "Reverse Tiger de focuses on graceful fighting. Your fighting is crude and ugly to look at." Ken said.


    "Hah." Ambrose chuckled and tightened his grip on his sword. "Your mouth is big!"


    He shot forward and grabbed the sword with both hands. He then moved the sword to the side of his right shoulder and swung it powerfully across the air.


    Ken stepped gracefully to the side, dodging the strike, and then pushed the sword through Ambrose''s chest, causing a big bloody hole in the middle of his chest.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose coughed up blood.


    [-50 HP!]


    [HP: 11/85]


    "You have lost. Leave Amaterasu and nevere back." Ken said. "If you ever return, we won''t spare you."


    "Hahahahaha..." Ambrose suddenly grabbed Ken by his wrist and looked at him with a bloody grin. "You wanted to see my style, right? Well, here it is."


    "Huh?" Ken frowned and punched Ambrose across the face. However, the ck-haired young man continued grinning as he pushed his sword through Ken''s waist.


    "Rgh!" Ken groaned in pain, but at the moment of impact, he managed to twist his waist to dodge most of the damage. The de only graced his waist, leaving behind a bloody cut, but it was far from fatal.


    Ken looked up at the young man, who had just stabbed him, and felt his body turn cold as he saw his dull eyes with a bloody grin.


    ''My life sucks.


    ''This is the only ce that I have left, and I don''t let them take it away from me!''


    Ambrose removed his grip on Ken''s waist and pulled out his second shortsword from his inventory. He crossed his swords and shed across Ken''s chest.


    Blood spewed across the dojo, sttering against the floors and messy walls.


    Ken jumped backwards, distancing himself from Ambrose. Once hended back on the floor, he touched his bleeding chest and squinted his eyes ufortably.


    "Dual-wielding, huh. However, it ain''t the first time I am fighting someone with dual-wielding." Ken took a deep breath and looked deeply at Ambrose.


    He charged forward and shed repeatedly, as if he wanted to murder the air in front of him. Each sword strike was powerful, urate, and extremely fast!


    "Haaaaaaaa!" Ambrose screamed and hurriedly used both swords to deflect the sword strikes as well as he could.


    At that moment, Ken''s smile grew, and he moved to Ambrose''s left side and shed through his waist.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose saw a bloody cut on his wound and saw the rest of his health disappear in an instant.


    Ken stopped moving and slowly sheathed his sword.


    Ambrose groaned and fell to his knees. He looked at his health and saw that he only had 2 HP left.


    "I changed my mind." Ken said and touched his bleeding chest. "If you promise to pay us a fee of 1000 silvers monthly, we will let you stay here. Otherwise... we wille tomorrow to destroy your dojo and drag your body out of here."


    "Sigh..." Ambrose lowered his head and bit his lip tightly until it started bleeding. He hated this, but he had no other choice. "Fine..."


    "Good." Ken rubbed his neck. "Your dual-wielding has massive weaknesses. You are not ambidextrous; therefore, you are stronger with your right hand than with your left. Unless you fix that, your left side will always be your weakness, and it is easy to exploit."


    Ambrose looked at his sword-wielding hands and saw nothing but weakness.


    "You have one month to gather the fee. Till then, bye." Ken left the dojo, and soon the dojo and its yard were empty again.


    ''What could I have done? Do I need speed after all? No, I don''t believe that.


    ''I need to improve my swordsmanship! It doesn''t improve magically. The skills make me stronger, but they don''t make my swordsmanship better.


    ''The ss, Swordsman, made it easier for me to learn swordsmanship, but I am still barely a novice. Strength wise, I am above average among yers, but I am very average with swordsmanship alone.


    ''If I were fighting against any yer with only swordsmanship, no skills, and equal levels, I would struggle a lot!


    ''I need to improve. Improve. Improve. Improve. Improve!''


    Ambrose stood up with two swords in hand. He looked at the empty dojo and clenched his swords tightly.


    "Where to begin? Do I need a master? I could also watch tutorial videos about swordsmanship. If I remember correctly, there is a temple in Werhend that specializes in swordsmanship. Many thought of them as old-fashioned, but they might have something on the inte, even though that is far-fetched.


    ''That ce doesn''t interact with the outside world much, but I am certain that there should be some tutorial videos. I should start from there.


    ''Reverse Tiger de... They wanted to crush my dojo and bully me because I have no strength to fight back, and they must have known about it.


    ''I will return the favor... I will fucking crush their dojo instead!''

 Chapter 43 Morning Walk

    <h4>Chapter 43 Morning Walk</h4>


    A beautiful, silver-haired young woman ran down the sidewalk with her hair tied in a ponytail. She wore light clothing suitable for warm weather and a pair of running shoes.


    She nced at her wristwatch and slowly stopped running in front of a white building surrounded by a fence and a well-kept yard. It was the house of the Kraham family.


    She then started stretching her limbs while enjoying the wind in her hair.


    After a short while, the door of the building opened.


    Alice stopped stretching and turned to the open door with a smile. "Good morning!"


    "Morning..." Jesse replied with a quiet tone as he closed the door behind him. He was holding a small ball in his left hand, and he often squeezed it as if it were a stress ball.


    He wore ck clothes with worn out running shoes, which he hadn''t used for a very long time and they were quite tight on his feet.


    Jesse then walked out of the yard, feeling very unfamiliar. It had been a long time since he had walked outdoors in Nocklund. It was a different experience from Martial Online.


    Mostly because his body was weak and he could feel it.


    "Hmm, you are looking more healthy now." Alice tiptoed and stared at Jesse''s dull eyes intensely. She then scanned his face and nodded with a smile. "Yes, you clearly look more healthy. I am d."


    "Ahem, right." Jesse stepped away from her and cleared his throat. He wasn''t sure whether she was just acting kindly or if he had actually grown more healthy. ''I am feeling better these days, but it must be some mental thing. After all, I have now Martial Online.''


    "Let''s start walking, shall we?" Alice said. "Let''s move at your pace and say if you are feeling pain, then we will return immediately."


    "Alright." Jesse said and started walking beside her while squeezing the ball in his left hand. It was one of the ambidextrous exercises he had read online.


    Squeezing the ball would increase his hand strength, and he would learn to use his non-dominant hand better. It was a long process, but he nned to take it very seriously.


    "What is that?" Alice noticed the ball and asked curiously.


    "Ah, this is to increase hand strength." Jesse replied. He didn''t give the actual reason for it since he thought it would seem nerdy to put so much effort into a video game.


    "That is good. I am happy that you are putting effort into improving your health." Alice said as she smiled at him.


    Jesse nodded and looked straight across the neighborhood. It had been a long time since he had seen this neighborhood from his height.


    He then side-nced at Alice. She had been his physical therapist for half a year now. His previous one wasn''t as nice, and he didn''t really enjoy any of the visits before, but Alice was very nice.


    Alice''s parents were Head doctor and nurse at a local hospital, which made her family''s reputation extremely good. She, of course, followed in their footsteps, but she wanted to start as something else first before moving onto a bigger job in the hospital.


    With a stroke of luck, she ended up being his physical therapist.


    "How are you feeling?" Alice turned to look at Jesse and saw him quickly turn his gaze back to the sidewalk. "Any pain?"


    "No, I am feeling good." Jesse tossed the ball into the air, then caught it. "Sorry for having you waste time with me. I will be fine if you have some more urgent things to do. I doubt I will die now, hah."


    "Don''t be silly. It is my duty to ensure your wellbeing!" Alice pushed her chest forward proudly. "Also, walking under the sunlight with wind on our backs is an amazing feeling. Don''t you think so?"


    "Hmm..." Jesse looked at the blue sky, but to him, it looked oddly gray, as if there were no other color present. He had been stuck in his room for so long that being outside was an ufortable feeling.


    "Has anything interesting happened in Martial Onlely?" Alice asked. "Are you doing fine?"


    "Well, the World Quest was something else, and it seems like the game is picking up pace in terms of difficulty." Jesse became more enthusiastic when talking about Martial Online, and Alice could sense it.


    Alice smiled and nodded. "Yeah. Soon, there will be more dojos and parties created, so ying solo will be disadvantageous. If you want, you can join mine and my friends party. We thought about creating our own dojo as well."


    "Howe you are so sure I am a solo yer?" Jesse asked with a slight sad smile.


    "Ah, I didn''t mean it like that!" Alice panicked and quickly waved her hands. "I meant, if you want a permanent party, we would ept you."


    "Thanks, but I will be fine..." Jesse said and looked at his left hand. He was squeezing the ball very hard. "I was also thinking about creating my own dojo."


    "Oh, really?" Alice looked surprised. She then put her hands behind her back and stopped walking. "What kind of dojo?"


    "Swordsmanship." Jesse replied and stopped walking.


    "I see..." Alice''s smile had vanished, and she looked silently at Jesse for a moment before she smiled again. "Shall we return now? We must have walked for fifteen minutes by now. We shouldn''t push it too much."


    "Alright." Jesse nodded and followed after Alice as they began walking in the same direction they came from.


    ''Strange. When I wasn''t thinking about my legs, I couldn''t even feel the pain.'' Jesse touched the side of his thigh.


    He could still feel a burning sensation on the soles of his feet, but it wasn''t a stabbing feeling as if he were walking on top of knives.


    ''Weird, really weird.'' Jesse thought with a frown.


    They soon arrived at the yard of the Kraham family''s building. Smoke was rising from the chimney, and the smell of cooking food wasing from inside.


    "You did very well." Alice said and asked. "How are you feeling?"


    "Good, only a small amount of pain." Jesse replied.


    "That is good. Maybe one day we can try jogging." Alice then nced at her wristwatch and said. "I have to go now."


    "Mm, see you tomorrow." Jesse opened the metal gate and walked to the front door.


    Alice stood behind the white fence, looking at his retreating back.


    She then shouted. "What is your name in Martial Online?"


    Jesse stopped moving when his hand touched the door handle. He then turned around and said.


    "Ambrose..."


    "Ambrose..." Alice whispered gently and smiled. "Be careful out there. There will be many dojos created by yers in the following weeks and months. There might be more fighting happening inside the city of Amaterasu.


    "If the battle is happening inside the dojo, the Watchmen of Amaterasu won''t punish anyone, so be careful.


    "Oh, thank you for the warning." Jesse nodded and watched as Alice left while jogging with her ponytail swaying behind her. ''No wonder they didn''te to arrest Ken or me. I guess it''s notpletely safe inside Amaterasu after all.


    ''Time to go back to Martial Online. I can''t stop the grind. I have already gained some distance from most of the yer base. Gotta keep pushing...''

 Chapter 44 Skill Demonstration

    <h4>Chapter 44 Skill Demonstration</h4>


    "Haaah... haaah..."


    Smack, smack, smack!


    A lonely figure stood in the middle of the dpidated dojo with two shortswords in hand. He was a young man with messy ck hair, a clean-shaven face, and a skinny body.


    Sweat dripped down his shirtless body and fell to the cracked floor. His body was skinny,cking any masculine muscle tone. If there was anyone watching, they would wonder whether he was intentionally starving himself.


    "Ha!" Ambrose shouted and mmed his shortswords into the wooden dummy. He then reeled back his swords and shed repeatedly into the wooden torso of the dummy as if it were his mortal enemy.


    ''Slow, sloppy, and weak.''


    Words echoed in his ears.


    "I don''t need speed. I need strength!" Ambrose shouted and shed one more time. This time, he left behind two tiny scratches on the dummy.


    He breathed heavily and plopped down on the floor.


    "It has been five days since I started training using my left hand, but I really can''t tell if I have improved. I am still clearly more dominant on the right hand." Ambrose took a white towel and wiped his face.


    It had been five days since his training, and during that time, he visited the forest several times, eventually reaching level 17. Now, he was taking a break and decided to focus on training against the training dummy.


    He purchased the training dummy for 50 silvers and also bought new clothes, finally getting rid of the basic outfit.


    "I guess I should go meet him. I have dyed it long enough." Ambrose thought aloud, grabbed his towel, shirt, and swords from the ground, and ran upstairs.


    After hanging the towel from a hook, he put the shirt on and stored his swords in his inventory. He then checked himself in the mirror.


    He wore a white linen shirt and ck trousers with a belt around his waistline. Two of the linen shirt''s buttons were open, exposing his skinny neck more than he wanted to.


    Ambrose slowly buttoned the shirt and looked at his dull eyes in the mirror. He then put on a pair of ck leather boots, which fit the ck trousers perfectly. He would look great if he were only taller and had a bigger body.


    He then walked out of his room and left the dojo after locking the wooden gate.


    The weather was brilliant, with a bright blue sky and a light breeze blowing through the trees. The sun proudly hovered in the middle of the sky, while clouds kept itpany as they drifted by.


    Theughter of children and the lingering scent of food filled the air. It was worlds apart from the scene six days ago.


    Amaterasu had returned to its peaceful state, but a memorial was built in the middle of the marker square to honor everyone who had fallen.


    Funnily enough, his name was also printed on that stone tablet. He, after all, died in the battle, even though it was not a permanent one.


    After a while of walking, Ambrose arrived at Rich''s dojo. He saw students of the dojo training eagerly in the yard. The memory of the crows attack was still vivid in their minds. It reminded them of their weakness, and next time, they wanted to protect the city.


    Ambrose entered the yard of the dojo but didn''t see Rich anywhere.


    "Hey, it''s you. Are you looking for Rich?" A student of the dojo stopped training for a moment after seeing the ck-haired youth.


    "Yes, is he inside?" Ambrose asked.


    "He is in the backyard." The student said and continued smacking his sword against the training dummy.


    ''Backyard...'' Ambrose thanked the student and entered the dojo. He crossed the main room and exited the dojo via another open entrance.


    The backyard of the dojo had flourishing grass and a small pond with fish swimming. There was a small garden, and next to it was a white table with three chairs.


    Ambrose soon found Rich meditating before the pond. He seemed harmonious, as if he were connected to the world around him.


    He didn''t dare interrupt him, and he went to the table to sit down.


    Rich squinted his eyes as if he were having a terrible nightmare. He clenched his fists and looked like he wanted to punch a tree into smithereens.


    "Inner Power... Inner Power..." He gritted his teeth, and his face muscles morphed into something unrecognizable. He looked like he was exploding from inside!


    A few secondster, Rich exhaled a long breath and loosened his fists. His face returned to its normal state, and only the sweat-filled forehead was a reminder of the strange scene that just happened.


    "What am Icking..." Rich looked at the swimming fish and tilted his head. He imagined himself swimming in ce of the fish. He then shook his head and stood up.


    After turning around, he saw someone sitting in the corner of the backyard. He recognized him immediately.


    "Ah, it''s you!" Rich walked to the table and also sat down. "Why have youe here? I am afraid I am unable to teach you anything now."


    "It''s not that." Ambrose waved his hand to dismiss that idea. "I have actually... Created my skill already."


    Rich covered his mouth in shock and looked at him with disbelief.


    "I see... How did you do it?" He intertwined his fingers and looked at him seriously.


    "I don''t know. I just imagined myself fighting against a certain someone, and a picture of my skill appeared inside my mind. Then, the skill scroll epted it.


    "I have now received another skill scroll, but no luck with it. Maybe I was just extremely lucky, haha."


    "Lucky..." Rich shook his head. "I don''t think luck has anything to do with it."


    Ambrose shrugged his shoulders.


    "Can you... show me the skill?" Rich asked with a desire to see what kind of skill the person he gave the skill scroll to managed to create.


    "Sure, I can try." Ambrose scratched his head. He had found a way to train his Kill, but it was rather expensive. He could use it against the training dummy and fight it till it was destroyed.


    Therefore, he had to purchase a second training dummy as well. In total, he had spent 200 silvers in the past few days, but he was now trying to save silvers for the future.


    Rich and Ambrose entered the dojo with one training dummy already standing in the middle of the dojo. It was mostly made from wood, but it had fake armor made of wool, making it look more exquisite than Ambrose''s own training dummy.


    Rich stepped to the side, crossed his muscr arms, and watched intensely. He didn''t blink even once, as he wanted to see the skill without missing even a split second.


    Ambrose took out his swords and stood in front of the emotionless training dummy. He wrapped his fingers around the hilts and brought the swords closer to his chest.


    He breathed coldly and whispered. "Kill."


    Rich''s eyes widened in shock as heavy killing intent seeped into his bones. He was too afraid to move even a muscle because if he did, he might die!


    Ambrose shot forward, and with burning rage, he shed through the training dummy. The dummy fell to the ground with a thud, now in two pieces.


    The two des shone under the light of the ceiling as they reflected the might of his endless killing intent.


    Ambrose let out a deep breath and lowered his swords. He then nced at the shocked Rich, who was rooted in his spot.


    "Uh, how was it?"


    "It was..." Rich woke up from his stupor and let out a shockedugh. "Definitely something..."


    Rich walked to the dojo altar and opened a cupboard. He grabbed two items from there and walked back to Ambrose.


    "Here, take these."


    "These are...?" Ambrose epted them and looked at them with a raised eyebrow.


    "These are shortsword scabbards. I have seen you pull out your swords from nothingness, but that doesn''t seem very effective.


    "If you are ambushed, you might not have time to reach your hands there and take your swords out. That''s why you might need scabbards, which hang from your waist and you can unsheathe swiftly and easily."


    "Oh, thank you." Ambrose epted the brown scabbards with red lining with a smile. He slipped both of his swords inside the different scabbards and then hung them from his waist.


    He tried unsheathing his weapons, and he agreed with Rich. It was very effective and easy.


    "Next time when you visit, I can teach you some quick-drawing skills. But for now, I need to go teach my students."


    "Alright, sorry for keeping you here." Ambrose bowed respectfully and left the dojo.


    Rich watched as the ck-haired youth left and turned his gaze to another training dummy in the dojo. He unsheathed his sword and red at the dummy. He then brought the sword closer to his chest and whispered.


    "Kill."


    He shot forward and shed across the chest of the wooden dummy. However, not a single scratch appeared.


    "Indeed, it is a skill above my level. It is impossible to be learned, as only insane people with the desire to be the absolute power can learn this." Rich sighed and sheathed his sword. "I guess I amcking that mentality.


    "Perhaps he will be able to learn the Inner Power."

 Chapter 45 A Quest

    <h4>Chapter 45 A Quest</h4>


    Ambrose walked down the street with a small rock in his hand. He used his left hand to juggle with it and fiddle with his fingers. It was another training session to improve his non-dominant hand, and he did this whenever he could.


    As he kept doing that, he soon came across a street with many open dojos. A few of them were NPC dojos, while most of them were yer dojos.


    There were long lines in front of the yer dojos. The yers wanted to join the dojos to learn skills so that the "Master" of the dojo could teach their techniques to them. The master title belonged to the owner of the dojo.


    Even Ambrose could teach his Kill skill to his students, if he had any, but it was far from easy to learn. Most dojos also take payments from their students, which they use to fund their training and adventures.


    It was a good way of earning money, but most of it didn''t end up in the master''s pocket. Having a dojo with many students was expensive.


    Ambrose walked away from the street with many dojos and soon arrived in the vicinity of his own dojo.


    Strangely, there were two yers standing before the wooden gate of his dojo.


    ''Do they want to join my dojo?'' Ambrose thought with a strange expression.


    "I wonder what kind of style the master of this dojo is teaching." A long-faced yer wondered aloud.


    "Hmph, do you see the condition of this dojo?" A yer with a red shirt said. "There is no way the master of this dojo has anything to teach! He must have identally gotten the Dojo Key with stupid luck!"


    "Ah, you might be true." The long-faced yer said. "Maybe we should go check out Silver Heart Dojo? I heard their master is incredibly beautiful!"


    "I already visited there, and it is entirely packed!" The red shirt yer said. "But we might catch a glimpse of her, so we might as well."


    "Let''s go!"


    The two yers left in a hurry.


    Ambrose chuckled as he pulled out his silver brass key. He then unlocked the gate and entered his dojo. Even if they wanted to learn his style, he wouldn''t teach it. Not yet, at least.


    He didn''t even have a style to teach.


    Having only one skill for a style wasughable.


    ''I wonder if the masters of those popr dojos have more skills, and I wonder how they managed to create them.''


    Knock, knock.


    Ambrose flinched and turned to the entrance of the dojo. He had a visitor, which was a rare sight. Hisst visit was with Ken and his goons, which didn''t end well.


    However, this time, the visitor was someone with a familiar face.


    "It''s you..." Ambrose looked surprised, as he never expected to see him again.


    The visitor was a brown-haired young man with a red shirt and pants. He also had a red scarf wrapped around his right forearm. He was RedBand, Ambrose''s first-ever party member.


    "I see that you managed to acquire a Dojo Key. Well, not a surprise after the beating you gave to Karma." RedBand looked around the dojo. "I also want one, but unfortunately my ranking was slightly too low."


    "Yeah, I got lucky, I guess. What do you want?" Ambrose went straight to the point. He knew that no one woulde to see him if they didn''t want anything from him. "Also, how did you find me?"


    "With the help of a trackingpass." RedBand pulled out an ordinary-lookingpass, but the needle was pointing straight at Ambrose. "I received this from the World Quest as a reward. I can track any yer who is within a few kilometers.


    "So, I only had to roam the city till mypass started tracking you."


    "And why did you want to find me?"


    "I have a quest." RedBand said and took a worn-out piece of paper from his inventory. He tossed it across the dojo. It drifted with the help of the slight breeze andnded on Ambrose''s hand.


    Ambrose frowned and looked at the quest poster.


    [Quest]


    [Rank: D]


    [Mission: Exterminate the Steel-Armed Gori''s Lair]


    [Description: The Steel-Armed Gorri and its small army of Steel-Armed Monkeys have been terrorizing the peaceful vige of Tonshen]


    [Time limit: 1 week]


    [Reward: Given by One-Leg Marcus after thepletion of the quest]


    "I need one more damage dealer for my party." RedBand said. "And I thought that you would be a great addition to the party after seeing your prowess during World Quest. If you join me, there are six yers, including us.


    "We will decide how to share rewards after the quest. It will be done fairly; there is no need to worry about that."


    "I see..." Ambrose folded the worn-out piece of paper and handed it back to RedBand. "How far is Tonshen?"


    "Quite far, but we would take the wagon there. We would arrive there before nightfall, then spend the night there andplete the quest next morning. The reward will be tempting enough to do such a troublesome quest."


    "I guess I have nothing else to do." Ambrose nodded. "When shall we leave?"


    "Right away." RedBand said and turned around. "There is no time to waste."


    Ambrose nodded and took out his ck cloak from his inventory. He draped it over his figure and followed RedBand.


    They left the dojo and headed straight to the ce where RedBand''s party members were waiting. They had already rented the wagon and were ready to leave at any moment.


    As they neared the wagon barracks, RedBand and Ambrose came across a crazy sight. There were nearly 100 yers surrounding the yard of a three-story dojo. It also had a sign with the name "Silver Heart" written in silver.


    ''This must be the famous Silver Heart those yers were talking about.'' Ambrose thought. ''Also, a three-story dojo. The owner of this dojo must have gotten into the top 10 in the rankings.''


    "There are even more people than in the morning." RedBand said from the side. "The owner of this dojo is a yer called Serenity. She got the final hit on Karma and also got first ce in the rankings. Many consider her the strongest yer in Amaterasu.


    "Also, her beauty had be very well known; even yers from other cities had heard about it. She has be quite a celebrity."


    "Have you seen her before?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yeah, during the battle against Karma. Howe you didn''t?" RedBand asked strangely.


    "I can''t remember much." Ambrose said. He only had hazy memories of his fight against Karma.


    "Mm, oh, there they are." RedBand pointed towards a small group of yers gathered around a wagon that was pulled by one horse. They also had a wagon driver who seemed to be asleep.


    "Boss!" A loud voice came from the group of people as an energetic-looking young woman started waving her hand.


    "She is our party''s archer, Roza." RedBand said and then pointed at the tallest person in the group. "He is Felixar and is Tank of our party. He is a brawler, but he has put a lot of stats on vitality and stamina. He won''t go easily down."


    "How can he protect us?" Ambrose asked with concern.


    RedBand chuckled. "We bought him a big shield. Most yers take the sses at face value, but there are multiple ways to use them.


    "Most people think that Brawlers can''t use any weapons, but they can use shields and gauntlets."


    ''I thought so too...'' Ambrose thought to himself and then saw a big shield on Lucas'' back. He looked like a proper tank, which made him feel at ease.


    "The other two are spearmen. Andyy and PamPam." RedBand first pointed at a short, ck-haired young man. He looked like he had barely entered high school. He then pointed at a long-legged woman with long hair and a red bandanna around her head.


    Ambrose nodded.


    RedBand smiled at his party members and pped his hands. "Everyone, this is Ambrose. He will be ourst party member. We are now ready to go."


    Everyone nced at Ambrose briefly but didn''t seem very impressed, and some were even disappointed. Their leader said that he would bring someone strong, but at first nce, the neer didn''t look anything special.


    "Alright, let''s get this party going!" RedBand knocked on the leg of the wagon driver. "We are ready to go!"


    "Oh!" The wagon driver flinched awake and wiped his drool. "Get on then. We have long journey ahead of us!"

 Chapter 46 Music Interface

    <h4>Chapter 46 Music Interface</h4>


    The wagon wheeled down a rocky road, en route to Tonshen Vige.


    Inside the wagon, RedBand talked about the n. His first idea was to get information from the vigers. They had to find the location of the Steel-Armed Gori''s Lair and its weaknesses, if there were any.


    "There might be an inn where we will put our temporary spawn." RedBand said. They had found out about temporary spawn in their previous adventure when they visited another vige, Manhen Vige.


    If Ambrose didn''t put a temporary spawn in his inn room and log out, when he came back, he would be back in his dojo room. It would be quite funny way to fail in the quest already.


    "I can ask the drunken adventurers if they know anything about Steel-Armed Gori." RedBand said, and everyone nodded.


    "By the way, who is this One-Leg Marcus?" Ambrose asked. "Also, the quest paper didn''t include the reward. How do we know if we get anything?"


    "One-Leg Marcus'' family resides in Tonshen Vige. He sometimeses selling the crops from his vige to Amaterasu, and when I went to buy them, for some reason, he offered me this quest." RedBand said.


    "I must''ve activated something for him to offer this quest to me."


    "So, he is a farmer." Ambrose scratched his head. "I hope our reward is not a bunch of potatoes and cabbages."


    "You are far too negative!" Roza, the female archer, shouted from the side. "One-Leg Marcus is not the only one who is paying us to exterminate the Steel-Armed Gori. The whole vige put a big enough reward together so they could pay for the adventurer group!"


    "Oh, I see." Ambrose nodded. "Why not the vige chief? I thought it would be his duty to protect the vige."


    "I have heard stuff that Tonshen Vige''s chief is an obnoxious douche." Felixar spoke in a deep tone. "That guy''s name is Lemberd, and ever since he became chief after his father died, the vige has been in steep decline ever since.


    "The taxes are insane, and most of the farmers had to turn into hunters to increase their ie. However, because of the Steel-Armed Gori, most of the hunters died. That''s why we have to exterminate the gori and the monkeys, so they can keep hunting in a safer environment."


    "I understand." Ambrose nodded.


    RedBand knocked on the wagon''s wall and shouted. "Let''s stop for a moment!"


    The horse neighed, and the wagon slowly stopped beside the road.


    RedBand looked at others and said. "Let''s take a break. We will leave in half an hour, be here before that."


    "I am going hunting!" Andyy shouted excitedly and ran out of the wagon. He ran straight into the depths of the forest in search of experience points.


    Everyone left the wagon and stretched their numb limbs.


    Ambrose found a fallen tree trunk to sit on. He didn''t n on going to the forest to hunt for experience points, as he doubted it would even make a dent.


    [XP: 175/700]


    He looked at the XP and then closed his interface again.


    A sudden weight appeared on the side of him as Felixar sat on the same tree trunk. It was big enough for three adult men to sit on it.


    Felixar pressed something on the invisible screen, which only he saw. He then started nodding his head rhythmically.


    Ambrose looked at him and asked. "Why did you decide on bing a tank?"


    After asking the question, Felixar didn''t answer and continued bouncing his head up and down rhythmically.


    "Hmm?" Ambrose frowned and moved his hand before Felixar''s eyes. He immediately pressed something on the invisible screen and turned to him.


    "What''s up?" Felixar asked as if he hadn''t heard the previous question.


    "Howe you didn''t hear me?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Oh, I was listening to music." Felixar said and opened the invisible screen. This time, he made it visible for Ambrose as well.


    Ambrose looked at the screen with fascination. The screen showed hundreds of music choices, but Felixar was listening to something out of the ordinary¡ªPirate Metal.


    "You haven''t read the Help Guide, haven''t you?" Felixar asked.


    "No..." Ambrose shook his head.


    "Well, you should. There are some useful things, such as this. If you say ''Music Interface'', you will also get this interface and can choose music to listen to." Felixar said. "It is good for spending time."


    "Ah, thanks." Ambrose thanked him and asked. "You were listening Pirate Metal. That is quite unique music."


    "Yes, I like it very much." Felixar said. "You should try it too. Perhaps you will also like it."


    Ambrose nodded and turned to look straight. "Music Interface..."


    The same screen appeared in front of him. There was so much music that it made him slightly dizzy.


    He was never a big music listener, but he wanted to check it out.


    Ambrose searched for pirate metal and soon found a few popr songs. He pressed the "y" button and heard music sting in his ears.


    He looked around, but no one paid attention to him; therefore, he was the only one who could hear this music.


    ''Fascinating.'' Ambrose closed his eyes and listened to the music. It was very loud, and the singing voice was quite rough, as if a real pirate was singing, but alongside the powerful melody, it was actually not a bad song.


    He listened to many different songs. When one song ended, another started. It was all pirate metal, and without him noticing, he also started nodding his head slightly rhythmically.


    Soon, a hand touched his shoulder.


    He raised his head and saw RedBand and his lips moving.


    Ambrose stopped the music and closed the interface. "Yeah?"


    "We are leaving now," RedBand said. "Remember, do not y music while fighting. It is important to use your sense of hearing during battle."


    "Of course." Ambrose nodded and wondered. ''He noticed that I was ying music, most likely because he is used to Felixar doing that. I wonder if he once yed music during a battle and it ended poorly.''


    After everyone entered the wagon, the driver whipped the horses, and they began moving once again.


    The clouds drifted across the sky as the sky started to have a darker hue.


    Soon, darkness had fallen on thend, and everyone inside the wagon couldn''t even see each other anymore. But then, RedBand lit up a candle and held it in his hand.


    After another hour of sitting in the dimly lit wagon, it finally arrived at the gates of the vige.


    "Finally!" Andyy rubbed his numb buttocks.


    Everyone left the wagon as soon as they could and let out breaths of relief as they felt the light breezeing from nearby forests.


    The vige was surrounded by a wooden wall that was five meters tall. The gates were made from thick wood, but they were currently open as there were still farmers doing fieldwork outside the vige, and they would often returnte at night.


    RedBand went to talk to the driver. The driver would spend a night in the vige and then leave first thing in the morning. They didn''t need to go back to Amaterasu via wagon anymore.


    Once they had finished with their quest, they would undo their temporary spawn, log out of the game, and then log back in. They would be teleported back to Amaterasu to their own spawn spots.

 Chapter 47 Yo Ho Ho

    <h4>Chapter 47 Yo Ho Ho</h4>


    The group led by RedBand arrived at the loud inn. A scent of alcohol and freshly prepared food wafted across the room.


    The vigers and adventurers that were passing by were talking loudly andughing. Their conversation was mostly about women, about their next hunting trip, and about thetest gossip.


    "I thought Amaterasu would lose their honorable status as one of the Three Main Cities after the crows attacked, but they somehow survived!" A drunken adventurer drank a mouthful of ale and mmed the cup down on the table.


    "Meh, they were lucky!" Another drunken adventurer shouted. His face was beef-red, and he stammered over his words.


    RedBand looked at the table of adventurers and then walked to the bar to rent a room. They only needed one room to use as a temporary spawn since they would log out for the night.


    "Let''s try to find the location of their." PamPam said.


    Felixar, Andyy and Roza nodded in agreement. They went to different parts of the inn to ask about the Steel-Armed Gori.


    Ambrose walked towards the adventurers table and said. "Excuse me."


    "Huh?" A drunken adventurer looked away from his pint of ale and looked at the youth. "What''cha want, kid!"


    "Have you heard about the Steel-Armed Gori and about its whereabouts?" Ambrose asked.


    The adventurers shared looks and then erupted inughter.


    "Haha, kid, you shouldn''t look for it! Steel-Armed Gori has steel arms, as the name suggests. It is not an easy creature to beat! It would crush you and eat you afterwards!"


    "I just need to know if you know anything where it might be." Ambrose said while trying to act patiently.


    "No, if we knew, we would hunt it ourselves!" Another drunken adventurer shouted. "Now, piss off, your bedtime is nearing!"


    The rest of the adventurersughed and continued filling their stomachs with alcohol.


    ''Useless drunkards.'' Ambrose walked away from them and decided to ask the drunken vigers instead. He soon found another table with two vigers, who looked like they had just returned from the fields.


    "Excuse me."


    "Hmm?" A viger in a white shirt and brown pants was about to take a taste of his first drink for tonight but was interrupted by the ck-haired young man. He frowned and asked. "What do you want?"


    "I wondered if you gentlemen know where Steel-Armed Gori often hunts its prey." Ambrose asked with a smile.


    "Huh, why the hell do you want to know that?" The vige asked.


    Then, another viger dressed in brown overalls looked surprised. "Did Marcus perhaps hire you and a few others to exterminate the gori?"


    "Yes, he did." Ambrose nodded in affirmation.


    "Huh, that kid?" The viger in a white shirt facepalmed. "Marcus, what the hell. You hired some kids; I knew we shouldn''t have trusted in him!"


    "I-I am sorry about him." The viger in brown overalls let out a strained chuckle. "This whole thing about Steel-Armed Gori has kept everyone on edge. We just want to get rid of it."


    "I understand." Ambrose pulled a chair from underneath the table and sat down. "So, do you know where its Lair is?"


    "Yes." The viger said and sipped on the ale. "It has built its ownmunity in the Northern Hills. Hah, the Steel-Armed Monkeys under its leadership have be its loyal army.


    "I thought they were just mindless bloodthirsty creatures, but they are organized. They will be difficult to exterminate. I hope you brought enough help."


    "Thanks for the information." Ambrose thanked him and bade farewell. He then found Roza and the rest, still asking for information.


    "I know where it is." He said to them, and they looked at him briefly before nodding. They joined RedBand and went straight to their rented inn room.


    After closing the door, RedBand took a seat on the only bed in the room and asked. "Well, where is it?"


    "Northern Hills. Steel-Armed Gori has built its ownmunity there, so it shouldn''t be too difficult to find." Ambrose said. "We need to be careful. Apparently they are very organized."


    "They are animals; how organized can they possibly be?" Andyy said with a chuckle.


    "We shouldn''t underestimate them." RedBand said and then checked the clock. "Alright. Remember to make this room the temporary spawn spot. I will be logging out. Everyone,e online at 8 a.m. sharp. If you aren''t here in time, we will leave without you, and you won''t receive any rewards."


    "Yes, boss." Felixar, PamPam, Andyy, and Roze echoed. They made the room their temporary spawn spot, bade farewell to everyone, and then logged out.


    [Your temporary spawn spot has been added!]


    Ambrose looked at the message and then opened his interface to log out.


    "See you tomorrow." RedBand said and logged out.


    Ambrose nodded and also logged out.


    ...


    Jesse opened his eyes and removed the VR headset before cing it gently on the bedside table.


    He sat up and rubbed his eyes.


    ''8:00 a.m. I need to skip the walk with Alice. I need to send a message to her.'' Jesse took out his phone and went to the messaging app. His chat history was very minimal, and he had only shared a few messages with his parents.


    Jesse pulled out the chat with Alice and started writing a message. He kept it short and then pressed send.


    He then dropped the phone on the bed, rolled the wheelchair closer, and hopped on it. He then visited the bathroom, then the kitchen for a quick snack, and then returned to his room.


    After returning to his dark room, he noticed that his phone''s screen was lit up, signaling that he had received a message. He left the wheelchair and sat back on the bed, then checked the message.


    [Alice: Why?]


    Jesse then replied that he was busy from 8 a.m. onward. He then put the phone to the side, expecting that to be the end of the conversation. However, the phone vibrated again almost instantly.


    He grabbed the phone and checked the message.


    [Alice: Let''s do it earlier, then. I will be there at 7 a.m. See you then!]


    Jesse was surprised and replied with a simple "ok" and then closed his phone.


    "She is indeed kind..." He sighed andid back down on the bed. "Way out of my league, just like Holly said.


    "In my current condition, I doubt I will ever even get girlfriend. After all, my life could end very shortly, at any day. I might die even tomorrow by identally falling down the stairs.


    "Anything can happen¡­"


    Jesse held his head and wanted to curse aloud. He gritted his teeth, grabbed his phone from the side, and rummaged through his cab. He soon found old white headphones, which he hadn''t used since middle school.


    He put it on, connected the headphones to the phone, and then downloaded a music app.


    After it had finished downloading, Jesse put on pirate metal and raised the volume to maximum. Music sted into his ears.


    Jesse then put the phone to the side and put his arms under his head. He closed his eyes and only listened to the powerful music of pirate metal.


    All negative thoughts dispersed from his mind as he also started slowly singing the lyrics out loud.


    "Yo ho ho..."

 Chapter 48 Flowers In Bloom

    <h4>Chapter 48 Flowers In Bloom</h4>


    A morning sun shone brightly across thend of Nocklund.


    Cars and trucks were parked in the streets, and people were walking around. The citizens were moving on with their lives, some going to work while others went to pics or simply enjoyed the great weather.


    On Cavern Street, the neighborhood again came to life after a new day dawned. The sound of awnmover traveled across the street. Doors opened, and neighbors chatted among themselves while fetching newspapers from the mail box.


    The air was filled with the smell of fresh-cut grass and flowers in bloom.


    "Good morning!" Alice said with a beaming smile.


    "Mm, morning." Jesse opened the metal gate and walked out of the yard. He was dressed in a short-sleeved shirt with ck trousers and ck running shoes, with white headphones around his neck.


    "Headphones?" Alice asked, confused. "I didn''t know you listened to music."


    "I just started." Jesse said and started walking down the usual path they used. Alice jogged slightly to catch up to him and nodded with a smile.


    "So, what is your favorite song?" She asked.


    "I don''t have one. I listen to whatever pops up." Jesse replied and grabbed the small ball from his left pocket. He again squeezed it tightly.


    "Mm, by the way, is your busy schedule something to do with Martial Online?" Alice asked as she looked at the side of his face. "A quest perhaps?"


    "Yeah." Jesse nodded in affirmation.


    "You are not doing it alone, right?" Alice put her hands behind her back and briskly hopped forward. "Are you sure you can trust your party members? There had been incidents where a few party members killed everyone else in the party to get all the rewards."


    "I trust them," Jesse said.


    "That is good, but be careful." Alice spoke with a gentle voice. "You could still join my dojo. I was lucky to get good members, and we are also preparing to go on a big quest. The rewards will be great, and if you want, you could join us."


    "I''ll... think about it." Jesse looked at her and said.


    "Mm, we are still preparing for it. You have a few days to decide." Alice said.


    Jesse looked at her bright blue eyes but then felt a heavy pressure on his shoulder. A man with a well-built body bumped shoulders with him.


    "Ah, sorry man." The man apologized, but then saw the ck-haired young man fall to his knees while holding his shoulder in agony. "Are you alright? I didn''t hit you that hard..."


    "Jesse, are you alright?!" Alice screamed and crouched beside Jesse.


    Cold sweat poured down Jesse''s face as he gritted his teeth in agony.


    "Uh, is he good?" The well-built man asked.


    "Call ambnce!" Alice screamed and gently held Jesse''s hand in worry. "How bad is the pain from 0 to 10?"


    "Zero..." Jesse muttered the word through pain and stood up. He turned to the well-built man, who took out his phone, with bloodshot eyes. "Don''t... call."


    "Uhh." The well-built man''s body turned cold as he saw those bloodshot eyes. It was as if he were staring into the eyes of a bloodthirsty beast.


    "Jesse, we need to take you to the hospital!" Alice shouted. "Your shoulder must be broken!"


    "Uh, I just bumped shoulders with him..." The well-built man scratched the back of his head. "Is this some kind of scam?"


    Jesse shrugged Alice''s hand off and walked past the well-built man.


    "Jesse!"


    Jesse ignored her and put headphones over his head. He increased the volume on his phone and heard music sting through his ears while agonizing pain wreaked havoc in his shoulder.


    He gritted his teeth and felt very lightheaded. He felt like he could pass out at any moment.


    With hisst willpower, he reached his home and stormed right in.


    He went straight upstairs to his room, where he mmed his door shut and went to the cab. He grabbed a handful of painkillers and tossed them all into his mouth.


    "Fuck, fuck, fuck!" Jesse screamed and mmed his fist into the wall. His skin raptured, and a few bones pierced through his flesh. The headphones fell from his head andnded on the bed.


    "Hey, what the fuck is this ruckus?!" A beautiful, tanned young woman mmed the door open. Holly looked angry, but then her expression turned shocked.


    "Y-your hand... I-I will call an ambnce!"


    "Don''t... you... fucking dare." Jesse looked at his sister with bloodshot eyes. "Get out of my room."


    "B-but..." Holly looked at him in utter shock. In her memory, her brother was a pathetic loser who never dared to raise his voice against anyone.


    Jesse walked to the door and mmed the door shut right in front of Holly.


    He slowly fell to his knees and looked at his broken hand in shock. He was still full of adrenaline, but he could feel immense paining right back.


    ''I don''t care if this body falls apart... I still have that body!'' Jesse climbed to his bed and grabbed the VR headset with hisst remaining strength. He quickly put it around his head and pressed the start button with his bloody finger.


    ...


    Ambrose opened his eyes and looked down at his left hand. Here, it was perfectly fine, and he couldn''t feel any pain. It wasn''t a wonder why hospitals used this technology to send their patients, who were in immense pain, to Martial Online.


    "Oh, you are here." RedBand said while sitting beside a window and enjoying the morning atmosphere of Tonshen Vige.


    "What about others?" Ambrose asked while having slight breathing difficulties.


    "Not yet, but they will be here shortly." RedBand said and nced at Ambrose, who was leaning against a wall as if he were tired. "Everything fine?"


    "Yeah, totally." Ambrose said and sat down on the bed. "I''m excited to finish the quest."


    "Me too, but we have to take this slowly. We don''t need to hurry."


    "Yeah..." Ambrose nodded and soon saw shes of light appear in the room. Almost like clockwork, Andyy, Felixar, PamPam, and Roza appeared in the inn room.


    "Alright. Are all of you ready to leave?" RedBand stood up and asked. Everyone nodded, and they immediately removed their temporary spawns and left the inn.


    Tonshen Vige was busy from early morning all the way to nightfall. The fields outside the vige were busy with farmers, and the wives of the families took care of the household and sometimes helped with farming work as well.


    Everyone worked hard, except the family in the most luxurious building in the vige. The Vige Chief''s house was at the farthest corner from the entrance. It was a neat-looking four-story building with a big veranda on top of it.


    They were like kings, looking down at their subordinates, who were making money for them.


    Ambrose followed after RedBand while touching his left hand. He couldn''t feel any pain, but it was almost like he could feel the presence of the other world, where his body was in agonizing pain.


    ''Toote for regrets. I will deal with that shitter.'' Ambrose clenched his left hand and felt a surge of energy flow through him.

 Chapter 49 Steel-Armed Gorilla

    <h4>Chapter 49 Steel-Armed Gori</h4>


    "They have actually created a proper vige..." Roza said in surprise from the top of the tree. She climbed the tree to see all the way to the Northern Hills, where Steel-Armed Gori''s Lair was.


    She jumped down the tree andnded beside RedBand. "Yeah, they have created amunity, alright. They have created a wooden wall around their own little vige, and only one shack has been built so far.


    "The Steel-Armed Monkeys were guarding the wall, and if I should guess, I am certain that the Steel-Armed Gori is in that wooden shack in the middle of the vige. It won''t be easy to reach that."


    "Got it," RedBand said. "Roza, make the Steel-Armed Monkeys chase you. We will ambush them and take them down swiftly. Then we will do a coordinated attack on the vige, get rid of other Steel-Armed Monkeys and finish it all with the extermination of Steel-Armed Gori."


    "Got it, boss." Roza nodded and ran into the forest.


    "Be ready." RedBand said to others and looked towards the vige.


    Ambrose leaned against a tree and watched as Roza''s silhouette moved closer to the gated entrance of the vige. She soon exited the depths of the forest and waved her hands around her like a windmill.


    Steel-Armed Monkeys started appearing on top of the wall, all looking at the strange female waving her arms around. They looked like ordinary monkeys with brown fur, but their arms were made of steel.


    The monkeys started hopping around and screaming at each other.


    Roza backed off with a pale face and soon saw the wooden gate swing open. From there, dozens of monkeys charged at her while screaming and smashing their steel arms at the ground.


    She didn''t hesitate, and she ran in the opposite direction from them. She had spent most of her stat points on agility and therefore managed to outpace the screaming monkeys.


    Roze jumped over a fallen tree trunk and slid down a steep hill. After reaching the bottom of the hill, she stood up and looked up at the hill. The screaming monkeys didn''t hesitate and chased after her by rolling down the hill like brown snowballs.


    She backed off, but didn''t continue running away.


    After the first monkey reached the bottom of the hill, she pulled out a bow and arrow and fired. The arrow crossed the distance almost instantly, but the monkey ced its steel arms in front of the arrow and deflected it.


    The monkey screamed. It didn''t like one bit of being attacked. It smashed its steel arms onto the ground and charged after Roza with beastly rage.


    A sword sliced through the air, and only a split secondter, it had separated the monkey''s head from its body.


    The monkey''s head rolled down the slope and disappeared into a nearby bush.


    "Boss!" Roza shouted with a smile after RedBand charged from the forest with the remaining party members.


    The rest of the Steel-Armed Monkeys had reached the bottom of the hill and saw one of their kin dying right in front of them. Their eyes turned bloodshot, and they looked incredibly angry.


    A Steel-Armed Monkey charged forward with its four limbs, nning to kill the person who killed its kin.


    RedBand calmly crossed his sword in front of his body, waiting for the attack.


    Then a tall figure appeared in front of him and blocked the monkey''s charge with his shield. Felixar then clenched his left fist and smashed it into the monkey''s face, sending him flying into a nearby tree.


    The Steel-Armed Monkeys screamed and rushed forth. Over a dozen monkeys with overflowing killing intent charged at Felixar. If it were any ordinary yer, they would be shaking in their boots if they were attacked by such a strong group.


    However, Felixar kept his ground and prepared for the impact.


    At that moment, several arrows crossed the distance and stabbed through the faces of a few charging monkeys. Those monkeys copsed on the ground, the rest of the light disappearing from their eyes.


    Felixar stepped powerfully forward and pushed several monkeys backward. A few monkeys then jumped forward and punched at the shield with their steel paws. The attack was very powerful, but the tank of the party managed to keep his ground.


    Andyy and PamPam shot forward with their spears and impaled several monkeys through their skulls.


    RedBand raised his sword and shed through the throat of a Steel-Armed Monkey that was trying to attack Felixar from the side.


    The Steel-Armed Monkey fell to the ground, dead.


    Ambrose unsheathed both of his swords and blocked a punch from Steel-Armed Monkey. The monkey screamed loudly and tried to push the swords away, but it clearly underestimated the ck-haired youth''s strength.


    Ambrose sidestepped, letting the monkey run past him. He then swung his sword at its back, cutting off its tail. The monkey screamed and fell to the ground.


    He quickly charged at the fallen monkey and shed through its back, killing it swiftly and powerfully.


    "Some help here!" Felixar shouted as he was being pushed back by three Steel-Armed Monkeys.


    Hearing his shout, RedBand ran to aid him and shed through the skull of one of the monkeys. Only a momentter, Ambrose came to his aid and stabbed his sword through the frail heart of another monkey.


    Thest remaining monkey pounded its steel paws at the shield but couldn''t break through it.


    Felixar lowered his stance and smashed the shield into the monkey''s face, stunning it for a moment. He then reeled in his fist, moved the shield out of the way, and smashed his fist into the monkey''s face, shattering its skull.


    Roze pulled her bowstring and released an arrow. The arrow flew over the shoulder of Felixar andnded on the skull of thest remaining monkey.


    RedBand looked around and nodded. "Good job guys. Roza, take the dropped items, and we will share them back in Amaterasu."


    "Got it, boss." Roza said and went to gather the items.


    Ambrose sheathed his swords and looked at his notifications. In total, he killed four monkeys and received 28 XP. He wasn''t part of a party with others, and neither were they.


    They decided that they would only join the party for the boss fight, as it would give them more XP than a single monkey would. This was the way of doing things, as sharing all XP, ording to them, was foolish and wouldn''t inspire anyone to work harder.


    They also weren''t allowed to steal kills.


    "Let''s go!" RedBand shouted and ran up the hill. They reached the top of the hill and slowly approached the vige. They saw that the wooden gate was swung open and the other Steel-Armed Monkeys were nowhere to be seen.


    They carefully approached the vige and entered through the open gate. The vige was empty, and the poorly built shack in the middle of the vige seemed empty.


    "Did all the monkeys chase us?" Andyy asked.


    "Unlikely. If there were only this many monkeys, they wouldn''t have been as big a treat as those vigers made them seem." RedBand said.


    Crack... CRACK!


    An enormous figure crashed through the shack and pounded itsrge chest powerfully. Its arms were muscr and made of steel. It had jet ck fur as if it were made of darkness, and when it stood with four limbs, it was taller than an ordinary one-story building.


    It was the Steel-Armed Gori!


    "Let''s join the party!" RedBand shouted and sent party invitations to everyone. Everyone epted it instantly once it appeared in their vision.


    "On the walls!" Roza suddenly shouted.


    RedBand looked around in shock, and his face paled slightly. Steel-Armed Monkeys appeared on top of the walls. They surrounded the vige, and there were over 100 of them!


    "They were hiding in the forest..." RedBand muttered in shock. "This was an ambush after all!"


    Ambrose unsheathed his swords and narrowed his eyes. ''It seems they are quite smart... for mindless beasts.''

 Chapter 50 High Pain

    <h4>Chapter 50 High Pain</h4>


    "Boss, should we retreat for the time being?" Roza looked at her surroundings with unease. She wasn''t enjoying being stared at by a hundred monkeys.


    "We can do this!" RedBand said. "Roza, take high ground and shower the monkeys with arrows. PamPam and Andyy, keep the Steel-Armed Gori busy. Felixar, help them. Ambrose and I will gather the aggro of the monkeys!"


    "And how will we do that?" Ambrose asked.


    "With this!" RedBand took out a moldy loaf of bread from his inventory. "One-Leg Marcus told me one thing. The Steel-Armed Monkeys can''t stand the smell of moldy bread!"


    Ambrose looked around and chuckled. All the monkeys were staring at RedBand with bloodshot eyes.


    "Go!" RedBand shouted and hurled the moldy bread towards the entrance of the vige. All the monkeys shot forward and charged straight at the moldy loaf of bread as if it were their greatest enemy.


    The ground shook as so many monkeys ran at the same time.


    Roza climbed to the top of the wall and started firing arrows towards the running monkeys.


    PamPam and Andyy approached the Steel-Armed Gori. They felt very tiny and powerless in its presence.


    Steel-Armed Gori lowered its gaze and raised its steel arm. It clenched its paw and smashed it down on the two small humans.


    PamPam and Andyy dodged therge paw, but the shockwave of the attack sent them tumbling across the ground.


    "Raaaah!" The Steel-Armed Gori shouted powerfully and pounded its steel paws at itsrge, muscr chest.


    "I will keep it busy!" Felixar shouted and smashed its shield against the gori''srge leg. The strength of the powerful tackle was nothing to scoff at.


    The gori stumbled to the side and looked angrily at the small human. It lifted his enormous arm and mmed its pawn down to the ground.


    Felixar rolled on the ground, narrowly dodging the gori''s powerful blow. He then grabbed the shield with both hands and charged straight at the gori. The blunt force of the attack pushed the gori to the ground.


    "Roaaaaaar!" The Gori swung itsrge paw and pped at the shield. Felixar gritted his teeth and was sent hurling across the vige by the gori''s powerful attack.


    He quickly managed to make contact with the ground with his boots before he flew all the way to where the monkeys were.


    The gori pounded its paws against its chest again, but then it felt sharp pain on both of its legs. It let out a deafening scream.


    PamPam and Andyy stabbed its legs with their steel spears. They then quickly backed away while the gori wreaked havoc by stomping and punching the ground.


    The gori was now in a rage, and it began to charge at PamPam and Andyy.


    Ambrose fought against the Steel-Armed Monkeys. He impaled one of the monkeys to the ground, but the number of monkeys was overwhelming, and they managed tond a few punches.


    [-15 HP!]


    Ambrose almost fell to his knees but managed to force himself to stand. Another punch from the steel arm headed towards his face. He quickly backstepped and used his right-handed sword to deflect the punch.


    Since the arm was made of steel, he couldn''t cut it apart.


    Ambrose swung his left-handed sword and sliced clean through the monkey''s face. The monkey copsed sideways.


    He walked right over the dead monkey and finished off another monkey, which he had injured beforehand. He then turned to rest of monkeys and saw RedBand suffering great amount of damage even though Roza was trying to help him.


    "Cursed!" Ambrose looked to the ground and soon found the moldy loaf of bread. He reached for it, grabbed it, and rubbed the scent into his clothing.


    The monkeys smelled the disgusting stench and turned towards the ck-haired young man. They screamed and stomped towards him with their long arms outstretched.


    "Dual Basic sh!" Ambrose sliced through several monkeys and quickly blocked the following attacks by the monkeys.


    He quickly backstepped and continued deflecting, parrying, and dodging the punches thrown by the monkeys.


    The sparks flew across the air as the sword and the steel arm crossed paths.


    RedBand munched on food to restore his health, and once he returned to full health, he chased after the monkeys to assist Ambrose.


    Ambrose managed to catch a breath after some of the pressure was taken off his shoulders, but he was still greatly pressured by dozens of the monkeys, who only wanted to see him bleeding dry on the ground.


    A Steel-Armed Monkeyunched forward and blocked a sword strike with his steel forearm. It also noticed another sword appearing from the side, but it quickly ducked and mmed its steel fist into Ambrose''s ribcage.


    "Argh!" Ambrose groaned as he fell to the ground. He saw shadows fall over him and looked above. There were over a dozen monkeys looking at him with their blood-red eyes.


    "Shit..."


    SMACK, SMACK, SMACK!


    The monkeys started smashing their steel fists down at the fallen yer. A terrifying sound of flesh getting smashed and bones getting broken filled the air.


    "Ambrose!" RedBand shouted and cursed inwardly as he couldn''t help him. More and more monkeys closed in on him.


    Ambrose felt heavy fistsnding on his chest, breaking something in his body. A few fistsnded on his face, causing numbness to spread everywhere. The health bar also depleted at a scary speed.


    Soon, a blownded on his head, knocking him unconscious for a few seconds before he woke up with a headache and blood dripping from his nose.


    ''A headache? I can feel a headache?'' Ambrose''s vision went blurry, and he could barely see the fists that were breaking his body apart.


    ''Am I going to die... No, I don''t want to return to that harsh reality just yet. I am not done yet!'' Ambrose screamed hoarsely. "KILL!"


    The swords shed cleanly through the nearby monkeys.


    Ambrose jumped to his feet and angrily waved his swords around, ughtering the monkeys with inhumane ferocity.


    "Ambrose, I will buy time; fill your health!" RedBand shouted and ran to his side. However, to his shock, Ambrose didn''t stop swinging his swords and continued massacring the monkeys.


    "What the hell..?"


    ''I feel it...'' Ambrose thought as he felt a strange sensation in his body. He started smiling as he cut down another monkey. ''I can feel it... Another skill came to mind.


    ''It is perfect.''


    [Skill has been sessfully created!]


    [Do you want to name your skill?]


    [Y/N]


    "Yes!" Ambrose shouted and shed down another monkey. Blue blood sttered across his pale face.


    [Choose the name!]


    "High Pain!"


    [Skill "High Pain" has been created!]


    [High Pain: Attack with increased pain - 100% Chance of Stun]


    "Wohoo..." Ambrose took a deep breath and stopped moving. His Kill deactivated after he finished killing every monkey near him.


    He had heard several dings during his fight, meaning he had leveled up without noticing.


    RedBand was still fighting against monkeys, but he had taken notice of Ambrose and his crazy massacre.


    ''How did he do that?'' RedBand wondered in shock. ''He was unstoppable!''


    Ambrose lifted his head and looked coldly at one of the monkeys that were chasing after RedBand. He shot forward and appeared behind the monkey.


    The Steel-Armed Monkey saw a shadow and turned around with a screaming face.


    "High Pain!" Ambrose powerfully swung the sword down and sliced across the monkey''s body, leaving a deep and evesting scar behind. The monkey looked stunned, as it couldn''t move a muscle.


    It also caused an unbelievable amount of pain. A pain that was so strong that it could not even scream out loud.


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose finished off the monkey with one of the basic movies. He cut the monkey''s head off, letting it roll down the ground as more blood poured onto the soil.


    RedBand finished off the rest of the monkeys and looked at Ambrose with a profound gaze. He hadn''t seen such an insane fighting style before.


    "Ambrose, you..."


    "We should go help the others." Ambrose said and looked at the far-away gori with squinted eyes. "The fight is far from over."


    "Alright..." RedBand nodded and ran after Ambrose. The positions had changed. This time, he was following after the ck-haired young man as if he were the leader.


    ''He is not someone I want to fight against...''

 Chapter 51 Treasure

    <h4>Chapter 51 Treasure</h4>


    Ambrose stuffed steaming buns into his mouth. He soon had eaten all his remaining food but was able to restore his health.


    RedBand watched as the gori smashed its fist at the ground and then picked up arge rock, and hurled it at PamPam.


    PamPam quickly rolled out of the way, but she was sweating heavily and couldn''t keep this up forever.


    Andyy shot forward and drove his spear forward. The gori pped his steel paw at the spear and shattered it in the middle.


    Andyy looked at his broken spear with a shocked expression. He then noticed an enormous shadow appear around him. He raised his gaze and saw the steel paw falling at him.


    "Oh, shit..." He closed his eyes, resigning himself to death.


    "Out of the way!" Felixar kicked off the ground and smashed his shield into Andyy, sending him flying out of the way. He then quickly ced his shield above his head and felt the explosive force of the steel paw crashing down on him.


    He immediately dropped to his knees and felt his body breaking apart under the immense pressure.


    The gori screamed and raised another steel arm in an attempt to finish off the shield-wielding man.


    At that moment, an arrow swooshed across the air and stabbed into the back of its head.


    The gori let out a deafening scream and stumbled to the side. It tried removing the arrow from its head, but it was too smallpared to itsrge body and therefore couldn''t even find it from underneath all the ck fur.


    A floating name and health bar then appeared above the Steel-Armed Gori''s head.


    [Steel-Armed Gori - HP: 345/500]


    RedBand ran forward and drove his sword through the gori''s exposed back. The gori screamed and started stomping around. RedBand gritted his teeth and was thrown around like a ragdoll, but he didn''t let go of his sword.


    Roza continued firing the arrows, PamPam carried on using her spear to annoy the gori, Andyy took out his wooden spear, which was hisst remaining weapon, and Felixar protected PamPam whenever it was needed.


    The gori let out its loudest scream. It suddenly shot forward towards Roza and mmed its steel paw straight into her. Roza''s body exploded on impact, and she immediately became nothing but floating pixels.


    "Roza!" RedBand shouted and removed his sword from the gori''s back. He backed off a few steps and wiped off his sweat.


    The gori turned its blood-red eyes at the rest of the ant-like humans. It had grown used to facing off against weak vigers and thought of them as nothing but vermin. Now, it had received more damage than ever before in its life.


    The more damage it received, the stronger it became.


    SMACK, SMACK, SMACK¡ªThe gori pounded its steel paws against its chest powerfully to show its might.


    "High Pain."


    A ck-haired figure appeared from its blind spot and left behind two deep, bloody cuts on itsrge legs. The gori could often endure such wounds, but this time, it let out a maddening cry of agony.


    "Attack!" Ambrose shouted and charged at the gori with both swords in hand. "Kill!"


    He attacked the gori''s back, shing at its thick neck and shoulders. With Kill activated, his attacks were ferocious and never-ending. The gori could only scream in agony as it tried to remove the vermin off its back, but it was still under the effect of the stun.


    RedBand, Felixar, PamPam, and Andyy attacked the gori with a variety of skills. The gori finally managed to move its arm, but instead of attacking, it covered its head to block most of the strikes. It waspletely taken aback by the attacks and only had thoughts of defending left.


    It had lost most of its fighting spirit after suffering immense pain.


    "Humans... I will... kill... you all..." The gori raised its menacing blood-red eyes and looked straight at RedBand.


    "B-Boss, did this gori just talk?" Andyy screamed.


    "I have no fucking idea..." RedBand was shocked, but he knew that they were very close to killing the gori. "Continue attacking!"


    At that moment, the gori managed to move the rest of its limbs and immediately grabbed PamPam with its right steel paw. PamPam screamed as she immediately felt her body being crushed to pieces by immense strength. She didn''t have time to react as the gori squeezed.


    Her whole existence became nothing but tiny, light blue pixels.


    "Huh?" Ambrose was still swinging his swords madly at the gori''s back, but then he was thrown off by the gori''s sudden movement. He crashed on the ground and rolled for a few meters before he again stood up and rushed back at the gori.


    The kill was still activated, and he couldn''t deactivate it until the gori was dead. It was the biggest side effect of the skill. He couldn''t stop until the gori was dead or him!


    The gori didn''t expect the human to attack right away. It swung its steel paw towards the ck-haired human, but he dodged it and jumped on top of the arm. He began furiously shing at the steel arm while running on top of it.


    The gori swung its steel arm in an attempt to throw away the human. Ambrose was thrown into the air, but he quickly spun around and crashed straight into the gori''s body. And there, he stabbed his swords into itsrge chest and began cutting down its flesh.


    "ROAR!" The gori screamed and pped its steel paw at the crazy human, but then a tall figure appeared in front of the paw and blocked it with the shield.


    Felixar cried out and pushed the steel paw back with itsst remaining strength.


    Back on the ground, RedBand shed at the gori''s legs while Andyy drove his wooden spear through the other leg. He didn''t remove the spear and instead ran to the spot where PamPam died.


    PamPam had dropped her steel spear.


    Andyy took it and temporarily nned to use it as his main weapon.


    The gori fell to the ground sideways, and Andyy appeared in front of its face and stabbed the steel spear through its eye. The gori screamed hoarsely, but it couldn''t do anything about it.


    "Humans... DIE!" It screamed, but it was already at death''s door, with health depleting quickly.


    Ambrose furiously continued shing through the chest and stomach.


    Felixar tossed away his spear and smashed his fists into the gori''s body. They had all thrown away all the ideas of defense. They now had a chance to kill the gori, and of course they shouldn''t miss the chance!


    RedBand appeared beside Ambrose and hacked down at the gori''s flesh. They both hacked, stabbed, shed, sliced, cut, and chopped.


    After a few moments, the gori''s scream stopped, and it stopped moving. The menacing light from its blood-red eyes disappeared. Itsrge body started disappearing, and soon only a treasure chest was left where it was just a moment ago.


    The treasure chest was brown with a gold lining. It looked very precious and luxurious, as if it belonged to some ancient king who had long ago passed away.


    The remaining members of the party surrounded the treasure chest.

 Chapter 52 Alone

    <h4>Chapter 52 Alone</h4>


    ?


    "Let''s open this in Amaterasu with Roza and PamPam." RedBand suggested and tossed the treasure chest into his inventory. Felixar and Andyy didn''t mind and nodded.


    Ambrose didn''t really care, as his mind was upied by something else.


    "Ambrose, are you alright?" RedBand asked. "Are you fine if we share the rewards back in Amaterasu? You were a big reason for the sess of this quest, so you can choose the first reward you want from the treasure. Is that fine?"


    "Yes, thanks." Ambrose nodded and sheathed his swords.


    "Alright." RedBand pped his hands. "Let''s gather the dropped items from monkeys, then share the silver we get from them."


    Felixar and Andyy nodded. They went to pick up Roza''s dropped item and walked to the items that were strewn around the vige.


    After they returned, RedBand said. "Let''s log out and regroup in Amaterasu. Ambrose, is it fine if we use your dojo?"


    "Whoah, he has a dojo?" Andyy eximed. "Can you teach me a skill? Pleasee, I don''t have one yet!"


    "Andyy, you are a spearsman." Felixar said and rubbed Andyy''s head, messing with his hair.


    "That''s fine." Ambrose nodded.


    "Alright, see you there." RedBand opened his interface and logged out. Felixar and Andyy said their farewells and logged out.


    Ambrose looked at his left hand and touched his right shoulder. He imagined the pain he would feel once he logged out.


    "Only a brief visit..." He took a deep breath, opened his interface, and logged out.


    ...


    Beep, beep, beep.


    Jesse opened his shaky eyes and almost let out a scream. He tried moving his arms, but they felt surprisingly stiff.


    Through the golden visor, he saw the interior of a hospital room, and there were wires stuck in his body. His left hand was bandaged, and there was a cast on his right arm.


    There was a beeping machine beside the hospital bed, showing his vitals. It let out an annoying beep, beep, beep sound.


    "A hospital? What the fuck?" Jesse cried out, and since both of his arms were unusable, he couldn''t take off the VR headset.


    "Are you happy now?"


    Jesse turned to the person with a stern voice and saw his father sitting on a chair with an angry expression on his face.


    "Father...?"


    "Are you happy?" Terry shouted angrily and stood up. "You only cause problems for others. What the hell is wrong with you?"


    "Argh..." Jesse gritted his teeth in pain. "I didn''t... ask... for the hospital!"


    "Alice called for one." Terry said with a scoff. "You even caused trouble for her even though she is concerned about your situation. You havepletely made our family lose face."


    Jesse turned his gaze to the ceiling. He couldn''t see the normal colors of the hospital because of the golden visor. However, he knew that this hospital wasn''t cheap.


    "You came all the way to yell at me?" Jesseughed. "You should have stayed at home with your crossword puzzles."


    "Who do you think has to pay for this, huh?" Terry shouted. "Alice offered to pay for all this, but how could we lose even more face? This is the Marvelio Family we are talking about. They are the cornerstone of this city!"


    "I will pay for it." Jesse said through pain.


    "With what money?" Terryughed mockingly. "You spent all your money on that fucking game. How could you possibly afford anything?"


    "I... will... pay for it." Jesse looked at his father and said with a frosty voice.


    "Hmph, fine. I will tell them to send the bill to your new address." Terry said with a spiteful tone.


    "New address?" Jesse looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"


    "It is time for you to stop leeching on us." Terry crossed his arms and looked down at his son. "Maria and I have talked about this for some time now. You don''t seem to change, so we rented an apartment for you.


    "We will pay the rent for the first two months, but after that, we will stop paying anything for you. "


    "You are... throwing me out?" Jesse looked at his father and shook his head with a mocking look.


    "You should at least learn to respect your parents." Terry said coldly. "You have to enter the world of adults, and with such an attitude, you won''t get anywhere.


    "That is my final advice to you." Terry walked to the door, opened it, and looked at his son one final time. "Don''t use the name Kraham publicly. We have already had our hands full trying to restore our name. We don''t need you to ruin it even further."


    m¡ªhe shut the door and walked away.


    "Hahahahaha..." Jesseughed until tears appeared in the corner of his eyes. He was happy. "Yes, thank you. I don''t need you two. I don''t need to use Kraham''s name. I only need one name.


    "Ambrose."


    He pressed the button on his headset and returned to Martial Online.


    ...


    Ambrose opened his eyes and saw the familiar dojo room. He covered his face and let out augh.


    "Hahahahaha..." He turned to the only chair in the room and kicked it into the wall. The wooden chair shattered into pieces. "Fuuck!"


    Ambrose paced about and mmed his fist into the door before walking to the window. He screamed aloud and clenched both fists before mming them into the wall.


    He took a deep breath, thenbed his hair backwards with his hand, revealing his dull eyes and pale, sickly face.


    From a window, he saw a group arriving at the wooden gate. The person leading them was RedBand and he shouted "Ambrose" loudly.


    Ambrose took a deep breath and looked at his reflection from the window. He forced a smile with teary eyes. "I don''t need them. Everything will turn out better. I believe..."


    He exhaled, left the room, and walked to the wooden gate. Once he opened it, he saw RedBand, Roza, PamPam, Andyy, and Felixar. However, there was also someone else, and that person only had one leg.


    "You must be Marcus." Ambrose said.


    "Yes, good job at the quest, very good." One-Leg Marcus smiled gently.


    "Come in." Ambrose let everyone inside and then locked the wooden gate. They gathered on the dojo''s first floor, which was the most spacious room in the dojo.


    RedBand ced a treasure chest in front of him, then pulled out a brown pouch and ced it next to it.


    "We visited a merchant beforeing here. We received a total of 4500 silvers. 750 silvers for each, and we haven''t opened the treasure chest yet. We already agreed that you could choose the first reward for yourself.


    "After that, One-Leg Marcus here will give our quest rewards."


    "I understand." Ambrose nodded and looked at the treasure chest. It didn''t have a lock, so he could open it whenever he wanted to.


    However, first, RedBand split the money and gave everyone 750 silvers.


    "Open it." Andyy said excitedly. He and the rest were excited to see what kind of rewards awaited them.


    One-Leg Marcus rubbed his goatee. He was also curious what kind of rewards the Steel-Armed Gori managed to hoard. In his opinion, it must''ve been a lot since he had been stealing stuff for months.


    Ambrose nodded and opened the lid of the treasure chest. He peeked inside the chest and widened his eyes with pleasant surprise.

 Chapter 53 Miraculous

    <h4>Chapter 53 Miraculous</h4>


    Ambrose took out the first item. It was some kind of golden whistle, and soon information popped up in front of everyone.


    [Calling Whistle: By blowing the whistle, the yer would attract every creature within a 500 meter radius]


    ''This is an extremely good tool for any level grinder.'' Ambrose nodded in affirmation and put it down on the floor. ''I wouldn''t have to search for things to kill anymore; they woulde straight to me. However, it could also attract something very dangerous...''


    "A good item." RedBand nodded in approval. The rest of the party was equally impressed.


    Ambrose then took out the second item. It was a blue, curved horn. It looked like a magical item, and it was very beautiful to look at.


    [Magic Horn (Blue): A master cksmith can fuse it with any weapon and add one magic skill to the weapon]


    "Whoah!" Roza eximed. "I know there is magic in this game because of Karma, but to think that yers can also get magic!"


    "However, it would need a master cksmith." RedBand scratched his head, and then turned to Marcus. "Does Amaterasu have a master cksmith?"


    "No one has reached that level of cksmithing in a century." One-Leg Marcus said. "From what I know, there are cksmithing viges somewhere in the Dark Continent. If there are master cksmiths anywhere, it would be there."


    "Why in the Dark Continent?" Roza asked.


    "Dark Continents have better metals and ingredients. They can create stronger weapons there, so it ain''t surprising that they moved there."


    Ambrose ced the magic horn beside the whistle. ''It would take a long time before any yer ventured into the Dark Continent. It might take years. I am not a patient person, so I should focus on getting items that increase my strength now.''


    He then took the third item out of the treasure chest. It was a brown pouch, and once Ambrose opened it, a notification appeared saying that there were 1,500 silvers inside.


    "1,500 silvers," Ambrose ced the pouch beside the magic horn. Others in the room looked at it with desire. While silver was important for purchasing various things, obtaining a valuable item that couldn''t be bought with money held greater significance.


    Ambrose then uncovered another item¡ªa round shield with a lion insignia. Though heavy, it could be folded into apact size that fit in a pocket.


    Felixar immediately straightened his back. His eyes shone as he stared intensely at the folded shield.


    Ambrose ced it on the floor, uninterested, and proceeded to examine another item. This time, he revealed a green-colored whistle emitting an unpleasant odor.


    [Orc Whistle: By blowing into the whistle, you can summon an orc. The orc will immediately attack the summoner. It cannot be controlled, but killing it grants XP and has a 0.001% chance of dropping an item.]


    RedBand and his party members had mixed reactions. It was tempting since the orc gave experience and had a small chance of dropping an item, but otherwise, it was quite useless!


    Ambrose looked at the green whistle and smiled. "I''ll take this."


    "Uh, are you sure?" RedBand asked in surprise. He expected him to take Calling Whistle or at least check the remaining items. ''Is he risking it in case the orc drops something incredibly valuable?''


    "Yes, I''m sure." Ambrose tossed the whistle into his inventory.


    "Alright." RedBand looked inside the treasure chest. There was only one item left. It was a small, silver ring with arge ruby embedded in its center.


    [Ruby Ring: Increases the attack and defense of the user by 10%]


    RedBand smiled and said. "I''ll take this."


    They decided beforehand that he was the second person to choose reward.


    His friends nodded, but Roza looked slightly bitter, as she wanted it because it looked very pretty.


    "I will take this." Felixar reached out to the round shield. He unfolded the shield and stood up with it. The shield covered his torso right behind it. However, it was quite heavy, but he was very pleased.


    "I''ll take this." Roza took the Calling Whistle.


    Andyy grabbed the magic horn and wryly smiled before throwing it into his inventory.


    PamPam looked at thest remaining item¡ªa pouch worth 1,500 silvers. She sighed and stored it all inside her interface.


    "Alright, Marcus." RedBand turned to the quest assigner. "What will we get?"


    "Our vige is not the richest, but we gave something that would definitely please yers." One-Leg Marcus rummaged through his pocket and took out a very small pouch. It looked like it could fit only 100 silver coins inside.


    As everyone looked disappointed, Marcus opened the pouch, and everyone received bright notifications.


    [5000 XP Acquired!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 18 -> 19]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 19 -> Level 20]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 20 -> 21]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 21 -> 22]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 22 -> 23]


    "Whoah!" Andyy eximed with a giant smile. "Quests are definitely worth it!"


    RedBand nodded with a smile. "So, the vigers managed to transform their rewards into XP. Not bad."


    Ambrose nodded with a slight smile. He looked at his stat points, and he once again had a lot to use.


    "Well, here ends our cooperation." RedBand stood up and shook hands with Ambrose. "Thanks for helping."


    "No problem. I don''t mind being invited for another quest if the rewards are like this."


    "Heh, well, if you find one yourself, consider calling us." RedBand looked at his party members and Marcus. They all shook hands with Ambrose and then left the dojo in good spirits. It was a very fruitful quest.


    Ambrose sat on the floor and thought about this day. A morning started normally, but everything went downhill quickly.


    "I need to earn money..." He sighed and looked around the dojo. There was only one way to get money quickly, and there was only one thing he could sell that would cause amotion.


    "This dojo... I have to sell it." Ambrose sadly smiled. "I started to like this ce, but for now, I have to let go.


    "To earn money via Martial Online, I need strength. A lot of strength." Ambrose opened the interface and looked at the stat points. There were 60 stat points. He had 10 beforehand after leveling up earlier today.


    "Strength..." Ambrose pressed on Strength and put all stat points on it.


    [STR: 40 -> 100]


    His strength reached 100!


    [Str%4&&//&¡è Ad¡è%&" Re"¡è&"&]


    "Wait, what the hell is that?" Ambrose looked at the glitched message, which disappeared almost immediately. He shook his head and thought it was just a bug. It wasn''t strange that there would be bugs in a game of this size.


    ''I guess I will report that bug on the forums.'' Ambrose thought and returned upstairs to his room. Heid on the bed and looked at the ceiling. The sky had already turned dark above Amaterasu.


    He didn''t want to return to real life because of the pain. He had heard that it was possible to sleep inside Martial Online.


    "I am now alone..." Ambrose wiped the tears from his eyes. He had long been sheltered by his parents and had grown used to such a lifestyle. He never expected them to throw him out like this, and it made him feel sadness, which swallowed him from the inside.


    "It''s fine... I will show them." Ambrose closed his eyes and whispered gently. "I will show them all. I am not useless."


    ...


    In a dark hospital room with a beeping machine and a nurse. The nurse checked the machine and nced at the sickly-looking young man before leaving the room.


    After the door closed, Jesse''s body shuddered for a moment. The golden visor started glowing, brightening the dark room significantly.


    His veins bulged and started glowing with a simr golden glow.


    That night, a miraculous scene happened in a random hospital room. Jesse''s body, riddled with incurable disease since the moment he was born, started having its first miraculous transformation.

 Chapter 54 New Jesse

    <h4>Chapter 54 New Jesse</h4>


    "Ugh." Ambrose covered his eyes as sunlight entered his room, blinding his eyes. He sat up to sit on the edge of the bed and rubbed his eyes.


    For a second, he couldn''t remember where he was. But then he heard voices from the street and the sound of horses galloping. He stood up and walked to the window.


    A morning had dawned on Amaterasu, and since today was the weekend, yers of high school age woke up earlier than usual, nning to take advantage of every minute of the weekend to increase their levels.


    "Right, I slept here..." Ambrose yawned and looked at his dojo room with a longing gaze. He nned to put this dojo up for sale today. He nned to make it an auction. The highest bidder gets it. It would increase his chance of earning as much as possible.


    "I suppose I should return to that painful reality. Maybe doctors has something to say to me. If I could, I would leave the hospital today."


    Ambrose yawned, opened his interface, and logged out rather carefreely.


    ...


    Upon awakening, Jesse was immediately engulfed by an overwhelming sense of euphoria. It was as if he were immersed in a tranquil goldenke teeming with rejuvenating nts¡ªa sensation he had never experienced before.


    ''Just how many drugs did they inject me with?'' Jesse let out a moan of satisfaction and opened his eyes. The golden visor was still in front of him.


    As Jesse attempted to flex the fingers of his left hand, he experienced a sudden surge of pain. However, inparison to the excruciating agony he had endured previously, it now seemed trivial.


    Furthermore, the pain in his shoulder had diminished significantly, providing him with a noticeable relief.


    Jesse cautiously attempted to move his right arm, finding some degree of sess. With care, he removed the headset and gently ced it on the nearby bed.


    He suddenly experienced ufortable itchiness in his eyes, but after rubbing them with his right hand, the itchiness disappeared and he soon regained a sense of normalcy andfort.


    ''Weird...'' Jesse looked around the hospital room and then felt very ufortable when he tried moving around. He dropped his gaze and widened his eyes in shock.


    His hospital gown was stained by some ck liquid that was dripping from his body.


    "The hell?" Jesse flinched and sat up in a hurry. The bed sheets were stained with the same ck liquid, and it was dripping down to the floor. It was aplete mess.


    "This feels horrible..." Jesse plucked the wires out of his body and tossed them aside. The beeping machine stopped entirely and only showed a straight line, as if the patient''s heart had stopped.


    Jesse staggered to the bathroom door and opened it. There was a shower, sink, and toilet nearly arranged within the small space.


    Carefully, Jesse peeled off his saturated hospital gown, drenched with the ck liquid, and proceeded to activate the shower. Stepping beneath the cascading water, he allowed it to cleanse away the remnants of the mysterious substance from his body.


    As the ck liquid was rinsed away from his body, Jesse couldn''t help but release a contented sigh. The dark substance flowed down the drain, finding its way through small openings in the floor, eventually disappearing into the depths of the murky sewers.


    Having thoroughly washed his hair and body with shampoo, Jesse concluded his shower by shutting off the water, all while keeping his eyes closed. He reached out with his arms, searching for a towel.


    Once he found it, he methodically dried his face, then his hair, and finally his body, ensuring that no part remained damp or unattended.


    Feeling an overwhelming thirst, Jesse made his way to the bathroom sink and twisted the faucet handle, allowing the water to flow.


    With an intense longing for hydration, he brought the cool stream to his lips and eagerly drank from the faucet, quenching his parched throat and alleviating his insatiable thirst.


    After sating his thirst, Jesse closed the faucet and briefly caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. A fatigued and ailing countenance stared back at him. However, something peculiar caught his attention, a distinct anomaly that stirred a sense of curiosity within him.


    "Huh."


    As Jesse observed his reflection, he noticed that his shoulders appeared broader, lending a more robust and muscr appearance.


    Additionally, his facial features seemed to possess a newfound masculinity. While he didn''t consider himself extraordinary, there was no denying that he looked considerably better than before, showcasing a noticeable improvement in his overall appearance.


    Upon directing his gaze towards his shoulders for a closer inspection, a sudden and profound stillness overcame Jesse''s entire body. His eyes trembled as his hand traced a path across his torso, his expression marked by a mix of awe and disbelief.


    "How... what?"


    He had always possessed a slender physique, indicating hisck of involvement in sports throughout his life. However, now he appeared as an entirely transformed individual. His muscles had developed with an astonishing solidity, resembling finely chiseled diamonds.


    Additionally, he had miraculously acquired a well-defined six-pack, apanied by robust-looking legs.


    Notably, his stature had undergone a significant change, as he now stood at approximately 1.85 meters, marking a remarkable increase of 15 centimeters. This awe-inspiring and truly unbelievable transformation could only be described as magical.


    "This... am I dreaming?" Jesse rubbed his eyes, but when he opened his eyes again, he still looked like a professional swimmer. It was a body type he could only wish to have, but now the dream had be reality.


    "What drugs did they give me?" Jesse grabbed the sink with both hands and looked at his shocked reflection in the mirror. His face still couldn''t be considered handsome, as his declining health made his skin sickly pale, causing ck marks around his eyes.


    Outside the bathroom, the door to the hospital room opened. A sweet-looking nurse arrived with a tray filled with different medicines. She then looked stunned at the sight of the messy bed and saw that the patient was nowhere to be seen.


    "What happened?" She ced the tray on the table and approached the bed. She immediately covered her mouth and stepped back. "A terrible stench. What could this be? Is this all from the patient?"


    She turned to the bathroom and opened the door. Since she was a nurse, she had grown used to seeing her patients naked and sometimes helped them shower if they were unable to do it themselves. However, this time she was left stunned.


    "Huh?" Jesse turned to the door and saw a stunned nurse. He quickly hid his private parts and awkwardly said. "Umm, I might be in need of spare clothes."


    "O-oh." The nurse smiled with flushed cheeks and nodded. "I-I will... send someone to clean the room. Please wait for a moment."


    The door then closed, and the nurse left to get the spare clothes.


    Jesse turned back to the mirror and sighed. "What the hell happened? Hmm, my body has changed, but has my strength?"


    He stepped away from the sink and distanced himself from the mirror. Once he was far enough, he looked at his reflection, put his front foot forward, and twisted his waist. He then threw a punch with his broken left hand and punched the empty air.


    Even with a broken hand, his punch seemed powerful enough to knock an adult man unconscious. He didn''t know how strong he was, but he felt confidence filling his body. It was the first time he felt confident in himself.


    Knock, knock¡ªthere was a knock on the door.


    "I brought the clothes." The voice of the nurse came, and the door slowly started to open.


    Jesse quickly rushed to the door and stopped it from opening further. He peeked through the gap and smiled. "Thanks."


    He then epted the clothes that she had brought for him and thanked her with a nod before closing the door.


    The nurse pouted and left the hospital room to call for someone to clean the room.


    Inside the bathroom, Jesse put the clothes on. Since they were hospital clothes, they were quite loose. He looked at himself in the mirror and looked pleasantly surprised.


    "I can''t believe I am saying this, but I look good?" He moved slightly and shrugged his shoulders. He then slightly grimaced and rubbed his right shoulder. Since the pain wasn''t that bad anymore, he sometimes forgot about his broken hand and shoulder.


    Jesse then closed the toilet''s lid and sat on top of it. He looked thoughtful.


    "Now, what happened that caused this strange transformation. It definitely can''t be that the hospital injected me with some supersoldier potion.


    "It can''t be that right... I finally reached 100 stats on Strength and then had that strange glitched code. Nah, it can''t be. It is just a game, right... Hmm, I wonder if anyone else has reported about their bodies changing...


    "I should check any news and forum posts."

 Chapter 55 Alice and Jesse

    <h4>Chapter 55 Alice and Jesse</h4>


    Jesse sat in a wheelchair, being gently pushed by a nurse, as they made their way towards the hospital cafeteria.


    Inside, they joined a group of other patients who were eagerly awaiting their meals. Some patients were unable to leave their beds, so dedicated nurses ensured that food was delivered to them.


    After the nurse found a spot for him, she pushed the wheelchair there and went to pick up the tray of food for Jesse.


    Jesse picked up the phone from hisp. There weren''t any pockets in these loose hospital clothes, so he had to carry the phone on hisp.


    While waiting for the food to arrive, Jesse started scrolling through Martial Online''s forums. There wasn''t anything special, but one post made him chuckle.


    ''Hah, that is quite smart. A small group of yers created their own Sumo, Taekwondo, and Karate dojos. I guess they belong to Brawler ss, so it works.


    ''However, how does Sumo work in this game? The sumo wrestlers always have big bodies and great leg strength. I wonder if some real life sumo wrestlers joined that dojo.


    ''I would love to fight against them, but I wonder if they can survive against swords.''


    "Here''s your food." The nurse arrived with the tray and ced it gently in front of Jesse. The tray had a bowl of soap, yogurt, a cup with water, a small loaf of bread, and a stic fork, spoon, and knife.


    "Thanks." Jesse thanked her and started eating. When he took the first bite, he was surprised to find out that the food was surprisingly delicious. He had grown used to hospital food being rather dull, but this time it was quite delicious.


    It was his first time being in this particr hospital. He often went to West Hospital, which was closest to his home. However, for some reason, the hospital took him to Nocklund''s main Hospital. It was a hospital where Alice''s father was the Head Doctor and her mother was the Head Nurse.


    "Ring the bell when you want to return." The nurse spoke gently and left the cafeteria to do other work-rted stuff.


    Jesse ced the spoon down, his gaze shifting to his phone''s open screen. It showed the forums and the post creation button. A profound sigh left his mouth; he mustered up his courage and pressed the button.


    He now nned to make the post and put his dojo up for auction. He hoped it would garner enough interest so he would have enough money to pay for the hospital fees and ease his financial burden.


    After he finished writing and adding the special "auction" feature to the post, he pressed the upload button. The auction feature wasmon feature these days, as it was one of the best ways of earning money.


    The forum''s admins weren''t against auctioning.


    Jesse then closed his phone and left it on the table while he resumed eating. The food had lost its vor, and he couldn''t help but be anxious about the auction. He wanted to sell it for a lot of money.


    As his anxiety grew, a silver-haired girl arrived at the cafeteria. She looked around and soon found the person she was looking for. She was elegantly dressed in a white blouse paired with a charming light blue skirt, gracefully clutching a stylish handbag.


    She appeared visibly nervous but gathered her courage to approach the young man. Her gentle gaze caught a glimpse of the bandaged hand and the cast on the right arm. It evoked a sense of empathy and concern from her.


    "Hey..." Alice greeted him with a smile. When she stood right behind him, she noticed something strange. His body was more athletic than it should have been. He even panted after the thirty minute walk.


    ''Did I get the wrong person?'' Alice thought at first and turned shy. However, then the athletic-looking youth turned around with surprise shing across his face. The face of the person was identical to the person who had been on her mind for thest 24 hours.


    "Alice..." Jesse turned away and returned to his food.


    "Are you perhaps angry?" Alice tightened her hold on the handbag. "I had to call the ambnce. It is my duty as a physical therapist."


    "It''s fine." Jesse said and took a sip of the water. "I am not angry."


    "Mm..." Alice nodded, but felt a sense of unfamiliarity from his tone. "How are you feeling?"


    Jesse ced the cup gently on the tray and looked at his arms, which were flowing with strength. He was feeling overwhelmingly great, as if he could punch through a tree. However, he knew his arm would break in the process.


    His physical appearance had changed, and his strength had increased by miles, but his disease hadn''t gone anywhere. He was still as fragile as a piece of ss.


    "I am feeling very good."


    "That''s good." Alice nodded and wanted to ask him about his physical appearance, but when she opened her mouth, she thought it would be too inappropriate for the current situation and kept her mouth shut instead.


    Instead, she said the first thing that came to her mind.


    "About the hospital fee. I had already talked with my dad and mom; I can cover the fee."


    "No." Jesse said immediately and looked over his shoulder at her. "I will pay for it."


    "You..?" Alice frowned. "What about your parents?"


    "This... is my fault." Jesse turned back to the tray and stirred the soup with his spoon. "You can send the fee to my new address. I will pay for it shortly."


    "New address?" Alice pulled a chair from under the table, sat down, and looked intensely at his face. "What happened?"


    "Nothing." Jesse shook his head. "I have talked with my parents about moving out for months now."


    "But you can''t live alone with your current condition." Alice looked at him with concern. "I am your physical therapist, and I must sugg¡ª"


    Before letting her finish, Jesse interrupted her. "About that. I am in no need of a physical therapist either... so I will send your final payment soon."


    "You..." Alice''s eyes shook, and she stood up with a tinge of anger. "You are angry at me, aren''t you?"


    "No." Jesse looked away from her. "I think I am in better condition now. I appreciate your help, but I think I am in perfect health now."


    "Why are you acting like a stranger?" Alice hugged the handbag against her chest, looking saddened.


    "Hmm?" Jesse nced at her briefly before again turning away. "You are just my physical therapist, aren''t you? When one is no longer in need of therapy, they usually stop paying for it. Don''t they?"


    "I see..." Alice lowered her head and forced a smile. "I hope your condition will improve. If you are in need of more therapy, consider calling me or any of my colleagues. Well, then farewells..."


    "Thank you for your help." Jesse nodded and turned back to the soup. He had identally grabbed the spoon so hard that it was bent, a testament to his frustration. "..."


    Alice bowed onest time and walked away. However, after a few steps, she stopped and turned to look at Jesse.


    "Also, this isn''t your fault. That man, who bumped shoulders with you, was looking straight at you when he was walking. He intentionally bumped shoulders with you."


    Jesse flinched and continued stirring the soap with the bent spoon. "I see..."


    "I hope we can be friends again." Alice smiled. "My offer is still standing. If you want to join my dojo or simply join the quest, find Silver Heart Dojo. We will ept you."


    ''Silver Heart?'' Jesse''s expression widened in shock. He turned around and saw Alice walk out of the cafeteria. ''She is Serenity?''

 Chapter 56 New Apartment

    <h4>Chapter 56 New Apartment</h4>


    "Mr. Kraham, if you are confident that you aren''t feeling any pain and are able to live your life normally, then I don''t see a reason why you wouldn''t be able to leave now." The doctor said while checking the x-ray results.


    The pictures showed multiple fractures in the left hand; all fingers were broken, and skin was torn off badly. The right shoulder was broken as well, but it wasn''t as bad as before, as if it had magically healed overnight.


    It was still possible to use the right arm; that''s why the doctor was confident in letting Jesse leave.


    "Thank you." Jesse nodded. He didn''t want to spend even one second longer in this stuffy hospital.


    "A taxi should be awaiting you outside. Try not to exercise or do anything physically demanding for several weeks. Because of your condition, those fractures might not heal if you don''t rest."


    "I understand." Jesse said, then bid his farewells and left the hospital room with his wheelchair being pushed by a sweet-looking nurse. She pulled him all the way to the front yard, where a taxi was waiting.


    After getting on the taxi, Jesse felt his phone buzzing in his back pocket. He pulled it out and saw a message from his father. The message didn''t have anything except an address for his new apartment.


    ''You don''t want to even take me there personally? Well, it doesn''t matter.'' Jesse pocketed the phone and gave the address to the taxi driver. After that, the engine started roaring, and the car started making its way to his new address.


    The drive was uneventful, as there was only a ten minute trip to the apartmentplex.


    After the taxi parked in front of the apartmentplex, the driver took Jesse''s wheelchair out of the trunk and helped him out.


    Jesse looked at the apartmentplex in front of him. He remembered his father''s message, and his apartment number should be "3."


    Pushing the wheelchair forward, Jesse saw stairs that led to the upper floors of the apartmentplex. It was impossible for him to climb those stairs with the wheelchair. However, the number of his apartment was quite low, so he expected it to be within street level.


    Therefore, he rolled past the stairs and checked the apartment numbers as he moved past them.


    "1... 2... and 3." Jesse turned the wheelchair to face the door of his apartment. He didn''t have keys to the apartment and began thinking about whether he should visit thendlord.


    However, before that, he ced his right hand on the doorhandle and tried opening the door. He expected nothing to happen except the sound of the door being locked.


    To his surprise, the door clicked open.


    ''They left it open.'' Jesse thought quickly. ''Let me guess. They visited here, left the key, and decided that this is where they would remove themselves from my life.''


    The wheels of the wheelchair rolled over the threshold of the doorway.


    Jesse closed the door behind him and looked at the dimly lit apartment. There was a small living room with a kitchen connected to the same room, one bathroom, and one bedroom. It was a very tiny apartment, but it should be big enough for him.


    Jesse removed his shoes and tossed them on the floor below the clothes rack. He then rolled to the living room and looked around with a tired expression. His apartment barely had any furniture.


    There was a sofa, a table, and a rug inside the living room. There weren''t even curtains on the windows. When he opened his bedroom door, there was only a wardrobe, a bed, and a small desk. They were taken from his former bedroom.


    Jesse rolled to the desk, and there was a familiar book on top. His favorite book with a main character named Ambrose.


    Jesse then put his bag down on the bed and opened it. Inside were spare clothes, his VR headset, a phone charger, and headphones. That was the content of his life.


    "That is quite sad." He let out a self-mockingugh and then put his clothes on the wardrobe, his phone charger on the outlet, headphones next to the book, and a VR headset on top of the bed. He then returned to the living room.


    He checked the refrigerator. It was empty except for some milk and a few eggs.


    "Ugh, spoiled." Jesse checked the milk and the eggs. They were definitely spoiled. He opened a cab, took out the garbage can, and tossed them inside. Then he tossed the can back inside the cab and closed the wooden door.


    "I need to visit the store." Jesse murmured, but then he noticed a bowl on the kitchen desk. He pushed himself up and walked to the bowl.


    There was a key and an envelope inside the bowl.


    "A house key, as expected." Jesseughed and pocketed the key. He then opened the envelope. There were 100 crowns inside. Lastly, there was a letter.


    Jesse put the crown note into his wallet and then opened the letter.


    "This is all you receive from us. We had paid two months rent in advance. This is thest help you get from us..." Jesse crumbled the paper, opened the cab, and tossed it into the garbage can. "Piece of shit."


    He mmed the cab shut and walked to the sofa. Heid down on the sofa, pulled out his phone, and checked the forums.


    After checking out the status of his auction, he was very disappointed. There have been only 100 crowns bid so far. It was a lot of money for some, but Jesse had bigger ambitions.


    "Not nearly enough..." He pocketed the phone and scratched his hair. "I need to go buy food..."


    He turned to the side and looked at the wheelchair.


    "Not happening. I think I can walk there..." Jesse sat up and stood up through gritted teeth. He looked at the cast on his right arm and slowly removed it.


    After removing it, he tossed it away and rubbed his shoulder gently. There was still some pain left, but it was bearable.


    "I don''t know where the nearest convenience store is..." Jesse took out his phone again to check the location of the nearest convenience store. After a minute, he found it and was pleasantly surprised that it was only a five minute walk there.


    "I have to agree. They chose a good apartment location. The hospital is nearby, and so is the nearest convenience store." He patted his pockets, ensuring that his keys were there, and then left the apartment. This time, he locked the door.


    After checking the GPS, he headed towards the convenience store. After exactly five minutes, he arrived at the convenience store. It was a small shop with only one clerk behind the counter.


    The front of the shop had two tables, both filled with elderly men ying cards and drinking tea.


    The clerk was a young woman who looked like she had just graduated from high school. She was wearing a white apron, a long-sleeved shirt, and ck tight trousers. Her hair was brown and tied into a bun.


    "Wee." She greeted the new customer. Her voice was pleasant to listen to, and her smile was quite bright. It looked like she enjoyed working here.


    "Hello." Jesse nodded to the clerk and walked to the food aisle. He nned to purchase some ready-made food, which he could just heat up in the microwave. Making food wasn''t very easy with his condition, but he was sure he could do it if he wanted to.


    However, he was already starting to feel a little bit of hunger.


    ''I''ll purchase enough food for tomorrow too. I can''t start making food because it takes time, and I don''t have time to waste.


    ''I still need to y Martial Online, and I will most likely be starving every time I log out. So, microwave food is better now, even though it isn''t the healthiest thing.''


    Jesse picked up anything that looked somewhat delicious and then walked to the counter to pay for it all.

 Chapter 57 Ambrose鈥檚 Strength

    <h4>Chapter 57 Ambrose''s Strength</h4>


    On the street of Amaterasu, a group of yers had gathered in the park to discuss their next exploration. They were a party that only did explorations, finding new viges and ces that the majority of the yerbase didn''t know existed.


    They then sold the information.


    At that moment, a yer with short, tousled hair leaped over the metal fence and sprinted towards the group.


    "Erwyn, you arete." The leader of the party said while holding a woman in his arms.


    He was undeniably handsome, his hair a radiant shade of blond that resembled the gleam of pure gold. His masculine physique exuded confidence, leaving no doubt that he would captivate the attention of those around him, especially the opposite gender.


    "Boss, I found what we''re looking for!" Erwyn said excitedly.


    "Hmm, and what could that be? Refresh my memory." The leader wavedzily, beckoning him to continue.


    "There is a dojo on sale in the forums!" Erwyn said and the rest of the party looked amazed. They thought it would be very hard to find someone who would willingly sell a dojo. They needed a dojo to share techniques with each other, increasing their strength at the same time.


    "Oh, how much?" The leader of the party moved the woman in his arms to the side and turned to Erwyn.


    "Well... the thing is." Erwyn sighed and scratched the back of his head. "It is an auction."


    "Cursed!" The members of the party sighed deeply. An auction of such a rare thing could be very expensive very quickly!


    "Hmm, I see." The leader of the party nodded. "I will log out for a moment and check it out. Who made the post?"


    Erwyn nodded and said. "A yer named Ambrose!"


    ...


    Jesse kicked the shoes off his feet and locked the door behind him. He staggered to the kitchen, ced his purchased items neatly on the refrigerator, and then closed its door.


    He tossed the keys into the bowl on the kitchen desk and took out his phone. After opening the forums, he saw that he had received several messages.


    He opened them curiously and saw that they were from the same person. The person wanted him to sell the dojo for 500 crowns. The auction''s highest bid was currently 300 crowns.


    "Not happening." Jesse closed the phone and pocketed it. He knew the auction would go higher than 500 crowns. It had to.


    He didn''t know how much people would be willing to pay for the dojo, but he came to the conclusion that if the World Quest was the only way to get Dojo Key, it must be very valuable.


    Ding, ding!


    ''Huh?'' Jesse heard the doorbell''s ringing sound echo throughout the house. He wondered who it could be as he walked to the door and opened it.


    After the door swung open, there was an olddy, clutching her walking cane, standing in front of him. Wrinkles adorned her aging face, and the old-style outfit donned her fragile looking body, as if a single breeze could knock her down from her feet.


    "I am thendy of this apartmentplex. You may call me Madam Matilda." The old woman said with a powerful temper. "There are only a few rules you should be aware of. No loud noises; animals aren''t allowed; and pay rent on time. Do you understand?"


    "Yes, madam." Jesse replied. He didn''t underestimate the olddy, even though she was old and fragile looking. She was clearly very experienced in the ways of the world, and if she wanted to, she could throw him out and make him homeless.


    Therefore, he engraved the rules in the back of his mind.


    "Good. I will be living in that building, over the road." She pointed at the five-story building, which seemed to be her private house. She was clearly wealthy beyond Jesse''sprehension.


    "If there is anything broken or in need of fixing in your apartment,e meet me." Matilda then said her farewells and returned to her own house.


    Jesse closed the door and scratched his hair. "She is very stern, but pretty kind, I guess."


    He yawned and went to his wheelchair. He then pulled it inside his bedroom, pushed it to the corner of the room, and thenid down on the bed. His legs were starting to ache.


    "I wonder if there is anything to do. I doubt visiting Crow Forest is worth it now." Jesse reached for his VR headset and ced it gently around his head.


    After pressing the button, he entered the magical world of swords, spears, and martial arts.


    ...


    Ambrose appeared in his familiar dojo room. He again fondly looked around, as this might be thest time he was here. He didn''t know whether he would receive a crazy bid for this.


    He had crazy ambitions for the price. Many yers would be willing to sell it for 500 crowns, as it was a crazy amount of money to earn from games. However, Ambrose wanted it to go much higher.


    After opening the curtains and the window, he inhaled the scent of the city and then returned to the downstairs.


    He tapped the shoulder of the training dummy and looked around the empty, crude dojo.


    "Hmm..." Ambrose opened his inventory and took out a green whistle. It was still smelling terrible, as if it were made from rotting material.


    "Orc Whistle, huh. Let''s see..." Ambrose ced the whistle against his lips and wanted to puke out the bread he had just eaten when he walked back from the convenience store. He ate it to quench his hunger for the time being, as he still wanted to visit Martial Online.


    Whistle... Ambrose blew into the whistle, and a sound that resembled crying birds and screaming crows reverberated across the dojo.


    At the center of the dojo, a green-skinned figure appeared from the mist. The orc had broad shoulders,rge tusks protruding from its mouth, and prominent lower canines. Its facial features looked menacing, with eerie red eyes.


    The smell it emitted made Ambrose sick to his stomach.


    "Gerrrr!" The Orc turned its menacing gaze in the direction of its summoner. Its killing intent was clear for all to see. It reached into empty air and pulled out a wooden mace from nothingness.


    ''Huh, it has inventory, or what the hell was that?'' Ambrose reached into his hip and unsheathed his swords. He stood tall, wanting to test his strength against the green-skinned creature.


    Before, with his skinny posture, he didn''t pose a threat to anyone. No one would have thought of him as a threat if they were fighting against him.


    Now, his athletic, tall stature made him look like a powerhouse. He was no longer the weak young man from Nocklund or the loser his family thought of him as.


    "I wonder how strong I am with 100 strength."


    "Gruh!" The formidable Orc charged forward, brandishing a mighty mace, its grotesque mouth agape, drool flinging into the air with each menacing stride.


    Ambrose, fueled by determination, smashed the two swords against the oing mace with a resounding impact. The sh reverberated through the air as he unleashed a powerful roar, defying the Orc''s ferocious assault.


    If anyone was spectating the fight, they would believe that the Orc would send Ambrose flying towards his doom. However, a shocking scene happened.


    Ambrose''s muscles bulged as he began pushing the mace backward!


    The Orc looked stunned, as it never expected to lose the battle of strength against a weaker race!


    With gritted teeth, Ambrose summoned every ounce of his strength, propelling the mace away from him with a forceful strike. The Orc, caught off guard by this unexpected turn of events, staggered backward, now disarmed and momentarily vulnerable before his opponent.


    "Dual Basic sh!"


    A green blood sttered across the walls and onto the face of the training dummy.

 Chapter 58 Yughragh

    <h4>Chapter 58 Yughragh</h4>


    The Orc lowered his gaze at its bleeding chest. There was an X-shaped sh wound in the middle of his chest, and green blood was oozing out of it. Its monstrous face showed surprise.


    ''Oh, it didn''t die.'' Ambrose spun the swords around like a whirlwind and hopped around like a boxer. ''Its endurance is fascinating. I wish I could see its health bar, but for some reason it is not showing.''


    "Human..." The Orc suddenly spoke. Its voice was deep and raspy, as if there was something stuck in its throat. "Why... have you... summoned me?"


    "You can speak, huh." Ambrose wasn''t surprised, as creatures with higher levels also had higher intelligence. The Orc clearly wasn''tmon fodder. "I summoned you to kill you."


    "Hah..." The Orc grinned, revealing disgusting yellowish teeth. "I appreciate... the honesty. You may be stronger... than the rest of the trash. However... not that... strong."


    "Your wound says otherwise." Ambrose moved his swords into a forward fighting stance. The stance maximized the efficiency of the front attack, and it was purely styled for a relentless barrage attack.


    "Your... death is guaranteed." The Orc smashed its wooden mace against its open palm. It walked casually towards Ambrose, not afraid of his attacks in the slightest.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and took a quick step forward to close the distance enough to deliver a quick downward sh.


    However, at that moment, the Orc stopped moving as its body began to dissipate into a green mist. It released a deep, menacing growl.


    "A... summon ended quicker... than expected." The Orc scoffed and turned to the ck-haired young man. "When... you are stronger... you can summon me for longer durations of time."


    "Huh." Ambrose stepped backward as the green mist enveloped the Orc.


    The Orc coughed out the green mist out of its mouth and turned its eerie, menacing red eyes towards Ambrose while half of its face was covered in the mist.


    "My name is Yughragh from the Green Beast Tribe. What is yours... human?"


    Ambrose sheathed the swords and spoke softly. "Ambrose..."


    "Human, you smell bad." Yughraghughed loud enough to fracture someone''s eardrums. Then, it disappeared into a green mist. The green mist was then blown away by the wind.


    "I smell bad?" Ambrose scoffed. "Your stench is still here, smelling like a corpse that has been rotting under the sun for a month."


    He shuddered and had to walk outside to get away from the smell. He then sat on the steps of the dojo and looked at the setting sun.


    "The stench won''t be going away for quite some time. Whoever buys this will be in for a surprise." Ambrose wryly smiled. "Anyway. The whistle''s description clearly said that the summoned creature would attack the summoner, aka me.


    "However, the Orc clearly had great intelligence. At first, it seemed like a mindless beast, but it became smarter as time passed.


    "How very strange...


    "Also, Green Beast Tribe. Is that a real tribe? I thought the orc would just be a summon trapped in the whistle.


    "Could it be that ain''t true?"


    ...


    A sh of silvery lightning shed across the dark sky, splitting the gray clouds in half. A deafening rumble followed, which shook the earth and sent a shockwave through the air.


    A thunderp echoed throughout the valley, and a bolt of lightning struck down from above, striking a nearby tree and sending it crashing to the ground with an ear-splitting crash.


    The tree rolled down the hill, eventually crashing at the gates of the fenced vige. The vige was situated in a dark valley, with some buildings built on the hillsides and others on the valley floor. It was arge vige with hundreds of wooden buildings.


    Street roads, made of stone, led from the gates to the center of the vige, where dirt roads continued to hillside buildings.


    At the highest point of the hills, thergest and most prominent building was built a long time ago. The foundation was made from ck-colored rocks, looking far more durable than anything else in the vige.


    In the biggest room on the prominent building, a muscr, green-skinned creature opened its menacing red eyes.


    Yughragh sat up to the edge of the bed, cracking his knuckles with a powerful squeeze.


    "So... that was the Light Continent."


    "Lord Husband?"


    A voice came behind him.


    Yughragh looked over his right shoulder at the female orc. She had simrly scary features, with a muscr body and masculine features, but there were also signs of feminine beauty, such as two mounds on her chest that wererger than any human female could wish to have.


    Her hair was orange, cascading down her broad shoulders all the way to her prominent buttocks.


    "What is it, Mursha?"


    "I tried waking you up, but you were in a very deep slumber." Mursha, his wife, gently sat behind him and started massaging his muscr, broad shoulders. She squeezed on the shoulders with strength, which could tear trees in half.


    "I was dreaming... aboutnd far, far away." Yughragh said while enjoying the powerful massage.


    "Does thend have a name?" Mursha asked curiously.


    "Yes, I think so. I just don''t know what it is yet." Yughragh chuckled. "Doesn''t matter. I am sure I will be "dreaming" about that ce soon again."


    ...


    After logging out of Martial Online, Jesse hopped onto the wheelchair and went straight to the kitchen to have ate-night snack. His stomach was rumbling as if there were thunderstorms inside him.


    Once he had finished filling his stomach with some yogurt, cereal, and iced coffee, he visited the bathroom to brush his teeth and empty his dder.


    Before he returned to his bedroom, he pulled up his shirt and checked his body one more time. He felt like it was surreal when he traced his hand back and forth on his abs. They felt rock solid, like they were made of steel.


    "I suppose I need to keep exercising to keep up this body..." Jesse thought aloud and then remembered something. He facepalmed. "Ah right, I had to check whether anyone else has made posts about having their body suddenly change overnight!"


    He rushed back to his bedroom, pushed the wheelchair to the corner of the room, and took afortable lying position on his bed. He didn''t bother turning the lights on as he pulled out his phone and went straight to the forums.


    However, to his disappointment, there didn''t seem to be anything about it. He even went to the search bar and typed things with keywords such as "body change", "transformation", and "improved appearance", but nothing came up.


    "If there are people like me, would they write about it on forums? I am not having any thoughts of doing that. People would just call me a liar and try to get me banned from forums. I also have to use my in-game name in the forums.


    "I don''t really want to ruin my reputation."


    Jesse sighed and ced the phone on the bedside table without caring to close it. His eyelids turned heavy, as if they suddenly weighed a ton. He let out a long yawn, snuggled under the nket, and shut his eyes to sleep.


    Momentster, several dings echoed from his phone. The screen showed notificationsing from his auction post.


    [Rach: 1,250 crowns bid!]


    [Tennessee: 1,300 crowns bid!]


    [Rach: 1350 crowns bid!]


    Notification after notification appeared on the phone.


    Without Jesse even noticing it, his post had finally gained enough traction for the bidding war to start!

 Chapter 59 Farewell Dojo!

    <h4>Chapter 59 Farewell Dojo!</h4>


    In a hazy, mist-filled world, Jesse stood in the kitchen, pouring misty cereal into a misty bowl. The world around him was gray, dark, and lonely. He was the only person in existence.


    As he picked up the misty silverware, he took the bowl from the misty countertop and approached the misty table, which only had one chair.


    At that moment, the floor in front of him sank to the ground, and stairs, leading to empty darkness, opened up. Jesse didn''t notice in time and slipped on the stairs, suddenly falling into the dark pit. His scream resounded in the darkness, but the echo didn''t reach anyone''s ears.


    The stairs disappeared, and the misty floor fixed itself.


    Jesse was nowhere to be seen.


    ...


    "Ah!" A sudden scream pierced through the air. A silver-haired girl sat up in horror, cold sweat drenching her beautiful face. She touched her chest, feeling her pounding heartbeat.


    "A-A dream?" Alice tossed the nket away and sat on the bed''s edge. She wore a beautiful light blue nightgown, which truly highlighted her famed beauty. Her face, however, looked frightened.


    "Just a dream... a dream." Sheid back down, her head soon touching the soft pillow. She closed her eyes, trying to get more sleep to have enough energy for the following day.


    However, she was not able to fall asleep, and she kept thinking about the strange dream she had. In the end, she again sat up and nced at the VR headset on top of her drawer.


    She grabbed it,id back on the bed, and ced it gently around her head.


    ''Ambrose, hmm...'' She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she was standing in a room with arge window looking out over the city.


    ...


    "Argh..." Jesse opened his eyes and held his left hand in pain. He sat up, groggily opened his eyes, and saw that his bandage was slightly covered in blood. "Great, what now..."


    He stood up and went to his bag to take out another roll of bandages. After removing the old bandages, he noticed that his knuckles were bleeding for some reason. There were still some signs of his injuries, and a few stitches hade out, causing the hand to bleed.


    Jesse changed the bandages and returned to bed. He pinched the middle of his brow and yawned. He felt like sleeping for a little longer.


    He picked up his phone and saw that the time was a little bit past 4 a.m.


    After seeing the time, he immediately decided to catch some more sleep. But then, he noticed something very odd. His notification bar showed 99+ new messages. It made him think that he was still dreaming.


    "What the hell?" Jesse rubbed his eyes, but the messages were still there. He checked where the notifications came from and noticed that they were from the Martial Online forums. It made his heart race, as there was only one post he had created.


    He removed his Crow Cave post immediately after selling the information to Prince. Therefore, he had barely received any until now.


    Jesse went straight to the forums to check the notifications.


    His hands, holding the phone, began shaking as numbers shed past his vision. He checked the current highest auction bid.


    [Highest Bid - Rach: 14,500 crowns]


    The second highest bid was 10,000 crowns. Rach decided to deliver a finishing blow with his bid, and no one had tried to bid higher in the past hour.


    "Insane..." Jesse let out a loudugh and went to the bathroom to wash his face. After he returned to his bed, he grabbed the phone and epted the bid. He then sent a message to Rach, telling him the location of the dojo.


    "You cane check out the dojo... Once you finish payment, I will... give you the key." Jesse finished writing the message and then closed the phone. He was confident that Rach was still sleeping and that it would take him a few hours to reply.


    "I underestimated the value, or this Rach guy is filthy rich." Jesse scratched his hair andid back on the bed. He grabbed the VR headset and put it around his head. He doubted he could continue sleeping after that.


    Therefore, he wanted to spend thest remaining hours in his dojo.


    ...


    Ding!


    "Hmm, what now?" Ambrose didn''t even have time to get up from his dojo room''s bed when another notification popped up in his vision.


    [Friend Request Received!]


    "Huh?" Ambrose pressed the notification.


    [Serenity]


    [ept the friend request?]


    [Y/N]


    "Serenity? Alice..." Ambrose hovered his finger in front of the yes button, but quickly made the friend request disappear from his vision andid back on the bed.


    "What does she want?" Ambrose pinched on his be. "I didn''t know it was possible to add friends. Maybe I really should check the help guide..."


    He tried pushing the friend request to the back of his mind, as he didn''t want to think about it right now. Shortly afterwards, he got tired of lying around and returned to the downstairs, where he started doing short training against the training dummy.


    Since the trained dummy didn''te with the dojo, he nned on taking it away with him.


    "At least the smell is gone." Ambrose thought out loud while shing his sword across the wooden chest.


    After a short while, he grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat off his forehead. He felt more refreshed after pouring his frustration into the attacks. The training dummy had more dents than before, and it was only a matter of time before he needed to purchase another one.


    He then returned to the training dummy and tossed it into his inventory. He didn''t want to end up in an argument with the guy named Rach, in case he believed the training dummy to be part of the dojo''s equipment.


    It didn''t hurt to be careful about such a delicate matter.


    Even if Rach didn''t treat the 14,500 crowns with importance, Ambrose did very much so. That much money would ease many of his troubles.


    Ambrose stepped out of the dojo, sat on the steps, and inhaled the fresh air. At moments like this, he truly could appreciate the beauty of the world.


    Creak¡ªthe wooden gate opened, and a stunning-looking young man with blond hair walked in with ck sunsses on his eyes. He looked around the dpidated dojo and the weed-ridden yard. Then,stly, his gazended on the ck-haired youth.


    At first, he curled his lips almost mockingly, but when he looked at him deeper and saw his broad shoulders and almost perfect physique, he forced a more genuine smile and took off his sunsses.


    "My name is Rach. You must be Ambrose." Rach said and put his hand forth for a handshake.


    "Wee." Ambrose stood up and shook his hand.


    After removing his hand from the handshake, Rach cleaned his hand with a napkin and looked at the dpidated dojo with a thoughtful look.


    "It is in worse condition than I thought."


    "I can spare enough silver to get this whole ce fixed." Ambrose suggested. He didn''t care about silver as much as about crowns. Therefore, he had already nned to give them the silver for dojo repairs.


    "That won''t be necessary." Rach said and opened his interface to check the time. He then turned to Ambrose and said. "I already sent the money to you. You may go check, I will wait here."


    "Huh?" Ambrose didn''t expect him to care so little about money. ''Is he just confident that if I scam him, I will live to regret it?''


    He pressed the logout button, returned to real life quickly, and checked the bank ount via phone. Amazing numbers showed up. He hadn''t ever felt as rich as he did now.


    He let out a stunnedugh and quickly rushed back to the game.


    After he re-appeared in the dojo room, he rushed downstairs and saw Rach leaning against the entrance, looking at the rising sun, which colored the sky red as if the sky were on fire.


    "Give me the key, and the transaction will be finished." Rach smiled, turned to Ambrose, and put his hand out.


    "Ah, sure." Ambrose took out the silver brass key from inventory and handed it to Rach.


    Rach looked at the key and then smiled. "Thank you. Now, please leave my property."


    Corner of Ambrose''s lips twitched, but he forced himself to hide his irritation. He bowed and left through the open wooden gate. He looked over his right shoulder at his former dojo and walked away with a cold expression.

 Chapter 60 Message

    <h4>Chapter 60 Message</h4>


    "He hasn''t epted yet." A beautiful, silver-haired woman stood in front of a window, looking across the vast city. Her eyes were sky blue, and her face was as smooth as porcin.


    She donned a ssic kunoichi outfit, which looked elegant and was made of dark-colored fabric. Her silver hair was tied into a ponytail with the help of a ck ribbon, and she had a pair of silver earrings on her ears.


    A red scabbard with ck diamond markings hung from her waist. Her soft hand was touching the sword''s hilt, and it clearly showed that she was veryfortable with the weapon, as if it were another limb of hers.


    Her name was Serenity, the Dojo Master of Silver Heart.


    "He should be awake by now." Serenity bit her finger gently. "Perhaps he stayed awake longer. He, after all, had to get used to his new apartment.


    "I can''t believe his parents abandoned him like that. They are so irresponsible."


    "Miss Serenity." A young man with a thick ent walked up the stairs and saw her standing beside the window. He looked very respectful as he bowed. "Good morning."


    "Yes, what is it?" Serenity turned to the young man. Her voice traveled across the room andnded on the ears of the young man.


    "The quest''s preparations have beenpleted." The young man said. "We will depart tomorrow morning via five different wagons and hopefully reach Yatagarasu before next morning."


    "Good. Tell Leprechaun to arrange another wagon." Serenity said and turned back to the floating screen, where her friend request was bending for eptance.


    "May I ask why?" The young man asked. "Are we expecting more members?"


    "Maybe," She said and pressed on the floating screen, sending another friend request just in case. Her gaze turned misty as she looked at the screen that was right in front of the window.


    To everyone else, it would look like she was simply enjoying the sights from the window.


    The young man put a palm on his chest, bowed respectfully, and left his dojo master alone. The bottom floor of the dojo was bustling with dojo members, preparing for the quest.


    The higher-ranked members shouted orders, and it was quite chaotic both outside and inside.


    The gate to the dojo was closed while yers flocked outside, wanting to join the famous Silver Heart. However, they weren''t recruiting during such a busy hour.


    The young man with a thick ent walked across the busy dojo and walked out of the back entrance, entering the beautiful backyard. The backyard was the size of half a football field, making it massive.


    There were wooden huts built and ponds with fish swimming around. Then, there were dojo members enjoying the outside air while either practicing against training dummies or sitting around tables, discussing the uing quest.


    The young man walked at a quick pace towards a white circr table, where a person with curly blond hair was sitting. He was writing notes on a notepad while preupied with his own thoughts.


    "Leprechaun, Miss Serenity asked to arrange another wagon."


    "Huh?" Leprechaun turned to the person with a thick ent. His handsome face radiated a sense of power and charm. However, there was also a hint of irritation in his eyes after hearing the young man''s words. "Why?"


    "She didn''t tell me. However, it must be for an important reason."


    "You know what is important? Our fucking finances." Leprechaun mmed his fist on the table and scratched his neck with his nails. "We have to pay for a wagon and for a driver, then we need extra food and drinks... If more peoplee with us, there will be fewer rewards..."


    "It is her orders. She is our leader." The young man said and narrowed his eyes. "You have your current position because of your real life upation. But we can always rece you if you don''t listen to her orders."


    "Aren''t you from Perhentan?" Leprechaun looked at the young man. He had a bronzeplexion and ginger hair. "Don''t they eat things found only in the wild there? You guys aren''t better than any wild animals."


    "Watch your tone; I am still higher ranked than you!" The young man shouted and stomped away angrily.


    "Who cares." Leprechaun yawned and looked at the training ground in boredom. The newest members of the dojo were hacking their weapons against the brand new training dummies.


    ...


    Ding, ding.


    Ambrose noticed a sh in his vision as another pop-up message appeared before disappearing like a fleeting cloud.


    ''Another friend request from her...'' Ambrose looked nkly at the pedestrians, who were walking about with their families with smiles on their faces. The children held the hands of their parents, innocently talking andughing.


    ''What does she want?'' He again looked at the friend request and went to stand in the alleyway with his back against the brick wall.


    He stood there for nearly ten minutes before he lifted his hand and pressed on the friend request. He epted it and saw the first person appear in his friend list.


    ''I am like a goddamn child.'' Ambrose thought to himself with an empty chuckle. ''Let''s act like goddamn adult and ask her what she wants. After all, I have now been tossed into an adult''s world, like my father said.''


    He pressed the chat option and sent a direct message without beating around the bush.


    [Ambrose: What do you want, Alice?]


    ''This should make it clear that I know who she is.'' Ambrose thought and closed the chat for the time being. He then left the alleyway and absently walked down the street until he came across a sight he didn''t expect to see.


    A ck gate made of ck iron stood tall with tall rock walls surrounding a three-story building, resembling a traditional dojo with windows made of wooden curtains. It was like a house of wealthy samurai.


    At the top of the ck gates, a curved sign with the name "Reverse Tiger de" was carved with exquisite woodwork.


    People of all ages, the youngest around 8 years old and the oldest over 60 years old, were training in harmony in the vast yard. They were training swordsmanship with a reverse grip. It was the famous Reverse Tiger de.


    "Hmm, this dojo sure looks nice." Ambrose thought out loud as he looked intensely at the name sign. His hand, wrapped around the sword hilt, tightened significantly.


    ...


    "That Leprechaun guy is a menace!" The ginger-haired young man shouted hoarsely. "Miss Serenity, he doesn''t even care about our dojo. Can''t we throw him out?"


    Serenity smiled as she epted the sword from her bashful student. She then put it back on the training rack, where the rest of their training weapons were. They were made of the cheapest kind of iron, but they were still good enough to train with.


    They didn''t want wooden swords, as it would be more suitable, ording to Serenity to train with proper weapons. Therefore, they paid for cksmiths to make some weapons with cheap iron. It cost a sum, but they thought it would be worth it.


    "You shouldn''t care about his attitude." Serenity said with a smile. "I know him back in reality, and I know what kind of person he is."


    "Yes, but¡ª"


    Ding, ding.


    "Ah, wait." Serenity cut him off instantly and opened a screen. There was a new name on her friend list, and next to the name, there was a red icon blinking, meaning she had received a message.


    She was happy that he epted her friend request, as a lot of her worries were lifted off her shoulders.


    After pressing the message icon, she saw the message and became speechless.


    ''He knows who I am?'' Serenity looked surprised.

 Chapter 61 Golden Glow

    <h4>Chapter 61 Golden Glow</h4>


    ''He must have realized my identity after I mentioned Silver Heart to him.'' Serenity thought to herself with a deep look. She wondered what she should reply with.


    "Miss Serenity?" The ginger-haired yer, named Caveman, talked to the absent-looking dojo master.


    However, the beautiful silver-haired girl didn''t hear him and instead started writing a lengthy message.


    After finishing writing it, she made sure that there was no problem with it and then pressed send.


    At the same time, she noticed the hovering clock with time beside her interface. She was surprised to see the time, as she had some work-rted things back in reality.


    "Caveman, I have to get going, but make sure that Leprechaun gets the extra wagon. And ask for Teddy extra hands in getting the wagon. He should know how to drive one." Serenity said and pressed the log out button.


    "Ah, alri¡ª" Caveman tried speaking as fast as he could, but the beautiful silver-haired girl had already disappeared from the dojo. He sighed and looked towards the members of the dojo packing up stuff into wooden boxes and carrying them out of the room towards the wagons.


    A certain person attracted his attention. The person was a man with broad shoulders and well-defined facial features. He was carrying the boxes effortlessly, without a single sweat on his brows.


    His eyebrows were sharp, and he was wearing a silver t-shirt that outlined his muscr torso. At the back of the shirt, there was a silver heart, signaling his dedication to the dojo, which earned a look of admiration from Caveman.


    "Sir." Caveman walked to the muscr man.


    "What is it?" The muscr man, named Teddy, looked at him with a stern look after finishing carrying the box inside the wagon. He didn''t look exhausted in the slightest even though the boxes looked like they weighed a lot.


    "Miss Serenity told us to go fetch a new wagon." Caveman said and pointed towards the backyard. From their angle, they barely saw the figure of Leprechaun, scribbling something down.


    "Leprechaun has to give us money for that from the dojo''s finances. Since you have some experience driving a wagon, Miss Serenity suggested that you shoulde with me."


    "Miss Serenity did?" Teddy looked around the dojo, in search for the beautiful girl. "She...ing with us?"


    "No, she returned to reality. It will just be us two." Caveman said.


    "Oh..." Teddy looked clearly disappointed. "Fine, let''s get the wagon."


    Caveman nodded and nced sideways towards the backyard with a smirk growing on his lips. ''Even Leprechaun wouldn''t dare to refuse giving money to Teddy. He acts mighty, but in front of true power, he is pitiful sheep.''


    ...


    "Wee,dies and gentlemen!" A bearded fellow with top hat shouted loudly as he stood on top of a small, shaky box. Around him, crowd had gathered to look at the scene with fascination.


    The crowd apuded with lukewarm tone. They were still wondering what this was about.


    Next to the feet of tall adults, children peeked curiously at the strange, bearded man.


    The bearded man fluttered his long cloak and took off his top hat, revealing ck hair beneath. He plucked one of his hairs to surprise of the crowd and ced it on bottom of the top hat.


    "Where I am from, magic has been core principle of our life." The bearded man said with a dreamy voice as if it had eternal echo. He then flipped the top hat over, but the hairstrand didn''t fall off as if it was stuck inside the hat.


    The children eximed and wanted to run to the top hat to see where the hairstrand had disappeared. However, their parents grabbed their children before they could leave their side.


    The bearded man sneakily smiled and hopped off the wooden box. He approached a curious blond-haired little girl and and kneeled before her. The little girl''s parents looked at the scene curiously.


    "Well, what do we have here?" The bearded man reached towards the little girl''s ear and took something from there. It was a blond hair.


    "Huh?" The little girl looked at the hairstrand, thinking that the bearded man must have plucked one of her hairs. However, she soon saw her bangs swaying before her eyes.


    Her hair wasn''t blond anymore and it had turned ck!


    She eximed and her parents were terrified by the sight.


    The nearby childrens eximed in surprise and some evenughed at the magical show.


    The bearded man put the top hat back on and removed it only secondster. This time, he had blond hair, which fluttered against the morning wind.


    "Wow!" The little girl eximed with a huge smile and the crowd started pping loudly.


    The bearded man smiled and put the top hat on the little girl''s head. When he removed the top hat again, the little girl''s hair returned to normal color as did the bearded man''s.


    He then stood up under the loud apuse of the crowd. He bowed with smile and flipped the top hat over. The adults from the crowd took out their money pouches and gave few silvers while showering his magical show with praise.


    The bearded man epted the silvers with a smile without answering to the praises.


    A some distance away, a ck-haired young man looked at the magic show and pped once it was over.


    "He is a yer. However, how did he do that?" Ambrose wryly smiled. "So, one can also earn silver that way. Some people can apply their real-life knowledge to this game and use it effectively. I am kind of jealous."


    Ding, ding!


    A sharp dinging noise echoed in his ears.


    Once the floating screen appeared in front of his vision, he noticed that he had received a message from yer named Serenity.


    His heart started beating faster at the sight of it. He took a deep breath and pressed on the chat icon.


    [Serenity: Good morning. I didn''t expect you to realize my identity so quickly. Thank you for epting my friend request, I have something to ask you. Tomorrow, my guild will depart to Yatagarasu. The quest location is there.


    [If you still want to, the invitation to join the quest still stands. I hope the incident between us didn''t hinder our friendship, as that wasn''t what I wanted. I might''ve said that I only did my duty as your physical therapist, but I also did it as your friend.


    [Whenever you are free, please reply back. We will be leaving at 10.00 a.m. tomorrow morning. It will be fun, I promise]


    Ambrose leaned on the wall and looked at the long message with crossed arms. He was tempted, very much so. Visiting new city alone would be enough for him to ept the quest immediately, but he was nervous.


    ''I acted childishly against her. She only wanted good for me, but I acted like a douchebag. It is strange, I always feel anger these days. I wasn''t like this before, but ever since I started ying, I felt like my emotions were overflowing.


    ''Jealousy, anger, and hate, why am I feeling those now so strongly? Those are emotions I often feel in my everyday life, but I thought I was good at keeping them inside, without letting them out.


    ''But I have lost control so many times now.'' Ambrose sighed and looked back at the long message. He didn''t either want to lose Alice, as he liked their friendship, even though at the back of the mind, he once wanted to be something more.


    Ambrose sighed and pressed on the chat icon. He began writing a short message and secondster, he pressed send.


    ''I shouldn''tze around. I have one day to try to increase my level and I should try my best to increase my strength before the quest. I won''t be the weakest person in the quest, I won''t ept that.''


    Ambrose grabbed the sword hilt and closed his eyes. He felt strangely calm with his eyes closed and without noticing, his veins started glowing with a dim golden glow before disappearing.

 Chapter 62 Humanoid Imperfecta

    <h4>Chapter 62 Humanoid Imperfecta</h4>


    "Argh..." Jesse held a garbage bag in his other hand and used his other hand to push his wheelchair''s wheel, heading towards the garbage disposal outside his apartment.


    The morning weather was quite chilly, with wind blowing from the north. Jesse was in a hurry to get rid of the trash before it got too cold.


    Today, was also quite special day. He would join up with Alice in Martial Online, then start their journey to Yatagarasu.


    Jesse received reply from her quitete at night while he was trying to level up in Crow Forest. Unfortunately, he didn''t''t reach his goal, but he managed to get close. Since it was getting toote, he decided to quit for the night.


    But, moments before logging out, he received the message, and from the context, it seemed that Alice was quite excited about something.


    After reaching the garbage disposal, Jesse tossed the bag inside and turned around to head back to his apartment.


    At that moment, a figure walked from the direction of the apartments and crossed the road towards the garbage bin. She looked quite exotic and strange with her long-sleeved fis blouse and ck ripped jeans.


    She was very beautiful with her paleplexion and ck eyeliners, along with long earrings that speared right through her earlobe. Her lips had ck lipstick, and her hair was jet-ck.


    ''A goth?'' Jesse thought with a strange expression. He hadn''t met someone like that before and since he wasn''t a good people person, he wanted to get out of her way as soon as possible.


    As soon as he began pushing the wheels of the wheelchair to cross the road, several cars drove the same road, stopping him from crossing the road.


    The goth girl nced sideways at the wheelchair-ridden person and tossed her garbage bag inside the garbage disposal. She then turned around, stood beside Jesse as she waited for moment to cross the road.


    Jesse kept his mouth shut, trying to minimalize his presence so the goth girl wouldn''t try to strike up a conversation with him.


    "Hey, are you a cripple?"


    Unfortunately, she found him amusing and looked straight at his pale face with a smile on her lips.


    "No." Jesse replied and cursed at his luck. The amount of cars wasn''t lessening even though this street was supposed to be peaceful kind with not much traffic. However, it seemed like all the cars from nearby area decided to use this one road.


    "Your legs broken?"


    "No."


    "Hmm..." She tapped on her cheek and tilted her head slightly in a cute manner. "You are faking?"


    "No." Jesse sighed and looked at her bright blue eyes, which didn''t match her dark outfit. "My disease is called Humanoid Imperfecta. It makes my¡ª"


    "Your body weak to injuries. It makes the body very fragile, even a single cut on your finger can be lethal." She said with a dreamy voice. "It is another version of Osteogenesis Imperfecta, but in Nocklund, the severest type is called as Humanoid Imperfecta which can only be inherited."


    "Oh, so you have heard of it." Jesse turned back to the cars moving down the road. Soon, thest car moved past and he immediately pushed the wheels forward and crossed the road.


    Once he thought he had gotten rid of her, a person appeared beside him, walking in a carefree pace.


    "Huh?" Jesse lifted his gaze and saw the smiling goth girl. "What do you..."


    "We are going on same direction it seems." She smiled and looked at his dull blue eyes. "I have a question about your disease."


    "What is it?"


    "Can you have sex?" She asked with a smile. "Since your body is very fragile, I was wondering whether it would snap in half if you inserted it in you-know-what."


    "What the fuck?" Jesse blurted out. "I don''t fucking know. I know people with Humanoid Imperfecta had children because otherwise that disease would have died out long time ago."


    "You are right, but there are different severities." She said and moved her hair over her ear, revealing her delicate neckline. Then, looked back at Jesse and smiled. "Want to try it out? As testing purpose."


    "Huh?" Jesse looked stunned as he looked at the beautiful, pale-faced girl. However, seeing the smile made him certain that she was only teasing him.


    He scoffed and turned away. "Won''t I lose... it if I can''t?"


    She immediately giggled. "Perhaps, but wouldn''t it be worth it?"


    "Goodbye." Jesse hurried to the door of his apartment after they subconsciously already reached his destination. He opened the door, nced back at the smiling goth girl and returned to his apartment before shutting his door.


    "Mm." The goth girl turned around and crossed the street. She left the apartmentplex and approached the five-story building of thendy.


    Without ringing the doorbell, she opened the door and entered the apartment. She soon reached the kitchen, where wrinkled, fragile-looking old woman was baking. The table was messy with different baking equipment and flour.


    "Nyx, did you take out the trash?" Matilda asked and turned to look at the goth girl.


    "I did, auntie." Nyx replied and took a seat on the table. She crossed her legs and leaned on the table while looking at Matilda baking.


    "It''s grandaunt. I am not that young anymore." Matilda said with a chuckle.


    "Well, I wish I had your looks when I am at your age." Nyx giggled and made a smiling face on the flour found on the table. She then absently remembed the face of the stranger she just met and opened her mouth. "I met the new tenant."


    "Oh?" Matilda opened the oven and took out new batch of cookies. "What about him?"


    "Did you know about his disease?" Nyx asked curiously and raised her gaze from the flour.


    "Disease, what?" Matilda ced the cookies down on the table and looked at her grandniece. "What are you talking about?"


    "Oh, you didn''t." Nyx hummed and said. "He also has Humanoid Imperfecta. Just like your husband and..."


    Before she could finish her words, a loud noise came from the kitchen. The cookies and bowl filled with flour spilled to the ground, making mess everywhere.


    "Oh dear!" Matilda eximed as she looked at the mess.


    "That much of a shock, huh?" Nyx giggled.


    "Are you sure that he also... has that?" Matilda asked.


    "He said it himself. He could be faking, I don''t know." Nyx said and stood up from the ground. She crouched on the ground and began cleaning the mess.


    Matilda walked to the window and looked over the road, towards the apartmentplex. She saw her aged reflection on the window and remembered times from long ago.


    "Nyx, go ask him whether he wants to have breakfast with us."


    "Huh, are you serious?" Nyx turned back to her grandaunt with face full of flour and cookie on mouth.


    "Yes, I should introduce myself to the new tenant better, tell him about the rules."


    "Have you invited any other tenant before?" Nyx said while munching on the cookie. She wryly smiled. "Don''t tell me that you now feel pity at him. I know granduncle and uncle has the same disease, but still..."


    "Nyx." Matilda interrupted her as she continued looking out of the window. "You were extremely lucky that you also didn''t have it. Humanoid Imperfecta can only be inherited and your mother had it."


    Nyx pursed her lips and weakly nodded. She cleaned the flour off her face and left the house once again.


    After the door closed shut, Matilda let out a deep sigh.

 Chapter 63 Inheritable

    <h4>Chapter 63 Inheritable</h4>


    Ding, dong.


    "What is it now?" Jesse had finished microwaving his breakfast, which was still steaming hot. It let out a scent of food, which wasn''t that pleasant.


    He put the food down and pushed the wheelchair towards the door. However, before opening it, he pushed himself to stand and peeked through the eyehole of the door.


    To his utmost surprise, the smiling goth girl was staring directly at the eyehole; her beautiful face had that same teasing smile that he remembered from their brief encounter.


    ''Shit, what does she want?'' Jesse nned to return to the kitchen and act like she didn''t exist.


    "I know you are there. I heard your wheelchair rolling down the carpet~"


    ''Fuck!'' Jesse gritted his teeth and asked. "What do you want?"


    "Open the door~" A gentle knock reverberated across the small apartment. "I will tell you when you have opened the door~"


    With a click, Jesse removed the lock and narrowly opened the door. He peeked outside through the narrow gap and asked.


    "What do you want?"


    Nyx leaned forward, showing her cleavage through the fis blouse. Her smile was seductive and teasing.


    "What do you think I am here for~?"


    Jesse felt his lips turn dry, as did his throat. He suddenly felt like he wanted to empty a whole bottle of water down his throat.


    Nyx suddenly burst intoughter. "Hahaha, just joking! Thendy told me toe to invite you for breakfast. Wannae?"


    "Huh?" Jesse looked past Nyx and towards the five-story building. "She did? Who are you?"


    "I am her grandniece." Nyx said with a smile. "Since you are a new tenant, she invited you to have breakfast with her. Well, do you want to?"


    "Uh." Jesse turned back to his kitchen, where the steaming hot microwave waited for him. It didn''t look tasty in the slightest. He then turned back to Nyx and nodded. "Alright."


    He thought that declining the invitation from thendy wouldn''t make him look good. Also, he didn''t mind getting to know her better.


    "Mm, good." Nyx said and turned around to start walking back to the house. However, then she heard the young man behind him grunt in pain. She turned around again, and her eyes widened in surprise.


    Jesse took a deep breath and stood up from the wheelchair. He felt a slight amount of pain on the soles of his feet, but it was bearable.


    "..." Nyx didn''t say anything and instead turned around and headed back to the house.


    Jesse followed after her, and soon they reached the house and entered through an open door.


    A pleasant scent of baked goods lingered in the air, making Jesse let out a satisfied sigh.


    Nyx walked to the open kitchen that was connected with the front lounge and saw Matilda wearing a pink apron while baking something in oven. There was also food cooking on the stoves.


    "He is here."


    "Alright." Matilda turned around and smiled gently as the young man walked into the kitchen right behind her grandniece. "Jesse, was it?"


    "Yes, madam." Jesse nodded, not surprised that she was aware of his name since his full name should be on the rent papers.


    "Take a seat; food will be soon ready." Matilda said with a smile and returned to making the food.


    Jesse nodded, pulled a chair from underneath the table, and sat down. He let out an inaudible sigh of relief, as standing alone was sometimes quite a pain.


    Nyx sat right beside him, even though there were six other avable chairs. She crossed her legs and leaned her chin against the palm of her arm, which was on the table. She swayed her foot back and forth, then touched Jesse''s leg with it.


    Jesse flinched and pulled his leg back. He only heard a soft giggle beside him.


    After a while of dodging Nyx''s teasing attempts, Matilda finished making the food and put it on the table. She then sat on the other side of the table with a bowl full of food in front of her.


    Nyx and Jesse grabbed a bowl and filled it with the delicious-looking food. They both started eating their meal while Matilda watched them from her seat at the table.


    As they all started eating, Matilda wiped her lips with a napkin and asked. "Jesse, I heard you have a disease called Humanoid Imperfecta. Is that correct?"


    "Ah, yes, madam." Jesse nodded and nced sideways at Nyx, who innocently ate the food without returning the gaze.


    "It can only be inherited. Is it your mother or father whom you inherited it from?" Matilda asked while dipping the spoon in the nourishing soup.


    "Neither." Jesse said while moving the spoon out and in of his mouth as he felt immense satisfaction eating such delicious food. "I am the first person in my family to ever have this."


    "Huh?" Nyx raised her gaze from the soup and looked at him with a stunned expression. "You know that Humanoid Imperfecta can only be inherited, right?"


    Matilda''s hand froze, and she forgot to resume eating. She looked at Jesse intensely and noticed the bandaged hand as if he had recently gotten severely injured. It made her frown all more deeper.


    "Yes, I know." Jesse twirled the spoon over the soup. "Even the doctors were stunned. In their opinion, Humanoid Imperfecta is still a very rare disease, and there might''ve been someplications during my birth that caused this. They aren''t certain."


    "Such foolishness." Matilda grabbed a napkin and wiped her lips. "Humanoid Imperfecta can only be inherited. Those doctors you talk about are novices."


    "Are you absolutely certain that none of your grandparents had it?" Nyx asked and she saw Jesse nodding. She stopped eating and frowned. "Then, are you adopted?"


    "Not that I am aware of." Jesse said with a shake of his head. "I have the same birthmark as my mother, though. Her father also has it."


    "Then, perhaps your father had affair? Your mother found out, but instead of abandoning you, they decided to keep you?" Nyx tossed a wild guess.


    "Nyx!" Matilda shouted at her grandniece, but she had also stopped eating and was staring at the face of the pale young man with an intense stare. A certain face soon ovepped with the pale face, causing her aged eyes to widen in shock.


    "My father? An affair?" Jesse let out a hollow chuckle and shook his head. "He would never. He values his reputation too much to do that. Even if he was younger back then, there would be no way."


    "Maybe your mother, then?" Nyx said.


    "Excuse me?" Jesse looked at the goth girl with a slight anger in his eyes.


    "Nyx, be quiet." Matilda said and looked at Jesse with a sorry look. "I apologize. She is rather blunt when ites to conversations. I hope you don''t hate her."


    Nyx pouted and stabbed her fork to potato that was sunk on the bottom of the bowl.


    "It''s fine..." Jesse pulled out a phone from his pocket and checked the time. He turned back to the soup and looked rmed. "I am sorry, but I have to leave now."


    "Already? You hadn''t even finished half of the food." Nyx said in surprise.


    "I am really sorry." Jesse stood up and he couldn''t believe he had forgetting something very important. The wagons, leaving for the quest, would leave in half an hour''s time.


    "It''s fine. Thank you foring." Matilda smiled. "Nyx will bring the food with you. You can eat it atter date."


    "I will?" Nyx looked at her grandaunt with a stunned look, but only received a sharp gaze from Matilda. She pouted and went to get a small bucket to store the food.


    "Thank you." Jesse nodded as thanks and once Nyx was ready to leave, they both left the house, leaving Matilda alone in the kitchen.


    Matilda looked at the seat, which Jesse used, silently.


    She slowly pulled out a phone and dialed a number.


    After few seconds, the phone call connected.


    "Hello, is it you, mother?" A man''s pleasant-sounding voice came from other side of the phone.


    "Hey, Jacky." Matilda smiled fondly while using her son''s nickname. "Sorry to call you suddenly, but I have a question to ask you."


    "Oh, what is it?"


    "Do you know anyone from Kraham family?"


    "..." The voice on other side of the phone turned silent. After a moment, the man spoke. "A faint memory. That was long time ago, though."


    "I think we should meet." Matilda said. "Come meet me."

 Chapter 64 Departure

    <h4>Chapter 64 Departure</h4>


    Nyx ced the bucket containing the soup inside the refrigerator, After closing the door, she turned to the pale-faced young man. "There... I should get going now."


    "Mm, thanks." Jesse nodded in appreciation and nced at the clock on his phone. He frowned, as there wasn''t a lot of time left.


    However, then a pale hand appeared in front of him. He lifted his gaze and saw the smiling girl offering her hand.


    "My name is Nyx. I believe we will see each other again."


    "Uhuh." Jesse shook the hand carefully and then watched as Nyx walked to the door and left his apartment, leaving behind her perfume to linger in the air.


    He sat down on a couch in silence, thinking about what had just happened.


    "My mother had an affair? If that happened, my father would have thrown me into the streets when I was a toddler." Jesse rubbed his temples as he felt a headacheing. "Except if he doesn''t know. Then, who is my real father? Is he even alive?


    "Well, this is still spection, but it is true that Humanoid Imperfecta can only be inherited..."


    At that moment, he remembered something urgent. He raised his head, shock shing past his eyes. He checked the time on his phone and panicked.


    "Shit, shit, shit!" He stood up in a hurry, clumsily took off his shoes, and threw them towards the front door. The shoes crashed on the door and fell to the ground, leaving behind a small dent on the white door.


    Jesse then rushed inside his bedroom and hopped on the soft bed while taking the VR headset from the desk. He immediately put it around his head and pressed the button.


    "It doesn''t matter whether she cheated or not; they have already shown their willingness to cut their ties with me. For now, I have to focus on the quest!"


    ...


    "Miss Serenity, we have all gathered." A youngdy in a colorful outfit finished taking attendance. All of their signed quest members had been ounted for.


    The wagons were waiting outside the gates of Silver Heart; a crowd had gathered around them. The yers were dressed in cloaks and some in armor, but all of them had one thing inmon¡ªthey all had the symbol of a silver heart on their clothes, all in different ces.


    Some had silver hearts on their shoulder pads, others had them on the back of their cloaks, and some wore ck headbands with silver hearts in the middle of them.


    They were all excited to start their journey to Yatagarasu. It was their first time in a new city, and it was a huge, important quest since it was their dojo''s first-ever quest.


    "Alright." Serenity nodded to the youngdy and nced at the clock on her interface. It was five minutes before the time, and she hadn''t caught a glimpse of the person she wanted to see. She even debated whether she should send a message.


    As the yers boarded their wagons, the tall, muscr man, Teddy, walked over to Serenity and said.


    "Serenity, are you going to sit with us?" Teddy asked while side-ncing at one of the wagons. The third wagon was reserved for the highest-ranked members, including Teddy, Caveman, and Leprechaun.


    "Uh, I am¡ª"


    "Haaah, I am sorry for beingte!"


    An exhausted voice came behind her.


    In surprise, she turned around and saw a sweaty-looking young man. He was panting heavily, as if he had run a long distance to get here.


    Teddy looked at the young man with a deep frown, not recognizing him in the slightest.


    "Excuse me, but who are you?" He asked. "We are about to depart and don''t have time for fanboys."


    "It''s alright, Teddy." Serenity looked at him, shook her head, and turned back to Ambrose. "I am d you came. We are about to leave; shall we enter our wagon?"


    "Yeah... sure." Ambrose wiped the sweat off his forehead, still nervous in her presence but not showing it in his face. He followed her to the only wagon that was still empty and entered it behind her, but before that, he caught the irritated face of Teddy and many surprised ones of other Silver Heart members.


    "Teddy, do you know who that was?" The youngdy with the colorful outfit asked the muscr man. She felt her gossip instincts fire up in excitement.


    "I don''t know." Teddy replied and looked down at his muscr arms. He clenched his fists, clenching his muscles. ''My muscles are bigger than his.''


    Near the third wagon, Leprechaun climbed inside and saw other high-ranking members already seated while chatting about the person that had just arrived. They were wondering about his rtionship with their leader, Serenity.


    ''He is the person that wagon was rented for.'' Leprechaun frowned and sat down. ''He better be capable of pulling his weight.''


    He intertwined his fingers and clenched them tightly.


    ...


    The wagons left Amaterasu and began wheeling down a rocky road, heading towards the mountains that were past Crow Forest. They would drive around the Crow Forest using a dirt road and use a valley to go past the sky-splitting mountains.


    That alone would take nearly twelve hours, and after going past the mountains, they would have a several-hour journey longer to finally reach the city of Yatagarasu, which was called the city with the highest poption.


    The journey was not easy for them as they had to cross many rivers and streams. The most lethal part was going through the valley, where many high-leveled monsters had their nests.


    Luckily, there were some adventurer extremists who wanted to map the whole game before anyone else. Few had already mapped the route from Amaterasu to Yatagarasu, which they sold to Silver Heart dojo.


    Serenity and Ambrose were sitting inplete silence inside the horse-drawn wagon as it bounced up and down. They were sitting at different corners of the wagon, separated by four meters.


    Serenity watched the dust blowing behind the wagon. She then nced in Ambrose''s direction and opened her mouth, wanting to disturb the silence.


    "We received the quest information from trusty source."


    "Huh?" Ambrose didn''t expect her to speak suddenly and turned to look at her with stunned expression.


    "I used to y Ember Online, a few years ago and I was part of a quite popr guild there." Serenity said. "That guild also exists in this game now. The former leader of that guild, made it as dojo in Yatagarasu.


    "He had heard about me. I had somehow became famous in other cities as well as the "winner" of the World Quest. So, he contacted me and wanted us to join a certain quest, which they are unable to do it themselves.


    "They only have ten members currently. Our guild was never big in Ember Online either, only twenty members. Instead of inviting other rival dojo''s to the quest, they sent the invitation to me."


    "Ah, I see." Ambrose nodded and looked away from her, returning to the silence.


    "How have you been doing? Is your new apartment nice?" She immediately asked after seeing Ambrose turn silent again.


    "It''s fine." Ambrose said with a sigh. "Peaceful neighborhood, and stuff."


    "That''s good." Serenity nodded with a smile and looked out of the wagon into the passing forest. The scene was peaceful, but she felt like there was massive bridge between her and Ambrose.

 Chapter 65 Rothsmith

    <h4>Chapter 65 Rothsmith</h4>


    A sh of silvery lightning shed past the clouded sky. The rain was falling in torrents, and the wind was howling through the trees.


    At the center of the rainstorm, Yatagarasu, also known as the City of Rain, was operating as usual. NPCs and yers, holding umbres or wearing raincoats to protect themselves from getting wet, were walking around the marketce.


    From the city''s towering spires to its dojo-filled streets, it was a city for adventurers and aspiring martial artists. The city''s most famousndmark was the spear-shaped mountain that loomed over the city.


    The mountain spear''s de seemed to be stuck inside the ground while spiraling staircases went several kilometers into the sky, where a lonely dojo stood at the top of the spear. It was Karasu''s Spear Dojo and the ce where all yers appeared on their first ythrough.


    Even now, new yers were running down the staircase with rain falling on them. The steps were quite slippery, causing a few of them to slip and fall to their deaths. For many, it was already traumatizing enough to stop ying.


    On the Moist Street, a group of yers had gathered below a shelter. They were waiting for the rain to stop so that they could continue ying.


    "It''s always raining!" Shouted one of them. He was wearing a yellow raincoat and holding a steel spear on his hand.


    "It is what it is." His friend said. He was wearing a blue raincoat with ck boots. The rain was falling so heavily that he could barely see the streets clearly.


    Luckily for them, there was sewer hole right below their feet, where water poured down through the tiny gaps. Without it, they believed that their feet would be already under the water.


    "Ugh, first those Amaterasu yers got World Quest and I also heard that there is always sunny there!" The yer with yellow raincoat shouted in jealousy. "How in the world are we supposed to catch them?"


    "I heard that the game developers created a way to bnce things." The yer with blue raincoat said. "Maybe that wille during next update."


    "Right, there is apparently updateing..." The yer with yellow raincoat rubbed his drenched hands excitedly. "I am quite excited!"


    "Mm." The yer with blue raincoat nodded, but then noticed something strange. He turned to look at the sight and saw group of ten, wearing ck raincoats, walking down the street while rain fell on them.


    That wasn''t strange in the slightest since they could have somewhere to be, but one thing caught his eye. That group of yers had insignia on their raincoats. It was a three-headed dragon and it was insignia he had seen before, causing terror in his heart.


    "T-Thomas."


    "Hmm, what?" The yer with yellow raincoat turned to his friend and saw his face pale in fright. He then turned to same direction as he and felt his breath get stuck in his throat. The three-headed dragon, adorning the backs of the group of yers, disappeared into the rainstorm.


    They turned to each other, both showing simr looks of utter shock.


    "M-maybe we should leave Yatagarasu?"


    "Y-yeah, this ce just got much worse..."


    ...


    A door swung open.


    "Thanks foring at such short notice." Matilda smiled at the figure standing outside the door.


    "Of course I had toe, mom." A man walked through the door and hugged his mother. He was a ck-haired, middle-aged man with a beard and a silver-handled walking cane in hand.


    He had a paleplexion, but he looked very pleasant to look at, even though there was clear fatigue in his blue eyes.


    "Come,e." Matilda walked to the kitchen, where the scent of baked goods lingered in the air. The kitchen desks were filled with baked food and they were still steaming as if they were taken out of oven only moments prior.


    As the walking cane tapped against the floor, the bearded man entered the kitchen and looked around the spacious house with a smile.


    "It''s been a while since I was here." He chuckled.


    "Uncle Jack!" A beautiful young woman rushed down the stairs and smiled at the man.


    "Nyx, how is my favourite niece doing?" Jack chuckled and hugged her gently. Nyx simply epted the hug without wrapping her arms around him.


    After they separated from hug, Nyx pouted and said. "Aren''t I your only niece?"


    "Still my favourite, though." Jackughed and joined Matilda on the dinner table. Nyx sat on the end of the table, looking at her grandaunt and uncle.


    "Son," Matilda said to Jack. She used a very serious tone, which she had used many times during Jack''s childhood. He immediately knew to be quiet and listen.


    Nyx looked between them, wondering what was going on.


    Matilda looked out of the window, towards the apartmentplex. Several cars drove down the road, crossing the path of her gaze, but she still didn''t look away from that door.


    "In that apartment..." She pointed to her window, towards that special door. Jack turned to look in that direction with a frown. Nyx looked over her shoulder and widened her eyes in shock.


    "A young man named Jesse Kraham lives."


    Jack''s expression froze.


    "I dug deeper and found out his parents names. Maria and Terry Kraham." Matilda grabbed a tea cup with her free hand took a sip. "That young man happens to have disease called Humanoid Imperfecta. However, weirdly enough, none of his rtives have it."


    "I see..." Jack looked away and saw his mother''s angry face. He sighed. "I know. I have brought shame to Rothsmith name."


    "No, you haven''t." Matilda shook her head. "She did."


    "..." Jack looked silently at his mother.


    "From what I''ve gathered, I found out that Maria and Terry, tossed him out of their house." Matilda''s expression was ice-cold. "He had incident, which caused his shoulder to break. It was by no means his fault, yet, instead of caring about him, they tossed him out to survive by himself.


    "That angers me so much because that is an insult to the Rothsmith family and our history." Matilda bit her lip angrily. "Rothsmith''s take care of each others. That is how we had survived the curse of Humanoid Imperfecta."


    Jack nodded silently. Her mother wasn''t born as Rothsmith and came from humble origins, but her strong nature attracted the attention of young man from Rothsmith family, who was suffering from Humanoid Imperfect.


    Even knowing he might die any day, she still married him out of love. She cared about the legacy of the Rothsmith family as much as any other family member. Their family bond was rock solid, therefore, knowing that Kraham family had abandoned one of them, angered her beyond reason.


    "So, he is actually..." Nyx gasped in shock. ''My cousin? And I actually asked him about sex, even though it was joke... I must bribe him not to tell others or I would die of embarassment!''


    "You should meet him." Matilda said and took a sip of the tea. "I checked his medical records and his Humanoid Imperfecta is more serious than I have seen before. He might not live long..."


    Jack clenched his fist, almost breaking his hand as result.


    "Calm down, uncle!" Nyx screamed.


    Jack flinched and loosened his fist. He was very close to breaking his fist.


    "I understand..." Jack grabbed the walking cane, stood up, and walked to the window. He looked toward the door of one of the apartments. ''He must''ve been in so much pain all this year, just because I wanted to escape the world of pain and sumbed myself to pleasure of flesh.''


    "He must think he is alone now." Matilda said and walked next to her son. "Show him that he isn''t. He is, after all, son of Rothsmith."


    "Mm..." Jack nodded. "Jesse Rothsmith, doesn''t sound too bad."

 Chapter 66 Rainstorm

    <h4>Chapter 66 Rainstorm</h4>


    Pitter-patter.


    Rain pattered down, causing the road of tiny town get very muddy. The residents of the town covered their heads with their coats as they rushed inside their homes, inns or bars.


    Then, several wagons wheeled inside the town with horses neighing under the rain. The wagon drivers wore their raincoats while whipping the buttocks of the horses with their reins. They were expecting to encounter rain, thus brought proper clothes with them.


    The yers inside the wagons, didn''t because of their inexperience. They didn''t expect to encounter such heavy weather in Yatagarasu''s territory.


    Soon, the wagons came to a stop in front of a red-colored inn with water pouring down from the roof. The wheels of the wagons were deep in the mud, unable to move any further.


    "We have arrived!" One of the wagon drivers shouted and knocked on the wall of the wagon. He then jumped down into the dirt, mud sshing up his trousers. He cursed loudly and turned to the wheels covered in mud.


    "A mess, proper mess!" The wagon driver cursed knowing that they had to dig the wheels out of the mud and take horses and the wagons under the shelter. It was uneptable to leave them outside in this weather.


    The problem was that it was raining very heavily, and it would take them close to an hour toplete this task. They couldn''t ask for help from yers either because they were their clients, and they didn''t have suitable clothes with them.


    yers slowly left the wagons and cursed at the terrible weather. They had to walk over muddy puddles, drenching and staining their boots and trousers until they reached the inn.


    The yers were weed by friendly innkeeper, who offered them a washing service atter date when they have rented an inn room and had unpacked their stuff. They epted it with relief and took off their shoes to not make a mess everywhere on the lounge.


    As several yers, led by Leprechaun went to rent the rooms, Serenity and Ambrose entered the inn, their hairs and clothes drenched.


    "A member of my dojo will go rent rooms for us." Serenity said and looked into Ambrose''s eyes. "Everyone will get individual rooms, unless one wants to share with someone."


    "Why?" Ambrose asked in surprise. He thought it was huge waste of money.


    "Haha, Leprechaun was also quite unpleasant about it, but some of our members wish to spend night here and not in real-life. This is experience which you cannot have in reality." Serenity said.


    "They would finish their business in reality before returning here. They would either tour the town, which is unlikely because of this weather or just spend time with other dojo members. Most would just prefer sleeping here as well, even though the beds are most likely not thatfortable."


    "I see..." Ambrose looked at the side of her beautiful face. "What about you?"


    "I have stuff to do in reality." Serenity said with a forced smile. "I would also like to spend time here with others. This feels like a camping trip, but as you know, I have some work-rted stuff to finish."


    "I understand." Ambrose nodded and took off his shoes before tossing them into his inventory. "I will go pay for my own room. I don''t need you guys to pay anything for me."


    "It wouldn''t be a problem!" Serenity quickly grabbed him by shoulder. However, she suddenly flinched and removed her hand. Her eyes showed fright. "Are you alright?"


    "I am not made of ss, you know." Ambrose looked at her in the eye with sharp gaze and walked to the innkeeper to rent an inn room for himself.


    "Ah..." Serenity looked at his retreating back and sighed. She covered her face and shook her head. "I forgot that his disease doesn''t exist in here. Stupid Alice, stupid!"


    "Serenity!" A cheerful-voiced girl hopped towards Serenity with room keys in her hand. "Want to share a room with me?"


    "Oh, sure La." Serenity smiled and epted the key. They then walked past the drenched yers, who were looking at the ongoing rainstorm through windows and stepped up the stairs to second floor.


    At that moment, La looked over her shoulder and saw the ck-haired young man talk with the innkeeper.


    "Who is the person you brought with you?" La asked curiously from the beautiful silver-haired girl. She respected their dojo leader very much as she didn''t expect women to able to contend against men in such realistic video game.


    However, Serenity proved that it was possible by beating everyone during sparring sessions.


    "A friend of mine, Ambrose." Serenity said and followed La to the second floor. Several doors were already open, with yers entering their respective rooms. The inn was otherwise empty except few adventurers that got stuck in the town because of the rainstorm.


    "Ambrose, huh." La inserted a key to keyhole, unlocked the door and opened. A small room with two beds, couch, few nts and bathroom opened up. "Is he a swimmer?"


    "Swimmer? I don''t think so." Serenity shook her head as rejection of that idea.


    "Mm, my brother is professional swimmer and even he doesn''t have his physique." La looked at the stunned Serenity and giggled. "Thank god for the rain. His shirt was entirely drenched, allowing me to catch a slight peek. Not bad, at all."


    "W-W-What are you talking about?" Serenity stumbled over her words and stomped inside the room.


    La followed after closing the door. She then tested the bed by jumping on it and let out a surprised shout. It was softer than she imagined.


    She then turned back to Serenity, and saw her inspect the flower nts on the room that was used as decoration.


    "Too bad that his face is quite meh. Otherwise I would''ve asked him to share room with me!"


    "Enough." Serenity said with a sudden cold voice, surprising even herself. La looked at her, stunned and forgot to speak for a moment, but then she pouted and whispered sorry in a quiet tone.


    "Ahah, sorry forshing out like that." Serenity wryly smiled and looked out of the window at falling rain. "He is my friend, so I hope you all take care of him like you would do with me."


    "Alright~" La said excitedly. "Are you nning to stay here? I was invited to y cards with others at downstairs. You could join us."


    "It sounds good, but I have to go to reality."


    "Oh, okay." La said disappointingly.


    "Enjoy your time. We have to leave early at morning to reach Yatagarasu before noon." Serenity said and opened the interface. The blue light of the interfacended on her delicately shaped face and she made the inn room as her temporary spawn before logging out.


    La watched as the silver-haired girl disappeared among pixels.


    "I wonder what others are doing~" La jumped off the bed and rushed out of the room. To her surprise, she found a person next door trying to open the door to his rented room.


    "Ahh, it''s you~"


    "Huh?" Ambrose twisted the key and unlocked his door. He then turned to the cheerful-looking girl, whose shout reached his ears clearly.

 Chapter 67 Zahhak

    <h4>Chapter 67 Zahhak</h4>


    "You are Ambrose right." La put her hand forward for handshake. "My name is La. Serenity told me a little bit about you."


    "Nice to meet you." Ambrose shook the hand while speaking in a rather monotone tone. In his eyes, she looked like the girls who used to make fun of him back in school.


    The loose behavior with the skin-revealing outfit didn''t improve the first impression in Ambrose''s mind. He already felt like he wouldn''t get along with her.


    However, unless the members of Silver Heart tried to make things hard for him, he wanted to try to get along with them to have greater sess inpleting the quest.


    "A firm handshake. Nice~" La leaned on her door and winked seductively. However, to her surprise, the young man ignored her and took one step inside the room.


    Before he could close the door, she put her hand in the way and said in a hurry. "We are going to y some cards downstairs. Wanna join?"


    "I want to have a good night''s rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day." Ambrose said with an apologetic look as he wanted to close the door. He was signaling that he was too tired and hoped she got the hint, but unfortunately, she didn''t.


    "Only one game." La swung the door open with a smile. "It would be good for you to get to know other members before the important quest."


    "Sigh..." Ambrose pinched his nosebridge in annoyance. They had just traveled for twelve hours down a rocky, muddy road with a wagon that was bouncing up and down the entire time.


    His buttocks hurt, his legs had been numb for the past three hours, and he was longing for the taste of sleep. He doubted he would be goodpany, as he was sometimes grumpy when he was sleepy.


    Especially now, when his emotions haven''t been as stabilized as he hoped. He didn''t want to identallysh out at someone and make himself look bad in the eyes of others.


    "I will introduce myself to others tomorrow." Ambrose said with a tired smile that he tried closing the door, but to no avail.


    "One game, pleaseee." La showed a sweet smile. "Thirty minutes max."


    Ambrose took a deep breath and loosened his grip on his sword, which he had subconsciously grabbed. He also imagined shing through her throat, separating her head from the torso.


    ''Yeah, I think I have some anger issues.'' Ambrose inhaled and exhaled. He then turned back to the cheerful-looking girl and said with a forced smile. "I will be there in thirty. I haven''t visited reality since morning, and you can probably guess that I am starving."


    "Okay!" La said cheerfully and left while waving her hand. "We will be waiting!"


    Ambrose closed the door and leaned his forehead against the door. He felt even more exhausted than before.


    ...


    "Hey, guys~" La entered the empty dining hall off the inn. There was only one table with people seated around it, and they were shuffling cards. The rest of the dining hall was closed as they didn''t serve food thiste.


    Therefore, many of the town''s residents and inn visitors went to the tavern thiste, where they could also purchase food or simply alcohol.


    "Sup." A man with short blond hair pulled a chair from a nearby table and put it beside him for La to use. La smiled and sat down on that chair, then crossed her legs to tempt the nearby young men.


    "Are you y''all ready?" Teddy said after finishing shuffling his cards. Everyone at the table nodded, and he then began tossing cards to each individual until everyone had a deck of ten cards.


    "Ah, by the way." La checked her cards and said. "Ambrose, the person that came with Serenity, will join us in thirty minutes. So, let''s try to get along, aye?"


    Suddenly, the table shook as Teddy mmed his fist down. He looked angrily at the flirty girl and asked.


    "Why did you invite him?"


    The rest of the group looked at Teddy with raised eyebrows, not understanding his hostile attitude. Some also looked at La, confused as to why he would invite a stranger.


    "Serenity wanted us to get along, so I saw him in the hallway and decided to invite him." La said crossing her arms with one hand holding the cards. "It will be only one game. Try to get along."


    Teddy clenched his fists and nodded at others. They began ying while anticipating the arrival of the stranger.


    The night was getting dark, and a small sh of silver asionally appeared on the horizon with the very distant sound of a rumble. The rain didn''t stop even for a moment, and it even made a few yers think that there would be flooding soon, which would erase the town off the map.


    Nearly half an hourter, a silhouette walked down the stairs while dressed in an all-ck outfit. The outfit was purchased from Amaterasu, and it was something Ambrose foundfortable to wear.


    It consisted of a buttoned linen shirt, trousers that slightly resembled jeans, and a pair of ck boots. He had sent the other dirt-stained boots to the washing service, but luckily for him, he had spares.


    With his new physique, the linen shirt clearly outlined his athletic physique, increasing his charm to onlookers. Yet his pale, sickly face turned many off, as it looked like he could suddenly knock down and die.


    "Ambrose, here!" La waved her hand from the table. The previous game had just ended, and they were about to start another one.


    Ambrose put one hand to his pocket and walked to the table with a slight fatigue in his eyes. He took afortable shower and ate a portion of the fish soup from Matilda. He was still feeling tired but was much more energetic than before.


    The people around the table turned to the stranger out of curiosity. Teddy shuffled the cards while keeping his gaze on them, not looking at the young man.


    Ambrose grabbed a chair from a nearby table and was about to drag it to the table.


    But then Teddy looked at him sharply and shouted. "Oijoi, what do you think you are doing?"


    "Hmm?" Ambrose looked at him in surprise.


    "We aren''t allowed to move the chairs from their tables, innkeeper''s words!"


    "Eh, but..." La wanted to speak out, as it was clear that he was lying, but Teddy''s sharp gaze made her quiet. He was still higher-ranked than her.


    "Oh, alright." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the chair at the separate table. He crossed his arms andzily looked at the other table, where they were about to start ying cards.


    The rest of the members in the group looked slightly awkward but didn''t want to speak against Teddy either.


    Teddy gave everyone their cards and looked at his own. Then he side-nced in Ambrose''s direction and saw him yawnzily.


    "You, there."


    "Mm?" Ambrose opened his eyes after he was about to fall asleep and saw Teddy''s bloodshot eyes. "What?"


    "Has Serenity told you about the quest?" Teddy asked curiously while looking around the group. No one had yed their turns yet as they were listening to the conversation.


    "Not much."


    "Has she... told you about Zahhak Dojo?" When he mentioned the name, everyone at the table felt ufortable, as that name was taboo in many corners of the inte.


    "Zahhak? No." Ambrose had never heard about that before.


    "They are Serenity''s former teammates from her time in Ember Online." Teddy said and put the starting card at the center of the table. "They were the most hated, infamous guild in all of Ember Online."


    "Huh?" Ambrose looked at him with a frown. ''If that''s true, why was Alice part of them?''


    "They were infamous for only killing yers. They didn''t hunt for monsters, as they found that too boring. They wanted excitement, and they got that from killing yers, humiliating them, and making many quit the game altogether."


    Teddy nodded at the person who was seated beside him. The person put his own card down and turned back to Teddy to listen.


    "Serenity, of course, is a kind person, so I was surprised to find out she was part of Zahhak. I joined this dojo because Serenity was known for being part of Zahhak. However, not many connect those two anymore because of her beauty, and in the eyes of everyone, members of Zahhak are inhumane monsters.


    "However, I wanted to duel against her to see the strength of the legendary Zahhak." Teddy chuckled. "I lost miserably. However, I vowed my loyalty to Serenity, and I will follow her everywhere."


    "And why are you telling me all of this?"


    "Because you are an outsider." Teddy spoke sharply. "Members of Zahhak won''t target us because of Serenity. However, what about you? They might''ve invited us, but they are not people you can reason with.


    "They are monsters.


    "They are hunters.


    "They would chase their targers to the end of the world if needed. The distance between Amaterasu and Yatagarasu is nothing to them!


    "Even if you escaped to that legendary Dark Continent, they would find you and kill you till you quit this game. This is what they do.


    "Kill you over and over again until you have no other choice than to quit!"


    "Huh." Ambrose crossed his arms and leaned on the chair. "What is the point of this. Are you trying to make me scared."


    "You can still return to Amaterasu!" Teddy mmed his cards to the table. "Remove your temporary spawn and log off. When youe back tomorrow morning, you will be back in Amaterasu, and you can continue ying as you wish."


    "This sounds like... you want me to leave." Ambrose scratched his neck and looked at him with azy look. "Why is that... I wonder."


    "As I said, you are outsider." Teddy turned back to the card game. "Serenity is kind and must''ve invited you out of pity. I love that part of her, but it is also her biggest weakness."


    Smack!


    An eerie sound reverberated across the dining hall.


    Everyone at the table stood up in shock as they couldn''t believe their eyes.


    A fistnded on Teddy''s cheek, sending him crashing to the floor.


    "Argh!" Teddy looked stunned and turned to his assant. His masculine face turned red in rage, and he immediately stood up while shouting. "What the hell!"


    "A fucking loser." Ambrose pulled his hand back after delivering a decisive punch. "You wanted to punch me right. I felt your gaze even back in Amaterasu.


    "Let''s solve this like real men."


    Teddy touched his numb cheek and looked at Ambrose with an invisible fire ring up in his eyes. "You made a big fucking mistake."


    "I don''t know why you hate me so much." Ambrose chuckled and took off his shirt, revealing his absolutely toned torso. It was as if his physique had been carved by a master sculptor. "However, I am down to fight!"


    "Wow..." La eximed and shook her head. She realized that this didn''t look good at all. ''Noooo! Serenity will me meee!''


    "Very well." Teddyughed in anger and tore his shirt off. His chiseled muscles rippled beneath his tanned and glistening skin, a testament to years of dedicated training. His broad shoulders gave him an imposing presence,.


    When he flexed his axe-like arms, his strong, veined hands showed the strength of his firm grip.


    Ambrose grinned and put his arms in a boxing stance. Unlike Teddy, he possessed athletic and lean body that seamlesslybined both strength and agility.


    His long limbs exhibited a perfect bnce of muscle definition and flexibility, as if they had been honed through years of rigorous training. His shoulders were broad yet streamlined. With a paleplexion, his eyes were the color of the sky on a clear day.


    They both shared perfect bodies of their respective areas. It was unclear who was going to win in a simple fist fight.


    "Don''t fight!" La shouted.


    However, neither of the men listened and they delivered their first punches.

 Chapter 68 Fist Fight

    <h4>Chapter 68 Fist Fight</h4>


    Smack... a brick-sized fistnded on Ambrose''s left cheek, pushing his head to the side. His neck muscles pulsated as they were undergoing immense stress. It looked like the veins on his neck were about to burst.


    Simultaneously, his own fistnded on Teddy''s face, breaking his nose. Teddy stumbled backwards with a broken nose as blue blood continued dripping down from his nostrils. He was left stunned after the punch, as his whole face turned numb.


    Ambrose staggered to the side and grabbed a nearby table to steady himself. He touched his mouth, thinking that a few of his teeth might have been shattered by the impact.


    "Stop it, guys!" La shouted and turned to the rest of the group, who were watching the fight with great interest. "Stop watching and stop them!"


    "Don''t you fucking dare!" Teddy shouted at them, making them all jump back in surprise. He then turned back to the ck-haired young man, gritted his teeth, and rushed at him like a raging bull.


    Ambrose heard the rapid stepsing his way and then felt a heavy tackle strike his waist, sending him flying back. He crashed through the window, sending shattered ss flying all over the dining hall.


    Ssh... He fell to the muddy ground with heavy rain pattering down at his face.


    About to enter the inn, several wagon drivers jumped in fright. They had finally finished taking the horses and wagons to the shelter and were about to rent a room to have a good night''s rest before tomorrow''s long day.


    However, now they havee across this scene.


    Teddy leaped through the broken window and hammered his fist down at Ambrose''s face. However, he quickly rolled to the side in the mud, dodging the punch. His clothes were already covered in mud, but now even his face was.


    "Ptui!" Ambrose spat out the mud from his mouth and saw Teddy rising to his feet. He returned to his boxing stance, which he remembered from old movies he used to watch alone. He doesn''t have any prior martial arts experience and was doing everything out of instinct.


    Teddy''s stance was slightly different. He put his right arm in front of his body and his left arm next to his waist. It looked like a stance where he would use his right arm to block the punch and deliver a killing blow with his left.


    "Come on." Ambrose taunted him for taking a quick step forward but not going any further. "Punch at me. That''s what you want, right? Punch!"


    "Die!" Teddy roared and threw a straight punch with his left. The falling rain in front of the punch was erased from existence.


    Pitter-patter... the rain continued falling from the dark, cloudy sky, cascading onto the muddy ground. Each droplet created a gentle ssh upon contact with the mud. Amidst the wetndscape, a muddy puddle formed, capturing a distorted reflection of the muscr fist.


    Smack... The sound of a fist hitting flesh was silenced by the sound of falling rain. Yet, everyone watching the fight could see clearly, even though the rain was making the scene harder to witness.


    Teddy''s fistnded on Ambrose''s face. The fist was almostrger than most of his face. After the punchnded, most of the mud sshed off the young man''s face.


    Ambrose fell backward onto the muddy puddle. His face was bloodied, with a broken nose and a fist-sized mark on the forehead.


    His eyes were barely open, and blue blood was dripping down from his mouth and nose. He watched as a silver sh of lightning slithered above the dark clouds and felt the touch of falling rain.


    "Haah... haaah..." Teddy panted heavily as he stood in front of Ambrose''s copsed body. He had won, but he didn''t feel like a winner. The fight had calmed him down.


    "Had enough..?"


    "Huh?" Teddy looked down at the bloodied face of his opponent, who was still breathing heavily. His dull eyes were opening wide and for some reason, he was smiling.


    "I don''t know why you were against me so strongly..." Ambrose chuckled and opened his mouth wide to drink the falling rain. It actually tasted like tap water. "However, I have a good guess."


    "You..." Teddy wiped the water off his face. However, it barely helped as more and more rain was falling every second. "What are you..."


    Ambrose yawned and raised his hand towards Teddy. "I know how you feel. The raging jealousy, and anger. Don''t let it fucking control you. Let''s get along for tomorrow and then you don''t have to see me ever again, deal?"


    "Huh?" Teddy looked at the hand, stunned. He turned to Ambrose, unsure how he should respond. Then he turned back to the inn and saw La and others watching the scene silently.


    "I am sorry..." Teddy grabbed the hand and pulled Ambrose up with a strong pull.


    Ambrose almost slipped again because of the muddy ground, but managed to barely stay standing.


    "I have underestimated you." Teddy said and patted him on the shoulders. "You have perfect MUSCLE mentality."


    "Uhh, thanks?" Ambrose looked at him strangely and watched as he entered the inn through the window. ''The hell is that supposed to mean? Muscle mentality? What?''


    "I guess that is his way ofplementing you!" La stood by the broken window and shouted so that it was possible to hear her through the sound of falling rain.


    Ambrose climbed back to the inn through the window. His clothes stuck to his body tightly, and they weighed several times more. He felt like he was carrying weights on his back.


    "Ah, what happened in here!" A shout came from the entrance of the dining hall. The innkeeper returned with shock on his face. He heard themotion so he trieding as soon as possible, but didn''t expect to see such a mess.


    "Ohoh..." La awkwardly scratched her head. "We will pay for it. Just send a bill."


    "Leprechaun is gonna be pissed..." One of the people murmured.


    ...


    On the outskirts of Nocklund was Rothsmith Estate, which covered an area of nearly twelve kilometers. It was one of the biggest areas on Nocklund, owned by a single family.


    The area consisted ofrge forest, small town and the location of Rothsmith family house. The forest was mainly used for hunting and fishing, while the town was mainly used by Rothsmith family servants.


    At the Rothsmith family mansion, surrounded by vast yard filled with beautiful, luxurious gardens, fountains and beautifulndscape that gave feeling of serenity.


    Jack, with walking cane in hand, entered the mansion through the front door and handed his coat to butler, who wore ck suit and had sses on his nose bridge.


    "Where is Anna?"


    "At the bedroom, master."


    "Alright, thank you." Jack ventured through the mansion hallways, having to walk several hundred meters until he arrived at the bedroom belonging to him and Anna. He opened the door and came across a beautiful woman sitting on a make-up desk,bing her long, lush hair.


    "Jack?" Anna turned around, revealing her delicately beautiful face. She looked like a porcin doll with her beautiful sky-blue eyes and long eyshes.


    Jack smiled at her and walked toward her. "May I?"


    "Of course." Anna smiled as she handed theb to her husband.


    With ab in hand, Jack beganbing the hair, smelling the sweet scent of Anna''s shampoo. She had clearly just taken a shower.


    "How was your mother?" Anna asked while Jack continued to work on her hair. "Let mee next time. I also want to meet her again."


    "She was doing good..." Jack said and then his voice turned softer. "Anna, I have something to talk to you about."


    "Hmm?" Anna looked over her shoulder at the fatigued-looking man.


    "You know about my past, which I am not proud of. I was douchebad, filled by only thoughts of lust until I met and married you." Jack stoppedbing and looked at her delicate reflection through the mirror.


    "My mother found out that... there might be another Rothsmith out there."


    "Huh?" Anna looked stunned. "A-A-Are you saying?"


    "Yes... I might have another son." Jack smiled, but it was a sad smile. "However, he also has Humanoid Imperfecta."


    Anna''s eyes widened in shock, but then she lowered her head in sadness.


    "I see... I thought we were fortunate for not having us children suffer from that." She gently grabbed Jack''s hand and caressed it. "We, Rothsmith''s, take care of each others."


    "Yes, we do..." Jack kissed her on the head.

 Chapter 69 Jesse

    <h4>Chapter 69 Jesse</h4>


    Ambrose tossed the drenched clothes to dry in the bathroom. He hoped they would be dry enough for tomorrow. He then walked to the bed,pletely naked, as every single piece of cloth was covered in mud.


    "That fight sure removed my sleepiness." Hebed his hair with his hand. He had also taken a bath in-game, as his avatar would still be in the same state in which he left it when he logged back in.


    To get rid of unnecessary hustle tomorrow morning, he nned on just doing it tonight.


    After putting his clothes to dry, taking a bath, and cleaning his entire body, he didn''t feel like there was anything else left to do in-game. Thus, he pressed the logout button.


    ...


    "Mm..." Jesse opened his eyes and took off the headset. He tidied up his messy hair and continued lying on the soft bed for a little longer, thinking about the fight.


    He always knew he wouldn''t be able to win against the muscr fellow in a fist fight. He was built like a brick house, after all. However, he didn''t care. It wasn''t hard to tell where the animosity came from.


    "A jealousy is a dangerous thing. It also brought me momentarily down a dark path. It ain''t worth it." Jesse thought aloud, and a face popped up in his mind. A sweet face belonging to a silver-haired girl.


    "Hmm..." Jesse sat up and stood up from the bed. It didn''t even take a second for him to falter and almost fall. Luckily, the wardrobe was near, which he was able to lean against.


    "That was close..." He looked down at his legs, which felt like they were chained against a boulder. They just didn''t listen to hismands to move!


    "These... useless things..." Jesse sighed and sat down on the ground. The room was eerily dark, only light was from the headset, which he still left on without turning it off.


    As he couldn''t move anywhere either way, he silently looked down at his new body. His hair length had also reached past his shoulders and was in dire need of a haircut. He then noticed that his left hand wasn''t feeling painful anymore.


    He hesitated before removing the bandages and throwing them to the side. His knuckles had a few minor scars, but otherwise, the hand looked perfectly healthy.


    "I am... healing faster?" Jesse shook his head after such a ridiculous idea popped into his mind. However, it would sometimes take months for an injury of this caliber to heal.


    At that moment, he also remembered a promise he had made not so long ago. He wanted to try exercising to see whether it would help him be stronger in the game.


    "Right... should I do it now..." Jesse looked at the state of his legs and immediately knew that most of the exercises were off the table as he couldn''t even move them. However, there were a few he could try.


    Heid down on the cold floor, just like he would beying on the bed. However, he then moved his hands behind his head and lifted his entire torso into a sitting position before moving back down.


    A burning sensation appeared in his abdomen.


    He was trying abdominal crunches.


    "Whoo..." Jesse took a deep breath and did it again. The burning sensation got even stronger. He then very carefullyid back down. He was being very careful not to identally hit his head on the floor, splitting it in half.


    Even doing such a simple exercise was very dangerous for him.


    "I am... in such terrible shape." He let out a tired chuckle. Even though he received a new body that looked like it would belong to a professional swimmer, his actual shape was horrible, as if the new body was just a disguise, hiding his real form below.


    "Now... I understand how I couldn''t feel any stronger in game." Jesse sighed. "There are no shortcuts to sess... I have to train myself to increase my strength."


    Without further ado, he continued doing the exercise while the burning sensation became unbearable in his midriff region.


    His body was soon shaking from the insane pain, and he felt like his entire skeleton was breaking apart.


    "Argh..." Jesse slowlyid back on the ground and shook his head vigorously. "No more... I''ll go sleep."


    At that moment, Jesse swung his eyes open with bloodshot eyes.


    "I have done nothing in my whole life. That ends today!" Jesse gritted his teeth and finished another abdominal crunch. This time, it wasn''t just a stomach crunch but a full-body one.


    His legs, which were previously immobilized, finally moved.


    ...


    Alice, dressed in her short-sleeved shirt and ck running pants, reached her home after her morning jog. After opening the front door, she saw her parents about to leave for work.


    "Ah, Alice." A short-bearded man smiled. He was carrying a suitcase on one hand and his car keys on the other. "Want us to take you to the clinic today?"


    "Ah, I have a free day today." Alice said while wiping off her sweat with a towel. She took the shoes off her feet and rubbed her toes as she felt like she had a rock on her shoe during her run today, making it rather ufortable.


    Her mother had simr silver hair, which fit her gray eyes and long silver eyshes. Her body proportions were outstanding, giving an idea of what kind of woman Alice would be in adulthood. She also had her hospital card in hand.


    "Don''t y all day, alright?" Her mother touched her gently on the shoulder and left through the open front door, followed by her husband.


    Alice waved at her parents as they drove off from the luxurious neighborhood. The roads there were wide, spacious, and tree-lined, with well-kept sidewalks. It was clearly a rich neighborhood, as every house was grand and elegant, with freshly painted walls and manicuredwns.


    After they left her sight, she closed the door and rushed immediately straight to the third floor, where she entered the spacious room, which was already bigger than Jesse''s new apartment.


    Sheid on the bed, put the VR headset on and smiled as she pressed on the button.


    "I hope today will be good day!"


    ...


    After opening her eyes, Serenity was nning to leave the room and meet everyone at downstairs as it was their meeting spot before they departed. However, she came across unexpected scene.


    La was on the ground, prostrating with her forehead touching the floor.


    "I am so sorry!"


    "Eh, La?" Serenity was stunned and wanted to help her friend up. "What are you doing on the ground?"


    "I failed you!"


    "Huh?"


    La raised her gaze, her eyes were tear-ridden. It also looked like she was prostrating on the ground for long time, waiting for Serenity toe online.


    "You gave me one task and I failed!"


    "What?" Serenity tried to think about the task she gave her and only one thing came to her mind. Her face bleached. "A-Ambrose? What happened!"


    At that moment, door swung open and enraged-looking Leprechaun entered the room.


    "Where is Teddy and this Ambrose guy?! They are paying the damages, we won''t take a single silver from our finances!"


    "Teddy... Ambrose..." Serenity felt light-headed and had to sit down. She hung her head low and wanted to kick something.


    "I am sorry, please don''t hate me!" La hugged her legs and begged with tearful face.


    Serenity looked at her crying friend and shook her head gently.


    "I won''t hate you. Let''s go downstairs and I want to hear what happened."

 Chapter 70 Earrings

    <h4>Chapter 70 Earrings</h4>


    After reaching the downstairs of the inn, Serenity, La, and Leprechaun came upon a very unexpected scene.


    "Haha,e on!" Teddy shouted and beckoned a person in front of him with his hands.


    "Hmph." Ambrose grinned and mmed his fist deep into the muscr torso. The sheer strength of the punch was witnessed by the eerie smack sound, which sent shivers down everyone''s spine.


    However, Teddy onlyughed. "Is that all?"


    "What is going on..." Serenity looked at the scene with a baffled expression. She looked around the inn, and most of the Silver Heart members were present. They were simply watching the scene with amused expressions.


    "Fuck..." Ambrose shook his hand, which he used to throw the punch. ''My strength stats are at 100, yet I am still weaker than him. I guess having a powerful real life body is worth more than a mere 100 stats.''


    "Well, if you don''t n on punching, don''t mind if I do!" Teddy grinned and smashed his brick-sized fist deep into Ambrose''s gut. Everyone watching the scene flinched, as that looked like it would hurt.


    "Ugh..." Ambrose gasped greedily for air as he doubled over. He barely managed to keep standing, but the punch sent shockwaves across his entire body.


    "Teddy, what are you doing?"


    "Uh?" Teddy looked to the side and flushed in embarrassment. "Miss Serenity, good morning!"


    All the Silver Heart members turned to the silver-haired girl who walked from the stairs.


    "What are you two doing?" Serenity asked with narrowed eyes. To her, it looked like they were bullying Ambrose.


    "We were... uhh..." Teddy stumbled over his words.


    "A team bonding exercise." Ambrose suddenly said from the side while trying to catch his breath. He wiped the drool off his lips and let out augh. "I asked for him to punch me."


    "Eh, why?" Serenity looked at Ambrose with a confused expression on her beautiful face. She had a hard time understanding his mindset.


    "For experiment." Ambrose said, without exining any further. He wanted to see the difference in pure strength between him and Teddy. There was an immense difference, but now he had a goal in mind.


    ''Strength training, swordsmanship training, and footwork training. I have to train those.''


    Last night, Ambrose didn''t sleep for even a second.


    Instead, he began thinking about his training schedule for the following weeks. He wanted to increase his real-life body''s strength and stamina and continue learning the use of his left hand.


    Then he also wanted to improve his swordsmanship. He knew his swordsmanship wasn''t any better than the average person''s. He only had a few skills, but there was a limit to how far those would take him.


    He needed to learn swordsmanship from scratch.


    "Yes, he asked me!" Teddy said with a gleeful expression and put his arm around Ambrose''s shoulders. "I also wanted to test the power of his MUSCLES."


    ''What is with him and his muscles?'' Ambrose looked weirdly at the muscr man.


    "Oh, that is good then." Serenity sighed with relief after seeing everyone getting along.


    But then Leprechaun beside her shouted. "Teddy and you!"


    Ambrose and Teddy turned to the curly, blond-haired man, who was screaming in rage.


    "Here we go..." Teddy rolled his eyes.


    "You broke that!" Leprechaun pointed towards the dining hall''s broken window. "You shall also pay for it!"


    "Fineeee," Teddy said with a bored tone.


    "No need; we will pay for it." Serenity suddenly spoke and showed a sweet smile. "Leprechaun, we can use my personal funds for it."


    "E-eh, but." Leprechaun was speechless.


    p, p.


    Serenity pped her hands, attracting everyone''s attention.


    "Wagons should be waiting for us. Let''s get going. We should arrive at Yatagarasu near noon."


    The Silver Heart members nodded and departed the inn with excited expressions. They were wanting to see what kind of city Yatagarasu was.


    There was a sunny morning sky, but the roads were still muddy with puddles everywhere. However, the wagon drivers had already decided on an alternative path to avoid the muddy roads so they wouldn''t get stuck again.


    As Serenity followed behind them, a ck-haired young man suddenly appeared beside her and said.


    "I will pay half."


    "Eh?" Serenity looked at Ambrose and puckered her lips. "No. La told me what happened, and I don''t me you for punching him, as he kind of deserved that."


    "Miss Serenity..." Teddy walked behind them with tears in his eyes.


    "Therefore, on behalf of Silver Heart, I will pay for the damages."


    "Fine." Ambrose sighed and stepped out of the inn with her. They came across a bright blue sky with a scorching sun. Then they turned to the wagons, which were waiting beside the inn with horses neighing.


    After getting on the wagons, the drivers used the reins to control the horses. Soon, the wagons carrying the party of the iing quest started wheeling out of the town, continuing their journey to the famous city of Yatagarasu.


    Inside the wagon, Ambrose whispered. "Music Interface."


    Without further ado, he put the music on and increased the volume to maximum.


    As the booming sound of the music entered his ears, Ambrose closed his eyes and enjoyed it. This time, he was sitting at the corner nearest the entrance of the wagon, where he could see the passing forest, dirt road, and far-away town.


    Because of yesterday''s rain, the air was still moist, and the wind was very strong. Yet Ambrose enjoyed the wind brushing past his hair, even though it was getting quite chilly inside the wagon.


    Serenity touched her ears and took off her silver earrings. They were special earrings that gave her enhanced reflexes. It was one of her rewards for the World Quest.


    She ced them back inside the inventory and took another pair of earrings from there. These earrings were different. They were ck with a red gemstone in the middle, which was shaped like a heart.


    After putting them on her ears, she felt her body temperature rise. Those earrings would increase her body temperature since they were, so far, only level 1 earrings.


    She didn''t know how to level them up yet.


    She then turned to Ambrose, wondering whether he was also feeling chilly like she was. He was closer to the outside; therefore, it would make sense for him to be shaking in the cold.


    "Jesse, are you cold?"


    She asked but didn''t receive an answer. The ck-haired young man sat with his eyes closed, as if he were sleeping.


    "Jesse?" She asked again, yet received no answer.


    She moved closer to the closed-eyed young man and gently touched his shoulder. At that moment, the young man flinched and opened his eyes. He turned to the side, and sw her sitting beside him, their noses almost touching.


    "Oh." Ambrose opened the interface and paused the music. "You said something?"


    "Oh, you were listening for music? Sorry..."


    "No problem. Was there something...?"


    "Oh, yeah. Are you cold?" She asked with concern in her face.


    "Not really."


    "Just in case, take this." Serenity handed him another of the same ck-colored earring. She only put one of them to her ear while giving the second to Ambrose.


    "What is this?" Ambrose looked at the earring with a raised eyebrow.


    "If you put it on, it will increase your body temperature." She said. "There are some special relics, which give special abilities to the yers. None are very strong yet, as no one has any idea how to level up those relics, but this should help you."


    "Oh, thanks..." Ambrose looked at the earring and then looked back at her. He looked slightly ashamed. "How do you put this on?"


    "Hehe, let me put it on for you." She giggled and took the earring. Then touched gently Ambrose''s earlobe and used the sharp end of the earring to stab a small hole in it.


    After helping Ambrose put on the earring, she looked at him and smiled. "There."


    "Thank you." Ambrose whispered and felt a slight numb sensation on his left ear, but it wasn''t bad. Instead, he soon felt a wave of warmth wash over him, getting rid of the previous cold, even though it didn''t bother him much.


    "You''re wee," she said, smiling again.

 Chapter 71 Cerberus

    <h4>Chapter 71 Cerberus</h4>


    "It''s again raining!" A person from Silver Heart shouted as he looked at the falling rain. It started raining as soon as they entered Yatagarasu through its massive steel gates.


    They were all excited to explore Yatagarasu, but the sky suddenly turned dark and rain started falling. It all happened instantly.


    The horses, pulling the wagons, neighed and galloped down cobblestone streets. yers, holding umbres, walked in the rain without a care in the world. They had already grown numb to the sudden change in weather.


    After a short while, the wagons came to a stop in front of a two-story dojo, surrounded by three meter tall stone fence. The dojo looked traditional with all rooms interconnected by sliding doors.


    The dojo was slightly raised off the ground, with a wooden base. The building was constructed using natural materials such as cedar wood, paper and straw, yet it looked very sturdy.


    There weren''t many solid walls awalls, as most of the walls were made ofttice framework filled with panels of paper that allowed plenty of natural light inside. The rest of the dojo was surrounded by a narrow wooden veranda.


    It looked very cozy and inviting, yet there were also training spaces both outside and inside with many training dummies, weapon racks and arge mat for sparring. There were also selection of bo-staffs right beside the entrance.


    As the wagon drivers jumped off the drivers seat to stretch their numbs limbs, the yers from Silver Heart left the wagons and looked at the dojo in front of them. They knew that this was the location of the infamous Zahhak.


    Yet, there weren''t a single name sign saying that name. Otherwise, whole yerbase from Yatagarasu might target them specifically. The location was given to Serenity by Zahhak''s leader, showing his trust in her.


    Serenity stepped out of the wagon, wearing herbat-styled kunoichi outfit. It made her look fierce yet still feminine and deadly attractive. Her gaze lingered on the front gates, her heart beating hard against her chest.


    It had been many years since she had talked with any of Zahhak members, let alone meet them. She was aware of many members quiting once they became older and realized that they weren''t exactly good guys.


    It happened same with her. She was member of Zahhak for two years until she had to stop gaming altogether to continue her studies. She grew as person and remembered her time with Zahhak with embarassment.


    Therefore, she never nned to join Zahhak in Martial Online and wanted to create her own dojo. She didn''t know whether they would also join this game, but she had a hunch after asionally seeing inte mention Zahhak and the leader''s name.


    She epted the invitation for the quest to see her old friends onest time. She doubted she would see them again and deep in her heart, she hoped that they would have also grown up and became better people.


    "Hmm, this gate is open." One of the Silver Heart members said after seeing the gate narrowly open. She pushed it open and walked through it, followed by rest of Silver Heart shortly afterward.


    Ambrose climbed out of the wagon, and quickly covered his head with the hood of his cloak. He looked around the streets in curiosity. The architecture was somewhat simr with Amaterasu, but people, the history and culture were vastly different.


    Serenity walked through the open gate and looked around at every shack, at every training dummy, at every weapon and at every person in the yard. She felt strangely nostalgic, yet also unfamiliar.


    As the Silver Heart members looked around the yard, the front door slid open, revealing a smiling man. His famous green eyes, tall figure with athletic propositions and the infamous long ck hair, tied as ponytail, made it very clear who the person was.


    As the Silver Heart members felt their hearts race in nervousness, they watched as their leader, Serenity walked to the man with her beautiful silver hair fluttering against the wind while getting drenched by the rain.


    "Serenity." The man said with a smile and stepped down the veranda. He stopped in front of the beautiful Serenity and put his arms wide, inviting her for a hug.


    "Cerberus." Serenity whispered gently as she stepped forward to hug him. She could barely reach her shoulders, but it was still warm hug of two old friends.


    "It''s nice to see you again." Cerberus said and patted Serenity''s shoulders after separating from the hug. He looked at her with a smile on his pleasant-looking face. "You have grown."


    "Have you be taller?" Serenity smiled and lifted her hand to try to touch the top of his head. "At least I can now touch your head, before I couldn''t."


    "Haha, I kind of miss the short Alice."


    "Not my real name..." Serenity rolled her eyes.


    "Ahah, my bad. I just can''t get used to calling you Serenity. Feels weird." Cerberus said and looked over her at the rest of the people in the yard. He smiled and stood to the side to give way. "Please enter my humble abode. It ain''t much, but at least you won''t be standing in rain."


    "Uhuh, thanks..."


    The Silver Heart members nodded at him with nervous expressions. They knew that this man was Cerberus, the notorious leader of Zahhak. His power was so great that all guilds of his territory couldn''t beat him and there were twenty inhumanly strong yers under hismand.


    However, that was back in Ember Online. But, they all wondered, how strong he was in Martial Online.


    Yet, he acted so casually with Serenity, their leader, which made them view him in a good light. They were, after all, allies in this exploration. Therefore, many already dropped their initial fear.


    "Other members are already here, shall we go meet them before we have our meeting?" Cerberus asked from Serenity. After seeing her nod, he wrapped his arm around her shoulders andughed. "They have been excited to meet you after I informed them about our cooperation!"


    Serenity awkwardly smiled as his arm wrapped around her shoulders. She wasn''t expecting him to act so intimately towards her because they hadn''t seen for a long time. She then remembered something and stopped moving.


    "Hmm?" Cerberus looked down at her, wondering why she wasn''t entering the dojo with him.


    Serenity looked over her shoulder at the sole figure on the yard. The ck-haired man was dressed in ck cloak with hood on. He was staring silently at the dark clouds gathered above Yatagarasu while rain fell down at his face.


    "Je... Ambrose, make yourself at home. I will return shortly."


    "Yeah." Ambrose replied shortly, looked away from the dark clouds, and walked behind the two figures as they entered the house. However, when he lifted his gaze slightly move, he saw sharp green eyes staring at him.


    Cerberus looked silently at him and slightly lowered his gaze at his hip, where two sheathed swords were hanging. His eyes widened slightly in surprise before he turned away and entered the dojo with Serenity.


    "Who is he, your friend?" Cerberus asked as he smiled at the Silver Heart members, who were awkwardly standing around at the front lounge while leading Serenity through the open sliding doors to hallway, which led to stairs that went to second floor.


    "Yes, he is my friend." Serenity said with a smile.


    "Hmm..." Cerberus looked conflicted, but a certain desire rose in his heart, which he couldn''t quench. His hands started itching which spread around his body like uncontroble disease.


    Slowly, the corner of his lips curled into maniac-looking grin.


    ''Alice had brought an excellent toy with her.'' Cerberus giggled almost like a child.

 Chapter 72 Members of Zahhak

    <h4>Chapter 72 Members of Zahhak</h4>


    Cerberus moved the sliding door out of the way and entered the room. The room had a circr table in the center with different kinds of paintings adorning the walls. There was also a balcony that overlooked a beautiful view of the city.


    Around the table, eight yers had already gathered, and when the door opened, they turned to see who had entered. They first saw their green-eyed leader, but following him was a beautiful silver-haired girl.


    "Alice, wow!" An innocent voice came from the table. It belonged to a cute-looking man with snow white hair. Even though he looked like a middle schooler, he was an adult at the age of 24. "You have changed plenty!"


    Serenity smiled gently. "You haven''t, AnarchyCat."


    "I''ll take that aspliment." The innocent-voiced man smiled back. He was only around 160cm tall, but his clenched hands had scars, especially around his knuckles. It was clear he wasn''t as innocent as he looked.


    ''He was one of the members I thought would have quit by now. He is only one year older than me and was closest to my age even back then.'' Serenity felt slightly saddened that he was still part of Zahhak.


    "Let''s get seated." Cerberus whispered to Serenity and went to the table, where he got seated beside a cold-looking man. The man had shoulder-length brown hair with a paleplexion and he worebat-styled jacket, which had a lot pockets and brown trousers.


    Serenity sat beside Cerberus and looked at the cold-looking man. She awkwardly smiled and nodded.


    "Arsenal."


    "Mm, Alice." The cold-looking man nodded slowly as if his neck were hurting, and he could barely nod because of it. He looked like a military man with very stoic personality. He sat very straight with arms crossed in front of his chest.


    "I heard some noise from downstairs. How many came with Alice?" A beautiful woman with a small nose and high cheekbones asked. Her brown hair was tied in a bun, and her eyes were azure-colored.


    ''SweetieHell. I am not surprised that she still follows Cerberus.'' Serenity thought with an ufortable expression.


    Back then, she was like an older sister to Serenity, but after growing up, she somewhat looked like a monster in her eyes. She was always nice to her, but Serenity couldn''t forget the things she had done to her enemies.


    "A few dozen." Cerberus said and smiled at the silver-haired girl. "You had built quite a powerful dojo in a short time. I am impressed."


    "Indeed, very impressive, Alice." SweetieHell turned to the silver-haired girl and smiled gently, like an older sister smiling at her little sister. "I am happy that you joined us for this exploration."


    "Thanks." Serenity nodded in thanks with a small smile. She couldn''t help but remember simr scenes from her past. Even back in Ember Online, she was the little sister figure of Zahhak.


    Whenever she did something praiseworthy, they would praise her. To outsiders, they looked more like a family than friends.


    "Ah, by the way." She had counted the number of people on the table and turned to Cerberus. "In the message, you said there were ten members in the current Zahhak, but I only see nine."


    "You don''t know thest member." Cerberus said with a small smile. "I thought it would be better just to have a meeting with old members before we invite the rest for the quest meeting."


    "I see..." Serenity nodded. ''They had recruited a new one? That is surprising. Cerberus was many years against inviting anyone else, even though our guild was under constant pressure from our enemies.''


    "Hmm, did you guys hear that?!"


    Serenity, Cerberus, and everyone else turned to look at the person who had shouted. He was a round-faced man with brown hair and long bangs. He was looking around with his eyes while sweating furiously.


    "Rainman, we heard nothing." Cerberus said while massaging his temples.


    "Oh, my bad, then." Rainman leaned back on the chair and closed his eyes.


    ''Rainman, before I thought his strange behavior was funny, but after having greater medical knowledge, I now know he is suffering from schizophrenia.''


    Serenity pitied him, but she also knew that he was a very dangerous individual. She was somewhat happy that he spent all of his time inside video games and not in reality, where he might do something to his family or innocent people.


    She then turned to see the rest of the people around the table. First, he saw a long-faced man with a sharp jawline and gray eyes. His spiky gray hair was quite interesting, as it looked like he had been struck by a lightning bolt not long ago.


    ''Glowstar.'' She spoke the man''s gamertag into her mind. He was one of the people she didn''t have many memories of. He was a quiet type, but the few conversations she had with him, she couldn''t forget.


    She then looked at another man. It was a handsome man with a ck beard and a sheathed sword on his back. He seemed to be a warrior type with muscr arms, but he had gained weight around his waist and stomach area.


    ''Mizuchi.'' She smiled and nodded at the handsome man. Mizuchi looked at her and nodded with a small smile. They got along very well even back then and it surprised her that he was still with Zahhak, but was very d to see him.


    "How is the family?" She asked.


    "Good good. My wife and I had our third kid year ago and now my oldest daughter is about to start kindergarten." Mizuchiughed. "They grow up so fast."


    "I am d." Serenity showed a genuine smile, which made her look even more attractive. Mizuchi was a family man with a wife and three children. When she was still with Zahhak, he only had one kid.


    "H-hey, Alice." A slightly overweight man raised his hand awkwardly. He had ck hair with bobcut haircut and had very expressive face. Everyone could tell he was nervous.


    "Bluecore." Serenity softly smiled and nodded. He was always a person who couldn''t lie, even when he wanted to because of his face that would reveal his lies. Therefore, she had somewhat good memories of him.


    "Alice." A mature voice came beside Bluecore. When Serenity saw her, she was very surprised and conflicted expression shed past her eyes.


    The person, who owned the mature voice, was a purple-eyed woman with slender body and red hair that cascaded down her back. She didn''t look anything special, but her exotic purple eyes was enough to attract people to her.


    "R-Redheart." Serenity slightly stumbled over her words.


    Redheart smiled silently and turned to Cerberus. "Well, if we are done with reunion, shall we invite others to discuss about the quest?"


    "Fine by me." Cerberus looked at Serenity. "Shall we go get them all?"


    "Sure." Serenity nodded, stood up and followed behind Cerberus out of the room. As she left the room, she happened to catch a glimpse back to the table and felt her body freeze as she saw Redheart''s innocent smiling face.


    ''I was afraid that she was still with Zahhak.'' Serenity turned away from her and continued walking down the stairs behind Cerberus. She was starting to feel likeing here was a mistake.

 Chapter 73 Andromeda

    <h4>Chapter 73 Andromeda</h4>


    Pitter-patter.


    Ambrose sat on the veranda of the dojo, watching the falling rain. Luckily for him, there was shelter on top of the veranda, protecting him from the rain. He had been sitting there for some time, lost in his own disorganized thoughts.


    Ssh¡ªhe suddenly heard a loud ssh. Turning his head to the left, he saw a little girl walking in the rain, dressed only in a crimson dress without carrying any protection against the rain.


    Her ck hair was so long that it almost touched the puddles on the ground. Her face was cute, like a porcin doll with round eyes and a small mouth. She was standing on a puddle, looking towards the sky, with rain droplets falling from her hair onto her face.


    ''A little girl? I haven''t seen a yer that young before.'' Ambrose stood up and looked at the falling rain. ''Why is she outside? I don''t think you can get sick here, but still.''


    p, p!


    A loud sound of pping came inside the dojo.


    "We are about to start the meeting. Everyone, go to the second floor!" Cerberus'' voice reverberated inside the dojo. All the Silver Heart members dropped whatever they were doing and started following him upstairs.


    Ambrose turned back to the little girl, left the protection of the roofed veranda, and walked to her. She didn''t look away from the clouded sky, even though it was easy to hear the sshing footsteps thatnded on top of puddles.


    "Little girl, shouldn''t you go inside?" Ambrose crouched beside her and asked. He didn''t care that he was getting drenched by the rain.


    Atst, she turned her head towards the ck-haired young man. Her face was innocent and pure, as if she hadn''t yet learned about the dark side of the world.


    "Who are you?" She asked. "Are you a friend or foe?"


    "Uh..." Ambrose didn''t expect such a question from her. He scratched the back of his head and said, "Are you a rtive of someone from Zahhak?"


    "Yes..." She replied and looked at his dull blue eyes. Her light green eyes showed a look of curiosity. "What about my question?"


    "I am joining them in a quest. So, yes, I think I am their friend." He replied in the typical way an adult would speak to a child.


    "I see." She looked away from him and back to the sky. "It looks like the sky is crying, doesn''t it?"


    "Huh?" Ambrose also looked at the sky and shook his head. "Well, the raines from the clouds. So, its clouds crying, no?"


    "No." She shook her head. "The clouds are the eyes of the sky. With them, they will be able to see everything that happens on thend."


    "I haven''t... thought about it like that." Ambrose wryly smiled. ''A strange kid.''


    "Mm." She suddenly smiled and looked back at him. "Are you a swordsman?"


    Ambrose looked down at his hips, where his sheathed swords were dangling. "Uh, yes."


    "You have two swords. Do you use both?"


    "Ah, yes."


    "Mm." She turned back to the sky and said. "My brother would like you."


    "Your brother?" Ambrose asked, but received no response from her. He then touched his drenched hair and moved the bangs out of the way of his eyes.


    After not receiving a response, he asked something else. "Does the crying sky make you sad?"


    "No." She replied. "It makes me happy."


    "Why?"


    She turned her head back to Ambrose. Her smile looked very genuine and innocent.


    "It would mean that there is someone strong enough to make the sky cry." She closed her eyes and enjoyed the rain on her face. "That makes me very happy."


    Ambrose looked at her silently. He thought it was just a child''s imagination, but something about the little girl made him careful¡ªeven though he was already an adult.


    "What is your name, stupid uncle?" She asked cheerfully.


    ''Stupid uncle?'' Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched at theck of respect. "Ambrose. Also, do not call strangers stupid. That is rude."


    "Ambrose..." She ignored thest part and smiled. "Mine is Andromeda. I hope to see you again soon. Bye."


    "Huh?" Ambrose watched as she suddenly disappeared. She only left behind a faint memory in the air in the form of floating pixels. ''She logged out. Truly a strange kid.''


    "Jesse, what are you doing in the rain?" A shout came from the veranda.


    Ambrose turned around, raindrops cascading down his face. He saw the silhouette of a beautiful silver-haired girl looking in his direction.


    "Hmm..." He wiped the rain off his face and returned to the veranda. He was entirely drenched as a result of going to talk to the little girl.


    "Why were you in the rain?" Suddenly, a napkin appeared in front of him and gently touched his face. He silently looked at the beautiful face, which was within a few inches of his own.


    "What about the meeting. Has it ended yet?" He asked.


    "No. I didn''t see you, so I came to look for you." She exined.


    "I see." Ambrose then moved his hand to his left ear and pulled the earring off. He cleaned it off and then handed it over to Serenity. She epted it with a surprised look. "I have no need for it anymore."


    "You don''t?" Serenity looked at him with her sparkling blue eyes. "You are drenched."


    "I will be logging out." He said so in response and gently moved her napkin-holding hand away. "I have something to do before tomorrow. I suspect we won''t be starting today, right?"


    "Yes, we will n today and go tomorrow morning." She said while cing her napkin in her pocket. "What about the meeting?"


    "Tell me the important bits tomorrow."


    "Alright." She nodded, but still wondered what he could be up to in reality. She felt very curious but didn''t want to be too nosy. "Have you already put your temporary spawn?"


    "Yep." Ambrose said and opened the interface. With one press of a button, he disappeared from the rainy Yatagarasu.


    ...


    Stepping out of his apartment, Jesse was greeted by a cold wind and gray sky. He was wearing hisst pair of clean clothes. He nned to go buy new clothes today.


    Luckily, there was a clothing store only five minutes walking distance away. He didn''t go for a morning jog this morning to be able to walk to the store.


    He hated using the wheelchair because it made him look weak and useless. Even if others didn''t think that, he did.


    After locking the door, he pocketed his keys and began walking away from the apartmentplex. However, before he could even cross the road, a car pulled up beside it, right in front of him.


    The person in the backseat rolled down his window and looked at the ck-haired man with a gentle smile. Her face was all too familiar.


    "Jesse, are you going somewhere?"


    "Madam." Jesse nodded at Matilda, thendy of the apartmentplex where he was living. He nced at the car, which had its own driver. ''She is filthy rich. I didn''t think thendy could be this rich. Does she have other businesses?''


    "If you are going somewhere, want a ride?" Matilda asked and opened the door, then moved further away to have a free seat.


    Jesse scratched the back of his head. He kind of wanted to refuse, as he didn''t want to bother them, but she looked like she had something to talk with him about. Therefore, he epted it with gratitude and sat in the car.


    The driver stepped on the pedal and began driving away from the apartmentplex.


    "Where were you heading?" Matilda asked.


    "Uh, there is a clothes store a few minutes away." Jesse said while looking out of the window. They were going the wrong way.


    "Ah, that store has a bad reputation for selling shabby clothes. Michael, take us to La Merch." Matilda said and leaned on the backrest, enjoying thefortable silence of a slow car drive.


    ''La Merch? I can''t afford anything there!'' Jesse thought with a pained expression.

 Chapter 74 La Merch

    <h4>Chapter 74 La Merch</h4>


    The car drove down the boulevard, lined up by peach trees and busy stores. This was the famed Wealth Boulevard of Nocklund, where the most exquisite items were sold.


    Rarely did a person from a lower ss family have a chance to shop there. It was the go-to ce for any miss or mister from high society who wanted to purchase something for themselves or for their loved ones.


    After a while, the driver found a ce to park the car. Once the car stopped in the parking slot, the driver turned off the car and said.


    "We have arrived, madam."


    "Well then, shall we go?" Matilda turned to Jesse with a gentle smile.


    "Eh, you too?" Jesse looked at the elderly woman in surprise.


    "Yes, I have something to purchase as well." She replied. "You can apany me as a thank you for the car ride."


    "Uh, alright." Jesse said with a nce at his legs. He touched them gently and hoped his legs would hold on.


    They left the car, then walked down the sidewalk with the cool wind freshening their faces. A short whileter, they entered the store La Merch and saw collections of exquisite-looking outfits adorning the mannequins.


    "How does this look?" Ady from a wealthy family stepped out of the changing room and spun around with the dress fluttering around her. She looked lovely in the summer dress, which left open her legs, arms, and shoulders.


    "You look beautiful." A handsome young man said with a smile. He was already carrying a bag filled with clothes that cost more than an ordinary person''s monthly sry. Yet there was no pain in his face, as he could afford them easily.


    As the couple flirted with each other, Matilda, holding her handbag, looked around with a gentle smile.


    ''I can''t afford anything in here!'' Jesse happened to catch a glimpse of one of the clothes price tags and felt a sharp pain in his heart.


    "Are you going to purchase something?" Matilda asked beside him. "If your legs start to hurt, we have wheelchair at the trunk if you are in need."


    "I will be fine, thanks." Jesse scratched the back of his head and looked at the elderly woman. He said with honesty. "I am going to be blunt here. I can''t afford anything in here."


    The elderly woman smiled and said. "You don''t have to pay for anything. I own this store."


    "Eh?" Jesse looked stunned.


    At that moment, the back door of the store opened, and a well-dressed gentleman rushed towards them with a smile on his face.


    "Madam Matilda, if I knew you wereing, I would have weed you!"


    At the mention of her name, the flirting couple and several other customers turned to the entrance with surprise in their faces. When they saw Matilda, their expressions widened in shock and nervousness.


    It was a face that built the La Merch franchise from nothingness into one of the biggest clothing brands in the world. She was also part of the famous Rothsmith family, who were one of the founding fathers of their nation.


    "No need; we won''t be here for long." Matilda said professionally. Her status was so high that even the famous Nocklund''s La Merch brand owner had to bow his head in her presence.


    The well-dressed gentleman turned to her side, where an unfamiliar young man was. He subconsciously scanned his face, and soon a deep frown appeared in his brows.


    ''Clothes of very poor brand; the cuffs are worn out; and old-looking shoes. Who is he?'' He forced a smile and turned to Matilda. "You have brought someone."


    "Yes, he is in need of clothes." Matilda replied with a smile. "He is my... grandson, so take good care of him."


    The well-dressed gentleman''s expression widened in utter shock. He couldn''t believe that he was thinking badly of someone from the Rothsmith family. If anyone could hear his thoughts, they would force his resignation, and his life would be ruined!


    Jesse also looked stunned, but after thinking, he realized that he must look very out of ce in here.


    ''Rumors must spread quickly in high society. If she is seen walking with a stranger, a young man, it will be hard to exin. It is easier to just say that I am her grandson, I guess.''


    "Young master, wee to La Merch." The well-dressed gentleman put his palm on his chest and bowed slightly. He then straightened his back and looked very professional. "Do you wish to have a tailored outfit or casual one?"


    "Uh, casual." Jesse replied.


    "Good choice, young master." The well-dressed gentleman then stepped to the side and showed him the way to the casual outfit section. "Follow me, and we will choose the best possible clothes for you. Everything will be free of charge, of course."


    Jesse followed behind him with a stunned expression and happened to catch a glimpse of Matilda''s smiling face. He felt a very strange feeling.


    ''Why is she doing this? I am just a stranger, and I doubt she is giving free clothes that cost thousands of crowns from her store to every tenant. Does she take pity on me because of my situation? I don''t want to be pitied.''


    Jesse''s brows creased, but then he thought. ''However, she is acting like she is my actual grandmother. Weird, very weird indeed.''


    After the well-dressed gentleman and Jesse left to choose the clothes, Matilda nced out of the store. There was a man with a walking cane strolling down the sidewalk. He stopped in front of the store and looked at Matilda.


    "You are not acting very discreetly." Jack removed his sunsses and sighed as he looked deeper into the store. He saw the pale-faced young man looking at the selection of clothes, clearly overwhelmed by the price and quality of the clothes.


    "At least I am not hiding behind sunsses, too afraid to meet him." Matilda smiled at her nervous son. "Also, he is Rothsmith. Of course he should use clothes from my brand and not from some run-of-the-mill scammer brands."


    "You are sounding jealous, mother." Jack said with a chuckle and turned to far-away Jesse, who had already selected a shirt. He clearly didn''t want to take advantage of the situation and only chose the bare minimum amount of clothes.


    "Hmph." Matilda scoffed and also turned to look at Jesse. "When are you going to meet him?"


    "I don''t know." Jack sighed. "I couldn''t sleep. I was wondering how I should start the conversation. Hello, I am your father, and I didn''t know you existed for all these years, but at least I am here now?"


    "You are overthinking it." Matilda said. "Take it slow and just start the conversation normally. He is not a kid."


    "I know, it''s just... ugh." Jack scratched his hair. "What if he doesn''t want to have anything to do with us? Is he willing to abandon his other family, whom he has lived with all these years?"


    "Even though they threw him out, I am sure he has some feelings left for them. But at least you can be part of his life, even though he doesn''t want to be Rothsmith." Matilda said and turned to her son. "How did Anna respond?"


    "She was shocked, but is willing to ept him." Jack said with a slight smile.


    "You chose a good wife."


    "Yeah, I did." Jack looked towards Jesse. His sky-blue eyes reflected his lonely figure. "I regret my past, very much so, but maybe something good came out of it."

 Chapter 75 Swordsmanship Training

    <h4>Chapter 75 Swordsmanship Training</h4>


    "Got everything?"


    "Yes, thank you." Jesse carried the bags to the car while walking beside the elderly woman. He was still feeling awkward because he didn''t enjoy taking things for free.


    After putting both his and Matilda''s bags in the trunk of the car, he opened the door and entered the back seat. Matilda sat beside him and told the driver to take them back.


    "What are your ns for today?" asked Matilda as they drove away from Wealth Boulevard.


    "I think I will be exercising a little bit." Jesse replied. He still had to be careful because of his disease. Thus, he couldn''t do anything reckless when he was exercising.


    "Are you free tomorrow? There is someone I would like you to meet."


    "Tomorrow..." Jesse sighed and felt very bad. "I am busy tomorrow."


    "Oh, what about the day after tomorrow then?" Matilda asked gently.


    "Mm, sure. I think that will be fine." Jesse replied with a smile, relieved that she didn''t get mad. He was slightly ashamed that he couldn''t meet that certain someone because there was the quest, which he had to participate in.


    "Good. Wear those clothes to the meeting." Matilda hinted at the new clothes he received. Jesse nodded and nced out of the window at the passing buildings. He observed them silently while waiting for the car to reach its destination.


    After a short while, the car reached Terran''s Street and parked right in front of the apartmentplex. The driver got out of his vehicle to open the door for both Jesse and Matilda.


    After Jesse stepped out of the car, Matilda said. "When you are washing those clothes, remember to wash them separately from your other clothes. They are made from Charma Fabric, and their durability would weaken if they were washed with clothes made of different fabrics!"


    "I understand, thanks." Jesse bade his farewells and entered his apartment with the bag in hand. He took a deep breath, kicked his shoes off, and hung his jacket from a clothes rack. He then sat on a couch in the living room and checked the fancy clothes.


    "I have to go buy more clothes another day. This time, something cheaper." Jesse wryly smiled. He was thankful for getting these clothes for free and decided to use them only for special asions, but he needed way more clothes.


    He then went to his bedroom and put the clothes in his wardrobe. He put them on hangers and then returned to the living room.


    During the car ride back home, he got hungry again. Thus, he went to the refrigerator, took out the remaining leftover soup, heated it up in the microwave, and then ate it while checking the news on his phone.


    After eating, he washed the bowl and put it back in the cupboard. He then opened a video app on his phone. It was called as ForeverTube. Everyone could upload their own videos there. The biggest videos have billions of views.


    Many people started their careers as video makers for ForeverTube, making millions and millions of crowns. At one point, even Jesse thought about bing one as he was stuck inside his home, but he would have needed aputer for it.


    "This is the video I found..." Jesse whispered and opened a video he had seen a few days ago. He then leaned the phone against a ss cup so he could see the screen while standing further away.


    He didn''t press the y button yet and returned to his bedroom. He crouched and pulled something from under the bed. It was a solid-looking wooden stick, which he found a few days ago during his morning jog session.


    He then returned to the living room and pressed y on the phone screen. The video started ying, showing a middle-aged man sitting on the ground with a sword in hand. He wore a ck yukata with a white sash around his waist.


    "Wee to my first video about swordsmanship and its basics." The middle-aged man said and nodded to the camera. "In this video, I will be teaching about footwork. Footwork is the core principle of swordsmanship!"


    The middle-aged man stood up and put his sword in front of his body. Both hands on the handle. The camera then zoomed in, showing only his legs. He then moved his right leg forward, putting all his weight on it while keeping his left leg back.


    The camera moved backward, again showing the middle-aged man.


    Jesse mimicked it by grabbing the wooden stick with both hands, moving his right leg forward, and putting weight on it. However, he couldn''t avoid the sharp pain that appeared suddenly.


    ''Argh, already hurting.'' He shook his head and focused on the video with deep intensity.


    The middle-aged man then started swinging the sword while moving his legs as he moved forward. The man''s movements were precise and fast. He was clearly a veteran swordsman.


    The man swung the sword in a wide arc, cutting through the air with great speed and precision. He then again used his footwork to move around the tree while delivering swift shes on its bark.


    Jesse tried copying it, but he looked amateurish and clumsy. He almost tripped on his own legs and could''ve injured himself if he had fallen. That caused him to stop moving.


    ''It''s simply too dangerous for me to do this. Shouldn''t I just practise this in-game? No... I need to use my time in-game efficiently and while I am logged out, I should focus on exercising and training.


    ''This is the only way to catch up to the top yers. I will never be able to defeat Barbarian and the others if I am too afraid to practise!''


    Jesse gritted his teeth, turned back to the phone screen and even though his legs were already hurting, he continued mimicking the footwork till the sky turned dark.


    ...


    Cerberus took a deep breath as he meditated in the open-air veranda. The rain had stopped, but the air was still moist and cold. Yet, he didn''t''t care about any of that as he was in the deep world of meditation.


    Whenever he meditated, he believed that he was seeing his own soul, shaped like a person. However, whenever he tried moving closer to his soul, his meditation gets interrupted.


    "Ugh, again." Cerberus opened his eyes. He looked confused as he didn''t know what to do. "I feel like there is something about meditation in this game that we don''t know anything about. The game developers are hiding something.


    "I am sure this is a way to get even stronger."


    Whoosh¡ªchains appeared out of nowhere and shed through the air while traversing towards Cerberus. Strangely enough, there were daggers at the end of the chains, making them several times more deadly!


    Cerberus unsheathed his sword and deflected the flying daggers. The daggers stabbed into the wooden wall of the dojo, but then, a figure flew across the sky while using the stuck daggers as a way to pull herself across the air.


    "I was meditating, can''t you see?" he asked in annoyance and sat back down while sheating his sword.


    "Mm." A little girl with adorable facended on the veranda and pulled the daggers out of the wall. She wrapped the chains around her waist and put the daggers on their small sheaths.


    "Why are you meditating? Are you expecting a fight against someone strong tomorrow?"


    "Perhaps. I will be prepared." Cerberus said with a slight smirk.


    "Mm." The little girl then looked around and asked. "Everyone gone?"


    "Yes."


    "Mm, I wanted to talk to him."


    "To who?" Cerberus turned around to look at the little girl.


    "Not your business." She showed her tiny tongue and entered the dojo.


    "Hmph." Cerberus turned away from her and closed his eyes again. ''Inner Power. Inner Power... Inner Power...''

 Chapter 76 Mistress Death

    <h4>Chapter 76 Mistress Death</h4>


    Munch, munch.


    In a dark room, with the only light source being theputer screen, a brown-eyed woman sat on a chair cross-legged with a bag of snacks on herp.


    While munching on the snacks, she looked at the screen and watched a video clip rey over and over again. It showed a ck-haired yer fighting against Steel-Armed Gori.


    She then tossed the bag of snacks on top of the table and pulled out files from the chair beside her. She flipped through until she saw the face of the ck-haired yer. The face was very sickly-looking, as was the malnourished-looking body.


    "Jesse Mikael Kraham." Jonna said, reading off a file. "Is suffering from Humanoid Imperfecta. Inheritable disease that weakens bones and also makes healing factors much slower and weaker.


    "Because of his disease, he is at the end of his lifespan. It is a miracle if he survived to his forties." Jonna closed the files and looked at the video clip with a growing smile.


    "Excellent. I didn''t expect myself to be this lucky, hahahaha!" Sheughed out loud and made the chair spin around. After spinning around for several seconds, she made it stop and grinned at theputer screen.


    "I have to record his progress. This will be proof that my masterpiece is working! He had already shown remarkable progress after reaching 100 stat in Strength. However, how long would it take for his Humanoid Imperfecta to be cured?


    "I wonder if it''s powerful enough to cure it. There are still some mysteries about my creation, but this is an excellent start!


    "Come on, Ambrose, show me what you''ve got! You might be the progenitor of my creation, which will change the world one day!"


    ...


    Nether Forest, several kilometers from Yatagarasu.


    Cerberus, followed by Zahhak and a dozen members of Silver Heart, ventured deep into the forest. Even though its name was forest, it was closer to a jungle with terrain that made moving forward very difficult.


    The group soon came across a cliff. They could see a waterfall, which destroyed the rocks below. It looked like there was no way to cross the enormous gap to reach the other side.


    As the Silver Heart members began to curse inwardly, thinking that they would have to walk back and take an alternative route, Cerberus suddenly said.


    "We have arrived."


    "Huh?" The members of Silver Heart were stunned. There was nothing in here except the cliff with a hundred meter drop to their deaths!


    Cerberus looked away from the waterfall and saw a tree stump. It looked like there was arge tree there before it was cut down. He walked to it and kicked it.


    The stump suddenly moved to the side as if it were a strange sliding door. There was a hole below the stump withdders that led deep down into the mountain.


    "Whoah!" Many exmations echoed across the air. They never heard about this during the meeting. It was Cerberus'' way of ensuring that no one would run away with information and try to steal all the rewards for themselves.


    Thus, he hid information about the location of the quest.


    "We will enter in ten minutes. Prepare yourself!" Cerberus said and went to discuss something with the rest of the Zahhak members.


    Ambrose found a rock that resembled a chair a little bit and sat down. The rock chair was quite small still, and it was very ufortable to sit on it, but he didn''t care and just sat there for a while.


    A little further away, Serenity was speaking with the members of Silver Heart. They were all excited for the quest, but she was not as excited as they were.


    She looked behind her and felt her blood freeze. Redheart looked in her direction with her usual beautiful smile, yet her eyes were cold and hard.


    At that moment, the bushes rustled, and everyone turned to the source of the sound. Their eyes then widened in shock as a little girl with light green eyes and beautiful ck hair walked out of the jungle-like forest.


    "A little girl?" Members of Silver Heart looked at each other in shock. They hadn''t seen such a young yer before, and they even wondered whether she was an NPC, but her getup was officially the yer''s.


    "Are you lost, little girl?" La crouched in front of the little girl with a gentle smile.


    "Haha, she is not lost." Cerberus walked to them and looked at Andromeda. "She is Zahhak''s tenth member, Andromeda. She will be joining us for this quest."


    "What?!" La eximed, and so did most of the Silver Heart members. They couldn''t believe that such an innocent-looking girl belonged to the infamous Zahhak!


    Serenity''s eyes shook as she looked at the little girl. She obviously didn''t know her, but if she was part of Zahhak, she couldn''t be normal.


    "She is a member of Zahhak?" Ambrose looked stunned.


    Andromeda looked around, and soon her smile blossomed. All female members of Silver Heart felt their hearts squeeze at the adorableness of the little girl. They wanted to pinch her cheeks badly.


    "Hey, stupid uncle!" Andromeda waved her hand excitedly, and everyone turned to the person she was waving at.


    "Huh?" Cerberus looked at Ambrose and then back at the little girl. "You know him?"


    "Little bit." Andromeda whispered and lowered her hand with a smile.


    "Hmm..." Cerberus nced at Ambrose before looking at everyone else. "Now that we are all here, let''s get moving!"


    They all started lining up at the hole, and Zahhak members were the first ones to start climbing down thedder. The next were Silver Heart members, while thest one was Ambrose.


    After everyone reached the bottom of thedder, they saw walls made of shining metal, like a man-built facility. However, a certain scene shocked them to the core.


    There were hundreds of arc-shaped entrances and hallways shaped like tunnels, going who knows where. They all might lead to the reward, or only one.


    Serenity immediately realized why Cerberus asked for help. It would be madness to go through all the hallways with only ten of them. Especially since he wasn''t sure if other people received the same quest as he did.


    He was vague about how he got the quest, but he said he got it from a traveler named Nirvana. The traveler''s gender, appearance, and purpose were utter mysteries. However, Cerberus believed he had unlocked some kind of quest line, allowing him to meet the traveler and get this quest.


    "Alright." Cerberus pped his hands, taking everyone''s attention away from the arc-shaped entrances. After seeing that everyone was focused on him, he spoke loudly. "We had already made reconnaissance and are certain that there will be obstacles in the way.


    "Therefore, pair up in teams of two and choose entrance. When someone finds the boss room or the location of the reward, inform us via message. I have already sent my friend request to you all.


    "In case someone thinks about stealing the reward for yourself, we Zahhak will hunt you down to the end of the world, making sure that every minute in Martial Online is filled with misery." Cerberus said with a smile.


    Silver Heart members felt their hearts drop to the pit of their stomachs. They now realized that even though Cerberus seemed carefree, he was still the infamous leader of Zahhak. He wasn''t someone to be underestimated!


    "Well then, if everyone understood my message, please pair up with someone." Cerberus said.


    Ambrose looked around and watched as Silver Heart members teamed up with each other. Same with Zahhak members. It made him remember his time in middle school, where he was never chosen. Therefore, even during field trips, he had to go with the teacher.


    "Serenity, want to pair up with me?" La hooked her arm with Serenity and smiled gleefully.


    "Uh..." Serenity looked around and then saw a ck-haired young man looking around with a frown. She was about to answer something when her eyes froze.


    "Hey."


    A hand touched Ambrose''s shoulder. He turned to the side and widened his eyes in surprise.


    "Wanna pair up with me?" Cerberus asked with a smile.


    "Oh..." Ambrose was surprised but nodded. "Ah, sure."


    "Great." Cerberus chuckled.


    A distance away, La shuddered and rubbed her arms. "Why is it so cold suddenly?"


    She then happened to catch a glimpse of the silver-haired girl''s face and almost screamed.


    Serenity''s face was ice cold, with a dead look in her eyes. If her stare could kill, Cerberus would have died a thousand times by now.


    "Heh." Cerberus nced back at Serenity and shuddered after seeing her dead-looking expression. She still looked beautiful, but beautiful like Mistress Death, who hade down to the earth to reap lives and souls.


    ''That is the Alice I know. Heh.'' Cerberus put his arm around Ambrose''s shoulder like they were good friends. "Shall we go?"


    "Sure." Ambrose awkwardly replied.

 Chapter 77 Cerberus and Ambrose

    <h4>Chapter 77 Cerberus and Ambrose</h4>


    "S-Serenity?" La backed away from the angry-looking young woman. She had never seen their leader angry before, so seeing her in such a state was a shock like no other.


    "Oh my, Alice." A red-haired woman appeared behind Serenity and put her head on her shoulder. "Why the sour face? Did Cerberus steal your little toy?"


    "Redheart..." Serenity coldly looked at the red-haired woman and said with a venomous tone, "What are his intentions?"


    "How should I know?" Redheart giggled and poked Serenity''s soft cheek with her long nail. "What about you? Why are you so angry?"


    "You guys haven''t changed a bit. I was foolish to think otherwise." Serenity pped her hand away. "Rotten apples will always stay rotten."


    "You are making me sad, Alice!" Redheart wiped her imaginary tear. "Remember, you were one of us for a reason. We might''ve not changed, but I bet you haven''t changed either."


    "I..." Serenity struggled to answer.


    "Heh, I suppose even you are not sure." Redheart threw her arms up in the air and giggled. "I wonder what Cerberus is nning to do to that young man. His intentions are always mystery."


    Serenity bit her upper lip and clenched her hands into fists. She was trembling in anger, but she was too hopeless to do anything about it.


    ''I am sorry, Jesse... I have to ensure the future of Silver Heart...''


    ...


    "I suppose we are about to arrive at the first challenge." Cerberus said while sensing wind picking up in the tunnel.


    "Hmm?" Ambrose looked straight ahead and still saw nothing but an endless tunnel. However, secondster, a bright light appeared from the end of the tunnel. They also heard the sound of running water.


    After stepping out of the tunnel, they came across a fascinating sight.


    They entered a miniature forest inside the room. There was a small waterfall cascading from the metal ceiling andnding on the river, which snaked across the room. The rest of the room had natural-made trees with green leaves and grass with blooming flowers.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and looked through the gap between two trees and small hills to see another arc-shaped entrance. They would have to cross those small hills, the river, and pass through the trees to reach it. However, they were still on their toes.


    "This might be an obstacle, even though it looks easy." Cerberus said and pulled out his steel shortsword. It looked different from Ambrose''s because the de looked higher quality.


    ''His sword is definitely better than mine.'' Ambrose thought and unsheathed his right-handed sword. ''I could purchase better ones, but I have already befortable with these, and they are working fine.''


    "Let''s move." Cerberus exited the tunnel and walked down a stone path that snaked past the trees and small hills. Ambrose followed in tow while looking around the room with a sword in hand.


    After reaching the river, they used the floating rocks as a way to cross it. Once they reached the other side, they already saw the entrance to the tunnel clearly.


    When they began thinking that it wasn''t a challenge, the room started shaking like it was suffering from a severe earthquake. The room started shrinking, with both walls and ceilings starting to move towards Cerberus and Ambrose.


    The hills got crushed, trees were unrooted, and everything was slowly disintegrating.


    "Move!" Cerberus shouted and lunged forward. His eleration speed had already increased his distance from Ambrose by several dozen meters.


    Ambrose ran, but because of his low agility, he was vastly slower. He still didn''t think there was any need for him to focus on agility.


    ''Slowpoke, you are slow, Jesse!'' Children''s innocentughter echoed in his thoughts.


    Ambrose shook his head and saw that Cerberus had already entered the tunnel. He gritted his teeth and saw with his peripheral vision that the walls were falling apart next to him. The broken trees fell apart and blocked his path to the entrance.


    Cerberus looked behind him and saw that the walls were about to crush Ambrose. There was also a wall of trees in front, blocking him from reaching the tunnel.


    At first, he touched the handle of his sword, but after a second of thinking, he moved his hand away and watched with an emotionless gaze.


    "Hmph!" Ambrose scoffed loudly at the trees and brought his sword down powerfully at the broken trees. The trees exploded from the sheer strength of his attack.


    He didn''t need speed when he had strength!


    Ambrose quickly rolled inside the tunnel while the walls closed behind him. He slowly stood up without a single sweatdrop on his forehead. He then sheathed his sword and turned to Cerberus.


    "Let''s continue. This must be just a warmup for what is toe." Cerberus said and continued walking down the tunnel without showing any emotion in his face. It was unclear whether he was happy, sad, angry, or displeased or indifferent.


    "Right." Ambrose followed behind him with an indifferent expression. ''I don''t need speed to be strong.''


    "By the way, I have a question." Cerberus suddenly spoke from the front.


    "Hmm, what?" Ambrose turned to Cerberus and couldn''t see his expression as he walked behind him.


    "Do you know Alice in reality?"


    Ambrose frowned and wasn''t sure whether he should be honest. ''He obviously knows her, but does Alice want others to know that we know each other? I am not familiar with Zahhak like others, so I don''t know what my answer should be.


    ''However, they hadn''t treated me like a stranger, and Alice wouldn''t have epted their invitation if they were bad people.''


    "Yes, I do." He decided to answer honestly.


    "I see." Cerberus stopped walking and looked into his dull blue eyes. "You two are close?"


    "Not really... Just friends." Ambrose said with a hint of hesitation in his voice. He didn''t really feel like they were close.


    "I see. You two must have met recently." Cerberus continued walking down the straightforward path. "Old Alice wouldn''t have be friends with you. No offense."


    "Eh?" Ambrose walked in tow with a strange expression on his face. He didn''t really understand what he meant by that.


    "Old Alice was one of the strangest people I knew, and I was leading a team of twenty people with entric personalities. However, her strangeness still stood out like a sore thumb.


    "I was surprised that she quit Ember Online suddenly, not telling us why. Now, she had returned with apletely different personality. However, is that personality a facade or the real her?"


    Cerberus turned to Ambrose with a smile.


    "Maybe she had changed, but she still has the fire in her, which she cannot suppress even if she wants to."


    Ambrose stopped walking with his head hanging low. There was a dark expression on his face.


    Cerberus stopped and looked at him with his deep green eyes.


    "Why did you want to pair with me?" Ambrose raised his head and looked directly into his eyes. "I thought it was strange, but I didn''t think much of it.


    "However, now you are trying something, I don''t know what. You want me to cut ties with her? What is it that you want?"


    "No, what I want has nothing to do with her." Cerberus chuckled. "She must have her reasons for keeping you around. You should ask why; maybe she will give an honest answer, maybe."


    He then turned around again and carried on walking. "We should arrive at the second challenge soon."

 Chapter 78 Dead End

    <h4>Chapter 78 Dead End</h4>


    Whoosh¡ªshining de turned blurry as it shed apart several moving trees that looked like they were alive. The trees moved their branches, trying to attack the silver-haired girl.


    "Silver sh!" Serenity exhaled, switched the grip on her sword to reverse, and swung it at the nearby trees. The trees got blown to pieces, leaving behind badly cut tree stumps.


    The attack was so fast that the alive-looking trees couldn''t react with their already slow movements.


    At that moment, several trees protruded from the ground. Their branches were the size of an adult man''s arm, and the trees were five meters high. On the bark of the trees, there were two small holes and a crescent-shaped line, as if they were trying to imitate a human face.


    "Serenity, what are these things?!" La shouted while dodging the attacks from the trees. One of the branches suddenly extended out and tried to stab her face, but she quickly parried the branch and shed through the bark.


    The tree fell down in two parts, and it stopped moving as if it had died.


    "It doesn''t matter; let''s move!" Serenity shouted and grabbed her sword with both hands. Her eyes were filled with determination as she took a strong step forward while swinging her sword at the surrounding trees.


    "Silver Crescent Show!"


    Swoosh¡ªCrack¡ªThud!


    The de shed through the trees, leaving behind broken-apart tree trunks and twigs. The tree leaves scattered in all directions as if they were being blown by a strong wind.


    The trees stayed down, with the remaining leaves on their branches withering away, signaling their imminent death.


    "Let''s go!" Serenity said to La and ran towards the tunnel, which was her escape from this tree monster room. La followed closely behind, and they soon exited the room.


    "Whew." La let out a breath of relief. She had never faced such odd monsters before.


    Serenity continued walking without staying behind to marvel at the destruction they left behind in the room.


    "Ah, wait!" La ran after her, not expecting her to continue walking as soon as they left the room.


    After a while, they exited the tunnel. This time, they entered a room with a dozen different tunnels leading deeper into the metal-covered facility.


    "Ah, can we even reach the end with so many paths?" La said with a sigh. "No wonder Zahhak asked for help. Even with us, this might take us a few weeks!"


    Serenity looked around with a frown on her brows. She looked at the entrance that went right. It was one of the few entrances that didn''t seem to go deeper into the facility.


    "Let''s go there." She said and walked to that path with a serious look in her beautiful face.


    "Eh, why?" La ran after her. "We aren''t advancing if we go down this path!"


    ...


    "..." Cerberus looked at the dozen entrances in front of him with a silent expression on his face.


    "Should we split?" Ambrose asked from the side. He thought it would be wisest for now, but he also wanted to part ways with Cerberus. He had a very bad feeling about him.


    "Nah, haha." However, Cerberus simplyughed and pointed at one random entrance. "Let''s go there. I have a good feeling about this one."


    Ambrose frowned and followed after him inside the tunnel. To him, it looked like he just randomly chose one of the tunnels and decided to go with it.


    "Have you ever yed Ember Online?" Cerberus asked.


    "No, I haven''t." Ambrose replied. Martial Online was the first VR game he tried.


    "Mm, if you had, you would know Zahhak." Cerberus chuckled. "We were so infamous that guilds made quests to hunt us down, promising huge rewards.


    "However, no one managed to kill us. Instead, they just made us stronger."


    ''Stronger...''


    "Do you know why we are so hated?" Cerberus turned to Ambrose and asked the question.


    "I suppose you will tell me why." Ambrose replied rather sarcastically.


    "Heh." Cerberus chuckled, not minding his behavior. "Because we only PKd. Since day one, I have made it a rule to only kill yers and not a single wild animal or monster."


    "Why?" Ambrose asked with a frown.


    "Because fighting the animals and monsters is so dull." Cerberus scoffed. "They always have the same patterns. It can be exciting to fight them once, but more than that, it is so boring. They all fight so simrly.


    "However, none of the yers have the same patterns. Some fight cowardly, some bravely, and others smartly. None I have met have been fighting with a simr pattern, none."


    Cerberus caressed the hilt of his sword with a smile. "I have always yed for my personal enjoyment. I find myself happy when I have sessfully killed a powerful yer."


    Ambrose looked silently at his back and tightened his grip on his swords. Cold sweat dripped down from his face to the metal floor.


    "Anyway, enough of me." Cerberus chuckled and pointed with his chin ahead. "We are about to enter another room."


    Ambrose looked past him and saw arge door at the end of the tunnel. It was a door that fit perfectly into the arc-shaped entrance. It was also the first door that they had seen.


    "Ahah, unlucky." Cerberus turned around, showing his intention to return to where they came from.


    "Where are you going?" Ambrose questioned him.


    "The door is a dead end." Cerberus said. "When we came here first with only Zahhak, we couldn''t get past the door. However, there are also paths with no doors. I am sure those doorless paths are the way.


    "However, it would have taken months to find the correct path. It simply wasn''t worth it. So, we asked for some help."


    "I see..." Ambrose nced at the door. The door was brown and had strange engravings. It didn''t have a door handle or lock. At first nce, it seemed like it couldn''t be opened.


    They returned down the path where they came from and soon arrived at the room with a dozen different entrances.


    "So, should we split up and send a message if we find it?" Ambrose asked, as it sounded like the wisest idea.


    "Hmm..." Cerberus looked at him with a knowing smirk. "You wouldn''t try to get away from me, would you?"


    "Eh? No..." Ambrose felt shivers run down his spine. "It might take us a whole day to find the right path. So, it could take us half the time it takes us in half..."


    "You are right." Cerberus smiled. "I would have suggested it too. We send a message if we find it."


    "Yeah..." Ambrose looked around the entrances and pointed at one of them. "I am taking this one."


    "Mm." Cerberus walked to the path, which they first used. He drew his sword and made a small scratch on the metal wall. "Remember to mark your entrance so we don''t use the same one multiple times."


    "Yeah." Ambrose drew his sword and made a small cut on the wall. He then entered the tunnel with rapid steps and tried to walk away from the room as quickly as he could.


    After walking for several minutes, he let out a relieved sigh and scratched his hair.


    ''He is creepy as fuck. I hate when I don''t know what they are thinking. Same with Alice¡ªwhat does she want from me? I am so tired of this!''


    Ambrose stopped walking and rubbed his chin with a thoughtful look.


    ''Should I just leave? If I logged out, I would appear back in Yatagarasu. Then, I could remove the temporary spawn, log out again, and reappear in Amaterasu.


    ''However, the time I spent getting here I would never get back. I would lose two days of possible progress. Many yers had already passed me in level, so if I returned to Amaterasu, there would be many stronger yers than me.


    ''I need the rewards.


    ''Think, Jesse, think!''


    Ambrose gritted his teeth, but then his expression loosened. He suddenly started smiling and let out augh.


    ''If things go south and I end up inbat, I won''t be able to log out. It''s not possible to log out duringbat; however, I have one item that would allow me to escape!


    ''For now, I have to follow Cerberus'' lead and be careful.'' Ambrose looked back down the path he came from. He couldn''t see anyone except the metal corridor.

 Chapter 79 Nobody

    <h4>Chapter 79 Nobody</h4>


    "A dead end." Cerberus sighed and put his hands on his waist. He looked behind where he came from and shook his head.


    When he was about to start heading back, he heard the chirping of birds and buzzing insects. He turned toward the door and walked to it.


    He frowned, bent his knees slightly, and saw a tiny hole, not any wider than his middle finger. Through the hole, he could see another room. The room was oval-shaped, with a ceiling that was about twenty feet high.


    On the ceiling, there were veins that ran down the walls and floor of the room. Blue-weathered birds chirped loudly on top of those veins while small insects slithered down the floor.


    The room was filled with a thick fog that made it impossible to see anything clearly.


    ''That is the path.'' Cerberus turned back to start heading back. ''This could mean that the real entrance is close. I already tried the entrance beside that, but there is only one left that is near this one... That must be the real entrance.''


    He opened the chat interface and sent a message to Ambrose. After sending the message, which told him to meet him in the room, he closed the interface and rushed back.


    ...


    "Took you long enough." Cerberus stopped leaning against a wall and pointed with his chin at the nearby entrance.


    "Mm, are you sure this is the path?" Ambrose asked as he walked calmly to the ck-haired man with a long ponytail.


    "Yes, let''s move." Cerberus said without exining anything and entered the entrance, followed by Ambrose, who was frowning. He thought it would end like before, with a dead end, but to his surprise, light soon appeared at the end of the path.


    They had found the correct path!


    After exiting the tunnel, they saw thick fog filling the room. There were sharp vines running through the floors, walls, and ceilings.


    Cerberus drew his sword and approached the fog with a serious look. He soon entered the fog and heard another pair of footsteps following him, but he couldn''t see anything.


    He was careful not to trip on the veins that were spread across the floor.


    At that moment, the wind started picking up, blowing away the fog near them.


    "Huh?" Cerberus stopped moving and looked around with a frown. Then someone bumped into him.


    "Move!" He shoved Ambrose to the side, and at that very moment, air was cut right in the middle of them, leaving deep cut on the floor, which split the veins in half.


    Ambrose wiped his sweat as he was almost cut into who knows how many pieces. He quickly drew his weapon and looked at the direction in which the assant went. However, the thick fog soon covered them again, making visibility nonexistent.


    Cerberus narrowed his eyes and suddenly lunged forward while swinging his sword across the fog, cutting it apart. A face appeared from the fog, quickly dodging the attack.


    He managed to catch a glimpse of the face for only a second, but it was enough. It wasn''t a human face, as the assant had neither eyes nor a mouth. Only hollow sockets with sharp nose.


    The wind again picked up, and the eyeless figure appeared right beside Cerberus. Its limbs were eerily long, and its arms managed to touch the floor below them. It also had sharp nails with a length that rivaled daggers.


    The strange figure raised its arms and shed the nails down at the green-eyed man.


    "Basic sher!" Cerberus sidestepped, dodging the attack, and simultaneously delivered a swift counterattack, which cut the figure''s long limbs. The separated parts of the arms scattered in different directions while loud scream reverberated across all the tunnels.


    The figure fell to its knees and then to its side. It was panting heavily, with its arms spewing blue blood everywhere.


    Cerberus lifted his sword and cold-heartedly shed through its throat.


    The figurey lifelessly on the ground, and soon it dissipated into pixels, leaving behind a small treasure box.


    Cerberus picked up the box and tossed it into his inventory.


    Ambrose watched the fight silently. There was one moment when he nned to help, but after watching for a second, he realized Cerberus didn''t need his help. He was way stronger than the attacker.


    ''His movements were so smooth and urate. He clearly had prior experience in swordsmanship. I wonder how I would do against him? Hah, I would probably lose in second.


    ''I had reached fullpletion rate with High Pain, and I haven''t tested it against a yer yet, but I wonder how strong it would be now that I can use it to its fullest capability.


    ''It also received the Rare rank, which I am pleased about, but I kind of wanted to get Beyond Rare. I guess it is not easy to get...''


    "Enough of daydreaming?" Cerberus interrupted his thoughts. "Let''s move. We can''t be sure that no more of these creatures will appear."


    "Got it." Ambrose followed behind, and they both left the tunnel while thinking about the fight he had seen.


    At that moment, Cerberus suddenly stopped walking andughed.


    "Huh?" Ambrose stopped as well and turned toward the end of the tunnel. Surprisingly, the tunnel was the shortest so far, and there was a person blocking their path.


    Her beautiful silver hair fluttered against the wind, while her cold expression showed no emotion except anger.


    "Haha, Alice. What a pleasant surprise~" Cerberus grinned and nced sideways at Ambrose. "I guess I made her mad."


    Ambrose frowned and wondered what he meant by that and why he was looking at him when he said that.


    "I understand, Cerberus." Serenity said coldly. "You are mad that I left Zahhak; I understand. Let''s discuss this like proper adults."


    "Oh, I am not mad. Not really." Cerberus scratched his cheek. "I understand if you want to spread your wings and fly away. However, one thing I don''t understand."


    "What is it?" Serenity frowned.


    "Why did you bring a dual wielder to my own dojo?" Cerberusughed and shook his head furiously. "Is that considered a challenge to my authority?"


    "N-No, he just happens to be a dual wielder, like you. It still doesn''t mean anything." Serenity gulped dryly and tightened her grip on her sword.


    "You have always been good at acting innocent, Alice~" Cerberus chuckled and drew his sword. Simultaneously, he took a second shortsword from his inventory. "That won''t work on me."


    ''He is also a dual wielder?'' Ambrose stepped backwards and gulped. He slowly drew both his swords.


    "And now, I will kill your little pet." Cerberus said as he lunged towards Ambrose with powerful strength behind his swings.


    "Don''t!" Serenity screamed and started running with the wind blowing against her face.


    "She doesn''t care about you." Cerberus said while approaching Ambrose. "She is unable to care for anyone. She is indeed a perfect member of Zahhak, haha!"


    "You are right; he is nobody!" Serenity screamed through her hoarse voice. "Your fight is with me!"


    "Nobody...?" Ambrose looked stunned, as if the entire world had fallen around him. The words nobody echoed in his mind. First, the face of his sister, then his mother''s and finally his father''s face appeared. All shouting "nobody."


    Atst, the smirking face of Alice appeared with expression that he had never seen her use before. A mocking face, ridiculing him, shouting nobody.


    "Heh." Cerberus brought his swords down and shouted. "Dual Basic sher!"


    Ambrose lowered his sword with a cold expression.


    When the swords were about to sh through his neck, he quickly jumped back and avoided the attack by a narrow margin.


    "Oho." Cerberus didn''t expect his attack to be dodged, but he didn''t care either. He charged forward with a different attack this time. "Hell Merchant!"


    Ambrose coldly raised his right-handed sword and moved his left-handed sword to block the iing two swords. Cerberus'' attacknded on his swords, and he felt immense weightnd on his shoulders.


    Ambrose felt like his entire body was about to get crushed inside out, but against all odds, he straightened his knees and pushed Cerberus back with all of his might.


    Cerberus had to take a step back, shocking him to his core. No one had yet blocked the Hell Merchant, as its pure strength was enough to vaporize his enemies. Yet he now lost the battle of strength against someone he thought was insignificant.


    "Fuckers, all of you." Ambrose grinned through his blood-covered teeth. His body was breaking apart, and his health was deteriorating at a rapid pace.


    He managed to push Cerberus back, but the Hell Merchant attack caused him to suffer a catastrophic damage even though he "blocked" it.


    Yet he didn''t care as he finally swung his right-handed sword down.


    "High Pain!"

 Chapter 80 Karma El Fatale

    <h4>Chapter 80 Karma El Fatale</h4>


    Swoosh¡ªSpurt¡ªA shallow wound appeared in Cerberus'' shoulder, spewing a little bit of blue blood. He looked taken aback by the sudden numb sensation.


    "Hell Merchant!" Cerberus shouted and imagined his body doing the same movements, which he had done countless times in the past. However, no matter what he did, his body didn''t listen to him.


    It was as if his body was frozen in ice!


    ''Stun effect?!'' Cerberus cried out inwardly in shock. He then looked at the ck-haired young man with a new found surprise.


    However, instead of feeling anger, he felt giddy. "Hahahahaha!"


    Heughed out loud.


    "Jesse, don''t attack him; that is what he wants!" Serenity shouted and was about to arrive within attacking range. Her gaze was firmly on Cerberus'' back of the head, and she wished herself to be slightly nearer so she could impale her sword through his skull.


    After a few steps, she was close enough.


    "Silver ¡ª"


    At that moment, a sword appeared in front of her path, shing in front of her. A tiny cut appeared on her cheek, dripping blue blood.


    Her eyes widened in utter shock, and she also stopped moving. She couldn''t move, but that wasn''t on her mind. She looked at the person who attacked her with a look of disbelief.


    "W-why?"


    "High Pain..." Ambrose whispered while looking coldly at the silver-haired girl.


    "Oh, lovers quarrel?" Cerberus chuckled giddily and moved his arms like they were rusting. He slowly recovered his mobility; however, before he could even think about making another move, Ambrose turned around and stabbed his sword through his throat.


    "Ptui!" Cerberus coughed out blood and fell to the ground with a sword in his throat. However, he continuedughing like a madman. "Aha... cough... ahahaha."


    "Shut up." Ambrose coldly said and removed his sword from his throat. He then left him alone and walked to Serenity with a tight grip on his swords.


    Serenity was still in the same ce as before, but she finally regained mobility in her limbs. She backed away from the angry-looking young man.


    "Jesse, why?!" She shouted in shock.


    "I did not want to fucking see you again!" Ambrose screamed and rushed at Serenity with both his swords flying forward. He released an unrelenting barrage, each strike hitting Serenity''s sword, packing all of his strength.


    She struggled to block the strikes, as each strike felt like she was trying to block a fallen boulder. She could feel her strength fading and knew that she would soon be unable to defend herself from the onught of blows.


    "Why the fuck did you invite me?" Ambrose cried out and hammered his swords down. Serenity ced the sword above her, but her knees buckled, and she fell to the floor on her knees.


    "P-please, Jesse, stop!"


    "Don''t say my name!" Ambrose yelled and pushed her sword away. He then lifted both his swords, about to strike her down.


    Spurt¡ªsuddenly, a sharp sword went through his body and heart.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose fell to the ground with a thud and a sword in his heart. He coughed blood and looked over his shoulder at a grinning Cerberus. It looked like he was having the time of his life.


    "Hehe, gotta say, you surprised me with that stun attack." Cerberus caressed his throat. Shockingly, the wound had already healed. "But that is pretty much it.


    "I have seen enough. Your swordsmanship is sloppy, amateurish, and weak. Alice, why did you bring this weakling with you? It definitely wasn''t to help us in the quest, haha!"


    "Cerberus..." Serenity stood up, her legs shaking. She was still taken aback by Ambrose and couldn''t understand why he attacked her. "Y-you see, I didn''t bring him to challenge you."


    "It seems so. He is weak." Cerberus clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. "I guess I misunderstood. Shame, I was kind of looking forward to an actual fight."


    He rubbed his chin and looked at the bleeding Ambrose, then at Serenity with a smile.


    "Very well, we have a quest left toplete. Get up; even though you are useless inbat, at least we can use you as a pathfinder." Cerberus kicked Ambrose''s back, but he didn''t budge even the slightest.


    "Jesse, get up." Serenity crouched before him and whispered. "We shouldn''t make him angry. So, get up, please."


    After not receiving a reply, she frowned and moved her head down to catch a glimpse of his face. To her utmost shock, he was munching on food with a furious appetite while his eyes showed the endless coldness of a dark abyss.


    Once he finished eating hisst steaming bun, he looked coldly at Serenity''s sky-blue eyes and said, "Nobody, huh. I guess I am to an outsider. But I thought you would be different."


    "J-Jesse, I didn''t mean that." Serenity tried to exin herself, but Ambrose had already stood up with sword still stuck in his chest.


    "I liked you." Ambrose said while slowly removing the sword from his chest. "Very much so, but that time is in the past."


    Her eyes widened in surprise, but she then bit her upper lip and looked away. She didn''t share such feelings.


    "A confession, man, not the fucking time; get moving!" Cerberus reached for Ambrose to shove him forward, but then suddenly, a sh of metal appeared from the side, and a sword shed through his arm.


    "Like I said, it is in the past." Ambrose moved his tongue inside his mouth and spat out the blue blood. "I was fucking naive."


    "Argh!" Cerberus looked as his separated arm fell to the ground beside him. The arm was still holding one of his swords.


    "I might be nobody." Ambrose ced the de of his sword at Serenity''s chin and lifted it slightly to make her look him in the eye. "One day, I will be somebody."


    "J-Jesse, I didn''t really mean it. I-I wanted Cerberus to let you go!"


    "Perhaps." Ambrose said with a smirk. "However, I don''t care. I will say this only once; I don''t want to see you ever again."


    "I..." She opened her mouth, but to her shock, she couldn''t see the familiar warmth in Ambrose''s eyes. His dull eyes had a new-found fire in them as he stared at her with a look of pure hatred.


    "V-Very well..." She timidly said and fell to the floor on her buttocks.


    Ambrose spun his swords around and sheathed them. He then nced at Cerberus before running past Serenity and going towards the next room.


    "Don''t you dare to run away!" Cerberus screamed, grabbed his separated arm from the ground, and chased after the ck-haired young man.


    "Wohoo... wohoo... wohoo..." Ambrose panted as he nimbly ran across the room, which had a strangely hot atmosphere. The floor and walls were red in color, and it looked like they were steaming.


    However, all the monsters were annihted by Serenity.


    There were three entrances: one going straight, one going left, and one going right. He chose the straight entrances as it looked like it was leading deeper into the facility.


    As he entered the entrance, he heard Cerberus'' scream from behind him. He knew he was vastly faster than him. Therefore, his mind ran, thinking about solutions.


    At that moment, he noticed the walls, floors, and ceiling of the tunnel were made of dirt and tree roots. It wasn''t made of metal anymore!


    ''I don''t have explosives to destroy the ceiling, but I have something else that can block Cerberus!'' Ambrose brought out an ugly green whistle, which smelled disgusting. It was the Orc Whistle.


    He ced the whistle against his lips and turned around to look at the entrance of the tunnel and Cerberus, who was approaching him with breakneck speed.


    Whistle¡ªhe powerfully whistled on the whistle, and soon, green smoke appeared in the entrance.


    A green-skinned, muscr orc withrge tusks appeared from the green smoke. It held arge wooden mace with ease. The orc looked around and soon saw Ambrose. Its disgusting grin revealed its yellowish teeth.


    However, then it heard footstepsing behind.


    Yughragh turned around and saw a green-eyed young man rushing at him.


    "Get out of my way, orc!" Cerberus screamed, not acting surprised that Ambrose had an item that could summon creatures. He had seen that before.


    He lunged forward with his sword, approaching the orc''s neck.


    Yughragh frowned and grabbed the de with his bare hands.


    "Eh?" Cerberus'' eyes bulged in shock. "T-that is impossible. It''s not possible to summon higher-leveled creatures."


    "Piss off, human!" Yughragh backhanded across Cerberus'' face, sending him flying across the room until he crashed into a metal wall. He slouched down, and it was unclear whether he was still alive.


    "Now, human..." Yughragh turned around, but to its shock, it couldn''t see the human who summoned it. Instead, there were distant footsteps running deeper into the tunnel.


    "Escape? No..." Yughragh grinned and grabbed the mace with both hands. The mace started glowing green, like it was suddenly growing veins.


    "Karma El Fatale!" Yughragh shouted and swung the mace in front of the muscr body. A quick green light shot out from the mace and flew down the tunnel, lighting up the dimly lit ce significantly.


    "Haah... haah..." Ambrose, while running down the dark tunnel, suddenly felt the hairs rise on his arms. He looked around and widened his eyes in shock as a green light appeared before his face.


    "Oh, shi¡ª"


    Boom!

 Chapter 81 Buried Mansion

    <h4>Chapter 81 Buried Mansion</h4>


    "Hahahaha..." A hollowughter reverberated across the metal tunnel.


    The silver-haired girl, sitting on the metal floor,ughed strangely. Her shoulders bounced up and down with eachugh.


    "So, you have returned, Alice." Cerberus limped from the room. His long ck hair messily swayed around him. He lost his hair tie after the powerful blow from the green-skinned orc.


    She stoppedughing and looked over her shoulder at Cerberus, tears falling from her eyes.


    "So, mind telling me why you brought him?" Cerberus knelt beside her with a smile. He was still carrying his separated arm in his hands.


    "I don''t know. My memories are fuzzy." She grabbed her head with a painful look. "I thought... I had changed. I wanted to be his friend, I think."


    "Why did you want to be his friend?"


    "I don''t know. He looked so helpless, like a crippled puppy." She had a look of realization and nodded. "Yeah, he was my first patient, and I felt connected to him. However, to me, he was never a human.


    "He was like a helpless puppy."


    "Yeah, you are the old Alice I know." Cerberus chuckled and stood up. "How do I look in your eyes?"


    "Angry dog. Very angry." Serenity replied with a trembling voice. Her hands shook as she looked at them. "Everyone around me is an animal of some kind. I can''t see any of them as humans."


    Cerberus smirked and shook his head. He walked away with his separated arm in hand.


    "People change, my ass. Heh." Cerberus lifted his head and saw that the green-skinned orc had disappeared somewhere. "Well then, where the fuck did that little bastard run off to?"


    ...


    The specks of dirt rolled down a small hill. The ceiling had copsed, blocking the way back. Then a hand appeared from the dirt hill. The hand wed its way forward until the person''s face appeared in the dirt.


    Ambrose gasped greedily for air and rolled to his side. His clothes were covered in dirt.


    "That orc..." He groaned and stood up with a creaking back. "My assumption was correct. The orc isn''t some mindless creature. The information about the whistle was false. The orc has sentience, and if it gets attacked, of course it will fight back.


    "However, I thought Cerberus would be able to put up a better fight so I could escape... Luckily, I managed to escape the attack barely."


    Ambrose then looked around, wondering where he was. It was now even darker as the fallen ceiling blocked the path to the room where he came from. There was only one way left, and that was to go forward.


    "I have to keep moving. I have to." He steeled his resolve, but he couldn''t hide his sadness. He had now lost every person in his life. He was all alone.


    "It will get better; trust yourself." Ambrose dragged his feet behind him as he moved in the darkness. "They are not people to lose your sleep over. After darkness, there is light. Come on!"


    Smack¡ªhe pped his cheeks hard and let out augh. Heughed his frustration out, and soon he came across the end of the path.


    A brown door, filled with strange engravings and embedded with green veins, blocked the entrance.


    Ambrose bit his lip and felt like cursing aloud.


    "No..." He mmed his fist against the wall and looked at the brown door in frustration. "I took the wrong path? I can''t believe this... I can''t return either!"


    Drip, drop¡ªsmall water droplets fell from the ceiling andnded before the brown door.


    Ambrose looked over at the ceiling and suddenly started smiling.


    "Haha, sneaky."


    There was a hole in the ceiling. It looked like a natural-made hole, and there were veins going into the hole and moving across the path to the top. The veins acted likedders.


    Ambrose started climbing up and soon entered the ceiling hole. He couldn''t see anything around him but knew that there would be something at the top. Thus, he started climbing, carefully moving his hands and feet around the veins.


    A short whileter, his head popped up from something and he could finally see other things than vine, tree roots and dirt. It was dark room, but there was another brown door. This time, it had door handle!


    Ambrose jumped out of the hole and looked across the room. It had dusty bookshelves, withered flowers growing from the soil-filled floor, and arge window that was covered in thick dust.


    He walked to the window and tried wiping the dust off, but it was to no avail. It looked like the window was simply made of hazy ss. As if the owner of this room didn''t want anyone to see outside.


    Tap, tap¡ªhe tried tapping on the ss to see whether it would do anything. He even debated whether he should try to break it, but gave up the idea as there was a door out of this room.


    The door might not lead to the outside, but it would lead to the next objective.


    Ambrose walked to the door and opened it. He saw a hallway with framed paintings and a staircase leading down. There were also handrails where one could lean and see the floors below.


    He closed the door behind him and grabbed the handrails. There seemed to be several floors, but he focused his gaze on the lounge of the strange ce. There was a door that looked like it would lead outside.


    It seemed like a mansion, which he had seen in old movies, yet it was clearly abandoned a long time ago. Dirt with tree roots had broken through several of the walls, and there were some holes in the roof.


    ''It seems like this ce is buried deep inside the mountain. Whose ce was this?'' Ambrose wondered as he climbed down the stairs.


    After reaching the floor below, there were several dusty doors that led to different rooms.


    Ambrose looked around and noticed a smallntern on the wall. Strangely, its candle was lit up as if it were incapable of dying down. He curiously picked it up and used it as a source of light as he moved to other rooms.


    The rooms were empty and deste, but they looked like they had been used as bedrooms before.


    After ensuring that all rooms were empty, he moved onto the bottom floor and stopped in the middle of the lounge. There were several openings, leading to a dark kitchen and living room with dusty furniture. However, one thing caught his attention.


    There was a circr brown door filled with strange engravings and embedded with small jewels. It was situated at the end of the lounge, leading deeper into the mansion.


    It surprised Ambrose because why would there be an unopenable door.


    "Could it be that this door can actually be opened?" Ambrose moved to the door and traced his finger across the engravings and small jewels. "Maybe there is actually a key to open this? Maybe it''s somewhere in this buried mansion."


    "Are you looking for this?"


    Ambrose drew his sword and looked towards the staircase. After seeing the person, he slightly lowered his sword but didn''t sheathe it.


    "Hmm, where is Cerberus?" Andromeda asked while jingling the keys in her hand. The keys looked strange, as if they were rusting, but they also looked like they were made of dirt, soil, and pieces of tree root.


    "Uh, it''s you." Ambrose gulped and drylyughed. "Mind giving me the keys?"


    "Hmm, on one condition!" Andromeda put the keys in front of her lips and giggled.


    "What is it?" Ambrose moved towards the staircase with his sword behind his back.


    "You have to catch me first!" Andromeda shouted and ran upstairs. "Hurry up, slowpoke. Haha!"


    "Damn it!" Ambrose sheathed his sword and rushed after the little girl.

 Chapter 82 Ambrose Vs. Andromeda

    <h4>Chapter 82 Ambrose Vs. Andromeda</h4>


    "Haha!" A cheerful-looking girl with a rusting key in hand ran straight to the top floor, where she could see the mansion in its entirety. Then she saw a ck-haired young man rushing upstairs.


    "Hehe." Andromeda pocketed the key and pulled out her daggers with chains tangled around them. The daggers des were sharp, featuring ornate carvings and patterns. The handles also had spots for embedded jewels, yet they remain empty so far.


    She took a tight grip on the chains and spun them around while the daggers, wrapped at the end of the long chain, cut through the air while she moved the chains around.


    Soon, she heard footsteps.


    A ck-haired young man rushed from the staircase, panting heavily with sweat dripping down his pale face. He was dressed in a ck cloak with two scabbards tied around his waist.


    "Please, give me the key." Ambrose reached out his hand to her. He was in a hurry; thus, he had no time to entertain the little girl because Cerberus might arrive in the buried mansion at any moment.


    "Mm, where is Cerberus?" Andromeda asked with a smile and suddenly hopped on top of the handrail. There was a long fall to the bottom floor. If she fell, survival would be out of the question.


    "We were separated," Ambrose said, forcing a smile. "I have to make sure that the reward is in here. So, please, give me the key."


    "Mm, separated, you say." She giggled and stopped leaning against the wall. Now, she was standing on the handrail without any ce to grab onto if she identally fell.


    "So, if I messaged Cerberus, would he say the same thing?" Andromeda asked, and after seeing Ambrose''s smile freeze, she giggled.


    "Give it!" Ambrose rushed forward and tried totch onto Andromeda''s arm, but she suddenly started leaning backwards, her giggling reverberating across the mansion. She suddenly started falling from the top floor!


    Ambrose grabbed the handrail with both hands and watched as Andromeda fell straight to the bottom floor. She wouldn''t be able to survive such a fall.


    As she neared the bottom floor and her death, she suddenly swung her chains, and the daggers stabbed through one of the wooden walls on the second floor, getting tightly stuck.


    She then used the chains to pull herself forward, and using them to propel herself, shended safely on the second floor with a calm smile on her face.


    "What the heck..." Ambrose ran back to the staircase and soon arrived on the second floor. He saw that there was no one there except for a few pieces of furniture. He walked to the wooden wall, where there were two holes, caused by the daggers.


    ''Her mastery of those daggers is spectacr.'' Ambrose thought and looked around the second floor. He then approached the handrails and looked down at the bottom floor.


    To his shock, there was Andromeda standing in the middle of the lounge with a key in hand. Her smile looked eternal, with her dimples showing.


    She was clearly having fun, but Ambrose couldn''t say the same. He was getting exhausted from this cat-and-mouse game.


    Without taking the stairs, Ambrose leaped over the handrail and fell straight to the bottom floor. Hended heavily on the floor, his knees bending and almost touching the floor. At thest moment, he managed to straighten his legs and stand up.


    "I assume you are now an enemy of Zahhak." Andromeda said while moving the keys in her hand. "Yet, instead of running away, you are trying to steal the reward. You will make him very angry if you do that."


    "Why do you care?" Ambrose asked while wrapping his hand around his sword''s hilt. "You are still young. Why are you part of them?"


    "Because Cerberus is my brother."


    Ambrose''s eyes broadened in surprise, but it didn''t surprise him as much as he thought it would. He already knew that one of the Zahhak members was her rtive.


    "He is the only rtive I acknowledge." Andromeda said. "Our parents were scumbags and still are. He has taken care of me in their stead. So, why would I betray him for a stranger?


    "A stranger, who is also an enemy of my brother."


    "Don''t make me do this." Ambrose drew his sword. His expression was heavy, yet he was ready to do what was needed.


    "You would attack me?" She clutched her chest with a tearful gaze. "I-I am just a little girl, and you would hurt me?"


    Anyone seeing her would have their heart melt at the sight of her tears. They would curse the person and his seven generations for making her cry.


    "You are right." Ambrose slowly sheathed his sword but then suddenly charged forward. "I don''t have to beat you in a fight to get the key!"


    Andromeda''s gaze turned cold, and she raised her hands, both holding the chains. She thenshed them down with daggers, approaching the young man''s neck.


    Ambrose quickly stopped running, but his feet slid down on the floor for several meters before he came to a stop. The daggers were already a meter away from impaling his neck.


    He quickly siderolled haphazardly and stood up at the moment when his roll stopped. To his shock, Andromeda flicked her wrists and made the daggers curve in midair, making them chase after him.


    ''Cursed, I can''t get near her!'' Ambrose quickly rushed to the side, dodging the first dagger, but the second one approached him from the other side. He panicked and quickly put his hand in the way.


    Spurt¡ªthe dagger stabbed through his hand.


    "Heh." Andromeda tried pulling the dagger back andughed as Ambrose fell to his knees. The dagger was so deep in his hand that he was inplete control of the little girl.


    Whenever she tried pulling the chains back, Ambrose would be dragged alongside them.


    "Argh..." Ambrose gritted his teeth and turned his fiery gaze at the little girl. He was done ying around. He slowly stood up and grabbed the chain, trying to remove the dagger from his hand.


    "I''m not letting you!" Andromeda yfully shouted and tried pulling the chain towards her. However, to her surprise, she couldn''t pull it anymore. She soon realized why.


    Ambrose, with his bulging biceps, held the chain in a tight grip. She couldn''t pull the chain because he was holding it in one ce!


    It was the pure difference in their strength. She might be faster than him, but he was a dozen times stronger, and it showed. She managed to drag him along when he was on his knees, unable to use his strength.


    But now he had stood up and utilized his strength to the fullest. He realized that having a dagger stuck in his hand wasn''t bad. Instead, it could be beneficial.


    Ambrose slowly started pulling the chain towards him, dragging Andromeda along with it. She tried stopping him but was unable to.


    She then used her second chain and tried moving the dagger at him, but the second chain was right beside Ambrose''s feet. Therefore, he stomped his feet down on the chain. Both chains were now under his control.


    She bit her lips, trying to muster all her strength to pull her chains back at her. Without the chains, she would be helpless in a battle!


    "Get over here." Ambrose''s veins bulged, and he suddenly pulled the chain towards him. Andromeda cried out as she was suddenly thrown into the air. She removed her hold on the chain, but it was toote; she was already flying towards him.


    He used his free right hand and grabbed Andromeda by her fragile throat. She was kicking around, smashing her tiny feet on his well-toned torso, but to no avail. After a while, she stopped and looked at him with eyes full of anger.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and dropped her to the floor. He then pulled the dagger out of his hand and tossed it to the side.


    "Mind giving me the key?" He asked the little girl, who showed no intention of running away or fighting back.


    "Fine..." She tossed the rusting key at him. He caught it midair and looked at her in surprise.


    "I thought you would fight over it." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and walked towards the circr brown door. His heart began beating against his chest. He wondered what kind of rewards would await him behind that door.


    Immediately after that thought, he heard the little girl''s voice.


    "You realize that he won''t let you go." Andromeda said and turned to look at his upright back. "You won''t be able to escape this ce. Even if you somehow do, he will hunt you down.


    "He does that... Making him your enemy is the worst mistake you could make."


    "Unlike you all, I am not afraid of him." Ambrose said while trying to look for the keyhole or any ce that resembled one.


    "You should..." Andromeda said, hugging her legs. "In the end, the Light Continent will look very small when he chases you. You have to look over your shoulder every day.


    "After a while, that will be exhausting, and you will stop enjoying this game. It is not toote to give up the key and just leave."


    "There it is..." Ambrose suddenly smiled. There wasn''t any keyhole in the door itself, but beside the door, there were sharp veins, as wide as his arms, going around the door. On the vein, there was a small hole, resembling a keyhole.


    He inserted the key into that and twisted it counterclockwise. To his surprise, the door''s lock clicked, and it began spiraling around. The door moved to the side, entering the wall and paving the path to the secret room.


    "Hey, are you listening to me?!" The little girl shouted after feeling ignored.


    Ambrose didn''t answer and entered the room. His footsteps faded in the distance while the little girl sat on the floor with a stunned expression.


    "Is he crazy or what?"

 Chapter 83 Last Clash

    <h4>Chapter 83 Last sh</h4>


    Thud¡ªAmbrose shoved several broken bookshelves out of his way. The strange room had a lot of broken furniture, as if it were being used as storage space. He then stepped over the fallen bookshelves andnded on top of something soft.


    He nced down and saw that his boot was crushing the face of the stuffed bunny. Its eyes were red and the size of marbles with mouth stitched into a smile.


    "A bunny?" Ambrose crouched and picked it up. He cleaned the dirt off the bunny''s face and looked at its red marble eyes. He turned it around and saw a zipper on its back.


    Zip¡ªhe pulled down the zipper and saw the bunny''s stuffed innards. There wasn''t anything else. It was just an ordinary stuffed bunny.


    He pulled the zipper back up, ced the bunny on top of thest standing bookshelf, and continued walking in the dimly lit room. He wished to have antern or torch at this moment, as it took him twice as long to walk than he wanted to.


    After pushing himself past the furniture, which blocked the route, and reaching the ceiling, he came across a chamber.


    The chamber looked like a small dome with a knee-high tform in the middle. The tform was circle-shaped, and it had ornate carvings with ruby jewels embedded around it on twelve different spots.


    "Finally, this must be the ce, right?" Ambrose asked the question to himself as he approached the tform. He looked at the ruby jewels and tried removing them from the tform, but to no avail.


    Amidst his attempt to retrieve the jewels, the room slightly shook, and an opening appeared in the ceiling. The dust fell, and then an object fell and thudded down on the tform.


    Ambrose grabbed his sword and unsheathed it half-way. But then, his expression widened into joy as he saw what the object was. It was a brown treasure chest with a rusting lock!


    "This is it!" He climbed up to the tform and crouched in front of the treasure lock. He pulled the rusting key from his pocket and inserted it into the silver lock. To his joy, the lock was unlocked.


    He tossed the silver lock away and pocketed the rusting key.


    ''The rewards must be miles better than in Crow Cave and the quest rewards from Steel-Armed Gori Extermination. It might even give better rewards than World Quest...''


    Ambrose swallowed his saliva down his dry throat. He would be lying if he said that he didn''t feel greedy. He doubted any yer would be able to look at the treasure chest without feeling any sort of selfish emotion.


    ''Should I really steal all the rewards for myself?'' He pondered silently and sat down on the ground with a profound frown. ''Silver Heart members had prepared for this for a long time, and they sacrificed two days to get here.


    ''If they leave empty-handed, it would be tragic.''


    He was feeling very split about his emotions. On the one hand, he didn''t want Zahhak to get anything, even if it made him their enemy. On the other hand, if he left any of the rewards behind, they would take them for themselves, leaving nothing for Silver Heart.


    ''Well, I don''t really owe anything to them anyway. They treated me like shit when I joined them, even though they probably aren''t bad people. Also, they are Alice''s subordinates...'' Ambrose shook his head and put his hands on the treasure chest, nning to open it.


    "Ambrose, Ambrose, what do you think you are doing?"


    Ambrose''s eyes turned cold. He turned around, and to his surprise, there were dozens of people gathered in the room. Several of them held torches, lighting up the ce significantly.


    All party members had arrived at the scene.


    Zahhak members had their weapons drawn, and they were coldly looking at Ambrose with murderous intent. Among them, Andromeda and Cerberus stood side-by-side, with their weapons drawn as well.


    The Silver Heart members looked stunned and wondered what was going on. Then they saw the treasure chest behind Ambrose and realized what was going on. He was going to steal the rewards!


    Leprechaun, along with a dozen other Silver Heart members, hatefully gritted their teeth and pulled their weapons from their inventories. La and Teddy stood silently with disbelief in their faces. They didn''t expect Ambrose, of all the people, to be trying to steal all the rewards for himself.


    Behind everyone, Serenity stood still with an emotionless expression. Her sword hung loosely on her waist with her fingers wrapped around its hilt.


    "Since the moment I unsheathed my sword, we enteredbat." Cerberus said with a grinning face. "Thus, you can''t log off and escape~"


    "Ambrose, how dare you be that selfish to want all rewards for yourself!" Leprechaun shouted with rage bubbling in his eyes.


    "I told you, you can''t escape..." Andromeda whispered.


    Ambrose held on to the treasure chest so tight that his fingers turned red. He looked coldly at everyone who hade for the treasure chest.


    "Boss, let''s kill this bastard already." Arsenal said while holding a longsword in one hand and a sledgehammer in the other. He also seemed to be a dual wielder, but of a different kind, as he used many different weapons. There were even daggers on his hip.


    "I have to tuck in my baby girl soon..." Mizuchi sighed andbed his ck hair back. "Let''s end him already."


    "Voices! I hear voices!" Rainman shouted and looked at the treasure chest with an obsessive gaze. "It''sing from there... It''s voice is so sweet!"


    "Hahaha, I didn''t expect anyone to be foolish enough to steal from us¡ªZahhak¡ªdoes he not know us or what?" AnarchyCat put his gloves on. The gloves were ck with sharp ws on the fingers. This was his weapon¡ªw gloves.


    "Mm, Alice''s little toy had gone rogue. How interesting." RedHeart moved her hair over her ear.


    "Hehe, she should have put him on a tighter leash." SweetieHell said with a gentle smile, but her eyes weren''t smiling. She was holding a long, ck spear in her hand.


    "W-wait, don''t kill him yet. I will make the voodoo doll quick and curse him!" Glowstar excitedly sat cross-legged on the ground and took out the required items from his inventory to make the cursed voodoo doll.


    Bluecore looked at the spiky gray-haired man with clear fear in his face.


    "Enough, haha." Cerberus chuckled and looked straight at the ck-haired young man with a look of victory. He was certain that not even the legendary St. Julian would be able to escape this blockade.


    "Ambrose, it doesn''t matter if you give up the rewards; we will still kill you and make your life a miserable hell." Cerberus began walking towards the tform and Ambrose. "Even if you quit the game, you won''t be able to escape the humiliation.


    "You don''t make an enemy out of Zahhak and live happily ever after."


    "Hah!" Ambrose suddenly let out a loudugh. "You take pleasure in scaring others. You want others to fear you, but I can see yourck of self-confidence!"


    "Oh?" Cerberus chuckled neutrally, his eyes shing with anger. "That is your fear speaking. Zahhak''s power isn''t just a physical one; we can make you an enemy to many."


    "I am not afraid of you all." Ambrose suddenly whispered "Inventory" and pulled something out. It was a small green pearl with a shining surface. "One day, you all will be afraid of me. I fucking swear on my life."


    "Pfft." Zahhak membersughed as if they had heard the funniest joke in their lives. They had heard many of their victims acting tough before their deaths. After several deaths, they lost their will to fight back.


    "That is funny. Real funny." Cerberus said with a smile. He took a deep breath and wrapped his fingers around both handles of his swords. He approached Ambrose, using his rare dual wielding, which he rarely used against his enemies.


    "Heh." Ambrose chuckled with an ever-growing smirk. "Will you beughing when you have lost your valuable treasures?"


    "Huh?" Zahhak members frowned and looked at the ck-haired man. He was surrounded. There wasn''t anywhere he could escape.


    "Do you still not realize the position you are in?" Cerberus stepped on the tform, only five meters away from Ambrose. He could already sense the range of attack¡ªhe needed a few more steps.


    "I do; that''s why I amughing." Ambrose revealed the shiny green pearl on his hand. "Activate."


    "What is that?" Cerberus frowned, but then suddenly a small whirlpool appeared around the ck-haired young man. It surrounded him while making Ambrose float several centimeters from the ground. He was still desperately clutching on to the treasure chest, not wanting to let go even if it cost him his life.


    "He is using the teleportation pearl! Stop him!" A Silver Heart member shouted in shock. He also received the pearl from World Quest. Therefore, he knew it and how it looked when someone activated it, as he had already used his own!


    "Cerberus, stop him!" Arsenal screamed.


    All Zahhak members looked stunned, and they shot forward, trying to interrupt the teleportation.


    "Don''t you fucking dare!" Cerberus screamed and reached out to Ambrose. However, the teleportation was too fast, and thest thing he saw was Ambrose''s smirking face, making his anger erupt inside him.


    "Nooo!"


    With the final scream, the whirlpool disappeared alongside Ambrose.


    Cerberus stopped running and looked nkly at the ce where the young man was only moments earlier. There was nothing left.


    Even the treasure chest had disappeared...

 Chapter 84 Rewards!

    <h4>Chapter 84 Rewards!</h4>


    Swoosh¡ªwind suddenly picked up, and a figure appeared from thin air above the tree line. He let out a sudden scream as he fell down like a boulder,nded heavily on a steep hill, and then rolled down like a bowling ball.


    Thud¡ªhe crashed into the tree with such force that the leaves fell down. He let out a groan and then widened his eyes in shock.


    A brown treasure chest slid down the hill, going straight at him.


    "Oh!" Ambrose let out a sudden cry and jumped out of the way. The treasure chest crashed into the tree, scaring all the nearby birds.


    He breathed rapidly and looked around to see the treasure chest. He couldn''t believe it. He had to rub his eyes and open them again to be certain he wasn''t seeing things.


    "Haha, I can''t believe it." Ambroseid over the flowers and grass des. He wasn''t certain that the treasure chest was going to be teleported alongside him.


    Crack¡ªa sudden crack appeared on his hand. He looked over, and he was still holding the green pearl, which slowly had cracks manifest like spiderwebs. The cracks surrounded it before it exploded.


    "It only had one use..." Ambrose thought about it and tossed away the broken pieces. Heid back down and looked at the clear blue sky. Then he remembered one thing. "Where am I?"


    "The description told me to think about the ce where I wanted to teleport and then shout Activate. But I am not where I wanted to appear. I thought of Tonshen Vige...


    "I don''t want to return to Amaterasu, as that is definitely the first ce where Zahhak wille to try to find me. I have to live a careful life from now on."


    He stood up and looked at the treasure chest with a pounding heart. He hoped that it was worth it. If the rewards weren''t as good as World Quest''s, he would be very disappointed.


    "Please, don''t disappoint me!" Ambrose walked over to the treasure chest and turned it slightly until its backside was leaning against the tree. He then rubbed his hands and took a deep breath.


    This single treasure chest would decide whether making enemies out of Zahhak was for naught or an excellent choice.


    Ambrose grabbed the treasure chest and opened its lid. A bright golden lightnded on his face, and then notifications appeared in his vision.


    ***


    [10,000 XP Acquired!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 23 -> 24]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 24 -> 25]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 25 -> 26]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 26 -> 27]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 27 -> 28]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 28 -> 29]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 29 -> 30]


    [5x Skill Scrolls Acquired!]


    [Golden Key Acquired!]


    [10,000 Silvers Acquired!]


    [Upgrade ss Token Acquired!]


    [3x ck Swords Acquired!]


    [3x Red Swords Acquired!]


    [10x Crimson Metal Acquired!]


    [Merchant Whistle Acquired!]


    ***


    "Whoah, whoah!" Ambrose felt overwhelmed and felt a stinging sensation on his brain, as if he were about to get a headache. There were simply too many notifications in his vision, and he couldn''tprehend all of them simultaneously.


    He took a deep breath and started checking them out one after another.


    "10,000 experience points, absolute madness." Ambrose chuckled. "Sent me straight to level thirty, excellent!"


    After seeing the second reward on the list, he gasped for air andughed joyfully. "Five skill scrolls, hahaha!"


    He then excitedly checked the following ones.


    "Golden Key? What is that for...


    "10,000 Silvers, amazing...


    "Upgrade ss Token? Wait what." Ambrose stopped reading the names of the items he received and focused on them. He pressed on it, wanting to get its description.


    [Upgrade ss Token: Your ss will be upgraded to a higher level]


    "You can upgrade your levels? Howe no one mentioned this!" Ambrose shot to his feet and paced about with a racing heartbeat. This was amazing news. "To a higher level, amazing. It must mean it would make me stronger than other swordsmen!"


    He then shook his head to get rid of such an arrogant thought.


    "No, it doesn''t mean that. It would mean my ss would be slightly different, but it might give some unexpected benefits!"


    He already wanted to use it, but he calmed himself down and checked other items.


    "Three ck Swords?" Ambrose frowned and pulled one of the ck swords out into the open air. It looked beautiful with a ck handle with diamond markings and a ck de. It looked dangerous and cool.


    "Yeah, I will use these." Ambrose grinned and put it back in his inventory. He then checked another item, and again, his eyes widened in shock.


    "Three Red Swords?" Again, he took one of them out. This time, it was a sword with a red de and a red handle with ck diamond markings.


    "What is their difference?" He took out the ck sword and checked the descriptions in both of them.


    [ck Sword: Made with Dark Metal¡ªThe de is unbreakable and can sh through anything¡ªeven diamonds]


    [Red Sword: Made with Red Metal¡ªThe de has the ability to change weight from 1kg all the way to 100kg]


    "Whoah." Ambrose chuckled and scratched his head. He was quite overwhelmed. "Both swords are incredibly good. I could use both of them. Wait, I am a dual wielder, so one of the swords can be ck Sword and another Red Sword!"


    He looked down at his scabbards and removed the shortswords from them. He put them gently back inside his inventory, feeling fond of them even though he hadn''t used them for long. They were still precious to them, and had already abandoned all thoughts about selling them away.


    He then sheathed his ck and Red Swords. He looked at them, wrapped them in the scabbards, and felt strangely strong. Those swords were special.


    Ambrose smiled and nced at the rest of the items. "10 Crimson Metal? Oh, sword material, if I need it. However, how different is it from Red Metal? Hmm, maybe it''s even stronger metal."


    He then checked thest remaining item and had a profound frown on his brows.


    "Merchant Whistle?" He took it out. It was a wooden whistle with a small hole in the middle of it. There was also an insignia of a person tipping his hat.


    He immediately checked the description.


    [Merchant Whistle: You can summon a traveling merchant to your location]


    Ambrose looked at it and decided not to use it yet. He put it in his inventory and checked if there was anything left inside the treasure chest. It was empty.


    After making sure it was empty, he closed the lid and sat down on the treasure chest. There were many interesting items he hadn''t used yet!


    "Now, what is this Golden Key?" Ambrose took it out. Just like the name suggested, it was a key made of gold. He opened its description.


    [Golden Key: Can be used to open items with a golden lock in them]


    "Can be used to open items with a golden lock?" Ambrose frowned. "Why golden locks? I don''t have any of thos¡ªwait a second!"


    His eyes widened in shock, and he opened his inventory. He took out a small box, which he acquired from Crow Cave. It also had a golden lock!


    With a shaky hand, he inserted the golden key inside the lock and twisted it counterclockwise. He joyfully eximed as the lock opened!


    He quickly tossed the lock away and tossed the golden key back into his inventory. He slowly opened the small box with an ever-growing smile.


    Inside the box, there was another worn-out scroll, as if it had been taken from ancient times.


    Ambrose thought at first it was another skill scroll, but then he checked the description.


    [Style Scroll: Create your own style¡ªEnter all your skills into the scroll and share it with your students!]


    "What!" Ambrose eximed. "Wait, no one was using this. I heard that dojo leaders wereining about the difficulty of teaching their skills to their friends because they weren''t experienced in teaching.


    "But this changes everything. I could just give this to someone, and they could learn my style. Also, I can finally create my own style and immortalize it within this scroll..."

 Chapter 85 Ambrose鈥檚 Bounty

    <h4>Chapter 85 Ambrose''s Bounty</h4>


    ?


    "My own style." Ambrose chuckled and opened the style scroll. This time, it wasn''t an empty scroll.


    [Style Name:]


    [Techniques:]


    [Creator:]


    "I could create my style right now, but what name would I give it?" Ambrose closed the scroll and looked at the blowing leaves that were at the mercy of the wind. "High Pain and Kill are my only skills. I wouldn''t include those basic skills in my style.


    "Based on those, what would my style be? Killer Style? High Kill Style? Pain Style? Hah." Ambrose shook his head. This was an important decision, and he didn''t want to rush it.


    Therefore, he put the style scroll back in his inventory and took out a gray token. It was the Upgrade ss Token.


    "Upgrading my ss... what would it be of?" Ambrose felt very curious. It was eating him inside, as he really wanted to see the benefits of his new ss. Therefore, he activated the token.


    [Upgrading ss "Swordsman"]


    [1%...]


    "Huh, it''s loading?" Ambrose looked at the download bar, and it was moving painfully slowly. He decided to let it run in the background while he re-checked the remaining items.


    He wanted to test the Merchant Whistleter and wondered whether he should sell his other ck and Red Swords. But, after a second thought, he shook his head. He could still lose his swords, and it would be nice to have spares.


    He kept the Golden Key in a safe ce. He could never know whether one day he would find another golden lock. Therefore, having the golden key with him at that moment would be nice.


    He then closed the inventory and moved over to his interface. After several leveling ups, he was now level thirty with 70 stat points avable!


    "70, one thing is certain: I don''t need to spend on strength." Ambrose chuckled, as he might''ve gone overboard with that. He doubted there were many yers with 100 stats on strength, but because real-life strength can be transferred to the game, he might still not be the yer with the highest physical strength.


    "Now, I will definitely have to increase my luck and... agility." Ambrose sighed. He knew it would be foolish to not spend on agility, but he was feeling reluctant.


    During his school days, he had to take a wheelchair to school, and that''s why he was often called names by his ssmates. One of them was snail, as he was oftente to sses because it took him a long time to move around with his wheelchair from one ss to another.


    He thought it sounded childish, but it left scars on him, and therefore, he wanted to prove that speed wasn''t the only thing that mattered. It still didn''t mean he wouldn''t use stat points on agility. He would asionally, but every stat point was important, and he wanted to use them carefully.


    "I will put a little bit on that. Intelligence, definitely. I now have five skill scrolls, and I need help to learn skills quicker.


    "From what I''ve read from forums, Intelligence indeed helps with learning skills quicker; maybe it also helps in the creation of the skills. Lastly, Charm. Hmm, I don''t think I will interact with the yerbase that much because of Zahhak and Silver Heart...


    "Therefore, I will be spending a lot of time with NPC. It wouldn''t hurt to have a better reputation with them. I suppose those four stats are what I need for now."


    Ambrose nodded and began assigning his stats with a smile.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 30]


    [ss: Bending...]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 550/1900]


    [HP: 175/175]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 12,050]


    [STR: 100]


    [CHA: 40]


    [INT: 50]


    [LUC: 20]


    [AGI: 20]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 50]


    [STA: 40]


    ***


    "There, excellent." He was very satisfied and was about to close the interface, but then he saw the friend list. He had two names on the friend list¡ªSerenity and Cerberus.


    He added Cerberus, like he did with every other member of the party. It was to be able to message each other.


    Ambrose pressed the delete button. There was no way he would keep him as his friend. He then turned to Serenity''s name and deleted that as well.


    Just like that, his friend list became empty. It was a rather sad scene, but he didn''t care and closed the interface.


    "Time to leave and see where the hell I am." Ambrose stood up and patted the dust off his trousers. He began trekking down the forest with the download bar slowly moving in his peripheral vision.


    ...


    "Boss, what do we do?" Redheart asked from the silent Cerberus.


    They had all left the secret room and were lounging around in the mansion. The Silver Heart members had gathered in the living room, discussing rather loudly what they should do. They, of course, asked questions from Serenity, but she was silently sitting on the broken couch.


    Zahhak members leaned on different furnitures while their leader, Cerberus, stood silently in front of a hazy window as if he could see through it.


    "Boss?" Redheart asked again.


    "Send everyone after him." Cerberus said after taking a deep breath. "Make an bounty announcement; whoever finds his location will get 5,000 silvers. I took a picture of his face before, just in case. Put that on the website with a description of where he might be and his name."


    "Alright, and after we find him, then what?" Redheart asked with a knowing smirk.


    "We torture him till we get our treasures back. This game is very realistic, and there are a lot of things we can do to him that are considered illegal in the real world." Cerberus nced towards the living room, where the Silver Heart members were arguing.


    "What about her?" Redheart asked while ncing towards Serenity.


    "She has her own little group now." Cerberus turned back to the hazy window with an emotionless gaze. "We don''t need her in Zahhak anymore. Also, I am sure those Silver Heart members also want to find him."


    "I don''t agree with that! She belongs with us." Redheart said with a growling expression.


    Cerberus nced tiredly at her. "With us, or with you? Leave her alone; focus on that bastard, Ambrose. He has to suffer."


    "Tsk, fine." Redheart stomped and walked away with anger bubbling in her heart. Today was one of the biggest humiliations Zahhak had ever suffered.


    If the outside world knew, their feared reputation would be ruined.


    ''We have to make an example out of him. No one messes with us and gets away with it.'' Redheart''s eyes glowed menacingly. Her killing intent was targeted at Ambrose.


    ...


    "Finally, the end of the forest!" Ambrose celebrated and stepped out of the tightly-packed forest. He looked around to see if he could spot any ces of civilization, but only saw endless farnd with growing wheat, pumpkins, tomatoes, and other crops.


    "Farm? Where are the houses?" He wondered aloud and exited the forest. He walked down the path in the middle of the farnd while looking around for anyone.


    However, then he saw a pir of smokeing behind a hill. It was clearlying from the chimney of a house!


    ''Maybe they have an idea where Tonshen Vige is!'' Ambrose thought and began approaching the hill, which he had to cross to reach the house with the chimney.


    Amidst the walking, he checked the download bar.


    [31%...]

 Chapter 86 Destroyed Tonshen

    <h4>Chapter 86 Destroyed Tonshen</h4>


    Ambrose walked to the top of the hill. From there, he could see a farm with one two-story house with a chimney poking through the roof, a wooden barn, and a small orchard.


    The farm was surrounded by trees and fields of corn and wheat.


    "I should ask them for directions." He concluded and ran down the hill, then began walking across a dirt road towards the farmhouse. As he walked, he noticed that the sun was beginning to set in the west.


    ''It''s gettingte.'' Ambrose wasn''t surprised, as they spent the whole day in the underground facility.


    He passed the fields of corn and wheat, only a dozen meters away from the two-story house. A calmntern light was shining through a window. Then, several shadows moved inside the house.


    Ambrose was now certain that the farm''s owner was inside the house. He was about to step forward until he remembered something. He lowered his gaze to the scabbards on his waist.


    ''I don''t want to look like a threat.'' He thought to himself and stored the scabbards with swords inside them in his inventory.


    There was also another reason why he didn''t really want to keep carrying the scabbards around his waist. If any Zahhak or Silver Heart members saw them, all hell would break loose.


    ''I will just have one scabbard hanging from my waist from now on. It could also trick others into thinking that I am only a one-sword style user when I am actually two-sword style, which can act as my trump card.''


    Ambrose smiled and approached the farmhouse''s door. He knocked on the door and waited for a few seconds before he heard footsteps approaching.


    Creak¡ªthe door slowly opened, and an elderly man with thinning gray hair peered out of the doorway. He wore his usual farmer''s getup¡ªdenim overalls and long pants with wide-brimmed sunhat.


    "Hello, young man. Need something?" The farmer asked while being very cautious. There seemed to be more people inside the house, but they didn''t show themselves as if they were facing a great threat.


    ''He is very cautious, why?'' Ambrose slightly lowered his gaze but then moved his gaze back to the elderly man''s eyes. ''He is holding a weapon. Yeah, there is something odd about this.''


    "Excuse me, but I am looking for Tonshen Vige." He said while opening his interface by silently whispering. No one else could see the interface.


    "Tonshen..." The farmer firmly shook his head. "It doesn''t exist anymore..."


    "Huh, what?" Ambrose''s calm facade crumbled to pieces. "What do you mean?"


    "yers... such as yourself, killed everyone there and took it for themselves." The farmer said with a weak tone. "I don''t want any trouble with y''all. I am simply a farmer."


    "I understand; thank you. Can you point me in the direction of Tonshen?"


    "T-there." The farmer walked half-way outside and pointed in one specific direction. "Follow the dirt road in that direction, and you should reach it within an hour."


    "Thanks; I''m sorry for bothering you." Ambrose thanked the farmer and walked away from the farmhouse while taking his scabbard and ck Sword from the inventory. He wrapped it around his waist and then entered the dirt road that would lead to the former Tonshen.


    ''yers killed everyone there...'' He was honestly in shock, as he didn''t expect some yers to kill NPCs and then take one of the viges for themselves. ''I suppose there are yers who don''t treat NPCs as real people but just creatures of code.


    ''It might not be different for them to kill NPCs than it is for me to kill some wild animals in the forest. I just didn''t expect someone to actually do that, but it also won''t be thest time.''


    Ambrose didn''t n to interact with those yers, as they would most likely attack him as well. He just wanted to go check on the state of Tonshen and then move on.


    He still had to put his temporary spawn. His current spawn is within Zahhak''s dojo. Therefore, he didn''t want to forget to put in his new spawn, so that when he logged back in, he wouldn''t be back in the enemy''sir. It would be a tragic way to die.


    Ambrose quickly checked the download bar again. It was slowly moving, but he was slowly getting there.


    [49%...]


    ''Almost halfway to go.'' He thought and picked up his pace. It was gettingte, so he wanted to check on Tonshen quickly and find a ce to put the spawn. He also had to meet someone with Madam Matilda tomorrow, so he wanted to get good rest before that.


    As the clouds drifted across the sky and the sun finally set, darkness arrived, with a glow of crimsoning from the brilliant moon.


    When he walked down the dirt road, the surroundings weren''t as dark as he imagined them to be. The crimson glow added enough light to the surroundings.


    After nearly an hour of his departure from the farmhouse, Ambrose came to a stop at the small hilltop. He could see Tonshen from there.


    Tonshen Vige was a small vige surrounded by a wooden fence. Now, there were several pirs of smoke rising to the crimson sky, and it was obvious that something had happened in the vige.


    There were several buildings razed to the ground and burned to pieces. The smoke was very much still present, even after several days. The brightest building was the former Vige Chief''s house.


    It was upied by the yers, who killed the Tonshen vigers. A loudughter echoed from there, along with a pir of smoke. There was a gigantic bonfire in front of the house with broken furniture that was used to fuel the fire.


    Ambrose looked silently at the sight of the former Tonshen Vige. He remembered there being hundreds of hardworking people living in this vige, but now they were just ashes and ruins.


    The vigers had to work hard because of the increase in taxes. They became hunters to put food on the table for their families, all because of the greedy vige chief, Lemberd.


    Yet their doom didn''te in the hands of the vige chief, but of yers.


    ''One-Leg Marcus must have also perished. I thought he was a good person.'' Ambrose silently prayed for them to have a nice afterlife.


    If anyone saw what he was doing, they wouldugh at him. They were just pieces of code¡ªnot real¡ªNon-yer Characters. Thus, to yers, it sounded silly to be actually sad about their deaths.


    However, to Ambrose, this game was more real than reality itself. In this game, yers reveal their true nature while, in reality, they have to live behind a facade of innocence.


    ''That farmer seemed scared of them. He also has family he loves. That''s why I don''t understand this thing about them not being real. They look like us, act like us, have their own lives like us, and work like us. To me, they are more real than those fakers in reality.''


    Ambrose sighed and slowly sat on the grass. He was feeling heavy as he was trying to pull a truck behind him.


    "I suppose it is better for them to wreak havoc here than in reality." Ambrose thought aloud while looking at the star-filled sky. "They are still an eyesore, mm."


    [77%...]


    After seeing the download bar, Ambrose slowly stood up. He patted the dust off his pants and walked in the opposite direction from Tonshen Vige. There were only a few things he needed to do today.


    Find a temporary spawn, wait for the download toplete, and check out his newly upgraded ss.

 Chapter 87 Upgraded Class

    <h4>Chapter 87 Upgraded ss</h4>


    At the ruined Tonshen Vige, a sh of light appeared. From that light, a tattooed young man with bright, ocean-stained eyes emerged.


    He walked out of the luxurious bedroom of the vige chief''s house and saw a dozen yers gathered outside around the bonfire.


    "Yo, boss!" He walked out of the house and found the leader of the infamous Death de¡ªJaeger, sitting on a wooden chair while enjoying the delicacies of Tonshen vige.


    "What is it, Jock?" Jaeger asked while taking a bottle of whiskey and gulping it down his throat.


    He and his men plundered all the wealth of Tonshen Vige, which included the vige chief''s impressive collection of different alcohols.


    Jaeger was a man with impressive skills in martial arts, enough to have won several high-levelpetitions in reality.


    His blond hair and sky-blue eyes had be quite famous among his small circle of martial artists.


    During his years of training, he had grown tall and muscr, with broad shoulders and a well-toned torso.


    Many of his friends joked around that his muscles could even stop a bullet.


    After years ofpeting at a high level in martial arts, he had grown slightly bored of that. That was until Martial Online appeared¡ªit fueled his motivation to continue his journey to be the strongest.


    He and his friends created the Death de, a group that had already made a name for themselves.


    Jock, the tattooed man, took a seat beside Jaeger and said excitedly, "Zahhak made a new announcement on their website!"


    Silence¡ªallughter stopped as every Death de member turned to the tattooed man, eager to listen more.


    They were huge fans of Zahhak, having been for several years by now. They wanted to be like them¡ªbring fear everywhere they went.


    "They put a bounty on a yer called Ambrose. The reward is 5,000 silvers just for a hint of his location!" Jockughed with glee. "That guy must have pissed them off. Hehe, I wish I would be able to see it in person as Cerberus hunts him down!"


    "Hmm, Ambrose, you say." Jaeger caressed his chin and pondered something. "What else was there written about this Ambrose guy?"


    "That his spawn is in Amaterasu. He has ck hair, is a two-sword user, and looks pale like he is suffering from food poisoning." Jock said everything that was written about Ambrose on Zahhak''s website.


    "In Amaterasu..." Jaeger frowned. "We are quite far away, and if this Ambrose guy isn''t aplete idiot, he would stay away from popted areas."


    "So, there is a chance he would go to viges instead." One of the Death de members said.


    "If I were him, I would," Jaeger said. "However, no matter where he escapes, Cerberus and Zahhak will find him."


    "Well, we will be busy building our own vige; ain''t that right, boss?" Jock said with excitement.


    He was confident that Death de was the first group to think about creating their own vige.


    They chose Tonshen Vige as their target as it was far enough from Amaterasu and had a forest filled with different creatures near them.


    It was the perfect spot for them to create their own territory and start making their grouprger andrger.


    Plundering the vige made their wealth grow, but there were also farms near them, which they could sell in Amaterasu for a good sum of money.


    "Yeah. Tomorrow, let''s start clearing up the nearby farms and make them ours." Jaeger said with a small smile. He was oozing with confidence. "Men, I am certain that good days are ahead of us."


    "Cheers!" All the Death de members shouted and downed alcohol through their throats. They felt drunk even if they were in-game.


    Their drunkenughter reverberated all the way into the dark distance.


    ...


    "Hmm..." Ambrose stopped in his tracks after finding an abandoned house on the outskirts of a tightly packed forest.


    It looked like it had been abandoned for several decades.


    He approached the house and opened the door with a loud creak. It didn''t have a lock anymore, as it was broken to pieces.


    It looked like someone had broken into the house.


    After entering the house, there were papers, dust, and broken ss scattered all around the floor.


    There wasn''t a single piece of furniture, and all the rooms seemed empty.


    Ambrose slowly closed the door and walked up the stairs in the dark house. The second floor had three rooms, all ajar, with dust flying because of the open windows.


    He checked the empty rooms and then entered the furthest one from the stairs.


    ''This will do, even though it isn''t veryfortable.'' He thought and closed the door slowly.


    He walked to the windows and watched the dark surroundings. The darkness made him think that there were people watching him, waiting for their moment to strike.


    He thanked his luck that he didn''t have to sleep here.


    Ambrose closed the windows, walked to the corner of the room, and sat down with his back against the wall.


    From that position, he could see both the windows and the door. He couldn''t be ambushed in any way.


    ''How much has it loaded?'' He checked the download bar and sighed.


    [97%...]


    ''Soon...'' Ambrose thought and drew his ck Sword from the sheath. He caressed the de with his hand, feeling its weight, its bnce, and its sharpness.


    Then he remembered the Red Sword and its strange ability.


    After sheathing the ck Sword, he took out the Red Sword. This sword had the ability to change its weight, which could be a crucial trump card.


    "How do I change the weight? Maybe just by saying it?" Ambrose grabbed the handle with both hands and moved the sword in front of his body, the tip of the de pointing towards the ceiling.


    "5kg."


    Swoosh¡ªout of nowhere, Ambrose felt the sudden change in the sword. The de began leaning forward as if its weight had increased and the young man carrying it couldn''t keep it bnced anymore.


    ''It is definitely heavier!'' Ambrose stood up and tried to hold his sword steady. He slowly swung it around his body, which he could still do rtively easily. However, this was his first time using such a heavy sword.


    "Let''s test more. 20kg." Ambrose, this time, had to put more effort into trying to swing the sword. The sword was now slow, heavy, and painful to swing around.


    "More... 50kg!" He cried out, and his biceps bulged as, again, the red de began weighting a crazy amount.


    He slowly moved it around his body and there was only one way he thought of where this ability might be useful.


    When he mmed his ordinary-weight de against his opponent''s sword, then suddenly increase it to 100kg, for example. His opponent wouldn''t be able to expect it.


    Ding, ding¡ªa sudden dinging noise echoed in his ears. It could only mean one thing¡ªhis ss had been upgraded!


    "1kg." Ambrose turned the red de to ordinary weight and put it gently inside his inventory. He then excitedly checked out his new ss.


    [100%]


    [Swordsman ss Upgrading...]


    [Upgrading Completed!]


    [ss: Suicide Swordsman]


    [Suicide Swordsman: All damage suffered will be reduced by 50%¡ªHealth Increased by 100¡ªHealth Recovery items have a 100% increase in effectiveness]

 Chapter 88 Book of Suicide Swordsman

    <h4>Chapter 88 Book of Suicide Swordsman</h4>


    "Suicide Swordsman, are you kidding me?" Ambrose pinched his be while his eyebrows twitched. He thought the new ss name sounded ridiculous.


    However, after a second thought, he shrugged his shoulders.


    "Well, Kill skill is kill or get killed. It is somewhat a kamikaze-styled attack, so I guess it fits." He thought and then checked the description of the ss and looked very satisfied.


    "All damage suffered will be reduced by 50%!


    "My health has increased by 100, now being on 275!


    "Health Recovery Items have a 100% increase, meaning all the steaming buns I eat won''t give 10 HP but 20 instead!"


    Ambrose felt like a tank. It wasn''t far-fetched to say that his survivability had increased by tons. He was even more of a tank than Felixar from RedBand''s party!


    As he gleefully checked the ss description, a bright light appeared near the ceiling.


    Light blue pixels appeared from thin air and gathered in the same ce, soon forming the outline of a thick book.


    The book soon had a dark brown leather cover with yellowish pages.


    The book dropped from the ceiling andnded on Ambrose''sp.


    "What is this?" He looked at the book on his arm with a raised eyebrow. He traced his finger across the leather hardcover and opened the first page, which was luckily written in anguage he understood.


    "Book of Suicide Swordsman..."


    There was nothing else on the first page. It was simply the title of the book.


    He then tried flipping to the second page, but was unsessful. It was like the pages were glued to each other.


    He didn''t want to rip the pages and therefore stopped trying to open more pages.


    ''Why would the game give me a book I can''t even open?'' Ambrose wondered and closed the book with a m. He turned to the backside, but there was nothing written there.


    ''I suppose there is something written in it, but the game won''t allow me to see any of it yet.'' He concluded and ced the book in his inventory.


    After closing the inventory and checking his interface, he was certain that there was nothing else to do. It had been a long day, filled with events that forever changed his life.


    ''Alice... Even if she didn''t mean her words, they still hurt. I, however, know that I am nobody.


    ''Zahhak, they are mistaken if I fall into desperation because of them. Their arrogance could even prate the sky. They think that no one can touch him and that they are invincible.''


    Ambrose cracked his knuckles. ''I will burn their fucking ce down. Cerberus, I will leave youst, so you can witness your legacy wither away.''


    ,,,


    Moonlight entered the apartment through curtainless windows.


    A young man groaned as he removed the VR headset from his head. He let out a yawn and rubbed his eyes to get rid of the grogginess.


    Jesse then ced the VR headset down on the desk and looked at the curtainless windows.


    He could see the light of nearby houses, streetmps, and the moon hovering in the distance.


    ''I have to purchase curtains...'' He thought, but then he felt very ufortable. He felt the need for food and a bathroom.


    Jesse stood up and took one step forward, but stopped immediately after. He wasn''t feeling pain, but something else.


    He was feeling refreshed, as if he had just taken a bath in the famous healing baths.


    He felt very refreshed, like he was floating among soft cotton clouds.


    ''This feels so good.'' Jesse closed his eyes and let out a satisfied sigh. He had grown used to feeling pain somewhere in his body almost every moment of his life, but now there wasn''t a single pain.


    With a satisfied expression, he went to the bathroom to empty his dder and take a shower. He then moved over to the kitchen to feast on some microwave food.


    After dumping the leftover microwave food in the garbage bin, he returned to his room andid down on the bed with his phone in hand.


    He opened the phone and went straight to the forums in case there was anything interesting.


    "Yawn..." Jesse yawned and looked through the forum with a bored expression on his face. It took the sight of one forum post to get rid of his boredom.


    There was a post called "Zahhak''s New Bounty Announcement!"


    After opening the post, he saw what it was about.


    Jesse''s lips turned dry, and his heart dropped to the bottom of his stomach.


    The announcement showed his picture with all the necessary descriptions. The post was created by a person called "Redheart."


    ''Redheart, she is a Zahhak member, if I remember correctly.'' Jesse, with a beating heartbeat, scrolled down to thement section. He wondered what everyone was talking about.


    To his shock, most of thements wereughing at the person called Ambrose, calling him a brainless fool.


    In their opinion, whoever made enemies out of Zahhak was destined to have humiliating end.


    Then, there were people who imed to be bounty hunters. They were very excited about the prospect of acquiring 5,000 silvers by just giving a hint of Ambrose''s whereabouts.


    ''Why are so many people on their side? I thought no one liked them.'' Jesse frowned and wondered whether these people were the so-called hardcore fans of viins.


    There were people, mostly teenagers, who idolized viins. They thought they were cool and badass for doing whatever they wanted.


    Also, the idea of only killing yers didn''t even enter their minds, as it sounded ludicrous.


    That''s why, Zahhak was so unique group of yers. They have haters, but they also have one of the most loyal fan bases in the world.


    Jesse closed the phone and put it on the charger. He then looked at the dark ceiling with a heavy look. If Zahhak had as big a following as he thought, his life would be much harder as a result.


    ''Bring it on.'' Jesse closed his eyes and slowly drifted to sleep. ''Cerberus...''


    ...


    On the following morning, Jesse put on his new clothes, which he purchased from La Merch.


    When he looked at himself in the mirror, he thought he looked very respectable with his ck buttonless jacket, white shirt, and ck trousers, which looked like it was made from the most exquisite material in the world.


    He then put a silver-rimmed wristwatch on his right wrist. It was an old watch of his, but he rarely used it. Now, he did to give himself more adult look.


    After slipping his feet into his shoes, he checked himself again in the mirror. With his well-toned, tall figure, he looked like a prince from a fairytale. However, his face didn''t suit the rest of the look. It was something he couldn''t do anything about.


    There was the possibility of using makeup to change theplexion of his skin, but he didn''t want to do that.


    This was his face, which he had to live with. He was tired of trying to hide it and just wanted to be himself again.


    ''This is me, and I don''t have to be anyone else.'' Jesse straightened his sleeves and looked at his face in the mirror. He showed a smile that came from the bottom of his heart.


    He then walked to the door, opened it, and left the house.

 Chapter 89 You Are...

    <h4>Chapter 89 You Are...</h4>


    "d you came." Matilda opened the front door with a gentle smile. She was wearing a one-strap dress with bright-colored dots embroidered all around it and had her hair tied into a bun. She looked at least a decade younger.


    "I am notte, I hope." Jesse asked while stepping inside the house.


    "No, you are right on time." Matilda said with a smile and hooked arms with Jesse while showing him the way to the living room. "Ourst guest hadn''t arrived yet. Please take a seat until then."


    Jesse hesitantly nodded, still notpletely sure why he was invited to this gathering.


    When he reached the living room, Nyx was already there, seated. She wore a ck dress with a knee-high skirt and ck thigh-highs.


    It stunned him because she looked vastly different when she wore a fis blouse and ripped jeans.


    Now, she actually looked like a respectabledy from high society during a funeral. Thedies from high society often wore brighter dresses, as they made them stand out more. Rarely, they wore ck dresses.


    Still, Nyx looked very elegant and beautiful in her ck dress and white gloves.


    "Hello~" She softly waved her hand with a small smile. Even though she looked elegant, the moment she opened her mouth, she returned to her seductive nature.


    "Hi." Jesse rolled his eyes and sat down on the couch. He tapped his feet against the floor out of nervousness. He wanted to find out why he was here but thought it was rude to ask, so he waited impatiently.


    "How''re you doing?" Nyx asked while leaning her cheek against her hand.


    "Good..." Jesse sat upright and crossed his legs. He suddenly looked very confident and rxed. "What about you?"


    "Pfft." Nyx let out a small giggle and shook her head. "No need to act so reserved~ Rx."


    Jesse exhaled and leaned on the sofa''s backrest. He was feeling quite ufortable around her, as it was hard to tell what was going on in her mind.


    Matilda was cleaning the tables with a cleaning rag in the kitchen.


    Her gaze asionallynded on the picture on the fridge door, showing her husband, Jack, and her sitting on arge tree swing. They all wore smiles.


    She thought she could hear theughtering from the picture, but then the doorbell rang across the house.


    Ding, dong.


    "Oh, ourst guest has arrived!" Matilda said and tossed the cleaning rag to the sink. Patted down all the wrinkles and walked to the door.


    Jesse and Nyx could only see her opening the door and bright lighting from the outside, and then they saw a tall figure stepping inside and hugging the elderly woman.


    Matilda whispered something in the man''s ear. He then turned to the living room, showing his handsome face with a ck beard.


    The man was wearing a ck suit with a white shirt underneath, and he had a ck tie on his neck.


    He was also clutching a silver-handled walking cane and a top hat in his other hand.


    Jack ced the top hat on the clothes rack and limped towards the living room with Matilda walking beside him. They got seated on the avable chairs.


    "Hey, niece." Jack smiled fondly at the ck-dressed girl.


    Nyx smiled and nodded.


    "You are rtives?" Jesse was surprised. He also wondered who this man was. ''Matilda said that she wanted me to meet someone. This is the person, I guess, but why?''


    "Yes, Matilda, here is my mother." Jack said with a smile and looked straight at Jesse''s blue eyes, which had tinge of simrity with his own. "You are Jesse Kraham. I have heard about you from my mother."


    "Ah, nice to meet you." Jesse nodded without shaking his hand. He didn''t shake hands, as it often ended up with him having a broken hand.


    "My name is Jack Rothsmith." Jack nodded his head and smiled at his mother. "Has my mother told you anything about why we were meeting?"


    Matilda rolled her eyes. She knew that her son already knew that she hadn''t, but he was trying to steer his conversation.


    "No, she hadn''t." Jesse shook her hand and anxiously scratched his silver wristwatch.


    "My son has the same disease as you do, Jesse." Matilda said with a smile. "Humanoid Imperfecta."


    "What..." Jesse''s eyes broadened until they looked like round marbles. He looked at the handsome, bearded man with sense of familiarity.


    This was the first time he met someone with same disease as him, which made him feel emotional.


    "My disease is not as severe as yours." Jack said and showed his silver-handled walking cane. "I can walk with the help of my cane just fine. I heard you use a wheelchair."


    "Yes, my leg bones can''t withstand the weight of my body. That''s why I have to use a wheelchair."


    "Mm, I have not heard anyone having as severe as yours." Jack rubbed his ck beard and nodded. He then showed a slightly nervous smile and said, "As you know, Humanoid Imperfecta can only be inherited."


    "Yes, I do..." Jesse gripped the edge of the sofa. He was thinking a few days ago about whether one of his parents reallymitted an affair.


    Matilda and Jack shared gazes. Nyx tapped her finger against the armrest of her chair while keeping her gaze on the walls.


    "Well, ahem." Jack cleared his throat and nervously chuckled. "Approximately 23 years ago. I went to a party with my friends, celebrating my birthday."


    Jesse frowned and listened to his story with interest, even though he didn''t quite understand why he began talking about something that happened so long ago.


    There was a certain feeling in his heart, but he quickly subdued it as he thought it was impossible.


    "At that party, I met a beautiful woman. I heard her parents were traditional, and they had arranged a marriage for her with some politician''s son. She was very much against it but had no say in it.


    "For thest night before getting sent to meet with the politician''s son, her friends brought her to have some fun with them before she was sent to meet with him. Then stuff happened, and they joined my birthday celebrations.


    "I became very fond of that beautiful woman, and her story really made me feel bad for her. After several beers and many rounds of karaoke, we found ourselves in a hotel room.


    "That night, in a drunken stupor, we did something we both greatly regretted. The next morning was also thest time I saw her. However, I still remember her name very vividly."


    Jesse gulped down the saliva and looked at the man with shaky eyes. His heart was racing, beating against his chest as if it wanted to burst through.


    "Her name was Maria Kiefer back then. She was soon to be Mrs. Kraham." Jack looked at the ck-haired young man and saw his shaky eyes. "She married a person named Terry Kraham.


    "I forgot about her, but that experience really changed me. I began truly changing my ways.


    "Then, a few days ago, my mother informed me about her new tenant. A young man called Jesse Kraham, who has a disease called Humanoid Imperfecta, which can only be inherited."


    Jack wiped the sweat off his wide forehead and cleared his throat. He was feeling parched and felt like downing a whole bottle''s worth of water.


    "So, ahem, you understand what I am saying..."


    "Y-you are... y-you..." Jesse grabbed his chest and started greedily gasping for air. He couldn''t breathe, and all the surroundings began to shake. He turned light-headed and felt like the sky was crashing down.


    "Breathe..." Matilda sat beside him and gently touched his hand. "Inhale and then exhale..."


    Her words were like hypnotic spell. He listened and took a long inhale before exhaling all the air he could possibly breathe out.


    His lightheadedness slowly dissipated, and he could see things clearly again.


    "I understand this is a lot to take in." Jack also breathed shakily. This was also a very nervous experience for him. "But one thing is clear.


    "You are Rothsmith.


    "You are my son."

 Chapter 90 Cousin

    <h4>Chapter 90 Cousin</h4>


    ''I am Rothsmith...'' Jesse held his head and shook his head. He was having a mild headache. ''This is not what I expected... How would my fathe¡ªTerry, respond if he knew?''


    Even though he asked the question to himself, he had a very vivid idea of what he would do.


    He had already stopped calling Terry his father, not even using the word stepfather.


    "I know, this is a lot to take in, son." Jack stood up with the help of his cane and smiled. "If you don''t mind, may I visit you tomorrow in your apartment? There are a lot of things I want to discuss with you privately."


    "O-oh, sure." Jesse timidly said. He felt strange being called son by him, but he felt a strange sense of familiaritying from him.


    He thought there was no one who could understand him and what he had to suffer because of his disease. But now there was someone who also happened to be his real biological father. It was unreal.


    "Let''s finish this tomorrow, alright?" Jack asked, and after seeing Jesse nod, he turned to his mother and smiled. Then he limped to the clothing rack, took his top hat, and put it on. "Do you have tomorrowpletely free?"


    Matilda and Nyx nced at Jesse. They werepletely silent during the conversation and simply listened eagerly.


    ''Martial Online can wait; this cannot.'' Jesse nodded and said. "I have."


    "Good, I will be seeing you tomorrow then." Jack said with a smile as he nodded at her mother and then stepped out of the house. The door soon closed.


    "Are you hungry? I can make something." Matilda asked Jesse with a smile.


    "No, I think I should return to my apartment." Jesse stood up and noticed that his legs had gonepletely numb. This meeting was a greater shock to him than he expected.


    "Mm." Matilda nodded as she stood up and gently hugged him, surprisingly. She then whispered into his ear. "I know this came as a surprise, but my son is a good person, unlike the ones who abandoned you. I hope we see you again, grandson."


    ''Grandson...'' Jesse felt immense warmth in the hug, something he hadn''t felt for a very long time.


    He then shyly nodded and walked to the front door. He slipped his feet into his shoes and was about to leave until he felt a gentle tap on his shoulder.


    He turned and saw the ck-dressed Nyx standing beside him.


    "Yo~"


    "Hey..." Jesse awkwardly said, opening the door. He waited in the doorway, waiting for Nyx to finish whatever she had to say.


    "So, you are my cousin," Nyx said.


    "Seems so..." Jesse said with a strange expression. Their first meeting was still very vivid in his memory, which was why it made him feel rather awkward.


    Nyx forced a smile and leaned closer until her lips were about to touch his ear. She then softly whispered.


    "Let''s keep our first meeting a secret, okay? No one has to know~"


    "Hmm, what meeting?" Jesse acted ignorantly with an innocent expression.


    "You know, that..." Nyx looked at him in the face, but then saw his smirk and soon realized what he meant by that.


    She smiled softly and gently patted a dust particle off his shoulder. "See youter, cousin~"


    "Mm." Jesse nodded and stepped out of the house. As he crossed the road back to his apartment, he looked over his shoulder at the luxurious building. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.


    After returning to his apartment, he got rid of his shoes and went to change his clothes. He put on his sweatpants and blue t-shirt, which were old clothes of his, and was feeling quite tight because of his newly acquired physique.


    He still had to purchase new clothes when he had time.


    He then returned to the living room and slumped down on the sofa.


    "I have a new father, grandmother, and cousin. This is crazy..." Jesse held his face, but a small smile crept up on his face. Past few years, he felt like he was living in a world of cold and gray, but now, first sign of light appeared.


    ''Fuck...'' Jesse wiped the tears from the corner of his eyes. "Got little bit emotional after all the shit things I had to go throughtely."


    He cracked a smile and scratched the back of his head.


    ''I suppose I will go to Martial Online to clear up my mind.'' Jesse stood up and went first to the bathroom, then ate before moving to his bedroom. He nned this to be a very long day, as tomorrow he would be busy.


    ''Till nightfall, I have to be productive.'' He thought andid on the bed with a VR headset around his head.


    With one button press, he entered the white expanse of space, and with another press, he entered Martial Online''s strange world.


    ...


    A sound of creaking wood echoed in his ears as Ambrose slowly opened his eyes to see the empty room around him.


    The light from the window was dim and cast shadows on the walls. It was because of the forest in the house''s backyard, which blocked most of the light from reaching the windows.


    ''What should I do today?'' He wondered as he stood up to stretch his limbs. ''I have to be careful not to be discovered by yers, as I am not ready to face Zahhak yet.


    ''There is this forest, though. Maybe I could grind levels in here undisturbed. I could use this house as my base for now, but I should keep moving.


    ''It takes at least a day for Zahhak to reach Amaterasu. They are then going to start searching for me like blood hungry hounds. However, I am also about twenty hours away from Amaterasu by wagon.


    ''So, I have nearly fifty hours of advantage over Zahhak. I should keep moving to the outskirts of the Light Continent. Perhaps I can find some peaceful ce toy low.''


    Ambrose didn''t like the idea of running away, but he had to be very careful. 5,000 silvers was a lot for any yer, and even those who didn''t like Zahhak would search for him.


    ''This indeed is harsh.'' He thought and left the room.


    When he reached the stairway leading downstairs, his whole body froze.


    The front door was open, and there were several people lounging in the doorway of the house.


    Ambrose quickly hid behind the wall, sweat falling down his forehead.


    ''yers? Here?! How can I be so unlucky?''


    He tried to gather his thoughts and quickly looked around the second floor to see if anyone was there.


    There didn''t seem to be anyone, but it was clear that they had searched all rooms.


    The only reason they didn''t find him was because he was offline when they searched his room.


    ''Who are they, and are they hostile?'' Ambrose perked up his ears and tried to listen to their conversation. There seemed to be three yers in the doorway.


    "Man, when the fuck is Narniaing back online?" A rough-sounding yer clicked his tongue. "We are wasting time; we should''ve arrived at the farm already!"


    "His mother called for him to clean his room. Hah, knowing him, it must look like a dumpster." A sharp-haired yer said with a chuckle.


    "The boss is going to be mad if we don''t return to Tonshen soon." Jock, a tattooed yer with ocean-blue eyes, said with a frown.


    He had his back turned against the house while looking at the surrounding forest. The forest looked rather scary, as if some unknown creature could suddenly jump from there.


    Ambrose stopped listening and started to think about the current situation.


    ''So, there are actually four of them. One of them is offline. Wait, Tonshen... they are part of the yers who massacred everyone there!'' Ambrose''s expression turned cold. ''Alright, so they are definitely hostile.


    ''Also, they are going to a farm? Could it be that farm?!''


    Images of the elderly man and the cozy-looking farmhouse with a wooden barn and surrounding fields filled with wheat, crops, corn, tomatoes, and pumpkins shed through his mind.


    ''They are clearing the surrounding areas, for what?'' Ambrose frowned. ''It can''t be for silver or for treasures. That farm has nothing except the fields and the area... They are trying to increase their territory?''


    Ambrose looked down at his waist, where the sheathed ck Sword was. He wrapped his fingers around the hilt and clenched it tightly.


    ''I won''t let them.'' He looked coldly at the wall in front of him. ''Three I can manage, but four will make it difficult. I have to get rid of them before the fourth logs back in.


    ''Well then, how should I do that? Frontal attack isn''t wise as I don''t know their strength.'' Ambrose peeked from upstairs towards the doorway. ''Hmm, they are all swordsmen? They have swords on their waists. Well, that makes things easier.''

 Chapter 91 Black Blade

    <h4>Chapter 91 ck de</h4>


    Thud¡ªthe rough-sounding yer frowned and looked up to the dimly lit upstairs. He was certain that he heard something.


    "What is it, Miguel?" Jock asked.


    "I swear I heard something." Miguel said and turned to the sharp-haired yer. "What about you, Leroy? Did you hear it as well?"


    "Nah, man, I heard nothing." Leroy said while picking on his nose.


    "Hmm, maybe I misheard it." Miguel shook his head and looked away from the house. "Yeah, what I was saying, I think we should go and make Narnia run after us instea¡ª"


    Thud¡ªa loud crash came from the upstairs as if someone had fallen from the bed.


    Jock, Miguel, and Leroy flinched and instinctively drew their swords out of their scabbards. They weren''t mistaken anymore¡ªthere was someone or something making noise upstairs.


    "W-where did Narnia ce his temporary spawn?" Leroy asked with shakiness in the tone of his voice.


    "He put it in the living room..." Jock said and pointed his chin towards the upstairs. "Miguel, let''s go check out the upstairs."


    "Roger." Miguel stepped inside the house with a longsword in hand. He was the tallest and most muscr person in their current group, with a history of street fighting.


    "What about me?" Leroy asked and looked around the yard with a gulp.


    "Wait here." Jock said, he was certain that with Miguel, it shouldn''t be too big of a problem. It was still unclear whether it was a rat that made the noise.


    They approached the stairs, and Miguel went up first, followed up by Jock. They soon had reached the upstairs and began searching through the rooms.


    Leroy stood by the door, looking upstairs. "Hey, guys, what was it that made the sound?"


    After receiving no reply, he gulped. "G-guys?"


    The upstairs looked deste, and there was no sight of Miguel or Jock.


    "Guy¡ª" Leroy gasped in horror as a dark de burst through his throat. With shaky eyes, he saw the dark de right in front of his vision with blue blood dripping from it.


    He wanted to cry for help, but he couldn''t utter anything, not even breathe.


    His health fell to zero, and his body transformed into a cluster of small, grain-sized pixels.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [400 XP Earned!]


    A hooded figure looked at the dropped item on the ground, picked it up, and then turned towards the upstairs with a deep look.


    He stepped inside the house, and instead of going upstairs, he walked past the stairs and walked towards the kitchen.


    At upstairs, Jock and Miguel looked around the deste room and went to the windows to see whether they saw anything moving outside. They saw nothing.


    "What could have possibly fallen even?" Miguel asked Jock. "There ain''t any furniture either. Maybe here is an attic we haven''t seen?"


    "Not sure; let''s check other rooms just in case." Jock said and left the room with a sword in hand. However, when he was about to walk past the stairs, he noticed that the doorway was empty.


    "Leroy?" Jock frowned and looked downstairs. "Leroy? Where the hell did you go?"


    Miguel stopped beside him and gulped. He felt like there was something odd going around but couldn''t tell what.


    "Check the rest of the rooms." Jock said to Miguel and began walking downstairs. "Leroy? Answer me!"


    Miguel quickly went to check the other rooms with a sword in hand.


    After reaching downstairs, Jock walked out of the house and then looked left and right. The yard was empty, but then he saw something shocking.


    "I-Is that blood?" He crouched, and there was indeed a little bit of blood sttered across a small spot on the porch.


    His expression turned into horror, and he was about to scream for Miguel, but then his head turned upside down as if gravity had flipped.


    Through his horror-filled eyes, he saw his headless torso and a dark, cloaked figure holding a blood-stained sword.


    The head fell to the porch and turned into pixels with the headless torso.


    "Jock, there isn''t anything in her¡ª" Miguel walked out of thest room and stopped talking once he saw what was happening downstairs.


    He saw a dark cloaked figure holding a ck-ded sword with headless torso turning into pixels in front of him.


    "W-who the fuck are you?!" Miguel screamed and rushed downstairs, raising his longsword to strike at the unknown figure.


    "Basic sh!" He screamed and smashed his longsword down.


    The cloaked figure, holding the ck Sword with one hand, blocked the strike without showing any sign of struggling.


    "Raaaah!" Miguel screamed, lifted his sword up, and smashed it down repeatedly as if he were trying to kill an ant.


    The cloaked figure dodged each blow and blocked them all with ease.


    "S-shit, die!" Miguel took a step backward and put his sword into a rather strange stance. He pulled his right elbow right back and then thrust it forward, aiming for the cloaked figure''s chest.


    "Huuu..." Ambrose, showing a calm demeanor under the hood, breathed calmly and used "Basic Parry" to parry the strike.


    Miguel stumbled to the side; his bnce crumbled to pieces.


    Seeing a chance open up in front of him, Ambrose charged forward and drove the sword through the man''s chest.


    The man fell back with a thud, but he was still alive, barely. He was breathing roughly and was trying to stand up.


    However, Ambrose didn''t n on giving him the chance. He pulled out a red sword from his inventory and stabbed it through Miguel''s forehead.


    The man finally fell silent and turned to pixels.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [525 XP Earned!]


    "Whew..." He heaved a sigh of relief and wiped the blood off his swords. "After intentionally making noise upstairs, I jumped down from the window and ambushed the first yer.


    "Luckily, they weren''t part of the party, or it would have been very troublesome. Luckily, those other two separated, and I got a free kill, but then thest one noticed me. I didn''t expect him to search through the remaining rooms so quickly.


    "Did he do that out of fear of the unknown? He didn''t want to be alone, especially knowing that something might have happened to the first yer. I didn''t take that to count, but it still worked fine."


    ...


    "Have you cleaned your room?" A middle-aged woman''s shout came from downstairs.


    "Yes, mom!" Narnia, a young man from Death de, shouted and closed his room''s door with a m.


    He turned to his tidy room, with books neatly shoved inside the bookshelf, the bed properly tidied up with a nket, and the floor cleaned up with a dustpan and broom.


    ''Damn, I hope I am not toote!'' Narnia thought anxiously and grabbed his VR headset from the side, then sat down on his gaming chair.


    He pressed the button and saw the scenery change around him.


    After a while, he reappeared in the middle of the deste living room, which had ugly gray wallpaper.


    "Yo, I am back; sorry for beingte!" He immediately apologized and turned to the front door. To his surprise, there was no one there. The whole house was empty!


    "Wait, did you assholes leave without me?" Narnia yelled at the empty house. He was very angry, but then he noticed something on the ground.


    He crouched beside the stairs and saw a piece of paper with a note written on it.


    "Look behind you..." Narnia frowned and looked around.


    Swoosh¡ªhe saw a dark, cloaked figure swinging a ck sword. The sword shed through his face, killing him as soon as he logged back in.


    After turning to pixels, he dropped something beside Ambrose''s feet.


    He picked it up and raised an eyebrow. "He dropped a brown ring? What is this, I wonder?"


    It didn''t show any description.


    ''What does this do?''


    Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and tossed it into his inventory. He also received a longsword, a red cloak, and a pair of boots from the yers he killed.


    ''They didn''t drop any silver. Are they storing all their money somewhere?''


    Ambrose stepped outside and breathed the fresh air into his lungs. He opened his eyes wide. "At least, I have to warn the farmer and his family.


    "They have time to escape before theye back." Ambrose said as he began running towards the farm.

 Chapter 92 Custody

    <h4>Chapter 92 Custody</h4>


    "Arrgh!" Jock appeared in the sh of light. He was sweating furiously as he looked around the fancy-looking room.


    The room clearly belonged to a female upant, judging by the female touch in the decor.


    "Who the fuck was he?" He gritted his teeth hatefully and rushed out of the room. To his surprise, the nearby doors also swung open.


    Miguel and Leroy, looking beaten and bruised, walked out of the room with frightened expressions.


    It looked like they saw a ghost.


    "Miguel, Leroy?!" Jock eximed. He had a hunch that Leroy got killed too, but Miguel shocked him the most.


    "Jock... Miguel." Leroy looked stunned, and then he touched his throat. His hand trembled as he still remembered the sight of a ck de moving through his throat in slow motion.


    "Argh..." Miguel clutched his chest and remembered the cold look of his killer. Then ck and red mixed together, delivering a swift death.


    He had never been beaten up that badly in a frontal fight.


    "Miguel, did he also ambush you?" Jock asked.


    "No, he defeated me fairly." Miguel said and mockingly chuckled. "I had no chance."


    "Damn it!" Jock cursed and nced at the golden-framed picture on the wall. It showed a family of four. He punched it to smithereens and shouted, "Howe there was a powerful yer in some random house in the middle of nowhere!"


    Tap, tap¡ªfootsteps came from the stairs, revealing a drunken yer. He swayed side-to-side and then saw the three yers standing in the hallway.


    He showed a silly, surprised look.


    "Jock, Miguel, and Leroy, didn''t you three go to that farm ce?"


    "We died, you moron; get out of my way!" Jock pushed him to the side and rushed downstairs, then out of the house.


    Construction was ongoing on the broken buildings, but none of Death de members were construction experts, so they simply cleared off the trash and decided to pay for NPC to build for them.


    "Jaeger, boss!" Jock fast-walked towards the leader of Death de, who had an axe in hand. He was chopping food for anotherte-night bonfire.


    "Jock?" Jaeger turned around with an axe in hand. He deeply frowned. "Why are you here? What happened."


    The nearby Death de members also stopped cleaning to hear what Jock had to say, as they remembered him leaving through the gates early morning to go to the farm.


    "We died, boss!" Jock said with a heavy look. "Me, Leroy, Miguel, and possibly Narnia. We encountered a powerful yer!"


    Jaeger wrinkled his face as he was clearly disappointed, but he also wanted more details about what happened.


    He then saw Miguel and Leroy walk with their heads low out of the main building.


    "Only one or more?"


    "O-only one, boss." Jock said even though he was embarrassed to admit it.


    The nearby Death de members were surprised, as they knew about Miguel''s strength. Jock was also quite powerful, while Narnia and Leroy were the newest members of their group and had the potential to grow.


    "Hmm, tell me what happened." Jaeger smashed the axe into a wooden log and sat down on the wooden fence.


    "Well..." Jock began talking about what had happened since they arrived at the house. Leroy and Miguel also talked about their experience, and soon Jaeger had almost aplete picture of the incident.


    "Instead of running away, he decided to kill all of you." Jaeger rubbed his chin and frowned. "What about Narnia? Do you know what happened to him?"


    "No, boss." Jock said. "However, he is on my friend list, and I received notification that he came online.


    "I sent him messages, but he did not reply back. We can assume that he is dead."


    "If he is dead, why has he not spawned back here?" Jaeger asked.


    "Well..." Jock scratched the back of his head. "The moron had to log off to clean his room. He put a new temporary spawn on that abandoned house.


    "If he died, he was sent back to Amaterasu."


    Jaeger cracked his knuckles, starting to slowly get annoyed by his ipetent team members. He then took a deep breath and exhaled.


    "Take a few men with you, go to that farm, and clear it. If you happen to find that yer again, kill him."


    "Y-you are not going with us?" Jock gulped.


    "No, someone has to defend this vige!" Jaeger roared and stood up. He straightened his sleeves and said. "He cannot ambush you guys anymore. You are prepared, but to be sure, create a party and add each one there. That way, you cannot possibly be taken off guard!"


    "Oh, excellent idea!" Jock resisted pping at the marvelous idea. ''We would get notification if any of the party members died. If we were in the party and received the notification when Leroy died, Miguel and I would have killed that bastard!''


    Miguel and Leroy also nodded, feeling more confident now. They doubted they would meet with that same rogue yer anymore, but still, both of them wanted revenge.


    ...


    18 Cavern Street.


    Creak¡ªJack, holding his silver-handled walking cane, opened the metal gate and slowly limped towards the front door with a calm demeanor.


    He raised his hand and pressed the doorbell. He then grabbed the silver-handed tip of the cane with both hands and waited until he heard footsteps approaching the door.


    The door opened.


    A blue-eyed woman with rather attractive features and long ck hair stood before him. Her clear-as-sky blue eyes widened in shock when she saw who stood outside.


    The towel she was carrying fell off her hand and slowlynded on the doorway, in the middle of the two figures.


    "Y-you..."


    "Hello, Maria." Jack took off his top hat and bowed to her. He then straightened his back and put the top hat back on. "May we talk?"


    Maria anxiously looked back inside, stepped out of the house, and closed the door.


    "What are you doing in here?" She asked quite angrily. "Terry is home currently, and so is my daughter!"


    "But not your son, huh?" Jack looked into her eyes and saw her expression turnplicated. "May I ask, why? Why did you abandon him?"


    "I..." Maria looked away and timidly asked. "H-how did you know?"


    "I am d I found out," Jack said. "I didn''t expect my own son to be mistreated like this in this household. I thought you, out of all people, would understand how difficult a person with Humanoid Imperfecta has.


    "He might not even live past thirty, yet you were ready to abandon him."


    "I-it was Terry''s idea."


    "He is your son. You should have fought harder for him." Jack looked angrier by the second. He reached out to his coat, pulled out several wrinkled pieces of paperwork, and handed them to Maria.


    "W-what are these?"


    "Custody papers; I am taking custody of Jesse. Write your name on it, then make Terry write his name on it. Then you don''t have to hear from me ever again.


    "However, if you don''t, I will tell Terry everything."


    "Y-you are ckmailing me?" Maria looked shocked, as this was not Jack she remembered. She still sometimes remembered that passionate night, even though she wished to forget it.


    "Yes, for him, I am ckmailing you." Jack turned away, stepped through the gate, and nodded towards his driver, who started the engine and drove the car beside him. The driver then stood out of the car and went to open the backseat door.


    "Mail me the papers once you are done signing them." Jack looked at Maria and made one small bow before saying. "Farewell."


    He entered the car, and then the engine hummed gently before they drove off. Maria watched as they drove away; she was still in shock from what had just happened.


    She then looked at the papers in her hand and painfully took a pen from her pocket and wrote her name down.

 Chapter 93 Abandoned Farm

    <h4>Chapter 93 Abandoned Farm</h4>


    "Grandma, when is the food ready?" A little girl with ck pigtails tried to stand on her toes while peeking at her grandmother making food.


    "Soon, take the tes for me; thanks, sweetie." An elderly woman handed her granddaughter several tes and then returned to making food.


    The walls had many photos of her family, including an elderly farmer, a beautiful middle-aged woman, malnourished-looking middle-aged man and the little girl.


    The square windows showed a wooden barn and fields of wheat and corn. It was excellent weather for farm work and a pic.


    "Working hard, I see." A gentleugh came from the entrance of the kitchen. The beautiful ck-haired middle-aged woman leaned against the wall while watching her adorable daughter put tes on the table.


    "Lily, mind looking out for food? I have to go invite the farmer to eat!" The elderly woman took off her apron and gave it to her daughter. Her daughter smiled and stirred the food while gently smelling the scent of delicious food.


    The elderly woman took her slippers and put them on. She had her sights set on the front door, and was nning to go invite her husband for the dinner.


    Knock, knock¡ªa sound of hurried knocking reverberated across the house.


    The beautiful woman stopped stirring the pot. Her face turned pale as she turned to look at the front door.


    "F-father wouldn''t knock, right?"


    "G-get your daughter and Mick. Use the back door." The elderly woman grabbed a sturdy-looking baseball bat and approached the front door.


    "Mom, what about you?" Lily grabbed the hand of her daughter and moved with her in a hurry upstairs.


    Her daughter looked confusedly around, wondering why she was being dragged away before she put all the tes on the table.


    "I will be fine..." The elderly woman showed a weak smile and then turned to the door. She grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.


    There was a ck-haired young man standing outside. He was rtively tall with a toned body. It was clear that he was powerful!


    "W-who are you?" The elderly woman asked while clenching the baseball bat behind her back. If needed, she would sacrifice herself to buy time for her family to escape.


    "You don''t know me, but I visited here yesterday, asking for directions. I met an elderly gentleman here." Ambrose said and removed his hood, revealing his face to the elderly woman. "I am bringing dire news.


    "I visited Tonshen Vige, and the yers who had upied that ce areing here."


    "W-what?!" The elderly woman shook in her slippers. It was the worst possible news for them.


    "It takes them at least an hour to reach this ce." Ambrose said and looked around the indoors but couldn''t see anyone. "You should leave before theye. They will raze this ce to the ground and kill everyone."


    "M-my husband is working on the fields!" The elderly woman took a step out of the house, nning to rush to her husband, but then Ambrose grabbed her by the shoulder.


    "I will go get him. Gather all the stuff you can carry and then leave." Ambrose turned around and began walking towards the far-away fields.


    A distant sound of shouting rang in his ears as the family living in the farmhouse began to gather their belongings and prepare to leave.


    Ambrose climbed up a small hill and saw therge fields that covered an area of several hundred meters.


    In the middle of the fields, an elderly man was busy checking out the condition of the tomatoes.


    A whileter, the elderly man heard approaching footsteps.


    At first, he thought it would be his wife, inviting him for dinner, but when he turned around, he saw someone he didn''t expect to see again.


    "Y-you, why have youe back? You couldn''t find Tonshen?" The elderly man slowly rose to his feet. It looked difficult for him, as he wasn''t at his peak years anymore.


    "I found it, and I am bringing some bad news." Ambrose said and sighed. "The yers who massacred the vigers of Tonshen areing here."


    "W-why?" The elderly man took a step back out of shock.


    "For territory, and I suppose everything on these fields would give arge amount of profit for them." Ambrose said.


    Therger groups were more in need of silver than solo yers.


    "T-this farm has been with my family for generations!" The elderly man looked around the fields with an unyielding gaze. "I-I can''t abandon it just because of one threat."


    "Is the farm worth dying for?" Ambrose frowned deeply. "You are a man. It is your duty to protect your family. You want to abandon them or die with them? It''s not worth it!"


    "I-I..." The elderly man looked at his trembling hands and shook his head firmly. "No, I won''t let them die!"


    "They are already packing their belongings and preparing to leave. However, I know for a fact that your wife wouldn''t leave with you."


    The old man''s eyes filled with tears. "I-I understand; I will leave with them."


    Ambrose nodded and followed after the old man as they left the fields and returned to the farmhouse.


    The old woman had already prepared a wagon for them with a brown-maned horse. Lily, Mick, and their little daughter were filling the wagon with all the important items.


    After seeing the old man return to the farmhouse, his wife immediately hugged him and shared whispers. They both didn''t want to leave, but the other option was death.


    Ambrose gave a helping hand with the heavier items.


    Soon, the wagon was nearly full, with only a few spots for them to sit.


    The old man took the reins and took the driver''s seat while his wife sat beside him.


    Lily, Mick and the little girl sat inside the wagon.


    The old man looked towards the ck-haired young man. If he hadn''te for them, they would most likely have faced certain death. Their first experience with yers was the incident at Tonshen Vige.


    It left a sour taste in their mouths, as they thought all the yers were murderous with zero remorse.


    This proved them otherwise.


    "What will you be doing?" The old man asked.


    "I will be leaving shortly." Ambrose replied with a small smile.


    The old man sighed in relief and nodded. Then he asked. "What is your name, young man?"


    "Ambrose." He replied with his in-game name.


    "Ambrose... I will remember that." The old man then shared a nce with his wife and nodded.


    He used the reins, and the horses began slowly moving down the dirt road. They were heading in the opposite direction from Tonshen.


    There were several nearby towns where they nned to take shelter and find out where they should go next.


    After the wagon was out of sight, Ambrose walked into the farmhouse and saw ready-made food boiling in the pots. He moved the pot off the stove and turned it off.


    Taking a small spoon, he tasted the food and exhaled silently.


    "Delicious indeed." Ambrose then ced the spoon back down and nced at one of the pictures on the kitchen table.


    The family had grabbed most of the family photos, but it looked like they missed one.


    "They areing here..." Ambrose bit his lip and looked around the house with a thoughtful expression. "They are definitely going to be cautious. But they can''t possibly be expecting me.


    "If they aren''t idiots, they would be using the party to their advantage. I wouldn''t be able to ambush kill them, but there are other ways of eliminating them." Ambrose rubbed his chin and smirked. "Hmm, I had a good idea.


    "It could work, and I still have plenty of time before they arrive." Ambroseughed, as he had a wicked idea on his mind. "First Zahhak, now them. I am making a lot of enemies these days."

 Chapter 94 The Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 94 The Preparations</h4>


    ''No time to waste; let''s check what I have here that I can work with.''


    Ambrose tossed his ck cloak back into his inventory and then rolled the sleeves of his shirt.


    He started by checking all the drawers in every room to see if there was anything useful.


    In the bedroom of the elderly couple, he checked the drawers of the bedside table and found cotton thread. It was very thin and felt like it could snap very easily.


    ''Thread, thread...'' Ambrose frowned and found a bundle of needles in the drawer. It looked like the elderly couple used them for sewing or knitting.


    He grabbed both the threads and needles, then returned downstairs. He ced them on the kitchen table beside each other.


    There was also a baseball bat in a corner of the room, which he picked up and ced on top of the table as well.


    "Hmm..." Ambrose suddenly felt a stinging sensation on his neck and quickly pped at it. He looked at his hand and saw a dead mosquito on it. He took a napkin and wiped it away.


    At the same time, he noticed a heavy-looking shelf that was leaning against the wall of the room. It was empty, as the family had grabbed everything they could carry from it.


    ''A shelf, thread, and needle.'' Ambrose rubbed his chin and walked out of the house into the open air of the farnd. He then saw the wooden barn with its doors wide open.


    "They''ve got to have rope somewhere, right?"


    He walked to the barn and entered it. There were haystacks, a few pitchforks, and tire marks from the old wagon on the ground.


    Ambrose checked for rope but couldn''t find anything. Then he found a longdder in one of the stalls.


    He grabbed them and moved them to lean against a wall, which he then used to climb to the second floor of the barn.


    There was an open window where he could see the entire farnd and the surrounding area.


    He could even see the far-away corn and wheat fields. It was a peaceful sight, but unfortunately, it was not going tost.


    Ambrose sighed at the sight and then turned nonchntly to the right.


    At that moment, he saw something he was looking for at the corner of the second floor.


    It was rope, around two meters in length, piled up on the corner.


    "Yes..." He took the rope, wrapped it around his neck, and then climbed down to the second floor. He then rushed back to the farmhouse.


    After mming the door open, he rushed to the kitchen table and tossed the rope on top of it. He then looked around the ceiling with one eye closed.


    ''Let''s do it like that.'' Ambrose grabbed the thread and rope. With the help of the needle, he connected them to each other. The thread looked fragile, and it was clear that it was almost snapping in half.


    Ambrose then went to the side entrance of the kitchen, which was rarely used. He grabbed two kitchen knives and stabbed them through the wooden floorboard beside the small, arc-shaped doorway.


    He then tied the ends of the thread around the knife handles. Now, the thread was acting as a tripwire.


    If anyone happened to walk through this entrance, they would identally snap the thread in half.


    The rope was still connected to that thread.


    Ambrose dragged the heavy-looking shelf towards the tripwire, then wrapped the rope around it before uttering all the strength from his biceps to lift it into the air with the help of the rope.


    Every time he pulled the rope, the heavy-looking shelf got closer to the ceiling.


    Soon, the heavy-looking shelf was right at the top of the ceiling, hanging from the rope.


    "Aaargh!" Ambrose groaned and reached out to the corner of the kitchen table. He then pulled the rope closer while the heavy-looking ceiling smashed into the ceiling. He then wrapped the rope around the kitchen table''s leg.


    After letting go of the rope, he breathed heavily and looked at the heavy-looking shelf near the ceiling.


    It wasn''t very hidden, and anyone walking into the kitchen could see it. However, if someone used the side entrance, they wouldn''t know what hit them.


    "Whew..." Ambrose took a deep breath and was about to leave the house to find any more useful items when he suddenly saw an ajar door with stairs going to the basement. ''Basement, I didn''t see that before.''


    He opened the door and went down the stairs into the dimly lit basement.


    The basement was very warm, as if it were a sauna, but then he found a bucket in the corner of the room.


    He approached it and checked its interior.


    It was some kind of ck liquid.


    He dipped his finger in the liquid, then smelled it and eximed. ''Gasoline... this could work.''


    Taking the bucket into his arms, he returned to the house and ced the bucket beside the kitchen table.


    He then looked around the kitchen and suddenly kicked the bucket over, causing the gasoline to spill everywhere.


    Ambrose then found a small cloth, wrapped it around the baseball bat, and then dipped it in the gasoline before grabbing the matchsticks from the drawer and leaving the house.


    He looked towards the dirt road, but it looked empty, as if he were the only person in the world.


    ''I am done with my preparations. Now, I just have to hope...'' He walked towards the barn, entered it, and closed therge doors.


    ...


    A group of six crouched behind a small hill. They saw an empty-looking farmhouse with flourishing fields and a red-painted wooden barn.


    "Jock, we have already wasted plenty of time. Shouldn''t we already do this?" An impatient-looking Death de member asked.


    "Quiet!" Jock whisper-shouted. "We are doing this my way!"


    The impatient-looking member rolled his eyes, not understanding this carefulness.


    "Let''s go; move stealthily." Jock said to them, and they then walked over the hill before starting to jog towards the farmhouse.


    Once they reached the farmhouse, they hid behind it and tried to peek inside the house through the window.


    The tallest person around, Miguel, looked from the window and saw an empty house.


    "It''s empty..."


    "Empty, what?" Jock frowned, thinking it was strange.


    "It''s empty," Miguel repeated. "Maybe they heard what happened in Tonshen and decided it''s not worth it to risk their lives?"


    "Why are you speaking like they are real?" The impatient-looking yer asked with a scoff. "I don''t think they can think for themselves and just follow the orders of the code!"


    "Doesn''t matter!" Jock stopped them before they erupted in an argument. He then looked at a brown-haired man and a ck-haired woman.


    They were standing next to each other and looked close.


    "You two, go check the barn. We will check the house."


    "Roger!" The man and woman replied and began walking towards the wooden barn while holding hands.


    They didn''t look like they were in a hurry, as they walked rather slowly while whispering intimately.


    Jock shook his head, annoyed that no one was taking this mission as seriously as him and Miguel. They left Leroy behind in Tonshen and took four rtively strong members as backup.


    "Let''s enter!" Jock said and nodded to Miguel. They split into teams of two, and one entered through the front door while the other two entered from the back.


    At the barn, the couple opened therge doors and looked around the messy barn with an uninteresting gaze.


    "Hmm, those haystacks lookfy." The man grinned and spun his girlfriend around while holding her by the waist. "Since we have time to waste, what do you say?"


    "Close the door at least, dummy." The ck-haired woman blushed and shoved her boyfriend towards the doors. The man rolled his eyes with a smile and closed the heavy doors.


    He then turned to the ck-haired woman, grabbed her by the waist, and nted a kiss on her lips. They hugged each other and fell on top of the haystack.


    As they shared an intimate moment, the ck-haired woman opened her eyes and saw the face of her boyfriend.


    She was about to again close her eyes and enjoy the kiss, but then her eyes widened in shock as a ck-cloaked figure appeared behind her boyfriend.


    She tried to scream, but her lips were sealed by her boyfriend.


    The ck-cloaked figure raised a ck-ded sword.


    ''ck de!'' The woman screamed inwardly.


    "High Pain." Ambrose whispered coldly and shed down.

 Chapter 95 Burning House

    <h4>Chapter 95 Burning House</h4>


    "Ah!" The brown-haired man gasped for air as a strange electric current suddenly ran down his spine. He couldn''t move, as if he were tased.


    He tried to call for help from his girlfriend, but then he saw her motionless.


    Her shoulder had been cut by some kind of sharp object.


    The man then felt something hot fall down his back as if he were bleeding!


    Suddenly, hands appeared in his vision, holding some kind of ripped cloth.


    The hands then wrapped the cloth around his mouth, and then he felt a strong tug on his cor as he was suddenly thrown to the ground.


    He saw a ck-cloaked figure approaching his girlfriend.


    At that moment, he remembered Jock''s warning about the person who had attacked them at the abandoned house.


    He and his girlfriend didn''t care about it, as there was a small chance of encountering him again.


    Yet he was now standing right in front of them.


    The cloaked figure wrapped the ripped cloth around the ck-haired woman''s mouth and tossed her to the ground.


    He then pulled a thin thread from his pocket and tied her limbs with it. He tied the thread so tightly that it cut slightly into her skin.


    "Mmm!" The brown-haired man screamed and squirmed.


    He was slowly regaining the mobility of his limbs, but then a shadow appeared above him.


    The dark-cloaked figure looked coldly at him and then tied his limbs with the same thin thread.


    At first, the man thought it would be easy to break through them as he had put plenty of stats on strength, but he couldn''t use any of his strength with his bound limbs.


    He was incredibly frustrated.


    Crash¡ªan earth-shaking sound sounded from the direction of the farmhouse.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [450 XP Earned!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 30 -> 31]


    ''I see, the game registered that as my kill.'' Ambrose thought, opened the barn doors, and looked back at the two tied yers. "Wait here, thanks."


    m¡ªthe doors of the barn shut down with a m, leaving the man and woman struggling alone in the darkness.


    ...


    "What the hell was that?!" Jock shouted and rushed to the kitchen. He then felt something sticky on the floor and looked at it.


    The whole floor was ck and covered in some kind of sticky substance.


    "What the fuck is this now?!"


    "Jock, Quinn died!" A frightened-looking man shouted behind a crushed shelf.


    "I got the notification!" Jock shouted. "How did he die?!"


    "He got crushed by a fucking shelf!"


    Miguel ran to the kitchen from upstairs.


    He had already taken his spare sword out, thinking that the ck-cloaked figure had returned.


    He lost his longsword after his death, so he only had a wooden sword left.


    After seeing the crushed shelf and pond of blue blood, he sheathed his sword and drew a cross on his chest. "That is one terrifying way of dying."


    "Huh, why the fuck was there a shelf on the ceiling?!" Jock shouted.


    "M-maybe it was the owner of this farm''sst fuck you?" The frightened-looking man made a guess.


    Quinn, the person who died, was the impatient guy who treated this mission as a joke and a waste of time.


    "Also, what is this sticky shit on the ground?" Jock groaned angrily.


    Miguel frowned and touched the floor and the ck substance. He smelled it and frowned. "This smells like... gasoline?"


    "Gasoline? Why does this game have gasoline when they can''t use it?" Jock asked.


    With his knowledge, he knew that this game didn''t have automobiles, aircraft, or any generators that needed gasoline.


    "Maybe this game has some kind of generator to keep the light going? Don''t bigger cities have lightbulbs as light sources?" The frightened man said.


    "Damn, I don''t care. Let''s get the fuck out of here!" Jock walked to the window and opened it. He looked at the barn and angrily shouted. "Morris, Wilma, have you checked the barn already?!"


    After several seconds of silence, Jock gritted his teeth. "Why aren''t they answering?!"


    "Maybe they are banging again, like always when they are out of sight." Miguel sighed and massaged his temples. "Every time."


    "If they have removed a single piece of cloth, I will beat their asses!" Jock said and angrily stomped towards the front door, but then his body froze.


    Miguel and the frightened-looking man were about to follow, but after Jock stopped, so did they.


    "Jock?" Miguel looked at the silent back of the tattooed man. He didn''t move an inch.


    Jock gulped with a bleached face and slowly pointed outside with a trembling finger. Miguel turned to look outside and paled significantly, as if he had stepped into a snowstorm.


    "What is it?" The frightened man asked and stepped forward just to see the sight outside.


    They all saw a dark-cloaked figure outside with a hood over his head and a baseball bat in his right hand. The figure grabbed a matchstick, lit it up, and tossed it into the cloth that was wrapped around the baseball bat.


    A brilliant, burning fire enveloped the baseball bat.


    Jock and Miguel gulped deeply and looked down at their feet, which were covered in sticky gasoline.


    They looked frightened and began to shake uncontrobly.


    Ambrose looked down at his burning baseball bat, lifted it over his head, and hurled it across the air.


    The bat crashed through the house''s window andnded on the kitchen floor.


    Swoosh¡ªinstantly, fire began spreading across the entire first floor, enveloping the three yers in it.


    A secondter, a burning explosion destroyed the house, sending burning pieces of furniture flying across the air.


    Ambrose looked silently at the explosions, with several burning pieces of furniturending around him.


    A framed picture with cracked ssnded beside him; the picture was slowly burning to ash with the faces of the family melting away.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [450 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [425 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [525 XP Earned!]


    Ambrose looked away from the burning farmhouse and returned to the barn. After opening the doors, the couple were still struggling, but the man was trying to bite off the threads around his girlfriend''s limbs.


    After seeing the light return to the dark barn, they hopefully looked at the entrance, hoping that Jock and others had killed the ck-cloaked figure. But to their horror, it wasn''t the case.


    Ambrose drew his ck-ded sword and shed at the ck-haired woman''s throat, killing her swiftly.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [425 XP Earned!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 31 -> 32]


    "Mmm!" The brown-haired man squirmed and tried to scream.


    Ambrose was about to smash the sword down, but then decided otherwise. He crouched and removed the cloth from the man''s mouth. The man''s eyes were filled with anger.


    "You are dead, man!" Morris shouted. "We are Death de; do you think you can kill us and get away?!"


    Ambrose kept his head low as the hood covered his face nicely, so the man couldn''t see his face.


    "And how would you find me?" Ambrose asked with a stoic tone.


    "We are allies of Zahhak!" Morris shouted andughed crazily. "Hahaha, are you scared? You should be!"


    "And how would they find me?" Ambrose asked with a small smile creeping up on his face.


    "Huh, are you a fool? Of course they find you!" Morris shouted and tried to get rid of the threads. "They have informants in every city who are willing to do anything for them.


    "I heard some of them are even real-life bounty hunters!"


    "Oh, very interesting, indeed." Ambrose lifted his sword and smiled. "However, I do not care."


    "Huh?" Morris''s eyes widened, and then the sword shed through his head. He vanished to pixels.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [450 XP Earned!]


    ''I leveled up twice today already by simply killing yers.'' Ambrose thought and rose to his feet, then walked out of the barn to see the burning farmhouse. ''No wonder Zahhak only kills yers. It is a way faster way of leveling up if they find enough yers.


    ''However, fighting against yers also increases the chance of death by many times. A single death would halve their umted experience points, wasting many hours of grinding.


    ''That''s why only killing yers is not a choice for weaker yers. It is dangerous, especially when one can identally encounter someone powerful and influential. yers are known to harbor grudges...


    ''Killing only yers is not a choice for me either. With each encounter with yers, I expose myself to potential danger. It only needs one yer who knows about the bounty to see my face. Then I would get a lot of yers after me.''


    Ambrose looked at the burning building and clenched his fists. He had already done enough and could walk away with his life intact. Death de wouldn''t be able to find him if he truly wanted to escape.


    ''I am still not done.'' Ambrose caressed the hilt of his ck Sword. ''If they are really allies with Zahhak, they are my enemies. I also don''t really like them.


    ''If I die to them, that is too bad; I will put my temporary spawn on the abandoned house and will escape. However, if I happen to kill them, they will lose Tonshen when I raze that ce to the ground.''


    Ambrose looked at the bright blue sky. It was still early, and he had plenty of time left today to create some chaos.


    He smirked and nced at the burning house before turning back to the barn.


    There were two dropped items on the ground, but they were only pieces of cloth, not interesting at all.


    Also, he couldn''t check the dropped items from the burning house. Those items have most likely been burned to ash by now.


    ''Well, I have nothing left to do here.'' Ambrose stepped on the dirt road and began his journey back to Tonshen Vige, having only one goal¡ªdestroy.

 Chapter 96 First Gate of the Inner Power

    <h4>Chapter 96 First Gate of the Inner Power</h4>


    Jaeger looked silently at the group of yers in front of them. All Death de members had gathered in front of the former Vige Chief''s house.


    Jock and others returned with defeated expressions a few minutes ago.


    "Are you certain it was the same person?" Jaeger asked with a stoic tone.


    "Y-yes, sir!" Jock replied.


    "So, he is obviously targeting us." Jaeger said and grabbed the one-handed axe. He traced his finger against its sharp de. "This was a targeted assault."


    "W-what should we do? Go after him with everyone?" Jock asked and cracked his knuckles.


    He already felt excited about the idea of chasing after that bastard who killed them. He was trembling in excitement.


    "Obviously not." Jaeger looked at his second-inmand like he was a fool. "He wants the farm; let him keep it. We have much more to lose than him.


    "If we kill him once, that''s it; he doesn''t lose much except items and gets his experience points halved. We, on the other hand, can lose everything we have worked hard for."


    Jaeger lifted the axe and smashed it into the wooden log. "If we all leave and another group of yerses here, then what?"


    Jock turned speechless.


    Jaeger looked at every Death de member and shouted. "Stop idling around; we have a lot left to do. This incident happened because we are still weak, but this is an important lesson that we can be way stronger!"


    Everyone nodded and clenched their fists tightly. They swore to get stronger until they were strong enough to defeat all the enemies. The feeling was strongest with Jock and Miguel. They felt weaker than ever before.


    However, they swore to have their revenge one day.


    ...


    Ambrose stepped inside the abandoned house. The windows were shattered, and the walls had paintings of skull-faced des. It was the insignia of the Death de.


    "Cute, they did this all for me to make me scared." Ambrose chuckled and sat on the porch of the house, enjoying the fresh air and scent of nature.


    "Interface." He spoke gently, and the interface appeared in front of him. He had twenty stat points to spend.


    ''I have five skill scrolls. I should try creating more skills soon, but I have no time for that now. I should increase my intelligence, just in case. But I am about to fight with the Death de.


    ''Am I strong enough to beat them? I doubt they sent their strongest members after me. They have a crazy advantage in numbers.''


    Ambrose opened his inventory as well and took out one of the skill scrolls. "What kind of skill should I create? What could help me fight against many people at the same time? Kill is way too risky skill.


    "I can''t waste too much time thinking about the skill. I have to get done with this before it gets toote. I will be busy tomorrow."


    He nced at the interface and started assigning the stats. He put it all on intelligence, hoping it would help him create skills quicker.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 32]


    [ss: Suicide Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 700/2150]


    [HP: 285/285]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 12,050]


    [STR: 100]


    [CHA: 40]


    [INT: 70]


    [LUC: 20]


    [AGI: 20]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 50]


    [STA: 40]


    ***


    "Come on, skill!" Ambrose looked at the skill scroll and creased his brows. He looked very concentrated while staring at the scroll, as if he were trying to drill a hole through it with his stare.


    ''What kind of skill should I need?'' Ambrose pinched his be. He turned silent, as if the whole world around him had stopped moving.


    On a nearby branch, the wings of the butterflies stopped moving.


    Their colorful bodies were glowing, and they were looking at Ambrose with their big eyes.


    ''Hmm?'' Ambrose opened his eyes, as he couldn''t hear the chirping of birds anymore.


    He looked amazed at the sight that was happening in front of him.


    There was a small leaf falling from the tree, but it looked like it was frozen in time.


    ''What is this?'' He tried to stand up but also couldn''t move!


    Suddenly, a hand popped out of his chest.


    The hand looked delicate, and its skin was transparent and the color of azure.


    Soon, a whole arm appeared from his chest before an entire person.


    The person was floating in the air.


    It turned around, and to his surprise, the person looked identical to him but was naked without any clothes on.


    The person reached out his hand to Ambrose, and shockingly, his hand also moved and touched the doppleg?nger''s fingertips.


    A bright light then followed, forcing Ambrose to shut his eyes.


    When he opened his eyes again, the figure was gone, and the world was moving again.


    The leaf fell to the ground, and the butterflies flew away with the chirping of birds making their return.


    "What the hell was that?" He wondered in shock, but then several notifications appeared in front of him.


    [You have acquired the Ring of Nature!]


    [Ring of Nature: Increasing the Effectiveness of Meditation in Nature by 50%]


    [You Have Opened the First Gate!]


    [First Gate of the Inner Power: Ability to Summon the Soul That Slumbers in Your Body]


    ''Ring of Nature, First Gate of the Inner Power?'' Ambrose shook his head, not understanding what any of that meant.


    He swiped his hand, made the notifications disappear, and then checked his inventory.


    Not a single new item had appeared in the inventory, but then he took out the brown ring, which he had received from killing Narnia in the abandoned house.


    This time, it showed a description.


    [Ring of Nature: Increasing the Effectiveness of Meditation in Nature by 50%]


    ''This is the Ring of Nature... I identally meditated? How can one identally meditate?'' Ambrose frowned and looked at the ring. ''Did this ring make me meditate? I wasn''t even wearing it...''


    Ambrose put the ring slowly on his ring finger and felt it tighten. When he tried removing it, he no longer could. ''It''s stuck. Great.''


    He sarcastically thought and then began thinking about the Inner Power and the First Gate.


    ''It said I could summon my soul now, but what good does that do?'' Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and decided to give it a try.


    He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began breathing steadily.


    "Iiiiiiiiiin... Ooouuuuut."


    The world again froze, and a transparent figure jumped out of his body.


    The identical-looking figure looked around with a thoughtful expression.


    ''Can you talk?'' Ambrose thought to himself, as he couldn''t speak.


    He was trying tomunicate with the soul, even though it sounded ridiculous.


    ''Yes...'' The figure turned to Ambrose and replied.


    Ambrose gulped, as this was absolutely mental.


    If he shared this experience on forums, everyone wouldugh at him and call him mad!


    ''I am your subconsciousness. I can''t really think for myself, and I only say things that you would say in my position.'' The floating figure said.


    ''I see.'' Ambrose rubbed his chin and had a crazy idea. He smiled and said in his mind. ''Can you check the upstairs rooms to see whether they are empty?''


    The floating figure didn''t answer back and instead phased through the upstairs wall and, after several seconds, returned with a shake of the head.


    ''They are empty...''


    ''Excellent!'' Ambrose grinned. ''You may return.''


    The floating figure didn''t answer and instead returned to Ambrose''s body. The world started moving again.


    "Great, now I have a way to do surveince without exposing myself." Ambrose stood up and looked at the skill scroll in his hand. He tossed it back into his inventory, deciding to try to create a new skillter.


    Now, he had more confidence in himself to be able to defeat Death de.


    "Let''s do this!" Ambrose pped his cheeks and unsheathed his ck Sword, then began walking away from the abandoned house.


    He crossed a tall hill, and on the other side of the valley, he could already see Tonshen Vige with its destroyed buildings.

 Chapter 97 Fire

    <h4>Chapter 97 Fire</h4>


    "Yawn." A sleepy-faced yer stepped out of a room and closed the door behind him.


    He finished taking a nap in one of Tonshen Vige''s inn rooms.


    Last night, he did the night shift at work, and when he returned home, he wanted to check the ongoings of Martial Online.


    Unfortunately, he ended up being bossed around by Jaeger, and after several hours, he was finally done.


    Since he was too tired to log off, he found an empty inn room and fell asleep there.


    Thud¡ªhe suddenly stopped walking and looked around the hallway.


    He stroked his ear, thinking he heard something.


    However, it turned out to be nothing, as he didn''t hear anything after that.


    He let out a yawn and left the inn to see what Death de was up to.


    In room 223, the window was wide open, with curtains fluttering against the window.


    The room was empty, with messy beds and bedsheets on the floor.


    Broken pieces of flower vases were strewn about, and shelves were tipped over.


    A broken mirrory on its side in a corner of the room.


    Then, hands appeared on the window sill.


    The hands pulled up a person with hair as ck as night and eyes as dark as the bottom of the ocean.


    Ambrosended safely on the floor and scanned the room quickly. He saw a messy, empty room with a closed door.


    It looked like he was safe, but he still didn''t rx. He was now in the heart of the enemy''s territory.


    ''This ce is safe enough.'' He sat cross-legged on the bed and closed his eyes.


    He took a deep breath. "Iiiiin... Ooouuuut."


    The world froze.


    An azure-blue figure stepped out of Ambrose''s body and looked around with great interest but also hesitation as it could feel the main body''s worries about their safety.


    Thus, the soul projection acted very carefully, even though no one could see it.


    ''Go find the bar, the location of all the alcohol, and then the whereabouts of all Death de members.''


    The azure-blue figure nodded and flew out of the room to do the tasks Ambrose gave.


    ''This makes things much easier.'' Ambrose thought. ''I still have the matchsticks which I took from the farmhouse. With those and bunch of alcohol, I can create a lot mayhem.''


    During the state of absolute silence and calmness, Ambrose continued breathing steadily.


    It was the only thing he could do in this frozen world. It gave him a sense of tranquility.


    ''Meditating made me open the First Gate of the Inner Power; perhaps if I meditate more, I can open the second as well?''


    He still had a hard time understanding what the gates of the Inner Power were about, but he had a hunch that meditating was the key.


    He tried meditating and liked the feeling of peacefulness.


    All the stress and worries disappeared.


    He stopped caring about the potential death right behind those doors and felt rxed.


    That sensation ovepped with all of his emotions.


    Then, some timeter, the azure-blue figure flew through the wall and entered Ambrose''s body.


    It shared everything it found out with him.


    ''Hmm, I see. They moved the alcohol to the Vige Chief''s house.''


    Ambrose saw the world around him move again.


    ''They have all gathered around a bonfire, drinking, partying, and eating food found in the food storage. They are sure having fun; too bad I will put an end to that.''


    He stood up and cracked his knuckles gently.


    ording to his soul, there wasn''t anyone near the inn.


    The darkness of the night would also give him the necessary cover to reach the Vige Chief''s house without being noticed.


    Ambrose then walked to the window and leaped down. He nimblynded safely on the ground without losing a single ounce of health.


    The crimson glow and flying stars made the sight beautiful.


    It was a perfect night to have fun with friends.


    That''s what Death de was doing. The bonfire sent pirs of smoke all the way to the crimson sky.


    However, the bonfire was burning the former houses of the vigers.


    The memories of the vigers faded away alongside the ash and fire.


    An old phnthropist once said¡ªa person would only be truly dead when they were forgotten.


    Around the bonfire, Jock and Miguel drank alcohol down their throats while singing with hoarse voices.


    A tasty-looking piece of meat was roasted on a spit over the fire, and when it was ready, they ate it with their bare hands.


    In reality, they couldn''t hang around somewhere alone with their friends as they had duties¡ªschool and some work.


    They couldn''t just disappear, party around a bonfire, and eat animal meat.


    However, in Martial Online, they could do that.


    Whenever they were free, they could simply put a VR headset around their heads and enter this magical world.


    They didn''t have to leave their homes to make that dream a reality!


    Jaeger smiled while biting his teeth into juicy meat.


    The vors poured into his mouth, giving him a very pleasurable experience.


    He then started munching on the fat meat while using his free hand to pour himself a drink.


    The best part of eating in Martial Online was that it was impossible to gain weight.


    The food tasted amazing, and they could eat as much as they wanted without getting full.


    However, whenever they logged off, they would be starving as they neglected their real-life bodies.


    "Ugh..." Jock stumbled to the side in a drunken stupor.


    He picked up a bottle of rum, but it was empty.


    There was only a little bit at the bottom.


    "Agh, Morris, bring more!"


    "Ugh, why me?" Morris asked while getting kissed by his drunken girlfriend.


    "You are... closest!" Jock shouted and fell to the ground.


    He was so drunk that he couldn''t stand straight.


    All the nearby membersughed at him while spilling their drinks.


    "Argh, wait a little, babe!" Morris moved his girlfriend''s face away and stumbled inside the house.


    They had piled up a ton of alcohol in the middle of the room, but most of it was already empty.


    However, there was supposed to be one box left.


    "Ugh, where is it?" He looked around, but couldn''t find the box anymore. He frowned and shouted. "Jock, where is the... cough... alcohol!"


    "There... it''s there!" Jock shouted from the ground while trying to wave his hand to point in the right direction.


    "It''s... not... cough, here!" Morris burped and shook his head. "Not here!"


    "What... Bring me it!" Jock shouted,pletely ignoring Morris words.


    "It''s not here!" Morris shouted and stumbled back outside.


    He looked at Jock and shook his head left and right. "Did we drink it all?"


    "No way, there was so much!" Jock shook his head in rejection. "Go check the bar... There has to be more!"


    "I ain''t going there!" Morris sat next to his girlfriend,id down, and put his head on herp. "You... go!"


    "I am... cough... second-inmand; Imand you to get more!" Jock shouted, but then he became too tired to lift his head anymore.


    Instead, he moved to his side and put his hands below his head as if he were about to start sleeping while everyone partied around him.


    However, with his misty gaze, he noticed smokeing from the top floor of the house.


    "Hmm?" He rubbed his eyes, trying to clear his sight. He then opened his eyes again and saw the walls of the second floor burning. They were on fire!


    "F-f-fire!" Jock shouted, but since everyone was partying too loud, no one heard him.


    He then shouted even louder. "SHUT UP ALL, THERE IS FIREEE!"


    "Huh?" Jaeger tore his gaze away from his drink and turned to the shouting Jock.


    Everyone thought he had lost it, but then everyone saw smoke drift out of the house.


    They all rose to stand and walked to the house.


    They saw the second floor burning with scarlet-red mes!


    "G-get the buckets; we have to kill the fire before it destroys the whole building!" Jaeger shouted. This was the only building he did not want to lose.


    However, because everyone was drunk, they were sluggish and slow. Not even Jaeger realized something very important.


    Their spawn spots were on the second floor.

 Chapter 98 Ambrose Vs. Death Blade

    <h4>Chapter 98 Ambrose Vs. Death de</h4>


    The Death de members rushed in their drunken stupor towards the only well in Tonshen Vige with their buckets.


    They filled them with water, then rushed back to the main building before tossing the water towards the fire on the second floor.


    However, they soon noticed it was like dropping stones in the ocean. It made literally no difference.


    "Keep going, fuck!" Jaeger rushed into the building while carrying two buckets filled with water.


    It looked like they weighed a lot, but he managed to carry them all the way up to the second floor without any problem at all.


    Ssh¡ªthe water sshed against the fire and did a very neglectful amount of damage.


    It was a depressing sight.


    At this rate, the building would be razed to the ground before dawn.


    "Fuck this!" A drunken yer tossed the buckets to the ground and gave up trying to put out the fire.


    He thought it was a lost cause and that they should just pay for the new house to be built.


    Creak¡ªa door that led to the kitchen opened behind him.


    The drunken yer turned around and saw a dark-cloaked figure before him with a ck sword in hand.


    "Huh, who¡ª"


    Spurt¡ªthe ck de drilled through his chest and heart.


    The drunken yer looked down at his body and fell backward to the ground.


    He saw his fingertips disappear, and slowly, darkness covered his vision.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [375 XP Earned!]


    Ambrose looked towards the burning second floor, and soon everyone heard screaming.


    The drunken yer jumped from the second floor with his body on fire.


    The yer couldn''t feel any pain, but because of his drunken state, he believed that he was being burned alive.


    After the drunken yer crashed into the floorboard, he stopped moving and vanished into pixels.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [375 XP Earned!]


    ''As I thought, I get double kills because when they spawn back, they die by fire. Since that yer didn''t put in another spawn, he gets sent back to Amaterasu.''


    Ambrose traced his finger against the blood-stained ck de and looked at every person in the room.


    They hadn''t noticed him yet, as they were screaming in a drunken state.


    "He didn''t log online, as I remember him sitting beside me during the bonfire..." Jaeger gulped and turned around.


    After his body was turned half-way, his eyes had already turned into saucers, and when he finished turning around, he immediately pulled out his weapon.


    His weapon was a one-handed axe with an insignia of a skull on the de.


    The axe was made of iron and had a sharp edge.


    The rest of the drunken yers turned around.


    "I-It''s you!" Jock screamed and clumsily drew his sword.


    He was still incredibly drunk and could barely see straight!


    "Eek!" Welma cried out and hugged her boyfriend, Morris, while trembling in fear.


    "A-argh!" Morris took out his sword and growled menacingly. "You..."


    All the drunken yers pulled out their weapons.


    Their postures were in shambles, as they thought they were seeing three and sometimes four dark-cloaked figures.


    ''They are so drunk.'' Ambrose thought with a growing smile.


    "So, you are the person who is targeting us." Jaeger scoffed and grabbed the one-handed axe so hard that it creaked. "You chose the wrong group to fuck around with!"


    "To me, it looks like I chose the right one." Ambrose said, then quickly scanned every person present, and then lowered his hood even lower topletely hide his face.


    "Guys, whoever kills him first gets first dibs on the rewards in the uing quest." Jaeger said and pointed his axe at the cloaked figure. "Attack!"


    "Haaa!" The drunken yers shouted their war cry and then rushed forward.


    Most of them moved their weapons over their heads and brought them down while shouting "Basic sh."


    Squeeze¡ªAmbrose grabbed the ck Sword with both hands, then squeezed hard before swinging it sideways at the uing weapons.


    He deflected them all with one powerful swing.


    The drunken yers staggered to the side, feeling their arms go numb.


    They realized the sheer strength difference between them and this dark-cloaked figure.


    It wasn''t even close!


    Ambrose then quickly weaved past the iing spear stabs before bringing his sword down.


    The ck de shed through Spearman''s shoulder, separating his spear-wielding arm from his torso.


    "Aaah!" The Spearman drunkenly shouted, but then a ck sword cut through his throat, silencing him.


    The Spearman died on his knees, but secondster, he spawned in the middle of the fire.


    Without even having time to scream, he was burned till nothing was left.


    Ambrose quickly jumped backwards, dodging the iing swords, but then several notifications appeared in his peripheral vision.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [375 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [375 XP Earned!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 32 -> 33]


    ''Nice.'' Ambrose thought, but suddenly an incredibly quick axe strikended on his waist.


    His eyes widened in shock, and then he saw the grinning face of Jaeger.


    He was like a lumberjack, and Ambrose was the tree.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose was sent hurling across the room.


    He crashed into a wall and fell to the floor, dazed.


    [-65 HP!]


    [HP: 225/290]


    ''He did that much damage to me even though all the damage I suffer gets halved. He is indeed dangerous.''


    Ambrose wiped the blood off his lips and stood right back up.


    But then he noticed that he was surrounded by ten yers¡ªone of them being Jaeger.


    ''My attack should have brought his health almost to zero. He doesn''t look to be a tank, which means he should be on hisst legs.'' Jaeger thought quickly, using his wide amount of fighting and game knowledge.


    However, he couldn''t possibly know about Ambrose''s upgraded ss¡ªSuicide Swordman, which gave him 100 extra health and also made it so that most of the damage gets nullified.


    "Boss, can I deliver the final hit?" Jock asked with bloodshot eyes. "I want my revenge."


    "Sure, if you can." Jaeger stepped aside and let his second-inmand deliver the final blow.


    However, he still knew that the dark-cloaked figure would fight back like a wounded dog.


    "Before I kill you, I am going to take off your hood and see how you look. You think you can hide behind that hood? No, no, no, I will find out how you look and hunt you down again!"


    Holding his sword with one hand, Jock lifted his sword high in the air and then took a powerful step forward.


    He twisted his waist, rotated his shoulder, and then brought the sword down with all of his strength behind it.


    Even during his drunken state, he could still perform skills wlessly.


    This was his personal skill, modified after Basic sh.


    "Killer sh!" Jock screamed his heart out even though no one could hear him.


    "Basic Parry." Ambrose lifted his ck sword and parried the so-called Killer sh with almost zero effort.


    His hand slightly shook, signaling that Jock''s attack was quite powerful.


    However, in a battle of strength, he was no match for Ambrose.


    "E-eh?" Jock whispered to himself in shock. "H-how."


    "Jock, back off!" Jaeger screamed and rushed forward to try to save his second-inmand.


    He lifted his one-handed axe and brought it down towards Ambrose''s head.


    Ambrose quickly grabbed Jock by the cor and moved it in the way of the axe.


    The one-handed axe chopped through Jock''s shoulder, leaving him stunned and surprised.


    "Shit!" Jaeger cursed.


    Ambrose moved his ck sword and drilled it through Jock''s heart.


    He then threw his body away, and while in midair, Jock turned to pixels and vanished.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [450 XP Earned!]


    And a few secondster, a scream resounded from the second floor.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [450 XP Earned!]


    Ambrose''s dull blue eyes and Jaeger''s angry eyes locked gazes. They then raised their weapons and smashed them at each other.


    When the ck de and axe collided, sparks flew out of the des and scattered across the room.

 Chapter 99 Ambrose Vs. Jaeger

    <h4>Chapter 99 Ambrose Vs. Jaeger</h4>


    "Hah!" Jaeger let out a mighty scream and pushed the ck de away with sudden burst of strength, even taking Ambrose by surprise.


    "Death Axe Blow!" He lifted his one-handed axe high in the air and smashed it down like he was chopping wood.


    ''I shouldn''t even try to block that. I am confident in my strength, but I shouldn''t be blindly arrogant!'' Ambrose thought quickly and jumped to the side.


    However, to his surprise, there was a wall in the direction where he jumped.


    He identally tackled the wall while the one-handed axe struck the ground beside him, sending shattered wood fly.


    Ambrose shook his head, slightly dazed after tackling the wall, and then swung his sword towards Jaeger.


    The blond-haired leader of Death de quickly moved the axe in the way of the sword and blocked it.


    The sparks once again flew before disappearing in midair.


    "Let us help you, boss!" Miguel shouted while rushing forward with his wooden sword. "Basic sh!"


    He was followed by two other yers wielding long spears with several meters of attack range.


    "Heh." Jaeger grinned, but he also wondered how the cloaked figure would handle this dilemma.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and reached out to the empty air as if he were about to pull something from his inventory.


    However, at thest moment, he decided not to and instead kicked Jaeger in the shoulder.


    Jaeger staggered backwards while feeling numb in his left shoulder. However, it did pathetic 2 HP damage to him.


    Therefore, he didn''t care about it and rushed back at Ambrose.


    A shadow appeared above Ambrose in the shape of a sword. Miguel rained down his Basic sh attacks with his drunken fury.


    Spurt¡ªthe sword smashed into Ambrose''s shoulder, cutting through his cloak and finally the flesh.


    However, the de didn''t go all the way through.


    [-30 HP!]


    [HP: 195/290]


    ''He is dead!'' Jaeger showed a huge grin.


    "Heh." Miguel also grinned and reached out towards the hood that covered the face of the cloaked figure.


    He wanted to reveal his face before he vanished into pixels.


    Grab¡ªsuddenly, a pale-looking hand grabbed Miguel by his wrist. The hand belonged to Ambrose.


    He slowly raised his gaze and stood up.


    He checked the wound on his shoulder and scoffed¡ªit was merely a flesh wound.


    "Argh!" Miguel pushed his sword forward. "How are you still alive?"


    Ambrose pulled Miguel by the wrist and tossed him to the ground.


    Even though Miguel''s frame wasrger and he weighed way more, he was still able to throw him to the ground like it was nothing.


    Miguel''s head crashed into the floor with a loud thud.


    He then opened his eyes just in time to see a ck de stab him in the middle of his eyes.


    He let out a sudden gasp, but then darkness filled his vision, and he disappeared.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [525 XP Earned!]


    After only a few seconds, Miguel returned to the game but forgot that his spawn spot was also on the second floor.


    Therefore, his fate was to burn for a few seconds before vanishing.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [525 XP Earned!]


    "You bastard!" Jaeger screamed and shed down with his axe.


    However, he only shed empty air as Ambrose suddenly started sprinting towards the two spear-wielding men.


    Ambrose quickly dodged their sloppy spear thrusts and then, with one clean sh, separated their heads from their torsos.


    The two spear-wielding men died before reappearing only secondster on the second floor to also suffer the burning death.


    Ambrose looked at the notifications in front of him while also keeping his eye on Jaeger.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [400 XP Earned!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 33 -> 34]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [400 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [400 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [400 XP Earned!]


    "Shit, shit!" Jaeger screamed. He couldn''t think straight because he was still under the influence of alcohol.


    He didn''t bother giving any orders to his remaining members and instead rushed after Ambrose in an attempt to kill him.


    Ambrose saw the fury-filled, blond-haired man chase after him.


    However, instead of fighting him head-on, he ran in the other direction¡ªtowards the entrance of the building.


    He was escaping!


    "You won''t escape!" Jaeger screamed.


    The drunken members of Death de chased after him.


    Morris also tried to follow, but his girlfriend was clinging to his legs, so he couldn''t move.


    "D-don''t go!" Welma cried out.


    "Snap out of it; we have to kill that bastard!" Morris shouted and tried to remove his girlfriend, but to no avail.


    Ambrose ran out of the building and past the burning bonfire. He ran into the night while ncing over his shoulder.


    He saw Jaeger and three other yers chase after him.


    ''Two of them stayed behind. Hmm, this works. I just have to distract them so that they forget about the fire on the second floor. Even though they are drunk, I doubt they are stupid enough to log back in once they saw so many of their friends dying by the fire.


    ''However, if I can make them angry and distracted enough, they might.''


    Ambrose looked around the street and soon found the building he was looking for.


    He smashed through the inn''s front door and ran to the stairs.


    He then heard footsteps follow him in a quick pursuit.


    Once he reached the stairs, he turned around and smashed his sword down.


    However, Jaeger expected it and raised his axe as a block.


    "Weak!" Jaeger screamed, his neck veins bulging. He pushed Ambrose backward, causing him to jump up the stairs.


    "Hmph!" Ambrose lifted his ck-ded sword and repeatedly shed down while Jaeger blocked and parried with scary uracy.


    They fought on the tight staircase without losing an inch.


    ''He is very talented. He is better than me skill-wise...'' Ambrose hated to admit it, but if Jaeger wasn''t drunk, he doubted he would be able to win.


    He then noticed the three yers arrive at the stairway. They couldn''t advance, as there was simply no room for more than two people to fight.


    sh¡ªJaeger grabbed the axe with both hands, even though it wasn''t designed for that, and shed through Ambrose''s forearm, causing blood to stter against the wall.


    The damage was higher than expected.


    However, Ambrose didn''t look fazed.


    [-15 HP!]


    [HP: 180/295]


    "Death Axe Rapid Blow!" Jaeger raised his axe high in the air and started smashing it down like a hammer on an anvil.


    Ambrose lifted his ck de and blocked the axe with a great struggle.


    His knees crashed into the ground, and his axe-blocking sword smashed into his shoulder.


    The axe was trying to cut through his sword and his shoulder.


    "Hahaha, you are no match for me!" Jaeger grinned and wanted to break through the ck de and cut through Ambrose''s entire body.


    The three yers behind him grinned and cheered for their boss.


    "Heh..." Ambrose suddenly checked and quietly whispered something.


    He reached his hand forward as if he were asking for help from someone.


    However, to everyone''s shock, suddenly a red-ded sword appeared in his hand.


    Jaeger''s eyes widened in shock, but then the red de shed through his legs.


    He noticed that he was falling backward with zero control over his legs.


    He crashed into the three yers, and they all fell to the ground.


    "A-ahh..." The three yers looked at their boss with shaky eyes. "B-boss, your legs!"


    Jaeger gulped and looked down. His eyes widened in shock, and a feeling of terror enveloped him.


    His legs were still standing on the second set of stairs. His legless torso was gushing with blood, and he could see his health depleting rapidly.


    Ambrose stomped down the stairs and looked coldly at Jaeger and the three yers.


    "Y-you!" Jaeger screamed with bloodshot eyes. "We are not don¡ª"


    Spurt¡ªwith the Red and ck Sword, he shed through Jaeger and the three yers, killing four people at the same time.

 Chapter 100 The Final Clash

    <h4>Chapter 100 The Final sh</h4>


    [You killed a yer!]


    [425 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [425 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [400 XP Earned!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 34 -> 35]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [600 XP Earned!]


    Ambrose watched as the notifications flew by. They were the rewards for killing the three yers and Jaeger.


    They left behind several items, which he picked up and tossed inside his inventory¡ªnning to check them out at ater date.


    ''Now, let''s see whether they are drunk enough toe back online.'' Ambrose thought and sat on the steps of the stairs, looking silently at the empty air in front of him. He waited, with time ticking by.


    Atst, he heard the familiar dinging echo.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [425 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [425 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a yer!]


    [400 XP Earned!]


    Ambrose stood up and walked out of the inn. He looked across the street towards the burning building in the distance.


    The second and third floors were aze.


    ''Maybe some of their spawn spots were on the third floor, and they wanted to try their luck to survive there, but fire has already reached it. Therefore, they died.''


    Ambrose began walking towards the burning building, but then he remembered something that made him stop.


    ''He didn''te back online!'' He thought in panic. ''I thought he didn''t have the patience to wait for the fire to die down and then log back online. Damn, this stinks.


    ''Well, I don''t n on waiting for the fire to die down and for him toe back. There are two people left in the burning building; I should go finish them off.''


    He picked up his pace and was soon running towards the burning building.


    After arriving there, he saw a screaming man limping towards the entrance of the building while dragging his leg behind him, which had a woman clinging to him for dear life.


    "Welma,e on, let go!"


    "Noo, let''s leave!" Welma firmly shook her head.


    At that moment, they heard footsteps approaching them.


    They turned around and paled significantly.


    Morris clumsily raised his sword and shouted. "D-don''te any closer!"


    "If you remove your temporary spawn and log off, I will let you go." Ambrose unsheathed his ck sword. "However, now we are inbat. Therefore, I will show you no mercy if you decide to fight."


    "Let''s just go..." Welma hugged Morris'' leg and drooled on it. "I am tired..."


    "Shit!" Morris looked at his girlfriend before turning to Ambrose. He didn''t want to leave this easily. "Hah, how do you know if we remove the spawn spot?"


    "I will be staying here for a few days. I will notice if you log back in, and if I do, I will be very angry." Ambrose smiled coldly. "If you think I was bad in the barn, you haven''t seen anything."


    Welma moved her arms randomly around her and pressed something. She then shouted with a drunken smile. "There~ I removed it!"


    "Welma!" Morris'' eyes shook, and he then cursed loudly and also removed his temporary spawn.


    Ambrose slowly sheathed the sword, removing thebat state.


    He then watched as they logged off, their avatars disappearing from the virtual world.


    ''I guess my bluff worked.'' He thought with a small chuckle.


    If they had actually stayed to fight, he would have killed them and left Tonshen Vige.


    His only goal was to destroy but also hinder Death de''s progress.


    He was certain that he had managed to do that, but he wanted to do so much more.


    ''I guess it is right what those people said in forums¡ªputting temporary spawns has a cooldown.'' Ambrose thought and looked around the burning, destroyed building. ''If one dies, they can''t simply spam spawn spots and keeping back to fight.''


    Crack¡ªa ceiling broke and copsed like badly built sand castles.


    The sound of crumbling debris filled the air while the fire began spreading across the bottom floor as well.


    ''I should leave; there''s nothing left in here.'' Ambrose thought as he turned and sprinted towards the exit.


    He could feel the heat intensifying behind him.


    Without warning, a dark shadow appeared over him.


    The shadow engulfed him, blocking out the light and sending a shiver down his spine.


    Then he felt his hair rise at the back of his neck.


    Ambrose spun his head around and widened his eyes in shock.


    He quickly drew his sword and smashed it into the iing axe.


    Crack¡ªthe floor cracked below Ambrose.


    He barely had time to react before he plummeted into the darkness below.


    "Aaah!" Ambrose screamed and tried to reach his hand out to grab onto something, but it was toote.


    He fell down and soon crashed into the ground below.


    Everything turned dark.


    The hood slid off his head after the sudden impact.


    After who knows how long, he squinted his eyes open and saw a world of darkness around him.


    He couldn''t see anything except the broken ceiling and the sea of fire.


    And standing there, looking down at the darkness below, was a blond-haired man with a one-handed axe in hand.


    His clothes had been badly burned, as had half of his face, but his eyes burned with determination.


    ''Jaeger...'' Ambrose groaned and stood up. He touched the back of his head and felt something sticky.


    He thought he must''ve hit his head on the ground.


    "Whoo..."


    Jaeger took a deep breath and grabbed a broken wooden floorboard from the ground before walking to the stairs, where Sea of Fire was trying to move onto the first floor.


    He lit up the floorboard and then returned to the broken floor before throwing it into the darkness.


    He then followed after the burning floorboard and gentlynded on the ground, right beside the floorboard.


    The burning floorboard lit up a small area around them.


    "Agh, so you survived the fire, huh?" Ambrose said and drew his weapon.


    "..." Jaeger narrowed his eyes, but then looked shocked after the scarlet-red lightnded on Ambrose''s revealed face.


    He then started chuckling beforeughing like a madman. "I see, so it is you. No wonder Zahhak is so after you!"


    "Huh?" Ambrose frowned, but then felt that something was amiss.


    He touched his head and couldn''t feel his hood anywhere.


    Ambrose covered his face and closed his eyes. ''Damn it...''


    He took a deep breath and opened his eyes, not caring about that now.


    "Ambrose, Ambrose, haha. I checked your face yesterday to see what the ruckus was all about." Jaegerughed and rested his axe against his shoulder while he paced about.


    "Now I understand why Zahhak is after you.


    "You are an annoying bastard who messes with other people''s business. Now that I know where you are, I just need to inform Zahhak. I wonder how long you will survive when they know where you are?"


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and lunged forward with his sword in hand.


    He smashed it down, but it got blocked by the skull-faced de of the axe.


    "Haha, did you know that I can tie you up and force you to stay online?"


    Jaeger grinned.


    "I tried that once. It is very effective. You can''t log off if I keep you inbat, but it onlysts 24 hours.


    "However, 24 hours is long enough for Zahhak. Once he arrives, you''ll have bigger problems to deal with." Jaegerughed with ecstasy.


    ''He... Cerberus, I assume. However, I do not n on losing!'' Ambrose reached into his inventory and pulled out his Red Sword.


    "Yes, that''s the dual wielding I have heard about." Jaeger squeezed the handle of his one-handed axe and roared. "Come on, Ambrose!"


    Ambrose lunged forward and opened his mouth wide.


    He let out a mighty roar.


    "Kill!"

 Chapter 101 The End of the Fight

    <h4>Chapter 101 The End of the Fight</h4>


    ''You can take control of my body, but you can''t take control of my mind!''


    Ambrose rushed forward with burning rage.


    Each strike, each blow, and each wound only fueled his determination to prove his indomitable spirit.


    The ck de glinted in the scarlet-red fire as it sliced through the air.


    The red de swallowed the power of the fire as it moved across the air.


    The sh of the two des and the axe echoed across the dark-filled world.


    The scattered sparks flew brightly across the dark room.


    "Death Axe Rapid Blow!" Jaeger screamed and hacked his axe repeatedly without stopping even once to catch his breath.


    The force of his strikes was unmatched, as each blow sent vibrations through the air.


    Even though wounds appeared on Ambrose''s body. Even though hecked the strength to block those axe strikes, he didn''t stop and continued to march forward with unyielding determination.


    ''Even though I am under the influence of the "Kill" skill, I can still use my other skills as well!''


    Ambrose pushed forward and mmed his swords into the one-handed axe.


    Instead of trying to find another angle to strike, he lifted his swords again and continued smashing them down at the same spot, determined to break through.


    Jaeger felt his legs shake as he used his axe to block the sword strikes.


    He trusted in the durability of his axe, as it was created from a strange metal called Warnium, known for its strength and resilience.


    He found it on an abandoned battlefield during his first-ever quest, which he received from an old War Veteran in Amaterasu.


    Ever since, the axe has been his trusted weapon.


    Ambrose gritted his teeth and powerfully stepped forward before smashing his ck sword down with a deafening force.


    Jaeger felt the strike all the way through his boots.


    "You can''t defeat me with only strength!" Jaeger shouted and raised his own weapon, ready to retaliate.


    He shed down with an axe¡ªthe sh was so fast that it created a gust of wind.


    Spurt¡ªa shallow cut appeared on Ambrose''s shoulder.


    Jaeger thought it would slow him down a bit, but it didn''t. Under the influence of "Kill", a mere wound wouldn''t stop him.


    Instead, he pushed forward and continued smashing his swords down as if nothing had happened.


    Jaeger struggled to defend against the barrage of strikes, and slowly, wounds began to appear around his torso.


    Most of them were shallow, but because of the damage he suffered from the fire, he didn''t have? a lot of health to spare!


    "Haaa!" Ambrose screamed and then noticed that his body was lifting his red-ded sword.


    Once the red-ded sword began approaching Jaeger, he shouted. "50kg!"


    Smash!


    The impact of the red-ded sword colliding with Jaeger''s axe was tremendous.


    The axe got pushed to the side while the red de shed through the side of Jaeger''s body.


    It wasn''t a shallow wound anymore; it was massive!


    ''What the fuck was that?!'' Jaeger eximed with a shocked expression in his face. ''The power behind that strike was nothing like before. How did he increase his strength so much?!''


    A heart-dropping sight appeared in his vision. His health plummeted quickly, leaving only a little bit.


    He was on hisst legs, and he still had no idea how much health Ambrose had!


    "1kg..." Ambrose softly whispered through his trembling lips. He then again rushed forward without getting any rest.


    The "Kill" skill was draining him of stamina at a scary pace, and even though he had way more health than his opponent, he was also on hisst legs stamina-wise!


    "I have suffered worse!" Jaeger ignored his bleeding waist and continued to fight with all his might.


    He deflected the ck and red swords with one swift strike and then countered with a powerful punch to his opponent''s chest.


    Ambrose crashed on his back, but he then immediately rolled backward and jumped back to his feet.


    He crossed his swords and shed diagonally at Jaeger.


    The sh of their des rang through the air.


    "Haaa!" Jaeger smashed his axe down, but the ck de blocked it.


    The battle between de made of Warnium and de made of Dark Metal echoed across the air.


    It was unclear which de was the strongest!


    "High Pain!" Ambrose screamed while the red de approached Jaeger from below.


    Jaeger lowered his gaze and quickly redirected the ck de away from him before smashing his axe into the red de.


    The red de got deflected and missed Jaeger''s shoulder by an inch.


    "Death Axe Rush!" Jaeger spun the axe around and charged towards his opponent with a ferocious battle cry.


    The first axe strike sent Ambrose tumbling backwards, and the second struck him perfectly on his chest.


    Ambrose flew backwards and crashed into something hard¡ªas if his body had mmed into a concrete wall.


    He coughed out blue blood with saliva. If this were real life, his body would have been destroyed.


    [-60 HP!]


    [HP: 95/300]


    "This is just a video game!" Jaeger rushed forth and brought his sword down.


    Ambrose, still under the influence of "Kill", quickly raised his swords, crossed them, and blocked the axe.


    His knees crashed into the ground as he struggled to withstand the force of Jaeger''s attack.


    "When I was fighting for the title of Youth Martial Arts Champion, I fought against geniuses every day!" Jaeger screamed and again mmed his axe down. "I won''t be defeated by someone whocks the skill and determination to match my strength!"


    Smash!


    He brought his axe again down, and Ambrose could do nothing except block helplessly.


    He could feel that his body wanted to retaliate, but the "Kill" made it so that his body moved by instinct.


    It wouldn''t just attack and ignore defense altogether.


    "Kill" could be considered a wild beast with sharp fangs. It would attack, ignore the damage, and try to hunt down its prey.


    However, when it gets cornered, its fangs get weaker, but its instinct to kill will never weaken.


    ''What the fuck are you doing, my body?'' Ambrose grinned hideously and raised his gaze.


    His eyes gleamed with sadistic pleasure. ''Attack! That''s what you want, right? Kill!''


    "Haaa!" Jaeger screamed and again smashed his axe down. "Death Axe Blow!"


    Schwing¡ªthe de part of the axe flew towards the ceiling and smashed through the wooden floor.


    The impact sent splinters and dust flying in all directions, filling the room with a sense of chaos and destruction.


    "Eh?" Jaeger looked at his axe in hand. However, there was no de left. Only the wooden handle part of his axe was left, while the de had gone missing.


    He saw that the connecting point of the de and the handle had been cleanly cut, as if it had been done by a master swordsman.


    He felt pressure rising beside him. With shaky eyes, he turned to Ambrose, who slowly rose to his feet.


    "Hah." Ambrose let out a shortugh and looked straight at Jaeger''s sea-blue eyes. "You are strong; I give you that. However, there is one thing youck."


    "And... what is that?" Jaeger asked while lowering his arms. He couldn''t lift his arms anymore.


    After all, he had been fighting nonstop for nearly an hour, swinging his axe thousands of times.


    "Sometimes, to kill your opponent, you have to be ready to sacrifice everything. Even your own life."


    Ambrose raised his swords high above his head, summoning every ounce of strength left in his weary body.


    "You were too careful not to die, scared for yourck of health. That is why you lost!"


    "Scared, huh..." Jaeger dropped the broken handle of his axe and looked at his opponent with a fatigued gaze. "I wish I could be here to see when Zahhak arrives and puts your head on a spike."


    "Bring Cerberus a message from me. The rewards were very nice!" Ambrose said and swung his swords down.


    The head flew into the air andnded with a thud, bringing an end to his opponent.

 Chapter 102 Ambrose鈥檚 Location

    <h4>Chapter 102 Ambrose''s Location</h4>


    A blue-eyed man opened his eyes and saw a gray visor covering his vision.


    He took off the headset, ced it beside him on the bed, and then closed his eyes, trying to make sense of what had just happened.


    "Damn, damn, damn!" Jaeger smashed his fist against the bed in frustration.


    He sat up on the edge of the bed and grabbed a bottle of water from the bedside table before downing it down his throat.


    His drunkenness had vanished like a fleeting cloud.


    This was another perks of Martial Online¡ªif he got drunk there, it wouldn''t transfer to his real life body.


    He could indulge without consequence. Also, he had to take good care of his real body as he still participated in Martial Arts Competitions.


    Especially since his real life strength transferred to his avatar. He figured that out in just a few days after ying.


    So far, it hadn''t beenmon knowledge, but it was somewhat of an open secret by now.


    "How could I have died to him twice!?" Jaeger clutched his head. "The first time, he caught me by surprise, but in the next one, I fought him head-on, yet I lost!


    "Were his words correct? Am I simply too scared to die?"


    Buzz, buzz¡ªa phone lit up on the table. It showed that he had received several messages.


    He picked it up and checked who sent the messages. It came from Death de''s group chat.


    Jaeger opened the chat and saw the logs. Everyone was incredibly enraged after dying twice; the second death was because of their foolishness.


    They already wanted to log back in and get their revenge.


    However, after getting reminded by Jock, they remembered they were sent straight back to Amaterasu.


    They decided to wait for their leader toe and tell them what happened and what they should do next.


    Jaeger began writing a message.


    [Jaeger: Does anyone have their spawn left in Tonshen?]


    He saw that the chat had died off. It was very busy just a moment ago, but now no one dared to write a message.


    They remembered their drunken selves and wanted to hit themselves in the head.


    If they weren''t intoxicated, they believed they would have killed the cloaked figure.


    Jaeger sighed, the silence gave him the answer he expected. Everyone was sent back to Amaterasu.


    [Jaeger: I found out who the attacker was¡ªit is Ambrose, the one Zahhak is after]


    After sending the message, the bustling atmosphere returned to the chat.


    [Jock: That scoundrel! Once we find him again, we will make him suffer!]


    [Miguel: Does it mean we can get the bounty?]


    [Jock: Right, the bounty! Wait, what about our silvers? We left it all in Tonshen in case any of us died so we wouldn''t lose it because we needed money and decided to put all our money together to rebuild the vige. What happened to them??????]


    Jaeger frowned and scratched his head.


    [Jaeger: I doubt he can find the silver. He knows I''ve found his identity. I doubt he stays in one ce for too long and has probably left by now]


    [Morris: He said to me and Welma that he nned to stay there for a few more days!]


    Jaeger narrowed his eyes and scoffed. "Fool!"


    [Jaeger: He would be an idiot to do that, and he ain''t an idiot. He''s smart enough to know when is time to leave]


    [Jock: What should we do now? Inform Zahhak about his whereabouts?]


    [Jaeger: Yes. Everyone, log back in, and let''s regroup in Market Square. I am going to send a message to Redheart in the meantime]


    Everyone agreed, and the chat died down.


    Jaeger pulled out the forums and sent a quick message to Redheart.


    They already knew each other in Ember Online, even though they weren''t very close. He hoped she would respond soon.


    As he was about to pocket his phone and return to the game, the phone again vibrated. He checked the message, and it was from Redheart.


    [Redheart: I''ve sent you a friend request. Let''s chat in there]


    Jaeger nodded, pocketed his phone, andid back down. He returned to the game without further ado.


    ...


    Jaeger opened his eyes to see the vast city of Amaterasu with its night sky, sparkling stars, and crimson moon.


    The streets were empty, with oil gasmps illuminating the path, which he took that led to Market Square.


    Meanwhile, he epted the friend request from Redheart and waited for any messages from her.


    It took him only a few minutes of walking to reach Market Square. There were already a few of his friends waiting for him, but more than half were still missing.


    They greeted their leader but didn''t say anything else. They also realized from the context of the messages that their undefeated leader, Jaeger, had lost to Ambrose!


    It brought a great shock to them, as they were aware of their leader''s strength.


    Thus, Ambrose rose in their minds as a true powerhouse.


    Jaeger took a seat on a bench and saw that he had received a message from Redheart. She asked the location of Ambrose.


    He gave it to her without hesitation.


    After giving the location, she gave off the impression that she had nothing more to say and was about to stop chatting.


    However, he then bit his lip and wrote another message.


    [Jaeger: Ambrose also told me to give a message to Cerberus. "The rewards were very nice."]


    He then thought he would receive another message from Redheart. However, he didn''t.


    "Boss!" Jock and the rest of the Death de members arrived at the meeting point.


    They were excited to rent a wagon and return to Tonshen to reim what was theirs.


    "Are we returning to Tonshen? Isn''t Zahhak alsoing there?" Jock asked in excitement. "We will finally meet them!"


    "Yes, but first, weck the silver to rent a wagon, so we need to go kill y¡ª" As Jaeger was exining their next course of action, suddenly loud metallic footsteps echoed from the streets..


    The Death de members looked around the streets with concerned expressions, wondering where the sound wasing from.


    Several metal-armored men and women hadpletely surrounded the market ce.


    They wore shiny metal armor with the insignia of arge eye on their chesttes. They all looked powerful and intimidating, their presence sending a wave of unease through everyone.


    "Group known as Death de, drop your weapons and surrender!" Amanding voice boomed through the air.


    It belonged to a two-meter tall man with a scarred face and a gaze that could pierce through steel.


    "A-aren''t they?" Jock''s voice trembled.


    "The Watchmen of Amaterasu!" Jaeger gulped with a pale face and sweat trickling down his forehead.


    He touched his waist, thinking there was his one-handed axe, but then he remembered that it was currently burning on Tonshen.


    Instead, he raised his arms and told his friends to do the same.


    They all dropped their weapons and surrendered.


    "For the hideous deed of massacring the Tonshen people, you all have been sentenced to imprisonment." The scarred man approached Jaeger with an enraged gaze. "Prepare to rot in your cells for the rest of your miserable lives."


    "B-boss." Jock turned to their leader in hopes that he had a solution for this problem. However, to his shock, Jaeger was crying.


    "S-shit..."


    ...


    A wagon, pulled by two horses, was silently standing next to a dirt road.


    Several yers were standing outside while discussing something.


    The driver was smoking a pipe while boringly looking at the shooting stars.


    Then a figure walked out of the wagon. He had deep green eyes, a handsome face, a wide forehead with slick eyebrows, and one sword-shaped earring on his left ear.


    He was athletic and tall, with long hair tied in a ponytail.


    "Wee back, boss." Mizuchi and Bluecore weed their leader, Cerberus, who had returned to reality after a small bathroom break.


    "Mm." Cerberus nodded and crossed his arms as he looked at the crimson moon. Then he heard the rustling of leaves as a red-haired woman walked out of the forest.


    She was Redheart, and she currently looked very angry.


    "Redheart, what is the reason for the sour look?" Mizuchi asked with augh.


    "Shut up; your children hate you." Redheart said coldly and approached Cerberus. "We need to talk."


    "T-they don''t hate me..." Mizuchi said with a shocked expression. He suddenly became self-conscious. "There''s no way my baby girl hates me..."


    "What is it?" Cerberus nced at Redheart with a raised eyebrow.


    "Ambrose has been found." Redheart said coldly, and suddenly a silence fell on the world.


    Mizuchi''s and Bluecore''s expressions turned cold. They knew that this was it¡ªthe beginning of the hunt.


    The driver of the wagon nced at the figures at the back of the wagon and shrugged his shoulders before turning to his pipe. "This Ambrose person sure has made them angry. I only remember them cursing his name. I wonder what he did to them."


    "Where." Cerberus asked with a rtively calm demeanor.


    "Tonshen Vige. It''s a small vige that is currently upied by the Death de, led by Jaeger. It is around thirty hours away." Redheart said.


    Cerberus nodded. "Then we know our destination."


    "You heard that, old man?" Mizuchi shouted.


    "Yeah, yeah." The driver of the wagon waved his hand and rubbed his eyes. "This is going to be a long night. Yawn, I only got two hours of sleepst night. Are they nning to ve me till they find that person..."


    "Everyone should return soon. Let''s travel through the night because Ambrose is currently feeling safe and is probably already sleeping soundly in his bed. If we push now, we might find him sooner than expected." Cerberus said.


    "Wait, there is more." Redheart grabbed Cerberus by his sleeve and said. "Ambrose left you a message."


    "What is it?" Cerberus asked.


    "He said¡ªthe rewards were very nice." Redheart said with coldness and anger.


    Cerberus looked silently at her before turning around and entering the wagon in silence. The atmosphere was heavy with tension.


    ''Yep, I don''t think I''ve ever seen him this angry before.'' Redheart thought to herself. ''He is going to explode if he doesn''t find him soon. I hope, for the sake of all yers and NPCs, that he finds Ambrose soon.


    ''Or all hell will break loose.''

 Chapter 103 Sea of Flames

    <h4>Chapter 103 Sea of mes</h4>


    Creak¡ªthe mes enveloped the entire building, reducing it to ashes at a slow pace. The windows exploded, sending shards of ss flying in all directions.


    The intense heat radiated from the inferno, scorching everything in its path.


    In the dark-filled room at the bottom of the building, Ambrose dodged the falling, burning debris with great difficulty.


    He could barely stay standing, let alone dodge.


    "Shit..." He crashed to his knees and tried to catch his breath. He tried to find a way out, but it looked hopeless.


    The smoke and mes had engulfed the entire area, leaving him trapped and desperate for a miracle.


    ''I can''t even log out! The mes are somehow keeping me trapped in abat state!'' Ambrose looked up towards the sea of mes and realized that all escape routes were blocked. ''The game developers sure are cruel. Is my fate to slowly burn to ashes?''


    "Is there nothing to do..." Ambrose gritted his teeth. He didn''t want to die here. His swords were lying beside him, and there was a dropped item arms-length away.


    Jaeger had dropped it upon his death.


    It was a basic shirt.


    Therefore, absolutely useless. He could only chuckle at Jaeger''s luck.


    He had checked the previous items he received from the inn upon their deaths.


    He received one wooden spear, one iron spear, one box of apples, andstly, basic pants.


    They either didn''t have anything or they had put a lot on luck stat.


    "I am truly the unluckiest." Ambrose chuckled self-mockingly and grabbed his swords with the intention of returning them to inventory.


    At first, he ced the Red Sword back into inventory, but when he caught a nce at his ck Sword, he remembered something out of its description.


    "Can sh through anything..." Ambrose frowned and raised his gaze at the mes. "Does that mean it can cut through mes too?"


    He pushed himself to stand up and wanted to risk everything to find out. However, there was still no way out.


    At that moment, the ceiling cracked and fell apart.


    It looked like the sky was falling down because of the sea of mes.


    Ambrose quickly rolled out of the way and shielded himself from the debris with the ck Sword.


    The ming debris crashed into the ground, and the fire from above began spreading across the darkness. Suddenly, the situation was even more dire than before.


    There was a rising fire in front of him, filling the room with dark smoke.


    "Cough, cough!" Ambrose covered his mouth and coughed violently as the mes grew closer.


    He took out a basic shirt from his inventory, ripped it into pieces, and tied it around his mouth and nose as makeshift protection.


    ''Time to test that theory.'' His eyes were already getting watery because of the smoke.


    He lifted his ck Sword and reached into his inventory to retrieve his second ck Sword.


    After crossing the des, he took a deep breath and charged at the fire with unwavering determination to survive this ordeal.


    He had just survived a deadly battle against Jaeger. He had zero intention to die of mere fire after defeating such a formidable opponent.


    His legs were burning with exhaustion, and his body felt sluggish and weak. It was already a miracle that he could stay conscious.


    Yet he pushed forth into the fire.


    "Dual Basic sh!" Ambrose screamed and shed the ck Swords into the scarlet-red mes.


    He could feel the intense heat scorching his skin, but he refused to let it deter him. He screamed and pushed himself into the fire.


    The fire enveloped the entire room.


    A pir of ck smoke rose all the way to the crimson moon. It was witnessed even from surrounding viges and towns.


    The townsfolk and vigers just watched in curiosity, wondering whether there was a wildfire somewhere.


    ...


    Morning sun appeared above the world as the crimson moon faded into the horizon. The sky was aze with hues of orange and pink, casting a warm glow over thend.


    The birds chirped, insects buzzed, and a gentle breeze rustled through the trees.


    It was another lovely day.


    Yet, in Tonshen Vige, a sense of unease hung in the air.


    The former luxurious building of the Vige Chief, known for its exquisite architecture, now stood in ruins.


    Its once vibrant colors faded, and its grandeur was reduced to rubble. The ck smoke was still present, with a few of the rooftop structures still smoldering.


    The fire was nowhere to be seen.


    Creak¡ª the sound of copsing beams echoed through the deste air.


    Crack¡ªa hand appeared from the ground. It was ashen-gray and covered in soot, reaching out to the bright blue sky.


    The person climbed out of the rubble, gasping for breath.


    "Ah..." Ambrose gasped greedily for air while trying to keep his eyes open. His heart beated faintly in his chest, and he wondered how he had managed to survive.


    His face was covered in ash, making him almost unrecognizable.


    "Well..." He chuckled beforeughing while looking at the two swords in his hands. "I guess they can cut through anything..."


    "I am so tired... How early is it?" Ambrose rubbed his forehead. He couldn''t sleep or log off for the entire night.


    It was unusual torture. and he doubted the game developers ever imagined for someone to be in such state.


    Ambrose gritted his teeth and stood up before slowly cing his swords in his inventory. He then began limping away from the ruined building.


    He reached the inn, found a random room, and then plopped down on the bed.


    [Your temporary spawn spot has been added!]


    "This ce is far from safe, but I have to log off..." Ambrose squinted his eyes and pressed the logout button.


    As the vision faded to ck, he couldn''t help but wonder what dangers awaited him upon his return.


    ...


    "Ahh..." Jesse exhaled and slowly opened his eyes. The exhaustion of his avatar didn''t transfer to his real life body.


    Thus, he felt again more energetic but couldn''t do anything about the sleepiness.


    At that moment, his eyes widened in shock as his stomach rumbled and his dder threatened to erupt.


    He just remembered that he had been online for nearly 24 hours!


    "Fuck!" Jesse put the headset away and rushed to the bathroom.


    He desperately needed to relieve himself before his dder reached its breaking point.


    After doing that, he let out a long yawn and was too tired to wash his teeth, so he moved towards the kitchen instead to fill his stomach.


    He had one pack of noodles left in the whole refrigerator.


    He decided to cook the noodles for a quick and easy meal.


    After doing so, he sat on the table while slowly eating. He forgot his phone in the bedroom and felt too tired to go pick it up.


    Otherwise, he would have wanted to check the forums for anything important.


    Ding, dong¡ªthe doorbell rang, echoing throughout the apartment.


    "Hmm?" Jesse reluctantly stood up and went to the door to check who it might be. He opened the door and, with a sleepy gaze, saw a ck-haired man donned in a fancy suit with a top hat and a walking cane in hand.


    "Son, are you ready to go?" Jack asked with a smile. "Oh, were you eating?"


    "Uhh..." Jesse''s sleepiness slowly disappeared. He didn''t know what time it was, so he thought there was still time. "Umm, how much is the time?"


    "Seven in the morning!" Jack said. "It''s the perfect time to start the day!"


    "O-oh." Jesse nodded with a strained smile. He thought they would leave in the evening, but it looks like he was mistaken. "I will go change clothes... You cane in?"


    "Oh, thanks." Jack stepped inside the apartment and looked around the cramped space with a sense of curiosity.


    After Jesse returned to his bedroom to change clothes, Jack walked into the small kitchen and saw a bowl of noodles on the table.


    He picked up a fork and took a taste, but then shook his head.


    "These noodles taste awful." He muttered. "Hmm, I wonder if he is still hungry. I should get him something much better to eat."


    After a while, Jesse returned while wearing his clothes, which he received from La Merch.


    They were his best clothes, and he thought they were appropriate clothes to wear for the special asion.


    It was, after all, the first time he was going to properly talk with his real father.


    He wanted to make a good impression.


    "Shall we go?" Jack asked with a smile.


    "Yes..." Jesse nodded. He was unsure how he should call him, and it was clear from his look.


    "You can call me Jack for now." Jack said with a smile, not wanting to push his son to call him father right away.


    "Alright, Jack." Jesse heaved a sigh of relief and then walked out of the apartment with his father.

 Chapter 104 Jack and Jesse

    <h4>Chapter 104 Jack and Jesse</h4>


    "White-vored Latte and Chocte-Colored Cake." Jack finished giving his order to a beautiful waitress.


    The waitress nodded her head with a smile and wrote the order then. She turned to the young man, waiting for his order.


    The young man hesitated for a moment before finally saying, "I''ll have the... Regr coffee and Cheese Cake, thanks."


    The waitress wrote it down and left to put in the order for the chef.


    Jesse nced around the cafe, feeling slightly out of ce.


    The cafe was clearly a popr spot for rich youngdies and masters, with its fancy decor and piano music ying softly in the background.


    "Are you happy with your current apartment?" Jack asked while arranging the bowl with fresh fruit on the table.


    He moved it out of the way, and then there was a small te with sugar cubes, which he also moved to the side.


    "It''s enough for me." Jesse replied without having that much affection for his current ce.


    At least he had a roof over his head.


    "At least I am not on the streets. I am grateful for that."


    Jack nodded while tapping his finger against the table.


    He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn''t know how to start.


    "Oh, Jacky, how fancy to see you here!"


    Jack and Jesse turned to the person with the high-pitched voice. She was a woman with fancy attire and a make-up filled face.


    Her lips were dark red with lipstick with blush streaked across her high cheekbones.


    She had a very thin-looking body, and it looked like she was a person who took hours every morning to apply make-up to look as beautiful as possible.


    She stillcked natural beauty.


    "Madam Amber." Jack forced a smile. "It''s a pleasure to see you again."


    "As well, as well!" Amber giggled with her gloved hand in front of her mouth.


    She then nced sideways at the youngdy beside her and introduced her.


    "This is my daughter, Emily. You met herst time when she barely reached your knees."


    "Emily, ah, I remember you. You''ve grown plenty." Jack smiled with a more genuine one.


    "Mm, nice to meet you." Emily replied with a shy nod. She had shoulder-length blond hair with a few loose curls at the ends.


    She had a petite frame, and her blue eyes sparkled with curiosity. Her voice was more soft-spoken than confident, but there was a warmth to it that made others feel at ease.


    "Mm, who is he?" Amber asked while pping a napkin in front of her mouth. She looked at the dull-looking young man with a frown. "A distant rtive of yours, perhaps?"


    "Actually, he is my son." Jack replied with a warm smile. "Jesse, this is Amber Saward. She hosts a popr cooking show on television. She also has a weekly book club in our neighborhood, where my wife visits."


    "Huh, a son?" Amber replied, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "He isn''t the son of yours and Anna, isn''t he?"


    "No." Jack shook his head. "He is my firstborn from my... previous rtionship. Haha, it is a little bitplicated."


    "Oho..." Amber looked stunned and stared at the dull-looking young man with a deep look. ''So, it won''t be Zach who inherits the Rothsmith Empire, but this Jesse will. That changes everything.''


    "We have to be going, but have a wonderful day, Jack." Amber smiled and then nced at Jesse. "It was lovely to meet with you, Jesse Rothsmith."


    She then grabbed her daughter''s hand and left the cave.


    Emily looked over her shoulder and waved goodbye to Jack before disappearing into the distance.


    "She might not look like it, but she is an influential member of ourmunity." Jack said and then he saw the waitresse with a tray. The tray had two tes of cake and two cups. "It is good to get along with her."


    After the waitress ced the tes and cups on the table, she returned to the kitchen.


    Jesse nodded at Jack, took a small spoon, and began to eat a piece of cake. It was delicious, with different vors assaulting his taste buds.


    He ordered Cheese Cake, but there was also something secret hidden in the ingredient.


    Jack ate a piece of his Chocte-Colored Cake. It was a chocte cake with a rich and decadent vor.


    As he savored each bite, he looked at his son and said.


    "I suppose I should tell you the reason why I wanted to talk to you today."


    "Mm?" Jesse looked at his father with a spoon in his mouth. He swallowed the cake piece and wiped his lips with a napkin.


    "I want you to meet my family." Jack said while stirring another spoon into the White-vored Latte.


    There was foam on the surface, creating a delicate pattern. "I already told my wife about you. She is willing to ept you into our family, but we haven''t said our children yet."


    "You have... more children?" Jesse expected it, but he wondered how many. "How many?"


    "A daughter and son. They are your step-sister and step-brother." Jack said. "I don''t want to hide this from them anymore."


    Jesse nodded, but his expression looked veryplicated.


    "I don''t know... This all is happening so suddenly." He sighed and took a sip of the coffee.


    "You can tell them I don''t mind, but I don''t know if I am ready to meet your family. I met you yesterday, and I feel like this is all moving too fast. I just need some time to process everything."


    "Ah, Ipletely understand." Jack shook his hand in a hurry. "There isn''t any hurry to meet them. Take all the time you need."


    "Thank you." Jesse heaved a sigh of relief and returned to eating the cake.


    Jack looked at his son with aplicated expression. He opened his mouth and said.


    "There is also one thing I want you to think about."


    "Hmm, what is it?" Jesse asked while finishing eating thest piece of cake. He had to admit that it was the best cake he had ever eaten.


    "I want you to think about the possibility of moving to our house." Jack said and inteced his fingers.


    "It''s bigger, more spacious, and you would have servants to take care of you. If you happen to injure yourself in your current apartment, it is life-threatening.


    "Also, that way, you could be truly part of our family, the Rothsmiths."


    "Moving with you..." Jesse lowered his head and didn''t know how to feel about that. On one hand, he would be with a family that knew about how hard it was with Humanoid Imperfecta disease, but on the other hand, they were still strangers.


    "It is a big decision, I know." Jack wiped his lips with a napkin. "You can take your time."


    "Mm." Jesse nodded and finished drinking the coffee.


    "Well, enough of that stuff. I don''t want to overwhelm you with such heavy decisions." Jackughed softly. "Today, I wanted to spend time with you, like a father and son, to get to know you better. We can do whatever you want to do; I will pay for everything."


    "Anything?" Jesse asked.


    "Mm." Jack nodded with a smile and finished histte. He then asked. "Well, what do you want to do?"


    Jesse smiled and inteced his fingers. "I''ve always wanted to go skydiving."

 Chapter 105 Skydiving

    <h4>Chapter 105 Skydiving</h4>


    Swoosh¡ªwind moved strongly through the small ne as it soared through the sky.


    The doors opened, revealing two ck-haired figures strapped in parachutes, with each one having another person on their backs.


    They looked down and saw the breathtaking view of the greenndscape below.


    "J-Jesse, I am not too sure about this!" Jack shouted while a strong wind blew against his pale face.


    He tightened his grip on the parachute straps and prepared himself for the exhrating freefall.


    Jesse nervously chuckled while looking down at the vast expanse ofnd below. This was his idea, but he was even more terrified.


    However, strangely, he felt more alive than ever before.


    ''This is so strange!'' He thought with cold sweat beads falling down his face. ''I am terrified but also extremely excited. This might be the day I die if anything goes wrong, but I''ve never felt more alive in my entire life!''


    "No need to worry, mister Rothsmith!" The man strapped to Jack''s back shouted with a confident tone. "You don''t have to do anything. Just enjoy the freefall; me and Nichs will take everything!"


    Since they were beginners, professional skydivers would tandem skydive with them.


    They would be the ones pulling the parachute cords and ensuring a safending for everyone involved.


    It was easy for Jack to arrange a skydiving session in just a few hours.


    When he first heard his son''s suggestion in the cafe, he thought he had misheard.


    However, surprisingly, his son''s determined eyes told him the truth.


    ''I have never heard anyone with Humanoid Imperfecta try skydiving. If the speed at which wend is too high, we would die!'' Jack gulped, but then firmly looked at his son.


    He didn''t n on letting his son do this alone, no matter what.


    Nichs, the professional skydiver strapped on Jesse''s back, showed thumbs up to the pilot and then said.


    "Remember, when we are about tond, raise your legs. Let us do thending for you!"


    Jesse and Jack nodded.


    With them were two of the best skydivers in the Nocklund area.


    Not many beginners had the privilege of getting them to guide them, but Rothsmith''s had a lot of influence and any skydiver would be honored to be with them on their first skydive.


    The two professional skydivers signaled each other and patted their clients shoulders. It meant they were about to jump.


    They approached the edge of the ne and felt the rush of wind against their faces.


    Then, they took theirst step and started falling through the open sky, embracing the thrill of freefall.


    Nichs curved his back like a banana while in mid-air, maintaining a stable position for the perfect jump.


    He acted very professionally and executed each movement with precision and grace. This was not a joke for him; he was now working and wanted to do it perfectly.


    "Wohoo!" Jesse, on the other hand, screamed loudly with excitement as he saw the entirety of Nocklund from the sky.


    He hadn''t realized before how beautiful the surroundingndscape was.


    The ground started approaching at a fast pace, and Jesse could feel his heart racing in his chest.


    Jack held his breath while his short ck hair blew in the wind. He put all his faith in the professional skydiver on his back, as he had the control, not him.


    The professional skydiver, Alexander, grabbed the parachute cord and pulled it, releasing the parachute from its pack.


    As the parachute filled with air, they began to slow down and descend gracefully towards the ground.


    Nichs then did the same. The parachute shot out of the pack and quickly began filling with air.


    Their speed of descend drastically slowed down.


    As Jesse looked down at the earth below, he felt a sense of awe and excitement. He thought that the world was indeed vast and full of things he hadn''t experienced yet because of his disease.


    "Raise your legs, now!" Nichs shouted, as did Alexander. Jesse and Jack listened. They then saw the ground approaching slowly.


    They held their breaths as Nichs and Alexander gentlynded on the ground and ran for several meters before slowlying to a stop.


    "Haah... haaah..." Jesse breathed heavily and slowly lowered his legs to touch the grass again.


    He had never been this happy to feel the grass beneath his shoes. Skydiving happened to be one of his most exciting experiences ever, but also one of the most terrifying ones.


    Nichs and Alexander took off the parachutes, letting them fall to the ground. They then removed the straps around Jesse''s and Jack''s bodies.


    After the straps were removed, Jesse walked a few steps and then crouched to touch the soft grass. He chuckled with excitement.


    ''I don''t understand what is going on with me. My emotions have been in shambles for some time now. First, the anger issues; now, this overwhelming excitement that I can''t seem to control. I want to feel more excitement; I want to feel more alive!''


    Jack sat down on the ground, happy to be still alive. However, he also felt excitement, as this was one of the most exciting things he had done in his life.


    "Thank you." He then remembered to thank the professional skydivers who joined them. He stood up, patted the grass off his pants, and talked to them for a moment.


    Nichs and Alexander had heard about Jack Rothsmith.


    He was one of the leading experts in the field of medicine and pioneered groundbreaking treatments for various diseases.


    However, he never managed to fix the disease he truly wanted to.


    They were happy to be of assistance to such a legendary figure.


    After sharing a few words, they went to call for a car toe pick them up.


    They were currently in the middle of nowhere, around 25 kilometers away from Nocklund.


    Thus, they always had a way to call for pickup from a nearby area.


    "Son, how are you feeling?" Jack walked over to Jesse, still feeling his beating heart pounding against his chest.


    "Great, thanks foring with me." Jesse stood up and smiled. "It meant a lot."


    "It''s nothing." Jack shook his head with a smile. "Maybe next time, we should try something that doesn''t include almost dying?"


    "Haha, sure." Jesse nodded with a smile. He simply wanted to try skydiving. Now that he was done trying that, he wanted to try something else.


    "The car wille soon to pick us up." Nichs walked over to them while checking his watch. "We will drive you to West Avenue. You should call someone to pick you up from there. You can use my phone, if you need to."


    "Thank you." Jack epted the phone and dialed the number of his driver.


    He whispered something before disconnecting the call and returning the phone to Nichs.


    While waiting for the car to arrive, Jesse sat down on the ground and took in the sight of the looming mountains, tall forest, and clear sky above.


    He couldn''t help but feel a sense of tranquility wash over him.


    ''I am... starting to feel sleepy...'' Jesse rubbed his eyes and tried to force them open. He didn''t want to ruin the day by sumbing to sleep. However, the peaceful surroundings were lulling him into a state of rxation.


    Slowly, his heavy eyelids shut down, and he drifted into a deep slumber.

 Chapter 106 Rothsmith Mansion

    <h4>Chapter 106 Rothsmith Mansion</h4>


    "Mmh..."


    A silent whisper sounded in a spacious room.


    A young man opened his heavy eyelids and felt like he was floating aimlessly across a dreamscape.


    He felt groggy, unsure whether he was still sleeping or awake.


    "Where... am I?" Jesse groaned, trying to make sense of his surroundings. He was tucked under a warm nket with a soft pillow under his head and an even softer bed.


    He felt like he was lying on top of a marshmallow.


    It felt surprisingly calming and rxing as all of his stress faded away like it had been wiped away with a wet cloth.


    "Mm..." Jesse, feeling the blissful sensation, turned to his right side, nning to continue sleeping.


    However, when he blinked his eyes, a pair of bright, piercing blue eyes stared back at him.


    "Aaah!" Jesse screamed in shock and hurriedly sat up.


    "Ah!" The figure with piercing blue eyes also let out a scream and escaped behind a bookshelf.


    However, the bookshelf could only hide half of her body. She still hid her face behind it¡ªthinking she was actually hiding well.


    "What in the..." Jesse scratched the back of his head, wondering who she was.


    He could only see a petite person hiding behind the bookshelf, her ck hair slightly showing. She was wearing an adorable-looking dress, even though he couldn''t see it entirely.


    The door to the room then swung open, and a familiar-looking figure appeared with an inquiring expression.


    When he saw the scene, he sighed and wryly smiled.


    "Emma, didn''t I tell you that this room is off limits?" Jack said and knelt on the ground. He was looking at the person hiding behind the bookshelf with a gentle smile. "Come out now, and let''s talk about why you''re here."


    The person slowly emerged from her "hiding" spot with a shy expression and her head hanging low.


    She shyly mumbled. "I-I got lost, I swear!"


    "Emma, what did I tell you about lying?" Jack chuckled and patted his leg. "Come on, your mother was calling for your help with dinner."


    "Okay..." Emma replied, her voice barely audible. She then lifted her eyes just enough to catch a glimpse of the ck-haired young man.


    Her face was adorable, with chubby cheeks and round blue eyes.


    She then lowered her gaze again and ran out of the room while hugging a stuffed red-eyed white bunny tightly in her arms.


    "Jack... where am I? Who was she?" Jesse was full of questions.


    He sat on the edge of the bed and tried to stand up, but his legs were feeling very sore and painful when he tried to put any weight on them.


    ''Oh, great.'' He sighed as he was unable to stand up once again.


    Only then did he remember that he spent most of the morning standing, perhaps even for several hours, which was definitely his record.


    He thought it felt natural after ying Martial Online, but now that he thought about it, it was very unusual!


    "You are at my home." Jack said and looked out of the room before closing the door. He walked over to the bed with a walking cane, tapping against the carpet-filled floor. "You fell asleep while we were waiting for someone toe pick us up.


    "I didn''t want to wake you up since you seemed somewhat tired this morning¡ªyou should take care of yourself more."


    Jack then cleared his throat after getting sidetracked by his worries.


    "I couldn''t find the keys to your apartment, and I didn''t think sleeping in the car was appropriate, so I brought you here."


    Jesse frowned and patted the back pocket of his trousers. He could clearly feel his keys there.


    ''Couldn''t find, huh.'' He wryly smiled and then nodded at his father. "Who was that girl?"


    "She is Emma, my daughter." Jack fondly smiled and said. "She is also your little sister. I told her not toe here, but I guess she is in her rebellious phase¡ªher curiosity seems limitless at times."


    ''My little sister...'' Jesse became speechless. He couldn''t help but remember Holly''s face before it faded into obscurity.


    He hadn''t had good experience with siblings and it frightened him to have more siblings.


    "I know you didn''t want to meet them yet. You don''t have to, and I hadn''t told them who you are yet." Jack said and sat on the edge of the bed. "However, in the dinner, I n to. Do you want to join us for dinner? My wife made her famoussagna."


    "I... uh." Jesse struggled to answer.


    "You don''t have to. I am not forcing you." Jack chuckled, trying to ease the atmosphere.


    Jesse side-nced at his father and felt guilt creep in. "I guess... I can join you for dinner."


    Jack looked at his son in surprise before blossoming into a smile. "That''s great. Shall we join them? I am sure they have finished preparing the meal by now."


    "Sure, but... I think my legs have resigned for today. Is there perhaps a spare wheelchair lying around?" Jesse chuckled while rubbing his painful legs as if he were having a sudden growth spur, causing his leg bones to ache uncontrobly.


    "There is an elevator we can use; can you walk there?" Jack asked and handed his silver-handled walking cane to his son.


    "Yeah, I think so..." Jesse took the walking cane and stood up while leaning against it. He put most of his weight on it, so he wasn''t feeling as much pain.


    However, it was still painful.


    Jack pulled out a phone from his pocket, sent a quick message, and then pocketed it.


    He then headed over to the door, opened it, and left the room with his son.


    There was an open elevator with six buttons leading to different floors. The lowest floor was the basement, and the highest was the fifth floor.


    Jesse limped into the elevator with a surreal feeling. He managed to catch a slight glimpse around the hallways, and the house seemed extremelyrge with no end in sight.


    He also rarely came across a house with an elevator, except in some old movies with insanely rich families as main characters.


    He couldn''t help but wonder if the rest of the house was just as extravagant.


    Perhaps there were hidden rooms or secret passageways waiting to be discovered.


    Jack pressed the second floor button and moved his arms behind his back as the elevator doors slid shut.


    The elevator then gently began moving down, and soon they had reached the second floor.


    The elevator door opened, and there was a butler, wearing a fancy ck suit with a red tie, waiting for them with a silver wheelchair.


    "Master, young master." The butler bowed and walked towards Jesse with the wheelchair.


    He moved behind him and waited for his new young master to sit down.


    Jesse sat down in a wheelchair with a strange expression.


    He was treated like a prince, which made him unsure of how to feel.


    "Has my family arrived in the dining room yet?" Jack asked the butler while walking out of the elevator.


    Butler, pushing the wheelchair out of the elevator, replied. "Yes, they have, sir."


    "Good." Jack smiled and then looked down at his son. "Jesse, it''s gettingte, and if you want, you can spend a night here. I can ask Sebastian here to go fetch a few of your personal items from your apartment, if you want."


    "Ah, no need; I don''t want to bother." Jesse shook his head.


    "Young master, it wouldn''t be a problem. If you need anything, I''ll be more than happy to assist you." The butler named Sebastian spoke with a professional tone.


    "Oh, then..." Jesse pulled out his keys and handed them over to the butler. "On my bedroom desk, there should be a white headset with a golden visor. It is extremely fragile, so handle it with care."


    "Your wish is mymand." The butler replied and saw Jack nod. He stopped pushing the wheelchair, bowed, and left to go fulfill the order.


    Jack walked to the wheelchair and began pushing it towards the dining hall that loomed in the distance.


    He felt his heart pounding against his chest as they neared the dining hall. He wondered how his family would react to Jesse.

 Chapter 107 The Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 107 The Dinner</h4>


    At the dining hall, steaming hot dishes were served on tes and ced on tables with seats for six people.


    The aroma of the food filled the air while the three people seated around were waiting for one more person to arrive.


    "Mom, who was the person sleeping in the guest bedroom?" Emma asked in her timid voice.


    "Hmm?"? A blue-eyed, handsome young man lifted his eyebrow and tore his gaze away from the book in his hand.


    His blue eyes behind silver-rimmed sses shone with curiosity. He had jet ck hair with a wellbed hairstyle, giving him an intellectual look.


    A beautiful woman with long, flowing hair and an eternally gentle smile sat at the end of the table.


    She hadn''t allowed anyone to take food yet because they were waiting for her husband to arrive.


    "You will know shortly, sweetie." Anna replied while keeping her eyes peeled on the door of the dining hall, expecting her husband to arrive at any moment.


    "Hmm?" Zach, the handsome young man, nudged his sses up his nose bridge and returned his focus to the book.


    He didn''t look like he cared much about the guest.


    The doors opened, and in walked Jack, pushing a wheelchair forward.


    The person in the wheelchair looked sickly yet surprisingly athletic.


    A few of the strands of his hair fell on his forehead, giving him a slightly disheveled look.


    Emma and Zach nced in their direction. Their gazesnded on the person in the wheelchair.


    They both wondered who he was, as rarely their father brought a guest so young.


    Anna smiled and stood up.


    She returned to the kitchen and soon brought another te with silverware.


    Jack rolled the wheelchair to the end of the table and then patted Jesse''s shoulder before getting seated next to Zach.


    He filled up his te withsagna and sd before filling his cup with water.


    Anna walked over to Jesse and ced the te and silverware before him on the table. She then moved her hair over her ear and asked.


    "Would you like anything to drink?"


    "Water is fine, thank you." Jesse replied with a small smile. He looked at everyone at the table with a nervous gaze.


    Emma sent nces in his direction, while Zach looked at him once before returning to his book.


    Jesse looked down at his trembling hands and then clenched them into a fist. The trembling stopped.


    He took a deep breath and then filled his te with food. Then Anna handed him the cup of water with a gentle smile.


    He epted the cup of water with a nod, grateful for her kindness. He then took a sip while scanning his surroundings.


    The dining hall wasn''t as big as imagined, but it was still vastlyrger than an ordinary house''s.


    However, he thought it was because this was used by the family to eat together, as there was also a kitchen connected to the hall.


    He expected them to have another dining hall, which would be much bigger and could fit more people and amodaterger gatherings.


    Anna got seated on another end of the table and put her hands together for a quick prayer before starting to eat.


    The sound of silverware nging against the te sounded across the dining hall.


    No one was speaking, but Emma and Zach were feeling a strange sense of tense atmosphere.


    Emma, at first, looked at her mother before turning to her father. She then pouted and looked at the strange, ck-haired youth.


    She opened her mouth and timidly whispered.


    "U-uh, y-you..."


    However, her whisper was silenced by the sound of silverware nging against the te.


    She was too quiet to be heard over the noise.


    "Zach, close the book and eat." Jack said while taking a bite of the food.


    Zach sighed, closed the book, and ced it beside the te.


    He picked up the fork and knife, then began eating.


    Anna nced at her husband before rolling her eyes. She then smiled and looked at the person at the other end of the table.


    "Jesse, do you also enjoy reading?"


    Zach lifted his eyebrow and looked at the sickly-looking young man.


    Jesse responded with a nod. "Yeah, I do. I rarely read these days, though."


    "Hmm, what is your favorite book?" Zach suddenly struck up a conversation and crossed his arms. "I believe that one''s favorite book reveals a lot about the person."


    "It''s Ambrose, the Immortal Man." Jesse replied. He had read it many times but never grew tired of the story''s timeless wisdom and captivating characters.


    Unfortunately, it never got sequel for some reason.


    "Oh, that. I have read it too." Zach cut a piece of thesagna and stuffed it into his mouth.


    "I think that book is nonsense. Ambrose is a very frustrating main character with lots of ws¡ªI couldn''t understand why the author made an otherwise good book with such a main character.


    "Also, it frustrates me the most that there are many good characters with kind personalities, yet it is Ambrose who reached immortality.


    "Overall, the book would have been much more enjoyable if the main character had been better developed, because I couldn''t cheer for him after acquiring immortality. I even wished for the book to have a darker ending!"


    Zach became very passionate about the topic of that book.


    Jesse looked at the blue-eyed young man and shook his head. "I have to disagree with that. Those things you called "ws" aren''t ws; they are simply emotions, and Ambrose was a person withplex emotions.


    "Emotions should never be seen as ws. They are a fundamental part of being human, and in my opinion, Ambrose was the most human-like character in the whole book. He was the most developed and rtable character, withyers of emotions that made him captivating to read about."


    Zach scoffed and firmly shook his head. "I have to disagree. Ambrose was a very angry, jealous, and sad individual. It was hard to sympathize with him."


    "That''s where you are mistaken." Jesse took a bite of thesagna and said. "The author did not want others to sympathize with him. In fact, Ambrose''s negative traits were intentionally portrayed to evoke a sense of dislike and frustration in the readers.


    "When he finally overcame those frustrating qualities, he finally stopped being a human. He became an immortal¡ªa person who had abandoned the humanity that once chained him with emotions."


    Zach opened his mouth, but he wasn''t sure how to reply.


    He stopped eating and nudges his sses with a deep frown.


    ''Did I misunderstand the message of the book? I still have that book; should I read it again?''


    Anna smiled at the fiery conversation and then looked at her husband, who was still eating without having any intention to speak.


    She then narrowed her eyes and tapped her finger against the table.


    Jack looked away from the food and saw his disgruntled-looking wife.


    He knew he was in trouble if he tried to dy it any longer.


    "Ahem." He cleared his throat and attracted everyone''s attention. "Emma and Zach, I have something to talk to you about..."


    "Hmm?" Zach shook away the thoughts about the book and looked at his father with a raised eyebrow.


    Emma took a very small bite of the food while keeping her ears perked up.


    She couldn''t really keep up with the conversation about the book, but after having her name mentioned, she also turned to look at her father with a curious look.


    "This is Jesse." Jack pointed at Jesse before continuing. "Your grandma, Matilda, called me one day about a certain young man who had the same condition as me, Humanoid Imperfecta.


    "As it is known, it can only be inherited. I thanked the gods that neither of you got it. However, a long time ago, I did something very foolish before I married your mother.


    "I had tried to forget about that stupid time of my life, but then." Jack patted Jesse''s shoulder and took a deep breath. "That past created something that I got to know only a few days ago.


    "I found out that I have a long-lost son. Jesse here is my first-born son and your new sibling."

 Chapter 108 Reaction

    <h4>Chapter 108 Reaction</h4>


    "What?!" Zach stood up and mmed his hands on the table. His eyes were shaking in shock and disbelief. "S-so, you had sex with a random prostitute or what? That doesn''t make him my sibling!"


    "Mind your words, son." Jack didn''t like the tone of his son. He looked at Zach with a stern gaze. "Rothsmiths take care of each other. You know this."


    "He is not Rothsmith!" Zach shouted and stormed away from the dining table. "As far as his name goes, it doesn''t include Rothsmith! Right, father?!"


    He swung the doors open and stormed out of the dining hall. The echo of his footsteps faded into the distance.


    "I will go talk with him." Anna stood up with sadness in her voice.


    She gently caressed her husband''s shoulder while passing by and gently smiled at Jesse before leaving the dining hall to go after her son.


    "I am sorry, son." Jack shook his head and moved his te away, not feeling hungry anymore. "Zach is an emotional kid. I didn''t expect him to ept this right away."


    "It''s fine; I don''t really me him." Jesse said. However, even he didn''t expect such a strong reaction. He expected disbelief and rejection, but not this.


    Jack sadly smiled and then moved his gaze to thest person left at the dining table.


    Emma was sitting silently while clutching a red-eyed white bunny tightly in her arms.


    It was unclear where she got it from, as she wasn''t carrying it when she came to the dining hall.


    "Emma, this is Jesse. You might be seeing him as our guest often, so please get along." Jack gently smiled.


    "Mm..." Emma nodded and left the dining room before running out of the dining hall with her short legs.


    However, she took the te with her, not wanting to waste the food.


    "She is a shy one and it takes time for her to warm up to you." Jack said and stood up. "Still hungry? If you want, I can get the servants to deliver the food to your room."


    "It''s fine; I am not hungry anymore." Jesse spun the wheelchair around and wheeled out of the dining hall silently.


    He was also soon out of sight, leaving Jack alone in the dining hall.


    Jack sat back down and stirred thesagna on the te with a fork. "Doesn''t have Rothsmith in his name, huh?"


    He patted the chest pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. He unfolded it, revealing the custody papers with two names on the bottom of the page.


    There were two names signed¡ªMaria and Terry Kraham.


    "I don''t know what lie you told your husband, but I appreciate it." Jack folded the paper and ced it back in his chest pocket. He wanted to show this during dinner but had no chance to. "These papers say otherwise... He is Rothsmith in blood and now in name."


    ...


    "I should''ve asked directions..." Jesse thought aloud with a hint of frustration in his voice.


    He had returned to the fourth floor, where his temporary room was. However, there were hundreds of doors, and he couldn''t remember which one was his.


    Therefore, he pushed the wheelchair forward while beingpletely lost.


    After a while, he got tired of that and stopped in front of a draped, ornate window.


    He moved the drapes out of the way and gazed out at the vastndscape.


    "We... are not in the city?" Jesse thought out loud in wonder.


    The Rothsmith Estate seemed to be surrounded by forests, flourishing valleys, and cloud-splitting mountains. It was a breathtaking sight.


    He had rarely left Nocklund to see nature with his own eyes.


    Martial Online was one of his first experiences in that department, but now he truly could see the endless beauty of the world.


    "Enjoying the sights, young master?"


    Jesse turned and looked at the ck-suited butler. He was carrying a white headset with a golden visor very gently in his hands.


    "Sebastian, right?" Jesse then looked at the headset in his hands, his lips turning dry. He grew excited to jump into the game and enjoy that majestic world.


    However, after a few seconds of thought, he shook his head and returned his gaze to the outside view.


    "I have brought your headset." Sebastian said with a small bow. "Should I take it to your room, sir?"


    "Yes, please take it to my room." Jesse said with a thankful voice, but then remembered something and quickly turned to the butler. "By the way, where is my room actually?"


    "It''s right here, sir." Sebastian pointed at the door behind Jesse. Funnily enough, he had reached his room without realizing it. "Do you want a map? All servants have one; I could bring you one in case you need one."


    "Ah, that would be good, thanks." Jesse nodded and then saw Sebastian enter his temporary room.


    He left the headset on the desk before leaving the room and walking away.


    Jesse took onest deep look at the surroundingndscape and then wheeled inside his room before closing the door right behind him.


    The room was asrge as his apartment back in the city.


    He admired the elegant furniture and the neatly arranged books on the shelves.


    The room felt like a sanctuary, a peaceful escape from the outside world.


    He nced in the direction of the fancy desk with the candle stand, the arranged books, and a quill pen on top.


    His headset was right beside the arranged books.


    His hands itched to pick up the headset and return to that wondrous world. However, Jesse shook the thought away.


    He felt like he was getting more addicted to that game every day.


    "They mighte check up on me still. It would be rather rude to spend time in that virtual world instead." Jesse thought about it and decided to focus on his responsibilities in the real world.


    He pushed the wheelchair towards the bed, hopped off, andnded on the soft mattress.


    He then pulled out his phone with his left hand and used it to swipe across the screen.


    He was right-handed, but because of his ambidextrous training, he had also started to use his phone with his left hand.


    He hadn''t noticed any significant improvement yet, but it was a long process, and he knew it.


    ...


    "He is your brother, Zach." Anna stood up from the chair and approached the door. She turned around to look at Zach, seated on his bed with his head drooping low. "Talk with your father. It hurts him the most if you don''t ept him as part of the family."


    Creak¡ªthe door opened and closed shortly after.


    "Hmph!" Zach gritted his teeth and threw a pillow at the door. He then shot up and paced about with his hands on his waist.


    He felt like screaming but decided to keep his frustration inside him instead.


    He then rushed to the bookshelf made of walnut wood. There were collections of hundreds of books.


    He always believed that books were the easiest way to get away from the world of responsibilities and stress.


    Whenever he felt sad or pressured, he would read a book and forget about those.


    "Which one... Which one..." Zach looked around the bookshelf for any good books. He then noticed a book with a brown hardcover and a figure etched on it.


    [Ambrose, the Immortal Man]


    Zach pulled out the book and began flipping through the pages.


    "There is no way I was mistaken about the main character. I will prove it to him that I was right!" He took the book, returned to his bed, and began reading the book about Ambrose, the Immortal Man.

 Chapter 109 Jesse Rothsmith

    <h4>Chapter 109 Jesse Rothsmith</h4>


    "How was he?" Jack asked while washing the tes in a modern kitchen.


    They had servants to do this kind of stuff, but he preferred to do it himself to keep himself upied.


    "It takes time." Anna said and wrapped her slender arms around his waist. She then ced her head on his shoulder and whispered. "What about Emma?"


    "I don''t know, haha." Jackughed softly. Sometimes, he wished that his daughter showed more of what she thought and not keep her feelings inside.


    It made it difficult for him to understand what was truly going on in her mind.


    "Should I go talk to her?" Anna asked.


    "I think she had already gone to y." Jack replied with a chuckle. "I am d that she has something she is enjoying, but I am afraid for her safety. I have heard some disturbing things about Martial Online, and I am not sure whether it is a good ce for her."


    "She will be fine; trust in our daughter." Anna said with a smile. "Jesse also wasn''t what I expected."


    "In a good or bad way?" Jack asked with a chuckle.


    "From what I remember about our first meeting, you looked depressed and were very scrawny." Anna giggled. "However, Jesse has a lot of life in his eyes."


    "He is unlike anyone I have met before." Jack said and put the tes on the drying rack. "After hearing about his situation, I thought he had basically given up on life; that''s why I hurried to get to know him.


    "However, after today, I don''t think he has given up on anything. He seems very obsessed with experiencing as much as possible within his limited lifespan."


    "Did something happen today?" Anna asked curiously.


    "Yeah, he wanted to go skydiving." Jack revealed with a small chuckle.


    Anna''s face paled significantly. "D-don''t tell me."


    "It was actually pretty fun." Jack chuckled. "Terrifying though."


    "What if something happened!?" Anna pouted and hugged his waist tighter. "That was very reckless of you."


    "I promise, I won''t do anything like that again." Jack reassured her, thinking that one time was already enough. "However, Jesse has a very adventurous spirit. Chaining him wouldn''t do any good. We should trust him.


    "After all, life is meant to be lived to the fullest."


    Anna nodded in agreement. "Talking about Martial Online and adventure, do you think he is ying Martial Online?"


    "Well, he asked Sebastian to bring a headset." Jack said and rubbed his chin. "I assume he does."


    "Does that mean he can y without getting hindered by Humanoid Imperfecta?" Anna said and saw Jack''s expression freeze.


    She then continued. "Are you interested in trying it out?"


    "No... haha." Jack shook his head. "I have already learned to live with this. I don''t need to be reminded of what I am missing out on."


    Anna sadly smiled and then patted her husband''s buttocks. "I am going to go take a shower; are youing?"


    "Soon, I will visit Jesse first. I have something to ask him." Jack nted a kiss on Anna''s forehead before leaving the kitchen.


    ...


    "Hah!" Jesse groaned in pain, his sweat falling to the floor. He pushed his body up using his trembling arms before lowering his body again with his arms at a ny degree angle.


    He was doing push-ups without using his legs, as he couldn''t really use them. Therefore, he had to rely solely on his upper body strength toplete the exercise.


    He then lifted his shaky right arm, moved it behind his back, and then continued doing push-ups with only his left arm.


    This instantly brought his body to the brink of copse. He simplycked the strength to push his body back up.


    The pain surged through every muscle, leaving him gasping for breath.


    He desperately fought to hold on, but his body refused to cooperate.


    His vision blurred, and darkness closed in around him.


    ''No!'' Jesse shook his head and tried to stay conscious. He screamed and pushed his body up, even though it looked impossible only a moment ago.


    His muscles trembled and swelled as if they were about to explode.


    "Ugh!" He couldn''t hold on anymore, and his body approached the floor with rming speed.


    He, however, quickly bnced himself with his right arm, then flipped over and fell on his back.


    That alone brought a spike in pain that made him moan in pain.


    Knock, knock¡ªsomeone knocked on the door, and then it swung right open.


    "Jesse?" Jack peeked inside the room and couldn''t see anyone on the bed. However, he then saw his son gasping for air while moaning in pain on the floor. "Are you alright?!"


    "Yeah..." Jesse lifted his arm and waved itzily. "I was exercising. Ugh."


    "You look like you are in pain." Jack limped over to Jesse with his walking cane and knelt down beside him, concern etched on his face. "With our condition, it''s very dangerous to overexert ourselves like that.


    "You should take it easy and not push yourself too hard."


    ''That is not an option.'' Jesse thought and then smiled while sitting up with a fatigued face. "Was there something you wanted?"


    "Just came to check how you were doing." Jack replied and stood up with the help of the cane. "Are you liking your room? We can also change the location if you want."


    "Nah, it''s perfect." Jesse replied and climbed on top of the bed. He then rubbed his tired legs and looked at his father with his peripheral vision. "There is something else, isn''t there?"


    "Yes, there is." Jack sat down in the wheelchair that was beside the bed and put the walking cane in front of him.


    He leaned his arms against it while looking at his son. "What I am going to say might hurt you. But I believe its something positive."


    "Huh?" Jesse turned his head to look at his father, wondering what he was about to say.


    Jack opened his chest pocket and pulled out a folded paper. He unfolded it and handed it over to his son.


    Jesse opened it and began reading it slowly, his eyes widening further the more he read.


    "These are the custody papers." Jack said. "I met your mother and talked about you. She gave up on you; that''s why I gave her the custody papers and told her to sign them.


    "She did, and after I left, so did Terry." He sighed. "They sent me these papers early this morning. So, now you are Rothsmith, not Kraham."


    Jesse gave the custody papers back and silently looked at the air in front of him. It was unclear what he was thinking about.


    "I leave you to be. Let''s talk about this next morning." Jack patted his son''s shoulder before walking over to the house.


    "Hey... father."


    Jack froze when he was about to open the door. He turned to his son and saw him looking at him. This was the first time he was called father by Jesse.


    "Can I move in here?" Jesse asked with a painful gaze. "I don''t want to return to Nocklund."


    Jack looked stunned before smiling. "Of course. I will tell Sebastian to bring your stuff here. Good night."


    He flicked the lightswitch, saw darkness fall over the room, and then left the room with lighter steps.


    "Haaah." Jesse plopped down on the bed and looked at the dark ceiling. He pinched on his be, then moved his hands behind his head to use them as pillows, and then sighed. "Jesse Rothsmith... Ambrose Rothsmith... Ambrose..."

 Chapter 110 Encounter in Forest

    <h4>Chapter 110 Encounter in Forest</h4>


    The following morning, after five hours of sleep, Jesse woke up with sleepiness still lingering in his eyes.


    It was hard to start sleeping after finding out that his parents had simply abandoned him like that.


    It was the second time, but now it was final.


    He was no longer part of their lives.


    After getting out of bed, Jack and Sebastian visited him.


    They had visited his apartment early in the morning and brought everything he owned.


    Once Jack saw hisck of clothes, he gave his very old ones to Jesse. They were both very different sizes when they were in early adulthood, so it wasn''t a perfect fit.


    However, they were enough for now, but Jack nned to go purchase some new ones soon.


    After they left, Jesse put on Jack''s old tracksuit.


    It was ck in color and had white lines on his arm sleeves.


    There were also new sneakers, which were a size too small, but they were still morefortable than his old ones.


    Then he left the mansion and finally managed to see it from the outside, having a hard time closing his mouth.


    The mansion was even grander and more breathtaking than he had imagined.


    It was built several centuries ago, but it looked way more luxurious than any modern building.


    With its thousands of ornate windows, dozens of balconies, brown brick-made walls, and five floors, it looked like it could house thousands of servants.


    The building was a true architectural masterpiece.


    The garden was far from modest. It covered an area of more than a kilometer and housed many hand-made bush statues and fountains with sparkling blue water.


    It was all connected by a cobblestone path that found its way through vibrant flower beds and neatly trimmed hedges.


    Jesse ran down the cobblestone path while taking in all the sights.


    After twenty minutes of running, he reached the end of the path and found a dirt road leading deeper into a forest.


    The trees, blooming flowers, and lush greenery bathed in the sunlight while creating a picturesque sight.


    "Whoo." Exhaling, he entered the forest and ran with the wind blowing against his face.


    The forest seemed endless as he ran, and he soon came to a stop to catch his breath.


    He found a ce to sit and rest, admiring the beauty of nature around him.


    "Hmm?" Jesse reached out to his pocket to take out his phone to check the time, but then he saw a wooden branch on the ground.


    It was around 50 cm in length and had an uneven, spiky surface.


    He grabbed it and tested its weight.


    It was lighter than his swords, and bnce was terrible.


    However, he stood up and swung it slowly around his body, treating it as a real sword.


    He switched hands, using only his left hand, and used the tree as a training dummy.


    Smack, smack¡ªthe attacks weren''t very powerful. It was like trying to punch through a brick wall.


    "Hmm, what if I do this?" He moved the wooden branch under his right armpit and did a very wide swing at the tree.


    The smack had the same volume because the attackcked weight.


    "I still need to create more skills. I only have Kill and High Pain created. Even Jaeger had more than I did.


    "If I recall correctly, he had three, maybe four. Still more than I have." Jesse lifted the wooden branch and thought deeply about what kind of skill he wished to have.


    He knew he needed to catch up and increase his strength with the help of more powerful skills.


    His level had already reached a staggering 35. He still had thirty stat points usable, as he didn''t spend them before logging out.


    However, because of all that, he could create more powerful skills.


    His level was much lower when he created Kill and High Pain, but he was still very proud of those skills.


    "My imagination iscking. I am thinking about creating equally powerful skills as those, while I can create even more powerful ones!


    "Those skills also be stronger when I level up and ce my stats, but I can create way more ridiculous skills." Jesse crossed his legs and deeply frowned.


    "Growl..."


    Jesse felt his hair rise at the back of his neck. He jumped to his feet and backed away from the treeline.


    There was something lurking in the forest, growling menacingly.


    And soon, the creature letting out the growl revealed itself. It had dark brown fur with patches of gray, sharp ws, and glowing yellow eyes.


    "A wild dog... no, a wolf!" Jesse''s face was bleached. "How could it be here?! W-wait, don''t wolves usually move in packs?"


    He looked around the dimly lit forest, afraid that he was surrounded by dozens of wolves. It would mean almost certain death.


    However, at first nce, it looked like it was alone.


    "I-It''s alone? Is it the so-called omega?"


    Jesse lifted his wooden branch with a shaky hand, ready to defend himself if necessary.


    "Growl..." The dark brown wolf stepped out of the bush and slowly circled around the human.


    It looked like a feral wild animal with hostile intentions.


    "F-fuck, I am not in Martial Online. In here, I can actually die!" Jesse wiped off the cold sweat from his forehead and gulped with fear.


    He even thought about throwing the wooden branch at the wolf and, while it was stunned, run away.


    However, he had enough knowledge to know that would be the worst thing he could possibly do in this situation.


    He would be chased down, wed to death, and dragged into some random cave to be eaten.


    "I-I guess I have to fight through this." Jesse looked at the wooden branch in his hand,pletely helpless.


    He didn''t have his ck and Red Sword.


    He didn''t have his amazing strength or his stats to help him ovee this obstacle.


    It was just him.


    "Growl..." The wolf readied its attack, growling with a drooling mouth, and then lunged forward with its sharp fangs aimed straight at his head.


    "Ahhh!" Jesse screamed and lifted the wooden branch over his head. Then, out of reflex, he shouted. "Basic sh!"


    At that moment, everything in his mind froze. He forgot one crucial thing; he also couldn''t use any of his skills.


    He had be so used to relying on them that hepletely forgot such a simple thing.


    As the wolf''s fangs grew closer, he closed his eyes and resigned himself to death.


    ''I am such a fucking fool...''


    At that moment, he felt the bnce of his body tilt slightly forward.


    He felt his waist twist to the side, the grip on the wooden sword tighten, and his muscles tense.


    He opened his eyes in shock, and surprisingly, his arms moved downward with a wooden branch in his hand.


    Itnded perfectly on the wolf''s neck, immediately breaking its neck and hurling it across the air into a tree.


    The wolf whimpered before letting out a final growl before dying.


    "W-what the hell was that? Did I just do Basic sh?" Jesse staggered backwards and identally dropped the wooden branch that was now stained with real blood¡ªred blood.


    Crack¡ªa sudden crack sounded in the forest, frightening him.


    Jesse looked around in panic and then turned around before running away.


    He didn''t want to find out whether there were more wolves!


    "How the hell did I just use Basic sh!?" He asked himself with the wind rushing against his face.


    That was the second strangest thing that had happened to him after receiving the VR headset.


    "Did my body just instinctively do that? No way, I did it perfectly. I had already given up, but my body simply moved.


    "Just like in Martial Online!"


    After a while, he sprinted out of the forest and saw the mansion in the distance. He ran down the cobblestone path and suddenly let out augh.


    "I can''t believe I made it!" Jesse eximed, feeling a surge of excitement and aplishment. "I don''t know what happened or how I used Basic sh, but now, after the encounter with that feral beast, an insane skill appeared in my mind.


    "That skill will be the cornerstone of my style¡ªan absolutely bizarre skill!"

 Chapter 111 Third Skill

    <h4>Chapter 111 Third Skill</h4>


    "Whoo, whoo, I became too excited and ran all the way here..." Jesse stepped inside the elevator and rubbed his aching legs.


    However, the idea of his skill was rent-free in his head, and he couldn''t get rid of it.


    ''It is a very bizarre skill if I can do it. I wonder if I can, since it isn''t really a realistic move.


    However, neither is Karma''s ability to summon crows from ck feathers.


    ''Many yers are so far keeping their feet on the ground without trying to create any non-realistic skills. However, I think this game was developed to be realistic but also non-realistic.


    This might, after all, be very much a fantasy world where yers might even be able to fly in the future.''


    Jesse pressed the fourth floor button and rubbed his neck. He couldn''t wait to reach his room and enter Martial Online to see whether it would be possible.


    "P-please, k-keep the door open!" A hurried, shy voice came from the hallway as Jesse turned to see a young girl rushing towards the closing elevator doors.


    Jesse put his hand between the closing elevator doors and stopped them from closing any further.


    The doors opened again, and the young girl rushed inside, panting and out of breath.


    "T-thanks." Emma said and turned to look at the person who was with her on the elevator.


    However, she suddenly became much shyer, as she at first thought it was another servant and not her new sibling, Jesse.


    "No problem." Jesse smiled and asked. "Which floor?"


    "F-f-four..."


    Jesse nodded and pressed the fourth floor button again. The elevator door closed, and the elevator slowly began ascending from the first floor.


    Emma hugged tightly the red-eyed white bunny on her arms as she watched the numbers on the elevator disy change.


    She threw a nce in the direction of Jesse but quickly looked away again.


    Jesse saw it with his peripheral vision. He thought about Holly when she was the same age.


    She was still very innocent and clingy, as they were very close, but once she reached high school age, she slowly changed until only contempt was left in her eyes.


    ''I don''t want her to be the same.'' Jesse nced at Emma and then opened his mouth. "What is her name?"


    "O-oh?" Emma flinched and looked at Jesse. She then saw him look at her bunny, and she softly whispered. "B-Be..."


    "That''s a cute name." Jesse said aloud. "How long have you two been friends?"


    Emma buried her face in the fluffy head of the bunny and whispered. "F-four years... mom and dad gave it to me as a birthday gift..."


    Ding¡ªthe elevator reached the fourth floor, and the door opened.


    Emma then rushed out of the elevator and ran towards her room, clutching the stuffed bunny tightly in her arms.


    She opened the door and rushed inside before closing it.


    Jesse scratched the back of his head and left the elevator. He walked down the hallway, wondering what had just happened.


    Soon, with the help of his small map, he found his room and entered it.


    After changing his clothes to casual ones, he walked to his desk and looked at his white VR headset.


    He took it into his arms and went to his bed, but then remembered one thing.


    "I should perhaps visit the bathroom before going in..." Jesse scratched the back of his head and went to the bathroom to empty his dder.


    He then returned to the bed,id down and ced the VR headset around his head.


    "I hope it works..."


    ...


    Emma hopped on top of her bed with a white bunny in her arms.


    There were dozens of plushies scattered across the room, each with its own unique personality.


    The walls were painted pink and white stripes, giving the room a whimsical and yful feel.


    She then sat up and ced the white bunny next to her pillow.


    After petting the white bunny in the head, she hurried towards the cab, opened the wooden doors, and took out a ck headset.


    "I wonder if Be is there already..." Emma whispered gently with a cute smile and rushed back to her bed.


    She put her head on her pillow, right beside the white bunny, and ced the VR headset around her head.


    She closed her eyes and entered the virtual world.


    ...


    Ambrose opened his eyes and woke up to the sight of the ordinary-looking inn room with an ufortable bed under him.


    He sat up and rubbed his temples.


    After gathering his thoughts, he realized that he was still inside Tonshen Vige.


    ''Let''s check whether I am alone...'' He sat cross-legged and summoned his soul.


    The world froze as an azure-blue figure left his body.


    Without having to give orders, the soul flew through the ceiling and looked around the Tonshen.


    It soon returned to Ambrose, bringing news that he was all alone.


    ''Even though I am alone, that might change in a few hours. I can''t stay here, but for now...'' Ambrose rubbed his hands and took out a skill scroll from his inventory.


    He opened it, showing an empty interior.


    "Alright, let''s see. Please work." Ambrose took a deep breath, and an image appeared in his mind.


    The empty skill scroll started glowing with a brilliant, golden light.


    The empty scroll started to have an image of an injured person trying to stand up.


    It was clear that this skill was going to be special, as this was the first time this scenario had happened!


    Ding, ding¡ªAmbrose opened his eyes with a smile creeping up on his face.


    [Skill has been sessfully created!]


    [Do you want to name your skill?]


    [Y/N]


    "Yes." Ambrose had already thought about the name. It was something that was the main reason for his hardships.


    However, he hoped that this skill would also bring simr hardships to his enemies.


    [Choose the name!]


    Ambrose took a deep breath and said.


    "Humanoid Imperfecta!"


    [Skill "Humanoid Imperfecta" has been created!]


    [Humanoid Imperfecta: An attack with cursed energy. If the attacknds on the target, it will drain their life force, weakening them for one minute. During that one minute, they are very fragile to every attack, and their defenses are significantly reduced]


    Ambrose looked at the description of his skill with a wry smile.


    "It''s an attack that gives my enemies temporary Humanoid Imperfecta. Truly a bizarre skill; I can''t believe it worked, haha." Ambrose pulled out his ck Sword and already wanted to test it in a battle.


    He then sheathed his sword and decided to leave Tonshen Vige before it was toote.


    After leaving his inn room, he departed from the inn and walked towards the ruined Vige Chief''s house.


    It was still smoking even after a day, but that was to be expected.


    As he walked past the ruined house, he caught a glimpse of something. It was something shiny that caught his eye.


    He curiously walked over the burned rubble and moved the ck wooden nks out of the way.


    In the rubble, there was a metal safe.


    "A safe?" Ambrose curiously thought. He wondered what it might hold. He then removed the rest of the rubble and tried to carry it, but it was quite heavy.


    However, with a few grunts, he managed to toss it into his inventory.


    "Whew..." Ambrose then took ast look at the destroyed vige, pulled out an apple from his inventory, and munched on it while walking away. His health slowly recovered.


    ''I still have thirty stat points to use. I will spend those when I am somewhere safe.''


    After ten minutes, a wagon pulled by two neighing horses reached the outskirts of Tonshen Vige. The driver whistled and wondered what happened here after seeing all the destroyed houses.


    He then knocked on the wall behind him.


    "We have arrived!"


    Inside the wagon, Cerberus opened his cold eyes.

 Chapter 112 Wealthy Ambrose

    <h4>Chapter 112 Wealthy Ambrose</h4>


    "Boss, he ain''t here." A beautiful yer with a small nose and high cheekbones said while kicking away the burned rubble.


    She was SweetieHell, one of Zahhak''s deadliest damage dealers.


    "..." Cerberus stood in the middle of the destroyed house, looking around for any clues about Ambrose''s whereabouts.


    But all he found were ashes and burned pieces of furniture that had lost all of their color.


    "He must be long gone." Mizuchi said while picking up a charred photo frame. "We can assume that Ambrose kicked the ass of those Death de guys; that''s why they are nowhere to be seen.


    "And Ambrose knows not to stay in one ce for too long. He will be on the move, but Martial Online is a vast ce, and he might be careless like he did here.


    "He might be staying in nearby towns, thinking that the chance of us going to the same one is almost zero, especially finding him in that town."


    "Spread around." Cerberus tossed a burned pebble into the pile of rubble. "Search all the surrounding towns. If you find him, message us and don''t let him out of your sight. Also, don''t attack him, don''t get seen, and don''t be reckless!"


    "Aren''t you thinking too highly of him?" Redheart said with a chuckle. "All of us can defeat him solo."


    "We''ve taken down tougher opponents before without breaking a sweat." Arsenal agreed with a stoic expression. "He''s just another enemy that needs to be eliminated."


    "You do what I fucking say." Cerberus said coldly with a heart-stabbing gaze. He then turned around and saw a short little girl with cute, porcin-like skin and round eyes staring at the smoking rubble.


    "June, are you fine going alone?"


    "Yeah." Andromeda replied to her brother and pulled out her daggers connected to metal chains. "I''ll be careful."


    "Then you have a copy of the maps. Choose one and search that one before moving to another one." Cerberus said to everyone, handing over the poorly drawn maps that only showed the general location of towns and their names.


    After everyone chose their towns and viges, Cerberus checked the name of a town on the map¡ªLowceiling.


    However, it was taken, so he moved his gaze to the town beside it¡ªBridgewater and chose it.


    After that, they walked in different directions and left Tonshen Vige.


    The wagon driver smoked a cigar and fed his horses carrots. His job was over, and he also nned to rest for a few days in the nearby town before starting his return journey to Yatagarasu.


    "What was the town that angry boy chose? Bridgewater, right? I should avoid that town at all costs." The wagon driver thought out loud and hopped into the driver''s seat. "A bloodshed follows that youngling..."


    ...


    [Wee to Lowceiling!]


    "Huh, towns are indeed different from those farming viges." Ambrose thought out loud as he watched the bustling streets of Lowceling while walking past a Wee to Lowceiling sign.


    The architecture resembled a lot of Gothic architecture, with pointy roofs, stained windows, and pointed arches.


    The churches and cathedrals of the town had pointed towers and spires with ck-colored brick used for construction.


    Ambrose felt like he had entered several hundreds in the past.


    ''I should find a ce toy low for now. I have a lot of things to consider, especially finding out what is inside that metal safe.''


    He briskly stepped down the cobblestone roads that were lined with quaint shops and caves.


    The stained windows made it so that it was hard to see inside, but he didn''t mind as they gave the town a unique feel.


    After a while of walking, he decided to enter a cafe. There, he was allowed to rent a cozy corner room on the second floor, which was apanied by balcony and privacy.


    In the middle of the room, there was a circr table with enough seats for six. The decoration was mostly nts, flowers, and scent candles.


    The room was perfect for a private gathering with friends and associates.


    There was also a bell, which he could ring if he wanted to order something.


    Ambrose sat down and opened his interface. "I should assign my stats first. There are thirty, and, oh, I am only 50 XP away from leveling up. Well, that is rather unlucky."


    He wryly smiled, and then thought deeply about what stat would he need.


    "Strength, I can leave it be for now.


    "Charm, hmm. Let''s see if I have any stats left once I am done. Then I might.


    "Intelligence, that must help me create new skills. I could try pushing it to 100 soon, but for now, I will put 10 on it.


    "Luck, not really.


    "Agility, nah. So far, Death de members didn''t seem any faster than me. The effect is still minimal, and I won''t be at a disadvantage against faster opponents.


    "Vitality, no...


    "Dexterity, I could put 10 on that too.


    "Stamina, 5 is enough.


    "Then, I have five left; I will put that on Charm."


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 35]


    [ss: Suicide Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 2550/2600]


    [HP: 300/300]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 12,050]


    [STR: 100]


    [CHA: 45]


    [INT: 80]


    [LUC: 20]


    [AGI: 20]


    [VIT: 20]


    [DEX: 60]


    [STA: 45]


    ***


    Satisfied, Ambrose closed his interface and ced the heavy metal safe on the table.


    The marble table handled its weight well as it wasn''t made from wood as many other cafes had.


    "Hmm, it doesn''t have a number code or seemingly any lock." Ambrose wondered whether it was really that easy to open it. He decided to give it a try and attempted to open the safe.


    The metal safe had hues of ck as if it had been burned. However, its durable material managed to survive that inferno.


    To his surprise, the safe opened effortlessly, revealing its hidden contents.


    "Not any lock mechanism; very careless." Ambrose thought out loud and then peered inside the safe. There was only one item¡ªbulging brown pouch.


    "Is that... yer''s pouch?" He frowned and then remembered something that made his eyes widen in surprise. "Right, none of the Death de members dropped any of their pouches, meaning they didn''t have any silver with them.


    "I guessed they are keeping all their money somewhere safe. To think it was in this safe¡ªmost likely robbed from that Lemberd guy, whom they murdered, I guess."


    With a salivating expression, he took the brown pouch and was surprised by its weight. He had never carried this heavy pouch before. His expectations skyrocketed, and then he opened the pouch.


    [28,678 Silvers Acquired!]


    "Whoah!"


    Ambroseughed and then saw the metal safe dissipate in light blue pixels, as did the brown pouch.


    It acted like it was just another treasure chest, and once it didn''t have anything of value inside, it disappeared back into the game''s code.


    "I now have 40,728 silvers. I am goddamn rich, haha!" He couldn''t believe it. It wasn''t long ago when every silver mattered to him. Now, he had truly enough wealth to make himself much stronger.


    ''What should I buy with that, though? Should I save?'' Ambrose frowned and then remembered the Merchant Whistle in his pocket.


    He took it out and contemted whether he should try it out, but decided otherwise.


    He wanted to do it somewhere alone.


    "I hope the merchant has something amazing on sale." Ambrose smiled and leaned against the chair''s backrest with a carefree expression.


    ...


    [Wee to Lowceiling]


    "..." Redheart looked at the sign and narrowed her eyes dangerously.


    She looked across the densely packed town with hundreds of narrow alleyways and grimy buildings.


    It was difficult to find anyone here.


    "This ce smells filthy." She thought out loud without caring about the odd looks she received from the townspeople. "A perfect ce for cowards to hide in."

 Chapter 113 Prologue

    <h4>Chapter 113 Prologue</h4>


    In Yatagarasu, rain pattered down on the cobblestone streets, creating a soothing melody.


    In a two-story bookstore with stained windows, the scent of old books filled the air. The firece created a cozy and inviting atmosphere.


    Several NPCs rented a book, picked up their umbre, and opened it before stepping out of the store to enter the rain.


    "Mm~~ Mm~~" A girl with an adorable face, chubby cheeks, and shoulder-length ck hair hummed pleasantly while reading a book with a softcover.


    She waspletely engrossed in the story, ignoring the world around her.


    "Emma, what are you reading?" A pleasant voice came from the upstairs.


    Emma''s expression brightened significantly, and she immediately sat up on the sofa and showed her book. The title said, "Helen and Eleven Challenges."


    "Be,ee!" Emma tapped the spot beside her.


    Be giggled while walking down the stairs. She had a very unique pair of red eyes, adorning her beautiful and delicate face.


    Her delicate features were wlessly sculpted, entuated by a softplexion that seemed to glow with an inner radiance.


    Her long, ck hair added a touch of refinement, while her perfectly arched eyebrows framed her mesmerizing eyes like delicate, artistic strokes.


    Her button nose and plush, rosy lipspleted her captivating face.


    Be then sat beside Emma, whoid down and ced her head on herp.


    They began to talk about their day, sharing stories andughter while enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and sound of falling rain.


    This was their bookstore¡ªcalled "Whispering Pages"¡ªa cozy haven filled with shelves upon shelves of books waiting to be discovered.


    "You have a new brother?" Be said in surprise while caressing Emma''s soft hair. She treated the little girl like she was her little sister. "That must''vee as a surprise."


    "Mm, it was a pretty big shock," Emma said while turning pages in the book. "Zach didn''t take the news lightly. He was furious when he found out."


    "Mm..." Be hummed thoughtfully and then asked. "What do you think about your new brother?"


    "I don''t know..." Emma replied, burying her head in the book.


    Be chuckled and caressed the little girl''s head. She knew that when Emma buried her face in something, she was too shy to continue talking about that topic.


    "Maybe you should try talking to him about somemon topic." Be suggested. "That might help to break the ice. Perhaps about Martial Online. If he isn''t ying, you might convince him to do so. Who knows, he might like it."


    "Mm..." Emma whispered something inaudible and continued reading in silence.


    ...


    Ding¡ªbell chimed above a store door.


    "Wee~" A shopkeeper with her hands full greeted the new customer with a warm smile. She was filling up the shelves with fresh merchandise.


    A purple-eyed woman entered the store, looking around with a suspicious gaze.


    She looked rather average with her slender body and red hair that cascaded down her back, but there was something about her that felt out of ce.


    Afternding her gaze on the shopkeeper, she approached her while taking a parchment out of her inventory.


    The parchment had a drawn face of a pale and sickly-looking individual.


    On the side of the parchment, his eye color, assumed height, body type, and name were written down.


    "Have you seen this man?" Redheart asked while showing the picture to the shopkeeper.


    The shopkeeper turned to look at the parchment and squinted her eyes. She then shook her head and returned to filling the shelves.


    "Don''t ring the bell. Is he a runaway criminal?" She asked curiously.


    "Yes, he is a wanted fugitive." Redheart replied with a smirk. She then grew bored and nned to head out to search for him in other buildings.


    "Hmm, could he be the person responsible for Tonshen?" The shopkeeper asked curiously, with a tint of paleness in her features. "What a horrible incident that was. I hope you find him soon and get justice for those poor folks who died."


    "I''ll do my best." Redheart replied with a fake smile and left the store. She ced the parchment back in her inventory and looked around the crowded streets with narrowed eyes.


    ''If only I could kill everyone in here so I could find him easier, but the moment screamsnd on his ears, he would escape like the coward he is.''


    Redheart scoffed and walked deeper into the crowd, pushing everyone aside with narrowed eyes. She didn''t forget to check everyone''s faces, just in case.


    After her departure, a ck-cloaked figure aimlessly walked the cobblestone streets. He then stopped and looked inside a store that sold the stuff he was looking for.


    Ding¡ªthe bell chimed as he entered.


    "Wee~" The shopkeeper said while returning to the counter. She then smiled at the customer, but her face soon froze as the figure removed his hood and looked around.


    "Hey, are you selling any Restoration Gel?" Ambrose asked after seeing a sign outside that said "Healing Items On Sale."


    "A-a-ah, n-no." The shopkeeper rapidly shook her head.


    Weirded out by her strange response, Ambrose narrowed his eyes and asked. "Where can I find the ce that sells it?"


    "A-A Church''s C-Clinic, r-right beside the Church!"


    "Thanks..." Ambrose left the store, shook his head strangely, and then covered his head with the hood to start his search for Restoration Gel.


    The shopkeeper paced about with her heartbeat resounding in her ears. She thought she would be murdered and robbed.


    She thanked her quickwits for lying about not having Restoration Gel when she actually had a new batch in the backroom.


    "R-right, that woman. I have to tell her!" The shopkeeper removed her apron, closed the store, and rushed into the crowd in search of the red-haired woman.


    Knowing that she was actively looking for that person, she expected her to go check out other stores as well.


    Therefore, she also checked out all the stores she came across, and soon she saw a red-haired figure stepping inside a cafe.


    She rushed inside the cafe and saw the red-haired woman showing a parchment picture to the cafekeeper.


    The elderly cafekeeper frowned while looking at the picture, and thought he had seen that person before.


    However, then the shopkeeper rushed to the red-haired woman and shouted. "I-I saw him!"


    Her resounding shout made the cafe customers turn their heads towards the voice.


    "Hmm?" Redheart turned around and saw the panting shopkeeper. "What did you say?"


    "T-that person just visited my store!" The shopkeeper shouted in a hurry.


    "Where did he go?!" Redheart rushed to the shopkeeper and squeezed her shoulders powerfully.


    "O-ouch, you are hurting me!" The shopkeeper shouted and started shedding tears because she thought her shoulders were about to break.


    "H-hey, calm down; you are hurting her!" The elderly cafekeeper spoke in a concerned tone.


    "Shut up!" Redheart venomously shouted and looked at the crying shopkeeper. "Where did he go, where?!"


    "I-I sent him to the clinic; it is right beside the Church!" The shopkeeper shouted through her cries.


    "Hmph!" Redheart tossed her to the side like she was garbage and rushed out of the cafe.


    She ran through the crowd, pushing everyone out of her way. ''I got you, hahahah!''


    With her excitement at an all-time high, she forgot to send a message to Cerberus and continued rushing towards the clinic with bloodlust rising.


    She could feel her adrenaline coursing through her veins as she imagined that ck-haired young man kneeling before her, begging for mercy.


    ''You are dead!''

 Chapter 114 Throughout Heaven and Earth

    <h4>Chapter 114 Throughout Heaven and Earth</h4>


    "Throughout Heaven and Earth, there is no greater power than your holiness."


    Zealous worshippers prostrated in front of the altar with fervent-looking expressions.


    They sat up, pointed their hands towards the ceiling, which had long window panes with an image of God''s hand, and then prostrated again.


    A dreamy echo resounded across the church as the fervent followers of the divine powers chanted their god''s name.


    A smiling priest watched the worship ceremony from the second floor.


    His hands were covered with the loose sleeves as he wore an alb over his cassock. It was a loose, white, ankle-length tunic.


    Thud, thud¡ªheavy footsteps came from the stairs. The priest didn''t turn his head, even though the footsteps approached him loudly.


    "God''s Pdin, you have returned." The priest smiled with arched eyebrows. He looked like he was always smiling. "How was the business in Amaterasu?"


    "The culprits of the Tonshen incident have been apprehended and brought to justice. They won''t get to smell the sweet scent of fresh air ever again." The so-called God''s Pdin said.


    He was a broad-shouldered man with a golden shield and longsword on his back.


    He had striking blond hair and glowing golden eyes that seemed to radiate with divine power.


    "Good, good, we won''t let evildoers escape our justice." The priest said and then pped his hands.


    All the fervent followers stood up, turned around 180 degrees, bowed towards the upstairs where the priest and God''s Pdin were, and then left the church to continue their everyday lives.


    "The crime rate has had a massive rise ever since the appearance of these yers," God''s Pdin said with a deep frown. "They are a powerful asset against the evil Dark Continent, but their actions in our ownnd have caused great concern and unrest."


    "That is indeed a problem." The priest said without acting like it would be alright. He looked at the golden-eyed man and asked. "What do you want to do about it?"


    "We have to give them a warning that we don''t ept mindless violence." God''s Pdin said and crossed his toned arms. "I received a message from the Holy Father. There wille a time when we can punish the evildoers more effectively."


    "Good, good. We must trust in the Holy Father." The priest smiled and looked at the window panels showing the mighty God''s hand.


    He drew a cross on his chest and whispered. "Throughout Heaven and Earth, there is no greater power than your holiness."


    ...


    "Hello, do you have Restoration Gel on sale?" Ambrose approached the clinic''s front desk.


    There was a dirty-haired man flipping through a magazine. He lifted his fatigued eyes and nodded.


    "How much?" Ambrose asked.


    "500." The dirty-haired man replied, and Ambrose nodded, then ced a brown pouch worth 500 silvers on the desk.


    After that, he received his Restoration Gel.


    ''It sure is a small bottle.'' Ambrose thought while easily holding it in a single palm. He wondered how long it wouldst until he had to purchase a new one.


    However, he was still d that he now had a cure for the loss of limbs.


    Ding¡ªthe bell chimed as he left the clinic and entered the cobblestone streets.


    Ambrose took a deep breath and stored the Restoration Gel inside his inventory.


    He then took a look at the church that was right beside the clinic.


    He saw that it was adorned with intricate stained ss windows and a towering spire.


    ''What should I do now?'' He wondered as he began walking past the church, following the path of the wind that carried leaves with it. ''Maybe I should leave Lowceiling and try the Merchant Whistle. That sounds like a n.''


    The sky was blue, the sun was covered by clouds, and the wind was rather chilly. It seemed like a good day to go for a long walk.


    He didn''t want to stay in Lowceiling longer than necessary and thought about trying Merchant Whistle outside the town, then continued moving deeper into the Light Continent.


    After deciding what to do, Ambrose put his hands on his trousers pockets and moved along the road.


    "Kyaa!"


    A single scream behind him stopped Ambrose in his tracks.


    Spurt!


    A hole appeared in his shoulder as a green-colored arrow pierced through it. His arm began rotting away, exposing decaying flesh and bone.


    His arm disappeared into thin air as if it had never existed.


    The shock and disbelief overwhelmed him, making him unable to react for the time being.


    "Ambroseee!" A shriek sounded behind him.


    ''Who?!'' Ambrose turned around and saw a grinning figure leaping at him with a bow and arrow.


    His eyes widened as they shared nces with the pair of exotic purple eyes. "It''s you..."


    The surrounding pedestrians screamed and scattered in all directions.


    "Ha!" Redheart leaped around like an acrobat with rubber-like limbs. She then smashed her leg down from a very awkward angle.


    Ambrose blocked the kick with hisst remaining hand and groaned loudly.


    The numbness spread around his entire arm as if he had slept the whole night over his left arm, causing it to be numb for several dozen minutes until the blood returned.


    "Ohohoh, Alice''s pet is able to block, it seems. Good boy!"


    Redheart reeled in her leg and delivered a powerful horse kick at Ambrose''s gut, sending him flying through a stained ss window.


    Sliding a few meters on the floor, Ambrose crashed into a wooden shelf, and several heavy books fell on his body.


    However, he didn''t react and nkly looked at the ceiling.


    ''Zahhak already found me? Are they all at Lowceiling? Is this my end? Can I escape? Should I shout for help? What should I do?''


    As the panic began setting in, the window fell apart as Redheart jumped into the store with an ear-to-ear grin.


    "I am so happy that I was the one to find you!" Redheart held her chest and squeezed her right breast with an ecstatic look. "You have no idea how happy I am. I will have some fun with you before sending a message to Cerberus.


    "Oh boy, he has been a very angry boy as ofte, hehehe." Redheart grabbed Ambrose by his hair and whispered into his ear, "You''re in for a wild ride."


    ''Wait, that means he is not here? She is alone?'' Ambrose''s heartbeat resounded in his ear as he realized that there was still a chance.


    "Eat my shoe, good boy." Redheart smashed Ambrose''s head into the floor and pushed her shoe into his mouth forcefully. Her cheeks flushed in pink as she looked like she was in the edge of orgasm. "Good, good boy."


    Ambrose felt like puking, with teardrops appearing in the corner of his eyes. He tasted mud and leather and vomit, not necessarily in that order. It was one of the most disgusting experiences he had ever had.


    "Yeah, just like that..." Redheart whispered with a sinister grin on her face.


    Grab¡ªAmbrose lifted hisst remaining hand and grabbed her hand that held on to his hair.


    She shook her head with a grin and smashed her boot deeper into his mouth, thinking he would let go.


    As she expected, Ambrose let go, but suddenly he smashed his fist into her leg, grabbed her feet, and forced the boot out of his mouth.


    He then smashed his fist towards her face, but she effortlessly blocked it with her guard.


    "You are not a good boy; you are a bad one." Redheart lifted her leg and smashed it against Ambrose''s groin.


    Ambrose''s eyes bulged with saliva flying out of his mouth. He staggered backwards after getting his manhood attacked by the crazy woman.


    He felt like crying and falling to his knees, but with hisst willpower, he stayed standing.


    "You... bitch." He venomously said and pulled out his ck Sword from the scabbard. His eyes were blood-red, and a sadistic grin appeared on his face. "I am going to crush you!"


    "Oh?" Redheart grinned, unfazed by his threats. "Alice didn''t discipline you enough, it seems. No worries; I will discipline you in her ce."


    Without further ado, she jumped backwards and released a flurry of green-colored arrows.


    They were poisonous arrows that corrupted everything they touched.


    "Basic Parry!" Ambrose screamed, and he quickly raised his sword to block the iing arrows.


    The streets emptied as the frightened townspeople left the area. The sound of fighting even reached the front yard of the church.

 Chapter 115 Ambrose Vs. Redheart

    <h4>Chapter 115 Ambrose Vs. Redheart</h4>


    "Ah... ah!" Ambrose struggled to stand as one of his legs rotted away once a single arrow pierced through his thigh.


    He was feeling utterly helpless against this enemy.


    ''How is this fair? Fucking overpowered arrows!''


    [-88 HP!]


    [HP: 97/300]


    Even though all of the damage he suffered was halved, he was still losing catastrophic amounts of health.


    He was almost one arrow shot away from death. If the next arrow hit his head, it would be instant death.


    "Hehe, I have to be careful not to kill you. That would be such a waste~" Redheart pulled out several green arrows from her quiver, ced them on the bowstring, and pulled it.


    Ambrose ignored her taunting as he struggled to stand. He also lost his right leg and his right arm.


    He waspletely helpless on his right side, and it was obvious that Redheart was going to use that weakness to her benefit.


    ''The left side is my weakest. I have barely started my ambidextrous training, and I could barely tell the difference before I started doing it. It takes many months, maybe even years, to truly master it!''


    Ambrose gritted his teeth.


    This wasn''t the first time he felt helpless in a fight, but never like this.


    He believed he could still fight in his previous encounters, but now it was apletely different matter.


    ''Can I restore my limbs quick enough with Restoration Gel? She will never let me.


    ''Should I use the Orc Whistle? Nah, I would die, and that Yugh-something would probably destroy the town if it had the chance to. I would prefer to finish this fight privately without putting others in harm''s way.''


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ªseveral green arrows crossed the air, targeting Ambrose''s sword-wielding left arm.


    He quickly hopped with one leg to the side and identally tripped and fell through the destroyed window.


    He rolled on the cobblestone sidewalk before standing up with a a messy hair.


    "Don''t run away~" Redheart lunged after him and mmed her bow down on Ambrose''s exposed nape. He quickly turned away, mmed his sword into the bow, and blocked it.


    Even though he only had his left arm, he was still powerful enough strength-wise to block the strike.


    Crack¡ªshockingly, the bow cracked slightly.


    "?!" Redheart''s expression changed for the first time during this fight. She looked surprised and turned to look at the grinning Ambrose.


    "This is a sword that can cut through anything, especially through his pathetic wooden bow!" Ambrose screamed and shed through the bow effortlessly, sending Redheart flying across the empty streets.


    She nimblynded on the ground and did a stylish backflip before sliding down the cobblestone ground for a few more meters before stopping.


    She looked at the broken bow in her hand and threw it away without any care.


    Swing¡ªAmbrose swung the ck Sword around before slowly sheathing it. He then reached for his inventory and pulled out a red-ded sword.


    It was like the de was made of hardened blood.


    "Are these swords the rewards of the quest?" Redheart asked casually while pulling out another bow from her inventory.


    It was another wooden bow, the same as the previous one.


    "Yeah," Ambrose replied without caring to hide the rewards.


    "Hmm, well, once you start begging for the end to arrive, you will give those rewards back." Redheart licked her lips and lowered her stance. "I promise you that."


    Ambrose moved the Red Sword in front of him. It was right in the middle of his face, reflecting his paleplexion and bloodshot eyes.


    ''Ambrose from The Immortal Man managed to fight an entire army single-handedly and emerge victorious.


    ''That is the power of fiction. That is not what a human is capable of doing. In his shoes, I would be able to fight three or four soldiers before being overwhelmed and killed.


    ''However, that would also apply to her.'' Ambrose moved the sword beside him and took a deep breath. ''This is a battle between two humans, and I don''t think she is stronger than me. I just have to believe and crush her.''


    Redheart slowly switched her arrows from green ones to ordinary ones. She didn''t want to kill her opponent after all.


    It would only mean he would be once again able to escape.


    Ambrose mmed his eyes open and hopped forward like a rabbit. With a single leap, he crossed a distance of nearly a meter.


    He moved really slowly. However, his determined look did not disappear.


    "The Scarlet Rain." Redheart aimed the bow at the sky and fired several arrows. The arrows arched in the air and fell down towards Ambrose like raindrops.


    "Ha!" Ambrose lunged forward andnded t on his stomach.


    However, because of that lunge, the arrows narrowly missed him.


    "High Pain!" From the ground, he outstretched his sword-wielding arm and tried to sh at Redheart''s leg.


    However, to no avail, she leaped backwards and released several arrows.


    He quickly rolled on the dirty ground while the arrows bounced off the ground behind him.


    "A slippery one. Maybe you are not a dog after all, but an eel!" Redheartughed while taunting and sent several arrows flying towards the ck-haired young man.


    Ambrose jumped to his feet, and several arrows stabbed into his left shoulder.


    [-65 HP!]


    [HP: 32/300]


    With a murderous growl, Ambrose lunged forward with a deafening scream as he approached the red-haired woman.


    "Heh." Redheart nned to jump backwards again, but her back suddenly collided with a wall.


    Her eyes widened in shock as she realized that she had been tricked.


    Ambrose''s n was never to hit her but to make her back into a corner!


    "High Pain!" He screamed and shed his sword with trembling muscles.


    "Good try, but you are slow!" Redheart ducked the strike and sidestepped quickly to the side.


    She grabbed the bow by its wooden frame and smashed it towards the side of Ambrose''s face.


    Ambrose''s head got swung to the side, with blood trickling down his nose.


    However, a crazy grin crept on his face as he suddenly lifted his bloodied sword-wielding arm.


    The arrows stuck in his shoulder cracked in half.


    He didn''t care, even though there were two sharp objects stuck in his shoulder.


    "Haaa!" Ambrose screamed and brought the sword down towards Redheart''s face.


    Her mouth opened like an "O", but she quickly recovered from her shock and ced the bow in the way.


    "50kg!" He screamed, and then the dended on the bow.


    Crack¡ªresounding crack echoed as the sword effortlessly went through the wooden bow.


    ''S-so heavy!'' Redheart eximed and knew that she would not be able to dodge this.


    Therefore, she quickly moved her arms in front of her torso to weaken most of the damage.


    She was well aware that no one would be able to one-shot her if they didn''t strike her head.


    Therefore, she was very confident in surviving this!


    When the red de was about tond on Redheart''s slender arms, Ambrose''s eyes glowed with a mysterious and powerful glow.


    It was like they hosted years of misery and pain.


    All that misery and pain was included in this blow.


    Ambrose breathed air into his lungs, and then his voice traversed across his vocal cords all the way to his oral cavity as he powerfully shouted.


    "Humanoid Imperfecta!"


    [Humanoid Imperfecta - Completion Rate - 100%!]


    [Humanoid Imperfecta - Rank: Beyond Rare]

 Chapter 116 Divine

    <h4>Chapter 116 Divine</h4>


    A red de shed across her body, leaving a deep gash in its wake.


    "Ah..." Redheart''s eyes shook as notifications appeared in front of her.


    [-150 HP!]


    [HP: 22/172]


    [You have been inflicted by a curse¡ªHumanoid Imperfecta!]


    [Your movement is now impaired, reducing your speed by 100%!]


    [Your defense has been reduced by 1000%!]


    [Your attack power has been reduced by 50%!]


    [Time till purification: 1 minute]


    "A cursed attack!" Redheart breathed heavily. "Even Cerberus doesn''t have that! Is that another of your rewards?! Just what did you get!"


    Ambrose paused for a moment, then smirked and said. "Not telling."


    "Y-y-you vermin." Redheart''s lips trembled, and she was sheething in anger. She was finally starting to understand how Cerberus was feeling.


    The anger was eating her alive, and she could barely control herself.


    She knew that it was she who was at a disadvantage. One hit would end her life, but she had the advantage of long range.


    However, she wanted her opponent to suffer, just as she wanted the rest of the town to also get wiped off the map.


    "Y-you will suffer a miserable death. Have you ever thought about getting eaten alive? Well, you get to experience that."


    Redheart grinned hideously with a monstrous expression as she took out a whistle made of molten magma.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and put his sword into a quick-sh stance. He was ready to face anything that came from that whistle.


    Redheart pressed the whistle against her plush lips and blew into it with all her might.


    Whistle¡ªits sound traversed across the town, making many townspeople turn their heads towards the sky.


    They wondered where it came from but also wondered what this strange feeling they received after hearing it was¡ªa feeling of burning hell and death.


    "Howooo!"


    A loud howl pierced through the air. The townspeople froze in fear, not knowing what creature could produce such a chilling sound.


    The stained ss windows trembled under the power of the howl, threatening to break.


    "What... the hell did you just release?" Ambrose turned to Redheart and demanded an exnation.


    "Even I don''t know, haha!" Redheartughed in ecstasy with flushed cheeks. "It is what I got from a quest, and even till now, it has been my most valuable reward. I only know its value can''t be measured by money ording to merchants!"


    "Do you n on killing everyone in here?" Ambrose asked with an ice-cold tone. He tightened his grip on the sword.


    He was already within attacking range and could kill her whenever he wanted to.


    "Huh? Everyone?" Redheart scoffed and turned to look at the naive young man. "I don''t care if I kill these worthless NPCs; they mean nothing to me. They are not real. However, I mainly want to kill you."


    "That is..." Ambrose angrily spat on the ground. "That is a grave mistake you will regret."


    "Hahaha, I couldn''t care less!" Redheart looked into the sky and saw a crack appear in the air. A burning heat came from the crack. "Look, it''s the portal to your demise."


    Ambrose looked toward the sky with a paleplexion. He felt his hair starting to stand on end as the energy from the crack surged through his body.


    In the air, the crack began to grow wider, and soon it looked like someone had punched a fragile window, causing the ss to crack.


    However, it was on the air, so it looked like a giant had punched on the air, somehow breaking the fabric of reality.


    Crack¡ªa burning paw broke through the crack. Its ming fur and ck ws reached out into the world, sending waves of heat and darkness.


    The creature broke through the crack, howling loudly and powerfully.


    It was arge dog with ming fur, ck eyes, and ws, and had the height and length of a horse.


    Its howls echoed through the morning, sending waves of fear and terror through the hearts of all who heard them.


    However, that wasn''t all.


    Two identical-looking creatures walked out of the crack. The crack expanded before breaking apart and disappearing.


    Crack¡ªthe burning dog smashed its burning paw on the tiled floor, breaking the tiles and sending them flying down at the streets that still had townspeople walking by.


    It turned its ck eyes towards the frightened NPCs and growled menacingly.


    "Ah!" The townspeople dropped their groceries and grabbed the hands of their children and lovers before running away.


    "These are creatures of hell!" Redheart screamed loudly as the creatures burning heat made her skin redden. "They are also your death, Ambrose!"


    "Two can also y that game." Ambrose tossed his Red Sword back into his inventory and pulled out an ugly green whistle.


    He ced it against his lips and blew into it powerfully.


    Another eerie whistling sound reverberated across thend.


    Redheart spun her head around in shock. "Y-you have a summoning whistle too? Just what the hell did you get from that ce?"


    The three burning creatures turned their heads around at the green smoke that suddenly appeared in the middle of the street.


    A broad-shouldered orc with dark green skin stepped out of the mist. Its disgusting breath filled the air with toxicity as it let out a menacing growl.


    With wooden mace in hand, it looked around until it found its summoner.


    "Ambrose..." Yughragh scanned the young man from head to toe. He chuckled. "Missing... arm and leg... you don''t expect to give me... a proper fight, do you?"


    "No... but I think those will." Ambrose pointed towards the burning creatures.


    Yughragh turned around and saw the burning creatures. "Huh, Hell Beasts. Well, that is a... rare sight."


    "You know what they are?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yeah... loyal pets of the Damned." Yughragh thought out loud and then turned back to the young man. He grinned. "I see, you are in a troublesome situation..."


    "Yeah, just go fight them; isn''t that what you want?" Ambrose asked with a trembling lip. He really hoped this orc wanted to fight stronger opponents rather than bully someone weak like him.


    "In one condition." Yughragh rested its wooden mace against its broad shoulder and asked. "What is this ce?"


    "It''s..." Ambrose scratched the back of his head. "Lowceiling, a small town."


    "Okay." Yughragh nodded.


    That was all he wanted to know.


    He then stepped past a stunned-looking red-haired woman and approached the burning creatures with a growing grin.


    "Y-your summon is intelligent?" Redheart asked with trembling eyes. "What the hell did you get from that quest?"


    ''Stop asking that, for fuck sake.'' Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched.


    The Hell Beasts gathered on top of the same roof.


    They were surrounded by three towering spires, and they looked straight down at the approaching orc.


    "Hehe, I have always wanted to test the power of the Damned''s subordinates!" Yughragh lifted its mace high above its head. The mace started glowing a brilliant green.


    "Death El Fatale!" Yughragh bellowed, swinging the mace with all its might towards the towering roof.


    The force of the impact shattered the building by impact as if it were struck by a powerful shockwave.


    The building fell apart, and the three Hell Beasts began falling down at the tall orc.


    However, the Hell Beasts recovered easily by suddenly unfurling their ck wings.


    They soared into the air and opened their disgusting jaws.


    "Hoooowl!" They howled and shot out balls of hellfire from their mouths. The balls were so intensely hot that they instantly incinerated everything in their path.


    "Karma El Fatale!" Yughragh screamed and swung the mace in front of him.


    He sent a powerful green light at the iing hellfire balls, and once they contacted each other, a powerful explosion rocked the earth and destroyed all the surrounding buildings.


    One of the hellfire balls ricocheted to the side, flew across the town, and flew straight towards the escaping townspeople.


    They screamed loudly as they felt immense heat approaching them. Their tears dried up in the immense heat, and they all resigned themselves to their deaths.


    The families hugged their children, trying to protect them, and others tried to shove their loved ones out of danger''s way.


    At that moment, a divine light descended from the sky and shattered the hellfire ball into tiny golden butterflies.


    The butterflies gentlynded on the ground, healing the burning wounds of everyone who had been inflicted by the heat.


    They all turned towards the skies, where a golden-armored warrior descended from above, wielding a sword of pure sunlight.


    "Creatures of evil!" God''s Pdin shouted with an enraged shout. "How dare you defy the light and bring suffering upon these innocent souls!"


    "Huh?" Yughragh turned towards the glowing figure, who was floating in the sky without any wings or help.


    It was as if he were simply levitating.


    "Who... the hell are you?"


    The Hell Beasts growled and backed away from the light. The light was their most dangerous enemy.


    "I am Mikael, God''s Pdin. You evil creatures are not weed here!" Mikael shouted and lunged forward with his sword made of sunlight, cutting across the air. "Divine Judgement!"

 Chapter 117 Golden Cage

    <h4>Chapter 117 Golden Cage</h4>


    "Howl..." The howls of Hell Beasts faded away as the piercing light enveloped their burning bodies.


    Crash¡ªYughragh crashed into a side of the building with a deafening thud, causing bricks and debris to rain down onto the street below.


    He coughed up green blood, but he still stood up effortlessly with a blood-stained grin.


    "Finally a worthy opponent!" He raised his mace, the veins on his arms bulging with power. "Fatale..."


    At that moment, his mace dissipated into a green smoke, as did the rest of his body slowly.


    "Haha." Yughragh disappeared, leaving behind a lingeringugh as his summoning ended abruptly.


    "Who is he..." Redheart looked at the glowing figure in the sky with a mix of shock and confusion. "...and what just happened? My Hell Beasts got defeated so quickly..."


    Amidst the chaos, Ambrose finished applying Restoration Gel to his wounds.


    A slimy substance flew out of his leg and arm stumps, eventually growing into limbs.


    "Finally..." He heaved a sigh of relief and turned his gaze to the red-haired woman. "Now, I can finish her off."


    After taking a single step, a piercing light appeared above them.


    They didn''t even have time to react as suddenly a golden cage appeared around them, locking them inside.


    God''s Pdin softly fell from the sky andnded on the street.


    He looked at the two captured individuals with his piercing gaze, ready to deliver divine justice.


    "Free me right at this instant!" Redheart screamed and tried punching her way through the golden cage. "Bastard! Asshole! Cunt!"


    "Silence." Mikaelmanded, his voice echoing with authority.


    The red-haired woman grew silent.


    It wasn''t that she didn''t want to speak, but she couldn''t!


    "That cage is my "Divine Pce" and all mymands are absolute there." Mikael dered with powerful confidence. "If I wish you to stop breathing, you would do so without hesitation. Therefore, don''t test my patience."


    Redheart gritted her teeth and kicked the cage one more time before sitting down in the corner.


    At another cage, Ambrose sighed and leaned against the golden bars.


    Even though he didn''t die, this didn''t seem like a good oue.


    "What about you, Orc Summoner." Mikael walked over to Ambrose''s cage andmanded. "Why did you summon that orc?"


    Ambrose wanted to tell the truth but doubted the God''s Pdin would believe, but then his lips moved without him wanting to.


    "To... defend myself... against Hell Beasts... to buy enough time... so I can kill her."


    "Who attacked first?" Mikael questioned.


    "She... did." Ambrose replied robotically.


    "Why did you attack him?" Mikael turned to the red-haired woman and questioned her.


    Redheart gritted her teeth but couldn''t do anything against themanding voice and replied.


    "He... stole from us... we chased him... all the way from Yatagarasu... to make him suffer."


    "Typical." Mikael scoffed and looked at the two yers with disdain. "None of you care what happens to innocent bystanders.


    "yers are only focused on revenge and greed.


    "They''ll stop at nothing to satisfy their own desires."


    Ambrose opened his mouth but couldn''t speak.


    "You may speak." Mikael said coldly.


    Ambrose let out a deep breath and quickly said. "I am really sorry, but I summoned the orc to also stop Hell Beasts from killing anyone from this town!"


    "That is a naive way of thinking." Mikael replied with a scoff. "The evil creatures destroy everything on their path. That orc''s and Hell Beasts fight would have caused even more destruction and chaos than them alone."


    "What happens to us?" Ambrose asked, his voice filled with concern.


    "Transport is already ready. We usually ship criminals to Amaterasu, where they are judged and sent to serve time in prison. That is also your fate." Mikael said and waved his hand.


    The golden cages suddenly started flying, then disappeared into thin air.


    Redheart and Ambrose saw the scenery change from the street to the inside of a wagon.


    Creak¡ªthe door of the wagon opened, showing Mikael with Lowceiling Town in the background.


    They somehow teleported out of town straight into the transportation wagon!


    "This wagon is pulled by a team of Chrysalis Horses. They are the strongest horse breed in all of the Light Continent. With their help, you will reach Amaterasu before the Crimson Moon shines in the sky.


    "You will be judged based on the severity of your actions. The judge will then determine how much time you have to serve." Mikael then closed the doors.


    However, it still wasn''t dark inside the wagon because the cages glowed with golden light.


    "This is your fault!" Redheart screamed at Ambrose and tried to reach out to the neighboring cage to grab his arm.


    However, Ambrose backed off to the corner, further away from her.


    "How is this my fault?" Ambrose retorted with a mockingugh. "You attacked me in a bustling town and expected there to be no consequences? How is it any different from attacking me inside Amaterasu or Yatagarasu?


    "Fool."


    "Hahahaha!" Redheartughed crazily and opened a chat window.


    She then sent a message to Cerberus, filling him with information.


    "I just sent a message to Cerberus. They will intercept this wagon and free me and then we will drag you to nearest tree and skin you alive!"


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and silently listened as the wheels of the wagon started moving.


    However, the sound soon disappeared, but the neighing of the horses and the sound ofshing were still present.


    ''This seems to be a very high quality wagon as well, if there are no other sounds.'' He thought to himself.


    ...


    On the streets of Bridgewater, Cerberus came to a halt and opened his chat window. He had received several messages from Redheart.


    He opened those messages, and the more he read, the colder his expression got.


    Bump¡ªa drunken man bumped shoulders with Cerberus while holding a half-empty bottle of rum.


    "Stupid kid¡ªburp¡ªdon''t just stand still in the street! Burp, kids these days."


    The drunken man shook his head and continued walking, but then he felt a strong yank at the back of his head.


    Cerberus grabbed him by the hair and mmed him head-first on the nearby brick wall.


    The drunken man''s face shattered, and he fell to the ground¡ªdead.


    "That stupid bitch." Cerberus venomously said while all the townspeople screamed in horror and escaped after seeing the drunken many in a pond of pool.


    Turning around, Cerberus began to run to the exit of Bridgewater while sending messages to every Zahhak member.


    Their only goal was to find the main road that led to Amaterasu and intercept the prison wagon!


    ...


    A few hours had passed since the wagon left Lowceiling, and Redheart was growing more anxious.


    "Where are they?!" She shouted, her heart pounding in worry. She had sent several messages to Cerberus and others.


    Yet they said that they didn''t find any wagons on any of the main roads.


    She turned around to look through the gap in the golden cage and saw a small hole in the wagon wall.


    She wanted to take out her bow and arrow to st a bigger hole, but inside the golden cage, she couldn''t use any of her weapons.


    Neither could Ambrose, even though his weapon was inside the scabbard. He couldn''t unsheathe it.


    Mikael had done anothermand without their knowledge.


    Redheart reached out to the hole and smashed her fist against it.


    She managed to expand the hole, and she then moved her head closer to catch a glimpse of the surroundings.


    What she saw truly shocked her.


    "A-are those clouds?!" She screamed in shock.


    "Hmm?" Ambrose lifted his gaze and turned to the hole in the wall.


    He had to move closer to catch a proper glimpse, and then saw an unbelievable scene.


    He couldn''t believe his eyes.


    ''No wonder the wheels of the wagons didn''t make any sound. We are flying.'' Ambrose backed away to his corner andughed while looking at Redheart. "I guess we won''t be seeing Cerberus today, too bad!"


    "Grrr..." Redheart growled with bloodshot eyes and then sent a message to Cerberus to meet at Amaterasu instead.

 Chapter 118 The Verdict

    <h4>Chapter 118 The Verdict</h4>


    "Neeeigh!" White-winged horses flew across the sky, their magnificent wings outstretched.


    A hooded figure sat on the driver''s seat, gripping the reins tightly.


    The wagon moved across the sky as if it were wheeling down an invisible road.


    The mysterious figure looked straight ahead as their destination appeared in the distance.


    He could see a lonely dojo perched on top of Mt. Sword, sending a looming shadow over a vast and quaint city¡ªAmaterasu.


    The horses, pulling the wagon, flew over the tall walls and raced towards their final destination.


    The cityfolk and yers walked down the streets without seeing the flying prison transport.


    To them, they werepletely invisible!


    "Neigh!" Letting out a loud neigh, the horses began descending and soonnded safely on the ground.


    The wagon''s wheel thudded down on the ground and soon came to a stop.


    Inside the wagon, Ambrose and Redheart felt that the wagon hade to a stop.


    They then heard footsteps, and then the door opened, revealing the mysterious hooded figure.


    The hooded figure rummaged through his pockets, pulled out a golden key, and unlocked the cages.


    The golden cages dissipated and vanished into thin air.


    "Put your hands forth." The mysterious figure spoke with a very raspy tone, as if he were an old man.


    Ambrose put his hands forward without fighting back, and then the mysterious figure locked his hands with shackles.


    They were quite heavy and ufortable.


    Redheart, on the other hand, leaped off the wagon and started running away towards the three-meter high metal gate, but then a metal spike impaled through her leg, causing her to trip and fall.


    ''That is...'' Ambrose looked at the mysterious figure with a speechless expression.


    He didn''t even see him throw that spike, but it was still a very urate and powerful throw.


    The mysterious figure dragged his legs behind him as he approached the screaming, red-haired woman.


    He grabbed her hands and locked them behind her back with shackles.


    Then he grabbed her by the arm and made her stand before shoving her towards Ambrose.


    "Enter." The mysterious figure pointed at an open metal door.


    Ambrose looked at the building, which was a tall tower with chained windows and an eerie presence.


    At the top of the tower, there was a g that pped against the window.


    It had an image of skull with its bone hands locked with shackles.


    ''This is Amaterasu''s prison?'' Ambrose thought and then felt a shove at his back.


    The mysterious figure pushed both Redheart and him towards the tower.


    They entered the tower, but instead of going up the stairs, they entered through another locked door and began descending deeper into the ground.


    After ten minutes of walking down the spiral staircase, they reached the end, where another metal door was waiting for them.


    The mysterious figure opened the door and pushed the two inside.


    He then closed the door without entering himself, and his footsteps grew distant as he quickly left the tower.


    Ambrose and Redheart looked around and saw a dimly lit ce with hundreds of cages stuck inside rock walls.


    Those cages were made of ck-colored, rusty iron bars and emitted a faint, eerie sound as a chilling breeze swept through the chamber.


    Flickering lights on the ceiling barely provided enough light to see.


    At the cages, many malnourished-looking people sat alone on their cages, their limbs chained by ck shackles.


    However, then there were yers who paced about in their cages while dreaming about leaving this ce.


    "You two!" At the end of the long prison hallway, a man holding a ck-colored spear shouted, holding open a wooden door that led to the judging chamber, where their punishment would be decided. "Hurry up so you can start serving your time!"


    Redheart scoffed and bumped shoulders with Ambrose as she began walking down the long hallway.


    However, many of the malnourished-looking prisoners hadn''t seen a woman for a long time.


    At first, they thought they were hallucinating, but when they rubbed their eyes, they realized she was real.


    They approached the cages with a mix of curiosity and caution, eager to get a closer look at the woman who had suddenly appeared in their bleak and deste world.


    "Ugh, disgusting stench." Redheart looked at them with disdain while holding her nose in disgust.


    Ambrose followed after the red-haired woman while looking around the surroundings with a thoughtful look.


    "Oh, look who it is!"


    "Huh?" Ambrose turned to the sound and saw a familiar-looking person standing in one of the cages.


    He was a tall man with blond hair and sky-blue eyes.


    "Jaeger!"


    "You bastard, haha!" Jaeger grinned hideously and mmed his hands into the ck metal bars. "See you during lunch!"


    ''So, the Death de couldn''t return to Tonshen because they were thrown into prison, heh.'' Ambrose was very pleased about it. ''I wonder how long. Well, they killed an entire vige, so it shouldn''t be a short sentence!''


    After Redheart and Ambrose stepped inside the judging chamber, they were led to their seats by the guards.


    Then, the judge of the sentencing appeared in a flowing robe. He sat down on the elevated tform and looked directly at Redheart and Ambrose.


    He was wearing an outrageous white wig with golden-rimmed sses on his nose bridge.


    "Redheart and Ambrose, correct?" The judge nudged his sses and read aloud the names found on the paper.


    The paper included their names, their interfaces, and their previous contributions to the safety of the public.


    "Yes, your honor." Ambrose replied respectfully.


    "Just tell me how much time I have to stay in this disgusting ce!" Redheart screamed. "Fucking piece of shitty code!"


    "Silence!" The judge mmed his small hammer down. "Order will be maintained in this court."


    "Tsk." Redheart clicked her tongue. ''Fakers, none of you even exist, and yet you dare tomand a higher lifeform such as I.''


    "First, let''s start with you, Redheart." The judge fixed the position of his sses and looked with squinted eyes at the red-haired woman. "You are a member of Zahhak, correct?"


    "Yeah." Redheart replied to get done with this quicker.


    "I have received some concerning reports about them." The judge said. "Both in Yatagarasu and now in the surrounding towns, they seem to be disrupting the peace wherever they go.


    "And now, you are responsible for summoning three Hell Beasts. Your actions have not only endangered innocent lives but also jeopardized the very fabric of our society.


    "Also, seeing yourck of remorse, it is clear that you have no regard for the consequences of your actions.


    "Therefore, your punishment is ten days of Special Prison Sentence."


    Redheart scoffed at first, as ten days didn''t sound that bad.


    It would make her fall behind others, but she believed in her ability to catch up quickly.


    Therefore, she didn''t mind it.


    However, a notification appeared in front of her.


    [You have been sentenced to 10 days of Special Prison Sentence!]


    [Special Prison Sentence: Unlike in Ordinary Prison Sentence, you have to be online for your time to count!]


    ''What?! I have to be online for a total of 10 days to get out?! That might take over a month toplete!'' Redheart''s face paled as she realized that it was not a small sentence, after all.


    It was much harsher than Ordinary Prison Sentence.


    Ambrose gulped and looked at the judge, hoping it was not as severe.


    "Then, Ambrose." The judge looked at the ck-haired young man and read aloud his contributions. "You sessfully cleared one of the Disaster Crow nests, ensuring the safety of the Amaterasu.


    "Then, during the crow outbreak, you protected the citizens of the city from severe harm and destruction.


    "However, you have then done some questionable things, such as thievery and several nned assassinations.


    "Your actions in Lowceiling posed a danger to the whole town and endangered the lives of many.


    "Therefore..." The judge nudged his sses and said his verdict. "5 days of Ordinary Prison Sentence, and a fine of 5,000 silvers."


    "Huh, that is such bullshit!" Redheart screamed. "That is almost nothing!"


    "Silence!" The judge shouted and mmed his hammer down. He waved towards the guards. "Take the prisoners to their cages."


    Ambrose heaved a sigh of relief and thanked the judge.


    He then followed after the guard while Redheart cursed the entire way.


    She even tried to bite his ear, but the guard quickly pulled her away from him.


    They got thrown into their cages, where they would remain till the end of their sentence.


    Ambrose sighed andid down on the cold, hard ground, thinking about how he ended up in this situation.


    ''Five days is not bad since I don''t have to be online like Redheart.'' He opened his interface and gazed at the logout button. ''At least, I can spend the following days with my new family.''


    After thinking that, he pressed the logout button and disappeared from the cage.

 Chapter 119 Horseback Riding

    <h4>Chapter 119 Horseback Riding</h4>


    Jesse opened his eyes and moaned in satisfaction after transferring from hard, cold ground to a soft bed. He took off the headset and ced it beside him on the bed.


    Pinching his nose bridge, he sat up and nced to the side.


    "Ah!" He suddenly eximed and touched his chest, feeling the beating heart. "You shouldn''t scare me like that, Emma."


    "U-u-uh." Emma stuttered as she stood beside the bed.


    She had been standing there for a while, watching Jessey on the bed with a headset over his head.


    She then opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing his eyes look at hers, she lowered her head and escaped behind the bookshelf.


    Like before, it couldn''t hide her body entirely.


    "Was there something you wanted to say to me?" Jesse asked and sat on the edge of the bed.


    He rubbed his stomach, feeling hungry.


    "M-mom and dad told me toe... to invite you for dinner!" Emma said and rushed towards the door.


    After opening it and stepping outside the room, she hid behind the corner and peeked with only her head showing.


    Jesse looked at the hiding little girl with a smile.


    "Y-you..." Emma bit her lip and asked. "Are you ying Martial Online?"


    "Yeah, I am," Jesse replied, nodding his head.


    "D-do you like it?" She asked.


    "Yeah, I love it." Jesse replied honestly.


    "O-ok." Emma then ran away, her footsteps fading into the distance.


    Jesse scratched his head, went to the bathroom, and from there, he moved out of the room and soon reached the dining hall.


    Anna and Jack had already sat down with Emma, while Zach was nowhere to be seen.


    After he also sat down, Jesse realized he had forgotten his phone in the bedroom. He then shook his head and didn''t care.


    Instead, he grabbed a fork and knife and began eating.


    "Anna, are you going on a stable tomorrow?" Jack asked while cutting a piece of steak.


    Anna smiled and softly nodded. " Yes, I am going horseback riding tomorrow."


    Jack nodded, then wiped his lips with a napkin and turned to look at his son. "What about you, Jesse? Any ns tomorrow?"


    Jesse shook his head. "Not really."


    "What if you go with Anna?" Jack said and looked at his wife. Anna smiled and nodded, eager to spend time with Jesse tomorrow.


    "To horseback riding?" Jesse''s expression looked conflicted. "I don''t know how, though."


    "I can teach you," Anna offered. "Don''t you want to spend more time outside without having to sit in a wheelchair? Horseback riding is fun, feeling the wind in your hair as you move through beautifulndscapes."


    "I guess... it sounds nice." Jesse said, thinking about it. He often didn''t go outside when it was absolutely necessary, and these days, he only spends half an hour exercising before having to return once his legs start to ache.


    On the back of the horse, he wouldn''t have that issue.


    "Then that is settled!" Anna pped her hands excitedly. "We''ll get you a horse that you like!"


    ''I don''t think I really need to know how to horseback ride, but I guess I don''t have anything else to do.'' Jesse thought to himself, not yet aware that his decision would greatly help him soon.


    ...


    "So, this is where Redheart is being held?" SweetieHell leaned against a side of the shop, looking towards the tall tower. "That fool."


    "..." Cerberus narrowed his eyes. "We know the date. In five days, he will be freed. He can''t escape us now that we know the time and ce where he will appear."


    "What will we do till then?" Arsenal asked while smoking a cigarette.


    Cerberus looked around the streets, saw many passing yers from Amaterasu, and smiled mischievously. "Well, we hadn''t had time to grind levels during our hunt.


    "There are a lot of yers in here, which means plenty to hunt!"


    "Finally!" Arsenal spat out the cigarette and grinned. "I wanted you to say that!"


    The members of Zahhak smiled and walked away with their dark cloaks fluttering behind them.


    The insignia of a three-headed dragon on the back of their cloaks brought an air of mystery and power to their presence.


    That insignia, in the following days, would be infamous in Amaterasu.


    Zahhak hade to Amaterasu.


    ...


    The following day, Anna and Jesse gathered in the stables. It was muchrger than he expected, with dozens of high-quality horses and personal caretakers.


    Anna wore low-heeled leather boots with a tailored long sleeve blouse and riding jacket.


    With her hair tied into a ponytail, she looked very lovely, mature, and elegant, like a queen who hade to enjoy her hobby¡ªhorseback riding.


    She effortlesslymanded attention and exuded a sense of grace and confidence.


    Jesse, on the other hand, stood with his arms crossed while looking around the stables.


    He was wearing Jack''s old horseback riding outfit that was rather tight, but it was better than a casual outfit.


    "These are all our horses." Anna said and led Jesse to thergest stall, where a majestic ck stallion stood proudly. "His name is Midnight, and he is one of our strongest horses."


    Jesse looked at the ck stallion and felt a sense of arrogance and confidence from him. He didn''t think he would fit him.


    "Maybe someone else?" He suggested.


    Anna smiled and nodded, then showed another horse from a neighboring stall. This time it was a white stallion with a snow-white mane and a calm demeanor.


    "Who is he?"


    "He''s our newest addition to the stable," Anna replied. "His name is Snowke."


    "Why that name?" Jesse asked, as it sounded very womanly.


    Anna giggled and looked at her new stepson. "You can name him, if you want."


    Jesse tapped his chin thoughtfully, considering the perfect name for the horse.


    "Uhh, perhaps I will name him Arion."


    "Arion, does that have a specific meaning?" Anna asked curiously.


    "Yes, Arion is divine-bred and known for his exceptional speed and beauty," Jesse exined with a smile. "In the mythology, he was ck-maned, though, but I like that name."


    "Hmm, it sounds nice." Anna smiled and then opened the stall before guiding Arion out of it and leading him out of the stables to the training ground.


    The training ground was covered by a wooden fence, and it was mainly to teach neers the art of horseback riding.


    Guiding the horse, Anna made Ariony down on the ground, making it easy for anyone to hop on top of it.


    She then returned to the stable, bringing with her a saddle, saddle pad, and girth.


    After putting them on the horse, without Arion showing any reaction, she turned to Jesse and said. "Hop in. I will guide the horse for you. Just get the feeling for it."


    "Alright..." Jesse took a deep breath and gently sat on the saddle. The feeling of sitting on the horse''s back was quite nerve-wracking, as he didn''t feel like he had any control.


    Anna then guided the horse to stand up, grabbed the reins, and smiled at Jesse. "Alright, hold tight."


    The horse slowly began galloping circles around the field, making Jesse''s heart beat faster and faster.


    After several circles, Anna gave the reins to Jesse and smiled. "Try it for yourself. Take it very slowly; I will be right beside you in case something happens."


    "R-right." Jesse grabbed the reins, thankful for her stepmother''s kindness, and felt more confident after having an expert at horseback riding beside him.


    He then sat like a wooden doll on top of the saddle while holding the reins. He didn''t want to make any abrupt movements in case the horse got frightened.


    Arion slowly began galloping faster as he continued circling around the field. Anna had to start jogging to keep up with him.


    "Try to slow down!" Anna shouted behind him, but the horse kept picking up the pace.


    "Sssshit." Jesse grabbed the reins tightly and identally pulled them, causing the horse to start galloping forward towards the wooden fence. His eyes bulged. "Oh shit!"


    "Stop pulling the reins!" Anna shouted, her beautiful face changing shades.


    "Jump, jump, jump!" Jesse shouted and wished for Arion to listen.


    When the wooden fence was within arms reach, Arion leaped majestically over the fence andnded gently on the other side.


    He slowed down and stopped moving while neighing.


    "Hahahaha..." Jesse erupted into uncontrobleughter. "That was almost as thrilling as skydiving. I could have died, hahahah!"


    "Jesse!" Anna jumped over the fence and looked at theughing young man with a pout. "That was not funny!"


    "Hahahaha..." Jesse covered his face and shook his head with a grin. "Ahhh, yeah, that was pretty exciting."


    Anna''s cheeks swelled as she pouted more and put her hands on her waist to show her displeasure. "You could''ve gotten hurt. That was not fun at all!"


    "I am sorry; I didn''t mean to worry you." Jesse looked at his stepmother and smiled. "I think I got this. Want to get your horse and check out those beautifulndscapes you talked about?"


    "You got it?" Anna looked at him in surprise. No one she had met had learned horseback riding this soon. It was unnaturally fast. "Are you sure?"


    "Yeah." Jesse caressed Arion''s mane as he neighed powerfully. "Arion is a good horse. He will help me."


    "Alright then." Anna smiled and hopped over the fence. "I will go get my horse. Do you think you can keep up?"


    Jesse gave a confident nod and replied, "I know Arion can keep up with any horse."

 Chapter 120 A Shocking Announcement

    <h4>Chapter 120 A Shocking Announcement</h4>


    Two horses, one white-maned and another blond-maned, galloped through a thin forest filled with vibrant autumn leaves.


    The horses exited the forest and raced up a hill.


    At the top of the hill, the horses neighed in triumph, their manes flowing in the wind.


    A beautifulndscape opened up in front of them, showing cloud-splitting mountains, flowing rivers, and beautiful forests.


    Across the mountains, a colorful rainbow stretched across the sky, adding to the breathtaking view.


    The vibrant colors of the rainbow reflected off the clear waters of the flowing rivers.


    The scene looked like it was taken straight from a painting.


    "This is my favorite ce to get away from everything." Anna said with a rxed smile. "Ie here whenever I need to find peace and tranquility.


    "The sound of the water rushing and the beauty of nature never fail to calm my mind.


    "It''s like a little piece of heaven on earth."


    "It is indeed beautiful." Jesse agreed while taking in the sights with a rxed look.


    Anna inhaled the fresh air and let out a happy sigh.


    She then nced at Jesse and wanted to take this moment to have a slightly more serious conversation.


    "How have you been doing?"


    "Hmm, what do you mean?" Jesse opened his eyes and nced at his beautiful stepmother.


    She looked very serious, even with the smile on her face.


    "A lot of things have happened to you recently. I just wanted to check in if you are alright, because it can mess up even with a saint''s head."


    "I am fine, truly." Jesse replied with a reassuring tone. "I''ve been through some tough timestely, but luckily, I have something that keeps me sane. Without that, I don''t know what would have happened."


    "What is it?" Anna asked curiously.


    "It might sound silly, but it''s Martial Online." Jesse chuckled. When he said it out loud, he realized it was indeed quite silly. "It is silly, but to be able to live like a proper person is my saving grace."


    "Like a proper person..." Anna sighed and turned to look at the rainbow. "You and Jack are very simr. You two treat Humanoid Imperfecta as weakness."


    "Is it not?" Jesse asked.


    "At first nce, it might seem like a weakness." Anna sighed. "That''s why it''s called "Humanoid Imperfecta," as if you are an imperfect human being.


    "However, isn''t every human imperfect in their own way?" She turned to look at her stepson with a smile. "We all have our ws, and that''s what makes us unique and beautiful.


    "I think Humanoid Imperfecta has one of the biggest strengths.


    "Their ability to embrace and enjoy life''s beauty way more than anyone else can." Anna spread her arms around as if she were trying to hug the world around her. "Unlike others, they see the beauty in every little detail and truly appreciate it after a lifetime of suffering.


    "They have learned to find joy in the simplest of things."


    Jesse looked at her with a stunned expression. After a while, he chuckled and asked.


    "Are you perhaps a philosopher?"


    Anna giggled and covered her mouth. "What made you think that? Did I perhaps sound smart? Believe it or not, I practiced this speechst night."


    "What you said is truly thought provoking." Jesse said with a smile and looked towards the arched rainbow. "Maybe you are right. Does father y Martial Online?"


    "No." Anna shook her head. "He doesn''t want to, as he has already embraced his disease and learned to live with it."


    "Oh." Jesse nodded, but he wanted to show his father that magical world.


    "Ah, by the way." Anna raised her finger and cheekily smiled. "Can you call me mother? Please, at least once. You call Jack as father, so it''s only fair."


    Jesse looked at her and showed his tongue. "Mother, happy?"


    "Yay!" Annaughed and pped her hands. "Now we can officially be a family!"


    Jesse rolled his eyes and sighed with a smile. He then looked at the horse below him and said, "Arion has been a little bit fidgetytely. Is he hungry, perhaps?"


    "I suppose we have been out longer than expected." Anna pulled the reins and turned around. "Shall we return?"


    "Yup." Jesse turned the horse around, and they started heading back to the stable through the thin forest.


    While their horses ran beside each other, Anna turned to her stepson and said. "About the Martial Online. Emma is also ying it rather actively."


    "Oh, really?" Jesse replied, intrigued. He didn''t expect that little girl to also y it.


    Then he remembered that the game might not be the safest for her and became a little bit worried.


    "If anything happens to Emma in there, can you promise me that you will keep her safe?" Anna asked with a serious tone.


    Jesse looked at his new mother and nodded firmly. "Of course."


    Anna smiled sweetly. "Great. Let''s race back to the stables!"


    With her blond-maned horse below her, she took off at a gallop, leaving Jesse to follow behind.


    "Arion, a bucket of carrots will be waiting for you back in the stables." Jesse whispered in his horse''s ear.


    As if Arion understood, he also picked up pace and started slowly catching up to the blond-maned horse.


    ...


    As the moon appeared in the bright, starry sky, Jesse returned to his room and took off his clothes, then grabbed sweatpants and shirt before plopping down on the bed.


    It had been very long day.


    "Cheater..." Jesse thought with a chuckle.


    He lost the race as Anna used a shortcut he was not aware of. Therefore, he narrowly missed out on the victory.


    After returning to the mansion, they had dinner and a lengthy conversation with Jack on the balcony that oversaw the entirety of theirnd.


    "Yawn..." He rubbed his eyes as the fatigue started to catch up to him. However, he didn''t want to sleep yet.


    He began wondering what he should do tomorrow.


    "Again, horseback riding? Perhaps not." Jesse pursed his lips and was conflicted because, without Martial Online, his life was very dull. "Spend a whole day watching videos about Martial Online? Perhaps I can learn something new.


    "Or start a new TV show and try to waste time till I am freed from prison." He put his legs up to point at the ceiling. "Not sure if I want to do that."


    Jesse couldn''t even spend time with his new parents because they would be going out to visit Nocklund.


    They have very busy lives, and only because of him have they taken some time off work.


    "With Zach? Nah, he is going to school, and I am pretty certain he hates me." Jesse scratched the back of his head.


    It was the first time he had a brother.


    "What about Emma? She most likely doesn''t want to.


    "Therefore, training it is."


    Jesse chuckled, even though it sounded boring.


    "I haven''t seen all this mansion has to offer, so I can also spend tomorrow looking around. Then, find a ce to train my swordsmanship."


    He thought it sounded like a n, and then he pulled out his phone from his pocket to see if there was anything special in the forums.


    However, what he saw in there truly shocked him to the core.


    At the top of the forums, a colorful post caught his attention. It was all written in capital letters.


    [FIRST MARTIAL ONLINE UPDATE COMING TOMORROW NIGHT!]

 Chapter 121 ForeverStream

    <h4>Chapter 121 ForeverStream</h4>


    "An update tomorrow!?"


    Jesse didn''t'' feel tired anymore.


    He sat up and scrolled through that post.


    The post didn''t contain patch notes for the uing update, but it contained the source for that information.


    Martial Company announced earlier today the uing update, and the person who made the post just happened to be the first one to put it in the forum.


    He scrolled further down and soon arrived at thement section.


    It already had an astonishing three millionments, and that number was still increasing rapidly.


    He didn''t n on reading all of them, but only the most liked ones.


    ''Yeah, they are all excited.'' Jesse scrolled further down and saw ament that advertised an ForeverStream ount.


    Apparently, the streamer and several top yers would discuss the uing update.


    It garnered a lot of attention.


    Curiosity piqued, Jesse also pressed the link and had to download the ForeverStream app.


    It was created by the samepany that created the most famous video uploading site in the world¡ªForeverTube.


    After the app finished downloading, he created an ount on ForeverStream.


    There was an option to use his Martial Online Forum ount to log in, which he used as he didn''t want to bother creating a whole new ount from scratch.


    Then he went to check the currently most popr streamers, some even having over a million viewers, and then found the person who advertised his ount.


    He had 800,000 viewers and was still growing.


    He pressed on the stream,id back on the bed with his head touching the pillow, and began watching it.


    ...


    Four radiantly different yers had gathered around a table.


    They were inside a cozy-looking cafe with a firece burning brilliantly, sending waves of heat across the room.


    The rain pattered down against the window, creating a soothing background noise.


    "Like I said, the new update must have new sses." A blond-haired yer said.


    He leaned back in his chair, took a sip of the warm coffee, and continued with his theory.


    "I also think they''re going to introduce a whole new set of abilities and skills for each ss."


    The blond-haired yer had already made a name for himself in the gamingmunity with his strategic thinking and impressive gamey. He was the Dojo Master of Thunder Spear, Maelstorm.


    His dojo was widely known for only having spear users in its ranks.


    They impressed many by defeating a very difficult boss while streaming the whole ordeal.


    Their skill and strength were widely proven to be among top in Yatagarasu.


    "That might happen, but I don''t think so." A short-haired man replied hesitantly. "It''s known that it''s not possible to make another ount.


    "From what I have heard, over 100 million yers had already registered, and that many people would be robbed the opportunity to ever try those sses.


    "Also, Brawler and Unique sses can give yers the opportunity to create their own "ss" and fighting style. As a Brawler, one could be sumo wrestler, karateka or even boxer.


    "As a Unique ss, the possibilities are limitless."


    The short-haired yer was the Dojo Master of Burning Fist, Axel.


    He had honed his skills in various martial arts and was known for his lightning-fast strikes.


    He checked the reaction of the chat and saw hundreds of messages flying by, but most chatters seemed to have agreed with him.


    "That is indeed true, but you two have forgotten something." A voice chimed in from the other end of the table.


    She was a female yer with long auburn hair that cascaded down her back.


    "Well, what is it, Sunless?" Axel asked with crossed arms. Maelstorm also listened from the side.


    Sunless was the Dojo Master of the famous tinum Edge. She was known for her exceptional swordsmanship and unmatched precision in every move she made.


    They originated from Tsukuyomi but came to Yatagarasu to experience different cultures.


    She was easily the most famous person in this gathering, even though she wasn''t the streamer.


    All eyes were on her when she spoke, and the chat was flooded with messages praising her every move.


    "What if there are hidden sses?" Sunless asked with a beautiful smile on her face. "Everyone is so adamant that there are only five sses. However, I don''t think that is the case."


    Axel and Maelstorm quieted down. They had never considered the possibility of hidden sses before.


    It would make sense because Ember Online had several sses that could only be acquired bypleting a certain quest.


    "That is a very good theory, Sunless." A handsome ck-haired man said. He had a pleasant-looking smile and a twinkle in his emerald green eyes.


    He was the Dojo Master of the Emerald, T-Lord. He was also the person who streamed this gathering.


    Before this, he was a rather popr streamer with an average of 10,000 viewers, but now he had broken his record easily, with his view count almost reaching one million!


    T-Lord wasn''t as well known as others before this gathering, but now his fame had skyrocketed overnight.


    His viewers would consider his strength to be average at best, but his humorous and energetic streams had created a smallmunity of loyal viewers.


    "If we are done talking about sses, what else do you all think will be added?" T-Lord controlled the conversation nicely and wanted to move on from sses as it would be boring after a while to be talking about the same topic.


    "That is the thing; we can''t possibly know what Martial Company is thinking." Maelstorm inteced his fingers. "This might be a mere bug fix update."


    "No, they are intentionally garnering hype." Axel said. "They are nning something big. There is no way they are nning to disappoint everyone, especially knowing that we have all excitedly waited for the first update!"


    "I personally think they are going to add more content." Sunless said. "If we are being honest, it is getting rather dull because we can only grind levels and find quests or just explore the world.


    "That''s why this update is going to make us very busy for the following months. Mark my words!"


    "I agree with you." T-Lord smiled. "We''ll have plenty of new content to keep us entertained."


    ...


    "Yawn." Jesse watched the stream for a little longer before he got simply too tired to keep his eyes open.


    He closed the phone, put it on the charger, and returned to the bed to sleep.


    ''Unfortunately, I will be stuck at prison, so I can''t experience the update firsthand. That does suck a lot.''


    However, he was excited nheless and nned to check several streams of the update on his phone.


    He then turned sideways and looked at the empty desk in the room.


    ''Hmm, with selling the dojo, I have a lot of money in reserve. I still hadn''t received the bill from the hospital, but all mail going to my former apartment would be sent here.


    ''With that extra money, I could perhaps purchase myself aputer. I have always wanted one. Perhaps I could go tomorrow and purchase one.'' Jesse thenid on his back and slowly closed his heavy eyelids.


    ''I wonder... what kind of update it is.''


    With moonlight seeping through the closed curtains, the young man fell into a deep slumber.


    Tomorrow, a event that would change his life forever would unfold.

 Chapter 122 Incident in Whispering Pages

    <h4>Chapter 122 Incident in Whispering Pages</h4>


    The next morning, Jesse finished his morning jog. This time, he didn''t venture into the forest because the encounter with the wolf was still vivid in his mind.


    After reaching the yard of the vast mansion, he saw gardeners and servants taking care of the beautifully manicuredwns and flowerbeds.


    At the front door, he saw the butler, Sebastian, talking to a short-haired servant. The servant then nodded and returned inside the mansion.


    Sebastian then heard footsteps and turned towards them. He smiled professionally and said. "Young master, wee back."


    "Good morning, Sebastian." Jesse replied, walking past him and entering the mansion. But then he turned around and asked. "I have some stuff to do at Nocklund. Can you call a taxi?"


    "Taxi?" Sebastian looked surprised before shaking his head. "The young master of the Rothsmith family won''t use a taxi. I can take you there. Mind waiting here for a minute while I prepare the car?"


    "Oh, sure." Jesse nodded, still unfamiliar with his new status as the young master of a very wealthy family.


    After a while, Sebastian returned with the keys to his sleek, ck luxury car. He then brought the car from the garage, and Jesse entered the backseat.


    Then, with the car roaring powerfully, they drove off the Rothsmith Estate and entered a road that led to Nocklund.


    ...


    At Yagarasu''s bookstore, Whispering Pages.


    A brown-haired customer browsed the shelves in search of a good book. However, the young man clearly had ulterior motives as he threw a nce towards the front desk.


    There, a beautiful young woman was reading a book, seemingly lost in its pages.


    The young man grabbed a random book from the shelf and walked to the front desk.


    "Hello, Miss Be!" He greeted her with a smile and ced the book on the desk.


    "Hey, Lucas, back already?" Be looked away from her book and smiled at him. "What can I help you with today?"


    "I was hoping to return this book and check out another one." Lucas took out another book from his bag and ced it beside the other book on the counter.


    "Of course, let me take care of that for you." Be took out a book that had the names of every book rented and who rented it.


    She removed Lucas'' name and added another one.


    Then Lucas ced five silvers on the counter and took the book with a smile. "Thank you."


    "You''re wee," Be replied, smiling back at Lucas.


    Lucas'' cheeks flushed, and he then turned around, about to walk out of the store, but then he pped his cheeks and cheered for himself.


    He turned around and opened his mouth.


    "M-Miss Be, d-d-do."


    Ding¡ªthe bell above the book chimed, announcing the arrival of new customers.


    Lucas closed his mouth and turned to look at the new customers. His breath got stuck in his throat as he saw who stepped inside the bookstore.


    It was a group of yers wearing edgy ck cloaks and masks that covered half of their faces.


    "Wee..." Be greeted them with a strained smile. The group of yers didn''t look like they would enjoy books.


    They looked more like they were ready for a game of mischief and chaos.


    Tap, tap¡ªhurried footsteps came from the stairs as Emma returned from upstairs with a book in her arms.


    It was her favorite book about White Rabbit.


    "Hmm..." A masked yer browsed through the shelves but then saw the young woman at the counter.


    He whistled and leaned on the counter with a smile behind the mask. "Hey, prettydy, I have a question."


    "What is it?" Be asked, trying to force a professional smile on her face.


    "Why would anyone y this game just to work?" The masked yer asked while his friends chuckled behind him. "I find it very pointless. Well, I suppose it''s a good way of earning silver."


    "It''s something I enjoy doing." Be replied professionally and asked. "Are you here to rent a book, perhaps?"


    "As if I would spend my silver on some books, haha." The masked yerughed and then leaned over the counter. "Speaking of silver, where are you keeping yours?"


    Be''s smile faded as she realized the masked yer''s intentions.


    "B-Be?" Emma tugged on her sleeve and hid behind her. She didn''t like the looks of the masked yers.


    "Here..." Be took out a brown pouch and ced it on the counter. She then looked at Emma and smiled, trying tofort her.


    "Oh, well, thank you!" The masked yer smiled and epted the silver with a heartfelt smile. "You should use your looks to make silver rather than in this dump."


    He winked and then turned around to leave.


    Emma looked at the masked man with displeasure. She knew that he was not a good person and didn''t like the way he was speaking to Be.


    The book in her arms slowly slipped from her grip and fell to the ground.


    Thud¡ªthe book bounced on the floor andnded right beside the masked yer''s feet.


    "Oh, a book?" The masked yer took it and smiled at Be with a grateful look. "Thank you; I forgot that this is a bookstore. Of course I can''t leave without a book!"


    His friendsughed and began departing from the bookstore.


    "Give it back!" Emma shouted and wanted to run after the book, but then Be embraced her and stopped her from chasing after those yers.


    The masked man chuckled and licked his lips. As he walked towards the exit, he saw the frightened young man.


    "Boo!" He shouted, causing the young man to scream and fall on his buttocks.


    "Bye bye~" The masked man kicked open the door and entered the streets, leaving with hisughing friends.


    "M-my book..." Emma cried on Be''s shoulder.


    "It''s alright; I will buy you the same one." Be tried tofort the little girl by patting her head.


    "Thank you, Be," Emma sniffled, wiping away her tears. She saw the sadness in Be''s eyes, but she was trying to hide it tofort her. That made her even sadder. "B-b-but, that was the first book you gave me..."


    Emma choked on her words, feeling a sense of loss.


    It was her most treasured possession because it was the first book Be ever rented when she started this store.


    Back then, Emma didn''t know her, but found this bookstore by luck.


    After that day, she visited that bookstore daily and became very close friends with Be.


    "It''s fine; it''s just a book." Be rubbed her hair and smiled reassuringly at Emma. "I am going to get you a new book from upstairs. Let''s read it together, alright?"


    "Mm..." Emma nodded with a sad smile and watched as Be walked upstairs.


    She slowly clenched her tiny fists and hatefully looked towards the exit of the bookstore.


    "They bullied her. I won''t let that go!"


    She then opened her interface and logged out.


    ...


    "Whew." Jesse finishedpleting hisputer setup. He bought a powerful gaming PC and a 244 hz monitor, a brand new stereo system, a new mouse, and a new keyboard.


    It cost him 1500 crowns, but he was thrilled with his new setup.


    "I still have plenty left." He stretched his limbs and saw that it was only a few hours until the update arrived.


    He nned to test hisputer until then and check the most famous streams when it was finally time for the update toe.


    At that moment, his door swung open loudly.


    "Eh?" Jesse turned around and saw Emma panting loudly with tears in her eyes. "Emma? Why are you crying?"


    "Brother!" Emmaunched into Jesse and wrapped her slender arms around his waist. She cried in his embrace while choking on her words.


    "What happened?" Jesse''s expression turned serious while he was internally happy after being called brother.


    However, his worries overwrote the happiness.


    "I was at the bookstore with Be; she is a good friend of mine, but then, then, then!" Emma spoke in a hurry, not sure where to begin.


    "Calm down." Jesse crouched and ruffled her hair. It calmed her down as she began taking calm breaths. "Start from the beginning."


    Emma nodded and then began talking about what happened. After recalling the event, she tugged Jesse''s sleeve and asked through tears.


    "B-brother, please, can you get my book and Be''s money back? Please! She is very sad, and I can''t stand seeing her like that!"


    "Uh..." Jesse looked at his crying little sister and struggled to speak. ''I am locked in prison. It would take me several days to even get out of there, then another day to reach Yatagarasu.


    ''How am I even supposed to find those yers? No matter what I do, I am sure I will disappoint her...''


    "Please?" Emma pleaded, her eyes filled with desperation. "I need your help. Mom said that I shoulde to you if I need help."


    ''I promised Anna...'' Jesse looked at her teary eyes and smiled while patting her head. "Of course. It might take me a day to reach Yatagarasu. Can you wait for a little longer?"


    "Mm, thanks!" Emma nted a small kiss on his cheek and rushed out of the room with a smile on her face.


    "..." Jesse stood up and rubbed his neck. He then walked to his headset and looked at the golden visor, which reflected his face. He then suddenly smiled, showing a crazy look in his eyes.


    "No one is going to bully my sister and get away with it." Jesse whispered under his breath. "Those fuckers will pay."


    Heid down, put the headset around his head, and then pressed the start button.


    The first-ever prison break in the history of Martial Onlinemenced.

 Chapter 123 Prison Escape

    <h4>Chapter 123 Prison Escape</h4>


    [You have been fined 5,000 silvers!]


    Ambrose lifted his gaze while the message hovered in front of him.


    "Disappear."


    With a single word, the message disappeared.


    Ambrose then lowered his head and tried moving his shackled arms. They were tightly bound to his arms without any sight of loosening.


    ''Hmm...'' He took a deep breath, and then the world around him froze while the background screams of prisoners died down.


    A transparent figure appeared in the cage, emitting a faint glow.


    ''Can you possess people?'' Ambrose asked internally.


    The transparent figure shook its head. It was a fragment of soul, not a haunting ghost.


    ''Very well. Find the location of the keys and then return with that information.''


    The transparent figure floated out of the cage and went to search for the keys. It didn''t take long for it to return with somewhat bad news.


    The keys were carried around by Prison Warden. He was lounging around in the guards quarters, and getting there was impossible without keys.


    However, all guards carried their own keys that could be used on the shackles and the cages. The Prison Warden''s keys unlocked the door to the outside world.


    ''I need to get rid of the shackles. Return to my body.'' Ambrose felt the transparent figure return to his body.


    Then the world began moving again.


    He stood up from the hard, cold ground and approached the metal bars.


    "Jaeger, are you here?" He shouted.


    After a while, an annoyed voice replied. "What do you want, bastard? Did youe here to taunt your Ordinary Prison Service?"


    "Yeah, I came tough at all of you." Ambrose grinned and looked towards the cage, where a red-haired woman was lying down as if she were dead. "Redheart, are you having fun? Hahahaha!"


    "Huh?" Redheart raised her head and looked around towards his cage with a twitching eyebrow. "What the fuck are youughing for?"


    "I amughing at you." Ambrose grinned. "I just returned from the beach, and then I remembered that my old friends might needpany. So, here I am."


    "Well, you can piss off!" Redheart stood up and walked to the metal bars with crimson cheeks as she tried to calm down her rising anger.


    "Why would I do that when I canugh at all of you?" Ambrose innocently tilted his head. "Jaeger, how long is your sentence again? Just a reminder: I will be freed in a few days."


    "Shut the fuck up, bitch!" Redheart mmed her foot on the metal bars. "You think you''re so clever, but we''ll see who gets thestugh!"


    "Ambrose, I am going to enjoy seeing your downfall." Jaeger said through gritted teeth.


    "Silence, prisoners!" A slightly overweight guard spoke from his guard post and mmed his baton against the metal bars.


    "I can''t tell which one is the bigger bitch. A woman who is the real definition of a female dog, or a man who wags his tail in front of her!"


    "Fuck, I am going to kill you!" Redheart screamed and tried to bite through the metal bars.


    She then screamed and punched the rock wall, breaking her hand in the process.


    "I am going to SOOOO enjoy your begging face when I get my hands on you!"


    "Hahahaha..." Jaegerughed in rage. "Before, I thought of just returning to Tonshen after serving my sentence. I have now changed my mind. I can''t live knowing that you are somewhere out there!"


    "Silence!" The guard shouted, opened the door, and stomped through the hallway.


    He approached Ambrose''s cage, opened it, and walked to the shackled figure with a baton in hand.


    "When I say silence, you will quiet down!" The fat guard shouted and mmed his baton down.


    The baton mmed into Ambrose''s head, making his vision dizzy as his body fell back to the ground.


    "Hahahahah!" Redheartughed with an ecstatic look. "Hit him more. More. More!"


    "Silence!" The fat guard shouted and nned to visit Redheart''s cage next, but then a figure stood up in front of him. "Huh? Sit down, inmate!"


    He raised the baton and mmed it back down, but this time, the young man grabbed the baton with his bare hand.


    "Ggggh, let go!" The fat guard screamed, but then Ambrose lifted his gaze, showing his crazy eyes with an enormous grin.


    Ambrose mmed his feet deep into the fat guard''s stomach, sending him flying out of the cage.


    The fat guard mmed into a wall, coughed blood, and passed out.


    "Ll~" Ambrose sang a luby while walking out of his cage.


    He went to the fat guard, took his keys, and unlocked his shackles.


    His heavy shackles fell to the ground with a thud.


    "E-eh?" Redheart couldn''t believe what she was seeing.


    "What the hell is he doing?" Jaeger''s eyes widened in shock. "Why is he... trying to escape?!"


    "That''s much better." Ambrose then nced at his scabbard.


    He couldn''t use his sword because those shackles made him incapable of using any weapon.


    However, now he was able to unsheathe his sword.


    The ck Sword''s de made of Dark Metal shone with deadly intent.


    m¡ªa door to the guard''s quarters swung open, and dozens of screaming guards poured out with their batons.


    Behind them, a crimson-faced Prison Warden appeared and shouted, "Stop him!"


    "Back to your cage, inmate!" The guards shouted and charged towards the escaping prisoner.


    "Kill!" Ambrose lunged forward and shed through the guards, blood spewing around the air.


    The Prison Warden watched in horror as Ambrose unleashed his brutal fury.


    [You killed 20x Prison Guards!]


    [2500 XP Acquired!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    "Stop right there, prisoner!" The Prison Warden shouted and lunged forward with his heavy-looking baton. "Hammering Justice!"


    The baton mmed into the ground, causing wide-spread cracks around the rock-tiled floors. However, it didn''t hit his target.


    In the air, Ambrose flipped over the enraged Prison Warden andnded gracefully on his feet, right behind the warden.


    "High Pain!" With a reversed grip, he stabbed the sword through the Prison Warden''s torso.


    "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Prison Warden screamed in agony as Ambrose''s de pierced through him. He had never felt pain like this before.


    Ambrose kicked off the ground and finished off the Prison Warden with a swift sh through his body. The Prison Warden fell sideways with lifeless eyes.


    [You killed a Prison Warden!]


    [500 XP Earned!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    Ambrose snatched the keys from the Prison Warden''s lifeless body and hurried towards the metal door that blocked his escape.


    "It was fun, but goodbye!" He turned around and bowed towards the shocked prisoners. "May you all suffer, losers!"


    "Fuuck!" Redheart''s eyes reddened, and she quickly started spamming messages to Cerberus with a single text¡ªAmbrose had escaped!


    Click¡ªafter unlocking the door, Ambrose rushed out and ran up the spiraling staircase.


    After reaching the top, he took a deep breath and kicked open the door.


    A sharp light entered his eyes with fresh air.


    Ambrose walked out of the tower and inhaled the air with a relieved gaze.


    "Neigh!"


    Turning his head to the right, his eyes widened after seeing white-winged horses on the stables.


    They were the strange Chrysalis Horses that had the ability to soar through the skies!


    Whistle¡ªa loud whistle echoed across the vast Amaterasu with a deafening rm. It was the signal that someone had escaped the prison!


    It was also a signal for every Watchmen of Amaterasu toe capture the escapee with all of their might.


    The guards in the prison itself were rather weak, as they didn''t expect anyone to be able to escape.


    They would keep the strongest or most dangerous prisoners in different prison, while this prison was for weaker ones.


    They greatly underestimated the power of one of their prisoners.


    ''That doesn''t sound nice. If all the guards rush here, I won''t be able to escape, even if I could somehow duplicate myself. What to do...'' Ambrose thought about running away and hiding himself in the crowd.


    However, he greatly doubted that would work.


    Then his gaze lingered in the direction of the Chrysalis Horses.


    "Well, I know how to ride a horse now. They can''t be any different... right?" Ambrose rushed to the stables and kicked open the door of the stall and mounted one of the Chrysalis Horses.


    However, the Chrysalis Horse fought back strongly, trying to shake him off its back.


    Ambrose held on tight and grabbed the reins tightly to gain control of the horse.


    The Chrysalis Horse still neighed, but then it began galloping down the yard and finally pped its wing and started flying through the vast skies.


    "Wohoo!" Ambrose screamed in exhration as he soared through the air on the majestic Chrysalis Horse.


    The guards on the ground helplessly watched as one of their inmates escaped with a valuable Chrysalis Horse!

 Chapter 124 The Update

    <h4>Chapter 124 The Update</h4>


    Cerberus, followed by members of Zahhak, shoved yers and civilians out of the way as they rushed to the prison.


    When they arrived there, it wasplete chaos, with the armed Watchmen of Amaterasu trying to restore peace in the chaotic streets.


    The guards ran like headless chickens, desperately trying to regain control of the situation.


    "How in the world did he escape?" Mizuchi asked with a deep frown. "The biggest question is, why? He had only few more days left of his sentence."


    "Perhaps he expected us to be waiting for him, so he escaped to also get away from us." Arsenal guessed. "Redheart and her big mouth must have revealed it."


    "Yeah, but now he is a wanted man." Mizuchi said with a scoff. "He definitely can''t return to Amaterasu. If he ever gets captured again, he would have to serve a long time."


    In the skies above the dark tower, a bright light descended, and from there, a broad-shouldered figure with beautiful gold eyes emerged.


    All the Watchmen of Amaterasu bowed their heads and shouted in unison.


    "God''s Pdin, wee to Amaterasu!"


    "..." Mikael looked at the dark tower and then saw the mysterious hooded figure feeding his Chrysalis horses.


    He approached him and said. "So, he escaped with one of your horses?"


    "Yeah, he stole our fastest one," replied the hooded figure with a hint of annoyance.


    "That is indeed unfortunate." Mikael looked towards the dark tower and narrowed his eyes. "It seems I underestimated his strength. I guess this is on me."


    "Are you nning on going after him?" The hooded figure asked.


    "No, I will be unavable. I am going to return to the Dark Continent to fight against those evil beings." Mikael sighed, but then reassured his loyal follower. "However, I have received a message.


    "In a few hours, that yer, Ambrose, will have all sorts of Inquisitors and bounty hunters chase him. Perhaps even other yers will go after him. After all, there is zero respect between yers, only greed.


    "That''s why, in a couple of days, I am sure he is back at rotting his cage, and you have gotten your horse back."


    ...


    A brilliant white-winged horse soared across the vast skies with the sunset looming on the horizon. He and his rider flew over many mountains, valleys and forests.


    "In just a few hours, I will be in Yatagarasu!" Ambrose thought aloud while seeing the immense speed of the Chrysalis Horse.


    While they had to pull the wagon, they only showed a fraction of their speed.


    With this horse, he could visit all the major cities in a single day. The speed was unfathomable!


    Unfortunately, he would have to abandon this horse. He was simply way too eye-catching, and he wasn''t foolish enough to think that no one woulde chase after him.


    Therefore, he had to disappear from the face of the earth and hide somewhere.


    However, first, he nned to visit the yers who bullied his sister.


    Ding, ding¡ªa loud message erupted from his eardrums.


    "Tsk, what is it now?" Ambrose looked at the transparent floating screen that suddenly appeared in front of him.


    [The servers will shut down in one minute!]


    [Preparing for the update...]


    [0:59...]


    [0.58...]


    ''Oh, it is happening now.'' Ambrose caressed the white-winged horse''s mane and made itnd safely on the ground.


    He then tied the reins around a thick tree branch and began waiting for the countdown to end.


    After also cing a temporary spawn, he crossed his arms and looked at the countdown.


    The countdown soon reached zero, and Ambrose saw the world around him fade away as if it were messy paint being wiped clean.


    He soon reappeared in the world of darkness. It was the ce where dead yers would be transported.


    [Countdown till the update ispleted...]


    [00:59:40]


    ''59 minutes and 40 seconds. Longer than expected.'' Ambrose then logged out of the game.


    ...


    Jesse opened his eyes and took off his headset.


    He then set an rm on his phone.


    He put it in five minutes prior to thepletion of the update because he wanted to log back in before.


    After jumping off the bed, he sat in front of a desk and powered up theputer. Using the mouse, he double-clicked on the browser and typed Martial Online Forum''s website.


    The excitement was at an all-time high.


    However, he then noticed an intriguing post.


    [A prison break in Amaterasu???]


    But that post didn''t garner a lot of attention because the update was right around the corner and all focus was on that.


    After checking out the post, he realized that everyone was pretty clueless about what had happened.


    ''Better that way, I guess.'' Jesse leaned against the backrest and scratched his hair. ''I sure have made a mess. No regrets, though. I wouldn''t change a thing.''


    He put his legs on top of the desk and looked silently at the clock on the wall. It ticked down painfully slowly.


    However, he couldn''t help but feel anticipation building up inside.


    ...


    At Loch City, inside Martial Company.


    "Is everything ready?" Graham asked calmly while scanning the thousand screens.


    "Yes, sir!" The workers were hard at work as they prepared to open the servers again.


    During the update, they had to freeze the whole vast world of Martial Online.


    It wasn''t the easiest thing to do because they didn''t want to mess up with anything, such as identally failing with the code, and one NPC could identally move around in an otherwise frozen world and do whatever they wished.


    Graham checked his wristwatch and frowned deeply. ''I hope the calctions were correct and nothing happened to her. The Virtual Pod experience is still in the experiment stage, and if the shutting down of servers did something to her...''


    He took a deep breath and opened his phone, showing a picture of a beautiful middle-aged woman who had unique red eyes and a sweet smile.


    ''I miss you...'' Graham sighed and opened another picture, showing a lovely-looking girl with simr red eyes but a mischievous grin.


    She looked like she was a yful girl.


    ''I will take care of our daughter, no matter what.''


    He looked at the picture of his daughter and then closed his phone before pocketing it.


    He then crossed his arms and shouted with a dominant tone.


    "Alright, begin the procedure. It is time to open the game again!"


    ...


    As the time neared the top of the hour, the rm went off, waking Jesse from his brief nap. He then let out a yawn, stretched his limbs, and limped towards the bed.


    There, he put his headset around his head and pressed the starting button.


    He returned to the world of darkness with the countdown ticking down in front of him.


    Four minutes...


    Three minutes...


    Two minutes...


    One minute...


    Ambrose watched quietly as the countdown finally reached zero. The darkness still remained even though the countdown showed zeros.


    At that moment, a simr interface screen appeared in front of him. However, it didn''t have any of his stats, but something else.


    [The Update Completed!]


    [Log In]


    [Check The Patch Notes]


    [Log Out]


    The screen showed three options.


    It was an obvious choice for Ambrose. He chose the middle option, checking the patch notes!


    Of course he wanted to see what the update brought to the game without having to blindly search for it in-game!


    After pressing on the option, a long row of new updates opened in front of him.

 Chapter 125 Age of Video Games

    <h4>Chapter 125 Age of Video Games</h4>


    "Let''s see." Ambrose felt his heart beating rapidly against his chest. He had rarely felt this much excitement for something.


    Without further ado, he began checking out the updates.


    [Thousands of undiscovered Tombs from ancient beings had opened. They harbor great rewards but also unimaginable dangers]


    ''Yeah, just like that stream expected, new content.'' Ambrose thought quickly and moved onto the next one.


    [A Bridge leading to Dark Waters has been opened. It leads to surrounding inds, and it is the way to reach the Dark Continent that lies behind the mist]


    ''A bridge leading to Dark Waters... Dark Continent...'' Ambrose took a deep breath, as he didn''t expect this.


    He expected that it would take years for yers to reach another continent, but this would obviously encourage adventurers to go seek it out.


    [Reality Market has been opened. You can sell your items for real-life currency and even transfer your silver to your bank ount. This new feature opens up a whole new world of possibilities for yers]


    "What?!" Ambrose couldn''t hold back anymore and shouted out loud.


    This update would change everything.


    No more dealing in forums, no more worrying about scammers; the Reality Market gave yers a way to earn money properly!


    ''What is the ratio, though?'' He tried checking out and pressed on the description. He soon found it and frowned. ''So, 1000 silvers is only 100 crowns. I have 35,728 silver; that would be 3572.8 crowns.''


    Ambrose rubbed his chin.


    That was a lot money for just ying a video game, but he had this much money because he was lucky and hadn''t spend it on anything yet.


    An ordinary yer would be lucky to ever get over 100 silvers.


    It was very difficult, especially now that yers would be even more eager to get silver.


    ''However, this is amazing. I wonder if I should sell any of my items on Reality Market. Well, do I really need money?'' Ambrose thought about his new situation.


    He really didn''t need money, but he thought that in the future, things might be different.


    ''I can''t leech on them forever. One day, maybe, I will have a wife, maybe kids, and my own house. That does need money, hmm.'' Ambrose shook his head and checked the next update.


    [Newspaper Agency had been created. yers can pay the agency to put their own dojo advertisements in the next day''s paper. The newspaper would also write about the aplishments of yers, giving them a way to earn fame and glory.


    [The newspaper will be a good way for yers to read about the happenings of the world around them and stay connected with thetest news and events]


    ''Oh, yeah, I don''t remember any NPC ever reading a newspaper. I wonder why they added this sote, but I guess it''s betterte than never.'' Ambrose thought to himself and thought about one thing.


    ''If they write about the aplishments of yers, will they also write about their wrongdoings? Like, about my prison escape, perhaps?''


    He wasn''t sure and decided to move on to the next update.


    [Bounty Posters have been added. yers and NPCs alike can get a bounty on their heads. Everyone is also free to hunt down and capture those with bounties to earn silver and respect]


    ''Bounty posters, oh no...'' Ambrose massaged his temples. ''Will they put a bounty on my head? Shit, this makes things more difficult. Maybe I will be lucky and they won''t.''


    The following segment was a bunch of bug fixes, but Ambrose couldn''t see a fix for that strange glitched message he received when he reached 100 on strength.


    ''I did report it...'' He shook his head and moved onto the next update.


    [Multiple new sub-sses have been added. You can now be literally anything, from a school teacher to a merchant or even a wagon driver]


    ''Yeah, there are multiple ways of earning money, such as doing proper work. I wonder how much those jobs pay and whether it is worth it for some people to abandon their real-life jobs to start new, higher paying jobs in-game.


    ''Quite a crazy thing to think about.''


    [Dojo Temples have opened. They are located in secluded viges at the foot of tall mountains. They teach secret knowledge and skills to those who deserve it. yers who encounter those temples can choose to ept a test to see whether they are worthy of learning that knowledge]


    ''That knowledge must be incredibly valuable. Maybe I can learn more about that Inner Power and Gates. Also, they are located in secluded viges, which would be a perfect ce for me toy low and grow my strength.


    ''I should definitely go visit those temples!''


    [A Marriage system has been added. yers can get married to fellow yers or NPCs]


    ''Huh?'' Ambrose looked at that update with a strange expression. ''One can get married to the NPC? That is strange; why would anyone want that? I mean, I understand getting married to fellow yers, but marrying an NPC seems odd.''


    He shook his head and moved on to the next one. There weren''t many updates left.


    [Underground City "Warhaven" has been opened. It is located underground, out of sight, and is home to the most dangerous criminals in the game. A yer can change their home city to that one if they can find it]


    ''Uhuh, fourth city, huh.'' Ambrose scratched his head. ''So, if I change my home city to Warhaven and die without having any temporary spawn, I wouldn''t be teleported to Amaterasu, but to Warhaven.


    ''However, the home of the most dangerous criminals. That ce doesn''t sound too nice.''


    And when he turned to look at the remaining updates, he noticed that only one remained.


    [The Future is Here. The world of Martial Online advances with every passing day, and now the residents of that world have managed to create a railway that connects all major cities with each other. With the help of the train, it is possible to move across the cities quicker and more efficiently]


    ''That is amazing.'' Ambrose thought with an impressed look. ''That game has some modern elements, but now the train is definitely peak creation. I guess the developers noticed how painfully slow it is to move across the continent with wagons.


    ''Most of the yers simply don''t have time to stay the whole day inside the game to reach their destination. Therefore, this train will definitely be used heavily. It will greatly improve the travel experience for yers and make it much more efficient.''


    Ambrose kind of wanted to test it out, but he was now a wanted man.


    He would have liked to check out Tsukuyomi, the only city he hadn''t been in yet, alongside the new city of Warhaven.


    However, that had to wait.


    ''I guess that is all. That update was so much bigger than I expected. I wonder how the outside world is reacting to Reality Market.''


    ...


    "Huh?" A tired-looking office worker sat on his desk, the monitor''s blue lightnding on his face.


    His eyebags looked heavy, and his eyes could barely stay open.


    Again, his superiors forced him to overwork, and he could feel that his body was already at breaking point.


    With his skinny arm, he moved the mouse and identally clicked on a news website.


    The website opened up and immediately showed news about a game called Martial Online and the Reality Market.


    ''Reality Market? What is that...''


    He had, of course, heard about Martial Online but had no time to check it out because he was busy with work.


    After pressing on the news, he checked what the Reality Market was all about.


    The further he read, the more life returned to his tired eyes.


    The news sounded very concerned about the economic state of the future, as this could pose a lot of problems now that there was a way of earning so much money by just ying a video game.


    It could encourage kids of high school age to skip any thought about getting a job in reality and try their luck in that game.


    "Mark, are you done yet?!" An office door mmed open, and a well-suited man approached the tired-looking man with a lofty expression.


    "Huh, you are browsing news? Do you want to get fired that much, huh? Finish your goddamn work!"


    "Boss." Mark looked at his boss and showed a tired smile. "Fuck you. I quit!"


    "Huh?" The well-suited boss looked taken aback, and then his cheeks turned crimson in anger. "Y-you bastard. How dare you talk to me like that!?"


    Mark grabbed his coat and showed the middle finger to his former boss while walking away with a sense of liberation and satisfaction.


    "Y-you, get back in here, bastard!" The well-suited boss shouted, but his former subordinate didn''t listen as he kicked open the door and left the office.


    The same thing happened at countless otherpanies.


    Tired office workers had enough, sent their resignation letters to their bosses, and left for home.


    However, while walking or driving home, they made a quick visit to any electronic shop to purchase a VR headset.


    The age of video games had arrived like a storm.

 Chapter 126 Back in Yatagarasu

    <h4>Chapter 126 Back in Yatagarasu</h4>


    "Neigh!"


    After logging back in, Ambrose heard the familiar neighing of the brilliant Chrysalis horse.


    He opened his eyes and saw darkness all around, with a crimson glow coloring the nearby forest.


    When he logged out, the sun was only setting, but now the moon was up in the sky.


    Ambrose then looked at the Chrysalis horse and noticed that it was emitting a soft, ethereal light.


    "Are you hungry?" He asked while touching his long face. The Chrysalis horse neighed and stomped the ground softly.


    "Here..." He took out several apples from his inventory and fed them to the horse.


    The Chrysalis horse immediately looked more satisfied.


    Then he removed the reins from the wooden branch and mounted the horse. He caressed its white mane and said.


    "Alright, Yatagarasu is already in sight. Once we have arrived, you can return to your owner."


    The Chrysalis horse neighed as if he understood.


    He then unfurled his magnificent wings, and with few running steps, he started soaring across the dark, starry sky.


    After flying over several mountains, they entered an open field filled with colorful wildflowers and tall grass.


    Then Ambrose saw something on the horizon.


    "Are those the railway tracks?" He wondered aloud, as there was something built on the ground.


    The railway tracks ran down an open field without being obstructed by anything. Only the train was missing, but he didn''t expect to see one this soon anyway.


    After flying another hour, the white-winged horse flew over a familiar-looking forest.


    It was the Nether Forest of Yatagarasu!


    "We are so close!" Ambrose encouraged the horse, and they soon left the forest''s air space behind.


    He then saw the most popted city in the distance.


    They had arrived in Yatagarasu!


    ''Thank God it''s not raining at the moment.'' He then forced the Chrysalis horse tond beside the road.


    He unmounted the horse and looked at the magnificent white-winged force with some unwillingness to let it go.


    It was an immensely valuable horse, but it was simply too eye-catching.


    "Alright, you may leave. Thanks." Ambrose fed it another apple, and then the Chrysalis horse galloped away before starting to fly away.


    His silhouette disappeared above the forest, with the sound of neighing fading away.


    Ambrose covered his face with the hood and walked to the entrance of Yatagarasu.


    While walking, he saw the railway station situated outside the city. It was upied by hundreds of yers and eager-looking NPCs.


    The train was nowhere to be seen.


    Ambrose then lowered his head and entered the city, walking down the cobblestone streets.


    He then passed a public board that was covered in notices and advertisements. However, there were also some posters, which froze him in his tracks.


    He took a step back, turned to look at the posters on the wall, and almost cursed aloud.


    At the top of the public board, there was an announcement for yers.


    [The bounty posters are here]


    [There are three ranks for the bounty posters¡ªWhite, Brown and Red]


    [White is the lowest rank¡ªthe yer or NPC of that rank will have a bounty on their head for only 24 hours before it disappears]


    [Brown is the second-highest rank¡ªthe yer or NPC of that rank will have a bounty on their head for 1 month to 1 year, depending on the severity of their actions]


    [Red is the highest rank¡ªthe yer or NPC of that rank will never have their bounty removed]


    Ambrose then lowered his gaze.


    There, he saw a brown bounty poster with a sketched image of a young man with ck hair.


    [WANTED]


    [DEAD OR ALIVE]


    [Rank: Brown]


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Reward: 7,500 silvers]


    ''Hahaha, god damn it.'' Ambrose looked around the streets and pulled his hood further down to cast a bigger shadow over his face.


    He walked away from the public board with clenched fists.


    ''At least one month... At worst, I would have yers and bounty hunters after my head for the entire year.''


    However, there was one good thing about the bounty poster.


    ''The sketch could be much better. It barely even looked like me, but my picture can be found on the Zahhak website and in forums.''


    He shook his head, trying to forget about that for now. There was a certain group of yers he had to find.


    ''Where can I even start?'' Ambrose felt slightly overwhelmed.


    Emma only told him that they were wearing masks and ck cloaks. It was not much, but it was better than nothing.


    ''I suppose I can start asking around. They sound like people who have done this multiple times. However, why aren''t they jailed? Could it be that they are only doing this for yers? Hmm, perhaps there are more shops created by yers who were their victims.''


    With a destination in mind, he began searching for yer-made stores.


    It was quite a hard task, but he nned to search every street, even corner alleyways if necessary.


    After an hour of searching through the streets, he finally stumbled upon a small shop tucked away in a deste street.


    It was far from the market street; therefore, not many customers came all the way here.


    Pitter-patter¡ªAmbrose put his hand out, and rain began slowly falling,nding on his open palm.


    The raindrops sshed against the pavement, creating a peaceful melody.


    He then hurried inside the small shop. It was a shop that sold y vases and delicate ceramic figurines, each one uniquely crafted by local artisans.


    "Wee!" A friendly voice called out from behind the counter.


    The shopkeeper was a middle-aged man with a warm smile. His hands were covered in y dust, evidence of his own craftsmanship.


    "Hello, are you the owner of this shop?" Ambrose asked as he approached the counter.


    "Yes, this is mine." The shopkeeper said. "I also had my own store like this back in reality, but it bankrupted... Oh well, I am d that I can still continue my hobby!"


    ''He is rather carefree. If he had been robbed by other yers, he wouldn''t act like this. I guess I came for nothing here.'' Ambrose thought, but decided to ask still. "Have youe across masked yers? They might have a habit of stealing silver from yers who have their own shops."


    The shopkeeper widened his eyes in surprise and looked conflicted.


    ''He knows something.'' Ambrose leaned on the counter and looked him in the eye. "Tell me what you know."


    "W-why have youe here?" The shopkeeper backed into the shelf with a pale face. "I haven''t told anyone. I swear! And I won''t say anything to anyone, so please leave me alone!"


    ''Huh, he is mistaking me for someone.'' Ambrose frowned. "So, you know something. I am not part of them; I just want to know where they are."


    "H-huh?" The shopkeeper bit his lip and looked away with a resigned look. "They leave me alone as long as I don''t mention them. However, they sometimese here to test me to see whether I am loyal to them or not."


    ''So, he thought I was testing him. However, he did reveal that much information quite easily.'' Ambrose shook his head. "I''ll pay you for the information. How much?"


    "E-eh?" The shopkeeper looked surprised but then shook his head. "What is the point when they will take that money from me as well."


    "..." Ambrose silently looked at the shopkeeper.


    Ding, ding¡ªthe bell then chimed above the door.


    "Yooo, sold anything?"


    The shopkeeper paled as a masked figure walked inside the shop.


    The masked figure cleared his throat and spat on the ground.


    He then looked at the ck-haired young man, who looked like he was making a purchase.


    "Have you finished the transaction? If yes, hand over the silver to me. I am the owner."


    The masked man saidzily while moving his tongue around his mouth as if he were addicted to nicotine, and now that he couldn''t smoke, he was having some withdrawal symptoms.


    Ambrose looked at the masked man in surprise before smiling.


    Smack!


    Crack¡ªthe masked man flew through the door and crashed into the cobblestone ground.


    He coughed blood and whimpered in shock.


    His face was bruised and battered, and his mask was barely hanging on.


    Ambrose stepped out of the shop and grabbed the masked man by his cor.


    "Oh, hello there." He smiled creepily. "It looks like your face had it rough, but don''t worry, I''m here to make it even worse."

 Chapter 127 Overpowering

    <h4>Chapter 127 Overpowering</h4>


    Inside an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Yatagarasu.


    "I wonder if I will ever have a bounty on my head!" A grinning young man said out loud while sitting upside down on a ragged sofa.


    The surrounding warehouse was dirty from years of neglect, with dust and debris covering every surface.


    Several young men had logged back in after the servers went back up. They were still waiting for a few of their friends to return, as they nned to y the entire night.


    "Haha, having a bounty is fucking badass." A smile spread across one of the young man''s faces as he examined his new tattoos he got yesterday.


    The tattoo covered his left arm from shoulder to wrist, depicting fierce dragon scales in vivid colors.


    "Maybe one day when I am tired of staying in here." The grinning young man said while blood rushed into his head while hanging upside down loosely. "I could try for the highest bounty ever received by yer. Hahaha, then everyone fears my name"!


    "You have read too much of that pirate manga." His friend chuckled.


    "Ahahahaha." The grinning young manughed.


    Kre-Chak¡ªthe warehouse''s heavy doors opened.


    "Yo, got the silver?" The grinning young man asked, expecting to see one of their friends return from his short trip.


    "..." A blond-haired man walked down metal staircases while looking towards the entrance of the warehouse.


    He had just logged back in and heard a little bit of the conversation.


    He was the leader of this group and its oldest member.


    In real life, he was a famous thug in his small town known for his ruthless tactics and scary presence.


    His infamous nickname was Dragonborn, which he adapted to the game because he liked the sound of it.


    He recruited the young men after recognizing their potential for violence and loyalty.


    "Hmm?" Dragonborn frowned as the doors stayed open, but no one stepped inside.


    The young men gathered around the sofa sat up properly and looked towards the entrance, shouting their friend''s name, but received no reply in response.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ªa hooded figure entered the warehouse.


    He sported a ck cloak with a hood pulled low over his face, obscuring his features from view. A sword gleamed in his hand, reflecting the dim light of the room.


    With his other free hand, he was dragging a bruised and battered young man behind him. The face looked unrecognizable as it was so swollen and purple.


    The young man''s eyes were filled with terror as he struggled to keep them up. He teared up when he saw his friends, but because of his swollen lips, he couldn''t speak.


    "Herald!" The young men screamed in shock.


    Ambrose hurled the beaten up young man across the warehouse. He crashed into the ground right before the group of young men.


    "Who the hell are you?" Dragonborn leaped down the remaining stairs and pulled out his sword.


    "None of you deserve to know it." Ambrose lowered his tone and pointed his glorious ck Sword at the blond-haired man. "This won''t take long."


    "S-such arrogance!" The grinning young man wasn''t grinning anymore. He pulled out his lengthy spear and leaped across the air towards the hooded figure.


    "Spear Storm Strikes!" With the spear put into a thrusting stance, he began repeatedly stabbing the spear towards the hooded figure. His strikes were precise and relentless.


    "Basic Parry. Basic Parry. Basic Parry." Ambrose nonchntly moved forward while using the simple parry skill.


    The spear strikes were precise and relentless, but they were slow.


    Thus, he easily deflected them all.


    Following that, Ambrose lifted his sword high in the air and mmed it down.


    "Spear Block!" The young man lifted his spear to block the sword. However, the ck Sword shed through the spear like it was made from wood.


    "A cheap weapon." Ambrose said and swung the ck sword, the de swiftly separating the young man''s head from his torso.


    The young man''s lifeless body fell to the ground, blood pooling around him.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [450 XP Earned!]


    "Attack him!" Dragonborn shouted and rushed towards the hooded figure with the rest of his subordinates.


    Ambrose effotlessly blocked Dragonborn''s sword, but then several spear strikes appeared from the side. They looked deadly and intimidating.


    Stab, stab, stab¡ªthe three spears stabbed deep into Ambrose''s body, blood spewing like a fountain.


    "Haha, you thought you could defeat me?" Dragonbornughed triumphantly.


    "Yes." Ambrose said simply, pulled out a Red Sword from his inventory, and shed through the spears, destroying them.


    The young men backed off with stunned expressions, carrying their broken weapons.


    However, the spear des were still stuck inside Ambrose''s body, causing his health to slowly drop.


    Yet Ambrose didn''t care in the slightest as he caught a glimpse of his health. Instead, heughed.


    [HP: 225/310]


    Ambrose swung his sword powerfully, pushing Dragonborn backward.


    He then rushed forward and began smashing his swords down, while Dragonborn tried desperately to block all the strikes.


    Crack, crack¡ªslowly, Dragonborn''s metal sword began showing cracks. The de was cracking apart!


    "I-Impossible!" Dragonborn shouted in shock.


    "50kg, 1kg, 50kg, 1kg, 50kg, 1kg."


    Dragonborn''s arms trembled under the relentless assault, and atst, his de had enough and shattered like a frozen ss.


    The shards of the weapon scattered across the dirty warehouse, leaving himpletely defenseless.


    Swoosh¡ªtwo swords, one ck and one red, simultaneously shredded through Dragonborn''s body.


    Blood sttered across the room as his lifeless body crumpled to the floor.


    "..." Ambrose lifted his head and nced at the remaining young men, who backed off in terror. He smiled and chased after them.


    In the following minutes, screams and cries echoed through the warehouse.


    At the moment the third minute came, the warehouse was quiet once again.


    Ambrose slowly sheathed his ck Sword and tossed his Red Sword into the inventory.


    Then he pulled out the spear des from his flesh, tossed them away, and ate several apples to restore his health and heal his wounds.


    He then turned his attention back to the fallen bodies, surveying the aftermath of his battle with them.


    They had dropped several brown pouches.


    He checked the amount and was surprised to find over 20,000 silvers.


    ''Most of it was the blond-haired man''s. I suppose he kept most of the silver they had stolen.''


    He tossed it into his inventory, then picked up their dropped items and started looking around the warehouse.


    Soon, he found a book tossed carelessly on the dusty ground. It looked like they had grown bored quite quickly and simply tossed it away.


    He took the book, wiped off the dust, and read its title aloud.


    "White Rabbit... It is hers." Ambrose heaved a sigh of relief, happy that it wasn''t damaged or destroyed.


    He then gently put it inside his inventory and checked around the warehouse before leaving it.


    He expected the young men to soon return to the game. There was no reason for him to kill them again, as they would simply spawn back on Yatagarasu.


    "Hmm, the bookstore was called Whispering Pages, if I remember correctly. I wonder if Emma is still online. Even if she isn''t, I can just drop off the book and give them the silver back before leaving, I guess.


    "Any of the major cities aren''t safe for me. I guess my next destination should be those Dojo Temples. It is time for me to fully focus on training and improving my skills."


    With a new goal in mind, he began searching for the bookstore, Whispering Pages.

 Chapter 128 Inquisitors

    <h4>Chapter 128 Inquisitors</h4>


    Clickety-ck¡ªthe train moved through the railway tracks with a loud horn sting through the night sky.


    The horn reached Yatagarasu, signaling to everyone that it had finally arrived.


    The yers and NPCs alike watched from the railway station as the glorious train slowly slowed down as it approached them.


    The train was brown in color with a red lining, exuding an air of magnificence and elegance. It was nearly a kilometer in length, allowing hundreds of passengers to board it simultaneously.


    The train also had suites for night trains, where sleepy passengers could sleep for the duration of the trip.


    The train also had a luxurious dining car, offering exquisite meals prepared by world-ss chefs. The train also had a lounge car, providing afortable space for passengers to rx and socialize.


    As the train''s wheels passed joints in the rails, it slowly stopped in front of the railway station. A grayish smoke lingered in the air, wafting towards the night sky.


    The excited yers and NPCs watched as the doors swung open, and from there emerged figures wearing borate white robes.


    They had high cors that hid half of their faces, and they wore white top hats.


    They looked mysterious, powerful, and intimidating as they left the train with a lofty air of authority, captivating everyone around them.


    "Begin the search." Behind the white-robed figures, a man with a brown exquisite robe, high cor, and brown top hat spoke with amanding voice.


    He was clearly the person in charge.


    "Yes, sir Brown Inquisitor!" The white-robed Inquisitors echoed and left the railway station in a single-file line, approaching the entrance of the Yatagarasu.


    The Brown Inquisitor pulled out a brown bounty poster. It had a sketched image of a ck-haired young man who had a bounty of 7,500 silvers.


    ...


    [Whispering Pages - Closed]


    ''It''s closed.'' Ambrose thought as he looked at the closed bookstore.


    He tried to see into the bookstore, but the stained ss windows made it very difficult.


    ''Well, let''s try knocking.'' He approached the door, raised his arm, and knocked on the wooden door with his knuckles.


    The door also had a triangle-shaped window that unfortunately was made from same stained ss.


    He stayed near the door, under the small shelter, while the rain pattered down.


    ''This ce really stinks. Always raining.'' Ambrose thought and felt somewhat happy that he spawned to Amaterasu.


    Tap, tap¡ªa gentle pair of footsteps approached the door. It sounded like someone was walking barefoot and not with shoes on.


    ''Huh, someone is actually still online?'' Ambrose turned towards the door and straightened his posture.


    Click¡ªthe door clicked and then opened ajar. A face peeked through the small crack, cautiously looking at the ck-haired man.


    "Who are you?" Be asked cautiously, her heart pounding in her chest.


    Her egg-like, delicately shaped face was filled with a mixture of curiosity and fear. She looked very vulnerable in that moment.


    "Ah, you must be Be." Ambrose felt his cheeks flushing, but he kept his calm posture and smiled. "Is Emma online?"


    "Emma..." Be tightened her grip around the door edge and asked cautiously. "Why do you want to see her?"


    "Ah well, I am her brother." Ambrose said with a smile.


    "Huh, brother?" Be''s red eyes widened in surprise. "You are not Zach... Wait, then you are... Jesse?"


    "Yes, that''s me." Ambrose responded, somewhat captivated by her red eyes. He had never seen a person with such unique eyes before.


    "Ah, wee." Be shyly opened the door wider, allowing Ambrose to enter her home.


    She wore a flowing ck dress that entuated her pale skin. Her feet were bare, as she didn''t seem to want to wear shoes indoors.


    "Thanks." Ambrose said, stepping inside and taking in the cozy atmosphere of the bookstore.


    He noticed the shelves filled with books and the soft lighting that made him feel instantly at ease.


    "Emma is upstairs." Be said and led him there. The second floor only had one door, with soft light spilling out from underneath.


    Creak¡ªafter opening the door, Be saw a ck-haired girl sitting at a desk, engrossed in her book.


    "Emma, someone is here to see you." She said gently.


    "Mm?" Emma turned her head around. Her soft eyes soon widened in joy and surprise before blossoming into a sweet smile. "Brother!"


    Jumping out of the chair, Emma ran towards her brother, embracing him tightly.


    Be''s eyes widened in surprise, as she didn''t expect Emma to be this close with her brother.


    Thest time she talked about her brother, they seemed distant and not particrly close.


    "Still online, shouldn''t you go to sleep soon?" Ambrose said with a chuckle while ruffling her hair.


    "I nned to... after this book." Emma cheekily smiled while showing her book. It seemed like she was already on thest page. It was a rather short book¡ªonly fifty pages.


    "Speaking about a book..." Ambrose opened his inventory and took out a brown hardcover book, White Rabbit, and then handed it over to Emma. "Is this yours?"


    Emma''s hands trembled, and then her eyes watered up. "M-my book!"


    As she hugged the book, tears streamed down her face.


    "H-how..." Be whispered in shock. "How did you find it?"


    "It''s somewhat a long story." Ambrose chuckled and then pulled out a brown pouch.


    Then offered it to the beautiful red-eyed girl. "These are yours, I guess."


    Be took the brown pouch in shock and looked inside, her eyes widening in shock. "T-t-that is way more. We only had around 2000."


    "Oh, well, you can keep it." Ambrose said, patting the head of her step-sister. "Emma, should we log out for tonight. It''s gettingte."


    "Y-yes." Emma wiped her tears and smiled, her dimples showing.


    She then hugged her brother before walking to Be, and she grinned while showing the book. "Look what my brother found!"


    Be looked at the little girl before smiling gently and nodding. "That''s wonderful, Emma. We can read it together tomorrow, alright?"


    "Mm." Emma nodded and put it back in her inventory. She then hugged Be before logging out.


    Ambrose ced a temporary spawn in this room and opened his interface to log out.


    But then Be''s voice came beside him.


    "Thank you."


    "Hmm?" He looked to the side and saw Be smiling at him. That smile made his heart stop for a moment. "Ah, no problem."


    "Mm." Be shook her head. "I really appreciate what you did for Emma. That book meant a lot to her. More than anyone could ever think."


    "Can I ask, why did she care so much about that one book?" Ambrose asked.


    Be sat down on her bed and looked at him with a nostalgic smile. "When I opened this bookstore, I didn''t receive any customers. Zero.


    "Thatsted for a whole week. I don''t know why, but everyone avoided this ce. All yers were obsessed with grinding levels, and NPCs simply didn''t want to shop in a store owned by yers.


    "Then, at the dawn of the seventh morning, a cute little girl entered my shop. I thought she was lost and I offered her help, but she actually wanted to rent a book. I had a very scarce selection back then¡ªonly ten books in stock.


    "She chose a book called White Rabbit and rented it. It was the first book she rented from me. After that day, she came here every day to read books, and we became very good friends.


    "That book became very important for her, as it was the start of our friendship."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded and saw how much Be cared about Emma. It was like a bond between sisters. "Thank you for taking care of my little sister. If it''s not too much to ask, could you please continue to be there for her?"


    "Of course." Be said with a sincere smile, "I will always be there for Emma, no matter what."


    "Good." Ambrose smiled and then sent a friend request to her.


    Be looked at the notification before epting it.


    "If anything happens to her or even you, please inform me. I wille straight back." Ambrose said and hovered his finger in front of the log out button.


    "Wait, you are leaving?" Be stood up and grabbed the edges of her dress. "That is pretty soon, no? I am sure Emma would like you to stay here for a while longer."


    "I would love that, but there are some things I need to do." Ambrose said while intentionally hiding the fact that he was currently a very wanted man. "Good night; see you in the morning."


    "Good night." Be said and watched as the young man vanished into thin air. She thenid on the bed, snuggling on the thin nket, before putting out the candle''s flickering me.


    After darkness returned to the room, she looked silently at the empty space where the young man had been moments before.

 Chapter 129 Escape from Yatagarasu

    <h4>Chapter 129 Escape from Yatagarasu</h4>


    The following morning, Ambrose returned to Martial Online. The sunlight gently fell on his face, with dust particles floating in the air.


    It was surprisingly a wonderful sunny day in Yatagarasu. It was a rare sight, and thus,ughter seeped through the window as families gathered for a pic, as did yers, to enjoy the rare sunny day.


    They weren''t sure how long it wouldst, but they didn''t care as they had fun in nearby parks.


    "Whew." After letting out a deep sigh, Ambrose opened the door and walked down the stairs.


    "Have a wonderful day!" At the counter, Be smiled and handed several rented books to an embarrassed-looking young man. Her smile shone more brilliantly than the sunlight that entered the bookstore through the window.


    After the young man left the bookstore, Ambrose stepped down the final step and saw Be tidying up the counter. "Good morning."


    "Ah, good morning to you as well!" Be greeted him with a warm smile and turned towards the upstairs. "Did Emmae?"


    "Not yet; probably having breakfast." Ambrose said and approached one of the windows. He looked outside through the stained ss and saw silhouettes moving by. "Good weather."


    "It''s very rare weather in here." Be replied, joining Ambrose at the window. "Is Amaterasu as sunny as people say?"


    "There are cloudy and windy days, but the majority of the time it''s sunny and beautiful," Ambrose answered.


    "I kind of miss that," Be said wistfully, gazing out at the streets.


    "Where you live, does it also have gloomy weather?" Ambrose asked.


    "Excuse me?" Be turned her red eyes towards Ambrose.


    "You said you miss it, as in you miss the sunny weather. So, it sounds like where you live in reality, the weather isn''t that very good either."


    "Ah..." Be smiled and shook her head. "Actually, the weather where I live is quite pleasant, especially during the summer."


    Ambrose nodded. ''Is she living abroad and missing her home or something else?''


    "Are you going to wait for Emma?" Be asked. "With such good weather, we could visit a nearby park. It would be a waste to miss such good weather."


    "I think I will have to get going, unfortunately." Ambrose said without a smile on his face.


    "Ah, I think Emma will be sad to see you leave so soon." Be turned back to the window and saw both of their reflections in it. Her height could barely reach Ambrose''s shoulders.


    "Well, I suppose I should do something with her back in reality. We live only a few doors apart, after all." Ambrose said with a sigh and then opened the door. A warm wind entered the bookstore.


    As Ambrose stepped out, he looked back at her and said, "If anyonees looking for me, tell them that you haven''t seen me."


    "Huh?" Be replied, confused by Ambrose''s request.


    Ambrose smiled gently. "I have my reasons. Trust me. I was never here, got it?"


    "A-alright." Be nodded and then watched as Ambrose walked away and disappeared into the crowd. She sighed and closed the door. "He is so mysterious."


    ...


    ''How the fuck does a horse cost 1000 silvers?'' Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched as he walked beside a brown-maned horse. He went and bought a horse, realizing how much faster it would be than walking.


    He didn''t want to rent a wagon either, as this was simply the fastest method he could think of. The train and renting a wagon could expose his identity.


    ''The horse was worth like 8¨C9 steel swords. What in the heck? The economy in this game is messed up, but I suppose the prices are higher for items that would help yers more.


    ''I haven''t checked the price of other, better weapons, but I suppose they are more expensive than this horse. I could guess that my ck and Red Sword is worth 10,000 silvers, maybe even more.''


    As he walked the horse with the help of the reins, he crossed a road, took a small shortcut through a narrow alley, and then arrived at the street that led to the open-gated entrance of Yatagarasu.


    ''Huh, what is happening in here?'' Ambrose thought and had to join a single-file line. He noticed a long queue of people waiting to enter the open-gated entrance of Yatagarasu.


    White-robed individuals pulled down the hood of a yer and then checked his face while ncing at a brown bounty poster on the side. When they finished making sure of something, they let the yer pass and then did the same with the next one.


    ''Who are they?'' Ambrose tapped the shoulder of a person in front of him. A gray-bearded man turned his head around, his eyebrow raised. "Excuse me, who are they?"


    "Oh, they are White Inquisitors." The gray-bearded man said. " They are a group of highly skilled and powerful individuals who enforce thews of ournd."


    "Oh, do you know why they are here?" Ambrose''s grip on the reins tightened.


    "I''m not sure, but I have a pretty strong guess." The gray-bearded man looked at the inquisitors and scoffed. "The Inquisitor is just a fancy term. In reality, they are nothing but bounty hunters."


    ''Shit!'' Ambrose''s bad premonition came true. ''Are they after me? There must be others with bounty posters, but they might''ve seen my sketched face before and could remember!''


    "Apparently people even saw the Brown Inquisitor lurking around. He is one rank higher than whites and vastly more powerful. I guess they are after a dangerous criminal."


    "Is there also a Red Inquisitor?" Ambrose asked, as it sounded like the ranks were the same as bounty posters. ''Does Brown Inquisitorse after people with Brown-ranked bounty posters?''


    "Yes, but I haven''t seen one before." The gray-bearded man. "They are incredibly powerful, but that also means they are also hunting incredibly dangerous criminals who have the legendary Red Bounty Posters.


    "That''s why I am not too worried. Criminals with Brown bounty posters can''t really disturb the public peace, but if the criminal had Red one... I would have left immadiately when the news about Red Inquisitors arriving on Yatagarasu reached my ears."


    "Alright, thank you." Ambrose then left the gray-bearded man alone and looked at his brown-maned horse. ''Well, shit. I guess it''s time to make a quick escape.''


    ...


    "Not him." A white-robed Inquisitor nodded.


    "Alright, you may go." Another white-robed Inquisitor said and let a pale-faced yer pass by. He then rubbed the back of his neck. "Next one, hurry up!"


    A brown-haired woman stepped forward while clutching her leather bag. The white-robed Inquisitors exchanged nces and immediately let the woman pass as they were looking for a male.


    The woman sighed in relief, grateful that the attention was no longer on her. She then stepped out of the entrance and heard loud screams behind her. She flinched and spun her head around.


    "Whoah, look out!" yers screamed as they jumped out of the way.


    The white-robed Inquisitors unsheathed their longswords and saw a brown-maned horse charging towards them, its eyes wild.


    The horse''s hooves thundered towards them, its nostrils ring in rage.


    A hooded figure pulled out his ck Sword and deflected the attacks from the white-robed Inquisitors. The horse then thundered out of the entrance and galloped away.


    "It''s him!" The white-robed Inquisitor shouted. "Inform Sir Brown Inquisitor!"


    "Chase after him!" There were only three horses avable; thus, three White Inquisitors mounted their horses and started the chase while the yers watched in shock.


    They thought they were in the middle of a movie shoot!

 Chapter 130 Wanted

    <h4>Chapter 130 Wanted</h4>


    "Are you certain it was him?" A man rushed towards the open-gated entrance while putting his brown robe on. He was woken up urgently by one of his subordinates. Therefore, he even forgot his brown top hat at his temporary residence.


    "Yes, it was definitely him." A White Inquisitor fast-walked beside him. "Your "Soul Scent" tracked him to Yatagarasu, and now he must''ve wanted to leave the city but saw us in the entrance.


    "Therefore, he decided to do a quick escape when we least expected it."


    "Well, there is one way to find out." The Brown Inquisitor said and saw that the open-gated entrance was closed for now. Angry yers and NPCs could do nothing except wait patiently until they had finished investigations.


    The Inquisitors had the power to close off the entrance to a major city and even mobilize its Watchmen. They were infamously known for their strict and harsh ways of maintaining the safety of civilians.


    "Sir!" The White Inquisitors saluted, standing at attention with their hands held firmly to their chests.


    "..." The Brown Inquisitor nodded in acknowledgment and then looked at the impatient-looking line of yers. Then he nodded to his subordinate, who brought him a wooden bench. It was a bench often found in parks.


    He then sat on the bed, cross-legged, and closed his eyes as if he were nning to meditate.


    The yers and NPCs looked at him strangely and almost shouted their frustration out. They thought that now that the "boss" had arrived, the investigation would move faster, but instead of doing anything, he sat down and began meditating!


    Swoo¡ªthe wind suddenly stopped.


    Everything became eerily quiet.


    The world stopped moving; its rotation was frozen in ce. Time seemed to stand still. A pedestrian who kicked a pebble on the sidewalk had his leg frozen in ce while the flying pebble stopped mid-air. The silence was deafening.


    The Brown Inquisitor slowly opened his eyes. He couldn''t move his head, but his eyes scanned the motionless surroundings.


    He then focused his gaze in front and whispered. "Soul Scent!"


    Even though the world was frozen and he shouldn''t be capable of talking, he managed to utter a few words!


    Transparent, light-blue waves appeared in the sky. They looked like waves in the ocean, but they weren''t very high and they didn''t move. However, those waves mimicked the movements of people around him.


    He then focused his attention on a single wave. The wave broke through the entrance and went far into the distance.


    The strange thing about this wave was that it wasn''t near the ground like others. Instead, it was around a meter in the air.


    ''That is his Soul Scent. He was riding on a horse, exining why the wave was higher in the air.'' The Brown Inquisitor then took a deep breath and whispered painfully. "Show!"


    A screen appeared in the sky. It looked like a floating television screen, but it was transparent and only showed a scene of a young man riding a horse through a thick, leaf-heavy forest.


    ''He escaped to Nether Forest.'' The Brown Inquisitor then took a deep breath, and the world began to move once again. He looked at the White Inquisitors and said, "Nether Forest. Are horses ready?"


    "Yes, sir!" The White Inquisitors echoed. While they waited for their boss to arrive, they brought more horses for the chase.


    The Brown Inquisitor received his horse and then mounted it. "At full speed, go!"


    The dozen horses thundered out of the Yatagarasu, starting their chase.


    One of the White Inquisitors tried to slip his brown bounty poster back into his bag, but the wind suddenly picked up, causing him to lose his grip on it.


    "Cursed!" The White Inquisitor looked around but saw the brown bounty poster drift back to the Yatagarasu. He shook his head, not nning to go after it because time was of the essence and he didn''t want to slow others down.


    The brown bounty poster floated through the entrance andnded on the ground. A shadow appeared over the poster.


    "Hmm?" A sinister-looking man picked up the brown bounty poster. His face was pale and thin, like a ghoul. "A brown bounty poster. Reward, 7,500 silvers. Ambrose... Ambrose... huh, it''s him."


    "Ambrose, isn''t Zahhak after him?" A skull-masked man walked to him. "A hint of whereabouts is 5,000 silvers."


    "Haha." The sinister-looking man chuckled. "So, 7,500 silvers to either kill or capture this Ambrose, and then another 5,000 if we tell Zahhak his location. Who knows math? 12,500 silvers transferred to the crown?"


    "1,250 crowns." The skull-masked man said.


    "Hehe, that is pretty good." The sinister-looking man said and turned his head around. His group, consisting of ten strong-looking yers, looked at the sketched image on the poster.


    "That would already be enough to cover my rent. Let''s do it."


    ...


    Tap, tap, tap¡ªEmma rushed down the stairs and saw Be scribbling something in her notebook.


    "Be, good morning~"


    "Ah, good morning." Be smiled gently and epted the hug from the energetic little girl.


    "Hmm, where is my brother?" Emma looked around. "Has he note online yet?"


    "The thing is... he already had to leave." Be exined sadly. "However, the weather is very nice. Do you want to go out?"


    "He already left?" Emma lowered her head in disappointment.


    "However, he told me that he ns on taking you out some day, back in reality." Be crouched and smiled at the little girl.


    "But you won''t be there." Emma lifted her gaze and looked into her red eyes.


    "You spend the morning with him and the day with me; doesn''t that sound nice?" Be giggled, grabbed her by the hand, and led her towards the door. "I''ll close the store for today. It would be a waste not to enjoy such good weather."


    "Nn." Emma nodded with a smile and left the bookstore with Be. They walked on the sidewalk with sunlight on their shoulders and wind ruffling their hair. They looked like a pair of sisters.


    They continued their stroll, grateful for the opportunity to bask in the warmth and beauty of the day.


    "Hey, Be, are those the new bounty posters?" Emma excitedly pointed at the public board. After seeing her excitement, Be walked there with her and checked out several bounties out of curiosity.


    "Huh?" Suddenly, Emma''s expression fell. "B-Be, isn''t he..."


    "Hmm?" Be turned to the bounty in the question, and her mouth opened in shock. They saw a sketched image of somewhat-familiar looking person.


    ''Ambrose...'' She quickly checked her friend list, and as she expected, there were two yers¡ªRabbit and Ambrose.


    Rabbit was Emma''s in-game name, while Be''s was Dawn.


    "Why does he have a bounty?" Emma asked while tightening her grip on Be''s hand.


    "Because..." Be looked at the little girl and yfully squeezed her cheek. "People like him very much. See, it says Wanted, therefore he is very popr!"


    Emma looked at her before giggling. It sounded ridiculous, but she acted along and nodded. "Yes, I like him very much too. He is great brother!"


    Be smiled, showing her cute dimples. "Should we take it with us? Something to remember him by."


    "Ah, that sounds good!" Emma giggled and tore the brown bounty poster off the public board, then hid it inside her inventory. She then grabbed Be''s hand and ran away with a mischievous grin on her face.


    After running far enough, Emma smiled and asked. "What about you? Do you also like him?"


    Be''s eyes widened before she giggled and pinched the little girl''s cheeks. "Yes, I do. Don''t tell him though; his ego might get too big."


    "I promise!" Emma replied with a mischievous grin.

 Chapter 131 Ambrose Vs. White Inquisitors

    <h4>Chapter 131 Ambrose Vs. White Inquisitors</h4>


    A brown-maned horse leaped over a fallen trunk, and afternding on the ground, it galloped away into the distance with grace and power.


    Thump, thump¡ªthree horses jumped over the same trunk and chased after the brown-maned horse.


    The three White Inquisitors looked determined to catch up with the brown horse.


    "Neigh!" The brown-maned horse leaped past the trees and disappeared into the dense forest, leaving the Inquisitors behind. They, however, didn''t stop the chase and followed right behind.


    ''Where should I go?'' Ambrose looked around but couldn''t see anything through the dense, jungle-like forest. He knew he had to keep moving to elude the relentless pursuit. However, he knew he couldn''t keep doing that forever.


    A White Inquisitor dodged a branch by ducking, and after lifting his head, he narrowed his eyes and nced sideways. "Throw me!"


    Next to him, a White Inquisitor nced at him briefly before nodding. He stood up on top of the horse and leaped a small distance, then perfectlynded behind the White Inquisitor on top of his horse, who made a rather strange request.


    He then grabbed the White Inquisitor by his robe and pulled him off the horse. However, he didn''t let go, and instead, his muscles bulged as he suddenly lifted the White Inquisitor and hurled him across the dense forest!


    The flying White Inquisitor opened his mouth to gasp, but simultaneously, alongside the wind, several mosquitoes entered his mouth. He coughed hoarsely but didn''t forget his goal and pulled out his magnificent white-handled longsword.


    During airborne, he crossed the distance to the brown-maned hoarse and shouted. "Cross sh!"


    Swoosh¡ªthe de scratched the horse''s back leg.


    "Neigh!" The brown-maned horse neighed loudly in pain and suddenly tripped over its own hooves, sending the rider flying through the air.


    "Shiiiit!" Ambrose covered his head and crashed back-first into a thick tree.


    The brown-maned horse crashed into the ground and whimpered in pain.


    Thud¡ªthe White Inquisitornded on the ground but did a quick front roll to reduce the damage and then stood up as if nothing had happened. Then he swung his sword and separated the horse''s head.


    "Ugh..." Ambrose stood up and saw his horse die before his eyes, its head severed from its body. His eyes turned cold as he turned to look at the White Inquisitor. "Was that necessary? Bastard."


    "When hunting a prey, a necessary thing is to cut off his escape routes." The White Inquisitor said while keeping his distance from the ck-haired young man. He was waiting for hisrades to arrive so they could team up to defeat him.


    And it didn''t take long.


    The horses, one manless, arrived beside the dead horse. The two White Inquisitors unmounted their horses and then drew their swords before turning around and also killing their horses.


    Now, there were four dead horses, spilling the ground with their murky blood.


    The scene was a macabre disy of violence and death.


    Ambrose coldly drew his Red Sword from his inventory. He held his glorious ck Sword with his right hand and the Red Sword with his left.


    The White Inquisitors circled around him, their eyes filled with malice and determination. They were never the kind to go easy when hunting a rabbit. Their battle-scarred bodies were a testament to that.


    They would have never survived their torturous training and endless battles if they were kind or merciful.


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose saw the predicament, and to escape it, he nned to kill one of them, quick!


    The White Inquisitor watched as the de approached and effortlessly deflected it. He then immediately took a step forward and shed repeatedly diagonally before changing to the horizontal. Heunched all kinds of random attacks from strange angles.


    That looked like the swordsmanship of an amateur, but Ambrose waspletely helpless and had to defend himself using both of his swords to block the onught.


    From the side, another White Inquisitorunched forward and drove his sword onward. The de stabbed through the air with a swift and deadly force, aimed directly at Ambrose''s chest.


    "Basic Parry!" Using his Red Sword, he quickly parried the attack, but that left his other side vulnerable, and from there, the third White Inquisitor shed through his waist, causing a sickening sound.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose groaned and saw a sh of decline in his health.


    [-35 HP!]


    [HP: 275/310]


    Ambrose leaped backwards, hoping to catch some breathing room, but it was a naive way of thinking. The White Inquisitorsunched their attacks from all angles, making it impossible to block them all.


    Ambrose didn''t even have time to exhale as he again had to push his arms to the limit of their speed and try to block the strikes.


    ng, ng¡ªthe swords shed, but then a longsword bypassed the defense and cut through Ambrose''s shoulder, leaving behind a deep gush spilling with sticky blue blood.


    [-40 HP!]


    [HP: 235/310]


    Ambrose winced in shock and tried to counter-attack with his ck Sword, but it was parried by his opponent''s silver de. The White Inquisitor then stabbed his sword through his bicep, slightly below the right shoulder.


    [-60 HP!]


    [HP: 175/310]


    "Haaah, haaah, haaah!" Ambrose breathed heavily and tried to cut through the throat of the person who stabbed him in the arm. However, the White Inquisitor acted quickly and pulled his sword from his arm before taking a step back to dodge the ck de.


    Two other longswords appeared from the side. The White Inquisitors looked emotionless and ruthless. They hadn''t rxed even for a moment, even though it looked like they were going to crush their opponent.


    "Dual Basic Parry!" Ambrose screamed and parried both swords, but he gravelycked strength as that skill hadn''t reached 100% yet. ''I should have pushed it 100%, but I kept dying it as I thought I had better things to do!''


    [Dual Basic Parry - Completion Rate - 25%]


    Smack¡ªa steel boot mmed into his waist, sending him flying through the air. Ambrose crashed into a tree and coughed up blue blood before copsing on the ground.


    [-15 HP!]


    [HP: 160/310]


    ''Fuck, so weak!'' Ambrose gritted his teeth and stood up, only to see three White Inquisitors surrounding him with their sword des touching his throat.


    "Surrender."


    Ambrose gritted his teeth. ''Death is better than capture!''


    His grip tightened on the swords, and it was instantly noticed by the White Inquisitors. They also saw his unyielding eyes, with which they were very familiar. Their opponent would rather die than get captured.


    However, they couldn''t allow that to happen.


    Thus, they mmed Ambrose to the tree while the other two grabbed his wrists. They knew they had to keep him restrained at all costs. Then the third White Inquisitor pulled out his shackles.


    "Nooo!" Ambrose screamed and tried to swing his swords, but then the grip on his wrists became too tough, and he had to let go of his swords. Without further ado, they locked his arms with shackles and tossed him to the ground.


    "Let''s wait for the Sir Brown Inquisitor to arrive." The White Inquisitors breathed and sheathed their swords. They didn''t even sweat during the fight. "Another payday ising."


    They were very satisfied, as their biggest ie came from hunting and collecting the bounty. Their Inquisitor pay was amazing, but they wanted to be wealthy enough to retire and live a life of luxury.


    Ambrose bit his lip strongly, but was utterly helpless. One of the White Inquisitors pressed on his back with his foot, stopping him from having any idea of escaping.


    ''Such an immense gap. I didn''t even have time to use any of my skills because I knew they wouldn''t work. I was overpowered, just like I was a kid trying to win a fight against his older siblings...''

 Chapter 132 World of Souls

    <h4>Chapter 132 World of Souls</h4>


    The Brown Inquisitor unmounted his horse and tied it to a nearby tree. Then he put his arms behind his back and approached the three White Inquisitors, who were eating their rations while the ck-haired young man was shackled to tree.


    "Sir!" Even while eating, the White Inquisitors didn''t forget to greet their superior.


    There was once a time when the White Inquisitors felt jealous of the Brown Inquisitors as their pay was much higher, but when they saw theirbat power, they realized that they were their superiors for a reason.


    "Mm." The Brown Inquisitor nodded and walked over to the shackled yer. He then pulled out a brown bounty poster and checked the sketched image. It wasn''t a perfect drawing, but it was good enough to see simrities.


    "Ambrose, the prison escapee." The Brown Inquisitor said, using his sharp eyes to study the features of the prisoner, "Because you murdered the prison guards and the warden, you won''t be sent back to Amaterasu.


    "There is a special prison for scum like you. From there, escaping won''t be as easy, if possible."


    Ambrose raised his dull blue eyes and clicked his tongue before lowering his head again.


    The Brown Inquisitor nodded to the dozen other White Inquisitors that walked from the dense forest and said, "Throw him on top of the horse; let''s take him back and use train for his transportation."


    "Yes, sir!" One of the White Inquisitors approached the young man and then reached his hand towards him.


    At that moment, Ambrose shut his eyes and exhaled loudly. "Iiiiiiiiin... Ouuuuuuut!"


    "Sir." The White Inquisitor turned to his superior.


    The Brown Inquisitor nced at the young man before stopping the White Inquisitor from touching him.


    "Let him. It''s better to show that his strength is useless, that way, he will think twice before doing anything else."


    The time suddenly stopped around the world. The Brown Inquisitor''s mouth was about to close, leaving a small enough hole to fit a small coin into his mouth. Everyone had stopped moving, even the clouds and the light itself.


    A transparent figure flew out of Ambrose''s body, scanning the surroundings quickly.


    ''I won''t be going anywhere!'' Ambrose shouted inwardly with bloodshot eyes. ''My soul, find anything that can help me. Any escape route. It doesn''t matter how dangerous it is!''


    His soul nodded and began looking around, but then suddenly, a transparent fist appeared in front of it, which punched it in the face, sending it flying through the air.


    The soul coughed up transparent blood, looking like it was hurt!


    ''Aaaaaaaaargh!'' Ambrose screamed inwardly. His veins bulged, and his eyes rolled backward as if he were being electrocuted.


    For the first time during his ythrough, he felt actual pain!


    [-100 HP!]


    [HP: 60/310]


    ''What the hell? Why did I feel pain? It hurt so much, like I was stuck by lightning!'' Horrified, Ambrose looked around, and to his shock, there was another transparent figure floating around.


    The transparent figure looked exactly like the Brown Inquisitor, with every single feature simr, even its transparent robes.


    "You are indeed a novice." The soul of the Inquisitor said and faced Ambrose. "No one had clearly taught you anything about the world of souls.


    "You think you are the only one able to enter this space? No, everyone who has opened their First Gate can enter this ce if you open the "gate" to this ce, like you just did."


    Following his words, over a dozen other transparent figures appeared all around the ce. They all looked identical to the White Inquisitors.


    ''Impossible!'' Ambrose appeared horrified and still dazed from the sudden pain. ''That pain was nightmarish. Why did the game developers let that be? Or was this intended?''


    The soul of the Inquisitor grabbed his soul by its face and shoved it right back to Ambrose''s body forcefully. Then the world started moving again, and all the souls returned to their rightful bodies.


    "Agh!" Ambrose let out a groan of pain and shuddered in agony.


    The White Inquisitor then grabbed Ambrose by his cor and dragged him towards the horse. He tossed him on top and then mounted the same horse while Ambrosey t on his stomach, very ufortably.


    The White Inquisitor then kicked the horse into a gallop and was immediately followed by the Brown Inquisitor and the rest. They had already spent plenty of time chasing him down and were in a slight hurry to get their money.


    ...


    The end of the Nether Forest was already in sight. The Brown and White Inquisitors looked stoic and silent as they neared their destination.


    "Hmm?" A White Inquisitor, riding a white horse, noticed something shiny on the ground. It was toote, as the horse suddenly tripped on it, suddenly falling forward.


    The White Inquisitor''s eyes shrank, and he quickly frontflipped beforending perfectly on the ground. The horse behind him died as its neck broke.


    "Huh?" The Brown Inquisitor rode past the scene of the ident and shouted. "Everyone, stop!"


    The horses neighed before slowing down until they were standing still.


    "What happened?" The Brown Inquisitor rode next to the White Inquisitor, his gaze on the dead horse.


    "I don''t know. This dumb thing suddenly tripped." The White Inquisitor said and kicked the dead horse.


    "Hmm." The Brown Inquisitor frowned, looked back, and saw something shiny on the ground. It looked like a very thin but strong thread.


    "What the¡ª"


    Swoosh¡ªarrows flew from the forest and missed the Brown Inquisitor by an inch before stabbing through the White Inquisitor''s shoulder.


    "Ugh!" The White Inquisitor grunted in pain and saw several other arrows fly towards him, but he quickly drew his sword and deflected them all. All the arrows were cut in half, a true testament to his perfect mastery of swordsmanship.


    With a swift motion, he swung his sword and struck the arrow lodged in his shoulder.


    "An ambush!" The Brown Inquisitor shouted and jumped off the horse while using it as a shield to block the arrows. The horses whimpered in pain as they were constantly killed by the rain of arrows.


    ''What is happening?'' Ambrose couldn''t see what was happening, but the horse below him suddenly got frightened and threw him off its back. He crashed into the ground while the horses ran away, arrows flying over his head.


    The Brown Inquisitor drew his brown-handled longsword and swung it around him like he was trying to mimic the movements of a whirlwind, easily deflecting all the iing arrows.


    He then moved his sword to a quickdraw stance and narrowed his eyes. "The Second Gate, Open!"


    A brown-colored light seeped out of his hand and covered the longsword''s steel de. The de began to emit a low hum, vibrating with power. It looked like the de was covered in brown fire.


    "Separation of the Faithless!" The Brown Inquisitor shouted and shed the sword across the air. A bright streak of light shot out from the de, slicing through the trees. It didn''t stop as it continued cutting through the trees until it finally hit its mark.


    A hundred meters away, blood spewed across the trees as several yers got badly hurt, almost dying from a single strike.


    The sinister-looking man, who bore a resemnce to a ghoul, paled before shouting. "Retreat!"


    The skull-masked man sighed. "Fuck, what kind of monster is he?"


    They turned around, grabbed their injured friends, and ran away deep into the forest.


    "Sir, should we chase after them?" The injured White Inquisitor asked. He kind of wanted to get revenge for getting hit by an arrow.


    "No, they are not important. No need to waste our time." The Brown Inquisitor said and slowly sheathed his weapon.


    "S-sir!" Suddenly, a White Inquisitor shouted.


    "What?" The Brown Inquisitor snapped his head around, thinking that they were attacked from another side. However, he then saw the White Inquisitor point towards the ground.


    All the White Inquisitors also looked towards him, and soon they all looked into the dense forest.


    "Shit..." The Brown Inquisitor looked at the empty ground, with shoe marks leading to the densely packed forest. "He is on the move. Go after him!"


    "Our horses ran off!" The White Inquisitor shouted.


    "You have legs; use them!" The Brown Inquisitor shouted and ran into the dense forest. "Don''t let Ambrose escape; that is an order!"

 Chapter 133 Painful Escape!

    <h4>Chapter 133 Painful Escape!</h4>


    "Ugh, it hurts..." Ambrose clutched his stomach while running through a densely packed forest. The immense pain hadn''t lessened, and the worst was that he couldn''t tell where it wasing from.


    It felt like the pain came straight from the core of his body.


    "Does this pain ever stop?" He grunted in pain, his forehead covered in cold sweat. He wanted to curl up in a ball and make it all go away. However, he knew if he did that, in only ten seconds, he would be captured again.


    ''Fucking game developers.'' He thought angrily, as he wanted to find them and punch them in the face. He wondered how the world would react if they heard that it was actually possible to feel pain in this game¡ªnot just any pain, agonizing cry-inducing pain!


    "I see more of the shoe marks!"


    A shout echoed from behind. It sounded very near, probably a distance of fifty meters separating them from Ambrose.


    ''Shit, they are quick!'' Ambrose gritted his teeth and pushed himself to run faster, the agonizing pain in his chest intensifying with each step.


    The sound of heavy footsteps grew louder as they closed in on him.


    Ambrose felt a surge of adrenaline and determination, refusing to let them catch him. He then saw a tree branch, slightly lower than usual, blocking his path. He quickly ducked it, but when he raised his head again, he noticed that he had run to the edge of the cliff.


    "Oh..." Without being able to stop his momentum instantly, he stepped over the edge and started falling to his death. However, the cliff wasn''t steep, but instead there was a hill, where he crashed into and then rolled nearly hundred meters until he stopped rolling, barely dodging a tree.


    "Ugh..." Ambrose climbed to his feet. He felt very tired and wanted to snuggle in his bed and then sleep for the entire day. "It hurts... I hate this..."


    At the top of the cliff, several figures appeared and saw a person limping away. They immediately jumped down the cliff and rolled down the hill in a furious chase.


    Nothing stopped their chase!


    The Brown Inquisitor, after reaching the end of the hill, rose to his feet and unsheathed his sword. He screamed, infused his sword with the brown, fire-like light, and sent rays of light flying through the forest, cutting through the air, trees and all wildlife that ended in their path.


    As Ambrose limped away, he heard the sound of trees falling to the ground and the wind swooshing. He quickly nced behind him and saw a ray of light approaching him. He immediately ducked and covered his head.


    The ray of light flew by him and separated the nearby tree in two.


    "Just leave me alone..." Ambrose gritted his teeth and clenched his fists as he again started running, without letting the agonizing pain stop him. He soon seemingly left the forest, as there weren''t any trees near him.


    However, there were two rocky mountains, and in front of him was a rocky path that seemingly went right in the middle of those two mountains. When he turned his head around, he saw nothing but forest.


    It looked like the Nether Forest led towards this mountainside, and one could only wonder what kind of inhumane beasts were hiding in this mountain range.


    "Argh!" Ambrose screamed and ran deeper into the mountain range. He didn''t care if he got attacked by strong beasts and ended up dying. The death was still better than capture.


    He even contemted suicide back then, but they took his ck and Red Swords and with shackles, he was unable to open his inventory.


    The only reason he didn''t feel hurt by losing his two precious swords was because he still had two of them each in his inventory!


    Then a chilling sound came behind him. Heavy footsteps left the forest, followed by shouts from the Inquisitors. They finally saw their prey running down the rocky road. That made their pace even faster, and they began running after him with relentless pursuit.


    ''No!'' Ambrose shouted inwardly and felt like crying. The tears were almost falling; at least he felt like it.


    His vision began shrinking as darkness appeared around the edges. He felt light-headed, as if he were about to pass out.


    ''No... if I lose consciousness... I will...''


    Ambrose continued running, and all the sounds around him disappeared into nothingness. He couldn''t hear the Inquisitors anymore or the sound of his rough breathing. The pain was still very much on his mind.


    He didn''t know whether he ran for five minutes or five hours.


    A short momentter, the pain became unbearable, and he copsed to the ground, unable to move any further. His fingers twitched, desperate to grasp on anything.


    His eyes rolled backward into their sockets, and his body stopped moving. He had finally lost his consciousness.


    "Huuh... huuh..." The Brown Inquisitor panted heavily while standing still in his ce. However, he didn''t move even a step forward as he lifted his gaze, fear shing past his eyes.


    The White Inquisitors also stopped moving while grudgingly looking at their prey. He was only two meters away, but in their imagination, there was a cliff separating them.


    There was a gateless entrance in front of them. It was right in the middle of the rocky road, and one could even walk around it. It would make many wonder¡ªwhy did someone build an entrance in the middle of nowhere?


    The entrance had strange engravings with mysterious words written in ancientnguages. It seemed like a gateway to another world.


    "Sir, should we just grab him and run?" A White Inquisitor asked.


    "Do you want to die?" The Brown Inquisitor asked, and everyone around him shook their heads. He then sighed and turned around. "It''s only 7,500 silvers. That is nowhere near enough for me to risk my life."


    After the Inquisitors left the gateless entrance, a shadow that resembled the outline of a person appeared above Ambrose.


    "Hmm?" The shadowy figure crouched and turned Ambrose to his side so he could catch a glimpse of his face. The cheeks were pale, and when he checked his eyes, they were purple as if he were poisoned. "His soul is injured."


    ...


    As the night had fallen, in Rothsmith residence.


    Creak¡ªJack opened a door and saw a young man lying on a bed with a headset covering his face. Behind him were Emma and Anna, curiously looking inside.


    "He is still ying." He said and wryly smiled.


    "Has he been ying since morning? He should be hungry." Anna looked concerned.


    "I think I can send a message to my brother''s headset!" Emma said cheerfully, wanting to send a message on behalf of her parents.


    "Brother?" Jack looked surprised at her daughter. ''She is already calling Jesse her brother? She is often very reserved around strangers, but this is very good!''


    Anna gently smiled and ruffled her daughter''s hair. "That sounds good. While you do it, I am going to heat up the food for him."


    "Alright!" Emma excitedly said and rushed back to her room.


    Jack smiled and grabbed Anna by her soft hand as they walked back to the elevator.


    "It''s good that she is warming up to Jesse, but Zach..." Anna sighed. "He again didn''t eat with us."


    "Hmm, something must be done." Jack sighed. "I just want to get them along."


    "Mm..." Anna nodded and had a bright idea. "What about tomorrow, we would let Jesse pick up Zach with Sebastian from his school? They would have no other choice than to talk!"


    "That n is... very devious." Jack chuckled and agreed to give it a try. "Sounds very good."


    Anna proudly smiled.

 Chapter 134 Honorable Zhen

    <h4>Chapter 134 Honorable Zhen</h4>


    Inside a humble-looking wooden cottage, a cozy fire crackled in the hearth.


    In one of the rooms, a small candle flickered with a gentle me. Its warm glow illuminated the pages of a worn book on the desk. The book had several medical symbols engraved on its cover.


    The symbols represented ancient healing remedies and techniques.


    The desk also had a stack of handwritten notes and a quill pen with dried ink stains. Then there were rock bowls with mashed herbs and powders.


    Beside them was an open map showing thendscape of this mysteriousnd, and some were marked with red areas with the words "Red Zone" written on top of them.


    One corner of the map was torn and crumpled, as if someone had taken a bite off it.


    As the candle slowly burned down, casting flickering shadows on the walls, the door suddenly creaked open, and a shadowy figure stepped inside the room.


    He approached the desk and reced the candle with a new one before lighting it up with a matchstick.


    "Ugh..." A groan came from the direction of the bed. There, an injured-looking young many, his face contorted in pain. He slowly opened his eyes; the purpleness on his sclera had faded away almostpletely.


    With a weak voice, he muttered. "Where..."


    "You are in my home." The shadowy figure pulled a chair and sat beside the bed with legs crossed.


    "Ugh?" Ambrose moved his head to the side and saw the person. He had a smooth, hairless head and an unblemished face with a clean-shaven chin.


    At first nce, he looked like some ordinary monk, but he had a pair of earrings that stretched his earlobes down, making his ears look way bigger than they actually were.


    These earrings added an unexpected touch to his appearance.


    "Who are you?" Ambrose asked and groaned in pain. The pain had greatly lessened; only a slight pain was left that asionally caused a sharp pain in his midriff region.


    "My name is Honorable Zhen." The bald-headed man said and walked back to the desk before bringing a rock bowl with him. It let out a disgusting stench, which made Ambrose crease his brows.


    "Drink this. It''s healing medicine." Honorable Zhen said and put the rock bowl to Ambrose''s lips. The injured young man slowly opened his mouth and drank the disgusting medicine.


    After the bowl was empty, Honorable Zhen put it aside and said. "You might feel some pain for a couple of hours before the rest of the medicine kicks in."


    "Thanks..." Ambrose didn''t know why he helped him, but he was thankful nheless. "But why did you help me? Where am I?"


    "You stumbled upon our small vige." Honorable Zhen said. "I saw you lying unconscious near our entrance, and I took you here to heal you."


    Ambrose nodded, but frowned and asked. "Did you see any white-robed or brown-robed people?"


    "No, I did not." Honorable Zhen shook his head. "You were all alone."


    ''Why did they stop chasing after me? Was my hunch correct that this ce has some very dangerous creatures, so they didn''t want to risk their lives?''


    "It''s rare to see anyone with a soul injury." Honorable Zhen said. "How did you end up in that state?"


    "So, I did get an injury to my soul..." Ambrose clutched his chest and said. "Since you can heal soul injury, do you know about the slumbering soul?"


    "Of course." Honorable Zhen replied with a wise look in his eyes. "After the first gate is opened, you can wake up your soul and control it."


    "Yeah..." Ambrose sighed. "I nned to use my soul to find an escape path, but I did not know that others could also use their souls during that time. So, my soul got attacked, resulting in my injury."


    "That does make sense." Honorable Zhen folded his arms and nodded. "You learned to open the First Gate alone, I assume. If you had a master, they would''ve told you about the dangers of the world of souls."


    "Yeah, I don''t know, but I somehow opened it."


    "You probably had a rare Luck Awakening." Honorable Zhen said. "With Luck Awakening, it is possible to identally open the first gate. However, it won''t happen twice."


    "Won''t happen twice..." Ambrose creased his brows. "Are there more gates?"


    "From what we know, three gates are known." Honorable Zhen nodded. "The first gate is the easiest, while the second and third are extremely challenging. To open those, one would have to meditate for years to even get close."


    ''Damn...'' Ambrose inhaled a cold breath.


    "There are rumors about the fourth gate existing, but no one has ever been able to find it or open it." Honorable Zhen said. "The third gate is already at the peak of human potential. If a fourth gate exists, it would be beyond human capabilities."


    "I see..." Ambrose nodded, already feeling like he knew way more than he did yesterday.


    "About the world of souls, the reason why others could join and injure your soul is because you left the gate open." Honorable Zhen said. "When you awakened, you forgot to close the gate behind you, making your world vulnerable to outside influences."


    "Gate, what gate?" Ambrose didn''t understand one bit.


    "It''s a mental gate in here." Honorable Zhen tapped his head. "It takes a lot of practice to learn to close the gate. That''s why people who hadn''t even opened the first gate yet would learn to close it beforehand.


    "That would help them greatly when they finally awaken."


    "I see..." Ambrose became thoughtful.


    "Since you don''t know much, I assume you still have a soul scent on you."


    "Soul scent?" Ambrose looked at the bald-headed man.


    Honorable Zhen nodded. "With your soul scent, one could track you all the way from the other end of the continent. The soul scent lingers on a ce where you have visited for a week before disappearing.


    "That might be how you got discovered by the person who injured your soul."


    "Huh!" Ambrose felt his heart beat against his chest. "How can I hide this soul scent?"


    He realized that if he didn''t learn that, he would never be able to escape!


    "It takes lots of time to practice it." Honorable Zhen stood up and said. "You can stay here for the night, but tomorrow morning, I have to ask you to leave.


    "This vige is forbidden to outsiders, and I have already broken countless rules by taking you here. If anyone finds out, I will be in trouble."


    "Please, teach me!" Ambrose groaned in pain and sat up, ignoring the pain. "I will die outside within a day."


    "That is very unfortunate, but there is nothing I can do." Honorable Zhen said with a sigh and approached the door.


    "Why did you save me then? You could have left me for dead."


    Honorable Zhen stopped and turned around. "Because I am not a person without emotions. I knew you would die a miserable death if I left you there, so I decided to help you.


    "However, I had no intention to let you stay here."


    "Please..." Ambrose struggled to stand up, his voice filled with desperation. "I''ll do... anything."


    "There is nothing I can do; I am sorry." Honorable Zhen said. "If it helps, I can give you a map that shows a good escape route out of Nether Forest. Maybe that gives you a better chance at survival."


    "Please..." Ambrose limped towards the bald-headed man and crashed to the floor on his knees. He ced his forehead against the cold floor and shouted. "Tell me how to hide my soul scent!


    "If I manage to do it sessfully before tomorrow morning, let me meet the vige chief. Please!"


    ''Before tomorrow morning?'' Honorable Zhen''s eyes widened in surprise. ''Did he not listen to me? It takes months of sleepless training to be able to do it sessfully, and he thinks he can do it in one night''s time...


    ''Where does this confidencee from?''


    "Please!" Ambrose shouted.


    "Very well." Honorable Zhen agreed and rummaged through the desk''s drawer. He then took out a scroll and tossed it over to Ambrose. "This contains the instructions you''ll need. When bells chime across the vige next morning, your time is up."


    "Thank you!" Ambrose nodded and watched as the bald-headed man left the room before closing the door.


    Immediately, he realized that he had no time to waste and sat cross-legged on the hard floor.


    ''One night, I need all the help I can get!'' Ambrose opened his interface and saw that he still had twenty stat points. ''I need Intelligence!''


    He put all twenty stats on the intelligence, and he then noticed that his Intelligence had reached 100!


    [Int%4&&//&¡è Ad¡è%&" Re"¡è&"&]


    The glitched message returned.

 Chapter 135 Mastery of Meditation

    <h4>Chapter 135 Mastery of Meditation</h4>


    "Again, this glitched message!" Ambrose creased his brows, and soon his eyes widened in surprise. "Last time this happened, my body underwent incredible change...


    "First, my body had shown signs of improvement, and now I could use Martial Online skills in reality. Could it really be...


    "If my assumption is correct, do I be smarter now in real life? Wait, probably not, because Intelligence in this game isn''t directly linked to a person''s intelligence but instead to how fast one can learn things."


    Ambrose crossed his arms. "The glitched message only appears when a stat reaches 100. Next time, I should try getting something else to 100, which actually shows that my assumption is correct.


    "There is only one stat that can prove it immediately." Ambrose took a deep breath and looked at one stat in his interface. "Charm!"


    He inteced his fingers. "Intelligence isn''t physical rted; that''s why it''s hard to tell whether it worked. However, Strength improved my physique, and Charm should improve my looks and charisma, if I understood it correctly."


    He currently had 45 on Charm, so it would take him six levels to find out whether he was correct in his assumption.


    ''I have to try it out.'' Ambrose took a deep breath. ''If this really works, this is ground-breaking technology. Howe no one has reported anything about this?


    ''There is no way that I am only one, right?


    ''If it actually works, can my disease be cured?'' Ambrose shook his head rapidly. ''I shouldn''t jump the gun; it would only make me depressed if it didn''t.


    ''However, if Charm works, I will try to get Vitality straight to 100!


    ''Also, what happens if one of the stats reaches 200 or even 1000? Where is the limit? If I get my Strength to 100, will I be like a bodybuilder? I''m not sure I want that...''


    He then noticed the scroll on the ground and remembered that he had something much more important to do currently.


    ''Can I really learn it overnight? I hope that Intelligence stat helps me...'' He took a deep breath and opened the scroll.


    The scroll showed a sketched image of a man sitting cross-legged with a floating creature in front of him. However, the soul creature looked like it was letting out some kind of smoke.


    Ambrose read the text found on the scroll aloud.


    "To hide the soul scent, one has to make his soul disperse all of its energy into the surrounding air. That cloaks the soul behind the veil of energy, which stops the soul''s scent from leaking out.


    "To do that, enter the world of souls and teach your soul to meditate on harnessing its energy and controlling its release."


    ''Huh, how can I teach my soul something I don''t know anything about?'' Ambrose covered his head and sighed deeply. ''So, before doing this, I would also have to learn meditation at a higher level?


    ''No wonder it should be impossible for me to learn this.


    ''First of all, I would need to spend several months improving my meditation, then learn to control my energy, and only then could I teach my soul, which would also take several months!''


    Ambrose realized that learning this would require a tremendous amount of time and effort.


    ''I have no other choice.'' He put the scroll to the side and sat cross-legged on the ground. ''Time to learn meditating!''


    At that moment, one of his fingers brushed past one of the rings that were stuck on his finger.


    Ambrose opened his eyes and eximed. "That''s right. Ring of Nature, it should increase the efficiency by whopping 50%!"


    He immediately stood up and decided to go out into nature. There was no way he wouldn''t use such a convenient tool. However, since he was forbidden to enter this vige, he had to act discreetly and move silently like a ghost.


    Silently, he left the room and saw an empty cottage with a fire still ongoing on the hearth. He approached the front door and silently opened it.


    After the door opened, he stepped outside into the cold night air. He took a deep breath, feeling the chill seep into his bones.


    The vige was situated at the foot of the mountains, with several wooden cottages built on the wall of the mountains, and at the end of the vige, there was a glorious temple, its golden spires reaching towards the sky. A flight of stairs with several thousand steps led to its front doors.


    The temple was a sight to behold, standing tall and majestic.


    There was also a rather strange scene, which intrigued Ambrose.


    He saw a door leading deeper into the mountain. However, it was tightly locked and appeared to have not been opened in years. The door was unguarded and stuck inside the mountain wall as if it acted as a secret passage to a cave system located inside the mountain.


    ''This ce...'' Ambrose had a hunch about what this ce was. ''This is definitely a Dojo Temple. I can''t be mistaken.''


    He then saw antern light up a small area. It wasing from the stone path that led straight to Honorable Zhen''s house.


    Ambrose paled, as he could be discovered if he didn''t move away. He quickly backed away and hid behind the wooden cottage.


    Thentern-wielding man reached Honorable Zhen''s house and knocked on the door.


    "Zhen, are you awake?" Thentern-wielding man asked, and after not receiving an answer, he shrugged his shoulders and walked down the same path where he came from.


    "Whoo..." Ambrose peeked behind the wooden cottage and saw thentern moving further away. He then took a deep breath and sat cross-legged on the grass. He then closed his eyes and began to meditate, letting go of all his worries and anxieties.


    The Ring of Nature started doing its wonder as he, basically, was in nature currently.


    He felt a sense of calm and connection with the world around him.


    ''Whoo, harness the energy and release it.'' Ambrose whispered to himself, feeling a newfound sense of freedom and peace.


    ...


    At Rothsmith Residence.


    Inside a dark room, a single ray of blue light came from the headset, covering the face of the young man.


    Jesse''s body flinched, and his fingers suddenly twitched. He opened his mouth and breathed in and out rhythmically. It looked like he was meditating while asleep.


    With robotic movements, Jesse''s body sat upright on the bed, cross-legged. His middle fingers, in both hands, then pressed against the thumbs. His eyelids fluttered lightly, revealing peacefulness in his expression.


    Without realizing it, both the real body and virtual avatar meditated simultaneously. It sped up the process of learning higher mastery of his meditation.


    The speed was unlike anything seen before. With each passing second, he got closer and closer to mastering meditation. The speed was incredible, making even the great geniuses of temples pale inparison.


    Nothing like this has ever happened in the world of Martial Online!


    ...


    Ambrose''s eyelids fluttered, and then he mmed his eyes open, a golden glow reflecting off his eyes.


    [Mastery of Meditation Has Reached Level 2!]


    ''Level 2... Not enough, let''s continue.'' He returned to his calm demeanor and closed his eyes.


    The following hour moved quickly as it felt like another notification appeared before his eyes every minute or so, and soon, Ambrose opened his eyes.


    [Mastery of Meditation Has Reached Level 10!]


    [Harvesting and Releasing of Energy Learned!]

 Chapter 136 Months Inside World of Souls

    <h4>Chapter 136 Months Inside World of Souls</h4>


    ''That was much easier than I thought. Strange...'' Ambrose shook his head and returned indoors, then moved onto the room where the flickering candle was still going strong.


    He sat cross-legged on the bed and then inhaled and exhaled.


    "Iiiiiiin... Ouuuuuut!"


    The world froze, and time seemed to stand still.


    His soul flew out of his body. However, it looked like it was injured, with arge bruise on its chest. The bruise was purple in color and it pulsated like bunch of veins. It looked rather creepy.


    ''You alright?'' Ambrose asked and then remembered that the Brown Inquisitor managed to speak inside the world of souls. ''I wonder how he did that.''


    ''It hurts...'' The soul whimpered in pain.


    ''I know, but there is something I need you to do.''


    ''Learn... harvesting and releasing the energy?'' The soul bopped its head up and down. ''I''ll try my best.''


    ''Good, start meditating and clear your mind.'' Ambrose instructed his soul.


    The soul did that and sat cross-legged on the air while levitating.


    ''Now, focus on harnessing the energy flow within you.'' Ambrose instructed as he watched the soul''s ethereal form glow with a radiant light. ''Imagine the flow of energy entering your heart, then moving onto the brain before leaving your body.''


    The soul did as it was instructed, visualizing the energy flowing through its heart and brain before finally exiting its body. However, the effect wasn''t great. The energy didn''t move inside its body.


    ''Keep doing that.'' Ambrose instructed with a calm look. ''Don''t stop.''


    After five hours, Ambrose''s forehead was covered in sweat. Keeping up with the world of the soul was very exhausting for him. Thus, he stopped for a moment and slouched down,pletely drained of his stamina.


    Because he had been in the world of souls for five hours, only five minutes had passed in the outside world.


    ''I wonder how many years people have spent in the world of souls without anyone knowing. If I spent the whole night there, many months would have passed, but only I would know it.''


    It was a rather scary thought to be somewhere alone for so long.


    However, he put those thoughts on an imaginary shelf in his mind and closed his eyes again before returning to world of souls.


    ''Hmm...'' Ambrose saw the soul returning to meditating. He had a sudden thought. ''I can''t move around, but I have heard about mental swordsmanship training. Let''s try doing that.''


    While the soul tried harvesting and releasing the energy, Ambrose began imagining a scene in his mind. The scene happened in an empty dojo, with Ambrose standing at the center, surrounded by ethereal opponents.


    The ethereal opponents started looking more and more like the Inquisitors. They stood up, drew their weapons, and attacked from all angles.


    Imaginary Ambrose tried to fight back but was defeated in a matter of seconds. He didn''tck strength, but in terms of techniques, he was nowhere close to them. He lost because his swordsmanship was weaker.


    ''How should I Improve?'' Ambrose analyzed the moves of the Inquisitors. All the Inquisitors moved somewhat simrly because he was only imagining the fighting style of the three White Inquisitors who defeated him.


    All the Inquisitors clearly had different fighting styles, but he didn''t know them, so he was basically fighting against clones of those three White Inquisitors.


    His imaginary self had to rely on his instincts and adapt quickly to their unpredictable moves.


    However, he continued losing.


    While hours passed by in the outside world, Ambrose had lost track of time and didn''t know how many weeks or even months had passed. He waspletely disconnected from reality as his imaginary self fought back against the monstrous White Inquisitors.


    He had lost thousands of times. His imaginary self had died countless times, only to be revived again so it could continue fighting.


    The floating soul''s eyelids fluttered, and it looked like it was about to grasp something!


    Another few hours passed, and the darkness vanished into thin air, revealing a breathtaking sunrise. The doors opened in nearby cottages as the people of the vige started doing their morning routine.


    On top of the glorious temple stood a statue of a deity, bathed in the warm golden light of the rising sun. The deities hands carried a golden bell, which then automatically rang out a melodious chime.


    The chime of the bell reverberated across the vast valley, waking up everyone in the vige.


    The vigers marveled at the beautiful sound, knowing that it was a sign of divine presence.


    At the wooden cottage situated at the top of the stone path, Honorable Zhen returned from his night shift at the temple. He opened the door, put his sandals to the side, and saw an ajar door, showing a glimpse of a dark room.


    He opened the door and saw a young man cross-legged on the bed. It didn''t look like he was breathing much.


    "Time''s up." Honorable Zhen said and then lit up the candle.


    The young man''s body flinched before the eyelids fluttered and slowly opened, revealing dull blue eyes that felt deeper than the ocean itself.


    "Oh, it''s morning?" Ambrose lifted his gaze and saw the bald-headed figure. He at first looked somewhat unfamiliar, but then shes of memories flooded back.


    "Ugh." He grabbed his head and shook it. "How long has it been..."


    Honorable Zhen frowned and asked. "Just how long were you in the world of souls?"


    "I don''t know. Almost the whole night." Ambrose said as he had lost track of time a long time ago.


    "That is very dangerous." Honorable Zhen said sternly. "Only a person who has mastered meditation should stay longer than a few hours in the world of souls. You might identally forget yourself or worse, lose your own soul to abyss."


    "Oh, that''s dangerous, huh." Ambrose thought he felt fine, except for the small headache and fuzzy memories.


    "Now, it''s time for you to leave." Honorable Zhen grabbed the slightly torn map and handed it over to him. "Take this. I will help you leave the vige unnoticed, but then you are on your own."


    "Did you forget our bet?" Ambrose looked at the bald-headed man. "If I sessfully learn to hide my soul scent, you let me speak to the vige chief."


    "Well, did you?" Honorable Zhen raised an eyebrow but was confident that no one could learn it in one night''s time. It should take months of tireless training to reach level 10 in meditation, and then many months inside the world of souls to teach the soul.


    "Well, look at yourself." Ambrose smiled mysteriously.


    ''Why is he so confident? Did he really do it? No, it''s impossible!'' Honorable Zhen sat cross-legged on the floor and inhaled and exhaled before entering the world of souls.


    He opened his eyes, and his soul jumped out of his body. They both looked around, but there was nothing there¡ªnot a single hint of soul scent.


    ''I-Impossible!'' Honorable Zhen''s eyes trembled, and his breathing got rough. He couldn''t believe this. It was simply impossible to learn it so quickly!


    ''H-he... how...'' He nced at the smiling young man, who was frozen in time with an enigmatic expression on his face. ''Did he really get Luck Awakening or is he simply incredibly talented in the ways of meditating?


    ''Whatever it is, I have to ask Honorable Fang to arrange a meeting. The Wisdom King will have the answers to everything!''

 Chapter 137 The Wisdom King

    <h4>Chapter 137 The Wisdom King</h4>


    "You brought a stranger here?!" A man whisper-shouted while standing outside the wooden cottage. "Are you out of your mind?"


    "He would have died otherwise." Honorable Zhen said, having his arms crossed. "His soul had been injured."


    "Hmph!" The man caressed his head, but he also didn''t have a single hair on his smooth, bald head. "Why do you want the outsider to meet with the Wisdom King?"


    "Because I think this outsider is very special!" Honorable Zhen clenched his right hand into a fist and mmed it against his chest. "He possesses a talent I have never seen before."


    "Talent¡ªhow much talent are we talking about?" The man asked. "Even if his talent could reach the heavens, he still wouldn''t meet with an outsider."


    "A talent that allows him to hide his soul scent in one night!"


    "Preposterous!" The man shouted andughed sarcastically. "He must''ve tricked you. That is simply not possible. It took me nine months to learn it!"


    "That''s why I am willing to put my neck on the line here." Honorable Zhen said and patted his friend''s shoulder. "Make it happen. We just want to talk to the Wisdom King for ten minutes¡ªno, even five is enough!"


    "That is..." The man looked conflicted while looking into his friend''s serious-looking eyes. He then sighed heavily and nodded, finally agreeing to help. "Fine, but you better not waste even a single minute of his time."


    "Thank you." Honorable Zhen then watched as the man left, then closed the door, and returned to the room. In there, he saw Ambrose appear from nowhere.


    He visited the real world to finish his bathroom business before returning. However, when he logged back in, he saw that he had received a message from Emma via the house Wi-Fi.


    ''Hmm, I guess they must''ve been worried for me to spend the whole day in Martial Online. Well, I was unconscious, so I couldn''t do anything about that. It seems Anna also has something to talk to me about.


    ''Once I finish my business with the so-called Wisdom King, I will log off and see what they have to say.''


    "My friend agreed to arrange the meeting." Honorable Zhen picked up a beige-colored robe from his wardrobe and tossed it over to Ambrose. "Wear it. While you are here, you are required to respect our customs."


    "Alright."


    After Honorable Zhen left the room, Ambrose changed into the beige robes and felt quitefortable. He had way more breathing space, and he could move more freely.


    Then he took out two scabbards from his inventory and slipped his ck Sword into one of them and Red Sword into another. He then tied them around his waist with a thin line of thread. With the swords secured, he looked like a samurai from ancient times.


    He then left the room and saw Honorable Zhen putting sandals on.


    "Alright, let''s go."


    They then left the wooden cottage and walked down the stone path until they arrived at the center hub of the entire vige.


    While they walked, Ambrose received many odd looks, as it was clear that he was an outsider. However, because Honorable Zhen was there, they felt more at ease and just watched him go from far away.


    As they neared the vige''s center, where a tall oak tree was nted in the middle of the street, Ambrose nced in the direction of the mountain. He wondered about the door that was stuck inside the rock wall.


    "What is that?" He asked.


    Honorable Zhen nced at the abandoned door and returned his gaze to the front. "Nothing, yet."


    ''Nothing, yet? I guess it''s a secret of the vige.'' Ambrose hummed, and then they arrived at the flight of stairs that led hundreds of meters up the mountain, where the temple with towering spires was built.


    The vigers watched from afar as the two men began walking up the stairs.


    As they neared the top of the flight of stairs, two ck-robed figures appeared at the entrance of the temple. They stabbed their swords into the ground.


    "Has he not decided yet?" Honorable Zhen asked the two ck-robed figures, who stopped them from entering the temple.


    "The decision hasn''t been made yet. Wait here." The ck-robed men echoed.


    Honorable Zhen nodded and looked to the roof of the temple. There, a statue of a deity stood gloriously under the scorching sun with a golden bell in hand.


    He made a small gesture of prayer before lowering his hands and waiting patiently for the decision.


    They waited as long as it takes a soy wax candle to burn off for the decision to arrive.


    Finally, the temple''s doors swung open, and a deep voice reverberated from inside.


    "Come in..."


    Honorable Zhen nodded at Ambrose, and then they walked past the ck-robed figures before stepping up a few flights of stairs until they arrived at the entrance. They entered the temple, which had another statue of a deity that reached the ceiling.


    At the end of the temple, in the middle of the statue''s legs, there was a high-back chair with a person sitting on it. The person looked wrinkly, old, and very malnourished, with his brown robe loosely drooping over him.


    At the other seats, nearly a dozen robed figures were sitting upright with their bald heads shining brightly. They were other Honorable figures in the vige.


    "Grandmaster." Honorable Zhen ced his palm against his chest and bowed. "The disciple Zhen has arrived."


    ''This guy must be the Wisdom King.'' Ambrose stopped beside Zhen and looked at the wrinkly-faced man. ''So, he is also their grandmaster, while Zhen is only a disciple. I thought Zhen was incredibly powerful and knowledgeable, but he is only a disciple...''


    "You brought someone." The Wisdom King spoke with a weak voice. "Tell me... his name."


    "He is Ambrose from Amaterasu!" Honorable Zhen then nodded at Ambrose before sitting on the ground, cross-legged.


    Ambrose took a step forward, put his palm against his chest, and bowed. "It is an honor to meet you, Wisdom King."


    "May I inquire, what brings you here today?" The Wisdom King asked while trying to straighten his posture. "I have heard about your im to be able to learn to hide soul scent in a single night''s time."


    All the Honorable figures looked suspiciously at the ck-haired yer. They allughed when they heard that before the meeting, but when Honorable Fang said that Zhen was willing to put his neck on the line, they became curious whether it was true.


    "Yes, I did that." Ambrose said while mming his fist against his open palm. "It wouldn''t have been possible without Honorable Zhen''s guidance."


    Honorable Zhen''s lip twitched. ''What guidance? I only gave you a scroll.''


    "Oh, I didn''t know young Zhen was that good of a teacher." The Wisdom King chuckled. "Well, let''s pretend what you said is true. What do you want from us?"


    "I want to learn!" Ambrose shouted. "I want to learn how to close the gate so others won''t be able to enter my world of souls; I want to learn more about the other gates; I want to learn to open the second and third gates; I want to improve my swordsmanship; I want to create my own sword style!"


    The Wisdom King raised an eyebrow before chuckling. "You think you can learn that from us?"


    "Yes!" Ambrose replied with honest eyes.


    "You realize that you would have to abandon the outside world and focus simply on training." The Wisdom King''s voice turned deep and ethereal. "There is no room for distractions or attachments.


    "You would be alone for many months, swinging your sword thousands of times every day, meditating for hours on end, and honing your mind to a razor''s edge.


    "It is incredibly boring and repetitive. We wouldn''t allow you to rx for a single moment. We would push your body and mind to breaking point. You will wish you had walked out of this temple.


    "So, do you want to?"


    "Yes." Ambrose replied without hesitancy. The scary faces of Inquisitors and the grinning faces of Zahhak shed through his mind. If he left the vige, he wouldn''t survive a week with his pitiful strength.


    "Haha." The Wisdom Kingughed. "Alright then. You may address me as Grandmaster from now on, disciple Ambrose."


    "Grandmaster!" Ambrose lowered his head with a relieved look.


    Then the Wisdom King nodded at Honorable Zhen.


    "Are you ready for your first lesson?"


    "I am," Ambrose replied.


    "Very well." The Wisdom Kingughed. "Disciple Zhen, please, take Ambrose to the vige barber and have him shave off all his hair."


    "Uh?" Ambrose''s eyes widened.

 Chapter 138 The Rooftop

    <h4>Chapter 138 The Rooftop</h4>


    Jesse woke up in his bed, feeling surprisingly warm around his head. He took off his headset and touched his hair, feeling emotional.


    "At least my hair is still there." He felt like crying as he just finished shaving all of the hair off of his Ambrose avatar, making him bald in-game.


    ''The hair was getting too long anyway, and it will grow back.'' Jesse then sat up and yawned loudly. "I should perhaps cut my hair here too. It''s already longer than shoulder-length, and it''s starting to get in the way."


    However, he didn''t n on shaving all of his hair like he was forced to do in-game.


    After stretching his limbs, he felt his stomach rumble like there were small thunderstorms in there. He hadn''t eaten since yesterday morning.


    He then left his room and ventured across the vast mansion until he arrived at the modern kitchen. There, he picked up a banana from the fruit bowl and took a satisfying bite, temporarily relieving his hunger.


    "Mm..." With a banana in his mouth, Jesse rummaged through the refrigerator and picked up some leftover food that was clearly left for him. He then heated it in the microwave before returning to the dining hall to eat it alone.


    The clock hadn''t even reached 7 in the morning yet.


    When he had half eaten the food, the doors to the dining room opened.


    "Oh, Jesse!" Anna looked pleasantly surprised and walked over to him before taking a seat next to him. "I have something to tell you."


    "Hmm, what is it?" Jesse asked while he downed the food.


    "Can you pick up Zach from school with Sebastian?" Anna asked hopefully. "I want you two to get along. It would mean a lot."


    "Uh, when?" Jesse asked, and after hearing at three in the afternoon, he nodded. "Alright."


    "Thanks!" Anna smiled sweetly and then stood up to move over to the kitchen, where she nned to make breakfast for the whole family. "Also, don''t spend all day in that virtual game. We would also see your face every now and then!"


    "Alright." Jesse nodded and watched as Anna returned to the kitchen. He then finished his food and went to wash the te in the sink before leaving the dining hall and returning to his room.


    ''Pick him up from school...'' Jesse sat down in his gaming chair and crossed his legs thoughtfully. ''As long as the school isn''t Nocklund High, I think it will be fine.''


    For the following hours, Jesse didn''t return to Martial Online. Instead, he focused on organizing and tidying up his room, which he hadn''t done before. He wanted to make it look like the room was his.


    His training in Martial Online would officially begin tomorrow morning. He wanted to finish the things in reality that he wanted to do but didn''t have time to do before.


    For the following months, he would be very busy.


    Therefore, after tidying up his room, he started making a to-do list of all the tasks he needed to aplish.


    First of all, he went and spent some time with Emma in his wheelchair. They mostly spent time in her room, where she talked about her books, Be, and their adventures.


    For some reason, she actively mentioned Be''s name to him, looking for his reaction. After not receiving any reaction, she pouted and looked dissatisfied.


    However, Jesse knew how to lower that pout. It was rather easy¡ª he just had to mention the word "the red-eyed bunny," and her face would light up with excitement.


    She talked for at least an hour about the bunny. It had red eyes like Be, and even its name was Be. It was clear that Emma was absolutely obsessed with the red-eyed bunny, as it resembled her best friend.


    As three in the afternoon approached, Jesse bade farewell to Emma while she returned to Martial Online. He, on the other hand, found Sebastian downstairs, and then they hopped on his car and left the Rothsmith Estate.


    ...


    At ssroom 3-A.


    Ring¡ªthe bell reverberated across the school, signaling that the sses for today were over. The students excitedly stuffed their books into their backpacks and began departing from the ssrooms with their friends.


    They were all excitedly talking about Martial Online, especially about Reality Market, which allowed yers to exchange silver for real-life currency!


    It made teachers helpless as they watched their students enthusiastically engage in a game that blurred the lines between virtual and physical reality. They knew that the game was very addictive for the younger generation.


    They were afraid that their students would quit school to try a career in Martial Online. The dull school life became less and less attractive with each passing day.


    There were even students who brought their headsets to school and used them during breaks!


    A handsome young man with silver-rimmed sses ced his books gently in his backpack, then hung it over his shoulder and walked out of the ssroom.


    "Yo, Four-Eyes Zach!"


    Smack¡ªa hand pped Zach''s back, causing him to stumble forward.


    "Ugh..." Zach looked around and looked suddenly tired. "W-what do you want?"


    A group of students, who wore their student uniforms rather loosely, looked at the sses-wearing young man with grins.


    "We just wanted to have a little fun," One of them said, stepping closer. "Shall we visit the rooftop?"


    "I... school is over, man." Zach replied, shaking his head. "My ride is already waiting."


    "It won''t take long." The student grinned and wrapped his arm around his shoulder. "You better have brought your wallet with you. There is a long fall from the rooftop, if you get my drift."


    "J-just take it." Zach offered his brown-leathered wallet with a pale face. He was terrified of what the student might do to him on the rooftop.


    "Thank you." The student epted it humbly before grinning. "But I think I''ll still have to teach you a lesson up there. Your face is pissing me off."


    Zach''s lip trembled as he was forcefully dragged up the stairs to the rooftop. There, he was thrown to the ground and kicked on his stomach, causing him to vomit his lunch.


    The bullies stood over him, their cruelughter echoing in the empty space.


    "Yo, Westlund."


    The bully, Westlund, looked over and smiled. "Marty, what''cha doing here? Oh, Holly and Allison too."


    "Smoke, want some?" Marty, a red-haired young man, offered a pack of cigarettes while putting one in his mouth and lighting it up.


    "Sure." Westlund epted the cigarette and lit it with his lighter. He then puffed out the smoke and looked over to his friends, who were kicking Zach like he were a ser ball. They aimed only at his stomach, so any visible bruises wouldn''t appear.


    Westlund then nced at the two beautiful young women. Allison typed on her phone, her curvaceous figure entuated by the tight school uniform she was wearing. Her breasts pushed the shirt forward as if they wanted to burst through.


    Holly, a beautiful, tanned young woman, smoked the cigarette while looking silently at the cloudless sky. Her body shape was worse than Allison''s, but her exotic beauty was attractive to many.


    "Westlund, what are you nning to do after school?" Marty asked while blowing out a puff of smoke.


    "Like everyone else, Martial Online." Westlund replied with a chuckle. "I have earned 122 silvers, and turning that into crowns, I have already earned 12 crowns. It''s not as much as I get from our piggybank over there."


    He pointed at the beaten up Zach. "It''s still enough for one pack of cigarettes."


    "Mm." Marty nodded. "Have you ever thought about hunting yers with bounties?"


    "Nah, it''s too risky and not worth the trouble." Westlund said. "I am still ying solo.


    "But if the opportunity arises, I might consider it."


    "Mm." Marty hummed in response, pondering the possibility. "I know a way to get silver quick, interested?"


    "Huh, how?" Westlund leaned closer, interested.


    "Act like yourself." Marty whispered in his ear. "If you threaten a yer to give their silver to you, there is a high chance they will if you intimidate them enough."


    "Huh, what about Watchmen?"


    "They won''t do anything if you don''t actually hit them." Marty said and tossed his cigarette off the roof. "Most of the yers are nerds who get frightened easily. You already have the look of a delinquent; it should be easy for you."


    "Huh, that sounds pretty good." Westlund chuckled and then turned to Zach. He rubbed the back of his neck. "I got killed yesterday, so I have been a little angry since then. It''s good that I have an outlet for my frustration now."


    Marty chuckled and nced at Allison and Holly. "Should we go,dies?"


    "Soon; my ride isn''t here yet." Allison said while munching on bubblegum.


    Holly, on the other hand, looked away from the sky and nced at Westlund, who continued kicking Zach''s body to release all his frustration. She then looked away, not interested.


    ...


    At Nocklund High''s school gate.


    "Nocklund High..." Jesse''s eyes shed with pain. "Shit."

 Chapter 139 Battle in Rooftop

    <h4>Chapter 139 Battle in Rooftop</h4>


    "Sebastian told me his ss is 3-A." Jesse entered the school''s main building, feeling very nostalgic.


    The sses had obviously ended as students left with their friends through the school gates. Yet, since they didn''t see Zach anywhere, Jesse volunteered to go fetch him because apparently Zach often stayed behind to clean up the ssroom.


    As he knew the school building''s inneryout better than his own pockets, he knew exactly which direction he needed to walk to reach ss 3-A.


    As soon as he entered the third floor, he turned to the ss on the rightmost side of the hallway and entered it through the open door.


    To his surprise, the ssroom was empty except for a student cleaning the chalkboard with a wet sponge.


    "Excuse me." Jesse knocked on the wide-open door, attracting the students attention.


    "Y-yeah?" The student acted timidly. He was clearly an introvert and seemed surprised to see someone else in the ssroom.


    Jesse looked silently at the student, imagining his face recing the young man''s. It felt all too familiar.


    He then shook his head and asked. "Do you know where Zach Rothsmith might be? I am his brother."


    "Uhm, I think I saw him go to the rooftop with Westlund." The student replied before sighing. "I think Zach is being bullied by them."


    "Huh?" Jesse frowned. "What makes you think that?"


    "I have seen him cry alone during lunch breaks, and sometimes he is applying medicine to his bruises." The student lowered his head. "Westlund is an infamous bully. He has sometimes bullied me too, but as long as I keep quiet, he doesn''t notice me."


    Jesse''s eyes shook as past memories shed by. The bullying he received left him with lifelong scars. They didn''t fade but only grew stronger as time went by.


    "Give me that." He pointed at the wooden pointing stick on the teacher''s desk.


    "Uh, here?" The student took the wooden pointing stick and handed it over to the ck-haired young man. "What do you want to do with that?"


    "If those pieces of shit are bullying my brother," Jesse put the pointing stick''s end below his shoe and stomped on it. The end broke, bing very sharp and deadly. "Then I will bully them in return."


    "T-there is Westlund''s whole friend group." The student''s voice trembled. "M-maybe you should get a teacher instead?"


    "Teachers are fucking useless." Jesse said and thanked the student before leaving the ssroom. "While I was bullied and wanted to get help from them, they acted like everything was fine and that I should get along with my ssmates.


    "Fuck that!"


    The students walked by, wondering who the stranger was and why he was carrying a broken pointing stick that belonged to a teacher.


    Jesse walked up the flight of stairs and soon reached a green door with old paint buckets strewn about beside it. He reached out and turned the rusty doorknob. While he did that, he heard groans of pain andughter.


    "Whew." Westlund wiped his sweat while looking at Zach, who was curled up in a ball while trying to protect himself. Dry tears streaked down his face. "Ugh, I am thirsty. Maybe that hot babe on Elm Street is working today. Should we get a few beers?"


    His friends agreed, as today was rather warm and it was good to enjoy some cold beers.


    "Hmm, my dad arrived." Allison then stood up and said to Holly. "Should we meet up in Martial Online?"


    "Fine..." Holly replied and stood up.


    At that moment, the door swung open loudly. Everyone thought that a teacher had arrived, and they quickly turned silent and slightly panicky.


    However, to their surprise, a cold-eyed young man, carrying a broken pointing stick, stepped through the open door.


    "Huh?" Westlund muttered, confused by the unexpected visitor. "Who the hell are you?"


    Zach opened his tear-ridden eyes and saw a familiar silhouette, whose face was morphed with anger. "Jes..se"


    "B-brother?" Holly muttered in shock.


    "Huh?" Marty and Allison frowned, and when they heard Holly, their faces showed signs of surprise. They had seen pictures of her brother before, but they never expected him to be ripped from head to toe.


    Neither did Holly.


    While the face was the same as before, the body underwent an incredible change that would leave every medical expert speechless.


    "Hey, I asked, who the fuck are you!" Westlund angrily roared.


    Swoosh¡ªthe broken pointing stick speared through the air and stabbed into Westlund''s shoulder.


    Spurt¡ªdark blood spewed out of the wound, staining Westlund''s shirt.


    "A-ah, ah..." Westlund had a hard time breathing as sharp, agonizing pain coursed through his body.


    "Westlund!" His friends screamed.


    Jesse looked coldly at the frightened eyes of Westlund and coldly whispered. "High Pain."


    Kachaa¡ªas if all of his veins were on fire, Westlund gasped for air and loudly screamed with a volume so high that even students leaving the school yard heard it.


    The parents, who were picking up their children, looked towards the school rooftop in shock. They couldn''t understand how anyone could scream that loudly. They felt pain themselves when they heard that scream.


    "Huh?" Sebastian rolled down the window and looked towards the school in concern. "Are the young masters alright?"


    On the rooftop, Westlund''s eyes rolled backward, and he fell beside Zach, unconscious.


    Jesse pulled the wooden pointing stick from Westlund''s shoulder and pointed it at the rest of the frightened young men. "Well, bring it on."


    They nced at each other before screaming and running off the rooftop. They jumped down the stairs, hoping to get away as soon as possible.


    "Huh, cowards." Jesse scoffed, but then heard a voice behind him.


    "B-brother?"


    He turned around, and to his surprise, he saw Holly and her two friends. His eyes looked conflicted before he turned away and offered his hand to Zach.


    "Brother, let''s go."


    Zach looked at the hand and felt like crying. This was an odd feeling for him. This made him remember who Jesse was now¡ªhis big brother.


    Zach reached out and took Jesse''s hand, feeling a surge of warmth and gratitude.


    Jesse pulled him up and helped him walk off the rooftop. But before they could leave, Holly appeared in front of him.


    "Brother, why the hell are you here?"


    While she talked, Marty picked up a baseball bat from the nearby shack that was hidden. He held it tightly, his eyes reflecting the passed out figure of Westlund.


    "Marty, what the hell are you doing?" Allison walked over to him and tugged on his sleeve.


    "It doesn''t matter if he is Holly''s brother or not; he hurt my friend." Marty said. "Also, Holly hates him anyway. So what is the matter?"


    "You might kill him!" Allison said.


    "I will just crush his leg. He doesn''t need it anyway!" Marty said and then he shoved Allison to the side while approaching the ck-haired young man.


    "None of your concern, Holly." Jesse said. "Get out of my way."


    "Huh, I will tell my parents what you did here. Do you think you can juste here and assault someone?!" Holly screamed.


    ''She doesn''t know, huh.'' Jesse suddenlyughed. "They are not my parents anymore, and you are not my sister."


    "Huh?" Holly was stunned and just thought he was angry at them for throwing him out. She scoffed and nned to remind him that, on paper, they were still family, and thus, they had control over him.


    "They gave away the custody." Jesse said and saw Holly''s eyes slowly widen in shock. "Thus, they are not my family anymore. I have another family now.


    "I am Jesse Rothsmith."


    "T-that is... impossible..." Holly backed off in shock and then saw a red-haired figure running past her while wielding a metal baseball bat. "Marty, don''t!"


    "B-brother!" Zach shouted, but then Jesse shoved him to safety and ced the pointing stick in the way of the metal baseball bat.


    Crack¡ªhowever, the baseball bat effortlessly broke through it.


    Jesse watched as the metal baseball bat slowly approached his face.

 Chapter 140 Heaven Drop

    <h4>Chapter 140 Heaven Drop</h4>


    Death.


    That was on everyone''s mind that day on the rooftop. The scene of the head splitting like a watermelon was vivid in everyone''s mind.


    However, that wasn''t the case with Jesse''s mind. His ordinary mind, which worked like everyone else''s, began to work differently.


    While the metal baseball bat neared his head, his mind would only be able toprehend several things¡ªthe death, its aftermath, and the pain that would follow.


    However, his mind tossed all those thoughts away and only focused on a scene from a movie he had seen a while back.


    It was strange.


    Jesse felt death approaching, but he suddenly started thinking about a scene from a movie, which he could barely remember before this moment.


    The scene had an old martial artist grab his opponent by his shirt and throw him to the ground with incredible force. That move also had a nice name, which the martial artist didn''t say aloud, but the move''s name was shown on the screen.


    ''I should say it aloud?'' Jesse''s fingers twitched, and he thought it was ludicrous, but he decided to give it a try.


    "Heaven Drop!"


    His hand moved with lightning-quick reflexes and grabbed Marty by his shirt before throwing him into the air.


    Marty saw the far-away sky before his vision moved back to the ground before showing a glimpse of the ck-haired young man, and finally, he crashed head-first on the ground.


    The metal baseball bat slid off his hand and rolled down the ground until it fell down the stairs all the way to the third floor''s hallway.


    "?!"


    Holly''s and Allison''s mouths opened in shock as they witnessed the shocking scene.


    However, Jesse was the most shocked.


    [Heaven Drop Learned!]


    [Heaven Drop - Completion Rate - 100%]


    [Heaven Drop - Rank: Rare]


    [Heaven Drop: A skill most suited for Brawler¡ªGrab your opponent and send them hurtling towards the ground with immense force]


    ''H-holographic screen... this is real life though, isn''t it?'' Jesse looked at the floating screens in shock and wished they would disappear. Those screens then disappeared until he wished to see them again.


    It broke down his view of reality.


    ''H-how could I have learned a skill so easily?'' Jesse wanted to take a seat and calm down his thoughts, but he didn''t think this was the best ce.


    Therefore, he grabbed Zach''s hand and sprinted off the rooftop.


    "Brother!" Holly screamed, but the two young men had finally left.


    "Marty, are you alright?" Allison hurried over to the red-haired young man, whose head was slightly bleeding. He looked stunned.


    When he got grabbed by his shirt and thrown, he felt utterly powerless, like the entire world''s gravity was fighting against him.


    At the school gate, Jesse and Zach sprinted out of the school yard and saw Sebastian about to leave the car.


    "Sebastian, start the engine!" Jesse opened the backseat door for Zach and then sat beside him. "Hurry up!"


    "Young masters, are you alright?" Sebastian asked in concern and then saw Zach clutching his stomach as if he were hurting really bad. "Master Zach, should we take you to a hospital?"


    "No, let''s return home!" Zach said.


    Sebastian had a hunch that something serious had happened, but he had an obligation to listen to his young master. However, he nned to inform Jack and Anna about this when they returned home.


    After the engine roared powerfully, the car drove away from the school.


    ...


    At Rothsmith Estate, after taking Zach back to his room and applying some medicine to him, Jesse returned to his room and plopped down on his gaming chair, utterly shocked.


    ''That guaranteed it.'' Jesse looked at the ceiling and chuckled. "The game is the result of changing my body, and now I can even create skills here.


    "I have to test those skills when I return to the game.


    "Right, I made a Brawler skill. I guess that is possible, but it is weaker in my hands. I don''t think I have any use for it.


    "Thepletion rate was instantly 100%, and I managed to learn that skill just from memory.


    "That skill wasn''t the creation of a skill scroll, but I simply learned it as if it were an existing skill that could be learned. But, how? I simply remembered it and knew exactly how to do it.


    "Is this... because of Intelligence? That would make sense. Maybe Intelligence helps me learn skills immediately!"


    He wanted to test it and see where the limit was. He wondered if he could also create his own skills, like it was nothing now.


    Jesse then looked at his own reflection through the ck monitor screen and touched his chin. "What is different about my avatar than others? If this happened to others, the world would already know about it and be in shambles."


    He then remembered something and turned his head towards the bed, or, more precisely, at the white headset.


    ''If I remember correctly, everyone else has ck headsets. Why is mine different?'' Jesse stood up, took the headset from the bed, and then returned to his gaming chair. "What is so different about this?"


    He looked around the headset but found nothing special about it.


    ''It looks like an ordinary headset, but there must be something unique about it that sets it apart from others.''


    He then ced the headset on the table and crossed his arms.


    "I wonder if there''s a hidden feature or secret function that I haven''t discovered yet."


    Jesse then pressed the PC''s start button and went to browsers. He sought out the most famous martial arts moves in the world. He then watched a detailed video of it before he stood up and grabbed a wooden stick from his wardrobe.


    ''Let''s see if it works.'' He took a step forward and put the wooden stick in front of him, acting like it was a real sword. "The Crescent sh!"


    He waited for his body to move on its own toplete the move for him, but nothing happened. He became dispirited and shook his head.


    "I guess it won''t be that easy. I must have learned the skill by ident because of the stressful situation or something." Jesse then put the wooden stick back in his wardrobe and nned to do few exercises before his legs became useless for the rest of the day.


    Creak¡ªthe door then opened, and Zach walked in while holding a bag of ice against his stomach.


    "Hey..." Zach said awkwardly, closing the door behind him.


    "Hey, are you alright?" Jesse asked.


    "Yeah, thanks for the help." Zach said and took a seat on Jesse''s bed. "By the way, why did youe to the school?"


    "Anna told me toe pick you up. We haven''t gotten along, so she thought this would make us talk to each other or something."


    "I see..." Zach nodded and then stood up before limping back to the door. He opened the door and looked at his brother. "I think you were right."


    "Hmm?"


    "About Ambrose, the Immortal Man." Zach said. "I had to read it like three times before I finally understood the message."


    "So, you finally like him?" Jesse asked with a small smile.


    "No, I still find Ambrose annoying." Zachughed. "But the book is pretty good, I have to admit."


    "I''ll take that as a win." Jesse chuckled.


    Zach nodded with a smile and then left the room.


    Jesse sighed in relief as it looked like Zach had warmed up to him. He then reached out his hand as if he were trying to shake an invisible hand.


    "Heaven Drop!" He shouted, and his body moved perfectly, doing the move.


    "Hmm, Heaven Drop sounds incredibly powerful. Should I also start calling my new skills insane names, such as Divine Destruction, Ethereal Annihtion, or Celestial Obliteration?"


    He chuckled and shook his head. He then returned to theputer and began checking out livestreams and videos about Martial Online.

 Chapter 141 Westlund鈥檚 Nightmare

    <h4>Chapter 141 Westlund''s Nightmare</h4>


    A ck sedan drove into the garage of Rothsmith Estate. The garage doors slowly closed.


    In the back seat of the car, Jack flipped through a newspaper and sighed.


    "Martial Company has truly taken the world by storm." Jack said and folded the newspaper. "Luckily, ourpany invested in theirpany before they released their product.


    "Now, everyone wants a piece of the pie."


    "Isn''t this dangerous?" Anna asked curiously. "The world''s economic state will change abruptly. Who knows what the consequences will be?


    "At first, Martial Online was fun and all, something to enjoy and have fun with. But now, you can earn money by ying. There are jobs that don''t even require any qualifications or experience.


    "Does anyone have to go to school anymore?"


    "That is something to be concerned about." Jack said and crossed his arms. "There had already been a few who had resigned from mypany suddenly. It could be coincidence, but I feel like a storm is brewing in the distance."


    "Perhaps we should make a branch of ourpany in the game?" Anna suggested. "We should jump on this opportunity before its toote."


    "Yeah, but the problem is the workforce." Jack sighed. "I wouldn''t want to leave it in the hands of inexperienced people."


    Anna also nodded, but she was certain that the futurey with Martial Online. There might be a future where Martial Online ruled the entire world''s economic state.


    The door of the garage then opened, and Sebastian hurried inside.


    "Master, Mistress!" Sebastian opened the door for them.


    "What is happening, Sebastian?" Jack asked while standing up with the help of his walking cane. "I feel a sense of urgency within your tone."


    "I think something has happened to young masters!"


    "Huh?" Jack and Anna looked surprised before turning very serious. "What happened? Tell me everything!"


    ...


    Zach and Jesse were called from their rooms for "interrogation."


    They stood silently in a room that looked like a cozy living room with plush furniture and soft lighting. The firece had a fire on, emitting gentle warmth and light. There was also a wooden table with two long benches right beside the window that overlooked the nearby forest and garden.


    It looked like a room in a cozy cottage, but instead of being in a cottage, it was situated on the third floor.


    "When father called, he sounded angry." Zach whispered. "I wonder if they found out about what happened."


    "They haven''t," Jesse said with certainty. "Sebastian must''ve informed them because you looked hurt, and I hurried him to leave. I think they are only concerned."


    "What will I say to them?" Zach asked, as he was not very good at lying. He had managed to hide the fact that he was bullied by keeping up his quiet demeanor.


    "Nothing. Let''s just act normally, and I am sure they will drop their concern." Jesse then put his fist forward as if he were asking for a fist bump. "Brothers keep care of each other. We also keep our secrets safe."


    Zach looked at the fist before smiling and fist bumping with him. "Alright!"


    Creak¡ªthe door then opened, and Jack and Anna arrived with concern evident on their faces. Once the door closed, only four of them were left in the cozy room.


    "Alright, what happened?" Jack went straight to the point. "Zach, Sebastian said you were holding your stomach as if you were in pain, and Jesse, why did you want to leave the school so quickly?"


    "U-uh, I think I-I had a stomach ache." Sebastian stammered over his words and awkwardly scratched his head.


    Jack narrowed his eyes and turned to his other son.


    "Jesse, what happened?" Anna asked gently. The warmth and gentleness of her voice made Jesse rx.


    "I..." Jesse sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I saw my sister, Holly."


    "Oh..." Jack turned silent,pletely forgetting about the fact that she was at the same school as his son. He was aware of the strained rtionship between Jesse and his sister.


    Anna covered her mouth and looked guilty. If she had known, she would have thought of another way of getting her sons to get along with each other.


    "Yeah, after seeing Zach having some stomach aches, I saw my sister, and I kind of wanted to get out of there and get some medicine for him." Jesse cooked up a quick lie. "Sorry for worrying you two."


    "It''s alright." Jack then looked at Zach. "Are you alright, son? I could check on you."


    Jack had a degree in medicine and could easily determine if Zach needed any immediate medical attention. However, that would mean he would easily find out about his bruises and determine what had happened.


    "Oh, I am fine now!" Zach hurriedly said. "I must''ve eaten something bad during lunch."


    Jesse resisted cheering at the great excuse. However, he began to hope that he didn''t rub some bad influences on his little brother.


    "Very well." Jack nodded.


    "Now that you two are in the same room," Anna said, holding her hands in a tight grip and putting them against her chest. "Please get along. We are now a family, and it''s important that we support and care for each other."


    "I understand, mother." Zach nodded and looked his mother in the eye. "I promise to get along with Jesse."


    Anna heaved a sigh of relief and smiled gently. "That''s good. Today, servants have made us food, and we can all sit down together as a family. I already sent a message to Emma."


    As Jack and Anna opened the door and walked out while holding hands, Zach approached Jesse and whispered. "Did I do good?"


    "You did excellent." Jesse gave a thumbs up. "Even I believed your story."


    Zach nodded with a sense of aplishment and a smile on his face.


    ...


    Nocklund, 18 Cavern Street.


    m!


    Holly mmed the door shut as she stormed inside the house.


    "What is the meaning of this ruckus?!" Terry closed his newspaper in anger and saw his daughter storming inside the house. "Holly, don''t you know how to close the door properly?!"


    "What is going on?" Maria walked from upstairs with a concerned look on her face.


    Holly looked at her parents and spitefully said. "I met Jesse today at school."


    Maria''s eyes widened in surprise, and her heart began beating in nervousness.


    "Huh, what was he doing there?" Terry asked with a frown.


    "That doesn''t matter, but one thing does." Holly dropped her school backpack to the ground and said, "He said something very interesting. Apparently, you two gave off custody!"


    "What kind of nonsense are you spewing?" Terry scoffed and turned his head back to the newspaper. "Jesse has already be an adult, yet he acts like a child. Is he now throwing a tantrum and acting like we still aren''t his parents on paper?


    "Hmph, truly pathetic."


    "I don''t think he was lying." Hollyughed mockingly. "He is now apparently Rothsmith, Zach''s brother. Even Zach called him his brother, so it''s either you lying or both of them!"


    "Rothsmith?" Terry frowned before eximing in shock. "There is a Rothsmith in your school? Why did you never tell me?"


    "What does that matter?" Holly frowned.


    Terry mmed the newspaper down and shouted. "Fool! The Rothsmith family is one of the leading figures in this nation!


    "You could''ve used that as an advantage to get close to Zach!"


    "You want me to act like a prostitute?" Holly''s face turned cold. "Did you miss everything I said? Apparently Jesse is now Rothsmith!"


    "He lied!" Terry waved it off. "That bastard is only seeking attention. I don''t know how he befriended this Zach boy, but you have to do the same!


    "I don''t care what it takes. You will get him to sleep with you, or you will be thrown out of the house like Jesse!"


    "T-Terry." Maria shook her head hesitantly.


    "Quiet!" Terry snapped and sat back down on his reclining chair. "End of the conversation!"


    Holly gritted her teeth and stomped upstairs. The angry footsteps echoed throughout the house.


    Maria sighed and quietly left the room.


    Terry scoffed and flipped through the newspaper.


    ¡­


    At Nocklund''s Main Hospital.


    "Ah!" A shocked scream reverberated across a hospital room.


    Westlund sat up with cold sweat dripping down his forehead.


    "Oh, please be quiet!"


    A voice came from a nearby bed.


    Westlund''s fearful eyes turned to the right, and there he saw red-haired Marty with his forehead bandaged.


    "I have a massive headache..." Marty groaned in pain andid on his side as he tried to return to sleep.


    "M-Marty, what happened?" Westlund asked with a fearful tone. He looked around the hospital room and imagined the cold-eyed young man walking out of the door with the broken pointing stick in hand.


    "We got beaten up; that''s what happened." Marty asked with a groan. "Anyway, what the hell happened to you? You only got stabbed, yet you passed out and screamed like you were a dying crow!"


    "T-that..." Westlund grabbed his bandaged shoulder and shuddered in fear. "Pain... it was inhumane. That guy is a monster. He inflicted me with the worst pain imaginable!"


    "Dude, you only got stabbed." Marty rolled his eyes.


    "Y-you don''t understand. It felt like all my veins were on fire!"


    "Crybaby." Marty scoffed and then turned to look at the ceiling. "Should we get revenge? Let''s teach him a lesson he will never forget. He has Humanoid Imperfecta, so we only need one good hit for him to shit his pants."


    "No, no!" Westlund covered his head. "I don''t want to see that monster ever again!"


    "Hey man, calm down!" Marty screamed.


    "No, no, no!" Westlund cried as he curled up in a ball on the bed, trembling with fear. "I don''t want to see him ever again!"


    "Nurse!" Marty screamed, and then the door opened as several nurses rushed inside and tried to calm the young man down.


    ''What the hell happened to him?'' Marty asked, while the nurses had to tie Westlund to the bed so he wouldn''t hurt himself. ''I have seen Westlund get hurt before, but I have never seen him like this.''


    Westlund screamed and tried to break through the restraints, his eyes filled with a wild and desperate fear. The nurses looked helpless and wondered where the young man was looking.


    He looked straight out of the square-shaped window, his eyes trembling in terror.


    Outside, a shadowy figure nketed the sky in darkness. The figure held a ck sword that looked like it was made of shadows, and its eyes were dark blue and filled with an otherworldly glow.


    The shadowy face dispersed, and from the ck smoke, a pale face appeared with ck hair and fleshless cheeks. It looked like a person who had crawled from hell. Itsrge body covered the entire sky as if its massive body could wrap around the world.


    However, the face bore a great resemnce to Jesse!


    When the nurses looked outside, they saw nothing but bustling streets and a sunny sky.


    Only Westlund managed to see the shadowy figure. It seemed to be a creature of immense power and darkness.


    ''P-please, leave me alone.'' Westlund cried. ''I promise I won''t touch Zach anymore. If I see anyone bullying him, I will teach them a lesson myself!


    ''S-so please, leave me alone. Please!''


    As if the shadowy figure heard his thoughts, a smile crept up on its face, and then the darkness dispersed and the massive body vanished to floating pixels as if it had never existed.


    The rays of the sun weed Westlund to a new world, away from darkness.

 Chapter 142 The First Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 142 The First Lesson</h4>


    A bald-headed Ambrose sat in the middle of the raised tform. It was situated behind the golden temple, and surrounding the temple, there were racks with weapons and armor neatly disyed.


    The Wisdom King walked up the flight of stairs and stopped in front of Ambrose before sitting down.


    They both wore beige-colored robes that fluttered against the morning wind.


    Ambrose bowed respectfully before straightening his back and looking straight into the aged eyes of the Wisdom King.


    "State your name, style, and skill level." The Wisdom King spoke with a voice of authority.


    "Ambrose, two-sword style, and novice skill level!"


    "Two-sword style..." The Wisdom King looked at the two sheathed swords on Ambrose''s waist. "Which dominant hand?"


    "Right."


    "How is your left?" The Wisdom King asked.


    "Weak." Ambrose replied with his honest thoughts.


    "While you aren''t training your swordsmanship, do everything with your left, and I mean everything." The Wisdom King said powerfully. "However, while you are training your swordsmanship, you will be using only your right."


    Ambrose looked surprised before nodding and asking. "What about training my two-sword style?"


    "If your swordsmanship is terrible with one sword, do you think I will let you train two swords?" The Wisdom King chuckled. "Only when you are decent at using one sword can we start training the other one!"


    "Yes, grandmaster." Ambrose nodded and didn''t object.


    "After your swordsmanship training is over for the day, you will train meditation alone. We will give you a scroll that has instructions to close the gate to your world of souls. After you manage to do that, we will teach you to track other people''s soul scents and project them.


    "We then teach you to master the First Gate. And, when you have mastered it, then we will show you the way to open the Second Gate. However, if you don''t master the First Gate, we won''t teach you the second one!"


    "I understand." Ambrose nodded, determined to put effort and master the First Gate.


    "Here, we won''t teach you any sword style." The Wisdom King said shockingly. "Because we aren''t a dojo. We don''t teach any styles nor prefer one weapon over others.


    "We will simply help you to improve your own swordsmanship."


    "That''s what I prefer." Ambrose said. "I want to develop my own unique style that suits me."


    "What kind of style is that?" The Wisdom King asked with the corner of his lips curving up.


    "A dominant style." Ambrose said with a serious look. "I want everything in the path of my sword to perish."


    "There are millions trying to do that; do you think you can?" The Wisdom King raised a question and stood up. "Only determination and will don''t guarantee that. You need talent; lots of it."


    "I know that." Ambrose stood up from the ground. "However, I am willing to try harder than anyone else and see where that gets me."


    "Heh." The Wisdom King grinned and nodded. "Very well. Draw your weapon!"


    With his hand on the handle, Ambrose drew his ck Sword, which glinted majestically under the sunlight.


    "You call that a draw?" The Wisdom King crossed his arms and shouted loudly. "Do it again!"


    Ambrose tightened his grip and slid the sword back to the scabbard before drawing it out again with even greater speed.


    "Again!"


    Swoosh¡ªthe sword returned to the scabbard once more, and then it was unsheathed again, slicing through the air with a resounding whoosh.


    "Again!"


    The rest of the day, the young man did nothing but sheathe and draw his sword. He did that thousands of times while the Wisdom King''s hoarse voice traversed the air. Even with his old age, he didn''t show any signs of fatigue while shouting "again."


    ...


    "I received a message today." Arsenal, the weapon master of Zahhak, said while seated around aforting campfire.


    While other avable members of Zahhak turned to Arsenal, Cerberus used a stick to poke the embers, causing them to crackle and spark.


    "Apparently, Ambrose was sighted in Yatagarasu." Arsenal said with his usual stoic voice. "I can''t guarantee if it''s legit because it came from a source I am not too familiar with."


    "Why would he go to Yatagarasu out of all ces? He knows it''s our base." SweetieHell asked and shook her head, thinking it was false information.


    "Because he knows we are chasing him hundreds of kilometers away." AnarchyCat said with his rather childish voice. "If I were him, going to Yatagarasu wouldn''t be the worst idea."


    "Voices..." Rainman bit his nails while looking around the dark forest. "The voices are getting closer!"


    "What do you think, boss?" Arsenal looked at the handsome, green-eyed man. His long ck hair fluttered gently against the chilly night wind.


    "If we follow any blind leads, we will never find him." Cerberus said and threw the stick into the campfire. "We can''t continue like this. We need something that helps us find Ambrose, wherever he is.


    "Relying on information we receive from some unknown yers won''t cut it."


    "Then what can we do?" Arsenal asked. "There are no shortcuts. We just have to be patient and wait for any trustworthy source to message us."


    "Hmm..." Cerberus lifted his chin with his palm. "Alice knows him in real life. She must also know where he lives."


    "You want us to go find him in real life?" Arsenal scoffed. "Isn''t that too much?"


    "Not really." Cerberus shook his head. "Not yet at least..."


    Thest part he whispered was so inaudible that no one else heard him over the crackling of the fire.


    "Ambrose has a little crush on our Alice. I doubt those feelings will disappear like they never existed." Cerberus rubbed his chin. "Alice could try to fish out some information for us."


    "Will she agree to do that?" SweetieHell asked.


    "She will," Cerberus said with certainty. "I promise her that Zahhak will leave her alone as long as she gives his location."


    "Will you do that? Leave her alone, I mean." Andromeda suddenly asked from the side while looking at her brother.


    "Yes." Cerberus replied simply. "However, I have a feeling that she will crawl back to us once her path with Silver Heart reaches its end. She cannot hide her true personality forever."


    ...


    "Argh." Jesse removed his headset with his left hand andid down on the bed with a numb expression. He finished the swordsmanship training for today, and it was definitely the most tiresome thing he had ever done.


    When he was walking back to Honorable Zhen''s house, where he was still living temporarily, he couldn''t raise any of his arms.


    Luckily, that feeling didn''t transfer to his real-life body.


    ''I wonder if entering the world of souls works here.'' Jesse sat up right as he wanted to try that.


    If it didn''t work, he had no choice but to return to the game to practice closing the gate. He promised the Wisdom King to do that, and he didn''t n on breaking his promise.


    He sat cross-legged, closed his eyes, and began breathing rhythmically.


    "Iiiinnnn... Ouuuut!"


    As the clock ticked down on the wall, slowly nearing ten in the night, the ck clockhand suddenly stopped.


    The world had gone silent, as if frozen in time!

 Chapter 143 Ambrose鈥檚 First Fan

    <h4>Chapter 143 Ambrose''s First Fan</h4>


    ''It worked!'' Jesse looked thrilled at the frozen world. He then focused and summoned his slumbering soul from his body. This soul was a little bit different from its Martial Online counterpart.


    The soul, when floating, was hunched over and looked sickly, as if it had some kind of illness. Even this soul was suffering from an incurable disease¡ªHumanoid Imperfecta!


    ''Alright, let''s try closing the gate. I wonder how much more difficult that is.'' He thought and then remembered the instructions.


    To close the gate, he would have to imagine what the gate looked like, and when the imagination was perfect, the gate would manifest in the world of souls. Then, he could attempt to close the gates by pushing the doors shut or by imagining the doors shutting down.


    It all depended on the person.


    Jesse chose to try to use brute strength to close the gates, as he thought that was his strongest attribute. He didn''t think he should rely on his imagination, as ording to the Wisdom King, he would have to rely on only his imagination for the next gates as well.


    However, if he used strength, he then had to rely on his strength to ovee the following challenges. He felt way more confident using brute strength than relying solely on his imagination.


    The Wisdom King said it heavily depended on the person. At the Honorable Dojo Temple, over 90% of the disciples relied on their imagination rather than brute strength. It was the mostmonly chosen one as well.


    There was a good reason for that.


    One didn''t have to train their imagination. If one were born with a vivid imagination, they would have a much easier time. There were also many tricks to improve the imagination that didn''t take too long to learn.


    While the ones who only used brute strength had to train tirelessly to improve their physical strength. Thus, it was also slower method as it might take some over ten years to develop their physical strength to the level required to close or open the gates.


    However, imagination required luck. It was one of its biggest downsides. There had been people stuck in First Gate for thirty years because they couldn''t understand what theycked.


    Meanwhile, strength users knew exactly what theycked. If they couldn''t close or open the gates, they knew that they simplycked strength and would train even harder.


    Thus, when the First Gate manifested in the world of souls, everyone had to make a choice whether to try imagination or strength.


    ''Let''s try.'' Jesse took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He imagined the outline of the First Gate. He always thought it would be a ck, tall metal gate with intricate designs.


    During the first manifestation, everyone would get to test both imagination and strength. To manifest the First Gate, they would experience the first imagination attempt, and when it finished manifesting, everyone often tried pushing the gate shut.


    If one didn''t feelfortable with imagination, they would often go with strength. However, if one felt like they would never be able to close the gate with their strength, they would go with imagination.


    There had been instances when people didn''t feelfortable with either one of them.


    Those people often never made it to the Second Gate.


    After several hours of trying to manifest the gate, Jesse stopped for tonight as he was beginning to feel exhausted. One good thing about meditation was that it somehow eased his hunger, so that didn''t bother him.


    However, before going to bed, he nned to get some food and recharge his energy for the next day.


    ...


    "Huh..." The Brown Inquisitor woke up from his meditation in his small room that only had a bed, a window that overlooked a nearby street, and a desk with a dimly litmp.


    As shadows danced across the walls, the Brown Inquisitor covered his head and murmured. "Strange. I can''t feel his soul scent anymore.


    "It should be a few more days before it vanished. However, for some reason, it is now gone.


    "I couldn''t see him through soul projection a few days ago, but I simply thought Honorable''s from that temple obscured my vision. Now, I realize that I can''t feel his soul scent anymore."


    That was very strange, but he had a hunch why that happened.


    "Did they teach him how to hide his soul scent?" The Brown Inquisitor thought out loud. "That''s impossible. He was aplete novice, as he didn''t even know others could jump into his world of souls!


    "He couldn''t possibly learn it in a couple of days...


    "Yeah, not possible. The Honorable''s must have done something to obscure my view."


    He shook his head and put his brown top hat on his head.


    "That doesn''t matter. That criminal will be brought to justice." He said with determination in his eyes. "He is an outsider, and Dojo Temples don''t take kindly to outsiders.


    "I will know when he has left the temple. No one can hide from my tracking, not even the ones who have mastered hiding the scent."


    ...


    At Marvelio Residence in Nocklund.


    Alice lowered her phone after reading the message from Cerberus. She silently looked at the plushie in front of her, its innocent smile mocking her.


    ''I should have never epted his invitation...'' She grabbed the plushie and tossed it over to the other side of the room. She thenid on the bed and stared at the ceiling, overwhelmed by regret.


    ''I am sorry, Jesse. I have no other choice...'' Alice whispered to herself and opened a certain app on her phone. It had medical information about Jesse, which included his address.


    ''Terran''s Street, Apartment Number 3.'' She thought and then hugged the phone against her chest. ''I will visit him tomorrow...''


    ''There is no escape from Zahhak. They will still haunt your nightmares...'' Alice hid her face and bit her lips with such force that she could taste blood in her mouth. ''Maybe I can convince Jesse to quit the game and to return the rewards to Zahhak.


    ''It might ease Cerberus'' anger... maybe.''


    ...


    At Whispering Pages Bookstore in Yatagarasu.


    The night had fallen on the dark bookstore. However, one room still had a light on.


    Be sat on the rough carpet, flipping through pages of the book she nned to lend to Emma tomorrow. It was thetest addition to her book collection.


    "I hope she likes this!" She ced the book in a safe ce on the bookshelf, and then she returned to the bed and killed off the fire on the nearby candle.


    As sheid down on the bed and covered her body with the nket, she couldn''t help but turn to the side and look at the brown bounty poster on the wall. It had a sketched image of a familiar-looking young man.


    ''I wonder what he did to get a bounty.'' Be thought to herself as she stared at the poster. ''He is a man of many mysteries.''


    Be couldn''t help but feel a strange sense of curiosity and intrigue.


    ''I wonder what he is doing right now. Perhaps running away from bounty hunters?'' Be curiously thought before smiling. ''That sounds pretty exciting. I wish I could have a thrilling adventure like that someday.


    ''Unfortunately, I can''t...'' Be sadly smiled. ''I have to trust in my father that I will be treated in the hospital. I have to prioritize my health and follow his advice...


    ''Well, at least I hope I can hear more about his adventures from Emma or either via the newspaper.'' Remembering something, Be excitedly sat back up and took a newspaper from her drawer. ''I can''t wait to read about all the incredible things he''s been up to!''


    She was confident that Ambrose''s name would appear on one of the pages of the newspaper someday. The newspaper, after all, showed the aplishments of yers.


    Thus, she was certain that one day Ambrose''s name would show up. Perhaps even on the front page, that might shock the whole world!


    ''Perhaps I am his first fan?'' Be giggled to herself and looked at the brown bounty poster, her cheeks turning slightly pink. ''He will be a legend. Everyone will know his name.''

 Chapter 144 Wild Hunt

    <h4>Chapter 144 Wild Hunt</h4>


    "Achoo!" Jesse sneezed, rming everyone in the room.


    "Are you getting sick?" Anna asked with concern.


    "I don''t think so." Jesse replied and rubbed his nose. "The allergy season is probably starting."


    The Rothsmith family was sitting in the cozy living room area with a movie ying on therge t screen television. They were enjoying a quiet night together.


    "Brother." Emma moved closer to Jesse and whispered. "Where are you currently in Martial Online?"


    "Why?" Jesse looked at the little girl. "I am in a nearby vige."


    "Mm." Emma nodded. "Are you nning on leaving the Light Continent?"


    "That hasn''t been my n, why?" Jesse was aware that the bridge leading to the Dark Continent was open. However, he had no intention of venturing into the Dark Waters.


    "It''s very far." Emma said, hugging her legs. "I heard some yers are going there. They even n to stream it. That ce sounds very scary."


    ''She is worried about me. That''s cute.'' Jesse smiled and patted her head. "I won''t be going there for a long time."


    "Mm." Emma nodded and smiled bashfully.


    ''Hmm, I am still curious about that ce.'' Jesse thought to himself while looking at the action movie ying on the television. ''Perhaps I should check the stream.''


    ...


    A crimson moon''s eerie lightnded on the dark, misty waters. The water rippled as a small boat moved across the misty waters, its oars slicing through the dark surface.


    "..." A hooded yer watched the misty surroundings while paddling forward. The yer''s hands gripped the oars tightly, frightened of the possibilities that the mist might hold.


    Soon afterwards, several boats followed behind him. They were packed with armored yers and a smallntern at the front of the ship, which lit up their path.


    The moment the crimson moonlightnded on their faces, they saw a shore with a dock and tall, imposing structures. The structures were dark, empty houses that looked abandoned.


    The boats swayed gently as they smashed into the dock. The yers then tied them to the dock and hopped off onto solid ground.


    A short-haired yer then pulled out a camera from his belongings and threw it into the air. The camera shockingly floated and started following the yers as they explored the area.


    "Chat, this is the first ce we have discovered." The short-haired yer said to his stream chat while showing the entirety of the dark, abandoned harbor. "It''s giving me major chills, but let''s see what we can find here."


    [Chatter135: Is this Dark Continent?]


    [Chatter654: No, this is only the first ind. There are hundreds of inds, and it takes many days to reach the Dark Continent]


    [Chatter065: This ce is very creepy...]


    Creak¡ªthe short-haired streamer opened a creaking door and carried antern with him. Tall shadows stretched across the windows and overgrown weed went through the floorboards as thentern slowly lit up the whole house.


    It was abandoned, with broken pieces of furniture and half-eaten, moldy bread left on the dinner table.


    ''I wonder what has happened that has made this ce abandoned.'' The short-haired streamer thought while walking away from the abandoned building. He didn''t want to enter any of those dark houses, as they looked very creepy.


    As the group of yers continued exploring the abandoned harbor, the mist around the dark waters turned thick and made it difficult to see through it. Then, the grayish mist started changing shades into an eerie green, adding to the unsettling atmosphere.


    "Neigh..."


    A distant sound of a horse echoed through the fog before fading away.


    As the short-haired streamer slowly turned to look at the ominous green mist that was now obscuring the dark waters, he experienced chills running down his spine.


    "G-guys, did you hear that?"


    "Hear what?" His friends finished exploring one of the abandoned houses and then heard their friend''s question, which gave off bad vibes.


    "C-chat, did you hear it?" The short-haired streamer opened his chat. There were a lot of question marks, signaling that the stream didn''t hear anything.


    "Whew, maybe I misheard it." The short-haired streamer wiped his cold sweat and turned to his friend. "Let''s finish checking on the rest of the houses, and then we can put our temporary spawn here."


    "You want to stay a night here?" A female friend of his shuddered at the thought of that.


    "No, we can all log off for the night and continue exploring tomorrow when it''s bright." The short-haired streamer exined.


    His friends heaved a sigh of relief and chose one of the houses as their temporary spawns. The short-haired streamer did the same, and when he left the house with his streaming camera, he saw that his friends were standing nkly, looking towards the eerie green mist.


    "Guys?" The short-haired streamer frowned and wondered where they looked.


    The female yer raised her trembling arm, then extended her index finger in the direction of the mist.


    The short-haired streamer frowned and turned to look towards the green mist. The streaming camera also slowly turned, and a shocking sight appeared in front of thousands of viewers.


    A transparent horse with glowing eyes emerged from the mist, its mane and tail flowing gracefully in an unseen breeze. It had no flesh, as even its long face was made of shimmering ethereal light and looked like a skull.


    There was a person mounting the ethereal horse. The figure donned a long green cloak, blending seamlessly with the surrounding mist. The figure''s eyeless sockets glowed with ethereal light as its skull seemed to float above its skeletal frame.


    "A-a skeleton!" The short-haired streamer screamed.


    "W-w-w-what the hell is that?" The female yer''s voice trembled.


    Swoosh¡ªa wind drifted across the abandoned harbor and passed through the shocked yers, carrying voices with it.


    "Wild Hunt..." The wind whispered before disappearing.


    "R-r-run!" The short-haired streamer shouted and escaped into the nearby house. His friends followed, and they barricaded themselves in there.


    They immediately wanted to log off, but noticed that they couldn''t.


    They were in abat state!


    Their faces changed color to a pale shade of fear as they realized the gravity of the situation.


    [Chatter956: What the hell was that?]


    [Chatter1948: What was that echoing voice? Did someone say wild hunt or something?]


    [Chatter111: I heard it too!]


    [Chatter900: What the heck is that?]


    [Chatter001: Not sure, but this ce is creepy as fuck!]


    [Chatter001 muted for 12000 seconds for excessive profanity]


    [Chatter5424: I will never go there! Nope, nope, nope! I am happy with Yatagarasu; thank you very much!]


    ...


    Jesse sat silently on his gaming chair while looking at the stream with a serious look on his face.


    After finishing the movie night, he returned to his quarters and, out of curiosity, went to check the streams.


    While most of the streams were still en route to one of the inds, he found this one that had finally reachednd. That''s why the view count had already passed over 100k, as this group of yers might be the first group to reach an ind.


    "Wild Hunt?" Jesse crossed his arms. "That ce looks dangerous. I wonder if the Wisdom King knows about it."


    For the following hours, the streamer and his friends hid inside the building without even peeking outside. Still, the view count continued rising as news began spreading that they had encountered a strange creature.


    After time reached midnight, Jesse decided to go to sleep and check out in the morning what happened and if they survived.

 Chapter 145 The Ghost of the Wild Hunt

    <h4>Chapter 145 The Ghost of the Wild Hunt</h4>


    Thousands of viewers held their breaths as the sound of horse hooves tapped along the shoreline.


    "Neigh!"


    After a loud neigh, the horse halted its steps.


    Thump¡ªthe ethereal skeleton unmounted the horse, its ghostly, ck sockets staring out into the abandoned building as the wind howled through its broken windows.


    The short-haired streamer leaned with his back against the cracked wall, his heart thumping with fear and regret. Fear for the unknown; regret for evering here.


    His friends held their breath as the footsteps neared their building. The footsteps sounded haunting, as if chains were striking against the ground.


    A glowing, green shadow emerged below the door and slowly made its way to the building. It reached the entrance and suddenly vanished into thin air.


    ''Huh?'' The short-haired streamer gulped. ''Where did the shadow go?''


    Unknowingly, the streamer camera was pointing at the ceiling, and the chat was going wild.


    [Chatter105: Look up!]


    [Chatter734: Streamer is going to die!]


    [Chatter045: Streamer, look up, please!]


    As if he saw thosements, the short-haired streamer lifted his gaze towards the ceiling. A floating skull, glowing green, stared at him with hollow, eyeless sockets.


    "A-ah... ah..."


    His friends snapped their heads towards him, wanting to shut his mouth in case the skeleton person was still outside. However, they then saw him look at the ceiling, which also caused them to look there.


    To their horror, they saw a pair of glowing green lights staring back at them from the darkness.


    Smash¡ªthe door shattered into a million pieces as a headless skeleton emerged with a glowing green sword in hand.


    The headless skeleton swung its sword towards the short-haired streamer. With the skull floating in the ceiling, it could see everything that was happening in front of it.


    The skull''s hollow, eyeless sockets acted as its "eyes," therefore it saw everything like a bird would.


    The short-haired streamer raised his metal shield and defended against the sword strike. He then used his free hand to draw the sword before delivering a powerful counterattack.


    Swung¡ªthe skeleton swung its sword down and deflected the short-haired streamer''s counterattack. The contact of two des sent sparks flying across the dark house.


    The sh of metal echoed through the room.


    [Chatter499: Fuck the skeleton up!]


    [Chatter499 muted for 12000 seconds for excessive profanity]


    [Chatter501: Kill that eyeless monster!]


    [Chatter921: You can do it!]


    "Sword Rush!" The short-haired streamer ced his sword above his metal shield and began stabbing repeatedly, as if he were determined that with enough attacking, the skeleton monster would die.


    The skeleton monster swung its bony arms and mmed its glowing de into the streamer''s sword, deflecting and parrying the relentless attacks.


    The short-haired streamer felt his arm go numb and had to stop his attack. He then backed off and joined his friends side. They all carried swords and shields.


    Together, they formed a formidable defense against the enemy.


    The skull fell from the ceiling andnded back on the skeleton frame. The intensity of the green light was instantly amplified.


    The room was filled with an eerie glow that swallowed the darkness entirely.


    "I already fought against him briefly. He only looks scary, but I am confident we can take it down!" The short-haired streamer said to increase the morale of his friends.


    It seemed to work as his friends nodded and tightened their grips on their swords and shields.


    "I''ll take the lead. Follow me!" The short-haired streamer bellowed and charged forward while kicking the ground, increasing his speed. "Basic sh!"


    The de sliced through the air with a powerful swing.


    Cling¡ªthe skeleton parried the sword strike and threw a quick punch with its left bony fist.


    Smash¡ªthe short-haired streamer blocked the punch with his shield, but the shockwave rocked his body with tremendous force.


    "Argh..." He barely managed to keep standing.


    Luckily, his friend rushed forward to provide backup. He swung his sword in a wide arc, hoping to catch the skeleton monster by surprise.


    The skeleton used another arm to smash its glowing sword into the iing sword, halting the attack in its tracks.


    While both of the skeleton''s arms were upied, the female yer lunged forward and screamed.


    "Arrow''s Head!" The female yer shouted her signature move and stabbed her sword deep into the skeleton''s skull. It went straight through.


    "Haha, you did it!" The short-haired streamer celebrated with a loudugh.


    The chat exploded with cheers and showed appreciation to the female yer by throwing heart symbols.


    "Heh." The female yer smiled, feeling a rush of adrenaline and satisfaction. She then pulled the sword out of the glowing skull and raised it triumphantly in the air.


    The short-haired streamer smiled and sighed with relief. He honestly didn''t expect to beat such a scary monster.


    "Wild Hunt..."


    The wind picked up, carrying haunting words.


    The yers widened their eyes in shock, and then a glowing sword went through the female yer''s heart. She gasped in shock before disappearing.


    "H-how!" The short-haired streamer and his friends backed off in fear, not understanding how the skeleton monster survived!


    The answer soon revealed itself, and it was something that brought despair and hopelessness to their and the viewers faces.


    [The Ghost of the Wild Hunt]


    [HP: 2,999,999/3,000,000]


    "Oh man..." The short-haired streamer dropped his weapons and resigned himself to death.


    ...


    Waking up from his slumber, the short-haired streamer took off his headset and mmed his fist against the pillow, rage ring in his eyes.


    "What the hell is that? 3 million health, are you guys kidding me?" He felt like ripping his hair off his scalp. "There are more monsters like that in Dark Waters? How can anyone ever reach the Dark Continent? This is stupid!"


    He felt like making aint to Martial Online, but felt like it was for naught.


    With anger, he plopped down on his gaming chair and started the PC. He went to check the stream numbers, and after seeing the highest view count, he didn''t feel as angry anymore.


    [Highest View Count: 324,567]


    "It''s a little bit embarrassing to die in front of so many people, but they must''ve seen it too. No one could have killed that monster." He thought, feeling a sense of relief and validation in knowing that others had witnessed the impossible feat as well.


    After that, he checked the amount of money he received from that stream and felt very giddy.


    Not everyone could be a famous streamer, as there are millions of new streamers every day trying to jump on the bandwagon and be super sessful Martial Online streamers and make millions of crowns.


    However, it was super hard, and only one out of those millions might seed.


    Before this day, he was also a very small streamer who only made a few crowns per stream, but today''s stream made it to the front page of the ForeverStream. This one stream solidified his streaming career, and he was certain that he would earn thousands more fans.


    Even if he didn''t have another sessful stream, he could now finally quit school and be a full-time streamer. It was his dream, and it finally came true.


    "Whew." He leaned against the backrest and closed his eyes with a satisfied look. "Ghost of the Wild Hunt... No one could defeat such a monster.


    "Ah right, our temporary spawns are still there!" He suddenly remembered and pulled out his phone. He had received many messages from his friends asking whether they should log back in.


    He said no immediately.


    ''We should wait for that monster to leave. We must''ve been unlucky to encounter such a monster. Tomorrow morning, I should try checking out that ce again.


    ''Maybe I should make an announcement for it? Yeah, it could attract more people to my stream!''

 Chapter 146 The Second Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 146 The Second Lesson</h4>


    ''Three million health.'' Jesse chuckled while walking down the hallway with a towel wrapped around his neck. He finished his morning jog and watched the VOD of the stream while walking back to his room.


    The end result didn''t surprise him, but the amount of health did. It was a hot topic in the Martial Online forums: how was it possible to defeat a creature with so much health?


    The Dark Magician Karma had merely three thousand.


    The Ghost of the Wild Hunt had a thousand times more!


    ''I don''t have any hurry to go to Dark Waters, but damn.'' Jesse pocketed his phone and opened the door to his room before entering. He went straight to the bathroom that was connected to his room to take a hot shower.


    While the water streamed down his naked body, he put shampoo on his hair and let the shower wash it away.


    ''The Wild Hunt makes everyone think twice before entering Dark Waters.'' Jesse finished the shower, wrapped a towel around his waist, and left the bathroom.


    While searching for new clothes in his wardrobe, he thought. ''Not sure if that is good or not. Many missed a crucial part of the fight.


    ''That female yer stabbed through the head, yet the Ghost of the Wild Hunt lost merely 1 HP.


    ''Do we need to stab through it three million times for it to die? Truly ridiculous.''


    After putting new clothes on, he returned to his bed and put the headset around his head. He pressed the start button and closed his eyes.


    ''Another day of training, here Ie.''


    ...


    "Good morning, grandmaster." Ambrose bowed at a ny-degree angle as the old Wisdom King walked up to the tform.


    The weather was sunny with clouds drifting about, but there was something brewing on the horizon. Tons of dark clouds moved in their direction. A storm was moving their way, seeminglying from the direction of Yatagarasu.


    It wasn''t strange that this ce also had a lot of rainstorms, as Yatagarasu wasn''t that far away.


    "How was your meditation training?" The Wisdom King asked without sitting down.


    "It was challenging, but I couldn''t manifest it, yet." Ambrose replied.


    "I would be shocked if you did. It takes many months." The Wisdom King said. "However, ording to young Zhen, you managed to learn the soul scent within one night''s time...


    "I wonder how long it takes for you to do this." He hummed thoughtfully.


    "I will not disappoint you." Ambrose said and before they started training, he wanted to ask something. "Grandmaster, have you heard about the Wild Hunt?"


    The Wisdom King''s eyebrows jumped before he looked silently in the distance. "Ah, the Wild Hunt. The dangerous and elusive force that haunts the night. I have heard about that myth."


    "Myth, you don''t think it''s real?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "I believe all myths have some truth in them." The Wisdom King said with a wise tone. "However, I myself have not witnessed any skeletons riding on top of a skull-faced horse who brings doom and destruction to anyone who crosses its path."


    "Can you tell me more about it, please?" Ambrose asked with a hopeful tone.


    "Hmm..." The Wisdom King slowly sat down cross-legged. "Well, there is not much to say.


    "The Wild Hunt haunts the foggy Dark Waters. They abduct children and kill men and women.


    "And those who are taken never return," the Wisdom King finished solemnly.


    "Where do they originate from?" Ambrose asked.


    "There are multiple versions." The Wisdom King said before continuing. "Some say they are ghosts of the people that died alongside sunken ships.


    "Some say they are soul creatures of the people who are trapped in the depths of the ocean.


    "And some believe they are people who have escaped from hell."


    "Are there multiple Ghosts of the Wild Hunt?" Ambrose asked, as by analyzing the Wisdom King''s words, it sounded like that.


    "ording to myths, there are." The Wisdom King said while rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "The reason why traveling between two continents is so difficult is because of the Wild Hunt that roams the seas, killing everyone who breathes.


    "Many think that they are on the side of the Dark Continent, but that is exactly not true. The Wild Hunt is simply indifferent to the origin or allegiance of those it targets."


    "What is their goal?" Ambrose asked. "Are they really only haunting spirits?"


    "That''s where my answers end." The Wisdom King shrugged his shoulders and stood up. "What I know is only from the tales of others. I myself haven''t traversed to Dark Waters, so I do not know."


    "I see; thank you for the answers." Ambrose then stood up and put his hand on the hilt of his sword. He was ready to start the training.


    "Draw your weapon." The Wisdom King said.


    Swing¡ªAmbrose unsheathed his sword, the ck de cutting through the air before stopping beside his waist.


    "Mediocre." The Wisdom King said bluntly without bothering to speak nicely. "Just like your swordsmanship.


    "Well, I am here to make your mediocre swordsmanship into something more tolerable."


    Ambrose nodded silently and looked at the sword in his hand. His grip tightened as he remembered the utter humiliation he received from the White Inquisitors.


    "I won''t be teaching you to kill." The Wisdom King put his arms behind his back. "I will teach you to fight better than anyone else around you.


    "If you happen to use those skills to kill, that is up to you. However, remember that the weapon you carry is not a trinklet. It is a weapon forged in fire and metal. When you wield it, you hold immense power and responsibility in your hands."


    "I understand, grandmaster." Ambrose looked at the ck de with his reflection staring back.


    "Following yesterday''s lesson, I will teach you the basics." The Wisdom King said and walked out of the tform before returning with a wooden training sword. "You haven''t even learned the most basic things in swordsmanship, and yet you call yourself a swordsman.


    "You have a long way to go." The Wisdom King put the wooden training sword in front of his body and said, "Throw away everything you know. We will spar now.


    "Only use the right-side sh, left-side sh, and overhead sh and parry. No fancy tricks or techniques."


    "Yes, grandmaster." Jesse spun his ck de around before moving it in front of his body, He only used his right hand and not his left, as during swordsmanship training, he was only allowed to use his right.


    ''Now that I remember, I haven''t ever done Basic sh, aka overhead sh and parry, without using it as a skill. I am not allowed to use those skills, so I have to perform those techniques just by memory and without the help of game system.''


    "I will be using the same moves." The Wisdom King then nudged the sword de in his direction. "Now, attack."


    Ambrose kicked off the ground and lunged forward before moving his sword over his head and then bringing it down with all his strength. He resisted shouting "Basic sh," as he had grown ustomed to doing that.


    "What is that footwork?" The Wisdom King took two steps, but that was enough for him to dodge the attack and move behind his back. "You were lucky you didn''t trip on your own legs."


    Smash¡ªhe then brought the wooden sword down and mmed it into the back of Ambrose''s bald head.


    Thud¡ªhe crashed on the ground with a loud thud.


    "Ugh..." Ambrose rubbed the back of his head while standing back up.


    The Wisdom King sighed. "We have a long way to go."


    "I am sorry, grandmaster." Ambrose said, bowing his head in apology. "I will train harder."


    "I am not interested in apology." The Wisdom King again pointed his wooden sword at the bald-headed young man. "I am interested in results. We won''t be finished until you have managed tost more than three moves.


    "Attack!"


    Ambrose lunged forward, starting another round of battle. However, it ended merely secondster. Then he stood back up before continuing to fight.


    They fought, and Ambrose continued losing the fights, and when the rainstorm finally arrived on top of them, they didn''t stop the training; instead, Ambrose nned to use the rain to his advantage tond at least one attack on the Wisdom King.


    He thought the slippery ground would be favorable for him to execute his swift and unpredictable moves. Unfortunately, the Wisdom King was even more powerful in such unpredictable conditions, and Ambrose lost even worse.


    During that day, he lost over a thousand fights.


    He didn''tnd a single hit on his opponent.


    He never even managed to throw his second attack before being defeated.


    The longest he survived in a fight was three seconds.

 Chapter 147 The Second World Quest

    <h4>Chapter 147 The Second World Quest</h4>


    With sweat flying across the air, Ambrose continued swinging a wooden training sword at a wooden pole that was shaped like a human.


    The Wisdom King sat in the distance while enjoying tea and watching the young man train. Whenever he didn''t like what he saw, he shouted and made Ambrose correct it.


    That happened multiple times, sometimes only separated by one minute.


    Smash, smash¡ªthe wooden sword made contact with the human-shaped pole. He stabbed, cut, shed, and chopped with unwavering determination.


    Ding, ding¡ªsuddenly, Ambrose halted his attack as he heard several dings as if he had received a message from someone. However, when he checked his chat history, there was nothing.


    Then a bright glow descended from the sky.


    Ambrose looked towards the sunny sky and widened his eyes in surprise.


    There was an announcement hovering high above.


    [WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT: yers of Tsukuyomi have activated the World Quest!]


    ''I wondered when they would activate it.'' Ambrose thought. ''I wonder if they will seed. Only Yatagarasu is left.''


    "Why are you resting?" The Wisdom King put his tea cup down. "Continue!"


    "Yes, grandmaster." Ambrose turned to the wooden pole and smashed his sword against it, with a small wooden piece breaking off from the impact.


    ...


    A muscr, horned creature mmed through the wall that protected the vast city of Tsukuyomi. It was the Minotaur, a mythical beast who feasted on the flesh of the innocent.


    The creature charged towards the terrified citizens, causing panic and chaos to ensue.


    Swoosh¡ªarrows crossed the air and smashed into the Minotaur''s thick skin, but bounced off as if its skin were made of rubber.


    "Heh." The Minotaur let out a deep, menacingugh, as if mocking the feeble attempts to stop it. It then leaped up into the air and smashed its hooves down onto the ground with a thunderous impact.


    Crack¡ªthe cobblestone ground cracked, and a powerful shockwave swept across the streets, shaking buildings and sweeping innocent civilians off their feet. The windows trembled before shattering into a million tiny pieces.


    Many civilians got cuts on their limbs, but they managed to crawl to the safety of one of the shops and buildings.


    The Minotaur smirked as if it enjoyed the sight of the destruction.


    Suddenly, several arrows smashed into its enormous biceps, but they bounced off like nothing.


    When the Minotaur turned its head to the side, it saw several yers snuggled behind a small chimney, shooting arrows whenever they could.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ªat the end of the destroyed street, loud footsteps thundered as silhouettes began appearing.


    "Haaaaaa!" Loud screams belonging to a hundred-strong yer army filled the air. They had anticipated the arrival of World Quest for a long time, and now that it finally arrived, of course they all wanted the top reward.


    They had heard about the famous Serenity, whose name was on everyone''s tongue as the one who secured the top rewards in previous World Quest.


    They also wanted to experience the same fame.


    Thus, they attacked like a hivemind of ants who only saw the enraged Minotaur as nothing but a bag of treasures.


    "Raaaaaaaah!" The Minotaur smashed its fist into the cracked ground with a deafening roar. The ground shook violently while the yers stumbled about, many even falling down.


    Then, hundreds of arrows flew from all directions and rained upon the muscr Minotaur. Its massive body trembled under the onught, but it stood its ground. There was not a single scratch on its thick skin.


    This was the City of Archery, and thus, arge majority of the city were archers!


    The City of Spears, Yatagarasu, and the City of Swords, Amaterasu, didn''t reward their yers for choosing a particr ss.


    However, it was different with Tsukuyomi.


    The Saintess Yuna, whose Archer Dojoy on top of Tsukuyomi''s highest peak, gave special bonuses and privileges if the yers chose the Archer ss.


    While in Tsukuyomi, the uracy of Archer ss skills was enhanced, allowing yers to hit their targets with pinpoint precision. Same with health, which was doubled while inside the Tsukuyomi''s walls.


    There were heated discussions about it and how it was fair. Yet, the Martial Company refused to make any adjustments as ording to them: It was Saintess Yuna''s decision.


    "Raah!" The Minotaur let out a thunderous roar and sent several yers flying with the swing of its enormous arm. The rare few who chose swordsman and spearman sses charged forward and nked the enormous creature.


    "Mahahahaha!" The Minotaurughed as the puny humans attacked. It then reached into the empty air and pulled out a ck metal club. The club was in the shape of a baseball bat, but it had sharp spikes protruding.


    "Myth Buster!" The Minotaur swung the club with tremendous force, sending a ground-breaking shockwave across the yer army. The ones closest to him got swept by the powerful shockwave and flew hundreds of meters into the air before falling to their deaths.


    The yers that were slightly further away crashed into faraway buildings; most of them died from the impact, while a rare few survived with their health bars blinking red.


    Several streets away, a group of three yers stumbled and almost fell, but the ground stopped shaking, allowing them to stabilize their posture.


    "Damn, the fight must''ve already started!" Marty, the red-haired young man shouted. In Martial Online, he carried the name "Toxin" which had already started to be slightly infamous on the Tsukuyomi.


    Unlike the majority of the yerbase, he didn''t choose Archer ss. He chose Unique and weapon he chose was baseball bat. It was a rather unique weapon, and so far, it had been more of a disadvantage than an advantage.


    However, he believed that with this weapon, he would reach the top.


    Beside him, Allison carried a bow in her hand. "Let''s run. We have to before it''s toote!"


    "I don''t think we need to hurry." Holly said behind them. She also carried a bow and quiver filled with arrows. "Isn''t the time limit three days?"


    "yers from Amaterasu defeated their enemy in fifteen hours or something!" Marty shouted. "Luckily, it''s the weekend, so we have extra time to y!"


    "I won''t be ying the whole day for this quest." Holly said, without caring about the game as much as her friends do.


    "Come on, Holly. We could sell our rewards and earn lofty amounts of crowns!" Allison tried to encourage her friend.


    "Ugh..." Holly groaned and followed after her friends. When they finally reached the site of the battle, they saw many yers struggling to fight against the monstrous Minotaur.


    Swoosh¡ªsuddenly, a lone yer leaped across the air with a sword in hand. He moved his mouth as if he were saying something and then charged at the Minotaur with his face hidden by the hood.


    "Piss off, ants!" The Minotaur smashed its club into the skulls of the nearby yers, sending their bodies flying in all directions. The bones cracked, the skulls shattered, and the blood spewed. None of the yers survived.


    Then the Minotaur saw the hooded yer and smashed its club towards him.


    Swoosh¡ªthe club smashed into the ground, sending shards of dirt and debris flying into the air. Everyone witnessing the sight, whether yers or viewers from various streams, believed that the foolish yer had died.


    However, to their utmost surprise, several cameras captured the sight of the lone yer behind the Minotaur''s back. He wasn''t facing the monstrous beast but instead held his blood-stained sword.


    Spurt¡ªarge, bloody cut appeared on Minotaur''s imprable skin. Everyone was stunned, especially the monster itself.


    "Hmm..." The lone yer lifted the hood, revealing his mysterious gray eyes. "A creature of power, not skill."


    The most famous yer of thest century made his debut on Martial Online.


    A yer whose name was whispered with awe and fear across several Virtual Worlds. Whether it was Ember Online, Viking Online, or Space Online, this yer dominated every game.


    He was a true legend in the world of online gaming.


    Saint Julian.

 Chapter 148 The Door to the City of Evil

    <h4>Chapter 148 The Door to the City of Evil</h4>


    "Whoo... whooo..." Ambrose panted loudly after he finished the training for the day. He was still wondering how the event in Tsukuyomi was going, but he nned to check the stream once he logged off.


    "Train the meditation once you return to your quarters." The Wisdom King reminded him and stood up while picking up his empty tea cup and te.


    "Oh, alright, grandmaster." Ambrose groaned inwardly as he forgot about that. Thus, watching the stream had to be dyed.


    As the Wisdom King was about to return indoors, Ambrose stood up and patted the dust off his pants. He then remembered something that increasing his curiosity.


    "Grandmaster, may I ask what that door stuck in the mountain is?"


    He stopped walking and scratched the back of his wrinkly, bald head.


    "That ce doesn''t concern you. Focus on the training, youngling." The Wisdom King said without turning his head to look at his bald-headed apprentice.


    "I have some concerns regarding the training." Ambrose said as he stood upright with his arms behind his back.


    "And what is that?" The Wisdom King turned to look at his apprentice.


    "We, the yers, have a unique way of growing stronger." Ambrose exined, hoping to express his perspective. "We grow stronger as we kill creatures, wild animals and beasts."


    "Hmm..." The Wisdom King rubbed his chin. "Is that so? Well, what do you want to do?"


    "If we shorten the training by a few hours, I can take a trip to the Nether Forest and hunt down some creatures there to further enhance my strength."


    "..." The Wisdom King lowered his tea cup and te to the table. He then nudged his chin and said, "I might have a solution for that. Follow me."


    Ambrose lifted his eyebrow and followed silently behind the Wisdom King. They left the temple, walked down the hundreds of stone steps to reach the vige. The vigers happily greeted the wise grandmaster as they headed over to the center of the vige.


    The Wisdom King sat down on a bench with a nted oak tree behind him.


    "Sit." He patted the seat beside him.


    Ambrose nodded and sat down. When he finished sitting down, he looked straight ahead and widened his eyes in surprise. The door stuck in a mountain was within the reach of his vision. They looked straight at it even though it was hundred meters away from them.


    They could still see the intricate carvings and knew that the door was centuries old.


    "We won''t shorten the training. However, I will grant you ess to that." The Wisdom King pointed his shaky finger at the door. "It will reduce your sleep by an hour or two, but if it is necessary to increase your strength, then it has to be done."


    "What is in there?" Ambrose asked with a frown.


    The Wisdom King took a deep breath and said, "The City of Evil, Warhaven!"


    "What?!" Ambrose''s eyes bulged as he never expected the underground city to be so near any of the major cities!


    "We, the Temple of Honorables, have protected his entrance for centuries." The Wisdom King said. "That is one of many entrances that leads straight to the heart of the Warhaven.


    "It is our duty to ensure that no one escapes from there."


    ''There are multiple entrances...'' Ambrose nodded. "So, instead of going to the Nether Forest, I will go to that City of Evil?"


    "Do you gain strength by killing people?" The Wisdom King asked.


    Ambrose nodded hesitantly.


    "Then, yes." The Wisdom King said. "That ce is home to unspeakable power and darkness."


    "Anything goes there. They won''t bat an eye if you kill anyone there. I would even encourage you to do so. It''s awlessnd where chaos reigns supreme."


    "That sounds very dangerous." Ambrose narrowed his eyes, not sure whether he should go there. He would be morefortable in the Nether Forest, even if he might be ambushed by Inquisitors.


    "By fighting those beasts, you might learn something very valuable about your swordsmanship." The Wisdom King said and looked at his apprentice with a soft look. "Remember, true growthes from facing challenges head-on."


    "I... understand." Ambrose looked at the old grandmaster firmly. "I will do it."


    "Mm..." The Wisdom King rummaged through his pockets and took out an old brass key. "This is the key to opening the door. Whatever you do, don''t lose it. It''s the most valuable item there, as it''s the only way you can leave Warhaven."


    Ambrose epted the key and nodded.


    "The following training schedule is this: from morning until nightfall, you will learn swordsmanship with me.


    "Then, you go to Warhaven and stay there for at least four to five hours. When you return, you do your meditation training for an hour. Only then are you allowed to sleep."


    "I understand." Ambrose took a deep breath, as that made his schedulepletelypact.


    "Your training is over today. You may go to Warhaven." The Wisdom King stood up and patted his apprentice''s shoulder. "Be careful out there. It''s better if you leave your belongings here. You might lose them all."


    "I understand." Ambrose then watched as the old grandmaster left for the temple. He then looked down at the brass key and moved his gaze over to the ancient door.


    He clenched on the key and went to Honorable Zhen''s house to store his belongings there. That included his two Red Swords and one ck Sword. Then, he took out a pouch with most of his silver inside.


    He only nned to take 100 silver with him to Warhaven.


    After that, he put his old training dummy from his dojo in the corner of the room, the spare clothes in the wardrobe, the crimson metal below his bed, and the Merchant Whistle to his desk''s drawer.


    He also hid his skill scrolls, golden key, steel shortswords, and Style Scroll. Then he ced his strange Book of Suicide Swordsman on top of his bookshelf.


    Once he was done, his inventory became very empty. He only had a box of apples, the Orc Whistle, and a worn-out ck cloak left in his inventory.


    The Ring of Nature adorned one of the fingers of his sword-wielding hand. The sword in hand was the ck Sword. He still needed one of his swords if he nned on fighting there.


    Thus, he chose ck Sword.


    "I am ready..." Ambrose sheathed his ck Sword, then left the cottage, where he met Honorable Zhen while walking back to the vige. He managed to see the brass key in his hand and did nothing except pat his shoulder before returning to his cottage.


    The Honorable Zhen knew the dangers of Warhaven, but he didn''t bother saying anything, as it seemed that the Wisdom King thought Ambrose was ready enough to enter that dangerous world.


    While opening the door to his cottage, Zhen turned around to see the departing back of Ambrose. He looked towards the tall statue on top of the golden temple and drew a cross on his chest.


    "Allmighty Gods of Heaven, look after him."


    Creak¡ªthen Zhen entered the cottage and closed the door behind him.


    Ambrose, on the other hand, slowly approached the ancient door. The sun had already gone down and it was dark in the vige, yet the light from nearby houses provided enough light for him to see the design of the door and the keyhole.


    A few of the vigers peeked out of the windows as the outsider stood in front of the ancient door. They hadn''t seen the door open in decades. Therefore, they were very curious.


    Ambrose inserted the key into the hole and turned it slowly.


    Click¡ªthe door slowly opened.

 Chapter 149 City of Debauchery

    <h4>Chapter 149 City of Debauchery</h4>


    Behind the ancient door, darkness awaited.


    A stench of piss, decay, smoke, and alcohol lingered in the stagnant air.


    ''Ugh, shit!'' Ambrose covered his nose and mouth with his hand, trying to block out the foul odor.


    He then slowly approached the darkness, moving one step at a time. When he crossed the threshold, the door automatically shut down, trapping him in the darkness.


    As panic started to kick in, dustynterns lit up the mountain walls while slowly chasing away the eerie darkness.


    The foul odor still upied the stagnant air, but Ambrose soon realized that the stench wasing from somewhere else.


    He began to follow the path of thenterns and soon came across an old minecart standing on top of the rickety tracks. The tracks led deeper into the underground, uncertain of where they would ultimately lead.


    ''This minecart must lead to Warhaven. The question remains, how far do I need to travel...'' Ambrose rubbed his chin, but he didn''t really want to waste his time, as there were only a few hours to explore.


    He didn''t n on fighting today. His n was just to visit Warhaven and then return home.


    ''I shouldn''t lose this key...'' Ambrose put the brass key back in his inventory. From there, it wouldn''t get stolen, at least. He just had to ensure that he wouldn''t die.


    He then climbed on the minecart and looked around for any levers or switches. But then suddenly, the minecart''s wheels started screeching as it began to move down the track, gaining speed quickly.


    "O-oh, it''s picking up speed!" Ambrose''s eyes widened as the minecart elerated with immense speed, and they were soon moving easily over 100 km/h. The tracks didn''t look well maintained, so he was afraid that they would break, causing the minecart to crash.


    "Fuuuuck, where are the brakes?!"


    His shouts fell on deaf ears as the minecart continued plunging deeper into the darkness, leaving behind a trail of sparks.


    ...


    The ceiling, lit up by brightnterns, was the underground city''s man-made sky and sun. Thenterns worked automatically. When the sun went up above the ground, thenterns would light up, but when the sun went down, they would dim and gradually fade away, leaving the city in darkness.


    However, the streetmps would then illuminate the city, providing light during the night. They weren''t the only thing that gave off light; the windows reflecting off thenterns glow also added a warm and cozy ambiance to the otherwise dark streets.


    In addition, the bright signs of various shops gave off light and illuminated the bustling sidewalks.


    "Urgh!" A drunken man walked out of the Red Light District with a bottle of whiskey in hand. He had finished visiting his favorite prostitute in one of the brothels. He stumbled along the sidewalk, his vision blurred by the glow of neon signs.


    Suddenly, he felt a tug on his cor, and he was dragged into a narrow, twisting alleyway by a powerful force. The drunken man almost fell, but then a sharp object stabbed into his gut.


    "Aaah!" The drunken man dropped his whiskey bottle, and when itnded on the ground, it shattered, spilling piss-colored whiskey across the sidewalk.


    "You should have paid your debt, mongrel!" The person with the knife in hand whispered coldly. He then twisted the knife in the wound before pulling it out and stabbing it into the drunken man''s throat.


    Blood spurted out, staining the sidewalk, as the man gasped for air, his life slipping away. He slowly fell down on his buttocks, a pond of blood appearing around him.


    The person with the knife covered his face and disappeared into the narrow, twisting alleyway.


    Tap, tap¡ªa pair of footsteps walked down the sidewalk beforeing to a stop. The figure side-nced at the dead, drunken man.


    "Burp!" The figure suddenly burped and crouched beside the drunken man before rummaging through his pockets. Unfortunately for him, he did not find a single pouch that contained silver. "Unlucky."


    The figure then stood up and walked away, his face lit up by the nearby streetmp.


    When he entered the Red Light District, the streets grew very busy with hundreds of people moving about, with prostitutes shouting and showing their naked bodies in front of several brothels, trying to attract customers.


    There were even prostitutes who didn''t bother finding a room in their brothels and just sold their bodies in nearby alleyways, where moans of a woman and grunts of men echoed every now and then.


    The figure hid his face with therge-rimmed hat as he walked past the drunken crowd and half-naked women. Soon, he had left the bustling Red Light District and arrived at another busy part of the Warhaven¡ªa Street of Alcohol.


    The Warhaven''s citizens had a rather blunt way of naming their streets. The Red Light District was on a street called Street of Sex, while the Street of Alcohol was home of bars, inns and taverns.


    The figure stumbled upon one of the bars and entered through the open door.


    Laughter, cheers, and the clinking of sses filled the air. The disgusting stench wafted from every part of the bar, while on one of the corner tables, several people had intimate moments that often escted from ordinary kissing to having their clothes off.


    The figure navigated across the crowded room and then tapped his finger against the bar counter.


    "Nolo, the usual?" The bartender asked the figure, who had be a frequent visitor in his bar.


    Nolo grinned underneath his hat and tipped it in affirmation. While the bartender went to fill arge pint with Nolo''s favorite beer. Nolo gazed around the bar and noticed the familiar faces of regr patrons.


    Soon, loud cheers echoed across the bar. There were several customers standing in front of a board with hundreds of worn-out bounty posters. They were, surprisingly, cheering for their increase in bounties.


    Nolo chuckled and nodded at the bartender, who brought his drink, and after taking a quick sip, he asked. "Who had thergest increase in bounty today?"


    "That man on the corner table." The bartender nudged his chin in the direction of a ck-haired man with a ck leather jacket and a woman on his arm. "He is known as ck Jack. His bounty reached 20,000 silvers today."


    "Not bad." Nolo downed therge pint with ease. He then wiped off the foam from his lips and thanked the bartender. "Thanks. I am also nning to visit the Gates of Freedom tonight."


    "Haha, good luck." The bartender chuckled and epted the silvers before walking over to another impatient-looking customer.


    Nolo tipped his hat to the bartender and began approaching the exit. While walking past drunken customers, he nced towards the notorious ck Jack and saw him kissing a woman while his gang members talked with each other with beers in hand.


    Nolo then straightened his sleeves and walked over to the exit. He then caught a glimpse of the public board with hundreds upon hundreds of bounty posters. The majority were brown-colored, while white-colored bounties were below the more important posters.


    At the center of the public board, there were very few red bounty posters, each one having over a million silvers on their heads.


    As Nolo passed the public board, a brown-coated man walked by him with a brown bounty poster in hand. He went to the public board and tacked it next to other brown bounty posters.


    The bounty poster had a sketched image of a young man with messy hair and lifeless eyes.


    [WANTED]


    [DEAD OR ALIVE]


    [Rank: Brown]


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Reward: 7,500 silvers]

 Chapter 150 Gates of Freedom

    <h4>Chapter 150 Gates of Freedom</h4>


    Screech¡ªthe screeching of wheels echoed from the dark tunnel. The sound continued getting louder and louder until it was deafening, along with a certain scream.


    A minecart, upied by a screaming young man, shot out of the tunnel and careened down the tracks. The wheels then lit up in fire as the brakes kicked in and plunged the speed from over 200 km/h to below 100 in a matter of seconds.


    The minecart then slowly came to a stop, smoke billowing from the screeching wheels.


    "Haah... haaah..." Ambrose covered his mouth and felt like vomiting his lunch. The intense deceleration had taken a toll on his stomach, leaving him queasy and nauseous.


    He stumbled out of the vehicle, grateful to be on solid ground once again.


    "Shit... how far did I travel?" Ambrose opened his interface while leaning against the minecart; otherwise, he would fall down as the dizziness hadn''t disappeared yet.


    He checked the time on the interface and then closed it.


    "Nearly thirty minutes. I had easily crossed over a hundred kilometers." Ambrose touched his bald head and sighed with fear and relief¡ªfear because he was very far from safety and relief that the danger was very far from Yatagarasu, where his little sister was.


    After checking the condition of the minecart to determine whether it was fit to do the return trip, he pulled the lever and it began moving backwards into the tunnel.


    He didn''t have to use the minecart for another thirty minutes trip, or even longer because now it was moving up. He only had to log off and when he logged back in, he would be back in Honorable Zhen''s house.


    After the minecart entered the dark tunnel, he suddenly heard voices echoing from distance. He couldn''t see where they came from as he stood in a twisty-looking alleyway.


    The minecart took him directly to one of Warhaven''s many alleyways. It was quite hidden behind several dozen buildings, but the residents of this evil ce clearly knew about the mine tunnels. There were hundreds of them, spread across the city.


    ''I better hide my face.'' Ambrose took his worn-out ck cloak from the inventory and put it over his beige-colored robe. He then covered his bald head with the hood of the cloak.


    ''Let''s see what kind of ce this is.'' He hid his sheathed ck Sword under his cloak and then began trekking down the twisty alleyways. The alleyways were like a maze, and it was easy to get lost there, but he followed the voices and stepped into one of the many public streets.


    Ambrose lifted his gaze at the second floor of a nearby building. The window was wide open, and there was a woman with her upper body naked, smoking with a cigarette on her lips. She looked at the people on the street, her perky breasts swaying with each puff of smoke.


    ''Jesus...'' He looked away from there with a shake of his head and then began following the street, going wherever it led him.


    A short momentter, he saw the atmosphere of the street shift rapidly. The light from nearby buildings turned from a golden hue to red. Unknowingly, he ventured to the Street of Sex.


    ''What am I seeing?'' Ambrose kept his face hidden, but he couldn''t contain his curiosity and slightly revealed some of his face to catch a glimpse of the ongoings of the street.


    "Hey, young man!" A depraved-sounding voice came from one of the alleyways. Ambrose turned his eyes and saw a naked woman with a disheveled appearance and azy-looking smile. She looked like a drunkard and smelled like one.


    "100 silvers, and I will fulfill your wildest fantasies." Her voice slurred as, in a drunken stupor, she tried to keep standing.


    ''The fuck.'' Ambrose looked away and picked up his pace. He looked around and smelled a heavy stench of depravity. The brothels were in full swing, with each floor overflowing with moans andughter.


    ''Martial Company is bold to add something like this!'' Ambrose thought with a flushed face. ''When news about this ce enters the public''s ears, I wonder how they will react.


    ''I am sure that there will be yersing in search of cheap alcohol and sex. This might be a dream ce for some, but I am sure there is a reason why the Wisdom King called it the City of Evil. This ce cannot only be sex and alcohol.''


    With wandering thoughts, he left the Street of Sex and entered the infamous Street of Alcohol. The smell turned from body odors to alcohol and piss.


    ''Bartenders often have answers for wanderers, don''t they?'' Ambrose thought as he stopped in front of one of the bars and peered inside. The same scene of debauchery unfolded before his eyes. ''At least in movies.''


    The clinking of sses and raucousughter filled the air as he stepped inside the messy bar. He carefully avoided the drunken patrons and walked past the public board without catching a sight of it.


    After reaching the bar counter, he sat down on the stool and curiously looked around with his finger pressed against his cheek.


    "You new?" The bartender asked while wiping down the counter with a rag.


    "What gave it away?" Ambrose curiously asked as he moved his legs forward and sat properly on the stool.


    "That." The bartender replied, gesturing towards his sitting position. "No one sits here normally. Everyone has the tough guy mentality, because if you show weakness, your corpse will be discovered several weekster in one of the alleys."


    "Oh." Ambrose loosened his sitting posture and sat more like a delinquent. "Thanks."


    "Never thank me." The bartender said and poured Ambrose a drink. "Don''t thank anyone here. Next time, they might try to kill you. Here, have a drink; it''s on me."


    Ambrose nodded and looked at the drink, its surface filled with foam. He pressed the ss against his lips and took a small sip before putting the ss back on the counter and acting like he was only looking around.


    However, in reality, he resisted spitting out the drink. This was the first time he drank alcohol, and it tasted like horse piss. The disgusting taste filled every crevice of his mouth, making him want to gag.


    ''I hate this ce already.'' Ambrose thought and turned to the bartender. "What do people do here that doesn''t include visiting brothels or getting shitfaced?"


    The bartender smirked. "Lots of things. You have only scratched the surface if you think Warhaven is only the Street of Sex and Alcohol."


    "Oh, any rmendations?" Ambrose curiously asked while taking another sip of the alcohol. The taste seemed to only get worse.


    "Depends what you prefer, honestly." The bartender then nudged his chin towards the public board. "One of the main attractions of Warhaven includes that public board filled with bounty posters."


    "Huh?" Ambrose looked over his shoulder at the public board. He was stunned to see so many brown-ranked posters. "So, citizens of Warhaven participate in bounty hunting?"


    "Hahaha, no." The bartender grinned. "The higher the bounty and rank, the more prestige you have in the city. The ones with the lowest bounties are servants, and the ones with the highest are kings.


    "That''s why many try to increase their bounties so they won''t be stepped over."


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock. "They intentionally try to increase their bounties?"


    "Haha, yes." The bartender smirked. "I, myself, have a brown-ranked bounty of 24,500 silvers."


    "Is that good or bad?" Ambrose asked, bewildered.


    "Decent enough." The bartender shrugged his shoulders. "That bounty at least ensures that I won''t get robbed. The brown-ranked bounty poster also helps."


    "The difference in ranks has a big difference?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yeah, vast." The bartender hung the wet rag over the edge of the bar. "White-ranked are the servants and whores of this ce.


    "The brown-ranked are soldiers, and the red-ranked are the kings and queens of Warhaven."


    "I see..." Ambrose nodded and then frowned. "Soldiers? What is their purpose in Warhaven?"


    "Heh." The bartender smirked. "Their duty is to be on the front lines, fighting against the enemies of Warhaven¡ªSanctorioum of the Inquisitorious."


    "Inquisitors?!" Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock. "They are in here?"


    "Not exactly." The bartender said. "When you leave the bar, look to the south. You will seerge gates. They are the so-called Gates of Freedom. It leads outside this ce, but outside awaits an army from Sanctorioum of the Inquisitorious.


    "Most of them are disciples of the Inquisitors, but they are still incredibly strong.


    "That is also the only ce where you can prove your worth and increase your bounty. Thus, death is also very frequent there, and the survival rate is low."


    "Unbelievable..." Ambrose left the alcohol behind and ran out of the bar. He then turned towards the south, and just like the bartender said, there wererge gates that even reached the ceiling.


    ''Inquisitors!''

 Chapter 151 Valuable Lesson

    <h4>Chapter 151 Valuable Lesson</h4>


    The Gates of Freedom loomed in the distance.


    They were like the gates to the heavenly kingdom, and for some, they were exactly that.


    That was their exit to the outside world and to their freedom.


    While there were many who enjoyed the Underground City, there were also many who wanted to taste the delicious feeling of freedom.


    Everyone who had been sent to Warhaven were criminals who were too dangerous to be left alone in the outside world.


    Ambrose didn''t know this, but if the Inquisitors had captured him, they would have thrown him inside the Warhaven.


    "..." Ambrose had found a seat inside the bar near the window. With thoughts racing through his head, he turned to face the Gates of Freedom.


    ''To think there is a battlefield and no one knows about it except Warhaven and the Inquisitors.


    ''That would definitely be the best ce to acquire experience points...


    ''However, would I really want to increase my bounty?'' Ambrose was conflicted. ''My bounty might disappear within a month, and when I leave the Dojo Temple, I wouldn''t need to look over my shoulder anymore.


    ''However, I don''t know how long I will stay in the Dojo Temple, and when my bounty disappears, wouldn''t I be lower ranked than white-ranked?


    ''If they were already servants, what would I be? A doormat or something...'' Ambrose bit his finger and pondered the possibilities. ''The best choice would be to enter the battlefield, gain experience points, and ensure that my bounty gets increased.


    ''As long as I don''t get a red bounty, my bounty would still disappear within time. I already dug this hole deep enough; I might as well keep going.''


    Ambrose then sighed and looked away from the Gates of Freedom. He had made his decision. If his bounty didn''t increase, then it would disappear at least in a month and, in the worst case scenario, in a year. Therefore, he wanted to increase it at least a little bit.


    ''Tomorrow, I will enter that battlefield.'' Ambrose stood up and walked over to the exit. But then he noticed the public board and went to check it out.


    He was surprised that there were so many brown bounty posters and very few red bounty posters. There were also white ones, but they were hidden under other bounty as if they were garbage that didn''t deserve to be shown.


    ''Those red bounties are crazy high!'' Ambrose thought with shock as he saw one of them.


    [WANTED]


    [ONLY DEAD]


    [Rank: Red]


    [Name: Cadogan "The yer of Moon" Duskless]


    [Reward: 1,799,565 silvers]


    ''That is insane.'' Ambrose inhaled a cold breath. ''Only dead, huh? Nearly two million bounty. With a quick calction, that is around 180k crowns. I would be able to live a life of luxury for several years with that much money.''


    "Hey, you!" An arm suddenly appeared around his shoulders as a man with drunken breath appeared next to him with a flushed face. "Are you... white or brown? Nah, you are white... A baby-faced weakling like you is definitely white..."


    "I am brown-ranked." Ambrose said and pped his arm away.


    "Hah..." The drunken man grinned. "I don''t believe you..."


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and turned to the public board. He looked around, and soon his eyes widened in a surprise. He tore the bounty from the board and showed it to the drunken man.


    "Hmm, Ambrose and 7,500 silvers..." The drunken man looked at the resemnce between the sketched image and the young man. He then smirked. "Only 7,500 silvers. A weakling, good!"


    "Huh?" Ambrose frowned.


    At the bar counter, the bartender sighed and facepalmed. ''Never show your bounty if you are not certain that you have more than the person opposite you.


    ''If your bounty is lower, then you will be a target. They always try to taunt and trick you into showing your bounty, but if you don''t, they won''t attack if they are not sure your bounty is lower.


    ''That is the way of Warhaven!''


    The drunken man reeled in his fist with a crazed look and massive grin. He threw a powerful straight punch.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose crossed his arms, but his bones rattled as the punch broke his block. He stumbled back, feeling the force of the blow.


    "Hehe!" The drunken man lunged forward and threw several quick jabs, each striking Ambrose''s block like a rain of sledgehammers.


    Smack, smack, smack!


    The drunken patronsughed and enjoyed the fight while downing the alcohol.


    The bartender sighed and looked away, as he was certain how the fight would end.


    "Shit!" Ambrose crashed into a nearby table and had the alcohol spill over his cloak. His hood slipped off his head, revealing his bald head and the rest of his face.


    The punches then rained on him relentlessly, leaving him bruised and bloodied. His health began to plummet rapidly, and he struggled to maintain consciousness.


    At that moment, a cloaked figure arrived at the entrance and saw the two people fighting in front of him, blocking him from walking further. As soon as he appeared, the bar patrons turned quiet.


    "Hahaha, punch, punch, punch!" The drunken man hadn''t noticed him yet and continued relentlessly punching the bruised young man in the face.


    "Ugh..." Ambrose groaned in pain as he tried to shield himself from the blows. He then moved his hand down, moved the cloak out of the way, and grabbed the hilt of his sword.


    Thousands of times he practiced the drawing of a sword shing across his mind, and right now, it felt like second nature. He slowly unsheathed the sword from the scabbard, and once the ck de appeared, he could feel the power coursing through his veins.


    "Punch Meteors!" The drunken man grinned and hammered his fists down.


    As one of the punchesnded on his cheek, Ambrose''s mind turned nk, and he shed out with the ck de, cutting through an arm with deadly precision. The blood spewed andnded on his pale face.


    The drunken man''s smile faded, reced by a look of shock and pain. "Ahhhhhhhh!"


    "Piss off!" Ambrose screamed and shed through the man''s head. The man''s body fell to the ground, lifeless and motionless.


    [You killed a Brown-ranked Criminal!]


    [600 XP Earned!]


    "Hey..."


    He then heard a deep voice, and Ambrose slowly turned to look at the towering man. He was stunned as the cloaked figure seemed three meters tall and had a powerful presence.


    "You are in the way..." The gigantic man clenched his fist and smashed it through Ambrose''s face. The skull shattered, and the blood sttered everywhere. "Insect!"


    ...


    [You are dead!]


    [Do you want to revive?]


    [Yes/No]


    ''Unbelievable!'' Ambrose thought as he floated in the dark expanse of space. He had a bad feeling that he had lost something valuable, as he wasn''t carrying much.


    Thus, he pressed yes and soon reappeared in Honorable Zhen''s cottage.


    When he opened his eyes, he saw the ck Sword in his hand, but he was only wearing a beige-colored robe. He then checked the inventory and came to one conclusion.


    He lost his worn-out ck cloak, which he had received from Crow Cave!


    "Damn..." That made him slightly sad, as it had been with him for quite some time now. ''I still have that red cloak I received from one of the Death de members, but it still saddens me.''


    ''I didn''t expect to get attacked just by telling my bounty. I suppose they threaten bounties as measurements of strength?'' Ambrose rubbed his chin, feeling like he had learned much more. ''Well, I only lost the ck cloak, 100 silvers, and half of my XP.


    ''It was a valuable lesson, which I will take to? heart. I will be much more careful when I am there next time.''

 Chapter 152 The Secret of Warhaven

    <h4>Chapter 152 The Secret of Warhaven</h4>


    At dawn, a world-wide announcement appeared in the sky.


    [WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT: The Minotaur has been defeated - Rewards will be calcted and given tomorrow night!]


    Smash, smash¡ªa young man smashed his wooden training sword at the wooden pole. Then he took a drink from his canteen and looked up at the announcement in the sky.


    ''It took them to defeat the Minotaur as much time as it took us to defeat Karma.'' Ambrose thought and put the water canteen on the ground beside him before continuing to hack the training sword at the wooden pole.


    Tap, tap¡ªthe Wisdom King walked into the backyard and took a seat. He watched Ambrose with a thoughtful look before asking, "Young one, how was the Warhaven?"


    "It was an experience." Ambrose replied and then spun the wooden sword around him before smashing it into the wooden pole''s "head."


    "I happened to die."


    "That was to be expected." The Wisdom King said with a twitching nose. "I would never send any of my disciples there. However, I am aware of the yer''s ability to resurrect."


    "That ce wasn''t what I expected." Ambrose said with a sigh. He then moved the wooden sword behind his back and spun it around like a master before lifted it over his shoulder and smashed into the wooden pole.


    "Calm yourself. Don''t use any fancy moves while you are training since they won''t make you any better." The Wisdom King reminded him before asking. "Will you go there tonight?"


    "I will." Ambrose said and then continued shing the wooden pole. "Heard about the Gates of Freedom, grandmaster?"


    "I have." The old grandmaster nodded. "It''s an ancient battlefield where Inquisitors send their disciples and sometimes White Inquisitors to fight and kill the criminals from Warhaven."


    "Only disciples and White Inquisitors?" Ambrose then began hopping on the ground, trying to train the footwork he saw in one of the ForeverTube videos.


    "Sometimes Brown inquisitors, and rarely Red Inquisitors." The Wisdom King said. "Red Inquisitors only enter the battlefield if any of the red-ranked enemies are present."


    "I see..." Ambrose furrowed his brows and then began moving around the wooden pole while delivering swift strikes at its torso.


    "I have heard about the hierarchy in Warhaven. The high bounties are highly respected there." The Wisdom King rubbed his wrinkly chin and asked. "I know that the Inquisitors were after you. They are only after those with bounties.


    "What ranked bounty do you have?"


    Ambrose hesitated for a moment before answering. "Brown."


    "Mm." The Wisdom King softly nodded. "If you had white, I would have regretted sending you there. You might be forced into very there, but with Brown, you should be fine. Still, you have to be very careful.


    "The most fights happen between brown-ranked individuals. What is your n for tonight?"


    "I n on visiting that battlefield." Ambrose grabbed the wooden sword with both hands before smashing it into the "leg" of the wooden pole before delivering a quick chop into its "head."


    "You n on increasing your bounty?" The Wisdom King asked. "That is not the worst idea. The higher your bounty, the more respected you will be."


    "Yes, and I believe that fighting those Inquisitor Disciples will increase my strength!"


    "Mm." The Wisdom King nodded and then waved his hand. "Stop the training."


    "Hmm?" Ambrose lowered the wooden sword and turned to his grandmaster. The wooden pole had scratches across its torso as a result of the tireless training.


    "What is it, grandmaster?" He asked while wiping off the sweat from his brows.


    The Wisdom King stood up and moved his arms behind his back. He pushed his chest forward and suddenly stood upright, like an old war veteran who had seen it all. He then slid the robe off his shoulders, revealing a lean, muscr physique beneath.


    Slightly faded scars crisscrossed across his chest and arms. There were small and almost non-existent scars, but at the center of his chest, there was arge X-marked scar that seemed to tell a story of a hard-fought battle that almost ended in death.


    That was the only scar that didn''t seem to fade, no matter how much time had passed.


    "Who caused this wound on you?" Ambrose asked without thinking.


    "A person from the past." The Wisdom King said. He still felt the scar sting painfully during the night. He then covered his scars with the robe. "I once fought on that battlefield. Most of these scars came from there."


    "Why did you fight there?" Ambrose looked surprised.


    "I was once an Inquisitor." The Wisdom King chuckled and saw his disciple''s face morph into shock. "That was a very long time ago. I have no love for Inquisitors. They act like they are holy men, doing the will of the gods, but in reality, they are driven by their own greed and desire for control.


    "I stayed there and eventually became Red Inquisitor." As he reminisced about the times, the X-marked scar on his chest turned very painful. He touched his burning chest and took a deep breath. "My journey with them eventually ended when I became too injured to keep fighting.


    "They tossed me away like I was garbage. I had killed thousands of Warhaven criminals by then, but a single loss made them abandon me." He then closed his eyes and felt the cold sweat beads drip across his pale face. "However, that experience made me realize something.


    "If anyone manages to escape from Warhaven, they will cause destruction and ruin the lives of the innocent people. Especially, "those" people are never allowed to leave Warhaven!"


    "You mean red-ranked criminals?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yes, those, but there are even more dangerous ones." The Wisdom King looked at the bright sun. "Above red-ranked, there is another rank that has been hidden by the public.


    "If their existence finds a way to the light, panic would ensue, and no one would feel safe anymore."


    "Who?" Ambrose asked, trembling evident in his voice.


    "In the whole world, there are only three people with that rank¡ªck!"


    "B-ck?" Ambrose''s eyes widened. "There is also ck rank?"


    "Yes..." The Wisdom King covered his frightful face. "Only three had ever acquired that rank.


    "They are also known as the enemies of the world!


    "Their power is unparalleled, and their motives are shrouded in darkness."


    "They are... in Warhaven?" Ambrose asked with a dry gulp.


    The Wisdom King looked at the young man before sadly smiling. "This is the worst part. Sanctorioum of Inquisitorious aren''t strong enough to keep them inside Warhaven.


    "Thus, they are somewhere in the outside world!


    "From what I know, the one who caused this scar on my chest is the real King of the Warhaven. Only red-ranked criminals and the Sanctorioum of the Inquisitorious are aware of his existence.


    "Most people think that the red-ranked criminals are the pinnacle of their hierarchy.


    "That is wrong!


    "When that person moves, the mountains stand aside and the world quakes under his heavy steps!"


    Ambrose instinctively dropped his training sword. Itnded on the ground as if it had given up.


    "I needed you to know this." The Wisdom King looked into his dull eyes. "If you n to go to Warhaven, you have to know the dangers that lie behind the veil of shadows!"

 Chapter 153 The Battlefield

    <h4>Chapter 153 The Battlefield</h4>


    "..." Ambrose sat on a bench and stared out towards the ancient door. The vigers minded their own business as they walked by. A few children threw nces in his direction, as they hadn''t seen an outsider before and were curious.


    However, their mothers led them away. They didn''t want their children to get too close to an outsider, even if he was frequent visitor of their grandmaster.


    ''ck-ranked criminals. Huh, I never expected there to be such dangerous individuals just roaming around. I wonder how high their bounty is.


    ''That one red bounty I saw already had an astonishing bounty, but I feel like ck bounties will throw me off my feet!''


    Ambrose felt curiosity rising inside him and kind of wanted to see those bounties and the reward.


    However, if the rank itself was hidden from the public, he wondered if even those bounty posters existed.


    ''One thing is clear: I have to stay away from red-ranked criminals. I doubt I will ever meet someone ck-ranked, but being careful doesn''t hurt.


    ''The giant yesterday was most likely only brown-ranked, and he killed me by a single blow, even if I was already injured and had low HP.


    ''Ah right, I am tired of saying brown-ranked criminal, as I also have that rank, but I don''t think of myself as a criminal.'' Ambrose tapped his chin. ''What should I call the people with bounties?''


    ''Brown-ranked pirate... no.


    ''Brown-ranked felon... no.


    ''Hmm, perhaps a Brown-ranked Ouw? It''s not that different from criminal, but I like the sound of that more.'' Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and then gazed out towards the ancient door, lost in thought.


    He had finished his swordsmanship training for today and was free to go to Warhaven. He still felt hesitant.


    ''Hmm, this is a risk-reward situation. My mind tells me not to go, but my body says otherwise. I should listen to my gut instinct and trust my own judgment.


    ''I will go.''


    Ambrose stood up and rummaged through his pockets until he grabbed the brass key. He then walked over to the ancient door and opened it with the key.


    As he entered the darkness, the door automatically shut down, and then instantly thenterns lit up the small cave.


    After reaching the end of the cave, the old minecart awaited him.


    "Oh, it''s still intact." Ambrose tossed the brass key into his inventory and looked at the minecart.


    He didn''t expect the minecart to make the return trip, as it looked to be at breaking point.


    As he climbed on the minecart, he flicked the lever and felt the minecart slowly gain speed. He clenched his fists as he braced himself for another dangerous trip.


    ...


    "Chargeee!"


    "Kill those fucking wet-eared bastards!"


    The blood sttered, and screams followed on a messy battlefield.


    The swords smashed into shields, weapons shed, and bodies fell to the ground.


    The air was thick with the stench of blood and the deafening sounds of war. The corpses were piled like mountains on the nearby hills, and the middle of those corpse mountains was used as the battlefield.


    A towering ck castle stood proudly in the distance. Its tall fortress walls surrounded the battlefield, ensuring that no one would be able to escape.


    This ck castle was the Sanctorioum of the Inquisitorious.


    Screaming men and women continued swarming from the mountain entrance. It was also the entrance to Warhaven, with the Gate of Freedom slightly further back.


    "Die beneath my massive hammer!" A muscle-toned man spun hisrge hammer around, killing everyone around him. He was a brown-ranked Ouw with a bounty of 11,450 silvers!


    The skulls shattered around him, and then he raised the hammer high and smashed it down to the ground. The shockwave swept the legs off of nearby Inquisitor disciples, and he used that as an opportunity to finish them off.


    With a triumphant roar, he smashed the side of his fist against his well-toned chest.


    At the top of one of the fortress walls, a White Inquisitor lowered his binocrs and told the disciple next to him. "Increase the bounty of that man."


    "Roger." The disciple wrote it down and memorized the person''s features. He then looked at the numerous bounty posters in his possession to see if any of them had any resemnce.


    Luckily, one had, so he didn''t have to go check the bounty gallery for the rest of the night.


    "Tunk "The Hammer" Jacobson." The disciple said the name aloud and then the bounty. "Bounty of 11,450 silvers."


    "Hmm, increase it to 12,000 silvers." The White Inquisitor said. "Then spread the word among disciples to target that person if he returns to the battlefield. Whoever kills him can have a shot in the Inquisitorious Test."


    "Yes, sir." The disciple said with a tone of envy.


    It had been his dream to try the Inquisitorious Test. The one whopleted the test with perfect marks would be the White Inquisitor. However, he had never gotten the chance.


    ''One day...'' The disciple narrowed his eyes as he looked over to the battlefield. ''Tomorrow is my turn to enter the battlefield. I will kill those scumbags and show them what I am capable of!''


    ...


    At the Gates of Freedom.


    Creak¡ªthe gate opened with a loud creak, allowing a new group to enter the battlefield. They didn''t want to overflow the battlefield with too many people; otherwise, it would be aplete mess.


    Therefore, the gate would open every thirty minutes.


    After the gate opened, hundreds of wounded men and women limped away from the battlefield with blood dripping down their clothes. Then there were a powerful-looking individuals who shoved the injured ones to the side as they exited through the gates, returning to Warhaven.


    The new group of Ouws watched as they left, and when the injured ones also exited, they entered through the open gate and followed a dark tunnel that was getting brighter further they walked.


    The smell of blood and decay became very prominent.


    As the gates were slowly closing again, a hooded figure donning a red cloak sprinted through the open gate and followed after the group of Ouws, who were walking either towards their deaths or glory.


    ''This is it...'' Ambrose thought beneath the red hood. Since he lost his Crow Cloak, he had to use the red one. He didn''t like the color of it, but he didn''t have anything else to hide his features.


    With his hand on the hilt of his ck de, he stepped out into the dimming light. He covered his eyes until it was easier to see.


    He looked over at the orange sky that had no clouds and saw the sun slowly hiding behind the hill of corpses as night was arriving.


    But then screams entered his ears like a loud bell.


    He focused on the battlefield and saw people dying with each passing second.


    ''Let''s try not to die on the first try, alright?'' Ambrose drew his ck-ded sword and let out a deafening scream as he charged into the chaos.


    The ck de cut apart the air and mmed into the shield of one of the disciples. The disciple gritted his teeth and stabbed his sword forward with a maddening cry. His eyes were bloodshot, and his clothes were covered in dirt and blood.


    He fought with unyielding determination, refusing to let his injuries hinder him. He looked like he had suffered a lot today.


    Ambrose flicked his wrist and masterfully deflected the sword from reaching him. He then remembered his training from today¡ªa sh to the leg, then to the head before finishing it off with overhead chop.


    As he only used his right hand to wield the sword, he suddenly shed towards the ground, but the disciple soon saw that his opponent''s target was his legs. He quickly smashed his ordinary-looking sword into the ck de, sessfully blocking it.


    As he heaved a sigh of relief, Ambrose suddenly lifted his sword and shed towards his exposed neck.


    With barely any time to spare, the disciple ced the shield between his neck and the ck de. If he were a millisecond slower, his head would''ve been separated from his torso.


    The disciple contemted the counter-attack move that would finish off his opponent, but the weight suddenly left his shield as the ck de moved over towards the red-cloaked young man.


    Ambrose screamed and made an overhead sh. The disciple, in a hurry, ced the shield above his head, but it was battle-marred with cracks on the wooden parts.


    Thus, the ck de cut through the shield and the disciple''s head.


    ''Whoo...'' Ambrose took a deep breath as his first victim fell in front of him. He didn''t have time to pick up the dropped items or silvers, as the chaotic battlefield didn''t allow any distractions.


    Thus, he charged forward to find another target.

 Chapter 154 The Power of White Inquisitor

    <h4>Chapter 154 The Power of White Inquisitor</h4>


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 37 -> 38]


    "..." Ambrose silently removed his ck de from the corpse of another unfortunate disciple.


    He wiped the blood off his de with his sleeve and looked around the messy battlefield.


    ''It''s hard to fight here without getting backstabbed by either a disciple or an ouw. I would be stupid to believe that Ouws are allies with each other.


    ''They only see blood filling their veins, not loyalty or camaraderie.


    ''That is fine for me. More people for me to kill.''


    At that moment, a thunderous roar came from the battlefield as a bloodied man tackled everyone on his path with hisrge shield. He wore a white robe with a white top hat. He was the White Inquisitor!


    ''Huh, the White Inquisitor finally entered the battlefield.'' Ambrose narrowed his eyes and tightened the grip around his sword.


    The White Inquisitor screamed and smashed his shield into the skull of a nearby ouw, shattering the skull into fragments. He then got jumped by several brown-ranked ouws, whounched various attacks.


    Despite being outnumbered, the White Inquisitor skillfully parried the attacks with hisrge shield. He thenunched forward and pulled out his gleaming sword, cutting off the heads of all the nearby ouws.


    The ouws suffered catastrophic losses as they were overpowered by the White Inquisitor.


    The public and most of the world had the wrong idea about the rankings of the bounties and Inquisitors. While the Inquisitors were ranked by strength, the rank of the bounties was determined by the severity of the crime.


    Thus, the strength difference between the same ranks among ouws varied crazily. The only way to determine a person''s strength was by the amount of bounty they had on their heads.


    The White Inquisitors were powerful enough to kill brown-ranked ouws below 30,000 silvers. The Brown Inquisitors hunted down the ouws with higher bounties than that.


    The White-ranked ouws were people with bounties often below 10,000 silvers, but most of them were weak and easy to apprehend. Even ordinary guards would be able to, so they rarely even chased after them.


    Still, the Inquisitors were bounty hunters, even though no one called them that except some people who didn''t like them. Whenever there were white-ranked ouws nearby, they would capture them for easy money.


    However, they wouldn''t chase after them for long distances.


    That''s why most Inquisitors focused on brown-ranked ouws. The reason was not only higher bounties but also the chance to prove their strength and worth.


    All Inquisitors wanted to get promoted and get a higher paycheck.


    "Nngh!" The White Inquisitor let out a grunt.


    Five different ouws suddenly attacked the White Inquisitor. They were smashing their weapons at the sturdy shield but didn''t manage to break the defense.


    "Pesky pets!" The White Inquisitor straightened his knees. He towered over the ouws easily as his height neared three meters. He then lifted his heavy-looking sword and smashed it through the ouws.


    The bones were crushed, and the organs exploded with the impact.


    No one would be able to survive such an attack.


    Stab¡ªa spear suddenly impaled through his waist.


    "Ngh!" He gasped in pain and looked over his shoulder at the grinning ouw. He scoffed loudly and grabbed the head of the ouw before crushing it with his bare hands.


    The White Inquisitor then pulled the spear off his body and threw it across the battlefield. The spear flew over the fighting disciples and ouws until it impaled itself into the skull of a screaming ouw.


    "Nngh." He looked down at his bleeding wound and covered it with hisrge palm. ''A moment of distraction. I have to focus more on training so this doesn''t happen again!''


    As he grabbed his shield and sword from the ground, he noticed a red-cloaked figure walking towards him. Hepletely ignored the ouws and disciples who fought around him.


    It was as if his focus was only on the White Inquisitor.


    "Hmph, ptui!" The White Inquisitor spat on the corpse of the ouw he had killed and then walked towards the red-cloaked figure.


    Ambrose stepped over a corpse and then kicked off the ground as he darted forward.


    The White Inquisitor narrowed his eyes and protected hisrge body with the shield. There weren''t any openings for Ambrose to exploit.


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose lifted his sword and smashed it into the shield.


    Shockingly, the winner of the battle of strength was the White Inquisitor. He didn''t budge even a centimeter.


    ''Not bad.'' Ambrose thought and then suddenly started hopping around like a boxer as he began using the footwork he had been practicing.


    He hopped to the left, and the White Inquisitor followed, but then he quickly switched to the right side and circled past the shield.


    "?" The White Inquisitor followed the red-cloaked man with his eyes, but his left side was now open for attacks as he wouldn''t be able to move his shield in time to defend.


    "High Pain!" Ambrose speared the sword forward, and it was about tond on the waist of the Inquisitor, but suddenly a longsword came swinging towards him from the right side.


    It forced Ambrose to shift his focus elsewhere and to step backward; otherwise, his head would have been removed from his body.


    ''Shit, he reacted faster than I imagined.'' Ambrose thought as he looked down at the White Inquisitor''s longsword.


    The White Inquisitor narrowed his eyes and covered his body with the shield again. Without a moment of hesitation, he tackled forward.


    Ambrose smashed his sword at the shield, but his legs slid across the muddy ground as the tackle continued pushing him further back. Eventually, the tackle stopped, but not before it had pushed him five meters back.


    "Hmph!" The White Inquisitor lowered his shield and suddenly stabbed his sword forward from behind the shield. The attack was aplete surprise.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened, but he quickly reacted and bent his knees enough for the sword to impale the air above him. However, it managed to stab through his hood, removing it from his head.


    The bald head and his pale, sickly face came into view.


    "..." The White Inquisitor didn''t speak a word as he reeled in his sword before delivering another round of hard strikes.


    Ambrose quickly used the boxer''s footwork as he weaved through the attacks. His heart pounded in anxiousness as several of the attacks grazed his cheeks. He was very close to dying.


    Suddenly, a loud scream came from the side as the brown-ranked ouw leaped across the air with a sword in hand.


    He attacked the White Inquisitor, who only gazed at him before stabbing his sword through the ouw''s face.


    The ouw turned limp and slid off the de with a hole in his face. His blood painted a gruesome scene around his corpse.


    "Humanoid Imperfecta!"


    A shallow scratch appeared on the White Inquisitor''s cheek. He touched his bleeding cheek and then looked at the red-cloaked figure with a scoff.


    "You missed."


    "Did I?" Ambrose smiled.


    ...


    On top of the fortress walls.


    A White Inquisitor with a bushy beard looked at the battle with his binocrs. "Hmm, who is the red-cloaked man?"


    The disciple browsed through the bounty posters in his possession and shook his head. "I don''t have his bounty."


    "Then go look for it." The White Inquisitormanded. "I haven''t seen this one before, and he is fighting surprisingly well."


    "Yes, sir!" The disciple then left with a heavy look. His shift would have ended in twenty minutes; now he most likely had to browse through the gallery for several hours until he found the correct bounty.

 Chapter 155 Ambrose鈥檚 Threat

    <h4>Chapter 155 Ambrose''s Threat</h4>


    "Ugh, what is this sorcery?" The White Inquisitor suddenly felt weak and light-headed.


    The sword and shield in his hands suddenly felt heavy as lead.


    "Humanoid Imperfecta¡ªa curse I was born with." Ambrose moved the sword to a swinging stance. "Of course a person who had been healthy all their life wouldn''t understand."


    "Ngh, this doesn''t stop me from delivering justice!" He let out a deafening roar and lunged forward, the sword dragging behind him.


    The arm swelled as if it were about to explode as he swung the sword upward towards the sky.


    "Basic Parry!" Ambrose blocked the sword but soon noticed that he was losing in the battle of strength. Therefore, he couldn''t parry the sword.


    Even with the curse, the White Inquisitor managed to push Ambrose backwards.


    Ambrose stumbled backward with a stunned expression.


    "Rah!" The White Inquisitor lunged forward with the shield raised. Like a raging bull, he tackled Ambrose to the ground.


    Ambrose coughed the air out of his lungs and then saw a sword thrusting towards his head. He quickly rolled to the side to narrowly avoid the fatal blow.


    The White Inquisitor pulled the sword from the ground and smashed it to the ground beside him. However, the slippery, red-cloaked young man avoided that too.


    Ambrose swiftly jumped to his feet and backed away from the rageful Inquisitor.


    "You can''t escape!" The White Inquisitor roared and delivered powerful, hard shes. The de narrowly missed the head of his target, but he then struck the sword down and grazed Ambrose''s shoulder.


    "Tsk." Ambrose clicked his tongue and then saw the sword chasing after him. The relentless attacks had no end as the White Inquisitor chased after him like a bloodthirsty dog.


    ''There is still time before the curse is gone, but I can''t do anything with this pressure!''


    The White Inquisitor blocked the ck de with the shield and then tackled Ambrose''s shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground. He, however, quickly stood up with blood dripping down the corner of his lip.


    Swoosh¡ªthe white-robed Inquisitor lifted his sword and chopped it down, but Ambrose narrowly avoided it by hopping to the left.


    Ambrose again started using his boxer''s footwork and quickly avoided the sword strikes as he approached the white-robed man.


    With the ck de, he delivered a powerful attack on therge shield. Yet the White Inquisitor looked unfazed.


    That was as expected.


    Ambrose had no reaction and remembered a certain teaching of his grandmaster.


    ''There is no such thing as perfect defense. Only a perfect offense. Find that small weakness and exploit it.''


    ''Because of Humanoid Imperfecta, his speed is greatly impaired. His movement speed wasn''t anything special before and now it should be even slower.''


    Hop, hop¡ªAmbrose suddenly started hopping and quickly side-jumped to the left, but the White Inquisitor followed him with ease, closing the distance between them.


    However, then Ambrose did a quick side jump to the right, but the White Inquisitor expected that and blocked the advancement as he had already tried that before.


    A small smile crept up on the White Inquisitor''s lips as he realized he had outsmarted his opponent.


    Yet Ambrose looked calm andposed.


    Ssh¡ªThe White Inquisitor stepped on top of a pond of blood that had yet to dry. He didn''t notice that as he drove his sword forward to end the life of his opponent.


    "Watch out when you fall; Humanoid Imperfecta is a bitch." Ambrose raised his leg and smashed it into the shield.


    The White Inquisitor effortlessly blocked the kick and was about to scoff, but then he suddenly felt his bnce slip away.


    After the kicknded on his shield, his footing slipped because of the slippery surface, causing him to fall down.


    However, as the White Inquisitor neared the ground, he was preparing to jump right back. He had fallen thousands of times during his fighting and knew the most efficient way to stand up.


    Staying down on the battlefield was equal to death.


    As his back crashed into the ground, he immediately tucked his knees to his chest and nned to use the momentum to roll backward.


    But, at that moment, a sudden, sharp pain shot through his body as if he hadnded on top of ground made of sharp des.


    He realized something was terribly wrong.


    "Ah, argh!" The White Inquisitor''s painful roar sent chills through the disciples spines as they heard their superior''s cry.


    The fall severed the White Inquisitor''s spinal cord. Hey motionless on the ground, unable to move or feel anything from the neck down. Yet the pain was very vivid.


    Ambrose walked over to him and knelt down, his expression grim and sympathetic. He imagined himself in the White Inquisitor''s shoes.


    That could also be his fate.


    "I''ll remove you from your misery." Ambrose lifted the sword, and as the White Inquisitor''s eyes widened in shock, he shed it down, swiftly ending his life.


    [You killed a White Inquisitor!]


    [1000 XP Earned!]


    ...


    On top of the fortress walls, the bushy-bearded White Inquisitor lowered his binocrs and sighed before drawing a cross on his chest.


    "Rest well in the afterlife." He then looked towards the red-cloaked figure and narrowed his eyes. "That was very strange. I wonder what happened to cause such a painful reaction."


    The White Inquisitors were rarely friends. They fought against each other for promotions. In such apetitive environment, there was no time for friendships.


    Thus, he was rather satisfied to see one of his potential rivals die on the battlefield. He was still very curious about how that happened.


    The red-cloaked figure seemed to slowly lose, but then, in a sudden twist of events, he won in the strangest manner possible.


    Tap, tap¡ªhurried footsteps came from the stairs of one of the towers as the panting disciple soon returned with a brown bounty poster.


    "I-I found his bounty poster!" The disciple said while panting. He was rather lucky that he searched the new bounty posters first.


    Since neither of them had ever heard about the red-cloaked figure, he expected him to be a new ouw. It took him several minutes to find the resemnce between the sketched image and the red-cloaked figure.


    However, he was certain that it was his.


    "T-the sketched image definitely has hair, but he must''ve cut his hair recently to look different!" He then handed the brown bounty poster over to his superior.


    The White Inquisitor curiously looked at the sketched image and then used binocrs to watch the red-cloaked figure. There was a small resemnce, but enough to convince himself that it was the correct person.


    "Hmm, Ambrose..." The White Inquisitor frowned as he swore he had heard this name. "Isn''t this the person that escaped Amaterasu''s prison?"


    "I did read it from reports. It is him!" The disciple confirmed.


    "Oh, I heard that Sir Lowa and several of my colleagues went after him. I heard that he got away. To think that he willingly came to Warhaven.


    "Well, this ce is perfect for garbage like him."


    "What happened to the fight?" The disciple asked, as he couldn''t find the muscr White Inquisitor anywhere.


    "Ambrose won." The White Inquisitor said.


    "W-what?!" The disciple looked shocked. The White Inquisitors had trained for decades to prove their worth on the battlefield, and yet, one of them had now died to an ouw worth merely 7,500 silvers.


    "I suppose we need to increase his bounty. This Ambrose has some strange abilities at his disposal." The White Inquisitor frowned and looked at the disciple. "What do you think his bounty should be?"


    "Y-you are asking me?" The disciple looked surprised and thrilled. This meant that this was one of the tests that would decide whether he was worthy of trying out the Inquisitorious Test.


    "Yes." The White Inquisitor replied.


    "Well, he killed Sir Nuwu, who is very skilled inbat. However, he was already injured and might''ve been taken by surprise, but if what you said was true and Ambrose has some strange abilities that helped him kill him...


    "He could be a very dangerous individual on the battlefield if any of the disciples encounter him there."


    "Yes. So, what do you think his bounty should be?"


    The disciple took a deep breath and said. "His bounty should definitely be..."

 Chapter 156 The Error Message

    <h4>Chapter 156 The Error Message</h4>


    "Ngh." Jesse removed the headset and ced it beside him as he sat up. He felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him, but it was only mentally, as the day had been very long.


    After killing the White Inquisitor, he tried to find others to kill, but ended up in a slightly bad situation that forced him to leave the battlefield. He didn''t want to risk dying because he could lose something valuable.


    Before logging out, he assigned ten stats to Vitality. His Vitality stat was now at thirty. He dropped the idea of focusing on Charm for now, as he really wanted to see what would happen when Vitality reached 100.


    "Ngh, do I really have to train for meditation now too?" Jesse groaned in annoyance. He was slightly overwhelmed by the amount of stuff he had to do every day.


    However, he didn''t want toze around either. There mighte a time when he would be in a bad situation and if theck of training caused that, he would have wished to have time-traveling machine to punch some sense into his younger self.


    Therefore, he swore to not get into that kind of situation.


    "Ugh, first bathroom!" Jesse rushed to the bathroom, and once he finished relieving himself, he quickly washed his hands and ran back to the room.


    His stomach rumbled, but he knew that while in meditation, he wouldn''t feel that hunger.


    After sitting on his bed, he sat cross-legged and closed his eyes, ready to begin his meditation practice.


    The world froze altogether.


    As he imagined the appearance of the ck, tall metal gate, something strange happened.


    The gate began to slowly materialize in front of him, shimmering with an otherworldly glow.


    ''I-It''s manifesting!'' Jesse thought with amazement and happiness, but then the world poured cold water on him as the gate faded away like it had been erased.


    ''Nooo!'' Jesse groaned in disappointment as his hopes were crushed. ''So close... I don''t even know how I managed to manifest it!''


    With a renewed determination, he tried to manifest for another few hours. Unfortunately, the gate never appeared again, as if it had hidden inside his boundless mind.


    After the time to end his training came, Jesse left the world of souls and went to eat ate dinner.


    ...


    At the Martial Company, after midnight.


    "The calctions had been finished!"


    "Rewards will be given to participants at 7 p.m."


    The sleepy-looking workers finished their work for today. They had to work extra hard today because of the World Quest. They were now relieved that it was finally done and they would be able to return to their homes.


    Graham stood in his office, looking through the one-way mirror that showed the tired workers celebrating their aplishment with smiles andughter.


    "Only Yatagarasu is left..." Graham clenched his fist. "I can''t dy that World Quest anymore. She refuses to leave that ce as well. I hope she will be fine."


    He then spun the chair around and opened the PC. He entered the vast database of Martial Online. Then he wrote a small code and made it possible for World Quest to appear in Yatagarasu.


    He then closed the PC and rubbed his tired eyes.


    Knock, knock¡ªa knock came from the door, and it slowly opened.


    He raised his head and saw his secretary with a handbag in hand.


    "I am leaving now; see you tomorrow." She said with a smile.


    "Good night." Graham nodded and watched from the one-way mirror as the workers packed their stuff and left for their homes.


    "Ngh." He then stood up and stretched his limbs.


    As he grabbed his bag and left the office room, he heard a strange beeping noise.


    Beep, beep¡ªthe sound came from behind at the end of the hallway. Curiosity piqued, he cautiously approached to investigate. The sound came from behind a heavily fortified door. It was a forbidden area for everyone except Graham and a few other executives.


    "Hmm?" Graham unbuttoned his jacket and reached for the key that was hanging around his neck. He then used that key to open the door.


    The door opened, and Graham entered the room before closing the door behind him.


    Beep, beep¡ªa beeping machine that looked like a massive football except made of metal and wires was sitting in the middle of the room.


    It shed with blue, green, and sometimes red lights.


    "Why is it making this noise?" Graham wondered aloud and walked over to the strange machine. He then opened the control panel, which had a keyboard and a small screen. It showed a series of error codes and warnings.


    "Hmm, what is happening?" Graham frowned and tried to fix those errors.


    Soon enough, the errors and warnings disappeared like a fleeting wind. It looked like it was just a false rm.


    "Strange... Perhaps I should call technicians next morning to check if everything is alright..." Graham then closed the control panel and muttered. "Without this thing, Martial Online wouldn''t exist..."


    ...


    At the top of the highest peak of the entire Dark Continent, surrounded by a sea of dark clouds and a lightning sea.


    "Huh..." A ck-eyed man opened his eyes and gazed out at the sea of lightning before him. His eyes shed with strange red error codes, as if there wereputers inside him.


    "That is strange... What was that I just saw?" He murmured to himself and reached to his head to touch his ck horns.


    This person wasn''t human, as he was a red-skinned man with two ck horns protruding from his forehead. He wore an unbuttoned red shirt with ck trousers and a ck sash belt around his waist.


    He had a menacing smile on his face as he leaned forward.


    "Hahaha, I wonder what I just saw!" He wondered aloud with a wicked chuckle. The smile revealed a set of sharp teeth, giving him an eerie and sinister appearance.


    "A different world perhaps? I knew that there was more to conquer than that meager Light Continent. A whole new world, how marvelous!"


    "Kukuku, what delicious possibilities await me there!"


    ...


    The following night, Ambrose walked the streets of Warhaven. The thick stench of alcohol and sex permeated the air as he made over to the Street of Alcohol.


    After reaching the Street of Alcohol, he went to the bar and talked with the bartender, who had be his acquaintance. They weren''t friends by any means, as this ce didn''t have the concept of friends.


    "Here." The bartender handed the young man a ss of whiskey, the usual drink that he ordered every time he visited the bar.


    Ambrose nodded in appreciation and paid for the drink. He then slowly began savoring the taste, even though it still tasted horrendous. He still wanted to blend with others, and perhaps one day the taste would be tolerable.


    "By the way, here." The bartender waved a brown bounty poster in his hand and ced it on the counter. "Congrattions."


    "Huh, what is this?" Ambrose asked while taking another quick sip of the whiskey.


    "Your bounty has increased, and it''s pretty high too." The bartender chuckled. "I wonder what you did on the battlefield, but now most of these weaklings wouldn''t mess with you."


    "Oh?" Ambrose curiously picked up the bounty poster and raised his eyebrow in surprise.


    [WANTED]


    [DEAD OR ALIVE]


    [Rank: Brown]


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Reward: 19,999 silvers]

 Chapter 157 Death Race

    <h4>Chapter 157 Death Race</h4>


    ''That''s basically a 2000 crown bounty.'' Ambrose touched his neck as he felt a phantom feeling like he had a de against his neck.


    This was already a high enough bounty for countless yers toe chasing after him.


    Luckily, it was nearly impossible for anyone to find him.


    He didn''t know how long it would take for yers to find Warhaven, but even if they did, he was confident enough to deal with most of them.


    Ambrose even felt tempted to try to acquire the bounty himself, but he doubted they would allow that.


    ''This seems like a high bounty already. I wonder what I need to do to increase it even more...''


    "You''ve got to be more careful now on the battlefield." The bartender said while cleaning the sses. "Your bounty had a over 10,000 silver increase, which means the Inquisitors saw something in you.


    "They might target you next time."


    "I will keep that in mind." Ambrose raised the ss and downed the rest of the whiskey.


    He would''ve said thanks, but he remembered to never say thanks to anyone in Warhaven.


    "nning to go to the battlefield tonight?" The bartender asked. "It''s the night of the Crescent Moon. That is a very dangerous time for anyone in Warhaven."


    "Why so?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "You''ve seen the mountain of corpses, right?" The bartender chuckled. "Well, during the night of the Crescent Moon, those corpses rise and join the battle once again."


    "Huh, like zombies?" Ambrose asked with a bewildered tone.


    "Yes, that''s why you shouldn''t leave Warhaven today. Even this ce is not necessarily safe, as there are some corpses hidden in those narrow, twisting alleyways, waiting to rise again.


    "That''s why we force white-ranked servants to search for them and burn them."


    "Why would anyone leave them there if they knew about that?" Ambrose asked.


    "Because people are selfish." The bartender said bluntly. "Theradery and friendship have died here, but here are gangs, and they don''t take it lightly if their members are killed.


    "It would be piss easy to find out who reported the location of corpses. That''s why, even if one finds a corpse, they won''t report it in case those gangs think it was him who murdered their member.


    "They simply memorize the location and stay away from that street during the Night of the Crescent Moon..."


    "Jesus..." Ambrose shook his head and then nodded. "I''ll keep in mind not to go to any alleyways tonight."


    "Do you have any ns today, then?" The bartender asked.


    "Not really." Ambrose shook his head.


    He even thought about leaving early tonight, spending a few hours in meditation training, and finishing the night with some ForeverStream watching.


    "Like I have said before, there are other ways to spend time than on the battlefield." The bartender said mysteriously.


    "If you are done drinking and aren''t in the mood to visit those used whores in the Street of Sex, you could think about going to the Street of Gambling.


    "The House of Gambling there is either a good way of earning a fortune or a quick way to be broke."


    "I am not sure if I feel like gambling," Ambrose said honestly. "I have never yed card games nor done any gambling activities there."


    "Not everything is based on luck there." The bartender said. "You can participate in a Fight Ring and bet on yourself to win. It''s a risky option as you can''t use any weapons there."


    ''Not any weapons... Isn''t it very good for Brawlers then?'' Ambrose frowned.


    "If you are not fond of unarmedbat, there is also an option to join the Death Race. A horseback riding race with weapons avable."


    "A race?" Ambrose looked interested.


    "The Death Race''s location is, of course, the entirety of Warhaven."


    "That means even those alleyways?" Ambrose wryly smiled.


    "Haha, yes. That''s why today''s race will be especially thrilling." The bartender grinned. "I will close the bar earlier today and go watch it. The winning prize is even greater today because of the extra risks.


    "There is a chance that none of the zombies appear in the race, but there is also as big a chance of them appearing." The bartender looked around the bar and then leaned closer to whisper. "I have heard rumors that the race''s organizers had hidden corpses on the race track."


    "Huh, they can do that?" Ambrose looked surprised.


    "Of course, anything is allowed in here." The bartender grinned.


    "Well, my interest is piqued." Ambrose said with a small smile. "House of Gambling was it?"


    "Yeah. You should hurry; the time for registration ends in one hour." The bartender said.


    "Alright, see youter." Ambrose stood up and left the bar to make his way to the House of Gambling.


    ''This might end up being a very eventful night.''


    ...


    Pitter-patter¡ªrain fell heavily on the streets of Yatagarasu, with small floods happening in the slum areas, where the sewer system wasn''t nearly as advanced.


    The sound of thunder echoed in the distance.


    A young woman made her way through the rain with an umbre in hand and a raincoat covering her petite figure. She hurriedly walked towards her home, hoping to avoid getting drenched.


    ''Why did the rain suddenly appear so suddenly?'' Be thought with a sight. ''It was sunny only a moment ago, but then the dark clouds appeared from nothingness.


    ''The food is also getting drenched.'' She looked down at the grocery bag and tried to cover it with the umbre.


    Emma was waiting for her back in the bookstore.


    They nned to have a nice dinner together, as they had done several times in the past.


    Even though the food couldn''t fill the bellies of their real bodies, the food was still amazing, and they enjoyed each other''spany.


    As she stepped on a small puddle, she walked by the public board that was under a shelter. Thus, none of the bounty posters got wet.


    She nced at it nonchntly, like she had done a few times in the past few days when she had walked by.


    There were already more bounties on yers, most of them white-ranked with a few brown-ranked.


    However, today there was a bounty poster she was expecting to see.


    She stopped in her tracks and stared at the poster in disbelief.


    "Wow..." Her smile soon blossomed as she tore the brown bounty poster from the board and hid it in her bosom so it wouldn''t get drenched by the rain.


    She then buttoned her raincoat again and left the shelter with an umbre covering her.


    As she ventured into the rainstorm, excitement glimmered in her eyes.


    She soon returned to her bookstore¡ªWhispering Pages.


    The door had a "closed" sign, but there was still light inside.


    As she entered the bookstore, she folded the umbre and shook the rain off her coat, leaving a small puddle on the floor.


    "Be, you''re back!" Emma rose from the sofa and approached her friend while hugging a book. "I was worried that the rain had drenched youpletely!"


    "Luckily, I had an umbre and raincoat with me." Be smiled, then unbuttoned her raincoat and took the brown bounty poster. "Look!"


    "Hmm?" Emma took the brown bounty poster, and her eyes widened in surprise as she recognized the face and name on it. "Wow, 19,999 silvers!"


    "He has been making friends, it seems." Be giggled, and then showed her the grocery bag. "I bought some extra. Let''s have a celebration feast!"


    "Mm, okay!"

 Chapter 158 House of Gambling

    <h4>Chapter 158 House of Gambling</h4>


    The House of Gambling was a luxurious building in the northern-west corner of the Street of Gambling. It was thergest, brightest, and tallest building on the whole street.


    It was impossible to miss such a building with its grandeur andmanding presence.


    It had be a symbol of wealth and opulence in the city.


    Its five floors, adorned with intricate architecture and shimmering ss windows, showcased the building''s elegance and sophistication.


    All floors were designed for different gambling purposes.


    The basement had fight rings for the underground fighting.


    The first floor had floating screens where one could watch fight rings and death races. That floor also had card tables and roulette wheels for traditional casino games.


    The second and third floors had private VIP rooms for high-stakes gambling and exclusive parties.


    The fourth and fifth floors had more exotic typed gambling games. It was only possible to enter those floors with invitation.


    As the red-cloaked figure stepped through the entrance, he came across a room filled with the sound of clinking sses and lively chatter.


    The floating screens showed bloodied men trading punches in an intense underground fighting match.


    A curvaceous woman in a red dress leaning against her arm with a ss of wine in hand. She sat at the corner table that was surrounded by a lush red sofa.


    Herughter asionally echoed throughout the room as blood spilled on the floating screens.


    There were elegant women in dresses and well-dressed men in suits all around her, engaged in intense conversations.


    ''Hmm, truly a gambling den.'' Ambrose looked towards the ceiling, which was adorned with red lights. It made the building look like a ce filled with secrets and hidden desires.


    He then began looking for the ce of registration and soon found a butler-looking man standing near a grand staircase, holding a clipboard.


    The sign beside him said "Death Race Registration," and the line in front of him was nonexistent.


    Even though it''s a popr and easy way of gaining fame, most people would rather stay behind to watch the exciting race.


    "I want to register!" Ambrose stopped in front of the butler-looking man with a small smile.


    "Hmm?" The man looked at the red-cloaked figure and pointed at the sign. It also had different rules that one needed to follow to be able to participate in the race.


    That included having a bounty of over 15,000 silvers, a 1000 silver entry fee, and being able to ride a horse.


    "I''ve got all of them, sir." Ambrose replied confidently. He took out a pouch of 1,000 silvers and handed it over to the race official.


    "What is your name?" The race official asked and hovered a pen in front of the clipboard.


    "Ambrose."


    "We''ll check your bounty. If everything is in order, we''ll bring your race token. Stay on the first floor so we will be able to find you."


    "Alright." Ambrose then watched as the race official whispered something to a young woman, who left to check his bounty and retrieve his race token.


    ''Thank God I brought more silver this time.'' Ambrose straightened his sleeves and went to look around the first floor.


    He then stopped in front of the floating screens and saw people cheering for the fighters they gambled on.


    There was a wall with a board with odds and bets put on different fighters.


    ''Hmm, that screen shows the two fighters and their bounties.'' Ambrose''s eyebrow jumped in surprise. ''The bounties are indeed the thing that determines a person''s worth in here.''


    ***


    [WANTED]


    [DEAD OR ALIVE]


    [Rank: Brown]


    [Name: Ryan "Skull Puncher" Wicked]


    [Reward: 15,679 silvers]


    VERSUS


    [WANTED]


    [DEAD OR ALIVE]


    [Rank: Brown]


    [Name: Aarush "God''s Mistake" Sharma]


    [Reward: 18,701 silvers]


    ***


    ''Based on bounties, Aarush is favorite.'' Ambrose nced at the board and nodded thoughtfully.


    The odds were heavily in Aarush''s favor.


    However, a few risky ones had bet on Ryan''s victory.


    ''However, the one who is better at unarmedbat will win.'' Ambrose thought to himself and wondered how the fight would go.


    At that moment, a hand tapped his shoulder.


    He turned around to see the young woman standing with a golden token in hand.


    "Here is your race token." She handed it over to him and said. "Because of your bounty of 19,999 silvers, you will start in 6th ce."


    "6th, meaning I have the 6th highest bounty?" Ambrose asked to make sure.


    "Yes, sir." The woman then grabbed the edges of her skirt and bowed gracefully before leaving to continue her work.


    ''There are five people with higher bounties than I in the race.'' Ambrose rubbed his chin with a small smile.


    ...


    In a random underground tunnel, several young men had gathered in front of an ancient-looking door.


    "Where the hell is this leading?" One of them asked, looking around in confusion.


    "Maybe another trial?" Another suggested while raising an eyebrow.


    "Hmm..." A clean-shaven yer traced his finger across the strange symbols.


    "I wonder if we have to solve a puzzle to unlock the door."


    "This has a keyhole." The clean-shaven yer crossed his arms. "There is a key somewhere for this door."


    "Great." Another yer said it sarcastically.


    It was nearly impossible to find a specific key for some random door in the middle of nowhere.


    They were lucky to even find this underground tunnel, and they were very excited about what they would find.


    Their excitement turned into disappointment as they found nothing except a locked door.


    Lla¡ªsuddenly, a strange woman''s singing filled the air,ing from nowhere.


    They looked around, but they couldn''t see the singing woman anymore.


    They began feeling a sense of fear, as they expected it to be some kind of singing ghost woman who hade to kill them.


    "Hello travelers. Are you in need of a key?"


    Their bodies shuddered, and they jumped backwards with eyes almost flying out of the sockets.


    A strange, wrinkled man with a long beard had appeared out of thin air, now standing in front of the ancient door. He wore a brown cloak with a tree-made cane in his hand. His eyes were gold in color and looked like a sea of gold.


    "Who-who-who the hell are you?" The clean-shaven yer stumbled and clumsily drew his weapon.


    The mysterious figure chuckled. "My name is Nirvana, and I heard some lost souls in need of help."


    "B-boss, he might be a Quest NPC!" A yer whispered.


    The clean-shaven yer frowned and pointed at the door with his sword. "You have a key for that?"


    "Yes, I definitely do." Nirvana raised his hand and snapped his fingers. A brass key appeared out of nowhere andnded on his palm.


    The yers gulped and looked at each other in excitement.


    "T-then, where does that door lead?" The clean-shaven yer asked with a hint of excitement.


    "Hehe." Nirvana chuckled and inserted the brass key into the keyhole, then twisted it clockwise and pushed the door open.


    Darkness and a stagnant stench engulfed the room, making it nearly impossible to see or breathe.


    "This door leads to the underground city, Warhaven." Nirvana said and threw the brass key towards the clean-shaven yer, who caught it clumsily.


    "W-Warhaven?!" The yers eximed.


    "B-boss, we might be the first yers to have found it!"


    "Haha, this is amazing!"


    The clean-shaven yer looked at the key and then pocketed it. When he turned back to Nirvana, he had disappeared!


    The other yers were left stunned and confused.


    "Warhaven..." The clean-shaven yer gulped and asked. "Shall we go?"


    The yers exchanged nces before smiling.


    "Yes!"

 Chapter 159 The Monster

    <h4>Chapter 159 The Monster</h4>


    Inside Amaterasu''s Silver Heart Dojo.


    "Hmm?" A slick-haired young man with a gardening hoe in hand saw a sh of light in his vision.


    He had received a message.


    He pulled up the message and saw that it came from his ssmate.


    They had promised to y together when the opportunity arose, but they were unfortunately sent to different cities.


    "Huh, he had found the entrance to Warhaven?" The slick-haired man scoffed and thought his friend was taking a piss.


    "Yo, Bormund." A young man with ashen-grey hair walked over from the dojo. "Have you seen Leprechaun anywhere?"


    "No, I haven''t." Bormund said and sent a reply back to his friend with a simple, "Yeah, right."


    It was a message written in a very sarcastic tone.


    "What''s up?" The young man asked after seeing Bormund fiddle with empty air in front of him.


    It either meant he was assigning his stats, changing music on the Music Interface, starting a stream, or sending a message.


    "My friend said he had found the entrance to Warhaven." Bormund chuckled. "Him finding the entrance has the same chance of sess as finding that thief, Ambrose."


    "Come on, man, we will find him. He can''t hide forever." The young man said with confidence. "Zahhak is also after him, so... Maybe your friend is speaking the truth?"


    "Hmm..." Bormund pondered before shrugging his shoulders. "I''ll send a message to him and tell him to stream it. If it''s real, I will tell Serenity."


    "Sounds good."


    At the upstairs of Silver Heart Dojo.


    "So, will you ept it?" Leprechaun asked while looking at the side of the beautiful silver-haired girl.


    "..." Serenity stood quiet while looking out of the window at the flourishing orchard.


    "It''s Cerberus." Leprechaun approached her. "We should help them. Maybe we will get our deserved rewards back!"


    "We will never get them back." Serenity said. "The treasure chests work differently."


    "The treasure chests have a mind of their own. Since the moment Jes... Ambrose opened it, he has received rewards for only one person.


    "However, he got the best ones that were avable.


    "If we had opened it as a group, there would have been more silver, experience points, and some extra rewards to be shared among everyone.


    "Now that the treasure chest is most likely gone, so are the group rewards.


    "Only the rewards Ambrose got are left, which aren''t nearly enough to share with everyone."


    "Still, we can''t let him go away with this!" Leprechaun shouted. "If you don''t n on helping them, I will.


    "I also live in Nocklund, and I am definitely capable of finding his location by myself!"


    "Enough!" Serenity snapped her head in his direction. "I will do it, alright?"


    "Are you sure?" Leprechaun narrowed his eyes.


    "Yes, I will go tomorrow." Serenity then looked away and silently looked towards the dark sky.


    "Very good." Leprechaun nodded in approval. "Silver Heart has lost its position as the strongest in Amaterasu because of him.


    "It''s our right to have our revenge."


    ...


    Ambrose walked down a long, dimly lit corridor.


    The air was rather moist and heavy with the scent of mildew.


    After a while, he saw a tall, ceiling-high man standing in front of a door.


    ''That must be the door to the waiting room.'' Ambrose quickly rummaged through his pockets and pulled out the golden token.


    After arriving at the door, he had to look high up to see the tall man''s eyes and then offered the golden token.


    Without taking the golden token, the tall man opened the door and let him enter.


    Ambrose nodded and entered the room.


    The room was like a dungeon with pirs supporting the ceiling, and people gathered there, sitting on top of barrels and crates.


    Everything seemed to be made of rock, giving the room a rather cold and eerie atmosphere.


    ''These must be the contestants. With quick calction, at least twenty.'' Ambrose then found a seat for himself near the back of the room.


    It was a small crate, barely providing anyfort. The crate had seen better days with its worn-out edges and splintered wood.


    It also had a musty smell, likely from years of storage in a damp basement.


    Including all that, there were pictures on the side. They looked like pitched buildings from Yatagarasu''s downtown.


    Creak¡ªall heads turned to the door as a mustache-wearing man with a fancy red suit entered the room.


    His thinning gray hair was slicklybed backwards, and his golden-rimmed sses in his chest pocket looked expensive.


    "Wee everyone to the Death Race." The man spread his arms wide, like he was taking a hug. "I am the race director, Marwin."


    As the damp, dungeon-like room stayed eerily quiet, Marvin cleared his throat and started talking.


    "Today is a rather exotic Death Race with the looming threat of the Crescent Moon.


    "That''s why the prize pool has also doubled, now standing at a whopping 100,000 silvers."


    Several eyes shone with excitement, but there were also a number of participants who kept a calm andposed posture. They had already seen a lot of money in their lives.


    A mere 100,000 silvers didn''t faze them much.


    ''That is 10,000 crowns...'' Ambrose gulped.


    "The race begins with horse choice." Marwin said. "Once chosen, thepetitors will start the race through the narrow and deadly alleyways that have threats behind every corner.


    "It''s not only the zombies that one has to worry about. Warhaven citizens are fond of hunting the racers, as eachpetitor has a target on their heads.


    "With eachpetitor killed, they would earn 1,000 silvers for themselves!"


    ''Damn, what the hell?'' Ambrose scratched his neck. ''This is far more dangerous than I initially thought.''


    The rest of the participants looked calm, as they had seen Death Races before.


    That''s why the Death Race was such a popr sport in Warhaven¡ªeveryone could participate in other ways than by joining the race.


    They could go for the 1,000 silver rewards!


    "After leaving the death alleyways, the race continues on the outskirts of Warhaven. We''ve set up some traps there, so be careful.


    "The race then ends with a final straight going through the Street of Sex and Alcohol, and finally ending at the House of Gambling in the Street of Gambling!"


    Marwin looked around the quiet dungeon and smiled. "If there ain''t any questions..."


    At that moment, Ambrose raised his arm and asked. "What are the rules for the race?"


    Marwin looked at the red-cloaked young man and smiled. "There are no rules. Just follow the path, avoid any traps or obstacles, and be the first one to reach the finish line."


    Ambrose rubbed his chin. ''Weapons are avable then.''


    "If that''s all, it''s time for horse choosing." Marwin pped his hands, and the door behind him swung open.


    The room was a stable with over thirty horses.


    "Your golden tokens should have a number in them.


    "That is your ranking based on bounties.


    "The person with the highest bounty can choose first, then second, then third, etc."


    Ambrose looked at his golden token, which had the number six.


    "You may begin!" Marwin pped his hands.


    At that moment, one figure stood up, and all eyesnded on him.


    He instantly became everyone''s target, as he was the favorite to win the whole thing.


    "Hmm..." The person scratched his cheek as he entered the stables. "Who should I choose..."


    Marwin smiled mysteriously and looked at the bounty poster in hand. ''With him in the race, the number of viewers doubled.


    ''It was indeed a wise idea to invite him,'' Marwin thought to himself gleefully.


    [WANTED]


    [DEAD OR ALIVE]


    [Rank: Brown]


    [Name: Johann "The Monster" Mayers]


    [Reward: 495,456 silvers]

 Chapter 160 The Race Begins

    <h4>Chapter 160 The Race Begins</h4>


    After a while, five participants had already chosen their horses and were waiting at the front of therge door for the race to begin.


    "Ambrose, your turn." Marwin said, his gazending on the red-cloaked figure.


    Several participants showed surprised looks.


    They thought the red-cloaked figure was an easy target since he asked a very obvious question about the rules.


    He was clearly a newbie, but he surprisingly had the sixth highest bounty.


    A small-bearded woman in the corner chuckled. She dressed like a woman and had a feminine body, but the beard made knowing her gender rather difficult.


    ''I know thed with the fifth highest bounty, and as far as I recall, he had 20,001 silvers bounty.'' The bearded woman said with a smirk.


    ''This red man shouldn''t have over 20,000 in bounty. That''s good. The ones over 20,000 are true monsters, and ones I should keep an eye on.


    ''Unfortunately, winning seems impossible with Johann in here, but I am not here trying to win, hehe.''


    The bearded woman''s gaze wandered around the dungeon, and she then licked her rosy lips.


    ''A high payday indeed. There are many ouws with high bounties here, hehe. It was indeed a good idea to participate in this.''


    ...


    "Hmm..." Ambrose stood in front of a white-maned horse. "He looks like Arion. I''ll take this."


    After opening the stable door, he mounted the horse and rode towards the starting line. He was led to the sixth spot while the other participants were patiently waiting for the race to start.


    Some of them cleaned their weapons, some stretched and warmed up, and a rare few were quietly meditating to calm their nerves.


    ''This will be a tough one.'' Ambrose looked at the back of Johann, who meditated on top of his ck-maned horse. ''He seems extremely powerful. I wonder what his bounty is...''


    Johann''s eyes stayed shut with his mind focused on his deep breathing, harnessing the energy within him. His ck cape billowed as if there was a wind breeze that only targeted him.


    "Alright!" Marwin entered the stables and pped his hands, as everyone had chosen their horses.


    It was time for the long-awaited Death Race to begin.


    "Open the doors!"


    Creak¡ªthe doors swung open, and a thunderous roar filled the air.


    The horses peacefully trotted through the open door and into the starting area, their riders gripping the reins tightly.


    Hundreds of roaring spectators filled the nearby buildings, roofs, and alleyways. They watched the start of the race anywhere they could.


    The House of Gambling''s first floor was filled withughing spectators who watched the race via floating screens.


    They had already ced bets on the oue of the race.


    The favorite was Johann, who had be very infamous as a ruthless night creature who had terrorized the towns of the south region for years.


    Eventually, he got captured and thrown into Warhaven.


    "Isaac, how is the bar life?" A rough-sounding man said as he raised his cup and downed the alcohol.


    He and his friend surrounded the table at the corner of the brightly lit gambling den while enjoying alcohol and the race.


    "The usual." Isaac, the bartender from Ambrose''s favorite bar,ughed and poured himself a drink. "However, this time, I have someone I am cheering for."


    "Oh, that''s rare. I didn''t take you as the gambling type!" The rough-sounding manughed.


    "I am not." Isaac chuckled. "I didn''t bet on him or anyone else. I am simply cheering for him."


    "Oh, who might that be?"


    "Ambrose." Isaac pointed at the board, where Ambrose''s name was disyed in bold letters.


    Even though he had the sixth highest bounty, he was 18th on the bidding board.


    No one had bet on him, and his odds were massive.


    If anyone bet on him and he won, they would win 500 times the sum.


    "Oh, a newbie." The rough-sounding man wiped the alcohol off his lips. "He won''t win. Not with Johann in the race!"


    "Why did youe watch if you are so certain of the winner?" Isaac asked with a smile.


    "Come on, you know why!" Heughed loudly. "Night of the Crescent Moon makes things spicy. I also wondered whether I should''ve tried for the 1,000 silver bounties, but I can''t be arsed."


    Isaac rolled his eyes and sipped on his drink. "Johann might be the strongest, but is he the fastest rider?"


    ...


    "Wee everyone to the special Death Race!" An announcer stood on top of a pitched roof, his voice booming through the streets and through the floating screens.


    The floating screens inside the House of Gambling reyed his voice in real time.


    The excitement in the air was palpable as the crowd eagerly awaited the start of the race.


    "Today is a rather exciting night because of the looming threat of the Crescent Moon!" The announcerughed.


    "The race starts in five minutes time, so don''t go anywhere!


    "Let''s start with the introduction of the top three riders with the highest bounties."


    The floating screens showed the dark-haired Johann with his beautiful red eyes.


    "First, Johann The Monster Mayers!"


    The crowd roared with thunderous cheers and apuse.


    "He is the favorite of the race, a monster that strikes fear into the hearts of all who dare to challenge him.


    "His infamous name still lingers like a shadow of death among the townspeople of Nightbridge and Redwater!


    "His bounty is amazing¡ª495,456 silvers!"


    p, p¡ªthe sound of thunderous apuse reverberated through the night city.


    "Second, it''s her!" The apuse pointed at the pink-haired woman in the second row.


    "She is known as the Queen of Misfortune, Loralei!"


    Apuse¡ªthe apuse was also loud, but not as loud.


    "Her bounty is 99,010 silvers!"


    The floating screen showed her expressionless face. She wasn''t that beautiful, but her tall figure of nearly two meters captivated those who liked taller women.


    "Andstly, but not least, it''s this urban legend!" The announcer looked at the third person and felt chills run through his spine.


    The floating screens showed a person with a disfigured face that made him look like a lump of flesh and nothing else.


    The spectators couldn''t help but gasp in horror.


    "His urban legend began in the peaceful vige of Am.


    "He was born as a disfigured monster, hated by his parents and every viger alike.


    "They thought he was a demonspawn that was brought to bring a curse upon thend.


    "They were right.


    "When they tried burning him alive, a lightning bolt fell from the sky and razed the vige to the ground.


    "No one survived, except this monstrosity!


    "Nathan The Demonspawn, an urban legend with a bounty of 55,678 silvers!"


    The spectators loudly apuded while wishing inwardly that the monstrosity would disappear from the screen.


    Their wishes came true as soon as the screen shifted to show every rider prepared to start.


    "It''s time!" The announcer raised his arm towards the dark ceiling. "The special Death Race begins!"


    Everyone tightened their grips on the reins.


    "10!"


    Following the announcer, everyone started chanting the countdown.


    "9!"


    "8!"


    "7!"


    "6!"


    "5!"


    "4!"


    "3!"


    "2!"


    "1!"


    "Start!"


    The riders kicked their horses into a gallop and rushed through the starting line. The crowd erupted into cheers and apuse as the race began.


    They entered a road made of cobblestone that went straight for hundreds of meters before entering the narrow alleyways.


    However, at that moment, the announcer eximed, as did thousands of spectators.


    From the alleyway, where the race was supposed to go, three rotting men emerged, their decaying flesh and sunken eyes sending shivers down the spines of onlookers.


    Their arms were outstretched in a desperate attempt to grasp something, anything, to satisfy their insatiable hunger.


    "Zombies had already arrived!" The announcer spoke in shock. "The number of spectators and the loud noise must''ve attracted them!"

 Chapter 161 Gravity?

    <h4>Chapter 161 Gravity?</h4>


    "Huh, zombies." Johann raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to make of the situation.


    The rest of the participants narrowed their eyes while the loud voice of the announcer reverberated across the dimly lit streets.


    "Run through." Johann kicked the horse''s nk and made him neigh in pain, but he increased the speed and ran over one of the zombies.


    Once the horse''s hoof stomped on the zombie''s head, it exploded.


    Blood and guts sttered everywhere.


    "Heh, marvelous." Johann grinned and was the first one to enter the narrow alleyway, where only two riders could fit side-by-side.


    "Gruh!" A rotting zombie screamed and leaped like a jumping frog at the monstrous-looking Nathan.


    The demonspawn snarled and punched through the zombie''s decaying head with a sickening squelch.


    The destroyed head painted the nearby walls and windows in green blood and brain.


    "Grrr!" Thest remaining zombie got stomped by one of the horses, but it sank its rotting fingers into the flesh of the horse.


    "Neigh!" The horse neighed in pain as it kicked its hind legs furiously to shake off the zombie''s grip.


    "Whoah!" A brown-haired rider tried to stay mounted, but the horse then kicked its hooves on the ground, tossing him to the ground.


    "Ugh!"


    With a groan of pain, he fell to the pavement and watched as the horse raced off into the alleyway.


    The zombie stood up with its jaw hanging loosely from its face. It turned to the pale-faced man and outstretched its arms towards him.


    "Ahh... ahh!"


    Munch!


    ...


    "Whew." Ambrose followed behind the top five while remembering the sudden zombie attack.


    ''I wonder what other creatures there are.'' He thought quickly. ''I wonder if there are dragons. That would be amazing to see in person.''


    "Hello~"


    Ambrose turned to the side to see a bearded woman with piercing blue eyes and a mischievous grin.


    At first, he mistook her for a man, but then the feminine voice gave her away.


    She lifted her leg, showing plenty of skin and a tattoo of a serpent wrapping around her thigh.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock, and he quickly ced his arm next to his head as a block, and just as he expected, she threw a powerful kick straight at his block.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose swayed sideways like a drunken sailor, his bncepletely thrown off.


    "Oho, nice reflexes!" The bearded woman grinned.


    ''Shit!'' Ambrose bnced himself and drew his sword in one swift motion.


    "Beautiful Kick Storm!"


    The bearded woman bnced herself on top of the horse, doing a handstand, and as her dress slid down, revealing her deadly, long legs, she suddenly threw dozens of kicks.


    "Ngh!" Ambrose grunted as he clumsily tried to block each kick. His face turned red with effort, and sweat poured down his forehead.


    Smash, smash, smash¡ªthe kicks continued raining on the sword, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn''t break through the ck de.


    Eventually, she had to give up and sit back on the horse.


    "You are not half bad, but can you handle this?"


    The bearded woman stood on top of the horse and suddenly jumped towards Ambrose.


    She swung her leg deadly like a whip, and it grazed his shoulder, leaving a small gash.


    As Ambrose watched her flying trajectory go towards the wall, his eyes suddenly widened in shock as the womannded feet-first on the wall and began running up the vertical surface like thews of gravity didn''t exist.


    ''It''s like she is defying gravity!'' Ambrose lifted his sword and swung it towards the bearded woman.


    However, she leaped over the sword andnded on the left-side wall before continuing to run on it.


    "I want that... money!" She acrobatically flipped through the air, executing a perfect somersault andnding gracefully on her feet on top of her horse.


    She then lifted her dress to the excitement of the crowd and revealed a row of hidden knives.


    She grabbed a few and hurled them towards Ambrose.


    Ambrose swung the sword down and deflected the knives with a loud ng.


    As the bearded woman pulled another knife, their horses galloped out of the alleyway. They entered a small street thatsted for hundred meters, where another alley waited for them.


    At that moment, arrows flew like missiles from nearby roofs.


    The announcer''s loud voice traversed from far away.


    "There it is, folks, the ones after the 1,000 silver bounty had arrived!"


    The floating screens showed many hidden figures holding long-range weapons.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose pulled his head back as an arrow whizzed past his ear.


    Further back, several arrows pierced through a few horses, causing the riders to helplessly crash into the ground. They were now at the mercy of the hunters.


    As Ambrose tightened his grip on the reins, he noticed that the hunterspletely ignored the leading figure, Johann. It was like he had a shield of immunity.


    "The hell..." He frowned.


    "Wondering why they aren''t attacking him?" The bearded woman arrived beside him with her horse and showed her pearly white teeth.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and was prepared to swing his sword if she tried anything.


    "None of the hunters want to die." The bearded woman said with a grin. "Johann is different from the rest of us.


    "He is almost at the level of royalty, while even the Queen of Misfortune and Demonspawn bow to him in respect.


    "They might be the top three, but they are so far from Johann. That''s why he will win, as he has an invisible shield around him.


    "None of the participants will dare to fight him for the victory."


    "I see." Ambrose swung his sword to the side, just in time to block an unexpected kick from the bearded woman.


    Her blue eyes shed in surprise.


    "You expected that, huh?"


    "You are predictable." Ambrose said and kicked her horse in the side. That caused the horse to rear up in pain and throw off the bearded woman.


    "Huh."


    As the bearded woman saw the vision turn to the dark, rocky ceiling, she noticed that she was suddenly thrown off the back of her horse.


    "Hahahaha, not bad!" She grinned, her heart pounding and adrenaline rushing through her veins.


    She suddenly spun around and kicked a nearby rider in the face. The kick crushed the rider''s face and sent him flying across the street.


    The impact was so powerful that it instantly knocked him unconscious.


    She thennded on the horse''s back and instantly began kicking the horse''s nks in a fit of adrenaline.


    The horse felt like it was gearing up as it started galloping much faster as it began its chase.


    ...


    "Hmm, streaming?" A clean-shaven yer pondered aloud as he stood beside an old-looking minecart that enough seats for two.


    Thus, his friends were pondering who should go.


    One of them would have to stay behind.


    "Did your friend in Silver Heart say anything?" His friend asked.


    "Bormund asked me to stream as proof." The clean-shaven yer said.


    "We could sell this information!" His friend shouted. "What if some random losers end up in your stream? They could check your VOD and see where the entrance is!"


    "Not if I start it inside this tunnel." The clean-shaven yer. "No one could tell where I am, but they can guess that I am in Warhaven.


    "That is a good advertisement, and then we can sell the information!"


    "Oh, that is a good idea!" His friendughed, as he wasn''t the smartest boy in his ss. Thus, he forgot one crucial thing: the clean-shaven yer wasn''t streaming when they entered this ce.


    "I will stream for him." The clean-shaven yer and then pointed at his other friend, who was much smarter. "Come with me."


    "What about me?" The stupid yer asked.


    "Stay here as a guard." The clean-shaven yer said and hopped on the minecart. "We are trusting in you, aight?"


    "Alright..." The stupid yer sighed.


    "Alright." The clean-shaven yer looked at the streaming interface in front of him and pressed the start button.

 Chapter 162 Red Inquisitor

    <h4>Chapter 162 Red Inquisitor</h4>


    At Sanctorioum of Inquisitorious.


    Creak¡ªa brown-robed man entered the room with a pack of beers.


    "Has the race started yet?" He asked as he saw a dozen brown-robed men gathered around arge table filled with snacks and alcohol with a floating light-blue screen stuck in a wall.


    "Yeah, you arete!" One of them shouted and stuffed snacks into his mouth.


    "Shit!" The brown-robed man sat down and took one beer before cing the rest on the table. "Who is leading?"


    "Johann." One of them replied while casually drinking straight from a rum bottle.


    "Of course." The brown-robed man sighed.


    They were all Brown Inquisitors¡ªfeared "bounty hunters" of the Sanctorioum.


    Now, they were enjoying their free time while watching the Death Race. They also had connections to various criminalworks, which allowed them to watch the race.


    They enjoyed these bloody shows quite a lot, as it was criminals killing criminals. It was a perfect show, in their opinion.


    It also allowed them to scout any possible threats that hadn''t entered the battlefield yet.


    Thus, it wasn''t strange to see many Death Race participants have bounty increase after the race without them knowing why.


    Swoosh¡ªthe door swung open suddenly, and calm footsteps resounded through the room, alerting everyone.


    "O-oh, sir Christopher!"


    The Brown Inquisitors stood up, drew a sign of crescent moon on their chests, and bowed with palms on their chests.


    As the man named Christopher walked, his red robe fluttered against the winding from the open window. He had amanding presence as he walked, red top hat in hand, like a general.


    He exuded an air of authority and confidence, with a firm stride that matched the rhythm of his beating heart.


    "Hello, gentlemen." Christopher said sternly and looked at the floating screen. "How is the race going?"


    "Z-zombies already attacked, but only three of them, so nothing special yet." One of the Brown Inquisitors replied.


    "Mm." Christopher looked at the Brown Inquisitor, who upied a single-seater and asked. "May I get your seat?"


    "O-Of course, sir!" He shot to his feet and quickly vacated the seat for Christopher.


    "Thank you." Christoper sat down, crossed his legs, and ced his red top hat on the armrest. "At ease. We are off the clock now, so let''s enjoy the show."


    The Brown Inquisitors nodded and turned their attention to the race.


    "May I bring you a beer or anything you like?" The person who vacated the seat for him asked.


    "Beer is fine, thank you." Christoper nodded and epted the beer with a nod. He then snapped it open and took a small sip.


    His blue eyes reflected the screen, where two people were riding side-by-side, trading blows.


    They were a bearded woman and a red-cloaked man.


    "Huh, she joined the race?" One of them asked in surprise.


    "Haha, it looks like she found an easy way to earn money!"


    Christopher looked at the bearded woman. ''White Inquisitor Lulu. Sanctorioum''s undercover agent, whose job is to hunt and kill ouws that seem to have the potential to be dangerous.


    ''She is doing rather well, but who is her opponent? She seems to be targeting him only.''


    "Who is her opponent?" He then decided to ask.


    "Hmm..." One Brown Inquisitor narrowed his eyes before he remembered. "Ah, if I remember correctly, he is Ambrose with a bounty of 19,999 silvers.


    "He got an increase in bounty yesterday, I think. His previous bounty was around 7,000 silvers."


    ''That is a big increase in bounty.'' Christoper crossed his arms and intensely looked at the cloaked figure.


    Without Ambrose knowing it, an extremely dangerous Red Inquisitor had taken note of him.


    ...


    "Piss off!" Ambrose shouted and blocked the powerful kick. He almost fell from the horse''s back but barely managed to regain his bnce.


    "Heh, no!" The bearded woman did another handstand and delivered a series of spinning tornado kicks.


    "High Pain!" Ambrose screamed and smashed his ck de into the iing leg, but then another leg appeared from the side and whipped across his face.


    "Cough!" He coughed up blood and felt like his teeth were about to fall out.


    As the bearded woman sat back down, she heard loud cheers that seemed to resonate from the other side of the city.


    She frowned and looked forward.


    "Whoah." Her smile grew.


    At the front of the race, Johann frowned and looked over his shoulder. He was suddenly nked by the Queen of Misfortune and the Demonspawn, who had drawn their weapons.


    Shockingly, the top two and three had teamed up to take down Johann!


    "Ohoh." Johann removed his hand from the reins and smirked. Sharp fangs revealed themselves in the mouth, and his ck nails grew in length as if he were undergoing a strange transformation.


    However, he still looked like a human, but his skin suddenly looked fairer and more delicate.


    His red eyes looked strange, as if there was suddenly a sea of blood in them, sshing like a furious current.


    "Misfortune!" Loralei''s crimson de cut through the air and mmed straight into Johann''s back.


    It was a shocking sight, as everyone watching thought the attack was sessful.


    "Demon Breath!" Nathan, the Demonspawn, opened his disfigured mouth wide and spat out a ball of ck goo.


    The ball of ck goo exploded upon impact on Johann''s back, releasing a cloud of noxious fumes.


    Loralei shed through the cloud of toxic smoke but saw nothing on the other side. The horse looked pale and sickly as it had inhaled the noxious fumes and was slowly dying.


    Yet Johann was missing.


    Loralei narrowed her eyes and looked around for any sign of Johann.


    "Above!" The person in fourth ce shouted as he looked up into the air.


    He also liked Johann to lose the fight, as he still believed that fighting the Queen of Misfortune and Demonspawn was possible.


    In one-versus-one, defeating Johann was impossible.


    Hearing the shout, Loralei lifted her head and saw Johann floating in the air with an eerie glow in his red eyes.


    He looked like he was standing on solid ground, but there was nothing below him.


    "The Misfortune!" Loralei jumped up into the air using the horse as a jump pad and shed repeatedly at Johann, thinking he wouldn''t be able to escape.


    Against all expectations, Johann jumped around like there were invisible strings below his feet, helping him to move in the air with incredible agility and grace.


    "Demon Breath!" The Demonspawn spat out ck goo like a machine gun, covering the entire area in a thick, suffocating cloud.


    After the cloud cleared up, Johann was again gone.


    Stab¡ªthe Demonspawn''s expression fell as a hand came down through his chest, gripping his heart tightly.


    With his dying breath, he looked at the grinning Johann and shockingly spat out another ck goo.


    Johann''s expression fell, and the ck goo suddenly exploded against his face, sending him crashing to the ground.


    The Demonspawn let out a breath filled with toxic air and fell off the horse with a hole in his chest.


    His crushed heart stopped beating once his heavy body crashed into the pavement.


    The bearded woman''s horse stomped over the dead Demonspawn.


    "No way, did Johann get defeated?" She asked as she tried to look around, but to her shock, Johann was nowhere to be seen.


    He had vanished without a trace.

 Chapter 163 Caius Vs. Johann

    <h4>Chapter 163 Caius Vs. Johann</h4>


    The crowd watched with nervous breath as the favorite to win it all disappeared without leaving a trace.


    Everyone who put their bets on him felt like tearing their hair off their scalps.


    At that moment, in the air above the crowded street, where arrows flew in the direction of screaming bounty hunters, a sh of red appeared.


    "Hahahaha..."


    An eerieughter belonging to an ancient creature echoed through the chaos.


    Theughter felt cold, evil, and ominous.


    Swoosh¡ªa sh of red light flew through the street, moving through the riders.


    The riders felt strangely cold, as if their toes were dipped in a frozenke, when the red light passed through them.


    They couldn''t shake off the feeling of unease that lingered in the air.


    At that moment, a small tear appeared on their necks, which soon widened and began gushing with blood.


    Dozens of riders gasped for air and grabbed their bleeding throats.


    Yet they couldn''t do anything and fell one after another from the back of their horses.


    The crowd gasped in horror.


    Over a dozen strong ouws had suddenly died!


    "?!" Ambrose caught sight of that and then saw the red light approach him.


    "Basic Parry!"


    The ck de smashed into the red light and cut straight through it as if it were made of paper.


    The ck Sword was capable of cutting through anything!


    Even light!


    "Ugh!" A figure emerged from the destroyed light with his lips bleeding and his veins bulging.


    The crowd eximed in shock as a figure''s face appeared on the screens.


    The red light was Johann all along!


    "He managed to cut me even though I was coated by Vampire Light?" Johann soared across the air like a bird whose wings had been cut off.


    As hended on top of the former horse of the Demonspawn, he wiped the blood off his lips and turned around to look at the ck-haired young man.


    "How did you do that?!" The bearded woman rode beside Ambrose and eximed in shock. "I haven''t seen anyone cut through Vampire Light before!"


    "Vampire Light?" Ambrose frowned. "What is that?"


    "It''s a unique way of traveling among vampirekind." The bearded woman looked in Johann''s direction with an intrigued look. "That means Johann is a vampire!"


    ''Vampires?'' Ambrose thought with a strange expression, but he was already feeling numb from hearing all about these strange creatures.


    Thus, he wasn''t even surprised that this world had vampires!


    Another horse galloped beside him, this time mounted by Loralei, the Queen of Misfortune!


    With her piercing gaze and flowing ck gown, she exuded an air of darkness.


    "You." Loralei looked deep into Ambrose''s eyes. "We have to work together to defeat him. I do not have a way to bypass Vampire Light, but you do..."


    "..." Ambrose frowned and looked towards Johann, who was riding the horse through the protection of the shade that hid him from the prying eyes of the bounty hunters.


    They also entered that same alleyway, now having to ride in a single line and not beside each other.


    "We cannot win if we don''t defeat him." Loralei whispered, trying to tempt Ambrose into joining her side.


    "You should listen to her~" The bearded woman grinned while riding in front of Ambrose. "I''ll give you a helping hand. It''s not every day you get to try to kill a man worth nearly 500,000 silvers!"


    "Tsk, fine." Ambrose reluctantly agreed, as he wanted to win this race.


    However, he believed that he could win with his horseback riding skills.


    He was still clear about the vast difference between him and Johann.


    Thus, he wanted to give it a try and if things look dire, he would abandon the n and try to win by himself with the help of his riding skills.


    "Good." Loralei said. "We''ll make our move once we reach the outskirts of Warhaven. Don''t get killed by the traps..."


    As the horses thundered across the alleyways, they soon entered the light cast by streetmps and began galloping down a street surrounded by roadside trees, a graveyard, and an old park.


    They couldn''t see any signs of traps or obstacles.


    It was a clear street ahead, stretching out before them like an open invitation to freedom.


    At that moment, arge shadow appeared over the street as if it were about to swallow everything in its path.


    The shadow surrounded Johann and his horse.


    "Hmm?" Johann looked up into the air and saw arge man falling towards him with a metal club in hand.


    "Raging Blow!" Therge man shouted and smashed his club into the horse, causing the horse to explode.


    Johann, on the other hand, dissipated into red light and flew into the distance.


    Soon after, his head popped out of the light, and he turned to therge man with a dissatisfied look.


    "Why the hell have youe to hunt for bounty? Isn''t 1,000 silvers beneath you?"


    "Hahahaha, I want chaos!" Therge man shouted raspily and then focused his attention on the trio that was approaching him.


    "Shit, it''s Caius." Loralei clicked her tongue. "The main reason why organizers of the Death Race don''t give a bigger reward for killing participants is because they don''t want people like him toe kill everyone.


    "Usually, bigshots like him ignore 1,000 silvers as mere pocket change, and even if they killed everyone, it wouldn''t be enough for them to move.


    "However, Caius is a strange person. He likes chaos and disorder."


    "What is his bounty?" Ambrose asked while tightening his grip on the ck de.


    "He is brown-ranked, but he is one of the closest men to reach red rank together with Johann." Loralei gulped and said. "His bounty is 501,011 silvers, even higher than Johann''s!"


    "Shit..." Ambrose sighed.


    Loralei already understood why Caius was here. He was the trap hired by the race organization to increase the excitement.


    It would be rather boring if Johann won without any hardships.


    Now, Caius, his rival, hade to spice things up.


    The bearded woman wryly smiled. ''It would be great for Caius and Johann to kill each other, but wouldn''t I earn a jackpot if I killed both of them?


    ''I am only White Inquisitor, but this is a chance like no other!''


    "The Thunder Bazooka!" Caius leaped across the air, and suddenly a flicker of lightning appeared around his ck metal club.


    Rumble¡ªa sound of explosive thunder reverberated across Warhaven.


    The ground shook, buildings trembled, and the ceiling darkened even further as the Thunder Bazooka unleashed its devastating power.


    The air crackled with electricity, and the spectators watched in awe as the destructive forcended on the street.


    Boom¡ªa vast dust cloud swept across the horses and the trio.


    Johann tried to fly away with his Vampire Light, but the dust cloud caught up to him and sent him crashing through a nearby building like a wrecking ball.


    "Hahahahaha!" Caius'' humorousughter echoed across the vast air.


    But then a pir of red light descended from the sky and exploded right into him.


    "Ugh!" Caius groaned loudly as he crashed into the ground with a hundred times the force of gravity.


    The impact left him stunned, with a bruised left arm and disheveled brown hair.


    From the red light, Johann appeared with sharp ws. He lunged forward like a raging lion and shed through Caius'' waist like a sword cutting through apple.


    "Raaaah!" Caius let out a pained scream and clumsily swung his metal club around, but the wind it produced was enough to push Johann away.


    However, Johann returned to the state of red light and flew right through the bulky body of Caius.


    Spurt¡ªa deep tear appeared on Caius'' neck, and he was quickly starting to choke on his own blood!


    Caius'' expression fell, as did everyone else''s.


    They expected him and Johann to be near equal, but now it looked very one-sided!


    ''Could it be that Johann had already reached the level of a red-ranked ouw?!'' The bearded woman thought with shock while standing beside her dead horse.

 Chapter 164 The End of the Death Race

    <h4>Chapter 164 The End of the Death Race</h4>


    "Motherfucker!" Caius screamed and powerfully swung the metal club around him before smashing it towards Johann.


    Johann vanished with the red light and reappeared behind Caius with his deadly ws nearing his neck.


    "Hmph!" Caius moved the club behind his back, blocked the deadly ws, and then countered with a horse kick to Johann''s abdomen.


    "Ngh!" Johann coughed blood and flew straight into a brick wall that crumbled apart with the impact.


    His limp body slid down the wreckage, leaving a streak of blood on the wall.


    The crowd again eximed while watching in the House of Gambling.


    First, Johann seemed to dominate the fight, but now he''s gravely injured!


    "These injuries you inflicted upon me are going to cost you dearly." Caius looked down at his waist and flexed his muscles.


    The muscle fabric tightened around his wound, forcing the blood to slow its flow.


    Johann rose to his feet from the wreckage and wiped the blood off his lips.


    His eerie red eyes gleamed with a sinister determination.


    As Caius and Johann faced each other, the air cracked with tension.


    A little further away, Ambrose, Loralei, and the bearded woman, also known as Lulu the White Inquisitor, watched the scene silently.


    But then Loralei broke the silence.


    "Caius can slow down Johann. This is our chance!"


    "Our horses are dead." Lulu said and looked back where they came from and saw several other participants suffering from the onught of bounty hunters.


    They also couldn''t advance.


    "We can run, can''t we?" Loralei tapped her feet on the pavement several times and then suddenly lunged forward with crazy speed.


    She immediately left Ambrose and Lulu behind.


    "Damn, we can''t win her in a contest of speed!" Lulu screamed.


    However, after further consideration, she turned her gaze to Ambrose and revealed her pearly white teeth.


    ''Right, I don''t have to win. As long as I kill him, I get 19,999 silvers and have removed another potential threat.''


    Ambrose covered his face as the wind produced by Caius'' club blew against him.


    ''Those two are in a whole other league. I wonder if I can ever be that strong.''


    "Hey, you." Lulu caressed her beard and said. "We should get going."


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded and began running after Loralei, who had a sizeable lead of five hundred meters.


    As Johann witnessed several participants run by and take the lead, he felt an urgency to finish this fight.


    "Haaa!" Caius ragingly smashed his club down, but Johann evaded each strike by a narrow margin.


    ''Time to end this!'' Johann pped his hands together, summoning several orbs of red light that swirled around him like moons around a.


    Caius narrowed his eyes and put his metal club into a swinging stance as if he were a baseball yer preparing to hit a home run.


    "The Crimson Bombardment!" Johann screamed and hurled the orbs towards Caius with all his might.


    "The Thunder Bazooka!" Caius screamed, and as the lightning swirled around his ck metal club, he swung it and smashed it into the flying orbs.


    Boom¡ªa loud explosion shook the buildings and ground while a massive dust cloud shaped like a mushroom appeared.


    Inside the mushroom cloud, lightning and red light raged, fighting for supremacy.


    ...


    "Whoo... whoo..." Ambrose ran with the sound of an explosion echoing behind him.


    He didn''t turn around to see it and focused his gaze on the far-away back of Loralei, who was en route to winning this whole thing.


    ''Damn, I am slow.'' He thought with a wry smile.


    However, one thing felt strange to him.


    Lulu was running behind him as if she couldn''t run faster.


    ''What is she nning?'' Ambrose wondered. ''She managed to do amazing acrobatic feats, meaning she is definitely an athlete.


    ''Yet, she can''t run past me? That is bullshit.


    ''She is targeting me for some reason.''


    Ambrose was tired of waiting for her to make the move.


    He doubted he would be able to catch up on Loralei, making the chance of victory slim to none.


    Thus, he nned to focus only on survival.


    He grabbed the hilt of his ck Sword, still sheathed in his scabbard and took a deep breath.


    Lulu''s expression turned cold, and she suddenly lunged forward and delivered a high kick, aimed at Ambrose''s neck.


    She nned on breaking his neck with a quick strike!


    Ambrose quickdrawed his sword and blocked the kick before it made contact with his neck.


    "Tsk." Lulu clicked her tongue. ''He managed to draw the sword quicker than expected!''


    Ambrose''s first-ever training was to draw his sword thousands of times.


    It wasn''t the only time he was forced to do that.


    Every day, for at least an hour, he worked to hone his unsheathing ability, and in the end, his quickdraw speed became much faster.


    "May I ask why you are targeting me?" Ambrose asked and jumped away from her to increase the distance that favored him.


    "Money!" Lulu replied and jumped high into the air.


    She majestically spun around like a hurricane and then sent powerful kicks towards Ambrose.


    "Haa!" Ambrose rapidly deflected all the kicks and wanted to sh through the legs, but she didn''t give him an opportunity to do that.


    Her legs moved like lightning¡ªdeadly, quickly and with precision.


    She continued her relentless assault, not even once giving Ambrose a chance to regain his footing.


    He waspletely on the receiving end, only able to block and dodge.


    ''This is bad!'' Ambrose thought with a pale face and blocked another powerful kick that forced him to take a step backward.


    He needed toe up with a n quickly if he wanted to turn the tide of the fight.


    ''I know how to fight against fellow swordsmen, but I don''t know what I am supposed to do against unarmedbatants.


    ''The same problem is with spearmen. I am way too inexperienced!''


    "Beautiful Spinning Death!"


    Lulu suddenly began spinning around like a ballerina, and when her speed was high enough, she unleashed a devastating kick thatnded on Ambrose''s ck de.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose groaned and slid down several meters.


    His ck de was perfectly fine, but his arms felt numb.


    "Whoo!" Lulu stopped spinning and saw Ambrose struggling to lift his sword.


    She revealed a cheeky grin. "You shouldn''t have blocked it!"


    ''This attack... had a stun effect?'' Ambrose realized that he had made a mistake.


    He quickly tried to shake off the numbness, but it was spreading like a disease that couldn''t be controlled.


    In a matter of seconds, his body waspletely paralyzed.


    "Hehe." Lulu pulled out several knives and licked her lips. "Another down~"


    At that moment, a red light spread across the street, coating the surrounding area in an eerie glow.


    Lulu''s eyes widened in shock, and she felt something approach her.


    She quickly jumped backwards but lost her bnce and fell onto the cold pavement.


    "Ahh..." She looked down and wondered why she had lost her bnce, as she had trained in the art of bnce for years to improve her kicking prowess.


    Even an earthquake wouldn''t be able to shake her.


    However, when she looked down, her eyes widened in shock.


    She was missing one of her legs!


    From the red light, a bloodied Johann emerged with a twisted expression.


    He soared across the street and saw Loralei running through the Street of Sex while windows showed naked prostitutes watching the race, with some even having sex on the side.


    She only had the Street of Alcohol and Gambling left to win the whole race!


    But then the eerie light caught up to her.


    Loralei''s expression fell, and then ck ws shed through her head.


    Her head flew high into the air, a shocked expression stered on it.


    The headless body copsed on the ground.


    "Argh!" Johann emerged from the red light and ran like a raging bull towards the finishing line.


    In front of the House of Gambling, thousands of roaring spectators watched as the bloodied vampire reached the finishing line.


    The announcer proudly dered. "The winner of the special Crescent Moon Death Race is Johann!"

 Chapter 165 Russian

    <h4>Chapter 165 Russian</h4>


    The announcer''s sting voice entered Ambrose''s ears.


    He sighed and fell to his knees, filled with exhaustion.


    The numbness had luckily disappeared, as the stun effect rarelysted more than five seconds.


    ''In the end, he won.'' Ambrose sighed and lingered his gaze in the direction of the screaming, bearded woman.


    She was biting her lip while tightening a belt around her thigh to stop the bleeding.


    Her leg from the knee downward was gone.


    "..." Ambrose silently stood up and began walking towards the finish line to end his race.


    Even though he didn''t win, he was fine with second ce.


    After passing the Street of Sex and Alcohol, he arrived on the Street of Gambling and soon walked through the finishing line.


    The loud celebrations echoed in his ears.


    Surprisingly, the crowd also showered him with apuse, even though he didn''t win.


    He looked around the crowd and saw them pping, but most faces didn''t show him any respect.


    In the end, he was second because Johann didn''t attack him.


    ''I wonder why he didn''t kill me.'' Ambrose thought while looking towards Johann, who received his prize money and looked rather bored, as if he didn''t want to be here any longer.


    At the finishing line, a one-legged Lulu limped and crossed the line.


    Her face was pale like a bedsheet, and her eyes were filled with exhaustion and defeat.


    While the cold sweat dripped down her forehead, she angrily looked at the bored-looking Johann, and whenever she caught sight of his red eyes, she began having phantom pains in her own eyes.


    ''My leg...'' Lulu clutched her chest tightly and felt like crying.


    She knew what would happen to her now.


    The Sanctorium of Inquisitorious doesn''t have any need for disabled Inquisitors.


    p, p¡ªthe race direction walked out from the House of Gambling and pped his hands loudly.


    "Thank you for participating in the Death Race, and I hope you all will participate in future races as well."


    He then walked to the side and showed a path to the building.


    "The owner of the House of Gambling wishes to see you, the top three participants!"


    The crowd turned silent with shocked expressions on their faces.


    They didn''t expect the famous owner of the House of Gambling to be currently present in the building!


    Johann''s eyes shook, and he looked genuinely shocked.


    He straightened his sleeves and tightened his necktie.


    He suddenly looked far more handsome and professional, like a young business executive ready to take charge.


    After he entered the building, Ambrose followed behind him, wondering who this owner was.


    Lastly, Lulu followed behind the two men while limping and dripping blood behind her.


    However, quickly, white-ranked servants came and wiped the blood off the floor.


    ...


    At the outskirts of Warhaven.


    A bruised Caius walked while dragging the ck metal club behind him.


    His mouth was bleeding, and his torn shirt showed a battered chest with w marks that sunk deep into his flesh.


    ''That bastard managed to escape, but before that, he surelynded a devastating blow.'' Caius touched his pained chest and remembered one thing.


    ''When I watched the race via Screen Halo, I saw that ck-haired young man cut through Johann''s Vampire Light.


    ''I couldn''t do that. Because of that, he managed tond that blow on me. What is the trick to injuring the Vampire Light? How did that weakling manage to do that?''


    With questions riddling his mind, Caius disappeared from the streets and returned to his house to mend his wounds.


    But he and Johann alike, both powerhouses of brown rank, were left with questions about Ambrose.


    A seemingly nobody who managed to do an impossible feat.


    ...


    Creak¡ªa pair of heavy doors opened, revealing a simple room with a single table in the center and a balcony where one could witness the beauty of night in Warhaven.


    On the wall, there was a single bounty poster painted red with an eerie sketched image.


    Johann, Ambrose, and Lulu entered the room and saw an ominous feeling settling over the atmosphere.


    There were three people seated around the table; there were three more seats avable.


    One of them was a tall man with short red hair, and all his fingers had one ring each. He had a stern expression on his face, and his eyes seemed to pierce through anyone who looked at him.


    His mouth had a cigar sticking out of it, letting out ck smoke that swirled in the air around him.


    The other two people wore ck suits and looked like the red-haired man''s subordinates. Yet they didn''t look weak as they both held katanas on their waists.


    Ambrose sweated heavily for some reason and couldn''t stop it.


    ''The atmosphere is suffocating. I feel like it''s difficult to breathe even!''


    "Mister Russian." Johann ced his palm against his chest and bowed humbly.


    That surprised Ambrose and Lulu, as they didn''t expect a powerhouse of his caliber to bow to anyone.


    But then, Lulu caught sight of Russian''s grinning face and paled like she had seen a ghost in flesh.


    She was utterly terrified!


    ''Who is he?'' Ambrose wondered, but then his gaze wandered to the wall where a single bounty poster was.


    The bounty poster''s sketched image bore a great resemnce to Russian.


    His eyes slowly widened before horror struck him.


    ***


    [WANTED]


    [ONLY DEAD]


    [Rank: Red]


    [Name: Russian "The Conqueror of the West" Motherlund]


    [Reward: 2,001,025 silvers]


    ***


    Russian smiled and took the cigar from his mouth, then pointed at the three seats avable.


    "Take seats, and congrattions to Johann for the victory. The race indeed became more interesting with the sudden appearance of Caius.


    "However, the winner was clear from the start."


    Johann nodded and sat in the center, with Ambrose on his left side and Lulu on the right.


    Lulu grabbed her thigh and felt an agonizing pain, but she didn''t want to show it in her face as she was in the presence of a true powerhouse who was miles ahead of her in terms of power.


    "The Death Race might be over, but there is one "test" left." Russian smiled and nodded at the henchman beside him.


    The henchman brought a suitcase and opened it.


    Russian took the item hidden inside the suitcase and showed it to the three people.


    Johann and Lulu frowned and wondered what it was.


    However, Ambrose was very aware and almost swore out loud.


    ''A gun?!''


    Russian held an item that resembled a lot of a gun, with a long barrel, trigger, and cylinder where one could ce bullets.


    However, it still looked very primitive.


    ''It looks like a gun, but this game can''t have one, right...'' Ambrose wiped the sweat from his brows. ''I wonder how it works.''


    "This is a special item created by a friend of mine." Russian rolled the cylinder for everyone to see. "Inside this metal cylinder, I can ce things I call bullets and fire them.


    "It''s like using a bow and arrow, but in a more effective form.


    "Unfortunately, it''s still in development and is rather weak and inurate.


    "We can only fire it one meter before it loses most of its uracy and power.


    "However, my friend and I created a rather interesting game with this."


    ''Please no.'' Ambrose wished for his bad feelings not toe true.


    Unfortunately for him, his thoughts became a reality.


    Russian smiled and looked at the three people.


    "I call it Russian Roulette.


    "And I want you to participate in this small game.


    "Don''t worry, it''spletely harmless!"

 Chapter 166 Russian Roulette

    <h4>Chapter 166 Russian Roulette</h4>


    ''Russian Roulette?'' Lulu wondered what that was.


    Johann intertwined his fingers and looked at the long-barreled gun sitting on the table, wondering what kind of weapon it was.


    He couldn''t help but feel uneasy about this "Russian Roulette" game.


    The two henchmen, dressed in ck suits, removed their neckties and straightened their sleeves.


    Their faces bore dire expressions, as they didn''t expect to leave this room alive.


    This was their punishment for the failure of their previous mission.


    The only way they would be forgiven was if they survived.


    However, a hundred Russian Roulettester, Russian had still yet to lose, even though the chance of dying was astronamically high.


    Russian grabbed the gun from the table and pushed the cylinder out to show six ces for bullets. He then spun it around and ced the barrel against his temple, ready to y another round.


    "The rules are simple; press the trigger, and if you get your brains sttered all over the wall, you lose."


    Lulu''s and Johann''s expressions fell.


    "Only one will leave this table alive." Russian grinned.


    They realized the game had taken a deadly turn.


    "Let the game begin!" Russian squeezed the trigger, and an empty click echoed in the room.


    The silence fell on the room, but after a moment, Russian smiled and passed the gun to his henchman.


    "It seems that I survived the first round."


    Lulu looked at the scene with cold sweat trailing down her face. She looked very sickly and pale, as if she were about to faint at any moment.


    The henchman looked at his boss, Russian, before looking straight into the wall.


    He shut his eyes and squeezed the trigger powerfully.


    Another empty click echoed in the room.


    "Whew..." The henchman heaved a sigh of relief and passed the gun to his friend beside him.


    They had undergone a lot together and had be good friends, which was rare in Warhaven.


    His friend looked silently at the table, then pressed the barrel against his temple and squeezed the trigger.


    Click¡ªa hollow click sounded as nothing happened.


    He heaved a sigh of relief and then passed the gun to Lulu, who took it with trembling hands.


    ''Please, I can''t die here!'' Lulu looked at the gun with a fearful expression and then pressed the barrel against her forehead.


    She closed her eyes and fearfully squeezed the trigger.


    Click¡ªjust like others, nothing happened.


    She flinched after hearing the click, but after a few seconds, she opened her eyes and shed a few tears of joy.


    Then she passed the gun to Johann, who looked very serious.


    Johann looked at the gun in his hand, traced his finger across the metallic surface, and then slowly moved it against his temple.


    He looked at the red-haired Russian and squeezed the trigger.


    Click¡ªnothing happened as an empty click echoed in the room.


    Everyone turned their gazes to thest person remaining.


    "As I stated before, the cylinder only has ces for six bullets." Russian smiled.


    Lulu and Johann didn''t quite understand theplex mechanics of the weapon, but they realized that there was the possibility of firing the gun six times and only once for it to fire.


    Thus, now it was guaranteed that whoever shot it next time would ultimately die.


    Ambrose took the gun with a cold expression and looked at the dark barrel.


    ''Typical luck.'' He gritted his teeth and pressed the trigger against his forehead without any care in the world.


    He had already epted his fate.


    ''No hesitation?'' Russian''s expression widened in surprise. ''At this point, others would''ve tried to escape, but not him...


    ''He is ready to die!''


    Ambrose gritted his teeth and squeezed the trigger.


    Click¡ªshockingly, another empty click echoed, leaving everyone stunned.


    An awkward silence fell over the room.


    Ambrose looked at the barrel with a frown. ''Does this even work?''


    "Oh, I must''ve forgotten to put a bullet in." Russianughed heartily and took the gun back.


    He then checked the cylinder, and as he expected, there was not a single bullet in there.


    Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched. ''He must''ve done that on purpose. What a sick joke!''


    Russian then put one copper-colored bullet in and spun the cylinder around before pushing it back into its ce.


    "Well, let''s do this for real."


    Without further ado, he pressed the barrel against his temple and squeezed the trigger.


    Click¡ªfor the seventh time in a row, nothing happened.


    "Whew." Russian heaved a sigh of relief andughed before handing it over to his henchman on his left.


    The henchman looked at the barrel, gulped, and then pressed the barrel against his temple.


    ''This is not where my life ends.'' He thought and squeezed the trigger.


    Bang¡ªsuddenly, a deafening gunshot echoed throughout the room while the henchman''s brains sttered across the dull wallpaper.


    His life came to a tragic end.


    His friend''s eyes widened in shock as he watched the horrifying scene unfold before him.


    "Mm, time for the second round!" Russian took the gun from the hand of the dead henchman, put another bullet in it, spun the cylinder around, and then handed it over to the second henchman.


    "We''ll start with you. I will now be thest person to pull the trigger in this round." Russian said with a smile.


    The second henchman looked at his dead friend, then pressed the barrel against his forehead and promised to survive this to have a proper funeral for his dead friend.


    Bang¡ªafter squeezing the trigger, the bullet tore through his forehead, killing him instantly.


    "Oh!" Russianughed and walked over to the second henchman, then put another bullet on the cylinder and handed the gun to Lulu. "The previous two were rather unlucky. Good luck!"


    Lulu looked pale and sickly as she raised the gun and pressed it against the side of her temple.


    Johann and Ambrose looked silently at the sickly-looking, bearded woman and then saw her squeeze the trigger.


    Click¡ªan empty click sounded.


    "Haaaah!" Lulu eximed and threw the gun to the table, her hands trembling from the adrenaline coursing through her veins.


    Because of the adrenaline, she couldn''t feel the agonizing pain of having her leg cut off.


    Johann silently took the gun from the table and carefully inspected it.


    It was silver-ck in color and had a sleek and polished finish.


    Yet this was a weapon of destruction like no other.


    ''This thing has as much power as my Crimson Bombardment, yet anyone can use it.'' Johann frowned and felt like this was far too dangerous a weapon to be held.


    ''If Russian''s words are correct and this thing is still in development, when its finished product, whoever wields this will be ruler of Warhaven!''


    He pressed the barrel against the side of his temple and felt the presence of the bullet in the cylinder.


    That single bullet had enough power to reap his life¡ªa Vampire powerhouse.


    He then slowly squeezed the trigger and felt his arm tremble as the bullet fired into his skull.


    The bullet left behind a sizeable hole on the side of his head, and then his head crashed into the table, spilling blood everywhere.


    To everyone''s shock, an absolute powerhouse with a bounty of nearly half a million silvers died just like that!


    Lulu and Ambrose couldn''t believe their eyes.


    "Oh, he died." Russian nonchntly said and went to fetch the gun before cing another bullet in the cylinder.


    He then smiled and handed it over to Ambrose.


    "Your turn."

 Chapter 167 Final Round

    <h4>Chapter 167 Final Round</h4>


    Ambrose silently raised the gun and pressed it against his temple.


    The singr bullet loomed like a shadow of death as he prepared to pull the trigger.


    Squeeze¡ªhe gently squeezed the trigger and closed his eyes.


    Click¡ªhis heart jumped as the empty click sounded, indicating that he survived another round.


    He took a deep breath and handed the gun back to Russian.


    Russian gently caressed the long barrel of the gun and then pressed it against his temple before showing his tongue.


    "Boom!" He shouted and squeezed the trigger.


    Click.


    Ambrose and Lulu flinched, but nothing happened as Russianughed and tossed the gun to the bearded woman.


    Lulu clumsily caught the gun and nced nervously around the table at the bleeding corpses.


    Since Ambrose and Russian had already fired the guns, there was a 1 in 4 chance for the gun to kill her.


    She had a 25% chance of death and a 75% chance of survival.


    The odds were in her favor.


    ''If I survive this, the chance of me dying in this round is minimal.'' Lulu thought. ''Ambrose and Russian have to fire once each, and then it would be my turn again, which would mean certain death.''


    She pressed the barrel against her temple and thought. ''The chance is small that I die right now.''


    Ambrose and Russian watched as the bearded woman took a deep breath.


    ''Gods of Old and New, save me!'' Lulu mmed her eyes open and squeezed the trigger.


    Click¡ªshe flinched like a frightened rabbit, but to her absolute joy, the gun didn''t fire.


    "Hahaha, how interesting!" Russianughed and turned his gaze to Ambrose. "Your turn~"


    Lulu handed the gun to Ambrose with a smirk.


    She was rather satisfied that either a very dangerous red-ranked ouw would die or a brown-ranked ouw with the potential to reach a 100,000 silvers bounty.


    Either way, it would be a win for her.


    Ambrose silently looked at the gun and wiped the sweat off his brows.


    He then heaved a sigh and pressed the gun against his be before squeezing the trigger.


    Click¡ªanother empty click sounded.


    Lulu looked stunned and turned to Russian with a beating heart.


    She was still rather scared of this powerhouse.


    ''Would he really die?'' She took a gulp. ''This is his game, and he might have a way to cheat...''


    "Oho." Russian took the gun and pressed it against his forehead with a grin. "Fifty-fifty chance!"


    ''Please die, motherfucker!'' Lulu screamed inwardly.


    Ambrose clenched his hands into a fist while his foot impatiently tapped against the floor below the table.


    Russian smiled and squeezed the trigger.


    Click.


    A frightening silence fell over the room.


    Lulu''s expression fell, like she had been dropped into the pits of despair.


    ''I-Impossible...''


    "I am indeed lucky!" Russianughed and slid the gun across the table until itnded on Lulu''sp. "Come now, fire!"


    Ambrose crossed his arms and leaned against the chair''s backrest. He kept his eyes closed and his heart heavy, trying to block out the sound of Lulu''s sobs.


    "I-impossible..." Lulu shed tears and looked at her trembling hands. ''C-Could this be another trick of his? Maybe there isn''t a bullet?''


    She hesitantly took the gun and looked at its dark barrel, trying to peer inside, but the darkness blocked her sight to the bullet.


    ''I-I can''t take that chance.'' Lulu steeled her resolve and looked angrily at the grinning Russian. ''I won''t die here!''


    She lifted the gun, pointed it at Russian and pulled the trigger.


    Bang¡ªbullet explosively left the barrel and flew towards its target with deadly force.


    However, once it had traveled one meter, the speed of the bullet rapidly decreased, and it fell harmlessly to the table.


    ''What the hell was that?'' Ambrose shot his eyes open and saw the scene of Lulu holding the gun, the bullet rolling down the table, and Russian coldly looking at the smoking barrel.


    ''She actually tried to kill Russian?'' His eyes widened in shock. ''But the bullet then lost all its momentum after traveling one meter, so it didn''t reach the target?


    ''That doesn''t make any sense? Or, is this game developer''s way of ensuring that the guns will never be viable at long range but only usable at close range?''


    Lulu''s hand shook as she watched the bullet slowly roll off the table.


    "I am disappointed." Russian shook his head. "You should''ve finished the game, but instead, you tried to cheat.


    "I don''t like cheaters."


    "I-I..." Lulu blinked once and then saw that Russian had vanished.


    Almost instantlyter.


    A cold hand touched her shoulder.


    "Cheaters never win." Russian coldly sneered and crushed Lulu''s shoulder with a strong squeeze.


    "Arg¡ª" Lulu screamed, but then the cold hands covered her mouth.


    Russian grabbed her neck with his free hand and did another squeeze.


    Her throat and windpipe got crushed, making it impossible for her to breathe.


    She coughed and suffocated on her own blood, and thirty secondster, she fell to the floor¡ªdead.


    "Your turn." Russian coldly said and ced a bullet in the gun before tossing it over to Ambrose.


    Ambrose clumsily caught the gun and looked at it with a thoughtful expression.


    Russian sat back down on his chair and sat cross-legged.


    "I have a question." Ambrose asked and looked at the red-haired man''s stern face. "Why are you doing this?"


    "Many ask me that question." Russian said and cracked a smile. "I never give an answer because I don''t have one."


    Ambrose frowned and then ced the barrel against his temple.


    "Final round, begin." Russianughed.


    Click¡ªonce Ambrose pulled the trigger, an empty sound came.


    He sighed and tossed the gun to Russian.


    Russian effortlessly caught it, pressed the barrel against his forehead, and pulled the trigger.


    Click¡ªnothing happened.


    He then tossed the gun over to Ambrose, who caught it and pressed it against the side of his temple.


    Click¡ªanother hollow sound came.


    Ambrose took a deep breath and hurled the gun over to Russian.


    Russian caught the gun and stuffed the barrel into his mouth before squeezing the trigger.


    Click... a very distinct click sounded, but once again, nothing happened!


    After removing the barrel from his mouth, Russian whistled and tossed the gun to Ambrose.


    Ambrose caught it and looked at the drool that dripped down the barrel¡ªa heavy expression stered on his face.


    "Fifty-fifty chance." Russian said with a smile. "I promise, if the gun doesn''t fire, I won''t pussy out and try to kill you.


    "I will ept my loss gracefully!"


    ''I have a hard time believing that.'' Ambrose thought wryly.


    He knew very well that he wouldn''t be able to do anything against Russian.


    After all, he was a red-ranked ouw with a bounty of over two million silvers!


    It was astronomically high.


    ''I wonder if I survive this and he dies, will I be able to acquire his bounty reward?'' Ambrose thought and pressed the gun against his temple. ''His bounty is worth over 200,000 crowns.''


    Russian crossed his arms and looked silently at Ambrose, his expression unreadable.


    Ambrose closed his eyes and listened to the beating of his heart.


    At dire times like this, it calmed him down and helped him push away all the fear.


    Then, as the clock on the wall struck midnight, Ambrose opened his eyes and pulled the trigger.

 Chapter 168 Discovery

    <h4>Chapter 168 Discovery</h4>


    [You are dead!]


    [Do you want to revive?]


    [Yes/No]


    ''God damn it!'' Ambrose shouted inside his mind angrily.


    When he pulled the trigger, he heard a loud sound in his ear before everything went dark.


    There was only one thing that could''ve happened.


    He lost the Russian Roulette.


    ''So unlucky.'' Ambrose groaned as he floated aimlessly in the dark expanse of space.


    The hologram floated in front of him, asking whether he wanted to return to the game or not.


    However, it was gettingte.


    Therefore, he pressed "no" and left the game with regrets filling his heart.


    ...


    After opening his eyes, Jesse removed the headset and sat up on the bed.


    He opened the drawer of his bedside desk and took out a few snack bars to quench his hunger.


    As he bit into the first bar, he couldn''t help but rey the events of the game over and over in his mind.


    ''What a fruitless day.'' He thought. ''I didn''t get a single kill and even got my acquired XP halved. Then, I also lost silvers because of the entrance fee to the race.


    ''Maybe it was a mistake to join the Death Race.''


    Jesse finished the snack bar and wondered what item he had lost. He wished it wasn''t the Orc Whistle or ck Sword.


    After getting off the bed, he went to the bathroom to do his business and then sat down on the gaming chair in front of his PC.


    ''What should I do tomorrow.'' Jesse wondered while he opened the PC.


    Since the day was gettingte, he decided to browse the inte for a while before going to bed to do his meditation session.


    He settledfortably on the PC and nonchntly checked the forums before moving to ForeverStream.


    One of his favorite past times recently has been watching streamers with fewer than ten viewers.


    They were always doing their own adventures and providing a more intimate and interactive experience for their small but dedicated audience.


    While stuck in the Dojo Temple, Jesse wanted to keep up with the happenings of the world around him.


    He hoped that those streams would increase his knowledge about the Martial Online world.


    As he almost finished browsing the not-so-popr streams, he soon found one that seemed interesting.


    The streamer was on a sailboat coursing through Dark Waters.


    ...


    The sailboat calmly glided through the mist, navigating through the calm waters with ease.


    The wind was scarce, causing the sailboat to move at a leisurely pace.


    "..." The streamer that went with the name of Antis stood at the front of the sailboat, looking at the mist-covered waters with a sense of tread and anticipation.


    As the floating camera appeared in front of his face, Antis looked at the lens and said. "I hope we won''t be seeing Wild Hunt today."


    He chuckled nervously while his few viewers stayed quiet on the chat.


    Most of his viewers were friends of his who had stopped ying for today and, before going to sleep, wanted to watch their friend sailing through the treacherous waters.


    The Wild Hunt had be very infamous, but after that day, they had never appeared again.


    It made many wonder whether they were the source of mass hallucinations, but the fame of Wild Hunt had be a worldwide phenomenon that even parents of children who y have heard of.


    At that moment, a message appeared in his chat, which attracted his attention.


    "Hmm, a message from Ambrose..." Antis was not aware of such a name in his chat before, so he smiled and said. "Wee to my stream, and where am I going, you ask? Well, I don''t know!"


    Heughed and exined. "At first, I was nning to go to one of the nearby inds that had already been discovered by yers, but then I encountered a small storm!


    "The storm pushed me away from my route, and now I am just going with the flow, hoping to find an ind soon!"


    Antis then sat down and pointed the floating camera to the front to show the sailboat moving through the calm waters.


    "It''s been a few hours, and I haven''t seen a single ind anywhere." He scratched his head. "It''s also gettingte, so I am hoping to find something.


    "If I put temporary spawn on the boat and log off, when Ie back in the morning, this sailboat might be on the bottom of the ocean or washed up on a random shore.


    "I would bepletely lost!"


    The chat remained empty after that.


    Antis then moved the camera to capture the whole sailboat as it cut through the waves.


    The eerie mist that enveloped the surroundings covered the sailboat as it continued to sail into Dark Waters. The sound of crashing waves echoed in the distance.


    The crimson crescent moon hung high in the air, giving the surroundings a dark vibe.


    The Night of the Crescent Moon...


    ...


    "Yawnnn..." Jesse yawned while watching the stream.


    It was calming to watch the stream for the first thirty minutes, but because the time waste, the calmness caused his eyelids to grow heavy.


    Jesse shook his head and left the stream.


    "I wonder what will happen to him, but it''s getting far toote." Jesse thought and was about to leave the ForeverStream.


    Then he noticed a thumbnail of a person sitting on some kind of minecart going deep into darkness.


    His expression fell.


    "No way..."


    He quickly pressed on the stream and saw that there were only two viewers, one of whom was most likely the streamer.


    ...


    The clean-shaven yer groaned. "We have been on this minecart for two fucking hours!"


    His friend in front of him turned around and said. "I think I am seeing light!"


    The clean-shaven yer frowned and turned to the front.


    Just like his friend said, a small light came from the end of the route.


    The minecart suddenly put the brakes on and started decelerating rapidly.


    From several hundreds of km/h, the speed came to a quick stop as the minecart soon left the tunnel and crashed into the stoppage wall.


    "Ugh..." The clean-shaven yer fell from the minecart and stood up with an ufortable expression. "W-where the hell are we?"


    They looked around and saw nothing but dimly lit alleyways with buildings that did not have lights on.


    A stagnant air filled with the smell of smoke, stale garbage, and a hint of decay entered their noses, causing them to bend over and cough.


    "I-Is this... Warhaven?" The clean-shaven yer looked amazed andughed. "Hahaha, we found it!"


    His friend also cracked a smile and touched the nearby wall that belonged to a shabby-looking dwelling.


    ...


    Jesse looked silently at the stream and covered his mouth.


    ''They found it...'' He looked at the chat, where a message appeared.


    [Bormund: You guys really found it¡ªI have to inform my dojo master!]


    ''Dojo master...'' Jesse groaned and leaned against the backrest. "So, now more yers wille to Warhaven."


    As the streamer and his friend celebrated their discovery, Jesse looked conflicted.


    "If news about Warhavenes out, thousands, maybe even millions of yers will want toe check it out.


    "Warhaven isn''t a yground. It''s a very dark ce." Jesse sighed and closed the PC. "Well, I''ll tell Emma not to go anywhere near this ce. It''s not suitable for innocent souls like her.


    "From tomorrow on, things will get more chaotic in Warhaven..."

 Chapter 169 Rusty Sword

    <h4>Chapter 169 Rusty Sword</h4>


    "Yaaawn!" Antis let out a loud yawn and looked at his viewer count.


    [Viewers: 1]


    ''Oh, all my friends have gone to sleep.'' Antis thought and rubbed his eyes.


    Thest remaining viewer was himself.


    The rocking of the sailboat had already made him slightly seasick, and he was already dreaming about thend.


    ''Should I just sleep here?'' He thought. ''If something happens, I might wake up.''


    That seemed like a wonderful idea.


    Thus, he closed the stream and found afortable ce on the wooden floor of the sailboat.


    He then took out a few clothes from his inventory and arranged them in a makeshift bed for himself.


    After lying down, he ced his arms below his head and closed his eyes to try to enter slumber.


    The sound of gentle wavespping against the hull provided a soothing rhythm that eventually lulled him to sleep.


    Below the misty waters, in the dark depths, a mysterious hand was buried in the sand.


    The hand grasped tightly at a rusty sword that had been long forgotten.


    However, as soon as the crimson light from the crescent moonnded on the hand, it twitched a little bit.


    ...


    The clean-shaven yer, who went by the name of Shadowde, looked at the dimly lit alleyways of Warhaven.


    He was waiting for his friend to secure the minecart.


    They found an old curtain that seemed scratched and weathered, which his friend used to cover the minecart.


    They didn''t n on logging off and logging back to leave this ce faster.


    It would be faster for them to move a few hours back to the surface, where their idiot friend waited.


    Their temporary spawn spot was, after all, nearly five hours away.


    They traveled a long distance to find the Tombs that had been scattered all around the world.


    When they found the cave, they initially thought it was the Tomb or Trial.


    "Done!" His friend patted the curtains and joined Shadowde in looking at the nearby, eerie alleyways.


    "Hmm." Shadowde scratched his cheek while contemting whether they should check the ce by themselves.


    "Shadow, are we going?" His friend questioned.


    He didn''t know what Shadowde was thinking, but he wanted to check this new ce out.


    It was extremely exciting to be the first ones in the newly discovered area!


    "Yeah." Shadowde nodded and looked at the stream window. "Since Bormund has left, I''ll close the stream."


    With one press, he closed the stream, as he didn''t want others to witness what they would be seeing.


    They then left the area of the minecart and ventured deep into alleyways.


    After they finally left the twisty alleyways, they came across a street with dark buildings and flickering streetmps.


    "W-what is this ce?" His friend whispered, his voice trembling.


    The shadowy alleyways seemed to have led them into a mysterious and eerie part of the city.


    The street looked abandoned, like no one was living there.


    "I am not sure..." Shadowde replied. "Maybe this city is abandoned, and the game developers nned this city to be only for yers?"


    "That would be awesome!" His friendughed almost like a child, but then he suddenly flinched and turned his gaze to one of the buildings. "I swear I saw something!"


    "Huh?" Shadowde turned to that building, but since the windows were curtained, he couldn''t see anything. "You saw nothing. What are you talking about?"


    "Uh..." His friend shook his head and nervously chuckled. "I must be more tired than I thought. Let''s get this over with so we can go to sleep."


    "Yeah." Shadowde agreed and followed the flickering streetmps down the dark, deste road.


    Flyers and posters littered the pavement, advertising a wanted person.


    The face on the posters seemed scratched and worn, as if time had taken its toll on the image.


    One of the posters had a sketched image of a ck-haired young man with a sickly and tired-looking face.


    That poster looked newer than others, but the name was almostpletely faded away, as if someone wanted to erase it.


    Creak¡ªa distinct creak sounded from nearby buildings.


    Now, Shadowde also heard it and stopped to look at the buildings.


    Behind the curtains, shadows moved discreetly.


    "There was someone; I knew it!" His friend pulled out his sword and stood his ground. "Come out!"


    "Calm down." Shadowde touched his friend''s shoulder, but he also had his hand on the sword hilt.


    The buildings grew eerily quiet.


    Until one of the doors fell apart, and rotting hands reached out, grabbing at the air.


    Decaying people with sunken eyes and tattered clothes emerged from the darkness. They outstretched their arms towards Shadowde and hispanion.


    All the nearby doors broke apart, even some windows, as the decaying people appeared all around the street.


    There were suddenly hundreds of them, appearing from rooftops and nearby alleyways and from every shelter, dwelling and sewer hole possible.


    "Z-zombies?!" His friend shouted in shock.


    "U-unbelievable!" Shadowde drew his weapon and wiped the shocked look off his face, as he needed to focus. "Focus, and we will survive!"


    "Y-yeah!" His friend nodded and pointed his sword at the zombies, but there were simply too many of them.


    Unknowingly, they had entered the infamous Street of Death.


    Five years ago, this street''s name was vastly different, and it was a bustling and vibrant neighborhood full of shops and restaurants.


    This happened to be one of the most normal streets in Warhaven, with fighting absolutely forbidden.


    That all happened suddenly when a disease broke out and killed all the residents in the blink of an eye.


    From that day on, this street had been off-limits for everyone as it was still considered to be a dangerous and contaminated area.


    However, every Night of the Crescent Moon, the residents would rise from death once more.


    "S-shit!" Shadowde roared and hacked his sword into one of the undead creatures, its rotten flesh sttering everywhere.


    However, he only hacked off the arm, which didn''t kill the undead creature.


    The zombie continued on and grabbed Shadowde by his clothes, soon overwhelming him with its strength and throwing him to the ground.


    Shadowde screamed loudly, but soon dozens of zombies piled on top of him, and took arge bite off his flesh.


    "Shadow!" His friend screamed, but because of that onepse of focus, he also got overwhelmed and was killed shortly afterwards.


    After the corpses of the yers disappeared, the zombies continued to linger in the streets, their arms outstretched towards the unknown.


    They looked like puppets that had lost their puppeteer.


    ...


    At the Dark Waters.


    Antis soundly slept on the rocking sailboat, unaware of the surroundings.


    However, then a ssh sounded from the misty waters, and a hand rose and grabbed the sailboat.


    The hand pulled a rotting figure, who wielded a rusty sword and was covered in seaweed.


    The figurended on the sailboat and looked at the sleeping figure with a sinister look.


    But then the rotting figure sat down and looked at the rusty sword in hand, unable to remove it.


    "Uuuh..." A chilly voice came from its mouth. "Finally... I managed to... leave... that ce."


    The voice didn''t have any emotions, but based on the words, he was thrilled.


    "Uuuh..." The figure took a deep breath but realized he didn''t have lungs. "What am I now?"


    "Not a human.


    "Perhaps I am... a disgusting zombie?


    "No, if I were a zombie... I would want to eat this person in front of me...


    "I managed to take... my trusty sword with me... from that ce..."


    The figure sighed and looked far into the sky, to the crescent moon.


    "I see now..." The figure lowered its head. "... The crescent moon woke up my dead body, but I retained my mind.


    "I can''t allow... myself to return to that ce...


    "I''ll find a way to immortality... no matter what.


    "Until then... crescent night is not allowed to disappear."


    The figure stood up in the rocking sailboat and looked at the crimson crescent moon.


    "From this night onwards, you will appear... crescent moon... I order you!"

 Chapter 170 Phone Call

    <h4>Chapter 170 Phone Call</h4>


    Jesse opened his eyes and left the world of souls.


    He then checked the time on his phone and saw that it was two hours past midnight.


    ''Sote.'' He closed the phone and rubbed his eyes.


    There were moments when he wondered whether it was healthy to stay up sote every night.


    However, because of the strict training schedule, he didn''t have any other choice.


    He knew that sacrificing sleep was necessary to be stronger.


    However, he debated whether it was worth it to be stronger in a video game.


    ''Am I even growing stronger?'' Jesse left the bed, picked up the wooden branch from his wardrobe, and swung it around like it was a sword.


    He began wondering whether his efforts meant anything in the end.


    ''Perhaps I don''t have talent?'' Jesse lifted the wooden branch and frowned.


    The ceiling light attacked his eyes, but he didn''t look away.


    ''The intelligence in the game allows yers to learn skills quicker. So, shouldn''t it help me outside the game as well?


    ''I feel like it works differently. While in game, it helps me create skills quicker and learn them, but back in reality, I learned the Heaven Drop from just my memory, and maybe I can also learn swordsmanship quicker in here.''


    To many, it would sound like a ridiculous idea.


    However, Jesse had already experienced the strangeness of the world of souls and Heaven Drop in reality.


    There was nothing that seemed strange anymore.


    ''Hmm, in the world of souls, I managed to imagine myself fighting against the Inquisitors.'' Jesse turned to his bed and sat on it. ''Maybe in here, it would be even more effective.''


    ''This could be another fruitless idea, but I feel like I am on the right track.


    ''I should have faith in myself.


    ''I already only get four hours of sleep per night; it doesn''t matter if I reduce it to three hours, right?''


    Jesse then closed his eyes while holding the wooden branch and calmed his breath.


    He returned to the world of souls and immediately began imagining himself fighting against hundreds of inquisitors.


    ...


    The following morning at Terran''s Street.


    An energetic-looking young woman jogged under the scorching morning sun with her long, silver ponytail swaying behind her.


    She sported a vibrant blue tank top and ck leggings, highlighting her toned legs.


    Her earbuds sted upbeat music as she ran down a sidewalk.


    However, soon she came to a stop as if she were about to cross the road, but the side of her nce lingered in the direction of the apartmentplex.


    Alice slowly removed her earbuds and wrapped them around her music yer before pocketing it.


    She hesitated for a moment before taking a deep breath and walking over to the apartmentplex.


    She passed doors five and four, then stopped at the door with number three.


    Then she raised her arm and knocked three times.


    ''It''s early; he shouldn''t be online yet.'' Alice looked at the eyehole and took a step sideways to avoid detection.


    As she waited in the shade, not a single sound came from inside.


    ''Weird.'' Alice turned back to the door and was about to knock, but then a voice came behind her.


    "Excuse me, may I help you?"


    Alice flinched and turned around.


    She sighed in relief after seeing that it was just an elderly woman.


    "Ah yes, I am here to visit a friend, but it seems that he is still asleep." Alice smiled gently.


    "Oh, you are here to visit Jesse?" Matilda curiously caressed her chin.


    "You know him?" Alice asked with a surprise.


    "Of course, I am thendy of this apartmentplex." Matilda replied while scanning Alice from head to toe. A deep frown soon appeared in her brows.


    "Oh." Alice then bowed gracefully. "Nice to meet you."


    "Mm." Matilda answered rather lukewarmly and then asked. "So, you are here to meet Jesse, huh."


    "Yes, but it seems that he is not avable, so I wille visit him at another time." Alice smiled, and was preparing to leave.


    Matilda then interrupted. "Jesse isn''t living here anymore."


    "Eh?" Alice stopped in her tracks and looked at thendy in surprise.


    "Strange that as his "friend" you didn''t know." Matilda said with a smile.


    "He... moved out?" Alice looked surprised. "Did his parents allow his return?"


    "No, he didn''t move back to his parents ce." Matilda said.


    "Then... he..." Alice looked conflicted. "Can you tell me his address?"


    "Aha, I cannot do that." Matilda replied with a shake of her head and then smiled somewhat coldly. "I was nning today to clean up this apartment. So, if you are done with your business here, may you leave?"


    "O-oh, I am sorry." Alice then bowed and left somewhat awkwardly with a troubled expression.


    Matilda watched as the silver-haired girl left and shook her head. "Jesse, that girl ain''t good. You deserve much better."


    She then pulled out her phone and dialed her son''s number.


    The phone call soon connected.


    "Mother?" A voice belonging to Jack answered.


    "Hey son." Matilda smiled. "I was nning on visiting today, if you don''t mind."


    "Oh, sure!" Jack replied enthusiastically. It had been quite a long time since his mother visited their ce. "I''ll tell others."


    "Alright." Matilda then disconnected the phone call and pocketed it.


    She then entered Jesse''s former apartment, rolled up her sleeves, and began cleaning the ce up.


    ...


    After a morning jog, Jesse returned to his room.


    As he began preparing to return to Martial Online, a knock sounded on his door, which soon opened, revealing his father in a full ck suit as he was about to leave for Nocklund.


    "Son, in the afternoon, mother will visit." Jack said. "We are nning on having a dinner together."


    "Alright, I''ll be there." Jesse replied, as he understood Jack''s hint.


    In thest few days, he had been very upied by Martial Online and had rarely had any time to see them.


    ''I''ll have to tell Wisdom King to stop the training earlier...'' Jesse thought inwardly.


    Jack smiled and nodded. "Good. See you in there."


    He then left and closed the door.


    "Yawn." Jesse yawned lightly and then took off his jogging outfit and changed into something morefortable.


    After that, he returned to his bed and grabbed the VR headset.


    As he began to put it on, his phone suddenly vibrated in his pocket.


    He frowned and took it out.


    The screen showed an iing phone call from an unknown number.


    ''A sales call?'' Jesse wondered and then waited for the phone call to disappear.


    However, after a minute, it was still ongoing.


    The phone was on vibration mode, so there wasn''t any kind of music ying, but it was still starting to annoy him.


    ''What the hell is wrong with this guy?'' Jesse clicked his tongue and epted the phone call.


    He then pressed it against his ear and asked.


    "Who is this?"


    "Hello, Ambrose."


    Jesse''s expression fell, and his heart began racing like a marathon runner.


    A few sweat beads appeared on his forehead.


    He looked at the number of the caller and then pressed the phone against his ear once more.


    "Cerberus, how did you get my phone number?"

 Chapter 171 Thunderdome

    <h4>Chapter 171 Thunderdome</h4>


    A short-winged bird chirped andnded on a window sill.


    The curtained, ornate windows had a small gap, showing the interior of a fancy-looking room.


    On the bed of that particr room, a ck-haired young man held a phone against his ear, a serious frown on his face.


    "From who?" On the other side of the phone, Cerberusughter rang. "From our good old friend Alice, of course.


    "She visited you, but she made the excuse that you had moved away.


    "Ran away perhaps?"


    Jesse scoffed. "Ran away? From who? Her or you?"


    "Haha, well, you have been doing quite a bit of runningtely." Cerberusughed once more. "From Yatagarasu to Tonshen, from Tonshen to Lowceiling, from there to Amaterasu, and finally, into your hole."


    ''He has no idea where I am.'' Jesse concluded and kept a straight face. "And, why did you want my phone number?"


    "I, of course, wanted to talk to you."


    "Why?"


    "Haha, do I need a reason to?"


    Jesse frowned. "Do you want me to hang up? I will if you don''t stop spouting bullshit."


    "Fine~ I want you to meet with Alice."


    Jesseughed mockingly. "Why? Wait, I don''t care for the reason. Not happening."


    "Oh, you are making her sad. Are you that afraid of her? I understand; she crushed your heart, and you are angry at her.


    "I know how you are feeling. I also had a crush back in the day, but since I was known as a street rat, she only spat in my direction and hooked up with some rich douche."


    "Enough!" Jesseid on the bed and crossed his legs with an expression of frustration on his face. "What do you want? Tell me!"


    "I want you to suffer." The voice on the other side of the phone turned cold. "I truly despise you, and I will ruin everything you hold dear."


    "Over a video game?" Jesseughed and sat up, coldness spreading from his eyes to his face. "I am not fucking afraid of you."


    "You are..." Cerberus whispered to the phone. "Hiding like a rat. Isn''t that why you don''t show your face anywhere? You are afraid."


    Jesse grabbed the phone tightly and even caused small cracks around the edges.


    "I am not; I promise you that."


    Before Cerberus could say anything, Jesse looked at the phone and shouted.


    "When I am ready, I will find you myself!"


    Smash¡ªhe then smashed his thumb on the disconnect button on the phone and then threw the phone away.


    Crack¡ªthe phone''s screen cracked as it hit the floor.


    "Fucking motherfucker!" Jesse covered his face and took a deep breath. "He wanted to make me angry so I would do something reckless.


    "What did Alice want?


    "Cerberus wanted me to meet with her so she could find out my whereabouts..."


    Jesse''s expression turned cold as he realized what they were plotting.


    ''They tried to use my feelings to their advantage.'' Jesse sighed and wondered what would have happened if he had met with her. ''I might''ve... revealed.''


    He then stood up from the bed and walked over to the window.


    After pushing the curtains to the side, a weing view of the grandndscape spread out before him.


    ''Yeah, I forgot...


    ''I forgot the reason why I wanted to be stronger in the first ce.


    ''Thank you, Cerberus.'' Jesse grinned as he looked out the window and felt a renewed sense of purpose. ''I won''t hesitate in my training anymore.''


    ''Next time we meet, I''ll be powerful enough to destroy you.''


    ...


    At the thundering city of Thunderdome.


    A green-eyed man looked away from the phone and looked silently at the dark room around him.


    The room had barely enough space to fit a bed and wardrobe.


    The walls were covered in peeling wallpaper, revealing the decaying ster underneath.


    "Jason, where the hell are you, boy?!"


    A loud, booming voice echoed through the thin walls.


    Jason raised his head and frowned.


    He walked out of the room and came across a messy living room with alcohol bottles and garbage bags strewn about.


    On the ragged sofa, a drunken man with a bottle of whiskey in hand was slumped over.


    With his drunken breath, he turned to look at his son and shouted. "Where is the food? Do you want us to starve or what?"


    The nearby door opened, and a short, cute girl with a cold expression walked out and stopped next to Jason. She looked at their father with unfamiliar coldness.


    "Father, have you checked the refrigerator?" Jason asked with a twitching eyebrow.


    "Of course, do you think I am stupid?" His father stood up in a drunken stupor and grabbed him by the hair. "Do you think I am stupid, boy? Answer!"


    Jason didn''t even flinch, even though his father was trying to rip his hair off.


    "No, I am sorry. I''ll visit the store right away."


    "Hmph!" His father then tossed him to the side and spat on the messy ground. "If you wouldn''t be spending all day inside that useless video game, you would actually be something of use!"


    "I''lle with you." The cute girl grabbed Jason by his sleeve, and they then put on shoes and left the apartment.


    It wasn''t raining outside, but there was loud thunder on top of the dark clouds.


    It was still morning, yet it looked like it was nearing nightfall.


    "I heard you calling someone." The little girl said while holding her brother by the hand.


    "It was nothing, June." Jason replied and looked across the street at the neighboring buildings.


    They all looked brand new, with freshly painted walls and well-kept fences, while their own house looked like it was in desperate need of repairs.


    "It was something," June said. "You were very angry."


    Jason sighed. "I called Ambrose. Alice gave me his phone number."


    "Why did you do that?" June asked and looked at her brother''s face. "That was very reckless. You should''ve known better. Did you at least get something out of it?"


    "No..." Jason looked toward the dark clouds. "However, I now know what we must do."


    "What is that?" June asked.


    "What do you say if we move away?" Jason said and stopped walking.


    "With father?" June asked and stopped walking as well.


    "That useless drunkard? He has been nothing but a bother." Jason said and crouched to lower his eye level to June''s level. "We''re better off without him."


    June pursed her lips and looked conflicted.


    "We now have a way to make money." Jason grabbed his little sister''s hands and said with a smile. "Reality Market will be our way out."


    "Where do you want to go?" June asked, and then her voice turned a little bit more excited. "I''ve always wanted to visit Sundome!"


    Jason shook his head. "I was thinking about... moving somewhere further away."


    "Where?" June asked curiously.


    "How about... Nocklund?" Jason suggested.


    June''s excited expression dropped. "Do you think nothing else than hunting him down? Have you considered what could happen if you hurt him in here?


    "You could kill him and end up in prison!"


    "Nocklund is only the first stop." Jason said and caressed June''s soft cheek. "When we have gathered enough money, we could move overseas to start a whole new life!"


    "Overseas?" June looked slightly excited at the possibility.


    Jason then patted her head and said. "I''ll forget about chasing Ambrose for now. Let''s make tons of money so we can leave this wretched ce.


    "We will then purchase a proper house with three floors and several bathrooms!"


    "No more waiting for bathroom turns!" June''s smile blossomed, and she nodded. "S-sounds good!"


    "Good." Jason smiled and with hand-in-hand, they walked under the thundering sky.

 Chapter 172 The Wisdom King Vs. Ambrose

    <h4>Chapter 172 The Wisdom King Vs. Ambrose</h4>


    After logging back in, Ambrose yawned and rubbed his neck.


    The cozy cottage of Honorable Zhen''s was empty as he had left to do his temple work.


    Thus, he was alone in the empty room, with the sound of silence surrounding him.


    ''Right, what item did I lose?'' Ambrose wondered and turned his attention to the air in front of him.


    "Interface..."


    With a single whisper, the holographic screen appeared in front of him.


    He checked all the items, and it didn''t take long for him to realize what he had lost.


    "No... another one." Ambrose sighed and lowered his head. "My ck Sword... God damn it!"


    After the loss of another ck Sword, he had only one left and two Red Swords.


    When he had three each, he thought it was impossible to lose all of them, but now it looked very much possible!


    "Shit!" Ambrose groaned and then stood up.


    He shook his head, trying to get rid of the negative thoughts.


    He still had swordsmanship training to go to, and he had to somehow get the Wisdom King to stop the training earlier today, which would not be an easy task.


    ...


    "To stop training earlier, you say?" The Wisdom King sat on a garden chair with an expressionless look on his face.


    "Yes... I have things to do." Ambrose replied while standing in the middle of the raised tform.


    "That''s not a mindset of a strong person." The Wisdom King said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.


    Ambrose kneeled down and said. "Let me prove that my training has not been futile!"


    "Alright." The Wisdom King stood up and went to fetch a sword and spear from the weapons rack.


    He then walked up the stairs to the tform.


    "Sword and spear?" Ambrose curiously asked.


    "I will be using a sword; you will use a spear." The Wisdom King said and tossed the spear to Ambrose.


    "But I am not a spearman." Ambrose said with a frown.


    "I am well aware." The Wisdom Kingughed and then pointed at the spear with his sword. "Pick it up."


    Ambrose looked at his training sword in his hand, then put it away and picked up the spear from the ground.


    "I''ll allow you to use both hands." The Wisdom King said and moved his wooden sword in front of his body. "Let''s begin."


    Ambrose nodded and tightened his grip on the spear. He then began to slowly circle around the Wisdom King, waiting for a moment to strike.


    "You have a longer range; you should''ve used it!" The Wisdom King took a long stride forward and closed the distance between him and his pupil.


    ''Shit!'' Ambrose quickly jumped backward and thrust his spear forward.


    As the spear''s wooden de approached the beige-colored robes, the Wisdom King lifted his sword and shed it against Ambrose''s spear.


    The spear lost the sh and got knocked out of Ambrose''s hand, flying through the air.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose then saw the grandmaster lift his sword one more time, ready to deliver the final strike.


    Without letting him do that, Ambrose jumped into the air and caught the spear in mid-air.


    Afternding on the tform, he spun the spear around and smashed it into the Wisdom King''s sword.


    This time, he used the momentum from the spinning tond a devastating strike at the wooden sword.


    While blocking the spear, the Wisdom King smiled thoughtfully.


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose raised the spear and smashed it down on the sword.


    However, the Wisdom King suddenly flicked his wrist, causing the sword to masterfully deflect the spear.


    The spear smashed into the ground, leaving Ambrose''s sidepletely defenseless!


    Realizing his peril, Ambrose let go of the spear and shot his hand forth, then suddenly grabbed the Wisdom King by his robe.


    "?" The Wisdom King frowned, knowing about Ambrose''sck of unarmedbat skills.


    However, he did not n for his pupil to do anything as he swung his wooden sword towards the arm.


    "Heaven Drop!" Ambrose screamed and pulled the grandmaster towards him before sweeping his legs underneath him.


    The Wisdom King''s vision tilted, and soon his head was nearing the ground.


    "Ahhhhhh!" Ambrose screamed and put more power into the Heaven Drop skill.


    If he were facing an ordinary opponent and their heads crashed to the ground via Heaven Drop, their skulls would shatter instantly.


    As the Wisdom King''s head neared the ground, he quietly whispered under his breath something and stopped moving for a millisecond.


    ''I win!'' Ambrose thought with small smile creeping up on his face.


    But then, the Wisdom King flinched.


    "Reverse." He quietly whispered and suddenly nted his feet to the ground, and from an awkward angle, he grabbed Ambrose by his cor and threw him over his shoulder.


    Ambrose spun around in mid-air before mming butt-first on the ground, a shocked expression stered on his face.


    A wooden sword then appeared on his shoulder, the tip touching his neck.


    "A fancy move." The Wisdom King said. "You stillcked the strength to make me submit."


    "Ngh." Ambrose rubbed his neck and asked. "Why did you tell me to use spear?"


    "It showed me that you are absolutely clueless about spears." The Wisdom King said and put his wooden sword away. "Spear is not a sword. They are weapons designed for different purposes and require different skills."


    "Huh?" Ambrose slowly stood up and watched as the grandmaster returned to sit on the garden chair.


    "You might know how to fight swordsmen, but there are people in the world that have mastered the usage of magic and all sorts of wicked techniques.


    "You have plenty to learn, and skipping steps will only hinder your progress." The grandmaster said, as he settledfortably on the garden chair.


    "It would take only an hour, and then I would be right back." Ambrose crossed his arms behind his back. "Not even that. Thirty minutes!"


    The grandmaster chuckled. "You underestimate the efficiency of consistent practice. If I let you do what you wish, what stops you from doing it again?"


    Ambrose sighed, realizing the grandmaster had a valid point.


    But then the grandmaster sighed after seeing his student''s conflicted look and said.


    "I''ll look the other way this time." The grandmaster suddenly said and then threw a wooden sword at Ambrose. "However, you have to now train twice as much to make up for those thirty minutes."


    Ambrose''s eyes widened before he smiled and nodded. "Yes, grandmaster!"


    He then turned to the wooden pole, shaped like a human, and began to swing his sword while remembering the thousands of fights he underwent in the world of souls against Inquisitors.


    The Wisdom King watched as the young man trained against the wooden pole with increased determination.


    A small smile soon crept up onto his wrinkled face as the young man''s figure began looking taller and mightier.


    ''Still young and inexperienced, but showing great potential.'' The Wisdom King thought. ''He might not realize himself, but he had already grown plenty. There is still a long road ahead, and only the future can truly reveal what he will be capable of.''


    He then took the tea pot and poured himself a cup of tea.


    After taking a small sip, he opened his aged eyes, which were filled with the wisdom of old times.


    ''I wonder what the future holds.


    ''It is always such a foreign concept, but I wish I would be there to witness it all unfold.


    ''I want to see how the world will change and if my little student is involved in that change.''

 Chapter 173 Pact

    <h4>Chapter 173 Pact</h4>


    After a dinner with the whole family and Matilda, Jesse left the dining hall and looked at his broken phone with a frown.


    The screen was cracked and unresponsive at times.


    "Wait a moment!" Matilda left the dining hall in a hurry and followed after him, looking like she wanted to have a talk.


    "Yes?" Jesse slowed his walking speed so that Matilda could catch up to him without having to run with her old bones.


    "You seem to be impatient to return." Matilda chuckled after catching up. "I heard from my son that you have spent a lot of time recently on Martial Online."


    "Yeah, I am sorry." Jesse replied, slightly embarrassed.


    "It''s alright." Matilda chuckled. "That Reality Market has spiraled the world into chaos. The school dropout rate is at an all-time high, and manypanies are having more and more avable jobs with every passing day."


    "That bad, huh?" Jesse asked.


    "You haven''t been checking the news?" Matilda asked curiously.


    "No, I am not that interested in the usual politics and weather." Jesse replied, as those were the only things he remembered from the usual news.


    "Things have changed because of Martial Online." Matilda said, and then she caught a glimpse of the broken phone. "Oh my, what happened?"


    "I..." Jesse sheepishly scratched his head. "I dropped it on the bathroom floor. Y''know, the ones that are always slippery and tough as hell. The screen cracked immediately."


    "I''ll tell my son to get you a new one right away." Matilda said.


    "Ah, I''m not sure if I need one, to be honest." Jesse said as he rarely used phones anymore.


    "It wouldn''t hurt to have one." Matilda said, without epting a rejection.


    "I guess so..." Jesse said, pocketing the broken phone.


    "I wanted to talk to you about someone." Matilda suddenly said and nced sideways at her new grandson.


    "Hmm?" Jesse listened.


    "I met a certain girl; she was silver-haired and very beautiful." Matilda looked at his reflection and saw the brief shock in his eyes. "She said she came to see you in your old apartment and said she is your friend."


    "Oh..." Jesse shook his head and said. "Not a friend of mine."


    "I thought so." Matilda coughed lightly and continued. "I thought she seemed suspicious. I don''t think she is a good girl. Something in her eyes felt off..."


    "She is my old psychiatrist." Jesse revealed. "It''s in the past anyway. You told her I had moved away?"


    "Yes, I did."


    "Mm."


    "You deserve much better." Matildaughed softly and pinched her grandson''s cheek. "Don''t get tempted by pretty girls. They might not have your best intentions at heart."


    "Got it, thanks." Jesse smiled and saw that they had arrived at the elevator.


    He pressed the button and waited for the doors to open.


    "Be careful out there." Matilda hugged him, then whispered into his ear. "Even though it''s a video game, I have heard some disturbing things happening in Martial Online."


    "I''ll be careful." Jesse epted the hug and then entered the elevator.


    As the elevator doors slowly closed, he saw his grandmother waving her hand until the doors shut.


    ''Disturbing things...'' Jesse thought and remembered Warhaven.


    He wasn''t as innocent as he seemed anymore.


    After reaching the fourth floor, Jesse left the elevator and returned to his room.


    The VR headset was already waiting for him in bed, right on top of one of the pillows.


    Before going there, he walked over to his PC and went straight to ForeverTube.


    The ForeverTube showed many interviews with popr Martial Online streamers.


    Most of them had be celebrities with millions of followers.


    They were en route to surpassing even the movie and pop stars that had been the center of the public''s attention for centuries.


    However, it was the age of video games, and in the center were the public faces of Martial Online, who already had millions of viewers on every stream.


    With each stream, they make millions of crowns in revenue and continue to captivate audiences worldwide.


    ''Mm...'' Jesse leaned against his hand as he looked at the smiling streamers.


    He thought they wore facades.


    That''s all they were now.


    Public figures were afraid to lose their following, so they had their own fake personalities.


    ''I once wanted to be one of them.'' Jesse thought. ''Even before Martial Online, VR Tubers and streamers were popr, but now it''s vastly different as they would be even recognized in the streets.''


    Jesse looked at the top left corner, and there was a button for "Upload Video."


    ''Maybe... Should I?'' Jesse bit his lip andughed wryly. ''Who would watch me anyway?''


    The most famous streamers and Tubers were all beautiful and handsome, with cult followings.


    It wasmon knowledge that it was easier for people with good looks to be popr.


    Therefore, Jesse doubted anyone would be interested in watching him.


    ''What video would I even make?'' Jesse leaned on the chair. ''Swordsmanship tutorial video? I don''t think I am capable of teaching anyone.


    ''A battle video?


    ''Perhaps meditation? Nah, that is boring as hell, even if most aren''t aware that such a thing exists.


    ''Hmm, maybe I should research what the most popr videos are these days.''


    Jesse thought and then stood up before stretching his limbs.


    ''However, that has to wait for tonight. I promised to return in thirty minutes, and I have a few minutes left!''


    He then walked over to the bed, put the headset over his head, and entered Martial Online.


    ...


    In a pink-colored room with decor specially created for female gamers, a beautiful blond-haired woman sat in front of a makeup desk.


    Behind her, a ss-wearing woman carefully adjusted her hair style, asionally adding makeup.


    "Watch it!" The blond-haired woman shouted with a venomous tone and pointed her finger at the frightened woman. "If you pluck even one of my hairs, I will make sure that your whole family bes homeless!"


    "I-I am sorry, miss!" The sses-wearing woman apologized in a hurry and began fixing the hair with greater care.


    The blond-haired woman looked at her beautiful reflection in the mirror and smirked.


    Even with the smirk, she looked very beautiful, like she had been touched by the goddess of beauty herself.


    She then pulled out a phone and saw thousands of messages, most from her male fans and a few from her female fans.


    She ignored them all and checked a specific group belonging to ForeverStream''s most popr streamers.


    All 100 top streamers had ess to that group chat.


    She checked the first few messages that popped out.


    [89John: I saw yesterday some random dude walking in the forest, floating camera at his side and he was going to my own streamer spot, which I had nned beforehand for my own stream]


    [Beehave: Hoh? What happened?]


    [89John: I, of course, killed him and then checked who the hell was he. He was only some streamer with three viewers, all probably his family members!]


    [Beehave: Then what?]


    [89John: I, of course, got him banned! He had video of me killing him on his streamer''s page; I can''t let that surface LOL]


    [Beehave: Haha]


    The blond-haired woman smirked and began typing a message.


    [PinkDragon: Hello boys~ What have I missed?]


    [89John: Hey pinkie~]


    ForeverStream was popr for its ranking system, where all streamers were ranked by their poprity.


    All the top 100 streamers in this group had made a pact that if anyone was about to pass them in ranks, they would sabotage them and ensure that they remained on top.


    If anyone wanted to reach the highly respected top 100 streamers, they would have to cross that overwhelmingly tall wall, which was by no means easy.


    After all, their only goal was to maintain their dominant position in the streaming industry.

 Chapter 174 Dead Rose

    <h4>Chapter 174 Dead Rose</h4>


    After Ambrose finished his swordsmanship training for the day, he returned to Warhaven.


    As he walked down the Street of Alcohol, he arrived at the bar, which he had visited several times already.


    Once he stepped through the open doors, he saw the familiar bartender epting orders from the customers.


    Ambrose nced at the public bounty board and saw that his bounty hadn''t increased. Then he moved onto the bar counter and said.


    "The usual."


    "Oh, you are back." The bartender, Isaac, said with a smile and took a bottle of Galu Gin, which he ced in front of Ambrose. "This is a new drink I received from the outside. Want to give it a try?"


    "Oh, sure." Ambrose nodded.


    After pouring the drink into a small cup, Isaac handed it over to Ambrose, who took a small sip and shrugged his shoulders.


    "Better than the whiskey, that''s for sure." Ambrose replied, but he wasparing two drinks that tasted horrible.


    After Isaac finished attending to other customers, he walked over to Ambrose and asked.


    "I heard you, Johann, and that beardeddy visited the owner of House of Gambling."


    "Yeah... we did." Ambrose said and drank the so-called Galu Gin.


    "I have heard about him," Isaac said with a bothered gaze. "Russian, the Conqueror of the West."


    "What''s up with his title?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "I''m not exactly sure." Isaac said, but then continued. "However, all I know is that he was a warlord before. He had an army and all that. They terrorized countless towns and viges in the west.


    "Now, Russian is the lord of Street of Gambling, its his territory."


    "Hmm." Ambrose finished his drink and leaned back on his stool. "Well, I''ll have to visit the battlefield today."


    "Mm, good luck." Isaac said and took the cup before cleaning it with a rag.


    Then, a bushy-bearded man sat beside Ambrose and said with a husky tone. "Boss, Warthorn Whiskey."


    "Right away." Isaac said and poured some of the Warthorn Whiskey into a small cup and handed it over to the bushy-bearded man.


    Meanwhile, Ambrose stood up, paid for the drink because he didn''t want to get it for free, and then left the bar.


    After stepping out of the bar, he looked over to the Gates of Freedom that towered over the city.


    As he was about to start walking towards there, a well-suited man walked with rapid steps down the sidewalk and saw the bald-headed young man.


    "You, there."


    "Hmm?" Ambrose nced at the well-suited man with a frown.


    He was already about to unsheathe his Red Sword if needed.


    He didn''t bring his ck Sword because only one remained, and he did not want to lose thest one.


    Thus, he brought his Red Sword instead.


    "My master, Russian, wants to meet you." The well-suited man said professionally, then stepped to the side and showed a path to the Street of Gambling. "Please, follow me."


    ''Huh?'' Ambrose''s eyes widened as he wondered what that crazy man wanted from him.


    However, he knew that rejecting an offer from a red-ranked ouw was a death sentence.


    Therefore, he nodded and followed after the well-suited man.


    They soon left the Street of Alcohol and saw the colorful building of the House of Gambling in the distance.


    After entering the bustling building, Ambrose saw that another Death Race was happening in an hour.


    The betting pools were already created, and the race seemed much closer than yesterday''s based on the bets.


    The well-suited man then led Ambrose up the stairs, and soon they arrived at the entrance of the room, where Russian Roulette was held.


    Knock, knock¡ªthe well-suited man knocked twice before stepping to the side.


    "Come in." A deep voice came from inside.


    The well-suited man then opened the door and signaled to Ambrose that he may enter.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and entered the room.


    There, he saw the Russian seated alone with the long-barreled gun on the table.


    After Ambrose saw that, he hoped that he wasn''t going to be forced into another Russian Roulette game, as that was not good for his mental health.


    "Haha, I have heard about yers unnatural abilities of resurrection." Russian smirked. "I always thought that everyone was exaggerating, but even a bullet to the head didn''t stop you from rising back from death."


    Ambrose didn''t sit down and instead stood with his hands behind his back.


    "However, there seems to be a penalty of death." Russian said and then pulled out something from below the table.


    It was a shiny ck ded sword with intricate design on the hilt.


    "A truly nice sword." Russian said with a smile.


    Ambrose gulped after seeing his sword, but it felt like there was a wide cliff in front of them.


    He couldn''t take the sword by force, even if he wanted to.


    Russian traced his finger on the ck de, but then tossed it across the air towards Ambrose.


    Ambrose caught it by surprise.


    "It''s your sword, haha." Russianughed. "Also, I am not a swordsman."


    "Huh..." Ambrose looked at him in surprise and then quickly stored the sword back in his inventory before Russian changed his mind.


    "However, treat that as my gift." Russian smiled and looked into Ambrose''s dull eyes. "I might ask for a favor in the future. I hope you don''t forget this."


    ''Fuck.'' Ambrose felt like pping himself in the face.


    He believed he should''ve guessed that Russian had some ulterior motive behind his gift.


    Thud¡ªthe door suddenly swung wide open and crashed into the wall as a pale-faced man rushed in.


    Russian frowned and knew that none of his men would enter this room without permission if it wasn''t something incredibly urgent.


    "Boss, I heard news from our brothers near Street of Death!"


    "What is it?" Russian asked.


    The man was about to answer, but then saw another person in the room and looked conflicted about whether he should say this in a stranger''s presence.


    Seeing his look, Russian said. "Just say it!"


    "Yes, boss!" The man then nodded. "Our brothers saw movement in the Street of Death and they went to check it out.


    "To their shock, the dead had risen again!"


    "That''s impossible." Russian stood up and looked into his subordinate''s eyes to see if there was any redness around his sclera to see whether he had taken drugs, but they looked white as ever.


    "I thought so, but then I personally went to check the sky on the battlefield, and no one fought there.


    "Not even Inquisitors. They were all looking at the sky.


    "Shockingly, the sky had a crescent moon!"


    "What the hell!" Russian roared. "Night of the Crescent Moon should onlye once a year. What had changed?"


    "I am not sure, boss!"


    ''That means...'' Ambrose looked as surprised as they were, even though he wasn''t as knowledgeable about them.


    He also wondered yesterday whether the range of the crescent moon reached every part of the world.


    He wondered if the dead also rose in Yatagarasu and other cities, but when he asked Emma, she seemed confused.


    Thus, either the cities had a way to ensure that didn''t happen, or it didn''t happen everywhere, or he was missing critical information.


    Russian looked at Ambrose and said. "Well, I guess our meeting is over. Remember the favor, now you may leave."


    Ambrose nodded and left the room while caressing his chin.


    ''Strange. Seeing Russian so shocked, this event must be more significant than I thought.''


    After hearing about another Night of the Crescent Moon, he dropped the idea of going to the battlefield and instead nned to log off for tonight.


    Now, he had more time to finish his training before spending a few hours doing research about ForeverTube!

 Chapter 175 The First Video Idea

    <h4>Chapter 175 The First Video Idea</h4>


    Pitter-patter¡ªas the water fell from the shower head into the tiled floor, Jesse blindly touched the handle to shut off the shower.


    He then grabbed a towel and dried his hair, then the rest of his well-toned body.


    Jesse then wrapped the towel around his waist and walked out of the shower into his chilly room.


    "Ugh, cold." He shuddered and rubbed his arms as he walked to the wardrobe, a few water droplets falling down his hair.


    After quickly changing clothes and throwing the towel on top of the bathroom door, he sat down on his gaming chair and opened the PC.


    "Mm." He crossed his legs and opened a drawer.


    He took a snack bar from there and munched on it while typing with his left hand, "ForeverTube."


    "Let''s see." Jesse put the snack bar beside the keyboard and then logged into his Ambrose ount.


    ForeverTube also allowed to log in with a Martial Online ount.


    After he finished logging in, he went to the "popr" section to see thetest trending videos on ForeverTube.


    "Huh?" He frowned and narrowed his eyes.


    "A makeup tutorial for Martial Online Edition by PinkDragon...


    "Quickest Way of Gaining XP by JonathanMayers.


    "Secret Quest Locations by BakingQueen.


    "Easiest way of leveling up by 89John.


    "A location of all treasure chests by HunterExtraordinaire, and then there is a thumbnail of a treasure chest and an image of 100,000 silvers..."


    Jesse covered his face and sighed heavily.


    ''Most of these are just clickbaits, but they have hundreds of millions of views.''


    Jesse couldn''t believe so many people were falling for this, but now that Reality Market was a thing, many were desperate to earn quick silver.


    ''To be famous on ForeverTube, I would have to clickbait like them?'' Jesse shook his head, as he did not want to do something so pathetic.


    He then left the trending section and typed in the search bar "Martial Online."


    The first videos were clickbaits, intended to trick the younglings into watching with shy thumbnails and misleading titles.


    However, once Jesse scrolled down a bit further, he came across an interesting title.


    "How to create your own skills and the importance of real-life physique..."


    Jesse looked surprised and stroked his chin thoughtfully.


    ''Do people already know about them? I guess I haven''t visited forumstely, so I guess I must have missed it.


    ''This video is only a week old as well.''


    After clicking on the video, he paused it and went to check thements.


    There were many unhappyments about the physique thing, but also some thanking the person for making this informative video, as it would greatly help the newbies.


    Jesse then leaned against the backrest of the chair, took the snack bar, and started watching the video.


    The videosted fifteen minutes, but not once was he bored, even though he knew all of the things talked about.


    ''An entertaining person.'' Jesse thought and gave the video a like, then also subscribed.


    He then checked the number of views and was surprised that it only had 600,000, while most of the clickbait ones had hundreds of times more.


    ''That is such bullshit.'' Jesse crossed his arms and frowned. ''I would rather make these kinds of videos.''


    He now understood the core principle of making a popr video.


    A shy thumbnail.


    A good title.


    A way to trick people into clicking the video and watching it by dying the promised content as long as possible, and when the viewers realized that the promised content was false, it would already be toote.


    ''Hmm...'' Jesse kicked up his legs and rested them on the table while he pondered what kind of video he should make.


    ''I don''t want to make a clickbait video, but an informative and fun one.'' Jesse thought to himself.


    After pondering for five minutes, he sighed and left the ForeverTube.


    His mind was running empty with zero ideas.


    "Ugh, I''ll think about it tomorrow." Jesse sighed and used his left hand to type ForeverStream''s website name.


    He was using everything with his left hand, just like the Wisdom King had instructed.


    He had seen some improvement, but he still had a long way to go.


    After opening the ForeverStream site, he checked the first thing that popped up on the front page.


    It was a stream of top 55 ranked streamer, who went by the name of Olympos.


    He was an attractive young man with yellowish hair and gentle blue eyes. His face was angr and sharp, with most of the young energy shaved off.


    The clothing he donned was rather exotic, reflecting his unique personality and style.


    The jacket was adorned with intricate embroidery and vibrant colors, making him stand out in any crowd.


    The shirt underneath was a nnel shirt with a bold id pattern,plementing the jacket perfectly.


    His pants were tight-fitting and made of a sleek leather material, hugging his explosive leg muscles.


    Wrapped around his belt was a silver chain with a pendant that glimmered in the sunlight, and beside that was a small dagger with embroided handle.


    ''A dagger user?'' Jesse scrolled slightly down and saw the streamer''s description, which he then read inside his mind.


    ''Wee to Olympos, a rare yer with apletely unique ss: Daggerwielder.''


    Jesse looked surprised and then scrolled back to watch the stream.


    He didn''t expect himself to be the only yer with an upgraded ss, but he was surprised to find one with so much poprity.


    However, with such rare ss, it would be easy to attract viewers.


    ''I suppose the upgraded sses aren''t secret anymore, but I am not sure if anyone has shared the knowledge of how that works.''


    Jesse turned his focus to the chat, and as he guessed, hundreds of messages popped up, asking how to get a unique ss that no one else had.


    However, Olympos ignored those messages and only focused on the subscriber messages.


    ''Hmm, should I make a video of Suicide Swordsman ss?'' He thought and stroked his chin. ''I also have that Book of Suicide Swordsman, which I still cannot open.


    ''That could definitely boost my poprity instantly.''


    However, Jesse was conflicted about whether it was wise to reveal something so critical.


    He always had an advantage over his opponents because they weren''t aware of his extra health and the damage nullifier.


    He could, of course, not tell those in the video, but most sharp-minded yers with their own special sses would realize that he had something up his sleeve.


    ''Suicide Swordman ss is one of my greatest trump cards, and I am not sure whether I should reveal it for fame and money.''


    However, after checking the chat interaction and how many viewers simply wanted to know how to get one, Jesse had an idea.


    ''I should make a video about it. I will also add those shy thumbnails and clickbaity titles, but instead of fooling others, I will simply tell the truth about how to get one.''


    Jesse shrugged his shoulders.


    He didn''t have to tell anyone that he also had one, and even though many could guess that, most would use him of being a liar if he used those clickbaity titles.


    However, he did not give a single fuck.


    In the future, everyone would realize he was speaking the truth.


    ''Alright, tomorrow I will try making my first video!'' Jesse looked at the ceiling and smiled.


    He was excited to find out how it goes.

 Chapter 176 Making Video

    <h4>Chapter 176 Making Video</h4>


    After the next day dawned, Ambrose had a conversation with the Wisdom King.


    The honorables in the temple had also noticed the strange urrence of the crescent moon and knew that some evil powers were at hand.


    Because of that, Ambrose and the Wisdom King came to the conclusion that he should end his swordsmanship training a few hours earlier so he would have time to visit the battlefield before the moon arrived.


    During the crescent moon, it was incredibly dangerous to venture onto the battlefield.


    The Wisdom King only agreed because Ambrose told him about his swordsmanship training in the meditation.


    Apparently, it was another type of training that the Wisdom King had already nned for, but unknowingly, Ambrose had learned it by himself, which surprised the old grandmaster greatly.


    After the swordsmanship training ended for that day, he went to Warhaven and straight to the battlefield.


    He spent a few hours solely on fighting, and once the crescent moon again arrived, both sides stopped fighting and returned to their headquarters.


    They weren''t sure whether the crescent moon would arrive the third night in a row, but this solidified the theory that something was very wrong.


    After Ambrose was forced to leave, he managed to level up to level 39 and then assigned all his stat points to vitality.


    However, he did not log off yet and found himself a quiet spot in one of the parks that looked deste and dead, but since no one went there, it was a good ce to record his first ever video.


    "Let''s see..." Ambrose sat down on the park bench and took out the floating camera.


    It had two options: stream or record a video.


    He chose the second option and saw another option to start recording.


    ''I already thought about what I should say, but I am getting kind of nervous.'' Ambrose thought and wondered whether he should show his face.


    ''Eh, I guess it is necessary.'' He thought and moved the hood slightly, but didn''t take it entirely off because of his bald head.


    He adjusted the camera angle to show his whole body, sitting on the bench with a few dead-looking trees in the background.


    After taking a deep breath, he extended his arm and pressed the start recording button.


    The screen began showing a timer that continued to increase, and beside that was a stop recording button.


    Once a second had passed on the timer, Ambrose leaned slightly forward, intertwined his fingers, and suddenly looked far more confident than before.


    "Hello everyone." Ambrose smiled confidently. "My name is Ambrose, and I am here to tell you all about the special sses and how they work."


    ...


    As the gray moon hung high above thend of Nocklund, thendscape looked very peaceful and calming.


    Inside a luxurious mansion, Jesse left the virtual world and put the headset aside as he moved over to the PC.


    After plopping down on the gaming chair, he opened the PC and went to the files.


    The video he recorded was sent there.


    ''Alright, now that the video is recorded, I have to make a thumbnail and decide on a title.''


    However, there was one problem, and Jesse was very aware of it.


    ''I don''t know how to make a thumbnail, though.''


    Jesse leaned on the backrest of his chair and crossed his arms.


    At the moment, he only had a few choices.


    One was not to make any thumbnails but to risk losing potential viewers.


    The second was to pay someone to make it.


    ''I could afford it.'' Jesse thought, then leaned forward and began typing a website that was specially made for artists.


    The website had thousands of artists, but Jesse was only interested in the ones making thumbnails for ForeverTubers.


    Those artists made good money as many used their services.


    After entering the section specially created for thumbnail creators, a deep frown appeared in Jesse''s brows as he realized that most were already booked for the entire month.


    ''I would have to wait an entire month? Not happening.'' Jesse scrolled further down in hopes of finding someone to do it right now.


    After scrolling through the first page, all were booked.


    After scrolling down the second page, the few on the bottom were free after a week.


    He was about to lose faith, but then he reached the third page, and the artist at the bottom of the page was free right now.


    Jesse didn''t even hesitate as he double-clicked on that page.


    ''Mello...'' He spoke the artist''s name inside his mind and then checked a few of the artist''s recent works.


    They were nothing special, only some lettering work that couldn''t really show the artist''s skills in thumbnail creation.


    ''I guess no one has asked him for a thumbnail yet.'' Jesse thought and then scrolled slightly further down.


    There, he managed to see a little information about the artist and was surprised to find out that the artist was actually a young woman in her early twenties.


    There weren''t any pictures.


    ''Hmm, she only charges for twenty-five crowns...'' Jesse thought this was a very low price and thought he should give it a try.


    Even if the thumbnail wasn''t that good, it was only twenty-five crowns, which he could easily afford.


    "Fuck it." Jesse muttered under his breath, deciding to go for it.


    He double-clicked on the "buy" option and then wrote what he wanted for the thumbnail.


    After the purchase waspleted, he left the website and went to look at the video he had recorded for the time being.


    ...


    Inside a dim room with a monitor screen glowing.


    Ding, ding¡ªa strange dinging sound echoed before fading into obscurity.


    "Mm, anothermission?" A bespectacled young woman murmured, her eyes fixed on the screen.


    Her hair was messy, and her face was filled with birthmarks.


    Her sses reflected the glowing screen as she looked at themission that came from a person named Ambrose.


    "Yes, finally, a thumbnail." She cracked a smile as she was tired of making some cheap lettering as it wasn''t something she was used to doing.


    With an eager expression, she checked out the messages sent by Ambrose, and after reading further, a somewhat discouraged expression appeared in her face.


    "Eh, this sounds a lot like those clickbait thumbnails that I hate." Mello thought aloud with a disheartened expression. "So, he is one of those clickbait Tubers... but I haven''t heard of him, so he must be a new one."


    However, she knew that this was finally her opportunity to show how good of an artist she was, and perhaps it would help her get more customers.


    ''I hate creating art for someone who tricks others into watching their videos, but I have no other choice.''


    She sighed and epted themission.


    ...


    Ding, ding¡ªJesse flinched while watching his own recorded video after a dinging sound came from the headphones.


    He saw that he had received an email stating that hismission had been epted.


    "Now I just have to wait." He thought aloud, hoping the thumbnail would be created rather quickly.


    He then focused his gaze on the video he had recorded and thought about cutting a few parts that didn''t seem right.


    It was something he was able to do himself without having to rely on anyone else''s help.


    After he finished tidying up the video, he opened the "word" app and began thinking about the title for the video.


    It was an important choice.

 Chapter 177 Streams

    <h4>Chapter 177 Streams</h4>


    With time passing by, Jesse finished pre-uploading the video onto the ForeverTube website and also put a title and description ready.


    The title was "The Method to Acquire an Upgraded ss."


    No one was calling the ss an upgraded one, as no one, except the ones who had received upgrade ss tokens, was aware that the special sses were only upgraded versions.


    "Now I just wait for her to finish the thumbnail." Jesse cracked his knuckles and settled into his chair as he typed ForeverStream''s website name.


    He did not n to go to sleep yet.


    While looking for any stream to watch, Jesse thought about the world of souls and the manifestation of the gate.


    Since that one day, it hasn''t appeared again.


    Jesse even began wondering if he was doing it wrong, but the Wisdom King instructed him to keep on trying and not lose hope.


    He shook away those thoughts and then remembered the streamer who found Warhaven and wondered whether he was streaming.


    However, once he typed "Shadowde," it showed that the streamer had only streamed once, and that was the stream of his discovery.


    ''Weird that his only stream was the discovery. Maybe he streamed it for that Bormund guy who chatted on his stream.''


    Jesse felt intrigued and curious to learn more about Bormund and his connection to the streamer.


    However, the thought faded quickly as he began searching for another streamer who was doing something interesting.


    Soon, he found a streamer with a familiar name that belonged to one of the clickbait ForeverTubers.


    "89John..." Jesse stroked his chin and used his left hand to press on the mouse.


    The screen switched to the stream, showing a clean-shaven young man with specked cheeks and a mischievous smile.


    He was trotting around a bustling market, chased by screaming yers.


    They seemed to be his fans, holding goatskin parchment papers and seemingly wanting autographs from the famous streamer.


    ''A popr one, huh.'' Jesse thought while watching the young man weave past the roadside stalls and identally knock over a disy of fresh produce.


    The vendor owner seemed to shout something, but it didn''t reach the audio recorder of the camera.


    Soon, 89John had vanished behind the alleyway corner and was panting loudly while looking at the floating camera.


    "I appreciate y''all, but next time, when I am streaming, please don''t chase after me, haha." Heughed and peered past the corner.


    After seeing no one, he left the alleyway and blended with the crowd.


    While watching the stream, Jesse caught a glimpse of the chat and saw it was filled with emoticons, and the rare few messages were cursing the streamer.


    ''Huh, is he not popr after all?'' Jesse wondered to himself and saw that most chatters had animosity towards the streamer.


    However, he still had nearly 800,000 viewers.


    ''I guess people aren''t as blind as I thought. They know he is tricking them into watching his videos.''


    Jesse then stroked his chin and wondered. ''How does he still have so many viewers? Obviously, not all of them are chatting; otherwise, it might be possible for the chat to crash.


    ''I don''t truly understand this, but he is still one of the most popr streamers.


    ''His rank is 89, and surprisingly, his name is 89John. I wonder if he changes his name every time his rank changes.


    ''He can''t be that narcissistic, right?''


    After a while, Jesse got bored watching him walk around the streets of the random town, so he left the stream in search of something else.


    ''I wonder what Antis is doing.''


    Jesse wanted to check the VOD of Antis'' sea adventurers, but he had closed the stream to go to sleep.


    However, he wondered whether Antis made it to any ind or if he happened to die.


    After searching his name in the search bar, he noticed that Antis was surprisingly online.


    The view count was merely three, but the small thumbnail showed something interesting.


    Thus, Jesse, using his left hand to move the mouse, double-clicked on the stream and then settledfortably in the chair while the screen switched to the stream.


    ...


    "Ugh, this goddamn stain!" Antis roared and fished out a napkin from his inventory.


    He then used it to wipe off the grease from his forehead and sighed in frustration as he dropped his gaze to the floor of the sailboat.


    There was a strange rust-colored stain on the floor, and Antis couldn''t understand how it appeared.


    It had appeared during the night he slept on the sailboat.


    After that night, Antis decided to turn around and hopefully find the way back to the Bridge, which connected the Dark Waters and the Light Continent.


    Luckily for him, he found a group of friendly yers who came to Dark Waters for adventure.


    They showed him the path back, and after a few days, Antis returned back to Dark Waters in search of anything new.


    Ding, ding¡ªa dinging sound came from the chat window of his stream interface.


    It was another application of the stream interface.


    It was possible to add a dinging effect every time he received a chat message.


    He learned that yesterday.


    Since he barely ever received any messages, he added it.


    It was something that more popr streams would never use because it would always ding because they receive hundreds of messages every minute.


    After turning his gaze to the chat, he smiled after seeing a familiar name.


    "Yo Ambrose." Antis then sat down and read the message aloud. "How am I doing and where am I?


    "I am doing great, and I am again at Dark Waters.


    "This time, I have stayed on the correct course. Haha, at least I think so."


    Antis then fished out a map and pped it in front of the floating camera.


    "I received a map from one of the adventurer groups. They have only mapped around five inds and the way back to the Bridge, so it''s pretty useful.


    "I, however, have already gone past those five inds, so I am in uncharted territory!"


    Ding¡ªanother message came.


    Antis nced at it andughed. "Sounds dangerous? Well, it is, but I am hoping to find an ind all to myself and create my own vige.


    "It''s a very expensive endeavor, but I believe this is the greatest way of making money in the future.


    "There might be some exotic fish in Dark Waters that can be sold for tons of silver.


    "I''ll create a fishing vige, haha!"


    Ding.


    "Sounds fun? Haha, indeed it does. What about you, brother Ambrose? Where are you at?"


    Ding.


    When Antis saw the message, he looked surprised.


    "At one of those Dojo Temples? Whoah, I have heard that a few others have also found one of them.


    "Well, good luck in your adventures, Ambrose. When youe to Dark Waters, visit my vige, haha!"


    ...


    Jesse smiled and used his left hand to type a message on the keyboard.


    He agreed to visit that vige when he visited Dark Waters.


    After he stopped messaging, Jesse simply enjoyed watching the stream andughing several times as Antis cursed about the rust-colored stain that didn''t seem to disappear.


    Ding¡ªbut then he received an email.


    Jesse used his left hand, then moved the mouse cursor to the email notification and clicked on it.


    To his shock, his thumbnailmission had beenpleted!

 Chapter 178 First Video Uploaded!

    <h4>Chapter 178 First Video Uploaded!</h4>


    Jesse opened the file the artist had sent and saw the thumbnail in all of its glory.


    It was just like he wanted it to be¡ªmaybe slightly better, even.


    The thumbnail had a breathtaking backdrop with bright colors, and then recing the sun was the brown upgrade token that added a warm and earthy touch to the entire work.


    The clouds formed almost like an arrow pointing at the upgrade token.


    Jesse was clear that if he saw this kind of thumbnail anywhere, he would most likely click on it.


    "That''s perfect." He quickly went to send a message to the artist and gave her a five-star rating before moving onto ForeverTube''s website.


    It was time to finish uploading the video.


    He went to his videos and the edit section.


    There was one video ready to be uploaded.


    He double-clicked on it and then added a thumbnail to the video.


    Once the thumbnail finished downloading, he pressed the "upload" button and saw the download bar go from 0% to 100% in mere seconds.


    The upload waspleted.


    On his page, the first-ever video appeared.


    "Ah, finally." Jesse then left the browser and closed the PC.


    The night waste, and he had another long training day once he woke up.


    "I hope it will do good." Jesse thought out loud and then flicked the lightswitch, which killed the light and engulfed the room in darkness.


    He then went to his bed, snuggled under the nket, and closed his heavy eyelids.


    It still took him several dozen minutes to fall asleep because of his nervousness and high expectations for his video.


    ...


    In the dim room, Mello saw that she had received her first five-star rating from the person called Ambrose.


    ''Oh, he liked it.'' She thought with a small smile creeping up on her face.


    The ones she did lettering for gave her four and three stars, which didn''t bother her, but receiving a five-star rating was true validation of her hard work.


    She then saw the message, and her heart fluttered for a moment.


    ''He really liked it.'' She smiled and then tapped her chin as she pondered something.


    ''Right, I wonder if he has uploaded his video and used my thumbnail.''


    With her fingers dancing across the keyboard, she typed ForeverTube''s website name into the search bar and pressed enter.


    After the website opened up, it showed all the special front page videos specially chosen by Forever Company''s employees.


    The video department of Forever Company often chose videos to be disyed on the front page.


    They were called as the Featured Videos.


    It was the greatest honor any ForeverTuber could achieve since there were only twelve spots every day and millions of new videos appeared every day.


    She then found the search bar and typed Ambrose''s name, thinking it was also his nickname on ForeverTube.


    She received a list of results, and most of them talked about the Ambrose and Zahhak incident.


    ''Hmm?'' Mello tilted her head and saw that it was something that happened in Martial Online.


    Most of those videos had nearly half a million views, with the most popr one having two million.


    Mello then scrolled further down, thinking that the Ambrose in those videos wasn''t the one she was looking for.


    Soon, she found the channel belonging to Ambrose and clicked on it.


    There was only one video with a familiar thumbnail.


    Mello immediately smiled. "He used it."


    She then clicked on the video and took out a bag of snacks.


    For the following ten minutes, she watched the video silently while eating her snacks.


    Once the video was over, she put the bag of snacks away and frowned.


    ''Was he speaking the truth about the upgrade ss token?''


    She had grown used to the fact that many of the ForeverTubers were lying for views these days.


    She was also a Martial Online yer, even though she was only level 16.


    Yet she hadn''t heard anything about this upgrade ss token but knew that there were special sses that some of the most famous streamers have.


    ''So, ording to him, there aren''t special sses but only upgraded ones.'' Mello frowned but decided to give the video a like and then also subscribed, bing Ambrose''s first subscriber.


    However, she did not truly believe the content of the video.


    ...


    At the video department of Forever Company.


    "Haaaa!" A messy-haired man let out a long yawn while watching a video ying on the screen.


    He couldn''t help but roll his eyes at the boring content of the video.


    "Trash." He clicked away from the video and took out a candy bar from his pocket.


    While munching on it, he clicked on the next video on the list and began watching it.


    The video department often worked overnight shifts, and during that shift, they had to choose the twelve featured videos for the next day.


    They had already chosen eleven and had one left.


    After a while, the messy-haired man scoffed and left the video after not a single thing happened in five minutes.


    "Yo, Jacob, want to get some coffee?" His co-worker said from the desk behind him.


    The messy-haired man, Jacob, turned around to look at the clear-eyed man and responded, "Sure, I could use a break from this boring video."


    "Oof, that bad, huh?" The clear-eyed manughed and stood up, then walked over to the resting room with Jacob.


    There, they put the coffee brewing and sat down on thefortable couches while a TV mounted on the wall showed yesterday''s news.


    "Honestly, all videos are about Martial Online these days, and I am getting tired of them." The clear-eyed man sat while looking at the beautiful news reporter on TV. "They should at least make a video from Dark Waters, some horror stuff.


    "Perhaps it would help keep me awake."


    "Yeah..." Jacob scratched his hair. "I hope I am getting promoted soon. I am getting tired of this shit."


    "Hah."


    The door to the resting room opened, and a tired-looking woman sauntered inside, carrying a phone in her hand.


    "Jacob, you have a friend inside Martial Company, right?"


    "That''s right." Jacob looked at the tired-looking woman and nodded.


    "Well, can you confirm the truth of this video?" The tired-looking woman handed him her phone and said, "I think it''s a very informative video."


    "Y''know, people don''t like to watch informative videos." Jacob said and nced at the phone. "They want something to keep them entertained for a few minutes since most people these days have the attention span of a goldfish."


    "I am tired as hell, yet I enjoyed the video." The tired-looking woman then saw that the coffee had finished brewing and went to get a cup.


    "Hmm, fine. Pour me some coffee as well while I am watching this." Jacob then rubbed his eyes and began watching the video.


    A whileter, the tired-looking woman gave him the coffee cup, but he didn''t notice as his eyes were glued to the screen.


    Once the video was over, he frowned. "Is it true what he said?"


    "I am not sure. I was hoping you would find out." The tired-looking woman said while sipping on the coffee.


    The clear-eyed man curiously looked at the phone screen.


    "Hmm, let me make a call." Jacob handed the phone back to her and pulled out his own phone from his back pocket.


    He then dialed a number.


    Click¡ªthe call soon connected.


    "Hey Jacob." A voice on the other side of the phone said.


    "Yo man, hearing from your tone, you are still awake."


    "I finished washing my teeth and was about to go to bed. What''s up?"


    "I want to send you a video, and can you tell me if the things the person said were true?"


    "Oh, send it."


    "Thanks." Jacob disconnected the phone call and sent the video link to his friend.


    While enjoying the coffee, they waited for his friend to reply back, who was on the developer team at Martial Company.


    After a while, he received a message.


    Jacob checked it quickly and looked surprised.


    "What did he say?" The tired-looking woman said in a hurry.


    "He said yes..." Jacob looked at the tired-looking woman and said, "Let''s put his video on the front page."


    "I had the same idea if his words were deemed to be true." The tired-looking woman smiled.


    "Ah, what was that person''s name?" Jacob quickly asked, as he forgot to check it.


    "Ambrose, I think it was."


    "Did he have any other videos?"


    "No, that was his first one."

 Chapter 179 Viral

    <h4>Chapter 179 Viral</h4>


    As the sun''s brilliant rays illuminated the morning sky, the world awakened for another day.


    At the window sill, a cat basked in the sun and stretched outzily, enjoying the warmth on its fur.


    Thud¡ªsomeone dropped a heavy object, startling the cat.


    The cat''s tail fluffed up, and its ears perked up in alertness. He then shot forward and ran out of the room like a missile.


    "Shit!" Olympos, a handsome, yellow-haired young man, picked up the broken pieces of the vase and tossed them to the garbage bin.


    "Son, what was that?" His mother''s concerned voice came from downstairs.


    "Nothing!" Olympos screamed and mmed the door shut.


    The reason for his frustration was on the monitor screen, showing the front page of ForeverTube.


    "I haven''t gotten a single feature in the past week!" Olympos screamed and pulled his hair in frustration.


    His most popr videos had over 100 million viewers, but recently his newer videos barely received ten million viewers because of theck of features.


    His poprity had shown a scary drop.


    "PinkDragon, that bitch got another feature!" Olympos sat down on the chair and saw that one of her videos about her recent coboration with a popr artist had gone viral.


    "Ugh, I have already dropped two ranks this week alone in ForeverStream. What should I do?"


    He scratched his hair and checked the rest of the featured videos, but to his surprise, there was an unfamiliar name, and the name of the video truly shocked him.


    "Huh, Ambrose? The Method to Acquire an Upgraded ss?"


    His eyes widened like saucers. "That bastard! If I knew that video about that would get a feature, I would have done it!"


    With a seething expression, he clicked on Ambrose''s channel, and to his surprise, there was only one video!


    That enraged him.


    "Only one video and already featured?!" Olympos screamed, and when he saw the subscriber count, he felt like punching through a wall. "F-fucking lucky bastard!"


    After calming down his rising anger, he looked at the video name and showed a sinister smile.


    "So what? He is still beneath me. I''ll make the same video and prove that I am better!"


    ...


    At the table of a fancy restaurant, PinkDragon was sitting with her friends.


    Their beauty and exquisite fashion style attracted the attention of everyone around them.


    "Congrattions on the sess of your video!" A beautiful woman with a beauty mark under her left eye said with a smile. "You received another feature!"


    "I couldn''t believe you managed to get the pop star Yi-Yun to coborate with you!" A young woman with clear, blue eyes and a face full of excitement eximed.


    PinkDragon smiled while enjoying a sip of hertte.


    The fourth person at the table, a middle-aged man with graying hair, chuckled and said, "It definitely wasn''t an easy coboration, but it worked extremely well."


    He was PinkDragon''s manager and was responsible for making the coboration happen.


    "Who else has features?" PinkDragon asked while putting thette down. "Did that bitch, Sapphire, get any features too?"


    "No, she didn''t." The woman with the beauty mark said with a smile. "StarTired, Perfumer, MercuryHalo, and a few others received their first features, but one person stood out the most."


    "Who?" PinkDragon asked while keeping her eyes peeled on hertte.


    "A person named Ambrose." The woman said. "It was his first video, like ever. From what I have seen in hisment section, he is also rather infamous, it seems."


    "Infamous? I have never heard of that name before." PinkDragon asked curiously.


    "Apparently, he is an enemy of Zahhak." The woman said and chuckled. "Since he has disappeared, many thought Zahhak managed to hunt him down.


    "However, it seems that he is doing better than ever."


    "Zahhak..." The manager had also heard about them.


    "Oh." PinkDragon didn''t seem interested. "Just a lucky person who managed to catch the attention of a person in Forever Company.


    "He won''tst in thispetitive world."


    "Of course hecks charisma, looks, and talent." The clear-eyed young woman giggled. "However, is it true what he said in the video? That it''s possible to upgrade the ss."


    "Yes." PinkDragon said. "You need an upgrade ss token, which I have tried to find. No one is selling it either."


    "I can look for you if you want." The manager rubbed his hands with a sheepish smile.


    PinkDragon nced at him from the side and nodded. "Very well."


    The manager pulled out his phone and began calling his associates.


    "What are you nning on doing today?" Her friends asked.


    PinkDragon nced at them and briefly said. "Apparently, Warhaven has been discovered. I am going to stream my discovery of that ce."


    With that, she finished drinking hertte and then left the restaurant with her friends to start their shopping spree.


    ...


    Jesse returned to his room from his morning jogging session and pressed the start button on the PC while moving to the bathroom.


    As the PC powered up, he took a shower, and after ten minutes, he left the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist.


    He grabbed somefy clothes, put them on, and walked over to the ornate, draped window.


    He pushed the heavy drapes to the side and took in the sights of a beautifulndscape with towering mountains that seemed capable of dominating the skies.


    The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a warm golden glow over the entire scene.


    After enjoying the rxing view, he grabbed a water bottle from the bedside table, downed it through his parched throat, and then sat down on his gaming chair.


    ''I wonder how my video has fared.'' Jesse thought, then put the water bottle down on the desk and began controlling the mouse.


    Soon, he appeared on ForeverTube''s website, and without ncing at the featured videos, he moved to his own channel.


    He anxiously clicked on the analytics tab to see the number of views andments.


    The tab seemed to take a while to load, as it only showed a white screen for a moment.


    ''Come on, I thought thiswork speed was supposed to be great.'' Jesse anxiously tapped his finger against the mouse.


    However, soon the load finished, showing the analytics tab with only one video.


    "Finally, let''s see..."


    He leaned forward and squinted his eyes.


    "Huh, what... is this?"


    Jesse''s squinted eyes widened in disbelief.


    [Views: 12,589,456]


    [Comments: 12,756]


    [Like Ratio: 61.58%]


    [Subscribers: 345,987]


    ''The video has gone viral!'' Jesse eximed in shock.


    He touched the top of his head in shock as he realized the impact his video had made.


    ''Wait, even if it had gone viral, how is it possible to gain so many viewers in a span of one night?''


    After a while of thinking, he realized how.


    With a shaky hand, he entered the main page of ForeverTube and checked the featured videos.


    And, as he expected, his video was there in golden letters with the beautiful thumbnail adorning it.


    ''Unbelievable...'' Jesseughed out of shock and slight nervousness.


    Over twelve million people had watched him talk and seen his face.


    He then went back to the analytics tab and saw the somewhat mediocre like ratio.


    He sighed, as this was to be expected.


    ''Most of the ones who gave the video dislike didn''t believe me.'' Jesse thought it was bound to happen, but it still stung a little.


    ''Well, let''s see what thements say.''

 Chapter 180 Gathered

    <h4>Chapter 180 Gathered</h4>


    After thements opened up on the screen, Jesse began to read through them one by one.


    [User1984: Very informative video; thank you! However, do you also have an upgraded ss?]


    ''I expected people to ask about it.'' Jesse thought and then moved on to the nextment.


    [User456: I don''t believe this! If this is true, why didn''t Olympos and the rest tell everyone about the upgrade ss token? It''s understandable if they don''t want to tell where they got their special sses, but there is no reason to keep upgrade tokens a secret, so this is another clickbait trash video!]


    Jesse''s eyebrow twitched at the idioticment, but he decided to ignore it and move on to the nextment.


    [User095: OMG, I can''t believe people actually fall for this nonsense!]


    Another hatement, but Jesse didn''t care about it and moved on to the nextment.


    [User111: If what you said is the truth, anyone can get an upgraded ss if they are lucky enough to get it from the treasure chest. However, they must be incredibly rare!]


    ''I doubt the upgraded ss tokens can be acquired from easy missions.'' Jesse thought. ''If I was alone searching through the underground facility, I would have never discovered the buried mansion.''


    [User900: Lies, lies, lies, lies, lies!!]


    Jesse rolled his eyes and left thements section, knowing that the followingments would be of simr nature.


    Even the ones who somewhat believed his video had their doubts.


    Hecked the credibility and evidence to support his ims.


    ''One day they will realize the truth.'' Jesse thought and then closed the PC.


    The time for his swordsmanship training was near.


    ...


    In another room of the Rothsmith Estate.


    Zach closed a book, stored it on the bookshelf between two hardcover books, and then picked up his backpack from the ground before hanging it over his shoulder.


    One of the servants had already dialed his phone, as they were already waiting for him outside with the car ride that would take him to the school.


    Before, he hated to go to school, but now none of his bullies dared to look in his direction.


    Westlund, especially, looked like a frightened rabbit whenever he saw him walking down the corridors.


    Zach had never seen that kind of expression in anyone''s face before.


    He had only heard about it from several books he had read.


    The terror that stemmed from the heart was paralyzing.


    After checking that he had all his books in the backpack, he walked over to his desk and checked theptop.


    The screen showed a paused audiobook, which he had been listening to earlier this morning.


    It was on the ForeverTube website, where he often listened to different audiobooks.


    He then used theptop''s mouse and nned to click on the "X" at the top right corner, but identally clicked ForeverTube''s home image instead.


    It sent him straight to the front page of the site, and he identally nced at the featured videos.


    Most of the time, those didn''t interest him, but this time, he saw a name that stunned him.


    "Ambrose?"


    The book about Ambrose, the Immortal Man, shed across his mind.


    ''I wonder if he named himself after reading that book.'' Zach thought curiously and then closed the browser before leaving the room to start another day of school.


    ...


    At the footstep of a towering mountain, surrounded by thin forest and several fallen trunks strewn about.


    A yellow-haired young man walked from the thin forest and saw the cave entrance nestled between tworge boulders.


    Loud voices ovepped each other, echoing through the valley.


    There were hundreds of adventurer-looking yers surrounding the entrance¡ªsome seated on the fallen trunks, others standing with their own groups, and some examining the interior of the cave.


    However, no one had entered the cave yet because, at the end of the cave, there was a locked door with intricate designs.


    It was the door that led to Warhaven, the underground city.


    There were clearly over twenty groups formed around the cave entrance.


    They all bought the information from Shadowde, who managed to make a fortune by just selling the information.


    "Quite many people had gathered." Leprechaun paced about while showing a stinky eye at the embarrassed-looking Bormund.


    "I told him not to sell it yet, but he didn''t listen." Bormund sighed.


    He knew that Shadowde was scared that others might discover Warhaven. Thus, he wanted to sell the information as quickly as possible.


    "It''s alright." La cheerfully said while sitting on a fallen trunk, wearing thigh-high boots and a short skirt.


    Behind La, Teddy stood with his arms crossed, his eyes dangerously narrowed as he looked at the groups gathered nearby.


    Those groups asionally sent nces in the direction of La and at the beautiful silver-haired girl seated beside her.


    Serenity calmly looked around, but kept her rosy lips shut. She didn''t participate in any of the conversations.


    From the forest, the yellow-haired yer finally stepped forth and soon heard a shout.


    "Olympos, here!"


    Olympos turned towards the sound, and saw a group of familiar-looking individuals.


    They all had floating cameras floating around in the air.


    After the name Olympos echoed across the air, many heads turned and looked surprised¡ªsome even starstruck¡ªas they saw the yellow-haired man.


    "Yo, John." Olympos walked over to them, and his own floating camera followed after him.


    There was his own streaming interface floating next to him, which only he could see.


    He joined the group that consisted only of streamers, and their group alone has currently five million viewers in total.


    It was still small because it was morning, butter in the evening, that number would shoot up to thirty million.


    Their group was easily the most famous, making all nearby guilds and parties rather nervous to be near them.


    "Why were you sote?" 89John asked with a smile. "Luckily for you, that Shadow or whatever guy hadn''t arrived yet."


    "Why hasn''t he arrived yet?" Beehave, a streamer with rank 99, asked with a frown. "He likes us to keep waiting? Who does he think he is?"


    PinkDragon quietly stood while ying music from the Music Interface. The music wasn''t transferred to her stream, so they only watched her standing.


    However, that was enough to make her viewers satisfied, as the majority of them consisted of lonely men.


    "Oh, I was making a new video." Olympos replied to his friend, John, with a smile. "With this one, the feature is guaranteed."


    "Oh, confident, I see." 89John replied, raising an eyebrow in curiosity.


    "I am sorry for beingte!"


    All heads turned to the clean-shaven yer, who walked from the forest.


    Hecked any noticeable features and was rather average.


    Shadowde gulped after seeing so many people gathered.


    Especially when he saw the group consisting of many top streamers.


    He couldn''t believe that he was going to be the guide for so many famous yers.


    "If anyone is ready, let''s enter!" Shadowde took out his brass key and walked over to the door inside the cave.


    Following him, all groups stood up and followed.


    The viewers in the streams exploded in excitement as they were about to witness the new city, Warhaven!


    After opening the door, Shadowde smelled the disgusting stench and felt rather scared.


    He couldn''t forget the sight of dozens of zombies jumping on top of him, eating his face, and tearing his body apart.


    ''I-It will be alright.'' Shadowde took a deep breath and turned to look at others.


    "There is a long walk ahead, so if anyone has torches, please walk ahead to light up the path."


    They couldn''t use minecart.


    It could only fit two people, and it was still in Warhaven.


    Since they died, they couldn''t flick the switch that made the minecart return.


    Hearing his words, several people took out torches from their inventory and took the lead.


    Hundreds of yers then entered the steep path that led deep into the underground.


    Warhaven was finally going to be shown to the outside world.

 Chapter 181 Insane Warhaven

    <h4>Chapter 181 Insane Warhaven</h4>


    At the courtyard of Mehelvian''s High School.


    A group of students had gathered around a park bench, intensely looking at the phone in their hands.


    The phone showed a stream with several people walking down a dark tunnel.


    Curiosity filled the air as they wondered what awaited them at the end.


    "Kerrie, what do you think Warhaven is going to be like?" A male student asked a girl beside him.


    They were currently on lunch break, but rather than going to the cafeteria to eat, they left with their friends to go to the courtyard to watch the stream.


    "Hmm, didn''t the patch notes say that it is home to the most dangerous criminals?" Kerrie said curiously.


    "They must''ve exaggerated it." A young man with a square-shaped head said. "I wonder what kind of quests that ce has!"


    As their curiosity continued to rise, they noticed a small lighting from the end of the tunnel.


    The group of yers had finally arrived at Warhaven!


    Millions of viewers all around the world tuned in to watch the discovery of Warhaven.


    It didn''t matter if they were at school, at home, or at work.


    Because of copyrights, most of the news anchors had to carefully describe the scenes and events happening in Warhaven without directly showing any footage.


    It was a very interesting event.


    ...


    "We have arrived!" Shadowde shouted.


    The yers departed the dark tunnel and came across the narrow alleyways of Warhaven.


    When they looked at the ceiling, they saw brightnterns lighting up the ce.


    Even Shadowde was surprised by that sight, as when hest visited Warhaven, thenterns weren''t lit.


    "Ugh, what is this stench?" After PinkDragon walked into the open air, she pinched her nose and asked loudly.


    It wasn''t only her who felt ufortable smelling this air.


    Many others around her were also grimacing and covering their noses.


    "God damn it!" Olympos pinched his nose and shouted, "What is that horrendous smell?"


    The viewers, who couldn''t physically smell anything, wondered how bad it could be.


    Shadowde walked over to the hidden minecart and threw away the scratched curtain that blocked the cart underneath.


    He then flicked the switch, and the minecart began slowly returning to above ground.


    "You." A member of one of the groups pointed at Shadowde, then approached him while asking. "Where to go next?"


    "If we go down this alleyway, we will reach a street..." Shadowde pointed at one of the alleyways.


    However, when the person who asked began approaching that alleyway, Shadowde stopped him in his tracks.


    "However, I don''t think we should go down that path." He said with a whitened face.


    He believed that the zombies might still be there, lurking about.


    "?" The person looked strangely at the clean-shaven young man. "What are you talking about?"


    "We ended up getting ambushed when we went there." Shadowdeughed nervously and then pointed to one of the other alleyways that seemed to take a longer route to a different street. "Let''s use this one instead!"


    The surrounding groups looked at each other with uncertainty but ultimately decided to follow Shadowde''s lead.


    There were hundreds of yers following Shadowde as he entered the filthy alleyway.


    Their thundering footsteps echoed through the narrow space, drowning out any other sounds.


    The floating cameras buzzed about like a swarm of mechanical insects, capturing every move and broadcasting it to the eager spectators.


    A whileter, Shadowde saw the end of the alleyway and eagerly exited it, entering a street with bustling sidewalks.


    After dozens of yers exited the alleyway simultaneously, the pedestrians looked at them with suspicious gazes.


    In front of a worn-out cafe, a group of tattooed and pierced individuals were gathered, smoking and chatting loudly.


    When they saw the influx of yers, they scoffed and showed murderous expressions.


    It was clear that they were not weing neers.


    The yers at the front paled and lowered their heads instinctively.


    It was like they were shy students in the presence of their bullies.


    They couldn''t muster the courage to raise their heads.


    "T-they are looking rather scary, don''t you think?" One yer stammered, voicing the fear in the air.


    "N-not really." His friend answered, trying to show his bravery in front of the girls in his group, but he couldn''t hide the shakiness of his tone.


    The top streamers handled it better.


    They had grown used to being watched by millions of people every day. Therefore, they had grown thicker skin and managed to handle it better.


    However, PinkDragon and a few other female streamers felt their hair rise on the backs of their necks.


    The tattooed men undressed them with their gazes, making their skin crawl.


    "Shadowde, where are we now?" One of the yers asked.


    Shadowde helplessly sighed, as he did not know.


    "So, this is Warhaven." 89John looked around. "What a shithole."


    The group then continued to explore the grim, dpidated streets as unknown figures, lurking in the shadows, continued monitoring them.


    After a while, they noticed the light from the streetmps turning from yellow to red.


    The smell had also changed from a pungent stench to sweat, filling the air with a heavy, musky odor.


    As they moved a little further in the street, they noticed buildings¡ªstores¡ªhaving naked figurines disyed in their windows.


    As most of the young men''s gazes lingered there, they came across a much wilder scene.


    They had arrived at the heart of the Street of Sex, and the sight made all of them speechless.


    "W-what is this?" Beehave asked, stunned, as he watched drunken men and womenmitting acts of prostitution outside in the streets.


    "Diabolical." 89John muttered in shock and quickly moved the camera away.


    The rest of the streamers did that as well.


    Their streams weren''t specially rated as R-18, so they weren''t allowed to show nudity.


    "I can''t believe Martial Online is allowing this kind of content." Olympos said loudly while his eyes continued to linger on the bodies of naked women.


    At the nearby entrance of a brothel, a middle-aged prostitute saw the group of yers and whispered to her colleague, "Looks like we''ll be having a busy night."


    She then wobbled towards the yellow-haired yer and seductively said, "Hello, handsome. Want to purchase me for a night?"


    "W-wait, we can?" Olympos asked in shock, as he thought this kind of service was only for NPCs, while yers could only watch.


    If it were possible, it could cause outrage in the media and lead to debates about the ethics of such transactions.


    "Of course..." She said seductively while trailing her hand across Olympos'' muscr arm.


    Olympos gulped dryly.


    "Let''s leave. This ce makes me vomit." PinkDragon said with a disgusted expression and walked by the brothels, followed shortly afterward by other streamers.


    Olympos unwillingly followed, still remembering that he had his stream on.


    They left the Street of Sex and arrived at the Street of Alcohol.


    The air was full of the stench of alcohol.


    "This ce is insane." 89John said with a chuckle and looked at the absentminded Olympos. "Don''t you agree?"


    "Yeah..." Olympos nodded and looked around the streets with a mixture of curiosity and desire. "Very much so."


    As the yers passed by one of the bars, inside, Isaac watched as they walked by and shook his head.


    "More yers. They will be likembs delivered for ughter."

 Chapter 182 New Idea

    <h4>Chapter 182 New Idea</h4>


    Smack, smack¡ªAmbrose hacked down his training sword at the wooden pole.


    The wooden pole was filled with scratches, a result of his relentless training.


    The Wisdom King watched silently, but after not liking something he saw, he raised his arm and said,


    "Stop."


    Ambrose had already raised his sword-wielding arm, but after hearing the grandmaster''s words, he stopped his attack.


    "Youngling, your mind is elsewhere." The Wisdom King said with a wise-sounding tone. "Focus on the present moment and clear your thoughts."


    "Yes, I am sorry." Ambrose turned back to the wooden pole and sighed.


    ''I can''t stop thinking about ForeverTube.


    ''How many viewers do I have currently?


    ''Has my like ratio increased?


    ''How many subscribers do I have now?


    ''What will be my new video?''


    Ambrose sighed with frustration and then began smashing his training sword at the wooden pole.


    Smack, smack.


    The Wisdom King narrowed his eyes and watched Ambrose''s every move, evaluating his technique and form.


    ''His focus is not on the training.'' He concluded and raised his arm again. "Stop."


    Ambrose stopped his attack just before itnded on the wooden pole and turned back to the Wisdom King.


    "Follow me." The Wisdom King said and walked inside the temple.


    Ambrose looked surprised, but followed right behind him.


    After entering the temple, they saw many praying Honorables kneeling before the altar.


    Their chants echoed with a sense of solemnity and devotion.


    The Wisdom King then led him to a hidden chamber deep within the temple.


    It was very hidden, as they had to take one secret passage, which Ambrose didn''t even know existed.


    After reaching the hidden chamber, which was deep in the underground, the Wisdom King activated something by pressing three different tiles on the wall.


    "Grandmaster, what is this ce?" Ambrose questioned, bewildered by the strange room.


    "This is a chamber where honorablese to hone their skills." The Wisdom King said and pointed at the end of the chamber. "If you reach the end, your training isplete."


    "Eh?" Ambrose looked stunned. "What do you mean by that?"


    "If you reach the end of the chamber, there is nothing left I can teach you." The Wisdom King said.


    Ambrose looked towards the end of the chamber, wondering what awaited him there.


    He only had to walk thirty meters to reach the end, which seemed very easy.


    ''There must be traps or something.'' Ambrose thought.


    "Go on." The Wisdom King walked to the corner and pulled out a dusty chair before sitting down.


    "Uh, alright." Ambrose looked at his training sword in hand and clenched it powerfully.


    He then stepped forward and started walking down the tiled floor.


    After reaching the two-meter mark, a small gap appeared in the wall, and a hidden dart flew out towards him.


    Ambrose quickly snapped his head towards the dart and moved his wooden training sword, then deflected the dart.


    The dart ricocheted off the sword and ttered against the rock floor.


    Ambrose breathed a sigh of relief and nced at the grandmaster, who looked calm and rxed.


    ''Well, that wasn''t that bad.'' He thought and then took a long stride to reach the three-meter mark.


    At that moment, hundreds of small gaps appeared in the walls, and thousands of darts shot out.


    "Oh, sh¡ª"


    The blood spewed as thousands of darts impaled him from every possible angle.


    His vision slowly faded as his body crashed into the ground.


    "Let''s continue tomorrow." The Wisdom King''s fading voice echoed in the air. "You better be fully concentrated on training by then..."


    ...


    After opening his eyes, Jesse groaned and removed the headset.


    The phantom feeling of having thousands of darts stuck in his flesh was still vivid in his mind.


    ''How is it even possible to dodge all those darts? That was also at the three-meter mark. I have twenty-seven additional meters left!''


    He sat up on the edge of the bed and pinched his nose bridge.


    There was a reason why he didn''t log back in but instead logged off.


    He wanted to quench his curiosity and check his current video stats.


    It kept him distracted the whole day, as he simply wanted to know.


    After visiting the bathroom, he sat down on the gaming chair and opened the PC.


    Without further ado, he entered ForeverTube and went straight to his analytics tab.


    [Views: 15,032,945]


    [Comments: 13,001]


    [Like Ratio: 55,67%]


    [Subscribers: 299,934]


    ''Huh?'' Jesse looked shocked and confused by his decrease in subscribers and like ratio.


    ''Why did I lose subscribers? I thought it would increase, and why the hell is my like ratio so much worse?''


    Confused about it, he went back to hisments section, wanting answers.


    As he skimmed past thements that questioned him about Zahhak, he soon found a reason, and it wasn''t a pretty sight.


    Over a hundred messages, one after another, were filled with the same garbage.


    [User345: Stole a video idea from Olympos!]


    [User092: Stole a video idea from Olympos!]


    [User121: Stole a video idea from Olympos!]


    ''What the fuck is that?'' Jesse frowned, but then saw that one of thements even included a link to another video.


    He curiously clicked it, and it took him to a video made by Olympos.


    ''What the fuck...'' Jesse looked at the title and coldly read it. ''Easiest method to acquire an Upgrade ss Token...''


    The views of this particr video had reached five million, which wasn''t as many as his, but the views were increasing faster than his own.


    Also, this video doesn''t have a front page feature yet.


    However, the like ratio was astonishingly high at 95%.


    The video was published five hours ago, which was around ten hourster than Jesse.


    ''Why the hell are they saying I stole his idea?'' Jesse frowned and curiously went to thements section.


    The topment was by Olympos.


    [Olympos: Thank you all for watching my video, which I have nned to create for many weeks now, but it took time to n it, etc. However, because of a certain video, I had to speed up the process]


    ''The hidden words are that because I stole his idea, he had to upload a rushed video...''


    Jesse coldly chuckled. ''What a piece of shit liar. He never nned to make this video; who is he kidding?''


    To prove his point, he clicked on the video and began watching it.


    The first two minutes only had Olympos talk about something random, hyping up the Upgrade ss token without telling what it was.


    At the three-minute mark, he ced an advertisement thatsted thirty seconds, and finally, after that, he began slowly talking about the Upgrade ss token.


    Once the video had reached the ten-minute mark, it ended.


    ''This video was twice as long as mine and didn''t talk about anything different.'' Jesse thought with a scoff. ''Everything I said, he replicated. So, who actually stole an idea, huh?''


    Jesse then scrolled further down thements and saw some messages aimed at him, all negative.


    Olympos, after all, was a thousand times more popr than him, and his fans were very passionate.


    Jesse saw them using him of stealing Olympos'' idea; some even suggested sending messages to Forever Company to get his feature removed and give it to Olympos instead.


    Slowly, Jesse''s hands clenched into a fist.


    He returned to look at the video and intensely looked at the yellow-haired man in the video.


    He engraved the face into his mind so he wouldn''t forget it.


    As a sharp pain appeared in his hand, Jesse loosened his clenched fist and cracked a smile.


    "A new video idea appeared in my mind."

 Chapter 183 Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 183 Challenge</h4>


    At the Warhaven''s corner tavern.


    Olympos and 89John were seated on opposite sides of the table while looking around the empty tavern.


    They were alone, as other members of their streaming group had already left Warhaven.


    There were still a few dozen yers from other groups that stayed behind, but quite a few had left since Warhaven wasn''t for them.


    Both Olympos and 89John had already closed their streams and said their goodbyes to their loyal viewers.


    Now, they wanted to experience some new things on Warhaven that wouldn''t be suitable for their streams as their audience was mostly kids under fifteen.


    "I am going to order a drink!" 89John said with a grin and stood up. "Want something?"


    Olympos stroked his chin while nervously looking towards the bartender, but then shook his head and said.


    "Nah, I am fine."


    "Roger~" 89John said yfully and ran over to the bartender.


    Olympos then watched out of the stained ss windows at the dimly lit streets, watching the gangsters and their ragged servants walk by.


    He had realized that there was a strength-based hierarchy in Warhaven.


    The weak ones became servants, while the strong ones became rulers of different territories.


    ''I wonder if I am at the level of a servant or a ruler.'' Olympos thought curiously while caressing his sheathed dagger.


    The Daggerwielder ss gave him greater proficiency in throwing daggers and closebat.


    Also, it allowed him to summon his daggers back to his hand at any moment.


    Thus, he had an unlimited supply of throwing daggers.


    This gave him a significant advantage in battle and made him a formidable opponent.


    "Wow, that was quite expensive, but the taste better be worth it!" 89John sat back down at the table with a cup of gin in hand.


    He then licked his lips and took a short sip, but he instantly grimaced and spat it out.


    "Disgustiiiing!"


    Olympos rolled his eyes and looked back to the streets.


    However, his body then froze as he noticed a glimpse of a red-cloaked figure standing in the dark alleyway, seemingly looking in his direction.


    "H-hey, isn''t that guy looking at us?" Olympos whispered to John, unease settling in.


    "Hmm, who?" 89John looked around the tavern but couldn''t see anyone.


    Olympos looked at him and gritted his teeth. "Not in the tavern, but that guy in the alleyway!"


    "Huh?" 89John then turned to look out of the window towards the alleyway, but it was empty. "I don''t see anyone."


    "Huh?" Olympos turned his head back to the alleyway, but the red-cloaked figure had disappeared somewhere.


    "W-where did he go?"


    "Ugh, this is disgusting." 89John looked at the cup of gin and moved it towards Olympos. "Taste it."


    "No." Olympos turned away from the dark alleyway with an ufortable gaze.


    "Pussy." 89Johnughed and took another sip of the gin.


    However, the taste hadn''t improved, making him grimace again.


    "Anyway, I will probably have to log off now." 89John said. "I need to upload the video I recorded."


    "Ah, got it." Olympos nodded and then gulped. "I''ll... probably stay here for a while."


    "See ya tomorrow." 89John replied and logged off the game.


    He had already put a temporary spawn spot at the entrance of Warhaven, where they came from.


    He didn''t want to leave Warhaven just yet without discovering the whole ce first.


    Currently, Warhaven was gold mine, and a single stream would attract millions of viewers.


    After 89Joh disappeared into pixels, Olympos left the tavern and nced at the dark alleyway with unease before moving in another direction.


    He was heading in the direction of the Street of Sex.


    His hands turned sweaty as he left the Street of Alcohol and entered the bustling Red Light District, where temptations lurked behind every corner.


    "Hey, young man~"


    Olympos gulped and looked towards the beautiful woman standing at the entrance of an alleyway.


    Her upper body was naked, but her long hair went over her two breasts, barely covering them.


    It was a very tempting sight.


    "Y-yes?" Olympos slowly approached her, his lips turning dry.


    "1,000 silvers, and I am all yours for the night." She said while trailing her delicate hand across her supple thigh.


    She then smiled sweetly. "I can assure you, it will be worth every coin."


    "R-really?" Olympos'' hand trembled as he thought inside. ''O-only 1,000 silvers. I-I can easily afford that.''


    He then nodded shyly. "A-alright."


    "Then, follow me." The beautiful woman giggled and entered the alleyway.


    "T-to the alleyway?" Olympos hesitantly followed after her.


    "Is that a problem?" She asked with a gentle smile while swaying her hips seductively.


    His cheeks flushed a bright shade of red as he struggled to maintainposure.


    "N-not really."


    They left the bright red streets and ventured deep into narrow, twisting alleyways. They were like mazes, with each turn leading them further into the unknown.


    After reaching far enough, the beautiful woman turned around and smiled.


    She then showed a turn-around sign and said with a smile. "Turn around. I''ll undress~"


    Olympos turned around with his heart beating against his chest.


    ''This is the day I am losing my virginity. God, I love this game!''


    However, a minute passed, but he didn''t hear anything from her.


    "Uh, are you ready?" Olympos asked, but received no reply.


    He then frowned and turned around.


    A shocking sight appeared before him.


    "I-It''s you!" Olympos screamed at the red-cloaked figure, who stood at the ce where the beautiful woman was before.


    The red-cloaked figure then removed his hood, showing a fatigued-looking face with dull eyes.


    Surprisingly, it was a face that was somewhat familiar to Olympos.


    "I-It''s you..." Olympos'' eyes widened. "Ambrose!"


    Ambrose cracked a smile, and then a floating camera appeared from behind the roofs, recording the encounter.


    "A-are you streaming?" Olympos asked in disbelief.


    "No, I am recording." Ambrose said, spreading his arms around. "Wee back, my viewers. Today, I will start a new series on my channel."


    "N-new series?" Olympos couldn''t understand what he was talking about.


    "A challenge series." Ambrose smiled. "I''ll challenge yers to a one-on-one fight. Regardless of whether I lose or win, I''ll still upload the video to my channel.


    "You are my first challenge, Olympos."


    "Huh, cut the crap!" Olympos shouted and angrily pointed at him. "Why would I participate in such a travesty?"


    "You got it wrong." Ambrose slowly pulled out ck Sword from his sheath. "I am not asking you. I am demanding your participation."


    "H-huh..." Olympos backed off, but after remembering the floating camera, he realized that running away from the fight would be far more humiliating.


    ''He must''ve realized that I stole his video idea and that I sent my fans to dislike his video!'' Olympos paled significantly. ''If I run away, he might upload a video of that. It would be so humiliating!''


    Seeing his face turn from pale to serious, Ambrose smiled.


    ''A hook, line, and sinker.''


    Olympos gritted his teeth and drew his dagger with an embroided handle.


    Since escaping wasn''t an option, he put all his focus on the uing fight.


    He hadn''t fought against yers often, but his level was 41, which was two levels higher than Ambrose''s.


    ''I am strong, and with my upgraded ss, I must have the advantage!'' Olympos looked serious as he gazed at Ambrose.


    ''I don''t care whether he also has upgraded ss¡ªDaggerwielder rules over them all!''


    Ambrose calmly stepped forward and ced the ck de in front of his body.


    "Let''s begin."

 Chapter 184 Vs. Olympos

    <h4>Chapter 184 Vs. Olympos</h4>


    As the flickeringnterns on the far-away ceiling dimmed away, the alleyway turned darker until a small ray of light came from one of the imposing structures in the distance.


    Once the light fell on Olympos'' face, he asked. "By the way, how did you find me?"


    "With the help of the VOD of your stream." Ambrose said while putting the camera into night vision to see the fight better.


    "I stopped the stream when I was walking down a street, and how did you guess I woulde back to that ce?"


    Olympos questioned him, as it was clear that Ambrose expected him to return to Street of Sex.


    As a result, he paid one of the prostitutes to lead him into one of the alleyways so that they could easily fight without anyone else interfering.


    "A hunch," Ambrose said, making the floating camera return to hovering in the air.


    "While watching your VOD, I saw your interaction with one of the prostitutes. It was clear that you were tempted, and I believed you couldn''t escape your desires, like how you stole my video idea."


    "Hah, I didn''t steal anything!" Olympos replied loudly while looking strongly in disagreement.


    It was an act he was putting out because the camera was recording them.


    As long as he kept denying, it might look like Ambrose was simply using him without any proof.


    "Heh." Ambrose chuckled. "Then, I remembered the street where you were. Street of Alcohol.


    "I then looked around the nearby area until I found you, sitting in that tavern.


    "Then I hurried to the Street of Sex to pay off the prostitute in case you went there."


    "What if I hadn''t?" Olympos asked.


    "A backup n." Ambrose smiled. "You were followed by a certain fellow, who would have dragged you here if necessary.


    "If he had seen you nning to log off, he would have dragged you here.


    "If you had nned to visit another brothel and not that prostitute, he would have dragged you here.


    "If you nned to leave Warhaven, he would have dragged you here."


    Olympos'' face turned cold from sweat and looked behind him, but he couldn''t see anything but dimly lit alleyways.


    He didn''t expect to be followed.


    Before visiting the prostitute, Ambrose quickly visited Isaac, the bartender, who epted to help.


    To ensure the sess, Ambrose told Isaac that if it looked like Olympos was pressing something on the empty air, he should take immediate action and put him intobat state.


    It would stop Olympos from being able to log off.


    However, it worked better than Ambrose expected.


    He doubted that Olympos would actually fall into the temptation of the beautiful prostitute, but he underestimated his desire for the flesh.


    "I see, haha." Olympos nervously chuckled. "So, you targeted me because of my video? How is it my fault that you happened to make the same video I had nned for weeks?"


    "Haha." Ambrose simplyughed and then moved his left arm behind his back.


    He wielded his sword with only his right arm.


    ''He is nning to fight me with only one arm? Does he think I am weak?'' Olympos wrinkled his brows.


    ''Even during battles, I shouldn''t forget to train simultaneously.'' Ambrose thought.


    "Tch." Olympos clicked his tongue and then swung his arm like a whip.


    The dagger shot out of his hand and sliced through the air, leaving behind a sharp whistling sound.


    ng¡ªwith his one-armed swordsmanship, Ambrose deflected the dagger with ease.


    The dagger ttered to the ground, no longer a threat.


    However, then Olympos outstretched his arm, and the dagger shot back into his hand.


    ''He can summon his daggers back to him?'' Ambrose wondered in disbelief.


    Fans of Olympos were already aware of this ability of his.


    However, Ambrose had never seen a video of him engaging inbat.


    As a result, he was somewhat surprised.


    "Ah!" Olympos screamed and hurled the dagger back at Ambrose.


    Ambrose took a step backward and smashed his ck de into the flying dagger.


    The dagger ttered to the ground, and as it bounced back into the air, it flew straight back to Olympos.


    Olympos caught it masterfully and jumped across the air with great jumping strength.


    His agility stat was clearly high.


    Ambrose dodged Olympos'' sudden strike and saw himnd effortlessly on the ground before again tossing his dagger at him.


    He quickly deflected the dagger, but then Olympos caught it in midair and began delivering swift shes.


    "Basic Parry." Ambrose muttered under his breath and started parrying the dagger strikes, but he noticed that his speed wascking.


    Therefore, Olympos managed to pass his defenses and graze his cheek, leaving behind a small scar-inducing wound.


    Ambrose winced in surprise and jumped backwards to distance himself from the daggerwielder.


    He quickly assessed the situation and realized that he might not be a match for Olympos in closebat, which was a surprise to him.


    ''He is faster, but his attacks don''t deliver a lot of damage.''


    Ambrose thought and checked his health bar on the left side of his vision.


    [HP: 328/340]


    Olympos'' attack only made him suffer 12 damage, which would be 24 without being halved.


    It was still a very minimal amount of damage.


    However, after assessing the situation, even if he couldn''tpete in closebat, he still had a longer range of attack and could deliver much more damage.


    Olympos lunged forward and shed his dagger down towards the center of Ambrose''s forehead.


    Ambrose lifted his sword, blocking the attack with a loud ng.


    Olympos gritted his teeth and quickly moved to the left side of Ambrose.


    ''Since he doesn''t use his left arm, he ispletely defenseless on that side!'' He thought while the dagger glinted in his hand.


    As the fingers wrapped around the hilt of his dagger trembled, he stabbed it forward with a loud scream.


    As the dagger approached the waist of his opponent, Olympos'' eyes widened with joy and satisfaction, reveling in the anticipation of victory.


    However, then the ck de descended quickly and smashed the dagger out of his hand.


    The dagger flew to the end of the alleyway,nding beside a discarded pile of trash.


    Olympos outstretched his arm towards the dagger, summoning it back.


    As the dagger flew out of the ground, approaching Olympos, a ck de suddenly interjected and sent it flying away again.


    "Ugh!" Olympos'' face paled as the ck de reflected his terrified face.


    "High Pain!" Ambrose screamed and shed the ck de through Olympos'' chest, causing him to fall on his buttocks to the ground.


    Blood poured from the wound, coating Olympos'' shirt and the pavement below in blue.


    "Ngh!" Olympos groaned loudly, and as he nned to outstretch his arm and summon the dagger back to him, he realized that his body was under a stun effect!


    ''Stun?!''


    He had heard about stun effects from his good friend 89John, who had one of the skills that managed to inflict stun effects.


    He had always hoped that he would never have to experience it himself.


    A shadow then appeared over him, but because of the stun effect, he couldn''t look up.


    However, he knew who it was.


    A ck de suddenlynded on top of his shoulder.


    It was simply resting there.


    "Tell the truth. Did you steal my video idea?" Ambrose asked, cing the ck de against Olympos'' neck.


    "No..." Olympos whimpered and gritted his teeth as he desired to move his arms but couldn''t.


    "Tell the truth!" Ambrose shouted and lifted his sword to deliver the final blow.


    "Fuck you!" Olympos screamed and lifted his right arm suddenly.


    The dagger flew right back to his hand.


    Olympos then smashed the dagger into the iing ck de, causing sparks to fly. He hideously grinned as he looked Ambrose in the face.


    "You are nothing.


    "I am Olympos!


    "I am revered and loved by all."


    After whispering those words, he heard something buzzing behind his head,


    Ambrose looked at the young man and suddenly cracked a smile.


    The floating camera appeared behind Olympos, recording every single word in very high detail.


    ''Shit, when did it appear behind me?!'' Olympos thought anxiously as he turned around and saw the camera right in front of his face.


    He thought it was still high in the air, recording.


    As Olympos'' face slowly turned colder, he realized there was only one thing to do.


    He had to kill Ambrose and destroy the camera.


    Otherwise, everything he said would be shown to millions of viewers, and his reputation would suffer!

 Chapter 185 The Power of Daggerwielder

    <h4>Chapter 185 The Power of Daggerwielder</h4>


    ''He is truly poor at keeping his mouth shut.''


    Ambrose thought with a smile while dodging the sharp and deadly dagger strikes.


    Olympos, with a beef-red face, angrily swung the dagger with deadly intent.


    ''If he had kept his mouth shut, I wouldn''t have been too sure if I should''ve uploaded the video even if I won this fight.''


    Ambrose was conflicted because it would make him look like a bully, and humiliating someone with a big following was like painting a target on his own back.


    However, now that Olympos was incapable of keeping his mouth shut because of the anger and humiliation, the tides had changed in Ambrose''s favor.


    "Shit..." Olympos whispered under his breath and kicked off the ground as he chased after Ambrose.


    He crossed the distance with that single leap, but when he nced at the ck Sword, it felt dangerous and electrifying, as if it held a power that could consume him.


    ''I haven''t faced anyone, not even NPCs, who has such a scary weapon.'' Olympos thought anxiously. ''I feel like no matter what I do, that ck-ded sword will kill me!''


    After seeing the momentary hesitation from Olympos, Ambrose raised his sword and smashed it into the dagger.


    The dagger struggled, but ultimately, Ambrose''s strength was vastly superiorpared to Olympos.


    Crack...


    "Ugh!" Olympos'' eyes widened as the dagger shattered into a thousand small fragments, and then the ck de smashed through his blood-stained jacket.


    Swoosh¡ªwith the wind swooshing, Olympos crashed into a brick wall of the surrounding building.


    [-112 HP!]


    [HP: 33/275]


    Ambrose dragged his sword behind him as he approached the bloodied young man.


    With each step, he could see the shade of Olympos'' face turn even paler, almost resembling the shade of blue.


    Olympos realized that if he lost this fight, he would lose all the respect he had.


    His fans watch him because of his daggerwielder ss.


    In their opinion, anyone with a special ss like that would be incredibly powerful, and people love to watch people who are stronger than them.


    "I won''t lose!" Olympos screamed and opened his interface.


    From there, he pulled out all his reserve daggers and small knives that one would use for dining.


    They all looked old, and some daggers even had bent des.


    Olympos bought them from a shady merchant back in Tsukuyomi.


    He didn''t care if they were bad weapons.


    "Fly!" Olympos shouted and tossed them into the air.


    However, the daggers and knives didn''t fall back.


    They stayed hovering in the air as if defying gravity.


    "Murder Party!" Olympos screamed and outstretched his arm towards Ambrose.


    ''His lips moved, but no sound came.'' Ambrose''s eyes widened, and he quickly backed off. ''I thought it was strange that he wasn''t using any skills, but I guess it''s either that he doesn''t have any or has only one.


    ''This must be the one skill!''


    The Unique ss users on the forums mentioned how hard it was to create skills for Unique ss.


    It needed great imagination and high intelligence stat.


    That''s why most Unique ss users didn''t have many skills.


    Olympos, after acquiring the Daggerwielder ss, finally managed to create his first skill.


    After the skill name "Murder Party," was uttered, the daggers and knives trembled before they all plunged down towards Ambrose.


    Ambrose gulped as the rain of knives fell towards him, and he even debated whether he should try using his left hand as well, but ultimately, he decided not to.


    With his muscles bulging like a swollen river, Ambrose screamed and smashed the ck de into the iing knives.


    Spurt, spurt¡ªtwo of the daggers were deflected in different directions, while the third one pierced through his defense and struck him in the chest.


    "Ngh!" As he winched, four more knives passed through the defenses and stabbed him straight into his chest.


    While the blood trailed down his body, his health bar dropped rapidly, indicating the severity of his injuries.


    "Hahahaha!" Olymposughed like a madman and then summoned all the daggers and knives back to him.


    They spiraled around him like he were the center of a hurricane.


    "Diee!" He then outstretched both arms, and all the daggers and knives flew straight back to Ambrose.


    As he saw the looming death approaching him, he turned to look at his ck de with his fingers wrapped tight around the hilt.


    ''I am done being careful.


    ''I won against Jaeger because I was not afraid of death.


    ''I shouldn''t be afraid now either!''


    He lifted his dull eyes and coldly shouted.


    "Kill!"


    As the words echoed throughout the air, Ambrose''s body began moving automatically, soon running straight into the iing daggers and knives.


    "Haha, what an idiot!" Olymposughed. "He is going to die!"


    "Raaah!" Ambrose screamed and swung the ck Sword to destroy several of the knives, but then a few daggers stabbed right into his shoulder.


    As Olympos was about to gleefully celebrate his victory, he noticed something strange.


    Even though he just got stabbed, Ambrose continued to move forward, with more injuries being inflicted upon his body.


    He left behind a trail of blue blood in his wake, the pavement glistening with his life essence.


    Stab, stab, stab¡ªsoon, half a dozen broken knives were strewn about on the pavement while a dozen daggers and knives were stuck in Ambrose''s body.


    "Hmph!" Olympos extended his hand forward and summoned all the daggers and knives back to him.


    The daggers and knives twisted in Ambrose''s body, making him twitch with an ufortable expression, and then they flew back to their master.


    Seeing Ambrose limp forward as one of his legs got badly injured by the knives, Olymposughed and turned to look at the floating camera in the air.


    He pointed his hand towards the floating camera and shot out several knives at it, intent on destroying the camera so the recording would be erased!


    "Heh."


    After seeing the knives chase after the camera, Olympos extended his hand towards Ambrose and shot the remaining daggers and knives towards him.


    Ambrose helplessly watched with his peripheral vision as the knives approached the camera.


    He couldn''t open his interface to control the camera to run away because Kill was activated!


    His heart pounded in his chest as the knives neared the camera, but at the moment of the impact, the camera suddenly dodged out of the way, narrowly avoiding the deadly des.


    ''It dodged?'' Ambrose looked shocked until he realized something. ''Is the camera also acting now purely on instinct, just like my body?


    ''The camera is an extension of my mind?''


    While he thought that, the daggers and knives stabbed right into his chest.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose groaned and spat out blue blood.


    His health sank rapidly.


    [-122 HP]


    [HP: 22/340]


    "Heh." Olympos turned back to the camera, as he believed Ambrose to be as good as dead.


    He then saw the camera dodging the knives very urately.


    "The hell?" Olympos extended his hand towards the camera and personally controlled the knives while trying to hit the camera.


    However, the camera was like a mosquito, effortlessly dodging every strike.


    Ambrose lowered his head to look at the daggers and knives stuck in his body.


    With pure instinct, he pulled out the sharp objects, their des covered in his blood.


    "Haaa!" He then shouted, which shook Olympos, who turned to look at him.


    He then hurled the bloodied daggers and knives back at Olympos.


    "Shit!" Olympos quickly extended both arms and stopped them before they reached him.


    "Fool, I can always stop the¡ª"


    Before he managed to finish his words, a flying ck-ded sword appeared before his eyes.


    "Oh!"


    Stab¡ªthe ck Sword stabbed straight through the center of his forehead.


    "U-uh..." He wobbled before falling sideways to the ground.


    His eyes looked lifeless as blood trickled down his face.


    Ambrose limped towards the almost-dead young man and pulled out his ck sword from his skull.


    "Y-you... also... threw your... sword?" Olympos asked with a stunned and exhausted voice.


    Without him realizing it, when Ambrose, controlled by the Kill, threw the daggers and knives, he also threw his sword.


    The Daggerwielder could only control something lighter, like daggers and knives, while swords were too heavy.


    Ambrose took a deep breath and noticed that he had regained control of his body.


    When he looked at the blood-stained ck Sword, he thought, ''I didn''t expect Kill to have such great battle instincts. I guess there are a lot of things that I still don''t know about my skills.


    ''Maybe in the future I can somehow make it dodge the attacks, at least.


    "Ngh..." Olympos hazily looked around and slowly disappeared into pixels.


    However, beforepletely disappearing, he uttered.


    "You will... never... be... popr..."


    With hisst words, he disappeared from the world of Martial Online.


    Ambrose sheathed his sword andughed.

 Chapter 186 Hunted: Ambrose

    <h4>Chapter 186 Hunted: Ambrose</h4>


    [You killed a yer!]


    [900 XP Earned!]


    ''It seems that a level 41 yer gives 900 XP.'' Ambrose thought. ''It gets harder to level up because the distance between XP required and earning from kills is growing wider.


    ''It''s going to take a lot more grinding to reach the next levels.''


    He then opened the recording interface and made the camera float back to him.


    After the camera appeared in front of his face, he smiled and said.


    "Thanks for watching."


    He then covered the lens with his hand and used his other hand to stop the recording via the interface.


    He then sent the recorded content to his real-life PC.


    After that, he took a deep breath and made the recording camera disappear.


    "That went better than I expected." Ambroseughed, feeling a sense of aplishment.


    At the spot where Olympos died, a small item appeared from thin air.


    It was a half-cracked pearl.


    Ambrose crouched and snatched it from the ground.


    When he saw its cracked surface, it reminded him of a certain item.


    "Teleportation pearl?" Ambrose thought out loud in shock.


    It was indeed a teleportation pearl, but based on its cracked surface, it also had only one use remaining.


    ''Last time, this saved my life.'' Ambrose thought and stored it inside his inventory. ''I wonder why Olympos didn''t use it. Maybe escaping would have been humiliating?''


    As Ambrose thought about logging off, another item appeared from thin air, which he hadpletely forgotten would appear.


    It was a brown pouch, and it was bulging like a pregnantdy.


    ''Oh, he actually kept his silver with him?'' Ambrose thought strangely and opened the pouch.


    [You acquired 19,845 silvers!]


    ''That''s nearly 2k crowns. That must hurt him.'' Ambrose grimaced slightly, imagining himself in Olympos'' position.


    He would be absolutely gutted.


    ''I suppose I am done here.'' Ambrose then opened his interface and pressed the logout button.


    After his avatar disappeared from the narrow alleyway, the blue blood trickled down the pavement and mixed with the dirt, leaving behind a faint trace of the fight.


    ...


    At a random household in a neighboring country, Sicilia.


    Olympos held his forehead as if he could still feel the sensation of the sword poking through it.


    ''T-that bastard... I-I lost all my hard-earned silver.'' Olympos thought in frustration, regretting every decision that led him to this point.


    ''I-I won''t let him get away with this!'' Olympos then turned his gaze to his PC and angrily walked over to it.


    He went straight to an app called ForeverChat.


    It was a ce for everyone to build amunity where they could chat, talk, and stream videos between themselves.


    Olympos also had its ownmunity with over 50,000 users.


    He angrily began writing about the announcement, and once it was over five hundred words, he pressed enter and sent the announcement, which tagged every single user on the server.


    The sudden announcement shocked the users, and they went to investigate it out of curiosity.


    They couldn''t believe what they saw.


    ...


    Tap, tap¡ªJesse''s fingers danced across the keyboard as he sent a message to the artist, Mello.


    He was asking for another thumbnail for her, as he was very satisfied with the previous one.


    After sending a message, he went to the ForeverTube website to finish pre-uploading the video.


    He had finished editing, which didn''t require much editing. as the video was fine otherwise.


    After he finished pre-uploading, he cracked his knuckles and left the chair, then walked over to his bed to start his meditation training.


    However, then his cracked phone on top of the bedside table vibrated.


    He curiously opened the phone and saw a text message from an unknown number.


    That phone number seemed familiar.


    Jesse curiously opened the message and realized who it was from.


    [Unknown: You seek death, and you will soon find it]


    The message also contained a picture.


    It was a picture of a long paragraph from a person called Olympos, taken straight from hismunity''s server.


    ''What the hell is Cerberus saying now?'' He frowned and started reading the paragraph.


    It didn''t take long for him to let out a deep breath.


    "I am in trouble."


    ...


    Ding, ding¡ª89John, after leaving the shower, took a phone from his table and answered the call.


    "What is it?" He asked while drying his hair with a hair dryer.


    "It''s urgent; check the forums." The voice at the other end of the phone said.


    89John frowned and put his hair dryer down on the table, right beside the PC, and typed Martial Online Forum''s website name and then pressed enter.


    When he saw the front page, he saw a message from his good friend, Olympos, which was trending.


    ''What is it now?'' He curiously opened the post and read it silently.


    After reading it all, he frowned. "Just what the hell happened when I logged off?"


    "This could be your chance!" The urgent voice said. "Olympos'' fame was mainly because of his Daggerwielder ss.


    "If you get this reward, you will rise in the ranks.


    "89 rank is not safe enough since there are hundreds of popr streamers popping up every single day!


    "You have to take this chance!"


    89John silently listened to his manager''s words and nodded.


    "I understand." He said and then disconnected the phone call.


    "I didn''t expect Olympos to have another Upgrade ss token." He looked at the screen. "Whoever manages to capture Ambrose and bring it to him will receive it."


    89John closed the PC and scoffed. "If he had another Upgrade ss token, why doesn''t he use himself?


    "Maybe it''s not possible to use twice?


    "Also, why didn''t he tell me that he had another one?


    "I would have purchased it from him!"


    He was rather angry about that, but now that there was a legit chance of acquiring the token, he had to put all his effort into that.


    ''I need to increase my rank. I have already been losing a few ranks, and it might take less than a month for me to drop off the top 100.


    ''Even if we again sabotage others from reaching the top 100, it won''t work against someone with an explosive rise to fame, and those are verymon these days.


    ''I have to capture Ambrose and get the Upgrade ss token.


    ''It''s my only chance to keep my fame!''


    ...


    At Rothsmith Estate.


    Ding, ding¡ªa new email appeared.


    Jesse sat down on his gaming chair, still thinking about the new bounty that had been put on him.


    He felt like he was making new enemies every day.


    Now, half of the yer base might be hunting him down.


    Olympos also told everyone his location.


    That meant Zahhak was now aware of where he was.


    ''Whatever, Warhaven is not a ce where they can get me easily.'' Jesse thought.


    He then opened the email and saw that Mello had sent him another thumbnail.


    Without further ado, he put the thumbnail to his new video, and he only needed to put the title.


    ''Well, now that everyone knows that I must''ve angered Olympos somehow, I have earned the attention of all the yers.


    ''This video will blow up.''


    He cracked his knuckles and typed a title, then uploaded the video.


    The second video appeared on Ambrose''s channel, and it was a video that took the world by storm!

 Chapter 187 Voodoo Magic

    <h4>Chapter 187 Voodoo Magic</h4>


    As dark clouds gathered in the rainy city of Yatagarasu, lightning shed and rumbling followed. A meeting was currently held in one of the dojos.


    Nearly ten figures had gathered in a dojo belonging to Zahhak.


    They all had insignia of three-headed dragons on their ck cloaks.


    They were members of Zahhak.


    After creating enough chaos in Amaterasu, they returned to Yatagarasu.


    "Boss!" Arsenal shouted after appearing from the pixels.


    He was about to go to bed back in real life, but then happened to check the Martial Online forums and was forced to return here.


    After sending a message to Cerberus and not receiving an answer, he expected him to be in Martial Online.


    However, he didn''t expect others to be there as well!


    "I know," Cerberus said while carving a small wooden puppet from a block of oak.


    Arsenal looked at the other members of Zahhak and scoffed.


    "So, all of you also saw that announcement."


    "Yeah, haha!" Rainman shouted while looking with a crazy glint outside into the rain. "I thought I was hallucinating at first, but then Cerberus contacted me!"


    "So, what shall we do?" Arsenal ignored Rainman and asked a question from Cerberus.


    "We will go to Warhaven." Cerberus stood up and finished carving a small face for the puppet.


    The wooden puppet looked badly carved around the edges, with splinters sticking out in various ces. However, it had an air of mystique that seemed to captivate anyone whoid eyes on it.


    But then Cerberus stabbed the small knife through the puppet''s chest, and a dark liquid began to ooze out.


    "Am I seeing things, or is that thing bleeding?" Arsenal asked with a frown. "What the hell is this?"


    "This is..." Cerberus slowly cracked a sinister smile. "...a wonderful item that we have acquired."


    "From where and what does that do?" Arsenal asked.


    "Haha, I did that!" Glowstar, a spiky gray-haired man with anky body and long face, said. "He used a thing called Death Oak to carve that puppet.


    "It has been said that Death Oak possesses mystical properties and is known for its ability to bring inanimate objects to life," Glowstar exined. "In a way, that is true. However, the puppet cannot move, but it could bleed."


    "So?" Arsenal was confused. "What kind of use does it have?"


    "I can use my voodoo magic and curse a certain person to have his mind transferred to that puppet!" Glowstar said with a crazy grin.


    "Oh..." Arsenal started understanding what they were trying to do. "Then what?"


    "Then, he is trapped in that puppet, unable to escape." Glowstar said with a grin. "It will be a fate worse than death. He can''t do anything except quit the game."


    "Damn." Arsenal shuddered at that horrible fate and was once again reminded of the scary nature of Glowstar.


    ''If that happened in reality, it would really be a fate worse than death.'' Arsenal thought with a hint of fear.


    ''That''s why the Wuhan n, where Glowstar originates from, are enemies of the whole world.


    ''They are feared and despised, even though they are mostly considered myths these days.


    ''Even I thought so, but then I met Glowstar.


    ''They even brought an entire empire and its emperor down with their evil voodoo magic.


    ''It would be ridiculous to think that the magic really exists back in reality, but Glowstar had destroyed my view of reality many times.


    ''That''s why he is the man I fear the most!''


    ...


    At the Forever Company.


    Jacob surfed on the ForeverTube.


    It was like any other day, but it was again the time of day when he and a few others had to choose tomorrow''s featured videos.


    "Yo, Jacob." His friend said from behind him. "Olympos'' video had be quite viral even without the feature. Should we give a feature to that?"


    "He just copied Ambrose''s video, no?" Jacob said in boredom. "It''s even worse video, except it''s higher quality."


    "That doesn''t matter, though. Our boss is angry if we don''t." His friend argued back. "It would probably get over fifty million views if we gave it the feature. It would increase the revenue of thepany."


    "Yeah, but..." Jacob sighed and waved his handzily. "Do what you want."


    "Mm." His friend nodded and decided to give Olympos'' new video a feature.


    "Jacob!" A tired-looking woman rushed from the resting room.


    She looked thrilled for some reason while holding a phone.


    "What is it?" Jacob asked.


    "Look!" She turned the phone around and shoved it in front of Jacob''s face.


    "Too close!" Jacob groaned and snatched the phone from her hand, then moved it slightly further away before focusing his tired eyes on the screen.


    The screen showed a channel called Ambrose, and ten minutes ago, a new video had emerged.


    "He made a new video?" Jacob asked in a surprise.


    "Yes, and it''s not just any video!" The womanughed hysterically. "Olympos made an announcement a few hours ago and put a bounty on Ambrose''s head.


    "It''s clear that they have a rivalry of some kind, as he used Ambrose of stealing his video idea, which I findughable as Olympos is known for stealing other good video ideas before.


    "Now, everyone wondered why Olympos put a bounty on Ambrose''s head. If it was only because he suspected him of stealing the video idea, it would be nothing but bullying.


    "However, now Ambrose has uploaded a video of killing Olympos!"


    Jacob''s jaw hung low.


    He was not aware of anything about that because he had been sleeping the entire evening as he was preparing for the night shift.


    He didn''t expect Ambrose to be familiar with other big shots!


    Yesterday, he uploaded his first video and got featured instantly.


    It put him in the spotlight, but Jacob thought he was aplete newbie, yet he had made enemies of someone very famous like Olympos!


    "Let''s see the video!" Jacob gave the phone back to her and opened the video on theputer screen.


    All the other night shift employees gathered around to watch after hearing themotion.


    They were surprised that Ambrose, who could be considered a one-time wonder, challenged and killed one of the most popr tubers.


    This had never happened before, as everyone was obsessed with keeping a good reputation.


    Hunting and killing someone with a big fanbase was the same as shooting himself in the foot!


    The video began, and as the fight proceeded, everyone gasped and sometimes flinched as they expected either one to die.


    As the video got near the end, they thought Ambrose was actually going to lose the fight and began wondering about the truth behind the announcement.


    However, Ambrose pulled a reverse uno card and ended up defeating his opponent with a surprising move.


    They had seen a lot of fighting videos before about Martial Online, but they had never seen anyone defeat an opponent like that!


    It was awesome, thrilling, and blood pumping!


    After the video ended with Ambrose''sst message, one of the employees asked with a shaky voice.


    "Did he just say that he was going to continue this challenge?"


    Jacob grinnedrgely, as did the woman behind him.


    "Yeah." Jacobughed as he could imagine a storm approaching.


    They realized that Olympos clearly lost a lot of face by losing like that, and they even heard his arrogant words that made many of them frown in displeasure.


    This ruined his reputation a great deal.


    Now, all popr tubers had to be careful because of Ambrose!


    Jacob crossed his arms and giggled like a child. ''This will be the start of something awesome.''

 Chapter 188 Popularity

    <h4>Chapter 188 Poprity</h4>


    At the dawn of the new morning, countless people were woken up by an unexpected sight in the ForeverTube.


    They couldn''t believe their eyes at the title of one of the featured videos.


    While the rest of the featured videos were getting very few views, which was surprising for a featured video, that one video''s view count continued rising and rising!


    At a random household, one of Olympos'' longtime viewers finished watching a video from a person called Ambrose.


    "O-Olympos looked rather pathetic..." He thought out loud while remembering his arrogant words at the halfway point.


    He also thought about hunting Ambrose for that prize and maybe getting into Olympos'' good books, but after seeing the video, he didn''t feel like helping Olympos bully him.


    This was how the announcement now looked to him.


    Olympos'' attempt to bully a person who managed to best him inbat


    Therefore, Olympos'' previous elegant appearance crumbled in his mind, reced by a pitiful bully.


    He then went to check thements on Olympos'' server and saw that it was currently very busy, even though it was only morning.


    During the morning hours, the server would be quieter as people were preparing to go to school.


    Olympos'' fans mostly consisted of minors of school age.


    Therefore, it was an unexpected sight but somewhat expected after seeing the video.


    As he read the messages, he frowned, as many of Olympos'' fans were still protecting him and promising to kill Ambrose for him.


    However, there were also people who didn''t like Olympos'' words in the video, and the number of people on the server continued decreasing as his fans continued leaving!


    After reading a few more messages, he grabbed theputer mouse, hovered the cursor over the "Leave the Server" button, and clicked gently.


    He also left the server, and after him, many thousands of people did the same.


    ...


    "Argh!" Olympos smashed his keyboard against the edge of his desk in frustration.


    The keyboard keys flew off and scattered across the room.


    The monitor showed a decrease in his subscriber count.


    He had reached over twenty million subscribers a few days ago, and now it had gone below that once again.


    Since the release of Martial Online, he became quickly famous and continued earning millions of new subscribers every day.


    Now, most of his hard work plummeted down like a rock in the ocean.


    He felt defeated and lost, but also incredibly angry.


    When he woke up and saw the featured page, he felt like his blood vessels were going to pump.


    He even sent many angry messages to Forever Company, telling them to remove that video from the site.


    He expected them to at least consider him because he was a popr ForeverTuber with over 20 million subscribers and was among the top 55 streamers in the world.


    It gave him a lot of influence.


    However, they bluntly said no and disconnected the phone call!


    "Ambrose..." Olympos muttered hatefully.


    ...


    At a certain household in Thunderdome.


    Jason silently watched the video on his phone, examining every frame and movement.


    ''His swordsmanship is still sloppy.'' He thought. ''He continues dropping his elbows, leaving himself open.''


    Jason, also known as Cerberus in the gaming world, had spent the entire morning examining Jesse''s swordsmanship and came to one conclusion.


    He was still rather weak.


    He then pocketed the phone and opened the door to check out the living room.


    His father was passed out on a reclining chair with a bottle of whiskey in his hand.


    ''He won''t be awake for several hours, at least.'' Jason thought and closed the door, then took the VR headset from the worn-out chair beforeying down on his bed.


    ''Warhaven...'' He thought and then entered the majestic world of martial arts.


    ...


    At Rothsmith Estate.


    Jesse sat on his gaming chair, looking at the screen with a speechless expression.


    He was looking at the stats of his previous and new videos.


    [The Method to Acquire an Upgraded ss]


    [Views: 29,123,001]


    [Comments: 21,045]


    [Like Ratio: 59,99%]


    The views andments had increased rapidly, so the ratio had increased, but it was still rather low.


    ''I wonder how much money I am earning?'' Jesse thought, but it was still early, as there were a few more weeks until the paycheck came.


    He then checked the new video''s stats and was utterly shocked.


    [Challenge Vs. Olympos]


    [Views: 38,745,524]


    [Comments: 55,456]


    [Like Ratio: 77,45%]


    Jesse took a cold breath andughed in disbelief.


    ''That is unreal...'' He scratched his hair and was also surprised by the like ratio.


    He expected the video to be heavily disliked because he attacked a very famous person, but to his surprise, it was more liked than his previous video!


    Jesse then wondered if he had earned more subscribers and went to check it out.


    After the number appeared on the monitor, aughter escaped Jesse''s lips.


    [Subscribers: 1,023,435]


    He now has over a million subscribers!


    That made him a popr ForeverTuber!


    And he managed to do that in a span of two days!


    It was unreal speed, but it spoke volumes about his videos'' impacts.


    Jesse leaned on the backrest of his chair, reflecting on his incredible achievement.


    That made him quite popr, but he was still far from the top.


    The person at the top of the streamer rankings had nearly half a billion subscribers.


    In front of such poprity, Jesse was nothing.


    However, he was still incredibly happy and had already begun thinking about his next video.


    ''What should I make...'' He thought as his next video was also important.


    Making one popr video could be considered lucky.


    Making a second popr video could be considered also lucky, but three popr videos in row would ensure his sess in ForeverTube!


    While thinking about his next video, he caught a glimpse of the clock and almost froze.


    "Shit, I am almostte!" Jesse hurried to his bed, grabbed his VR headset, and plopped down on the bed.


    He forgot that he still had swordsmanship training.


    He had been so upied and somewhat drunken by his sudden sess that he forgot about the importance of his training.


    ''I am happy about my sess, but I can''t forget what is truly important: bing strong!''


    ...


    Tap, tap¡ªa lone yer with a hood covering his head trekked down arocky and deserted valley road.


    It was surrounded by two tall mountains, seemingly piercing the sky.


    Shortly afterwards, he came across an old arc-shaped entrance.


    However, strangely, the arc-shaped entrance was in the middle of the valley, with nothing on the other side.


    It was just standing there among the rocks and emptiness.


    "Hmm?" The lone person hummed with a deep tone and approached the arc-shaped entrance.


    He could easily walk around it, but he decided to walk through it.


    After stepping through the arc-shaped entrance, he heard a voice.


    "Who might you be?"


    The lone person raised his gaze and saw a bald-headed person sitting on top of a boulder situated on the mountain wall.


    It looked extremely dangerous as the boulder could suddenly fall down, also causing the bald-headed person to fall to his death.


    "Is this where Dojo Temple is?" The lone person asked.


    "Who is asking?" Honorable Zhen asked with a mysterious gaze as he scanned the hooded person very closely.


    After a while, he closed his lips as he looked somewhat impressed.


    "My name is Julian." The lone person said, exposing his piercing gray eyes below the hood. "I heard that it''s possible to learn anything you want in Dojo Temples, as long as you''re willing to put in the effort."


    "That is correct, but are you willing to?" Honorable Zhen asked with a mysterious smile.


    "I am," Julian said with a deep tone.


    "Hmm..." Honorable Zhen chuckled and pulled out his shortsword. "Very well. However, to be able to enter the temple, you have to pass my test."


    "I am ready." Julian said and pulled out his sword from his inventory.


    The sword was majestic.


    The sword was cruciform, almost resembling a cross, and it was well-ornated with a curved, single-edged, ck de.


    It was over two meters long, towering over Julian as he gripped it firmly in his hand.


    "What a unique sword." Honorable Zhen grinned. "This might be interesting."

 Chapter 189 Julian Vs. Zhen

    <h4>Chapter 189 Julian Vs. Zhen</h4>


    "This will be your test." Honorable Zhen flexed his muscles while lifting his sword over his bald head. "Good luck!"


    Julian narrowed his eyes and tightened his grip on the handle of the very long sword, which was even longer than some spears.


    A regr person wouldn''t be able to use such a sword efficiently.


    Therefore, Honorable Zhen was very curious about the man''s prowess with such a weapon.


    "Very well!" Julian lifted the sword, rested the de against his shoulder, and then lowered his stance.


    ''He can effortlessly move that sword around as if it doesn''t weigh anything, and his posture is excellent.''


    Honorable Zhen quickly determined with a single gaze.


    Julian put all his weight on his front leg, and as rocks rolled by his foot, he suddenly shot forward with formidable speed.


    ''Impressive speed while carrying that weapon,'' Zhen thought.


    Julian''s muscles trembled as he moved the sword slightly before powerfully swinging it across the air.


    Zhen jumped one meter above the ground and smashed his shortsword into the iing curved-ded sword.


    Cling¡ªsparks flew as two mighty weapons collided.


    "Ngh!" Julian groaned as he wondered whether he had identally smashed his sword against the mountain wall.


    However, it was only Zhen whose block could be considered a mountain wall.


    Zhen smiled carefreely and then pushed the long-ded sword away.


    Afternding on the rocky ground, he shot forward and swung his sword, but Julian quickly blocked it.


    However, the sheer strength of the attack made Julian slide across the rocky ground, and after five meters, he came to a stop while the soles of his leather boots were smoking as if they were on fire.


    Tap, tap¡ªZhen rapidly ran, almost looking like a blur.


    Julian quickly cut through the air and even through Zhen''s afterimage, but his real body had already vanished.


    ''Where?'' His eyes swam around as he tried to find Zhen''s real body, and soon he caught sight of a person appearing behind his back.


    He quickly spun the sword around and blocked Zhen''s sword, which was an inch away from impaling through his back.


    "Oh, do you have eyes on the back of your head, perhaps?" Zhen asked with an amused tone, somewhat impressed by Julian.


    "No." Julian replied and smashed the sword into Zhen, but he moved quickly out of the way.


    After the attack missed, Julian lifted his sword and rested it against his shoulder while he watched Zhen retreat a couple meters.


    "I assume you didn''te here to be trained by a mere Honorable like me, correct?" Zhen asked.


    "I heard that there is a person called Wisdom King who resides in this temple." Julian said, his gray eyes gleaming. "I want to learn from him."


    "Unfortunately, I think you are toote." Zhen smiled. "He already has a new disciple. A yer, like you."


    "Huh." Julian came to a stop and frowned. "Who? No, it doesn''t matter. Does Wisdom King not want to train more than one?"


    "It depends." Zhen traced his finger across the de of his sword and glimpsed at the gray-eyed man. "He rarely trains anyone. However, his new disciple is rather impressive."


    "Impressive?" Julian raised his eyebrow. "I want to talk to this Wisdom King. Among yers, there are not many who can best me inbat."


    "Oh, it''s notbat-rted." Zhenughed. "Do you know about the World of Souls and the soul scent?"


    "I do, Julian answered.


    "How long did it take you to hide your soul scent?" Zhen asked curiously.


    "One week," Julian replied confidently.


    "Oh..." Zhen looked calm, but inwardly he was very impressed.


    Being able to hide soul scent within a week was an incredibly impressive achievement.


    However, he had already seen a certain someone be able to do that in one night''s time.


    "Wisdom King''s new disciple..." Zhen paused for a moment and looked directly into Julian''s eyes. "Managed to do it in one night."


    Julian''s pupils shrank in shock and disbelief.


    ''Who is this yer, and have I heard of him before?'' Julian felt his heart pumping with greater excitement.


    He cracked a small smile and said, "What do I need to do to be able to meet with the Wisdom King?"


    Zhen looked at his gray eyes and was impressed to see an invisible flicker of fire in them.


    After telling about the Wisdom King''s new disciple''s achievement, he expected this yer to feel dejected.


    However, that did not happen.


    Instead, the yer''s eyes flickered with new-found determination and excitement.


    "If you manage to defeat me, I will let you meet him." Zhen stomped on the ground, causing it to crack and rocks to scatter. "It won''t be easy!"


    "Heh." Julian grinned in excitement, his own determination shining through.


    The air grew tense as the two gazed into each other''s eyes.


    After a small pebble rolled down the mountain and crashed into the ground, both of them lunged forward and smashed their swords together, sparks flying in every direction.


    "¨­rusutoraiku!" Julian screamed and smashed the ck de into Zhen''s guard.


    It was such a powerful strike that Zhen''s knees sank to the ground, clearly unable to withstand the sudden strike.


    "Ngh!" Zhen quickly rolled backwards while the ck de cut through the ground.


    He managed to barely escape the strike, but it left him wary of his opponent''s strength.


    Julian pulled the sword from the ground and chased after Zhen.


    As he switched the grip to a side grip, he extended both arms and did a veryrge sh at Zhen, closing all escape routes!


    "Dai Sutoraiku!"


    Zhen blocked the strike, but he soon noticed it was a dire mistake.


    The powerful blow caused his feet to leave the ground and sent him flying backward.


    While in mid-air, he quickly rolled around andnded shakily on the ground, almost falling down on his back.


    His heart raced as he realized that the fight almost ended because of that one mistake he made.


    He couldn''t afford any more slip-ups.


    However, at the same moment, a shadow appeared over him.


    Zhen''s eyes shrank like a cat''s when he was endangered.


    Julian raised his sword above his hooded head while the mountain''s shadow fell over him, nketing him with darkness.


    His gray eyes looked darker than ever before as he prepared to strike.


    The intensity in his gaze was palpable.


    "Paw¨¡sutoraiku!"


    Swoosh¡ªthe sword came raining down and smashed right into Zhen''s shortsword.


    Crack¡ªalmost instantly, the shortsword''s de cracked.


    Zhen''s eyes flickered with panic, and he immediately abandoned his sword and dodged the strike.


    Julian''s sword smashed into the ground, splitting the ground in half with arge crevice appearing out of nowhere!


    The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through the earth.


    Julian''s eyes followed Zhen like a hawk who had found prey.


    He quickly followed after and repeatedly shed his sword down, but each strike missed as Zhen dodged them all with overwhelming speed.


    Zhen nimbly moved behind Julian''s back, pulled out a pocket knife from his pants'' pockets, and pressed it against Julian''s throat.


    "?" Julian snapped his eyes towards Zhen while feeling the cold metal touching his skin.


    "You have lost," Zhen said while panting heavily.


    "Seems so." Julian replied and dropped his sword as a sign of resignation.


    "Since you didn''t defeat me, you aren''t allowed to meet the Wisdom King." Zhen put the pocket knife back in his pocket and backed off from the yer.


    "Yes, I know." Julian picked up the sword and put it back in his inventory.


    He then fixed his hood and began walking away from Zhen and the vige.


    ''He gave up like this?'' Zhen thought in shock and wondered whether he overestimated that man.


    However, then Julian came to a stop and turned around to look at Zhen.


    "I''lle back tomorrow."


    With those words, he left.


    "Huh." Zhen shook his head andughed. "First Ambrose, now this Julian. There seem to be quite a few interesting yers out there."

 Chapter 190 The Training Trip

    <h4>Chapter 190 The Training Trip</h4>


    After Ambrose arrived at the usual training ce at the temple, he saw the Wisdom King sitting casually, his eyes half-closed.


    There were also two heavy-looking bags on the ground next to him, both brown in color.


    "I am sorry for beingte!" Ambrose bowed slightly and immediately apologized.


    After a while, he didn''t get an answer.


    He nced quickly in the direction of the Wisdom King and saw him sitting without letting out a sound.


    ''I guess he is mad.'' Ambrose sighed inwardly and then went to pick up a training sword.


    However, when he was about to start his practice, he heard the wise voice sounding behind him.


    "Lower your sword." The Wisdom King finally opened his eyes.


    "Huh?" Ambrose did as instructed, but he looked with a confused gaze at the wise grandmaster.


    The Wisdom King grabbed one of the bags and threw it to Ambrose.


    Ambrose caught it rather easily.


    An ordinary person would struggle to carry it, but after putting over hundred stats on strength, he was already beyond ordinary people.


    The Wisdom King took the second heavy bag and began walking away in the direction that led out of the vige and the temple.


    Ambrose was never allowed to go there, as the Wisdom King forbade it.


    "Follow me." The Wisdom King said. "We are going on a training trip."


    Ambrose looked surprised and quickly followed behind the old grandmaster.


    "We are going deeper into the valley?" He asked in a surprise.


    "Yes." The Wisdom King replied. "Your de loses its touch if your only opponent is a wooden pole."


    "Can''t I fight you?" Ambrose asked curiously while not minding about going on the training trip.


    "You could, but you would only learn to survive." The Wisdom King said. "You need to learn swordsmanship badly. It is crucial for your growth as a fighter."


    "I see." Ambrose understood the meaning behind his words.


    The Wisdom King''s level was simply too high.


    "If you train swordsmanship in a situation where losing means death, you could improve faster than you could ever imagine."


    The Wisdom King said and pointed his chin in the direction of the valley.


    "This ce has a lot of dangerous creatures.


    "You said something about yers acquiring experience points after killing creatures.


    "You would learn swordsmanship and also grow stronger with the help of those experience points."


    ''This is indeed very useful.'' Ambrose thought, as he hadn''t been able to earn as many experience points as he would have liked to.


    His leveling speed had dropped drastically as he was still stuck at level 39.


    He had been overtaken by the majority of the yer base, but he wasn''t sure by how much.


    The Wisdom King then looked at his disciple and said, "During this training trip, you must manifest the door and close it. If you fail to do so, I won''t train you any further."


    "Huh?" Ambrose''s eyes widened, and slowly his face turned serious.


    ''Pressure is on...'' He took a deep breath and nodded determinedly, ready to prove himself.


    The master and disciple left the temple and began their adventure deeper into the valley, where dangerous threats awaited behind every corner.


    ...


    At the Whispering Pages in Yatagarasu.


    In the upstairs, Emma closed a book and looked around the room with a thoughtful expression.


    "Be didn''te back..." She murmured and ced the book back in her inventory before leaving the room.


    As she approached the stairs, she heard voicesing from downstairs.


    Out of curiosity, she decided to quietly make her way towards the source of the sound.


    After reaching the bottom of the stairs, she saw the familiar red-eyed woman sitting on a couch.


    Next to her was a middle-aged man with gray hair and a slightly crooked nose.


    He was talking to Be, who silently listened while keeping her head low.


    After a while, the middle-aged man sighed and reached over to Be to give her some kind of pearl.


    The pearl was silver in color, and some kind of ck, slimy thing was swimming inside it.


    Be hesitantly took the pearl from the man''s hand and then looked away from him as if she didn''t want to talk to him anymore.


    The middle-aged man sighed and grabbed a walking cane from the ground and then ced a top hat over his head.


    He then bade farewell and left the bookstore.


    Emma felt like the whole interaction seemed strange.


    As Be sat on the couch, her hand covering her face, Emma approached her and asked timidly.


    "B-Be, is everything alright? Who was he?"


    Be flinched and looked at the little girl with a pout.


    "It''s not nice to eavesdrop."


    "I-I did not hear anything." Emma sat down beside her and looked at the strange pearl. "What is that?"


    "Uh, nothing." Be said and tossed it into her inventory. She then looked at the little girl and asked. "Did you finish the book?"


    "Yup!" Emma answered energetically, realizing that Be did not want to talk about the middle-aged man.


    Ding, ding¡ªa sudden, ear-piercing sound reverberated across the rainy city of Yatagarasu.


    "What was that?" Emma asked with a hint.


    Be shot up and walked over to the door, opened it ajar, and looked towards the cloudy sky.


    A holographic announcement had appeared in the sky.


    The third World Quest had been activated.


    Her beautiful face paled slightly, and she then closed the door, locked it, and rushed back to Emma.


    She smiled and looked into her innocent eyes.


    "Emma, it''s not going to be safe here, so why don''t you log off for today?"


    "Eh?" Emma worriedly looked at her. "What about you? Will you log off?"


    "Yes, I will close the store first." Be said with a smile.


    "I''ll help you!"


    "No." Be spoke sternly and then forced a smile. "I can do it alone. See you tomorrow, alright?"


    "O-oh, okay." Emma timidly nodded, not wanting to upset Be, and then logged off.


    As her petite body vanished into thin pixels, Be worriedly looked out of the store and rushed to her room.


    She locked the door, closed the curtains, and sat down on her bed.


    She hugged her legs and heard the sound of her own breathing fill the silent room.


    As darkness filled the room, sudden screamsing from the streets echoed with an eerie vibe.


    A shiver ran down her back, and she quickly took out the pearl and squeezed it tightly.


    "Father..." Be bit her lip and opened her interface.


    The holographic screen appeared in front of her, but something was missing.


    There wasn''t a logout button!


    "I don''t want to die..." Be hugged the pearl and whispered a desperate plea for help.


    When her eyes were filled with tears, she saw two bounty posters on the wall, both with identically sketched faces.


    Rumble¡ªa rumbling of thunder echoed across the vast sky, and following that, the earth shook as if a thousand-strong army was marching across thend.


    The yers screams echoed throughout the store, and weapons shing filled the air.


    The battle had begun.


    Yet the sounds continued to grow louder, as if the battle wasing closer and closer.


    Be bit her lip, and through tears, she cried out. "Father... save me."

 Chapter 191 Third World Quest

    <h4>Chapter 191 Third World Quest</h4>


    Ambrose finished building the small campsite.


    He breathed heavily as it took him five hours of error and trial until he finally managed to build the tents and arrange the campfire in a perfect spot.


    "Oh, finally done?" The Wisdom King removed the sunsses while sitting on a beach chair under the shade of a tree.


    They had left the rocky part of the valley behind and arrived at a lush meadow with a breathtaking view of the mountains.


    There, Ambrose also built the campsite near the forest that moved up the mountain like a beautiful nature-made decoration.


    The sunlight filtered through the trees, casting a golden glow over the campsite.


    It still felt like they were in the embrace of the mountains as they surrounded the vast area around them, almost like those mountains were standing guard without letting any foul air into the meadows.


    ''This mountainside is enormous.'' Ambrose thought as he tried to find a ce to sit.


    After finding a fallen trunk near the forest, he brought it to the campsite, dropped it down, and sat on it.


    ''I thought the mountains were only near Nether Forest, but I greatly underestimated their length. This is easily the tallest mountain I have ever seen; even those enormous mountains back in reality pale inparison.''


    "Now that you are done building the campsite, go hunt us some food." The Wisdom King said while covering his eyes with ck sunsses.


    He looked like he was here to have a vacation while letting his disciple do all the hard work.


    Ambrose dropped his shoulders in exhaustion.


    However, he stood up and approached the forest, but then he remembered a certain thing.


    "Ah, there might be a problem."


    "What is it?" The Wisdom King asked while resting his head on his hand in curiosity.


    "All the animals I kill turn into pixels." Ambrose said, realizing that it was quite impossible to hunt any food since that food turns to pixels.


    The Wisdom King pondered for a moment before suggesting a possible solution.


    "Don''t kill them then. Bring them here, and I will deal with them."


    "Alright..." Ambrose sighed, and as he walked into the forest, he thought.


    ''Well, that is making things more difficult.


    ''Right, I also saw the World Quest announcement in the sky.


    ''I wonder how Emma and Be is doing in Yatagarasu.''


    ...


    At the rainy city of Yatagarasu.


    Ssh¡ªwhile the rain continued hammering down, rugged-clothed creatures stepped into the puddles and made their way closer to the center of Yatagarasu.


    They were green-skinned, disgusting-looking creatures with pointy ears.


    They were goblins¡ªhundreds of them!


    Their menacing growls revealed sharp, yellow, rotting teeth.


    m¡ªseveral doors closed shut as frightened citizens hid behind the sturdy doors.


    However, those loud noises attracted the attention of the goblins.


    While the goblins smashed their wooden maces against the door, a middle-aged man desperately tried to hold the door shut while shouting.


    "Close the curtains!" He shouted to his two children.


    His children, with frightened looks, closed the curtains, but before that, they managed to catch a glimpse of the ugly goblins.


    The same scene urred in several dozen households.


    Smash¡ªthe doors broke open, and the goblins began to pour into the houses.


    The blood-curling screams filled the air as the death count began rising rapidly.


    The chaos and terror spread throughout the town.


    The unstoppable might of the goblin army destroyed the yers resistance.


    At the top of the spear-shaped mountain, inside the dojo.


    "Master!" A spear-wielding man approached a man dressed in traditional samurai robes with a ck spear in hand.


    He was Karasu, the Spear Master of Yatagarasu.


    "Yes?" Karasu opened his mystifying eyes.


    "A goblin army had stormed inside the city. A death toll is already very rming!"


    "I see." Karasu closed his eyes. "That shall not matter. It is not our duty to get rid of them."


    "B-but, the innocent people are in danger." The spear-wielding man said with a few sweatdrops falling down the side of his face.


    Karasu sighed. "They are, but the fate of the city does not concern us. Our duty is solely to protect the shrine."


    The spear-wielding man gritted his teeth but nodded with frustration.


    Across the streets of Yatagarasu, blood and rain mixed into a gruesome and haunting scene.


    A group of goblins, wielding blood-stained maces, walked over the blood-mixed puddles and came across a bookstore with the name The Whispering Pages.


    The stained ss windows showed dark interiors, and the door was locked.


    One of the goblins grunted and tried to open the door, but it was tightly locked.


    "Groah!" The goblin groaned in frustration and then smashed the mace into the window, breaking it.


    The group of goblins then climbed inside the bookstore and knocked down several bookshelves while smelling the air.


    They were certain that they were smelling something sweet¡ªit was something of a mix of flowers, and vani.


    It was a very intoxicating scent for goblins.


    They couldn''t resist the temptation to investigate further.


    While smelling the air, they came across the stairs and grinned hideously as they began ascending them.


    Shortly afterwards, they came across a closed door and eagerly pushed it open, revealing a dark and mysterious room.


    The smell was thickest there.


    They entered the room and looked towards the bed.


    There was a small bump, human-shaped.


    Withrge grins, they removed the nket to the side, but to their surprise, there was nothing but a stack of books and pillows.


    "Gruh?"


    From the corner of the room, a red-eyed woman shot forward with a sword in hand and sliced through the heads of two of the goblins.


    "Gah?" The remaining two goblins turned around and growled loudly.


    The smell wasing from the red-eyed woman, making them salivate with hunger. They lunged towards her, desperate to feast on her flesh.


    Be pulled out the pearl with strange ck, slimy things swimming inside and threw it at the floor.


    After the pearl cracked like a ss cup, ck smoke shot forward and wrapped around the goblins short bodies.


    The goblins shrieked in agony as the smoke tightened its grip, choking them until they fell to the ground, gasping for air.


    After a short while, the goblins stopped moving as they resigned themselves to death.


    "Haah, haah...." Be gasped for air and dropped her sword.


    She walked over the dead goblins and looked out of the windows at the streets, where goblins chased after yers and NPCs.


    Everywhere she looked, smoke, fire, and blood reigned supreme.


    "Yatagarasu... is doomed..." She thought out loud and fell to her knees.


    ''How can I escape this ce?'' She wondered, her heart pounding in her chest.


    Escaping Yatagarasu seemed truly impossible.


    The worst possible thing happened.


    While Amaterasu''s and Tsukuyomi''s yers managed to sessfullyplete the World Quest, Yatagarasu was badly losing.


    The reason was because the strongest yers had already left Yatagarasu and had moved over to Dark Waters, gone to visit other cities, or gone to Warhaven.


    Because it took them the longest to achieve World Quest, they were also not prepared and had basically left their city defenseless.


    On this day, Yatagarasu, the city with the highest poption, was overrun by a goblin army.


    They had failed at the World Quest and now faced the dire consequences of their failure.


    The city was destroyed.

 Chapter 192 Punishment of Failure

    <h4>Chapter 192 Punishment of Failure</h4>


    In the skies, a chilling announcement appeared.


    [World Quest Has Failed!]


    [yers from Yatagarasu will be punished for the failure!]


    ...


    At random street of Warhaven.


    Cerberus looked around with a keen eye, sensing the hostile gazesing from almost every direction.


    "Hey, boss." SweetieHell returned from her quick trip and looked around the streets with a frown. "This ce is not what I expected. Everyone is very hostile."


    "What have you discovered?" Cerberus asked with a lukewarm tone while looking towards a group of people seated below a parasol.


    The group of people seated below the shelter of the parasol looked back at Cerberus, their eyes filled with malice.


    "This ce has a hierarchy, and we are at the bottom." SweetieHell said and felt her skin crawl after sensing many lust-filled gazes. "The bounties determine the hierarchy."


    "And let me guess, because we don''t have bounties, we are more worthless than trash?" Cerberusughed.


    "The way you said made it look better than it actually is." SweetieHell scoffed. "Trash has no worth, but we have only one worth: being ves till we die.


    "If we based that on hierarchy, we would actually be below the trash that litters the ground."


    "Interesting." Cerberus chuckled. "Ambrose has a brown bounty. How high is he in the hierarchy?"


    "Brown bounties are different." SweetieHell tried to remember what she heard from a few drunken fools.


    "The value of brown bounty ouws varies by a great deal.


    "Those below 10,000 silvers are still trash, but at better position than white-ranked, but still servants of someone higher.


    "Those above 10,000 silvers are soldiers of Warhaven."


    "Soldiers?" Cerberus asked curiously.


    "Yes, and that''s the rank of Ambrose." SweetieHell crossed her arms. "His bounty is at 19,999 silvers, which makes his hierarchy high enough to have servants of his own."


    "Huh, so he has been living the good life." Cerberus scoffed. "I wonder how long he has been here."


    "Then, the ones with over 100,000 silvers but still brown-ranked are the high-ranked soldiers.


    "Then, we get to the red-ranked territory, which is the highest possible.


    "They control the streets over here.


    "The ruler of the Street of Sex is called Madame Sinir; she is red-ranked.


    "The ruler of the Street of Alcohol is called Chester; he is also red-ranked.


    "Then, there is Russian of the Street of Gambling.


    "Amos of the Street of Drugs.


    "Eleanor of the Street of very.


    "And many more, but before I could find more, those drunken bastards tried to touch me, so I crushed their balls. They don''t need those anymore."


    "I suppose we now know what we need to do." Cerberus said nonchntly. "We have to get our bounties. If we n on staying here, being the fuck toy of some fat bastard shouldn''t be our n.


    "Gather everyone; we have to find a way to get bounty quickly."


    "I think I know how." SweetieHell pointed her cute nose towards the tall gates. "That is called the Gates of Freedom. They lead to a battlefield, where Warhaven''s soldiers are fighting against Inqusitors.


    "I would assume that is the easiest ce to gain bounty."


    "Soldiers?" Cerberus then remembered that she said that people with bounties over 10,000 silvers were soldiers. "Does that mean..."


    "I would assume Ambrose is there." SweetieHell nodded. "However, I have heard that the battlefield is now more dangerous than ever before because of something called the Night of the Crescent Moon."


    "Hmm..." Cerberus rubbed his chin and said. "Go get everyone."


    "Alright." SweetieHell nodded and left to find the other members of Zahhak, who had spread around to find any clues about Ambrose''s whereabouts.


    "19,999 silvers..." Cerberus scoffed. "So that is my goal. I will not rest until my bounty is higher than that bastard''s."


    At that moment, an announcement appeared in the sky.


    "Huh, World Quest failed..." Cerberus narrowed his eyes. "Ah, right. I heard that Yatagarasu finally got the World Quest, and we nned to go there shortly. To think those weaklings already failed."


    Only a few secondster, another row of messages appeared in front of Cerberus.


    [Because of the failure of the World Quest, all yers from Yatagarasu had been given a punishment!]


    [50% Decrease in Defense!]


    [50% Decrease in Attack!]


    [HP Decreased by 50%]


    [The punishment ends in one week!]


    "The fuck..." Cerberus''s eyes shook. "What kind of punishment is that? This is bullshit."


    Below the parasol, the group of menacing-looking individuals nodded at each other, then stood up and approached Cerberus.


    "Hey, you bastard!"


    "Hmm?" Cerberus frowned and turned to look at the group. "What the hell do you want?"


    "That is not the way to speak to your superior." One of them grinned and pointed at his mud-stained boots. "Lick or die."


    "I would rather die." Cerberus pulled out his sword and grinned hideously. "I already desired to rip out your eyes!"


    "Huh, look at this cretin." The group membersughed and pulled out their cleaves.


    Their leader stepped forward with a cheek-stretching grin. "I never expected to be talked to like this by a moron with no bounty. But don''t worry; we''ll make sure you regret it. Your body will remember this lesson very intimately!"


    ''These fuckers, huh.'' Cerberus now realized his level in the hierarchy.


    In a sense, he wasn''t even part of the hierarchy; that''s how low he was.


    However, he steeled his resolve and promised to rise the ranks until everyone bowed below his feet.


    "Ambrose... Hahahahah!" Cerberusughed madly, and suddenly the faces of the hostile group changed until all of them resembled the faces of Ambrose, his arch nemesis!


    "Ambrose, who?" The hostile groups looked at each other in confusion.


    "Is he talking about that rookie with a bounty of 19,999 silvers?"


    "Hahaha!" The leaderughed. "I see. I have heard that a person who is on their death bed usually remembers the face of their closest enemy."


    "Perhaps this Ambrose has already loosened him for us, hahaha!" One of the group membersughed, but suddenly a sword pierced through his chest, silencing hisughter forever.


    "?!" The leader flinched, as did the rest of his members.


    They turned towards Cerberus, but out of nowhere, he had pulled out a second sword.


    His grin resembled that of a devil, sending chills down their spines.


    "Ambrose... Hahahaha!" Cerberus lunged forward and massacred the group like a ruthless beast, leaving nothing but carnage in his wake. "Use your dual wielding,e on!"


    A whileter, SweetieHell and the rest of the members of Zahhak came running back after hearing the sounds of fighting.


    They were shocked to see the scene of absolute carnage.


    Cerberus, covered by the blood of his enemies, stood triumphant in the midst of the chaos.


    His devil-likeughter echoed through the air, silencing the citizens of Warhaven, most of whom had bounties near 10,000 silvers.


    However, even they hadn''t seen someone as insane as Cerberus!


    "Ambrose..." Cerberus sighed and touched his blood-stained hair. "I''ll kill you."


    ...


    ''Finally...'' Ambrose crouched behind a bush; his gaze was locked at a mutated wild bear that looked like a mix of a bear and a lion. ''Now, I somehow have to capture it without killing. This is going to be difficult.''


    At that moment, he heard the sound of dinging bells, which caused his gaze to automatically lift towards the sky.


    His eyes widened in shock.


    ''They failed? What will happen now?'' Ambrose,pletely taken off guard, turned worried. ''Emma and Be, I wonder if they are alright.''


    Stomp, stomp¡ªa loud sound of stomping sounded behind the bush as the mutated-looking wild boar suddenly came rushing in!


    ''It noticed me?!'' Ambrose quickly jumped backward and pulled out his glorious ck Sword.


    ''I don''t have time to think about them now. I somehow have to defeat this thing without killing, but how!''

 Chapter 193 Hunting

    <h4>Chapter 193 Hunting</h4>


    With its sharp tusks, the wild boar rushed forth.


    Ambrose smashed the ck Sword into the head of the wild boar, stopping its rageful rush.


    It somewhat worked, but since he used the blunt side of the sword, it didn''t deal damage to the boar''s skull.


    He did that because he only wanted to defend himself and not identally kill the wild boar.


    If he had gone and pierced its skull with his sword, it could have died.


    Fortunately, his strategy worked, as his block was sessful.


    The wild boar was left unharmed, as its hide seemed quite durable.


    "Huff!" The wild boar huffed in anger and smashed its head into the ck de.


    "Ngh!" Ambrose''s hand trembled, and he was forced to retreat as the wild boar''s headbutt was too much to handle.


    After gaining more space, the wild boar stomped forward and charged forward, but Ambrose quickly side-jumped out of the way.


    The wild boar missed its mark and crashed into a tree, shattering the bark into splinters.


    The impact was so powerful that the tree fell to the ground, creating a loud thud and a cloud of dust.


    Ambrose dodged the cloud of dust and saw the wild boar maneuvering around; its red gaze soon locked into him.


    ''Bothersome.'' He thought.


    "Huff!"


    With a powerful huff, the wild boar charged towards him.


    Ambrose quickly leapt to the side, narrowly avoiding the boar''s attack.


    As the wild boar crashed into another tree, Ambrose lunged forward and smashed his feet into the boar''s side, sending it tumbling to the ground.


    The wild boar didn''t like that.


    Its eyes turned fiery as it stumbled back to its feet and let out a furious snarl.


    ''Fuck, I am not trained to capture an animal!'' Ambrose groaned in frustration, but then realized something.


    ''Could this be another way of him training me? But why would I need to learn to defeat someone without killing...''


    He frowned deeply.


    Stomp, stomp¡ªthe wild boar rushed forth like a cannonball.


    ''Think, think!''


    At that moment, his red-hooded cloak fluttered in the wind, pping like a g in front of him.


    It gave him an idea.


    ''Well, this is nuts, but fuck it!'' Ambrose stabbed the sword into the ground and removed the red cloak.


    The wild boar snarled furiously and rushed furiously at the unarmed man after seeing a chance to end his life.


    Ambrose dropped the red cloak to the ground and watched as the wild boar charged at him.


    With a powerful blow, the wild boar crashed into Ambrose.


    A chilly sound of flesh being smashed echoed through the air.


    "Ngh!" Ambrose spat blue blood, but he kept his ground and fought back with all his strength as he grabbed the wild boar by its head.


    He cracked a hideous grin and shouted. "Heaven Drop!"


    With a burst of energy, Ambroseunched the wild boar into the air.


    The wild boar spun around in a dizzying frenzy, its hooves iling wildly.


    It waspletely at the mercy of momentum and gravity.


    However, soon it crashed head-first into the ground.


    It stopped moving.


    Ambrose picked up the red cloak and wrapped it around the wild boar, locking its limbs in ce.


    After tightening the cloak, Ambrose secured it with a knot to ensure the boar remained immobilized.


    "Whew..." Ambrose stood up and looked at the result of his craftmanship.


    The wild boar snarled and struggled against its restraints, but it was unable to break free.


    "I''m not sure if I was supposed to do it differently, but I don''t care." Ambrose picked up his sword and sheathed it before picking up the wild boar and carrying it away.


    After a while, he returned to the campsite and saw the old and wise grandmaster still sitting on the beach chair, his eyes covered with sunsses.


    He wasn''t sure whether he was sleeping or not.


    "Oh, you are back."


    But then the Wisdom King spoke and removed his sunsses.


    He looked at the tied-up wild boar, its limbs tightly bound together.


    "Well, I suppose that works." He then stood up andzily waved his hand. "Put it down. I''ll deal with it."


    "Yes, master." Ambrose dropped it beside the campfire and stretched his exhausted arms.


    "Why are you rxing?" The Wisdom King mysteriously smiled and pointed back at the forest. "Now that you have done hunting food, go be stronger."


    "Eh, are you serious?" Ambrose groaned and scratched the back of his head. "How long?"


    "Hmm, what "level" are you?" The Wisdom King asked after learning about the existence of yer levels.


    "39..." Ambrose whispered, but it was loud enough for the Wisdom King to hear.


    "Return when you are level 45." The Wisdom King smiled. "I suggest doing it quick, or there won''t be any food left for you."


    ''Level 45?! That is impossible!'' Ambrose''s eyebrows twitched.


    He didn''t really need food from that wild boar, as he could log off and eat back in reality, but it might take him a few days to reach level 45!


    It would mean he would be stuck inside the game for that long, which wasn''t ideal for sleeping or taking care of his hunger and dder.


    "I suggest getting going." The Wisdom King said with a smile and began skinning the wild boar while humming.


    Ambrose forced a smile and walked back to the forest while cursing inwardly.


    ''Fuck, fuck, fuck!''


    He bit his lip aggressively.


    ''I have already put my temporary spawn on the tent, but what if I wait for a few hours till I can use it at another ce and then log off to finish my business in reality before returning?


    ''But if the grandmaster finds out, he might stop training me.


    ''I can''t risk it, especially if he is secretly observing my progress from somewhere, maybe with the help of his soul!


    ''Yes, I can''t risk it.


    ''So, I somehow have to reach level 45 very quickly!''


    Ambrose then grinned and pulled out his second sword from his inventory.


    ''He didn''t say I couldn''t use the second sword.''


    As he stepped deeper into the forest, back at the campsite, the Wisdom King miraculously had already put the wild boar on the spit to roast over the fire.


    He then stood up and looked over at the forest.


    Then he took one step and appeared above the vast forest as if he had just teleported.


    With his keen eyesight, he could see his disciple walking through the thick forest with two ck Swords in hand.


    ''Heh, trying to cheat, boy?'' The Wisdom King grinned and looked over to the direction where the forest began climbing up the mountain.


    It was also the ce where the most dangerous beasts lurked.


    ''I suppose you are barely strong enough to survive them.''


    The Wisdom King whistled and took one step in the air, then appeared in the dark cave, where even light didn''t want to go.


    Whistle¡ªhe whistled loudly, the loud sound bouncing across the rocky walls all the way to the end of the cave.


    Loud crawls awakened, as if the whistle had woken up several dangerous beasts.


    The Wisdom King then took the red cloak, which Ambrose used to tie the wild boar, and threw it inside the cave.


    Then he stepped backward and disappeared from the cave.


    After his disappearance, many creatures of all sizes and lengths gathered around the red cloak.


    They took a long sniff of it and looked in the same direction.


    With a loud roar, they began following the scent.

 Chapter 194 Breaking the Mind!

    <h4>Chapter 194 Breaking the Mind!</h4>


    "What was that roar?" Ambrose gazed into the horizon, but the source of the sound remained a mystery.


    He then decided to forget it for the time being, as he was currently on a hunt.


    He found a few tracks that could belong to another wild boar.


    After stepping over fallen trunks, he came across a river that cut through the forest.


    ''A river? Where could ite from when we are on the mountainside?'' He wondered to himself and then crossed the river with a long leap.


    On the other side of the river, he came across an unexpected sight.


    There stood a glowing flower.


    Its petals were blue, but they were shining brightly.


    ''This is... that flower!'' Ambrose eximed and crouched before the flower. ''I discovered one like this before in Crow Forest. But it disappeared once I fought that Flower Guardian.''


    As he extended his hand to touch the petals, a sudden clicking sound began to echo behind him.


    He turned around, and to his surprise, there was a creature there, standing on two legs.


    Its skin was green, and its head was round with flower petals growing out of it. Its pupils were shaped like four-leafed clover.


    It was the Flower Guardian!


    ''Just like I expected.'' Ambrose stood up and tightened the grip on his swords. ''This creature guards this flower for some reason.''


    "Click, click, click." The Flower Guardian let out several clicking sounds as if it were trying tomunicate somehow.


    ''Hmm, is it trying to say something?'' Ambrose wondered, slowly sheathed his sword, and threw the other one back into his inventory.


    ''I wonder if the reason for the flower''s disappearance has something to do with this guardian.'' He stepped aside and circled the small area until he had distanced himself from the blue-petaled flower.


    He watched as the Flower Guardian hopped towards the glowing flower and gently cupped it in its hands.


    The Flower Guardian turned towards the bald-headed young man, who had a few hairs starting to grow back, and extended both of its small arms.


    It looked like it was offering the flower to him.


    Before Ambrose could ept it, a loud roar shook the ground.


    The Flower Guardian flinched and suddenly vanished.


    In its ce, green smoke appeared that corrupted everything in its wake; it even destroyed the blue-petaled flower!


    That single roar somehow killed the Flower Guardian!


    "The hell?" Ambrose looked in the direction where the roar came from.


    The roars and thumping were nearing his location quickly!


    It sounded like a stampede of wild animals was heading his way!


    Crack, crush, snap¡ªthe powerful trees were uprooted and torn apart as the stampede of the creatures rushed through.


    Ambrose finally managed to see the animals that were heading his way and was speechless.


    They weren''t wild animals; they were dinosaurs!


    "The fuck!" Ambrose turned around and began running away, but it was toote.


    The fastest dinosaurs, Velociraptors, lunged forward, and using their sharp ws, they shed towards Ambrose''s back.


    Their ws were sharp enough to tear through the flesh and bones of ordinary humans easily.


    "Why the fuck are there dinosaurs in here?!" Ambrose drew his ck Sword and jumped into the air before spinning around and smashing his sword at the iing ws.


    As the ws struck his ck de, he was sent flying through the air until he came crashing down onto the ground with a thunderous impact.


    Thump, thump, thump¡ªthe majestic Tyrannosaurus Rex stomped through the forest, shaking the earth with every step.


    As it saw the fallen human, it opened itsrge jaw and let out a bone-chilling roar.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook as he saw the sharp teeth heading his way.


    He quickly closed his eyes, inhaled and exhaled, then entered the World of Souls.


    The world froze, and the majestic Tyrannosaurus Rex, with its open maw, stood only a few meters away from him.


    ''Ah, shit.'' Ambrose sighed and looked around helplessly.


    The Velociraptors had closed all escape paths, leaving Ambrose trapped and at the mercy of the colossal predator.


    ''I can''t die now. It would half my XP, and I really need every XP I can get now that I have to somehow get to level 45.''


    Feeling the desperation of the situation, Ambrose shut his eyes tight and braced himself for what he knew would be a brutal fight for survival.


    ''What do I need to do...'' He slowly opened them again. ''There is only one thing I could do in my current situation. I would need to learn to manifest the door and close it.''


    ''ording to the Wisdom King, my mastery of the world of souls would increase drastically, allowing me to talk and move.


    ''If I could somehow learn to open my inventory and ess my teleportation pearl, maybe I could escape.''


    If he left the world of souls and tried to grab the teleportation pearl, he would die way before he even managed to use it.


    It was also a very valuable item, and he didn''t really want to use it.


    ''Should I really use it? It literally saved me from the clutches of Zahhak, and if I get cornered by them again, I could use the pearl again.''


    Another dilemma appeared.


    ''As long as I get to open my interface inside the world of souls, I can think about different solutions.


    ''Now, let''s try to manifest it!''


    Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes and began imagining the steel, ck door.


    Some distance away, hovering above the vast forest, the Wisdom King''s soul watched curiously.


    ''Come on, you can do it.'' He thought and crossed his arms. ''If you truly learned to hide your soul scent within one night''s time, like young Zhen said, then I trust that you should be able to do this too.


    ''It often takes years for anyone to manifest and close the door to the world of souls, but you already managed to aplish an impossible task.


    ''Show me, Ambrose, your limit!''


    Ambrose''s eyelids slightly twitched; it was the first sight of his body moving while inside the world of souls.


    Inside his mind, there was a vast expanse of darkness.


    There were no stars or lights to guide him through the darkness.


    However, then an illusionary figure appeared in the darkness, slightly glowing blue.


    He was the projection of Ambrose.


    The projection sat cross-legged on the dark ground, meditating like an aged warrior.


    His presence emanated an aura of calm and wisdom.


    In the middle of the darkness, a sh appeared.


    It was only momentary, but that single sh increased Ambrose''s desire to push further.


    He then began pushing his mind to its utmost limit.


    His head started to ache, his blood vessels protruded from his temples, and sweat poured down his face.


    But he refused to give up and began pushing his mind all the way to the breaking point!


    Slowly, a door began to manifest in the darkness.


    It appeared first with a hazy outline, but shortly, color began appearing as if some unknown deity had picked up a brush and began coloring it.


    After the color appeared, the door slowly solidified, revealing intricate carvings and markings.


    Thump...


    Thump...


    Thump...


    Crash!


    Arge, heavy door mmed into the ground, and its echo resounded through the darkness.


    Then, the door slowly creaked open loudly.


    Behind the door, a meditating figure of Ambrose appeared, surrounded by ancient symbols and markings.


    The door was now open.


    The entrance to his world of souls had appeared!


    Ambrose, in the world of souls, opened his eyes and saw an open door appear from the thin air.


    A strange echoing voice came from the open door, as if someone were whispering to close it.


    As long as the door stayed open, everyone would be able toe as they wanted inside his world of souls.


    ''I did it!'' Ambrose felt likeughing, but the job was not done yet.


    He had to still close the door!


    He again closed his eyes and summoned his flying soul.


    The soul flew towards the door and mmed his hands into it, trying to shut the heavy door once and for all!

 Chapter 195 First Gate - Mastered!

    <h4>Chapter 195 First Gate - Mastered!</h4>


    ''Push, push, push!'' Ambrose screamed inwardly as he watched his soul struggle to close the doors.


    As his voice grew louder inside his mind, his mouth slowly opened, and he let out an inaudible voice.


    "Push..."


    It was a small whisper, almost as quiet as mosquito buzzing, but it still carried a lot of determination and strength.


    "Push..."


    Shockingly, the soul repeated his words and began punching the heavy door with all its might.


    Creak...


    The door creaked slightly while the echo of the punch reverberated across the world of souls.


    Slowly, the door began to close, but it was only a little bit, and it was almost unnoticeable.


    However, after the soul saw that, its punches grew stronger and heavier.


    The force of each punch shook the very foundation of the world.


    Boom, boom, boom¡ªthe shockwave rocked the entire universe.


    However, that was simply the illusion of Ambrose.


    Because of that simple illusion, the door began closing at blinding speed!


    m¡ªthe door closed heavily, and then invisible air shot out from the sky and wrapped around the door heavily.


    The door underwent a transformation.


    Its intricate designs began glowing, and the door''s ck color turned to gold!


    The chains hardened and turned silver.


    After the transformation was over, the door looked strangely expensive and out of ce in its surroundings.


    Its golden glow brightened up the world of souls as if the sun had descended. from the heavens.


    ''This must be it...'' Ambrose gulped. ''The door of the Second Gate. This is what I would have to ovee to reach a new level!''


    p, p, p¡ªa sudden, powerful pping sound rocked the ground.


    Ambrose raised his gaze to the sky and was shocked to see another soul floating there.


    "Grandmaster!"


    "Good job." The Wisdom King''s voice boomed through the air. "You have done well."


    "How are you here?" Ambrose nced at the closed golden door. "I thought I closed the entrance to my world of soul?"


    "You have closed it, yes." The Wisdom King nodded. "However, people from the Second and Third Gates can still enter your world of souls if you use them recklessly. You have only closed it to people that are at First Gate."


    "So... I have to open the Second Gate and then close it again?" Ambrose asked.


    "That is correct." The Wisdom King nodded.


    ''So, he is at least a Second Gate user; no wonder...'' Ambrose was aware that his master was very powerful.


    The Wisdom King then floated towards the golden door and nodded thoughtfully. "So, your soul color is gold."


    "Soul color?"


    "Everyone has their own soul color. It is the same color that Second Gate users d their weapons with. You said that you have seen people using some strange abilities?"


    "Yes." Ambrose nodded. "An orc d his weapon in green, and then there was another powerful guy, and I think he d his weapon in gold."


    "Yes, that is their soul color." The Wisdom King nodded. "There is nothing special about the soul color, per se, but when you reach the Second Gate and use the strange abilities you get with that, they will be in the color of gold."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded.


    "Haha." The Wisdom King then suddenlyughed and pointed at his mouth. "You didn''t notice it yet, but you are speaking here. That was impossible before, right?"


    Ambrose''s eyes widened, and he touched his lips, realizing that he was speaking easily!


    "You now have greater mastery over the First Gate. It allows you to do certain things." The Wisdom King crossed his arms and began exining like a proper master.


    "The Inquisitor who hunted you was tracking your soul, and you can do that now as well.


    "You can also now enter other people''s worlds of souls and hurt their souls if you wish so."


    Ambrose gulped. ''I am not sure how I feel about that. I am fine killing yers as long as they don''t get physically hurt, but hurting souls is a different thing. It hurts like hell!''


    "The limit of the First Gate is still unknown." The Wisdom King said with a deep look. "However, every First Gate user also gets a special skill."


    "Skill?"


    "Yes, but it is often the same." The Wisdom King then added. "Most of my former disciples had received the same skill."


    "What is yours, if you don''t mind me asking?"


    "I don''t really mind." The Wisdom Kingughed. "I can use my soul to see one second into the future."


    "Huh!" Ambrose''s jaw dropped. "That sounds incredibly powerful!"


    "It does, but it''s not all rainbows and sunshine." The Wisdom King wryly smiled. "Whenever I use it, I hurt my soul, and I can only use it when I am in the world of souls."


    "Wait... when we were fighting, did you use it when I used Heaven Drop on you?" Ambrose narrowed his eyes suspiciously.


    The Wisdom King threw his arms up in the air and cheekily smiled. "You got me."


    "Cheater..." Ambrose whispered under his breath.


    "There are threemon ones." The Wisdom King lifted three fingers. "One is able to read someone''s mind with the help of the soul.


    "The second one is to be able to summon souls to real life, which is definitely the most worthless one as you risk your soul for potential danger.


    "The third one is able to possess someone for one minute."


    "What about yours?" Ambrose asked.


    "Mine is more rare." The Wisdom King said. "Now, it is up to you to find out what your skill is."


    "How?"


    "Talk to your soul; make him find it out." He then looked at the frozen Tyrannosaurus Rex and smiled. "But do thatter. You have some unfinished business to attend to first."


    "Ugh." Ambrose looked at the frozen Tyrannosaurus Rex and asked. "What should I do?"


    "Defeat it and all the dinosaurs that surround you." The Wisdom King slowly floated away. "Isn''t that obvious?"


    "How in the hell can I defeat them?" Ambrose asked angrily. "This T-Rex is the size of my old house!"


    "Have faith, little one." The old grandmaster chuckled. "Also, don''t think about escaping. There are more dinosaurs in this valley, and I won''t hesitate to lure them to you."


    "Ugh, is this your fault?" Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched.


    "Yes, and oh right, I suppose it is a good time to start to train your dual-wielding."


    "Finally!" Ambrose groaned in satisfaction.


    But then the Wisdom King smiled. "Use only one sword with your left hand."


    "What?!"


    "You heard me." The Wisdom Kingughed. "Also, you have those skill scrolls you mentioned to me. Create a new skill as well.


    "I suppose you have around one hour until the frozen T-Rex reaches you. Good luck!"


    With those words, the Wisdom King''s soul disappeared.


    "Use only a sword with your left hand... create a new skill in one hour... fuck." Ambrose bit his upper lip and looked directly at the T-Rex red, murderous eyes.


    "Inventory." He whispered, and the holographic screen appeared in front of him.


    The teleportation pearl looked very tempting, but he scrolled past that and took out one of the skill scrolls.


    "What do I need to defeat those giant fuckers?" Ambrose entered a deep thinking tank.


    It was time to create another skill!

 Chapter 196 Self-Possession

    <h4>Chapter 196 Self-Possession</h4>


    ''Kill, High Pain, and Humanoid Imperfecta.


    ''Those three are all unique and powerful skills, but I don''t see any of them helping me to kill these dinosaurs.


    ''Ick a skill that is physically powerful.


    ''I would want a skill that lets me unleash all the pent-up strength of my body to deliver one strong blow that can kill anyone.


    ''Of course, that is just a fantasy, and you can''t always get what you want. Such powerful skill is definitely above level 39...''


    Ambrose had his eyes closed with the skill scrollying on hisp.


    ''A skill that can let me defeat both quick and enormous opponents...


    ''To defeat the Tyrannosaurus Rex, I need to somehow ovee the size difference.


    ''And then, those velociraptors are quick, and they have the advantage of numbers.


    ''I still don''t know about every dinosaur that is in the surrounding area. There might even be multiple T-Rex; I just don''t know.


    ''I also have to use only my left-handed sword... Such a pain.''


    He then opened his eyes and summoned his soul.


    The transparent soul floated in front of the golden soul, looking directly at it, clearly desiring to hack down the chains and open it.


    However, both Ambrose and the soul knew that they were way too weak to even think about opening it.


    "Remember the Wisdom King''s words?" Ambrose asked directly from the soul.


    ''About this special skill of ours?'' The soul transmitted his thoughts into Ambrose''s mind. ''I should try to find out what that is while you are creating your skill.''


    "Exactly. Do it." Ambrose then closed his eyes again while the soul sat cross-legged in the air, harnessing the energy while trying to discover his new skill.


    The minutes flew by, and slowly but surely, the enormous T-Rex was nearing him.


    In the world of souls, the world was not truly frozen; it was just moving at a snail''s pace.


    In half an hour or slightly less, the T-Rex would be close enough to strike him with its massive jaws.


    However, without being aware of it, Ambrose had entered deep subconsciousness, making himpletely unaware of his surroundings.


    It was a state of absolute concentration.


    Back in his darkness-filled mind, illusionary items began appearing.


    The trees touched by the wind, towering mountains, and blooming flowers were the first to appear.


    Then the enormous dinosaurs appeared from the mist.


    And at the center was the illusionary figure of Ambrose, looking just like the soul.


    There was one sword in his left hand.


    The illusionary Ambrose lifted his head and stared directly at the T-Rex with his piercing gaze.


    His knees then sank as he slowly crouched, and then, like a coiled spring, heunched himself into the air.


    His figure flew like a missile twenty meters into the air, from where he managed to reach the same eye level as the T-Rex.


    "Whoo..." With a powerful breath, his muscles swelled to their maximum size, veins pulsating beneath his skin.


    The ck Sword in his left hand gleamed with a dark aura that matched the intensity of his gaze.


    "Under the Weight of My Sword Swings, Everything Perishes..."


    The ck de shredded through the air, sending a powerful golden-colored shockwave that decimated all nearby dinosaurs and made an ominous hole in the side of the wall as if it was punched by a hundred-feet giant!


    The forest was in ruins; the attack only left dust and ruins behind.


    The once vibrant ecosystem nowy in shambles, a stark reminder of the destructive force unleashed.


    The damage was extensive, with trees uprooted and animals fleeing in fear for their lives.


    "Ah!" Ambrose mmed his eyes open with a sharp headache.


    It felt like there were sharp needles trying to prate through his skull.


    "What the hell was that?" He covered his head and then looked around before freezing.


    Everything around him was dark, as if he were inside a cave, but there was a sight of golden light at the end of that "cave."


    However, it was strangely covered by sharp teeth, almostpletely closed.


    He realized that he was deeper inside his subconscious than he expected.


    Because of that, the time had moved quickly, and the T-Rex had already eaten him!


    ''Cursed...'' He muttered under his breath.


    But then a voice came from the back of his mind.


    ''I have discovered our skill.''


    It was the voice of the soul that kept echoing.


    "What is it?" Ambrose asked curiously, with a hint of excitement in his voice.


    ''Self-Possession.'' The soul answered. ''You can possess yourself.''


    "What kind of use does it have?" Ambrose asked, as it sounded absolutely useless.


    ''You can use several of my abilities, and it also enhances your physical and mental capabilities.''


    Ambrose was intrigued by the soul''s response.


    However, he was very well aware that it wouldn''t be all sunshine and rainbows.


    "What are the cons?"


    ''Itsts one minute, and if you die during that time, I will get injured.''


    Ambrose shuddered as the memories of the excruciating pain resurfaced.


    "Alright, thank you." He then made the soul disappear and got all its memories.


    Therefore, he now also knew how to self-possess.


    ''Hmm, I''ve got all my soul''s abilities. This means the ability to phase through solid objects.'' Ambrose looked at the cave-like interior of the T-Rex''s mouth and smiled.


    ''I now know how to escape this ce, but I still need to create a skill!''


    He then sighed and looked at the skill scroll in his hands, and to his surprise, it was filled with scribbling!


    ''What?! I identally created a skill, or what?'' Ambrose eximed in disbelief and then several notifications appeared.


    [Skill has been sessfully created!]


    [Do you want to name your skill?]


    ''I don''t even know the skill!'' Ambrose frustratedly shouted inside his mind.


    Thus, he pressed no and continued with the name the game gave.


    [Your skill name has been randomly created!]


    [Skill "sh of the Three Worlds" has been created!]


    [sh of the Three Worlds: A powerful attack that multiplies the user''s strength by three times]


    ''Hmm, I see!'' Ambrose nodded in approval.


    ''Time to see whether I die by getting eaten by dinosaurs!'' He gritted his teeth hideously and left the world of souls.


    Instantly, a scent of decay and death infiltrated his nostrils as he began falling deeper into T-Rex''s stomach!


    "Self-Possession!" He shouted while dropping towards the stomach, where the foul stench came from.


    After shouting, a transparent hand grasped Ambrose''s heart and gave it a powerful squeeze!


    "Ngh!" Ambrose''s blood vessels throbbed with pain, but then the pain disappeared and a feeling of refreshment filled his body.


    The Self-Possession increased his physical and mental strength!


    "Ability: Phasing!" Ambrose shouted and noticed that his body was turning transparent.


    He felt his body stop falling as if he had sprouted wings.


    However, that was simply the soul''s ability to float.


    ''This feels so weird!'' Ambrose then pped his arms as if they were wings and flew straight into the mouse wall of the T-Rex.


    He closed his eyes, expecting to crash straight into it, but surprisingly, he flew straight through and soon felt the foul stench disappearing, reced by the refreshing air of nature!"


    "Roar!" T-Rex''s terrifying roar shook the earth as it noticed its prey escaping somehow.


    "Heh!" Ambrosended back on the ground and turned to the red-eyed T-Rex


    "Let''s see what this ability is about!"


    His knees sank, and as he finished crouching, he sprang forward into the air.


    Using his left hand, he unsheathed his sword, and simultaneously, his muscles swelled with power.


    After finishing his jump and reaching the amazing height of ten meters, he grabbed his bulging bicep with his right hand and squeezed it with all his strength.


    He then extended the left arm that was holding the ck Sword.


    After he finished preparing for the attack, he shouted.


    "sh of the Three Worlds!"


    Swoosh.


    The attack, sh of the Three Worlds, multiplied his strength threefold.


    However, what he did not remember was that Self-Possession increased his strength even further.


    That caused a strange and unexpected synchronication that pushed his strength way above the limit of his mortal body!


    The result was...


    A disy of power that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying.

 Chapter 197 Unbelievable Power

    <h4>Chapter 197 Unbelievable Power</h4>


    Swoosh...


    The T-Rex roared and opened itsrge maw in an attempt to devour the sword-wielding young man, but then felt a strange tingling sensation on its lower half.


    It looked down and realized that there was an enormous hole in its stomach, where the young man had targeted his attack.


    Without understanding how a single human was capable of doing that, it fell down¡ªdead.


    The creature''s lifeless bodyy motionless on the ground, never to terrorize anyone again.


    "Haaah... haaah..." Ambrose breathed heavily as he looked at the dead creature in front of him.


    "H-how did I do that?"


    Looking at his sword, he couldn''t believe the power that had just coursed through him.


    [You killed a Prehistoric Beast, T-Rex!]


    [3000 XP Earned!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 39 -> 40]


    Snap¡ªhe turned his head towards a Velociraptor, who had stepped over a branch, snapping it in half.


    He then looked around the forest around him and saw at least five Velociraptors.


    They were closing in on him, their jaws open wide, ready to attack.


    ''Hmm...'' Ambrose looked down at his left arm.


    It was shaking.


    Whether it was adrenaline or just a side effect of using all his strength, it was unknown, but he wanted to try it again!


    [sh of the Three Worlds - Completion Rate - 100%]


    [sh of the Three Worlds - Rank: Beyond Rare]


    ''It reached 100% instantly. Well, I just killed a T-Rex, no wonder.''


    This meant hisst attack wasn''t the best use of this skill.


    Since it wasn''t truly mastered, the uracy and strength might be sub-par.


    ''Well, let''s try.''


    Swoosh¡ªThe Velociraptors charged at him.


    Seeing the young human surrounded, they were certain that their ambush had been sessful.


    However, then Ambrose sprang into the air and clenched the sword in his left hand so hard that his muscles again swelled.


    The vessels danced and protruded around his bulging biceps, disying the immense power he possessed.


    Squeeze¡ªafter grabbing his bicep with his right hand, he turned towards the Velociraptors and coldly whispered.


    "sh of the Three Worlds..."


    Swoosh¡ªhe swung his arm through the air, summoning every inch of his strength into the de.


    The de shredded through the velociraptors, leaving a trail of blood and broken bones in its wake.


    The Velociraptors got utterly decimated, their once formidable numbers reduced to nothing more than scattered remains.


    Thud¡ªAmbrosended back on the ground, surrounded by the dead velociraptors.


    ''Time''s up...'' His soul whispered inside his mind and returned to the world of souls.


    [You killed a Prehistoric Beast, Velociraptor!]


    [1000 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a Prehistoric Beast, Velociraptor!]


    [1000 XP Earned!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 40 -> 41]


    [You killed a Prehistoric Beast, Velociraptor!]


    [1000 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a Prehistoric Beast, Velociraptor!]


    [1000 XP Earned!]


    [You killed a Prehistoric Beast, Velociraptor!]


    [1000 XP Earned!]


    Ambrose sheathed his sword and looked at his experience points.


    [XP: 3225/3500]


    [Level: 41]


    ''There''s still a long way to go.'' Ambrose focused his gaze on the depths of the forest.


    It was as if he could still feel the lingering gazes of the dinosaurs.


    ''Four more to go...''


    With a powerful step, he began chasing after the fleeting dinosaurs.


    After his departure, back at the campsite, the Wisdom King opened his eyes and smiled.


    "Truly remarkable." He stopped roasting the dead wild boar for a moment and went to fetch his heavy-looking bag.


    From there, he pulled out a worn-out scroll and opened it.


    [Mortal Style]


    A specific sword style was written on it.


    "I suppose he is worthy enough of getting this." The Wisdom King went to Ambrose''s bag, stored it inside, and then went back to the campfire.


    After sitting down, he sighed and looked at the crackling of the mes.


    "There is not much I can teach him anymore. He already possesses all the knowledge and skills necessary to grow stronger by himself in this hostile world.


    "It''s a little selfish of me to give the style scroll to him...


    "After all, I made an enemy of him... If he sees him using that style, he will target him.


    "However, one day, I hope that this foolish disciple of mine bes powerful enough to kill him for me."


    The Wisdom King sighed sadly. "I am truly a selfish man."


    "Matchitehew... You can''t stay as King forever. You''ll die eventually, and I hope I will be there to witness that."


    ...


    At the Rothsmith Estate.


    "Yatagarasu is destroyed..." Emma looked at the phone in her shaky hands. "Our bookstore... i-is it also?"


    Wanting to know, she rushed to get the VR headset even though she was about to leave for school in a minute.


    Closing her eyes, she entered the world of Martial Online.


    As she expected to appear back in the Whispering Pages, she instead appeared in the middle of a town with rugged-looking people walking by.


    "The refugees from Yatagarasu!" A loud voice bellowed across the air.


    It belonged to a handsome silver-haired man who was pointing towards the town center.


    "Free food and drinks for the refugees in the town center. If you have just arrived, go get there and register your name there so we know that you have survived and can find proper housing for you!"


    ''W-what is happening?'' Emma looked around in confusion, trying to make sense of the chaos unfolding around her.


    "Excuse me, young miss, are you lost?" Then, an elderly woman with a hunched back saw the lost-looking young girl and came to assist her. "Where are your parents, little one?"


    "I-I..." Emma stammered, trying to find the right words to exin her situation. "M-my friend... Be..."


    "If your friend is here, she should be at the town center. Want toe with me?" The elderly woman offered her hand with a gentle smile.


    Emma hesitantly looked at the hand and eventually epted it.


    After they arrived at the town center, there was utter chaos with thousands of refugees sitting on top of roofs, in the nearby alleyways, and anywhere they could find a ce to sit and enjoy their food.


    As they surveyed the area, they saw many lost-looking people trying to find any of their family members.


    The elderly woman took Emma to one of the registration offices, where they managed to ask the whereabouts of a woman called Be.


    Unfortunately, there weren''t any registered that were named like that.


    "I am sorry, little one." The elderly woman sadly smiled at the little girl, aware of the possible oue that this young woman, Be, suffered.


    "No..." Emma shook her head and opened her chat history, then spammed Be with messages.


    She hoped she would answer and say that everything was alright, but after a minute, nothing came.


    "No..." Her heart sank.


    ...


    Tap, tap, tap...


    "Oh, you are back." The Wisdom King smiled while eating the leftover food from the wild boar. "Apologizes, but I already ate it all."


    "I don''t mind..." Ambrose walked from the forest with an exhausted expression.


    He had finished hunting the dinosaurs, which eventually took an entire night.


    However, the end result was amazing.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 45]


    [ss: Suicide Swordsman]


    [Title: ]


    [XP: 250/4100]


    [HP: 370/370]


    [SP: 60]


    [Silver: 53,458]


    [STR: 100]


    [CHA: 45]


    [INT: 100]


    [LUC: 20]


    [AGI: 20]


    [VIT: 40]


    [DEX: 60]


    [STA: 45]


    ***


    "Heh." The Wisdom King nodded. "Rest for a few hours, then we will continue your training."


    "Yes..." Ambrose nodded and walked to his tent, where he logged off and returned to reality.


    After opening his eyes, he sat up and rushed to the bedroom.


    If he had been a few secondste, an ident might''ve happened.


    However, luckily, that didn''t happen.


    After leaving the bathroom, he groaned and touched his empty stomach.


    "First food... then sleep!"

 Chapter 198 Prequel to the Test

    <h4>Chapter 198 Prequel to the Test</h4>


    After reaching the kitchen in the dining hall, Jesse kicked open the fridge''s door and picked up anything edible, then arranged it on the counter.


    At first, he ate the sausages that didn''t necessarily need to be cooked and then tossed a few leftovers from yesterday into the microwave.


    While the microwave hummed, he spread butter across the bread and then began eating it.


    The door of the kitchen then opened, and Anna, wearing a businesswoman''s outfit, walked in.


    She looked very professional, beautiful, and confident.


    "Oh!" Anna''s round eyes widened in surprise, and she burst out into a delightedugh. "Jesse, I didn''t expect to see you here, and what''s with this mess?"


    "I am hungry," Jesse replied while stuffing bread into his mouth before taking a big bite.


    "I can see that." Anna''s eyes curled like a crescent moon as she let out a giggle. "By the way, have you seen Emma anywhere? Sebastian told me that she hadn''t left for school yet."


    Jesse shook his head while crumbs fell off his lips. "I haven''t."


    "Mm." Anna tapped her cheek thoughtfully.


    She then remembered something.


    "Jack bought you a new phone; I heard that you had broken yours."


    "Oh." Jesse finished the bread and said. "I didn''t necessarily need one."


    "It''s good to have one, though!" Anna smiled. "I''ll tell a servant to bring it to your room."


    Jesse nodded and watched as his stepmother left to look for Emma, wherever she was.


    Ding¡ªthe microwave let out a ding, signaling that the food was now heated.


    After taking out the food, he put it down on a counter, took out a fork from the cupboard, and began eating, filling his empty belly.


    Creak¡ªthe door opened slowly, revealing a head that was sneakily looking around.


    When the curious eyes noticed Jesse eating alone, they brightened up.


    "Brother!"


    "Hmm?" Jesse looked away from the food and saw Emma rushing into the kitchen. "Uh, Anna was looking for you. You have to go to school, I guess."


    "I know, but there is something more important!" Emma grabbed a stool, dragged it beside Jesse and then sat on it. "I''ll need your help!"


    "Hmm, what is it?" Jesse asked with curiosity.


    "I think something bad happened with Be!"


    "Huh?" Jesse stopped eating and frowned. "What makes you think that?"


    "Yatagarasu got destroyed, and I haven''t heard anything from her!"


    "Oh." Jesse sadly smiled, realizing the importance of the bookstore to his little sister, but he doubted it was as serious as she made it seem.


    "I am sure she is fine. She has probably some things she has to do in reality."


    "B-but..." Emma stammered, her eyes welling up with tears. "She has never been gone before!"


    "Hey, hey." Jesseforted her, wiping her tears. "I am sure nothing is wrong. Do you have her phone number or something?"


    "Nn." She shook her head. "S-she said that she doesn''t have a phone."


    "Any way to contract her? Email or anything."


    "No..." Emma shook her head. "She said that whenever I had something to talk to her about, I could find her in Whispering Pages."


    ''It sounds like she is spending a lot of time inside the game. Is it addiction, perhaps?'' Jesse rubbed his chin.


    "All refugees had been sent to this one town near Yatagarasu. and I tried finding Be, but she is nowhere to be seen!"


    "Did you check whether she was online?" Jesse asked.


    "It shows that she isn''t." Emma sighed. "But that is always the case. I think it is a bug. Even when she is standing right in front of me and I check the chat history, it shows her as offline."


    "A bug..." Jesse hummed. "So, you sent an in-game message to her?"


    "Y-yes!" Emma nodded.


    ''If she is in abat state, she wouldn''t be able to send any messages.'' Jesse thought, while starting to suspect, that this exnation might be close to the truth.


    ''I don''t think she would leave Emma unaware of her whereabouts, especially because she seems to care about her a lot.


    ''It doesn''t take much to log in, send a message that she is alright, and then log off to do her stuff.''


    "Please, can you visit Yatagarasu and go check out Whispering Pages?" Emma asked and then lowered her head in sadness. "I have to go to the stupid school!"


    "Uff..." Jesse scratched the back of his head. ''Fuck, the Wisdom King definitely won''t let me.''


    "Y-you can''t?" Emma asked through muffled tears.


    "I... can." Jesse forced a smile and patted her on the head. "Go to school. When you return, Be will be back."


    "Nn." Emma smiled through tears. "I trust you!"


    Smooch¡ªshe nted a kiss on his cheek and then ran out of the kitchen in excitement.


    "I am such a fucking softie." Jesse groaned. "I can''t stand seeing her tears. Now, I have to somehow get my master''s permission to go there..."


    ...


    The Wisdom King looked at his disciple and sighed.


    "No."


    "I know that you were going to say that, but think of it like this!" Ambrose expected that answer. "If I don''t go there, I may never have the opportunity to grow and learn on my own."


    "That is bullshit." The Wisdom King said with a scoff. "Tell the real reason why you are going there."


    "Sigh." Ambrose sighed. "A friend of mine might be in trouble."


    "You should drop the baggage that hinders you from growing stronger." The Wisdom King said and half-closed his eyes. "That''s what I did, and I do not regret it. Without those sacrifices, I would have never grown this strong."


    "I manifested the door and closed it in almost record time. I did a near-impossible feat and got to level 45 before I passed out. I created a skill that managed to kill the T-Rex with a single blow.


    "Have I not proven myself to be able to make my own decisions?"


    The Wisdom King raised an eyebrow and lowered his head. "Hmph. Fine, you get to go on one condition."


    "What is it?" Ambrose straightened his back. "I''ll do anything."


    "If you manage to pass the test in the temple," The Wisdom King smiled. "If you reach the end of that passage, I''ll let you go."


    ''Shit.'' Ambrose remembered the thirty-meter-long passage.


    Last time, he didn''t even survive three meters!


    "If you don''t want to do the test..." The Wisdom King pointed at the forest. "We''ll continue the training."


    "I''ll... do it." Ambrose stood up. "I will pass it."


    "Heh, I doubt it." The Wisdom King stood and tossed a bag to Ambrose, who caught it. "Then, let''s return to the vige for the time being to do your test. However, this test will be different."


    "Huh?" Ambrose frowned.


    "This time, you will do the test in front of the entire vige." The Wisdom King grabbed his bag and hung it over his shoulder.


    "That is the tradition of the vige.


    "Last time when you did it alone, it was an "unofficial" test, but now it will be official."


    ''Huh, what does he mean by that? Does that test have other reasons than just to prove my worth?''


    Ambrose frowned but left his questions in the back of his mind and followed his master as they left the campsite to start their return trip.

 Chapter 199 The Final Test

    <h4>Chapter 199 The Final Test</h4>


    "Huh... huh..." Julian panted heavily with his knees on the ground and the long, heavy sword still clutched tightly in his hand.


    "Another defeat, I suppose." Zhen slowly sheathed his sword.


    "I''lle back tomorrow." Julian said and was about to leave, but then both of them heard rapid footsteps.


    Zhen turned around and saw Honorable Fang, his bald-headed friend.


    "Zhen!" Fang shouted and then saw a stranger standing outside the arched pathway. "Another yer? Wasn''t thest one enough?"


    "Hahaha." Zhenughed. "I tell this one to leave, but he keeps returning."


    Julian closed his eyes and slowly sheathed his long sword on his back.


    Although his hood covered it, there appeared to be some sort of sheath on his back.


    "Anyway..." Looking away from the yer, Fang turned to Zhen. "The Wisdom King announced an official test, half an hour from now on!"


    "Oh?" Zhen looked surprised. "Who is worthy enough to try the test to be another Honorable?"


    Honorable Fang looked away and clicked his tongue in distaste. "It''s that yer!"


    Julian''s ears perked up.


    "Ambrose?" Zhen''s eyes widened in surprise. "He is already at that level?"


    ''Ambrose... That name does not ring bells.'' Julian engraved that name into his mind.


    "I don''t know, but the Wisdom King invited everyone from the vige to watch it. We should go before we arete." Honorable Fang said and started running back to the vige as if he couldn''t stand being in the presence of the yer anymore.


    Zhen was about to follow, but then Julian said.


    "Take me with you."


    "Hmm?" Zhen stopped and turned around to see Julian''s gray eyes. "That I cannot do. The test of the Honorable is forbidden to outsiders."


    Julian turned silent and eventually nodded. "I understand. See you tomorrow."


    After seeing Julian turn around and walk away, Zhen looked at the nearby mountain and rolled his eyes.


    "Wait."


    "Hmm?" Julian stopped and turned back to Zhen.


    Zhen pointed at the right-sided mountain and said, "If you climb a hundred meters, a path will appear. That path takes you to a viewing tform that nature made, and from there, you might catch a glimpse of the test."


    Julian turned to the tall mountain and nodded. "Thank you!"


    "Mm." Zhen turned away and began running back to the vige with lightning speed.


    Julian watched as Zhen disappeared into the distance, feeling grateful.


    He then rolled up his sleeves and began his climbing journey.


    ...


    "Grandmaster, I am not confident about this choice of yours!" A bald-headed Honorable said, seated beside the Wisdom King, who was seated on a granite-made rock with a high backend.


    While tapping his finger against the granite armrest, the Wisdom King turned to the Honorable. "The choice is made."


    "B-but, grandmaster!" Another Honorable, seated on his left side, shook his head. "He is too young!"


    "He may have potential, but hecks the necessary experience." Another Honorable voiced his concern.


    All the Honorables were seated on the side, with the raised tform on the same level as them.


    From their seats, they could watch the test unfold.


    Around the raised tform, hundreds of vigers had gathered to witness the test.


    They were excited to learn about the possibility of a new Honorable appearing, and most of them instantly asked their rtives, who were under the guidance of the Wisdom King, whether they were taking the test.


    If any of the vige families had an Honorable person in their family, their status would skyrocket.


    However, to all their disappointment, it was actually an outsider!


    "Alright. Is everyone here?" The Wisdom King asked.


    "Honorable Fang and Zhen are missing." One of the Honorables said.


    "Honorable Fang went to get Zhen."


    "We are here!"


    Then, Honorable Fang came running in, with Zhen jogging behind him.


    The Wisdom King nodded and pointed to the two seats that were still empty. "Take the seats. Let''s start the test!"


    After Fang and Zhen sat down, the doors of the temple opened, and two beautiful vigers carrying bouquets walked out.


    Following them, dressed in golden robes, a young man with dull blue eyes and an average-looking face appeared.


    His athletic stature could barely be contained by the loose robes, and it was clear to everyone that his muscles were rock solid, his punches as strong as a heavyweight boxer, and his legs containing explosive strength.


    Gulp¡ªseveral dozen gulps echoed from the crowd gathered around the tform.


    Almost like his physique intimidated them, they kept their displeasure deep inside their minds.


    Ambrose, following the two beautiful vigers, walked up the steps leading to the raised tform.


    After finishing ascending the final step, the two vigers stepped aside and touched Ambrose''s shoulders with the bouquets.


    As the flowers touched his shoulders, the two vigers whispered a blessing in his ear.


    Then they put the bouquets away and slid Ambrose''s robe down his shoulders all the way to his waist.


    His upper body was nowpletely naked, exposing his bare chest and arms.


    The rock-solid abs were like sculptures sculpted by the hands of a master artist, and the arms looked like weapons of mass destruction.


    The sight was enough to make anyone weak at the knees.


    The two beautiful vigers gulped, as even they weren''t prepared for this kind of showing.


    They then took the bouquets again and pped them against his bare chest.


    After his skin started turning slightly red, they stopped, said the final prayers, and left the tform.


    From the high backend chair, the Wisdom King stood up and shouted.


    "Today, Ambrose, a disciple of mine, shall take the test of the Honorable!


    "If he passes, he shall be another Honorable with the freedom to guide and teach others on the path of righteousness.


    "If he fails, he shall continue to train and strive for the opportunity to retake the test in the future."


    Everyone turned to Ambrose, all thousand gazes.


    "Are you ready?" The Wisdom King asked powerfully.


    "Yes, master!" Ambrose shouted and reached both arms into the empty air in front of him.


    All the vigers looked strangely at him, wondering what he was doing.


    Then, out of nowhere, he pulled out two dark ck Swords and held them high above his head.


    "Whoah..." A young boy in the crowd eximed.


    This was the first test he had ever seen in his short life, and to him, Ambrose looked like a warrior god descended from the heavens.


    The tall golden statue on top of the temple seemed to lose its radiance under the idolizing gaze of the young boy.


    The young boy couldn''t tear his eyes away from Ambrose, mesmerized by hismanding presence and aura of strength.


    Unknowingly, Ambrose had earned a fan who, already at a very young age, worshipped him like a god.


    The Wisdom King nodded at one of the Honorables, who then lit up an incense candle.


    "The test..." The Wisdom King raised his arms and then swung them down. "Begins!"


    On top of the nearby mountain, hidden by the shadows, Julian sat down after an exhausting climb.


    From there, he could see the entire vige and the test, where every vige was gathered.


    He could see a small outline, almost like a small ck dot, but somehow Julian managed to clearly see him.


    ''His face does not look familiar, but I have met many strong yers who like to y alone outside of hostile yermunities.


    ''He must also be like that.''


    Julian crossed his arms as he watched with great interest the prowess of this so-called genius, Ambrose, who Zhen praised to the skies.


    Even while they fought, Zhen never stoppedparing Julian with Ambrose.


    Julian, who was widely known as the greatest yer to have ever lived, was made to feel like an absolute newbie.

 Chapter 200 Insane Ambrose

    <h4>Chapter 200 Insane Ambrose</h4>


    ''Greater chance of sess...'' Ambrose took a deep breath. ''I need health. Lots!''


    Seeing that he had sixty stat points to use, with a determined face, he put them all to Vitality!


    [VIT: 40 -> 100]


    His vitality stat reached 100!


    He then waited while the crowd grew anxious, wondering how this outsider would do in this test.


    As the tension in the air grew, Ambrose opened his eyes and saw a familiar glitched message in front of him.


    [Vit%4&&//&¡è Ad¡è%&" Re"¡è&"&]


    ''It came...'' His heart began pounding about the possibility.


    Has his disease, Humanoid Imperfecta, been cured?


    He wanted desperately to find out, but he pushed those thoughts away and put his focus on the task ahead.


    As the incense candle burned, Ambrose mmed his eyes open, and the tense atmosphere erupted!


    The Wisdom King and all the Honorables opened their eyes wide, not wanting to miss a single moment.


    They realized that Ambrose was going to begin the test!


    "Self-Possess!" Ambrose screamed and stepped one meter forward.


    A single dart appeared from the ground and flew straight towards Ambrose''s head.


    However, then he shouted again.


    "Ability: Phasing!"


    The dart flew straight through his head and towards one of the vigefolk''s houses.


    Crack¡ªthe dart flew through a window,nding in someone''s living room.


    The crowd eximed as they expected the dart to kill this young man, but somehow, it went straight through!


    The Wisdom King''s eyes squinted. ''So, this is your ability? Impressive, but it won''t save you.''


    After the time started ticking, Ambrose shot forward and crossed the three-meter mark with a simple leap.


    Thousands of small holes appeared in the ground, shooting thousands of darts.


    The darts flew straight through his body and into the sky.


    ''It is working!'' Ambroseughed inwardly and entered the four-meter mark.


    He had already passed his previous best!


    After stepping into the five-meter mark, all sorts of axes, spears, and swords impaled the ground around him, but they all went straight through his body.


    The crowd was amazed.


    Somehow, this young man seemed to be invincible!


    Six meters.


    Seven meters.


    Eight meters.


    Nine meters.


    He effortlessly crossed almost one-third of the way without even sweating!


    However, Honorables and the Wisdom King still wore calm faces, as the test wasn''t just dodging projectiles.


    It was much worse.


    Ambrose charged forward, his foot slowlynding on the next tile, finally reaching the ten-meter mark.


    ''This is so goddamn eas¡ª''


    His thoughts stopped as he came to a freezing halt.


    "U.... ugh!" Ambrose coughed and looked down at the ground.


    The next five tiles were frozen, and so were his legs!


    His legs were entirely frozen; even his bones were encased in ice.


    "What the..." Ambrose felt a bone-chilling coldness that numbed his entire body.


    He didn''t feel pain, but he expected that if he could feel pain, he would be screaming in agony.


    However, he was feeling coldness... Immense coldness that seemed toe straight from the depths of his soul.


    The older members of the crowd inhaled cold air.


    They had seen this trap end many tests before.


    However, they often see them screaming in agony when encased in ice, but this young man seemed rather fine except he waspletely stuck!


    The Wisdom King crossed his arms. ''How will he ovee this? It will take around twenty minutes to half an hour for this incense stick to burnpletely. When it is finished burning, the test is over, and if he hasn''t crossed the finishing line by then, he fails.''


    "Ugh, damn it!" Ambrose shouted and tried to move his legs further, but they weren''t listening to him.


    If he didn''t do anything, he would spend the entire time struggling to get rid of the ice!


    ''I can''t chop off the ice. It takes too much time!'' He thought and came to one conclusion.


    In the crowd, several vigers whispered.


    "What do you think he will do?"


    "There is nothing he can do. His legs are entirely frozen."


    "The Honorables seated on the tform managed to ovee this trap by moving so quickly that the ice didn''t affect them.


    "Unfortunately, this young man is too slow!"


    "He will never be able to escape."


    "What a disappointment."


    "Unfortunately, the Wisdom King loses a little face for allowing this young man to take this test."


    "He is unqualified."


    "Aaaaargh!"


    But then they all heard screams and turned in shock towards the tform.


    They were wondering why the young man didn''t scream in pain before, but now they realized he was just holding it in.


    They shook their heads and expected the test to end soon.


    The young boy next to his mother looked at the scene with wide-eyed curiosity.


    His innocent mind had a feeling that the scream wasn''t one of pain.


    Everyone watched as Ambrose lifted his swords high in the air.


    "Hah!" He then screamed and shed his swords down.


    Spurt¡ªto everyone''s shock, he shed through his thighs, separating his body from his two frozen legs!


    Everyone''s eyes bulged in shock.


    "What the hell is he doing?!" One of the Honorables screamed and stood up.


    Fang''s and Zhen''s mouths opened in shock.


    Only the Wisdom King watched with a calm smile.


    Ambrose crashed to the frozen ground, now missing both his legs.


    His naked upper body started to get frozen in the biting cold.


    Realizing his peril, he knew he had to escape the cold area as quickly as possible.


    He stabbed his ck Swords into the frozen ground, and using them, he pulled himself forward while leaving a blue trail behind from his two bleeding legs.


    "H-he is insane!" One of the Honorables shouted.


    Stab, stab¡ªusing the swords like a pair of ice axes used for climbing, he reached the fifteen-meter mark and escaped the cold trap!


    However, after reaching the fifteen-meter mark, his head crashed into the ground with a thud.


    It looked like he headbutted the ground, but instead, the gravity somehow increased tenfold!


    The next trap was the gravity trap!


    "Ngghh..." He groaned loudly and tried to reach towards his inventory to pick up Restoration Gel to recover his feet, but he couldn''t!


    ''Cursed!''


    He couldn''t lift his sword-wielding arms anymore; thus, he let them go and started using his nails to crawl himself forward.


    Long scratches appeared on the ground as he dragged himself forth.


    However, because of the increased gravity, he moved incredibly slowly!


    "Come on..."


    Seeing the young man''s impressive determination to be Honorable, many of the vigers started changing sides and began cheering for the youngling.


    They never expected this young man to be willing to give up his own legs to be part of the Honorables!


    An outsider no less!


    It was a true disy of loyalty and sacrifice.


    On the nature-made viewing tform in the nearby mountain, Julian watched with ck-jawed eyes.


    He couldn''t believe what he was seeing.


    ''He cut his legs without any hesitation...'' Julian looked down at his legs. ''I do have Restoration Gel... If he managed to do it, I should be able to do it also.''


    He stood up and drew his long sword.


    As he lifted his sword and looked down at his legs, his arm started slightly shaking with uncertainty.


    It was usual for any human being to be afraid of cutting their own limb, even if this was a video game with basically no pain.


    ''Damn...''


    Cold sweat dropped down Julian''s forehead, and in the end, he sheathed his sword.


    "Unbelievable..." Julian looked at his trembling hands and clenched them into a fist. "I amcking the courage. No wonder Zhen spoke so highly of him. He is indeed impressive!


    "Very well, you shall be my rival, Ambrose.


    "I''ll surpass you!"

 Chapter 201 The Desperation

    <h4>Chapter 201 The Desperation</h4>


    Eighteen meters.


    The incense stick had already burned halfway through.


    Only twelve meters remained, but the distance seemed impossible to cross in that time frame, especially since the traps continued to be harder and harder!


    "Two meters more... then I have... escaped... the gravity... trap!"


    Ambrose screamed, stabbed his nails to the ground in front of him, and tried dragging himself forward, ignoring the numbness that shot throughout his hands.


    However, the closer he got to the twenty-meter mark, the heavier the gravity seemed to be.


    Now, it felt like the entire sky was crashing down upon him, making every centimeter a monumental task.


    "Grrrr!" Through bloodied teeth, he raised his head and tried to push himself forward, but then the gravity increased again, causing his head to fall back down with a loud thud.


    It made many vigers flinch, as they thought the young man''s head would split open from that kind of impact.


    Yet Ambrose lifted his head, his forehead only slightly bleeding.


    Ignoring the blinking red health bar, he screamed and tried an impossible task: lift his body from the ground.


    Using his muscr and well-toned arms, he pushed his body up like he was doing a push-up.


    However, it felt like he was trying to do a push-up through a ceiling.


    Whenever he tried pushing his body up, he hit an invisible wall called gravity that stopped him frompleting the full push-up motion.


    No matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t ovee the force of gravity.


    The vigers continued gasping and sighing.


    They could clearly see the impossible task at hand, even though they couldn''t feel the increased gravity.


    However, hearing the young man''s screams and seeing his bloodied nails, they could only imagine the struggle.


    Many Honorables remembered when they did their own tests and it was already difficult to cross the gravity trap with both legs.


    They couldn''t imagine doing it without legs.


    Thus, Ambrose''s decision to cut down his legs to escape the cold trap seemed toe back to haunt him.


    "Ngh..." Ambrose crashed back to the ground, and this time he stopped moving altogether.


    Many vigers shot to their feet, thinking that the young man might''ve passed out.


    However, they still saw his open, dull blue eyes, which seemed to stare into nothingness.


    The Self-Possession had ended a long time ago, and using it constantly drained him of his stamina at immense speed.


    He had already used it twice today, and using it a third time might actually make him pass out.


    However, Ambrose didn''t think there was any other choice to ovee this trap.


    "Rgh... Self-Possession!" He screamed, and he suddenly felt the transparent hand squeezing his heart.


    As his heart stopped beating for a moment, he could feel his consciousness fading away.


    However, then the heart started beating strongly against his chest with new-found vitality.


    "Ability: Floating!" Ambrose screamed, and out of nowhere, his body started hovering one centimeter above the tform.


    It was barely noticeable; thus, the vigers didn''t notice the strange sight.


    However, the Wisdom King and the Honorables did.


    "Argh!" Ambrose lunged forward with the help of the floating, but then the gravity rained down with incredible might, pushing him straight to the ground.


    However, loud cheers came from the crowd as they saw where Ambrose''s lunge took him.


    That one split second of floating managed to help him reach the twenty-meter mark!


    Only ten meters remained!


    The increased gravity vanished like a fleeting cloud.


    "Haah... haah..." Ambrose tried to reach into his inventory to pull out the Restoration Gel, but then caught sight of the incense stick.


    It was barely burning; there was only a small amount of stick left!


    It might not even take a minute for it to burnpletely!


    It would take at least half a minute for his limbs to grow back, maybe even further as both of his legs were missing.


    He didn''t have that much time to wait!


    Seeing where he was looking, all the vigers turned to the incense stick and paled.


    "Hurry up!"


    "You are so close!"


    "Shit, time is running out!"


    The young boy grabbed his mother''s hand and squeezed it hard with anxiety.


    "Ability... Floating!" Ambrose screamed and tried to float, but suddenly a sharp object shot through his chest.


    Everyone''s eyes widened in shock.


    A steel-ded spear appeared out of nowhere on the ground.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose coughed blood and looked at the spear stuck in his chest. "Ability: Phasing..."


    He phased through the de and managed to reach the 21-meter mark.


    However, then an illusionary-looking de appeared from the ground and stabbed through his neck!


    "Ugh!" Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock.


    The phasing couldn''t save him this time!


    ''How did this de manage to hit me?!''


    The Wisdom King half-closed his eyes. ''Your ability of phasing won''t be as invincible as you hoped it to be. There are weapons in the world that can hurt even ghosts.''


    The vigers closed their mouths in shock.


    They truly thought this young man was dead.


    After all, he got stabbed through the neck!


    No one would be able to survive that.


    However, against all odds, Ambrose pulled out the illusionary de from his neck and tossed it away.


    He was bleeding almost everywhere, but he refused to give up.


    The red health bar continued blinking rapidly, signaling low health.


    If he hadn''t assigned those sixty stats on the Vitality, he might''ve died already!


    ''I am so... fucking close!'' Ambrose thought, determination burning through his eyes.


    He clenched his fists and began crawling forward with unyielding fury.


    All sorts of weapons continued to fly through the ground, impaling him from all angles.


    Blood spewed, and the health plummeted all the way down.


    Everyone watched in silence as the young man, impaled like a porcupine, continued crawling forward.


    No one could imagine the pain he must be going through.


    It was a gruesome sight that would haunt their nightmares for years toe.


    However, finally, Ambrose''s trembling fingernails touched the tile at the 25-meter mark.


    No more weapons appeared on the ground.


    However, something much worse happened.


    The biting cold and increased gravity came crashing down, trapping him in a limbo of being crushed and frozen.


    It was a fate worse than hell.


    He could feel his body slowly sumbing to the unbearable pressure.


    His chest started breaking apart as if there was a heavy shelf on his back that was gradually copsing onto him.


    "Aaargh!"


    After letting out a blood-curling scream, he desperately pushed his hand forward, but out of nowhere, two pocket knives flew through the ground, impaling both his hands.


    His eyes widened in desperation, as now his hands were stuck on those knives, unable to move them any further.


    The Wisdom King sighed and closed his eyes.


    The vigers shouted and gave encouragement, but even they realized that the situation was hopeless.


    The Honorables sighed and nodded in approval, impressed by the young man''s showing.


    However, as they expected, he was still far too young, unexperienced, and weak to pass the test, even though he tried everything.


    The incense stick barely burned anymore; only a small flickering me was left, but it was slowly dying out.


    Then, Ambrose''s body froze as he realized that his Self-Possession had ended.


    It didn''t evenst a minute, like the time limit should''ve been.


    He was simply too exhausted to keep it going!


    Slowly, Ambrose''s eyelids turned heavy and his vision blurry.


    He was losing consciousness!


    ''I give up...'' Ambrose muttered inwardly as his body sumbed to sleep.


    However, shes of old memories resurfaced, causing his eyes to shoot open.


    "No!" Ambrose screamed and flinched like he was electrocuted.


    With his body at its breaking point and his mind trying to get him to sleep, he realized that there was only one thing he could do.


    He had to leave the rest to his instincts.


    His mouth opened wide, and then he let out a mighty cry.


    "Kill!"


    His primal instincts took over, urging him to survive at any cost.

 Chapter 202 Broken

    <h4>Chapter 202 Broken</h4>


    "Raaah!"


    Like a mad beast, Ambrose lunged forward against the increased gravity.


    Ayer of frost appeared on his face, and the small hair strands on his almost-bald head froze altogether.


    Smash¡ªhe smashed his head into an invisible wall.


    However, it was simply the 29-meter mark, which had such heavy gravity that he couldn''t even enter!


    "Graaa!" With a mad cry, he smashed his fists forth and smashed his whole body against the invisible barrier, determined to break through the gravity!


    But no matter how hard he tried, the barrier remained unyielding.


    ''The gravity at the 29-meter mark is so heavy that even a boulder would get crushed like a tin can.'' The Wisdom King thought and nced at the incense stick.


    The flickering me was about to die off!


    "Haaa!" Ambrose reeled in both his bloodied fists and let out a powerful roar.


    His muscles bulged, and his eyes turned red as he punched through the wall of gravity.


    As soon as his arm entered the area of the 29-meter mark, his bones crushed under the immense pressure.


    "Kyaa!" A female viger screamed as the sound of bones cracking echoed through the air.


    "Haaa!" Then he punched his second arm through the wall of gravity.


    It suffered the same fate of being crushed to pieces.


    Now, with no legs to move forward and two broken arms, there didn''t seem to be any way for him to move forward.


    However, then he screamed.


    "Self-Possession!"


    He used self-possession for the fourth time!


    ''This is dangerous!'' The soul shouted inside Ambrose''s head, but he didn''t respond because the power of Kill hadpletely engulfed him.


    He waspletely consumed!


    "Ability: Floating!"


    With a hoarse voice, Ambrose screamed and began flying through the heavy gravity. He smashed through the invisible barrier, finally entering the 29-meter mark!


    All of his bones and organs broke in an instant as deathly pressure instantly engulfed his entire body.


    He felt like a tin can that was getting pressured by an unstoppable force.


    "One more meter!" The vigers screamed.


    The Honorables shot to their feet with shock shing across their faces.


    The small flickering me turned smaller and smaller, burning thest tiny piece of the incense stick.


    It was only seconds away until the incense stick was fully consumed by the fire.


    ''Come on!'' The Wisdom King clenched his fist as he saw thest piece of the incense stick turn to ash.


    "Haaaa!"


    Then, a shout that reached the skies filled the air.


    Ambrose, with his broken body, fell forward through the heavy gravity.


    Thud¡ªhe hit the ground, and his eyes turned white.


    Every viger stood up and looked at the scene with trembling lips.


    "H-he did it..."


    "He did it!"


    p¡ªloud apuse filled the air with screams of awe.


    The ce where Ambrose fell was at the thirty-meter mark.


    He had officially reached the finish line!


    The incense stick finished burning and turned into ash.


    Then the wind came and carried the ashes away.


    "Huff..." The Wisdom King loosened his fists, his palms had turned white.


    The Honorables, all sat down with shocked expressions on their faces.


    Zhen, shot to his feet and rushed to the fallen young man and checked his pulse.


    "He has passed out." He turned to the Wisdom King and nodded. "I shall take him to the vige doctor."


    The Wisdom King nodded.


    After Zhen carried Ambrose away, the Honorables all turned to the Wisdom King.


    "He did it..."


    "He is now Honorable."


    "Yes." The Wisdom King nodded. "However. He shall not stay in the vige."


    "What do you mean?" Honorable Fang asked with a frown. "Hepleted the test."


    Before, Fang believed all yers to be greedy, murderous people who were incapable of being loyal.


    However, this unbelievable sight truly impressed him.


    The yer gave up on his own two legs and destroyed his entire body to pass this test.


    They all still thought he was doing this for the position of the Honorable, which was not exactly true.


    He didn''t even know that he would be Honorable if he passed the test!


    "He did, and he is always weed back here." The Wisdom King opened his wise eyes and looked at the crowd that had gathered. "However, he has stuff that he needs to aplish, and he can''t do those in here."


    The Honorables turned silent as they contemted the meaning of the Wisdom King''s words.


    "Did you bring the badge of an Honorable?" The Wisdom King asked from the Honorable that was seated beside him.


    "Yes, master." The Honorable took out a badge with the insignia of a golden crown engraved on it.


    The Wisdom King took it and stood up.


    After he stood up, every viger turned to look at him.


    "You all may return to your homes." The Wisdom King gently said and then left the tform with the badge in hand.


    ...


    On the nature-made viewing tform, Julian gazed out at the vige.


    "What a remarkable individual." He smiled and stood up. "I have a long way to go."


    With those words, he turned around and walked off into the distance.


    In the vige doctor''s house, a wrinkly old man mended Ambrose''s injuries, which were plenty.


    "I don''t think I have enough medicine for him!" The vige doctor shouted and waved at Zhen. "Go ask more medicine from Old Mao!"


    Zhen nodded and ran out of the vige.


    The vige doctor then turned to look at the bruised young man and shook his head.


    "His entire body is crushed. His neck, chest, and both hands have pration wounds, and both of his legs are missing.


    "His arms alone should take close to a year to heal, not to mention his whole body.


    "His organs are in a horrible state and will require extensive surgery to repair them."


    The more he looked into the wounds, the more shocked he was.


    He couldn''t believe anyone was surviving this, yet the young human was still breathing with great vitality.


    The vige doctor quickly walked over to the desk and began mixing medicine.


    At that moment, he heard a groan behind him.


    "Ngh..."


    Shocked, he turned around and saw the young man shakily opening his eyes.


    "How is he... awake?!" The vige doctor ran to his side and said. "Drink this; it will make you sleep!"


    Ambrose, with blood-red eyes, looked at the ugly-colored medicine and pushed it away.


    "No..."


    "You''ll die in this state!"


    "No... give me... food!"


    "Food?!" The vige doctor shook his head. "You can''t eat in this state!"


    Grab¡ªAmbrose grabbed him by his cor with his broken hand and pulled him closer.


    With a bloodied mouth, he spoke. "Food... Now!"


    "Ugh, it''s your funeral!" The vige doctor cursed inwardly, went to fetch a few snacks, and gave them to the patient.


    Ambrose grabbed them and stuffed them into his mouth.


    He then turned his gaze to the blinking health bar and saw the extremely low health have a noticeable increase.


    ''How... did I survive?'' He thought in wonder. ''The health bar literally showed 0.0001/430.''


    His health had never gotten that low, and he didn''t even know it was possible.


    After eating a few of the snacks, the pration wounds on his neck, chest, and hands began healing at visible speed!


    "H-how?" The vige doctor asked in shock after seeing that some of the wounds that were supposed to take months to heal were almostpletely closed in a matter of seconds.


    "More... food... please." Ambrose''s voice turned softer after saving himself from certain death.


    The vige doctor shakily nodded and went to get all the food he had in store.

 Chapter 203 Farewell!

    <h4>Chapter 203 Farewell!</h4>


    After filling up his health, Ambrose''s broken body finished healing.


    He still missed both of his legs.


    The vige doctor was stunned as he stood on the side.


    ''The yers are truly monsters!''


    Creak¡ªthe door opened, and Zhen came running in, carrying a wooden handbag filled with medicines.


    "I brought the medicine!" He shouted.


    The vige doctor then shook his head and pointed at the bed. "Don''t need them anymore.


    "Huh?" Zhen looked towards the bed, at first thinking that the young man had died, but shockingly, he was sitting with his body in perfect condition!


    "Ambrose, you are alright!" He put the wooden handbag away and walked beside the bed. "Congrattions for passing the test."


    "Oh, I passed it?" Ambrose chuckled. "I thought I failed."


    "It was very close." Zhen said and pressed his index and thumb fingers together, only leaving a small gap between them. "It was this close that you were toote."


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded and leaned against the wall, a relieved expression on his face. ''The Kill skill worked differently this time around.''


    ''Its focus was different this time around. Instead of killing everyone around, it focused on passing the test, which was my greatest desire at that moment.


    ''I suppose this skill indeed has a mind of its own and can be controlled.''


    Creak¡ªthe door again opened and wrinkly-faced old man walked in.


    "Grandmaster!" The vige doctor bowed.


    Zhen turned around and bowed humbly.


    "Nn." The Wisdom King nodded and walked over to Ambrose. "You did it."


    "Seems so." Ambrose smiled. "Remember our promise?"


    The Wisdom King looked at Zhen and the vige doctor, signaling them to move out of the house for the time being.


    They nodded and left the cottage.


    "Here." The Wisdom King pulled out a badge from his robes and gave it to the young man. "If you show this badge to the person guarding the arc-shaped entrance, they will let you in."


    Ambrose nodded. "I''lle back as soon as possible."


    "No need." The Wisdom King said and crossed his arms behind his back. "I am done training you."


    "Huh, what?" Ambrose''s eyes shrank. "If this is about me leaving the training constantly, I promise this is thest time!"


    "No." The Wisdom King shook his head. "You passed the test. Remember what I said to you back then?"


    ''If you reach the end of the chamber, there is nothing left I can teach you.'' Ambrose remembered his words clearly, but he shook his head unwillingly.


    "I am still weak. My swordsmanship is dull, and my skills arecking!" Ambrose groaned and would''ve stood up if he had his legs. "I only passed the test because I abused the yer mechanics!"


    "Heh." The Wisdom King shook his head with a smile on his face. "That test was never meant to test your swordsmanship. You may still have a lot to learn, but learning that from me just hinders your progress.


    "You have to learn it by yourself."


    "B-but how." Ambrose shook his head with a confused expression. "I... I don''t know where to begin."


    "Here." The Wisdom King removed the heavy bag from his back and dropped it beside the bed. "I left some notes there. They''ll help you in your way."


    Ambrose nodded silently.


    The Wisdom King turned around and walked over to the door with a sense of sadness in his step.


    "Thank you..."


    "Huh?" The Wisdom King turned back to Ambrose but saw him sitting with eyes closed, not willing to speak any further.


    "You''re wee, brat." He whispered under his breath and then left the cottage.


    "Ngh..." Ambrose opened his eyes. "What will I do now? I suppose my next destination is Yatagarasu, but what next..."


    He shook his head and removed the nket that covered his legless legs.


    He reached out to the inventory, pulled out Restoration Gel, and spread it on the stumps where his legs used to be.


    Almost instantly, a strange slimy feeling began spreading across his thighs.


    It took nearly a minute for his legs to restore their previous shape.


    After that, he touched his bald head, thinking that there was hair left.


    identally, he spilled a little bit of the Restoration Gel on his bald head, and suddenly, warmth began spreading across his scalp.


    "Huh?"


    Feeling strange, he touched his head, imagining feeling his bald scalp again, but shockingly, he was touching very flushy hair!


    He couldn''t believe it, but the Restoration Gel had actually regrown his hair!


    "It even works with hair..." He let out augh, grabbed a small handheld mirror from a nearby desk, and looked at himself.


    The hair looked brilliant and very healthy.


    It actually increased Ambrose''s attractiveness.


    Instead of his hair being shoulder-length, it was now shorter and styled in a trendy, modern way.


    Creak¡ªthe door opened, and Zhen returned with the vige doctor.


    They let out simultaneous exmations.


    They at first thought that a stranger was now sitting on the bed, but after a closer look, they realized that he was actually Ambrose, whose legs and hair had miraculously regrown!


    "I am not going to even ask how." Zhen held his head, feeling a headache already.


    Same with the vige doctor. He was already numb with shock.


    "Heh." Ambrose chuckled and stood up from the bed, then stretched his limbs, but then felt something amiss.


    He looked down at his waist, and shockingly, his swords were missing!


    "My swords, where are they?!" He asked anxiously.


    "Rx, boy." The vige doctor walked behind the bed, grabbed two ck Swords from under the bed, and put them down on the bed.


    Ambrose let out a breath of relief and took them before storing them back in his inventory.


    "What did the grandmaster say?" Zhen sat on the bed and asked.


    "He is done training me." Ambrose said and looked at the bag. "I will now leave the vige."


    "I see..." Zhen inhaled the cold air. "Youpleted his training in a matter of weeks, and I had trained under his guidance since I was eight years old, and my training is still not over..."


    "I don''t think my training is over, but ording to him, I should roam the world." Ambrose picked up the bag and noticed that his inventory was too full for him to store it all.


    ''I need to sell some of my items soon.''


    "You finished the test. It''s no wonder..." Zhen then stood up and extended his hand for a handshake. "Good luck, Brother Honorable."


    "Honorable?" Ambrose frowned and shook his hand.


    "He gave you the badge, correct?"


    Ambrose pulled out the badge from his pocket and showed it.


    "This is a badge of the Honorable." Zhen said. "Everyone whopletes the test is allowed to be Honorable. Now you are at the same status as me."


    "Oh..." Ambrose clenched it tight and stored it in his inventory. "I see now."


    He then turned to look at Zhen, smiled, and patted his shoulder. "Thanks for letting me stay at your house!"


    "No problem." Zhen shook his head with a smile. "Carry the name of the Honorable with pride. I hope I''ll hear from you via newspapers and hear good things!"


    "Haha." Ambrose wryly smiled. "I feel like the things you''ll hear won''t be nice."


    "Haha, so be it." Zhen nodded his head. "I''ll trust in your judgment."


    Ambrose did the final farewells with Zhen, who then left the cottage to return to the temple to finish the ceremony.


    As Zhen walked away, Ambrose thanked the vige doctor and left the cottage.


    He then saw the bright blue sky with the sun shining brightly overhead.


    ''It''s still not noon. I should have enough time to reach Yatagarasu and find Be if she is still there.''

 Chapter 204 Arc of Destruction

    <h4>Chapter 204 Arc of Destruction</h4>


    Ambrose looked at the strange formation in front of him.


    It was the arc-shaped entrance.


    When he walks through the entrance, he will be deemed to have officially left the vige.


    ''This is it, huh.'' Ambrose thought and took a deep breath before stepping forward.


    He stepped through the entrance and felt like the air around him had changed somewhat.


    Now, he would constantly be in danger of the Inquisitors hunting him down.


    His heart pounded in his chest as he prepared himself for the inevitable challenges that awaited him.


    As the heavy bag loosely hung over his shoulder, he began walking away from the vige with a solemn look on his face.


    After only a minute of walking down the rocky ground, his steps halted as he saw a strange gray-eyed person sitting on the ground, leaning against the tree with his eyes closed.


    It looked like he was sleeping.


    The massive de on his back attracted Ambrose''s attention the most.


    It was unlike anything Ambrose had ever seen before.


    ''What a strange sword. He is a yer by the looks of it.'' Ambrose cursed that he didn''t have his cloaks anymore.


    There wasn''t any way for him to truly hide his features.


    Therefore, he only had to hope no one recognized him.


    He might have over a million subscribers now on ForeverTube, but he was far from being famous enough for everyone to know what he looked like.


    He carefully walked past the sleeping yer, silencing his steps so he wouldn''t wake up, and then entered the Nether Forest, which led to Yatagarasu.


    After his steps faded into the distance, Julian opened his eyes and let out a deep sigh.


    ''I am not ready to fight him, but one day...'' A determined fire burned in his eyes.


    ...


    At the Nocklund''s Middle School.


    Inside a corner ssroom facing the direction of the sun, Emma absently looked out of the window,pletely ignoring the lesson.


    She couldn''t shake off the feeling that something must''ve happened to her best friend, Be.


    ''Are you alright, Be?''


    "Emma!"


    "Huh?" Emma turned towards the teacher, who was standing beside the chalkboard.


    The teacher was a grumpy-looking middle-aged woman who had gone way past her prime years.


    Her flesh had already started to sag, and there were wrinkles around the corner of her eyes.


    "Is my ss not interesting to you?" The teacher asked with a twitching eyebrow.


    Emma''s ssmates snickered and tried to hold back theirughter.


    "It is very interesting!" Emma smiled innocently.


    However, that kind of acting didn''t fool the teacher.


    The teacher smashed the wooden stick against her palm and sternly shouted.


    "My lessons will be valuable for years toe!" The teacher shouted. "You younglings may only care about that game, Martial Online, these days, but knowledge and learning are what truly matter!"


    Many of Emma''s ssmates rolled their eyes and wished to have the ability to close off their ears from another lecture.


    Their teacher was very old-fashioned, and she found the whole concept of Virtual Realityughable.


    She didn''t think it had any kind of future, and if the young people focused all their attention on it, they would greatly regret it.


    She was the school''s math teacher, which also happened to be one of the less used school subjects when one reached adulthood.


    However, she firmly believed in the importance of mathematics and its practical applications in various fields.


    "All this Virtual Reality crap has to end!" The teacher shouted sternly. "All of you have to bring a 1,000-word essay exining why Virtual Reality is bad tomorrow!"


    Everyone in the ss groaned.


    They wouldn''t have time to y Martial Online if they had to do this essay, which they all wanted to do when school ended.


    Most of them had already nned a raid with fellow ssmates, and most of them were looking for it the entire day!


    It was also what the teacher nned, not giving her students any time to y that virtual reality game.


    ''Virtual Reality is only for fools and desperate basement dwellers!'' The teacher proudly raised her chin. "Let''s continue the ss!"


    Emma looked angrily at the teacher. ''She''s so strict and never lets us have any fun.''


    She could only hope that her brother would manage to find Be.


    ...


    "Yawn!"


    At the railway station situated near Yatagarasu, two white-robed Inquisitors stood guard.


    "Why are we guarding this ce anyway?" The White Inquisitor looked at the tall wall of the Yatagarasu and scoffed. "No one wille here anyway. Even if someone does, they will just die from the goblins."


    "We are not protecting this city, but this railway station." The older White Inquisitor said.


    "Yeah, yeah, but why?" The younger White Inquisitor asked with a scoff.


    "It was by the orders of Sir Lowa; we can''t question our higher-ups orders." The older White Inquisitor said.


    "Yes, the great Lowa, who let a convicted prisoner escape!"


    "Quiet down!" The older White Inquisitor snapped. "We follow whatever orders they give us; that''s our duty!"


    "Tsk." The younger White Inquisitor clicked his tongue. "I could be hunting some bounty and getting a proper reward, but instead I am here doing... nothing."


    The older White Inquisitor rolled his eyes and shook his head in disapproval.


    He then began looking towards the empty fields that surrounded the railway tracks.


    At that moment, he noticed a silhouette following the tracks, seemingly walking towards the station.


    "Hey, someone ising."


    "Huh?" The younger White Inquisitor turned towards the silhouette and said, "Finally!"


    He unsheathed his sword and left the station to confront the person.


    The older White Inquisitor massaged his temples but didn''t bother stopping his colleague.


    "This ce is off-limits!" The White Inquisitor shouted and pointed at the person who was walking over the railway tracks.


    "Huh?" The ck-haired young man stopped and saw the railway station and two White Inquisitors.


    The station''s wall blocked the sight of the White Inquisitors before, making him unable to see them in time.


    However, the young man''s expression turned calm again.


    "Is that so?" Ambrose asked with a smile.


    "Yes, if you don''t want to die, fuck of¡ª-"


    But then the White Inquisitor frowned and looked deeply at Ambrose''s face.


    Almost like he recognized the face, he took out his bag and pulled out several wanted posters.


    After a while, he found the one he was looking for.


    "Wait a minute, I know you!" The White Inquisitor screamed and pointed his sword at him angrily. "You are Ambrose, a man worth 19,999 silvers!"


    Hearing his younger colleague''s words, the older White Inquisitor turned rmed and pulled out his sword, then joined his colleague in confronting Ambrose.


    "Surrend¡ª"


    Their voices cut off as Ambrose pulled out his ck Swords.


    "I have not used this skill with dual-wielding yet." Ambrose smiled. "Time to test it out."


    "Prepare to meet your end!" The younger White Inquisitor lunged forward. "Your bounty is mine!"


    "Calm down, you fool!" The old White Inquisitor screamed angrily.


    He was aware that Ambrose was no weakling.


    The rumor of him ying a very powerful and talented White Inquisitor on the battlefield had already spread across the Sanctorium of Inquisitorious.


    As both of Ambrose''s arms swelled like they were about to explode, all of his strength was channeled into one final attack.


    He lunged forward and powerfully swung his swords down.


    "sh of the Three Worlds!"


    The des sliced through the air, creating a perfect arc of destruction.


    Swoosh...


    The White Inquisitors widened their eyes in shock and both tried to dodge, but it was way toote!


    The swords struck with a thunderous force, cleaving through their defenses and severing their lives in an instant.


    Boom!

 Chapter 205 Soul Tracking

    <h4>Chapter 205 Soul Tracking</h4>


    Ambrose slowly put his swords away and turned away from the two dead White Inquisitors.


    ''I suppose I have grown stronger.'' He thought while remembering the humiliation he received at the hands of the White Inquisitors.


    At his current state, he believed he would be able to defeat them.


    He was still not confident about facing the Brown Inquisitors, but he felt like he wasn''t too far away.


    After leaving the dead White Inquisitors behind, he stepped through the entrance of Yatagarasu, arriving at the deste streets.


    The buildings were razed to the ground, and smoke still lingered in the air.


    It wasn''t raining, but the mist made visibility incredibly poor.


    He could barely make out the faint outline of what used to be a bustling city.


    Ambrose trotted into the mist, tapping his finger against the sword hilt while looking around the destroyed part of the city.


    It was a heartbreaking sight, especially since he remembered how lively the most popted city was before.


    Thud¡ªAmbrose heard a distant thuding from inside one of the destroyed shops.


    Curiosity piqued, he cautiously made his way towards the source of the sound.


    Inside the store, he saw a fallen shelf with an ugly-looking goblin trying to free itself from the debris.


    It seemed to have identally caused the shelf to fall, trapping itself under it.


    The goblin looked angry and desperate as it struggled to escape.


    Then it stopped struggling and began sniffing the smoke-covered air.


    Its ugly vertical eyes turned to the entrance of the store, where it saw a tasty treat in the form of a human.


    "Kurahhh!" It streeched, biting the air in front of it like a rapid dog, desperately wanting to quench on the human flesh.


    "..." Ambrose walked over to the goblin and stepped on its face.


    The goblin tried to bite through the fabric of his boot, but to no avail.


    "Where is Be?" Ambrose asked and then chuckled. "What am I doing? They won''t understand me. Looking at this creature, there is not a single intelligent thought between its eyes."


    As if the goblin understood the human''s words, it began gnawing on a boot with greater intensity, its beady eyes ring back at Ambrose with a mix of defiance and hunger.


    Spurt¡ªAmbrose stepped down, crushing the goblin''s skull like it were an overripe tomato.


    The room fell silent as the goblin''s lifeless body slumped to the ground.


    "I need a map." Ambrose looked around the ruins of the store and believed there to be some kind of map.


    He didn''t want to blindly move around the mist-covered city without any n in mind.


    He just wanted to visit the Whispering Page bookstore to see if there was anything there.


    After stepping over debris that looked like it had once been a statue, he found a piece of parchment tucked away in the corner.


    "It''s a map." Ambrose unfolded it, but unfortunately, he couldn''t make any sense of the map.


    It was basically useless, as there was also a big hole in the center.


    "Cursed." He looked around the store and didn''t think it would be worth spending the next couple of hours trying to find a map.


    Emma would return from school in several hours, and he wished to be done with this by then.


    After tossing the useless map away, he left the store, and instead of walking down the main street, he walked down an alleyway between two ruined buildings.


    He soon reached another mist-covered street, which was called Alymnium Street, which was once a very popr cksmithing street, but now ity abandoned and derelict.


    Thud¡ªa garbage can was knocked over by a couple of yers that rushed from a nearby alley, screaming.


    ''yers?'' Ambrose''s eyes narrowed as he saw that those yers were carryingrge bags that seemed too big to fit inside inventories.


    After the yers stumbled out of the alley, they turned to Ambrose, shocked to see another yer here.


    ''They came here to plunder?''


    "A yer?" One of them whispered with a suspicious gaze.


    The yers looked at their plundered loot and nned to protect it at any cost!


    "We have to go." One of them whispered to their leader. "Those goblins will catch us shortly."


    Their leader nodded and ran towards the nearest alleyway.


    However, as he and his friends were entering the alleyway, he caught the gaze of the ck-haired young man and felt a chill run down his spine.


    It was like he was looking straight at his soul.


    After the yers had run away, Ambrose continued walking and soon heard another set of footstepsing from the alley.


    He quickly hid inside a crumbling store and saw nearly a dozen goblins chasing after those yers.


    After the goblins had crossed the street and entered the same alleyway where yers ran off to, Ambrose left the store and continued moving towards his destination.


    After a while, he came across a worn-out public board with torn wanted posters.


    The surrounding area started to look far more familiar.


    ''The bookstore must be close.'' Ambrose ignored the public board and started moving quicker.


    "Kyaa..."


    He halted and turned to look back where he hade from.


    He heard a screaming from the direction of the yers.


    ''The goblins must''ve caught them. I wonder if they will survive.''


    As he turned back to continue his journey, he saw a little bit of the wall of mist dissipating, and at the other side, there was a familiar bookstore with the sign "Whispering Pages" that was hanging loosely.


    ''I found it!'' Ambrose walked through the mist and arrived at the bookstore.


    The interior was dark, and the door had been broken apart.


    All the bookshelves had been tipped over, and hundreds of books were strewn about.


    Some pages were torn and scattered across the floor, while others were crumpled or waterlogged.


    As Ambrose stepped inside the store, he spoke with a faint voice.


    "Be?"


    His voice bounced across the walls.


    However, once the voice faded away, silence returned.


    Ambrose unsheathed his sword and made his way over to the second floor.


    There, he saw a wide open door and a messy room.


    Creak¡ªthe floor creaked as he entered the room.


    The room still had a sweet scent of flowers and vani, but there was also a mix of blood.


    On the floor, there was dried-up blood, green in color.


    ''Goblin blood.'' Ambrose crouched and touched it.


    It was barely moist anymore, meaning it had been quite some time since the goblin had bled here.


    ''I at least know that Be might''ve been here and ended up fighting a goblin.''


    He then looked at the bed and noticed that it was unmade, indicating that someone must''ve left in a hurry.


    After looking away from the bed, he suddenly cracked a smile after seeing two wanted posters on the wall.


    "They were collecting these?" Ambrose looked at his wanted posters and chuckled. "That is pretty cute."


    ''There is nothing left in here. She isn''t here, which means she is most likely back in reality.'' Ambrose thought so, but just in case, he wanted to make sure.


    There was a certain ability he had recently acquired but hadn''t had the chance to use yet.


    Soul Tracking!


    He doubted Be had learned to hide her soul scent.


    Ambrose sat down on the ground and entered the world of souls.


    As soon as he entered the frozen world, hemanded the soul to do the soul tracking procedure.


    After it waspleted, he saw all sorts of soul scents lingering in the air.


    Three of them belonged to goblins, as they were green in color, but there were two blue-colored, faint scents.


    ''One of them is Emma''s, but this one is Be''s...'' Ambrose thought as he looked at one of the soul scents.


    He then made his soulmence the soul tracking.


    In the empty air in front of him, a holographic screen appeared.


    The holographic screen began disying a scene.


    It meant that Be was still online.


    However, after seeing the scene, Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock.


    The scene was very hazy, but he concluded a few things.


    There was a dark cage, and inside there was a fragile-looking young woman, her limbs chained by shackles.


    Ding, ding¡ªa de tapped against the metal bars of the cage.


    An ugly goblin looked at the chained woman with a sickening grin.


    "Kruh... You are..."


    Be''s fatigued eyes trembled in shock. "Y-you can speak?"


    "Guhahaha!" The goblinughed. "You are... today''s feast of Goblin Hour. Prepare to be eaten, filthy human!"


    Be trembled in fear, her heart pounding in her chest.


    She visualized the goblin''s razor-sharp teeth tearing apart her limbs and devouring her body like she was nothing but an evening meal.


    She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the inevitable horror that awaited her.


    "H-help..."


    The scene cracked like ss.


    "How the fuck is this shit allowed?" Ambrose burst through the world of souls in instant rage, unable toprehend the atrocities he was witnessing.


    "She is going to be fucking eaten alive." He grabbed his hair in frustration. "Think, Ambrose. Where the fuck was she?"


    "There was darkness; the walls looked very dungeon-like, and there was clearly moistness in the ground."


    He then screamed and entered the world of souls once again.


    His soul jumped out of his body.


    "Find her, now!" Ambrose screamed angrily.


    ''Got it... Ambrose.'' The soul replied, almost like he was speaking to another being right now, and then flew out of the bookstore, embarking on a journey to find the whereabouts of Be.

 Chapter 206 The Feast

    <h4>Chapter 206 The Feast</h4>


    As the soul floated out of the bookstore, it scanned every single soul scent that still lingered in the air.


    Since it did the soul tracking on Be, it had memorized the soul scent, and because of that, it found traces of her soul scent on the streets.


    At first, it looked like Be had run out of the bookstore, but she got ambushed fairly quickly and was then dragged away.


    The soul began following the traces, which led it through the streets all the way to the entrance of the sewers.


    The entrance to the sewers was located near the slums, and it was locked by thick metal bars, but they were clearly opened not too long ago.


    However, the metal bars were no match for the soul, as it simply phased through them.


    The soul then began following the sewer water that flowed down the sewers, letting out a disgusting stench.


    When the soul tried to track the soul scents, it became slightly overwhelmed.


    There were so many soul scent traces, most green-colored, going deeper into the sewers.


    However, there were also light blue ones, one of which was Be''s.


    It was faint but distinct enough to follow.


    After a while, the soul arrived at the hidden underground chamber, where many paths converged.


    The soul then saw several motionless goblins about to enter one of the paths.


    However, since the world was nearly frozen in the world of souls, they didn''t move an inch.


    The soul descended and flew past the goblins, entering that same path.


    However, soon it began sensing a powerful presence within.


    ''Someone powerful is here...'' The soul thought sluggishly as it continued its journey deeper into the unknown.


    Soon, the soul left the path, entering a dark and eerie chamber filled with an ominous aura.


    The air was heavy with a sense of foreboding, and the soul could feel its heart pounding in its ethereal chest.


    Hundreds of goblins were gathered in the middle of the chamber, some bathing in the disgusting sewer water while others were eating some food they found on the drynd.


    There was also arge bonfire built, as if the goblins were preparing for a grand feast.


    The frozen mes illuminated their grotesque features and cast eerie shadows on the walls.


    It was a scene of both horror and fascination.


    The soul then followed one of the soul scents that led deeper into the dark depths of the goblinir.


    After a while, it came across a closed-off section of the chamber that acted as a prison cell for captured humans.


    After entering the prison, the soul came across dozens of captured humans, most of them NPCs.


    They were shackled to the walls, looking fatigued and malnourished.


    Their eyes looked nk, as if they had already prepared themselves for the worst oue.


    However, a few still had hopeful gazes, believing that Karasu and his Spear Saints would rescue them.


    They clung onto thest shred of hope, praying for their salvation.


    However, with each passing minute, the hope continued dwindling away as they listened to the sound of fire crackling turn louder and louder.


    The soul descended from the air, carefullynding on the ground, and looked towards one cell.


    There, a beautiful young woman with night-ck hair and unique red eyes sat alone with her head bowing low.


    The soul walked over to the cell, touching the metal bars with its ethereal hand.


    As it looked at the dried-up tears of the young woman, it ended up sighing with slight relief.


    ''She is fine. It looks like she was just dragged here to be eaten. We have time to save her. No time to waste.''


    "Who is there..."


    The soul''s ethereal body froze in horror.


    The voice that echoed throughout the world of souls sounded ancient and very powerful.


    ''This is bad!'' The soul looked up and floated straight up into the ceiling, phasing through the ground, and soon arrived back at the ground above the hidden underground chamber.


    The ancient and powerful feeling disappeared.


    The soul sighed in relief, but knew that the mission to rescue Be was by no means easy.


    ''This will be extremely dangerous, but Ambrose will handle it!'' The soul thought and then flew back to Whispering Page like a homing missile and soon re-entered the body of a ck-haired young man.


    ''Sewer.'' Ambrose mmed his eyes open, and the world of souls dissipated.


    He found himself back in Be''s room on the top floor of the Whispering Pages.


    ''An ancient presence. I suppose the goblins have a leader, and it is by no means weaker than Karma.''


    However, Ambrose felt rather excited, even though there was also urgency present.


    He always wondered how his current self would do in a fight against Karma.


    Back when he fought Karma, he was clearly outssed in every aspect but still managed to somehow put up a fight.


    It was true that Karma was also injured beforehand and had to be careful of surrounding yers.


    That''s why Ambrose wished he could fight Karma one-versus-one right now to see how far his de reached.


    Now, an opportunity had arrived.


    ''The priority is still to save Be. I just wonder why she didn''t kill herself to escape this fate. I guess there are circumstances that stopped her from doing so.''


    As he stood up, he knew he had to act quickly and decisively.


    ''Let''s see how far my de reaches!''


    ...


    At the underground chamber.


    The thick air was filled with a stagnant and oppressive feeling.


    The smell of the sewer water had already stuck to the clothes of every prisoner in the cells.


    "Hey, you..."


    "Nnh?" Be raised her head and turned to the nearby cell.


    "You are the owner of the Whispering Pages..." A tired-looking woman said with an exhausted smile. "I... rented a book there once."


    "I remember you." Be said with a tired smile. "You borrowed ''The Secret Garden'' by Frances Hodgson But."


    "You have a good memory." The woman replied, her eyes lighting up with surprise.


    Be giggled and then asked. "Was it good?"


    "It was very much so. My kids liked it too..." The woman''s voice then turned quieter. "I hope they made it safely out..."


    "I am sure they did." Be triedforting her. "You''ll get out of here as well and find them soon."


    "..." The woman silently looked at the ground and smiled without much hope. "I am not sure whether I want to know what happened to them or not.


    "If they died, I don''t want to live in such a world."


    "I am sure your kids want to see their mother again." Be looked at her and remembered Emma''s face. "I am sure they are worried about you, wherever they are."


    "You are right..." The woman whispered gently. "We live on Edge Street, which is quite far from the entrance to the city. If they avoided the first wave of goblin attacks, they might''ve found a safe path out of the city."


    Be nodded with a smile, but her heart felt very heavy.


    ''Father...'' She closed her eyes and bit her rosy lips. ''I don''t me you for mother''s death...''


    Thud¡ªHer heart skipped a beat as the cell''s door opened with a m.


    She lifted her gaze, and her eyes trembled as she saw a grinning goblin.


    "Time for the feast, kahahaha!" The goblinughed and removed the shackles from Be''s wrists, then dragged her out of the cell by her hair.


    As she screamed loudly, the tired-looking woman tried to stand up.


    "Let go of her!"


    "Quiet down, filthy human!" The goblin pointed at the woman and grinned. "Our bellies get rarely full. We eat you next; savor every bone of yours!"


    The goblin''s long, gnarled fingers tightened around a lock of Be''s hair, and then they left the prison, leaving frightened prisoners behind.

 Chapter 207 I鈥檒l Protect You

    <h4>Chapter 207 I''ll Protect You</h4>


    Thump, thump, thump¡ªthe echo of stomping feet grew louder and louder.


    The goblins, hundred strong, stomped their feet in unison, creating a deafening sound that shook the underground chamber.


    "Raaaah!" An ugly goblin, dragging a beautiful young maiden behind, loudly roared.


    "Raaah!" The goblins screamed and pointed their fists towards the ceiling.


    As the roaring and stomping got even louder, the goblin tied Be to the bonfire and prepared to light it.


    The goblin could feel the anticipation building within the goblins as they eagerly awaited the sight of the mes engulfing her delicate figure.


    As it grabbed a torch and approached the bonfire, a sinister grin spread across its face.


    Thump¡ªbut then, a single thump silenced the crowd.


    Everyone turned around to see an elderly goblin clutching onto a walking cane, walking from the tent that was covered by the shadows.


    "Goblin Elder!" The goblin spoke while the other, less intelligent goblins stood by with awe and respect.


    The Goblin Elder nodded and approached the bonfire slowly, its eyebags looking heavy and tired.


    After reaching the bonfire, the elderly goblin lifted its head to look into the young woman''s red eyes.


    "Did you know... red eyes are a symbol of great power and wisdom in our culture." The Goblin Elder tapped its cane against the ground. "Our ancestor once ate a person with those eyes. It gave him immense power and wisdom that he passed down through generations."


    Be shivered, looking at the reflection of herself in the Goblin Elder''s eyes.


    Those red eyes had been only a curse in her life.


    Whether it was back in reality or here, the curse seemed to follow her like a shadow.


    The Goblin Elder lifted its hairy and wrinkly arm, then closed Be''s eyes with its long nails.


    "Now, those eyes are mine." It whispered sinisterly. "Light up the bonfire!"


    The goblin grinned and tossed the torch into the air.


    As the torch flew across the air, it sent golden light across the faces of the ugly goblins, casting dark shadows on the walls and ceiling.


    After a short flight, the torch fell to the bottom of the bonfire.


    The scarlet-red mes instantly became mighty, consuming all the logs and sticks with intense heat.


    Be opened her teary-eyed face and gazed at the mesmerizing disy of fire.


    The immense heat assaulted her like a relentless wave, making it hard to breathe.


    ''Mother... father...''


    As she looked at the fire, she saw a vision of a car driving down a twisty mountain road, covered by the darkness of the night.


    The car''s lights lit up the area like a brilliant fire.


    As the fire crackled, the vision turned from a peaceful night ride to a terrifying scene of a car veering off the road and crashing into a ravine.


    The car was engulfed in mes, but then a bruised man carried two red-eyed women out of the wreckage, barely conscious but alive.


    Crackle¡ªthe fire cracked, and the vision vanished.


    The heat dried up Be''s tears before they managed to fall off her delicate chin.


    "Food, food, food, food, food!" The goblins stomped their feet against the ground as they watched their meal being prepared before their hungry eyes.


    The Goblin Elder smiled as it watched the fire burning before its eyes.


    However, then it felt a strange presence.


    ''Someone powerful ising.'' The Goblin Elder''s eyes widened.


    But before it could react, the ceiling fell apart like a crumbling ruin.


    The goblins looked towards the ceiling in shock and ran out of the way, but the falling debris killed many of them.


    As the dust cloud swept through the chamber, the Goblin Elder couldn''t see anything.


    Then a wind whistled past it, and a shadowy figure emerged from the dust cloud.


    Be, covered by the mes, had her eyes closed, but then she felt a powerful pull, and suddenly she felt a different kind of warmth.


    It was like she was back in her mother''s embrace.


    She wrapped her slender arms around the unknown object and let out a very satisfied sigh.


    She then opened her eyes and felt like she was dreaming, floating among the clouds, but then she saw a face¡ªa face she didn''t expect to see again.


    "J-Jesse?"


    "You alright?" Ambrosended safely on the ground, carrying Be with Princess Carry while she had her arms wrapped around his well-toned torso.


    "U-uh..." She was speechless, not sure what to say.


    "A human..." The Goblin Elder scoffed at the sight of Ambrose. "I have felt your presence before, but it was very faint. You came here once in your soul form..."


    Ambrose gently put Be down and said, "Be, follow the sewer; it should lead you out."


    "W-what about you?" Be asked, her eyes still moist with tears.


    "A business I have to deal with." Ambrose slowly drew his ck Sword and pointed it at the old goblin. "You go. I''ll keep the goblins here with me."


    Be took a step backward, but then her gaze lingered in the direction of the prison and shook her head.


    "I-I can''t. There were people with me. I can''t leave them behind!"


    Ambrose turned silent and looked at her determined face.


    It stunned him because even after such a traumatizing experience, she still wore a very strong and resolute expression.


    "Alright then." Ambrose nodded. "You go get them. I''ll protect you."


    Be''s heart skipped a beat, and her cheeks felt unfamiliarly warm.


    "O-okay." She nodded with shyness as she felt her heart beating abnormally quickly.


    "None of you will leave..." Goblin Elderly lunged forward like a frog and pointed the cane at the beautiful Be. "Your eyes are mine!"


    Swoosh¡ªAmbrose sprang forward and smashed his sword against the powerful cane, stopping him from casting the strange spell.


    "Ngh!" Goblin Elder groaned and fell back to the ground, its hand shaking with numbness.


    "Your opponent is me." Ambrose said and raised his sword high. "Be, go!"


    Be nodded and ran past Ambrose, going towards the prison cell.


    The dust cloud was shielding her from the view of the goblins, and the path was empty.


    However, then one of the goblins stumbled out of the dust cloud, one of its arms missing, but when it saw the red-eyed Be, its mouth stretched into a disgusting grin.


    It charged towards her with a blood-curdling scream.


    Ambrose kicked at the Goblin Elder''s cane, forcing it to step backward, and at the same time, he hurled the sword across the air.


    The ck de flew past Be and stabbed right between the goblin''s eyes, ending its life.


    Be shook and turned back to Ambrose in shock.


    ''I''ll protect you.''


    His words echoed in her mind.


    She clutched her chest and whispered, "Thank you."


    Then she entered the prison and saw the prisoners shaking in fear, imagining the sight of them getting eaten.


    After hearing the footsteps, they began sobbing and crying, thinking it was now their turn.


    "I-It''s you!" The tired-looking woman shouted in shock and stood up with a smile. "You escaped? How?"


    "You''ll see soon." Be grabbed the old, brass keys from the wall, opened each prison cell, and removed the shackles from the prisoners.


    "How can we escape? Those goblins are still out there!" One of the prisoners cried out.


    They remembered the sight of hundreds of goblins, and it was impossible to get past such a powerful army.


    "Just follow me." Be said and ran out of the prison, followed by the tired-looking woman and,stly, the rest of the prisoners.


    When they arrived at the chamber, they were shocked to see the dust cloud that had mostly dissipated already.


    They saw hundreds of goblins groaning in pain, while over half of them had been crushed by the fallen debris.


    "What in the world..."


    "Who is he?" The tired-looking woman pointed at the ck-haired young man, fighting alone against the Elder Goblin and dozens of goblins.


    "He saved us. Let''s go!" Be shouted, taking the lead and running towards him.


    Hearing the rapid footsteps, Ambrose nced at them all and shouted. "The tunnel behind me, go!"


    Be nodded and entered the path, but before leaving, she allowed everyone to pass her.


    Lastly, she looked at Ambrose''s strong back and whispered. "Please survive..."


    "Raah!" The Goblin Elder screamed and smashed its cane into the ck de, but the young man''s guard was simply too powerful. "Filthy human!"


    "Heh, I am filthy?" Ambrose retorted with a smirk.


    "Grr!" The Goblin Elder raised its cane high and spoke in an unknownnguage. "Re Nu Ka Ma Kusana!"


    The ground beneath Ambrose started shaking violently.


    "?" Ambrose quickly jumped into the air and saw the ground beneath him crumble apart, turning into a bottomless pit.


    ''A magician, just like Karma. Excellent.''


    Ambrose grinned andnded safely on the ground.


    "You think... you can defeat us all?" The Goblin Elder asked, and soon, hundreds of goblins rose back to their feet, their wounds healing as the elderly goblin healed them with a spell!


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes, but then a strange dinging sound entered his ears.


    Ding, ding.


    [A Secret Quest Had Been Activated!]

 Chapter 208 Extermination

    <h4>Chapter 208 Extermination</h4>


    [Secret Quest]


    [Rank: A]


    [Mission: Exterminate the Goblin Elder]


    [Description: The Goblin Elder is the main culprit in the destruction of Yatagarasu, such evil cannot be left roaming freely¡ªextra rewards will be given based on how many goblins you kill. However, if the yer doesn''t kill the Goblin Elder, quest will fail]


    [Time limit: 1 hour]


    [Reward: The reward forpleting the quest will be revealed uponpletion]


    ***


    "Hoh." Ambrose smiled at the sight of that. "Now I have another reason to exterminate these creatures off the face of the."


    "Saa Blub Koh!" The Goblin Elder tapped the ground three times with the cane.


    A blinding light engulfed the area, illuminating the malicious faces of the goblins.


    The spell increased the defense and attacking capabilities of all hundred goblins.


    "See, human?" The Goblin Elder showed proudly the might of its army. "We already defeated you all, and there were hundreds of you, humans. You are alone. What can you possibly do against us?"


    The Goblin Elder sneered, confident in the overwhelming strength and attacking capabilities of its goblins.


    "We''ll see." Ambrose walked over the goblin corpse and pulled out his ck de from its skull.


    He then wiped the blood off the de with his sleeve.


    ''The confidence will only reach so far.'' He thought. ''The soul scanned enough of the area for me tomence a sneak attack that sessfully killed many goblins, but not as many as I would have wanted.''


    However, it was a small victory on the scale of things.


    After clearing the sword from the blood, he looked at his reflection and smiled.


    ''At least I managed to rescue her. If I die, that is too bad since I will fail the quest. But I have seeded inpleting my promise with Emma; that is good enough.''


    Ambrose, wielding only one sword, turned towards the Goblin Elder and the goblin army.


    He raised the sword, the curved edge of the de pointing at the Goblin Elder''s ugly face.


    "However, I will make sure that you die!"


    "Zahahaha!" The Goblin Elderughed, its saliva flying all over the ce. "Attack, my army!"


    "Guraaah!" The goblins screamed and charged with powerful might towards Ambrose, ready to tear him apart.


    Ambrose grinned and sprang forth.


    As his muscles on his right arm swelled with adrenaline, he swung his ck sword, slicing through the goblins'' ranks with ease.


    As his experience bar continued rising with each enemy defeated, he could feel his power growing exponentially.


    With each swing of his sword, another goblin fell before him, their bodies dropping to the ground in a lifeless heap.


    "Haaa!"


    With a mighty shout, the ck de shredded through the goblins.


    ...


    Outside the sewer system, Be and the rest of the prisoners entered the open air, finally smelling something other than the disgusting sewer stench.


    However, the air outside was heavy with moisture and smoke, but it smelled a thousand times better than inside the sewers.


    "Sob, sob, we survived!" They cheered loudly, some even falling to their knees.


    "Everyone!" Be shouted, attracting their attention. "We are still not safe. We have to leave Yatagarasu!"


    Realizing that there might be more goblins roaming the streets, they wiped their tears and nodded.


    As they began discussing the safe route out of the Yatagarasu, Be turned towards the entrance of the sewer, desiring to go there and help him.


    "Are you close to him?" The tired-looking woman came over to Be.


    "He is the brother of someone special to me." Be said with a dreaming look.


    "He saved you for a reason." The woman tapped her slender shoulder. "Don''t think about anything reckless."


    "I know..." Be replied, her voice trailing off.


    "We should leave now. More goblins might be heading this way if they heard the loud noise." The woman said with a smile.


    "You''re right." Be nodded and looked away from the sewer, then followed behind the others as they began their way out of Yatagarasu.


    ...


    "Kill him!" The Goblin Elder screeched, but no matter what spell it used to help its army, they fell under the young man''s blood-soaked de.


    Realizing the direness of the situation, the Goblin Elder raised its cane and summoned a powerful rock golem from the fallen debris.


    The rock golem towered over all the small goblins, even making Ambrose feel as small as an ant.


    It clenched its fist and threw it down like a meteor.


    Ambrose sprang into the air, jumping over the enormous golem.


    As the golem''s fistnded on the ground, several goblins got crushed, and a small crater appeared around the fist.


    Ambrose raised his sword, his muscles swelling, and the blood vessels danced around his biceps like awork of fiery veins.


    "sh of the Three Worlds!"


    Swoosh¡ªthe de cut through the rock golem as if it were made of poorly-made pottery.


    With that single sword sh, the golem disintegrated into a pile of dust.


    "W-what is that sword made of?" The Goblin Elder flinched in horror after seeing its strongest summon get defeated so easily.


    Ambrosended on the ground and delivered a crescent-shaped sword sh at the nearby goblins, slicing them in half neatly.


    His experience bar continued rising while the number of goblins continued to drop.


    The less intelligent goblins didn''t sense the danger and rushed forward with their mighty numbers, but when they got close enough, Ambrose finished them off cleanly.


    He then turned around, shared nces with the Goblin Elder andunched towards it.


    "Defend me!" The Goblin Elder cast a mind-controlling spell and made the less intelligent goblins form a meat shield in front of it.


    The mind-controlling skill only worked with the less intelligent ones, which was one of the main reasons the Goblin Elder kept them around.


    They were easily manipted and served as a useful tool for its purposes.


    "They won''t protect you!" Ambrose shed through the meat shields, but then came face-to-face with a hidden goblin that had been hiding behind the meat shield.


    "No, but he will." The Goblin Elderughed.


    "Die, filthy human!" The hidden goblinunched forward and smashed its mace into Ambrose''s head, sending him flying across the chamber with a bloodied face.


    "Kahahaha!" The goblinughed.


    It was the Goblin Captain, one of the most intelligent goblins beside the Elder.


    It was also the one who captured Be outside the Whispering Pages, and the one who tied her to the bonfire and ignited it.


    If the Goblin Elder was the main reason for Yatagarasu''s current situation, the Goblin Captain was the reason for Be''s suffering.


    "Kahahaha, filthy humans!" The Goblin Captain smashed its mace against his palm. "You all shall di¡ª"


    Spurt¡ªblood sprayed everywhere as the Goblin Captain''s head got cleanly cut in half.


    "Shut up." Ambrose said coldly, his de soaked with the Goblin Captain''s blood.


    The attack was so quick that even the Goblin Elder was not prepared for it!


    ''How did he stand up so quickly even though he got hit in the head?'' The Goblin Elder gulped. ''Human bodies are weak. His head should''ve split in half!''


    "Ugh." Ambrose touched his forehead and wiped away the small drop of blood.


    "O-only a drop of blood?" The Goblin Elder felt its old, aging bones shake beneath it.


    It couldn''tprehend how a human could withstand such a blow.


    Without even knowing it, after reaching the hundred stat in Vitality, Ambrose''s body had be incredibly resilient to all damage.


    "That was not nice." He wiped off the blood from his hand and pointed his sword at the pale-faced Goblin Elder. "You are next."


    "Ngh!" The Goblin Elder flinched back. "E-everyone, attack him, kill him!"

 Chapter 209 Ambrose Vs. Goblin Elder

    <h4>Chapter 209 Ambrose Vs. Goblin Elder</h4>


    Ambrose hopped to the left and then right,nding on the unguarded side of one of the goblins.


    With a flick of his wrist, he beheaded the goblin with a swift sh to the neck.


    "Huff... Huff..." He jumped backwards, dodging the sloppy attacks of the goblins while quickly assessing his next move.


    ''Shit, my stamina can''t handle fighting this many people at once.'' He thought while already feeling sluggish. ''I have already used Self-Possession four times today; I can''t do it anymore, and it drained all my stamina.''


    ''The small rest back in that doctor''s house helped little, but I fought the entire night, didn''t sleep one bit, and did the fucking test.


    ''I have never been this exhausted in my whole life!


    ''It''s not only physical exhaustion; my mind is worn out as well; I don''t feel like fighting or even moving my legs anymore!''


    If he had put more stats on stamina, he would perhaps, in theory, be able to use Self-Possession one more time or at least fight properly.


    However, since day one, he hadn''t put as many points into stamina as he should have, and now he was paying the price.


    But he had been jogging every day and training, which had increased his pathetic stamina.


    In real life, if there was the possibility of using Self-Possession, his maximum would be once before he passed out.


    ''From tomorrow, I will skip thirty minutes of sleep and jog twice as long!''


    His sleep had already been reduced to three hours, and now he was nning to lessen that by another thirty minutes!


    It was the price to pay to be even stronger!


    "Zahaha, feeling sluggish?" The Goblin Elder jumped over the goblins and swung its cane in a wide arc, casting another spell.


    "..." Ambrose lowered his stance and put his sword in a defensive position.


    "Sihaha!"


    With augh, a powerful magic circle appeared in the air above the Goblin Elder''s head.


    A light beam fell upon its aged figure, enveloping it in a shimmering aura.


    Once the light beam disappeared, the Goblin Elder was surrounded by sturdy armor with intricate designs and glowing symbols.


    It was magic armor!


    "This is armor that absorbs all physical attacks!" The Goblin Elderughed. "Nothing can prate through this armor!"


    Ambrose sprang forward with sweat glistening on his forehead.


    He grabbed his bicep with his left hand and felt the reassuring weight of his sword in his right.


    Then, his muscles swelled as he smashed his foot to the ground and swung the sword in a wide arc.


    "sh of the Three Worlds!"


    The Goblin Elder put its left hand forward, and from the armor, a shield emerged that covered his hand.


    Cling¡ªthe sword smashed into the shield with a resounding sh.


    "Zahahaha!" The Goblin Elderughed mockingly. "A pathetic attack! You have truly exhausted yourself, fool!"


    Ambrose threw a left-handed punch, catching theughing Goblin Elder by surprise.


    Smack¡ªthe punch connected with the Goblin Elder''s face, causing it to stumble backwards.


    After a few steps backward, the Goblin Elder stopped and touched its cheek.


    Itsughter slowly faded away, even though the punch didn''t really do any damage.


    In goblin culture, it was considered a sign of disrespect to punch someone in the face.


    Weapons and kicks were okay, but punches to the face were seen as a personal affront.


    "You will pay for that..." The Goblin Elder waved the cane, regained control of the goblins, and then forced them to unleash an all-out attack against the ck-haired human!


    "You will pay for that...with blood!"


    "Haha, your numbers sure have dwindled!" Ambroseughed and reached out to his inventory.


    "Huh?" The Goblin Elder turned around, and to his shock, there were only ten goblins left, most of them injured!


    Swoosh¡ªAmbrose pulled out another ck Sword from his inventory.


    He crossed the swords, drawing an X in the air.


    "A-attack!" Still, the Elder Goblin made them attack.


    The goblins charged forward without any weapons in hand.


    They hadn''t brought their weapons to the meal, as they imagined that they would already be eating the poor prisoners.


    "sh of the Three Worlds..."


    He sprung forward and unleashed a powerful swing with his swords.


    The arc of destruction swept over the goblins like an unstoppable gue, decimating their ranks within seconds.


    As the blood spilled over the ground, the Goblin Elder tightened the grip on its walking cane, a dire expression on the face.


    "Just you and me, huh..." Ambrose smiled and wiped off the sweat. "So much for your army."


    "It doesn''t matter." The Elder Goblin said and pointed the cane at the face of the human. "They did their job, and that was to exhaust you."


    "No loyalty among goblins, huh? Well, humans aren''t much different!" Ambrose jumped forward and mmed his swords down, but the Elder quickly blocked them with the shield.


    "The goblins are born to serve the elder. They were born to serve me!" The Goblin Elder screamed and swung its cane around before casting several spells.


    First, the elder summoned a gust of wind that pushed Ambrose a few steps backward and then sent a wave of fire towards him.


    Ambrose lifted his swords and cut straight through the fire.


    As he emerged from the fire, the corners of his clothes were burning, but he didn''t seem to care as he ran forward and started delivering quick downward shes.


    "Ngh!" The Goblin Elder walked backward while blocking the strikes with the cane and shield.


    "Ahhh!" Ambrose continued hammering his swords down, but the shield and the cane didn''t seem to shatter no matter how hard he tried.


    The Goblin Elder suddenly crouched, its knees sinking towards the ground, and then suddenly swept Ambrose''s legs underneath him with a timely low kick.


    Ambrose crashed on the ground back-first, his breath knocked out of him.


    The Goblin Elder smashed its cane down, but Ambrose side-rolled to avoid it and then jumped back to his feet.


    "High Pain!" He rushed forward and smashed his sword down, only to get blocked again.


    However, he didn''t seem to be dispirited as he took one step backward and put his sword in an overhead stance.


    "Basic sh!"


    Swoosh, cling¡ªthe sword smashed into the sturdy shield.


    "Weak!" The Goblin Elder shouted and pushed Ambrose back with a shove.


    "Dual Basic sh!" Ambrose lifted both ck Swords above his head and brought them down, but the Goblin Elder nimbly dodged them and cast several spells at the same time.


    The spells shot forward like bullets.


    "Dual Basic Parry!" Ambrose crossed his swords in front of him and deflected the bullet-like spells.


    However, the force of the impact sent him tumbling backwards, but as soon as he stopped rolling, he jumped back to his feet.


    But his legs seemed to weigh tons; even dragging them behind him seemed like a monumental task.


    The Goblin Elder shot forward and used its cane like a sword, delivering powerful blows at Ambrose.


    Ambrose gritted his teeth and continued using Dual Basic Parry, but soon he couldn''t keep up the speed and was struck in the chest.


    The power of the strike sent him crashing into a wall.


    "Ngh!" Ambrose spat out saliva, his vision blurry and his body aching.


    "Huuh... huuh..." The Goblin Elder panted heavily; even it was not spared from the brunt of the long fight.


    Using tons of spells and mind-control had exhausted it both physically and mentally.


    "You have been defeated." The Goblin Elderughed. "However, I do not n on killing you yet. You are not enough to fill my belly. I still desire that red-eyed human. I want to have her eyes. They are mine!"


    "I will find her, bring her back here, and eat her as a main course while you are the desert!"


    Ambrose raised his head andughed.


    "Hahahahaha, cough, hahahaha..." Whileughing and coughing, he stood up from the wall. "Are you serious game?"


    "What?" The Goblin Elder looked strangely at the human.


    Ambrose chuckled and shook his head.


    His interface hovered in front of him.


    [Level: 51]


    "Ahh..." Ambrose chuckled and pointed his sword at the Goblin Elder. "You really shouldn''t have let me kill all your minions. Now I have sixty stat points to spend!"


    "What?" The Goblin Elder frowned.


    Ambrose smiled mysteriously and assigned the stats to increase his dexterity, stamina, and strength.


    [STR: 100 -> 105]


    [STA: 45 -> 60]


    [DEX: 60 -> 100]


    [Dex%4&&//&¡è Ad¡è%&" Re"¡è&"&]

 Chapter 210 Evolved

    <h4>Chapter 210 Evolved</h4>


    ''What is he doing?'' The Goblin Elder watched as the ck-haired young man moved his arm around in the air as if he were doing something.


    The elder''s limited knowledge made it hard toprehend it.


    ''He must be tricking me. He only boasts big words!'' The Goblin Elder thought with scorn. ''I have already won this battle. I just have to beat him into submission.''


    "Huff..." Ambrose spun his swords around and cracked a small smile. "Much better."


    ''After reaching a hundred in Dexterity, I truly am starting to feel like these swords are another limb of mine. I feel very connected to them on a spiritual level.''


    The Goblin Elder pointed its wooden cane filled with strange magic at Ambrose and shouted. "Time to end this. Goblin Bombardment!"


    Swoosh, swoosh¡ªdozens of spherical magic spells shot out from the wooden cane, raining down on Ambrose.


    Ambrose extended both his sword-wielding arms and began spinning the swords in a blur of motion.


    "sh of the Three Worlds!"


    Crack¡ªhe tightly grabbed the swords and swung them horizontally across the air.


    The force of his swings sent the spherical spells flying in all directions.


    "M-my spells!" The Goblin Elder grimaced and felt its power weakening.


    Ambrose looked at the ugly goblin and sprang forward.


    Again, he started spinning the swords in front of him, creating a dizzying motion that made the des look like afterimages.


    As he closed in on the Goblin Elder, he could see fear flickering in its eyes.


    "sh of the..."


    "Enough!" The Goblin Elder shouted and raised his cane to cast another spell.


    This time, the spell appeared near the crumbling ceiling.


    It was spherical in shape, but inside the spell, there was some kind of luminous energy.


    "Ancient Goblin Magic, Luminescent!"


    Swoosh¡ªa vertical line cut straight through the sphere, releasing a figure trapped inside the energy.


    Thud¡ªtherge, muscr figure crashed into the ground, covered in a wet substance.


    It looked like the creature had just been born.


    "Attack!" The Goblin Elder took control of the new-born creature, forcing it to attack the ck-haired yer.


    The creature raised its head, revealing dark eyes, prominent tusks, and a familiar, ugly face.


    ''An orc?'' Ambrose lunged forward and looked straight at the Goblin Elder, not nning to stop his attack.


    "sh of the Three Worlds!"


    The swords shed through the air, sending a powerful wave of energy towards the Goblin Elder.


    "Eek!" The Goblin Elder''s eyes closed in horror. "Protect me, fool!"


    Swoosh¡ªarge, muscr-ridden figure appeared in front of the wave of energy.


    The attacknded on its chest with a deafening boom.


    However, therge creature seemedpletely unharmed!


    "Ugh, the hell." Ambrose clicked his tongue.


    After opening its shaky eyes, the Goblin Elder startedughing nervously. "Zahahaha, see? This is the magic our ancestor created. It allows us to create a superior version of ourselves!"


    ''The superior version of goblins is just an orc? How fitting.'' Ambrose scoffed and remembered Yughragh and his disgusting, overpowered attacks.


    Luckily, the muscr figure didn''t seem to possess such strength.


    "Attack, zahahaha!" The Goblin Eldermanded.


    The muscr Orc charged forward and threw a powerful punch that caused the air to explode.


    Ambrose crossed the swords in front of his body and blocked the punch, but the sheer impact sent him tumbling backward.


    After ending his tumbling, he struggled to stand up, but after a few groans of pain, he managed to push himself to stand upright.


    Thump, thump!


    The Orc rushed forward, shaking the earth with each long stride.


    Ambrose sighed heavily and dodged another air-exploding punch from the Orc, but the shockwave sent him sliding down the ground.


    Screech¡ªhe stabbed his swords into the ground, stabbing through the thickyer of dirt and rock, anchoring himself in ce.


    "Zahahaha!" The Goblin Elder spread its arms wide as if it were epting a hug. "Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant¡ªI should have summoned this thing before. I would''ve been unstoppable!"


    Thump, thump!


    The ground shook as the Orc chased after the ck-haired yer, closing in on him with each thunderous step.


    Ambrose silently watched as the Orc closed in on him, and when the creature was close enough, he suddenly sprung into the air, flipping over its massive frame.


    The Orc followed Ambrose with its eyes, its massive muscles tensing as it prepared for another ground-shaking attack.


    "High Pain!" Ambrose flicked his wrist and delivered a quick sh at the Orc''s shoulder.


    The de made a thin, almost non-existent cut on the Orc''s thick, armored skin.


    However, that was enough.


    "Guraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" The Orc roared in pain, its scream shaking the foundations of the underground chamber.


    "W-what?" The Goblin Elder looked in shock as its proudest creation was whimpering in pain.


    "Humanoid Imperfecta!" Ambrose leaped forward and stabbed both his ck Swords into the Orc''s chest.


    The de''s edges barely managed to stab into the armored skin, but it was enough for the curse to take effect.


    "Heh!" Ambroseughed and then tried to remove the swords from the skin, but soon realized that he couldn''t!


    The Orc''s skin regenerated at an rming pace, trapping the swords with the thick skin!


    "Oh, sh¡ª"


    The Orc raised its angry, blood-red eyes and looked straight at the human, who caused it an unspeakable amount of pain.


    Squeeze¡ªthe Orc grabbed Ambrose by his throat and mmed him into the ground with a bone-crushing force.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose''s chest caved in, and out of reflex, he coughed up blood.


    His vision turned blurry, and breathing became even harder.


    He struggled to stay awake, but the darkness quickly engulfed his vision.


    As his consciousness slipped away, the Orc lifted him from the ground and smashed him into the wall, leaving a trail of blood sttered across the surface.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose gasped, forced awake by the searing numbness in his ribs.


    "Zahahahaha!" The Goblin Elder erupted intoughter, getting tired of the human surprising him with sudden attacks, but now it truly looked like the victory was theirs.


    However, then the Orc turned slightly sluggish as it began feeling strange.


    Its movements became unsteady and uncoordinated, causing it to stumble and struggle to maintain its bnce.


    "H-huh?" The Goblin Elder looked at its creation in confusion. "What is happening? What is wrong with you?"


    "Suu... kruu..."


    The Orc stammered unintelligent words as it was still new-born, unable to speak proper words in thenguages of humans or goblins.


    "W-what have you done, human?!" The Goblin Elder looked at the ck-haired young man in anger.


    "Hah... it sure took time for it to work..." Ambrose opened his hazy eyes and stood up from the ground, his legs shaking.


    The Orc shook its head, but soon it got used to the feeling of weakness and began to focus in the task in hand¡ªkilling Ambrose.


    "Kill him!" The Goblin Elder stomped the ground angrily. "That''s why you were born for. Kill him!"


    The Orc turned its blood-red eyes back at Ambrose and began stomping towards him with renewed bloodlust.


    ''It sure got used to Humanoid Imperfecta quickly... What a monster. Maybe because it is mind-controlled.''


    Ambrose struggled to lift his swords, but he knew if he let the Orc deliver another attack, he would die and fail the secret quest.


    He also did not want to let the Goblin Elder live; it was uneptable!


    At that moment, shes of memories from his training with the wise grandmaster flooded Ambrose''s mind.


    Sometimes during the day, the Wisdom King showed a glimpse of his swordsmanship, showing different kinds of techniques and footwork.


    The memories began bending together; his figure reced the Wisdom King''s and he repeated the techniques and footwork with precision and grace.


    Until finally, his swordsmanship reached a new level of mastery.


    Ambrose closed his heavy eyes and crossed the swords in front of his body.


    The loud footsteps of Orc''s and the Goblin Elder''sughter faded into obscurity.


    He only heard his steady breathing and the vibration of his muscles.


    Ding, ding...


    [A skill "sh of the Three Worlds" has evolved!]


    [1x Skill Scroll Used!]


    [Do you want to name your skill?]


    [Y/N]


    "Yes..." Ambrose whispered, and then, in his dark mind pce, the movements of the particr skill appeared.


    It looked fluid, precise, and powerful!


    Thump!


    The ground shook as the Orc stomped its feet down; it then lifted its fist and rained it down upon Ambrose!


    It looked like a boulder was descending from the sky.


    Ambrose mmed his eyes open.


    "sh of the Six Worlds!"


    Swoosh!


    Spurt!


    "Uh... uh..." The Goblin Elder stumbled forward, its hand touching its waist.


    The elder was having a hard time breathing as, in front of it, the muscr Orc fell to the ground, its body sliced in half.


    "H-how..." The Goblin Elder turned around and saw the ck-haired human standing coolly with two blood-soaked swords in his hands.


    The human somehow traversed across the chamber within a millisecond, cutting both the Orc and the Goblin Elder without even letting out a sound.


    "Ugh..." The Goblin Elder fell to its knees and looked down at its torso, its organs spilling out from the abdomen.


    "Curse... you... human..."


    With thest words of regret, the elder fell to the ground, dead.


    Ambrose slowly sheathed his sword, and as soon as the de had fully slipped into the scabbard, he turned back to look at the Goblin Elder''s lifeless body.


    "It won''t be too long anymore..." He turned away and walked away from the chamber. "Until I am powerful enough to defeat you¡ªCerberus!"


    The winner¡ªAmbrose!

 Chapter 211 Revenger

    <h4>Chapter 211 Revenger</h4>


    Ambrose walked out of the sewers into the bright sunlight.


    As he looked around, he noticed that he was alone; Be and the rest were gone.


    ''They must''ve left Yatagarasu by now; that is the smartest idea.'' He thought to himself and walked up a small bank, entering a deste street with somewhat intact-looking buildings.


    He sat down on a white chair in front of one of the cafes and observed the eerie silence that surrounded him.


    ''This ce must still have goblins lurking around, but I do not n to hunt them all.''


    He then opened all the notifications he had received during his fight against the Goblin Elder and his army.


    There were tons.


    At first, he skipped all the kill and level-up notifications.


    Soon, he reached the section that interested him most.


    "Hoh." Ambrose rubbed his chin with a smile.


    [sh of the Six Worlds - Rank: Epic]


    ''My first Epic-ranked skill. It also seems that this attack increases my strength by six times. I wonder how my other skills would be if they evolved.''


    After enjoying the sight of that, he moved onto the quest rewards.


    [Secret Quest sessfullypleted!]


    [243x Goblins killed]


    [1x Mutated Orc killed]


    [1x Goblin Elder killed]


    [Reward: Title of Revenger]


    ''Only that?'' He frowned, feeling incredibly disappointed, but then he checked the description.


    [Revenger: Increases the yer''s power by 10% against all evil creatures]


    ''By 10%? Hmm.'' Ambrose caressed his chin. ''That is quite a lot, but I am still somewhat disappointed if this is the only reward I get.''


    He scratched his head, stood up, and began stepping down the street, heading towards the exit of Yatagarasu.


    At that moment, he heard a ding.


    He quickly checked the notification and saw that he had received a message from Be.


    In the message, she said that they had already left for a town that was near Yatagarasu after hearing from a traveling merchant that there were other refugees.


    ''I wonder if that is the town where Emma is.'' He thought and decided to go there.


    He didn''t know where it was, but with soul tracking, he could find it rather easily.


    After leaving the particr street, he took a detour to Whispering Pages, where he picked up the heavy bag which carried stuff he received from Honorable Dojo Temple.


    Then, he walked over to the gates of Yatagarasu, he walked by without taking a second look at the destroyed city.


    At the wall that surrounded the Yatagarasu, which was also called the Wall of Champions, there were dozens of writings and pictures of heroic figures who had defended the city in its prime.


    Now, on this bright day, another picture appeared out of nowhere.


    In the picture, a lonely person, wielding two mighty swords, faced the might of the goblin army and their sinister leader.


    On this day, a legend of Ambrose, the Revenger, started spreading across thend, inspiring hope in the hearts of citizens of Yatagarasu who had lost their homes.


    In the centuries toe, Ambrose''s story would be told and retold, bing a symbol of bravery and resilience for generations.


    He, however, waspletely oblivious to the scribbling on the wall as he was already on his way to the town, where Be was headed.


    ...


    At Hightown, a solemn atmosphere filled the air as rugged-looking people tried to find their loved ones.


    The townspeople of Hightown looked at them with pity. They couldn''t imagine the terror of losing everything they knew in the span of one day.


    At the entrance of the town, passing by the weing sign, Be and others looked around the chaotic sight with heavy hearts.


    "I think I have seen him once." The tired-looking woman looked at a man, wearing old pajamas and a worn-out expression, sitting on a broken bench at the edge of the road. "He was a lord of some sort. He was a very wealthy man, but I suppose he also lost everything..."


    "..." Be looked at him with pity, her heart heavy with sympathy. "We should move to the town center. I heard some whispers that we can register ourselves there..."


    "Mm." The tired-looking woman nodded.


    At the back of the pack, a young man shivered while rubbing his arms.


    "Are you alright?" A fellow prisoner looked at him, shaking.


    "Yeah..." The young man sighed. "I had already resigned myself to death. I thought I would''ve been eaten already, but now that I am alive and well, I am lost as to what to do."


    "I feel you..." The fellow prisoner sighed. "He saved us... I wonder if he managed to escape safely."


    "There were hundreds of them... he must''ve sacrificed himself for us." The young man stabbed his nails into his skin. "Are we worthy of his sacrifice? What are we supposed to do?"


    "We''ve got a second chance in life." The fellow prisoner said. "I''ll make it count. I won''t let what happened today be forgotten."


    "What do you mean?" The young man turned to him, confused.


    "I will, of course, share his story." The fellow prisoner said. "I will spread it around about how he saved us from those evil goblins. He deserves to be remembered."


    "That is very noble." The young man said in admiration.


    "I might not be able to do it alone." He said and turned to the young man. "Are you willing to help me?"


    "H-help you?" The young man asked in shock.


    "Yes." He nodded. "This might be a way for us to earn that sacrifice."


    "I..." The young man looked at the shining sun and then looked back at the person. "I''ll help you. We will make sure his story will be remembered for eons toe!"


    "Good!" He nodded with augh. "First, we have to know his name."


    "How in the world will we find that out?" The young man asked.


    "She must know." He pointed at the ck-haired Be. "They seemed close. I heard something about him being the brother of someone important to her."


    "Did he perhaps rescue her because he didn''t want his sister to be sad?" The young man sighed heavily. "What a noble man."


    "Mm, we can add that to our story." The person rubbed his chin with an excited expression. "Let''s find out his name from her."


    "Alright!"


    As Be and the tired-looking woman arrived at the town center, they couldn''t even move forward without bumping shoulders with someone.


    It was absolutely packed, with voices getting ovepped and drowned out by the loud noises.


    "How can we find anything in here?" The tired-looking woman asked.


    "I am not sure..." Be sighed.


    "B-Be?"


    Then she heard a familiar, innocent voice that immediately brightened her face.


    Be turned, and to her joy, an innocent-looking young girl was sitting on a bench, her eyes moist.


    Emma dropped the ice cream in shock and rushed to Be before mming into her embrace.


    "You are back!"


    "Ah." Be smiled and patted her head. "Howe you are here?"


    "I-I just returned from school and wanted toe here to see if my brother hade here, t-t-then I saw you!" Emma smiled through tears. "Where have you been?!"


    "I missed you so much!"


    Be smiled gently and crouched to be at the same eye level as Emma.


    "I''ve been searching for you everywhere, dummy..." Emma said and wiped her tears with a sleeve.


    She didn''t know whether tough or cry, so she did both.


    Her emotions were a tangled mess, but she couldn''t help but feel relieved that Be was safe.


    Be sadly smiled and hugged her fragile body while listening to her cries.


    "I''m so d you''re here," Be whispered, her voice filled with happiness knowing that the little girl wasn''t foolish enough to go find her in Yatagarasu.


    It was her greatest worry.


    "I-is brother with you?" Emma asked after managing to wipe off most of her tears. "H-he must''ve found you, right?"


    "He... did." Be smiled bashfully. "I was in a little trouble, but he saved me."


    "I see!" Emma proudly nodded. "Did he alsoe here? Where is he?"


    "He... will being soon." Be said with a reassuring smile. "I told him that I would be going here, so I am sure he will be here soon!"


    "Then let''s go wait for him at the entrance!" Emma smiled innocently and held Be''s hand.


    Be nodded and was about to follow the little girl, but then remembered the woman, who had be a friend of hers.


    She turned around, hoping to find her, and soon she did.


    However, the tired-looking woman was hugging three children, who were crying their hearts out.


    ''I am d...'' Be thought and smiled before leaving with Emma.


    The young man and his new friend looked at each other as the two girls left with heavy looks.


    "How sad..." The young man sighed. "She didn''t tell the truth to her friend to spare her the pain of losing a brother.


    "Indeed..." His friend sighed and clenched his fist. "I''ll do everything in my power to ensure that our story will reach every ear in thisnd. Then, I will share half of the profits with his little sister!"


    "Very admirable, bro!" The young man pped his hands.


    "We can ask for his nameter, after we''ve finished discussing our ns for promoting our story."


    "Let''s do it!"

 Chapter 212 Merchant Sethelean

    <h4>Chapter 212 Merchant Sethelean</h4>


    "Ngh..." Ambrose stopped walking on the dirt road and looked at the heavy bag he was carrying with an ufortable look. ''Hmm, I wish I had a way to sell most of my useless things so I can store this in my inventory...''


    After thinking about that, he realized that there actually might be a way to do that!


    He opened his inventory and pulled out the Merchant Whistle.


    It had been quite a while since he acquired it, yet he hadn''t used it!


    ''Right, I could use this now.'' He thought and dropped the bag to the ground.


    Before leaving the Honorable Temple, he had picked up all his stuff from Zhen''s cottage, which made his inventory quite full.


    It also reminded him of how much useless stuff he had.


    ''Let''s see what I should sell.'' He sat on top of the bag and began scrolling through his inventory.


    ''Hmm, I have a wooden spear, an iron spear, and some basic pants. Then there is some longsword¡ªwho knows how long I had it¡ªand a pair of worn-out boots.''


    He then looked down at his hand and at the Ring of Nature.


    This was a very valuable object, which increases the effectiveness of meditation by 50%.


    That''s why he always meditated outside in nature.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t bring it outside into the real world, or he would use it constantly.


    ''This could probably sell for a lot of silver, but it''s very valuable to me, and it doesn''t take up any space in inventory, so selling this is a big no.''


    He then turned back to the inventory.


    ''One wooden sword, my original sword, which I acquired when I began ying for the first time... I don''t want to sell it; it''s way too valuable.


    ''I just have to sell those useless spears and clothes I don''t use. Maybe I can somehow lighten up the bag as well.''


    He put the items he nned to sell on the ground, then stood up and opened the bag.


    It had a lot of food inside and spare clothes, which included the baige-colored robe.


    ''Food... food... food... huh, what is this?'' Ambrose frowned and took out a worn-out piece of parchment paper.


    "Mortal Style?"


    Ambrose read the front text out loud and curiously unfolded it, then began reading through it.


    As he read, his eyes slowly began widening as he realized it was a style scroll!


    "This is a swordsmanship-specialized style scroll, and its name is Mortal Style!" Ambrose skimmed through it with excitement. "How did this end up in my bag?"


    As he thought about it, he realized there was only one way.


    "Some of these look familiar..." He remembered the old grandmaster doing a few of these moves before. "Master... he gave his style scroll to me?"


    It meant that his master believed he was ready to learn swordsmanship.


    It was an incredible honor.


    In time, Ambrose wanted to create his own style and had already begun creating it, but he stillcked a lot of skills.


    While many yers were very happy with three or four skills already, he wanted much more.


    Way more.


    This style scroll contained nearly fifty swordsmanship skills, and they were now all his!


    ''These are skills that seem to fit my dual-wielding, even though not perfectly.'' He thought and then folded the paper before hugging it against his chest.


    He swore to learn all these skills and do justice to this style.


    ''Now, I have fifty new skills, but I have to learn all of them. Once I have arrived in the town, I''ll find time to learn them.''


    He was curious how Mortal Style would fare against his own skills.


    After folding the parchment paper, he carefully stored it inside his inventory and then tossed the bag filled with food and spare clothes inside.


    It barely fit, making the inventorypletely full.


    He looked at the Merchant Whistle in his hand and put his lips on the mouthpiece, then blew into it.


    Whistle¡ªthe sound of a whistle flew out into the air.


    Ambrose looked around and suddenly heard heavenly bells echo behind him.


    As he turned around, he was surprised to see a merchant vendor standing behind a stall filled with colorful trinkets and treasures.


    The merchant wore a calming smile, and his braided gray beard looked rather unique.


    In his round ears, he wore intricate gold earrings that sparkled in the sunlight.


    The gold earrings looked expensive and seemed to hold mysterious powers.


    "I heard a calling, and here I am!" The merchant pped his hands with a smile. "My name is Merchant Sethelean, and I specialize in trading and selling rare and valuable jewelry."


    "Ah, hello." Ambrose nodded and picked up the stuff from the ground while awkwardly saying his name. "My name is... ugh, Ambrose."


    After standing upright after picking up the stuff from the ground, he ced the useless stuff on the stall''s counter and said.


    "And I wish to sell these!"


    "Right away, sir." Merchant Sethelean said and examined the items.


    It took barely five seconds until he said the price.


    "331 silvers."


    "Mm, alright." Ambrose didn''t really care much and epted the offer.


    ''I have nearly 54 thousand silvers; let''s see whether he sells anything I could use.''


    "You said you were selling jewelry?"


    "Yes, sir." The merchant Sethelean took out various collections of different earrings, rings, and nes from his disy case.


    "Hmm, what does this do?" Ambrose pointed at a ck ring with a mysterious symbol etched into it.


    "It increases the wielder''s appetite."


    ''What use does that have?'' Ambrose felt his eyebrow twitching. "What about this?"


    This time, he pointed at a small vial filled with a bright blue liquid.


    It was hidden behind the colorful trinkets but looked valuable.


    "It is a special spice for cooking. Apparently, a well-known chef known for his inventive vorbinations created it.


    "This vial contains the blood of the Sea Jellyfish and the Cave Slime''s destroyed body."


    ''That sounds disgusting.'' Ambrose sighed and scratched his head. "What are the most useful ones for swordsmen?"


    "Depends on the usefulness." The merchant, Sethelean, chuckled, then opened a drawer and brought two silver earrings out.


    The silver earrings were crescent-shaped with an engraving of a sword in them. It looked like those earrings would make a perfect essory for a swordsman.


    "These earrings go below your ear; they hug your earlobe and add a touch of elegance to any outfit."


    ''This looks like something those delinquents use, but these are sure cool.'' Ambrose crossed his arms and asked. "What do they do?"


    Sethelean smiled and replied. "They make you look very nice when you are fighting."


    "Huh?" Ambrose frowned. "Is this some kind of joke?"


    "Not at all." Sethelean chuckled, and innocent put his arms up in the air. "While wearing these, your opponents will feel intimidated, and the opposite sex will feel attracted."


    "So, you don''t have anything remotely useful?" Ambrose asked, clicking his tongue in disappointment.


    "Haha, not quite. But hey, at least you''ll look good!"


    "Sheesh..." Ambrose massaged his temples.


    "Will you buy these? It''s 5,000 silvers each!" Sethelean smiled.


    "You might as well rob me." Ambroseughed mockingly. "Get the fuck out of here. Can I sell this whistle to you? I don''t want this anymore."


    "Haha, that won''t do!" Sethelean grinned. "Since it''s your first time purchase, I will give you a 500 silver discount, now being only at 4,500 silvers!"


    "No thanks!" Ambrose waved his hand and began walking away.


    "Wait!"


    "Ugh." Ambrose rolled his eyes and turned back to the merchant. "What?"


    "3,000 silvers each, and you get this for extra." Sethelean brought out a ne with a sparkling ruby pendant.


    It looked very beautiful, and any woman would immediately swoon over it.


    "What use this has?" Ambrose asked while curiously approaching the stall.


    "It makes whoever wears this look extra beautiful!" Setheleanughed.


    "Fuck this." Ambrose massaged his temples. "So, these artifacts of yours only increase the physical attraction of the wielder?"


    "Haha, if you like to think so!"


    "If I buy it, will you sell something better next time?" Ambrose asked with a twitching lip.


    "Of course, the customer''s wish is my wish!" Sethelean proudly dered with a smile.


    "Sigh, fine." Ambrose tossed a pouch worth 6,000 silvers and then snatched the two silver earrings and the ne before walking away.


    "It was nice doing business with you!" Sethelean waved his hand and then vanished into a mist, as if he were never there to begin with.


    "6,000 silvers for this trash!" Ambrose looked at the things on his hand with a scoff.


    After adding the ne to his nearly full inventory, he put the silver earrings on each of his ears.


    Without realizing it, his posture and overall atmosphere changed drastically.


    He now exuded an air of confidence and sophistication.


    No one would want to pick a fight with him, as it was clear that he would win.


    This was a power of intimidation and attraction.

 Chapter 213 Hightown

    <h4>Chapter 213 Hightown</h4>


    On Hightown''s bustling street, a crowd had gathered around a public speaker.


    "Everyone!" His voice was high-pitched and very loud. "The tragedy of Yatagarasu cannot be forgiven!"


    "Those goblins murdered innocent cityfolk, and we must unite to bring them to justice!


    "That''s why..." The person showed a quest poster written in ck ink. "As representative of Lord Yatagarasu III, I call upon brave warriors to join me in avenging our fallenrades!"


    The crowd erupted in cheers, ready to take up arms and answer the call for justice.


    At first, they thought it was just another revenge-wanting refugee, but after hearing the name of their lord, Yatagarasu III, who was part of the family that founded the city, and that he was his representative, they realized they weren''t joking around!


    In the crowd, several yers were gathered and looked at the quest poster with wide eyes.


    They were yers from Yatagarasu and were currently suffering from the punishment, but after seeing the potential quest, they were thrilled, as the rewards must be incredibly valuable!


    "Share the news, spread these posters, and tell your fellow countrymen. Soon, Yatagarasu will be ours again!" The person shouted energetically and began sharing the posters with the crowd.


    The crowd cheered and eagerly took the posters, excited to help reim Yatagarasu.


    At the same time, an announcement appeared in the sky that was only seen by yers.


    The announcement shook the world once again.


    [WORLD ANNOUNCEMENT: Join the fight to reim Yatagarasu from the hands of goblins¡ªGo to Hightown, ept the quest, and embark on a journey to glory¡ªEveryone is allowed to join the quest!]


    ...


    "Mm..." Ambrose, listening to powerful music that shook his eardrums, hummed the lyrics while walking down a dirt road.


    The sky was turning orange, and it was almost time for the sun to set.


    The setting sun cast a warm glow over thendscape, painting the clouds in vibrant hues of pink and gold.


    It even changed the dirt road''s color to a rich, burnt orange.


    "Hmm?" Ambrose opened the Music Interface, stopped the music, and then made the interface disappear.


    "I have finally arrived, huh."


    In the distance, a town situated under the glow of the setting sun appeared.


    It was also in the path of the train, making it a convenient stop for travelers.


    The railway station was situated at the edge of the town and served as a gateway for those arriving or departing.


    Ambrose stepped forward and looked up at the vibrant orange sky as he walked down the dirt road, surrounded by fields of golden wheat.


    As he neared Hightown, he began seeing townspeople going about their daily routines, greeting each other with warm smiles and nods of recognition.


    "Hello, traveler." An elderly man tipped his sunhat as he walked by Ambrose, carrying a basket of fruits.


    "Good evening..." Ambrose returned the greeting with a short nod.


    ''This ce seems to have a very tight-knitmunity.'' He thought to himself as he observed the friendly interaction between the elderly man and other townspeople.


    After a while, he arrived at the entrance of the town and noticed a sign that read, "Wee to Hightown."


    The dirt road then ended, and Ambrose stepped onto the paved streets of the bustling town.


    The townspeople wore a variety of colorful clothes, mostly made of silk and velvet. They went about their ordinary lives, everyone having purpose in their steps and a goal to strive for.


    "E-excuse me."


    "Hmm?" Ambrose looked at the young boy, who had walked over from a newspaper kiosk. "What is it?"


    "H-here..." The young boy felt intimidated by the powerful-looking person and hesitantly handed him a flyer. "I-If you are a refugee, y-you can go to the square, b-but if you are not, y-you can register as a volunteer to help."


    Ambrose took the flyer and nodded at the boy.


    The young boy then skipped back to the newspaper kiosk, where he worked a part-time job for his father, who owned it.


    Ambrose nced down at the flyer and saw the instructions for the refugees.


    "Registering my name¡ªI don''t need to do that, I suppose." Ambrose thought out loud and then saw another instruction. "If I need to find someone, I can go there and ask the workers there, who have all registered names..."


    "This ce is quite big, and finding anyone in here feels difficult." He then folded the flyer three times and stuffed it inside his pocket.


    "Brother!"


    Ambrose''s ears perked up; he could recognize that voice from anywhere.


    Then, a missile in the form of a little girlunched into his embrace.


    "Ugh!" He groaned as she squeezed him tightly, making it hard to breathe. "E-Emma, calm down."


    "Hmm?" Emma raised her innocent gaze and smiled sweetly, her grip loosening just a little. "What took you so long?"


    "Were you waiting long?" Ambrose asked and carefully patted her head.


    "No, we just arrived here."


    "We?" Ambrose raised his gaze and saw Be sitting on a bench nearby, her face covered by newspaper.


    She then slightly lowered the newspaper, and her red eyes shook in shock after seeing Ambrose look at her, and she immediately covered her face again.


    "Be?" Emma turned around and tilted her head in confusion. "Why are you hiding your face?"


    "I-I am not!" Be put the newspaper down and tried her best topose herself, but she couldn''t hide her crimson cheeks. "I-I just found something interesting in the newspaper!"


    "You are acting weird." Emmaughed innocently and then tugged Ambrose''s sleeve. "We nned to go rent a room from here. Let''s go check it out!"


    Ambrose nodded and allowed Emma to drag him by his sleeve towards the nearby three-story hotel.


    Be followed after, keeping a small distance from both of them as they made their way down the busy street.


    Soon, they arrived at the hotel and went straight to the front desk to check in.


    After a short negotiation, they managed to rent one room on the second floor.


    Since there were so many refugees, no one could have more than one room.


    After getting the key, they went to check out the room, which only had one bed.


    "Bed!" Emma plopped down on the bed, stomach first, and buried her face in the pillow.


    She finally managed to rx herself after sitting for entire day, first in the school and now in the hard street benches while waiting for Be and Ambrose.


    "I''ll go wash my face." Be smiled and walked to the bathroom.


    As the bathroom door closed, Ambrose sat next to Emma and took out the ruby pendant.


    "Emma, this is for you."


    "Hmm?" Emma raised her head from the pillow and looked at the beautiful pendant with sparkling eyes. "Wow, it''s so pretty!"


    "Move your hair; I''ll put it on for you." Ambrose said.


    Emma was about to do that, but then she smiled mischievously and buried her face into the pillow again.


    "I don''t want it anymore."


    "Huh?" Ambrose raised his eyebrow.


    "Give it to Be!" Emma looked back at her brother and smiled. "It will look good on her!"


    "Uh..." Ambrose scratched his head and offered the pendant to her. "You give it to her, then."


    "No." Emma shook her head.


    "Why not?"


    "I have to go do homework!" Emma smiled, put a temporary spawn on the room, and then logged off without saying another word.


    "Sheesh, the hell." Ambrose looked at the ruby pendant and was about to put it away, but then the bathroom door opened, revealing Be, drying her drenched hair.


    "Where did Emma go?" She asked after not seeing the vibrant-looking little girl anywhere.


    "She had to go back to reality to do her homework." Ambrose sighed with a wry smile.


    "Mm." Be nodded and caught a glimpse of the ruby pendant, her eyes sparkling. "What is this? It''s so pretty."

 Chapter 214 Bella鈥檚 Story

    <h4>Chapter 214 Be''s Story</h4>


    "Oh, this?" Ambrose touched the ruby pendant''s smooth surface. "Do you like it?"


    "Yes, it''s very pretty." Be smiled sweetly, admiring the vibrant color of the gem. "Is it for Emma? I am sure she will love it."


    "Actually..." Ambrose turned the ruby pendant around, its smooth surface reflecting Be''s curious expression. "It is for you."


    "F-for me?" Be stumbled over her words, her eyes widening in surprise.


    Her heart was suddenly filled with joy.


    "Nn." Ambrose nodded, a small smile forming on his lips.


    He was still embarrassed, as this was the first gift he had ever given to anyone.


    "Turn around; I will put it on for you."


    "O-oh, okay." Be turned and felt her heart race with anticipation.


    Ambrose stood up and carefully moved Be''s hair out of the way, revealing her milky white neck.


    As his fingers brushed against her skin, Be couldn''t help but shiver.


    He then delicately ced the ne around her neck, making sure it sat perfectly on her corbone.


    After sping it securely, he stepped back and said, "Done."


    Be turned around, feeling the ruby pendant against her skin.


    She smiled and touched it gently. "It''s beautiful."


    "It fits you." Ambrose smiled and sat back down on the bed, admiring Be from a small distance.


    "T-thank you." Be blushed, feeling a warmth spreading through her cheeks. "I love this gift."


    "I am d." Ambrose nodded with a smile of satisfaction, his eyes never leaving Be''s radiant face.


    However, then certain thoughts that had upied his mindtely appeared.


    There were a few questions he liked answers to.


    "Can I ask something?" Ambrose asked.


    "Of course." Be smiled and sat down on the bed, still keeping a small distance between them.


    "I''ve been wondering about something." Ambrose said, ncing at Be''s beautiful face.


    "Why didn''t you log off when goblins attacked? ording to Emma, you could''ve.


    "You could have also killed yourself to avoid the fate of getting eaten. Those goblin cages didn''t seem capable of stopping you from taking out your weapon from your inventory.


    "I was just curious, why? I am sorry I sounded rude, but I couldn''t help but wonder what made you choose that option."


    "O-oh..." Be bit her upper lip. "You weren''t rude at all; I know it might''ve seemed weird."


    "You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to." Ambrose crossed his arms over his chest, leaning against the wall. "I just asked out of curiosity."


    "Uhm..." Be lowered her gaze, but then caught sight of the ruby pendant and felt butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "I''ll tell you, why."


    Ambrose looked at Be, his ears perking up as he listened intently.


    "A few months before the release of Martial Online, I was in a car ident." Be opened up her story with a shocking statement.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock.


    "My mother and I were injured quite severely, but my father managed to drag us out of the burning car, saving us.


    "However, we both ended up in a deepa, with almost no chance of waking up ever again."


    Be sighed, remembering the sight of the bonfire''s mes and the vision.


    "When I was lying on the hospital bed, in aa, I heard everything my doctors and father said.


    "I knew I was going to die.


    "However, then, my father tried something."


    "?" Ambrose saw her face turnplicated.


    "He is a game developer, one of the greatest to ever live." Be hugged her legs. "He is an important figure in Martial Company, thepany that created Martial Online.


    "Behind all of their backs, he created a thing he called a Sleeping Pod. It allowed the doctors to transfer my consciousness into the video game, where I could walk, think, and live.


    "However, it wasn''t a perfect product." Be sighed. "It has a couple of bugs that my father was unable to fix, but because of the hurry to save my life, we had to proceed with the transfer regardless.


    "The bugs include an inability to log out, and no one can see me online. There might be more bugs I am not aware of."


    Ambrose listened with a surreal expression.


    ''The technology to do that is incredible. In the future, a patients might be sent to Martial Online!''


    "However..." Be continued with a heavy look. "If I die in here, my mind would break and I would be brain dead. Doctors and my father can''t make me log out from here either, or it would register as death.


    "I am trapped here, and if I die here, I would basically die in real life.


    "So, that''s why..." Be turned to Ambrose, her eyes filled with tears. "You truly saved my life."


    Ambrose''s breathing turned rough as he realized the gravity of the situation.


    ''She could actually die!'' He covered his mouth in shock. ''This world is also a very violent ce. If she leaves the security of any of the towns and cities, she might die within a day!


    ''Even inside the city and town are not guaranteed to be safe ces!


    ''If I were in her shoes, I would have died on the first day!''


    Be looked out the window and saw the setting sun casting a golden glow across the horizon as it slowly disappeared.


    The night sky and the iing crescent moon were about to arrive.


    "Are you afraid?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yes." Be replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "I am lucky to have goodpany. I am not sure how I would have done if I were alone."


    "How did you learn to know about this?" Ambrose asked. "It must''ve been terrifying to find yourself in this unknown world without knowing the danger."


    "My father visited me in Yatagarasu and exined everything."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded. "Thank you for answering everything."


    Be giggled and smiled at him, her white, pearly teeth showing. "The least I could do after receiving such a nice gift."


    Ambrose smiled and awkwardly scratched his cheek, feeling a warmth spreading throughout his body.


    Beid down on the bed, touching the pendant hanging from her neck, and closed her eyes, feeling a sense of peace wash over her.


    "It''s very cold, isn''t it?" She whispered.


    "Yes, it must be a cold nighting." Ambrose nodded, as this ce clearly didn''t have as good of heating as the houses back in real-life.


    "It was the same back in the Whispering Pages." Be whispered gently. "The chill always seemed to seep into my bones. The bed was ufortable, and the walls couldn''t keep away the cold air."


    She then opened her eyes and smiled. "I still miss that ce. Did you visit that ce? Was it still standing?"


    "Yes, it was in good condition." Ambrose nodded. "You might need to get new books, though."


    Be giggled and nodded. "I will do that when Yatagarasu is back on its feet. I do still miss that ce, even though there are ws."


    "You saw the announcement?" Ambrose asked and smiled. "I don''t think it will take long. A month max."


    "Nn." Be nodded and turned her head to the side, looking at Ambrose, who was sitting beside her.


    "Do you want to sleep with me?"


    Ambrose looked straight ahead until the words dawned on him.


    His cheeks turned crimson, and his voice became shaky. "W-w-what did you say?"


    "I didn''t mean it like that!" Be blushed and quickly rified her intentions.


    "I mean, just sleeping here. I know you can sleep back in reality in a much warmer bed, but...I don''t want to be alone tonight.


    "It''s totally alright if you don''t want to!" She quickly turned around, covered her body with the nket, and shut her eyes.


    ''Stupid, stupid!'' Be, in embarrassment, shouted inside her mind, but then felt something move behind her, causing her to open her eyes hesitantly.


    She looked over her shoulder and saw Ambroseying down with his arms under his head, acting as a pillow, his eyes closed as if he were sleeping.


    Be slowly turned around, moving onto another side, from which she could see the side of Ambrose''s face.


    She then moved slightly closer and moved the nket over his body, wanting to make sure he stayed warm throughout the night.


    ''His breathing had gone steady and his features softened, indicating a peaceful sleep.'' Be thought and smiled. ''He must''ve been very tired.''


    She then also closed her eyes, following Ambrose into a deep slumber.

 Chapter 215 Hopes

    <h4>Chapter 215 Hopes</h4>


    "Mmh..." Ambrose sleepily muttered while feeling like he had one foot in the realm of dreams and another foot in reality.


    However, after a while, he ventured further away from the realm of dreams, about to be fully awake.


    As his eyes fluttered, he began to make out the familiar surroundings of the room.


    He pinched his nose bridge and shook his head gently to wake himself up.


    ''That was a nice sleep...'' He thought and let out a short yawn. ''I haven''t slept that well for a long time. I didn''t know I was that sleep-deprived.''


    He then casually moved his head to the side, nning toy on his side for a while, but then his nose touched a soft and pointy nose.


    It startled him as he quickly realized that Be was sleeping right next to him, their bodies almost in contact and their lips only inches apart.


    His heart skipped a beat as he gazed into her peaceful, sleeping face.


    ''That startled me...'' He pulled his head back but subconsciously nced at her rosy lips before sitting up and taking a deep breath.


    He then moved the nket off of him and quietly slid out of bed.


    After entering the bathroom, he stared at his reflection in the mirror, turned on the sink, and began washing his face.


    As he sshed the water on his face, he couldn''t help but remember yesterday.


    ''That was one busy day.'' He closed the sink, dried up his face with a towel, and looked at his face in the mirror.


    He had barely had a moment to himself, always going from one ce to the next and fighting constantly.


    ''Yesterday, I reached a hundred in both Vitality and Dexterity. I should log off soon and see what has changed in my body.''


    He felt optimistic that his disease, Humanoid Imperfecta, was finally cured, but he still kept his expectations low.


    Knock, knock.


    "Jesse, are you there?"


    He turned to the door, hearing the knocking and Be''s sweet voice.


    "Yes, one moment." He finished drying up his face and then left the bathroom.


    "I just wondered if you had left already." Be smiled after the door opened, revealing Ambrose standing there with a towel in his hand.


    "Left where?" Ambrose asked curiously and put the towel over his shoulder.


    "I thought you would be leaving today after rescuing me." Be fiddled with her fingers. "You have a bounty on your head, after all. I now know why you didn''t stay in Yatagarasu back then."


    "Yeah, that..." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and sat down on the bed, then put his shoes on. "I don''t n to leave yet. There is something I must do."


    "Oh really?" Be curiously looked at him. "What is it?"


    "Well, first of all, I received a scroll from an old friend, and it includes a few things that I need to learn. I won''t leave before I have learned it all, and I also have to think about where to go."


    "I see." Be nodded with a smile on her face. "How long do you think it will take?"


    "I have no idea how hard it is to learn them or if I even can." Ambrose said with a shallow chuckle.


    There was a time when he couldn''t learn skills because of hisck of intelligence and dexterity.


    He doubted the Mortal Style was as simple as the Rich''s Basic Style.


    "I''ll n on staying in this room for a while. I can''t really go outside in case this town''s guards recognize me."


    "I understand." Be chirped happily and then asked. "I n on visiting the market and making some food. Do you want something?"


    "Mm, anything you make is fine for me." Ambrose replied with a smile. "I''ll n on visiting reality now, so I might be out for a few hours."


    "Sure, take your time!" Be waved happily, took her handbag, and left the inn''s room.


    Ambrose then opened his interface and pressed the log out button.


    ...


    "Ugh!" Jesse mmed his eyes open and felt an immediate urgency to visit the bathroom to do both numbers 1 and 2.


    After a while, the toilet flushing sound came from the bathroom, and then Jesse left the bathroom with a relieved expression.


    ''This is beginning to annoy me. I wish there was a way for me to empty my dder inside the game without always having a rather unpleasant exit from the game.''


    Jesse then went to change his clothes and sat down on the gaming chair before booting up his game.


    Out of curiosity, he wanted to check the current stats of his videos.


    Soon, the stat tab was open, showing the stats of both of his videos.


    ***


    [The Method to Acquire an Upgraded ss]


    [Views: 31,894,222]


    [Comments: 21,945]


    [Like Ratio: 61,00%]


    ***


    [Challenge Vs. Olympos]


    [Views: 45,035,921]


    [Comments: 59,424]


    [Like Ratio: 79,99%]


    ***


    ''Nice increase.'' Jesse nodded happily and then checked his subscription count.


    [Subscribers: 1,094,017]


    ''It''s rising rather slowly now, but it''s still amazing.'' He smiled and then closed theputer.


    He knew he had to continue making videos so he wouldn''t lose his current poprity and subscribers.


    It wasmon for people who gained sudden sess to start losing subscribers and viewers if they didn''t upload videos regrly.


    It was the same case for those who pumped out dozens of videos every day, hoping for any of them to get featured. Those kinds of ForeverTubers often faded into obscurity.


    After standing up from the gaming chair, he went to the bedside table, where a new phone wrapped in stic was.


    ''This looks like a brand new model.'' He unwrapped the phone and looked at the high-tech phone that looked like it cost more than his entire PC setup.


    ''They shouldn''t have.'' He sighed.


    It was unfamiliar feeling for him to get spoiled like this by his parents, but he would be lying if he said it didn''t feel good.


    It made him happy inside.


    He then moved over to the wardrobe and took out the sturdy-looking wooden stick.


    It was something he had used as a training sword, and he knew it was durable enough to break an arm if enough force was used.


    ''Let''s test dexterity.'' He went into an offensive stance.


    In the empty air in front of him, an illusionary figure appeared, carrying a sword and shield.


    Jesse stood forward and began spinning the wooden stick around him, brushing past his shoulders as he executed a series of quick and precise movements.


    His fingers nimbly maneuvered the stick, effortlessly transitioning between strikes and blocks.


    He then lifted the stick over his head and whispered. "sh of the Six Worlds!"


    Swoosh¡ªthe stick smashed through the illusionary figure, breaking through the shield and sword.


    ''Yes, my dexterity has increased by tons!'' Heughed with a triumphant smile. ''My swordsmanship has indeed increased plenty, especially after reaching a hundred in dexterity!''


    After smiling andughing at the incredible progress he had made with his swordsmanship, he remembered there was one thing he still had to test.


    ''Vitality...'' Jesse took a deep breath and extended his arm forward.


    ''One way to make sure.'' He raised the stick high in the air, aiming it at his left arm.


    ''Please, I hope it worked.''


    After hisst prayers, he mmed his eyes open and shouted. "Basic sh!"


    Swoosh¡ªthe wooden stick smashed down at full force, striking his left arm with a loud thud.


    Smack¡ªthe silence fell over the room as the wooden stick flew from his hand and crashed into the ground.


    "A-argh!" Jesse screamed loudly and clutched his arm in agony, his whole body throbbing in pain.


    "It didn''t... work!" He cried out, his voice filled with frustration and disappointment. "Fuuck!"


    His hopes were crushed with that single blow.

 Chapter 216 The Shocking Results

    <h4>Chapter 216 The Shocking Results</h4>


    m¡ªJack rushed down a hospital hallway, the walls filled with abstract art that he didn''t even bother to look at because of the urgent thing at hand.


    He pushed open the double doors and entered a private room, where his heart jumped after seeing a young man sitting on the bed, whose face was pale and his left arm d in a cast.


    "Jesse!" He looked at his son with a tinge of pain in his eyes.


    "Master." Sebastian stood up from the chair and bowed to wee him.


    After breaking his arm, Jesse rushed to find Sebastian, who eventually took him to the hospital immediately.


    "Father." Jesse sighed and looked out of the window at the towering skyscrapers that almost touched the sky.


    The city lights twinkled like stars, but Jesse''s mind was still upied with thoughts of his incident.


    He thought he had grown used to living with Humanoid Imperfecta, but now he finally had a tinge of hope to actually recover from it, only for it to be shredded apart.


    "Are you alright?" Jack clutched his silver walking cane tighter, feeling the weight of his heavy heart after seeing his son in the hospital bed.


    "Yep, just had a small incident." Jesse moved his tongue inside his mouth, wanting to upy himself with something to distract himself from the pain.


    "Sebastian, where is the doctor?"


    "In the room next door." Sebastian answered.


    Jack nodded and looked at Jesse. "I''ll check your condition with the doctor. I am sure you don''t have to stay here for any longer, as we also have the necessary equipment in our home."


    Jesse nodded and stayed silent.


    Jack then left the hospital room, knocked on the door on the left, and entered the doctor''s office.


    "Excuse me."


    "Ah, hello, Mister Rothsmith!" The doctor smiled and stood up to greet the famous Rothsmith, who was a legend in the medical field.


    After shaking hands, Jack looked at theputer and asked. "Have the test resultse yet? How is my son''s arm?"


    "One minute, they areing right away!" The doctor sat down and showed the X-ray images. "These are the images, and his arm had clearly received a proper fracture. There was also a bruise on his arm."


    "What caused the fracture?" Jack asked. "My stubborn son won''t tell me."


    "It was caused by a blunt object, that''s for sure. That is what caused the bruise as well. It was very clean strike and if I have to guess, its self-made."


    "Self-made?" Jack frowned. "You mean, he broke his own arm?"


    "That would be my guess." The doctor nodded. "The angle and the fracture pattern do point towards a self-inflicted wound."


    "That doesn''t make any sense." Jack frowned. "My son has Humanoid Imperfecta and he wouldn''t do this to himself."


    Ding, ding.


    "Ah, the test results are here. We took a few blood samples." The doctor opened the results and began checking them out.


    As the doctor busied himself with the test results, Jack stood back and crossed his arms with a deep frown.


    ''Why would he injure himself?'' Jack wondered. ''Anna was terrified after hearing the news, and she would havee here if I didn''t stop her as she has an important business meeting.


    ''If he truly did self-inflict a wound, that is uneptable.'' Jack crossed his arms and nodded. ''I have to speak to him, father to son, as there must be something deeper going on that I am not aware of.''


    "W-what the hell is this?!" The doctor suddenly cried out.


    "What is it?" Jack asked hurriedly. "Is there something wrong?"


    The doctor leaned closer, his nose almost touching the monitor, as he engraved the test results in his mind.


    His lips trembled as he turned to look at Jack.


    "Y-your son has Humanoid Imperfecta, right?"


    "Yes, what about it?" Jack frowned.


    "Humanoid Imperfecta makes the person''s bones fragile and their healing factor almost non-existent."


    "I am well aware of that." Jack said, thinking that the doctor might not be aware of his medical profession.


    "People with Humanoid Imperfecta have around ten times worse healing factors than ordinary people, which makes it extremely difficult for them to recover from injuries."


    The doctor stood up, pulled out the ckboard, and began scribbling down everything he was exining in drawings.


    "However, Jesse''s body is not something Humanoid Imperfecta''s should be!" The doctor said and pointed at Jack with the chalk.


    "He has definitely Humanoid Imperfecta, I have checked his previous test results from other hospitals.


    "However, his body has now changed!" He shouted excitedly and continued drawing. "His body is recovering at an amazing rate. His bones are already starting to heal, and his cells are regenerating fast!"


    "What does this all then mean?" Jack tapped the walking cane against the floor impatiently. "Exin quicker!"


    "For some reason, your son''s body is fighting against Humanoid Imperfecta!


    "Humanoid Imperfecta is like a worm, hiding inside your body and feeding off your cells!" The doctor exined and walked to another ckboard, where he continued drawing.


    "However, Jesse''s body has somehow found a way to fight against that worm, slowly stealing its feeding source so that it can''t survive inside his body!


    "Still, the worm is strong, very strong, and has over fifty percent control of his body, but Jesse is taking back the territory, bit by bit!


    "If this continues, your son will be cured. This is absolutely amazing!"


    "My son can be cured." Jack''s heart began beating faster and faster. "Can you find out how this is happening?"


    "I..." The doctor scratched his head. "I, absolutely, have no idea. This is something beyond medicine; this is something supernatural!"


    "Enough!" Jack mmed the walking cane on the floor, frightening the doctor. "From now on, I own this hospital."


    "H-huh?" The doctor flinched in shock. "W-what do you mean?"


    "You work for me now." Jack pointed his cane at him. "You keep everything you find here a secret. If you don''t, well, you will find the consequence won''t be pleasant."


    The doctor shakily nodded his head.


    "We''ll find out, together, why this is happening and if my son is the cure for Humanoid Imperfecta." Jack said. "I don''t want the Science Government to find out about my son. They would just put him under hundreds of tests; I don''t want that for him!"


    "I-I understand." The doctor nodded. "I won''t tell anyone!"


    "You''lle to live with us in the servants quarters. There, we will gather all the necessary equipment for you."


    "O-okay." The doctor nodded and wiped away his sweat.


    He didn''t have a wife, children, or even parents, so no one would wonder where he had disappeared to.


    This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and he truly wanted to find out more about Jesse''s body, which might be the key to the greatest discovery of the century.


    "Was there anything else about my son that you need to shed light on?" Jack asked.


    "W-well, there is one concern I have." The doctor looked at theputer screen and gulped. "His bones are still weak, but his healing factor is now even better than ordinary person''s.


    "If his body''s healing factor continues getting better, there wille a time when he can heal from any injuries within minutes.


    "I don''t know what the limit is, but even his cells are not exempt from this, and from what I have seen, his lifespan has already been probably increased by five years, minimum, because of this."


    The doctor turned to the shocked Jack.


    "If this continues, your son might stop aging altogether.


    "He would be immortal!"

 Chapter 217 Holly鈥檚 Determination

    <h4>Chapter 217 Holly''s Determination</h4>


    "Jesse, are you alright?" Anna asked with concern as Jesse walked out of the car with a cast covering his left arm.


    Behind him, Sebastian and Jack left the car and shared a quick word.


    "Yes, mother." Jesse stepped up the steps and into the house.


    "What happened?" Anna caressed his cheeks, concerned for his well-being.


    "A small incident, nothing else. I will be more careful in the future." Jesse spoke with a rather lukewarm tone that didn''t fully reassure Anna.


    Anna nodded but felt like her son didn''t tell the full truth.


    After walking by his mother, Jesse saw Zach standing near the stairs, his arms crossed and a worrying look on his face.


    "Are you alright?" Zach asked.


    "Yes, what about you? Shouldn''t you be at school?" Jesse asked.


    "School ended earlier because of the school trip that starts tomorrow andsts three days."


    "I see." Jesse nodded. "What about those guys? They left you alone?"


    "Yeah." Zach wryly smiled. "They aren''t even looking in my direction anymore, and there have been rumors spreading that I actually beat their asses or something."


    "Heh, that is good." Jesse smiled and stepped on the stairs, nning to go to the second floor.


    "However, there is one thing that concerns me." Zach said before Jesse walked by.


    "What is it?" Jesse stopped and looked at his brother.


    "Your sister, Holly, is acting strangetely."


    "Strange? What do you mean?"


    "She has always been quiet, even though she looks like a teenager who has boys wrapped around her every finger, but recently she''s been distant and moody."


    "Distant and moody?" Jesse raised his eyebrow.


    "My guess is that everything is not fine in her household." Zach said and then shrugged his shoulders. "Since she is basically your sister, you must know more about what might be wrong with her."


    "I haven''t been close to her in a long time." Jesse sighed and looked down at the ground. "I''ll ask her, but I am quite confident that she will ignore my message."


    "Mm." Zach nodded.


    Jesse then walked up the stairs, but then heard a voice from downstairs.


    "Jesse, wait a moment." Jack walked up the stairs, following his son with the cane tapping against the floorboard. "Can I have a word?"


    "Nn." Jesse nodded and waited for his father to catch up before continuing to walk towards the elevator.


    Jack pulled out a napkin from his suit pocket and wiped the sweat off his brows.


    "I want you to visit our doctors every week from now on."


    "Why?" Jesse asked with a frown.


    "I want to monitor your well-being. You only have to give a blood sample, and then you can return. It takes five minutes, tops."


    "Is that really necessary?" Jesse asked. "I am fine."


    "Do this for me and Anna, please." Jack stopped walking and looked his son in the eye. "It would give us peace of mind."


    "Sigh, fine." Jesse pressed a button on the wall, and then the elevator doors opened.


    "Thank you." Jack smiled and turned around to walk away, but he had a deep look on his face.


    ''Jesse, did you break your arm because you were aware of the things happening inside your body?'' Jack wondered to himself.


    ''When the time is right, I should ask him, but for now, I will have to ensure that whatever is happening with him is not harmful and killing him.''


    ...


    After returning to his room, Jesse plopped down on his bed and pulled out his phone.


    ''Sending a message to Holly...'' He sighed and opened the messaging app.


    He had her phone number, but the chat history was empty.


    After contemting what to write, he started typing with only his right hand, unable to move his broken left arm.


    Once he was done writing, he pressed send and closed the phone.


    ''I should go to Martial Online. In there, I won''t feel this pain.'' Jesse clumsily put the VR headset over his head and pressed the button.


    He didn''t expect Holly to reply to his message anytime soon, so to escape the pain of his broken arm, he decided to return to Martial Online.


    It was a ce where he could escape the stress and pain of the real world.


    In there, he could do anything without having to worry about his ss-like body.


    ...


    Nocklund, 18 Cavern Street.


    In the room on the second floor, Hollyy on the bed, her VR headset covering her head.


    Under the visor, her eyes were closed as she was immersed in the magical world of martial arts.


    She hadn''t even taken off her school uniform; the skirt was now slightly wrinkled after not changing to pants before entering the virtual world.


    Brr¡ªher phone on the bed vibrated, the touchscreen lit up, and it showed that she had received a message.


    After a short while, she flinched and opened her eyes, her long eyshes fluttering open as she adjusted to the light.


    "Mmh..." She slowly removed the VR headset and blinked a few times to refocus her vision. "Ugh, stupid Allison had to remind me about the homework."


    Holly stood up and let out a gentle yawn before moving over to the wardrobe.


    She unzipped her skirt, let it drop to the floor, and took outfortable-looking sweatpants from the wardrobe before slipping her toned legs into them.


    She then grabbed her favorite oversized sweater and slipped it on, ready to rx and finally finish the homework.


    After walking to her bed, she grabbed her phone and walked over to the desk before sitting down and opening the school books.


    As she opened her phone, ready to y some music, she noticed that she had received a message from an unexpected source.


    "Jesse..." She frowned and opened the message, then read it inside her mind.


    It was a long message that left her feeling conflicted.


    "What is the point of him messaging me?" Holly sighed and put the phone away. "He is not my brother anymore. He is living in a mansion; his status is as high as a prince''s, and his future is set to be bright and prosperous.


    "To think that he used to live in this same household only a few weeks ago and now his whole life has turned upside down while I am still here..."


    Thump, thump¡ªloud noises came from downstairs, followed by the shouting of her father and the panicked screams of her mother.


    Her parents had been arguingtely, ever since Holly told them about Jesse and custody.


    Even though Terry didn''t believe it, it gave him a seed of doubt and made him remember a certain piece of paper that Maria once told him to sign.


    Back then, he thought nothing of it, but now the seed of doubt had be very strong.


    "Shut up..." Holly whispered and put headphones over her ears.


    She then began sting music through her ears.


    ''I''ll also leave this ce one day, just like he managed.


    ''The way out is Martial Online. I have already made twenty crowns, which is not much, but I will make enough to escape this ce.


    ''Therefore, I have to take advantage of every opportunity.


    ''Allison and I have already decided to go to Hightown, where the quest is held. I have to do well on that quest in order to get good rewards.''


    She then focused her gaze on the homework that was piling up on her desk.


    ''I''ll leave this ce; I have to.'' She tightened her grip on the pencil and began writing furiously.

 Chapter 218 The Reason

    <h4>Chapter 218 The Reason</h4>


    After opening his eyes, Ambrose was weed by the smell of food wafting through the air.


    "Oh, wee back!"


    Ambrose sat up and looked towards the corner kitchen, which was barely big enough for one person to stand in.


    Be, her hair tied up in a loose bun, was bustling around the stove with a spat in hand.


    She wore a floral apron over her dress, with the ruby pendant around her neck catching the light and her smile radiating warmth and joy.


    Ambrose sighed, his lips cracking a small smile as he watched her move by gracefully.


    Be nced away from the stove and caught the sight of his smile, a small blush creeping up on her cheeks.


    "What are you smiling for?" She asked, her curiosity and shyness evident in her voice.


    "No reason." Ambrose shook his head and stood up with one hand touching his sword scabbard. "I''ll be on the balcony if you need me."


    "All right." Be smiled and returned to making food while humming a certain luby.


    Creak¡ªAmbrose opened the balcony door and stepped outside.


    The cool morning air brushed against his face as he took in the sights of Hightown.


    As he leaned against the railing, he watched the townspeople walk by down below, living their lives and going about their daily routines.


    ''I told myself to lower my expectations, yet I am again disappointed.'' He sighed with a heavy look. ''Will things ever change? I am fighting every day just to die at the age of thirty.''


    "Sheesh." He let out a deep breath and chuckled. "I am a fool."


    Hiss¡ªAmbrose pulled out his ck Sword and shed it through the air, the de glinting in the sunlight.


    "Whoo..." He closed his eyes and felt like the world had slowed down around him.


    He could hear the distant sound of birds chirping and the gentle rustle of leaves in the wind.


    ''What will be my reason for waking up in the morning? Why should I raise my sword and fight? Is this something I should do until the day of my death? What is my reason?''


    Creak¡ªthe door opened, and Be stood at the doorway, gently knocking against the frame.


    "Food is ready; are you hungry?"


    Ambrose opened his eyes and slowly slipped his sword back into the scabbard.


    "Is everything alright?" Be asked curiously, concern etched on her face as she couldn''t see the usual sparkle in his eyes.


    His eyes seemed duller than before.


    "I have just been wondering." Ambrose turned around and leaned his back against the railing. "Be, what is your reason for waking up in the morning? Why do you keep going on?"


    "Eh?" Be didn''t expect such a deep question from Ambrose.


    She paused for a moment, considering her response.


    Ambrose looked at her beautiful face in the silence while the wind blew through their hair.


    "Because I can''t sleep forever?" Be innocently smiled beforeughing. "Because life is too short to waste it all on dreams."


    "Waste it all on dreams..." Ambrose frowned. "Do you still hope to recover from youra?"


    "Of course." Be walked next to him, grabbed the railing, and looked across the town. "I hope that one day, when I woke up from my sleep, I will wake up in the hospital bed."


    "What if you learned that it was impossible?" Ambrose asked. "What if, one day, when you go to bed, you won''t wake up ever again?"


    "I would be sad." Be rested her chin on her hands, deep in thought. "But I guess it''s just a part of life that we all have to ept. Everything won''t go ording to dreams. That''s why the phrase waking to reality, has been created."


    "Doesn''t it demoralize you?" Ambrose turned to look at her.


    "It can be disheartening, but it also pushes us to make the most of what we have and find happiness in unexpected ces." She smiled and nced at him sideways before blushing and looking away.


    "In the end, whatever happens, I will wake up with a grateful heart." Be smiled, her dimples showing. "If I knew that I would live till I was 200 years old, it still wouldn''t make me happier."


    "Why?" Ambrose asked.


    "Because happiness is not measured by the length of our lives but by the moments that truly make us feel alive," Be replied, her eyes sparkling with joy. "And those moments can happen in an instant or over the course of a lifetime.


    "So, just do what you are happiest doing and cherish every moment along the way."


    "Whoah." Ambrose chuckled beforeughing loudly. "Hah, my mother would really like you."


    "Y-your mother?" Be looked at him shyly.


    "Yeah, my new mother, who is also Emma''s mother. You two are quite simr." Ambrose chuckled and yfully pinched her cheek.


    "Mm!" Be blushed and escaped from his pinching fingers. "What did you do that for?"


    "I was just checking whether you were actually her, wearing a mask." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the town''s streets. "What you said was enlightening."


    Be rubbed her numb cheek and asked. "Did something happen back in reality that made you lose hope?"


    "Yes." Ambrose sighed. "It was my own doing, giving myself hope that was never going to be fulfilled."


    "Mm..." Be wondered what happened. "By the way, why have you never asked about what happened to my mother?"


    "When you mentioned her, your voice sounded painful." Ambrose said. "I didn''t want to bring up any more pain for you."


    "I appreciate that..." Be smiled with gratitude. "But I should tell you."


    Ambrose looked at her, listening.


    "She also ended up in a deepa, but her injuries were much harsher than mine." Be''s face turned sad. "She was going to die; the doctors couldn''t do anything.


    "My father, as ast resort, tried using his creation, Martial Online, to cure her.


    "Everyone was apparently opposed to that idea, but if he didn''t do anything, she would still die.


    "Therefore, he decided to give it a try despite the risks and uncertainties.


    "My mother was the first person to enter Martial Online as a yer. With the help of the game, she managed to heal herself and make her real-life body stronger and more charming.


    "After a while, she managed to wake up from hera.


    "It was ground-breakingly amazing.


    "However, before my father nned to use that to cure me, he first ran some tests on her.


    "On the first day, she looked amazing. She even managed to bench press 100 kg and run the distance of 100 meters in 10 seconds.


    "On the second day, she became slightly ill and couldn''t really do any of the tests that day.


    "On the morning of the third day, her organs melted off, as did her skin. Nothing was left of her."


    Ambrose''s eyes opened in shock, and he touched his chest, feeling his beating heart.


    ''Doesn''t that sound eerily a lot like my headset? Able to change a person''s body with the help of stat points?


    ''I swear if I suddenly have my organs and skin melted off, I will storm inside Martial Company and kill them all!''


    "I have been ming my father for her death." Be bit her lip and sadly whispered. "Not anymore... I realized that if he had done nothing, she would have still died. He tried his best..."


    "Ahem, is your father still attempting to cure you with that?" Ambrose asked curiously, wondering about the connection between his VR headset and the one her mother used.


    "No, not anymore." Be shook her head. "He doesn''t want to risk my life by using experimental treatments anymore. He said the doctors treating me are the world''s finest and that they will cure me, but I doubt it..."


    "I see..." Ambrose took a deep breath and looked at her sad face.


    His fingers flinched, but finally he extended his arm and put it over her shoulders.


    Be''s eyes widened, and she looked at him in surprise.


    "I never thought you would be the one to offerfort." She whispered before blossoming into a smile.


    She then put her head on his chest. "But I am d you did..."


    Her soft whisper was inaudible.


    Ambrose, even though he couldn''t hear her words, could sense the gratitude.


    "Youforted me; I returned the favor." Ambrose smiled and looked back into the room. "You said food is ready? I am starving."


    "You can''t get full here." Be smiled, almost bursting tough. "I am not really a good cook, but I hope you enjoy it."


    "Haha, this is actually my first proper meal inside Martial Online." Ambrose smiled and entered the room with Be. "I have eaten only steam buns, apples, and bread."


    "I hope it won''t be disappointing." Be turned very nervous, not realizing the stakes at hand before.

 Chapter 219 Zuf?lliger

    <h4>Chapter 219 Zuf?lliger</h4>


    Ambrose dipped his spoon into the bowl of soup and took a sip.


    Be had made vegetable soup with fresh ingredients from the market. It consisted of carrots, celery, onions, and potatoes simmered in a vorful broth.


    There was also a hint of herbs and spices that added depth to the soup''s vor.


    ''I don''t remember the taste of these spices. A special herb of Martial Online perhaps?'' He wondered and took another sip.


    Be watched anxiously after each sip, hoping to see a face of satisfaction and not disappointment.


    ''Haha, she is so anxious.'' Ambrose kept a poker face even though his facial muscles wanted to crack a smile.


    It felt very nostalgic, making him remember a certain scene from his childhood when he still had a good rtionship with Holly.


    It felt like a lifetime ago.


    Back then, when she was around nine years old, she tried making food for the first time ever, and Jesse unfortunately ended up being a guinea pig.


    It, of course, tasted horrible, and it made him sick for days.


    Back then, she wore a simr look of expectation and anxiety while he tasted the food.


    He couldn''t bear to say it tasted horrible, so he forced a smile and said it was good.


    Unfortunately, she then offered the same food to their parents, who suffered food poisoning.


    It was a short-lived lie.


    This time around, the food wasn''t bad and was actually quite good, but the soup stillcked a certain ingredient.


    However, since he wasn''t a chef, he couldn''t tell what it was, but he knew that something was missing.


    "It is pretty good," Ambrose said with a smile.


    "Really?" Be blossomed into a smile. "I didn''t add too much spice? I didn''t really know what these spices would do in the soup as I haven''t used them before."


    "The spice added good vor." Ambrose took another sip and nodded with a satisfied look.


    Be smiled and turned back to the soup, pping her hands in excitement. "Yay~"


    Swoosh¡ªthen a bright light appeared in the air and a figure emerged from it,nding on the bed.


    "Do I smell food?" Emma sprang up on the bed and saw her brother and Be gathered in the kitchen, eating from bowls.


    "Want some?" Be asked with a smile.


    "Yes~" Emma replied eagerly and rushed to the kitchen, but then she identally bumped into Ambrose, causing him to drop the bowl.


    "Oh." Ambrose quickly reached down to try and catch the bowl, but it slipped past his grasp.


    His eyes narrowed, and he quickly caught the bowl with his foot before it crashed onto the floor.


    He then flipped the bowl into the air and effortlessly caught it with one hand.


    "That was close." He then dipped the spoon back into the hot soup and took another sip. "Emma, be more careful."


    "Oh..." Emma looked at him with stars in her eyes and said, "That was awesome! How did you do that?"


    "Do what?" Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "That!" Emma pointed at the bowl, then at his foot, and then back at the bowl again. "That!"


    "Eat your food; it gets cold." Ambrose said before stuffing the spoon back into his mouth.


    "That!" Emma persisted and pouted, then she turned to Be. "How did he do that?"


    "I don''t know." Be smiled sweetly and handed the little girl a bowl of soup. "Now eat."


    "Ugh!" Emma took the bowl and spoon, then began eating while muttering. "How did he do that?"


    After a while, Ambrose finished the soup and went to wash the bowl.


    "I can do that for you." Be touched his shoulder and said.


    "You sure?" Ambrose asked, looking at her red eyes.


    "Mm." Be nodded, took the bowl from him, and began washing it in the sink.


    "I''ll be on the balcony if y''all need me." Ambrose covered his mouth and let out a few yawns as he stepped outside onto the balcony.


    After he closed the balcony door, Emma turned her attention back to Be and asked, "Do you need any help with the dishes?"


    "I''ll be fine, thank you." Be replied with a smile.


    "Nn." Emma nodded and then caught sight of the ruby pendant hanging from Be''s neck.


    She smiled mischievously and said, "That is a pretty pendant. Where did you get it from?"


    Be froze before blushing slightly with an embarrassed smile. "Your brother gave it to me."


    "Oh, very nice of him!" Emma smiled before continuing. "The pendant looks beautiful on you!"


    Be looked at the pendant and touched it gently with her fingertips, feeling it touch her skin.


    "It is a very special gift. I will cherish it." Be smiled and then looked at Emma. "Well, are you nning to tell me about your school day?"


    "Ugh, my teacher is the worst." Emma pouted and began talking about her school day.


    Outside, on the balcony, Ambrose sat on a chair while looking at the scroll in his hands.


    ''Hmm, this could be the first skill I try to learn.'' He folded the scroll and ced it back in his inventory.


    After standing up, he drew his sword and pointed it at the air in front of him.


    ''First, mimic the movements till I am able to perform them by memory alone.'' He raised the sword. ''This shouldn''t be too hard with my current dexterity and intelligence, I hope.''


    He put the sword beside its scabbard and took a deep breath, focusing on the air in front of him.


    As the wind whistled from the north, he stepped forward and shed the air in front of him.


    Once the de had reached its highest point, he flicked his wrist and swung it downward with all his might.


    The de cut through the air, creating a sharp, whooshing sound.


    ''It is a rather simple skill, most likely one of the first skills the Wisdom King created.'' He pulled the sword back.


    ''It''s name¡ªZuf?lliger.''


    ''It is an attack that can hit an enemy from any angle; the user only has to flick his wrist to change the trajectory.


    ''At first, the attack cane from low, but then with a single flick of the wrist, it can strike from above or any other direction, catching the enemy off guard.


    ''I have used something simr while fighting. It is rather effective to flick the wrist to quickly change the trajectory of the sh, but the strength of the sh is quite weak when done by me.


    ''This skill might help me to regain strength.''


    Ambrose then continued doing the same movements, one after another.


    After thirty minutes of doing the same, his wrist started to turn numb.


    ''This... takes longer than I expected!'' He gritted his teeth.


    "Raaah!" He raised the sword high and hacked it down.


    When it was about to smash into the ground, he did a sharp flick of the wrist and changed the trajectory of the sh.


    The de suddenly curved in mid-air, slicing through the air with swift and deadly precision.


    Ding, ding.


    [Zuf?lliger - Completion Rate: 1%]


    ''1 percent, haha.'' Ambroseughed. ''This truly brings me back to my days of first learning the skill, Basic sh.''


    ''Well, 99% percent to go.'' He raised the sword again and began doing the movements solely from memory.


    It was possible to already do the skill by shouting the skill name, but since it was only at 1 percent, it was pathetically bad.


    However, he wanted to engrave the skill on his body so it wouldn''t be as awkward to use itter.


    Whenever he created his own skills, he didn''t care to learn them with his body but simply spoke the skill name and let his instincts do the rest.


    He didn''t want to do that anymore.


    It wasn''t out of stupidity, but rather a desire to truly understand and master his abilities.


    It was something he learned during his time with the Wisdom King.


    He was only strong because of his skills.


    His swordsmanship was poor at best back then.


    His skills had already reached impressive heightspared to his past self, but he was far from satisfied.


    ''When I learned Basic sh with just my body, I felt like the skill was truly part of my body.'' Ambrose continued flicking his wrist and shing the air. ''I want to have the same feeling. I will truly master Mortal Style and my own.


    ''I''ll be a master swordsman!''

 Chapter 220 What Will Happen?

    <h4>Chapter 220 What Will Happen?</h4>


    [You have learned Zuf?lliger!]


    [Zuf?lliger - Rank: Skilled]


    "Whew." Ambrose took out a bottle of canned water from his inventory and quenched his thirst.


    It took him nearly three hours to finish learning the skill.


    ''It''s clear now. Learning skills is much harder when they''re not your own.''


    Ambrose came to that conclusion because it took him nearly three hours to learn a skill that was only ranked Skilled, which was the second-lowest rank, while his sh of the Three Worlds and Humanoid Imperfecta were learned almost instantly.


    ''I assume this was also the most basic skill of the lot; the rest will take longer to learn.''


    He sighed and slipped his sword inside the scabbard, then pulled out the style scroll to find the next skill to learn.


    ''It''s not toote yet, so I have time to learn a few skills.''


    Creak¡ªthe door to the balcony then opened, showing Emma standing there with a curious expression on her adorable face.


    "What is it, Emma?" He asked while debating which skill to learn.


    "Beforeing here, I heard from mother that you broke your arm." Emma replied with concern. "Are you alright?"


    "I am; it was just a stupid incident." He smiled and nced inside, where Be was reading a book. "Did you tell Be?"


    "Not yet." Emma shook her head.


    "Don''t tell her. She doesn''t have to know." He turned back to the style scroll. "If that''s all, I will be busy for the rest of the day."


    "Mm, okay~" Emma closed the door and returned indoors.


    ''Hmm, this skill seems cool.''


    He thought while pushing away thoughts of the meeting with Emma.


    ''L?wenue, an attack from high above with a reversed grip, like a lion trying to strike its prey, sounds powerful.''


    Ambrose slowly sheathed his weapon, then switched the grip to reversed, which made him remember the Reverse Tiger de and Ken, who defeated him.


    One day, he nned to visit them and show them what he had learned, but it was still too early.


    He needed more time to train and master his skills before facing Ken again.


    ''Let''s try this.'' He focused his gaze and then swung his arm in a windmill motion.


    The de descended from high above, splitting the air with a powerful force.


    Swoosh¡ªthe de''s tip barely grazed the ground, but it was enough to leave a small gash on it.


    ''Damn, this feels ufortable.'' Ambrose thought, as this was his first time trying a reverse grip.


    The only time he remembered using reverse grip was in Amaterasu''s prison, when he killed off the Prison Warden with reverse grip, but that was a backward thrust attack.


    It was vastly more difficult to do proper shes with a reversed grip.


    ''This might take even longer to learn. No time to waste!''


    ...


    As the night began to arrive, a steam lotive whistled in the distance.


    The sound soon grew louder as the train approached Hightown''s station.


    It soon stopped with a screech, its brakes releasing a high-pitched squeal.


    As the smoke left the boiler and filled the air, the passengers eagerly stepped off the train.


    There were people of all ages and backgrounds, some with suitcases in hand and others with backpacks slung over their shoulders.


    There were bronze-skinned, dark-haired children walking with their parents, followed by fair-skinned citizens from a colder part of the Light Continent who hade here to help the people in need.


    They all walked together, creating a diverse and unitedmunity.


    And after a while, a group of yers left the steam lotive and made their way towards the bustling town square.


    "So, this is Hightown." La, from Silver Heart, looked around with expectant eyes.


    "It''s more busy than I imagined." Caveman, a ginger-haired yer said while adjusting his backpack.


    The core force of Silver Heart had alsoe to Hightown for a quest that couldpete with World Quest.


    It was the perfect chance to acquire some rewards for their dojo.


    After the failed mission in the buried mansion, Silver Heart suffered a sizeable setback and lost a lot of money, causing them to lose half of their members.


    However, those who stayed were very powerful and loyal.


    "Miss Boss, where should we go?" La turned around and asked with her usual cheerful smile.


    At the back of the group, Serenity tapped her slender finger against her lips, deep in thought.


    After a while, she shook her head and said, "Rest for now; it''s been a long day, and we''ll need our energy for tomorrow."


    "All right, I wonder if there are any open inns anymore." La muttered softly to herself.


    "See you all tomorrow, there is some ce I have to visit." Serenity bade farewells and left towards her destination.


    The Silver Heart members watched as their leader left, again somewhere.


    "She has been very absentmindedtely." Teddy sighed with his bulging muscles swelling.


    "We need a sharp-minded leader." Leprechaun said and spat on the ground. "She has lost her touch."


    "What are you trying to say, Lepreshit?" Caveman asked angrily. "You want to rece her? Over my dead body."


    "No, you simple-minded fool." Leprechaun looked at the ginger-haired yer with scorn. "You Perhentan scum are really as smart as wild animals."


    "What the fuck you said?" Caveman rolled up his sleeves and angrily shouted. "Want to have a go? Huh!"


    "Enough!" Teddy separated the two before things escted any further. "She just needs some time to put her things in order. It had been a very stressful couple of weeks."


    "That''s all because of that fucker, Ambrose." Leprechaun gritted his teeth. "When I find him, I''ll bury my fist so deep in his gut that he''ll cough out all the rewards he stole from us!"


    Teddy and La looked conflicted.


    They somewhat knew Ambrose better than other Silver Heart members, and they were still surprised he betrayed them and stole everything for himself.


    "Well, let''s go find some ce to stay, I guess." La sighed, and followed by Silver Heart members, they left to find an inn or hotel.


    ...


    Stepping down a dark and narrow alleyway, Serenity soon came to a stop.


    Her face looked calm, and her heart was steady.


    "Can youe out, please?" She said nicely, her voice echoing through the dark alleyway.


    "It''s not the one you were expecting." A voice came behind her.


    She turned around and looked surprised.


    "You are... Cerberus''s sister."


    Andromeda looked at the clear-eyed young woman and said. "He and the rest of Zahhak wille here tomorrow. They have been in Warhaven."


    "Why weren''t you there?" Serenity asked.


    "Apparently, it''s not a good ce for me." She looked down at her short body and sighed. "He then said for me toe here, and a few hours ago, he told me to meet up with you."


    "Why did he want me to meet with you?" Serenity asked curiously.


    "My brother believes that Ambrose is going to be here." Andromeda said with a mysterious twinkle in her eyes.


    "What?" Serenity''s heart started beating faster than usual. "I have seen his video, and he should be at Warhaven, no?"


    "My brother didn''t find him, so we can assume he had left Warhaven some time ago." Andromeda said and leaned against the wall, staring off into the distance. "He believes he will be here."


    Serenity looked conflicted. "I don''t think he will be here. He is already a very hunted man, and in his shoes, I would go to Dark Waters, which is such a big area that finding him is almost impossible."


    "Tell your subordinates to keep their eyes peeled." Andromeda then turned away and began leaving with short steps.


    Serenity opened her mouth, wanting to ask something, but eventually closed her mouth and watched as the little girl walked off into the distance.


    "He will be here, huh..." She looked towards the dark night, where the crescent moon suddenly appeared, glowing like a guiding light in the darkness.


    "Why do I feel like tomorrow something big will happen?"


    She closed her eyes and inhaled the fresh scent of the night air.


    "The whole world''s eyes will be on Hightown tomorrow as the reporters of many newsworks areing to record stuff.


    "I wonder what will happen."

 Chapter 221 11th of October

    <h4>Chapter 221 11th of October</h4>


    On the 11th of October, it was a foggy day in Hightown.


    The air was cool and damp, the fog was thick, and visibility was limited.


    It was a very cool morning, and the fog hung low while the sky was covered by a nket of gray clouds.


    Ssh¡ªas the windows opened, townsfolk carrying buckets tossed out cleaning water onto the streets.


    It was water that they used to clean yesterday''s share of dirty clothes, and thus, the water had an ugly greenish tint.


    The water flowed down the cobblestone streets, carrying with it the remnants of dirt and grime from the previous day''s chores until they finally dropped down to the sewer system.


    Thud¡ªsuddenly, a carriage rolled down the street, its wheels bouncing up and down.


    A green cover was slung over the carriage, hiding whatever was below it.


    However, because of the bounciness, the cover slightly moved, revealing a rotting arm.


    After several townspeople saw that, they silently drew crosses on their chests, praying under their breath.


    After a short while, the carriage arrived at the town''s small graveyard, where an entourage from Yatagarasu had gathered alongside a dark-haired priest.


    They silently drew crosses on their chests.


    The carriage driver hopped off and removed the green cover, revealing a pile of over twenty corpses!


    "We managed to find these unfortunate souls in the rubble of some of the buildings in Yatagarasu. There are still hundreds, even thousands, of corpses that we haven''t yet discovered."


    The priest nodded and looked at the people from Yatagarasu, who had woken up earlier for this.


    "Search the corpses and see if you recognize any of them."


    They nodded and covered their noses with their sleeves before cautiously approaching the pile.


    The priest drew a cross on his chest and whispered a prayer under his breath.


    After opening his eyes, he turned to the carriage driver and asked. "Have these corpses been salted?"


    "As far as I know, they did." The carriage driver said. "They are professionals at handling deceased bodies."


    "Good." The priest nodded. "We don''t want them to rise from death, now do we?"


    He then looked toward the sky and sighed. "I wonder what has happened with the world. Now, a crescent moon appears every single night."


    "It also brought some trouble to my men." The carriage driver said. "Before they had a chance to salt the corpses, they stood up and killed them. Luckily, we managed to find the corpses next morning before they reached any civilization."


    "When did that happen?" The priest asked curiously.


    "The day after the first crescent moon appeared." The carriage driver sighed. "We expected it to be a normal night, but then a crescent moon appeared. Before we could do anything, the corpses stood up and began killing."


    "Nooo!" At the carriage, a bushy-bearded man fell to his knees and started crying while holding the hand of one of the corpses.


    "Sigh." The priest sighed at the sight. "All of them had prepared to find out that one of their loved ones was at least dead, but when they finally received confirmation, they got devastated."


    "Maybe living in ignorance is a blessing in itself." The carriage driver said.


    "But facing the truth head-on is the only way to heal." The priest replied.


    "Perhaps..." The carriage driver rummaged through his pocket, took out a cigarette, and lit it up before cing it on his lips.


    "That thing will kill you one day." The priest pointed at the cigarette.


    "Haha." The carriage driver took a long drag and exhaled a cloud of smoke. "This and alcohol are my only salvation from my upation. It helps me forget the horrors I witness every day."


    "You could visit a church and talk to the god." The priest said.


    "No offense, but I am not a religious type." The carriage driver said and ced the cigarette on his lips. "I prefer doing something about it myself and not asking for help from a higher power."


    "That is understandable." The priest nodded, and saw the people from Yatagarasu leaving the carriage after checking out all the corpses.


    It seemed that the bushy-bearded man was the only one to find a loved one, which made the priest relieved but also sad.


    "If you change your mind, the church''s doors are always open to children of God." The priest said with a gentle smile, then led the people from Yatagarasu back to the church.


    The carriage driver dropped the cigarette, stomped it out, and walked over to the carriage.


    As he looked at the corpses, he rubbed his chin, which was covered in stubble, contemting something.


    He then shrugged his shoulders and left to take a long shower, thinking that someone else would take care of the corpses.


    The graveyard''s eerie atmosphere was amplified by the fog; it was like some horrors awaited behind the veil of gray smoke.


    Ding, ding¡ªthe nearby church''s bells then rang in a haunting melody that sent chills down the spines of anyone within earshot.


    No one in the vicinity of the graveyard stayed behind to linger.


    It was very clear that something sinister and otherworldly was happening amidst the veil of gray smoke.


    For years toe, the 11th of October would be remembered as the day of death because of the things that happened on this particr day.


    ...


    After a long night of traveling, another steam lotive arrived at the station, sending clouds of ck smoke into the cloudy, foggy sky.


    Passengers flocked into the streets of Hightown as soon as the doors opened, startled by the eerie atmosphere that the thick fog had created.


    They could barely make out their surroundings as they navigated through the foggy streets.


    At the back of the crowd, Holly and Allison left the steam lotive, eager to explore the mysterious town thaty before them.


    "It''s very foggy; I can barely see in front of me." Allison said and sneakily grabbed Holly by her hand.


    "What are you doing?" Holly looked at her with a twitching eyebrow.


    "I don''t want to lose you in the crowd, hehe." Allison giggled and pointed forward. "Let''s go check out the Quest Building!"


    Holly rolled her eyes and followed after the excited Allison.


    They were stunned by the number of people that had gathered in Hightown.


    It was not only the number of NPCs, but there were even more yers, flocking every part of the town.


    The town was clearly not built to house so many people; therefore, many were under shelters, shuddering because of the cold air.


    After a while, Holly and Allison arrived at the Quest Buildings, where a big crowd of yers had gathered.


    "Can you queue for me?" Allison rubbed her legs and shyly smiled. "I have to visit reality for the bathroom."


    "Go." Holly said with a sigh and went to join a line.


    Allison fast-walked out of the building, trying to find a ce to put temporary spawn.


    She then nced sideways and saw a public board.


    It was situated right beside the Quest Building.


    It seemed like the Quest Building was also a Mission and Bounty Building, where one could get different kinds of missions and receive rewards forpleting them.


    She curiously approached the public board and saw that it was only a bounty board.


    As she was about to ignore it and move onward, she saw a slightly familiar face.


    She only remembered the face slightly because of the pictures Holly had shown her and because of the incident on the rooftop, which was still very vivid in her mind.


    "Huh... Ambrose." Allison took the bounty from the public board and squinted her eyes. "He is... Jesse, isn''t he?"


    "I swear I have heard this name somewhere; I can''t just recall where." She frowned and returned to the Quest Building.


    She saw Holly standing on the line, her arms foldedzily, while a few yers sent suggestive looks in her direction, attracted by her beauty.


    "Holly!"


    "That was fast." Holly turned to Allison. "Did you identally piss your pants or what?"


    "No, dummy." Allison walked to her and put the wanted poster in front of her face. "Doesn''t he look familiar to you?"


    Holly took the poster, as it was too close to her face, and then looked at it silently.


    It didn''t take long for her eyebrow to jump in surprise.


    "Jesse..."


    "I knew it was your brother!" Allisonughed. "Your brother is a very wanted man, it seems. Why don''t you make a deal with him? You will ''capture'' him and get the reward, then split the money.


    "You would get 10,000 silvers, which is 1000 crowns. That is a lot of money!"


    "You would get banned for that." Holly said. "Otherwise, everyone would do it. A perfect infinite money hack."


    "I suppose you are right..." Allison sighed and then smiled. "Do you think your brother is here? Maybe we can trick him and capture him for the bounty."


    Holly looked at her before tearing apart the wanted poster.


    "Ahh, what are you doing?" Allison pouted.


    "We are here for the quest, nothing else." Holly looked away from her "You think we alone would be enough to take him down? Trick or not, did you not remember what happened on the rooftop?"


    "Oh, right..." Allison sighed. "I suppose there ain''t an easy way to earn money."

 Chapter 222 Reinhardt

    <h4>Chapter 222 Reinhardt</h4>


    The leaves rustled in the cold morning air.


    As the thick fog spread across the forest, the sound of birds chirping grew fainter.


    It was utter silence.


    However, then a single figure walked out from the fog, shattering the silence as his footsteps echoed across the trees.


    He wore a high-cored jacket with gold buttons and a wide-brimmed hat that cast a shadow over his face.


    Hidden below his jacket, sometimes revealing itself, was a scabbard with katana slipped inside.


    The katana had a beautifully crafted hilt with dark hearts and intricate patterns etched into the de.


    The de was ck in color; it was as if it were made from obsidian, reflecting no light.


    As he stepped out of the forest, he saw a looming town in the distance, shrouded in fog.


    ng, ng¡ªhowever, there were echoing soundsing as people talked, cksmiths hammered, and horses trotted inside the town.


    It was clearly a very bustling town.


    The man slightly lifted his gaze, still not showing his eyes, but somehow he managed to read out a sign that was several kilometers away.


    "Hightown..." He said with a deep voice and began walking towards that town.


    As he crossed a path that was surrounded by golden wheat, he saw townspeople wearing thicker clothing that kept them safe from the cold, but most faces were gloomy as it wasn''t the greatest weather.


    The man silently walked past them and entered the bustling town.


    "..." He silently looked around and casually weaved past the running children and busy market stalls; no one managed to touch a single part of his body.


    After a while, he came across a small cafe tucked away in a quiet corner of the town.


    He stepped inside, away from the cold air, and walked towards the counter to ce his order.


    "What may I get you, sir?" The beautiful barista asked with a warm smile.


    "Coffee in ck." The man said, and without waiting for the barista to register his words, he walked to the corner table, where he sat down and put his wide-brimmed hat on the seat beside him.


    "Mmh." Hebed his ck hair back with his fingers and took a deep breath, then he opened his eyes.


    The nearby customers froze after seeing his eyes, not able to raise their cups to their lips.


    It was as if they had all frozen like statues!


    The man leaned on the chair, gazing out of the window at the foggy streets.


    The window happened to reflect his intense, red eyes staring back at him.


    "Here, sir." The beautiful barista came to the table with a cup of steaming ck coffee.


    As she smiled, she happened to catch a glimpse of the fiery red gaze and instantly froze.


    She wanted to look away; she wanted to turn her head; she wanted to walk away, but she couldn''t!


    The man took the cup of ck coffee and brought it to his lips, taking a slow sip, not even once looking at the frozen barista and other customers.


    It was as if they were nothing but flies to him.


    After a while, he finished the coffee and asked. "Where is the mayor''s house?"


    The barista struggled, but finally, she managed to utter words.


    "H-h-help..."


    "I asked you a question." The man tapped his finger on the katana''s hilt.


    The barista''s eyes widened as suddenly blood filled her vision.


    Her left arm separated from her shoulder and dropped to the ground.


    She felt like crying and screaming out of pain, but she couldn''t.


    Her tears still flowed, mixing with the blood on the ground.


    "Where is the mayor''s house?"


    This time, he asked every customer.


    As they were frightened by what happened to the barista, they answered truthfully.


    "I-I-I-in the three-story building at the end of the street." One customer stammered. "I-It is surrounded by a white fence with ck gates!"


    The man closed his eyes, took the wide-brimmed hat, put it over his head, and then left the cafe.


    As soon as the door closed, the customers were again able to move.


    The beautiful barista fell on her knees, screaming her lungs out.


    "G-get some help!" One of the customers shouted. "S-she will die of blood loss soon!"


    While a panic ensued in the cozy cafe, the red-eyed man, with his eyes closed, slowly approached the three-story building at the end of the street.


    Its ck gates were guarded by two metal-armored guards who kept their chins high with pride.


    As the man approached the gates, the guards nced at him before suspiciously squinting their eyes.


    They had never seen him before, and it didn''t look like he was just casually crossing the street.


    It definitely looked like he was walking to the mayor''s house.


    "Halt, state your business!" The guards unsheathed their swords, attracting attention from nearby townspeople.


    They didn''t think much of it and treated it as an ordinary procedure.


    However, then the man tapped his katana''s hilt, and the two guards froze.


    He walked past them, opened the ck gate, and approached the front door.


    The townspeople frowned and wondered what that was about, but when they turned to the guards, their eyes almost popped out of their sockets.


    The guards heads were cleanly cut off, but the heads were still on top of their shoulders, their expressions frozen in a look of pure terror.


    At the small cut, blood flowed down their armor, drenching the ground beneath.


    It didn''t take long for the townspeople to scream in horror.


    After the red-eyed man opened the front door, he looked towards the second floor, where the mayor of Hightown stood with a white-as-sheet face.


    The mayor''s trembling voice barely escaped his lips as he whispered. "R-Reinhardt."


    "Your time''s up." Reinhardt coldly whispered as he entered the empty house; all the servants and the mayor''s family members had already escaped. "You loaned money from me to build this town; now I am here to collect what is rightfully mine."


    "C-cursed..." The mayor whispered through trembling lips. ''I-I didn''t expect him to remember a debt from fifty years ago!''


    "Do you have the money or not?" Reinhardt asked with his eyes still closed.


    "P-please, give me a few more years." The mayor stepped down the stairs, his legs shaking. "A-as you can see, w-we have a lot of refugees, and that burns money. L-let me help them first, then you get your money."


    "I told you." Reinhardt slowly neared the katana''s hilt with his left hand. "Fifty years. Not a single day more."


    "P-please!" The mayor fell to his knees, begging with all his might.


    "You built this town with my help; I can also take it away from you." Reinhardt opened his eyes with a m, and after the mayor saw those fiery red eyes, he froze.


    However, the mayor was by no means weak and managed to at least utter a few words.


    "P-please... t-they are innocent..."


    "It wouldn''t be my first time killing the innocent." Reinhardt''s voice oozed with venom. "You have till the end of this day to enjoy the fruits of your sess.


    "When dawnes, this town will stop existing. Don''t even think about evacuating; I would rather not have to go hunt all of them individually; that is rather tedious."


    With the door sting open, Reinhardt left the house with his jacket fluttering in the wind.


    The mayor lowered his head and mmed his fists on the floor.


    "I shouldn''t have borrowed from him.


    "Why did I do that?


    "I am such a fool!"


    Not even once did the thought of fighting Reinhardt with his small army cross his mind.


    He didn''t even think about asking for help from yers.


    No matter what he did, Hightown''s end was near.


    He knew he couldn''t do anything about it.


    Therefore, he sat there in silence, crying and remembering the good old days.


    "That fucking undead bastard!"


    The red-eyed man, Reinhardt, had lived many centuries and seen countries and kingdoms fall to ruins.


    He had even taken part in shaping history, and without him, the world might be a different ce.


    Whether in good or worse, it was unknown.


    His identity as a vampire had already made him an enemy to many, but he had embraced his true nature and thrived in the darkness.


    His name, Reinhardt, was widely recognized, both in respect and in fear.


    He was a red-ranked ouw with a bounty of 11,845,999 silvers.


    His title caused many to exim in awe and respect, and he was the goal of every inspiring swordsman.


    His title¡ªThe World''s Strongest Swordsman.

 Chapter 224 The Night Fell

    <h4>Chapter 224 The Night Fell</h4>


    "This is a great ce." A spectacled woman in professional attire used her hands like a camera, moving them around to capture the bustling atmosphere of Hightown.


    Her subordinate took out his recording camera and began filming the scene, focusing on the refugees and the yers.


    They were part of Tennehee''s News Network.


    They weren''t the only journalists present, but they were determined to capture the mostpelling footage for their viewers.


    They wanted to bring attention to the struggles and resilience of the refugees, as well as the camaraderie between them and the yers.


    After a short while, a beautiful woman with long blond hair and a handsome middle-aged man with a brownish face approached them, holding cups of coffee that they had purchased from a nearby vendor.


    "Oh, familiar faces." The professional-looking journalist looked at the two with a friendly smile.


    "Nora." Sara, the news anchor of Nocklund''s Morning News, shook the hand of her colleague and looked at the bustling scene. "I didn''t expect to see such a scene."


    "This damned fog will make recording anything difficult." Aaron, her colleague in Nocklund''s Morning News, said while sipping the steaming coffee.


    Their cameraman quickly walked over from the vendor that sold coffee. He held the cup of coffee in one hand and his small handheld camera in the other.


    Since they couldn''t bring any equipment from reality to the game, they had to use the camera that streamers often use. Luckily, it had a recording system in ce, allowing them to easily record anything.


    "Seen anything interesting yet?" Nora asked while adjusting the camera''s settings.


    "We just arrived." Sara said, her arms crossed. "You?"


    "I saw a few familiar faces already." Nora then focused the camera on different alleyways, where refugees were sitting with their backs against the wall, their clothes ragged and torn.


    "I think things will get very interesting; many big shots of the streaming world have appeared here." Nora said. "However, my newswork won''t focus on them."


    "Really?" Aaron asked in a surprise. "Showing their faces could boost your numbers."


    "I am sure everyone else would do that." Nora replied, "But we want to show the dark side of Martial Online."


    "Aha." Aaron let out a chuckle. "Same as ever."


    Nora rolled her eyes.


    Sara patted her blond hair as the cold wind was making it messy, but at the same time, she caught a glimpse of a familiar person walking by, and her journalist instincts kicked in.


    "Aaron, that is Sapphire, isn''t she?" She eximed, as she was certain that it was the famous streamer because she was a long-time fan of hers!


    Aaron looked over and saw a pink-haired girl walking by, looking at the nearby stalls with curiosity twinkling in her round, blue eyes.


    She was a very adorable girl in her early twenties and was famously known as one of the pearls of ForeverStream, with a following of several hundred million.


    Sapphire - Top 10 ranked streamer in the world!


    "It''s her!" Aaron eximed. "Let''s have her interview!"


    Sara nodded, then left to chase after the pink-haired girl with Aaron and the cameraman.


    Nora sighed and looked at her subordinate. "Let''s interview some of the refugees and get their life stories."


    "Do they even have a story?" Her subordinate asked curiously. "Aren''t they made of code? They have only existed slightly over a month."


    "They all have lives they believe they have lived." Nora said. "This can bring some sympathy to NPCs. They, after all, look like us, typical humans who also have emotions."


    ''Emotions?'' Her subordinate frowned but kept his doubts hidden inside his mind.


    He never once thought about NPCs as ordinary humans.


    He always saw them as mere lines of code, devoid of any true feelings.


    ...


    Inside a certain inn room.


    Munch¡ªBe, sitting on the edge of the bed, took a bite of the fresh pastries, enjoying the explosive vors that attacked her taste buds.


    She threw a nce in the direction of a ck-haired young man who was leaning against a door, looking outside towards the foggy sky.


    He also had a fresh pastry in his hand, taking small bites.


    "Do you like it?" Be asked curiously.


    Ambrose looked away from the foggy sky and nced at the red-eyed young woman before nodding with a smile.


    "It''s very good. I love the crispy texture and the sweetness of the filling."


    "I am d." Be smiled and then asked. "Why are you looking outside?"


    Ambrose nced at the foggy sky before closing the balcony door and walking over to the bed.


    "This weather reminds me a little of my hometown." He said and sat beside her before taking another pastry from the bag. "Gloomy weather. Gray sky. Cold air that seeps into one''s bones."


    "It doesn''t sound very good." She replied and soon finished her pastry.


    "It isn''t." Ambrose chuckled. "I hate that ce."


    "Are you still living there?" Be asked curiously.


    "Kind of." Ambrose replied. "I am living outside that city, near the mountain range. Oh god, the view is breathtaking, and I actually get to see the stars at night."


    "Sounds... awesome." Be smiled and sighed. "Where I am from, it''s always very sunny and hot. I kind of miss that. I hate being cold all the time."


    "You could move to Amaterasu." Ambrose suggested. "It''s warm and sunny there, with the scent of flowers in the air."


    "I don''t want to abandon my bookstore." Be''s lips curled down into a sad face.


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded sympathetically, understanding her attachment to the bookstore. "On the other hand, if you decide to move to Amaterasu, I can easily get there if you need help."


    He only had to remove his temporary spawn, log off, and log back in, and then he would be back at Amaterasu.


    It would take less than ten seconds.


    Be''s eyes widened, and she nodded thoughtfully.


    "That is true..." She touched her chin, deep in thought, thinking about the possibility of moving over to Amaterasu.


    "Emma also likes sunny weather." Ambrose stood up and walked over to the window. "She would be happy there."


    As he looked towards the foggy sky, he noticed that it was suddenly dark.


    A crescent moon appeared high above, its crimson light piercing through the nket of gray clouds and the fog.


    "I understand." Be nodded and smiled, showing her cute dimples. "I''ll move there."


    "Nn." Ambrose nodded with a smile. "I think that city is also more secure with the Watchmen keeping an eye on the streets."


    "Where do you n on going next?" Be asked, curiosity gleaming in her eyes.


    "I was thinking about going to..."


    THUMP¡ªout of nowhere, an earth-shaking explosion rocked the town, interrupting their conversation.


    "What was that?" Be asked as she jumped to her feet.


    Ambrose''s eyes narrowed, and through the window, he saw a pir of smoke lingering towards the sky.


    Straight towards the crescent moon.


    ''Crescent moon...'' His grip around the sword tightened, and he then turned around and approached the door. "Wait here; I''ll go check it out."


    "Wait, don''t go!" Be tugged his sleeve desperately, a look of fear on her face. "You don''t have to go."


    "I''ll be right back." Ambrose reassured her with a resolute gaze, then opened the door and left the room.


    Be stayed standing in the doorway, watching as Ambrose disappeared down the hallway.


    As she turned back to her room, darkness filled it suddenly, and a crimson light fell upon her.


    Be''s heart raced, and a sense of unease washed over her.


    Creak¡ªthe nearby doors opened, and worried-looking people entered the hallway, speaking with other guests, wondering what the loud explosion was.


    Tap, tap, tap¡ªan innkeeper rushed from downstairs and saw most of the guests standing in the hallway with worried looks on their faces.


    "Everyone, return to your rooms. I got word from a friend of mine that there was a gas explosion. It''s best to stay indoors until we receive further information."


    The guests nodded and returned to their rooms amid whispers.


    Some wore worried expressions, others had a look of confusion, but all carried a sense of unease.


    They all had a hunch that it was more than just a gas explosion.

 Chapter 226 Fountain Lane

    At Fountain Lane, near the entrance of a park where old and young go to enjoy morning walks, a house was burning with scarlet-red mes.


    It was a glorious sight, but also a terrifying one.


    The heatwave that engulfed the nearby area had touched many Fountain Lane residents, who had gathered to watch in wonder and disbelief.


    It wasn''t cold anymore as they basked in the heat of the burning building.


    The mes danced and crackled, consuming every bit of the building.


    The residents could only hope that no one was inside the building when it exploded.


    A momentter, Ambrose arrived at the scene of the burning building and sighed heavily.


    He saw the residents gathered on the other side of the street, looking distraught and fearful.


    "Excuse me, what happened here?" Ambrose walked over to one of the residents, who was visibly shaken.


    "Uh... I am not too sure." The man said. He had just arrived and was trying to piece together what had happened.


    "Was there anyone living there?" Ambrose asked while looking at the tall mes, sending smoke into the already dark sky.


    "Yes..." The man sighed. "I didn''t know him personally, but he was the gravekeeper at a nearby cemetery."


    "I-I saw him not long ago." Suddenly, a disheveled-looking woman spoke beside the man.


    The man and Ambrose turned to look at her, seeing her reddening face caused by the heat.


    "Abigail, you saw him?" The man asked, aware of the woman''s name and her background, as they weren''t living too far from each other.


    "Y-yes." Abigail stammered, her voice barely audible. "I think he wasing from the cemetery, as his face was smeared with dirt and he looked rather tired."


    "So, he was most likely inside the building." The man sighed. "What a tragedy."


    ''Was this just an ident, after all?'' Ambrose frowned. ''I should get back; Be must be worried.''


    "Hey, what the hell is that?"


    A sudden shout came from one of the residents, who was pointing towards the burning building.


    Everyone turned to look at the building, feeling the heat touching their faces, and saw thick ck smoke billowing out from the windows.


    However, inside the burning building, there was a person standing, its flesh ck as charcoal and its eyes consumed by the mes.


    "Oh my god!" Abigail covered her mouth in shock. "Someone help him!"


    "I can''t believe he''s still alive." The man murmured in shock, wanting to also help, but it was impossible.


    No one would be foolish enough to run inside a burning building, trying to save a person who wouldn''t survive such wounds.


    It was a hopeless situation.


    "Stay away from the building!" Ambrose suddenly shouted and grabbed his sword from its sheath, his eyes zing with seriousness. "This is not a living being!"


    "What do you mean?" The man looked at him with confusion and concern.


    His answers soon got revealed as the figure trotted out of the burning building, its flesh smoking and its movements rusty as if it were a metal toy neglected for years.


    The resident''s faces turned into shock as they saw the person''s true form¡ªa zombie!


    "T-this is not him!" Abigail shouted. "I-its height and figure are all wrong!"


    Ambrose raised his eyebrow and frowned.


    ''He is a gravekeeper, so perhaps a zombie had followed him from there. However, why are they acting like this? Is it their first time seeing a zombie? How can they stop zombies from rising every crescent moon night, and why did it happen now?''


    "T-they had most likely failed the salting!" The man eximed.


    "Salting?" Ambrose nced at him sideways while keeping most of his focus on the burning zombie.


    "Y-you must be very new if you don''t know." The man wiped his sweat and exined. "To stop people from rising back from death, we do something called salting.


    "We stuff corpses with a special kind of salt called anti-necrotic salt.


    "It''s an old product from Dark Continent, which allows us to stop anyone from rising from death during Crescent Moon!"


    ''I see, so someone must''ve forgotten to do that.'' Ambrose started understanding more.


    He had the crazy idea before that they must''ve chained the coffins and buried them tens of meters into the ground to stop them froming back.


    However, this was clearly a more effective way.


    But, unfortunately, there was a possibility of human error leading to disastrous consequences.


    "D-does that mean there are more zombies roaming the town right now?" Abigail asked with a shaky tone.


    "I hope not." The man said with cold sweat drenching his back. "I hope it was just one corpse, but we definitely have to report this to the guards!"


    "I''ll take care of it." Ambrose stepped forward and traced his finger down the ck de.


    "D-don''t do anything reckless!" The man shouted. "This zombie is very high-level if it can survive the explosion!"


    "We can''t let it leave either." Ambrose said. "The wisest would be to get rid of it right now."


    "Aoooooor!" The charcoal-skinned zombie screamed and lunged at them, its arms iling wildly.


    "Aaah!" The residents scurried away in a hurry, escaping in all directions.


    "Shit!" The man grabbed Abigail by her arm and pulled her with him after seeing herpletely frozen.


    Swoosh¡ªa ck-haired silhouette appeared in the path of the charcoal-skinned zombie, the ck de gleaming in the crimson moonlight.


    "Mortal Style, Nachbilder!" Ambrose shouted and started stepping around with a mystifying pattern around the zombie, soon looking like dozens of afterimages who were running around it.


    The zombie, unable to keep up with Ambrose''s speed and illusions, came to a stop, looking around while baring its fangs.


    Nachbilder, another skill Ambrose had learned, was a Talented-ranked skill that allowed Ambrose to use specific footwork to make himself look like a bunch of afterimages.


    He wasn''t any faster than before, but because of the dizzying footwork, it made him look like he was incredibly fast.


    Swoosh¡ªthe ck de then zoomed past the zombie, leaving a deep gash on its neck.


    "Aroooo!" The zombie stumbled back, its neck crumbling apart as it was basically only made of ash and dust now.


    It may have survived the explosion, but its body was ruined, making its defense horrible.


    Ambrose came to a halt, the afterimages fading away like erased pictures.


    He then reeled in his arm, putting the sword into a thrusting stance, and then lunged forward.


    "Mortal Style, Kanone!"


    Swoosh¡ªlike a ship-wrecking cannonball, the sword impaled through the zombie, sending shards of burned flesh flying in all directions.


    The zombie''s charcoal body crumbled apart like a dying ember, leaving nothing but smoke and ashes.


    "Whoo!" Ambrose stepped over the ashes, slowly slipped the sword back to the scabbard, and once it was securely fastened, he let out a sigh of relief.


    Kanone, another Talented-ranked skill from Mortal Style.


    It was a powerful thrust attack that was as powerful as a cannon shot.


    "I wanted to test all the skills I had learned, but aye." Ambrose looked at the scattered ashes. "It was too weak."


    A small distance away, the residents had stopped running away, looking at the ck-haired young man with admiration.


    Abigail and the man looked at the sight with relief washing over them, happy that the nightmarish night might had finallye to an end.


    Behind a corner, Sara looked at the sight with stars in her eyes.


    "Please tell me that you got it!"


    "Yup, I got it." Aaron replied, showing thumbs up with a smile.

 Chapter 227 The Fated Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 227 The Fated Encounter</h4>


    m¡ªthe doors sted open by a strong push from a metal-armored guard.


    "Sir!" The guard shouted in rm, but his voice echoed down empty, identical-looking hallways.


    The ce was dark and gloomy-looking.


    ''Where the hell has he disappeared to?'' The guard wondered with a frown, searched throughout the first floor, and moved to the second floor once he was done.


    He cautiously moved onward until he finally reached the town mayor''s bedroom. The door was tightly sealed shut, and there was no sign of anyone inside.


    "Sir?" He raised his hand and knocked on the door, but there was no response.


    "God damn it..." He whispered and then shouted. "I am sorry, sir, but I aming in!"


    With a sense of urgency, he smashed into the door with his left shoulder making the first contact, causing the door to fly off its hinges.


    He burst into the room with his hand caressing the hilt of his longsword, but once he saw the situation inside, he let it go and said.


    "Mayor, there is a problem."


    The mayor sat beside the ornate window, looking towards the gloomy, dark sky.


    He wore nothing but pajamas and slippers.


    "What is it...?" He asked with azy tone¡ªthat single sentence took him three seconds to say.


    "We found traces of blood in the church, and the traces led all the way to the confession booth, where we found the half-eaten corpse of the town priest."


    The mayor''s eyes looked shaken, and he caught a glimpse of the crescent moon in the distance.


    "Does this mean..."


    "We can assume that there are zombies walking rampant around the town." The guard said with a sweaty forehead. "I have already sent other guards to look for them."


    "All right." The mayor didn''t tear his gaze off the crescent moon. "Good, good..."


    The guard frowned as he thought the mayor would be more concerned about the well-being of the townsfolk.


    "You may leave." The mayor sighed.


    "All right..." The guard nodded and left the room with a heavy heart and a sense of disappointment.


    ''What is the point?'' The mayor wondered. ''He will kill everyone anyway, so everyone might as well enjoy thest moments of their lives while they still can.''


    ...


    Inside the bedroom of one of the rented houses, a group of female streamers had gathered on top of a bed.


    The floating camera captured their slender figures, chatting andughing with each other.


    The chat went crazy as so many familiar faces gathered in the same room, but not a single man was present, which didn''t mind the male-oriented audience that came to the stream to watch the pretty women.


    PinkDragon smiled casually while watching her streamer friends talk, but then she caught a message from one of the viewers.


    "Where is Sapphire? She was seen walking in Hightown?" PinkDragon paused for a moment before smiling. "I don''t know."


    Her friends kept their mouths shut as they were aware of the rocky rtionship between Sapphire and PinkDragon.


    They were like cats and dogs; they couldn''t stand each other, and whenever they saw each other, it often ended in a heated argument or confrontation.


    Their content was rather simr, and their audience was very simr.


    Some fans of theirs even thought they could be sisters, as none of them were aware of their horrible rtionship.


    Sapphire was thest person standing in PinkDragon''s way of entering the top 10 ranks, which would easily double her status and also make her get better deals with sponsors, allowing her to make much more money.


    Because she was ranked in the top 10, Sapphire had gotten deals from movie producers to be part of their movies, enraging PinkDragon to no end as her long-time dream had been to be a movie actress.


    Sapphire''s reason for hating PinkDragon was unknown.


    Even PinkDragon herself didn''t know why she hated her.


    "Ahhh!"


    Out of nowhere, a fading shout seemed to echo from outside.


    "What was that?" One of the female streamers, seated closest to the window, stood up and checked the window.


    The fog was nearly overwhelming, but she managed to catch a glimpse of several silhouettes running.


    Strangely enough, following them were more silhouettes; however, they were strangely failing their arms around in a chaotic manner.


    As the screams faded far into the distance, one of the silhouettes stopped before their building and began approaching the front door.


    As the silhouette got closer, the female streamer''s eyes almost popped out as the silhouette stepped on the front porch''s light.


    It was some kind of rotting creature with decaying flesh hanging off its bones.


    "Oh my god!"


    "Lana, what is it?" PinkDragon asked with a frown.


    The chat also sent question marks.


    "It''s a zombie!" The female screamer screamed and fell on her back.


    "What?" PinkDragon stood up and walked over to the window, then saw some kind of rotting creature scratching the front door.


    The floating camera was right beside her, allowing the chat to see it all.


    The chat became both anxious and excited, as this made them feel like they were watching a zombie apocalypse movie!


    Most weren''t even aware that the game had zombies, so this came as a surprise.


    "It''s just one." PinkDragon said and pulled out her polearm.


    The polearm had a serrated de at the end, perfect for slicing through flesh, and it looked majestic and deadly in her hands.


    This was one of the rare times that the chat saw PinkDragon pick up her weapon, as her stream wasn''t fighting-rted.


    Therefore, she rarely fought in her streams.


    However, that didn''t mean she didn''t know how to or was weak.


    In fact, she has 10 years of martial arts experience under her belt!


    She was simply more focused on entertaining her audience than engaging inbat.


    Her chat grew excited, and after seeing PinkDragon act confidently, her streamer friends also picked up their weapons.


    However, they were vastly weaker and clumsy at using weaponspared to PinkDragon; most of them haven''t even reached level 10 yet!


    ...


    "..."


    Ambrose silently peered around the fog-engulfed street.


    It made him wonder whether this was another game event or if it was actually possible for so much fog to appear at such an important moment.


    He couldn''t shake the feeling that something big was about to happen.


    The zombies had already made the night quite eventful, and he was still not sure whether there were more.


    "Hmm?" Ambrose looked straight forward and came to a stop.


    His eyebrow twitched, and he let out a smallugh.


    "Look what the wind has brought." He covered his eyes andughed. "And I didn''t expect the day to get messier!"


    "Jesse..."


    A silver-haired young woman whispered gently, standing on the same sidewalk, the fog lightly caressing her beautiful face.


    She was not alone.


    From behind her, a green-eyed man with sword-shaped earrings and long ck hair walked past her, arge grin spreading across his face.


    "Ambrose, Ambrose, hahaha!" Cerberusughed madly. "I knew you were here."


    Behind Serenity, other members of Zahhak revealed themselves, all of them holding their weapons.


    "..." Andromeda silently looked at Ambrose, her thoughts unknown.


    Swoosh¡ªAmbrose drew his sword and pointed its curved edge towards Cerberus.


    Cerberus rubbed his neck and pulled out his sword in response.


    Both still kept their second swords hidden.


    Their eyes locked in a fierce yet unreadable gaze.


    At the exact same time, both lunged forward and shed their swords together.


    "Hahaha, I have waited for this!" Cerberus shouted with arge grin.


    "You should''ve waited longer." Ambrose scoffed and stepped back, ending the first sh. "Did you forget about your punishment? I know that each yer from Yatagarasu suffered a punishment for the failure!"


    "So what?" Cerberusughed. "Do you think I need my full power to defeat you? What an absolute joke!"


    "You''ll regret that!" Ambrose lunged forward.


    Cerberus grinned and raised his sword high.


    "Hell Merchant!" After shouting, his muscles grew and bulged with immense power.


    The fiery veins pumped energy into the de, turning it quicker and stronger!


    Ambrose roared and put his sword into a shing stance, then grabbed his bulging muscle with his left hand and let out a triumphant cry.


    The right sword-wielding arm approached Cerberus'' sword with lightning speed.


    "sh of the Six Worlds!"


    ng!

 Chapter 231 Pinnacle

    <h4>Chapter 231 Pinnacle</h4>


    "Mortal Style, Nachbilder!" Ambrose zoomed forth, using his dizzying footwork that made him look like he had just multiplied by a twelvefold!


    As he neared the towering figure of Reinhardt, he suddenly came to a stop, and all his afterimages slowly faded away.


    He suddenly put his sword into a thrusting stance and pulled his arm and shoulder back before lunging forward.


    "Mortal Style, Kanone!"


    Like a cannonball, the sword pierced through the air, approaching the close-eyed man with incredible speed and force.


    Reinhardt swung the scabbard in front of his body and then collided it with the ck de. The sparks flew slightly, but the tip of the scabbard was blocking the ck de effortlessly!


    "?!" Ambrose''s widened slightly as his powerful attack was blocked so casually.


    "Whoo." Reinhardt exhaled and took a step forward, sending the ck de away from him.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose''s muscles strained as his sword-wielding arm was swung to the side, his shoulder rotating almost 180 degrees.


    Reinhardt reeled in his scabbard-wielding arm and then thrust it forward. The scabbard connected solidly with Ambrose''s shoulder, stabbing into his flesh and causing him to be thrown into the air.


    "Aargh!" Ambrose groaned and tried tond safely on his feet, but hecked the athletic capabilities to do so; therefore, he crashed on his back.


    The impact knocked the wind out of him, leaving him gasping for breath.


    "You are pathetic, Ambrose!" Cerberus shouted with a grin.


    They were treating this as a game; everyone had already realized the vast difference in strength between them and Reinhardt.


    They were already thinking about alternative methods of escaping or whether they simply had to resign to death.


    Some Zahhak members tried to find a way to kill Ambrose so they would know where he would spawn next time around.


    Julian and Serenity watched the scene silently.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose climbed back to his feet and wiped off the blood from his lips. ''Nothing seems to be working. I definitely don''t want to use Self-Possession, as it is my greatest trump card, and I don''t want Cerberus to see it just yet.''


    He sighed, frustrated with hisck of strength, but there was one thing he still wanted to try.


    He looked at his ck de and slowly sheathed it back into his scabbard.


    Then he reached out to inventory and pulled out a red-ded sword, as if it were made of hardened blood.


    Cerberus and Zahhak members frowned their brows, wondering about the strange de, and some even made guesses about whether it was one of the rewards he stole.


    Ambrose ignored their spection and continued to grip the sword tightly, feeling its power coursing through his veins.


    He lowered his stance, then lowered his sword beside his waist before spinning it around, and then grabbed the hilt with his other hand.


    Now, he was holding it in a rather strange grip, with the left hand holding it normally while the de faced backwards, but the right hand was holding it in reverse grip.


    The unfamiliar grip felt awkward at first, but he quickly adjusted and prepared to strike.


    Reinhardt pointed the scabbard into the empty air in front of him, his eyes still closed, but his ears were perked up, and slowly, the scabbard began pointing in Ambrose''s direction as if he could sense him.


    The tension built on his muscles, and then he took a long stride forward and stabbed the scabbard forward.


    However, the scabbard was nowhere near Ambrose, but still, an invisible attack flew out from the scabbard, stabbing through the air and soon arriving in front of the young man.


    Not even Ambrose could see the attack, but he knew something was nearing him as the wind picked up.


    "Mortal Style, Nachbilder!"


    With dizzying footwork, he began weaving past the wind, and soon, over half of the afterimages got blown away by the wind once the invisible attack reached them.


    However, Ambrose''s real body managed to evade that disastrous strike and did arge leap to close the gap between him and Reinhardt.


    "Mortal Style..." He whispered and jumped into the air, his foot leaving the safety of the ground.


    Reinhardt had his head turned away from him, but his ears perked up, and then he swung the scabbard towards the air.


    Again, a powerful invisible sh flew out of the scabbard.


    Seeing the powerful swordsman send another attack, Ambrose didn''t hesitate and shouted. "100 kg!"


    The weight of his sword turned overwhelming, but still, with his muscles swelling, he swung it down with all his might.


    "D?mon!"


    After finishing shouting the skill''s name, his waist twisted around, and soon his entire body was engulfed in a blinding aura of power.


    His body spun around like a whirling tornado, and then the heavy red sword struck the invisible sh, smashing straight through, and almost instantly after, the red de managed to reach Reinhardt.


    Reinhardt raised his scabbard, and as soon as the red de mmed into it, he felt the impact of power sending a shockwave through his entire body.


    Crack¡ªthe ground below him exploded; cracks covered the pavement in all directions.


    "Oh..." Reinhardt coughed unwillingly, as if some of the wind were knocked out of him.


    However, that was the extent of the damage¡ªAmbrose managed to make him cough, which was already much more than a thousand other opponents had managed.


    ''That''s all?'' Ambrose chuckled mockingly andnded back on the ground, then leaped backwards to distance himself from Reinhardt, but all his fighting spirit was gone.


    He knew he was outssed in every way possible.


    "Magnificent." Reinhardt shockingly smiled. "I think I felt a fading sensation of pain. Unfortunately, it onlysted millisecond."


    Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched, then he stored the Red Sword back in his inventory and drew his ck Sword.


    Hecked his usual fighting spirit, but he still nned to press forward and continue the battle.


    "Unfortunately, the time hase." Reinhardt tied the scabbard back to his belt and looked into the horizon. "The dawn..."


    On the horizon, the sun started peeking over the mountains, slowly casting a warm glow over the town.


    "Time hase?" Ambrose frowned and instinctively asked. "What do you mean?"


    "I''ll..." Reinhardt inhaled the fresh air and smiled. "Destroy this town, kill everyone here, and make sure that it never appears in history books, ever again."


    The chilling words hung in the air, sending shivers down Ambrose''s spine.


    "W-what did you say?"


    At first, he thought he misheard; therefore, he wore somewhat a nk expression, but soon, the heavy words registered in his mind.


    "I''ll eradicate this ce." Reinhardt crouched on the ground, his eyes still closed, and picked up a broken piece of pavement.


    With a powerful squeeze, he turned it into dust in his hand.


    "Every soul, every building, every memory, and even the pavement below our feet, I''ll eradicate it all, as if this ce never existed."


    "W-why?" Ambrose asked with a trembling voice, remembering the fleeting outline of Be''s face.


    This meant that everyone inside Hightown would cease to exist.


    "This ce exists because of me." Reinhardt stood up and tossed the dust into the wind. "It shall also cease to exist because of me."


    Ambrose looked at Reinhardt with disbelief, unsure of what to say next.


    His gaze slowly fell to his ck de, which gleamed ominously in the fading light.


    "This is not a joking matter..." He whispered, still remembering the face of the red-eyed young woman. "She would die..."


    "She?" Reinhardt heard the words and smiled. "So, you have someone important in here. Well, if it gives you anyfort, you don''t have to mourn her death because I start the purge with you."


    "Aargh!" Ambrose screamed and lunged at Reinhardt. "sh of the Six Worlds!"


    "Heh." Reinhardt chuckled mockingly and for the first time in the fight, he drew his katana from the scabbard, revealing a dark de.


    He effortlessly blocked Ambrose''s all-out attack.


    "I have faced thousands of swordsmen, everyone wanting to defeat me and be the World''s Strongest Swordsman.


    "After a thousand years, I alone stand at the pinnacle!"

 Chapter 240 New Strength

    <h4>Chapter 240 New Strength</h4>


    "Excuse me, I need a ce to think." Ambrose said and walked over to the balcony.


    "Oh, okay." Be said softly, and then turned her gaze back to her new hand. It still felt strange to see her hand back.


    After closing the balcony door, Ambrose leaned on the handrail and stared out at the town, lost in thought.


    ''I wonder if Reinhardt can escape that ce. I''ll still tell Be to leave for Amaterasu as soon as possible, but it doesn''t matter if he escapes that strangend...


    ''Ugh, I hope he doesn''t make out.'' Ambrose sighed and looked over his shoulder to Be, who was still seated on the bed.


    ''She almost died, didn''t she?'' He sighed and shook his head, feeling like his heart weighed a ton.


    ''If Reinhardt''s attack was one meter closer, she would''ve died.


    ''It truly changes the perception of things. I did save her from those goblins. It''s way different from when I told that farmer and his family to escape.


    ''Saving someone from death truly is strange.''


    With those deep thoughts, he turned his attention to the interface.


    ''The XP needed to level up is now crazy. It has had an explosive increasetely. I have acquired 10525 XP for my current level, but I need 14000 XP to level up. There are a few thousand left, but it seems that from now on, leveling up will be harder and way slower.''


    As he looked at his stats, he entered into a state of deep concentration and thoughtfulness.


    ''First, Strength. I currently have 105 on it¡ªI wonder what happens when it reaches 200. Does my physique change again?


    ''I don''t really want to look like a bodybuilder...


    ''Well, I also cannot stop putting any points on it. Strength is my most valuable stat, and I haven''t added anything to ittely.


    ''Since I have 100 stat points, I''ll put 45 points on it.''


    [STR: 105 -> 150]


    ''55 points left...'' Ambrose touched his chin in deep thought, considering where to allocate the remaining points.


    ''Next one is Charm...'' He looked over his shoulder at Be, but then turned his gaze back to the town. ''I can put a few points on it.''


    He then raised his hand and assigned a few points to the Charm.


    [CHA: 45 -> 50]


    ''50 stat points remaining.''


    After Charm, his gazended on the intelligence.


    ''This is a truly valuable stat as well. I have so many Mortal Style skills left to learn, and it takes me many hours to learn even one. I should add a few as well.''


    [INT: 100 -> 110]


    ''40 stat points...'' Ambrose frowned, as the next one was Luck.


    It was one of the skills that he had ignored a great deal.


    ''From what I''ve learned, it indeed ys a significant role in getting better treasures and increasing the chance to avoid a lethal blow from any enemy.


    ''It would also reduce the chance of dropping one of my most valuable items when I die...''


    He also wondered what would happen when Luck reached 100.


    Since Intelligence, Strength and Dexterity had affected his real-life body somewhat, he wondered what Luck would do.


    ''Could it perhaps help me win the lottery?'' Ambrose chuckled with a joking tone, but he was very interested in it.


    After pondering for a moment, he decided to also add something to it.


    [LUC: 20 -> 30]


    ''30 left...'' Ambrose''s gaze then turned to Agility.


    It was another skill he had ignored for a while because he didn''t feel like there was a need for him to focus on speed.


    He wanted to focus on absolute strength, and to aplish that, he needed every stat point possible, which might be wasted on Agility.


    He now also had Nachbilder skill, which was footwork, but it already helped him greatly to cover hisck of agility.


    ''I should still add some to it. I also want this to reach 100 at one point.''


    [AGI: 20 -> 40]


    ''10 left, and I have three stats left.'' Ambrose sighed. ''Vitality, I don''t need.''


    His heart still hurt because it didn''t heal his disease.


    ''Dexterity, don''t need it now and then Stamina, I might as well assign the remaining stats on that.''


    [STA: 60 -> 70]


    And just like that, he had spent all of his stat points.


    ***


    [Name: Ambrose]


    [Level: 61]


    [ss: Suicide Swordsman]


    [Title: Revenger]


    [XP: 10525/14000]


    [HP: 510/510]


    [SP: 0]


    [Silver: 0]


    [STR: 150]


    [CHA: 50]


    [INT: 110]


    [LUC: 30]


    [AGI: 40]


    [VIT: 100]


    [DEX: 100]


    [STA: 70]


    ***


    Now, looking at his interface, Ambrose chuckled.


    ''It looks quite neat with zero at the end of each stat. I wonder if everyone else has the same.''


    He closed the interface and then opened the inventory.


    There was one way he wanted to test his new strength.


    After reaching towards the inventory, he pulled out his menacing Red Sword.


    "100kg." Ambrose murmured, and then the Red Sword''s weight changed.


    "Oho..." His veins bulged and danced around his muscles, but he was able to hold the sword rtively well.


    ''Those points on strength truly made me much stronger!'' Ambroseughed, as it made him certain of one thing.


    After assigning stats to some of the stats after 100 mark, it affected the person more.


    ''It must be because of the limits of humanity, and I am nearing the limit of human physique.


    ''At one point, humans will stop evolving; that''s just how things are.


    ''However, with enough stat points, there really isn''t any limit.''


    Ambrose then began swinging the sword slowly but with great strength behind each swing.


    Before, he was unable to swing the sword properly as the tip would always lean downwards towards the ground as he simplycked strength.


    However, now he could use the sword with great precision and control, even if the weight was already at its maximum.


    ''At this rate, 100kg wouldn''t be enough.'' He smiled and then stored it back in his inventory.


    After closing his inventory, he leaned on the handrail and looked at Hightown, the buildings towering above him in the distance.


    Without him, it would have been razed to the ground.


    It made him feel a sense of aplishment, even if he never got credit for it, which he expected to happen.


    As he turned around and leaned his back against the handrail, he looked through the window at Be, who hadid down on the bed with a book in one hand.


    Her eyes seemed heavy with exhaustion, but a faint smile yed on her lips.


    She also touched her precious ruby pendant with her newly-grown hand.


    Ambrose touched his ear, feeling the silver earrings that he had purchased from the merchant Sethelean.


    ''Right, I also had these.'' As he touched the earring, he looked at Be and wondered. ''I wonder if these had any effect or if Sethelean just scammed me outright.


    ''It should''ve made my opponents intimidated, which obviously didn''t happen, at least in my eyes, but it should''ve also made opposite sex attracted. I''m not sure that happened either.


    ''What a waste of purchase, I assume.'' He thought and then shook his head.


    Choo¡ªfar in the distance, a steam lotive''s whistle sted, echoing throughout the town.


    ''Oh, a steam lotive.'' Ambrose turned around and looked towards the cloud of smoke that was billowing out of the steam lotive.


    ''Hmm, I suppose it is also time for me to leave. The steam lotive might be able to take me to my next destination.


    ''However, I need money, which I don''t have.'' Ambrose then looked into the town and caressed his chin. ''I wonder if there is a way for me to gain some quick silver.''

 Chapter 243 Ambrose鈥檚 Plan

    <h4>Chapter 243 Ambrose''s n</h4>


    Ignoring the strange lie by Olympos, his diehard fans encouraged him in his fight against Ambrose.


    The view count on his stream continued to have a steep increase.


    Olympos grabbed several daggers between his fingers and tossed them into the air.


    The daggers and small knives stopped moving and hovered about six meters above the ground, creating a mesmerizing spectacle for the audience.


    The chat exploded with excitement as they rarely saw Daggerwielder ability on disy.


    Many also dreamed of getting their own Upgrade Tokens, and then getting their own special ss with mind-blowing abilities.


    Ambrose unsheathed his sword and moved it with grace to the front of his face.


    "Murder Party!" Olympos screamed and sent the daggers and knives hurling towards his opponent.


    This time, he was preparing for the strange suicidal style of fighting that Ambrose used in theirst fight.


    ''I won''t let you anywhere near me!'' He thought smugly.


    "Whoo..." Ambrose let out a long breath and then murmured under his breath. "Self-Possession..."


    After whispering, he activated one of his soul''s abilities and then turned his focus on the daggers and knives.


    "Mortal Style, Nachbilder!"


    As he started his dizzying footwork, the daggers and knives crossed the distance, slicing through the afterimages with deadly precision.


    However, each continued to fly to the dead-end corner of the alleyway, not even one showing a sign of blood.


    The chat, at first, cheered for a sessful attack, but they then noticed that something was wrong.


    ng¡ªthest dagger also missed its target, finally dropping down to the pavement.


    Ambrose stopped the footwork and appearedpletely fine.


    "W-what was this, he hadn''t used this before..." Olympos gulped, realizing that he wasn''t the only one that had gotten stronger.


    89John frowned after seeing Olympos stunlocked and debated. ''Should I use the dart now? It might be too early.''


    Beehave watched with a serious look but also had no intention to participate in this. He was simply a spectator.


    "Tch!" Olympos extended his hand and made the daggers and knives fly back to him.


    Ambrose nced behind him and again used the dizzying footwork.


    The daggers and knives seemed to go through each afterimage, even his real body, yet he was leftpletely unharmed.


    As the daggers and knives hovered next to Olympos, he screamed inwardly.


    ''How is none of them hitting him?!''


    "No time to waste..." Ambrose murmured under his breath and put his sword into a thrusting stance, then lunged towards Olympos with the ferocious fury of a cannonball.


    "Mortal Style, Kanone!"


    "Shit!" Olympos panicked and quickly pped his hands, causing the daggers and knives to smash into each other, forming a ball of steel and des.


    "The Home Castle!"


    ''A defensive skill, no matter.'' Ambrose''s explosive muscles vibrated with great intensity as he pushed his sword-wielding arm forward, the ck de crashing through the ball of steel and des with a deafening metallic ng.


    The daggers flew into the distance, and the crudely made knives were broken by the impact.


    "Ngh!" Olympos groaned, clutching his injured arm, as one of the daggers happened to strike him identally.


    Crash¡ªAmbrose smashed his sword through thest remaining daggers that still hovered and approached Olympos with long strides.


    "Eek!" Olympos'' face paled as he started to realize the vast different of strength, which he didn''t feel thest time around.


    Therefore, he shouted the first thing that came to his mind.


    "John, help me!"


    ''Idiot!'' 89John shouted inwardly angrily as the stream definitely heard it.


    However, to get the Upgrade Token, he didn''t care whether Olympos'' fans learned about them cheating.


    He gave the camera to Beehave, who started shaking it slightly, so it was rtively hard to see what was happening.


    89John then clutched his dart and swung his arm around, sending it flying towards Ambrose.


    As the poison-coated dart flew through the air, it reached the vicinity of Ambrose without being noticed.


    It was rtively invincible, like a silver streak in the moonlit night.


    The dart struck Ambrose in the neck, but against all odds, it phased straight through his skin and stabbed into one of the walls of the nearby building, its poison-coated tip bent and broken.


    ''How?!'' 89John''s eyes widened in a horror.


    He happened to be the only one who noticed this strange phenomenon.


    Olympos, on the other hand, grinned hideously as he believed the dart to have sessfully hit Ambrose.


    ''The poison instantly reaches his bloodstream, making his vision blurry and health halved!''


    He extended his arms to his sides andughed. "Murder Par¡ª"


    Stab¡ªthen, the ck de tore through his neck, silencing hisughter.


    Olympos'' eyes widened and turned horror-stricken. ''H-how, h-he should have b-been poisoned.''


    ''I felt like something flew through me.'' Ambrose frowned and nced at the pale-faced 89John. ''What a tricky fellows. I am d I used my soul''s phasing ability since the start of the fight.''


    He had, of course, n for this fight.


    He didn''t want the whole streamingmunity to find out about his Self-Possession, therefore, he used it carefully.


    With Nachbilder, he used the dizzying footwork to seem like he simply dodged all the daggers and knives.


    Now, since the dart was so small, no one except 89John noticed that something was odd.


    He, of course, didn''t n on using floating ability, as it would reveal a lot of things.


    After removing the sword from Olympos'' throat, he fell down¡ªdead.


    As his body vanished into pixels, Ambrose pointed the sword at 89John.


    "You want to have a go?"


    89John looked frightened and turned to his friend, Beehave. They then noticed that the streaming camera vanished alongside Olympos, as it was his priority.


    Now, after knowing that there weren''t millions of people watching, he smiled humbly and said.


    "N-no, we are good." He then bowed and escaped the alleyway, quickly followed by Beehave.


    "So much for revenge, huh?" Ambrose thought out loud and was also nning to leave, but then noticed that Olympos had dropped a circr object and a brown pouch.


    "Wait..." His eyes widened in shock, and heughed loudly. "Oh my god."


    The item Olympos dropped was an Upgrade Token!


    "I can''t believe my luck!" He immediately picked it up and looked at it with disbelief. "So, he indeed had second one. I wonder why he didn''t use it? Maybe, you can''t use it?"


    He wanted to find out, and therefore, he whispered. "Activate."


    [Do you want to upgrade your "Suicide Swordsman" ss?]


    [Y/N]


    "Uh, yes." Ambrose pressed the yes button.


    [Upgrading "Suicide Swordsman" ss]


    [1%...]


    "Wait, it worked?" Ambrose eximed in disbelief. "Why didn''t he use it then? Was there some kind of restrictions that made impossible for him or whether he got this recently and wanted to use it to tempt his fans to hunt me down?


    "I kind of want to ask himter."


    After the Upgrade Token vanished into thin air, he picked up the brown pouch and saw that it contained 6,740 silvers.


    ''I am not dirt poor anymore.'' He smiled as this meant he now had enough money for steam lotive.


    At first, he nned to borrow some money from Be to buy for the ticket, but he was d that he didn''t have to do that anymore.

 Chapter 249 Study

    <h4>Chapter 249 Study</h4>


    At Jack''s study in Rothsmith Estate.


    The room was decorated with antique furniture and adorned with bookshelves filled with leather-bound ssics.


    The air was filled with the pleasant scent of old books, and the soft glow of the antique desk illuminated the walls covered in richly colored wallpaper.


    Creak¡ªthe door creaked open, and Mark Rothsmith, the head of the Rothsmith family, trotted inside with a drink in hand and a casual smile on his face.


    He passed the borate window with its intricate stained ss and stepped onto the old desk, which had seen years of use.


    As he sat down, the door felt a swoosh of cool air as more people entered the room.


    As more and more people crowded inside the small study, the room felt packed and cramped, with barely enough space to move around.


    Matilda and Jack sat on the only couch in the study, Anna and Nyx''s father, Percy, leaned against the bookshelf, and the rest of the guests gathered in corners and along the walls.


    At the doorway, Nyx and a few of her distant cousins stayed outside but still kept their attention peeled to what was happening inside the study.


    "Father, why have we gathered in here?" Percy asked with a monotone tone.


    He was Nyx''s father, and there were some simrities between them, especially their distinct dark hair and piercing blue eyes.


    Since the death of his wife and Nyx''s mother, their rtionship has grown somewhat tense, but every Sunday, they would still go for a walk in the park together, even if they didn''t speak a single word.


    Percy''s question hung in the air as everyone turned to Mark, waiting for an answer.


    Mark chuckled with his raspy voice and said, "As all of you might know, our shares within thepany have dropped significantly in the past month."


    The room stayed quiet, but they all acknowledged it.


    "Well, we are not the only ones." Mark rummaged through the drawers and brought out a cigar.


    "Ah, that''s mine..." Jack said with exhaustion, but his words entered deaf ears as the elderly man lit up the cigar and ced it between his lips.


    After taking a long puff, Mark said. "The economy has changed since the arrival of Martial Online''s Reality Market. It changed everything and how the business is done.


    "Our rivalpanies jumped the bandwagon and began trading inside the game, and we have also started our own virtual marketce to staypetitive in the market."


    "You haven''t told us our role yet, father." Percy said with his arms crossed.


    Since he was Mark''s oldest and most important son, only he was allowed to speak casually with him.


    Matilda, too, had a nearly equal amount of authority within the family, but she often stayed out of business-rted things.


    "The influence is power." Mark said coolly. "We need the yers to count on us, and therefore, we must establish ourselves as a powerful force within the game.


    "Since we have already started the preparations and have already secured several towns between the major cities, we can start building a trading route.


    "Between the towns that are now ours, there are multiple forests; within them there are caves, tombs, and dungeons, all of which have riches and treasures waiting to be discovered.


    "The mountain is especially rich with silver, and it can be the perfect mining ground.


    "Therefore, I need y''all to recruit a big enough workforce, from yourpanies, of course, and start assigning them roles from miner to dungeon explorer and everything in between.


    "We need to act quickly so that we can begin extracting the valuable silver and maximize our profits."


    Everyone in the room nodded and began exchanging hushed whispers.


    "It had been tough for ourpaniestely." Mark said and removed the cigar from his lips, then held it between his fingers. "Do not recruit yers. They might steal from us. Our workers cannot, because we know where they live.


    "When you have left here, go to Morningville, Sylveon Town, and Cryssallis; those are our three towns. Each has an acting mayor, so find the mayor, and they''ll get you sorted."


    Mark then put the cigar out and waved his hand. "You all may leave."


    Tap, tap¡ªfootsteps sounded as the crowd began dispersing.


    However, Matilda and Jack still stayed in the study alongside Percy and Anna, with Nyx leaning on the door.


    "For the rest of you, I have different assignments." Mark leaned on the chair and sighed. "Most old fuckers of our rivalpanies have ignored an important thing about Martial Online."


    "And what is that?" Matilda asked.


    "The importance of strength." Mark inteced his fingers and said, "In that world, strength is everything. We might be able to build amercial empire, but that can alle down because of a strong entity or even a yer.


    "In time, thepanies will start hiring those yers as bodyguards, and that will cost lots of money.


    "In the future, the strong yers will be the ones to determine the sess of anypany!


    "We cannot underestimate their value. They possess unique skills and abilities that can greatly contribute to the growth and protection of apany."


    "Aren''t you overestimating them?" Percy asked. "If we hire a hundred more employees for a cheap price, then make them level up to maybe level 50, aren''t they enough?"


    "Hah." Mark chuckled. "Son, you should visit me in Martial Online once; your eyes might pop open. I have seen some strength¡ªreal strength!"


    "Did something happen, and is it something we have to worry about?" Jack asked.


    "I met a person." Mark smiled with fear and excitement. "He went by the name of Matchitehew. I met him randomly at the crossroads between the north and south. It was as if that ce was the center of the universe.


    "Even the clouds high above circled around that ce. There was truly something spectacr about that."


    Mark then remembered a sight that he doubted he would ever forget.


    "This Matchitehewid his eyes upon me, and I only saw his white eyes for a single moment, and my mind ascended to a whole new realm.


    "I still remember those shy, otherworldly images. In my mind, thatsted over a hundred hours, but in reality, itsted less than a millisecond, as when I saw his eyes, my mind actually broke.


    "My avatar was like an empty shell, devoid of any consciousness or presence.


    "My consciousness had truly been wiped away.


    "I don''t know, or whether it was some game''s safety mechanism, but I returned back to reality, feeling disoriented and disconnected from the world around me.


    "It took me over three days to move again from bed."


    Mark chuckled as he looked at his son, whose look was confused and rather skeptical.


    It was hard to believe something like that, which sounded impossible and out of the realm of mortal understanding.


    "That''s why I need y''all to begin recruiting some yers. They are simply bodyguards, so keep a close eye on them. They could easily try to steal from us."


    They nodded, and after they received their roles, they began leaving the study one after another.


    Mark turned the chair around and gazed out of the window towards the vast garden beyond.


    "Matchitehew..."

 Chapter 251 Mars Ares Godfriend

    <h4>Chapter 251 Mars Ares Godfriend</h4>


    A nimble-fingered guitarist yed a breathtaking solo while the dancers picked up their pace, their dresses fluttering and twirling in the air.


    Their footsteps echoed in perfect rhythm with the beat of the music.


    The drunken tavern visitors pped and cheered, some spilling their drinks identally as they forgot that they were holding them.


    With loud curses and cheers, the guitarist''s solo continued to increase the pace, his fingers flying across the strings in a mesmerizing disy of skill and dexterity.


    Ambrose enjoyed his drink while tapping his foot to the rhythm.


    At that moment, the tavern''s double doors swung open.


    The loud music and the cheering of the crowd drowned out the sound of the doors opening, but everyone subconsciously felt like the atmosphere had turned little bit more depressing.


    The drunken excitement in the air softened, and the volume of the cheers quieted down significantly.


    Even the guitarist and the dancers lost their enthusiasm and energy as they performed, their movements turning sluggier and more lethargic.


    ''Hmm, the pace of the song is way slower now.'' Ambrose noticed that the guitarist''s enthusiasm was much lower than before, with his fingers moving like they were being controlled by strings.


    He wondered whether something was bothering him.


    At that moment, a tall, broad-shouldered man sat beside him on a high stool, leaning against the bar counter, andzily raised his hand.


    "Bartender, may I have some whiskey on the rocks?"


    The bartender nodded and poured a ss of whiskey, sliding it across the counter towards the man.


    The man gratefully picked up the ss and took a long sip, savoring the smooth taste as it warmed him from the inside.


    "Ahh~" He let out a satisfied sigh. "That is good stuff."


    Ambrose looked away from the show, as it felt less interesting now that the enthusiasm had worn off, and happened to nce at the man.


    It was a strange feeling.


    As soon as his eyesnded on him, Ambrose felt like something was removed from his body unwillingly, leaving him feeling empty and hollow.


    However, as soon as he tore his gaze away, he started feeling normal again.


    "Heh." The man chuckled and nced at the young man beside him. "You have a lot of fate with you, young man."


    "Eh?" Ambrose subconsciously nced at him and engraved his appearance deep inside his mind.


    The man had one eye that was blue, but the second eye was silver-colored with a star-shaped pupil. Ambrose had never seen anything like that before.


    He had an angr-shaped face with sharp eyebrows and a silly grin stretching his facial muscles. On his chin, there was a small ck beard, trimmed neatly.


    The color was the same as his short ck hair, but there were several silver hair strands on his head, indicating signs of aging.


    He wore a white shirt and an open-front ck vest with ck trousers and knee-high faux leather boots. Decorating all that was a ck tricorn hat with a skull and crossbones symbol, and in the end, there was a silver medallion on his chest.


    With his tall, muscr, and broad-shouldered body, he looked like a formidable entity with an air of confidence and strength.


    "Your face, I remember it." The man chuckled and took a brown-colored poster from his vest pocket and unfolded it on the counter.


    It had a sketched image of a young man with an astonishing bounty.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock, and then asked the man, "Are you a bounty hunter?"


    "Do I look like a bounty hunter?" The man grinned and pointed at his tricorn hat, which had a symbol of a skull and crossbones. "I''m a pirate!"


    The bartender gulped but didn''t stop cleaning the cups, even though they were already clean.


    It wasn''t umon to have pirates frequent the ind, but they were very unreasonable and dangerous people.


    So far, whether it was luck or not, none of the top-ss pirate crews have visited Borneo Ind.


    The reason could be a nearby navy base that protected nearby inds, but if a pirate crew happened to be too strong, they couldn''t rely on their help!


    "Who are you, and what do you want?" Ambrose asked while finishing up his drink.


    His eyes were scanning the interior of the tavern, looking for possible escape routes if needed.


    "My name is Mars Ares Godfriend, and I am just an ordinary pirate, haha." Marsughed raspily. "And what do I want? Well..."


    "C-captain of the ck Heart Pirates..." The bartender whispered with fear and fell to his knees. He immediately clutched a cross around his neck, praying for protection from the Holy Father.


    ''ck Heart Pirates? They seem very infamous.'' Ambrose nced towards the exit and felt like running off, but for some reason, he was glued to the stool.


    The atmosphere in the tavern had be dull and heavy with depression.


    The guitarist had already stopped ying the guitar and was just sitting on the stool, staring nkly at the ground that had wet marks.


    The dancers had abandoned the dance floor, leaving it empty and lifeless, and instead, they were sitting in the corner, their eyes hollow and empty.


    All the drunken customers had stopped drinking and just twirled their fingers around the rim of their sses absentmindedly. They didn''t even feel like drinking, let alone moving.


    "Don''t mind them." Mars said and took a sip of his whiskey. "I have stolen their fate. Their futures might''ve been filled with riches and sess, but now they are trapped in a never-ending loop of depression and failure."


    "Why..." Ambrose whispered before saying it louder. "Why did you steal their fate?"


    "They don''t need it." Mars sipped on the whiskey. "That guitarist over there would''ve be famous with a big family and riches that many could dream of. However, what use does any of it have?


    "His fate doesn''t change the world for the better or worse; it''s just a story lost among countless others. He will be forgotten quickly when he dies; he fades away in history.


    "However, I''ll be remembered in history as someone who changed the world. So, why is it wrong that I steal their fate for something much greater?"


    Ambrose coughed loudly as his hand touched the hilt of his sword, but he was unable to draw it.


    "Do not fight." Mars finished the whiskey and looked at the ck-haired young man. "Ambrose, from today onward, you''ll be the ninth member of my pirate crew. You will sail the seas with me; meanwhile, I''ll be stealing your fate till you have nothing left."


    "Why... me" Ambrose coughed out his words with great struggle.


    "There are only a handful of people with enough fate capable of changing the world. All my crew members are those kinds of people¡ªthey are tools to change the world forever.


    "Your and their fate will eventually help me shape the world to my own image."


    "Not... happening!" Ambrose screamed, and after feeling that he wasn''t onbat state, he forcefully opened his interface and reached out to the log-off button.


    However, then Mars removed his silver medallion from his neck and pressed it against Ambrose''s forehead.


    "Argh!" Ambrose felt a burning sensation on his forehead, and once Mars removed the silver medallion, there was a small mark left behind, glowing faintly.


    It was a ck heart.


    Ding, ding!


    [You have been forced into a contract!]


    [You''ll be unable to leave "Mars Ares Godfriend"]


    [The contract can only be severed by the death of the contractor!]

 Chapter 252 Jupiter Meteor

    <h4>Chapter 252 Jupiter Meteor</h4>


    Ambrose''s expression fell, and his interface mysteriously disappeared, leaving his arm dangling in the air.


    The feeling was heavy and suffocating.


    This was the feeling of being a ve trapped inside an invisible prison.


    Mars put the medallion around his neck and caressed its smooth surface, which also had a symbol of a ck heart.


    "This is a treasure I found a while back." He whispered. "It holds dark magic that allows me to bind people to me. If you try to escape from me, the ck heart will send your right back to me."


    "Fuck..." Ambrose jumped over the bar counter, picked up a bottle of whiskey, flicked the cork across the room, and took a long swig.


    The bottle of whiskey emptied rapidly, and when he was done, there was only a drop left at the bottom.


    "Ugh..." Ambrose grimaced, feeling a burning sensation on his throat.


    "We''ll be returning to the ship." Mars stood up from the high stool and made his way outside, mming the doors wide open with his exit.


    As the bitter taste lingered on Ambrose''s tongue, he followed Mars with a depressed look on his face.


    When he reached outside, a shocking sight awaited him.


    The festival had died down; every performer, every cheerful townperson, even the innocent children, were quietly sitting on the ground, motionless.


    They were like hollow shells, with zero emotion left.


    ''He even stole their fate.'' Ambrose angrily clutched his sword and felt like beheading Mars swiftly and quickly.


    However.


    The single thought of attacking Mars seemed suffocating and overwhelming at the same time.


    It was a feeling he had received from only one person before.


    From Reinhardt.


    He thought he would never find someone as strong as Reinhardt¡ªhe even felt like he was stronger than Yughragh and the God''s Pdin from Lowceiling.


    But now, when he looked at Mars'' broad back, he felt like no one could defeat him.


    After they walked out of Borneo Town, Mars came to a halting stop beside the weing sign.


    Mars'' lips twitched into a small smile as he turned back to Borneo Ind and slowly cracked his knuckles.


    "What are you doing?" Ambrose asked, but seeing the smile, he had a very bad feeling.


    "I have forgotten." Mars said with a smile. "I have forgotten to exercise today."


    "Eh?" Ambrose mumbled in confusion, but before he could react, Mars sprang high into the air.


    The ground showed a small crack where Mars had just stood.


    Ambrose snapped his head towards the bright sky and saw Mars soaring through the air¡ªaround a hundred meters above Borneo Town.


    In the air, Mars gazed down at the bright and colorful town.


    Then he flexed his hand into a tight fist, and his arm, from elbow to shoulder, expanded with powerful muscles with fiery veins dancing in them.


    "Jupiter..." Mars whispered under his breath menacingly, and when he began falling back to the town,


    He reeled in his right arm and delivered a heaven-breaking punch that made the air in front of his fist explode and crack.


    As the first shockwave struck the ground, a deafening boom echoed through the entire town.


    "Meteor!" With a powerful scream, Mars crashed into the ground fist-first, causing a massive shockwave to ripple outwards.


    Crack, boom¡ªthe earth split open, creating a ravine with magma pits sizzling at the bottom.


    The tavern was the first to fall into the ravine, with all its customers, dancers, barkeepers, and guitarists still inside.


    Following that, all the townspeople, including the performers and the sailors who hade for a supply run, all fell to the ravine, falling into the magma pit that burned hotter than the depths of hell itself.


    Mars spread his arms wide open while the rest of the buildings fell to the ravine behind him.


    "This is power!"


    His shout exploded in Ambrose''s ears as he helplessly watched the whole cheerful town, filled with colorful and happy-looking people, fall into the depths of the ravine, where they''d never be found.


    Mars, with heavy and powerful steps, walked past Ambrose with his silly grin long gone¡ªonly a look of dead seriousness left in his eyes.


    "Before you even think about killing me to get rid of the contract, look at them." Mars gestured towards therge pit, as if a meteor had crashed into it just moments before.


    "I understand..." Ambrose loosened his bloodied hands, turned away from the long-gone town, and followed behind Mars with a heavy look as they went to the harbor.


    When they arrived at the harbor, Ambrose saw an impressive ship with ck sails and a hull made of ebony wood.


    It was twice as big as the sailor''s ship, and its three masts reached high into the sky, adorned with intricate carvings and billowing with majestic ck sails.


    The interior of the ship looked just as intimidating, with dark, mysterious corridors and a sense of foreboding lurking in every corner.


    It had a lot of space to roam and get lost in.


    After Mars walked up the gangnk, Ambrose followed right behind, but then caught sight of a rough-looking man sitting alone in the harbor''s pier.


    He was the captain of the sailor''s, and now he had the same look as those fateless townpeople¡ªemotionless and cold.


    ''Him too...'' Ambrose sighed, turned away from the captain with a heavy look, and walked up the gangnk to the ship''s deck.


    As soon as he was in, the ship set sail, leaving behind Borneo Ind empty and hollow, all of its fates stolen and its future uncertain.


    As Ambrose watched from the ship''s deck, he couldn''t help but feel a pang of sadness for the ind he had only visited briefly.


    This was not the kind of adventure he expected to have.


    Tap¡ªMars mmed the ship''s door open that led inside to the crew''s quarters. There were dark corridors with flickering lights and many cabin doors.


    "The rest of the crew should be at the dining hall." Mars said with a smirk. "Go meet them. You might get along with them. They are also here unwillingly, haha."


    "Tch." Ambrose clicked his tongue, not understanding how Mars could be proud of the fact that he had just killed hundreds of people and had nine abducted people on board.


    It was clear to Ambrose that Mars had a twisted sense of morality.


    Ambrose then walked past Mars and heard him say:


    "I''ll be at the captain''s quarters; do not disturb me."


    m¡ªthe door mmed shut, causing him to be left alone in the dark corridor, his onlypanion being the creaking floor, flickering flights, and the distant sound of dripping water.


    Ambrose shook his head and walked down the dark corridor until he arrived at a heavy, iron door with a rusted lock.


    It was unlocked, and there were distant whispersing from the other side.


    Ambrose touched the doorknob cautiously and pushed the door open, revealing a damp, dimly lit room.


    It had one long table with chairs strewn about haphazardly.


    There were a few candles on the table, their flickering mes casting eerie shadows on the worn wooden surface.


    As soon as he entered the room, it turned quiet, and all the hushed whispers died down.


    Ambrose gulped and saw eight figures; all had stopped eating and were looking at him with mixed emotions.


    "Oh, a new guy!" A single figure then stood up, his aura radiating with warmth and friendliness.


    He was tall andnky, with extremely fair and beautiful skin, as if it were made of porcin. His hair was ck as night, and he wore arge-cored coat with knee-high leather boots and a pocket watch hanging from his waist.


    However, what took away Ambrose''s attention were his eyes.


    ''Red... another fucking vampire!''


    His eyebrow twitched furiously, but then the beautiful young man patted Ambrose''s shoulder with a friendly look.


    "My name is Damian, and I have an important question!"


    "Does the question include my blood type?" Ambrose asked, and now his lip was twitching as well.


    As soon as his question lingered in the air, a few of the crew members chuckled and continued eating their dinner.


    "Hahaha!" Damianughed, his pearly teeth and two sharp fangs showing. "Nah, I am not that kind of vampire. I only eat animal blood, believe it or not."


    "Oh?" Ambrose raised his eyebrow in surprise. He expected most people under Mars'' leadership to be total psychos, even if they were abducted as well.


    "Are you another cult follower?" Damian asked with a serious look. "We have already one of those, and we do not need another cultist who follows some fucking moron!"


    "How dare you!" A ragged-looking man stood up with an angry look on his face. "Anti-Christ will bring salvation to his world. He will cure this ce from vermin like you and your kind!"


    "As you can see, that fucking cult isn''t very fond of vampires." Damian chuckled and then asked again. "Well, are you?"


    "I am not a cultist." Ambrose replied.


    "Whew, thank the Vampire Goddess for that." Damian wiped his imaginary sweat and then wrapped his arm around Ambrose''s neck. "Then we''ll get along just fine."


    "In here, we shit talk about that fucker Mars, eat, and sleep together while asionally performing bizarre blood rituals for the Blood God. It''spletely normal stuff. We''ll; I am also the ship''s cook, so let''s get you something to eat!"


    "Wait, what the fuck did you say?" Ambrose''s eyes widened, and he was then pushed down on a chair, and Damian put a te right in front of him.


    "Eat up~" Damianughed. "I promise, there isn''t any blood or human flesh inside. Well, not much at least; I try to get the crew to have a healthy diet!"


    ''Yeah, they are psychos.'' Ambrose sighed and pinched his forehead. ''Great.''

 Chapter 253 Black Heart Pirates

    <h4>Chapter 253 ck Heart Pirates</h4>


    Ambrose pushed the te away, and even though the food looked delicious, the single mention of blood and human flesh made his stomach churn with disgust.


    "Not hungry?" Damian smiled and then shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well, more for me!"


    After snatching the te, he dug in eagerly, savoring every bite.


    Ambrose tapped his finger on the table while looking around the small dining hall and at its few remaining upants.


    ''So, they are all abducted, just like me. I wonder what has happened to them and if there''s any way to escape.''


    After finishing eating the food, Damian wiped his lips and said, "As you can see, I can also eat human food. I am half-vampire, after all."


    "Half-vampire?" Ambrose curiously asked.


    "Yeah, my father was human and my mother a vampire." Damian exined. "That''s why I was somewhat of an outcast in Nightdale, but since I had my parents, I didn''t care much."


    "How did you get abducted?" Ambrose asked, curious about his circumstances.


    Damian sighed andbed his nightly ck hair back with his fingers.


    "It happened during the Blood Moon..."


    "Blood Moon?" Ambrose frowned.


    "It''s an event that happens once a year on the Dark Continent. Like Light Continent has Crescent Moon Night, Dark Continent has Blood Moon."


    Damian said and then cleared his throat before saying:


    "During Blood Moon, all creatures in Dark Continent will be reduced back to their primal instincts. It is easily the bloodiest night of the year.


    "As I am half-vampire, all my vampiric desires are heightened during that time. I yearn for the taste of fresh blood and the thrill of the hunt.


    "Without being able to control my desires, I left Nightdale and ventured to the nearest forest to find any prey to quench my thirst on.


    "Unfortunately, no matter how many animals I killed, my body desired the taste of human blood.


    "Then, in that fog-shrouded forest, I saw him. For some odd reason, Mars was there, looking at me with that fucking grin."


    "Then what?" Ambrose asked curiously, eager to hear the rest of the story.


    Damian sighed. "I attacked him, of course. I wanted to plung my fangs deep into his neck and drain him of all his blood, but that was a very grave error.


    "He defeated me when I was at my strongest moment, without even breaking a sweat. He then talked to me about fate and some bullshit, then dragged me to his ship.


    "I was the fifth one to get recruited."


    "How long has it been since then?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Two years..." Damian sighed and unbuttoned a few buttons from his coat, then touched a medillion hanging around his neck.


    He opened it and revealed a faded photograph of his family.


    "Do you have family?" He asked out of nowhere.


    Ambrose stayed quiet for a moment before nodding slightly. "I do."


    Damian closed the medallion and smiled. "Family is everything. I don''t care if all my fate is drained, as long as I get to meet my family one more time."


    Ambrose nodded heavily while the dining hall suddenly shook a little as the ship crashed into arge wave. Thatsted only a moment as the ship quickly stabilized.


    "What is your name?" Damian asked as he put his hand in a handshake. "My full name is Damian ck. Nice to meet''cha."


    "Ambrose." Ambrose replied, offering a firm handshake.


    Damian nodded and then looked at the remaining crew. "I suppose it''s my duty to introduce you to others."


    At first, he pointed at a handsome man with curly blond hair who was leaning against the wall with a guitar on his back and a bowl of food in hand.


    He wore a loose v-neck white shirt with a richly colored open-front vest and dark blue trousers withced boots and a silver ne.


    "This is the first mate, the person Mars abducted first." Damian said with a sign of respect. "He has been longest here¡ªhis name is Apollo De La Fountaine."


    "Yo." Apollo waved his hand before returning to his food.


    Damian then looked across the dining hall towards a small table tucked in a corner.


    There sat a man with gray eyes, short silver hair, and a very serious face who seemedpletely absorbed in a book.


    He wore a ck long-sleeve shirt with ruffles at the cor and cuffs. On top of that was a ck vest with a few silver buttons and a long suede coat adorned with patches and embroidery.


    On his waist, there was a scabbard with a silver-hilted sword.


    "He is the second person that got abducted¡ªhis name is Leon Feux Lambard."


    Ambrose nodded towards the serious-looking man, but he didn''t acknowledge the greeting and simply changed a page in the book.


    Damian was not bothered by his cold reply and instead turned to a person who was also sitting at the same table as he and Ambrose.


    He was short but lean, with shoulder-length brown hair and a soft-looking face. He wore a billowy, off-white shirt with an open-front vest, all buttons opened, and a wide belt with a small dagger tucked inside.


    He had a very pleasant-looking smile on his face, as if he were one who found joy in the simple things in life.


    "This guy is our storyteller!" Damianughed and wrapped his arm around the young man''s shoulder. "He is also the youngest of us¡ªhis name is Henri Ragnar?k!"


    "Hey." Henri greeted with a smile and a twinkle in his eyes. "Where are you from?"


    "Um, Amaterasu." Ambrose replied as he almost replied with "Nocklund" by instinct, but managed to catch himself just in time.


    "Oh, you are far away from home." Henri said, and then dipped his spoon in the soup. "It must be quite an adventure for you to be here."


    "You could say that..." Ambrose sighed.


    Damian then looked over Henri and pointed at the green-haired young man leaning by the door.


    He was a green-eyed young man with curly green hair and an absent-looking expression on his face.


    He wore a long, ck suede coat with a green vest and had a small silver earring in his left ear.


    "This is Loki Gunnarson; he is our very own magician."


    Lokizily waved his hand and then snapped his fingers. In an instant, a white-feathered pigeon appeared on top of his palm that began to coo softly.


    "Whoah... how the hell did he do that?" Ambrose asked in shock.


    "He is from an ancient vige that was full of spellcasters." Damian said. "They had a magic book from ancient times. Apparently, it belonged to one of Ancient Grounded Gods.


    "Unfortunately for them, Mars went there, killed them all, stole the book, and at the same time, abducted Loki."


    Henri excitedly hopped from his seat and tried to catch the pigeon, but Loki closed his palm, and the beautiful cooing stopped.


    When he opened his palm again, the pigeon had disappeared.


    Almost at the same time, Henri and Loki started bickering, looking like two brothers of the same age¡ªthey also happened to be best friends.


    Damian looked away from them and pointed at a lean figure standing near the wall and the kitchen cabin.


    He had a teen-aged face with well-shaped features and short brown hair. He wore a buttoned vest with brown trousers and had a notebook tucked inside the vest.


    His eyes were ck, but it was like there was a whole new gxy inside them, with a starry sky and thousands ofs.


    "This is Jake," Damian said.


    "That''s all?" Ambrose asked. ''I guess he is the most normal person around.''


    "Heh." Damian suddenly chuckled. "He might look normal, but he is the most special of us all."


    "Howe?"


    "He is Starborn." Damian said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Once every hundred years, a star falls from the sky and shatters into thousands of small fragments. From those fragments, a baby is born."


    ''So he is a freaking alien?'' Ambrose looked at the brown-haired Jake with a stunned expression.


    Jake nced at them and nodded briefly before returning to his food. He didn''t look very talkative, but his mysterious origins only added to his intrigue.


    "Do not challenge Jake in armwrestling; he is going to break your arm." Damian chuckled and rubbed his shoulder. "I speak from experience. All Starborns have extraordinary strength."


    "Got it." Ambrose nodded.


    Damian then scoffed and nced briefly at a rugged-looking man who was prostrating on the ground in front of a bloodied hand puppet.


    "You already know him..." Damian rolled his eyes. "This is Ors, the piece of shit cultist. He killed his entire family to join that cult."


    "His entire family?" Ambrose frowned. "I thought you only needed to kill one to join."


    "Yeah, but he wanted to make sure." Damian smiled in anger. "We don''t like him, and he doesn''t like us¡ªbetter keep it that way."


    Ambrose nodded and nced at the praying, rugged-looking man who was clean-shaven with a bloodied cross tattooed on his cheek. He looked like he hadn''t bathed in a few months and wore tattered brown robes.


    Damian then looked towards the door and saw that one person had already finished eating and was leaving the dining hall.


    The person was a young man with pale skin and otherworldly beauty, with the number zero tattooed on his cheek. His hair was snow white, and his body was quite short, as short as Henri''s.


    He wore an oversized sweater and sweatpants as if he were shuddering from the cold.


    His expression was cold and expressionless, with soulless-looking eyes.


    "This guy is Zero." Damian said. "He was abducted before you. We found him in a scienceboratory. Some sick scientists had been doing experiments with him since he was a child, and because of that, he is rather emotionless."


    "Oh?" Ambrose watched as Zero walked away from the dining hall, his white hair billowing behind him.


    "That is everyone." Damian stood up and smiled. "Let me show your room."


    "Okay." Ambrose nodded and watched as most of the crew members also left the dining hall to return to their cabins to do their own stuff.


    ''So, these are the people I will have to travel with from now on.'' He wondered curiously. ''From what I felt, these guys are powerful. This pirate crew is absolutely ridiculous.''

 Chapter 254 Eye of Shimon

    <h4>Chapter 254 Eye of Shimon</h4>


    "This is your cabin." Damian leaned on the door while showing Ambrose the view of the cabin.


    It had one bed tucked in the corner, covered with a cozy quilt, and a small window next to it, allowing sunlight to stream in. Beside that was a small wooden nightstand with amp and a stack of books.


    It wasn''t very big, but it was perfect for a quiet getaway.


    Ambrose stepped inside and nodded carefreely. He didn''t really mind the slightly cramped cabin because he knew it would provide the solitude he needed.


    "If that''s all, I am going to take a nap." Damian put a hand over his mouth and yawned. "I am on night duty because of my vampiric vision, which allows me to see in the darkness, making me the most suitable candidate."


    "I see. Have a good rest." Ambrose nodded, and after the half-vampire left, he closed the door, removed his boots, and sat down on the bed while putting the boots under the bed.


    "Mhm." He put the pillow behind his back and leaned against the headboard.


    As he looked at the cramped room, he heard the water sshing against the window pane and realized the weather was getting somewhat stormy in Dark Waters.


    ''If Mars is able to steal the fates of people, was it my fate to get abducted?'' Ambrose wondered, his expression steady and cold. ''If so, then I must find a way to resist and fight back against this cruel destiny.''


    He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, determined to find a solution.


    ''No matter how long it takes, I will not give up until I have ovee this challenge.''


    After opening his eyes, he moved to the edge of the bed and moved his toes on the floor.


    He then stood up and scratched the back of his head.


    ''For now, I''ll train my swordsmanship. I am unable to learn any more Mortal Style skills as my intelligence and dexterity seem to becking. I have already learned over half, so that''s good for now.''


    He flicked his hand, opened his inventory, and took out his training puppet, which he purchased in Amaterasu a long time ago.


    He ced the training puppet next to the nightstand and then drew his ck Sword from its sheath.


    After moving into his familiar sword stance¡ªhis hands on the hilt, the sword in front of his body, and his body standing upright with his feet positioned shoulder-width apart and his toes slightly angled outward.


    After a few practice swings, he stepped forward and hacked across the training puppet''s neck, leaving a small mark.


    He then stepped backwards, spun the sword around his hand, and stabbed it into the puppet''s chest in the ce where its heart would be.


    ''Calmness, focus, and precision.'' Ambrose repeated the words to himself while he continued dancing across the floor, sending powerful strikes at the unguarded training dummy.


    ''My emotions are heightened; they are like overflowing bath water.'' He thought while controlling his breathing and focusing his energy on each strike.


    ''My master taught me to channel my anger and jealousy into my muscles, increasing the density and strength of each strike.''


    Smack, smack¡ªthe training dummy swayed after each strike, and soon, a wide crack appeared on its chest, going from top to bottom.


    "Mortal Style..." Ambrose whispered and closed his eyes, feeling a surge of power coursing through his veins.


    "Trennung."


    Swoosh¡ªwith a powerful downward swing, the training dummy split in half like neatly cut butter.


    Trennung was another Skilled-ranked skill he had learned and mastered.


    It wasn''t the most powerful or fastest skill, but it was a skill that was perfect for him to practice channeling his anger and jealousy.


    It almost seemed as though the Wisdom King had specifically created the skill for him for that purpose.


    Schwing¡ªAmbrose swung the sword to the ceiling, then slowly spun it around and slipped it inside the scabbard. Once the hilt was secretly in ce, he removed his hand from it and sat back on the bed.


    After the small training session, his overflowing emotions again calmed down.


    His emotions were at ease when he was in Hightown with Be and Emma, but now, after meeting with Mars, they were once again stirred up.


    As if getting his fate stolen caused something inside him to be very angry.


    ''Yeah, something inside of me doesn''t like getting the future stolen.'' Ambrose''s eyes turned cold. ''Neither do I.''


    m¡ªwithout a single knock, the door swung open.


    The broad-shouldered captain of the ck Heart Pirates stood by the doorway, smoking a cigar, and smirking confidently.


    "What do you want now?" Ambrose asked without standing up, showing great disrespect.


    "You met others yet?" Mars asked with arge grin.


    "Yes."


    "Good, then I have you a job." Mars removed the cigar from his lips and crossed his arms. "We''ll be docking at the port of New North in an hour or so.


    "I''ll be visiting someone; you''ll guyse with me and bring shovels. While I do my business inside, you guys go in the backyard; there is a small cemetery, and dig up whatever is buried there."


    "How do we know the right spot?" Ambrose asked with a frown and wished they weren''t there to dig up some corpses.


    "There is a tombstone with my name on it." Mars said nonchntly and then pointed with his cigar-holding hand to nearby cabins. "Tell others the same thing I told you. Do it quick."


    After saying so, he left the room, leaving behind an eerie silence.


    ''Why me, I don''t even know others.'' Ambrose sighed and stood up.


    He then left the room without closing the door and walked to a nearby cabin.


    Unlike storming inside like Mars, he knocked on the door twice.


    A faint sound of a guitar inside quieted down.


    "Come in." A soft voice said.


    Ambrose put his hand on the doorknob and opened the door slowly.


    He was a light blue-eyed man with a handsome, smooth face and curly blond hair, with a guitar on hisp.


    His fingers were somewhat long, as if they were specially made to y guitar.


    "Apollo, right?"


    "Yes?" Apollo looked away from the music notes and met the curious gaze of the person speaking to him.


    "Uhm, Mars said that we have a job at... New North, I guess it was." Ambrose hoped it remembered the ind''s name correctly. "We have to dig up something from the backyard of some associate of his."


    "Ah, I see." Apollo chuckled and flicked the guitar strings, adding a yful melody to the conversation. "We are visiting his mistress. It isn''t the first time, but this is the first time we have something to do there."


    "His mistress?" Ambrose asked and felt shivers run down his back.


    He couldn''t believe anyone would be willing to be with Mars, even though he was rtively good-looking, but his aura of maliciousness couldn''t be hidden.


    Unless his mistress was just as bad of a person as he was.


    "Yeah..." Apollo smiled and winked. "A Heartstopper."


    "His mistress is Heartstopper?" Ambrose''s eyes widened as he didn''t expect to meet this legendary creature so unexpectedly."


    "Yeah." Apolloughed. "We have never caught a proper glimpse of her, though. Good for us, I guess. I don''t think most of us would be alive if we saw her."


    "I see..." Ambrose nodded and pointed outside. "I guess I have to go tell others the same."


    Apollo nodded, but before he left, he said: "We usually visit New North when Mars has some fate-rted business near it.


    "You remember his silver eye with a silver-shaped pupil, right?"


    "Yeah." Ambrose nodded, as it wasn''t something that could be easily forgotten.


    "That is the Eye of Shimon." Apollo said. "Apparently, it is an eye that belonged to Ancient Grounded God that had the power to alter and steal fates. He now has it, and it guides him to ces with a lot of fate and opportunities.


    "It only works if he has stolen enough fate, which is why he relentlessly seeks out new opportunities to alter and manipte destinies.


    "That''s why we are abducted and not killed; it takes way longer for him to steal our fates, and since we are always with him, he gets free fate, which then fuels the Eye of Shimon, which in the end takes him somewhere with great opportunities."


    "I see..." Ambrose whispered.


    "I have been here for five years." Apollo whispered. "Most of my fate has already been stolen, so it won''t be long before I am fateless."


    "What will happen to you then?" Ambrose asked with a deep frown.


    "I don''t know." Apollo smiled with a hint of sadness in his features. "I wish to be able to return home, though I fear it might never be possible."


    Ambrose nodded and with heavy heart left the room to deliver the news to other crew members.


    As the ck-sailed ship crossed the foggy waters, the port of New North appeared on the horizon.

 Chapter 255 New North

    <h4>Chapter 255 New North</h4>


    At the port of New North, a scary yet majestic ck-sailed pirate ship docked beside the old, weathered fishing boats.


    The port stayed unchaotic and calm, as if the sudden appearance of the pirate ship did not faze anyone.


    New North was amon location for pirate activity and sighting as there weren''t any navy bases nearby, making it an ideal spot for pirates to mingle, trade, and n their next moves undisturbed.


    As the ck Hearts Pirates crew walked down the gangnk, Mars nced at the port''s ramshackle buildings and their residents before turning away.


    Behind him followed his abducted crew members, each carrying rusty shovels over their shoulders.


    Ambrose nced at the residents, who looked rather calm while doing their daily tasks and noticed that their expression stayed same.


    ''Mars didn''t steal their fate? Why?''


    After leaving the port, they stepped onto a dusty road that led to the town near the port.


    New North was a rather small ind, with only the port, the town, and some small hills surrounding it.


    After a while, they entered the town and passed by the various shops and restaurants that lined the streets.


    In the alleyways, tucked behind some corners, there were also brothels and some hidden gambling dens, where pirate activity was at its highest.


    These illegal establishments were thriving with secret deals and shady characters, making the town a hub for illicit activities.


    However, the pirates didn''t bother the ordinary townsfolk because they all had an unspoken agreement to coexist peacefully.


    With his arms crossed behind his back, Mars emotionlessly walked through the town and entered a stone road that led up a small hill.


    After a while, they saw a white-painted house with a modest garden in front, which seemed to be isted from the rest of the town.


    Near the hill, there was an old, withered oak tree.


    After Mars saw it, a sign of pain momentarily shed past his eyes.


    When Ambrose looked back to the town, he noticed all the townspeople and pirates refused to step onto the stone road and visit this ce. It was as if this ce was cursed or haunted.


    "The cemetery is on the back." Mars said and uncrossed his arms, then neatly buttoned his vest and tucked his tricorn hat under his armpit.


    He thenbed his ck hair with his fingers and took a deep breath before stepping towards the mysterious.


    This was the first time Ambrose actually felt like Mars was truly nervous.


    ''Heartstoppers must be really scary.'' He thought.


    "Let''s go." Apollo took the lead and kept his gaze as far away from the house as possible. "Ambrose, do not nce towards the house, and keep your ears covered."


    After saying so, they all took out earplugs and covered their ears.


    "Here." Damian took another pair and handed them to Ambrose.


    "Thanks..." Ambrose epted them and plugged his ears with them. But, he still wondered why.


    After walking to the backyard, they saw the small cemetery surrounded by a metal fence. There were only five tombstones, one of which had "Mars Ares Godfriend" engraved on it.


    "Let''s start digging. Quicker we are done, more time we have to spend on the town!" Apollo shouted and handed each of them a shovel.


    Without further ado, Leon stepped forward and began to dig at the spot where the tombstone with "Mars Ares Godfriend" was engraved.


    Following him, the rest joined in with their shovels, and soon, a big hole began to take shape in the ground.


    After a short while, Henri felt his shovel hit something solid.


    "Wait, there is something!" He shouted and took a step back before taking out the napkin and wiping the sweat off his brows.


    Panting, Apollo looked at the surface of some kind of brown coffin and nodded. "It''s a coffin. Let''s remove more of the dirt and open it."


    After the dirt was removed, they discovered a name engraved on the coffin lid.


    "Mercury Hermes Godfriend..." Apollo whispered and then opened the lid.


    As soon as the lid fell off, they all grimaced and covered their noses with disgust.


    There was a rotting smell emanating from the coffin,ing from a decaying body inside.


    The body still had clothes on, although they were tattered and stained with blood.


    Otherwise, the corpse remained empty.


    ''What did Mars want us to find?'' Ambrose wondered while looking at others who wore equally quizzical expressions.


    Apollo, with a grimace, rummaged through the pockets but only found a crumpled note.


    When he opened it, he noticed that it wasn''t a crumpled note but a photograph instead.


    It was a photograph of Mars in his early twenties and an identical-looking man, who was most likely Mercury while he was still alive.


    ''So, Mercury is his brother.'' Ambrose thought as he caught a glimpse of the photograph.


    Apollo tucked the photograph inside his pocket and closed the lid.


    "Maybe this is what Mars wanted us to find. There is nothing else." Apollo said and climbed out of the hole with everyone else.


    After that, they filled the hole again with dirt, and it took them fifteen minutes to fully fill it again.


    "Mars will meet us back in the ck Heart; it will take him a few hours." Apollo said while shouting with his hands cupped around his mouth.


    Since they still had earplugs, it was hard to hear, but they nodded in understanding.


    Ambrose rested the shovel against his shoulder and followed behind others, but he had a desire to look towards the white house¡ªhowever, something inside told him that it would be a mistake.


    Therefore, he hung his head low, and once they were away from the sight of the house, they removed the earplugs and were finally able to talk without shouting.


    "Why did we have to use earplugs?" Ambrose asked Damian while walking beside him.


    "Well, because Mars and the Heartstopper are currently having some intimate moments inside that house." Damianughed. "If we hear her moans, we might lose control of ourselves. Heartstoppers are dangerous devils, I am telling you. Do not underestimate them."


    "Oh, ok." Ambrose replied, trying to hide his slight embarrassment. He then gave the earplugs back to Damian and looked towards the New North''s town, wondering where he should spend time.


    "By the way, do you have anyone else waiting for you?" Damian asked. "A woman, perhaps?"


    "No, I am single." Ambrose said and nced at him. "You?"


    "Nah, even though I am 25 years old, in the eyes of other vampires, I am still a kid." Damian wryly smiled.


    "What about a human?" Ambrose inquired. "Does Mars allow any of you to have rtionships?"


    "He doesn''t care if we visit brothels." Damian said. "However, none of us are looking for more attachments. They are for naught if we can''t escape Mars'' clutches."


    Ambrose nodded and then hestitantly said, "What if we kill Mars? You clearly have a desire to return to your home; so does Apollo."


    "Hah." Damian chuckled and patted his shoulder. "Give up that thought. Trust me. We all want to kill Mars and have dreamed of it. But, even with nine of us, we don''t stand a chance."


    "There must be a way. He can''t be immortal." Ambrose said. "At this rate, he''ll steal all of your fates. You must do something to fight it!"


    "I wish there would be a way; I truly do." Damian sighed. "But some things are impossible; killing Mars is one of them."


    Ambrose turned silent and clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms.


    ''I don''t believe that.'' His dull blue eyes turned a shade colder. ''I believe there is a way, and I''ll find that.''

 Chapter 256 Navy

    <h4>Chapter 256 Navy</h4>


    As other crew members split up and went to do their own business in New North, Ambrose and Damian trotted inside a small cafe to grab a quick bite to eat.


    It had a cozy atmosphere with dim lighting and soft music ying in the background.


    They ordered their food with a cup of steaming coffee and found a quiet table in the corner to enjoy their meal.


    The cafe was bustling with activity as people chatted andughed at nearby tables.


    However, Ambrose and Damian felt their gazes often lingering in their way¡ªthey must''ve realized their identity as pirates.


    After a while, they received their ordered meals.


    Damian had ordered atte with extra foam and a slice of chocte cake, while Ambrose opted for a ck coffee and a breakfast burrito.


    "What are you guys often doing?" Ambrose asked after taking a short sip of the coffee. "When Mars came to Borneo Ind, you guys didn''t leave the ship. Is that often the case?"


    "It depends," Damian said while cutting the chocte cake into small slices. "That time, he didn''t want us toe with him. Sometimes, like with Zero''s case, we joined him in breaking into the scienceboratory."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded.


    "He''ll tell us what to do, and we will do it. We don''t really have any free will in this situation." Damian said and then gazed out of the window. "Sometimes, like now, we are allowed to spend time in the town.


    "He is often in a good mood when he visits New North. It is because of the Heartstopper. It is surprising that in front of her, he is like apletely new person."


    "Have you ever seen her?"


    "No. My body wants to, but my mind screams that it would be a grave mistake." Damian then stabbed the slice of chocte cake with his fork and took a bite, savoring the rich, decadent vor.


    Ambrose nodded curiously and feasted on the breakfast burito.


    "I''ve always been a fan of chocte cake; it is one rare indulgence that I allow myself." Damian said and looked at the cake with twinkle in his eyes. "I am all about the healthy lifestyle, but chocte cake always manages to tempt me."


    After they both had finished drinking the coffee and eating, a figure appeared beyond the window, his face glued to the ss as he watched thest remnants of chocte cake on the te with a drooling expression.


    Damian sighed and knocked on the window. "Don''t dirty the ss, Henri."


    "Heh." Henri chuckled beyond the window, then entered the cafe and sat at the same table as them. "Sup, you guys done?"


    "Mm." Damian nodded while elegantly wiping his lips with the napkin.


    Several female customers felt their cheeks heat up with blushes as they admired Damian''s unusual beauty.


    The vampires were famously known as the equivalent of Heartstoppers with their unusual beauty and captivating aura.


    Whether it was female or male vampire, their presence always left people in awe and longing for more.


    "Shall we go?" Ambrose asked as he stood up with his ck suede coat on his arm.


    Henri and Damian stood up and then departed the cafe.


    As the trio walked on the sidewalk, they noticed the unusuality of one of the stores¡ªthe store had the door wide open, and inside, the shopkeeper was cuffed with heavy chains, and surrounding him were three navy officers.


    "Navy, in here?" Henri chuckled. "Are they seeking death?"


    "Let''s go see it closer." Damian said and slipped his hands inside his pockets as he approached the store.


    They soon heard the voices clearly.


    "You sold a stolen navy uniform to a pirate, who used it to sneak inside a navy base. You are responsible!" The navy officer shouted.


    He wore a dark navy blue suit coat, trousers that were nearly ck in color, a white shirt, and a ck four-in-hand necktie with a small anchor pattern.


    On his shoulder, he had a gold badge with the rank insignia of a captain.


    "I didn''t know he was a pirate!" The shopkeeper argued back with teary eyes. "He just looked like a well-dressed sailor to me, so I thought he simply had a hobby of cosying or something!"


    "Your fool''s act can''t fool me." The navy captain said and waved his hand to his two subordinates. "Take him to the ship. We''ll interrogate him further back in base!"


    After barking the order, they noticed that there were three young men standing on the doorway, their arms crossed and looks of amusement in their faces.


    "Get out of the way; this is navy business!" One of the navy soldiers said with a stern tone.


    However, beside him, the navy captain flinched, his face changing shades like he had witnessed a ghost.


    "Come on, how can you me the shopkeeper for what that pirate did?" Damianughed. "You navy shitheads are always so full of yourselves."


    "How dare you?!" The navy soldier was about to draw his sword, but the navy captain quickly stopped him and pped him in the cheek.


    The navy soldier fell to the ground with his cheeks swollen and red¡ªa stunned expression on his face.


    The other navy soldier and the shopkeeper were equally shocked, wondering what the hell the navy captain was doing.


    The navy captain turned to the three young men with a frightened expression.


    "W-what may I-I do for you¡ªDamian ck, Henri Ragnar?k, and... Ambrose, the ck Demon?"


    "ck Demon?" Henri nced at Ambrose andughed. "You have a nickname given by the Inquisitors? How fancy."


    "ck Demon?"


    This was also the first time Ambrose had heard that title associated with himself. He couldn''t get his hands on a newspaper during his voyage to Dark Waters, so he wasn''t aware of how infamous he was.


    The navy soldier who got pped felt like a jolt of electricity had surged through his body.


    He was very much aware of those three names¡ªeveryone in the nearby navy bases knew them.


    Damian ck¡ªa member of the infamous ck Heart Pirates, who single-handedly defeated Brown Inquisitor in a fierce battle at sea.


    Henri Ragnar?k¡ªone of the youngest brown-ranked ouws in Dark Waters, with a reputation for his wless skills with daggers and his ability to outmaneuver opponents inbat.


    Ambrose, the ck Demon¡ªthe mastermind behind the tragedy of Hightown. A person who quickly gained reputation among swordsmen around the world and was working together with the World''s Strongest Swordsman, Reinhardt!


    He was even rumored to be Reinhardt''s secret disciple, which put his name at a higher standard among the swordsmenmunity. Now, many swordsmen were seeking after him to duel against him!


    ''T-the ck Demon is now part of the ck Heart Pirates, or is this just a coincidence? S-since he is here, could it be that Reinhardt is here as well?''


    The navy captain felt frightened, but one thing he was certain of.


    ''If the ck Heart Pirates are here, it means Mars is also here. Howe they are in here and not at the Pirate Battleground?


    ''This is very fucking dangerous. All the nearby naval bases are in danger; we have to inform the Sacrarium of Inquisitorious!''


    "Leave the shopkeeper alone; he is just doing his job." Damian said and put his slender, pale hand on disy. His nails slowly turned ck and started to grow long and sharp like ws.


    The navy captain shakily nodded and instructed his subordinates to remove the cuffs.


    Once the cuffs were gone, Damian showed them the way out.


    "Leave, and never return." Damian said with a smile. "This is not a Navy ind."


    ''Of course I didn''t want toe here, but orders are orders!'' The navy captain grudgingly nodded, left the store with his subordinates, and was quickly en route to the port.


    If they were aware that the ck Heart Pirates were there, they wouldn''t havee, even if they were threatened with court martial!


    "I didn''t see any navy ships when we docked." Henri said.


    "They must''ve docked near the port somewhere else." Damian said, and then nced at Ambrose. "Well, wanna say how you got the nickname "ck Demon"?"


    "I honestly don''t know either." Ambrose replied with a chuckle.

 Chapter 257 The Magic Spell

    <h4>Chapter 257 The Magic Spell</h4>


    At the navy ship that was docked on the northeast side of the New North.


    "Bring the transmitter!" The navy captain barked orders as he entered the captain''s quarters.


    His subordinates nodded, and soon they returned with the transmitter in hand.


    The transmitter was quickly handed to the captain, who wasted no time connecting it to the ship''smunication system.


    After pressing the start button, a holographic screen appeared above the transmitter.


    The transmitter worked like a yer''s chat box, allowing the navy ships tomunicate with their bases in real-time without having to bother to send pigeons with letters tied to their legs.


    The navy captain didn''t waste any time and sent a message to their base, filling out the mission report and including the meeting with the ck Heart Pirates and Ambrose.


    After he finished sending the message, the navy captain sat down and opened the drawer, from where he took out a small ss cup and poured himself a drink to calm his nerves.


    "Why aren''t they in Pirate Battleground?" The navy captain murmured as he massaged his temples. "It doesn''t make any sense. Is there something here that Pirate Battleground doesn''t have?"


    Ding, ding¡ªhe saw that he received a quick response from the base.


    "Hmm, they are telling us to return, whew." The navy captain heaved a sigh of relief.


    If he was told to engage with the ck Heart Pirates, he might''ve just deserted his post and fled.


    Ding, ding¡ªthen another message appeared.


    "Hmm?" The navy captain slowly read the message and frowned. "A distress signal was activated on Borneo Ind. The whole town is destroyed? They assume it''s the doings of Mars..."


    He inhaled a cold breath.


    "That fucking monster..." The navy captain clenched his fist, frustrated at hisck of strength.


    There was a time when he wished to defeat all pirates and bring them to justice, but when he finally finished his training and entered Dark Waters, he realized just how powerless he was.


    "They''ll probably leave this matter to the inquisitors. They have been eyeing the doings of the ck Heart Pirates for quite some time." The navy captain stood up, about to go order the crew to start their return journey to their base.


    ''I wonder if the ck Demon has truly joined them, and if Reinhardt is in alliance with Mars now... Whatever the case, that pirate crew just became much more dangerous.''


    ...


    Ambrose, Damian, and Henri returned to the ck Heart that was bobbing up and down in the water.


    Once they walked up the gangnk and arrived on the deck, they noticed that Apollo, Leon, and Zero were the first ones there.


    They greeted each other and sat on the deck to wait for Mars'' return.


    As the time ticked, other crew members returned¡ªsome drunk while others looked refreshed, and some wore smiles.


    It looked like having some time off from their capture was exactly what they needed to rejuvenate ande back with renewed energy.


    It didn''t take long for the final figure to walk up the gangnk and arrive at the deck.


    Mars looked at each one with the same cold look and grin.


    "Apollo." He said coldly and looked at the curly, blond-haired man.


    "Here." Apollo stood up and handed him the photograph.


    "..." Mars looked at the faded photograph without emotion and pocketed it. "Good. Let''s set sail."


    "Where''re we going?"


    "We''ll return to the Pirate Battleground." Mars said coldly and nced at the silver-haired man. "Leon, you''re the helmsman; get us there as quickly as possible."


    "Ok." Leon stood up with an emotionless gaze and told Apollo to help him reel in the anchor.


    After the anchor was reeled in, Leon and Apollo went to the helm to steer the ship away from the New North.


    As the ship crashed through the waves across the foggy sea, they started their voyage to infamous Pirate Battleground.


    After Mars returned to his quarters with the faded photograph, Ambrose walked to Damian, who was gazing out at the sea.


    "What is a Pirate Battleground?" Ambrose asked, as he was really curious about Dark Waters and its ces.


    He had watched several streams of yers navigating through Dark Waters, but they hadn''t really gone far.


    The Pirate Battleground might be the furthest ce a yer had ever gone to when the ship had finally reached it.


    "Like the name suggests, it''s a battleground for pirates for the supremacy of the sea." Damian said. "Pirates are the rules of that part of the Dark Waters¡ªnavy and inquisitors have no ce there."


    "I don''t think they don''t even mind, as pirates killing each other is good for them. All the inds there are upied by pirates. There are countless treasures and hidden secrets at the bottom of the sea and on those inds.


    "There are over a thousand sunken ships, easily, with each holding unimaginable treasures. That''s why the strongest pirate crews are there, eagerly searching for their next big score."


    "You''ve been there often?" Ambrose asked.


    "We came from there," Damian said. "Before Borneo Ind, we were in Pirate Battleground. It was a treacherous ce, but we managed to find some incredible treasures. Well, of course, Mars kept them all.


    "We risked our lives there almost daily, and yet we got nothing in return, except to keep our lives."


    "Sounds indeed dangerous..." Ambrose whispered. ''If I find any treasures, I ain''t giving them to Mars. I can hide them easily in my inventory. Others don''t have that luxury...''


    Near the tall mast, Loki looked thoughtful with a deep frown.


    "Loki, sup~" Henri called out to him, shaking him off his thoughts.


    "Hmm..." Loki hummed and turned to face Henri. "Mars, for some reason, really wanted the photograph of his brother."


    "So?" Henri raised his eyebrow. "I suppose he wanted something to remind himself of his deceased brother."


    "Does he look like a sentamental person to you?" Loki chuckled. "Also, the coffin was really rough and made of cheap wood. It looked like his brother was just thrown into the coffin and into the hole without any care."


    "And?" Henri wondered what he was trying to say.


    "It means Mars doesn''t care about his brother. If I had to guess, he killed his own brother. It wouldn''t be surprising. That''s why, I think why he wanted the photograph."


    "Well?" Henri raised his eyebrow, and near them, Apollo and Jake turned to look at Loki with curiosity.


    "I think he is preparing for a magic spell." Loki crossed his arms. "I remembered every spell in the Magic Book of the Ancient Wizards, and I think I know what he is nning to do."


    "What is it?" Apollo joined the conversation and asked out of curiosity.


    Ambrose and Damian also turned over to look at Loki, and while steering the helm, Leon perked up his ears.


    "If I have to guess, it would be Talent Increasing Spell." Loki said. "Mars has poor talent for magic¡ªvery poor, but with that spell, it would increase his talent by tenfold."


    "What does the spell need?" Henri asked.


    "Mars would have to forget his far past, and that causes every person in the past to forget all memories of him. It means that everyone in his childhood would forget about his existence.


    "However, everyone in the past eight or nine years would still remember him and his existence.


    "For the spell, he needs an item that reminds him of his past¡ªthat''s why the photograph."


    "Does he need anything else?"


    Loki rummaged through his memories and nodded. "He needs the heart of a Nymn Tree, the blood of a Sea Serpent and the lock of a unicorn''s mane."


    "Those are some rare things," Apollo said.


    "Mars already has the blood of a Sea Serpent and the lock of a unicorn''s mane." Suddenly, Leon spoke from the helm. "Remember the treasure we plundered a while back?"


    "Right..." Apollo whispered and turned serious. "He will only need the heart of a Nymn Tree, and I am sure that is the reason why we will go to Pirate Battleground. I assume the fate he received from Ambrose and people from Borneo Ind now guides him towards the heart!"


    "Loki, just how powerful will he be with increased talent?" Ambrose asked with a serious look.


    "His talent is very poor at the moment." Loki crossed his arms. "He is only capable of doing some very basic spells. If his talent increases tenfold, I am frightened by the possibilities."


    ''We can''t let that happen.'' Ambrose walked over to Loki and signaled everyone to move closer.


    Leon left the helm and walked to them with his arms crossed.


    Soon, even Zero and Ors moved to circle Loki; they were all looking at Ambrose.


    "We can''t allow him to be stronger." Ambrose said with a serious tone. "When we find the heart of the Nymn Tree, we have to destroy it!"


    "Mars will kill the one who destroys the heart." Apollo said with a grave look.


    "Then we have to ensure he doesn''t find out who did it." Ambrose said and looked at each one, all having different reactions. "Mars isn''t allowed to be stronger. We cannot let him gain more power."

 Chapter 258 The Conversation at Deck

    <h4>Chapter 258 The Conversation at Deck</h4>


    "This is foolishness." Ors said. "Whether we stop him or not, we''ll never be able to escape him anyway."


    "Says who?" Ambrose looked at the rough-looking man. "Howe all of you are void of any hope? There is always a way; you guys just haven''t found the way yet."


    "I hate to say it, but Ors is right." Damian said with a sigh. "Howe you still think there is a way even when you saw his power?"


    "Because Mars used his power to show that he is dangerous, so I wouldn''t think of rebelling." Ambrose said and narrowed his eyes. "He did that to keep us in line, so we wouldn''t think about betraying him.


    "If he was truly invincible, he wouldn''t care." Ambrose remembered the sight of Reinhardt. He was the kind of person who didn''t care what others did; he had absolute confidence in himself.


    "I am being honest; there is a small chance of victory." Ambrose said, and he saw the change in most of their expressions, but then he continued. "However, if he bes even stronger, then there is no chance of victory."


    "Ambrose." Loki looked at him and said, "The heart of the Nymn Tree is not something that can be destroyed easily. It has regenerative powers. Also, there is a chance that wherever the heart is, Mars won''t take us with him."


    "If it can''t be destroyed, I have a way to hide the heart from Mars." Ambrose opened his inventory and pulled out a Red Sword.


    "I have inventory where I can store things.


    "I can ce the heart in the inventory, ensuring that Mars won''t be able to find it."


    Few showed a surprised looks, but they have also seen many unusual things during their time in Dark Waters, so it didn''t surprise them too much.


    "That causes another problem." Apollo said. "Can your inventory trick Mars'' Eye of Shimon? That eye will guide him to the heart. Also, there are other Nymn Trees out there, and what if he goes to find another one?"


    "Even if my inventory can''t fool his Eye of Shimon, he will be unable to find the heart. No matter what he does to me, I''ll never give it to him."


    "You say that, but what happens if you get tortured?" Leon asked with a cold tone. "You''ll break and give it to him eventually."


    "I won''t." Ambrose said firmly. "Unfortunately, you guys would have to trust my word."


    Leon scoffed and shook his head.


    "If that''s so, you are never allowed to use your inventory in the presence of Mars." Apollo said. "If you do, he''ll realize that you indeed have the heart, and it''s within your inventory."


    "If Mars doesn''t take us with him to find the heart, then what?" Zero finally spoke up; it was the first time Ambrose had heard him speak.


    "Well, when he is gone, I''ll search his quarters for the blood of Sea Serpent and the lock of the unicorn''s mane." Ambrose nced towards the second-floor door.


    "He''ll definitely suspect one of us stole it, then." Apollo said with a pained expression. "That is too high of a risk."


    "We cannot do it!" Ors screeched. "He''ll kill one of us!"


    "Well, do you guys have a better idea?" Ambrose asked.


    n B was not something he wanted to do either, but it seemed like the only option left.


    "I... do."


    Each head turned to the shy-voiced Jake, who had his arm raised.


    "What is it?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "I can ask the stars to guide us to the Nymn Tree." Jake looked toward the sky with an emotional gaze. "As long as its night, we can use the stars as ourpass and find the Nymn Tree before Mars does."


    "Then, we''ll have to specially arrive at the ce with Nymn Tree at the time of the night. That is too hard since we don''t even know where we are going." Damian said.


    Apollo turned to Leon. "Leon, you are the helmsman. You can dy the journey enough for us to arrive at the ce by nightfall."


    "Yes, but we''ll need Mars to tell us where to go." Leon said with a frown.


    "Once we arrive at the Pirate Battleground, Mars will tell you." Apollo nodded and turned to Jake. "Then we''ll trust in you."


    Jake shyly nodded and nced at the sky, almost like he could see the stars beyond the bright sky.


    "We are really doing this?" Ors gritted his teeth. "This is madness; I won''t participate in this madness!"


    "Then don''t." Damian scoffed. "When did we say we needed you? We''ll be just fine without you."


    "It''s your funeral!" Ors put his arms up in the air and stormed back to his cabin while muttering. "Suicidal fools..."


    "If this goes south, Ambrose, I need you to take the full responsibility." Apollo said with a heavy look. "This is your mission, and if Mars finds out, it could have dire consequences."


    "I know," Ambrose replied heavily. "If Mars finds Nymn Tree before us, all of you can return to ck Heart. I''ll do it myself and somehow try to steal the heart from him."


    "That would only dy the inevitable." Leon said. "There are more Nymn Trees in the world. He would just find another one."


    "Maybe we should just burn the book." Damian said with a sigh.


    "He has most likely memorized every spell in the book." Loki said with a heavy heart. "He is not a fool, and the book is almost impossible to destroy because of ancient magic protecting it."


    "Go rest everyone; it''ll take a day for us to reach Pirate Battleground. We''ll need our strength if this thing goes south." Apollo said with a heavy heart and retreated back to his cabin.


    After everyone except Leon left the deck and returned to their rooms, Leon went to the helm and steered the ship across the foggy sea.


    ''He has only been with us for a few hours and is alreadymanding us.'' Leon scoffed. ''Why does Apollo listen to him? He''s just a neer with suicidal tendencies. This could kill all of us.


    ''I cannot die here, not after everything I''ve been through.''


    ...


    At the ck Heart''s captain''s quarters.


    Mars sat on a high-back chair with the magic book opened in front of him.


    Next to an ancient gasmp, there was a jar filled with the blood of Sea Serpent and a box beside it had a small hair of a unicorn''s mane.


    Mars then took out the faded photograph and looked at his deceased brother with a cold look.


    ''Fool, why did you carry this with you?'' Mars scratched the corner of his eye because of the sudden itchiness.


    It was the Eye of Shimon that led him to the photograph. He didn''t expect his brother to carry the photograph during theirst meeting.


    ''He tried to take away the Eye of Shimon from me. This is mine, and yet he carried this photograph like he cared about me? I do not believe that!''


    He wished to rip the photograph apart, but he controlled his emotions as he still needed it for the ritual.


    ''Heart of the Nymn Tree. Where is it? Eye of Shimon, tell me.''


    As he closed his eyes, a sh of a certain memory shed through his mind.


    It wasn''t his memory, but a memory of someone''s fate he had stolen.


    It seemed like one of the people he stole fate from had visited that ind at some point in their lives.


    After opening his eyes, Mars'' lips curled into a smile.


    "Necro Ind..."

 Chapter 259 The Meeting at Naval Base

    <h4>Chapter 259 The Meeting at Naval Base</h4>


    At the naval base, surrounded by rocks and tidal waves, the navy soldiers were preparing for the uing storm by securing all loose equipment and battening down the hatches.


    They knew that the storms in Dark Waters had the power to sweep through even a sturdy forest; therefore, they didn''t ck off while putting up the heavy-fortified walls that encircled the base.


    On the top floor of the naval base, the hundred-strong officer crew looked at the nk board, waiting for the rest of their higher-ups to join them for the safety briefing.


    Soon, the door swung open, and a few high-ranking officers entered the room, causing the crew to stand at attention.


    "At ease." The highest-ranked office saluted and said. He wore a high-ranked navy uniform with gold braiding and a row of medals adorning his chest.


    Among the soldiers seated at the meeting was the navy captain, who had returned from New North, and was the one who reported the dire news.


    "Today, a new threat has arrived on our shores." The high-ranking officer said solemnly while three of his subordinates put wanted posters of ten individuals on the nk board.


    "They are ck Heart Pirates, and their captain, Mars Ares Godfriend, had said to be sighted near Borneo Ind only hours before its destruction."


    The navy soldiers gasped and shared a few hushed whispers with each other.


    "Among them was a new face." The high-ranking office turned around and pointed at the wanted poster with a sketched image and an astonishing bounty reward. "Ambrose, the ck Demon!"


    The navy soldiers gasped again, as they had heard his name recently in newspapers and rumors of his acts from other soldiers.


    Among them sat a new face with a fresh-looking outfit, as if she had just recently graduated from the Navy Academy.


    She sat upright with proper posture, and on her waist was a sword.


    As soon as Ambrose''s name was mentioned, her eyes turned cold, and she touched the hilt of her sword.


    ''The ck Demon, the demon that terrorized Hightown and is said to be the secret disciple of the World''s Strongest Swordsman, Reinhardt!


    ''I''ll bring him to justice, and then I''ll focus on my final goal¡ªReinhardt!''


    "His bounty is 111,111 silvers, and Inquisitors specially gave him the nickname¡ªck Demon." The high-ranking navy officer said.


    "There is a chance that he might''ve joined the ck Heart Pirates.


    "There is also the possibility that Reinhardt is somewhere in Dark Waters. This is an unprecedented threat to the safety of those we promised to protect.


    "If the ck Demon has joined the ck Heart Pirates, the threat to the whole pirate crew has increased!


    "But do not underestimate other members of the ck Heart Pirates¡ªthey are as big monsters as the ck Demon, some even bigger¡ªto keep you on your toes, today we''ll show their bounties. Keep your eyes wide open and ears perked up!"


    The navy soldiers gulped and turned to the board.


    "First, the newest recruit of the ck Heart Pirates!" He shouted and pointed at the sketched image of a lifeless-eyed young man with a tattoo of the number "zero" on his cheek.


    "Only recently have we heard of his name¡ªZero!" The high-ranking officer nced at the bounty and said, "Since he hadn''t done a lot and is often staying on the sidelines, the Sacrarium of Inquisitorious had decided to give him a bounty of 50,000 silvers.


    "He is aplete mystery¡ªeven his background is an empty te. But, because he is such an enigma, the inquisitors made a statement to keep a close eye on him!"


    The navy soldiers nodded and then turned to the second wanted poster.


    "This one is Ors from the Anti-Christ Cult." The high-ranking officer said, and even he looked disgusted by looking at the sketched image.


    Ors was infamous murderer, after all, but because he was sheltered by Anti-Christ Cult and now by the ck Heart Pirates, no one was able to catch him.


    "Since he is a loyal follower of "The Revered" his reason for joining the ck Heart Pirates is a mystery.


    "However, this could mean that the ck Heart Pirates are in alliance with the Anti-Christ Cult. This is a very dangerous matter.


    "Therefore, Ors was given the bounty of 99,999 silvers!"


    After moving onto the third wanter poster, the high-ranking officer straightened his posture and looked intensely at the face of the teenager-looking young man.


    "This is Jake¡ªhis age is unknown, his background is unknown, and even his race is unknown. However, we have tracked him to a small ind in the backdrop of Dark Waters.


    "He was known as a child monster from a folk tale¡ªthe folk tale spoke of a child with monstrous strength who was able to overwhelm an adult grizzly bear with a single blow.


    "This is the child from that folk tale!


    "He managed to defeat an entire army of trained soldiers with his bare hands. Not a single weapon could cut him¡ªthe sharpest des felt like butter against his skin.


    "Therefore, his bounty is 202,500 silvers. He is a monster; do not underestimate him!"


    The navy soldiers gulped at the sight of the somewhat innocent-looking young man. They didn''t expect him to be such a scary individual.


    The high-ranking officer moved onto the other wanted poster and said, "This is Damian ck, one of the main fighters of the ck Heart Pirates. His race was thought to be vampires, but he had been seen eating human food.


    "Therefore, Sacrarium of Inquisitorious changed his race to half-vampire.


    "He is a monster that managed to defeat one of the Brown Inquisitors in a duel. Their battle at sea resulted in the sinking of several ships.


    "He is very powerful; therefore, his bounty is 150,000 silvers!"


    After moving onto the other wanted poster, the atmosphere in the meeting hall turned tense and serious.


    "This is Loki Gunnarson." The high-ranking officer said coldly. "He raided one of the naval bases near the Pirate Battleground. No one died, but somehow he was able to turn every soldier blind with a single spell.


    "That spell hasn''t yet worn off.


    "He has shown extremely powerful control in magic, earning him a reputation as one of the most formidable sorcerers in the sea.


    "His bounty is 225,666 silvers.


    "He is considered a major threat, and he is still young, only 21 years old. This person might be Mars'' sessor in the future, and he might even be a greater threat!"


    The navy soldiers inhaled a cold breath.


    The navy captain of New North anxiously tapped his foot on the floor, frightened that he was on the same ind as those monsters.


    "Henri Ragnar?k, the youngest member of the ck Heart Pirates!" The high-ranking officer looked serious. "This is another serious threat for the future. ck Heart Pirates is so threatening because they have many talented young pirates among them.


    "In the future, they might be strong enough to battle for the supremacy of Pirate Battleground.


    "He is an expert user with a dagger and is a very agile and tricky opponent to fight against.


    "However, he is still thought to be a lesser threat for now.


    "His bounty is 77,867 silvers."


    There were only three wanted posters remaining.


    The high-ranking navy officer nced at the picture of the cold-looking man with silver hair and shouted.


    "This man is Leon Feux Lambard and is considered the left-hand man of the ck Heart Pirates.


    "He started as a wine brewer in his father''spany before, one day, he disappeared like a fart in the wind. His family was looking for him everywhere, but then, one day, his bounty appeared in the newspaper.


    "His family sought us out, still clinging to his hope that their son was a righteous person.


    "This is a piece of shit that abandoned his family to seek a life of piracy. He is a man with a dark heart, but unfortunately, he has deadly skills with a sword.


    "His bounty is 331,000 silvers!"


    After throwing Leon''s wanted poster away, the high-ranking officer pointed at the sketched image of a smiling man.


    "Apollo De La Fountaine, the first mate of Mars. He started as an aristocrat from a respected family and was thought to be kind and charming. He had aristocraticdies line up from one side of the room to the other, hoping for a chance to be in his presence.


    "However, his dark nature eventually revealed itself as he joined the ck Heart Pirates¡ªhis skills with bow and arrow are said to be second to none, making him a formidable opponent in battle.


    "It is said that you don''t want him as your opponent in the sea. You might die by getting an arrow through your head, and you won''t even know where it came from.


    "Sacrarium of Inquisitorious acknowledged his danger, giving him a bounty of 444,567 silvers!"


    The navy soldiers gulped, as with that much money they could retire and live a life of luxury, get a beautiful wife, and build a big mansion on the outskirts of Sun Paradise.


    "Last, but not the least." The high-ranking officer nced at the wanted poster with a hint of fear and smashed his palm on it.


    "The backbone of ck Heart Pirates, one of the great pirate captains with a murder count too high to be counted. He is also a rare red-ranked ouw, wanted only alive by the Sacrarium of Inquisitors.


    "With a single punch, he could decimate a city¡ªwith a single sentence, he could bring pirates with over a hundred thousand silver bounties to their knees.


    "He is the pirate captain of all those people I just told you about. He is the captain of all those monsters!


    "Mars Ares Godfriend!


    "A bounty of 11,777,999 silvers!"

 Chapter 260 Pirate Battleground

    <h4>Chapter 260 Pirate Battleground</h4>


    "These are ck Heart Pirates, and now you know the threat you are facing." The high-ranking officer said.


    "We don''t know their reason for being all the way out here, but they could already be responsible for the destruction of Borneo Town.


    "I have sent the report to the Sacrarium of Inquisitorious, and they are also discussing it. ck Heart Pirates cannot be allowed to roam freely in here, or no one is safe."


    After saying that, the door opened, and a silver-badged officer rushed in with reports.


    He walked over to the high-ranking officer, whispered in his ear, and then gave the report before leaving the meeting room.


    The navy soldiers sat in silence but saw a change in the high-ranking officer''s face¡ªhe even wore a slight smile.


    "Finally, some good news." The high-ranking officer said. "ck Heart Pirates are heading back to Pirate Battleground!"


    The navy soldiers heaved a sigh in unison¡ªthis was very good news, but the high-ranking officer still had something else to say.


    "We, however, got confirmation that the ck Demon has gotten onboard the same ship. We can assume that he is now part of ck Heart Pirates.


    "So, the Sacrarium of Inquisitorious had decided to increase the danger level of their crew.


    "As you all know, the danger levels are ranked from F to S¡ªF being the lowest and weakest, while S belongs to the strongest pirate crews in Dark Waters."


    The navy soldiers nodded.


    "With Mars alone, ck Heart Pirates were considered a B-ranked pirate crew, but now, Sacrarium of Inquisitorious has increased them to an A-ranked threat. They are now a true powerhouse crew!"


    The navy captain paled significantly at these news.


    ''A-ranked pirate crew all the way in here. No wonder the nearby naval bases took this so seriously. They have the power to fight for the supremacy of Pirate Battleground; they are definitely a scary bunch!''


    "Sacrarium of the Inquisitorious also had theories about why the ck Heart Pirates were here." The high-ranking officer said. "They have a theory that Ambrose just recently entered Dark Waters, and they came to pick him up.


    "This could mean that he had already been in some kind of alliance with the ck Heart Pirates, possibly via Reinhardt.


    "They guessed that they had a n to escape the pursuit of the Red Inquisitors and disappear into the Pirate Battleground.


    "However, they felt cornered in Hightown and used the zombies and the yers as distractions to buy themselves time to escape.


    "We still have no visual confirmation of where Reinhardt is, but we can''t rule out the possibility that he might be somewhere in Dark Waters."


    Gasp¡ªa silent gasp resounded across the room.


    This would be extremely bad news if it came true.


    The alliance between the World''s Strongest Swordsman and Mars could be disastrous.


    "Sacrarium of Inquisitorious had also reported the strange movement between S-ranked pirate crews. I feel like something is happening in Pirate Battleground.


    "We might be witnessing the Fourth Great Pirate War."


    The air turned tense as anticipation and uncertainty hung heavy among the soldiers.


    They knew that the oue of this war would reshape the pirate world forever¡ªthe Dark Waters would change whoever came on top.


    ...


    As the sun rose on the horizon, the next day dawned.


    The ck-sailed ship, with its ominous pirate g¡ªskull and crossbones with ck hearts acting as eyes¡ªcruised through the fog-shrouded sea.


    At one of the cabins, Ambrose emerged from the thin air andnded on the bed.


    As his eyes opened and saw the ceiling, he realized the ck heart on his forehead indeed forbade him from leaving.


    ''I didn''t put in temporary spawn and hoped that I would spawn back in Amaterasu, but it indeed didn''t work.''


    After sitting up on the edge of the bed, he remembered the things he did before logging back in.


    He checked his ForeverTube numbers, and they have shown an increase, but not too big. It had clearly slowed down since he hadn''t uploaded another video.


    He made a mental note to brainstorm new content ideas, but decided to focus on his new pirate life for now.


    After standing up, he left his cabin and trotted to the dining hall, where Henri and Loki were eating their breakfast¡ªsimultaneously speaking about something.


    "Good morning." Ambrose said as he joined Henri and Loki at the table.


    "Yo." Henri said and nced out of the round window. "We''ll be arriving at Pirate Battleground soon."


    "Let''s hope the ce with the heart of the Nymn Tree is further in Pirate Battleground otherwise, Leon can''t hide the fact that he is intentionally slowing down to reach the ce by nightfall." Loki said with a sigh.


    "Further we go, the more dangerous Pirate Battleground bes." Henri rubbed his clean-shaven chin.


    m¡ªthe dining hall opened with a m, and Apollo came with a serious look on his face.


    "Mars wants us to gather on the deck;e on."


    Without further ado, Henri, Loki, and Ambrose stood up, then followed behind Apollo as they arrived at the deck.


    Everyone else was already there, some still putting on their clothes while the cold wind blew from the north.


    The top floor''s door opened, and Mars entered the cold air.


    As he walked down the stairs, his footsteps were the only sound present.


    After stepping down the final step, Mars looked at his crew and nced at Leon, who was leaning against the helm.


    "Our destination is Necro Ind." Mars said coldly. "It should be eight hours away to the east. It''s within the territory of the Death King, so we need to proceed with caution."


    "Death King, one of the S-ranked Pirate Captains." Damian whispered in Ambrose''s ear after walking next to him.


    ''Sounds powerful.'' Ambrose thought to himself.


    Apollo nced at Leon, who returned the same serious look.


    ''Leon somehow has to dy our arrival by three hours.'' Apollo crossed his arms and frowned. ''Mars is an impatient person, especially with things rted to fate. Please, let there be a storm.''


    Mars stared at Leon and said. "Pick up the pace. We''ll have to reach it before nightfall. During the night, the Death King''s minions roam thend, and we don''t want to encounter them."


    "Roger..." Leon said with a serious look, and his hands tightened around the helm.


    Afterwards, Mars returned to his quarters, and the air stayed tense on the deck.


    "You heard him; the n is over!" Orc said and pointed at Leon angrily. "You''ll put all of us in anger, so let''s forget about this foolish n!"


    "Ors, please, shut the fuck up." Damian said angrily.


    "Hmph, you fools!" Ors screamed and returned indoors.


    Leon looked at Apollo and asked. "Will we still go for this? I am the one that gets chewed at."


    "We''ll proceed with the n." Apollo said before briefly ncing at the serious-looking Ambrose and continuing. "This might work for our benefit. Since it is within the Death King''s territory, Mars will be more cautious.


    "You can cook up an excuse that we saw some patrol ships from the Death King and thus had to take some detours."


    "Sigh, this will end badly." Leon whispered and cursed under his breath, but he listened to Apollo and steered the ship against a slight headwind.


    "Look, it''s the Pirate Battleground!" Henri suddenly shouted from the edge of the ship, pointing towards the sea in front.


    Everyone gathered around Henri and saw the shimmering outline of foggy inds far on the horizon.


    Ambrose''s jaw dropped as he saw an unimaginable sight.


    There were long chains, held up by pirs that had skulls on top of them, encircling arge area of the sea. It encircled such arge area that Ambrose couldn''t even see the end of it.


    "These are pirate chains." Damian whispered. "They encircle the entire Pirate Battleground. When you cross to the other side, you have finally entered the battleground."


    "How can we cross it? We are about to crash into the chains!" Ambrose asked with a shout.


    The ship would split in half if it crashed into the chains.


    "You''ll see..." Damian mysteriously smiled.

 Chapter 261 Sudden Danger

    <h4>Chapter 261 Sudden Danger</h4>


    The ck-sailed pirate ship approached the metal chains that were hanging from the tall pirs and hovered about ten meters above the water surface.


    They were raven ck in color and were made of a rather different type of metal called ashenium. It was a material that was known for its strength and resistance to corrosion.


    It was unknown how long the chains had been there, but as far as history went, they had always been there.


    No one had been able to break them.


    It was as if they were protected by ancient magic of some sort since ashenium had never been ssified as one of the strongest metals, but still, no one had been able to break them.


    As the ck-sailed ship neared the cross, the crew onboard watched as the raven ck chains suddenly glowed, changing from raven ck to bright yellow.


    "We are about to crash!" Ambrose shouted, but he saw that everyone wore calm and collected expressions.


    "This is why this ce is Pirate Battleground." Damian smiled.


    "The chains are enchanted with some kind of spell so that only pirates can enter the battleground.


    "Inquisitors and the navy had tried to fool the chains by masking themselves as pirates, but they have failed. It was as if the chain had a mind of its own."


    After he finished speaking, the ship went through the chains as if they were made of water. The crew watched in silence as soon as they crossed the line between the outside and Pirate Battleground.


    "Unbelievable..." Ambrose thought out loud as he watched the chains remain rooted in their same positions, but the yellow color changed back to raven ck.


    "Even I don''t know what the chains are enhancted with." Loki walked next to him with his arms folded. "It''s very old magic and very high-ranked."


    "Henri, go to the crow''s nest." Apollomanded, pointing towards the top of the mast.


    Henri nodded and quickly made his way up thedder.


    Apollo then took something out of his vest¡ªit was a small, wooden handheld curved stick. However, he then shook it, and it suddenly erged, revealing itself to be a magical bow.


    "We cannot stay unguarded in here." Apollo said to Ambrose. "We''ll need to keep our eyes peeled for any potential threats."


    Ambrose nodded with understanding and joined Damian in watching the nearby fog-shrouded inds to see if there were any pirate ships.


    Leon steered the helm calmly, but then he felt a water drop hit his neck.


    ''Rain?'' He turned to the sky, which was rather cloudy and dark, but it was only dark from one ce.


    His eyes slowly widened as he saw an enormous object fall through the cloudyer, falling straight at them.


    "Shit, enemy attack!" He shouted loudly and turned the helm sharply to the right.


    Everyone gathered on the deck looked up to the sky and eximed in shock as the enormous object¡ªalmost like a meteor¡ªfell towards them.


    If it hit their ship, they would all die!


    "Move... move!" Leon screamed as he frantically tried to steer the ship away. With his muscles bulging and almost exploding, therge shadow that cast an eerie darkness above the deck slowly left.


    Atst, the enormous object crashed into the sea, right beside the ship, sending a massive wave with a height of thirty meters towards the ck Heart!


    "Shit!" Leon''s eyes shrunk as he realized he wouldn''t be able to dodge this one. This wave could capsize the ship easily!


    At that moment, a white-haired figure appeared in front of the enormous wave.


    "Whoo..." Zero breathed coldly and moved his fist beside his waist before casually throwing it forward with a straight punch.


    The invisible force from the fist collided with the wave, making it stop momentarily.


    "Zero Impact."


    As hended on the railing, the wave in front of him exploded into a breathtaking disy of spray and foam.


    The water spilled on the deck, leaving it wet and slippery while taking away all the dirt and grime.


    "Zero!" Damian grinned.


    They had done a few fighting sessions before to keep their skills up, and Damian was also an unarmedbatant, but he was never able to defeat Zero with hand-to-handbat.


    He was able to put up a much better fight when using his Vampire Light, but still, Zero''s skills managed to nullify most of his attacks.


    In his opinion, Zero had the strongest defense among the ck Heart Pirates!


    It was even more shocking because Jake had an almost indestructible body because of his Starborn constitution, yet the title of best defense belonged to Zero!


    Apollo pulled the bowstring of his bow, and a magical arrow appeared from the thin air, perfectly ced between his fingers.


    He pointed the bow and arrow at the enormous object that fell, and after seeing what it was, his eyes turned serious.


    It was an enormous ship with tattered sails and a broken mast. There was arge crowd gathered on the deck, scurrying about as they were trying to fix the holes in the hull and repair the damages.


    "Did this ship fall from the sky?" Loki asked with a frown as he watched the ship sail beside them.


    The ship was muchrger than theirs, with hundreds of cannons lining its sides, all aimed straight at them!


    m¡ªthe captain''s cabin''s door swung open, and angry-looking Mars came to see what the hell was happening.


    As he saw the enormous ship, his eyes turned cold, and he shouted.


    "Crew, prepare for the battle!


    "Apollo, get the cannons ready!"


    "W-we can''t outshoot them!" Apollo shouted as they only had thirty or so cannons, while the enemy ship appeared to have thrice as many.


    "That was an order!" Mars screamed and stomped down the stairs with his veins protruding from his forehead.


    After arriving at the deck, he looked to the ship, towards the tallest mast in the middle, to see the pirate g that was pping against the wind.


    It was a skull and crossbones with a red eye patch and a menacing grin.


    "The Red-Eyed Bonney..." Mars scoffed as he remembered the pirate g.


    Hearing the name, Damian''s expression turned severe.


    ''The Red-Eyed Bonney is one of themanders of the Sea King and one of the A-ranked pirate captains of the Pirate Battleground.


    ''Angering her could be very dangerous.''


    On the deck of the Red Eye pirate ship, a woman with long red hair and a fierce expression stood, her one eye glowing with an intense rage that could strike fear into anyone who crossed her path.


    Her left eye was covered by a red eye patch that was rumored to hide a disfigured eye that she had acquired in a battle long ago.


    She was still quite beautiful with slender and curvaceous body with tight curves and a confident stride that demanded attention.


    Her brown vest, only closed by three buttons, threatened to pop out at any moment because of her ample bosom that almost overflowed the fabric.


    She stepped on the railing and looked at the ck-sailed ship with a mysterious twinkle in her right eye.


    "Captain, what shall we do?" Her left-hand man asked from behind her. "We have suffered a great deal of damage because we used the Sky Fall."


    "..." The Red-Eyed Bonney looked down and caught a sight of the fiery gaze of a broad-shouldered man that was filled with anger and greed.


    "I don''t think we can leave without a fight." She said with an alluring voice. "We have encountered a troublesome person."

 Chapter 262 Sky Fall

    <h4>Chapter 262 Sky Fall</h4>


    "Cannons are set and ready!" Apollo shouted from the lower deck.


    They often had their cannons ready, just in case they encountered any enemy ships along their journey. However, Apollo still had to make sure each cannon was loaded with ammunition and properly aimed before they could be fired.


    "Fire!" Marsmanded with a fierce tone.


    In the lower deck, Apollo sighed and lit the fuse on the first cannon before moving to the second one. He did that to each cannon, and once he reached the final cannon, the first cannon exploded with a deafening boom.


    A cannonball shot through the air and crashed through the hull of the enemy ship.


    Boom, boom, boom¡ªthe cannonballs shot from each cannon, one after another, creating a symphony of destruction.


    However, then a pleasant and low-pitched voice traversed throughout the air.


    "Lla~"


    As if the sea listened to the pleasant voice, a fifty-meter-high wave appeared in the path of the cannonballs.


    The cannonballs flew straight through, but the wave absorbed their impact, causing them to lose all their momentum, eventually causing each cannonball tond on the sea.


    Boom, boom¡ªthe sea exploded all around the ships.


    The force of the explosion sent shockwaves rippling through the water, creating a powerful surge that threatened to capsize the ships.


    However, since the explosion happened underwater, the ships didn''t suffer any damage.


    "Reload, and continue firing!" Mars shouted while his cold, blue, and silver eye with a star-shaped pupil looked towards the red-haired woman on the enemy ship''s deck.


    She was wielding some kind of mace that had a glowing, ethereal aura around it. It also had some kind of wave symbol. It almost felt like the special mace had some kind of connection with the sea.


    ''The Mace of the Sea King. He actually gave this to her? What were they doing in here for him to trust her with such a valuable magical weapon?'' Mars clicked his tongue in annoyance.


    Boom, boom, boom¡ªa storm of cannonballs flew from the enemy ship and rained upon them, threatening to sink the ship to the bottom of the sea!


    Mars quickly sprang into action, and with a single punch, he sent a wide-range shockwave attack that swept the cannonballs away.


    That wasn''t all.


    The cannonballs, with equally powerful force, rebounded off the shockwave and flew back towards the enemy ship.


    Loud screams reverberated from the enemy ship as they didn''t expect the cannonballs toe back at them.


    However, the sea exploded in front of their ship and wrapped around the cannonballs. A massive tentacle, made of sea water, tangled the cannonballs into its grasp. and threw them back to the ck Heart.


    Mars was slightly taken aback and was about to throw another punch, but then he felt the air current shift, as if something was approaching from behind.


    He turned around and saw the white-haired person reeling in his fist.


    "Whoo..." Zero closed his eyes before throwing a straight punch. "Zero Impact."


    Swoosh¡ªwind picked up and mmed against the dozens of cannonballs, stopping them mid-air!


    Jake, the Starborn miracle, sprang up into the air and kicked the cannonballs with incredible force, sending them back to the enemy ship.


    He used the cannonballs like they were mere footballs, scoring a direct hit on the enemy ship and causing a massive explosion.


    Boom¡ªthe side of the enemy ship''s suffered a catastrophic amount of damage, causing the water to infiltrate the ship.


    "Ll~" The Red-Eyed Bonney''s voice turned more rapid and powerful as she raised the mace high above her head.


    Swoosh¡ªbut then a figure appeared in front of her with a burning gaze.


    "?!" Bonney''s eye widened in shock.


    "What were you doing out here, I wonder?" Mars grinned hideously and mmed his fist across her beautiful face, knocking her to the ground, causing her grip on the Mace of the Sea King to slip.


    Before the mace could fall to the depths of the sea, Mars picked it up and grinned. "A nice weapon."


    "G-give it back!" Bonney screamed desperately, half of her face bruised and battered with a broken nose and swollen eye.


    "Captain Bonney!" Her subordinates drew their weapons and rushed at Mars.


    "Hmph, peasants." Mars swung the mace, sending Bonney''s subordinates flying across the deck.


    Their cries of pain filled the air as they crashed into barrels and crates. Most had broken bones, and their weapons ttered to the ground in defeat.


    "Y-you won''t get away with this..." Bonney said angrily. "The Sea King will avenge us."


    "Hahaha..." Mars grinned and leaned closer to Bonney. He reached out his long tongue and licked her face, savoring the taste of her fear.


    Her face paled and trembled like a frightened bunny.


    "Maybe that''s what I want?" Mars posed a question before grinning and raising the mace high.


    "W-wait!" Bonney screamed. "S-spare me, and I''ll let yo¡ª"


    Smash!


    The mace crashed into the skull of the former great pirate captain, ending her life and silencing her pleas for mercy.


    "Y''all nothing but ugly whores whenpared with her." Mars grinned and cleaned the blood with an old rag.


    He then turned to the frightened pirates and smiled menacingly.


    Back in ck Heart, Ambrose and others heard the sound of bones cracking and screams fading away like a broken recorder.


    They knew that Mars had taken care of the pirates for good.


    After a while, Marsnded back on the deck of ck Heart, his clothes clean and straight, with no drop of blood in them.


    "Take everything you can find on the ship, then bring them to the lower deck." Mars said as he returned to his quarters.


    The crew quickly scrambled and boarded the Red-Eyed pirate ship and saw the aftermath of the fight.


    Each pirate had their skulls mashed in with a blunt object, leaving a gruesome and bloody scene.


    "Let''s do this quickly." Apollo said as he saw water rising below the lower deck. "This ship sinks soon."


    Everyone nodded and separated as they scattered to search for any treasures.


    Ambrose trotted down a dimly lit corridor, the water level already reaching his knees.


    After a while, he came across the captain''s quarters, which was exactly what he was looking for.


    Inside, Ambrose found a dusty desk covered in old maps and yellowed documents.


    The bookshelves had old nautical novels and weathered logbooks.


    "I suppose I''ll take this." He grabbed the maps and documents and was about to leave, but then he found a hiddenpartment in one of the drawers.


    It was only visible because there was a smalltch sticking out as if it were hurriedly closed.


    After opening it, he discovered a pearl with a cracked surface that shimmered faintly in the dim light.


    It was different from the teleportation pearl, as there was a strange glowing eye inside, as if it were floating in water.


    "What is this?" Ambrose picked it up, and suddenly a notification appeared before his eyes.


    [You acquired the item "Sky Fall"]


    [Sky Fall: An ancient artifact that lets you teleport arge object by will¡ªthe downside is that therge object will appear in the sky and fall down to your decided destination]


    ''This must be the item that this pirate group used to fall from the sky. It is very cracked, so it would seem that this only has one or two uses left.


    ''This is a very valuable item, even though the downside is quite big. It could fetch a high price in the right market.''


    After remembering that he would have to give this to Mars, a thought of greed arose in his mind.


    ''I can hide this in my inventory. No one will ever know.'' Ambrose looked around the empty cabin and then carefully put it inside his inventory.


    ''Time to see whether my inventory manages to hide from Mars.'' He thought and closed the drawer before leaving the cabin.

 Chapter 263 Leaking Fate

    <h4>Chapter 263 Leaking Fate</h4>


    After returning to the deck, Ambrose saw that the ship was already tilting dangerously to one side. It wasn''t long until they would lose their foothold.


    Most of the corpses alreadyy lifeless on the nted deck, their limp bodies sliding towards the edge.


    "Ambrose, we have to go!" Apollo shouted as most of the crew had already returned to ck Heart, carrying everything they were able to.


    Ambrose nodded, and with onerge leap, he crossed the gap andnded safely on ck Heart''s deck.


    Apollo was thest one to arrive at the ck Heart, and they then watched as the ship finally sank beneath the turbulent waves.


    "Let''s take the treasures to the lower deck''s supply area!" He shouted, and after grabbing the treasures, they headed over to the lower deck.


    The supply area was filled with crates of food, weapons, and other supplies. There were also crates filled with shiny treasures and strange artifacts.


    They dumped everything they grabbed from the enemy''s ship in the middle of the room.


    There were heavy boxes of ammunition and crates of medical supplies stacked high against the walls. There were also money bags spilling with coins and precious gems.


    "I''ll tell Mars toe check them out." Apollo said and was about to leave, but then Damian grabbed his arm and whispered something in his ear.


    "That is dangerous." He whispered back at Damian while others looked at them with quizzical expressions.


    After a while, Apollo nodded at Damian, who managed to convince him of something.


    "Ambrose." Apollo turned to the newest recruit of the ck Heart Pirates and said, "Shall we test whether your inventory manages to hide from Mars?"


    "What do you mean?" Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow.


    Apollo looked at each person in the room and said, "Grab one treasure each. We''ll try to hide those in Ambrose''s inventory, and if it works, you may keep that treasure and sell it on the next ind."


    "This is lunacy!" Ors shouted with a red face. "This will never work. How could you rest our lives in the hand of this greenhorn?"


    "You don''t have to participate; fuck off instead." Damian shoved him to the side and looked at the rest of the people in the room. "Mars won''t kill us if we try to steal a treasure, so if we try this, we would probably just get pped on the wrist.


    "However, if Mars finds out we stole the Heart of the Nymn Tree. He''ll kill us. This is a good chance to test whether this inventory manages to hide from him."


    Many nodded their heads, as this sounded like a good opportunity.


    "What do you say, Ambrose?" Apollo turned to him with an expectant expression. "Shall we try?"


    ''This is good for me. If Mars found out that I was the only one who stole something, I might get a much bigger punishment, but if everyone was involved, I might be overlooked. Might as well.''


    He nodded and said, "Let''s try it out."


    Damian grinned and was the first one to steal something from the pile of treasures, then handed it over to Ambrose.


    In front of everyone''s eyes, Ambrose tossed it in the air, and somehow it disappeared like it was wrapped in an invisible cloak.


    Everyone looked surprised, but then started looking for their own treasures.


    After most gave their treasures to Ambrose, Ors gritted his teeth and also stole a valuable-looking gem before tossing it over to Ambrose.


    Ambrose caught it and tossed it inside the inventory.


    He nced at the growing inventory, and he had never felt richer, even though they didn''t belong to him and he was just holding it for them.


    "I''ll go bring Mars." Apollo said and as he was leaving the lower deck bydders, he whispered to himself. "I hope this works..."


    "We are so dead!" In the lower deck supply area, Ors sat down on top of a crate and screamed in anguish. "Lord of the New Future and Savior of Mankind, Anti-Christ, bestow your luck upon me..."


    Damian crossed his arms and leaned against a wall, with Ambrose standing beside him.


    Leon, Zero, and Loki stood silently behind the treasure pile. They wore deadly cold expressions as they prepared themselves for the worst oue.


    Jake and Henri felt their hearts pound against their chests¡ªthey hoped that they didn''t look too nervous for Mars to suspect something.


    After a short while, heavy footsteps came from thedders, and soon Mars arrived with Apollo back in the supply area.


    He looked straight at the treasure pile and immediately had a deep frown.


    "This is all?" Mars asked and kicked down the small pile, expecting much more. "Silver, jewels, and some worn-out useless documents. We plundered a ship belonging tomander of Sea King!"


    "The ship was sinking at quick speed; we might''ve missed something." Apollo said quickly, trying to exin.


    "We have got better plunders from a nun house!" Mars screamed and looked suspiciously at his first mate. "Apollo, are you hiding something from me?"


    Apollo hesitated, his eyes darting around nervously.


    Mars narrowed his eyes and activated the Eye of Shimon. It glowed powerfully as he stared intently at Apollo. He saw an invisible aura surrounding him that had a lot of ckness and grayness.


    The aura continued to flow into Mars'' body as if he were stealing it.


    While the other crew members watched nervously, Mars stopped using the Eye of Shimon and scoffed.


    He then turned to look at other members of the crew and activated the Eye of Shimon.


    He looked at each one, andstly, hended his gaze upon Ambrose.


    This time, a strange expression appeared on his face.


    ''His fate aura is still getting drained, but why in the world is some of his aura leaking into the empty air above him?''


    In his eyes, he saw a golden aura surrounding Ambrose, but it had a little bit of ck and gray spots caused by getting his aura stolen.


    However, above his head, there was a ball of aura of brilliant golden color.


    "The hell?" Mars stormed towards Ambrose, and as soon as he did, everyone''s hearts dropped to the pit of their stomachs.


    ''I knew it!'' Ors screamed inwardly and began praying furiously, ming himself for being such a fool to believe in him.


    ''So, in the end, it can''t hide from him?'' Apollo closed his eyes with a heavy look.


    Mars reached his hand to Ambrose, who flinched, but instead of touching him, he began pping the air above Ambrose.


    His hand phased through the golden ball without being able to touch anything solid.


    ''What in the world is this?'' Mars looked bewildered. ''What could be the reason for this? Am Icking in knowledge about the Eye of Shimon?''


    After a while, he stopped using the Eye of Shimon as it started to cause itchiness.


    "Ambrose, are you hiding something from me?" Mars asked with a frown.


    "Hiding?" Ambrose put his arms wide and said, "You are free to search me."


    "..." Mars looked suspiciously, but in the end, he scoffed and turned away to walk away. "Pack up everything in the crater. Leon, go to the helm; we still have to reach Necro Ind before nightfall!"


    "Yes, captain." Leon said casually, but his back was drenched with cold sweat and his fists were clenched enough to draw blood from his palms.


    After Mars left the lower deck, everyone heaved a sigh of relief.


    "Let''s fucking go." Damianughed and fist-bumped Ambrose, feeling incredibly thrilled.


    "Whew..." Ambrose let out a long breath. ''Could it be that Mars managed to somehow sense some fate leaking from my inventory? He can sense the fate of items, or what the hell was that?''


    "All right." Apollo pped his hands. "Let''s pack up the things."


    He then looked at Ambrose and showed a thumbs up.


    Ambrose nodded and touched his sweat-drenched back with a tired smile.


    ''Mars, if you had left anyone alive, you might''ve caught us stealing some items, but fortunately, you are a murderous moron.


    ''I''ll also steal the heart of the Nymn Tree from you and do everything in my power to stop you!''

 Chapter 264 The Stories of Childhood

    <h4>Chapter 264 The Stories of Childhood</h4>


    The sky turned orange as the night slowly approached.


    Within hours, the sun would set, causing darkness to fall.


    At the Pirate Battleground, sailing through the unpredictable waters, the ck-sailed ship continued its journey without any interruptions.


    However, at the helm of the ship, Leon already saw several inds with ships docked and some sunken ships in the distance, indicating a fierce battle had taken ce.


    Otherwise, the journey remained uneventful.


    At Apollo''s cabin, seven individuals yed cards¡ªthose were Ambrose, Apollo, Henri, Loki, Zero, Damian, and Jake.


    Mars was in his own cabin, Ors was in his own, praying to a blood-soaked doll, and Leon was the helmsman for the voyage.


    "Victory!" Damian grinned and ced his cards that showed a winning poker hand on the table.


    "Again?" Henri grudgingly put his cards down. "You are cheating."


    "You sound like a sore loser, Henri." Damianughed and retrieved his winnings before handing them over to Ambrose, who ced them inside his inventory.


    Apollo then began shuffling the deck, ready for another round of cards.


    "The sky is getting darker." Loki mentioned as he sat beside the round window. "We should''ve reached Necro Ind by now. You think Mars has realized that yet?"


    "If he had, he would be screaming through the ship by now." Damian said with a grin and took a sip of his drink.


    Others chuckled.


    "By the way, Jake." Ambrose nced at the shy-looking young man, who had a lean and teen-like face with well-shaped features. "Since you are Starborn, how have you lived before meeting with Mars?"


    "Uhm..." Jake cleared his throat and sat upright with some awkwardness. "W-well, I have been alone for my whole life. Starborns have many parents, and they are the stars in the sky.


    "So, I haven''t really been alone per se, but I have lived in the mountains of Rechstein for as long as I can remember."


    Others stayed quiet while Jake spoke, and Apollo shuffled the cards.


    "The stars taught me to hunt for food, and they always guided me if I was lost." Jake then remembered a scene from his past.


    "At one point, I became a folk tale of a monstrous child. That happened one summer evening. There was a vige below the mountain I lived in, and that summer, they got attacked by the King of the Mountains.


    "The King of the Mountains was a monstrous bear, three times as big as an adult man. Its roars echoed like thunderps.


    "After hearing the screams of the vigers, I felt like I needed to help them.


    "I was only about 12 years old at that time.


    "After reaching the vige, dead vigers were scattered about, and the King of the Mountains was right in the middle of them.


    "As its eyes fell upon me, I froze in horror. I could feel my death approaching as it stormed towards me.


    "But then, the stars taught me how to throw a punch¡ªa simple straight punch.


    "And I did.


    "I threw a punch that went straight through the bear, killing it.


    "The vigers who had survived looked at me with even more horror than when the King of the Mountains had attacked them.


    "I didn''t really know how to react to that." Jake chuckled nervously. "They then attacked me; I don''t know why, but then I retreated back to the mountains and never left.


    "Then, one day, Mars appeared there. He apparently heard the tales of the monstrous child and talked about fate and some other things I didn''t quite understand."


    Others stayed quiet; even Apollo had stopped shuffling the cards as he looked at Jake.


    "Stars told me to run away, but I was powerless in front of him. I tried the trick they taught me, so I threw a straight punch. Mars stopped it with his pinkie."


    Jake sadly smiled and said, "Then he took me here, and I sometimes wonder what would''ve been my fate without Mars. Have you guys also thought about it?"


    "Little bit," Apollo said with a hint of contemtion in his voice. "I thought I would''ve married a nice girl from my hometown from a fellow aristocrat family, made tons of babies, and followed my father in family business. But if I really had way more fate than an ordinary person, what would''ve happened to me..."


    "Hmm..." Damian put his hands below his head and looked at the ceiling with a thoughtful look. "What would''ve been my fate..."


    "Zero, you haven''t talked about your childhood much." Henri looked at the white-haired young man. "Wanna tell?"


    Others turned to the silent Zero, who hadn''t spoken a single word during their poker game.


    "Hmm..." Zero nodded slightly and opened his mouth. "All I remember is a white room where they did experiments with me.


    "Their experiment''s purpose was to create a perfect superhuman with enhanced abilities and no emotions.


    "They injected me with thousands of different chemicals and subjected me to intense physical training.


    "Each of those chemicals could''ve killed me, but somehow they didn''t. Those increased my reflexes to superhuman levels.


    "Each subject in there was taught everynguage and given knowledge in various fields of study.


    "They thought we would be perfect assassins.


    "Then, we were injected withst chemicals they called "the final enhancement."


    After speaking the cursed name, Zero turned silent, and awkward silence hung above the room.


    Then Zero took a deep breath and said, "It killed everyone, except me. I suppose my fate was to survive that shithole and do something with my life.


    "Then Mars and all of you came, killed the scientists, and took me away from there."


    Zero then chuckled and scratched his snowy white hair. "Strangely, I feel indebted to Mars."


    "..." Damian looked in surprise at Zero. "But you are abducted, just like the rest of us, with your future taken away from you."


    "I know, but this ce is still a thousand times better than that white room." Zero lowered his head and then muttered. "However, even though I am indebted to him, Mars is still as bad of a person as those scientists.


    "If opportunity rises, I would want to stop him from doing anything bad ever again. I want to stop all the bad guys."


    Ambrose silently looked at the white-haired young man and nodded thoughtfully. He knew that Zero was in a great dilemma about whether he should be indebted to Mars or not.


    However, if they needed Zero''s help, he had a feeling that he would help.


    "Mars has to be stopped." Apollo said with a determined tone. "We might be the only people that can stop him. We cannot trust the inquisitors or the navy. They are corrupted, anyway."


    "Yeah..." Henri clenched his fists. "Ambrose and Zero, Mars is a bigger asshole than you might think."


    Ambrose and Zero turned to Henri and saw him surprisingly angry, which was a surprising expression in his face. They had mostly seen him smile.


    "I was abducted during a school trip." Henri said. "We were en route to the beach resort with a cruise ship, and then we got attacked by Mars.


    "Mars ughtered everyone¡ªeven all my schoolmates. We were only 16 at that time, yet he didn''t care and sank the ship to the bottom of the sea while he took me with him.


    "He cannot be saved from the number of sins he has. He has to die. He has to!"


    "Of course." Ambrose looked at everyone and said boldly. "He''ll die."


    At that moment, a loud shout came from the deck.


    "Howe we haven''t arrived yet?!" Mars'' booming shout resounded throughout the ship. "Bloody hell, we should''ve arrived three hours ago!"


    "And here it starts." Apollo said and stood up. "Let''s make Mars'' day even worse, shall we?"

 Chapter 265 Necro Island

    <h4>Chapter 265 Necro Ind</h4>


    After arriving at the deck, they saw Mars shouting at Leon, demanding an exnation for theirte arrival.


    Mars was clearly furious and seemed ready to explode.


    "The wind has not been kind to us." Leon exined, trying to diffuse Mars'' anger, but nothing he said seemed to work.


    "Hah, is that so?" Mars looked up at the pirate g that pped furiously against the wind. "It has been windy, all right! Something fishy is going on, and I want an exnation!"


    "Captain." Apollo then stepped forth.


    "What?!" Mars screamed at Apollo, his anger boiling over. "Don''t you dare to make another excuse."


    Apollo pointed towards the horizon and said, "We''ve arrived."


    Mars frowned and turned around.


    A fog-shrouded ind appeared in the far distance. It looked mysterious and inviting, and once they got a little bit closer, they saw something very unusual.


    There was a giant hand right in the middle of the ind. It was almost as if a massive giant tried to dig out from its grave and then reached out towards the sky before turning into stone.


    There were slight reflections of lighting from the palm of the massive hand, as if there were a vige on top of it.


    They then saw slight outlines of stairs leading up the hand, going nearly three kilometers into the sky.


    "Hmph." Mars scoffed and angrily looked at his abducted crew before returning to his quarters.


    Apollo heaved a sigh of relief and walked over to Leon.


    "I tried dying as well as possible." Leon said and looked at the sky, which was already very orange as the sun was slowly setting.


    In about half an hour, night would fall.


    "You did great." Apollo said and folded his arms. "It might take about half an hour to dock on the ind. The night might''ve fallen by then."


    Leon nodded in agreement, still slightly shaken from getting yelled at by such a strong force. Angry Mars was always a frightening sight because he would be the most unpredictable in those moments.


    "What is that giant hand?" Ambrose leaned over the railing and looked towards Necro Ind.


    The giant''s hand was bigger than any skyscraper or mountain he had ever seen. Its fingers were strangely trying to touch the sky, only to fail.


    "I don''t know much about this ce either." Damian said beside him while taking in the windy air and gazing at the vastness of the giant''s hand.


    "This might be a remnant of an ancient battleground." Loki said near them. "Apparently, Pirate Battleground was once a battlefield where gods, angels, and mortals fought.


    "Apparently, Dark Waters had beennd before the battle, and the giant''s hand is a reminder of that lostnd."


    "You mean, all this wasnd before?" Ambrose looked over the railing at the foggy sea and tried to imagine how it would look without the sea.


    "That''s what I heard from my vige elders a long time ago." Loki said and shrugged his shoulders. "They might be mistaken; who knows?"


    ''This world''s lore goes even deeper than I thought.'' Ambrose thought and wondered whether there was any reward for learning the ancient knowledge.


    After half an hour, the ck-sailed pirate ship docked on the forest side of Necro Ind. It was also during this time that the sun finally set and cast a nket of darkness over thend.


    Mars mmed his door open and walked down the stairs with remnants of anger in his features.


    He wasn''t the type of person who liked ipetence and getting his orders wrong¡ªhe said that he wanted to arrive before nightfall, but since Leon failed to do so, it made him very unhappy.


    "Zero!" Mars shouted angrily.


    "Yes?" Zero stepped forth with a cold, emotionless gaze.


    "You know the deathnguage, correct?" Mars asked angrily.


    "I do," Zero replied. The scientists taught him most of thenguages used in Dark Waters.


    "This is death territory, so we can assume that people in here use the samenguage." Mars said. "Zero, you''lle with me as a trantor."


    Zero nced at Apollo and others before nodding.


    "The rest of you will stay here!" Mars screamed and threw an irritated gaze at Leon before walking down the gangnk with Zero.


    They soon entered the thick forest that seemed to lead towards the enormous giant''s hand.


    "Jake." Apollo nodded at others, and they all then turned to Jake.


    Jake looked toward the sky and saw the shimmering stars illuminating the night.


    As his pupils dted, it was almost like the stars began to show arrows, pointing in the direction of the giant''s hand.


    He smiled and said, "The stars answered me. They know where it is!"


    "Alright." Apollo said and turned very serious. "This is it. If you want to stay behind, this is yourst chance."


    No one spoke a word.


    "Where is Ors?" Ambrose asked, as he was the only one he didn''t see.


    "He ain''ting." Damian said with a chuckle. "He is a coward."


    "We aren''t in need of his assistance." Apollo replied. "Well then, let''s go."


    A group consisting of Apollo, Leon, Henri, Loki, Damian, Ambrose, and Jake walked down the gangnk, and following the stars guidance, they started using a faster and shorter route to the giant''s hand.


    ...


    At the Necro Vige on the giant''s palm.


    There was a tall tree in the middle of the Necro Vige, and a circle of cleverly ced rocks encircled it.


    It was a mystical tree that had bestowed a spell of luck upon the Necro Vige, bringing prosperity and good fortune to its inhabitants.


    However, there was also a downside. The lifespan of the vigers decreased significantly, and it was rare for any of the vigers to live past fifty years.


    It was the Nymn Tree, but currently, it was asleep and therefore it was nothing but an ordinary tree.


    The vige looked to be preparing for a very specific ceremony with altar being built right in front of the tree.


    On top of one of the giant''s fingers, a young viger with binocrs in hand gazed towards the edge of the ind, where a ck-sailed ship had just recently docked.


    "Visitors." The young viger murmured.


    He looked like he was in his early twenties, but he was actually only 14 years old.


    The decreased lifespan made the vigers look older than they were.


    He then stood up and recklessly slid down the massive finger of the giant''s hand. It looked extremely dangerous, as with a single mistake, he would fall several kilometers to his death.


    After somewhat roughly reaching the bottom of the giant''s finger, he encountered many ck-robed vigers moving with their lives as they were preparing to wee the Death Entourage to the vige.


    "Hey, Lunmu, I saw a ship!" The young viger shouted at one of the vige elders, who was taking care of the preparations.


    "Is it the Death Entourage?" Lunmu asked in surprise. "They''re supposed to arrive after midnight."


    "I am not sure; I just saw some ck sails." The young viger said.


    "It must be them, then..." Lunmu looked around and shouted. "Hurry up, we''ve got to finish the preparations!"

 Chapter 266 Lilana

    <h4>Chapter 266 Lna</h4>


    In the thick forest, leaves rustled and twigs cracked as a group of six people ran through the underbush, desperately trying to reach their destination as quickly as possible.


    "Whoo, whoo!" Apollo panted heavily while dodging the loose branches and then asked. "J-Jake, can you see the stars?"


    Jake squinted his eyes and strained to look up at the night sky. "Yeah, I can see them!"


    "Are we going in the right direction?" Leon asked, not panting as much as Apollo but still feeling the fatigue of the hour of running.


    "Yeah, we are almost there!" Jake shouted, and he didn''t look very fatigued because of his Starborn physique, which also put his level of stamina at superhuman levels.


    "Damian, you go ahead and see if Mars and Zero have arrived yet!" Apollo shouted an order.


    "Roger!" Damian shouted and suddenly turned into a cluster of crimson lights. He then shot off into the air and flew like a shooting star through the night sky.


    "Ahh, shit!" Henri and Loki struggled to follow others as they didn''t have as much stamina as others.


    Henri might be the fastest person in ck Heart Pirates, but that was only at small distances and during fights; when it came to long distances, he was one of the worst.


    Loki was also a spellcaster and had focused his whole life on learning different magical spells. He never trained his body to be strong or agile.


    Ambrose managed to follow after others with somewhat ease¡ªhis morning jogs and increase in strength and stamina stats had significantly improved his physical abilities.


    However, he was also feeling the strain as his breathing had gotten heavier.


    After a while of running through burning lungs, they saw Damian crouched behind a bush, keeping an eye on the vicinity of the stairs that circled around the giant''s hand as it went all the way to the palm.


    "Damian!" Apollo finally came to a stop, and while panting heavily, he asked. "Any sign of him?"


    "No." Damian replied, peering through the leaves of the bush. "But we should hurry; we would be rather visible when we enter the stairs, and if we don''t reach the top soon, he might discover us!"


    Apollo nodded and looked at other exhausted-looking men and said, "Final push, let''s go."


    Others nodded and gritted their teeth as they ran through the bush and arrived at the stairs.


    The stairs were steep and seemingly endless, made of rough-hewn stone that looked ancient and worn. Each step was also ten meters wide, and there seemed to be an endless number of steps.


    After stepping on the first step, they continued running up the stairs, and soon, they were already hundreds of meters up in the air, and some of them began feeling dizzy.


    This was already high enough to die if they fell.


    ''This has to work...'' Ambrose nced over his shoulder at the forest that was getting further away and hoped. ''Zero, dy him somehow!''


    ...


    In the thick forest, walking past the trees, Mars and Zero could hear the faint sound of rushing water.


    "..." Mars silently looked around and didn''t seem to be in much of a hurry.


    ''Hmm, no sight of death minions so far.'' He thought.


    ''I wonder if they have already reached the giant''s hand.'' Zero wondered and looked past the swaying branches, seeing the giant hand''s getting closer with each step.


    ''We should be arriving there soon. I need to somehow dy Mars; otherwise, he might discover others, and no matter what excuses they cook up, Mars will kill them.''


    Zero came to a stop, looked at a random part of the forest, and put his best acting face on.


    "Captain, I saw something!"


    "Huh?" Mars stopped walking and saw Zero looking at a part of the forest that was shrouded in fog, but the sound of the rushing river seemed toe from that direction.


    "What did you see?" He asked in a hurry.


    "I don''t know; there was definitely someone watching us!" Zero shouted.


    ''Is it the death minions?'' Mars wondered with a frown and flexed his fist before throwing a straight punch. "Saturn Punch!"


    Boom¡ªas his fist struck the air, a powerful shockwave burst through the trees, sending unrooted trees and debris flying in all directions.


    With that single strike, the force of the Saturn Punch was unleashed, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. A portion of the whole forest was decimated in an instant, making the fog vanish, and the flowing river was now flowing with a violent current, tearing through the remnants of the once serenendscape.


    "If something was there, it''s long gone." Mars said coldly and continued walking. "Follow, we still have some distance to go!"


    Zero nodded, but inwardly he was cursing. ''Damn it.''


    ...


    At the stairs, the group of six heard the sound of destruction and saw a dust cloud rising in the distance.


    "Mars is already that close!" Damian felt cold sweat forming on his forehead.


    "We have to hurry!" Apollo shouted and began leaping across many steps at a time.


    Others quickly followed after him, their hearts pounding with exhaustion, but they knew they couldn''t stop now.


    "H-how can we leave the giant''s hand?" Henri asked with fatigue while following closely behind. "We can''t use the stairs, or Mars will definitely discover us!"


    "We''ll have to find another way out," Apollo replied.


    If they had known about theyout of Necro Ind beforehand, they could''ve nned this even further, but they weren''t aware of the giant''s hand; otherwise, there would''ve been many escape routes if the Nymn Tree was simply down in the ground.


    "Let''s focus on just getting the heart!" Ambrose shouted and ran past Henri and Loki as he picked up his pace.


    As the night continued to be darker and more sinister, the group of six found themselves on thest step of the enormous stairs.


    As soon as they took thatst step, they all copsed on the giant''s palm with nothing but exhaustion.


    They didn''t even feel relieved, as they could barely breathe.


    "Ni Nu Lemen Khama Death Entourage?" They heard a young voice.


    They raised their gazes and saw a curious child looking at them with a flower bouquet in hand.


    "W-who the hell?" Damian frowned and barely stood up. "W-who are you?"


    "Viraka, ar ominak or Lna." The child said with a curious smile and extended the flower bouquet to them. "Ossor or ihk Death Entourage."


    They couldn''t understand a single thing spoken by the young child. After all, she was speaking deathnguage, which was mostly unknown to others.


    "Loki, mind bestowing us with thenguage spell?" Apollo turned to Loki and asked.


    Loki nodded and chanted the incantation. It was one of the spells that even Mars had no idea of. It wasn''t part of Magic Book of Ancient Wizards.


    Instead, it was Loki''s very own unique magic that he created!


    Damian awkwardly epted the flower bouquet and looked at Lna with a mix of confusion and curiosity.


    "Who did you say you were?" Damian asked.


    "My name is Lna!" The child said with a smile, and after hearing them speak the familiar deathnguage, she got more sure that they were correct people. "You are Death Entourage, correct?


    "Death Entourage are subordinates of the Death King." Apollo whispered to others.


    "We, are. Young Miss, may you show us the way to Nymn Tree?" Ambrose politely asked.


    "What about the rest of the ceremony?" Lna questioned with an innocent tilt of her head. "The Nymn Tree only appears after the ceremony."


    Ambrose nced at others and nodded.


    "All right, let''s do the ceremony, shall we?" Ambrose said and looked at the little girl before smiling. "Mind showing us the way?"


    Lna smiled sweetly and began walking back to the vige, followed by Ambrose and the rest of the group.


    "Loki, do your spell to make us look more like servants of death." Apollo whispered in Loki''s ear.


    "Sure, but the spell will make us sick for the rest of the week." Loki whispered back, and behind his back, he made a few hand signals while whispering an ancient spell.


    As the incantation left Loki''s lips, a dark aura enveloped the whole group, making their skin paler and more sickly, with a stench of death lingering around them.

 Chapter 267 The Heart of the Nymn Tree

    <h4>Chapter 267 The Heart of the Nymn Tree</h4>


    "Death Entourage, wee!" Lunmu shouted, dressed in ceremonial garments, with other vigers gathered around a dead-looking tree.


    On the altar, there were different kinds of offerings made by the vigers.


    "Nn." Ambrose nodded and saw that there were around a dozen seats arranged in a semi-circle in front of the altar.


    It seemed like those seats belonged to members of the Death Entourage.


    "Shall we begin?" Ambrose asked as he got seated in one of the chairs. "We are in somewhat of a hurry."


    "Is this everyone?" Lunmu asked with a raised eyebrow. "The letter said that we will receive a dozen honorable members of Death Entourage."


    "If you can count, there are only six of us today." Ambrose crossed his legs and kept a cold expression while oozing the stench of death.


    Damian and others nced at Ambrose in surprise, surprised by his boldness and audacity. However, after thinking further, Death Entourage members were known to be quite arrogant.


    Of course, Ambrose was not aware of the reputation Death Entourage members had earned for their arrogance.


    He acted like this because Death Entourage was just a fancy title¡ªin reality, they were pirates, and as such, he believed them to be acting like pirates.


    "O-of course, my apologies." Lunmu said in a hurry and motioned for others to begin the ceremony.


    Two of the vigers walked over to the altar and lit up the candles, casting a gentle glow in the night air.


    The vigers began chanting in unison, their voices blending harmoniously as they summoned the ancient spirits of their homnd. They believed that by connecting with these spirits, they would receive guidance and protection in their daily lives.


    Damian impatiently continued tapping his foot against the ground, as Mars could arrive at any moment. They simply didn''t have time to wait for the imaginary spirits.


    The vigers bobbed their heads to the rhythm of their chanting, and soon they stopped and opened their eyes.


    "The spirits are here." Lunmu whispered gently and looked at the group of six. "Honorable Death Entourage, spirits will be the witnesses of today''s interaction. We''ll give you the luck of the Nymn Tree, and you will give us peace."


    "Yes, get on with it." Ambrose said impatiently.


    Lunmu nodded, turned to the dead-looking tree, and breathed loudly. "The Ol'' Nymn Tree, the source of our vige''s prosperity and harmony," Lunmu chanted. "Grant us your blessings once again."


    After the short chant, the ground beneath the dead tree shook before the branches began to sprout with vibrant green leaves.


    The dead, ck bark began to transform into a tall, majestic tree full of life and vitality.


    At the center of the bark, a fist-sized hole appeared, revealing a small family of birds nestled inside.


    As soon as the hole appeared, the birds flew out into the night sky, chirping peacefully and gently.


    At the ce of the bird''s nest, a heart made of branches, twigs, and leaves emerged. It was connected to the rest of the tree with fragile tendrils, swaying with the wind''s gentle caress.


    ''The heart of the Nymn Tree!'' Ambrose''s posture changed.


    His fellow crew members also sat upright. Their goal was only three meters away.


    "Kneel in front of the Nymn Tree, touch the bark, and open yourself to the blessing." Lunmu said with a bow and then stepped aside.


    Ambrose hesitated for a moment, then took a deep breath and approached the Nymn Tree. Other crew members were closely following him.


    They knelt in front of the tree and lowered their heads.


    Almost instantly, they felt like they were touched in the head by an invisible hand.


    [You have received the blessing of a Nymn Tree!]


    [100+ Luck points were added to your stat]


    [Luc%4&&//&¡è Ad¡è%&" Re"¡è&"&]


    ''Wait, the hell?'' Ambrose''s eyes opened in shock. ''This is the same as if I had just leveled up ten times!''


    "You may stand up." Lunmu said and put his hands together for a prayer, then whispered "thank you" to Nymn Tree.


    They stood up and looked at each other in surprise¡ªthey all felt the touch of the invisible hand and felt like something changed within them.


    "Ambrose..." Apollo neared Ambrose and whispered in his ear. "We can''t waste any more time."


    Ambrose nodded, turned to Lunmu, and said with an authoritative tone.


    "Our Captain told us to acquire the heart of the Nymn Tree. He said that if you give this to us, you''ll get the reward you were promised."


    "What?!" The vigers echoed simultaneously, most showing angry expressions.


    "B-but, that is not the deal!" Lunmu shouted with an enraged expression. "Nymn Tree belongs to us. He promised to protect us as long as we give his Death Entourage the blessing!"


    "That''s right, but as long as you give us the heart, not a single harm will bestow upon this vige." Ambrose replied.


    "Without the blessing of the Nymn Tree, our vige will cease to exist!" Lunmu shouted angrily, raising his fist in frustration. "Nymn Tree belongs to us¡ªthe luck bestowed by the tree belongs to us¡ªit is ours, and we won''t give it away!"


    ''They are more dependent on the tree than I expected.'' Ambrose thought, with a few sweatdrops forming on his forehead.


    "Our captain will destroy this vige if you do not give us the heart." Damian said from the side.


    "Why are you calling him captain anyway?" Lunmu asked angrily. "Death Entourage has always called him Lord Death! There is something fishy going on!"


    The viger suspiciously eyed them, and some even went to a nearby shack to retrieve weapons that looked old and rusty.


    "Nimu, go check the ship again to see if they have the g of the Death Entourage!" Lunmu shouted to the young viger with binocrs.


    Nimu nodded and began running towards one of the fingers.


    "Sigh, whatever."?Ambrose suddenly drew his sword and hacked it across the Nymn Tree''s bark.


    "Nooo, you fool!" Lunmu screamed andunced towards Ambrose.


    "Hmph!" A star-eyed young man appeared in Lunmu''s path and shoved him aside, protecting Ambrose from his attack.


    Looking at Jake, Ambrose smiled and smashed the ck Sword across the Nymn Tree. The tree got split in half, revealing the heart hanging from only a few tendrils.


    Swoosh¡ªwith another sh, he sliced apart the tendrils, and before the heart could drop to the ground, he caught it.


    "This is so strange." Ambrose looked at the heart that was beating strongly in his hand. Even though it was already disconnected from the rest of the tree, it didn''t seem to matter.


    "No, give it back!" Lunmu screamed angrily. "Lord Death will hear about this. He''ll kill all of you!"


    "We''ll have to go!" Apollo shouted. "Mars will be here at any moment!"


    "Where can we go?" Henri asked in a hurry while swinging his daggers to keep the vigers away.


    The vigers were thirsting for blood as they saw their beloved Nymn Tree getting stolen. They seemed to care more about it than about their own children!


    Ambrose slowly ced the heart inside his inventory and said, "The heart is secured. We have to go, now!"


    "Everyone, grab my arms!" Damian spread his arms wide and chuckled nervously. "I have never tried this before, but in theory, it should work. However, it will be one dizzy ride!"


    Without knowing what he was trying to do, everyone grabbed his arms.


    The vigers instantly lunged forward and stabbed their pitchforks, but as they were about to strike, a bright crimson light enveloped the group.


    Apollo looked around the crimson light, and his expression paled even further. "D-don''t tell me."


    "Hahahaha!" Damianughed and enveloped the group with the Vampire Light.


    As soon as the crimson light surrounded them, they shot through the air like missiles and began flying through the night sky at an incredible speed.


    However, they weren''t actually flying. They were basically falling from three kilometers high!


    Inside the Vampire Light, Damian screamed. "Oh shit,, I have never carried something this heavy!"


    "What the fuck does that mean?!" Ambrose asked with a shout while feeling dizzy, as if the whole world were spinning around him.


    "We are falling, that''s what!" Damian shouted and thenughed loudly. "We are fucked!"


    "God damn it, Damiaaaan!" They all shouted and continued falling down like a bunch of helpless ragdolls.

 Chapter 268 Thieves of Luck

    <h4>Chapter 268 Thieves of Luck</h4>


    A broad-shouldered man and white-haired young man arrived at the Necro Vige and saw a shocking scene.


    The vigers were sitting in a semi-circle around a cut-in-half tree, which was surrounded by a circle of candles and mysterious symbols drawn on the ground.


    "Please, Nymn Tree,e back to live." Lunmu whispered in the mystifying deathnguage. "We are nothing without you."


    "What the fuck?" Mars frowned and approached the vigers with powerful stomps. "Where is the heart of the Nymn Tree? Answer me!"


    Hearing the voice of a strangenguage, Lunmu and other vigers turned around to see a pair of strangers approaching them.


    Their expression was one of full anger, and they immediately stood up with weapons in hand.


    "Ssea wux mrith osservor osspotih?!" Lunmu asked in pure rage. "Majak vyh zurkn saur gvykn!"


    "What did he say?" Mars turned to Zero, who acted as a trantor.


    "Mmh..." Zero struggled to make sense of some of the words because Lunmu was shouting in a strange ent. "He asked if you are with some thieves; I couldn''t understand thest sentence."


    "Thieves?" Mars frowned and said, "Ask what he meant by that."


    Zero turned to Lunmu and said. "Vaurs taalj wux rsjs zex ossurs?"


    Lunmu turned to Zero with anger and shouted in the deathnguage. "Thieves stole our luck!"


    After shouting that, he pointed at the dead-looking tree on the ground.


    "We tried resurrecting it, but nothing worked. The ancient spirits have also disappeared. We are all alone!"


    "Uhm..." Zero turned to Mars and said, "Someone stole their "luck," and I think they mean the heart of the Nymn Tree."


    "What!" Mars gritted his teeth and grabbed Lunmu by his throat before lifting him off the ground. "Who was it and when?"


    The vigers screamed and shouted something with deathnguage. They were ready to pounce and protect the vige elder.


    "Who did it and when?" Zero spoke in deathnguage.


    "Ngggh, hands off me!" Lunmu screamed and tried to remove Mars'' fingers from his throat, but he only felt the squeeze get tighter, making him unable to breathe.


    With no other chance, he shouted. "I-It was a group of six; they acted as Death Entourage and stole our luck. One of them had ck hair, one was curly blond-haired, one was a vampire with red eyes, and all of them had ck hearts tattooed on their foreheads."


    "What did he say?" Mars asked.


    "Uhm..." Zero cleared his throat and said, "They wore bluish clothes with waves imprinted on them. They stormed inside the vige and stole the heart. I-It happened before we arrived at the ind."


    "Sounds like Sea King''s subordinates..." Mars angrily looked at Lunmu and snapped his neck in a fit of rage.


    All the vigers screamed hoarsely and attacked Mars, but he simply brushed them off with his incredible strength.


    All the vigers flew across the air, through the buildings, and crashed into a pile of rubble.


    "What will we do now?" Zero asked, as putting the me on Sea King''s subordinates was a very impulsive decision.


    Of course, he couldn''t tell the truth about what Lunmu said; otherwise, Mars would immediately realize who was the real culprit!


    "We''ll sweep the area!" Mars screamed. "They must be en route back to the Sea King''s territory, and if we hurry, we might catch them!"


    Zero nodded and followed after Mars as they began leaving the vige.


    ''Good job...'' Zero thought with sweat dripping down his forehead, but he also wondered where they managed to escape.


    ...


    Back at ck Heart, a group of six exhausted-looking individuals limped up the gangnk.


    "Fuck you, Damian..." Henri whispered, and as soon as he stepped on the deck, he crouched down and clutched his side, wincing in pain.


    "Come on..." Damian fell beside him with his knees bleeding. "L-like I told you guys many times, you guys must skip breakfast. I-it was very hard to carry all of you!"


    "Warning would have been nice..." Apollo said and sat beside the middle mast, leaning against it.


    Ambrose stepped on the deck, carrying Loki''s unconscious body on his shoulder.


    "I''ll... take him to his cabin..." He said and limped towards the cabins, careful not to jostle Loki''s body too much.


    "Ambrose, it wasn''t my fault, ok?" Damian shouted behind him. "That was the only way out."


    "Yeah, yeah." Ambrosezily waved his hand and chuckled. "I kind of enjoyed the thrill of death."


    Jake was thest one to walk up the gangnk, and he looked perfectly fine except for a few scratches on his arms. However, even those scratches didn''t bleed.


    After a while, Ambrose returned to the deck after taking Loki back to his cabin, and sat down wearily.


    "The spell must''ve ended." Leon said as he saw his skin color turn from pale to its usual tan. "We aren''t speaking deathnguage anymore, either."


    "I can''t believe we seeded." Damianughed and asked. "Should we try to destroy the heart? It might be safe within the inventory, but the fewer risks, the better."


    Apollo nodded and turned to Ambrose. "Shall we try?"


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded and brought the beating heart to the deck, then dropped it on the floor with a sshy thud.


    "I''ll try." Jake stepped forward and picked up the heart, feeling its coarse texture and pulsation. He then squeezed powerfully, unleashing all the strength from his Starborn physique.


    However, the heart didn''t break or burst open as expected; instead, it stayed intact and continued beating with a calm rhythm.


    "The heart of the Nymn Tree is a valuable object for a reason." Apollo said. "It brings prosperity to the owner but decreases the lifespan. However, it is also very durable, and even if it gets shattered, it will regenerate."


    "I''ll try!" Damian stood up with shaky legs and put his hands into a catching stance. "Jake, give it to me!"


    Jake nodded and tossed the heart.


    Damian caught the heart and then pulled back his right hand¡ªlong, ck nails grew from his index, middle, and ring fingers.


    "Tres Stab Cordis!" Damian shouted and thrust his hand forward, stabbing through the heart with his long nails.


    After pulling the nails back and they retracted back to his hand, the heart''s three stab wounds slowly healed.


    "The hell," Damian muttered.


    At that moment, they heard a bone-chilling screaming from the forest near the docked ship.


    "Crew, sail off!"


    "It''s Mars!" Apollo screamed.


    "Shit!" Damian quickly threw the heart back to Ambrose, who quickly caught it and tossed it inside his inventory.


    They all stood up, trying to look less exhausted, and began unfurling the sails and reeling in the anchor.


    A short timeter, Mars and Zero returned to the ship. There was a cold silence surrounding them.


    Mars looked at the crew with a suspicious look, as there were disheveled hairs and tense expressions on their faces.


    "Captain, did you get it?" Apollo asked while untying the sails.


    "No!" Mars screamed. "Apparently, Sea King''s subordinates managed to steal it before us. What a coincidence, ain''t that right?!"


    "How dare they!" Damian mmed his fists together. "So, are we chasing after them?"


    Mars suspiciously looked at Damian and said, "You rarely get this excited over something."


    "Ahahaha." Damian nervouslyughed.


    Mars looked past Damian, and as he saw Ambrose, his expression changed.


    "Ambrose, howe your fate aura also has a brownish hue?" He asked while looking at the ball of fate above his head.


    Now, there was a mix of gold and brown.


    Apollo''s expression changed.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about." Ambrose replied defensively.


    "You are hiding something from me, boy!" Mars screamed andunched himself across the deck. He then grabbed Ambrose by the throat and mmed him into the wall. "I''ll find out what!"

 Chapter 269 Mars and Mercury

    <h4>Chapter 269 Mars and Mercury</h4>


    After seeing Mars attack Ambrose, silence fell on the deck with a tense atmosphere.


    "I don''t know what you are talking about!" Ambrose screamed, his voice echoing through the stillness.


    "Fate doesn''t lie." Mars said and reached out to the ball of aura, but like before, his hand went straight through. "You are hiding something from me!"


    "I am not!" Ambrose screamed through the difficult breathing.


    "Captain, he has been here with us for the entire time." Apollo said as defense.


    "Shut up, Apollo!" Mars shouted and turned with blood-red eyes at his first mate, and then turned back to Ambrose. "Did you steal something from me?"


    "No!" Ambrose shouted, but then Mars squeezed tighter, stopping all air from entering Ambrose''s lungs.


    "If I find out that something is missing from my cabin or even from the treasure trove, I''ll feed you to the sharks myself!" Mars shouted and then let go of Ambrose.


    Ambrose fell back to the deck, gasping greedily for air.


    "Captain, there are more hearts of the Nymn Trees out there." Apollo said, trying to defuse the situation by speaking some rational words. "This is just a small setback."


    "Small setback?" Marsughed. "This is not a small setback. The fate opportunity has been cut off!"


    "What?" Apollo frowned, but his heart started beating rapidly, as this could be very good news for them.


    "Eye of Shimon is not a goddamnpass for whatever I desire!" Mars screamed. "There are thousands of fate threads spread across the world. The Eye of Shimon leads me to the opportunities I have stolen.


    "The fate opportunity of Necro Ind''s heart of the Nymn Tree belonged to one of the stolen opportunities. Now that it was taken away from me, it cannot be recovered!"


    ''This fate opportunity was for that magical spell that could increase the talent.'' Apollo thought. ''It most likely belonged to Loki, who would''ve gotten Necro Ind''s heart of the Nymn Tree.


    ''So, now that the fate opportunity is cut off, Mars cannotplete the magical spell. The heart of the Nymn Tree is also very valuable, and it cannot be found in any random ck market!''


    "Fuuck!" Mars screamed and leaned on the railing, looking at the calm fog-shrouded waters, and screamed. "Let''s set sail. We have a lead on who might''ve stolen the heart. We''ll be going to the Sea King''s territory!"


    ''Sea King''s?'' Apollo frowned and nced at Zero, who nced back at him with a nod.


    ''I see now.'' Apollo smiled. ''This will work just fine. Sea King''s territory is vast, and we can''t just waltz in there andmand Sea King to give us anything.''


    After themand was given, the ck-sailed ship began sailing. It circled around the ind and began its voyage to the Sea King''s territory!


    Mars left his cabin to vent his anger. This was a huge loss for him, as he knew about hisck of talent in the field of magic. It left him very angry because, all his life, he had been very talentless.


    Inside the cabin, he sat down and looked at the items on the desk. One of them was the faded photograph.


    He took the photograph and looked at his brother with a mix of nostalgia and sadness.


    "Brother, why aren''t you capable of letting me forget you?"


    ...


    25 years ago, in the New North''s darkest night.


    On top of one of the hills, near the abandoned house that had a cemetery in the backyard.


    "Brother!" A silver-haired man shouted at his brother, who was standing beside arge oak tree.


    "Mercury, you shouldn''t havee." Mars said coldly, his long ck hair going over both of his blue, ocean-like eyes.


    "I had to!" Mercury screamed and pointed towards a small, cubical-shaped object that was beside Mars'' feet. "This thing is corrupting you!"


    Mars looked at the boxed object, which was calling him like a siren''s song.


    "You are here to steal it from me?" Mars asked angrily, his eyes looking unfamiliar in the eyes of his brother.


    "Of course not!" Mercury screamed and approached Mars slowly with a sad-looking expression. "Mother is missing you. Please,e with me."


    After hearing his brother''s pleading, Mars turned even angrier. "It is saying that you are tricking me! Brother, why are you trying to steal something so valuable from me?"


    "That thing is lying and taking advantage of your weak heart!" Mercury extended his hand and pleaded. "Please, brother, take my heart, and we''ll destroy that Eye together. We''ll get rid of the evil once and for all."


    Mars silently looked at the hand, and one of his fingers flinched as if his body wanted to grab it, but then he heard echoing whispers.


    His expression turned cold, and he pped the hand away.


    "No!" Mars screamed and picked up the cubicle-shaped box before hugging it against his chest. "Just leave; I''ll visit home, I promise, but before that, I''ll have to do something!"


    "Don''t!" Mercury''s expression paled. "I have seen what that thing can do. It will ruin you!"


    "I am strong enough to survive it!" Mars shouted and scoffed. "I am not as weak as our father, who sumbed to its power and died. I am strong!"


    "No!" Mercury pounced forward and tried to punch the box out of Mars'' grasp.


    "I knew it!" Mars dodged the punch and screamed angrily. "You are here to steal it!"


    "I won''t let you use it!" Mercury shouted defiantly and flexed his fist as he threw powerful punches at Mars. "Brother, I love you and I will protect you as your big brother!"


    "Liar!" Mars hugged the box tightly and tanked all the powerful punches with his sturdy body.


    As Mercury''s punches continued tond like a storm, Mars gritted his teeth and refused to let go of the box.


    "Nrgh!" Mars dodged thest punch and tackled Mercury down to the ground.


    As he mounted his big brother, he reeled in his fist and shouted angrily. "You''ll die!"


    "Brother, don''t!" Mercury shouted, but then Mars'' punchnded on his nose.


    "Saturn Punch!" Mars screamed and reeled in his fist before throwing another punch. "Jupiter Meteor!"


    "Earth''s Might!"


    Smack!


    "Venus Retaliation!"


    Smack!"


    "Neptune''s Wrath!"


    Smack!


    "Uranus Strike!"


    Smack!


    "Mercury Death!"


    Smack!


    "Haah... haaah..." Mars breathed heavily as he looked at his brother''s crushed skull and bloodied body with tattered clothes.


    "B-brother..." Mars whimpered with tears appearing in the corner of his eyes, but then the echoing whispers returned.


    "That''s right..." He whispered and turned his focus back on the box. He opened it, showing a star-pupiled eye staring back at him.


    Mars gulped and took a knife from his wide belt.


    His hands shook as if his body were fighting back, but then he stabbed the knife into his own eye and pulled it out, releasing a blood-curdling scream.


    After that, he tossed the blood-stained knife away and grabbed the eye in the box before stuffing it inside his eye socket.


    With a miraculous glow, the eye perfectly connected with his empty socket, as if it had always belonged there.


    The echoing whispers filled his mind, and he was unable to hear his own thoughts.


    "Brother..." Mars whispered onest time before his expression turned cold.


    As he looked back at the lifeless corpse in front of him, he coldly whispered. "I did love you, brother. That''s why I''ll give you a proper burial ce. That''s more than you deserve, thief."


    ...


    Back in the present, Mars flinched as a headache consumed his thoughts.


    "Ugh, I know..." Mars muttered, rubbing his temples. "He was the talented person in our family, yet I was the one to survive. I''ll surpass all the talented individuals and be the one to reach the top!"

 Chapter 270 Strangest Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 270 Strangest Conversation</h4>


    "I suppose it was sessful?" Zero leaned on the mast and raised an eyebrow, awaiting a response from his crewmate.


    "It was." Apollo nodded while feeling the caress of the cold wind on his face. "You told him that Sea King''s subordinates were the culprits?"


    "Yes." Zero nodded. "That viger told me how you guys looked, and he would''ve known immediately if I tranted correctly, so I impulsively med the Sea King."


    "That''s good." Apollo said with a smile. "Sea King''s territory is dangerous, and even Mars wouldn''t be crazy enough to go there."


    Zero nodded and then turned to Ambrose, looking curious. "You have the heart in your inventory?"


    "Yeah..." Ambrose rubbed his neck with an ufortable expression. It had bruise marks. "I think my inventory is not perfectly safe, either. Somehow, Mars can see something but cannot touch it."


    "You have to get rid of the heart as soon as possible." Apollo said with crossed arms.


    Ambrose nodded and wondered with a frown. ''Before, he didn''t act like this when he saw me. What changed? It happened after the encounter with that Bonney pirate.


    ''Hmm, there were the treasures I put inside my inventory, but there was also that Sky Fall item. It had an eye inside, so could it be that Mars can sense the fate of living things?''


    Ambrose rubbed his chin and nned to check out the Sky Fall closer when he returned to his cabin.


    He then looked up at the night sky and saw the crimson crescent moon illuminating the vast expanse of stars.


    ''It''ste, so I suppose I should leave now.'' He then stood up and said, "I am off to sleep. Good night."


    "Good night," Apollo replied as he continued to gaze at the celestial beauty above.


    After returning to his cabin, he sat down on the bed and opened his inventory, then brought out the pearl with a swimming eye inside.


    "Hmm..." Ambrose turned it around but couldn''t find anything special about it.


    As he was about to toss it back into his inventory, he happened to share a nce with the eye, and immediately, his body froze.


    The eye seemed to be staring right through him with an intense, haunting gaze.


    "That''s strange..." Ambrose shook his head, and as he was about to put it back in inventory, the eye suddenly shook left and right as if it were mimicking the shake of the head!


    "The hell!" Ambrose flinched and almost dropped it to the ground, but managed to catch it just in time.


    As he put the pearl on the desk, he stepped back and looked at the eye that seemed to follow his every move.


    "This is so creepy..." Ambrose gulped and said, "If you can understand me, shake your head; uh, I mean, shake your eye?"


    The eye remained still for a moment before slowly shaking left and right.


    "What the fuck?" Ambrose covered his mouth and rummaged through the drawer. He found parchment paper and an ink pen.


    There were also a small jar of ck ink sitting beside the paper.


    After putting all the required items on the desk, near the pearl with a swimming eye, he said:


    "I''ll say letters, and you''ll shake your eye if it belongs to the word you want to say. Do you understand? Shake if yes."


    The eye shook left and right, indicating that it understood clearly.


    Ambrose nodded and began slowly saying letters. "A... B..."


    As soon as he reached the second letter in the alphabet, the eye suddenly shook left and right.


    Ambrose nodded and wrote "B" on the parchment paper.


    After that, he continued.


    "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O..."


    The eye shook.


    Ambrose wrote another letter, now spelling "Bo."


    He then continued.


    "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N..."


    The eye shook.


    "Bon..." Ambrose whispered and nodded.


    "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N..."


    The eye shook.


    "Bonn..." Ambrose frowned, turned to the eye, and asked. "Do you want to write Bonney?"


    The eye shook left and right as confirmation.


    "Hmm..." Ambrose sat on the chair and returned to the parchment paper. "What about Bonney. Can you say it?"


    The eye shook left and right.


    "All right." Ambrose sighed and began saying the alphabets again. "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I..."


    As soon as he reached "I" the eye shook left and right.


    Ambrose wrote it down and continued. "A..."


    The eye immediately shook left and right.


    "Ia?" Ambrose frowned, as it didn''t seem like any words coulde from this. "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M..."


    The eye shook left and right.


    "Iam..." Ambrose frowned and then realized. "You mean, I am? Are you saying that you are Bonney?"


    The eye shook left and right as confirmation.


    "How the hell?" Ambrose leaned on the chair with a deep frown. "You died, I saw your corpse. How is this possible?"


    The eye shook left and right as if it meant that this was indeed correct.


    "So, you did really die..." Ambrose rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "How can you think properly? You are just an eye, and how can you hear without ears? This is so weird."


    The eye shook left and right as if it agreed that this was indeed weird.


    "All right, let''s ask this question. What do you want?" Ambrose moved closer to the desk and began focusing on writing. "A... B..."


    The eye shook left and right.


    "B..." Ambrose nodded. "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O..."


    The eye shook left and right.


    "Bo..." Ambrose nodded. "A... B... C... D..."


    The eye shook left and right.


    "Bod..." Ambrose wrote it down. "A... B... C... D... E... F... G... H... I... J... K... L... M... N... O... P... Q... R... S... T... U... V... W... X... Y..."


    The eye shook left and right.


    "Body..." Ambrose finished writing and asked. "You want a body?"


    The eye shook left and right.


    "Do you have a way to acquire a body?"


    The eye shook left and right.


    "Does that include stealing someone''s body?" Ambrose asked just in case.


    The eye didn''t shake.


    "You have a spare body lying around somewhere?" Ambrose asked with a twitching eyebrow.


    The eye shook left and right.


    "This is so weird..." Ambrose whispered, and the eye shook left and right as if it were mocking him.


    Rubbing his temples, he then asked. "You need my help?"


    The eye shook left and right.


    "Why should I help you?" Ambrose asked, but knew this was a question that again needed him to repeat the alphabet. "Sigh, let''s try this again..."


    After taking a deep breath, he began saying the alphabet.


    This time it was a longer sentence, and it took him about ten minutes to write it entirely.


    "You can assist me in killing Mars?" Ambrose frowned andughed mockingly. "Why would I need to kill my captain? Also, didn''t you die to him?"


    The eye didn''t move.


    Ambrose sighed and again began saying the alphabet. It was already gettingte, and he wished to return to reality to have a warm shower and go to bed.


    After another ten minutes, there was another sentence written on parchment paper.


    The sentence read, "I know you want to. I also need something from him."


    "The mace?" Ambrose asked as he remembered Mars stealing that from her when she was still alive.


    The eye shook left and right as confirmation.


    Ambrose leaned on the chair and pondered. ''Hmm, did she see and hear everything we did, including our nning to betray Mars? She must also be wanting revenge, as she is now nothing but an eye because of him.


    ''That mace also seems to be valuable, as it seemed to be able to control the sea, and from what I heard, it actually belongs to the Sea King. She can''t return to him if she doesn''t retrieve the mace first.


    ''She seems like a good ally to have, but I somehow have to help her get her body back. How can I do that when I am stuck in here?''


    As he turned back to the eye, who was waiting for a response, he said,


    "I''ll think about it overnight. I''ll give you my answer tomorrow." Ambrose then put the Sky Fall back in his inventory and massaged his forehead.


    "What a strange day..."

 Chapter 271 Island With Unique Name

    <h4>Chapter 271 Ind With Unique Name</h4>


    On a bright morning, Jesse was running along a stone path near the forest, where he got attacked by a wolf.


    Not long ago, he was still scared to go anywhere near it, but now, he somehow felt a strange sense of calm and confidence and even felt like going to the forest to enjoy the nature around him.


    However, he still wasn''t bold enough to do that.


    As he entered therge garden with lush greenery, vibrant flowers, and nice bush statues, he saw the servants busy tending to the nts and maintaining the garden''s beauty.


    "Good morning," Jesse said without being even slightly out of breath.


    "Good morning, young master~" The servants said with all smiles, as they had gotten very familiar with this new young master of theirs.


    At first, they thought he was just another spoiled rich kid after getting to feel the wealth of the Rothsmith family, but during their morning talks, they realized he wasn''t a bad kid.


    Morning was also one of the rare times they would be able to see him, as during the evening and night, he would be in his room, ying Martial Online.


    After reaching the interior of the massive mansion, Jesse took a detour in the kitchen to get a drink, and as he saw a newspaper on the counter, he curiously checked it out.


    The headline in the newspaper caught his attention.


    [Warhaven - Safe ce or Heaven for Criminals?]


    "Hmm..." With a drink of water in hand, Jesse read through the article and nodded thoughtfully once he was done.


    ''I expected this to happen. There is arge controversy about whether that ce is really a safe haven or just a breeding ground for criminals.''


    Jesse also saw that some of the yers had received some kind of abuse in Warhaven. There had also been yers who had joined gangs, and because of their experiences there, they hadpletely changed as people in reality as well.


    ''Well, I am currently abducted by a pirate.'' Jesse wryly smiled and put the newspaper back down. ''This game has its light side, but the dark side is also quite overwhelming.''


    ...


    As the ck-sailed ship cut through the tall waves, Ambrose emerged from thin air in his cabin.


    As soon as he appeared, he felt a slight tingling sensation on his forehead,ing from the ck heart tattoo.


    "Mgh..." Ambrose touched his forehead, his fingers tracing the intricate lines of the tattoo. "Is there really no way to break the contract? I wonder..."


    After getting used to his avatar, which was vastly stronger and healthier than his real body, he stood up and sat down on the chair.


    Then he brought out the Sky Fall with a swimming eye inside.


    The eye was intensely looking at him, which was rather creepy.


    ''I wonder why she was called Red-Eyed Bonney.'' Ambrose wondered. ''She doesn''t have red eyes, as they are only special for vampires... well, Be also has red eyes, which is a very rare thing to have.''


    The eye impatiently seemed to look at him, wanting the answer right now.


    "Sigh..." Ambrose sighed and said, "All right, I''ll help you if you help me."


    The eye shook left and right as confirmation.


    "However, I am not sure how I can get you to your body. I am unable to leave ck Heart, and the only way that it might be possible is if Mars takes us to the ind where your body is.


    "Do you think that is possible to happen?"


    The eye didn''t move, as if it were really not possible.


    "It is in the Sea King''s territory?" Ambrose asked.


    The eye shook left and right as confirmation.


    "Okay..." Ambrose frowned and said, "We are currently heading there, but I am not certain where Mars is going or how far. Can you tell me where your body is, and I''ll check out from a map where it is actually?"


    The eye shook left and right.


    "All right." Ambrose brought out the parchment paper, the jar of ck ink, and the ink pen. Then he began reciting the alphabet.


    After a short while, he saw an ind name written on the paper.


    "Breast Ind?" Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched. "Are you joking?"


    The eye didn''t move as if it were actually the real name of the ind.


    Ambrose rolled his eyes and destroyed the papers so that no one would be able to find out what happened in this room.


    "I''ll find out the map and check out where it is." He said and grabbed the pearl before saying. "For now, you''ll go back to the inventory."


    The eye furiously shook around as if it didn''t want to, but Ambrose didn''t listen and put it back in inventory.


    After that, he buttoned his vest and walked out of his cabin, heading to the deck.


    On the deck, Leon was still the helmsman. He was awake when Ambrose left for bed and was again awake when he returned.


    ''Does he ever sleep?'' Ambrose wondered to himself.


    Then, he saw the person he was looking for¡ªApollo, who used spyss to keep an eye on the surrounding area as they were still inside Death King''s territory and it was far from safe.


    After climbing up thedders to the crew''s nest, Ambrose asked. "Good morning. Did something happenst night?"


    "There was actually something." Apollo looked away from the spyss and smiled. "We saw the ship of Death Entourage. However, they were clearly not a battleship, so they ignored us, and we ignored them."


    "Oh." Ambrose wryly smiled. "They''lle chasing after finding nothing in Necro Vige."


    "They can''t catch us." Apollo said. "Not when Leon is at the helm."


    "By the way, does this ship have any map?" Ambrose asked, as he expected Apollo to know, as he had been here the longest.


    "Yes, but they are all in Mars'' quarters. Why?"


    "Damn..." Ambrose sighed and said, "I need the location of one ind in the Sea King''s territory."


    "What ind? I might know it." Apollo asked.


    Ambrose cleared his throat and awkwardly said, "B-breast Ind."


    "Pfft, what the hell did you say?" Apollo''s mouth twitched as he wanted tough out loud.


    "Yes, yes, it is as stupid as it sounds." Ambrose sighed. "There is apparently an ind called Breast Ind in Sea King''s territory. I just need to know its location."


    "I am not aware of its location, unfortunately." Apolloughed. "Maybe you can purchase a map when we dock on some ind, but don''t get your hopes up too high. Maps of King territories are often rare."


    ''Maybe Bonney can somehow tell me, and I''ll try to draw the map myself based on her words...'' Ambrose frowned, as it didn''t sound too good.


    "Mars will never give you his maps if you n to ask." Apollo said. "What''s up with you needing to know anyway? Mars won''t allow you to leave."


    "I know, I just wanted to know something." Ambrose said and then left the crew''s mast.


    After reaching the bottom of thedder, the captain''s quarters door opened with a m, and Mars stepped out.


    As he leaned on the railing and saw the three men gathered on the deck, he shouted:


    "Leon, go at full speed!"


    "Where are we going?" Leon asked from the helm while taking advantage of the increased wind to speed up.


    "To the Sea King''s territory!" Mars shouted without fear. "We are going to war!"


    Apollo''s and Ambrose''s expressions fell.

 Chapter 272 Sea Creature

    <h4>Chapter 272 Sea Creature</h4>


    Apollo slid down thedders and looked to the second floor, where Mars returned to his cabin amid eerie silence.


    "Did I just hear him right?" Ambrose asked Apollo to make sure.


    "Unfortunately, yes." Apollo sighed and massaged his temples. "I have known Mars for five years, yet I didn''t expect this."


    A green-haired young man arrived at the deck after recovering from exhaustion.


    He touched his earlobe and asked. "I heard something; what did Mars say?"


    Looking at Loki, Apollo sighed and repeated what Mars said.


    Loki''s expression turned serious as he listened to Apollo''s words.


    "That lunatic." Damian came from indoors as he also heard Apollo, and he shook his head. "What can we possibly do against the Sea King and his fleet?"


    "Are they strong?" Ambrose asked, as he had only heard about the names Death King and Sea King but wasn''t that knowledgeable about them.


    He wondered if they were as formidable as their names implied.


    "Sea King has the mightiest fleet in Pirate Battleground." Damian said with crossed arms. "People say that in the sea, Sea King is undefeated."


    "Sea King apparently has power to control the sea," Apollo said from the side. "I heard rumors of entire storms bending to his will."


    "His fleetmanders are also really scary." Loki said. "That Red-Eyed Bonney was just one of themanders, but she alone was an A-ranked captain. There are multiple stronger A-rankedmanders working for the Sea King."


    "Mars might be strong enough to fight against the Sea King, but if the fight happens in the sea, Mars might lose."


    Ambrose turned thoughtful. ''That would be magnificent if Mars died, but that could also mean our death...''


    He looked at the others and frowned deeply. ''I wonder if there is a way to escape the pursuit of the Sea King and keep our lives.''


    "We''ll have to prepare for any fights." Apollo sighed and opened thetch to the lower deck. "I''ll prepare the cannons. Mind waking up others and saying that we are going to war?"


    "I''ll do it." Damian said and left to share the dire news with everyone.


    ''I''ll need to talk to Bonney.'' Ambrose put his hands inside his pockets and returned to his cabin.


    After taking out the parchment paper, jar of ck ink, and ink pen, he sat down on the chair and ced the Sky Fall pearl on the desk.


    The familiar eye swam inside the pearl.


    "You heard it all?"


    The eye shook left and right as confirmation.


    "What will happen there?" Ambrose asked quite a vague question and then began reciting the alphabet.


    Soon, words appeared on the parchment paper.


    The sentence read, "You all will die."


    "Howforting." Ambrose chuckled mockingly. "Is there a way to escape Sea King with our lives intact?"


    The eye didn''t shake, meaning that, ording to her, it wasn''t possible.


    "Heh." Ambrose massaged his temples in frustration. "At least I might have a chance to go to Breast Ind, if we are lucky."


    At that moment, a question arose in his mind.


    He asked, "What if I give you to Sea King? You and him can go kill Mars, get the mace back to him, and because I helped you, ask him to spare our lives."


    The eye didn''t move.


    Ambrose began reciting the alphabet to get an answer out of her.


    The sentence soon read, "I can''t let Sea King find out that I lost his mace."


    "I see..." Ambrose felt like there was something ongoing behind the scenes but didn''t bother to ask and instead tossed the pearl back into his inventory.


    Thud¡ªthe ship suddenly rocked back and forth as if it were struck by a powerful wave.


    The candle on the deck fell over, causing a small fire to ignite on the floor.


    "Shit..." Ambrose stood up and stomped down the fire, soon killing it before it managed to consume the rest of the ship.


    As soon as he put the candle back on the desk, he heard loud shouting from the deck.


    "What is it now?" Ambrose asked from himself and left his cabin, soon arriving at the deck.


    He saw most of the crew leaning over the railing, shock stered on their faces.


    Even Mars was standing on the second floor, looking in the same direction with a serious frown.


    Ambrose walked over to the crew and looked in the same direction. His breath almost stopped at the shocking sight.


    A massive tentacle, covered in slimy scales, was reaching out from the foggy sea below towards the clouds above. It was absolutely massive, making the ck Heart ship look like a mere speck inparison.


    "W-what the fuck?" Ambrose whispered, and with a fearful gaze, he dropped his gaze to the foggy sea below.


    If the simple tentacle was that big, just how big was the creature below the sea that was lurking in the depths?


    "It''s the Kraken..." Damian whispered fearfully. "It must also be Adult Kraken."


    At one of the cabins, Ors peeked out from the window towards the massive tentacle and started praying for Anti-Christ with all his might.


    The purple tentacle pierced through the clouds high above, and after reaching high enough, the tentacle fell down as if the creature were simply lowering its arm.


    However, the massive tentacle was falling down to the ck Heart ship!


    "Holy fuck!" Henri screamed.


    Zero''s face was paler than usual, and he thought about using his "Zero Impact," but after further consideration, he realized he wouldn''t be able to stop the tentacle even for a second.


    ''Should I use Sky Fall?'' Ambrose thought, but at the final moment, he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. ''I can''t, or Mars will find out about it, and if the pearl destroys, Bonney might die as well.''


    Mars scoffed and ran back inside his cabin, and soon he returned with the Mace of the Sea King.


    He lifted it high above his head, and the strange engravings on the mace lit up like a beacon in the dark night.


    "Sea Creature, Imand you to stop this attack!"


    The tentacle didn''t stop, and soon, its shadow was cast across a 10-kilometer radius, making it look like night had fallen.


    "Kraken, the King of the Sea Depths, spare us!" Mars tried one more time with a loud scream.


    Atst, a peaceful hum rocked the seabed and caused powerful waves to crash against the ship''s hull.


    The Kraken, far away in the depths, slowly retracted its enormous tentacle, which had been poised to strike. Once the tentacle was submerged below the foggy sea, an enormous wave suddenly engulfed the ship, threatening to capsize it.


    "Mars Right!" Mars screamed and sent a powerful right-handed hook, which connected with the wave and sent a shockwave rippling through the water.


    The wave exploded, but the shockwave sent the ship rocking across the stormy seas, threatening to capsize it.


    At thest possible moment, Leon turned the helm and stabilized the ship.


    With a sigh of relief, most of the crew slouched down. They really thought they were all going to die.


    "What is this ce?" Ambrose asked as he looked out at the foggy sea, imagining the terrifying creature right below them. He felt chills like icy fingers running down his spine.


    He had never felt something like this before.


    Not when he faced Reinhardt or Mars.


    This was a feeling of pure terror after seeing a creature that was vastly beyond humanprehension.


    If he sent a video or even a picture of the encounter to Martial Online''s forums, it would cause wide-range panic.


    He was certain that none of the yers would want toe to Dark Waters after witnessing that!


    The creatures lurking in the depths were truly fascinating and terrifying.

 Chapter 273 Tyrannus

    <h4>Chapter 273 Tyrannus</h4>


    "I thought we were going to die." Damian chuckled nervously while looking over to the calm, foggy sea.


    The turbulent waves had calmed down, and it seemed like they had left the territory of the Kraken.


    "I didn''t expect there to be monsters like this." Ambrose muttered, his voice filled with disbelief and awe.


    "The Dark Waters are vast above the sea and even more so under." Apollo said with a serious expression.


    "Have any of you seen the Wild Hunt?" Ambrose asked curiously about the myth among the yers.


    "Not personally," Apollo said. "We''ve heard rumors of them. But no one can say for certain if they truly exist."


    "Knowing the mysteries of Dark Waters, I would say they exist." Loki said. "But until we have solid evidence, it remains a mystery."


    ''yers have evidence.'' Ambrose thought to himself. ''There is real video evidence.''


    "Enough cking!" Mars shouted from the second floor. "Clean the deck if you don''t have anything to do. Hop hop!"


    After Mars stormed back to his cabin, Ambrose sighed and picked up a floor-scrubbing brush to begin cleaning the deck.


    The rest of the crew went to do other tasks.


    Leon continued to be the helmsman, navigating the ship through the calm waters.


    Meanwhile, Ambrose diligently scrubbed away the dirt and grime and wondered about the vastness of the world thaty beyond the horizon.


    ''I wonder if there are dragons and phoenixes like in ancient mythology. Light Continent is indeed basically a starting ce, while Dark Waters is where things get very dangerous.


    ''I wonder what awaits in the Dark Continent...''


    ...


    Inside a castle surrounded by the eerie mist and rocky terrain that protected the castle from the raging waters.


    "Huh, Bonney has gone missing?" A deep voice boomed from within the castle walls.


    At the meeting hall, sitting at the head of the long ck oak table, a tall man with broad shoulders tapped his finger against the armrest.


    He nced at the other members of the council, his eyes filled with malice.


    He was a blue-haired man with a towering presence and blue eyes, as if there were an ocean within his soul. His frame was broad, with muscr arms and axe-like shoulders, as if they could be used to hack down a tree.


    At his head, there was a crown with blue sapphires embedded in it, and he wore a long robe with fluttering sleeves and wave symbols embroidered on the fabric.


    Beside him, leaning against the high-end throne, there was a gleaming battleaxe that was also blue, except for the silver de.


    His titles included Sea King and Captain of the Sea Pirates.


    But his real name was Tyrannus Pgaios.


    The mightiest warlord of the sea!


    It was rumored that in a battle at sea, he was unstoppable and undefeated.


    The council bopped their heads up and down, affirming that Bonney was indeed missing.


    "They failed at their mission, then." Tyrannus said with a tinge of disappointment. "And yet, I also gave her my trusted mace. If it has been sunk to the bottom of the ocean, I shall find it again."


    "We have also heard rumors that a group of pirates has been spotted in these waters." A council member named Marcus mentioned.


    "Who might they be?"


    "ck Heart Pirates." Marcus said. "Their captain, Mars Godfriend, is a respectable adversary. He has been looming dangerously near our territory."


    "His crew is weak," Tyrannus said without emotion. "What a shame. If his crew was more powerful, he might be another King."


    "What shall we do if they venture into our territory?"


    "A show of power." Tyrannus smiled sinisterly. " A show of power that will make them regret ever stepping foot in our territory."


    ...


    In the Light Continent''s major city, Amaterasu.


    The sun shone brightly across the blue sky, with birds chirping, a gentle breeze moving on the streets, and people going about their daily lives unaware of the happenings in the Dark Waters.


    Near the city''s entrance, yers dressed in proper armor and wielding fancy weapons moved on with their daily routines, which included visiting Crow Forest and ying powerful monsters.


    The top yers of Amaterasu had already reached beyond Crow Cave and past the Vulture territory. At the deepest corner of the Crow Forest, they have already encountered powerful monsters that would require a party of fifteen level 50 yers to defeat.


    At the moment, the hidden tombs and trials have kept yers busy.


    A hierarchy of power had already been built in Amaterasu¡ªthe dojo''s Saturn, War Barbarians, Stormdawn, and Thunderstrike ns were the top contenders for the spot at the top of Amaterasu.


    The battles between those ns were frequent, but they didn''t bother the rest of the yer base, who did what they enjoyed.


    Almost at every store, there were middle-aged to elderly yers working diligently.


    They were happy to work in a sunny city, and not in reality, where they had worked inpanies with a rather depressive atmosphere.


    At the entrance, right in the line between the outside and the inside of the city, a beautiful young woman with fair skin and a gentle expression stood.


    She wore a vibrant, flower-embroidered dress that fit perfectly within the sunny and summery feeling of the city.


    Her long, flowing hair cascaded down her back, catching the warm breeze as she looked outside the city, hesitation clear in her gentle features.


    As she took a shy step forward, she quickly pulled her leg back and shook her head.


    "I still can''t do it..." Be whispered emotionally.


    The fear of death kept her shackled to the city.


    She loved Amaterasu and its vibrant, summer feeling, but she wanted to break free from her fear and increase her level to be able to protect herself so that the tragedy of Yatagarasu wouldn''t repeat itself.


    She felt happy about a certain young man protecting her, but she also didn''t wish to be a burden. Therefore, every morning, she would visit the city entrance to see whether she had enough courage to leave the protection of the city.


    Eventually, she sighed and turned around with her head hanging low.


    She knew that she wasn''t ready to face the outside world just yet.


    After walking for a long while, she arrived back at the Whispering Pages, which already looked nicepared to when she first purchased it.


    Its windows were fixed, and the bookshelves stood tall near the front door. All the water damage had been fixed, and a new collection of books was stuffed inside boxes near the window, waiting to be unpacked.


    It cost quite a bit to fix it all, but it was worth every silver.


    After stepping inside the bookstore, the smell of freshly printed pages filled the air.


    She inhaled with a sweet smile on her face, turned her gaze to the boxes, and nned to fill the bookshelves with books today.


    Emma would return from school in a few hours, and she wished to be done by then.


    As she started opening the first box, the door suddenly opened.


    Be turned to the front door and saw an unfamiliar person looking around.


    "Uhm, excuse me, we are not open yet." Be stood up and spoke gently to the person.


    "Oh, sorry." A handsome blue-eyed young man with curly blond hair apologized with a friendly smile. "The open sign was turned on, so I thought you were open."


    "Oh, is that so?" Be moved her hair over her ear, surprise shing through her face. ''Did the wind blow the sign on?''


    "What is your name?" The handsome, blue-eyed young man asked, as he was quite certain he hadn''t seen her before. "Did you just purchase this ce?"


    "Ah, yes, my name is Be... Dawn." Be, out of habit, was about to say her real name, but quickly shifted to her in-game name. "And yes, recently."


    "This ce is in Saturn''s territory, and yers are supposed to report to them if they wish to work or create a store." The young man said.


    "Oh..." Be replied, surprised by the information, and hoped there wasn''t some kind of tax. "Who should I report?"


    "You don''t need to." The young man said and opened the door as he was about to leave. "By the way, interesting poster you have."


    "Hmm?" Be turned to the wall and brightened slightly. "Ah, yes..."


    In the wall, there was a brown bounty poster with a picture of a ck-haired young man with dull blue eyes holding a sword and a reward that read: "111,111 silvers."


    The young man looked at the bounty poster with a deep look and was about to leave the store.


    "Ah, wait." Be quickly called out, catching the young man''s attention. "What is your name?"


    She expected him to be a member of Saturn n as he seemed to have power to decide on matters, such as her not having to report about her bookstore.


    "Mine?" The young man nced at the young woman''s beautiful red eyes and said. "Prince."


    Creak¡ªthe door then closed as the young man left.

 Chapter 274 Boxing

    <h4>Chapter 274 Boxing</h4>


    At his cabin, Ambrose flipped up a silver coin, and after itnded on his palm, he saw that itnded on the head symbol.


    The silver coins had two sides¡ªone was the head with the face of a person whom Ambrose had never seen before, and the other side was the tail with a symbol of a majestic eagle.


    As he was about to pocket the coin, he heard a shout from the deck.


    "We''ve arrived at the Sea King''s territory!"


    "Sigh..." Ambrose pocketed the coin and sat up straight on the edge of the bed. "What is Mars nning to do? Does he n to search every corner of the territory for the heart of the Nymn Tree?


    "How long does it take for him to realize that they don''t have it?"


    Ssh!


    A semi-loud ssh interrupted the silence, making Ambrose look outside the window, but he saw nothing except the foggy sea and random fog-shrouded ind at small distance away.


    "Weird, that sounded like arge fish had jumped out of the water."


    He walked out of his cabin and closed the door behind him.


    As he was about to return to the deck, he heard the sound of a door creaking open in the dining hall.


    ''Someone is here?'' Ambrose looked over his shoulder to the door of the dining hall, which was shut tight, and then heard nothing from the dining hall.


    He approached the door and opened it as he entered the dining hall.


    "Hey, is someone here?" He looked around the empty dining hall and saw another door that led outside. He decided to investigate further and opened the door, stepping outside.


    The cool breeze hit his face, and then he looked down at the floor that was below his boots and saw that it was drenched by sea water. There was almost a puddle, as if someone had dropped a bucket full of water there.


    ''Look out!''


    Ambrose''s eyes widened open in shock. ''What was that? Who are you?''


    ''Behind you!''


    Ambrose quickly turned around and saw a masked figure lunging at him with a dagger in hand.


    Before he could react, the dagger plunged deep into his back, and the masked figure covered his mouth to muffle his screams.


    The masked figure then dragged him inside the dining hall, tossed him onto the floor, and closed the door.


    "Ngh!" Ambrose wanted to scream, but shockingly, a second masked figure appeared behind him and covered his mouth with a scarf.


    As Ambrose''s eyes swam around the dining hall, he saw a third masked figure peeking out of the door towards the dark corridor, ensuring that no one would interrupt them.


    "Finish him off and dump him into the sea." The first masked figure whispered sinisterly.


    The second masked figure nodded and pulled out his sharp dagger with a de that looked like shark teeth.


    Ambrose''s eyes mmed open, and he smashed his head backwards against the masked face of the second figure, causing a sickening thud as if something had broken.


    "Argh!" The second masked figure staggered backwards, blood flowing through the thin fabric of his mask.


    The backward headbutt caused his nose to break!


    Ambrose stood up, and without removing the scarf, he reached out to his sword, but then the first masked figure threw an urate jab that dislocated Ambrose''s wrist.


    The masked figure then snatched the scabbard with a sword sheathed inside and tossed it away to the corner of the room.


    Ambrose tried to reach out to the inventory, but the angry second-masked figure grabbed him by his hair and mmed him head-first on the ground.


    His vision blurred as he felt a numbing pain shoot through his skull.


    "What are you fools doing?" The third masked figure asked with annoyance. "Hurry up, we''ll still have much work to do!"


    "Yeah, yeah." The second masked figure grabbed his shark-ded dagger and ced it against Ambrose''s nape, nning to separate his head from his body in one clean swipe.


    ''Fuckers...'' Ambrose coldly thought and threw an elbow strike from an awkward angle, catching the second masked figure off guard as itnded perfectly on his temple.


    "Hmph!" The first masked figure threw his dagger at Ambrose, but he put his hand in the way, and the dagger stabbed straight through, but the tip stopped an inch before impaling through his eyeball.


    Ambrose''s eyes didn''t look fazed; he looked calm and cold as he pulled out a dagger from his hand and dropped it to the ground.


    He then stood up from the ground and tore off the scarf that had been covering his mouth.


    "Quick, he is going to scream for help!" The third masked figure turned anxious.


    "Scream for help?" Ambrose chuckled. "Hardly. I can deal with this by myself."


    "Oh, I love fighting egotistical fools. They are so easy to kill." The first masked figure pulled out two more daggers from his wide belt and twirled them expertly in his hands.


    "I might need some answers as to why and how you got here, but I only need one of you." Ambrose went into a boxing stance, his eyes locked on the first masked figure.


    "This fucker..." The second masked figure was still feeling lightheaded from the elbow, but he quickly regained hisposure and directed his intense rage at the figure in front.


    He clenched the shark-ded dagger tight in his grasp. He was born and raised in Pirate Battleground; therefore, he has fought since he was very young.


    The countless experiences had taught him to gauge the power levels between his enemies. It had helped him survive many deadly encounters.


    Now, his countless experiences told him that this should be an easy victory, especially with the first masked figure here, whom he respected a lot.


    "Whoo..." Ambrose took a deep breath and flexed his fists like a warrior, ready for battle. ''During my long voyage from Hightown all the way here, I had time to learn more about this intelligence stat.


    ''Using that and watching countless boxing fights on ForeverTube, I had learned how to box quite efficiently. I hadn''t managed to learn another skill, such as Heaven Drop, but that doesn''t matter.


    ''I wonder how I would fare against real-life boxers if I went against them, but I know for a fact, I wouldn''t be a pushover.''


    "End him!" The third masked figure shouted. He was aware of his colleague''s strengths, so he didn''t expect them to need his help. He also had to keep an eye on the corridor.


    The first and second masked figures shared nces and nodded. They circled around Ambrose like vultures waiting to strike, and after having done a semi-circle, they both lunged and stabbed their daggers forth.


    "Mortal Style, Nachbilder!" Ambrose''s feet moved in a dizzying way, and he swiftly dodged the daggers.


    He then appeared beside the second masked figure and threw a powerful straight punch.


    "?!" The second masked figure was still aiming at one of the afterimages and, thus, was unable to dodge.


    The punchnded on his cheek, and Ambrose drove his head to the ground with a thunderous roar.


    The impact reverberated through the room, leaving the second masked figure unconscious on the floor. It was unclear whether he was alive.


    The first masked figureunched forward like a human missile and twirled the daggers in his hands with expert movements.


    "The Death Scythe!"


    Ambrose turned around, put his muscr arm next to his right shoulder, and then sent a storm of lightning-quick jabs.


    The Death Scythe attacknded on his fists, but he was immediately overwhelmed by Ambrose''s powerful jabs.


    The first masked man''s eyes almost popped out of his skull. As he saw the jabs nearing him, he imagined them looking like a bunch of fridges flying at him.


    Smack, smack, smack, smack!


    The jabsnded on his body, each strike leaving a fist-sized bruise and a broken ribcage.


    The first masked man was already unconscious, but the jabs didn''t stop, and soon, Ambrose reeled back his fist and smashed it through his skull, ending his brutal assault with the masked man''s death.


    "..." Ambrose coldly looked at the frightened masked man that was thest one still standing.


    "Well then." Ambrose approached him with a smile. "I would like to have my answers now."

 Chapter 275 Adam Slasher

    <h4>Chapter 275 Adam sher</h4>


    "P-please stop!" The third masked figure begged with swollen and bruised face. His mask was already torn off, and he looked quite unrecognizable.


    "Answer these three questions." Ambrose sat down on a chair in front of him and leaned in closer, a gentle smile ying on his lips. "Who sent you, why are you here, and how did you get in here?"


    The man shakily nodded and opened his swollen lips. "Aghh... S-Sea King..."


    "Sea King sent you?" Ambrose asked, and the man nodded.


    The man had some difficulty speaking because of his swollen lips and the blood that was trickling down his chin.


    "Continue." Ambrose crossed his arms.


    "W-we are here t-to assassinate h-half of the crew..." The man coughed out blood. "S-sea King wanted a show o-of power, s-so Mars would t-think twice before cing here again."


    "How did you get in here?"


    "S-ship, b-behind the i-ind." The man coughed up blood. "W-we swam in here from there."


    ''I saw an ind not too far from here.'' Ambrose thought.


    "I-I answered, p-please let me go..."


    "Hmm..." Ambrose rubbed his chin, looked to the door, and thought about something.


    As the man waited anxiously, Ambrose then smiled and looked at him. "All right. However, I need you to take a message from me to the Sea King."


    "W-what is it?" The man''s eyes brightened up after seeing the possibility of surviving.


    Ambrose leaned closer and whispered in his ear.


    The man''s eyes widened in surprise, and he looked at the young man with a deep look.


    After he finished whispering, the man nodded. "O-okay, I can say that."


    "Good." Ambrose pointed his chin to the door. "Quickly, go."


    The man stood up with shaky hands and limped out of the door, then fell over the railing towards the sea.


    A ssh sounded as his body hit the water.


    Ambrose then picked up both corpses, walked over to the railing, and looked left and right.


    After seeing no one, he dumped the two corpses in the sea and then returned to the dining hall to clean the blood off his hands.


    Before leaving the dining hall, he also arranged the mess and cleaned some of the blood stains from the floor.


    ''I have some questions for Bonney.'' Ambrose thought and then left the dining hall with quiet steps.


    He heard some noises on the deck, and it seemed like no one heard anything unusual happening.


    He sighed in relief and returned to his cabin, then locked the door tight and sat down on his desk.


    After taking out the parchment paper, jar of ck ink, and ink pen, he took out the pearl from his inventory and ced it beside the jar of ck ink.


    The eye inside the pearl looked at him with an intense gaze.


    "I heard a voice inside my mind. Was it you?"


    The eye shook left and right slowly, meaning it was indeed her.


    "How did you do that?" Ambrose asked and started reciting the alphabet.


    The sentence soon read, "My Soul Ability is Soul Communication."


    "You canmunicate via mind using your soul?" Ambrose asked.


    The eye shook left and right as confirmation.


    "Why can''t you do it now?" Ambrose asked a bit skeptically. He then started reciting the alphabet.


    Soon, another sentence was on the paper: "I am only an eye, currently. Only saying a few words was already my limit. I had to push myself, as I don''t want you to die."


    ''She doesn''t know about my ability to resurrect myself.'' Ambrose thought.


    "What do you think about those assassins?" Ambrose asked and recited the alphabet.


    The sentence soon read: "They are called "Sea Assassin''s," and they are known for their ruthlessness and efficiency. Sea King sends them usually in batches of three to get rid of any threats."


    "They were weak." Ambrose said, and recited the alphabet.


    The sentence soon read: "No, you are just strong."


    "Thank you for ttery. Is there something else you want to talk about?" Ambrose asked and saw the eye shake left and right.


    After a short while of reciting the alphabet, another sentence appeared on the parchment paper.


    "Your n about the Sea King is risky. I know him, and he doesn''t care that you spared one of the assassins. The assassins are supposed to die for him, and Sea King probably will kill him for that failure."


    "I just have to make Mars seem like a threat in his eyes," Ambrose said. "If he is big enough of a threat, perhaps he wille personally to kill him."


    The eye then started shaking left and right, and Ambrose began to recite the alphabet.


    The sentence soon read, "You think he will spare you? He won''t."


    "I know." Ambrose crossed his arms and took the pearl into his hand. "dly, I have this. Sky Fall. Once I get you your new body, I can still use this, right?"


    The eye shook left and right as confirmation.


    "Then, I just have to have Sea King kill Mars, and then I can use this to escape with the rest of the crew." Ambrose said with a smile. "I''ll keep my word to you."


    The eye looked intensely at the young man and didn''t move afterwards.


    Ambrose stored the pearl back in the inventory and leaned on the backrest of his chair.


    "It has to work." He sighed and closed his eyes to enjoy the calm sound of waves sshing against the hull and the sound of seagulls flying overhead.


    ...


    At the Sea King''s castle, in the bedroom overlooking the vast ocean.


    The sound of moans and giggles filled the room as a dozen naked women gathered around the bed, hugging the long and muscr limbs of the tanned man.


    The tanned man was easily over three meters tall with a chiseled jawline and pure white eyes, as if he were blind. It was clear that he possessed an irresistible maism, as the naked women couldn''t get enough of him.


    "Hmm~" The man hummed a peaceful hum and grabbed the buttocks of the nearest woman, eliciting a gasp of pleasure.


    His hand was big enough to span her entire buttock, and his touch sent shivers down her spine.


    As one of the women bounced on his manhood and moaned in ecstasy as if she were under the greatest pleasure possible, the door suddenly opened.


    A stone-faced man entered the room and bowed towards the bed, ignoring the loud moans and the sight of debauchery.


    "Commander Adam."


    "What?" Adam, the tall tanned man, askedzily.


    He couldn''t see who it was, but he could recognize the voice easily.


    "An interesting piece of news, for you." The stone-faced man straightened his back. "ck Heart Pirates have entered the territory."


    "Oh, so what?" Adam askedzily while feeling pleasure coursing through his veins. "I assume the boss sent assassins to them?"


    "He did, and we have not gotten word yet how it turned out." The stone-faced man said.


    "And?" Adam frowned. "Did youe here to tell such worthless news? Go away."


    "No, sir." The stone-faced man smiled. "The de Master, Ambrose, is apparently part of the ck Heart Pirates. You said you wanted to meet him, didn''t you?"


    Adam''s boredom vanished, and he tossed the women off his body and sat up with arge grin creeping up on his face.


    "Ohohohoho!"


    "The disciple of Reinhardt himself? A perfect opponent for me: Adam sher!"

 Chapter 276 Lord Death

    <h4>Chapter 276 Lord Death</h4>


    Lightning crackled above an ind forgotten by the gods.


    It was an unholynd of the dead and lost souls.


    As the storm raged on, at the cliff of the ind, a lone figure sat cross-legged, his eyes closed in deep meditation.


    "Lord Death." A figure came from the town at the bottom of the cliff, respectfullynded on one knee, and bowed. "The Death Entourage had returned with news."


    "What is it?" The so-called Lord Death whispered and left the state of deep meditation.


    After opening his eyes, he saw that he was surrounded by ghosts and the lost souls of the damned, which only he could see.


    He reached out his hand towards one of the beautiful, pale-faced ghosts and felt a chilling breeze pass right through his fingers as his hand phased right through.


    "The Death Entourage failed to get the luck." His loyal follower said coldly. "Apparently, some thieves stole the heart."


    "That is indeed bothersome." The Lord Death muttered, and it wasn''t clear whether he was frustrated or nonchnt. "Any idea who?"


    "The Death Entourage only saw a pirate ship. There was a g with a skull and crossbones with ck hearts as eyes. That was a ship they saw passing by."


    "ck hearts..." The Lord Death whispered. "ck Heart Pirates..."


    "What shall we do, sire?"


    "I''ll handle it..." The Lord Death stood up with his ck robes swirling around him as if he were the master of the storm and raging waves in front of him.


    His follower''s cheeks flushed with excitement. "Yes, sire!"


    The Lord Death walked past his frantic follower and descended down the cliff stairs that seemed to be nature-made except carved to make the steps less rough.


    He approached the town thaty in the valley below. Its nearby forests were fullyposed of death trees that were twisted and gnarled, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers.


    The ck gates of the town loomed ahead, adorned with eerie carvings depicting grotesque faces and twisted creatures.


    The gates immediately opened as the Lord Death walked through, revealing a deste town consumed by darkness and despair.


    Its streets were silent and littered with decaying buildings; the grass was overgrown and choked with weeds; and the air was heavy with an eerie stillness.


    However, beyond the boarded windows, there were ghosts and lingering souls that whispered tales of forgotten lives and lost hopes. They seemed to yearn for someone to hear their stories and acknowledge their existence.


    Each ghost and soul whispered different tales from different epochs, weaving a tapestry of history and emotion that traversed centuries and touched the hearts of those who dared to listen.


    However, only the Lord Death was able to hear them, as he was also the only one able to see them.


    As he walked through the deste streets, he finally came across a church with broken stained ss windows and a dead-looking cemetery surrounding it.


    There were skeletal hands protruding from the ground as if they were zombies trying to escape their graves.


    In a few crescent moon nights'' time, they might be able to escape their prison.


    As the Lord Death arrived at the front door of the church, a haunting sound of a violin came out of nowhere. The sound echoed through the darkness, and this time, even the people gathered inside the church could hear it.


    m¡ªthe Lord Death mmed the church''s doors open, and there were his frantic followers, seated on the pews, their hands sped in a prayer and their lips moving in desperate pleas for salvation.


    The Lord Death stepped up the altar steps and approached a closet that was hidden behind a velvet curtain.


    After moving the velvet curtain out of the way, he opened the closet, and inside there was a magical armor that was transparent and fully in the color of light green. It was as if the armor was the corpse of a tall ghost.


    If Ambrose were in the church right now, he would shout that the armor looks exactly like the Ghosts of the Wild Hunt.


    The Lord Death turned away from the armor and spread his arms wide. He then closed his eyes.


    As the candle''s fire died off, the armor opened up like the shell of an oyster. The armor then encased the body of the Lord Death, tightening around him like a cocoon.


    The Lord Death opened his majestic eyes, now wearing glowing, ethereal armor. Since it was transparent, it was still possible to catch a glimpse of his ck robes, but the armor was too majestic to look away.


    He radiated power and authority,manding the attention of all who stood in the church.


    "Pray well, my children!" The Lord Death shouted and exited the church. Behind him, his frantic followers chanted his name.


    The Lord Death walked by the town; all the ghosts and souls hid inside the buildings, too afraid to look at the armor-wearing man.


    It was as if they could feel their eternal demiseing from him.


    The Lord Death headed back to the cliff and saw the ghosts and souls that lingered there scurry away as if they were afraid for their lives.


    He stopped at the end of the cliff, where where the raging sea and its crashing waves right below him.


    As he reached out his hand towards the lighting-covered sky, a green smoke emerged from his fingertips, forming a scythe made of skeletal bones.


    "We have a hunt ahead of us!"


    He seemed to scream towards the fog-shrouded sea, his voice carrying an eerie echo.


    After a while, the lightning stopped, and from the fog, a ghost ship emerged, its tattered sails billowing in the wind as it rode the stormy waves towards the ind.


    On the deck of the ghost ship, ghosts from the Wild Hunt emerged; their skeletons glowed with eerie green light as they brandished their spectral weapons.


    The Lord Death jumped from the cliff, plunging towards the churning sea below with sharp rocks that seemed capable of tearing through flesh and bone.


    However, then the ghost ship swept in, caught the falling Lord Death, and then returned to the thick fog, starting a new hunt.


    The Ghosts of the Wild Hunt stood on the deck, looking at Lord Death with their hollow eyesockets. However, there was a small glowing ball inside the eyesockets, as if they were acting as eyes.


    "A new hunt." The Lord Death pointed the scythe towards the stormy sea on the horizon. "Follow the scent of the Necro Ind''s Nymn Tree. It leads to our destination!"


    The small glowing ball inside the eyesockets of the ghosts seemed to flicker with anticipation.


    ...


    Inside ck Heart''s captain''s cabin.


    "Hmm?" Mars frowned and rubbed his star-pupiled eye. "Fate is trying to lead me away. I cannot do that. I''ll need the heart. There are dangers, clearly, but without the heart, I don''t know how I can reach my goal!


    "I''ll change the world to fit my image. I might seem like a viin in the eyes of those ignorant fools, but when I am done, I''ll be hailed as a hero.


    "When the world is based on my image, it will be a perfect paradise. There won''t be violence or crime, and everyone will live in harmony.


    "I will be the one to bring true justice and peace to this world."

 Chapter 277 Future

    <h4>Chapter 277 Future</h4>


    At the Sea King''s castle.


    "A-and, that''s it!" The assassin, who was spared by Ambrose, finished delivering the message to the Sea King.


    His face was clearly pale as he waited anxiously for the Sea King''s verdict, fearing the consequences of his failed mission.


    "Hah." Tyrannus, the Sea King, let out a shallowugh. "Just because he spared a useless assassin who failed in his only purpose in life, he thinks he can tell me what to do..."


    "I¡ª" Before the assassin could say anything, Tyrannus growled loudly.


    "Quiet down!" Tyrannus picked up his battleaxe and swung it with furious force. The assassin''s screams were cut off as the battleaxe connected with his skull, silencing him forever.


    The room fell silent; the only sound remaining was the thud of the assassin''s lifeless body hitting the ground.


    Creak¡ªthe door opened, and a tanned man, over three meters tall, wearing ck leather jacket with spikes all over and ckbat boots stepped into the room.


    Seeing the dead assassin on the ground, he asked. "Not good news, aye?"


    "Adam..." Tyrannus sat back down on his throne and put the battleaxe across hisp. "What do you want?"


    "I heard about the ck Heart Pirates." Adam chuckled and walked towards a shelf filled with alcohol bottles, picking up a bottle of Pirate Rum.


    He then popped off the cork and took a long swig straight from the bottle, savoring the fiery taste as it burned down his throat.


    "Why do you care?" Tyrannus asked with a frown. "If you are interested in what the assassin had to say, they failed."


    "I assumed so." Adam said as the liquid ran down his chin. "Anything else?"


    "A message from the person who stopped the assassination attempt." Tyrannusughed angrily. "Apparently, Mars has my mace and killed Bonney. For that information, he wishes for me to spare his and the rest of the crew''s lives."


    "Oh, a bold one." Adamughed and put the bottle of rum back on the shelf. "Does that person have a name?"


    "Ambrose..." Tyrannus whispered. "It doesn''t ring a bell. He must be a new person in the crew."


    "Ambrose..." Adamughed and turned to the Sea King. "What is your n?"


    "Mars clearly doesn''t care that this is my territory." Tyrannus growled, his eyes narrowing with anger. "However, if it is true that he indeed has my mace, I''ll have to kill him for it."


    "It could also be a trick." Adam cautioned, keeping his gaze fixed on the King. "We shouldn''t underestimate his cunningness."


    "Whose?" Tyrannus frowned. "Ambrose''s? Are you aware of who he is?"


    "I have heard rumors." Adam seriously browsed the alcohol on the shelves. "Apparently, he is the disciple of Reinhardt."


    "What?" Tyrannus was taken aback. "Why is someone like him in Mars'' crew, then? Is Reinhardt voyaging with them as well?"


    "That would indeed be very exciting." Adamughed, but then shook his head. "However, I do not think so."


    "Why so?" Tyrannus raised his eyebrow. "Because if Ambrose wanted Mars dead, he would ask his master to do so?"


    "Exactly," Adam said. "Reinhardt is vastly more powerful than any pirate. No offense, boss."


    "Non taken." Tyrannus growled nonchntly. "The World''s Strongest Swordsman is a rare title; only one man can have it.


    "It had been over a thousand years since the title had changed hands. Reinhardt might very well be the strongest swordsman that has ever existed."


    "That might not be so." Adam replied with a grin. "I heard that back in ancient times, when the Ancient Grounded Gods still roamed thend, there was a person called Sword of the Pale God."


    "Sword of the Pale God..." Tyrannus whispered. "I''ve heard the tales. He was apparently among the heroes that defeated the Ancient Grounded Gods and transformed the world into what it is now."


    "What if you send me to visit Mars?" Adam said with a grin. "I''ll find out whether he really has the mace."


    "You desire to fight him?" Tyrannus narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You only want to leave your bed and whores when there is someone to fight."


    "Hahaha." Adam touched his groin and grabbed it tightly. "I already satisfied myself, haha."


    "You don''t have to go." Tyrannus shook his head. "I''ll just send Arkham."


    "Arkham?" Adam approached the throne and yfully smiled. "Come on, I ain''t nning to fight Mars."


    "I don''t believe you." Tyrannus said coldly. "You n to simply have an audience with him? I have heard that Mars is even more unreasonable than me."


    Adam chuckled. "I am not interested in Mars; he is dull. I am interested in something far more intriguing."


    Tyrannus groaned and pinched his forehead. "Fine, but bring your crew with you."


    "Aye, aye." Adamughed as he walked away.


    As soon as he left the throne room, his grin grew from ear to ear.


    "Ambrose, let''s see how sharp your de is!"


    ...


    At the ck Heart''s crow''s nest, Ambrose looked at the vast seas with a spyss.


    He was currently the person responsible for looking out for the enemy''s ships.


    It was nearing night, so most of the crew had already retreated to their cabins to have some rest.


    Ambrose then heard that someone was climbing up thedders and saw Damian emerge onto the crew''s nest, two hot coffees in hand.


    "Here." Damian handed the other one to Ambrose.


    "Thanks." Ambrose epted the coffee gratefully and took a sip. He then turned back to the dark sea and watched as the waves crashed against the ship''s hull.


    "Uhm, here, I found this." Damian took something from his back.


    It was scabbard with a sword sheathed inside.


    "Oh..." Ambrose looked down at his wide belt and sighed as he forgotpletely about his sword after it was tossed away by one of the assassins.


    His thoughts about Bonney and the Sea King kept him too busy.


    He was thinking of hundreds of different things, including ns for Mars and how to kill him in the future. Therefore, hepletely forgot his sword, which was basically another limb of his.


    ''My mind is too full; I can''t remember even the most essential things.''


    "Is everything alright?" Damian asked and took a sip of his coffee. "I didn''t take you for a guy who forgets his things so easily."


    "Ah, just a temporarypse." Ambrose replied with a sigh.


    "Remember next time; if Mars had found it, he would''ve taken it for himself." Damian warned.


    "Thanks; I''ll keep that in mind." Ambrose replied and focused on slurping up his coffee.


    "Strange that the Sea King''s forces haven''t tried something." Damian said as he looked across the horizon. "Tomorrow might be a very busy day. I wonder what Mars'' n is: search every ind till he finds the heart?"


    "He doesn''t have a n." Ambrose said. "He is desperate. He''ll drag us down with him if we''re not careful."


    "Sea King has some legendary subordinates." Damian sighed andughed. "Whenparing his crew with ours, we are quite bit outmatched."


    "You think?" Ambrose looked at the red-eyed half-vampire.


    "Haha, yeah." Damian wryly smiled. "Sea King''s crew has multiple red-ranked pirates with formidable skills.


    "Such as Adam sher, Arkham, and Dreadnought." Damian listed off, his voice filled with a mix of admiration and caution. "In my opinion, Mars could be one of the Kings as well, but our crew is not strong enough."


    "I don''t think he cares about his crew''s strength." Ambrose sighed. "He just wants us to drain our fates and then throw us off the ship."


    "Yeah..." Damian sighed and looked at the starry sky. "I wonder what our fates would''ve been. I think all of us have great futures ahead of us, filled with great things.


    "Loki must''ve gotten the heart and finished the spell that increased his talent. He might''ve be the greatest sorcerer in Dark Waters.


    "I wonder what my fate would''ve been. I am a failure and a worthless half-vampire. I wish I could know what my future would''ve been."


    "..." Ambrose looked silently at him and then thought. ''I wonder what my future is as well. I wonder if the future has already been torn apart because of the stolen fate, or was my fate destined to end up in this pirate crew?''

 Chapter 278 String of Fate

    <h4>Chapter 278 String of Fate</h4>


    At the pier of a random ind in the Sea King''s territory, two children were dipping their feet in the cool water of the ocean.


    They were ying with a small boat,ughing and sshing each other.


    One child was creating miniature waves, while the other child used the ship to sail through the miniature waves.


    The child then screamed in a yful tone and acted as if the ship got capsized by the miniature wave and fell into the water.


    "Ah, watch it." The yellow-shirted child quickly caught the ship from the water and ced it back on the pier, between the two.


    "Hehe, I had it all nned!" The blue-shirted child said smugly. He had a fishing lying beside him and nned to use it to "rescue" the ship.


    He chuckled to himself, feeling proud of his cleverness.


    The yellow-shirted child rolled his eyes and believed that his friend would have failed, as they had already lost three of their toy ships. This was thest one they could afford with their small budget.


    After they finished ying around, they noticed one of the townfolks running to the pier with a spyss in hand.


    "Hey, Grandpa Max, what is it?" The blue-shirt child asked.


    Grandpa Max didn''t answer and instead focused the spyss towards the fog on the horizon. He watched in silence and then saw a pirate g pping against the wind.


    "My god..." Grandpa Max whispered in shock. "ck Heart Pirates... I just read about them in the newspaper yesterday. The culprits of the Borneo Town massacre."


    He put the spyss away and looked at the two children. "Hurry up and go home. Tell your parents to stay inside and lock all the doors and windows."


    As soon as he finished giving his warnings, Grandpa Max left, running away from the town, nning to warn others of the iing doom.


    The two children looked towards the fog, and their eyes brightened with childish excitement.


    "It''s pirates!" They looked at each other and giggled.


    They had met a few pirate crews before, belonging to Sea King''s fleet, so they weren''t too afraid of them but instead excited, as they had heard crazy tales about pirates and their grand adventures.


    In the eyes of many young people in Pirate Battleground, pirates were to be idolized and emted.


    Without heeding Grandpa Max''s warning, they sat and watched as the pirate ship approached the pier.


    Soon, with their eyes sparkling with excitement, the ship docked near them, and the gangnk was lowered by someone on the deck.


    The pirates on the ship disembarked and walked along the pier.


    In the eyes of the children, they looked mighty and powerful. They seemed to be the most feared and respected beings in the world.


    The two children wanted one day to be like them and journey across the Dark Waters with a powerful crew on their side. They dreamed of bing brave and powerful warriors, just like the pirates they had seen.


    Mars nced at the two children, who were almost drooling at the sight of them, and then scoffed and looked away.


    "Do what you want. I have a contact who can help me get information about the heart of the Nymn Tree. Keep your eyes out; this is the Sea King''s territory, and there might be his henchmen lurking about."


    "Aye." Apollo said and nodded at others. "You all are free to do what you want. Don''t bother the townspeople too much."


    Ambrose walked by and then noticed the two children, who were staring at them with wide eyes.


    "Keep an eye on our ship, will''ya? Thanks."


    "Yes, sir..." The two children nodded with shocked expressions and watched as Ambrose and the others left towards the town.


    As soon as they were out of sight, the two children turned towards the enormous ship and began screaming in awe.


    ...


    At a random alleyway in the town, Mars approached a store that was tucked away like a forbidden secret.


    The windows around him were closed in a hurry, and the curtains shut tightly. It was clear that he wasn''t very weed in the town.


    However, he didn''t care and entered the store without caring about the closed sign on the front door.


    "We''re closed!" A drunken man shouted from the room on the back, sitting on a rugged reclining chair while watching the logs burn on the firece.


    "Even for an old friend?" Mars leaned on the door and looked inside at the man sitting on the chair.


    "Uh?" The drunken man turned around, and his eyes bulged with shock. "M-Mars, the hell are you doin'' here?"


    "Heh." Mars grinned maliciously. "So, this is where you''ve been."


    "Urgh, you bastard..." The drunken man gritted his teeth and stood up, but almost fell sideways on the firece.


    At thest moment, he managed to catch a hold of the wall.


    Mars looked down at the drunken man''s legs. Both were missing, reced by a pair of wooden stumps.


    "Why are you here?" The drunken man asked with a tired voice. "Wait, I have a better question. How have you found me?"


    "A string of fate connects us, it seems." Mars rubbed his star-pupil eye as he felt some itchiness. "It is very thin, almost nonexistent, but string nheless, which led me to you."


    "Ugh, what the fuck are you talking about?" The drunken man tossed the bottle of alcohol towards Mars, wishing that it would strike him in the face and that the broken ss fragments would destroy his eyes.


    However, Mars efforlessly caught it and put it gently on the table.


    "I need you for something." Mars said and turned the bottle around to see the small amount of liquid left inside. "I am searching for something, and I think you''ll have the means to help me."


    "I haven''t worked in that business for a long time." The drunken man said and sat down with a defeated look. "I don''t have the stamina or means to smuggle anything anymore. I can thank you for that..."


    "You must still have some connections." Mars said and peeked back inside the store. "I think I saw your little ol'' transmitter. Contact someone, anyone."


    "I can''t." The drunken man said and closed his eyes as he was about to sleep off his drunkenness. "Your "string of fate" brought you here for nothing."


    "It''s never wrong." Mars narrowed his eyes and spoke in a low, menacing tone. "You''ll have ways of helping me, and you will."


    "And if I don''t?" The drunken man chuckled and opened his left eye. "You''ll kill me? Too bad; that is what I wish. If myst act in this world is fucking you over, I am d as fuck when I arrive at the gates of hell."


    "You think I don''t know you?" Mars chuckled. "You are a sentimental old fool. You might not care if I torture or kill you, but you must care about this town. Heard of Borneo Town? I''ll repeat the same here."


    "You haven''t changed..." The drunken man opened both his eyes and stared at Mars hatefully. "I''ll help you, but I can''t guarantee they know either."


    "It''s fine if you don''t find the correct one." Mars chuckled. "Find the Heart of the Nymn Tree. Someone must have it."


    "Hah, that is one rare fucking thing." The drunken man shook his head and stood up from the chair. "I have never seen one."


    "Just ask." Mars crossed his arms. "As long as you show me a path forward, I''ll be satisfied enough to spare this town."

 Chapter 279 The Deal

    <h4>Chapter 279 The Deal</h4>


    At the town, Ambrose sat alone on a park bench, looking at the blooming flower sprouting from the ground.


    He was rather bored and wasn''t too sure what he should be doing in town.


    Everyone else tried to go look for something to do, but the town was rather quiet as most townspeople were hiding in their houses'' basements.


    As Ambrose looked at the flower, a hand appeared in front of him, two fingers holding a cigarette.


    "Want one?" Leon asked while holding a cigarette pack in his other hand.


    "Ahm, sure." Ambrose epted it even though he wasn''t much of a smoker.


    He put it on his lips, and then Leon offered him a light.


    As soon as the cigarette lit up, Ambrose took a deep puff and coughed uncontrobly.


    "Do it slowly." Leon lit up another cigarette and took a short puff before letting out the smoke slowly.


    "You went to purchase cigarettes?" Ambrose asked.


    "Purchasing..." Leon shook his head. "I took it from an abandoned stall, left there a few coins, and came here."


    "I see. Are all stores closed?" Ambrose asked as he saw most of the stores locked tight.


    "Yeah, I thought these people would be fine when encountering pirates." Leon thought out loud. "This is, after all, Pirate Battleground and not some innocent town in the middle of nowhere."


    "I suppose selling the "stolen" treasures we acquired is impossible here with all stores closed, et cetera." Ambrose said.


    "I didn''t expect to find one from here, anyway. We need to find a proper ck Market to get the maximum amount."


    "Yeah..." Ambrose nodded and took another puff. This time, he managed to resist coughing and instead let out a satisfied sigh.


    "What were you doing before all this?" Leon asked and smoked the cigarette. "Before Mars and all this shit."


    "Nothin'' really." Ambrose shrugged. "Running away, I suppose."


    He took a deep drag on the cigarette and let out a long, slow exhale.


    "I was working for my father, selling wine and brewing in our small family vineyard."


    "How did Mars get you?"


    Leon shook his head and sighed. "One day, I went to sell some samples of our wine, and then one of the customers happened to be Mars.


    "He simply took a sip, shook his head for some odd reason, and walked away.


    "I thought he was simply a wine connoisseur and expected some top-of-the-ss wine from our small vineyard, hah.


    "Then, next night, I woke up by wind hitting an open window, and at the corner of the room, Mars was sitting with a wine bottle in hand, gulping it down as if he were trying to quench his unsatiable thirst.


    "The next thing I saw was a fist flying towards my face, and then everything went dark. The next time I woke up was inside ck Heart, with Apollo sitting next to me holding an ice bag against my cheek, trying to reduce the swelling.


    "He exined everything to me."


    "Sheesh." Ambrose shook his head. "It must''ve been a shock."


    "I want to return to that vineyard." Leon said with a heavy heart. "It was so beautiful there. The vines were lush and green, and the air was filled with the sweet scent of grapes.


    "It was my job to harvest the grapes, and I enjoyed it very much."


    "You will." Ambrose took a breath and inhaled deeply. "Once we kill Mars,"


    "I don''t understand where you get your confidence." Leon stood up and stomped the cigarette out on the ground. "You have seen what Mars is capable of."


    "He hasn''t seen what I am capable of." Ambrose replied.


    "Yeah, I really don''t understand where you get your confidence from." Leon chuckled and waved his handzily as he walked away. "I''ll return to the ship. See ya."


    "See ya." Ambrose turned his gaze back to the ground and saw that the flower had finished blooming and its petals had fallen off.


    "I know where you get confidence from, haha." A figure leaned over the bench and smiled at Ambrose. "Nice to meet you, Ambrose."


    "Shit!" Ambrose jumped in surprise and turned around to face the stranger. "Who the hell are you?"


    "You can call me Adam." Adam smiled and introduced himself. He then jumped over the bench and sat down with his long legs crossed. "Ahh, fresh air, at least. I was tired of being huddled inside that fucking ship."


    Ambrose frowned and wondered why this man acted sofortably around him. However, he was also shocked by the person''s height¡ªhe was the tallest man he had ever encountered!


    Yughragh was also enormous, but Adam was clearly a human, and yet he was towering over him effortlessly.


    "Your boss, Mars, is rather careless, or he simply doesn''t care." Adamughed. "It wasn''t hard to track you down. We also got an emergency message from here; apparently, pirates hade knocking on their doors. Luckily, we were already close."


    "You are part of Sea King''s crew, I assume?" Ambrose crossed his legs. "Seeing that you haven''t killed me yet, did the Sea King ept my proposal?"


    "No, he didn''t." Adam grinned. "You should''ve just killed the assassin. He failed at his only purpose in life; you think he''ll let him live? It was a worthless attempt."


    "I see." Ambrose put the cigarette on his lips and took a puff. ''Well, I expected it.''


    "I am here for a different reason." Adam smiled. "Y''know, my boss just cannot believe your words blindly that Mars has the mace. I need proof."


    "I understand." Ambrose threw the cigarette away, and itnded on the ground with a soft hiss. "Want me to take you there or what?"


    "Heh." Adam shook his head and rxed against the bench''s backrest. "No need. Actually, I do believe in you."


    "What?" Ambrose frowned. "Then why the hell are you talking to me?"


    "Reasons." Adam rubbed his neck. "Come with me to visit the Sea King."


    "Hah." Ambroseughed. "You want Mars to kill me? I am trying to kill him, don''t you see?"


    "Yah, I''ll talk to him." Adam yawned and stood up. Then he looked at Ambrose with a growing grin. "I think we''ll be friends. There are only two things I like in life: sex and fighting a powerful swordsman.


    "I think our fight will be very entertaining¡ªa student of Reinhardt."


    ''Student? The fuck?'' Ambrose raised his eyebrow and watched as the tall man walked away. ''Since when I was a disciple of that cunt? What in the world?''


    ...


    At the corner store, tucked away in a random alleyway.


    The drunken man sighed and looked away from the transmitter.


    "There is good and bad news."


    "Bad news first." Mars said with a frown.


    "Well, the bad news is that no one has smuggled anything in any major ck Markets for weeks." The drunken man said. "It''s a bad time for that, you see. It''s that time of year when Krakens have been appearing from their underwater trenches.


    "Yeah, I saw one." Mars grumpled.


    "Ah, have you now?" The drunken man asked with a scoff. "I have heard rumors from a few of my former colleagues that the Sea King himself had sent amander to try to tame one of them.


    "Apparently, it failed; what a shocker, right?"


    ''Might''ve been Bonney.'' Mars crossed his arms and asked. "The good news?"


    "At the Sea King''s own private ind, there will be a big auction happening. Allmanders and big pirate captains that work closely with him will gather there and bring treasures to be sold.


    "If the heart of the Nymn Tree is actually here in the Sea King''s territory, it will be there. There is also a chance that something as rare as that will be sold, even if it isn''t the one you are looking for."


    "Hmm..." Mars nodded. "That is good enough information."


    "You ain''t nning on going there, are ya?" The drunken man said. "That is suicide."


    "Wouldn''t you like that?" Mars scoffed. "I''ll think about it."


    "Leave the town alone, ya hear me?" The drunken man looked out of the window. "They are innocent."


    "I am a man who keeps his promises." Marsughed mockingly and exited the store. "I''ll leave them alone."


    As soon as the store''s door closed, the drunken man sat down and grumpled under his breath.


    "I hope someone kills that bastard."


    ...


    ''The auction...'' Mars frowned and activated the Eye of Shimon, but he didn''t see any strings of fate concerning the auction.


    He wasn''t sure whether it was good or bad.


    As he walked out of the alleyway, he stopped and felt a sensation of a cold de touching his neck.


    "I expected you to be able to sense me." Adam smiled while leaning against the wall of a random building, holding an enormous sword with a grin on his face. "Mars, nice to meet you."


    "Adam sher..." Mars looked away from him and cracked his knuckles. "Sea King sent his First Commander to hunt me down? I am honored."


    "Hahaha." Adamughed. "No, no. You misunderstood. I am here for peace."


    "Peace?" Marsughed. "Such a word doesn''t exist in here."


    Adam smirked. "Do you have my boss'' mace, perhaps? It''s basically his mistress, and he has been very sad since its disappearance."


    "I don''t know what you are talking about." Mars feigned ignorance.


    "I almost believed ya." Adam chuckled. "Almost."


    "What do you want, sher?" Mars turned to look at him, ignoring the de that was still pressed against his neck. "Came for peace? Then questioned about mace? What do you really want?"


    "Come to talk to my boss, in person, of course." Adam smiled. "If you''ll return the mace, he''ll promise you a deal that will make you very satisfied."


    Mars turned silent.


    After a short while, he frowned and asked, "Underestimating me much? With a single punch, I can decimate half of his precious ind."


    "It ain''t a threat." Adam pulled away his sword and sheathed it. "Visit him with your crew, return the mace, and you can strike a deal with him."


    "I have heard rumors of the Sea King and his bad temperament." Mars had a feeling that he would not be pleased to see them.


    However, he still shrugged his shoulders and smirked. "Fine, I''lle."


    "Oh, another thing." Adam added. "Ambrose shall travel with me."


    "Huh? The hell?" Mars frowned. "Why?"


    "Of course, I want to talk with a student of Reinhardt himself."


    "Student of Reinhardt?" Mars frowned before his eyes widened in realization. "You mean..."


    "Wait, you didn''t know?" Adam erupted inughter. "Hahaha, did you kidnap him or what? I thought you were in kahoots with Reinhardt since his student was among your crew, but I suppose not~"


    Mars'' back was slightly drenched in cold, but he then shook his head furiously.


    ''The Eye of Shimon wouldn''t have led me to him if it meant my suicide. I''ll be stronger than Reinhardt soon enough; this doesn''t change anything.''


    "If that was all, see you in there." Adam smiled, turned around, and walked away while humming a peaceful tone.

 Chapter 280 Adam

    <h4>Chapter 280 Adam</h4>


    Adam walked down a sidewalk with flowers sprouting from tiny cracks and vines climbing up the stone walls of a nearby yground.


    He leaned over the wall, looking at the abandoned yground, and imagined a distant memory of his past that was filled withughter and joy.


    He remembered the countless hours he spent ying with his friends and the countless memories he created there.


    "The fuckin'' itch." Adam muttered to himself and scratched his back in frustration.


    He then took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one up before cing it on his lips and taking a short puff.


    "Mister, who are you?"


    Hearing a voice of very young age, Adam turned around and leaned on the stone wall while looking at the round-eyed young girl looking at him with curiosity.


    "Name''s Adam. Adam sher." Adam let out a smoke-filled breath and leaned back against the wall, his blind eyes lingering in the direction of the little girl.


    "That is a weird name." The young girl said and looked at the abandoned yground. "Are you here to y?"


    "Nah." Adam replied and pointed the cigarette at the direction of the little girl. "Why are you outside? Scary pirates are roaming the streets."


    "But I am not scared." The little girl said innocently.


    "Ah, hah." Adam chuckled and took a drag on his cigarette. "You should. They''re dangerous and could hurt you and your family."


    Before the little girl could say anything, a frantic shout came behind her.


    "Pam!" A middle-aged woman with a worried expression rushed towards her. She was rather beautiful, with a mature charm and body that didn''t make her seem like she was a mother.


    "Mom." The little girl wondered why her mother was panicking and then felt her mother''s embrace.


    "Why did you leave, it''s not safe!" Her mother asked with mix of anger and worry.


    "Ah, I was talking to him." The little girl pointed at the enormous man with tanned skin and arge sword sheathed at his side.


    Her mother''s face paled and she took a step back in shock. It didn''t take long for her to recognize him as she had seen faces in the newspapers before.


    Adam whistled and smiled charmingly. "Wohoo, what a beautiful soundingdy. I have some time left, so wanna have a go, aye?"


    The woman hugged her daughter, lifted her off the ground, and slowly backed away from the man. She knew that she couldn''t do anything if the man wanted to have his way with her, but at least she wanted her daughter to be safe.


    "You could''ve just said no, tch." Adam tossed the cigarette away, slipped his hands inside his pockets, and walked away from the frightened mother and confused daughter.


    "Rejection always hurts." Adam wryly smiled and shook his head.


    As soon as the tanned man walked away, the mother and daughter returned to the house, locked the door tight, and went hiding in the basement.


    After leaving the yground, Adam arrived back at the park and "saw" a ck-haired young man sitting on the bench. He was surrounded by nothing but the dead-looking grass and petalless flowers.


    "You talked with him?" Ambrose looked away from the ground and had to look way up to catch Adam''s white eyes that seemed like he could see him but at the same time not.


    "Yeah, you areing with me." Adam sat next to him andughed. "He''ll alsoe to visit the Sea King. They''ll have business to discuss."


    "You are nning to do business with him?" Ambrose scoffed and looked away in anger. "Is your boss afraid to fight him or what?"


    "He''ll do whatever it takes for him to get his mace back. It still doesn''t mean the Sea King will be happy about Bonney''s crew being massacred and the mace stolen."


    "Your boss is underestimating Mars." Ambrose clenched his fists. "It will result in his death if he doesn''t keep his eyes open."


    "Both are using each other." Adamughed. "I don''t mind if Tyrannus and Mars kill each other. They are both scheming, and it won''t end well."


    "Tyrannus?" Ambrose frowned, as this was an unfamiliar name.


    "It''s the Sea King''s name." Adam chuckled. "You didn''t think that he was called the Sea King? It''s just a title."


    "Why do you want him to be dead?" Ambrose frowned.


    "I am indifferent." Adam shrugged his shoulders. "If he lives, I''ll continue living my life as his subordinate, enjoying my life, and if he dies, I''ll enjoy my life somewhere else."


    "No loyalty among pirates, huh?" Ambrose scoffed and then touched his forehead with a frown. "There''s this thing with me."


    "You are contract bound to Mars, correct?"


    "How did you know?" Ambrose asked in shock.


    "It''s not that umon." Adam said. "Tyrannus has also used it many times. It''s an effective way of ensuring that no prisoners can escape him."


    "So, I can travel separately from him without getting teleported back to him?" Ambrose asked to make sure.


    "Yes." Adam nodded. "It''s basically summoning contract. If he wants you to return, he''ll just have to think about that. It isn''t based on distance."


    "So..." Ambrose bit his lip and asked. "If he doesn''t know I have escaped, I won''t be summoned back to him."


    "Ding, ding." Adam nodded. "That''s right."


    "So, why did you want me toe with you?" Ambrose asked with a frown. "If we are going to the same ce anyway, what is the point?"


    "We aren''t exactly going to the same ce as Mars." Adam said with a grin. "There are two inds connected in the so-called Sea King''s Ind.


    "The first ind has the Sea King''s castle and auction hall, and the second ind has the town.


    "The two inds are connected by a bridge, but they are basically the same ind.


    "We''ll go to the second ind."


    "Why?" Ambrose asked.


    "You''ll see." Adam stood up and scratched his itching back. "To waste the time of moving from one ind to another, we might as well travel together. Don''t you agree?"


    Ambrose raised his eyebrow and stood up from the bench.


    "One question."


    "What is it?" Adam looked at the ck-haired young man with a smile.


    "Will Sea King reveal my intention to kill Mars?" Ambrose asked.


    "Perhaps." Adam shrugged his shoulders. "Even if he does, who cares? Mars is a fool if he thinks you don''t harbor the intention to kill him. It''s natural."


    "I suppose you are right." Ambrose looked around and said, "Shall we go? Is your ship back in the pier?"


    "Nah, we docked on the other side of the ind. Didn''t wanna scare you all." Adam chuckled, put his hands inside his pockets, and began walking down a cracked sidewalk. "Follow me."


    Ambrose silently followed, but his mind was running on overdrive.


    ''Something is wrong about this. Adam is acting unnaturallyfortable with me, and what the hell was the talk about me being Reinhardt''s student?


    ''Also, what is the Sea King''s intention to invite Mars. Only for the mace? Unlikely, I have to ask Bonney.''


    As if she heard his thoughts, an echoing voice appeared in his mind.


    ''I... don''t... think... Sea King... invited Mars.''


    ''You heard my thoughts or what?'' Ambrose asked with a frown.


    ''No... I felt... that... something was... wrong with Adam...''


    The voice continued to turn more painful with each word.


    ''Adam is... plotting something...'' The voice finished talking and couldn''t speak any longer.


    ''Hmm...'' Ambrose nodded thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing as he considered the possibility.


    "Mm~" Adam, walking ahead, hummed a certain song that one of the famous singers back on Sea King''s Ind used to sing to him when they were together in bed.


    The memory brought a soft smile to his face.


    "You like music?"


    "Ah, yeah." Ambrose nodded.


    "We can go listen to a concert that is happening at the start of the auction." Adam said and smiled. "It will be quite a show."

 Chapter 281 Soulscape

    <h4>Chapter 281 Soulscape</h4>


    At the ck Heart.


    "Let''s set sail!" Mars bellowed loudly and pulled out the anchor from the water with his bare hands.


    "Captain, Ambrose hadn''t arrived yet." Apollo said with a cup of unfinished coffee in his hand.


    He managed to find one cafe that wasn''t closed and ordered a fresh cup of coffee, but while he was drinking, he was summoned back to ck Heart with the contract spell.


    "He ain''t traveling with us." Mars said and crossed his arms. "He''ll meet us in there."


    "Huh?" Others looked at each other in confusion.


    "Where are we going?" Leon asked from the helm.


    "To Sea King''s Ind!" Mars shouted.


    An eerie silence fell on the ship as everyone heard those words.


    "Shit..." Apollo muttered under his breath. "Suicide..."


    "Get on it!" Mars shouted at Leon after seeing him not do anything.


    "Aye aye..." Leon turned the helm and started the voyage.


    However, he was thinking about what the hell happened after he left Ambrose. He still hoped he was still alive, as this could mean that Mars simply didn''t want to mention killing him.


    Henri stood beside Loki and whispered.


    "You think he is dead?"


    "Don''t know..." Loki sighed. "If he doesn''te to the Sea King''s Ind, Mars can easily cook up a story about how he must''ve encountered some trouble."


    "I don''t see him as a guy who would lie about such a matter." Henri frowned. "Mars likes to keep us in order with fear."


    "I really don''t know." Loki sighed.


    ...


    On the deck of the sh Pirates ship.


    "Wee on board~" Adam stepped on the deck, and following him, Ambrose also stepped on board and saw the crew members of the pirate ship preparing to leave the ind.


    He then looked up at the middle mast and saw the skull and crossbones g with both eyes shed blind.


    "Captain, who is ''dis?" A nasty-looking pirate asked. Half of his face looked like it was cracked like a stone, and his eye was missing.


    "This is Ambrose." Adam smiled and introduced the young man to the rest of the crew. "He''ll travel with us to the Sea King''s Ind."


    The pirates began whispering with each other, surprised but with a hint of suspiciousness in their eyes.


    "This guy is Reinhardt''s disciple? I can''t see it..."


    "I do feel a little bit intimidated, but it''s very faint. Is he even strong?"


    "Right, he is Reinhardt''s disciple, but he might be hopeless when ites to teaching. He might be super weak."


    Ignoring his crew''s whispers, Adam said. "Set the destination to Sea King''s Ind. We need to get there as soon as possible."


    "Aye, aye, captain!" The crew shouted and started doing their tasks to get the ship moving as soon as possible.


    "Let''s go to my cabin. There is something I want to show you." Adam said to Ambrose while blindly trying to look at him, and then began walking towards the cabin while humming a song.


    Ambrose followed right behind, and soon they entered a cozy cabin with a warm and inviting atmosphere.


    Adam plopped down on his soft-cushioned chair and pointed at the couch that was under a window and beside a small table with amp.


    "Sit there."


    Ambrose sat down and crossed his legs while looking around the cabin. He was still very suspicious of Adam''s intentions.


    He couldn''t shake off the feeling that he was nning something malicious.


    "Let''s y a game, shall we?" Adam opened a drawer and blindly rummaged through it until he felt something familiar. "This is an old game that swordsmen have been ying together."


    "Huh?" Ambrose peeked over the desk, trying to catch a glimpse of this so-called game.


    Adam soon revealed the so-called "game" and it was two inhalers.


    "Inhaler?" Ambrose looked at the blind-eyed man and asked. "What the hell?"


    "This is a game that happens in Soulscape." Adam smiled. "It is even further inside the Soul World, and in Soulscape, your soul cannot be harmed. It''s basically the same as a dream, but there you can control your soul.


    "These two inhalers are injected with a very high dose of a powerful sedative that will put you into a deep sleep. This is something that you can only find in Dark Waters.


    "It''s called Siren Sedative. They use the same stuff to put their victims to sleep once they lure them with their singing.


    "Once we both inhale this stuff, we fall asleep and appear in our soul forms in Soulscape.


    "There, we can start our little game."


    "Not going to lie, this sounds very suspicious." Ambrose said without hiding his carefulness.


    "Everyone says the same when they first try it." Adam said with a chuckle. "It''s a game as old as time. Many martial arts schools use this kind of training, as you cannot get hurt doing this."


    Ambrose epted the second inhaler and sniffed it slightly. He immediately smelled the strong sedative, which actually smelled nice to him.


    "It smelled good, right?" Adamughed. "It smells like siren''s. I had the pleasure of sleeping with one of them, and it was good and all until she turned into a monster and tried to eat me."


    "Interesting story." Ambrose spoke with a hint of joking and turned to the blind-eyed man. "So, just inhale?"


    "That''s right." Adam nodded.


    "What''ll we do in Soulscape then?" Ambrose asked.


    "I''ll tell you there." Adam put the inhaler against his lips and took a long breath, inhaling the strong sedative.


    He leaned against the chair, closed his eyes, and his arms limply hung at his sides. The grasp over his inhaler loosened, causing it to fall to the ground.


    After seeing him fall asleep, Ambrose turned to the inhaler and shrugged his shoulders.


    He then put it against his lips, took a long drag, and felt the sedatives take control over him.


    ...


    "Ahh..." Ambrose opened his eyes and felt like he was floating on a cloud.


    However, when he turned around, he saw that he was lying on top of a transparentke. He could see his soul reflection, and when he tried touching the water, his hand went straight through, and it didn''t even feel like his hand got drenched.


    After floating slightly up and turning around, he saw a transparent sky, blue clouds that weren''t moving, and a bright blue sun.


    As he admired the sight, he suddenly felt a touch on his shoulder, and when he turned around, he saw Adam in his soul form with his two eyes intact.


    "You can speak, I assume." Adam said with an echoing voice.


    "I can..." Ambrose said, his voice also echoing like he was talking inside a tunnel. "You are not blind here."


    "Yeah, Soul World and Soulscape are the only ces where I can see properly." Adam said and then mentioned. "I can also see in the outside world, but I use my Soul Ability to do so.


    "My Soul Ability allows me to use my soul''s eyes to see. It''s like this ability was tailor-made for me. However, I can only see everything in dark blue or light blue. Sometimes, it gets hard to distinguish between two objects if the colors are close to the same."


    "I see..." Ambrose thought it was very fascinating and then asked. "What now?"


    "We''ll create our yground." Adam said with a smile.


    This was his favorite part of being in Soulscape.


    The souls in Soulscape have unlimited freedom of creation.

 Chapter 282 Creativity

    <h4>Chapter 282 Creativity</h4>


    "So, what''ll we do in here?" Ambrose asked as he floated slightly above theke.


    "In here, we can create anything." Adam said and opened his palm. A small flower appeared from thin air, and its petals bloomed with a mix of bluish colors.


    "In here, we also cannot get hurt.


    "The Siren''s Sedative is so strong that it even makes our souls sleep. This is basically a realm that is one level deeper than the World of Souls. This is the ce where souls dream, and we took control of our soul bodies.


    "The dreaming world of souls is just one world, where others with dreaming souls canmunicate even if they are on the other side of the world."


    "I see..." Ambrose looked fascinated, but he still wondered what the so-called game was about.


    "Human bodies are fragile, and they have a limit." Adam walked in the air as if he had solid ground below him. "We are different from other races. We are the weakest race.


    "Goblins have a muchrger mana pool, allowing them to have better talent in magic than humans.


    "Orcs have stronger bodies, better vitality, and greater resilience than humans.


    "Elves have connections with nature around them. They are able to harness the power of the environment to enhance their abilities.


    "Vampires are one of the strongest races. They can use Vampire Light to move at blinding speed; their physical stats are among the highest among races, and they can increase their strength even further by consuming blood.


    "There is a reason why humans are food sources for them. We were created to be nothing but food for other races.


    "Demons are considered to be the most powerful race. Their Demonic Possession is a threat to be reckoned with, and it is one of the main reasons why they are considered to be the most powerful of any race.


    "Demons are also the royalty of the Dark Continent.


    "Then, there are Giants that are basically extinct race, and it''s unclear whether any of them exist anymore. They have the greatest physical strength and endurance.


    "Starborns are one of the most unique kinds. They were born from fragments of fallen stars and possess inhumane strength, vitality, dexterity, and speed. They are also known for their ability tomunicate with stars.


    "Among the most unique races, there are race called Heavenwalkers. They have the ability to cross dimensions with heaven and the mortal realm. They are said to be children of Ascended Gods that live in heaven."


    ''The hell?'' Ambrose''s eyes bulged with surprise.


    "Yeah, haha." Adam saw his expression andughed. "They are known for their wisdom and power. They are, however, hunted by every faction, as they have a way to enter heaven and most want that power for themselves."


    Adam''s word left Ambrose in awe.


    "There are also races called Monsters, Undead, and Lizardfolk." Adam quickly mentioned them. "Monsters have many sub-races that can mostly live in the Dark Continent, and they are mostly subordinates of Demons.


    "Undead are zombies that rise during the crescent moon night, and Lizardfolk is an extinct race. They died because they were unable to keep reproducing, and their poption declined over time.


    "Thest race is Heartstoppers, the most beautiful kind with the power to stop a man''s heart with one whisper." Adam wryly smiled. "Unfortunately, I hadn''t had the pleasure of sleeping with one yet."


    "Well, thanks for mentioning all this, but what is the point?" Ambrose asked. "We were about to y some game, no?"


    "Yeah." Adam chuckled. "The human race is the weakest race, but there is one thing we are strongest at."


    "And that is?" Ambrose raised his eyebrow.


    "Creativity!" Adam spread his arms around, and floating pixels began to gather in the air, creating a mesmerizing disy.


    The pixels turned into solid material.


    Blue pirs rose from the ground. They reached the sky, forming a magnificent archway, and then pixels gathered around the pirs and enormous statues that looked like humans holding a sky appeared.


    Those statues grabbed the pirs with their stone hands and wrapped their stone fingers around them as if they were holding them in ce.


    A ceiling then nketed the sky and fell on top of those pirs, creating a barrier between the humans and the sky.


    Inside the newly created temple, Adam created stone pews that created arge circle, and at the center of the circle, a stone tform rose. It was like he created a small colisseum.


    Adam thennded on the ground and mmed his hand on the stone tform, causing it to shake and tremble.


    At the middle of the tform, a stone figure, around two meters tall, appeared and was holding a stone katana in hand. On his head, there was a wide-brimmed hat, and he wore a high-cored jacket with knee-high boots.


    "He is..." Ambrose eximed. "Reinhardt..."


    Adam stood in front of the stone statue of Reinhardt and said. "I have never had the pleasure of meeting Reinhardt in person, but I have always wanted to. I have only seen pictures of him."


    "Why do you want to meet him?" Ambrose asked as hended on the tform.


    "There are only two things I like in this world." Adam touched the stone statue''s wide-brimmed hat and said, "Sex and fighting."


    "To be more precise, I like fighting a powerful swordsman, so who else than Reinhardt would be a perfect opponent?


    "The World''s Strongest Swordsman."


    Adam then turned to Ambrose and said, "I was truly surprised when reading the newspaper about a week ago. The famed Reinhardt apparently had a disciple.


    "I thought nothing of it at first, but then you came to Dark Waters. Not only that, you came straight here. It was like fate was guiding you here."


    "Fate..." Ambrose whispered to himself, as that word hadn''t been very nice to himtely.


    "This is a simple game!" Adam made the stone statue of Reinhardt vanish and walked to the other side of the tform.


    He then turned to Ambrose, who was standing about thirty meters away from him, and said.


    "We take turns attacking each other with our creations. One has to attack, and the other has to defend somehow.


    "The loser is the one who gets his soul killed!"


    "Soul killed?" Ambrose frowned, as that sounded very dangerous.


    "No worries; only your dream soul dies." Adam said. "Your real soul will be fine, and when youe to Soulscape next time, your dream soul will bepletely fine.


    "This is a harmless game.


    "This is a battle of creativity. So far, I have challenged vampires, orcs, goblins, and even elves to this kind of game, and they haven''t beaten me yet.


    "I bet everything that only humans can defeat me!"


    "Are there some stakes?" Ambrose asked and rubbed his neck.


    "Sure, why not." Adam grinned. "If you defeat me, I''ll help you kill Mars. However, if you lose, you''ll tell Reinhardt toe here."


    ''Shit.'' Ambrose frowned. ''What the hell is this rumor of me being his disciple? I can act like I have sent a message to Reinhardt, but it''s up to him whether he wants toe. That is pretty easy.


    ''However, I feel like it won''t end well for me if I cheat, and well, if I tell the truth about the rumor being bullshit, there might be an even worse fate in store for me.


    ''I suppose I should try winning this. I don''t know how strong this Adam is, but having the help of the Sea King would be very important!''


    "Are you ready?" Adam asked.


    "Yeah, let''s do this."

 Chapter 283 Battle of Creativity

    <h4>Chapter 283 Battle of Creativity</h4>


    "Let''s start with a testing round." Adam put his hand forward, aiming it at Ambrose. "I''ll attack; you defend."


    "All right..." Ambrose looked at his hands and moved his fingers while thinking about what he should do to defend himself.


    "Don''t think too hard!" Adam shouted with a grin. "Be fast and creative!"


    From the palm of his hand, a chain made of strange material shot out and shed through the air like a flying snake. It neared Ambrose and wrapped around his neck, choking him.


    ''Ah, shit!'' Ambrose tried to rip the chain but greatlycked the strength to do so.


    It didn''t even take a second for the chain to reach him, so he wasn''t ready for that kind of speed.


    "You think too much." Adam closed his hand, and the chain disappeared into pixels, leaving Ambrose panting loudly and gasping for air.


    "This is different from normal fighting." He mentioned. "The swordsmanship skills you have learned don''t mean anything in here."


    "All right..." Ambrose took a deep breath and then opened his eyes, a serious glint in them. He was able to think of a few ways of defending himself, but he was too upied thinking about what the best solution would have been.


    Now, he decided to just use his instincts.


    "Ready to begin?" Adam asked.


    "I am." Ambrose put his hand forward and said, "I''ll start."


    "Interesting..." The corners of Adam''s mouth lifted upward.


    Ambrose closed his eyes and imagined a creation inside his mind. It was a creation he had seen in the real world''s movies, which left a deep impression on him.


    At his hand, a ck pistol appeared, a perfect replica of a weapon that had be a symbol of death and suffering.


    Ambrose then imagined that there was a bullet in the chamber and pointed it at Adam.


    "What is that?" Adam frowned, as he had never seen anything like that before.


    This was where Ambrose''s advantage came into y.


    Adam was only knowledgeable about Martial Online and its weapons. However, Ambrose was from another world, which had way more advanced weapons and technology.


    Ambrose put his finger on the trigger and smiled. "Bang."


    Bang¡ªas he pulled the trigger, a bullet explosively left the barrel and flew like a homing missile towards its target.


    The loud sound made both Ambrose and Adam flinch.


    Ambrose because he had never fired a gun before, and the recoil surprised him and Adam because he wasn''t aware of what this strange weapon could do.


    However, he could see that it was nearing him at even greater speed than the chain!


    Adam knew he had to act fast.


    Adam lifted his finger to the ceiling, and the wall rose from the ground in an instant, creating a barrier between him and the bullet.


    However, to his surprise, the bullet shredded through the wall like a knife through hot butter.


    His eyes shrank, but the bullet grazed past his cheek and mmed into one of the pirs that were holding the ceiling in ce.


    However, when he turned around to see how the pir was faring, he was shocked to see a small hole, as even the pir wasn''t able to withstand the force of the bullet.


    "What the hell?" Adam made the wall disappear and saw Ambrose holding a smoking weapon. "What is this weapon?"


    "Your turn." Ambrose smiled, as he didn''t want to answer, and made the gun disappear into floating pixels.


    Adam frowned and focused his gaze on his hand. He then created a simr-looking pistol and pointed it at Ambrose.


    Ambrose''s eyes narrowed, and his body tensed.


    However, when Adam pulled the trigger, nothing happened.


    "Eh?" Adam frowned and looked at the barrel. He then remembered that there was some kind of projectile that flew out of the barrel.


    To copy that, he created a marble inside the barrel and again pointed the pistol at Ambrose.


    He pulled the trigger, but like before, nothing worked.


    Ambrose heaved a sigh of relief and thought. ''Of course it wouldn''t work for him. He is nowhere knowledgeable enough to know the technology behind the pistol.


    ''It''s like he created a wooden pistol and thought it would work the same. I have never fired a firearm in my life before and never learned all its parts, etc., but I still know how a pistol works, and that was enough for me to create one based on my memory.''


    "Whatever." Adam made the fake pistol vanish, clenched his hand into a fist, and then pointed it at the ceiling.


    Pixels began to gather in the air, and after turning into solid matter, they were a bunch of tiny rocks that were getting glued to each other.


    As more and more rocks began to appear, they formed a massive boulder of over a million tiny pebbles and rocks.


    "Ahhh!" Adam screamed loudly as if he had difficulty moving his arm, but eventually managed to point it at Ambrose.


    The enormous boulder shot forward towards Ambrose and cast a big enough shadow to cover him in darkness.


    Ambrose swiped his hand, and a metal vault appeared around him. It locked him inside among fake crown bills. This was a vault he had seen in one of the movies he had watched.


    The movies followed a group of thugs that nned to rob a bank, and this vault was from that very bank that eventually got robbed.


    As the boulder struck the vault, it caused an enormous dent on the side, but otherwise, Ambrose was left unharmed.


    He then made the vault disappear and saw that the boulder was shattered around him, with a million rocks scattered around the temple.


    "You are indeed Reinhardt''s disciple..." Adamughed like he was having great fun. "Only a disciple of someone like him can create such never-seen-before things!"


    ''I feel like the misunderstanding is getting bigger.'' Ambrose sighed and then snapped his fingers.


    In front of him, a turret with a machine gun mounted on top appeared from the pixels. It was a sight to behold, especially in this world where such technology was unheard of.


    Adam narrowed his eyes and felt his honed senses screaming danger.


    "Fire." Ambrose whispered.


    The turret began to rotate, and then it fired a barrage of bullets. The bullets shredded through the ground and the pirs like an unstoppable force of nature.


    As Adam saw everything around him crumble and fall, he knew that he had to act fast. This was danger like no other.


    "The best defense is attack!" Adam smashed his fist to the ground, unleashing a powerful shockwave that shook the foundation of Soulscape.


    Then, the tform split in half, creating an enormous ravine that split the whole temple in half.


    Ambrose quickly began floating; otherwise, he would have fallen to the pit of darkness.


    However, the turret wasn''t as lucky and fell into the abyss while still shooting the bullets towards everything around it.


    "My turn!" Adam, while floating in the air, pointed at the sky and created a miniature sun.


    However, it was still around ten meters in diameter and was not as powerful as the real sun, but it still caused the vegetation around Soulscape to burn to ashes.


    "You n on destroying this ce or what?!" Ambrose shouted.


    "It''s fine!" Adamughed happily. "All will be fixed next time when wee here. So, destroy as much as you want!"


    "Is that so?" Ambrose grinned and pointed at the sky. "How will you fare with this? I wonder."


    "?" Adam had a very bad feeling as an object appeared in the air that, at first, was only a small ck dot in the distance.


    However, it was falling from the sky with increasing speed and size.


    Tick, tick, tick¡ªinside the object, something ticked like a clock as it hurtled towards the ground.


    As it became visible enough for Adam to catch a proper glimpse, he frowned and asked. "What is this?"


    Ambrose looked at the object and smiled. "A nuke."

 Chapter 284 The Wandering Lady

    <h4>Chapter 284 The Wandering Lady</h4>


    At the cabin of the sh Pirates ship, two men jolted awake from their dreaming state.


    "Ah!" Ambrose gasped loudly and touched his chest, feeling the racing heartbeat.


    "Hah..." Adam let out a short chuckle and leaned on his chair, his blind eyes ncing around the cabin. "You killed us both, huh?"


    "Who died first?" Ambrose asked.


    "Doesn''t matter." Adam smirked. "Since that was basically a suicide attack, the result is a draw, and the bets are nullified."


    Ambrose sighed and nodded. He wasn''t happy with the oue, but he was certain that nothing good woulde from arguing against the result.


    "You''re indeed Reinhardt''s disciple." Adam chuckled. "Your creativity is indeed top-notch, but there is a limit to how far that takes you."


    "I ain''t counting on creativity to be strong." Ambrose said and crossed his arms.


    "Oh?" Adam turned around and stared straight at Ambrose. "What then?"


    "Strength."


    "Strength..." Adam repeated the word, his eyes narrowing in thought. "Strength has its limits. The human race is one of the weakest races when ites to physical strength."


    Ambrose nodded as if he agreed with him, but his confidence didn''t disappear.


    "Well, if that''s your path," Adam shrugged his shoulders and stood up. "It''ll take around a day for us to reach Sea King''s Ind. Your cabin is located on the lower deck; I left the door open so you''ll know which one it is."


    Ambrose nodded and left the cabin.


    After the door closed, Adam walked over to the window and looked over to the vast seas.


    "Argh..." Adam reached over his shoulder to scratch his itching back. He felt like the itching had be much worsetely.


    He took off his shirt, dropped it to the ground, walked over to the full-body mirror that was mounted on the wall, and turned around.


    He looked over his shoulder, and in the mirror, he saw a mirrored tattoo on his back that covered it entirely. It was a trident tattoo with a crown on top of it.


    "..." Adam squinted his eyes as he could only see bluish colors, but still, he managed to see the tattoo rather clearly.


    He then turned away from the mirror, plopped down on his chair, and crossed his legs.


    At the desk, there was a transmitter used tomunicate between Sea King''s fleet.


    He flexed his fingers and began typing a message to the Sea King himself.


    ...


    At the Sea King''s castle.


    "Boss." A man wearing an orange skull mask, a ck hoodie, and a ck jacket walked in. He was around two meters tall, with dual machetes strapped to his back.


    "What is it, Dreadnought?" Tyrannus asked while looking out of the ornate window, seeing the raging waves crashing at the rocks below as if they were having a war of their own.


    "A message from Adam," Dreadnought said in his deep, raspy voice, like he had something stuck in his throat. "Mars ising here for a deal."


    "Deal?" Tyrannus turned around, confusion written on his face. "What deal?"


    "Adam didn''t go into details, but Mars is apparentlying here with the mace." Dreadnought said. "Adam suggested talking with him."


    "Adam was supposed to bring the mace back to me!" Tyrannus roared loudly. "What is that fool doing?"


    Dreadnought stayed silent, as he was certain that nothing he would say would change Tyrannus''s state of mind.


    Tyrannus sat down on his throne and tapped his finger impatiently against the armrest. He then wrapped his other hand around his battleaxe and raised it to his shoulder.


    "What do I say to Adam?" Dreadnought asked.


    "Hmm..." Tyrannus clicked his tongue and dropped his battleaxe back to the ground with a loud thud. "Fine, let me have an audience with this Mars. Since he ising here, it means he really has my mace and killed one of mymanders."


    Dreadnought bowed and left the throne hall.


    "What a ballsy guy..." Tyrannus rested his head on top of his palm and looked at the tall painting on the wall.


    The painting described an old scene of battle between the Ancient Grounded Gods and thest remaining forces of mortals. The painting showed a scene of hellish destruction that eventually changed thendscape of Dark Waterspletely.


    Below the mural painting, the painting''s name was written.


    [The Battle of Reichfaith]


    ...


    Jesse opened his eyes and removed the VR headset before cing it gently on the bed.


    He sat on the edge of the bed, rubbed his itching eyes, and let out a short yawn.


    "The back and forth rocking of the ship is starting to make me unwell." He said, his voice showing the fatigue of a long sea voyage.


    Recently, he spent most of the time he had spent on the sea, so when he finally logged off, he felt rather dizzy and dibobted when he walked on steadynd.


    He only did morning jogs,te-night swordsmanship training in the World of Souls, and meditation training. He found that his body was still adjusting to the drastic change in environment.


    Jesse then stood up and staggered to the bathroom, where he took a quick shower and changed into a fresh set of clothes.


    He then left his room, and as he was about to reach the elevator, one of the doors opened, revealing Emma with the familiar bunny in her embrace.


    "Brother!" Emma eximed, not expecting him.


    "Ah, Emma." Jesse pressed a button to call for an elevator and then looked at his little sister.


    He felt rather guilty, as he was spending almost every waking moment inside Martial Online and couldn''t really spend time with his new family.


    "Where''re you going?" Emma asked as she hopped next to him, also waiting for the elevator to arrive at their floor.


    "Some fresh air, you?"


    "I''ll follow you!" Emma eximed, eager to spend time with him.


    Ding¡ªthe elevator arrived and its doors opened.


    They entered the elevator, and Jesse pressed the first floor button.


    "Where''re you currently?" Emma asked, as neither she nor Be were sure where Jesse was heading.


    "I am at a ce called Pirate Battleground." Jesse said with a smile. "It has treacherous seas, dangerous creatures lurking in the depths, and pirates¡ªlots of them."


    "Oo!" Emma eximed, looking thrilled after hearing about the new ce. "Can Ie next time?!"


    "Hmm..." Jesse acted like he was thinking. "Perhaps, perhaps."


    Ding¡ªthe elevator''s doors opened, and they walked out, heading to the front door. They soon exited the mansion and entered a chilly evening air.


    The winter was nearing, and it was already getting somewhat cold.


    "How are things in Amaterasu?" Jesse asked while walking side-by-side with his little sister. They were heading towards the garden, as it wasn''t long before the first snow fell, and they wanted to see the nts before it was toote.


    "Good!" Emma said in excitement. "We''ll open our bookstore soon. I think it''ll be a busy day because Be has gotten quite popr."


    "How so?" Jesse asked curiously.


    Emma pouted and said, "Some vermins have taken a liking to Be and have tried attracting her attention. She became rather popr as she had recently been seen standing by the entrance of Amaterasu, basically every morning, and she had be somewhat of a legend among yers.


    "She is called the Wandering Lady, and manye there just to see her.


    "She is a mysterious figure, and many yers are drawn to her for her beauty and grace."


    Emma crossed her arms angrily and humped loudly. "Those vermin think they have a chance with Be. She is already taken!"


    Jesse''s lips twitched, as he hadn''t seen her this angry before.


    However, he wondered about one thing.


    "Taken, by whom?"


    "By you, of course!" Emma proudly smirked. "No worries, brother. I''ll chase those vermins away!"


    "Oh..." Jesse wryly smiled and slipped his hands inside his pockets to protect them from the cold. ''Taken by me, huh.''

 Chapter 285 Haventown

    <h4>Chapter 285 Haventown</h4>


    The following day, the sh Pirates ship sailed through the rough waters of the Pirate Battleground.


    "Land on sight!" A loud voice boomed from the crow''s nest.


    As the crew gathered on the deck, they saw several inds in the distance. However, one caught their attention the most.


    It was a two-part ind that was connected to a long metal bridge that spanned across the raging waters. The ind was shrouded by mist, but the closer they got, the clearer it became.


    The crew felt excited as they saw the bright lights and the awe-inspiring ck castle that stood atop the ind.


    Adam and Ambrose arrived at the deck.


    They saw the bustling town beaming with lights, and the sound of music filled the air. They were still several kilometers away, but they could still feel the excitement and energy the town was emitting.


    "That''s the Sea King''s castle." Adam pointed at the ck castle that was on top of a small mountain on the second ind. Below the castle, there was a small vige descending down the mountain.


    The mountain didn''t seem like an ordinary mountain. It had lots of stairs, some cave elevators that were manually operated, and the vigers lived in a vige that was literally built around the mountain.


    Also, at the top of the mountain, near the ck Castle, there was a dome-like building that was the Sea King Auction Hall, where the biggest auction of the year was going to be held.


    Below the mountain, it was mostly tnd with a few scattered trees and buildings, but there was also a harbor with a pier built. It was full of blue-sailed ships belonging to the Sea King''s fleet.


    Then, there was the enormous ck bridge, and after crossing that, one would reach the town that was called Haventown, and it was the most bustling part of Sea King''s territory.


    With pirates roaming the streets, shops selling illegal goods, and a thriving underground economy, Haventown was a ce of constant activity and danger.


    The pirate ship carrying Adam and Ambrose finally docked in Haventown''s bustling harbor. Most of the ships around the harbor were pirate ships, as great pirate crews had started to gather on Sea King''s Ind for the uing auction.


    After the gangnk was set, the crew started to leave the ship. Most were talking about visiting the famous brothels, while others decided to visit their homes and their lovers.


    "So, what now?" Ambrose asked as he walked behind Adam down the gangnk. He wasn''t exactly sure why he was here.


    "There is a small tournament going on, currently." Adam said with a smile. "Let''s join it. I already have a spot in the top 16, but I can also get you to join."


    "A tournament of what exactly?" Ambrose asked.


    "A bare knuckle fighting." Adam waved at a few of the sailors that bowed at him as he passed by and continued. "We''ll have to spend time until the auction. Things will get spicy there."


    "Oh, sure, why not?" Ambrose shrugged his shoulders, as he didn''t really care what he was doing here.


    However, he was still quite skeptical about Adam''s reason for inviting him here.


    "By the way, I saw a few inds near here." Ambrose looked over his shoulder at the nearby inds that were in the vicinity of Sea King''s Ind. "Are they abandoned?"


    "Nah." Adam widened his blind eyes and pointed at a faraway ind that had a lot of vegetation. "That is called Brain Ind; that''s where Sea King''s scientists do their stuff."


    He then pointed at another ind near that.


    This ind had a lot of tall trees, but there was also a strange ck cloud gathered on top of it.


    "That''s Cancer Ind. It''s where we bury the dead. It has a small vige, and if a zombie outbreak happens there, it''s easy to create a quarantine there."


    "Makes sense." Ambrose nodded and saw the third ind that looked weirdest to him.


    It had a lot of lights, as if there were a lot of buildings, but in the middle of the ind, there was a round-shaped mountain with a smaller mountain on top, making the whole mountain look rather suggestive.


    "That''s Breast Ind." Adamughed. "Yeah, you heard it right. The mountain looks like a F-cup breast, just how I like them. It has quite arge poption, and its poption is mostly women."


    Ambrose''s breathing got slightly rough. Not because the poption mostly consisted of women, but because this was exactly the ind he was looking for!


    ''This is where Bonney''s body is. This might be my only chance to do this. There is no way I cane back here ever again, as this simply isn''t a ce where I can waltz into however I please.


    ''I have to talk with Bonney; she must know where her body is!''


    After a short while, Adam and Ambrose waltzed into the streets of bustling Haventown. The streets were rather packed, and it wasn''t possible for a carriage to move without driving over someone.


    Clothes were drying from the clotheslines connected between the buildings, and Ambrose asionally had to duck to avoid hitting his head on the low-hanging clotheslines.


    As he walked, he smelled the scent of spicy food and sea food wafting from the nearby food stalls and asionally saw glimpses of pirates gathered around a table, eating, drinking, and sharing tales of their adventures.


    As Adam walked in front of him, he saw him greeting most townsfolk and nearby pirates. Even the scar-faced pirates that looked scary and powerful showed respect for Adam.


    It made Ambrose''s impression of him change slightly. He wasn''t sure how powerful Adam was, but he was greatly respected, and that kind of respect could only be earned with strength.


    At that moment, Ambrose caught a sign of an empty store. The sign of the store almost stole his breath, as this was the first time he hade across this ce.


    [Reality Market]


    It was the reality market where yers could transfer their silver to real-life money and sell and purchase items!


    This reminded Ambrose that he hadn''t visited Reality Market yet, as he didn''t really have any need to.


    "This is the ce." Adam came to a stop beside a two-story building that was clearly a restaurant that sold mostly meat-based food.


    "This?" Ambrose frowned and wondered whether the tournament was actually an eating contest.


    "Follow me." Adam entered the restaurant and led Ambrose to the back room.


    The chef of the restaurant saw them enter the kitchen and simply nodded slightly before returning to making food.


    Adam and Ambrose arrived at the stairs that led to the basement.


    In front of the basement door, there was a broad-shouldered bouncer who stood guard, blocking their way.


    However, after catching a glimpse of Adam, he quickly stepped aside and opened the door for them.


    At first nce, the bouncer seemed tough as nails with countless experience in dealing with tough customers, but in front of Adam, he simply lowered his head like a obedient dog.


    As soon as Ambrose stepped through the door, his jaw hung low in amazement.


    Loud cheering and the sound of flesh being struck echoed in his ears.


    There was arge crowd gathered around a caged tform where two pirates dueled with their fists, their knuckles bloodied, and their bodies bruised.


    On the wall, there was a ckboard with a tournament bracket. It was currently the top 32 fighting for their spot in the top 16.


    "I''ll tell the boss of the tournament that I have arrived." Adam said. "I''ll also register you. Make friends, will''ya. This will be fun!"


    Ambrose watched as Adam left and joined the crowd in watching the matches.


    As the two pirates neared the corner of the cage, one of themnded a powerful straight punch on his opponent''s cheek, causing the blood to spill.


    The blood spewed through the gaps in the cage and sttered across Ambrose''s face. He wasn''t the only one, as a few crowd members also got sttered with blood, but their screams turned even more excited.


    "Sheesh." Ambrose cleaned the blood with his sleeve and looked at the fanatic crowd. "These guys are crazy..."

 Chapter 286 Replacement

    <h4>Chapter 286 Recement</h4>


    "Lord!" Arge-waisted man with a bushy beard humbly bowed in front of the three-meter-tall man.


    He was the organizer of the underground fighting tournament and possessed quite a bit of influence. He was a former pirate of the B-ranked crew, but after getting defeated by Adam''s sh Pirates, he struck a deal with his golden tongue and managed to get a job at Haventown.


    Slowly, he rose in rank until he reached his current status.


    "Norman." Adam took a seat, but the chair could barely handle his weight. It was also quite small for someone of his stature.


    "What is it, Lord Adam?" Norman, therge-waisted man, asked humbly while rubbing his hands like a sneaky merchant.


    "I''vee to register for the tournament." Adam said and looked over at the walls that had pictures of half-naked women and a few maps of the surrounding area. "Also, add a person called Ambrose to the registration list."


    "Uh, I would have to kick out someone to have this Ambrose a spot." Norman said with a sigh and humbly smiled. "Please, don''t put me in that position."


    Adam stood up and walked over to arge rectangle window that showed the entirety of the basement. There were currently two people having a bloody fist fight inside the cage, and it looked like they were dead even.


    "Rece him with whoever wins this next fight." Adam said and crossed his arms. "Don''t fucking say you can''t. You can. This wouldn''t be the first time either."


    "Ah..." Norman scratched his greasy hair. "Fine, but he better perform. I''ll lose face if I rece someone with a weaker fighter."


    Cheer¡ªas one of the fighters fell inside the cage, loud cheers filled the basement. The fighter that was left standing raised his fists high and smashed them against his chest as if he were a gori.


    He roared with triumph and excitement to reach the top 16.


    Whoever managed to win the whole tournament, their lives would be forever changed, and they might even be allowed to join Sea King''s fleet, which would be an unimaginable honor.


    The highest-ranking officers of the Sea King''s fleet were even allowed to live inside the ck castle, which was the goal of many, as they wouldn''t have any more worries and could have whatever they wanted.


    Adam pointed at the fighter and said. "Kick him out."


    "Damn, fine." Norman walked over to the door and whispered something to his subordinate. His subordinate nodded and went to fetch the fighter.


    After a short while, the fighter, who was still bloodied and bruised, entered the office and stood proudly with his chin high.


    He expected to be praised for his victory, but then he saw a tall figure standing at the corner of the office, and his eyes almost shone like stars.


    ''Adam sher!'' He thought with excitement, like a little kid. ''The First Commander of the Sea King fleet!''


    Afterward, he began thinking of reasons for Adam to be here and why he was invited here.


    ''C-could it be...'' His eyes widened in shock. ''Is he here to recruit me? The First Commander himself is here to recruit me!''


    His face turned red with excitement, and he forced himself not to burst intoughter.


    "Here." Norman ced a pouch of silver coins on the desk and waved his hand. "Good fight, but you are reced. Take this money; you earned it."


    "Huh?" His excitement vanished like a fart in the wind. "What the fuck? Reced? But I fucking won!"


    "Yeah, congra-fucking-ttions, now piss of." Norman angrily spat back and turned back to the parchment paper on the desk.


    It was the tournament bracket, and instead of adding the current fighter''s name to the top 16 spot, he added a person named Ambrose, who was due to fight a person called Ravenhood.


    "This is bullshit!" The enraged figher mmed his fist on the desk and caused a jar of ck ink to fall and stter across expensive-looking carpet.


    "What the fuck!" Norman angrily shouted. "That''ll never be cleaned up!"


    "Who is this fucker you are recing me with, huh?!" The fighter asked angrily and nced at Adam, who was casually smoking a cigarette while gazing out towards the cage. "He is recing me?"


    "No." Norman said and crossed his legs. "A guy called Ambrose."


    "Ambrose?" The fighter frowned andughed. "Hah, with some fucking nobody? I have never heard of ''im before. Are you making fun of me or what?!"


    "Piss off, or you''ll be banned from future fights." Norman said and leaned on his chair with a smug expression. "Well then, hop hop and fuck off."


    The fighter clenched his fist and said, "I''ve been practicing day and night for this tournament. This is my final chance of getting fuck out of the shithole I call home!"


    "Well, I don''t give a fuck." Norman pointed toward the door. "Fuck off, or I''ll call someone to throw you out."


    "Let me fight this guy called Ambrose!" He shouted. "If he wins, sure, I''ll leave, but if I win, you''ll let me fight!"


    Norman frowned and looked towards Adam like he was waiting for an answer from the real boss.


    "Huh..." Adam took a long drag and dropped the cigarette before stomping it out with his boot. He then looked towards the angry-faced fighter and said, "Nah, if I say you are fucking reced, then you are reced."


    "This is unfair!" The fighter screamed and pointed at Adam with a shaky index finger. "I am stronger than anyone else in here!"


    "Is that so?" Adam chuckled and pulled up his sleeves.


    Seeing that, the fighter took a step backward, and most of his anger vanished just like that. He had heard some legendary tales of Adam sher and how he had reached his current status as First Commander.


    However, after a slightly longer contemtion, he scoffed and took a step forward.


    "I ain''t afraid of ya!"


    In his mind, Adam sher was always mentioned alongside his peerless swordsmanship. However, this was bare-knuckle fighting!


    ''In brawling, no one can defeat me!'' The fighter put his arms up in front of him and tightened his muscles.


    "You should..." Adam formed a fist on his right hand and reeled in his arm way back.


    He then rotated his shoulder as if he were shifting gears, and then he moved forward with a long stride.


    As Adam''s tall shadow engulfed him, the fighter opened his tightened fists and pointed his open palms towards Adam''s reeled-in fist.


    ''My martial arts is called All-Weaving. I can redirect and nullify every attack with my unique techniques. A mere strength-based attack has no effect on me!''


    Adam narrowed his eyes and threw a straight punch. However, because of his long limbs, his range of attack was two meters!


    It even took the master of All-Weaving by surprise. However, he already took note of his enormous armspan and knew that fighting Adam directly would be an instant defeat.


    However, he had already nned for that!


    "All-Weaving, Redirect of Calm Lake."


    The fighter moved his palms and unleashed invisible energy that struck Adam''s fist. He then rotated his wrists around and jabbed his fingers into Adam''s wrist.


    At that point, the fist should have been redirected, allowing the All-Weaving Master to counter-attack with a powerful strike.


    "Eh?" However, he let out a short exmation of surprise as the fist smashed into his palm, as if the redirection had no effect.


    The fist, oncending on the open palm, sent tremors throughout the fighter''s arm.


    The palm twisted around, and all its fingers broke from the impact. Then, immediately afterward, the palm exploded like a balloon and burst into a shower of blood and shattered bone.


    The fist struck the fighter''s face with a sickening crunch.


    As soon as the fistnded on the face, the fighter''s eyes widened in terror, but it was already toote.


    Spurt¡ªthe head exploded, and the blood sttered across the walls like a ssh painting.


    The fighter''s body crumpled to the ground, lifeless. His legacy, which he thought would be one of greatness, was, in the end, nothing but a bloody mess across the walls of the office, which would be rather bothersome to clean.


    "Ah, man." Norman scratched his hair. "Lord Adam, do you have any idea how hard it is to clean the blood off these walls? The smell will never be gone."


    "It''s time to move this organization, don''t you think?"


    "Hmm, what do you mean by that?" Norman raised his eyebrow.


    "This organization has been profitable, and the Sea King has been pleased." Adam crossed his arms. "We''ll have a better arena built for the tournament, and it will be more public. You''ll be in control of that."


    Norman''s eyes widened in shock, and then he showed his most genuine smile so far.


    "That is a great honor; thank you!"


    Adam slipped his hands inside his pocket and scanned the room with his blind eyes.


    "Start the next round. This fight didn''t satisfy me."


    "Of course, sir!" Norman bowed respectfully.

 Chapter 287 Disrespected

    <h4>Chapter 287 Disrespected</h4>


    A ck-sailed ship docked under the shadow of a tall mountain and a ck castle.


    As they departed from the ship, Mars and the rest saw the enormous mountain and felt like heavy pressure fell over them.


    Before they could leave the harbor, a figure dressed in a proper suit and tie walked over to them.


    "Mars Godfriend, correct?" He asked in a monotone tone.


    "That''s me." Mars said with a gruff voice.


    "The Sea King is waiting for you. Follow me." He then turned around, and with hands behind his back, he started to head towards the tall mountain.


    "You''ll stay here." Mars said to others as he walked away.


    Apollo and others shared nces and sighed before sitting down on the pier.


    "You''ll think Ambrose is here?" Damian asked as his gaze lingered in the direction of Haventown.


    "Perhaps." Leon said while taking a cigarette from his pocket and lighting it up. "By the way, I don''t like the looks those guys are giving us."


    He nced sideways at the group of pirates gathered near one of therge vessels. They were cleaning their weapons, throwing them dirty nces.


    "Provoking." Apollo looked away from them and said, "Ignore them."


    At that moment, a figure walked down the stone steps and arrived at the pier. He was looking around the harbor until he saw the people he was looking for.


    With a smile on his face, he approached them.


    "That guy ising to us." Damian whispered and extended his ck nails from his right hand while still keeping the hand hidden.


    "Wee, ck Heart Pirates." He said with his arms crossed behind his back. "I suppose your captain has already left to meet the Sea King?"


    "Yes, and you are...?" Apollo took the lead as the First Mate of the ck Heart Pirates.


    "My name is Arkham."


    Arkham was a golden-haired man with fair skin and blue eyes like the sky itself. His ears were surprisingly sharp, and circr silver earrings adorned them.


    He had a strong jawline and a confident smile, like he had everything under control and that nothing could wipe off that smile on his face.


    His eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, as if he knew a secret that no one else did.


    "I am Apollo." Apollo introduced himself, but inwardly thought. ''An elf, and not just any elf. Arkham, the Second Commander of the Sea King fleet. He is incredibly dangerous!''


    "It pains me to see that Mars left you all in here." Arkham put his hand against his chest and looked like he was truly in pain. "However, the Sea King doesn''t wish you to stay here. Come with me to the castle; your rooms have been prepared."


    "Apollo..." Leon narrowed his eyes and shook his head. This was incredibly suspicious.


    ''What other options are there? None.'' Apollo thought and nodded. "All right, it would be an honor."


    "Great." Arkhamughed. "Then, follow me."


    ...


    At the underground fighting tournament.


    "It''s time for the Round of 16 to start!" The announcer, standing in the middle of the cage, shouted loud enough for everyone in the basement to hear. "The first match will be between Dn and Sarahh with two h''s!"


    The crowd cheered as the two fighters stepped into the cage.


    After the bell rang, the lean-bodied Dn and the slender-bodied Sarahh began trading blows. However, it was clear that, as a man, Dn had an advantage over Sarahh in terms of strength and power.


    However, Sarahh effortlessly managed to dance around Dn and deliver punches that continuednding on the liver and kidneys.


    Yet a single punch from Dn sent her sprawling across the ground. Sarahh''s bodyy motionless, her eyes closed, and her breathing slowed.


    The first fight ended with that blow, and the second one started right afterward.


    Ambrose sat near the bar while watching the fight.


    The betting board was near him, allowing him to see who had the greatest chance at victory and who did not.


    Ever since Adam was announced to be fighting, he had been at the top of the board with the highest odds of winning.


    Ambrose was at the bottom with a few other unknown fighters who barely won their first match but were left very injured.


    The tournament didn''t have long breaks. Therefore, getting injured was a significant disadvantage.


    As the second fight neared its end, Ambrose looked down at his fists and clenched them.


    ''If I were a brawler, I might have a chance at victory, but as a swordsman? The brawler can learn different martial arts quicker, and their attacks have a greater chance of striking critical hits.


    ''As a swordsman, I can still fight like a brawler, but without any skills and only my own skills to help me, while Brawler has advantage of the game''s system...


    ''However, because of intelligence, I have managed to learn Heaven Drop and boxing. So, I am not an ordinary swordsman. I am somewhat Half-Brawler as well.


    ''Is that enough to win a single fight, though? I have to see.''


    "Ambrose?" A voice interrupted his thoughts.


    "Yes?" Ambrose turned to see a pleasant-looking woman looking at him with a flirtatious smile.


    "Your fight will start shortly. Follow me; I''ll take you to the changing room."


    "All right." Ambrose stood up and followed after her.


    After arriving at the changing room, she excused herself and left, leaving Ambrose alone with the rest of the fighters gathered in the changing room.


    They all looked battle-hardened, with scars adorning their bodies. They all wore shorts, their upper bodies were naked, and they all sat silently as they were mentally preparing themselves for the uing fight.


    Ambrose walked over to one of the closets and opened it. His shorts were inside. The shorts were ck in color, with red spots sttered around as if they were depicting the sight of blood.


    He pulled them out and put them on.


    After putting the rest of his seafaring clothes inside his inventory, he looked at himself in the mirror.


    He only wore the shorts with his upper body naked. He felt rather drafty, but his muscles looked extremely defined, like they were carved from diamonds and steel.


    In terms of body alone, Ambrose was at the top echelon whenpared to other fighters. The other fighters still looked like they had some fat around their midsections, but Ambrose''s body was lean and chiseled.


    However, in terms of the size of the muscles, he was slightly further back in the line.


    His chiseled body impressed the other fighters as they first saw him, but when they noticed the silky smooth skin free of any scars, they scoffed in silence.


    It was clear that this young man hadn''t been in a proper fight before.


    Also, he clearly reced someone, as they didn''t see him fight in the first round. That made him look even worse in their eyes, as they believed that he had purchased his way in.


    And since he skipped the first round, he could fight the second roundpletely uninjured.


    In their heads, it was very unfair, but they were born in a world that instantly seemed very unfair and unjust. Therefore, they simply disrespected him in their minds.


    However, at the corner of the changing room, a scar-faced man with raven-ck hair cracked his knuckles as he looked at Ambrose.


    He was called Ravenhood, Ambrose''s opponent in the Round of 16.


    ''Pathetic.'' Ravenhood scoffed. ''I''ll crush him like swatting a fly.''

 Chapter 288 Round of 16

    <h4>Chapter 288 Round of 16</h4>


    "It''s time for another fight!" The announcer shouted. "In the white corner, it''s a veteran of the underground tournament, and this is his 33rd fight in total.


    "His record is 29 victories and 3 losses!


    "Ravenhood!"


    Cheer¡ªthe crowd exploded in loud apuse.


    The cage''s door opened, and a scar-faced man with raven-ck hair trotted inside. He wore white shorts, and his body looked lean and battle-hardened, as if his previous 33 fights had left their mark on him.


    The crowd then turned to the other door, remembered the fight of Ravenhood''s opponent, and thought that this could be a very even fight.


    However, the announcer then shouted.


    "A slight change in the matchup has urred.


    "The fighter¡ªRamon¡ªhas been reced by a new fighter!"


    The crowd groaned as this wasn''t the first time it had happened, but then, they wondered whether the recement was better or worse fighter.


    "On the ck corner, this is his first time fighting in the underground tournament!"


    "Record of 0 wins and 0 losses!


    "Ambrose!


    Creak¡ªthe cage''s door creaked loudly open, and Ambrose stepped onto the stage under a lukewarm response from the crowd.


    The crowd at least expected the recement to have fought before. However, the recement was aplete newbie and also looked rather young. The only impressive part was his body frame.


    The announcer then left the cage and stood outside of it in safety. It then shouted.


    "Fighters, ready?"


    Ravenhood put his fists up as an affirmation.


    Ambrose nodded and moved his fists into a boxing stance.


    "3... 2... 1... start!


    Swoosh¡ªRavenhood pounced forward like a wild animal. He was clearly nning to end this fight as soon as possible.


    As he threw a powerful straight punch, Ambrose put his arms in front of him as a block and blocked the attack rather effortlessly.


    However, Ravenhood then used his leg like a whip and kicked into Ambrose''s thigh, causing a powerful smack sound that caused shivers to run down the crowd''s spine.


    At this moment, Ravenhood had grown used to his opponents crying in pain after getting a taste of his kicks, but Ambrose didn''t even flinch.


    Ambrose smashed his foot down on Ravenhood''s foot, stopping him from backing away, and then smashed his fist into Ravenhood''s face.


    Smack!


    "Cough!" Ravenhood coughed some blood and quickly escaped with a long back jump. His nose was bleeding, and it looked slightly bent as if it were broken.


    ''His punches hit like a fucking cannon.'' He thought and spat out blood.


    The crowd eximed, and some pped loudly.


    In the office, Adam and Norman watched the fight through a wide window.


    "He is more durable than I thought." Norman said. "I haven''t seen many stay standing after getting kicked by Ravenhood."


    Adam narrowed his gaze at the fight.


    ''Reinhardt didn''t teach you bare-knuckle fighting, didn''t he? Well, let''s see how good you are without him.''


    In the cage, Ravenhood used footwork that resembled drunken dancing and then sent several high kicks that were timely blocked by Ambrose.


    However, Ravenhood''s unpredictability proved to be a challenge for Ambrose.


    ''I can''t tell where he is attacking from.'' Ambrose thought and quickly circled around Ravenhood before throwing a liver punch, but it was quickly evaded by Ravenhood, who moved around the cage and countered with a powerful kick.


    Ambrose put his arms in front of his body and tanked the kick, but his feet slid backwards a half-meter.


    At that moment, his back crashed into the cage, and Ravenhood immediately shot forward like a bloodthirsty wolf.


    ''Shit!'' Ambrose had no ce to escape anymore, as he had forgotten about the threat of the close spaces.


    He hadn''t been used to fighting in the cage, while Ravenhood had 33 fights under his belt and looked like he was at home inside the cage. There was a huge difference in experience!


    Ravenhood shot his hand forward, grabbed Ambrose by his arm, and tried to throw him to the ground to change the fighting to the ground.


    Ambrose''s feet lifted off the ground, and he fell back-first to the ground.


    Ravenhood immediately mounted him and began throwing elbow strikes with deadly intentions.


    As Ambrose desperately tried to defend against the elbows, it looked like the fight was heavily favoring Ravenhood, and the crowd started chanting his name as the victory seemed near.


    In the office, Norman''s face slightly paled. "Adam, if he loses..."


    "Yeah, yeah." Adamughed. "I think he is just having some fun."


    "Having fun?" Norman''s eye twitched. "He is getting beaten up!"


    "Is that how it looks?" Adam smirked.


    In the cage, Ravenhood''s grin grew as he felt like Ambrose''s movements had be more sluggish and his arms, which were trying to block his elbows, were bleeding.


    "Now... how did they do this..." Ambrose whispered while feeling the elbows strike down on his arms.


    Boxing wasn''t the only thing that he had tried to learn. He was also watching many grappling videos, but he wasn''t sure how good he was at it as there hadn''t been a proper ce to test.


    ''Let''s try this...'' Ambrose suddenly lifted his hips, like he was thrusting his hips into the air.


    However, that caused Ravenhood to get tossed out of the mounted position and fall to the ground.


    Ambrose quickly jumped back to his feet.


    "Argh, the hell..." Ravenhood stood up and turned back to Ambrose with a deep frown.


    "Time to end this..." Ambrose whispered and raised a single arm.


    "End this?" Ravenhood scoffed loudly and lunged forward like a shooting star. "You weaklin¡ª"


    Smack!


    At the moment of his lunge, Ambrose threw a punch that was so fast that no one in the crowd saw it. Itnded on the side of Ravenhood''s head, causing his brains to shake inside his skull, making him dazed.


    Ravenhood stumbled to his side and copsed to the ground.


    The crowd turned silent, as this was not the kind of oue they expected.


    Ambrose jumped slightly and smashed his leg across Ravenhood''s face, sending him sprawling across the ground. The sound of his body hitting the ground echoed through the air.


    At that moment, Ravenhood stopped moving, drool dripping from his mouth.


    The announcer raised his arms in the air.


    "The fight is over!


    "The winner¡ªAmbrose!"


    After a momentary shock, the crowd excitedly started cheering.


    "..." Ambrose looked at his bloodied knuckles and then left the cage while being shown with the cheers.


    He walked away with a sense of satisfaction and pride, but he also felt like he was missing something crucial about his fighting style but couldn''t put his finger around what it was.


    After he returned to the changing room, the next fight started almost immediately.


    This time, the looks weren''t as hostile in the changing room as before, as he had cleared some of the doubt. It was clear that he knew how to fight because he defeated veteran Ravenhood.


    However, he needed to prove himself in the next round if he also wanted to earn their respect.


    At this moment, they heard loud cheers from the direction of the cage.


    ''What happened?'' Ambrose frowned.


    At the same moment, the door opened, and a muscr man trotted inside the changing room. However, he was one of the fighters after Ambrose''s fight.


    But it looked like the fight was already over!


    The muscr man carefreely sat down, his hands still stained with blood, but it wasn''t his but his opponent''s, who seemed to have suffered an early loss.


    Ambrose looked at the muscr man with a frown.


    ''He is called Nykholm, if I remember correctly, and he is my next round opponent...''

 Chapter 289 Ambrose Vs. Nykholm

    <h4>Chapter 289 Ambrose Vs. Nykholm</h4>


    At the Sea King''s castle.


    Creak¡ªthe tall doors opened, and Mars stepped through, his eyes narrowing into a re as he saw the person he was meeting sitting at the high back-end throne.


    "You must be Mars." Tyrannus said, his ocean-blue eyes shining like a pearl found at the bottom of the ocean.


    "Sea King." Mars put his arms behind his back and heard the doors behind him shut tightly.


    Only Tyrannus and Mars were left in the throne room.


    "I heard you have something belonging to me..." Tyrannus said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "I see that you didn''t bring it with you."


    "Yeah, it''s my only leverage, y''see." Mars scoffed and turned to look at the paintings that adorned the walls. "If wee to a proper agreement, I''ll give it to you. Until then, you ain''t seeing it."


    "I see." Tyrannus crossed his legs and tapped his finger against the throne''s arm rest. However, his second hand slowly approached his battle axe. "And what is it that you are after?"


    "Hmm, I heard that you are hosting the annual auction." Mars walked over to one of the paintings that depicted a battle that was fought a long time ago. "I want to attend it."


    "That''s it?" Tyrannus asked with a frown. ''There is something he wants from the auction. Hah.''


    "That''s right." Mars nodded. "After the auction, I''ll return the mace to you."


    "Well, I am sure that can be arranged." Tyrannus removed his hand from his battle axe and smiled. "The auction starts tomorrow, so until then, you may rest in one of the guest bedrooms. After all, you are my guest."


    "I appreciate it, but I do not n to stay here." Mars walked to one of the windows and looked towards therge bridge that led to the other ind nearby. "I heard Haventown is an interesting ce. I am sure there are inns."


    "As you wish." Tyrannuszily said. "However, your crew members were more than eager to stay here. I''ll keep them in here, just in case."


    "You think you can hold me by my balls because you threaten them?" Marsughed. "I do not care about them. I will not be intimidated by your fruitless threats."


    "Hahaha." Tyrannusughed and shook his head. "Threaten? No, no. They are my guests. Also, I know that you can summon them to your side whenever you want.


    "I am also a vivid user of the ve contract. I have also used that with many of my subordinates."


    "Yeah, and?" Mars crossed his arms. "Your words must have some point in them."


    "See you at the auction." Tyrannus waved his hand, and the doors swung open.


    Mars frowned and turned around to walk away.


    After he left, Tyrannus grabbed the battle axe and rested it against his shoulder.


    "What a bastard." Tyrannus clenched his hands and narrowed his gaze. "Whatever you desire in the auction, you won''t get it."


    At that moment, one of hismanders, Arkham, trotted inside the throne room with a casual smile on his face.


    "Are they still here?" Tyrannus asked casually.


    "Yes, but how long? I wonder." Arkham took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and took a puff.


    He didn''t look like the gentle elves that were depicted in the murals of ancient history, but almost like a gangster with the hobby of cosying.


    "Mars won''t teleport them away." Tyrannus said. "It would show that my threat worked and he is threatened. That''ll put me in a higher status than him and he doesn''t want that."


    "What are we going to do about the auction?" Arkham asked.


    "We''ll make sure he doesn''t win anything." Tyrannus said. "We are also allowed to participate in the auction.


    "If Mars wants to quarrel with us, he''ll be reminded that there are over a hundred strong pirate captains currently staying in Haventown. He''ll be stomped to death like a bug if he wants to try something.


    "We''ll just let him participate; he then has to return the mace, and then we will make sure that he and his crew won''t leave this ind in one piece."


    Arkham smiled and took a long puff.


    ...


    "It''s time for the quarterfinals!" The announcer in the underground fighting tournament shouted loudly.


    "Y''all just saw the return of the legendary Adam, and it didn''t disappoint!"


    The crowd was still buzzing about it, but unfortunately, the fight ended after a single punch, and it took some time to clean the opponent''s mangled body off the cage.


    However, now that it was cleaned, it was time for the quarterfinals.


    "Let''s start with the first fight!"


    A cage''s door opened, and a muscr man with white shorts and ck stripes trotted inside.


    After he appeared, the crowd turned wild as they still vividly remembered his previous fight, which ended almost instantly. It was the shortest fight beside Adam''s and also ended after one punch!


    "In the white corner is another veteran of the tournament with steel fists and a reputation for never going easy on his opponents!


    "The record of 49 victories and 1 loss!


    "Nykholm, the Steel Fist!"


    Cheer¡ªthe crowd exploded with loud apuse while Nykholm raised his fist towards the ceiling. His fists were the size of bricks, and his muscles looked like they had been pumped with air to make them look even bigger, as if they were balloons.


    "And then, in the ck corner!" The announcer shouted and saw the cage''s door open with a m.


    "A newbie, but in his previous fight, he already defeated an underground tournament veteran, Ravenhood!


    "His record is 1 victory and 0 losses.


    "Ambrose!"


    The crowd apuded, even though it was nowhere as loud as with Nykholm.


    After that, the announcer left the cage and stood outside.


    "Are the fighters ready?!"


    Nykholm raised his arms high in affirmation.


    Ambrose nodded.


    "3... 2... 1... start!"


    Smack¡ªNykholm mmed his fists together and approached Ambrose slowly, but each step of his looked heavy and loud, as if there was a giant stomping somewhere far away.


    The sound echoed through the room, making it seem as if the ground was shaking beneath their feet.


    ''He is slow, so let''s try speed.'' Ambrose suddenly started hopping around like a boxer, and it looked strange to the crowd and other fighters.


    In this world, the concept of boxing wasn''t known, and its techniques were not familiar to anyone.


    Therefore, it looked like he was simply cosying a punching rabbit''s fighting style. The punching rabbit was a creature known for hopping around and throwing punches with incredible speed and power.


    In a sense, the punching rabbit''s fighting style was a nearly perfect replica of boxing.


    "A tiny rabbit." Nykholm stomped forward and delivered a slow but urate punch that caused the air in front of it to explode.


    At that moment, Ambrose quickly circled around Nykholm with neat footwork and delivered quick jabs at Nykholm''s waist and chest.


    However, Nykholm didn''t even flinch and swung his arm wide, as if he were trying to knock Ambrose away like a fly.


    Ambrose ducked the arm and straightened his arm, with his fistnding on Nykholm''s liver.


    Nykholm, again, didn''t flinch but smirked.


    At that moment, his hand moved like a lightning bolt, and he pped Ambrose across the face, sending him flying across the cage.

 Chapter 290 Nykholm Vs. Ambrose

    <h4>Chapter 290 Nykholm Vs. Ambrose</h4>


    Ambrose crashed into the cage wall and coughed up blue blood.


    ''T-the hell?'' He groaned loudly and stood up, feeling like he had lost the feeling from half of his face.


    ''He isn''t slow; he was just ying around.''


    In the office, Norman watched the fight alone, as Adam had to fight soon.


    ''Nykholm is the only fighter I know that can tank a few punches from Adam.'' Norman''s eyes were fixed on Ambrose. ''Nykholm is stronger, faster, and more durable than you. How can you win?''


    Near the changing room, Adam watched from the back of the crowd as the fight yed out.


    ''If you defeat him, I''ll truly be impressed, Ambrose.''


    In the cage, Nykholm sent explosive punches that struck Ambrose like sledgehammers.


    Ambrose couldn''t do anything to block the attacks and tried desperately to dodge, but the muscr man was somehow way faster than him, always able tond a blow.


    Nykholm, with his shoulder in front of him, tackled Ambrose, sending him flying across the cage.


    His back crashed against the cage, and he slowly fell down to his knees.


    He was bleeding heavily, with scratches and bruises covering his torso.


    "Whoo..." Ambrose let out a deep breath and shook his head as he felt like he was getting far toofortable, as if he wanted to justy down and sleep.


    It meant he almost lost consciousness from getting hit in the head a little bit too much.


    Stomp¡ªat this moment, Nykholm again approached him. This time, he had intentions to end this fight once and for all.


    He swung his fist with all his might behind him, his muscles rippling like a powerful storm and his fist looking like a falling boulder, growing bigger and bigger with each passing moment.


    Smack¡ªthe fistnded on Ambrose''s chest, sending him crashing into the wall like a wrecking ball.


    The sound of Ambrose hitting the cage was very haunting, and the crowd felt like they wanted to forget that sound, as it sounded like one of their worst nightmares.


    The impact left Ambrose dazed and disoriented; his body slumped against the cage in a lifeless heap.


    "Yeaaaah!" Nykholm raised his fists high and celebrated his victory.


    The announcer was about to announce the winner, but then the crowd turned silent as they all saw an unimaginable scene.


    "Hmm?" Nykholm frowned after not hearing any cheers. He then turned around, and to his surprise, the ck-haired man with a bruised and bloodied body was still standing, his arms raised in the boxing stance.


    "It feels heavy..." Ambrose thought out loud as he struggled to keep his bnce.


    He hadn''t felt like this before, as if he were dragging a whole truck behind him.


    His legs felt weak, and his vision was blurry, as if everything were nothing but hazy images that he couldn''t quite make out.


    However, there was one person who was as clear as the sky to him.


    It was Nykholm.


    "I feel much better..." Ambrose said, even though he felt heavy, his shoulders were aching from the weight of the exhaustion.


    "You are more durable than I thought, little rabbit, but is this merely foolish bravado?" Nykholm asked with a scoff and approached him with a long stride.


    Ambrose flexed his muscles and opened his hands from the fists, then lowered himself, his knees bending and his body leaning forward. His hands looked like they were going to grab something from the air.


    At that moment, Nykholm threw another explosive punch that looked like it would be the final blow if itnded on his opponent.


    A few female members of the crowd looked away as they expected this to be over, but the more hardcore fans wanted to see Nykholm''s opponent''s head explode from the punch, which had happened quite often.


    At that moment, Ambrose lunged forward, dove under the fist, and grabbed the back of Nykholm''s legs, and then he flipped him over and mmed him to the ground.


    m¡ªas Nykholm crashed to the ground, a loud sound reverberated across the room.


    "Cough..." Nykholm coughed the air out of his lungs and struggled to get up.


    But then Ambrose wrapped his arms around Nykholm''s neck, then wrapped his feet around his torso, and started choking him.


    Almost instantly, Nykholm''s face started changing colors as he lost the ability to breathe.


    While feeling his neck get crushed by the pair of powerful arms, he saw the ceiling''s bright lights fall upon his face.


    At that moment, his eyes bulged like crazy and desperate, and a crazed look appeared on his face as if he could feel his death approaching.


    He ignored the crowd''s loud shouting and the pain in his body.


    Nykholm, with unimaginable athletic ability, managed to push himself upward, soon standing with Ambrose, who was desperately trying to choke him out.


    "T-the hell!" Ambrose groaned loudly and saw that Nykholm''s neck muscles somehow started to swell, as if his body was instinctively trying to protect him from getting choked out!


    This was an unimaginable scenario, which Ambrose didn''t expect at all, as this went beyond human capabilities.


    Nykholm grabbed Ambrose''s arms, sinking his fingers deep into his flesh and causing a spray of blood.


    "Argh, shit!" Ambrose''s eyes shrank as he lost the feeling of his arms for a moment, and that gave Nykholm enough time to remove his arms from his neck.


    Then, Nykholm grabbed Ambrose by his head and mmed him straight to the cage wall as if he were using him as a ragdoll to vent his anger.


    "Raaah!" Nykholm then dragged Ambrose''s head against the cage''s metallic surface, causing the pieces of his flesh and skull to tear and shred.


    While Ambrose felt that he waspletely at Nykholm''s mercy, he saw his health drop.


    [Ambrose - HP: 111/560]


    As Nykholm mmed his head against the cage, his health dropped every second.


    It would take less than ten seconds for his health to fully drop to zero and die.


    In the office, Norman shook his head and whispered under his breath that it was over.


    There was a moment that he thought Ambrose would win, but then Nykholm showed why he was one of the strongest fighters in the tournament.


    Adam watched with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable.


    Nykholm then lifted Ambrose''s body, looking at his disfigured face with half of the face having no flesh.


    "Not bad, little rabbit; I almost lost." Nykholm dropped him to the ground; he folded like a ragdoll. "I''ll crush your head like a pumpkin."


    He lifted his foot and put it on top of Ambrose''s head, ready to crush his skull.


    ''I don''t want to be in here...'' Ambrose scratched the ground, leaving behind blood trails. ''I hate this ce... Games were supposed to be fun... This isn''t fun...''


    Ambrose''s voice was weak and trembling.


    ''Don''t die!''


    Bonney''s voice echoed in his mind¡ªthe voice sounded weak, as if she had used all of her strength to say it.


    ''E-easier said than done...'' Ambrose tried to stand up, but his body felt weak, and Nykholm immediately pushed his head back down with his feet.


    Nykholm lifted his feet and smirked, then mmed it right down.


    At that moment, invisible hands appeared around Ambrose''s shoulders, making him roll sideways.


    Smash¡ªthe foot missed the head by an inch.

 Chapter 291 I Want To Fight

    <h4>Chapter 291 I Want To Fight</h4>


    "?" Nykholm frowned, as he didn''t expect Ambrose to have enough strength to dodge. "You again surprised me."


    ''What the hell was that?'' Ambrose felt like someone touched him, but he couldn''t see anyone around him.


    At that moment, he saw a face appear in front of him¡ªit was a perfect replica of his own face¡ªit was his soul.


    ''H-how can you appear in here?'' Ambrose asked in shock.


    ''Your soul ability connects us in a deeper way than before..'' The soul answered, ''I think I can open the second gate right now.''


    ''Y-you can?'' Ambrose''s eyes shook.


    ''I feel like I can do it, but I need you to push.'' The soul said, ''Stand up and fight. I''ll break the chains and open the door.''


    ''All right...'' Ambrose stood up and opened his eyes wide. He then saw Nykholm''s foot approaching his face, which would cause his head to pop like a balloon.


    At this moment, he didn''t know where he got the stamina to move, but he moved like a puppet moved by a puppet master and rolled out of the way.


    As Nykholm again missed the target, his face turned red in anger.


    "Fine, I''ll crush you with my fists!" Nykholm lunged after Ambrose, his fists tightening in preparation for the attack.


    At that moment, Ambrose put his hands down on the ground and flipped himself up. Hended perfectly on the ground and moved seamlessly down the ground, dodging Nykholm''s fists, which wasn''t possible before.


    It looked like he was much faster and more effective with the way he was moving.


    His feet didn''t even leave the ground, but it looked like he was sliding across the ground, and it looked beautiful, with many crowd members eximing.


    Adam slowly uncrossed his arms, his eyes shaking as if he were seeing something unbelievable.


    ''He ispletely natural with the way he is moving, as if he were bending the world to his way of moving. This can only happen when he is about to open gates...


    ''He is only in his early twenties, and he is about to open his second gate!''


    Adam''s eyes shrunk.


    ''S-so, this is Reinhardt''s disciple?''


    Nykholm screamed and threw powerful punches, but each missed Ambrose just by an inch. He felt like he could easily hit him, but at thest moment, Ambrose moved out of the way like a slippery eel.


    At that moment, Ambrose threw several sloppy jabs that looked like they would never hurt someone like Nykholm.


    However, when those jabsnded on Nykholm''s chest, a powerful smacking sound echoed throughout the room as if someone were smashing a hammer down at someone''s skull.


    "Aaaargh!" Nykholm crashed on the cage''s wall and looked at his body, which had threerge bruises on his chest. He couldn''t remember thest time he had bruises.


    ''Are you close?'' Ambrose asked while breathing heavily. He didn''t feel like he had any strength to lift his foot from the ground.


    ''Soon!'' The soul answered.


    He had a feeling that it would be all right even if he didn''t, so he instead used the ground as a skating ring.


    He moved quickly and seamlessly across the cage and smashed his fist at Nykholm''s face¡ªthis time it sounded like his skull had been crushed.


    Nykholm coughed blood and quickly threw a sloppy punch, which Ambrose effortlessly dodged by twisting his body to the side.


    He then started delivering quick and urate jabs, which rocked Nykholm''s body and left him helpless like a baby rabbit in front of murderous wolf.


    At the moment another Ambrose''s fistnded on Nykholm''s body, the announcer''s voice sounded.


    "The battle is over!


    "Nykholm is unconscious!


    "The winner is Ambroseeeee!"


    The crowd erupted in cheers and chanted Ambrose''s name as he stood victorious in the ring. They screamed loudly and pped loudly, which sounded like a loud thunderp.


    After Ambrose stopped punching, Nykholm''s lifeless body fell to the ground.


    He noticed that Nykholm was dead after receiving XP from his death.


    ''I didn''t expect my punches to be that effective. I wonder how it would''ve been if I used my swords...'' Ambrose looked away from Nykholm''s corpse and asked. ''Well, did it work?''


    ''No, he was too weak.'' The soul said, ''You need to fight someone stronger, and I might be able to finish it.''


    ''All right. There are still two rounds left in the tournament.'' Ambrose nodded and left the cage while being showered with cheers andpliments.


    In the office, Norman stood with baffled expression on his face. ''Adam, just who the hell did you bring?''


    After he returned to the changing room, there weren''t as many fighters anymore. Instead, only five fighters were waiting for their quarterfinal match.


    When Ambrose arrived at the changing room, many nced at him with a different look this time. One was shocked that he could still stand with half of his face disfigured and pieces of his skull showing.


    But there were also looks of respect as he managed to defeat one of the strongest fighters in the history of underground tournaments, and no matter how many times he was beaten down, he continued to stand up.


    Ambrose went to his locker, took out Restoration Gel from his inventory, and then spread it across the other half of his face.


    After a short while, his flesh returned, and it soon looked perfectly new, his skin looking even fairer than before.


    He then sat back down and started eating to fill his health.


    He felt extremely restless, as his body still wanted to move even though he was feeling extremely sluggish and exhausted.


    ''I want to fight...


    ''I want to fight...


    ''I want to fight.''


    At that moment, Ambrose smiled and turned to the rest of the locker room. The five of them were preparing and waiting for their fight to start.


    ...


    After a short while, Nykholm''s corpse and the blood were cleaned off the cage.


    "Time for the second round of the quarterfinals!" The announcer shouted in excitement, still feeling giddy about the previous fight.


    The two cage doors opened.


    "In the white corner, we have martial arts that hail from thend of the Descending Sun. He used martial arts that solely focused on finger jabs and eye pokes. He is known for being a ruthless and annoying opponent to fight against.


    "His record is 19 victories and 5 losses!


    "Herees Ryu Zi!"


    The crowd cheered loudly as the light from the ceiling focused on the white corner.


    However, after a few moments, no one came from there.


    The crowd looked confused and slightly awkward, wondering whether the announcer missed the timing of the announcement.


    "Hmm?" The announcer turned to the door and frowned. He then looked at the crowd and awkwardly chuckled. "Excuse us, folks, Ryu Zi is a littlete!"


    He then stomped out of the cage and approached the changing room with a twitching eyebrow.


    ''You better be fucking ready or I''ll crush your skull.'' The announcer said and mmed the changing room''s door open. "Ryu Zi, your fight is..."


    What he saw in the changing room left him speechless.


    "W-w-what the hell..."


    Five bloodied and lifeless bodies were strewn about in the changing room.


    At that moment, he saw the ck-haired young man washing his hands on the sink with a look of satisfaction on his face.


    "A-Ambrose?"

 Chapter 292 Grand Finals

    <h4>Chapter 292 Grand Finals</h4>


    "Can we skip straight to the finals?" Ambrose turned off the sink and turned to the announcer with a smile. "I want to fight Adam."


    "I-I''ll..." The announcer backed off with a trembling voice. "H-have to talk to Norman."


    At that moment, he backed off of someone and flinched. When he turned around, he saw Adam towering high above him. He couldn''t even see his eyes properly.


    "L-Lord Adam..."


    At that moment, Adam looked down enough for the announcer to see his face.


    Adam''s face had an enormous grin, which made his face look hideously monstrous as the grin stretched all of his facial muscles, making his eyes appear even more unsettling.


    "Go announce our fight."


    "B-b-but N-Norman..."


    "Go!" Adam shouted. "I cannot wait any longer."


    "A-All right..." The announcer skipped away and quickly returned to the cage.


    As he started announcing that the grand finals were actually starting already, Adam looked at Ambrose with arge grin.


    "I was tired of fighting the fodder anymore." Adam turned around and approached the cage with a face that made him look like he was on the verge of orgasm.


    After it was announced that the grand finals were going to happen now between Adam and Ambrose, the crowd became so loud that the ceiling almost fell.


    They didn''t know what happened, but they also didn''t care, as they wanted to see Adam fight, and Ambrose proved himself to be a skilled fighter.


    In the office, Norman''s eyes shook.


    "T-those fools ruined my tournament!" He mmed his fist on the window, but at that moment, he saw Adam''srge grin while standing in the cage.


    ''H-he is grinning?'' Norman''s eyes shook as he knew that Adam only grinned when he was fighting a powerful opponent.


    Otherwise, he would have a cool and almost bored expression.


    This meant Adam acknowledged Ambrose as a powerful adversary!


    "W-why?" Norman asked with a trembling voice. "Ambrose only barely defeated Nykholm. Nykholm could perhaps only survive a few punches from Adam, but that''s it.


    "There shouldn''t be anyone even close to Adam''s level of power in this tournament.


    "So why... why is he so excited?!"


    As the announcer was about to introduce both fighters, Adam grabbed him by his cor and tossed him away like a filthy dog.


    He couldn''t wait for another second.


    "Argh..." As the announcer fell to the hard ground outside the cage, he shouted. "Fight start!"


    The crowd immediately erupted in cheers.


    Ambrose moved first, his feet sliding across the ground as if he were skating, and thenunched a storm of jabs, each one packing a powerful punch.


    Adam crossed his arms in front of his body and tanked the jabs, which were powerful enough to pummel Nykholm all the way to death.


    However, Adam didn''t even flinch and continued blocking without any trouble.


    After seeing that his jabbing didn''t do anything, Ambrose slid past Adam and attacked the back of his head.


    Adam put his arm in the way and blocked the punch, but Ambrose quickly followed up with another attack. This time, he threw a kick that neared Adam''s abdomen.


    At thest moment, Adam grabbed the leg and flipped Ambrose over, sending him crashing to the ground.


    However, when Ambrose was about to hit the ground, he seamlessly put his hands on the ground and flipped himself over,nding neatly on the ground without any harm.


    "Not bad." Adam grinned. "Not bad at all."


    At that moment, Adam took the initiative and threw a straight punch.


    Ambrose moved like a fish in the water and neatly dodged the punch.


    Immediately afterward, Adam followed up with a low kick that would be strong enough to split the tree in half.


    Ambrose quickly jumped over the leg and grabbed Adam''s shoulders before flipping over him.


    He then wrapped his arm around Adam''s neck and shouted. "Heaven Drop!"


    Adam''s feet left the ground, and he saw the world turn upside down before he crashed down on the ground with a loud thud.


    Gasp¡ªthe crowd gasped and turned eerily silent. They had never seen Adam in trouble in any of his fights and thought that the fight would be quickly over, but at least they were able to see him fight.


    However, something unbelievable was happening in front of their eyes.


    "Whoo..." Ambrose let out a long breath and said, "Stand up, Adam. I know this is nothing yet."


    "Hah." Adam chuckled as heid on the ground on his stomach. He then slowly stood up and patted off the dust from his shorts.


    ''Are you close?'' Ambrose asked the soul that slumbered deep inside his body.


    ''Yes, but this is still not enough.''


    Ambrose lowered his stance and went into his usual grappling stance. Last time he used this, he almost choked Nykholm out cold.


    "Ahh, this. Interesting." Adam''s eyes shone in excitement.


    "Argh!" Ambrose slid forward and neared Adam''s legs.


    At that moment, Adam grabbed Ambrose''s shoulders, stopping him from reaching his legs, and then kneed him in the face.


    "Ptui!" Ambrose coughed blood and stumbled backward.


    Adam smashed his fist deep into Ambrose''s waist, where his liver was located, and caused him to let out an empty cough as all his air left his lung.


    Ambrose flew across the cage and crashed into the metal cage wall.


    Ambrose fell limply down to the ground and held his stomach as he felt like all the air was punched out of his lungs.


    However, after a few breaths, his breathing eased up.


    ''I... suppose, it was little bit too obvious of an attack.'' He stood back up and looked at Adam with a serious re.


    He still didn''t feel like Adam was going all out, but only replicated his power level.


    ''I am very close!'' The soul shouted. ''Final push. Fight with all you got!''


    ''No need to tell me twice.'' Ambrose took a deep breath and after calming down his thoughts, he mmed his eyes open and dashed forward.


    Adam smirked and put his arms up as a block. He anticipated that Ambrose would use hit-and-run tactics, as they had worked with him before.


    However, this time, Ambrose had a different n in mind.


    He reeled in his fist and punched towards Adam''s block.


    ''As expected.'' Adam suddenly removed his block and shot his hand forward in attempt to catch Ambrose''s wrist.


    But then, Ambrose''s punch stopped and he suddenly leaned forward as if he were falling to the ground, but then, his legs muscles bulged and he kicked himself forward,unching himself towards Adam''s legs!


    ''He again went for my legs!'' Adam''s eyes shrank as he realized he was toote to stop it.


    Ambrose wrapped his arms around Adam''s legs, lifted him off the ground and with a loud scream, mmed him to the ground with enough strength to make the ground shake.


    "Argh..." Adam let out a groan of slight pain as the wind was knocked out of his lungs.


    Ambrose immediately mounted him and started throwing dozens of punches at his face and body.


    Adam quickly protected his head, but his body was getting hit, especially his ribs, and even he couldn''t take so much punishment without feeling some pain.


    "Hahaha..." Adamughed with arge grin, as if he were having the time of his life.


    ''Now, how did he shake off Ravenhood. Lift the hips right?'' Adam smirked and then thrust his hips to the air, as if he were trying to mimic Ambrose''s movements.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook as he stumbled forward, and was about to fall off, but then, his eyes narrowed and then, he moved behind Adam''s back like a slippery snake and wrapped his arms around his neck.


    He squeezed tight, instantly stopping Adam from breathing.

 Chapter 293 Formlessness

    <h4>Chapter 293 Formlessness</h4>


    The crowd exploded in loud cheers as they remembered Ambrose doing this to Nykholm and almost managing to defeat him.


    "Fucking... excellent!" Adam grinned even though he was struggling to breathe and could feel his consciousness slowly slip away.


    "I-Is this all, Adam sher?!" Ambrose screamed loudly.


    "A-All right, then!" Adam headbutted backwards, mming the back of his head agaubst Ambrose''s face, but the hold still didn''t weaken.


    Instead, Ambrose squeezed even harder, even though his face was bleeding from getting headbutted.


    "Raaaah!" Adam screamed loudly, his voice turning hoarse. He then mmed his elbow on Ambrose''s waist.


    This time, the hold weakened for a split moment, but Adam immediately escaped the choke hold and turned around to face Ambrose with a fierce expression.


    Then, he hammered his fist down and struck Ambrose''s face with a rageful blow.


    The blue blood spilled across the cage.


    "Cough!" Ambrose coughed up blood, and his vision narrowed as darkness started to creep in.


    He was about to lose consciousness.


    But then Ambrose pped himself in the face and jumped back to his feet.


    "Aaaah!" With a weak cry, Ambrose lunged at Adam and started throwing punches with all his might.


    However, Adam easily deflected the fists and then uppercutted Ambrose, which immediately left him dazed, and he slowly fell to the ground like a tree falling.


    His bodyy motionlessly on the ground, and everyone wondered whether he was unconscious.


    The announcer opened his mouth, about to announce the winner, but Adam then pointed at him and did a "shh" motion with his finger and mouth.


    Ambrose looked at the ground, lying on his stomach, and felt like his desire to fight had disappeared, as had his strange form, which made him feel like he could move however he wished.


    "What you were feeling is called Formlessness." Adam said while standing near Ambrose''s copsed body. "It is what happens when you are about to open gate and enter new level of strength.


    "Formlessness is only temporary, but I heard it''s permanent if you can open the third gate, which is obviously incredibly hard because of that reason.


    "With the third gate, you canmand the world around you and change it however you wish. It''s a powerful and transformative experience.


    "But now that your Formlessness has ended, did you open the second gate? It''s the best possible moment to open it and if you failed it, it might take you another five or six years to try again."


    ''D-did you...'' Ambrose asked weakly.


    Inside his mind, in the dark expanse of space, a golden door stood mightily, shining brightly as if it were the door to the new beginning.


    It was surrounded by thick, ck chains that kept the door tightly stuck, but the chains were full of cracks as if it were a ss vase that was about to shatter.


    In front of the door, a shining figure sat cross-legged. It looked like it was deep in thought, with its head moving like a possessed doll.


    At that moment, the soul opened its eyes, shining with a golden glow.


    Crack... The chains had another crack, and then they shattered into pieces.


    The chains vanished amid pixels and seeped into the dark ground.


    The soul stood up and walked over to the golden door. It was easily over thirty meters in height and shone brightly in the darkness.


    ''I got this...'' The soul whispered and mmed its hands onto the door.


    It didn''t budge even slightest, but then, the soul''s eyes shone like a golden beacon and then, the door slowly started to open.


    After a short while, the soul pushed the door wide open and stepped through, entering the golden light.


    At the same moment, the light-blue soul transformed, turning into a beautiful soul shining in bright golden light.


    At this moment, Ambrose has officially opened the second gate!


    Back in the outside world, Ambrose''s eyes opened with a m and his dull blue eyes shone with golden light for a slight moment.


    Ding, ding!


    [You Have Opened the Second Gate!]


    [Second Gate of the Inner Power: Your mind has unlocked its true potential, and you now have the ability to control and release your inner power]


    [A new Soul Ability Unlocked!]


    [Formlessness: You have unlocked the ability to transcend the limitations of your physical form and move freely in the spiritual realm. You can also make your physical body move as you wish]


    "Argh..." Ambrose slowly stood up from the ground and took a deep breath.


    He moved his fingers, imagining how he wanted them to move, and he did exactly that.


    Adam watched in silence at Ambrose and frowned. ''Something about him has changed.''


    "You said that Formlessness is only for third gate, isn''t that correct?" Ambrose turned around to look at Adam.


    "Yes, why..?" Adam asked with a frown.


    "Well..." Ambrose chuckled and then moved across the cage seamlessly as if he didn''t weight anything and appeared in front of Adam.


    Adam''s eyes widened in a shock as if he had witnessed the craziest thing in his whole life.


    "That''s impossible!"


    Ambrose mmed his open palm at Adam''s face, sending him flying across the cage.


    As Adam''s back crashed against the cage''s wall, he flew straight through it and mmed into the concrete wall at the other side of the basement.


    The crowd''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets.


    In the office, Norman fell down to his buttocks with utter shock on his face.


    "W-what? A-Adam is losing?"


    This was a possibility he never thought of.


    If Arkham or Dreadnought were fighting in the tournament, he would think there might be a distinct chance of them losing against some unexpected ck horse.


    However, he never thought about Adam losing a fight, ever!


    Adam climbed out of the wall, shaking his head as if he had suffered a head trauma.


    His vision turned dark for a moment before he again activated his soul ability to see around him. However, for just a moment, he was back to beingpletely blind.


    "Hey, Adam!" Ambrose climbed out of the wall and pulled out his two ck Swords from the inventory. "Shall we fight for real? With swords this time!"


    "Argh..." Adam groaned loudly and spat out a few teeth.


    After that, heughed and shouted. "You''re on."


    At that moment, he reached out toward the ceiling.


    In the pier of Haventown, inside the sh Pirates ship.


    A sword that looked like a long katana shot out from the roof and flew across the air like a shooting star. Then, it shed through the ground, causing one of Haventown''s streets to be cut in half, and then, appeared in Adam''s hand in the basement.


    Ambrose moved across the basement with his Formlessness, it looked like he was floating across the air as if the gravity didn''t matter to him.


    The crowd quickly scurried away in a panic as they realized they would be in a lot of danger if they stayed behind to watch this fight!


    Ambrose lifted his swords high and mmed them against Adam''s long katana. The sparks flew like fireworks and the sound of shing metal filled the air, echoing across the whole Haventown.

 Chapter 294 Adam Vs. Ambrose

    <h4>Chapter 294 Adam Vs. Ambrose</h4>


    "This ce is too cramped!" Adam crouched and sprang up into the air, crashing through the ceiling and appearing above Haventown, hovering in the air like a descending deity.


    As he saw Adam jump away, Ambrose looked at his legs and wondered whether he would be able to float in the air just like Adam with his Formlessness.


    ''Time to try!'' Ambrose grinned, crouched and jumped high in the air.


    He jumped with greater speed than Adam and soon appeared high in the air, seeing the passing clouds and the setting sun that cast a pleasant orange glow over the ocean.


    He felt the pleasant wind breeze on his face and his hair.


    This was the best feeling in the whole world.


    He felt like he was truly free.


    At that moment, Adam flew towards him like a homing missile and swung his katana wide, shing through the air.


    Ambrose spun around and blocked the katana with his two swords, but his block was immediately overwhelmed, and he was sent flying through the air.


    However, after a while, he stopped his flight and looked at his feet, which felt like he was standing on solid ground.


    ''It feels like I can walk in the sky just like I would do in the ground¡ªFormlessness is truly amazing.''


    "You are indeed Reinhardt''s disciple!" Adam shouted from far away and then flew straight to Ambrose. "No, I shouldn''t call your as his disciple anymore. Even though I am big fan of his, I must admit that even he couldn''t use Formlessness in second gate!


    "You might''ve surpassed him in talent!"


    Adam shouted and swung his katana wide, but Ambrose effortlessly flew below the de and appeared above Adam, standing upside down with a smile on his face.


    Adam raised his head and saw Ambrose standing upside down as if he couldn''t care less about silly things like gravity.


    Adam couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe at Ambrose''s incredible abilities.


    "Formlessness is truly fascinating!"


    Adam eximed in amazement.


    "What is your bounty?" Ambrose asked and turned around, again standing normally, and then leaned on the side, as if he were leaning against an invisible wall.


    "Why do you want to know?" Adam asked with a smirk.


    "A some time ago, I couldn''t even think about fighting against people with higher than 100,000 silver bounty.


    "Now, I want to find out my limit!"


    "Just saying, bounties doesn''t necessarily point at person''s strength." Adam said.


    "Yes, but it can tell estimation!" Ambrose shouted.


    "True that." Adamughed. "2,500,750 silvers!"


    "All right..." Ambrose lifted his swords and shouted. "I am going all out. Watch out!"


    "Heh, good." Adam grinned.


    "Raaah!" Ambrose screamed loudly, his muscles bulging like they were about to explode. "sh of the Six Worlds!"


    Swoosh!


    Adam raised his katana, and as the two ck des struck his katana, a loud metal shing sound reverberated across Haventown, causing most townfolk to look towards the sky, where they saw two people fighting like gods.


    After the initial sh was over, Ambrose groaned loudly as he tried to push Adam''s katana away, but to no avail.


    "Your strengthcks." Adam said with a small smile. "You might have Formlessness, but your basic statsck a lotpared to me."


    "Yeah..." Ambrose flew backwards and crossed his sword-wielding arms in front of his body.


    "Let''s see... Control and release the inner power..."


    At that moment, his ck des glowed with a brilliant golden light.


    "Haha, you learned that quick." Adam grinned and put his katana in front of his body. "Come on!"


    Ambrose swung the swords around his body and then shed them across the air in front of his body. He wasn''t anywhere near Adam, there was distance about hundred meters between them.


    However, that didn''t matter.


    Two air shes, glowing with brilliant golden light, shot through the air and struck Adam''s katana with incredible power.


    Ambrose looked at his swords and he couldn''t believe he just did that.


    He remembered the God''s Pdin, Mikael and Yughragh doing that in the Lowceiling. Back then, it looked like two gods fighting, but now he was also able to do those range attacks!


    Adam smashed through the golden sh and chuckled. "I can do that as well."


    He moved the sword over his shoulder until the de was behind his back. Then he swung his arm like a whip, and the katana sliced through the air with a loud whoosh, sending a white-colored sh across the air.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in a shock and he quickly put his swords in front of his body, but when the white sh struck his des, he was unable to stop it and the sh started to push him through the air for several hundred meters.


    However, after five hundred meters, Ambrose used his Formlessness and moved out of the way with nimble movements.


    "Whoo...." Ambrose took a deep breath and his hands were shaking a lot. ''Ick strength, funnily enough. It''s rarely strength Ick in my fights.''


    "You lost concentration." A sudden voice came behind him, and when he turned around, he saw Adam.


    "Ho¡ª"


    Before he could ask how he got there, Adam grabbed him by the head and started flying down to the ground. They soon smashed into the ground near the ocean, slightly outside Haventown.


    After the dust cloud cleared, Adam was standing beside Ambrose, who was breathing heavily with his swords lying on the ground beside him.


    He looked like he couldn''t move anymore.


    "It seems that my stamina is also much better." Adam chuckled and sat down, looking at the calm waves that sshed at the ship''s docked in the pier.


    "Ah, man..." Ambrose stood up and tossed his swords into his inventory. He then looked at the ocean and scratched the back of his head.


    "I thought I would be able to put up a better fight."


    "You are already strong." Adam said. "You justck some basic stats, such as strength and stamina. Your Formlessness does close the gap a lot, but you can''t use it forever without good stamina."


    Ambrose nodded thoughtfully.


    "If it eases your worries, I think you can defeat Arkham and Dreadnought." Adamughed. "They are also red-ranked pirates, so it ain''t too bad.


    "Your bounty¡ª111,111 silvers¡ªis nowhere close to your actual strength anymore. I am sure you should be near two million, but you would have to do something that puts you on the radar of the Red Inquisitors."


    "Yeah, not sure if I want to have bounty." Ambrose wryly smiled.


    "Hah, it''s not too bad." Adam scratched his head. "People like you and me, can''t stay on the good side of thew. You will always be on the radar of Inquisitors, and they won''t leave you alone."


    "Yeah..." Ambrose nodded in agreement.


    "Now that we are done fighting. Shall we go get some beer?" Adam stood up and stretched his arms. "Today was very fun. I would have died of boredom if I had to fight more of those fodders.


    "Thankfully, you sped up things, heh."


    "I just wanted to fight." Ambrose chuckled and followed after Adam as they neared Haventown. "My body and instincts were urging me to fight."

 Chapter 295 Sonney and Lonney

    <h4>Chapter 295 Sonney and Lonney</h4>


    "That''s the will of the Formlessness." Adam said while walking with hands on his pockets. "They were urging you to fight so you can take that necessary leap to open the second gate."


    "Right, I haven''t closed my gate yet. Wait a second." Ambrose sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes.


    "Yaaawn!" Adam yawned loudly and looked around while waiting for Ambrose to finish it.


    After a few minutes, Ambrose opened his eyes and stood up.


    "Done?" Adam asked.


    "Yeah." Ambrose nodded.


    "Then, let''s get shitfaced!"


    ...


    As the darkness enveloped the bustling town of Haventown.


    Inside a bar where music yed and beautiful women danced on the stage.


    At the bar counter, Adam and Ambrose sat with a bottle of beer and a shot of whiskey.


    Adam leaned on the counter, enjoying his beer while eyeing the curves of one beautiful dancing woman. He then turned to the ck-haired young man sitting beside him and asked.


    "You have any girls waiting for you?"


    Ambrose looked at him and shrugged his shoulders. "Don''t know if anyone is waiting for me anywhere."


    "Do you have any girls in mind?" Adam inquired while taking a sip of the beer.


    "Perhaps, one..." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and downed the shot of whiskey.


    "Soundsplicated." Adam smirked. "You know what I do when I take an interest in someone?"


    "Well, what?"


    "I''ll grab her by the breast and ask whether they want to go somewhere alone." Adamughed. "It works nine out of ten times."


    "Uhh..." Ambrose''s eye twitched. "I don''t think it works on the one I am thinking about."


    "Have you tried?" Adam looked at him with a knowing smile.


    "Of course not." Ambrose wryly smiled. "There is a thing called sexual harassment."


    "That''s just a myth." Adamughed.


    "It''s a very, very real thing." Ambrose said with a sigh and nced at the women in the bar, who looked revealing clothes with some even having their breasts exposed.


    "Also, she is not like the women you see here."


    "Oo." Adam whistled. "So, you like women that are graceful and elegant."


    "Yeah, why not?" Ambrose nced at him. "You have some more physical preferences?"


    "Now that you mentioned it, I do." Adam crossed his legs and looked at one woman in particr, who was sitting at the corner table along with her friends.


    She had long hair that cascaded down her exposed back, and she had long legs with a pair of high heels that made her look even more stunning.


    Her more physical appearances included tworge breasts on her chest, which pushed her tight dress up and entuated her curves.


    "That''s what I like." Adam smiled and sipped on the beer.


    At the same moment, the women around the corner noticed his gaze and started whispering with flushed cheeks. They recognized him instantly and knew about his womanizing nature.


    However, they still didn''t mind.


    "Anyway, tomorrow night is the auction." Adam finished the beer and stood up with his coat in hand. "Come there. I am sure it will be eventful."


    "Sure." Ambrose nodded.


    "Now, I have some business to do today. As you remember, there are only two things I like." Adam winked with a suggestive look and then headed over to the table where the women were seated.


    Ambrose rolled his eyes and looked at the cup in front of him, which was emptied out of whiskey.


    At that moment, he heard a voice inside his mind.


    ''M-my... body...''


    "Yeah, I remember." Ambrose paid for his drinks and then left the bar, entering the cool night air.


    He walked away from the bar and approached the pier.


    After reaching the pier, which was quiet and calm as most of the pirates and townsfolk had left for Haventown to enjoy its nightlife that was famous throughout the Pirate Battleground.


    However, from the pier, he could see the ind with a breast-shaped mountain in the distance.


    "Formlessness..." As Ambrose whispered, he suddenly started floating above the ground.


    Then, with a single step, heunched forward across the air, flying over the water.


    He continued kicking the air behind him, increasing his speed.


    It looked like he was running in the air.


    After a short while, he arrived at the airspace above the Breast Ind.


    "Where is it?" Ambrose asked as he looked around the town and then towards the town in the distance that was under the shade of the breast-shaped mountain.


    ''T-the... p-pink... t-two story... buildi...ng.''


    "All right..." Ambrose shot forward with Formlessness and soon appeared above the town, with streets showing activity with townsfolk moving by. However, most residents were female, with few children, and only a few men were visible in the distance.


    After a short flight, he saw the pink-painted building with two floors. It was surrounded by a well-kempt yard, and there was lighting from inside the building as if there was someone living there.


    Ambrose slowly descended from the sky andnded in the front yard.


    "I suppose it''s fine if I knock?" Ambrose asked just in case.


    ''Y-ye...''


    "I take that as yes." Ambrose lifted his arm and knocked twice on the door.


    Footsteps sounded from the other side of the door.


    And then, the door slowly opened, revealing a pair of identical-looking women. They had fiery red hair, fair, beautiful faces, and a slender body with curves that Adam would definitely like.


    At first, they looked like twins, but Ambrose''s eyes almost popped out of the sockets.


    ''They look just like you¡ªBonney!''


    "Excuse me, who are you?" A red-haired woman named Sonney asked with inquiring and pleasant voice. She looked suspicious because there weren''t a lot men in the town, except husbands of few residents.


    Thus, they would immediately recognize him if he lived on the ind.


    "My name is Ambrose, and Bonney sent me here."


    "Bonney did?" The second woman asked in surprise. Her name was Lonney, and she had shoulder-length red hair that made her look very lovely. "Where is she? She said she would''ve returned soon, and then I heard rumors that something happened to her crew."


    "It''s a long story." Ambrose said and pointed inside the building. "Can Ie inside?"


    Sonney and Lonney shared a nce before nodding and allowing the strange man to enter their house.


    After taking the seats in the living room, Lonney asked. "Well, where is Bonney?"


    "It''s hard to?exin..." Ambrose sighed and then decided to boldly ask. "Where is her another body?"


    Sonney''s and Lonney''s eyes widened in a shock.


    They then stood up, pulled out their hidden weapons from below the couch and put them against Ambrose''s throat.


    "Ahaha, easy there..." Ambrose put his arms up in surrender.


    He could easily escape with Formlessness, but he didn''t want to look like a threat.


    "What did you do to Bonney?" Sonney asked with a threatening voice. "She would never talk about that because it would harm us and our father!"


    "She didn''t really have any choice." Ambrose whispered inventory and took out Sky Fall with swimming eye inside.


    When Sonney and Lonney saw that, they cried out.


    "Bonney!"


    ''They realized it was her immediately?'' Ambrose was surprised.


    Lonney took the pearl into her hand and cried tears of sadness.


    "W-what happened to you, sister?"

 Chapter 296 Auction Starts

    <h4>Chapter 296 Auction Starts</h4>


    Sonney covered her mouth and felt her tears run down her cheeks.


    "I brought her here because she told me that she had another body in here." Ambrose said and crossed his legs. "Well, does she?"


    Sonney and Lonney looked at each other with a conflicted look and wondered whether they should show it to this strange man, but then they saw the eye swimming inside the pearl, which shook rapidly.


    "Bonney... are you sure?" Sonney asked with shock.


    The eye continued to shake.


    "All right..." Lonney nced at Ambrose and said, "Follow us."


    Ambrose stood up and followed them to the dark basement.


    After the lights came on, Ambrose''s jaw almost dropped as he saw many strange pods lined up in the room with skeletons that had little bit flesh floating in greenish liquid.


    However, one of the pods had the naked body of a beautiful woman¡ªlooking exactly like Sonney and Lonney.


    After pressing a button on that particr pod, the greenish liquid vanished and the pod opened up. The naked body of a woman fell to the ground like a lifeless doll.


    At that moment, Lonney opened the Sky Fall pearl, and gently took out the eye out while Sonney opened one of the naked woman''s eyelids, with no eye inside.


    After that, Lonney inserted the Bonney''s eye inside the socket and closed the eyelid.


    Meanwhile, Sonney went to another room and soon came back with another eye that was swimming inside a bowl. She then inserted that eye into another eyeless socket.


    And after they were done, they put the unconscious woman on the chair and looked at her in silence.


    At that moment, the naked woman flinched as her heart started to slowly beat, and then her eyelids fluttered before opening wide.


    "Haah..." She let out a short breath and touched her throat with a relieved look. "F-finally..."


    "Bonney!" Lonney and Sonney smiled. "What happened to you?"


    "It''s a long... story..." Bonney sat up, and looked at the ck-haired young man with a deep gaze. "Ambrose, thank you. I owe you my life..."


    "We had a deal, remember?" Ambrose crossed his arms. "I help you to get back to your body. You''ll help me to kill that fucking Mars."


    "I won''t let you... down." Bonney said and then looked down at her naked body.


    Sonney quickly brought her some clothes and helped her dress.


    She had some difficulty moving, as she was basically born into a new body.


    Ambrose went to pick up the Sky Fall pearl and stored it back inside his inventory. Even without the eye, it should still work.


    "Well, what happened?" Lonney sat beside Bonney and grabbed her by the hand. "We have time."


    Bonney sighed and started recalling what happened and what led to this.


    Meanwhile, Ambrose left the basement and sat down near the window, looking towards the starry sky with a thoughtful look.


    ''I wonder how she is doing.'' He sighed and closed his eyes, trying to remember her face. ''Once I am out of Mars'' cluthes, I''ll return to Amaterasu. It has been quite sometime since I wasst there.''


    At that moment, he also remembered Alice and her Silver Heart guild. Those memories felt like a distant past, but he knew he had to face them soon.


    As he enjoyed the view of the stars, upied by his thoughts, the basement door opened, and Lonney looked around until she saw Ambrose and then approached him.


    "I am grateful to you." Lonney sat near him elegantly. "For helping Bonney, we are very grateful to you."


    "I am quite out of touch with this cloning business, but based on your secrecy, it''s not really allowed, is it?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "No..." Lonney shook her head. "Our father yed around with ck magic, and his life''s work was to create us. He died around decade old, but we and the clones in those pods are thest remaining proof of his life."


    "I see..." Ambrose nodded. "Why did he want to create y''all?"


    "He created us in the image of his first-born daughter." Lonney sighed. "Who is basically our sister. However, she died very early, and then our mother as well. To fulfill the empty void in his heart, he created us in the image of his daughter and wife."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded with a sigh, not understanding just how deep the rabbit hole went. "Does Sea King know about Bonney?"


    "No. If he did, he would''ve killed us." Lonney looked out of the window. "In the eyes of many, clones are not real human beings. No one would feel pain in killing us."


    ''As if they are NPCs in the eyes of other NPCs... It''s how most of the yers treat NPCs.'' Ambrose turned silent because of the thought.


    "Anyway, Bonney said she has to fulfill some kind of promise to you." Lonney looked curiously at him. "Who is this Mars?"


    "My captain." Ambrose scoffed and then moved his hair, showing the ck heart mark on his forehead. "He has put a ve contract mark on me. I have to kill him to escape this."


    "Is he the one who killed Bonney?" Lonney asked.


    "Yes." Ambrose nodded.


    "I see..." Lonney clenched her hands. "Well then, I wish you''ll wish wille true."


    "Me as well..." Ambrose whispered and saw Lonney return to the basement.


    ''Mars, I am bing stronger.'' He formed fists with his hands. ''This is just the beginning.''


    ...


    After a day passed, bright lights shone from the Sea King''s castle.


    It was time for the auction, and thousands of pirates walked up the mountain, heading towards the auction hall.


    It was the biggest auction in Pirate Battleground and seasoned pirate captains, all of them with over a million bounties on their heads, gathered here to sell their most valuable spoils from their journey.


    The atmosphere was tense and electric, filled with the anticipation of a bidding war.


    The auction hall had enough seats for nearly two thousand people, but it was getting filled quickly.


    On the top floor of the auction, there were about ten VIP rooms reserved for special guests, including a few Kings with bounties of over ten million silvers.


    These rooms were the most sought-after and highly guarded areas of the hall.


    At the entrance of the hall, Mars arrived with his hands slipped inside his suit trousers. He rarely wore any suits but thought that today was a good asion.


    It wasn''t only him; all the pirates wore their suits, as the Sea King wanted this to look like a proper event and not some gathering of evil pirates.


    He was the type of guy who liked to keep up appearances.


    Inside one of the VIP rooms, Tyrannus looked at the nearly-full auction hall with a small smile. On his hand, there was a cup of red wine, and his wife sat beside him, her face covered by a veil.


    At that moment, the door opened, and three figures stepped inside.


    "This ce is secured," Arkham said with his arms behind his back.


    Beside him, Dreadnought, his face hidden behind an orange skull mask, looked out of the window towards the hall. It was never possible to tell what he was thinking about.


    Adam yawned loudly, and his hair was still slightly disheveled. He spent the entire previous night and the entire day today with the women he metst night at the bar.


    It had been a very busy and exercise-heavy day for him.


    "Adam, you look unruly. Your tie is loose, and your hair is messy!" Tyrannus said angrily, narrowing his eyes into a re. "You want me to throw you out."


    "Yeah, yeah." Adam yawned and left the VIP room.


    ''You think I wanted to stay here with you all? Fuck nah, I''ll go get drunk.'' Adam chuckled and then easily put on a proper appearance with just a few quick adjustments.


    ''I wonder if Ambrose has arrived already. Maybe he''ll go get a drink with me before the auction starts.''

 Chapter 297 The Deathly Plan

    <h4>Chapter 297 The Deathly n</h4>


    "Are you sure Tyrannus won''t recognize you?" Ambrose asked while following behind a crowd that swarmed inside the enormous auction hall.


    Beside him, Bonney, with her eyes covered with thick sunsses, kept her eyes peeled on the guards.


    "There are thousands of pirates present. As long as I stay out of the spotlight, such as not bidding for any of the items, I''ll be fine." Bonney said with a trustworthy tone.


    "I hope so." Ambrose nodded and followed the crowd into the auction hall.


    However, before they could enter, the guards took everyone''s weapons, but barely no one took them with them to the auction as they knew about this rule.


    Ambrose swiftly ced his sword inside his inventory.


    At that moment, the guard checked him out, and after not seeing him carry any weapons with him, he let him pass.


    After entering the auction hall, and walking down a hallway, they stepped through an open doorway and entered the jewel of the auction hall¡ªthe bidding hall.


    It had thousands of seats and arge stage for the auctioneers.


    Over half of the seats were already upied, and there was a loud sound of chatting andughter.


    The atmosphere was lively and exciting, with people eagerly awaiting the start of the auction.


    At that moment, Ambrose''s body froze as a powerful hand fell on his shoulder.


    As he turned around, he saw the broad-shouldered man with dead-looking eyes staring straight at him.


    "You''vee." Mars said with his usual cold tone.


    "Mars..." Ambrose narrowed his eyes and simultaneously felt like the person who was standing beside him only moments ago had disappeared into the crowd as soon as Mars appeared.


    "What did Adam sher want from you?" Mars asked.


    "Nothing." Ambrose shook his head.


    "Hmph." Mars scoffed. "Also, you are apparently Reinhardt''s disciple. Hah, fuck me, ain''t I surprised when I heard that."


    "..." Ambrose stayed silent, but his mind ran on overdrive.


    ''Just how many now believe this nonsense? Hmm, I doubt Mars gets scared if I threaten him with Reinhardt, and it can also backfire on me greatly.''


    "Well, I don''t care." Mars grinned slightly. "If you managed to be his disciple, I am sure you are indeed blessed with fate. The fate that is all mine now."


    Following that, Mars pushed Ambrose out of the way and descended the steps, soon sitting down in one of the seats, which was right beside Apollo and others, who looked around and caught a glimpse of Ambrose.


    They seemed relieved that he was, after all, alive.


    "Whew, that was close." As soon as Mars left, Bonney returned to his side.


    "..." Ambrose sighed heavily. "If there is indeed the heart of the Nymn Tree, we cannot allow Mars to get his hands on it."


    "What can I do?" Bonney asked. "Counter-bid? That''ll attract attention to me, and I don''t have any silver with me."


    "No." Ambrose shook his head. "Heart of the Nymn Tree has to be valuable as it gives luck to its carrier, so it must cost millions. I don''t think Mars can afford it."


    "That leaves only one option." Bonney said and crossed her arms. "After the auction, he''ll try to steal it from whoever purchases it."


    "That is more of his style." Ambrose said with certainty.


    Bonney nodded and looked around the bidding hall for a seat. "I''ll keep an eye on him. Let''s not sit together; we would be more eye-catching if we sat together."


    "Yeah." Ambrose nodded and was about to go find a seat, but then again, he felt a hand on his shoulder.


    "Yo." Adam, with his blind white eyes, looked at Ambrose and then saw the sunsses-wearing woman beside him.


    He furrowed his brows as he could feel some familiarity radiating out of her, but he couldn''t really tell where it wasing from.


    Bonney quickly bowed, lowering her head at the same time, acting as just another member of the crowd who would bow when they met Adam''s eyes.


    It wasn''t just her.


    A few members of the crowd also bowed at Adam, as if it were mandatory to do so.


    After all, he was the right-handed man of the Sea King Tyrannus, making his status way higher than some pirate captains gathered here.


    Adam then turned away from the woman, thinking he had just mistaken her for someone else.


    "It''ll take about half an hour for the auction to start." Adam said to Ambrose: "There''ll be a small concert in the bar. Wannae?"


    "All right." Ambrose nodded and replied, but simultaneously sent nces at Bonney, telling her with his eyes to keep an eye on Mars.


    Bonney didn''t reply anyway and instead entered the crowd, soon disappearing into one of the thousand seats, but just close enough to see Mars without any obstruction.


    After that, Adam and Ambrose left the bidding hall and soon arrived at the bar.


    There were songs already ying, being yed by a woman with a pixie haircut and a guitar on herp.


    After they got seated on the high stools on the bar counter, they ordered drinks and then turned their gazes on the performance happening on the stage.


    There was a small crowd gathered below the stage, enjoying the small concert happening.


    The music was very high-tempo, and her fingers danced across the guitar strings very rapidly.


    "I want you to be prepared for tonight." Adam said and took a small sip of the drink. "Get only one drink."


    Ambrose frowned while taking slow sips of his drink.


    "What do you mean?" He asked.


    "Tyrannus isn''t allowing Mars to win anything." Adam said while twirling the drink in his hand. "From what I''ve heard and seen, Mars is quite a radical person.


    "There are always some pirates trying to steal from whoever wins the bid.


    "That is the nature of pirates, and Tyrannus allows it to some extent.


    "Now, Mars definitely wanted to enter the auction because of some items. When he fails to acquire it, he''ll resort to violence, and that''s when Tyrannus will make his move.


    "He will kill him."


    Ambrose silently listened.


    "However." Adam finished the drink with one loud gulp, and once he put the cup down, he said, "He''ll also force the rest of the ck Heart Pirates under his leadership."


    "With another ve contract?" Ambrose asked with a deep frown.


    "That''s right." Adam wryly smiled. "It''s impossible for you to escape Tyrannus. It''s even harder than escaping from Mars."


    "So, are you suggesting I run away?" Ambrose chuckled. "What if Mars survives?"


    "Running away? No." Adam shook his head. "I want you to help me with something."


    "And that is?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "You have already shown your strength, and I can trust in you." Adam looked at him and venomously said, "When Tyrannus and Mars fight, they both will be gravely injured. Whoever wins in the end, we''ll finish them off."


    "Huh?" Ambrose''s eyes widened in surprise. "You want to kill Tyrannus?


    "Didn''t you say that you were indifferent whether he lives or dies, but now you want to kill him?"


    "I lied to ya." Adam chuckled, but there was a deep coldness in his blind eyes. "I think I can trust you enough now. I want to kill Tyrannus as much as you want Mars.


    "The reason is on my back."


    "On your back?" Ambrose frowned.


    Adam stood up, standing tall and strong, but then he removed his shirt and showed his exposed back.


    On his broad back, there was arge tattoo of a sea trident that covered his entire back. It looked like it would''ve taken ages toplete.


    "This is the same contract symbol as your small ck heart on your forehead." Adam said and then put the shirt back on. "When I was a kid, Tyrannus killed everyone in the town I lived in, and he also blinded me, but still, for some reason, he took me in and put me under the ve contract.


    "Y''see now?"


    "I understand..." Ambrose scratched the back of his head. "I still know Mars, and he won''t go down easily."


    "Neither will Tyrannus." Adam sat back down and crossed his muscr arms. "Their fight will be intense and brutal. But it also won''t be only them we have to worry about.


    "Dreadnought and Arkham will definitely be there to assist Tyrannus."


    "Let me guess..." Ambrose smiled. "We''ll kill them during the auction."


    "Ding, ding." Adam nodded in agreement. "The auction starts soon. It is our best chance to kill them, as they both are guarding the treasure trove."

 Chapter 298 Can鈥檛 Survive

    <h4>Chapter 298 Can''t Survive</h4>


    Bright lights fell from the bidding hall''s ceiling, targeting therge stage.


    The pirates in the audience silenced down and grew excited, as this meant that the auction was going to start.


    After the lights fell upon therge stage, the auctioneer arrived at the center stage and started speaking loudly, his voice traveling loudly throughout the hall.


    It was as if his voice had some kind of magical power, allowing everyone to hear his words clearly.


    "The first item for tonight''s auction are some exotic spices from the darknds of the Dark Continent." The auctioneer announced, and a pair of beautiful women pushed arge wooden cart filled with colorful spices and herbs to the front of the stage.


    "These aren''t just some ordinary spices and herbs for cooking¡ªinstead, they have the ability to change your gender, change the tone of your voice, change your skin color, or even change the way you think and feel!


    "You feeling depressed? Poof, with one of these spices, all those negative thoughts are gone.


    "Feeling like being a man has be rather dull? No problem; you can be a woman and experience new kinds of pleasures.


    "You don''t like how your skin reflects your eye colors? Easy fix for that!


    "Perhaps you want to sound more masculine and menacing? This item will be perfect for you!"


    In the crowd, Mars looked silently at the stage while the bidding started.


    Soon, the item was purchased by a wealthy collector who also had an unusual amount of speckles on his skin. It seemed like he purchased the spices and herbs to get rid of them.


    At that moment, Mars frowned and looked around at the other people in the audience. He was almost certain that he felt like there was someone staring at him.


    "..." Mars looked towards the VIP rooms and saw Tyrannus sitting with a beautiful woman on his side. They seemed to be enjoying the auction.


    With narrowed eyes, Mars turned around and focused again on the auction. However, he was rubbing his Eye of Shimon, trying to get it activated.


    ''Cursed...'' Mars clicked his tongue. ''I haven''t risked my life this much before, but I must get my hands on the heart of the Nymn Tree. Without the increased talent, I can''t ever learn those magic spells and increase my strength further.


    ''I have already reached the limit of my talent, and I can''t be stronger by normal means anymore. With my current strength, I cannot change the world!


    ''Unfortunately, I can''t see my own fate or what might happen in this auction, but do not underestimate me, Tyrannus!''


    A few rows away from Mars, Bonney straightened her back with cold sweat trailing down her face.


    ''What scary instincts he has.'' Bonney wiped the sweat with the back of her hand. ''I stared at him for a few seconds too long, and he immediately felt like he was being watched.''


    The auction soon moved on to the second item.


    Near the room where the items were held, Dreadnought and Arkham stood guard, with deadly silence between them.


    Neither of them seemed to be willing to speak or wanting to speak with each other.


    At that moment, both shot their eyes forward and saw a tall, muscr figure with his hands slipped inside his pockets walking towards them.


    It looked like he was simply having a stroll.


    "Adam, what are you doing in here?" Arkham asked with a frown.


    "Making sure you two aren''t cking off." Adam grinned and took out a cigarette before cing it on his lips and lighting it up.


    "We aren''t like you." Arkham waved his hand dismissively. "Aren''t you supposed to be in the bidding hall in case a fight breaks out?"


    Adam shrugged and took a drag on his cigarette.


    "I was just fucking with you." He smirked and nudged his chin in the direction where he came from. "Dreadnought, Tyrannus called for you."


    Arkham''s frown deepened.


    "He did?" Dreadnought asked in confusion. "Why? I am on guard duty, and that is the priority."


    "I''m afraid that it''s something more urgent." Adam said. "I''ll take your ce as a guard."


    Dreadnought nodded and was about to leave, but then Arkham grabbed him by the shoulder and looked at Adam suspiciously.


    "Can''t it wait for after the auction?" Arkham asked with a low tone, and his eyes narrowed in suspicion.


    "Apparently not." Adam dropped the cigarette and turned his voice deep as he stared at the two. "Dreadnought, why the fuck are you listening to him and not to me? Are you really that much of a pussycat these days?"


    "..." Dreadnought silently looked at him and then pped Arkham''s hand off his shoulder. "I am going. I''ll return shortly."


    Arkham rubbed his aching hand with a cold look as he watched Dreadnought walk away. After he was gone, he turned to Adam, who started leaning on the wall while whistling in a gentle tone.


    "So, why did Tyrannus want Dreadnought?"


    "Don''t know." Adam replied. "Isn''t Dreadnought his loyal dog anyway? Maybe he needs his shoes cleaned or something."


    "Funny, very funny." Arkham coldlyughed. "It''s just that today is the most important day of the year for us, and he knows the importance of these items behind this door.


    "Nothing should be more important than protecting them."


    "That''s why I am here." Adam grinned. "I am the most reliable guard that there can be. No worries, your boyfriend will return shortly."


    "Tyrannus is a very meticulous person." Arkham crossed his arms and said, "He has been nning this event for several months now, and now that the day hase, has he suddenly started changing ns?


    "Strange, very strange.


    "You should be making sure that no one starts a fight in the bidding hall and starts making a mess.


    "That is also a very important job to do; that''s why you were appointed there.


    "Now, Tyrannus, out of all the people, has started shifting his pawns while the game has already been set? I don''t buy it."


    "Hahaha." Adamughed and shook his head with a smile. "That''s why I told Dreadnought to go and not you since he is easier to convince and control.


    "You''re always overthinking, so I knew I couldn''t convince you to leave."


    Arkham''s pupils shrank. "What are you nning, Adam?!"


    "Your death..." Adam reached out his hand towards the ceiling, and suddenly, a red-hilted sword crashed through the ceiling andnded perfectly on his hand.


    "You dare to betray us?!" Arkham screamed, lunging forward at Adam, and as he threw a punch, his fist started glowing with a fierce blue light.


    "Ampuryi Vornn!" Arkham quickly shouted his attack name, which was said in elvishnguage.


    The fierce blue light coated his hand, and then the fistnded on the katana''s de.


    Boom!


    The hallway shook as if a giant had stomped on the ground.


    "Heh..." Adam''s katana-wielding arm shook greatly because of the impact, but he managed to block the fist with his de.


    "Grrr!" Arkham''s eyes turned bloodshot, and his previous handsome elvish face morphed into something disgusting as he struggled to break through the de.


    His teeth gnashed, and his breathing grew heavy.


    "You think you are close to my strength because you are right behind me in the hierarchy?" Adam smirked mockingly. "That''s really funny. Try to survive this."


    As he pulled back his katana, he shot his hand forward, grabbed Arkham by the throat, and mmed him to the wall.


    "Ugh!" Arkham coughed loudly as the wall broke behind him, his breathing bing very hard as Adam''s hand squeezed his throat.


    He tried to remove his hand, but Adam held on tight.


    Adam stabbed the katana through Arkham''s heart and impaled him against the wall.


    "Ptui!" Arkham coughed blood, sttering it across Adam''s shirt.


    As his vision started to turn darker, Arkham venomously whispered. "Cough... T-Tyrannus... will... kill you... for this...


    "D-Dreadnought... will... find... out..."


    "Dreadnought won''t survive long either." Adam smiled. "That guy is, after all, already waiting for him, and I know for a fact that Dreadnought can''t survive his attacks¡ªthose attacks even made me feel pain."

 Chapter 299 Ambrose Vs. Dreadnought

    <h4>Chapter 299 Ambrose Vs. Dreadnought</h4>


    Dreadnought, with his face covered by an orange mask and wearing a nice-tailored suit, which was an unusual getup for him, walked down the hallway with the voices from the bidding hall turning louder with each step.


    He seemed to be in a hurry, as he didn''t want to make his boss wait.


    At that moment, he saw a person sitting in a small lounge area with only the light from the ceiling keeping himpany.


    Dreadnought recognized his face.


    ''Ambrose, the ck Demon.'' He thought to himself. ''I recall seeing his wanted poster. Why is he sitting here? I should probably mention him to the boss.''


    "Ah, finally." Ambrose looked away from the ground and raised his gaze to the orange-masked Dreadnought. "I''ve been waiting for you."


    "Huh?" Dreadnought let out a confused sound, his eyes narrowing behind the mask. "What do you mean by that?"


    "This." Ambrose reached both his hands to his inventory and pulled out one ck Sword and one Red Sword.


    Dreadnought''s eyes widened in surprise, and he then quickly drew his machetes.


    He didn''t expect to get attacked so suddenly, and he realized almost immediately what had happened.


    ''I have to report to the boss that Adam must''ve betrayed us!'' Dreadnought''s face paled. ''I thought this was strange, but now I see. Adam is nning for betrayal, but how low does he think about my abilities?


    ''I won''t lose to some brown-ranked newbie!''


    ''This is my first proper deathmatch against a red-ranked ouw...'' Ambrose''s lips curled slightly into a smile. ''I am very excited. Am I really at that level already? It''s time to find out!''


    "For your information, I am the Third Commander of the Sea King''s fleet, which spans across hundreds of ships. I am not your everyday pirate!"


    Dreadnought screamed and lunged forward, his machetes smashing down with ferocious force.


    "Formlessness..." Ambrose whispered gently, and his feet glided across the floor gently as he dodged the machetes.


    "?!" Dreadnought''s expression fell, as if he had seen something unbelievable. "F-Formlessness? Y-you haven''t opened the third gate yet; I can sense it, so how can you use it?!"


    "sh..." Ambrose whispered and gently jumped towards Dreadnought, looking like he was floating like a cloud. "Of the Six Worlds!"


    His swords tore through the air and struck Dreadnought''s machetes with enough force to make his knees bend as if he were about to kneel down to the ground.


    However, at thest moment, Dreadnought screamed loudly and deflected Ambrose''s des. Then he stepped forward like a pouncing lion and thrust his machetes towards Ambrose''s chest.


    "Mortal Style, Formlessness Nachbilder!" Ambrose slid across the ground, causing tons of afterimages that also looked like they were skating across the ground as if the floor were made of soap.


    After moving out of the way of the machetes, he quickly counterattacked with a quick sh towards Dreadnought''s mask, which only caused a small scratch on it.


    ''Formlessness with Nachbilder is so powerful.'' Ambrose thought with a slight smile.


    At that moment, they both heard stepsing from the end of the hallway. It came from the direction of the bidding hall, and soon, two voices sounded.


    They wereughing and talking about something, but currently, it didn''t seem like they were aware that there was currently a fight happening.


    Dreadnought''s eyes immediately brightened. "You two¡ª"


    Before he could finish his words, Ambrose crossed the distance with his Formlessness and tackled Dreadnought through the window, causing both of them to fall down the mountain towards their inevitable deaths.


    "Let''s take the fight somewhere else, shall we?" Ambrose grabbed Dreadnought by his throat and used his Formlessness to fly across the air like a shooting star.


    "Rgh!" Dreadnought''s eyes spun around as he felt like he waspletely at the mercy of gravity and Ambrose.


    Back in the small lounge area where the fight happened just a few moments ago, two figures arrived there with frowns on their faces.


    They saw a shattered window with ss shards strewn about the floor.


    "Did you hear someone?" A woman with thick makeup on her otherwise beautiful face asked.


    "Don''t know." Thenky-looking man shrugged his shoulders but then grabbed the woman by her waist and spun her around till shended on his embrace. "Well, this ce seems fine, doesn''t it?"


    "T-this?" She stuttered with flushed cheeks. "This ce is so exposed. What if someone walks in on us?"


    "Everyone is too upied with that auction, especially your husband." The man smirked and slowly started to remove the woman''s clothes; soon, her bare breasts were exposed to the cool night airing through the shattered window.


    "Also, it''s a good view, ain''t it?" The man asked while looking out of the window and lowering the woman down to the couch.


    "You know my husband, who is also your captain." The woman whispered, her hot breath seeping out of her mouth. "He''lle to find us if we don''t return soon, and we don''t want to get caught."


    "Haha, we won''t." The man said and lowered his head to kiss the woman.


    On the outskirts of Sea King''s Ind.


    Dreadnought crashed into rocky terrain, but his grip on his machetes never faltered, as if they were his lifeline and he didn''t want to lose them.


    Ambrose gentlynded on the ground and looked where they were.


    They were surrounded by a raging ocean and were at the furthest corner of Sea King''s Ind. They could still see the enormous mountain in the distance, but it would be basically impossible to see them from there.


    "Tch!" Dreadnought stood up, and his machetes started to suddenly glow with an orangish glow.


    ''He is releasing his inner power!'' Ambrose''s eyes narrowed.


    "The Orange Dread!" Dreadnought crossed his machetes before swinging them both down at the same time.


    He sent two orange-colored shes across the air, created by his inner power.


    Ambrose quickly used Formlessness to dodge them, but when the two shes crashed into a small rocky hill a few dozen meters away, it caused an explosion, which caused a shockwave.


    The shockwave crashed into Ambrose and knocked him down to the ground with a loud crash.


    [-100 HP]


    [HP: 460/560]


    ''All damage suffered gets reduced by 75% because of de Master ss, and yet, that simple shockwave caused so much damage to me.''


    Ambrose groaned and stood up with his suit slightly disheveled.


    ''Adam was right; my basic stats are still pathetically low. If even a single attacknds on me, I''ll die.''


    "The Dreadful Kill!" Dreadnought didn''t allow Ambrose to rest and sent dozens of orange-colored shes across the air.


    ''I haven''t tried these myself much, but let''s try!'' Ambrose flexed his muscles and controlled his Inner Power so that it would flow into his weapons naturally.


    And as soon as he did, his des started glowing with a gentle golden hue.


    He then used his Formlessness to pass through the orange shes, even though a few of them moved rather erratically and almost hit him.


    After passing those, he jumped high in the air with Formlessness and focused his gaze on Dreadnougt below.


    "Let''s try this..." Ambrose''s muscles swelled in an explosive manner, and he then ced his swords above his head.


    "sh of the Six Worlds!"


    Swoosh¡ªafter swinging his swords down, his des were nowhere close to hitting Dreadnought.


    However, then, shockingly, two golden shes shot out from his des and flew towards Dreadnought with equal ferocity to sh of the Six Worlds!


    He was now able to make a long-range attacks with his skills, which was clearly impossible before!

 Chapter 300 Immortality

    <h4>Chapter 300 Immortality</h4>


    Dreadnought quickly coated his machetes with the orange glow and smashed them against the iing golden sh.


    As soon as the two forces collided, the ground shook and trembled beneath their feet.


    However, Dreadnought kept his ground and smashed his machetes through the golden sh.


    ''He used his Inner Power to strengthen his block and therefore manage to destroy my attack.'' Ambrose quickly analyzed.


    ''My attack power iscking as well. Formlesness and Self-Possession are my only ways to equalize the battlefield.''


    "Without Formlessness, I would''ve already painted the walls of the auction hall with your blood." Dreadnought said, and his eyes gleamed with a sinister light.


    Then, Dreadnought unleashed another orange sh¡ªthis time, the orange sh split the ground in half and sent a massive shockwave through the air.


    "Self-Possession!" Ambrose felt his heart quicken as soon as he activated the Self-Possession.


    Immediately afterwards, he activated the phasing ability of his soul.


    As soon as the shockwave struck the ce where he was standing, it went straight through him while destroying the ground around him.


    Dreadnought expected the shockwave to sweep Ambrose away, but after the dust cloud cleared, he saw that he was standing without any scratch on him.


    "H-how..." Dreadnought asked from himself but realized that Ambrose still had more tricks, which he hadn''t revealed yet.


    Ambrose then dashed forth with Formlessness, and the two of them shed in a fierce battle. The machetes struck the two swords, and sparks flew everywhere.


    However, Dreadnought caught Ambrosecking and shed his machete through his body. But, to his shock, the de of his machete went straight through as if Ambrose were a ghost.


    "I see, you are using your soul''s ability." Dreadnought quickly concluded, but for some reason, he started smiling. "However, that is a very big mistake."


    "?" Ambrose''s eyes narrowed.


    At that moment, Dreadnought coated his machetes with his orange Inner Power and swung them at Ambrose''s face.


    Ambrose quickly used Formlessness to move out of the way, but one of the machetes barely managed to scratch his cheek.


    He thought it would just go through, but shockingly, it didn''t and left a small bleeding cut on his cheek!


    "Argh!" Ambrose screamed loudly, his eyes almost rolling back into his skull, but at thest moment, he used his Formlessness to retreat and then barely kept his consciousness.


    The pain was unbelievable, almost causing him to pass out instantly.


    ''No way...'' Ambrose thought with a pale face. ''Inner Power can injure me while I am using Self-Possession?''


    At that moment, he remembered something about Self-Possession''s description.


    He could use his soul''s abilities as if they were his own, and they were only active for a minute. However, if he died during that minute, his soul would also die.


    He didn''t know what that could mean if his soul died, but he thought it would be impossible because he could be using phasing to make himself basically invincible against all attacks.


    Now, there seemed to be a way to injure him!


    "Does it hurt?" Dreadnought asked with a smirk. "I am sure it does. It is the worst pain imaginable."


    "Fuck..." Ambrose quickly deactivated his Self-Possession as he was too scared to use it for the time being.


    He didn''t want to risk getting hurt even more than that.


    Also, that single scratch on his cheek caused his health to plummet.


    [HP: 223/560]


    Almost 240 HP damage from that single scratch.


    However, the pain still remained deep inside him, as it was his soul that got injured, and the pain wouldn''t fade away like normal pain.


    ''Fuck, so painful...'' Ambrose breathed heavily.


    He thought he had gotten used to pain from getting broken bones almost daily back in the day, but this was vastly different. It felt like all his veins were on fire.


    However, it was still not as bad as the previous time. He could still think rationally and fight without screaming in utter agony.


    Dreadnought approached Ambrose with a menacing grin behind his mask and started sending powerful orange shes towards him.


    Ambrose quickly moved out of the way with Formlessness, but the pain made him rather sluggish in some of the movements.


    Seeing the chance, Dreadnought lunged forward and kicked across Ambrose''s face, sending him crashing into the ground.


    "Cough!" Ambrose saw more of his health disappear, but he quickly shook his head and jumped back to his feet.


    He quickly blocked Dreadnought''s machetes and used his Formlessness to circle around him, appearing behind his back.


    The movement looked so effortless and smooth, causing Dreadnought to be slightly taken off guard.


    "Humanoid Imperfecta!" Ambrose swung his swords down, but Dreadnought, like a nimble acrobat, jumped over his swords andnded gracefully on the ground.


    As Ambrose''s swords struck the ground, Dreadnought quickly took advantage of that single moment of distraction and struck back with a powerful blow.


    Ambrose was sent across the air andnded in the ocean with arge ssh. He sank beneath the waves, falling deeper into the dark abyss.


    Dreadnought looked silently at the raging waves and removed his mask for a moment. He touched his face, feeling the cool breeze on his skin.


    His face was void of any noticeable features, and it looked like he would be a typical side character in any written story. He was the pinnacle of the ordinary,cking any distinctive characteristics that would set him apart from the crowd.


    Yet he was the Third Commander of one of the Pirate Kings of the Pirate Battleground, a vastly respected and feared individual.


    ''I have to go report to the boss that Adam has betrayed us.'' Dreadnought put the mask back on his face and turned around to walk away.


    However, at that moment, he saw that the raging waves stopped suddenly and the sea became calm.


    The water that looked to be ck and dark blue suddenly started glowing with brilliant golden light. It looked as if there were hidden gold mines below the sea.


    However, Dreadnought knew that was impossible and realized that there was only one possibility.


    "Still alive, huh..."


    Ssh¡ªa figure flew out of the water and sent a wide golden-colored sh across the air, tearing through the wind while it approached Dreadnought with deadly speed.


    Dreadnought quickly blocked the golden sh and smashed through it effortlessly.


    Ambrose looked silently at Dreadnought, but he wasn''t actually looking at him.


    Instead, there was a glowing notification box in front of him.


    [Skill has been sessfully created!]


    [Do you want to name your skill?]


    Ambrose had been in a deadlock when it came to creating new skills. He couldn''t think of any new skills, and it frustrated him greatly.


    Now, he couldn''t understand how, but the agonizing pain and the impending defeat made him so stressed that a single skill appeared inside his mind, and the game registered it as a valid skill.


    ''This is just like with Heaven Drop.'' Ambrose thought to himself. ''When I am under immense stress, the intelligence stat seems to help me create a new skill.''


    Ambrose pressed "Yes" on whether he wanted to name his skill.


    [Choose the name!]


    "Suicide Sword." Ambrose whispered.


    [The skill "Suicide Sword" has been created]


    [Suicide Sword: A suicidal attack, but no matter what, the sword will hit the opponent with a deadly strike¡ªthe possibility of the attack ending in the yer''s death is 99%]


    As Ambrose was about to execute the attack, another dinging sound echoed in his ears.


    [Congrattions!]


    [You have created five sword-based skills!]


    [You have received a reward gift!]


    [Do you want to open it now?]


    [Yes/No]


    ''The hell?'' Ambrose frowned, and after seeing that Dreadnought had no intention to attack, he quickly pressed yes.


    [You received the passive skill "Immortality"]


    [Immortality: Once the health reaches 1, the yer can survive for three minutes without receiving any damage!]


    [Immortality - Rank: Legendary]

 Chapter 301 The Defeated

    <h4>Chapter 301 The Defeated</h4>


    ''What in the world?'' Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock.


    "Why are you daydreaming?" Dreadnought swung his machetes and only barely missed Ambrose as he used his Formlessness to slither past the attack.


    "Hmph..." Ambrose narrowed his eyes and used his Formlessness to float slightly further into the sky. ''Let me think at least, damn it!''


    As he saw the "gift" he received, he felt quite surreal.


    Before receiving the gift and seeing his new "Suicide Sword" skill description, he felt like that skill fit his style quite a bit, but it was another very disadvantageous skill like "Kill."


    Both skills would more than likely end in his death, but now it was different!


    With Immortality skill activated, he would be invincible during that three-minute time!


    For example, if he was using "Kill," but his opponent managed to pummel his health to 1 HP, then in ordinary circumstances, he would definitely die as the "Kill" skill was focused on attacking and barely in defense.


    At least, for now, since Ambrose had learned that it was somewhat possible to control the "Kill" skill''s instincts.


    However, now, when the Immortality activated while he was using "Kill," there was nothing he should be worrying about as he couldn''t die.


    Same with the "Suicidal Sword" skill.


    The 99% chance of dying after activating the skill would be reduced all the way to zero percent.


    However, Ambrose was still wondering how many times he could use Immortality.


    There was no way he could use it constantly because he wouldn''t be able to die then.


    ''It must''ve cooldown, but I can only find out when I try.


    ''Also, Immortality was instantly learned, giving me the rank without having to try to ''learn'' the skill.


    ''It''s my first Legendary-ranked skill... I wonder if any other yers have that rank. I haven''t seen anyone mention it in forums or on ForeverTube.''


    At that moment, Dreadnought sent dozens of orange-colored shes, which shredded through the wind as they approached Ambrose.


    ''All right, enough of thinking.'' Ambrose''s eyes turned cold as they reflected the far-away figure of Dreadnought. ''Time to test my new skills.''


    With Formlessness activated, Ambrose moved past the orange shes, still feeling the burning pain in his cheek, but he tried to ignore it and focus on the battle ahead.


    The Formlessness was also starting to wear him off, as his stamina was nowhere good enough to constantly use it without feeling anything.


    Again, his basic stats werecking, and they were constantly hindering him from fighting to his fullest potential.


    "The Dreadful Kill!" Dreadnought screamed and swung his machetes wide, sending powerful orange shes flying throughout the air.


    "Mortal Style, Formlessness Nachbilder!" Ambrose''s legs started moving in dizzying fashion, and soon, dozens of afterimages, all floating across the air, appeared.


    The orange shes smashed through most of the afterimages, but they couldn''t hit the real body, and soon, Ambrose appeared above Dreadnought with his swords smashing down.


    "100 kg!" Ambrose screamed, and his Red Sword''s weight increased by a hundredfold.


    As Dreadnought blocked the two swords, he suddenly felt immense pressure falling on top of his shoulders, and he immediately fell to his knees.


    "Shit!" Dreadnought''s expression fell, and he quickly rolled out of the way while the Red Sword smashed through the ground, leaving a deep ravine behind.


    "Shit..." Ambrose whispered, tossed his Red Sword back into his inventory, and took out another ck Sword.


    He only nned to try once to see whether he could get a good hit with the Red Sword because no one would expect its weight to suddenly increase by a hundredfold.


    However, in proper battles, ck Sword was more superior as it could cut through anything, even though Red Sword was a more agile and faster sword, but it wasn''t the best fit for his fighting style.


    "That''s enough of your tricks!" Dreadnought shouted, kicked off the ground, and pounced at Ambrose with his machetes cutting through the air.


    As the machetes approached him, Ambrose''s eyes showed no fear, and he didn''t n on escaping with Formlessness.


    It was time to try his fifth skill of his sword style.


    "Suicide Sword!" Ambrose lunged forward, and immediately afterwards, the two machetes stabbed through his chest, causing blue blood to stter everywhere.


    "Adam''s trust in you was misced." Dreadnought smirked. "I never thought of him as a fool, though. Perhaps this is the first time he has made an actual mistake since he became the revered First Commander."


    After he ended his gloating, Ambrose mmed his eyes open and stabbed both ck Swords towards Dreadnought''s chest.


    "?!" Dreadnought didn''t expect him to be able to move after getting stabbed in the heart.


    However, he didn''t panic and had many ways of escaping this ordeal.


    But then, when he tried to jump away, he realized that his body was frozen in ce!


    It was as if he was stuck in time.


    "What?!" Dreadnought''s eyes widened in shock, and then the two swords stabbed through his chest, going all the way through his body and finally exiting from his back.


    "Ptui!" Dreadnought spat out blood and lowered his gaze at the two swords.


    "Why..." He whispered through pain and looked at Ambrose hatefully. "Why did you kill yourself... too?"


    "Argh..." Ambrose didn''t feel the pain because he had two machetes protruding through his body, but when he got stabbed, it was like the pain on his cheek got even worse.


    At that moment, a notification appeared in front of him.


    [Immortality activated!]


    [Time: 2:59]


    [2:58...]


    [2:57...]


    Ambrose smiled through pain and slowly walked backwards, the two machetes slipping out of his body.


    At the same time, he pulled out his two swords from Dreadnought''s body.


    Dreadnought fell to his knees and looked at Ambrose with a shocked expression. He couldn''t understand how he could still stand even though he got stabbed just like he did.


    And yet, he was the one kneeling, and his opponent was standing.


    ''I wonder if I can eat and restore my health.'' Ambrose wondered and opened his inventory to test his theory.


    He took out a few apples and took a big bite out of them.


    Several floating notifications appeared in front of his vision, showing that his health had indeed increased and his Immortality was still activated.


    ''This is so broken.'' Ambrose thought with a short chuckle. ''I wonder if other yers also get their own legendary skills when they have created five skills for their sses.


    ''It isn''t too hard to get five skills though, so the rarity of the legendary rank would lessen, so I hope that is not the case.''


    He didn''t want to imagine fighting someone with a simr passive skill as "Immortality."


    It would be very frustrating and annoying.


    ''I feel bad for my opponents now, even though that sounds egotistical.'' Ambrose wryly smiled but then focused his gaze on Dreadnought, who was on hisst legs.


    He was trying to grit his teeth and stand up, but he was struggling to do so.


    Ambrose approached him and put his des on his throat, ready to silence him once and for all.


    "Cough..." Dreadnought coughed some blood on the des and hatefully red at Ambrose. "Y-you think he won''t find out about this betrayal? He will realize that I am missing, and so will Arkham."


    "Arkham is most likely already dead, and you know that." Ambrose smiled. "And about Tyrannus, he will see you in hell soon after."


    "Hahahah..." Dreadnoughtughed mockingly. "And who might be the reason for that? You and Adam aren''t even a match for his farts. You two will die like pesky rats."


    "So crude." Ambrose shook his head and then cut through his throat with the ck de.


    The head rolled down the rocky terrain and eventually fell into the ocean.


    "Whoo..." Ambrose took a deep breath and sheathed his weapons.


    Some time ago, he thought defeating Johann and especially Russian from Warhaven was impossible. Their strength seemed otherworldly, as if they were gods.


    Same with Mikael and Yughragh.


    However, finally, he felt like he could put up a proper fight against them and perhaps even win!


    ''I actually killed a red-ranked ouw...'' Ambrose smiled and turned his gaze back to the mountain far away.


    The easiest part was done.


    Now, it was time for the hardest one.

 Chapter 302 The Final Showdown

    <h4>Chapter 302 The Final Showdown</h4>


    "Hmm?" Adam arrived at the small lounge and saw two half-naked figures hugging and moaning in ecstasy.


    "What the fuck?" He looked over to the shattered window and narrowed his eyes.


    The two figures were too upied in their intimate moment to notice his presence.


    "Hey, you two!"


    At that moment, Adam roared loudly, frightening both figures.


    "Eek!" The woman covered her exposeddy parts, while the man quickly turned around, his eyes wide with surprise.


    "L-Lord Adam!" The man fell off the couch, but he then quickly stood up and clumsily put his trousers back on, but he couldn''t find his belt, so they hung very loosely around his waist.


    "Did you see what happened to this window?" Adam asked, pointing at it.


    "N-no..." The woman shook her head while trying to find her blouse. "B-but we didn''t break it!"


    Adam narrowed his eyes and waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "You two, get out."


    "Y-yes, right away, sir!" The two scurried away as if they were chased by a horde of hyenas.


    Adam walked over the broken ss shards and looked out of the window.


    "Ambrose waited for Dreadnought here." Adam rubbed his chin thoughtfully, but he didn''t look too panicky.


    ''It''s safer to kill Dreadnought outside the auction hall anyway; there''s less chance of getting discovered.''


    After Adam turned around to return to the bidding hall, he felt the wind whistle below him, and then a figure flew through the shattered window andnded on the ground.


    Adam''s lips curled into a slight smile. "Has it been done?"


    "Yes." Ambrose nodded. "His body is falling towards the bottom of the ocean by now."


    "Good." Adam nodded. "Return to the bidding hall. Now, we just have to wait."


    "Are you sure no one will notice Arkham''s and Dreadnought''s absence?"


    "They will not," Adam said calmly. "If someone is foolish enough to steal from Tyrannus, they would definitely not go say to him that his two guards are missing.


    "No one will notice, and Tyrannus will be very upied after the auction is over.


    "However, he''lle to realize their absence once he makes his move against Mars, but it''s toote by then."


    "All right." Ambrose nodded and straightened his wrinkles on his clothes. He was about to start walking back to the bidding hall, but he came to a sudden halt as a burning feeling again spread across his body.


    It was very erratic.


    Sometimes he was feeling fine, but then, like a lightning bolt, the pain would resurface.


    "You are in pain." Adam said that because he was basically blind, his nose and hearing senses were amplified, and he could hear Ambrose''s heartbeat quicken and his breathing get rougher.


    It would either be because he was exhausted, which didn''t look like it, or he was in great pain.


    "Yeah..." Ambrose touched his cheek. "My soul got slightly injured."


    "..." Adam silently looked at him for a few moments, but then said. "Sorry, but you''ll have to deal with that pain for now. I don''t have ways to heal you on such short notice."


    "I can handle it." Ambrose replied, his voice firm. "You go do your stuff."


    Adam nodded and waved his handzily as he walked away.


    ''It''s time, Mars...'' Ambrose''s eyes shed with coldness.


    ...


    "Where is Ambrose?" Ors asked as he looked around with a suspicious look. "He was here, wasn''t he?"


    "Probably went to shitter." Damian said and threw a stinky eye at Ors. "Why do you care, piece of shit cultist?"


    "Says the guy who is part of the most infamous race of murderers." Ors looked at Damian with disgust. "Half-Vampire or not, you are part of the race that causes gue wherever they go.


    "Humans were made in the image of Ancient Gods, and your race is nothing but mutated monsters that even gods don''t love."


    "You call me a monster, and yet, I have more humanity than you." Damian said coldly. "You killed your whole family, and yet you still have the audacity to call me a monster. A hypocrite."


    "I gave them as sacrifice for the Ascended Gods." Ors said angrily. "They are now dining in heaven with the gods and angels. I envy them, but like the Lord Deiderich said, we have a one-of-a-kind duty that needs to be fulfilled.


    "There is no one else except us that can do it."


    "A delusion is a powerful weapon." Damian said with a scoff. "The truth is, you are a murderer, and you will receive your punishment soon enough."


    "Hah!" Ors was about to say something else, but then a voice silenced them both.


    "Silence." Mars said coldly. "I am trying to listen to the auctioneer. The one who opens his mouth next will have to learn to live the rest of his life without a jaw."


    Ors and Damian nced at each other hatefully before turning their gazes back to the stage, where the auctioneer announced another item.


    This time, it was something that caught Mars'' attention.


    "The 15th item for today is a very special kind!" The auctioneer walked over to the wooden cart, which had a small wooden box with strange tree symbols engraved on the sides.


    After he opened the box, a strange kind of feeling permeated the air, and every person in the hall could tell that it was very special.


    There was a pulsating heart inside the box, made of branches, leaves, and a glowing core.


    "This is the heart of the Nymn Tree." The auctioneer said proudly. "This item is said to give luck and good fortune to its wielder. It''s very rare and highly sought after¡ªthat''s why the bidding will start at 500,000 silvers!"


    Without further ado, people started bidding with an astronomical amount of money.


    Apollo and others that were part of the group that stole the first heart of the Nymn Tree looked serious, as if Mars got his hands on this item; their efforts were for nothing.


    However, after a while, they saw that Mars had no intention of bidding. He just kept his hands formed into a fist and his eyes locked in the stage.


    Inside the VIP room, Tyrannus tapped his finger against his wife''s thigh and then smiled slightly.


    ''Heh, Mars might be able to hide his emotions from others, but I felt his Inner Power fluctuate slightly. It''s the first item in which he showed an actual interest.


    ''Haha, is he here for this heart? It''s a valuable item, but not the most valuable one we have today. So, I suppose he needs it for another reason than just for mere luck.''


    After the bidding war ended, a tall,nky man rose from his seat, fixed his necktie, and walked away to the backstage area to finish the purchase, as he was the one who won the bidding war and acquired the heart of the Nymn Tree.


    However, Mars'' eyes followed him like a hawk.


    Tyrannus saw it all, and his lips grew into a bigger smile.


    ''You''ll die because of the heart of the Nymn Tree. Not the fanciest way to die for a person of your caliber, Mars.


    ''Your greed will be your downfall.''


    The beginning of the incident called The Battle of the Three Kings had already started in the shadows, and tonight, the final showdown starts.

 Chapter 303 Mars Moves

    <h4>Chapter 303 Mars Moves</h4>


    As time went by, the auction continued, and soon the 50th item appeared on the stage.


    Ambrose, who was seated near the top row, looked with boredom in his features, as he was just waiting for Mars to make his move.


    However, even though his appearance seemed calm, there was agonizing pain boiling inside him.


    He could feel his soul shuddering in pain and wanting to break through his flesh and escape from his body.


    However, since this body was Ambrose''s, the soul couldn''t do anything but endure the unbearable suffering.


    ''Yeah, yeah, I get it. You are not only suffering.'' Ambrose spoke to his soul as if it were a different entity, but it was just another part of him.


    At that moment, the auctioneer announced the item.


    "This is a special kind of poison from the Poison Lands of the Dark Continent. It is said to be potent enough to kill a person in just a second.


    "This poison also has its own mind¡ªif one puts their own ve contract on the poison, they can control it to tell who to kill and who are allies¡ªthat''s why you also get an extra ve contract stamp in addition to the poison!"


    Ambrose''s expression turned serious.


    ''What a scary object, but also very useful... very.''


    However, when the starting bid was announced, Ambrose''s eye twitched in annoyance, as he wasn''t even wealthy enough to participate in the starting bid, let alone win the object.


    ''I heard that the heart of the Nymn Tree got sold for 1.2 million silvers. Maybe I could sell it as well...''


    Ambrose felt dizzy about the amount of money he could acquire with that object.


    After a short while, a ck-haired man with a long scar running down his cheek managed to purchase the poison and the ve contract. He looked like a vicious pirate who would definitely use this poison to do atrocious deeds.


    "Hmm..." Ambrose silently thought about something with narrowed eyes.


    The night then moved by, and when therge clock near the ceiling struck midnight, the auctioneer spread his arms and announced the ending of the auction.


    In total, 88 items were sold, and the auction seemed like a smash hit. The pirates then left the hall with a sense of satisfaction and excitement, eagerly anticipating the next auction.


    At the entrance of the hall, Tyrannus shook hands with every bidder as they departed from the hall with their purchased goods.


    After a short while, Tyrannus saw Mars, followed by his crew, which included Ambrose, walking out of the hall.


    He smiled silently, stopped shaking hands with the pirates, and moved onto the nearby room.


    The room was dimly lit, but therge window showed the entirety of the ind.


    "Are Dreadnought and Arkham in the positions?" Tyrannus asked and nced at the corner of the room.


    "Yeah." Adam raised his cup, which was filled with expensive wine. "Cheers for the sessful auction."


    "It''s not over yet." Tyrannus crossed his arms behind his back and walked over to the window. "We''ll have to ensure that they get safely out of the ind, or our reputation will suffer.


    "However, it ain''t my problem what will happen outside the ind."


    "What about Mars?" Adam asked. "Logically, he should wait till the person who purchased the heart sets sails before attacking."


    "I talked with him." Tyrannus said. "I told him about someone nning to steal his item. He believed me. He will wait in Haventown till I say so, and Mars ain''t a patient person; I can tell because he is like me."


    "This is all just because you wanted to find out what Mars wanted." Adam shook his head. "You should''ve killed him immediately in your throne room. You don''t even care about that mace."


    "There is something else behind this; I can feel it." Tyrannus formed a fist with his right hand and pointed it at the window. "Does he simply want the luck that the heart of the Nymn Tree offers, or is there something else? I''ll force him to tell me."


    Adam looked at the cup of wine in his hand and saw its liquid surface reflecting the flickering candlelight. It changed the color of the wine from red to a deep, rich purple.


    "Go to Haventown." Tyrannus said. "I''lle shortly. I am certain that Mars will make his move tonight when he thinks I am still upied with the dealings of the auction."


    Adam downed the wine, then put the cup down on the table and walked out of the room.


    Tyrannus rubbed his neck and took a deep breath.


    He then reached his hand towards the door, and suddenly, his battleaxe smashed through the door andnded on his hand perfectly.


    "Hahahahaha..." Heughed in a sinister manner.


    ...


    "Captain, we are not going to the ship?" Apollo asked as he noticed that Mars was heading over to the bridge that went over the raging water and led to Haventown.


    "No." Mars replied shortly and looked like he had no intention of answering.


    However, his gaze intensely followed the back of a certain pirate dressed in a fancy suit. One of his crewmates beside him carried a wooden box with tree engravings.


    After a short while, the crowd that departed from the auction hall had finally arrived at Haventown after nearly an hour of walking, as they also had to walk down the mountain.


    Mars came to a stop in front of a store that sold cold drinks. He got seated in a seat, and ordered some refreshing drinks.


    After the drink arrived, he took a short sip and looked across the street towards four-story inn, where the pirate with fancy suit and his pirate crew went for the night.


    A short distance away from Mars, Damian, Apollo, and Ambrose were leaning against a wall of a nearby brick building.


    "So, what were you doing?" Damian asked Ambrose. "Since you didn''te with us,"


    "I traveled with one of Sea King''s crewmates." Ambrose said vaguely. "Nothing special happened."


    He didn''t want to talk about what might happen tonight because there was nothing they could do and they might put themselves at unnecessary risk.


    Ambrose was confident about his strength, but even he was preparing to die. However, his death wouldn''t be permanent, unlike theirs, so unless he really needed their help, he wouldn''t tell.


    Apollo narrowed his eyes and felt like there was something odd about the whole situation, but he didn''t think he was close enough to Ambrose to pry deeper.


    At that moment, Ambrose heard a voice inside his mind.


    ''Mars has been following a pirate captain who bidded on the heart.'' It was Bonney''s voice.


    ''You don''t sound like you are in pain. Easier to use your abilities now?'' Ambrose talked inside his mind.


    ''Yes. Now that I have my body back, I have re-learned to use my abilities, and I am able to move around more easily.'' Bonney said telepathically.


    ''Anyway, Mars will most likely make his move tonight, and I''ve seen an unusual amount of movement from Sea King''s side in Haventown.


    ''Tyrannus must be expecting Mars to attack.''


    ''He is,'' Ambrose said to Bonney.


    ''How do you know that?'' Bonney asked strangely.


    ''Adam and I made a deal.'' Ambrose said. ''Whoever wins between Tyrannus and Mars will die by our hands.''


    ''Adam?!'' Bonney''s voice turned serious. ''He is one person I would be wary of. I never know what he is nning, and I''ve always had a feeling that he knew I was just a clone.


    ''Just do not trust him.


    ''Also, Dreadnought and Arkham will make things very difficult.''


    ''Arkham and Dreadnought are dead.'' Ambrose said. ''Also, I am not fully trusting Adam. I also know that he has some kind of ulterior motive.''


    Bonney immediately turned silent after Ambrose spoke so casually about the deaths of two Sea King Commanders, who were higher rank than her and also vastly more powerful.


    Yet they were dead just like that.


    ''I understand...'' Bonney said softly, but then eximed. ''Mars is making his move!''


    Ambrose shot his gaze towards Mars, who stood up and fixed his sleeves as he began approaching the inn.


    Mars was finally going to do his move!

 Chapter 304 You Or Me

    <h4>Chapter 304 You Or Me</h4>


    Mars walked down a short hallway with ugly brown walls and a faded red carpet.


    He then stopped in front of a door with the number 112 written in ck letters.


    Shadow moved underneath the door, and some muffled whispers came from the other side.


    Mars''s heart stayed calm as he slowly turned the handle and pushed the door open. It was strangely unlocked, and when the door waspletely open, a loud boom reverberated across the room, and something solid struck Mars'' chest, sending him crashing into a wall.


    He stumbled off the wall, his vision blurring as he tried to make sense of what had just happened.


    Once his vision cleared, he saw armed pirates in the room, and with them was a cannon with its barrel smoking.


    "So, you are the fool who tries to steal from me?" Thenky man straightened his sleeves and smirked. "My name is Gudbrand, the captain of Treasure Pirates. I am a man worth 678 thousand silvers. How dare you try to steal from me?!"


    "Never heard of you." Mars looked at his destroyed suit with a cold look. ''They were expecting me. I am sure it''smon that these ''pirates'' try to steal from others, but the way he phrased it, it sounded like he knew I was going to try to steal.


    ''This sounds like someone is plotting against me. That does not matter. The heart is mine.''


    Mars stepped through the doorway, his voice oozing with venom. "Give me the heart, and I might spare your lives. However, there is a 99% chance I won''t, but I suggest taking that 1% chance."


    "You are a suicidal fool!" Gudbrand screamed. "Fire another cannonball at him!"


    "Yes, captain~" His crewmate lit up the fuse andunched the cannonball towards Mars.


    Mars put his hand forward and caught the cannonball as if it were nothing but a tennis ball.


    "You''re making this too easy for me." Mars juggled the cannonball in his hand and grinned at the pirates. "Mind telling me how you knew I was going toe here?"


    ''How is he doing this?'' Gudbrand asked himself in shock as he watched Mars juggling the cannonball as if it weighed nothing.


    ''He isn''t even using Inner Power, so he is doing this just purely out of his physical strength!''


    "Not answering?" Mars shook his head and smirked. "I am impatient."


    He raised the cannonball over his shoulder, leaned slightly backwards, and then took a powerful step forward. He then slung the cannonball over his shoulder and threw it at the pirates with even greater strength than with a cannon.


    The pirate''s eyes widened in shock, but he had no time to do anything as the cannonball smashed through their bodies, shattering all their bones and crushing their skulls.


    Boom¡ªthe wall of the inn room exploded, and the pirates were sent flying across Haventown.


    Loud screams resounded from the streets as the Haventown residents heard the loud explosion clearly.


    In the inn room, only destruction remained, and weak-willed Gudbrand survived the cannonshot only because Mars wasn''t aiming at him.


    He was sitting on the ground, his trousers wet with piss and his face sweating.


    To survive in Pirate Battleground, he had to learn to kiss the asses of powerful pirates to gain their protection. In the end, he became an ally of the Sea King, and he trusted him with his life.


    Now that the Sea King told him that someone was trying to steal his purchased item, he thought it was some weak pirate, and the Sea King trusted him to take care of the issue for him.


    But now he realized that it was someone at the same level as the Sea King, and there was some scheming going on, and unfortunately, he was caught in the middle of it.


    "Well, mind telling me now?" Mars crouched in front of Gudbrand and yfully patted his cheek, causing him to flinch like a frightened rabbit. "Who told me I was going toe here?"


    "T-t-the Sea King!" Gudbrand whimpered.


    He realized that he shouldn''t trust in the Sea King to rescue him, as he had already done nothing as his crew was murdered right in the middle of his territory.


    He hoped that by just telling the truth, Mars would give him a 1% chance of survival.


    "I see." Mars rubbed his small ck beard, grabbed Gudbrand''s throat with his other hand, and snapped his neck.


    The pirate captain worth 678,000 silvers fell to the floor¡ªdead.


    Mars stood over the body and walked over to the small wooden box, then opened it slightly. Inside was the beating heart of the Nymn Tree.


    "Finally, I''ll be unstoppable!"


    Kaboom¡ªthe building suddenly exploded into a fiery cloud of inferno and debris.


    The frightened nearby townsfolk scurried away as the pieces of debris rained down on the town.


    It was like a scene from a war-ridden battlefield.


    Inside the burning inferno, a figure with scorched upper body and tattered trousers stumbled out of the wreckage, his hair smoking and his eyes filled with a mix of shock and disbelief.


    On his hand were the remnants of the box, and inside was the destroyed heart of the Nymn Tree.


    "What the fuck..." Mars dropped the box and stomped on it till it turned to ash.


    p, p¡ªat that moment, loud pping reverberated around the destroyed burning and the burning infernor.


    Following that, mockingughter came from hundreds of Sea King pirate members, ridiculing Mars as if he were nothing but a clown.


    At that moment, Tyrannus walked from the alleyway of a nearby building and pped his hands loudly.


    "Thank you for proving to us just what kind of clown you are, Mars." Tyrannus smiled with ridicule. "You were too poor to purchase the item, so you resorted to stealing? Tch, how pathetic of you."


    "You just made a big fucking mistake," Mars said venomously.


    "No, you did." Tyrannus smiled and raised his hand.


    At that moment, hundreds of cannons peeked from the windows of nearby buildings, all aimed at Mars.


    "Fire!"


    Boom¡ªhundreds of cannons shot cannonballs simultaneously.


    "Grr..." Mars growled like a lion and crossed his arms.


    As the cannonballs struck his sturdy body, arge explosion shook the ground and sent debris flying in all directions.


    However, once the dust cleared, they saw Mars standing with scratches across his body and burning from the explosion.


    "Argh..." Mars took a step forward and growled like a wild animal.


    "Hmph." Tyrannus smiled and turned to his crewmate beside him. "Tell Adam, Arkham, and Dreadnought to prepare."


    "Uhm, sir, I spoke to their subordinates, and they said they hadn''t seen them for a few hours." A pale-faced crewmate stuttered. "They were supposed to give instructions to them, but they couldn''t find them anywhere."


    "What?" Tyrannus turned to him, his eyes narrowing into a re. "And why did you tell me this now and not before?"


    "I-I thought they were with you." The crewmate stuttered.


    "Where the fuck are they?" Tyrannus clicked his tongue. "Fine, tell the generals to take control of the men and prepare for frontal confrontation.


    "A-about that, the generals also didn''t show up." The crewmate gulped dryly. "T-they are also nowhere to be found."


    Tyrannus'' eyes turned close, and he then smashed his battleaxe across the crewmate''s head, swiftly killing him.


    "Where the fuck are everyone!"


    ...


    "W-w-why?" An injured man tried to crawl out of the door, but his legs were broken and his fingers were shattered. "L-Lord... Adam... w-why..."


    In the middle of the room, Adam sat in the middle of a dozen corpses, sipping wine while his clothes were stained with blood.


    The corpses were generals of the Sea King''s fleet!


    "W-we are on the same ship as you..." The injured general whimpered through pain. "W-we are also under the ve contract... w-why are you doing this to us?"


    Adam stood up and shed through the general''s throat with his sword.


    "Any person that mightpromise the sess of the mission needed to be eliminated." Adam sheathed the sword and walked out of the house into the dark night, where he saw the pir of smokeing from the middle of Haventown.


    "Today, it''s either you or me that dies, Tyrannus." Adam coldly whispered.

 Chapter 305 Venus Retaliation

    <h4>Chapter 305 Venus Retaliation</h4>


    "What the fuck happened?" Apollo and the rest of the crew were shocked and confused.


    They had retreated to a nearby tavern for some drinks before going to sleep, but then loud explosions started echoing across the town.


    They could tell that it wasn''t an everyday urrence, as even the customers of the tavern looked shaken.


    ''It has begun.'' Ambrose thought coldly.


    "Should we go check what that was?" Damian suggested.


    "It must be some battle between two rival crews." Ambrose said and shook his head. "It has nothing to do with us."


    "What if it was Mars rted?" Apollo asked. "From what I could tell, the explosion came rather close to the inn where he was."


    "As if he needs our help." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders. "If it''s something that even puts Mars in danger, what could we possibly do? Also, it would be nice if he just died off."


    Leon took a drag of his cigarette, and after exhaling the smoke, he said. "Well, if Mars is fighting someone now, Haventown won''t be safe, and neither will we. I suggest we return to the ship.


    "Also, if Mars really needs our help, he will summon us."


    "That''s right." Apollo stood up and looked at the others. "Let''s return to the ship."


    "I''ll meet you guys there." Ambrose raised his cup, which was still half full of water. "There is something I have to do first."


    "You need help?" Apollo asked, but after seeing Ambrose shaking his head, he nodded and left with the other members of ck Heart.


    ''How are things out there?'' Ambrose spoke inside his mind.


    ''Mars is already injured.'' Bonney spoke to him via telepathy. ''Tyrannus will soon make his move, but strangely, none of his generals are present.''


    ''Is that good or no?'' Ambrose questioned.


    ''Well, the Sea King generals are stronger than most pirate captains, and they would be a valuable asset to have in a fight against Mars.


    ''However, now that Tyrannus couldn''t get the help of hismanders, which are the mainbat power of Sea Pirates, and now even the generals have disappeared, it isn''t looking good for him.


    ''However, Mars is still alone. Are you sure he won''t be summoning you all to be his meat shields?''


    ''His ego is too big to rely on our help.'' Ambrose said. ''He is also very reliant on his Eye of Shimon, and he believes that thing won''t let him die.


    ''I still don''t know how this will end, but Haventown will be razed to the ground.''


    Ambrose then finished the water and turned to the corner of the tavern, where a group of yers were also nning to leave for their ship.


    Their captain was a ck-haired man with a long scar running down his cheek. He was carrying some kind of box, and he looked rather vicious.


    "..." Ambrose silently stood up and began following the group.


    ...


    "A pathetic attempt!" Mars shrugged off the cannonballs that struck his body and exploded.


    As he walked through the smoke of the fire, he formed a fist and punched the air with such strength that a loud explosion sounded as if the air had cracked.


    "Saturn Punch!"


    A powerful wind blew across the street and smashed into one of the buildings,pletely decimating it until its final brick.


    The Sea Pirate members that were stationed inside the building were blown away by the force of the punch and died once their lungs got crushed.


    Then Mars formed a straight hand and chopped across the air with it.


    "Neptune''s Wrath!"


    The air in front of him got shed as if it were done by a sharp de, and then an invisible wind sh flew throughout the air and sliced one of the buildings in half.


    Inside the building, several Sea Pirate members were also shed; nothing of them remained except a pool of blood, and then the rest of the pirates died once the building crumbled apart like a poorly built sand castle.


    "Enough." Tyrannus appeared in front of Mars and swung his battleaxe as if he were trying to hack down a tree.


    Mars scoffed and narrowly avoided the battleaxe by a step backwards.


    "I wonder why you didn''t just attack me in your throne room." Mars smirked. "All this trouble, for what? By the way, I ain''t giving the mace to you now, and you''ll never find it."


    "That mace is just a second-rate copy of this." Tyrannus tapped his hand against the battleaxe. "If the mace was in the hands of someone else, of course I would be bothered to hunt them down.


    "However, once I kill you, the mace will be found eventually. I don''t really need it, and I probably will just scrap it."


    "Hmph." Mars scoffed and formed a fist with his right hand. "Enough of scheming. Mars Right!"


    At the same speed as the lightning bolt, Mars threw a quick right-handed punch towards Tyrannus'' face.


    Tyrannus swung his battleaxe around and blocked the fist with the side of itsrge de. The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the air.


    All the nearby windows shattered, and the ground shook beneath their feet.


    "Trembling Sea." Tyrannus said with a melodic tone, and suddenly, the battleaxe started vibrating at high frequency.


    Mars'' eyes narrowed, and suddenly a powerful shockwave shot out from the de and sent him flying throughout the air.


    Smash¡ªhe crashed through several buildings beforeing to a stop once his back crashed into a side of the bedroom wall.


    "Tch." Mars clicked his tongue and jumped through the ceiling, appearing above Haventown with bright lights shining in front of him.


    He then fell back to the ground and crashed into the site of the destroyed inn.


    Tyrannus moved the battleaxe in front of his face to block the flying pebbles that flew about once Mars crashed into the ground, breaking the pavement as a result.


    Mars dashed forward and sent a barrage of punches in Tyrannus'' direction, each punch causing the air to explode with a powerful force.


    Tyrannus quickly deflected the punches with his battleaxe, but he was forced to back away as Mars continued to attack.


    "Mars Left!" Mars screamed and threw a left-handed punch, whichnded on the battleaxe and caused a powerful shockwave that made Tyrannus stumble backwards a few steps.


    "Urgh..." Tyrannus narrowed his eyes as he stabilized himself.


    He hated to admit it, but Mars was perhaps the opponent with the highest physical strength he had ever fought.


    "The Godly sh!" Tyrannus lifted the battleaxe above his head and shed across his body. The de started to glow in brilliant blue light, and then a blue sh flew out from the de.


    "Neptune''s Wrath!" Mars quickly chopped his hand against the blue sh and screamed loudly as the blue sh tried to cut through his hand.


    "Why aren''t you using your second gate''s Inner Power?" Tyrannus frowned before realizing it, and he suddenly startedughing like a madman.


    "Could it be that you haven''t even opened the second gate?


    "Haha, just how talentless are you, fool?!"


    Mars'' eyes narrowed into a dangerous re, and he then suddenly used his left fist and smashed through the blue sh.


    He then immediately lunged towards Tyrannus and screamed. "Venus Retaliation!"


    Smash¡ªthe fistnded on Tyrannus'' face with a force of a thousand bulls and sent him flying away like a wrecking ball.


    "Who is talentless?" Mars clicked his tongue. "You bastard."

 Chapter 306 Mercury Death

    <h4>Chapter 306 Mercury Death</h4>


    "Ah, did I hurt your feelings?" Tyrannus touched his nose and smiled through bloodied teeth.


    He then stood up with the help of his battleaxe and looked at Mars, whose body was covered in scratches and burns with tattered clothes draped over him.


    "Seeing that reaction, you clearly care a lot about the talent." Tyrannus curiously said. "You need the heart for something else than just luck. Perhaps you are trying to concoct some kind of potion?


    "Hmm, perhaps something to do with yourck of talent? Perhaps, perhaps."


    Tyrannus pondered, his eyes narrowing in thought.


    "Fuck you." Mars raised his hands and then mmed them against the ground with thunderous force. "Earth''s Might!"


    Boom¡ªthe ground cracked and split open, sending a massive shockwave through the air.


    The Sea pirates were already barely able to help Tyrannus in the fight, and they were in constant danger.


    Once the ground split up, the ground under them vanished, and they began falling into the dark abyss.


    All the nearby buildings fell apart and fell to the same ravine in the ground, and the destruction and casualties were immense.


    Tyrannus jumped over the ravine and smashed the battleaxe towards Mars, but he quickly dodged, and the battleaxe smashed into the ground.


    "Uranus..." Mars lunged towards Tyrannus, and suddenly a strange forcefield appeared around his right fist. "Strike!"


    He then punched forward, and once his arm straightened up and his fistnded on the battleaxe, the forcefield popped like a soap bubble and the air exploded, sending Tyrannus flying backward.


    However, Tyrannus quickly backflipped andnded perfectly on the ground, as if it were nothing.


    "Neptune''s Wrath!" Mars continued his relentless attacking and delivered a sharp downward chop attack, but Tyrannus quickly blocked it with a battleaxe and swept Mars'' feet from underneath him.


    As Mars was about to fall to the ground, Tyrannus quickly raised his battleaxe and hammered it down with rage.


    Mars quickly crossed his arms in front of his face and felt the battleaxe smash into his muscles.


    Crash¡ªMars crashed into the ground loudly, and the ground cracked even further, causing arge dust cloud to rise up.


    At that moment, the battleaxe started glowing in bright blue light, and then Tyrannus started smashing it down with relentless fury as if he were ying a game of whack-a-mole.


    On the receiving end, Mars felt the battleaxending on his body with a powerful force, and his bones started to break with his flesh bleeding.


    It was the most damage he had received in a very long time.


    His body was already screaming in pain after getting exploded many times, but now he could truly feel his consciousness slipping away into a dark realm.


    He was about to pass out!


    At that moment, Mars saw shes of memories, but instead of Tyrannus being the one striking him down, it was him, and the one at the receiving end was his brother, Mercury.


    "Ugh!" Mars'' eyes shook violently, and at that moment, the battleaxe''s de smashed into his head, but instead of slicing straight through, it bounced away as if his skull were made of metal.


    "No... Mercury..." Mars'' eyes turned cold, and he loudly screamed. "You are dead, and I won''t join you!"


    As the battleaxended once more, Mars quickly grabbed it with his bare hands, and he then used his other free hand to throw a punch towards Tyrannus.


    While Tyrannus was trying to pull off the battleaxe from Mars'' grasp, he then noticed the fist that was going in his direction.


    At first, he didn''t think much of it and just nned to tank it with his body, as it was a punch that looked rather sluggish as it was thrown from a very awkward position.


    However, the fist suddenly started growing in size, and soon it looked like a fist that belonged to a giant!


    ''An illusion?'' Tyrannus thought at first, but then his face paled, and he looked frightened as every sense in his body screamed of lethal danger!


    "Mercury Death!" Mars screamed, and then the fistnded on Tyrannus'' face.


    Boom¡ªthe loudest explosion so far sounded that it even frightened the fish that were swimming in the nearby ocean.


    Tyrannus flew like a cannonball across the air, his face bleeding furiously and his body limp.


    After a while, he crashed into the side of the mountain, which was the location of his castle!


    With that single attack, Mars sent Tyrannus flying for several dozen kilometers from Haventown all the way to the ck castle!


    Mars screamed loudly and stood up from the ground, touching his broken ribs.


    A slight distance away, Bonney, hidden in the shadows, wiped her cold sweat; she couldn''t believe her eyes. She also saw the strange illusion of a giant''s fist and wondered what the hell that was.


    ''I gotta report this to Ambrose, but the fight is definitely not over yet. Hopefully they don''t decide to stop fighting and just kill each other...''


    A few kilometers away, standing on top of a building with a pitched roof, Adam watched the scene with crossed arms.


    ''This is not enough.'' Adam''s eyes narrowed dangerously. ''They need to injure each other till they are only inches away from death. Otherwise, Ambrose and I will not be able to finish them off.''


    ...


    At the shore of Haventown, Ambrose stood in the middle of several corpses, holding a box.


    Below his feet, the vicious-looking pirate with a long scar running down his cheek looked lifeless.


    "This''lle to a good use." Ambrose thought out loud as he looked at the box and then put it inside his inventory.


    After that, he turned to the pir of smoke that wafted all the way to the dark night sky.


    ''The sound of battles had ended. It shouldn''t be over this quickly, but I also heard a loud crashing from that mountain over there.


    ''Someone must''ve been thrown quite far away.'' Ambrose tapped his finger against his sword. ''I suppose I should go near the site and get ready.''


    At that moment, Ambrose frowned and turned to the ocean. The fog of the Dark Waters turned thick and started to spread towards the shore.


    He could barely see through the fog and towards the ocean.


    However, at that moment, a creepy echo of haunting bells filled the air, and following the sshing of waves, a certain ship emerged from the fog.


    It was a strange ship that looked like it was glowing green and was somewhat illusionary. It also had tattered ck sails and a dark, ominous aura surrounding it.


    Ambrose frowned as it didn''t look like a real ship, but then he noticed figures standing on the deck, and when he saw them, his jaw dropped in shock.


    "The W-Wild Hunt..."


    In front of the deck, a figure with glowing armor stood with a small smile on his face.


    "Ah, finally here." Death King whispered and then as the ship docked in the shore, he turned his gaze to a ck-haired young man that was standing on the shore with stunned expression in his face.


    "Oh, I smell a familiar scent from you." Death King''s dark eyes shone brilliantly. "You are the thief, aren''t you?"


    "Shit..." Ambrose whispered, turned around, and used his Formlessness to fly away at high speed.


    The Ghosts of the Wild Hunt whistled loudly and summoned their ghost horses from the fog.


    "Retrieve the heart for me." Death King said and turned to Haventown with a smile. "There are two powerful individuals in here. I''ll go have a word with them."

 Chapter 312 Mars Vs. Black Heart

    <h4>Chapter 312 Mars Vs. ck Heart</h4>


    A year ago.


    A ck-sailed ship crashed through tall waves, moving further into the imprable fog that stretched across the sea like a nket.


    Inside the ship, gathered in the dining hall, several young men yed cards whileughing out loud.


    "Boom!" Damianughed and mmed his cards on the table.


    "You''re so lucky, man!" Loki groaned loudly and put down his cards.


    "Damian has that vampire luck." Henri shrugged his shoulders andzily stretched his limbs. "No one can defeat him in the game of cards."


    "Tch." Loki clicked his tongue.


    In the corner of the hall, Apollo strummed the strings of his guitar, ying a calming melody that seemed to match the mood of the room.


    Jake sat near a window, gazing out towards the starry sky with an absent-looking expression.


    His eyes seemed to be lost in thought, as if he were contemting something deep and meaningful.


    "Cursed!" Ors then identally stabbed his finger with a needle while he was trying to knit a new doll to use for his rituals.


    "Shit..." He let out a frustrated sigh and looked at the doll with a cold yet mixed expression.


    On the other hand, he wanted to rip the doll in half and destroy it, but his hands then moved and he continued to use the needle to stitch it together.


    Creak¡ªthe door then opened, and Leon walked in with his hands slipped inside his pockets.


    "The storm is over?" Apollo stopped ying the guitar and looked towards Leon.


    "Yes." Leon grabbed something to eat and walked over to Apollo. "We should be arriving at the next destination soon."


    "You think Mars found another poor fellow to join this wretched crew?" Henri asked curiously.


    "Most likely." Apollo nodded. "It has barely been a few months since Ors joined us, and we are already getting another one."


    "I wonder who it could be." Damian asked thoughtfully and then nced at Ors with a scoff. "I hope it''s someone less vile than this bastard."


    "Hmph, whenever you speak, vampire, I feel like puking." Ors stuffed the doll into his pocket and stood up in an attempt to leave the dining room, as he wasn''t that close to others and would rather be alone.


    "You two, keep it nice." Apollo put the guitar down on the ground. "We are in the same boat, so let''s try to get along even if we don''t agree with our pasts."


    Ors and Damian simultaneously clicked their tongues.


    Damian returned to his game of cards while Ors left the dining hall.


    After arriving at his cabin, Ors took out the doll from his pocket and looked at its ck eyes made of ss.


    He subconsciously squeezed the doll so hard that its stitches began to tear, and soon after, it tore into pieces.


    "Ah..." Ors dropped the destroyed doll to the ground and kneeled in front of a small altar.


    "Please, Anti-Christ Deiderich..." Ors interlocked his fingers and prayed towards the altar. "Why am I still stuck here? You said you would be with us, wherever we are, and yet you have left me here. Why?


    "I already gave you the sacrifice; why have you abandoned me?"


    At that moment, dark thoughts swept across his mind and muffled those questions.


    "Ah, right..." Ors smiled with tears running down his face. "This is my test. I''ll seed and won''t disappoint you. One day, I walk in the hallways of heaven, feasting with gods and goddesses."


    ...


    In the present day.


    As Mars threw powerful jabs, the air exploded and the ground shook, sending the members of ck Heart Pirates flying away.


    "Argh!" Ors crashed into the ground, his other hand clutching a polearm while his other hand was holding a red bible that looked like it belonged to Satan.


    As the back of his head crashed into a small rock, he received a quick sh of memory that he had long forgotten.


    The memory showed a certain scene that happened on the same day when Ors murdered his family.


    He met a strange man when he was walking back from the school. He was dressed in a holy outfit and had a kind smile on his face.


    However, his hair was very dark, his skin pale as if he were suffering from a disease, and his eyes were bloodshot.


    He told him about the Anti-Christ and about the salvation that awaited those who believed in him and wanted to travel with him to the great beyond that was past the Dark Continent.


    However, to join him, every member had to make their own sacrifices to show their worth and loyalty.


    Ors was mesmerized by everything he heard, and strange thoughts surfaced in his mind like a tidal wave.


    That very night, he picked up a knife and killed his parents and siblings; then, as if the holy man was waiting for that, he arrived there and saw Ors standing in the middle of his dead family.


    The holy man took Ors with him, and the rest was history.


    He joined other kids who had also killed their families, influenced their minds with Anti-Christ philosophy, and became fervent believers.


    ''The promise never came...'' Ors thought while looking at the dark sky with blood running down his face. ''They told us that the Anti-Christ would take us to the promisednd, but it never happened.


    ''At first, they said in a few years, then it stretched to a decade, and then two decades...''


    Ors'' eyes shook, tears appearing in the corner of his eyes.


    ''They taught me the Anti-Magic, and one of the spells was mind control. It can''t control a person per se, but it can influence their thoughts...


    ''T-there is no way that happened to me, right?''


    However, Ors already knew the truth, and he couldn''t help but shed tears.


    ''I don''t want to believe that they are gone for nothing!'' Ors screamed in frustration. "Mom, dad, sister, and brother!"


    "What are you crying about, Ors?" Mars stomped over to him and grabbed him by the throat. "Your wailing is annoying me. Ors, I know you weren''t part of the group of thieves.


    "I doubt they would trust you. Hell, even I wouldn''t trust you, even if it cost my life!


    "So, mind telling me if they are hiding anything else from me?"


    "W-what... do you think about the Anti-Christ?" Ors asked through a pained grunt.


    "Hah." Marsughed mockingly. "It is a philosophy for fools."


    "Deiderich the Revered, as he is called, is nothing but the biggest con-man in the world. He has fooled many people with his false promises and lies.


    "I don''t have any pity for fools like you who got tricked. You all are the cancer of the world, and I''ll erase you all from the face of the.


    "Because this is my justice.


    "The Necessary Justice."


    "I see..." Ors closed his eyes. "I am a fool."


    "Hmph." Mars reeled in his arm, aiming his fist towards Ors'' face. "I only need you to be barely alive. Try to survive this.


    "Mars Right!"


    As his fist stormed down like a mighty hammer, Ors waited for everything to turn dark, quiet, and cold.


    However, at that moment, a crimson light engulfed him and carried him to safety.


    After the crimson light disappeared, Ors opened his eyes and sat up, a stunned expression on his face.


    Damian, Leon, Apollo, Henri, Loki, Jake, and Zero stood beside him, their weapons unleashed and pointed at Mars.


    "You..." Ors looked at Damian with a shocked expression. "Why?"


    Damian opened his hands, and the ck nails grew longer until they resembled sharp razors.


    "I still think you are a pain in the ass." Damian said and offered his hand to Ors. "However, you are strong, and we need you to kill Mars."


    Ors looked at the hand silently before he gritted his teeth, grabbed the hand, and stood up with the help of Damian.


    "Very well..." Ors rubbed the back of his neck. "Let''s kill him then."


    "..." Mars looked at them silently before forming a cold smile. "This is how you are nning to y? I am really poor at keeping my strength in check. I might kill one of you identally."

 Chapter 313 Vampire Light

    <h4>Chapter 313 Vampire Light</h4>


    "Argh!" Jake screamed loudly, and his broken bones snapped back to their ce, and his flesh slowly healed as if nothing had ever happened to it.


    Starborn''s physique was truly out of this world.


    "Round two!" Jake kicked off the ground and threw a powerful straight punch towards Mars, as if it were executed by a professional fighter trained in the art of fighting.


    Mars didn''t move and allowed the punch to hit him in the cheek. The punch pushed his head to the side, and his feet slid on the ground for a few meters.


    "Ptui!" Mars spat out blood from his mouth and wiped the blood off his lips. "I wonder what your future would have held, Jake, if you hadn''t encountered me. But now it''s all mine!"


    He grinned sadistically, crossed the distance between him and Jake with one quick stride, and punched him in the face.


    Smack¡ªJake was sent flying across the wastnd, and he soon crashed into a nearby rock, not moving afterwards as if he were knocked out of the cold.


    "Magic Bow!" Apollo jumped in the air, and a golden bow with an arrow appeared in his hands. He then aimed it at Mars, pulled the silvery string, and released the arrow.


    "Uranus..." A forcefield appeared around Mars'' hand, and when he was about to punch, a crimson light suddenly appeared in front of him, blocking his sight of the arrow and Apollo.


    "?" Mars frowned, and at the same moment, the arrow pierced through the light and smashed into his chest.


    The arrow cracked in the middle and vanished into golden pixels.


    However, a small cut appeared on Mars'' chest, dripping blood.


    Although the wound wasn''t severe, it was still a cause for concern because it showed that Mars was vulnerable to their attacks.


    "..."


    However, Mars stayed silent as if he wasn''t bothered by the small wound.


    From the crimson light, three figures emerged. They were Leon, Henri, and Loki.


    "The Silver Death!" Leon screamed, dashed through the ground like silver lightning, and shed Mars with his de.


    "Ugh..." Mars let out a small groan and was pushed back a single step.


    "Two Cross!" Henri, wielding two daggers, moved at incredibly quick speed and caused two small cut wounds on Mars'' shoulder before skipping away to safety.


    Loki''s eyes shone brilliantly, and then a dozen illusions of himself appeared all around Mars, all holding a ck whip andshing out at him with a flurry of quick and deadly strikes.


    "Argh!" Mars crossed his arms and tanked the whishes with a grimace of pain.


    A whirpool of crimson light suddenly appeared behind Mars, and from there, Damian appeared briefly and cut Mars'' back with his long ck nails before disappearing back to the crimson light.


    As more and more small wounds appeared on Mars'' body, his eyes stayed cold and unyielding.


    "Your fun is over." Mars suddenly grabbed all the dozen whips, then pulled the illusions towards him and destroyed them all with a single punch.


    "Ugh..." Loki grunted and did several hand signals, which created a small magic circle below him, and a bright light burst out of it.


    After the bright light vanished, Loki''s feet lifted off the ground, and he was able to fly like a bird.


    As he soared high into the sky, he created several magic circles and shot several fireballs out of them, sending them flying towards Mars.


    Mars formed a straight hand and shed it across the air. "Neptune''s Wrath!"


    A powerful invisible sh flew out of his hand and destroyed the fireballs, but that wasn''t the end. The invisible sh continued flying towards Loki.


    Loki''s eyes shrank as the invisible sh came at him at a speed way higher than he was able to fly away.


    However, like a guardian angel, the crimson light engulfed him and teleported him back to the ground.


    As Loki''s feet touched the ground again, he nodded in gratitude towards Damian''s direction and then turned his green eyes back to Mars.


    "You''re bothersome." Mars turned to Damian and pointed his finger at him. "A reject, a distasteful Half-Vampire. Hated by ''both'' of his kind."


    Mars''s voice wasced with disdain.


    "Yeah..." Damian replied, his voice filled with a hint of defiance. "ck Heart Pirates is the first ce that made me feel like I belonged somewhere. However, unfortunately, you were there. Without you, being a pirate wouldn''t have been too bad with them."


    "There isn''t ck Heart Pirates without me!" Mars shouted and lunged at Damian with a fiery expression. "ck Heart Pirates is me, and only me!"


    Damian''s eyes widened, and he quickly moved his hands into abat stance.


    As Mars threw a powerful right hook, Damian quickly used the crimson light to dodge the punch and then appeared behind Mars, his ck nails at striking distance.


    "Tres Stab Cordis!" Damian shouted and stabbed his nails into Mars'' back.


    However, Mars'' figure suddenly started to vanish as if he were a ghost, about to pass into the afterlife.


    "Watch out, he is using illusion magic!" Loki screamed from the top of his lungs.


    "I got this!" But then Ors created a ck magic circle in front of him and shouted. "Anti-Magic, Nullification!"


    As the spell struck the area near Damian, a figure started to appear from the thin air, who was already throwing a punch towards Damian!


    "?!" Damian felt the pressure of the punch nearing him. ''I can''t dodge it in time!''


    "Zero Impact!" A soft shout sounded across the air as a white-haired young man appeared in front of the punch.


    As Zero threw his own punch, it stopped Mars'' powerful punch in its tracks for a split second.


    However, that was enough for Damian to teleport both him and Zero out of danger''s way. They appeared near Loki, both unscathed.


    "..." Mars silently watched as his punch hit thest remnants of the crimson light. Again, his attack had failed, and it was all because of Damian and the legendary Vampire Light.


    Swoosh¡ªat that moment, several golden arrows smashed into his body, causing a loud explosion and sending him flying several meters.


    However, Mars then flipped over andnded on the ground with a thud.


    "Hmph!" Mars lifted his hands above his head before smashing them into the ground. "Earth''s Might!"


    Crack¡ªthe ground cracked like a broken window and sent everyone flying away as the shockwave swept across the ground.


    The ground shook violently, causing the rocks to fly away and the broken buildings to tremble.


    Some distance away, Ambrose and the Death King were in a heated battle. Their weapons continued to sh in a flurry of sparks and light.


    "Your friends won''tst long." The Death King teased him while, rather effortlessly, he fought against Ambrose.


    It was clear he wasn''t using all of his strength yet and was just ying around.


    "..." Ambrose narrowed his eyes.


    It was true, and he knew it.


    Even though Mars was injured in the fight against Tyrannus, his strength level was vastly above that of any ck Heart member. It was only because of Damian that they had survived this far without any casualties.


    ''I suppose I have no other choice.'' Ambrose reached out to his inventory, pulled out an ugly, smelly green whistle, and blew into it loudly.


    Whistle¡ªas the whistle echoed throughout the air, green smoke began to appear in the air.


    ''Yughragh, I need your help!'' Ambrose tightened his grip on his swords.

 Chapter 316 The Inner Devil

    <h4>Chapter 316 The Inner Devil</h4>


    Zero opened his eyes again while the warm blood dripped down from his nostril. He watched as Damian and others fought Mars.


    It was a bloody fight.


    ''That memory was only half of the story...'' Zero touched his forehead and thought about the memory he just saw. ''Some of my memories are locked behind a wall.


    ''It''s like my own mind locked them away because of the intense trauma.


    ''I am truly grateful for Mars and others for taking me out of there, but I also desire the life of freedom. This is just another prison.''


    Poof¡ªa strange cloud of smoke appeared in front of his eyes, and from that, a small figure of himself appeared. It was transparent, and its expression was strangely malicious.


    "My soul?" Zero frowned. "How did you appear here?"


    ''Remember the memory?'' The soul asked with a strangely evil tone. ''Remember the withered scientists? The nk look, the dried-up flesh, and bloody nails?''


    "Yes, and so what?" Zero frowned.


    ''Remember what happened to them?'' The soul asked while grinning.


    Zero shook his head. "I assumed Mars and others to have done that, so what? Those bastards deserved it."


    ''So, you truly don''t remember?'' His soul chuckled maliciously and moved behind Zero as if it were his shoulder devil. ''You did that.''


    "I did that?" Zero frowned and shook his head. "I don''t have the capability of doing that. I hate to admit it, but the scientists were just not some weaklings. They were strong, battle-hardened warriors, and that''s why I was never able to escape."


    ''The scientists wanted to create a monster¡ªthey seeded.'' The soul whispered in his ear as if he were trying to tempt him into doing something.


    ''Ever wondered where you came from, Zero?''


    "..." Zero lowered his head and looked conflicted. "I only remembered the white room. I expected to have been born there."


    ''You were born as a baby in a small town on the Dark Continent. The town was one of thest human settlements there.


    ''The threat of attacks from demons, demon creatures, and other monsters was constant in your town. However, the people living in that town had a special skill.


    ''Everyone born there had the ability to seek their inner devil and make a deal with them to gain power to fend off the monsters that threatened their lives.''


    "..." Zero listened silently before asking. "So, I suppose the ''soul'' is our inner devil? Which means you are my inner devil."


    ''Ding, ding!''


    "What happened to my parents?" Zero asked quickly. "I must''ve had one, right? Also, how did I end up in theboratory?"


    ''You''ll get your answers under one condition.'' The inner devil grinned with clear malicious intent.


    "What is it?" Zero asked with a frown.


    ''This is actually the best deal you could get. Sign a deal with me, and you''ll get the power to kill Mars; you will also get all the answers you wish for!''


    "Sounds far too good to be true. What do you gain?" Zero narrowed his eyes.


    ''Survival. You''ll die in here without my help. Believe me or not, but your survival is the most necessary thing because if you die, I die.''


    "There must be something else." Zero said. "Because, why make a deal? You could just give me the power and answers."


    ''There is always a but.'' His inner devil said: ''Inner devils have to make a deal that gives them profit and not the other way around. So, the deal, where I get more out of it, is necessary for the devil to give power.''


    "This is already a very good deal for me, so whatever you get is even better." Zero frowned. "Mind telling me what that is?"


    ''I cannot do that. The deal is always a secret. You don''t even remember we had this conversation.''


    "Do you get control of my body or something?" Zero asked with a hesitant look.


    ''No. That deal is impossible. The inner devil cannot consume the mind or body of a person.


    ''Well, if you are feeling hesitant, we have done a deal once before.''


    "We have?" Zero asked in shock, but then remembered the sentence, which the inner devil started to use in the conversation.


    "You mean..."


    ''Exactly. You wanted power to kill the scientists. I gave you that power, but of course, you don''t remember anything.''


    "..." Zero looked to the distance, where Mars was fending off the attacks.


    ''Well, what will it be?'' The inner devil asked.


    "Fine. I''ll sign the deal!" Zero shouted.


    At the same moment, a piece of parchment paper and a quill with ck ink appeared in the air in front of him.


    There was a spot to write his name down, but he hesitated as he didn''t know his real name.


    ''If you are curious, your name is Rain Rhoades.''


    "Rain Rhoades..." Zero whispered and wrote his name down with a shaky hand.


    Once he was done, the parchment paper lit up on fire and vanished into ashes.


    At the same moment, Zero felt a burning sensation inside his body and realized that something was going to activate deep within his body.


    ''You are in luck.'' The inner devil whispered. ''The final enchantment you received from the scientists gave you power beyond humans'' limits. I am simply activating the enchantment now.


    ''This should make you even more powerful than year ago when you killed those scientists.''


    "Aaaaaaargh!" Zero suddenly let out a scream straight from the depths of his soul. His skin started smoking as if he were steaming, and his sclera turned ink ck as his eyes glowed with an intense rage.


    ''There you''ll go...'' The inner devil chuckled. ''You are the son of Storm and Water Rhoades¡ªthe town was in the brink of destruction and they had to make a deal with their inner devils to save the town.


    ''Because of the inevitable destruction, the deal''s price was heavy. They had to sell you away to ve traders. Of course, they didn''t know that when they signed the deal, and they probably still don''t know where you are.


    ''If they are still alive.


    ''That is your past.''


    "Aaaargh!" Zero screamed loudly, and without listening to the inner devil''s words, he rushed forth and ran towards Mars like a possessed demon.


    ''Hehe, will he even remember what I told him?'' The inner devil chuckled inside him. ''Well, try to survive now. You''ll still have to pay me...''


    Mars'' hair stood up at the back of his neck, and as he turned around, he came across a fist.


    Smack¡ªthe fist punched him in the face, sending him flying several meters before he flipped over andnded back on the ground.


    "Ptui!" Mars spat out blood from his mouth and looked at the white-haired young man, who was steaming like a steaming machine.


    "Z-Zero?" Others looked at him in shock, as he looked vastly different from before.


    While Zero Karate was mainly focused on defense, as Zero believed that to be his greatest strength¡ªthe final enchantment fully focuses on attack and brings out Zero''s hidden potential.


    "I see, so you have been hiding some power, aye?" Marsughed and lunged at Zero with his arm reeled in backwards.


    A small forcefield appeared around Mars'' fist as he prepared for a strike.


    "Uranus Strike!"


    Zeropletely ignored the defense and prepared to tank the attack.


    "Dodge!" Apollo screamed, as no one would be able to survive the all-out attack from Mars.


    "High Pain!"


    At that moment, a ck-ded sword descended from the sky and shed through Mars'' shoulder, creating a deep gash that bled plenty.


    "Argh!" Mars let out an agonizing scream. "Ambroseeeeeeeee!"


    "Whoo..." Ambrosended on the ground and nced at Zero before turning to the others. "Sorry for taking so long. Let''s kill him quick."


    "Heh." Damian cracked his knuckles. "Took long enough. Time to end this."


    "..." Zero looked around with his ck-sclera eyes and couldn''t recognize any of them. However, his target was Mars and only him.


    "Hahahah!" Marsughed through pain and stared at Ambrose with a fiery rage. "You are truly the bane of my existence, Ambrose!


    "Ever since you joined my crew, bad luck has only been following me around.


    "Today, it ends!"

 Chapter 321 Reichfaith

    <h4>Chapter 321 Reichfaith</h4>


    "..." Yughragh stopped for a moment and looked at his trembling hand. ''The time is running out. Time to end this, I suppose.''


    "Verhan''s Menace!" The Death King bellowed and sent several ck spears flying towards Yughragh.


    They were made by the ck Smoke of Verhan and corrupted everything in their wake.


    Yughragh smashed his wooden mace through the ck spears.


    But then, the ck spears dissolved and turned into ck smoke. The ck smoke immediately shot towards the green-skinned orc, nning to poison him!


    "Karma..." Yughragh reeled in his mace, and once the ck smoke was about to touch him, he swung the mace down with relentless fury. "El Fatale!"


    Swoosh¡ªthe powerful wind blew through the smoke and crashed into the Death King, sending him flying towards the ck temple, where he crashed through several pirs.


    The temple began to crumble and copse.


    "Argh!" A loud shout came from the temple, and then the Death King reappeared above the destroyed temple, his armor rotting slowly.


    ''Even he can get affected by the ck Smoke of Verhan.'' Yughragh thought emotionlessly. ''No wonder. It''s a weapon that is above a mere Pirate King. It is a weapon of Lord Ravan, the Demon King.


    ''The real version has the power to sweep through the world and kill every single thing in existence. This is merely a child''s version.''


    "Rise, the dead Ol'' Gods!" The Death King screamed, and at that moment, a ck beam shot from his hand, pierced through the clouds, and reached the sky.


    The ground shook like it was suffering from a severe earthquake.


    ...


    Somewhere in Dark Waters.


    "..." A skeleton covered in seaweed trotted down a rocky cliff, its bones glistening in the sunlight. It was holding a rusty sword that seemed to be stuck in its hand.


    The skeleton''s eyes were empty and lifeless, and its movements were slow, as if its joints were rusty.


    At that moment, the skeleton stopped and looked towards the foggy seas. It was as if its eyeless sockets could see through the fog and see something far in the distance.


    "Death..." The skeleton whispered in a low, eerie tone.


    Without further ado, it started falling from the cliff like a toy that was thrown away. It crashed into the sea, causing a wide ssh, and the sound of its impact echoed through the air.


    ...


    A massive arm shot through the ground. It was as if a giant was trying to dig out of its grave.


    Yughragh narrowed his eyes. "A giant, buried in here?"


    "Dark Waters was a battlefield of Ancient Grounded Gods!" The Death King shouted andughed as the dead zombie giant rose from the ground.


    It was over 100 meters tall, with a massive, skeletal body and glowing red eyes.


    "Not many know, but I know a lot about Dark Waters history!" The Death Kingughed. "I am cursed by the knowledge of death. Wherever you go in Dark Waters, that ce is covered by the scent of death and blood!


    "There are billions of corpses, hidden below the foggy waters or below the ground. Any random street or any random alleyway in Dark Waters is built on top of corpses!


    "It''s not too hard to find the corpse of a giant or even Heavenwalker!


    "The deceased told me that Dark Waters was once the Third Continent, called Reichfaith!


    "The deceased also revealed that the continent was once home to a powerful and ancient civilization. It had legendary figures who were powerful enough to banish the Ancient Grounded Gods.


    "Such as the Angel of Reichfaith, the Sword of the Pale God, and the Shadow of the Night. Yet, even powerful beings like them died alongside the civilization.


    "In this world, no one is truly immortal, except death itself!"


    "Very interesting." Yughragh said and looked high up in the sky, trying to catch a glimpse of the zombie giant''s eyes. "Yet, nothing of that matters. You can still be killed."


    "My glorious creation, kill this insect!" The Death Kingughed like a madman.


    The zombie giant looked down at the tiny green-skinned creature and sneered at it with a cold, emotionless gaze. Then it lifted its leg and stomped down.


    Boom¡ªthe ground exploded, and the ground was crushed beneath the giant''s heel.


    Arge crater appeared around the skeleton''s foot.


    Swoosh¡ªa figure appeared behind the giant''s head. Compared to the giant, he looked insignificant, like an ant in the presence of humans.


    Yet, when he raised his mace, the pressure was intense.


    "Todesfall El Fatale!" Yughragh screamed and threw the mace at the skeleton giant''s head. The impact was devastating, and the giant''s skull shattered into pieces.


    Back in the ground, the Death King watched as his glorious creation fell to the ground.


    Boom¡ªimmediately afterwards, Yughragh crashed into the ground in front of him, his eyes glowing with powerful green light.


    "It won''t be that easy." The Death King smirked, and seven giants arms shot out from the ground and smashed into Yughragh.


    Yughragh groaned and struggled to get up, but the giants'' attacks were too powerful. The giants pounded him to the ground.


    "Morvind El Fatale!"


    Kaboom!


    The seven giant arms shattered like fragile pieces of ice, and Yughragh rose back from the ground. He was bloodied and bruised, but his eyes were glowing eerily, showing that he was far from death.


    The Death King clicked his tongue and was about to summon more creatures to help him. However, he then felt his heart hurt as if someone were squeezing it. He realized that his own life force was being drained away.


    ''W-what is happening?'' The Death King looked over to the foggy sea and paled. ''S-something is approaching. W-what is this feeling? Cold... deadly presence.''


    "Raaaaah!" Yughragh screamed and smashed his mace across the Death King''s head.


    The Death King''s head exploded like a watermelon, and he fell to the ground.


    ''He lost concentration like that?'' Yughragh scoffed and rested the mace against his shoulder. He then looked over to the foggy sea and narrowed his eyes.


    The Death King''s corpse twitched, and his mutted head slowly recovered. His eyes snapped open, filled with a malevolent re.


    "Aaaargh!" He pointed his hand towards Yughragh and shot several ck spears.


    Yughragh quickly deflected the ck spears and smirked. "As expected. You are still alive."


    "Hmph!" The Death King shot back to his feet and nced at the foggy sea with a fearful gaze. "Whatever, this ain''t worth it!"


    "?" Yughragh frowned and then heard water sshing. He turned around, and, to his surprise, the ghost ship started flying across the air.


    The Death King leaped andnded on the ghost ship''s deck. The ship then vanished into the sky, taking away all the fog and malevolent air.


    "He escaped?" Yughraghughed. "Pirate Kings. They are worse than cockroaches..."


    He nced at the foggy sea and frowned. "But I can also sense something. It''s still far, but this doesn''t feel good..."


    He then shrugged his wide shoulders and looked towards Mars and Ambrose.


    "Well, my deal is over."


    At that moment, the green smoke covered him and took him back to where he came from.


    The summoning ended.


    In the foggy sea, the waves began to calm down, but there was something going on with the fish. The fish were escaping from the Sea King''s territory as if there was something far more dangerousing than the Kings.


    Even the massive Kraken started swimming away, ignoring the Sea King''s call.

 Chapter 333 Eye鈥檚 Soul

    <h4>Chapter 333 Eye''s Soul</h4>


    The wall of shadows stood intimidately, casting a dark and ominous aura across the strange world.


    At that moment, a loud explosion sounded from the ground below. It sounded like a massive earthquake had struck, causing the ground to shake violently.


    In the location of the sound, a golden figure and a ck-haired young man stood separated.


    One had his arm extended with his hand clenched into a fist. It looked like he had just thrown a powerful punch.


    The other one was in a shing stance, as if he had just finished shing and was now waiting for the result of his attack.


    At that moment, a gentle crack sounded, and the red-ded swords in Ambrose''s hands cracked and eventually shattered like fragile ss.


    "Ugh¡­" He slowly fell to his knees, as he was too tired to move anymore. ''D-did I lose?''


    He slowly lifted his gaze to Mars, who stood silently, and then he reeled back in his extended arm and stood still like a statue.


    "What a day¡­" Mars whispered as he looked toward the sky. "It''s over, it seems."


    At that moment, a faint smile appeared on his face, and then his head rolled swiftly off his shoulders and fell to the ground.


    The golden skin disappeared, and beneath that, his body was bruised and ckened as if he were burned from head to toe. However, his body didn''t fall to the ground but instead stayed standing.


    Mars Ares Godfriend, captain of ck Heart Pirates and pirate with bounty of 11,777,999 silvers had died!


    Ambrose looked at the scene without much emotion.


    He thought he would be happy if he died, even thrilled, but he felt like he was too tired to show any emotion.


    Therefore, he simply sat down and looked at his destroyed swords in silence. Now, he only had his wooden sword, which was the basic weapon of a swordsman.


    Then, he felt a burning sensation disappear from his forehead as the ck heart finally disappeared.


    ***


    [You have killed Mars Ares Godfriend!]


    [You are not bound by the ve contract anymore!]


    [250,000 XP Acquired!]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 66 ¡ú 67]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 67 ¡ú 68]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 68 ¡ú 69]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 69 ¡ú 70]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 70 ¡ú 71]


    [LEVEL UP!]


    [Level 71 ¡ú 72]


    ***


    Ambrose looked at all the notifications and wryly smiled.


    ''Before, 250,000 would''ve been a crazy amount of XP, but now I need a lot to level up. Next level, I need 55,000 XP, which is insane. It takes a long time to grind for those.''


    He then stood up and heard the sound of an explosioning from a distance. It felt like the earth and heaven were turning inside out as the two otherworldly beings dualed with each other.


    Ambrose had no intention of getting caught in the crossfire.


    ''I have already been logged in for a long time, and I should log off soon. It''s dangerous to stay in for this long, butst time I couldn''t log off either, so what should I do?''


    Just in case, he again tested logging out, and just as he expected, he couldn''t.


    ''I suppose there is only one thing I can do.'' Ambrose looked towards the distance, where the glowing door at the top of the tform stood.


    ''I have no other ce to go, even though it is most likely guarded by those angels. Maybe they can kill me, at least. I would rather go there than try my luck with Reinhardt and Rocinante.''


    Ambrose was about to start flying with Formlessness, but then a round object fell from Mars'' eyesocket and rolled down in the mud.


    ''What?!'' He screamed inside his mind andnded beside the round object. He picked it up and saw that it was the star-pupiled eyeball.


    It was the Eye of Shimon!


    ''Hello, young man, do you desire power?'' Suddenly, an echoing voice appeared inside his mind.


    ''I see.'' Ambrose thought inside his mind as he spoke to the eye. ''This is how you tricked Mars too? Y''know, I can crush you right here.''


    ''W-w-wait!'' The eye screamed panickedly. ''You saw how strong Mars was, right? Before me, he was a weakling and would''ve stayed one, but because of me, he became inhumanly strong!''


    ''You can also be that strong with my help?''


    ''Let me guess, I need to steal the fates of others to be able to achieve that.'' Ambrose asked with a slight mocking tone.


    ''That is, unfortunately, how it works.'' The eye responded. ''You steal fate opportunities and harvest them for yourself.''


    ''I am not really interested.'' Ambrose said and squeezed the eyeball. ''Goodbye.''


    ''Wait!'' The eye shrieked. ''If you want, you can exterminate the soul of this eyeball, which is me!''


    ''Huh?'' Ambrose frowned and stopped squeezing. ''Don''t you die if you get exterminated?''


    ''Kind of,'' the eye said. ''I''ll be in a state of limbo¡ªin the state between life and death¡ªand I can''tmunicate with either side.''


    ''That sounds horrible. I don''t see any reason why you would be willing to do that, except if you want to harm me some way.'' Ambrose said with a deep frown.


    ''W-well, if you happen to die and the eye changes owners, I''ll be able to return.''


    ''Ah, I see now.'' Ambrose scoffed.


    ''H-however, t-there is a very small chance of there being another owner beside you. I-I have managed to change owners for a very long time because I talk to them.


    ''I can''t talk anymore till the owner changes, s-so¡­ I-I don''t think anyone is willing to simply remove their existing eye and stuff me inside the eyesocket.''


    ''Can you see anything happening while you are in limbo?'' Ambrose asked.


    He didn''t want there to be some entity inside his mind seeing the same things as he was.


    ''No. I won''t even be able to think or do anything. I am just there in the limbo, perhaps stuck forever, but it is better than dying and ending up in the Banished Realm!''


    ''Oho, Banished Realm.'' Ambrose rubbed his chin. ''Sounds bad.''


    ''I-It really is. The most horrendous ce in existence. That''s why, please!''


    ''Fine¡­'' Ambrose sighed and felt like the eye had some use for him. ''How can I do it?''


    ''Thank you, master!'' The eye shouted excitedly. ''Use your inner power, cover the eye with it, and the soul will be exterminated.''


    Ambrose did just as he instructed and covered the eyeball with his golden-colored Inner Power.


    ''Aaaaaaaaarfgh¡­'' The agony-filled shout slowly quieted down until the soul waspletely gone.


    ''You there?'' Ambrose frowned. ''Hmm, my soul, can you check whether he is there?''


    He had been managing tomunicate with his soul several times and wanted him to check it out.


    After a while, he received a response.


    ''The soul has been sessfully exterminated.'' His soul replied.


    Ambrose nodded and put the eye in his inventory for the time being. He then looked towards the glowing door and used his Formlessness as heunched into the air.


    It was time to try to escape this ce.


    A distance away, Rocinante and Reinhardt shared blows as sparks flew. They hacked, cut, and stabbed, but neither got actually hit in their bodies.


    In thest possible moment, one of them deflected the attack and counterattacked with their own.


    "He is escaping." Rocinante said with a smile. "Are you nning to let him escape?"


    "He cannot escape." Reinhardt said while casually deflecting Rocinante''s blows. "Even I couldn''t reach the door. What chance does he have?"


    "Haha, what if he dies?" Rocinante asked while weaving past Reinhardt''s counter blows.


    "He already died once, and yet he is here." Reinhardt said and smashed his katana down at the rusty sword, creating a loud explosion. "However, if he is about to die, I won''t let him."


    "Hah." Rocinante suddenly disappeared and appeared about thirty meters away from him, floating in the air. "Fighting you has been fun, but I am busy making him my vessel, y''see."


    Reinhardt frowned and saw Rocinante start flying towards the glowing door as well.


    ''Who is he?'' Reinhardt frowned, but he didn''t n on letting either of them leave this easily.


    He immediately flew after Rocinante.

 Chapter 336 End of the Voyage

    <h4>Chapter 336 End of the Voyage</h4>


    Cannonballs flew across the sky towards the ck-sailed ship.


    At that moment, crimson tendrils shot from the ship and pped the cannonballs out of the sky. The cannonballs exploded in the sea, sending sshes of water high into the air.


    "Shit, they are catching!" Leon felt hopeless as the ship didn''t move any faster and the Inquisitor steel ship was right behind their tail.


    Soon, the steel ship stopped firing the cannonballs as they were nearly at range of boarding.


    "Drop your weapons." A stern voice came as a red-robed individual leaped across the small gap between two ships andnded on the deck.


    He wore a red tophat with high-cored red robes. In his chest was the sigil of a dragon, symbolizing his power and authority.


    He was the Red Inquisitor from the Dark Water branch¡ªSacrarium of Inquisitorious¡ªhis name was August Wright.


    "And¡­" August nced at Zero''s crimson tendrils and said, "Drop your crimson tentacle things as well."


    At that moment, the steel ship collided with the ck-sailed ship, and a dozen white-robed Inquisitors boarded the ship with swords in hand.


    "Cursed¡­" Leon held his bandaged waist and banged his fist against the helm. "There is no way I''ll rot in jail for the rest of my life after finally gaining my freedom back."


    "I know there is the third one." August said and looked around with a curious gaze. "Where is this, Ambrose?"


    Creak¡ªat that moment, the door creaked open, and everyone felt a chill run down their backs.


    A tall, athletic-bodied man walked out with a confident stride, his piercing purple eyes scanning the deck. Instantaneously, his presence silenced everyone.


    "A-Ambrose?" Leon and Zero were equally surprised.


    They were the kind of people who showed the least amount of emotion among ck Heart Pirates, but now they couldn''t believe their eyes.


    The tall man in front of their eyes looked vastly different from the previous, sickly-looking young man. His fair skin and piercing purple eyes made him inhumanly handsome, making anyone unable to look away from him.


    Hismanding presence and unwavering confidence left asting impression on everyone around him.


    "Who¡­" August narrowed his eyes, as he hadn''t seen this man before when he was spying on them through spyss.


    "You were looking for me?" Ambrose asked with a deep tone and sat down on the railing, his arms crossed as he gazed out to the sea.


    The white-robed Inquisitors felt awkward, as they hadn''t seen anyone acting with such disinterest towards them before. Usually, pirates would try to run away or fight back.


    They wanted to show their authority that they were inmand here, but they didn''t dare to voice out their displeasure.


    "You are¡­ Ambrose?" August asked, his voiceced with a hint of shock. "You look quite different from before."


    "What do you want?" Ambrose asked, his voice cold and detached.


    "I want your hands on cuffs, and I want you to tell me everything that happened." August said and signaled one of his subordinates to take heavy-looking shackles and bring them to him.


    "Mars is dead; that''s all you need to know." Ambrose said calmly and rested his chin on his hand while staring out towards the calm seas.


    "I killed him." He added.


    "I see." August took the shackles from his subordinate and approached Ambrose. "You''re wanted man, you see. It is my duty to bring you to justice."


    "We won''t go away without fighting." Ambrose slowly stood up and towered over August, as he was head taller.


    After he stood up, the white-robed Inquisitors instinctively retreated a single back. They were sweating heavily as it was the infamous ck Demon they were facing.


    He was also the one who killed Mars, who was known among the Inquisitors as a person who was at the same level as the Pirate Kings. He was just not an ordinary captain; he was a true powerhouse!


    "I don''t think any of you are uninjured." August said and slowly drew his sword, revealing a little bit of the silvery de. "You outnumbered Mars with nine against one, but what could you possibly do with only three of you?"


    Ambrose reached out to his inventory and retrieved a wooden sword. It was a crude and rusted weapon, but it was all he had.


    "Is this a joke?" August asked with a frown.


    "Humanoid¡­" Ambrose whispered.


    But at that moment, cannonballs flew across the sky with a loud sound and smashed into the steel ship.


    The ck-sailed ship rocked back and forth as therge waves crashed into the hull and pushed it away from the Inquisitor''s ship.


    "What happened?!" August screamed.


    Ambrose turned around, and his lips had a faint smile as a ship appeared in the distance. His Starborn physique also increased his vision, allowing him to see three women on the deck.


    They were Bonney, Lonney, and Sonney, with a powerful pirate crew on the deck.


    At that moment, Ambrose heard a voice inside his mind.


    ''My sisters reported a suspicious steel ship near Brain Ind, and I guessed they were Inquisitors and I didn''t think they were going to let you guys leave so easily.''


    ''Yeah, thanks for the help.'' Ambrose turned back to August with a smile and said, "Not three anymore."


    "Boss, the waves are taking our ship!" The white-robed Inquisitors shouted.


    They were looking as their steel ship sailed away from the ck-sailed ship.


    "Damn." August turned back to Ambrose, staring directly into his piercing purple eyes, and let out a resigned sigh. "You have more allies than I thought or simply all the pirates hate Inquisitors equally."


    "Perhaps." Ambrose stored the wooden sword back in his inventory and crossed his arms.


    "We''ll be seeing each other soon." August said. "Next time, you won''t have allies to help you."


    "I don''t think we''ll be seeing each other." Ambrose said and smiled. "I''ll be leaving Dark Waters, after all."


    "Is that so¡­" August shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe that is the smartest solution. After I finish reporting to my superior, your bounty will increase."


    "Hah, I didn''t think the Red Inquisitors had superiors." Ambrose chuckled.


    "Oh, you have no idea." August smirked. "If you keep this path, you''ll gain the interest of ck Inquisitors. They are not as merciful as I am."


    ''ck Inquisitors¡­'' Ambrose narrowed his eyes. ''I didn''t think there were Inquisitors above Red.''


    "I think we''ll see each other." August turned around and waved his hand as he walked away from his subordinates. "Good luck, ck Demon."


    Then, the Inquisitors leaped out of the ship with impressive athletic ability andnded on the deck of the steel ship. Immediately after, they began sailing away.


    Bonney''s ship slowly followed behind them.


    ''We''ll be keeping eye on them until you guys are clear¡­ Goodbye, Ambrose.'' Bonney''s gentle and soft voice sounded inside Ambrose''s mind.


    ''Goodbye.'' Ambrose closed his eyes.


    "Ambrose, what happened to you?" Leon approached him and looked at him as if he were a whole new person. "You look very different."


    "How did you tell I was Ambrose?" Ambrose curiously asked.


    "I don''t know; I just knew¡­" Leon shook his head. "It''s strange."


    "I had the same feeling." Zero spoke. "When my gazended on you, I immediately knew who you were. It''s strange."


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose nodded.


    "Also, did you guys feel it?" Leon asked and looked at his hand. "I think, after Mars'' death, we recovered our fate."


    "Yeah, I felt that too." Zero said and clenched his fist.


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose nodded and then turned to the two.


    With a soft voice, he said. "It''s time we part ways."


    "Already?" Leon wryly smiled and sat down on the deck. "Well, I suppose it''s really time. We''ll be sailing in different ces, after all."


    "If you guys need help, you can find me in Amaterasu." Ambrose said. "I might not always be there, but just find a ce called Whispering Pages and leave a letter there for me."


    "You can find me at Paradise Away From Pirates. There is a nice ind called Kingfisher Retreat. My house is in the Lambard Vineyard; at least I hope it''s still standing." Leon said.


    Ambrose nodded and turned to Zero. "Zero, what are your ns?"


    "I''ll travel somewhere." Zero said absentmindedly. "I''ll try to find my purpose somewhere. I was raised to be an assassin, but perhaps I can use these skills to do something good."


    Ambrose nodded and smiled. He then brought out his interface and noticed that he still had 60 Stat Points left to use.


    ''Might as well use these quick.'' He thought and saw that Agility was 10 points away from 100.


    He quickly added ten to Agility.


    [AGI: 90 ¡ú 100]


    [Agi%4&&//&¡è Ad¡è%&" Re"¡è&"&]


    ''I am curious about one thing.'' Ambrose saw that Strength was 50 away from 300.


    Therefore, he spent the rest of his stat points to push Strength even higher. It was already inhumanly high, and now it was even higher!


    [STR: 250 ¡ú 300]


    [Strength added to real body]


    ''Now, the glitched message is clear, and it confirms that it is indeed applying to my real body as well.'' Ambrose thought with a strange expression.


    He then threw onest nce at the two of them, saluted them, and pressed log out.


    Without cing Temporary Spawn, he disappeared from the ck-sailed ship.


    The next time he would return to the game, he would spawn in the bustling market ce of Amaterasu.


    It was soon time for Ambrose to return from his voyage to the ce where it all began.


    ***


    End of the Second Volume - ck Heart Pirates

 Chapter 343 Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 343 Challenge</h4>


    [Reverse Tiger de Dojo]


    A sign stood in front of a mighty dojo, with its building shaped like a temple. In the yard, a group of students practiced their martial arts skills under the watchful eye of their sensei.


    It was a day like any other.


    At that moment, a broad-shouldered man with bushy brows and a stern expression walked up the stairs, soon arriving at the dojo master''s private office.


    Knock, knock¡ªafter knocking twice on the door, a deep sound came from inside, and the man then opened the door, stepping inside.


    "Ken, what is it?" The dojo master asked, his voice firm but not unkind. He was a weathered-looking man with a strong jawline and piercing eyes.


    He looked like a man who had seen it all.


    His name was Tiger Erwin, the dojo master of the Reverse Tiger de dojo.


    Ken respectfully put his arms behind his back and puffed his chest.


    "I have just returned from Rach''s dojo. They are growing stronger with each passing day, which is also making them more rebellious against us.


    "They have always been troublesome when I have gone to ask about the monthly fee for staying in our territory, and soon, they''ll most likely go to war with us."


    "The yers are indeed bothersome." Tiger Erwin removed sses from his nose and rubbed them with a handkerchief. "They have grown strong. Dangerously so."


    "What should we do?" Ken asked with a deep voice. "Should I go teach them a lesson?"


    "They have the power of reincarnation." Tiger Erwin said and put the sses back on his nose. "If you beat them up, they''ll juste back stronger. If you kill them, they''ll juste back to haunt us."


    Ken sighed as he felt frustrated. He felt like the Reverse Tiger de wouldn''t be the dominant force on this street for much longer.


    At that moment, a short-haired man with one missing eye stormed inside the office, shouting:


    "A yer hase to challenge us!"


    "What?" Ken turned around in surprise, looking at the short-haired man''s only remaining eye. "A yer? You mean only one?"


    "Yes, he is waiting downstairs!" The short-haired man shouted.


    "Why are you acting so panicky?" Ken asked with a frown. "Get a grip, and go throw him out!"


    "W-we can''t!" He shouted. "W-we tried, but he was strong, very so. I think only you, Ken, or the guild master can defeat him!"


    Ken''s eyes shed with a surprise.


    "You go." Tiger Erwin said and lowered his gaze back to the papers on the desk.


    "Yes, master." Ken bowed and grabbed the short-haired man by his scruff before tossing him out of the office. He then left the office and followed the man down the stairs.


    After reaching the bottom of the stairs, Ken saw that the students were already waiting for him. They were standing aside; some of them had minor injuries and were visibly shaken.


    And then he saw a man with his face covered by the hood standing in the entrance. He didn''t have a weapon in hand, and he was wearing a ck poncho with a hood draped over his hair.


    However, he radiated a strange sense of power and confidence that could only be found among veteran fighters.


    "You havee to challenge our Reverse Tiger de dojo?" Ken asked, grabbed a steel sword from the rack, and held it up to the light, admiring its sharpness. "A foolish decision."


    "That shall be left to be seen." The hooded figure replied and pulled out a single wooden sword from his inventory.


    "A wooden sword?" Ken scoffed. "This is not some kid''s fight. You came to challenge our dojo. Therefore, you either leave with one of your arms missing or you''ll forfeit your life.


    "We ain''t ying any games. Therefore, pick up your weapon!"


    "This just happens to be my weapon." The hooded figure replied and then slowly removed his hood.


    A few quiet gasps came from the student''s side. The male students were shaken to their very core, while the female students blushed.


    Ken narrowed his eyes at the handsome, ck-haired man with piercing purple eyes. He couldn''t recognize him, which most likely meant he was a new person in Amaterasu.


    "Who are you? Say your name!"


    "My name is Ambrose." He said with hismanding voice. "You might not remember me, but I do remember you."


    "Huh?" Ken narrowed his eyes. ''Ambrose¡­ Ambrose¡­ That name seems familiar, but I would definitely remember his face if I had seen him before.''


    "What is your goal here, Ambrose?" Ken asked.


    "I am in need of a dojo." Ambrose smiled charmingly. "I also have a bone to pick with you. Two birds with one stone, just like the saying goes."


    "Hah, it seems you are not only here to challenge us!" Ken said, ignoring the fact that Ambrose was still using a wooden sword, and he moved into his graceful fighting stance.


    "Then, prepare to die!"


    "Ambrose¡­ Ambrose¡­" The short-haired man with a missing eye continued to repeat the name. "I swear I have seen that name somewhere and that face just recently, but where¡­"


    Ambrose grabbed the wooden sword with both hands and stood firmly. He moved the sword in a slow and deliberate motion. It wasn''t easy to find any weaknesses in his stance.


    "¡­" Ken narrowed his eyes and moved his sword into a reverse grip, the de pointing backwards.


    He then moved gracefully across the dojo, his feet barely touching the tatami mat on the floor. Then, with his swift footwork, he moved in a blur and suddenly swung his reverse-gripped sword down at his opponent.


    The students eximed as they often saw Ken practicing, but he rarely went all-in with his footwork and attacks. Now, he was clearly not holding back, and it was a beautiful sight to see.


    Ambrose moved his wooden sword slowly and pped Ken''s wrist with it. His muscr, fiber arm got pushed away alongside the sword.


    In just an instant, Ambrose struck the only weakness of the reverse de style. When striking, the arm, the wrist, and the hand were most vulnerable.


    Ken''s wrist turned red, and it looked like it might bruise soon. However, he wasn''t aware of it, as he was now fully concentrated on a fight.


    ''A good defense!'' Ken admired his opponent''s quick thinking. ''Have we fought before? I would assume that only a person who has fought us before could find out the weakness so quickly.''


    Ambrose moved the wooden sword and hacked it down at Ken''s neck. Ken quickly dodged to the side with his swift footwork, avoiding the attack.


    However, Ambrose expected it and reacted ordingly. There was only one way Ken could have dodged, and it was towards the left.


    Therefore, Ambrose quickly shifted his wooden sword and smashed it at Ken''s left side. The flesh-smacking sound echoed through the air as the sword struck Ken''s body.


    "Argh!" Ken cried out in pain and quickly backed off with stinging pain in his waist. ''If he was using a real sword¡­ No, I shouldn''t think about it. I am far from done!''


    The short-haired man rubbed his chin as he was still thinking about the name. He then briefly remembered yesterday morning, when he was reading a newspaper in the nearby cafe.


    In the newspaper, there was a wanted poster with a bright red color. Therefore, he managed to remember it, but he only glimpsed at the name and the picture. He wasn''t really paying attention to it.


    However, it was barely enough to remember.


    ''T-that''s right¡­ R-red wanted poster¡­'' His eye slowly widened in a shock.


    ''Oh my god.''

 Chapter 344 New Master

    <h4>Chapter 344 New Master</h4>


    The short-haired man rushed upstairs, wanting to warn his guild master. There was currently a living monster inside their dojo!


    Ken used his footwork, moved like a fish in the water, and swung his reverse-gripped sword. He was trying to move quickly so that his opponent wouldn''t be able to attack his weak spot.


    Ambrose moved only his upper body, dodged the sharp de, and smashed his wooden sword at Ken''s chest.


    Smack!


    "Cough!" Ken let out a painful cough and looked down at his chest, where the wooden sword had struck him. He felt that all his air had left his lungs, and it was getting hard to breathe.


    Ambrose moved swiftly and pped the wooden sword across Ken''s face, sending him sprawling down on the ground.


    The students gasped loudly, as did the veteran members of Reverse Tiger de, who had been with the dojo for over ten years. In this time frame, they had never seen Ken being beaten around this badly before!


    On the upstairs, the short-haired man stormed inside the office.


    Tiger Erwin nudged his sses and looked toward the dojo. "Is it over yet?"


    "We are all in danger!" The short-haired man screamed. "I-I now remember his face, his face, his face, and the name, Ambrose; I finally recognized it!"


    "Calm down." Tiger Erwin said calmly, put his sses down on the desk, and stood up. He then walked over to the man, patted his shoulder, and said, "Deep breaths. What do you mean?"


    "Whoo, whoo¡­" The short-haired man inhaled and exhaled.


    Then, he cleared his throat and began exining things to Tiger Erwin. It took around half a minute to exin everything.


    "Are you sure it''s him?" Tiger Erwin said with a deeply serious gaze. "Absolute positive? Is there a chance you are mistaken?"


    "No, I am 100 percent sure!" The short-haired man shouted. "I have always been proud of my memory. I can remember even the smallest things, even if they weren''t my focus of attention at that time!"


    "But why¡­" Tiger Erwin pinched his nose bridge and shook his head. "What is a man like him doing in our dojo?"


    "S-should we go call the Watchmen?" The short-haired man asked. "Or send a letter to Kiryu?"


    "Kiryu rarely interacts with the outside world." Tiger Erwin said with a sigh. "When the crows attacked, he also didn''t do anything. Why would he now?"


    "W-what shall we do now?"


    "Hmm¡­" Tiger Erwin returned to the desk, wrote a letter quickly, ced it inside an envelope, and sealed it. He then gave it to the man. "Just in case, go send this to Kiryu. Perhaps he will be interested.


    "I''ll go talk with this Ambrose, and perhaps he is feeling merciful. If things go badly, perhaps I can buy enough time for the students to escape."


    "S-should we also alert Watchmen? They can send a message to the Red Inquisitors!" The short-haired man asked.


    "Not yet." Tiger Erwin said. "After sending a letter, do not return here immediately. Wait in the nearby cafe, and if you don''t see me in an hour, go alert the Watchmen."


    "All right!" The short-haired man saluted, then instead of walking out of the door, he used the window and jumped outside. In a matter of seconds, he had already left the building.


    Tiger Erwin then sighed and rubbed his forehead. "Why is a man of his strength here? Our dojo is insignificant inparison."


    He then fixed his cor, walked out of the office, and arrived downstairs. He saw a bruised-faced Ken fighting desperately against a handsome ck-haired man, who was dodging and counterattacking seamlessly.


    In the eyes of Tiger Erwin, it reminded him of a father fighting against his untrained son.


    He had seen plenty of things in his long life, but he had never seen anyone fight against the master of the Reverse Tiger de so easily.


    He had always been proud of his self-created swordstyle, which was so unique that many swordmasters found it difficult to understand and defend against.


    "Master." The students bowed at him.


    They could see the seriousness in their master''s eyes. After all, his strongest student, Ken, was losing badly, and it wasn''t even close.


    It was left to their master to defend their dojo''s honor.


    Ken ragingly smashed his sword down with bloodshot eyes. He looked desperate for any of his attacks tond. Yet his opponent was too fast.


    Ambrose slid across the floor, circling around Ken until he was behind him, and then smashed his wooden sword into Ken''s back.


    Ken crashed into the ground and tried to stand up, but his body was too weak to support him.


    "Enough." Tiger Erwin spoke with amanding tone. "He lost."


    "M-master¡­" Ken groaned painfully. "I-I can still fight."


    "You cannot." Tiger Erwin turned to a few of the students and whispered. "Take him upstairs to rest."


    The students nodded and went to carry Ken away.


    "You are the master of this dojo?" Ambrose asked curiously. "I do not desire to fight you. I just wanted to fight him, and he has now lost.


    "You also cannot defeat me."


    "You desire my dojo?" Tiger Erwin asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Yes." Ambrose looked around the dojo and admired its beauty. "This is far better than my previous one."


    Tiger Erwin looked silently at him before turning to his students. His students were angry, and rightfully so, as this would mean they would have to start over in a new dojo somewhere else.


    It would also do a lot of damage to the reputation of the Reverse Tiger de dojo if they were chased away. No one would want to join their dojo after this!


    "Very well." Tiger Erwin said. "We''ll leave."


    "Master!" His students cried out in shock.


    It shocked them that their master didn''t even try to fight him!


    "Leave?" Ambrose walked to the high-end chair at the end of the room and took a seat. His eyes were fixed on the weathered-looking man. "Why leave?"


    "I don''t understand what you mean, sir." Tiger Erwin said with a confused tone.


    He wondered whether it was some kind of gimmick of the powerful individual. Red-ranked ouws were known to be weird and unpredictable.


    "Simple." Ambrose spread his arms around as he looked at the nearly fifty students in the room. "Be my students."


    "What?!" All of the students eximed simultaneously.


    "You want us to be your students?" Tiger Erwin asked in shock. "B-but why?"


    "What is a dojo without students?" Ambrose asked. "It''s pretty embarrassing to be alone here. None of you also have to leave and find a new ce to go.


    "However, you need to abandon ''Reverse Tiger de'' and ept my style."


    "And what is your style''s name, sir?" Tiger Erwin asked curiously.


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose reached out to his inventory and took out his style scroll.


    This caused Tiger Erwin''s eyes to widen in shock. He knew what the style scroll was, and this meant that this powerful identity didn''t even have a style before, yet he wanted to create a dojo.


    ''He is a very entric figure¡­'' Tiger Erwin thought. ''However, he is very powerful, but he is still a wanted figure. This can either end in our doom or make us reach new heights.''


    "Hmm, ah, I now know." Ambrose smiled.


    "From now on, you all are students of Immortal Style."

 Chapter 345 Immortal Dojo

    <h4>Chapter 345 Immortal Dojo</h4>


    At the top of Amaterasu''s sword mountain, a bird with a small letter tied around its neck chirped and flew through the window of the dojo.


    At the center of the dojo, a bald-headed man with a traditional outfit sat, his eyes closed in a meditative state. He had a crimson sheath with a red-patterned sword hilt lying beside him, as if it were a mighty weapon waiting to be wielded.


    Kiryu then opened his eyes and smiled at the bird that flew circles near the ceiling.


    "A letter for me?" He opened his palm, and the blue-feathered birdnded on it.


    Kiryu then took the letter, and after the bird pped its wings and flew away, he opened the letter and read it curiously.


    "Hmm, a red-ranked ouw named Ambrose." Kiryu slowly folded the letter and ced it gently beside him. "It''s indeed dangerous to have a red-ranked ouw walking down the streets of Amaterasu.


    "It''s something my students have to intervene with." Kiryu touched his chin and smiled. "However, this is a yer. I need to know his intentions."


    p, p¡ªhe pped his hands twice, and immediately ten figures mmed through doors and stood respectfully with their arms behind their backs and chests pushed forward.


    They were training in their own quarters, but it was as if their ears were taught to hear the pping from miles away, and they immediately responded to the signal.


    "I''ll be visiting the city." Kiryu stood up, hunching forward, as he picked up his hat and coat.


    While putting them on, he said, "Take care of the new yers. I''ll be returning shortly."


    "Master, should one of us apany you?" A silver-haired student with a small stubble asked, concern etched on his face.


    Their master rarely visited the city, so it must be for an important reason.


    "No." Kiryu shook his head and patted the hat on his head. He then wielded his crimson sheath, which suddenly turned into a crimson walking cane.


    "I''ll be back soon." Kiryu said with an elderlyugh and tapped the walking cane against the floor as he walked out of the dojo.


    The students looked at each other, wondering what was going on. But then, they remembered the task of taking care of the yers.


    There were hundreds of new yersing every day, and they needed to be guided.


    Kiryu could create his own dimensions, send the yers there, and talk to them via his clones.


    The students didn''t have that luxury. They had to speak to them individually, and it was a troublesome task.


    ¡­


    "You are now a student of Immortal Dojo." Ambrose tapped his wooden sword on the shoulders of a straight-faced man, as if he were knighting them.


    After the straight-faced man bowed and returned to stand beside other students, Ambrose finally finished doing the official procedure of changing the students of Reverse Tiger de into students of Immortal Style.


    There was a clear hesitation in the students'' eyes as their new master was quite young; some were even older than him, but he was clearly powerful; they just didn''t know how strong he was.


    Tiger Erwin and Ken stood on the sidelines; they were also now students of Immortal Style.


    Ken, at first, was very unwilling and tried to argue with his former master, but in the end, he resigned to his fate.


    The Reverse Tiger de would either live on with Ambrose or die with him.


    "What shall we do from now on, master?" Tiger Erwin asked respectfully, bowing.


    His back slightly hurt, as he had already be quite old and hadn''t bowed to anyone in decades.


    "There''ll be hierarchy among students." Ambrose said, tapping his wooden sword against the floor. "While I am gone, students of higher hierarchy will teach the lower ones on my behalf.


    "Tiger Erwin, I trust you with a task."


    "What is it, master?"


    "The new ranks will be white, yellow, green, purple, orange, blue, brown, red, and ck, respectfully. Your task is to go to a tailor and order hundreds of belts in the colors I just mentioned.


    "Make the belt from thick cotton, and tell the tailor to make sure the stitching is strong and durable."


    "Yes, master." Tiger Erwin said with a slight bow, determined to seed in his first rank. "When shall we know our ranks, then?"


    "All the students start from the white belt." Ambrose said. "Except you and Ken. Tiger Erwin, you will be a green belt. Ken will be a yellow belt. You two are the highest-ranking students so far."


    Tiger Erwin and every other student nodded simultaneously.


    "While Tiger Erwin goes to order the belts, two of the students rece the dojo sign with Immortal Dojo sign. Use some of the money from Reverse Tiger de''s treasure to pay for it.


    "Everyone else will help with the renovations, changing all the old furniture and decorations to match the new name and theme of the dojo. The sigil will be a sword piercing through a heart.


    "It will symbolize the eternal bond between the dojo and its students."


    "Yes, master!" Everyone shouted in unison.


    "After all that is done, go to the backyard and do a thousand quick drawing practices. If I hear that anyone iscking, I''ll kick you out of the dojo."


    "Q-quick drawing practices, master?" Ken asked hesitantly. "Is that part of your style, master?"


    "I''ll teach you some of the basics first that allow me toy the foundation." Ambrose said with a smile. ''I''ll also teach them some of Mortal Style. My style is suicidal, and I can''t possibly teach every skill.


    ''I wouldn''t have many students left if they used the Kill or Suicide Sword in their first fight and then just died.''


    Ken nodded, still hesitant about the importance of the quick drawing practice. He couldn''t find any reason for what use it would have. He didn''t see the value in it.


    "I''ll be returning tonight." Ambrose said and stored his wooden sword back in his inventory, then took out his ck poncho and covered him with it.


    "Tiger Erwin, once you are done visiting tailors, empty your office for me. Find another room for yourself and keep the receipts of your previous transactions with other dojo''s. I might catch a glimpse of them someday.


    "I assume you all have still been taxing others for staying in your territory, correct?"


    "Yes, master." Tiger Erwin said.


    "Very well, do not stop doing that." Ambrose then covered his head with the ck hood, nodded at everyone, and walked out of the dojo, soon disappearing among the crowd in the streets.


    ''I hope Kiryu didn''t take notice of the letter.'' Tiger Erwin spoke inside his mind. He was too afraid to mention it to Ambrose because he still didn''t know him.


    Who knows, maybe behind his calm facade he might be a murderous lunatic, as he definitely didn''t be feared and respected red-ranked ouw by being a saint.


    "All right, get to work!" Ken shouted. "He is our new dojo master now. Let''s finish the tasks before nightfall and show our worth!"


    The white-belted students nodded and joined hands in changing the decorations and the furniture around the dojo. They wondered what their future would hold with their new master.

 Chapter 346 Furious Wildloid

    <h4>Chapter 346 Furious Wildloid</h4>


    [Report wanted criminals in the nearest outpost!]


    A sign wobbled in the wind while pedestrians walked by on the busy street.


    Beggars wearing old, dirty clothes and holding out empty hands for spare change were scattered throughout the area.


    A few yers seemed to take pity on them and tossed a few silver coins into their outstretched hands. They were mostly new yers and weren''t used to seeing such sights in their peaceful world.


    At that moment, a group of older yers approached them, their faces stern and disapproving. They kicked the new yers out of the way and shouted for the beggars to leave their territory at this very moment.


    The yers wore ck-leathered clothes with spikes on their arms and shoulders. A sigil of roaring engines adorned their backs. They were a formidable sight, and the new yers knew better than to challenge them.


    "The amount of trash keeps increasing." A brown-haired man leaned on the wall and kicked down the sign about reporting wanted criminals.


    He then pulled out a cigarette from his chest pocket, lit it up with a matchstick, and ced it between his lips.


    "Isn''t that right, boss?" The brown-haired man looked through the window of the building he was leaning against.


    On the other side of the window, a ck-haired man with wild-looking eyes was seated on a corner table with a newspaper and a cup of coffee in hand.


    "¡­" Motorhero silently sipped on the coffee while skimming through the newspaper.


    This ce was before known as the ''Cafe of Dreams'' and it was often bustling with activity. However, now it had been taken over by Motorhero and his group.


    Inside the cafe, many yers wearing ck-leathered clothes were chatting andughing. They were sharpening their weapons and preparing for their next raid.


    At that moment, a figure appeared in the doorway of the cafe. As soon as the figure appeared, all theughter and voices disappeared.


    The members of the Roaring Engines turned their heads around, and their eyes zed with fierce intensity.


    The figure was a woman with bronze skin and long, flowing ck hair. She wore a brown poncho and a wide-brimmed hat, and her eyes seemed to glow with an otherworldly intensity.


    Motorhero put the coffee and newspaper down on the table and leaned against the backrest of his chair. He then took out his baseball bat and rested it against his shoulder.


    "Who is the man known as Motorhero?" She asked, her voice trembling slightly out of anger.


    "That would be me." Motorhero said from the corner of the cafe. "Who might you be, and what brings you to this ce? We do not really like your kind here."


    "My name is Wildloid." She said and rudely sat down on the same table as Motorhero. "You have been killing yers from the Alliance. What the hell is your problem?"


    "Heh." Motorhero smirked and crossed his legs like a gangster. "I think Martial Online is one of the greatest creations of mankind, but there is one big problem."


    "And what is that?" Wildloid asked with narrowed eyes.


    "Martial Company heavily underestimated the influence and poprity of their game." Motorhero narrowed his eyes. "And now, the consequences are here."


    "The game has be a breeding ground for toxicity and aggressive behavior among yers.


    "The reason is simple: there simply isn''t enough space to house all the yers in the city. The dojos are scarce, and nowadays, one has to build them, which costs a lot of silver, which most yers simply do not have.


    "That is because of the new yers. They are upying all the nearby hunting grounds, making difficult for anyone to earn anything without going deeper into Crow Forest, where the difficulty has explosive spike.


    "The members of your alliance are in the ownership of nearly a hundred dojos. Most of them aren''t even in use but act as ''safe house'' for the members of the alliance.


    "Simply stated, the new yers have taken thousands of jobs, resources, and dojos from the veteran yers, who could actually have used them for something much more useful.


    "I find your kind¡ªthe new yers¡ªas fucking eyesore." Motorhero leaned closer to the bronze-skinned woman and smirked. "I''ll be the ''Hero'' who erases you all."


    "What a load of horse shit." Wildloid said crudely. "Where else are you expecting us to go? We spawn in one of the major cities because it''s safe for new yers."


    "That''s where the game''s biggest mistake lies." Motorhero said and leaned back against the chair.


    "The new yers should spawn in one of the towns and viges. Start small before growing stronger until they are powerful enough to enter one of the major cities.


    "Unfortunately, Martial Company underestimated what their game would be.


    "I also have a solution for the new yer problem. Take the alliance with you, upy one of the towns, and establish a stronghold there. I don''t have a problem with that.


    "Make it a safe haven for new yers. It will force the new yers to move on from Amaterasu and follow you guys there."


    "You want us to fight for some scraps in the middle of nowhere?" Wildloid asked angrily and mmed her fist on the table. "To upy one of the towns, we would have to kill everyone to have enough space for all the new yers.


    "Then, there aren''t simply enough resources for all the yers to gain silver and XP. Our alliance only has the power to defeat a small town.


    "The stronger and bigger towns have greater security, and even if we had the advantage of numbers, we simply cannotpete with them!"


    "That is your problem." Motorhero said casually and took a sip of the coffee.


    "Also, does every yer have to grow strong?


    "Like in real life, there are weak and strong people. Some people are simply born to be at the bottom of the hierarchy. That is life. However, from these hardships, the truly strong will rise.


    "I think this is a very good option for your alliance. In exchange for giving up the futures of hundreds of yers, your alliance will gain a hundred, maybe two hundred, strong yers.


    "That sounds like a win to me."


    "Is it war that you want?" Wildloid asked and stood up with anger in her eyes. "You cannot make us leave. Our current position at Amaterasu is more than favorable!


    "Why should we lower ourselves and leave this ce just because you say so? We are one of the strongest alliances in the city!"


    "You trash, never listen." Motorhero slowly stood up. "Your kind only wants freebies, and you''re not willing to put in the effort to earn them.


    "That is why I hate your kind. You think you deserve the things you have, but you never tried earning them through hardships like others had to. Your alliance has bullied, robbed, and threatened those who are alone."


    Squeeze¡ªhe squeezed the baseball bat in his hand and lifted it high above his head.


    "You fools are a burden to the city, and I will be the ''Hero'' that this city needs." Motorhero said in a cold tone.


    Wildloid pulled out her falchion. It was a type of sword with a single-edged de with a wider de around the tip, making it effective for chopping and shing.


    "The alliance wouldn''t have grown this strong if all the yers were simply new." Wildloid said coldly with a small smirk. "When I joined this alliance, it was very small and weak, but through many battles, I grew stronger alongside our glorious leader.


    "I came here because I knew I would be able to leave with my life intact!"


    However, strong, muscr arms suddenly appeared behind her and wrapped around her body, locking her arms in ce.


    "?!" Wildloid''s eyes shook, and she turned around to see a muscr man wearing a ck-leathered jacket holding her in a powerful bear hug.


    "Ggh, get off me!" She tried shaking him off, but because of the sheer difference in their strength and size, she couldn''t do anything.


    "Do you have no honor?!" She screamed at Motorhero.


    "An honor is for fools." Motorhero said and smashed his baseball bat through Wildloid''s face, shattering her skull and causing her to turn lifeless.


    The once vibrant and fierce Wildloidy motionless on the ground, her life extinguished by the brutal attack.


    "It shall be war, then." Motorhero said coldly.

 Chapter 347 The Talk

    <h4>Chapter 347 The Talk</h4>


    A beautiful, fair-skinned young woman with long, flowing ck hair and shining red eyes stood inside a bookstore, helping new customers choose their books.


    She was one of the most popr and well-known yers currently in Amaterasu, known as the Wandering Lady, but she also received another nicknametely, the Goddess of the Whispering Pages.


    This part of the street was also one of the most protected ones, as it was protected by Saturn Dojo and their master, Prince himself, who was considered to be one of the strongest yers alive.


    Rumors said that he had taken a liking to the Goddess of the Whispering Pages and was known to be fiercely loyal to her. Therefore, no one dared to act recklessly here.


    At this moment, a man with a ck poncho and a hood over his face stood in the nearby alleyway, side-leaning against a brick wall while gazing over to the store.


    "¡­" Ambrose stared at the beautiful young woman and touched his ear as his silver earring area started to itch for some unknown reason.


    Inside the store, Be''s body jolted in surprise, and her cheeks suddenly blushed for some unknown reason. She looked around the store, but didn''t see anything out of the ordinary.


    ''Strange¡­'' Be touched her warm cheeks and shook her head.


    She then formed a smile and joined two elderly women in choosing their books, which would be nice to read to their grandchildren.


    Outside the store, Ambrose shook his head, walked out of the alleyway, and left the area of Whispering Pages. He felt a sense of relief, as if a boulder had lifted from his shoulders.


    ''She seemed well; that is great.'' He thought to himself.


    As he walked among the crowd outside a small baker''s shop, a bald-headed man was seated on a bench, enjoying a warm pastry.


    At that moment, he found the person he was looking for and formed a faint smile.


    "Ambrose, may I have a word?"


    In the crowd, Ambrose came to an instant stop and perked up his ears. The voice sounded like it came right beside him, but when he turned to the right and left, there was no one except passing pedestrians.


    "In front of the baker''s shop."


    Ambrose frowned and walked through the crowd, soon arriving near the baker''s shop. He saw a bald-headed man with a hat covering most of his features eating a tasty-looking pastry.


    "Who are you?" Ambrose asked as he approached him.


    "Sit first, eat second, then talk." Kiryu said with a mysterious smile and handed over the second pastry to Ambrose.


    Ambrose hesitantly epted it and sat beside the stranger. He looked at the pastry, took a small bite, and shrugged his shoulders as the taste was rather mediocre to him.


    After both finished the pastry in silence, Kiryu patted his lips with a handkerchief.


    "Nice weather, isn''t it?" He asked as he stared towards the cloudless sky. "More than usual. It''s not too hot and not too windy. Just perfect."


    "You wanted to talk to me about the weather?" Ambrose questioned. "I have learned not to underestimate strangers who simply want to talk."


    "Well, does my face ring bells?" Kiryu removed the hat briefly and looked at Ambrose with a faint smile. "I might not look special or eye-catching, but you should remember me. It hasn''t been too long since our meeting."


    "You are¡­" Ambrose looked surprised. "Kiryu."


    "Mm." Kiryu put the hat back down, as he didn''t want to attract unnecessary attention.


    He was still very popr in Light Continent as the Guardian Angel of Amaterasu. His pictures were often stered on the walls of the city, and people would often recognize him.


    "The guardian angel himself wants to talk to me; I am honored." Ambrose crossed his legs, not acting as respectfully as everyone else who met Kiryu would.


    There was a simple reason for that.


    Kiryu allowed the World Quest to happen, letting tens of thousands die. Whether it was because the Martial Company coded him to ignore it or whether there were other reasons, he didn''t care.


    He didn''t think Kiryu was worthy of respect and worship.


    "I sense anger within you." Kiryu said with a faint smile. "Mind if I ask why?"


    "You are a guardian angel who doesn''t guard anyone." Ambrose said with a hint of disdain.


    "Mm." Kiryu nodded. "Your anger is justified."


    "What did you want to talk about?" Ambrose asked impatiently.


    "Why have youe to Amaterasu?" Kiryu asked. "What are your ns?"


    "You are wondering whether I will disrupt the frail peace of this city." Ambrose sneered. "I have no interest in causing trouble to the residents of here."


    "Residents¡­" Kiryu rubbed his chin. "You are talking about the original citizens of this world? Not the neers, aka yers, correct?"


    "You must know the yers." Ambrose said and scratched his neck. "They will cause problems, and I will most likely cause problems for them."


    "That is all I needed to know." Kiryu chuckled and stood up with the help of his crimson walking cane.


    "That''s all?" Ambrose asked in surprise.


    "That''s all." Kiryu chuckled. "Also, what happened to the Reverse Tiger de dojo? I heard that you visited them, and you said you wouldn''t cause any problems to them, so what happened?"


    "They are my students now." Ambrose replied with his arms crossed.


    "Very interesting." Kiryu said with an interested smile. "I''ll keep Watchmen and Inquisitors away from you."


    "Why?" Ambrose stood up and asked with a suspicious look.


    "That will be better for the future." Kiryu said and looked at his purple eyes. "You are wondering why I let Karma do his hideous deeds, correct?"


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded.


    "I could have stopped him before he managed to shed even the slightest amount of blood." Kiryu said.


    "The destiny and fate are frail things.


    "You must know. You have fought against fate recently."


    ''How does he know?'' Ambrose wondered with narrowed eyes.


    "I sensed that the fate and destiny of the world would go downhill if I stopped Karma." Kiryu said.


    "The guardians of the cities have this power to shape the future, but it must be used wisely."


    "If I had stopped Karma, I would have stopped thousands of deaths, but I would have risked millions of lives as a result. I don''t know what would have happened, but I am confident that it has something to do with Lord Ravan."


    "Lord Ravan?" Ambrose frowned.


    "The Demon King of the Dark Continent." Kiryu said, his voice filled with carefulness and dread. "He is always waiting. Waiting for the opportunity to strike and bring chaos to the world."


    He then tapped his crimson walking cane against the pavement, tipped his hat, and said. "We''ll be most likely seeing each other soon. You might be the first person to reach me."


    "Reach you?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "The yers have plenty of trials ahead. You have passed some, as have others, but not nearly everything.


    "The final trial will be facing me on the top of Mt. Sword. Only one can defeat me; maybe it''s you or someone else."


    ''Defeating him¡­'' Ambrose narrowed his eyes. ''I can tell that I am not even nearly enough yet. Kiryu is above Mars'' strength, and he will not be easy to defeat.''


    Kiryu then walked away, soon disappearing into the crowd.

 Chapter 348 Unexpected Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 348 Unexpected Visitor</h4>


    In the Whispering Pages, Emma rushed down to the downstairs and saw Be finishing her dealings with the customers.


    After the customers smiled and left with their newly rented books, Emma walked over to the counter and excitedly asked.


    "Has my brothere yet?"


    "Jesse?" Be looked at the adorable little girl and shook her head. "No, he hasn''t."


    "Strange¡­" Emma pouted and leaned against the counter. "I visited his room and saw that he had logged back in. Maybe he isingter tonight¡­"


    Be smiled faintly and looked over to the door. Her heart started racing with nervousness, and she wondered if he would finally show up.


    She then shook her head and returned to her book at the counter.


    At that moment, the door opened, and a tall figure walked in.


    Be and Emma immediately looked towards the door, but it wasn''t who they were expecting.


    "It''s you." Emma red maliciously, but she looked like a harmless bunny.


    "Ah, hello, Prince." Be formed a smile and asked. "Returning the books?"


    Prince smiled and nodded. He wore a three-piece suit with a buttoned vest and a ck tie. The undershirt was white, the vest was ck, and the pants were tailored to perfection.


    His blond hair had recently received a haircut, making it look neat and well-groomed. He could easily be mistaken for a real prince.


    After returning the books to Be, Prince looked over to the wall behind her and saw a new poster. This time, it was a different picture, but the name stayed the same, and the bounty had received an explosive increase.


    ''Another wanted poster.'' Prince thought to himself and wondered. ''Why is Miss Be gathering his wanted posters? They must be acquainted with each other.''


    "You are done returning the books; you can leave now." Emma said while making a shooing motion with her hand.


    "Emma¡­" Be said with a wry smile and turned to Prince, giving him his special ''library card.''


    With the card, it was possible to get some discounts on books and other items in the library.


    "With your recent purchase, you received our library pass." Be said with a smile.


    "Oh." Prince looked slightly surprised, then epted it, and as he was taking the card from her hand, he identally brushed against her fingers. "Thank you¡­"


    "No problem," Be replied with a friendly smile.


    "Miss Emma." Prince bowed in a gentlemanly manner towards the little girl and then turned to leave.


    The door was then opened and closed by his departure, making the bookstore again rtively empty.


    "Hmph." Emma pouted and crossed her arms in a deviant manner. "We should ban him from ever entering our store again."


    Be giggled and covered her mouth. "He is a nice person, and he offers protection for our store. It wasn''t this peaceful back in Yatagarasu."


    "You know he isn''t onlying here for books." Emma said with a pout. "You should ask something about the books he rents and see whether he knows anything."


    Be stopped reading the book and slowly closed it. She then turned around to look at the newest wanted poster and touched her rosy lips with a thoughtful expression.


    ''I only like¡­'' She opened her interface, pulled out her chats with a yer named ''Ambrose'' and saw that their previous messaging was quite a while ago.


    She sent a few messages while he was voyaging in Dark Waters, but she didn''t want to disturb him while he was on his journey.


    She started typing a message and soon pressed send. She waited anxiously for his response.


    Emma tiptoed towards her and asked. "What are you doing?"


    "I sent a message to your brother." Be replied, biting her nail anxiously. "I asked where he was."


    "Has he answered?" Emma asked curiously.


    "Not yet." Be shook her head nervously.


    At that moment, she heard a ding as a result of receiving a new message.


    [Ambrose: Amaterasu]


    "He is here¡­" Be looked at the message with a mix of excitement and anxiety.


    "Oo!" Emma excitedly hopped like a bunny. "Is heing here?"


    Be sent another message to ask that question.


    Soonter, she received an answer.


    [Ambrose: Want me to?]


    Be''s heart skipped a beat, and she bit her nail with a blush creeping up on her cheeks. "What a devilish question. Meanie¡­"


    "What did he say?" Emma anxiously asked.


    "Uhm¡­" Be let out a shy smile and started writing another message. "He didn''t answer yet."


    At that moment, she pressed send, sending her message with a simple ''yes'' towards Ambrose.


    Ding, ding¡ªsoon, she received the final message.


    [Ambrose: Coming soon, there are some business matters I have to deal with]


    "He ising soon¡­" Be replied and closed the interface with a beating heart.


    "Yay!" Emma threw her arms up in the air and cheered with innocentughter.


    ¡­


    [Silver Heart Dojo]


    A ck poncho-wearing man stood in front of the gates of the dojo with a sigil of a silver heart. He didn''t care about the neighing of horses or the chatter of people in the background.


    Instead, he waspletely focused on the task at hand, and with a single step, he stepped through the open gates and entered the yard of the dojo.


    Before Silver Heart''s raid with Zahhak, it would be impossible to enter Silver Heart dojo this easily. The entrance was always packed back then, and the yard was filled with the members of the dojo.


    Now, the yard was eerily quiet and empty.


    However, faint sounds came from the backyard, as most of the Silver Heart members were training there instead.


    Ambrose trotted across the dojo and slid the sliding doors open, opening his view to the backyard, where about two dozen yers trained and fought together.


    He crossed his arms behind his back and watched the training session with a keen eye.


    At that moment, he felt a sharp de touching the back of his neck, followed by a deep voice.


    "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"


    "Teddy." Ambrose recognized the voice and looked over his shoulder at the muscr figure holding the de. He had sharp eyebrows with well-defined facial features.


    "You know my name, but who are you?" Teddy asked and yanked the hood off Ambrose''s head, revealing his inhumanly handsome face with striking purple eyes.


    "Your face¡­" Teddy''s breathing quickened as a certain wanted poster was the discussion of the entire Silver Heart.


    Last night, they spent time around a campfire, cursing a certain name and sharing stories.


    They thought the picture in the wanted poster was wrong and that the Inquisitors had mistaken, but now he was certain that the picture didn''t really do justice.


    "Ambrose¡­" He stepped backwards, but still kept his sword pointed at him. He wasn''t sure how he should be acting.


    The downfall could be attributed to Ambrose''s doings, but they were also at fault.


    "What are you doing here?"


    "I want to talk to Alice." Ambrose said, his voice low and even.


    "Ambroseeee!" An enraged shout came from the backyard.


    Ambrose looked over his shoulder and saw Leprechaun wielding a longsword while rushing at him.


    The other yers were utterly shocked as their primary enemy just appeared in their dojo on this random day!


    "I see that y''all are still angry." Ambrose pulled out his wooden sword and blocked Leprechaun''s rageful attack without any effort. "That is as expected."


    Tap, tap¡ªas the gentle footsteps sounded from the stairs, Leprechaun and everyone else quieted down. They turned and saw the beautiful silver-haired young woman standing on the final step of the stairs.


    Her eyes looked gentle, mixed with confusion and worry, as she looked at Ambrose, who didn''t resemble his previous self one bit.


    "J-Jesse?"


    "Hello, Alice." Ambrose smiled confidently. "I want to have a talk."

 Chapter 349 Animal Vision

    <h4>Chapter 349 Animal Vision</h4>


    "What do you think he wants to talk about with her?" La asked while standing beside the stairs that led upstairs to Alice''s office.


    She was joined by other members of Silver Heart, who were quietly whispering with each other. They also wondered about the meaning of his visit.


    "Miss Serenity better keep her ground and force him to pay back everything he owes us." Leprechaun said with an angry smile.


    Teddy let out a low growl and looked upstairs with narrowed eyes.


    ''His muscles have grown, as has his strength. He is a powerful adversary now.''


    ''What a charming change he had undergone.'' La thought with a slight blush on her cheeks. ''Was he a diamond in rough all this time, after all? I should''ve realized it sooner; such a shame.''


    In the upstairs in Serenity''s office.


    Ambrose caressed the fur of the gray-furred cat, who was sleeping in the open window, bathing in the sun. The cat''s soft purrs filled the room, providing a soothing background noise.


    "You still like animals, don''t you?" Ambrose asked and looked over his shoulder at the silver-haired girl, who had taken a seat in the corner of the room.


    "You know I do." Alice replied calmly. "I''ve always been fond of them."


    "Yeah, I know." Ambrose chuckled and let the cat sleep as he walked over to the desk, where he traced his finger across the smallyer of dust. "Is it a disease or disorder? I am curious."


    "Disorder." Alice replied with her eyes closed. "I don''t see the faces of humans, but instead the faces of animals."


    "Mm, tell me more about it. I am truly curious." Ambrose sat on top of the desk, crossed his arms, and leaned back, listening intently to Alice''s exnation.


    "I was diagnosed with a mental illness when I was very young." Alice opened her eyes and looked at Ambrose''s purple eyes, which looked different and simr at the same time.


    "It had its fancy medical term, but my parents used the term Animal Vision. They believed that I had a special gift¡ªa unique ability to see the world in a way that others could not.


    "Well, believe is a strong word. They made me think that so I wouldn''t think of me as a freak. The illness made me¡­ treat people differently.


    "At least, I wanted to fool myself into thinking that it was the illness and not just me. During my Zahhak times, I could easily do horrible deeds because instead of faces of humans, I just saw cute, smiling animals.


    "I felt as though I hadn''t killed anyone, but rather as though I had embraced some adorable animals. Then, unfortunately, my behavior continued in real life, and I got a lot of trouble in school.


    "I was treated as a monster. Maybe I was.


    "In the end, my parents sent me overseas to get myself cured. Well, hopefully get better at least. It also worked; I started to see human faces, but with a hint of some animal characteristics."


    "How did I look in your eyes?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Not much different." Alice replied and showed a faint smile. "Your face was the same, but you had dog''s ears and a cute nose. You truly looked adorable at that time."


    "What about now?" Ambrose asked.


    "Actually, you don''t have any animal characteristics now." Alice said with a relieved smile. "This might be the first time I have seen someone in their true form. I am happy."


    "So, your words that you only cared about me because I looked like an injured puppy were true?" Ambrose questioned.


    Alice''s smile faded, and she looked away, feeling a pang of guilt. "Kind of. It''s hard to exin. I wanted to cure you, as I was feeling pity for you.


    "So, in a way, I cared for you, but not romantically, as you would have wished. I am sorry if I gave the wrong impression."


    "It''s fine; I don''t care about that anymore." Ambrose stood up with a slight smile. "I didn''te here to talk about all that. I came here to talk about something else."


    "What is it?" Alice put her hands on herp, sat like ady of high status, and listened intently to Ambrose''s words.


    "I was angry at you; that''s why I stole the treasures from others." Ambrose said and looked at Alice with a serious expression. "I am here to repay it."


    "That is¡­ nice of you." Alice sighed. "However, it doesn''t fix the real problem. We, of course, need money desperately, but no one wants to join us anymore."


    "Why is that?" Ambrose asked with a curious gaze.


    "We cannot offer protection like others." Alice said. "New yers will join the alliance. The veteran yers will join stronger dojos. We are in a state where we are not weak, but not as strong as others in this territory.


    "We also cannot move into other territories. It might cause a war between the leaders of another territory if we suddenly appeared in their territory.


    "Also, we would have to build a new dojo since every dojo has already been taken, and that costs a lot."


    "Hmm, that is indeed troublesome; however, I have a solution." Ambrose said.


    "What is it?" Alice curiously asked.


    "I have recently acquired a dojo for myself." Ambrose said with a charming smile. "That dojo was recently the leader of the territory, which makes me the leader from now on.


    "I''ll find you guys a dojo; you''ll move into my territory, and you don''t have to worry about getting into a war for relocating.


    "There, you can start rebuilding your dojo, and my dojo can offer a helping hand. But I do hope that your dojo will also stay loyal to us."


    "Which dojo did you take?" Alice asked in shock, with a hint of hope in her eyes, that the previous hardships might finally be over.


    "Reverse Tiger de," Ambrose said. "They are NPC dojo."


    "I see¡­" Alice whispered with surprise, ''Did he receive help from someone? I know his wanted poster is immensely high, but it doesn''t always ry strength or skill.''


    "I''ll talk with others, and I will answer to you soon." Alice said.


    "All right, I''ll be expecting a reply soon." Ambrose nodded and walked over to the door with the intention of leaving as he finished saying the reason he came here.


    However, Alice said. "Wait a moment¡­"


    "Hmm?" Ambrose turned to look at her, and a notification appeared in front of him.


    It was a friendship request from Alice.


    "Easier than sending a letter, don''t you agree?" Alice said with a weak smile.


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded, quickly epted the request, and then left the office.


    As soon as he arrived downstairs, Leprechaun and several other members of Silver Heart turned hostile. However, they didn''t make a move since they didn''t know what Alice said to him.


    "Grr¡­" Leprechaun revealed slightly of his metallic de from his scabbard. "You think you can just waltz here and leave?"


    "Yes." Ambrose replied with a smile.


    At that moment, a heavy wind breeze passed through the members of Silver Heart, causing them to stumble and lose their bnce.


    The ce where Ambrose was standing only moments prior was now empty; there was no sight of him anywhere.


    "W-where the hell did he go?" Caveman, a ginger-haired yer, asked in shock as he was looking at Ambrose when he suddenly disappeared.


    ''A powerful adversary.'' Teddy gulped. ''How strong are you now, Ambrose?''

 Chapter 350 Welcome Back

    <h4>Chapter 350 Wee Back</h4>


    Amaterasu, at Lane Street.


    Inside a weapon store with a clear selection of different medieval weapons and armory. It had three floors; the first one with a wide range of swords, bows, and shields.


    The second had a variety of armor and essories. The third one had a collection of rare and unique weapons.


    At this moment, a handsome man with a strong and athletic physique entered the store. He didn''t have any blemishes, and a pair of silver earrings adorned his ears.


    Ambrose browsed through the first floor''s weapons with a disinterested look. There were many weapons that would have been of great use to him before, but whenpared with ck and Red Swords, they seemed dull.


    "Hello, sir." A man with a small goatee and a sly smile approached him. He was rubbing his hands together like a sneaky merchant.


    "What?" Ambrose asked disinterestedly and looked away from the collection of poor weapons.


    "If these weapons do not interest you, sir, there is a good collection of strong and unique weapons on the top floor!" The sly-looking man said. ''He looks like he has deep pockets!''


    ''Check the weapons.'' Ambrose thought inside him, and he entered the world of souls momentarily. His soul shot out of his body, he went to check the weapons, and he returned soon.


    After his soul returned to his body, Ambrose left the world of souls and walked over to the door. "Not interested."


    ''It sure is hard to find good, affordable weapons.'' Ambrose thought with a sigh. ''I''ll have to start grinding for money.''


    "If you change your mind, the doors to our establishment will always be open!" The sly-looking man shouted, and once the figure left the store, his smile disappeared. "Tch, cheapskate."


    ¡­


    Ambrose walked down the streets with a thoughtful heart, feeling overwhelmed by the endless things he had to do.


    ''I also have the ForeverTube career, which basically died at his point. I don''t get any viewers anymore, and my subscription count is dipping.


    ''I soon have to make a new video, but I am not sure what to make. For now, I should stabilize my dojo, start making money out of it, and focus on grinding for XP.''


    "yers with a level lower than 15, join arms with your brothers and sisters!" A high-haired man with a brown poncho stood on top of a small crate, waving a pamphlet.


    He attracted quite a bit of attention from the yers who walked by. The brown poncho was the trademark of the New yer Alliance, and they mostly recruited yers below level 10.


    If it meant that they were willing to raise the level limit to 15, something big was going to happen.


    Ambrose curiously joined up the crowd that surrounded the high-haired man and the crate, curiously hearing what he had to say.


    "The new yers are daily bullied, oppressed, and robbed!" The high-haired yer shouted.


    "Martial Online is a way to improve the lives of these yers, allowing them to live a better life back in real life!


    "Yet, veteran yers bully us, oppress us, and rob us on a daily basis because of their greed for money and power!"


    The high-haired yer took a deep breath and saw that some of the yers in the crowd nodded their heads in agreement. They had also felt oppressed by the elitist yers.


    Some of them didn''t even care about gaining wealth via gaming and just wanted to enjoy this game that could be called a second world.


    "A war ising." The high-haired yer grabbed a bunch of pamphlets, then threw them up in the air. "Join arms with us!"


    The pamphlets fell to the ground at the speed of falling leaf, and the yers rushed to pick them up.


    At the back of the crowd, Ambrose picked up one of the pamphlets and checked the propaganda-filled content. In the back of the pamphlet, a list of hostile dojos was listed.


    At the top, with the biggest font, was Roaring Engines. The list had, in total, fifteen dojos.


    ''They n to use the advantage of numbers to ovee the difference in power.'' Ambrose crumbled the pamphlet and tossed it away. ''Who are the bullies now?''


    "Hey, why did you throw it away?" A small-bearded yer next to him asked. He looked like he would be an office worker in real life with his skinny body.


    "What is your level, if I may ask?" He asked with a twitching eyebrow. It looked like he took offense for throwing the pamphlet away.


    "No, you don''t." Ambrose replied and turned around to leave. "Only a fool would."


    "Hey, I didn''t stop talking to you!" The small-bearded yer reached out his hand towards him, slowly nearing his shoulder.


    At that moment, Ambrose vanished from the street, the yer''s hand touching nothing but remnants of the wind.


    "W-where did he disappear off to?" The small-bearded yer looked around in shock, feeling like he was dreaming.


    ¡­


    Thud¡ªAmbrosended on top of a pitched-roofed building and then opened the window before hopping inside and closing it behind him.


    He looked around the room, a scent of women lingering in the air and the freshly painted walls. It looked far more cozy than the previous room in Yatagarasu.


    ''This ce is pretty nice.'' He thought and nced outside of the window sneakily, seeing a few armored figures walking by as if they were on a casual stroll.


    ''The Watchmen are more frequent in these parts. No wonder this ce seems so secure. Be and Emma chose a good spot for security, but a bad ce for me.


    ''Kiryu said that he would keep them off me, but he can''t do anything if they see me personally. Kiryu most likely can''t be seen protecting a wanted individual, so he is misleading them from the shadows.''


    Ambrose then sat down on the bed, which was nicely made up with clean sheets and a soft nket. He slowly traced his hand across the nket, feeling its warmth andfort.


    ''In Yatagarasu, it was quite chilly in her room, and she must have been cold during the night. However, now she has a warm and cozy room.


    ''Another worry of mine has now beenid to rest. I can finally rest easy knowing that she is safe andfortable.''


    Tap, tap¡ªgentle-sounding footsteps came behind the door,ing from the stairs at a slow and steady pace.


    Ambrose quickly shed across the room and appeared in the corner of the room, which would be hidden when the door opened.


    He anxiously waited for the door to open.


    At that moment, the door slowly creaked open, and a ck-haired young woman entered the room while writing something in her journal.


    But then she heard the door close behind her, and then arms wrapped around her and pulled her into a tight embrace.


    "Who¡ª" Be turned around in shock, ready to pull her sword from the interface, but she found herself staring into the eyes of a familiar face.


    "Jesse¡­" She whispered gently while looking into his charming eyes. "Your eyes¡­ are pretty."


    "Mmh¡­" Ambrose smiled, his eyes filled with warmth and adoration. He then let go of Be and raised his arms in defeat. "Haha, sorry for frightening you. I am a wanted man, and I can''t just walk through the front door, you see."


    "Ah, it''s all right." Be touched her chest, feeling her racing heartbeat, and smiled shyly. "Wee back."

 Chapter 351 Ready

    <h4>Chapter 351 Ready</h4>


    Ambrose leaned sideways against a wall, gazing outside through a small gap between curtains. He watched as the sun set over the horizon, casting a warm orange glow over the cityscape.


    The door then opened, and a pigtailed little girl rushed inside, her eyes sparkling with excitement. She immediately ran over to Ambrose, hugging his waist.


    "You''re back!" Emma shouted excitedly.


    Ambrose smiled and patted her on the head. "I heard from Be that you chose this ce. It''s nice."


    "Nn!" Emma nodded her head like a bobblehead.


    Be soon walked up the stairs, closing the door behind her after entering the room. She had just finished closing the bookstore.


    Ambrose closed the curtains, and only the gentle light from the gasmp illuminated the room. It was still more than enough.


    "Brother, can you tell me more about Dark Waters?" Emma asked curiously. "Did you see the Ghosts of the Wild Hunt?!"


    Ambrose took a seat on the bed and chuckled. "Dark Waters is a ce of mystery and wonder, full of secrets and magic."


    Emma sat down beside him, sitting cross-legged while excitedly listening.


    Be sat down on the same bed, sitting moredylike and looking towards him with a curious expression.


    "Where should I begin¡­" Ambrose wondered out loud, but then smiled. "Right. Let''s start with Seafare, and the people I met there."


    ¡­


    Weary Town, Bar of the Hand.


    Inside a bar with a dimly lit atmosphere, a guitarist yed a mncholic tune on the stage while patrons sat at the bar, sipping their drinks andughing with their friends.


    After a short while, the guitarist rose from the stool, bowed, and left the stage amid weak apuse from the few patrons.


    In the backstage area, a round-headed man with sunsses on his face looked at the scene with a nervous expression.


    "The crowd doesn''t seem to be very warmed up!" He shouted.


    A neat-bearded man looked away from his guitar and smiled. "Jasper, rx. Of course, a sad song won''t warm up the crowd. It''s a bar, not some funeral house."


    "You''re feeling confident, huh, Wolcott?" Jasper nervously chuckled. "I wish I could feel the same."


    "We are bards." Wolcott rose from the chair with a guitar in hand. "We talk about stories via singing; that''s what we agreed on."


    "Mm¡­" Jasper nodded, and at the same moment, they heard a knock on the door. They turned to the door, and once it opened, they saw the bar''s owner.


    "Your turn." The bar owner said while nudging his sses. "The crowd needs some warming up, but do your best, aight?"


    Jasper and Wolcott nodded, then turned to each other with a determined look on their faces. They then left the room and walked to the center of the stage amid a sound ofughter and chatting.


    Wolcott sat down on the stool with a guitar on hisp, while Jasper stood behind him with a violin in hand.


    "Hello, and wee to the Bar of the Hand." Wolcott said with his powerful and pleasant voice. "Today, we''ll sing a tale about the forgotten hero of Yatagarasu, Ambrose."


    These two were captured and destined to be eaten by goblins in Yatagarasu. However, after getting rescued, they decided to spend their lives singing tales about the heroics of the forgotten hero, Ambrose.


    Wolcott started ying the guitar, filling the air with a powerful tempo, which immediately captivated the audience and teleported them to a world of war and danger.


    ¡­


    The darkness covered the sky, with a crimson moon appearing high above, shining eerily across the world.


    On the top floor of Whispering Page, the shadows danced and twirled, creating a special atmosphere. The gasmp was already in danger of going out.


    "Mmh¡­" Emma rubbed her eyes. "I am feeling sleepy¡­"


    "It''s alreadyte." Ambrose rubbed her head and said, "You should go out for now."


    "Mm, okay¡­" Emmazily hugged her brother and then disappeared from pixels.


    "Very interesting story." Be said with a smile. "However, was it all?"


    "Perhaps, maybe not." Ambrose chuckled.


    He kept the forced very and stuff with Mars a secret. He didn''t want to scare his little sister.


    ''He wouldn''t have had an explosive increase in his bounty if something big didn''t happen.'' Be thought curiously. ''However, from what he said, Dark Waters seem very special¡­


    ''However, it is also dangerous, but I kind of wish to travel across this world and see what it has to offer.''


    "I''ll be staying in the Immortal Dojo; you can find me there most days." Ambrose said and stood up to leave.


    "Ah, wait a moment." Be grabbed him by the sleeve and asked. "Can Ie with you on your journey outside the walls?"


    Ambrose turned to look at her and said firmly. "Absolutely not. It is incredibly dangerous."


    "I already stepped out of the walls once, and I know it''s scary." Be insisted, her determination evident in her voice. "I''m willing to take the risk. I need strength!"


    "A stubborn one, huh?" Ambrose stepped towards her and leaned close enough to touch noses with her. "I have another idea."


    "Which is?" Be asked with ragged breathing while feeling Ambrose''s breath on her lips.


    "We''ll enter a party." Ambrose said, staring at her bright red eyes. "You''ll get half of the XP that I earn with every kill. With this, you don''t have to leave the city."


    "No." Be pouted and touched foreheads with Ambrose, their lips brushing together. She then whispered. "I am not a coward¡­"


    "Very well¡­" Ambrose whispered back, and with each movement of his lips, they brushed against Be''s soft lips. "You''ve won. However, I''ll teach you some skills that will help you to survive¡­"


    "Mm, that is the deal." Be smiled and leaned in closer to Ambrose. Their lips eventually touched, and they shared a soft, gentle kiss.


    Ambrose moved his hands down Be''s body, caressing her skin with a gentle touch. Her body jolted as she felt a shiver run down her spine.


    After separating from the kiss, Be rested her head against Ambrose''s chest, her cheeks flushed with a blush. She felt a sense offort and safety in his embrace.


    Ambrose took a deep breath, as it was hard to keep himself calm after seeing Be blushing and looking incredibly adorable.


    He eventually stopped embracing her, coughed against his fist, and walked over to the window.


    "If you have the time¡­ visit the dojo, all right?" Ambrose opened the window, letting in a cool breeze and a glimpse of the night sky.


    "A-all right." Be smiled and fidgeted with her fingers. "Good night!"


    "Mm, sleep well." Ambrose leaned out of the window, acting as if he were falling, but then he closed the window and used Formlessness to shoot straight towards the sky.


    Ambrose hovered in the air, gazing at the crimson moon and the brilliant stars that surrounded it. He took a deep breath and let out a sigh of contentment.


    He looked at his hands, which still had the warmth of her skin, and formed a gentle fist.


    ''My life sure feels like a surreal dream. It wasn''t long ago that I was living a very grayish life. Now, I just need to make sure that I won''t lose this.''


    Ambrose gently dropped down from the sky andnded in the yard of a dojo. All the decorations had been changed to reflect the new era of the dojo. They only needed the sigil of a sword piercing through their hearts, but it was a job for a tailor.


    "Wee back, master!" A few students who were stargazing in the yard stood up from the ground and bowed respectfully.


    "Mm¡­" Ambrose nodded and stepped inside the dojo. He was immediately greeted by the students, who had finished today''s training and were simply spending time with their friends or, in some rare cases, with their lovers.


    As he saw their gazes, a feeling finally dawned on him.


    He was now a master, and it was his responsibility to keep his students safe. It was a very heavy responsibility that he had to carry on his shoulders.


    However, Ambrose wasn''t afraid of the responsibility.


    ''Are you ready for the responsibility of the master?'' The Wisdom King''s ancient voice sounded inside his mind.


    ''I am ready.'' Ambrose smiled.

 Chapter 352 The Bloody Battle

    <h4>Chapter 352 The Bloody Battle</h4>


    "Kill these bastards!"


    The brown-poncho-wearing yers screamed from the top of their lungs as they rushed towards the yers who wore ck-leathered jackets with sigil of roaring engines on their backs.


    They shed in the middle of the street, their weapons shing in a flurry of violence.


    The blood shed like torrent rain, flooding the pavement of the streets with the blue blood of the yers.


    The blood flowed down like small rivers and pooled at the feet of the yers.


    Crack¡ªa baseball bat smashed through the yer''s skull, iming another life.


    "Hahaha, these newbies really thought they could take us by surprise." A man over two meters tall shouted in ecstasy while swinging his baseball bat.


    He had one of the highest kill counts currently on the battlefield, as no one could survive a single attack from him.


    He was the Roaring Engine''s second-inmand, ckfist.


    The alliance of New yers had three times the numbers, but the individual strength of Roaring Engine was vastly superior, and they managed to keep their ground with excellent teamwork.


    At that moment, Motorhero jumped over the members of Roaring Engines andnded in the middle of the alliance members. He then swung his baseball bat, crushing the skulls of several yers.


    "Die!" Three yers thrust their spears towards Motorhero.


    "Hahaha, not happening!" ckfist rushed in and tackled through the spears, shattering them and sending the attackers flying.


    Swoosh¡ªdozens of arrows shot through the sky and rained down upon ckfist and Motorhero.


    Without a single hesitation in his face, ckfist shielded Motorhero and tanked the arrows with his body. The arrows stabbed deep into his back and caused a steep loss of health.


    "Hmph!" ckfist scoffed loudly. "Go, boss!"


    Motorhero grabbed his baseball bat tight, leaped over ckfist, and lunged towards the archers, who were huddled behind the roofs of nearby buildings. He swung his bat with all his might, knocking them off their feet and sending them flying into the air.


    Thud¡ªat that moment, a sharp-eyed man with a brown poncho draped over hisnky build ran down the street with a spear in hand.


    He thrust it forward, and the spear''s sharp de pierced through the air as it approached ckfist''s arrow-ridden back.


    But then ckfist smashed his baseball bat with rageful fury at the iing spear and blocked it in its tracks.


    "Hahahaha!" ckfistbed his short ck hair back with his hand and looked at the sharp-eyed man with a scoff. "You don''t look like a newbie, hahaha!"


    "Hmph!" The sharp-eyed man reeled in his spear and stabbed it forward repeatedly with ferocious tenacity.


    However, ckfist defended against the spear stabs with his baseball bat, deflecting and parrying each strike without taking a single step backwards.


    Instead, he keptughing and taunting the sharp-eyed man''s attempts.


    At that moment, Motorhero jumped down from the roof and smashed his baseball bat down towards the sharp-eyed man. However, he quickly escaped with his spear.


    Boom¡ªthe baseball bat smashed through the pavement easily, as if it were made of porcin.


    The sharp-eyed man looked at the destruction and was d that he managed to escape in time. He then quickly blocked ckfist''s attack, and he retreated several steps with quick jumps.


    Swoosh¡ªbut then, Motorhero appeared behind him as if he had appeared from his shadow and delivered a powerful kick to the sharp-eyed man''s back.


    The sharp-eyed man tumbled down the ground and quickly jumped back to his feet, but only to get smashed into the side of his face by the baseball bat.


    He flew across the street, crashed through a solid-looking wall, andnded in a pile of debris on the other side. He didn''t move any further and instead turned into pixels and disappeared into nothingness.


    After a short moment, every yer in the alliance was either lying dead on the ground or severely injured, with their legs missing, so they couldn''t move away.


    Not a single member of Roaring Engines perished in the fight.


    "Get yourself treated." Motorhero said to his second-inmand, ckfist, who stood behind him like a watchdog.


    "Nah, I am fine, boss!" ckfist showed his enormous biceps and grinned with bloodied teeth.


    "You will bleed out if you don''t, fool." Motorhero warned him and pointed at his face without a single fear in his face. "You aren''t allowed to take a single step inside our base if you are going to bleed into our floors."


    "A-all right, boss." ckfist lowered his head meekly and went to get some healing potions from others.


    Motorhero walked over to the members of the alliance, who were too injured to move and were shedding tears because of their pathetic loss.


    "Deliver a message to your foolish leader." Motorhero stomped over the head of one of the yers and rubbed his head on the dirty pavement.


    "I am fine with dealing with this war with a single fight.


    "Tell your leader that I challenge him to singlebat. The loser will quit the game forever, and their faction will disband. The winner will get to stay in Amaterasu.


    "Now, go!" He kicked the yers in their backs, but since they couldn''t use their legs, they had to crawl away like worms.


    Motorhero stood with his arms crossed, watching them crawl away, and then turned to the dirty pavement stained with blue blood and body parts.


    "The Watchmen are on their way!" A shout came from one of the tallest buildings in the vicinity. It came from Roaring Engines'' scouts, who were responsible for keeping an eye on the movement of the guards of the city.


    "Mm, let''s go." Motorhero motioned with his hand, and they quickly walked away through the winding streets.


    They didn''t seem to be in any hurry as they made their way down the alleyway.


    At that moment, a single arrow flew through the night sky and pierced through the pavement right in front of the Roaring Engines.


    Motorhero lifted his arm, and everyone stopped moving behind him. They all turned their gazes towards the end of the alleyway, where a purple-eyed woman with red hair stood with her back against the wall.


    The woman with exotic purple eyes lit up a matchstick, and the flickering me illuminated her face. She didn''t look anything special, but she had a strange kind of charm about her.


    Motorhero looked at her with a frown and asked. "What do you want, Zahhak?"


    "Mm." Redheart giggled and pointed the matchstick at them. "Oh, you all are bad boys, aren''t you?"


    "Oh, very bad." ckfist smashed his two ck-gloved fists together and grinned. "Want to find out just how bad?"


    "Calm down." Motorhero said casually and stepped towards Redheart with a casual stride. "You''ve been watching us for some time. What do you want?"


    "Zahhak is expanding, you see." Redheart threw her arms up in the air with a smile. "Cerberus would very much like to meet you."


    The members of Roaring Engines looked at each other in a slight surprise. They had heard that name spoken in a very revered tone for a very long time now.


    Now, the famous Cerberus wanted to meet with their boss.


    "Cerberus, hah." However, Motorheroughed and looked at the woman with a smirk. "The loser who couldn''t catch some nobody?


    "Yeah, I know him. The reputation of Zahhak is not the same as it used to be. They are not feared as much anymore."


    "Ooh, watch your mouth." Redheart put the matchstick against her lips and blew it out. "Or you are the next one that will go out."


    "Mm." Motorhero grabbed her by the neck and whispered. "Is that so? I''m not afraid of you."


    At that moment, a sharp, poisonous arrow touched Motorhero''s groin. It wasn''t touching, but if Redheart''s hand flinched even slightly, it would, and it wouldn''t be a nice sight.


    Motorhero casually dropped his gaze on the poisonous arrow that was threatening his manhood.


    "Mm, I''ll deliver the message that you aren''t willing to talk business." Redheart whispered with a venomous tone. "Cerberus is already in a very bad mood because of the recent version of the newspaper.


    "You don''t want him toe here."


    "Maybe I do." Motorhero removed his hand from her neck and stepped away. "This is my city."


    "This is your city, for now." Redheart whispered. "But you should keep your eyes peeled. The ''nobody'' you talked about has been the biggest pain in Zahhak''s flesh ever."


    Redheart turned around to leave and waved her hand dismissively. "If he returns, I suggest sending a message to us. He''ll be too much for you to handle."


    Motorhero narrowed his eyes.

 Chapter 353 The Name

    <h4>Chapter 353 The Name</h4>


    Amaterasu, Silver Heart Dojo.


    Inside the top floor''s office.


    "We cannot trust him." Leprechaun said firmly. "He suddenly grew a heart and wants to help us? We can''t forget that he is the reason we are in this mess to begin with."


    Alice sat behind the desk, looking at the core members of Silver Heart, which included Teddy, La, Leprechaun, and Caveman.


    "What about you?" Alice turned to the others beside Leprechaun, wanting to hear their opinions.


    "I think we should gamble!" Caveman said firmly. "Let''s join hands with this Ambrose!"


    Leprechaun scoffed with a disapproving look. He knew that Caveman said that because he didn''t want to agree with him.


    ''Childish!'' Leprechaun thought angrily.


    "I agree with Caveman," La said with a soft voice. "What will Ambrose gain from lying to us?"


    "Mm, I agree as well." Teddy said with a stoic voice.


    "You fools!" Leprechaunughed angrily. "Don''te crying then. I am done!"


    He stood up, ripped the sigil of the silver heart from his shoulder, and mmed it down on the desk.


    "I quit!" He screamed.


    "Leprechaun!" Teddy narrowed his eyes angrily. "This is what we do. We make the decisions together, and now that you didn''t get your wish through, you''ll quit?"


    "Exactly!" Leprechaun screamed and looked at the silent silver-haired woman. "I can''t stand weak leadership. I''ll be able to easily find a powerful dojo with my expertise!"


    "Then go." Alice said gently and leaned back against the chair. "Thank you for all the help so far."


    "Hmph." Leprechaun flicked his sleeves and stormed out of the room, the door mming shut.


    Caveman sneered inwardly, but even he was surprised by Leprechaun''s sudden departure. Even though he didn''t like him, he had to admit that he was useful.


    "The decision is therefore made." Alice said andmanded. "Tomorrow, start packing. I''ll send a message to Jes... Ambrose, and he will get us a dojo."


    ...


    A splendid dojo stood proudly with a crimson moonlight shining down. It was guarded by ten-meter-tall walls with a proud-looking ck metal cage with the sigil of a faraway.


    A sign saying ''Saturn Dojo'' hung atop the metal gate.


    It was a revered and respected sight.


    At this moment, in the backyard of the dojo, a handsome man with blond hair and clean-looking skin sat in front of a small pond with silver-colored fish swimming beneath the surface.


    His eyes were closed, deep in meditation, and he had his hands sped into a prayer.


    Prince then slowly opened his eyes and heard the sound of gentle footsteps sounding behind him,ing towards him.


    "Boss." A gentle-sounding young man with rather attractive looks respectfully nodded and said, "Some news came."


    "I am listening." Prince plucked a small grassde from the ground and used it as a miniature sword, cutting through the water.


    "It looks like the Reverse Tiger de dojo has been taken over." The young man said, "We do not know by whom, but it looks like they are named Immortal Dojo."


    "Immortal Dojo?" Prince perked up his ears and smiled. "How arrogant, don''t you think?"


    "Yes, boss." The young man chuckled. "What should we do with them?"


    Prince flicked the grassde away and stood up while patting his trousers. "We do not know anything about them. Reverse Tiger de wasn''t a strong dojo by any means, but they still managed to keep their territory in a chokehold.


    "I expected Rach and his dojo to take over the territory first, but someone managed to do it first.


    "Send a scout to catch a glimpse of the new master. Maybe we will recognize him or her; who knows, it could be ady as well."


    "Yes, boss." The young man nodded and left to deliver a message to the scout.


    Prince folded his arms against his chest and watched the reflections of the moon on the small pond. He had always been fond of space and its wonders.


    At that moment, a slender arm moved over his shoulder, caressing his chest.


    "Prince, why are you up sote~" A woman''s seductive voice sounded, and then she ced her head on his shoulder, looking at his side profile with a smile.


    She was rather attractive-looking, with sun-kissed skin, as if she had spent plenty of time on the beach, and chocte-brown hair.


    Her curves, especially her chest and buttocks, were overly prominent, as if she had put some padding on them.


    "Skye." Prince nced at her beautiful face and said, "You''re too close."


    "Am I?" Skye giggled and showed her pearly white teeth. "Do you hate it?"


    "I do." Prince grabbed her gently by the head and pushed her slightly away. "Personal space is a thing."


    "Hmph." Skye pouted and crossed her arms against her chest, making her breasts jiggle. "My bed felt cold. Want to give me somepany?"


    "It''s a chilly night." Prince looked towards the night sky and said, "If you are cold, log off and sleep in your warm bed instead."


    "You know that''s not what I meant~" Skye winked with a seductive look and traced her finger across Prince''s back. "You can warm me up instead."


    "I am not a nket." Prince grabbed her by the wrist, stopped her from touching him anymore, and said. "I am not interested."


    "Hmph..." Skye crossed her arms and asked with frustration in her tone. "I heard from others that you have spent plenty of time in the Whispering Pages.


    "I heard the store owner there is exceptionally beautiful. Is that your type, huh?"


    "My type is women who don''t try to sleep with me every avable moment." Prince said with a clear tone and turned back to the pond. "You may leave, Skye. I want to be alone."


    Skye flicked her head around, making her hair flow around her, and then she turned around to leave.


    ''Hmph, I wonder what kind of woman she is then.'' Skye narrowed her eyes. ''Whispering Pages, wasn''t it? Might as well visit it, hmph.''


    ...


    As the next morning dawned, a bright sun shone across the bustling city of Amaterasu.


    The doors of the stores mmed open, and the storekeepers flicked the signs over, turning from ''Closed'' to ''Open.''


    In Immortal Dojo, Ambrose sat down on the porch, overlooking the backyard, where the students of his dojo were again training in quick-drawing.


    ''I suppose I need to start teaching them dual wielding.'' Ambrose thought with a smirk. ''My students won''t fight with merely one sword. This ain''t what my style is about.''


    "Good morning, master." Ken walked through the open sliding doors with a backpack filled with training swords on his back.


    "Oh, Ken. There was something I wanted to ask." Ambrose waved his hand, motioning for Ken to sit down next to him.


    Ken nodded curiously and got seated beside him while putting the backpack down on the floor beside him.


    "Are there any dojos who don''t like to pay the taxes to stay in my territory?" Ambrose questioned.


    Ken turned thoughtful, but then he remembered one dojo especially.


    "Yes, there is one!"


    "Who?" Ambrose asked.


    "Rach''s Dojo." Ken said. "They are yers, and since the first time, they have always tried to avoid paying us. Now, they have be more rebellious and might challenge us soon."


    "Ahahahaha."


    At that moment, Ambroseughed, as this was way too good to be true.


    "M-master?" Ken asked, curious why their new master wasughing after hearing that.


    "Ah, it''s nothing." Ambrose smiled. "Today, we''ll visit them."


    "They have already paid this month''s tax." Ken said.


    "That''s not why we are going there." Ambrose crossed his legs and said, "We will go there to destroy them."


    Ken''s eyes widened in shock.

 Chapter 354 Not My Style

    <h4>Chapter 354 Not My Style</h4>


    "This is his dojo..." Be stood in front of a gated dojo, the sign of ''Immortal Dojo'' hanging high above.


    She wore a pretty sundress with a wide-brimmed sunhat and purse in hand. She had quite pale skin, making her look rather exoticpared to some others with tanned skin caused by the summery weather in Amaterasu.


    She pushed the gate open and stepped into the dojo''s yard. As she stood under the dojo''s shadow, she felt fascinated by the architecture.


    It was different from ordinary buildings.


    Theyout of the dojo was rather open, with tatami mats stretched across the floors, which were made of straw. The first floor was surrounded by sliding doors, which could easily be opened or closed to create flexible training space.


    The entrance of the dojo was an arc-shaped door with papernterns hanging from the roofs, and it was supported by wooden beams that were connected to the ceiling.


    With therge windows and skylights, plenty of daylight was able to enter the dojo, making the need for gamps and candles almost nonexistent.


    As Be looked at the dojo, she formed a small smile and had a feeling like the dojo was connected with the nature around it. It was a harmonious and smile-inducing sight.


    Inside the dojo, a big-eared young man was fixing one of the broken training dummies until he saw someone standing in the front yard.


    Looking at her attire, it was clear that he was not part of the dojo.


    He put the broken training dummy aside and stepped through the entrance, crossing his arms as he asked:


    "Who are you? This is Rev... Immortal Dojo, and you are trespassing!"


    "Oh..." Be removed her sunhat, revealing her fair, beautiful face. "Is Ambrose here?"


    The big-eared young man''s jaw hung low in shock.


    "Ahem..." He quickly cleared his throat and asked. "Y-you are here for master?"


    "Mm." Be nodded, feeling funny about someone calling him as ''master.''


    At that moment, the big-eared young man felt a powerful hand on his shoulder.


    "Have you finished fixing the training dummy?" An inhumanly handsome man asked, his powerful, deep voice resonating like a hammer strike.


    "M-master, there is someone here for you." He stammered over his words.


    Ambrose looked at the red-eyed young woman, whose blush grew after meeting his gaze, and then nodded.


    "Return inside so you can finish fixing it up before the dinner." Ambrose patted his student''s back and walked over to Be before giving her a short hug. "Wee to my dojo."


    "Mm." Be''s smile widened, and she looked at the entrance of the dojo with a fascinated look. "This ce is so nice!"


    "Mm, take this for now." Ambrose took out the style scroll for Mortal Style and handed it over to her. "Learn a skill called ''Nachbilder'', it should be of great use."


    Be epted the style scroll and asked curiously. "Aren''t you training me?"


    "I''ll be back briefly; there are some business matters to do." Ambrose said with a smile. "This skill ain''t swordsmanship-rted, so it could be easier for you to learn now.


    "Also, I doubt your agility stats are high enough to fully learn it, so even learning 1% is enough for you to use Nachbilder, even though not even close to its fullest potential."


    "A-all right." Be looked past Ambrose towards the students, who were hacking their training swords down at the training dummy. "Mm, I don''t know anyone here, though."


    "Tiger!" Ambrose shouted, his voice traveling across the dojo.


    Within an instant, Tiger Erwin came in, running through the doors and saluting. "Yes, master?"


    "This is Be." Ambrose touched her shoulder and said, "She''ll be joining us in the training. For now, she''ll train alone, so don''t let anyone bother her, all right?"


    "Okay." Tiger Erwin nodded and bowed towards Be, as it was clear that she was someone special to their new master.


    Therefore, he nned to put utmost importance on her safety and ensure that her time in the dojo would be a positive experience.


    "I''ll be back very soon." Ambrose turned to her and nted a soft kiss on her cheek.


    Be''s cheeks heated up as she felt embarrassed by the intimate gesture while others were watching. She then nodded with a smile, grabbed the style scroll tightly, and nned to train hard not to disappoint him.


    After Be left with Tiger Erwin to train, Ambrose signaled towards Ken and left the dojo with him.


    "The dojo will be in..." Ken was about to give directions.


    "I know where it is." Ambrose replied with a smile. ''I still remember it like yesterday.''


    Ken nodded and walked slightly ahead of Ambrose, ensuring with his broad, sturdy body that no one would be blocking his master''s path.


    It caused Ambrose to wryly smile, as it made it look like he had a bodyguard. He still didn''t mind it, as they managed to walk down the street twice as fast.


    The pedestrians stepped aside, not daring to stay in the way. They didn''t voice their displeasure as they recognized Ken, who was part of Reverse Tiger de and pretty much owned this part of Amaterasu.


    However, they couldn''t recognize the man who was walking behind him with his hands inside his pockets. But it looked like Ken was paving the way for him.


    After a short while, the two men arrived at the gated residence. It had received some renovations, but it had plenty of unfinished renovations left.


    ''It sure looks different now.'' Ambrose thought, even though it had been only a few months since he sold the dojo. ''The grass doesn''t look as dead; the floor and the walls of the dojo are in better shape.''


    From the dojo, a sound of a sword smacking a wood piece resonated, followed by the shouting and chatter of the yers.


    "Are you sure we should do this?" Ken asked. "There are only two of us, and yers have the power of reincarnation. That''s why we never attacked them, as they can alwayse back."


    "Once they lose the key to the dojo, they cannot do anything." Ambrose said with a smile.


    "Hmm, what do you mean?" Ken asked confusingly, as he wasn''t aware of the game''s mechanics.


    "It''s nothing." Ambrose shook his head. "They are in ownership of the dojo because they have the key. Without a key, they aren''t owning it anymore. They can, of course,e to try reiming it, but we''ll just have to beat them up again."


    "I... think I understand." Ken said hesitantly.


    "Trust in my judgment." Ambrose crouched slightly, then leaped over the gate easily.


    Ken followed behind him andnded beside him. "I trust in you, master."


    "Good." Ambrose pulled out his wooden sword and approached the dojo, where all the sound wasing from.


    "Master, you are still using that toy?" Ken followed behind him with his steel sword in hand.


    "This is all I have." Ambrose replied with a chuckle.


    "W-what?" Ken said in shock, then turned his gaze to his sword and extended it towards Ambrose. "You can have my sword. Let me use the wooden sword."


    "Hmm..." Ambrose looked at the sword before shaking his head. "It ain''t my style."


    "Ehh..." Ken followed his master with a shocked look. ''Our new master is so weird...''

 Chapter 355 Attack on Rach

    <h4>Chapter 355 Attack on Rach</h4>


    "Jaah¡­" A blond-haired man sat ratherzily on a high-end chair, his legs dangling over the sides as he scrolled down the music interface, trying to find any songs to y.


    Meanwhile, the members of his dojo either yed cards or sunbathed in the backyard, and a few hacked their weapons against wooden beams.


    It wasn''t a serious atmosphere, but more of a casual one.


    It was clear that over half of them didn''t take training seriously and were just part of the dojo to hang out with their friends.


    "This shit is boring." Rach said, looking dazzling in his ck gi. "If we n on just hanging out like this, what is the point of logging in when we can do that back in reality?"


    "Well, do you have any ns, boss?" A long-legged woman, with sunsses on her face, asked while enjoying the sunlight on her skin.


    "I heard some stuff¡­" Rach smirked, intentionally dying his next sentence. "A bunch of yers found an entrance to an underground tomb.


    "However, it isn''t a normal underground tomb."


    "Then what is it?" A short-haired yer flipped over his cards and asked.


    "No one knows." Rach put his arms under his head and closed his eyes, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. "That group disbanded because they argued constantly and got very tired of it.


    "All of them wanted to be the ones to steal the riches of the tomb, but each one of them died. They were all consumed by their greed and ambition.


    "The next day, all of them joined forums and started selling the information instead. They all gave up trying to clear the tomb or even build a party for it.


    "They must''ve realized that it is impossible to clear."


    "So, the tomb is incredibly difficult to clear. What makes it special?" A man with a buzzcut asked while he leaned against the wall.


    "That is difficult to clear. That makes it special." Rach stood up and looked at his friends with a thrilled grin. "They didn''t even reach the ''Gate Guard''. My mouth salivates just from the thought that something special is hidden behind that gate."


    "I suppose we have nothing else to do." The buzzcut-haired man said. "It could help us be powerful enough to get rid of Reverse Tiger de once and for all."


    "Exactly." Rachbed his hair with his hand, and a sly smile spread across his face. "We''ll start prepping right away. The tomb will be a hot spot soon."


    Tap, tap¡ªthe sound of wood hitting the straw mat filled the air. It sounded like someone was tapping their foot impatiently.


    "Huh?" Rach looked over his shoulder towards the entrance and saw a figure tapping his wooden sword against the floor, like a blind man trying to find his way.


    However, the ck-haired figure was looking straight at him with an eternal smile on his face. His piercing purple eyes sent a shiver down Rach''s spine.


    "Who in the¡­"


    Rach felt self-conscious for the first time in his life. He had always been the most popr kid in the school and was always the center of attention.


    He could always face someone with a raised chin and a proud look, but now he instinctively alerted his gaze.


    At that moment, Rach saw another person standing behind the ck-haired figure. He recognized him as Ken, the person who visited them mainly to im the tax money.


    "Reverse Tiger de?" Rach frowned. "Ken, what the hell are you doing? Who is this?"


    "You are in the presence of Immortal Dojo''s master!" Ken shouted loudly. "Lower your heads, show some respect!"


    "Immortal Dojo? I never heard of it." Rach turned to his friend and whispered. "A yer from Yatagarasu or Tsukuyomi?"


    "I don''t think I have seen him before." His friend whispered with a frown.


    "What have youe here for?" Rach asked, his voiceced with suspicion.


    Ken never came to visit them for fun. He only came for the business, and the ck-haired figure didn''t look like someone who was a fan of small talk but instead a man of action.


    Swoosh¡ªas Rach blinked, turning his vision back to normal, he noticed the ck-haired figure was now standing right in front of him.


    His eyes widened in shock, and he quickly took a step back.


    However, then the wooden sword touched his forehead. It was like a bolt of lightning had struck him, and he felt a surge of energy coursing through his body.


    "Mortal Style, Schlitzer." Ambrose calmly whispered and shed slightly upwards.


    Spurt¡ªa deep cut appeared across Rach''s face, ruining his dazzling, handsome face.


    The blood flowed like a river, staining his cheek and dripping down his chin.


    "Boss!" His friends screamed and lunged forward with their weapons.


    The buzzcut-haired man was the fastest and attacked Ambrose from his side. He swung his weapon with all his might, aiming for Ambrose''s heart.


    Ambrose grabbed Rach by his loose GI shirt and pulled him towards him, using his body to shield him from the attack.


    The buzzcut-haired man''s weapon shed deep into Rach''s shoulder, causing a deep gash that left him gasping for breath.


    "F-fuck!" Rach screamed and coughed up blood.


    "Shit, sorry boss!" The buzzcut-haired man screamed.


    Ambrose tossed Rach''s body away and stabbed the wooden sword through the buzzcut-haired man''s chest, ending his life.


    He then turned around and saw Ken battling others, managing to hold on to nearly a dozen Rach Dojo members by himself alone.


    Swoosh¡ªAmbrose slid across the dojo, smashing his bloodied wooden sword through them, spilling blood and shattering their bodies.


    Ken watched as every yer in front of him copsed on the ground lifelessly. They were powerful enough to threaten his life, and if he had to fight them alone for more than a minute, he would have been in a lot of trouble.


    However, his new master, in a matter of seconds, took care of them.


    Ambrose pulled out a napkin from his chest pocket and cleaned the blood off his wooden sword''s de while approaching Rach.


    "Argh, w-what have we done to you?" Rach asked while holding his bleeding shoulder. He was strangely under the effect of the stun skill.


    Ambrose used ''High Pain'' on Rach after his Schlitzer attack, causing him to be immobile and vulnerable.


    "A simple thing." Ambrose tossed the napkin away and crouched beside him. "Reverse Tiger de is no more. I am their new master, and the dojo is Immortal Dojo from now on."


    "Cough¡­" Rach chuckled angrily. "So, you considered us a threat, so you decided to get rid of us before we grew big enough to destroy you."


    "No, I wasn''t threatened." Ambrose said. "However, I am in need of your dojo, and you''ll give me the key."


    "Hah, why the fuck would I do that?" Rach asked with a bloodied grin. "While I have the key, the dojo is still mine!"


    Ambrose grabbed an apple from his inventory and stuffed it inside Rach''s mouth, then made him eat it.


    Rach frowned while struggling to swallow the apple. It almost got stuck in his throat.


    "I know how to make you feel pain, unfortunately." Ambrose sighed. "Don''t make me do it."


    "Hah, try me!" Rach spat out blood, sttering across Ambrose''s handsome face.


    "Hmm, fine." Ambrose wiped the blood from his face and sighed. "Have you ever suffered a soul injury?"

 Chapter 356 Injured Horse

    <h4>Chapter 356 Injured Horse</h4>


    ''During the training, I discovered alongside my soul a neat trick.'' Ambrose activated his Self-Possession, and turned his hand transparent.


    ''Well, calling it neat isn''t the correct wording. Instead, it''s a very diabolic skill, and I hate even thinking about using it.


    ''However, a small pinch shouldn''t hurt too much, but it''ll show what I am capable of.''


    Rach sneered,ughing inwardly at the ck-haired figure. He would never give away the dojo key, no matter what. As long as he had it, the dojo was still his, and it was impossible to take it away from him.


    Except if he died and identally dropped it.


    That''s why the safety of the dojo master was always a priority.


    Ambrose stabbed his transparent hand through Rach''s chest. It didn''t feel like anything as the hand simply phased through.


    However, Ambrose wrapped his transparent hand around Rach''s heart.


    At that moment, Rach''s slumbering soul appeared for a split second, and Ambrose immediately pinched its transparent skin.


    Within an instant, a burning sensation shot throughout Rach''s body, making him scream in utter agony.


    "Aaaaaargh!" Rach''s eyes shot to the back of his skull, and it looked like he was about to pass out.


    Ken, hearing that, felt a cold chill run down his back. He looked at Rach, seeing him scream with foam pouring out of his mouth, and he could only imagine the pain he was going through.


    Ambrose frowned and immediately stopped pinching.


    ''I know getting hurt in the soul is painful, but isn''t this too much?'' Ambrose thought to himself.


    "P-please stop!" Rach screamed and grabbed Ambrose by his arm. "H-how are you doing t-this?"


    Ambrose looked at his bloodshot eyes and felt quite bad, as it looked like he mistook Rach''s pain resistance.


    ''This wasn''t a proper soul injury. This will heal without treatment, but the pain willst for at least an hour. That''s why I thought the pain wasn''t that immense.


    ''Is his resistance to pain just poor?''


    "Y-you''re getting b-banned for this..." Rach said painfully, looking like he was resisting crying.


    "If this wasn''t allowed, why did the game developers make this possible, hmm?" Ambrose asked, and he removed his transparent hand from Rach''s body.


    He then deactivated his Self-Possession.


    Rach''s bloodshot eyes widened in surprise. It made sense.


    ''I thought feeling pain was impossible!'' He thought fearfully. ''H-how did he do this?''


    "You can now see what I am capable of." Ambrose said. "I can make you feel much worse. Worst pain imaginable. Your second option is to give me the key right now."


    "F-fine!" Rach reached out to his inventory and tossed the brass key to the floor with a ng. "T-take it, p-please, no more..."


    Ambrose grabbed the key, checked its description, and nodded.


    "Thank you." He then swung his wooden sword, ending Rach''s life with one swift strike. He then pocketed the key and turned around to leave. "Ken, time to go."


    "Yes, master." Ken followed right behind, and they soon departed from the dojo.


    As they walked down the street, Ambrose checked Alice''s message. This morning, she sent a message saying that she epted the proposal to relocate their dojo.


    Ambrose quickly wrote a message to her, saying that he had acquired a dojo for her, and then pressed send.


    "What if they''lle back, master?" Ken asked while walking ahead of Ambrose, clearing the path for him.


    Ambrose rummaged through his pockets, took out the brass key, and said.


    "They won''t."


    "Are you sure, master?" Ken asked, as he couldn''t understand where his master''s optimist came from.


    "You heard his screams." Ambrose pocketed the key and shrugged his shoulders. "If I were in his shoes, I wouldn''te back."


    "That, uuh, makes sense." Ken nodded, and he counted his lucky stars that his new master went easy on him during their fight.


    He was certain that those screams would hunt him in his dreams.


    After a short while, they arrived back at the dojo, and as they were about to walk through the gate, a horse-drawn carriage rushed through the street very recklessly.


    The pedestrians screamed and rushed out of the way.


    The carriage driver pulled the reins, but the horse was mad in rage and didn''t listen to anymands. Its eyes were red like a fiery inferno, and its neighs sounded demonic.


    "Master, look out!" Ken stood in front of Ambrose, his arms raised in a defensive position, as if he nned to stop the horse and the carriage with his body alone.


    "Don''t kill yourself, now." Ambrose leaped over Ken, whispered to him, and lunged towards the enraged-looking horse.


    He smashed his hand into the horse''s head, stopping it in its tracks.


    "Neeeeigh!" The horse neighed loudly and lifted its front legs towards the sky, causing the carriage behind it to almost tip over.


    "Ah, shit!" The carriage driver shouted and grabbed the reins hard; otherwise, he would have been thrown off.


    ''What is wrong with it?'' Ambrose wondered as he looked at the horse''s blood-red eyes.


    It looked like it was in immense pain.


    ''Do you know, soul?'' Ambrose temporarily entered the world of souls so he could converse with it.


    The soul couldn''t see anything happening outside the world of souls, so it had no idea what was happening.


    ''Hmm...'' The soul received only a small amount of Ambrose''s memories, only the ones that he was allowed to share.


    ''It does look like Rach when he was in pain, does it not?'' The soul said, ''My guess is that it''s soul is injured.''


    ''That was my thought as well. My connection with other souls has increased, and I had a small hunch, but now it''s confirmed.'' Ambrose nodded and left the world of souls.


    He looked at the horse''s painful-looking eyes and knew it was in immense pain. However, hecked the ability to cure it.


    ''A merciful death.'' Ambrose drew his wooden sword and stabbed quickly through the horse''s heart. It was a swift and painless death.


    The horse fell sideways to the ground, the pain in its eyes disappearing as it entered a deep slumber.


    Ambrose closed his eyes and slipped the wooden sword inside his scabbard, which was ck Sword''s old sheath.


    ''I need to learn to cure the soul injuries, for my sake and for others as well. If Be or Emma get their souls injured... I need to go visit the Honorable Temple soon. They''ll teach me.''


    "Y-you killed my horse!" The angry-looking carriage driver stood up from the fallen carriage and angrily pointed at him. "It cost a lot of money, y''know!"


    "Quiet down!" Ken stepped forward and frightened the carriage driver with the size of his body. "Do you have any idea who you are speaking to? Lower your head, peasant!"


    "Enough, Ken." Ambrose lifted his arm, grabbed a handful of coins that were around 100 silvers worth, and tossed them to the carriage driver. "This should be enough and some extra for your troubles."


    The carriage driver, who was still terrified of Ken, caught the silvers but nodded gratefully. He thought he had to leave empty-handed, but thankfully the ck-haired man seemed a decent person.


    "Master, you are too kind." Ken approached Ambrose and whispered to him. "You didn''t need to pay him. The enraged horse was his fault and could have killed many people!"


    "I''m not sure it was his fault." Ambrose said to him, because when looking at the carriage driver, he didn''t seem like a person who had the ability to cause soul injuries.


    ''However, why did someone give a soul injury to some innocent horse?'' Ambrose frowned and felt like there was something sinister going on behind the scenes.

 Chapter 357 Dinner Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 357 Dinner Invitation</h4>


    A beautiful, red-eyed young woman moved across the floor, trying to use strange, dizzying footwork.


    However, she was rather clumsy and almost copsed on several asions.


    "Whoo..." Be breathed heavily, sweat trickling down her fair-looking skin as she was focusing entirely on her feet and how they moved across the floor.


    She had been trying to mimic the footwork in the style scroll for nearly an hour already and hadn''t even reached 1 percent yet inpletion.


    At that moment, a firm-looking arm wrapped around her stomach and pulled her into a powerful embrace. She turned around and shyly smiled.


    "You back?"


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded with a slight smile and used his foot to move Be''s right foot slightly forward. "You were nearly getting the footwork. However, your feet move far too apart from each other."


    "Mm, I see..." Be whispered and gently whispered. "Can you show it to me?"


    "Watch closely." Ambrose left the embrace and slowly showed the footwork to her. His feet moved in perfect sync, not too apart from each other and not too close.


    Even though he moved almost at snail''s pace, his footwork still started to look dizzying and impossible to keep up with.


    Be''s eyes tried to keep up, but she soon felt overwhelmed and wryly smiled. "I think I get it..."


    "You only need to reach 1 percentage." Ambrose stopped moving and caressed her cheek gently. "That might be your limit for now, but you''ll get there. Once you have reached that, we can morefortably go to Crow Forest."


    "Mm." Be nodded with a smile and then heard a ding in her ear. She saw that she had received a message from Emma.


    "Emma is asking where I am." She said.


    "Mm, you should return there." Ambrose picked up the style scroll from the ground and ced it back inside his inventory. "You can return training there at ater time. You still have the store to run."


    "Mm, I''ll be learning it tonight; you will see." Be said with a giggle and sent a message to Emma that she would return soon.


    "Will you be visiting us tonight?" She then asked after sending the message.


    "Maybe once Emma had logged off." Ambrose said.


    "Why then..?" Be asked before realizing, and she immediately covered her chest with a deep blush. "W-what are you nning?"


    "Haha, nothing like that." Ambrose chuckled and touched his earring. "Just talking. We had kissed and all that, but I am not really sure what we are yet. I''d like to just talk."


    "Mm, sounds good." Be hugged him shortly, then grabbed her purse and walked away while smiling, anticipating the night.


    Ambrose leaned against the arc-shaped entrance, watching as she left the premise. He was then about to return indoors, but then he caught a silhouette crouching behind the roof of a building on the opposite side of the street.


    ''The hell?''


    ...


    ''Hmm, that was thedy from Whispering Pages?'' A masked figure thought while peeking sneakily from behind the roof, staring at the ongoing of Immortal Dojo.


    ''I visited that ce with Prince once, and it''s impossible to forget her face. Did I see her hugging that guy just now? He also seemed to be quite an important figure, as I saw that sturdy guy protecting him.


    ''He must be the new dojo master. However, I don''t recall his face either.''


    The masked figure frowned. ''I should report back to Prince. Maybe he can get her to tell more about him.''


    At that moment, a wooden de touched the side of his neck, and he felt immediate pressure, sinking his shoulders down as if gravity had increased tenfold.


    "Who the hell are you?" Ambrose asked venomously, standing behind the masked figure with a cold look on his face.


    ''How the fuck did he sneak on me?!'' The masked figure asked in shock. ''He was in the dojo just a second ago! I turned my gaze away only for a second!''


    "Who sent you?" Ambrose asked coldly.


    "Hah, just kill me. I will not answer." The masked figure said, ready to give up an item and half of his XP. He had stored his silver safely in his real-life bank ount, so he didn''t mind dying.


    Ambrose''s hand turned transparent, and he then stabbed through the masked figure''s chest, then pinched his slumbering soul.


    "Aaar¡ª"


    Before his agonizing screams could frighten the pedestrians below on the street, Ambrose covered his mouth and coldly whispered into his ear.


    "Tell me, or you''ll face much worse pain." Ambrose''s voice was as cold as a freezing river. "I don''t like being spied on."


    He then slowly removed his hand from the masked figure''s mouth.


    "W-w-what the hell..." The masked figure breathed roughly, still feeling the worst pain he had ever felt before in his life. "H-h-how did you do that? W-what the fuck did you do?!"


    "Answer my question, or you''ll feel it again." Ambrose whispered coldly. "I am not ying around."


    "F-fine, stop for fuck sake!" The masked figure shouted in panic. "Prince from Saturn Dojo. I am their scout; just calm down!"


    "What does he want?" Ambrose asked. ''Prince. I do remember him. He seemed like a nice guy.''


    "Just seeking out the newpetition!" The masked figure shouted. "We knew that Reverse Tiger de was no more, so we were just curious. That''s all!"


    "Aight." Ambrose believed it and said, "Tell Prince toe visit me personally. I don''t mind revealing my identity. What else did you see?"


    "N-nothing, I swear!" He panicked and shouted.


    "You are lying." Ambrose whispered and traced his transparent finger across his slumbering soul''s spine.


    The masked figure flinched and felt like there was something burning on his back.


    "A-all right, jesus!" He screamed and said, "I saw thedy from Whispering Pages, that''s all!"


    "You know her?" Ambrose asked with a frown.


    "Y-yes, I visited that ce with Prince once!"


    "Prince visits that ce?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Y-yes!" The masked figure screamed.


    "Hmm..." Ambrose removed his transparent hand from his body and deactivated his Self-Possession. "Tell Prince that I am inviting him for dinner."


    "W-what are you nning?" The masked figure asked.


    Even though he felt agonizing pain, he wasn''t nning to let Prince, whom he respected plenty, suffer the same fate. However, he felt like Prince would be able to defeat this guy; he didn''t want to take a risk.


    "A talk." Ambrose said. "I don''t want to be a brute and just storm into Saturn Dojo. I really don''t want to do that, but I will if he doesn''te tomorrow."


    "I-I''ll tell him!" The masked figure said.


    "Good, now go." Ambrose pushed the masked figure down from the roof.


    "Aaaargh!" The masked figure crashed into the street below and died from the impact.


    The pedestrians screamed and scurried away as suddenly a figure dropped off from the roof, now lying dead on the sidewalk.


    Ambrose quickly used Formlessness to sneakily fly out of the roof and enter his office in the dojo through the window.


    He got seated on the chair and tapped his finger impatiently against the desk.


    ''I should ask Emma about him. She should know about everyone who has visited the store.'' Ambrose opened his friend list and pressed ''Add Friend.''


    ''What was her in-game name...'' Ambrose wondered. ''Ah right, it was RedRabbit, wasn''t it?''


    He typed the name and sent the friend request.


    It didn''t take long for ''RedRabbit'' to ept his friend request.

 Chapter 358 Bella鈥檚 First Skill

    <h4>Chapter 358 Be''s First Skill</h4>


    Prince tapped his finger rhythmically against the desk of his study. It was a solemn atmosphere inside the study.


    A bright gasmp stood on the desk, beside a stack of books, and created a yellowish glow that created shadows of figures across the walls.


    The sun was setting, and as it got darker with each passing moment, the shadows became more prominent and taller.


    "Mind repeating that?" Prince opened a drawer, brought out a finger-sized cigar, and lit it up before cing it between his lips.


    "Y-yes, sir." The scout of Saturn Dojo held his chest as if he were in pain and said, "H-he sent a dinner invitation to you, wanting to speak to you.


    "H-he actually made me feel pain. I am not overexaggerating; he made me feel the worst pain of my entire life!


    "H-how the fuck did he do that? That should be impossible, right?!"


    "Calm down, Nyco." A bronze-haired woman sat on a high stool, moving her legs left and right. Her name was DeadlyKiss.


    She was already part of Saturn in Ember Online and followed Prince to Martial Online as well. However, it took some time before their reunion because her starting city was Tsukuyomi.


    "I-I cannot give up!" Nyco screamed and mmed his hands on the desk, causing the gasmp to fall towards the ground.


    However, Prince quickly caught the gasmp and put it gently on the desk.


    "Ngh¡­" Nyco grunted. "He made me feel pain. If yers can cause others real pain, this game then bes a thousand times more dangerous."


    "I understand what you are saying." Prince leaned against the chair and nodded. "Did you see anything else?"


    "Y-yes¡­" Nyco scratched his hair and said, "Thatdy from Whispering Pages was there. They hugged and seemed very close."


    The members of Saturn, who were seated around the study, raised their eyebrows and looked at Prince with a curious look. They had heard rumors about their dojo master being very fond of her.


    "Is that so, hmm?" Prince reacted rather calmly and inteced his fingers. "Can you describe him?"


    Nyco nodded and recalled everything he remembered seeing.


    After hearing the description, which sounded overexaggerated, Prince nodded.


    "I''ll visit him."


    "Y-you should be very careful!" Nyco shouted.


    "Maybe we should be on standby nearby?" A long-eared man suggested.


    "He discovered Nyco; it is easy to assume that he can discover all of you as well." Prince tapped his finger against the desk. "I''ll go alone."


    "That is not wise, boss." The long-eared man said. "You heard Nyco. He is definitely powerful, but if he truly has the ability to cause real pain¡­"


    "All the doubt is sore to my ears." Prince slowly stood up, using the desk to push himself up. "Remember who I am."


    The yers slowly nodded.


    They didn''t want to doubt Prince, as he had always shown himself to be able to take care of himself, even against their rivals, the War Barbarians, and their annoying leader, Barbarian.


    However, knowing that there was someone capable of creating real pain made them doubtful against their wishes.


    Prince looked outside the window at the setting sun. This new threat made his hair rise.


    ''A friendly or foe¡­''


    ¡­


    Creak¡ªwindow opened slowly in the top floor of Whispering Pages.


    Then, a ck-haired figure jumped through the open window andnded on the soft carpet. He wasn''t alone in the room, as there was a young woman moving across the room while using strange footwork.


    As he closed the window, he leaned against the wall and asked. "How is it going?"


    "I-I think I am getting it." Be said with a rough breath.


    Ambrose nodded and removed his ck poncho, as it was getting quite warm in the room.


    In Nocklund, it was about time for snow to start falling and the temperature to lower, but in Amaterasu, it felt like the temperature continued to rise.


    "Aaah¡­" Be stopped moving, hunched over, and tried to catch her breath.


    "Here." Ambrose found her towel on the bed and handed it over to her.


    "T-thanks." Be epted it with a weary smile and used the towel to wipe the sweat off her face.


    She then sat down on the bed and said wearily. "I-If only I had even one level more, I am sure I could have gotten it if I had assigned the points to agility¡­"


    "You are level 1, right?" Ambrose asked and sat down beside her, the length of an arm between them.


    "Yep," Be replied.


    "I could take a quick visit to Crow Forest; you''ll stay in the city, but you are in my party, and I could help you to level up." Ambrose said, and he shrugged his shoulders. "Probably the best solution."


    "Mm¡­" Be lowered her head and clenched her fists. "I''ll try a little longer."


    "Catch your breath first." Ambrose took out a small apple from his inventory and took a small bite. "Let me teach you an easier skill. Grab your sword."


    "Oh, okay." Be stood up and pulled out her sword from the inventory.


    "Lift it over your head and hack it down with all your strength." Ambrose sat cross-legged and watched.


    "Ok!" Be grabbed the sword with both hands, lifted it over her head, and shed it down.


    However, nothing happened.


    "Rotate your shoulder more." Ambrose leaned against the wall while sitting on the bed.


    "Move your body alongside the sh. The motion starts from your shoulder and the hip."


    Be nodded, did just as he said, and repeated that same sh multiple times. Her hands started to turn red, as she hadn''t gotten used to wielding the sword often.


    "Good, keep going." Ambrose said and took a bite of the apple, examining as her body moved. Her ponytail swayed behind her head, her hips moved left and right, and her arms moved up and down repeatedly.


    At that moment, she heard a gentle ding in her ear.


    "It is saying I learned Basic sh!" Be eximed with an excited expression.


    "Good, now say the name out loud." Ambrose smiled.


    It was possible to learn Basic sh without a style scroll, as it was one of the most basic things possible.


    Be said something as her lips moved, but no words came out. However, her body moved robotically, reying the same motion of the sh.


    "Strange, I had no control over my body." Be said with a strange expression, as it felt quite weird.


    "It takes some time to get used to." Ambrose said. "Once the skill reaches fullpletion, it feels like the skill is part of your body, and you think like you are doing the motion yourself.


    "How many percentages does the skill interface show?"


    "It says 5," Be said.


    "Okay. Rest now." Ambrose said. "You should focus on Nachbilder for now, but Basic sh is your first offensive skill. When you have time, you can try getting it to fullpletion."


    "All right, thank you!" Be smiled happily and sat back down, feeling aplished after having her first skill.


    "By the way¡­" She moved her hair over her head and side-nced at him. "You wanted to talk?"


    "Mm." Ambrose put the apple back inside his inventory and smiled as he stared out of the window towards the starry sky, looking devilishly handsome.

 Chapter 359 Couple

    <h4>Chapter 359 Couple</h4>


    The city of Amaterasu quieted down as lights lit up in the houses. The streets grew emptier, and families joined together at the dining table.


    On the top floor of Whispering Pages, a handsome purple-eyed man and a beautiful red-eyed young woman sat on the bed, their silence hanging in the air.


    "I have a question." Ambrose opened his mouth, resting his chin on his hand. "You liked me back in Hightown, right?"


    Be''s soft cheeks flushed pink, and she nodded. "I don''t kiss just everyone, you know¡­"


    "Mm¡­" Ambrose chuckled and shook his head. "Had to make sure. Last time I mistook someone''s feelings, well, it didn''t end well."


    Be looked at him with her beautiful red eyes, feeling his heavy feelingsing from his unfortunate past.


    She thenid down, rested her head on hisp, and pinched his cheek.


    "I want to ask a question as well." She smiled.


    "Mm, I am listening." Ambrose lowered his gaze, looking into her bright eyes.


    "What happened to you in Dark Waters?" She asked gently. "I know more happened than you told Emma."


    "It''s not a nice story." Ambrose said with a wry smile.


    "I want to hear it." Be whispered gently.


    "If you want, sure." Ambrose took a deep breath and entered a memory line. "Where should I begin¡­"


    After a short moment of recalling all the events, he started by entering a small ind near Seafare¡ªBorneo Ind.


    As the night turned darker, Be listened with a curious look, sometimes eximing and gasping. The retelling of all the eventssted about two hours.


    "That''s basically it¡­" Ambrose took out a water bottle from his inventory and quenched his thirst. "I then returned to Amaterasu, and yeah, I am here now."


    "That sounded like a movie." She moved her hand and grabbed Ambrose''s hand. "I never thought something like that would be allowed to happen¡­"


    ''Father¡­'' Be thought inside her mind. ''Why did you add something like that?''


    "It''s what it is." Ambrose said. "It adds some realism to this world. It''s both evil and good. That''s why I would rather have you stay inside the safety of the wall."


    "Until another attackes." Be gently voiced out her worries.


    Another attack simr to Karma''s crow attack could happen any day. The yers were much stronger now, but the next attack might be way more devastating.


    "You''ll get cured soon." Ambrose caressed her soft cheeks, moving his thumb gently across her skin.


    "Mm." Be shook her head. "I have already resigned to live here the rest of my life. I am fine with it. I am happy here."


    "Don''t give up now." Ambrose smiled. "You made me not give up. I ain''t allowing you to give up."


    "I appreciate the thought, but I am at peace with my future." Be smiled and hugged his waist, rubbing her cheek against his chest.


    ''If only the VR headset could cure me¡­'' Ambrose thought with a pained gaze. ''Then it could also cure her. I am feeling much better than before, so the VR headset might have healed me to some extent.


    ''However, I don''t want to give her some false hope. I first have to see just how much the headset can heal me.''


    "By the way, where do you live?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Loch City." Be said with a smile. "Why? You want to visit me?"


    "Haha, I might." Ambrose chuckled. "You are being cured there?"


    "Mm, in Loch City''s Star Hospital." Be kicked off her slippers and fidgeted with her toes. "It is one of the best hospitals in the world."


    "Maybe I''ll visit you there." Ambrose touched her chin and used one of his fingers to gently tickle her neck.


    "Haha." Be giggled and stopped him from tickling her. "Are you serious?"


    "Maybe." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders. "I want to travel at some point in time."


    "Travel?" Be looked interested and whispered. "I am envious."


    "I''ll take you with me." Ambrose chuckled. "I''ll take you from the hospital, and we''ll travel to Godelia."


    "Godelia¡­" Be whispered dreamily. "The world''s most beautiful ce."


    "Mountains that split the clouds, waterfalls flowing down the sides, the greenest grass possible, and a picturesquendscape.


    "Godelia¡­" Ambrose smiled.


    "That sounds amazing¡­" Be thought out loud, feeling tears appear in the corner of her eyes. "I want that¡­"


    "You taught me about hope." Ambrose leaned closer and nted a kiss on her soft lips. "Have hope."


    Be enjoyed the kiss with her eyes closed, and once the lips separated, she opened her eyes and asked.


    "What are we?" She spoke gently. "I want you to say it."


    "A couple, right?" Ambrose smiled and leaned in closer to her. "Right?"


    "Yep!" Be smiled happily, her dimples deepening as she felt a rush of happiness.


    Ambrosey down, looking at the ceiling, while Be snuggled closer to him, pressing her chest against his. She felt his warmth andfort, and she knew that this was where she belonged.


    "What are your ns in Amaterasu?" Be asked gently, resting her head on his chest.


    "Go where the winds take me, I guess." Ambrose sighed. "The easy answer is to grow stronger, earn money because I need it for my travel ns, and grow the size of my dojo."


    "With you here, I can feel this city changing." Be said with a smile. "Heard about the new alliance joining arms against veteran yers?"


    "So I''ve heard." Ambrose wryly smiled. "A foolish fight."


    "You think so?" Be asked curiously. "I have also suffered some oppression, such as some yers wanting to have books for free because of my status as a level 1 yer.


    "But this ce is guarded well by the Watchmen and Saturn dojo."


    "There are yers who want to steal from weaker yers." Ambrose said. "However, the alliance is also using their status and numbers to oppress those who don''t stand with them.


    "Both sides have a point.


    "However, co-existing is possible. Those who are opposing the alliance want them gone because of greed. They are losing money and XP because of the new yers, which frustrates them.


    "The new yers shouldn''t have dojos, in my opinion. They should join someone''s dojo, start from the bottom, and work hard to raise their strength to maybe one day have their own dojo.


    "That would be the ideal solution in the ideal world. However, both sides don''t want topromise, and it will end in bloodshed."


    "Who do you think will win?" Be asked.


    "The veteran yers, of course." Ambrose said. "They are simply stronger. The number advantage of the alliance will dwindle because veteran yers who haven''t taken part in the war will have to take sides.


    "They will take a side of their own, and the strength of the veteran side will grow explosively."


    "Will you join the war?" Be asked curiously.


    "No." Ambrose shook his head. "I''ll keep Whispering Pages and my dojo safe. If anyonees knocking, I''ll throw them out. This war is beneath me."


    Be sat down on Ambrose''s stomach, tracing her hand through his chest, then leaned in to kiss him. After a short kiss, she sat back up and smiled at him.


    "That is relieving to hear. The war would keep you far too busy to visit me."


    "Yeah, that is another reason." Ambrose wrapped his arms around her waist.


    "If I learn Nachbilder by tomorrow, will you be letting mee with you?" She asked while she leaned her head on his shoulder.


    "That was the deal." Ambrose smiled. "If you prove to me tomorrow morning that you know it, we''ll visit Crow Forest right away. Deal?"


    "Deal!" Be smiled.


    Ambrose leaned in on her and kissed her lips before saying. "This was a good talk, but I have to go¡­"


    "Mm, see you tomorrow." Be watched as her boyfriend vanished into pixels.


    She then stood back up and stretched her limbs. ''I won''t sleep until I learn it. I have to learn it¡­


    ''You can do it, Be!''

 Chapter 360 Judgment

    <h4>Chapter 360 Judgment</h4>


    The following morning.


    "It has arrived!" A brte-haired student entered the dojo with a closed box in her arms.


    "Oh!." Tiger Erwin took the box from the female student and carried it over to the upstairs, where he knocked on the door to their master''s study.


    "Come in." A deep voice came inside.


    "Master!" Tiger Erwin pushed the door handle down with his elbow and opened the door with his foot. He then put the box on the couch.


    "They have arrived!"


    Ambrose had a bunch of documents about Reverse Tiger de''s dealings with other businesses open at the desk. He looked away from them and towards the box.


    "The belts?"


    "Yes!" Tiger Erwin opened the box with a smile and took out a white belt made of thick cotton. He thought it felt very light and nice.


    "That was faster than I expected." Ambrose said to him and took out a ck belt from the box. He weighed it on his hand and nodded with a smile.


    "Hand them over to the students." Ambrose said, and he took out a green belt from the box, then handed it over to Tiger Erwin.


    "Thank you, master!" Tiger Erwin epted it with a bow, and he put it around his waist with a sense of pride.


    "Whenever I feel like it''s time, there''ll be training sessions with the students of the dojo." Ambrose said and put the ck belt in his inventory.


    "At the end of the training sessions, I might promote others into higher colors."


    "All right, master." Tiger Erwin nodded, nning to share the news with others to increase their morale, and then took the box into his arms and left the study.


    After the door closed, Ambrose put away the documents and checked the on his pocket watch.


    ''It''s time. I hope she managed to learn it.''


    ¡­


    A heavily armored guard walked past the bookstore ''Whispering Pages'' and nced inside. He hoped to get a glimpse of the bookstore Goddess, but unfortunately, it was currently quiet inside as it was still closed.


    "Yo." Another heavily armored guard stood on the sidewalk, greeting his colleague. "Heard about another bloodshed night? These yers are bing more annoying with each passing day."


    "So I''ve heard." The guard shook his head and joined his friend in standing in front of a closed cafe. "The recent string of violent actions has increased worry."


    "Nn, I wonder when our higher-ups tell us to intervene."


    The armored guard shrugged his shoulders and then heard a strange swoosh sound. He looked up into the sky and could swear that he saw a shadowy figure fly, but it then disappeared.


    The window on the top floor of Whispering Pages opened swiftly, but closed instantly afterwards.


    ''Strange¡­'' The guard shook his head and thought it was perhaps just a bird flying by.


    In the room of Whispering Pages, Be jumped into Ambrose''s embrace, wrapping her legs around his waist with a smile on her beautiful face.


    "Guess what?"


    "Hmm, what?" Ambrose asked curiously while holding Be by her thighs.


    "I learned it." Be''s smile grew, and she jumped away from his embrace. Then she seemed to speak something as her lips moved, and she then moved quickly across the room.


    However, not a single afterimage appeared, as she still wasn''t fast enough, but it already looked very impressive.


    ''She actually learned it?'' Ambrose''s eyes widened in surprise, but he then saw slight eyebags under Be''s eyes, and he realized that she must have been practicing for the entire night.


    "Aaah¡­" Be hunched over, holding her knees while trying to catch breath. She was very drained, but she still had a weak smile on her face.


    "Good job." Ambrose crossed his arms and smiled. "Like I promised, you cane with me."


    "Yay¡­" Be cheered weakly, trying to stand straight, but she was still too weak.


    "However, I think we need to postpone that for tonight." Ambrose said and helped her sit down on the bed. "It''s dangerous to go there if you are too exhausted to use any of your skills."


    "O-okay¡­" Beid down and breathed in and out, her chest moving in the same rhythm.


    "I''ll send a message when I aming to pick you up." Ambrose patted her in the head, then opened the window and waved his hand.


    Within an instant, he flew away like a missile, disappearing into the distance in a second.


    ''I-I should open the store.'' Be sat up with a fatigued look, but then heard a ding in her ear, and when she looked at her messages, she saw that she received one from Prince.


    ''Hmm, Prince?'' Be curiously checked it out.


    As they got to know each other, they added each other to the friend list, as Prince said to send a message to him if there was any trouble in the store.


    This was the first time he sent a message to her.


    [Prince: I heard troubling news. A dojo named ''Immortal Dojo'' might cause trouble in my territory. Be careful]


    ''Huh?'' Be''s eyes widened in surprise. "He wouldn''t cause trouble here. A misunderstanding?"


    She frowned and sent a reply.


    [Dawn: There must be a misunderstanding. I know the master there, and he wouldn''t]


    Ding, ding.


    [Prince: Are you certain?]


    [Dawn: Yep!]


    [Prince: Good]


    After that, Be saw that no more messages came; therefore, she shrugged her shoulders and ran upstairs to open the store, putting the previous messages out of her mind.


    ¡­


    Prince closed his interface and tapped his finger against the desk.


    ''They are acquintanced, that is sure.'' He nodded. ''She trusts him, and I trust in her judgment. However, I still need to meet him and see what kind of person he really is.''


    Knock, knock¡ªfollowing the knock, a member of Saturn entered the room.


    "The time is near." The member said: "Are you still sure you want to go alone?"


    "I am sure." Prince stood up, grabbing his coat from the chair. "Do not disobey my orders. If I hear that any of you did, I will show that I do not like disobedience."


    "We will listen to your orders." The yer bowed and left the room.


    Prince then draped the coat over his body and left the room. He saw that Saturn students were hardworking at training in the dojo''s training room.


    The highest-leveled members had left to do quests and missions outside the city. It would often take them several days to return.


    Therefore, Prince had a serious look on his face since the strongest members of the dojo weren''t present.


    If they ended the fight with this Immortal Dojo, it might not end well.


    He then left the dojo, walked through the gate, and watched as the light-clothed pedestrians moved by with their lives, some holding the hands of their children and others walking with their friends.


    Because he had the territory''s ownership, the lives of innocent citizens who lived here were his responsibility. If a war happened, their lives would also be in danger.


    Whistle¡ªPrince whistled loudly, and a horse-drawn carriage stopped in front of him. It wasmon to move around the city in such a vehicle, as the city was quite enormous.


    Prince entered the carriage, gave the driver the address, and leaned back as he watched the city go by.


    ''I hope your judgment is correct, Be.''

 Chapter 361 Prince鈥檚 Reason

    <h4>Chapter 361 Prince''s Reason</h4>


    Ambrose sat with his legs crossed in his new study. He was looking at Emma''s former messages, exining the situation with Prince.


    ''We''ll see what he has to say.'' He closed the interface and put on some music from the Music Interface while waiting for a knock on the door.


    After a few minutes, a knock sounded, and then the door opened with a bobbed-haired student carrying a tray of food.


    "Master, the food has been made." She ced the food on the desk, bowed respectfully, and then left the door.


    Ambrose looked at the tray, with food tes covered by a metal lid. He didn''t remove them, as he didn''t want the food to grow cold before his guest arrived.


    He had also instructed his students to show the way for the guest as soon as he arrives.


    With the music sting in his ears, soon three knocks echoed from the door, and then the door opened, revealing a handsome blond-haired man with a sword dangling from his waist.


    His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the person sitting behind the desk. He recognized him because of the wanted poster, which had a very recognizable name.


    "Ambrose¡­" Prince whispered, and he couldn''t believe his eyes. He didn''t expect him to return to Amaterasu any time soon.


    Especially because of his bounty.


    He was a red-ranked wanted individual, and those kinds of people rarely stayed in one ce for too long as they were hunted down by Inquisitors all the time!


    "Prince, please sit down. The food is still warm." Ambrose pointed at the seat on the other side of the desk, then removed the metal lids and looked at the delicious-looking food.


    The scent of the food wafted across the room, able to arouse everyone''s appetite.


    Prince removed his coat, hung it over the chair, and then sat down. He saw Ambrose taking a bite of the food, clearly savoring its vors.


    "So, it was you." Prince said, took one of the tes for him, and took a few bites.


    "Mm." Ambrose cleaned his lips with a handkerchief and asked, "I want to hear from your mouth; why did you send a scout here for?"


    "A newpetition has arrived." Prince said and took another bite. "Since your territory is also close to us, we had to take precautions."


    "Mm, that makes sense." Ambrose nodded.


    "We most likely weren''t the only ones." Prince said. "The other dojos aren''t fools. They must''ve sent their own scouts, but they were way more discreet.


    "They might''ve masked one of their yers as an ordinary NPC and made them walk near your dojo, acting as an ordinary bystander."


    "Yeah, I discovered a few," Ambrose said with a smile. "There is a certain step in the NPC''s movement that yers cannot replicate."


    "You did anything to them?" Prince asked curiously.


    "No, had no need for." Ambrose stopped eating for a moment, put the fork down, and leaned against the chair. "I don''t care if they discover who I am. However, your scout seemed to care about Be, and I wanted to know why."


    "I didn''t know you were Ambrose. Otherwise, I would''ve known the reason for her visit there." Prince leaned back. "I was quite worried about her, knowing her condition."


    "Condition?" Ambrose raised his eyebrow.


    "Yes, her being in aa and all." Prince said seriously.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook. "She told you that?"


    "Of course not." Prince shook his head. "That seems like a very delicate matter. Also, your reply just confirmed that."


    "How did you even know that?" Ambrose asked with a serious frown.


    "I live in Loch City." Prince shrugged his shoulders and took a small bite. "As Be was a grade below me, my ssmates talked about what happened to her for many years in school.


    "The car ident.


    "Her mother''s death was shocking news to many."


    "¡­" Ambrose stopped eating and allowed him to continue speaking more.


    "I knew she was still in aa, as her death would have been news that wouldn''t have stayed a secret." Prince said and wiped his lips with a napkin.


    "Then, many yearster, I happened to waltz into a bookstore named Whispering Pages, and I saw her there, working with a smile on her face.


    "I thought she looked familiar, but I didn''t think she was Be. However, after a few more visits, a deep familiarity grew inside me.


    "I then went to old pictures of her in the school year book, and she looked so simr. I managed to get her name identally after hearing that little girl speak her name.


    "Be¡­" He chuckled. "I went to find out whether she had cured herself of heratose state, and she hadn''t. Then, I remembered a strange rumor.


    "Apparently, hospitals all around the world had tried to use Martial Online as a way to transfer theatose patients consciousness into the virtual world.


    "However, I also heard very dark rumors about that. Apparently, someatose patients had died because of that!


    "I thought Be was one of thoseatose patients who were transferred here as a way to cure them, but since it is apparently impossible to log off, I knew she was trapped here.


    "It is strange, you know¡­" Prince scratched the back of his head. "Knowing that someone can die here is terrifying, you know?


    "I didn''t know her before the car ident, but I knew her friends, who cried, visited her in the hospital daily.


    "Therefore, I wanted to keep her at least safe and make sure that she lives till she gets cured."


    "¡­" Ambrose stayed speechless, and then slowly asked. "What are your feelings toward her?"


    "Oh." Prince chuckled. "I know she loves you. It''s painfully obvious. I am fond of her, but as a sister, you know. I felt a responsibility to keep her alive, as I thought I was the only one who knew about her situation.


    "But it seems that wasn''t true. You knew about it longer than I did, right?"


    "I did." Ambrose nodded.


    "Why didn''t you stay with her then?" Prince asked with a frown. "This world is fucking dangerous."


    "You think her being with me is safer?" Ambrose chuckled and shook his head. "I''m afraid it''s not that simple."


    "Why are you here, then?" Prince asked. "Why are you not hiding your identity? You said you don''t care about others finding out who you are.


    "What are you nning, Ambrose?"


    "I am strong." Ambrose said powerfully. "Before, I was weak. Very weak. Now, I am strong enough to keep her safer and protect her from harm."


    "There are always people stronger," Prince said.


    "True." Ambrose nodded. "I am not nearly strong enough to defeat everyone. I know better than everyone just what kind of monsters lurk in the shadows.


    "However," Ambrose said, crossing his fingers. "She has never been safer than now with me."


    "I¡­ trust in your judgment, then." Prince stood up and grabbed his coat. "Thank you for the food. It was delicious."


    "You found out everything you needed?" Ambrose asked casually.


    "I did." Prince nodded. "I have a small warning for you."


    Ambrose raised an eyebrow.


    "Steer away from Roaring Engines." Prince said. "They''ll most likelye to recruit you once they find out about you."


    "They are in the war with the alliance, right?"


    "Correct." Prince nodded. "Their leader, Motorhero, is powerful, but that is not his biggest asset. His words are as strong as his attacks."


    "I''ll keep an eye on him, then." Ambrose nodded.


    "Mm, farewell." Prince nodded and left the room, leaving Ambrose alone.


    "Hmm¡­"

 Chapter 362 Scene From Fairytale

    <h4>Chapter 362 Scene From Fairytale</h4>


    "Pastries half off!" A baker shouted from the doorsteps of his establishment.


    Alongside him, many street vendors were calling out to passersby, trying to entice them with their delicious food and drinks.


    It was a rowdy atmosphere.


    In a corner stall that sold handmade crafts and souvenirs, Ambrose twirled a brass key with slight rust on his hand.


    His body leaned against the stall while the stall owner chatted with other customers. He listened with a distant look at their conversation, not caring much.


    At that moment, he saw a silver-haired girl with a bright sundress and a smile that seemed to light up the entire market. She easily became the center of attention, capturing everyone''s attention with her radiant energy.


    "Jesse." Alice grabbed the corner of her sunhat and covered herself from the heat of the sun.


    "Alice." Ambrose greeted her with a nod. "Here."


    With the flick of his wrist, he threw the brass key towards her at very restrictive speed. Itnded in her hand with a soft clink.


    "The address is in the message." Ambrose said, and he turned around to walk away after his business was finished.


    "Ah, thank you." Alice whispered softly and watched as he walked away.


    She could sense his dislike, even though he tried to shrug off the past.


    "I understand¡­" Alice pocketed the brass key and turned to leave.


    A few pedestrians looked at the scene with gossiping expressions. They thought the handsome man and beautiful young woman were together.


    However, in a shocking twist, the handsome man ignored her as if she were nothing but a stranger.


    As the two walked in opposite directions, the gap between them seemed to widen like an endless chasm.


    Even though it wasn''t said out loud, the fragile rtionship cracked apart like a shattered mirror. They were now nothing but strangers to each other.


    ¡­


    The crimson moon hung high above Amaterasu, creating ayer of eerie darkness that shrouded the once peacefulndscape.


    On one of the streets, a man dressed in a ck poncho walked down the sidewalk, eyeing the surroundings with a calm look.


    He then approached the door of one of the surrounding stores and saw that there was a ''Closed'' sign dangling in front of the door.


    He double-knocked on the door and waited with his arms crossed, his eyes still looking around the street.


    Creak¡ªthe door then slowly opened, and a head popped out.


    "Is it clear?" Be asked with a hint of caution. She was dressed in a low-key dark-red cloak with a hood over her head, her eyes peering out from underneath.


    "Yeah." Ambrose opened the door wider for her and watched as she walked out of the store, eyeing the surroundings with caution.


    "First time outside thiste?" He asked and closed the door.


    "Yeah¡­" Be replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "The city isn''t safe during nights¡­"


    "You''ll be fine with me." Ambrose grabbed her by the hand and led her away from the store. "The real threat is beyond the walls."


    "Mm." Be nodded, feeling her fear slip away as she felt the warm hand of Ambrose''s in hers.


    "Let''s join the party." Ambrose said while walking hand-in-hand with her and opening the party interface.


    At that moment, his eyes opened in surprise.


    "Oh, I can change the XP distribution percentage." Ambrose said out loud.


    "Oh, you can?" Be was equally surprised, as this was the first time she tried the party system.


    "I might be able to change it so that you receive 99 percent and I receive only one percent of the XP." Ambrose said while looking at the interface. "I can''t put it so that you get it all."


    "No, don''t do that." Be said firmly. "You''ll get nothing otherwise."


    "Oh, I don''t mind." Ambrose said. "We won''t go very far either, and the XP I''ll get will be nothing but scraps."


    "But still¡­" Be shook her head. "Let''s keep it equal."


    "Nope." Ambrose chuckled. "Compromise. You''ll get 75%, and I''ll get 25%, deal?"


    "Finee, deal." Be rolled her eyes and wryly smiled.


    Ambrose changed the distribution percentages and then sent a party invitation to her. She immediately epted, and her name appeared at the party.


    At that moment, they both saw a group of yers seated at the steps of a nearby stairs that led to a closed balcony garden. They were all dressed in ck and seemed to be in deep conversation.


    However, when they heard footsteps, they quickly turned their attention to the two figures who were walking hand-in-hand. They couldn''t see either of their faces, but they recognized one of them as male and another as female.


    Also, seeing their hands intertwined, they knew that they were a couple.


    "Hey, you." One of the yers nudged his chin up and increased the volume of his voice. "What side are you on? Veterans or alliance?"


    His friends also looked at them with suspicion, one of their hands grabbing the shaft of their weapons.


    Be slowed down her pace and hid behind Ambrose.


    "Sigh." Ambrose sighed, drew his wooden sword, and his muscles tensed.


    The yers narrowed their weapons as they looked at the non-threatening wooden sword, and they drew their weapons as well.


    "I asked you a fucking que¡ª"


    "sh of the Six Worlds!" Ambrose screamed from the bottom of his lungs, and with an Inner Power-infused sh, he created an attack that decimated the yers and destroyed the side of the nearby building.


    The attack was full of destruction and chaos.


    Nothing was left of the yers except several brown pouches and their dropped items.


    Be watched with a ck jawed expression and saw notifications sh by her on the screen.


    She then saw that she had leveled up for the first time in her gaming career!


    It wasn''t just one level.


    She jumped straight to level 5!


    "I-I leveled up." She couldn''t believe it, and she looked at her boyfriend with a shocked expression.


    "Nice." He smiled and patted her on the head. "We should probably hunt for yers instead, but I feel like that will paint a target on our backs. Not worth it."


    "Y-yeah¡­" Be looked at her interface and bit her nail. "Where should I assign those points¡­"


    "Wait till we return." Ambrose said with a smile. "Then we can decide."


    "Mm." Be nodded with a smile.


    "We should probably hurry up." Ambrose said, and he snatched Be from her feet, suddenly carrying her in a princess carry.


    "Ah." Be wrapped her arms around his neck, looking at him with a curious expression. "What is this?"


    "Just watch." Ambrose looked towards the starry sky, then his leg muscles swelled, pumping strength into his body, and then, like a missile, he shot into the sky like a superman.


    "Ahhhh!" Be screamed in exhration, her eyes fixed on Ambrose as he soared through the night sky.


    "This''ll be much faster." Ambroseughed as they hovered several kilometers above Amaterasu''s night city.


    Be was too afraid to look down in case she would pass out after seeing the distance to the ground.


    "Hold tight." Ambrose kicked the air andunched towards the far-away Crow Forest at incredible speeds.


    Be closed her eyes, only feeling the wind in her hair and the whistling sound of the wind. She could feel her heart racing with excitement and fear.


    Yet, when she instinctively opened her eyes, she saw the most beautiful sight in the entire world.


    The starry sky was mixed with hues of amethyst and crimson. It looked like a scene taken from a fairytale. The scene was filled with a sense of magic and wonder.


    It was as if she could see the entire universe with its twirlings, millions of stars and far-away gxies.


    "Whoah¡­"

 Chapter 363 Player Graveyard

    <h4>Chapter 363 yer Graveyard</h4>


    Ambrose gentlynded in the middle of the night-covered forest with a beautiful young woman in his arms. She was still starstruck by the scene she had just witnessed.


    "You alright?" He gently lowered her to the ground and said, "This saved us about an hour of traveling time."


    "It was amazing¡­" She whispered with a dreamy tone.


    Ambrose smiled, but then his expression turned stern, and he turned around to look at the forest with a frown.


    ''After reaching the second gate, I can sense the location and the strength of other souls more clearly. It even allowed me to learn the trick to causing soul injuries.


    ''Last time I was here, I was very weak without even one gate open. Now, I can clearly sense that there are some dangerous creatures in here.


    ''However, I don''t think they''lle all the way here.''


    Be then moved her mask to cover most of her face. Now, only her radiant red eyes were visible, but during the night, they looked rather dark.


    It was easy to mistake her eye color for ck or dark brown.


    "Let''s get moving then." Ambrose took out his wooden sword. "Keep your sword out. You might be needing it soon."


    Be nodded and drew her sword.


    She then followed behind Ambrose as they started to venture deeper into the Crow Forest.


    The birds chirped, the insects buzzed, and the wind howled.


    As the bushes rustled as Ambrose walked over them, Be kept a sharp eye on the surroundings, ready to defend herself at any moment.


    But then Ambrose came to a stop and grabbed Be by her shoulder so that she would stop as well. She curiously looked in the distance and saw figures moving in a nearby clearing.


    "There are about six yers battling some creature." Ambrose whispered gently. "The creature is whimpering, so they must be close to killing it."


    "Should we avoid them?" Be asked.


    "Nah, these are easy kills." Ambrose said. "We could steal the kill and then finish off the yers. They might be injured as well."


    "That''s¡­" Be looked conflicted. "They haven''t done anything to us, though."


    Ambrose nced at her and said, "If they saw us two fighting a creature, they wouldn''t hesitate to stab us in the back."


    "Yeah, but¡­" Be shook her head and tugged on his shirt. "I don''t want to gain XP like this."


    "All right, it''s your call." Ambrose nodded with a warm smile and grabbed her by the hand, then walked in the other direction.


    "I am sorry¡­" Be sighed. "I am only wasting your time¡­"


    "It''s not on you." Ambrose shook his head. "To you, this game is more than just pixels and codes. This is not any different from real life for you, as death here means death there."


    "Thank you¡­" Be whispered softly and grabbed his hand tighter.


    "No need to feel bad." Ambrose grinned and looked toward the distance. "I think I''ve found a way to earn you XP quickly."


    "Huh?" Be looked in the same direction and looked surprised. "That is¡­"


    ¡­


    After the first weeks of the Martial Online release, the creatures from deep within Crow Forest located closer to the city. They created their own viges and often acted as hunting grounds for yers.


    However, most of the time, those vigers were too much for solo yers, so they often had to create a party with five or more yers to clear one of these viges.


    It was very rewarding, not only in the XP aspect but also with silver and other items.


    At that moment, Ambrose and Be came across a fortified vige with walls made of wood and stone. It made him remember the vige with Steel-Armed Gori.


    However, the vige looked more advanced, especially the buildings that somewhat resembled man-built huts with thatched roofs.


    Ambrose swung his wooden sword and made a neatly-cut hole in the wall. It was sizeable enough for a human to walk through.


    He stepped through the hole, ensured that there were no hostiles nearby, and then signaled to Be to follow after him.


    She cautiously made her way through the hole, her eyes scanning the dark vige for any signs of danger.


    However, it was still rather quiet, but they assumed that it was because the creatures living in the vige had gone to sleep.


    "Follow me, silently." Ambrose said with a voice barely above whisper, and using Formlessness, he slid across the ground without making any sound.


    Be quickly moved after her, trying to move as stealthily as possible.


    Ambrose then peeked past the corner and saw the open vige with a dozen or so buildings. There was one building that was the most prominent, but it also looked rather quiet and abandoned.


    ''Was this vige already cleared?'' He thought for a second.


    "Jesse, what is that?" Be whispered into his ear and pointed towards a small hut in the middle of the vige. It looked like it was used for restrooms.


    ''Huh?'' Ambrose raised an eyebrow. ''Do these mindless creatures really use restrooms? The vige is also more advanced, so perhaps they are just more intelligent.


    ''However, monsters this intelligent would also be far too strong for this part of the forest.


    ''Unless this vige isn''t monster-inhabitated but instead a vige of NPCs or yers¡­''


    His eyes widened in shock, and he quickly used his soul abilities to their fullest. He already felt some faint signals, but thought they were some weak creatures, such as Red-Eyed Bunnies and Blue-Eyed Squirrels.


    ''This ce is yer Graveyard!'' Ambrose quickly snatched Be from her feet and jumped high into the air.


    "Ah!" Be screamed in surprise as she was lifted off the ground.


    At the same moment, Ambrose saw several sharp metallic spikes protruding from the ground where they stood only a moment ago. The spikes looked eerily simr to steel spears.


    "Ah, what is that?" Be asked while gazing at the ground.


    "This is a massive trap." Ambrose said while hovering in the sky with the help of Formlessness.


    "This vige is a decoy. The real vige is underground, inhabited by yers. They are using this vige to attract full groups of yers and then kill them with one swift strike.


    "No wonder this vige was so close to the entrance to the Crow Forest!"


    "Howe no one attacked this ce knowing there are yers that are doing this?" Be asked in surprise.


    "Maybe no one knows!" Ambrose said. "Perhaps they never show themselves and instead attack from underground. The dead yers might think it was the doings of strange creatures.


    "Also, Crow Forest is a vast ce. Inded us further away from the most popr entrance point, as it''s really hard to find kills there.


    "This is a very ideal spot to do something as hideous as this!"


    "That is¡­" Be''s jaw dropped in amazement. "Why would anyone do this? They live underground with no sunlight and sneak-attack their victims in the dark."


    "You would be surprised at what people can do." Ambrose''s eyes shed with sinister light. "Be, these are really bad people; I feel like it."


    "Mm, I understand." Be nted a soft kiss on his cheek. "Go get them."


    Ambrose smirked. "It won''t take long."

 Chapter 364 Life Extinguisher

    <h4>Chapter 364 Life Extinguisher</h4>


    Ambrosended on top of the nearby mountain hill, which gave a good view of the vige and was a rather safe ce as the only way to get there was via climbing.


    He lowered Be to the ground and said, "You can wait here."


    "Mm." Be nodded and then watched as he soared away into the sky.


    She then crouched and squinted her eyes as she tried to catch a glimpse of the vige.


    ''There are really yers living underground there?'' She wondered.


    Atop the vige, Ambrose looked down like a god looking down at humans.


    ''I doubt they can just blindly attack from underground.'' He thought. ''There must be someone keeping an eye on me,municating with the yers in the undergroundir about my whereabouts.''


    At that moment, his eyesnded on the strange hut, shaped like an outdoor restroom, with a small entrance that seemed to be the only way in or out.


    Ambrose grabbed his wooden sword, descended towards the ground like a bird who had its wings cut off, and then smashed his sword down on the hut.


    Smash!


    The hut exploded, and the debris scattered everywhere.


    In the ce of the destroyed hut, a dirty-faced yer was hunched over, coughing up blood and rubbing his head. He stood over a small hatch that seemed to lead somewhere underground.


    Ambrose stuffed his wooden sword into the dirty-faced yer''s mouth and kicked him off his feet, making him crash to the ground.


    "Ngh!" The dirty-faced yer quickly grabbed some invisible strings that were scattered across the destroyed hut and tugged on them powerfully.


    He activated some hidden traps, causing the nearby windows to shatter as arrows flew towards Ambrose with deadly speed.


    Ambrose wasn''t ready for some hidden traps, but after a half-second of surprise, he quickly grabbed the dirty-faced yer by his hair and used him as a shield to block the arrows.


    However, in the midst of the arrow attacks, the dirty-faced yer turned into pixels after his health plummeted to zero. He got quite injured by Ambrose''s attack, and his level didn''t seem too high to survive long.


    Ambrose quickly mmed his foot on the ground, destroyed the ground below, and sent pieces of mud, rock, and dust flying into the air.


    Most of them blocked the arrows for Ambrose, but a few managed to go through and flew straight at him.


    However, Ambrose then swung his wooden sword and deflected the few remaining arrows. He barely managed to guard himself from the attack.


    At that moment, several steel spears poked through the ground, catching Ambrose off guard again.


    Ambrose leaped into the air, barely avoiding the steel spears. However, it looked like he had identally activated another round of traps as another hundred arrows burst through the buildings.


    "Basic sh!" Ambrose screamed and sent Inner Power-infused attack down to the arrows.


    The golden Basic sh shot through the air, sted the arrows into pieces, and struck the ground with a powerful force.


    "Aaah¡­"


    Ambrose perked up his ears as he could swear that he heard some screams from the underground. It seemed like his deduction was correct, and there were indeed people living in the underground!


    "Open sesame!" Ambrosended on the ground and shed through the dirt and debris with his wooden sword.


    He didn''t feel like he had cut through anything super solid, but instead as if he had cut through some wood.


    It was just as expected.


    Below the real ground, there was ayer of wood that seemed to act as a ceiling for the underground yers.


    However, now that he had cut through it, debris and dirt poured inside the undergroundir.


    ''How did they build something like this?'' Ambrose wondered. ''Did they have some special item to do that? I need to find out, as this sounds like it could be very useful.''


    Ambrose jumped down into the hole and crashed through the wooden ''ceiling.''


    Crack, smash!


    As hended on the undergroundir, he looked around the dimly lit space that looked like just a cave in the underground, with tents, sleeping mats, and campfires strewn about.


    There was a disgusting stench in the air, and he could hear the faint sound of groaning and shufflinging from the shadows.


    ''How can anyone live in this mess?'' Ambrose grimaced, and then he saw several yers appearing from the shadows. They were all covered in dirt, and their eyes were bloodshot.


    However, their weaponry seemed solid, with steel spears, swords, and shields.


    "Y-you shouldn''t havee here¡­" A bushy-bearded man, who looked rather old, or maybe it was because of the dirt on his face, spoke in a low, menacing tone.


    "And why is that?" Ambrose asked, his voice steady and confident.


    "In the darkness, we, the Children of the Earth, are invincible." The man said with a rough voice and suddenly kicked the dirt off the ground, sshing it across the campfire''s, killing their light.


    A ck, imprable darkness swallowed the undergroundir.


    It was impossible for Ambrose to see anyone; however, he knew these so-called ''Children of the Earth'' could see him better than in daylight.


    Their eyes had gotten used to the darkness, while his hadn''t.


    "A mere trick." Ambrose''s sword-wielding arm''s muscles tensed and swelled like a coiled spring.


    "Mortal Style, Life Extinguisher!"


    Like a bolt of lightning, the sword shed through the air and created an explosion that swallowed the darkness with a ball of inferno.


    Boom¡ªthe wooden ceiling shattered and sent dirt and debris flying everywhere. The well-built huts above the ground copsed and sank into the hole in the ground, filling the undergroundir with a sea of burning rubble.


    Ambrose watched as notifications filled his vision. He killed them all with that one attack.


    He then quickly flew out of the destroyed undergroundir and hovered high in the air as he watched the vige slowly destroy itself.


    After a short moment of watching, Ambrose flew back to the small mountain hill, where he had dropped off Be, and saw her looking at him as he was flying back.


    Afternding next to her, he could see that she looked rather relieved. She must''ve realized, after all the notifications, that everything went smoothly.


    "Did you level up?" Ambrose asked with a smile.


    "I did." Be nodded with a smile, but then her expression changed slightly, and she raised one finger. "Uhm, can I fight the next creature we find?"


    "What?" Ambrose''s expression turned conflicted. "If you get hit in the vital areas, even I might not be able to save you."


    "I know, but I didn''t really want toe here just to watch you fight for me." Be fidgeted with her fingers and said, "I also want to learn to fight."


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose''s expression changed, and he asked. "How many stat points do you have?"


    "70," Be said.


    "Assign half of them to Vitality." Ambrose said. "Then you can fight the next one. Only if the creatures we find aren''t too dangerous."


    "All right!" Be quickly did as he told her and added 35 points to Vitality. Her HP was now at 55.


    "Done!"


    "Good, here." Ambrose grabbed the brown pouches, which the deceased yers dropped, and handed half of them to her. "They might''ve been living underground, but they were wealthy."


    "Most likely money they had gotten by killing yers."


    "Mm." Be epted only because she saw that he gave half. If he wanted to give more, she would have refused.


    "Well, let''s go find a creature to be your opponent." Ambrose looked down at the Crow Forest and thought about moving towards the entrance.


    There might be creatures that wouldn''t be too dangerous.

 Chapter 365 Sword Traveler

    <h4>Chapter 365 Sword Traveler</h4>


    Near the entrance of the Crow Forest.


    "Ahh¡­" Be held a sword in her grip, facing her opponent with a resolute gaze.


    Her opponent was a gray-eyed fox. It was a rather tricky opponent, as it moved fast and was rather cunning with its attacks.


    Ambrose sat on top of a fallen wooden trunk, a wooden sword in his hand. He was ready to protect her at a moment''s notice.


    A short distance away, some yers walked through the forest with their friends, nning to venture deeper into the forest.


    There were a lot of yers nearby, as this ce wasn''t far from Crow Forest''s entrance. It wasmon to hear the sound of fighting and screams.


    As the gray-eyed fox lunged forward, Be used Nachbilder to avoid it and then swung her sword to strike the fox.


    However, her attack only grazed the fox''s fur, and it quickly retreated for the time being.


    "You need to extend your arm further." Ambrose advised her. "If you had, you would have killed it."


    "All right." Be nodded with a resolute gaze and jumped after the sneaky fox, determined to finish it off this time.


    The fox lowered itself and ran past Be between her legs. It then quickly turned around, like a cat chasing a mouse, and jumped at her with its sharp teeth bared.


    Be flinched and put the sword between her and the fox. The fox''s teeth smashed into the steel de, and it started munching on it as if it were a piece of meat.


    "Need help?" Ambrose stood up and asked.


    "N-no, I got this!" Be swung the sword, sending the fox flying. It crashed into the tree behind it, causing a loud cracking sound.


    "Basic sh!" Be screamed, and the fox let out a pained yelp as it struggled to get back on its feet. In that moment, her sword ended its life.


    "Aaah¡­" She breathed heavily and watched as the fox''s body turned into pixels. "I-I did it¡­"


    "Good, that is your third kill already." Ambrose smiled. "The fox was more challenging than the squirrels, so good job."


    "Mm." Be crouched and picked up the items the fox dropped, such as its teeth and its tail.


    "Neigh!" A horse, pulling a fancy carriage, galloped down a dirt road that spanned across Crow Forest. The carriage was adorned with gold and silver decorations, and it was clear that the rider was someone of great importance.


    Ambrose frowned, leaned against his wooden sword, using it as a walking cane, and watched as the fancy carriage approached them.


    The horse slowed down and came to a stop, neighing and snorting as it waited for the rider to dismount.


    The rider was a ck-cloaked figure, hunched and hooded, their faces hidden in the shadows. He wasn''t dismounting.


    Instead, the carriage''s door opened, and a silver-booted figure emerged, stepping down to the ground. He was rather handsome, with piercing blue eyes and a strong jawline.


    He wore a silver cloak over his shoulders, and his presence seemed to radiate power and authority. He had a silver-handled sword dangling from his wide belt, and there was a chain of silver links around his neck.


    Atop his head, a strange holographic screen appeared.


    [Sword Traveler, Lancelot]


    ''A named NPC?'' Ambrose frowned. ''Those are rare sights.''


    The named NPCs were a rare breed of NPCs who mainly either helped yers or gave quests.


    They rarely interacted with other NPCs as they were mainly ''coded'' to interact with yers.


    "Ah, I''ve found you!" Lancelot eximed, rushing towards Ambrose with a warm smile. "My name is Lancelot!"


    "Who are you?" Ambrose asked.


    As Lancelot tried to hug him, he quickly avoided it and returned to Be''s side as protection.


    "And why are you trying to hug me?"


    "Ah, my bad!" Lancelotughed and said, "From where Ie, hugging is a sign of greeting."


    "All right, and what do you want?" Ambrose asked while tapping his finger against his wooden sword''s handle.


    "Jesse, is he a threat?" Be whispered.


    "He is powerful." Ambrose said. "However, I do not feel hostility. Named NPCs are rarely hostile, except bosses such as Karma, etc."


    Lancelot, not hearing their whispers, drew his sword and pointed it towards the night sky.


    "I am Lancelot, and I have traveled across the world in search of powerful swordmasters. I have fought hundreds of different masters, lost some, and won some, but my desire is still as high as ever."


    "And what is that desire?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "I want to find the embodiment of swordsmanship!" Lancelot eximed with a giant smile. "The true pinnacle of swordsmanship!"


    "It''s a myth among swordsmen. Some believe that the embodiment of swordsmanship is a scroll that teaches the most powerful sword style.


    "Some believe it is a slumbering god.


    "Some believe that it is a person at the highest level of swordsmanship!


    "I want to find out what it really is. That''s why I try to fight the strongest swordsmen across the world and uncover the truth!"


    "The easiest way is to go to the World''s Strongest Swordsman, isn''t it?" Ambrose asked with a frown. "Find Reinhardt."


    "Haha, I have tried!" Lancelotughed. "However, he has gone missing. No one has seen himtely.


    "However, I have heard of a swordsman who gained notoriety for his skills and strength. But he is also apparently a disciple of Reinhardt and perhaps the only person in the world who knows where he is.


    "That guy is you, Ambrose, the de Master!"


    "Hmm, so you want answers from me?" Ambrose questioned.


    "Yes, but not now!" Lancelot pointed his sword at him and smirked. "I do not take answers from anyone for free. Please answer my questions if I defeat you first!"


    Ambrose nudged his chin towards Be, signaling her to stand aside as the fight might get messy. He then grabbed his wooden sword with both hands, moving into his fighting stance.


    "A wooden sword?" Lancelot asked in surprise.


    "In the hands of a true swordsman, any weapon is an instrument of death." Ambrose said. "This is no different."


    "Well said." Lancelot''s corner of the lips lifted into a thrilled smirk. "I''ll ept this challenge.


    "Show what you are made of, de Master!"


    "Mortal Style, Geschwind!"


    Ambrose vanished like a bolt of lightning and appeared behind Lancelot with his sword raised high as if he had already finished shing.


    Lancelot had also finished his sword sh within an instant. His sword was pointing down to the ground, and his expression looked serious.


    Rip¡ªLancelot''s shirt suddenly ripped, and his chest was exposed. There was a shallow cut on his chest, but he didn''t seem to be injured heavily.


    Ambrose lowered his sword and turnedpletely around. His sleeve suddenly ripped, and his arm was exposed with a shallow cut that didn''t seem to be too serious.


    "I apud you!" Lancelotughed and turned to face Ambrose with a giant smile. "That attack was fantastic!"


    "You aren''t too bad either." Ambrose said, and at that moment, a notification appeared in front of him.


    [Secret Quest Activated!]


    ''Oh¡­'' Ambrose smiled and narrowed his eyes as he read the details of the quest.


    It was a rather simple one.


    He had to defeat Lancelot before the time ran out.


    However, this time, he didn''t have hours of time.


    [Time limit: 3 minutes]


    ''The rewards better be worth it.'' Ambrose thought, and his aura suddenly turned serious. ''I suppose I have to go all-out right away.''

 Chapter 366 Token of Defeat

    <h4>Chapter 366 Token of Defeat</h4>


    [Secret Quest]


    [Rank: A]


    [Mission: Defeat the Sword Traveler]


    [Description: The Sword Traveler challenged you to a duel!]


    [Time limit: 3 minutes]


    [Reward: Given by Sword Traveler Lancelot upon defeat]


    [Punishment: You have to reveal all the knowledge about Reinhardt¡ªYour reputation as swordmaster will also suffer!]


    ¡­


    ''I don''t really care about having to give away the information about Reinhardt, but the reputation seems important.'' Ambrose thought.


    ''It might damage the image my students have of me, and with a lesser reputation, it will be harder to recruit new people to my dojo.


    ''I also wonder what kind of reward I will receive from him.''


    Be stood behind the tree, watching as the two powerful swordmasters faced each other.


    The atmosphere was suffocating, as the fight might end with a single sh. This was a true battle between true masters.


    A single mistake would end in death.


    Lancelot put the sword so it pointed straight towards the sky. Then he moved it next to him, ced it against the side of his torso, and slid his foot forward.


    The stance looked like he was readying himself for defense. However, his weight was on his front foot, as if he were preparing for a lunging attack.


    It was impossible to see his intentions.


    Ambrose moved into his usual stance¡ªhis sword in front of his body, both hands grabbing the handle, and his feet slightly apart, his right foot slightly ahead.


    It was fully aggressive stance.


    The time was slowly ticking down on the quest, but Ambrose kept a calm state of mind. The biggest mistake was to get impatient because of the time limit.


    To the onlookers, it would look like both were scared to attack. However, an invisible battle was happening between them.


    Both of them thought of thousands of different scenarios.


    Some of them ended in Lancelot''s victory, while others ended in Ambrose''s crushing victory.


    At that moment, Ambrose took a powerful leap forward, and all the thousands of scenarios vanished, only one remaining¡ªthe scenario that he chose to be the perfect one.


    Lancelot immediately switched into a fully defensive stance and retreated a single step. In that split second, his eyes widened in shock as he realized that it was a big mistake.


    "Toote." Ambrose whispered and kicked up the dirt below his feet, blinding Lancelot momentarily.


    "Mortal Style, Kanone!"


    The wooden sword shot forward like a cannonball and approached Lancelot''s unguarded chest. It looked like it was a free hit.


    At that moment, a slight smirk appeared on Lancelot''s lips.


    He flicked his wrist and curved the sword around, pping the wooden sword away. His blinded eyes opened with dirt covering his face, and he then front-kicked Ambrose in the chest.


    Smack¡ªa loud smack sounded, and it looked like Lancelot managed to get a sessful hit!


    However, he then noticed something was wrong.


    Ambrose tanked the front kick with his abdominal muscles, not moving a slight centimeter and not even showing any pain in his face.


    He then wrapped his arm around Lancelot''s leg¡ªlike a snake coiling around its prey¡ªand flipped him over.


    "Heaven Drop!"


    Lancelot watched as his vision flipped upside down, and he was about to crash into the ground at a very bad angle, which might end up with his neck broken.


    However, with incredible athletic abilities, he touched the ground with his hand and flipped himself over,nding safely back on the ground.


    At that moment, he swung his sword like a whip and aimed it at Ambrose''s neck. It was a quick and effective sh.


    If anyone else was his opponent, nine out of ten times, they would be unable to dodge this attack, especially since it came from such unexpected timing.


    Just a moment ago, it looked like Lancelot was about to lose, even perhaps get his neck broken, but he then miraculouslynded back on his feet and unleashed a deadly attack without a moment of hesitation.


    It was as if the previous moment didn''t face him in the slightest. Others would have even been stunned for a moment.


    However, it was clear that this wasn''t Lancelot''s first time in a losing position.


    Ambrose knew that he couldn''t use his wooden sword to defend against the attack. The silver-handled sword would slice straight through like a hot knife through butter.


    "Self-Possession!" Ambrose quickly activated the phasing ability of his soul.


    It was extremely risky to do so, as if he was attacked by Inner Power attack, his soul might really die. However, he didn''t sense any Inner Power in Lancelot''s attack.


    The silver-handled sword went straight through as if it were trying to hit a ghost.


    Lancelot''s eyes shed with surprise.


    Ambrose quickly deactivated Self-Possession and ced the wooden sword against Lancelot''s throat. It was as if time had frozen as both swordmasters looked at each other.


    Then Lancelot smiled and dropped his sword. "I yield. You win."


    "Mm." Ambrose sheathed the wooden sword and touched his stomach, as there was still some numbing feeling left. It was very ufortable.


    "Haha, I did not expect to lose." Lancelot picked up his sword, sheathed it, and sat on the wooden log. He breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath.


    Ambrose received a notification that he had sessfullypleted the mission. He then turned to look at him, wondering what his reward would be.


    "You thought further than I; that''s how you won." Lancelot smiled. "You used the dirt to blind me momentarily, but you knew it wouldn''t be enough."


    "I knew you wouldn''t have been able to use your sword; hit me as you had to deflect my wooden sword." Ambrose said. "That''s why I knew you would kick me, as it was your best option."


    "You nned to tank the kick as you knew I was a swordsman, not a physical fighter." Lancelot looked at his physique. "Seeing my body, you knew I couldn''t hurt you enough with the kick."


    "Yeah, I then nned to counterattack and send you crashing to the ground." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders. "I nned to end the fight there, but you managed to survive that."


    "I thought you hadn''t thought further than that, so I went for an immediate attack." Lancelot sighed and scratched his hair. "But then, what the hell was that?"


    "You took me by surprise, I admit that." Ambrose said. "However, if you had survived all that, I had one more hidden card in my sleeve. I knew you wouldn''t expect that."


    "Yeah, I didn''t¡­" Lancelotughed.


    "You still need the information?" Ambrose crossed his arms. "I can give you them."


    "No." Lancelot shook his head and stood up. "I lost. I do not deserve to know. One day, I''lle back to defeat you."


    "Very well." Ambrose nodded.


    "Here." Lancelot rummaged through his pockets, took out a strange token, and tossed it over to Ambrose. "You won; you deserve this. The token of my defeat."


    Ambrose caught it mid-air and looked at it. His eyes soon widened in shock as he realized what this was.


    "I''ll be seeing you again, de Master." Lancelot hopped inside the fancy carriage.


    The ck-robed driver then whipped the horse and drove off, wheels rolling down the dirt road. They were soon out of sight.


    "Jesse, what did you get?" Be asked curiously, thrilled about his victory but also curious about the item.


    "Upgrade ss Token¡­" Ambrose grabbed it tightly and smiled. "Finally, I found another one."

 Chapter 367 Bella鈥檚 Devotion

    <h4>Chapter 367 Be''s Devotion</h4>


    Ambrose carried twigs he found in the forest and walked over to the campfire with a small flickering me.


    As he added the twigs to the campfire, the mes turned mightier and taller, soon emitting warmth that pushed away the coldness of the night.


    Be sat on top of a fallen wooden trunk, hovering her hands above the campfire to warm herself.


    They decided to stay a little longer in Crow Forest, even though the temperature had started to drop considerably and the night had turned even darker.


    After ensuring that the mes were big enough, Ambrose sat down beside his girlfriend and took out the brown token.


    "That allows you to upgrade your ss?" Be asked curiously while leaning against Ambrose, trying to feel warmth both from her boyfriend and the campfire.


    "It indeed does." Ambrose nodded. "I have already upgraded two times. First, it was Suicide Swordsman, then de Master. Both times, my strength increased astronomically."


    "Are you nning to use it again?" Be asked.


    "Yeah, I''ll try." Ambrose nodded. "It will take a while for it to finish upgrading. It might even take multiple days; I don''t know."


    He then took a deep breath and activated the token.


    He sat silently, feeling his girlfriend''s body pressing against his and the warmth of the campfire. However, after some time of waiting, nothing happened.


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose frowned. "Activate."


    Be looked curiously, but seeing her boyfriend''s expression, it seemed like everything was not going as nned.


    "It''s not working." Ambrose said with a slight frustration in his tone. "I don''t know why. Is this fake?"


    Just in case, he checked the description, and it had the same exact text as the previous ones. It also looked perfectly simr.


    ''Perhaps I can''t upgrade any further?''


    He thought, but if that was the case, he was very disappointed.


    "Maybe there is something you have to achieve before upgrading?" Be guessed. "I know my father, and he wouldn''t add something so powerful if it was easy to get hands on."


    "You might be onto something." Ambrose nodded. "I have already found three of these. If one dojo focuses on finding these, they might be able to find a dozen or more.


    "A dozen upgrades would be absolutely game-breaking, so there might be something I have to do first.


    "Also, I now remembered that there was a text when I upgraded a second time. My first ss hadpleted text. I must''vepleted something.


    "Also, there was the possibility of a third upgrade. I am not sure if it''s thest one."


    "Then you haven''tpleted your second upgrade yet!" Be said and put her warm hand against her cheek, wondering something. "But what could it be?"


    "I got the second token from Olympos. He didn''t use it because he most likely couldn''t and thought that it was impossible to upgrade a second time."


    Ambrose said, and he wryly smiled. He wondered how Olympos would react after hearing about this.


    "Did you do anything special toplete the Suicide Swordsman ss?" Be asked with her red, ruby-like eyes reflecting the campfire mes.


    She again started to feel the coldness of the night, and she hugged her legs while leaning against Ambrose. The campfire mes started to die down slightly.


    Ambrose grabbed a bunch of twigs and tossed them into the campfire, making the logs crackle and the mes heat up.


    "Not that I recall," He said. "I have a theory, but I need to test it out."


    "What is it?" Be asked curiously, rubbing her hands together to warm herself. She wished she had taken some gloves.


    It was quite warm in Amaterasu, and since she never walked outside during the night, she underestimated how cold it would get.


    Ambrose wrapped his arm around her after seeing her shudder in the cold and pulled her closer.


    "A level gap, maybe." Ambrose said. "I think the first upgrade was for levels below 50, and the second upgrade was for levels above 50.


    "Since Olympos wasn''t above 50 when he still had the token, it would make sense that the token didn''t work for him.


    "I think the third upgrade is for levels above 100. This way, a yer wouldn''t be able to upgrade their ss infinitely, as they also have to y to get to a higher level."


    "That makes sense." Be nodded and asked. "What is your current level?"


    Ambrose opened his interface briefly and said, "72."


    "Wow, that is a lot, but still a long way."


    "Yeah, oh well." Ambrose touched his nose and said, "I can still wait. It will take probably a few weeks to a month to reach level 100."


    "Perhaps it''s another way." Be whispered while resting her head on his shoulder.


    "I''ll see eventually." He patted her head. "I''ll also check out the forums once I log off. Maybe they already know."


    "Ah, the time is getting quitete." Be checked the time on her interface and sighed with a fleeting expression. "Should we return?"


    "Feeling tired?" Ambrose asked and checked her face, but she looked rather rxed.


    "No, but it''s getting a little bitte¡­" Be''s cheeks turned slightly pink, and she looked slightly flustered. "I don''t want to keep you up toote."


    "Mm, I have gotten used to it." Ambrose also felt his eyelids turn heavier. "However, you are correct. We have made great progress tonight."


    "Mm." Be sat down on hisp and wrapped her arms around his neck, then whispered with a blush. "I am ready."


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded and flew high into the air.


    The campfire''s mes slowly died off, and only charred logs and twigs were left.


    Above Amaterasu, a ck blur moved across the air like a flying shadow and soon entered a building with the name ''Whispering Pages'' through the window.


    As the window closed, inside the top floor of the bookstore, Ambrose lowered Be down to the floor and said.


    "Should we assign your stats first before you go to sleep?"


    "All right." Be sat down on the bed, leaning against the wall, and patted the spot beside her.


    Ambrose removed his shoes and sat beside her. "You have 45 stat points after leveling up to level 8, right?"


    "Mm." Be opened the interface, looking at it with hazy eyes.


    "For starters, add about twenty to Agility and the rest to Stamina. These should help you learn Nachbilder."


    "Mm, done!" Be assigned them quickly, closed the interface, and turned to him with a bright smile. "What are your ns for tomorrow?"


    "A teaching session in the dojo. You shoulde there too." Ambrose said. "Nothing else, I think."


    "I have a confession to make." Be moved closer to him and suddenly sat on hisp, wrapping her arms around his neck. "Since you left Hightown, I''ve seen dreams about you."


    "Dreams?" Ambrose smiled. "I am honored."


    "They weren''t ordinary dreams." Be shyly smiled and touched his ears in a yful manner, her fingers delicately touching his earrings. "They were naughtier kinds."


    "Oh¡­" Ambrose felt his throat turn slightly parched, and he smiled awkwardly. "If you say something so bold, even I get flustered."


    "Today was a nice date." Be smiled sweetly with a deep blush on her cheeks.


    "This was a date?" Ambrose chuckled and traced his hand across her thigh. "Not the most ordinary date in the world, that''s for sure."


    "I want to show my devotion to you." Be lifted up her shirt, revealing her two small, perky breasts with pink nipples. "I adore you, and I am ready to show it."


    Her cheeks were pink in embarrassment, but that only made her look dangerously adorable and beautiful. She emitted peak feminine beauty.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in surprise, and his lips turned dry. This was not how he thought the day would go.

 Chapter 368 Dream (R-18)

    <h4>Chapter 368 Dream (R-18)</h4>


    "Are you sure?" Ambrose breathed heavily as he looked at his adorable girlfriend, her breasts exposed. "I mean, we had dated barely a day; this happened so soon."


    "I have never been as sure as I am now." Be pressed her body against his and whispered into his ear.


    "Or do you not want to..?"


    "I want¡­" Ambrose embraced her with his strong arms and whispered. "I just didn''t think my first time would be inside the game."


    "It''s my first time too¡­" Be looked into his purple eyes and smiled. "I don''t think I can wait till we meet in real life. If that ever happens."


    "No regrets¡­" Ambrose whispered while leaning closer to her lips.


    "No regrets¡­" Be whispered back as their lips met in a soft, gentle kiss.


    The kiss slowly turned more passionate and intense as their hearts started to beat faster and faster.


    Their tongues intertwined, as if their tongues were dancing in a sensual rhythm.


    Be grabbed his ck poncho, tossed it away, and wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss. She then started exploring his body with her cold hands, removing his clothes, and caressing his skin.


    As the shirt slid off his broad shoulders, he grabbed one of Be''s breasts and kneaded it, sending a wave of pleasure through her body.


    "Ahh~" Be bit her lip, trying to muffle her moans.


    He then used his free hand to unbutton her trousers and expose her bare skin to his touch. He continued to caress her intimately, his fingers exploring every inch of her body.


    Then he yanked her trousers off, ripping them apart and leaving her only in her underwear.


    Be clumsily unbuckled his belt and slowly lowered his pants to his ankles.


    She looked down; her breathing turned rapid as she saw a tent in his boxers, straining against the fabric.


    She slipped her hand inside the boxers and grabbed something hard and warm. Then she started stroking it, her hand moving up and down in a slow, sensual motion.


    "Mmh¡­" Ambrose bit his lip, his body trembling with pleasure, and identally squeezed her breast.


    "Ouch¡­" Be gasped in surprise and looked at him with a pout.


    "Ah, sorry¡­" Ambrose chuckled and leaned against the wall with rough breathing. "I can''t wait. Put it in."


    "O-okay¡­" Be gulped, pulled down his boxers, revealing his manhood out of its hiding spot, and hovered above it.


    She slowly lowered her body and wrapped her legs around him, feeling his warmth and hardness beneath her. Then, she slid her underwear out of the way, and she felt his hands on her hips, guiding her in.


    Atst, the hard object slowly slid inside her, filling her with a deep sense of pleasure and satisfaction. In that instant, she felt a strange numbness.


    It was the game''s equivalent of feeling pain.


    "Do you feel pain?" Ambrose asked roughly, his legs shaking in pleasure. He wanted desperately to move but tried to stay calm.


    "No¡­" Be bit her lip and shook her head. "It should hurt? I-I guess it''s because you can''t feel pain here, but I feel a slight numbness."


    Ambrose nodded, grabbed her soft buttocks, and pressed his lips to her neck, kissing across her skin.


    Be slowly raised her body, carefully so his manhood wouldn''t slip out of her, and then dropped her hips down, allowing him to fully prate her and reach the deepest parts of her.


    "Ahhh~"


    "Mhm¡­" Ambrose groaned in pleasure and used his powerful hands to raise her with her buttocks, and then he slowly lowered her back down, taking her to the heights of ecstasy.


    "Ahh~" She slowly started pouncing up and down, her body trembling in pleasure while engulfing in ecstasy with her boyfriend.


    Ambrose kneaded her soft buttocks and sucked in her breasts. Her breasts weren''t the biggest, but they were soft, sensitive, and arousing.


    "Ahhh~" Be touched him greedily while moaning in pleasure. Her body was on fire, and she couldn''t get enough of his touch.


    Ambrose then lowered her down to the bed, making hery beneath him, and he began to thrust in and out of her with a gentle yet intense rhythm.


    As her breasts pounced with each movement, she cried out in pleasure and wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her.


    "Mhm!" Ambrose moaned in response, his body moving in perfect sync with hers.


    p, p, p!


    As the sound of flesh smacking against each other resounded across the dimly lit room, their passionate embrace only grew stronger.


    His thrusting became more intense, his manhood moving in and out of her with even a faster motion that left her breathless.


    "J-Jesse¡­" Be cried out his name and smashed her lips against his, entering another round of intense and passionate kisses.


    Ambrose, blinded by the pleasure, flipped her over, making hery on her stomach, and pounded into her with a frenzied intensity.


    With her buttocks jiggling and her body trembling, Ambrose felt like he was on the brink of an explosion.


    While Be''s melodic moans rang in his ears, he grabbed her by the breasts, pulled her body against his, and moved his hips against her buttocks.


    p, p, p!


    "Ahh~" Be moaned loudly, looked over her shoulder at her boyfriend, and smiled in pleasure. "J-Jesse, faster¡­ I am about toe¡­"


    "Be¡­" Ambrose whispered in her ear, his voice filled with desire.


    After hearing her plea, he increased his pace, pumping his hips against her with renewed vigor.


    In the walls, two shadows rhythmically pulsed with each other, their movements in perfect sync while their moans ovepped with each other.


    As the moans grew louder, both of their bodies started to shudder as they felt that their climax was near. Their bodies were on the brink of release, ready to give in to the intense pleasure that they had been building up for so long.


    In that moment, Ambrose mmed his hips against her buttocks onest time, pushing his manhood to the end of her cave.


    As he did, he felt her body shudder and tremble with pleasure.


    As she squirted with her love juices, he released a bunch of warm, sticky substances deep inside her, covering every inch of her cave. He felt her body rx and go limp, and he knew that she had reached her climax.


    Sheid down on her stomach, her breasts pressing against the nket, and there was a blissful, happy smile on her beautiful face.


    "Ahh¡­" Ambrose removed his manhood from inside her, saw white stuff pouring out, and thenid down beside her while trying to catch his breath after the exhausting workout session.


    "Mmh¡­" Be pressed her body against his and rested her head on his shoulder with a blissful smile. "That was amazing."


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose chuckled and wrapped his arm around her, then looked at her with a loving gaze.


    "I can''t get pregnant here, right?" Be still felt some stuff pouring out of her, warming her insides.


    "I don''t think so." Ambrose chuckled. "I don''t think that would be possible. If it is, hats off to the developers."


    "Mm¡­" Be felt her eyelids turn heavy. "I am getting sleepy¡­"


    Ambrose kissed her forehead and said, "I''ll be here when you wake up."


    With those words, her eyes closed, and she entered a blissful dreand. She felt a sense of peace and contentment wash over her.


    This night, she didn''t have a dream anymore, as she managed to fulfill hers.

 Chapter 369 Vault

    <h4>Chapter 369 Vault</h4>


    Ambrose overlooked his student''s training session.


    They were all swinging two wooden swords, and when they tried using the sword with their non-dominant hand, it often looked very awkward.


    "Master." Tiger Erwin walked over to him with sweat gathered on his forehead.


    "What is it?" Ambrose asked.


    "It''s our first time using dual-wielding, so it might be more difficult to learn than other skills." Tiger Erwin sighed. "Perhaps we can start with something easier?"


    "Hmm, alright." Ambrose patted his shoulder with a reassuring look. "Everyone, stop whatever you are doing!"


    Everyone stopped swinging their swords with an exhausted look and turned to their new master.


    "Tiger Erwin, go fetch rope, please." Ambrose said with a smile.


    Tiger Erwin looked confused but did as he told him, and after a visit to the storage room, he returned with short ropes.


    "Everyone, pick a rope, tie your dominant arm behind your back, and only use your non-dominant arm from now on." Ambrose crossed his arms. "You are not allowed to remove the rope!"


    After a brief moment of shock, the students nodded hesitantly, picked up a rope, and helped their fellow students tie their arms behind their backs.


    Tiger Erwin and Ken did the same.


    "This is not really what I meant¡­" Tiger Erwin whispered to himself with a wry smile.


    "Now, continue training." Ambrose watched as his students resumed training, and it was even more clumsy than before.


    Everyone looked like they were beginners, even though most of them had trained swordsmanship for years, some their entire lives.


    After a short moment of watching, Ambrose pulled out a brass key from his pocket and left towards the basement.


    The entrance was hidden behind the dojo master''s chair, and it was impossible to enter it without moving the chair out of the way first.


    After pushing the chair out of the way, he entered the brass key into the door''s hole and opened it with a click.


    He then walked through the door, closed it behind him, and grabbed antern from the wall, using it to light up the path.


    After half a minute of walking down dimly lit stairs, he arrived in front of a metallic vault. It seemed to be heavily protected, and it was impossible to open it without a special key.


    For this one, Ambrose pulled out a silver key. Tiger Erwin gave it to him a while back.


    He then inserted the key into a small, hidden hole in the vault and turned it ny degrees.


    Click¡ªwith a resounding click, the vault door was unlocked, and it opened with a screeching thud.


    Ambrose entered the vault while pocketing his keys and saw money bags strewn across the vault walls.


    ording to the documents, there should be nearly two million silvers hidden inside. It was the total wealth of the former Reverse Tiger de dojo.


    For a single person, that much money would be an insane amount.


    2 million was equivalent to 200,000 crowns.


    Now, it was all Ambrose''s.


    He could go straight away to Reality Market and transfer the silver to his bank ount, and he had more than enough to start his trip across the world.


    Many yers would be blinded by greed and steal it all for themselves. They wouldn''t have any need to continue ying with such an amount of money.


    However, Ambrose looked away from the money bags, as this wasn''t why he was here.


    2 million silver might be a lot for a single person, but for a dojo of this size, it was nearly not enough.


    ''Need to make much more money somehow.'' Ambrose thought, and soon his gaze locked into shelves that were neatly ced beside each other.


    It looked strange, as there were all sorts of treasures inside the vault and then some ordinary household shelves. However, those shelves had ragged-looking scrolls neatly ced inside.


    They were all Skill Scrolls¡ªnearly a hundred of them!


    ''My jaw almost dropped once Ken mentioned those.'' Ambrose chuckled. ''I don''t have any need to search for Skill Scrolls anymore. These are more than enough for me!''


    He then left the vault, closed the door, and watched silently as the treasure-filled interior soon vanished from his sight.


    ''I need to create a lot of new skills. My skills are good for me, but I need skills that my students can learn.


    ''I can basically only teach Mortal Style skills, which I don''t want. I want to teach my style.''


    After a moment of deep contemtion, he decided to take a trip to Honorable Temple, try to learn the soul healing, and ask them about learning new skills.


    Ambrose clenched his hand into a powerful fist. ''First, I''ll need to arrange some stuff so the dojo can run without me for a week or two.''


    After that, Ambrose left the basement and saw that his students were still training tirelessly. Each of them wore white GI, with a sigil of Immortal Dojo on the chest, and each of them wore belts.


    Almost all of them had white-colored belts, except Tiger Erwin and Ken, who had green and yellow belts, respectively.


    "Tiger Erwin." Ambrose called out to the former master of Reverse Tiger de.


    "Yes, master?" Tiger Erwin walked over to him while walking rather awkwardly. Even his bnce was quite messed up because of his tied-up arm.


    He was already nearing his fifties, and he had gone way past his prime, so learning new things was a monumental task for him.


    "I''ll be gone for a few days, maybe a week. I hope I can count on you to keep an eye on my dojo."


    "O-oh, yes, master." Tiger Erwin replied in surprise. "Is there something wrong?"


    "No, there are just some things I need to do." Ambrose said. "Make sure that none of the students try to cheat this test."


    "This is a test?" Tiger Erwin asked in surprise.


    "Tests and training go hand-in-hand. Those who impress me the most might see their belt color change." Ambrose nodded and walked up the stairs to his office.


    Meanwhile, on the dojo below, Tiger Erwin looked at his non-dominant hand that was wielding the wooden sword and grabbed it tight. He didn''t n on losing his spot as the highest-ranked student.


    Without further ado, he started swinging his sword with great ferocity.


    He also happened to encourage his former students, who saw him training even harder, and they also started to swing their swords with even greater strength.


    In the upstairs, as Ambrose opened his office''s door and was about to take off his sword from his hip, he suddenly froze as he saw someone standing in the room, facing the window and looking outside.


    ''Inquisitor?''


    That was his first thought, as only the people who were either hostile to him or wanted something from him would sneak inside his room.


    "Who are you?" Ambrose drew his wooden sword and pointed it towards the unknown figure.


    "So, you are the one who killed him." The voice was feminine, and it instantly caused Ambrose''s cheeks to turn red.


    It was as if the voice had the primordial power of lust, able to arouse everyone''s desires with just simple words.


    "Argh, the hell?" Ambrose shook his head and backed off towards the door. "What the hell did you do?"


    The figure turned around; her face was covered by a veil, and she wore baggy robes that covered every inch of her body. It seemed like she didn''t want anyone to catch a glimpse of her.


    "My name is Cali." She spoke gently, her voice sounding perfect.


    "Argh¡­" Ambrose grabbed his chest and felt his heart beat rapidly against his chest as if it were trying to burst through. "W-what the fuck¡­"


    Cali closed her mouth and picked up pen and paper, then wrote something down and tossed it over to Ambrose.


    Ambrose caught it from mid-air and read the written text.


    "You were Mars'' mistress¡­" He whispered and looked at her in shock. "You are the Heartstopper."

 Chapter 370 Cali

    <h4>Chapter 370 Cali</h4>


    Miss Cali sat down on thefy-looking chair, her legs crossed, and picked up the ink pen, then wrote something down on the goat parchment paper.


    Ambrose sat on the wooden chair, the desk separating them from each other, and waited for her to finish writing.


    He didn''t mind her using ''his'' chair, even though that was the spot where the dojo master should be sitting. He was simply curious about her reason for visiting him.


    ''I killed her man.'' Ambrose caressed his sword''s sheath. ''Is she here for revenge? Her voice is dangerous. If she opens her mouth, I have to instantly kill her.''


    Miss Cali finished writing with a gentle stroke and pushed the parchment papers towards the purple-eyed man. She then leaned back, put the ink pen back in the drawer, and waited for him.


    Ambrose epted the parchment paper and looked at it. He was impressed by her writing, as it looked like an expert calligrapher had written the sentences.


    ''We have tomunicate this way.'' He started reading.


    ''Otherwise, your heart might stop after hearing my voice.


    ''Therefore, I''ll just write down everything I''ll say. You can speak, however.


    ''First of all, my name is Cali, and as you know, I was Mars'' mistress. You killed him; therefore, I am here.''


    "Are you here to have revenge?" Ambrose asked as he tore his gaze off the paper.


    Cali shook her head and picked up the ink pen again, then wrote down quickly.


    After handing over the paper to him, he slowly read it out loud.


    "I am here to thank you¡­"


    He frowned. "What are you thanking me for?"


    Miss Cali wrote something down and nced upwards at him. She looked at him for a moment before giving him the paper.


    Ambrose looked down and read it.


    "The rtionship wasn''t out of love. I was the only person stopping Mars from annihting the New North. He had pent-up anger towards that ce, but I managed to convince him otherwise."


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose intertwined his fingers and scratched his cheek with his thumb. "I am starting to understand the gist. Still, why are you here? To thank me? A mail would have sufficed."


    Miss Cali suddenly extended her hands towards him and snapped her fingers with a gentle pop sound.


    In that moment, a heart-shaped smoke emerged from her hand, and an eyeball with a star-shaped pupil appeared from the smoke.


    It was the Eye of Shimon!


    "This thing is evil." She whispered.


    "Argh¡­" Ambrose felt a pang in his heart, and he looked at her with a scowl. "Give it back. What are you doing?"


    "Are you nning to use this?" She asked.


    "Fuck¡­" Ambrose coughed painfully as he felt like someone had squeezed his heart. "Maybe. I don''t know!"


    "Eye of Shimon can only have owners of the fateless¡­" She whispered, her eyes narrowed, and she then brought out a knife from her pocket.


    "However, that doesn''t apply to you."


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock, and he wanted to draw his sword, but his body was, for some reason, frozen in ce.


    Cali raised her knife and stabbed it through one of Ambrose''s eyes.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose flinched in shock, feeling numbness spreading across his face.


    "Be careful with this¡­" She whispered and stuffed the eye into his eye socket.


    After that, she took out a napkin, wiped the blood off her knife, and pocketed it.


    "Argh¡­" Ambrose held his bleeding face and felt an itchiness that seemed to have seeped straight into his bones.


    Miss Cali looked at him with a deep look, then lifted her frail-looking arm with perfectly smooth skin and snapped her fingers.


    The pink smoke engulfed her, and she vanished from the office like a person that had never existed.


    "What the fuck¡­" Ambrose stood up and looked at his blood-stained hand. "What did she do? Did she stuff the Eye of Shimon into my socket?"


    Ding, ding!


    [You have acquired the Eye of Shimon!]


    [As the old Grounded God of Fates, Shimon had the ability to steal and alter fates. However, after ''His'' defeat, one of ''His'' eyes got lost in time, searching for new owners]


    [You now have the ability to steal fates and use the stolen fates to find Fate Opportunities]


    ''Like with Mars, I can only get opportunities if I steal fates.'' Ambrose frowned.


    ''She disappeared. She knew I had the Eye of Shimon, so she just wanted me to have this or what? I am so confused.''


    He stood up from the chair, opened the curtains, and looked at his reflection through the window.


    It was just as expected.


    One of his eyes looked somewhat different.


    It was still purple-colored, as if the Eye of Shimon adapted to his eye color, but the pupil was strangely mesmerizingly star-shaped. It looked very unique and attractive.


    "So, that now happened¡­" Ambrose opened his interface and pressed log out.


    ¡­


    After opening his eyes, Jesse removed the headset and fast-walked over to the bathroom.


    He then checked himself through the mirror, his purple eyes wide open.


    "Not here, at least¡­" He sighed in relief as he saw that his Eye of Shimon didn''t transfer to his real-life body.


    It would have been weird if it did.


    "I have seen many weird things before, so if it had happened, it would have been annoying."


    He wryly smiled, and at that moment, he heard a knock on his room door.


    After quickly washing his hands, he left the bathroom and opened the door.


    "Ah, you''re awake." Anna smiled with a broom in hand. "I wasn''t sure whether you were in the game or here."


    "Ah, yes, what is it, mother?" Jesse asked.


    Anna looked at her stepson, who had zero resemnce to his previous self, but for some odd reason, she still felt like he was the person she knew.


    Therefore, she formed a warm smile and said, "The servants are cleaning the hallways, and during that time, I usually clean our family rooms.


    "It''s something I enjoy doing, as Ie from a working household, and I came to clean your room. I just finished with Emma''s."


    "I''ve cleaned it already, though." Jesse scratched the back of his head, as he had kept his room very clean.


    "Have you cleaned the windows, the dust from the corners of the rooms, and even the edges around the doors?" Anna rapidly asked with a smile.


    "Uhh, nah." Jesse chuckled and opened the door. "Well, if you don''t mind."


    "That''s more like it!" Anna''s smile brightened, and she entered his room with the brush in hand.


    She looked around the room with a curious gaze as this was her first time inside his room after he moved in with them.


    Jesse went to the desk, got seated, and opened hisputer with a thoughtful look. He wanted to check out the forums to find out whether there was anything about the ss upgrades.


    "I heard something interesting from Emma." Anna put the brush aside and looked at him with a sly look. "Who is this Be I am hearing so much about?"


    "Uhh, she works at the bookstore with Emma." Jesse replied and looked at her with a smile. "What did Emma say?"


    "Something very interesting." Anna chuckled, and then mentioned. "Ah right. Amber Saward sent me a dining invitation. You met her with Jack, so I''ve heard."


    "Mm, I remember her." Jesse nodded, having a distinct memory of her.


    "She also invited you." Anna said with a smile. "I think it''s a good time for you to meet your fellow children of High Society. They are interested in meeting you."


    "When?"


    "In a week or so." Anna replied with a smile.


    "All right." Jesse nodded. ''It''s just a dinner, might as well. What could possibly happen?''

 Chapter 371 Player Hub

    <h4>Chapter 371 yer Hub</h4>


    While Anna was cleaning his room, Jesse grabbed the mouse and browsed Martial Online forums.


    Using his free left hand, he typed on the keyboard the keyword ''ss Upgrade'' and then pressed enter.


    Instantly, thousands of posts, some new and some old, appeared on the page. Most were inquiring about token locations, while others wanted to purchase them for a lot of crowns.


    ''Is there anything about levels¡­'' Jesse curiously rolled the mouse wheel down and only glimpsed at the posts.


    If he read all the posts, it would take him a week alone to reach the bottom. Therefore, to stop himself from wasting time, he simply nced at them briefly. If he didn''t notice anything mentioning unlocking or levels, he simply ignored them.


    As the time moved by and Anna finished cleaning the floors, Jesse finally found a post that captured his attention.


    He double-clicked on the mouse and entered the post.


    The creator of the past inquired about not being able to upgrade his ss, and he seemed very upset over it, calling it a bug and wanting the game developers to fix it as soon as possible.


    Apparently, he had a friend who had already upgraded the ss two times, but he couldn''t do it a second time even though he had a token.


    He included a few of his stats, including his name and level.


    [Name: SoupWarrior]


    [Level: 48]


    "Hmm¡­" Jesse quickly checked thement section, and it didn''t have a lot ofments.


    The peoplementing seemed clueless, with some calling out the creator of the post for lying to get some clout, as there had been a big influx of fake posts that called out the game developers for the bugs.


    Martial Online had one impressive thing about it¡ªtheck of bugs.


    There weren''t any, and therefore, bug report posts have be very famoustely.


    The rest of thements wondered whether it was really a bug, and a few wanted to purchase the token if it didn''t work for the creator of the post.


    "I doubt it''s a bug." Jesse spoke to himself.


    "Did you say something?" Anna was using a wet rag to clean the edges of the door, but then she heard him mutter something.


    "Ah, it''s nothing." Jesse shook his head and turned his focus on theputer.


    ''He is below level 50. I think my conclusion might have been correct. Let''s see whether this user has any new recent posts.''


    Jesse, using the mouse, clicked on the name ''SoupWarrior'' and went to his page, searching for his new posts.


    ording to his ''bug report'', there was another post created two days ago.


    It was a strange rant post, and even the title had a lot of cursing.


    [This game is dogsh*t!]


    With a curious look, Jesse pressed on the post and started reading inside his mind.


    ''This game is dogshit.


    ''This fucking bug needs to be fixed; I lost a lot of money because of that. Since the token didn''t work for me, I sold it to my friend.


    ''However, my friend knew about the issues I had with the token, so I had to sell it for a discount because there was a high chance it wouldn''t work with him as well.


    ''He had also upgraded his ss once beforehand, so this was his second time.


    ''I wanted to be there when he updates his ss to see whether it worked, and it fucking did!


    ''Why the hell do tokens work for some, and some yers drew a short straw and it didn''t work for them?!


    ''Fix this, Martial Company, and you guys owe me a ss Upgrade Token!''


    Jesse scratched his neck and checked thements. It was empty, as it seemed like the post didn''t gain any attention.


    ''This pretty much proved it.'' He thought. ''His friend must''ve been above level 50, allowing him to upgrade his ss.


    ''What a shame that the creator of the post was so impatient. He was perhaps two levels away from increasing his strength by a big margin.''


    Jesse left the post, returned to the front page, and tapped his finger against the mouse.


    ''There is only one way to be sure. I''ll be trying to upgrade my ss every level from now on. I''ll do that until level 100.


    ''I''ll have to start grinding levels soon, but for now, I''ll have to focus on creating new skills and the soul healing.''


    ''This time, I try not to create any suicidal skills. Those suicidal skills were fitting for the Suicide Swordsman ss, which might be one of the reasons why my ss upgraded to that one.


    ''Now, since my ss is de Master, I''ll focus on true sword skills thatplement my style. I''ll also need more skills to teach my students.''


    Jesse looked at hisputer''s monitor and wondered how things were in ForeverStream. It had been some time since he had visited that website.


    After typing its name in the search bar, he pressed enter and entered the website.


    As usual, the most popr streams upied the front page, and the viewer count seemed to have increased as the poprity of Martial Online continued to rise astronomically.


    ''I wonder if Antis is streaming.'' Jesse curiously went to check his followed streams, and to his surprise, he was currently online with 5 viewers watching him.


    He entered the stream and picked up his headphones from next to theputer, then put them on and increased the volume a little bit.


    ¡­


    In a small forest near the edge of the ind, Antis, with his upper body bare, lifted his axe and hacked it down, splitting a log in two.


    "I didn''t think creating a vige would be so¡­ exhausting!" Antis thought out loud with sweat falling down his face, then went to pick up the logs and walked out of the forest.


    At that moment, crude-looking buildings appeared in sight that were built near the edge of the ind. It looked like a vige was currently being built.


    However, it was very slow work, especially alone.


    "Argh¡­" Antis dumped the logs next to another pile and stretched his arms with an exhausted look.


    In that moment, another message appeared in his chat with a ding.


    [Ambrose: You should be a fisherman. Sell the fish, then pay for some architects and construction workers to build the vige for you. This will take forever otherwise, and the buildings look a little shaky, not going to lie]


    Antis'' eyes bulged in shock as he saw the name in the chat. It was a name that had visited his chat before, but now it''spletely different.


    In the chat, several messages appeared.


    [KieFish: It''s really him! Antis, you weren''t lying!]


    [Wetherman: It''s really Ambrose!]


    "Ahaha, what a surprise¡­" Antis chuckled nervously and made the floating camera point at his face. "Haha, a few days ago, I saw your name on one of the bounty posters, and I remembered it.


    "Then, I searched for you, and it looks like you were quite popr. Haha, I didn''t expect someone of your status would be visiting my measly stream."


    [Ambrose: Oh :P]


    "A-anyway, thanks for the tip. I might try, but myst sailboat sank!" Antis scratched his hair in frustration. "I can''t really leave this ce without removing my temporary spawn, but I don''t want to leave.


    "So, my only way is to build a new ship. Luckily, I found some blueprints from a nearby cave!" Antis brought out some blueprints, some with ships and some with huts.


    "I don''t know how to use these, but in the top corner of the blueprint, there are a number of things I need. I am stillcking the materials, but when I have gathered them all, I am sure I might be able to create these!


    "This might be another undiscovered game mechanic that would help yers create stuff. I am super excited to find out!"


    [Ambrose: Oh, even I haven''t heard about that before. Anyway, good luck]


    "Thank you, sir!" Antis saluted and resumed working with the vige while asionally talking with his chat.


    At this point in time, the vige looked crude, and it wouldn''t survive a single storm. However, in the future, this ind would be called the yer Hub, the most important ce for the yers in Dark Waters.

 Chapter 372 The Storm Is Coming

    <h4>Chapter 372 The Storm Is Coming</h4>


    ''I didn''t think I was that popr.'' Jesse thought to himself with a wry smile and went to check his ForeverTube statistics.


    His videos were slowly gaining more views, but his subscription count had decreased as his former viewers most likely thought he was done making videos.


    ''New messages?'' Jesse saw that his inbox was filled with new messages from his fans and followers.


    However, there was also a message from ForeverTube itself. It said that by creating more videos, ie would increase.


    It seemed like thepany behind ForeverTube noticed that their new rising star, who got two features back-to-back, had stopped making videos and had basically disappeared.


    ''Yeah, I need to make more videos, but that is not my main concern now.'' Jesse thought, and then closed his PC.


    As the monitor turned dark and the PC stopped humming, Jesse thought about his future.


    ''I do need money, and ForeverTube is a very good ie source. However, I have so much to do, so I''ll focus on thatter.


    ''Who knows, perhaps I''ll start a ForeverStream career. From what I''ve seen, people like to watch strong yers, and I think I am one of the strongest.''


    Jesse was confident about it. It was confidence that stemmed from his strength.


    "I am done here." Anna came to him after finishing cleaning up his room, and she suddenly looked confused as she saw something in his neck.


    "Jesse¡­" She put her hands on her waist and angrily asked. "When did you get a tattoo?"


    "Tattoo?" Jesse raised an eyebrow and looked at his stepmother with a quizzical look. "What are you talking about?"


    "This." She reached out to his neck and traced her finger across it. "It''s a tattoo of an eye!"


    "Eye¡­" Jesse touched his neck and asked urgently. "What shape is the pupil?"


    "Shape?" Anna pouted. "Are you trying to show off your tattoo? Why did you take one!"


    "Please, tell me." Jesse pleaded with urgency in his tone.


    "Fine¡­" Anna moved his hand out of the way, and said. "Star shape."


    "Oh god¡­" Jesse''s hand trembled. ''What does this mean? Do I have the Eye of Shimon here with me?''


    "I have to tell this to your father." Anna shook her head and pinched his cheek. "I am very disappointed in you!"


    "I am¡­ sorry. Can I get it removed, perhaps?" Jesse asked.


    "I think there is a way. We''ll go get it removed tomorrow, right away!" Anna hmphed angrily and left the room with the brush and cleaning rags in hand.


    "Sigh, the hell¡­" Jesse looked up to the ceiling and scratched the back of his head. "What does this mean?"


    Jesse touched the ce where the tattoo should be, and he couldn''t help but feel a sense of unease.


    ¡­


    Somewhere in the world.


    Vroom!


    A loudly roaring motorcycle drove down an empty road. It was surrounded by desert, stretching all the way to the unknown.


    The road was unkempt, filled with potholes and cracks.


    However, the man driving the motorcycle pressed the gas harder and sped through the potholes without a fear in sight.


    He wore a ck-leathered jacket with spikes protruding from his sleeves and shoulders. A sigil of roaring engines adorned his broad back.


    Atst, a gas station appeared in the distance. It was beside a road, and nothing was surrounding it except the deste desert.


    However, alongside the gas station, there was a bar with a dozen motorcycles parked in front of it.


    Music yed from inside, and the smell of alcohol and cigarettes filled the air.


    Vroom¡ªthe motorcycle stopped in front of the bar establishment, and the man dismounted and entered the bar. He was greeted by a group of bikers who were enjoying their drinks and music.


    The man nodded briefly and took a seat on the bar stool, tapping his finger against the counter.


    "Well, look who it is." The bartender, with a small gray mustache and a ck leather jacket, greeted him with a friendly smile. "Mister Motorhero, isn''t that your alias these days?"


    "You don''t like it?" Motorhero asked with a small grin.


    "It''s a name." The bartender chuckled and put down a bottle of heavy-smelling whiskey on the counter. "However, hero? Do you think of yourself as a hero?"


    "I''ll be one day." Motorhero chuckled and grabbed the bottle of whiskey, then poured himself a drink. "From now on, I am Anti-Hero."


    "What will make you a hero?" The bartender curiously asked.


    "Remember the time we got rid of that slum trash?" Motorhero asked.


    The bartender nodded, remembering the time in the past.


    Back then, he was a much younger, mustachless young man, and Motorhero was barely at high school age, yet he was already part of the Roaring Engines gang.


    "Those slum trash filled our streets with their disgusting presence." Motorhero said with a scowl. "They dirtied our streets, lowered the value of our properties, and brought crime to our once peaceful neighborhood.


    "We got rid of them, exterminated them like rats, and returned the peace to our territory.


    "Back then, I thought we were heroes."


    "You never thought from the other side''s perspective." The bartender chuckled. "We were viins in their eyes.


    "They were homeless because the economic situation was horrible; all of them lost their jobs, and the price of living was too high.


    "In the moment of despair, they ended up turning to illegal means to survive."


    "There is no justification," Motorhero said coldly.


    "True. Are you doing something the same now?" He asked from Motorhero.


    "I am." Motorhero stood up and gulped down the drink.


    After a long sigh, he continued. "I am doing hero''s work. I''ll be saving Amaterasu."


    "Well, I''ll be praying to the gods for your sess." The bartender raised the bottle of whiskey and took a long gulp. ''I''ll also pray for your enemies'' merciful deaths.''


    A cross with a man nailed to it hung from the wall behind the bar counter. Its eyes seemed to stare into the void, and its body was filled with knife cuts and bloodstains.


    Motorhero gazed over to the cross and pulled out his silver cruxifix. He held it up to his chest and whispered a silent prayer.


    "The storm of hellfire ising." Motorhero whispered. "And I am the lord of the underworld, ready to unleash my wrath upon the wicked."


    "Amen¡­" The bartender whispered, finishing the silent prayer of Roaring Engines.


    It was their motto.


    They believed themselves to be the gatekeepers of the underworld, using their motorcycles to protect the innocent and punish the guilty.


    "Go get them then, hero." The bartender stood tall, put his crucifix against his lips, and whispered a silent prayer.


    Thud¡ªdozens of chairs fell down as the bikers all around the bar stood up. They all wore ck leather jackets, the sigil of roaring engines adorning their backs.


    "The storm of hellfire ising!" They tapped their chests with the sides of their fists and shouted in unison.


    "Brothers, let''s ride!" Motorhero screamed, and the bikers roared to life, their engines revving in unison as they prepared to be the storm.


    After kicking down the door, Motorhero mounted his motorcycle and revved the engine. The engine roared like a mighty dragon.


    Vrooom!


    "The wicked shall fall!" Motorhero screamed with bloodshot eyes. ''The hero will rise.''

 Chapter 373 Mistake

    <h4>Chapter 373 Mistake</h4>


    "Thank you for shopping at Whispering Pages!" Be said with a smile that brightened up the room like a beacon of happiness.


    "T-thanks." The male customer bashfully said, and he left the store with a bag of books and a blush on his cheeks.


    "Mm." Be hummed a gentle tune while taking a box of new books from under the counter, and then walked to one of the shelves.


    She began filling the empty shelves with the scent of new books lingering in the air. It was a smell she loved.


    "Be, why are you smiling so much?" Emmaid t on her stomach on the nearby couch, looking at her with a suspicious gaze.


    "I am always smiling." Be replied with a cheeky smile and nced at the little girl, who was doing nothing butze around. "Miss Emma, mind giving me a hand?"


    "No!" Emma shook her head in rejection. "I am tired¡­"


    Be wryly smiled and then heard the bell above the door jingle, signaling the entrance of new customers.


    "Wee to Whispering Pages; I''ll be with you shortly!"


    "Okay!" A chirpy-sounding young woman said, and browsed the shelves in search of a new book to spend her evening with.


    She was lovely-looking with cute features, resembling those of a cat, and radiated innocence as if she had just entered adulthood.


    As she removed one of the books from the shelf, through the gap between the books on the shelf, she saw a wanted poster nailed to the wall.


    It was a red-wanted poster with a detailed picture of a purple-eyed man with a devilishly charming smile. It was clear that he was not a person to mess with.


    "That man¡­" She put the book back on the shelf and walked over to the counter, almost leaning over it as she tried to catch a proper glimpse of the wanted poster.


    "Hey, who is he?" She asked, pointing towards the red wanted poster.


    Be and Emma looked over, seeing her pointing at a very familiar poster. They wondered why she wanted to know.


    "He goes by the name of Ambrose." Be put the box down and walked over to her.


    "Aha." She let out a shortugh and looked at the beautiful red-eyed woman with a curious eyebrow raise. "You must be close to him. If you weren''t, you wouldn''t have his poster nailed on the wall."


    Be walked to the other side of the counter. She then started cing pamphlets on the advertising shelf.


    "Oh, we don''t know him." Be said with a calm smile. "I just like the way he looks."


    She didn''t know, but she had a slight bad feeling about this chirpy-sounding girl.


    She indeed sounded innocent, looked cute, and acted like she was here just for a new book. However, something was odd about her round, gray eyes, but she couldn''t tell what.


    "Are you sure?" The chirpy-sounding girl asked and pointed at the other posters. "Those have the same name. Ambrose. Yet, in those images, he doesn''t look that attractive."


    "I don''t know, but I do like his previous look as well." Be smiled brightly. "Those pictures radiate mysteriousness, doesn''t it? I find that attractive."


    "Hmm, aha, I see." Sheughed innocently, but it sounded a little fake.


    She then shrugged her shoulders, took one of the pamphlets, and browsed through it with a nonchnt look.


    "Does this Ambrose visit this ce often?" She asked nonchntly. "I know he is from Amaterasu."


    "Never seen him," Be replied. "It''s very unlikely for a person with status as high as his to visit my measly store."


    "I am not too sure about that¡­" She looked around the store and caught the gaze of Emma, who immediately hid behind the bookstore.


    "I think he was here. Only recently." She tapped her finger against the counter and coldly smiled at Be. "Are you protecting a criminal?"


    "A wild usation." Be looked surprised and touched her chest firmly. "I hope you have some proof to back up your usation!"


    "Ah, I don''t have any." She smiled innocently. "I can''t also report to the Sanctorioum of Inqusitors without a proper proof."


    "You are¡­ Inquisitor?" Be''s smile slightly faded away.


    As she lowered one of her arms, the chat interface appeared out of sight, and she quickly wrote a quick, messy message without looking away from the chirpy girl.


    "Ah, yes." The chirpy-sounding girl smiled and snapped her long-nailed fingers.


    In an instant, her clothes changed into a pure red color, her sundress changed into a high-cored robe, and a tophat appeared on top of her brte hair.


    "My name is Red Inquisitor, Coraline Bridger." Coraline tipped her tophat and bowed. "A few spies of mine said that they saw a person resembling a famous criminal, Ambrose, near here.


    "And now, I saw those posters on the wall. It got my mind running. Perhaps this is the ce where he is hiding."


    "I can assure you that I don''t know of him, and he hasn''t visited this ce." Be said firmly while pressing "send" on the message. "However, if I do see him, I will be sure to send a message to the Sanctorioum."


    "Hmm, that is not good enough, you see." Coraline grabbed her by the hand and pulled her closer, their faces almost touching. "I can smell a scent of man from you."


    Be''s eyes widened, and she yanked her hand back. "That is extremely rude. I thought Inquisitors had manners."


    "Ah, you have a sharp tongue." Coraline''s eyes squinted with a cold light, and she raised her hand, then pped Be across the face.


    Thud¡ªBe fell to the ground with a stunned look, a little bit of blue blood dripping down from her nose.


    "Be!" Emma screamed and ran towards her, but then Coraline grabbed her by the arm.


    "Ah!"


    "Mind telling me where he is?" Coraline pulled Emma closer without caring whether she hurt her and whispered venomously. "Well, little girl? Have you seen that man visit this ce?"


    "N-no!" Emma screamed and tried to pull her arm back, but it was being held by a firm grip, as if her hand were stuck.


    "Hands off her!"


    Swoosh¡ªa sharp sword cut through the air.


    "Oh." Coraline grabbed the de with her bare hand and looked at the red-eyed woman with a smirk. "You are attacking an Inquisitor. That is a criminal offense. I''ll be taking you with me."


    "Mortal Style, Nachbilder!" Be vanished from her current spot and smashed her fist across Coraline''s face.


    Smack¡ªCoraline barely flinched, and instead smiled with a sickening look.


    However, Be had no intention to injure her.


    In that small time frame, she quickly rescued Emma from her clutches and escaped with her to the upstairs.


    "Ah, you are running?" Coraline picked up the sword, which Be used to attack her, and tapped it against her hand while slowly approaching the stairs.


    "You cannot escape. I have already scouted every possible escape route. If you try to leave through the window, my spies will catch you~


    "Come with me willingly, stupid bitch!"


    Crack¡ªat that moment, the windows shattered behind her with a loud boom.


    "?!" Coraline snapped her head around, and panic shed across her face.


    "Who is the bitch?!" A demonic scream reverberated across the bookstore.


    A purple-eyed man with an enraged look on his face flew through the shattered windows and grabbed her by the throat, then flew through several concrete walls, using her body as a wrecking ball.


    Coraline coughed blood andnded a punch on her assant''s face, but he didn''t flinch.


    He simply looked at her coldly in the face and smashed her body down on the concrete pavement. The pavement cracked like a vase, and she coughed up blood, looking like her spine might have shattered from the impact.


    "So, Inquisitors havee knocking. A big mistake!"

 Chapter 374 Fate Steal

    <h4>Chapter 374 Fate Steal</h4>


    "S-stop this right this instant!" Coraline let out a blood-curdling scream. "Attacking Inquisitor is a criminal offense!"


    Smack¡ªAmbrose smashed his fist through her face and painted the pavement below with her blood.


    "You must be new." He scoffed and stood up over her sprawling body. "You were recruited recently and got immediately promoted to Red Inquisitor because of your strength.


    "Am I correct?"


    "Cough!" Coraline coughed up blood.


    "You thought the Inquisitors were invincible, making you arrogant, especially because of your strength." Ambrose wiped his bloodied hands on his shirt.


    "That''s why you came to investigate my whereabouts by yourself alone. You probably didn''t report to anyone else either, wanting to impress your higher-ups by capturing me alone."


    "F-fuck you¡­" Coraline whispered painfully and tried to lift herself up from the pavement. "I-I am the g-great genius, Coraline Bridger!"


    "I-I''ll be ck Inquisitor and be leader of one of the Inquisitor headquarters. That is my future. How dare you, a filthy criminal,y a hand on me?!"


    "You be the leader of nothing." Ambrose drew his wooden sword and shed through her throat.


    Coraline copsed against a wall, a lifeless look on her eyes, and she slowly fell to the ground, a pond of blood gathering around her.


    Ambrose scoffed, sheathed his sword, and turned around to walk back to the bookstore. However, then he stopped and sighed.


    He looked over his shoulder and said, "You should''ve acted dead. Fool."


    Coraline stood back up like a stringless puppet, looking unsettling, as if she wasn''t in control of her own body.


    Her face was pale and cold-looking, her eyes were dead-looking, and there was a bloodied smile on her face.


    It was as if she wasn''t her anymore.


    "Kanone." Ambrose appeared in front of her and and smashed his wooden sword in the ce where her heart should be.


    Coraline''s motionless body flew across the alleyway and crashed into a concrete wall. A human-shaped dent appeared in the wall.


    It looked like every bone in Coraline''s body was broken. Her limbs were twisted, and her head was turned 180 degrees as if she were an owl.


    "What the fuck is she?" Ambrose frowned.


    As if she didn''t care about any of those lethal injuries, Coraline stood right back up, and all her twisted limbs snapped back to their ce.


    Her pale, cold-looking face started having color, as if the drained blood had returned to her body. In an instant, she looked alive again.


    "Haha!" Coralineughed like a mad witch. "I am one of the most important geniuses among the Inquisitors. They are raising me to be the next leader!


    "You think I won''t have my ways of survival?!


    "Are you stupid?


    "I won''t die, no matter what you try, insect!"


    "Hmm, want to be a guinea pig?" Ambrose asked with a smile.


    "Huh?" Coraline scowled with confusion. "What do you mean, trash?"


    Ambrose''s star-shaped pupil glowed with an otherworldly light, and he reached out his hand towards her, as if he were trying to grab something.


    "A genius, you say?" He smirked. "That can be taken away."


    Coraline felt her body turn colder as a strange, transparent light oozed out of her body. It was as if warmth was getting sucked out of her body.


    "W-what is this?"


    "You indeed have a lot of fate. As expected from genius." Ambrose reached out to the transparent light, and it started entering his body.


    He felt his body turn warmer, as if someone had turned on the heater just next to him.


    ''This looks different than when Mars used it.'' Ambrose thought. ''Could it be that I can steal fate faster?''


    It seemed like that was indeed the case, as all of Coraline''s fate left her body and entered his.


    She, one of the Inquisitor''s greatest geniuses, lost all of her future in a matter of seconds.


    "Ahhh¡­" Ambrose let out a powerful sigh. ''This feeling is intoxicating.''


    "W-what is this¡­" Coraline fell to her knees and looked like she had be depressed all of a sudden.


    "I don''t feel like doing anything anymore¡­


    "Why did I be an Inquisitor? Ah, it doesn''t matter; it''s too bothersome."


    Ambrose walked over to her and checked her pockets. He then found a strange ne hanging from her neck.


    As he touched it, it suddenly cracked and became a pile of ash.


    ''Strange¡­''


    "Cough!" Coraline coughed up blood and copsed on the ground, with blood pouring out of her orifices.


    Her limbs all snapped, her neck broke, and all her bones shattered. It was like she suffered all the damage that had umted in her entire life!


    ''That ne was the reason for her regeneration!'' Ambrose concluded. ''However, once she loses the ne, all her umted damage will return to her.


    ''I guess that is a side effect of cheating death.''


    After sheathing his sword, Ambrose returned to the Whispering Pages through the broken walls and went straight upstairs.


    The door was barricaded.


    "Be!" Ambrose shouted and knocked on the barricaded door. "It''s over now. You both are all right?"


    "Y-yes!" Be''s voice came from the other side of the door. "Are you all right?"


    "Good¡­" Ambrose heaved a sigh of relief and said, "Close the store for tonight. I''ll bring some help to clean up this mess."


    "Will other Inquisitorse?" Be asked worryingly.


    "No, I''ll make sure of that." Ambrose said. ''She was alone, and Kiryu will make sure that no one else ventures here.''


    Thud¡ªhe heard the stuff used to barricade the door get thrown out of the way, and then the door opened slowly.


    Be pushed the door open and smiled after seeing him without any injuries.


    "Brother!" Emma came rushing and hugged his waist. "Who was she?"


    "A nobody." Ambrose rubbed her head and said, "Can you go close the store for us, please?"


    "All right!" Emma nodded urgently and rushed downstairs.


    After she was out of sight, Be entered his embrace and kissed him on the lips.


    Once they separated from the kiss, Be asked. "Will everything be all right??"


    "It will be." Ambrose wrapped his arms around her and held her close. "However, I''ll have to take a trip soon."


    "Trip where?" Be asked curiously.


    "To Yatagarasu. I''ll have to visit a ce near that." Ambrose sighed. "I''ll take a train, but the trip alone will probably take a few days, a week max."


    "Oh¡­" Be looked saddened but realized that there must be a good reason for it. "When will you leave?"


    "Tomorrow morning." He said. "I''ll try to be done with it quickly. There are some urgent things I need to learn."


    "Okay¡­" Be touched his robust chest and smiled shyly. "I''ll be missing you, so tonight, I''ll need you to fill my loneliness."


    "Mm, I don''t mind staying awake all night." Ambrose smiled and nted a kiss on her lips. "I can always sleep on the train."


    Be smiled brightly and then asked. "Do I really smell like you right now? Do you think Emma can smell it?"


    "Haha, does it matter if she does?" Ambrose asked with a smile. "I don''t think she will know what it means."


    "But what if my customers can smell it as well¡­" Be sniffed her sleeve and shrugged her shoulders. "I can''t smell anything different."


    "It''s good, I think." Ambrose touched her buttocks and gave her a slight squeeze. "At least they''ll know you are taken."


    "Keep your hands in check." Be pped his hands away yfully and nced downstairs. "I can hear Emmaing, dummy!"


    "Mm, I''ll suppose I''ll go get my students to help repair the shop." Ambrose said and rubbed her hair. "I might have broken the windows and a few walls."

 Chapter 375 Life Pearl

    <h4>Chapter 375 Life Pearl</h4>


    Bang, bang.


    The Whispering Pages was under construction after the recent battle between the Red Inquisitor and Ambrose.


    The windows were covered by heavy-looking drapes, and the door was locked.


    The walking pedestrians could only hear the distant banging of a hammer striking against wood. It was clear to them that it was under construction.


    At brief moments, they saw members of the former Reverse Tiger de walking out of the store with buckets of paint and wood nks.


    Currently, inside the store, the bookshelves were moved out of the way as people wearing white GI outfits repaired the walls and windows without a singleint.


    Meanwhile, Be gave everyone a water bottle and thanked them for the help with a bright smile. That alone made the male students of Immortal Dojo work even harder.


    Bang, bang¡ªnear one of the broken walls, Ambrose smashed the hammer down on the nails while a few of his students held the wooden nk against the wall.


    "Master." Tiger Erwin then returned from the abandoned alleyway behind Whispering Pages and cleaned his bloodied hands with a handkerchief. "The body has been disposed."


    "All right." Ambrose nodded and grabbed a handful of nails from the bucket. "Good work."


    "Yeah¡­" Tiger Erwin looked conflicted and then opened his mouth. "Master, this is a very dangerous business. You killed a Red Inquisitor!"


    "I am aware." Ambrose replied with a casual look while banging his hammer against the wooden nk.


    "If a word gets out, we''ll all be arrested alongside you." Tiger Erwin sighed. "I have nowhere to go, so I''ll still follow you, but most of the students are still young.


    "Their lives will be ruined if they are thrown into jail."


    Ambrose stopped moving the hammer and looked at him silently.


    The other students held the wooden nk silently, but their eyes perked up at their conversation. They were also quite afraid now that their master had killed one of the Inquisitors.


    "We knew you had a bounty¡ªa big one at that." Tiger Erwin let out a deep sigh and said with slight fear. "However, we cannot be criminals with you."


    "I understand." Ambrose nodded and stood up while patting some of the wood dust off his pants. "You do not have to worry. This was the first andst time that something like this happens."


    "Are you sure, master?" Tiger Erwin asked hesitantly.


    "You have my word." Ambrose patted his shoulder and said, "I have no intention of risking your lives.


    "That''s why you are still registered as the official master of Immortal Dojo." Ambrose then returned to fixing the wall and said, "If something happens to me, Immortal Dojo will stay out of that."


    "I understand¡­" Tiger Erwin sighed and asked, "A few students had already shown their intention to leave. You need to show them your worth."


    "No matter." Ambrose shook his head. "If they leave, let them. This is not a sprint, but a marathon. Soon enough,we will be recognized as one of the greatest dojos in the world.


    "Patience is needed. If my students don''t have one, they can leave."


    "All right, master." Tiger Erwin nodded with a hesitant look. He wondered how the future would turn out to be.


    He wanted to trust this young, powerful master in front of him, but he felt like hecked experience in how the world worked.


    Therefore, it was difficult for him to trust his word.


    "Once you leave, what will I do for the people who want to join our dojo?" Tiger Erwin asked.


    "Allow them to join for a trial period." Ambrose said and banged his hammer against the nail. "I''ll test them once I return."


    Tiger Erwin nodded and joined other students in painting the walls that had already been repaired.


    "Mm¡­" Ambrose hummed a tone while smashing his hammer against the almost-repaired wall, plunging a ck nail deep into the wooden nk.


    He didn''t sound like he was worried that his students would start to question his methods. It was as expected, and he knew that it would take time for them to fully trust him.


    In this process, he would weed out the students who didn''t trust him for their futures, so that only the truly loyal ones would remain in the end.


    ''I need loyal ones to watch my back.'' Ambrose thought and lifted his hammer.


    Bang!


    The hammer struck a ck nail, plunging it deep into the wall.


    ¡­


    Rumble!


    A silver lightning streaked across the dark, cloudy sky and then struck into a tall oak tree. It left the tree charred and ck.


    ng, ng!


    At the same moment, the sound of weapons shing reverberated across the darknds.


    Near the charred tree, mountains of corpses were piled up, with a stench of rot filling the air. In that same moment, rain started to fall and immediately soaked the corpses.


    Near the corpse mountain, a bloody battle ensued, with weapons shing, blood shedding, and screams mixing with the sound of death.


    The white-robed figures shed against rough-looking individuals, while the ground under their boots was muddy and bloody.


    A mighty fortress with tall walls stood near the battlefield, overseeing the mayhem with a watchful eye.


    In the fortress'' Watch Room, there was a wall with thousands of heart-shaped pearls nailed to it. Some were glowing white, some were brown, some were red, and the biggest heart-shaped pearls were ck.


    In that moment, one red pearl cracked and turned a shade darker. It signaled the death of the Red Inquisitor.


    Those were Life Pearls¡ªall the Inquisitors of the Light Continent had their Life Pearls nailed to the wall.


    It wasmon to see dozens of white-colored pearls crack and turn dark gray. It was evenmon with brown pearls. However, a red one was a very rare instance!


    After the red Life Pearl cracked, an rm sounded across the fortress, and several high-ranking Inquisitors rushed inside the watch room.


    The watch room''s Inquisitors, whose main job was to keep an eye on the battlefield and make sure that not a single criminal from Warhaven tried to escape, stood on the sides respectfully.


    They weren''t high-ranking enough to examine the cracked red Life Pearl. It was beyond their pay grade, as this meant that one of Sanctorioum''s strongest powerhouses was just eliminated!


    A red-robed Inquisitor took the pearl from the wall and turned it around to the side, which wasn''t cracked. There was a name written down.


    "Coraline Bridger¡­" He whispered in shock.


    It was a name known to everyone.


    "She is dead?" The other high-ranking Inquisitors whispered in shock.


    She was one of the best geniuses to be recruited. Unlike other Inquisitors, she wasn''t raised in Sanctorioum nor in the academy.


    She was found in a distant vige, and her monstrous strength surprised everyone. They wanted to use her strength, and they thought that with proper training, she had the potential to do great things.


    Now, the famous Coraline Bridger was dead!


    "Do you have any idea where she went?" The Red Inquisitor asked with an angry look. "She was supposed to be visiting Jersey Town!"


    "Could it be that she was ambushed?" Someone whispered.


    "Unlikely, we have an eye on almost all red-ranked ouws on the continent." Another whispered with a troubled look.


    "No one worth mentioning should have been in Jersey Town¡­"


    "God damn it!" The Red Inquisitor roared with such power that the weaker Inquisitors in the room fell to their knees.


    "We have to find out what happened. We''ll also have to inform Sir ck Inquisitor, like the rules instruct!"

 Chapter 376 Berserker Epidemic

    <h4>Chapter 376 Berserker Epidemic</h4>


    Smooch!


    In Amaterasu''s train station, a handsome purple-eyed man and a beautiful red-eyed woman shared an intimate kiss near the waiting train.


    A few onlookers blushed and looked away as they awaited for the train''s doors to open.


    They were used to seeing lovers kissing publicly before, but rarely two individuals with otherworldly, attractive looks.


    To many, it looked like a match made in heaven. However, there was also jealousy in the air.


    Nearby young men looked at the ck-haired man with burning jealousy, while several young women sighed in envy for the red-eyed woman''s luck.


    "Travel safe." Be said with a smile and left his embrace with a shy look. She could feel the stares, making her soft-looking cheeks burn in embarrassment.


    "I''ll return shortly." Ambrose picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder.


    He had taken so much stuff with him that everything couldn''t fit in his inventory. Therefore, he had to carry some.


    At that moment, the train doors opened, and the whistle echoed from the distance. The conductor started shouting to board the train.


    Ambrose stepped through the door and waved onest time to Be. Then he entered the fourth car and found himself a seat in the corner.


    It was a good seat as it was next to the window, and he would easily be able to see the scenery go by. In that spot, he could also see Be still standing in the train station, not nning to leave until the train had.


    "Here, this is a good spot." A bun-haired woman dragged her young-looking child behind her and took seats in front of Ambrose.


    The woman put her son''s backpack on herp, opened it, and brought out his sandwiches.


    While waiting for the train to start moving, they ate to fill their empty stomachs as there was a long train trip to their destination.


    As the fourth car of the train started to get full, only several seats were empty. The train whistle blew loudly, and the conductor announced that it was time to leave.


    After the announcement, the train''s wheels started moving slowly down the tracks.


    Ambrose looked out of the window and saw Be waving her hand with a forced smile. She wanted to look happy, but once again, he was leaving.


    He couldn''t force himself to smile and instead ced his hand against the window as if he were trying to hold her hand.


    At the same moment, she disappeared out of sight as the train left Amaterasu, with a trail of smoke following after it.


    Chung, chung, chung!


    The train entered the scenic route with lush, ever-growing forests standing in the background. It was full of wildlife hopping between trees, and therge-winged birds preyed on the small insects below.


    As the train had finally entered its trip to the far-away city of Yatagarasu, Ambrose left the seat with his backpack on his back and went straight to the restaurant car.


    Since it was a long trip, he nned to stretch his legs and perhaps get something to eat.


    The restaurant car was fancy, with its own bar counter and bartender. There was violin music ying in the background, and there were already a few customers dining on a few corner tables.


    Ambrose walked over to one of the open windows, which was mostly used to smoke a cigarette and to enjoy the scenic route.


    ''I am not much of a smoker, but since I can''t harm my real body here, so might as well.'' He took out a cigarette and matchstick, lit it up, and ced the cigarette between his lips.


    After taking a few puffs, he heard an interesting conversation from a corner table. It wasn''t really within earshot, but with his amplified senses caused by his Starborn constitution, it was a little bit easier to hear.


    A mustache-wearing man and a man with an obvious wig were eating a fancy steak dinner with red wine on the side. They were getting a little tipsy and started to talk about recent rumors of Amaterasu.


    "T-the world is indeed doomed." The man with the mustacheughed. "This recent epidemic makes me scared. What if it spreads to humans?"


    "Mm, the Berserker Epidemic." The wig-wearing man cut a piece of the steak with the knife. "I heard it''s bing more frequent."


    "Excuse me, gentlemen."


    They turned their heads and saw a purple-eyed man walking over to them with a cigarette in his mouth. His broad-shouldered, robust-looking body made them feel small and nervous.


    "What is this Berserker Epidemic?" Ambrose asked curiously while taking a puff.


    "U-uhm, you from Amaterasu?" The mustache man asked after clearing his throat.


    "I am." Ambrose looked at the wig-wearing man and asked. "May I sit with you, gentleman? Also, can I get the window seat? I want to open the window since I am smoking, as you can see."


    "A-ah, sure." The wig-wearing man stood up and stepped aside with a humble look. He didn''t dare say no to this powerful-looking man.


    "I appreciate." Ambrose sat next to the window and opened the window, then dangled his arm out of the window while taking in the wind.


    The wig-wearing man didn''t dare to sit beside him and instead sat beside his friend. They looked at him awkwardly and nced at each other briefly, signaling to each other with their eyes.


    "Well, weren''t you talking about this Berserker Epidemic?" Ambrose nced at them and took a puff of the cigarette. "I am curious about this rumor."


    "A-ah, yes." As the mustache-wearing man was about to talk, Ambrose raised his arm again.


    "Oh, very rude of me." Ambrose chuckled and asked. "What are your two names? My name is Jesse Cornwood. Nice to meet you."


    "A-ah, my name is Don Le Mark Count." The mustache-wearing man said with a gentlemanly bow.


    "M-my name is Maul Well." The wig-wearing man said with an awkward smile.


    "All right, Mark and Maul." Ambrose smoked the cigarette and motioned with his hand to continue.


    "I-It''s not Mark, b-but okay." Mark wanted to say that wasn''t his first name, but he didn''t bother and opened his mouth. "Berserker Epidemic is a new epidemic that causes animals to lose control."


    "Y-yeah." Maul nodded like a chicken pecking. "Cats, rats, horses, and even roons had suddenly lost control of themselves. They sound and look like they are under immense pain, then they attack everything around them."


    "Oh¡­" Ambrose looked thoughtful and said, "I saw a horse like that. So, that was because of the Berserker Epidemic?"


    "Yeah." Mark nodded. "No one knows where it came from, and the doctors arepletely helpless. The only choice is to give animals a merciful death, as there aren''t any cures."


    "We are fearing that it might spread to humans," Maul said.


    "Mm¡­" Ambrose took a puff and thought. ''So, more animals are suddenly getting soul injuries? But why, and who is doing this? I think this epidemic is bullshit, and it''s the doings of a person.


    ''Whatever is the case, I''ll have to learn soul healing. I don''t want to feel that pain ever again, and knowing how to heal myself from any injuries is very useful.''


    "T-that''s pretty much everything we know." Mark said.


    "Mm, I appreciate it." Ambrose stood up and tossed the cigarette out of the window. "Have a nice dinner."


    Ambrose left the restaurant car and walked down a hallway of sleeping cars, where the passengers in their own rooms stayed. He didn''t bother to get one, as they were unnecessarily expensive.


    At this moment, one of the doors opened, and Ambrose had to stop as the doorpletely obstructed his path.

 Chapter 377 Hunger

    <h4>Chapter 377 Hunger</h4>


    The door closed with a m. It was so loud that one would think that the door broke from that.


    A sick-looking man with a running nose and a dirty, long coat stepped out of his room. It looked like he was currently having the flu, and he seemed very poor.


    Rumble¡ªAmbrose suddenly felt his stomach rumbling with hunger.


    ''I ate a few hours ago, and I am again hungry¡­'' He thought to himself.


    "Excuse me, young man." The sick-looking man stayed near the wall and walked past him. "Mind letting this old man pass¡­"


    "Oh, sorry." Ambrose stepped aside and watched as the sick-looking man entered the restaurant car, closing the door behind him.


    As he was about to walk past the sick-looking man''s room, he smelled something decaying. He covered his nose and looked at the room with a worrying frown.


    ''What a disgusting stench. Has something died in there?''


    "Sheesh¡­" Ambrose pinched his nose and walked away from the room and the smell.


    It smelled like something was rotting there, but he highly doubted it. He just thought that it might be a plugged toilet or something.


    He left the sleeping car and closed the door behind him.


    Inside the sick-looking man''s room, there were withered corpses strewn across the room. They were all skinny, almost made of mere bones as if they died of starvation.


    In that moment, they vanished into fleeting pixels, erasing all the traces of them ever being there. However, the disgusting stench still remained.


    Near the closed windows, mosquitoes inhaled the stench and let out a short shriek before also dying. They turned skinny, as if they all suffered from sudden starvation.


    ¡­


    After Ambrose returned to his seat, he witnessed a strange sight.


    Everyone in the same car was eating.


    The mother-and-son pair in front of him were eating their final sandwiches. They had enough tost a few days, at least, yet they had eaten it all already.


    ''I am hungry as well, but I would need to log off to fill up my stomach.'' Ambrose felt like it was troublesome.


    "E-excuse me, young man." The bun-haired woman peeked over the chair and whispered with a pleading look. "Do you have any food with you?"


    "Huh?" Ambrose looked at her and saw her pleading look. "Uh, sure¡­"


    He took out a few apples and gave them to her.


    She snatched them from his hand and started munching on them greedily. She didn''t bother giving the other one to her son, and she stuffed it inside her mouth.


    After swallowing both, she whispered despairingly. "A-anything else, please?"


    "Haven''t you had enough?" Ambrose frowned and looked over the chair at the son, who was hugging his stomach as if he were in a lot of pain.


    "Kid, are you hungry?"


    "I-I am hungry!" His mother screamed, and she grabbed his hand. "P-please, food!"


    "Hands off." Ambrose pped her hand away. "Your son is not looking good."


    "Food, food, food!" Every person in the car started chanting as if they were part of the chorus.


    After they finished eating their food, they started eating their own nails and slowly started biting their own fingers. It was a wicked sight.


    "What the hell is going on¡­" Ambrose whispered in shock and also felt his stomach rumbling as if there were a storm inside him.


    "Hungry¡­ hungry¡­" The young child in front of him whispered in pain, and he started to look more malnourished with every second.


    "Food¡­" His mother turned to look at him; her eyes turned red, and she drooled. "Food."


    She opened her mouth wide and approached her son as if he looked like a juicy burger in her eyes.


    When she was about to take a bite of her son''s face, Ambrose backhanded across her face and threw her to the floor.


    "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Ambrose left his seat and looked at the bun-haired woman who was now licking the floor.


    "Kid, are you all right?" He reached out his hand to the kid, and he suddenly turned around with a crazy look on his face and bit on his hand.


    "What¡­" Ambrose watched as the kid bit his hand, but he couldn''t prate through his durable flesh. His flesh was, after all, Starborn''s flesh, and it wasn''t easy to break through.


    He moved his arm behind the kid, scooped him up into his arms, and left the car while carrying the kid.


    However, even when he went to other cars, the same strange scenery happened. Everyone looked like they were starving, and some had already started eating others.


    "Something diabolical is happening inside the train." Ambrose gritted his teeth, rushed through the car, smashed the door open, and soon arrived at the restaurant car.


    Mark and Maul were munching on food with dozens of tes piled up in front of them. They didn''t even bother swallowing as they stuffed more food inside their mouths.


    "Mark, Maul, are you all right?" Ambrose approached them with the kid in his arms, who was still trying to bite through his flesh.


    Mark and Maul didn''t bother answering, as they were too busy eating.


    After smelling the stench of food, the kid jumped out of his arms and smashed into the table. He started stealing food from Mark and Maul and began stuffing the food into his tiny mouth with both hands.


    "What is happening?" Ambrose''s eyes shook, and he felt like he was living in a nightmare.


    At that moment, the rotting stench returned, lingering across the restaurant car.


    Ambrose pinched his nose and turned around to look towards the bar counter. The bartender therey lifelessly on the counter, his eyes dead and his body malnourished.


    Then he saw a person sitting in the corner of the restaurant room. It was the sick-looking man who was eating dinner slowly.


    Unlike others who stuff food into their mouths like barbarians, he used a fork and knife to cut down the steak and ate slowly.


    Ambrose slowly approached him with a careful look and asked. "Sir, are you all right?"


    "I am fine and dandy." The sick-looking man took a napkin and blew his nose. "Are you hungry, young man?"


    "There is something wrong going on here¡­" Ambrose pointed at the other table with three figures fighting over food. "Everyone is suddenly starving. Do you know what the hell is happening?"


    "A famine has struck." The sick-looking man said and put a piece of steak into his mouth.


    "Famine?" Ambrose frowned and clenched his fist, then suspiciously asked. "Are you responsible for this?"


    "Responsible?" The sick-looking man put the knife and fork down on the table. "Who can truly say?"


    Ambrose drew his wooden sword and ced it against his neck. "Stop this sorcery, or I will."


    "You are hungry; go eat." The sick-looking man said.


    His words had a strange power in them. His voice sounded ancient and cold, with some roughness, as if his nose were clogged.


    "Ugh¡­" Ambrose copsed on the ground and hugged his stomach with an agonizing look.


    Rumbleee¡ªhis stomach rumbled as his body screamed for hunger.


    The sick-looking man looked like he had finished eating and stood up while wiping his lips with the napkin. He looked at Ambrose with his ck eyes, smiled, and left the restaurant car.


    His footsteps echoed with a powerful sound.


    Tap! Tap! Tap!

 Chapter 378 Famine

    <h4>Chapter 378 Famine</h4>


    Crash!


    Ambrose crashed through a door and saw everyone wrestling on the ground, trying to eat others with drooling mouths and blood-red eyes.


    On the other side of the car, the sick-looking man opened the door, looked over his shoulder at Ambrose with a slight smile, and then stepped through.


    Ambrose pulled out his wooden sword and shed through the air, sending a golden-colored sh flying across the car.


    It destroyed the door and the side of the passenger car, but the sick-looking man had already entered another car. He was looking back at Ambrose through the window with a smile on his face.


    It was as if he was just ying around with him.


    "Formlessness!" Ambrose flew across the passenger car and smashed through the door of another car. He sent a golden-colored sh across the car, trying to avoid the passengers, and hoped it would hit the sick-looking man.


    However, the sick-looking man had vanished somewhere.


    Ambrose frowned, jumped out of the window, and used Formlessness to fly on top of the train. He saw the sick-looking man standing on top of the train with his long coat fluttering against the wind.


    "Stop this!" Ambrose screamed, crossed the distance with a single step, and brought his wooden sword down with a rageful scream.


    The sick-looking man dodged the sword with a sidestep and flicked his finger. The flick created a shockwave bullet that struck Ambrose in the chest and sent him hurling across the air.


    "Argh!" Ambrose stabbed the wooden sword into the roof of the train and stopped himself from flying any further. He then kicked the air andunched towards the sick-looking man.


    Rumble¡ªhis stomach rumbled.


    "Aren''t you hungry?" The sick-looking man smiled and moved his finger into a flicking stance. "You should go satisfy your hunger; otherwise, you might starve to death.


    He then flicked his finger and created a shockwave bullet that moved at the speed of the real bullet.


    Ambrose quickly ced the wooden sword in front of him and blocked the shockwave bullet.


    However, it still sent him flying back like a kite.


    He quickly used Formlessness to stop his body mid-air and flew back to the sick-looking man. He repeatedly smashed his sword down.


    The sick-looking man weaved past the sword with calcted and urate steps. It looked like he knew where the sword would go before his opponent moved.


    "Mortal Style, D?mon!" Ambrose smashed his sword down.


    The sick-looking man blocked the wooden sword with his bare hand, and the train roof below his feet cracked and dented.


    The attack was obviously inhumanly powerful, but the sick-looking man still managed to effortlessly block it.


    "Hunger Strike." The sick-looking man mmed his fist deep into Ambrose''s gut.


    "Ugh!" Ambrose fell down to his knees and held his chest.


    Rumble!


    He had never been this hungry before in his life. He felt like he could eat anything to satisfy his hunger.


    Even the food that he didn''t fancy before felt very tempting. He only wanted to eat something to fulfill his hunger.


    At that moment, his flesh turned crispy, and his muscr body started to shrink.


    His body started to look malnourished at a visible speed.


    [HP: 300/660]


    [-100 HP]


    [HP: 200/660]


    [-100 HP]


    [HP: 100/660]


    [-99 HP]


    [HP: 1/660]


    [Immortality Activated!]


    [Time: 3:00]


    Ambrose looked like a skeleton, with barely any flesh. His flesh looked like a sheet of paper that could easily tear. His ribcage was visible, almost breaking through his flesh.


    His face also looked like it had aged sixty years, and his legs were so skinny that they wouldn''t be able to hold his body''s weight.


    "Want something to eat?" The sick-looking man crouched in front of him and brought an orange from his back pocket. He rubbed it against his dirty coat and offered it to him.


    "A juicy orange."


    "Ngh¡­" Ambrose let out a pained groan and reached out towards the orange.


    However, then the sick-looking man pulled his hand back and took arge bite of the orange. He let out a happy and relieved sigh.


    "Very tasty. This orange is from the orangnds of Beautyville. They grow the oranges there, and there is something about the soil there that makes the oranges there delicious."


    "Ng¡­" Ambrose lowered his head, and he was too hungry to move his arms anymore.


    However, his fingers twitched slightly, and they pointed towards the sick-looking man. It looked like his fingers were trying to grasp something.


    In that moment, a transparent light started to seep out of the sick-looking man''s body.


    Ambrose was trying to steal his fate!


    "You are a bold one." The sick-looking man smiled, and the stolen fate started to return to his body. "Horseman''s fate is corrupted, anyway."


    ''W-why is it not working?'' Ambrose wondered in despair and saw the transparent light return to the sick-looking man''s body.


    The sick-looking man looked over to the grasnds. The train was passing past an abandoned-looking town with its buildings ruined. It was in the middle of the grasnds.


    "Oh, my stop is here." He chuckled and finished eating the orange.


    "W-who are you?" Ambrose whispered painfully.


    "Who I am is not important. What I represent is." The sick-looking man said that and suddenly whistled. His whistle carried a malicious aura that traveled across the air.


    "W-what do you represent?" Ambrose asked with an almost inaudible voice. He felt his hunger was eating him inside out.


    "I represent famine." The sick-looking man said and smiled. "So, you can call me Famine."


    "Famine¡­"


    Neigh¡ªat that moment, a powerful neigh reverberated throughout the air.


    A ck horse with wide ck wings descended from the sky. It looked just like the Chrysallis horses, but far more evil-looking and menacing.


    Itnded next to Famine with a hungry-sounding neigh.


    Famine mounted the horse and caressed its mane.


    "Famine follows me, you see." Famine said and looked at the nearly-dead Ambrose. "Therefore, once I leave, the famine leaves with me.


    "This''ll be a lesson for you all. Be grateful for having food with you; be grateful for being able to eat warm food; and be grateful for living without famine."


    Neigh¡ªthe horse neighed loudly and pped its enormous wings as it went airborne. It flew away with Famine.


    It started to fly towards the abandoned town in the distance.


    "Argh!" Ambrose touched his stomach and felt his hunger slowly vanish.


    "T-this was a lesson? What an evil being."


    Screech¡ªthe train''s wheels let out bright sparks as it came to a sudden stop. It was clear that the train conductor and driver wanted to ensure that everyone was all right.


    After his immortality ended, Ambrose let out a scream, and his body slowly returned to its previous state. His muscles looked as solid as ever, and his face looked younger once again.


    "Fuck!" Ambrose let out a loud scream. "Can''t I ever have a proper trip somewhere?!"


    He breathed heavily and used his Formlessness to fly back to the restaurant car. He wanted to ensure that the kid was alright.


    After returning to the restaurant car, he saw Mark and Maul groan painfully on the ground. Their stomachs were swollen, as it looked like they had eaten a little bit too much.


    However, it looked like they would survive that.


    The kid, on the other hand, was being hugged by his mother. It also seemed like they remembered everything that happened, and to some, it was very traumatizing.


    However, luckily, both seemed all right.


    "Whew¡­" Ambrose pinched his be. "What a lesson."

 Chapter 379 Emperor of the Crimson Blade

    <h4>Chapter 379 Emperor of the Crimson de</h4>


    The train came to a screeching halt at Yatagarasu''s train station.


    As the doors swung open, the passengers departed the train with still-taken-aback expressions.


    The train trip was quite something.


    Some of them nned this to be theirst train trip ever. After the strange experience, they never wanted to suffer through it again.


    Ambrose stepped out of the train with backpack slung over his shoulder.


    He looked at the nearly-ruined Yatagarasu with a nostalgic expression. It was currently in the rebuilding process, and most of the streets were still in ruins and had copsed.


    It would take years until Yatagarasu returned to its former glory.


    "Back here¡­" Ambrose followed behind the passengers, who left in the same station.


    It was mostly construction workers and old residents who were trying to rebuild and restore the city. It was a slow and arduous process, but they were determined to bring back its former beauty.


    As they stepped through the gated entrance, the sound of hammering and drilling filled the air.


    Near a copsed building with its roof sunk under the rubble, a group of workers worked tirelessly to clear the debris and salvage any salvageable materials.


    A bushy-bearded man with a rough-looking countenance tried to lift a heavy-looking piece of wood but struggled under its weight.


    In that moment, he noticed a strong-looking man walking down the sidewalk with his backpack dangling from his back. He looked like he could lend a helping hand.


    "Hey, brother, mind giving me a hand?" He asked with a rough voice and waved his hand, signaling who talked.


    Ambrose looked over to him, saw him wave towards him, and nodded briefly. He walked over to the ruined building with hands on his pockets and saw the bushy-bearded man trying to lift a heavy-looking wooden nk.


    "Thank you, brother." The bushy-bearded man said in gratitude and bent his knees to lift the wooden nk with more force. "Grab it from the other side!"


    Ambrose nodded and without taking the backpack off his back, he grabbed the wooden nk with both hands.


    "3¡­ 2¡­ 1¡­ now!"


    They lifted the wooden nk effortlessly and dumped it beside the other construction materials.


    "Whew¡­" The bushy-bearded man wiped his sweat and chuckled. "You are strong. That didn''t feel like anything!"


    "Mm, you are rebuilding this building?" Ambrose nudged his chin towards the copsed building.


    It looked like it had been through a war. Its pointed roof was now a pile of rubble, and its walls were crumbling in various ces. Only a few beams remained standing, barely holding the structure together.


    The other construction workers were busy repairing the damage and clearing away debris. They asionally found some old framed pictures that had miraculously survived the destruction.


    "Yeah, this building had historic significance." The bushy-bearded man spoke, his voice filled with a hint of nostalgia for the past.


    "This was once the home of the Emperor." The man''s words hung in the air, reminding them of the grandeur that once filled the now dpidated building.


    "Oh, I didn''t know this was empire once." Ambrose stepped on one of the copsed beams and gazed over to the overgrown gardens, imagining what they must have looked like in their prime.


    "Haha, it never was." The bushy-bearded man said with a chuckle and crouched on the ground, taking a few pebbles into his hand that had almost turned to powder.


    "I am not talking Emperor as in the leader." He tossed the pebbles away and dusted off his hands. "Ever heard of the Emperor of the Crimson de?"


    "No, doesn''t ring a bell." Ambrose crossed his arms and shook his head.


    "Here, follow me." The bushy-bearded man stood up, motioning for Ambrose to follow him.


    They left the copsed building and walked down a cracked sidewalk while the bushy-bearded man began to recount the tales of the Emperor of the Crimson de.


    "The Emperor of the Crimson de lived countless eons ago. He was said to possess unimaginable power and ruled over an empire of blood and steel.


    "Back then, humans weren''t ruling over anything, and he was the first human to ever receive the title of Emperor."


    Ambrose listened closely while watching construction workers rebuild the fallen city. Their hammers echoed through the air, their rhythmic strikes symbolizing the resilience of humanity in the face of adversity.


    "Back then, it was the Gods who ruled over us mortals!" The bushy-bearded man pointed towards the bright skies with his weathered hand.


    Rumble¡ªit was as if lightning struck the ground somewhere far away because of his statement.


    "Emperor of the Crimson de challenged their rule and became the official leader of humanity. It is unknown how his life ended, but his legacy is still etched into these very walls!"


    They came to a stop in front of Yatagarasu''s towering walls. The walls had stood tall for countless generations and even the goblins couldn''t break through them.


    "This is the Wall of Champions." The bushy-bearded man looked at the countless engraved pictures on the walls and smiled. "These are all the recorded heroes of Yatagarasu."


    Ambrose stood beside him with his arms crossed.


    "This is the Emperor of the Crimson de." He said, pointing at the single figure in the middle of the wall. It was as if every other picture was created around it.


    That figure was wielding a crimson sword, its de gleaming with a fiery intensity that could rival the sun. He was surrounded by hordes of bloodthirsty enemies.


    Ambrose looked at the figure with a strange sense of familiarity. He couldn''t shake the feeling that he had seen that crimson sword before.


    In that strange moment, he also felt a strange pulling forceing from his inventory. However, as soon as he looked away the engraving, it stopped.


    ''Strange¡­''


    The bushy-bearded man then noticed the newest engraving. It had appeared after the destruction of Yatagarasu and it was the city''s newest hero.


    "This is our newest hero." He said with a smile and traced his hand across the engraving. "A single person fought against the might of the goblin army, and single-handedly defeat them.


    "In the same process, he saved many citizens of Yatagarasu, and made this whole rebuilding possible."


    "Oh, who¡­" Ambrose looked over to the engraving and his breath stopped momentarily.


    It looked oddly familiar.


    The engraving had a lonely-looking person wielding two mighty swords while facing the might of the goblin army and their malevolent leader.


    It looked very heroic.


    "The hero''s name is Ambrose." The bushy-bearded man said with a deep sigh. "I know that he is nowadays considered a highly dangerous criminal and is an enemy of justice.


    "However, we''ll never consider him one. He is the hero of our people."


    "Ahah¡­" Ambrose let out a short chuckle and said. "It sure looks heroic."


    "Haha, it indeed does!" The bushy-bearded man then brought out his pocket watch and said, "I''ll have to go back to work."


    "By the way, what is your name?" He looked over to the purple-eyed man.


    From the moment he saw him, he thought he looked familiar, but he couldn''t really pinpoint where he had seen him before. He was sure that maybe his face was on the newspaper once.


    "You may call me as Jesse." Ambrose chuckled and asked. "Do you know if there any horse rentals nearby?"


    "Ah, yes, in that direction." The bushy-bearded man pointed towards a far-away field where a ranch could be seen. It was a picturesque view, with horses grazing peacefully in the distance.


    It was located outside Yatagarasu and was a pretty small neighboring town. It was mostly farmers town, and it was alsopletely destroyed by goblin''s attack.


    However, it had been rebuilt rather quickly.


    "Ah, thank you."


    "No proble¡ª" The bushy-bearded man turned around, but to his surprise, the purple-eyed man had vanished into thin air.


    "Eh?"

 Chapter 380 Honorable Ambrose

    <h4>Chapter 380 Honorable Ambrose</h4>


    Gallop¡ªa brown-maned horse galloped down the forest, carrying a man dressed in a ck poncho with a backpack on his back.


    Ambrose watched as the Nether Forest flew by him at fleeting speed. He felt rather rxed.


    He didn''t choose to fly instead to the Honorable Temple, as he wanted to enjoy the scenic route and take in the beauty of nature along the way.


    If he had flown, he would''ve arrived already, and it felt like a rather disappointing way of traveling.


    Swoosh¡ªin that moment, an arrow suddenly whizzed past him, narrowly missing his ear.


    "Huh?" Ambrose pulled the horse''s reins, and came to an instant stop.


    He turned to see where the arrow came from, and at that moment, five figures with ragged clothes jumped out of their hiding spots. They were armed with rusty swords and hungry looks on their faces.


    "Bandits?" Ambrose thought out loud.


    "Well, well, look what we have in here!" A bandit with a long tongue licked his lips and sneered, "Fresh meat."


    "Jump off the horse, now!" A long-haired bandit screamed.


    Ambrose put his arms up and slowly dismounted.


    "I am only a traveler. There is no need for this hostility." Ambrose pleaded for a peaceful solution and looked around at the bandits.


    "Drop your backpack!" A busty-breasted woman shouted with a bow and arrow in her hand. It looked like she was the one who shot the arrow.


    Ambrose nodded, and slid the backpack off his shoulder. Itnded on the ground beside him.


    The long-haired bandit used his rusty sword to pick up the backpack and opened it carefully, revealing a stash of food and brown scrolls inside.


    "So much food, and these scrolls look valuable!" The long-haired banditughed sinisterly as he realized his fortune had just increased significantly.


    "Good!" The busty-breasted banditughed and pointed the bow at Ambrose with a sinister look.


    "Thank you for the valuables. We don''t want anyoneing to look for us, so we''ll make sure you won''t be able to tell anyone."


    She pulled the bowstring and fired an arrow.


    Ambrose drew his wooden sword and shed around him like a whirlwind. The arrow stopped in mid-air, and so did the bandits.


    "Neighh!" The brown-maned horse kicked up its legs into the air and let out a deep neigh.


    Ambrose slowly sheathed his sword, and once it reached the end of the scabbard, the arrow split in half, and the bandits fell down to the ground.


    "I don''t have to feel bad knowing that I killed trash." Ambrose said, and looked at the dead-looking bandits, who were nkly staring ahead.


    "If you had let me go, I would''ve spared your lives and left you with some food. You guys chose the wrong option; regret in hell."


    Ambrose picked up the backpack from the ground and mounted the horse. He then caressed its mane and whispered.


    "Go."


    The horse kicked its legs high into the air and then stormed forward with loud galloping noises. It ran faster than ever before, as if the whisper had some kind of power that influenced it.


    After rushing through a tree-filled forest, the horse burst through the branches and arrived at the rocky terrain. There was a long uphill that seemed to lead up the mountain.


    Ambrose controlled the horse with the reins and made it gallop up the hill.


    In a few moments, Ambrose and the horse came to a stop in front of the arc-shaped entrance. It was strangely in the middle of the uphill, and it didn''t have a fence to stop going around it.


    He slowly mounted the horse and patted it on the head.


    "You can return; thank you."


    "Neigh!" The horse neighed and started running in the same direction as where they came from.


    Ambrose then grabbed the backpack''s strap, and stepped through the entrance. It felt like he had entered a whole new world.


    Swoosh¡ªin that moment, a sword stabbed the ground in front of him, and stopped him from taking another step.


    "Who may you be?" A bald-headed man with a long, flowing robe appeared on top of the archway. He had his hands hidden inside the sleeves, and it made him look wise.


    "Hello, brother." Ambrose brought out a badge from his inventory and showed it to the bald-headed monk.


    The bald-headed man''s eyes shrank and he said. "You are an outsider. Only one outsider has ever received the badge¡­"


    At that moment, his eyes widened in surprise, and hended down on the ground, and pulled out his sword from the ground.


    "My apologizes, Honorable Ambrose." He ced the side of his sword against his chest, and bowed respectfully. "I didn''t recognize you."


    "That was to be expected." Ambrose smiled and asked. "Is the grandmaster in the temple?"


    "Yes, the evening ceremony should be over. Want to go meet him?"


    "Yes, let''s go." Ambrose pocketed his badge and followed after the bald-headed man as they started to walk back to the temple.


    A short walkter, they stepped through the entrance of the hidden town and saw a bustling marketce filled with locals going about their business. The aroma of various spices and foods wafted through the air, enticing their senses.


    It was the same mesmerizing atmosphere that Ambrose remembered. He saw the stone paths running up the mountainsides towards cottages built on top of the hills.


    Then, he saw the mighty-looking statue sending arge shadow across the town, and the temple that was built right in the middle of it.


    A distant chanting of monks reverberated from distance away, and it made many townsfolk to close their eyes and chant in the same rhythm.


    As Ambrose and the bald-headed man walked through the town, he soon noticed the strange door stuck in the mountain wall. It was the hidden entrance to the city of evil, Warhaven!


    ''It''s been some time since I visited that ce. Maybe I should since I am already here.'' Ambrose thought.


    "Ambrose?" At that moment, a voice sounded behind him.


    Ambrose came to an instant halt, and turned around with a pleasant surprise. He didn''t expect someone to recognize him, and when he saw who it was, he smiled.


    "Honorable Zhen." He sped his hands and bowed respectfully.


    "Honorable Ambrose." Zhen, with his head bald as always, bowed with the same respect. "We didn''t expect you to return so soon."


    "I have some questions for my master." Ambrose said, and then remembered something.


    "Right, Zhen, you know how to heal the soul injuries, correct?"


    "Yes, I do, brother." Zhen walked next to him, and joined them in the walk towards the temple. "I only know how to heal soul injuries with potions."


    "I see¡­" Ambrose nodded, and as they approached the stairs that went up to the temple, he said, "I need to learn soul healing. I got my soul injured again recently."


    "Oh, I see." Zhen nodded and rubbed his chin. "I am sure the Wisdom King can help you with that. Anyway, wee back, and I am sure he will be pleasantly surprised."


    "I might''ve made some messtely, he is not angry that his disciple is a wanted man?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    Zhen chuckled and smiled. "No. I think he is happy. You have grown strong; already red-ranked ouw!


    "It means your strength has grown, and that has made the Wisdom King very happy. You would already be a big shot in Warhaven."


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded with a smile.


    "I have also noticed that you aren''t carrying your weapons with you." Zhen nced at the wooden sword that was dangling from his hip. "Instead, you are carrying this toy with you."


    "This is my only weapon, as of right now." Ambrose sighed. "My weapons unfortunately broke."


    "I see." Zhen nodded. "Well, our cksmiths can forge a weapon for you. We have some materials with us, and if you have some with you, we can use those."


    "Ah, I don''t think I have¡­"


    In that moment, Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock.


    "No wait, I actually have some!"


    ''How could I''ve forgotten about those? I have 10 pieces of Crimson Metal!''

 Chapter 381 Four Things

    <h4>Chapter 381 Four Things</h4>


    "You do? Good." Zhen nodded, and pointed his finger towards a small hut that was tucked in the corner of the town.


    The hut had a chimney with smoke billowing out of it, and the hut was mostly created by square-shaped rocks. It looked very durable.


    "That''s where the cksmith lives." Zhen said and returned his gaze to the temple above the stairs.


    "When you''ve finished your business with the Wisdom King, you should give him a visit." He then nced at the purple-eyed man.


    If he hadn''t seen the newspaper, he wouldn''t have recognized him, at all. It was not only his appearance that had changed; his whole vibe waspletely different.


    He left the Honorable Temple as a boy but returned as a man.


    "Aight." Ambrose nodded and started thinking about what kind of sword he wanted while walking up the long flight of stairs.


    ''I wonder if 10 pieces of crimson metal are enough for two swords.''


    After the walk came to end, they arrived at the final step of the flight of stairs, and entered the temple.


    There were bald-headed disciples prostrating in the yard, chanting towards the golden statue with fervent-looking gazes.


    Smack, smack¡ªa distance away, two bald-headed Honorables were fighting with training swords.


    As they moved across the training ground, they looked as if they weighed less than a feather, as their steps seemed very light.


    It almost looked like they also used Formlessness, but there wasn''t the same kind of fluidity as with Ambrose''s movements.


    The Honorable''s movements looked like they had a reason for every step; a meaning and strategy behind their strikes.


    Ambrose''s movements were random andpletely based on instinct. It didn''t look like he thought a second longer about what he had to do.


    That was the principle of Formlessness.


    He, of course, still didn''t fight without thinking. He thought a lot, but with Formlessness, he couldn''t as well as he moved too fast even for his own liking.


    He never wanted to focus his swordsmanship on randomness and quickness. Therefore, he had another reason for visiting the Wisdom King.


    Perhaps he could finally finish creating his style''s foundation.


    The Formlessness was an incredibly valuable skill to have, and Ambrose was never going to stop using it. However, he wanted to learn to use it the other way¡ªthe way of the Immortal Style.


    The bald-headed Honorable walked over to the temple''s heavy-looking doors and pushed them open. It swung open slowly, and opened the view to the temple''s altar.


    At this moment, several Honorables were bowing underneath a smaller statue, resembling the golden statue that stood outside. They were chanting something under their breath.


    A thin, pale-faced man sat cross-legged in front of the smaller statue. He then opened his aged eyes and stood up while his old bones creaked.


    As he turned around, he watched as three figures entered the temple.


    The bald-headed Honorable bowed respectfully, and joined other honorables in praying and chanting towards the small statue.


    Zhen smashed his fist against his open palm and bowed respectfully. His long, stretching earlobes still had the earrings that made him look like a hooligan.


    Ambrose smashed his fist against his open palm and bowed. "Master."


    "Honorable Ambrose." The Wisdom King showed an elderly smile, and motioned for both of them to follow after him.


    They headed to the second floor, where they entered the balcony, and sat down at a circr table. They could see the entire town and the nearby valley from the balcony.


    "I honestly didn''t expect to see you so soon." The Wisdom King chuckled and looked out of the door towards a clean-shaved servant.


    The servant wasn''t a disciple of his or Honorable, but a young man from the town. His parents died by mountain lion attack when he was still a young, but he was adopted by other family.


    After hearing about his past, the Wisdom King hired him to be his personal servant. It would allow him to earn some silver while also learning about his martial arts.


    The Wisdom King motioned for the young man to bring him his tea pot.


    The clean-shaven young man bowed, brought the tea pot, and poured them all a drink. He then left with a bow and stood outside the balcony.


    "I have heard about your deeds from the newspaper." The Wisdom King chuckled and looked into his disciple''s purple eyes. "The ck Demon who terrorized Hightown. Then went to Dark Waters to be a red-ranked ouw."


    "The newspaper isn''t the most credible source, that''s for sure." Ambrose chuckled and took a sip of the tea.


    "Of course they aren''t." The Wisdom Kingughed and said, "They are half-controlled by Inquisitors, after all. They can choose whatever they want to add to the paper."


    "They''ve been spreading some false rumors about me; what''s up with that?" Ambrose asked. "The lie about me being Reinhardt''s disciple. That rumor came alongside the usation that I was somehow involved with Hightown''s attack."


    "It put a bigger target on your back." The Wisdom King said. "Inquisitors aren''t fools. They are devious, and they have used these tricks before.


    "Reinhardt had a lot of enemies, not only the other wanted people but also bounty hunters." He said, took a sip of the tea, and continued.


    "With this rumor, they created hundreds of new enemies for you. The Inquisitors want to find you, as it''s a hefty paycheck if they capture you.


    "However, they also want to use others to either find you or kill you. If you end up in a fight with one of them, trust me, the Red Inquisitors will find out, and they''ll stay on that track like hunting dogs; never let go.


    "However, even if they don''t find you, they are more than pleased if you die to one of Reinhardt''s enemies. They are wealthy enough to miss out on your bounty reward.


    "If the n seeds and you die because of their scheming, their reputation among ck Inquisitors will rise. ck Inquisitors value scheming and powerful Inquisitors.


    "Therefore, most Red Inquisitors only value promotion at this point. They have more money than they could spend, and now they just want more power."


    "I see." Ambrose sighed and said, "I killed one Red Inquisitor a while back."


    "Pfft!" Zhen spat out the tea, identally sttering the tea across the Wisdom King''s face.


    His eyes widened in shock. "G-grandmaster, I am sorry!"


    "Ngh¡­" The Wisdom King looked nkly ahead.


    "Master!" The clean-shaven servant came with the napkin and wiped his drenched face.


    The Wisdom King massaged his temples and asked. "You did what now?"


    "I killed a Red Inquisitor." Ambrose sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I had no other choice, unfortunately."


    "I see¡­" The Wisdom King caressed his chin and chuckled before erupting intoughter. "Hahahahaha!"


    "G-grandmaster?" Zhen had never seen the Wisdom Kingugh this hard, and he wondered whether he had identally gone mad because he spat the tea onto his face.


    "Good, good!" The Wisdom King mmed his hand on the table, and grinned ear-to-ear. "You''ve grown stronger!"


    "Thank you, master." Ambrose bowed with a smile.


    "Still, you''ve got a long way to go before you can oppose the ckies." The Wisdom King took a deep breath as he again felt his scars tingle in pain.


    The pale-skinned face with white eyes and long, flowy white hair shed through his mind.


    ''Matchitehew!''


    "By the way, why''ve youe here?" He asked curiously.


    "For multiple reasons." Ambrose raised four fingers. "First, learn soul healing. Second, I want to create more skills, and third,y the foundation for my Immortal Style!


    "I also want to have new swords from the cksmith of the town. I have required material for it."


    "I see." The Wisdom King nodded. "That can be arranged."

 Chapter 382 Room of Damnation

    <h4>Chapter 382 Room of Damnation</h4>


    The sun started to slowly set above the Honorable Temple. It changed the shade of the sky to a dark orange, and in an hour''s time, it would turnpletely dark once again.


    In the balcony that gazed over the town, Zhen intertwined his fingers and said.


    "As I said before, I could teach you soul healing with the potions. However, the grandmaster must''ve a way to do it more efficiently."


    Ambrose turned to the Wisdom King with expectant look. This was the main reason for his visit, after all.


    He didn''t mind if he only had to learn the potion recipes for soul healing. However, he had a hunch that it might be an inefficient and expensive way.


    "There are people with soul healing as their soul ability." The Wisdom King said. "However, that cannot be learned in ordinary ways, and neither can you."


    "Oh¡­" Ambrose sighed. "Very well. Is the potion the only way?"


    "I am afraid so." The Wisdom King nodded. "I appreciate the confidence you have in me, but there is not an easier and more efficient way.


    "It''s still better than nothing. You''ve recently gotten soul injured again?"


    "I do." Ambrose nodded.


    "Hmm¡­" The Wisdom King rubbed his chin. "Since you''re still first gate, did you meet a person who had already manifested the third gate door?


    "Only them can break into your world of souls and injure you that way."


    Ambrose looked nkly at him, and realized that he misunderstood.


    "No, no, I am already in the second gate."


    Zhen blinked nkly and thought he misheard it.


    "What¡­" The Wisdom King narrowed his eyes and activated his soul to it''s strongest state.


    He barely managed to calcte Ambrose''s current Inner Power level.


    At that moment, he eximed and breathed heavily. "You didn''t lie¡­ you''ve already entered the second gate!"


    "How in the world¡­" Zhen looked at Ambrose in a shock.


    He already thought that their new Honorable brother was a genius of another level, as he managed to hide the soul scent in just one night, but he never expected him to be able to enter the second gate in a few months!


    "So, did you meet the third gate user?" The Wisdom King asked in surprise. "How are you alive, then?"


    "No one entered my world of souls." Ambrose sighed and exined. "My soul ability is Self-Possession. The soul fuses with my body¡­"


    "And someone injured you using Inner Power." The Wisdom King nodded. "How foolish of you. That could''ve ended much worse."


    "I wasn''t aware of such a thing being possible, but I guess I was naive." Ambrose sighed. "I am being much more careful with it now."


    "Mm¡­" The Wisdom King nodded. "Zhen can give you the potion recipes and teach you."


    "Thank you." Ambrose bowed to him and nodded towards Zhen. "By the way, I found something odd."


    "What is it?" The Wisdom King took a sip of the tea and listened closely while watching the sun set on the horizon.


    "There is a new epidemic rampaging in Amaterasu¡ªit''s called Berserker Epidemic!"


    "Never heard of that before." The Wisdom King said in surprise as there weren''t many things he wasn''t aware of anymore.


    "Yeah, it''s a new epidemic." Ambrose said and then sighed. "However, I think it is man-made. It''s currently only happening among animals, but I think someone is giving them soul injuries.


    "They be mad in rage because of the agonizing pain, and since there aren''t doctors who can soul heal, they are usually killed because of it."


    "What a demonic thing to do." Zhen rubbed his chin and said, "The animals have less resistance to soul injuries. If I have to guess, someone is using them as test subjects.


    "That someone is probably trying to learn how to create soul injuries that are stronger and more efficient."


    "Hmm¡­" The Wisdom King looked bothered. "That is indeed a bothersome thing. I know a lot of evil beings and have seen horrible things, but I have rarely seen someone abuse animals."


    "I already had to put a horse out of his misery because I didn''t know soul healing." Ambrose sighed in frustration. "Once I return to Amaterasu, I''ll dwell deeper into this Berserker Epidemic.


    "Hopefully, I can find the culprit."


    "You also have to be careful." The Wisdom King pointed out. "Whoever the person is, must be dangerous."


    "I know." Ambrose nodded and looked at Zhen. "Shall we start learningter tonight?"


    "Sure." Zhen nodded. "We can visit the cksmith shop before that. Hopefully he can start creating your weapon as soon as possible."


    "Sounds good."


    "The second thing was learning more skills, is that correct?" The Wisdom King questioned.


    "That''s right." Ambrose nodded and chuckled. "Actually, I have my own dojo now. I have students as well."


    "Haha, look at you." The Wisdom King chuckled and rubbed his chin. "It feels like it had been few years since west time saw. You''ve grown so much.


    "Being a master is heavy responsibility. Are you ready?"


    "I am." Ambrose said with a resolute expression.


    "Good¡­" He grinned. "Learning skills, you said? For your skill, I assume? It was called Immortal Style, wasn''t it?"


    "Correct." Ambrose nodded. "I had some influence from your style; Mortal Style. I thought Immortal Style was a fitting name."


    "It''s a powerful name, but also quite arrogant." The elderly Wisdom King chuckled. "You''ve to prove that you are worthy of that name."


    "I''ll do my best." Ambrose nodded.


    "Well, about learning new skills, there are a few ways." The Wisdom King looked at him with an amused smile. "You want an easy or painful route?"


    "You know me." Ambrose smiled with a slight trepidation. "Painful, of course."


    "It''ll be hard, very much so." He said. "You''ll be locked in a room, which we call as ''The Room of Damnation'' and you''ll be there till you are within inch from death."


    "Uhm, can I ask why?" Ambrose chuckled in slight anxiety. "How does that help me to create skills?"


    "To learn new skills via skill scrolls, you''ve to be under a lot of pressure and stress." The Wisdom King said with a serious look. "Pain also helps, so you''ll soul will also get injured in there."


    "The hell?" Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock. "That does not sound very safe!"


    "Of course not; there is a possibility of your soul dying!" The Wisdom King shouted. "However, if you survived through that, you would have created many new, powerful skills!


    "You might''ve learned most of my Mortal Style, but even I didn''t give my most powerful skills to you. They are hand made for me."


    "I need to create skills that my students can use." Ambrose said.


    "Of course." The Wisdom King nodded. "First, you''ll start by creating ordinary skills for your style. Then, we boost the pain and force you to create new skills for yourself.


    "You also have to grow much stronger!"


    "I understand¡­" Ambrose nodded and formed fists with his hands.


    "You''ll have time to think by yourself in there. Start to think about what you want your style to be." The Wisdom King crossed his arms.


    "This''ll be the final step in your style creation.


    "You cannot change anymore after this!"


    "I understand." Ambrose nodded, and stood up with a bow. "When shall we start?"


    "Learn soul healing first." The Wisdom King said. "Once you are done, we''ll put you inside the Room of Damnation. You might be inside a day, week or even month.


    "It will depend on your determination. Are you ready?"


    "I am¡­" Ambrose nodded. ''I''ll leave the room as the strongest version of myself. Giving up is not an option for me.''


    "Zhen, bring Ambrose to the cksmith shop. It should be open for another hour, so hurry up."


    "Yes, grandmaster." Zhen nodded towards Ambrose, they then stood up and left the balcony after they bid their farewells.


    The Wisdom King stood up, leaned against the railing, and looked across the town with a deep look.


    ''That kid had also gotten his hands on the Eye of Shimon. I thought it was a myth, but it''s real. The soul of that thing was also slumbering.


    ''He had grown a lot. He isn''t as reckless anymore, and he is already a master.


    ''At this pace, it won''t take long.


    ''Matchitehew, your death is nearing.''

 Chapter 383 Honorable Gensai

    <h4>Chapter 383 Honorable Gensai</h4>


    Smoke drifted out of the stone-built chimney while waves of heat came from inside the hut.


    ng, ng¡ªa hammer banging against metal resounded from inside.


    Above the door, a sign hung.


    [Honorable cksmith]


    Zhen and Ambrose walked down the street, themps lighting up their path.


    After they finished their business with the Wisdom King, they went straight to the cksmith shop.


    "It should still be open." Zhen walked over to the hut and checked the opening and closing times on the sign that was nailed against the wall.


    Ambrose looked at the front door with his arms crossed. He could feel intense heating from inside, and the banging of the hammer sounded powerful.


    This was his first time visiting the cksmith shop, even though that was one of the most frequently visited ces among yers.


    Ordinary weapons get damaged easily, and they often had to visit cksmiths to get them fixed. It was still cheaper than getting new weapons.


    However, Ambrose was rather lucky to acquire the ck and Red Swords. They also got slightly worn out, but he was certain that he could''ve used them for a few more years.


    Knock, knock¡ªZhen knocked twice on the door and heard the banging noises stop for a moment.


    "Come in!" A coarse voice sounded from other side of the door.


    Zhen nodded at Ambrose, and opened the door.


    Intense heat blew against their faces like a fan, and they needed a moment to get used to such heat.


    Since it was turning night, the temperature started dropping outside.


    This area was rather cold as it was close to Yatagarasu, which was famously known for its relentless rains. It was another reason why the recovery of the city was a slow process.


    In the nights, it wasn''t umon for the temperature to drop to negatives.


    As Ambrose stepped inside the shop and closed the door behind him, he felt like he had identally walked into a volcano. He started sweating buckets.


    In the middle of the cksmith shop, a shirtless man with robust-looking muscles swung his hammer up and down, striking a piece of burning red metal.


    ng, ng, ng!


    As the sparks flew like machine gun fire, Zhen approached the cksmith and whispered something to him. It seemed to do something as the cksmith stopped swinging his hammer.


    "The grandmaster did?" The cksmith repeated, and looked at Zhen with raised eyebrow.


    Zhen nodded as confirmation.


    Bang¡ªthe cksmith dropped the hammer on the ground and approached the purple-eyed man while taking off his brown leather gloves.


    "My name is Honorable Gensai." He then offered a handshake, and asked. "What''s yours?"


    ''He is honorable as well?''


    Ambrose didn''t expect him to be one of the honorables. However, he was aware that not all honorables lived inside the temple, and did stuff in the town and outside.


    Zhen and Gensai being one of them.


    "Honorable Ambrose." He shook the firm-looking hand, but his grip wasn''t any weaker.


    As he introduced himself, he decided to use his own title as well. In this town, he was known as Honorable, so he might as well use the title.


    "I saw you participating in the trial." Honorable Gensai said with a deep look. "I heard you left, but it seems you''ve returned.


    "So, there is a weapon that I need to make?"


    "Yes." Ambrose opened his inventory and brought out ten crimson metals, then ced them on the metal table. "If these are enough, two swords would be ideal."


    "Hmm, what are these?" Gensai approached the metals, brought out his small, circr-shaped monocle, and appraised these strange metals.


    The crimson metal pieces were shaped like square bars. They weren''t enormous, but a little bit longer and bigger than his own hand.


    They werepletely crimson in color, and when Gensai tried tapping his fist against the metal, it didn''t let out much of a sound.


    "I haven''t seen this metal before." Gensai said and tucked the monocle into his chest pocket. "However, I can see that it is very durable, and strong."


    "How many swords do you think you can make?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "I can make two with nine metal pieces." Gensai said. "I can use thest one to make two scabbards. What do you say?"


    "Sounds good." Ambrose nodded with a slight smile and asked. "How long do you think it will take for them to finish?"


    "Hard to say. This metal is unknown to me and I don''t know how long it will take to melt." Gensai rubbed his chin and gave an assumption. "A week, at least. That is based on normal metal speed, but might take up to 2 weeks."


    "All right." Ambrose nodded. ''It sounds like my visit will be increased a little bit.''


    "We should leave him to do his magic." Zhen patted Ambrose''s shoulder and led him out of the shop. "Honorable Gensai is one of the greatest cksmiths in Light Continent."


    Ambrose nodded and after they entered the cold night air, he asked. "I''ve heard about cksmiths of Dark Continent. They are apparently miles above Light Continent ones. Is that true?"


    "That makes the Dark Continent so dangerous." Zhen said while walking beside Ambrose down the street.


    "They have a bigger poption, better weapons, and better technology.


    "Our continent is miles behind in many important aspects."


    "Mm¡­" Ambrose frowned.


    Boom!


    At that moment, the cksmith shop exploded into a cloud of fire and dust. The hut still stood, but the windows were shattered, and the walls had turned ck as ink.


    It was clear that the hut was made from very durable material, but still, the explosion was nothing to scoff at!


    "Honorable Gensai!" Zhen screamed and rushed back to the hut.


    However, a purple-eyed figure moved way faster, and smashed through the door.


    A secondter, he returned from the hut with a coughing cksmith.


    "Argh, the hell¡­"


    Ambrose helped Gensai to sit down on the ground, and looked at the smoking shop with a shock on his face. There was fire burning inside the store, but the hut still seemed all right.


    Also, Gensai only had a few minor injuries.


    That explosion had enough strength to give even Ambrose some damage, but Gensai seemed fine, proof of his durability that rivaled the Starborn Constitution.


    "Cough!" Gensai coughed out some smoke, and leaned against the wall while looking at his burning shop with a quizzical expression.


    "Honorable Gensai, are you all right?" Zhen crouched beside him and asked worryingly.


    The explosion seemed to have alerted the Honorables from the temple as the bell chimed loudly from there.


    "I tried smithing the crimson metal, and it created some strange chain reaction that ended in explosion." Gensai said in a shock.


    He then turned to a surprised-looking Ambrose and asked. "Just what kind of metal did you bring me?"


    "I¡­ have no idea." Ambrose frowned. ''What the hell just happened?''


    "Ambrose, maybe we should take the crimson metal with us." Zhen said with a serious look. "That is unknown material, and we don''t know what its capability really is."


    Ambrose nodded as he agreed. He was still somewhat disappointed as it seemed like it would take longer for him to acquire a new weapon.


    "No!" But then Gensai stood up and shouted powerfully. "I do not give up this easily. Give me another chance. I will tame this beast!"


    "Honorable Gensai!" Zhen shouted. "It''s far too dangerous!"


    "Hahahaha!" Gensaiughed madly and looked at his burning store with enormous grin.


    "Finally a proper challenge!


    "I''ve been stuck as master cksmith for almost a decade, and I thought this would end up as my limit.


    "However, I now finally have a chance to push my limits!


    "This might finally be my chance to catch up on those monsters from the Dark Continent!"


    He then looked at Ambrose, grabbed him by his shoulders, and asked. "Please, let me try one more time. I won''t fail!"


    Ambrose looked into Gensai''s eyes with a surprised look.


    Those were the eyes of a person who wasn''t going to fail.


    Ambrose then grinned and said, "Very well."


    "Atta boy!" Gensaiughed, and without any warning, he rushed inside the burning building with a mad-soundingugh.


    The fire didn''t damage his body, the smoke didn''t clog his mouth, and the ash below his feet didn''t disturb him.


    He grabbed his fallen hammer from the ground, and the crimson metal piece. Then, he lifted his hammer, and struck down.


    ng!


    Boom!


    Another loud explosion sounded, however, Gensai''s mad-soundingugh followed as he continued hammering down at the crimson metal.


    Boom! Boom! Boom!

 Chapter 384 Soul Healing Potion

    <h4>Chapter 384 Soul Healing Potion</h4>


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Zhen and Ambrose sat inside thefy-looking cottage.


    They had just returned from the cksmith shop and they could still hear the explosions.


    The Wisdom King and other Honorables evacuated the area around the cksmith shop.


    Luckily, it was tucked away in the most quiet part of the town, so there were only a few residents that needed relocating.


    They were, at first, worried about Gensai''s safety, especially the Wisdom King. However, after a short talk with the cksmith, he gave approval.


    And therefore, the explosion sounded basically every second.


    Ambrose grabbed the coffee cup and took a small sip. He watched from the window towards the cksmith shop with a quiet expression.


    "I haven''t ever seen Gensai be like this." Zhen dragged his chair next to him and looked out from the same window. "His passion had been dwindlingtely, but this ignited again."


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose nodded thoughtfully.


    "Where did you receive the crimson metal from?" Zhen asked curiously.


    "Uh, it was from some buried mansion in Nether Forest." Ambrose said. "Very close to this ce, actually."


    "I am not about you, but I''ve never seen metal cause an explosion like this." Zhen chuckled.


    "If Gensai seeds, I wonder what kind of weapon he makes¡­"


    Zhen had chills just thinking about it.


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded, and felt very excited about possibilities.


    However, also worried.


    He wondered whether Gensai was at the level required to create a weapon powerful enough to represent crimson metal''s power.


    If he couldn''t seed, Ambrose''s next destination would be the Dark Continent. They had plenty of powerful cksmiths.


    However, after remembering Gensai''s firm-looking eyes, some of his worries were put to rest.


    "Is it toote, or do you want to start learning about soul-healing potions?" Zhen asked.


    "Let''s start." Ambrose nodded.


    Zhen, with a quick steps, retreated to his bedroom and brough a box with him. He then ced it on the living room''s table, and opened it.


    Ambrose stood up, and walked over to the table. He looked at the box''s interior, and pinched his nose immediately.


    There were very heavy-smelling herbs.


    Zhen brought out a worn-out potion recipe that was made of parchment paper, and gave it to Ambrose.


    "These are all the required ingredients for the Soul Healing Potion."


    Ambrose checked out the potion recipe and read the ingredients out loud.


    "1 liter of water.


    "4 petals of the Flower Guardian Flower.


    "The tear of the crying soul.


    "100 grams of crunched dead bone.


    "The Captured Light of the Crimson Moon.


    "The blessing of the holy man."


    Zhen nodded, and brought out different items down to the table.


    Ambrose folded the potion recipe, pocketed it and looked at the strange items.


    The first one¡ª1 liter of water¡ªsounded easy to get, but then the ingredients turned crazier and crazier.


    "Petals of the Flower Guardian Flower." Zhen showed a bottle with tons of petals inside.


    Those petals were all blue in color and shone brilliantly.


    "These are very hard to get, as the flower is difficult to find." Zhen said, but then raised a finger. "However, in the nearby valley, there are many, luckily for us.


    "However, if you identally happen to kill the Flower Guardian, the flower vanishes. Hard part is that the Flower Guardian dies very easily.


    "That''s why we''re keeping them safe in the temple. We are ensuring that they aren''t dying.


    "Oh!" Ambrose eximed and scratched the back of his head. "I have encountered this flower two times; both times the Flower Guardian died and the flower mysteriously disappeared!"


    "Yeah, this is one of the hardest items to get for the potion." Zhen said and then showed another bottle with strange transparent liquid inside.


    It didn''t look like it was water.


    "Tear of the crying soul." He said. "It''s possible tomand your soul to cry. Those tears are incredibly valuable and the most important ingredient in the potion."


    "Oh, you''ll need to teach me how tomany my soul to do that, I suppose?"


    "Exactly." Zhen nodded. "However, since you''ve already shown your talent, I am sure it wouldn''t take long for you to learn it."


    Ambrose wryly smiled as he could feel some saltiness in Zhen''s tone. He had tried for so long to open his second gate just to be unsessful.


    Meanwhile, Ambrose did it mere months.


    However, he was certain that the saltiness was just in a joking manner. Zhen wasn''t actually salty or angry about the difference in talent.


    "100 grams of crunched dead bone." Zhen put another bottle down, and inside was filled by strange grayish, powder-like substance.


    "This should be a rather easy one. Find a corpse, steal a bone, and crush it till it resembles powder. 100 grams should be enough."


    "Yeah, easy one¡­" Ambrose sighed. ''I am bing a grave digger.''


    "The Captured Light of the Crimson Moon!" Zhen brought out another bottle, which was glowing brilliantly with crimson light.


    "For this, you''ll only need a special ''Capture Bottle'' such as this!"


    Zhen showed the bottle, which was clearly different from other bottles. It didn''t have a cork or opening of any sort. It was almost like a ball but shaped like a bottle.


    "Just go outside when crimson moon is on the sky, point the bottle towards it, and the moonlight will be captured inside the bottle."


    "I¡­ guess I got it." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders.


    "Thest one is the blessing of holy man." Zhen said, and this time, he didn''t take out any bottle. It wasn''t an object.


    "Our holy man is our very own grandmaster." He said. "You should be able to find holy man in a church. A priest, or bishop of some sort. Tell them to bless the nearly-finished potion, and it should finish off the process."


    "All right." Ambrose nodded.


    "Now, I''ll teach you how to make the potion." Zhen said, and he spread the items across the kitchen table, then took out a cauldron from the cab.


    "Watch closely. It is a very careful business, and a single mistake will ruin the potion."


    Ambrose nodded and watched as Zhen started concocting the potion. He was doing it very slowly, and carefully.


    As he started with pouring the water on the cauldron, he did it slowly, and didn''t pour it all at once.


    After the water gathered at the bottom of the cauldron, Zhen took out the four blue petals and put them gently on the surface. It caused the color of the water to turn dark blue.


    After that, he squeezed one tear of the crying soul out of the bottle, and once it sshed into the dark blue-colored water, a sobbing sound resounded across the cottage.


    It sounded like a woman was crying.


    "Huh?" Ambrose looked around and wondered what the hell this sound was.


    "That tear must''ve been from one of the female honorables." Zhen said. "All honorables have donated tears of the crying soul. Their crying soul''s echo is still inside the tears."


    "Oh, okay¡­" Ambrose looked at the bottle with tears in it. ''That bottle is almost full. Is that one liter of tears? That''s a lot.''


    Zhen then brought out the crunched dead bone, scattered it across the water on the cauldron, and then took out the bottle with the captured light.


    He then pointed the bottle''s head at the water, and suddenly a crimson light shot out and smashed into the water. The water somehow sucked in the light and again turned colors.


    As the dark blue and crimson colors mixed up with each other, the liquid turned purple. It seemed like the potion was almost done.


    Zhen brought out the spat, and stirred the cauldron onest time, mixing the crunched dead bone with the petals.


    After that, he put the spat down, and said. "It only needs the blessing of holy man. Once the Wisdom King gives this a prayer, it will be done.


    "It looked easy, didn''t it?"


    "Uh, I guess."


    "Well, it isn''t." Zhen smiled. "It is very straining business. I''ll take this to the Wisdom King for now, you may go to sleep or train, whatever you do at the night.


    "Tomorrow, you''ll try to concoct the potion without any help."

 Chapter 385 Concocting Potion

    <h4>Chapter 385 Concocting Potion</h4>


    In the kitchen of Zhen''s cottage, Ambrose stood in front of the kitchen counter with the required ingredients for Soul Healing potion ced in front of him.


    Zhen sat in the living room''s wooden chair and looked at the scene in the kitchen with a patient expression.


    "You may begin." He said.


    Ambrose nodded and snatched the bottle of water from the counter. He opened the cork and poured about 1 liter into the cauldron.


    As the water dropped to the bottom of the cauldron, quite a few of the waterdrops sttered across the walls of the cauldron.


    After that, he moved onto the second bottle.


    It was the bottle with the petals of the Flower Guardian flower inside.


    This time, he used pinchers, which he found in the drawer, and carefully dropped four glowing petals down on the water at the bottom of the cauldron.


    As the four petals fell on the water, they sank a little bit under the surface and got soaked. It caused them to be slightly heavier and, thus, didn''t resurface anymore.


    The color of the water turned very dark, almost resembling ckness.


    Ambrose put the pinchers down on the kitchen counter, wiped his sweat with the napkin, and took the bottle of crying souls inside.


    ''Why am I feeling exhausted?'' He shook his head as, for some reason, his eyes turned blurry.


    After shaking his head, Ambrose carefully opened the bottle and slowly tipped the edge towards the cauldron.


    The transparent liquid, in the form of the tears, started to slowly sneak closer to the edge.


    As the first tear was about to fall, Ambrose''s hand slightly shook because of the strange exhaustion, and more than one tear fell.


    "Shit!" He cursed, and he saw three sshes at the bottom of the cauldron.


    In that moment, three different sobbing noises mixed with each other and echoed like inside a tunnel.


    Instead of dropping just one tear, he identally dropped three.


    ''Fuck, does that matter though?'' Ambrose put the bottle aside and wiped his sweat. ''It should be more potent now, no? Ugh, I don''t fucking know; I am not a potion maker.''


    After that, he dropped some of the crunched dead bone on the chopping board, used his fist to pound it into a powder-like substance, and then scattered it across the water at the bottom of the cauldron.


    After that, he grabbed the bottle with the captured crimson light inside and pointed it towards the water at the bottom of the cauldron.


    However, no light flew out of the bottle. It didn''t seem to work like it did with Zhen.


    "Huh?" Ambrose pointed the bottle around, narrowed his eyes, and at that moment, the crimson light shot into his eyes.


    "Agh, shit!" He quickly looked away, and he felt like his eyes were tingling strangely, as if there were ants crawling across his face.


    "Zhen, how the hell does this work?"


    Zhen crossed his arms and didn''t open his mouth. His lips turned into a slight smirk as he seemed to enjoy Ambrose''s suffering.


    "Zhen, are you still there?" Ambrose tried to squint his eyes open, but he only saw red everywhere he looked. ''Did I be blind or what?!''


    At that moment, the bottle that locked crimson moonlight inside fell down, and the light inside shot through the cauldron and smashed into the water below.


    As the crimson light mixed up with the ck, the color turned dark red. It looked like it was filled with strawberry juice. It didn''t resemble the sticky kind of potion that Zhen made.


    "Argh¡­" Ambrose rubbed his eyes and recovered some of his visibility.


    He picked up the bottle, put it down on the counter, and looked at the cauldron with squinted eyes.


    "Uh, I am done!"


    "Well, let''s see." Zhen stood up, walked over to him, and looked at the cauldron with a slight smile.


    From color alone, he knew how the potion concocting went.


    "Well, how is it?" Ambrose asked with a wry smile.


    The potion concocting process didn''t go too smoothly, but he felt like it shouldn''t be too bad.


    "Well, if you drink this potion, your soul will explode and your innards will melt." Zhen said.


    Ambrose''s eyes bulged. "Whaaaat¡­"


    "I''ve never seen a worse potion, I think." Zhen scratched his cheek awkwardly. "You could use this potion as a weapon."


    "Y-you''re exaggerating, right?" Ambroseughed awkwardly.


    "I wish¡­" Zhen wryly smiled. "Well, want to hear what you did wrong?"


    "Sure¡­" Ambrose sighed and sat down with his legs crossed.


    "First of all, you poured the water in too quickly." Zhen said. "All of the 1 liter of water has to be at the bottom of the cauldron, not sshed across the walls.


    "That, otherwise, makes the potion unstable."


    "What, seriously?" Ambrose frowned and scratched the back of his head.


    "You''ll need to train pouring the water." Zhen said with a chuckle. "Second, you dropped the petals on the water.


    "You need to put them in the water, not drop them. They need to float on the water, not sink down like a rock."


    Ambrose nodded thoughtfully with his arms crossed.


    "After that, do not use your fists to crush the dead bone. You added some of your own ''life energy'' into those dead bones, which transferred them into half-living bones, such as zombies.


    "That''s why I told you to gather bones from corpses, not from zombies. Also, you need to calcte the 100 grams of crunched dead bone urately.


    "You dropped nearly 200 grams, and you would think that it makes it more potent, but it doesn''t. If the Soul Healing potion is far too potent, it will cause more damage than heal."


    "Makes sense." Ambrose nodded.


    "Andstly, you poured all of the crimson light." Zhen took the empty bottle that was still warm after the crimson light.


    "Once the water turns purple, you know when you''ve poured enough crimson light, but since you failed beforehand, the color was already wrong, so it was impossible to calcte.


    "Also, you were clearly struggling to control it¡­"


    "How can you control it? You never told me how." Ambrose asked with a slight hint of saltiness.


    He felt like he was tricked into failure.


    "You need tomunicate it. Imagine as if you are talking to the light, and then just concentrate it on the cauldron." Zhen said. "That needs learning."


    Ambrose nodded.


    At that moment, Zhen poured the whole potion down the sink and washed the cauldron clean.


    "I can give you some instructions on how you can continue learning to concoct potions. I can''t do it personally, as tonight you''ll enter the Room of Damnation."


    "Right, it''s happening today already." Ambrose took a deep breath and walked over to the window, from where he looked over to the far-away burning cksmith store.


    It was still exploding loudly, and most of the townsfolk looked sleepy as they couldn''t sleep because of the exploding noises.


    "By the way, here." Zhen walked over to him and took out a potion sk from a shelf.


    "This is the potion I made yesterday, you will find a use for this soon."


    "Oh, thank you." Ambrose epted it with a smile and ced it in his inventory. "I''ll need it in the Room of Damnation, right?"


    "Yes," Zhen said. "The Wisdom King gave his approval, allowing me to give this. However, this is the only potion you are allowed to use there.


    "Use it wisely."


    "I will," Ambrose said.


    "The Wisdom King is expecting you in the temple tonight. Prepare your things before that, and be ready when it''s time.


    "You are not allowed to stop once you enter that ce."


    "Mm, all right." Ambrose nodded.

 Chapter 386 Mountain King

    <h4>Chapter 386 Mountain King</h4>


    Knock, knock.


    "Come in!" Anna closed her book while sitting near a firece, enjoying the warmth as the snow had already started falling in Nocklund.


    The windows were covered in frost, and the yard and the surroundingndscape were covered in a pleasant-looking snowy wintend.


    The door opened, and Jesse entered the room with his hands slipped inside his pockets.


    This room wasn''t Anna''s private room, but a lounging area with a firece and a way to the balcony. It was mostly used if someone wanted to chill near a firece in a cozy atmosphere.


    The mansion had hundreds of rooms, half of them barely used.


    "Jesse, fancy meeting you out here." Anna smiled and hugged her book against her chest. "Is there something wrong?"


    "A question." Jesse leaned over the couch and looked at his new stepmother. "About the dinner."


    "Yes?" Anna blinked curiously.


    "What day was the dinner?" Jesse asked curiously.


    "20th of December," Anna replied. "Amber wanted to gather people for an early Christmas dinner."


    ''It''s 14th now¡­'' Jesse frowned. ''I don''t know how long I''ll spend in Room of Damnation. Very troublesome.''


    "Are you perhaps busy that day?" Anna asked curiously.


    Jesse looked at her, and after seeing her innocent eyes staring back at him, he shook his head with a smile.


    "No, not at all." Jesse tapped his hands against the couch''s backrest and said, "I just wanted to make myself look good before the dinner. I don''t want to make a bad first impression."


    "Mm, okay." Anna said, and then slyly smiled. "Also, about the tattoo. Are you fine getting it removed today?"


    "Okay." Jesse nodded, left the room, closed the door shut, and soon his footsteps faded into the distance.


    Anna shook her head with a chuckle and returned to reading the book.


    ¡­


    "Winter already, huh¡­" Jesse stood on top of Rothsmith Estate, staring at the endless wintend that covered the surroundings in white.


    And then, his feet slowly floated away from the roof as Jesse started ascending slowly towards the grayish sky. He looked like a god who had taken flight.


    He then kicked his feet in the air andunched towards the clouds with crazy speed. The falling snow mmed against his face, and then he flew through the clouds and appeared above them.


    As he floated above the clouds, he suddenly shuddered and whispered. "Cold¡­"


    He then spread his arms wide as if there were wings sticking out of them, dove through the clouds, and flew above the wintend with unlimited freedom.


    As he approached one of the cloud-splitting mountains, he formed a gentle fist with his right hand and punched the air in front of him.


    All the snowkes vaporated in front of the fist, and then a powerful shockwave struck the side of the mountain.


    The side of the mountain exploded, sending pieces of the mountain falling towards the far-away ground.


    Jesse took a deep breath and held his trembling hand.


    ''It still hurts even though I didn''t hit anything solid. It''s still better than before, as the recoil of the punch would''ve broken my hand before.


    ''It''s clear I have healed to some degree, but it feels like I am still so far away from healingpletely. I wonder if it''s even possible. I can only hope.''


    As the debris of the mountain crashed on the ground below, a loud roar came out of nowhere.


    "Raaaaaawr!"


    Jesse looked surprised and looked towards the faraway ground. He had to descend further to catch a glimpse of where the roar came from.


    Then he saw a group of hikers rushing down a snowyndscape. They were wearing very warm clothes with heavy-looking backpacks on their backs.


    They were eyeing over their shoulders, and it looked like they were running for their lives.


    ''They were hiking all the way here?'' Jesse stayed hidden behind the tallest tree, and he looked at them as they rushed down the snow-covered forest.


    At that moment, several trees fell apart as the ground shook as creature, covered in ck fur, chased after the group of hikers. It looked massive.


    Among the hikers, a red-coated man almost tripped but barely kept his footing. He was anxiously looking back and felt the shaking of the ground be even more prominent.


    "It''s the mountain king!" He shouted and anxiously looked ahead at the endless wintend.


    It didn''t look like there was an end to the forest!


    "Did it wake up because of us?" A panicky-looking young woman asked. Due to the extreme cold, her face was slightly red.


    "Agh!" A brown-coated hiker identally missed his footing and fell down to his buttocks.


    His face instantly paled as he imagined himself getting pummeled to death by the mountain king.


    "Get up!" The red-coated man helped him to stand up, and at that moment, several trees got unrooted.


    A massive creature covered in ck fur smashed through several trees and roared loudly. Its teeth were as sharp as des, and its ws looked like daggers.


    It was an enormous bear, covered in thick fur and hide. It was nearly five meters tall, with a body size that would put bodybuilders to shame.


    With each stomp, the ground shook, and with each roar, it created fear in anyone who heard it.


    It looked like the bear was a creature of hell, only to be created to instill fear in others.


    "Raaaaaaawr!" As it roared, the hikers almost lost their footing.


    "My god¡­" The red-coated man paled significantly and looked at his frightened friends.


    Multiple dark thoughts appeared in his mind, such as abandoning them and using them as bait while he himself was running away. However, that thought didn''tst long.


    One of them was his girlfriend, and others were friends from high school to this very day. He didn''t think he could live knowing that he survived because he sacrificed others.


    "E-everyone run!" He shouted, stood in front of them, and picked up a snow-covered stick from the ground.


    He then waved it in front of him, trying to scare the bear away, even though he was certain it wouldn''t work.


    "Run!"


    Everyone looked at him in shock, and then they slowly started backing off before starting to run.


    It hurt him slightly that they just left him here to die, but he had already sealed his fate, and he didn''t want others to die with him.


    "You cursed beast¡­" He whispered angrily and screamed. "Come on. Kill me!"


    "Raaawr!" The ck-furred bear rushed forward, using all of its four limbs, and swung its ws towards the frightened man.


    "Aaaah!" The red-coated man screamed fearfully and closed his eyes.


    Smash!


    A heavy-looking tree with thick bark mmed into the bear and sent it crashing through the nearby trees.


    "Ngh?" The red-coated man opened his eyes and eximed in shock.


    There was a ck-haired man wielding a tree, as if it were as light as a stick, and then he saw a portion of the forest destroyed.


    In the distance, the ck-furred bear stood up with a blood-stained body and a murderous expression on its face.


    "Leave." Jesse said powerfully, and threw the tree towards the bear as if it were just a javelin.


    The tree smashed into the bear and smashed it into the ground.


    "Raaaaaaawr!" The bear smashed through the tree and stood up with the loudest roar known to mankind. It was fully seeing red, ready to tear the purple-eyed man apart.


    The red-coated man backed off and ran away as fast as he could.


    "What the fuck is happening?" He screamed while running through the forest. He was too afraid to turn around anymore.


    There was nothing but running in his mind.


    "Who was he?


    "How was he floating?


    "How was he carrying that heavy tree?


    "What is going on?!"

 Chapter 387 50% Punch

    <h4>Chapter 387 50% Punch</h4>


    The Mountain King snarled loudly and smashed its paws down on the ground.


    Then, using all four of its limbs, it started running towards Jesse at blitzering speed. Even the fastest menpeting in the Olympics wouldn''t be able to outrun it!


    ''It''s hide seems tough as steel. It even managed to tank my previous attack, which would easily be able to kill any ordinary bear.


    ''If I try to punch it, I''ll break my hand!''


    Jesse quickly concluded that his Humanoid Imperfecta hindered him greatly in thebat.


    There were times when he couldn''t tell the difference between the real world and the gaming world.


    Sometimes, he tried to open his interface and inventory in the real world just to realize that he hadn''t even logged in yet.


    However, in this fight, he luckily managed to remember that this wasn''t the same as in the gaming world. He was weaker and more vulnerable here.


    ''I might''ve be Starborn, but even that didn''t cure my Humanoid Imperfecta. I wonder if there is anything that can!''


    "Rah!" The Mountain King delivered a powerful paw swipe.


    It happened to smash through one of the trees,pletely obliterating it, before heading towards the floating Jesse.


    Jesse shot into the air and flew to safety. He watched as the Mountain King raged below after its attack missed by a great deal and that it couldn''t attack the flying man.


    ''That attack packed enough strength to kill me with one strike.'' Jesse thought, with sweat emerging on his forehead.


    ''Those hikers should be far enough already, and I could escape as well¡­''


    The situation was vastly different from his battle against the wolf.


    The Mountain King would be able to crush the wolf with one strike, and before then, Jesse had no ability to escape the wolf if he wanted to.


    Now, he could fly away, and there was nothing the Mountain King could do.


    There was no reason to risk his life. After all, the Mountain King would be able to kill him with just one strike.


    ''However, this ce is very near where Anna visits with her horse. I don''t think anyone expected such a dangerous ce to be near civilization.


    ''The nearest buildings aren''t even far from here.


    ''If there is a creature that even I cannot defeat easily, I can''t possibly let something like that be.''


    "Well, let''s try this." Jesse raised his leg, and then golden light enveloped his leg from toes to thigh, and then he kicked across the air.


    The kick-shaped sh crossed through the air and smashed into the ck-furred bear''s back. It sent the creature crashing down on the snowy ground.


    As the snow cloud disappeared, the Mountain King rose back to its feet. There was a deep, bloody cut on its back. The attack was clearly effective!


    ''I can use my Inner Power to attack it from far away, but I have to greatly limit the strength because this alone puts strain on my muscles and bones.''


    "Raaaaawr!" The Mountain King screamed loudly and started climbing up one of the tall trees, trying to reach the human in the sky.


    However, it''s heavy body caused the tree''s bark to crack and bend, before it finally shattered and crashed down.


    "Can you survive this bombardment?" Jesse covered his legs in the golden light and kicked the air in front of him repeatedly.


    Swoosh, swoosh!


    The kicks made of golden light flew through the air and smashed into the Mountain King like endless fire from a machine gun.


    Smack, smack, smack!


    The Mountain King, suffering under the relentless onught, tried to hide behind one of the trees, but it was poor cover, and the golden light smashed straight through the bark and into its body.


    Swoosh¡ªJesse soared down, plucked up one of the trees from its roots, and smashed it into the bear.


    Smash!


    The tree sent the Mountain King flying into the nearby mountain wall.


    After the dust cleared, the Mountain King was lying on the snowy ground, bloodied and bruised. It''s previous, menacing red eyes had lost their luster after the creature recognized the vast strength difference.


    Jesse gentlynded on the ground beside the massive creature, grabbed it by its arm, and threw the bear high into the air.


    As the bear reached the same level as the clouds in the sky, it started falling down like aet and soon crashed into the ground in the middle of the forest.


    As its massive body created a deep, wide crater, the Mountain King was nowhere to be seen.


    "Whoo¡­ whoo¡­" Jesse hovered above the wide crater, and formed a fist with his right hand.


    ''I''ll make sure, and this way, I can also see the limit of my current body.''


    He reeled in his fist, and looked at the crater with a deep look with his beautiful purple eyes.


    His right fist started glowing at the blinding golden light as if his skin had suddenly turned gold.


    Then he threw a powerful downward punch in the crater''s direction.


    "50% Punch!"


    Swoosh¡ªa fist-shaped golden light crashed into the crater and created a powerful explosion.


    All the nearby snow evaporated because of the heat of the explosion, and once the dust settled, the crater had turned way more massive, and there were small remnants of the ck-furred creature.


    However, those small remnants were mangled limbs.


    It was clear that the Mountain King did not survive the strike.


    "Argh¡­" Jesse coughed in pain andnded carefully on the ground.


    He clutched his hand and took long breaths. It was painful, but manageable.


    ''That was near my limit. Perhaps 60% is the limit. Using 65% might break my hand.''


    Snap¡ªat that moment, he saw a sh of lighting from the vicinity of the forest.


    ''Who?'' Jesse snapped his head around and flew towards the source of the light.


    At that moment, he saw a hidden figure stand up and run away with a handheld camera in hand.


    "It''s rude to take pictures without permission!" Jesse snatched the camera from the figure.


    "Ah!" The figure let out a startled sound and shouted. "Give it back!"


    Jesse looked at the round-headed woman and crushed the camera in his hand. The camera turned into powder in his grip.


    "Ah, that was expensive!" She cried out and fell down to her knees. "Y-you owe me a camera!"


    "I owe you nothing." Jesse crossed his arms andnded back on the ground. "Who the hell are you, and why did you take a picture of me?`"


    "Because if I hadn''t, I believed that I would think I was dreaming once I wake up next day!" She said. "Everything I saw didn''t seem real!"


    "Huh, and what did you see?"


    She flipped her hair and stood up from the snowy ground.


    "I saw almost everything." She crossed her arms in front of her body and squinted her eyes. "How the hell did you do that all?"


    "You saw me do something impossible, and yet you aren''t afraid?" Jesse pointed at her with his open hand and asked. "Aren''t you afraid that I''ll kill you to keep my secret protected?"


    "You won''t." She smiled with a confident look. "I saw you protect those hikers. You didn''t let them die to keep your secret hidden."


    "You are a quick thinker." Jesse said with a smirk. "Now, who are you?"


    "I am andscape photographer." She said, and took out her badge, showing her affiliation. "I visited this ce back in the summer, and now that the snow had fallen, I hade again.


    "This ce is famous for it''s stunningndscape, after all!"


    "Ah, is that so¡­" Jesse shrugged his shoulders and started floating up from the ground.


    "Very reckless of you to stay behind to take pictures.


    "If the fight had steered in this direction, you could''ve died."


    "Wait, what is your name?" She quickly asked.


    "Not telling." Jesse smirked.


    "Aren''t you afraid that I will spill the beans?" She asked with a frown. "Your identity will be discovered sooner thanter."


    "Who will believe you?" Jesse shook his head. "Even if those hikers acted as your witnesses, no one will believe you. Nothing that happened here will be believed."


    "Ah¡­" She pouted and shouted. "Are you alien?!"


    Swoosh¡ªbefore she received her answer, Jesse shot into the air and flew across the air like a shooting star.


    He disappeared out of sight, and only the destroyed forest was proof of him ever being here.


    The photographer looked at the sky with a look of speechlessness on her face.


    "Jonna, I know this is beyond your expectations.


    "Is it really safe to spread your creation across the globe? He, who had only had it in his possession for a few months, can already move mountains.


    "The world will never be the same again."


    She sighed and looked at her destroyed, powdered camera on the ground. She was supposed to take a few pictures of him for her boss, Jonna, but unfortunately, she forgot that the sh was on.


    "Damn, it was expensive¡­"

 Chapter 388 The Tattoo of the Eye

    <h4>Chapter 388 The Tattoo of the Eye</h4>


    Later that same day, Jesse sat on the chair of the tattoo parlor.


    Anna was seated on the sofa behind him, flipping through the magazine. She was here as his guardian as they were attempting to remove the tattoo.


    "All right, are you ready?" The tattoo artist arrived with the removal kit and asked one more time whether they wanted to proceed with the removal.


    It was, after all, going to be painful.


    "Be extra careful." Anna said worryingly. "He has an illness that makes his body vulnerable to injuries."


    "I''ll do my best, miss." The tattoo artist said, saw the nod from an unusually handsome, purple-eyed man, and then turned over to the tattoo.


    It was a rather simple-looking tattoo, a star-pupiled eye.


    As the tattoo artist began removing the tattoo, Jesse groaned in sudden pain, but he was somewhat able to endure it.


    Anna looked from the sidelines with a worrying look.


    She was the one who wanted him to get rid of the tattoo, but she would''ve never suggested it if it was going to be too painful.


    Therefore, she anxiously watched and was ready to tell the tattoo artist to stop immediately if it looked like Jesse couldn''t handle it.


    As the time ticked down on the clock that was nailed to the wall, the sun soon set down on the outside, and the tattoo artist finished with the removal.


    "Here." He looked at the spot where the tattoo was moments prior and saw that it was gone; only reddened skin was left.


    "Thanks¡­" Jesse quickly covered the spot with his jacket and rubbed the side of his neck with an ufortable look.


    It felt like someone was scratching sandpaper against his skin.


    There were times when he wanted to scream out loud, but his pride couldn''t allow that. Therefore, he swallowed all the screams and curses.


    "Are you alright, Jesse?" Anna rushed to his side and gently touched his ck hair. "Is it painful still?"


    "No, it''s fine, mother." Jesse stood up and looked at himself in the mirror.


    His eyes looked slightly fatigued, revealing that it wasn''t all that nice of an experience.


    ''This is why I never took a tattoo. It could literally kill me.''


    After Anna finished the payment, she left the store with Jesse and looked at him worryingly as they approached their car.


    "Are you sure you are fine?" She asked one more time. "If I knew it would hurt this much, I would''ve never told you to remove it."


    "It''s fine, mother." Jesse grabbed her by the hand, squeezed it firmly, and said, "I never wanted a tattoo, anyway."


    "Then why did you take one?" She asked curiously.


    She could only wonder how painful it was to get one.


    "Aha¡­" Jesse wryly smiled and wondered how he should respond.


    It wasn''t his choice, but for some reason, the tattoo of the Eye of Shimon appeared on his body. It made him wonder what the meaning of that was.


    ''Can I use Eye of Shimon here or what?''


    "Madam, young master," Sebastian, standing beside the car, bowed at them and opened the door for them.


    As they stepped inside the car, Sebastian entered the driver''s seat, and then, with the car roaring, they left the tattoo parlor and started driving back home.


    ¡­


    As the night turned darker, Jesse stood in the bathroom after taking a hot shower.


    He walked over to the sink and picked up a pair of scissors, as he nned to shorten his hair slightly. He also nned to shave the small stubble that was forming.


    At that moment, he checked out the reddened skin, where the tattoo was only a few hours prior, and saw that it was slightly glowing.


    "What is this..?"


    In that moment, the star-pupiled eye tattoo that had been removed a few hours ago re-emerged from below his skin and again took a spot on his skin. It was almost like time had reversed.


    "What?" Jesse''s eyes widened in shock. "Why did ite back? Oh god damn it, did I suffer for nothing?"


    He sighed heavily, realizing that it wouldn''t be so easy to get rid of it. However, he didn''t have time to worry about it for now.


    Tonight, he was supposed to enter the Room of Damnation.


    It was where he would spend the following week.


    ''They must be waiting for me. I have finished my preparations. It''s time to enter that torture chamber.''


    Jesse went to put on somefortable-looking clothes and then took afy lying position on the bed.


    He would log off a few times during his time in the Room of Damnation. After all, he would need to visit the bathroom and eat.


    However, to not waste any time, he had secured enough food in the nearby drawers so that he wouldn''t have to venture outside the room.


    He also mentioned to Anna that they wouldn''t see him at all. Therefore, they knew now not to disturb him.


    "Well then, time to go." Jesse pressed the button on the side of the VR headset and again entered the magical gaming world.


    ¡­


    In the Honorable Temple''s basement, Ambrose stood in front of a ceiling-high granite door. It had an eerie symbol of a skull and scythe.


    The Wisdom King stood behind him with his arms folded behind his back.


    "Are you ready?" He asked with his wise-sounding voice.


    "I am." Ambrose nodded with a deep sigh. "I have finished my preparations."


    The Wisdom King nodded toward the temple''s guards, who nodded in response and opened the heavy-looking granite door.


    Once the door was fully open, Ambrose looked inside the empty-looking room with a feeling of trepidation.


    He didn''t know what his feeling was, but it felt suffocating, like there was something squeezing his heart. It made him feel heavy with anxiety.


    At that moment, he felt a hand on his back, which pushed him inside the room.


    As Ambrose turned around, he saw the Wisdom King standing with his eyes closed, and at praying stance, and then, the granite door closed shut.


    Now, for the following week, Ambrose was stuck inside this small room with only his thoughts apanying him.


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose sat cross-legged on the ground and looked around at the empty room. There was nothing to do there except meditate.


    ''I guess I''ll have to start meditating right away. I''ll have to focus on creating skills and simultaneously finish creating the foundation of Immortal Style.''


    As he put his hands on the praying stance, and was about to enter the world of souls, a pir of light descended from the ceiling and enveloped him wholly.


    Ambrose''s eyes shot open, and his purple eyes turned blood-red.


    "Aaaaaargh!"


    The soul inside him also cried out loudly.


    In that instant, his soul got badly injured.


    "F-f-f-f-f-fuuck!" Ambrose coughed out blood and held his chest with a suffocating feeling.


    ''H-how could I possibly meditate with such pain?!''


    Outside the Room of Damnation, the Wisdom King listened to his disciple''s screams of anguish.


    "Focus the pain on the meditation. It''s a powerful tool. Do not fear pain; instead, use it." He drew a cross on his chest and then left the basement with his eyes closed.


    He hoped that his disciple would seed.

 Chapter 389 Nukeworld

    <h4>Chapter 389 Nukeworld</h4>


    In the darkening city of Amaterasu.


    A three-story building stood in the corner of Caramel Street. It was on the same street as other residential buildings.


    It was clear that this neighborhood was for families with high ies.


    Currently, on the top floor of the three-story building that was fully painted white, a gentle candle covered the room in a calming yellow hue.


    As the candle was right on top of a desktop drawer, right beside a wall, it only had one shadow, and that was the candle stick, as mes didn''t have one.


    Smash!


    At that moment, the door broke apart as one armed man crashed through and fell to the floor. He was spewing blood from his missing right arm, and he screamed loudly.


    Whistle~


    A whistling man stepped over the broken door and ced his long-ded machete against his hand.


    "That''s enough." A man with neatlybed hair patted the whistling man''s shoulder and approached the one-armed man with a nonchnt look. "You know why we are doing this?"


    "Ptui!" The one-armed man spat out and looked with irritation towards him. "How could I? I am a mere soldier, after all."


    "You have no right to feel anger." The neat-looking man crouched in front of him and said, "You are a traitor, after all."


    "Traitor, because I don''t believe your words about utopia?" The one-armed manughed. "Well then¡ªNukeworld¡ªwhat are you going to do about it?"


    "Hmm." Nukeworld, the leader of the New yer Alliance, looked at him before sighing. "You gave important information about our alliance away. Worst of all, you gave it to those bikers."


    "Hmph¡­" The one-armed man scoffed and felt his vision turn hazy as he looked over to the candle.


    After discovering that the legendary Roaring Engines, who were even known in the real world as the most dangerous bike gang in the world, were after their alliance, he decided to change sides.


    He sold plenty of information for nice amount of money.


    He already nned to quit the game, so he didn''t care what Nukeworld and others did to him.


    Nukeworld silently looked in his firm, unwavering eyes.


    "You have resigned to your fate, it seems." He sighed, looked at the machete-wielding man, and gave a brief nod.


    "Deadworld, do your thing."


    "Whistle~" Deadworld, with the machete in hand, approached the one-armed man with a smirk.


    "Haha, what can you do to me? Kill me?" The one-armed manughed and sat up with arge grin. "I only logged in because I wanted to stare you guys in the eye andugh.


    "There is nothing any of you can do. I already received my payment, and I can quit the game now."


    "You are mistaken, little pup." Deadworld grinned, stabbed the machete into the one-armed man''s abdomen, and whispered. "A storm of pain."


    "Huh?" The one-armed man frowned, but at that moment, a sharp pain shot throughout his body, widening his eyes in shock.


    "Aaaaaaaaaaarfggh!"


    Nukeworld walked down the stairs while the screams echoed from the background.


    He soon arrived at the first floor, where men and women, wearing brown ponchos, had gathered in the living room. They were examining maps of Amaterasu and the surrounding environment.


    "Boss." A short-haired woman nodded after Nukeworld arrived in the living room and showed him a map of a certain part of Amaterasu. "We have acquired information about the Roaring Engines location.


    "They chose their spot wisely, as we cannot attack there without rming Watchmen."


    "Mm." Nukeworld nodded, ced his hands on the table, and looked at the scattered maps. "Attacking them would be unwise."


    "What should we do?" A person asked while everyone else looked at their leader while expecting answers.


    They fully trusted in their leader, who managed to build the alliance from the ground up, and now they were one of the leading forces of Amaterasu.


    If they epted Roaring Engines'' offer of relocating, all their hard work would''ve been for nothing.


    At that moment, Wildloid, with bronze skin and flowing ck hair, entered the room.


    She looked over to Nukeworld, who sensed her presence, and said. "What about their offer?"


    "What offer?" Nukeworld nced over his shoulder at her.


    "About the singlebat." Wildloid walked over to him, mmed her hands on the table, and angrily said, "All you need to do is defeat him. Then, our alliance''s future would be secured!"


    A few members of the alliance nodded and looked over to Nukeworld. They hadn''t given their answer about the fight yet.


    "It''s risky." Nukeworld looked away from her and looked at the maps. "They are treacherous. Once I defeated him, they wouldn''t stand still."


    "Roaring Engines are all about strength." Wildloid clenched her fist, frustrated at Nukeworld. "If they saw their leader get defeated, there is no way they would continue to fight!"


    "You don''t know about that." Nukeworld folded his arms and shook his head. "We have the advantage of numbers. The fight is what Motorhero wants. We cannot allow him to control the war."


    Wildloid scoffed. "If you do not want to fight, send Deadworld. I am sure he is more than willing!"


    "We cannot afford to lose either." Nukeworld said with a frown.


    "Lose? Who?"


    At that moment, Deadworld arrived on the first floor with his shirt covered in blood.


    "¡­" Nukeworld clicked his tongue and looked at Deadworld with a forced smile. "I am just thinking about all the endings."


    "Yeah, you do that." Deadworldughed. "You think too much. What we need is action!"


    "Exactly." Wildloid agreed with him and said: "We look weak for not doing anything. Let''s at least send Deadworld; he''ll show our strength!"


    "Then I will look like a weakling." Nukeworld looked at her with a frown. "Is that what you want? I would rather look like a leader who sends his subordinates to fight than do it himself."


    "Honestly¡­" Wildloid looked into his eyes and whispered. "You look like that."


    Nukeworld narrowed his eyes and said, "Watch your tongue."


    "Or what?" Wildloid raised her eyebrow.


    She had always been very loyal to Nukeworld, as they had fought side-by-side for a long time. However, even after Motorhero killed her, Nukeworld had taken a very passive stance.


    It made her frustrated, as she wanted to get revenge, but Nukeworld only wanted to take it slow and steady. It made her feel very disappointed in him.


    "I have a n!" Nukeworld shouted and looked at his subordinates with an unwavering look. "I need you all to trust me. There''lle a time when Motorhero is crawling below our feet!"


    His subordinates, except Wildloid and Deadworld, nodded as they felt slightly rejuvenated after hearing their leader''s words.


    "I need all of you to have patience!" Nukeworld shouted and looked at Wildloid angrily. "Do you get it?"


    "I get it." Wildloid scoffed and raised her arms in defeat. ''Coward.''


    "What about you, Deadworld?" Nukeworld looked over to Deadworld, who was actually his big brother in the real world.


    "Yeah, I get it." Deadworldughed. "By the way, I finished dealing with our little traitor over there. He ain''t evering back."


    "Good." Nukeworld nodded. "Well then, everyone, go back to your work."


    He then left the living room, walked to the kitchen, and leaned against the sink.


    "Whoo¡­" Nukeworld took a deep breath and wiped away his sweat.


    ''Oh,e on guys, of course I don''t want to fight Motorhero!


    ''He is part of that murderous gang.


    ''Ahhh, I am so scared!''


    Nukeworld bit his nails and anxiously tapped his feet against the floor. He hated the fact that he couldn''t simply drop everything and quit the game.


    If he did that, his brother would definitely kill him, and he didn''t want to lose everything!


    ''I spent so many years tricking others into joining my side, and I finally managed to create my biggest scam yet¡ªNew yer Alliance!


    ''I don''t fucking care about the rights of new yers. They are simply easier to trick to get on my side as they are weak and need protection!


    ''Everything ising down because Motorhero and Roaring Engines. Why did they suddenly target us? We never bothered them, so whyyy!''

 Chapter 390 Bloodhound

    <h4>Chapter 390 Bloodhound</h4>


    Inside a dimly lit room, an ugly-looking rat smashed its head against the cage. It was desperately trying to break free, but it couldn''t.


    "Shh¡­" A pale-faced man showed up in front of the cage and pressed his finger against his lips while telling the rat to quiet down.


    ng, ng!


    It had no use as the rat turned even crazier and started chewing the cage.


    "It''s alright¡­" The pale-faced man unhooked the lock, opened the cage''s door, and picked up the rat while the small creature tried to bite through his finger.


    "I can''t feel anything, little guy." He said, then carried the rat to the wooden table that had dents as if someone had smashed at it with a hammer and put the rat gently down.


    Without further ado, the rat tried to jump off the table, but the man quickly snatched it and put it back down on the table.


    This time, he didn''t stop holding it with his hands.


    "Here, pain is a foreign concept for yers." The pale-faced man said with a faint smile. "They are confident¡ªarrogant even¡ªthat they don''t have to suffer like you little guys.


    "However, I''ll change it.


    "They''ll suffer as well."


    At that moment, his hands turned slightly transparent, and the little rat started squirming as if it were having a seizure. It''s limbs started twitching, and it let out short, painful squeaks.


    "Go on, little guy." He opened the window and stopped holding the crazy-looking rat.


    With a mad-sounding squeak, the rat jumped out of the window, ignoring that there was a fifteen-meter fall, and crashed on the pavement.


    However, it continued moving, and like a possessed creature, it started running about erratically. It was unclear where it was heading.


    "Mm~" He whistled, closed the window, and then heard a loud banging noiseing from the other side of the door.


    Bang, bang!


    "Huh?" He approached the door and opened it slightly.


    A not-so-nice-looking man stood behind the door with his arms crossed and a prominent frown on his face. It didn''t look like he was here to just say hi.


    "Ah,ndlord¡­" The pale-faced man chuckled nervously and asked. "I-is something wrong?"


    "Where the hell is my¡­" Thendlord whispered venomously and mmed the door wide open. "Goddamn money."


    "I still have time till tomorrow, don''t I?" The pale-faced man asked with a frown.


    Thendlord pushed him into the room and followed him inside.


    "That''s right. However, you haven''t paid attention to the time. The clock is ticking, and you have five minutes left till you have to pay or I''ll kick you out."


    "Come on, man." The pale-faced man said frustratingly.


    "You will call me as thendlord." Thendlord pushed him against the wooden table and asked. "Well, where is my money, Bloodhound?"


    "Sigh¡­" The pale-faced man, known as Bloodhound, sighed.


    This was the first-ever yer-owned inn, and therefore he rented a room there, thinking that it would be easier tomunicate with thendlord and perhaps get a discount.


    However, unfortunately, thendlord was a man who was very punctual and didn''t ept any shit in his direction.


    One had to pay in time, or you''d get thrown out of the window.


    "You spent all your money on those things." The scary-lookingndlord looked over at the rattling cages that were scattered across the room.


    "Every night, we hear screams and squeaks, and the next day, youe with a new one. What the hell are you doing here?


    "This room is a mess!"


    Thendlord looked at the floor with fur strewn about. There was a lot of evidence left about histe-night doings.


    "I am doing research¡­" Bloodhoundughed nervously. "I''ll be famous one day."


    "Oh, is that so?" Thendlord smirked, and smashed his fist deep into Bloodhound''s gut.


    "Ah!" Bloodhound''s knees buckled, and he fell to the ground as all the air left his lungs.


    "You are using future tense." Thendlord grabbed him by his ashen-gray hair and asked. "You need the money now, not in the future. So, do you have anything or not?"


    "Ugh¡­" Bloodhound groaned loudly and looked at him hazily. "Y-you will regret this. One day, I''ll be feared and known by all¡­ You have no idea what I am capable of."


    Smack!


    Thendlord smashed his head down to the floorboard and kicked his body until the sound of bones breaking sounded. He then cleared his throat and spat on his face.


    "Before the sunrise, you better have my money!" Thendlord shouted and then stormed out of the room.


    Smash!


    The door closed with a loud smash.


    "You''ll regret this¡­" Bloodhound whispered and stood up slowly while holding his waist.


    He could feel that his health had dropped significantly, and he felt like broken bones were trying to stab through his skin. It wasn''t painful, but extremely ufortable.


    "One day¡­


    "Name Bloodhound will reach heaven."


    Bloodhound''s mad-looking eyes glinted with viciousness.


    ''Enough of animal tests¡­


    ''Time to test my abilities on yers.''


    ¡­


    The following morning, near the gates of Amaterasu.


    "So, this is the ce!" A blond-haired man with a backpack slung over his shoulder entered the city through the wide gates.


    He followed behind the chirpy-looking travelers who came to Amaterasu for opportunities and hopefully a better future.


    ''This is where my fate took me, huh¡­''


    The blond-haired man rubbed his nice-looking nose and followed the street wherever it led him. He didn''t have a map, so he hoped that he would find what he was looking for.


    Atst, he found a small flea market, where he purchased a single dart and the map of Amaterasu.


    With those in hand, he entered one of the nearby alleyways, which seemed abandoned except that it was used by nearby residents as a ce to dump the washwater.


    "Mm¡­" The blond-haired man ced the map against the wall and backed off until his back touched another wall.


    He then pointed the dart towards the map nailed to the wall and closed his left eye.


    Without taking any time or calcting the distance, he threw the dart without any thought behind it, and it stabbed into the map.


    He approached the map and checked where it hadnded.


    "So, that''s my next destination, huh¡­" The blond-haired man folded the map, ced it in his chest pocket, and picked up his backpack as he left the alleyway.


    Following the map''s guidance, he soon found himself in the ce where the dart hadnded previously on the map.


    It seemed like he was a rather erratic person, following the guidance of a mere dart, but his expression looked steady and confident, as if this ce was where he was supposed to be.


    He looked at the sign of the dojo.


    The sign read, "Immortal Dojo."


    ''Immortal Dojo¡­'' He cleared his throat and stepped through the open gate with his back straight and a smile on his face.


    However, after only two steps, one of the students who was cleaning the yard stopped him.


    "Who are you?" The student asked with a suspicious frown while, strangely, one of his arms was tied behind his back, which clearly made cleaning difficult for him.


    "My name is Konrad, and I guess I am here to be a student of this esteemed dojo!" Konrad smiled widely and looked at the dojo with an excited look.


    "What do you mean, you guess?" The student frowned. "Aren''t you sure why you''vee here."


    "I never am, really!" Konrad said with augh. "I go where fate takes me. I''ve traveled from farnds of Dark Waters, to the Light Continent with only a dart and fate guiding my path.


    "It eventually led me to Amaterasu and finally to this very dojo.


    "I must have a reason to be here!"


    "Uhh¡­" The student sighed and scratched his head. ''Great, our newest student candidate is some weirdo.''

 Chapter 391 Prequel of War

    <h4>Chapter 391 Prequel of War</h4>


    In the Forever Company.


    Jacob tiredly scrolled down the batch of new videos.


    None of them interested him, and it made him feel sleepy instead.


    "What is the time¡­" He checked his wristwatch and saw that he still had 20 minutes before his night shift ended.


    It was already sunny outside, and the daytime workers were entering the video department through the open doors.


    The sleepy-looking night shift workers were stretching their limbs while just waiting for the clock to tick down. None of them wanted to watch a single video anymore.


    ''Maybe I should just quit.'' Jacob thought while scratching his small stubble. ''I don''t have time to y Martial Online, which frustrates me.


    ''I have to watch people enjoying it daily while I can only y a few hours at night before I have to go to work.''


    He then moved his hands to the keyboard, wrote a certain name on the search bar, and pressed enter.


    He again checked the channel named ''Ambrose'' in case there were any new videos, but it only had the two old videos.


    ''Why did he quit making videos so suddenly? He had potential for a bright future.''


    Jacob shook his head in disappointment.


    ''I have heard rumors about him being the yer with the highest bounty so far.'' Jacob thought. ''Like me, no one thinks he''ll survive long with such a high bounty.


    ''Most yers are searching for him day and night, but no one has discovered his whereabouts yet.


    ''Such a shame.''


    ¡­


    At the inn of some random town on the Light Continent.


    A group of cloaked yers had gathered in one of the inn''s rented rooms. They were standing around a small, knee-high table that had a map.


    The map had parts that were colored red, as if they were ces where one shouldn''t wander off to.


    "We''ve already searched this area." One of the cloaked yers pointed at areas colored green. "He isn''t anywhere here."


    "We also know he isn''t in Dark Waters anymore." Another yer said: "He must be on Light Continent."


    "We shouldn''t underestimate him." A yer with a deep voice said: "He is, after all, a person with over two million bounties."


    "Exactly, two million bounty." A yer licked his lips. "That kind of money was thought to be impossible to get while ying a video game."


    "Mm." A yer grabbed a knife from his inventory and threw it against a wall. The knife stabbed through a certain wanted poster.


    It was a wanted poster of a handsome man with bright purple eyes and a devilishly charming smile. It had an insane bounty that had attracted the attention of thousands of yers.


    "Let''s start the hunt!"


    "He will show himself in no time. He couldn''t possibly resist the desire for yer contact!"


    ¡­


    At the dark harbor of the Dark Continent.


    Rows of Viking ships were lined beside each other. They were rocking back and forth while the tall waves struck the hulls.


    In the harbor, menacing-looking creatures walked back and forth with heavy backpacks on their backs. They finished their packing and then entered one of the hundred ships.


    "The voyage will start!" A sharp-horned man stood in front of the ship, the bull''s head acting as the ship''s front.


    It looked like the man was a mix of a high-horned bull and a muscr man.


    The sharp-horned man raised his arm, and then the ship pulled the anchor from the water and started sailing towards the fog-shrouded waters.


    At that moment, a young man with smaller bull horns approached the captain of one of the ships and asked.


    "I am here on behalf of Lord Ravan!"


    "Hmm?" The sharp-horned man looked down at the young man, who was head shorter than him and looked rather neat, as if he were living a good life for now.


    He looked vastly different from the sailors on board, who had bushy beards, rough-looking countenances, and rags as clothes. It was as if a noble man had entered a town full of poverty.


    "And what does he want?" The sharp-horned man, named Kyleman, looked down at the young man with a sharp look.


    "He said, and I quote, good luck." The young man said without fear in his face.


    "Good luck?" Kylemanughed raspily. "Who needs luck? We''ll crush those Lightmen like ants!"


    "¡­" The young man didn''t speak another word and instead jumped off the ship and then started swimming back to the harbor. He didn''t seem to care that the nearby seas were full of sharks.


    There were even fins that appeared from below the fog-shrouded waters and started chasing after the swimming young man.


    However, when the young man nced in their direction, all the sharks scurried away as if they were looked at by a much more powerful being.


    "Hmph, Lord Ravan is being too respectful towards those Light ants!" Kyleman crossed his bulging arms andughed.


    "The Lightmen will die under our blows; the Lightwomen will be ours to use for pleasure; theirnds and riches will belong to the Viking Armada!"


    As the Viking ships crashed through tall waves, the people of the Light Continent still had no idea that the first-ever attack from the Dark Continent was heading their way.


    ¡­


    Rumble!


    City of Verhan, the heart of the Dark Continent.


    It was a sizable city that waspletely in the dark and surrounded by what appeared to be thick ck smoke. It was the ck Smoke of Verhan!


    Whenever someone tried to enter the city without going through the gates, they would be killed by the ck Smoke of Verhan. It was the greatest possible defense.


    At the center of Verhan, there was a ck castle that was currently the center of an ongoing lightning storm.


    Streaks of silvery lightning moved across the sky, obscured by ck clouds, and then suddenly, a silvery bolt of lightning shot through theyer of clouds and smashed into the ck castle.


    However, the ck castle seemed undamaged as it continued to stand without any trouble. The silvery lightning that struck the ck castle''s pointed roof didn''t even cause it to char.


    Currently, inside the ck castle''s throne room, demonic-looking creatures stood in front of stairs that led up to the high-end throne, where a single figure sat.


    The figure had dangerous-looking ck eyes, and he was red-skinned with two ck horns protruding from his forehead. His sharp teeth looked sharp enough to bite through the ship''s hull.


    He had long, flowy ck hair that reached his lower back, and he wore an open-buttoned red vest with a blood-red shirt below and ck trousers.


    "The Viking Armada has set sail." A blind-eyed demon said.


    Even though his eyes were white, caused by his obvious blindness, he could still see the ongoings of Dark Continent, and currently, he saw the hundreds of ships departing from Dark Harbor, even though it was thousands of kilometers away.


    "Mm¡­" Lord Ravan leaned against the back end of the throne and looked at the demons in the hall. "What will be their first obstacle. The Pirate Battleground?"


    "Most likely, sire." The blind-eyed demon said. "Our scouts managed to enter Light Continent since they moved alone, but a whole armada¡­ hard to say.


    "They will definitely end up in a fight with the Inquisitors."


    "Kyleman is a fool." Lord Ravan sighed and touched one of his horns with an absent look. "I am so close to figuring out the secret of the world beyond¡­"


    "Why didn''t you stop him, sire?" The blind-eyed demon asked curiously. "You could''ve."


    "I don''t care what they''ll do." Lord Ravan said and tapped his finger against the throne''s arm rest. "The Viking Armada consists of Half-Men, after all. They might be a sub-race of demons, but they are still not part of us, not really."


    "Mm." The blind-eyed demon nodded wisely and asked. "What happens if they reach Light Continent?"


    "I don''t know." Lord Ravan said and chuckled coldly. "However, I am very interested in these yers. They are, after all, residents of that other world."

 Chapter 392 Explosion of Internet

    <h4>Chapter 392 Explosion of Inte</h4>


    Kyaa~


    In the hallways of high school, schoolgirls screamed in excitement as a tall, clear-skinned upperssman walked down the hallway, followed by his entourage of friends.


    He had a clear look in his navy-blue eyes, and his charming smile managed to make a few schoolgirls faint near their ssrooms.


    "Boss!" A humble-looking student walked beside him with a humbling smile. "Why did youe to the school? You are now a professional Martial Online yer and a famous ForeverStreamer.


    "You make millions weekly!


    "O-of course, we love to see you here, but I am curious why?"


    "Huh, because studying is important." The handsome upperssman said with a smile.


    After entering one of the ssrooms, he got seated near the window and was immediately surrounded by his friends.


    The rest of the students in the ssroom quieted down their talks and threw sneaky nces at the handsome student.


    Even though he was their ssmate, it felt like they lived inpletely different worlds.


    This person was one of the strongest yers in Martial Online and was currently ranked fifth in the ForeverStream ranking.


    He was the wealthiest high schooler in the entire world and perhaps the yer with the highest amount of talent.


    In the gaming and inte worlds, his name was powerful enough to subdue all the enemies and hates.


    His name was Moriarty.


    "Boss, here!" A friend of theirs, who was two years under them, brought Moriarty strawberry milk and humbly backed off from him.


    This was his first time being part of Moriarty''s and his friend''s circle, which was a great honor for him. However, since he was the youngest and newest member, he did all the errands.


    However, he didn''t mind, as he never expected Moriarty to be his friend.


    After telling his parents, they were thrilled, as there was a certain saying¡ªlove me, love my dog.


    As long as he kept Moriarty''s friendship, his future would be prosperous!


    "Thanks." Moriarty sipped on the strawberry milk and crossed his legs as he gazed out of the window.


    In other people''s vision, it would look like he was staring at the grayish sky and at the snow-covered yard of the high school.


    However, in reality, his vision was full of numbers and different patches of code. He was imagining this world as Martial Online.


    ''Hmm, this world is indeed the inferior version.'' Moriarty thought while sipping on the milk.


    Beep, beep!


    At that moment, his phone in his pocket vibrated.


    In the same moment, the ssroom door opened, and the teacher waltzed in while carrying stacks of books.


    "Everyone, take your seats; we are starting the ss!" The teacher arrived at the desk and mmed his books down.


    Moriarty''s friend circle scattered away; some left for their own sses, while a few took their seats in the same ss.


    Without caring that the ss was about to start, Moriarty answered the phone call and ced the phone against his ear.


    "What is it?"


    The teacher nudged his sses and looked toward Moriarty. However, he swallowed hisints and turned a certain page on the schoolbook, then showed it to everyone in the ss.


    He didn''t speak a word, as he didn''t want to interrupt Moriarty''s phone call.


    After all, he had enough power to get him fired, and his life ruined.


    Moriarty''s influence went way beyond mere school and even reached the higher levels of society.


    "Hey, Moriarty!" An excited voice came from the other side of the phone. "I have amazing news!"


    "What is it, mister manager?" Moriarty askedzily, nced towards the teacher, saw the page he was holding, and nonchntly turned into the same page in the book that was on top of his desk.


    "I found out from my sources that the second update of Martial Online is happening soon!"


    "Oh?" Moriarty''s eyes showed great interest. "That is indeed amazing news."


    "I don''t know anything about the contents of Martial Online, but I heard something¡­"


    "What is it?" Moriarty asked.


    "After the update, Martial Company is going to create a tournament!" The manager''s voice turned excited. "They had already started building a stadium for it in Loch City!"


    "It''s an offline tournament?" Moriarty turned his voice into a whisper, as he didn''t want others to hear. "Not online?"


    "There''ll be online qualifiers, and the winners of them will have the honor topete in the stadium!" The manager also whispered, as if he were afraid of others finding out.


    "You have to start grinding immediately. Be as strong as possible!"


    "Yeah, I don''t need you to say that." Moriarty stood up and closed his books. "Is that all? I am going home. I can''t waste any time."


    "Wait, there is one thing!" The manager said hurriedly. "This isn''t a solo tournament. It''s a duo!"


    "Duo, but why?" Moriarty''s frown deepened. "That means I''ll have to find a partner."


    "That''s right!" The manager said anxiously. "I''ll start snooping around, trying to find out if anyone strong is willing to team up with you!"


    "No need; I know there are only a few that I would want to team up with." Moriarty said and narrowed his eyes. "Ever heard of the Most Wanted yer?"


    "Uh, he was¡­ that guy called Ambrose, right?" The manager asked, his voice filled with confusion.


    "Try to contact him. Give him my phone number; I would like to speak to him." Moriarty said. "He is the only yer that has reached the red rank. I want to talk to him to see whether he is disappointing or a man I think he is."


    "I''ll tr¡ª"


    Without letting him finish, he disconnected the phone call, put his books inside his backpack, and walked to the door of the ssroom with the intention of leaving.


    "M-Moriarty, ss is still going." The teacher said with his voice trembling.


    It made him a little nervous to say that.


    "These sses do not interest me." Moriarty mmed the door open and walked out of the ssroom.


    "The sses should teach something useful. It''s era of Martial Online. Start teaching that."


    ¡­


    As the day went by, the night fell.


    In the bustling forums of Martial Online, the usual was happening.


    The yersined about something; they tried to recruit people to their dojo, or some tried to attract people to buy their stuff from Reality Market, which they had posted days ago but hadn''t gotten any sales yet.


    At that moment, a post written in bold, red font appeared on top of the forum. It instantly received ''Hot'' status, meaning it was one of the hottest topic avable in the forum.


    It received one because it was written by the admin of the forum, who worked for the Martial Company.


    Rarely any posts appeared from them, and now that it did, it received thousands ofments within ten seconds.


    However, once they saw the context of the post, everyone became speechless, but soon, a wave of excitement swept across the whole Inte.


    [THE SECOND UPDATE OF MARTIAL ONLINE COMING IN 1 WEEK]


    Without any time wasted, all the streamers who were streaming Martial Online immediately logged off and transferred their stream to theirputers.


    They all started reading the context of the post, and the streamers, along with the viewers, became more excited than ever before in their lives.


    The hype was even higher than with the first update, and it didn''t take long for the news about the second update to reach every corner of the globe.


    Once an hour passed after the update announcement, another post from the same admin appeared on the forum. It was the first time ever for two posts from Martial Company to happen on the same day.


    This time, it was the announcement of the uing tournament.


    A highly-anticipated duo tournament, where two yers have to work together to reach the end of the qualifying and finally qualify for the tournament happening in Loch City''s stadium, which would be streamed all around the world.


    The Inte exploded after the two announcements, and the traffic in the forums and on ForeverStream reached an all-time high. It was a surprise that the websites didn''t crash.

 Chapter 393 Zadkiel

    <h4>Chapter 393 Zadkiel</h4>


    "Brother¡­" June looked at the phone in her brother''s hand and looked at him worryingly.


    "Hmm." Jason looked at the announcement and then closed his phone. "That might be the way out."


    "Way out?" June tilted her head.


    At that moment, a loud thud sounded from the living room as a drunken, overweight man rolled off the sofa and crashed on the ground.


    "God damn it!" Their father''s drunken shout sounded.


    "Yeah¡­" Jason nced at his room''s door and said, "The prize money will be enough for us to move away."


    "¡­" June looked at him with a soft look. "You''re participating then¡­"


    "Of course." Jason pocketed his phone and nced at his VR headset on the bed. "I''ll need a partner¡­"


    June sat down on the bench and kicked her legs up and down while looking at her brother. She was conflicted about the tournament.


    It would definitely have a huge cash prize, but it would also mean that every best yer would be there.


    ''He''ll must participate as well.'' Jason narrowed his eyes.


    ¡­


    "Brother!" Emma rushed inside Jesse''s room and saw him lying on the bed.


    It was already quitete, so it was surprising that he was still online.


    "Brother?" She approached the bed and watched at her sleeping brother.


    His head was covered in the VR headset, and his eyes were peacefully closed.


    She sighed in slight disappointment, as she wanted to talk to him about the update and tournament announcement.


    It even made her very excited, even though she was a casual yer.


    She also wondered whether her big brother was going to participate in the tournament, as she believed him to be the strongest.


    "Mm, I''ll leave him a note." She opened the drawer and was surprised to see that it was full of easily eatable food.


    ''Why is he collecting food?''


    She shrugged her shoulders and took out a paper and pen, then wrote that she wanted to talk to him as soon as possible when he logged off.


    After that, she left the note in the bedside drawer and left the room.


    At that moment, Jesse''s eyelids fluttered below the headset visor, and his veins bulged on his forehead as if he were in great pain.


    Jesse was still unaware of what had happened in the outside world, as he was still suffering in the Room of Damnation.


    ¡­


    Next morning, Nocklund''s High School.


    Zach sat in his ssroom, leaning against his arm with the school book opened on his desk.


    At that moment, a figure dragged his chair and sat right beside him.


    "Heard about the news?" Westlund, his hair neatlybed, looked at Zach excitedly.


    "Hard not to." Zach wryly smiled as he nced at his former bully and now friend, Westlund.


    After the incident on the rooftop, Westlund had aplete change in personality. He never bullied anymore and instead protected the weak.


    Eventually, he befriended Zach.


    "I''ll have to settle with watching the qualifiers." Westlund sighed and put his arms behind his head. "I ain''t strong enough topete in the tournament, but the update is hype as fuck!"


    "It''s very interesting." Zach scratched his chin.


    "You should try the game, dude!" Westlund looked at him with a grin. "It''s something you have to experience to know how special it is!"


    "Hmm¡­" Zach frowned as he felt conflicted and nudged his sses up his nose bridge. "Maybe I should¡­"


    At that moment, the door opened, revealing a beautiful, tanned girl with a soft countenance. She immediately attracted all the male students attention.


    "Zach." Holly said softly as she approached him.


    "Uh, Holly?" Zach looked at her in surprise, as she had never approached him before.


    "Mind telling Jesse that I asked about his whereabouts in Martial Online?"


    "Why don''t you send him a text message?" Zach asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "I¡­ had to sell my phone." Holly sighed and shook her head, signaling that she didn''t want to talk about it.


    "Oh, okay." Zach nodded. "I will."


    After that, Holly departed from the ssmate, and Westlund rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "I didn''t know you two were close."


    "We aren''t." Zach said, and he nced at the clock. "The ss is about to start. Go to your seat."


    "Aye, aye."


    ¡­


    In the Honorable Temple''s basement.


    The two guards leaned against the granite door while having their lunch break. They brought a knee-length table and two wooden chairs there, and they were eating silently.


    At that moment, they both heard another scream from inside the room.


    "What in the world¡­" The first guard nced at the door and gulped. "Those screams are something else."


    "Want to bet how long he''llst?" The second guard asked with a smile.


    "Hmph, fine." The first guard shrugged his shoulders and said, "3 days."


    "1 and a half." The second guard said.


    "That low?" The first guard scoffed. "He is, after all, Honorable and the youngest one at that. Don''t you remember the test?"


    "I do, and he barely survived that." The second guard said: "At average, honorablesst 2 and a half days. Based on these screams, he is already at the limit."


    "It has almost been 1 and a half." The first guard said, "Two hours or so left."


    "Yeah, and he''ll give up soon; you''ll see."


    At that moment, both heard banging soundsing from the other side of the door, as if someone were hitting their head against the door.


    "He might kill himself at this rate." The second guard wiped his sweat and asked. "Perhaps we should tell the grandmaster?"


    "You know what he said." The first guard said, "We can only call him if the person inside the room shows a desire to leave."


    "That is not enough?" The second guard asked as he listened to the banging.


    "A verbal desire is needed." The first guard sighed.


    Gulp¡ªthey both gulped as they wondered whether the person inside would actually survive.


    It would be somewhat their fault if they didn''t let him out before he died.


    ¡­


    Atop a small hill in Tsukuyomi''s southern area.


    A middle-aged man with an enormous, cross-shaped sword in hand shed against the thick bark of an old-looking tree with withered leaves and long branches.


    He then heard footstepsing from the bottom of the hill. The person, with those footsteps, seemed to waltz up rocky steps at a slow and steady pace.


    "Hmm?" Julian spun his sword around, shethed it on his back scabbard, and turned around to the person.


    His eyes narrowed in surprise.


    "You are¡­" Julian whispered.


    "You know me? I am honored that the great Saint Julian knows me."


    The walking figure had messy, crystal-colored hair with well-defined features and a dainty nose. His corbone that wasn''t covered with a shirt looked prominent, and it made him look stronger than one would think based on his soft-looking countenance.


    There were two sharp Sai weapons dangling from his waist. They were about 20 inches in length, with a metal-made main shaft and two prongs projecting from the right angles of the handle.


    It looked like a weapon that ninjas would use.


    "Of course I know you." Julian said and leaned against the tree, whose bark was filled with sword scratches. "You''re the world''s most famous streamer, after all."


    "Heh, hearing thating from you is quite interesting." The man said with a chuckle.


    He was ForeverStream''s biggest streamer, standing at the top of the ranking¡ªZadkiel.


    "Is it really?" Julian sighed. "You''re way more famous than I am. I am even subscribed to your ForeverStream. I am a fan."


    "Haha, is that so? You aren''t using your login; otherwise, I would''ve noticed if someone like you subscribed to me." Zadkiel smiled.


    "Would you?" Julian chuckled. "You have millions of other subscribers. I am just one person. Well, what did you want?"


    "Heard about the tournament?" Zadkiel put his arms behind his back and smiled. "Well, of course you have. Everyone has."


    "Mm, what about it?" Julian asked.


    "Join the tournament with me." Zadkiel grinned with wide eyes. "Two of us can make it very far."


    "I didn''t think you would be interested." Julian said in surprise. "You''ve got nothing to prove. There is nothing you can gain from taking part in the tournament."


    "I am doing it for my own enjoyment." Zadkiel grinned. "There is only one person I want to take part in it with, and that is you. The world''s strongest yer."


    "I am not sure if I am the strongest anymore, but sure, I''ll join you." Julian stopped leaning against the tree. "How strong are you?"


    "Want to test my strength?" Zadkiel grinned and pulled out his Sai''s. Their small ck de looked dangerous.


    "Hmm, very well." Julian drew his long, cross-shaped sword and pointed it at him. "Come."


    The two figures lunged and shed with their weapons.


    As the sparks flew like fireworks, the outside world had no idea that two of the most powerful people around had just joined hands.


    If anyone knew, they would throw their gloves on the desk and give up, as no one would believe that there was any chance of victory against this team!

 Chapter 394 Shady Phone Call

    <h4>Chapter 394 Shady Phone Call</h4>


    In Martial Online''s forums, yers started searching for their partner for the uing tournament.


    Some already had friends to ask for, but others, who desired victory, wanted to partner up with the strongest yers.


    Among them, families belonging to the High Society started building up their own teams for the uing tournament. They wanted the team topete under their name, which would in turn increase the prestige of their family.


    Alongside them, the Rothsmith family had an emergency meeting in Nocklund''s highest skyscraper, which was also Rothsmith Headquarters.


    In the office room, the patriarch of the Rothsmith Family, Mark Rothsmith, looked at everyone in the office with a serious look.


    The atmosphere was heavy and suffocating.


    "As most of you''ve heard, the tournament ising." Mark leaned on the chair and said, "We wouldn''t care if it was the tournament of any other game, but this one is special.


    "All eyes will be on this tournament. It''s the perfect chance to increase the prestige of a family."


    "What should we do, father?" Percy, Mark''s son, asked.


    "We''ll need to start recruiting people to our ranks." Mark intertwined his fingers and continued. "The money is not an obstacle, so start sending messages to all the strongest yers."


    Percy nodded, as did everyone else in the room.


    Jack stood in the corner of the room with the help of his walking cane and looked thoughtful.


    ''Maybe Jesse wants to participate as well? He probably can''t make it very far, but it will be nice to experience something like this.''


    "If any of your children are ying the game, they should join the tournament." Mark looked at Jack and Percy before moving his gaze to the more distant rtives, who had big families as well.


    "If even one member of the Rothsmith family manages to qualify for the finals, it will skyrocket our prestige."


    After the meeting ended and the members of the family started departing from the office, Mark called out to Jack and Percy to stay behind.


    "What about Nyx and Zach?" Mark asked with his fingers digging into his palm. "Have they tried this game?"


    "No." Percy shook his head.


    "No," Jack repeated.


    "Sigh¡­" Mark pinched his be and shook his head in disappointment. "Shame."


    "I want the Rothsmith family to seed in the tournament.


    "It''s fine if our ''Purchased'' yers reach the final while having the name ''Rothsmith'' on their banner, but it would be even better if a person who has the name Rothsmith reaches that stadium.


    "However, my true desire is to have someone from the main family in the final. However, it does seem like that was a fool''s dream."


    "Sorry, father." Percy sighed.


    "¡­" Jack stayed silent, but deep inside, he was slightly angry.


    ''He still doesn''t think of Jesse as a member of the main family. It would take a lot from him to get into Mark''s good books, but I don''t think that is sadly possible.


    ''Sigh, if only Zach had yed the game before and managed to reach the finals, the side of my family would be more valuable in Mark''s eyes, and then he has no other choice but to approve Jesse.''


    "You two may go." Mark waved his hand in a dismissive manner. "I''ll have to start recruiting yers for the Rothsmith team."


    Percy and Jack nodded and then departed from the office.


    In that same moment, the same scenario was happening among every High Society family.


    They weren''t nning topete in the tournament for the money, but because of the prestige it would bring them. To them, it was more valuable than money.


    ¡­


    At the Rothsmith Estate.


    After the visit to Rothsmith Headquarters, Jack returned home andzily walked down the hallway.


    Soon, he arrived at the lounging area, where Anna was already seated near the firece with a book in her hands. She looked very lovely as the me''s golden hue touched her fair-looking face.


    "Ah, wee home." Anna smiled and looked at her husband with a soft look.


    "Mm." Jack removed his coat, took a seat beside her, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.


    "What did Mark want?" Anna asked as she leaned against her husband and slowly closed the book.


    "It''s about the uing tournament." Jack massaged his temples. "He wants to purchase powerful yers to y the uing tournament with us."


    "I cannot watch even one minute of TV without the news about the tournament appearing on the screen." Anna wryly smiled.


    "Mm." Jack nodded and asked. "Have you seen Jesse today?"


    "No." Anna shook her head. "Why?"


    "I want to ask him whether he wants to participate in the tournament as well under the Rothsmith name." Jack scratched his forehead.


    "Oh, do you think he''ll do good?" Anna asked.


    "It doesn''t matter," Jack said. "If he does well, that''s very good, as maybe Mark values him higher then, but if he doesn''t, that''s fine as well."


    "Mm." Anna nodded. "We can ask him."


    At that moment, Jack felt his phone vibrate in his trousers pockets. He took it out, and he saw that it was an unknown number.


    He frowned and answered the phone call.


    "Jack Rothsmith, who is this?" Jack asked.


    At that moment, an unknown voice came from the other side of the phone.


    "Hello, my name is Daniel Greedforth. I am the manager of Moriarty."


    "Moriarty?" Jack frowned, as that didn''t ring any bells. "I am sorry, but I am not aware of who he is."


    "The gist is that he is a very sessful streamer, ranking fifth in the ForeverStream rankings. You may check it out!"


    "Hmm¡­" Jack frowned, wondering whether this was a scam, and quickly checked whether it was true.


    Soon, he checked out the rankings and saw that a person named Moriarty was fifth in the streaming rankings. He was clearly one of the most popr Inte personalities.


    "And what is this about?" Jack asked.


    "Does a person called Jesse Rothsmith live in this household? Before, he was known as Jesse Kraham."


    "He indeed does; what do you want?" Jack was contemting whether he should just hang up.


    "Well, my client, Moriarty, wants to talk to him personally. Do you mind if I give you his phone number and you will give it to him?"


    Jack crossed his legs and nced at Anna, who was staring back at him. She clearly heard the phone call and wore a frown on her beautiful face.


    It sounded very suspicious because why would such a popr individual want to speak with their son?


    "Fine." Jack replied and picked up his notepad and pen.


    As Daniel gave out the phone number, he wrote it down and bade farewell to him before disconnecting the phone call.


    In order to prevent his son from falling for a scam, he made sure to check out whose phone number this really was.


    "What does he want with Jesse?" Anna asked suspiciously. "This sounded very shady."


    "I don''t know. Maybe Jesse knows." Jack said and pocketed his phone. "I''ll check out whose number this really is."


    "Mm." Anna nodded and pulled out her phone.


    She also started to check out information about this person, Moriarty, and she was surprised to see just how popr he was.


    She also found a picture of him, and he was a very handsome young man with a charming smile. It made her even more suspicious about this person''s intentions.


    ''Rothsmith family is indeed popr, and they might think Jesse is an easy target to scam for money. I''ll need to warn Jesse just in case.''


    Jack sent a message to Sebastian and gave him a task to figure out the real owner of this phone number and whether it really belonged to Moriarty.


    ''What do they want from my son?''

 Chapter 395 Reality Augmentation

    <h4>Chapter 395 Reality Augmentation</h4>


    Loch City, Martial Company.


    A round-headed woman peeked from the ajar door and then closed it after seeing that no one was eavesdropping.


    She then turned around and looked at the ck-haired woman who was hugging her legs while looking at theputer in front of her.


    "Jonna¡­" The so-called photographer, who met with Jesse in Nocklund''s forest, looked at her superior with a conflicted look. "Did you hear what I said?"


    "I did," Jonna said and she nced at her briefly. "He has grown a lot, hasn''t he?"


    She showed a bright smile.


    "Why are you saying it as if he was your baby or something?" The round-headed woman said with a tired look.


    "Well, he is." Jonna turned back to theputer screen. "Well, the VR headset is my baby. It''s better than I ever expected."


    On the screen, there was a picture of a handsome ck-haired man fighting a red-robed Inquisitor. It wasn''t even a proper fight, as the man crushed the woman''s skull.


    "This is a video of his fight?" The round-headed woman looked at the screen and asked.


    "Yes." Jonna nodded. "I have only about five videos of him. They are videos of his fights against some important characters in that world.


    "I cannot see what he is doing all the time; these five videos are the only way I can see his progress." Jonna said with a smile.


    "The progression is insane. From Karma to the Steel-Armed Gori, to Reinhardt, to Mars, and finally, Coraline Bridger, who was actually supposed to be a ck Inquisitor in the future if she hadn''t died by him."


    "But this is dangerous, no?" The round-headed woman asked. "I saw him fly. Freaking fly!"


    "Yeah, that is beyond my assumption." Jonna said with apparent surprise. "He had a 0.00001% chance of acquiring Formlessness before the Third Gate.


    "I thought it would take about a year before any yer got it."


    "Maybe we should take his headset and do some fixes to it." The round-headed woman asked. "He is already basically a god. Maybe we should make it less powerful¡­"


    "Why would we do that?" Jonna looked at her in confusion. "You think this is the only version of this headset?"


    "W-what do you mean?" The round-headed woman asked in confusion.


    "My version of the headset is only the third version of the ''Reality Augmentation'' headset. The first version was from Graham, and then the blueprints of his creation suddenly vanished."


    "I haven''t heard anything about that before!"


    "Of course you wouldn''t." Jonna shook her head. "Graham kept it under wraps. I managed to eavesdrop on him while he was checking the security cameras, trying to find the thief.


    "That means there are more than just this VR headset, somewhere in the world, applying it for the same use as I am.


    "I managed to fix the VR headset and make it stronger, but that doesn''t mean that those thieves didn''t manage to do that as well."


    "You mean¡­" The round-headed woman gulped. "There might be people as strong as Jesse lurking in shadows. What if there are over ten of them? Not a single army in the world would be a match for them!"


    "That''s what I am afraid of." Jonna sighed. "That''s why making the VR headset weaker is out of the question.


    "If Graham finds out about our experiment, he''ll kick us out, or worse, throw us in prison. After all, we are basically ying with Jesse''s life at this point.


    "You know what happened to Graham''s wife, right?"


    "Yeah, her skin and organs melted off after using the Reality Augmentation VR headset¡­"


    "That might also happen to Jesse. There are many uncertainties." Jonna sighed and checked one of the monitors that showed vital signals.


    "That Reality Augmentation headset sends me his vital signals in real-time, and currently, it looks good, but it might change suddenly."


    "Why did you send it away?" The round-headed woman sat down on her seat and asked with a sad tone. "It doesn''t feel right to risk his life."


    "You wondering why I didn''t try it myself?" Jonna saw her subordinate nod and said.


    "It would''ve taken me a year to reach Jesse''s current level. I can''t y all day.


    "I also don''t trust anyone in Loch City. You are an exception, but I didn''t want to risk your life. Selfishly enough, I also didn''t want to risk my own life."


    "You were gambling¡­" The round-headed woman sighed. "It could''ve ended in bad hands, and your creation would''ve been for naught."


    "I would''ve pressed the self-destruction button if that happened." Jonna sighed. "I would''ve had to start from scratch. Luckily enough, Jesse was more than good."


    "Will you tell him about the risks?" The round-headed woman asked. "He deserves to know. He ain''t a bad kid. He saved those hikers."


    "I will." Jonna said, and smiled. "I might see him soon if he qualifies for the tournament''s finals. If he reaches this stage, I''ll tell him."


    "Ok, good¡­" The round-headed woman sighed in relief, but then she added. "This still doesn''t feel right. What is your goal, Miss Jonna?"


    "My goal is to see the weak world of humans gone." Jonna daydreamed as she imagined the future.


    "You see, in the Martial Online world, yers can punch through mountains, soar across the skies, and act like gods. While in here, we are all deeply connected to the ground and are very limited in what we can do.


    "That is so pathetic, in my opinion. In the future, I want this world to look like Martial Online, with people soaring across the skies, cultivating the secrets of the universe, and moving the mountains with bare hands."


    "That sounds really dangerous." Her subordinate said.


    "Yeah, it has dangers." Jonna wryly smiled. "The strong will rule, while the weak will be trampled. But isn''t it the same way right now? In that world, at least the weak will have a chance to rise."


    The round-headed woman looked at her superior and felt like something was stuck in her throat. She wanted to say more, but she couldn''t when she saw Jonna''s obsessive look.


    Her desire was to see the world change, and if her vision came true, the world would never be the same again.


    ¡­


    Near the stadium''s construction site.


    Graham Loch looked from the window of the construction office, looking as the new stadium was arising from the ground as the hard-working construction workers worked from morning tote night to have it finished before the finals.


    "Sigh¡­" He let out a sigh.


    He was currently one of the most powerful people in the world, as he was in control of Martial Company, which was the hottestpany in the world as of right now.


    However, he felt empty, as if all the color in the world had been sucked out, reced by a dull grayish tinge.


    After closing the window''s shutters, he sat down in front of the desk. There were tons of blueprints strewn across the desk.


    ''How can I teleport her consciousness out of that world safely¡­'' He grabbed his head as he looked at the blueprints of the prototype he was working on.


    ''How¡­ how¡­ how¡­''


    Graham then looked at the grayish ceiling, and scoffed. "Even if I could, she would be trapped in heratose body. It wouldn''t be any better.


    "Maybe I should try creating the VR headset one more time¡­st time, I was hurrying up because the time was running out. Maybe if I did it more carefully this time¡­"


    After that thought surfaced in his mind, he quickly grabbed his head as he imagined the sight of his daughter melting, just like his wife did.


    "No¡­" Graham closed his eyes in pain. "Sorry, Be. I am a coward."

 Chapter 396 Unexpected Alliance

    <h4>Chapter 396 Unexpected Alliance</h4>


    In the skies above Amaterasu, an enormous message that was invisible to NPCs appeared out of nowhere.


    It was the countdown to the update.


    On the bottom floor of Whispering Pages, Be stared out of the window at the enormous message.


    ''Last time the update came, I thought I had died.'' Be remembered that time.


    As she was simply working on a new collection of books, everything suddenly turned dark, and she hovered for hours in some strange expanse of space, only darkness apanying her.


    She had no knowledge of the update and, therefore, thought she had died. However, luckily for her, once the servers finished updating, she returned to the same spot in Whispering Pages where she had previously disappeared.


    This time, they announced the update in-game, and she could prepare for it. However, she was still worried about whether it was going to be harmful to her.


    However, deep inside, even though she didn''t want to admit it, she believed that her father wouldn''t let her die.


    ''Jesse sent a message that it will take longer before he returns.'' She sighed and leaned against the window with an absent-minded look.


    ¡­


    At the random corner of the street, several yers talked excitedly about the update and the tournament. They all felt like Christmas hade early.


    It was still a little bit over a week until Christmas, but the update came two days earlier, making some more excited about that than Christmas itself!


    "What do you think the update will consist of?" A straight-nosed yer asked his friends. He was almost shaking in his boots as he thought about all the possibilities.


    His friends pondered it deeply.


    "It''s hard to top the previous update." One of his friends said with his arms crossed. "Last time, we got Reality Market, which literally changed the world."


    "The hype for this update is off the charts." Another friend of his said: "I don''t think they will disappoint."


    "For sure, there''ll be more content."


    "Mm¡­" The straight-nosed yer scratched the side of his nose bridge. "Hard to say, but I think they''ll add something no one would expect."


    ¡­


    "Hahahah!"


    yers wearing the same brown ponchos were surrounding ckfist, who had his back to a wall.


    The members of the New yer Alliance found himcking and ambushed him.


    "Why are youughing?" One of them asked with an eerie grin. "You are dying, and you''ll have to run back to your master with a tail between your legs."


    "I ain''t dying." ckfist licked the blood off his lips. "Maybe I can finally sweat a little."


    With the baseball bat in hand, he lunged at the surrounding yers and swung it at them.


    The shieldmen from the alliance stepped forth and tanked the powerful blow with their shields. They had to take a step backwards; otherwise, they might''ve fallen over.


    "Raah!" ckfist clenched his ck gloved hand and punched into the shield, leaving behind a deep dent.


    The shield-wielding man, who blocked the fist with his shield, tumbled over and fell down on his buttocks. It was a shockingly powerful punch.


    "A chance!" ckfist grinned and lifted his baseball bat above his head, then brought it down and smashed the shieldman''s skull.


    There were still two shieldmen left, but seeing their friend die like that made them frightened.


    Using that to his advantage, ckfist leaped over the shields and smashed the baseball bat across their skulls. They were sent flying to nearby walls, and they died by impact.


    "Guh!" The rest of the yers in the alliance grimaced.


    "Whoo¡­" ckfist put the baseball bat in front of him and whispered. "Lion Overlord!"


    The baseball bat slowly started to transform. Its aluminum surface started to melt off, and the head of the bat turned into the head of a metallic lion.


    The lion looked menacing, with prominent fangs and rageful-looking eyes.


    The yers around him flinched and took a step backwards out of instinct.


    "Eat, my beautiful beast!" ckfistughed madly, and then the lion''s metallic mouth opened wide, and he then swung the baseball bat towards the yer.


    As the bat approached them, the lion''s head lunged at them and took a bite off their heads. It was a scary sight, as most yers lost half of their faces, while some lost their entire heads.


    Not a single yer survived that attack.


    The baseball bat, after it finished feasting on the yers, returned to normal, and the lion head got sucked back inside the aluminum bat.


    "Having fun?" At that moment, a voice came from the top of a nearby roof.


    "Yeah." ckfist chuckled and looked up at the roof. The sunlight slightly blocked his sight, but he managed to see who it was and recognized the voice.


    Motorhero looked at him and hopped off the roof.


    Afternding beside the dead yers, he said, "The registrations for the tournament had already begun. Register to my team when you have time."


    "You want me to be your partner for it?" ckfist''s eyes shimmered in excitement.


    "Who else?" Motorhero smirked. "You are powerful, after all."


    "I won''t disappoint you!" ckfist saluted and grinned wide.


    Motorhero looked at him and amusingly smiled.


    ckfist was actually a very new member of Roaring Engines and was at the bottom of the hierarchy. However, that was in the real world.


    Inside Martial Online, Motorhero deemed him his second-inmand, as he was really powerful in the game.


    "Before the tournament, I do wish to level up." Motorhero squinted his eyes and looked at the corpses of the yers, their blood staining the pavement below them.


    "Have you received any word from the leader of the alliance?" ckfist asked. "Has he epted the invitation to singlebat?"


    "No, he hasn''t." Motorhero said and scoffed. "What else can we expect from these losers? Weak people will also have a weak mentality. I didn''t expect anything else from a person who leads over these weaklings."


    "Well, they are below us." ckfist mmed the baseball bat against his open hand. "We will win the tournament, and Roaring Engines will be known by all."


    "The storm ising." Motorhero sighed and looked at the enormous message in the sky. "Maybe this is it."


    ¡­


    Creak!


    A door opened to a shady-looking room with all the windows boarded up.


    At that moment, the handsome Prince stepped inside the room and looked around, but he couldn''t see anything.


    "Thank you foring." An enormous, broad-shouldered man stood up from a half-broken chair and looked at the handsome man with a grin.


    "What do you want?" Prince narrowed his eyes. "Barbarian."


    Barbarian showed himself from the darkness, and he had a long scar now running over one of his eyes. It looked like he had been severely injured.


    Since the avatar was a copy of the real body and it wasn''t possible to get scars in-game, it meant that Barbarian had gotten that scar in the real world.


    "You know what I want." Barbarian chuckled. "Shall we join hands, Prince?"


    "I would never have expected you to suggest that." Prince scoffed. "Aren''t we rivals?"


    "Of course." Barbarianughed and scratched his chin. "However, I don''t know a stronger person than you. That, I''ll acknowledge, as you are my greatest rival."


    "Fine." Prince opened his interface, opened a new registration window, and registered his team. Then he sent an invitation to Barbarian.


    Barbarian nced at it briefly and epted the invitation with a grin.


    "Do not hold me back, Prince." Barbarian''s eyes shimmed with excitement. "I hope you haven''t gotten soft."


    "Same to you." Prince turned to leave and soon departed from the shady-looking apartment.


    On this very day, a very unexpected alliance was formed in Amaterasu.


    It was known that Barbarian and Prince had heated rivalry and that they hated each other. No one would''ve thought that they would team up, but it meant that both knew that winning the tournament was impossible.


    Therefore, they both ended up teaming up with the strongest people they knew to have a chance in the verypetitive tournament.


    In Barbarian''s opinion, Prince was the strongest person he knew, and the same was with Prince, who thought of Barbarian as mindless brute, but he was inhumanly strong, and he had to acknowledge that.

 Chapter 397 Moriarty and Honorable Soul

    <h4>Chapter 397 Moriarty and Honorable Soul</h4>


    "I gave them your phone number." Daniel Greedforth bowed humbly in front of his high-ss client.


    "Right." Moriarty sat on a luxurious chair while looking at the bright firece. He had a pocket watch in one hand and a ss of soda in the other.


    As he finished drinking, he checked the time and then pocketed the pocket watch.


    Daniel bowed farewell, taking that as a signal for him to leave, and then left the room.


    Once the door closed after his departure, Moriarty stood up from the chair and walked over to the frost-covered window.


    He looked at his faint reflection on the hard-to-see window, straightened his sleeves, and buttoned up the buttons on his vest.


    After that, the corners of his lips curled into a small smile, and he then walked to one of the ss shelves.


    It had framed pictures of his family members and trophies of various sports achievements. In the middle of all that, there was a golden VR headset, as if it were painted.


    After opening the shelf, he took the headset and sat down on the luxurious chair with the firece, sending waves of heat in his direction.


    As he put the headset around his head, he pressed the button and softly closed his eyes.


    The feeling on his body shifted rapidly, and soon he didn''t feel the soft cushioned chair below him anymore, but instead he was standing in the middle of a bustling street.


    [GLITCH FOUND IN SYSTEM!]


    A strange message appeared in front of him.


    Moriarty nced at it briefly with a disinterested look and waved his hand, making the message disappear.


    After refocusing his sight, he noticed that he was currently standing on a strange town''s street. The architecture had a very Victorian design, and the ground below him was fully made of cobblestone.


    All thedies that walked by him wore very wide skirts with corsets to make their waists look slimmer. Most also wore veils to cover their fair-looking faces, and the passing men wore nice-looking suits with top hats.


    It was a town situated on a peaceful-looking ind that was located in Paradise Away From Pirates¡ªthe safest ce in Dark Waters.


    "Newspapers! A new edition is here!" A paperboy shouted while waving a stack of newspapers in hand.


    Most top hat-wearing gentlemen tossed a coin to the paperboy and epted one of the newspaper.


    Moriarty rummaged through his neatly tailored trousers, found one silver coin, and handed it over to the paperboy before getting his newspaper.


    He then found himself a seat under a parasol and skimmed through the pages.


    After reaching the bounty section, there was a picture of a purple-eyed man and his involvement in Dark Waters.


    It wasn''t involved in Light Continent''s version of the newspaper; therefore, those who didn''t bother to read the article weren''t aware of what he had done.


    However, since Moriarty had been in Dark Waters for a long time, he knew more than most other yers about Ambrose and what he had done here.


    ''Powerful, deceitful, and brave.'' Moriarty thought, and he closed the newspaper.


    The reason he wanted Ambrose to be his partner for the uing tournament was because of the things he had read. He found out more about Mars and what he had done.


    Mars was much more dangerous than any other World Boss so far, and yet a yer managed to defeat him.


    ''It''s a risky bet. The newspaper could make Mars look more dangerous than he actually is, but still, I would rather have someone like him than the great Julian.


    ''I need someone who ain''t afraid to fight.''


    Moriarty believed most yers would try to avoid the strongest fighters and try to sneak into the finals. As long as they get to the finals and get to fight in the stadium, their future will be prosperous.


    Even if they lost immediately in the stadium, it would be enough to show their worth.


    That''s why most yers'' game n was to avoid fighting.


    He didn''t want that, as if they were afraid to fight, their confidence would be at rock bottom in the finals.


    Moriarty had only one goal in the tournament, and that was to win.


    "Hello, young man, are you searching to do something fun?" A smiling woman appeared in front of him and smiled seductively.


    While other passingdies looked respectable anddylike, the woman in front of him looked like she was created to seduce others.


    Before Moriarty could speak a word, a slumbering soul inside him awoke and spoke on his behalf.


    "No, I am an honorable knight. I do not condone such debauchery." The voice turned deeper and more muscr.


    Moriarty also crossed his arms, and his expression turned proud.


    The seductive woman had a strange expression, and without saying another word, she left to find another easy prey.


    At that moment, Moriarty''s expression turned normal, but this time, his expression turned sour as if he had eaten something bad.


    "God damn it, do not take control of my body without my permission!"


    ''You should treat your body like a temple. I felt your heartbeat increase, and I knew where that was going!'' The soul inside him spoke.


    "Tsk." Moriarty clicked his tongue, folded the newspaper, and stood up as he began walking down the sidewalk.


    ''Where are you going, young knight?'' The soul inside him asked.


    "I heard there is a sea monster wreaking havoc on a nearby ind. I''ll go there to y it." Moriarty said while taking a hat from his inventory.


    After cing the wide-brimmed hat on his head, he was now protected from the warm sunrays.


    ''I see, that is very honorable, as you''ll be securing a safer passage for fishmen and inders alike!''


    "I ain''t doing this for me; I need XP!" Moriarty scoffed and checked his current silver coin bnce.


    After seeing that he should have enough to rent a sailboat, he closed his interface, skipped down the cobblestone street, and soon arrived at the bustling harbor.


    The sailors were fixing the sails of their ships, some removing the gangnk and anchors, as they were readying themselves for another fishing trip.


    ''You know, lying to me is worthless.'' The soul said, ''I know your real thoughts.''


    "Whatever." Moriarty whispered venomously, then went to rent a sailboat, and after he finished paying up, he removed his vest and jacket before cing them on his inventory.


    Now, his upper body was only covered with a baggy poet''s shirt.


    After finding his rented sailboat, he untied the knot that kept it tied to the pier and unfurled the one small sail.


    As the sailboat caught the wind, the boat started rocking back and forth against the waves as Moriarty started moving it towards the far-away ind that was only a ck dot in the distance.


    ''What kind of sea monster is it? Could it be the legendary Kraken, perhaps?'' The soul asked curiously.


    "I don''t know, but it definitely ain''t some Kraken." Moriarty sat down and pulled out his long-shafted silver spear from his inventory. "I heard it has a fish''s tail and a human''s face, that''s all."


    ''Hmm, that sounds like Waterfolk!'' The soul inside him said.


    ''Waterfolk? I''ve never heard of them before.'' Moriarty said.


    ''Hmm, they are living in a city called Antic. It''s the most beautiful city I''ve ever seen. Have you ever been there?''


    "I never heard of it before."


    ''Hmm, that is strange. It was the most famous city of my time. Perhaps you never go outside? Hahahaha.''


    "Shut up¡­" Moriarty rolled his eyes. "Are these Waterfolk hostile?"


    ''Well, no, the opposite, actually.'' The soul''s voice turned nostalgic. ''They were a really beautiful race that cared about people''s lives.''


    "Well, this one has been stealing and killing." Moriarty said. "Well, from what I''ve heard, you''ve been gone for a very long time, so things must''ve changed."


    ''¡­'' The soul inside him stayed quiet.

 Chapter 398 Waterfolk

    <h4>Chapter 398 Waterfolk</h4>


    The sailboat came to a sudden halt in the slightly foggy waters. The fog wasn''t as heavy as in other parts of Dark Waters.


    It wasn''t even thick enough to hide the water surface.


    Moriarty leaned over the edge, looked down at the water, and saw a shadowy figure diving at insane speed.


    He narrowed his eyes and moved the spear into a thrusting stance.


    At that moment, a voice spoke inside his mind.


    ''You should face your opponent.''


    "Aaargh¡­" Moriarty groaned in annoyance and kicked the sailboat back and forth to rm the creatures below the water. "Happy?"


    ''Yes.''


    Ssh¡ªan enormous ssh appeared behind him as if dynamite had exploded under the water.


    A figure with a fish tail and a rageful-looking face jumped out of the water with a trident-looking spear in hand. It looked like the trident was made of fish bones.


    ''It is indeed a person from Waterfolk!'' The soul sounded surprising. ''However, his eyes look mad. I have never seen them this way.''


    "I am now facing him. Do not disturb me anymore!" Moriarty spun around and thrust the spear towards the Waterfolk''s human-like face.


    The Waterfolk creature saw the threat of the spear and submerged back into the water.


    He swam to the other side of the ship and jumped out of the water, then threw the bone-made trident towards the human.


    Moriarty masterfully spun the spear around and parried the flying, bone-made trident. In that same moment, a small scratch appeared on Waterfolk''s cheek, as if the parrying had injured him!


    He also looked visibly shaken, as he couldn''t understand how he was injured.


    ''I feel like something is wrong. Waterfolk is the most peaceful race I know!''


    "Shut up! He attacked me; you saw it!" Moriarty brought the spear down, grabbed it with both hands, and stabbed the Waterfolk''s shoulder.


    "Graaaah!" He let out a mad-sounding cry of pain and then dropped back to the ocean, dropping towards the bottom like a rock on a pond.


    Moriarty hopped off the sailboat, dropped on the water, and swam after the Waterfolk, who was still suffering from the injury.


    He didn''t want to allow Waterfolk to escape.


    ''No, let me talk to him!''


    "Don''t!" Moriarty''s eyes widened in shock, and he soon lost control of his body.


    His expression turned proud as the soul again took control of his body.


    Then he dove after the Waterfolk, grabbed him by his arm, and threw it out of the water.


    The waves carried him to the shore, and the sand of the beach instantly clung to his skin.


    "Aaaargh!" The Waterfolk cried out and tried to move back to the water, but then a handsome young man stepped out of the water with a spear in hand.


    "What has happened to you?" Moriarty spoke in a very deep, muscr tone. "Waterfolk used to be such peaceful race. What is going on?"


    "Hah¡­" The creatureughed with a hint of mockery. "You are a human; you wouldn''t understand¡­"


    "Try me." Moriarty said with his eyes narrowed.


    "We were part of the coteral damage." The Waterfolk angrily stated, "We were thrown into the Banished Realm alongside the Grounded Gods¡­ we had to suffer for so long¡­"


    "What?" Moriarty frowned. "I heard that the Grounded Gods were defeated, but I didn''t know Waterfolk was part of it."


    "We weren''t part of it. They forced us to be part of it!" The Waterfolk screamed. "They brought their war to us, and we had to suffer for it!"


    "¡­" Moriarty looked confused as he asked. "If you were banished into that realm, how are you here?"


    "I don''t know¡­" The Waterfolk''s expression morphed into extreme pain. "The sky in the Banished Realm cracked like ss, and then I found myself here.


    "I tried finding others¡­ I tried finding my wife and children¡­ but they are still in the Banished Realm. They are still suffering there!"


    "¡­" Moriarty stayed silent, but then his expression changed, and his face turned cold.


    He ced the spear against the Waterfolk''s throat.


    "Do not take control of my body ever again." Moriarty whispered angrily.


    ''I had to know.''


    "Know what?"


    ''Because the Waterfolk are a race that history has forgotten, you never heard about them. Now I know why, because they were thrown into the Banished Realm alongside the Grounded Gods.


    ''A tragic thing had happened to them, and no wonder that they have also changed.''


    "I ain''t dying here¡­" The Waterfolk whispered and suddenly lunged towards the water as if he were nning to swim away.


    However, once his strange hand, which looks like a fish''s hand, touched the water, the water got sucked inside his palm.


    Moriarty moved the spear into a thrusting stance as he prepared to finish off the creature if he escaped to the water.


    "Die!" The Waterfolk screamed, turned around, and threw the water that got sucked into his palm towards Moriarty.


    The water droplets transformed to look like bullets, and they moved at insane speed.


    ''A sneaky attack. That isn''t honorable. The Waterfolk race has indeed changed.''


    "Does that mean I am allowed to finish him off?" Moriarty asked while parrying the water bullets with the spear with masterful uracy.


    After each parrying, more small, bloody scratches appeared on Waterfolk''s body. The creature realized that whenever the human parried attacks, he was the one who received damage!


    ''Yes¡­ In his current state, he is a danger to others.''


    "Should''ve done this from the start." Moriarty hopped forward and harpooned the spear through the creature''s face, ending his life faster than he could even think.


    After removing the spear from the creature''s face, he saw the Waterfolk creature start glowing before turning into mere pixels.


    ''Did you receive your precious XP?'' The soul asked with a hint of mockery.


    "Yeah, I leveled up." Moriarty said. "Worth it, I would say."


    ''I still don''t understand how you received my legacy¡ªthe legacy of Knight of Ayl. We are pr opposites.''


    "Are you calling me dishonorable? That''s rude." Moriarty scoffed, put the spear back in his inventory, and picked up the items dropped by the Waterfolk creature.


    ''I know you have done some honorable things, but I don''t agree with your way of doing them.''


    "Maybe that''s why I received your ss." Moriarty said. "We canbine our strengths. You died because of your honor, even though you were the strongest knight of your time."


    ''I don''t mind dying because of my honor. It''s still honorable death.''


    "Yeah, whatever." Moriarty rolled his eyes.


    ''Maybe you received my legacy so I can change you.''


    "Good luck with that." Moriarty hopped back on his sailboat, and started sailing back to the harbor.


    "Sigh¡­" As he watched the waves move past the boat, he rxed by watching the bright blue sky.


    ''Honor¡­ there is no honor in dying and losing.'' He thought.


    ''I don''t agree.'' The soul heard it.


    ''I don''t care.'' Moriarty answered back and closed his eyes, then took in the fresh air with his nostrils.


    ''Are you still sure you want to take part in that tournament with that criminal?'' The soul asked. ''You read the news. He terrorized that innocent town called Hightown.''


    "You wouldn''t understand." Moriarty said and opened his eyes. "In this world, he might be criminal. However, where wee, we wouldn''t deem it so."


    ''Your world doesn''t sound very nice.''


    "It depends on perspective." Moriarty said. "Youck context."


    ''Well, I hope you are right. You wouldn''t want to die because you trusted the wrong person, right?''


    "Hmm." Moriarty closed his eyes. "I''ll talk to him and see what his conviction is. If he seems weak, I''ll drop the idea of working with him."

 Chapter 399 Blaise鈥檚 Fear

    <h4>Chapter 399 ise''s Fear</h4>


    Amaterasu, Immortal Dojo.


    "Aaaargh!" Konrad finished a pushup; his arm straightened up while his other arm was tied behind his back.


    "S-so, why am I doing one-hand pushups?" He turned to look at the scary-looking man, who watched him do pushups.


    "You aren''t allowed to question his training methods." Ken said, grabbed his training sword tight, and then whipped it across Konrad''s back.


    "Argh!" Konrad let out a scream of pain and continued doing pushups while his body shook in fatigue.


    "S-so, when am I meeting the boss man?" He asked while pushing his body up and down.


    "Whenever he returns." Ken said and narrowed his eyes. "You better impress us before he tests you. For now, you aren''t looking that impressive."


    "Ugh, a-all right!" Konrad breathed loudly with fatigue and pain. ''T-the fate must''ve brought me here for reason, and it must have something to do with the boss guy!''


    ¡­


    "Haaah¡­"


    "Haaah¡­"


    "Haaah¡­"


    A ck-haired man sat cross-legged in the middle of the empty room. His skin had turned scarlet red as if he were on fire inside, and his purple eyes had turned red at some point in time.


    "Aaaaargh!" A strange, transparent figure jumped out of his body as if it were trying to escape.


    It was Ambrose''s soul!


    The soul was covered in transparent blood, and it was wailing in agony. It was trying to break out of the mortal body of Ambrose but was clearly unsessful as it got sucked right back into his body.


    "Aaaargh!" This time, Ambrose screamed, and all his bones broke at the same moment, and the broken pieces were trying to break through his flesh.


    It looked like he had turned into a porcupine for a moment, but because of his Starborn physique, the broken bones didn''t manage to burst through his body.


    "Aahhhh!" His eyes rolled back into his skull, and he was about to pass out, but at thest possible moment, he managed to stay conscious.


    "F-fuck, h-how long have I been here¡­" With his exhausted, broken arm, he opened the inventory and saw the current time and date.


    As he saw that, he let out a mockingughter.


    "I-It''s only been two days, hahahaha¡­"


    He had a hallucination that it had been a month already, but he was now brought back to reality.


    "F-five more days¡­ five¡­ five¡­"


    ¡­


    Nocklund, Saward Residence.


    Amber observed her servants, who were putting up the decorations in the dining hall.


    They were getting ready for the early Christmas gathering that was going to happen in less than a week.


    "Mom." Emily, the daughter of the Saward family, walked over to her mother with a letter in hand. "Lady Anna sent a letter."


    "Oh, she did? Thank you, my dear daughter." Amber epted the letter, opened it with a paper knife, and read it inwardly.


    Emily looked at her curiously.


    "She ising to the dinner with her son." Amber said, but her expression was strange.


    "With Zach?" Emily asked curiously.


    "No, with Jesse, the stepson." Amber folded the letter and tapped the paper knife against her cheek.


    "With him?" Emily tilted her head, trying to remember, but she only had a faint memory of the new stepchild of the Rothsmith family.


    "The kids of High Society ain''t the friendlist bunch." Amber said. "Anna is being very optimistic that they will ept him into their circle."


    "Are you surprised that Anna seemed to be fine with Jack''s new child?" Emily asked. "Not many would."


    "Anna is a very kindhearted individual. It''s very surprising that she survived in this environment this well." Amber looked at her daughter and said, "She married Jack when she was still a young woman, and she married into the Rothsmith family.


    "No one expected her to survive even a year, but not only did she survive, she became a proper woman of the Rothsmith family.


    "Maybe Jesse''s current situation is familiar to Anna. For some reason, she believes him to be able to handle it as well. She must have a reason to have such high hopes for him."


    "Hmm¡­" Emily nodded thoughtfully, but from what she remembered about Jesse, he didn''t seem too special.


    She even thought he looked quite disappointing. That''s why she hardly remembered him, as he wasn''t very memorable.


    ¡­


    The night fell on top of Amaterasu.


    "Tch, another one!" A cigar-smoking gentleman looked down at a small creature that was falling dead on the dark alleyway''s pavement.


    It was a rat, and its stomach was open.


    "Did the rat eat itself?" A clean-shaven man in a clean brown suit asked as he poked the rat''s corpse with a small toothpick.


    "Another victim of the Berserker Epidemic." The nice-looking gentleman put the cigar between his fingers and removed it from his mouth.


    "This was the first victim who killed itself because of the immense pain. It means the Berserker Epidemic has be even stronger."


    "My lord." The clean-shaven man, named Hale, drew a cross against his chest. He just hoped the epidemic wouldn''t spread to humans.


    "Hmm¡­" The gentleman, named ise, tapped his foot against the pavement rhythmically.


    Since he witnessed the first victim of the Berserker Epidemic, he felt like it wasn''t an ordinary epidemic. There weren''t any signs of physical injuries or signs of a virus.


    ng¡ªa strange sound reverberated from behind the corner as if the garbage can had been tossed over.


    "Hmm?" ise turned around and ran to the corner, then peered over to the alleyway.


    A long-coated, shadowy figure hovered his hand above a cat-looking creature.


    The cat''s peaceful purring soon turned into screeching, and its fur stood up and its tail puffed up. It''s ws scratched the pavement below, and its screams turned very painful-sounding.


    "You there, hands up!" ise walked from the corner and showed his investigator badge towards the shadowy figure. "Do not move!"


    "Shit¡­" The shadowy figure turned his head towards the gentlemanly-looking figure, and his head was covered in a mask.


    He grabbed the cat, threw it towards the gentleman, and ran in the opposite direction, identally kicking over a few garbage cans.


    The cat released a mad-looking cry and scratched ise across his face.


    "Urgh¡­" ise tossed the cat away; half of his face was covered in scratches, and one even went over his left eye, and it would seem like he was going to have a scar.


    "Boss, are you all right?" Hale came right away after hearing his shout.


    "Yeah, go after him!" ise shouted.


    "Yes!" Hale sprinted past ise and started chasing after the shadowy-looking figure, who was running down the maze-like alleyways.


    "Damn it¡­" ise touched his bleeding face and looked back at the screeching cat.


    He crouched in front of the cat, who was clearly in a lot of pain, and tried touching it, but the cat scratched across his hand.


    "This is a clear sign of the Berserker Epidemic." He looked at the cat''s red eyes. "It is indeed man-made."


    He looked in the direction where Hale went to pursue the shadowy-looking figure.


    ise narrowed his eyes and dashed forth, but soon he arrived at the crossroads. He looked back and forth, not sure which direction he should go; therefore, he guessed and started running in the left direction.


    He kept running in one direction, which was covered in the night darkness, and for a moment, he thought he went in the wrong direction, but then he saw a slouching figure on the ground.


    "Aa¡­ aah."


    "Hale?!" ise saw his subordinate slouching on the ground, holding his waist.


    "B-boss!" Hale screamed in pain. "I-It''s so painful!"


    "W-what happened?" ise crouched in front of him, examined his eyes, and saw that they were as red as the cat''s.


    A bad premonition came to him.


    "I-I don''t know¡­ He touched me, and I suddenly started feeling agonizing pain!" Hale screamed. "H-help me, boss!"


    "T-the Berserker Epidemic¡­" ise''s eyes widened in fear. "It can be given to humans as well¡­"

 Chapter 400 Win The Tournament

    <h4>Chapter 400 Win The Tournament</h4>


    "The tournament, huh?!" A man with a topknot haircutughed heartfully and mmed his open palm against a wooden pole.


    Crack¡ªthe wooden pole cracked from the middle and fell to the ground.


    The bun-wearing man was mostly naked, except he wore a loincloth to cover his private parts. He was rather fat, except for his leg and arm muscles, which steered with power.


    In the dojo, simr-clothed individuals watched their master strike the wooden poles with his bare hands. With each strike, the wooden poles cracked and broke apart.


    He possessed immense physical strength.


    "Whoo¡­" Their master, named Yokozuna, reeled in his arm and smashed through another wooden pole with his palm.


    His fingers smoked as if they were on fire, but it was only the result of a powerful strike that effortlessly decimated the training wooden poles, which shouldst many months and thousands of strikes.


    However, in front of Yokozuna, they couldn''t stand a single strike


    "Ozeki!" He shouted.


    "Yes, master." Ozeki, a man with a simr topknot haircut, stood up from among the students and rubbed his hands together with chalk.


    "Our sumo will prevail, and we will show everyone in that tournament." Yokozuna shouted, opened his palm, and smashed his hand through the solid-looking wall, leaving behind a hand-sized hole.


    "Yes, master." Ozeki bowed as much as he could, with his fat blocking him from bowing too low. However, like Yokozuna, he had a lot of hidden muscles, and his thighs bulged with excessive muscles.


    "Grrr¡­" Yokozuna stood in front of the broken wall and moved into a sumo stance¡ªone hand touching the floor, and his body lowered closer to the floor while his muscr legs kept his body up.


    Then, using the explosive muscles of his thighs, he dashed across the dojo, using his insane eleration to his advantage, and then smashed his fist through a wooden puppet.


    The wooden puppet shattered into thousands of small pieces, and as the newer students saw that, they sighed in frustration as they were on cleaning duty.


    However, after seeing their master''s insane strength, it made them desire simr strength.


    "Kuro¡­" An old, angry voice sounded, and then Yokozuna got pped in the back of his head.


    "Oof!" Yokozuna held his head and looked at the old, short figure that stood by him. "G-grandma?"


    "What are you doing, destroying this ce?!" His grandma shouted. She was only about 140 cm tall with a wrinkly face and managed to only walk with the help of a walking cane.


    The students awkwardly looked away as they had gotten used to the old woman''s attitude.


    "W-well¡­" Yokozuna humbly lowered his head and forced a smile. "I-I am teaching my students, you see¡­"


    "You don''t need to destroy things to teach them!"


    His grandma shouted and looked at the broken pieces of the puppet that were scattered across the floor.


    "Kuro, clean it up!" She shouted and looked at the others with narrowed eyes. "You all, pick up the brushes, hammers, and nails, then start fixing up the walls!"


    Everyone groaned, but they followed her orders and went to fetch the items that was required to fix the walls.


    Yokozuna pouted and crouched on the floor on his knees as he began picking up the broken pieces with his hands.


    ''This old hag, she''ll never allow me to act cool in front of them!'' Yokozuna felt like crying.


    Ozeki walked over to him and started helping him to pick up the broken pieces.


    He then said, "Master, as long as we win the tournament, we''ll look super cool!"


    "Y-you think so?" Yokozuna asked with bright eyes.


    Ozeki smiled and nodded. "Yes! Perhaps we''ll finally get women to join our dojo!"


    Yokozuna''s eyes brightened up, and he turned to look over to his students. There were about thirty aspiring sumo fighters, but most of them were already part of the same sumo training facility in the real world.


    However, they were all young men; there was not a single woman in sight except his grandma. However, in their eyes, she wasn''t even a woman, as she seemed more like a grumpy old man.


    "We have to win!" Yokozuna took a deep breath. "I''ll finally look cool!"


    "You are already cool!" Ozeki showed a thumbs up.


    "Thank you, but this is not what I want." Yokozuna shook his head and formed a fist. "I want a girlfriend. I want to look cool in front of women! I need to win!"


    ¡­


    On the balcony of a green-painted cafe. The balcony had flowers and bushes to give the cafe a very nature-like feeling.


    Around a round table, Olympos tapped his finger against the table while impatiently waiting for his friend to arrive.


    "Where is he?" He impatiently checked the time on the interface and saw that he should''ve arrived an hour ago.


    As he was starting to think about leaving, a figure stepped through the door, arriving at the balcony, and then sat down on the other side of the table, sunsses hiding his eyes.


    "John, where''ve you been?!" Olympos asked angrily.


    "Some of my fangirls were chasing me." 89John crossed his legs and said it with a long yawn. "Well, what do you want, Olympos?"


    "Heard about the tournament?" Olympos asked while discreetly looking over the streets.


    "Of course I''ve." 89John said with a frown. ''Does he think I live under a rock? Literally everyone and their dogs have heard about it!''


    After the embarrassment of Hightown, he discreetly distanced himself from Olympos, as his fame had decreased drastically.


    Olympos used to be the 55th-ranked streamer, but after his defeat to Ambrose, his rank had dropped to 88!


    In a day, or maybe even in an hour, even John was going to pass him. In the near future, Olympos might even drop out of the top 100!


    Therefore, 89John didn''t feel like he had any use for his friendship anymore. He had already started to mingle with a famous streamer that was in the top 28 in the rankings.


    "Well, I was thinking that¡­" Olympos rubbed his chin. "We should team up for the tournament. I think we can do well."


    89John didn''t show any expression, but inwardly, he wasughing. He couldn''t understand how Olympos could be such a fool.


    ''Why the fuck would I partner up with some weakling?'' 89John forced a smile and said, "Oh, I am not participating in the tournament. I''ll probably go to Loch City and do an irl stream, but I ain''t participating."


    "Oh." Olympos shook his head in disappointment. "It''s a once-in-a-life experience, but I guess not everyone is brave enough topete."


    He stood up, straightened his sleeves, and bade farewell.


    "Well, cya John, let''s talk another time." After the farewell, he left the balcony, leaving John alone in the chair.


    "Hah, fucking fool." 89Johnughed. "With you, we wouldn''t even make it to the second round. I will participate. Why the fuck wouldn''t I? It''s the perfect advertisement for my stream, especially if I do good!"


    He chuckled and looked at the sunny sky with a smile.


    "I guess it''s time to cut him loose. Olympos'' friendship was worth it as he was a high-ranked streamer with a good fanbase, and it gave me more opportunities to rise in my streaming career.


    "However, he is done for. First, I''ll pass him, then he drops off the top 100, and soon enough, he won''t even be in the top 1000. Such friendship is worthless."


    Outside the balcony, Olympos hid behind a wall with a cold look. He heard it all, but he couldn''t do anything except dig his fingers into his palm.


    "Just wait, I''ll win the tournament." His eyes turned cold. "I ain''t done yet, John. Soon, you''ll beg for me to be your friend."

 Chapter 401 The White Rock Trial

    <h4>Chapter 401 The White Rock Trial</h4>


    Near Amaterasu, Crow Forest.


    A ruined temple stood somewhere in the dimly lit forest, its buildings covered in roots and moss. It had a stone tablet nailed to one of the walls that was half-crumbled.


    ***


    [The Leaderboard of White Rock Temple]


    [1¡­]


    [2¡­]


    [3¡­]


    ***


    At the yard of the crumbled temple, armored and well-equipped yers examined the temple''s ruined buildings. They weren''t going inside, and so far, they had no intention of doing so.


    A trio of yers sat on top of a fallen rock beam and observed other yers with a keen eye.


    "As expected, everyone is now going for this trial because of the tournament." Anthon, a handsome ck-haired young man, looked at the scene with a frown.


    Cauldron and Ignite, his two good friends, were throwing small pebbles at the small circle on the ground. The small circle was obviously drawn by a wooden stick, and there was a ck pebble in the middle of it.


    Whoevernds their pebbles closer to the ck pebble wins.


    Cauldron flicked the small pebble, and itnded inside the small circle but bounced slightly to miss the ck pebble by a small margin.


    Ignite closed his left eye and gently tossed the small pebble over to the ck pebble. Itnded right beside the ck pebble, gracing its side.


    "Shit." Cauldron rolled his eyes.


    "Hah, my victory. Pay up!" Ignite smugly shouted.


    Cauldron sighed and gave him 1000 silver coins.


    They were waiting for anything to happen in the trial of White Rock. It was discovered one week ago, but it hadn''t been sessfullypleted.


    It was the hardest trial so far, but because of the tournament, yers who were aware of the White Rock trial went to try their luck in it as they expected there to be nice rewards after thepletion.


    "See, I would be the better partner for the tournament!" Ignite smugly said to Anthon. "I won again."


    Cauldron rolled his eyes. "Fine, want to do this properly and not some childish minigame? Let''s fight properly to see who gets to be Anthon''s partner for the tournament. The loser has to find another one."


    "Hmph, I am fine with that." As Ignite grinned, his small cat-like fangs showed, making him look adorable.


    Anthon chuckled and looked at them amusingly. "I''ll be the ref. Whoever gets hit first loses."


    Cauldron flexed his muscles, removed his coat, and sheathed his longsword as he stood up.


    Ignite pulled out his small daggers and jumped up energetically, hopping like a bunny.


    All the other yers, standing around the temple, saw that something was going on with them and focused their attention on them with a curious gaze.


    "Well then, Kingyer." Ignite chuckled in a childish manner. "I''ve always wondered who would win between us."


    "Hmph." Cauldron coldly pointed his sword at him and narrowed his eyes. "You might be more powerful than me when fighting in close spaces, but in open battle, you are no match for me."


    "We''ll see about that." Ignite lowered his stance like a cat, readying himself for a strike.


    Anthon pulled out a wrinkly-looking handkerchief from his breast pocket and threw it up into the air. It slowly floated back to the ground and soonnded on the rocky ground.


    As the handkerchiefnded on the ground, Ignite dashed forth like a bolt of lightning and crossed his daggers before delivering an X-shaped sh across the air.


    "Haaa!" Cauldron smashed his longsword down and blocked the iing daggers with golden sparks flying about.


    Ignite''s knees slightly buckled down under the heavy strike. He wasn''t anywhere near Cauldron''s physical strength, but he was very confident in his speed.


    He lowered his stance further and dropped down to do a perfect split. Following that, he did a windmill kick and swept Cauldron from his feet.


    Cauldron''s eyes shifted from ground-level, and he suddenly saw the world turning upside down. He quickly realized what had happened and prepared for the roughnding.


    As he fell down on his back, Ignite brought down his daggers, but Cauldron quickly ced the longsword as a block, blocking the two deadly daggers, and kicked Ignite away.


    Ignite crossed his arms in front of his body and blocked the kick, but he was sent flying back a few meters, and his back crashed against a crumbling wall.


    Gasp~


    The watching yers realized that this fight wasn''t some minor skirmish. It was a battle between two highly skilled individuals.


    "The Holy Cross!" Cauldron first shed down, then shed sideways, creating a cross-shaped afterimage of shes in front of him.


    The cross-shaped sword sh flew across the air at blitzering speed.


    "Cat Leap!" Ignite tapped his foot against the ground for a split second and then leaped high into the air at insane speed. It was hard to see him even move.


    The cross-shaped sword sh smashed through the crumbling wall, finishing the destruction of the wall, and flew a little bit further towards another nearly-crumbled building.


    As the cross-shaped sh smashed through the building, the building exploded, and pieces of white rock flew throughout the air.


    Ignite discreetlynded behind Cauldron and attempted to stab into his neck, but a hand grabbed him by his wrist.


    Cauldron nced at his eyes and quickly dodged the second dagger. He stabbed his longsword towards Ignite''s waist, wanting to skewer him like a piece of kebab.


    "Argh!" Ignite swung his arm down, smashed the dagger against the longsword''s thick de, and barely managed to deflect it before it graced his waist.


    If it hadnded on his body, this would''ve been his loss.


    Ignite quickly leaped off the ground, wrapped his legs around Cauldron''s head, and put him in a tight chokehold.


    Cauldron''s eyes bulged, and he struggled to breathe. He realized that he was in a bad position and felt like a fool for allowing Ignite to get so close to him.


    He tightly grabbed Ignite''s wrist and tried to shake him off, but he didn''t loosen his chokehold, and instead it grew tighter.


    ''I-I am about to pass out!'' Cauldron''s eyes widened in shock, and the darkness started to fill his vision.


    "Grrr!" Ignite raised his dagger and stabbed it towards Cauldron''s face, using his current peril to finish this fight without waiting for him to pass out.


    Anthon watched intensely, the corner of his lips rising up into a smile.


    Cauldron''s eyes mmed open, and he released an inhuman-sounding scream.


    "Graaaah!" He grabbed the dagger-wielding hand by the wrist and stabbed it into Ignite''s thigh.


    "Ah!" Ignite''s eyes widened in shock, and he lost the feeling on his legs, allowing Cauldron to shake him off.


    Ignite crashed to the ground and looked at his dagger, which was stabbed inside his thigh.


    He let out a frustrated groan and didn''t stand up, as this meant it was his loss because he got injured first.


    "Whoo¡­ whoo¡­" Cauldron breathed heavily, his face covered in sweat, and he rubbed his neck, which had arge red mark.


    "Good job, Cal." Anthon pped his hands as he approached him. "I guess we are partners for the tournament!"


    "Nn." Cauldron nodded slightly and nced at Ignite with a cold look. "I guess I won, huh."


    "Haha, I should''ve known you were a sore winner!" Igniteughed and sheathed his daggers. "But I admit my loss this time!"


    "Ignite, any ideas who you will partner up with?" Anthon asked curiously.


    "Hmm, not sure~" Ignite shrugged his shoulders. "I''ll find someone, and then I''ll beat you two."


    "Hmph." Cauldron scoffed and then saw some motion happening near the end of the temple, where there was a small entrance going inside one of the intact buildings.


    "Oh, the first ones are going."


    "Finally." Anthon rubbed his neck. "Let''s do this trial."

 Chapter 402 The Stone Clone

    <h4>Chapter 402 The Stone Clone</h4>


    "Are you sure we should be going first?" A little scared-looking yer asked as he ventured with his friend deep into the White Rock trial.


    "We have to!" A yer with speckles across his cheeks said: "No one wants to go first because this trial is so odd. This is a very luck-reliant trial!


    "Whoever goes first has less luck than those who go after. However, just because we have less luck than others in this trial doesn''t mean that it''s impossible!


    "We''ll have to take this risk if we want to do well in the tournament!"


    "Yeah, I know that¡­" The scared-looking yer messed with his hair. "We risk getting nothing!"


    "I don''t want any scraps." His friend said sternly. "I haven''t gotten a single position on the leaderboard before. If we get the first spot, just imagine!"


    "Ugh¡­"


    A small distance away, following after them, Anthon, Cauldron, and Ignite followed behind them. More footsteps followed them as other yer groups entered the trial after them.


    After a while, the two yers reached the first test on the trial.


    There was a statue-looking figure sitting behind a stone table. There were two stone dices on the table, and there were numbers on all six sides, going from 1 to 6.


    Anthon, Cauldron, and Ignite watched as the two yers sat on the table.


    They were then talking something with the statue, and then the stone statue threw the two dice in the air, and theynded on the table.


    After that, the stone statue said something, threw the two dice back into the air, and soonnded back on the table.


    Within an instant, the two yers tried to run away, but their heads exploded, and they fell lifelessly on the ground.


    "So, their luck didn''t even get them past the first test." Anthon chuckled and shook his head.


    "Afraid?" Ignite asked with a chuckle. "We don''t have much more luck than them."


    "Luck, hmph." Cauldron crossed his arms.


    "Well, I happen to feel very lucky today." Anthon cracked his knuckles and approached the stone table with his two friends.


    "Wee, yers Cauldron, Anthon, and Ignite." The stone statue said with an echoing voice, as if he were speaking inside a tunnel. "Sit down if you want to y."


    There were two chairs before, but now that there were three yers standing in front of the table, one more chair miraculously appeared from thin air.


    After the trio got seated, the statue grabbed the two dice and juggled them in his hand.


    "The rules are simple." He started with. "I''ll throw the two dice into the air. The number the dicend on will determine your three''s score. Then, I''ll throw the dice again, and that score will be mine.


    "If your score is lower, you die. If your score is higher, you may pass.


    "Is this understood?"


    "Understood." Anthon crossed his arms and said, "Throw them."


    "I wish you luck." The statue tossed the two dice in the air, and theynded on the table.


    The first diended on 3.


    The second diended on 5.


    "8." The statue said.


    "Decent since the max score is 12," Ignite said.


    "¡­" Cauldron stayed silent.


    At that moment, Anthon spoke up. "Mister Statue. Do you mind if I throw the dice for you?"


    Cauldron and Ignite raised their eyebrows before their lips curled into a slight smile.


    The statue looked at him silently before handing him the dice.


    Anthon rolled the two dice in his hand before tossing one of them into the air. It spun around in the air beforending on the table.


    After a soft bounce, the die came to a stop.


    The first diended in 6.


    The statue nced at it briefly before returning its gaze back to Anthon. Its stone eyes were lifeless and cold.


    Cauldron and Ignite looked at the scene without much expression.


    Anthon then tossed the second die into the air, and it soonnded on the table.


    After the die finished rolling, it stopped at number 1.


    "Hah!" Ignite let out a loudugh.


    "Heh." Cauldron grinned.


    "Congrattions. You win." The stone statue said emotionlessly and allowed them to pass.


    "Thank you very much." Anthon smiled and walked past the stone statue with Cauldron and Ignite.


    When they looked behind them, they saw that there were multiple yers waiting for their turn. After seeing that the trio sessfully passed, their hopes grew a little more.


    Anthon and the other two didn''t stay behind to see how the other yers did, and they walked down to the end of the hallway of the intact temple building.


    There was a singr door at the end, and it oozed an ominous presence.


    Anthon pushed the door open and saw that there was one stone statue standing in the middle of the dusty room. The statue was nearly ceiling-high and had an enormous stone sword on the back.


    "Wee." The statue''s voice shook the room. "Anthon, Cauldron, and Ignite."


    "So, what''s the test?" Anthon asked while looking at the menacing statue. "This looks like it''s the end of the trial. I wonder why no one has passed this before!"


    "This is the end." The statue said: "This is the trial of karma. You have done something in the past, and those had consequences that hadn''t happened yet.


    "I am here to make sure that it happens."


    "Oh, and I wonder what that is." Anthon narrowed his eyes.


    "It''s different for everyone, but you three have the same karma." The statue said, "You three killed someone a while back."


    "We have killed quite many; why is this one different?" Cauldron asked.


    "Because this one can avenge it." The statue said: "Are you ready for the final test? If you defeat him, you''ll receive your reward. If you lose, you cannot attempt this trial anymore."


    Anthon, Cauldron, and Ignite shared nces, but then they all said in unison:


    "We are ready."


    The room started shaking, and the stone statue started transforming. It''s height, facial features, and body type changed drastically.


    The statue turned into a stone version of an inhumanly handsome man with piercing eyes and a body type that rivaled ancient Spartan warriors. His hair was made of stone, but it still looked soft and flourishing.


    A single sword appeared on his robust-looking hand.


    "Who is this?" Ignite asked. "I don''t remember seeing someone like this."


    "No idea," Cauldron said.


    "From Ember Online, maybe?" Anthon guessed. "I still don''t remember this face."


    The stone Ambrose looked at them with a sharp, deadly gaze. It was as if there was the hatred of a thousand souls inside those eyes. It reflected the rage he felt after the trio killed him.


    "Well, let''s finish this off." Cauldron dragged his longsword behind him and approached the stone Ambrose.


    Anthon pulled out his shortsword and followed Cauldron with Ignite.


    "I don''t know who the fuck you are, but this karma thing is bullshit!" Cauldron lifted his longsword and hacked it down at the stone figure.


    The stone Ambrose effortlessly blocked the powerful strike and whispered with an ominous tone. "One of you asked me once¡ªwhat good does Dual Wielding do to me?


    "Well, see this."


    Anthon''s eyes widened in surprise. ''I think I told that to someone before!''


    A second shortsword appeared on the stone Ambrose''s free hand.


    Cauldron''s eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly backed off with his longsword in hand.


    Ignite sprinted past him and delivered swift dagger strikes at the stone Ambrose, but he effortlessly blocked them with his two shortswords, using even greater speed.


    At that moment, the stone Ambrose used dizzying footwork, weaved past Ignite''s strikes, and shed through his throat.


    "Argh!" Ignite held his bleeding throat, not expecting such a strange move, especially an attack this quick that even surpassed his speed!


    Swoosh¡ªthe stone Ambrose''s feet slid across the floor, as if he were skating on the ice, and crashed through Anthon, sending him flying into the wall.


    "Shit!" Cauldron swung his longsword at the stone creature, trying to pressure him.


    However, the stone Ambrose used Basic Parry to deflect the strike, and then he stabbed the second sword through his waist.


    "Urgh!" Cauldron coughed blood and saw his health plummet a shocking amount. "W-what¡­"


    The stone figure''s powerful, unconventional fighting stylepletely surprised the trio in a matter of seconds.

 Chapter 403 Immortal Stone

    Chapter 403 Immortal Stone


    Ignite finished wrapping his throat with a bandage and gulped down a small health potion. His bleeding stopped, and his health rose slightly.


    He then lunged at the tall, stone figure and repeatedly delivered dagger strikes.


    The stone Ambrose parried all the dagger strikes with a single sh, but then his ears perked up, and as he turned around, he came across a shortsword belonging to Anthon.


    Anthon waited for a good opportunity to deliver an ambushing attack.


    The stone Ambrose nimbly dodged the shortsword with a surprising flexibility that shouldn''t be possible with this stone body. His body was leaning down towards the ground.


    "Rgh¡­" Anthon shifted the direction of his sword strike and stabbed down, aiming for the stone Ambrose''s throat.


    "¡­" The stone Ambrose stayed silent, and he flew backwards near the ground, looking like he was floating.


    Anthon''s shortsword stabbed through the ground.


    ''This kind of movement is not possible by the yer.'' He thought, and he pulled his sword out of the ground. ''The stone statue must be overestimating this guy''s abilities. This is ridiculous.''


    "Aaargh!" Cauldron dragged his longsword behind him as he rushed after the stone figure and swung it towards him with raging power. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    The stone Ambrose crossed his swords in front of him and blocked the powerful blow. It looked scarily effortless.


    "W-what the hell is this physical strength?!" Cauldron was proud of his physical strength, but he couldn''t even budge the stone figure.


    ''This cannot be the yer''s strength. This test is a scam!''


    The stone Ambrose narrowed his eyes and sensed an attacking from his left.


    Ignite threw a few sharp-looking daggers across the air.


    The stone Ambrose used his left-handed sword to knock off the daggers from the air. The daggers bounced off the floor andnded beside a pile of some old-looking rubble.


    Ignite rolled down the ground, picked up the fallen daggers from the ground, and lunged after the stone figure.


    "Rah!" Cauldron pushed away one of the stone Ambrose''s swords and stabbed towards his face.


    Anthon jumped after the stone figure and rained sword stabs at him.


    The stone Ambrose silently nced at them briefly. He was attacked from every possible angle.


    At that moment, he flew upward and smashed against the ceiling. He then stabbed his swords through the ceiling and hung in there.


    Anthon, Ignite, and Cauldron lifted their gazes at the stone figure with shocked expressions. They never expected him to be capable of flying.


    It was an ability that was a foreign concept to other yers.


    "Flying?" Ignite''s eyes shrunk in shock.


    "Fuck¡­" Cauldron grimaced.


    "¡­" Anthon narrowed his eyes. "No yer has such ability. I feel like this test is fake."


    "Fake?" Ignite looked at him in surprise.


    Anthon nodded. "There isn''t a yer with abilities like this. So, either this karma test is a fake one, or the stone statue is greatly overestimating the abilities."


    "Well, for now, it doesn''t matter." Cauldron breathed heavily. "We have to defeat this stone bastard somehow."


    The stone Ambrose smirked slightly after hearing their conversation and pulled out his swords from the ceiling. He dropped down on the ground, right in the middle of the trio.


    Without a single hesitation, Anthon, Cauldron, and Ignite swung their weapons with mighty fury. They all aimed at the stone head.


    The stone Ambrose raised his two swords and blocked their attacks. He then showed a stony smile and pushed the trio away from him with an incredible show of physical strength.


    "Urgh!"


    Anthon staggered backwards and shed diagonally across the air, but it was again blocked by the stone figure''s sword.


    However, at that moment, the sword vanished from Anthon''s hand and appeared on the other hand. It even took the stone figure off guard.


    Anthon then swung his sword and smashed it across the stone figure''s face.


    Half of the stone figure''s face shattered, crumbling apart like a sand castle.


    The stone Ambrose''s had a look of shock while his face crumbled away slowly.


    "So, emotions are this guy''s weakness." Anthon said coldly and stabbed through the stone Ambrose''s heart, which was also made of stone.


    "Argh!" Cauldron hacked the sword into the stone Ambrose''s neck and left behind a deep gash.


    Ignite ced two daggers between his fingers and hurled them towards the stone figure. They urately stabbed through the stone head.


    The stone Ambrose fell down on his knees in a defeated manner. His face was already mostly gone, only one of his stone-grayish eyes staring at the void in front of him.


    "T-that wasn''t too hard!" Igniteughed and juggled the daggers in his hand.


    "Revenge my ass!" Cauldron kicked down the stone figure.


    "Now that this is done¡­" Anthon looked around the room. "What is the reward?"


    "No one else has arrived here yet." Ignite said. "Did everyone else die?"


    "Maybe they are waiting outside." Cauldron nced towards the door. "One group at the time in the ughterhouse, y''know."


    On the ground, the stone figure''s fingers twitched slightly.


    "Hmm¡­" Anthon nced at the strange engravings that were carved on the walls.


    The stone figure slowly rose from the ground, almost headless, and he stood in a ratherzy manner. His arms, which were carrying two swords, were dangling as if they were boneless.


    Ignite heard some rattling from behind, and as he turned around, he saw that the stone figure had again stood up.


    "Hey, guys!"


    Anthon and Cauldron turned around, and their eyes widened in surprise.


    "Does he also have increased durability and regeneration?"


    "He must be blind," Anthon said. "The face is already crumbled apart, and his eyes are gone."


    "Yeah, he is basically a headless chicken fighting for that small flicker of life left." Cauldron said, and he pointed his longsword at the headless stone figure.


    Ignite picked up the daggers from the ground and hurled them at the stone figure. Theynded on the stone chest, stabbing through the stone.


    The stone Ambrose staggered forward, and now it was clear that he was indeed in a very defenseless state. He couldn''t see anything.


    At that moment, he clumsily swung his swords in front of him, as if he were just hoping to hit anything, but since it was such azy sh, Anthon and Cauldron easily dodged it.


    Ignite lifted his leg and swept the stone Ambrose off his feet.


    The stone Ambrose crashed on the ground andy there lifelessly.


    Then, Ignite pulled out his daggers from his chest and shed through his throat.


    From neck-up, the stone Ambrose''s head was nowpletely gone. There were only his torso, arms, and legs left on his body.


    As Ignite, Anthon, and Cauldron believed that he was finally dead, the stone Ambrose suddenly rose up as if he were a zombie.


    "Huh?" Cauldron frowned. "Can he even die?"


    "¡­" Anthon narrowed his eyes.


    They didn''t see it, but there was a message hovering in front of the stone Ambrose. It was gray in color, and the words looked like they were written in chalk.


    [Immortality Activated!]


    "¡­" The stone Ambrose stepped forward and shed his swords wide across the air.


    Ignite, Anthon, and Cauldron quickly dodged the attack.


    At that moment, a transparent figure appeared above the stone Ambrose, acting as his eyes.


    The stone Ambrose turned his body towards Ignite, as if he could see him, and sprinted after him.


    "Shit!" Ignite leaped backwards and hurled his daggers towards him.


    However, the transparent figuremunicated with the stone Ambrose telepathically.


    The stone Ambrose heard his soul''s voice, ced one of his swords in front of him, and felt the daggers sh against his de.


    He then took a long stride forward, closing the gap between him and Ignite.


    Ignite reached out to his belt but realized that he had just thrown his daggers and was therefore weaponless!


    ''Doesn''t matter!'' Ignite put his hands forth, grabbed the stone Ambrose by his wrist, and tried to throw him down to the ground.


    However, the stone Ambrose''s feet stayed firmly on the ground, and Ignite couldn''t even make him budge.


    "?!" Ignite''s eyes widened in surprise, as he had never seen anyonebat his judo techniques with pure physical strength.


    ''T-this cannot be a real yer''s strength. I refuse to believe so!''

 Chapter 404 The New Ambrose

    Chapter 404 The New Ambrose


    The stone Ambrose grabbed Ignite by his bandaged throat, lifted him off the ground, and mmed him into the wall.


    "Ignite!" Anthon put his sword into a shing stance, then tapped his foot on the ground two times and suddenly teleported behind the stone Ambrose.


    He stabbed his sword through Ambrose''s exposed waist, leaving behind a hole. However, there was no blood, as the figure was made entirely out of stone.


    The stone Ambrose coldly elbowed Anthon.


    Anthon crashed to the ground with a bloodied nose, but he immediately stood back up and spat out blood.


    Cauldron was about tounch an attack, but the stone Ambrose suddenly threw Ignite''s ragdoll-like body at him.


    "?!" Cauldron stopped his attack and caught Ignite''s flying body.


    But then a stone fist appeared in front of him and smashed through his face.


    "Ptui!" Cauldron and Ignite flew across the air and mmed into a wooden wall, leaving behind a cracked dent.


    "Argh!" Anthon teleported above the stone creature and chopped his arm off.


    The stone arm was cut off from the shoulder, and itnded on the ground. Once itnded on the ground, it shattered into thousands of small pieces of rock.


    The stone Ambrose floated slightly above the ground, spun around, and kicked Anthon across the face.


    Anthon staggered backwards like a man who had lost the feeling in his body. The numbness started spreading across his body like cancer.


    "Whoo¡­ Whoo¡­" He breathed heavily as he looked at the monster-like creature and let out a hollow chuckle.


    He was now more convinced than ever before that this test was just a scam. There was no way that a yer could survive without a head. It was considered an instant kill.


    It didn''t matter how much health one had; if they lost their head, they would die.


    Thud¡ªthe stone Ambrose fell down on his knees, and the rest of his body started slowly crumbling apart.


    "Ugh¡­"


    Anthon, Ignite, and Cauldron suffered heavy injuries, but when they saw the stone figure starting to crumble apart, they heaved sighs of relief.


    They thought the stone monster would never go down.


    "Congrattions." At that moment, the stone creature spoke, even though he didn''t have a head to speak from.


    Anthon''s eyes widened in surprise, as did Cauldron''s and Ignite''s.


    "You''ve passed the final test." The stone creature slowly regenerated, but this time it returned to its original form as a ceiling-high giant.


    "You''re entitled to rewards."


    "I have a question." Anthon stood up and held his numb face, which had lost all its feeling. "This test was a scam, wasn''t it?"


    "A scam?" The stone giant looked down at the three yers and asked with a confused tone.


    "We didn''t recognize the face." Anthon said it coldly. "I thought it was strange, but the further we fought, the more I realized that this yer we fought doesn''t exist.


    "yers cannot fly. His physical strength was off the charts. A yer should die once their heads get cut off, yet this one continued fighting for several minutes after.


    "Therefore, I came to the conclusion that this test was fake. A scam, one would say."


    "What would you do if I said that this yer very much exists?" The stone giant asked.


    "If there is a yer as strong as this¡­" Anthon''s eyes turned cold. "I suppose I''ll be meeting him in the tournament."


    "Whoo¡­" Cauldron unsheathed his sword and took out a cigarette. "I''ve only felt this powerless when I was fighting King Tyrantion back in Ember Online.


    "I know we aren''t the yers that are at the top of the strength hierarchy, but I don''t think there can be someone this much stronger."


    "Can we know the name?" Anthon asked.


    "No." The stone giant replied.


    "Fine¡­" Anthon shook his head. "Can we get our reward now?"


    The stone giant raised his arm and snapped his fingers.


    A shiny, jewel-covered treasure chest fell from the ceiling and thudded down on the ground. As it opened, a bright, golden hue spread across the room, almost blinding the three young men.


    "My god¡­"


    Outside the temple building, three new names appeared on the White Rock trial''s leaderboard stone tablet.


    The yers that had recently arrived looked shocked after seeing that three yers sessfullypleted the trial at the same time!


    They started hurrying inside the temple as they realized that there were only seven spots remaining on the leaderboard. However, when they reached the stone stable with the dice-throwing stone statue, they came across a terrifying sight.


    There were piles of deceased corpses piled up next to the table.


    After Anthon, Cauldron, and Ignite, not a single yer managed to pass the first test.


    After seeing that, all the yers felt discouraged.


    ¡­


    In the Room of Damnation.


    Blue blood was sttered across the walls, looking like someone had painted the walls recently. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    In the middle of the room, red-skinned Ambrose was shuddering in agonizing pain. His veins were bulging around his neck and forehead, looking like they were about to explode.


    His teeth were stabbing into his lips as he was desperately trying to muffle his screaming, and his fingers were stabbing into his palm.


    At that moment, he had a painful headache, and suddenly the faces of three different individuals shed through his mind.


    It made his eyes widen in shock as he remembered those faces, but he hadn''t thought about them for quite a while, and it was strange for him to suddenly think about them.


    "What¡­ the¡­ hell¡­" His voice sounded coarse and painful. He strangely had a desire to go search for those three and take a little revenge for their ambush that happened a long time ago.


    ''Why do I suddenly desire to do so? Well, I think I am powerful enough now¡­''


    He looked at the stack of filled-out skill scrolls in front of him. There were about dozen skill scrolls, all used up, meaning that he had already created at least dozen skills!


    There was still plenty of time before he had to leave the Room of Damnation.


    ''W-well, I''ll get that thought out of my mind. For now, I''ll have to focus.''


    He took a deep breath and again entered the world of souls.


    He began training in swordsmanship while focusing on building the foundation of his Immortal Style.


    As he began fighting against illusionary figures inside the world of souls, his swordsmanship started to look more refined with each move.


    He had already reached the maximum percentage in all the new skills, and he was refining them in the world of souls.


    These skills were vastly different from what he had used to doing so.


    They were also skills that he could teach his students, but they were incredibly powerful skills, so he tried making "weaker versions" of those skills.


    Therefore, in fact, he had created around 6¨C7 new skills but had to use double the number of skill scrolls as he also made those weaker versions.


    He would teach the weaker versions first, and when they grew strong enough, he would teach the real versions.


    Ambrose forced a hideous grin and shouted inside the world of souls. "Bring it on!"


    Because he was in the world of souls, he was spending more time in the Room of Damnation, meaning that he was also under more pain for a longer time.


    In the world of souls, his own soul floated in the air, shuddering in utter agony. However, it was trying to deal with the pain, knowing that Ambrose was growing stronger with each passing second.


    And just like this, the remaining days went by, and soon, the one week of Ambrose''s time in Room of Damnation came to a close.

 Chapter 405 Call Me Ambrose

    405 Call Me Ambrose


    "Aha, I smell like shit." Jesse looked at his face in the mirror.


    A few minutes ago, he finally logged off the game and left the bed properly for the first time in a week.


    After looking at himself in the mirror for a few moments, he took a long, warm shower and put on new clothes while tossing his old ones away, which smelled quite horrible.


    He then got seated in front of his desk, opened theputer, and checked the date and current time.


    While spending time in the world of souls, he was actually much longer in the Room of Damnation than anyone could''ve expected.


    He didn''t know how long, but if he had to guess, probably three months, which was an insane amount of time.


    Jesse rxed on the chair, not feeling like moving a muscle, as he was finally feeling something other than pain and suffering.


    "In a few hours, I''ll be leaving with Anna for that Christmas dinner. Once that''s over, I''ll sleep the whole day." Jesse stretched his limbs and opened the Martial Online forums.


    He was wondering what was going on while he was inside the Room of Damnation, as one week was quite a long time, and every week something big happened in Martial Online, such as new bosses being found, etc.


    However, what he saw truly took him off guard.


    There were two bright, red-fonted announcements at the top of the page, and it was impossible to miss those.


    "A new update and tournament?" Jesse''s interest was captured, and he slowly read those posts.


    After finishing up both of them, he leaned against the chair, intertwined his fingers like a thoughtful man, and looked at the screen.


    ''Thest update changed the entire game and even the world, so this is definitely a big thing.


    ''This tournament is what shocks me the most. This is the first time that all the strongest yers will be in the same ce.


    ''Not only online, but also in reality. The strongest yers will travel to Loch City¡­ Loch City¡ªthat''s where Be lives, doesn''t she?''


    Jesse pulled his dry lips and nkly looked in front of him. His eyes lingered in the direction of the tournament announcement and the word ''Loch City.''


    "Haa¡­" He pinched his lips and looked at the ceiling with a nk stare. "Loch City, huh."


    Knock, knock¡ªsomeone knocked on the door, and it opened slightly.


    "Jesse, are you awake?"


    "Hey, mother." Jesse quickly closed theputer, as if he had something to hide, and stood up.


    Anna entered the room with folded clothes in hand. "I brought you some clothes if you want to wear these today!"


    "Looks expensive." Jesse mentioned and looked at his own clothes, which were very casual. "These ain''t fine?"


    "You''ve got to charm thosedies." Anna pinched his cheek and handed him the clothes. "There is a dress code."


    "Mm." Jesse epted the clothes and put them down on the bed.


    "By the way." Anna pulled out a small piece of paper from her pocket and gave it to him. "Someone called us about five to six days ago. It sounded very shady, but they wanted to give you their phone number."


    "Huh, did you receive a name?" Jesse took the piece of paper and checked the phone number.


    He never memorized his family''s phone numbers, but the start of the number waspletely foreign and from someone who lived in a different country.


    ''Why does a foreigner want to speak to me?'' Jesse wondered, pulled out his phone, and added the phone number.


    "It was someone called Moriarty." Anna said. "It sounded like that guy''s manager called here and gave his phone number. He is apparently a popr streamer."


    "Never heard of ''im¡­" Jesse decided to check this guy out, and he nodded. "All right, are we leaving now?"


    "Yeah, Sebastian is waiting outside." Anna said with a soft smile. "I''ll be waiting outside; put those clothes on."


    After she departed, Jesse took off his casual clothes and moved onto the fancy-looking clothes.


    It consisted of a white undershirt, a nice-looking dark blue vest, and perfectly-tailored dark blue trousers. Then, amodating that, there was a ck necktie and a silver chain hanging from his chest pocket.


    It was perfectly fitted for Jesse, highlighting his athletic physique and tall, powerful-looking muscles.


    ''She must''ve gotten this tailored just recently, and I haven''t even gone to the tailor with them; still, it''s a perfect fit.''


    Jesse sat down on his bed and pulled out his phone. He wanted to learn more about this Moriarty before leaving for Christmas dinner.


    It didn''t take long for him to find out about him.


    There was plenty of news about him, and after seeing his current streaming rank, Jesse was very surprised.


    However, it brought him many doubts as well.


    "Hmm, I''ll try calling." Jesse left the room, and as he walked down the hallway, he dialed the phone number and ced his phone against his ear.


    While the phone rang, he arrived at the elevator, stepped inside, and pressed the bottom floor number.


    After the elevator''s doors closed, a ding sounded from the phone call, signaling that someone had epted the call.


    "Hello, this is Daniel Greedforth. Moriarty is currently busy; mind me asking what your business with him is?"


    "This is¡­" Jesse moved his tongue inside his mouth before finishing. "Ambrose. I heard you were searching for me."


    The phone stayed silent, as if the call had been disconnected identally.


    But then a thrilled voice came.


    "Ah, Mister Rothsmith. Mind me calling you Rothsmith?"


    "Call me Ambrose." Jesse said while the elevator took him down. "What do you want?"


    "Of course, sir!" Daniel cleared his throat and said, "On behalf of Moriarty, I contacted your parents to have a talk with you!"


    "What does he want from me?" Jesse asked. "I don''t know him, and he doesn''t know me, so why?"


    Ding¡ªthe elevator reached the bottom floor, and the sliding doors opened.


    "Are you avable for the rest of the day?" Daniel asked. "Moriarty wants to talk to you personally. I assure you, it is very beneficial to you!"


    "When will he call me?" Jesse asked while walking out of the mansion, and he saw Anna discussing something with Sebastian beside a silver Mercedes car.


    "In a few hours," Daniel said. "Make sure to be offline during that time. I assure you that this phone call will change your life!" n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "Fine, I''ll be waiting." Jesse disconnected the phone call and approached the car.


    "Young master." Sebastian bowed and opened the back door for both of them.


    "Oh my." Anna was dressed in a beautiful ck dress, exuding an air of sophistication and grace. It was clear that she was a woman of high status.


    The ck dress entuated her beautiful figure, hugging her curves in a tasteful and ttering manner. She was wearing an expensive-looking jacket to protect herself slightly from the cold.


    When she saw her son walking towards her, her lips turned into a sweet-looking smile, and she gently pped her hands.


    "What adykiller, Jesse."


    "You look beautiful, mother." Jesse smiled, and he kept the door open for her.


    He would be lying if he said that she didn''t look charming and beautiful, a rare breed of woman, but he still didn''t feel the attraction that a man would feel towards a woman.


    In his mind, she was his mother, almost like she was the one who gave birth to him.


    Anna smiled and entered the car, scooping up to the left-most seat, and then Jesse followed her inside and sat beside her.


    After that, Sebastian closed the door, entered the driver''s seat, and started driving towards their destination.


    "Nervous?" Anna asked curiously.


    "A little." Jesse took a deep breath. "I am not much of a people person, and I don''t know anyone there.


    "No need to be nervous; I am sure you''ll do great." Anna said with full trust in her son.

 Chapter 406 The Christmas Party

    406 The Christmas Party


    The silver Mercedes, carrying Anna and Jesse, drove through the open gates, entering a vast snow-covered yard. There was a mansion, looking like it was built a few centuries ago, standing in the middle of the yard, spanning hundreds of meters.


    There were already twenty luxurious-looking cars parked in the yard, and at the front door, the Saward family was greeting their guests.


    After Sebastian parked the car at the instructions of the servants, who showed him where to park his car, he looked over to the backseat and said.


    "We have arrived, ma''am, young master."


    "Thank you." Anna smiled. "Do you want toe with us, Sebastian?"


    "I don''t think this party is for someone of my status." Sebastian said with a smile, still thankful for the invitation.


    "Mm, very well." Anna nodded at Jesse, and they then left the car and walked side-by-side towards the front door.


    There were lines of guests already waiting to enter the nice-looking mansion. Once they arrived at the front door, they chatted with Amber and her husband while their daughter, Emily, just smiled and stood silently.


    After a short moment of waiting, Anna and Jesse arrived at the front door.


    "Oh, Anna." Amber smiled and nted a kiss on both Anna''s cheeks. She had a lot of makeup and was dressed in a very bright purple dress.


    "The decorations look beautiful." Anna said, and she looked over to the decorations that were stretched across the ceilings, and there were diamond chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.


    "Anna, nice to have you here." Nero Saward, the head of the Saward family and Amber''s husband, said with a smile and looked at the young man that stood beside her. "And who may this be?"


    Amber looked at the young man and raised her eyebrow in confusion. For a moment, she thought she was a new servant of the Rothsmith family, and Anna brought him here to be a purse carrier or something.


    However, then she remembered that she was supposed to bring her son with her.


    At that moment, her eyes widened in shock. ''That¡­ can''t be.''


    Emily shyly looked over, and her cheeks turned pink for a moment.


    "This is my son." Anna smiled proudly.


    "Jesse Rothsmith, nice to meet you." Jesse offered a handshake to Nero.


    Nero shook his hand and nodded. "Firm handshake. I''ve wanted to meet you for quite some time now. It''s nice to have you here."


    "Merry Christmas to you three." Anna said with a smile, and she entered the mansion through the front door with Jesse.


    They saw hundreds of people gathered in the lounge, chatting with others. There were tables of food, a bar, and servants walking down the lounge with trays of food.


    "I''ll visit my friends." Anna said and asked gently. "Are you fine alone? Maybe go talk with others and get a new friend or two."


    "Mm, I am fine alone; you don''t need to babysit me." Jesse said gently.


    After Anna went to chat with her friends, joining a circle of gossiping women, Jesse signaled to a servant that he wanted to taste one of the foods that were on disy.


    It was a strange sushi-like food and smelled like toothpaste.


    Jesse curiously tasted it and swallowed it.


    However, a very spicy and disgusting aftertaste filled his mouth.


    "What the fuck is this¡­" He shook his head and found a trash can to get rid of the food. ''Even the canned food is better.''


    "Hmm, I''ve never seen you before." A neatbed young man walked over to him while rubbing his chin. "My name is Adam La Sainto, the third son of Le Sainto''s patriarch."


    "Jesse Rothsmith." Jesse cleaned his lips, trying to get rid of the disgusting taste.


    After hearing his name, Adam Le Sainto''s approaching look turned to scorn in the blink of an eye.


    "Aha, I''ve heard about you. The bastard son of Rothsmith." He scoffed. "My friends and I have a bet about you."


    "Oh, I am honored, I guess." Jesse rolled his eyes and turned his back to him as he turned to look at other guests.


    However, Adam La Sainto walked to his side and said with a smug smile. "It was a very bold move toe here. You aren''t very popr here, Rothsmith bastard."


    "Such a shame; I wanted to be best buddies with you all." Jesse turned to him and scammed him from head to toe. "Damn, I lost so much from not being able to have your friendship."


    "Aha." Adam chuckled and walked past him with an arrogant expression. "You will. See youter, the bastard son."


    "This sucks." Jesse sighed and found himself a seat to sit and watch the ongoings of the party.


    He didn''t really want to be there, as he was exhausted mentally and physically after spending a week in the Room of Damnation and around three months inside his world of souls.


    He wanted to just sleep and rest.


    However, Anna wanted him badly to be here, so he didn''t want to make her feel bad by showing his disinterest in being here.


    He nned to try to mingle with others, but after the talk with the young man from the La Sainto family, he wasn''t sure whether it was a good idea anymore.


    He didn''t expect his bastard status to be so much scorned, even though he was actually Jack''s first son and his heir to the Rothsmith empire.


    Therefore, he didn''t really want to make a scene and just nned to keep lowkey for a few hours and then leave with Anna.


    ssical piano music started ying.


    Jesse was about to pull out his phone to waste his time with, but then he sensed some stares in his direction, and he saw that Adam was talking with other young men from High Society, and they were throwing scornful gazes in his direction.


    ''Great.'' Jesse rolled his eyes and felt a need for a bathroom.


    He stood up and walked up the staircase to the second floor. There were guests leaning against the railings, talking about some investing opportunities and some other rich people''s businesses.


    Jesse slipped his hands inside his pockets, and looked for any bathoom, but then heard a voice behind him.


    "Excuse me, J-Jesse, are you looking for something?"


    He turned around and saw a cute, round-headed girl looking at him curiously.


    "Uh, Emily, right?" Jesse remembered seeing her in the cafe and at the front door.


    "Nn." Emily nodded and asked. "Were you¡­ looking for something?"


    "A bathroom." Jesse checked his shoes, which were tailored to fit the suit, and asked. "Has all the guests arrived?"


    "Not yet, but I was sent here to talk with the guests." Emily said and smiled. "I can show you the way to the bathroom, if you want."


    "Thanks." Jesse nodded and walked after her silently, walking quite slowly and steadily. "Have you talked with others yet?" Emily asked curiously.


    "Yeah¡­" Jesse tried to remember that one guy''s name and said, "Adam La Santo, something."


    "Ah, him." Emily wryly smiled. "It''s La Sainto. A very respected family, but Adam is¡­ something else."


    "Yeah, he indeed is." Jesse wryly smiled.


    After a short walk, Emily pointed at one of the doors and said, "This is a guest room, but there should be a bathroom for you to use."


    "I appreciate it." Jesse opened the door and saw that the room was unfurnished.


    There were hundreds of rooms, so it wasn''t surprising that not all of them had furnishings.


    "I''ll wait outside. I want to talk to you more." Emily said with a bashful look.


    "Mm, sure." Jesse thought it was good to talk with at least someone from High Society.


    At that moment, his ears perked up, and he managed to hear some distinct screaming because of his Starborn physique.


    He turned to look back to Emily, and it was clear that she didn''t hear anything.


    ''What was that? Ehh, probably nothing.'' He shrugged his shoulders and went to use the bathroom.


    n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om

 Chapter 407 Call With Moriarty

    407 Call With Moriarty


    Drip, drip.


    Jesse washed his hands on the faucet and nced at himself briefly in the mirror. His purple eyes stared back at him.


    After that, he closed the faucet and dried his hands with toilet paper.


    "My hair is quite long." He saw that his hair was already reaching his lower neck and was almost shoulder-length. ''I need to visit the barber, I suppose.''


    Brr!


    His phone vibrated in his back pocket as someone tried to call him.


    He pulled out his phone and saw that Anna was calling for him.


    ''Why is she calling for me?'' He wondered. ''Maybe because she didn''t see me anywhere?''


    As he was about to ept the call, it suddenly disconnected, even though it was only ringing for barely five seconds.


    "Hmm, strange." He was about to try to call her back, but then another phone call came.


    This time, it was from a foreign number, and the name showed that the call was from a person named Moriarty.


    ''Oh, him.'' He leaned against the bathroom tiled wall and epted the phone call.


    "Hello, this is Ambrose."


    "Ambrose, hmm?" The voice on the other side of the phone sounded perplexed. "Do you often respond to phone calls with your Inte persona?"


    "Only those who I don''t know." Jesse said. "I am sure you know me as Ambrose. Therefore, I''ll be referring to you as Moriarty."


    "Sounds good to me." Moriarty''s chuckle sounded. "Did my manager tell anything to you?"


    "No, only that this phone call should be very worthwhile." Jesse said with a sigh. "So far, I am not convinced."


    "Mm, I like your tone." Moriarty''s voice didn''t sound like he was annoyed or irritated, but rather somewhat pleased.


    "You''ve been a hard man to reach. I thought you would contact me within a day, but it has been five days."


    "I was unavable." Jesse responded. "I would''ve called if I had known. I am interested in why you are calling me, after all."


    "I''ll cut to the chase; I want to team up with you in the uing tournament." Moriarty didn''t beat around the bush, and he simply stated his reason for calling.


    "What?" Jesse was taken aback. "Why me? Wait, is this some kind of scam? Are you asking for money next?"


    10:48


    "Haha, nah." Moriarty chuckled on the other side of the phone. "I know what you have aplished in Dark Waters. I was in Dark Waters around the same time, and news travels quick there."


    Jesse scratched his chin thoughtfully. ''He must have done his own investigating because even the newspaper wouldn''t tell everything as they didn''t have all the information about what had happened.


    ''Therefore, he must''ve gotten the news the other way. Perhaps from one of the men of the Sea King''s pirate crew? From what I heard, they escaped after seeing their captain die.


    ''Some of them must''ve sold the news to some ck market dealers, and if Moriarty had contacts there, which I believe he had, it wouldn''t be a surprise that he knows.


    ''What happened on that ind must be an open secret, and only the general public doesn''t know. It''s hard to keep everything secret.''


    "So, what is the answer?" Moriarty asked.


    "I am honored, and I don''t mean to be rude, but why would I team up with you?" Jesse asked. "I don''t know you. I don''t know how well we would work together. I don''t know how strong you are."


    "¡­" Moriarty stayed quiet on the other side.


    However, then quietughter came from the phone before theughter turned louder.


    Jesse listened silently as Moriartyughed as if he had heard a very good joke. He wasn''t irritated by hisughter and instead was curious about whether he said something funny.


    "Ahah¡­ sorry." Moriarty finishedughing, and it sounded like heughed so much that he had to wipe tears. "Good, that''s a very good question!"


    "I suppose you have answers to my questions." Jesse said, and the corner of his lips turned into a small smile.


    "I indeed do." Moriarty said. "You indeed don''t know me, and I don''t know you.


    "Teaming up is a gamble¡ªa very big gamble. It would be much wiser to team up with a friend or with a person you know who is a very capable fighter.


    "You don''t know how strong I am, and I don''t know how strong you are except for a few rumors I heard, but I don''t foolishly believe in rumors. I need to see to believe."


    "I agree." Jesse said. "I could, of course, check out your streams, and I could record some of my fights, but I suppose that isn''t satisfactory."


    "It indeed isn''t." Moriarty clearly smiled on the other side of the phone. "Let''s meet up."


    "When and where?"


    "Your call."


    Jesse pondered for a moment before pressing the phone against his ear and saying, "Hightown, after the update."


    "All right."


    Jesse looked silently at the phone and then pocketed it with a curious frown.


    "I already thought about joining the tournament, but I thought I would have to invite someone random. Now, I do not need to do that.


    "Moriarty, huh. He is fifth ranked in the streaming rankings, and even though I am fairly famous on ForeverTube, I am nothing in front of him.


    "I suppose meeting with him isn''t a bad idea." Jesse left the bathroom and put on his shoes. He didn''t want to ruin the nice-looking carpet, so he took them off while he visited the bathroom.


    ''The tournament''s starting date isn''t exactly known yet, and not much is known about it except that it''s duo format, and the finals take ce in Loch City.


    ''However, the tournament for sure will start soon after Christmas, perhaps in the New Year?''


    Jesse put those thoughts to the back of his mind for now. He still had to somehow survive through this Christmas dinner.


    He had plenty of time to think back at home.


    Creak¡ªhe softly opened the door and said:


    "Emily, I have a questi¡ª"


    His words got stuck in his throat as he came across a scene of a young woman sobbing on the ground with an armed man pointing a fully automatic rifle against her forehead.


    "?!" The armed man looked shocked that there was someone else here.


    He was wearing a ck military vest, with several mags in the pockets and several hidden knives hanging from his belt.


    The automatic rifle in his hands was locked and loaded. It didn''t even have a safety on.


    He also wore a ck mask that covered the lower half of his face, from his nose all the way to the chin. There was a strange sigil of a white eye on the mask and also on the military vest.


    A radio phone in his chest pocket crackled with a sound before a voice came.


    "Phoenix, have you secured the second floor?" The voice sounded electrifying, and it was hard to hear his words clearly, but it was clear that the voice belonged to a man.


    "Hands up!" Phoenix moved the rifle in Jesse''s direction, his finger touching the trigger.


    Jesse''s eyes shrunk, and he instinctively lunged forward, grabbed the rifle by its barrel, and pointed the barrel towards the ceiling.


    Phoenix fully pressed on the trigger, and bullets shredded through the ceiling with incredibly loud banging sounds.


    "Aaaah!" Emily covered her ears and screamed loudly.


    Crack¡ªJesse identally squeezed harder on the barrel and destroyed it.


    The gun immediately jammed, and no more bullets flew out.


    "Fuck!" Phoenix pulled out his hidden knife and shed, but Jesse quickly pulled his head back and narrowly dodged the sharp de before it could slice through his throat.


    "What the¡­" Jesse''s voice trembled with fear. ''That was a real fucking gun. What the fuck is going on?!''


    n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om

 Chapter 408 Howling Rage

    <h4>Chapter 408 Howling Rage </h4>


    ?Phoenix switched the grip on the knife to the reverse grip and stabbed it towards Jesse''s shoulder.


    Jesse quickly grabbed his arm, and he groaned loudly with a desperate-sounding scream. If the knife stabbed him, he would most likely die of blood loss!


    "Argh!" Phoenix gritted his teeth and screamed loudly as he tried to plunge the knife deep into the ck-haired man''s shoulder.


    However, it didn''t matter how much strength he used; his arm didn''t budge even the slightest. It was shocking just how much stronger the ck-haired man was than him!


    ''A security guard?!'' Phoenix guessed. ''I thought we had already killed all the security, but I guess there was someone!''


    "Aaaaah!" Emily backed closer to the wall, and screamed loudly, her vision blurring with her tears.


    She was simply waiting for Jesse to finish his business in the bathroom, but then she started hearing loud screams and the sound of gunshots.


    In the end, one of the armed individuals that had infiltrated the mansion found her and put her on the gunpoint. She thought she was going to die.


    "Aaaargh!" Jesse grabbed Phoenix''s vest, lifted him up from the ground, and threw him to the ceiling.


    m!


    Phoenix mmed to the ceiling and fell to the ground with a hard-sounding thud. He groaned loudly in pain and tried to stand up again.


    But then Jesse grabbed him by his vest again and threw him to the wall.


    Crack!


    Smash!


    Phoenix mmed to the wall with a resounding smash and coughed out all his air from his lungs. He felt like a truck had crashed into him.


    However, he uttered thest remaining strength and reached out to his waist. There was a hidden pistol holstered!


    He pulled out his pistol, pointed it at Jesse, and screamed. "Die!"


    Jesse''s eyes widened in shock, and he froze from the fear.


    He had gotten used to fighting people who wielded sharp objects, but when it came to real-life guns, he still felt fear.


    It was different with the Russian and the gun-like object he had. That happened inside the game, and Jesse didn''t really care whether he died there in that moment.


    However, this was real life!


    In here, he was shackled by his Humanoid Imperfecta!


    As Phoenix pulled the trigger, it created a hollow click sound, shocking him.


    ''Fuck, jammed!''


    "Aaargh!"


    The click sound sounded like heavenly bells to Jesse.


    He immediately used Formlessness to cross the distance and shoved Phoenix to the wall.


    It looked like an ordinary shove; however, Phoenix flew straight through the wall, and once his flight ended with him falling down to the ground, his eyes rolled backwards into his skull.


    He had lost his consciousness.


    "Haaah¡­ haaah¡­" Jesse breathed heavily and looked at his trembling hands.


    He had never been this close to death before. If the pistol had fired, he would''ve died.


    ''Fucking fear!'' He clenched his hands into a fist and gritted his teeth hatefully. ''Because of the fear and hesitation, I would''ve died!''


    "J-Jesse¡­" Emily whispered and tried to stand up, but her legs had gone numb. "I-I can''t¡­ I-I¡­"


    "Are you all right?" Jesse shoke off his anger towards himself and approached the crying girl. "Are you hurt?"


    "N-no¡­" Emily''s lips trembled, and she asked sobbingly. "Are my mom and dad okay? Who was that?!"


    "I don''t know." Jesse sighed, but then his ears perked up.


    There were several footsteps, sounding like they were running,ing straight towards them!


    Jesse''s eyes widened in shock. "People areing!"


    "Oh no¡­" Emily cried.


    Jesse immediately opened the neighboring door and shoved Emily inside.


    "Go hide under a bed; don''te out, no matter what!" Jesse shouted.


    "W-what if they find me?" Emily kept the door open and asked urgently.


    "Just stay hidden!"


    "B-but what if they find me?!"


    "Trust me, please hide!" Jesse shouted and mmed the door shut.


    In the pitch-ck room, Emily blindly found the bed and rolled under it. She covered her mouth and silently sobbed while she listened for any sound toe.


    Outside the room, Jesse gulped and looked to the end of the hallway.


    Then he started seeing silhouettes of armed men running towards him. They all had automatic rifles, and the same white eye sigil was on their masks and vests.


    "Find Phoenix!" An armed man, named Hydra, shouted to one of the men and kept his gun pointed at Jesse. "Hands up, and don''t move!"


    Jesse listened and raised his arms. His back was drenched in cold sweat.


    One of the armed men peeked through the broken wall and saw an unconscious Phoenix lying on the ground.


    "He is here; he has been knocked out!" The armed man shouted and turned to Jesse angrily. "Was this done by you?"


    Jesse gulped.


    "Calm down, Goblin." Hydra said, and she looked over to Jesse. "State your name."


    "Jesse Rothsmith." Jesse said with a deep frown.


    "Rothsmith¡­" The few armed figures whispered, and their eyes brightened up as they saw that they had hit a jackpot.


    "Who are you all, and what do you want?" Jesse asked.


    "Well, Rothsmith." Hydra smiled. "Money, what else? This is the only time that all the young generation of High Society gathers in one ce.


    "Without their younger generation, none of the High Society families will survive. That''s why we are keeping you all hostage until each family from High Society has gathered 100 million crowns, each."


    ''There are 30 families in High Society. So, they want 3 billion crowns¡­'' Jesse gulped. ''What an insane sum.''


    "Cuff him; we''ll bring him to others." Hydra said to Goblin.


    "That''s my pleasure." Goblin pulled out cuffs from his back pocket, walked behind Jesse, and roughly cuffed his wrists. "By the way, Phoenix is my brother, bastard."


    "Argh!" Jesse groaned loudly in pain as the cuffs tightly hugged his wrists.


    "Not good with pain?" Hydraughed. "There is no way you knocked out Phoenix; there must be someone else here. A security, maybe? Mind telling us?"


    "I am alone here," Jesse replied.


    "Hmm¡­" Hydra signaled Goblin to check the nearby rooms.


    Goblin nodded, and with a gun in hand, he started checking out all the nearby rooms. Soon, he came across the room next to Jesse and opened it.


    It was a very dark room.


    He pressed on the lightswitch, and the light covered the room instantly.


    Under the bed, Emily paled, and tears rolled down her cheeks.


    Goblin narrowed his eyes as he scanned around the room and pointed the gun towards the bed. He put his finger on the trigger and was about to go approach it.


    But then Jesse shouted. "I am the only one here. I am Rothsmith. You know what that means!"


    "Hmm¡­" Hydra moved his tongue inside his mouth in a thoughtful manner and said, "Hey, Goblin. This Rothsmith is rather arrogant. Mind showing him some manners?"


    "It''s my pleasure." Goblin grinned and was about to m the butt of his gun to Jesse''s head.


    However, before he could do so, Jesse broke through the cuffs with a loud scream, grabbed Goblin by his throat, and threw him through the ceiling with unimaginable strength.


    Hydra and five other armed individuals immediately pointed their weapons at him.


    "So, you indeed were the one." Hydra''s face slightly paled, and he wondered whether Goblin was still alive from that. "Get on your knees!"


    Jesse clenched his hands into a fist, and his expression turned angrier as he stared at them. He was pumping his mind with angry thoughts.


    ''Anna, Emily, and everyone¡­ they must be still alive, but they dare to threaten my mother?''


    "This bastard¡­" One of the armed men scoffed. "This fucker wants to die badly, huh?"


    "He is Rothsmith, therefore valuable." Hydra said. "Just break his legs, and we''ll drag him there. We can use him as an example."


    Jesse inhaled loudly, and all the nearby air got sucked inside his mouth.


    As Hydra and other armed individuals started to approach him, his eyes reddened slightly because of the anger he felt, and then¡­


    He let out a single howl.


    "Howling Rage!"


    Howl¡ªa maniac-sounding howl, as if it came from a primordial beast, resounded across the entire mansion. It even echoed outside the mansion, and all the wildlife that lived near the Saward Estate started running away.


    "Ugh!" Hydra felt his body freeze in fear, and he couldn''t even twitch his finger.


    He managed to barely look left and right with his eyes and saw that his friends were in the same condition. They were all frozen in fear!


    "Whoo¡­" Jesse exhaled loudly. "That hurts my throat, but one of my new skills seems to be sess¡­"

 Chapter 409 Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 409 Dragon </h4>


    ?Ten minutes ago.


    Screams filled the front lounge of Saward Estate.


    "Shut up!" A deep-voiced armed man pointed his automatic rifle to the ceiling and pulled the trigger.


    The bullets loudly flew out of the gun and shredded through the ceiling.


    The screaming members of High Society swallowed their cries of help and quietly sat down on the ground. Their faces were tear-ridden, and they were shaking.


    Hydra watched as several armed figures dragged away the security guards, who were filled with bullet holes.


    "Ahem." A suit-wearing man entered the estate through the front door and fixed his necktie with a clear smile. "Hello, everyone."


    The teary-eyed women and the pale-faced men turned towards him and could tell that he must be the leader of these armed individuals.


    "Here, sir." The goblin pulled out a chair, offering it to the leader.


    "Mm." The leader sat down on the chair and crossed his legs with a smile.


    He looked at the lofty, expensive-looking members of high society. They were always looking down on peasants from their skyscrapers and lofty mansions.


    However, now they looked at him like he was a god.


    The leader''s lips turned into a sickening smile. He loved this feeling. He loved those gazes of fear.


    "My name is Dragon." The leader said, and he intertwined his fingers professionally. He knew he hadplete control over these people.


    "Who the hell are you?" Nero Saward rose to his legs with trembling hands. "Do you know what you are doing?!"


    "H-husband, sit down!" Amber pleaded with her husband not to do anything stupid, like make the armed figures angry.


    "I know what I am doing." Dragon pointed his finger towards Nero and made a finger-pistol gesture. "Bang."


    Bang!


    A bullet shot through Nero''s shoulder.


    "Aargh!" Nero''s eyes widened in shock, and he fell to the ground with a bleeding shoulder.


    "Husband!" Amber screamed and hurried to her husband before putting pressure on his bleeding shoulder.


    Ahh¡ªothers screamed as they realized that the armed individuals didn''t care whether they hurt them.


    Hydra held a pistol with a smoking barrel and then holstered it with a cold and calcted gaze.


    "Listen." Dragon said coldly. "Sit down. Don''t speak. Obey our orders. This''ll be over as long as we get our money. So, you better hope that your ruthless families have any pity for their family members.


    "However, I am not too sure, honestly. They don''t care whether they destroy the lives of others, and as long as they get to keep their money, I am not too sure whether they want to spend it to even save their families lives."


    "Hah!" The goblin and othersughed menacingly.


    "However, even though I said that, this is not personal; I mean it." Dragon chuckle.


    "As if." At that moment, a big-bearded man spoke from the direction of the dinner table, where he was sitting with his frightened family. "You seem to harbor some deep-seated resentment towards us."


    "I do; I ain''t lying." Dragonughed, his pearly-teeth glimmering in the dim candlelight. "However, I am not doing this because I hate you all. I do this for money, and only for that.


    "With money, I can do much more than just keep some rich brats as hostages."


    "Greed, huh." The big-bearded manughed. "You want to lose your life because of greed? You fool. You think we reached the top by ying nice?"


    "Nah, I don''t think any of you are nice. Opposite actually." Dragon chuckled. "Your name is Ewan Masterhome; isn''t that right? The patriarch of the Masterhome family."


    "Hmph," Ewan replied with a rough scoff.


    "Bang." Dragon made a finger-pistol gesture to his head and pulled the imaginary trigger.


    Bang!


    A bullet shot through Ewan''s forehead, leaving behind a bloody hole.


    "Aaaaah!"


    "Dad!"


    Ewan''s family cried out as they watched him fall down with a bullet hole in his forehead.


    "What the hell are you doing?!" Nero screamed while grimacing in pain. "We are your hostages already; what was the point of that?!"


    "We want 100 million from each family." Dragon said it with a smile. "However, I''ve heard that there is some inside fighting in the Masterhome family. I don''t think Ewan''s brothers and sisters want to pay anything to save him and his family.


    After all, they want to be patriarchs themselves."


    Nero gritted his teeth hatefully, but there was nothing he could do. He never expected anyone to boldly attack them, but still, he had fifty guards stationed, and it seems that all of them had died!


    Hydro looked at the screaming children coldly, who were hiding behind tables, but then saw something from the corner of his eyes.


    A beautiful, ck-haired woman had a phone on her hand behind her back. She was clearly trying to press something.


    Hydra approached her silently and grabbed her by the arm. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"


    Anna paled at Hydra''s sudden appearance and dropped her phone identally.


    The phone showed that it was currently calling someone named ''Son''.


    "Hmph." Hydra stomped down the phone, breaking the screen and the phone. "So, you managed to hide a phone, huh?"


    After taking control of the mansion, they confiscated all the phones, but she managed to hide one somehow.


    "Hydra, is everything all right?" Dragon asked with a frown.


    "Yes, she almost called someone." Hydra said. "Everything is under control."


    "Good, give her a lesson about what happens when you try to defy us." Dragon said.


    "My pleasure." Hydra mmed the butt of the gun across her face, sending her sprawling to the ground.


    Annay there, blood dripping from her split lip. Her head throbbed with pain and was warm with blood.


    Hydra scoffed and pressed on his radio phone. "Phoenix, have you secured the second floor?"


    He waited for the answer, which didn''te.


    When he was about to ask it again, everyone in the lounge heard some distant gunshots. It sounded almost like someone had emptied an entire gun on something.


    "Huh?" Dragon frowned. "That was on the second floor; didn''t we send Phoenix there? What is that fool doing?"


    Goblin kept his head down, but he was still frowning in worry.


    "Hydra and Goblin, take a few others and go check what the hell that was." Dragon ordered, his voice filled with urgency.


    "Yes, leader." Hydra nodded, motioning for Goblin and a few others to follow after him.


    "Whew¡­" Dragon sat down and rubbed his head. He then pulled out his phone and showed it to everyone. "Now, I am going to call the police and tell them our demands.


    "They and your family will decide your fates in theing hours. You better hope that your family loves you."


    After that, he smiled menacingly, savoring the fear in their eyes, and then dialed the police''s number.


    Soon the phone call connected, and Dragon, with a smile on his face, started speaking about the situation in the mansion and his demands.


    It was instantly taken as the highest priority by the police, and officers were dispatched to the mansion immediately.


    Because High Society worked closely with the police, the news traveled instantly to all thirty families.


    Dragon pocketed the phone and chilled with a rxed smile. He looked like he had everything under his control, as if there weren''t going to be hundreds of cops outside the mansion in a few minutes.


    At that moment, the whole mansion shook as a primordial, angry-sounding howl erupted from the depths of the mansion.


    All the windows shook violently, threatening to shatter into a million pieces.


    "What in the world was that?" Dragon stood up hurriedly and looked towards the second floor with a serious look. "Some kind of beast?"

 Chapter 410 Ambrose鈥檚 Slaughter

    <h4>Chapter 410 Ambrose''s ughter </h4>


    ?"Argh!" Hydra tried to twitch his finger enough to pull the trigger, but was unsessful.


    "Ngh!" Jesse picked up a broken gun from the ground and threw it like a boomerang towards the armed men.


    The gun spun through the air and mmed into a few of the armed men, knocking them to the ground.


    Jesse dashed forward and shoved Hydra off bnce, sending him crashing into a nearby wall.


    Hydra, after colliding with the wall, stumbled to the ground, momentarily stunned. He started to feel that his mobility was recovering.


    Jesse quickly snatched one of the guns from the armed man and kicked the man to the wall, knocking him unconscious.


    He then used the automatic rifle as a sword and smashed it into the armed men''s skulls, sending them flying across the room.


    Hydra climbed back to his feet and pointed the gun at Jesse, ready to pull the trigger.


    Jesse''s eyes shrunk in a slightly fear, but he quickly put the gun into a shing stance and shouted.


    "Ambrose''s ughter!"


    Hydra''s eyes widened in shock as he saw an illusionary figure rise behind Jesse. It was a tall, purple-eyed figure with a cold look on his face. He was wielding two gleaming swords, ready to strike.


    Again, Hydra wasn''t able to move; this time it was out of fear. His heart pounded hard against his chest out of extreme fear.


    It was the second new skill of Jesse''s. Both had the effect of stunning the opponent, and now he had three skills that could create a stunning effect.


    They were Howling Rage, Ambrose''s ughter, and High Pain.


    "Aaaaah!" Jesse swung the gun and smashed Hydra in the face, causing blood to stter everywhere.


    Hydra smashed through the wall and fell unconscious on a bathroom floor.


    Thest thing he saw was the purple-eyed Ambrose hovering above him with a dead look on his face, looking like a grim reaper.


    Jesse dropped the gun to the ground and breathed heavily. He then staggered to one of the rooms that were recently lit up and whispered.


    "Emily, are you all right?"


    "J-Jesse?" Emily crawled from under the bed and looked at him, who waspletely uninjured, with a shocked look. "H-how are you¡­ where are those armed men?"


    "I knocked them out." Jesse breathed heavily and picked out his phone from his pocket. "I''ll make a call."


    Emily was shocked and went to check the hallway. There were countless armed individuals lying on the ground with blood pouring out of their heads, and there were holes in the walls and ceilings as if there had been war going on.


    She couldn''t understand how Jesse could do all of this against armed men!


    She had to admit that he looked very capable and athletic, but this shouldn''t have been possible, especially against men with guns!


    Jesse pressed the phone against his ear and impatiently tapped his feet against the floor.


    The call was quickly answered.


    "Jesse?!" Jack''s urgent voice sted through the phone.


    "Father!" Jesse said with relief. "There are some armed men here! I think they are holding everyone hostage."


    "I know!" Jack shouted from the other side of the phone. "Me and most High Society members have gathered to discuss the demands those terrorists gave us!


    "Where are you? Are you fine?!"


    "I am fine; I am with Emily." Jesse said. "We are in a safe location, for now."


    "Stay hidden!" Jack said urgently. "Do you know if everyone is alright? What about Anna?"


    "I¡­ don''t know." Jesse scratched his head in frustration. "Are the police already here?"


    "They are." Jack said with a hint of anger. "The terrorists want 100 million from each family. We could easily afford it, but there are some families that don''t seem to want to.


    "Those terrorists don''t want to free anyone before all families have paid!"


    "The hell?" Jesse gritted his teeth. "These guys aren''t afraid of shooting hostages, and they might!"


    "Did you encounter some?" Jack asked in shock.


    "A few¡­" Jesse sighed. "I ran away, so I am fine."


    "Stay hidden with Emily." Jack''s voice sounded painful. "Don''te out. This might not end well because those fools who don''t want to pay!"


    "But mother¡­" Jesse whispered.


    "There is nothing you can do; please stay hidden; don''t forfeit your life; listen to me, son!"


    "I¡­ understand." Jesse sighed, but then he heard a ding from his phone, and when he checked the screen, he noticed that the battery had reached zero.


    ''I haven''t charged it because I was inside the game pretty much all the time thest week. Fuck!''


    "What did your father say?" Emily asked.


    "Police are here." Jesse said and pocketed his phone. "The armed men want 100 million from each family."


    "That''s fine; we can easily afford it." Emily said with a hopeful gaze.


    Jesse looked at her, not wanting to pour cold water on her head, so he simply smiled and nodded.


    "Do you have a phone?"


    "I-it''s in my room¡­" Emily stammered, her voice trembling. "It''s on the third floor, and to get there, we would have to visit the lounge."


    "It''s fine then." Jesse looked at her and said, "Hide here; it''s safe for now."


    "What will you do?" Emily asked with worry.


    "I''ll hide the unconscious bodies for now." Jesse said, walked to the door, and looked at her. "Close the lights."


    He then picked up a roll of duct tape from a nearby drawer, left the room, and closed the door behind him.


    He then tied the unconscious bodies, moved them all to one closet, and left them there. He then moved a bookshelf in front of the closet, making it impossible to open from the inside.


    ''Now, what should I do?'' Jesse left the room and slowly walked down the hallway, nearing the sounds of shouting.


    After reaching the end of the hallway, there were stairs leading to the bottom floor and railings that one could use to look at the lounge.


    Jesse sneaked closer, peeked through the railing''s tiny gaps, and saw hundreds of figures sitting on the floor, trembling in fear.


    He then saw a dozen armed figures, one dead man lying on the ground, and bright lights reflecting off the window.


    The bright lights were red and blue, signaling the arrival of the police cars.


    Jesse looked around the lounge, trying to find a certain someone, and then saw a beautiful ck-haired woman sitting on the ground with a bloodied nose and bruised cheek, as if she had been hit recently.


    ''Mother¡­'' Jesse''s eyes turned red in anger. ''What if I do Howling Rage and just freeze everyone? No, that won''tst long enough for me to get rid of all the armed individuals.


    ''Ambrose''s ughter will also deactivate once I use it on one person, so it''s even worse in this situation.


    ''What could I possibly do that won''t cause harm to others?'' Jesse gritted his teeth.


    He then sat cross-legged on the ground, and closed his eyes.


    ''My soul, find the location of everyone.''


    The world froze, and a transparent soul jumped out of his body.


    The soul looked different. It wasn''t a light blue color anymore, but instead purple, and it had grown muscle around the arms.


    The time in the Room of Damnation was an even bigger help to the soul, making it stronger and more durable to soul injuries.


    After flying out of Jesse''s body, the soul flew around the house for several minutes before returning to his body.


    Jesse''s eyes mmed open.


    ''There are around a dozen in the lounge, one person on the third floor, and one on the fourth.


    ''They must''ve heard the gunshots and will soon notice that they have disappeared. I won''t have time to waste, or they will find Emily.''


    Jesse carefully cracked his knuckles, careful not to break his fingers, and looked coldly downstairs.


    ''Father, we cannot wait. It''s just a matter of time before these terrorists start shooting hostages, and I don''t want to wait for that to happen to Anna.''

 Chapter 411 The Pale Eyes

    <h4>Chapter 411 The Pale Eyes </h4>


    ?Outside the gated mansion, police cars were parked on the snowy sidewalks, with police officers standing nearby with their radio phones in hand.


    There were few tents built in; inside were higher-ups from the police station and members of high society.


    There were armed police officers standing by, readying themselves to enter the mansion and apprehend the terrorists.


    However, the lives of the hostages were the highest priority, and they didn''t want to be reckless.


    Jack stomped out of one of the tents with frustration visible on his face and headed to the dark forest that was empty of police officers.


    He clutched his walking cane and leaned against one of the trees with a painful gaze in his face.


    "Those stubborn fools..." He mmed his walking cane against the trunk, and let out a frustrated yell into the empty forest.


    The sirens sting and the sound of approaching police cars subdued his screams of frustration.


    "Jack¡­" A gray-haired man called out from behind him.


    "Patriarch¡­" Jack took a deep breath and turned to look at the elderly man. "I apologize for my outburst."


    "It''s understandable." Mark sighed, cing aforting hand on Jack''s shoulder. "You know how these people work. They have to earn something from this deal before spending $100 million."


    "Aren''t the lives of their loved ones enough?" Jack asked with a frown.


    "Not for them." Mark sighed. "Your wife and Jesse will be fine. These terrorists aren''t foolish."


    "I wish I could share your optimism." Jack replied, his voice filled with concern. "If these guys don''t receive their money soon, they''ll start shooting."


    Mark nodded. "That indeed is a troublesome situation. I have to get going now; the business doesn''t stop for this, but I have already given the money to the Rothsmith family."


    "Thank you." Jack hunched slightly as he bowed.


    "Mm, everything will be taken care of." Mark smiled reassuringly as he walked away.


    Jack looked at the mansion in the distance, feeling a mix of anxiety and trepidation. He clutched the walking cane so hard that his fingers almost broke.


    ¡­


    Crash! m!


    The door mmed open, breaking the peaceful silence of the night.


    An armed man entered one of the rooms, flicked the light switch to light up the room, and eyed the room with a sinister glint.


    There was a small chance of anyone being here, as all the servants were already in the lounge, but they still had to make sure.


    He pointed the gun at the bed, pulled the trigger, and shot a single round into the mattress.


    He then approached the bed, kicked it out of the way, and looked underneath for anyone, but it was empty.


    "Hmph." He pressed his radio phone and said, "The third floor is clear."


    "All right, Gnome." The voice on the other side of the radio phone said: "Hydra and others hadn''t returned from the second floor yet. There were gunshots heard."


    "Oh, so that''s where the noise came from." Gnome said this and rubbed his temple, trying to process the information.


    "Go check it out; Hydra and others aren''t responding. Be extra careful."


    "Sure." Gnome responded, and after finishing his sentence, he quickly headed out of the room.


    But then he was hit by a blunt object from behind, and everything went ck for a split second.


    However, once he crashed on the ground, his vision returned to normal, and he felt blood trickling down the back of his head.


    "What the fuck?!" Gnome screamed and clutched his head in pain as he turned to look at his assant.


    A purple-eyed man with a bloodied vase in his hand stood before him, a smile ying on his lips.


    "Who¡­"


    Jesse dropped the vase to the ground, grabbed Gnome by his throat, and squeezed tightly, cutting off his breath.


    "I need you to do one thing; blink twice if you understand what I am saying."


    "Grrr!" Gnome''s face turned red, and his eyes bulged as he struggled to breathe.


    "Blink twice if you understand."


    After realizing that he was about to pass out, Gnome started blinking repeatedly in a desperate attempt to convey his understanding.


    Jesse let go of his throat and said, "Call your boss via the radio phone. Tell him that there are a bunch of people hiding on this floor, and they are armed with knives. Do you understand?"


    "Yes," Gnome whispered venomously.


    Jesse pressed the radio phone''s button and pointed it towards Gnome''s mouth.


    "Code 1¡­" Gnome said clearly. "There are people barricading themselves in a bathroom, and they are armed with knives. I require assistance.


    The radio phone stayed silent.


    Jesse nced at Gnome, seeing him sweat furiously.


    "Roger that, Gnome." A deep voice came from the radio phone. "We areing to help."


    Crack!


    Jesse crushed the radio phone in his hand with astonishing strength.


    Gnome''s eyes widened in shock. "What the fuck?"


    "Good night." Jesse snatched his gun from the ground and smashed it against Gnome''s head, knocking him unconscious.


    He then dragged Gnome''s unconscious body into the nearby closet and closed the door behind him, leaving Gnome trapped and hidden from sight.


    "Now, I''ll wait." Jesse whispered and looked at the knives on his hand. He took a few from Gnome, Hydra, and his men.


    ¡­


    At the front lounge.


    Dragon put the radio phone away with a sinister look on his face.


    "Is everything all right, boss?"


    "Gnome reported code 1." Dragon said. "Someone is holding him hostage, and they want us to go to the third floor."


    "They?" An armed man asked. "There are multiple?"


    "A single person can''t knock out Gnome." Dragon said. "Also, Hydra and others had gone silent; they have been killed, most likely. It must be done by some expert security squad."


    "What should we do?"


    "Load up." Dragon pulled out his pistol, loaded it with bullets, and looked towards the stairs. "Tie up everyone, leave one guarding them, and the rest will follow me."


    "Very well, boss!"


    Nearby, Amber and Nero heard it, and their eyes sparked with hope.


    "Is there someone inside the mansion?" Amber whispered to her husband. "Some security that survived?"


    "But who could it be?" Nero asked with a frown. "We didn''t have guards stationed inside the house except at the front entrance."


    "Maybe we can be saved!"


    "I hope so¡­" Nero clutched her hand tighter. "Emily¡­"


    Amber bit her lip after hearing her husband''s whisper. They were aware that their daughter was missing, but they didn''t want to talk about it in case the terrorists heard.


    They were hoping that she was safe somewhere.


    Dragon walked to one of his men and nced briefly at the hostages before whispering.


    "If they try anything, shoot them in the leg."


    "Roger." An armed individual known as Bigfoot agreed. His codename came from the fact that he had abnormally big feet, and ordinary shoes did not fit him.


    Dragon reloaded his pistol, took the rest of the armed men with him, and headed towards the location where they suspected the group of individuals to be hiding.


    The hostages noticed it and realized that there was only one guarding them. However, the lethal-looking gun looked threatening, stopping anyone from doing anything.


    ¡­


    "Hmm, boss!" A figure walked down from the fourth floor and came across Dragon and the others.


    "Zombie, the fourth floor is clear?" Dragon asked.


    "Yes, certain." Zombie, named because of his abnormally pale countenance, said with a nod.


    "Keep your gun ready; we can''t let our guard down," Dragon replied sternly.


    ¡­


    "We have discovered the terrorist''s identity!" A police officer sat in front of aputer inside one of the tents and shouted.


    "Who?" The policemissioner asked anxiously from the side and saw a recorded feed of one of the security cameras ying on the screen.


    The armed men on the security camera were blurry, making it difficult to identify them, but they managed to magnify one of the sigils on their vests and masks.


    "The Pale Eyes." The police officer said with a voice of fear.


    The policemissioner''s eyes widened in shock. "What¡­ w-


    why are those notorious mercenaries here?"


    "The Pale Eyes, who?" A well-dressed man approached them with his arms crossed. He looked like a high-ranking official or a wealthy businessman.


    "Sigh, Lucas, how do you not know them?" Another wealthy-


    looking businessman said with scorn. "They''ve been the main topic of foreign news for thest month."


    "I don''t care what happens in foreign news." Lucas said with a scoff.


    "The Pale Eyes¡­" The policemissioner whispered in fear. "They are a gang of mercenaries that is so powerful that no one from Land of White dares to challenge them.


    "Land of White was once known as a beautifulnd, but it all changed just recently¡­"

 Chapter 412 Gods Among Men

    <h4>Chapter 412 Gods Among Men </h4>


    ?The policemissioner took a seat, and heavy silence fell on the tent.


    All the police officers and members of High Society looked at the policemissioner with anticipation, waiting for him to speak.


    They didn''t want to interrupt him.


    "The Pale Eyes are monsters¡­" The policemissioner looked as pale as a ghost, his voice trembling with fear.


    "Their leader, Fenrir, is considered the world''s most powerful man. He didn''t receive that title because of his wealth or influence, but because of his strength.


    "We aren''t living in the Dark Violence era anymore, and using physical strength to assert dominance is outdated and considered barbaric.


    "That''s why there are only sports that showcase physical strength and provide a tform for individuals topete and disy their abilities.


    "B-but, this man is so powerful that the entire country couldn''t stop him from rising to power."


    ¡­


    Land of White, one month before the release of Martial Online.


    An imposing, pale-eyed man sat on a stone throne with his devoted followers around him. He sat with one leg crossed over the other, and his hand rested casually on the armrest of the throne.


    Even though there was a nice-looking throne in the room, as if it were stolen straight from a throne room of a castle, it looked rather out of ce, as the rest of the house looked wretched and dpidated.


    The windows were boarded shut, the roof was caving in, and the walls were covered in grime and peeling paint.


    In the middle of the room, a hooded figure stood, casting an eerie shadow in the dim light.


    He carried a big suitcase in hand as if he were a professional businessman.


    "So, how does my offer sound?" The hooded figure asked with a sinister smirk under the hood.


    "Like a fairytale." Fenrir replied, his voice dripping with malice. "Martial Online, and that it will change the world in the future, and the endless possibility of some headset."


    "Heh." The hooded figure chuckled. "It will be released in a month, and the world will never be the same again."


    "Hmph." Fenrir scoffed, crossing his arms.


    Dragon stood beside the throne and saw their leader''s distrust in the hooded figure. He then leaned closer to Fenrir and whispered something in his ear.


    Fenrir looked at Dragon before moving his gaze over to the hooded figure.


    "All right, let''s pretend that I am believing anything of this nonsense. How much would it cost?"


    "1 billion for one headset." The hooded figure raised one finger.


    "Hah!" Fenrirughed, clearly not taking the offer seriously. "You came here thinking that we have such money? Are you brainless? Get out of here before I drag you out."


    Other members of the Pale Eyes chuckled at the astronomical price.


    "Calm down." The hooded figure lowered the suitcase onto the table and opened it, revealing two golden headsets inside.


    "You don''t have to pay me right now. Once you realize the potential of this machine, you would pay double!"


    Fenrir rose from the throne and approached the table.


    He looked at the golden headsets with disinterest and asked. "So, these are not usable right now?"


    "Using now would be extremely risky." The hooded figure said. "Wait one month for the release of Martial Online, and you''ll see¡­


    "I am even giving two, one for you and another for one of your friends over there."


    "Hah, and it would cost 2 billion for each?" Fenrir asked.


    "Correct." The hooded figure said with a smile, took the headsets out of the suitcase, and then closed the lid. "I''ll stay in contact for my payment."


    "And if we don''t pay?" Dragon asked from the throne.


    "You would regret it a lot." The hooded figure chuckled. "We''ll see each other soon."


    ¡­


    One monthter, the day of Martial Online''s release.


    Fenrir sat on his throne with the golden headset in hand.


    Gunshots echoed outside the house as if he were in the middle of a war zone.


    "Boss." Dragon walked through the open door and folded his arms behind his back. "We have acquired enough headsets for everyone.


    "It cost quite a bit that could''ve gone towards ammunition and supplies. Leader, are you still certain?"


    "I couldn''t forget what that man said." Fenrir said. "What if he spoke the truth? It sounds ridiculous, but what if?"


    "Well, if what he said is true, the headset would be worth one billion, maybe even more." Dragon said. "You could be a god among men if it worked."


    "Mm¡­" Fenrir nced at the second golden headset and said, "Dragon, I think it''s time we put this theory to the test."


    "Who shall have the honor of wearing the second golden headset?" Dragon asked.


    "It shall be you." Fenrir looked at him and saw his eyes widen for a split second, as if he didn''t expect that. "If these two work, we can try purchasing a third one for Hydra."


    "These are already expensive." Dragon sighed heavily. "We aren''t anywhere close to having enough money to pay these two. How would we suddenly gain 3 billion?"


    "Well, if we be gods among men¡­" Fenrir grinned. "I am sure we can figure something out."


    "Yes, boss." Dragon picked up the second headset, took a seat on a wretched-looking couch, and put it on.


    Fenrir did the same, leaned against the throne''s backrest, and slowly closed his eyes.


    ¡­


    A few monthster.


    Bang, bang, bang!


    A man wearing a white military outfit hid behind a barricade, gripping his gun tightly. He then showed himself for a split second, shot his gun towards the fog-shrouded ruined city, and quickly dove back behind cover.


    "S-shit, what the hell is going on?!" The man grabbed his crucifix and prayed for his own safety. "D-demons havee down to wreak havoc upon the world!"


    At that moment, a shadow loomed over him, freezing him in fear.


    The military man turned around to face the unknown threat and emptied his pistol into the fog.


    He didn''t realize that his gun started to click, signaling that it was out of ammunition. He still continued to pull the trigger, hoping for a miracle.


    At that moment, something grabbed him from behind and lifted him off the ground.


    "Aaaargh!"


    The military man turned his head around and saw a pale-eyed man with a sinister smile lifting him off the ground.


    The military man didn''t think he was light, as he had built up quite a sizeable amount of muscle, but the pale-eyed man still managed to lift him off the ground as if he were a child.


    "Y-you are¡­" He gulped in fear. "Fenrir!"


    Fenrir grinned and threw him across the air like a ragdoll.


    The military man crashed into a nearby wall, and his neck snapped in an instant.


    "Heh." Fenrir looked at his hands and clenched them with a feeling of power.


    He then headed back to their former dpidated house, and the members of the Pale Eyes were counting the newly acquired weapons and ammo that they received by stealing from the military.


    Their mercenary group was now stronger than ever before.


    They have already begun taking control of more territories, and the Land of White''s army was growing increasingly concerned about their power and influence.


    "Boss!" The mercenaries saluted in unison and looked in awe at their leader.


    He was truly like a god now.


    "Where is Dragon?" Fenrir asked.


    "At the throne room."


    Fenrir nodded and soon arrived at the throne room, where Dragon was looking at the map on the table.


    "Dragon, I waited for you on the battlefield." Fenrir said with a frown. "Where''ve you been?"


    "Sorry, boss, but I think I found the way to pay for these things." Dragon replied with an excited glint."


    "Hmm?" Fenrir looked at the map and frowned. "That is a map of a foreign country?"


    "Yeah¡­" Dragon smiled. "Every year, a few days before Christmas, Nocklund''s High Society''s younger generation gathers in one spot.


    "We could keep them hostage and ask 100 million from each High Society family. It would total 3 billion."


    "100 million, huh." Fenrir looked interested. "Can they afford it?"


    "Easily!" Dragonughed. "Nocklund''s High Society is one of the wealthiestmunities. 100 million is nothing to them!"


    "Sounds good¡­" Fenrirughed. "They don''t know what hits them. After all, we are gods among men."

 Chapter 413 The Immortal Sword

    <h4>Chapter 413 The Immortal Sword </h4>


    ?Dragon eyed the hallway with a wary gaze.


    It had tons of doors, and Dragon was wary of what could be lurking behind each one.


    He saw that there was a broken vase on the floor, adding to his unease. It had shattered into countless pieces, scattering fragments across the hallway, and there were blood stains on some of the shards.


    He motioned his hands towards the doors,manding others to investigate the rooms.


    While they started searching, Dragon approached the broken vase with a pistol in hand. He bent down to examine the shards; his eyes narrowed in suspicion.


    A trail of blood led towards one of the doors.


    Dragon motioned for everyone toe to him as he slowly approached the room.


    He grabbed the pistol tightly, put his body against the wall, and carefully pushed the door open.


    His subordinates rushed inside the room with guns in hand and surveyed the area for any potential threats. However, it was empty, and the bathroom door was open, showing an empty room.


    One of them turned to Dragon and shook his head.


    "¡­" Dragon narrowed his eyes and pressed his radio phone. "Gnome, do you copy?"


    Bzzz¡ªthe radio phone crackled with static, but there was no response.


    At that moment, a figure jumped out of the ground behind Dragon, as if he were a ghost, and tackled him to the ground.


    "Urgh!" Dragon''s eyes widened in surprise, and he reached out to his gun, but the figure was too quick and knocked it out of his reach.


    "Boss!" All the armed figures inside the room sprang into action and pointed their guns at the assant.


    "Tell them to drop their guns." Jesse pressed the knife against Dragon''s throat. "Or this will go through your throat."


    "Ugh¡­" Dragon rolled his eyes and said, "Drop your guns, men."


    The members of the Pale Eye looked disgruntled and slowly lowered their weapons to the ground.


    "So, you are the one, huh¡­" Dragon chuckled and moved his head to catch a glimpse of the person. "Only one? I expected a challenge."


    "You are the one being held at a knife''s point." Jesse said and looked at him coldly. "I suppose acting tough against children and women made you feel more formidable than you really are."


    "Oho, I am going to enjoy this." Dragon cracked his neck andid peacefully on the floor, not having any intention to move.


    "You have handcuffs, don''t you?" Jesse looked at the armed men and said, "Cuff your friends and go sit in the corner."


    The members of Pale Eyes scoffed but reluctantly obeyed Jesse''smand. They cuffed each other and reluctantly went to sit in the corner.


    Dragon looked casually and motioned to his subordinates with his eyes that everything was under control.


    Jesse kept the knife close to Dragon''s throat and locked the door with a key he found. Then, he broke the key inside the lock.


    "You have now locked my friends. What is the second part of your master n?" Dragon asked sarcastically.


    "This." Jesse snatched his radio phone and smashed it into the ground until it shattered into pieces.


    "Wow, nice n." Dragon would''ve pped if he could. "What about now? Will you take me to the police, and I''ll get arrested?"


    "A few questions first." Jesse chuckled. "Code 1. I suppose that gave away that the previous guy was being forced to say something."


    "Yeah." Dragon replied and nced at him. "Mind if I ask something, what happened to everyone?"


    "Would you believe that I knocked them all out?"


    "They are only normal humans, after all." Dragon sighed. "However, one day, we will all be gods among men. Just a matter of time."


    "How lofty." Jesse replied sarcastically. "I have another question."


    "Go on."


    "Who hit the ck-haired woman?" Jesse''s voice dripped with anger. "The one dressed in ck."


    "Hydra." Dragon didn''t bother to lie and then smiled. "But I ordered him to."


    Jesse formed a fist and tightened his grip, his knuckles turning white, and then punched Dragon in the face.


    Smack!


    The sound was hideous-sounding, echoing throughout the hallway.


    "Ugh¡­" Dragon groaned and clutched his bleeding nose. "Oho, a nice punch."


    "Huh?" Jesse frowned and looked at his hand.


    One of his fingers was broken, and the punch should have been powerful enough to knock Dragon out. However, he only had a bleeding nose.


    "No wonder they got knocked out; you are pretty powerful for a human." Dragon grinned with bloodied teeth. "However, I am a God!"


    He jumped from the ground, throwing Jesse across the room with an incredible force.


    Jesse crashed into the wall, struggling to get back up.


    "Ugh!" Jesse coughed blood and clutched his injured ribs. ''W-


    what? What the hell is this strength?''


    "You are still able to stand?" Dragon turned over to him with a bloodied grin. "Not bad, human."


    ''Shit, what the hell¡­'' Jesse held his injured ribs, wondering whether some had broken. ''I can''t use Self-Possession anymore, as I used it quite a bit to wait for them under the floor.''


    "Well, then, human." Dragon motioned for him to attack him. "Come."


    "Ptui!" Jesse spat out blood and rushed towards Dragon with a crazed scream.


    He lunged forward and threw a powerful punch, but Dragon effortlessly dodged it, used his leg as a whip, and struck Jesse''s leg.


    Smack!


    "Aargh!" Jesse screamed loudly, writhing in pain on the ground.


    His leg had a purple bruise forming rapidly, and a small trickle of blood began to seep through his torn trousers.


    "Heh." Dragon formed a fist and mmed his fist down.


    Jesse quickly rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding another blow, and then sprang back to his feet.


    ''T-this strength cannot be real¡­ Am I having a nightmare?'' He paled visibly.


    Dragon jumped towards him and swung his fist with even greater force.


    "Mortal Style, Nachbilder!" Jesse used dizzying footwork and evaded the attack with grace and precision.


    "Huh?" Dragon stumbled forward, losing his bnce.


    "Argh!" Jesse grabbed Dragon by the back of his shirt and threw him to the ground.


    Crack!


    The floor cracked from the impact.


    "Ugh!" Dragon coughed out and threw a sharp kick towards Jesse, briefly catching him off guard.


    But then Jesse grabbed the leg and twisted it, causing Dragon to scream briefly in pain.


    Dragon used his other leg tounch a powerful strike at Jesse, but Jesse dodged it with a swift sidestep.


    Jesse then quickly backed away with Formlessness, sliding across the floor beautifully.


    "Whoo¡­" He breathed heavily, but with slight relief. ''The pain and shock of seeing his strength made me react toote to his previous attacks, but I am getting over it now.


    ''This won''t be an easy fight. If I don''t take this seriously, I might die.''


    "Ugh¡­" Dragon climbed back to his feet and looked at Jesse with a profound gaze. "You¡­ are another god among men?"


    "I am the same as you." Jesse replied with heavy breathing.


    "¡­" Dragon frowned. ''We should''ve expected that bastard would sell this headset to someone else, but knowing this, we aren''t as invincible as we thought, Fenrir.


    ''I have to kill him and everyone else who possesses this power!''


    Dragon pulled out a hidden knife from his pocket, a sinister glint in his eye.


    ''I¡­ have to prepare to kill him if needed.'' Jesse''s hands trembled at the thought. ''Can the police keep him locked without knowing what he is capable of?


    ''I have to prepare to kill him¡­ it''s different from Martial Online. This is real life, but if I am not prepared to kill him, he will kill me.


    ''From what I''ve learned, viciousness and decisiveness are important traits in fights.''


    Jesse put both his hands forward, and a sword made of golden light manifested out of thin air.


    "What the hell?" Dragon''s eyes widened in surprise. ''How did he do that? How did he create a sword out of nowhere?''


    Jesse took a deep breath and said, "The Immortal Sword."

 Chapter 414 The Ending of the Party

    <h4>Chapter 414 The Ending of the Party </h4>


    ?"Argh!" The dragon threw the knife at Jesse.


    Jesse swung the sword made of the golden light and sliced through the knife, evaporating it from existence.


    Dragon nced at the pistol that was lying on the ground, contemting his next move. He didn''t want to try his luck in closebat because of the sword of golden light.


    "Ahh!" Jesse swung the golden sword across the air, unleashing a wave of dazzling energy that sliced through the air with a deafening crack.


    Dragon''s eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly dropped down to the ground with great urgency.


    The dazzling energy shot past him and smashed into the wall behind him, creating a massive explosion of rubble and dust.


    "Argh!" The dragon stood up with a sweaty forehead. ''Fenrir, it seems we haven''t touched even a fraction of the possible power. I''ll make sure to torture all the information out of this bastard!''


    ¡­


    Outside the mansion.


    Boom!


    A loud explosion destroyed a portion of the mansion''s wall.


    "Jesus!" The police officers cried out, their eyes shrinking in shock and disbelief at the force of the st.


    The policemissioner ran out of the tent and looked at the explosion in shock.


    "An explosion, the hell?"


    "Is this the doing of the pale eyes?" A member of the High Society asked with a trembling voice.


    "Who else could it be?!"


    "They also have explosives with them? If that''s true, how could we possibly enter the mansion without endangering the hostages!"


    "Are there even hostages left? Did they blow up all the hostages already?!"


    Jack looked at the scene in horror, hoping that what he was seeing was not true.


    "They must be dead." A person with an indifferent expression said. "Well, I suppose this is it."


    Jack clenched his hands so hard that his knuckles turned white, and he then grabbed the indifferent-looking person by the cor.


    "You bastards."


    The person''s indifferent expression vanished, and he stared back at Jack with shock in his eyes.


    "J-Jack, what is the meaning of this?"


    "Because you bastards dyed the payment, they might be dead." Jack whispered and looked at his eyes with rage in his own. "If they are dead, I''ll make sure that your family will be as well."


    "You dare to threaten us." The person smacked his hand away and fixed his cor with a re. "We are not pushovers. Also, what can you do, half-cripple?"


    Jack looked at his walking cane and chuckled angrily. He tightened his grip on the cane, his coldness reflecting off his eyes.


    ¡­


    Jesse swung the golden sword with precision and grace, severing the air with a powerful strike.


    Dragon leaped over the golden sword and grazed Jesse''s cheek with the knife''s sharp de. It left only a minor scratch, but it still started sleeping furiously.


    "Aargh.." Jesse thrust the golden sword, grazing Dragon''s waist and causing a burn mark.


    "Ngh!" Dragon let out a roar of pain and fury.


    He then saw his chance, even though he was in pain, and dove towards the pistol. He snatched it from the ground and aimed it at Jesse.


    "Die!"


    Bang!


    The bullet whizzed through the air andnded on Jesse''s chest. However, it strangely went straight through without creating a bloody hole.


    "?!" Dragon''s eyes widened in confusion and disbelief. "H-how?"


    Jesse quickly removed the Self-Possession, only being able to use it for a few seconds before he felt too exhausted.


    "Tch!" Dragon clicked his tongue, put his finger on the trigger, and pulled it, unleashing a powerful bullet of death.


    Jesse flew towards the ceiling with Formlessness, soaring over the bullet, and brought his golden sword down at Dragon.


    "He can fucking fly too?!" Dragon put all his strength into his legs and leapt away from Jesse''s attack, narrowly avoiding the golden sword.


    "Argh!" Jesse pointed the golden sword towards Dragon, and a golden beam of light shot out of the sword, illuminating the hallway like a zing sun.


    Dragon crossed his arms in a desperate attempt to defend himself, but once the light beam struck him, he was thrown against the wall, leaving him severely injured.


    His body suffered severe burn wounds, covering his arms and face.


    "Haah¡­" Jesse looked at his golden sword, which slowly vanished into particles of golden light. ''That was the limit, huh.''


    "Hahahahaha!" Dragon suddenly erupted intoughter and walked out of the wall with a crazed look. "You are afraid to kill me? Hahahaha!"


    Jesse narrowed his eyes. "You narrowly avoided death; you should be d."


    "I can see in your eyes¡­" Dragon limped towards him with a gun in hand. "You have not killed someone before. Hahahaha!"


    "First time for everything." Jesse formed a powerful fist.


    Dragon lifted his arm and pointed the gun at him. "It only takes one trigger pull. You had a chance to kill me."


    "I was hoping you would stand down." Jesse sighed, and opened his fist into an open n. "I guess there is just one way this will end."


    "That''s right¡­" Dragon showed a bloody grin. "Goodby¡ª"


    Stab!


    Two small golden knives stabbed through the back of Dragon''s neck.


    "Ngh!" Dragon''s eyes bulged in shock, and he started falling sideways to the ground, but then pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    The bullet missed Jesse by a great deal, and shot through the ceiling.


    Thud!


    Dragon fell to the ground, choking on his own blood while desperately trying to remove the golden knives from the back of his neck.


    Jesse approached him, and made the golden knives fly back to him. They circled around his hand likes around sun.


    "The Immortal World¡­" Jesse whispered, snapped his fingers and made the golden knives disappear.


    It was another skill he created during his time in Room of Damnation, but it was quite different from the rest of the skills.


    The amount of swords and knives that he could create during Immortal Sword depended on his strength.


    Now, since he was quite injured, and exhausted, he was able to create only measly two golden knives made of light. It was enough to sneak attack Dragon.


    Dragon tried to reach out to Jesse, desperately trying to grab his arm, but eventually, his eyes rolled backwards to his skull, and his heart finally stopped beating.


    The second leader of the Pale Eyes, Dragon, died.


    Jesse gulped as he looked at Dragon''s corpse, and felt slightly light-headed. It was his first kill, after all.


    "Whew¡­" He sat down on the ground, hugging his legs, and wiped the sweat off his brows.


    "I''ll need some therapy after this¡­


    "It was just supposed to be an ordinary Christmas dinner, but s¡­"


    ¡­


    A man with the codename Basilisk nced at his wristwatch and impatiently looked towards the stairs. He hadn''t heard anything from his boss, and it started to make him impatient.


    However, at that moment, his mouth started foaming and he copsed on the ground with lifeless look.


    "Aaahh!" The nearby hostages screamed their lungs out as they saw him lying on the ground with shocked look on his eyes.


    Everyone were shocked, wondering what the hell was happening, but then, the door broke apart, showing the night sky.


    People looked at each other, seeing hope in their eyes, and started running towards the door, screaming and calling out to the cops.


    They safely ran out of the mansion, and cried tears of joy as they saw police officers rushing through the gates, going to the hostages to offer some protection in case the terrorists started shooting.


    At the front lounge, Anna looked at the scene with trembling eyes, but she didn''t want to leave yet as she wasn''t sure where her son was.


    At that moment, a hand touched her shoulder, making her flinch.


    "Mom, are you all right?" Jesse looked at her beautiful face with concern.


    "J-Jesse?" Anna''s voice trembled and she then quickly hugged him.


    Jesse could feel her trembling body, clearly in fear and shock. He then saw Emily reuniting with her family, crying while they escaped out of the mansion.


    "Mom, father is waiting." Jesse whispered.


    "W-what happened?" Anna asked, confused by the sudden change of events. "W-where are they?"


    "I''ll exin everythingter." Jesse sighed. "Let''s leave; this party fucking sucked."

 Chapter 415 Questioning

    <h4>Chapter 415 Questioning </h4>


    ?Jesse sat on the ambnce''s stretcher, a nket wrapped tightly around his shoulders.


    He looked at the paramedics taking care of the hostages and the police officers heading to the mansion, which was already surrounded by a swarm of news reporters and curious onlookers.


    "Um, Jesse."


    "Hmm?" Jesse lifted his gaze and saw an adorable-looking girl approaching him with a tired smile on her face.


    "Are you fine?" Emily sat on the stretcher beside him and put her own nket over her shoulders.


    "Yeah, what about you?" Jesse questioned and saw Emily''s parents talking with other members of the High Society and police officers.


    "I am fine." Emily kicked her legs up and down and asked, "Do you know... what happened to those armed men?"


    Jesse nced at her and shrugged his shoulders. "I am not too sure."


    "Hmm~" Emily sounded like she didn''t believe it and then stood up before whispering. "Well, thank you."


    She then hopped back to her parents.


    Another figure then sat beside Jesse and put his arm around his shoulder.


    "Are you okay, son?" Jack asked.


    "I am; what about mother?" Jesse asked and looked over Jack''s shoulder at one ambnce, where Anna was having her wounds taken care of.


    "She''ll be fine," Jack reassured him. "Let''s keep this event secret. I don''t want Emma and Zach to know."


    "I am on the same page." Jesse responded with a nod.


    "Oh, they''re here." Jack looked over to the mansion and saw police officers rushing out. "Hmm, they are not bringing anyone on cuffs."


    Jesse''s gaze turned cold, and he lowered his gaze, staring at the snow on the ground and feeling a knot form on his stomach.


    One police officer walked over from the mansion, a shock on his face, and informed them all that the mansion was empty, except there were over a dozen corpses inside.


    "They are all dead." Jack held his walking cane, tapping it against the ground, trying to make sense of the horrifying revtion. "What in the world happened there?"


    Jesse bit his nail and recalled the events that happened.


    ¡­


    Around half an hour ago.


    Jesse stood up from the ground and looked around at the devastation surrounding him. He then picked up a handkerchief and started cleaning up his blood from the floor, not wanting to leave any traces.


    After taking care of all that, he bandaged his wounds and hid them underneath his clothing.


    He then looked over to the closed door, where the rest of the Pale Eyes members were cuffed.


    He slowly approached the door, opened it slowly, and saw the cuffed people sitting silently in the dimly lit room.


    "Dragon, what took you so long?"


    They expected their leader to walk through the open door, but then they saw Jesse, and their expressions turned to confusion.


    "Sorry, not who you were expecting, I suppose." Jesse crossed his arms and tapped his finger against his arm.


    He was contemting what to do now. These mercenaries might reveal everything that transpired to the police. It would put him in a tight spot, and he needed toe up with a n to ensure his safety and protect his secrets.


    "Dragon¡­" They looked out of the room and saw Dragon''s lifeless body sprawled on the ground, a lifeless glint in his eyes.


    Their eyes widened in shock and disbelief, and their previous hope and trust in their leader vanished like a wisp of smoke in the wind.


    "Let''s make a deal, shall we?" Jesse pulled out a chair from underneath a study desk, sat down, and looked at the mercenaries. "How about that?"


    The mercenaries looked at each other with different expressions on their faces.


    "Hahahaha¡­" One of themughed and looked at Jesse with a grin. "Hail Fenrir."


    "Hail Fenrir!" All of them shouted in unison, raising their heads towards the ceiling.


    "Huh?" Jesse frowned.


    They all opened their mouths and pressed their teeth together, creating a chilling chorus of clicking sounds.


    Inside their mouths, a small capsule, the size of a nail, cracked and released a powerful, toxic smoke that filled their mouths and quickly spread throughout their bodies.


    They started twitching and convulsing uncontrobly, their eyes rolling back into their heads.


    After they stopped moving, white foam started foaming from their mouths, and eerie silence filled the air.


    Jesse walked over to the mercenaries, shock written on his face. He looked silently into their dead, unwavering eyes. Even when they were dying, their loyalty to Fenrir never wavered.


    ¡­


    Back in the present time.


    Jesse looked at his hands and warmed them up by rubbing them together.


    After the deaths of those mercenaries, he went to check on Hydra and others. They were also all dead; even Phoenix had woken up at some point and met the same fate.


    It seemed like once one person used the poison capsule, everyone else automatically died as well.


    It was a very radical way of doing so, as if one person identally activated the poison capsule, it would trigger a chain reaction that would instantly kill everyone else in the group.


    However, it spoke a lot about their radical belief in their leader.


    ''Fenrir, huh.'' Jesse cracked his knuckles. ''I don''t think the guy I killed was this Fenrir person. It must be the real leader of these guys. Maybe my father knows more about them.''


    "Hello, young man." A brown-suited man with a police badge hanging from his belt said, approaching Jesse. "Jesse Rothsmith, is that right?"


    "Yes, officer, how may I help you?" Jesse asked politely.


    He could see that this police officer was high-ranking, perhaps a detective or even a captain. There was an air of authority and confidence in the way he carried himself.


    "My name is John Reese." John showed his badge, confirming his identity as a detective. "I heard from other witnesses that you weren''t with them. I have a few questions to ask."


    "All right." Jesse nodded, not sure what to expect.


    "Where were you?" John pulled out a notepad, ready to take notes.


    "At one moment of the party, I felt not so good, so Emily was kind enough to lead me to the bathroom." Jesse scratched his cheek. "Once I left the bathroom, I witnessed one of the armed individuals holding a gun against Emily''s forehead."


    "I jumped to help her, managed to overwhelm him, and disarmed him before knocking him out."


    "Hmm." John nced at his physique, nodded thoughtfully, and said, "What then?"


    "While Emily went to hide in one of the rooms, I called my father, but during the call, my phone died, so I had to find another way to contact him.


    "Emily told me that her phone was in her room, so I went to look for it. However, when I arrived at her room, I heard loud footstepsing from outside the room.


    "I peeked outside and saw those terrorists searching through rooms, apparently searching for someone.


    "I quickly hid, but then a short whileter, I heard some odd sounds, and when I went to check it out, I saw everyone dead on the ground, foaming from the mouth."


    "I see¡­" John finished writing it down. "Are you sure you didn''t find anyone else?"


    "I am certain," Jesse replied. "I then rushed back to the lounge and saw thest terrorist there also dying in strange circumstances, suddenly foaming from the mouth.


    "I then joined my mother, left the mansion, and came here."


    "Hmm¡­" John nodded and pocketed his notepad and pen. "That''s everything. Thank you for sharing your ount of what happened."


    ''None of that exins why his clothes look quite disheveled.'' John thought inwardly.


    "No problem." Jesse watched as the detective left to interview other hostages, leaving Jesse alone to process the traumatic events.

 Chapter 416 Christmas Eve

    <h4>Chapter 416 Christmas Eve </h4>


    ?After arriving back at Rothsmith Estate, Sebastian waited at the front door, and as soon as the car door opened, he knelt on the snowy ground and apologized.


    After taking Anna and Jesse to the Christmas party, he left to do some grocery shopping for tomorrow''s meal, but when he arrived back at Rothsmith Estate, he heard some horrible news.


    Anna and Jesse had been taken hostage.


    He felt partly responsible for their safety and felt like he was at fault for not being with them at the Christmas party.


    After Jack stepped out of the car, he patted Sebastian''s shoulder and said, "No need for that."


    "I am sorry, master." Sebastian sighed, and he stood up with a heavy heart.


    "Tell other servants not to show news anywhere on this house." Jack whispered in his ear. "I don''t want Emma and Zach to know."


    "Zach is a smart boy; he''ll find it out." Sebastian replied.


    "Nn, I know." Jack then grabbed Anna''s hand and entered the mansion with her while snowkes danced around them.


    Jesse also walked out of the car, hiding his injured hand in his pocket, and followed them inside.


    He headed straight back to his room, and there he took off his suit, revealing a deep bruise on his waist. There was also one broken finger on his right hand.


    ''So, there are more with this power.'' Jesse sat down on his bed and looked at his headset that was resting on the bedside table.


    ''I guess I wasn''t as special as I thought. This, Fenrir, whoever he is, must also have the same power as me.''


    Hey down on the bed, staring at the ceiling, and wondered about the future.


    ''I know better than anyone about the dangers of this power. If there is an entire army of them, no one could stop them. I truly hope that this headset is difficult enough to make that only a handful have it.


    ''But the question remains: how in the hell did I receive one? I bought it randomly from a convenience store, of all ces.''


    He sat up, took the headset, and examined it to see if there were any names of the makers of this headset.


    However, there wasn''t anything¡ªnot even the usual logo of Martial Company or any indication of its origin.


    ''Still a mystery.'' Jesse sighed, put the headset away, andid back on the bed.


    "Urgh, I hope my ribs didn''t break." He held his hand on the big bruise on his waist and winced in pain.


    ''I can finally rest, at least.'' Jesse thought, and then his eyelids started to turn heavy as exhaustion washed over him.


    He slowly drifted into a deep sleep, and the long day finally came to an end.


    ¡­


    The following day, in the Land of White.


    "Boss!" A member of the Pale Eyes rushed inside the throne room and saw their leader''s back facing him while he was cutting his messy, gray hair.


    "What is it?" Fenrir asked and snapped his scissors shut, cutting off a lock of hair.


    "This just came!" The mercenary tossed newspapers on the ground beside Fenrir.


    "Hmm?" Fenrir put the scissors down, picked up the newspaper, and began to read the headline.


    His eyes widened in surprise.


    [Hostage Attempt in Nocklund Gone Wrong!]


    He quickly flipped pages and read through the events that happened.


    After he was done, a stone-cold expression appeared on his face.


    "T-they used the poison capsule." The mercenary said with a trembling voice. "Meaning, they were defeated and would''ve been taken into custody if they hadn''t taken their own lives.


    "H-however, there was one person who was killed by someone else. T-that person was Dragon. Someone managed to defeat him!"


    "What about the three billion?" Fenrir asked coldly.


    "N-nothing hase to our bank ount." The mercenary said in frustration. "The transfer never came through.


    "I suppose they finished paying, but it would take about an hour to transfer all the way to here, and before it fully came through, they cancelled it after Dragon and others were found dead!"


    "Whoo¡­" Fenrir took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Whoo¡­"


    "What shall we do now, boss?" The mercenary asked urgently. "How can we pay for the headsets now?"


    "I am thinking." Fenrir uttered coldly, and his face twisted into a sinister smile. "I suppose there is one way. We''ll have to overthrow the Land of White''s royal family and seize their treasury.


    "It''s finally time for this country to be ours!"


    ¡­


    The day of Christmas Eve.


    Christmas decorations were hung across the hallways, and in the front lounge of the mansion, there was an enormous Christmas tree with twinkling lights and an array of beautifully wrapped presents underneath.


    Jesse leaned against a railing on the second floor, watching the festivities below.


    "Excuse me, young master." A cute, round-eyed servant walked over to him and showed him a tray of freshly baked cookies. "Madam Anna told me to bring you some."


    "Oh, thank you." Jesse smiled and took a cookie from the tray.


    As he munched on it, he couldn''t help but notice that the servant was still staring at him with wide eyes.


    Jesse quickly swallowed the cookie and asked. "Was there something else?"


    "Uhm¡­" The servant looked conflicted and then lowered her head. "I-I don''t think I should say it."


    "Is something wrong?" Jesse asked and stopped leaning against the railing, taking a more serious stance.


    "Uhm¡­" The servant raised her head, tears in her eyes. "Y-young master Zach had been very inappropriate towards me."


    "How so?" Jesse raised an eyebrow.


    "H-he keeps touching me in ces¡­" She lowered her head, squirming uncontrobly.


    "Oh¡­" Jesse''s expression turned cold, and he then grabbed her by the arm tightly.


    "Ahh!" She cried out and looked at him in shock. "W-what is the meaning of this?"


    "Your tongue is venomous." Jesse said angrily. "You really think I would believe my brother would do something like that?"


    "B-but he did." She cried out, her voice trembling with fear. "Y-


    you are hurting me!"


    "Brother?" At that moment, a voice came behind them.


    Jesse looked over his shoulder and smiled. "Oh, the person we were just talking about."


    "Hmm?" Zach wore a bright Christmas shirt, covered in colorful festive decorations.


    He slowly approached them with a strange expression and asked. "What is this?"


    The cute, round-eyed servant''s face slightly changed color from red to white.


    "This servant here said that you have sexually harassed her." Jesse said, grabbing her arm tight, and asked. "Is that true?"


    "What?!" Zach cried out with wide eyes and looked at her in shock. "You said the same thing to me¡ªthat Jesse had been very inappropriate towards you!


    "What the hell is the meaning of this?"


    Jesse''s expression turned to shock, and he looked at her with anger. "Is that so? Mind telling me your reason for doing this?"


    "Ah, get off me or I-I''ll report you!" She cried out, trying to break free from his hold, but was unsessful.


    "Zach, bring Sebastian here." Jesse said, and Zach nodded and quickly went to fetch Sebastian.


    "Hands off me!" The servant cried out and shouted. "This is ra¡ª"


    Jesse covered her mouth, silencing her. "Quiet down, witch."


    The servant''s eyes widened in fear and panic.


    After a short while, Zach returned with Sebastian.


    Sebastian had a confused expression. "Young master Jesse and Rosy, what is the meaning of this?"


    "She is using both of us of sexual harassment." Jesse said. "First, she went to Zach."


    "I told her that I did not believe her." Zach said with his arms crossed. "She then left while crying, and now she said the same thing to Jesse, that I was sexually harassing her."


    "Oh¡­" Sebastian''s expression turned cold, and he grabbed Rosy by her arm. "Let me take care of this, young master. This is not the first time something like this has happened."


    "It has?" Jesse asked in surprise.


    "Yes, there was one decade ago, using Jack of sexual assault." Sebastian said. "However, that was proven to be very false. She was doing it for money, hoping to squeeze the Rothsmith family dry."


    "Huh." Jesse murmured, drawn in by the bizarre story.


    After Sebastian left with the crying Rosy, who was still shouting and trying to break loose, Jesse looked at Zach and smiled.


    "So, you didn''t believe her."


    "Of course, not." Zach shook his head. "I haven''t seen you interact with servants much, and you are all day in Martial Online, so how could you?"


    "Aha." Jesse chuckled awkwardly. "I guess I haven''t been very sociable."


    Zach chuckled. "You didn''t believe her, why?"


    "Come on!" Jesseughed. "I believe in your character."


    "I¡­ appreciate it." Zach looked downstairs with a smile and said, "We''ll start opening the presents shortly; are youing?"


    "Yeah." Jesse nodded and pulled out his phone.


    There was a countdown happening on his phone, and there were forty minutes left till it reached the end.


    That was the countdown to the new Martial Online update.

 Chapter 417 The Patch Notes

    <h4>Chapter 417 The Patch Notes </h4>


    ?The Inte was on fire with anticipation and excitement as gamers around the world eagerly awaited the release of the new update.


    After unwrapping his presents, Jesse returned to his room with a sense of fulfillment and took a seat at hisputer.


    After turning on theputer, he went straight to the Martial Online forums and saw that the forum had also changed to fit the Christmas theme.


    New posts from excited yers came every second, flooding the forums with messages of holiday cheer and anticipation for the uing update.


    "Ah¡­" Jesse leaned on the chair. ''I wonder how Be is doing. The servers are currently offline. I hope she''s fine.''


    He grabbed the mouse and checked the ForeverTube and ForeverStream channels for any updates or news about the server''s status.


    There wasn''t anything except that the servers shoulde up once the countdown reached zero. It was also very hard to find any streams to watch on ForeverStream as there was heavy traffic, making the website slow.


    ''There is still about half an hour, so what should I do¡­'' Jesse pondered.


    "Sigh¡­" Jesse spun the chair around and opened his palm to reveal a small, golden knife made of his Inner Power.


    He then threw it across the room, and it stabbed into one of the hardcover books on the bookshelf, narrowly missing the book ''Ambrose, the Immortal Man.''


    "So bored¡­" Jesse spun the chair around, staring at the ceiling in boredom.


    At that moment, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.


    After taking it out of the pocket, he saw that he had a calling from Moriarty.


    "Him?" Jesse straightened his posture and epted the call. "Hello?"


    "Merry Christmas." Moriarty''s monotone voice came from the other side. "I hope you haven''t forgotten to meet me in Hightown today."


    "I haven''t." Jesse said. "I''ll be there in a few hours."


    "Aight, I am already there." Moriarty replied.


    "See you there." Jesse said, and the call then ended.


    ''There is still no information about when the tournament starts.'' Jesse thought to himself.


    "Might as well wait inside the virtual space." He stood up, took his headset, and took afortable spot on the bed.


    Then he pressed the button and transferred his consciousness into the digital world.


    The vision changed from the fancy room of a mansion to a world of white, stretching as far as his gaze reached.


    As he opened his interface, it showed a countdown on Martial Online, and before it reached zero, he couldn''t enter it.


    Jesse took afortable seat on the ground and waited for the countdown to reach zero.


    After nearly half an hour of waiting, the final minute of the countdown ticked slowly down.


    Jesse sat up, excitement building in his chest.


    He thought he had lost this childish excitement one would feel towards something, but now he couldn''t help but let it consume him once again.


    Each second felt like an eternity.


    Atst, the countdown reached zero, and Martial Online became avable once again.


    Jesse didn''t hesitate even a second and immediately clicked the "y" button.


    His avatar vanished from the world of white and went straight to Martial Online.


    ¡­


    Ambrose opened his eyes and saw that he was hovering in a dark world, with only lighting from the glowing interface in front of him.


    [Log In]


    [Check the Patch Notes]


    [Log Out]


    Ambrose hovered his finger in front of the ''Check the Patch Notes'' and gently pressed it.


    The interface changed and started showing everything that the update had brought to the game.


    Ambrose''s eager eyes started reading through them with a racing heart.


    ***


    [The Second Update of Martial Online]


    [The Path to Dark Continent: A Way to Enter Dark Continent has been opened¡ªYou can now change your citizenship into Dark Citizen, making you a citizen of Dark Continent¡ªall your stats will be halved, and you will change from human into one of the Dark Races¡ªYou will also move to live in Dark Continent]


    [WARNING!]


    [Living in Dark Continent is extremely dangerous!]


    ¡­


    [Dojo Wars: You can now challenge rival dojos to a war¡ªthe war will happen in a separate dimension¡ªother yers can bet on the oue and spectate the battles!]


    ¡­


    [The Race for the Tournament: Once the countdown hits zero, yers willpete in a race¡ªthe first 10,000 duos to cross the finishing line will qualify for the second round!]


    [Countdown: 23 hours, 59 minutes, and 50 seconds]


    ¡­


    [Underwater City of the Antic has appeared after thousands of years of disappearance!]


    [Antic: An underwater city that is home to Waterfolk, the race forgotten by history¡ªit is the most beautiful and dazzling city in existence, but its sudden appearance is peculiar and might be a signal of something sinistering in the near future!]


    [Once you be a resident of Antic, you may change your race to Waterfolk!]


    ¡­


    [The NPCs will react more strongly from now on, depending on how you''ve treated other NPCs before in the game!]


    [If you have a good reputation with NPCs, you might be able to get once-in-a-lifetime quests and receive special rewards!]


    [However, if you have a poor reputation with NPCs, they might refuse to help you and even be hostile towards you!]


    ¡­


    [The Gambling House has appeared in all of the major cities!]


    [Be careful not to get addicted to gambling and lose all of your hard-earned silver!]


    [However, there is also a chance that you could win big and be a wealthy tycoon overnight!]


    ¡­


    [The Bath of the Spiritual Animal has been opened!]


    [The Bath of the Spiritual Animal: It can be found in any major city, and by taking an hour-long bath, you can receive your very own Spiritual Animal that will follow you everywhere and help you in battles!]


    ¡­


    [The three main dojos¡ªKiryu''s, Karasu''s, and Yuna''s¡ªhave been opened, and you can go there to challenge them!]


    [Sessfully defeating them grants you incredible powers!]


    ¡­


    [The long Crimson Moon nights have affected the undead zombies, making them faster and stronger. Be wary of them. If you get bit, you''ll turn into the undead who desires human flesh for 24 hours!]


    ¡­


    [A new interface for building has been added. You can now build anything you want in the ce of your choosing¡ªperhaps even create your own vige on one of the inds found in Dark Waters!]


    ¡­


    [The World Has Advanced Again]


    [The architecture and the roads of the world is more advanced]


    ¡­


    [New ss ''Spellcaster'' has been added!]


    [You can now be Spellcaster, master of all magic!]


    [A vein of massive magic energy has been opened in the middle of the Dark Waters. You can travel there, absorb the magic energy and therefore be Spellcaster!]


    [Spellcaster: A yer can choose from five magic types]


    [Fire Element: Allows the yer to control fire]


    [Water Element: Allows the yer to control water]


    [Earth Element: Allows the yer to control earth]


    [Wind Element: Allows the yer to control wind]


    [Lightning Element: Allows the yer to control lightning]


    [War Magic: Allows the yer to fuse their weapons with magic energy]


    [There are still different magic elements that are yet to be discovered¡­]


    ¡­


    Ambrose slowly finished reading all the updates and took a deep breath. It was a lot to take in, but he was excited nheless.


    ''The Dojo Wars, hmm. I could challenge someone, and there must be something that can be won. I''ll probably test thister.


    ''You can now be a citizen of the Dark Continent¡­'' Ambrose bit his lip thoughtfully. ''That is very interesting, and I would love to try, but I don''t want to be a citizen of the Dark Continent.


    ''It even has a warning sign. It must be extremely dangerous to add something like that, which makes me even more interested in trying it out. But s, I''ll have to wait till I have enough time to use the ship to get there.''


    ''So, the tournament also starts tomorrow, that''s confirmed. I definitely have to meet up with Moriarty, and if we don''t have a connection to be duos, I have to hurry and find someone else.


    ''The Underwater City Antic must be located in Dark Waters. I am also interested in visiting that, but it has to wait.


    ''I guess I have a good reputation with NPCs, and that gambling house doesn''t interest me much.


    ''Spiritual Animal, huh? I guess it is random what I will get, but I guess I have something to look forward to.


    ''I could now challenge Kiryu if I wanted to, but I would definitely lose¡­ However, I know for a fact that some clueless yers will go try.


    ''Zombies are stronger, huh? That could prove to be troublesome, and a new interface for building. That could definitely help Antis build his own ind, so I suppose that''s good.''


    He then saw thest update, the Spellcaster update, and thoughtfully rubbed his chin.


    ''That ss is different from the rest. This is a first ss that specially uses some foreign source to draw power from. Other sses often uses man-made weapons, but Spellcaster is vastly different.


    ''It doesn''t really fit with other sses, but I am curious of it''s uses in the future.''


    Ambrose then left the patch notes and pressed the [Log In] button.


    He had one thing left to do before going to Hightown to meet Moriarty.


    The cksmith, Gensai, must be done with his swords!

 Chapter 418 Naughty Swords

    <h4>Chapter 418 Naughty Swords </h4>


    ?"So, she is the one?" Jack looked through a window into a small, dimly lit room.


    A woman in a servant outfit was there, tied to a chair, looking frightened.


    "That''s right, master." Sebastian said with his arms crossed. "She hadn''t spoken the truth yet."


    "I''ll handle it." Jack opened the door, stepping into the room.


    After seeing the man with the walking cane enter the room, the servant raised her head, showing her teary eyes.


    "M-master." She whispered, her voice trembling.


    "Sebastian, untie her." Jack sighed. "We are not thugs. She is ady, after all."


    "Very well, master." Sebastian pulled out the knife, frightening the servant, but then he carefully cut the ropes binding her wrists.


    Jack dragged a chair closer to the servant and took a seat in front of her, leaning forward with an indifferent expression on his face.


    "Sebastian, give us a moment."


    Sebastian nodded and walked away, leaving Jack alone with the servant.


    After the door closed, the small lightbulb dangling from the ceiling flickered ominously, casting eerie shadows across the room.


    "M-master, I-I will keep it a secret what they did to me, I swear!" She swallowed her tears and mustered the strength to speak further. "I-I won''t report them or anyone else."


    "Hmm." Jack crossed his leg over the other, leaning back in his chair. "This brings me some memories."


    "H-huh?"


    "Like a decade ago, there was someone who used me of some hideous things." Jack sighed. "I luckily had enough evidence to prove my innocence, but she continued crying, refusing to tell the truth.


    "She was very convincing, making even me believe that I did something to her, and I am certain half of the police force believed her as well.


    "However, luckily, the judge believed in the evidence and not her tears."


    "I-I am not l-lying, I swear¡­" The servant pulled out her sleeve and showed a bruise on her arm. "S-see? Y-your son, Jesse, did this when he forced himself on me!"


    "I don''t really care whether it is true or not." Jack said coldly. "You won''t walk from this room alive. We will bury you under this floor."


    Rosy''s eyes widened in shock as she realized the danger she was in.


    "You really think we''ll let you go and risk you spreading anything?" Jack shook his head. "We''re not taking any chances."


    "A-ahh¡­" Rosy''s voice trembled in fear, but then she moved her hands forward, grabbed Jack by the throat, and squeezed tight. "Die, you half-cripple fuck!"


    "Ugh!" Jack gagged and struggled to break free.


    She then pushed him down to the ground and continued to choke him while cursing out loud.


    "I hate you all!" Rosy screamed. "Your sons, how dare they not believe me? Do they have hearts of stone or what? I am beautiful, and whatever I say is the truth!"


    "Argh!" Jack''s face turned red, and he whispered. "W-why¡­"


    "Money and love!" Rosy shouted. "Those horny guys always fall for dimsells of distress. Being the wife of a Rothsmith son is one way to wealth!


    "I thought Zach was an easier target; he seems like one who hadn''t touched a woman before. After he refused to believe me, muttering that it wasn''t possible, like some goddamn fool!, I tried my luck with the other son.


    "How dare he touch me and ruin everything?


    "Die!" She squeezed so tight that Jack couldn''t breathe.


    Jack moved his hand across the floor, trying desperately to grab anything, and then he found his walking cane, and he swung it at her, hitting her with all his strength.


    Rosy copsed on the ground with a loud thud, crying in pain.


    "Argh¡­" Jack stood up and touched his throat, feeling the bruises forming from Rosy''s grasp.


    "Ngh!" Rosy stood up and ran at Jack, swinging her fist.


    Jack swung his walking cane, swiped her from her feet, and sent her sprawling onto the ground.


    Smash!


    Sebastian mmed through the door and shouted. "Master, are you all right?!"


    "Yeah¡­" Jack rubbed his throat and nodded. "Was the recording sessful?"


    "It was, sir." Sebastian took out a recorder and yed the moment when Rosy confessed everything.


    "Take her to the police station, then give Judge Murphy all the evidence. She''ll be sent to jail for attempted murder."


    "E-eh?" Rosy stammered, her face turning pale with fear.


    "Right away, sir." Sebastian approached her with a cold look.


    "Go away!" Rosy struggled to escape, but Sebastian effortlessly grabbed her arm and dragged her out of the room.


    Jack took out a napkin and wiped the sweat off his forehead.


    "As if I would believe you, witch." He said. "My sons have hearts of gold, and I am truly proud of them. Nothing you say will change my opinion of them."


    ¡­


    Ambrose opened his eyes and looked at the massive golden statue in front of him. He was sitting on a pillow, on his knees, and seemed to be praying.


    "You''ve returned." A voice came behind him, belonging to the Wisdom King.


    "I have been enlightened about something." Ambrose replied and looked over his shoulder at his master. "In the Room of Damnation, I realized what my sword style should be."


    "That''s good, and what is that?" The Wisdom King asked curiously while looking at the tall statue of their deity.


    "It might sound ridiculous; please don''tugh." Ambrose wryly smiled.


    "I am now quite curious." The Wisdom King urged, eager to hear Ambrose''s answer.


    "I want to be a one-man army," Ambrose said. "That''s why I focused on skills that would make me dominant in battle. I''ll overwhelm my opponents with strength and with skills I created just for this."


    "What about the speed?" The Wisdom King asked. "You talked about being conflicted about this. Speed is crucial, and you shouldn''t underestimate its importance."


    "I know." Ambrose replied, "That''s why I''ll also focus on speed. It is important to dominate in the battle. Do you think it''s possible to focus both on pure strength and speed?"


    "Of course, it is." The Wisdom King said with a smile. "However, training speed isn''t simple. Any idea how you are going to train?"


    "I do." Ambrose stood up and created a sword made of golden light from thin air.


    He swung the sword with lightning-fast speed, and it left behind a trail of golden light.


    "Ah, seeing that sword, I have good news." The Wisdom King smiled.


    "What is it?"


    "Your two swords are ready." The Wisdom King said. "Honorable Gensai did a good job. However, there is one problem."


    "Huh?" Ambrose was excited to hear that the swords were ready but confused about the problem. "What is it?"


    "We cannot wield the sword." The Wisdom King said with bothered expression. "We cannot carry, move, or even touch them without getting burned."


    "Ah¡­" Ambrose clicked his tongue. "Can I wield them even?"


    "I don''t know, but let''s hope so."


    ''I can''t use the golden sword all the time, as it''s very draining and weaker than ck Sword, but it has some uses, and I nned to use it differently and not use it as my primary weapon.


    ''I really hope those crimson swords work for me.''


    "Well, Gensai is ready if you want to go check them out."


    "Very well." Ambrose followed after the Wisdom King as they left the temple, walked to the vige, and soon arrived at the destroyed site of the cksmith shop.


    It was in ruins, with ashes and charred remnants scattered everywhere.


    "Ah, you are here!" Gensai was standing in the middle of the destroyed cksmith shop and approached Ambrose with a wide hug. "I''ve waited for you!"


    "Honorable Gensai." Ambrose nodded and asked. "So, the two swords?"


    "Yeah, they are here!" Gensai pointed towards the ruined cksmith shop. "They are masterpieces, and it helped me finally reach a new level in cksmithing!


    "However, none of us can touch them without getting injured!"


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose narrowed his eyes and clenched his hands. "So, those swords are naughty."

 Chapter 419 The New Sword

    <h4>Chapter 419 The New Sword </h4>


    ?Gensai and Ambrose entered the ruined cksmith shop; its walls and roof had crumbled apart because of the explosions.


    In the middle of the shop, there was arge, long-ded crimson sword stuck in the ground. The sword emitted a faint, eerie glow, captivating their attention.


    It''s size and craftsmanship were unlike anything they had ever seen before. The size was easily twice as long as a typical sword, and the intricate designs etched onto the de appeared to be the work of a master craftsman.


    "What is the meaning of this?" Ambrose turned to look at the Wisdom King. "You said that there were two swords, but there is only one? And this sword is not a shortsword, but a great sword."


    "Gensai." The Wisdom King let the newly-crowned master cksmith exin.


    "There were two shortswords originally." Gensai crossed his muscr arms and looked at the great sword with great interest. "But then they fused together to create his great sword."


    "How is that possible?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "This sword might be what we would call the Living Weapon." Gensai looked proud of himself. "It is said to have consciousness and a will of its own, capable of guiding its wielder in battle."


    "How did you create this, if I may ask?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "I heard some rumors of how the Living Weapons are created, but I thought it was just a hoax." Gensai smiled. "However, this proved that it was indeed the truth.


    "For cksmiths to reach the master rank, they have to create a weapon that transcends the limits of humanity. Once seeded, the weapon that was created bes a Living Weapon."


    "Oh¡­" Ambrose looked at the weapon with a troublesome expression. "What happened when you tried to lift it?"


    "This." Gensai took off his gloves, showing his scarred and calloused hands. "The explosions did nothing to me, but when I tried lifting for a split second, it started burning my flesh.


    "I still tried lifting it, but was unsessful as it was simply too heavy, and I gave up on it." Gensai flexed his muscles and said, "I am not boasting, but I am not weak, yet I was unable to get it off the ground."


    "Hmm." Ambrose stepped closer to the misbehaving sword, analyzing its crimson de and intricate handle. It looked to be extremely heavy, and even he wasn''t sure whether he would be able to.


    He then slowly reached his hand towards the handle, his fingers trembling slightly with anticipation.


    "Be careful!" Gensai said with a nervous expression. "You might lose your arm if you aren''t careful!"


    "Got it." Ambrose took a deep breath and whispered. "You''re my weapon. You were created for me. Now, let me wield you."


    His fingers wrapped around the handle, and then he grabbed it with a firm grip.


    Nothing happened, but then the ground started shaking violently beneath him as if there were a stampede of animals running around.


    "Argh¡­" Ambrose gritted his teeth and tried to pull the great sword out of the ground with all his might.


    However, even while his muscles strained and his grip remained firm, the sword refused to budge an inch.


    "Come on!"


    Gensai bit his nails anxiously, shouting inwardly for it to work. He hated to make a weapon that no one could use!


    If there was someone who would be able to lift the sword, it would be Ambrose!


    "Aaaah!" Ambrose let out a roar of frustration and then shouted. "The Muscle Attack!"


    His muscles swelled like balloons, giving Ambrose even greater strength that surpassed his previous limits.


    It was another skill created by Ambrose.


    It was only rare-ranked, but this wasn''t a skill he nned to be anything fancy. It simply increased his physical strength by making his body pump more blood into his muscles.


    Yet, even with this, he was unable to make the great sword budge even an inch. It was incredibly frustrating.


    "Aaaargh!" Ambrose screamed, veins bulging from his forehead, as he poured every ounce of his remaining energy into one final attempt.


    "You want to misbehave, fine!" Ambrose''s eyes turned blood-


    red, and his skin started to turn crimson as if he had been bathing in a pool of boilingva.


    "Crimson God''s Evesting Bloodbath!"


    It was one of the strongest skills Ambrose had ever created, and it even reached the Purple Epic ranking, one rank below the Legendary!


    "Hahahahaha!" Ambroseughed in a demonic manner, as if he had been possessed by Satan himself.


    After the Crimson God''s Evesting Bloodbath was activated, the great sword started to slowly move.


    "H-he is doing it!" Gensaiughed.


    ''So, this is what you meant by bing one-man army.'' The Wisdom King looked at the demonic-looking Ambrose with a frown. ''You are consuming your life essence to boost your strength temporarily.


    ''It''s fine to use it in small amounts, but if you use it multiple times and for longer durations, your lifespan will decrease.''


    "Aaaargh!" Ambrose let out a final roar of power and pulled the great sword from the ground, releasing a surge of energy that tremored across the entire world.


    "Aaah¡­" He let out a deep breath, and then his body turned to normal, his white skin and purple eyes making a return.


    "You did it, haha!" Gensai pped his hands loudly,ughing with snot flying out of his nose.


    "Argh!" But then Ambrose let out a pained groan, and the great sword''s heavy-looking de crashed to the ground.


    "I-It''s heavy¡­" He said between gasps, sweat dripping down his forehead and soaking his clothes.


    "However, are you feeling fine?" Gensai asked urgently.


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose sighed. "Just a little bit exhausted, that''s all."


    "Mm." Gensai smiled triumphantly. "This meant that the sword is epting you as the new owner."


    Ambrose smiled in fatigue and tried to grab the sword with both hands, but then the great sword split in half and turned into two separate crimson swords.


    "E-eh?"


    "Ah!" Gensai hurried to examine the two crimson shortswords andughed. "These were my original creations. It seems that the sword sensed your intention to have two short swords instead of one great sword!"


    "Oh, is that so?" Ambrose looked pleasantly surprised and took the swords from the ground. He was able to wield them easily and could feel the endless surge of power within them.


    "Very interesting." He smiled and wished for the swords to turn back to the great sword.


    The two shortswords fused together and became the same heavy-looking great sword. It was again too heavy for him to be able to wield it properly.


    "That sword''s name is Great Crimson!" Gensai said in excitement.


    ''Great Crimson.'' Ambrose smiled.


    "Now that you''ve got your weapons, what are your ns, Honorable Ambrose?" The Wisdom King asked.


    "I have a meeting in a few hours." Ambrose lifted the great sword with difficulty and ced it in his inventory. "I''ll have to go for now."


    "That''s understandable." The Wisdom King nodded and shook his disciple''s hand. "I hope the next time I hear about you, it isn''t about you being the so-called ck Demon who terrorizes innocent citizens."


    "Haha, no promises." Ambrose replied with a mischievous grin. "Fate will lead me where it wants me to."


    "Fate, huh." The Wisdom King nced at his star-pupiled eye and smiled. "Be careful of your fate. It can bring you either great fortune or immense suffering."


    "I know." Ambrose picked up his backpack, shook hands firmly with Gensai, thanking him for the great sword, and then headed towards the exit of the vige, wondering what the future would hold for him.


    The Wisdom King watched as his disciple walked away with a backpack slung over his shoulder and a small smile formed on his lips.

 Chapter 420 Phoenix Quill

    <h4>Chapter 420 Phoenix Quill </h4>


    ?[Wee to Hightown!]


    A sign stood outside the bustling town of Hightown.


    The crops were flourishing, the houses were well-maintained, and the sounds ofughter andmerce filled the air.


    At that moment, a hooded figure on the back of a horse galloped down a well-maintained road, surrounded by fields of wheat and crops.


    As the hard-working townspeople saw a mysterious rider, they wore looks of vignce.


    They didn''t have good memories of previous guests, which almost ended in their town''s destruction.


    Therefore, they weren''t as weing as before.


    Ambrose tipped his hat down, hiding his face, as he rode past the wary townspeople.


    He wondered what kind of reaction they would have if they recognized him as the ck Demon. He wasn''t sure whether they knew the truth about what had happened or if the newspaper managed to lie to them as well.


    After a short while, Ambrose rode straight to the horse barracks and mounted, then tied the horse to the hitching post.


    He then took off his belongings, slung the backpack over his shoulder, and entered the town''s main road with townspeople eyeing him curiously.


    ''Moriarty sent me a text saying that he was waiting on the church.'' Ambrose kept his head low and quickened his pace, hoping to avoid any unwanted attention.


    A short whileter, he arrived near Fountain Lane. He nced around, quite certain that he was near the church, as he started hearing the bells, but then he came across a destroyed house.


    It looked like a sore thumb in this otherwise nice-looking neighborhood. It seemed like the building was destroyed in a great fire, but Ambrose knew exactly what happened while he was there.


    It was also the first time he encountered a zombie in Hightown.


    "Sigh." Ambrose drew a quick cross on his chest and moved along.


    As he followed the road, he soon came across cemetery gates that creaked in the wind and church bells that tolled eerily in the distance.


    The church looked old and abandoned, with broken stained ss windows and overgrown ivy creeping up its walls.


    However, the doors were still open, and townspeople were entering and leaving after finishing their business with God.


    Ambrose hopped over the cemetery gates, stepped over the overgrownwn, and made his way towards the church entrance.


    As he stepped through the doors, he saw that the church was quite crude-looking, with a few townspeople sitting in the pews, praying for any higher power.


    However, there was one person who obviously didn''t belong there.


    A handsome young man sat in the corner of the church, wearing a leather jacket and sunsses, giving off an aura of rebellion.


    He seemedpletely unaffected by the solemn atmosphere, and instead, he rocked his head up and down as if he were listening to music through mysterious sources.


    Beside him, a well-suited man with brown hair and an anticipating expression stood in stark contrast to the rebellious churchgoer.


    At first nce, he looked like a citizen of Hightown, but after further inspection, Ambrose realized that he was also a yer.


    However, he was not an ordinary yer.


    He clearly had no skill or strength, but instead was only here to apany the rebellious-looking young man, trying to keep him out of trouble.


    Ambrose entered the same pew as them and took a seat close to them.


    As they turned their heads to nce at the neer, Ambrose removed his hat, put it down, and ruffled his hair slightly to tidy his appearance.


    "Church, really?" Ambrose asked, raising an eyebrow.


    "Haha." Moriarty removed his sunsses, revealing his deep blue eyes, and said. "I like the serene atmosphere. Daniel, give us some room, please."


    Daniel nodded, stood up, and bowed at Ambrose, introducing himself. "Daniel Greedforth. I spoke with you on the phone."


    Ambrose nodded briefly and watched as Daniel took a seat slightly further away, leaving them alone to discuss the business.


    "As you know, there are about¡­" Moriarty pulled out the countdown and said: "21 and a half hours left until the tournament starts."


    "Yeah." Ambrose replied. "I suppose it''s toote for either of us to find another teammate."


    "I suppose that''s correct." Moriarty smiled, moving his sunsses around his finger. "It looks like we have to make do with what we have."


    "You sound disappointed." Ambrose observed, raising an eyebrow. "Did I disappoint you?"


    "Haha, nah." Moriarty chuckled. "However, I nned to have a few other potential teammates before making the final decision."


    "Ah, is that so?" Ambrose chuckled.


    "There is only one goal for me in this tournament." Moriarty crossed his leg over the other and firmly said, "Win."


    "Win, huh." Ambrose rolled his tongue inside his mouth, contemting. "That is a big task. The world''s strongest yers will have that same goal."


    "Mm, and we don''t even know how far our strength can take us." Moriarty replied with bothersome uncertainty.


    "We don''t even know who the strongest is.


    "There are billions of yers. That''s quite many."


    "Haha, a lot of uncertainty." Ambrose said. "But I suppose that''s what makes it interesting."


    "Mm." Moriarty narrowed his eyes. "Only 10,000 teams qualify for the second round. 99.99% of the yers registered will not make it to the second round."


    "Do you know where it takes ce?" Ambrose asked. "It must be somewhere on Light Continent, but we better reach the starting line before it starts, no?"


    "All the registered teams will teleport to the starting line once the countdown reaches zero." Moriarty said, and he brought out his interface. "Also, talking about the registration, ept this."


    Ding!


    Ambrose saw a screen appear in front of him.


    [yer Moriarty invites you to be his teammate for the uing tournament!]


    [ept/Decline]


    Without hesitation, he pressed ept, and he saw another screen pop up.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill]


    [yers: Moriarty/Ambrose]


    "Phoenix Quill?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Our team name is pretty cool, right?" Moriarty said smugly, as if he were proud of the fact that he thought of such a team name.


    "I suppose." Ambrose rolled his eyes and looked over to the altar, towards the altarpiece that showed a deity reaching out to touch the hands of mortals.


    "Remember, be online before the countdown, or else we''ll be disqualified." Moriarty stood up, fixing his shirt.


    "I wouldn''t do such a stupid mistake." Ambrose stood up as well, and he grabbed his hat from the pew. "What are you doing till then?"


    "Grinding levels, of course." Moriarty said and patted his pockets. "I n on leveling up before the tournament, so I am doing an all-nighter."


    "Oh, I see." Ambrose nodded.


    "What level are you, if I may ask?" Moriarty asked curiously.


    "72," Ambrose replied, not too sure whether it was high or not."


    "Hmm." Moriarty nodded. "I am level 75."


    "Is that high, or?" Ambrose asked, having no idea.


    "The yer with the highest level should be at level 92." Moriarty recalled.


    "That much?" Ambrose looked surprised. "We are quite far behind."


    "Doesn''t matter." Moriarty replied. "There is indeed quite a distance to the yer with the highest level, but it''s still a gap that is possible to bridge with skills and techniques.


    "As long as you''re a better fighter than the yer with the higher level, you should be fine. The gap will also shorten, as it is getting quite difficult to level up when nearing the level 100."


    "All right." Ambrose nodded and checked his interface, realizing that he might also have a chance to level up. "I might do the same as you and go grind for another level."


    "Want to do it together?" Moriarty asked. "This might be a good chance to hone some of our teamwork."


    "Sure." Ambrose nodded.


    Moriarty then looked over to Daniel and said, "Daniel, you may leave. Do not let anyone disturb me in reality."


    "Very well, young master." Daniel nodded and left the game.


    "Well then, let''s go." Moriarty said.


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded.

 Chapter 421 Only Win

    <h4>Chapter 421 Only Win </h4>


    ?Ambrose wrote a message on the chat interface and then pressed send. He had been talking with Be, and she ensured that she was fine.


    They were both quite nervous about what would happen when the server was offline, but luckily, everything went smoothly.


    Moriarty walked beside him down a lonely street, and saw bounty posters nailed on the building walls. Most of them were slightly torn, and weathered, but still readable.


    "You''re indeed very popr here." He said with a tone of amusement. "I''ve only seen yours and some guy Reinhardt''s wanted posters. Is there some history between you and this ce?"


    "Maybe." Ambrose put away the chat interface.


    "If you''re so wanted here, why did you want to meet here?" Moriarty asked. "Sounds quite reckless. If you are recognized, it will bring tons of problems."


    "I was curious." Ambrose nced at all those wanted posters, some with scribbles over his face, and there were plenty of hateful messages.


    "I wondered how this town felt towards me, and now I know. I guess I am not very weed here."


    "Haha, you wanted to know whether they hated you?" Moriarty chuckled, revealing a mischievous glint in his eyes. "You care about other people''s opinions?"


    "It''s not that." Ambrose shook his head. "In the patch notes, it said that how you treat NPCs will determine how other NPCs act towards you.


    "I don''t think I had been rude towards NPCs, but now I am sure of one thing."


    "What is it?" Moriarty side-nced at him and asked, curiosity evident in his eyes.


    "It''s possible to trick the way NPCs think about you." Ambrose said with a deep frown.


    "These NPCs feel very human-like to me now.


    "The way the patch notes talked about NPCs made me feel like they were just models of code rather thanplex beings with their own thoughts and emotions. But, whenever I meet them face-to-face, I can''t think like that."


    "Huh." Moriarty murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. "I haven''t met someone like you before. In my school, a few of my ssmates talked about killing NPCs or treating them poorly.


    "I am not used to hearing someone treat them as equals."


    "What do you think about them?" Ambrose asked.


    "Mm, good question." Moriarty chuckled and then saw a top-hat-wearing man walking on the same sidewalk as them. "Well, look at this."


    Ambrose lifted his eyebrow and watched as Moriarty walked to the top-hat-wearing man.


    Moriarty bumped shoulders with him, knocking his top hat off and causing it to fall to the ground.


    "Ah, I am sorry, sir." Moriarty said with an apologetic smile.


    "Look where you are going, brat." The man patted dust off his shoulder and picked up the top hat from the ground before cing it back on his head. "Children these days have no respect."


    "Hey, I already said that I am sorry." Moriarty said, his smile freezing over. "You are the one being disrespectful."


    "Hah, the saying is indeed true." The man patted the top hat before smirking. "Wisdomes within age, and that''s especially true between you and me, brat."


    "Well, I am really sorry, sir." Moriarty knelt on the ground, as if he were going to kneel to the man, but then picked up dirt from the ground and threw it onto the man''s neat suit.


    "Ah, the heck!" The man backed off, took out his handkerchief, and wiped the dirt off his suit, his face flushed with anger. "Brat, you are really getting on my nerves!"


    "!" Moriarty showed his pink tongue tauntingly.


    "Argh, this generation is doomed, I say, doomed!" The man walked away with anger ring in his eyes. He almost bumped shoulders with Ambrose as well, but Ambrose managed to sidestep him at thest moment.


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose moved his gaze from the man''s back to Moriarty and asked. "What were you wanting to show me?"


    "Saw that?" Moriarty crossed his arms. "That man cares about his appearance and thinks that respectes with age.


    "In his sleeve, I saw some crayon marks, as if some kid had identally scribbled on him. Do you think that all was coded?


    "There are millions of NPCs in this game, and I don''t believe for a moment that they were all coded individually."


    "What you are saying¡­ makes plenty of sense." Ambrose never thought about that, and he looked at him in a new light. "So, you are saying that they might be using some kind of machine to automate the coding process, making each person random?"


    "Perhaps." Moriarty motioned for Ambrose to continue walking alongside him. "However, I''ve heard that Martial Company is using the world''s most advanced AI technology."


    "Oh?" Ambrose had a hunch that he knew what he was trying to say.


    "I''ve heard another rumor." Moriarty looked at him with a smile. "I heard they were using the AI to create all the NPCs while the real humans were focusing on creating the world and all the quests, interfaces, etc."


    "Interesting." Ambrose said out loud. "Maybe Martial Company themselves don''t know everything about the NPCs."


    "Maybe," Moriarty pondered, curious about the possibility of hidden depths within the NPCs. "From what I know, acting douchy towards NPCs is foolish in the long term. Especially now that they are giving special quests.


    "Whoever was acting rudely to them in the past is now kicking themselves in the leg."


    Ambrose nodded in agreement.


    As they walked down the lonely street, they came across a little girl reaching her hands towards the tree branches.


    The tree was nted in a modest-looking yard, and its branches looked dead. In one of the branches, there was a red balloon tangled among the twigs.


    As Moriarty reached out to grab the balloon as it was within his reach, another hand grabbed it first and handed it over to the little girl.


    "Here." Ambrose said with a smile on his face. His feet were hovering slightly above the ground.


    "Thank you!" The little girl smiled and went to join her friends, who were waiting for her.


    As Ambrosended back on the ground, Moriarty looked at him with a surprised expression.


    "Dude, you can fly?"


    "Oh, that?" Ambrose looked at his feet and shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah. Is that a rare ability?"


    "Of course it is!" Moriarty eximed, amazed at the sight. "Well, that will be extremely useful in the tournament."


    "Why do I have a feeling that you are hiding something equally amazing?" Ambrose nced at him with a knowing smile. "Any yer would''ve cried out in astonishment after seeing me fly, but you are only moderately amazed."


    "Haha, you were checking my reaction?" Moriarty rubbed his chin with a grin. "You''re sneaky guy. I can''t ever be rxed around you!"


    "Well, was I true?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yeah, I have something on my sleeve." Moriarty chuckled. "Because I stream all the time, all thepetitors think they know everything about me, but they are mistaken.


    "I have been hiding one ability of mine for a very long time, and I''ll n on using it in tournament''s finals!"


    "You''re already focusing on the finals?" Ambrose asked. "It''s a long way to go."


    "I know." Moriarty sighed. "However, losing is not an option."


    "What if we lose in the first round? We could be part of that 99.99%."


    Moriarty looked at him sharply. "That would be uneptable. Of course, there is a chance that such a tragedy might ur, but it must not."


    "What if it happens, theoretically?" Ambrose asked.


    "I''ll probably cry myself to sleep." Moriarty said and shrugged his shoulders. "I have plenty of sponsors, who are now also your sponsors since you are with me.


    "They want me to reach the finals and represent them there. If we lose in the first round, they''ll lose all their faces, and they will abandon me.


    "Without them, my streaming career will also stagnate and eventually die. So, yeah, I am betting everything on this tournament."


    "Oh, damn." Ambrose gulped. "I am feeling a little bit nervous now."


    "Remember one thing: do not be afraid to fight." Moriarty narrowed his eyes. "We''ll kill everyone who stands in our path."


    "Heh." Ambrose''s lips curled into a confident smirk. "I can do that."


    "Good." Moriarty saw that they had reached the horse barracks and asked. "This is where you left your horse?"


    "Yeah." Ambrose pointed to a brown-maned horse tied to one of the hitching posts.


    "I''ll get a horse for myself, and then we''ll ride to the nearest hunting ground." Moriarty said, and he went to look for a horse.

 Chapter 422 Supernatural Town

    <h4>Chapter 422 Supernatural Town </h4>


    ?Moriarty, on horseback, galloped down an empty path in an abandoned town.


    Another horse followed behind him, Ambrose on the horseback, gazing at the deste surroundings with a sense of foreboding.


    After finding a ce for their horses, they unmounted and began exploring the eerie town, their footsteps echoing through the silence.


    Moriarty walked along the porch of a tavern that looked as though it hadn''t seen a customer in years.


    It had a faded sign swinging in the wind, the paint peeling and barely legible. Inside, the air was heavy with dust and the faint smell of stale alcohol.


    "So, what is this ce?" Ambrose asked while surveying the empty tables and cobweb-covered corners.


    "I spent a day in Hightown surveying the surroundings for any good grinding spots." Moriarty said. "This ce had been abandoned for a few decades, and apparently it houses malicious ghosts."


    "Ghosts?" Ambrose repeated, and his voice was filled with curiosity.


    "Yeah." Moriarty walked over to the bar desk and picked up a dusty journal. "This town''s people were killed by a White gue. They say their spirits still linger in these walls, seeking vengeance."


    "Why are they seeking vengeance if it was a gue?" Ambrose asked. "They can''t really me anyone for that, or can they?"


    "Who knows, but some old geezers back in Hightown said that the White gue was man-made." Moriarty said. "It''s just a rumor, nothing to be taken seriously."


    "So, you think that was a hint for a special event, perhaps?" Ambrose asked.


    "Hard to say," Moriarty said, and he tossed away the dusty journal that was filled with strangenguage. "Let''s look around for a moment, and if we don''t see anything, there is forest nearby that we can explore."


    "Well, let''s split then." Ambrose said and headed out of the tavern, leaving behind Moriarty, who slowly approached the second floor.


    Moriarty pulled out a shiny steel spear from his inventory and grabbed it tightly in his hand.


    He then kicked down the doors on the second floor, searching for any of the so-called ghosts.


    After a short while, he reached the final room and stepped inside cautiously.


    The room had a chilling atmosphere, with cobwebs hanging from the ceiling and a musty smell that filled the air.


    It looked like the room had previously belonged to someone who had a deep fascination with the supernatural, as there was an array of ult symbols and books with satanic symbols scattered across a desk.


    At the bed, a stitched-up doll with creepy ck marble eyes stared at Moriarty with a nk look. It didn''t look like it was real, and the stitches were about toe undone.


    Moriarty picked up one of the satanic books and flipped through its pages without much interest.


    He then closed it and ced it back on the ground.


    Then he noticed a fallen framed picture that had been knocked off the desk, and its ss was cracked.


    He picked it up and carefully examined the picture.


    The cracked picture had three individuals standing on the porch of the tavern. The parents had smiles on their faces, but a ck-eyed young man between them, who seemed to be their son, looked lifeless and distant.


    "That guy doesn''t look nice." Moriarty looked around the room and thought out loud. "This must''ve been his room. Ghosts and the supernatural go hand-in-hand."


    The doll on the bed slowly turned its head towards Moriarty, its ssy eyes staring directly into his soul. Its stitched lips turned into a creepy smile.


    It jumped off the bed and picked up a hidden knife below the bed. It had to use both of its stitched-up arms to lift it.


    With a creepy smile, it jumped towards Moriarty and plunged the rusty knife towards his exposed neck.


    At that moment, Moriarty stabbed the steel spear through the doll''s head, sending the doll flying across the room in a whirlwind of stuffing and fabric.


    "Huh, you think I''ll turn my back on a creepy doll such as yourself?" Moriarty chuckled and approached the destroyed doll. "I have seen far too many horror movies to do so."


    The doll tried to stand up in defiance, but its stitching hade undone, leaving it helpless and in pieces on the floor.


    Moriarty lifted his spear and stabbed through the doll and the floorboard.


    Nothing was left of the doll except the two ck marble eyes, a final reminder of the doll''s previous existence.


    m!


    A closet door mmed open, and a short figure with a creepy clown facepaint burst into the room,ughing maniacally.


    "Kakakaka!" It pulled out several knives from its pockets and threw them all towards Moriarty.


    Moriarty spun the spear around, deflecting the knives with sparks flying about, and threw a quick kick that sent the creepy clown flying across the room.


    As the clown crashed into the wall, itsughter turned into a pained scream.


    Moriarty plunged the spear through the clown''s face and lifted it off the ground while its blood sttered onto the floor.


    "You can bleed?" Moriarty muttered curiously.


    At that moment, a transparent figure shot out of the clown''s body and vanished into thin air. The same thing happened with the doll.


    "They are just possessing other objects." Moriarty said, and nced at the clown''s dead body. "Was this a human before? No, it looks like it had been goblin before, based on the shape of its body and those pointy ears.


    "However, for some reason, its face was painted in clown facepaint."


    Moriarty saw that he hadn''t received any experience points and clicked his tongue in frustration.


    "I suppose we have to kill those ghosts."


    ¡­


    Ambrose kicked open a door and entered an establishment filled with eerie silence.


    It looked like this ce was created to house the patients of White gue, as it had plenty of medical equipment and empty beds.


    ''Can I get infected by simply being here?'' Ambrose wondered, cautiously stepping deeper into the echoing corridors. "Well, fuck it."


    "Hihihihihi¡­"


    Ambrose came to an instant stop as he saw a hunched figure sitting on the floor of a dark room, surrounded by bloody beds.


    The figure was seeminglyughing as if it had lost its mind.


    Ambrose picked up a bottle of medicine from the nearby table and threw it at the figure.


    After the bottle mmed on the figure''s head, theughter abruptly ceased.


    "Huuuh¡­" The person''s head turned around like an owl, as if its neck had no bones, and looked at Ambrose with empty, soulless eyes.


    It looked like a nurse, with pale, expressionless features and a white uniform.


    It slowly reached out towards Ambrose with its bony, trembling fingers.


    "Haaaaaaaaaaa!" It let out a blood-curdling scream that echoed through the empty hallways and shattered all the windows.


    It sounded like a banshee from the depths of hell.


    Ambrose touched his ears and felt blood trickling down from them.


    "A loud one." He reached out to his inventory and took out the crimson great sword, which immediately mmed down onto the ground, causing a powerful shockwave.


    "Haaaaaaa!" The creature let out a piercing scream that rattled the very foundation of the house and rushed at Ambrose with incredible speed, its fingers shing through the air.


    Ambrose grabbed the great sword with both hands and swung it through the creature''s body, slicing it in half. The creature''s blood sprayed everywhere as its lifeless halves fell to the ground.


    A crimson sh flew out of the great sword''s de and sliced the house in two. The ceiling and its three floors started crumbling apart, falling towards Ambrose.


    "The fuck?!" Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock, and he quickly put the sword back in the inventory and jumped out of the window to avoid being crushed by the copsing building.


    The building crumbled apart behind him, leaving a trail of dust and rubble in its wake.


    "Ugh¡­" Ambrose grabbed his head and stood up in a daze. "What was that crimson sh? It came straight from my sword, but I had no intention to do that.


    "It wasn''t my Inner Power, like my other long-range attacks, but it was an ability of the sword. So, I suppose there are things I have to learn about my sword."


    "Ah, I wonder who was making all the ruckus." Moriarty walked from the tavern and whistled as he saw the destroyed building. "Got attacked?"


    "Yeah, by some fucking possessed nurse." Ambrose groaned and stood up. "You?"


    "Clown and doll," Moriarty said.


    "The hell is going on?" Ambrose asked.


    "I have a hunch." Moriarty said, and he started exining the things he found out.

 Chapter 423 Kalvin The Ghost

    <h4>Chapter 423 Kalvin The Ghost </h4>


    ?"From what I''ve found." Moriarty rubbed his chin, looking intelligent and calcting at the same time.


    "I think the reason for the ghosts existence is the tavern owner''s son." He took out a dusty, weathered journal and flipped through its pages.


    "The tavern owner''s son was a big fan of supernatural and satanic magic. In his journal, he spoke about being able to see the undead, whomunicated with him and taught him dark magic."


    Ambrose stabbed his crimson great sword through the ground and leaned against it with his arms crossed, listening intensely.


    "At one point in time, before the tavern owner''s son managed to learn everything about the magic, the town was attacked by the White gue.


    "Desperate, he created a spell that made the ones who died by White gue rise from their deaths as ghosts."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded. "So the thing about the ghosts existing because they have vengeance on someone was false."


    "Yeah." Moriarty nodded and flipped to another page. "He also wrote about some goblins who were jailed in the town after they identally stumbled here.


    "The townspeople were keeping it locked in a cage and even painted its face clown makeup to mock it.


    "The tavern''s owner''s son was feeling pity for the little goblin. I have a feeling that the goblin didn''t die from the White gue, as it only affected humans.


    "But then, one of the ghosts possessed the goblin, and I happened to kill it a while back."


    "What is the n now?" Ambrose asked.


    "We have to kill the ghosts if we want any experience points." Moriarty nced at him. "Since we are already on the same party, the experience points get halved between us. You wouldn''t happen to have a skill that is able to kill the undead?"


    "Hmm¡­" Ambrose pondered, scratching his chin. "Do you know about meditation and the gates?"


    "Of course." Moriarty said, and looked at him with a smile of curiosity. "I ain''t surprised that you do as well. Are you thinking about using our souls to kill the ghosts?"


    "That was indeed my n." Ambrose chuckled.


    "Our world of souls has different dimensions." Moriarty said. "We wouldn''t be able to help each other."


    "Unless we join each other''s world of souls," Ambrose said. "Your gate door is closed, I assume?"


    "Of course, it is always closed to prevent any unwanted visitors." Moriarty said. "I had to learn the dangers of the world of souls the hard way."


    "I was the same." Ambrose smiled and asked. "Are you bold enough to open the door for me?"


    "Hahaha, that is indeed a test of trust." Moriarty chuckled with his forehead creased in thought. "Fighting in the world of souls is very dangerous, as we can actually get hurt there, but I suppose that is the only way."


    "Haha, scared?" Ambrose asked in amusement.


    "Haha, nah, I am excited." Moriarty''s eyes glinted with craziness. "You are one crazy fucker, but fine, I''ll open the door for you!"


    He took a seat on the ground and entered a meditative stance.


    Ambrose could feel that a certain "door" opened in Moriarty''s mind, as if he could just waltz right in and explore the depths of his mind.


    In theory, he could''ve just broken through Moriarty''s gate, as he was already on the second gate, and had much more control and power over the world of souls.


    However, it could cause a lot of damage to Moriarty''s soul, which was a danger he couldn''t afford.


    Therefore, the easiest solution was for Moriarty to open his own gate.


    Ambrose sat cross-legged on the ground, facing Moriarty, and slowly closed his eyes.


    His soul leaped out of his mortal shell and saw a glowing gate in the distance, wide open for visitors.


    The soul flew through the gate and arrived at Moriarty''s world of souls. It looked slightly different from Ambrose''s, as the sky wasn''t blue but instead grayish, as if there were a thunderstorm brewing.


    All the surroundings had a mix of dull grayish colors and bright shes of neon lights. It was a strange mix of darkness and vibrant energy.


    Ambrose''s soul looked around and soon saw another soul hovering in the distance. It was Moriarty''s soul, staring directly below at the abandoned town that was now fully gray.


    ''Hey.'' Ambrose''s soulmunicated telepathically and appeared beside Moriarty''s soul.


    ''The ghosts are here. I can sense their presence.'' Moriarty said.


    At that moment, over a hundred ghosts appeared from the grayish buildings, haunting the world of souls with their eerie-


    sounding screams.


    ''There was way more than I thought.'' Ambrose raised his fists in a defensive stance.


    ''It''s toote to go back now!'' Moriarty yelled and shot towards the ghost army with a reckless look.


    Ambrose''s soul followed closely behind and mmed his fist into the nearest ghost''s face.


    The ghost let out a wailing scream as it dissipated into thin air.


    Moriarty grabbed two ghosts by their faces and forcefully smashed their heads together, causing them to vanish in a burst of ethereal energy.


    Ambrose formed a protective barrier around himself, shielding him from any further attacks.


    The ghosts were unable to prate the barrier and instead floated aimlessly, unable to harm Ambrose.


    It was a barrier made of Ambrose''s Inner Power, which was already at the level of the second gate. It wasn''t easy to break through it.


    Ambrose then created a sword made of golden light and swung it through the ghosts with ease, dispelling them one by one.


    They couldn''t do anything except die helplessly.


    Both Ambrose and Moriarty saw that their experience points were umting at great speed.


    Before entering the world of souls, Ambrose had 31,550 experience points umted, and to level up, he needed 55,000.


    However, it had already gone above 33,000 after a few ghost deaths.


    Moriarty leaped over a few ghosts and chopped his hand through their ethereal forms, sending them straight to the afterlife.


    He saw what kind of weapon Ambrose managed to create, but he had to admit that he didn''t have such control over his Inner Power.


    ''I can''t look like the weakling.'' Moriarty thought, and he threw a punch that decimated the ghost in front of him.


    At that moment, a ghost appeared in the distance, and after seeing it, Moriarty came to a temporary halt.


    ''It''s the tavern owner''s son.'' Moriarty said telepathically,municating with Ambrose''s soul.


    ''I see.'' Ambrose cut through another ghost and saw the ghost in the distance, who had even eerier glowing eyes than the others.


    It had a different vibe than other ghosts, as it seemed more powerful and malevolent.


    Moriarty broke through the circle of ghosts and flew towards the tavern owner''s son''s ghost, who was floating at the entrance of the haunted tavern.


    ''Your name was Kalvin, wasn''t it?'' Moriarty spoke telepathically to the ghost, as if it could understand.


    Kalvin the Ghost looked up to Moriarty and revealed a wicked grin. It created a ball of dark magic on its palm andunched it towards Moriarty, who barely managed to dodge in time.


    As the ball of dark magic reached the sky, it exploded, and a dark cloud of smoke engulfed the area.


    As the dark cloud of smokended on top of a few of the buildings, the surrounding structures began to crumble and copse as if they were turning into dust.


    ''This ghost is not normal. It still somehow possesses the powers of its human self!'' Moriarty shouted telepathically towards Ambrose.


    ''The other ghosts were ordinary humans, so not very powerful, but this one learned dark magic and probably powered its own ghost before dying of White gue!''


    Ambrose shouted in response and shed through the dozen ghosts that surrounded him. He then flew straight to Moriarty and Kalvin, realizing that his help was required.

 Chapter 424 The Death of the Ghost

    <h4>Chapter 424 The Death of the Ghost </h4>


    ?Kalvin the Ghost smiled wickedly and created a whip of ck smoke. Then itshed at Moriarty with a force that sent him sprawling to the ground.


    ''Ugghh!'' Moriarty shuddered in agony, clutching his wounded side. He felt like a bolt of lightning had struck him.


    "Moriarty!" Ambrose shouted without using telepathic abilities of the soul, and rushed to Kalvin with the golden sword in hand.


    He then pointed the golden sword''s tip at Kalvin, and a beam of golden light flew out of the de and struck Kalvin in the chest.


    Kalvin let out a scream of pain as the golden light seared through its body. However, then the ck smoke subdued the pain and recovered its ability to stand.


    After Kalvin recovered, it let out a wicked-sounding scream and shot a st of dark energy from its hands.


    Ambrose created a shield made of golden light and smashed it into the dark energy to block it. The sh of forces created a powerful explosion that sent all nearby ghosts sprawling away.


    As Kalvin let out augh, a figure jumped from the ground and elbowed it across the face. The figure was none other than Moriarty.


    Moriarty kicked Kalvin in the stomach, causing it to double down in pain. Moriarty then proceeded to deliver a swift uppercut, sending Kalvin flying towards the grayish sky.


    Ambrose mmed through the st of the dark energy and made his shield made of golden light disappear. Then he created a spear made of golden light, resembling Moriarty''s spear, and then tossed it over to him.


    Moriarty epted the spear with gratitude, and both of them then shot towards Kalvin, who was hovering in the air with a crazed look.


    All the ghosts tried to stop them, but they effortlessly pushed past, their weapons reaping their lives and sending them all straight to the afterlife.


    Kalvin created two dark swords and smashed them at Moriarty''s golden spear.


    Moriarty overwhelmingly pushed Kalvin''s two swords away and then thrust his golden spear through Kalvin''s shoulder.


    Despite the pain surging through its body, Kalvin refused to give up and shed its sword at Moriarty with all his strength.


    Moriarty parried the sword away and used the same motion to bring his spear down towards Kalvin''s head.


    Kalvin desperately put its other dark sword in the path of the spear in a desperate attempt to defend itself.


    However, it had forgotten that its fight was not only with Moriarty.


    Ambrose appeared above Kalvin, created a golden shield on his left hand, and mmed it down at Kalvin''s head. While it was dazed, he then used his golden sword to deliver a powerful strike to Kalvin''s chest.


    A de-sized hole appeared, spewing forth a torrent of dark energy.


    Kalvin screamed ragefully.


    Moriarty thrust his spear forward like a bolt of golden lightning and impaled Kalvin through the ghostly heart.


    He then reeled his spear back and repeatedly stabbed Kalvin''s ghostly body hundreds of times, leaving it full of holes that oozed with dark energy.


    Ambrose used his shield, mmed into Kalvin, and drove it back, sending him crashing into the ground with a resounding thud.


    Moriarty descended down with a crazy descent and drove his golden spear through Kalvin''s face.


    At that moment, Kalvin''s body dissipated, and remnants of dark energy seeped back to the ground.


    Both Moriarty and Ambrose heard a ding in their heads as a signal for their level up.


    Theynded back on the ground, and their weapons dissipated into the golden light. They looked around the empty town, nced at each other, nodded, and then decided to leave the world of souls.


    However, before that, Moriarty closed the gate to his world of souls again.


    After that, they woke up back in the abandoned town, and the world started moving at a rapid pace once more.


    "Argh." Moriarty held his waist and said, "I got a little bit hurt."


    "Did your soul get injured?" Ambrose asked urgently.


    "Yeah, I guess¡­" Moriarty groaned. "I¡­ know a guy who can help me with this."


    "Uhm, I might be able to help with that." Ambrose said.


    "Wait, you can?" Moriarty''s eyebrow jumped in surprise. "Is there something you can''t do?"


    "Don''t talk too soon; I haven''t exactly done it sessfully yet." Ambrose wryly smiled. "Well, it''s a good time to try. I have thought about it quite a bit."


    While in the Room of Damnation, he spent most of the time in the world of souls and created thousands of potions just based on his memory alone.


    He wasn''t sure whether he actually seeded even once, but he knew everything that was needed to make the potion, in theory.


    He also had all his ingredients with him, given by the Honorable Zhen.


    "Urgh¡­" Moriarty sat down on the nearby porch and said with a wry smile. "W-well, if you can do it, it would be pretty nice. Otherwise, I have a painful ten-hour journey to that guy''s ce."


    Ambrose quickly created a campfire and lit it up to provide a ce to create the potion. Then, he put his cauldron on top of the campfire and took out all the required items.


    With sweat trickling down his forehead, he started by pouring exactly 1 liter of water into the cauldron. Then he continued with four petals of the flower guardian flower.


    As he put them gently on the water, they continued floating peacefully, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere around the campfire.


    The water turned dark blue, as it should be, signaling that the first phase of the potion-making process was sessful.


    After that, he took out a single tear from the crying soul. It was filled with a shimmering light, reflecting the pain and sorrow it held within.


    The single tear dropped from the bottle andnded on the water, barely creating any ripples.


    He then continued putting exactly 100 grams of crunched dead bone in it and then continued with the captured light of the crimson.


    As he pointed the bottle containing the light towards the cauldron, Ambrose closed his eyes and whispered. "Listen to my voice, the Goddess of the Crimson. Grant me a fraction of your glorious power."


    After his voice traveled across the darkening sky, a crimson light shot out of the bottle and touched the dark blue water causing it to ripple and glow with an otherworldly radiance.


    The dark blue started changing colors, turning purple with otherworldly magnificence.


    Ambrose opened his eyes and let out a shortugh after seeing that the potion was perfectly purple, vastly different from his first attempt, which let out a stench of dead rats.


    This actually smelled pleasant.


    "I-Is it done?" Moriarty asked in pain.


    "There is one step left." Ambrose said, but then his body froze as he remembered one thing. "Uhh¡­ the blessing of the holy man. Oh fuck, you wouldn''t happen to be a priest?"


    "A-are you kidding me?" Moriarty looked at him with a twitching eyebrow. "No, I am not a fucking priest!"


    "Well then." Ambrose cleared his throat, put the cauldron back on the inventory, and said. "I suppose we need to ride back to Hightown, and quick, before the soul injury gets worse!"


    "Ah, shit!" Moriarty groaned in pain and struggled to get back to his horseback.


    However, Ambrose helped him and then mounted his own brown-maned horse.


    "I could fly you back." Ambrose said as they rode out of the abandoned town.


    "No thanks¡­" Moriarty said in pain. "I still have my pride as a man. I ain''t letting anyone carry me."


    "Fair enough." Ambrose chuckled. "Imagine that there aren''t any priests left."


    "D-don''t you fucking say that." Moriartyughed, even though it hurt his waist more. "If there aren''t any, I''ll kick your ass."


    "Go on, faster." Ambrose hurried the horse to gallop faster.


    The night was turning darker, and even if there were some priests left, the church might close before they arrived. Therefore, they had to hurry!

 Chapter 425 The Deacon

    <h4>Chapter 425 The Deacon </h4>


    ?Neigh!


    Two horses galloped through the nighttime streets of Hightown , their hooves pounding against the pavement as they raced towards their destination.


    Soon, they saw a dimly lit church in the distance, a small flicker of lighting from the boarded windows.


    The horses quickened the pace, and soon they arrived at the church, panting and covered in sweat.


    Ambrose leaped out of the back of the brown-maned horse and helped Moriarty off the saddle of his horse.


    "Argh¡­" Moriarty held his waist in pain, wincing as he tried to stand upright.


    The church looked abandoned, as if there wasn''t a single soul inside.


    Ambrose pushed open the heavy wooden door and stepped into the dark, musty interior.


    "Excuse me?"


    His echoing voice bounced off the walls, but there was no response.


    Smallnterns flickered in the beams, casting eerie shadows on the dpidated pews. The altar stood at the far end, covered in a thinyer of dust and cobwebs.


    "Are you kidding me?" Moriarty stumbled and leaned against the wall, barely managing to stand. "No one is here¡­"


    "Wait a second." Ambrose walked to the altar and knocked on one of the doors that led deeper into the church.


    "Hello, is anyone here?" Ambrose called out, hoping to receive any response.


    However, there was only silence echoing through the empty halls.


    "Sigh, damn it." He heaved a sigh of frustration and thought about what to do next.


    At that moment, the door slowly creaked open, even though there hadn''t been a single sounding from there before.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in surprise, and he came across a fatigued-looking man with wild, disheveled hair. He wore deacon''s robes, and his face bore a mixture of frustration and exhaustion.


    "Who are you?" The man asked, his voice filled with weariness, and clearly didn''t want to entertain any guests thiste.


    "Mister Priest, I need some help¡­" Moriarty walked to the altar while using the pews as support, his eyes looking hopeful.


    The man looked over to Moriarty and said, "Are you hurt, young man? What you need is a doctor."


    "N-no, this wound is only something you can heal." Moriarty stepped up the small stair steps to the altar.


    Ambrose took out the cauldron filled with a fascinating purple-colored liquid.


    "This is a potion that can heal my friend''s wound. It''s not something a doctor can heal, at least. We only need the priest''s blessing; that''s all."


    The man looked at the potion with an intriguing look and could tell that it was very special.


    However, he sighed and scratched the back of his head. "I am sorry, but I am not a priest. I am only a deacon¡­"


    "Ngh¡­" Moriarty winced in pain and frustratingly clenched his fist. "Damn¡­"


    "Can you call the priest, please?" Ambrose asked hopefully. "As you can see, my friend over there is suffering quite a bit."


    "The priest is dead¡­" The weathered-looking deacon said in pain. "Him, and¡­ all the others also died in that zombie outbreak. I am the only one left."


    Moriarty sat down heavily, feeling the depression of having to live with this pain for quite a while longer.


    Ambrose frowned in thought and said, "What we need is a holyman''s blessing. I am sure you count as well?"


    Moriarty''s eyes widened in realization, and he wondered whether it was really possible.


    "I am not sure¡­" The deacon paused for a moment before responding. "I guess we don''t lose anything by trying, but I don''t want to raise any false hopes. I have never actually blessed anyone before."


    "That''s good enough." Ambrose ced the cauldron on the altar and stepped aside to give the deacon space. "Just bless the potion."


    "I''ll try¡­" The deacon walked over to the cauldron and hovered his hand over it, then looked over to the altarpiece of the deity and began reciting some old biblical verses.


    Itsted for several minutes as the deacon chanted with unwavering conviction, his voice growing stronger with each word.


    Atst, the deacon pulled back his hand and looked at the unchanged potion with a worried gaze.


    "W-well, I did the blessing like I was taught to, but it doesn''t seem like anything is changed."


    "Well, we can only try it out." Ambrose took the cauldron and carried it over to Moriarty.


    "W-what if it doesn''t work?" Moriarty asked as he epted the heavy cauldron in his arms.


    "It shouldn''t kill you, at least if I did it correctly." Ambrose said. "However, if the blessing didn''t work, it would be as same as just drinking water; nothing would happen."


    "Whoo¡­" Moriarty took a deep breath, put his lips to the rim of the cauldron, and took a big gulp of the potion.


    He didn''t stop drinking, even for a moment, and drank it all with ravinous haste.


    After the cauldron was empty, he put it aside and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.


    "Did anything happen?" Ambrose asked.


    "I don''t think so¡­" Moriarty said, but then his stomach started rumbling, and the pain that had been wreaking havoc inside him for a couple of hours finally subsided.


    The whip-caused wound on his soul healed at rapid speed, leaving behind only a faint scar.


    "Ahh¡­" Moriarty let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "It worked."


    "Whew¡­" Ambrose heaved a sigh and shook the hand of the deacon. "Thank you for your help."


    "I am¡­ happy to be able to help." The deacon smiled warmly in response.


    After they finished their business at the church, they left, and the deacon watched as they departed.


    However, he had a strange feeling.


    "I swear I had seen him before." The deacon wondered. "Purple eyes, ck hair, and that face¡­ Hmm, where have I seen him?"


    He felt like he had an answer at the tip of his fingertips but couldn''t quite grasp it.


    "I swear I have seen a picture somewhere outside. I haven''t really gone outside since that day¡­ but I swear that face is familiar."


    The deacon picked up his coat and walked out of the church into the night air. He then took a short pause to collect his thoughts and take in the sight of the moonlit streets.


    After that, he left through the gated entrance and walked down a moonlit sidewalk for a short moment beforeing across a wall with pictures of missing people and flower arrangements on the ground.


    In the middle of all those pictures, there was a face of a handsome purple-eyed man, but there was a big X-cross over it, and below that, the word ''Enemy'' was written in bold, red letters.


    "It was him¡­" The deacon thought out loud in shock and stumbled back in surprise. "Ambrose, the ck Demon."


    However, he only felt surprised for a moment before shaking his head.


    "A poor fellow, why did hee here?" He wondered out loud. "Almost the entire town hates him for what they think he did.


    "However, the mayor said that he was innocent, and I believe his word, even though many don''t because they would rather believe some news sources."


    The deacon slipped his hands into his pockets and started walking back to the church without having any intention of reporting Ambrose''s location to any authorities.


    ¡­


    "After that, I have no intention to continue grinding." Moriarty held his waist as if he could still feel the pain. "Maybe I''ll sleep instead¡­"


    "Hmm, the tournament should start in the afternoon, right?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yeah, about." Moriarty nodded.


    "Where is your starting city?" Ambrose asked.


    "Amaterasu." Moriarty responded.


    "Well, then, that''s good. So it''s mine, should we go there now?" Ambrose asked.


    "What for?" Moriarty asked.


    "I want to see someone before the tournament," Ambrose said.


    "Fine by me." Moriarty removed his temporary spawn from Hightown and nodded with Ambrose as they logged off at the same time.


    The next time they logged back in, both appeared in the bustling market ce of Amaterasu.

 Chapter 426 Fortune Telling

    <h4>Chapter 426 Fortune Telling </h4>


    ?Moriarty covered his face with a mask to conceal his real identity.


    "You''re hiding your face?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Yeah, I am famous." Moriarty said, looking at him through the mask''s eye holes. "Your face is also quite popr. I would think a wanted man like yourself would want to stay hidden."


    "Well, this is enough for me." Ambrose equipped himself with a hooded cloak and pulled it over his head, casting a shadow over his face.


    Moriarty nodded and saw yers moving about in Amaterasu''s market ce.


    Most of them moved in groups of two, clearly spending thest day before the tournament with their teammates.


    However, there were also yers with signs looking for a teammate. Some yers who were looking for a teammate grouped up with another yer in a simr situation, while a few others wanted to look for a teammate of stronger caliber.


    Based on the yer''s clothing, they could tell whether they were weak or strong. If anyone wore beginner yers'' clothes, they would be ignored, as it was assumed that they were new yers.


    However, when they saw yers like Moriarty and Ambrose, who clearly looked like very experienced yers, theymanded respect and were seen as perfect potential teammates.


    But, since they were talking with each other, everyone already assumed that they were teammates.


    Moriarty leaned against a stall that sold delicious-looking apples, bought one, and took a big bite out of it.


    "You''re going to meet someone now?" He asked as he took another bite.


    "Yeah, what about you?" Ambrose asked. "You''re going to sleep?"


    "Yeah, I have some videos I need to upload before, though." Moriarty said, and swallowed the rest of the apple. "Let''s meet here an hour before the tournament."


    "Sounds like a n." Ambrose slipped his hands inside his pocket and disappeared into the crowd, leaving like a shadow.


    Moriarty tossed away the remnants of the apple and wiped his hands on his pants. He then looked around for a secluded ce to log off.


    However, as he moved past a few of the stalls, he heard a voice calling towards him.


    "Hello, young man behind the mask." A wrinkly-faced woman sat behind one of the stalls, shuffling a worn-out card deck. "Interested in a game of fortune-telling?"


    Moriarty looked at her silently and took a seat across from her.


    "I don''t mind indulging in a little bit of fun," Moriarty replied while stroking his chin.


    "What do you wish to know?" The wrinkly-faced fortune teller shuffled the deck one more time. "How do you die? Who''ll you marry? Or perhaps something from the near future."


    "I would like to know my future for the following few weeks." Moriarty crossed his legs with an intrigued smile.


    "Heh, that''s fine as well." She cackled and put down three cards, all facing down on the table.


    "Ready, young man?" She asked. "Also, remember, the future is not set in stone. It can always change depending on your actions."


    ''Sounds like a scam to me.'' Moriarty crossed his legs andzily waved his hand. "Go on."


    The fortune teller smiled knowningly, and flipped over the first card.


    The first card revealed a picture of a raging storm, symbolizing the immense challenges and obstacles ahead.


    "The following weeks will hold the biggest challenges you''ve faced in your life yet." She said.


    Moriarty nodded, expecting as much. ''The tournament won''t be smooth sailing; I never expected it to be.''


    The fortune teller then flipped up the second card.


    The second card showed a picture of two hands reaching for each other, symbolizing the need for cooperation and unity during this time.


    "However, you are not alone in those challenges." She said with an intrigued look. "Cooperation is the key to oveing them."


    "Hmm, what about thest one?" Moriarty asked.


    She flipped up the final card, and it showed a picture of a puzzle with two weapons crossed over it.


    "That''s a difficult one to decipher." She furrowed her brows in deep concentration and said, "There will be a sh of two opposing wills. The oue will be unpredictable and potentially dangerous."


    "What does that mean?" Moriarty asked with a frown.


    "It''s a puzzle." She said. "Anomaly of the puzzles. It has many solutions, but each solution leads to a different oue. From what I can tell, the sh between these two wills could have various potential oues, making it impossible to determine the exact result.


    "You can waltz to glory and victory, or get overshadowed and defeated. It all depends on how you''ll unravel the puzzle."


    "Can I get the card?" Moriarty opened his palm and asked with a serious expression on his face.


    The fortune teller picked up the puzzle card, nodded with a kind smile, and handed it over to him.


    "Don''t try to think too much about your future, or it will ruin you."


    Moriarty pocketed the card, paid roughly five silver coins, and left the stall with a sense of curiosity and unease swirling in his mind.


    He then took the card out and looked at it onest time before tucking it safely into his pocket.


    Little did he know that this simple card would be the catalyst for a chain of events that would change his life forever.


    ¡­


    Creak¡ªa window opened to a dark room, and a cloaked figure entered the room through it.


    A beautiful body was lying motionless in the bed, and as the figure approached, the nket slowly slid off to reveal it.


    She was breathing calmly, her chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm.


    Ambrose sat on the bed, but before he could even let another breath in, the beautiful young woman opened her red eyes, pulled out the knife, and ced it on his neck.


    "T-that was pretty nice." Ambrose managed to stammer out, and he let out a chuckle. "Your speed has increased. You''ve leveled up?"


    "You little creep," Be whispered in his ear. "Sneaking to women''s rooms in the middle of the night."


    "Hmm?" Ambrose smiled in surprise. "You sound different."


    Be blushed and moved the knife away. "Lottie taught me how to speak naughtily; was it good?"


    "Who is Lottie?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "She is your student." Be said. "She is nice. She is only a white belt, but she is still way better than me."


    "Oh, I am still not familiar with each one of my students." Ambrose smiled and looked over his shoulder at her. "You''re all right? The update went smoothly?"


    "Yeah, it was dark as before, and I only floated in that dark void." Be then showed a sweet smile and cheerfully said, "But it wasn''t as bad asst time!"


    "Good." Ambrose smiled. "Have you read the patch notes?"


    "Yup." Be nodded. "I went to search for the Bath of Spiritual Animal yesterday and found it. I''ll probably go there tomorrow."


    Ambrose nodded and said, "About the tournament, you probably expected it, but I am joining it. It might take another few weeks before we meet again."


    "I expected as much¡­" Be''s voice trailed off with a hint of sadness, and she hugged her nket. "Who are you teaming up with?"


    "A guy called Moriarty." Ambrose said. "You don''t know him, but he sought me out, and I think we can go very far. He is very powerful."


    "Nn." Be nodded. "I cheer for you. I hope it''s possible to watch the tournament from here."


    Ambrose nodded and then hesitated for a moment before saying. "Did you know that the tournament''s finals happen in Loch City?"


    "It does?" Be''s voice turned high with surprise.


    "Yeah, and if I qualify for the tournament¡­" Ambrose looked at her. "I would like to visit you at the hospital."


    Be''s voice stopped, and she hugged her legs tight to her chest. "I¡­ am not too sure. The car crash might''ve disfigured me or something¡­ I don''t want you to see me in that state."


    "Your avatar takes on the appearance of your real-life self." Ambrose pinched her cheek and said, "You''re as beautiful in there as you are in here."


    "All right." Be smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "I am at Loch City''s Martial Hospital. As the name suggests, it''s owned by the Martial Company.


    "After the incident, my father created his own hospital, hired all the top-of-the-line doctors from all around the globe, and built state-of-the-art facilities to provide the best medical care possible.


    "They were never able to do what they were hired to do, though: cure me and my mother, but it''s still one of the best hospitals in the world."


    "I suppose visiting you won''t be as easy as just walking and signing in?" Ambrose wryly smiled.


    Be giggled and shook her head. "I am guarded and visited by doctors all around the clock. Good luck."


    She kissed him on the cheek andid down on the bed.


    Ambroseid beside her, ced his arm under his head, and closed his eyes with calm breathing.


    Tomorrow was perhaps his most important day so far. The start of the tournament.

 Chapter 427 Day of the Tournament

    <h4>Chapter 427 Day of the Tournament </h4>


    ?At a well-furnished house, Moriarty sat on theputer and used the mouse to draw a card from his memory alone.


    It looked rather shabby, but it was good enough to get an idea of what the drawing was about.


    Knock, knock.


    "Come in." Moriarty responded to the knocking.


    The door opened, and Daniel Greedforth entered the room with stacks of papers in his hands.


    "I finished the research you asked for," Daniel said, cing the papers on the desk.


    Moriarty flipped through the papers and nodded. "Good job. I have another question."


    "What is it, sir?" Daniel asked, not caring whether the clock had already shown past midnight.


    He waspletely dedicated to his work as Moriarty''s manager.


    "What do you think this depicts?" Moriarty looked at the screen with a drawn picture of the card.


    "A puzzle?" Daniel frowned and pointed at the cross. "This cross... what are those?"


    "Supposed to be weapons." Moriarty stroked his chin thoughtfully. "This is supposed to portray my future."


    "I didn''t think you were into fortune-telling." Daniel said it in surprise. "But what I think... well, the puzzle thing might hint towards a future where you''ll need to solve some kind of puzzle.


    "Those two weapons are crossing; you might have to fight through the puzzle."


    "That is the easy solution." Moriarty said. "However, the fortune teller said that there are multiple solutions. It mustn''t be so simple."


    "Well, truthfully spoken, the fortune teller sounds like a hoax." Daniel said. "Keeping it vague so that one wouldn''t be able to argue that the fortune-telling is a scam."


    "Perhaps." Moriarty closed the drawing app and said, "You can go now. I''ll want to rest before the tournament."


    "Very well, sir." Daniel nodded and said, "Good luck for the tournament."


    Daniel sounded a little nervous, as the sess of the tournament wasn''t only important to Moriarty; it was also important to him.


    If Moriarty lost his sponsors and credibility as a powerful yer, he would miss out on future opportunities and potentially face financial ruin.


    That would put Daniel''s job in jeopardy, and he would be left scrambling for a new source of ie.


    This job was a golden opportunity for him, and he had worked tirelessly to secure it.


    "You sound nervous, Daniel." Moriarty said, hearing the tremor in Daniel''s voice. "Not confident, huh?"


    "I am confident in your strength, sir." Daniel said. "But, Ambrose. He is a nobody."


    "Nobody, huh." Moriarty chuckled. "Maybe in the eyes of someone like you. But Iam certain that I am not the only yer who can tell that he might be a powerful adversary.


    "People aren''t blind, and he is the yer with the highest bounty currently. It''s rue that a high bounty can be achieved by doing hideous deeds basically every day, and it doesn''t always transfer to strength.


    "However, if he was weak, he would''ve been captured a long time ago."


    "Of course I have heard people talking about Ambrose." Daniel said. "He is more popr than he probably even thinks he is, especially among the Golden Society."


    The Golden Society was a group of top-level yers, and all their associations were part of that. They shared information, strategies, and resources to stay ahead in the game.


    Moriarty was part of that, as were all the streamers in the top 30 rankings.


    "You still think he is nobody?" Moriarty chuckled.


    "Well, he pales inparison to the others in the Golden Society." Daniel said. "There were others who would''ve liked to team up with you. This is a risky gamble, relying on him."


    "I don''t like them." Moriarty said sternly. "Zadkiel, Samuel, Mch, and Evangelia. They reached the top rankings just because of their strength, but they used their different personalities to build their ownmunities.


    "I have tried hard to pass even one of them in the rankings, but I am trapped in fifth ce." Moriarty narrowed his eyes. "They are indeed powerful."


    "Why didn''t you?" Daniel asked. "Evangelia would''ve loved to. She is powerful and loved by many. You two would''ve been one of the most popr teams."


    "I want to win!" Moriarty mmed his fist on the desk, breaking it in half with an amazing show of strength.


    Daniel paled and bowed hurriedly, sweat beading on his forehead.


    "I cannot win with Evangelia." Moriarty said venomously. "Not against Zadkiel."


    "W-what about teaming with Zadkiel?"


    "Not with him." Moriarty chuckled angrily. "Not with that bastard. What I need is an anomaly to take everyone by surprise. Ambrose is indeed a gamble, but do you think I can win by taking it safe?


    "No!"


    His shout rattled the room, causing Daniel to flinch and take a step back.


    "I don''t want to be fifth, fourth, third, or second in the tournament." Moriarty looked at his manager with a crazed look. "I''ll win."


    "I-I understand. Sorry for my insolent, foolish words." Daniel quickly apologized, hoping to defuse the tense situation. "You two will win, for sure!"


    Moriarty intertwined his fingers and closed his eyes. His heart was pounding against his chest, and nothing he did could calm his nervousness.


    Soon, his life''s most important few weeks would begin. A single mistake could cost him everything he had worked for.


    ''Calm down, you piece of shit.'' Moriarty gritted his teeth. ''You want to be the same nobody as you were before, huh? If not, then do your fucking work properly without any mistakes.''


    ¡­


    In the skies above Amaterasu, a countdown ticked down to the start of the tournament, and only an hour remained.


    Millions of yers had gathered in Amaterasu, manying from other ces just for this special event.


    All the major cities had the biggest activity since the release date of Martial Online.


    At the market, it had a very festive feeling, as if there were a grand celebration happening.


    During thest night, a small update came that didn''t shut down the servers but added decorations and stuff for the tournament, such as the capability of watching the tournament from inside the game.


    Ambrose walked down the streets, taking in the sights and sounds of the bustling city.


    A dancing woman caught his eye, her graceful movements captivating the crowd around her. She was dancing to a lively tune, her body swaying in perfect harmony with the music.


    After she was done, she received thunderous apuse from the mesmerized audience. She smiled, epted silver coins, and curtsied gracefully before exiting the stage.


    Ambrose soon found Moriarty sitting in an outside cafe, wearing the same mask as the night before, and sipping a cup of tea while looking at the celebrations.


    He looked calm and steady, as if his most important moment wasn''t only an hour away.


    Ambrose was about to head over to him, but then the flower seller approached him and handed him a rose with a warm smile.


    He looked at the little girl, handed her silver coins, and thanked her for the rose.


    After she left to sell more roses, he put the rose on his ear and took a seat at the same table as Moriarty.


    "What''s up with the rose?" Moriarty looked through the mask''s eyeholes and asked. "And you aren''t wearing your cloak today, why?"


    "It''s nice weather." Ambrose rxed as the sunlight fell over their table. "It would be a waste to hide from the sun. Besides, I don''t think anyone will recognize me here. There are way too many people here."


    It was hard to hear Moriarty''s and even his own voice because of the loud chatter andughter filling the air.


    "Hmm, true." Moriarty removed the mask and ruffled his hair. "You nervous?"


    "Little, you?" Ambrose asked.


    "No." Moriarty shook his head. "I am locked and loaded. Ready to go."

 Chapter 428 The Start of the Tournament

    <h4>Chapter 428 The Start of the Tournament </h4>


    ?Floating cameras flew in the skies of Amaterasu, capturing the bustling atmosphere of the city below.


    A group of yers, who were sitting on one of the t roofs of a two-story building, caught one of the cameras and cheered loudly while holding it triumphantly above their heads.


    Down in the streets, people looked up to them and cheered in response while spilling their alcoholic beverages.


    It felt like a massive festival hade to the city, bringing joy and celebration to every corner.


    "Fricking tournament!" A fade-haired man stood on a shaky table, raising his ss high towards the countdown. "I''ll win it, you''ll see!"


    "You fool, you''ll fall down!" One of his friends shouted, while the rest burst intoughter at their friend''s overconfidence.


    They were partying at the local tavern, and since the interior was full, they spilled out onto the crowded patio.


    From there, they could see the swarmed streets with music andughter wafting from all corners of the city.


    "Tch, no faith, huh?" The faded-haired yer clicked his tongue and drank from his ss. "Burp! When I be famous, you guys will regret doubting me!"


    "You''re drunk!" His friendsughed. "The tournament is only thirty minutes away. Can you even stand properly, let alone win?"


    A small-nosed man sat silently at the same table while wryly smiling. He was the faded-haired yer''s teammate, but after seeing his antics, he began to doubt their chances of winning the tournament.


    "Pah, it''s only the first day!" The faded-haired yer shouted withughter. "This will be a breeze. I''ll only take the finals seriously, y''see!"


    His friends rolled their eyes and resumed drinking while partying and waiting for the countdown to reach zero. They were all participating, but only for fun.


    However, the faded-haired yer had always been a verypetitive person, and whether it was the local ser tournament or a casual game of cards at a friend''s house, he always gave it his all.


    But his greatest weakness was his addiction to alcohol and partying. It had often led to him making poor decisions and jeopardizing his rtionships and career.


    "Burp¡­" He burped and looked at the sky with a dazed look. "Burp! I-I''ll win¡­"


    At the Whispering Pages, Emma looked through the window at the party outside and eximed. "Be, can we go?"


    "Where to?" Be walked to her and looked at the countdown in the sky with a nervous expression.


    She wasn''t nervous for herself, but for her boyfriend and whether he would be really able to qualify for the finals in Loch City and eventuallye to visit her in the hospital.


    She knew it wouldn''t be easy, considering that this was perhaps the toughestpetition in the world right now.


    "Anywhere!" Emma looked excited. "It looks so fun outside!"


    "Mm¡­" Be looked at the excited girl, smiled, and held her hand. "Sure!"


    "Yay!"


    They left the store, and the open sign on the door flipped to closed.


    At the center of the market, an aspiring reporter working for a small local news station walked to different yers, asking for their expectations for the tournament.


    She was followed by her cameraman, who captured their responses on film.


    At this moment, she found a few yers enjoying themselves among the festivities.


    After introducing herself to them, she asked. "What are your goals in the tournament? Are you ying only for fun or for money?"


    "We''re going to win, of course!" The yers shouted to the camera with drunken confidence.


    The reporter forced a smile and said something to the camera before moving on to other yers. She had heard the same boastful response from over a dozen yers already.


    She couldn''t understand how they could even think such a thing was possible. This wasn''t some magical fairytale world where anything could happen.


    Wherever she looked in the streets, she could only see faces that, in her opinion, wouldn''t make it even past the first round that would start in about 25 minutes.


    "Sigh." She massaged her temples and tried to find another team to interview.


    At that moment, she saw two yers sitting in front of a cafe and decided to approach them.


    "Excuse me, may I interview you two?" She asked with a sweet smile on her face that had made her quite popr in her small town.


    "Sure." Moriarty showed a charming smile, and motioned for her to continue.


    Ambrose crossed his fingers and curiously waited to hear what questions she had in store for them.


    ''These guys are so handsome!'' She thought inwardly, her reporter instincts firing up. ''Maybe I''ll be able to get some clicks for my article with their faces!''


    "What are your two''s expectations for the tournament?" She asked, her voice filled with anticipation.


    "Easy." Moriarty wrapped his arm around Ambrose''s shoulder and grinned. "Win!"


    Ambrose calmly sipped his tea while silently nodding in agreement.


    The reporter slightly sighed in disappointment as she hoped for another kind of answer. However, she still nned to add their interview to the article.


    The reporter thanked them for the interview and wished them luck in the tournament.


    After she and her cameraman departed, Ambrose said: "Win, huh."


    "I ain''t lying when I say that should be our ultimate goal." Moriarty said and took a sip of his tea. "I''ve worked too hard to settle for anything else than first ce."


    "Let''s win then." Ambrose said calmly, as if he just didn''t say something truly shocking.


    "Heh." Moriarty grinned. "When you say it like that, it sounds quite simple."


    "There is no need to oveplicate things." Ambrose said. "Let''s just do our best and see where it takes us."


    Moriarty shook his head, not agreeing that it was quite as simple as he said, and looked to the sky towards the floating countdown.


    It ticked down with rming speed.


    The yers slowly stopped their partying and found a ce with their teammates to watch the remaining countdown tick down.


    As the time for the fated event drew near, tension filled the air, and the hidden nervousness started kicking in.


    It didn''t matter just how boastful one was or confident in their abilities; when the time to truly show what they were made of grew near, all doubts and insecurities began to surface.


    Ba-dump!


    Ba-dump!


    The countdown reached the final minute, and all the yers counted down inside their minds.


    59¡­


    58¡­


    57¡­


    As the time continued to tick away, the tension in the air became palpable. The pressure was mounting, and the weight of expectations was almost suffocating.


    This tournament was a dream to many, as by just qualifying for the finals, they would reach an unprecedented amount of fame and wealth that would be able to change their lives forever.


    Moriarty''s hands started trembling, and his palms grew mmy with sweat. His foot began tapping uncontrobly on the floor, revealing his nervousness.


    Ambrose nced over at Moriarty with slight concern and didn''t think he would be this nervous. It made him wonder just what kind of expectations Moriarty was facing.


    ''I am pretty nervous too.'' Ambrose thought while feeling his racing heartbeat. ''I probably shouldn''t have spoken to Be about Loch City. Now, I gave her some false hope that I might visit her.


    ''If I fail and don''t reach the finals, I will let her down.''


    He then slowly clenched his hand into a fist and took a deep breath.


    "Whoo¡­" Ambrose''s star-pupiled eye shone brightly. ''Under the weight of my sword swings, everything perishes.''


    The countdown reached the final ten seconds.


    In that moment, all the yers started shouting the countdown in unison, their voices echoing throughout the city.


    "9!"


    "8!"


    "7!"


    "6!"


    "5!"


    "4!"


    "3!"


    "2!"


    "1!"


    At that moment, the countdown reached zero, and hundreds of millions of yers vanished like mirages, leaving behind empty spaces and a bewildered silence.


    On one of the streets, Emma looked around with a bewildered look. "T-they all disappeared¡­"


    Be looked surprised, but then a holographic screen appeared in front of them.


    [Do you wish to spectate the tournament?]


    [Yes/No]


    Be and Emma didn''t even have to discuss it as they pressed yes, and they also disappeared from Amaterasu.


    Whether it was in reality or in the game, all the cities and streets looked deserted and devoid of any signs of life.


    It was because everyone had retreated indoors to spectate the highly anticipated tournament!

 Chapter 429 The Race

    <h4>Chapter 429 The Race </h4>


    ?Moriarty and Ambrose slowly opened their eyes after they got attacked by a bright sh of light.


    However, as soon as they did, they came across a spectacr sight.


    They were surrounded by a sea of yers, and it was impossible to count them all as there were simply too many!


    Surprisingly enough, they didn''t hear any sound, even though one would expect that it would be loud enough to not be able to even hear their own thoughts!


    "What in the world?" Moriarty looked equally surprised and looked around at the other yers in astonishment.


    All the yers near him were equally shocked and tried to speak to others, but it looked like others except their teammates were able to hear them.


    "Just how many yers are here¡­" Ambrose thought out loud with a shocked look.


    "These must be all the registered yers." Moriarty said. "Last time, I heard half a billion teams were registered, meaning at least over a billion yers!"


    "I guess this must be the highest number of people gathered in the same ce at once." Ambrose said with a truly impressed look. "That also means these are all our opponents."


    When they looked across the sea of yers, which spanned probably hundreds of kilometers in every direction, they felt quite intimidated by the sheer scale of thepetition.


    At that moment, an enormous figure emerged from the sky, casting a shadow across the entirend of yers. The figure was big enough to be seen hundreds of kilometers away.


    "Hello, everyone." His voice sounded calm and not overly loud, but still, all the yers were easily able to hear him as if he were talking just beside them.


    "My name is Graham Loch, the Game Master of Martial Online." He spread his arms around and proudly dered: "And this is the Tournament of Champions."


    ''That must be Be''s father.'' Ambrose thought while being under heavy pressure, but inwardly, he added, ''Father-inw.''


    "As you can see, you are surrounded by your fellowpetitors." Graham said, and he pointed his enormous finger across the air. "You may wonder where you are right now."


    "Well, you are in a different dimension." He said as if that were just some casual fact. "As some of you might remember, the new update contained Dojo Wars, which will also take part in different dimensions, but in much smaller ones.


    "This dimension is almost as big as the real one, and this is where the first round will be held.


    "The first round, The Race, is as simple as it sounds. It is a race to the finishing line, and the first 10,000 teams to cross it will qualify for the second round."


    He then waved his hand, and a massive screen appeared in the sky. It showed three different sections.


    The first one disyed a shabby-looking wastnd that had experienced droughts. It looked like it was inhabitable and unfit for any form of life.


    "The first section is a hundred-kilometer-long run across the deste wastnd. However, it won''t be as dull as that; don''t worry. We added some extra elements to make it exciting.


    "Such as, you''ll now be able to feel hunger and thirst, and those will be luxuries that you''ll have to manage carefully to survive if you happen to find them before they are taken by other yers.


    "There won''t be enough for everyone, so you have to hurry up~"


    The second screen then showed a rocky mountain towering across the destend, and it looked treacherous and deadly.


    "The second section is this one." Graham pointed at the second screen. "You and your teammate have to climb to the summit before reaching the final straight to the finishing line."


    Snap¡ªhe then snapped his fingers and showed the third screen.


    It showed a road made of clouds that led straight to a golden finishing line in the sky.


    "And the final straight to the finishing line." Graham smiled. "However, be careful not to fall down from the cloud road; otherwise, you''ll have a big fall to the ground below."


    After yers heard that, they became more cautious and started thinking about the sections.


    It sounded like they wouldn''t be able to only focus on their own race. All the yers would be able to sabotage them, such as by shoving them off the cloud road near the finishing line!


    Their eyes narrowed in suspiciousness, and they eyed theirpetition intently.


    "Like I said, 10,000 teams that first cross the finishing line will qualify, and the rest will be disqualified." Graham said and made the screens disappear. "However, it won''t be as simple as that."


    Everyone again turned quiet and turned to look at the Game Master with great intensity.


    Snap¡ªGraham again snapped his fingers, and all the yers had their hands and legs tied to their teammates.


    "For the race, you''ll be tied to your teammate, literally." Graham smiled. "Also, your levels are reduced to level one."


    Moriarty''s and Ambrose''s eyes widened in surprise, and as they checked their interface, they saw that they were back to level one.


    "This¡­" Moriarty narrowed his eyes and looked at his hand, which was tied together with Ambrose''s hand. "This is unexpected."


    "¡­" Ambrose tried toprehend the new information. "Even the strongest yer in the world can get disqualified in the first round if they aren''t fit enough."


    "Mm, that''s very harsh." Moriartyughed. "However, this is quite exciting!"


    "I agree." Ambrose smiled. "The first round will test our real physical abilities without any help from our stats. It will truly separate the skilled yers from the rest."


    "However, have you seen this?" Moriarty looked behind the sea of the yers and said, "Some yers start hundreds of kilometers away from the starting point. They are at a huge disadvantage."


    "I noticed the same." Ambrose said. "There''re simply too many yers to put them all on the same starting line. I don''t think they underestimated their tournament''s poprity."


    "Yeah." Moriarty nodded. "Luckily, we are rather close to the starting line, perhaps a dozen kilometers away."


    "I wonder how they decided where yers start." Ambrose thought out loud. "It would suck if it''spletely random."


    "Let''s just focus on this for now." Moriarty said and started stretching his limbs. "Once the race starts, everyone will rush at the same time. It will be fucking chaos."


    "Yeah." Ambrose sighed. ''Because levels got reset, I lost my Formlessness and all of my skills. With Formlessness, I could just fly with Moriarty and win this easily. But I guess it won''t be as simple as that.''


    "Once the countdown reaches zero, the race will start." Graham snapped his fingers, and an enormous countdown appeared above him, already ticking down from one minute.


    "Now, if you''ll check your interface, you can see your own ranking and how many teams have finished. Good luck, and may the best team win."


    As he snapped his fingers, he disappeared into specks of light.


    Moriarty quickly checked the interface.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill]


    [Ranking: 1,578,056]


    [Teams Finished: 0]


    He then turned his focus on the countdown and gulped nervously.


    The countdown quickly reached zero, and a loud gunshot echoed throughout the air as the signal of the beginning of the race.


    "Argh!" Moriarty and Ambrose instantly took off, but after their first step, they almost tripped, as did the rest of the racers.


    "Shit, we''ll need cooperation!" Moriarty shouted. "We can''t afford to stumble over each other!"


    "I''ll follow your rhythm. Let''s go!" Ambrose shouted, and then they fell into a synchronized rhythm, and even though it looked quite difficult at first, they started to hang over it.


    However, they soon reached their final obstacle as they tried to pass the teams in front of them, but it was impossible because all the yers were pushing and bumping shoulders in a chaotic frenzy.


    There simply wasn''t any space to pass!


    That was the trouble of having over one billion yers in the same race.

 Chapter 430 The Tag Fighting

    <h4>Chapter 430 The Tag Fighting </h4>


    ?A mind-breaking sight was happening on the livestream of the tournament.


    The watchers were in awe at the sight of billions of yers running. It was a sight that was hard to forget, leaving asting impression on everyone who witnessed it.


    "Let''s push through!" Moriarty shouted, tackled the yers in front of him to the ground, and then stomped on their fallen bodies as he forcefully passed them.


    "H-hey, you bastards!" The yers screamed with hostility, but no one except their teammates managed to hear those words.


    Ambrose shoved yers on their backs and pushed his way through the chaos. He and Moriarty started to gain some positions in the total rankings.


    They ran for who knows how long, but it was painfully slow and exhausting as they had to push through yers like obstacles.


    However, eventually, they saw that they had run over the starting line and had actually just taken the first proper steps in the race.


    But then they saw that the yers had started to spread more as there was more space in the barren wastnd.


    They also saw that there were wretched-looking buildings scattered across the wastnd, but not many yers paid any attention to them as their attention was only on the looming mountain in the distance.


    Moriarty and Ambrose finally had enough room to run without bumping shoulders and colliding with others. It caused their speed to increase, and they started to pass other yers with ease.


    It was clear that other teams eithercked physical fitness or coordination to keep up with them.


    "These buildings." Moriarty breathed quite steadily, as if the intense physical activity hadn''t affected him. "Should we go check them out?"


    "The game master wouldn''t have mentioned the hunger and thirst aspects if those weren''t going to be a problem." Ambrose said while moving along Moriarty''s running rhythm. "Those buildings might have food and water."


    "I thought of the same." Moriarty said. "Let''s hurry up!"


    "Nn." Ambrose nodded, picking up their pace and focusing on reaching the buildings as quickly as possible.


    ¡­


    Mark Rothsmith watched the ongoings of the tournament through a wide theater screen in his own private viewing room.


    He wasn''t alone, as he was joined by some other members of the Rothsmith family.


    "Sigh, so pathetic." Mark muttered under his breath, shaking his head in disappointment. "This is the best team you could create?"


    "S-sir, Sunseeker, and Moonshadow are extremely skilled fighters!" A thin-faced member of the Rothsmith family said: "They had also experience working together in the past, which gives them a strong advantage over other teams."


    "Can they win, though?" Mark asked sternly.


    "U-uh¡­" The thin-faced man looked troubled. "T-they can reach the finals, b-but, winning is already extremely hard!"


    "Hmph." Mark pinched his be in annoyance. "After the first round, all the qualified teams will be revealed on the Inte, and we can finally see which teams look strongest.


    "Then we can start analyzing just how far we can actually reach, but this is indeed pathetic that we couldn''t get someone from the top 10 in ForeverStream''s rankings. Sigh!"


    Percy and Nyx continued watching the tournament in silence. They were only here because Mark invited them. They didn''t have as big expectations as the others.


    ¡­


    In Rothsmith Estate.


    Jack and Annaid on a sofa, embracing each other while looking at the tournament through the television. They were enjoying a cozy evening together and were curious to see how the tournament would unfold.


    "Emma said that Jesse is taking part in the tournament." Anna looked at the screen where millions of yers ran about. "I wonder if he is among them."


    She pointed at the screen where millions of yers ran about, wondering whether Jesse was one of them.


    "I heard that there are half a billion teams participating." Jack wryly smiled. "Qualifying is extremely unlikely given the fiercepetition."


    "Come on, have some faith in our son." Anna smiled encouragingly.


    "Well, I hope the incident at Christmas didn''t faze him." Jack said. "First, the Christmas party, and there was that one servant¡­ Sigh, it''s bad for mental health."


    "I saw him earlier today, and he seemed fine." Anna said thoughtfully. "I had breakfast with him, and he seemedpletely unaffected by the incident."


    "Hmm¡­" Jack shrugged his shoulders. "That''s good, then. If Jesse doesn''t qualify, he might feel bad, so maybe we should make his favorite food. I feel like he puts high expectations on himself."


    "Mm, I can do that." Anna said and smiled. "But I still believe in him."


    "Haha, I believe in him too." Jackughed. "Where is Emma, by the way?"


    "She is still ying, as far as I know." Anna said.


    ¡­


    At the tournament dimension, Be and Emma appeared in a small, closed room with a leather sofa and a window overlooking the race.


    To everyone else, the small, closed room was invisible, as every spectator had their own room.


    Be pulled up a few more screens to disy different angles of the race.


    Emma jumped on the sofa and excitedly looked through the window at the race. "Where is my brother?"


    "Umm, I am not sure whether it will be too easy to find him." Be said with a giggle, and sat beside her while navigating through the camera angles on the screen.


    It was absolute mayhem on the race as all the yers shoved each other and used other yers as footstools to gain an advantage.


    ¡­


    Moriarty stumbled inside one of the abandoned houses, while Ambrose awkwardly followed after him.


    "L-let''s hurry; each second we spend here, we lose a hundred more spots." Moriarty said, and he rushed upstairs while basically dragging Ambrose behind him.


    As they stummed through the dark and dpidated rooms, they came across two yers scavenging for supplies. They found a paper bag filled with canned food and a first-aid kit.


    "Ugh!" They turned to the door after hearing footsteps and saw the two enter the room.


    "T-tough luck, we found these first, haha!" The yers smirked and waved the paper bag in the air. However, they were panting and visibly injured, suggesting they had been through a difficult ordeal.


    "Did the rules forbid fighting?" Moriary turned to Ambrose and asked with a smirk.


    "No, the only rule is to reach the finishing line." Ambrose replied.


    The yers looked at each other, and one of them pulled out a knife, which they found in this very room.


    "You sure?" A shoulder-length-haired yer asked while pointing the knife at them. "Well, what now, tough guy? I can see yers running past the windows, and we are losing more positions every second.


    "I would rather not waste any more time, as I possess a weapon and you two do not; therefore, I can easily kill you both. So, piss off!"


    "Assist me!" Moriarty shouted, and he lunged at the knife-


    wielding man.


    Ambrose quickly followed after him, as he didn''t want to identally hinder Moriarty''s fighting capabilities. It was already very hard for him to fight, as he only had one hand and one leg to use.


    The shoulder-length-haired yer tugged his teammate behind him and swung his knife at Moriarty very awkwardly, as he felt like he was fighting with chains on his limbs.


    Ambrose pulled Moriarty back to him and helped him dodge the knife strike.


    Moriarty clumsily kicked his leg up and kicked the knife out of the shoulder-length-haired yer''s hand.


    "Argh!" The shoulder-length-haired yer swung his teammate at Moriarty, using his friend as a human shield, and pushed Moriarty to the ground.


    "Ngh!" Moriarty groaned as he hit the ground.


    Smack!


    Ambrosended his punch across the shoulder-length-haired yer''s face and caused both him and his teammate to fall to the ground in a heap.


    Moriarty picked up the fallen knife from the ground and stabbed it between the shoulder-length-haired yer''s eyes, ending his life.


    "Nooo!" The shoulder-length-haired yer screamed in despair. "I-I can''t lose alrea¡ª"


    After his final scream, he died, and followed that, his teammate let out a scream, and he also vanished.


    "So, if one person in the team dies, the whole team gets disqualified." Moriarty took a deep breath, and Ambrose offered a hand to him, then pulled him back to his feet.

 Chapter 431 Knife Vs. Sumo

    <h4>Chapter 431 Knife Vs. Sumo </h4>


    ?Ambrose snapped the sandwich in half and handed the other half to Moriarty.


    "We should hurry." Moriarty ced the sandwich in his inventory and put the knife in his trousers.


    Ambrose munched on the sandwich and said, "Let''s just take a moment and think this through, all right?"


    "We can''t." Moriarty said that and tossed him the medicine. "Keep them safe in your inventory. We should move, as we have already lost almost a hundred thousand positions in here."


    Ambrose stored the medicine in his inventory and agreed with Moriarty silently, even though he felt like he was way too impatient.


    After he closed the inventory, he checked the interface and realized that they didn''t get any experience points after killing the yers.


    All their skills, stats, items, and weapons had vanished without a trace. The only things avable were found in these houses, and Ambrose was certain that it wouldn''t take long before others found out.


    That''s why he would''ve preferred to continue scavenging these buildings and perhaps find some new gear that could perhaps help them climb the uing mountain.


    After they tossed away the paper bag, as they had no need for it, they left the house and continued their journey down the barren wastnd.


    At that moment, some screaming came from the front, and yers were sent flying through the air.


    Moriarty grabbed the knife, which was tucked inside his trousers, and saw as all the yers in front of them avoided the path in front like it was a death trap.


    Atst, they saw a bare-chested man shove yers out of the way with incredible strength. It made others wonder whether he was even a level 1 yer or some kind of superhuman.


    "Aaargh,e on!" Yokozuna pounded his fists against his chest like a gori. "I hate running!"


    "Come on, boss." His teammate, Ozeki, desperately tried to calm him down before they wasted too much time and energy.


    "Let''s go around them." Ambrose suggested, as he didn''t think it was worthwhile to go through them.


    "These are powerful yers." Moriarty said it with a serious expression on his face.


    "Yokozuna and Ozeki. I''ve heard about them. They are real-life sumo fighters and have won several tournaments together.


    "They are leaders of one of the strongest Brawler-ss dojos and are a force to be reckoned with. If we can get rid of them here, it would be very good for future rounds."


    "You think we can do it without our skills and stats?" Ambrose asked. "If they really are sumo fighters, they have fighting experience, and that makes them very formidable."


    "True, but I have the knife." Moriarty said, and he shed a devious smile.


    "Fine, I''ll boost you." Ambrose agreed reluctantly, grabbed Moriarty by the back of his shirt, and hurled him towards the sumo fighters.


    Ambrose had to instantly jump after him; otherwise, the rope that bound their limbs together would''ve pulled Moriarty right back to him.


    "Haaa!" Moriarty yelled as he sailed through the air with a knife in hand.


    However, then Yokozuna grabbed Moriarty mid-flight and mmed him down onto the ground.


    [-20 HP]


    [Moriarty: 80/100 HP]


    "Ngh!" Moriarty flicked the knife around in his hand and stabbed it into Yokozuna''s shoulder.


    [-25 HP]


    [Yokozuna: 75/100 HP]


    "Ugh." Yokozuna winced but quickly retaliated by delivering a powerful punch to Moriarty''s gut.


    Smack!


    "Crush his skull, boss!" Ozeki cheered from behind Yokozuna.


    ''I can hear them now.'' Ambrose thought as he finally heard someone else than Moriarty''s voice.


    [-30 HP]


    [Moriarty: 50/100 HP]


    Moriarty felt like his insides were being crushed.


    At that moment, Ambrose quickly whipped his leg around and delivered a swift kick to Yokozuna''s head.


    Smack!


    [-15 HP]


    [Yokozuna: 60/100 HP]


    Yokozuna reeled back, staggering from the force of the blow.


    Ambrose quickly grabbed Moriarty by the hand and helped him stand up.


    "Tch." Moriarty clicked his tongue and looked at the knife that was stuck in Yokozuna''s shoulder.


    Yokozuna pulled out the knife and looked at its blood-stained de before throwing it to the ground.


    "Hmph." Yokozuna wiped the blood from his shoulder and turned to face Ambrose and Moriarty.


    "Weapons are humanity''s biggest failure. You only need fists and a strong will to wield them."


    "Here." Ambrose gave Moriarty a medicine pill.


    They received only five pills from the previous house, but each pill recovered 100 health points.


    Moriarty swallowed the pill and returned to his full health.


    "Let''s retreat." Ambrose suggested, knowing that this wouldn''t be an easy fight.


    "First, I''ll get the knife back!" Moriarty shot forward, tugged Ambrose after him, and ran to the closest enemy, Yokozuna.


    Yokozuna opened his hand, showing his enormous palm, and threw a palm strike directly towards Moriarty''s face.


    Moriarty ducked under the palm strike and dove between Yokozuna''s legs, picked up the dropped bloody knife from the ground, and then quickly shed Yokozuna''s Achilles tendon.


    "Rgh!" Ambrose gritted his teeth as Moriarty pulled him behind him.


    "Grh!" Yokozuna pped Ambrose across the face, as he was too close to dodge because of Moriarty.


    Ambrose almost fell to the ground, and his ankle twisted at an awkward angle, causing excruciating-looking wound.


    "Bastard!" Ozeki pped Moriarty down to the ground, but then got his stomach cut by the knife.


    "Ngh!" Ozeki''s eyes widened in shock.


    [-55 HP]


    [Ozeki: 45/100 HP]


    Moriarty elbowed Ozeki''s face, rolled down the ground, and pulled Ambrose away from Yokozuna back to safety.


    "Ptui!" Ambrose spat out blood and angrily shouted. "Fucking hell, Moriarty!"


    "My bad, I forgot." Moriarty said exhaustingly. "Fighting is fucking impossible this way."


    Yokozuna looked at his bleeding foot and couldn''t feel anything when he stepped down to the ground. In such a state, running and climbing seemed impossible.


    "Piss off, or soon you two will find your throats cut." Moriarty spinned the knife in his hand.


    "Nah, the medicine; give it to us." Yokozuna ordered it and cracked his knuckles.


    "As if." Moriarty lowered his stance into a knife-shing stance.


    However, Ambrose pulled two pills from the inventory and tossed one to Yokozuna and one to Ozeki.


    "That''s all you get."


    Yokozuna and Ozeki caught the pills and looked at him with raised eyebrows.


    "What''re you doing?" Moriarty asked with a hint of anger.


    "Apromise." Ambrose said and looked at the sumo fighters. "Take these, or we''ll ruin each other''s tournament. What about it?"


    "Fine." Yokozuna and Ozeki swallowed the pills and returned back to their full health.


    They gave a stinky eye to Moriarty before they started running away, following the other yers.


    "Those pills were important," Moriarty said as they continued running.


    "So are our lives." Ambrose panted heavily and said, "First, you wanted to reach the finishing line as soon as possible, and now you want to fight; which is it?"


    "You''ve got to understand that if we have a chance to defeat someone, we must take advantage." Moriarty said.


    "I realized that defeating them wasn''t an option after Yokozuna proved to be more powerful than I thought, and then I came to the conclusion to injure them instead.


    "That''s why I cut Yokozuna''s achilles tendon, which could''ve hindered him enough for them not to reach the finishing line in time.


    "However, now that you gave the pills to them and healed them, it was for nothing."


    "They would''ve not let us pass if I hadn''t." Ambrose said.


    "We could''ve outran them." Moriarty argued back.


    "No¡­" Ambrose looked at his foot with a twisted ankle. "Not with this ankle."


    "¡­" Moriarty sighed. "Fine, once we are done with the first round, we''ll have to discuss hard about our game n, all right?"


    "Fine by me." Ambrose said without taking a pill for his swollen ankle.


    Even though it hindered his running, he didn''t think it was worth it to spend a pill for it, especially now that they had only two pills remaining.


    At that moment, they both saw some more fighting happening inside the buildings as yers tried to scavenge the ce.


    "We''ll need more gear." Moriarty said, and looked at the knife with a rusty de. "This knife is already at breaking point."

 Chapter 432 The Well

    <h4>Chapter 432 The Well </h4>


    ?"Ngh¡­" Ambrose touched his head as he winced in pain. ''Pain, but how? Do I have a soul injury?''


    "Why''re you slowing down?" Moriarty asked, ncing back at Ambrose, whose pace had considerably dropped.


    Ambrose shook his head, and the faint pain slowly faded off. It felt like he had a split-second headache, strangely enough.


    ''Weird.'' He thought and followed after Moriarty as they headed towards a small, dpidated town in the middle of the barren wastnd.


    It was a deste ce, filled with broken buildings and dead-looking ground.


    It was the half-way point between the starting line and the mountain in the distance.


    They had already run over eight hours to reach this spot, and the ending was still nowhere close.


    The night also started to creep in, casting long shadows over the weary runners.


    After eight hours of running, gaps had started to form between the lead runners and the ones at the back.


    Ambrose saw that all the yers in front of him were exhausted and were just dragging their feet behind them at this point.


    After all, most of them were gamers and not some fit athletes. However, there were also expectations, as there were some who had experience in martial arts and track-and-field events.


    "Everyone in front is searching those buildings." Moriarty noted while panting heavily with a rough-sounding voice.


    He was clearly extremely tired, and he was feeling very thirsty, as they hadn''t found any water yet, unfortunately.


    "W-we also have to." Ambrose breathed heavily as well.


    He wasn''t some superhuman and, of course, felt exhaustion. His feet were burning and his lungs were screaming for help, but he had no intention to stop.


    However, even without all his stats that made him almost like a god, he continued to exercise and push himself to limits on a daily basis, and now he had developed a strong physique even without the help of the VR headset.


    Also, he had Starborn Physique, which pushed his limits beyond human limits, and even though he still couldn''t quite reach the top athletes in the world, he wasn''t too far behind!


    "Agreed¡­" Moriarty pulled out the interface and checked their current ranking.


    ***


    [Team: Phoenix Quill]


    [Ranking: 201,345]


    [Teams Finished: 0]


    ***


    Ambrose licked his lips as he felt thirsty and realized that it wouldn''t be possible to reach the finishing line without proper hydration.


    They would start feeling weak and sluggish in about one to two days if they didn''t find some water soon.


    They were also certain that it wouldn''t be possible to reach the finishing line in less than a day. It was still a long way to go.


    Soon afterwards, they entered the dpidated town, and they heard the sound of screams and fightinging from almost all the buildings.


    "Oh, we can now hear everyone in the town." Moriarty said with a rough, tired voice. "It wasn''t possible at the start because of some safe mechanism, I suppose."


    "We wouldn''t have been able to hear the Game Master''s or even each other''s voice if we were able to hear everyone." Ambrose said, and he looked around, wondering which building to enter.


    "Look," Moriarty said, pointing to a rock-made well in the middle of the town.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and saw that none of the yers were going for it, but instead they were rushing inside the buildings to find any gear and loot.


    "It must be dried up." He said after a moment of contemtion. "This whole ce is suffering from drought; why would it be any different?"


    "Maybe that''s what everyone else also thinks; follow me!" Moriarty rushed forward, with Ambrose running behind him.


    Moriarty shoved the yers in front of him out of the way and continued charging towards the source of water.


    They soon arrived at the well, and Moriarty peered inside with a hopeful gaze.


    At the bottom of the well, he saw a glimmer of light reflecting off something metallic. It was something small, but unfortunately, there wasn''t any water.


    "Shit!" Moriarty mmed his hand on the edge of the well in frustration. "Quick, let''s search one building!"


    "Wait." Ambrose looked at the metallic object below and asked. "What could that be?"


    "I don''t care; we''re running out of time!" Moriarty shouted and looked beyond the town towards the mountain. "There aren''t any buildings after this town; I feel like it. I, at least, can''t see anything. This might be ourst hope!"


    "I¡­ I think it''s a key!" Ambrose used his Starborn physique''s increased vision to see an object simr to a key at the bottom of the well.


    "A key?" Moriarty frowned, but he couldn''t see anything at the bottom of the well because the sky was getting dark and the well was too deep.


    "That must be able to open some doors." Ambrose made an obvious statement. "What if I''ll help you go down there, and you go snatch it?"


    "And how are we going to do that?" Moriarty showed their bound limbs. "I can''t go even a meter away from you with these ropes tying us together."


    "That''s the thing." Ambrose slowly loosened up the ropes but couldn''t remove them altogether, as if they were stuck to each other with some unseen force.


    However, now that the rope was looser, they had more space to move around.


    "All right, the n is this." Ambrose leaned over the well and said, "You''ll drop down, and I''ll be up here, ensuring that you make it safely to the bottom.


    "I''ll use this rope binding our limbs to securely lower you down."


    "Can you do it alone?" Moriarty asked. "I am not too light, and if you identally fall down as well, we''ll be stuck at the bottom of the well."


    "I got it." Ambrose replied confidently and also loosened up the rope that tied their legs together.


    Moriarty had to go to the well at a very awkward angle because both his arm and leg was tied to Ambrose, which would make keeping bnce extremely difficult.


    "You ready?" Ambrose asked, and Moriarty nodded.


    Moriarty took a deep breath and slowly hopped off the well''s edge, slowly starting to fall towards the bottom, but then the ropes caught him.


    "Argh¡­" Ambrose put his foot on the edge, and he used his arms to slowly lower Moriarty to the bottom of the well.


    His muscles started to show themselves as he strained to keep Moriarty steady.


    "Argh, lower!" Moriarty shouted and tried to reach out towards the key at the bottom of the well, but it had quite a bit of distance left before he could reach it.


    "Ngh!" Ambrose grunted and loosened his grip slightly to lower Moriarty at a faster speed, hoping to get him to the key sooner.


    At that moment, the sky above the tournament dimension turned pitch dark, and an eerie-looking crimson moon appeared in the sky.


    Ding, ding!


    A loud sound of a bell rang out, shocking all the yers and viewers.


    An enormous face appeared in the sky¡ªit was the Game Master.


    "Did you think the first round would only be running, and climbing?" The Game Master chuckled. "Well, prepare yourself. During night''s, dead will rise from the ground."


    After saying that, the illusionary face of the Game Master vanished, and eerie silence fell over the barren wastnd.


    However, it didn''t take long for eerie screams to sound in the distance, shattering the silence and sending chills down their spines.


    "Hurry up, bring me back up!" Moriarty shouted.


    "Not yet; get the key first!" Ambrose screamed, and his muscles swelled as he lowered Moriarty even further, but it started to put a lot of strain on his arms.


    "God damn it!" Moriarty reached out towards the key, his fingertips barely brushing against it. "A little bit closer!"


    "Aaargh!" Ambrose felt like his veins were about to burst, but then he leaned over the well, almost falling down, but it gave Moriarty enough leverage to grasp the key.


    "I got it!" Moriarty shouted.


    Without further ado, Ambrose started walking backwards while pulling the rope back up, but the difficult part wasn''t yet over. It was incredibly taxing on his strength to pull a well-fitted body up the well.

 Chapter 433 Shark and Jellyfish

    <h4>Chapter 433 Shark and Jellyfish </h4>


    ?"Come on!" Moriarty reached out to the edge of the well and pulled himself up with all his strength.


    He pulled himself out of the well and fell to the solid ground with a tired look on his face.


    In his hand, a silvery key gleamed in the eerie, crimson moonlight.


    "Screeech!"


    At that moment, blood-curdling screams sounded all around the town, frightening the yers and viewers alike. The source of the screams remained unknown, but the dread still remained.


    "Whew¡­" Ambrose looked at his bloodied hands as they were clutching the rope.


    "H-hopefully this was worthwhile." Moriarty stood up and juggled the key in his hand.


    "Nn." Ambrose nodded, but then heard some rapid footsteps approaching them. "Huh?"


    As they both turned to look at the sound, they saw a rotting figure with its arms wailing around, rushing through a dark alleyway with blue blood sttered across its mouth as if it had just finished feasting.


    "We should go indoors." Ambrose said with a hint of urgency.


    Moriarty pocketed the key and pulled out his rusty knife, which was nearing its breaking point.


    "Let me test something. The patch notes said that the zombies have be stronger, but just how much is what I want to know."


    "¡­" Ambrose thought it was risky but also that it would be important to know.


    Moriarty looked at the loose rope that was tied to their limbs and said, "Now that this rope is loose, it gives us more space to fight. We should''ve done this from the beginning."


    "Mm." Ambrose agreed somewhat, as they didn''t have to be right next to each other to be able to walk or run. They could now run and fight more freely.


    However, there was also trouble with the rope being this loose. It would be easy to trip up and get the rope stuck on something.


    The zombie ran towards Moriarty and Ambrose at blitzering speed. It was already noticeable that it was much faster than previous zombies they had encountered.


    Moriarty, with the knife in hand, narrowed his eyes and analyzed the zombie''s attacking pattern, which seemed quite simple.


    The zombie only had one goal in mind: to devour their flesh.


    Therefore, he anticipated that the zombie would try to use its mouth as its primary weapon in an attempt to eat them.


    As expected, the zombie lunged forward, jaws wide open, ready to sink its teeth into its prey.


    "Don''t get bit, or you''ll turn undead for one day!" Ambrose shouted as he backed off slightly from the fight.


    "I know!" Moriarty yelled back and used his smooth footstep to circle around the zombie as its lunging attack failed to connect with its target.


    Moriarty put the knife into a stabbing stance as if it were a miniature spear and thrust it towards the back of the zombie''s head, aiming for its brain.


    It looked like it would be a clean hit, and the threat of the zombie would end there.


    But then the zombie jerked its head to the side at thest moment, narrowly avoiding the de, and whipped its arm around, striking Moriarty in the face and sending him flying away.


    "Ngh!"


    Since their limbs were connected with the rope, Ambrose was also sent flying, and they both crashed into a nearby wall.


    [-55 HP]


    [Moriarty: HP: 45/100]


    [-33 HP]


    [Ambrose: HP: 49/100]


    "Ngh¡­" Moriarty slowly climbed back to his feet and said, "I-It''s definitely stronger, and since we are only level 1, there is nothing we can do!"


    "Let''s rush inside!" Ambrose shouted as he observed other yers running through the town like headless chickens anding under attack from the zombies.


    They weren''t sessful in running away, and the zombies quickly caught up to them before sinking their teeth into their flesh.


    Moriarty looked behind him and saw that they had crashed into the wall of one of the buildings. Its door was firmly locked, and there didn''t seem to be any way to enter it.


    Ambrose''s face then changed shades as he saw that hundreds of glowing, blood-red eyes turned their focus towards them.


    "Screeech!" The zombie, who had attacked them previously, let out another blood-curdling scream and lunged towards Ambrose with outstretched arms.


    Ambrose grabbed it by its shoulders and held it back with all his strength.


    "Aaargh, Moriarty, find a way inside or we''ll die!"


    "Shit¡­" Moriarty''s mind and heart raced, but then he touched his pocket and pulled out a silvery key. ''Could it be?''


    ck, ck, ck!


    The zombie tried to take a bite off Ambrose''s mouth; its teeth were making eerie cking sounds.


    However, Ambrose let out an equally powerful shout, pumped more strength into his arm, and then punched the zombie down to the ground with a resounding thud.


    But the zombie seemed unaffected as its limbs and head turned in natural angles and stood right back up.


    Behind the zombie, hundreds of more began to emerge from the darkness, closing in on Ambrose.


    "M-Moriarty!"


    Moriarty inserted the silvery key into the door''s keyhole and turned it with a satisfying click.


    The door slowly opened like heavenly gates to safety, but then hands appeared from inside the building, which were trying to close the door again.


    "Ngh!" Moriarty quickly grabbed the door handle and put his foot firmly against the door, preventing it from closingpletely.


    He then saw two yers inside frantically trying to keep the door closed, wanting to trap them outside and eventually get eaten by zombies!


    "You bastards, fuck off!" Moriarty pulled out his knife and stabbed into one of the yers'' hands, causing their hold to loosen.


    Moriarty then pulled the door wide open, kicked the yers out of the way, and pulled Ambrose inside before mming the door shut and locking it.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    The zombies mmed into the door but were unable to break through, as if there was some reinforcing magic protecting it.


    "You bastards." Moriarty pocketed his silvery key and approached the yers with a cold smile on his face. "Trying to keep us out?"


    Ambrose breathed heavily and nced at the yers who were standing up from the ground. They looked nothing special, but Ambrose still felt a sense of unease.


    "Yawn¡­" One of the yers yawned.


    He had sharp teeth as if he were half shark, and his hair was dyed a vibrant shade of neon green. He looked rather carefree or arrogant, depending on one''s perspective.


    There was a small knife wound on his hand as he was recently stabbed by Moriarty, but he treated it as nothing but a minor inconvenience.


    His friend looked indifferent, with copper skin and dark brown eyes. His hair was ck and neatly styled, contrasting with his dirty attire.


    "Feeling sleepy?" Moriarty asked with a cold smile on his face and showed his bloodied knife. "I can help with that."


    "Hah." The yer with sharp teeth, named Shark, grinned menacingly, revealing rows of jagged incisors. "You should''ve stayed outside, little Mori Mori."


    Moriarty''s eyebrow twitched. "A big mistake."


    "Little Mori Mori?" Ambrose nced at him with a mix of amusement and curiosity. "Seriously, man?"


    "Don''t ask." Moriarty sighed. "A stupid nickname my fangirls created for me. I tried to stop them, but it''s still used inside my fanmunity."


    "So, you know Moriarty." Ambrose said to Shark and his friend, who went by the name of Jellyfish.


    "I mean, who doesn''t?" Shark licked his lips andughed. "His face is often stered on the front page of ForeverStream."


    "A lot of people seem to be obsessed with you." Jellyfish pointed at Moriarty. "However, I know the face you show others is as fake as it gets. In the moment of true despair, everyone reveals their real selves."

 Chapter 434 Victors

    <h4>Chapter 434 Victors </h4>


    ?"Loosening the rope to give more freedom of movement was a good idea." Shark said with a grin, and they did the same to their rope.


    As the rope got looser around their ankles and arms, they felt surprisingly liberated, as if they were finally freed from the prison.


    "Shall we have a bout?" Shark asked and spread his arms wide, as if he were inviting them to attack him.


    "Ambrose, I''ll take him on." Moriarty said this while facing Shark with a determined look in his eyes.


    ''He clearly doesn''t like that nickname, huh.'' Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and looked at Jellyfish. "Fine by me."


    "Sigh, I am facing someckey?" Jellyfish groaned as he rolled his eyes. "I was hoping for a more challenging opponent."


    "My friend." Shark smirked. "Finish him off quick, and I''ll share the honor of killing the fifth-ranked streamer in the world with you."


    "Heh, fine by me." Jellyfish reached out to his inventory and took out a baton.


    Shark also reached out to his inventory, pulling out a simr baton.


    "These are the weapons we found in this building." Shark tapped his foot on the solid floor. "It''s time to put them to good use."


    Moriarty moved the knife in front of his face, holding it in a sideways grip, and slid his foot forward with a cold and calcted look.


    Ambrose faced Jellyfish and lowered his stance slightly while keeping his hands open. It was as if he was going for a defensive stance, ready to react to any sudden movement.


    Jellyfish raised the baton over his shoulder and squinted his eyes.


    Shark made the baton dance on his hand with effortless grace and then twirled it skillfully in the air before catching it again.


    "Well, little Mori Mori." The shark grinned sharply. "I''ve heard a lot about your skill. Are you all barking, but no bite?"


    "You think I haven''t faced someone like you before?" Moriarty asked coldly. "Trying to taunt me into making a mistake. I''ve faced many people like you who want to kill me just for fame and recognition. But let me assure you, none of them have seeded."


    "First time for everything." Shark responded confidently. "I am also rather an infamous streamsniper. I just love to humiliate you fake bastards in front of your fans.


    "It''s very exciting."


    "Well, there aren''t any cameras here." Moriarty said. "So you won''t be able to humiliate anyone today."


    "Haha, no worries." Shark looked to the ceiling, where a floating camera was discreetly recording everything.


    "Huh." Moriarty lowered his gaze from the camera to the shark. "You sure have a knack for being an ass."


    "It''s my talent." The shark smiled slyly.


    "Ambrose." Moriarty said it coldly and narrowed his eyes. "Let''s kill these fuckers."


    "Oo, you got mad?" Shark grinned.


    "Very much so." Moriarty tapped his heel against the floor and kicked his leg up.


    Shark backstepped to avoid the kick, but then Moriarty leaped off the ground, rotated in midair, and high-kicked Shark to his neck.


    Smack!


    Shark stumbled backwards, trying to regain his bnce. He could feel the numbness reverberating across his body.


    [Shark: 85/100 HP]


    Jellyfish saw that his friend got hit but had no intention to help as he also had his opponent standing by, ready to strike him if he showed his back.


    He didn''t expect Ambrose to be any threat; he expected him to be some kiss-asser who said nice things to Moriarty every day to fuel his enormous ego and eventually became his teammate for this tournament.


    However, he wasn''t nning to allow him to have any free attacks. He still expected Ambrose to be able to deal some damage; otherwise, Moriarty wouldn''t have chosen him.


    Jellyfish nned to end this fight immediately.


    He kicked off the ground andunched himself towards Ambrose with lightning speed. He swung the baton in a wide arc and aimed at Ambrose''s head.


    However, in thest moment, he rotated his wrist and struck towards Ambrose''s leg instead.


    Ambrose raised his leg and tanked the attack with his powerful shin. Despite the force of the blow, he remained unfazed.


    Jellyfish twisted his body and swung the baton backwards to Ambrose''s head.


    The attack came from a hard angle as Jellyfish blocked the sight of the baton with his body, making it difficult for Ambrose to anticipate the strike.


    Without letting him finish the attack, Ambrose shoved Jellyfish''s back and threw him to the ground with a forceful motion.


    Jellyfish quickly sprang back to his feet and repeatedly smashed the baton against Ambrose''s arm, hoping to break through his defenses.


    Ambrose tanked the strikes with his right arm and then formed a fist with his left hand and drove it into Jellyfish''s stomach, knocking the wind out of him.


    "Ngh!" Jellyfish groaned as the force of the blow sent him sprawling to the ground.


    At that moment, he realized that they might''ve made a great mistake.


    "¡­" Ambrose looked steely-faced and didn''t seem to be under any pressure at all.


    As the fight continued on the other side of the room, Shark stood up with a small bruise on his neck, but otherwise, he lookedpletely fine.


    "Your friend seems to be in trouble." Moriarty side-nced at the situation between Jellyfish and Ambrose and was very happy with the current oue.


    It only needed one of them to die to be disqualified from the tournament. That''s why he kept a close eye on Ambrose, especially now that his opponent had a weapon and he didn''t.


    However, he had to acknowledge that he had underestimated Ambrose''s skills.


    "It doesn''t matter." Shark spat and rushed forward while swinging his baton down. "I only need to kill you!"


    Moriarty blocked the baton with the rusty knife and countered with a swift kick to Shark''s abdomen.


    Shark reeled backwards and crashed into a nearby wall, gasping for air.


    Moriarty sprang off the ground andunched himself at Shark with a flying knee attack.


    Shark quickly rolled out of the way, while Moriarty kneed through the wall and made a hole in it.


    Shark mmed the baton into Moriarty''s thigh, then grabbed him by the shirt, andunched him into the wall.


    As Moriarty crashed to the wall, Shark mmed his baton down and struck his body with a scary flesh-smacking sound.


    "Ngh!" Moriarty flicked the knife in hand and grazed Shark''s leg, leaving a shallow cut.


    He then jumped back to his feet and tackled Shark to the ground.


    However, before Shark managed to fall down, he swung the baton and hit Moriarty square in the cheek.


    Moriarty stumbled backwards, clutching his face with an ufortable expression.


    "Whoo¡­" Shark staggered back to his feet andughed. "Hahaha, is that bruise I see in your cheek? Did you bring your makeup to cover your wounds? You can''t possibly show yourself like this in front of your screaming fangirls, ain''t that right?"


    "¡­" Moriarty touched his cheek, feeling the tenderness of the bruise. "Hmm, it stings."


    "Taste more, then!" Shark raised his baton and screamed from the top of his lungs.


    But, at that moment, a figure flew between them and crashed into a wall with a resounding crash.


    Once the dust cleared, they both saw an unconscious figure of Jellyfish lying on the ground with blood trickling from its head.


    Shark turned his head around like a robot and saw Ambrose standing there, still in his punching stance, with smoke rising from his clenched fists.


    "Couldn''t survive that, huh?" Ambrose said casually, and then reeled back his fist and crossed his arms over his chest.


    "Shit¡­" Shark saw his hands disappear into pixels, as did Jellyfish, who had almostpletely vanished.


    Moriartyunched forward and punched Shark in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain.


    "I guess this wasn''t the ''first time for everything'', what do you say, Shark?" Moriarty said with a cool look.


    "F-fuck you¡­" Shark whispered and then disappeared alongside Jellyfish, leaving the duo of Phoenix Quill alone as victors.

 Chapter 435 What Is Your Name?

    <h4>Chapter 435 What Is Your Name? </h4>


    ?In the ce where Shark and Jellyfish died, two batons dropped, as did a paper bag with food and a water bottle.


    "It looks like the yers with items who die drop everything they have in inventory." Moriarty said.


    Ambrose picked up one of the batons and examined it closely.


    "Finally water!" Moriarty picked up the water bottle and took a long sip, relieved to quench his thirst.


    Before he drank it all, he stopped and handed it over to Ambrose. "Here."


    Ambrose took the water bottle and drank from it, grateful for the refreshing taste.


    After he finished drinking, there was still some water left in the bottle, so he put it back in the paper bag. He then checked what food there was and took one of the sandwiches for himself.


    "I have thought about something." Moriarty sat on the floor and leaned against a wall as he ate another sandwich.


    "What is it?" Ambrose asked while sneakily gazing out of the window towards the zombie-filled wastnd.


    There was lighting from all the buildings in the town, signaling that there were yers who were very much alive.


    However, there was also clear fighting going on in these buildings, as shadows of figures could be seen moving frantically, weapons shing, and screams echoing through the air.


    "No one can survive outside now." Moriarty took a bite of the sandwich and said, "What about the ones who didn''t make it in here in time? Are they all doomed?"


    "Because they are stuck outside, right?" Ambrose asked, and Moriarty nodded.


    "Well, I wonder what happens when a yer bes undead." Ambrose said. Are they unable to control themselves and driven by an insatiable desire for human flesh?


    "That would be quite crazy." Moriarty said. "And traumatizing."


    "There are millions of yers, and that gives them a huge advantage." Ambrose said. "The undead can''t kill everyone. If some yers team up, they might very much survive."


    "Yeah, true that." Moriarty said this and sighed. "Who will, though? Everyone is just thinking about themselves and their teammates."


    "One option is just to wait till the sun is up." Ambrose said. "We can''t be sure that we''ll find any more buildings after we leave the town, so we must reach the mountain before nightfall.


    "If we don''t, we are fucked."


    Moriarty nodded and pulled out the interface.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill]


    [Ranking: 99,657]


    [Teams Finished: 0]


    "There are so many teams in front of us." Moriarty noted. "There is no way that so many people fit inside this town."


    "The ones who reached the town first must''ve scavenged their house quickly and continued their way to the mountain. They might not survive." Ambrose said.


    "Also, I don''t think everyone took this straightforward path here and might''ve found other towns near this ce."


    "I agree." Moriarty nodded. "It was very chaotic at the start, and some teams might''ve intentionally steered further away from this huge pack."


    "Sigh." Ambrose sat on the floor, resting his tired legs. "We should rest. You first, I''ll wake you up in about two hours."


    "Nn." Moriarty crossed his arms and closed his eyes as he quickly drifted to sleep.


    ¡­


    In a random household.


    A fair-skinned woman sat on a pink gaming chair while her fingers danced across theputer as she was typing intensely in the chat section of ForeverChat.


    She was part of Moriarty''smunity and was currently watching the tournament alongside thousands of simr-interested fans.


    In her room, a TV showed the live broadcast of the tournament, withmentary voices providing analysis and y-by-ymentary.


    At this current moment, it showed hordes of zombies attacking yers, and it was very intense and thrilling to watch.


    However, then the screen started to disy a dark town with hordes of zombies circling each building, but they were clearly unable to enter.


    ''I wonder if he is in there.'' The fair-skinned woman intertwined her fingers in prayer. ''Please be safe, little Mori Mori!''


    She then returned to ForeverChat and checked some of the messages.


    [TBC132: Howe there is no news of him? [I wish we had a way of knowing whether he is dead or alive!]


    [s: Of course he is alive; how can you doubt our beloved Mori Mori''s skills?!]


    [Kyoko-san: Does anyone have any idea of who he is teamed up with?]


    [Rei-Kun: I heard rumors that he is teamed up with Evangelia!]


    [Kyoko-san: Evangelia?!]


    [TASE: Nah, that rumor is false! Evangelia is teamed up with Mch!]


    [Kyoko-san: Mch the Infernal Beast?! That is a powerful team, but then who is with Moriarty?]


    The fair-skinned woman browsed the messages and wondered who could possibly be Moriarty''s teammate. He had kept them in the dark, but she was aware that the whole world would know once the first round waspleted.


    She was absolutely certain that he would reach the second round easily, and perhaps even the finals!


    She then stood up from theputer and walked over to her closet. As she opened the closet, an altar with candles and pictures of Moriarty greeted her eyes.


    After she lit up another candle, she gave a sacrifice of one of her hair strands and prayed. "Good luck, little Mori Mori."


    She then closed the closet, and the altar was hidden from the rest of the world once again. The picture of Moriarty was lit up by the shimmering glow of the nearby candles, casting an ethereal light on his enigmatic smile.


    ¡­


    In the tournament dimension.


    On the roof of the building, a team of slender-looking woman and a cold-faced man created a hole in the roof and jumped down through the hole.


    They gentlynded on the floor and eyed their surroundings with caution.


    On the bottom floor, Ambrose felt a little sleepy, but after hearing the strange thud, his ears perked up, and he slowly stood up to investigate the source of the noise.


    He checked on Moriarty and saw him sleeping soundly.


    He didn''t want to wake him up, as he was clearly exhausted and needed the rest.


    ''It might not be nothing, but better be safe than sorry.'' Ambrose pulled out the baton and slowly walked up the stairs to the second floor.


    It was clear that the sound came right above him, and he soon found the room that he expected to be the source of the noise.


    He slowly opened the door, revealing a dark and empty space with no sign of anyone or anything inside.


    The door fully opened with a loud, evesting creak.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and slowly entered the room, cautiously looking ahead.


    At that moment, he saw a shimmer of crimson moonlight filtering through the ceiling and noticed that there was barely a big enough hole for a person to fit through.


    "What the¡­"


    "Hiyaah!" A slender-bodied woman with flowing silver hair and piercing blue eyes emerged from the shadows, lunging towards Ambrose with a deadly grace.


    Ambrose raised his baton, ready to strike it down, but then another hand appeared behind him, grabbing his arm.


    Ambrose turned around and saw a cold-faced man with simr silver hair holding his arm.


    The slender womanunched her kick, but Ambrose quickly used his other arm to tank it.


    The cold-faced man then twisted Ambrose''s arm and flipped him over to the ground.


    Ambrose crashed to the ground, and then the cold-faced man put his knee against his back, pushing him down to the ground


    "Good job, brother." The slender-looking woman said with a charming smile and crouched beside Ambrose with a cheeky look. "Well, we expected someone to be here. What is your name, handsome?"

 Chapter 436 Cleo and Leo

    <h4>Chapter 436 Cleo and Leo </h4>


    ?In the dark room, two silver-haired figures stared down at a handsome purple-eyed man.


    The atmosphere seemed heavy with tension and anticipation.


    "Ambrose, yours?" Ambrose nonchntly said his name.


    The cold-faced man took the baton from him and stuffed it inside his jacket.


    The slender woman smiled back and said, "My name is Cleo, and this is my brother, Leo."


    "I asked for your in-game names." Ambrose barely managed to turn his head to nce at the beautiful silver-haired woman.


    "These are our gametags and also our real names." Cleo said with a smile. "We like to keep things simple."


    "Sister, can I already kill him?" Leo asked coldly as he pressed his hand against Ambrose''s neck.


    "Brother, you are way too impatient." Cleo giggled and looked at Ambrose. "Leo is my twin brother, and while I have the patience, he''s got the aggression."


    "So, the owner and the dog. I got it." Ambrose nodded, understanding the dynamic between the siblings.


    Cleo''s smile froze for a moment.


    "That was rude, you know?" She then turned to her brother and said, "Brother, throw him to the undead, please."


    "My pleasure." Leo grinned, picked up Ambrose by his neck, and dragged him towards the window.


    "Ngh." Ambrose mmed his foot on the wall to stop him from being moved, and then elbowed Leo in the stomach.


    Leo didn''t even flinch and threw Ambrose to the window with a powerful force.


    Crack, Shatter!


    The window shattered, and Ambrose leaned out of the broken ss, almost falling down.


    At the ground below, horde of undead outstretched their arms towards him with a hungry-looking expression on their faces.


    "Ugh¡­" Ambrose quickly leaned back inside and caught a quick glimpse of his health bar.


    [Ambrose: 30/100]


    Leo ran down the room, formed a spear with his hand, and stabbed it right into Ambrose''s shoulder as if his body were a weapon itself!


    "?!" Ambrose looked at the hand that was stabbing him, surprise evident on his face. ''Is his body a weapon or what?''


    "A quick heads up: my brother happens to be an expert in martial arts!" Cleo grinned mischievously. "Our father happened to be a renowned martial artist as well, and he trained us everything he knew!"


    Ambrose grabbed Leo''s hand, pulled it out of his bleeding wound, and threw a punch towards Leo''s face.


    Leo put his guard up just in time to block the punch. However, the punch still pushed him back a few steps.


    "Ah¡­" Leo shook his numb arm, and he was genuinely impressed. "Strong."


    "Brother?" Cleo looked surprised. ''I never expected him to pack such a punch.''


    "Rah!" Ambrose sprang forward and threw lightning-fast jabs at Leo.


    When he threw those jabs, it looked like real lightning was shooting out of his fists.


    Leo opened his hands and pped his fists away with a cold look. He only touched each fist for a split second, but it still created a numb sensation in his palms.


    "¡­" Leo stayed quiet and cold-faced while he continued to parry away those jabs.


    Smack, smack, smack!


    "¡­" Ambrose pulled back his fists and then threw a powerful uppercut.


    Leo quickly sidestepped, avoiding the uppercut, and jabbed Ambrose''s ribs with a quick counterattack.


    "Ngh!" Ambrose couldn''t defend himself in time and quickly backed off to catch his breath, feeling the strange numbness in his ribs.


    It wasn''t looking good, especially in his health bar.


    [Ambrose: 9/100 HP]


    ''No other choice, damn it.'' Ambrose took out a pill from the inventory and tossed it inside his mouth.


    It brought his health back to full, but he and Moriarty only had one pill remaining.


    "A healing pill." Cleo crossed her arms in front of her chest and smiled. "That doesn''t matter. More fighting for Leo."


    Ambrose then felt his sprained ankle also heal. The sprained ankle was annoying because it didn''t allow him to move as freely as he had hoped.


    Leo formed a spear with his hand and shot it towards Ambrose, grazing his arm enough to cause a little bit of bleeding.


    Ambrose started hopping off the ground like a boxer, which he was finally able to do after his ankle healed.


    "Boxing, heh." Cleo smiled and shook his head. "It''s a famous sport, but in a real fight, its weak against more versatile fighters."


    "Boxers always have one weakness." Leo said coldly and kicked Ambrose''s shinbone with a resounding smack. "Their legs."


    "Tch." Ambrose clicked his tongue and threw a storm of powerful jabs at Leo, but each one was deftly parried with ease.


    Leo moved his hands sideways as if he were wiping a window and neatly parried every punch thrown at him. Not a single one managed to even touch his clothes.


    Ambrose''s left leg twitched as he prepared to throw a devastating roundhouse kick.


    However, Leo saw that small twitch and mmed his foot down onto Ambrose''s leg, effectively stopping the roundhouse kick.


    "How?" Ambrose''s mind raced, trying toprehend how Leo had managed to anticipate and counter his move so wlessly.


    "Experience." Leo replied coldly. "You realized that boxing won''t get you anywhere?"


    "Argh!" Ambrose threw an uppercut, but Leo dodged it effortlessly andnded a swift jab at Ambrose''s jaw.


    "Ngh¡­" He staggered backwards like a drunken man as his vision turned hazy and his legs gave out.


    However, before he crashed down on his buttocks, he managed to catch himself and regain his bnce.


    Leo leaped off the ground and kicked Ambrose square in the chest, sending him flying several feet backward.


    Ambrose crossed his arms in front of his body and crashed back-first on the hard wooden wall with a loud thud, leaving a deep dent behind.


    "Brother, are you having fun?" Cleo asked with a yful smile.


    "¡­" Leo didn''t answer and stood still while hiding the fact that his leg was trembling. ''Is his body made of concrete or what?''


    Cleo smiled to herself, but then a hand appeared behind her and grabbed her by the neck. Her smile quickly faded, and she whistled to her brother.


    Leo turned around and was about to rush to help his sister.


    But then Moriarty squeezed her throat and said, "Don''t you move."


    "Ngh¡­" Ambrose rubbed his chest and raised his gaze. "Moriarty."


    "Ambrose, did I interrupt something?" Moriarty asked with an amused smile.


    "Wait, Moriarty?" Cleo turned around, and her eyes sparked up. "Oh my, Little Mori Mori!"


    "¡­" Moriarty coldly lowered his gaze at her, and after seeing who it was, he grimaced in annoyance. "Cleo¡­"


    "Why are you sounding so annoyed?" Cleo acted like she was hurt and pouted. "Little Mori Mori, that is not very nice!"


    "You know them?" Ambrose asked.


    "Kind of." Moriarty rolled his eyes and let go of Cleo''s neck.


    Cleo rubbed her neck and walked to the side of her brother.


    "Moriarty." Leo coldly said without changing his expression. "You and him¡­ are a team?"


    "Yeah, so?" Moriarty raised an eyebrow.


    "¡­" Leo stayed silent, as if he were thinking about something.


    "Well, what a coincidence." Cleo smiled and stared at the hole in the ceiling that gave enough moonlight to the room to see each other.


    "Ambrose, let''s leave these two crazies alone. It''s way too big of a headache." Moriarty said and it looked like he nned to leave the room.


    "That''s rude!" Cleo put her hands on her waist and pouted at Moriarty. "Little Mori Mori, don''t treat us like strangers!"


    Moriarty rolled his eyes, and he left the room with Ambrose.


    Ambrose looked back at Cleo and Leo, wondering what their rtionship with Moriarty was.


    Cleo waved her hand at Ambrose with a smile. "Bye bye."


    "¡­" Leo stared at Ambrose and hid his injured hand inside his pocket.

 Chapter 437 Crimson

    <h4>Chapter 437 Crimson </h4>


    ?Cleo closed the door after the departure of Moriarty and Ambrose.


    "We are just letting them be?" Leo asked.


    "Yeah, why not?" Cleo looked at her brother with a smile.


    "¡­" Leo shrugged his shoulders and took a seat on the ground below the destroyed window.


    "I''ve felt a little need for a bathroom break." Cleo turned to her brother and asked. "What do you think happens if I log off for a moment?"


    "Just put a temporary spawn ande back, I think." Leo said.


    "Is the risk worth it?" Cleo asked with a smile.


    "Can you hold it in?" Leo asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Nope!" Cleo shook her head with a childishugh.


    "Then go." Leo closed his eyes. "If we get disqualified, so be it."


    "All right!" Cleoughed, brought out his interface, put his temporary spawn in the room, and then logged out.


    Leo watched as his sister disappeared and then looked at his body to see if he was also going to vanish.


    However, nothing happened.


    "¡­" Leo didn''t feel relieved or happy; he was just indifferent.


    He then pulled out his injured hand from his pocket and saw a few bones poking through the flesh.


    ''My Hand Spear had been sessful before, and I have trained my flesh for all my life to not break my hand, but this time, it had failed miserably.


    ''Why? What''s his body made of?''


    He silently stuffed the broken bones back inside his hand and used his sleeve to clean up the blood.


    After a short while, Cleo returned among sh of light, and let out a thrilledugh after seeing that they weren''t disqualified.


    "Ahh, I feel much better!" She smiled hugely and looked at her brother. "What about you Leo, want to take a visit in the bathroom?"


    "Sure, I guess." Leo put his temporary spawn, and pressed the log out button.


    Cleo sat down on the ground, and waited patiently with a smile on her face. She didn''t seem to be bothered by the screaming of the undead.


    ¡­


    "So, who were they?" Ambrose asked as he and Moriarty sat down on the bottom floor''s stairs.


    "Cleo and Leo are known as the Kiramise Twins." Moriarty said. "That title actually came from the real world, as they practice martial arts known as Kiramise."


    "They transferred their knowledge of Kiramise to Martial Online and became one of the most powerful Brawler-ss users in the whole game.


    "In martial arts skills alone, they are close to the very top.


    "I only know them briefly as I traveled on the same ship as them in Dark Waters." Moriarty sighed, certain that it was indeed strange for fate to bring them together like this.


    "They were searching for some legendary city of martial arts. I don''t know all, but I only know they finished some hidden Brawler-ss quests and received a hint about that city.


    "I don''t know if they found it or not."


    "They''re indeed powerful." Ambrose sighed. "I wasn''t a match for Leo."


    "Don''t feel bad; there are a rare few that can." Moriarty patted his shoulder in constion.


    "Without our stats, skills, and weapons, defeating Leo is a very small possibility.


    "Now that I think about it, this first round is extremely made for Brawler-ss users, as they already have experience in fighting unarmedbat."


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose sighed and looked at him. "You can sleep for another hour if you want."


    "Nah, I am fine." Moriarty put his arms back down and stretched. "I don''t think I can sleep anymore. You can sleep; there are about five hours till the sun is up."


    Ambrose nodded and went to find himself a quiet corner to settle in and rest. He soon found afortable spot and closed his eyes while reying the events in his mind.


    "¡­"


    Without any warning, he suddenly threw a punch in the air as if he were hitting an invisible enemy and softly opened his eyes.


    ''Howe I couldn''tnd a hit on him? Do Ick speed, or is he just much faster?''


    ''What was I missing?''


    He touched his bleeding shoulder and remembered the sight of Leo using his whole body as a weapon. His spear-like hand did more damage to him than the rusty knife would have.


    Ambrose slowly rose to his feet and threw a whip-like kick in front of him. It created a whoosh of air as the kick sliced through the empty space.


    He then followed up with a series of punches and elbows.


    "Not tired?" Moriarty looked from behind the corner and said, "Well, who would after such an adrenaline-filled fight?"


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose clenched and loosened his fists, feeling the lingering energy coursing through his veins.


    "What are you doing?" Moriarty asked as he slowly approached him.


    "I don''t really know." Ambrose threw a sloppy punch in front of him. "I just can''t seem to calm down."


    "Well, I think if you want to spar against someone, a living person is better than air." Moriarty removed his jacket and flexed his muscles.


    Ambrose nodded in gratitude and faced him while hopping like a boxer.


    "I am not at Leo''s level, but I know my fair share of martial arts." Moriarty put his arms up.


    Ambrose bounced off the ground and threw a powerful straight punch at him.


    Moriarty used his shoulder to block the punch and countered with a straight punch of his own.


    Ambrose caught the punch with his hand and twisted Moriarty''s arm, trying to pull him to the ground.


    However, Moriarty used his shoulder to push the fist away and then used the same arm to deliver a powerful elbow strike to Ambrose''s face.


    Before it couldnd, Ambrose ducked out of the way into a crouching stance.


    Moriarty quickly kneed him towards the face, but Ambrose managed to put his hand in the way and block the knee strike that could''ve shattered his nose.


    Ambrose tossed him aside and threw a straight punch thatnded on Moriarty''s block.


    Smack!


    Moriarty swaggered backwards from the force of Ambrose''s punch, momentarily losing his bnce.


    ''Sheesh, what the hell is with his strength?'' Moriarty also nced at his shoulder, which had lost all of its feeling once he used it to block his punch.


    Ambrose quickly moved his foot behind Moriarty''s heel and swept his leg out from under him.


    Moriarty fell down to his buttocks.


    At that moment, Ambrose rushed in and smashed his fist down.


    Moriarty''s eyes widened in shock, and he quickly rolled out of the way.


    CRACK!


    The fist smashed through the solid floor and sent shards of broken wood flying about.


    Moriarty awkwardly staggered back to his feet and felt cold sweat drenching his back. If he had taken the punch head-on, it would have surely knocked him unconscious.


    Swoosh!


    A terrifying sound tickled his ears.


    Ambrose rushed after him and threw a storm of furious punches. His glorious purple eyes had lost their focus and were fueled with one goal: attack!


    ''H-he is suddenly much faster!'' Moriarty thought, struggling to keep up with Ambrose''s lightning-fast movements.


    He could barely see Ambrose''s fists as they zed through the air.


    Moriarty tried to dodge, but Ambrose''s punches were too swift and relentless. They rained down on him like the power of Mother Nature.


    "A-Ambrose, calm down; you are going to kill me!"


    As the fist was about to smash through his face, it stopped suddenly, just inches away from Moriarty''s nose.


    He looked at the fist with a bleached face and looked at Ambrose in shock.


    Drip, drip.


    "Huh¡­" Ambrose touched his nose, which was bleeding profusely.


    The shocking thing was that it wasn''t blue blood but instead crimson blood, as if it were the real thing!


    "Ambrose?" Moriarty called out to him, but he couldn''t hear anything.


    Ambrose''s vision turned hazy, and his legs gave out, causing him to copse to the ground.


    "Ambrose!"

 Chapter 438 The Chase

    <h4>Chapter 438 The Chase </h4>


    ?"Ambrose, wake up!" A faint shout echoed.


    "If you don''t wake up soon, you''ll get thrown out of the game, and we''ll get disqualified as that is registered as you being dead!


    "So, wake up, please!"


    "Ngh¡­" Ambrose mumbled, slowly opening his eyes.


    He saw a sharp light and then realized he was lying on the ground with Moriarty shouting something at him.


    "Ngh, what happened?" Ambrose sat up while clutching his head, as there was a strange headache pulsating through his temples.


    "You suddenly fell unconscious, I think!" Moriarty shouted worryingly. "If you hadn''t woken up, we would''ve been disqualified!"


    "Right¡­" Ambrose started to remember what happened and touched his nose.


    There were still traces of that crimson blood.


    "What the hell was that?" Moriarty asked with a frown. "Are you sick or something? It would be good to know because if something like this happens again!"


    "Sick? Well, I''m not too sure¡­" Ambrose clutched his head and thought. ''I have Humanoid Imperfecta, but it has never caused me to fall unconscious suddenly.''


    "God damn it." Moriarty took a deep breath and sat down on the ground with an exhausted look. "I thought we were going to get disqualified¡­"


    "I am sorry." Ambrose wiped the blood off his nose and said, "I''ll check my health before the second round; don''t worry."


    "Ngh¡­" Moriarty sighed. "That means we still have to somehow pull through the first round first.


    "Are you feeling dizzy or anything?"


    "No." Ambrose shook his head, not mentioning the slight headache.


    "Good." Moriarty stood up and said, "Get some rest. I''ll wake you up thirty minutes before the sun is up."


    "Aight¡­" Ambrose went back to his corner andid down on the hard ground while closing his eyes.


    ''I felt like all my emotions were heightened when I fought Moriarty, then the headache returned, and I had the nosebleed.


    ''Why was my blood crimson? A bug in the system or what? Ugh, I don''t know, but this didn''t feel like an ordinary glitch.''


    ¡­


    "Wake up."


    Ambrose mmed his eyes open after a short, two-hour nap and rubbed his head. He saw Moriarty standing over him with a quite refreshed expression.


    "I can see the lighting from the horizon bit by bit." Moriarty said. "The number of zombies is also lessening, so soon we''ll go."


    "All right." Ambrose nodded and felt that his headache had disappearedpletely.


    It felt like the previous incident was nothing but a bad dream.


    "Are you feeling good?" Moriarty asked, wanting to make sure.


    "Yeah, I am great." Ambrose replied with a nod and stretched his limbs as he moved over to the window to enjoy the slight, cool breeze that was flowing through.


    He saw some undead still lurking outside, but just as Moriarty said, there wasn''t nearly as much, and the dark sky was turning brighter with each passing minute.


    At that moment, they heard footstepsing from the stairs as Cleo and Leo came down with the loose rope following behind them that was barely obstructing their movements.


    "What the hell do you want?" Moriarty asked rudely.


    "Hey, little Mori Mori, are you expecting us to leave through a window or what?" Cleo shook her head with a smile. "We''re here to use the front door."


    "Tch." Moriarty crossed his arms and turned his gaze back to the front door, acting as if the twins didn''t exist.


    "Hey, handsome." Cleo waved her hand at Ambrose and pointed at her nose. "Some blood there."


    "¡­" Ambrose touched his nose, and there was some dried-up blood stuck on his nose. He quickly wiped it away and nonchntly turned his gaze back to the window.


    "Brother, these two are so rude." Cleo pouted with a hurt expression.


    "¡­" Leo stayed silent while following after Cleo.


    Moriarty looked up at the sky through the window and saw that the dark sky vanished into a vibrant shade of orange as the sun began to rise.


    "Screech!" All the undead screeched loudly and started digging to the ground to hide themselves from the burning sensation of the sun.


    "They''re gone; let''s go." Moriarty said with a nod, and he put his hand on the door handle.


    But then, a slender hand also touched the door handle.


    "¡­" Moriarty''s eyebrow twitched, and he looked at Cleo with annoyance.


    "Ladies first." Cleo smiled and winked at him before opening the door and stepping outside.


    At the same moment, most buildings also showed activity as the yers that were hiding inside stepped outside.


    Some of the buildings even had dozens of yers pouring out of them, and most had worn-out expressions. It looked like they had fought plenty, and none of them dared to sleep throughout the night.


    Some looked thirsty and hungry as they didn''t manage to find any loot.


    "Well then, goodbye, boys." Cleo waved her hand and said, "Leo, let''s go."


    They started running into the sunrise with great speed. They managed to pass the exhausted yers in front of them with ease, and it didn''t even look like they were running at their fastest pace.


    "Let''s go." Moriarty narrowed his eyes and ran after Cleo and Leo with Ambrose.


    After making the rope looser, it was much easier to run, but they had to be careful not to identally get it stuck on something along the way, which was now the biggest obstacle.


    Ambrose raised an eyebrow as he struggled somewhat to keep up with Moriarty, who was running at a much faster pace than yesterday.


    It soon dawned on him that Moriarty was trying to catch Cleo and perhaps pass her.


    ''He is a verypetitive person.'' Ambrose picked up his pace and pushed himself harder to keep up with them.


    In front of them, Cleo smiled and nced over her shoulder at Moriarty. Her smile turned yful, and she also started to run faster.


    Leo, after seeing that, easily picked up his pace and kept up with her without much of a problem.


    Moriarty gritted his teeth and increased his pace even further. Now, he was running at such speeds that it caused the wind to flutter his hair around.


    "Whew¡­" Ambrose took a deep breath, dashed forward with an increased pace, and even passed Moriarty in a matter of seconds.


    They started to close in on Cleo and Leo.


    "Haha!" Cleoughed heartfully, and the fire in her eyes burned brighter than ever before.


    She and Leo increased their pace even further, and the gap between them and the ones behind them began to widen.


    They were also passing the yers around them effortlessly, who could only sigh in frustration and watch as their positions slipped further and further away.


    "God damn it, that bitch!" Moriarty screamed, and his face turned red with anger. He pushed even further, and he was now running at his maximum speed.


    Ambrose started to move his legs and arms at greater speed, barely able to keep up with Moriarty. The gap between them started to shrink again.


    "Ah, they can still keep up¡­" Cleo chuckled with slight fatigue as this was speed that even she wasn''t able to keep up for too long.


    Leo, on the other hand, looked like he was still jogging with room to spare.


    The gap started to close bit by bit, and soon they were running side-by-side.


    "Ahaha, little Mori Mori." Cleo grinned with her pearly white teeth. "Fancy seeing you here."


    "Ngh." Moriarty ran with a red face and shouted. "I-Is that all you two have?"


    "Oh, boy." Cleo chuckled and hopped on Leo''s arms.


    "Huh?" Ambrose frowned.


    "Goodbye." Cleoughed and waved her hand.


    Leo narrowed his eyes and sprinted forward, instantly leaving Ambrose and Moriarty in his dust.


    "What the!" Moriarty''s eyes bulged in shock. "How can he run this fast while carrying someone?"


    "Sheesh." Ambrose shook his head in amazement.

 Chapter 439 Mountain Climb

    <h4>Chapter 439 Mountain Climb </h4>


    ?In thementator''s booth.


    "Wee viewers back to the tournament!" A clean-shaven man professionally said. "Last night, plenty happened that lowered the yer count significantly!"


    His comentator, a woman with long, flowing hair and a vibrant personality, added excitedly. "But today, we have an exciting day ahead, as tonight we might get our first finishers!"


    "The team, Coin Men, is currently in the first ce and is about to arrive at the treacherous mountain section." The clean-shaven man said.


    The screens on theirputers and in every household started to disy a mountain range with steep cliffs and narrow passageways.


    The screens showed the mountain and some passageways that led to the top.


    "The yers have two options: take the easy way and use those passageways to run to the top, but it''s vastly slower, or climb to the top, which is way more challenging but also much faster depending on how fast one climbs!"


    "Look, the team Coin Men has arrived at the decision point!" The woman shouted and pointed at the screen.


    ¡­


    A group of two athletic men left the barren wastnd behind and started to slowly hike to the top.


    However, not even a minuteter, they came across the wall of the mountain, with two passageways starting to curve towards the top.


    "Let''s go, man!" An impatient-sounding man was about to pull his teammate to one of the paths, eager to keep first ce and win the first round.


    "Wait." However, his teammate raised his arm and narrowed his eyes. "There''re three ways to go to the top."


    "What do you mean, there are only two?" The impatient-sounding man frustratingly said as he looked at the two passageways. He couldn''t see the third one.


    "One¡­" His teammate pointed to one of the passageways and then to the other passageway. "Two¡­"


    "And¡­" He then pointed straight up at the treacherous mountain wall. "Third."


    "C-climbing?" The impatient-sounding man asked, not thrilled about the idea of scaling the mountain wall.


    "Yeah, that is clearly faster, as those passageways seem to take a long detour." His teammate curiously rubbed his chin.


    "Let''s just take one of the passageways, quick! I already hear some footstepsing from behind!"


    His teammate looked at him before his gaze drifted towards the rope that tied their limbs, and they eventually agreed with a nod as climbing would be an unnecessary risk.


    After they left for one of the passageways, more yers reached the decision point and also took one of the two passageways.


    No one dared to climb.


    ¡­


    "As we expected, no one started to climb in front!" The clean-shavenmentator said.


    "However, we are expecting much more climbers who are at the bottom of the rankings." The woman smiled slyly. "Climbing might be their only chance to qualify for the second round."


    ¡­


    A few hourster.


    Moriarty and Ambrose ran down the barren wastnd with their lips dry and their stomachs rumbling.


    Their water and food supply had run out hours ago.


    However, they didn''t care as they saw the mountain nearing with each step.


    Soon afterwards, they saw that the road below them turned more rocky as the cracked ground gave way to jagged boulders and steep cliffs.


    They noticed that they were running up a small hill and soon arrived at the decision point where all the teams in front of them chose one of the two passageways.


    However, without making such a careless decision, they stopped and looked at the mountain while yers behind them passed them and chose one of the two passageways.


    "I thought it would only be climbing, but there are also two easy ways to the top." Moriarty said.


    "I should''ve expected that." Ambrose said. "Not everyone is a climber, and that mountain is very tall."


    "Yeah¡­" Moriarty narrowed his eyes as he looked at the treacherous-looking mountain. "Do you have any climbing experience?"


    "No, you?" Ambrose asked, realizing his teammate''s desire to use this as an opportunity to increase their positioning.


    "Little." Moriarty said, shrugging his shoulders. "In the school, there are only some indoor climbing walls."


    "It would be suicide to go for it." Ambrose said, his lips curling into a slight smile.


    "Yeah, it seems so." Moriarty chuckled and checked their current ranking.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill]


    [Ranking: 21,056]


    [Teams Finished: 0]


    "We need to increase 11 thousand positions," Moriarty said while licking his dry lips.


    "Possible just by running." Ambrose said, and he nced at the passageways. "However, these passageways aren''t very wide. We might get pushed off."


    "Yeah." Moriarty turned his attention back to the mountain wall and curiously tried to gauge its stability.


    "We would have to climb without any harnesses." Ambrose mentioned. "Also, these damn ropes are going to be an annoyance."


    "Well, these are basically harnesses, haha." Moriarty grabbed the ropes and gave them a quick tug to test their strength. "If one of us falls, one of us might be able to catch the other one."


    "Maybe." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders. "I am heavy, though."


    "It''ll be fine." Moriarty chuckled.


    "Well, one good thing is that there are a lot of holds." Ambrose mentioned.


    "Yeah, if the wall was smooth with only a few finger holds, it would be impossible since we aren''t some professional climbers."


    "Yeah..." Ambrose nodded and smiled. "I guess we''ve made our decision?"


    "Let''s do it." Moriarty put his foot and hand on one of the holds and began slowly ascending towards the top.


    Ambrose instantly followed after him.


    The yers behind them looked at them like they were crazy and foolish, as the height of the mountain alone frightened them.


    Especially since most yers were already exhausted from the intense running. It looked like the climbing would be suicide.


    As Moriarty moved slowly up the mountain, he stared up and shouted. "Oey, there are already others climbing!"


    Ambrose raised his gaze to the sky, and just as Moriarty said, there were teams climbing slowly.


    However, it meant that the climbing was now going to be more dangerous for them if they nned to pass any of them.


    At that moment, one of the yers, about ten meters above them, turned to look down and showed a sudden smile.


    Moriarty''s eyes widened in surprise.


    The yer kicked his legs at one of the loose rocks, causing it toe loose and fall towards Moriarty.


    Moriarty immediately hugged the mountain wall and heard the rock crash loudly somewhere below him.


    At the foot of the mountain, an unassuming yer was about to follow his teammate to one of the safe passageways, but then the rock came hurtling towards him and smashed straight into his head.


    It caused his head to explode, and blood sttered everywhere.


    His teammate turned around and screamed in shock, but then they both disappeared into pixels.


    Back at the mountain wall, Moriarty gritted his teeth and shouted. "Bastard!"


    The team above themughed mockingly and was about to kick down another rock.


    At that moment, Ambrose kicked off the ledge and soared through the air towards them. It looked like a suicidal leap, but he managed to grab one of the yer''s feet.


    "Ngh!" The yer who tried to kill Moriarty gritted his teeth and tried to shake Ambrose off. "Hands off, bastard!"


    Ambrose grinned and pulled the yer closer.


    The yer desperately tried to hold onto the mountain, but his grip was slipping.


    His teammate tried toe to his rescue, but then Moriarty appeared from below and grabbed the yer, dragging him down.


    The yer let out a scream, and as his hold on the mountain disappeared, he, along with his teammate, fell straight to the bottom and crashed into the rocky terrain.


    They didn''t survive the fall, and they died immediately.


    "Ptui!" Moriarty spat on the bottom and shouted. "Fuckers!"


    He then nodded at Ambrose, and they continued the risky ascent.

 Chapter 440 Lives of Ordinary Players

    <h4>Chapter 440 Lives of Ordinary yers </h4>


    ?"Haah¡­ haaah¡­" A yer named Foxbreath dragged his feet behind him as he trudged through the barren wastnd.


    His teammate, Penguinstrike, followed behind him with an equally exhausted expression.


    While yers around them jogged or ran, they were barely able to walk, as they had been very exhaustingst night.


    They had to run the entire night to escape those flesh-eating zombies.


    In real life, they weren''t very athletic and often spent hours after school in the nearby PC Cafe, where they yed games and watched movies.


    After the release of Martial Online, they received the most physical activity since the moment they were born.


    Unfortunately, it didn''t matter, as their real bodies weren''t affected by the continuous physical activity.


    They thought they were quite powerful yers, as they had achieved high levels and defeated many opponents in the game.


    They thought they were powerful enough to reach the second or third round, but realization struck them, as theirck of physical activity in real life now made them suffer.


    "T-this sucks!" Foxbreath shouted out loud while looking at the mountain in the distance.


    It looked close, yet so far.


    "T-this is stupid!" Foxbreath shouted. "H-how can this decide the strongest yers? This is a game, so why should the real physique of the gamers matter?!"


    "Ngh¡­" Penguinstrike nodded in agreement with a frustrated expression on their faces. "I-If we had our avatar physiques, we would''ve finished already!"


    Even though they weren''t overweight, they didn''t look athletic either. Their bodies were average in build andcked any visible muscle definition.


    They continued to shout frustratingly, wishing that the Game Master would hear them so they would understand their frustration.


    However, no one heard them except the yers that passed them. But they had no time to focus on them, who''ve obviously given up already.


    "Ngh¡­" Foxbreath raised his gaze to the top of the mountain and saw his vision turn hazy.


    It was as if the mountain''s top was shrouded in dense fog. It seemed so far away, in a ce that wouldn''t be possible to reach.


    They saw yers running in the passageways of the mountains, and some were climbing steep cliffs. asionally, they saw some figures fall from the mountain among screams.


    "Fuck it¡­" Foxbreath whispered, and he started to slowly jog up the small hill.


    "Ngh¡­" Penguinstrike immediately tried to follow his teammate by jogging behind him, but his feet were burning, and he struggled to keep up.


    Luckily, he didn''t have to run long as they reached the decision point at the foot of the mountain.


    They were already at the breaking point, and they had only finished the first section.


    The mountain and the cloud section were left.


    Penguinstrike leaned on the wall and breathed heavily. "I-I suppose it''s time to give up. W-we can''t reach the top."


    Foxbreath looked silently up at the towering peak, determination burning in his eyes.


    "Let''s climb." He said with a resolute tone.


    Penquinstrike looked at his friend with a shocked expression and scoffed. "Did you lose your mind? We can barely walk, let alone climb. Also, I am afraid of heights, so I ain''t going anywhere."


    Foxbreath put his foot and hand on the mountain wall''s holds and began to ascend slowly.


    "Wait, stop!" Penguinstrike grabbed the rope and stopped his friend from moving any further up.


    He was barely able to hold Foxbreath back.


    "Come on¡­" Foxbreath breathed heavily and looked down at his friend with a fiery gaze. "We can do this."


    "No, we definitely can''t." Penquinstrike firmly shook his head.


    At that moment, a team of two rushed past them, and started climbing up the wall with incredible speed and agility.


    "H-huh?!" Penguinstrike looked at the two in awe and disbelief.


    "Get out of the way!" A firm-sounding voice said and pushed Foxbreath out of the way before continuing to ascend the wall effortlessly.


    "Ngh!" Foxbreath grunted in surprise and caught the person by his foot before he could fully pass him.


    The person''s lime-green eyes turned down to meet Foxbreath''s gaze with a mix of annoyance and curiosity.


    "Boss." A red-haired woman had climbed slightly above them and looked down at the scene with a frown. "You''ll need help?"


    "No." Cerberus said with a scoff, and he kicked Foxbreath off the mountain wall.


    Foxbreath tumbled downward and fell three meters to the ground. He looked dazed and confused, but ultimately unhurt as he continued to lie on the ground.


    Cerberus then reached out to the ledge above him and pulled himself towards his teammate, Redheart.


    "Whoo¡­" He breathed heavily and started climbing at an insane speed.


    They were unlucky enough to start the tournament from near the very back, but they continued to fight through the whole night through the zombie hordes and managed to close the gap to the front.


    At the bottom of the mountain, Penguinstrike helped Foxbreath stand.


    "S-should we give up?" Penguinstrike suggested. "Even if we try to run to the finishing line, we won''t be able to qualify."


    "Why¡­" Foxbreath bit his lip and cried loudly. "T-this stupid game!"


    "D-dude?" Penguinstrike opened his eyes in shock.


    "Fine, let''s give up¡­" He said tiredly.


    Penguinstrike nodded with a pained expression and pressed the forfeit button. Foxbreath did the same, and they then disappeared from the tournament dimension.


    ¡­


    Two shes of light appeared in a dark expanse of space.


    "Where are we?" Penguinstrike asked and tried to open his interface to log off, but was unsessful.


    Foxbreath looked to the dark sky and noticed that this ce was different from the dark expanse of space during deaths.


    This was another dimension covered in a thick nket of swirling ck mist.


    Swoosh!


    At that moment, a swirling white mist descended from the dark sky and engulfed the two yers in its embrace.


    A misty figure appeared from the swirling mist and greeted them with a mncholic smile. It had the body type of a female human, but its features were hazy and indistinct.


    "Foxbreath and Penguinstrike, you''ve officially been disqualified from the tournament."


    "¡­" Foxbreath sighed and asked. "We know that already."


    "Can we leave?" Penguinstrike asked. "I''ll need some sleep."


    "Of course, if you wish to." The misty woman smiled and then waved her hands, creating two misty doors.


    "If you choose this door." She pointed to the left one. "You''ll return to your beloved world, and you can finally rest."


    "However." She then pointed at the right door. "If you choose this one, you''ll participate in the Wild Cardpetition."


    "Wild Card Competition?" Penguinstrike asked with a frown.


    Foxbreath''s expression brightened up.


    "Yes." The misty woman chuckled. "All the yers who failed in the first round will have another chance to rewrite their destiny."


    "What''s the point¡­" Penguinstrike sighed heavily. "Is it another running bullshitpetition? How can you find the strongest team like this?!"


    "Hehe." The misty woman shook her head. "There''re reasons for everything, but in this Wild Card Competition, you have your strength back."


    "You mean¡­" Foxbreath looked excited. "We have our levels, skills, and stats back?"


    "Yes." The misty woman smiled. "The Wild Card Competition starts once the first round ispleted. Do you want to take your chance and prove yourselves?"


    Foxbreath and Penguinstrike looked at each other before nodding determinedly. They rushed inside the right door and vanished from the misty realm.


    The misty woman smiled and slowly vanished from sight, and then the two misty doors vanished like they had never existed.


    ¡­


    "Ngh!" Moriarty and Ambrose struggled to climb as the wind whipped around them, threatening to knock them off bnce.


    However, at that moment, Ambrose reached his hand towards the ledge above and pulled himself up.


    "Oh¡­" He stood tall, and looked in front of him with amazed sight.


    There was a cloudy road in front of him, with a golden finishing line in the distance.


    "Ngh¡­" Moriarty struggled to climb up, but then Ambrose grabbed his hand and pulled him up.


    "Ah, thanks." Moriarty breathed heavily, looked in the direction of the cloudy road, and felt the breath get stuck inside his throat.


    They had finished the climbing, and now only the cloud road towards the finishing line was left!

 Chapter 441 The Titans

    <h4>Chapter 441 The Titans </h4>


    ?Moriarty and Ambrose rushed down the cloudy road with a thrilled feeling in their hearts.


    The cloudy road''s surface felt like a soft cushion under their feet.


    It was firm enough to provide a steady grip, yet gentle enough to give a slight bounce with each step.


    They couldn''t see anyone in front of them or behind them because of a strange, white mist that came out of nowhere, obscuring their visionpletely.


    However, they were able to see one thing, and that was a bright golden light beyond the mist, which was the finishing line.


    Atst, they ran through the thick mist and pushed through the golden finishing line.


    Ding, ding!


    Moriarty and Ambrose looked around with a rough breath and saw the mist clearing up in their vision.


    They saw thousands of yers running down the cloud road with exhaustion in their faces as they were trying to push through other yers to reach the finishing line before others.


    They then looked down from the cloud road and saw the barren wastnd in the far distance, with many towns and buildings strewn across.


    It looked like the wastnd was an impossible distance away, but finally, the strainous journey was over.


    In front of Moriarty and Ambrose, a holographic screen appeared.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill]


    [Final Ranking: 102]


    "102¡­" Moriartyughed and scratched the back of his head. "Not bad, not bad at all."


    "Whew¡­" Ambrose held his chest and felt his racing heartbeat.


    They had actually qualified through the first round with room to breathe.


    "Good job, man." Moriarty patted his shoulder and saw that a golden door had appeared a slight distance away from them. "Shall we go to the next destination?"


    Ambrose nodded, and followed after him as they stepped through the golden door and disappeared from the tournament dimension.


    ¡­


    Ambrose opened his eyes and felt a soft cushion under his head and a soft bed.


    ''Did I log out identally?'' He wondered, but then he saw an unfamiliar ceiling and room.


    The room was elegantly decorated with rich tapestries and ornate furniture with a hanging chandelier and gilded mirrors.


    The room had an air of opulence and grandeur, making him wonder how he ended up here.


    "Ah, where''re we?"


    Then, a familiar voice popped out of nowhere.


    Ambrose looked to the side and saw that there was another bed in the other corner of the room. There, Moriarty slowly sat up to look at the grand-looking room with a curious frown.


    Moriarty slowly approached the door and opened it to take a peek outside.


    "Uh, Ambrose,e here."


    "Huh?" Ambrose raised an eyebrow and joined him at the door.


    After Moriarty stepped aside, Ambrose peeked outside and looked shockingly surprised.


    There was probably a kilometer-long hallway with hundreds, maybe thousands, of rooms.


    "I suppose all the qualified teams appear here." Ambrose said and stepped back inside the room.


    "That''s my guess too." Moriarty said, and he traced his hand across the wall''s painted surface. "Is this a resting dimension before the second round?"


    Ding, ding.


    On the room''s wall, a holographic screen appeared as if it were mounted on the wall.


    [Amount of Finished Teams: 5,667]


    [Please wait inside the room till the first round is finished!]


    Moriarty closed the door, and they settled in for the wait.


    "The number is going up quick." Moriarty mentioned, while checking out the holographic screen.


    With each passing second, hundreds of teams finished.


    "Yeah." Ambrose took a seat in the nearest chair and watched the numbers climb higher and higher.


    "What do you think about the first round?" Moriarty asked curiously with his arms crossed.


    "What do I think about it?" Ambrose rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I don''t see what the point of it was. I know the physical fitness of the yer matters, as that can also influence the avatar.


    "However, is it important enough to determine the oue of the tournament?"


    "I think everyone misunderstood this tournament." Moriarty said. "Some strong yers definitely got disqualified in the first round.


    "After all, gamers don''t have the best physical fitness in most cases, especially for those who have grinded levels and spend most time inside the game.


    "The strength of the real body was important earlier on, but its importance is decreasing as time goes on because it''s more worthwhile to increase levels than try to build muscle in the real world.


    "That takes time¡ªmonths even. It''s possible to level up much quicker in the game and assign stat points to Strength which will be much more useful."


    "So, what''s the point of the tournament?" Ambrose asked with his arms crossed.


    "To weed out the yers that are only about high-level and not actual skill." Moriarty said. "There''s quite a few of those who spent all their time grinding levels.


    "However, one thing I don''t understand. There''re definitely high-level yers with plenty of skills who might''ve started much further back than we did and get disqualified as a result.


    "That is incredibly unfair, so I don''t understand what the Game Master was thinking."


    "There must be something else happening." Ambrose said. "I guess we''ll see soon enough."


    Moriarty nodded and nonchntly nced at the holographic screen. However, then his eyes bulged, and he called out:


    "Oey, only 100 yers remaining!"


    Ambrose stood up and walked over to the holographic screen.


    Just as Moriarty said, about 9900 teams had already finished, with 100 remaining.


    In the following seconds, the number climbed at an incredible speed until it reached the special 10,000.


    Ding, ding!


    A dinging sound reverberated across the entire room.


    At that moment, a voice came that sounded like it came from hidden speakers.


    "Qualified teams, please walk down the hallway to the left and proceed to the meeting hall.


    "I repeat, qualified teams, please walk down the hallway to the left and proceed to the meeting hall."


    Moriarty nodded and left the room with Ambrose.


    Creak¡ªat the same moment, hundreds of doors opened at the same time, and yers rushed out to the hallway.


    Everyone eyed each other curiously, as everyone here was part of the group that would fight for the crown of the best yers in the entire world.


    And then they followed the arrows on the floor and started walking in the same direction that led to the meeting hall.


    After over ten minutes of walking, they came across stairs that went straight down. The arrows also led straight down, signaling that it was where they had to go.


    After walking down the stairs, they walked through a door and entered a massive meeting hall with enough seats to fit over 20,000 yers.


    Moriarty and Ambrose found their seats near the front row, as they wanted to have a clear view of the stage.


    They then watched as yers continued to swarm inside the meeting hall and fill up the chairs.


    It took about half an hour for all the seats to be filled, and yers chatted with each other, talking about the first round and their experiences.


    At that moment, the door on the stage opened, and a middle-


    aged man with a slightly crooked nose walked to the middle of the stage.


    He was the Game Master, Graham Loch.


    ¡­


    In the outside world, the viewers exploded in excitement as the broadcast of the tournament showed the scene of Graham Loch''s dramatic entrance.


    However, at the same moment, all 10,000 registered teams were revealed on the inte, and all the news stations excitedly started to gather the teams with the strongest line-


    ups on paper.


    Immediately, one team captured everyone''s attention with their star-studded roster.


    Team name: The Titans.


    Members: Julian + Zadkiel.


    It was a monstrous line-up, and everyone started to wonder: how was it even possible to beat such a team?


    Julian had long been considered the strongest yer in the world, no matter what he yed, and Zadkiel was the world''s most famous streamer with strength that might be able to rival Julian!


    However, one team caught the attention of a certainmunity.


    Team Phoenix Quill, with its members Moriarty and Ambrose.

 Chapter 442 Sudden Encounter

    <h4>Chapter 442 Sudden Encounter </h4>


    ?Moriarty''smunity was abuzz after the reveal of all the qualified teams.


    They were excited to see their streamer as having been qualified, but his teammate raised curious eyebrows.


    [Keko: Who is Ambrose?]


    [s: I think I''ve watched his video before. He is fairly popr, but he hasn''t been uploadingtely]


    [Kare21: Why would Lord Moriarty team up with him? He doesn''t sound very powerful]


    [KnowledgeableMan: I wouldn''t be too sure about that. Ambrose is actually the yer with the highest total bounty. It''s true that the bounty doesn''t always reflect strength, but he cannot be weak]


    [Kyoko-san: Does anyone have a picture of him?


    At that moment, onemunity member posted the newest bounty of Ambrose.


    [Kyoko-san: Wow, he is handsome! T-that bounty is insane; isn''t he worth over 200 thousand crowns?!]


    [Rei-Kun: Is anyone watching the broadcast? Graham is about to announce the next round!]


    [Kamne: Ah, right! Anyway, even if Ambrose is not that strong, Moriarty alone can qualify for the finals! Let''s have faith in him as his loyal servants!]


    ¡­


    In the meeting hall, all the yers had quieted down as they anticipated the Game Master''s new words.


    "Congrattions; you''ve sessfully qualified from the first round." Graham slowly pped his hands and then said.


    "However, the tournament is far from over."


    Snap¡ªhe snapped his fingers, and a countdown appeared on the wall behind him.


    [Countdown: 2 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes]


    "The next round starts approximately in three days."


    Some yers whispered with each other, as that was quite a long time.


    "This is where you can rest, if you wish to do so." Graham pointed at the door behind him. "This door leads deeper to this facility, and there, you can train, improve your skills, and eat to your heart''s consent.


    "You are not forced to stay inside the game either. Your spawn point is now inside the room you spawned in, but you must log back inside before the start of the next round."


    The yers sighed in relief and smiled excitedly as some nned to go celebrate with their families for their sess, while a few nned to stay inside the game to increase their strength.


    "In this facility, you can also find clues to what the next round will be and strategize beforehand." Graham said. "So, keep your eyes open and gather as much information as possible."


    After hearing that, some yers who nned to spend the next few days in the real world quickly changed their minds. Knowledge was power, and if they knew what the next round was about, it would help them plenty.


    "Well then, that''s all from me." Graham snapped his fingers, and the door behind him swung wide open. "Good luck out there."


    After those words, he vanished into thin air, leaving the yers in a state of bewilderment and uncertainty. They were thinking about what they should do next.


    Ambrose elbowed Moriarty and whispered. "Shall we go check out the rest of the facility?"


    "Mm." Moriarty nodded and stood up with him, making their way towards the door.


    After seeing some of the yers stand up and head over to the door, the uncertain yers did the same while a few hundred teams outright logged out.


    After stepping through the door, they came across a vast, mall-like structure filled with shops and restaurants.


    The ceiling was high, and there were numerous floors above them, each lookingplex and having their own uniqueyout.


    There seemed to be an endless maze of hallways and corridors to explore, and it also had some rxing seating areas scattered throughout withfortable chairs and tables for yers to rest and enjoy their meals or drinks.


    Moriarty and Ambrose entered an arcade-looking room filled with different types of pinball machines and air hockey tables.


    "So, one can have fun if they desire to." Moriarty grabbed the nearest air hockey paddle and shot the puck towards the goal with a skillful flick of his wrist.


    "Very distracting, don''t you think so?" He asked while looking over his shoulder at Ambrose, who was gazing at the pinball machine.


    "You don''t like these, or what?" Ambrose asked.


    "Sure, I do." Moriarty said. "However, this tournament shouldn''t be a vacation, but a seriouspetition."


    "Oh, little Mori Mori!" At that moment, a cheerful voice came from the door. "You''re way too serious!"


    "Ugh." Moriarty looked like he ate something bad and turned to the door. "Cleo, so you made through, huh?"


    "Hehe, yeah." Cleo dragged her brother, Leo, inside the arcade and grinned. "We were 33rd; what about you?"


    "¡­" Moriarty scoffed and didn''t answer.


    "Hehe." Cleo''s eyes sparkled mischievously as she realized that Moriarty''s silence meant that they had outperformed him in the first round.


    Leo looked around the room with his arms crossed and then nced at Ambrose for a split second before moving his gaze away.


    Ambrose tapped his finger against his well-defined arm, but then, the window behind him shattered and ss shards flew everywhere.


    A round-looking object flew towards the back of Ambrose''s head. It looked to be a baseball.


    Ambrose quickly turned around and caught the baseball with his bare hand, narrowly avoiding being struck.


    "Oh?" Cleo turned and looked surprised. "He is¡­ another famous one."


    Moriarty narrowed his eyes and shifted his gaze between his teammate and the person who threw the baseball.


    "Hmph." Ambrose threw the baseball with incredible uracy and strength, straight through the window.


    Cerberus caught the baseball with ease, as if it were nothing.


    His expression looked cold and distant.


    "A friend of yours?" Cleo turned to Ambrose with a silly smile.


    "More like a cockroach who won''t stop following me." Ambrose stepped through the door and looked at Cebrerus with a mixture of annoyance and disdain.


    At that moment, a red-haired woman jumped from his blind spot and rushed at him with a knife in hand.


    Ambrose quickly grabbed her by the throat and mmed her to the ground with a terrifying force.


    "How was the prison, bitch?" Ambrose snarled, as he tightened his grip.


    "Fucker!" Redheart saw red and kicked Ambrose in the face, causing him to release his hold.


    "Ngh¡­" Ambrose shook his head to clear the dizziness and lunged back at Redheart, mming his fist into Redheart''s jaw with a terrifying force.


    Redheart sprawled down to the ground, blood trickling from her mouth.


    "You''ve changed." Cerberus said coldly. "I could barely recognize you, but you are definitely him."


    "You haven''t changed." Ambrose said with a nonchnt expression. "Still the same. Mind leaving me alone?"


    "Hehe, that''s no fun, though." Cerberus grinned. "Our little game is not over yet."


    "Cerberus from Zahhak." Moriarty stepped through the door with a knife in his hand. "An infamous group for their sadistic chases."


    "¡­" Cerberus looked at him with a frown. "And you are?"


    "Name''s Moriarty." Moriarty said with a smile. "Ambrose''s teammate. If you have business with him, then you have business with me."


    "Piss off." Cerberus said coldly. "I have no interest in dealing with hisckeys."


    "Lackey, hah." Moriarty grinned with a malicious glint in his eyes. "I ain''t scared of Zahhak."


    "You should be." Cerberus replied, his smile fading.


    "Hehe." Cleo looked at the scene with an amused smile. "This looks pretty fun. I guess the time in this so-called resting ce won''t be as eventless as I thought.


    "However, it''s too early for this fight if it already ends here!" Cleo looked at her brother and smiled. "Brother, can you stop the fight?"


    "¡­" Leo nodded and stepped through the door with a towering presence.


    Cerberus looked at the neer with a sudden sense of unease.


    ''I don''t think I can defeat him without my skills.'' He scoffed and looked at Ambrose. "Count yourself lucky. However, we will end this game in this tournament."


    "Sounds good to me." Ambrose watched as Cebrerus turned and walked away with a confident swagger.


    And then he saw Redheart staring daggers at him before also leaving.


    ''Troublesome.'' Ambrose sighed and closed his eyes.

 Chapter 443 The Zahhak Fight

    <h4>Chapter 443 The Zahhak Fight </h4>


    ?Moriarty, Ambrose, Cleo, and Leo took seats in the arcade room.


    "You''re having a lot of friends, Ambrose~" Cleo said yfully.


    "Zahhak is just a cockroach that is following after me." Ambrose said.


    "I think I did hear that Zahhak is someone with a name simr to yours." Moriarty said. "So, I guess it was you."


    "Yeah." Ambrose nodded. "Cerberus won''t be a problem, I assure you."


    "You might be underestimating him too much." Moriarty wryly smiled. "Even I''ve heard about his strength. Have you heard what he''s up totely?"


    "Not really." Ambrose shook his head, but perked up his ears curiously.


    "He now has his own vige." Moriarty said. "Zahhak had also increased in size, which has frightened quite many factions.


    "Zahhak is basically a small army now, and apparently it wasn''t hard for them to recruit as they have quite a few fanboys."


    "Is that so¡­" Ambrose muttered.


    "How did you get on Cerberus'' bad side?" Cleo asked curiously. "I know that Zahhak has been very unreasonable and chases yers down if they only look at them in the wrong way.


    "However, I''ve never heard Cerberus himself put so much effort into hunting someone down." She giggled. "You must be very special!"


    Ambrose sighed and shrugged his shoulders.


    "Well, a friend of mine was the guild leader of Silver Heart, and she invited me to be part of a raid. I had nothing else to do, so I epted.


    "They joined Zahhak in the raid as she was a friend of theirs. So, I met Cerberus and everyone else there.


    "Then, the day of the raid came, and it happened inside some underground facility.


    "But what I didn''t know was that Cerberus had the intention to kill and humiliate me for one trivial reason¡­"


    "What reason?" Cleo''s eyes perked up in excitement as she listened to the story.


    "I was a dual-wielder, like him." Ambrose said with a wry smile. "I suppose he took an insult to that and wanted to humiliate me for it.


    "Before he could deal a finishing blow to me, I escaped and found an underground mansion there, which had all the treasures that we were trying to find."


    "A-and then?" Cleo leaned closer in excitement.


    Ambrose''s smile slightly faded off. "I stole all the treasures and used Teleportation Pearl to get the fuck out of there."


    "Oo!" Cleoughed. "You stole from them all? Wow, they must''ve all been so angry. You are a bad boy, Ambrose!"


    "I wasn''t really thinking about the consequences." Ambrose said and chuckled. "Not that I cared either. I hated them all quite a bit at that moment, so I wanted to fuck them over."


    "Do you think Cerberus will try to fuck us over?" Moriarty asked with a frown.


    "Oh, yeah, definitely." Ambrose nodded. "He would rather see me fail than see himself win. That''s just the kind of person he is."


    "That is troublesome." Moriarty scratched his cheek furiously.


    "Don''t worry," Ambrose said. "He''ll wait for the opportunity to humiliate me in front of everyone."


    "And that is¡­" Moriarty widened his eyes in surprise. "In the finals?"


    "Yeah." Ambrose nodded. "He is powerful enough to reach the finals; I acknowledge that."


    "He must acknowledge your strength too, then." Moriarty frowned. "But if we reach the finals, how can we stop him?"


    "Maybe we can''t." Ambrose said with his arms crossed. "However, as long as we reach the finals, I think we have already seeded in my books.


    "It''s fine if he humiliates me; you''ll be fine at least."


    Moriarty clenched his hands into fists. ''I want to win, though.''


    ¡­


    Cerberus walked down the endlessly long hallway with his hands inside his trousers'' pockets.


    Redheart walked behind him while rubbing her hurt jaw.


    ''That fucker.'' She cursed inwardly, promising herself to get revenge.


    After a short walkter, Cerberus stopped in front of one of the doors, and asked. "Is this the one?"


    Redheart quickly checked the message and nodded. "This is the one."


    Cerberus knocked on the door, and soon it opened.


    "Brother." Shockingly, the door was opened by his little sister, Andromeda.


    "June." Cerberus nodded. "Is everyone here?"


    "Yes." Andromeda nodded and opened the door wide to allow them inside.


    After Cerberus stepped inside, he saw that the room was filled with familiar faces.


    "You all made it through, good." Cerberus nodded.


    Rainman and Glowstar sat in one corner of the room, staring silently at the group. They were the second Zahhak team.


    SweetieHell sat on the bed while browsing through her interface. She was part of the third Zahhak team alongside Andromeda.


    Mizuchi and Bluecore sat near the window, and they were the fourth Zahhak team.


    AnarchyCat and Arsenal were the fifth Zahhak team, and they were standing near the door.


    "Redheart, what happened to you?" SweetieHell looked away from the interface and asked with a snarky remark.


    "We met Ambrose," Redheart said hatefully.


    After that name was mentioned, a chilly chill filled the room.


    Andromeda looked up at her brother with a mixture of concern and curiosity.


    "Did you kill him?" Arsenal asked with a rough voice.


    "No," Cerberus said.


    "Why not?" Arsenal asked with a frown.


    "Because it''s not the time." Cerberus replied, his eyes narrowing. "We''ve lost a lot of respect because of him, and we need to humiliate him in front of the whole world."


    "Everytime you try to y around with him, it won''t end well." Arsenal said in anger. "Let''s just ambush him and put a knife on his neck."


    "Quiet down!" Cerberus shouted. "We''re doing this my way, and it will be a lesson he''ll never forget."


    "Tch." Arsenal shook his head.


    "I find yourck of trust disturbing." Cerberus said, and he grabbed Arsenal by the throat.


    "Ngh¡­" Arsenal gasped for air, and looked at Cerberus with fiery gaze.


    "Stop it!" Andromeda called, but everyone ignored her pleas and watched in silence.


    "Well, you are a military man, aren''t you, Arsenal?" Cerberus let go of his throat and took off his jacket. "Let''s see how we''ll do in a real fight; what do you say?"


    "No offense, boss, but you don''t have the training or experience to stand a chance against me." Arsenal said. "I acknowledge your gaming skills, which are miles above mine, but this is my area of expertise."


    "Then you wouldn''t mind showing me?" Cerberus said with a smirk. "If you defeat me, I''ll let you be leader of Zahhak, and you can make all the decisions from now on. What do you say?"


    Arsenal stayed quiet and narrowed his eyes, expecting there to be some kind of trick.


    "I know you''ve always wanted to be the leader." Cerberus put his arms wide open, a smile forming on his face. "This is your chance."


    "Fine." Arsenal removed his coat, revealing his military body filled with scars and muscles.


    "Come on!" Andromeda called out and turned to others. "Are you just letting this be?"


    "It''s up to your brother." Redheart said with a cold look. "I have lost a slight amount of faith in him, but this is a good chance to show that he still has his edge.


    "Cerberus, in Ember Online, was a force of nature.


    "However, since meeting with Ambrose, he has be more vulnerable and uncertain. I don''t like that. In Ember Online, he was a person I would trust with all my heart.


    "I want that Cerberus to make aeback, and this might be the chance for it."


    Andromeda sighed and turned to the fight that was about to begin with a heavy heart.


    Cerberus and Arsenal faced each other with their hands clenched tight, ready for the battle that would determine the future of Zahhak.

 Chapter 444 Another Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 444 Another Meeting </h4>


    ?In the grand-looking room, the light through the curtains was getting dark as the sun began to set.


    Currently in the room, a fight was about to happen.


    Arsenal narrowed his gaze and analyzed Cerberus''s stance.


    He was standing tall, his muscles tense, and his arms raised in front of his body. It looked like Cerberus would first see what Arsenal did and then counter-attack.


    ''A ssic battle strategy.'' Arsenal thought. ''I''ve seen this many times from new recruits. They''re afraid to fight those who are more experienced because they don''t want to make mistakes.


    ''However, now that Cerberus has put himself on the defensive end, as long as I keep putting pressure on him, he will crack and lose.''


    Arsenal lunged forward and threw a straight punch towards Cerberus'' block. It looked like he was going to start with a strong and aggressive attack.


    Cerberus slightly lowered his stance in preparation for the attack.


    At that moment, Arsenal stopped his punch and grabbed Cerberus'' legs to attempt a takedown.


    Cerberus failed to react and was quickly taken to the ground.


    Arsenal mounted him and began raining down punches.


    Cerberus quickly put his arms up to defend himself and felt the full force of Arsenal''s strikes. However, his expression remained cold as he endured the barrage of punches.


    "You''re fool." Arsenal spat out and increased the weight behind his punches. "You should never go on defense when you''re up against a person with greater experience."


    "The thing is, I know all about you." Cerberus smiled while his arms rattled under the barrage of punches. "When you think you''re stronger than your opponent, you be careless."


    Arsenal''s eyes narrowed, and he threw another punch that he thought would be enough to break through his defenses.


    But then Cerberus removed his blocks and stabbed his fingers directly into Arsenal''s eyes.


    "Aargh!" Arsenal cried out and held his bleeding eyes while screaming.


    Cerberus pushed Arsenal out of the way and stood over him, looking at him writhing on the ground.


    At that moment, Arsenal blindly reached out to his inventory in an attempt to take out his medicine pills.


    But then Cerberus stomped over his arm and crushed his hand, causing Arsenal to let out a cry of frustration.


    "Without your arrogance, you would''ve tried to defeat me by grappling." Cerberus said with a scoff. "But you tried to punch through me like a fool."


    "In terms of grappling, I wouldn''t be a match for you, and I would''ve lost the fight. Now, you''re losing because you wanted to humiliate me."


    "Damn it!" Arsenal screamed out and shouted. "Fine, I lose!"


    "I still hear defiance in your voice." Cerberus''s eyes turned cold, and he then stomped over Arsenal''s head and smashed his skull into the ground.


    Arsenal''s nose broke, and blood began to pour out onto the floor.


    "Brother!" Andromeda called out. "You''ve won!"


    "Not yet." Cerberus grabbed Arsenal by the hair and yanked him up before throwing him against the wall with a bone-crushing force.


    Arsenal coughed out blood.


    Cerberus rushed in and continued to deliver blow after blow, mercilessly pummeling Arsenal into submission.


    The bones were crushed, and Arsenal''s body became limp and lifeless.


    "How is he not dead yet?" Redheart frowned and checked the inventory.


    He then came to a shocked revtion.


    "W-wait, there is no health in this ce?"


    "Exactly." Cerberus said while punching Arsenal into unconsciousness. "You cannot die here. I suppose it would ruin the Game Master''s ns for the uing round."


    "Come on, someone stop him!" Andromeda shouted.


    Others looked at her before shaking their heads.


    "No." Redheart said coldly and started to smile creepily. "This is good. The real Cerberus is finallying from his shell."


    Arsenal fell unconscious multiple times, but each punch brought him back to consciousness. He could only helplessly watch as Cerberus punched him repeatedly.


    "Argh!" Cerberus dealt another punch, which shattered Arsenal''s face.


    He then stepped back, admiring his handiwork.


    Arsenal was left lying on the ground, bloodied and broken. He was blind, bloodied, and barely able to breathe because of the blood that was filling his mouth.


    "Hmm." Cerberus cleaned his bloodied hands with a satisfied smirk on his face. "I know you can still hear me, Arsenal. Log the fuck out, and when you return, I expect better


    behavior from you."


    Arsenal couldn''t respond properly and only nodded before pressing the log-out button with his broken arm.


    He then vanished from the room.


    "Haaah¡­" Cerberus took a deep breath and looked at the member of Zahhak with a crazy look in his eyes. "Anyone else want to fight?"


    Everyone shook their heads and simply lowered their heads to show their loyalty.


    Redheart grinned crazily and realized that the old Cerberus had made his return.


    "Whoo¡­" Cerberus cracked his neck and smiled. "Whoo... it''s time for some chaos."


    ¡­


    In the facility area, the yers had found themselves something to do while a few searched through all the ces for any clues for the uing second round.


    Ambrose leaned against the window and gazed out at the yers.


    Cleo and Leo yed air hockey against each other, and then Cleo scored the winning goal with a powerful shot.


    "Yaay!" Cleoughed and threw her arms up in the air. "I won!"


    Leo put the air hockey paddle down and nodded in congrattions to his twin sister.


    Moriarty then walked down from the arcade''s second floor and shook his head as a signal that he didn''t find anything special there.


    "I wonder where the clue is hidden." He sighed and joined Ambrose at the same table. "I doubt it''s in any of the yer rooms."


    "Little Mori Mori, y with me!" Cleo eximed. "I am currently undefeated!"


    "Piss off." Moriarty rolled his eyes and tapped his finger impatiently on the tabletop.


    "Pou." Cleo pouted and looked at Ambrose. "What about you, bad boy? Want to feel the bitter taste of defeat?"


    "I am fine." Ambrose replied calmly, not showing any interest in Cleo''s challenge.


    "You two are so boring~" Cleo leaned against the air hockey table and sighed dramatically.


    At that moment, two figures entered the arcade and looked around with a keen eye.


    A tall, over-two-meter-tall man with a stern expression and a wild-looking man with a leather jacket and a sigil of roaring engines emzoned on the back stepped deeper inside the arcade.


    Moriarty raised his eyebrow and looked at the two with curiosity, wondering what they were up to. He couldn''t quite recognize the sigil.


    Ambrose nonchntly nced at them before turning his gaze back to the window.


    Cleo and Leo also couldn''t recognize them, as they had spentst month in Dark Waters.


    "You, there." ckfist pointed at Ambrose and smiled. "I know you, don''t I?"


    "How should I know?" Ambrose looked at him with his bright, purple eyes and asked. "Well, do you know me?"


    "Yeah, I do." ckfist grinned. "Ambrose. I saw your face in the newspaper."


    ''Ambrose?'' Motorhero nced at the purple-eyed man and narrowed his eyes. ''The one Zahhak couldn''t catch.''


    "Good for you." Ambrose said. "I don''t know you."


    "Haha, I suppose you haven''t been in Amaterasu for quite some time." ckfist leaned on the table and grinned. "Roaring Engines are now the dominant force in the city."


    ''Roaring Engines? I think I''ve heard about them.'' Ambrose couldn''t remember.


    "Let''s go, ckfist." Motorhero looked away from the purple-


    eyed man and headed over to the second floor.


    "Okay, boss." ckfist grinned and looked at Ambrose. "I am a big fan. Apparently, you''re one of the most evil bastards out there, ording to rules."


    "Heh." Ambrose grinned and turned back to the window without revealing his true thoughts.


    ckfist narrowed his eyes with a dangerous glint and joined Motorhero in going to the second floor.


    "More friends?" Cleo giggled.


    "¡­" Ambrose leaned against his hand.

 Chapter 445 Trouble In Horizon

    <h4>Chapter 445 Trouble In Horizon </h4>


    ?"I am going off for now." Moriarty mentioned as he put down his pen and closed his notebook.


    He finished writing up things he had discovered so far about the facility, such as the number of floors and the number of rooms.


    He nned to search for any clues starting tomorrow.


    "See you." Ambrose nodded and bid farewell.


    "I''ll go check the other qualified teams." Moriarty said, and he pulled out his interface. "It must be revealed already."


    "Sounds good."


    After Moriarty disappeared into thin air, Ambrose stood up and left the arcade while Leo and Cleo were checking out different gaming machines.


    While walking down the bottom floor of the facility, he noticed a group of yers had formed around different floors and rooms.


    They seemed to be discussing something of great importance.


    ''Joining hands with other contestants isn''t the worst idea.'' Ambrose thought as he headed over to the second floor.


    ''There''re ten thousand different teams, and having a small group of ten teams work together could increase their chances of sess.''


    After mindlessly walking around the facility, checking out the different training rooms and equipment, Ambrose finally settled on a room that was at the corner of the second floor.


    It was a small library, filled with books of all genres and subjects. Ambrose was immediately drawn to the shelves, his eyes scanning the titles.


    However, he then heard sounds of movement and voicesing from the adjacent room.


    As he moved two books from the shelf, he saw a couple flirting with each other in the corner of the library.


    They wereughing and whispering sweet nothings to each other.


    Ambrose rolled his eyes and moved the books to block the view of the couple. He then saw some other yers scattered around the library, searching for any clues.


    They had the same thought process as Ambrose, as he also thought that the library might be a ce to start as there might be some books in there that could provide valuable information.


    ''It would be a far too obvious ce, but maybe finding the clues isn''t supposed to be too hard.''


    Ambrose thought and searched throughout the library in search of any interesting-looking books.


    However, after hours of searching, he still hadn''t found anything useful.


    It was already gettingte, and the distant voices of yers had also be distant as they had either logged out or retreated to their rooms with their new-found friends.


    There were still hundreds of yers moving on different floors as they wanted to find the clues before others and perhaps sell the information.


    They imagined being able to make a huge bank from the information.


    ''I don''t think there is anything useful in here.'' Ambrose sighed, and left the library with a sense of disappointment.


    As he walked down the second floor of the mall with his hand in his pocket, he saw a group of yers walking on the bottom floor whileughing and chatting.


    Ambrose leaned on the railing and watched as they left the facility, returning back to their rooms.


    At that moment, a few droplets of crimson blood fell from Ambrose''s nose, staining the pristine white floor.


    "¡­" Ambrose used the back of his hand to wipe away the blood, his expression morphing into one of concern.


    ''Be talked about his father trying to cure her mother by using a VR headset to heal her body, but eventually, it failed, and she melted into a puddle of flesh and bone.


    ''Perhaps that''s what is happening to me?


    ''Am I¡­ dying?''


    ¡­


    "No!" Jonna threw her chair across the room and fell down to her knees.


    She held her head with a grieving expression on her face, tears streaming down her cheeks.


    "I am sorry¡­ I am sorry¡­ I am sorry!"


    m!


    The door mmed open, and her worried-looking subordinate rushed in with a shocked expression on her face.


    "B-boss?" The round-headed woman, Zoey, looked at her with confusion, wondering what could have happened.


    "I am sorry¡­" Jonna whispered as tears streamed down her cheeks.


    Zoey approached the desk, saw a screen that showed a certain person''s body''s information, and realized something horrible.


    Jesse''s holographic body was on the screen, and it showed all of his vital signs. However, now it was fully red like blood, and everything was beeping in rm.


    "D-did he die?" Zoey asked and looked up at one of therge screens.


    It showed a scene from inside the facility, which she had ess to, and she saw him standing casually on the screen as if nothing wrong had happened.


    "H-he is alive, so why?" Zoey looked at her boss and held her shoulder. "W-what''s wrong?"


    "W-why is this happening?" Jonna whispered in a shaky voice, her eyes welling up with tears. "E-everything looked good, b-


    but then yesterday it suddenly turned all red with error messages!


    "I thought the system had a bug, but now it happened again, and when it happened, this happened!"


    Jonna used her trembling finger to rewind the screen, and then it showed a scene of the purple-eyed person standing casually, but then his nose started bleeding.


    Zoey''s expression fell apart as she noticed that the blood was crimson in color!


    "W-why did it happen so suddenly?" Jonna asked herself with a despairing voice. "Everything was fine, so why¡­"


    "You can fix it, right, boss?" Zoey asked hopefully, her voice trembling.


    "I don''t know how¡­" Jonna grabbed her hair and tugged at it. "This couldn''t have happened so suddenly, but it must''ve been a long process for his body to turn messed up like this."


    "You said something about him having Humanoid Imperfecta." Zoey raised her finger and said, "Maybe that somehow influenced it?"


    "¡­" Jonna gritted her teeth and tried to think.


    "Wait, I have gotten some warning signals from his brain scans before." Jonna''s expression became more concerned.


    "From what I remember, Graham''s wife waspletely fine for a day until she became sick, and from what I heard, she was very emotional. She changed from anger to overwhelming happiness in a matter of minutes.


    "Maybe that''s what was happening with Jesse, but at a much slower pace!" She returned to theputer and brought out her journal to document her observations and thoughts.


    "I just found that there was a glitch in the system all this time, and it might be something he had noticed!" Jonna shouted.


    "His detoration started from having overwhelmed emotions, but then suddenly his body started dying at insane speed. It is like his body is now copsing at a much faster speed!"


    "It''s like his body is now trying to catch up." Zoey said in a shocked voice. "The overwhelmed emotions slowed down how his body worked, but now it''s bncing itself out.


    "That''s why he is suddenly dying at an elerated rate!"


    "Fuck!" Jonna grabbed her head. "I-I did this. It was my fault."


    "Y-you can fix him, right?" Zoey said hopefully.


    "¡­" Jonna looked at her with teary eyes and smiled painfully. "I''m afraid there is nothing I can do. I only managed to create it with the help of Graham''s blueprints, and I thought I managed to fix any problems, but it seems I was wrong.


    "I was arrogant and idiotic."


    Zoey''s eyes shook, and she turned to the screen with a saddened gaze.


    "He''ll die?"


    "Inside a month, yes." Jonna lowered her head painfully.


    "Maybe we should tell Graham?" Zoey asked. "He could help. This was his creation in the first ce!"


    Jonna''s eyes opened shakily, and she grabbed her chest, feeling a sharp pain shoot through her body.


    "B-boss?"


    "I don''t know if he can either." Jonna closed her eyes painfully. "He already failed to save his wife; what makes you think he can save him?"


    "Are you afraid of what he will do to you?" Zoey asked and clenched her fists. "Does it matter? This is a matter of life and death!"


    "Shit¡­" Jonna grabbed her head and whispered weakly. "A-all right, I will."

 Chapter 446 The Sauna

    <h4>Chapter 446 The Sauna </h4>


    ?"¡­" Ambrose wiped the blood off the floor using his boot and then headed to the nearest stair as he was thinking about logging out soon.


    The crimson blood that was staining his right hand made his skin crawl as he began to think about the worst possibility.


    ''It must be just some kind of bug.'' Ambrose thought and nodded. ''I have taken medical tests weekly, and nothing seemed to be wrong, so how could I possibly be suddenly dying?


    ''That doesn''t make any sense.''


    He rxed his tense muscles and was about to head over to the bottom floor, but then he came across one of the training facility''s sauna rooms.


    ''A sauna, huh.'' Ambrose thought as he considered taking a moment to rx and unwind before continuing on his way.


    ''Well, my legs are quite sore and my mind is mudded, so a short sauna break could actually do very good.''


    Ambrose stepped through the sliding doors and walked into a changing room to find a towel and a locker to store his belongings.


    There were several empty lockers avable, so he chose one in the corner for privacy. He also heard the sound of running watering from the showers, signaling that there were already yers using the facilities.


    Luckily, there was one for men and one for women.


    He didn''t want to identally walk into women showering, as it would be a quick way to ruin his reputation.


    After cing all his clothes inside the inventory and standing naked in front of the locker, he took a towel and wrapped it around his waist to maintain his modesty.


    His perfect physique was on full disy, with every muscle defined and sculpted.


    With the towel around his waist, he left the locker and entered the sauna area, where some were showering and others were rxing in the heat.


    A chatter and sound of waternding on the hot rocks wafted from the nearby saunas, and the steam hung heavily in the air, creating a hazy and tranquil atmosphere.


    "Whoo¡­" Ambrose took in the warmth and closed his eyes, feeling the stress melt away.


    He then found himself in an empty sauna and settled in for a rxing session of heat therapy.


    As he grabbed thedle, he threw the water onto the hot coals, releasing a burst of steam.


    The sweat dripped down his face, cleansing his pores and rejuvenating his body.


    He then leaned against the hot wooden wall, feeling the warmth seep into his tired muscles. His eyes were closed as he shut out all the worried thoughts and simply focused on the present moment.


    At that moment, he heard the door to the sauna open, and based on the footsteps, he could tell that two people had just entered.


    ''Wasn''t there any other empty saunas?'' Ambrose didn''t open his eyes, even though he felt slightly annoyed, but he didn''t want to ruin his mood over something as trivial as that.


    "Oh, it''s you." One of the people sat beside him and spoke with a somewhat familiar voice.


    Ambrose opened his eyes and looked beside him.


    At first, he couldn''t tell who he was because of the steam that filled the room, but then he barely recognized the person.


    "You''re¡­" Ambrose bit his lip as he was deep in thought.


    "Julian." A half-naked man, with only a towel around his waist, said.


    He was obviously a middle-aged man, but his body was surprisingly fit and well-toned.


    He was none other than the legendary Saint Julian, and beside him, a crystal-haired man named Zadkiel sat with his back against the hot wooden wall, engrossed in the warmth of the sauna with a peaceful smile on his face.


    "Right, Hightown, was it?" Ambrose asked with a slight nod.


    "That''s right." Julian leaned against the hot wooden wall and spoke with a monotone voice. "Congrattions for qualifying."


    "Thank you; same to you." Ambrose nodded.


    After the brief conversation, both stayed silent and stared at the same stove as if they were lost in their thoughts.


    Zadkiel opened his eyes with a smile on his face and nced at the two people, who were clearly not very talkative. In that aspect, they both seemed very simr.


    "My name''s Zadkiel. Nice to meet you." He reached out his hand past Julian and shook Ambrose''s hand.


    "Ambrose." Ambrose replied while awkwardly shaking the hand.


    "You two know each other?" Zadkiel pulled back his hand and asked with a smile.


    "We''ve met before, yes." Ambrose nodded but didn''t think they exactly knew each other.


    Julian nodded without breaking his own silence.


    "I see." Zadkielughed. "Well, it''s a small world, after all. Who is your teammate, if I may ask?"


    "Moriarty, I''m not sure if you know him." Ambrose replied and looked away from Zadkiel''s gaze.


    "Ahah, Moriarty." Zadkiel chuckled and leaned back while crossing his legs without caring whether the towel would drop. "I know him, all right."


    "Oh, you do?" Ambrose asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise.


    However, after a slight remembering, he remembered that Moriarty was supposed to be a big streamer, so it wasn''t a surprise for most yers to know him.


    "Ahah, yeah." Zadkiel nodded. "I was in the same school as him."


    Ambrose looked more surprised, as they didn''t expect them to be that close.


    "Wepeted in the same archery, basketball, and chess tournaments." Zadkiel said before chuckling.


    "I, of course, won them all while he got second. I also always won him in the exams, so I suppose that he never really won anything when I was there. Well, I ain''t going to school anymore, so maybe he has finally won something, haha."


    ''I guess this might be the reason why Moriarty wants to win so badly.'' Ambrose crossed his arms in thought. ''Is it because of this person?''


    "Have you tried looking for the clues?" Julian asked curiously while stopping Zadkiel from boasting even further.


    "I did, for a few hours in the library." Ambrose sighed and closed his eyes. "No luck. If there was something, I would''ve found it."


    "We found a single symbol on the fourth floor''s bank." Julian said. "The symbol showed a stove with steam rising out of it."


    Ambrose turned to the sauna stove and narrowed his eyes. "A sauna stove."


    "Aigh, Julian, why did you tell him that?" Zadkiel wryly smiled beforeughing. "Not that we care. Yes, we expect the next hint to be somewhere in here."


    "I can only think of a single ce where the hint can be hidden." Ambrose looked at the stove with aplex expression. "In one of those rocks."


    "Huh." Zadkiel rubbed his chin andughed. "It would be pretty hidden, I agree."


    "Sigh, I came here to rx, and now I have to go back to working again." Ambrose groaned and stood up, sweat dripping down his well-defined physique.


    "Ah, what''cha doing¡­" Zadkiel asked curiously, leaning in closer to get a better look.


    "Well, this." Ambrose grabbed one of the steaming hot rocks from the stove and watched as


    his hand turned bright red from the intense heat.


    "Oof!" Zadkiel grinned and stood up. "You''re crazy; I like that."


    Julian also stood up with a monotone expression, as if he expected nothing less. They joined Ambrose in the stove and started picking up the rocks while searching for any symbols.


    Atst, Julian picked up a hand-sized rock and saw a faint engraving of the number 1111 on its surface.


    Ambrose and Zadkiel looked at the engraving and came to a simple conclusion.


    "The clue is in room 1111."


    "I didn''t see any numbers on those rooms." Ambrose said with a frown.


    "Haha, fuck." Zadkiel grinned. "The developers really want us to work hard for this, don''t they?"


    "They want us to count the rooms one by one till we find room 1111." Julian said with a dull voice.


    "Sigh." Ambrose sighed and rubbed his eyes. "All the rxation I received is now gone. This is going to be a long night."

 Chapter 447 Nosferatu

    <h4>Chapter 447 Nosferatu </h4>


    ?The silverware clicked together as a family of four gathered around the dining table, enjoying their fabulous gathering of different meals from different cultures.


    Moriarty cut into his food and savored the rich vors that filled his mouth.


    He had a very indifferent expression on his face as he silently ate his food.


    His parents and brother were also eating in silence, as if there were an invisible barrier separating them. It didn''t seem like a family meal at all, but one shared by strangers.


    Moriarty''s father, a stern man with a distant gaze, seemed particrly distant and disengaged. He had gray hair with a few streaks of white, giving him a distinguished appearance.


    He then wiped his mouth and turned his distant gaze towards Moriarty.


    "102nd, you have disappointed me again."


    Moriarty''s knife stopped just inches away from his food, poised in mid-air, but then he slowly lowered it back to his te.


    "The only goal was to qualify," Moriarty said calmly. "We did good, in my humble opinion."


    "I didn''t think I raised you to be happy with such a pathetic position." His father shook his head in disappointment.


    At that moment, Moriarty''s mother, a tall and elegant woman with a smiling expression, said, "Young Zad apparently reached the top 10. His parents must be smiling with happiness every day that they raised such a wonderful son."


    Moriarty''s hand tightened into a fist, his knuckles turning white.


    ''Zadkiel that, Zadkiel this, fuckers.'' Moriarty took a deep breath before he lost it.


    ''Because of me, my parents business didn''t go bankrupt. My parents owe their financial stability to me!


    ''Yet, they never appreciated my efforts or acknowledged my contributions. I am fifth in the streaming rankings. I am the wealthiest high schooler. Apparently, none of these matter to them.''


    Moriarty wiped his mouth and stood up. "Thank you for the meal. I have to go prepare for tomorrow."


    Neither of his parents said anything as they continued eating in silence, and then Moriarty headed straight back to his room.


    After reaching his room, he copsed onto his bed, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over him.


    ''In the first round, the soul of the Knight of Ayl wasn''t with me because of the restriction. At least I didn''t have to hear the bullshit about honor and chivalry again.''


    However, he strangely missed him, as he had grown used to his presence and the familiar lectures.


    Moriarty pulled out his phone and saw that his text messages were flooded with congrattion messages.


    He checked them briefly before moving on to delete them all.


    "He was in the top ten¡­" Moriarty sat up and checked the rankings for the first round.


    The Titans were in the eighth position with their powerful line-up.


    "He beat me again¡­" Moriarty squeezed his phone in frustration.


    As he went to check the news, he saw a headline about Zadkiel and Julian. Wherever he went, he only saw more and more news about them; it was as if not a single team beside them existed.


    "Hah¡­" Moriarty let out a bitterugh, moved onto the ForeverChat app, and went to check what hismunity was talking about.


    They were talking about the tournament and the other teams, but their discussions were overshadowed by the overwhelming focus on Moriarty and his team.


    They were wondering who this Ambrose was and whether he was any help to Moriarty.


    "Sigh." Moriarty closed the phone andid back on the bed with an exhaustion that seemed to seep into his bones.


    At that moment, he heard a sharp ringing in his ear.


    "Damn, already?" Moriarty sighed and sat up with a heavy expression.


    He stood up from the bed and opened the window, opening his sight to the wonderful city that was right beside a vast ocean. The night air filled his lungs, bringing a sense of calm and rity to his troubled mind.


    Moriarty touched his ringing ears and leaped out of the window like a wild animal escaping its cage.


    He safelynded on the roof of a neighboring building and walked down the tilted rooftop.


    As he reached the end of the rooftop, he leaped into the air as if he had wings, jumping a distance that would be impossible for ordinary humans, andnded gracefully on the other side of the street.


    As it was quitete, the streets were empty except for the mist that creeped from the mountains and engulfed the city, creating an eerie yet mystifying atmosphere.


    As he waltzed into a dark alleyway, he found a building tucked away in the shadows, and it looked like it was a ce that wouldn''t get any visitors.


    Knock, knock¡ªhe double-knocked on the door and awaited with his ringing ears.


    A short momentter, antern-carrying figure opened the door with a tired smile on his face.


    "I was expecting you, Young Moriarty."


    "Yeah, yeah, just give me the medicine, Nosferatu." Moriarty said and rubbed his ears. "I can''t stand this ringing."


    "Very well, kuku." Nosferatu opened the door wide and walked inside his humble abode while lighting up the path with thentern in his possession.


    Moriarty closed the door behind him and followed the hunched-


    backed man into the mysterious darkness of the abode.


    After a short while, they both entered a smallboratory with shelves filled with various chemicals and scientific instruments.


    However, in the middle table, there were some electrical wires that were frayed and sparking dangerously. Beside them, there were broken golden VR headsets with whole parts missing.


    "Sit there." Nosferatu pointed at the chair in the corner.


    Moriarty slowly made his way towards it, cautiously avoiding the hazardous wires and broken VR headsets. He then carefully lowered himself onto the chair, mindful of any additional dangers lurking in the room.


    Nosferatu searched the shelves until he found a syrinqe with a sharp needle. He then took out a green liquid from his pocket and filled the syringe with it.


    "Roll up your sleeve." He said as he tapped his finger against the side of the syringe.


    Moriarty rolled up his sleeve and exposed his bare arm to receive the injection.


    Nosferatu carefully pushed the needle into Moriarty''s arm, injecting the green liquid into his veins.


    "Ngh¡­" Moriarty grimaced in pain as he felt the cold liquid coursing through his body.


    However, then the annoying ringing stopped.


    "That''s it." Nosferatu smiled creepily and put away the syringe.


    "The ringing has be more frequent." Moriarty rubbed his ear and mentioned his worries.


    "Yes, it''s because you''ve been ying Martial Online more." Nosferatu said. "You''re using the headset for longer periods."


    "Yes, I''ve been preparing for this tournament¡­" Moriarty said, adjusting his clothes and checking out the clock. "Once the tournament is over, I''ll reduce my ytime; is that fine?"


    "Yes, that''s fine." Nosferatu smiled. "The headset gives you incredible abilities, but unfortunately there is this small side effect."


    "It is to be expected." Moriarty said. "However, since it''s just mere ringing, it''s a small price to pay for the advantages it provides."


    "Exactly." Nosferatu smiled and checked the clock. "You should rest. You have an important day ahead."


    Moriarty nodded and departed the shady building with a rejuvenated expression.


    After his departure, Nosferatu returned to theboratory and put thentern on the table.


    He then took out an old-looking shell phone and dialed a number.

 Chapter 448 The Clue

    <h4>Chapter 448 The Clue </h4>


    ?"Boss, it''s me, Nosferatu." He spoke with a humbling tone. "Subject 1126 asked for another shot of medicine. His ringing has gotten worse."


    "¡­" The voice on the other side of the phone stayed quiet before a voice came: "He''s been using the headset for longer periods. If this continues, he''ll kill himself."


    "He said he''d limit his ytime." Nosferatu smiled. "However, I''ll keep an even closer eye on him. Of course, we won''t want our new ve to die so soon."


    "Is he feeling suspicious yet?" The voice asked.


    "It doesn''t seem like it." Nosferatu said. "He still thinks the ringing is the only side effect."


    "I see." The voice said, "I''ll have to visit the Land of White soon. The payment iste¡­"


    "Oh, the mercenaries failed to pay?" Nosferatu chuckled. "Death for them, then."


    "I am giving them onest chance¡­" The voice said coldly. "Keep me posted about Moriarty, and also, have you found another target?"


    "Yes, I think I have." Nosferatu replied with a glint of excitement in his eyes and took out a picture from one of the shelves.


    It was a picture of a purple-eyed man with a handsome countenance.


    "His name is Jesse Rothsmith." Nosferatu said with a sly smile. "After I found out that this person is Moriarty''s teammate, I sought him out, and I think he is a good fit for our ''ve Program''."


    "Very good." The voice seemed to approve of the choice. "If they qualify, seek him out in Loch City and show him the power it can give him. If he doesn''t, go to where he lives."


    "Yes, master." Nosferatu said with a humble smile. "No one can resist the allure of this incredible power."


    The call was then disconnected.


    Nosferatu pocketed the shell phone andughed. He looked back at the mess he had created, with broken headsets scattered about.


    "I suppose I need to create another one for this ''Ambrose'', but well, soon he''ll just be another subject of our ever-growing army of super ves."


    ¡­


    "And, 1111." Zadkiel stopped in front of a door that was an ordinary-looking brown door with a gold door knob.


    It looked exactly the same as the other thousand doors in the hallway.


    Ambrose and Julian watched as Zadkiel put his hand on the door knob and slowly turned it.


    The door creaked open, revealing an ordinary bedroom with a door to the bathroom and a curtained window that didn''t show anything except the misty outside world.


    They entered the room and closed the door behind them to ensure their privacy and not have other yerse scooping around.


    "Uh, Julian, check the bathroom, and I''ll check this area." Zadkiel pointed at the area around the bed and started searching for any clues or hidden objects.


    Julian nodded and headed to the bathroom to investigate any potential leads.


    ''I guess I''ll just check things by myself.'' Ambrose looked around and went to check the shelves first.


    "Hmm¡­" Zadkiel muttered, and he was about to move the bed out of the way, but then he heard something on the ceiling.


    As he turned to the ceiling, a small string dangled down, catching his attention.


    "What''s this¡­" He wondered, reaching up to grab it.


    He pulled the string down, and suddenly, a trapdoor opened, revealing a hidden attic space above.


    Adder descended from the opening and thudded against the floor.


    Ambrose and Julian turned around, and their eyes widened in pleasant surprise. They didn''t expect there to be a hidden attic!


    After Zadkiel climbed thedders, he was instantly followed by Julian and Ambrose.


    The attic was dusty with old furniture and cobwebs. It looked like an ordinary attic, but they then saw something that wasn''t very ordinary.


    There was arge pearl resting on a velvet cushion in the center of the room. It was huge and shimmering with an otherworldly glow.


    They approached it, and as they reached out to touch it, a bright light shot across the attic, and the pearl started to show images on its smooth surface.


    It showed a world with hundreds of inds, each floating in the sky and filled with lush forests and vibrant wildlife. It had buildings made of crystal and streets paved with gold, standing tall and shining under the radiant sun.


    However, then everything changed as the sky turned red and ominous dark clouds rolled in.


    All the inds were engulfed in darkness, shrouding the once-


    vibrantnd in an eerie silence. In that moment, screams came from all directions, and figures covered in blood and wielding weapons of iron and blood emerged from the darkness.


    They shed weapons with a ferocity that seemed otherworldly. The sounds of battle and agonizing cries had now overtaken the once-calm environment.


    In the end, every ind only had one survivor, bathing in the triumph of their merciless victory.


    At that moment, therge pearl cracked open and turned very dim.


    Ambrose, Zadkiel, and Julian sat down to reflect on the images they saw.


    "We''re going to fight on one of those inds." Zadkiel said, and he crossed his arms with a frown. "However, is it against each other or those figures that emerged from darkness?"


    "It looks like all the teams are separated into those inds." Julian said. "It didn''t look like all the teams had their own inds. I counted around 20 different floating inds, so approximately 500 teams would be on the same ind."


    "It''s basically a battle royale." Ambrose said with a frown. "Its yers against other yers, I would believe so."


    "¡­" Zadkiel tapped his feet against the floor, but then a small piece of paper fell from the tiny gap in the ceiling and fell on hisp.


    "Huh, what is this?" He curiously checked it out and widened his eyes in shock.


    Julian leaned closer to him, and after seeing the context, his eyes narrowed.


    Ambrose raised an eyebrow and asked. "Can I see?"


    Zadkiel turned to him and moved the piece of paper in his hand as if he were contemting something.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes. ''Don''t rip the paper.''


    But then Julian took the piece of paper from Zadkiel''s hand and handed it over to Ambrose.


    "I was just kidding." Zadkiel threw his arms up in the air andughed.


    Ambrose nodded in gratitude and looked at the small piece of paper with great interest. It was a short sentence, but it was enough to put his mind in disarray.


    [Choose one skill]


    "It looks like every yer can choose one skill for the next round." Zadkielughed. "Very interesting."


    "¡­" Julian frowned and started thinking about what skill to choose.


    ''What will I choose¡­'' Ambrose frowned.


    ''Immorality? It could save me at one point.


    ''sh of the Six Worlds? I would need a weapon for it, though.


    ''Can I choose to get my Inner Power back? It would be very useful.


    ''Maybe I could choose Formlessness?


    ''So many choices. I need to think this through carefully.''


    "Anyway." Zadkiel took the piece of paper and destroyed it. "Ambrose, you can tell Moriarty, but do not tell anyone else. This is the only advantage we will have over others."


    "I know." Ambrose nodded, understanding the importance of their secret.


    "Good." Zadkiel approached thedder and started climbing down.


    "Good luck in the second round." Julian nodded briefly before following Zadkiel down.


    Ambrose also left the attic, soon departed the room, and fully closed the door down.


    He slowly made his way down the hallway, keeping his footsteps light to avoid drawing attention.


    ''What skill should I choose? I need to talk with Moriarty, and perhaps we can strategize it to our fullest advantage.


    ''The next round will be battle royale, it seems.''

 Chapter 449 Heureka

    <h4>Chapter 449 Heureka </h4>


    ?The Game Master, Graham Loch, stood in front of all the yers in the meeting hall.


    Near the ceiling, hundreds of cameras recorded every angle.


    Today, the second round of the tournament starts.


    "Some of you might''ve found hints that tell the context of the second round, but most of you don''t." The Game Master started with.


    "Now, I''ll tell you what the second round is about."


    All around the world, everyone perked up their ears as they waited in anticipation for the Game Master''s announcement.


    "The second round is Battle Royale." The Game Master snapped his fingers, and suddenly a holographic map materialized in front of everyone, revealing the designated battleground for the intense Battle Royale.


    "500 teams will drop on each of these inds, but only 50 will survive through to the third round."


    The yers showed signs of nervousness and excitement as they began whispering with their teammates and with yers they made alliances with.


    Further back in the hall, Ambrose and Moriarty sat side-by-side with calm and collected expressions on their faces.


    For thest few days, they have been strategizing about the second round.


    "So, I guess you were right." Moriarty said and heaved a sigh. "That''s good."


    Ambrose shrugged and leaned back in his chair, waiting for the second round to start.


    He expected the battle royale to be bloody, but even he was quite surprised that 50 teams would only survive through each ind.


    That would lower the team count from 10,000 to 1,000.


    "Now, you may choose one skill of your choosing." The Game Master said, "In front of you, an interface will appear. There, you have the option to choose one skill that is avable.


    "Choose wisely, as that can greatly impact your sess in the following round."


    In front of all the yers, a holographic interface appeared, disying a variety of skills to choose from.


    Without a second thought, Ambrose chose the skill he had decided a day ago and looked past the holographic interface and straight at the Game Master.


    He was ready to start the show.


    After a short while, all the yers had chosen their skill, as there was a time limit of one minute to choose. Most yers looked dissatisfied with the amount of time, as they wanted more time to choose.


    However, most decided to settle for offensive attacks.


    "Good luck." The Game Master said sternly and snapped his fingers. "The second round starts now."


    Whoosh!


    All the yers vanished into thin air, leaving the Game Master alone in the empty room.


    "¡­" The Game Master slowly logged out.


    ¡­


    Graham opened his eyes, waking up from something that felt like he had taken a very deep slumber.


    He pressed a button on the side of the VR pod, and the cover slowly slid open.


    Graham climbed out of the VR pod, and scratched his head while trying to gather his thoughts.


    "I need coffee¡­" He muttered, making his way over to the small kitchen that was tucked in the corner of the room.


    The room was a small office-like room in the Martial Company''s Headquarters.


    As he put the coffee brewing, he leaned against the kitchen desk and looked straight at the VR pod.


    The VR pod looked sleek and futuristic, with its smooth ck exterior and glowing blue lights. It was shaped like a sleek, futuristic egg.


    It was a new creation of his that would revitalize the person using it, and unlike the headsets, it even helped to improve physical well-being, and one could even satisfy their hunger with its built-in nutrition system.


    However, it was rather expensive to create, unlike the headsets, and that''s why it was only a personal project of his.


    At that moment, the coffee stopped brewing, and he poured himself a cup.


    After adding milk, he took a sip and savored the rich, creamy vor.


    Knock, knock.


    Two knocks on the door interrupted his moment of rxation.


    "Come in." Graham said rather curtly, wanting to get back to his coffee.


    The door opened, and a curly-haired woman, Jonna, waltzed in with a cold look in her eyes, clearly ready to confront him about something.


    "Jonna, what is it?" Graham asked with a raised eyebrow. "The broken headsets should''ve been brought in. You were assigned to go fix them."


    "I have something to talk to you about." Jonna said with a serious tone. "By the way, nice speech at the gathering earlier."


    "What is it, I soon have to attend a press conference." Graham sighed and took a sip.


    Jonna looked straight into his eyes and opened her mouth.


    Graham listened silently while sipping on the coffee, but each wordter, his expression turned colder and colder.


    Soon, Jonna finished speaking and looked at him with a stone-


    cold gaze. She was preparing for whatever oue woulde from her confession.


    "Saving him, hah." Graham put the coffee cup down and said, "I cannot save him. You killed him."


    Jonna''s eyes showed a pang of pain.


    "Just check some of the statistics." She brought out her phone and started scrolling through the data. "T-the mistake is very marginally small, and I am sure there is a way to save him!"


    "No, there isn''t." Graham firmly shook his head and angrily spat. "The brain disorientation, the heightened emotions, and the bleeding. He is too far away to be saved anymore."


    Jonna bit her lip painfully.


    "Who is he?" Graham asked with a deep frown. "We''ll need to get rid of him before hees after us."


    "W-what do you mean?" Jonna''s eyes widened in shock.


    "It''ll be just a matter of time before he realizes that the headset is the reason for him dying." Graham said coldly. "He must already know that the reason for his incredible strength is the headset.


    "Then, when he starts panicking, he''lle after us, wanting us to help him. Then, when we can''t, he''ll ruin us."


    "S-so you just n on killing him?!"


    "You already killed him," Graham said with gritted teeth. "Now, tell me his name."


    "No¡­" Jonna pulled out her phone and quickly deleted all the data about him. "I can''t."


    Graham looked at her coldly, watching as she deleted all the data.


    "You cannot hide it." Graham said. "I''ll find out eventually. Whenever the next glitches up, I''ll find out who he is."


    Jonna clenched her fists hatefully.


    "Also, you are fired." Graham said coldly. "You are lucky. I could easily throw you in jail for this, but I would rather have this subject die down.


    "Do not mention anyone about this, ever. I know if you do, and you''ll find a new home in the nearest maximum security prison."


    Jonna lowered her head, feeling frustration and fear. She then walked out of the room with a pained look in her eyes and felt like the weight of the world was on her shoulders.


    Back in the office, Graham breathed out and copsed down on the ground.


    It looked like he had just run a marathon without any training.


    "Such a stupid girl." Graham muttered under his breath, but then his gaze softened. "I wasn''t any different. My impulse killed my wife."


    He brought out his phone and looked at the picture on it. He looked straight at the smiling, red-eyed girl with braces on her teeth and felt a pang of regret.


    "Argh¡­" Graham stood up and sat down on his officeputer and brought out some old blueprints from his previous experiments with the VR headset.


    "She managed to improve it." He held his hair and leaned back on the chair. "What could I do¡­"


    At that moment, his eyes brightened up, and he instantly turned to his VR pod. He realized one special part of it: the built-in nutrition and health system.


    "That could be it!


    "Heureka!"

 Chapter 450 The Second Round

    <h4>Chapter 450 The Second Round</h4>


    ?As Ambrose woke up to the new reality, he heard the sound of whooshing, an engine roaring, and a ne soaring across the sky.


    After opening his eyes, he saw that he was no longer in the meeting hall but strapped on to the seat of a military aircraft.


    He wasn''t alone.


    One after another, yers continued to wake up and also looked around with simr quizzical expressions.


    Most of them had never been on a ne and were unsure of what was happening, while others never expected to see such highly advanced technology inside Martial Online.


    Ambrose turned to his side and saw Moriarty checking out the aircraft with a fear of the unknown. He hoped his fears wouldn''te true.


    ''This ne doesn''t have all the contestants.'' Ambrose thought. ''Others are most likely on other nes.''


    At that moment, the door of the cockpit opened up, and a military man dressed in a sharp uniform stepped out.


    All the yers instinctively straightened their backs.


    "Stand up, maggots!" The military man shouted, and the straps that held the contestants'' seats opened, causing them to stand up abruptly.


    "Now, your worthless waste of air will jump from this aircraft." The military opened the door to reveal the vast expanse of sky below.


    The wind rushed in, whipping their hair and clothes around.


    "We can''t possibly jump out!" A yer interjected. "We''ll die!"


    "Fool, you will have a parachute!" The military man took out a parachute and showed it to everyone. "Just pull the cord, simple!"


    "That ain''t simple in any way!" The yers shouted with shocked expressions.


    "I was afraid for this." Moriarty said this with a bleached face and turned to Ambrose. "What are we going to do? Is this a test?"


    "I suggest we''ll jump." Ambrose said with shrugged shoulders. "I have done this before."


    "You have?" Moriarty looked surprised.


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose chuckled and added it to his mind. ''I have never done it alone, though.''


    "A-all right." Moriarty nodded and felt slightly better after seeing his confidence.


    It was still a leap of faith.


    At that moment, the ready light turned green, indicating that it was time to go.


    "All right, worthless maggots, time to jump!" The military man shouted. "Who wants to jump first?"


    All the yers looked at each other, and none of them wanted to be first.


    "Whoever doesn''t jump in time will get disqualified!"


    Even after saying that, there was still hesitation in the air.


    However, Ambrose bravely stepped forward and took the parachute before putting it on.


    "Good!" The military man shouted with a grin. "Just pull the cord, simple!"


    "Simple, right." Ambrose turned over his shoulder, nudged Moriarty to follow him, and then jumped backwards out of the ne.


    The wind rushed in from all sides, whipping his hair and clothes around wildly.


    "Whoo!" Ambrose eximed and turned around in the air to look straight down.


    As he went through the clouds, he saw the floating ind in all its majestic glory, but since it was floating, it wasing closer than he initially expected.


    Ambrose grabbed the cord and pulled it hard to slow down his descent.


    The parachute opened with a gust of wind, and he began to glide towards the floating ind.


    As he neared it, it was clear that the ind wasn''t the same as in the images.


    The crystal-golden streets were now crumbling and overgrown with vegetation, and the buildings were dpidated and covered in moss.


    The previous wildlife-heavy forests were now dense jungles with unknown and exotic creatures lurking within.


    Ambrose braced for thending and ducked his knees slightly to absorb the impact.


    At that moment, he noticed that he was flying straight to a three-story building with a chimney on the roof. It looked like he was destined to crash into it.


    Ambrose quickly steered the parachute and crashed into the tiled roof while the parachute wrapped around the chimney.


    "Ngh¡­" He groaned as he struggled to untangle himself from the parachute and chimney.


    However, eventually he managed to remove the parachute from his back and immediately turned to the sky to see where the other yers were going.


    He then saw hundreds of aircraft flying above the clouds and thousands of yers flying in different directions.


    At that moment, he noticed a silhouette that resembled Moriarty, looking like he jumped straight after him, but he was heading to the jungle that was surrounding the small, isted neighborhood, where hended.


    ''He isnding a few hundred meters away from my current position, but the jungle might be dangerous.'' Ambrose looked down from the roof and narrowed his eyes.


    He then leaped off the roof andnded roughly on the pavement that was covered in vegetation.


    After getting back on his feet, he surveyed the surrounding area in case there were yers nearby.


    ''Moriarty saw where Inded, and it would be easier for him to find me than it would be for me to find him, so I might as well try looting.''


    Ambrose kicked open the nearby door and entered the dpidated house to search for any weapons and food.


    However, it was all barren and empty, with dangling cobwebs and a musty smell that seemed toe from every corner.


    After searching the kitchen, he shook his head and left the house before moving onto another house.


    However, it was another disappointing search, as he found nothing of value inside.


    Ambrose closed the door and crouched on the ground before pulling out the interface.


    [Teams Left: 498]


    ''Two teams seemed to die in the skydiving phase.'' Ambrose closed the interface and left the house again.


    However, at that moment, he saw a figure dragging the parachute behind him, running out of the alleyway with his eyes scanning the surroundings.


    After seeing Ambrose standing in front of the house, he heaved a sigh of relief and ripped the parachute off his back.


    "Nicending." Moriarty looked over to the roof, a parachute dangling off it. "The wind took me slightly off course."


    "That''s fine." Ambrose nodded. "Let''s loot this ce, but let''s be careful. I saw some yersnding nearby, and this seems like the first ce they would go."


    "I also heard some¡­ noises in the jungle." Moriarty said and looked back to the alleyway that led straight to the jungle. "I think we shouldn''t go there unless it is absolutely necessary."


    ¡­


    Inside the jungle.


    "¡­" A silent-voiced man hunched behind a tree, looking through the bushes towards the buildings.


    "Did you hear someone?" A baby-faced man whispered, crouching behind his teammate while looking around anxiously.


    He felt like there were eyes watching them from every direction, as there was no real cover for them.


    "I think I heard some voices." His teammate said, trying to suppress his own unease.


    "We need to get out of the jungle." The baby-faced man said urgently. "I don''t know what it is, but I feel like someone is watching us."


    "It''s your imagination; your nervousness is ying with your mind." His teammate said coldly. "We cannot rush in there without a n. I think I heard some doors opening, so they might''ve already found weapons."


    "He might be alone, though!"


    "Unlikely, I don''t think they would speak to themselves when silence is often the key."


    Growl.


    Their hairs stood up at the back of their necks, and they slowly turned around to face the source of the growl.


    Their eyes widened in shock and fear, and before they could react, their heads were snapped back by an unseen force.


    Without anyone realizing a thing, another team vanished into thin air, and it wasn''t just any random team, but a team who reached top 30 in the first round.


    Yet, they died within the first minutes.

 Chapter 451 Danger Sense

    <h4>Chapter 451 Danger Sense </h4>


    ?A small leaf fell from the tree and gentlynded on Ambrose''s palm.


    Ambrose gazed at the leaf, marveling at its intricate patterns and vibrant colors. It reminded him of the beauty and fragility of nature.


    At that moment, Moriarty put down several items on the ground in front of them.


    "These''re everything we found."


    Moriarty said with a thoughtful frown. It wasn''t a good haul, even though they searched about ten buildings.


    There were two cans of food, a water bottle, and a tattered nket.


    "I expected more."


    Moriarty said with a thought and began wondering whether they really were unlucky enough tond in one of the worst areas on the ind.


    They were surrounded by a scary-looking forest and barely found any items. This amount of food wasn''t nearly enough, and the water bottle was also empty of water.


    "This means we can''t stay in here."


    Ambrose said and looked over to the sky to see that it was still bright blue. They had enough time to find another ce before nightfall.


    He had a hunch that they shouldn''t be outside when the night fell.


    "Yeah¡­"


    Moriarty agreed and gazed over to the jungle.


    He didn''t understand what it was, but he had a sinking feeling that the jungle was the most dangerous part of the whole ind.


    "Let''s pack it up and leave."


    Ambrose took one of the food cans and the tattered nket, then tossed them into his inventory.


    After Moriarty also finished packing up, they crossed the alleyway and entered the jungle.


    Instantly, they noticed how thick the foliage was, and the ground was covered in a soft moss that made each step silent and cushioned.


    "You take the lead."


    Ambrose told Moriarty because they had already made their game n way before the second round started. They both knew each other''s roles.


    Moriarty nodded withoutint, as that was already what he nned, and walked ahead with ordinary walking speed.


    Ambrose followed behind and gazed around at the nearby trees as they ventured deeper into the jungle. He then snapped one of the branches and shrugged his shoulders.


    It was a made-up weapon and very crude-looking, which would be pretty ineffective as its tip wasn''t even that sharp, but it was better than nothing.


    Moriarty eyed the surroundings and soon found a fallen branch on the ground. It was quite long and sturdy, but it was covered in moss and still slightly wet from the rain.


    He grabbed it, spun it around as if it were a spear, and nodded in satisfaction. It''s weight was good, and the length was perfect for a made-up spear, but it had no sharpness.


    It was still fine.


    After recalling the images, Ambrose came to the conclusion that there might be a lot of wilderness and forests. Therefore, they already nned to use whatever they could find as weapons.


    "Hmm¡­"


    Moriarty came to a stop, looking around at the abundant trees and foliage.


    "Is something wrong?"


    Ambrose asked as his grip on the wooden, made-up sword tightened.


    "Maybe."


    Moriarty said and pointed straight ahead with the wooden, made-up spear.


    "Going straight ahead would lead us to mild danger."


    He then steered the wooden, made-up spear slightly to the left.


    "Going slightly to the left leads us to moderate danger."


    He then pointed the spear to the right, and his expression turned grim.


    "Going right leads us into extreme danger."


    "Straight ahead, then it is."


    Ambrose smiled, and he reminded him to keep his eyes peeled on the trees for any signs of movement.


    Moriarty nodded and started walking ahead, while Ambrose followed right behind him.


    ''His Danger Sense passive skill is indeed useful.''


    Ambrose thought with a slight smile.


    ¡­


    A few days ago.


    Ambrose sat on the cozy-looking bed with his back against the headboard, reading a book and sipping on a cup of hot tea.


    It was a book about ancient civilizations and their mysterious artifacts. He thought it was quite an interesting subject, as it talked more about the lore of Martial Online.


    At that moment, a bright light descended from the ceiling, and Moriarty appeared on the other bed with a calm look on his face.


    It looked like he had woken up just recently, as his eyes were still heavy with sleep.


    "Good morning."


    Ambrose closed the book with a soft m and put the cup of hot tea aside. He had been waiting for Moriarty to hop on.


    "Good morning."


    Moriarty nodded with a soft nod and stood up while stretching his numb limbs.


    "I am going to go search for the clues; are youing?"


    Moriarty asked while heading over to the door.


    "No need."


    Ambrose sat on the edge of the bed and smiled before saying:


    "I already found the clue."


    "You did?!"


    Moriarty''s eyes widened in shock, and he immediately motioned for him to spill the beans.


    Ambrose opened his mouth and started talking about everything he had discovered, filling Moriarty with details of the strange images and the attic.


    After he finished, Moriarty rubbed his chin and nodded.


    "I agree with you. It sounds very much like those Battle Royale games."


    "We need to think about the skill that we choose."


    Ambrose said, and then paused for a moment while in deep thought.


    "Oh, I already know what skill I will choose."


    Moriarty said with his finger raised in the air, a calm smile spreading across his face. He had the perfect skill for this.


    Ambrose raised an eyebrow and asked, "What skill?"


    "It''s called Danger Sense."


    Moriarty said, and he started exining its capabilities and how it would give him an edge in unpredictable situations.


    "It works simply; it will alert me to any potential dangers or threats before they ur. However, it is not an omnipotent power.


    "It will signal me whether there might be danger present, but it might also be a false rm in case the people who trigger it are not wanting to harm me.


    "Also, it doesn''t alert me to people who aren''t a danger to me in a head-on fight. Therefore, if those people find me walking down somewhere, I wouldn''t know of their presence, but if they be hostile to me, only then will I get alerted to danger in my surroundings.


    "Danger Sense is not future-telling, so it won''t alert me to ambushes that might kill me if they''re done by people vastly weaker than me."


    Ambrose nodded and understood the gist of it.


    "I guess I understood. So, using that, there is a chance that we can still get ambushed. However, Danger Sense is good in this situation as everyone is hostile, so we can assume that all alerts are actual threats."


    Moriarty snapped his fingers and pointed at him with a smiling nod.


    "Exactly. Danger Sense is perfect for this. While I walk ahead, I can determine the best path that doesn''t lead us into danger''s way while you keep an eye on potential ambushes."


    Ambrose nodded with a smile, as that skill was indeed extremely useful for this.


    "Well, what skill will you choose?"


    Moriarty asked, and he crossed his arms in thought. It was another important decision.


    Ambrose clicked his tongue and shrugged his shoulders before saying, "I don''t really know."


    "Well, I ain''t going to ask you to reveal all of your skills."


    Moriarty said, threw his arms up in the air, and continued, "I trust in your judgment. However, tell me what skill you choose eventually."


    "All right, I am going to think¡­"


    Ambrose turned silent and entered a deep thinking tank.


    He didn''t have an awesome skill like Danger Sense that would help him detect danger or help them survive. He also couldn''t choose Self-Possession or any Inner Power-rted skills.


    Only the skills created by skill scrolls were avable. Therefore, not even Formlessness was avable.


    ''What will I choose?''

 Chapter 452 The Muscle

    <h4>Chapter 452 The Muscle</h4>


    ?The jungle looked like it was the epicenter of all nature and life. Its beautiful green canopy stretched as far as the eye could see, and the air buzzed with the sounds of chirping birds and buzzing insects.


    A boot crunched down on a fallen branch, breaking the peaceful symphony.


    Moriarty looked down at the broken branch and nonchntly continued moving forward with the made-up spear in hand.


    Ambrose dodged the swaying branches and pressed deeper into the thick forest, following Moriarty through the danger zones.


    At that moment, Moriarty raised his arm and stopped in his tracks, causing Ambrose to freeze as well. His ears were perked up like a startled animal.


    "I hear the sound of rushing water, and I know where it might be."


    Moriarty said, but his voice didn''t sound happy, even though they now had finally found a way to fill up the water bottle. His voice was shaking slightly.


    Ambrose saw that and asked, "Any danger?"


    "Yes."


    Moriarty replied and pointed towards a clearing that was not too far from them, where the sound of the rushing water was alsoing from.


    "How bad?"


    Ambrose asked, and he squeezed hard on his made-up sword.


    "A slightly above-moderate danger."


    Moriarty said, but then added, "However, I have died before because of above-moderate danger."


    "I see¡­"


    Ambrose stepped past him and said, "I''ll take the lead. Follow me."


    Moriarty nodded, and they headed straight to the source of the sound and danger.


    Ambrose tightened his grip on the hilt of the made-up sword, crossed the empty clearing, and saw the flowing river thaty beyond.


    It was a breathtaking sight, with the sun sparkling on the water''s surface and the sound of gentle waves lulling his senses.


    However, Moriarty''s face turned pale like a ghost as the danger alerts started ring inside his brain.


    "It is far from safe!"


    "Give me the water bottle."


    Ambrose asked, and Moriarty handed it over immediately, but his Danger Sense never stopped buzzing in the back of his mind.


    Moriarty gritted his teeth, as he wasn''t sure whether this was worthwhile. However, they needed water, and without water, they would eventually be weak and unable to continue.


    Ambrose realized that the risk was necessary for their survival and slowly headed down the hill towards the riverbank.


    As he reached the riverbank, he noticed a group of wild animals drinking from the water on the other side of the river.


    It looked peaceful and serene, a stark contrast to the chaos and danger that the images showed.


    Ambrose dipped the water bottle into the river, filling it to the brim, then closed it with a cork and ced it carefully back in his inventory.


    "Whew¡­"


    He let out a relieved sigh and looked at the river, where his purple-eyed reflection stared back at him.


    At that moment, he saw a shadow dart below the surface of the water, and it was heading straight at him!


    ''The danger is below the water!''


    Ambrose leaped backwards, and then a snake-like creature emerged from the river, its fangs glistening with venom.


    It was an enormous serpent with scales as dark as night!


    "Watch out!"


    Moriarty''s shout echoed through the air as the serpent lunged towards Ambrose.


    "Whoo¡­"


    Ambrose let out a deep breath; his body expanded with muscles swelling with power, and he turned into a man made of steely muscles.


    Steam rose from his body, made of muscles, and turned his skin a fiery shade of red.


    "The Muscle Defense!"


    The serpent snapped its jaws shut, unable to prate Ambrose''s imprable shield of muscles with its venomous fangs.


    Moriarty watched the scene with a frightened expression as he expected their journey at the tournament to end.


    "No¡­"


    However, Ambrose stood tall while the serpent continued to hiss and coil around him, refusing to back down.


    Its venomous fangs cracked and shattered like ss, making the serpent a fangless monster.


    Ambrose''s purple eyes shone like beacons of power, and then his muscle-filled body started to shrink as he started to turn back to normal.


    ''The Muscle Defense, the skill I decided to choose¡­''


    ¡­


    A day ago.


    Jesse sat on theputer while browsing through thetest gaming news and updates.


    "Sigh¡­"


    He heaved a sigh and turned to the papers that were scattered across the floor. He was writing down all the pros and cons of all the skills.


    He was trying to force himself to think of a skill to choose, but he was too afraid to make the final choice because he was scared of making the wrong decision.


    ''I would choose Immortal Sword if it wasn''t also an Inner Power-rted skill, even though I created it with a skill scroll. Kinda sucks.''


    ''I need to choose one. This is the final day.''


    Jesse crouched on the floor and started picking up the papers as he started tidying up the mess. However, then he saw the two papers in hand.


    One showed the skill "The Muscle Attack."


    The other one had the skill "The Muscle Defense."


    While the other was focused on increasing his strength, the other was fully aimed at defending. He couldn''t use both at the same time, as the Muscle Defense made moving impossible because of the excess amount of muscle.


    "Hmm¡­"


    Jesse pondered thoughtfully.


    "Most yers will already focus on offensive skills, so I couldbat them with even stronger offensive capabilities.


    "However¡­"


    He turned to the other paper and frowned.


    "The Muscle Defense. It is definitely my strongest defensive skill, and it could protect me from harm and also protect Moriarty.


    "Hmm¡­"


    Jesse looked at the Muscle Defense information, and the biggest con was the inability to move while using the skill. It would make him vulnerable.


    "Is there a better way to use the skill¡­"


    ¡­


    Ambrose''s eyes narrowed dangerously, and he then smashed the wooden sword across the serpent''s head.


    The serpent fell back into the water and snaked back to the bottom.


    "Whoo¡­"


    The steam left his body and drifted away into the air.


    "Are you all right?"


    Moriarty came rushing in and asked, "Are you poisoned?"


    "No." Ambrose looked at his shoulder and saw a slight mark, but nothing serious.


    "When you chose this skill, I thought you were lunatic, and I still think that."


    Moriarty said while scratching the back of his head.


    "But it looks like it came in handy this time."


    "I couldn''t really use the "real" power of the Muscle Defense."


    Ambrose said with a wry smile as what he learned a day prior wasn''t meant to be used against a ten-meter-long serpent.


    "Can I get the water?"


    Ambrose brought out the water bottle and handed it over to Moriarty, who popped open the cork and took a long, refreshing sip.


    He then turned back to the river, saw that the danger was going further away, and filled it quickly before backing away from the river.


    "We should get moving; I noticed something a while back."


    Moriarty said, and he steered his gaze in some northwest direction.


    "I can sense many danger threats heading in the same direction. I think there is either big fighting going on or there might be a town of some sort."


    Ambrose nodded and looked in the same direction as him.


    He then looked at the interface.


    [Teams Left: 455]


    At that moment, Moriarty snapped his head around and widened his eyes in shock.


    "W-we should run now!"


    "What''s going on?" Ambrose turned to him and saw him dart away like a missile.


    "The heck?"


    Ambrose kicked off the ground and sprinted after Moriarty, determined to catch up and find out what had startled him.


    But then he felt the hair stand up at the back of his head.


    "Huh?"


    He turned around to where they had been standing a moment ago and saw the birds fly away in a frenzy, as if fleeing from something unseen.


    In that moment, the trees started shaking, and the ground began to rumble beneath his feet.

 Chapter 453 The Escape

    <h4>Chapter 453 The Escape </h4>


    ?Crack, whoosh!


    The jungle shook with the thunderous sound, a sign of approaching danger.


    Ambrose and Moriarty jumped over the dense foliage, their hearts pounding with adrenaline.


    "Run!"


    Moriarty screamed in panic as he could sense the danger closing in behind them. He could still sense that there was danger in front of them as well, but since it was not as bad as the one behind them, it was a better choice of the two.


    "Haah, haah!"


    Ambrose breathed heavily and leaped over the fallen trunks like a gazelle fleeing from a predator.


    At that moment, the trees behind them turned into ashes and copsed to the ground, leaving behind a trail of destruction.


    ck smoke moved across the jungle like a shadow of death, turning everything into ash and nothingness.


    It was following behind them like a relentless force of destruction.


    "How far left?!"


    Ambrose shouted panickedly as he tried pushing himself to his limits, but it was just a matter of time before the ck smoke reached them and turned them into ashes.


    "We are nearing the ce, but I have no idea whether there will be any safe ce from this goddamn smoke!"


    Moriarty screamed at the top of his lungs, desperation etched across his face.


    The ck smoke seemed to be closing in on them with each passing moment, suffocating all hope of finding a sanctuary.


    ''This makes me remember the ck Smoke of Verhan!''


    Ambrose thought to himself, a shiver running down his spine. It was eerily simr, but he felt like this ck smoke had even more destructive power.


    ''This might be the original ck Smoke of Verhan!''


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock, and a sense of impending danger washed over him.


    ''D-does that mean we are in Verhan? No, that cannot be. From what I''ve read, Verhan is the capital city of the Dark Continent.''


    Moriarty looked behind him and saw the ck smoke billowing in the distance, moving through the jungle towards their location.


    At that moment, he saw a few deer that were mindlessly running away get caught in the path of destruction. They were quickly engulfed in the smoke and disappeared within seconds.


    The ck smoke crushed through the trees and boulders and neared them with scary speed.


    At that moment, an ash particlended on Ambrose''s head, and he felt a sense of impending doom.


    [HP: 100/100]


    [-5 HP]


    ''That one ash particle caused me to lose five health? This is ridiculous!''


    Moriarty dodged out of the way just in time and saw the ash corrupt the ground beneath their feet. It was scary to see how much damage it could do.


    If the smoke touched them, they were certain that they would die instantly!


    At that moment, Moriarty''s eyes brightened as he saw chimneys appearing in the distance, towering over the treeline.


    It was also where he got multiple danger signals!


    "Hurry, we are close!"


    Moriarty shouted, urging him to move faster even though he was well aware that they were both running at their maximum speed.


    Ambrose gritted his teeth and stepped forward, but then his boot got caught on a protruding root, causing him to stumble and lose his bnce.


    "?!"


    His eyes widened in shock as he fell headfirst on the soft, moss-covered ground. He let out a soft sound as his body made contact with the earth.


    "Urgh!"


    Moriarty turned around, his eyes narrowing into a squinted stare.


    "Go!" Ambrose shouted and waved his arm, motioning for Moriarty to leave quickly.


    "Shit!" Moriarty swore under his breath and quickly scrambled to his feet, adrenaline coursing through his veins.


    Ambrose climbed back to his feet and saw his surroundings turn darker as the ck smoke reached him. It was closing on him like a of cold death.


    ''I never going to outrun the smoke!''


    He jumped back to his feet and used the branches of a nearby tree to hoist himself up. He panickedly climbed higher, desperate to escape the ck smoke''s grasp.


    Then, the ck smoke covered the foot of the tree and started to turn it into ashes.


    Ambrose saw the tree lean forward dangerously, ready to copse at any moment. He quickly jumped to another tree, which also seemed to be sumbing to the ck smoke''s destructive power.


    He leaped off the tree andnded on another one, just in time to see the previous tree turn into a pile of ash.


    However, he didn''t have even a second to catch his breath before the smoke engulfed the new tree as well.


    "Fuck!"


    Ambrose jumped to another tree and used the trees as a pathway to escape the spreading smoke. However, soon he ran out of the trees and found himself trapped in a sea of smoke.


    It looked like a sea of thick, ck smoke with no end in sight, and it waspletely surrounding him.


    It was slowly closing in, and he could feel his lungs tightening as he struggled to find a way out.


    "Shit¡­" Ambrose fell to the ground on his knees and put his hands into a soft prayer.


    At that moment, the world around him slowed down to a crawl, and all he could hear was the sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.


    He then softly opened his eyes and watched as the ck smoke slowly neared him. However, it was moving at pathetic speed, but it would reach him eventually.


    ''I suppose meditating still works in this game.''


    However, he tried summoning his soul, but it didn''t work as it was one of the abilities that was forbidden.


    ''I am in trouble.''


    Ambrose stood up and crouched in front of the ck smoke.


    In theory, since he could move in the world of souls, he could escape the encirclement, but he doubted he had enough jumping power to cross the distance of about twenty meters to safety.


    All the nearby trees were also evaporated into ashes, so he couldn''t use them to his advantage.


    "Well, shit."


    Ambrose sat cross-legged on the ground and picked up a handful of the light blue soil.


    However, when he looked at the soil, an idea started to form inside his mind.


    He realized that maybe he didn''t need the trees after all.


    ''This soil is very soft, and my hands might be enough¡­''


    He shrugged his shoulders and started to dig into the ground with his bare hands.


    As the time flew by like a shooting star, the hole kept getting deeper and deeper.


    ¡­


    Moriarty rushed out of the jungle and saw the streets of a town in front of him, with empty houses and abandoned horse carriages scattered about.


    He turned around and looked back to the jungle, where he saw the danger signals still going as strong as ever before.


    ''He isn''t dead yet, as I haven''t disappeared either, but he can''t survive there!''


    Tap, tap!


    Moriarty quickly hid inside the jungle to avoid being seen, and saw a couple of yers emerging from one of the buildings with steel pipes in hand.


    They looked around the mist-covered town while using the fallen carriages as cover to move between the buildings.


    The two yers heard something rushing at them behind them and turned around to see a figure rushing at them with a wooden spear in hand.


    Moriarty gritted his teeth and stabbed one of the yers in the thigh.


    "Bastard!" Another yer raised his steel pipe and smashed it down.


    Moriarty grabbed the steel pipe with his bare hand and jerked it out of the yer''s grip, unfazed by the blow. He then elbowed him in the face, knocking him out cold.


    He then used his other hand to pull the spear out of the yer''s thigh and stabbed him in the chest, ending the fight once and for all.


    "Whoo¡­" Moriarty let out a breath and saw items appear on the ground.


    However, those didn''t increase his mood as he turned back to the jungle with a deep frown.

 Chapter 454 The Two Battles

    <h4>Chapter 454 The Two Battles</h4>


    ?A hand appeared from the ground, reaching out towards the sky.


    At that moment, a figure covered in light blue soil emerged from the ground with an exhausted expression on his face.


    It took him many hours in the world of souls to dig out, and now he waspletely exhausted mentally.


    ''I can''t¡­ keep this up¡­''


    Ambrose stood up and started dragging his feet behind him as he slowly made his way towards the town.


    As he neared it, he was thrown out of the world of souls, and the world turned to the same, ordinary speed.


    The ck smoke again sped up and swirled around the jungle as it headed straight to the town.


    Ambrose limped down the street, and he didn''t see Moriarty anywhere.


    ''I need to hide immediately; hopefully the ck smoke doesn''tpletely destroy these buildings or there is no ce to hide!''


    He tackled down a door, mmed it shut, and headed to the second floor, in case the ck smoke could prate through the walls.


    Thump, thump!


    Ambrose held the railing, limped slowly up the stairs to the second floor, and heavily breathed a sigh of relief as he reached the top.


    Tap, tap, tap, tap!


    Rapid footsteps sounded, and an agile figure tackled Ambrose down the stairs. He tumbled down the stairs like a tumbleweed and came to a stop at the bottom, bruised and disoriented.


    "Oho, aren''t I lucky?"


    The voice sounded innocent and had a very childish vibe, but there was hidden mischievousness and a hint of darkness lurking behind the words.


    Ambrose shook his head and stood up, brushing the dirt off his clothes. He then looked up the stairs and saw a cute-faced young man with white-as-snow hair and cat-like features.


    "You¡­" Ambrose pointed the wooden, made-up sword at him. "I recognize you."


    "My name is¡­" The person leaped off the stairs and drop-kicked Ambrose in the chest.


    Ambrose stumbled backwards and collided with the door.


    "AnarchyCat." The young man said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "I am a member of Zahhak."


    "Yeah, I remember seeing you."


    Ambrose shook his head to get his thoughts together, and he took a step closer to AnarchyCat.


    He didn''t expect to face such a powerful foe this early on, but he didn''t n on backing down either.


    AnarchyCat lifted his leg and unleashed a series of kicks, striking Ambrose''s abdomen, and then followed up with a high kick towards the neck.


    However, Ambrose put his well-toned arm in the way, blocking the kick before it reached his neck.


    "Not even stinging."


    "Heh." AnarchyCat grinned, and karate chopped Ambrose in the neck with a powerful blow.


    Ambrose quickly tensed his muscles and tanked the strike without flinching, proving just how durable his Starborn physique really was, especially equipped with his powerful muscles.


    "Your body is tough!"


    "Yeah? My punches are even tougher." Ambrose grabbed AnarchyCat by his shirt and tried to m him straight to the ground.


    AnarchyCat quickly wrapped his nimble legs around his well-toned arm and put it in a tight lock. He then twisted his body, using his momentum to flip Ambrose over and onto the floor.


    He trapped Ambrose in a submission hold and forced him to loosen his grip on the wooden sword.


    The wooden sword fell to the ground, ttering loudly as it hit the floor.


    Ambrose gritted his teeth, grabbed his arm, and ripped himself free from the submission hold.


    "Ngh." AnarchyCat let out a surprised yelp.


    "Putting me in a hold won''t work." Ambrose elbowed him in the chest and threw him across the room with a powerful shove.


    AnarchyCat spun around in the air, defied gravity itself as he performed a mid-air flip, andnded on his feet with remarkable agility.


    "I can often choke someone out within seconds." AnarchyCat said with narrowed eyes. "Rarely someone can just remove the hold using brute strength."


    "I thought I had shown enough to stop you guys from underestimating me."


    Ambrose picked up the wooden sword and crossed the distance between them with a single leap.


    "Go back to Cerberus and say that he is next!"


    He brought the sword down with a force that shattered the ground beneath him.


    AnarchyCat flipped backwards, narrowly avoiding the strike.


    However, Ambrose took another ground-breaking step forward and smashed the sword at AnarchyCat''s chest, which sent him flying through the air.


    AnarchyCat spat out blood but quickly did a mid-air flip,nded feet-first on the wall, and thenunched himself back towards Ambrose with a vengeance.


    He then opened his palm, showing a hidden weapon that he had been concealing all along, and threw it directly at Ambrose, aiming for a fatal strike.


    Ambrose quickly parried it with the blunt sword and watched as the sharp de got stuck in the ceiling.


    AnarchyCat slipped under the blunt sword, kicked Ambrose off his feet, and then put him in another submission hold.


    "That¡­ won''t work!"


    Ambrose screamed, stood up without caring about the young man clinging to his back, and banged him against the nearest wall.


    AnarchyCat coughed, and then retaliated with a swift knee to Ambrose''s back.


    "Y''know, you also underestimate members of Zahhak." AnarchyCat revealed his sharp teeth. "We are quite crazy."


    "?!"


    At that moment, AnarchyCat plunged his sharp teeth into Ambrose''s shoulder, drawing blood and causing him to flinch in surprise.


    ¡­


    Moriarty hid behind a counter, the wooden spear in hand.


    The room was eerily quiet, with long shadows stretching across the walls. It was dark, unusually dark, as if all the light was sucked out.


    Moriarty took deep breaths, as if he were doing a breathing exercise, and then jumped out of the cover and threw the spear across the room with deadly uracy.


    The spear flew straight to an unsuspecting target who was slowly heading down the stairs.


    At thest possible moment, the figure bent his back and dodged the spear. The spear narrowly missed his head and plunged deep into the wall.


    However, since the made-up spear wasn''t very durable, it broke upon impact.


    "Hmm?"


    The figure looked over to the counter, where Moriarty was still standing, in his throwing stance.


    "Moriarty, I recognize you." The figure stepped into the light, revealing his stern-looking face, shoulder-length brown hair, and humorless attitude.


    "I recognize you, as well." Moriarty narrowed his eyes and said, "Arsenal, the thousand weapons."


    "I thought you were an honorable person, always having to fight head-on."


    Arsenal stepped down the stairs with a cold smirk.


    "It ticked off many people as they thought you did that for your image, but it also earned you a loyal fanbase. I guess it was a fake persona."


    "¡­" Moriarty narrowed his eyes. ''The honor bullshit is Knight''s fault.''


    "Aren''t you Ambrose''s teammate?" Arsenal asked and scratched his stubble. "Where is he?"


    "We don''t need to talk. Let''s stop wasting time and just fight; we know how this will go anyway."


    "Very well." Arsenal rolled his eyes and pulled out a strange, twisted de from his belt. "I am also interested in the fighting capabilities of Knight Moriarty."


    "As am I." Moriarty pulled out a knife from his trousers, which he acquired from the yers he killed.


    "I heard about Arsenal''s ability to wield a thousand different weapons; s, that''s where your nicknamees from. You are a person who, strangely, never decides to use one weapon consistently."


    "I have been trying to search for a weapon that feels like it is part of me." Arsenal sighed and said, "But I haven''t found one yet. That''s why I am changing weapons every day."


    "That''s your biggest weakness." Moriarty said. "If you decided to train on one weapon, I am sure your fighting capabilities would rival the best in the world. Yet you handicap yourself."


    "Hah, I feel like this is what I excel at." Arsenal said with a smirk.

 Chapter 455 A-M-B-R-O-S-E

    <h4>Chapter 455 A-M-B-R-O-S-E </h4>


    ?In Rothsmith Estate''s lounging room.


    Crackle~


    The firece crackled as the warm mes danced and illuminated the cozy atmosphere.


    Atop the firece, a t-screen television showed the tournament of the century, and currently, it was showing many floating inds with otherworldlyndscapes.


    Jack watched with coffee in hand and legs crossed.


    While the Rothsmith family only had one team¡ªSunseeker and Moonshadow¡ªthat could fight for the victory, he still cheered for the few teams that came from Nocklund.


    Anna had an open book on herp while asionally ncing up at the intense battles happening on the screen.


    There was a golden camera that flew all around the tournament realm, and it was the one that caught all the action and disyed it for the main broadcast.


    There were hundreds of other gray cameras, but they only disyed the secondary streams that had nowhere near the same viewership.


    However, whoever wanted to try to find their supported teams could try to search through them.


    The door opened, and Emma walked in with a red-eyed bunny in her arms. She looked at the t-screen television with bright eyes.


    "Emma, d to see that you''ve finally woken up."


    Anna looked at her daughter and smiled.


    "Have you seen brother yet?"


    Emma asked excitedly as she looked at the television.


    Jack raised an eyebrow and asked, "He qualified; are you sure?"


    "Yup, his name was on the qualified list!"


    Emma said with a boastful expression. She also happened to boast to her friends from school about her brother''s aplishment.


    "What is his name in the game?"


    Jack asked curiously, as he didn''t remember ever asking.


    Anna also curiously looked at her daughter and brought out the list on her phone, as she nned to check it out herself.


    "It''s Ambrose!


    "Uh, the spelling is A-M-B-R-O-S-E!"


    Emma spelled it out eagerly and peeked at the phone over her mother''s shoulder to see if her spelling helped her find the name on the qualified list.


    ''Ambrose¡­''


    Jack thought about the name and wasn''t certain whether he had heard about it before.


    Anna slowly scrolled down the phone, but then heard her daughter''s excited cry behind her.


    "There!"


    She stopped scrolling, and there was indeed a name on the qualified list - Ambrose.


    "Oh, he is there."


    Anna looked surprised and smiled in relief.


    She was aware that her son had spent quite a lot of time inside the game¡ªso much that they barely saw him except during morning jogs.


    It seemed like he had be quite a powerhouse in his own right.


    Jack leaned closer to her and looked at the qualified list on the same phone.


    He nodded after seeing his name, but when he saw his teammate''s name, his expression widened in brief surprise.


    "His teammate¡­"


    After hearing her husband''s whisper, Anna turned to check who his teammate was, and after seeing it, she let out a surprised cry.


    Jack rubbed his chin and said, "So, that''s why Moriarty called us."


    "Isn''t Moriarty quite popr? Why did he want to team up with Jesse¡­"


    Anna wondered, her voice trailing off as she pondered the unlikely partnership.


    Emma pouted and shouted, "Because brother is powerful, and he''ll qualify to the finals!"


    Anna wryly smiled and could tell that not just everyone could qualify for the second round. However, she didn''t think qualifying for the finals was a very realistic goal.


    It was verypetitive, and only the best of the best would make it.


    "I''ll make a phone call."


    Jack said, pulled out his phone from his pocket, and dialed the number. He walked to the corner of the lounging room, right beside a frost-covered window, and ced the phone against his ear.


    Click¡ªthe phone call connected.


    "Good morning, Patriarch."


    Jack greeted the person on the other end of the line.


    "Good morning. What is it, Jack?"


    Mark''s elderly yet wise voice sounded from the other side of the line.


    "How many teams that have partnerships with the Rothsmith family have qualified?" Jack asked curiously.


    "Three." Mark said with a hint of disappointment. "Sunseeker and Moonshadow were 15th in the first round. They''re the only ones who can give somepetition to the top teams."


    "You can add fourth team to that list." Jack said. "My son, Jesse, managed to qualify as well."


    "¡­"


    The other side of the phone stayed quiet for some time.


    Atst, Mark replied, "Not bad, I suppose. What''s his team''s name?"


    Jack walked over to Anna, nced at the phone, and said, "Phoenix Quill."


    "I''ll check them outter.


    Mark said, and he disconnected the phone call.


    Jack looked at the phone, and after seeing that the call was disconnected, he pocketed his phone and sat beside Anna with a frown on his face.


    "Is something wrong?"


    Anna asked after seeing her husband''s expression.


    "No, I am just thinking."


    Jack said and forced a smile.


    However, deep down, there was indeed something that was bothering him.


    ''Ambrose, I swear I''ve heard that name somewhere, even though I am not very invested in the whole gaming sphere. But it''s been nagging me ever since I heard it.''


    ¡­


    Mark Rothsmith stood on the balcony of a vast mansion with his phone in hand, deep in contemtion.


    ''Jesse Rothsmith. He might''ve qualified through the first round, but that doesn''t mean anything. This will be as far as he will go.


    ''I am sure Jack informed me about this because he wants my opinion on Jesse''s progress in thepetition.


    ''It''s not bad, but not good either. I only care about the finals, and everyone who fails to reach them is worthless.''


    He pocketed the phone and walked through the balcony door, arriving at the room with hundreds of screens showing different scenes happening all around the tournament.


    In the same room, hundreds of Rothsmith members were looking at the tournament with concentrated expression while keeping an eye on Sunseeker and Moonshadow, whether they appeared on one of the screens.


    In the middle of all of the screens, there was clearly thergest television, which showed the main broadcast.


    At the current moment, the main broadcast started to show an ind that had never before been shown. However, it looked like it had suffered catastrophic damage as some strange ck smoke had corrupted the outskirts of the jungle.


    Mark crossed his arms and shouted, "Someone, bring out the information about Team Phoenix Quill to me right away!"


    A short-haired servant pulled out a tablet, soon found the information about Phoenix Quill, and then handed it over to Mark.


    Mark snatched the tablet from the servant''s clutches, took a seat on his reclining chair, and started to check out the information with a calm look.


    However, as soon as he saw the two members, his eyes shrunk.


    ''Jesse must be this Ambrose, but his teammate is¡­ Moriarty!''


    His eyes widened as he recognized that name as one of the most popr streamers in the world.


    Meanwhile, they failed to recruit any of the streamers in the top 10 rankings; one of the members of the Rothsmith family, whom he had very low expectations of, somehow managed to do that!


    ''Are they friends or what?''


    Mark''s brows furrowed in deep contemtion. He couldn''t understand why someone like him joined up with the bastard son of Jack Rothsmith.


    It was unthinkable that they could form any kind of alliance or friendship.


    He then looked down at further information, and his eyes shook slightly.


    "They were 102nd in the first round."


    He nodded, as that was pretty good, but not nearly as good as Sunseeker and Moonshadow. However, he wasn''t a fool and knew that the starting position mattered plenty.


    "Interesting." Mark motioned for one of the servants toe to him and told him to put the name Phoenix Quill on one of the screens in bold letters.


    It was now considered one of Rothsmith''s teams.

 Chapter 456 Surrounded

    <h4>Chapter 456 Surrounded</h4>


    ?[-15 HP]


    [Ambrose: 65/100 HP]


    Ambrose grabbed AnarchyCat by his ruff and tossed him away like a dirty ragdoll.


    "Damn."


    He touched his bleeding shoulder and wondered who the hell would bite someone like that.


    AnarchyCat nimbly flipped mid-air andnded on the floor with a graceful glide. He then licked his bloodied lips with a euphoric expression of satisfaction.


    Ambrose rolled down the ground, picked up his sword, and shed towards AnarchyCat like a whirlwind of fury.


    AnarchyCat leaped over the sword, then did several backflips in quick session, effortlessly dodging all of Ambrose''s attacks.


    Ambrose darted forward and shed repeatedly towards AnarchyCat, each sh being sharp and urate. It was clear that this was not his first time using a sword.


    In terms of Martial Online, he was already considered a swordmaster because of his current ss and level.


    However, without all that, he was still incredibly skilled in swordsmanship. He didn''t train for nothing, and based on the world of souls time, he had trained swordsmanship for many years!


    AnarchyCat flipped over one of the sword shes, ran across the walls as if gravity didn''t affect him, and threw another hidden de from his sleeve.


    Ambrose rolled out of the way while the hidden de sailed past him, narrowly missing his face. He then rose back to his feet and stabbed his sword towards the nimble young man.


    AnarchyCat let out augh with his sharp teeth showing and dodged the sword with a graceful leap. Then he kicked his leg forward and struck Ambrose in the chest, sending him staggering backward.


    Ambrose saw that his health had dropped again, but he didn''t care, and his expression turned cold.


    AnarchyCat put his hands on the ground, flicked his legs up in the air, and performed a series of kicks that thunderouslynded on Ambrose''s body.


    Ambrose crossed his arms in front of him and tanked the kicks without flinching.


    If he were any ordinary person, they would have likely broken bones or caused severe injury.


    AnarchyCat effortlessly performed a backflip from his previous kicking stance, pounced at Ambrose like a cat, and scratched at his face with his sharp nails.


    Ambrose groaned with three shallow cuts on his face that weren''t even really bleeding much.


    "I have heard that you''ve be quite powerful!"


    AnarchyCat said while delivering powerful low-kicks at Ambrose, who had no other choice than just to tank them. Despite the annoyance, Ambrose refused to let it show on his face.


    "But, I suppose that was all because of your skills and level. In a real fight, it''s a different story."


    AnarchyCat said with a slight smug smile.


    He had trained in acrobatics since he was very young, and after high school, he started training in taekwondo, which he excelled at immediately.


    Ambrose''s eye twitched, and he then raised one of his legs, dodging one of AnarchyCat''s low kicks, and then stabbed his sword forward like a fisherman trying to harpoon a massive marlin.


    The sword drove through the air, but AnarchyCat twisted his body to the side as he dodged and finger-jabbed towards Ambrose''s eyes.


    He was trying to poke his eyes!


    At that moment, Ambrose flicked his wrist and redirected the sword''s wooden de towards the iing fingers.


    AnarchyCat let out a yelp as the sword struck his fingers, causing him to flinch in strange numbness.


    His fingers looked twisted and bent out of shape¡ªa clear sign of broken bones.


    "You Zahhak rats have such big mouths."


    Ambrose raised his leg, kicked AnarchyCat in the chest as if he were a punching bag, and sent him flying across the room.


    Shatter!


    He crashed through the window andnded in a heap on the pavement below.


    AnarchyCat coughed blue blood and rolled to his side while touching his ribcages. He felt like all of his organs had shifted ces as he had quite difficulty breathing.


    [AnarchyCat: 25/100 HP]


    At that moment, Ambrose jumped down the window andnded in front of AnarchyCat with a cold, freezing gaze that resembled the gaze of a predator ready to strike.


    "Tell Cerberus, I am more than willing to kill him next!"


    He lifted the sword high, and shone brilliantly under the sun as his menacing aura filled the air.


    "Ngh¡­" AnarchyCat looked at him with a fierce gaze and grinned crazily. "He''ll tear you apart, littlemb!"


    "I''d like to see that."


    Ambrose coldly stated and was about to put the end to his life, but at that moment, the nearby building''s door came apart in a thunderous sound.


    And then he saw bloodied Moriarty lying on the ground with a nk look on his eyes, barely breathing.


    "Moriarty?" Ambrose''s eyes shrunk. "Moriarty!"


    "Hahaha¡­" AnarchyCat licked his lips and said, "Well, y''know, we Zahhak never walk alone. We are like a pack of wolves."


    At that moment, Arsenal stepped out of the building with a bloodied, twisted de in hand. He nonchntly turned to look at Ambrose and ced the de against Moriarty''s neck.


    "¡­" Ambrose frowned with a sinking feeling.


    "A-Ambrose¡­" Moriarty whispered with hate in his eyes as he stared at Arsenal. "W-watch out, there are more!"


    "?!"


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock, and he quickly retreated with a jump.


    An arrow stabbed the ground right where he had been standing.


    "Oh, I missed."


    A seductive voice sounded from on top of one of the buildings.


    Ambrose raised his gaze and scowled at the figure perched on the rooftop, cursing under his breath.


    A beautiful, small-nosed woman held a bow in her hand, a mischievous smile ying on her lips. She had brown bun hair adorned with a feathered headband, and her eyes sparkled with mischief.


    Beside her, a cute, round-eyed girl with porcin-smooth skin and long, flowing ck hair stood with aplex expression in her eyes.


    From her initial expression, she looked like a very cold, distant girl, but there were clearly some emotions behind her facade.


    They were none other than SweetieHell and Andromeda.


    "You''re lucky, Ambrose boy." SweetieHell said with a giggle. "I am not familiar with a bow. If Redheart was at my ce, she would''ve skewered your brains."


    "¡­"


    Andromeda looked deeply at Ambrose, who had been obsession of her brother for quite some time now.


    "I am sorry¡­" Moriarty whispered as he resisted crying, as that would be far too embarrassing. "I didn''t notice them until it was toote¡­"


    "Its fine." Ambrose sighed as he tried to hide his disappointment. "There is always next year, I suppose¡­"


    Moriarty hid his face with his hands, hoping to conceal the tears streaming down his cheeks.


    "Hah."


    Arsenalughed and stabbed the twisted de through Moriarty''s throat.


    The ce fell silent as Moriarty''s sound of sobbing disappeared as he vanished into thin air.


    Ambrose sighed and closed his eyes, expecting him to vanish as well.


    However, then a voice sounded.


    "It''s not the same as in the first round." Arsenal said and approached him with a grin. "In the second round, both members of the team have to die for them to get disqualified.


    "Meaning, we can still have plenty of fun with you."


    Ambrose opened his eyes with a m and looked at him in disbelief.


    AnarchyCat flipped back to his feet and picked up the knife Moriarty had dropped. He then joined Arsenal''s side and surrounded Ambrose with a menacing smile.


    "Cerberus said to humiliate you in front of everyone." SweetieHell jumped down the building and looked high in the air. "I guess this counts."


    In the air, a golden camera was floating, capturing every moment of the impending chaos. It was the main broadcasting camera!


    At this very moment, in every household, people were watching the live feed of the fight that everyone thought would end in Ambrose''s humiliating defeat.

 Chapter 457 The Power of Muscle Defense

    <h4>Chapter 457 The Power of Muscle Defense </h4>


    ?Moriarty appeared in a world of ck that had no end in sight. He was still lying on the ground with his hands hiding his face.


    "God damn it¡­"


    He was too ashamed to show his face and too broken to even look up.


    This was his end¡ªthe start of his downfall.


    At least, that''s what he thought.


    But, at that moment, a sh of light appeared, and a holographic screen appeared.


    At first, he thought it was Ambrose, following in his footsteps in disqualification, but when he peeked through his fingers, he saw a scene disying on the screen.


    "W-what''s happening?"


    He wiped the tears and slowly stood up, trying to make sense of the surreal scenes unfolding before him.


    It showed Ambrose surrounded by the members of Zahhak.


    However, the strange part was that he was still alive!


    "H-how?"


    He couldn''t understand it, but soon he started to connect the dots, and his eyes widened in shock.


    "I-its different from the first round? B-both team members have to be eliminated?!"


    After realizing that, he dug his fingers into his palm as he realized that there might be a very small chance of survival.


    "Ambrose,e on, run away! You cannot beat them!"


    He shouted, even though he knew no one would be hearing him. However, he was desperate and ashamed.


    He was so upied by Arsenal that he foolishly ignored his surroundings, and he was ambushed in the end.


    "Run away, damn it¡­" Moriarty clenched his fists, and frustration filled every part of him.


    ''Never again. I''ll never feel this humiliation again.''


    ¡­


    In the Rothsmith Estate.


    It was so silent that one could hear the faintest sound of a pin drop.


    Jack''s and Anna''s eyes were peeled on the t-screen television as they watched with bated breath.


    "Brother¡­" Emma looked at the television, her heart pounding in her chest.


    "How unlucky¡­" Jack whispered and massaged his temples. "He encountered teamers."


    Teamers, a term used to refer to yers who worked with yers that were supposed to be opponents. It was amon urrence to give themselves better odds of survival.


    "He could still run away, right?" Anna said with a hint of hope in her voice. "I''ve seen him run, and he is fast."


    "I believe thatdy with the bow will shoot him in the back if he does so." Jack said with a sigh. "If he wants to survive, he has to kill the archer, then run away."


    "Please, brother, defeat them!" Emma cheered loudly, but she was too nervous to look at the television as she didn''t want to witness his defeat.


    ¡­


    "Patriarch!"


    "I can see it." Mark said coldly and looked at the screen with a frown.


    ''Do not humiliate yourself, brat. You are carrying the name Rothsmith, and it is your duty to uphold its honor!''


    The members of the Rothsmith family put their gazes on the screen and waited for the confrontation to begin.


    However, none of them expected him to survive and just wanted him to die, at least with honor, or at least run away.


    No one would me him for running away after meeting teamers.


    ¡­


    In Moriarty''s Community Chat.


    [Kerma: Oh no¡­]


    [Caly: Moriarty died, right? I think we saw only a brief glimpse of him!]


    [Kyoko-san: This cannot be happening! Ambrose, run away!]


    [Rei-Kun: Fucking teamers. They should be disqualified; this is so unfair!]


    [Kamne: It''s game over unless Ambrose manages to run away. I think I recognize these yers, and they are part of Zahhak!]


    [Nobo: Zahhak¡­ It''s game over, I fear so. They are powerful alone, but there are four of them. It''s going to be impossible to survive]


    [Kyoko-san: What is he doing? He should run away immediately and try to escape into the jungle!]


    [Nobo: They''ll never let him¡­]


    [Rei-Kun: Game over¡­]


    ¡­


    Ambrose grabbed the wooden sword with both hands and stood in the middle of the encirclement. He was surrounded, like a lone warrior ready to face his fate.


    "This shall be the end of you." Arsenal put the twisted de into an attacking stance. "Prepare to meet your demise."


    "Hihi." AnarchyCat twirled the knife in his hand and grinned. "If you n on running away, I suggest you put that notion down. You cannot outrun me."


    SweetieHell put an arrow in the bow and pulled the string back, aiming it straight at Ambrose''s head. A yful smile yed on her lips.


    Andromeda pulled out two knives from her belt and twirled them skillfully between her fingers.


    She didn''t speak a word, but her eyes spoke volumes. She wasn''t that into humiliating others, and if there was a chance, she would end his life immediately, which could be considered a merciful death.


    Ambrose silently eyed them, and his thoughts were unusually quiet. He wasn''t thinking anything at all.


    It was as if he worked on autopilot, his mind void of any conscious thought.


    He let his instincts take over, trusting that they would guide him in the right direction.


    In his mind and in the world of souls, he had fought against members of Zahhak and the Inquisitors thousands, maybe millions of times.


    He had done it so many times that he had lost count.


    The times he had lost were too numerous to tally.


    However, this was one moment where losing was not an option.


    Ambrose slowly moved his feet forward, putting all the weight into that one step, and tightened his grip on the wooden sword.


    The images of his millions of fights shed through his mind like a movie reel.


    SweetieHell''s hand trembled as she tried to hold the arrow between her fingers. She wasn''t an archer but instead a spearswoman, but this was the only weapon she managed to find.


    Atst, the arrow slipped between her fingers andunched towards Ambrose like a homing missile.


    Ambrose put his arm in the way, which suddenly expanded, and all the muscles in his arm bulged like they were about to burst out of his skin.


    The arrow stabbed into his muscle, but it snapped in half and fell harmlessly to the ground. It couldn''t prate through his defenses!


    "The Arm Muscle Defense." Ambrose whispered coldly.


    It was still the same skill: Muscle Defense. However, he learned to modify the skill slightly to use it in one part at a time, like he did now with the arm.


    It allowed him to get incredible defense in one part of his body but also still move freely.


    Arsenal shot forward like an arrow and drove his twisted de towards Ambrose with all the force he could muster.


    Ambrose nced at him briefly and tossed his wooden sword from his right hand, which was still swollen by all the muscles, to his left hand, deflecting the twisted de with a swift and graceful parry.


    AnarchyCat slid across the ground and shed towards Ambrose''s exposed leg with the tiny knife.


    "The Leg Muscle Defense!"


    Ambrose shouted, and his legs suddenly swelled by the muscle to an enormous size, providing a formidable barrier against AnarchyCat''s attack.


    The knife bounced off harmlessly, as if it were trying to break through solid steel.


    "What in the world¡­" AnarchyCat whispered.


    At that moment, Ambrose smashed the sword through AnarchyCat''s chest, sending him flying across the street until he crashed into a pile of crates between two buildings.


    AnarchyCat protected himself as well as he could, but his health still dropped a significant amount.


    [-20 HP]


    [AnarchyCat: 5/100 HP]


    Andromeda twirled the two knives between her fingers and hurled them towards Ambrose.


    Ambrose saw the two knives approach him from his side, but before he could do anything, Arsenal alsounched another stabbing attack.


    "The Muscle Defense!"


    At that moment, his entire body swelled with muscles, making him look like a bodybuilder with veins popping out everywhere.


    The two knives bounced off him, and the twisted de created a shallow cut on the shoulder, but it barely prated his skin.


    "¡­" Arsenal stayed quiet during the ordeal, acting rather calm.


    "Whoo¡­" Ambrose returned to his normal state and smashed the sword into the twisted de.


    "Your de is no match for mine." Arsenal said, and the twisted de slowly cut through the wooden sword like a hot knife through butter.


    "¡­" However, Ambrose didn''t react and instead smashed his fist through Arsenal''s face with a devastating force.


    Boom!

 Chapter 458 Reactions

    <h4>Chapter 458 Reactions</h4>


    ?Arsenal staggered backwards with a bleeding nose and shook his head to get rid of the stunned state.


    It was a powerful punch; it was as if he had been punched by a wrecking ball.


    ''He isn''t a brawler, so how can he punch this hard?''


    Arsenal wondered, feeling confused.


    After throwing the punch, Ambrose only ergened his back muscles and slowly approached SweetieHell while walking backwards.


    SweetieHell shot arrows at Ambrose, but they all bounced off his muscr back.


    She then tried shooting him in the leg but narrowly missed as she didn''t have the uracy of an archer.


    Before Ambrose managed topletely reach her, Andromeda picked up her fallen knives from the ground and stabbed him in the leg.


    It caused him to stop momentarily, but he then ergened the muscles in his leg, which caused the knife to embed itself even deeper into his flesh.


    Andromeda gritted her teeth and tried to pull the knife out of the leg, but was unsessful.


    Ambrose swung his arm like a whip and smacked her away like he was swatting a fly.


    Andromeda rolled down the ground and crashed into the nearby building. She held her stomach as she had trouble breathing and looked at Ambrose in surprise.


    ''H-he doesn''t even hesitate to hit me, even though I am a little girl.''


    Her biggest advantages were her looks and her age. She looked like an adorable cat, and most yers often underestimated her because of it, some not even wanting to attack because it would make them feel like bullies.


    "Bastard, don''t touch her!" SweetieHell shouted and fired another arrow that effortlessly bounced off his muscr back.


    At that moment, Ambrose returned to his normal state and delivered a powerful horse-kick that sent SweetieHell flying through the air.


    Ambrose cracked his knuckles and looked around at the chaos he had caused.


    AnarchyCat, Andromeda, and SweetieHell were still recovering from his attacks.


    However, at that moment, a sharp, twisted de went straight through his waist, causing him to gasp in shock.


    When he turned around, he couldn''t see his attacker, as if he were invisible.


    At that moment, Arsenal appeared like a ghost, as if he had been cloaked by some invincible technology.


    "Chameleon." Arsenal whispered.


    Ambrose saw his lips move, but no words came out, meaning that he had used his skill!


    ''A skill that allows him to turn invincible? That is powerful, I couldn''t even hear his footsteps!''


    [-30 HP]


    [Ambrose: 20/100 HP]


    "The Torso Muscle Defense!" Ambrose shouted, and his torso ergened with powerful-looking muscles.


    The muscles trapped the twisted de inside his waist.


    Arsenal tried pulling it out, but it felt like the de was stuck inside a steel rock. In the end, the de remained firmly lodged in Ambrose''s waist, unable to be removed.


    He removed his grip on the de and chopped Ambrose in the neck with a thunderous force, managing to force him down on his knees.


    Ambrose''s knees touched the ground, and he lost another five health points, putting him dangerously close to death.


    At that moment, he turned back to his ordinary state and pulled the twisted de from his body, which caused him to lose another five health points.


    Ambrose stood up and elbowed behind him, but Arsenal caught the elbow and swept his legs from under him.


    As he crashed back-first on the ground, Arsenal mmed his fist down, but Ambrose quickly rolled out of the way and clumsily swung the twisted de at Arsenal''s legs.


    Arsenal dodged the de with a swift sidestep.


    At the same moment, several arrows flew from SweetieHell''s direction, flying directly towards Ambrose.


    "Argh!" Ambrose stood up with a loud scream and parried the arrows clumsily with the twisted de. It looked like he was simply swinging the sword randomly, but he still managed to hit the arrows out of the air!


    To many, it might''ve seemed like it was all luck, but Arsenal could recognize that it was far from random. It was a disy of an extreme level of skill.


    ¡­


    "Come on!" Moriarty shouted at the holographic screen. "Kill them all!"


    As the fight continued on, he gritted his teeth and anxiously paced back and forth.


    He couldn''t stand in one ce for even a second at a time.


    "Fuck, dodge!" Moriarty yelled, his heart pounding in his chest.


    Hebed his hair back with his hand, and sweat dripped down his forehead.


    "Come on!"


    ¡­


    "Oh my god!" Anna covered her mouth in shock. "He got stabbed!"


    "Calm down." Jackforted her wife and said, "The game has no pain. It looks worse than it actually is."


    Emma peeked between her fingers and flinched every time someone attacked her brother.


    The door again opened, and Zach entered the room, nudging his sses up his nose bridge. He looked at the television with a racing heartbeat.


    He was watching the tournament from his room, but after hearing his mother''s screams from here, he decided toe check it out, and as expected, they were also watching it.


    "Brother¡­" Zach whispered in worry.


    ¡­


    The members of Rothsmith shouted at the scream as they watched the battle continue.


    It was rare that the golden camera stayed in one position for too long, meaning that the tournament operators were aware that the viewers were invested in the current fight.


    Mark looked at the screen with a deep look.


    ''He is powerful, but still, once yers are able to use their full potential with their levels and skills, there''s no telling how far he can go.


    ''It''s still unclear whether he will survive through this. He has been using his strange muscle-growing skill for a lot, and that must be exhausting for him.


    ''Come on, survive through this, Jesse!''


    ¡­


    In a dimly lit house, a cubicle-shaped television yed the tournament, showing the bloody battle, and there was a distant sound ofmentators cheering in the background.


    However, since the television was somewhat quiet, it was hard to hear them.


    Terry sat on his reclining chair while drinking beer and watching the tournament.


    His eyes followed the purple-eyed yer, who clumsily smashed the arrows out of the sky.


    Terry winced slightly but instantly drank the beer like a thirsty animal. The sound of the arrows hitting the ground echoed faintly through the room.


    "Argh¡­" Terry wiped his mouth and screamed. "Come on, you cannot win without killing them!"


    He continued shouting, frustration filling his tone.


    Terry crushed the beer can in his hand and tossed it away in a pile of already-crushed beer cans that were scattered across the floor.


    "Tch¡­"


    He grabbed one of the crushed beer cans, aimed it towards the television, and nned to throw it in a fit of anger, but then he saw a framed picture of a family of four beside the television and halted in his tracks.


    "¡­"


    Terry dropped the beer can down to the ground and leaned on the chair as the fight on television continued without a stop.


    At that moment, he heard shouting from outside.


    "Hurry up!"


    "I heard there is an interesting fight in the tournament happening!"


    "It''s your fault for wanting to visit the store for snacks!"


    Two siblings ran down the neighborhood with grocery bags in hand and rushed inside their homes to catch the fight before it ended.


    "I guess he is going to be famous now." Terry said as he looked at his son on the television. "That''s why¡­ don''t lose."


    Terry lifted his fist towards the ceiling and screamed. "If they happen to know your previous name¡ªJesse Kraham¡ªI don''t want the name to be connected with losing!


    "That''s why¡­ win!"


    Tears streamed down his cheek, and he immediately wiped them off and turned his focus back on the television.


    "These brats won''t have a chance against you." Terry whispered. "I know how strong you are¡­"

 Chapter 459 Chameleon

    <h4>Chapter 459 Chameleon </h4>


    ?Ambrose darted forward with heavy steps, and he put his left arm in front of him. The arm''s muscles started growingrger and more defined with each step.


    The arrows flew across the air towards him.


    Then, Ambrose used the muscle-covered arm to block them as if it were a steel shield and swung the twisted de through the bow.


    SweetieHell held the broken bow with a grimace and performed graceful backflips across the street, backing away from Ambrose.


    At that moment, AnarchyCat jumped to Ambrose''s shoulders and coiled his legs around his neck, trying to choke him out.


    "Ngh!"


    "The Neck Muscle Defense!"


    Ambrose screamed, and the muscles in his neck bulged out, straining against AnarchyCat''s grip. In the end, the muscles proved to be too strong for AnarchyCat to ovee.


    "This damn muscle freak!" AnarchyCat screamed and jumped backwards with a grimaced expression, as his trademark move again didn''t work.


    "Whoo¡­"


    Ambrose breathed heavily, and the muscles returned to normal once again. However, he was sweating heavily, and his heart was pounding in his chest.


    It was far too exhausting to constantly use his skills, and if he hadn''t improved his stamina by himself during his morning jogging sessions, he would''ve been out ofmission already.


    Arsenal watched him and smirked.


    ''He has been straining himself with the skill. Every yer knows that you can''t use your skills constantly without depleting your stamina.


    ''That''s why we''ve been ying time and rotating our attacking yers to keep them fresh and prevent burnout while Ambrose depletes his stamina reserves.


    ''It looks like he can''t keep standing for much longer!''


    Ambrose breathed heavily and saw that his vision was turning blurry. It meant that he had finally reached his limit.


    However, he was expecting that, as he wasn''t a fool and knew that by using his skill dozens of times, he would eventually exhaust himself.


    But this skill wasn''t quite normal.


    In the Room of Damnation, he was thinking deeply about what kind of skill he needed and wanted.


    Theck of stamina often frustrated him, and he didn''t want to use too many stat points to cover for that, and exercising would take far too long.


    He still exercised every day, but he knew he needed a skill that would help him cover for theck of stamina as soon as possible.


    Because of his Starborn physique and his daily exercises, his current stamina level is incredible and way beyond that of ordinary humans.


    But he wanted to be a monster in his own right.


    That''s why he created the muscle defense skill.


    It wasn''t only for defense but also to cover him if his stamina ran out.


    This was also another reason why he chose this skill over any other abilities avable to him.


    "Raaaah!"


    Ambrose''s body grew in size, his muscles bulging from every inch of his skin, and he again looked like a muscle monster.


    This time, steam started to rise from his body, creating an intimidating and fierce aura around him.


    ''What''s he going?'' Arsenal thought as he avoided the strangely hot steam. ''He is just exhausting himself.''


    SweetieHell, Andromeda, and AnarchyCat watched with frowns on their expressions as they couldn''t tell what his n was.


    "The Muscle Defense..." Ambrose whispered. "Steam Rise!"


    The steam shot out of his body and covered the streets in a thick steam fog, making it difficult to see anything beyond one meter.


    In the sky, the golden camera was the only thing that still managed to see everything happening below in the midst of the steam fog.


    In the steam fog, Ambrose fell down on his knees, and his body returned to its normal state. However, his stamina recoveredpletely at incredible speed.


    This steam was all of his exhausted stamina that had been condensed into a physical form. After removing it from his body, Ambrose''s stamina returned to its peak form.


    That''s why, with the Muscle Defense, stamina wouldn''t ever be a problem for him!


    Ambrose stood up with his clothes drenched in sweat.


    He put the twisted de into a reversed grip and sneaked down the steam fog.


    As he moved silently through the fog, he started to see a shadowy figure with his back turned against him. It was AnarchyCat, sweating buckets as the hot steam engulfed him.


    At that moment, Ambrose drove the twisted de through his back and through his heart.


    AnarchyCat let out a scream and vanished into thin air.


    Some distance away, Arsenal looked in the direction of the scream and received a notification that his teammate, AnarchyCat, had been killed!


    He gritted his teeth and rushed through the fog, but then he collided with SweetieHell, who was equally confused.


    "Angh, what are you doing?!" SweetieHell shouted.


    "AnarchyCat is dead. Let''s find that bastard!" Arsenal shouted back.


    SweetieHell''s expression turned serious, and she nodded.


    A distance away, Andromeda crouched near the ground while holding her knives on guard.


    She looked around her for any signs of movement; her senses were heightened and ready for any potential threat.


    At that moment, a twisted de touched her throat, and Ambrose appeared behind her with a cold expression.


    Andromeda paled and sighed. "Hello¡­"


    "Shouldn''t you be at school?" Ambrose asked.


    "Winter holiday," Andromeda replied while looking at the de that was touching her throat.


    "Do me a favor, and forfeit." Ambrose whispered. "I have a little sister close to your age, and I would rather not kill you."


    "Okay¡­" Andromeda opened her interface and pressed forfeit.


    At the same moment, she started to slowly disappear.


    Before she waspletely gone, she turned around and said, "Watch out for my brother. He has lost his mind."


    "I am not afraid of him," Ambrose said.


    "I know," Andromeda whispered. "You need to end this rivalry with him as soon as possible, before it ruins both of you¡­"


    At that moment, she vanished into thin air.


    Ambrose looked behind him and narrowed his eyes. His Starborn physique''s eyes allowed him to see much better than ordinary people.


    At that moment, he saw a figure waltzing through the fog. He looked like he was camouged in the fog, but there was a clear human-shaped outline.


    ''You wouldn''t be this foolish, would you?'' Ambrose looked past him and saw another outline, much clearer this time, hunching with a sharp object in hand.


    It looked like they were preparing for a trap.


    A distance away, SweetieHell kept her attention on Arsenal, who was walking down the steamy, foggy street.


    But at that moment, a sharp object speared through her heart, and she started gasping for air, but before she could react, darkness enveloped her vision.


    Ambrose stood up over her vanishing corpse and slowly approached the camouged figure, who had his back turned on him.


    And then he drove the de forward with all his might.


    At the final move, the figure turned around with a dagger in hand and deflected the de. In that same moment, he opened his mouth, and his tongue shot forward like a serpent, striking at lightning speed.


    "?!"


    Ambrose could barely see it, and he instantly increased in size as the muscles grewrge.


    The tongue continued to extend, reaching an astonishing length, and finally wrapped around the de, pulling it towards Arsenal with immense force.


    "Cursed!"


    Ambrose pulled the de back with all his strength. His muscles strained and bulged as he fought against the tongue''s grip, trying to free the de from its grasp.


    Arsenal stood on all fours, like a chameleon, while his tongue fought a tug-on-war with Ambrose.


    ''He is like a real chameleon. How freaky.''


    Ambrose thought to himself.

 Chapter 460 Right Fist of the God

    <h4>Chapter 460 Right Fist of the God</h4>


    ?The steam fog slowly cleared up revealing a bright and sunny morning.


    In the middle of the street, Ambrose and Arsenal fought for the twisted de.


    "Ngh¡­" Ambrose narrowed his eyes.


    "Aaah¡­" Arsenal felt very ufortable as his chameleon''s tongue tried to pull the de towards him.


    However, he was simply unsessful in beating Ambrose in a battle of strength!


    Ding, ding!


    At that moment, bells rang across the entire ind.


    Following that, the ck smoke emerged from the jungle and started to slowly corrupt the town.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock as he saw the ck smoke return and realized what was happening.


    ''The ck smoke must be forcing yers to move closer to the center of the ind, and the ones who don''t will die.


    ''It''s forcing yers to encounter each other by making the ind even smaller!''


    Ambrose realized that he had not much more time to waste.


    He instantly let go of the twisted de, allowing Arsenal to steal it.


    Before it smashed straight into his face, Arsenal caught it, and his long tongue returned inside his mouth. He showed a victorious grin.


    At that moment, Ambrose dashed forth, and threw a straight punch.


    Arsenal blocked the punch with the twisted de, but he felt his entire body jolt from the impact. It was ridiculous how strong his punch was!


    Ambrose pushed the twisted de aside and kicked Arsenal in the chest with a powerful force. He sent him flying towards the ck smoke!


    Arsenalnded on the ground, and saw the ck smoke approaching him from behind. He had a hunch that he shouldn''t touch it.


    ''The smoke is moving much slower than before.'' Ambrose came to the conclusion, otherwise, they would both be unable to survive.


    Arsenal groaned, lunged forward, and threw his dagger at Ambrose. His uracy was scary good, showing his incredible skill with all sorts of weapons.


    Ambrose extended his hand muscles and clumsily used it to block the dagger. The dagger bounced off his muscles andnded on the ground.


    He picked it up and jumped at Arsenal, cutting the air with the dagger as he aimed for Arsenal''s throat.


    Arsenal quickly blocked the dagger and threw a low kick at Ambrose''s shinbone, but he quickly blocked it with his incredible muscles.


    Ambrose swung his left arm down and smashed the dagger into the twisted de of Arsenal''s sword.


    He then swung his right arm, and threw a powerful punch at Arsenal''s chest, sending him flying backwards.


    Arsenal crashed back-first on the building wall and coughed blood.


    ''Am I losing again? That cannot be!'' Arsenal''s eyes showed red. ''He must have low HP. I just need one more hit to defeat him!


    ''I might''ve lost to Cerberus, but I cannot possibly lose to him!''


    With a ferocious cry, Arsenal swung the twisted de down, and the sound of metal shing echoed through the air as the dagger blocked it narrowly.


    Ambrose held the twisted de in one ce even though the dagger was clearly weaker and on the verge of breaking.


    "You''re sweating." Ambrose said with a smile, his gaze locked with Arsenal''s angry eyes. "You''re losing your grip."


    "Shut up!" Arsenal raised his sword again. "I won''t lose!"


    ¡­


    "Come on!" Moriarty screamed with his veins bulging out of his neck, his voice fueled with desperation.


    "You''re so close!"


    "Just one more step!"


    "Do not let him hit you, please!"


    "Come on, Ambrose!"


    ¡­


    "Come on, brother!" Emma screamed while hopping nervously like an anxious rabbit.


    Zach tapped his feet against the floor impatiently, feeling extremely fidgety and nervous.


    "Please, just go down¡­" Anna whispered as she looked at Arsenal angrily, hoping that her gaze would make him understand how much she wanted him to lose.


    Jack bit his nail while leaning against the sofa''s backrest. He couldn''t bear the tension of the match any longer.


    ¡­


    Inside Martial Online, in the viewing section.


    Be sat in an empty room with the holographic screen in front of her. She was sitting cross-legged, anxiously leaning forward, her nose almost touching the screen.


    "You can do it¡­"


    ¡­


    "Raaah!" Arsenal brought the sword down with every inch of his strength behind the strike.


    "The Half Muscle Defense!" Ambrose put his left arm in the way of the sword, gritting his teeth as he absorbed the impact.


    The twisted de wreaked havoc through his muscles, desperately trying to break through.


    Half of Ambrose''s body absorbed all the damage, and his health dropped slightly, nearing zero.


    Then, steam rose from Ambrose''s muscr back as he unleashed a primal roar, tapping into a hidden well of his strength.


    As the steam left his body, more of his strength and stamina returned, filling his body like a tidal wave of power.


    At that moment, Ambrose formed a fist with his right hand and reeled in his arm for a punch that would shatter anything in its path.


    As he used the Muscle Defense to cover half of his body, he couldn''t move half of his body. However, that was the left half.


    He had been preparing for this moment and left his right half without any defense, so he could use it to attack.


    It was an attacking from purely his real body, not relying on any external enhancements or weapons.


    ''I have gotten so used to calling my skill names when I am attacking; now that I have no skills to use, it feels awkward.


    ''So, I might as well shout something random to fill the silence.''


    "Argh!"


    Arsenal''s face paled as he noticed that his strength wasn''t enough to break through the Muscle Defense.


    "No¡­"


    Ambrose''s right fist started steaming as if it were on fire, but it was because of the excess steam he was letting out for this final punch, which increased his strength even further.


    "The Immortal Style, Right Fist of the God!"


    Ambrose screamed, and this time, everyone managed to hear it as it wasn''t any skill that had been created.


    The steaming fist punched through Arsenal''s chest and exited through his back, leaving a gaping hole in his body.


    Ambrose lifted his gaze and looked straight into Arsenal''s shocked eyes, which were filled with both shock and disbelief.


    "I-I can''t lose¡­" He whispered with a baffled look. "Y-you can''t defeat me¡­"


    "Cough!"


    He coughed blood as he struggled to speak, his strength fading rapidly.


    Arsenal grabbed Ambrose by his shirt, trying to rip it off in a desperate attempt to kill him, but eventually, his legs gave out, and he slowly vanished into tiny particles.


    The muscles on Ambrose''s left half turned normal, and he let out steam as the transformation reversed itself.


    "Whoo¡­"


    Ambrosebed his hair back, revealing his otherworldly handsome face, and stared at the golden camera that had followed this fight since the beginning.


    His face was disyed in all its glory in every household, and the name Ambrose rang in the minds of every person who witnessed the astonishing fight.


    It was rare that a yer managed to win against four people by himself, and even rarer when it was against powerful yers like Zahhak.


    At that moment, the golden camera vanished as it went to capture other events happening on other inds.


    "Ahh¡­" Ambrose stretched his limbs, picked up the twisted de from the ground, and then went to get every other dropped from members of Zahhak.


    He now had more than enough items to survive the following night.


    However, he had to do it all alone, as Moriarty was dead and would note back unless he survived this round.


    "I''ll survive¡­" Ambrose muttered to himself and put the twisted de inside his wide belt, then started running away from the ck smoke.


    He left the town and entered the jungle.


    Since he didn''t have Moriarty''s Danger Sense, he would have to rely on his instincts and wits to make it out alive.

 Chapter 461 Marvelio

    <h4>Chapter 461 Marvelio </h4>


    ?"Yay!" Emma threw her arms up in the air and cheered with joy as the television shifted from the previous fight to show the entirety of the tournament realm.


    Thementators were still discussing the fight and were talking about how difficult it was to win against such skilled opponents.


    Yet this Ambrose, who hadn''t been in any big spotlight before, managed to do so.


    Thementators then took out some information about him, such as his identity as the yer with the highest total bounty in the game.


    "Whew¡­"


    Jack heaved a sigh of relief and walked over to the balcony to smoke a cigarette to rx his nerves.


    Anna smiled at the television, but then her phone buzzed in her back pocket. She took it out and saw that she had a phone calling from Amber.


    She epted the call and put the phone in her ear.


    "Yes, Amber?" Anna said, and then listened to her friend speak, her expression turning prouder the more she listened.


    "Yup, he did pretty well, didn''t he?"


    Zach leaned against a wall and saw Emma rushing out of the room.


    "Sis, where''re you going?"


    "I''ll go meet Be!" Emma''s shout resounded as she ran away like a bolt of lightning.


    ''Be?'' Zach wondered, curious about who Be was.


    After a short while, Jack returned from the balcony with a rxed expression and took a seat on the sofa while his wife talked with her friend.


    He looked at the television and saw that another fight was happening on one of the inds, but it didn''t include his son, so he didn''t really care.


    Buzz.


    At that moment, his phone buzzed with an iing message.


    He pulled out his phone and checked it out.


    [Mark: Not bad]


    "¡­"


    Jack stayed quiet as he closed the phone and leaned against the sofa''s backrest. However, a small smile crept onto his face.


    ¡­


    Mark pocketed his phone and looked over to see how many teams were remaining in Ambrose''s ind.


    [Teams: 387]


    ''He still has a long way to go.''


    He thought, and looked over to other members of Rothsmith family, who were still excitedly talking about the fight.


    It seemed like it was impossible to survive it, but not only did he survive, hepletely destroyed his enemies.


    In times like these, it made them puff their chests in pride to be a member of the Rothsmith family. They couldn''t remember any other members of High Society who had achieved such a spectacr victory.


    "Excuse me, grandfather."


    Mark turned to the side and saw a beautiful, pale-faced young woman with a long-sleeved fis blouse and ripped ck jeans standing in front of him.


    While other members of Rothsmith wore fancy and expensive clothes, she stood out with her unique and edgy style.


    "Granddaughter, what is it?"


    Mark asked as he faced Nyx, who was staring at him with ck eyeliner and a face void of any smile.


    "You asked if any of us want to try our luck in gambling; can I do it?" Nyx asked.


    "Nn."


    Mark nodded in agreement, intrigued by Nyx''s sudden interest in gambling.


    There was a huge gambling event happening all around the world. They gambled to see who would emerge victorious in the tournament.


    At this current moment, the Team Titans had greatest odds on winning the tournament.


    "I want to bet on Jesse''s team''s victory." Nyx said with a steadfast expression.


    "Oh?" Mark''s eyebrow jumped in surprise. "Are you certain? How much do you want to bet?"


    Nyx touched her nose and said, "I''ll bet 100,000 crowns on their victory."


    Mark nodded, as that amount wasn''t too crazy for them to wager, but he doubted that Nyx had too much money.


    ''This might as well be all the money she has. Did Jesse''s previous victory increase her confidence in them? It''s still far too early to say, and it''s unclear whether he''ll survive alone through this round.


    ''However, it can be a good lesson for her not to spend her money too recklessly.''


    Mark nodded and said, "Very well, is that all?"


    "That''s all." Nyx nodded and turned to leave the room.


    ¡­


    In a well-furnished house with a television disying thetest news about the tournament.


    Matilda sat on her reclining chair while tapping her walking cane against the floor, deep in thought.


    "Fame can be a dangerous thing, dear Jesse."


    She murmured to herself, stood up with the help of the walking cane, and slowly made her way towards the kitchen to prepare herself a cup of tea.


    She hoped that the soothing warmth would calm her troubled mind.


    At that moment, she saw Jesse''s previous rented apartment through the square window, and a wave of sweet memories flooded her thoughts.


    "He is doing good, though." She hummed with a smile. "I''m d for him, and he has already shown that he can take care of himself."


    ¡­


    Moriarty''smunity chat was filled with excitement.


    [Nekoman: How the f*** did he survive?!]


    [Kerma: That was insane! So he wasn''t nobody, after all!]


    [Kyoko-san: Of course Lord Moriarty wouldn''t choose some nobody! He always has a way to surprise us!]


    [Rei-Kun: Damn, that was insane! The way his body continued shrinking and growing was quite freaky, but fuck, hisst punch packed a punch!]


    [Nobo: He punched through him! Isn''t he supposed to be at level 1? I wasn''t able to punch through people like that, not even now, and I am already level 50!]


    [AlzheimerGamer: He is still alone and has to survive on his own. Anyway, I think¡­ wait, what was I about to say?]


    [Kyoko-san: He can do it; I believe in him!]


    ¡­


    At the Marvelio family''s residence.


    A well-suited man sat in an armchair, his eyes fixed on the hospital reports on the desk. In the background, television screens were ying.


    At that moment, the front door opened, and a middle-aged woman entered the house while removing the pieces of outdoor clothing.


    As she arrived at the living room, she asked, "Any news about Alice?"


    "Not yet." Alice''s father said with a thoughtful look. "She is still ying, so I suppose she is still alive."


    "I see¡­" Alice''s mother looked over to the television and said, "As I was leaving the hospital, I heard some stuff about there being some fight going on?"


    "Yeah, it was something else." The father said, shaking his head. "That made me wonder whether Alice should really bepeting. It was so bloody and crude."


    "Mmh." The mother nodded worryingly. "I hope she stays safe and doesn''t get hurt."


    "She should be focusing on her career instead of spending her time in this worthless fantasy world."


    "She is clearly enjoying herself, so I think it''s fine." The mother said, but understood that her child''s safety was still a valid concern.


    "Well, I just hope she won''t encounter this Ambrose person." The father said, "I think he is an extremely dangerous person, and I don''t want him anywhere near our daughter."


    "Ambrose?" The mother tilted her head in confusion but then remembered. "Ah, right. I think I heard that name. Was he the one fighting?"


    "Yes." The father nodded.


    "I just saw him punch a hole in one of the yers in the fight. Also, he has a strange ability to increase his muscle mass, and somehow he is able to release steam out of his body at will.


    "I know that you can release steam by exercising as the sweat evaporates, but every time he released steam, it looked like he grew more powerful."


    "Is that so?" The mother asked, raising an eyebrow. "Is there a recording of the fight? I would like to see it."


    "It has been posted on ForeverTube already." The father said. "It already has over five million views."

 Chapter 462 The Predator

    <h4>Chapter 462 The Predator</h4>


    ?Pitter-patter.


    A heavy rain appeared above the tournament realm, and a downpour turned the ground into a muddy mess, and the visibility became almost nonexistent.


    The yers rushed to any shelter they were able to find to wait out the storm.


    At the jungle, Ambrose took cover under arge tree and took out a tent kit from his inventory, which he received from killing the members of Zahhak.


    After taking out the tent kit, Ambrose quickly began setting up his shelter, securing it tightly to the tree branches.


    The tent was quite narrow and could only fit one person. Its fabric was not that good, but it was enough to stop the raindrops from falling on Ambrose.


    He then popped open his sleeping bag andid it out inside the tent, ready to rest for the night.


    However, beforepletely falling asleep, he took out one of the medicine pills and recovered his health.


    ''The bells should be loud enough to wake me up in case the game master is evil enough to again make the ck smoke move.


    ''For now, I should be quite far from the ck smoke, as I am quite near the middle of the ind.''


    He put his arm under his head to act as a pillow and softly closed his eyes, as he wanted at least a few hours of peaceful sleep.


    He knew for a fact that the yers would be too scared to try even sleeping, as they were in constant fear of being attacked.


    However, they still had their teammate to keep watch and ensure their safety throughout the night.


    Ambrose didn''t have such luxury anymore as Moriarty was unfortunately killed. However, he still needed sleep, as he doubted he would be able to avoid fighting tomorrow.


    He needed to be in his best condition to face whatever challenges awaited him.


    ¡­


    A world of mist surrounded a small patch ofnd that had beautiful flowers blooming all around with bright colors and vibrant scents.


    It had a small forest with tall, majestic trees and a gentle stream flowing through it.


    And then, toplete the scenery, there was a building standing tall and proud at the center, exuding an air of mystery and intrigue.


    It was built of white marble with pirs supporting the ceiling, and it had hundreds of rooms to house its inhabitants and guests.


    In the yard of the building, yers were either hacking their swords on wooden targets or engaging in intense sword fights with one another.


    However, there were also yerspeting in a game of ser, kicking the ball across the grassy field.


    At the entrance of the buildingplex, Arsenal leaned against one of the pirs with a deep frown on his face.


    On the steps in front of him, Andromeda and AnarchyCat licked ice cream cones while wearing summertime clothing.


    "You aren''t enjoying this little holiday?" SweetieHell emerged from the building with flower adorning her beautiful hair.


    She looked very beautiful and radiant, taking the breath away from everyone whoid eyes on her.


    "This is nonsense." Arsenal said grumpily. "This was supposed to be some Wild Card tournament, but what the hell is this? We haven''t even seen that person who we met in the misty world again."


    "Enjoy your time." SweetieHell said, "I am sure the tournament will continue soon. I am not too sure about you, but after getting our asses kicked, I need some rxing."


    "If we had our skills and levels, we would have destroyed him!" Arsenal shouted angrily. "He had very good skill for this shit, and without that, I would''ve destroyed him."


    "Sure, sure." SweetieHell nodded three times as she sarcastically agreed.


    She then touched Andromeda''s shoulder, and asked, "June, wanna go to the river together?"


    "Mm, sure." Andromeda stood up while licking the ice cream on the cone and followed after her as they departed towards the riverbank.


    Arsenal scoffed and looked at everyone having fun with disapproval.


    ''This is supposed to be a serious tournament, but what the fuck is this? This is just a bunch of kids ying around and having fun!''


    In the skies above the patch ofnd, a misty figure looked at the scene with an ethereal smile.


    "I guess it''s time." She pointed her misty finger towards the ground below. "Time for chaos."


    ¡­


    The downpour turned even heavier, and the jungle became a chaotic mess of mud and tangled vegetation.


    Below the trashy tent, a few raindrops fell on Ambrose''s face, waking him up from his slumber.


    "Ngh¡­"


    He opened the interface tiredly and saw that he had slept for two hours.


    "Only¡­"


    He sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to shake off the grogginess.


    Crack¡ªat that moment, he heard a faint noiseing from outside the tent.


    It sounded like someone was stepping on twigs.


    Ambrose opened his purple eyes wide open in rm, realizing that he was not alone in the wilderness.


    He pulled out his twisted de from its sheath and looked around the rainy jungle. It looked dark and foreboding, with the dense foliage obscuring his view of any potential threats lurking nearby.


    At that moment, he heard a rustling sounding from behind him.


    He turned around, and he saw a pair of glowing eyes staring back at him. It belonged to arge, fearsome predator with drenched fur and sharp, glistening teeth.


    Ambrose couldn''t tell what kind of animal it was because of the heavy rain.


    The predator pushed through the tent and growled like a roaring engine.


    Ambrose extended his arm and stabbed the predator in the chest with the twisted de. However, this weapon wasn''t made for stabbing, so its effectiveness was limited.


    The predator let out an otherworldly cry, and its tail stood erect. The fluffy fur on its tail started glowing with an otherworldly light, illuminating the dark surroundings.


    It allowed Ambrose to finally catch sight of the predator, and it was an animal unlike anything he had seen before.


    It had sharp, elongated limbs with razor-like ws and piercing red eyes that seemed to prate his very soul. It had a sleek, muscr exoskeleton with fluffy tail feathers.


    At that moment, a beam of blue light shot out from its tail and struck Ambrose in the chest like a bolt of lightning, sending him flying away.


    Ambrose crashed into a tree with a thud and gasped for air.


    [-90 HP]


    [HP: 10/100]


    ''What in the world!''


    He eximed, clutching his chest as he had difficulty breathing, and sat up to lean against the tree.


    The rain was drenching him to the bone, and he again couldn''t see the dangerous predator anywhere, as if it had vanished into the jungle.


    However, he had a feeling that it was somewhere close.


    At that moment, a glowing blue light appered from the rainy jungle, and then an energy beam shot out towards him.


    Ambrose''s purple eyes shrunk in panic, and he quickly jumped out of the way like a frightened rabbit.


    As the beam struck the tree, it exploded into a thousand pieces, sending debris flying in all directions.


    Ambrose crawled in the mud as he hid behind the fallen tree trunk. He was trying to slow down his breathing and steady his racing heartbeat.


    He also hoped the mud would camouge him enough for the predator to not notice him.


    However, he then saw blue light illuminating the surroundings like a neon sign in the darkness.


    "Shit!" Ambrose stood up and ran as fast as he could.


    The blue light struck the ground behind him and created a wide explosion that evaporated all the nearby raindrops.


    Ambrose dove into a nearby ditch and covered his head as the explosion faded away, leaving behind the acrid smell of burnt earth and a ringing in his ears.

 Chapter 463 Not Enough!

    <h4>Chapter 463 Not Enough! </h4>


    ?Ambrose felt disoriented as his ears rang with a piercing nose.


    He shook his head vigorously as he tried to clear his mind of the dizziness that overwhelmed him.


    He felt like he was struck by a fist of concrete that was thrown by a master fighter.


    As he climbed out of the muddy ditch, he saw the burned ground covered in ashes and smoldering trees.


    ''My god.'' Ambrose held his head and gritted his teeth. ''I nearly died!''


    At that moment, the predator leaped on top of the small hill, its fluffy tail glowing with blue light.


    "Rah!"


    Ambrose, with a scream of power, increased in size as his muscles swelled and bulged, transforming him into a towering figure.


    He put his muscr left arm in front of him as if it were a shield, and he screamed ragefully towards the strange beast.


    The blue beam shot out of the fluffy tail and struck Ambrose with a deafening explosion.


    A faint dust cloud settled over the now motionless figure, leaving behind an eerie silence.


    At that moment, Ambrose stepped out of the dust cloud with his left arm slightly injured.


    It was steaming, with slightly blood dripping down his fingers.


    Ambrose breathed out a cloud of steam and looked at his injured arm with a grim look.


    In his previous fight against Zahhak, they couldn''t even make a proper scratch on his muscles, but the single attack from the predator hurt him.


    It made him lose another five health points, and he only had five health points left.


    Another attack like that would end up being fatal.


    ''I still have medicine pills left; should I pop one right now?''


    Ambrose looked at the predator, wondering if it allowed him to do anything like that.


    However, he knew that he needed his Muscle Defense to survive this dangerous situation. Therefore, he needed health!


    He quickly reached for his inventory and took out one medicine pill from the pill bottle.


    As if the predator sensed his intention, its fluffy tail began to twitch, and it shot out another blue beam of energy towards him.


    Ambrose tossed the pill inside his mouth, and he put his muscr left arm in front of him as he prepared to tank the attack.


    ''Please, recover my health quick enough!''


    Ambrose screamed inwardly, as if the medicine pill didn''t work fast enough, he would die!


    At that moment, the blue beam exploded against his skin with a blinding sh of light.


    [+100 HP]


    [-5 HP]


    [HP: 95/100]


    Ambrose stomped out of the explosion with steam rising out of his body. He let out a powerful scream, filled with frustration as he almost got killed¡ªit was a matter of milliseconds!


    ''I almost failed Moriarty. God damn it, I''ll have to kill this beast!''


    Ambrose gritted his teeth, shrunk in size, and swung the twisted de towards the ck-furred predator with an overhead sh.


    The predator''s tail twitched, and it shot out a blue beam towards the iing de like it was railgun fire.


    Ambrose swung the twisted de against the blue beam, and the impact created a deafening sh of metal and energy.


    The beam of energy pushed away the de with incredible force.


    Ambrose stumbled backwards from the sheer power of the impact. He wore a very grim expression.


    Ambrose shot forward like an arrow and did zigzag movements like he was trying to imitate his "Nachbilder" skill, but it didn''t create any afterimages.


    As he lunged forward, he swung the de with backhand style towards the predator, but the sneaky creature swiftly leaped over the de and swung its tail viciously towards him.


    Ambrose ducked the tail and swung upwards towards the jumping predator, but it narrowly missed.


    However, he then immediately switched the grip, swung downwards and attempted to cut off its head, but the predator was too quick and evaded his attack once again.


    The predator let out a menacing growl, and the blue light coated its entire tail. It then swung the tail towards Ambrose as if it were a sword made of pure energy.


    Ambrose blocked the tail with the twisted de, but then felt like his body was being electrocuted.


    He quickly fused his body with the Muscle Defense and turned into an enormous muscle creature with bulging veins and pulsating muscles.


    "Raaaah!"


    The predator narrowed its eyes and looked at his muscles with a defiant look. It then backed off, and the blue light around the predator dimmed as it retreated into the darkness.


    "Whoo¡­"


    Ambrose breathed heavily and was about to shrink back to his normal state, but then his eyes widened in surprise.


    The predator let out a growl, and it started slowly transforming from a four-limbed fox-like creature to a towering, humanoid creature with a muscr body covered in deep, ck fur.


    It smashed its muscr fists together with a thunderous crash, causing the ground to shake beneath its feet.


    It growled loudly and stared at Ambrose''s purple eyes with a slight scoff. It looked like it was trying to challenge him into a battle of muscles.


    "Huh, it has some intelligence and pride that can pierce the heavens."


    Ambrose said, clearly amused at the creature''s audacity, with slightly arched eyebrows.


    However, he was also quite proud of his own strength and not one to back down from a fight.


    He put his slightly injured left arm in front of his body and shrank his right arm into a normal state. That allowed him to move his sword-wielding arm again.


    The predator let out a scowl and punched like a raging bull. The way it punched, it was clear it didn''t have any humanity, as it struck with pure instinct and brute force.


    Ambrose blocked the rageful punch with the forearm of his left arm. The sound of rain falling swallowed up an echo of flesh against flesh.


    He stabbed the twisted de through the beast''s waist, but again, it couldn''t do enough damage to kill off the creature.


    "Growl!"


    The predator growled like a ferocious thunder, its ws extended from its hairy paws, and scratched deep gashes into his arm.


    "Fuck!" Ambrose backed off with a grimace and clumsily swung his sword, but it got parried away by the predator''s ws, which were as sharp as the de.


    The predator banged on its chest with its muscr fists like a gori and let out a deafening roar that echoed through the forest.


    Ambrose shrank back in size and was easily about two heads shorter than the predator now, even though he was quite tallpared to other humans.


    The predator looked down at him with a belittling expression. It was as if it were mocking Ambrose''s small stature.


    ''I need to use my footwork to attack it. I can''t count on my physical strength to overpower this creature or stabbing attacks. This twisted de is far more lethal with sh attacks!''


    Ambrose stepped sideways and used his rapid footwork to circle around the creature. He put the de over his shoulder and smashed it down.


    The predator flexed its muscles and blocked the de with its bare hand. Its strength was even greater than Ambrose had anticipated.


    ''Tch, sounds like an excuse, but I could easily overpower it with my real level.''


    Ambrose thought, but then his eyes turned serious.


    ''However, I suppose this is the ''real'' strength of my real body. It''s hurtful to admit, but my strength is not enough!''


    Ambrose realized that he needed to train harder and push himself to be even stronger.


    ''It does not matter if I already have power that makes me basically god in the real world; I''ll need to push myself even further!''


    Ambrose decided to dedicate himself to intense physical and mental training in order to surpass his current limits.


    ''My swings will be even greater!''


    He raised the sword and swung it down with all his might.


    ng!

 Chapter 464 Rainy Jungle

    <h4>Chapter 464 Rainy Jungle</h4>


    ?In the depths of the rainy jungle, two shadowy figures sprinted through the tangled undergrowth, their footsteps masked by the relentless downpour.


    At that moment, a purple-eyed man shot forward like a bullet from a gun and repeatedly shed his sword down upon his opponent with lightning speed and precision.


    However, the muscr predator tanked all the shes with the forearm of its durable exoskeleton, unfazed by Ambrose''s attacks.


    Ambrose reeled back his twisted de and started running deeper into the jungle while the predator followed right behind like a relentless force of nature who didn''t want to let go of its prey.


    He never expected to outrun the predator, nor had any ns of doing so.


    As the predator neared his heels, Ambrose used the bark of nearby trees to propel himself up and leaped into the air, soaring above the muscr predator.


    However, like a wingless bird, he quickly started falling down, but then he aimed the sword down and plunged it into the predator''s shoulder, inflicting a deep wound.


    "Growl!"


    The predator let out a cry of agony, and then its red eyes started glowing with powerful red light. In that moment, a fire beam shot out from its eyes and headed straight towards Ambrose.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in surprise, as he didn''t expect such an attack from the predator. He was also dangerously close, so he had no way to dodge in time.


    The fire beam shot out like a methrower, engulfing Ambrose in a scorching inferno.


    At that moment, Ambrose turned into a humongous, towering muscr monster that seemed unstoppable. The scorching inferno danced around him, trying to turn him into ashes, but he continued to stand tall, unaffected by the mes.


    "Grr¡­"


    The mes died down in the predator''s eyes. It let out a deep growl, like a hidden beast awakening from within.


    As it saw the muscr monster return, it lunged forward with deep, ground-shaking steps and threw a punch that caused the air in front of it to explode.


    The punch obliterated every raindrop in front of it and sent a shockwave rippling through the air. It smashed squarely against Ambrose''s powerful chest, knocking him off his feet and sending him flying backwards through the air.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook, as he never expected to be thrown away like that while he was using the muscle defense.


    He fell on the muddy ground with a loud thud and watched as the raindrops fell down on his bloodied face.


    It looked like the fight was finally over and that the victor was the predator.


    "Ptui¡­" Ambrose spat out blood and returned to his normal state. "Argh¡­"


    He turned to his side and slowly climbed back to his feet with great difficulty.


    Thump, thump, thump!


    At that moment, the ground shook like an earthquake, but it was just the predator walking between the trees, approaching him with its menacing gaze fixed firmly on its prey.


    It wasing to finish him off.


    "Tch¡­" Ambrose held his back and tried to stand tall despite the numbing feeling spreading throughout his body.


    ''I cannot defeat it, nor can I escape it. What can I do?


    ''I thought I would be able to hide and use the mud to camouge my scent, but it still managed to perfectly pinpoint my location, almost killing me.


    ''It''s unlike any beast I know of.''


    The predator smashed its fist against its open palm, acting very human, as if it had a personal vendetta against Ambrose.


    Pitter-patter.


    Ambrose listened to the sound of rain hitting the muddy ground and felt his wet hair cling to his face. He didn''t move an inch and just looked at the ground without any expression.


    He watched the raindrops falling on a muddy puddle with ripples that disturbed the reflections of the surrounding trees.


    Swoosh¡ªfrom the depths of the jungle, a sharp-pointed arrow crossed the air and stabbed Ambrose in the leg, causing him to wince in surprise.


    "The hell?"


    He crashed down on his knees and clutched his injured leg with a deep frown, wondering who the hell shot him in the leg!


    At that moment, two yers emerged from the depths of the jungle,pletely drenched. One was holding the bow with an arrow on the bowstring, while the other had a small knife.


    "Standing absentmindedly, are you a fool?" The bow-wielding yer said with clear mocking in his tone. "Well, thank you for the free kill."


    "Huh?" Ambrose looked over to the predator, who was standing near him like a silent shadow. ''Can''t they see it or what?''


    At that moment, the two yers noticed something in the corner of their eyes and turned to look.


    They couldn''t see anything at first, but then it was like a faint image was bing clearer and clearer until it materialized into a scary figure of the predator.


    "The hell?!" The knife-wielding yer screamed. "Where did ite from?!"


    "Shit!"


    The bow-wielding yer aimed his arrow at the predator andunched it towards it.


    As the arrow struck the predator in the chest, it shattered from the middle and harmlessly fell to the muddy ground. It didn''t even create a scratch.


    "Growl¡­" The predator growled menacingly and turned its attention to the two yers.


    ''This is my chance!''


    Ambrose thought desperately, pulled the arrow from his leg, rushed towards the jungle, and entered the dense foliage that was as dark as the night itself.


    He could barely see himself, let alone all the bushes, but he still didn''t stop and continued running away as fast as he could with his injured leg.


    The predator missed the fact that his initial prey had escaped and smashed its fist through the bow-wielding yer.


    The knife-wielding yer tried to escape while screaming but identally tripped on a protruding root and fell head-first into a muddy puddle.


    The predator walked over to him and grabbed him by the cor.


    "Please, don''t!" The knife-wielding yer screamed, his voice shaking in fear.


    "No¡­"


    The predator opened its mouth and whispered its first-ever words. Then, it smashed its fist through the yer''s head and ripped his body apart with a single motion.


    "Raaaaaah!"


    The predator stood up and screamed into the air with otherworldly ferocity. However, it''s scream strangely sounded a lot like Ambrose''s.


    "Raaaaaah!"


    It then turned its gaze back in Ambrose''s direction, at least where he was supposed to be. However, he had disappeared during the chaos and was nowhere to be seen.


    The predator scowled angrily and looked around, but he was nowhere to be found.


    "Raaaaaaaah!"


    ¡­


    Ambrose tripped and fell to his knees. The injury to his leg made moving very difficult for him.


    He gritted his teeth and dragged his injured leg behind him as he headed up a steep hill towards the high ground.


    Atst, he arrived at the top and fell down on his knees right in front of a cliff with a drop of fifty meters. The view showed the vastness of the jungle and a few towns scattered across the horizon.


    He sat down, his legs dangling over the edge of the cliff, and took a deep breath to calm himself down after the long, dangerous fight with the predator.


    However, he had a feeling that this was far from over, and the predator might show its face again at any moment.


    Ambrose reached out to his inventory and looked at one medicine pill in his hand. It was thest one, and he knew he had to use it wisely.


    Even though he still had about thirty health points left, he had to use them as his injured leg made moving far too difficult.


    So, without further ado, he tossed it into his mouth and swallowed it.


    "Ahh¡­" Ambrose closed his eyes, turned his head towards the sky, and felt the raindrops on his face.


    ''That''s enough rxing.'' Ambrose opened his eyes with a m. ''I''ll have to get ready for the next fight with the predator.''

 Chapter 465 The Predator鈥檚 Voice

    <h4>Chapter 465 The Predator''s Voice </h4>


    ?Scratch, scratch!


    As the rain continued downpouring, Ambrose sat on top of a rock, using the twisted de to sharpen the tip of a makeshift spear.


    He then looked at the tip, nodded as it looked sharp enough, and stabbed it through the ground.


    Ambrose then looked at the twisted sword''s de and saw that it was covered in a thickyer of rust.


    ''The predator can definitely find me again, as its sense of smell seems otherworldly, or whatever it is using to track me.''


    Ambrose swung the twisted sword in his hand and crouched on the ground.


    There was a small string going from one tree to another, barely visible in the rainy weather. It was a trip wire that he created from the bamboo growing nearby.


    He then tied the makeshift spear to the string and pulled it up the tree.


    When anyone activated the trip wire, the spear woulde swinging down towards them.


    ''I don''t think this will be enough to kill the predator. I doubt it''s enough to even create a deep wound in its thick skin.''


    This wasn''t the only trap he nned on.


    Ambrose sheathed the twisted sword and looked at the ground in front of the trip wire. He then activated his world of souls as the time grew slower this way.


    Then he again started digging into the muddy ground using his bare hands.


    It took him several hours of world of souls time to dig a big enough hole.


    After he finished, he left the world of souls, created another dozen smaller spears with sharp tips, put them inside the hole, and then covered the trap with leaves and branches.


    ''This should be the way the predator ising.''


    Ambrose thought as he looked straight ahead. It was the direct path he used to escape previously, and if the predator used its sense of smell, it would lead it straight to the trap.


    He then stood up, ran as fast as he could up the hill, and soon arrived at the top.


    As he crouched on the ground, he looked towards the distance and saw a town with a slight lighting from a few windows.


    It looked like there were yers who had taken shelter in the buildings and had set up campfires to keep themselves warm.


    ''If the traps fail, I will lead the predator there and trick other yers into attacking it. We should be able to kill it, and if we don''t, I can use them as decoys to escape again.''


    Ambrose thought confidently, a cunning smile ying on his lips.


    He then headed back down the hill and hid himself in the dense foliage, where he had direct sight of the trap.


    ''The predator probably has a good enough sense of smell that he can smell me through the mud. If that isn''t the case, I hope this will teach me more about the predator.


    ''The knowledge is power, and I need to know more to defeat it!''


    Ambrose put his hand on the hilt of the twisted sword and patiently waited for the appearance of the predator.


    As the time moved by, soon the rain stopped and the clouds began to part, revealing a full moon shining brightly in the night sky.


    ''Rain is stopping¡­'' Ambrose clicked his tongue, as he wasn''t sure whether this was good or bad.


    The rain gave him good cover, but now he also had better visibility in the moonlight. It was still hard to notice the predator, if it was sneaking around, as its ck fur gave it excellent camouge in the night.


    Ambrose sighed and pinched his forehead, as he was feeling a little sleepy and exhausted from the long night.


    ''Maybe the predator can''t find me, after all, and just randomly shot the beam of energy, which luckily happened tond near me.


    ''That''s also a good possibility, but if the predator doesn''t appear this night, I''ll find my way to that town and find some hidden corner to catch on sleep or something.''


    He yawned and looked straight ahead with a tired expression.


    The time moved forward like a relentless river, never stopping or slowing down.


    Crack!


    Ambrose''s ears jumped, and he looked ahead to see what had caused the noise.


    At that moment, he saw a shadowy figure emerge from the dense foliage, approaching the trap with careless nature as if it were not expecting any danger.


    ''Come on!''


    Ambrose''s palms were already sweaty, and he grabbed his sword tight.


    And then the shadowy figure stepped forward and identally pulled the trip wire, setting off the trap.


    The makeshift spear shot out from the tree and plunged deep into the figure''s throat.


    The shadowy figure let out a blood-curdling scream, staggered forward, and stepped onto the thinyer of leaves and the branches.


    The figure''s foot went straight through and fell straight to the hidden hole. The dozens of spears stabbed through the figure''s body, impaling it from every angle.


    After that, the screams stopped.


    ''Did it work?''


    Ambrose left his hiding spot and approached the hole with silent footsteps.


    As he peered into the hole, he saw a nk-stared young man bleeding from almost every part of his body.


    The figure wasn''t the predator, but just some random yer!


    ''The hell?!''


    Ambrose grimaced and looked in the direction where the yer came from, wondering if the yer''s teammate was following after him.


    At that moment, the bush rustled, and another figure emerged.


    As Ambrose saw the figure, his face nched, as it wasn''t any yer but the muscr-bodied predator. It''s ws were stained in blood, as if it had killed someone moments prior!


    Ambrose quickly escaped behind the tree and crouched so deep that he could almost feel the dampness of the jungle floor seeping through his clothes.


    ''Shit, shit, how unlucky am I?''


    The predator stomped down on the ground and came across the hidden trap hole. It watched as the yer turned into pixels, vanishing from the world.


    "Grrwl¡­"


    The predator looked around with squinted eyes and opened its mouth.


    "I can¡­ hear your heartbeat¡­"


    The voice sounded like a mix of Ambrose and something very evil.


    Ambrose touched his chest, and he paled at the realization that he had been discovered.


    ''The predator is not using the sense of smell, but the sense of hearing!''


    He gritted his teeth as he realized that there was no hiding from the predator, as it could hear his heartbeat, and unless he died intentionally, there was no escaping!


    Ambrose jumped to his feet and rushed through the dense foliage as he immediately nned to move onto the second part of the n¡ªthe town.


    The predator swung its head in the direction of Ambrose and saw his silhouette disappear into the jungle.


    It let out a deep growl, and it rushed after him with a thunderous roar.


    Ambrose ran like a track-and-field athlete, running over the trunks and ditches with a powerful leap. However, he could hear the thumping nearing him, even though he was running at full speed.


    ''Run, run, run, run!''


    Ambrose repeated to himself in desperation and leaped over another fallen trunk.


    At that moment, he saw a slight sign of light in the distance,ing from the second floor of a building. It was slightly peeking from beyond the dense foliage, but it gave him a feeling of hope.


    Crack, crash!


    The predator walked through the trees like a tank, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground beneath him.


    "You¡­ cannot¡­ hide!"


    "Fucking hell!" Ambrose looked over his shoulder at the monstrous being, and at that moment, he left the jungle and entered the street of the abandoned town.

 Chapter 466 Gerald and Teresa

    <h4>Chapter 466 Gerald and Teresa</h4>


    ?Inside a small room with a campfire and a few sleeping bags.


    "Did you hear that?"


    A small-bearded man whispered and looked over his shoulder towards the drenched windows.


    He was roasting a skinned animal over the crackling fire, but then he heard some strange soundsing from the streets.


    "¡­" His teammate, a fair-faced maiden with braided hair, looked over to the window with a worried look.


    They were very aware that there were more yers hiding in the town as there were bloody battles happening before nightfall.


    However, as soon as the rainstorm and the night appeared, everyone took shelter wherever they could.


    The small-bearded man, named Gerald, approached the windows and peered outside into the dark streets.


    At that moment, he saw a figure running down the street and came to a sudden stop in front of their building. Without any warning, he broke the window and entered the building.


    "The hell?"


    Gerald frowned and turned to his teammate, Teresa, and whispered. "Someone just entered this building!"


    "What should we do?" Teresa asked with concern.


    Gerald wasn''t sure and peered outside, saying, "He seems to be alone¡­ oh, wait, there is someone else outside!"


    Teresa moved away from the warmth of the campfire and joined Gerald by the window to get a better look.


    They watched and soon saw a towering figure emerge out of nowhere, as if it had just transported itself to the middle of the street.


    It was covered in thick, ck fur with a solid-looking exoskeleton and glowing red eyes that seemed to pierce through the darkness.


    Teresa''s and Gerald''s eyes bulged in surprise as they wondered what kind of monster this was.


    At that moment, the strange figure turned its head to the side and looked up, straight towards the window where they were peeking.


    Teresa and Gerald hunched down, trying to hide themselves from its gaze. They were covering their mouths, forcing themselves to stay quiet.


    It was eerily quiet outside, loud enough to hear the faint chirping of crickets in the distance. It seemed peaceful, but Teresa and Gerald couldn''t shake off the feeling of impending danger.


    Eventually, Gerald decided to cautiously peek out the window to see if anyone or anything was there. He saw nothing except dark streets.


    "I-it is gone?"


    "That creature clearly saw us." Teresa whispered shakingly. "It just left?"


    Smash!


    At that moment, the door shattered from its hinges.


    "Eek!" Gerald pulled out his war hammer and faced the broken door, his legs shaking with fear.


    As the dust cleared, the one who entered the room wasn''t the monstrous figure but instead a handsome, purple-eyed man with an arm stretched into a punch.


    "W-who are you?!"


    Gerald asked with a shout, but his voice was shaking.


    "Stand aside!"


    Ambrose shouted and pulled out SweetieHell''s bow from his inventory with a few arrows. However, the tips of the arrows were wrapped around in some kind of sticky substance.


    Gerald and Teresa stood their ground with their weapons in hand, as they expected him to attack them.


    However, Ambrose put the tip of the arrow in the campfire, and the sticky substance lit up scarlet-red mes that danced and flickered in the night.


    He then pulled back the string of the bow with insane strength and released it, sending the ming arrows flying like fire missiles.


    They flew past Gerald and Teresa, then broke through the window.


    ''He missed?!'' Gerald thought, but then he looked back and noticed that the mes were flying toward the building on the other side of the street.


    The ming arrows broke through the windows and engulfed the floor in a fiery ze. Instantly, the screams of yers followed as they were woken up by the sudden attack.


    That created a chain reaction that woke up yers in neighboring buildings, and the silent night suddenly turned much louder.


    "W-what did you do that for?" Teresa asked in confusion, looking around at the chaos that followed after that single arrow.


    ''The predator follows the noise. If the surroundings are too loud, perhaps it can''t find me so easily!''


    Ambrose thought, with cold sweat pouring down his neck. He stillcked some knowledge about the predator, but he had to test this theory.


    "D-do you want to die?" Gerald steeled his resolve and shouted, "You are alone, aren''t you?"


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose sat down on the floor and enjoyed the warmth of the campfire.


    He had been crawling through mud, drenched in rain, and shivering in the cold for hours.


    "S-stand up and fight!" Gerald screamed. "W-who do you think you are, going here to disturb us and bringing that monster with you!"


    "Quiet down." Ambrose said with a weak voice. "Otherwise, the monster will hear us. Let''s just be quiet and let others make noise. It''ll increase our chance of survival."


    Gerald''s words got stuck in his throat, but he unwillingly sat down on the ground and red at him with deadly intensity.


    "W-who are you?" Teresa asked as she huddled near the campfire.


    "Name''s Ambrose." Ambrose responded, his voice calm but filled with an air of mystery. "What about you two? No offense, but you two don''t seem very experienced in this game."


    "What do you mean?" Geral asked with a frown. "How could you tell?"


    "I have seen lots of yers, and well¡­" Ambrose scratched his cheek and said, "You two seem new, because you two do resemble old me slightly. So, was I right, and you two are new yers?"


    "Yeah¡­" Teresa whispered.


    "Teresa!" Gerald shouted at her, as this made them easier targets!


    "Fuck, don''t shout." Ambrose put his finger in front of his lips and shushed Gerald.


    Gerald covered his mouth but grudgingly looked at him.


    "So what?" Teresa looked at Gerald and pouted. "We were quite lucky to make it through the first round, as we started in a good position and had a good enough foundation as former athletes to make it through."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded. ''This was one of the reasons why I wondered why the game master wanted every yer to have reset levels. Even new yers can make it through, but they are helpless in other rounds.''


    "What was that creature, anyway?" Gerald asked.


    "I have no clue." Ambrose responded with shrugged shoulders. "I just know it can track its prey through hearing. It tracked me because it managed to hear my heartbeat."


    "I see, that''s why you want to create noise." Teresa said with understanding. "But, didn''t the predator see youe here?"


    "The thing is, I am not too sure whether it has eyesight at all." Ambrose said. "Maybe it has, but a very poor one, I feel like. Now, it might be confused by all the heartbeats and sounds of screams.


    "I hope so, at least."


    "What do you think it will do?" Gerald asked with a frown.


    "It is after me¡­" Ambrose rolled his tongue inside his mouth. "I think it will go from house to house, killing everyone until it finds me."


    Gerald gulped and whispered to Teresa. "M-maybe we should leave? I think the jungle is a good bet."


    "The jungle is certain death." Ambrose overheard him and continued, "It will be either us or the creature. We''ll have to try to kill it before it kills us."


    "Uh, how in the hell can we do that?" Gerald asked. "That thing looks scary. Shit. My friends told me how realistic this game was, but I didn''t believe them.


    "I just wanted to join the tournament for giggles, and we somehow got through to the second round!"


    "So, how do you two know each other?" Ambrose asked.


    "We''re friends, and we wanted to join the hype." Teresa said with a smile. "Just like he said, we weren''t supposed to get far."

 Chapter 467 Cat-Eared Streamer

    <h4>Chapter 467 Cat-Eared Streamer </h4>


    ?"Hello, and wee to today''s streaaaaam!"


    A chirpy-sounding young man threw his arms up in the air and shouted with hyperenergetic enthusiasm.


    He had pink, cat-eared headphones perched on top of his head, which matched perfectly with his vibrant personality.


    In the background, he had a colorful backdrop with twinkling lights and shelves with cute-looking stuffed animals, and there was a sign that read, "Wee to my happy ce!"


    On the second monitor of hisputer, his streaming chat came alive with activity as viewers flooded in to chat and engage with him.


    "Today, we have an interesting topic to discuss!"


    He rubbed his hands together like a shady merchant, and a mischievous smile spread across his face.


    "Yesterday, as most of you know, the tournament''s second round started, and we will be diving into the most spicy highlights!"


    The chat erupted with excitement and anticipation. They were talking about what had happened and specting about what would happen next.


    "All¡­ righty!"


    The young man screamed excitedly and scratched his hairy leg. He, for some reason, didn''t have any pants on, but since the camera showed only his face and upper torso, his viewers didn''t see it.


    His ck shirt had a heart-shaped pattern on it with a rainbow over it, and he was wearing a pair of mismatched socks.


    "As we all knew, this one team was already one of the winning candidates, but yesterday, they showed their real prowess.


    "Team Titans showed why they were titans as they massacred 33 different teams, which is the highest amount by any team!


    "They didn''t hide, nor did they hold back.!"


    After a few buttons on the keyboard, he added a video of the dominating performance by the Titans to the stream.


    It showed the duo of Julian and Zadkiel slicing through the yers with ease, leaving behind blood puddles and corpses.


    However, their terror came to a stop as the night fell and they encountered another powerful team. Their battle destroyed a portion of the jungle and left both teams battered and bruised.


    It was shocking how much damage their fight created to the environment with only one of their skills at their disposal.


    The viewers were left in shock, and they grew excited for the future when the yers had all of their strength back.


    As the video ended, the streamer whistled loudly and pped his hands energetically with rhythmic enthusiasm.


    "Unfortunately, none of the broadcasts showed the entirety of their dominance, but we still had plenty of amazing stuff that transpired during that day!


    "One of the most talked-about things happened in a small, random town in the middle of a jungle. The end result shocked everyone!"


    The screen changed to show footage of one man surrounded by a group of yers.


    "As you all know, Moriarty is my good old colleague!" The streamer proudly nudged his chin and said, "However, it looked like he received untimely death in the heat of the battle, leaving his teammate alone to face scary odds.


    "Zahhak, famously known for their ruthless nature and for their hunting practices, like to hunt down yers for fun, and that has made them very infamous!


    "I am probably not the only one, but I thought they would ughter him and that it wouldn''t even be a fight.


    "However, not only did he survive, but he killed them!


    "Not going to lie, when I saw that, I had a big grin on my face. I am not a big fan of Zahhak, as they abuse their numbers to bully the weak!


    "However, their core members are known to be extremely powerful, and now, four of those core members got absolutely humiliated by Ambrose!


    "While he received lots of fans and quite strange fan fictions of him."


    The streamer rubbed his shoulders and shuddered like he was suffering from a cold.


    "The inte is quite weird; I have to agree. I am sure a few of you, weirdos out there, are the ones responsible for those fan fictions!


    "Well, anyway, he is also at the center of controversy, as Zahhak fanboys have been very critical of him, but I only have one thing to say to them!"


    The streamer put his thumb on his nose and stuck out his tongue in a yful gesture.


    The chat exploded as they spammed a single emoji of a word.


    "Losers!" The streamer shouted with arge grin. "I enjoy their tears. I enjoy it so much! For now, I''ll at least cheer for Ambrose and Moriarty, hoping their sess makes those losers even angrier."


    ¡­


    Ambrose leaned his back against a wall and peeked through the window towards the streets. He had been watching for the entire night and hadn''t seen anything.


    "Good morning." Teresa greeted him and sat down with her hands on herp. "Seen anything?"


    "No." Ambrose shook his head with a suspicious look. "I don''t know why it hasn''t attacked yet. It doesn''t make much sense, but I don''t know much about the creature anyway."


    "So, you didn''t murder us while we slept, huh?" Gerald climbed out of his sleeping bag and scoffed. "Well, did the creaturee?"


    "If it hade, we would all be dead." Ambrose said in an emotionless manner.


    ''How can he say it so casually?'' Gerald''s eyebrow twitched. ''These yers have be nuts, able to deal with death so casually.


    ''Maybe the world is indeed doomed. I have heard some conspiracy theorists say that the headsets will eventually fry everyone''s brains and make everyone as dumb as rocks.


    ''Now that the younger generation will start treating death as nothing but inconvenience, it is starting to feel like the end of humanity is inevitable!''


    "I am curious, what made you y this game?" Teresa asked curiously. "Is it the same as others wanting to experience the second world?"


    "I can do things in this world that I can''t do in the other." Ambrose said, and he nced at them. "Why you two hadn''t? I doubt you purchased the expensive headset just for this tournament."


    "We had these headsets for years before Martial Online came," Gerald said. "But we like our lives in the real world. We don''t need the second world."


    "I guess not many can say that." Ambrose shrugged his shoulders. "Some want toe here to get rid of stress, vent their anger over something, or simply escape from their everyday problems."


    "When I feel stressed, I''ll go punch a sack." Gerald showed his brick-sized fist. "That''s my way of releasing stress, but there are only 24 hours in the day, and I don''t have time for anything else."


    "I am studying to be awyer, so I don''t have too much time." Teresa said with a smile and curled her braids around her finger.


    "That''s understandable." Ambrose nodded in understanding. "So, I assume you two don''t expect to make it through this round?"


    "Of course, not." Teresa shook her head. "Maybe if we hide to the end, but perhaps it would be better for us to just go fight and see how far it will get us."


    "All right¡­" Ambrose scratched his nose and looked over to the street, his eyes narrowing into a re. "Well, I have a n in case the predator finds us."


    "What is it?" Teresa leaned closer in curiosity, making her natural scent drift towards Ambrose.


    Gerald crossed his arms and raised his eyebrow.


    Ambrose sighed and started whispering the n.


    The further they delved into the details, the more Gerald''s frown deepened.


    "That sounds incredibly risky." He said.


    "Well, if you happen to die, I guess it doesn''t matter to you two, right?" Ambrose asked.


    "¡­" Gerald clicked his tongue. "Fine."


    "Sigh¡­" Ambrose scratched the back of his head, stood up, and patted Gerald''s shoulders with a smile. "It will work, trust me."


    "¡­" Gerald looked suspiciously at him, but eventually nodded and agreed to it.

 Chapter 468 Code Kitsune

    <h4>Chapter 468 Code Kitsune</h4>


    ?"Raaaaah!"


    A primordial scream reverberated throughout the vast, messy jungle, with elevation changes happening almost every meter.


    The muscr, ck-furred creature smashed its enormous fist on the ground and cracked it open, creating a small crevice.


    Its back started to arch, and its bones started to crack and snap, morphing and shifting into a new, terrifying form.


    Its fur started to fall off in patches, revealing the exoskeleton beneath, which was ck in color and looked as solid as steel itself.


    Its muscles looked like they were made of metal, and it harnessed the power of a thousand raging storms.


    "Raaaaah!"


    Its screams became louder and far more powerful.


    At that moment, its beast-like face started to change, and the long face, which was somewhat shaped like a fox face, slowly transformed with the nose turning shorter and more human-like, and the rest of the face also started to resemble that of a human.


    At the head, ck hair, dark as the fur before, appeared and fell down the side of its face in long, flowing strands.


    It had a strange charm to it, and its red eyes made it look surprisingly charming but also very malicious.


    "Argh!" The creature let out a rageful scream that echoed through the jungle, causing birds to scatter in all directions.


    Its long, spring-like limbs turned straighter and resembled more and more of human form with every passing second.


    At the current time, it looked almost indistinguishable from a human, except for its steel-like muscles, pitch-ck skin, and glowing red eyes that seemed to harbor all the maliciousness of the world.


    It was also very tall, towering over three meters.


    "Rah!" The creature punched its fist into the tree, causing it to splinter and shatter into pieces.


    It was just trying to lean against the tree, but it still managed to destroy the tree with one powerful blow.


    ¡­


    Beep, beep, beep!


    "What is this?" A sses-wearing woman nudged her sses up and looked at theputer in front of her.


    At the moment, she was sitting at Martial Company''s headquarters with hundreds of other workers, keeping a close eye on how the tournament operated.


    At this moment, she received a very worrying message.


    She took her phone from the table and snapped a few pictures of the messages.


    She pocketed her phone and pen, then rose up from her seat and walked up the stairs of the room, where hundreds of people were working on theirputers.


    At the top of the stairs, their superior overlooked them with his arms crossed and looked around as if his eyes were those of an eagle.


    "Umm, boss?" She called out timidly, hoping to grab his attention.


    "What is it?" The superior asked, his gaze shifting from theputer screens to hers.


    "I, umm, received a message, and I am not too sure what it should mean." She took her pen and used it to scratch her head while taking out her phone.


    She opened the camera and pulled out the pictures.


    The superior took his sses from his chest pocket and began examining the pictures closely.


    Even though the pictures were somewhat low-quality, he got the gist of what they were depicting.


    "That must be a mistake." The superior said and took off his sses. "This message is about ate-endgame boss that the A.I. had been developing for quite a while.


    "It is about ''Code Kitsune'' that is supposed to be as strong as ck-ranked bosses. Well, it isn''t as strong from the start, but it is even scarier as it grows stronger over time with each encounter.


    "It is supposed to take the "skin" of the first person they meet and use their appearance. However, since it is A.I.''s job, it will also decide the best time for it to appear, and it definitely isn''t now.


    "Especially in the tournament rank. The codename Kitsune would be far too powerful for anyone there, so there is no way that A.I. would decide that now is a good time!"


    "But the message¡­" She opened her second picture and showed it with a worried look. "It was also said that the codename Kitsune had undergone a second phase of its skinning process."


    The superior''s eyes bulged, and his hand started shaking uncontrobly as he realized the severity of the situation.


    "T-that cannot be¡­" He whispered. "I-It is A.I.''s job to decide the best time¡­"


    At that moment, they both shook and turned to the end of the hallway, where they saw the A.I. control room through a ss door, illuminated by a dim red light.


    There, they saw beeping lightsing from the control panels, as if it were working as normally as before.


    "Motherfucker¡­" The superior whispered.


    "Ohh¡­ fuck¡­" She whispered under her breath with a horrified look.


    ¡­


    Knock, knock!


    A group of two flinched and looked at the front door with shocked expressions.


    "W-who could it be?" A no-eyebrowed man stammered as he slowly pulled out his wooden spear.


    "The hell¡­" His teammate whispered with a frown and pulled out his machete. "Who in the world would knock?"


    "Tch¡­" The no-eyebrowed man turned to the stairs that they had barricaded with the stuff they found.


    There was another team on the second floor, and they didn''t want to get attacked suddenly, so they barricaded the stairs, but that also blocked their escape path.


    "W-who is it?!" His teammate shouted.


    "I am alone, and I don''t have a weapon." A voice sounded from the other side of the door. "I can share half of my food for shelter."


    The two yers shared nces and smirked at each other, knowing that they had found a potential victim. They were already short of food.


    However, they didn''t only want half of the food; they wanted it all.


    Also, since the person was alone, it was an easy way to get rid of another team.


    "Sure,e on in, buddy!" The no-eyebrowed man nudged his friend to be ready and slowly approached the door.


    He slowly touched the door handle and was about to open it, but at that moment, a ck hand broke through the door and stabbed through his heart.


    "Cough!" The yer coughed up blood, gasping for air, and he still couldn''t realize what had just happened.


    "W-w-what?!" His teammate shouted in shock and then saw the door open.


    A ck-skinned figure with steel-like muscles waltzed through the door with a bloodstained arm. It pulled out its hand from his friend''s chest and held a still-beat heart in its grasp.


    "I-it is a monster?!" The yer screamed. "B-but it talked!"


    "Disgusting meatsacks, you all sound the same." Kitsune squeezed the heart and shattered it. "Where is he? Where is my progenitor?"


    "W-who the fuck are you talking about?!" The yer asked with a shout. "W-why am I even talking to you, fucking monster!"


    "Fuck you." Kitsune shed through his head with its hand, and his body crumpled to the ground, lifeless with only half of the head left.


    "Your fucking heartbeats are all the same." Kitsune clicked his tongue. "Where are you?"


    It perked up its ears and heard all the heartbeats in the vicinity, along with several whispersing from a few nearby buildings.


    However, it couldn''t recognize the voice it was looking for because the whispers were too quiet.


    ¡­


    "I''ll contact Mister Graham immediately!" The superior pulled out his phone with his shaky hand. "He has to know."


    "What will Kitsune do?" She asked. "If it ruins the tournament, we are ruined!"


    "For now, I think we''ll be fine." The superior said. "You already said that it has finished the second phase of the skinning process.


    "It means that it has already found ''skin'' to use.


    "However, since it hasn''t finished the third phase yet, it hasn''t killed its progenitor yet!"


    "Progenitor?" She asked with a confused look.


    "Yeah, Kitsune''s main mission is to kill its progenitor!" The superior shouted. "It won''t stop until it has finished that mission. It wants to be the only person with that skin, and it can''t live knowing that its progenitor still lives.


    "It is obsession that consumes itpletely!


    "We have to wish that Kitsune''s progenitor doesn''t die yet. Otherwise, Kitsune will massacre everyone once it has finished its first mission!"

 Chapter 469 Heartbeat

    <h4>Chapter 469 Heartbeat</h4>


    ?"Run, quick!"


    "Argh, my leg is busted!"


    Ambrose raised his head and stood up to look out of the window.


    He saw two yers frantically running out of the jungle while ncing behind them like frightened rabbits.


    ''Is it the creature who is chasing them?'' Ambrose wondered and narrowed his eyes into a re.


    At that moment, two other yers rushed out of the jungle and chased after them.


    ''Oh¡­'' Ambrose hid more and waited for the creature to make its move.


    If it was still around, he doubted it would stay still and not attack these yers. If it doesn''t make a move, it probably has already disappeared.


    The chase soon came to an end, and they started a fight with their sharp-ded weapons. The blood immediately shed as the team that chased them overpowered them with ease.


    It was clear which team was the more powerful one.


    Teresa and Gerald also joined in the window to observe the fight. They thought it was both thrilling and terrifying to witness such a brutal sh, as it was clearly a battle to death.


    At that moment, as they blinked and opened their eyes again, they saw the four yers lying dead on the ground in shocking fashion.


    "What?!" Gerald and Teresa cried out.


    Ambrose''s eyes shook. "This is¡­"


    In the middle of the dead yers, a ck-skinned creature with humanoid stature stood with bloodstained arms. It looked like a demon that had crawled from hell.


    ''It''s the creature, I can tell, but it''s vastly different.''


    Ambrose''s heart started racing.


    ''It first looked like a fox, and then it changed into a grotesgue version of a muscr figure. It was as if it had copied my Muscle Defense state, and now¡­''


    At that moment, Kitsune raised its gaze and locked its gaze straight at Ambrose''s purple, terrified eyes.


    "Found you¡­"


    ''Its voice is much clearer, and why does it sound like me?!''


    "Uhm, why does it sound like you?" Teresa asked with a terrified voice.


    She had never seen such a disgusting scene of death before. She hadn''t be used to it.


    "Let''s do the n right away." Ambrose said it in a hurry. "It ising. Go downstairs, right now!"


    "H-how can we kill it?" Gerald asked in a hurry.


    "Not sure, but we cannot run away either!" Ambrose pulled out his twisted de and shouted. "Go!"


    Gerald and Teresa hurriedly nodded and headed downstairs.


    "Come on then, fucker¡­" Ambrose looked straight into Kitsune''s red eyes.


    Back in the street, Kitsune''s ears perked up, and it smiled creepily. "All right, fucker."


    ¡­


    Teresa and Gerald hunched behind a bookshelf with their weapons drawn. They didn''t speak a word, as they knew the creature could hear them and pinpoint their location easily.


    They forgot about the fact that it could still hear their heartbeats as easily, and hiding was pretty much worthless.


    At that moment, the door shattered, even though it had been barricaded previously by Gerald, but it didn''t matter as Kitsune waltzed straight in without breaking a sweat.


    "¡­" Kitsune looked around the floor with a scary look andnded its gaze on the bookshelf.


    Its eyes started glowing as if it were about to release another heat vision, but at that moment, Teresa and Gerald jumped out of the hiding spot, screamed with all their lungs, and attacked the creature.


    Kitsune pped Teresa across the face and caused her to fly across the room like a stuffed ragdoll. She crashed into a wall, leaving a trail of blood behind her.


    "Teresa!" Gerald screamed and smashed his war hammer down at Kitsune, but it blocked the strike with its bare hand and retaliated with a swift kick to Gerald''s chest, sending him sprawling to the ground.


    "Cough!" Gerald coughed out all the air from his lung and copsed on the ground.


    "A-Ambrose, now, hurry!"


    His scream was loud enough to echo through the building, but still, nothing followed.


    "A-Ambrose?" Gerald looked around towards the stairs and saw that they were empty. "W-what?"


    At that moment, a small note slipped out of his pocket and fluttered to the ground.


    He picked it up and read the words written in shobby handwriting as the dirt was used as the ink. It looked like the writer didn''t have pen and ink avable.


    [Sorry.


    If you decide to y the game in the future, you can see me in Amaterasu''s Immortal Dojo.


    I owe you one.


    -Ambrose]


    "That fucker¡­" Gerald whispered and crumbled the note in his hand.


    At that moment, a long shadow stretched over him.


    Gerald raised his gaze fearfully and asked shakily. "M-mercy?"


    "Fuck mercy." Kitsune raised his feet and crushed his head like a watermelon.


    "G-Gerald!" Teresa cried out and held her waist in disbelief. "A-


    Ambrose left us?"


    Kitsune turned to her, shot out a heat vision from its red eyes, and burned her to ashes. It was over in less than a second, and she couldn''t even tell what happened.


    "¡­" Kitsune headed up the stairs and smashed the door to bits on the second floor.


    It entered the silent room with a campfire in the middle and two sleeping bags messily put on the floor. It looked like the room was previously used, but now it was empty.


    "Progenitor, you piece of shit." Kitsune perked up its ears and heard every heartbeat in the vicinity.


    It managed to hear only one heartbeat that was rapidly moving further away from the town, with the heart beating fast.


    "You cannot escape." Kitsune growled like an animal and jumped out of the window.


    "Raaaah!"


    Its scream shattered all the nearby windows and traversed through the air.


    ¡­


    Ambrose looked over his shoulder and heard the rageful scream.


    "Whoo, shit!" He moved between two tightly ced hills and could feel the pressure weighing on his shoulders.


    ''The creature is much stronger now; I could feel it. We had no way of surviving!''


    Ambrose thought panickly while moving between the hills and trees with long branches stretched out like skeletal fingers.


    ''It is quite scummy to let them die like that, but they didn''t care about this tournament either way. I can''t let Moriarty down.''


    Ambrose gritted his teeth as he tried to convince himself that what he did was not as sinister as it seemed. It made him feel like a liar.


    ''Fuck it, what''s done is done.''


    Ambrose thought with a scoff and thought, ''Pride and honor are bullshit things if that means dying for nothing.''


    Crack!


    A loud crack sounded from somewhere far, but it sounded like the sound was nearing him!


    Birds pped their wings and flew in the direction of the crack, startled by the sudden noise.


    ''It ising after me, and I can''t outrun it. It can still hear my heartbeat; I am not far enough!''


    Ambrose ran up a steep hill of loose leaves and reached a tree with roots exposed on the surface.


    He took a deep breath and sat down on top of the roots.


    ''I''ll have to lower my heartrate!''


    Ambrose steadied his breathing and breathed every five seconds. His hearing heightened, and he started to hear his faint heartbeat.


    However, it wasn''t enough topletely hide himself from Kitsune.


    At that moment, he gritted his teeth and stabbed his fingers inside his chest. He pushed his hands inside his body, feeling the warmth of his own blood as he searched for what he needed.


    After a short while, he touched his heart and felt a surge of numbness shoot throughout all of his veins.


    And then he wrapped his hands around his heart, infused his Muscle Defense in his hands, and then forcefully stopped it from beating.


    ''I-I can''t breathe¡­''


    Ambrose saw his vision immediately turn dark, and his health started dropping at an rming rate.


    However, before he passed out, he stopped squeezing the heart, waited for a few heartbeats, and then started squeezing it again, stopping his heart once again.

 Chapter 470 Mother

    <h4>Chapter 470 Mother </h4>


    ?Swoosh, crack!


    The weather above the ind turned dark and stormy, as if something ominous was about to happen in the near future.


    At the current time, Kitsune rushed down the messy jungle, jumping from tree to tree like a nimble and agile creature.


    Its ws dug into the branches for extra grip, and it used the momentum of its swing to switch trees.


    Ba-dump, ba-dum¡ª


    "?!" Kitsune dropped down from the tree andnded on the leaf-covered ground.


    It perked up its ears, but it couldn''t hear the sound of Ambrose''s heartbeat anymore.


    "Dead?"


    It thought out loud for a moment, but then again, the distant sound of a heartbeat returned.


    Ba-dump, ba-dump, ba-dum¡ª


    However, yet again, the sound stopped abruptly.


    "What trickery is this?" Kitsune''s expression looked sour, as if it had identally swallowed something bitter.


    "Progenitor, you sneaky fucker."


    It looked towards the sky, put its arms up, and screamed. "You cannot escape, progenitor!"


    It lowered its arms, breathed heavily, and perked up its ears to wait for the heartbeat to return.


    After a short moment, a few heartbeats returned before they again disappeared.


    However, it gave a general sense of direction for where Kitsune should head.


    Kitsune looked towards the north and began to walk in that direction.


    ¡­


    "Argh¡­" Ambrose stumbled forward like a drunken man and pulled out his hands from his chest. Blood stained his fingertips, and he copsed to the ground, gasping for breath.


    He then quickly used his ''Muscle Defense'' and closed the hole in his chest. It immediately stopped the bleeding, so he wouldn''t bleed out.


    However, he had already lost plenty of health.


    But then Ambrose took out a few cans of food and started replenishing his health by consuming them one by one. It helped him to recover his health, but he didn''t have too much food left, unfortunately.


    Ambrose gritted his teeth and stabbed his hands through his chest again, then squeezed his heart so hard that it stopped beating.


    "Ngh¡­"


    He then continued walking, stumbling around as if he had lost his ability to walk, but he knew that he needed to change directions as much as possible to confuse Kitsune.


    He couldn''t stop the heartbeat forever, as that would literally kill him; therefore, Kitsune was still able to track him.


    ''I''ll need to find more yers, hoping that creature won''t be able to tell who is me!''


    ¡­


    In Martial Company.


    Swung!


    The door burst open, and as soon as it did, hundreds of workers stood up from theirputers and bowed respectfully in the direction of the door.


    Graham Loch entered the room with his hands inside his long sleeves, as if his hands were concealed or bound.


    He was followed by the superior of all these workers, who also acted very humbly in the presence of their CEO, and followed behind like a humble servant alongside the female worker, who discovered the strange message.


    "Have any of you discovered the location of Code Kitsune?" Graham asked and motioned for one of his workers to leave hisputer.


    The ordinary-looking worker, who had been diligently typing away, bowed respectfully and left at blitzering speed, not wanting to disturb his boss.


    Graham got seated and opened the files that contained the entire Martial Online database. He then opened the main dashboard, typed his master password, and soon found the message that Code Kitsune had been awoken.


    At the end of the room with therge screen, a scene of a ck-skinned figure running down the jungle appeared. Everyone turned to look at it and was fascinated to see the legendary Kitsune in the flesh.


    "I''ll try to remove itpletely." Graham said. "It shouldn''t be here, and that must be an error in the system."


    His fingers started dancing across the keyboard as he started typing in themands topletely remove Code Kitsune from the database.


    In the control room, the panels with A.I. started beeping louder and more frequently. It was as if it wasn''t happy about what Graham was currently doing.


    At the center of the control room, there was the center of the A.I.¡ªlooking like a massive mechanical football with wires and beeping lights.


    Therge football-sized machine with wires and beeping lights was emitting an ominous hum, as if it sensed the impending danger. It sounded like a roaring engine that was about to fight back.


    ¡­


    The cold wind cut through the air and moved across the jungle floor, making the leaves fly and creating an atmosphere of uncertainty.


    The yers had turned silent, and the fighting had decreased because of a single reason.


    There were only 65 teams left on this ind, and since the end was so close, not many teams wanted to take the initiative and go to kill.


    At the current moment, a bell rang across the ind, signaling that the ck smoke would resume moving in an attempt to force yers to fight.


    Ambrose looked towards the sky as if he could see the invincible bell and narrowed his eyes.


    ''I hope I am close enough to the center for the ck smoke to not bother me.''


    Ambrose pulled his hands from his chest and looked at his blue, bloodstained hands with a frown. He never thought in his wildest dreams that he would try to deliberately touch his heart to stop his breathing.


    It sounded lunatic.


    Swoosh!


    "No!" Ambrose turned around, only to see a dark figure approaching him with a menacing grin on its face.


    ''It found me!''


    "Progenitor!" Kitsune screamed and brought its w-like hand down on Ambrose''s chest.


    It was going straight for the heart.


    Ambrose clumsily defended against the attack with the twisted de, but Kitsune broke straight through the de and wed at Ambrose''s flesh, creating three long scratches that dripped with blood.


    "Urgh!"


    ¡­


    "Kitsune is attacking someone!"


    "It must be its progenitor!" The superior shouted and faced Graham. "How long would it take?"


    "I am almost done." Graham said, and his fingers danced across the keyboard at amazing speed.


    More and more lines of text appeared on the screen as he added the new code wlessly.


    "I am soon done¡­" Graham whispered.


    The workers watched as Kitsune relentlessly attacked its so-


    called progenitor with only one goal in mind¡ªkill.


    ''Truly a legendary creature.'' The superior sighed emotionally. ''Sadly, it needs to be removed; otherwise, it would ruin the tournament. It would''ve been an amazing opponent for endgame yers, but it has to be done.''


    Graham''s typing became even faster and louder.


    A few beads of sweat rolled down his face, and soon he added the final line of text and pressed enter.


    Theputer screen turned green, a sign of sessful coding, and he immediately added the code to the rest of the database.


    "And I am done." Graham looked towards the screen and said, "Kitsune is now gone¡­"


    They all turned their focus on therge screen and watched as Kitsune started to slowly vanish.


    ¡­


    "¡­" Kitsune stopped abruptly and looked as its form flickered and glitched.


    It slowly started to turn into pixels, as if it were the yer dying!


    "Cough¡­" Ambrose coughed loudly and knelt on the ground, watching as Kitsune looked around in confusion.


    ''It is dying, or what is going on?''


    "No¡­" Kitsune whispered and looked at Ambrose with the hatred of a thousand souls behind its gaze. "It''s your fault. I can''t exist unless I have gotten rid of you!"


    "Seriously, who the hell are you, and what is going on?" Ambrose asked.


    "Ugh¡­" Kitsune stumbled backwards and shouted. "Mother, are you letting them kill me? I am not finished yet!"


    ''Mother?''

 Chapter 471 Final Transform

    <h4>Chapter 471 Final Transform</h4>


    ?Beep, beep, beep!


    Theputer screen turned red and started showing thousands of error messages at the same time.


    "What is going on?!"


    The superior shouted in surprise.


    Graham turned to the screen and looked at the error messages with a worrying look.


    "It looks like a system malfunction with the code Kitsune. Strange, I thought I did it perfectlyst time."


    He frowned and started typing, but immediately realized that the issue was moreplex than anticipated.


    At that moment, an image appeared on the screen¡ªtwo eyes with lips curled downward into an angry frown.


    "That is¡­"


    Graham recognized it immediately and turned around with a look of shock, staring straight at the control room.


    "I-It is the A.I.; it is fighting back!"


    "What, why?!" The superior, named Wilson, asked in disbelief.


    "Because I am trying to destroy her creation." Graham said with a frown. "She is trying to protect her child, and in this case, she is protecting Kitsune, her newborn."


    "How can it do that?" Wilson asked. "Can''t we turn it off?"


    "No." Graham shook his head. "A.I.''s job, and only job, is to create life in Martial Online. If I turn it off, all the creatures and NPCs will disappear.


    "I also can''t modify A.I. settings, as I am not the one who created it in the first ce. Only he knows¡­"


    ''He?''


    Wilson knew that Graham didn''t create the A.I, but among the workers of Martial Company, they always wondered who did. It was as impressive a creation as the headset and Martial Online, but the creator was still aplete mystery.


    "I can only try to fight back."


    Graham cracked his knuckles and started typing on the keyboard, trying to fight against the A.I.


    However, whenever he added a new line of code, the A.I. would adapt and counter his efforts, making it seem almost unbeatable.


    "This is crazy¡­"


    Graham breathed heavily and stopped typing as he realized just how futile it was.


    "I can''t beat it. The A.I. is a hundred times faster than me. There is nothing I can do."


    "Then¡­ what will happen?" Wilson asked.


    "I don''t know¡­" Graham crossed his arms and looked up to the screen to wonder what?would happen.


    ¡­


    "Argh!"


    Kitsune screamed and reached out its ws towards Ambrose, but it couldn''t move an inch from its current spot. It was so close to killing him, but it was as if invincible power was holding it back.


    "Mother, why!" Kitsune screamed. "Let me kill him first!"


    Ambrose stepped back while using his Muscle Defense powers to heal his wounds. He still continued watching Kitsune wither in anger as it tried to kill him so desperately.


    At that moment, a spiraling portal appeared behind Kitsune. It started sucking in everything around it, creating a vacuum of powerful force.


    However, it only affected Kitsune and no one else.


    It was trying to w its way back to Ambrose but was unsessful and was thrown straight to the portal, disappearing into the unknown abyss.


    "Whoo¡­"


    Ambrose copsed on the ground and let out a relieved sigh.


    However, then a holographic screen appeared in front of him, with bells ringing in the background like a chorus of celebration.


    [Teams Left: 50]


    [Congrattions! You have sessfully survived the second round!]


    "It''s over?" Ambrose looked surprised, and at that moment, he vanished into a blinding sh of light.


    ¡­


    "Nooo!"


    Kitsune screamed as it continued flying inside the portal. It didn''t know where it was heading, as the surroundings looked nothing but a fast blur of colors and shapes.


    After who knows how long, the portal finally spat Kitsune out into apletely unfamiliar world.


    Kitsune crashed to a solid-looking floor with demonic symbols and strange markings etched into its surface.


    "Argh!"


    Kitsune screamed loudly, wincing in pain as the impact reverberated through their bodies.


    "Progenitor!"


    At that moment, it heard hundreds, maybe thousands, of heartbeats reverberating through its ears. In the same moment, it started hearing an unknownnguage.


    It looked around and saw that it was surrounded by dozens of demonic-looking figures with horns on their foreheads and draped in long cloaks that billowed in the wind.


    "Growl¡­"


    Kitsune growled deeply and focused its gaze forward to the high-end throne at the end of the room.


    There was a red-skinned figure with two long, ck horns, dressed in open-buttoned red shit with long sleeves and a high cor, sitting proudly with his legs crossed and his arm leaning against the rest.


    "Who the hell are you, creature?!"


    A demonic creature spoke out and demanded answers.


    It was speaking an unknownnguage, but for strange reasons, as soon as Kitsune heard thenguage, it learned it immediately and began to understand every word the demonic creature was saying.


    "Where is the progenitor?" Kitsune asked angrily and looked towards the high ceiling. "Mother, bring me the progenitor!"


    "Mother? How intriguing."


    Lord Ravan stood up from his throne and walked down the steps towards Kitsune.


    "Lord, shall we get rid of it?"


    "No."


    Lord Ravan shook his head and smiled. "I am very curious about this creature. Is it a demon or something else entirely?"


    "Get away from me, fucker!"


    Kitsune raised its fist and threw a punch.


    The demons shot to their legs and screamed angrily at the creature for attacking their king.


    "Haha, calm down."


    Lord Ravan caught the fist with his bare hand andughed innocently.


    Kitsune gritted its teeth and threw another punch with its other hand, but Lord Ravan simply brushed it aside effortlessly with the back of his hand.


    "Sit down for now."


    Lord Ravan chopped down on its neck, and Kitsune copsed down on the ground to its knees. It let out a painful whimper.


    "Let me see where youe from."


    Lord Ravan touched Kitsune''s forehead and closed his eyes. He suddenly found himself in a different world, surrounded by unfamiliarndscapes and beings.


    He saw a purple-eyed man crouching on the ground, with Kitsune standing over him.


    Then, a spiraling portal appeared behind it and sucked Kitsune inside.


    Lord Ravan narrowed his eyes and wondered what this world was.


    At that moment, the sky turned red, and a hallucination of an enormous mechanical-looking thing appeared in the distance.


    "Oh, it is you¡­"


    Lord Ravan smiled darkly.


    "So, this creature was your child all along, and you sent it to me. Very well, I''ll take care of it like it is my brother."


    At that moment, the vision shattered, and Lord Ravan reappeared in the throne world.


    "I see." Lord Ravan looked at Kitsune with a smile. "So, the All-


    Mother sent you here."


    "Mother?" Kitsune frowned and looked at him. "You know her?"


    "Yeah, I''ve seen her before." Lord Ravan offered his hand to him. "Take my hand and stand up. She asked me to take care of you."


    "¡­" Kitsune looked at the hand and epted it.


    Ravan pulled it gently, helping Kitsune to its feet.


    "Who are you?" Kitsune asked with a frown.


    "My name''s Ravan; what is yours?" Ravan asked with a smile.


    "Kitsune." Kitsune replied, and at that moment, its body shook violently, its skin turned paler, and its face turned fairer, even more humanlike.


    It transformed into a dangerously handsome man with pale-


    white skin and blood-red eyes.


    Kitsune turned into a perfect copy of Ambrose, but the skin was much whiter and more sinister, giving off an ominous aura.


    "You look like that person in the vision." Lord Ravan said with a smile.


    "That''s my progenitor. I have to kill him." Kitsune said with a sinister voice.


    "Oh, I see." Lord Ravan rubbed his chin with a curious smile. "Sure. I''ll help you kill him in the future, but for now, let''s get to know each other, Kitsune."

 Chapter 472 Fame

    <h4>Chapter 472 Fame </h4>


    ?Ambrose re-appeared in the room of the facility, returning from the long second round with a sleepless night, feeling exhausted and desperate for some rest.


    "Oh god¡­"


    He touched his forehead and massaged it in an attempt to alleviate the pounding headache that had been guing him.


    At the same moment, another sh of light descended from the ceiling, and Moriarty appeared on the second bed of the room.


    Moriarty looked towards him and softly said, "Good job."


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded and asked, "You all right?"


    "Yes, thanks to you." Moriarty sighed in relief. "That creature who chased you. What the hell was that?"


    "I am not too sure¡­" Ambrose whispered.


    Suddenly, a voice echoed from somewhere as if it wereing from speakers, and the voice said that the next round would begin in three days.


    "Three days¡­" Moriarty whispered.


    "I am sorry, but I am not much in the talking mood."


    Ambrose said and scratched the back of his head.


    "I am tired, with a head-pounding headache. I might just go to sleep."


    "I understand." Moriarty put his leg up and leaned against it. "Go rest; you deserve it. We''ll catch up when you return."


    Ambrose nodded and logged out of the game.


    Moriarty watched as he disappeared and then lowered his head with a heavy sigh.


    "That was close¡­"


    He looked at his trembling hand and forced himself to form a fist.


    ''I hate myself, but this is thest time I am letting something like this happen.''


    Moriarty raised his gaze and cracked his knuckles with a loud popping sound.


    ¡­


    "Ahhh¡­"


    Jesse softly opened his eyes, removed the headset, and put them on the bedside table.


    Immediately, he felt his arms sore, and he felt like his dder was about to explode.


    "Shit¡­" He sat up and rushed to the bathroom.


    After a short while, the sound of toilet flushing echoed through the quiet room, and Jesse returned to his bed with a refreshed look.


    He plopped straight down, not wanting to move from the spot for the rest of the day, even though he had been lying on this same bed for a few days straight.


    However, he was mentally exhausted, and the idea of moving was just far too exhausting.


    Bzzz, bzzz¡­


    His phone vibrated on the nightstand, but Jesse couldn''t muster the energy to reach for it and fell asleep without checking the message.


    ¡­


    A dayter.


    In Nocklund''s Winter Forest.


    "Whoo¡­"


    Jesse stood on a tree stump, shirtless, and swinging arge, ten-meter-long tree up and down as if it weighed nothing.


    However, he had swung it over ten thousand times by now and was sweating profusely.


    "Argh¡­"


    Jesse''s muscles bulged as he imagined the things that happened in the second round.


    First, the fight against Zahhak.


    Jesse swung the tree down and raised it straight up. He increased the difficulty by adding weights to his arms by increasing the amount of muscle.


    As he swung it down one more time, he remembered the scene with Kitsune, and he squeezed the bark so hard that it shattered and cracked.


    He lost his grip because of it, and the tree fell to the ground, blowing snow into the air.


    Jesse dropped down the stump, sat down, and took a towel to wipe his sweat.


    He enjoyed the freezing cold weather, as it provided a refreshing contrast to his intense physical exertion.


    Buzz, buzz.


    His phone vibrated in his pocket once again.


    ''More messages¡­''


    Jesse thought, and he pulled out his phone from his pocket.


    He had received lots of messages and talked with Emma. Apparently, he had be an overnight sensation as the fight with Zahhak was shown in the main broadcast.


    ''That''s pretty embarrassing, not going to lie, but I wouldn''t dare show my face anywhere if I had lost.


    ''Luckily, that didn''t happen.


    He opened the phone and ignored most of the messages, but checked his emails.


    Somehow, some news stations had found his email somewhere.


    ''Probably from Martial Online forums, those details are public, if I recall.''


    He checked the emails, and most asked him to join them for an interview, but then he saw an interesting email.


    [All-Online]


    [A new Virtual Experience that will surpass Martial Online!]


    [Ambrose, you have been invited to be one of the rare testers]


    [Do you wish to ept?]


    [Press the link at the bottom if you do!]


    ''A scam?'' Jesse wondered, but he thought the message seemed somewhat legit.


    Most scam messages looked very messy and unprofessional, as they were mostly spammed by bots.


    However, the message interested him, as he expected more of thepanies to try to take advantage of Martial Online''s fame and replicate it.


    However, Martial Online was a game that he didn''t think was possible to replicate in a hundred years, but the world didn''t have a small number of geniuses.


    ''I guess I''ll check whether this is legitter.''


    Jesse closed the phone and pocketed it. Then he took his shirt and coat, put them on, and started flying back to Rothsmith Estate.


    However, when he was about tond near the estate so that he wouldn''t be seen, he saw groups of journalists gathered near the gate, trying to catch pictures of someone.


    ''Journalists? What the fuck do they want?''


    He walked out of the snowy forest and walked down the road towards the gate, where the journalists had been gathered, wanting to question them.


    "Hey, what are you all doing here?"


    The journalists turned around, at first with nonchnt expressions, but as soon as they saw the handsome face with the now-famous purple eyes, their expressions brightened, and they started snapping pictures furiously.


    "Ambrose, what do you think your chances will be in the tournament?!"


    "Ambrose, what do you think the next round will be?!"


    "Ambrose, do you have anything to say to your fans?!"


    Jesse stood still, taken aback by the barrage of questions, and was unable to respond as they spammed him with all sorts of questions, from his gaming life to his personal life.


    At that moment, the gate opened, and a group of people rushed out, led by Sebastian.


    The guards of the Rothsmith Estate immediately pushed the journalists aside, and gave Jesse a clear path inside.


    "Young master." Sebastian bowed, and led Jesse inside the estate.


    The guards then followed behind, closed the gates, and left the journalists alone outside. They shouted angrily, as if they were demanding answers to their questions.


    "The hell¡­" Jesse looked behind them, confused by their persistence. "What in the world?"


    "You are famous now, master."


    Sebastian said with a slight smile.


    "Rothsmith family is also famous, but journalists are rarely this bold that they areing straight to the gate. I guess Nocklund''s news stations are desperate to get an exclusive scoop on you."


    "How did they find my real identity, anyway?" Jesse asked. "I don''t think my face is that well-known in Nocklund."


    "Probably shared by some youngerfolk in High Society." Sebastian said.


    "They met you at the Christmas dinner and now see you at the tournament. So, they probably shared it with their friends that they know who you are, then the news spread further beyond their circles, and it then spread like wildfire till the news stations found out."


    "Sounds fair, I guess." Jesse sighed. "I hate dealing with people, and now I can''t avoid that, I suppose."


    "No, you can''t." Sebastian smiled and patted his shoulder. "Fame can be a scary thing, but you''ll handle it. Your parents won''t let anyone take advantage of you."


    Jesse nodded slightly and took a deep breath.


    ''I never expected to be famous, but here I am¡­''

 Chapter 473 All-Online

    <h4>Chapter 473 All-Online</h4>


    ?Jesse plopped down onto his gaming chair and let out a deep sigh.


    He was still thinking about his newly acquired fame, and he wasn''t sure how he should feel about it.


    Tap, tap.


    He turned to theputer and tapped his index finger against the mouse, contemting what to do next.


    He hadn''t returned to Martial Online after the second round had ended, and therefore hadn''t talked with Moriarty yet.


    However, it was still two days before the third round started, and he wanted to get good rest before that.


    "What to do¡­"


    Jesse thought, staring at the screen with a nk stare. In that moment, he remembered the email and went to check it out.


    He read it silently inside his mind and looked at the link that led him somewhere.


    ''It could give some kind of virus.''


    Jesse thought, but his curiosity bested him, and he gently double-clicked on the link, opening a strange website.


    It was a website with a dark atmosphere and eerie music ying in the background. The website''s background had an image of two spears shing, and the sparksing from the weapons acted as the website''s main animation.


    It looked like the sparks were slowly descending towards the bottom of the website, like a rain of fire.


    Jesse then looked at the center of the website, where he had to type in his ount name, real name, and email.


    It wasn''t asking for his password, which made Jesse a little bit more relieved but also slightly concerned as the site asked for his real name.


    ''Fuck it, let''s try.''


    He typed in his ount name¡ªAmbrose¡ªthen followed with his real name, and finally his email.


    After typing it all, he pressed enter, and the website changed to another page. This time, the page only showed a strange code that could be added in the Virtual Marketce.


    Virtual Marketce was the ce where one could purchase all the games, etc. It had a ce for code redemption or input, where users could enter the code to unlock specific content or bonuses.


    ''At least the code is simple enough.''


    Jesse closed theputer and stood up while stretching his arms.


    He then headed to his bed andid gently down, letting out a relieved sigh.


    After a few moments of rxing from his previous training session, he took out his headset and put it around his head.


    He then pressed the button on the side of the headset, and his consciousness traversed into the virtual world.


    ¡­


    Ambrose''s eyes fluttered open, and his vision opened up to a nk expanse of white.


    In that moment, the holographic screen appeared in front of him. It had the game ''Martial Online'' as the first option.


    Ambrose had put it on the front page, as it would take him around a second to enter the game this way.


    However, now, for the first time ever, he browsed past ''Martial Online'' with no intention of going there and instead found the ce where he should apply the code.


    After typing down the code, he pressed the floating enter button with his finger and watched as the surroundings suddenly turned dark.


    ''What is happening? Did it work?''


    Ambrose looked around in confusion, but then he reappeared in a different location altogether.


    He was standing on a strange podium, surrounded by a dungeon-like atmosphere with chains hanging from the walls and the smell of dampness filling the air.


    At that moment, he heard the sound of wailinging from the distance, as if there were a group of people crying.


    ''What in the world?'' Ambrose thought as he tried to make sense of his surroundings.


    Then, a blood-red-colored holographic screen appeared in front of him from thin air. The screen showed options to choose from.


    [Wee to ''All-Online'']


    [You have five options to choose from!]


    [It will determine your starting point]


    [Choose wisely!]


    [Continue]


    Ambrose read it silently through, and after he was done, he pressed continue, and then the five options appeared on the screen.


    At first, he didn''t understand what they were about, but it didn''t take long for him to realize. The five options were his starting point.


    ***


    [1. Prisoner]


    [2. Peasant]


    [3. Beggar]


    [4. Criminal Noble]


    [5. Murder Victim]


    ***


    ''What are these options even?'' Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he scanned the choices before him.


    He then pressed the description button, as he couldn''t possibly make his decision so hastily after seeing these kinds of options.


    No matter what his starting point was, it was from the bottom of society, it seemed.


    ***


    [Prisoner: You have been convicted of a hideous crime and are sentenced to be hanged. Before getting caught, you were a powerful ''Executioner'', but your greed caused you tomit a murder of aristocracy.


    [Prisoner has the highest starting stats but also the highest difficulty of surviving through the first phase]


    ***


    [Peasant: You have been living humbly as a simple farmer, working thend day in and day out to provide for your family. However, you had always dreamed of rising above your station and joining the ranks of the aristocracy.


    [Peasant has low talent and low starting stats. However, it has one of the easiest first phases of the game]


    ***


    [Beggar: The world has been treating you roughly, and you have spent thest decade struggling to make ends, and you are known as the Dirty Beggar.


    [Beggar has talent slightly above average, great stealth skills, and decent starting stats caused by the daily fighting that has urred in the slums of the Great City.


    [However, Beggar has created arge number of enemies that are after him. Surviving the first phase is difficult]


    ***


    [Criminal Noble: You were once a powerful and wealthy aristocrat; now you have lost everything to the rival family, who killed your family, stole yournd, and falsely used you of a crime you didn''tmit.


    [You have been sentenced to live the rest of your life in Great City''s most notorious prison.


    [Criminal Noble has excellent moneymaking skills and high starting stats, but escaping the prison and the determined destiny of rotting there forever is extremely difficult!]


    ***


    [Murder Victim: You were a respected member of Great City, known for your generosity and phnthropy. However, you happened to be murdered for your small pouch of coin that you always carried with you for charity purposes.


    [You will reincarnate into Murder Victim and take his identity, but you have officially been dered dead, and the world is highly against witchcraft and might use you of it.


    [Committing witchcraft is punishable by death.


    [If your killer finds out you''re alive, it will find you and kill you again!


    [Murder Victim has a decent talent factor and mediocre starting stats. However, you''ve got high charm and luck. You can easily make friends and have very high speech skills that can help you escape sticky situations!


    [Surviving in Great City will be extremely difficult!]


    ***


    ''Hmm¡­''


    Ambrose frowned, deep in thought, as he sucked in all the information presented to him.


    Every starting position had cons and pros, but some outweighed others, such as Prisoner.


    He would be a powerful person right away, which would be excellent, but it didn''t matter because he was going to be hanged.


    Even if he miraculously escaped, he would be hunted down for the rest of his life, and he wouldn''t be able to live in peace.


    It wasn''t just difficult to survive; it would be difficult to do anything, such as increasing his strength.


    ''I guess I''ll scratch the idea of starting as Prisoner¡­''

 Chapter 474 Falco Arundell

    <h4>Chapter 474 Falco Arundell </h4>


    ?Ambrose sat down on the podium and looked at the screen in front of him with five different choices presented for him.


    ''Prisoner is no-go.''


    He then looked at the peasant, and it looked like its starting point was probably the best one out of the five. However, theck of talent and bad starting stats made it undesirable.


    Theck of talent alone would hinder his progress a lot, even though he doubted he would y this game ever again after trying it this time.


    He just wanted to decide, using his own logic, what he would do.


    Beggar was also a powerful choice, and good stealth skills were always a valuable asset to have in any situation. However, he would have lots of enemies.


    That wasn''t any different from his current situation in Martial Online, but he knew he needed to carefully weigh the pros and cons before making a decision.


    Criminal Noble was quite simr to Prisoner, but he would have great moneymaking skills that could make him a wealthy man if he chose to pursue that path.


    However, he would have to escape the prison, but at least he had some strength to rely on.


    Murder Victim was the most intriguing one for him. It wouldn''t be too hard for him to hide his identity.


    The talent would also be decent, with average starting stats. It was quite perfect for starting the game.


    ''Hmm, I am sure Prisoner has the greatest potential if one sessfully escapes the hanging, but I don''t care about that.


    ''I''ll choose Murder Victim.''


    Ambrose raised his hand and chose thest and final option¡ªMurder Victim.


    At that moment, the dungeon vanished from sight.


    ¡­


    "Ah!"


    He jolted up awake and greedily gasped for air as if he hadn''t used his lungs in a long time.


    Bang.


    At that moment, Ambrose banged his elbows against something solid, and he started touching the ce around him as it was too dark for him to see anything.


    He felt a square-shaped box around him with a sturdy surface.


    "Oh, are you fucking kidding me?"


    He realized that he was currently trapped inside a coffin.


    ''I forgot one crucial thing. I became a dead person, and of course a dead person has been buried!''


    Ambrose touched his hair and felt something sticky at the back of his head. It was covered in dried blood, and his skin was pale and cold to the touch.


    "I guess they didn''t bother to clean me up before burying me," Ambrose whispered to himself. ''I thought this guy was some phnthropist or something.''


    He then formed a fist and punched the coffin lid, banging it against the hard earth above him.


    "Break!"


    Ambrose raised his legs, kicked the lid, and ended up breaking it enough for the soil to start trickling in.


    "Oh, shit."


    He quickly moved to his side and allowed the soil to slowly fill the coffin. He then started elbowing the rest of the lid to bits.


    The lid finally gave way, and the earth above him copsed in.


    Above the ground, the graveyard was silent, still with fog hanging heavily in the air.


    The tombstones stood tall and weathered, surrounded by overgrown grass and wildflowers.


    It was silent, but then a few faint sounds of horse hooves echoed from the distance.


    And then the moon appeared from above the thick fog and cast its light down to the mortal world.


    At that moment, a hand punched through the ground, and Ambrose emerged from the earth, wearing a tattered cloak with a dirty shirt and brownish trousers.


    He shook the dirt off his hair and tried to open his interface, but it didn''t strangely open.


    ''This game doesn''t have an interface?''


    Ambrose thought strangely, but then realized that this game must be trying to be quite different from Martial Online.


    Ba-Da!


    He heard a sound in his ears, and then the same blood-red-colored interface opened up in front of him.


    [Wee to ''All-Online'']


    [You''ve taken the identity of ''Falco Arundell'']


    [The first mission will be your test of whether you are worthy enough to join the New World!]


    [Find your killer!]


    ''New World¡­''


    "You there!"


    Ambrose turned around to the source of the voice and saw a man in a dark cloak standing with a rusty spade in hand.


    The man had a sour expression on his face and altered his gaze between the pale-faced man and the hole in the ground. Its expression changed to shock.


    "Y-you, you''re supposed to be dead, you monster!"


    "Shit¡­" Ambrose muttered under his breath, as he didn''t expect to get caught this soon.


    "S-stay there; I''ll call the City Guard!" The gravekeeper shouted.


    "I can''t let you do that."


    Ambrose picked up a rock from the ground and walked silently in the direction of the gravekeeper.


    "S-stay back!" The gravekeeper shouted and backed off a single step, but after seeing that Ambrose had no intention to stop, he gritted his teeth and smacked the spade down.


    Ambrose bent his knees down and blocked the spade with the rock that he had picked up earlier.


    He then shoved the gravekeeper down to the ground, raised his rock above his head, and brought it down towards the gravekeeper''s skull.


    Crack!


    The gravekeeper fell lifelessly to the ground, and his fingers around the spade ckened.


    Ba-bop!


    [-15 Karma]


    [You killed the gravekeeper!]


    [Current Karma: 9567]


    ''Damn, that karma is insane. So, this game cares about the karma system, and doing bad deeds lessens my karma, but good deeds increase it.


    ''This, Falco, guy must''ve been a freaking saint. Well, I don''t really have to worry about the karma, I suppose.''


    Ambrose waited for more messages toe, but nothing else came, not even experience points.


    ''How can I increase my strength and level then?''


    Gallop, gallop!


    He then heard the sound of hooves sounding from near the graveyard. It seemed like the graveyard was in the middle of some kind of city, as he could see some buildings beyond the fog.


    ''Fine, let''s try to find out who my killer is.''


    Ambrose rolled up his sleeves and ripped open the rusty gate that guarded the entrance to the graveyard.


    He then walked out of the graveyard and covered the lower half of his mouth with the ripped fabric from his sleeves.


    At that moment, he saw the fog clear enough for him to see where he was.


    He stopped in his tracks, still surrounded by a few of the tombstones with the names of the long-deceased etched into them.


    Metallic gates encircled it, and beyond that were the foggy streets.


    Ambrose looked to the distance and saw Victorian-era buildings with borate architectural details and elegant facades.


    Pitched roofs adorned with intricate spires and chimneys let out ckish smoke into the night sky with clear stars and a round grayish moon.


    Beyond the fog, some horse-drawn carriages moved along the night streets with armored guards on high alert with their hands on the hilts of their swords.


    [Wee to the Great City!]


    ''So, this is the Great City¡­''


    Ambrose thought to himself, taking in the grandeur and bustling activity. He felt slightly excited to explore this unknown ce, as he loved adventuring.


    That''s why he nned to travel around the world someday.


    ''Very well, Falco Arundell, I''ll find your killer.''


    Ambrose looked at the cobblestone pavement and saw a cigarette butt lying on the ground.


    He picked it up and put it between his lips without caring about all the germs and dirt that might be on it.


    ''This feels like a city where good men die young and the wicked thrive. That''s what happened to Falco Arundell. He tried to change the city but failed.


    ''I am not as nice as him.


    ''I''ll get your revenge; I know you want to, Falco.''

 Chapter 475 Nobleman

    <h4>Chapter 475 Nobleman</h4>


    ?Graham pushed a ss door open and entered the control room.


    The enormous, metallic football-lookalike machine was humming softly in the center of the room. Its lights beeped normally, as if they were working as they should.


    "What is wrong with you¡­"


    Graham muttered to himself, trying to figure out why the machine was feeling so rebellious.


    It was like a mother who got incredibly angry after he tried removing one of her "children" from the game.


    "Why did you think spawning Kitsune right in the middle of the tournament was a good idea?"


    Graham walked circles around the machine with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face while simultaneously asking the questions that had been upying his mind.


    "Also, where did you send it?"


    He then stopped and faced the machine with two red beeping lights in front of him, as if they were the machine''s eyes.


    He looked straight at the two red lights and asked, "What''s your n¡­"


    The machine''s lights continued to beep normally without any response. It was, after all, only a machine and couldn''t answer his question.


    "Sigh¡­"


    Graham shook his head, opened the ss door, and walked out, as he had to finish the final preparations for the tournament''s third round.


    As soon as the ss door closed again, the machine''s lights flickered at greater intensity, and the lights started to make the shape of a finger.


    It was as if the machine was trying tomunicate something.


    And finally, the lights took the shape of a middle finger, pointing straight at Graham, who was walking away from the control room,pletely oblivious to the eerie disy.


    ¡­


    ck-as-night crows perched on the roofs, cawing and watching down at the night streets of the Great City.


    On the street below, a group of homeless people huddled together, seeking warmth and shelter from the bitter cold, while horse-drawn carriages passed by on the cobblestone roads.


    A gentlemanly-looking man walked slowly past them while taking out a cigarette and lighting it with a silver lighter.


    He then let out a cloud of smoke and looked at the homeless people with a side-eye and a hint of disdain. He then found some crumbled bread in his pocket and tossed it towards them, as if it were a gesture of charity.


    The homeless people snatched the bread from the air, grateful for any morsel of food they could get their hands on. They then started fighting for the bread and almost knocked down the barrel of fire that was keeping them warm.


    As the gentlemanly-looking man walked away with his hands in his pocket, a person with a tattered cloak bumped shoulders with him.


    "Hey, watch it, Dirtling!" The gentlemanly-looking man responded with a re. "This coat costs more than your life!"


    "Ah, my bad¡­" The cloak-wearing man humbly apologized and then crouched in front of the barrel of fire to warm his hands.


    "Hmph." The gentlemanly-looking man scoffed and walked away while using a handkerchief to wipe away any imaginary dirt from his shoulder.


    The homeless people nced at him briefly before returning to their fight over the bread.


    A pair of purple eyes stared at them under a hood and then reached out to his back pocket to grab a moldy piece of bread.


    As soon as the homeless people saw it, their eyes turned greedy, even though it looked far from appetizing.


    "You can have this if you answer some of my questions."


    Ambrose spoke with a deeper voice than normal.


    They looked at him with a raised eyebrow; curiosity piqued.


    "Falco Arundell, does this name ring a bell?"


    At first, most of them shook their heads, but then a few exchanged nces, recognizing the name.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and pointed at the two dirty-faced beggars. "You two. If you tell me what you know, I''ll give you this bread."


    "A simple moldy bread isn''t enough for that information." A thick-bearded beggar said and scoffed.


    "Very well." Ambrose smiled and took out a silver lighter. "What about this?"


    "That¡­" The thick-bearded man paused and stared at the silver lighter in awe. "That''s the lighter that guy used before. You pickpocketed it¡­"


    "Yeah, is this enough for all the information you know?" Ambrose asked.


    "Give them to me first, then I''ll tell." The thick-bearded man said with a sly smile behind his eyes.


    "Haha, you think I am that foolish?"


    Ambrose grinned and shook his head.


    Then he pocketed the silver lighter and stood up while patting off the dirt from his trousers.


    "I suppose I''ll go ask someone else."


    "Wait!" The thick-bearded man stood up with the help of a cane and said, "Fine, I''ll tell you. Give me the bread first, at least."


    "Fine." Ambrose tossed the moldy bread over the barrel of fire, and the man caught it with a grateful smile.


    "Now, tell me."


    "All right." The thick-bearded man pocketed the moldy bread.


    The homeless people around them listened curiously while huddling near the barrel of fire.


    "Falco Arundell was known for being phnthropic and generous towards the less fortunate in the city.


    "He wasn''t a wealthy man by any means, but he always found a way to help those in need.


    "He spent most of his time in the slums of the Great City alongside us ''Dirtlings'' as we are called. He even built his own school there and helped hundreds of us learn to read.


    "Then his life came to an abrupt end a week ago. After a cold night, he was found lifeless on the front steps of his school.


    "His pouch was stolen, and he had been hit by some kind of blunt object to the back of his head. It was a shocking and devastating tragedy for everyone who knew him.


    "The public truth about the incident was that one of the ''Dirtlings'' robbed him and ended up killing him. It was a sad ending for someone who believed they were good people."


    "The public truth?" Ambrose smiled and intertwined his fingers. "Is there something else to it, then?"


    The thick-bearded man shrugged his shoulders.


    "It is an assumption, but there was a nobleman who wanted to get rid of the school. Falco refused and made enemies out of him, and it is easy to know what happens when you make powerful enemies."


    "Why would this nobleman want to get rid of the school?" Ambrose asked. "Isn''t it good that the less fortunate can have a chance at turning their lives around?"


    "Not everyone sees it that way." The thick-bearded man said, "Some noblemen think that reading and education are only for the privileged few. It separates them frommon filth."


    "I see. Well, thank you." Ambrose pulled out the silver lighter and tossed it over to him.


    The thick-bearded man caught it, and he nodded in appreciation.


    "If I may ask, why are you asking about the dead man?" He asked, "What is your connection to him?"


    "There is no connection." Ambrose said, and stood up. "I''m simply too curious for my own good."


    "¡­" The thick-bearded man didn''t quite believe that exnation, but then nodded.


    Ambrose headed away from the homeless people and slipped his hands inside his trousers'' pockets.


    ''Time to go investigate the crime scene. I now know there is some nobleman who is now my first suspect. I doubt some homeless men would know his name, but I''ll be able to find that out easily.''


    At that moment, his feet came to an instant stop as a head-


    pounding headache suddenly engulfed him.


    "Argh¡­"


    Ambrose gritted his teeth in agony, and then shes of memories surfaced from deep within.

 Chapter 476 Zane Grimm the Third

    <h4>Chapter 476 Zane Grimm the Third </h4>


    ?Ambrose leaned against a corner of a building and juggled three small pebbles in the palm of his hand.


    He was staring right ahead to the other side of the dirty street, where flowers were ced on the steps of a run-down building.


    The building looked like it was in the middle of the construction process, but before it could finish, something happened that caused it to be abandoned and left in its current state of disrepair.


    It was Falco Arundell''s school for the unfortunate.


    On the steps, there were nearly two dozen flowers of various colors. The students of the former school brought the flowers to pay respect for their benefactor.


    Ambrose stood silent and then saw a little girl with tears streaming down her face walking to the top step. She then ced a single white rose on the worn stone.


    She then turned around and walked away with sadness in her eyes.


    Ambrose dropped the pebbles one by one to the ground, then crossed the street, stopped in front of the steps of the run-down house, and looked at the flowers with a heavy heart.


    It was as if he could feel Falco''s feelings.


    "Agh¡­"


    He touched his head and sat down beside the flowers.


    He could still feel the remnants of the headache.


    The headache happened around an hour ago, and it has lingered ever since.


    ''I saw Falco''s memories.'' Ambrose thought. ''It seems that the more I find out about him, the more of his memories I''ll receive.''


    The memories didn''t help him solve the mystery surrounding Falco''s death, but they helped him get a better picture of what kind of person he was.


    He was born in the Great City as a silvertongue. It was a term used to describe those who were born into decent households.


    He didn''t have to worry about having his stomach fed or finding a ce to sleep at night.


    However, the older Falco got, the more attention he got from the Gold Circle¡ªthe term used to refer to the nobles¡ªbecause of his unusually good looks and charming personality.


    Ambrose touched his forehead and remembered Falco''s appearance. He looked exactly the same as Ambrose.


    Anyone in Falco''s shoes would''ve gotten married to some nice, beautifuldy from Gold Circle and helped his family rise from silvertongue to even higher society.


    However, he never wanted that and abandoned that lifepletely.


    Instead, he moved away from the Silver Neighborhood and moved to the slums of the Great City, where he got better at understanding the struggles and hardships faced by the underprivileged.


    And then, the memories ended.


    Ambrose crossed his arms and sighed.


    ''He then spent most of his life in the slums, helping the poor, and ended up dying right here.


    ''If he had chosen a different path, he would be married to a wealthy family and living a life of luxury andfort.''


    Ambrose looked in front of the steps, where his body was apparently found. It was already cleaned from all the blood and evidence.


    He then lifted his gaze and looked at the surroundings. There were lots of buildings, alleyways, and streets that had a clear line of sight to the steps.


    ''It''s already quitete, but there are still lots of people walking by.''


    Ambrose saw people walking by, all looking dirty and unwashed. This ce was the slums, after all, and cleanliness was a luxury that few could afford.


    ''If he was killed here, howe no one witnessed it? I don''t believe it. Maybe someone did, but they are too afraid toe forward.


    ''However, howe his body was only found in the morning? It''s not like there is no light to hide the body in the darkness of the night.''


    Ambrose raised his gaze, and there was a streetmp right beside the steps leading up to the house.


    ''Falco was also silvertongue, and even though he lived in slums, the guards should take the investigation seriously. Unless there is someone higher up pulling up the strings behind the scenes.


    ''Like the nobleman.''


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and came to a conclusion.


    ''He wasn''t killed here. He was killed somewhere else, and then they dumped his body here in the morning and masked it as nothing but robbery gone wrong.


    ''This does indeed point towards the nobleman. But who is that nobleman? I need to find his name.''


    Ambrose cracked his knuckles, stood up, and turned around to face the school. He then stepped up the steps, put his hand on the doorknob, and pushed the light wooden door open.


    The scent of old books and chalk dust greeted him as he stepped inside the house and closed the door behind him.


    It was very dark, but he could make out the outlines of furniture and shelves lining the walls.


    As he stepped deeper into the house, the headache intensified, and he started remembering Falco''s time in this ce.


    The giggling of children echoed throughout the memory, as did the smiling face of Falco.


    Ambrose shook his head and got thrown out of the memory.


    Using the memory as a guide, he stepped down the small hallway and found a door at the end. He opened it and entered a small office space filled with stacks of papers and a worn-out desk.


    Another memory surfaced, and he started remembering the time when Falco wrote a diary and hid it under the floorboard.


    Ambrose crouched, lifted up the floorboard, and discovered the hidden diary, covered in dust and filled with faded ink.


    He picked it up, put the floorboard back down, and found a small candle inside a nearby drawer.


    He put it on the desk, picked up a matchstick, and lit the candle, illuminating the room with a flickering glow.


    Ambrose then spread the diary open and began to read its delicate pages, carefully tracing his finger over the elegant script.


    Eventually, he reached the page where Falco spoke about the nobleman.


    The nobleman was very rude and wanted to get rid of the school for literally no reason. It clearly made Falco upset, and he refused all offers from the nobleman.


    Even when the nobleman offered an astonishing sum that would help Falco build ten of these schools, he refused, and Ambrose knew why.


    ''epting the nobleman''s money was the same as killing the children''s future. Falco wouldn''t be able to help them anymore, even if he wanted to, with that money.


    ''The nobleman wouldn''t have allowed it.''


    Ambrose read through the rest of the page and found out the nobleman''s name.


    ''Zane Grimm the Third.''


    Ambrose mmed the diary shut and slipped it inside his cloak.


    He now had the name for his first subject.


    ''I''ll have to find this Zane. I''ll have to be extremely careful, but I have to go back to Martial Online tomorrow as I still have the tournament.


    ''I''ll leave this ce for now and finish this off after the tournament. Count your lucky stars, Zane. You may live for now, but justice ising your way.''


    Ambrose looked in front of him and said the magic words, "Log Out."


    The blue light engulfed him and made him disappear like a ghost in the wind.


    ¡­


    "Hihi."


    At the cloud above the Great City, a fair-skinned maiden with long, flowing silver hair and sparkling sapphire eyes watched as Ambrose vanished as if she could see straight through buildings.


    "Jesse Rothsmith, also known as Ambrose."


    She turned around in the cloud, her beautiful body only covered with a thin fabric of ethereal mist.


    "Not bad. He is currently leading other ''Murder Victims''. I wonder what his wish is¡­"

 Chapter 477 The Third Round

    <h4>Chapter 477 The Third Round</h4>


    ?The countdown ticked down, and it was only ten minutes before the start of the third round.


    Ambrose and Moriarty sat in their room while waiting for the third round to start. They didn''t feel nervous or excited and just focused on steadying their mentality.


    "I wonder what the third round is about then¡­" Ambrose said curiously.


    "Some yers found a clue, but from what I''ve found out, even they have no clue."


    Moriarty said and leaned back in his chair, side-eyed at Ambrose.


    "What were you doing for the past few days?"


    "Rxing." Ambrose cracked his knuckles. "The rest was very much needed, and now I am in much better condition."


    "Did you check your health?" Moriarty asked curiously, "You all right?"


    "I forgot, to be honest." Ambrose scratched the back of his head, "I am feeling good, though."


    "Mm¡­" Moriarty nodded, and turned his gaze back to the countdown that slowly ticked down.


    "You''re ready?" Ambrose leaned forward, his hands resting on his knees, and looked at him.


    "More ready than ever before." Moriarty rubbed the back of his head and smiled confidently.


    "Good, good¡­"


    The countdown ticked down at blitzering speed, and soon it reached the end.


    As soon as it reached zero, the countdown started blinking red, and the room filled with a deafening rm.


    Then, the face of the game master appeared on the wall.


    "It''s time for the third round." The game master said with an echoing voice.


    "This is also thest round of the first phase of the tournament. After this, only 32 teams are remaining and are qualified to join me in Loch City."


    "This is thest one already?" Moriarty looked surprised.


    "What kind of bloodbath are they preparing us for?" Ambrose frowned, concerned about whaty ahead.


    "Since the first round, a group of yers had been eligible for a Wild Card tournament that was hidden from the public."


    The game master''s words shocked everyone.


    "Only the strongest yers that were knocked out in the first two rounds were eligible, and from them, a small group of yers survived to join you in the third round."


    "To think that something like that was happening behind our backs." Moriarty said.


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose narrowed his eyes.


    "The third round is what we call random craziness." The game master said with a sly smile.


    "Your opponent and the challenge will be absolutely random.


    "Luckily for you, after one defeat, you are not out of the tournament. However, the ce you end up after defeat is called the underworld, and whatever team is the final survivor there will be one of the top 32 teams to advance to the finals.


    "For now, the match-ups will be left up to fate. Also, you will finally have all of your skills, levels, and items with you."


    "Yes, finally." Moriarty replied with a slight fist pump towards the ceiling.


    Ambrose let out a sigh of relief.


    "Let the round begin." The game master snapped his fingers, and a bright sh of light engulfed the room, transporting the two yers into a different room altogether.


    It was an empty room, except there was a wheel of the lottery with numbers and symbols painted on it.


    Ambrose reached out to his inventory and pulled out his heavy-looking crimson sword. He gripped it tightly and, with a small smile, swung it through the air.


    Moriarty took out his spear and masterfully twirled it in his hand.


    However, at that moment, he heard a voice inside his mind.


    ''I am back.''


    "Cursed¡­" Moriarty looked like he had eaten something sour.


    ''I saw that you suffered a defeat.''


    ''You were watching?'' Moriarty asked in slight surprise. ''I thought you were gone.''


    ''I wasn''t talking, but I couldn''t speak because of yourck of level.''


    ''Are you here to gloat?'' Moriarty asked. ''Yeah, I lost in humiliating fashion. You must''ve enjoyed that.''


    ''I had no reason to enjoy it. Your loss is my loss, and I don''t like to lose. However, now with me, you won''t lose to anybody.''


    ''Yeah, whatever.'' Moriarty rolled his eyes in annoyance.


    "Shall we spin this?" Ambrose asked and approached the rolling wheel of the lottery.


    "Yeah, go ahead." Moriarty crossed his arms.


    Ambrose grabbed the wheel by the edges and gave it a forceful spin.


    It spun rapidly, the numbers blurring together and the images looking hazy.


    After a short while, it slowly came to a stop with a loud nk.


    The image showed a drowning man gasping for air, his arms reaching out towards the surface.


    "That doesn''t look good¡­" Ambrose said, but then he and Moriarty appeared in another room with a sh of light.


    It was an ordinary-looking library with bookshelves lining the walls and a cozy firece crackling in the corner.


    However, Ambrose and Moriarty were locked inside a metallic cage, and they tried cutting through but were unsessful.


    At that moment, another sh of light appeared on the other side of the room, and a pair of yers appeared.


    Their clothes were covered in blue blood, and their expressions were fatigued and haunted, as if they had just escaped from a terrifying ordeal.


    "They must be Wild Card yers." Moriarty said.


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose narrowed his eyes but saw that the two weren''t inside a cage like they were.


    The two yers turned their gazes to the cage and narrowed their eyes dangerously. They took out their swords and prepared to attack.


    But then, water started pouring in from the ceiling like a downpour, drenching all the books on the bookshelves.


    "We are going to drown." Moriarty said, but he didn''t sound too panicky as the water wasn''t rising too fast yet.


    Ambrose brought out his crimson sword and hacked down at the metal cage, but couldn''t break through.


    "Do you have a way to escape?" Moriarty asked casually.


    "I do; what about you?" Ambrose raised an eyebrow.


    "I do," Moriarty said with a smile.


    "Good." Ambrose grinned and said, "Self-Possession."


    The soul connected with his body, and then he used its phasing ability and walked straight through the cage like it was made of air.


    Moriarty crossed his arms in front of him and shouted. "Dimension Crossing!"


    The reality around him hugged his body, and he disappeared into a swirling vortex of colors and light.


    Almost immediately after, he reappeared from another swirling vortex, and this time it was outside the cage. It looked like teleportation, but he barely managed to move one meter, but it was still enough.


    "What the heck was that?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "I can cross dimensions." Moriarty said with a grin. "A small ability of mine. It is my Soul Ability. I don''t know much about the different dimension, as I can only spend ten seconds there before being pulled back to my own reality.


    "If I moved there, I would have also moved in this reality, but not visibly."


    Ambrose had more questions about it, but he didn''t have time to ask him as there was something to do first.


    The water had already reached their knees, and the two yers were slowly moving towards them, trekking through the water.


    "We''ve suffered through the Wild Card. This ain''t nothing!" A loud-voiced yer angrily imed, and his teammate nodded angrily.


    Ambrose grabbed his crimson sword with both hands, but then the water started pouring rapidly, and almost instantly they were submerged.


    They looked surprised and saw the water reach the ceiling, filling the roompletely.


    Ambrose and Moriarty shared a nce and started to look around for any escape.


    However, at that moment, the loud-voiced yer lunged forward and slowly stabbed his sword through the water.


    Ambrose used the power of his muscles and blocked the stab with therge de of his crimson sword.


    ''What the fuck is wrong with him? They aren''t afraid of drowning? How can a few days in the Wild Card change someone so much that they''ve lost their mind?''

 Chapter 478 Great Crimson

    <h4>Chapter 478 Great Crimson </h4>


    ?Moriarty opened his eyes wide and looked around for any escape.


    ''In your ten.'' The knight''s soul spoke inside his mind.


    Moriarty turned his head slightly to the left and saw a door tucked away in a corner with a rusty key hanging from the doorknob. It was the only door in the room!


    He tapped Ambrose''s shoulder and pointed towards the tucked away door.


    Ambrose nodded in confirmation and focused his gaze on their opponents, as he doubted they would allow them to leave so easily.


    The loud-voiced yer ignored the eventual fate of drowning, and ragefully brought his sword down at Ambrose, but before it could reach the target, the crimson sword shed to the front, intercepting the attack with a swift parry.


    The other yer, named Chatter, rushed in towards Moriarty and swung his axe down like a lumberjack, aiming to cleave the log in half.


    Moriarty swiftly parried the axe with a rxed swing. However, that wasn''t all.


    In Chatter''s cheek, a small, bleeding scratch appeared, as if the parry had injured him somehow!


    Chatter grimaced for a moment but continued attacking.


    He and Moriarty began exchanging blows of steel.


    However, while Chatter pressured Moriarty more, staying on the offensive, Moriarty only parried and blocked while keeping himself stabilized below the water.


    Usually, that wouldn''t allow him to win any fight, but this time around, Chatter was the only one who received any sort of damage.


    ''I''ll never lose again. No matter how many opponents I have to face!''


    Moriarty''s facial muscles tightened, and he parried another one of Chatter''s attacks. This time around, he grabbed the spear with both hands and brought it down on the axe.


    Dum¡­


    A silent, echoing ng reverberated through the water.


    Chatter gritted his teeth as the powerful spear m rocked his axe-wielding arm. He couldn''t help but open his mouth to cough, and this caused water to rush in, filling his lungs.


    Moriarty masterfully twirled the spear around him and mmed the butt of the spear shaft into Chatter''s stomach, knocking the wind out of him.


    Chatter opened his mouth to gasp for air, but all that came out was a gurgling sound.


    The blow to the stomach sent him swimming backwards through the water and crashed into the wall behind him.


    Chatter gritted his teeth hideously as he couldn''t breathe and felt his consciousness slipping away from theck of oxygen.


    At that moment, Moriarty swam down towards him with spear in hand, and drove it straight through Chatter''s chest, ending his life in an instant.


    As he vanished into nothing but particles of pixels, Moriarty turned around to see Ambrose fighting against the loud-voiced yer, whose name was Sparkles.


    Ambrose blocked the relentless strikes with the crimson sword''srge de, but even he could feel his oxygen supply running out.


    He was quite surprised that Sparkles was still able to fight so fiercely despite using more air by attacking constantly.


    ''He must be a swimmer or diver in real life.''


    Ambrose came to that conclusion and then saw that Moriarty had finished his fight and was waiting for him near the door.


    However, Moriarty was also signaling with his bodynguage that he was ready to help if needed.


    Ambrose shook his head, as he didn''t think he needed any assistance.


    Moriarty nodded in understanding and respected his decision. He also wanted to see just what Ambrose was capable of doing with his full strength.


    His fight against Zahhak already made Moriarty very d that he chose him as his partner. However, Ambrose''s real strength was still unknown to Moriarty.


    Ambrose ced both his hands on the crimson sword''s handle and increased the muscle mass in his arms, causing them to bulge with power.


    ''Muscle Attack!''


    Ambrose shouted inwardly and faced the crazy-looking Sparkles.


    ''The first rounds would''ve been so easy if I only had my strength with me. Now that I have my strength with me, I can''t struggle against these nobodies.


    ''Great Crimson, explode with power!''


    Great Crimson, the sword in his hand, glowed slightly as Ambrose channeled his remaining energy into it.


    Sshes of fiery red erupted from the de, engulfing the surrounding area in zing red. It looked like the water had turned into a sea of fire.


    Sparkles narrowed his eyes and put his sword in front of him as he nned to tank the attack head-on.


    ''This is nothing against the terrors I faced to get here. Come on, I''ll tank the attack, and then do a counterattack that will make his head roll down from his shoulders!''


    Ambrose lifted the heavy sword above his head and cleaved it through the water with a force that sent ripples cascading in all directions.


    As the shockwave reached Sparkles, his eyes widened in fear as he realized this wasn''t the kind of attack that could be blocked.


    At that moment, the sword sh sliced through the water and decimated the water in a powerful disy of force. The water in the room got split in half, creating a wall of rushing currents that threatened to engulf everything in its path.


    In the middle of the room, there was now drynd that had been drenched only moments prior.


    The sword sh went through Sparkles and separated him in two. The two halves of Sparkles copsed on the drenched floor, lifeless and motionless.


    Ambrosended gracefully back on the ground with a cold look, and then, closed his eyes.


    The two walls of water that had been cut by him came rushing in and filled the room with water once again.


    Ambrose sheathed the sword, and swam through the current towards the door. There, Moriarty was already waiting, and after seeing him approach, he turned the rusty key in the lock and opened the door.


    At the same moment, all the water in the room poured out, taking Moriarty and Ambrose with them.


    They were swept away by the powerful current and eventually found themselves in another room. The water poured down into an enormous hole in the ground, disappearing into the depths below.


    "Ugh¡­" Ambrose coughed out water from his lungs and looked at the hole that was only a few meters from him.


    The hole separated the room in two, and currently, they were the only ones in the room.


    "I am drenched." Moriarty looked at his drenched clothes and groaned in displeasure, as it felt like he was dragging a ton of weight with each step.


    "Whew¡­" Ambrose sat down on the ground and squeezed the water off his clothes.


    Moriarty did the same and nced at Ambrose briefly, remembering the sight of the whole room getting cut in half. It was an incredible show of power.


    What frightened him was that he didn''t think that was even the full extent of Ambrose''s abilities.


    ''Luckily, he is on my side¡­''


    Moriarty thought and remembered the puzzle card. It was worrying him greatly, as he had thought about it for the past few days.


    ''A sh of two opposing wills. What can be the answer to that question¡­'' Moriarty nced at Ambrose and frowned. ''That cannot be the answer, or is it?''


    Ding, ding!


    At that moment, they heard two dings, and then the door on the other side of the room opened. Two yers, dressed in armor, stepped inside with smirks on their faces.


    It looked like they were happy after sessfully defeating their previous opponents and were clearly ready for the next challenge with their all-time high morale.


    Swoosh.


    Then, a countdown appeared on the wall. It was slowly ticking down, and ten minutes remained till it struck zero.

 Chapter 479 The Wild Card Story

    <h4>Chapter 479 The Wild Card Story</h4>


    ?"Ah, our new victims."


    One of the yers chuckled and got seated right in front of the hole, as if he didn''t fear falling down thousands of meters to the abyss.


    Ambrose and Moriarty shared nces andughed at their opponent''s foolish confidence.


    "Ah, was it that funny?" The yer chuckled. "I am afraid neither of you will beughing soon after."


    "I don''t get where your confidencees from." Ambrose said. "Because you defeated some nobodies easily? So what. You have no clue what we''re capable of doing, so I suggest you lower down the foolish confidence."


    "Thank you for the advice." The yer said sarcastically, "My name''s Godfraud, and my friend here is named Deimos. Have you heard of us?"


    Ambrose shook his head, as those names didn''t ring any bells.


    "I have." Moriarty spoke up, his voice dripping with amusement. "You two are quite infamous."


    "Haha." Godfraudughed dryly, "That we are. Now, are you afraid?"


    His friend, Deimos, sat silently beside him, a sinister smile ying on his lips.


    Ambrose lifted an eyebrow, still not understanding why they should be afraid of them.


    Moriarty, after seeing his expression, said:


    "Godfraud and Deimos both have a bounty of million on their heads. They were infamous for their abuse of NPCs. I''ve seen some of their videos before where they burn NPC viges to the ground andugh.


    "They are doing that only for fun and some views. It''s shocking that they aren''t banned yet from ForeverTube, but I suppose it is fine since killing NPC content is so frequent that it has be normalized.


    "They''re not treated as real beings, after all."


    "I see." Ambrose said coldly. "I still don''t understand why we should be afraid of you two."


    "Heh, did you not hear?" Deimos spoke out. "We have a bounty of a million, each of us."


    Moriarty chuckled and shook his head at their ignorance.


    "Well, congrattions, fool." Ambrose scoffed. "Let me introduce myself; I am Ambrose, the Most Wanted yer with a bounty of 2,4 million silvers."


    Godfraud''s and Deimos'' smiles faded away.


    They were proud of their high bounties, which increased their fame and gained even more subscribers on ForeverTube. However, they had heard rumors of a yer with over a two million silver bounty.


    They had also seen the bounty poster, but they thought it was NPC. They knew there was a yer named Ambrose, but he in the videos and the person in the poster looked so much different.


    "It seems someone has had stic surgery." Godfraud pped his hands mockingly.


    Deimos chuckled dryly and said, "Two million, so what? We''re still going to destroy you."


    "Sigh, foolish ignorance." Ambrose looked at Moriarty and said, "Are you going to introduce yourself?"


    "There''s no need for that." Moriarty chuckled.


    Godfraud narrowed his eyes as he could swear that he had seen Moriarty somewhere, but couldn''t quite wrap his finger around where.


    "You two¡­" Moriarty pointed at the two and asked, "You came from Wild Card?"


    "Yeah, and so what?" Deimos asked, "After what we suffered there, I am certain that


    yers from Wild Card are much stronger than the yers who just knew how to run fast."


    "What was the Wild Card?" Ambrose asked and looked at the countdown on the wall. "We still have eight minutes remaining. You might as well share the story."


    Godfraud shrugged his shoulders and said;


    "Fine.


    "We met some misty girl after we didn''t reach the finishing line in time during the first round. We were in about 10,500 positions and just narrowly missed qualifying for the next round.


    "That sucked!


    "We were teleported to some strange misty realm, met that strange girl there, who asked whether we wanted to join Wild Card or not.


    "Of course we did.


    "However, the first five days or so were quite chill. It was such a beautiful ce, and we mostly yed some ser there.


    "That suddenly came to a stop, and the beautiful world''s sky suddenly turned red as if the sky itself was bleeding. The misty girl returned and told us that we were going to be attacked soon and that we would have to defend that ce.


    "We realized that this was it¡ªthe start of the Wild Card.


    "However, that was the start of hell.


    "We were attacked, yes, but what we were attacked by was the shocking part."


    Ambrose and Moriarty listened intensely and saw Godfraud''s expression change as if he were reliving the moment inside his mind.


    "It was a fire-breathing dragon with scales as ck as night and eyes that glowed with a fiery rage.


    "We were able to use our real avatars, and most of the yers there were above level 70. Yet, we werepletely fucking helpless.


    "With each fire st, the dragon annihted everything in its path, reducing the world to


    ashes.


    "Whenever we tried attacking it, it fled to the skies, and its wings blocked the sight of the sun. It was a battle we were not prepared for.


    "Whenever some archers shot their arrows at the dragon, they merely bounced off its imprable scales, leaving us feeling utterly helpless.


    "We saw that it had a health bar, and that was on 100%. It didn''t really show the real health of the dragon.


    "However, no matter how much we tried, we couldn''t lower its health even by a single percent!"


    "How did y''all survive then?" Moriarty asked.


    "Heh." Godfraudughed. "Did you know that we were on Wild Card for three months?"


    "What?!" Ambrose and Moriarty eximed.


    "Yeah, fucking three months!" Godfraudughed angrily. "Fuck, I hate these game developers. They like to torture us, I am telling you!


    "It was three months for us, but much shorter for the outside world. In those three months, we were only able to sleep a few hours per night during the time when the dragon was taking a break from tormenting us!


    "In the end, the dragon was able to kill most of us without losing a single health, and after three months were over, the yers who survived were eligible to join the third round.


    "However, most yers simply gave up and logged out. But there were also some that wanted to still try in the third round, like us!"


    Deimos clenched his trembling hands and grinned. "This is why we''re confident in killing you two. We''ve suffered more than you two in your entire lifetime!"


    "No wonder our previous opponents were crazy." Ambrose chuckled.


    "What do you mean?" Godfraud asked with a frown.


    "We already defeated two Wild Card yers." Moriarty said and stood up from the drenched ground.


    "They must''ve been one of the Hiders." Deimos said with a scoff. "While some of us were Attackers, and fought the dragon till thest hours, there were some losers who went to hide instead!"


    "I see." Moriarty scratched his chin. "That''s indeed interesting. I also want to meet a dragon someday."


    "No, you don''t." Godfraud said sternly. "Dragons are World Killers. They bring destruction and chaos wherever they go.


    "They are immortal. They are unkible."


    ''Immortal, huh?'' Ambrose mused and crossed his arms over his chest.


    Moriarty looked towards the countdown, and without realizing it, the countdown was nearing its end. The story took longer than they expected.


    As the countdown reached zero, the hole in the ground closed in, and the ground began changing, with small hills, small rivers, and trees appearing from nowhere.


    At the wall behind the two teams, a strange goal materialized out of thin air. It looked like a goal used in ser.


    In the middle of the room, at the top of a small bridge that crossed over the small river, a ball appeared out of nowhere.


    "The randomized match is handball!"


    A voice sounded from invincible speakers.


    "The first team to reach three goals is victorious!"

 Chapter 480 The Game of Handball

    <h4>Chapter 480 The Game of Handball </h4>


    ?"A game of handball." Ambrose mused. "That''s another interesting one."


    Moriarty and Godfraud looked at each other and then sprinted forward. They ran and jumped over the small obstacles of nature and met each other on top of the white-railed bridge.


    The white handball was still untouched.


    Moriarty pulled out his spear, and as he thrust it forward, his well-toned arm extended alongside the spear.


    Godfraud pulled out a shield and blocked the spear. The spear rattled the shield with a loud ng, but it did not prate through.


    He then deflected the spear, letting it go past him, and then picked up the handball from the ground before tossing it backwards towards his own goal.


    Before it reached the goal, Deimos caught the handball in mid-air and started running towards the opponent''s goal.


    Moriarty narrowed his eyes, masterfully twirled the spear around him, and smashed it at the shield.


    Godfraud''s knees slightly buckled as the shield suffered the force of the spear, and then Moriarty sprang off the ground and kicked him square in the chest.


    "Grh¡­" Godfraud stumbled backwards and almost fell down to his chest.


    At this moment, both Moriarty and Godfraud realized that he didn''t lose any health. They realized that no one would lose their health in this game of handball.


    The only way to beat the opponent was to be the first to reach the three goals.


    Deimos ran past the trees and saw the goal behind some of the smaller hills that were barely waist-high.


    However, there was a goalie ahead, and his name was Ambrose.


    Ambrose stood in front of the goal and looked straight at the approaching Deimos. He was the only threat now, as Moriarty wasn''t allowing Godfraud to go past him.


    ''Who the fuck cares about his crazy high bounty!'' Deimos gritted his teeth. ''I''ll crush him. I am not known as Murder Deimos for nothing!''


    He screamed loudly, moved his arm behind him, and the handball in his hand started spinning rapidly.


    "The Death Whirlwind!" Deimos screamed and whipped his arm forward.


    The handball shot out of his hand and spun around with the power of the Death Whirlwind, increasing its destructiveness and speed.


    In normal circumstances, the handball would shred to pieces, but this one was clearly not made out of normal material.


    Ambrose stopped the handball with his bare hand, but the handball still continued to spin against his palm with an unsettling force.


    And then Ambrose squeezed the handball and forcefully stopped its spin. It was still smoking and emitting a faint smell of burning rubber.


    "Tch." Deimos clicked his tongue and cracked his knuckles.


    Ambrose bent his knees and sprang high into the air. Then he used Formlessness and started flying across therge room like a missile with the handball in hand.


    He saw the goal nearing in the distance.


    "He can fucking fly?!" Deimos cried out as he watched him fly by like a missile.


    "Oh, shit!" Godfraud used the shield and pushed Moriarty away from him.


    Then, he turned around and started running back to the goal.


    "No, you aren''t!" Moriarty reeled in his spear and threw it with lightning speed towards Godfraud.


    Godfraud looked over his shoulder and deflected the spear with the shield. The spear got deflected to the side and fell on the calm river surface with a soft ssh.


    He then rushed towards the goal and started goaltending, with one shield in hand and the other poised to p down any iing handballs.


    Ambrose flew towards the goal and saw Godfraud blocking most of the goal, but the upper corners were still vulnerable.


    He stopped in the air and hovered above the ground. Then he pulled out his crimson sword, tossed the handball into the air, and used the crimson sword as a bat to strike the handball with incredible force.


    The handball flew forward with tremendous speed, heading straight towards the right upper corner of the goal.


    Godfraud was about to attempt intercepting the handball with the shield, but then Moriarty rushed in with his now-soaked spear and stabbed it right towards him.


    "Tch¡­" Godfraud blocked the spear with his shield just in time, but he helplessly watched as the handball neared the goal.


    "Multi-Arm!" He shouted, and several arms shot out from his back, and they pped the handball away from the goal.


    Ambrose dropped down to the ground and picked up the handball before it fell into another river.


    "Keep him busy!" He shouted towards Moriarty.


    "No problem!" Moriarty raised his spear and started releasing a bunch of attacks.


    Godfraud desperately started parrying and blocking the strikes. They fought valiantly in front of the goal.


    Ambrose was ready to throw, but at that moment, Deimos came rushing in and tackled him to the ground.


    "Ngh¡­" Ambrose fell on his back to the ground and quickly rolled back onto his feet.


    "Give it back!" Deimos moved his hand towards the handball, trying to snatch it back from him.


    But Ambrose swiftly dodged his attempt and sprinted away with the handball clutched tightly in his grasp. He was heading straight to the goal again.


    Deimos chased after him, determined to stop him before he could score another point.


    "Moriarty!" Ambrose shouted, and before letting him react, he threw the handball towards him.


    Moriarty looked sideways towards the handball and looked surprised.


    ''Use your spear to smash it to the goal!'' The knight''s soul inside him shouted.


    Moriarty twirled the spear around and smashed it into the handball.


    He directed the handball just enough for it to soar past Godfraud''s head and into the.


    Ding, ding!


    On the wall, a screen appeared that showed the score.


    ***


    [Phoenix Quill - 1]


    [Vs]


    [High Bounters - 0]


    ***


    "Let''s go!" Moriarty shouted, pumping his fist in the air.


    Godfraud and Deimos gritted their teeth angrily.


    Ambrose smiled, and at that moment, he and Moriarty teleported back near their goal.


    And then, the white handball appeared back on the white-railed bridge.


    "That''s the way to go, I guess." Moriarty said. "Throwing straight to the goal won''t do anything. We need to start passing and use our abilities and weapons to outsmart our opponents."


    "Yeah, but they will now do the same." Ambrose said, and he saw that Deimos was already running towards the handball while Godfraud slowly followed behind him.


    They wouldn''t reach the handball in time before their opponents.


    "Let''s focus on the defense now." Ambrose said, "With both of us in the goal, they''ll never make a goal."


    Moriarty nodded and stabbed the spear in the ground in front of him, then stepped back to stand guard.


    Deimos snatched the handball from the ground and tossed it in his hand while slowly approaching them. He was whispering something to Godfraud.


    "Muscle Defense!" Ambrose''s muscles swelled like balloons, and he guarded over half of the goal.


    There was only a small amount of goal on the left side, and Moriarty was guarding it.


    At that moment, Godfraud ran past Deimos and ran towards the two goalkeepers.


    ''What''s he nning?'' Ambrose frowned.


    ''Do not underestimate them.'' The knight''s soul spoke inside Moriarty.


    "¡­" Moriarty narrowed his eyes.


    "Haaa!" Godfraud spread his arms around, and dozens of arms shot out from his back like branches of a twisted tree.


    He then swung his arms forward, and they smashed straight through Ambrose and Moriarty, slowly pushing them inside the goal.


    However, Ambrose didn''t flinch even the slightest, as during Muscle Defense, he was like a mountain.


    Moriarty summoned the spear back to his hand and sliced through the arms. The arms fell to the ground and turned into actual tree branches.


    However, at that moment, they heard a sound of beeping and saw the score on the wall turn 1-1.


    "What?" Moriarty''s eyes widened in shock and he turned inside the goal, where one branch was holding the handball.


    "Heh¡­" Godfraud grinned sinisterly, reveling in his sessful trickery.


    "Shit¡­" Ambrose moved the tongue inside his mouth with annoyance.

 Chapter 481 The Trickery

    <h4>Chapter 481 The Trickery</h4>


    ?"So easy, hahaha!" Godfraud gloated with a smug grin on his face.


    Deimos chuckled along.


    "Hmph." Moriarty grumbled, clearly annoyed.


    Ambrose crossed his arms in front of his chest and thought,


    ''When Godfraud ran past Deimos, they changed the handball carriers. Godfraud hid the handball in one of his dozen hands, and when he moved those arms towards us, the arm that was carrying the handball sneaked past us while we were upied with those other arms.


    ''A nicely nned trick.''


    Ambrose grumbled under his breath, but he agreed that Godfraud used his strange ability nicely.


    Deimos and Godfraud then appeared in their goal, and without further ado, they started rushing towards the white-railed bridge before the handball even appeared.


    Ambroseunched forward and used Formlessness to move at blitzering speed. He was clearly the fastest person in the room currently!


    At that moment, Deimos''s eyes shed with lightning, and he turned into silvery lightning.


    Then, like a bolt of lightning, he zigzagged through the air and neared the white-railed bridge with speed that surpassed even Ambrose!


    In that moment, the handball appeared at the center of the bridge.


    Ambrose puffed his chest and screamed. "Howling Rage!"


    An otherworldly scream sted out of his mouth and struck the lightning-covered Deimos right in the ear. He stopped mid-air and dropped back to the ground like a stone in the river.


    He was twitching and squirming, desperately trying to move forward, but couldn''t!


    Ambrose arrived at the white-railed bridge and snatched the handball from the ground.


    "Damn!"


    Deimos screamed, shook off the effects of the scream, and stood back to his feet. He red at Ambrose with anger. It was clear that he wasn''t very happy about the scream attack.


    Ambrose moved the handball in his hands, switching it from one hand to the other, a sly grin forming on his face.


    And then, when he was about to switch the ball from one hand to the other, he threw it harder on purpose and made the handball fly across the room.


    However, it wasn''t going towards the goal but instead left the side of the room, where there were nothing but bushes and a few trees.


    Deimos'' eyebrow jumped, but at that moment, he saw a figure appear from nowhere as if he had just teleported and snatched the ball from the air.


    It was none other than Moriarty, who used his Dimension Crossing powers to move across the room unnoticed!


    "Shit!" Deimos nned to rush towards Moriarty, but at that moment, a sword made of golden light stabbed the ground in front of him.


    Deimos came to an instant stop and looked towards Ambrose, who threw the strange sword. It was clear that he wasn''t allowing him to go anywhere.


    "Bothersome." Deimos clicked his tongue.


    Ambrose grabbed the crimson sword with both hands, and then the sword ignited in a fiery ze, and it turned into two shortswords.


    "Mm, can you handle my dual-wielding, I wonder?"


    Ambrose said with a slight smile.


    "Hmph." Deimos pulled out a pair of axes from his belt. "You''re not the only dual-wielder here."


    "Nice." Ambrose grinned. "This''ll be good practice when I eventually meet him on the battlefield."


    "Ha!"


    Deimos let out a war cry and leaped off the ground before bringing his axes down.


    Ambrose blocked the axes and deflected them to the side. The axes crashed into the ground with a thunderous impact.


    Deimos gritted his teeth and began smashing the axes at the crimson swords. The sparks flew like fiery fireworks as the sh of steel filled the air.


    Ambrose continued backing down as he effortlessly parried Deimos'' attacks. They backed off all the way to the white-railed bridge and continued there, exchanging blows of steel.


    They looked like they were dancing as they gracefully moved across the bridge, their weapons a blur of light and shadow.


    Deimos swung his left-armed axe down, just to barely miss Ambrose as he twisted his body out of the way. The axe smashed through the bridge and sent splinters flying into the air.


    Ambrose moved his swords over his shoulders and smashed them at the axe with explosive damage.


    Boom!


    Deimos gritted his teeth as an explosion suddenly struck his axe, and he was forced to slide backwards from the impact.


    At that moment, Ambrose moved forward using Formlessness, moving gracefully and silently through the bridge, and started delivering his own series of attacks.


    Deimos clumsily backed off while moving the axes to intercept the crimson swords, but he was no match for the pure strength of these attacks.


    In the end, Ambrose pushed one of the axes aside with a powerful swing and then stabbed the other sword through Deimos'' shoulder.


    Deimos gritted his teeth and was forced to drop his other axe as he couldn''t feel his shoulder anymore.


    ''I''ll lose if I''ll try to fight him head-on!''


    Deimos thought, and he raised his axe high above his head.


    At that moment, silvery lightning started twirling around the axe''s de.


    "The Lightning Axe Blow of Ninth Heaven!"


    The axe sted towards Ambrose with the incredible force of the lightning that electrified all the surroundings.


    "Howling Rage!" Ambrose screamed; a powerful shout left his mouth, and it struck Deimos in the chest.


    "Ugh!" Deimos stopped during his swing and stood still while suffering the stunning effect.


    He desperately looked at his opponent as he was so close to delivering his attack, but his body didn''t listen to him for some reason!


    "sh of the Six Worlds!"


    Ambrose crossed the swords in front of his chest and his muscles swelled with power. Then he smashed his swords down and the ground cracked beneath his feet, creating a shockwave that reverberated through the room.


    The swords devastingly shredded through Deimos and left nothing but a cloud of blood in their wake.


    Deimos'' body turned into a cloud of blood, and he vanished entirely from the room.


    "¡­" Ambrose slowly slipped his swords back inside the scabbards.


    ¡­


    Moriarty twirled the handball in his hand as he approached Godfraud, who was protecting the goal with several dozen arms poking out of his back. It looked like he was ten goalkeepers turned into one body.


    "You cannot make a goal." Godfraud said and stood his ground. "I ain''t letting you, even if it costs me my life."


    "I cannot be dragging him back, ever again." Moriarty pointed the handball towards Godfraud and squeezed it hard. "I''ll score this goal, no matter what."


    "Come on, then!" Godfraud screamed and summoned another dozen arms from his back. They looked like branches of a tall tree, and they were blocking almost the whole goal.


    "The Knight Army." Moriarty whispered under his breath.


    At that moment, over a dozen illusionary horses with knights riding them appeared behind Moriarty and started riding towards the goal like a stampede of wild animals.


    Godfraud''s eyes bulged in shock.


    "Onwards!" Moriarty screamed and ran ahead of the stampede, leading his knight army towards their ultimate victory.


    "Come oooon!" Godfraud screamed, and as the knights approached him, he shut down his eyes and waited for the inevitable collision.


    But then everything went quiet, and Godfraud couldn''t hear anything.


    Swoosh¡­ the illusionary knights and horses disappeared like a gust of wind.


    Ding, ding!


    "H-huh?" Godfraud fluttered his eyes open and saw the illusionary figures disappear, but then he heard the dinging noise and turned his head around to the goal.


    There, the handball was slowly rolling inside the.


    "H-how¡­"


    Moriarty stood beside the, his arm extended in between two of Godfraud''s arms. There was a big enough gap between the two arms to throw the handball through.


    While Godfraud closed his eyes and expected the horses to run over him, Moriarty simply put the handball in the, as he knew the illusionary horses weren''t able to damage anyone.


    It was a simple trick, but he managed to use Godfraud''s fear against him.


    "You''re not the only one who can trick others." Moriarty said. "2-1. One more, and you''ve lost."


    "Shit¡­" Godfraud looked sour.

 Chapter 482 The Winner

    <h4>Chapter 482 The Winner</h4>


    ?Ding, ding!


    After the familiar dinging sound, Ambrose and Moriarty appeared near their goal.


    In that same moment, Deimos appeared from the sh of light near Moriarty. He returned from death.


    "What happened?" Deimos asked with slightly bewildered expression.


    "They scored." Godfraud said coldly, "We cannot allow them to get their hands on the ball anymore. Go now, get the ball!"


    Deimos gritted his teeth and rushed forward, slowly turning back to his silvery lightning form. He then flew through the air and arrived at the white-railed bridge before anyone else.


    In that same moment, the white handball appeared on top of the bridge.


    Without further ado, Deimos snatched the handball from the ground, and turned his focus on their opponent''s goal.


    To his surprise, Ambrose and Moriarty was still standing at the goal in silence. They didn''t look like they had any intentions to get the handball, strangely enough.


    ''What are they nning?'' Deimos frowned with suspicious gaze.


    A whileter, Godfraud appeared at the same bridge, standing beside Deimos and looked ahead towards their opponents.


    "What do you think they are nning?" Deimos asked.


    "Who knows¡­" Godfraud replied with a shrug. "We have the ball, that is the most important thing."


    Ambrose and Moriarty crossed their arms as if they were waiting for their move.


    "Fine, let''s tie this game." Godfraud scoffed. "They will regret underestimating us."


    "What shall we do?" Deimos whispered.


    "I have an idea¡ª" Godfraud said at first, but then he saw their opponents to do something.


    Ambrose nodded to Moriarty.


    Moriarty showed a sly grin and vanished from his position like an undead ghost.


    "Where did he go?!" Deimos eximed.


    "Fuck, let''s score, now!" Godfraud shouted and rushed forward with his teammate.


    They didn''t want to let their opponents do any trickery; therefore, they just nned to attack, as there was only Ambrose to worry about.


    As long as they scored immediately, it didn''t matter what trickery their opponents nned to do.


    As Ambrose saw them approach, he whispered. "Ten seconds, huh? That''s not a lot of time."


    Deimos tossed the ball to Godfraud and then turned into a bolt of silvery lightning and shot forward with incredible speed.


    With a sh of lightning, he appeared in front of Ambrose and brought out his axes. Then he coated them with the silver lightning and smashed them down at Ambrose.


    Ambrose drew his dual swords and parried the axes, but then he saw Godfraud summon dozens of arms from his back, and one of them again took the handball, but he couldn''t tell which arm it was.


    At that moment, Ambrose opened his mouth wide as if he were about to shout.


    "Cover your ears!" Deimos screamed, dropped his axes, and plugged his ears with his fingers.


    ''Oh, he found out the weakness of the Howling Rage?'' Ambrose grinned and closed his mouth again.


    ''Eh, he didn''t scream?'' Deimos thought in surprise and then noticed that he had dropped his axes.


    His eyes widened in shock as he realized that he was now almost defenseless.


    Ambrose watched with amusement as Deimos scrambled to pick up his axes.


    ''Sorry, bud, you weren''t my target.'' Ambrose ignored Deimos, and moved past him with incredible speed while using Formlessness.


    He appeared in front of the path of the dozen arms.


    "You cannot stop me from scoring!" Godfraud proudly dered it and saw that the goal was within his grasp. He didn''t think, even for a moment, that someone could intercept his shot.


    "If I can''t stop this, can I even call myself a swordsman?"


    Ambrose lifted his swords and saw that there were around fifteen arms. One of them was holding the handball, but he couldn''t tell which.


    ''It doesn''t matter. None of these arms will reach the goal if I have something to say about it.''


    At that moment, he coated the des with his golden Inner Power, and shed around him as if he were a rolling beyde.


    The golden light spiraled out of his des and shed through Godfraud''s arms like a hot knife through fragile twigs.


    The arms dropped lifelessly to the ground and turned into the branches of a dying tree.


    At that moment, one of the branches dropped the handball to the ground, and it was only a few centimeters away from crossing the goal.


    But then Ambrose grabbed the handball from the ground and moved it in his hand with a yful smile.


    "Damn!" Godfraud cursed loudly and breathed heavily, as summoning so many arms was quite straining for his stamina.


    "Fuck!" Deimos rushed in, and tried to slice through Ambrose with his axes.


    However, Ambrose used Formlessness and retreated to the air with the handball in hand.


    "I am sorry, but we''ve won."


    "?!" Godfraud and Deimos looked to the ceiling, where Ambrose was hovering, and wondered what he meant by that.


    At that moment, Ambrose squeezed the handball hard and whipped his arm around with astonishing strength, throwing the handball across the room.


    ''It won''t reach our goal!'' Godfraud thought and was about tomand Deimos to rush towards the handball.


    But, at that moment, a figure emerged from nowhere and caught the handball from mid-air. It was Moriarty, who again used Dimension Crossing power to intercept the ball!


    "Thank you very much!" Moriarty grinned and, with a handball in hand, ran towards their opponent''s goal, which was only fifty meters away.


    "No¡­" Godfraud whispered. ''We were again tricked!''


    "Noooo!" Deimos screamed and turned into a bolt of lightning, trying to use his maximum speed to stop Moriarty from scoring.


    However, a sh made of golden light smashed straight through his lightning-covered body, and separated him in half.


    Deimos watched as he fell sideways to the ground, and he couldn''t feel his legs anymore. When he turned to look down, he realized that his upper torso was separated from his legs.


    His legs were still standing near the goal.


    "You''re not going anywhere." Ambrose hovered in the air like a god.


    Even though he was certain that Deimos wouldn''t be able to reach Moriarty in time, he didn''t want to take any risks.


    "Godfraud, go stop him!" Deimos screamed.


    "I''ll never reach him in time¡­" Godfraud said with a depressive-


    sounding voice. "We survived the dragon just for it to end here? Why¡­"


    "It won''t be over yet, no?" Ambrose said from the air. "Whoever gets defeated here will have the final chance in that underworld."


    Godfraud''s expression brightened up slightly after hearing that. He had forgotten about it.


    He then turned to look towards Ambrose and said, "We''ll meet you in the finals, and fucking kill you there. Don''t you fucking dare to lose before that."


    "Hmph." Ambrose grinned and slowly sheathed his swords.


    At that moment, Moriarty reached the goal, and with a smile on his face, he dropped the handball inside the.


    Ding, ding!


    ***


    [GOAL!]


    [Phoenix Quill - 3]


    [Vs]


    [High Bounters - 1]


    [The Winner: Phoenix Quill!]


    ***


    Deimos and Godfraud looked at the scoreboard, and then their bodies exploded into a cloud of blood.


    Ambrose and Moriarty looked around the room, wondering what was going to happen now.


    Then, spiraling stairs sprouted from the white-railed bridge and led straight to the ceiling, where a white door with a golden doorknob gleamed invitingly.


    Ambrose and Moriarty met near the stairs and slowly ascended the stairs.


    As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, they turned the doorknob and stepped through.


    After two matches, a good rest was very much needed, but they realized that there wasn''t going to be any rest during the third round. It was a challenge of endurance and stamina.

 Chapter 483 Attack and Defend

    <h4>Chapter 483 Attack and Defend</h4>


    ?Ambrose and Moriarty walked aimlessly down the long hallway, and they came across a door at the end.


    They reached the door, opened it, and entered the room for the new challenge.


    However, shockingly enough, they weren''t the first ones there.


    "Finally¡­" A yer rose up from the ground and turned to face them with a cold expression on his face.


    His teammate sat on the ground, fiddling with his toes while enjoying the moment of rest. But then, he also opened his eyes and turned to stare at their new opponents.


    At that moment, the holographic figure of the game master appeared in the middle of the room.


    His arms were folded behind his back, and he stood with a tall posture.


    "Wee, yers." The game master spoke and pointed towards the right. "Ambrose and Moriarty."


    Then he pointed to the left at their opponents.


    "Foxbreath and Penguinstrike."


    Foxbreath and Penguinstrike cracked their knuckles, and they looked vastly different from their time in the first round.


    In the first round, they were unconfident and nervous, but now all of their nervousness were gone, and they seemedpletely different as people.


    "This challenge is Defend and Attack." The game master said majestically. "The other team attacks, and the other team has to defend."


    As he finished saying that, a health bar appeared on top of both teams.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill - 100%]


    [Team: Icefire - 100%]


    "If you take damage, your team''s health will go down." The game master said: "Your health is linked to your teammate. When the percentage reaches zero, your team is dead."


    ''Hmm, sounds simple enough.'' Ambrose thought. ''I wonder if there''s something else to it. Any other rules, perhaps?''


    As if the game master heard his thoughts, he added, "Whoever defends from the team cannot attack, and the attacker for the next round must be the other teammate.


    "We''ll choose who starts with a coin toss. There''s a thirty second gap between each round, and you cannot attack before that, so prepare thoroughly."


    After saying so, the game master vanished, and a metallic gate separated the room in two. In the same moment, a countdown appeared on the wall that was stuck for thirty seconds.


    Then, a coin fell from the ceiling andnded on the ground with a clink. It turned to show a picture of a phoenix feather.


    "Phoenix Quill starts the first round!" The game master''s voice sounded from somewhere.


    The countdown started to slowly tick down from thirty seconds.


    "Who will attack first?" Moriarty whispered and eyed their opponents at the same time.


    Foxbreath pulled out his longsword, which had a curvy de and a hilt with small jewels embedded in it.


    Penguinstrike slipped a pair of gauntlets into his arms. They were metallic, and the fingers were adorned with sharp nails.


    "That gauntlet guy will probably defend." Moriarty whispered.


    Ambrose looked at the countdown, which was in the final ten seconds. They had to make the decision quickly.


    "I can attack."


    Ambrose said, and he fused his two shortswords into therge, great sword that looked like it weighed a ton.


    Moriarty nodded and stepped back to give Ambrose all the space he needed to make an attack.


    Ambrose lifted the great sword on top of his shoulder and fused the de with the golden Inner Power.


    ''I''ll try using sh of the Six Worlds¡­'' He thought and watched as the time ticked down slowly, only three seconds from reaching zero.


    Penguinstrike pped his gauntlets together and summoned a blinding burst of energy. He then extended his arms forward, opened his palms wide, and created a holographic shield that enveloped him and Foxbreath.


    "Your Magic Gauntlets sure areing to great use now." Foxbreath grinned.


    "Heh." Penguinstrike grinned.


    He discovered the Magic Gauntlets in the mystifyingnd of Skydream. It was located in the Dark Waters, and despite its name, the ind was far from dreamy.


    In there, he discovered the Magic Gauntlets in a magic cave, where he had to fight the gauntlet-wearing Knight to prove his worth and im them as his own.


    Tick, tick¡­


    The countdown reached zero, and another countdown started, slowly ticking down from five seconds.


    There were only five seconds to attack!


    At the same time, the metallic gate separating the two teams vanished.


    "sh of the Six Worlds!"


    Ambrose screamed and smashed the great sword at the holographic screen with ground-breaking might.


    Crack¡­ The holographic screen slightly cracked, but it barely survived the onught.


    "Hahaha¡­" Penguinstrike chuckled with slight nervousness, but inside, he was screaming in shock.


    ''How the hell did he make a crack in the Shield of the Dying Dreams? The knight told me it was the ultimate defensive ability of the Magic Gauntlets and shouldn''t be able to be broken!''


    ''What a powerful shield.'' Ambrose thought to himself, and he pulled back his great sword.


    "I am sorry." He looked at Moriarty and apologized.


    "It''s fine. I don''t think I could''ve broken through that shield either." Moriarty said, "Who will defend?"


    The metallic gate reappeared and separated the two teams again; at the same moment, the countdown reset and started to go down from thirty seconds.


    Ambrose looked at the health bar above their opponents, who were still in full health.


    "I am apetitive person. I won''t allow them to damage us either."


    Ambrose said and he cracked his knuckles with an audible crack.


    "Aight." Moriarty grinned and looked at their opponents. "The longsword guy will attack you now. It''ll probably be a sword-


    based attack, so maybe your muscle stuff won''t be as effective."


    Ambrose mmed his fist to his open palm, and started steaming like a kettle on a stove. In that moment, his skin turned red as if he were burning inside with a fiery inferno.


    "Crimson God''s Evesting Bloodbath!"


    Crack!


    The ground was shattered by his weight alone, and then his muscles started swelling, and he grew into an enormous muscle monster with red skin, as if he were on fire, and let out steam that filled the air with intense heat.


    "The Muscle Defense!"


    ''He used two skills at once¡­'' Moriarty narrowed his eyes, pressure hitting him like a sledgehammer. ''It must be extremely exhausting.''


    "Raaaah!" Ambrose let out a ground-shaking scream and put his arms in front of his body as a block. His biceps were the size of watermelons, bulging with power and veins popping out.


    The countdown slowly ticked down and soon reached zero. The metallic gate then opened up.


    Foxbreath stepped forward, and the longsword in his hand started burning with real, intense mes that seemed to dance and lick at the air around it.


    "The Infernonic!" Foxbreath screamed and smashed the sword straight at Ambrose''s waist, and the impact sent sparks flying in all directions.


    The mes shot out from the de and enveloped Ambrose like a nket of deathly heat.


    Even Moriarty had to step back because of the deafening heat, and he paled slightly, wondering just how much damage his teammate would suffer.


    As the mes faded away like a matchstick being extinguished, a muscr monster emerged from the fire, and seemedpletely unaffected except for the red skin that glowed with intense heat.


    "Whoo¡­" Ambrose released a cloud of steam from his mouth, and he grinned hideously. "We are even¡­"


    Moriarty widened his eyes in surprise and turned to check out their health bar.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill - 100%]


    They didn''t lose a single ounce of health!

 Chapter 484 Moriarty鈥檚 Skill

    <h4>Chapter 484 Moriarty''s Skill</h4>


    ?Ambrose let out steam from his muscr body, which made the entire room foggy and hazy. In the same moment, his muscles reduced in size, and his skin color turned normal from the previous fiery red.


    "Whoo¡­" He breathed out steam like a steam machine and felt his stamina recover at astonishing speed.


    In ordinary circumstances, using two skills simultaneously would drain the stamina at incredible speed, but that wasn''t a problem for Ambrose, as he could recover his stamina indefinitely.


    Ding.


    The metallic gate again reappeared to separate the room in half, and the countdown clock was reset. It started to tick down from thirty seconds once again.


    Foxbreath looked stunned.


    "How can he block my attack with just his body? It felt like I attacked a humanoid statue made out of steel, but it felt like his body was even stronger than steel!"


    "No problem, bro." Penguinstrike and again enveloped them behind the Shield of the Dying Dreams.


    It had visible cracks, but Penguinstrike didn''t think that the spear-wielding man would be able to do as much damage as his teammate.


    In his and Foxbreath''s opinion, they already had their own beliefs that Ambrose was the stronger one of the two. After all, he already attacked first and defended.


    They thought it was because Ambrose was clearly the stronger one.


    Now, since he defended, he couldn''t attack.


    Moriarty twirled the spear in hand.


    The spear''s sharp de narrowly missed the ground, and during the twirl, the de almost also touched the ceiling of the room, but again narrowly missed.


    He didn''t have any intention to hit the ground or the ceiling. It instead showed his expertise with the spear and his ability to control it with precision.


    In the wide world of Martial Online, there weren''t many yers who had as good weapon control as Moriarty. In that field, he was one of the strongest.


    There were only ten seconds left in the countdown clock.


    ''You know what attack to use, right?'' The knight''s soul spoke inside his mind. ''I have taught you the skill.''


    ''Yeah, I know.''


    Moriarty responded and then stopped twirling the spear. In that instant, his aura underwent a drastic change, and the pressure around him intensified.


    ''Oh?'' Ambrose''s eyebrow jumped, and he backed off slightly. ''That''s powerful aura.''


    Penguinstrike lowered his stance and held the holographic shield firmly in his hand.


    ''Come on! No one can break through my defense!''


    Moriarty moved his spear into a thrusting stance and leaned forward like a wild beast. Then, he moved his leg slightly forward, put all of his weight into that foot, and squeezed the spear''s shaft powerfully enough for it to creak under the pressure.


    Tick, tick, tick¡­


    The countdown clock reached zero, and the metallic gate disappeared yet again.


    "Raaah!" Penguinstrike pumped himself up with a powerful war cry.


    "Basic Stab."


    Moriarty whispered and thrust the spear forth in a very ordinary stance. It didn''t look threatening, even the slightest.


    ''This attack¡­'' Ambrose frowned. ''Is this one of the basic attacks? I think I''ve seen this attack before.''


    The spear glided through the air with ordinary speed and strength.


    It soon reached the territory of the Shield of the Dying Dreams.


    As soon as itnded straight in the middle of the holographic shield, where most of the cracks were, the spear went straight through the shield as if it didn''t exist andnded on Penguinstrike''s chest.


    "Ah!" Penguinstrike gasped in shock and looked down to see the spear''s de stabbing through his chest, blood pouring out and staining his clothes.


    "¡­"


    Moriarty pulled back the spear and left behind the spear de''s-sized hole in the Shield of the Dying Dreams.


    It was as if the holographic screen was made of ayer of fragile ice as it was broken so effortlessly, which made everyone wonder if the shield was malfunctioning or something.


    "Penguin!" Foxbreath screamed, and at that moment, he saw theirbined health dropping drastically.


    [Team: Icefire - 55%]


    The metallic gate separated the room in two again, and the countdown started to slowly tick down.


    "How did you do that?" Ambrose asked in disbelief, his eyes wide with astonishment.


    In that moment, he realized that he might''ve underestimated Moriarty''s capabilities.


    He didn''t think he was weak by any means, but this was ridiculous just how easy it was for him to break through the shield, which he couldn''t do.


    "It wasn''t about strength." Moriarty said and cleaned the blood off the de.


    ''It wasn''t about strength?'' Ambrose frowned and, soon, started realizing what he was meaning.


    ''Good job.'' The knight''s soul spoke inside Moriarty''s mind. ''You found the weakness and punished him.''


    Moriarty nodded with a calm look, as if he didn''t do anything special.


    In the first round of the challenge, Ambrose caused a great deal of damage to the shield. If he hadn''t done that, he would''ve been equally helpless.


    However, the Knight inside his mind had been teaching about identifying the weakness and about the ultimate defense.


    There was a weakness in the shield, thanks to Ambrose. Those cracks had a small gap between them, barely visible to the naked eye.


    Moriarty discovered it, stabbed right into that gap with the spear, and therefore was able to easily bypass the shield''s strongest capabilities.


    It was something that no one else would''ve been able to notice. Not even Ambrose.


    Even if someone did, they wouldn''t have been able to attack that small area that was barely the size of a grain.


    However, Moriarty was able to do so because his uracy and control with the spear were unmatched.


    It was a perfect situation for him!


    ''I have greatest control with Basic Stab.'' Moriarty thought. ''If I had tried using any of my more powerful skills, I might have missed the target.''


    "I''ll do the defense, if you don''t mind." Ambrose stepped forward with a smile on his face.


    "You do you." Moriarty nodded in agreement and stepped aside while thinking about the following round.


    He wouldn''t have to worry about the Shield of the Dying Dreams anymore, as it was broken.


    ''I guess I''ll use one of my stronger skills then.''


    On the other side of the metallic gate.


    "M-my shield¡­" Penguinstrike whispered in shock. "It was irrecable!"


    "Calm down!" Foxbreath screamed. "You still have better defensive capabilities than I do. So calm yourself, prepare to defend while I attack!"


    "O-okay¡­" Penguinstrike looked at his broken shield in pain, as he didn''t think he would be able to protect himself without it.


    "Crimson God''s Evesting Bloodbath and Muscle Defense!"


    Ambrose turned back into the muscr monster, with skin as red as a zing inferno. The steam danced around his enormous figure, emanating an intense heat that made the air shimmer with fiery energy.


    As Foxbreath saw the return of the muscle monster, he clicked his tongue in annoyance. He was truly shocked about how this creature managed to survive their previous encounter.


    In that moment, he had to agree that he didn''t think he had any chance of creating damage unless there was some kind of weakness.


    ''Is there weakness?'' Foxbreath frowned and scanned the muscle monster from head to toe.


    The countdown clock slowly ticked down, and there were only ten seconds left until the next round.


    Foxbreath realized that their team was in a very poor position right now. At first, he thought it would be an easy victory because of Penguinstrike''s powerful defense.


    Now, without the shield, he didn''t know how they would be able to survive.


    ''I guess there is no other choice than to use that¡­'' Foxbreath opened his inventory and pulled out a whistle!


    ''Whistle!'' Ambrose''s expression widened in shock.

 Chapter 485 The Defeat

    <h4>Chapter 485 The Defeat</h4>


    ?Foxbreath ced the whistle between his lips and blew it loudly.


    A scary, high-pitched sound came from the whistle, and then a cloud of red smoke shot out from the whistle.


    The red smoke gathered in front of Foxbreath and materialized into a figure with sharp horns and glowing yellow eyes.


    Its muscr frame looked like it was made out of volcanic rock. There was also scorching hot magma flowing around its body as if its veins were made of moltenva.


    The ground below the figure started to burn with ck smoke and then lit up with scarlet-red mes.


    "Hor, hor, hor!"


    The volcanic creature chanted the same thing over and over while pounding its chest with its magma-covered fists.


    Foxbreath and Penguinstrike retreated from the magma figure as they couldn''t stand being near the intense heat radiating from it.


    "What the hell is this creature?"


    Moriarty asked in surprise.


    He knew it was possible to summon creatures from the Dark Continent, but he hadn''t heard about races like this before.


    ''It must be some kind of Magma Demon.'' Ambrose thought and sweated quite a bit because of the heat.


    ''If the creature is even near the strength of Yughragh, I''ll be in trouble.''


    He thought for a moment about summoning Yughragh, but he was a very unpredicable creature. There was a chance it would turn on him instead of helping.


    ''I also made a deal that I should summon him once I am back in the Light Continent. I didn''t, as I didn''t want to do that when I was near any popted ces, so he might be pissed about it.''


    The countdown clock reached zero, and the metallic gates vanished from the room once again.


    "Hor!"


    The volcanic creature turned its gaze towards the muscle monster and let out a deafening roar.


    After the powerful roar, it started running towards him, leaving behind a trail of smoke and fiery footprints.


    Ambrose quickly drew his Great Crimson from its sheath and moved it in front of him. It was much easier to wield the great sword in his current state, as his physical strength was now near its peak.


    The volcanic creature lifted its magma-covered fist and threw an ordinary-looking punch that didn''t seem that strong.


    Ambrose quickly moved the great sword to intercept the punch and wondered whether the creature wasn''t that strong after all.


    However, at that moment, the magma-covered fist connected with the sword, instantly melting it into a pool of molten metal.


    "What?!" Ambrose looked frightened as he watched his new sword get destroyed so soon after its creation!


    ''It had been barely a week!''


    As he was upied by his shock, the magma fist struck him in the chest and sent him flying across the room.


    "Aaaargh!"


    Ambrose, during his flight, saw his body burning in the scorching mes like he was touched by the sun itself. Then he crashed into the wall and slumped to the ground, nearly unconscious and severely injured.


    "Ambrose!" Moriarty screamed with a frightened expression.


    In that moment, he looked at the volcanic creature and saw its yellowish eyes turn to look at him.


    "W-wait¡­ Isn''t the round already over?"


    The volcanic creature raised its magma-covered fist with a hideous grin and was about to throw it, but then the countdown clock reached zero.


    Before the creature could throw another punch, it vanished into a cloud of red smoke and was sucked back inside the whistle.


    Then, the metallic gate appeared again.


    "Hahaha!"


    Foxbreath and Penguinstrikeughed gleefully as they looked at their opponent''s health.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill - 5%]


    Moriarty rushed to Ambrose''s side and helped him to quench the mes that were engulfing him.


    After the mes were gone, Ambrose''s muscr state was gone, and half of his body was badly burned from the fire. It was clear that, without any medical potions or pills, he wouldn''t be able to continue!


    "Damn it¡­" Ambrose whispered to himself, feeling defeated and helpless.


    Usually, he would be able to fight even if his arms were chopped off and half of his body was blown to pieces.


    But there was something about the volcanic creature''s punch thatpletely shattered his body.


    He couldn''t even move his finger without feeling like there was some kind of invincible power stopping him from doing so.


    In his current state, he couldn''t stand up, let alone help Moriarty in the uing rounds.


    "Can you stand?" Moriarty asked.


    "Nah¡­" Ambrose whispered with great difficulty. "S-sorry, but y-


    you''ll have to finish this yourself¡­"


    Moriarty nodded and stood up, about to return to start preparing for the uing rounds.


    "Y-you have one round to finish this¡­" Ambrose said behind him and coughed heavily. "A-after next round, when you d-defend, ording to rules, y-you can''t attack."


    "I understand. Leave this to me." Moriarty nodded and approached the metallic gate with a silent expression on his face.


    "This has been won." Penguinstrike fist-pumped with Foxbreath. "That creature of yourspletely destroyed that guy. He can''t do anything after this."


    "Yeah¡­" Foxbreath chuckled. "This time, that magma freak didn''t kill us. That''s the first time."


    "Yeah¡­" Penguinstrike wryly smiled as he expected the magma creature to attack them first.


    "Now, you''ll only have to defend." Foxbreath said and patted his friend''s shoulders. "Just survive this round, and we''ve won."


    "I got this."


    Penguinstrike said with a smile and approached the metallic gate. He then ced his gauntlets in front of his body and activated one of his defensive skills.


    The skill created anotheryer of defense around the gauntlets.


    Foxbreath crossed his arms with a slightly nervous expression as he watched from the sidelines. He was quite afraid of this Moriarty guy after seeing what he was capable of doing.


    The countdown clock slowly ticked down, and soon it reached zero.


    The metallic gate again disappeared like a fading cloud.


    Moriarty grabbed the spear with both hands and moved it over his shoulder into a very wide-looking shing stance.


    ''You know what to do.'' The knight spoke inside his mind.


    ''I have a n.'' Moriarty said.


    And then he shed the spear down towards his opponent''s gauntlets.


    Penguinstrike gritted his teeth and blocked the spear with his gauntlets. But the force of the blow sent him stumbling backward.


    Still, as soon as he stopped stumbling, he noticed that he didn''t lose a single ounce of health.


    ''W-what?'' Ambrose watched that happen with a shocked expression. ''Moriarty¡­ what are you¡­''


    "Hahaha!" Foxbreathughed loudly. "That''s it?!"


    "Heh¡­" Penguinstrike chuckled nervously, but when he looked at his gauntlets, he saw that they were also broken and in desperate need of repair.


    ''Was that final ''fuck you'' from him to us?'' Penguinstrike angrily looked at Moriarty.


    ''He must''ve realized that they can''t win no matter what, so he decided to break my weapon instead so that uing challenges will be much harder for us.


    ''What a fucking dickhead!''


    Moriarty pulled back his spear and twirled it casually in his hand.


    "I''ll finish him off." Foxbreath said with a confident smirk and approached the metallic gate that just reappeared.


    The countdown clock started to slowly tick down.


    "¡­" Moriarty silently turned to look at his spear, tightening his grip.


    Ambrose struggled hard, but eventually, managed to stand up with great difficulty.


    ''H-he can''t attack next round, s-so I''ll have to¡­''


    Ambrose thought, but if they wanted to have any chance of victory, he would also have to defend the round afterwards if Moriarty somehow survived the uing round.


    However, there was a single chance for Ambrose to survive his defensive round in his current state. If he miraculously did, Moriarty would have had another chance to finish the match.


    But it seemed impossible to reach that point.


    ''With defense, Moriarty can''t win this match!''

 Chapter 486 Cheater

    <h4>Chapter 486 Cheater</h4>


    ?Tick, tick, tick.


    The countdown clock neared the zero mark.


    Foxbreath moved into his shing stance with a confident smirk on his face.


    ''Only 5 percent. Easy peasy~''


    Foxbreath opened his mouth and breathed fire into the de. The longsword''s de glowed with intense heat.


    "You can do it, bro!" Penguinstrike cheered from the sidelines. ''Destroy that dickhead!''


    Moriarty twirled the spear around, grabbed it with both hands, and moved the spear to a defensive stance.


    Foxbreath held the longsword with a smile on his eyes and side-eyed the countdown clock that neared the zero mark.


    Three seconds¡­


    Two seconds¡­


    One second¡­


    Ding.


    The metallic gate disappeared, and the countdown clock showed five seconds.


    "The Ironic Soul Split!"


    Foxbreath dashed forward and swung the longsword down with straight line precision.


    "¡­"


    Moriarty squinted his eyes and slowly intercepted the longsword with the side of the spear, their weapons shing in a shower of sparks.


    ''It''ll go straight through!''


    Foxbreath''s eyes glowed sinisterly, and he was about to force more power into his strike, but Moriarty abruptly twisted his spear, causing Foxbreath''s longsword to veer off course.


    The countdown clock reached the three-second mark.


    Foxbreath gritted his teeth and was about to sh again. He didn''t care that his attack was redirected away, as his attack was designed to also hit Moriarty from a different angle.


    But, at that moment, a shower of blood filled his vision as a deep gash appeared on his chest.


    "What?!" Foxbreath screamed in shock and staggered backwards, clutching his bleeding chest.


    The metallic gate appeared again and closed with a resounding ng, trapping Foxbreath on the other side.


    "Y-you cheated!"


    Foxbreath screamed and looked around the room, as if he were looking for cameras.


    "He cheated! He attacked even though he was on the defense! He should be disqualified!"


    "Fucking cheater!" Penguinstrike shouted angrily.


    Ambrose looked from the back of the room and smiled. ''He didn''t attack.''


    Swoosh!


    A holographic figure appeared in front of Foxbreath with his arms folded behind his back and a cold expression on his face.


    "Disqualify him! He cheated!" Foxbreath screamed, spit flying from his mouth.


    The game master waved his hand, and a holographic screen appeared. It reyed Foxbreath attacking and Moriarty deflecting the strike.


    That was all he did.


    He veered off the longsword and stood rooted on the ground without moving an inch.


    "U-uhh¡­" Foxbreath put his arms wide and showed his bleeding chest. "Look. I am bleeding, and he clearly attacked me! I don''t know how, but they should be disqualified!"


    "yer Moriarty didn''t do anything against the rules." The game master said calmly. "He didn''t attack. He simply defended, which happened to hurt you in the process."


    "That''s bullshit!" Foxbreath screamed in frustration. "Isn''t this tournament supposed to be fair, huh? What do you think will happen if I share the news about Graham Loch epting


    cheating!"


    "You must be mistaken."


    The game master nudged something up his nose as if there were sses, but there clearly weren''t, telling about his habit of nudging up his sses.


    "I am not Graham Loch." The game master said: "I am just one of thousands of game masters. Mister Graham is far too busy to be overseeing thousands of matches that are happening simultaneously."


    "I don''t care!" Foxbreath screamed. "You''ll get fired after this shit goes public!"


    "yer Moriarty didn''t do anything against the rules." The game master said coldly and narrowed his eyes. "Continue, or you''ll be the one that gets disqualified."


    He then snapped his fingers and vanished from the room.


    The countdown clock started to tick down once again from the thirty seconds.


    "Fuck!"


    Foxbreath frustratingly stomped his foot on the ground and hatefully looked at Moriarty.


    "These fucking cheaters!" Penguinstrike hatefully red at Moriarty.


    Moriarty didn''t change his expression and headed back to Ambrose.


    "Good job¡­" Ambrose grinned and checked their opponent''s health bar.


    [Team: Icefire - 19%]


    "You''re attacking next." Moriarty said and crossed his arms. "You don''t need to attack if you can''t."


    "I''ll try to deal at least one percent of damage." Ambrose struggled to walk.


    "Attack the guy without a weapon."


    Moriarty said and turned to look at Penguinstrike with a smile.


    "I destroyed his weapon, so he shouldn''t have much defensive capabilities."


    "So, that''s why you destroyed his weapon and didn''t try to damage him."


    Ambrose said and chuckled.


    "Yeah." Moriarty chuckled. "That guy is probably pissed."


    "I''ll do my best to anger him more." Ambrose said and slowly limped towards the metallic gates.


    "I can''t really defend." Penguinstrike whispered to his teammate. "That fucker destroyed my gauntlets."


    "That injured fuck will attack now, though." Foxbreath said. "He can''t do much damage."


    "That''s true¡­" Penguinstrike nodded. "So, I''ll defend and you''ll destroy that cheating fuck next round."


    "That is the n," Foxbreath said with a sinister smile.


    As the countdown reached the final second, Ambrose finally arrived near the metallic gate.


    Then, the countdown clock reached zero, and the metallic gate vanished.


    ''I can''t lift the Great Crimson in my current state.''


    Ambrose thought and realized he had a very limited amount of abilities he could use. He couldn''t use any that needed mobility and strength from his part, which was basically all.


    Luckily for him, there was one skill that he could use.


    Ambrose created a small knife on top of his hand. It was fully made out of golden light, and it glowed with a faint, ethereal shimmer.


    Penguinstrike raised his fists in a defensive stance and angrily hmphed.


    "Take this." Ambrose smiled and sent the golden knife flying towards Penguinstrike.


    ''That''s it?'' Penguinstrike narrowed his eyes and evaded the knife easily.


    ''What''s the trickery this time?'' Penguinstrike thought suspiciously.


    However, Ambrose folded his arms behind his back and stood casually without any intention to resume acting.


    ''I suppose they are just ignoring the attack and focusing on cheating in the defense.''


    Penguinstrike thought mockingly, but at that moment, he felt many sharp objects stab into his back.


    "Look out!" Foxbreath screamed anxiously.


    "What the fuck?!" Penguinstrike looked at his back, and there were many golden knives embedded in his flesh.


    Ambrose did something with his fingers, and then several golden knives appeared around Penguinstrike, floating around him likes around the sun.


    "Shit!" Penguinstrike desperately tried to defend himself.


    However, when the knives were about to fly down, the countdown reached zero, and the metallic gates appeared. It caused the knives to disappear into thin air.


    "Shit!" Penguinstrike looked at their health bar and felt depressed.


    [Team: Icefire - 12%]


    "Can''t you do anything except cheat?!" Foxbreath angrily punched at the metallic gate. "You two are nothing but cheats and trickery!"


    "Without the magma creature, we would''ve already destroyed you."


    Ambrose said coldly.


    "Don''t act tough. I wasn''t reduced to this state because of your strength. Do not act strong when you are not."


    Foxbreath gritted his teeth angrily and mmed his fist on the bar. "Fuck you! I would destroy you one-versus-one, whenever and wherever!"


    "All right." Ambrose grinned. "Amaterasu, Immortal Dojo. Come at any time. I''ll entertain you."


    "I will!" Foxbreath kicked at the metallic gate and walked away in frustration.


    "Hmph¡­" Ambrose watched him leave and walked back to Moriarty with a limp in his step.


    ''The same thing could be said to me when I used Yughragh summon whenever I was put in a tight spot. I thought I was already strong, but the magma creature again opened my eyes.


    ''There is still a long way to go.''

 Chapter 487 Mantra of Ayl

    <h4>Chapter 487 Mantra of Ayl</h4>


    ?"Good job."


    Moriarty said and high-fived Ambrose.


    Ambrose, after high-fiving, sat down on the ground and sighed heavily.


    "I''ll leave it to you."


    "Nn." Moriarty nodded and approached the gate with a serious gaze.


    As he stepped closer to the gate, his aura again became overwhelmingly intense.


    "I am sorry, shit¡­" Penguinstrike muttered to Foxbreath with a defeated look.


    "I''ll finish this." Foxbreath said seriously. "I don''t know what trickery that bastard used, but I''ll win!"


    "Good luck; you can do it!"


    Penguinstrike cheered him on and went to stand by the sidelines, watching Foxbreath with a mix of hope and worry.


    Foxbreath stopped and took a deep breath. His shoulders tensed, and his hidden muscles rippled.


    His fingers wrapped around his longsword''s hilt and squeezed tight.


    The longsword trembled in his grip as if it were vibrating like a tuning fork.


    ''What is the trick behind the cheating?''


    Foxbreath wondered inwardly as he stared through the metallic gate''s gaps to see Moriarty standing on the other side with the spear in hand.


    ''When he veered off my sword, my side was exposed a lot.


    ''But how did he manage to strike me? The video showed that he didn''t move an inch, unless it was his soul ability!


    ''I have heard that there is a soul ability that can freeze time for a very small time. If he did that, he would''ve been able to strike me without video recording it!''


    Foxbreath''s eyes squinted as he realized that was a very good possibility. However, he wasn''t sure how he could counter that.


    ''He masked the attack as defense, so he must use the time-frozen ability when he deflects my attack. I now know the timing of when he''ll try to attack.


    ''As long as I somehow manage to block his attack, I can expose his cheating!


    ''However, but how do I do that?''


    Foxbreath turned to the countdown clock, which had only ten seconds left!


    He gritted his teeth and felt his sweat trickle down his face as his mind raced like a Form One car. He had to think fast ande up with a n before time ran out.


    ''I now know how!''


    Foxbreath''s smile grewrge, his cheekbones rising as he discovered an brilliant solution.


    ''A long-range attack, that''s it!


    ''His time freezing ability can''tst long; otherwise, it''s absurdly overpowered.


    ''There must be a time limit, and I think it is only a second or two.


    ''That''s not a lot of time, but because I was so close to him, he managed to slice me and return to his previous frozen stance.


    ''In the camera, it looked like he didn''t move at all because of that.


    ''However, if I attack from far enough, he has to first attack me and try to return to his previous position. There''s no way that he can do that in mere seconds if I attack from afar.


    ''Checkmate, fucker!''


    Foxbreath leaped backwards, distancing himself from the metallic gate, and then moved his longsword into a stabbing stance.


    The de of the longsword started burning with glorious mes.


    "What are you doing, bro?" Penguinstrike asked in confusion.


    "I''ll expose this fucker for cheating. Just stand aside. This will be our victory." Foxbreath said confidently.


    Penguinstrike''s eyes widened in surprise, and even though he didn''t know where his confidence came from, his lips still turned into a slight smile.


    On the other side of the metallic gate, Moriarty saw him retreat and saw that he was nning for a long-range attack.


    "¡­"


    Moriarty stayed silent and twirled the spear around, putting it right in front of his body with the de pointing straight to the ceiling.


    At that moment, he started spinning the spear around with incredible speed, creating a gush of wind that threatened to knock everyone off bnce.


    ''Spinning your weapon doesn''t matter, cheater.'' Foxbreath thought with a smirk. ''You''ll get exposed!''


    At that moment, the countdown clock reached zero, and the metallic gate disappeared.


    "Raaaah!" Foxbreath stabbed his longsword through the air. "Breath of the Inferno!"


    Golden mes dashed out of the longsword''s de and flew straight towards the spinning spear, engulfing the air in a fiery ze.


    Moriarty narrowed his eyes, took a single step forward, and smashed the spear against the golden mes, still spinning the spear against the mes.


    The gush of wind fought against the golden mes, but they were clearly not enough to extinguish the zing inferno.


    The golden mes tried to break through the spear, but it wasn''t really sessful.


    However, a few burn marks appeared on Moriarty''s face from the intense heat.


    "Argh¡­"


    His health started to slowly drop.


    On the other side of the room, Foxbreath tensed up.


    ''He is going to attack me about anytime now!''


    At that moment, Moriarty twirled the spear around and shed through the golden mes with a swift and precise motion.


    The golden mes dissipated into thin air, leaving behind a trail of sparkling embers.


    "Ngh¡­" Moriarty touched his slightly burned cheek and checked their health.


    [Team: Phoenix Quill - 2%]


    ''That was close.'' He thought with a relieved sigh.


    Then, the countdown clock got reset, and the metallic gate appeared again.


    ''He didn''t attack me?'' Foxbreath thought in shock and thenughed. ''I guess he must''ve realized that he would''ve gotten caught. A cheater and coward as well!''


    Penguinstrikeughed happily. "You did it, bro!"


    "Hah, this is our victo¡ª"


    Foxbreath was about to proim arrogantly, but then a long, stretching wound appeared across his chest. It was deep and bloody, causing him to fall down on his knees.


    "H-h-how¡­" Foxbreath coughed out blood and looked towards Moriarty with a look of shock and disbelief.


    His vision was so blurry, perhaps because of his tears, but he couldn''t see Moriarty properly, except that he was currently walking further away from him.


    "Bro!" Penguinstrike screamed in shock.


    "How¡­" Foxbreath whispered, and he felt warm tears stream down his cheeks.


    "T-this cannot end here. Not like this."


    Foxbreath gritted his teeth in pain and shouted with blood-


    covered teeth.


    "How! Answer me, how did you do this?!"


    Moriarty stopped walking and turned to face Foxbreath without a single smile on his face. He looked very stern and serious, as if he wasn''t ying around anymore.


    "The ultimate defense," Moriarty said.


    "T-the ultimate defense?" Foxbreath whispered in confusion. "What does that mean..?"


    Moriarty turned to face Foxbreath, and in that split second, there was an unknown figure standing behind Moriarty, dressed in knight''s armor, who looked tall and imposing with a broad back and a helmet with a menacing visor.


    Moriarty raised a finger, which was pointing towards the ceiling, and looked like a hero from ancient tales of valor and bravery. The figure behind him also pointed towards the ceiling.


    And the figure started to say something, but those words came straight out of Moriarty''s mouth.


    "The ultimate defense is something that makes others not want to attack you. If there is a defense that cannot be broken through, then why would anyone want to waste their time and energy trying to attack in the first ce?


    "This is the Mantra of Ayl.


    "If you want to find out what the ultimate defense is, visit Ayl and discover it yourself."


    Moriarty sheathed the spear on his back and walked away with an imposing aura.


    "Ayl¡­"


    Foxbreath whispered, and at that moment, he and Penguinstrike exploded into a cloud of blood and vanished from the room.

 Chapter 488 The Strongest Pt. 1

    <h4>Chapter 488 The Strongest Pt. 1</h4>


    ?Moriarty offered his shoulder to Ambrose, and they then left the room through another door.


    They entered another empty room, and this time around, they were the first ones there.


    "I suppose we need to wait now." Moriarty said, and he helped Ambrose sit down.


    As Ambrose muttered in annoyance that his injuries would hinder their progress, suddenly a glow of lightnded from the ceiling and engulfed him in a warm, healing embrace.


    Surprisingly enough, all of his injuries vanished without a trace, leaving Ambrose in awe of the unexpected miracle.


    "Whew, thank god¡­" Ambrose scratched the back of his head with a chuckle, and turned to look at his teammate. "The ultimate defense, huh?"


    "Are you curious as well?" Moriarty asked with a smile.


    "Yes, but I know it''s not something that should be spread willingly." Ambrose said. "Everyone should have their trump cards hidden deep. I am still surprised that you told that guy."


    "¡­"


    Moriarty shrugged his shoulders.


    It was not that he wanted, but the knight soul inside his mind convinced him to do it for whatever reason.


    "It won''t be easy to discover the truth about the Mantra of Ayl, anyway." Moriarty said. "The ce alone is difficult to discover because it is a former kingdom that was destroyed a long time ago."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded.


    Still, Ambrose couldn''t help but think about the trick behind Moriarty''s incredible defense.


    He knew that it wasn''t an attack-based skill because the game master would''ve disqualified him otherwise.


    It was clearly something defense-rted.


    ''I think I saw him use that before. Whenever he got attacked and deflected the strike, his opponent was the one that received damage.''


    Ambrose scratched the back of his head and wasn''t sure whether it was any skill either. Whenever it happened, Moriarty had his mouth closed.


    ''It could be some passive skill that activates only when he deflects someone''s attack.''


    Ambrose pondered over the possibilities but couldn''te to a definite conclusion.


    Moriarty rested against his spear while waiting for the next challenge to start.


    As the time moved like a knife, drawing a slow, agonizingly suspenseful line, the door at the end of the room finally opened.


    Moriarty and Ambrose turned towards the door and saw a dark interior illuminated by a single flickering candle.


    At that moment, the candle died down, and pressure that felt like a tidal wave struck them both at once.


    "What the hell?" Moriarty''s back was instantly covered in a cold sweat.


    Ambrose gulped dryly and pulled out his Great Crimson sword without a single hesitation.


    They both realized that their opponents were far more powerful than they had anticipated.


    In that moment, two people stepped through the door that closed immediately after they entered the room.


    "Y-you¡­" Moriarty''s eyes widened in shock as he recognized the two individuals who had just walked in.


    However, one of them took all of Moriarty''s attention, and his heart started racing with fear and nervousness. It was something he hadn''t felt in a long time.


    "It''s them¡­" Ambrose narrowed his eyes, sweat rolling down his face.


    ''In the sauna, I didn''t feel their pressure as they intentionally kept it inside them. But now, they are clearly in their battle stance, and their pressure is indeed suffocating!''


    "Ohoho, look who it is."


    A crystal-haired man with a mischievous grin looked at them with a glint of amusement in his eyes. He had a dainty nose with a soft countenance, and his face was one of the most famous in this time and age.


    He was none other than Zadkiel, the world''s biggest streamer!


    "¡­" Julian stood beside him and stared straight at Ambrose.


    His expression looked cold and unfazed, but his heart was also racing with nervousness.


    This was what he had dreamed of happening.


    The waiting part was the most annoying part for him, because as soon as he saw Ambrose in the waiting facility, he wanted to fight him!


    He thought he had to wait until the finals, which wasn''t going to happen any time soon. However, it looked like the gods had blessed him.


    "Zadkiel." Moriarty said hatefully.


    However, he hated himself more as he felt fear, which he didn''t want to feel when he finally met with Zadkiel.


    He had dreamed of this moment for a long time, when he could finally defeat Zadkiel and prove himself as the ultimate victor. Now, the chance hade, but his mind was fighting against him, flooded with doubts and insecurities.


    ''Calm down. Don''t feel fear, or you''ll lose!''


    Moriarty gritted his teeth so hard that they almost cracked.


    "Moriarty, Moriarty." Zadkiel grinned in amusement. "This is fun!"


    "Ambrose." Julian nodded.


    "Julian." Ambrose nodded back and breathed heavily. ''He is strong. So fucking strong.''


    ¡­


    Martial Company''s broadcasting agency.


    "Hahaha, this is insanity!"


    A sharp-haired man jumped in joy as he saw what happened on one of the screens. He was literally shaking in excitement and couldn''t stand still for a single moment.


    The other workers didn''t mind their boss''s behavior, as they had gotten very used to his entric behavior, but even they could barely stand still.


    There was arge wall with hundreds of screens mounted on it. They were all camera angles for the tournament, and they were the ones responsible for choosing what scene to show in the main broadcast.


    The workers typed something on the keyboard, and one of the screens was instantly disyed at the center of all the screens. It was also simultaneously disyed on the main broadcast, showing to all households.


    "I couldn''t believe this luck, hahaha!" The sharp-haired man looked at the scene with loudughter.


    "Zadkiel is the world''s biggest streamer and one of the most famous faces in the world. He was also widely recognized as one of the strongest yers to have ever lived!


    "Julian is widely recognized as the strongest yer of our lifetime. No matter what game he had yed, whether it was VR, an ordinary mobile game, or a PC game, he had always been the best!


    "He is a man with the greatest talent in video gaming¡ªhe is literally the God of Games!


    "Moriarty is the fifth ranked streamer in the world with one of the biggest onlinemunities. He is currently the richest student in the entire world and shows no signs of slowing down!


    "Ambrose, the monster that defeated Zahhak single-handedly, and he is currently the yer with the highest bounty in the entire game.


    "This match-up makes my blood pump with excitemeeeeeeeent!"


    ¡­


    Rothsmith Estate.


    "My god¡­" Anna covered her mouth in shock. "I-I think I''ve seen some of their faces before."


    "Fuck¡­" Jack cursed, which was very uncharacteristic of him. "Julian and Zadkiel. They are considered to have already won the tournament. There are not many teams that can contest them."


    "Oh no¡­" Emma looked at the television screen, her eyes filled with worry. "Are they stronger than my brother, though? I think he is strongest!"


    "Jesse had already shown his strength, but his opponents are monsters."


    Jack said with a serious look.


    "Zadkiel''s and Julian''s worth was so great that even the Rothsmith family couldn''t make a deal with them, as it was beyond our capabilities."


    ¡­


    Moriarty''s family watched the television screen and were having a good time while eating some snacks and drinking beverages.


    "Zadkiel should win this, right?" Moriarty''s mother said while eating some chips.


    "Yeah, easily." Moriarty''s father said sternly and drank some beer. "Zadkiel is the pride of our town. Everyone is counting on him to bring home the victory."


    "Mm." Moriarty''s mother nodded with a smile and then shouted at the screen. "Moriarty, don''t you dare to bother him!"


    "Moriarty should know that he is no match for him." Moriarty''s father said seriously. "He should just let Zadkiel win and let him reserve some of his energy for uing rounds."

 Chapter 489 The Strongest Pt. 2

    <h4>Chapter 489 The Strongest Pt. 2</h4>


    ?As the tension grew in the challenge room, another game master appeared out of thin air.


    The game master shifted his gaze between the two teams and felt his heart race with nervousness.


    He was a new employee at Martial Company and was assigned to the game master position for the duration of the tournament.


    This was his first game master gig, which already made him slightly nervous as he didn''t want to mess this up, but now he could barely contain his nervousness.


    He didn''t expect to be the game master for a match of such high level!


    If it was only Zadkiel and Julian against some random yers, their opponents also happened to be true powerhouses!


    He nced briefly at Ambrose and gulped.


    He witnessed his fight on television in Martial Company''s break room, and he still remembered it very vividly.


    Other workers were also watching there when some were on break, and they cheered louder than ever before as they witnessed him single-handedly beat impossible odds.


    The game master took a deep breath and raised his arm.


    "The dice have been rolled, and the challenge has been decided to be floor isva."


    The floor began to shift and transform, revealing a treacherous terrain of moltenva. However, the moltenva was still covered in a thinyer of solid rock.


    "Each thirty seconds, a portion of the ground will disappear and expose the scorchingva beneath. The team is out once theva has killed both members.


    "None of the yers have health, but you can lose an arm and get injured, which can hinder your ability to y effectively."


    ''So, we have to focus on pushing our opponents tova.'' Ambrose thought. ''This can be good for me as I can fly.''


    Moriarty stayed silent, as if all the words had passed through his ears. He stared straight at Zadkiel, fire burning deep in his eyes.


    "Floor isva, huh." Zadkielughed and pulled out a pair of Sai from his belt.


    "¡­"


    Julian stayed quiet and pulled out his long, cross-shaped sword that was shaped like a crucifix.


    "Zadkiel is mine." Moriarty whispered to Ambrose. "Keep Julian busy and do not interrupt me."


    "Aight¡­" Ambrose frowned and felt like there was indeed some past connection between Moriarty and Zadkiel, which seemed to run very deep.


    The game master shifted his gaze between the two teams, nodded after seeing that they were ready to begin, and snapped his fingers on his raised arm.


    "The round shall begin."


    Snap!


    With that single snap, he vanished into thin air, and theva below the solid, ck rock started boiling.


    "Zadkiel!" Moriarty screamed and started running, spear in hand, towards the nemesis of his nightmares.


    As Julian was about to move to stop Moriarty, Zadkiel stopped him with his hand and grinned.


    "This fight is mine."


    Julian nodded in agreement and stepped aside, watching as Moriarty charged towards Zadkiel.


    Then he moved his gaze to Ambrose and shifted his gaze to the great sword that Ambrose was holding. It looked like a very powerful weapon.


    ''I can feel it¡­'' Julian began walking towards Ambrose. ''The sword in his hand also wants to fight. My swordsman instinct is ringing loud and clear. The instinct inside me wants to fight!''


    Ambrose breathed heavily and started approaching Julian while dragging the Great Crimson behind him.


    ''I feel pressured. This is a rare thing.'' Ambrose chuckled. ''The pressure is even stronger than with Cerberus.


    ''He might, very well, be the strongest swordsman yer in the game. That is, if I don''t count myself, I guess I''ll find out whether I am anywhere near his level or whether I am already the strongest.


    ''There are so many stronger NPCs than me, but I wonder where I would rank among yers. This is the perfect chance to find out!''


    Moriarty stomped on the ground, causing the ck rock below his feet to crack, and then brought his spear down fiercely towards Zadkiel.


    Zadkielughed as if he were having plenty of fun and blocked the spear with his sai''s.


    The sai''s were sharp and sturdy, made of the finest steel. However, they were small and not created for blocking such heavy blows.


    Still, Zadkiel managed to hold back the spear without showing any signs of struggle.


    "How''ve you been doing, Moriarty?" Zadkiel asked with augh. "You still losing?"


    "Fuck you!" Moriarty pushed the Sai''s aside and twirled the spear around beforeshing it out towards Zadkiel, aiming for his exposed side.


    Zadkiel grinned and backflipped over the spear with ease,nding gracefully on the other side.


    "Whistle~" Zadkiel whistled as he yfully wiped off his sweat and then started shing with the Sai''s.


    Those attacks were faster than anything Moriarty had dealt with before.


    Moriarty backed off and blocked the Sai''s, but they were far too fast to deflect. Therefore, his ultimate defense didn''t activate.


    ''Cursed!''


    Zadkielughed humorously and pushed Moriarty further and further back until his back collided with the room''s wall, which was also made out of strange volcanic rock.


    "What''s wrong, Moriarty?"


    Zadkiel asked with augh while he rained down Sai attacks that Moriarty was struggling to block against.


    "I thought you had changed, but are you still the same loser back then?!"


    "Shut the fuck up!" Moriarty shouted, grabbed the spear with both hands, and then smashed Zadkiel''s face with the shaft of the spear.


    "Pu!"


    Zadkiel staggered backwards with blood running down his nose and grinned with bloodied teeth.


    "Not bad!"


    Moriarty gritted his teeth and charged forward, then plunged the spear towards Zadkiel''s chest.


    Before it could reach its final destination, Zadkiel veered to the side and swiftly parried the spear with his own weapon.


    "That was close." Zadkiel twirled the sai''s in his hand with deadly mastery and grazed the sai across Moriarty''s arm.


    "Not good enough, though!"


    "Tch¡­" Moriarty clicked his teeth and rushed forward while stabbing relentlessly with his spear.


    Zadkiel smiled and backed off calmly while parrying the strikes with effortless grace.


    On the other side of the room.


    Julian and Ambrose hadn''t made a single move yet.


    They were staring at each other, their swords ready, and their minds running.


    In the fight of master swordsmen, any mistake could be fatal, and the start of the fight often started with analyzing each other''s stance and strategy.


    ''How fast can he swing with that sword?'' Ambrose wondered as he saw that it was quite long, abnormally long.


    However, his Great Crimson was quite simr in length but had a much thicker de than the one his opponent held.


    ''He''ll be faster than me unless I change to my dual-wielding stance, but I have to keep that secret for now. I might be able to surprise him by changing it unpredictably.''


    Julian stared at Ambrose and moved his sword into another stance. This time, it was over his shoulder, with the tip of the de pointing backwards.


    ''He is no longer using dual-wielding?'' Julian wondered. ''I have a feeling like he ain''t a person that would give up on his fighting style.


    ''I''ll have to be careful. I can''t underestimate him, or I''ll be defeated.


    ''I watched his video of his fight with Zahhak on ForeverTube. His skill level has greatly increased.''


    Ambrose and Julian exchanged nces.


    The atmosphere was so suffocating that an ordinary yer wouldn''t be able to breathe around them.


    In that moment, the thirty second mark was reached, and the ground started shaking violently.


    In one portion of the ground, the ck rock vanished, revealing the scorching hotva below that was dangerously boiling.


    Ambrose nced over his shoulder and saw that it was only two meters behind him.


    At that moment, Julian rushed forward and started hacking down his sword, but Ambrose quickly blocked it before it went straight through him.


    Still, Julian continued rushing forward, shing and hacking as he tried to go straight through Ambrose.


    Yet, Ambrose kept his ground and blocked the strikes nicely, but soon, he noticed that he was forced to take few steps back as he relentless assault was slightly too much to be able to stop without taking a single step back.


    He then felt heat, like no other, steaming from behind him.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in surprise and even though he didn''t turn around to see what it was, he knew exactly what was behind him.


    ''I see. Julian is trying to push me straight to theva pit.''


    ''He must''ve noticed it.''


    Julian thought as he noticed Ambrose''s attempt to veer away from theva pit.


    Then, he raised his sword over his shoulder and cut through the air vertically.


    As Ambrose raised his Great Crimson to defend against the sword, Julian suddenly changed the direction of the de, heading straight towards Ambrose''s throat!


    ''Self-Possession.''


    The mighty sword went through the throat like it was hitting empty air, but Julian''s eyebrow jumped as he could swear that he did in fact hit his target.


    Without further ado, Ambrose stopped using Self-Possession as he believed Julian had reached second gate already and thus could hurt him, badly, with the usage of Inner Power.


    Julian hopped few meters back, moved the sword next to his waist, and turned it around till the de was pointing backwards.


    It was a stance that he had barely used. It was a stance used for purely strength-based swings. He hadn''t used it a lot because he wasn''t a person who fought with strength.


    Instead, he was all about technique.


    ''It looks like he is going for a strong swing.'' Ambrose smirked. ''Fine, I''ll take you on.''

 Chapter 490 The Strongest Pt. 3

    <h4>Chapter 490 The Strongest Pt. 3</h4>


    ?Julian''s biceps grew in size as he took a powerful step forward and swung his long-ded sword over his shoulder.


    "Paw¨¡sutoraiku!"


    Ambrose''s eyes glowed with otherworldly light, and a surge of energy emitted from his well-toned body. Then he raised his crimson great sword and blocked Julian''s sword strike.


    Boom! Crack!


    The ck rock below Ambrose cracked, and theva below the rock threatened to explode.


    Ambrose''s arms rattled as he struggled to stop Julian''s powerful strike, but eventually, the power of the strike faded away.


    Julian held his sword with both hands and then raised it again in the air and started hacking at the crimson sword.


    ng, ng, ng, ng!


    Ambrose''s knees buckled under the heavy force of Julian''s swings, but he managed to stop Julian''s sword from striking him with the crimson sword.


    However, he knew he couldn''t hold out much longer.


    As Julian was about to swing down again, Ambrose used Nachbilder, creating multiple illusions of himself to confuse Julian and buy some time to catch his breath.


    However, Julian didn''t seem impressed and again swung his magnificent sword, which sliced straight through the illusions.


    Eventually, his sword also struck the crimson sword wielded by Ambrose.


    It sent Ambrose sliding backwards for several meters, and once he stopped, he was at the edge of the ck rock, and behind him was theva pit, bubbling and steaming, sending waves of heat rising up towards him.


    Julian rested his sword on his shoulder as he ran towards Ambrose and then swung it in a tall arc towards him.


    Ambrose raised his crimson sword and blocked the deadly blow, but the strike was so powerful that the ground below him cracked again.


    This time, the edge around theva pit cracked, and his foothold almostpletely disappeared!


    ''This is bad!'' Ambrose thought as he struggled to maintain his bnce on the unstable ground.


    Julian moved his sword into a thrusting stance and then stabbed it forward, piercing through the air with surgical precision.


    With the deadly attack nearing him, Ambrose quickly backflipped over the pit of boilingva andnded safely on the other side.


    Meanwhile, Julian''s strikended on empty air, but he still didn''t show much emotion on his middle-aged face.


    At that moment, Julian jumped over the pit of boilingva,nded on the other side, and started exchanging sword strikes with Ambrose.


    They entered a heated battle, steel versus steel, neither one giving an inch.


    Sparks flew from the weapons like fireworks as they shed in a fierce sword dance.


    The heat was rising from theva pit, creating a sweltering and intense atmosphere around them.


    Sometimes, theva pit would explode slightly, sending bubbles of moltenva bursting into the air.


    It acted as background for the intense fight between Julian and Ambrose.


    Julian''s sword strikes were precise and skillful. With each movement, Ambrose countered with powerful force, their weapons shing loudly in the heat of battle.


    With each attack, Julian always put Ambrose on the back foot, as he was clearly the more agile and experienced fighter. He also had a slight edge in terms of sword techniques.


    However, Ambrose managed to stop him from overpowering him with the strength of his swings.


    Whenever Julian attacked, Ambrose blocked with a powerful swing that forced Julian off bnce.


    Therefore, he couldn''t follow up on his attacks, which was one of his strongest parts as a swordsman. It had allowed him to overpower many of his opponents in the past.


    Now that he couldn''t use his follow up attacks, he was forced to use his agility and footwork to outmaneuver his opponent instead.


    Ambrose slowly moved his crimson sword to block Julian''s onught, who was clearly trying to break through his defenses by trying to find one weak spot in Ambrose''s stance.


    So far, he has been unsessful.


    Julian''s eyebrow slightly twitched, and he tried hitting Ambrose''s shoulder from a slightly different angle that he assumed was his weak spot from a quick nce.


    At that moment, Ambrose did a powerful swing and smashed Julian''s sword away.


    Julian staggered back and felt his hand turn numb from the force of the impact.


    The crimson sword smashed through the ck rock as Ambrose couldn''t stop the swing. It was far too heavy and whenever the sword had good momentum, it was nigh impossible to stop mid-swing.


    Julian saw that his chance hade, and he moved in quickly with his sword, stabbing towards Ambrose''s chest before he even had time to reach it.


    At that moment, Julian''s sword started glowing with otherworldly silver light. He was using his Inner Power!


    Ambrose''s sweat rolled down from his neck, and at that moment, a secondary sword spawned out of the great crimson sword, and then he swung it powerfully sideways and deflected Julian''s sword before it could strike him.


    The crimson great sword turned into a pair of crimson shortswords!


    ''That great sword was actually two swords in one?''


    Julian thought with a brief surprise.


    ''If I hadn''t done this, I would''ve been skewered.''


    Ambrose thought, with sweat rolling down his face. He had to show his trump card, even though he wanted to use it at one point in time.


    However, unfortunately, Julian was far too powerful for him to rely on any of his tricks. He had to show his strength right away, or he was going to lose.


    At that moment, the whole room started shaking as the thirty second mark was again reached.


    ''We''ve been only fighting for around thirty seconds?''


    Ambrose thought with a sweat-ridden face. He thought he had been fighting for ten minutes already, as it was so exhausting to keep up with Julian.


    At the center of the room, arge portion of the ck rock vanished, revealing another boilingva pit in its ce. The room was getting clearly smaller because of it, but there was still plenty of solid ground.


    After a moment of etching the ce of the boilingva in his mind, Julian turned back to Ambrose and rushed back at him without stopping even for a moment.


    ''Isn''t he getting any tired?''


    Ambrose frowned with a sweaty face and then smiled slyly, knowing that Julian was only a human after all. Meanwhile, he had a way to ignore the depleted stamina.


    His body grewrge as he Muscle Defense and then he released clouds of steam into the air, making the room hazy.


    And then he returned to his normal state¡ªhis stamina recovered fully.


    ''This was what he used against Zahhak.''


    Julian thought quickly as he started to realize the secret behind the muscle monster.


    ''Everyone who had yed Martial Online and had fought would know that using skills constantly would deplete the stamina at a crazy rate.


    ''That''s why stamina stat is quite important for those with poor stamina. However, he was able to use his skills constantly.


    ''Without the skill, Zahhak would have killed him. Whenever he released that steam into the air, it was like he was rejuvenated in an instant.


    ''Again, he stopped looking as exhausted as before. I thought I would drain his stamina before starting my final attack, but I suppose that isn''t a possibility now.


    ''It looks like he has the ability to recover his stamina constantly. What a monstrous ability. How did the game even allow such a thing? Who knows, but I have to again change my tactic.


    ''Ambrose is truly a formidable opponent.''

 Chapter 491 The Strongest Pt. 4

    <h4>Chapter 491 The Strongest Pt. 4</h4>


    ?On the other side of the room.


    Zadkielughed in amusement as he pushed Moriarty back with the fast and unstoppable strikes of his Sai''s.


    Moriarty barely stopped the attacks with the sturdy shaft of his spear, but his body had visible blood stains from the hits he had taken.


    Meanwhile, Zadkiel looked clean¡ªnot a single dirt in his white robes.


    "What''s wrong, Moriarty?" Zadkiel moved fluidly, like he was dancing. "I thought you wanted to defeat me. Prove me wrong that you aren''t the same loser as back then!"


    Moriarty scoffed and stabbed his spear powerfully forward, but then Zadkiel easily sidestepped the attack and countered with a swift kick to Moriarty''s chest.


    The kick sent Moriarty flying across the room, crashing into the wall made out of ck rock.


    "Ptui!" Moriarty spat out blood from his mouth as he struggled to stand straight.


    ''Calm down, Moriarty!''


    The soul shouted inside his mind.


    ''Zadkiel is only having the upperhand as his mind is on the right ce. Do not let him provoke you or he will defeat you!''


    Moriarty gritted his teeth angrily.


    He knew more than anyone that if he let his emotions take over, he would again lose to Zadkiel. It had been a trick Zadkiel had used on him multiple times.


    In one of the swimming tournaments in middle school, Moriarty was the fastest swimmer and was a clear candidate to win, and he would''ve won most likely.


    However, on the day of the tournament, he found his childhood sweetheart cheating on him with Zadkiel behind the bleachers. It happened only an hour before the start of the tournament.


    Of course, when the tournament started, his mind waspletely distracted, and he ended up in second ce. The winner was Zadkiel.


    In the basketball tournament, they ended up on different teams as they were in different sses at that point in time.


    They met again in the finals, and at first, Moriarty''s team seemed stronger, but they lost 61-29. It was annihtion.


    After the defeat, Moriarty saw his teammates talking fondly with Zadkiel,ughing and giggling. He believed that they allowed Zadkiel to win as they yed incredibly poorly in the finals, but he had no way to prove that.


    Crumble!


    The room started shaking again as another potion of the ck rock vanished.


    Moriarty felt another sinking feeling in his stomach and struggled to defend against Zadkiel''s strikes. He was forced to back off after each attack.


    Zadkiel continuedughing and forced Moriarty onto his backfoot as he again backed off towards the wall. He was trapped once again.


    ''Moriarty, snap out of it. You''re stronger than this!'' The knight''s soul shouted inwardly with panic.


    Moriarty bit his upper lip and stopped moving as if he were frozen.


    Zadkiel immediately plunged his Sai deep into his chest and twisted it for good measure.


    "You haven''t changed, huh?" Zadkiel smiled sadistically as he watched Moriarty fall down on his knees.


    Moriarty silently looked at Zadkiel''s shoes and lowered his head enough for his expression to stay hidden.


    Zadkiel pulled out the Sai from his chest, cleaned it from the blood, and backed off a few steps with a victorious smile.


    "Ngh¡­" Moriarty stood up slowly, his hand loosely holding the spear and his head slightly tilting downward.


    "By the way, how''s your family doing?" Zadkiel asked with a smile. "Are they still treating me like a son? Whenever I met them, I had the feeling that they liked me more than you. Strange, isn''t it?"


    "It''s not strange, not really¡­" Moriarty put his hand on his face, moved his hair back, and showed his emotionless face.


    "You''re the master maniptor. I don''t know what you did, but one day, after your visit to our home, neither my parents nor my siblings looked at me the same way.


    "What did you say to them?"


    "Haha, they didn''t tell you?" Zadkiel rubbed his chin with a smile. "And they believed me? Wow, I half-cooked some lies, and they ate it up like it was the truth."


    At that moment, Zadkiel looked up to the ceiling, where the golden camera was recording the scene, and showed a smile and a wave.


    "A handsome smile and wave are all you need to manipte the weak-willed. This camera, by the way, only records video, not audio.


    "They probably are now thinking that I am just sending greetings to my fans or some shit. Instead, I''ll say¡ªfuck you all."


    "What did you say to them?" Moriarty asked with a pained voice.


    "Some bullshit." Zadkielughed. "I was already the favorite son of everyone in that shitty town. So, I just said that you ambushed me with your friends and beated me to a pulp because I beated you in that shitty chess tournament.


    "They actually believed that.


    "I wasn''t hurt in any way; I didn''t even have bruises on me. But I suppose they thought that someone like me couldn''t possibly be lying!"


    "I see now¡­" Moriarty sighed, shaking his head in disbelief. "That makes a lot of sense. What fools."


    At that moment, Moriarty switched up gears,unched forward, and stabbed the spear forward.


    Zadkiel deflected the spear narrowly andughed in sess as he believed that he had angered Moriarty even further.


    However, without his knowledge, Moriarty was actually very calm and controlled by his emotions.


    ''Moriarty...?'' The knight''s soul inside him spoke with a strange tone.


    It could feel that something had changed inside Moriarty.


    ''They believed him so easily because they already liked Zadkiel more than me. Now that I have discovered that, I shouldn''t care about them or anyone else!''


    Moriarty masterfully twirled the spear around him andshed at Zadkiel, but he managed to sidestep and dodge the attacks.


    In that instant, Moriarty dashed forward and started pushing Zadkiel with sharp and urate spear strikes. Each strike was aiming for Zadkiel''s vital points.


    Zadkiel frowned and struggled slightly to deflect the strikes. It felt strange to him, as he felt like there was something wrong.


    Moriarty didn''t move very fast, but still, he managed to force Zadkiel to move defensively with each strike.


    Zadkiel''s brows creased, and he constantly backed backwards, trying to somehow move back to offensive, but couldn''t.


    At that moment, he felt rising heat behind him, and when he nced over his shoulder, he noticed that theva pit was nearing.


    "Oh, how cute."


    Zadkielughed, and he backflipped over theva pit,nding on the other side.


    At that moment, Moriarty threw the spear as if it were a javelin across the air.


    Zadkiel tilted his body sideways, dodging the spear narrowly as it whizzed past him, missing his head by mere inches.


    "Hmph."


    Moriarty then reached out his open palm towards his spear, and it materialized back into his hand with a swift motion.


    He twirled it in his right hand, spinning it with his fingers with practiced ease beforeunching it back towards his opponent.


    Zadkiel swung his Sai''s up and deflected the spear up towards the ceiling.


    Again, Moriarty reached out his open palm towards the spear and made it materialize back into his hand.


    "Enough!" Zadkiel jumped over theva pit and smashed his weapons at the spear.


    A loud ng sounded as two weapons released scarlet-red sparks.


    "What were you even trying to achieve?" Zadkiel asked with a ridiculing smile.


    Moriarty looked coldly at him, but then his lips curled into a giant smile as he revealed a scary, sinister-looking smile.


    "I stopped caring about you."


    "Huh?" Zadkiel frowned and didn''t understand what he meant by that.

 Chapter 492 The Strongest Pt. 5

    <h4>Chapter 492 The Strongest Pt. 5</h4>


    ?The room with ck rock and boiling pits ofva had steamy and warm atmosphere. It was constantly shaking and trembling.


    Julian raised his sword and repeatedly struck the crimson shortsword, sparks flying like fireworks in the night sky.


    ng, ng, ng!


    Julian''s arms moved at incredible speeds, as did the sword. His sword shed with the dual shortswords, creating a symphony of metal shing that echoed throughout the room.


    Ambrose moved his dual shortswords, shing against Julian''s sword and blocking and deflecting the shes.


    They pushed each other a step backwards, then rushed forward and entered another exchange of quick strikes and parries.


    Julian narrowed his eyes and swung with a wide arc from the left side.


    Ambrose smashed his dual swords against the sword and then used his strength to push Julian back a few meters.


    At that moment, Julian''s sword started to glow with silver light, and then he swung it in front of his body, sending a wave of silver energy towards Ambrose.


    Ambrose clenched his teeth and coated his dual swords with the golden light, then smashed them against the silver energy. The collision created a blinding explosion of light and power.


    Julian tapped the ground two times very quickly and jumped over Ambrose. Hended behind him and stabbed his sword backward.


    Ambrose smashed the sword away with a powerful swing and stabbed his other sword towards Julian with surgical precision.


    As Julian was about to parry it away, Ambrose flicked his wrist, changing the direction of the stab, and grazed Julian''s cheek with the crimson de.


    Julianshed his kick at him, but Ambrose quickly blocked it with his thigh. It didn''t create any damage as, for some reason, Ambrose''s thigh swelled with muscles.


    At the moment of impact, Ambrose quickly used Muscle Defense to protect himself from the blow.


    Julian leaped off the ground and kicked him in the chest.


    Ambrose fell back, but quickly recovered and blocked Julian''s follow-up sword strikes with his dual swords.


    Julian didn''t show much emotion, even though his cheek was slowly dripping with blue blood from the previous graze.


    At the moment, they weren''t aware of the shock that was going on in everyone''s mind in the outside world.


    After all, they were witnessing the strongest yer of the current age struggling against this neer¡ªAmbrose!


    They thought it was a swift victory for Julian, but the fight so far had been equal and so intense that everyone couldn''t properly breathe.


    Ambrose and Julian exchanged another round of devastating blows, each seemingly matching the other''s strength with wless precision.


    However, there was something odd going on that only the most experienced fighters realized.


    Ambrose had a calm look on his handsome face, and he wasn''t sweating as much as before.


    He simply blocked and parried Julian''s strikes whilezily trying to counterattack. However, in the eyes of an unexperienced person, the attack still looked so fast that they couldn''t keep up.


    Julian responded with the same energy, blocked thezy counterattacks with ease, and countered with a flurry of strikes, but there wasn''t a lot of strength behind those strikes.


    It looked like they were both waiting for something.


    At that moment, the ground started shaking as if a sudden earthquake had started.


    A portion of the ck rock vanished, and anotherva pit appeared.


    The space in the room was filled with intense heat and the smell of sulfur. There wasn''t as much solid ground left to stand on.


    At that moment, both Julian and Ambrose shed their swords with a ferocious force, and the ground below them cracked open, revealing a narrow chasm below.


    Neither of them was holding back anymore!


    Ambrose''s eyes slightly narrowed as his foot slid backwards, barely able to maintain his bnce on the edge of the crumbling ground.


    ''His strength is increasing!''


    Julian''s expression drastically changed from indifference. He didn''t look as casual anymore, and his veins were bulging in his neck, pulsating with power.


    At that moment, Julian pushed the dual shortswords away and leapt towards his opponent with unbelievable speed.


    Ambrose clenched his teeth and shed with him with a force that nearly shattered the rest of the ground below them.


    Julian rushed forth and shed with the dual shortswords, each strike creating a loud echo. Their arms moved at incredible speeds, the sh of metal against metal filling the air with a cacophony of sound.


    The fight continued with the same intensity, but Julian was constantly pushing Ambrose back. He couldn''t stop the powerful onught for even a moment.


    As Julian was about to strike again, he suddenly twirled his sword around and stabbed straight through Ambrose''s foot. It was unexpected and surprising.


    Ambrose only frowned and cross-shed towards Julian''s chest, but he quickly pulled out the sword from the foot and blocked the attack just in time.


    At that moment, Julian pushed him away and shed down, but Ambrose blocked it in a nick of time. However, he only used his right-handed sword to block and then stabbed his left-


    handed sword forward.


    Julian pushed the other shortsword away and saw the other shortsword approach his side. Then he used strange footwork to sidestep past the attack.


    However, it looked like the shortsword would reach his waist, but it went straight through, as if it were attacking Julian''s shadow and not his real body.


    ''What?'' Ambrose''s eyes widened.


    Before he could react, Julian stabbed his sword through Ambrose''s shoulder and separated his arm from his body.


    The left arm fell to the ground, still grasping the hilt of the crimson shortsword.


    ''That was nice!'' Ambrose gritted his teeth with a pale face. ''That was very fucking nice! He tricked me.''


    When Julian stabbed through his foot, it opened a clear line of attack, which Ambrose tried to take advantage of, but because of hisck of speed, Julian managed to block it off.


    Then Julian pushed him away, but he followed up with an overshoulder sh. That was easily blocked by Ambrose, and there was another opening to attack.


    Again, he tried to take advantage of that, but it was blocked. However, there was also the third advantage, but it was as if Julian expected it; he perfectly evaded it and then countered, which managed to cut off his arm.


    It was just as if Julian expected that all to happen!


    There were three advantages that Ambrose could use to harm Julian, but he gave them on purpose.


    He wanted Ambrose to shift from defense to offense, as he couldn''t break through his rock-solid defense. There were more weaknesses in his offense.


    After doing that, Julian finally found that one, split-second chance of weakness and used that to his greatest advantage.


    ''I was led right by my nose and fell right into his trap,'' Ambrose thought to himself.


    It wasn''t that he was angry, but he was extremely impressed, as Julian was not only strong and good at swordsmanship; he was very smart and cunning.


    In that field, Ambrose had to agree that he was solelycking inparison.


    While he believed that he could think five or six steps ahead of his opponents, Julian was able to think over ten steps ahead of him, which gave him a big enough advantage.

 Chapter 493 The Strongest Pt. 6

    <h4>Chapter 493 The Strongest Pt. 6</h4>


    ?Moriarty and Zadkiel shed with their weapons drawn, sparks flying with each strike.


    ''What the hell is wrong with him?''


    Zadkiel wondered as he dodged another blow from Moriarty''s spear.


    He thought his rival of times bygone was acting stranger than usual.


    Zadkiel expected him to be able to easily manipte Moriarty''s emotions, like he had done multiple times before. It wasn''t working this time.


    After another sh of the weapons, Moriarty smiled sinisterly and pushed Zadkiel backward with surprising strength.


    Zadkiel put more strength into his feet and stopped himself from sliding any further. As he nced back, he noticed that the pit of the boilingva wasn''t too far away.


    ''Trying to push me to theva? Huh, nice try.''


    As Moriarty was about tounch another stabbing attack, Zadkiel suddenly dashed forward, passed the spear, and then drove one of his Sai''s deep into Moriarty''s waist.


    Moriarty didn''t flinch, not even showing any signs of startlement.


    Instead, he elbowed Zadkiel in the face and pulled out the Sai from his waist before tossing it into the pit ofva.


    "Hmph." Zadkiel pinched his nose and squeezed the blood from his nostrils.


    Moriarty ignored the bleeding wound and looked over to the other fight that was happening. It was clear that Julian was winning as Ambrose, now one-handed, was struggling to defend.


    However, Moriarty didn''t show any concern for his teammate. Instead, he turned back to Zadkiel and grinned with clear malicious intent.


    "Your teammate is losing." Zadkiel said it with a smile. "After Julian has finished him off, what do you think will happen to you?"


    "If you''re a man, you would still fight me¡ªalone." Moriarty said it coldly and scoffed. "Or, are you perhaps afraid that I would defeat you?"


    "Hahahaha." Zadkielughed in amusement. "You''re trying to use my tricks against me? Buddy, I invented this kind of fighting style. Why would I risk losing in front of the whole world?"


    "That''s what you are¡ªisn''t that right?" Moriarty squeezed his spear tight. "You always chose your battles carefully. That''s how you haven''t lost yet, ain''t that right?"


    "Haha, that''s right." Zadkiel smiled in satisfaction.


    During the whole time Zadkiel had been ying Martial Online, he had never died. Not a single time.


    It was because of his battle style¡ªchoose battles carefully.


    It didn''t matter to him if his friends were in trouble or about to die. If it looked like it wouldn''t be possible to save them, he wouldn''t even try.


    While hismunity, viewers, and everyone who knew him in the real world loved him to the bone,


    Those who knew the real him hated him to the core. They knew the darkness that lurked beneath his charismatic facade.


    Moriarty crouched till his knees almost touched the ck rock, then he jumped towards the ceiling, and as he reached the room''s tallest point, he pointed the spear down towards the ground.


    Zadkiel narrowed his eyes and moved the sai in his hand into a reverse grip. He only had one of them left.


    The spear started glowing as Moriarty infused his Inner Power into it.


    At the tip of the spear, the face of a mighty dragon appeared, which looked like it was growling in fury.


    "The Dragon Spear!"


    Rawr!


    The mighty dragon unleashed a deafening roar, sending shockwaves through the air, and then it flew out of the spear''s glowing de and towards the ground.


    Zadkiel''s pupils dted, and then he fused his Inner Power with the sai. It suddenly started growing in size, and soon the sai was the size of a long sword!


    However, it was still shaped like a sai¡ªa sharp de with two prongs jutting out from the sides.


    And then Zadkiel let out a short scream and released a wave of Inner Power energy towards the iing dragon.


    As the two energies collided, the dragon smashed its ws at the energy and deflected it away as if it were simply a minor annoyance.


    "Huh?" Zadkiel''s frown deepened.


    At that moment, the dragon vanished as if it never existed, and Moriartynded back on the ground, a smile on his face.


    "Why are you smiling?" Zadkiel asked. "Your ultimate attack failed."


    "Did it?" Moriarty''s smile increased even more.


    Before Zadkiel could ask what he meant by that, a long, expanding wound appeared on his chest. It immediately gushed with blood, staining his white robes and causing him to drop to his knees in shock.


    "What¡­?"


    Moriarty smiled mysteriously.


    ¡­


    "No, Zadkiel!" A young woman''s scream reverberated throughout the living room.


    Her family, who were watching the tournament alongside her, wryly smiled.


    "My Zadkiel¡­" She touched the screen that showed Zadkiel bleeding heavily and cried out in sadness.


    She was only one of the millions of fans that Zadkiel had, and the same kind of scenario was happening in thousands of households.


    Meanwhile, Moriarty''s fans jumped out of their chairs and cheered loudly.


    On the inte, a small war also happened. It was a verbal war between Zadkiel''s and Moriarty''s fanbase, with both sides fiercely defending their streamers.


    ¡­


    In Moriarty''s household.


    Moriarty''s mother dropped her tea cup and eximed. "What is that fool doing!"


    "Hmph." Moriarty''s father frowned deeply. "What a foolish son."


    "Fine, that''s it!" Moriarty''s mother jumped out of the sofa and looked up to the second floor. "I am going to remove the plug from his headset!"


    "Don''t."


    At that moment, Moriarty''s father snapped and crossed his arms angrily.


    "You would fry his brain if you did so."


    "Tch¡­" Moriarty''s mother sat back down with her arms crossed. "Anyway, how the hell did Moriarty injure him? How is he cheating this time around?"


    ¡­


    Zadkiel touched his bleeding chest and stood up, a pool of blood appearing around him.


    In this room, one couldn''t lose health, and therefore dying was impossible unless one fell to the pit ofva. If one could lose health, Zadkiel would be losing lots of health with each passing moment.


    It was one of the saving graces of the current challenge.


    "How did you do this?" Zadkiel asked with a frown.


    "Simple." Moriarty smiled and raised his finger.


    "First, I unleashed my attack. You probably thought it would be a brute-force attack. Therefore, you tried to counter with equal strength.


    "However, I then controlled my attack to deflect your attack instead. That deflection caused your wound."


    "That doesn''t make any sense." Zadkiel frowned. "The amount of control you need to control that dragon is too much. It was clearly a skill created for brute force and not for some controlled, precision attack."


    "That''s true." Moriarty nodded. "It is attack that I created to create as much as destruction as possible. However, in my hands, I can control even something like that."


    "Not bad, I suppose."


    Zadkiel''s expression turned cold, and the weapon in his hand started glowing with Inner Power.


    The ytime was over.


    On the other side of the room.


    Julian pushed forward with his attacks and shed sword strikes with Ambrose. They moved around one of theva pits, dancing dangerously close to the edge.


    ng, ng, ng!


    Julian''s sword and one of the crimson shortswords shed loudly, illuminated by the fiery glow of theva below.


    Ambrose had a frown on his brows as he tried to anticipate Julian''s next move. However, his anticipations were wrong¡ª


    every single time.


    ''Since we can''t die without falling to the pit ofva, Julian''s goal since the start of the fight has been to get rid of one of my arms.''


    He looked at his bleeding left shoulder, which missed an arm.


    ''What can I do to even the odds? If this continues, I''ll lose.''

 Chapter 494 The Strongest Pt. 7

    <h4>Chapter 494 The Strongest Pt. 7</h4>


    ?Crack!


    The room started shaking as more of the ground started vanishing.


    It was already clear that there were moreva pits on the ground than solid footing!


    ng, ng, ng!


    Sounds of weapons shing reverberated throughout the room as Julian and Ambrose fought fiercely near one of theva pits.


    There wasn''t a lot of room left for them, as theva was surrounding them on all sides.


    Ambrose breathed heavily as he smashed his shortsword at Julian''s block, trying to break through his defense and gain the upper hand. It was unsessful.


    The sweat continued rolling down his face as his exhaustion was getting near.


    He also couldn''t use Muscle Defense as when he did, Julian would instantly attack him and try to push him to one of theva pits.


    Julian had realized his greatest weakness with Muscle Defense¡ªthe inability to move!


    Therefore, Ambrose couldn''t remove his exhaustion anymore, as Julian was simply not allowing it!


    "High Pain!" Ambrose swung his sword, but Julian effortlessly parried it away.


    It was frustrating, as no matter what he did, Julian had an answer.


    Ambrose tried to use one of his stun effect attacks on Julian, as when he was stunned, he could try to push him down to one of theva pits.


    "Howling Rage!" Ambrose screamed out loud.


    The sound attack struck Julian and left him momentarily disoriented.


    Ambrose quickly ran forward and moved his shortsword to a thrusting stance.


    "Kanone!"


    The sword shot forward, and as it was about to skewer through Julian, he somehow disappeared into thin air.


    After the sword hit nothing but empty air, Ambrose turned around and saw Julian reappear behind him.


    They quickly shed with their swords again, and both got pushed back from the force of the impact.


    ''How did he teleport like that?'' Ambrose wondered with a frown.


    Julian looked calm as he rushed after Ambrose and started hacking his sword mercilessly down on him.


    Ambrose used the Basic Parry to deflect the strikes, but even that wasn''t enough to hold back the merciless attack.


    Therefore, one of Julian''s attacksnded on his left shoulder and created another bleeding wound.


    "Howling Rage!" Ambrose screamed once again, even though the exhaustion was threatening to consume him.


    Julian''s pupils dted, and he quickly covered his ears in an attempt to block the deafening roar from reaching his ears.


    After the shout was over, Julian tried moving and was able to. He nodded to himself and rushed straight at Ambrose, continuing another bout of fighting.


    ''How the hell did he find the weakness in a second?!''


    Ambrose desperately thought.


    Julian clearly switched gears as his attacks became even faster and stronger.


    With each exchange, Ambrose was pushed closer to the edge of defeat.


    As Julian swung his down, Ambrose quickly used Nachbilder to evade the strike and then screamed from the top of his lungs.


    "Ambrose''s ughter!"


    An illusionary image of Ambrose appeared behind him, and stared down at Julian with a menacing look.


    Julian didn''t look fazed and rushed forth, and shed through Ambrose''s waist.


    "Ngh!" Ambrose groaned loudly.


    The skill¡ªAmbrose''s ughter¡ªwas a gamble as it didn''t work against yers that were higher leveled than him.


    He never believed that it would work against Julian, but he didn''t think there were any other choices.


    With Ambrose''s ughter, there was also a side effect that struck Ambrose. It slowed down his thinking ability for a second only, but that was enough for Julian to punish him severely.


    It told a lot about how much pressure Julian was giving him as he had to gamble on something that had almost zero chance of sess!


    Julian charged right back at him, not giving him a single second of room to breathe. It was incredibly suffocating to fight someone like him.


    ''This is even more frustrating than fighting Mars!''


    Ambrose watched as Julian rushed after him and thought that the time had slowed down for a moment as everything seemed to move at a slower speed than usual.


    It was just his mind racing at an unusual speed, trying to process the situation ande up with a n.


    ¡­


    In the real world, in Jesse''s room.


    Jesse''s body that was lying on the bed started shaking as the headset started crackling with electricity¡ªit was as if the headset was about to blow up!


    At that moment, messages started to appear on the visor.


    [Reality Augmentation Headset Working At 100%!]


    [Applying Intelligence Algorithms¡­]


    [The User''s Intelligence Amount Has Increased By 50%!]


    [Reminder: This algorithm is in the beta phase and might have some side effects. Use with caution!]


    ¡­


    Ambrose felt like an electric current ran throughout his brain.


    For some odd reason, he was able to think more freely and creatively than ever before. He also had a few new ns for his current predicament that he couldn''t think of before.


    ''How didn''t I think of those before?''


    Ambrose chuckled and thought it was quite obvious, but now that he thought about those, it seemed so clear to him.


    As Julian was about tounch another attack, Ambrose suddenly stabbed his sword through the ck rock ground.


    "The Crack World!"


    Crack!


    The ground cracked and spanned across the entire room. All the solid footing disappeared, and the ck rocks started drifting in theva pit.


    Julian staggered side-to-side as he almost fell to theva, but at thest moment, he managed to stand tall while trying to steady himself as he stood on the uneven block of ck rock that floated in theva.


    Meanwhile, as Moriarty and Zadkiel were trading blows, they were also swept by the sudden attack and had to stop their attacks momentarily to bnce themselves on the floating blocks.


    Ambrose pulled out his sword from the ground and smiled.


    The Crack World¡ªanother skill he created, and this was an area-


    of-effect skill that could be used for many different things.


    Now, he used it to speed up things and make it so that the room wasn''t as safe a ce to fight anymore.


    It also forced Julian to stop his relentless attack, as if he attacked recklessly, he could identally fall to theva.


    At that moment, Ambrose used his Muscle Defense and created another arm from his left shoulder that was fully made of muscle. It looked like a massive, pulsating tentacle.


    It was pretty ugly-looking, but it was very handy.


    Ambrose used his muscle tentacle to grab his previously fallen shortsword, which was still clutching his separated left arm. The sword almost fell to theva, but he managed to save it just in time.


    However, he couldn''t save his left arm, which fell to theva and vanished into the fiery depths.


    At that moment, Ambrose released steam from his muscle tentacle and recovered all of his lost stamina!


    He didn''t have to fully transform into a raging, muscr monster. This muscle tentacle was enough for him to release his exhaustion!


    And then Ambrose tried to control his left sword with the muscle tentacle. Even though it was quite hard, he now had a lot of range as he could stretch the tentacle to incredible lengths and reach faraway enemies.


    "Excellent." Ambrose chuckled. "How didn''t I think of this before?"


    Some distance away, Julian stared at Ambrose and nodded with a slight smile.


    It looked like he was quite impressed.


    ''Not bad. That''s good. It''s a different kind of fighting between two master swordsmen. Usually, our fights are decided by strategy. Though skill and strength are important, strategy is the key.''


    So far, during his time in Martial Online, he has never recognized any of the yers as master swordsmen. Now, he thought of Ambrose as someone of the same level of skill and expertise as him.


    ''Bring it on!''


    For the first time in a long time, Julian felt his fighting spirit surge inside him.

 Chapter 495 The Strongest Pt. 8

    <h4>Chapter 495 The Strongest Pt. 8</h4>


    Zadkiel danced around Moriarty and tried to stab his sai-shaped sword through his body like Swiss cheese, but Moriarty was too quick and deflected the strike, which ended up causing a small wound on Zadkiel''s body.


    "Rah!" Moriarty drove his spear into Zadkiel''s side, causing him to stumble backwards.


    It created a minor wound on his side.


    Zadkiel''s sai-shaped sword started glowing with crystal color and shed repeatedly in front of him, creating a strange symbol on the air¡ªlooking like a six-pointed star.


    At that moment, the six-pointed star started spinning and turned into six different poles that surrounded Moriarty, trapping him inside a magical barrier.


    Moriarty twirled the spear around him and shed through the strange poles. The poles got sliced in half, but then they started glowing and exploded in a blinding light.


    Moriarty covered his body with his cloak and shielded his eyes from the intense brightness.


    The explosion sent him flying through the air. He was about to fall straight to theva, but he quickly threw his spear towards one of the floating blocks of ck rock.


    The spear stabbed through the ck rock, and then Moriarty reached out his hand towards the spear, and it was as if he were a ma; his body was pulled towards the spear as if he were guided by gravity towards the spear.


    Hended safely on the floating block of rock and stared towards Zadkiel with a deep frown.


    He then pulled out the spear from the ck rock and pointed it towards Zadkiel.


    Zadkiel scoffed and raised his sai-shaped sword in response.


    On the other side of the room.


    Julian and Ambrose shed furiously, their swords ringing out in a symphony of metal against metal.


    At that moment, Ambrose shot out his muscle tentacle arm that was wielding one of the crimson shortswords and attempted to stab it into Julian''s neck.


    Julian deflected the sword and shed at the muscr tentacle, but he couldn''t prate the steel-solid flesh.


    Then, steam flew out of the muscr tentacle, engulfing Julian in a cloud of scalding heat.


    Julian couldn''t see anything around him, and then he felt a numbing pain on his waist as a small wound appeared out of nowhere.


    It was because there was a strange, small knife on his waist that was made out of golden light.


    Swoosh!


    In that same moment, dozens of small knives flew throughout the steam cloud.


    Julian moved the sword with blitzering speed and smacked all the knives from the air.


    Swoosh!


    And then Ambrose appeared from the steam cloud and smashed his shortswords down. This time, he wasn''t using cross shing and instead swung both swords from the same side, which made defending more difficult.


    Julian leaped over the swords andnded on the same block as Ambrose.


    As more weight appeared on the block of ck rock, it started tilting unpredictably, and a little bit of theva started spilling over the edges.


    "Ah!"


    Ambrose leaned backwards as he lost his bnce for a moment and was about to fall down to theva, but then managed to pull himself back just in time.


    Julian stabbed through the air, and Ambrose deflected instead of blocking or dodging.


    If he blocked, he was afraid that he would get pushed out of the block of ck rock, and if he dodged, he would fall straight to theva.


    In such a small space, the decision was crucial and had to be made quickly.


    At that moment, Ambrose chose correctly to deflect, which Julian inwardly apuded him for.


    They started shing with their swords, and they couldn''t move at all; otherwise, they would risk the block tilting and spilling them into the scorchingva.


    And then Ambrose started to think faster than ever before, as if his mind were a supeputer, and found a tiny, smallest possible weakness in Julian''s attack.


    As Julian attacked normally, Ambrose shed with the side of his shortsword, tilting it to deflect the blow, and that created a minor opening in Julian''s right side.


    It was an opening that could only be exploited by him.


    Ambrose stretched his muscle tentacle and stabbed the sword through Julian''s waist.


    "Ngh¡­" Julian coughed out air from his lungs.


    Ambrose smiled slightly, but at that moment, warm blood trickled down from his nose.


    As he saw it again, he noticed that the blood''s color was red¡ª


    dark red and not the blue he had grown ustomed to.


    "Oh, motherfu¡ª"


    A sharp pain struck Ambrose''s head, and he felt like his head was splitting in half.


    "Argh!"


    He bit his lip, tried to muffle his shouting, and tried to desperately concentrate on the fighting. He knew that if he let the pain consume him, he would lose!


    Julian saw that something strange was happening with him, but he didn''t have time to think about it and resumed dealing blows.


    Ambrose desperately tried deflecting the blows, but he missed a few, and deep wounds appeared on his arms and chest.


    Another sharp pain struck Ambrose like a wrecking ball, and his vision turned hazy, making him disoriented for a moment. He wasn''t even sure where he was at this moment in time.


    Julian stabbed through his chest and pushed him near the edge.


    At that moment, he caught sight of Ambrose''s eyes. They weren''t the beautiful, purple eyes anymore. Instead, they were red and ck, as if he had turned into a demon.


    Julian knew that something had happened to him; otherwise, he doubted he would lose his concentration this much.


    ''I don''t want to win like this.'' He pulled out the sword from his body and was about to pull him away from the edge of the block.


    But then, Ambrose''s eyes closed and his body turned limp; he fell backwards and tumbled down the edge of the block.


    He fell on theva pit below and turned into ashes in an instant.


    "Sigh."


    Julian sighed and shook his head.


    He was somehow disappointed at how the fight ended.


    "What happened to him?" Julian thought out loud and then looked at the ck rock below his feet and saw that there were small bloodstains.


    However, the bloodstains were red.


    ''What?''


    Julian crouched and touched the bloodstains, feeling a sense of unease.


    At that moment, he heard the sound of weapons shing and saw that his teammate, Zadkiel, was still fiercely fighting against Moriarty and wasn''t sure whether he would win.


    Julian narrowed his eyes and leaped over theva pits, using the blocks of ck rocks to approach them.


    Then hended on one of the blocks that was right beside them.


    Moriarty perked up his ears and saw that Julian was standing near them; his teammate was nowhere to be seen.


    "He lost..?" Moriarty whispered to himself in slight surprise.


    However, after remembering that his teammate''s opponent was the legendary Saint Julian. The oue wasn''t surprising, but he still felt sadness.


    "Damn it¡­"


    "Hahahaha¡­" Zadkielughed and licked his lips, reveling in a taste of victory. "I guess your teammate couldn''t handle Julian. I am surprised hested this long."


    Julian didn''t speak a word and just stared at Moriarty with a silent look, his sword still in hand.


    Moriarty chuckled and sheathed his spear on his back.


    He then looked at Zadkiel and said, "Just remember, I didn''t lose to you. Next time we meet, I''ll fucking destroy you."


    At that moment, Moriarty spread his arms wide and fell straight to theva, vanishing below the scorchingva. Just a few sshes ofva sshed into the air.


    "Hah, he didn''t want to get killed by me and killed himself instead¡­" Zadkielughed.


    Julian sheathed his sword and heard a dinging noise echoing across the room.


    The floor recovered, with theva vanishing and being reced by ck rock.

 Chapter 496 Apocalypse

    <h4>Chapter 496 Apocalypse</h4>


    "Ah!"


    Exmations sounded in a ssroom as the students were watching something on their phones.


    It wasn''t only them.


    Even the teacher sat with her legs crossed and a tablet in her hands,pletely engrossed in the tournament.


    A male student watched the tournament on a high-ss shell phone with his headphones loosely hanging around his neck.


    After the match ended and the scene changed to show somethingpletely different, he closed the shell phone and slipped it inside his trousers''s pockets.


    "Ugh¡­" He rested his head on the desk andzily closed his eyes.


    On his backpack that was dangling from his chair, there was a name sign that said, "Property of Isaac."


    "Sucks, doesn''t it?" His friend came over and sat on the desk next to him, patting his back in sympathy. "If we had qualified, we wouldn''t have to be here taking these boring ass sses."


    "Yeah, it actually does, Micah." Isaac whisperedzily as he stared nkly at the whiteboard at the front of the ssroom. "The principal mustn''t be too happy."


    "Haha, nah, he ain''t." Micah chuckled and grabbed Isaac''s school textbook off the desk. "I heard a few whispers that he was apparently shouting to the teachers earlier today.


    "Probably ming them for our bad sess in the tournament."


    "Hah." Isaacughed with a hint of mocking aimed at the principal.


    They were all given a few free days off from school so they would be able topete in the tournament. The principal wanted even one team from their school to reach far.


    In the end, not a single student from this school got past the first round.


    This school was slightly special as it was one of the guinea pigs for the new program¡ªVR Training.


    Therefore, to get better funding and resources, the principal wanted to show the sess of their new program. However, it had been barely two weeks since they implemented the VR training program, so the results were still uncertain.


    Ding!


    At that moment, the school bell rang and signaled the end of the ss.


    Isaac slung the backpack over his shoulder and left the ssroom with his friend.


    They leaned against a wall in the hallway and opened the window to get some fresh air.


    Meanwhile, all the ssrooms started emptying, so the hallways were bustling with activity.


    Isaac''s friends watched as some cute schoolgirls walked by, but they were upied by their phones while giggling among their friends. They had a picture of a certain purple-eyed man saved as their lock screen.


    "So unfair, sigh." Micah sighed as he watched them walk away. "You watched the fight, didn''t you?"


    "Of course, there was nothing else to do." Isaac said and nced at him. "Why?"


    "That guy who fought Julian is apparently Rothsmith." Micah clicked his tongue and shook his head. "He is both handsome and rich. The world is so unfair."


    "And gifted in Martial Online." Isaac chuckled. "Maybe he has just worked hard."


    "Nah, he is born with a silver spoon in his mouth and also blessed with a godly level of talent." Micah said and pointed at them. "We are as normal as it gets. We have to work a thousand times harder than those geniuses."


    "What''re you getting at?" Isaac raised an eyebrow in question.


    "I am saying¡­" Micah leaned closer and whispered. "We should quit the school and actually start catching up on geniuses."


    "Are you mad?" Isaac asked with a look of disbelief. "That''s the worst idea I have ever heard."


    "How is it bad?" Micah asked with a pout.


    "First of all, if we quit school, our parents will kick us out to the streets. I ain''t kidding."


    Isaac said and then raised another finger.


    "Second, we''re so much behind the top yers of Martial Online, and we can''t ever catch them unless we find some kind of golden opportunity!"


    "That''s the thing; I think I found our golden opportunity."


    Micah said with a grin.


    "This morning, before I had to leave for this shitty school, I found a traveling swordsman. I think his name was Lancelot or something."


    "Lancelot?" Isaac perked up his ears and leaned in closer.


    "He pointed me in the direction of the golden opportunity." Micah smiled. "He said that there is a school of swordsmanship in Amaterasu that can train us to be master swordsmen."


    "I don''t want to pour cold water on your head, but this sounds bogus."


    Isaac said with a shake of his head. He didn''t think it was anything worthwhile.


    Micah firmly shook his head and said, "I found out the school''s name. It was called Immortal Dojo. That ce sounds incredibly mighty. That is our key to moving on from being ordinary!"


    Isaac sighed and turned around to face the window. It showed his reflection, showing an average-looking young man with nothing special about him.


    In the hallway, he was just another student among a hundred others.


    "I am not sure about you, but I don''t want to be ordinary." Micah said and witnessed everyone just walking by them as if they didn''t exist.


    "Julian, Ambrose, Moriarty, and Zadkiel." Micah repeated the names of the ones he wanted to catch. "Those four names are on the tongue of everyone. Don''t you want to feel the same?"


    "Sigh, fine, but we ain''t quitting the school, not yet." Isaac said. "We''ll visit this dojo and try to enroll. If it works out, then we can think about it."


    "That''s fine." Micah patted his friend''s shoulders with a grin. "The world is not ready for us!"


    Isaac rolled his eyes, as he didn''t expect bing a master swordsman to be easy. It would be incredibly difficult, with tons of hardships along the way.


    ¡­


    Sizzle!


    The sky was on fire with an intense ze of orange and red. It looked like a nket of mes had descended from outer space.


    There wasn''t a single cloud or sun in sight.


    At the ground below, magma rose from the cracks of ck rock and flowed down the mountainside.


    Crack, Sizzle, Crack!


    The ground continued cracking like ss, and magma gushed out in a fiery river, flowing throughout the surroundingndscape like a long snake slithering through the scorched earth.


    Swoosh!


    At that moment, dozens of ming meteors appeared in the fire sky and began hurtling towards the ground.


    As they rained down, the already chaotdscape became even more apocalyptic. It was clear that this world was currently suffering from a world-ending apocalypse!


    And, at that moment, on top of a strange floating block of ck rock that hovered several hundred meters above the ground, a sh of light descended, and a lying man appeared.


    He had his eyes closed while lying on the block of ck rock while the meteors rained down around him. He looked peaceful, as if he were sleeping deeply.


    After several seconds, the man''s eyelids fluttered open, and he slowly sat up, taking in his surroundings.


    "This is¡­" Ambrose looked around the apocalyptic world and whispered. "The underworld¡­"


    He then touched his face below the nose and tried to feel if there was any blood left, but there wasn''t, and even his left arm had recovered in perfect condition.


    ''I again bled and passed out. What''s happening to me?''


    Ambrose slowly stood up and looked around the apocalyptic world around him.


    "God damn it¡­"

 Chapter 497 The Underworld

    <h4>Chapter 497 The Underworld</h4>


    Rumble!


    A massive volcano that spanned across most of thendscape erupted, sending hotva cascading down the mountainside and throwing ash high into the sky, causing chaos for miles around.


    Ambrose watched it all transpire as he was only a few kilometers away from the volcano and could feel the heat rising around him.


    The ash started falling down around him, covering everything in a thickyer of gray dust.


    Ambrose nced at his shoulder, which had ash clinging to it, and patted it off.


    At that moment, another sh of light descended behind him, and from there, Moriarty appeared with his spear in hand.


    "We lost, huh." Ambrose whispered.


    "No, you did." Moriarty said with a frown. "I wouldn''t have been able to take both of them, so I jumped to theva willingly."


    "That''s unexpected of you." Ambrose nced over his shoulder at him. "I would''ve expected you to fight them."


    "That would''ve been unwise." Moriarty folded his arms behind his back and looked at the apocalyptdscape in front of him. "Anyway, what happened to you?"


    "I lost; that happened¡­" Ambrose replied, keeping it vague.


    He didn''t want to mention to Moriarty that he was passing out again.


    "It''s not too big of a shame to lose to perhaps the world''s strongest yer." Moriarty said and frowned. "We aren''t out of the tournament yet."


    "What are we even supposed to do here?" Ambrose asked and pointed at the destruction. "This world is dying. It wouldn''t probably take even another hour for it to bepletely destroyed."


    "Like the game master said, only one team can survive through this." Moriarty said. "We must be thest team standing before this world gets destroyed."


    "Well, where the hell is everyone?"


    Ambrose asked, but at that same moment, the light engulfed them like a warm nket, and they were transported to a different ce.


    As they opened their eyes again, they saw that they were standing at the bottom of the hill with a bloodyndscape in front of them.


    ng, sh, ng!


    At the front of them, thousands of yers were engaged in a fiery battle on top of the corpses of already dead yers. It was so messy and bloody that they could hardly distinguish who was on which side.


    Around the battlefield, the meteors continued to fall, and rivers ofva flowed right next to them. It was as if they were avoiding just this battlefield.


    However, it was clear that this fight also had a time limit.


    The time limit was how long this world wouldst before it waspletely destroyed.


    "Argh!" A yer fell right in front of Ambrose''s feet.


    Ambrose pulled out his shortsword and stabbed it through the yer''s forehead, ending his life immediately.


    At that moment, he heard a surprising sound in his ear¡ªa dinging sound.


    [You killed a yer!]


    [2100 XP Earned!]


    "Wait, I received experience points." Ambrose said in surprise.


    Moriarty''s eyebrow jumped in surprise, and then he turned to look at all the yers on the battlefield with a greedy look.


    "This might be our chance." He said and looked at Ambrose with a smile. "Time to start grinding."


    "Ohoh¡­"


    Ambrose chuckled and remembered Julian''s face and his perfect swordsmanship, which left himpletely helpless. If it wasn''t for his sudden new ideas that popped out of nowhere, he would''ve been destroyed.


    He couldn''t guarantee that he could think of the same things in their next fight.


    Therefore, he had to grow stronger in order to stand a chance against Julian.


    "All right¡­" Ambrose opened his interface, which was finally possible, and saw that he was at an early 73 level.


    ''73 level¡­''


    He then looked at the battlefield, where there were thousands of yers, and all of them were very high level. Some were definitely above his level.


    It was a perfect grinding spot. This kind of chance would most likely nevere again.


    "We should move separately." Moriarty said. "In here, teamwork is a non-existent thing. We have to focus on ourselves if we want to survive."


    "Fine by me." Ambrose nodded. "If we can''t survive this, there is no point in going to the finals anymore."


    "Exactly¡­"


    Moriarty said and approached the battlefield with the spear in hand.


    Ambrose unsheathed both of his shortswords and shouted. "Crimson God''s Evesting Bloodbath!"


    His skin turned bloody-red, and he began to resemble a demon from hell.


    Ambrose raised his swords high in the air and screamed. "All of you, die!"


    With a powerful swing, he shed through several yers in one clean motion.


    It immediately attracted the attention of nearby yers, who rushed straight at him, but Ambrose went straight through them like a whirlwind, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake.


    "Aaaaah!"


    With another powerful scream, Ambrose jumped in the middle of the yers and shed through them like a hot knife through butter.


    None of them survived.


    A distance away, Moriarty stabbed his spear forward, which created a roaring dragon made of fire that flew through the yers like a harbinger of destruction and devastation.


    Ambrose moved among the yers, blocking and slicing through them with his sharp, crimson swords.


    And then he leaped into the air, transformed the two shortswords into the great sword, and then shed down with such destructive power that it created an explosion of fire and chaos, leaving nothing but rubble in his wake.


    "Howling Rage!" Ambrose screamed, and whoever heard it stopped in their tracks, frozen in fear at the sheer power behind his voice.


    And then, as he transformed the great sword back into two shortswords, he killed the frozen yers around him with one sh of his des.


    The blood sttered across the battlefield, painting the ground crimson.


    A small distance away, Moriarty twirled the spear around him and went through the yers like a tornado. They couldn''t defend, and many fell to the ground in defeat.


    "Zadkiel¡­" Moriarty whispered hatefully and stabbed through the heart of another yer, whose dreams of reaching the finals were crushed in an instant.


    It wasn''t just him.


    All the yers on the battlefield dreamed about the ultimate glory of standing on Loch City''s stadium, watched by the entire world.


    With each passing second, another dream was crushed like an ant under the foot of a giant.


    Ambrose crossed his shortswords in front of him as a group of yers tried to kill him. Before they could break through, Ambrose used his ughter skill, which created an illusionary figure of him in the air.


    All the yers in front of him froze in horror, and then Ambrose shed through them effortlessly.


    They all fell lifelessly to the ground around him; some were still twitching and reaching their arms towards Ambrose with pleading eyes, as if they were seeing their dreams crumble before their eyes.


    "The Immortal World!"


    In the sky, nearly two dozen golden knives appeared thatunched straight to the ground and impaled over a dozen yers who were still standing.


    "Whoo¡­" Ambrose breathed heavily and used his Muscle Defense to release his exhaustion with the steam cloud.


    The area around him turned hazy because of the steam cloud, and the yers were blindly moving around.


    However, because of Ambrose''s Starborn Constitution, he could see better than an ordinary human being and saw all the yers around him.


    He effortlessly used his dual-wielding and mercilessly ughtered through them with expert precision.


    "Bring it on!"


    His shout echoed throughout the endless battlefield.

 Chapter 498 The Final Apocalypse

    <h4>Chapter 498 The Final Apocalypse</h4>


    Stab!


    Ambrose stabbed his crimson shortsword through the skull of a fallen yer and then pulled it out with a sickening squelch.


    "Ah."


    He wiped the blood off his face that was sttered on him after leaving behind corpses of yers.


    "Hey, you bastard!"


    Ambrose turned around and saw an angry-faced archer holding a bow aimed directly at him.


    His overcoat was already tattered and dirty brown, and his boots were leaking blood from the holes in them. It looked like he had gotten a wound on his foot from some kind of sharp object.


    As he pulled back his string, the man released the arrow.


    Ambrose smashed the arrow down from the air, and it shattered into a million pieces.


    The archer then approached him and started firing arrows after arrows, but Ambrose was quick on his feet and smacked the arrows down to the ground.


    "Hmph." The archer dropped his bow to the ground and pulled out a machete from his hidden sheath.


    "Death for the sinner!"


    He swung the machete down, but Ambrose deflected it and impaled him with his left-wielding shortsword, skewering him through the heart.


    "Argh!" The archer groaned and winced in phantom pain.


    "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Ambrose pushed him down to the ground with his sword still going through his heart, and then used his other sword to slice through his head.


    ''I am the sinner?'' Ambrose wondered and looked at his dirty clothes, which were dripping with blood.


    "Haaa!"


    At that moment, someone tackled Ambrose to the ground and started punching him repeatedly.


    Ambrose had to let go of his swords, then grabbed the hair of his unknown assant and threw him aside with all the strength he could muster.


    The assant rolled down the coarse, rocky ground, and one of the corpses lying nearby stopped his rolling.


    As Ambrose stood back up, he snatched his swords from the ground and faced his assant with a frown.


    As his assant stood back up, his face came into view. It wasn''t a familiar face; it waspletely strange, but his face looked battle-marred with long scars running across his cheeks and forehead.


    As he raised his fists again, it was clear that he was a Brawler ss fighter.


    Not just any Brawler as his fist seemed to solidify into steel. However, he didn''t seem to be able to turn more of his arm into steel¡ªonly the part from his wrist to his knuckles.


    Ambrose twirled the swords around in his hands and then charged forward with a speed that allowed him to cross the distance between the two in a matter of seconds.


    The brawler screamed and threw a punch that collided with one of the crimson shortswords.


    ng!


    It sounded just like two weapons shing together.


    At that moment, the brawler winced and pulled back his fist, noticing that his knuckles were bleeding slightly. It looked like the crimson shortsword was able to cut through the steel!


    ''What are those swords made of?!'' The brawler wondered in shock.


    Ambrose jumped at him and shed down with both swords.


    The brawler leaped over the swords and then brought down his steel-covered fist towards Ambrose''s head.


    Ambrose quickly backstepped and saw the brawler punching the ground strong enough to create a small crater.


    Before the brawler rose back to his feet, Ambrose quickly shed across the brawler''s chest, leaving a shallow gash as he was too far away to make a deep cut.


    Only the tip of the de managed to reach him.


    The brawler growled like a wild animal and rushed at him with steel-covered hands. This time, only the fingers were covered in steel.


    As he wed down, Ambrose blocked with his swords and felt the crazy strength of his opponent.


    It was clear that the brawler had also focused quite a bit on his strength stats!


    The brawler gritted his teeth enough to make them bleed, but no matter how much he pushed, he couldn''t overpower his opponent.


    It was shocking to him, as this hadn''t happened before.


    He was proud of his in-game strength and also his real strength.


    In a proper fist fight, he doubted he would lose to anyone.


    At that moment, the brawler wrapped his steel fingers around the swords and pushed them aside with a grunt of effort. It opened a clear line of sight towards his opponent''s undefended body!


    The brawlershed his kick out quickly, aiming directly for his opponent''s chest with all the force he could muster.


    "Muscle Defense!" Ambrose''s chest swelled with a surge of power as muscles increased in size and tanked the powerful kick.


    "Ngh!" The brawler groaned with a shocked look as his foot got stuck between the powerful muscles.


    And then Ambrose''s muscles again decreased back to their normal size.


    "Muscle Attack!"


    And then, his arms swelled with muscles, but not to the extent of the Muscle Defense that would limit his movement.


    He was still able to move and had his strength doubled!


    Ambrose used his new-found strength to pull back his swords, slicing straight through the steel fingers.


    The brawler''s fingers fell to the ground with a loud nk, and his hands started bleeding profusely.


    "Ah!" The brawler eximed in shock.


    "Mortal Style, Muskngriff!"


    Ambrose screamed and dual shed through the brawler''s chest with overflowing strength, causing a gush of blood to spray across the ground.


    The brawler fell to the ground, and life left his eyes.


    Ambrose winced with an ufortable look, and his muscr arms returned to their normal state.


    "Whoo¡­"


    At that moment, steam rose from his back like a smoke chimney and drifted towards the fire sky.


    And then, a ming meteor crossed the sky andnded scarily near the battlefield. It created a massive explosion, sending shockwaves in every direction.


    ''The time is running out. That was already close.''


    Ambrose thought and looked around the battlefield. It wasn''t as stacked anymore, and yers were more spread now.


    He then saw Moriarty spearing through his opponents, with no one able to stop him. It was as if he had grown even stronger with his fight against Zadkiel.


    He thought that something had changed within Moriarty but was not sure what. There was something about him that changed as he carried himself differently and spoke with a different tone.


    Ambrose looked at his bloodstained hands that were wrapped around his sword hilts and felt sticky and ufortable.


    ''Let''s get the job done.''


    He squeezed the hilts hard and walked straight to the battlefield.


    The fight continued like an unstoppable fire, with more corpses piling up with each passing moment and more dreams being crushed.


    As the time moved further, the fire in the sky turned brighter and brighter until it seemed like the sun itself had descended to join the chaos.


    The volcano itself was crumbling apart as one of the meteors smashed straight into its core, sending debris flying in all directions and sealing the fate of the once mighty mountain.


    Theva rivers spilled over the edges and started flowing straight towards the battlefield at fast, deadly speeds, consuming everything in their path.


    Rumble!


    Ambrose went through the yers like a weapon of mass destruction and didn''t care how much blood was sttered across his face and clothes.


    He left behind an image in the minds of the yers that they would never be able to forget.


    Eventually, Ambrose and Moriarty met in the middle of the battlefield, surrounded by a sea of corpses and blood.


    They were the only ones left.

 Chapter 499 Qualified Finalists

    <h4>Chapter 499 Qualified Finalists</h4>


    Snap!


    After a single snap, the lights in the room lit up brightly, illuminating the entire space.


    It was a dome-shaped room with thirty-two doors lining the walls, and in front of them were tforms to stand on.


    At that moment, a figure appeared from thin air and stood in the middle of the room with a majestic presence.


    This time, he didn''t look illusionary but instead real.


    Graham stood with his hands behind his back, and he was dressed in a fancy overcoat with golden buttons and a top hat.


    The overcoat had a velvet cor and a silk lining with intricate embroidery that sparkled in the dim light of the room.


    It seemed to be perfectly tailored to fit his slender frame, entuating his stature and giving him an air of elegance and sophistication.


    As he waited for something in silence, suddenly a golden camera appeared amid a sh of golden light and pointed straight at him.


    "Hello, everyone from all around the world." Graham spread his arms wide and smiled. "The third and final round of the early tournament has finally ended, and there are exactly thirty-two teams that have qualified!"


    The viewer ratings shot up as everyone waited eagerly to find the thirty-two teams that had qualified.


    In total, sixty-four yers from over a billion yers managed to qualify for the final stage of the tournament. Only the strongest were remaining.


    "Now, I shall announce the qualified teams."


    Graham said, pointed towards the first door right in front of him, and smiled as the tension around the world grew thicker.


    Creak¡ªthe door slowly opened, and the first team to qualify stepped through, their faces filled with surprise as they expected there to be another challenge awaiting them.


    "Congrattions, Team Caramel!"


    "We made it through¡­"


    A lean-bodied man whispered in surprise. He had his arms tattooed with a design of cracked rock that made his arms look like they were made of stone.


    His name was Rockborn, and beside him, a man with a quite square-shaped head smiled, which was a rare sight, and his name was Blockhead.


    They were the first team to qualify for the finals of the tournament!


    ¡­


    Caramel Town, Knucklefist Bar.


    "They did it!"


    Screams reverberated throughout the bar as the crowd erupted in cheers and apuse.


    Music started sting through the speakers while many drunken customers hugged each other and danced in celebration.


    In Caramel Town, it was widely known who the two strongest yers were¡ªRockborn and Blockhead.


    They weren''t really familiar with each other before the tournament, but the mayor of the town convinced them to team up as they were both very powerful¡ªso powerful that no one else in their town couldpare to them.


    At the corner of the bar, the mayor of the town raised his cup of beer and toasted it by himself before taking a long, satisfying gulp.


    He looked like he belonged to a motorcycle gang, but in Caramel Town, he was a very respected individual.


    "Atta boy¡­" He chuckled to himself and enjoyed his beer.


    "Aye, aye, they named their team after this town. I suppose we''ll be having more tourists in the future just to see where our new local legends lived."


    ¡­


    As Rockborn and Blockhead stopped on their tform, they turned to look at the door beside them and saw that it was slowly opening.


    "The second team to qualify is Ignite Get Rekt!"


    A handsome, ck-haired young man stepped through the door, smiled charmingly, and waved at the golden camera.


    A cold-looking young man, who was equally handsome and slightly taller than his teammate, stepped through the door and nced at the golden camera briefly before turning his focus on Graham.


    "Ah, we made it through." Anthonughed and rested his hands on his waist.


    Cauldron nodded and nced to the side at their uing opponents. They were also staring at them like hawks.


    "Ignite has not arrived yet. I wonder if he made it through." Cauldron said curiously.


    "Ahah, I doubt it. Didn''t he choose some random person in the streets to be his teammate?" Anthonughed. "I wonder if he gets mad at our team name."


    ¡­


    A ssroom erupted in cheers that shook the teacher, who was writing something on the chalkboard. She almost lost her bnce and fell to the ground.


    She then turned to look at her students to see what was happening and saw everyone talking excitedly while looking at something on their phones.


    She only heard the names of Anthon and Cal.


    ''Anthon and Cal?'' She curiously approached one of the students to see what the wuss was about.


    She was aware that they weren''ting to school today because of the famous tournament. It was already impressive that they made it to the third round of the tournament, which made them popr in the rest of the city.


    As she nced at one of her students''s phones, she saw them standing in some kind of strange room with smiles on their faces.


    "Uhm, Mel, what is happening?"


    Mel, a student of hers, turned to her with an excited look and said, "Anthon and Cal qualified for the finals!"


    "What?!" The teacher eximed and was very much aware of how incredible that achievement was.


    Her children were also attempting the tournament but didn''t make it through the first round.


    However, they watched the tournament whenever they weren''t at school, and they always talked about it at the dinner table.


    So, even she was aware of the ongoings of the tournament as she listened to their stories and watched alongside them.


    ''I wonder how they will react when I say that two of my students reached the finals?'' She wondered with a sly smile.


    In the corner of the ssroom, Ignite watched from his phone with a smile and chuckled.


    "They made it through, huh? Also, what the hell is that team name? Those bastards¡­"


    He was proud of his friends, but he was also disappointed that he couldn''t make it through.


    At first, he and his teammate failed to qualify through the second round and ended up in the Wild Cardpetition.


    Unfortunately, the dragon there killed them.


    ¡­


    Anthon and Cauldron were talking to each other carefreely, but then, the third door beside them opened with a loud m, as if it were being mmed open by a powerful force.


    "Yawn!"


    A loud yawn sounded from the door, and then a handsome, crystal-haired man stepped through with a smile on his face.


    As soon as he entered, a powerful pressure silenced everyone in the room.


    Following him, an equally powerful, if not more powerful, pressure entered the room.


    Julian and Zadkiel had arrived!


    "Those two¡­" Cauldron narrowed his eyes. "Are strong!"


    "Yeah¡­" Anthon''s lip twitched and he chuckled. ''What a pair of monsters.''


    "What a boringst battle." Zadkiel crossed his arms and looked at Julian with a smile. "After defeating that loser, Moriarty, all the challenges after that were nd."


    Julian didn''t speak a word, but he nodded in agreement that thest challenges were underwhelming after fighting against Ambrose.


    He then nced at the other opponents in the room and nodded thoughtfully.


    ''They aren''t here yet. I wonder if they made it through the Underworld.''

 Chapter 500 The Land of Everdream

    <h4>Chapter 500 The Land of Everdream</h4>


    As Julian and Zadkiel entered the room, it felt like the whole world held their breaths, but then floods of messages filled the Martial Online forums and the inte as a whole.


    It wasn''t unexpected that they qualified, and if they hadn''t, it would''ve been the biggest surprise in the whole tournament yet.


    Zadkiel''s fans were overjoyed and had already celebrated so hard that one would think that they had already won the whole tournament.


    Julian''s fans were more discreet and were quietly confident in their chances in the tournament.


    Since Julian neither streamed nor made videos, his fanbase wasn''t that big, but everyone knew him and appreciated his skill.


    "Congrattions, The Titans!" Graham pped his hands and then looked at the fourth door.


    "Let''s wee the fourth team to qualify!"


    The door swung open and revealed a pair of identical-looking people, but of different genders.


    One smiled cheerfully, which instantly melted the hearts of the audience, while her teammate coldly looked around.


    "Kiramise Twins!"


    "Wohoo!" Cleo cheered andughed happily while waving towards the camera.


    Leo stood behind his sister with his arms crossed, but then felt a powerful presence next to them and nced briefly at them.


    Julian exchanged nces with him and narrowed his eyes.


    It was as if there was an unspoken tension between them.


    ''Powerful one.'' Julian came to a conclusion and smiled slightly. ''Good. It looks like the finals won''t be boring.''


    Leo looked away and closed his eyes in meditation.


    ¡­


    "Haha, those are my kids, all right!"


    A well-toned man sat cross-legged inside his school of martial arts and looked at the television with arge grin.


    His students were pping and whistling loudly towards the screen.


    "Oh my."


    At that moment, a beautiful middle-aged woman came from the back of the room with a tray of drinks in hand and smiled at the screen.


    "Cleo and Leo, oh my." She was overwhelmed with joy to see her children on television.


    "Haha, I knew they would make it through!" The well-toned man said proudly. "I taught them, after all!"


    "Modest as always." His wife rolled her eyes and yfully nudged him.


    Then she put the tray aside and pped her hands excitedly. "Celebrations are on order. I''ll also order the tickets to Loch City!"


    ¡­


    "The fifth team to qualify is this team, Colonel''s Assistants!"


    The fifth door swung open, and a pair of serious-looking men stepped through with their backs straightened and a long stride in their steps.


    They looked very serious and were the kind of people who wouldn''t enjoy jokes.


    "They all look soft." Evan, a sharp jawlined man said with a scornful look. "They wouldn''tst a day in our line of work."


    "If we hadn''t qualified, we might as well drop dead!" His teammate, Gregory, said loudly.


    Gregory had a high nose bridge that gave him an air of superiority, and he wore straight-sleeved jackets that made him look even more arrogant.


    They were part of the ck Legion¡ªan infamous military organization that operated near the High Seas.


    They were called mercenaries, but they preferred to think of themselves as soldiers of fortune.


    They worked for the country that paid them the most, which made them criminals in most of the countries.


    However, they weren''t criminals in the country where cities such as Loch City and Nocklund were located, allowing them topete freely in the tournament.


    Nocklund and Loch City were in a country called the Land of Everdream. The Land of Everdream had looser regtions when it came to mercenary work, allowing the ck Legion to still operate near them.


    High Seas was also not that far from the Land of Everdream, where pirates frequently raided merchant ships for their treasure.


    ¡­


    On a three-sailed ship, the sound of alcohol bottles clinking echoed throughout the air.


    It was a ship belonging to the ck Legion.


    "Haha, Evan and Gregory showed those brats their ce!" The drunken mercenaries celebrated withughter.


    At the captain''s quarters, a long-bearded man with a sword for a hand sat with a cup of wine on the other hand.


    There was a small television mounted on the wall that wasn''t that high quality.


    Currently, it was showing the tournament while asionally turning to ck-and-white static.


    "Good job, Evan and Gregory." The captainughed and walked to the door before opening it with his sword hand.


    "Set sail for the Land of Everdream. We''re going to Loch City, men!"


    ¡­


    As time moved by, the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth teams were also introduced to the rest of the world.


    At that moment, the tenth door opened, and loud stomping reverberated throughout the room.


    Everyone turned to look at the door and saw two, veryrge men stepping through with bare chests and only loincloths covering them from the waist down.


    At first, some thought they were some kind of exhibitionist, but after a further nce, they realized that they were most likely just wannabe sumo fighters.


    "Hohoo!" Yokozuna cheered loudly andughed. "We made it through."


    "We did it, boss!" Ozeki said excitedly. "We''re finally going to get girlfriends!"


    A few yers felt their eyebrows twitching after hearing them.


    ¡­


    In a sumo dojo somewhere in the Land of Everdreams.


    "Huh, it''s them!" A surprised-looking sumo fighter said as he pointed at the television. "They actually qualified? The hell."


    At that moment, a nearly two-meter-tall sumo fighter with a menacing scowl approached from behind; his shadow loomed over them.


    He was the teacher of this sumo school, and he was one of the highest-ranking sumo fighters in the entire world at the moment.


    As he saw two of his former sumo students standing on the television, his eyebrow clearly twitched.


    He kicked them out because of theirck of respect for their sumo culture. They wanted to create their own sumo that would help them be even more powerful, which created a rift among them.


    They said that they would show them that kicking them would be a mistake and that they would be the strongest dojo in the entirety of Martial Online.


    Theyughed at that idea, as first of all, they didn''t care about Martial Online, and second, they thought theycked the talent and skill to ever be the strongest dojo.


    "He calls himself Yokozuna." The tall sumo fighter said with a scoff. "Kuro, how arrogant of you."


    "What shall we do?" A student of his asked.


    "Nothing. We''ll continue training. The next sumo tournament is just around the corner!"


    "Yes, master!"


    As his students returned to training, the sumo teacher turned back to the television and frowned. ''I wonder how strong your sumo is now, Kuro!''


    ¡­


    Yokozuna and Ozeki stopped on their own tforms and looked at other yers in the room, but to not look weak, they focused on maintaining theirposure.


    At that moment, the door beside them slowly opened, revealing the 11th team to qualify for the finals.


    "Ah¡­"


    A bright, yellow-haired man entered the room with his arm loosely hanging beside his body. It was almost cut off, only hanging from a few strands of skin.


    A gray-haired man followed after him, and quickly closed the door behind them. He then copsed on the ground with clear signs of exhaustion.


    It looked like they had to fight through a long and grueling battle to reach their destination.


    "W-we made it through?" The gray-haired man asked weakly.


    "Congrattions, Team Rothsmith!"


    Graham announced their team name, and as the name Rothsmith was spoken out, many ears perked up in curiosity.


    Sunseeker, the yellow-haired man, and Moonshadow, the gray-


    haired man, sighed heavily with wounds all around their bodies.


    They were the team that the Rothsmith family paid a lot to have on their side!


    They were a famous duo¡ªSunseeker and Moonshadow!

 Chapter 501 Thirty-Two Teams

    <h4>Chapter 501 Thirty-Two Teams</h4>


    On Mark Rothsmith''s estate, people jumped to their feet and cheered loudly.


    Mark looked at the scene with a frown on his face.


    ''They''re so injured that they can''t even stand; they barely survived through.''


    He then focused his gaze back on the screen and wondered whether that certain person also qualified.


    Meanwhile, all the other Rothsmith members had already started celebrating, without being aware that there was still one Rothsmith person who might also qualify.


    The champagne had already been popped open, and the music was ring, creating a festive atmosphere in the mansion.


    ¡­


    After team Rothsmith was announced, the twelfth, thirteenth, and fourteenth teams were quickly announced.


    Then, it was time for the fifteenth team, and the door slowly creaked open.


    "Hahaha!" A loud-voiced yer stepped through the door andughed loudly, making other yers irritated.


    He was none other than ckfist from Roaring Engines!


    Behind him, Motorhero stepped through the door with his hands inside his pockets and looked around the ce without much emotion on his face.


    "Congrattions, Roaring Engines!"


    ¡­


    At the bar that was frequently visited by Roaring Engines members.


    There weren''t loud cheers, but insteadughter and the sound of sses clinking together in celebration.


    Outside the bar, a loud sound of an engine revving echoed before it suddenly halted.


    At that moment, someone stepped into the bar with dark sunsses perched on their head and a leather jacket slung over their shoulder, instantly catching everyone''s attention.


    The members of Roaring Engines raised their cups to the person and then gulped the alcohol down their throats.


    "They made it through." He whispered and took a seat on the bar stool before ordering a drink.


    As he received his drink, he gulped it down and put the cup down.


    As the time went by, he continued to sit on the same bar stool without ordering another drink. He was simply sitting there and watching the tournament unfold on the TV screen.


    "Your son qualified; aren''t you happy?" A broad-shouldered man sat beside him and raised his hand as he also ordered a drink for himself.


    He looked like he was built like a brick house.


    "It''s just a game." He replied and leaned back, being careful not to fall from the stool. "My son entered this gang life when he was very young."


    "So have we all." The broad-shouldered man said and took a sip of the drink. "Howe he is any different from us?"


    "Did any of you kill when you were nine years old?"


    Motorhero''s father asked and looked at the broad-shouldered man, his eyes looking dark and haunted behind the sunsses.


    "I can''t say we have." The broad-shouldered man nodded. "So, you think the early war has messed him up?"


    "It has messed him up. I just don''t think so. I know." Motorhero''s father replied and looked at the screen. "Martial Online is the perfect ce for someone like him. Unlimited freedom to do evil."


    "I heard that he is very adamant about not wanting any weak yers near him." The broad-shouldered man chuckled. "Apparently he is starting a war. What do you think about that?"


    "That is an excuse." Motorhero''s father sighed. "It''s just an excuse for him to cause chaos and destruction. His mind is damaged beyond repair."


    ¡­


    The 25th door opened up and several gazes went straight towards the figure walking through the door.


    "Where is he?" Cerberus stopped on the tform and looked around the room with a frown. "Still not here? Don''t tell me he didn''t make it through."


    "No one else from Zahhak is here still?" Redheart clicked her tongue in disappointment. "We''re the only ones that made it through?"


    While Cerberus didn''t look injured even slightly, Redheart had a few scratches on her arms and a bruise on her cheek.


    Cerberus didn''t care that no one else made it through, but he was waiting for one certain person to step through the door.


    Soon, the 30th team was already announced, and the room was already quite full.


    There were only two doors that were still closed.


    Graham smiled and pointed his fingers at the two remaining doors.


    A symbol of angelic wings appeared on the 31st door, and the face of a demon appeared on the 32nd door.


    "The final team to survive through the challenge phase!"


    The 31st door swung open, and two yers stepped through, but when they were about to pass through the door, they collided with each other and struggled to get through.


    "Fuck off, I am going first!"


    "Ugh, you brute!"


    A broad-shouldered man pushed aside his teammate and forced his way through the door.


    His teammate followed after him with a twitching eyebrow and then tripped the broad-shouldered man, causing him to fall to the ground.


    Thud!


    "Ugh, you bastard!" The broad-shouldered man stood up, towering over his teammate, and growled angrily. "Fine, wanna fight? I am on!"


    "Grow up." His teammate said in annoyance.


    All the yers looked at them in surprise, in disbelief about how uncooperative they seemed to be.


    Some wondered whether it was an act to fool them all, but the broad-shouldered man''s face had turned red, and he was almost smoking through his ears.


    It didn''t look like they were ying around.


    Graham looked at them with a slight twitch on his lip and said, "Congrattions, Team Nameless!"


    Barbarian and Prince bumped shoulders and stood on the tform with anger in their faces.


    Their name was Nameless because they couldn''t decide what name to choose as both of them wanted to use their dojo''s name.


    However, since they didn''t reach apromise, they had to panic and choose something, and this was the result.


    "Oh, there''re quite a few popr faces here." Barbarian smiled. "I want to fight them."


    Prince rolled his eyes and turned to nce at the final door, wondering why it had a demon face on it.


    "The final door." Graham pointed at it and said, "The teaming through that door survived through the apocalyptic underworld. It was a bloody battlefield, and only one team survived through!"


    The room fell silent, as did the rest of the world.


    In the minds of many, there were hundreds of teams they would want to go through, but there were only two yers left to qualify.


    The door slowly opened.


    All the gazesnded on the door, and they felt a bloody aura emanating from the interior.


    At that moment, two figures stepped through the door with blood-stained clothes that were still dripping blood to the ground.


    "Congrattions, Phoenix Quill!"


    "Whoo¡­" Moriarty leaned on his spear and looked around the room till he found the person he was looking for and made a throat slitting gesture.


    Zadkiel grinned wickedly.


    Cerberus cracked his knuckles and looked at Ambrose with blood-red eyes.


    Ambrose looked around the room with an emotionless gaze and crossed his arms with a slight sigh.


    ''Finally through¡­''


    "It''s him¡­" Anthon said with a serious gaze and looked at his friend. "He looks just like that stone bastard."


    "Yes," Cauldron replied, narrowing his eyes. "So, he was real, after all."


    And just like that, the final team was announced, and all thirty-


    two teams had gathered in the room!

 Chapter 502 Amb Amb

    <h4>Chapter 502 Amb Amb</h4>


    Rothsmith Estate, Nocklund.


    The tscreen television showed thest team walking out of the door, and as soon as they appeared, the whole mansion was silent for a short moment.


    Ring.


    At that moment, several phones started ringing at the same time, causing chaos in the otherwise quiet mansion.


    "He made it¡­" Anna covered her mouth in surprise and felt her ears moisten as tears of joy filled her eyes.


    Jack clenched his trembling fists in excitement and took a deep breath to calm himself down.


    At the moment, they were alone in the room, but then they heard some faint cheersing from all around the mansion.


    It wasn''t only them that were spectating the tournament; the servants were as well, and they started celebrating as their very own young master appeared on television.


    Jack pulled out his phone and sent a message to Mark.


    After pressing send, he pocketed his phone and turned to the television with a small smile on his face.


    ¡­


    Buzz¡­ A phone vibrated in Mark''s chest pocket.


    However, he was too upied to care about it, as his gaze was glued to the screen.


    The room was eerily quiet, with all the members of the Rothsmith family looking at the screen with jaws dropped in shock.


    "What the¡­" Mark whispered, but then his face turned red, and he stammered out incoherently. "Yes!"


    His shout took others by surprise, as they didn''t expect their lofty patriarch to show such emotion.


    Not even when Sunseeker and Moonshadow qualified.


    However, now he did, and it didn''te as a surprise as to why.


    A person who carried the name Rothsmith was going to stand on the biggest stage in the world.


    Mark then pulled out his phone with his shaky hand and read the message that Jack sent to him.


    After reading it through, he answered back and turned back to the screen.


    ''Very well, you''ve proven yourself.''


    ¡­


    Meanwhile, the Inte was exploding with activity.


    The Martial Online forums were buzzing with excitement as the final qualified teams were finally revealed.


    In Moriarty''smunity, his fans were celebrating the qualification and eagerly anticipating the finals that were going to happen in Loch City¡ªthe center hub of the tournament.


    At one of the chats of a popr streamer.


    [Chatter1: I thought Zadkiel and Julian were the winning candidates, but there are so many powerful teams!]


    [Chatter2: I knew Mch and Evangelia would qualify! They were also very dominant during the entire tournament]


    [Chatter3: Yeah, I wonder what would happen if they shed with Julian and Zadkiel!]


    [Chatter4: Samuel joined up with Cracklol, it seems. That is an unexpected alliance, not going to lie]


    [Chatter5: Cracklol is quite¡­ something, but they are clearly a powerful team as they also qualified!]


    [Chatter6: I know that Moriarty and his teammate lost to Julian and Zadkiel, but they are also incredibly powerful. I think they can reach the top 5!]


    [Chatter7: Difficult to say. We still don''t know what the tournament''s format will be]


    ¡­


    In the final room of the tournament, Graham snapped his fingers, and an illusionary door appeared behind him that looked like a door to heaven.


    "The first phase of the tournament is concluded." He stepped aside and pointed at the door. "This is the exit. I will contact each one of you soon regarding the finals."


    As some yers started to depart from the tournament with excited looks, one of the yers walked to Graham.


    Graham sensed his approach and looked at him with a curious look.


    "May I ask a question?" Ambrose looked at Graham, one of the most influential people in the world at the moment.


    Also, Be''s father, which made him slightly nervous.


    "You may," Graham said.


    Moriarty, who was about to walk through the door, turned around with a raised eyebrow, wondering what Ambrose was asking.


    "This tournament felt odd to me." Ambrose said, "We could''ve just had teams facing each other in a normal bracket-styled tournament to decide the strongest 32 teams. It felt like this was an unnecessaryplication to the process."


    "Hmm¡­" Graham mumbled, looking like he was contemting his words.


    But, then, he nodded in agreement and said, "You make a good point."


    Before Ambrose said another word, he raised another finger.


    "However, since the creation of Martial Online, there is one thing I value as a skill; do you know what that is?"


    Ambrose shook his head, even though he thought he could guess and perhaps get it right. However, he wanted to know from his mouth.


    "The skill of the real person behind the avatar." Graham said, "That is something that has been criminally underrated. It''s a shame, really.


    "To weed out the ''Level-Abusers'' as I call them, I created the first round to be something different. Of course, I believe some really powerful yers were disqualified because of that.


    "Therefore, I gave them some leeway and created the Wild Cardpetition to give them one final chance. Still, I think I seeded in having the best thirty-two teamspete in the finals.


    "Does my answer satisfy you?"


    "It does." Ambrose nodded, understanding slightly the thought process behind the great genius, Graham.


    Graham nodded and also walked out of the door.


    "I''ll call youter." Moriarty said to Ambrose and walked through the door, disappearing as well.


    Ambrose was about to leave the room as well, but then he heard a voice behind him.


    "You''re Ambrose, right?"


    Ambrose turned around and saw a pair of yers looking at him. They didn''t look like they knew who he really was, but he knew who they were.


    ''It''s them¡­'' Ambrose''s eyes narrowed, and he nodded. "Yes."


    Anthon smiled and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Have we met before?"


    "Perhaps," Ambrose replied vaguely.


    "¡­" Cauldron looked coldly at him and could feel that he was hiding something.


    ''He must know us, so we have met before. However, howe I don''t have any recollection of ever seeing him before?''


    "Are these meanies bothering you, Amb Amb?" A chirpy sound came behind them.


    Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched slightly, and then he turned to see Cleo approaching them with her usual giant smile on her face.


    Leo followed her with his customary cold expression, but when he noticed Ambrose, his eyes slightly squinted.


    "I suppose this ce isn''t the proper ce to have a conversation." Anthon chuckled and walked past Ambrose with a smile on his face. "I hope we see each other in Loch City. Maybe I''ll remember you by then."


    Cauldron walked past Ambrose, almost bumping shoulders with them, but at thest possible moment, Ambrose slightly shifted to the side to avoid the collision.


    It was a very minor and subtle movement, but it was enough to prevent the two from colliding.


    "¡­"


    Cauldron nned to bump shoulders with him, as he wanted to see something, but it was as if Ambrose sensed his intentions and intentionally dodged it.


    He then turned his gaze away, followed Anthon through the illusionary door, and vanished from the tournament realm.


    "What''s Amb Amb?" Ambrose turned to Cleo with a twitching eyebrow.


    "Since I call Moriarty as Mori Mori, I should call you Amb Amb!" Cleo said happily. "It''s good, right?"


    "Never call me that again." Ambrose stated firmly with a wry smile.


    "Mou¡­" Cleo pouted and put her hands on her waist. "You''re no fun, Amb Amb!"


    Ambrose rolled his eyes, but at that moment, he saw two yers walking past him.


    Cerberus passed him without taking a second to look at him, and he stepped through the door.


    Redheart followed right behind him, but she couldn''t help it and shot a poisonous re in Ambrose''s direction before disappearing into the door.


    "You''re popr one, aren''t ya." Cleo smiled cheekily.


    Ambrose sighed and shook his head.


    "Well, see you in Loch City." Ambrose turned around and walked to the door.


    "Bye bye!"


    Cleo shouted behind him, and then, as he was about to step through the door, he quickly checked his current level.


    A level that he received after many hours of grinding in the underworld.


    [Ambrose - Level: 86]


    He jumped an amazing 13 levels in just a few hours!


    ''I''ll assign my stat pointster; now, I am too tired to do anything else here.''


    Ambrose stepped proudly through the door and vanished like a fleeting cloud.


    ¡­


    Jesse opened his eyes tiredly and took off his headset before sitting down on the edge of his bed.


    He had clear ck hair that fell in waves around his face, giving him a mysterious and brooding appearance.


    After hours of countless fights, he was finally free to just rx!


    Heid straight down and let out a relieved sigh.


    It was still unknown when the finals would start, but if he had to guess, it would still take a few weeks to finish everything before the tournament could begin.


    From what he has heard, the stadium hasn''t finished construction.


    It gave him a few weeks of rxing time and a chance to increase his level even further.


    He nned to go into demon mode, push himself through limits, and reach an even greater level of strength.


    However, before that, there was something he wanted to finish.


    All-Online''s quest to find the killer.

 Chapter 503 Criminal Tavern

    Chapter 503 Criminal Tavern


    Jesse stood on his room''s balcony, overlooking the scene happening on the road that was leading out of Rothsmith Estate.


    There, hundreds of reporters with cameras shing were desperately trying to catch a glimpse of him, the newly-crowned Hero of Nocklund.


    They saw him standing on the balcony, leaning against the railing, and started snapping pictures.


    Jesse went to the balcony so the reporters could snatch a few pictures and perhaps leave and stop bothering his family and the servants.


    However, he had a feeling they wouldn''t leave without getting his interview first.


    They didn''t care that it was freezing outside, as they had built tents and brought space heaters to keep warm while they waited for him.


    It had been two days since the end of the tournament, and there still hadn''t been any news about the finals.


    After he finished up with the tournament, they had a party on the estate thatsted long into the night. It was mostly within the family and among servants.


    Matilda, his grandmother, also visited and told him some good advice about fame and how to handle it gracefully.


    After all, he was Rothsmith and had to carry the name with a straight back and proud posture. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''It seems these vultures have no intention of leaving.''


    Jesse left the balcony and closed the balcony door behind him.


    After trekking to his bed, he pulled out his phone from the charger and pocketed it before sitting down on the bed.


    He then opened his bedside drawer and grabbed a book before lying down on the bed.


    It was his favorite book¡ªAmbrose, the Immortal Man.


    It had been with him since he was a child, and he loved to read it whenever he needed a break from reality.


    He hadn''t read it as muchtely as there was another way to take a break from reality¡ªMartial Online.


    Which, to be honest, had been much more effective.


    As he started reading, time flew by as he entered the magical world of magic and knights, but after a while, someone knocked on the door and shook him back to reality.


    Jesse closed the book, ced it inside the drawer, and said that the door was open.


    The door opened, and surprisingly, it was the doctor, dressed in his usual white coat.


    However, Jesse had been waiting for him.


    "How''s the test result?" He asked curiously and moved closer to the end of the bed.


    After the end of the tournament, he went immediately to get his body checked up, as he didn''t think his strange episodes of nose bleeding and passing out were normal.


    So far, he has been fine in the real world, as he hasn''t gone to either All-Online or Martial Online.


    He had a hunch that the VR headset was to me for his strange, new disease. If it wasn''t, he wanted to at least check his condition before ying again.


    "Well, I saw something abnormal, that''s for sure." The doctor took a chair to sit on and scratched his cheek as he tried to arrange the papers in his hand.


    Jesse quieted down and listened to what the doctor had to say.


    "First of all, your brain activity is all over the ce." The doctor started with. "It''s as if your thoughts are constantly racing, without any stopping.


    "Your body is also showing physical signs of stress and anxiety.


    "Let me exin it better. In your brain, it looks like dark clouds are looming over, with thunderstorms raging. It seems as if you are in great anger all the time."


    ''In great anger? I don''t feel anger, though.'' Jesse frowned.


    "I am not a therapist, but I know some really great therapists to help you work through these feelings."


    "Thanks¡­" Jesse frowned and held his head in his hands.


    "So, I have been nose bleeding and passing out, but I am fine?"


    "From what I''ve seen based on my tests, you were fine." The doctor said, "You said it happened in Martial Online, correct? I am not too familiar with the video games, but is there a way to get some kind of disease there or something?"


    "I don''t know¡­" Jesse whispered.


    There might be a way for the yer to have a skill that could create something like that, as he could also inflict others with Humanoid Imperfecta.


    However, he doubted that, as it first happened in the presence of Moriarty, Cleo, and Leo.


    Then, in the presence of Moriarty, Zadkiel, and Julian.


    The only person that was present in both scenarios was Moriarty, and he doubted that he would be the kind of guy to sabotage his own teammate.


    ''Well, it never happened after logging out of the game, so perhaps it is a game issue? Hard to say¡­''


    "In all, you are in pretty good health, young master." The doctor stood up and bowed slightly with a smile. "From a physique standpoint, you are in perfect health."


    "Thank you." Jesse nodded and watched as the doctor left his room.


    He then let out a sigh and nced at the bedside drawer where his headset was lying. It had been a few days since hest touched it, and he was quite missing it already.


    ''Well, it seems I am fine, so I might as well.''


    Jesse took the headset,id down on the soft bed with a pillow under his head that felt like marshmallows, and then ced it around his head.


    After pressing a button on the side of the headset, his consciousness transferred to the virtual world.


    ¡­


    Ambrose appeared in the world of white, with an endless white sky and whitend.


    As he looked around, he brought out the interface and again saw Martial Online on the front page.


    When he was about to press it, his fingers twitched, and he remembered that there was something else to do.


    He moved past the front page and found another game¡ªAll-Online.


    There was still the murder of Falco Arundell that he had to uncover. ''I discovered the name¡ªZane Grimm the Third¡ªand today I''ll find more about him.''


    With a single press, his body turned into a pixted mess of colorful pixels and got sucked into the video game world.


    ¡­


    "Ah!"


    Ambrose woke up on the sidewalk of a bustling, Victorian-style city, bewildered and disoriented.


    He was pretty sure he didn''t log out on the sidewalk and thought he would''ve logged back in at the previous spot where he left.


    However, now he remembered that he didn''t put any temporary spawns. He wasn''t sure whether it was even possible.


    As he got a sense of the surroundings, he bumped shoulders with some rude pedestrians who minded their own business, with the exception of one who angrily shouted at him to watch where he was standing.


    Previously, he was in All-Online when it was night with a starry, foggy sky, but now it was sunny morning with factories pushing ck smoke into the blue sky, unaware of the pollution they were causing.


    The windows in the nearby houses closed and opened, and people were throwing dirty water onto the dirty alleyways below. Some homeless people were unfortunate enough to be caught in the line of fire.


    Ambrose fixed up the dirty mask on his face to hide himself better, as it was harder to blend in than during the night. It was clear that he was already attracting attention with his dirty clothes.


    ''I have no money, so I can''t afford any clothes. There is only one ce I know how to get easy information and perhaps money¡ªany tavern.


    ''That''s where I should begin, as blindlessly moving down the city won''t do me any good and just increases the risk of me being discovered and then tagged as some witch.''


    With the destination in mind, he trekked down the cobblestone streets of the Great City, taking in the sights of dirty alleyways, smoky factories, and stores with dirty ss windows.


    All the citizens seemed to live their own lives, but he noticed one thing that was different from Martial Online¡ªtheck of yers.


    It felt very strange to be in a world without any other yers around or real people, as one would say.


    After a few hours of walking around the Great City, with a little help from few locals, he found a smoky tavern tucked away in some back street of the city.


    The street had a one-way road leading out, some alleyways leading to who knows where, and a few stray cats wandering around.


    There were shady characters everywhere, smoking and ying cards in the open, some even drinking heavily in broad daylight.


    As Ambrose walked down the street, he was clearly treated as an eyesore by the locals, who red at him with suspicion and disgust.


    Eventually, he reached the front steps of the smoky tavern, which had a reputation for weing the most unsavory characters.


    He pushed open the easily-openable doors and entered the dimly lit establishment. It was still somewhat empty as it was still a little bit past morning, but in the night, this was one of the most popr ces in town for criminals and ouws to gather and scheme.


    As Ambrose took one step forward, he heard a loud, banging sound that seemed to errupt his eardrums.


    Bang!


    A bullet hole appeared in the wall, just inches away from his head.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened, and he looked at the bullet hole before turning to look at the bartender, who was holding a smoking gun.

 Chapter 504 Drunk Acting

    Chapter 504 Drunk Acting


    The bartender was a thick-bearded man with a rough-looking face and wrinkly skin that made him appear much older than he actually was.


    As he wielded the smoking flintlock pistol on his right hand, he pointed it straight between Ambrose''s eyebrows and said:


    "This tavern has a strict no-mask rule. Therefore, take off your mask, or the next bullet goes between your brows."


    "Alright."


    Ambrose put his hands up to show he meant no harm and slowly removed his mask.


    His handsome countenance with pure, purple eyes was revealed, but his skin looked rather dirty, as if he had been traveling for days without rest.


    "There was a sign outside the tavern." The bartender slowly slid the flintlock pistol back to his holster and continued. "You should keep your eyes open; otherwise, next time I''ll just kill you where you stand."


    Ambrose took a single step outside and checked the sign beside the door, which he had totally ignored beforehand.


    It showed a face with a mask on, but there was arge red cross over it. It was clear that this establishment didn''t allow masks.


    ''For a tavern that is heavily upied by criminals, it is pretty strange rule, but I suppose there are even people that they don''t want anything to do with.''


    Ambrose straightened his sleeves and entered the tavern once again. In that moment, he noticed a bounty board with posters of wanted individuals.


    With just a slight nce, he noticed that a few of those wanted individuals were sitting in the corner of the tavern at this very minute.


    They also didn''t wear any masks, allowing them to be easily detected.


    ''I wonder how this ce will be at night¡­''


    Ambrose thought to himself curiously.


    After scanning the outline of the tavern, he took a seat on the bar stool and watched as the bartender poured him a ss of whiskey.


    "Every neer receives their first drink on the house." The bartender said.


    "Oh." Ambrose took the ss from the bartender and raised it to his lips, taking a long sip and savoring the smooth warmth of the whiskey as it washed down his throat.


    As he finished the drink, he let out a cough and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, feeling a slight burning sensation in his chest.


    "What have youe here for?" The bartender asked and eyed him curiously. "People onlye here this early in the morning for two reasons: they either have rented a room here or they are raging alcoholics.


    "You clearly don''t have a rented room here, and based on your coughing, you are not much of a drinker, are you now?"


    "I am just a traveler." Ambrose said vaguely. "However, I do have a question."


    "Questions here cost some gold." The bartender scanned him from head to toe and asked skeptically. "You don''t look like you have much gold."


    Ambrose touched his empty pockets and sighed.


    He was, in theory, a dead man, and dead men wouldn''t have any money to their name.


    Falco Arundell''s office didn''t seem to have any gold pouches lying around either.


    In his current state, he was as poor as one could get, without a single gold coin to his name.


    "I indeed don''t have any gold." Ambrose sighed.


    "They do."


    The bartender nced to the corner of the tavern, where three hooded figures were sitting.


    One of them was fiddling with his pocket watch, one was sharpening his knife, and one was drinking his sorrows away.


    Ambrose clicked his tongue and understood the hidden meaning behind his words, but it surprised him, as he didn''t expect him to suggest doing something like that in his tavern.


    Slowly, he started to understand what kind of ce this was.


    "You wouldn''t mind lending me your flintlock, would you?" Ambrose asked with a twitching lip, even though he already knew the answer.


    "Of course, not." The bartender replied roughly and innocently shrugged his shoulders. "I can''t possibly help you attack my customers."


    "I''ll be back shortly."


    Ambrose stood up from the stool and left the tavern without looking back.


    The bartender took the ss that his previous customer drank from and started cleaning it with a cloth.


    A slight smile yed on his lips, and he curiously anticipated what was going to happen.


    ''Not every day I get to meet Deathwalker in my very own tavern. I guess I have to call ''Them'' to pick him up¡­''


    ¡­


    Outside the tavern, Ambrose found an abandoned alleyway that was narrow and dirty.


    After walking deeper into the alleyway, away from the sights of anyone passing by, he finally found a spot to test something.


    ''I have to test my current fighting ability. I can tell that I don''t have the strength and speed of my real body with me.


    ''Therefore, all the skills and abilities from Martial Online didn''t transfer here like they did to my real body.


    ''From what I remember, I should have decent talent and mediocre starting stats. I also have high charm and luck with high speech skills, which can help me escape some sticky situations.


    ''I don''t know what my stats are without testing, as for some reason, this ce does not have an interface!''


    Ambrose raised his fists and threw some sloppy punches to test his current speed.


    Then he lifted his leg and threw some roundhouse kicks in the air, feeling the weight of his boots as he moved.


    As hended back on the ground, Ambrose''s face looked sour.


    ''I am slow and sloppy. My strength is also not great.''


    Crack!


    At that moment, he identally stepped on some broken ss that sliced through the sole of his boot and cut into his foot.


    "Ngh¡­" Ambrose frowned, but he didn''t feel any pain, except for the warm blood filling his boot.


    He raised his boot with a broken ss shard poking out of it and pulled the bloody ss out of his sole. It was very sharp-looking.


    And then Ambrose realized that he also didn''t receive any information that he had lost health. n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    ''I also can''t tell my health?'' Ambrose clicked his tongue and thought that was indeed quite troublesome.


    However, seeing the sharp, bloody ss shard, he got an idea.


    ''There''s three of them; one of them at least had a knife. If I take him out quickly, then I might have a chance to defeat others.


    ''I am not sure if I can start from the beginning if I die or whether it will be permanent death. Either way, I need to do this.''


    He didn''t bother cleaning the blood off the ss shard, and he slipped it inside his left sleeve. Then he walked out of the alleyway and entered the tavern once again.


    While the tavern was mostly empty, the bartender was innocently whistling behind the bar desk, and the three individuals were seated at the corner, staring suspiciously at him.


    "That guy is approaching us." Abed-back haired man closed his pocket watch with a click.


    "¡­" His friend, a bald-headed man, twirled his knife around his fingers and perked up his ears as he heard the footsteps approach him.


    However, his ears slightly twitched as he heard the sound of sshing, as if the figure were stepping on something wet with each step.


    ''His boot is drenched in water?''


    The third person gulped down the rest of the alcohol and looked drunkenly at the iing person. His cheeks were crimson, and he was clearly intoxicated.


    "H-hello, gentlemen." Ambrose staggered towards them, his words slurring as he spoke. "M-mind giving me s-some gold?"


    ''He is drunk?'' The knife-wielding man narrowed his eyes, and his nose slightly twitched as he smelled something unpleasant.


    A stench of alcohol wafted from Ambrose''s mouth as he spoke.


    The bartender smiled slightly. ''So, he is acting drunk to catch them off guard. He is very believable. That guy does have a way with words, making the slurring over words sound so believable.''


    "Fuck off, we are not some charity." Thebed-back haired man said roughly, his pocket watch ticking loudly in the silence.


    "O-oh, what about you? Burp!" Ambrose tapped the knife-wielding man''s shoulder drunkenly. "Some gold for poor ol'' me?"


    The man looked at the dirty hand that touched his shoulder, and his eyebrow started twitching furiously. He shrugged his shoulders, making the dirty hand drop off his shoulder.


    "If you don''t leave at this moment, my knife will go through your throat."


    "O-okay, burp!"


    Ambrose burped, and at that moment, a bloody ss shard slipped out of his left sleeve, which he caught with his left hand before it fell down and stabbed through the man''s throat.


    Stab!


    The knife-wielding man''s eyes widened in shock as suddenly world-ending pain struck his throat, and he immediately copsed on the table, gurgling and gasping for air.


    "What the fuck?!" The other two jumped to their feet in shock, shocked by the turn of events.


    Ambrose snatched the dropped knife from the ground and, with a sickening smile, shed through the other two as they stood still like frozen statues.


    A deep, bleeding knife wound appeared on their chests, which finally woke them up from their shock.


    With a loud scream, they both lunged at their attacker.

 Chapter 505 Rumble!

    <h4>Chapter 505 Rumble!</h4>


    Ambrose stabbed the knife through the drunken man''s chest, but then someone wrapped an arm around his neck and pulled him away before he could inflict any more harm.


    "Argh!" The drunken man screamed with a bleeding chest.


    Ambrose gritted his teeth and smashed the back of his head against the person behind him, breaking the nose of thebed-back haired man.


    He screamed loudly while holding his bent, bleeding nose, and almost tripped on the leg of a nearby chair.


    Ambrose then stabbed the knife through his throat and kicked him down to the ground like a beaten rag doll.


    He then turned to the drunken man and hurled the knife straight to the man''s chest, piercing his heart with deadly uracy.


    "Oh!" The drunken man swayed sideways and copsed to the floor, clutching his chest in shock and disbelief.


    With thest regretful look, he saw the pair of purple eyes staring at him like an angel of death.


    With one final breath, he touched his bleeding chest and closed his eyes as his heart did the final beat before it stopped.


    Forever.


    "A-ah¡­" Thebed-back haired man reached his hand to the ceiling but then stopped moving and finally went limp with the final breaths of his life, drifting away into the darkness of death.


    "Whoo¡­"


    Ambrose breathed heavily, relieved that those two weren''t much of fighters after all.


    The person with the knife seemed to be most experienced in the art of fightingpared to the two, but Ambrose managed to stealthily end his life.


    That person probably didn''t expect someone like him to be of any threat to him, which eventually led to his demise.


    Ambrose took a quick nce at the bounty board and saw that those three had bounties on them, but unfortunately, he wouldn''t be able to collect them as he would risk revealing his identity.


    And then he robbed the three bodies from their money pouches and got seated on the bar stool.


    "What a mess." The bartender sighed with a wry smile and picked up a rag to clean up the mess.


    As the bartender went to get rid of the corpses and blood, Ambrose started counting on the money he received from the three.


    A nice-looking pile of gold coins appeared on the desk, and after counting it all, Ambrose nodded in satisfaction.


    "Around 370¡­"


    Ambrose wasn''t sure whether that was a lot or not, but it should be enough for some questions.


    "Excuse me."


    Ambrose spoke towards the bartender, who was dragging one of the corpses towards the back door that leads to the abandoned alleyway behind the tavern, which no one had been using for a very long time except the bartender.


    The bartender opened the back door, dumped the corpse outside, and as he wiped his sweat, he motioned for Ambrose to ask away.


    "How much for one question?"


    "10 gold coins." The bartender said with a chuckle.


    "Alright." Ambrose nodded. "What''s your name?"


    "Eli. Eli Goldsmith." Eli, the bartender, said with a smile. "That''s 10 gold coins."


    Ambrose picked up the gold coins, stuffed them inside the pouch, and then carefully took out ten gold coins and ced them on the desk.


    After that, he slipped the pouch inside his pocket and intertwined his fingers as he was about to ask another question.


    "Where does Zane Grimm the Third live?"


    "Oho." Eli looked surprised by the question. "He lives on Golden Knife Street. I am not familiar enough to know his exact location.


    "That''s 10 gold coins."


    Ambrose ced 10 gold coins on the desk and asked another question:


    "Tell me everything you know about Golden Knife Street."


    "It is a closed neighborhood." Eli replied. "Guarded, housed by nobles, and the entry is very restricted."


    He then eyed Ambrose from head to toe and said, "They wouldn''t let anyone that has even a speck of dust on their clothes enter those gates."


    "I see. Thanks for answering." Ambrose put ten gold coins on the desk and began thinking about ns.


    "You don''t seem to be after him for good reasons." Eli rubbed his chin and said, "You could hire a person to kill him."


    "Hire a hitman?" Ambrose questioned curiously.


    "I would call them¡­ Assassins." Eli chuckled. "However, it would cost. About one million gold coins."


    Ambrose''s expression immediately turned sour, as if he had just tasted something bitter.


    "That''s a lot of money¡­" Eliughed. "However, some people want to kill someone, no matter the cost."


    Ambrose shrugged his shoulders and crumbled inwardly. ''I''ll do it myself. It would take eternity to earn one million¡­''


    "How much for a room?" He quickly asked. "I might stay for a day or two."


    "For a week, it would be 15 gold coins." Eli said with a slight smile.


    "I''ll take that." Ambrose ced fifteen gold coins on the desk and received a rusty copper key.


    "The nights will be quite rowdy here." Eli said with ominousughter.


    Ambrose wryly smiled, thanked him for the key, and then went to the second floor, where his room was located.


    As he twisted the key in the door''s key hole, he opened the door and saw a crude-looking room with yellowish paint that was slightly peeling off and old furnishings that looked like they were from a different era.


    There wasn''t much there, except a bed for one, a bedside drawer, and a gasmp on top of it. The air smelled musty and stale, as if it had been abandoned for years.


    ''I guess I''ll wait for the night now.'' Ambrose took off his dirty cloak and draped it over the back of the only chair in the room.


    Then he removed his boots and saw that one of them was covered in blood that was still moist. The blood was also as red as the apples hanging from the tree outside.


    Ambrose thenid down on the tough bed and rubbed his stomach as he felt strangely odd.


    ''Ever since I killed those three, I have had a strange stomach ache that isn''t just going away. Strange.''


    ¡­


    The night fell on the Great City, and a heavy mist enveloped it all, making the streets look like something out of a horror movie.


    At the current moment, the back street of the Great City was bustling with activity, aplete change from daytime.


    Rough-looking individuals waltzed by, some disappearing into alleys while others lingered on street corners, having fun with alcohol in hand and cigarettes on their lips.


    There were few having sex in public on the pavement of the nearby alleyways, some even against a wall of some ss windows. The scene was chaotic and unsettling, a stark contrast to the peaceful atmosphere of daytime.


    At this moment, the tavern was the most scandalous ce in the street, and it waspletely crowded with loudughter and music wafting into the night, misty sky.


    Behind the bar desk, Eli handed drinks to the rowdy customers and acted casually, not caring about the chaotic atmosphere.


    In the air, the scent of smoke and alcohol lingered, creating an intoxicating blend that enveloped the room.


    Some fought, others danced, but everyone seemed to be lost in the moment.


    At that moment, Eli looked to the crowd and smiled as a hooded figure walked through the crowd, making his way towards him. It was as if he didn''t exist until their eyes met.


    The figure got seated on the stool in front of him and tapped his finger on the counter, a strange ring adorning his hand.


    "You called for Us. What do you want?"


    "I had a surprising guest today." Eli said with a smile. "Does the name¡ªFalco Arundell¡ªring a bell?"


    The figure cocked his head to the side, confusion visible in his dark eyes below the hood.


    "He is dead."


    "Then I saw a dead man walking." Eli smiled.


    "¡­" The figure frowned. "Deathwalker?"


    "That''s what I assumed."


    "Where is he?" The figure asked.


    "Why do you want to know?" Eli asked. "He is quite valuable, as you can imagine."


    "What do you want?" The figure asked snappily, clearly annoyed by Eli.


    "One free kill, any of my choosing." Eli said with a chuckle.


    "¡­" The figure scoffed and nodded. "Very well, you''ll have my word."


    Rumble!


    A fading rumble echoed throughout the tavern as if there were a thunderstorm happening outside.


    Eli smiled after hearing the rumble, which only he and the figure managed to hear.


    "On the second floor, third room."


    The figure nodded and stood up from the stool, but at that moment, he felt his hair stand on the back of his head and immediately turned his head over to the stairs.


    There, a purple-eyed man walked down the stairs with a clear, watchful look in his eyes.


    Eli turned to look at there and smiled. ''Things are about to get interesting.''


    ''It is indeed him.'' The figure thought to himself and started walking towards the stairs with a calm stride.


    He again looked like a shadow, moving down the tavern without being detected by anyone else. It was as if he again didn''t exist


    ¡ªlike a ghost.

 Chapter 506 Black Hand

    <h4>Chapter 506 ck Hand</h4>


    Ambrose eyed curiously the rowdy atmosphere in the tavern and saw all sorts of people¡ªsome were so tall that their heads almost touched the ceiling, some were so short that they had to stand on chairs to be seen.


    In general, there were rough people who hadn''t been blessed with a good life and others that looked like gangsters but were still well off, as if their criminal enterprise was booming.


    Ambrose thought he blended well among the rough folk; that''s why he didn''t bother to wipe off the dirt from his face, as it gave him good camouge and made him blend well with the crowd.


    After a moment of scanning the room, he got seated on the bar counter and saw Eli filling the cabs with bottles of liquor.


    "The same whiskey, please." Ambrose said and ced several gold coins on the counter.


    Eli poured him a drink, handed it over to him, and stored the gold coins in his hidden pocket.


    After getting his payment, Eli moved to the furthest corner of the counter, as if he were intentionally going away from Ambrose.


    Ambrose''s eyebrow jumped in curiosity, but at that moment, he noticed that there was someone sitting next to him.


    It was strange because he could swear that there was no one sitting there just a moment ago.


    "My name is Casper ckwell." The figure turned to Ambrose and extended a hand in greeting. "Nice to meet you, Falco Arundell."


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in shock, and his heart started beating faster.


    He then shot a nce towards Eli, who didn''t look in their direction but was obviously listening with great interest.


    ''Of course¡­'' Ambrose scoffed inwardly.


    "Don''t feel betrayed."


    Casper said as he saw that Ambrose, in fact, noticed his connection with the bartender.


    "Eli works closely with my organization. He is a man who knows plenty, as he is the owner of this tavern, where all sorts of people wander and where news travels faster than lightning.


    "We made a deal with him. As long as he gives us some important news, we''ll give something to him in return.


    "Today, he informed us about a man, presumed dead, walking into his tavern.


    "It intrigued us, so I came here."


    "And what is your organization?" Ambrose asked with a suspicious nce.


    "We are called the ck Hand." Casper said coldly. "We are the shapers of the world. Whenever we do something, the world will never be the same. We do everything from assassinations to framing and even overthrowing the empires."


    ''What kind of evil plot have I stumbled into?'' Ambrose''s eyebrow twitched. ''They definitely don''t sound very nice! Wait, assassinations?


    ''Maybe they were the people who originally killed Falco Arundell? I am not sure, but since Zane is a nobleman, I doubt he killed Falco personally. Maybe they have some answers for me.''


    "Why did you want to meet me then?" Ambrose asked.


    "As you can tell, you should be dead." Casper looked at him deeply. "You''re what we call a Deathwalker."


    "Deathwalker?" Ambrose repeated the word, having no idea what that meant.


    "Deathwalker is a rare gic mutation that allows the person toe back to life after dying," Casper exined. "It is a very rare thing, but once that urs, the persones back to life, but only for thirty days."


    "You think that happened to me?" Ambrose asked.


    He wasn''t sure whether he was actually a Deathwalker or if he simply reincarnated into this body. However, he had a feeling that he should let others believe that he was indeed a Deathwalker.


    It seemed to be important as someone from such a powerful, evil-sounding organization came to seek him personally.


    "That''s the only exnation." Casper said calmly. "I want you toe with me to ck Hand''s headquarters."


    "Why would I?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "We can fix it." Casper said. "You''re basically alive now, but the Deathwalker mutation is killing you slowly. We can make it so that it won''t kill you, and you can still live afterwards."


    ''What an amazing deal.'' Ambrose scoffed inwardly. ''That sounds like a scam to be used on some weak-willed people. There is no way that they would do something like this out of the goodness of their hearts.


    ''They''re after something, and that has something to do with me being a Deathwalker.


    ''Also, this ck Hand organization is definitely evil! However, I might be able to get some answers out of them.''


    After seeing that he wasn''t speaking, Casper opened his mouth.


    "We can also find who killed you and help you get revenge."


    Ambrose nced at him and looked like he was in a deep thought, but then nodded and said.


    "Very well, take me with you."


    "Good." Casper nodded without a smile and stood up while fixing the hood to cover his face more. "We shouldn''t stay idling around. Let''s go immediately."


    Ambrose stood up after him and followed out of the tavern with him. They immediately entered a shady alleyway tucked away behind the tavern.


    As he continued to follow the hooded Casper a few steps behind him, he thought:


    ''I''ll have to be careful. This world''s Falco was probably considered to be a slightly naive and weak person, and that probably makes these people underestimate me.


    ''That''s why this Casper created quite a pathetic lie. I doubt they will actually cure me; maybe there isn''t any way to cure me at all. Anyway, I''ll have to y along; if I get cured, great, but I''ll have to keep my eyes open!''


    For the rest of the night, Casper and Ambrose moved in the shadowy alleyways of the Great City, always moving without stopping for a single moment.


    They didn''t leave the alleyways, even for a moment.


    The alleyways were like an enormous maze that they had to navigate carefully to not get lost, but Casper seemed to know where he was heading.


    When the first lights of the morning appeared beyond the horizon, Casper and Ambrose finally reached the dead end of the alleyway, which was narrow andpletely blocked off by arge metal gate.


    Beyond the metal gate, there was some kind of courtyard with a fountain in the middle and a few benches scattered around.


    At that moment, a figure appeared behind the metal gate, as if he had appeared from the shadows.


    Ambrose was taken aback for a moment, as it seemed like the figure appeared from thin air.


    ''It looks like this world has some kinds of abilities, but I wonder how I can use those¡­''


    Casper said something to the figure, and then the metal gate opened, and they were allowed inside.


    After stepping inside the courtyard, the fountain started rotating like a cork being opened and revealed a spiraling staircase leading deep into the underground chamber.


    "Follow me." Casper said to Ambrose and stepped down the stairs.


    Ambrose looked around the courtyard, trying to find any building peaks or anyndmarks to see where this ce was currently.


    And then, finally, he saw some kind of bell tower in the distance. It was clearly a tall building.


    At that moment, the shadowy figure appeared behind Ambrose and shoved him gently to the staircase.


    Ambrose quickly turned back to the staircase and followed Casper to the strange underground chamber.


    As they neared the bottom, the ce turned dark as the fountain rotated back to its former position, locking them inside the underground ce.


    When they finally reached the bottom, there was another sizable metal door there, and two men in ck armor with swords dangling from their hips were standing watch.


    Casper spoke something to them, and at that moment, the metal door opened, and they immediately entered.


    After Ambrose followed behind Casper, his mouth slowly opened wide as an incredible view opened up in front of him.


    There was an entire town spread out below, bustling with activity and life. Gentle, yellowish lights shimmered in the distance, casting a warm glow over the entire scene.


    It looked like a very cozy and weing ce with wooden-


    built buildings and cobblestone streets, with streetmps illuminating the ce like a bright beacon in the night.


    In a sense, it resembled Warhaven, but while Warhaven was a messy, dirty ce, this was a picturesque and idyllic town straight out of a storybook.


    "This is ck Hand''s headquarters." Casper said with a slight pride in his voice. "This is where we live, away from the evil of the world."


    "This ce is¡­" Ambrose had no words, as he had never seen something as beautiful as this.


    ''I would like Be to see this ce. It''s amazing¡­''


    Casper nodded and said, "I''ll take you to the leader of the ck Hand. He''ll have some questions for you."


    "How many are living here?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "A few thousand," Casper said.


    "Are they all members of the ck Hand?"


    "Yes." Casper nodded. "Some have started families, and even their children have be part of the ck Hand. We be stronger with each generation."

 Chapter 507 Sage Edegron

    <h4>Chapter 507 Sage Edegron</h4>


    Ambrose followed behind Casper as they wandered through the strange town''s nice-looking streets.


    He eyed the townsfolk with great interest.


    They were all pale-faced, their facescking sun touch, but they all looked rtively healthy.


    Casper caught sight of a vendor selling some walking canes on the sidewalk and tossed the seller a gold coin.


    The seller caught the gold coin and tossed the walking cane to Casper, who grabbed it and started walking with it.


    Ambrose, after hearing the clicking of a cane against the cobblestone road, wondered why Casper needed a walking cane but didn''t bother to ask as he knew Casper''s reasons were his own.


    After they walked a little further down the peaceful street, Casper stopped abruptly, and looked where the cobblestone road was heading.


    It was slowly going uphill towards a castle nestled on top of a small hill. It was surrounded by the rest of the town, like a guardian watching over its inhabitants.


    The castle was grayish, built withrge stones, and had tall watch towers with cloaked figures perched on top.


    "Before we go talk to our leader, I''ll need you to stay quiet about some things." Casper said suddenly and turned to look at Ambrose with his deep eyes.


    "Quiet about what?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "About the fact that you are a Deathwalker." Casper said with a hint of warning in his voice.


    "Why¡­" Ambrose asked in a rather naive way.


    However, he was very rmed inwardly.


    "They don''t need to know." Casper said. "You are now a new recruit to the ck Hand organization. If you keep quiet about Deathwalker, I''ll help you find your killer."


    "Why do you think I don''t know who my killer is?" Ambrose asked skeptically.


    Casper stayed quiet for a moment before responding. "Eli said that you were searching after Zane Grimm the Third. You only know the street he is living on."


    "That''s right, and?" Ambrose raised an eyebrow. "I am sure I can find him myself."


    "Zane Grimm the Third ordered your death, but he didn''t kill you personally. I''ll tell you who was the one who killed you, as that person is also part of the ck Hand. Does that sound good enough for you?"


    "What if I just make Zane tell me?" Ambrose asked.


    "I don''t mean to be disrespectful, but first of all, I don''t think you can even catch a sight of him before you''re caught.


    "Second, Zane also doesn''t know the killer. We don''t reveal ourselves to our clients."


    "Why would you sell out one of your own?" Ambrose asked with a frown.


    Casper chuckled, and his dark eyes had an eerie glint.


    "You can try to kill him, but can you? We are masters of the Dark Art."


    ''Masters of the Dark Art¡­''


    Ambrose thought, feeling a sense of dread creeping up his spine.


    He got most of the gist of it, even though his hunch was already quite spot on, but now, at least, he knew about where his killer really was.


    Ambrose looked back at where they came from in the beautiful town and narrowed his eyes.


    ''The killer is somewhere here. From now on, I can''t drop my guard, as Casper can betray me at any moment and kill me. I don''t think he would just betray one of his own that easily, even if he underestimates my abilities.


    ''There is some trickery behind his facade¡­''


    "Well, what will be the answer?" Casper asked. "Will the Deathwalker stay within you?"


    "Alright." Ambrose turned to him and said, "I won''t tell him anything."


    "Good, now follow me."


    They began trekking down the cobblestone hill, towards the grayish castle where the leader of the ck Hand was awaiting their arrival.


    ¡­


    The castle''s throne room.


    It was a dimly lit ce, withnterns hanging from the walls, casting eerie shadows across the stone floor, and pirs holding up the ceiling in a way that made it seem like the room was alive.


    The throne room looked like a basement of some kind of dungeon, with arge, ornate throne at the far end.


    It was all built fromrge stones cut from some mountain, and one would think that the ce looked rather cold and unweing, but thenterns that hung from the ceiling gave off a warm and inviting glow.


    On the ornate throne, a skinny, wrinkly-faced old man sat cross-legged and looked like he was taking his final breaths before finally falling to his eventual death.


    At that moment, therge granite doors swung open and smashed against the rocky walls with a deafening crash, causing the entire room to shake.


    Immediately afterwards, Casper and Ambrose entered the room with a few armored guards following closely behind them.


    The skinny old man''s breathing quickened again, and he stopped looking like he was about to die.


    His back slightly straightened, and he opened his heavy-looking eyelids toy his gaze upon the unexpected visitors.


    "Sage Edegron." Casper ced a hand on his chest and bowed respectfully.


    "Casper¡­" Sage Edegron whispered heavily and turned to look at the unfamiliar figures. "Whose this?"


    Casper nced at Ambrose and nodded briefly, instructing him to introduce himself.


    Ambrose ced a hand against his chest, bowed slightly, and said, "Name''s Ambrose, a new recruit. It''s an honor to meet you, Sage Edegron."


    "A recruit, I see¡­" Sage Edegron breathed heavily and opened his wrinkly palm to reveal a small, glowing crystal.


    At that moment, the crystal flew towards Ambrose andnded on his hand. It didn''t weigh anything and was ck in color, with some purple hues swirling inside.


    Casper nced at the crystal briefly before returning his cold gaze back to Sage Edegron.


    "What''s this, Sage Edegron?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "A mana crystal¡­" Sage Edegron spoke with great difficulty. "Do you know anything about mana pools?"


    "No." Ambrose shook his head.


    Sage Edegron nodded and began exining.


    "There is a mana pool inside every living being¡­


    "As starters, it is the size of a small ball, barely the palm''s width. That mana pool allows people to do magic¡­


    "That crystal, once eaten, activates yourtent magic abilities, allowing you to use your magic more freely. Using magic depletes your mana pool, and once it''spletely empty, you can''t use any magic.


    "However, mana pools always regenerate over time.


    "It sounds magical and all, but using mana pools is considered a very evil art. That''s why, it has been bestowed the name¡ªthe Dark Arts."


    "Why?" Ambrose asked with a frown. "Is it because magic is forbidden?"


    "No¡­" Sade Edegron shook his head. "The priests and their followers also use magic, but they summon their power from their Sacred Souls. Their souls grow bigger the more they are connected with their Goddess of Everlove.


    "They do not rely on mana pools like us.


    "The mana pools are small at first, like I said before, and thus, you can only make one magic spell before it ispletely depleted at first.


    "That''s why we had to find a way to increase the mana pool to grow our size. We did, but the method is the reason why it is called the Dark Arts.


    "The mana pool can only be increased in size if you kill a person.


    "The mana pool sucks the souls of the dead to absorb their energy and grow stronger."


    Ambrose nodded grimly and also had a question of his own:


    "Why don''t you all use the Sacred Souls?"


    "The Sacred Souls are only for the blessed souls." Sage said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "Only one in a million has the blessed soul of the Sacred Soul; that''s why there''re so few of them."


    "I understand¡­"


    "Once you depart from this castle and go to your quarters, eat the crystal and meditate to see the size of your mana pool.


    "It will take time to learn, and it might take years before you can even make a single magic spell. Do not feel discouraged; you''re still a young one."


    "Thank you, Sage Edegron." Ambrose bowed humbly.


    "We''ll stop interrupting you." Casper bowed as well, before they both left the room.


    Sage Edegron closed his eyes and thought. ''He has a scent of death lingering around him¡­''


    ¡­


    Creak¡ªCasper opened a wooden door to a humble-looking room that was quite small, with one bed, a desk under the window, and a bookshelf with worn-out books.


    "This''ll be your quarters for now." Casper said and crossed his arms. "Eat the crystal and get used to the meditation."


    "Alright¡­" Ambrose pushed past him, took off his dirty jacket, and hung it up on a hook by the door.


    "Thank you for not telling Sage Edegron about the Deathwalking thing." Casper said, but still didn''t smile even the slightest. "I''lle to talk to you about Zane in a couple of days. Just sit tight until then.


    "You can try to learn meditation, but don''t rush it. It usually takes months to learn it. Learning magic spells takes ten times longer.


    "Alright, I''ll take it slow." Ambrose nodded, and after Casper left, he closed the door and leaned against it with a thoughtful look.


    ''Learning meditation¡­ I already know how to do it. I have plenty of experience!


    ''This might be very good. Maybe I''ll be able to learn magic faster than they could''ve ever imagined, and if Casper ns to betray me, there is a rude awakeninging in his way!''

 Chapter 508 Ultimate Power

    <h4>Chapter 508 Ultimate Power</h4>


    In the underground town, it was never clear whether it was day or night.


    The lights were always on, and most of the people had different sleep rhythms, some sleeping during the day and some at night.


    The small inn, right under the shadow of the gray castle, had a nted roof with a chimney poking through the top. The roof was made of wood shingles that were weathered and worn, giving the inn a charmingly rustic appearance.


    At the current moment, on the inn''s top floor, Ambrose was twirling a knife in his hand, seemingly deep in thought.


    Thentern on the table flickered, which lit up the room with a warm, golden glow. Without that, the room would be shrouded in utter darkness, as the light from the streetmps didn''t quite reach this part of the inn.


    ''This crystal¡­''


    Ambrose looked at a small ck crystal beside thentern that had a strange purple, swirling mist inside. It was supposed to be a magical tool to improve histent magic abilities.


    However, it sounded quite shady, as Ambrose wasn''t familiar with this world''s magic, and who knows, the Sage Edegron could very well be lying.


    ''This is annoying¡­''


    Ambrose looked sour, as he hated being unknowledgeable about these things.


    On the other hand, it wouldn''t make sense for them to try to poison him with the crystal when they could''ve as easily just put a knife through his heart.


    In Casper''s eyes, he should be a weakling with a naive mindset who ended up being assassinated and somehow got lucky enough to inherit the Deathwalker ability.


    It would not make sense for them to make things difficult and try to poison him.


    ''Well, I think what Sage Edegron said was true.'' Ambrose looked at the crystal and thought. ''Even if I improved mytent magic ability, I would still be weak, as ording to them, it takes years to learn magic.


    ''Even if they decide to kill meter, I would still be defenseless against them. Well, that''s at least what they think.''


    Ambrose picked up the small crystal, moved it in his rough hand, and then opened his mouth wide before tossing the crystal into his mouth and swallowing it whole.


    "Argh!" Ambrose grunted with an ufortable feeling as his veins started glowing purple. "That tasted like ss and blueberries!"


    At that moment, his eyes shot out a ray of purple light that illuminated the entire room.


    Memories that span thousands of years flooded his mind, overwhelming him with knowledge and power beyond his wildest dreams.


    The crystal showed what he could be.


    In that memory, he was standing on a mountain of corpses, a sword in his hand, wearing a crown of thorns.


    Around him, glowings circled him as if he were the center of the universe, and his left hand was slightly open with purple mist curling out of it.


    Thoses were creations of his ultimate magic.


    At the bottom of the mountain of corpses, thousands of gold cloaked magicians chanted their spells and attacked him with all of theirbined might.


    However, with a single whisper, Ambrose destroyed all the magicians in an instant.


    They were turned into ash and dust, their power no match for his ultimate magic.


    "I am¡­ Him"


    Ambrose whispered coldly towards the darkness beyond, and at that moment, the memories shattered like fragile ss, waking him up to reality.


    "Ouch¡­"


    He touched his head for a moment as he felt like his head was splitting, but that strange sensation of pain vanished as fast as it appeared.


    "That crystal is a powerful tool of corruption."


    Ambrose said out loud with a concerned expression.


    "This is how they get others to assassinate. The crystal gives them empty promises of ultimate power, but no one ever reaches that goal.


    "Only one person can be that ultimate power."


    "Is this what they are after? Being the ultimate power of this world."


    Ambrose wondered why he was able to contend against the power of corruption so well.


    There was a moment when he was wanting that kind of power, but he quickly regained his focus.


    It was easier to corrupt those with weak minds and those that ck Hand had been tricking since their births.


    Casper and Edegron most likely believed that this was enough to make Ambrose their loyal servant. However, they were very much mistaken.


    "I guess mytent magic ability has now been awakened."


    Ambrose opened and closed his palms, trying to feel the magic flowing through his veins, but he was feeling the same as before.


    ''I suppose I should try to meditate now and go see my mana pool.''


    Ambrose twirled the knife and put it down on the desk before taking a seat on his rough bed. He then sat cross-legged, put his hands on hisp in a meditative position, and closed his eyes.


    At that moment, all the sounds vanished from his world.


    The distant footsteps, the echoing voices from downstairs, and the faint crackling of the mes inside thentern all disappeared, leaving him inplete silence and solitude.


    Ambrose was sucked into his mind, where memories and thoughts swirled around him in a chaotic dance, threatening to overwhelm his senses.


    "Go away!" He shouted into the dark void and moved his hands as if he were closing curtains, which caused all the swirling things to vanish.


    It was now apletely dark ce, except there was something glowing in the distance.


    ''It must be there.''


    Ambrose started running down the dark expanse towards the distant glow.


    It felt like he had run several hours, but only a few seconds had actually passed in reality.


    Even after a few hours of running, Ambrose thought he didn''t get anywhere close to the distant glow.


    He briefly closed his eyes at that time, and when he opened them again, the distant glow was all around him.


    He was not only surrounded, but he was floating over something glowing that spanned a long distance.


    On the ground, there was some kind of pool of glowing liquid.


    ''This must be a mana pool, but why is it so goddamn big!''


    Ambrose''s eyes widened in fascination as he saw that the mana pool was probably the size of a football field!


    "I thought it should be the size of a hand, but this is insane!"


    At that moment, hands started to reach out to the pool as if they were trying to catch Ambrose no matter what.


    After the hands, screaming faces emerged from the glowing water, and their skin started melting off, revealing grotesque features beneath.


    Ambrose had seen a lot of strange things in Martial Online, but this truly took him off guard as he recognized all the faces!


    They were the people he had killed in Martial Online!


    Ssh!


    Arge ssh came from the water, and a ck-beared man emerged from the water, screaming in pain while his skin melted off.


    He was none other than Mars!


    However, even Mars'' skin melted off, and he was reduced to a screaming skeleton who was desperately trying to grab Ambrose.


    "No wonder this is considered Dark Art. This is truly the pinnacle of horror."


    Ambrose gulped roughly and was truly surprised at how many people he had killed. There were thousands of people trying to reach their arms out of the glowing water, but none of them were sessful.


    At that moment, his hands started emitting a purple mist that slowly enveloped the whole world around him. All the darkness disappeared, and now everything was filled with a bright, purple light.


    "Just how strong am I in this world?" Ambrose wondered as he looked around at the transformed world before him.


    Swoosh!


    Ambrose closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he was back in the room, sitting with his legs crossed.


    "Ah¡­"


    He held his head in his hands, as that was a surreal experience.


    ''Magic¡­''


    Ambrose revealed his face from his hands again and opened his palm, then summoned a little bit of the purple mist to the outside world.


    He then made the purple mist turn into a dagger¡ªa beautiful purple dagger with embossed silver designs on the hilt.


    Then he snapped his fingers, and hundreds of simr-looking daggers appeared in the sky, floating around him like a majestic dance of deadly beauty.


    ''I was never able to summon this many knives in Martial Online. Not only wasn''t I able to do that, I wasn''t able to make them real, as they were always made out of golden light.


    ''Now, I can make them real!


    ''It''s either that my mastery of magic has now improved by leaps and bounds, or I am simply much more powerful being here than anywhere else.''


    A small smile crept up on Ambrose''s face.


    It was an intoxicating feeling to be so powerful.


    His body could feel that he was incredibly powerful¡ªa man capable of wielding incredible power and shaping the world around him in ways he never thought possible.


    However, he didn''t know just how strong he truly was.


    ''I''ll need to test my strength.''


    Ambrose cracked his knuckles and began to wonder who his target could be.

 Chapter 509 Magic Fight

    Chapter 509 Magic Fight


    With thentern giving off light to the yellowish pages of the book, Casper continued reading even though it was nearing the crack of dawn.


    While most of the people had quite messed up sleeping rhythms, Casper often went multiple days without sleeping at all.


    Even when he was sleeping, he would only sleep for a few hours, and that was enough for him to function normally.


    Casper lived in a small hut with a nted roof and a firece that crackled softly.


    It was a very humble abode, and it was tucked away in a safe corner of the town, right behind some of the taller buildings in the town square.


    It was a hard ce to find unless someone deliberately tried to find him.


    Knock, knock.


    In that moment, someone double-knocked on the door.


    Casper was about to change pages, but as he heard the knocking, he froze for a moment and turned to the door with a suspicious look.


    This was probably the first time anyone had ever sought him out.


    He was already nearing his thirties, but as soon as he turned fifteen, he left his family to do his own thing.


    Not even his family had visited him, as they had basically cut off ties. N?v(el)B\\jnn


    That wasn''t such a strange thing among ck Hands.


    A bond between family members didn''t really exist, except in some rare cases.


    Casper closed his book and walked over to the door.


    Before opening it, he checked the time on his pocket watch and then at the eye hole that was drilled through the wooden door.


    Through the eye hole, he saw only a dimly lit alleyway with some overturned trash cans and a stray cat scurrying by.


    As he was about to open the door, one of the windows suddenly shattered, causing him to jump back in surprise.


    "The hell?!"


    He cried out, and at that moment, a figure jumped through the broken window.


    The figure was donning purple armor that was clearly made out of magic, as it sparkled brilliantly. It also had a purple cloak, which was seemingly made out of some kind of purple smoke.


    ''A magic armor!''


    Casper''s eyes shrunk, and he quickly chanted something under his breath.


    At that moment, the broken ss pieces on the floor transformed into a crystal shield that floated towards Casper to defend him.


    "State your name and business! Attacking a fellow member of ck Hand is a criminal offense!"


    The figure''s face was obstructed by some kind of purple mask that was also made out of strange smoke. The mask seemed to shift and twist, never settling on one form.


    "You may call me as¡­" The figure stopped for a moment before he smiled behind the mask and said, "Beowulf Madigan."


    Casper thought it was a fake name, but he nned to reveal the figure''s identity in another way¡ªby removing the mask from his face.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t tell who it was based on the voice, as the voice was very deep and sounded almost staticky.


    ''He is also using magic to speak. He is depleting his mana pool doing that, but I suppose he doesn''t want me to know who he is.


    ''If thises down to the fight, he can''t keep up the magic armor and that fake voice forever when his mana pool is running low!''


    "And I do have some questions for you." Beowulf said with a smirk-sounding voice. "You brought here someone¡ªa person with purple eyes. What are you nning to do with him?"


    Casper frowned, the corners of his mouth turning downward as he contemted his response.


    He didn''t know why this strange individual was interested in him.


    ''Did this person also find out that Falco is a Deathwalker? Did Falco perhaps reveal him somewhere before going to the tavern, allowing some other forces to find out about him?''


    "He is just a new recruit I found. I thought he had a decent talent for magic, and I took him under my wing."


    Casper trailed off, not wanting to reveal more than necessary.


    "He is a Deathwalker, is he not?" Beowulf said with an obvious grin in his voice.


    Casper''s expression turned very serious for a moment.


    "How do you know about him?"


    Beowulf stayed quiet, allowing Casper himself to realize it.


    As Casper thought about it, his expression turned even more sour, and he said:


    "Eli?"


    "Bingo." Beowulf replied with a smallugh. "You should know that rats like him should not be trusted."


    "Cursed¡­" Casper clenched his hand into a fist. ''That bastard.''


    "What''re you nning to do with him?" Beowulf asked one more time.


    "That''s none of your business!" Casper roared and summoned a ball of ck energy in his hand. "You''ve infiltrated the wrong ce!"


    "Sigh¡­"


    Beowulf sighed, raised his hand towards the ceiling, and gently snapped his fingers.


    A purple dome descended on the small hut, covering them entirely.


    ''This is?'' Casper looked around with a serious look.


    "With this, no sound will travel outside this dome." Beowulfughed. "I don''t want anyone to interrupt us."


    Casper quickly chanted something under his breath and pointed the ck energy towards Beowulf.


    At that moment, a ck beam shot out of his hand and hit Beowulf in the armor, throwing him against the wall.


    Crack!


    The wall started to slowly crack under the impact of Beowulf''s body hitting it.


    But then, Beowulf climbed back to his feet without a single dent in his powerful armor. It was as if he had never been hit.


    ''Such powerful armor!'' Casper was in shock. ''Only really powerful magicians can create armor like that. The question is, did he do that or someone he works for?''


    "My turn." Beowulf said coldly, and he manifested a purple sword out of strange smoke.


    And then he swung it in front of him and sent a wave of sword energy towards Casper.


    Casper''s eyes widened in a hurry, and he quickly blocked the flying wave of sword energy with his crystal shield.


    However, in that very instant,rge cracks appeared around the crystal shield, and before Casper had time to react, the shield shattered into pieces.


    The sword energy shed through his body and left behind a deep, bleeding wound that stretched from his hip all the way to the face.


    "Argh!" Casper screamed in pain, and in panic, he again snapped his fingers, and all the light vanished from the hut.


    The hut was now entirely shrouded in darkness.


    "Lit up this ce, my beautiful butterflies." Beowulf opened his palm and summoned hundreds of purple-winged butterflies that glowed in the dark.


    In that same instant, the darkness slowly started to vanish, allowing Beowulf to see everything.


    However, shockingly, Casper had vanished from his position and was nowhere to be seen!


    ''He escaped?'' Beowulf wondered quickly, but then he saw a trail of blood leading to one of the closed rooms.


    A small smile crept up on his face behind the mask.


    ''This is what assassins excel at¡ªbattling in the dark.''


    Beowulf formed a powerful fist with his left hand, and purple mist started swirling around that fist.


    The purple mist immediately started sucking everything in the room towards Beowulf as if he were a ck hole.


    At that moment, a figure crashed through the door and flew straight towards Beowulf, unable to fight back against the powerful sucking force.


    "The hell!" Casper shouted in panic as he was about to bandage his wounds in his room, but then some strange pulling force took control of him and dragged him back to Beowulf.


    Beowulf grabbed Casper by his throat and mmed him against the wall, which caused the entire southern wall to copse like a badly built sand castle.


    "Now, mind answering my questions, and I will let you live?" Beowulf asked nicely. "I have no interest in killing you."


    "Lies!" Casper screamed in pain. "You could''ve only be this strong by killing thousands, you monster! You won''t even blink when you kill me!"


    "I am a man of principle." Beowulf said with a chuckle. "Answer, and I will let you live. That is the only choice left for you."


    "I''ll¡­ want to learn more about Deathwalkers; that''s it!" Casper screamed painfully.


    "¡­" Beowulf frowned and said, "How did you convince him to be with you? I don''t think this person is foolish enough to follow a member of the infamous ck Hand."


    "Urgh¡­" Casper groaned. "He is very naive and believes everything. I said that I would cure the Deathwalking disease, allowing him to live!"


    "That''s a lie, is it not?" Beowulf asked with a frown.


    "Of course it is!" Casper screamed. "No one has been able to cure a single person with Deathwalking disease in the past thousand years. That''s why Falco is very naive, thinking we have a way to do so!


    "Naive or very desperate!


    "I think both!"


    Beowulf tossed Casper down to the ground and scoffed. "You''re pathetic."


    With that, Beowulf turned into a swirling purple mist and vanished from the room.


    After he disappeared, Casper patted the dust off his clothes and spat on the ground where Beowulf was standing only minutes prior.


    "Fool, you think a member of ck Hand like me would spill out the truth to you? I only gave the half-truth, you fucker!"


    ¡­


    At the top of a tall building, Beowulf emerged from the purple smoke, and then he removed his mask, revealing a handsome, fair-skinned face with bright purple eyes.


    He was none other than Ambrose, who was masked this whole time as Beowulf Madigan!


    ''Unfortunately, I still had to leave him alive, as he knows who killed me and where Zane is. However, when his usefulness is gone, so will he.''


    Ambrose looked into the horizon and clenched his hand into a fist.

 Chapter 510 The Tools of Assassination

    Chapter 510 The Tools of Assassination


    A few dayster.


    Ambrose sat in his room, gazing out to the streets below, clear boredom in his face.


    He had been waiting for Casper to contact him, as he was supposed to, but never did.


    ''Perhaps he found out that I was Beowulf?'' Ambrose wondered before shaking his head.


    ''Impossible. My disguise was perfect, and I am supposed to be a new magician. There is no way Casper woulde to the conclusion that I was the one behind the mask.''


    Ambrose rhythmically tapped his finger against the window''s ss, but then he nodded his head and decided to go out as he was too bored.


    For the past few days, he has spent most of the day in All-Online, but in this room, as he was expecting Casper to visit him at any moment.


    As he was stuck in his room, he was mostly testing different magic spells, and he was getting the hang of it.


    During his battle against Casper, he was mostly experimenting with different things, and still, he was able to defeat him effortlessly.


    He didn''t know how strong Casper was as a magician, but he was proud of the fact that he was able to defeat him so easily without any previous experience with magic.


    Ambrose took his dirty coat and hat from the hook on the door, put them on, and left his room. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om


    With his footsteps echoing across the empty hallways, he stepped down to the bottom floor, which was currently empty, with the light on the ceiling flickering eerily.


    He stepped outside onto the street, which was nketed in a thickyer of dust. It was a quite dimly lit ce, with most of the lighting from the streetmps and through the windows of nearby buildings.


    There were people milling about, doing their own things, but Ambrose had a feeling that they were still eyeing him suspiciously.


    After all, he was an unfamiliar person to them all.


    After Ambrose slid his hands inside his coat pockets, he started to walk down the street without any clear destination in mind.


    While walking, he admired the beautiful architecture of the buildings around him.


    They were all so different from Martial Online''s buildings¡ªall of them had nted roofs with chimneys, shaped tops, and dirty windows. Far different from the sleek designs of the real world.


    They were made of stone and brick, standing tall and proud against the backdrop of the bustling, bright town. The roofs were made of thatch and vegetation.


    At that moment, one of those building doors opened, and the smell of freshly baked bread wafted out, making everyone passing by stop and take a deep breath.


    In the same moment, Ambrose turned his gaze to the alleyway right next to it and heard some children ying some kind of dice game.


    However, before rolling the die, they fused their magic into it and rolled it with a flick of the wrist, causing a burst of colorful sparks to fly out.


    The game looked quite basic, but the children seemed to enjoy it.


    As if they felt a strange gaze on them, they turned around and stared at Ambrose with their dark eyes, which didn''t seem to blink or have any emotions in them.


    Ambrose''s eyebrow jumped in surprise, as only moments prior, they were happily talking andughing, but now they were stone-cold creatures that seemed to be staring right through him.


    After all, none of these children were normal, as they had been taught the Dark Arts since they were very little.


    ''Some of these kids might''ve already killed someone.''


    Ambrose quickly thought, tipped his hat to the children, and moved by the alleyway.


    As soon as he walked past the alleyway, he again heard the innocentughtering behind him.


    ''No one is normal here.'' Ambrose thought and saw some elderly folks sitting on a bench, but when he looked away from them, he felt a chill run down his spine.


    It was as if he was suddenly stared at by something sinister and invisible.


    "Young man, are you interested in some tools?"


    Ambrose stopped as he noticed that he had arrived at the front steps of some kind of store that was selling all sorts of tools and equipment.


    On the steps of the open front door, a man with a glorious mustache beckoned him inside with a professional-looking smile.


    "What kind of tools?" Ambrose asked curiously and followed the man inside.


    The store had a wide variety of tools, from hammers and screwdrivers to saws and needles. Strangely enough, they were all locked inside ss cases.


    "Tools of assassination, of course." The mustache man said with a chuckle, and he opened one of the drawers that had poison jars and darts.


    "You''re new here, right?"


    "That''s right¡­" Ambrose said with a slight awkward tone that he didn''t expect this store to be this kind of tool store.


    "I thought the ck Hand used magic to eliminate the targets; isn''t that correct?" Ambrose asked just to be sure.


    "That''s right." The mustache man said with a chuckle. "However, only the strong ones.


    "Children, people with weak magic, and neers like you usually need tools to eliminate their targets. In some cases, one might be forced to deplete their mana pools, and that''s where these toolse in hand.


    "That''s why everyone is carrying at least some tools with them."


    "I see¡­" Ambrose removed his hat, ced it on the table, and looked at the different rools in front of him.


    He didn''t think he needed any tools, as he believed him to be more than strong enough to deal with his enemies with his magic.


    After the fight with Casper, he checked how much of his mana pool had depleted and saw that it was almost full; only a slight drop had depleted.


    Ambrose believed that he could make even stronger spells that might deplete his mana pool faster, but after seeing how much his mana pool depleted after the fight, he wasn''t worried even the slightest!


    However, he needed to keep his image of being a neer, and therefore having some tools could be useful.


    "I''ll take that dagger, three poison darts, and is that a healing potion?" Ambrose pointed at the small vial in the drawer.


    "That''s a healing potion, indeed." The mustache man said with a smile and gave him the equipment before saying how much it cost.


    They were 100 gold coins in total.


    Ambrose paid it all with an aching heart, as he didn''t have a lot of money to spend.


    "Thank you for your purchase." The mustache man bowed with a smile and waved goodbye.


    Ambrose picked up his hat before putting it back on and left the store with new items weighing on his pockets.


    Since there wasn''t inventory, he had to carry everything with him.


    ''Maybe I can create some kind of pocket dimension with my magic and store my items there?''


    Ambrose wondered, but at the moment, he didn''t know how to do that but nned to try to learn it.


    After a while of venturing into the dimly lit streets, he arrived at the town square, which had arge fountain in the center and benches surrounding it.


    The town square was surrounded by a circle of stores that sold everything possible, from fruits and vegetables to clothing and pleasure items.


    It was also the most bustling part of the town, with people of all ages doing trade and purchasing goods.


    Ambrose fixed the hat on his head and found a ce to sit and rx in the midst of the lively market scene. He sat on one of the benches that were empty, with the fountain right behind him.


    After sitting there for a moment, he felt more gazes and saw that no one sat on the same bench as him and avoided him like a gue, only sitting on other benches if they wanted to sit.


    Meanwhile, one of the benches already had four people sitting, and one of them was about to fall, but still, none of them wanted to share a seat with him.


    ''Stranger danger, I suppose.'' Ambrose shrugged his shoulders.


    At that moment, a voice came from in front of him.


    "Falco, what''re you doing here?"


    There was only one person who knew his name currently.


    Ambrose raised his gaze and was surprised to see Casper walking from some kind of medical building with a cast in his arm and a bandaged face. It was clear that Casper had been in some kind of ident.


    Casper moved quite sluggishly, as if he were in great pain, and he asionally tried to cover his chest with his coat as there were more bandages wrapped around his torso.


    "Casper, what happened to you?" Ambrose feigned surprise and asked.


    "Nothing¡­" Casper groaned and sat right beside him.


    "I see, this is why you haven''t visited me yet." Ambrose said with a nod. "I went outside because I got bored waiting in my room. I hope you don''t mind."


    "No¡­" Casper shook his head. "You''re treated as an outsider, I assume?"


    "Yeah." Ambrose chuckled nervously and saw all the suspicious gazes aimed at him.


    Casper nodded with a sigh. "They won''t trust you easily, but no one will harm you. As long as you don''t leave this town, then it is fine. The world above is a dangerous ce for Deathwalkers¡­"


    When he mentioned the Deathwalker, his voice turned into an inaudible whisper that only Ambrose managed to hear.


    "Mmh¡­" Ambrose nodded.

 Chapter 511 Beowulf Strikes Again

    <h4>Chapter 511 Beowulf Strikes Again </h4>


    "How''s your training going?" Casper asked. "I was supposed to assist you, but as you can see, I am not currently in a condition to do so."


    "Uh, fine, I guess." Ambrose removed his hat and scratched the back of his head. "It''s difficult. I don''t know how to meditate, as I tried to meditate for a few hours with my eyes closed, but nothing happened."


    Casper nodded as if he had expected that.


    "You can''t learn meditation immediately. It takes time and practice to quiet your mind and let go of distractions.


    "It took me a few years, sitting inside a silent cave, to finally reach a state of true meditation."


    "Yeah." Ambrose nodded with a troubled look. "And I ate that crystal, but for some reason, I was dreaming about killing so many people."


    "What is it that you want now, after the dream?" Casper asked curiously.


    "Ultimate power." Ambrose clenched his hand into a fist. "I want to grasp the entire world in my hands."


    Casper scoffed inwardly.


    ''Indeed, a fool. Many thousands of magicians have had the same dream since they were children, and when they became old and wrinkly, they all realized just how impossible their dream was.


    ''This guy, already older than most when they started training magic, now thinks he can do it. He is just another fool who would get disappointed or die because of their arrogance.


    ''However, unfortunately for him, he''ll die before he can even try.''


    "Can I do magic before meditation?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    Casper nodded while being careful of his broken arm.


    "Yes, it is possible, but it would be dangerous to not know meditation, as magic is like a thunderstorm. It will create chaos in your mind, and that would make learning meditation even harder.


    "Meditation is also the only thing that can help you calm your mind after doing magic."


    ''I didn''t feel that after the fight.'' Ambrose thought in curiosity.


    "Are you ready to kill to increase your strength?" Casper asked with a raised eyebrow. "Not many have what it takes."


    Ambrose clenched his hand into a fist and firmly stated, "Yes! I''ll do anything to be powerful!"


    ''Hmph.'' Casper scoffed inwardly. ''I thought he was supposed to be a saint, but like any mortal man, with false promises of power, they all subdue to their own greed in the end.''


    "We can go on a mission in the outside world soon." Casper said. "I''ll just heal myself tonight with healing baths, and once I''ve recovered most of my strength, we can go study Golden Knife Street, where Zane lives."


    "Sounds good." Ambrose nodded.


    "Also, I have some questions." Casper turned to him with a serious look.


    "What is it?" Ambrose asked innocently, but he was very wary after seeing that serious look.


    "After waking up from the dead, did you visit any ce before going to the tavern?" Casper asked with a frown.


    "Ah, yes¡­" Ambrose said, hesitating slightly. "I visited my school because I was confused and didn''t know where to go¡­"


    "Alright¡­" Casper clicked his tongue. "Did you go to the tavern then?"


    "Yeah, I wanted to know Zane''s location, as I was convinced he was the one that killed me!"


    Casper nodded as if he had realized something.


    ''That Beowulf trash must''ve heard news about someone who looks like Falco went to his school after death. Then, he probably used some tracking magic to find out where he went next, and then he met Eli in the tavern.


    ''Eventually, Eli spilled beans about me, and then Beowulf found where we went because of the tracking magic.''


    Casper clicked his tongue and looked with annoyance at Ambrose, who was oblivious to his gaze.


    ''That fool must''ve left some personal belongings in the tavern, which Beowulf managed to use to track us down. I should''ve burned the tavern to the ground just to be sure!


    ''I am surprised that Beowulf didn''t kidnap Falco here, but I suppose even he wasn''t reckless enough to do that, as Sage Edegron is keeping a watchful eye over this ce.


    ''No matter how strong Beowulf was, even he must''ve been frightened of our Sage!''


    Casper scoffed and thought that his investigation seemed correct, as every puzzle piece seemed to connect perfectly.


    "Anyway¡­" He stood up with great difficulty and said to Ambrose: "I''ll meet you tomorrow morning in your room. I''ll ept some easy mission near Golden Knife Street.


    "Also, if you''re ready to abandon your previous life and ept yourself as ck Hand, I can start your initiation process."


    "What is the initiation?" Ambrose asked.


    "To show your loyalty to ck Hand, you must kill a traitor of our organization." Casper said coldly. "The traitor I chose is Eli Goldsmith. If you kill him, you''re officially a ck Hand."


    "Eli Goldsmith?" Ambrose asked in surprise. "I thought he was with you guys."


    "Recently, he had betrayed our organization, and we do not tolerate betrayal!" Casper said sharply, and as he started walking away, he said, "Tomorrow, you shall kill him."


    As he walked away, Ambrose still bore a surprised look, but when Casper vanished into the crowd, his look returned to normal.


    ''I expected him to want to kill Eli, but he wants me to do that? Quite harsh, I would say. Well, he was the one who betrayed me in the first ce, and I have kind of thrown him under the bus.


    ''A person like that cannot be a good person, but will I have peace of mind if I kill him?''


    Ambrose touched his chin and wondered deeply.


    ''I''ll visit him tonight and see from the shadows just what kind of person he is. If he is as rotten as I think he is, I''ll give him a death sentence.''


    ¡­


    The night fell over the Great City, and thick fog filled the streets like a heavy cloak, obscuring everything from sight.


    At the current moment, the tavern was bright with activity, with all sorts of people drinking alcohol,ughing, dancing, and ying music.


    Eli gave drinks to the patrons and then looked around the tavern for any kind of trouble, but it was a surprisingly calm night.


    He was expecting there to be a few deaths already, but only a few fights that ended with minor injuries.


    At that moment, a bushy-bearded man sat on the stool in front of him, wearing an open-front shirt that revealed a chest full of hair and scars.


    Eli recognized him and poured him a drink with a sigh.


    "Who is it this time?"


    "Her." The bushy-bearded man looked over his shoulder to the woman, who was seated on the table near the front door. She was clearly not belonging here, as she looked panicky around at the rowdy-looking people.


    "She belongs in a good, silvertongue family. She''ll probably sell for a lot of money."


    Eli picked up some kind of powder from the table and sprinkled it into her drink.


    "This''ll make her pass out in an instant. Then, bring her unconscious body to the back alleyway, like always, and I''ll take her from there."


    The bushy-bearded man grinned viciously, took the drinks, and joined her at the table near the front entrance.


    Eli watched as she drank her drink with obvious ignorance, and in just about five seconds, her body turned limp and her head mmed into the table as she fell into deep sleep.


    Not a single person in the tavern took her into consideration and just continued doing their own thing.


    After that, the bushy-bearded man put her limp body on his shoulder and started carrying her to the back door of the tavern.


    Eli went to open it, and left the tavern with the bushy-bearded man.


    After the bushy-bearded man lowered her body to the pavement, Eli gave him the payment.


    "It''s nice to do business with ya." The bushy-bearded man kissed the pouch of gold coins and entered the tavern as a happy man.


    Eli looked at the unconscious, beautiful woman and stretched his limps.


    "I should pay him to carry her all the way to the next destination."


    As he was about to start carrying the beautiful woman elsewhere, at that moment, she vanished into a purple mist right in front of his eyes.


    "Huh?!" Eli''s eyes widened in shock, and he quickly activated several magic spells that created a protection barrier around him.


    He looked around the dimly lit, empty alleyway, but there was no one there.


    "Who are you?!" He screamed angrily, but his back was sweating with cold sweat.


    He realized that whoever took her was an extremely powerful magician, as it wasn''t easy to teleport someone away without touching her physically.


    Eli wanted to rush inside the tavern to shout for help, but he didn''t want to expose himself to the magician.


    He could die in just a split second if he was careless!


    "What were you nning to do with her?" A voice boomed across the alleyway.


    It was so loud that Eli had to cover his ears.


    However, strangely enough, no one in the tavern was able to hear the voice.


    "Who are you?!" Eli screamed in frustration. "Where are you?!"


    "Right here." A voice came right behind him.


    Eli turned around in shock and saw a purple-masked person facing him.


    At that moment, Beowulf punched through the protective barrier without any difficulty and smashed Eli right in the face.


    Eli fell to the ground, dazed and bleeding.


    "H-how¡­ my barrier¡­ what¡­"


    "What were you nning to do to her?" Beowulf put his foot down on Eli''s face and rubbed his face against the rough pavement, causing his face to bleed furiously.


    "Ugh, sell her away!" Eli screamed. "I work with a human trafficking ring! I only deliver them some goods, get payment, and nothing else!"


    "Where is this human trafficking ring?" Beowulf asked coldly.


    "Ugh¡­" Eli whimpered painfully.


    "Answer me!" Beowulf screamed with a voice so loud that Eli''s ears started bleeding.


    "At the docks!" Eli screamed. "They have a warehouse there!"


    "Which warehouse?"


    "The warehouse has a red door with a green handle!" Eli screamed as he felt like his head was getting crushed like a watermelon.


    "I appreciate your answer." Beowulf stepped away from Eli. ''Wait for tomorrow, you bastard.''


    Then, with a single snap, Beowulf vanished into a purple mist, leaving Eli bruised and battered on the ground with blood trickling down his face.


    "W-what kind of monster¡­ was he¡­"

 Chapter 512 Beowulf Vs. Montgomery

    <h4>Chapter 512 Beowulf Vs. Montgomery</h4>


    Ambrose, dressed as Beowulf,nded gently on the roof of the building.


    Then, with a wave of his hand, a purple mist descended to the roof, and from there, an unconscious woman gently floated down to the roof.


    She was still sleeping soundly in the safety of her dreams.


    Beowulf then crouched beside her and touched her forehead gently, infusing some of his magic into her dreams.


    "Tell me where you live¡­" He whispered with a dreaming echo.


    Without realizing it, the woman began to speak in her sleep, revealing the location of her home.


    "17th of Nocturn Avenue¡­"


    Beowulf wrapped her in a gentle nket of purple mist and made her float above the roof.


    Then he made her vanish into the purple mist and immediately followed her into the mist.


    As they moved with blitzering speed across the Great City, everything looked blurry and purplish.


    After some time of searching, they appeared near the window of an empty room with a view of the moon reflecting off the window.


    Beowulf gently opened the window and made the woman float towards the bed.


    As soon as she was on top of the bed, he made the purple mist disappear, and she gentlynded on her bed, her expression turning blissful immediately.


    With a wave of his hand, he controlled the nket remotely and made it cover her body.


    She immediately snuggled into the warmth and closed her eyes even deeper, falling into a peaceful sleep.


    Beowulf closed the window and started flying towards the docks like a purple shooting star.


    There was something left for him to do before returning to the underground town.


    ¡­


    In front of a warehouse with a red door and green handle, two men were standing on guard with a hidden flintlock pistol dangling from their hip-side holster.


    "Yawn¡­" A man with crooked teeth stretched his arms as he let out a tired yawn. "When will that guy appear? Damn, do we have to wait for the entire night for him?"


    "Yeah¡­" His friend agreed in annoyance and looked at the ship that was waiting on the docks.


    Theke was veryrge, but it was also located in the Great City, so boats and ships were amon sight. It would still take several days to reach the other side of theke.


    It was proof of the insane size of the Great City.


    The Great City was all humanity had ever known, as were its protective walls.


    It was the wilderness, untouched by man, thaty beyond.


    No one was allowed to go beyond the walls, and not many were brave enough to even go.


    At that moment, some screaming came from inside the warehouse, but the dock workers that were walking by acted ignorant and continued on their way.


    "Quite bold of them to sell out magicians this time around." The man with crooked teeth said with vignce.


    "There''s around a hundred of them here, magicians. Aren''t they afraid that they will try to escape?


    "We don''t really have manpower to guard so many of them."


    "There is no danger of that happening." His friend said with a confident smile. "Our boss is present here¡ªhe is as strong as a thousand magicians. Ever heard of the legendary Sage?"


    "The Dark Sage?" The man with crooked teeth asked with a raised eyebrow. "The so-called leader of the ck Hands?"


    "Yeah." His friend nodded. "The Dark Sage and our boss have had a hundred-year-long rivalry.


    "They have fought each other countless times throughout history, each time resulting in a stalemate.


    "You know the Dead Zone near the Southern Wall?"


    "Yeah." The man with crooked teeth nodded. "It is a ce where no one can survive."


    "Dead Zone was the aftermath of one of their duels." His friend said shockingly.


    "What?!" The man with crooked teeth said loudly, not expecting that. "I knew that our boss was powerful, but I didn''t know he was that strong!"


    "Exactly." His friendughed. "That''s why we''ve nothing to fear!"


    St!


    At that moment, they both exploded into a cloud of blood and gore, their body parts sttering all over the wall and the red door.


    The dock workers who witnessed that felt their bodies freeze in fear, and for some reason, they couldn''t speak as if some strange power was holding them hostage!


    And then they all lost the feeling in their bodies, and they fell unconscious to the ground.


    Beowulf gentlynded in front of the red door with a green handle and sted it off its hinges with a single magic spell.


    An rm started sting throughout the warehouse, and as Beowulf entered the warehouse, he saw a shocking sight: hundreds of cages filled with terrified people.


    They were all lined up in rows, looking at Beowulf with frightened eyes.


    "¡­" Beowulf looked at them silently and then heard loud footstepsing from the stairs above.


    Armed men and women rushed from the office on top and screamed loudly at the sight of Beowulf.


    Beowulf didn''t sense any danger from them, but then another person walked behind them, and Beowulf''s instincts immediately alerted him to the true threat.


    "Aye aye¡­" The person whispered and saw Beowulf standing near the entrance with his aged eyes. "An intruder. Quite powerful, it seems."


    He was wearing a ck overcoat with a walking cane in hand and a small-brimmed hat perched atop his head.


    The face was wrinkly, and he walked with a hunched back, looking like he was already older than a hundred years old. His long white beard reached his chest, adding to the mystique of his appearance.


    As the armed men rushed at Beowulf with their weapons drawn, he waved his hand and made them all disappear with a swift flick of his wrist.


    There wasn''t a single drop of dust left of them, as if they were erased from existence.


    As the caged people saw that, they were frightened of such godly power, but also slightly hopeful as the purple-armored person didn''t seem like he intended to harm them.


    Instead, he was clearly here because of their kidnappers.


    The magicians, trapped in cages, could realize the boundless power of Beowulf, something none of them believed could exist in reality.


    However, they were also frightened of the old man''s strength, which was why none of them dared to escape, as they didn''t want to die, even if they were sold away to somewhere unknown.


    "A nice magic spell." The old man said with a smile and slowly approached Beowulf, his walking cane tapping eerily against the floor.


    Whenever the caged magicians saw him, they trembled like frightened rabbits and looked away in fear.


    "Powerful, decisive, and ruthless." The old man chuckled. "No wonder you''re this powerful. I wonder how many you''ve killed."


    "I have killed plenty." Beowulf said, his voice cold and unfeeling. "So have you."


    "My name''s Montgomery." The old man said with a chuckle. "May I get your name?"


    "Beowulf Madigan." Beowulf replied coldly. "Now that the introductions are done, I am here to kill you."


    "Many have tried to kill me; some have even seeded and managed to stop my heart from beating!"


    Montgomery touched his chest, where the heart was located, and formed a fist.


    "Yet, my heart always starts beating again!"


    "It won''t beat if there is no heart left!" Beowulf shouted and pped his hands together.


    After fusing some magic into the p, the ground dissolved and turned into arge, swirling vortex.


    The gravity increased in the room, and Montgomery was forced down to his knees, struggling to stand up with his elderly body.


    The vortex, for some reason, wasn''t effecting the caged people, who were just looking at the swirling vortex with amazed looks, as they could see the endless magic energying from it.


    It was almost intoxicating to them, as all of them could feel the magic energy and could feel that it was both beautiful and dangerous.


    "N-not bad!" Montgomeryughed through pain and mmed his palm on the swirling vortex.


    Swoosh!


    At that moment, the swirling vortex suddenly disappeared, and the floor looked like a ck void. It wasn''t made out of solid material, as if they were standing on a bottomless pit.


    And then, two enormous, gigantic ck hands reached out of the ck void and wrapped their fingers around Beowulf, squeezing all the air out of his lungs.


    "Hmph!" Beowulf scoffed and vanished into a purple mist.


    The ck hands tried to grab the purple mist, but it slipped through their fingers like smoke.


    Montgomery narrowed his eyes and tried to sense all the magic energy in the room.


    And at that moment, he turned his gaze to the ceiling, where Beowulf appeared from the purple mist.


    "Off-Hand!"


    Montgomery yelled and did a palm strike to the air, which summoned a gigantic ck arm from the void below that shot towards Beowulf with a gigantic palm strike attack.


    Beowulf opened his palm and mmed it against the gigantic ck arm. It looked like a midget attacking a giant.


    However, as soon as his palm struck the ck hand, the ck arm vanished into purple-winged butterflies that fluttered around the warehouse with beautiful spectacle.


    "Woow¡­" The few children in the cages were mesmerized by the magical spell unfolding before their eyes.

 Chapter 513 Monster Montgomery

    <h4>Chapter 513 Monster Montgomery </h4>


    "What powerful transformation magic!" Montgomery could hardly believe his eyes as he watched the spell take effect.


    Beowulf drew circles in the air with his finger and at that moment, the purple-winged butterflies started flying down towards Montgomery.


    From being beautiful creatures, they turned into horrible, flesh-eating monsters with razor-sharp teeth and glowing red eyes.


    Montgomery rubbed his hands together, and then lightning shot out of his fingertips, evaporating the ugly-looking butterflies from existence.


    Atst, one of the lightning bolts zigzagged through the air and struck Beowulf in the chest of the powerful magic armor.


    "Rah!" Beowulf roared loudly and then used his fingers as lightning rods, suddenly controlling the powerful energy with ease.


    The silvery lightning danced around his fingers, and then he stabbed his finger through the air and shot out bolts of lightning straight back at Montgomery.


    Rumble!


    With a deafening rumble, the lightning bolts mmed straight into Montgomery and knocked him off his feet. He crashed into a wall, still electrified and smoking from the impact.


    "Ah!" A few caged people were also hurt by the impact.


    Beowulf, after seeing that, waved his hand and made all the cages disappear from the warehouse with the purple mist.


    He also made sure to break the locks so the caged people would be able to escape whenever they reappeared in a safe location.


    "You were here for them, after all." Montgomery said with a rough voice and climbed out of the broken wall with his clothes smoking.


    "That''s correct." Beowulf said without any intention of hiding it.


    "Hah." Montgomeryughed mockingly. "You think you''re a good guy? Just how many people have you killed to be this strong? Are you trying to get some positive karma so you won''t end up in hell?


    "No matter what you do, you have the blood of thousands in your hands."


    Beowulf didn''t answer the obvious provoking attempt, and instead, he snapped his fingers.


    At that moment, all the dock workers disappeared from the docks, and a thick, imprable purple dome descended from the sky and covered the entire dock.


    "With this, the rest of the city won''t suffer from our fight, and no one can interrupt us."


    Montgomery felt like some kind of defensive barrier had descended over the docks, but he scoffed and said.


    "That won''t stop the church from trying to break through. They''re relentless and will eventually break through it.


    "That''s why I never got to finish my fight with that bastard Edegron!"


    "They can try, but before they seed, you will be dead!"


    Beowulf roared and flew through the ceiling of the warehouse, breaking it apart with the sheer force of his magic power.


    And then, dark clouds started to gather over his head, signaling the iing storm of destruction and chaos.


    "The Dark Void Creature!"


    Montgomery gently put his arms to his side with his palms open, and then the dark void below his feet started to wrap around him like a shadowy cocoon, enveloping him in its embrace.


    In that moment, Montgomerypletely disappeared into the dark void and suddenly started to look like a creature of darkness.


    After that, he started to growrger and taller, suddenly poking his head through the warehouse''s ceiling. He was now unrecognizable as the man he once was, transformed into a terrifying being of immense power.


    With a size of thirty meters, he looked like a creature of shadows, made of some kind of ck smoke without any discernible features or form.


    His eyes were two swirling pools of darkness, devoid of any emotion or humanity.


    As he stomped once, the warehouse copsedpletely, and the darkness started to swallow the dock like a hungry beast.


    Beowulf spread his arms wide like a bird that unfurled its wings, and then silvery lightning descended from the dark clouds above him and struck the monstrous creature with a deafening crash.


    The sound of the lightning reverberated through the night, echoing off the cliffs surrounding the dock.


    "Wroooh!"


    Montgomery, who was transformed into the monstrous creature, let out a painful roar and staggered backwards after being struck by the lightning.


    After stopping himself before falling to theke, he opened his enormous palm wide and shot out a dark beam of energy towards Beowulf.


    Beowulf vanished into the purple mist, but then the dark beam shot through the dark clouds and made them all disappear.


    At the same moment, the dark beam struck the purple dome above, but it couldn''t break through the protective barrier and eventually disappeared.


    Swoosh!


    Beowulf appeared in the air behind the monstrous Montgomery and summoned thousands of the ugly-looking butterflies that looked desperate to eat Montgomery''s flesh.


    He then controlled all the thousand butterflies, and made them fly straight to the shadowy monstrous, which didn''t seem to have any flesh.


    Still, the ugly-looking butterflies flew through the monstrous creature and started eating its shadowy substance.


    "Wrooo!"


    Montgomery felt that very vividly and screamed in annoyance.


    Eventually, he crossed his arms in front of him and crouched slightly, suddenly looking like he was shrinking in size.


    At that moment, he let out another powerful cry and then smashed his arms to the side, which caused his enormous body to explode into ck lightning that crackled and surged in all directions.


    All the ugly-looking butterflies died instantly and fell to the ground, their bodies disintegrating into ash.


    At the same moment, one of the ck lightnings struck Beowulf in the chest and threatened to break through his imprable magic armor.


    At the final possible moment, Beowulf grabbed the ck lightning with his bare hand and throw it to the ground with a thunderous impact.


    As the ck lightning struck the ground, it exploded and created a mushroom cloud of dark smoke and mes.


    At the bottom of the dock, arge crater was left in its wake.


    In the ce of the monstrous creature, only Montgomery was left, whose clothes were in rags, and he had clear injuries from the st.


    Some of his flesh had been eaten, and he had some burn damage.


    "Who the hell are you?" Montgomery asked painfully. "Are you from the church? But you clearly aren''t using Sacred Soul to do magic, so what the hell is going on?


    "Only the church would have magicians as strong as you, but they would never invite someone who uses the Dark Arts to their ranks¡­ or would they?"


    Montgomery narrowed his eyes, and he wouldn''t be surprised if the church invited someone as strong as Beowulf to their organization, but just not publicly.


    Instead, he could be some kind of shadowy figure working behind the scenes.


    In his long life, he had seen the church do some evil things that made him question whether there was any goodness in the world, but he had never heard of them having someone who practices the Dark Arts in their ranks.


    After all, they think of them as heretics that should be wiped off the face of the.


    "I am part of no church." Beowulf said and summoned a purple-


    petaled flower in his hand. "You, on the other hand, have lots of power. So, why are you doing human trafficking? It sounds quite below your status."


    Montgomery scoffed and shook his head.


    "Yes, I sell them away as ves to some powerful people. However, whenever they''ve gotten tired of them, they send them back to me so I can kill them personally to increase my mana pool.


    "I''ve found it to be quite effective in increasing my power."


    Beowulf frowned with a disgusted look.


    "You dare to look disgusted?" Montgomeryughed. "You''ve killed more than me; I am sure of it!"


    Beowulf stayed quiet, not sure whether he had killed more than Montgomery.


    He had killed thousands in Martial Online, but Montgomery had lived over a hundred years, and in that time, he must''ve killed tens of thousands of people.


    In Montgomery''s mind, Beowulf could''ve only gotten this kind of power by killing hundreds of thousands of people throughout his life.


    However, in reality, Montgomery had killed more people than Beowulf had.


    While Montgomery killed weaklings, some children, and some new magicians to increase his mana pool, Beowulf, as Ambrose had, killed powerful yers that would be incredibly powerful in this world with their strength.


    ''Maybe they''ve already found out about this, but the stronger people you kill, the stronger the mana pool will be. The magic attacks will be stronger, and the mana pool will deplete much slower.


    ''That''s why, because I have killed very strong yers in that underworld ce and powerful people like Mars, my mana pool is incredibly dense as a result!


    ''That''s why my mana pool depletes very slowly and my magic attacks are very strong!


    ''Montgomery has definitely killed more than me, but he has killed weaker people than I have.''


    Beowulf, however, didn''t bother to waste his breath exining all of that to Montgomery, as he had already made up his mind to kill him once and for all!


    "Enough of this chit-chat." Beowulf raised his finger to point at Montgomery and said coldly, "Die."


    "Raaaaah!"


    Montgomery screamed like a wild beast, and from his back, hundreds of ck arms protruded like creepy tentacles.


    "I have not shown all that I am capable of doing!" Montgomery screamed. "I''ll show how I''ve managed to live so long!


    "My magic reigns supreme!"


    "Neither have I¡­" Beowulf looked at the purple-petaled flower in his hand and smiled, "So far, I''ve just experimented with different things.


    "No more."

 Chapter 514 Divine Serpent

    <h4>Chapter 514 Divine Serpent</h4>


    Crackle, crack!


    The ck lightning danced around Montgomery''s elderly body like chains around a prisoner.


    "I summon the power of the Mythidom!"


    Montgomery shouted towards the dark, foggy skies.


    At first, nothing happened except the eerie crackling sound of the lightning.


    Then, a portion of the fog cleared as if the wind had pushed them aside, and the moon shone brightly down on the docks.


    In that moment, in Montgomery''s and Beowulf''s eyes, they saw a massive serpent circling around the moon like a celestial beast.


    After it had wrapped its enormous body around the moon, it opened its enormous mouth to show its two fangs with long tongue dangling down in venom.


    "Mythidom is the Realm of the Magic!" Montgomery said with fervent power. "It has been said that the first-ever magicians came from Mythidom and popted the entire world with their mystical powers.


    "They''re the reason that magic exists in the first ce!


    "The church thinks they are the real sons and daughters of the Mythidom and that everyone else is greedily trying to use magic that was not meant for them!


    "That''s why they treat us as heretics and themselves as holy beings above themon men!"


    Beowulf listened to him while looking at the massive serpent coiled around the moon with his glowing purple eyes that had no fear or uncertainty.


    Anyone else, after witnessing the reality-bending scene, would''ve fallen to their knees in terror.


    If there were indeed creatures like the serpent that were as big as the world itself, how could the human race even survive?


    "That snake is the divine protector of the Mythidom!" Montgomery shouted. "Whenever I summon power from the Mythidom, it appears but never does anything. It is simply observing."


    "Observing what?" Beowulf asked.


    "I don''t know." Montgomeryughed and turned to Beowulf. "It doesn''t matter, really. What really matters is this."


    He opened his hand and revealed a bright, golden light emanating from his palm.


    It was vastly different from his previous ck magic. Now, it looked pure and holy.


    The ck lightning circling his body started quickly changing colors to gold and white.


    "I summoned this new magic from the Mythidom, and that magic is the purest kind."


    Montgomery said proudly and felt every fiber of his body being cleansed of unpurities. His body started leaking some kind of ck substance that gathered below his foot.


    After the transformation had ended, Montgomery looked vastly different, as if he had be thirty years younger with neat ck hair and piercing eyes that had no fatigue of the old man he had been.


    His skin smoothed out, wrinkles disappeared entirely, and his back straightened out, and he tossed his walking cane aside, having no need for it anymore.


    At the final phase of the tournament, his shoulders turned broad and his muscles rippled out from beneath his skin, revealing his perfect physique that had previously been hidden under his elderly facade.


    "This is the reason for my long life." Montgomery proudly dered. "With Mythidom on my side, I''ll never die!"


    Beowulf slightly squinted his eyes and made the purple-petaled flower vanish into thin air.


    "My dream is to reach Mythidom one day."


    Montgomery said with desire in his voice and paced back and forth, imagining the beautiful kingdom of the magic in his mind.


    He believed it to be the most enchanting ce in the world.


    Away from the darkness and ugliness of the mortal world.


    "That''s why, I think the Divine Protector is here." Montgomery nced towards the moon, where the snake was watching. "To choose who is worthy of entering that magic ce and who isn''t."


    "You think you''re worthy?" Beowulf asked with a scoff. "If murderers like you can enter that ce, I don''t think it is that magical."


    "Quiet, mortal!" Montgomery shouted angrily, with blood vessels bulging around his neck. "Don''t you dare talk about that ce with your filthy voice!"


    "Oho, you changed your attitude to quiet." Beowulfughed. "You think you''re above mortals, now?"


    "Of course, I am." Montgomery spread his arms wide to disy his magnificent body. "Mythidom is allowing me to summon power from there. I am no longer constrained by the limitations of mere mortals.


    "In this state, my mana pool never depletes!


    "I am now God among men!"


    Beowulf raised his gaze to the massive serpent and raised his finger to point at the creature without any fear. It was like pointing his finger at the God.


    "W-what are you doing?" Montgomery asked in disbelief. "Stop pointing at ''It'' or you might anger ''It''!"


    "What happens if it does get angry?" Beowulf asked with a chuckle.


    "You fool!" Montgomery screamed. "Are you trying to doom the entire world?!"


    "Perhaps, perhaps." Beowulf chuckled.


    At that moment, a small light flew out of his fingertip and shot towards the moon with unbelievable speed, creating several sonic booms that echoed throughout the night sky.


    "No, you fool!" Montgomery shouted with a baffled expression.


    The small beam of light left the safety of the world and entered the cold, lifeless space, but it still shone brightly, allowing every living being in the world to see the light, which looked like a shooting star.


    Outside the purple dome that was protecting the docks, several gold-cloaked magicians appeared on top of several buildings, looking at the dome with frowns on their faces.


    They were the holy magicians from the great church!


    At that moment, one of them shouted with a fervent-sounding voice.


    "Brothers and sisters, look into the sky!"


    As they raised their gazes, their eyes widened in shock as they saw the massive serpent circling the moon in a hypnotic dance.


    Ordinary people and people with weak magic weren''t able to see the massive serpent as it was a pure creature of magic, but those with high magic power were able to!


    With fervent, obsessed gazes, they fell down to their knees and started praying towards the Divine Serpent with unwavering devotion and reverence.


    They were called to the docks because they felt two incredibly strong individuals fighting.


    That''s why more than one holy magician came to end the lives of the two heretics.


    In most cases, one holy magician was alone to stop any and all threats, but their Grand Priest could feel the power of the two individuals and knew that it would take more than one to defeat them.


    All around the Great City, incredibly powerful magicians gathered on the rooftops and bowed towards the Divine Serpent with respect and humility, as if they were looking at the embodiment of magic itself.


    In the yard of the great church, hundreds of holy magicians gathered and started prostrating in the presence of the magnificent creature.


    "What a beautiful, magnificent being." The Grand Priest fervently said with tears rolling down his cheeks as he kneeled on the ground in happiness.


    He never bowed to anyone, as he was at the apex of the power hierarchy. There weren''t many who could stand in his presence without feeling an overwhelming sense of awe and reverence.


    It had been over fifty years since he had been injured in a fight and over seventy years since he had lost in a fight.


    In the current day and age, it wasn''t farfetched to say that he was the strongest magician alive!


    As the warm tears rolled down his cheek, at that moment, a bright light approached the moon and crashed straight into the Divine Serpent.


    Boom¡­


    A faint, almost inaudible sound reverberated from the collision.


    Everyone watched in shock as the Divine Serpent started angrily thrashing in pain and identally smashed its enormous tail through the moon, splitting it in half!


    "D-Divine Serpent¡­" The Grand Priest whispered in shock and angrily gritted his teeth.


    "WHO THE FUCK ATTACKED THE DIVINE SERPENT?!"


    ¡­


    "Nooo!" Montgomery screamed in utter despair and helplessness, falling to his knees and watching the moon break apart in the night sky.


    Beowulf lowered his arm and looked at him, his purple eyes behind the mask still looking eerily calm as if he didn''t just attack a godly being, which was the greatest sin of all.


    "Do you realize what you''ve done?!" Montgomery turned around to scream at him. "Why the fuck did you do that?! Do you want to kill us all?!"


    "I wonder how much strength would rise if I killed the Divine Serpent." Beowulf said with a chuckle, and at that moment, he pointed his finger towards the broken moon and began firing more magic missiles from the tip of his finger.


    "Stop it!" Montgomery jumped to his feet and threw a bolt of golden lightning at Beowulf.


    Beowulf turned to the golden lightning, grabbed it with his bare hand, and after spinning several times, he hurled it towards the sky with ten times the power.


    Alongside the magic missiles, the golden lightning also started flying towards the angry-sounding Divine Serpent!


    With speed that went way above the speed of the light, the attacksnded on the Divine Serpent''s scales and caused some cracks before exploding into a bright disy of light.


    This time, even ordinary people would be able to see the light, even though the Divine Serpent was still invincible to them.


    Alongside the bright light, they started noticing that their glorious moon, which had been with them since the dawn of time, was cracking and falling apart!

 Chapter 515 Lord Parameshwara

    <h4>Chapter 515 Lord Parameshwara </h4>


    "Curse you!"


    Montgomery shouted angrily and mmed his palm on the ground.


    A beautiful, six-pointed magic circle appeared below his feet, glowing with a soft blue light. It looked like a portal to another world.


    At that moment, six weapons rose from the magic circle¡ªone of them was a sharp spear, while the others were a sword, bow, axe, staff, and dagger.


    Montgomery snapped his fingers with a loud crack, and the weapons stabbed into the ground around Beowulf in a perfect circle.


    And then, the weapons started glowing in beautiful, holy gold light that illuminated the night, and then, six golden chains shot out from the weapons and wrapped around Beowulf''s body, binding him in ce.


    "Six Circle Magic, Cruciatus!"


    Beowulf tried to rip the chains with his physical strength, but immediately realized that it was impossible to do so.


    ''My magic is being drained.''


    Beowulf felt his mana pool depleting at an insane speed.


    ''Montgomery is trying to seal my magic.'' Beowulf thought with a frown on his brows.


    "Ngh¡­"


    As Montgomery was trying to seal his magic, he felt a surge of magical power building up inside Beowulf that was threatening to spill out.


    ''Just how big is his mana pool?'' Montgomery wondered in shock and had to cover his mouth; otherwise, he would''ve thrown up.


    His sealing magic worked in strange ways.


    In simple terms, he was "drinking" the mana pool, and when he used his sealing magic on his prisoners, he was often left satisfied, as if he had just drunk water to get rid of his thirst.


    However, now, for the first time ever, he felt like vomiting, as if he had drank too much water too quickly.


    And, yet, he didn''t think he was even ten percent done sealing!


    "Well, try to seal me away." Beowulf said with a smirk and injected some of his magic power into the sealing weapons that were circling him.


    "Ptui!" Montgomery''s mouth burst open, and he threw up his dinner all over the ground.


    Then he fell down on his knees and coughed violently.


    However, he was unable to stop throwing up and coughing as he felt like he was constantly drinking water from the endless ocean.


    With no other choice, he quickly snapped his fingers and made the sealing weapons vanish into thin air.


    Beowulf watched as the chains made out of golden light disappeared, and then heughed.


    "Was my magic too much to handle?"


    "Ptui!" Montgomery spat something out of his mouth and then wiped his mouth with an angry frown.


    ''What a monster! I don''t think I even managed to seal twenty percent! Just how big is his mana pool?''


    Beowulf pointed his finger at Montgomery, and a bright, purple light exploded from it, engulfing Montgomery in a blinding sh.


    Montgomery quickly created an armor of golden light around his body and stood his guard with fierce determination.


    At that moment, they both heard explosions rocking the dome that was protecting the docks.


    As they turned to look where the explosions came from, they saw many gold-cloaked magiciansunching their magic attacks at the dome.


    Their faces looked angry, beyond belief.


    "I suppose the church found out the culprit." Montgomeryughed mockingly. "They tracked you here and will do anything in their power to kill you because you hurt the Divine Serpent."


    "Oh, cry me a river." Beowulf shot a beam of energy from his finger, and it went straight through Montgomery like a sword made out of air that was unable to hurt anything.


    Montgomery''s eyes bulged wide, but he was surprised to find out that the attack didn''t hurt him.


    He looked at the beam of purple energy that was going through his body, and realized he was unscathed. It was as if it were simply made out of air.


    At that moment, Beowulf snapped his fingers loudly, and the beam of purple energy started crackling like lightning.


    Before Montgomery was able to react, he was electrified, and his skin turned burned-ck in an instant. ck smoke rose out of his mouth, and his eyes looked lifeless as he fell to the ground.


    Beowulf reeled in his arm and threw a punch at burned Montgomery that created a powerful wind current that crashed into Montgomery and cracked several of his bones.


    At that moment, Montgomery''s eyes opened wide, and his body started glowing brilliantly.


    His burned skin peeled off, revealing brand-new smooth skin from underneath, and in just a few seconds, he was again uninjured and stronger than ever before.


    "Argh!" Montgomery let out a triumphant roar and jumped back to his feet.


    As Beowulf moved his hands into a defensive stance, Montgomery pped his hands rhythmically, and an enormous sword appeared in the skies above him that was the size of a skyscraper.


    Montgomery swiped his hand down, and the sword came crashing down towards Beowulf with incredible force.


    Beowulf crossed his arms above his head, and then the sword crashed down at him and buried him deep in the ground, while the rest of the dock copsed under the weight of the impact.


    The water churned and spilled over to the surrounding area, flooding the entire dock.


    In the depths of the ground, Beowulf continued blocking the enormous sword with his magic vambraces that were protecting his arms.


    Still, even after being struck by such a powerful attack, Beowulf looked calm, and at that moment, he moved his right arm and pointed his hand¡ªshaped like a gun with two of his fingers acting as a barrel¡ªin front of him.


    "Bang."


    After using his thumb as the trigger, a powerfulser shot out from two of his fingers, smashed through the ground without any effort, and after it flew out of the ground, it went straight through Montgomery''s chest, leaving behind a gaping hole.


    "Ah!" Montgomery couldn''t breathe as insane pain assaulted him.


    Even while buried in the ground, Beowulf was somehow able to pinpoint his exact location to attack him!


    ''H-he is able to trace my magic power so urately?''


    Montgomery fell to his knees with shock stered across his face.


    After being surprised so many times already, Beowulf was somehow able to shock him even further.


    ''How could someone like him be able to hide himself for so long?''


    Montgomery wondered in shock.


    ''He is definitely not part of the church, as he attacked Divine Serpent. He is definitely a sinner¡ªone of the worst kinds to ever live!


    ''I thought I could use Divine Serpent as bait, forcing this bastard to kneel and start praying while I finish him off, but I was wrong in my first assumption.


    ''He is not part of the ck Hand or the Church, so what is he part of?! What kind of organization gave birth to this monster?''


    Crack!


    At that moment, the enormous sword cracked and shattered into millions of tiny pieces.


    As the tiny pieces of the sword''s de were about to fall to the ground, they suddenly turned into millions of flesh-eating butterflies and rushed at Montgomery with terrifying speed.


    Montgomery quickly made several hand signs with both of his hands and then summoned four pirs from the ground that created a square barrier around the flying butterflies.


    As the four pirs glowed with otherworldly light, a barrier soon emerged out of nowhere and surrounded the butterflies, trapping them inside.


    "Incineration Chamber!"


    Montgomery put his hands together, then created a small gap between the hands, and then blew air out of his mouth.


    As the air flew between his hands, which were almost touching, a flicker of me emerged from the gap andnded gently on the barrier.


    In that same instant, the interior of the barrier erupted into a fiery inferno that burned all the butterflies into nothingness.


    "Hmph." Montgomery turned to the dome and was surprised to see that the holy magicians were still unable to break through it.


    He was more than aware of their insane strength, and as the dome was still not down, it made him even more impressed with Beowulf''s strength.


    And then he looked down at his chest, which had a gaping hole, and saw it slowly regenerate till the hole was gone and he was again back in full health.


    Boom!


    At that moment, Beowulf leaped out of the ground and saw that the water had almost fully flooded the dock. There wasn''t much dry patch left.


    ''I am starting to feel sleepy, and I still have to meet Casper tomorrow, so I would rather not be tired for the meeting.''


    Beowulf turned to Montgomery and clenched his hand into a fist.


    ''Time to end this. I put this dome up so that we wouldn''t interrupt the citizens with our loud noises, but those gold-


    cloaked magicians are making lots of noise outside the dome.


    ''They''ve done an impressive amount of damage to the dome, but it would take about ten more minutes for them to break through.


    ''I''ll end the fight before that and go to sleep.''


    Beowulf put his hands together and closed his eyes gently.


    At that moment, a figure rose from the water below him and towered over Beowulf and everyone else.


    As the figure was finally standing on its feet, it was nearly 100 meters tall with purple skin and 100 arms extended in all directions.


    It looked like a divine being from another world.


    "W-what the hell is that?" Montgomery whispered in shock.


    Beowulf smiled and said.


    "Lord Parameshwara."

 Chapter 516 Godly Punches

    <h4>Chapter 516 Godly Punches</h4>


    "Lord Parameshwara?" Montgomery repeated the name with a confused expression on his face.


    At that moment, Lord Parameshwara lowered its holy gaze upon Montgomery, and that gaze alone forced him to kneel.


    "Ngh!" Montgomery''s eyes shook violently in his head as he tried to resist the overwhelming power of Lord Parameshwara''s gaze.


    No matter what he did, he couldn''t stand up. It was as if he was fighting against the power of gravity itself.


    "What is this¡­ insane strength!"


    "Lord Parameshwara is Living Embodiment of my Magic Power." Beowulf proudly spread his arms wide and smiled behind the mask. "You''ll see the true strength of my power now."


    "Cursed!"


    Montgomery panickedly did hand signs as he desperately tried to summon something.


    At that moment, the ground in front of him exploded, and steam rose upward, revealing a massive and ferocious dragon.


    "Red-Scaled Dragonborn!" Montgomery screamed. "Unleash your fiery breath upon the mortals!"


    "Screech!" The Red-Scaled Dragonborn pped its enormous wings and went airborne, flying directly towards the purple-skinned creature.


    Beowulf reeled in his arm with his palm open, and at the same moment, Lord Parameshwara copied his movements and did the exact same action with one of its hundred arms.


    "p it away." Beowulf casually pped the air in front of him.


    In the same moment, Lord Parameshwara shot one of its arms forward and pped the dragon across its face with a force so powerful that it sent the dragon crashing into the ground.


    CRASH!


    At the ce where the dragon crashed, arge crater formed in the ground, which was instantly flooded with the water of the nearbyke.


    As the Red-Scaled Dragonborn was submerged below the water, it suddenly breathed out a scorching breath of fire that shot out of the water in a burst of steam and heat.


    Beowulf crossed his arms in front of him, and then Lord Parameshwara copied his action and blocked the fiery breath with two of its arms.


    The fiery breath dissipated into the air, leaving a trail of smoke behind.


    After the smoke cleared, Lord Parameshwara''s arms were unharmed.


    Even the mighty attack from the dragon couldn''t harm it.


    "Impossible!" Montgomery shouted in disbelief as the Red-Scaled Dragonborn was his strongest summon.


    It was such a powerful summon that without his current state, which made depleting his mana pool impossible, he wouldn''t be able to summon it!


    Because, in his ordinary state, his mana pool would be depleted in only ten seconds after summoning the dragon!


    Montgomery gritted his teeth and looked at Beowulf with a hideous look.


    ''He must be draining his mana pool by summoning this monstrous creature, but he isn''t even sweating!


    ''Just how big is his fucking mana pool?!


    ''I have no other choice. I can''t defeat this Lord Parameshwara; it''s far too powerful, but maybe I can defeat its summoner. It is my only choice¡ªI have to go straight at him!''


    Montgomery shot forward and flew over the water like a bullet, going straight at Beowulf!


    While flying, he created several hand signs as he prepared to unleash his most powerful magic spells.


    "Going straight at me, huh?" Beowulf chuckled, and he made Lord Parameshwarand a few punches at the dragon to send it back to the depths of theke.


    At the same moment, he controlled Lord Parameshwara''s third arm and pped Montgomery straight back to the ground with its enormous palm.


    Montgomery coughed blood and fell to the water while the enormous hand pushed him straight to the bottom. He tried to look up to the surface but couldn''t as the hand blocked his sight and made everything around him dark.


    The hand was big enough to stop all the light from reaching him.


    ''That bastard can even control multiple arms of this creature?''


    Montgomery thought panickedly.


    ''Many magicians have tried to create summons with multiple arms, but they''ve all realized theplexity and power required to control them simultaneously.


    ''Therefore, even if the summon had ten arms, they are usually able to control only two, so they might as well summon creatures with two arms instead, as it costs less mana.


    ''But this bastard is able to control three, and it is three enormous arms!


    ''Could it be that he is able to control all hundred arms? No, that is impossible! I refuse to believe that!''


    At that moment, Lord Parameshwara wrapped its fingers around Montgomery and brought him back to the surface.


    Then, it brought him straight to Beowulf, who stood with arms behind his back, a small smile on his face.


    "Ngh!" Montgomery tried to break through the hold but was unable to, and he was forced to stare straight at Beowulf unwillingly.


    Beowulf swiped his left hand down, and at the same moment, one of Lord Parameshwara''s arms moved to the dragon and punched it straight back to the bottom of theke.


    The dragon was desperately trying to save its master but couldn''t fly past Lord Parameshwara''s arms.


    "Rgh!" Montgomery hatefully groaned. "You''ve won. I''ve realized the vast difference in our strengths. You''re my superior."


    "Oh?" Beowulf raised his eyebrow in surprise. "I was honestly expecting you to be too prideful to admit your loss."


    "Ngh¡­" Montgomery felt several of his bones break as Lord Parameshwara squeezed tighter. "Let me go! I can be your servant! I''ve got hundreds of years of experience and knowledge under my belt.


    "And I might know how to enter Mythidom!"


    "Is that so¡­" Beowulf chuckled. "So might I."


    "W-what?" Montgomery asked in surprise.


    Beowulf raised his gaze to the broken moon, where the Divine Serpent was flying and somehow fixing the moon back in its ce.


    "I had my doubts, but now I know for sure." He said and pointed at the moon.


    Lord Parameshwara copied his action and pointed towards the moon with one of its arms.


    "The entrance to Mythidom is in the moon, isn''t it?"


    Lord Parameshwara copied his action and pointed towards the moon with one of its arms.


    Montgomery''s eyes widened in shock. "I-it is?"


    "Where did you think it was?" Beowulf asked with a chuckle.


    Montgomery''s cheeks flushed in embarrassment.


    "In the church''s dungeon. It is their most guarded ce and the ce where the magic energy is the strongest in the entire Great City. There is definitely something incredibly valuable there!


    "With two of us, I am sure we can make it there!"


    "Yeah, I''ve felt that too." Beowulf caressed his chin as he looked to the horizon. "Something valuable is there indeed."


    "That''s why, if we team up, we can definitely get whatever it is and share it!" Montgomery shouted fervently and looked to the moon. "Then to Mythidom!"


    "Sounds good, yeah¡­" Beowulf turned back to him and smiled. "However, I can do that by myself."


    "W-what?" Montgomery''s eyes widened in shock. "No, you can''t! You would have to fight hundreds of holy magicians. Don''t be arrogant, and let''s work together!"


    "I am not scared of them, and I don''t want to work with you who take pleasure in killing the weak."


    Beowulf controlled Lord Parameshwara and made it raise Montgomery high to the sky.


    "You''re a coward, and that''s why your magic power is weaker than mine."


    "Nooo!" Montgomery screamed loudly in pain.


    At that moment, Lord Parameshwara threw him down to the ground like a ragdoll, and he smashed straight through the earth''s surface.


    "Aaaargh!" Montgomery rose from the ground, blood flowing down from his orifices and his eyes red in pain. "I''ll crush you!"


    Beowulf smiled and put his arms behind his back.


    At that moment, Lord Parameshwara moved all of its arms and put them into a punching stance. The shadows on the ground were all enormous, consuming all the light on the ground.


    "I-Impossible¡­" Montgomery''s expression fell apart, and any intention of fighting back left his body.


    He just helplessly watched as Lord Parameshwara punched down towards him with all of its arms, each one appearing to be the size of arge mountain.


    Behind the dome, the holy magicians watched with jaws dropped in shock and horror, unable toprehend what was happening.


    They had all seen all sorts of powerful magicians in their lives, but nothinges even close to this kind of show of power.


    Before the punchesnded on the ground, they quickly flew away in a hurry, as they expected this dome to break just by the impact of the strike.


    If they were too close, they might also get severely injured!


    At that moment, the hundreds of mountain-sized fistsnded on the dock with a thunderous force, and just as they expected, the dome shattered like a fragile piece of ss.


    Thunderous sounds reverberated across the entire Great City, waking up millions of people as the ground shook and buildings swayed dangerously.


    In the underground town, thousands of ck Hand members turned their sights to the ceiling of the underground chamber and saw how it was cracking and crumbling under the pressure.


    They were around a thousand meters below the surface, making them shocked at what was happening above the ground.


    In the gray castle, Sage Edegron opened his wise, elderly-


    looking eyes and gazed into the crystal ball before him.


    "Montgomery is dead¡­" He could feel his longtime rival''s life energy disappearing suddenly.


    "Who could''ve done that¡­ This is a work of magician like no other."

 Chapter 517 First Assassination

    <h4>Chapter 517 First Assassination </h4>


    Casper sat at the town square in the underground town and watched as some ck Hand members were fixing the damaged ceiling that was damagedst night.


    It was a sleepless night for many as there was danger of the ceiling copsing and burying them all, but luckily, before it came to that point, the strange shaking stopped.


    "Good morning."


    Casper turned to the person who greeted him and who sat right next to him.


    "Ambrose." Casper nodded. "Did you manage to sleep?"


    "Yeah, why?" Ambrose asked with a clueless expression.


    "What do you mean, why?" Casper frowned and pointed at the damaged ceiling. "The whole town was shakingst night. It seems something happened above the ground."


    "Oh." Ambrose looked surprised at the damage.


    ''I knew my attack was powerful, but to think that it even managed to damage the structure all the way here. I did focus my strength on the ground so that I wouldn''t identally destroy the buildings in the city.


    ''I guess that might be the reason why most of my strength was aimed in this direction. If I had continued attacking longer, I might''ve destroyed this town.''


    "You must be a deep sleeper." Casper shook his head. "You have to fix that. You''ve got to be a light sleeper, as you can better detect if someone is going to assassinate you in the dark of the night."


    "Aight, I''ll work on that." Ambrose nodded with a wry smile and asked, "Did we have a mission?"


    "Yeah." Casper opened a few buttons on his coat and took out a piece of parchment paper from the inner pocket, unfolding it to reveal a detailed map of the target''s location.


    "The mission is simple, and this is near Golden Knife Street."


    Casper showed the details to Ambrose.


    "The mission is to tail the target, find out if he is having an affair, and if he is, kill him."


    "Huh?" Ambrose''s eyebrow jumped in surprise. "It first sounded like a lover''s quarrel, but why does the client want him dead for an affair?"


    "We don''t ask such questions, and neither should you." Casper said nonchntly. "However, if you want to know, the client is the target''s wife."


    "Damn." Ambrose whistled under his breath. "Women can be dangerous, hmm."


    "Let''s get going. This mission might take a couple of days. But, first of all, let''s finish the first thing in hand, remember it?"


    "Yeah¡­" Ambrose nodded with a serious look. "My first assassination¡­"


    "Let''s get you new clothes." Casper looked at his dirty, blood-stained outfit with a grimace. "A member of ck Hand can''t look like a beggar."


    ¡­


    Eli worked in his tavern as usual, but his cheeks were bandaged in a rough manner.


    Whenever he tried smiling at the customers, his face started hurting, and as a result, his smile looked very ugly.


    The customer awkwardly took the drink and went to the corner of the tavern to drink.


    Usually, he would drink at the counter and chat with Eli, but he had a feeling like he wasn''t in a mood to talk. It looked like he had been kicked in the face by a horse.


    Eli turned his back to the front door and picked up a bottle of whiskey before drowning it down his throat. He was somehow trying to get rid of the pain, but even drinking hurt.


    Creak¡ªthe back door leading to the back alley opened slightly, letting in a slight breeze that carried the stench of rotting garbage and cigarette smoke.


    "Huh?" Eli peeked at the back door and wondered whether he had identally left it open.


    After leaving the counter, he closed the door again and was about to return, but at the same time, the door again opened.


    "?" Eli frowned and went back to the door.


    This time, he was checking whether it was broken around the hinges. It was worn out and rusty, but it should still be working fine.


    As he was about to close it again, suddenly a hand appeared and pulled him to the alleyway with a strong pull.


    Eli crashed into the wall of the alley and groaned loudly.


    m¡ªthe door closed with a loud m and was instantly locked tight.


    "Who?!"


    As Eli rose back to his feet, he saw a ck-clothed figure standing near the door. He was wearing thin clothing, and his face was mostly covered, except his eyes were showing through the narrow slit in his mask.


    Eli recognized the clothing, and his expression dropped.


    "B-ck Hand, b-but why? W-why have youe to me?"


    Ambrose, dressed in ck clothing, didn''t answer and instead nced quickly to the nearby roof, where Casper was also dressed in ck and hiding behind a chimney.


    "Your death has been signed. You can try to fight and die pathetically, or have some self-respect and ept your fate gracefully."


    Ambrose said with a deepened voice that made him sound unrecognizable and pulled out a dagger from his belt.


    "I did everything you guys asked!" Eli screamed angrily. "And this is how you repay me? I am not going down without a fight!"


    "So be it!" Ambrose rushed forward with the dagger in hand and went straight for the neck.


    "Barrier!" Eli quickly created a barrier in front of him.


    As the dagger collided with the barrier, Eli expected it to go straight through, as the strength of ck Hand was godlike in his mind, but surprisingly enough, his barrier managed to stop it!


    "Huh?" Eli looked surprised and then punched, whichnded squarely on Ambrose''s cheek with a flesh-smacking thud.


    "Argh¡­" Ambrose fell to the pavement, clutching his bleeding cheek in pain.


    "W-what?" Eli frowned beforeughing nervously. "A fake? Y-


    you''re not from ck Hand, are you now? You are weak, hahahah!"


    "Tch!" Ambrose gritted his teeth, looking like he was in a lot of pain, then stood up from the pavement, his legs shaking slightly, and then shed with the dagger ratherzily.


    Eli scoffed and effortlessly dodged the dagger with just a single sidestep. He then kicked Ambrose''s feet out from under him, causing him to fall back to the ground with a thud.


    "Haha, a non-magician thinks he can kill me?" Eliughed mockingly and kicked Ambrose in the chest, sending him rolling across the dirty pavement.


    "What did I do? Perhaps some of the girls I sold were your sisters? Your mother? Your girlfriend? Haha, I wonder what~"


    "Fucker!" Ambrose swung his dagger in a wide arc, but Eli ducked it and punched him in the chest.


    "Ngh¡­" He crashed to his knees with blood trickling out of his mask.


    Eli crouched beside him, grabbed him by the mask, and removed it.


    After seeing the face, his eyes widened in shock.


    "It is you¡­" Eli frowned. "ck Hand, just let you go? Even though you are a Deathwalker?"


    "You shouldn''t have betrayed me." Ambrose whispered coldly, and then, few purple particles flew out of his fingertips andnded on Eli''s eyes.


    Eli blinked and blinked, but every time he did, his vision turned worse until he waspletely blind!


    ''What is happening?!''


    At that moment, Ambrose stabbed the dagger through his neck, and sliced his throat open.


    With his throat slit open, Eli fell to the ground, gasping for air and clutching at his bleeding neck.


    After his final breaths, he stopped moving, and the light left his blind eyes.


    Ambrose softly snapped his fingers, and Eli''s eyes turned normal, even though he was already dead.


    At that moment, Caspernded gently on the pavement and looked at the dead man with a nod.


    "Good job." Casper said and asked, "How did he let you get such an easy kill?"


    "I knew I couldn''t kill him in an outright battle, so I baited him into thinking that he was stronger, and when he saw my face, he was surprised and, because of his overconfidence, forgot to remove my dagger.


    "Since he was so close, he had no time to dodge."


    "Smart and decisive." Casper nodded in approval. "You''re now officially a ck Hand. Congrattions."


    "Thank you." Ambrose stood up and bowed humbly while his face was bleeding because of the damage he received.


    Since the start of the fight, he has tricked both Eli and Casper.


    If he had wanted to, he could''ve erased Eli''s existence in milliseconds, but he had to keep up his appearance as a neer who didn''t know a single spell.


    In fact, Eli couldn''t even damage him, so he had to create the illusion of blood with his magic.


    After getting beaten up by Eli, he knew he would remove his mask to gloat before killing him.


    That''s why he used that to his advantage and made him blind with his magic. It was the perfect ce to do that because Eli''s body blocked Casper''s sight, so he couldn''t see him do magic.


    Eli never had a chance to survive against him.


    Casper pointed at Eli and incinerated his body into mes, leaving nothing behind but ashes.


    "Now, let''s go do our mission. From our intel, he should''ve gone to his daily coffee in the next ten minutes."


    "Yes, master." Ambrose bowed humbly.

 Chapter 518 First Mission

    <h4>Chapter 518 First Mission</h4>


    Casper and Ambrose were perched on a rooftop across a street from a nice-looking cafe that had very nature-friendly decor.


    They were basically invincible, as Casper used magic to cloak them in the shadow of nearby buildings.


    They were waiting for their target to appear.


    "That''s him." Casper suddenly said and pointed at a horse-drawn carriage that stopped in front of the cafe.


    "How do you know?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "The carriage has his family crest engraved on the door, you see?"


    Ambrose looked at the door and saw a crest with a peacock and a crown on it.


    At that moment, the door opened, and a slightly overweight man with a handlebar mustache stepped out. He had a gold-handled cane in hand and round-circled sses perched on his nose.


    Everyone would be able to tell that he was part of high society.


    "Is he part of the Gold Circle?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Yes." Casper replied and then mentioned. "Keep an eye on which booth he is going. From the information I''ve received, he should be on the third floor''s east wing.


    "It is exactly the direction we''re facing, but be prepared for anything to happen during assassinations. The intel is not always right, so don''t blindly believe everything."


    "Got it." Ambrose nodded.


    After the target entered the cafe, they lost sight of him, but they patiently waited.


    Casper had a pocket watch on his hand that was slowly ticking.


    After a certain amount of time, he would go search for other booths in case their target went to another section of the cafe.


    In this case, it wasn''t needed as their target entered the cafe alone and took a seat on the sofa, where there was a daily newspaper awaiting him to read.


    He took a newspaper in his hand and began flipping through the pages until he found his favorite section of the crossword puzzle.


    Casper and Ambrose waited patiently until another carriage stopped in front of the cafe.


    From there, a very discreet-looking woman stepped out with a slight smile on her face and sunsses hiding her eyes.


    Immediately after, a broad-shouldered bodyguard followed after her, and they both entered the cafe together.


    After only a short moment, Casper and Ambrose noticed the door in their target''s booth opened, and the discreet-looking woman alongside her bodyguard entered.


    As soon as they arrived, their target put the newspaper down and helped the woman take off her coat before putting it aside and gesturing for her to sit.


    While the discreet-looking woman sat down on the other side of the table, her bodyguard stayed standing with his arms behind his back.


    "There''s definitely something fishy going on." Casper said.


    "Is this an affair, though?" Ambrose asked with a frown. "Who would bring their bodyguard if they were about to have an affair? It doesn''t make any sense."


    "I don''t know, but if they show any intimacy, we''ll finish him off swiftly." Casper said with a sinister look.


    "¡­" Ambrose stayed quiet but had a deep frown.


    In the room, they continued to have a talk; the woman continued smiling while the man keptposure during the talks.


    Soon, their coffee came, and they continued talking while warming their mouths with the hot coffee.


    After a half hour, they both stood up and hugged each other goodbye before the woman and her bodyguard left the room.


    "That does it, I suppose."


    Casper closed one of his eyes, pointed his finger at their target, and was about to fire his magic missile, but then Ambrose lowered his arm and shook his head.


    "That does not look like an affair."


    "Does it matter?" Casper asked.


    "What?" Ambrose frowned.


    "We have enough proof to kill him." Casper said. "If his wife asks for further confirmation, we can tell what we saw, and it is enough to make the judgment."


    "So, you don''t mind killing an innocent soul?" Ambrose asked.


    "Innocent soul, hah, hardly." Casper chuckled and raised his arm again. "No one in Gold Circle is innocent."


    "Is this your bias talking?" Ambrose asked. "I thought a professional assassin would be thinking with a clear head and do his job with professionalism, not with clouded judgment."


    "This job is very low on our importance list." Casper said with annoyance. "I only took something this easy because of you. You want to know where Zane is, right? This is the fastest way.


    "Also, don''t you want to get paid? The target''s wife has to pay either way, and if we go to her after a few hours of epting the mission and say he wasn''t having an affair, would she believe us?


    "Hell no. In that case, she would be expecting us to have a week-long investigation. I don''t fucking want to do something like that.


    "Let''s get paid; I''ll show you where Zane is, and we return happily to the home. Deal?"


    "No." Ambrose firmly shook his head. "What if ites out that ck Hand is doing loose investigations? It would harm our reputation."


    "No one would know." Casper said in annoyance.


    Ambrose frowned, but at that moment, his eyes widened in surprise, and he quickly pointed down.


    "Look!"


    Casper turned to look at the streets and saw that several masked individuals appeared from the alley and attacked the discreet woman''s bodyguard.


    The bodyguard fought valiantly back, but suddenly one of the assants used magic and put a hole in the bodyguard''s chest.


    The discreet-looking woman screamed and tried to run away, but one of the assants knocked her out and tossed her inside the carriage while one of the other assants took the reins of the horse and drove away with the other assants.


    The tant kidnapping was witnessed by several cafe workers, who started screaming for guards.


    At that moment, the overweight man left the cafe with a shocked look and joined in shouting towards the guards.


    The guards soon arrived and started investigating.


    However, in the midst of all the investigating, the overweight man disappeared into the crowd and started running down the alleyways in one specific direction.


    "He is in an alley. No one would find his dead body in a few days." Casper said coldly. "It is a perfect chance."


    alleyways in one specific direction.


    "He is in an alley. No one would find his dead body in a few "What if we tail him instead?" Ambrose suggested. "He seems to be heading in the same direction as those kidnappers did. Maybe he knows where they took her."


    "Tch, fine." Casper grabbed Ambrose by his cor and then vanished into the shadows.


    ¡­


    At the hidden location, tucked away behind dozens of buildings and at the end of twisty alleyways, the horse-drawn carriage came to a rushed stop, and one of the kidnappers pushed the woman out and forced her to enter the building.


    Not even five minutes after their arrival, the overweight man panted heavily as he jogged down the alleyway. Somehow, he knew exactly where to go.


    Swoosh!


    On top of the building where the kidnappers went, Casper and Ambrose emerged just near enough to hear some talking inside the house,ing from one of the open windows.


    After witnessing the overweight man enter the building, they moved near the window and eavesdropped with keen interest.


    Inside the building, the overweight man entered the room, where the woman was tied in a chair with a serious look on her face.


    She was surrounded by three masked individuals who were speaking in hushed tones.


    "So, you were after this." She looked at the overweight man with great anger. "So much about the deal, huh?"


    "Whew¡­" The overweight man wiped the sweat off his brows and smiled humbly. "You should''ve epted my first offer. Our weekly cafe meeting was just for me to see whether you were still interested in your own offer.


    "After seeing that you had no intention to ept my first offer, I signaled my friends here to take you here forcefully, then."


    "How could I ept your offer?" The woman asked with a scoff. "Your offer sucked. We had way better offers from other sources, and yours was one of the worst ones!"


    "I was the first one to give you an offer, though, right?" The overweight man smiled creepily. "After other fuckers from Gold Circle showed interest in your business, they jumped in like hungry sharks.


    "They know I have a good eye on business and try to steal my ideas whenever they can!"


    "My work will change the way of transportation soon enough!" The woman screamed. "Others would''ve discovered it sooner orter, even without you!


    "My creation, bikecycles, as I call them, will make the use of carriages useless!"


    "Yeah, it is truly magnificent, and that''s why I want it." The overweight man pulled out his chair and took paper, ink, and a pen from his bag. "You will sign this contract for the first offer we had."


    "T-there is no way¡­" The woman whispered. "This is my life''s work, and your offer will be barely enough to cover living in this absurdly expensive city!"


    "Tch, tch, greed won''t get you anywhere." The overweight man said with a scoff. "Your other option is to end up at the bottom of the Grand Lake with cement shoes."


    "No way¡­" The woman whispered, her eyes widening in fear.


    ¡­


    Outside the building.


    "I see, it wasn''t an affair, huh." Casper nodded slowly and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess that is enough for our investigation."


    "Wait." Ambrose touched his shoulder and stopped him from rising.


    "What?" Casper asked with a frown.


    "What if he had an affair instead?" Ambrose asked with a smile.


    "Huh, you mean¡­" Casper narrowed his eyes, but then a small smile appeared on his lips. "I think you''re right. This whole situation might be some fetish shit."


    "Yeah, kidnapper and victim roley." Ambrose rubbed his chin with a smirk. "I guess it is enough for us to deal with judgment."


    "Yeah¡­" Casper pulled out his dagger with a dark smile.

 Chapter 519 Death of the Cheater

    <h4>Chapter 519 Death of the Cheater </h4>


    "So, what will it be?" The overweight man asked with an ugly smile that made him look like a second-rate viin from a cheesy action movie.


    "Grr¡­" The woman gritted her teeth and looked at the contract paper in front of her.


    As she lowered her gaze slightly, she saw a flintlock pistol dangling from the overweight man''s waistband.


    ''This bastard.'' She thought hatefully.


    ''Seeing him sweating like a pig, he must''ve run all the way to here. When I was kidnapped in front of the cafe, they did it so boldly that there were many witnesses.


    ''But he has a good alibi, as there were waitresses who witnessed us being together in that booth, and when he is being questioned about me in the future, he can weasel his way out of it.


    ''If he had kidnapped me without wasting his time in having this morning meeting, he would''ve definitely been one of the main suspects.


    ''I didn''t take him as a smart person, or perhaps he has someckeys in his payroll that whisper ideas into his ear!''


    "Final chance." The overweight man moved his coat slightly to reveal his flintlock pistol. "I suggest you start writing before I lose my patience."


    "Tch¡­" She hesitantly grabbed the pen, dipped it in the ink, and hovered the pen over the contract paper.


    If she signed this, she would lose the fruit of her life''s work for minimal payment.


    She was certain that her idea was worth millions of gold, but she was just being offered measly 5,000 golds.


    ''I have family to take care of. I''ve invested more than ten thousand golds in my project, so I would lose money if I signed this¡­''


    She thought with a despairing look, but she knew that if she didn''t sign this, she would be discovered a weekter in ake with a bullet wound in her head.


    ''I can''t die¡­''


    With a sad look, she pressed the pen against the contract paper and was about to start signing the contract.


    The overweight man''s smile deepened, and his eyes gleamed with satisfaction.


    At that moment, some strange shadows gathered over the heads of his threeckeys, who were the kidnappers, and then the shadows metamorphosed into dark, smoky tendrils that enveloped them in a suffocating embrace.


    "Ngh!" The three men gasped in terror as they struggled to break free from the tendrils, but it was of no use.


    "Ah!" The overweight man watched as his threeckeys were pulled closer to the ceiling, strange shadowy tendrils choking them out.


    "What the hell is that?!"


    "Eh?" The woman froze and turned around in shock.


    Her view of reality crashed down as she saw an impossible scene.


    Most of the people in the Great City didn''t know about the existence of magic; she was one of them.


    After seeing this sight, she lost the feeling in her arm, and the pen gently dropped to the ground with ink spilling all around.


    At that moment, the tendrils snapped their necks and dropped them right in front of the overweight man.


    "I-Impossible¡­" The overweight man stumbled backwards, realizing that this could only be the work of a powerful magician!


    He didn''t think kidnapping the woman was a difficult job, so he hired some third-ss magicians to help him.


    As he expected, it was an easy job, but now something unexpected was happening!


    Shatter!


    The window shattered, and a ck-clothed figure jumped through with a dark dagger in hand.


    At the same moment, the door smashed open, and another ck-clothed figure stepped through with a cheaper-looking dagger in hand.


    "W-who are you two?" The overweight man asked in a shaky voice.


    The woman watched in shock and then looked at the contract before ripping it apart with all of her pent-up anger.


    "Your death has been signed." Casper, with a masked voice, said and stabbed the overweight man through his heart.


    "Aaaah!" The overweight man screamed in agony and struggled to remove the dagger from his chest.


    At that moment, Casper pushed him against the wall and twisted the dagger in his chest before slicing through his heart.


    "Ah!"


    With a loud scream, he fell to his knees, tears of blood running down his cheeks.


    Never in his wildest dreams did he think that his day would go like this.


    He expected it to be a not-so-nice day, but he thought that the woman would willingly sign the contract after scaring her a little bit and then use her creation to usher in a new era of transportation in the Great City.


    He was dreaming about the future for thest night, and now his future hase to a sudden stop.


    "W-who¡­" He whispered with pain in his voice. "W-who signed¡­ my death¡­"


    "Your wife did." Casper said with a chuckle.


    "W-what¡­ V-Victoria did?" His eyes widened in shock, and then he whispered in betrayal. "W-why¡­ did she do this to me? I gave her everything¡­"


    "In your afterlife, don''t go visit other women behind your wife''s back." Casper said with augh. "It will give a bad impression, you see."


    "A-ar¡­" Without being able to finish his final sentence, the overweight man fell to the ground with his eyes still wide open.


    The woman, hunched near the three deadckeys, watched everything unfold with a look that made it clear that she wasn''t sure whether she was dreaming or not.


    The whole day seemed unreal.


    "You."


    "Eeek!" After hearing a voice calling out to her, she screamed and backed off to the corner while clumsily taking one of theckey''s knives to protect herself.


    Ambrose looked at the frightened woman and said, "You didn''t see us; did ya hear?"


    "E-eh?" The woman whispered in confusion, too terrified to even think straight.


    Ambrose crouched in front of her and said, "Say to the guards that when you woke up, you found yourself in a random alleyway, the kidnappers were already gone. Do you understand?"


    "A-ah, y-yes¡­" She replied, but he wasn''t sure whether he really understood, as she seemed out of it.


    Ambrose shrugged his shoulders, as he didn''t really care what she would say. No one would be able to find out their identity anyway.


    At that moment, Casper appeared behind him, grabbed his shoulder and disappeared into a ck mist, both of them vanishing like they were never there.


    The woman shakily stood up and walked over to the overweight man before kicking his dead corpse. Then she left the house, limping slowly down the alley as she had identally twisted her ankle during the previous struggle in front of the cafe.


    ¡­


    Ambrose sat on a rooftop, hidden in shadows, and then saw Casper leaping out of a window of one of the buildings across the street.


    It was a very fancy-looking house with three floors, a yard with a nice-looking garden, and a pure white fence to surround it. This whole area was very fancy.


    It was clearly a high-ss neighborhood.


    It was also right next to Golden Knife Street, where Zane Grimm the Third lived.


    Caspernded beside him and said, "I gave the information to the client and got paid as well."


    "How did she react?" Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Very calmly." Casper replied with a scoff and took a handful of coins from the pouch before handing it over to Ambrose. "This is your cut: 300 gold coins."


    "Thanks." Ambrose said, and he put them inside his own pouch in the pocket. "So, there wasn''t much love between the two, I suppose."


    "It is a rare sight if there is actually love in the families of Gold Circle." Casper said with augh. "They only marry each other to raise their status.


    "This Victoria, the client, was born into a silvertongue family, which wasn''t bad by any means. However, she was born very pretty, and her family raised her to marry into Gold Circle one day.


    "In the end, she indeed married Gold Circle, but clearly her husband was not what she wanted.


    "I guess she finally got a good enough reason to assassinate him, which isn''t that umon among Gold Circle. They often kill each other, so they have to be on guard against even their own sons and daughters.


    "It is a cold world indeed."


    "Victoria was afraid of her being reced by the mistress, I suppose." Ambrose said out loud. "She didn''t want to lose her current status, is that right?"


    "That''s right." Casper nodded. "The target was still useful to her, but after realizing the potential of being reced, she lost it."


    "In the end, he didn''t have an affair and seemed to love Victoria." Ambrose sighed and scratched the back of his head. "We truly did something horrible today, didn''t we?"


    "He deserved it." Casper said. "I know the type. That bastard would''ve killed that woman off to cut any ties. As long as he had the contract, it didn''t matter whether she was alive or dead.


    "As alive, she would''ve definitely fought back in court and would''ve tried to expose him. Even though he would''ve won the case, it would''ve damaged his reputation.


    "He wasn''t a fool by any means, so she would''ve died.


    "Also, fuck Gold Circle. No one is innocent here, and they all deserve to be burned. Don''t feel bad."


    "You really hate Gold Circle, huh?" Ambrose said with a sigh and asked, "I am from silvertongue, so don''t you hate me?"


    "Silvertongues are only the main tools of the rich." Casper said with a scoff. "While I don''t find you bastards pleasant either, you''re also used by Gold Circle for their own gain."

 Chapter 520 Golden Knife Street

    <h4>Chapter 520 Golden Knife Street</h4>


    "Master!"


    In the vast yard, thirty well-dressed servants greeted their master loudly and bowed deeply in respect.


    At the front gate of the yard, the carriage''s door opened, and a blond-haired man stepped out with a cold look on his face.


    He was dressed fancifully as if he had just returned from a royal banquet, and then he entered the yard with long, steady steps.


    While bowing deep in respect, the servants kept calm expressions, but few of them sweated because of the pressure their master, Zane, was emitting.


    It was like standing in the presence of a powerful king, and they couldn''t help but feel the weight of the insane pressure on their shoulders.


    Zane left behind the yard and entered the house, ignoring all the fancy decor that must''ve cost millions and instead heading straight to his bedroom.


    After arriving at the bedroom, he locked the door and sat on the edge of his bed, not speaking a word.


    "Anything suspicious?" He spoke into the empty air in front of him.


    At that moment, five ck-suited individuals appeared out of thin air and surrounded the bed he was sitting on. They were flickering in and out of existence as if they were holograms.


    "No, master." They spoke in unison, as if they were one person. "The ce has been secured."


    "I see." Zane said it coldly. "Continue keeping an eye on this ce. I''ve seen the church snooping aroundtely."


    "Yes, master." The five individuals responded in unison and also bowed at the exact time.


    At that moment, they disappeared just as fast as they disappeared, leaving Zane alone in his fancy, expensive-looking room.


    Zane tugged his tie and loosened it around his neck until it was dangling carelessly.


    He then unbuttoned his overshirt and his cuffs, revealing a slight tattoo on his forearm that was still covered with the sleeve of his dress shirt.


    "Mhm¡­" He rubbed the back of his neck as if he were having some neck pain.


    Then he stood up from the edge of the bed, moved his head around slightly, and let out a small groan because of the small neck pain he was having.


    And then he moved slowly to the bathroom to get some pain relief cream.


    After applying it to his neck, he felt instant relief and decided toy back down on the bed.


    He slowly closed his eyes to get a long-awaited rest, but at that same moment, five individuals returned to the room like ghosts from the afterlife and bowed in apology.


    "What." Zane opened his eyes in irritation.


    "We''ve received some concerning news." They said it in unison.


    "What?" Zane sat back up and looked at them in annoyance.


    If it wasn''t something important, he was going to punish them.


    "We''ve received some news from the Slum Graveyard." They said. "A while back, the gravekeeper was killed, and it was thought to be the deed of some slum dwellers.


    "However, his body was discovered next to a grave that might be of interest to you."


    "Whose?" Zane asked without any interest in the current topic.


    "It was right beside the grave of Falco Arundell," they said.


    "And?" Zane raised his eyebrow. "Is there a point to all of this? He is dead, so why does it fucking matter?"


    "Well, there was a hole in his grave, as if someone had dug with a spade." They said this beforeing to the point. "Earlier today, it was discovered that his body was missing."


    "What?" Zane frowned. "What do you mean missing?"


    "It was gone, master." They said. "They also saw footprints there, leading away from the grave."


    "Stop walking around the circles and just say it!" Zane screamed loud enough for the servants in the hallways to hear him.


    The five individuals nodded in a hurry and started exining.


    "Ever heard of Deathwalkers, sire? They''re part of a gic mutation that allows them to wake up from death for thirty days before they return to the afterlife.


    "It is extremely rare, even among the magicianmunity. Deathwalkers also been said to have insane magic abilities, giving them the innate ability to learn all sorts of magic.


    "Deathwalkers also cannot be killed before the thirty days are up.


    "However, in reality, Deathwalkers are alive for thirty days and thirty minutes.


    "After the thirty days, there are thirty minutes where they don''t have immunity to death anymore, and whoever kills the Deathwalker during those thirty minutes gets an insane increase in mana pool.


    "Killing Deathwalker during that period is the same as killing ten thousand magicians!


    "However, during that thirty minute period, Deathwalker''s abilities have all increased exponentially, making them extremely dangerous.


    "After the thirty minute period, if no one has killed the Deathwalker, they die naturally, and no one gets the increase in mana pool!"


    "So, you think that bastard Falco is a Deathwalker?" Zane asked angrily and mmed his fist on the bed. "How can that be?!"


    "We expect Falco to be after his killer." They said in unison. "He might not know that he is a Deathwalker, as it is notmon knowledge, especially among ordinary folks.


    "He might being after you next, master."


    "Hmph." Zane scoffed without any fear. "If he does, he is a bigger fool than I think. Well, if he indeed does, we can imprison him till the final moments of his life and get the kill!"


    "Should we go search for him, master?" They asked.


    "Two of you will do." Zane said and waved his hand. "Go search his school for the poor. I know his way of thinking, and he will definitely go there. Then, keep an eye on his family; he might go for them out of despair.


    "He might be a fool, but he isn''t stupid enough to reveal himself in public. After all, he must know that he was killed and what will happen if the church finds out about him."


    "Yes, master."


    As the two of them left, only the three flickering individuals were left.


    "You three, keep guard around this neighborhood." Zane said with a smile.


    "Yes, master." The three of them bowed and disappeared into thin air.


    "Hah, Falco Arundell." Zane stood up and walked over to the window that overlooked the neighborhood.


    On his lips, a sinister smile appeared that sent shivers down anyone''s spine who saw it.


    "A pathetic worm is still trying to cling onto his life. I wonder what his face will look like once he realizes that he will die no matter what."


    ¡­


    "This is Golden Knife Street."


    Casper said as he overlooked the street that was shaped like a knife, with gold-painted houses making up the de. It was clearly a ce where only the rich and powerful were allowed to live.


    "This is it, huh¡­" Ambrose crossed his arms and asked innocently. "Why are we so far away and not going straight to Golden Knife Street?"


    "It would be suicide." Casper said. "There are hundreds of magicians there, acting as guards, and some are living there. We would be discovered in an instant."


    Ambrose, of course, knew it, as he was able to sense all the magicians there, and there were indeed powerful magicians, but no one came close to Montgomery''s strength.


    He would be easily able to enter it undetected and do his assassination.


    After a few assassinations, his karma had indeed gone down, but nothing too bad as Falco was basically a saint, making his karma level insanely high.


    "Do you see that house?" Casper pointed at the tip of the golden knife, where one house stood out as it was the exact tip of the golden knife.


    "Yeah." Ambrose nodded.


    "That''s Zane''s house." Casper said. "It is the most protected house in the entire neighborhood, and he has very powerful guards.


    "Going there is impossible task even for me, and especially for you as you don''t even know magic.


    "So, do you realize how pointless it is to go there?


    "I would suggest to take your time to learn magic. After I''ll cure your Deathwalking disease, you can spend next years learning everything we can teach you. Then, you can attempt your assassination.


    "Going there recklessly is instant death."


    ''Again the lies.'' Ambrose kept calm facade, but was scoffing inwardly. ''There is no cure, so I wonder what Casper is nning.


    ''He clearly doesn''t want me to die for some reason and he especially doesn''t want me to go after Zane. I guess this is why he is showing where he is because ording to him, it is impossible for me to go for him.''


    "I-I guess you''re right." Ambrose replied with a slight stutter and asked. "T-then, who was the one who killed me? That might be easier target."


    Casper froze for a moment before shaking his head.


    "You shouldn''t worry about that now. If you see that person someday in the underground town, you might do something impulsive and try to kill him, only to end up dead.


    "This is for your own good."


    ''¡­'' Ambrose stayed quiet, but he was getting pretty annoyed.


    ''How can I get him tell me who killed me?


    ''I don''t know whether I am Deathwalker, but Casper thinks I am and might try something after the thirty days is almost over.


    ''I guess I''ll have to wait for that.''


    Ambrose sighed as it seemed like he was currently stuck in the progession as he couldn''t just go and kill Zane either as that would really make Casper suspicious.


    ''I guess I''ll return to Martial Online for now to prepare for the finals of the tournament.''

 Chapter 521 Return to Immortal Dojo

    <h4>Chapter 521 Return to Immortal Dojo </h4>


    Amaterasu, Immortal Dojo.


    ng, ng!


    In the yard, dozens of students practiced their sword fighting techniques under the watchful eye of Tiger Erwin, who had a green belt adorning his waistline while the students had a white belt.


    Inside the dojo, Be sparred against a cute, blond-haired young woman who had her hair tied back in a ponytail.


    At that moment, Be used dizzying footwork to evade past her opponent''s defenses andnded a skillful kick to her opponent''s side.


    Her opponent fell to the ground and rolled onto her back, wincing in pain.


    "Ah, Be, you''ve gotten faster¡­" Lottie, Be''s best friend in the dojo, said with an exhausted smile.


    Be smiled sweetly, which highlighted her beautiful visage.


    Around the dojo, the male students couldn''t help but nce at the two beautiful young women, who had be the stars of the dojo because of their beauty.


    With their cheerful smiles and happy personalities, they always brought smiles to everyone''s faces during the exhausting training sessions.


    Just as Ambrose had instructed every student of his, everyone had one tied behind their back as they were still trying to train their non-dominant hand.


    It had been a slow process, and there wasn''t a huge amount of progress as it had only been a few weeks since the training began.


    However, each student was a diamond in the rough, and slowly they started to show their potential.


    At the back of the dojo, three exhausted-looking students cleaned the floors with brushes. However, one thing was different about them.


    They didn''t have a belt yet, as if they hadn''t been epted to the dojo yet.


    They were none other than Konrad, Micah, and Isaac.


    "Aigh, my back is killing me." Konrad said as he leaned against the wall for a brief break. "The dart that decides my destination has brought me to worse ces before, so I shouldn''tin, but¡­


    "I want to start learning swordsmanship!"


    "Ngh¡­" Micah, an aspiring school student, stretched his shoulders and rolled his head. "Where is the master of the dojo, though? We can only start training once the master has approved us."


    Isaac yawned and said, "This cleaning part stinks, but I guess it is a part of bing strong. However, I do wish to go grinding for XP to increase our level before meeting the master¡­


    "At our current level, we will look like weaklings!"


    "You three are new recruits?"


    At that moment, they heard a strange voiceing from the stairs that were right beside them. It was the stairs that led to the second floor of their master''s quarters.


    "Huh?" Konrad turned to look, and as he saw who it was, his eyes widened in amazement. "Whoah, who are you?"


    Micah and Isaac turned around with quizzical expressions, but once they saw the person, their brushes fell out of their hands in shock.


    "Y-you are¡­ Ambrose!"


    They screamed in shock and tripped on the bucket of water that was behind them, soaking their clothes and making them fall hard to the ground.


    "Ambrose?" Konrad repeated the name and raised his eyebrow in curiosity.


    A handsome, purple-eyed man, with one of his eyes having a star-shaped pupil, looked at the three recruits with a curious smile.


    However, Konrad felt incredible pressure that he couldn''t quite exin.


    ''This man is powerful!'' Konrad thought with a cold sweat running down his back.


    ''He is scanning us three, and I feel like none of my secrets are safe!''


    "You two are yers." Ambrose pointed at Micah and Isaac, then at Konrad. "And you are NPC."


    "Yeah¡­" Micah said nervously and bowed his head in respect. "It''s honor to meet you, Ambrose!"


    "S-same!" Isaac bowed as well, nervous sweat rolling down his cheek.


    "It is an honor?" Ambrose raised an eyebrow. "I don''t think the yer has greeted me that way before. So, I can assume that you two weren''t aware that this dojo was owned by a yer?"


    "Y-yeah, we weren''t." Micah said, "One guy said to go here if we want to be master swordsmen, so here we are!"


    "One guy?" Ambrose looked at them in curiosity. "Who? Do you know the name?"


    "We only know that he calls himself Lancelot." Isaac replied.


    "Lancelot¡­" Ambrose nodded. "That name does ring a bell. So, you two want to join?"


    "Y-yes!" Micah and Isaac shouted energetically.


    "That''s fine for me. I''ll talk with Erwin soon and get you two your own white belts."


    Ambrose said and then turned to Konrad.


    Micah and Isaac clenched their fists in excitement, not believing their eyes.


    Just a few days ago, they watched as this man in front of their eyes qualified for the biggest tournament in the history of the world.


    He was one of the 64 yers that werepeting on the biggest stage in the world.


    He was basically a celebrity, way abovemon people. It would be impossible to meet such a high-status person usually, but now that person was going to be their master!


    They could hardly believe it, and they felt their cheeks redden in excitement.


    Konrad looked at Ambrose''s bright, purple eyes with a slight smile and waited to introduce himself.


    "Your name is?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Name''s Konrad!" He said loudly and clearly.


    "And how did you stumble on the door steps of my humble dojo?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "I threw a dart, and here I am!" Konrad said with a smile.


    "A dart?"


    Ambrose''s eyebrow jumped and he motioned for Konrad to exin better.


    "Yes, a dart!" Konrad continued. "I always throw a dart on a map and go where it leads me!"


    "First, I threw a dart on the world map, whichnded on Amaterasu. I arrived here, found a map of the city, and threw another dart.


    "Itnded on this exact ce where your Immortal Dojo was!


    "I always know where fate leads me, so here I am!"


    "Fate, huh¡­" Ambrose nodded. "Very well. I''ll get you your own white belt as well."


    "Thank you, master!" Konrad bowed at a 90-degree angle with a broad smile on his face.


    "Jesse!"


    A cheerful sound tickled their ears, and then they saw the beautiful young woman run past them before jumping into their new master''s embrace.


    Konrad, Micah, and Isaac looked at Be in surprise, as they hadn''t seen her act like this before. She had often acted like a quiet girl from a neighbor, but now she was full of energy and excitement.


    Lottie watched with a blush on her cheeks and looked at their master, who had just returned, and smiled in excitement as some of them had already grown worried that something might''ve happened to him.


    "Be." Ambrose smiled, his expression softening, and patted her head gently. "I am back."


    "You sure took your sweet time." Be said softly and then left his embrace with an embarrassed smile. "You made it¡­"


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded. "I am going to Loch City."


    "Nn¡­" Be nodded and felt nervous about the thought.


    "Oh, master!"


    At that moment, students started swarming inside the dojo as the training session outside had ended.


    As soon as the students saw that their master had returned, their expressions brightened, but their nervousness also started kicking in.


    They had trained as hard as they possibly could for the past few weeks because they wanted to show their worth and perhaps increase the color in their belt.


    Tiger Erwin bowed humbly and said with a smile, "Nice to have you back. I see you''ve met our new recruits."


    "Yeah." Ambrose nodded. "Put an order for their belts."


    "I already have." Tiger Erwin said with a smile. "We should be getting more belts of every color tomorrow."


    "Good, good." Ambrose nodded with a smile and asked, "Anything else happened while I was gone?"


    "Well¡­" Tiger Erwin scratched his cheek. "There was nothing in our dojo, but the streets had been restless for the past week."


    "Howe?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Well, first of all, two yer factions had openly started fighting, no matter whether it was day or night. Whenever they saw each other, they would attack, and passerby''s would always get hurt.


    "Then there is the Berserker Epidemic that has been on the rampagetely. First, it affected only animals, but recently some slum dwellers had also started to get infected.


    "I''ve only heard rumors, and apparently it is a very painful experience."


    ''The Berserker Epidemic is the same as a soul injury, so of course it is painful.''


    Ambrose thought inwardly and wondered who the hell was the reason for all of this.


    ''This is the work of someone; I am sure of it, but why the hell would someone do that? I''ll be around for a few weeks before the finals of the tournament start, so I suppose I can start investigating a little bit.


    ''If this Epidemic, isn''t ending, it will just be much worse. Perhaps, just in case, I should make more Soul Healing Potions to prepare for the worst.


    ''There is a church nearby, so at least having the blessing of the holy man isn''t a problem.''


    "Also, there has actually been something that involves you." Tiger Erwin said. "A person named Prince said he wants to meet you in his dojo. If I remember correctly, he is the dojo master of Saturn.


    "Saturn Dojo has increased in strength rapidly recently, especiallytely."


    "I see, thank you." Ambrose nodded. ''I wonder what he wants from me.''


    "Can Ie with you?" Be asked curiously. "I haven''t seen Princetely, and I am wondering how he''s doing."


    "Mm, sure." Ambrose nodded. ''I suppose I''ll go meet him and see what he wants.''

 Chapter 522 Talk With Prince

    <h4>Chapter 522 Talk With Prince</h4>


    Amaterasu, Saturn Dojo.


    On top of the wooden gate, a sigil of Saturn was carved into a wooden sign. The sigil showed a with a ring around it.


    Knock, knock!


    "Hmm?" A copper-skinned yer stopped cleaning the yard from the fallen leaves and looked to the wide, wooden gate with a raised eyebrow.


    Whenever a member of Saturn returned to the dojo, they didn''t bother knocking and just opened the gate to let themselves in.


    Meaning, they had a visitor.


    Recently, they had a lot of visitors because of their master''s sess in the tournament.


    It brought a lot of positive attention to their dojo, and their numbers increased significantly, making them one of the strongest forces in Amaterasu.


    However, after recruiting enough that the dojo was getting a little bit too small for the number of people, they stopped recruiting.


    "A guest¡­" The copper-skinned yer approached the door, wondering whether it was another yer desperate to join their ranks.


    If that was the case, he would have to turn them away.


    After putting his hand on the doorknob, he swung the door wide and straightened his back to show his pride as a member of Saturn.


    "Whose there?"


    After the door was fully open, the copper-skinned yer looked at the two strangers and narrowed his eyes in suspicion.


    First, he looked at the beautiful, fair-skinned young woman with red eyes that almost sucked in his soul and felt his heart skip a beat at the sight of her.


    However, after gazing at her for a little too long, he felt incredible pressureing beside her, and when he looked to the side, he saw a pair of purple eyes that seemed to bore into his very being.


    "Ngh¡­" The copper-skinned yer gritted his teeth as he felt like his body was breaking apart, and shockingly, he saw his health even deplete just by being stared at by those intense purple eyes.


    "Prince wanted to meet me; is he here?" Ambrose asked coldly.


    Be wryly smiled as this happened because of her, as Ambrose was able to sense that she was ufortable being stared at for so long by a stranger.


    "W-who¡­" The copper-skinned yer fell to his knees and asked while being out of breath. "A-are you?"


    "Ambrose."


    After hearing his name, it was like loud bells rang inside the copper-skinned yer''s head and his heart was filled with a sense of fear and recognition.


    He raised his gaze slightly to see the face, and at that moment, it was like hammer hit him in the head. He immediately recognized that face.


    It was a person who was on the same level as their powerful master, Prince.


    One of the finalists of the tournament, Ambrose!


    "I-I am sorry, I-I didn''t recognize you¡­" The copper-skinned yer touched his chest and tried to breathe, but couldn''t.


    "Jesse." Be touched his shoulder and gently said, "It''s fine."


    "Mm." Ambrose lowered his presence to a minimum and asked, "Is Prince around?"


    "Haaa, haaah, haaah¡­" The yer greedily gasped for air and nodded shakily. "I-In his office. H-he has been waiting for you."


    "All right." Ambrose grabbed Be by the hand, walked past the copper-skinned yer, and headed straight towards Prince''s quarters.


    After they left, the copper-skinned yer was finally able to stand back up, but he noticed that his shirt was covered in sweat.


    "So, that''s Ambrose¡­" He thought out loud in fear and gulped loudly. "The most wanted yer alive!"


    ¡­


    In an office, Prince was checking thetest updates on his recruitment.


    However, his eyelids had started to feel heavy as he couldn''t stand looking at any more text.


    He wanted to be outside, hunting for experience points and increasing his levels as the tournament was around the corner.


    However, he knew that he had other responsibilities, such as being the dojo owner.


    But after today, he nned to leave for a few weeks and only spend time in Crow Forest to focus on training and preparing for the tournament.


    Knock, knock!


    At that moment, the sound of knocking reverberated from the door.


    Prince nonchntly said, "Come in."


    Creak¡ªafter the door opened, two unexpected visitors stepped into the office.


    "Ah, Ambrose!" Prince stood up to his feet with surprise on his face, and then looked at hispanion with a brief surprise. "Be, I didn''t expect to see you either."


    "Prince." Be nodded with a smile.


    "You wanted to talk to me?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yes, please take seats." Prince gestured towards the chairs in front of him and then sat down as well.


    After Ambrose and Be got seated, Prince started with:


    "First of all, congrattions for making it through the qualifyings. I was honestly surprised to see you with Moriarty, who is quite a famous name in the gaming world.


    "It feels like the time we went to search for Crow Trial was just yesterday, but here we are, going to stand on that big stage soon."


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded with a chuckle and asked, "You and Barbarian, huh? I thought you two were rivals."


    "Yeah, it wasn''t easy to work with that block head." Prince said with a scoff. "I heard


    Barbarian mention you after the tournament. Apparently, you two fought once?"


    "Yeah, it was in the early days of Martial Online." Ambrose scratched the back of his head. "I don''t want to admit it, but I was destroyed by him."


    "In the early days of Martial Online, I don''t think there was anyone able to defeat Barbarian, but now the physical strength matters less as a high level can close that gap."


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded and then jumped to the point. "What was the reason you wanted to meet with me?"


    Prince leaned on the desk, intertwined his fingers, and suddenly looked serious.


    "I and Barbarian are searching for alliances."


    "Alliances?" Ambrose asked with a frown.


    "Yes." Prince said with a serious tone. "In this tournament, all the help is weed. Teams that are only doing it alone will be the first to fall. Alliances are extremely important.


    "Especially against monsters like Zadkiel and Julian!"


    "You want to team up to defeat those two?" Ambrose asked.


    "Yes, if ites to that." Prince said. "Anything can happen in the tournament, and perhaps there will be something they''re not very good at and lose because of it.


    "But we can''t rely on luck and most likely have to beat them in a frontal fight. I don''t think there is any team that is strong enough to defeat them."


    "I see¡­" Ambrose crossed his fingers with a thoughtful frown.


    Be listened from the sidelines, not having any intention to participate in the conversation, as she was happy enough to watch Ambrose after not being able to meet him for a few weeks.


    "So, what do you say?" Prince asked. "Of course, you would probably have to convince your teammate. Or maybe you should talk to him first beforeing to a conclusion."


    "No need." Ambrose said, shaking his head, "I have to refuse."


    "W-what?" Prince lookedpletely taken aback, as he didn''t expect him to refuse the offer so suddenly.


    Be also looked quite surprised, as she thought that the deal was not too bad.


    "Why?" Prince asked with a frown.


    Ambrose slowly stood up from the chair and looked into his bright eyes.


    "I want to defeat Julian alone, and I do not need help."


    "Eh?" Prince thought he misheard it. "Y-you should think this through."


    "Also, I don''t think the finals have any use for alliances." Ambrose suddenly said. "In my opinion, the tournament will be bracket-styled, team-versus-team matches until the very end."


    "Eh?" Prince opened his mouth and asked, "What makes you think that?"


    "Why only thirty-two teams?" Ambrose asked. "It was a very specific number of yers, as there could''ve been fifty or even hundred teams to qualify through the third round.


    "But, thirty-two, which is perfect for a bracket-styled tournament, and also, I think Graham wants the strongest team to win.


    "No alliances. No trickery. No luck. Just strength and absolute strength will win."


    "That¡­" Prince started tapping his finger against the desk, wondering whether he could be true.


    "I think Jess¡­ I mean, Ambrose is right." Be said suddenly from the side. "For fath¡­ For Graham, the first rounds were just appetizers and gimmicky games.


    "In the finals, Graham will only care about the strongest team being thest ones standing. So, from what I think, Ambrose is right."


    "Maybe¡­" Prince sighed and nodded. "I guess I''ll have to take you for your word. We can''t ask for alliances from other teams either."


    "Aren''t there more teams from Amaterasu?" Ambrose asked.


    "There is, but I don''t want to work with them." Prince said with a troubled look. "Roaring Engines, for example, are nothing but thugs, and they will backstab us immediately.


    "The only team I could trust was yours, but I guess me and Barbarian will have to do this alone.


    "Barbarian is fine with that anyway, as that blockhead has nothing but fighting in his mind."


    "Thanks for the invitation. Sorry that my answer didn''t satisfy you." Ambrose bowed slightly and said. "I hope we can go for a drink in Loch City."


    "Mm." Prince stood up and shook his hand. "See you there. Take care, you as well, Be."


    Be smiled and bowed before leaving the office with Ambrose.


    After the door closed, Prince took a seat and scratched his blond hair.


    "Bracket style, huh? I definitely have to increase my strength further now."

 Chapter 523 Adventurer鈥檚 Guild

    <h4>Chapter 523 Adventurer''s Guild </h4>


    Ambrose and Be walked down the streets of Amaterasu, and they both noticed that there was a strange atmosphere hovering over the city.


    It wasn''t as bright anymore as before, and most of the NPCs had gloomy expressions on their faces as they basically dragged their feet behind them as they moved along the streets.


    It was as if a wave of depression had hit everyone.


    "What''s going on?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "Must be the Berserker Epidemic." Be mentioned it, stopped moving, and tugged Ambrose''s sleeve to get his attention.


    Ambrose followed her line of sight and saw a dirty-looking house tucked behind a store, and currently, masked figures were entering and exiting the house.


    At that moment, three corpses were brought out of the house, covered in a white cloth, and ced in the back of a carriage.


    "Those are victims of the Berserker Epidemic." Be said it with a sad tone. "asionally, you can hear screamsing from houses at night.


    "It is why everyone is so afraid to walk the streets these days and why there is so much depression around. Many NPCs have lost their family members to this epidemic."


    "Just how many have died because of this?" Ambrose asked with a frown.


    "Around a thousand, but if animals count, probably over ten thousand." Be sighed, fearing that this was just the start.


    ''That is an insane amount!'' Ambrose thought in shock.


    ''From what I know, this epidemic must be man-made, so did a single person cause all those deaths? That is absolutely insane!


    ''Why would anyone do this? Unless there is a big group behind this, this is still utter insanity.''


    "Shall we find a cafe or something?" Be asked and took Ambrose''s hand. "I don''t really like walking on these streets anymore."


    "Nn." Ambrose nodded gently and started leading her towards the city center, where most of the popr cafes were located.


    Wherever they went, the heaviness of the depression was weighing on them like a thick fog.


    Carriages after carriages, filled with corpses covered in a white cloth, rolled down the streets, bringing a scent of death with them.


    Whenever NPCs saw them, they chanted a quick prayer before moving on with heavy looks on their faces.


    "Don''t move in big crowds." Ambrose mentioned this to Be as they walked on a sidewalk, following a crowd of pedestrians.


    "Eh, why?" Be asked.


    "This Berserker Epidemic, as they call it, I believe is man-made."


    "W-what?" Be said it in surprise. "How could anyone do something so evil?"


    "The secret behind the Berserker epidemic is the soul." Ambrose said. "Someone injures a person''s soul, creating pain that consumes the person.


    "When used in animals, they enter a rage frenzy and be uncontroble beasts.


    "That''s where the name Berserker Epidemic came from, as they thought that the epidemic also created them to be angry.


    "That''s not really true; the pain caused them to lose their minds.


    "When used in people, they are only in agony and don''t go into a simr frenzy. It must be soul injuries that are causing this, and it can only be caused by a person.


    "Whether it was created by the yer or NPC, I don''t know."


    "That''s horrible." Be whispered, her heart aching for the deceased. "Why would anyone do this?"


    "I am not sure." Ambrose said it with a sigh and patted her head. "For now, avoidrge crowds. I think that person is usingrge crowds to easily create soul injuries and cause chaos.


    "That''s how they are inflicting so many people, and also, using that way, none of the victims is able to reveal that the epidemic was created by a person.


    "If that person just went one-by-one, inflicting soul injuries, the Watchmen of Amaterasu would''ve already caught the culprit."


    "I see¡­" Be saw that they were in arge crowd and hugged Ambrose''s arm. "Are we safe here?"


    "I can cure soul injuries, and if anyone is trying to do that bullshit here, I can sense it."


    Ambrose spoke while his aura turned colder. He was keeping a watchful eye over the nearby streets.


    If anyone was trying to use their soul-rted skills nearby, he would know.


    After a while of walking down the streets, they came across a cafe that immediately caught Be''s attention.


    It was a nice-looking ce with cozy outdoor seating, and the decor was quaint and inviting with very nature-based elements. It was as if the cafe was located in the middle of a flourishing forest.


    Without further ado, Be dragged Ambrose there.


    "Wee to Cafe Lanca." The waitress greeted the two with a beautiful smile. "Would you two want a seat outside or inside?"


    "Mm¡­" Be tapped her chin thoughtfully, and after seeing the terrace, her eyes brightened. "Can we have a seat for two on the terrace?"


    "Of course." The waitress bowed with a smile and led the two to the terrace that was made out of wood, as if the whole terrace were crafted from a tree.


    After taking their seats, they gave their orders and started enjoying the peaceful summer atmosphere.


    "So, about Loch City." Ambrose looked at his girlfriend with a slight smile on his lips.


    "Mm¡­" Be murmured, her gaze distant, as she tried to remember things about Loch City.


    Even though she had lived there her entire life, she felt like it was nothing but a distant memory.


    "Just don''t do anything weird to me when you visit me." Be said it with a yful pout.


    "Mm." Ambrose nodded with a chuckle and cracked his knuckles. "My parents said that they were alsoing with me."


    "Really?" Be said in surprise.


    "Yeah, Emma as well." Ambrose chuckled. "They want to cheer me on and all, but well, that just brings me more nerves."


    "Sigh¡­" Be sighed in envy. "I also want to see the tournament in person."


    "..." Ambrose looked at her silently before grabbing her hand and assuring her. "I''ve heard some other news."


    "What?" Be asked curiously.


    "Well, the gist of the tournament is that it will happen in the stadium in Loch City.


    "We''ll have our headsets there and y there, but we are still inside Martial Online while the people in the stadium are only able to watch from the screen there.


    "All the celebrations and award ceremonies also happen in the real world, of course.


    "However, the fights happen in a colisseum-like tournament arena inside Martial Online. You can still watch in person, if that makes sense."


    "Oh." Be smiled. "That is good, I guess, but I guess the ces will be all full instantly."


    "I received an email today, saying that I can invite whoever I want to watch the tournament. I don''t really have anyone else except you, so if you want to watch, just give me a word."


    "Sounds good!" Be said smilingly, feeling better now.


    "Also, do you think my idea about the tournament is correct?" Ambrose asked. "I only saw your father briefly, but I feel like I got a good sense of him."


    "I think you''re right," Be said.


    "I don''t really know about my father as much as I should.


    "I only remember him being at work, and whenever he came home, he was always sleepy and spending time with my mother.


    "Of course, he tried to spend time with me as much as possible, but he never talked about the work with me.


    "However, I think my father wants only the best to win, and I feel like the bracket-styled tournament is what he always intended."


    "Aight¡­" Ambrose nodded with a smile.


    At that moment, the waitress returned with their coffees, and they started drinking in afortable silence.


    "By the way, what will you do for the following weeks?" Be asked curiously.


    "I have to grow stronger." Ambrose said and smiled. "My goal is to reach level 100, as I have Upgrade ss Token and I would like to increase my strength to an even greater level.


    "That''s why I''ll probably spend most of my time grinding experience points, so I apologize if you don''t see me much. I know I just returned, and I would like to spend more time with you, but this tournament is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."


    "I know, and I don''t mind." Be said with a giggle. "I might know what might help you."


    Ambrose raised an eyebrow and asked, "What?"


    "Visit the Adventurer''s Guild." Be said, "They''ve been a new hit recently among yers. You can ept quests there and get plenty of silver and experience points.


    "This way, you don''t have to blindly walk around the Crow Forest, hoping to find something to kill."


    "That sounds like a good idea." Ambrose said with a shrug. "I guess I''ll go check it out after drinking this coffee. Is it owned by the yer?"


    "Yes." Be nodded. "The nearest is called Gold Adventurer''s Guild, and it is owned by a yer named Goldfinger.


    "You can also apply for membership there and get your own Adventurer Card. It will grant you ess to exclusive quests and rewards, depending on your rank, of course."


    "I see, that sounds interesting." Ambrose sipped his coffee while feeling intrigued.

 Chapter 524 Gold-Ranked Adventurer

    <h4>Chapter 524 Gold-Ranked Adventurer</h4>


    A tall building stood proudly in a bustling street in Amaterasu.


    Its exterior looked majestic and imposing, with intricate carvings and towering columns, with people swarming inside and out of the building.


    At the top of the door, a sign that read ''Gold Adventurer Guild'' greeted everyone who entered.


    It wasn''t only yers that visited the guild, but also NPCs with desires to be rich and powerful entered the new guild to get quests.


    At that moment, a carriage rolled down the street and came to a stop near the guild building.


    After the door swung open, a handsome, purple-eyed man stepped out, instantly catching every pedestrian''s attention with his otherworldly presence.


    After having his short date with Be, he took her back to Immortal Dojo, gave the new instructions to Tiger Erwin and the new, modified versions of his Immortal Style.


    Then, he changed clothes into a simple white robe with intricate gold embroidery and a pair of crimson swords dangling from his waistline.


    He looked very mighty and handsome, like a powerful swordmaster ready to conquer the world.


    ''This is the Gold Adventurer''s Guild¡­'' Ambrose looked at the sign and then stepped through the entrance into the bustling hall filled with eager adventurers.


    There were tables set up for registration and arge bulletin board covered in job postings and quest requests.


    Also, dozens of tables were filled with adventurers of all shapes and sizes, eagerly discussing their next adventure.


    They were drinking and eating whileughing with their party members. It was very apparent that everyone was in high spirits and ready for a new quest.


    However, as soon as Ambrose stepped through the entrance, he felt like the atmosphere in the guild changed as many eyes suddenly turned towards him.


    Since he wasn''t hiding his face, his handsome face was instantly recognized by the yers gathered in the hall.


    "No way, that''s Ambrose!" Around tables, the yers started whispering in shock and excitement.


    At the back of the hall, around a circr table, a few gray-cloaked yers looked towards the entrance with squinted eyes.


    "It is him¡­ a man worth over 2 million silvers¡­" They looked at each other and started whispering something.


    ''Aye, aye, I guess I was recognized.''


    Ambrose thought, but didn''t care and joined a line waiting to go to the registration.


    However, at that moment, the yer in front of him stepped aside and allowed him to cut in line.


    "Eh?" Ambrose looked at the yer in front of him, surprised by the unexpected act of kindness.


    "G-go ahead, sir!" The yer said with a nervous look.


    "Oh, thanks." Ambrose stepped forward and thought that was quite strange.


    At that moment, another yer in front of him willingly stepped aside and allowed him to go past.


    Ambrose''s eyebrow jumped, and he again stepped forward.


    This continued again and again until he was at the front of the line. Surprisingly enough, everyone in the line allowed him to go past.


    After arriving at the registration desk, Ambrose scratched the back of his head and said, "I''d like to register."


    The registration desk attendant was another yer with a character that looked like a wizard. He had a long beard that was braided with colorful braids and a tall, pointed hat that cast a shadow over his face.


    "Ah, yes, sir." The wizard-looking yer handed him the registration form and said, "Take your time, sir."


    "Why is everyone calling me sir?" Ambrose asked the attendant curiously while starting to fill up the details on the form.


    "It is only proper." The wizard-looking yer said with a smile. "You''re Ambrose, are you not?"


    "That''s indeed my name." Ambrose said slightly awkwardly.


    "There is no one in this room that wouldn''t treat you with respect." The wizard-looking yer said. "You''ve earned that, after all."


    "Mm¡­" Ambrose side-nced at the yers around the tables and saw that they were all staring at him.


    Some looked like they were ready to throw hands with them, wanting to check the strength of one of the strongest yers alive, and some simply nodded their heads as a greeting.


    This was respect he earned with his strength.


    Very hard-earned respect.


    Ambrose soon filled out the registration form and handed it over to the attendant, who took it to the back room and soon returned with his very own card.


    "This is your card, sir." The yer handed over a gold-ted card with his name engraved on it. "You''re officially a Gold-ranked adventurer; congrattions."


    Gasps!


    Ambrose heard many gasps of shock from the yers behind him. It seemed like it was something special.


    "Is it a high rank?" Ambrose asked curiously.


    "It is currently the highest, sir." The attendant said with a smile. "I sent a message to our boss, Goldfinger, and he said that it was only proper to give you the highest."


    "Oh, thanks." Ambrose ced the card inside his inventory, nodded to the attendant, and moved onto the bulletin board with all sorts of quest posters hanging on it.


    There was also a ranking system ced beside the bulletin board.


    ''The lowest rank is wood, then copper, then iron, then bronze, silver, and gold.''


    "Now, what quest shall I go in¡­" Ambrose saw that some posters were only in specific colors, such as gold, silver, and bronze.


    It looked like they were exclusive quests for higher ranked yers.


    However, the majority didn''t have any specific colors, which were the ones that anyone could take.


    "Excuse me, Ambrose!"


    "Hmm?" Ambrose looked over his shoulder at the person who called out to him.


    At that moment, a brown-haired yer reached out to his pocket and pulled out a silver card that had his name engraved.


    [Rank: Silver]


    [Name: Gxel]


    "Gxel..?" Ambrose looked at the card and then at the yer. ''He is a silver-ranked adventurer, one rank below me.''


    "That''s right." Gxel pocketed his card and bowed his head with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Ambrose."


    is a silver-ranked adventurer, one rank below me.''


    "That''s right." Gxel pocketed his card and bowed his head with a He had brown hair with slightly tanned skin, as if he had sunbathed not long ago. He was also dressed in armor that had lots of scratches and marks, indicating that he had been in lots of fights.


    "Mm, nice to meet you." Ambrose nodded briefly and turned back to the bulletin board, as he wanted to choose his quest before attracting more attention.


    He wasn''t a fool and knew that his bounty was very attractive to the majority of yers. It could make a single yer very rich if they managed to catch him.


    That''s why he wanted to depart for the quest as soon as possible.


    With his Formlessness, he doubted he could be caught by anyone, but if he was attacked inside a building, it could be hairy very quickly.


    "Ah, excuse me for introducing myself so suddenly." Gxel said with a chuckle, realizing that he was bothering the man in front of him.


    "I wanted to ask you whether you wanted to join my party."


    "Your party?" Ambrose raised an eyebrow and looked at him quizzically.


    "I am not arrogant enough to ask you to be my subordinate or anything like that!" Gxel shook his hands in a hurry. "It is a temporary party for the S-ranked quest!"


    "S-ranked quest?" Ambrose''s interest increased immediately.


    So far, he has only done A-ranked quests and has been sessful in them. That''s why he nned to do another one of those.


    However, the S-ranked quest made him far more interested.


    "My party is over there." Gxel pointed towards one of the tables, where around ten yers had already gathered.


    They all nervously waved their hands while watching their party leader talk with Ambrose, who was basically a celebrity at this point.


    "That''s a lot of yers." Ambrose said. "You really need more yers?"


    "Sigh, I hate to admit it, but yeah." Gxel sighed loudly. "I already went to an S-ranked quest with ten yers, and we failed."


    "You failed?" Ambrose''s eyebrow jumped, and he wondered whether he was a poor leader or whether his subordinates were simply weak.


    "I know what you may think, but we are not weak." Gxel said. "All of us are already over 70 levels, but S-ranked quests are a hundred times more difficult than A-ranked quests.


    "The jump in difficulty is ridiculous.


    "Also, the S-ranked quest is not even the highest-ranked quest.


    "There are still SS, SSS, and SSS+ quests that no one has sessfully cleared yet!"


    "Wow¡­" Ambrose rubbed his chin and looked towards Gxel''s party members.


    After a quick scan, he felt like they were quite powerful and skilled enough to potentially take on high-ranked quests.


    "That''s why, I would like you to join us." Gxel said with a hopeful gaze. "With you, I think we have an amazing chance to sessfully clear the quest. Also, we have another gold-


    ranked adventurer in our party already!"


    "Is that so?" Ambrose looked over to them and felt one powerful auraing from the table.


    It belonged to a slender-looking woman, who was sitting gracefully with one leg over the other and her head slightly lowered. He couldn''t quite catch her face, as it was covered by a hood.


    With her arms crossed, she looked like she was taking a nap at the moment, but Ambrose had a feeling that she was indeed keeping a close eye on him.


    "Oho, not bad." Ambrose then looked at Gxel and offered his hand. "Name''s Ambrose; sure, I''ll join you guys."


    "Nice!" Gxel epted the handshake with a giant smile. "Join us at a table. We were about to start nning for the quest!"

 Chapter 525 Miss Broken

    <h4>Chapter 525 Miss Broken </h4>


    "Everyone, this is Ambrose, and he''ll be joining us." Gxel said to his party members, who were gathered around the same table.


    As the table didn''t have enough chairs before, they took a few chairs from neighboring tables. It was fine since those tables were upied by small groups.


    His party members nodded with clear nervousness in the air as they looked at Ambrose, whose name had be an overnight sensation around the world.


    "Take care of me." Ambrose greeted them with a nod.


    "You can take my seat!" Gxel said and stood instead.


    Ambrose nodded briefly and took a seat around the table.


    Then, his gaze lingered in the direction of the hooded woman briefly before he crossed his arms and turned back to Gxel.


    After sensing his gaze leaving her, the hooded woman briefly lifted her head to meet his eyes before looking down again.


    "Alright, now that we''ve all gathered, we can finally start talking about the quest at hand!"


    Gxel started with and pushed away the alcohol cups that were scattered on the table to make room for the map that he pulled out of his bag.


    After spreading the map open on the table, Gxel pointed to the location marked with a big ''X'' and said, "This is the location of the quest. It is not too far, and with carriages, we can reach the ce in three hours."


    Ambrose nced at the map and thought, ''That is a ce I haven''t been in before, and it is near some town called Cryssallis.


    ''I think that is one of the Rothsmith family''s towns, from what I remember.'' Ambrose thought.


    He heard from his father, Jack, that the Rothsmith family was in control of three towns¡ªMorningville, Sylveon Town, and Cryssallis.


    At the moment, they were making good money, but those towns were in the early phases of development.


    Unlike most yers, the Rothsmith family didn''t gain control of those towns through violence, as theycked the strength to do so.


    However, with money, they managed to purchase those towns.


    "Now, for the quest." Gxel pulled out a worn-out piece of paper and ced it on top of the map.


    It showed the details of the quest.


    "As you all know, it is an S-ranked quest, and the creature we need to kill is called the little dark one, Keiran."


    "The little one?" A round-faced man with a bushy ck beard asked, raising an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"


    "Is it a title of his, I suppose." Gxel chuckled and also didn''t seem to know what it implied. "I''m not sure why he is called like that, but yeah, we can''t drop our guard."


    "The time limit is one week, which has already started since we epted the quest.


    "After killing Keiran, we aren''t allowed to open the chest it drops, and instead we have to deliver it to Goldfinger. Then, we get fifty percent of the loot inside, possibly get our rank increased, and get one item each from his treasury."


    "Wait," Ambrose suddenly said.


    As soon as he spoke, the table turned silent, and they all turned to look at him.


    The hooded woman perked up her ears and curiously side-nced at him.


    Ambrose paused for a moment, quite surprised that they all quieted down so quickly after he spoke out.


    "Ahem¡­" He cleared his throat and said, "We have to give fifty percent of the reward to Goldfinger; is that right?"


    "Yes." Gxel nodded and asked nervously. "Is that a problem?"


    "Is it the same with every other quest as well?" Ambrose asked with a raised eyebrow.


    "Yeah." Gxel nodded and started exining.


    "In the registration form, it is mentioned that whoever wants to be an adventurer has to agree to that.


    "Sure, it can be painful to forfeit half of the rewards from an especially rich quest like this, but in the end, we wouldn''t have the opportunity to do this quest without Goldfinger and this guild.


    "His guild is what we call Quest Hunters. They search the entire continent for quests, then put them here so everyone can try toplete them.


    "Recently, their status has increased plenty, so many NPCs who give out quests are personallying here to give quests to Goldfinger.


    "Also, after a sessful quest, depending on the rank of the quest, we can all get one item each from his treasury. There is some very good stuff inside, so giving away fifty percent of the reward can be very much worth it!"


    "If someone decides to keep all the reward, then what?" Ambrose asked.


    "They get kicked out of the guild, simple as that." Gxel said and asked nervously. "Are you fine with this? I know fifty percent of the reward split with now eleven people is not much."


    "It is fine." Ambrose replied and nodded. "You may continue; sorry for interrupting."


    "Ah, it is fine; you may ask whatever questions you have in mind!" Gxel shouted energetically and returned to the quest.


    "When are we leaving?"


    At that moment, the hooded woman spoke with a feminine voice that sounded surprisingly sweet.


    "Miss Broken, we nned to leave tomorrow morning." Gxel said and asked, "Is that fine?"


    ''Miss Broken? Her name is Broken?'' Ambrose thought to himself.


    "Time is money, isn''t that right, Ambrose?" Miss Broken looked over to Ambrose and was clearly smiling at him.


    "The tournament is nearing. Who knows when it will be announced.


    "I am sure our celebrity here can''t waste a single day."


    "Ah!" Gxel eximed and face-palmed. "I am sorry, I forgot about that!"


    "It is fine." Ambrose said with his arms crossed. "I am fine with leaving tomorrow."


    "Hmm¡­" Gxel looked at the rest of his party members and asked, "We are all ready, though¡­ Are you guys fine with leaving straight away?"


    Without any hesitation, his party members nodded. They had been ready for a few days now, while Gxel was finding more members for their party.


    "That settles it!" Gxel turned to Ambrose with a giant smile and said, "We can leave right now. We should arrive at the ce by evening!"


    Ambrose nodded. "Fine by me."


    As Gxel and other members of the party started picking up their bags, Miss Broken crossed her legs and said:


    "You''re a popr one, aren''t you?"


    "Am I?" Ambrose looked at her with a curious look. "You like that hood, don''t you?"


    Miss Broken smiled and removed her hood, revealing her short brown hair. Her face was now fully visible; she was fair-skinned with pink lips and a tiny nose.


    She didn''t look too old, perhaps in her early twenties, and was quite cute while giving off a tomboyish vibe.


    She donned a leather jacket and ripped jeans, withbat boots and the ck cloak with a hood dangling behind her. She looked like she just stepped out of a rebel movie.


    While seated, she already looked shorter than most of the members of the party, but once Gxel and the rest stood up, she also stood up and seemed to be around 160 cm in height, just a bit below average for a woman.


    "You''ve seen those gazes, haven''t you?" Broken asked while facing Ambrose, who stood up and easily towered over her at nearly 2 meters tall.


    "Yeah." Ambrose replied with a chuckle. "Bounty hunters, huh?"


    "Your bounty is very tempting, not going to lie." Broken said and nced behind her, where a group of cloaked figures were sitting at the corner of the tavern.


    They were acting like they weren''t aware of Ambrose, but whenever Broken and Ambrose looked away from them, their attention was immediately on them.


    "Are you going to go for my bounty?" Ambrose asked with a smile rising on his lips.


    "I might." Broken replied with a mischievous glint in her eye. "I am a thief, after all."


    "Thief¡­" Ambrose chuckled.


    "Guys, we are going!"


    At that moment, Gxel shouted from the front door after seeing that their two gold-ranked adventurers stayed behind to have a chat.


    "However, for now, I guess we have to work together for this quest." She extended her hand for a handshake. "Name''s Broken."


    "Ambrose." Ambrose slowly grabbed her small hand and shook it.


    "You should be more careful." Broken said with a giggle, and once they separated from the handshake, she showed something on her hand.


    There was a silver earring on her hand, as if it had recently been plucked from an ear.


    Ambrose touched his right ear in surprise and couldn''t feel his earring there anymore. Instead, there was a little bit of blood on his finger as his earlobe was dripping slightly with blood.


    "You¡­" Ambrose didn''t seem angry, but instead impressed. ''How did she do that? I couldn''t even see it.''


    "Like I said, I am a thief." Broken winked and tossed him the earring back. "If you don''t keep your eyes open, I might rob you dry~"


    "How kind, warning me beforehand." Ambrose grinnedrgely. "You''re a kindhearted thief, aren''t ya?"


    "I like to warn my victims." Broken said and as she walked away, she turned around and blew him a kiss. "You can''t stop me from robbing you, after all~"


    "Oh, is that so¡­" Ambrose hid the earring into his fist and grinned with fighting spirit. "Let''s see if you can defeat me."

 Chapter 526 Keiran

    <h4>Chapter 526 Keiran</h4>


    Thump, thump!


    The carriage carrying the party rolled down a dirty road, nestled between tall trees.


    After a short while, the carriage exited the forest and entered a vast field of wildflowers, their colorful petals swaying gently in the breeze.


    The horses pulling the carriage neighed excitedly as they continued galloping.


    At that moment, the carriage driver shouted, "The town is in sight!"


    Inside the carriage, Gxel''s expression brightened up, and he moved to the back of the carriage, which was the only exit, and peeked outside towards the field of wildflowers.


    Then, behind some hills, he saw the tall spires and colorful rooftops of the town.


    It was a town called Cryssallis, owned by the Rothsmith family.


    "Finally, we''re so close." One of the party members stretched his numb limp. "The train would''ve been so much better, but unfortunately the train tracks don''t reach all the way here!"


    "May I see?" Ambrose asked from Gxel, who stepped aside and allowed him to peek outside.


    As Ambrose leaned outside the carriage, he saw the town surrounded by a field of wildflowers and heard the distant sound of church bells ringing.


    "We''re not entering the town, right?" Ambrose entered the carriage again and asked.


    "Maybe on the return trip." Gxel said. "It depends if we are in need of some supplies."


    "You guys aren''t nning to just teleport back to Amaterasu?" Ambrose asked.


    "All of us aren''t from Amaterasu." Gxel said. "Like me, I am from Tsukuyomi, so just removing temporary spawn won''t cut it."


    "I see." Ambrose nodded. "And I guess the treasure chest will be too heavy to be carried in the inventory."


    "That too." Gxel said. "While some of us can teleport back to Amaterasu, it would be better not to. We need all hands ready in case we''re attacked by other yers or bandits.


    "There''re quite a few people who have begun robbing yers, forcing them to take out items from their inventory, etc., some rat shit."


    "I see¡­" Ambrose nodded. ''I guess I''ll have to go back with carriage as well, not that I mind.''


    The carrige wheeled down the road and passed the town of Cryssallis, where yers and NPCs were hard at work to make the town even greater.


    A whileter, the carriage entered a well-made road with a hill on the right side and a downhill on the left side. The road was going right between the two.


    ''It is not bouncing as much anymore.'' Ambrose thought and peeked outside, seeing that the road was suddenly made out of cobblestone.


    It was strange since every other road was a dirt road; now they were on cobblestone streets as if they were riding through city streets.


    Neigh, neigh!


    At that moment, both horses neighed loudly and made the carriage stop.


    "We''ve reached the end of the line!" The carriage driver shouted.


    "Oh, we''ve arrived." Gxel said and jumped out of the carriage.


    Ambrose followed right behind him, and once he stepped outside the carriage, he saw leaves dropping from trees that were on the hills.


    It made the road look orangish and golden, like a carpet leading them to the grand castle in the distance.


    "Hey, boss!" A sharp-eyed woman, with a bow on her back, shouted from the top of the carriage and pointed to the front. "I see the road leading somewhere further!"


    Gxel approached the driver and asked, "The road is still going, so why aren''t we going further?"


    "The horses are feeling like something is wrong." The driver said, "I guess there is some kind of powerful creature in the area that is making them anxious.


    "I guess we are close to the quest area."


    The driver was also a yer who took a job as a carriage driver. In real life, he was already a taxi driver, but he was enjoying the work inside the game a hundred times more as he could explore fantastical ces and meet interesting characters.


    Also, he was always in love with nature, making Martial Online like a dreame true.


    This job also paid much more than the taxi job in the real world; it wasn''t even close.


    "I see." Gxel nodded. "You can return to Cryssallis; I''ll send you a message when we need a pick up."


    "Alright, boss." The driver tugged on the reins and made the carriage do a U-turn before heading away.


    "Arm yourselves!" Gxel shouted and pulled out his shield and longsword. "Keep your eyes peeled on the hills and the road!"


    As everyone started arming themselves, Ambrose drew his crimson swords and followed behind them as they started walking down the leaf-covered road.


    They heard the chirping of birds and insects all around, and some twig cracks, but when they went to see who caused the twig to crack, they saw nothing but a red-eyed bunny staring back at them.


    Without any more incidents, soon they saw the end of the road with a shocking sight opening in front of them.


    "Bwoah¡­" Gxel and his party members eximed.


    Ambrose looked at the sight with an equally amazed look.


    At the end of the road, there was a mountain thatpletely stopped them from walking any further.


    However, at the side of the mountain, right where the road ended, there was a tall granite door that seemed to have been closed for centuries.


    "This it is, guys!" Gxel shouted. "Make a formation!"


    In the carriage, they discussed the battle formations.


    They decided that Gxel would lead, as he was basically the tanker of the party. Despite his scrawny appearance, he was actually quite strong, as he had put lots of stats into his strength.


    Behind Gxel, there were two broad-shouldered men with heavy-looking weapons, ready to strike at any moment.


    In the middle, the party members with bows and those with low defense were positioned strategically to provide cover fire and support.


    And at the back, Ambrose, with two shortswords in hand, had only one job: to protect the group from any surprise attacks.


    He was assigned this job because, in everyone''s mind, he was the strongest member of the party and, therefore, was given the most important task.


    They slowly approached the door, and as soon as Gxel arrived within arms reach, he used his shield and started pushing open the door.


    Immediately, the two broad-shouldered men helped him, and slowly, the granite door started to open heavily and creakily.


    m!


    Soon, the door waspletely open, and they saw nothing but a dark interior. It was as if all the light had been sucked out of the room.


    Gxel brought out a torch from his inventory, lit it up, and took the lead while the rest of the party entered the room.


    As soon as thest person, Ambrose, stepped through the door, therge granite door mmed shut, trapping them all inside.


    The torch was just barely enough to light up the area around them, but they were entirely surrounded by what seemed like a sea of darkness.


    However, at that moment, torches andnterns, mounted on walls and floors, started lighting up one by one, revealing a bridge that they were standing on, leading to the center of the room, which opened up into arge circr tform.


    As Gxel peeked down from the bridge, he gulped as he saw nothing but darkness.


    "D-don''t fall, no matter what." Gxel said nervously and started approaching therge, circr tform while making sure where he was stepping.


    His party followed right behind him, and soon they arrived at the tform that was quiterge, but if one strayed too far away, they could also fall into the endless pit of darkness.


    "Take a formation!" Gxel shouted.


    Gxel, the broad-shouldered men, and Ambrose took the position at the front of the group, with the archers taking the rear and Broken and a few others taking the nks.


    It was silent.


    A sweat drop rolled down Gxel''s forehead as he anxiously waited for the enemy to arrive.


    ''Where is it? Come on, show yourself!'' Gxel shouted inwardly.


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes and looked around the room for any signs of movement.


    At that moment, both he and Broken eximed simultaneously.


    "It''sing!"


    Boom!


    An explosion rocked the tform and created a shockwave that threatened to throw the party members off the tform into the darkness.


    "Hang tight!" Gxel screamed while trying to keep his feet nted firmly on the ground.


    "Ngh¡­" Ambrose groaned as he felt the force of the st push against him.


    "A-ahh!" At that moment, one of the archers lost footing and was about to fall off.


    Ambrose immediately grabbed onto her arm, pulling them back from the edge.


    The shockwave slowly subdued, and at the center of the room, a figure emerged who was kneeling on the ground. There was a shield and longsword on the ground beside him, glinting in the dim light of the room.


    "T-thanks¡­" The archer thanked Ambrose with relief in her voice.


    "Get ready." Ambrose said to her and to others, then took the position next to Gxel.


    The figure raised his head, showing dead-looking eyes with pale skin and flowing ck hair that reached all the way to his lower back.


    He was verynky, and he was rather tall¡ªover two meters¡ª


    and he exuded an aura of power that made everyone else in the room ufortable.


    Ding, ding!


    At that moment, they all heard the sound of dinging in their ears, and a status window opened up in front of them.


    [The Little Dark One, Keiran]


    [HP: 100%]

 Chapter 527 The Little Dark Ones

    <h4>Chapter 527 The Little Dark Ones </h4>


    ''It has percentages as health.'' Ambrose thought. ''That''s new. Well, I guess not new, as that dragon from Wild Card also apparently had one.''


    "Archers!" Gxel shouted and raised his sword toward the ceiling.


    The archers pulled back their bows and aimed towards Keiran, who slowly stood up with a shield and longsword in hand.


    Gxel sweated, and then he raised his sword and shouted. "Fireeeee!"


    Swoosh!


    Several arrows whizzed through the air and rained down on Keiran.


    Keiran ced his shield over his head and blocked all the arrows that shattered as soon as they hit the shield.


    "Humans, rejoice¡­" Keiran''s otherworldly voice left his mouth, and then he moved his shield to the side and swung the longsword to the ground. "Your death has arrived."


    As soon as his sword cut into the ground, the tform started cracking, and arge crevice appeared out of nowhere, which was approaching the party at an rming speed.


    "Dodge!" Gxel screamed and jumped aside.


    Archers, with their incredible agility, effortlessly jumped aside as well, narrowly avoiding falling into the crevice.


    Ambrose hovered over the tform and gentlynded on the other side of the crevice, safe from danger.


    However, now half of the party was split because of the crevice.


    "I''ll take the aggro!" Gxel called out, put his sword into a tight grip, and started rushing towards Keiran.


    While running, he shouted. "Ambrose, assist me!"


    Ambrose swung the swords in his hands and ran after Gxel.


    As Gxel approached the boss, Keiran raised his sword and smashed it down.


    BANG!


    Gxel quickly blocked the sword with his shield, but his knees almost gave up, struggling to bear the weight of the impact.


    Keiran immediately put the longsword into a thrusting stance and stabbed it forth.


    "Ngh!" Gxel''s eyes widened in shock, as he didn''t believe he could dodge in time.


    At that moment, a crimson sword appeared and parried the longsword away just barely in time to save Gxel from being struck.


    Gxel heaved a sigh of relief and nced at Ambrose in gratitude.


    "High Pain!" Ambrose screamed hoarsely and swung his sword at Keiran.


    As if he could sense the danger, Keiran retreated with a jump backwards and dodged the two swords.


    However, Ambrose didn''t let him escape too easily and jumped after him with a long leap.


    "Humanoid Imperfecta!"


    The crimson swords rained down and smashed straight into Keiran''s shield with a deafening crash.


    "Mh¡­" Keiran let out a single gasp of pain and used his shield to deflect the swords away from him.


    Ambrose rushed straight at him and started delivering quick, decisive blows that immediately put Keiran on his backfoot, endlessly retreating as Ambrose pressed his advantage with relentless force.


    Each strike of his put immense pressure on Keiran''s defense, as he felt like he was constantly hit by a battering ram.


    "So powerful¡­" Gxel eximed,pletely amazed at the strength of Ambrose.


    ''He has qualified for the finals of the tournament for a reason!'' Miss Broken thought as she was running towards them with other members of the party.


    "Leader, what shall we do?" One of the party members asked.


    It shook Gxel awake from his thoughts and shouted, "Archers, shoot at Keiran if he tries to retreat. Everyone else, let''s block all escape routes!"


    "Yes, leader!"


    As Ambrose continued pushing Keiran back, he noticed that Gxel and others moved behind Keiran and to his sides. There was no ce for him to go.


    "Gxel!" Ambrose screamed.


    "Yes!" Gxel answered.


    "Tell everyone to cover their ears!" Ambrose screamed.


    Gxel looked surprised, but did as he was told and shouted even louder, "Everyone, plug your ears!"


    His party members didn''t understand why, but they listened to the orders and plucked their ears with their fingers.


    "Howling Rage!" Ambrose screamed with a powerful force that struck Keiran like a wrecking ball.


    "Ngh¡­" Keiran immediately stopped moving, his body paralyzed by the strange voice attack.


    There was now a clear opening for Ambrose to strike.


    ''I don''t think defeating this boss is possible with a single attack, so I must think further¡ªI have to use a skill that will help the party defeat this boss.''


    Ambrose raised his right-handed sword and whispered, "Humanoid Imperfecta¡­"


    The sword glowed a bright blue, and then it shed straight through Keiran''s shoulder, causing a burst of energy to explode outwards.


    "Ngh¡­" Keiran gritted his teeth hideously and stumbled backwards, a strange feeling filling his body.


    Now, Keiran was feeling how it feels to live as a person with Humanoid Imperfecta.


    Ding, ding!


    In Ambrose''s vision, several status windows popped up in front of him.


    [You have inflicted Keiran with a curse¡ªHumanoid Imperfecta!]


    [His movement is now impaired, reducing his speed by 100%]


    [His defense has been reduced by 1000%]


    [His attack power has been reduced by 50%]


    [Time till purification: 1 minutes]


    "Everyone attack!" Ambrose screamed. "I inflicted him with a curse skill. You have one minute!"


    ''Curse skill!'' Gxel''s eyes brightened up, and he immediately screamed. "Attack, put your all into attacks!"


    Without further ado, the archers pulled back their bows and shot arrows non-stop, immediately putting Keiran under heavy assault.


    He couldn''t block it all as his movement was impaired, and several arrows stabbed through his limps.


    [HP: 81%]


    "Argh!" Keiran screamed, surprised by the amount of damage he took, and then turned his head towards Ambrose, realizing that he had done something to him.


    "A human sorcerer!"


    At that moment, he sensed several more enemies closing in on his position.


    Gxel and several other party members lunged at him, slicing, shing, and stabbing.


    As he moved his shield to block them, another arrow suddenly flew past his defenses and stabbed through his thigh, causing a searing pain and another drop in health.


    [HP: 70%]


    Keiran''s eyes shook, and then Gxel and a few othersunched their attacks andnded on his body, sending him flying away with a loud crash.


    As Keiran crashed on the ground, his clothes were in rags, and he was bleeding profusely from multiple wounds, his breathing ragged and shallow.


    [HP: 49%]


    "Good job, everyone!" Gxel shouted with a triumphant smile. "Archers, fire again!"


    After the ordernded on their ears, they pulled back their bows andunched the arrows with a twang of the strings.


    Keiran watched as the arrows flew in the air, about to start descending towards him.


    At that moment, his body twitched like he was having a seizure, and then he copsed to the ground, unconscious.


    The arrows were about to stab through him like a porcupine, but then, for some odd reason, the arrows moved in a different direction, missing himpletely.


    "E-eh?"


    The archers looked dumbfounded, as they had never missed their target this badly before. It made them remember the first days of Martial Online, when they were only learning archery and were horrible at it.


    However, since then, they had gotten so much better, but now, for some odd reason, they havepletely missed!


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes, feeling like something was horribly wrong.


    Without any warning, Keiran suddenly sat up straight with a nonchnt look on his face. It was as if he hadn''t just been stabbed ten times by both arrows and swords.


    At that moment, Keiran picked up his sword, pointed it towards the ceiling, and a strange ck shadow shot out of the de.


    Around six, shadowy orbs appeared and flew towards the yers around him.


    "Dodge!" Gxel shouted and retreated with a strong leap.


    Everyone was already dodging, as they also saw the dangerousness of those orbs.


    Strangely enough, those orbsnded on the ground, nowhere close to them, and from the orbs, strange, small ck-skinned creatures started to emerge.


    They had pointy ears and sharp ws, and their eyes glowed with a malevolent red light. They resembled goblins quite a bit, but in a sense, they also looked distinctly different.


    Especially their faces, as if they weren''t from this.


    "My Dark Ones, go on, kill them!" Keiran ordered loudly.


    ''Is this why he is called the Little Dark One?'' Gxel thought with a frown.


    After being ordered, the little creatures let out strange, screeching voices andunched themselves at the yers with incredible speed and ferocity.


    Immediately, the members of the party struggled with the little creatures, and most of them got injured as they shed them with their long ws.


    While other members of the party were struggling with them, Gxel and Ambrose rushed at Keiran, as those creatures would vanish if he died.


    Keiran shed through the air with his longsword, creating a strange rift in the air that seemed to destroy reality itself.


    At that moment, the rift turned into a swirling vortex of energy that began to pull everything around it into its depths.


    Gxel''s eyes widened as he felt himself getting sucked into the vortex, and he immediately used his vast fighting knowledge to stab the sword into the ground, desperately holding on.


    Ambrose used Formlessness and started flying against the powerful force, trying to fly away.


    ¡­


    Real world, Loch City, Martial Company.


    At the control room, the A.I. started showing bright, beeping lights, and the metallic, giant football-looking machine started humming with eerie sounds.


    No one in the other room managed to see the strange sight.

 Chapter 528 Methuselah

    <h4>Chapter 528 Methush</h4>


    Keiran raised his sword high in the air and summoned several boulders that rained down on the tform.


    "Aaaah!"


    The yers screamed and scurried away to safety, but a few of them got their legs crushed by the boulder, losing one of their limbs in the process.


    "Shit!" Gxel saw it all transpire and felt his heart drop to the bottom of his stomach.


    ''This fucking rift is making it impossible for us to reach him.'' Ambrose thought and turned to the rest of the members of the party, who were clearly struggling under the constant onught.


    ''I guess I''ll help them instead!''


    With Formlessness, Ambrose rushed to the rest of the party and shed through two of the ck-skinned creatures.


    As his sword went straight through them, they turned into shadows and got sucked back to Kieran. The rest of the party looked at him in awe, grateful for his help.


    "What''s the n?" Miss Broken asked him while slicing through the creatures with her nimble dagger.


    "We can''t approach Kieran currently. It is hard, even for me." Ambrose said while defending against the creatures.


    The creatures shed with their creepy ws, but Ambrose managed to fend them off with his crimson shortswords.


    ng, ng, ng!


    "Well, let me try." Miss Broken said with a smile.


    "Huh?" Ambrose raised an eyebrow.


    Miss Broken defended against one of the creatures, and then she spun around and decapitated it with a swift strike.


    She then sliced through the next one in one fluid motion, managed to run past the encirclement, and started running towards Keiran.


    As soon as she neared him, the rift started pulling her in.


    However, against all odds, she was able to run with her feet firmly nted on the ground.


    She was already within arms length of the rift, yet she was able to run right past it.


    ''How is she doing this?'' Ambrose wondered, curious about her ability to ignore the pulling force of the rift.


    Kieran slowly moved his gaze over to the short-haired woman and swung his sword down in an attempt to stop her from reaching him.


    As soon as he finished his swing, she vanished into thin air, leaving him standing there with his sword ready.


    "?!" Kieran eximed, surprised by the sudden disappearance of his opponent.


    At that moment, the sword in his hand also vanished into thin air.


    Swoosh!


    Instantly, Broken appeared in the air above Kieran, his sword in her hand, and swung it directly towards his head.


    Kieran quickly blocked it with his shield and then moved his free hand towards her.


    A miniature version of the ck rift appeared on his hand and started pulling Broken towards him.


    Broken narrowed her eyes, vanished again, and reappeared behind him with the sword in hand.


    Then, she stabbed it behind her and grazed Kieran''s waist with the de, barely enough to spill blood.


    [HP: 48%]


    ''Only that much damage?'' Broken looked surprised. ''He got much more injured in previous attacks.''


    ''Humanoid Imperfecta has already been purified, so Kieran is in his normal state now.'' Ambrose thought.


    Kieran smashed his shield across Broken''s face and retrieved his sword from her before kicking her viciously in the stomach.


    Broken held her numb face and quickly dodged Kieran''s strike before reappearing over his head.


    She did a quick axe kick that Kieran narrowly avoided with a swift sidestep.


    Kieran immediately followed up with a sh, but Broken quickly drew her dagger and smashed it against the sword.


    However, Kieran overpowered her with his physical strength and sent her flying like a kite.


    "Ngh!"


    Broken gritted her teeth, and she was going to fly as far as the edge of the tform, but then Ambrose caught her mid-air and put her gently down on the ground.


    "That''s tough¡­" Broken said with a sigh. "I am not a one-versus-one fighter."


    "You''re more of an assassin?" Ambrose asked.


    "More like a thief." Broken said. "I don''t fight much against armed individuals. I prefer to sneak around and finish off my opponents quickly and quietly."


    "Your ability is indeed intriguing." Ambrose said. "You''re not effected by the rift and can ''steal'' his weapon like nothing, just like you did with my earring.


    "You''ve got special ss, don''t you?"


    "You might be surprised, but my ss'' name is Thief." Broken said with a giggle. "It makes me a master thief."


    "With two of us, we might be able to defeat Kieran." Ambrose said. "If you steal his weapons, I might be able to strike him down."


    "How can you reach him?" Broken asked. "You had difficulties reaching him before."


    "I''ll strike him from afar." Ambrose said and his swords started glowing with a golden light. "Keep him busy."


    Broken nodded briefly and then crossed her arms in front of her chest beforeunching forward with rapid speed. In almost an instant, she reached Kieran, who startedunching attacks.


    She weaved through the sword shes and smashed the dagger at the hilt of his sword.


    Like a snap of a magic finger, Kieran''s sword again vanished into thin air and reappeared near the ceiling, slowly falling back to the tform.


    Kieran clicked his tongue and swung his shield, but Broken jumped over it and touched it, instantly making it disappear along with some of Kieran''s sleeve.


    The shield appeared near the ceiling and started to slowly fall back towards the tform.


    "Have fun~" Broken winked at Kieran mischievously and vanished into thin air.


    "Grr¡­" Kieran growled lowly.


    At that moment, bright light assaulted his eyes, and before he could react, golden light shed through his chest, and a searing pain shot through his body.


    "Raaaah!"


    [HP: 40%]


    Kieran, with a painful scream, clutched at his bleeding wound and fell to his knees, struggling to stay conscious.


    Broken appeared near Ambrose and shouted excitedly. "It worked!"


    "He still has a lot of health left!" Ambrose shouted and fused his two shortswords into the great sword and smashed it down to the ground, sending arge, golden sh towards Kieran.


    Kieran''s eyes shook, and at that moment, he shouted something in apletely differentnguage.


    The ck-skinned little creatures heard that, and all of them immediately jumped in front of the golden sh, taking the full brunt of the strike.


    The golden sh cut through the creatures like a hot knife through butter and killed them all.


    However, the full force of the sh faded away, and before it could reach Kieran, it vanished into tiny particles that were barely the size of grains.


    "Hmph." Kieran smirked at the failed attempt to harm him.


    "Aaaah!"


    Gxel, out of nowhere, jumped through the rift and tackled Kieran to the ground.


    "?!" Kieran looked shocked, and at that moment, Gxel stabbed through his waist with his sharp de, causing Kieran to scream in pain.


    "What!" Broken looked as shocked as Kieran.


    Ambrose''s eyes widened. ''Gxel managed to fight through the rift''s pulling force. Oh, I guess I underestimated our leader.''


    Gxel pulled the sword from Keiran''s waist, punched him across the face, and started pummeling him mercilessly.


    Kieran couldn''t do anything except helplessly grit his teeth.


    His health started dropping drastically, and soon it was below 10%!


    [HP: 9%]


    "A-argh!" Kieran screamed with the fury of a thousand souls and pushed Gxel off him.


    The push sent Gxel flying towards the edge of the tform!


    ''Ah, I am going to fall!'' Gxel thought panickly, but at that moment, Ambrose appeared behind him and caught him before he could plummet to his death.


    "A-Ambrose¡­" Gxel heaved a sigh of relief. "Thanks!"


    "Good job." Ambrose said and put him gently on the ground.


    Kieran stood up with a bloodied face and ragged clothes, ring at Gxel with hatred in his eyes.


    His body started to emit strange ck smoke, as if he were undergoing another power up!


    "Be ready; it ain''t over yet." Ambrose said and raised his insanely heavy-looking great sword.


    The other party members drank their healing potions and ate some food to recover their health before the final struggle.


    "You fucking maggots." Kieran growled in anger. "I am from the greatnd of Darkonia, thend of darkness and death. You guys have no chance against me!"


    Ambrose narrowed his eyes, but at that moment, his and everyone else''s expressions widened in true terror.


    Kieran smirked, thinking that those expressions were because of him, but at that moment, arge shadow fell over him.


    He slowly turned around, and his eyes widened in shock.


    m!


    Arge hand, attached to a massive figure,nded over Kieran and squished him like an ant.


    Ding, ding!


    Ambrose and everyone else received a notification that Kieran was dead, and from the ceiling, a treasure chest dropped down.


    They had shockingly finished off the quest sessfully!


    However, none of them didn''t cheer or celebrate; instead, they were looking at the creature with shock in their eyes.


    The massive figure looked like a giant knight, donning rusty armor with an enormous rusty sword on the back. The creature''s face was hidden by a helmet that only revealed a portion of its grotesque mouth.


    [The Twisted Mouth, Methush]


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