《I, the Weakest Human, Start with a Hundredfold Bonus Talent！》


 Chapter 1 -1-Apocalypse

    <h4>Chapter 1: Chapter1-Apocalypse</h4>


    "Aren''t you always boasting about being favored by the Goddess of Luck? Let''s see if the Goddess of Luck will favor you this time."


    "Why bother talking to him so much? Let''s kill him, we''ve got more important things to do."


    "You lunatics! How could you do this! Let go of me! What are you going to do?"


    A searing pain shot through John''s abdomen, but he had no time to care.


    His strength ebbed away with his blood, leaving him to watch helplessly as the delicate figure that shielded him was violently pinned to the ground by the two of them, the torn mage''s robe scattered everywhere, revealing her smooth, supple body.


    Screams and lewdughter rang in his ears, followed by wretched cries of agony.


    John clenched his fist, reaching toward the darkening vision before him.


    He felt his consciousness slipping away, each breath growing heavier than thest.


    Suddenly, words shed before John''s eyes, and then his world waspletely swallowed by darkness.


    ...


    "...ording to NASA, the rift that mysteriously appeared near the sun has been certified as posing no threat, and the panic that hassted for almost six months will finally end today."


    The familiar sound of an old television echoed in his ears.


    Gazing around his slightly messy apartment, John felt a sudden warmth in his heart as he hurriedly grabbed his phone and nced at it.


    "June 11th, 2035. One day until [Cataclysm]."


    John swallowed hard, a look of confusion flickering in his eyes.


    In one day, on June 12th, Earth would be struck by an unprecedented catastrophe��floods, earthquakes, tsunamis, gues, volcanic eruptions.


    Scenes that had once existed only in ancient myths would simultaneously unfold across the world.


    Amidst the eerie surge of electromaic waves, this apocalypse-like disaster wiped out nearly 75% of the Earth''s poption, and brought modern technology to its knees in one fell swoop.


    Humanity''s progress regressed by nearly a century overnight!


    For seven days, the catastrophe raged, leaving seven bottomless chasms on Earth, which peopleter named [Abyss].


    However, what truly made hearts tremble was not limited to this.


    After seven days, the Earth experienced a brief calm.


    When humanity thought they could begin rebuilding, countless monsters suddenly emerged from the endless abyss, impervious to conventional weaponry.


    Their only means of survival was preying on humans!


    But.


    The appearance of [Apocalypse] offered a lifeline to the helpless survivors.


    Overnight, all survivors were presented with a game-like interface, where the system informed them that Earth was on itsst breath, and [Apocalypse] could provide them a sanctuary.


    However, this sanctuary wasn''t as idyllic as they had imagined.


    Within [Apocalypse], they faced a new,pletely unknown world with rules far harsher than those of Earth.


    To survive, they had to grow stronger within [Apocalypse], and that power could be brought back to Earth to fight the bloodthirsty monsters!


    They could even be new gods!


    Of course, John didn''t quite believe the part about bing a god.


    After all, before his rebirth, he had survived the seven days of disaster and entered [Apocalypse], where he lived for a full two years without logging out.


    Though John became one of the strongest top-tier yers in the game, he still fell far short of divinity.


    Moreover, as they grew stronger, so too did the monsters on the earth.


    John thought he could proceed step by step, continuously striving toward that seemingly unattainable goal. But his brother''s betrayal came so suddenly.


    As the legendary gear [Apate''s Whisper], which he had personally gifted, pierced his abdomen, countless questions shed through John''s mind.


    Yet...


    "Why have I returned to this day?"


    John furrowed his brows, suddenly recalling the legendary gear he had obtained as the first to clear a semideity-tier dungeon��[Tear of Chronos].


    John vaguely remembered the description beneath this legendary gear:


    [Chronos, the god of time, stands at the end of the river of time, leaving behind tears of regret. The tears immerse in the river of time, and at that moment, time reverses.]


    "It seems this is the thing that has granted me rebirth. Chronos, the mover of time, the god who controls time, even he feels regret..."


    John smirked, but his emotions wereplicated. He was thrilled to be reborn and have the chance to start anew. But the thought of facing those despairing seven days of catastrophe once again made John unable to rejoice.


    "Whatever the case, I have to be prepared..."


    In his past life, John had barely survived the seven-day onught, and this time, the Goddess of Luck must surely favor him again!


    Just as in the memories retained in John''s mind, at the stroke of midnight on June 12th, the ground trembled, thick clouds swept across the globe,pletely covering the bright moon, plunging the world into darkness.


    Hurricanes and earthquakes rampaged through this small city of less than three million people.


    In the face of natural disasters, all beings are equal, and no one can control such catastrophes; they are all victims.


    Every day, every hour, and even every second, countless lives were torn apart by these disasters, reduced to just another piece of bloodstained rubble in the ruins.


    Fortunately, thanks to John''s thorough preparation, though the disaster took nearly half of his food supplies, it didn''t harm John in the slightest.


    Thus, he sat cross-legged, eyes closed in deep thought, waiting for the right moment.


    When the second hand struck noon on June 19th, a piercing headache came over him, and a voice resounded in the minds of all survivors simultaneously, "Survivors of Earth, I am System [Apocalypse], now..."


    "Cut the bullshit," without a moment''s hesitation, John immediately drew an inverted triangle in the air before him, entering [Apocalypse].


    In the previous life, the system''s sudden appearance shocked everyone, and it was only after enduring a lengthy introduction and much skepticism that survivors began to trickle into the game.


    But what they didn''t know was that you didn''t have to listen to the system''s introduction to log in to [Apocalypse], and, typical of online games, the earlier you log in, the more amazing the rewards!


    In his previous life, there was someone who managed to log in early and obtained the S Level talent, Infinite Firepower!


    In this life, John would not let anyone else have this opportunity!


    The next moment, John only saw a dazzling white light sh before his eyes, and when he came to, he was in a world full of chaos and void.


    Then, an emotionless mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his ears.


    "Wee to [Apocalypse], yer No 001. Congrattions on being the first yer to log in. You will receive a special reward. The system will provide a random talent pool, please make your selection within 10 minutes."


    John''s gaze swept over.


    Countless Inscription Stones floated before him.


    These stones held talents within them, and each yer had to pick one.


    This choice was critical!


    It would determine early and mid-game development!


    But the Inscription Stones all looked identical, with no visible differences. And the selection time was limited, much like a lottery draw.


    Just as John grew frustrated, his vision changed strangely. A faint white information box appeared next to each Inscription Stone.


    [Long Range (Talent)]: Low-level talent, +10 natural attack range, with upgrades permanently increasing attack range by 20%... Too weak for early stages, not rmended.


    [HP Recovery (Talent)]: Low-level talent, restores 1% of max HP continuously, upgrading to 5% per second... Weak in early stages, not rmended.


    "What''s going on?"


    "Can I see hidden information?"


    John was overjoyed. He didn''t dwell on it much longer. The attributes of the Inscription Stones were now clear as day!


    John hurried to find the right talent.


    [MP Recovery (Talent)]: Low-level talent...


    [Infinite Vision (Talent)]: Low-level talent...


    [Silent Recon (Talent)]: Low-level talent...


    Damn it, though there were thousands of talents, and most were different, nearly all were low-level talents.


    A talent is the starting point!


    Without a powerful talent, how could one be a strong yer?


    [Damage Reflection], mid-level talent...


    [Attack Adds HP], mid-level talent...


    [Random Magic Immunity], mid-level talent...


    Mid-level talents seemed decent, clearly much stronger than low-level talents.


    But there was no need to rush.


    There was still time.


    He could keep looking.


    After filtering through a thousand more Inscription Stones:


    [Bloodthirsty Count], high-level talent... Rmended.


    [Wings of Supremacy], high-level talent... Rmended.


    High-level talents! More potential, more room for growth!


    They could crush 99.9% of yers from the starting line.


    Which one to choose?


    No, don''t choose now!


    With just over a minute left, he couldn''t give up on other potential options.


    Who knew if something better would appear?


    John raced against time, continuing to gather hint information.


    Thirty seconds, twenty seconds, ten seconds...


    In a corner, a seemingly insignificant Inscription Stone caught his eye.


    [Kiss of Luck (Talent)]: SSS Talent, has the ability to significantly enhance a yer''s LUCK (current level multiplier: 100x). Upgrading will turn it into a Divine talent. This is an extremely rare and powerful talent with the ability to infinitely enhance a yer''s LUCK, significantly increasing item drops, crit rates, etc... Highly rmended!


    "You''re the one!"


    Without hesitation, John made his choice.


    The Inscription Stone released a bright light thatpletely enveloped John''s body.


    [Ding]


    [Talent fused. The system will issue a fusion reward. Please check upon login.]


    ...


    John had never expected that, as the first yer to enter the game, he would receive a hidden special reward.


    For a yer like him who had been part of the closed beta, it was like adding wings to a tiger!


    You have to know that LUCK is extremely difficult to improve.


    Apart from special items and tools, the points earned through leveling up cannot be added to LUCK, which shows how precious it is!


    "Please confirm yer name."


    "yer name, let''s just go with John."


    John clearly remembered that even inside the game, yer names couldn''t be changed.


    In his past life, he had spent two years in the game under the name "Right Brain Hemiplegia," which had earned him the affectionate nickname "Hemiplegia Bro" from his teammates.


    "yer name confirmed, establishing yer image. yer number 001, John, wee to [Apocalypse]."


    As the words faded, the chaos and gloom surrounding John gradually dispersed, revealing the true face of this world��a small, somewhat impoverished vige nestled at the foot of a mountain, Adra Vige.


    In this setting, John was a viger of Adra Vige, and his house was located in the southeastern corner of the vige, in the most remote corner.


    "John, child? Are you home?"


    A familiar, aged voice sounded from outside.


    John quickly stood up, pushed open the wooden door, and looked calmly at the elder with white hair and wrinkled skin before him.


    "Chief Haren, what can I do for you?"


    "Well, my child, a few days ago, some vigers reported seeing a lone bloodwolf near the farnds. But it''s now the busy farming season. If we let the bloodwolf wreak havoc, it might affect next year''s harvest. So, John, can you go near the farnd and either drive away or eliminate the bloodwolf? The chief will give you a reward."


    Hearing this, John exhaled deeply. He knew this feeling all too well.


    ording to his past-life experience, there was something called Affection Level between yers and the natives of [Apocalypse].


    The higher the Affection Level, the more generous the subsequent quest rewards would be.


    However, for most newbies, the short sword and leather armor given as rewards for early quests were urgent necessities, so no one paid much attention to Affection Level.


    "No rush, developmentes first," John thought, and after pondering for a moment, he said, "Chief, as a member of this vige, it''s my duty to drive away the bloodwolf, so I don''t need a reward. Please give me a little time, and I will head out after some preparations."


    "Thank you, my child."


    "It''s no trouble, Chief. Take care."


    Watching the old chief wobble away, John suddenly heard a prompt.


    [Ding, quest triggered]


    [yer 001, identity authenticationplete. System reward has been sent to your inventory. Please check.]

 Chapter 2 -2-Hermes Dice

    <h4>Chapter 2: Chapter2-Hermes Dice</h4>


    Hearing this, a glimmer of light shed in John''s eyes.


    He quickly went to the wooden box in the corner of the house and opened his inventory, facing the wall.


    "Congrattions on obtaining the exquisite gear [Hermes Dice]. Would you like to equip it?"


    "Open the [Hermes Dice] item panel..."


    "Opening the panel... The effect of the [Hermes Dice] item is to randomly roll a die before each attack. If the roll is between one and five, the damage is reduced to one point. If the die roll is six, it inflicts six times the damage, up to a maximum of 2000 points of magic damage."


    John was momentarily stunned.


    Not out of disappointment, but excitement!


    The probability of rolling a six is only one in six, but under the influence of the SSS talent [Kiss of LUCK], the probability is 100%!


    For others, this essory''s effect would be very weak, as having an 80% chance of reducing damage to one is practically a debuff.


    But for John, this was the perfect gear, tailor-made for him!


    "Equip," John said immediately.


    If there was any w in this gear, it would be that the dice were only exquisite-tier, meaning they would only be useful in the early game.


    But that makes sense, as an early-game item that could help in the early stages and still be useful in endgame dungeons would be overpowered and inevitably fought over by various factions.


    The game had justunched, so it was best to remain low-key.


    After equipping [Hermes Dice], John immediately opened his own panel.


    [Name]: John


    [Stamina]: 8


    [Attack]:9


    [Wisdom]:15


    [Agility]:11


    [Magic Affinity]:12


    [LUCK]:111


    The numbers made John feel faint. Putting aside LUCK, John''s stats were dismal, with none exceeding 20 points and a pitiful Attack of just 9.


    Even the weakest slimes had an Attack of 10!


    In the previous world, when the game firstunched, the weakest yer''s average stat was at least 20!


    It''s safe to say that John is not only one of the earliest yers to enter [Apocalypse] in this world, but also the weakest.


    Yet, John had noints.


    Other stats could grow over time, but LUCK was almost unchangeable.


    Life is a marathon, and in the end, who wins isn''t certain!


    With that thought, John took a deep breath, calming himself down.


    He fastened his iron dagger, a starting weapon, to his belt and walked out the door, heading to the fields.


    ...


    Since this was a beginner-level quest, the difficulty wouldn''t be too high.


    Even if he couldn''t y the bloodwolf, driving it away would still grant him the quest reward.


    However, John remembered that ying the bloodwolf had a chance to yield the [Detox Clover] pendant, amon item found in its belly.


    This pendant was one of the few early-game essories that could enhance the yer''s healing speed.


    In the early stages of exploration, an essory with an affix is quite valuable. Even if John couldn''t use it himself, he could sell it in the auction house for a good price.


    With this thought, John quickened his pace, and in less than ten minutes, he reached the area near the fields.


    It was early spring, and thend had finally recovered from the harsh winter. This should have been the nting season, but there wasn''t a soul in sight near the fields.


    "This should be the ce..."


    The beginner guide hadn''t beenpleted yet, so many tools hadn''t been unlocked.


    Even though John had two years of experience, without the proper tools, he could only lie on the ground, observing tracks and determining the direction of the bloodwolf''s movements.


    "Here''s some fresh bloodwolf dung... ugh, still warm and smells awful!"


    John frowned, his left hand touching the iron dagger at his waist, and he gradually steadied his breathing.


    Sure enough, it wasn''t long before he spotted a bloodwolf, about two meters long and nearly ny centimeters tall, from a distance.


    The beast was warily scanning its surroundings while gnawing on a rabbit it had found, the sound of bones cracking in its jaws.


    The Level 1 bloodwolf''s HP hovered around 30 points, which, given John''s current [Attack], would require at least 4-5 attacks.


    But with the [Hermes Dice], everything was different!


    As long as the dagger hit the bloodwolf, the dice would automatically roll.


    If it showed a 6, John''s [Wisdom] would be multiplied sixfold, yielding up to 90 points of magic damage.


    90 points of magic damage would be enough to instantly kill any enemy encountered in the early game!


    As for the attack method, it couldn''t be simpler.


    If getting close wasn''t an option, he didn''t need to get close.


    Before the bloodwolf could spot him, John suddenly threw the iron dagger, striking the bloodwolf precisely in the waist and abdomen.


    The shadow of the dice showing 6 appeared before John''s eyes, and 90 points of magic damage instantly drained the bloodwolf''s HP.


    Before it could whimper, the bloodwolf fell limply to the ground, no longer struggling.


    A clean hit!


    "Easy." John walked forward at a steady pace, pulled out the iron dagger, and cut open the bloodwolf''s belly.


    He didn''t care about the warm, slimy sensation or the pungent stench.


    He carefully searched the bloodwolf''s stomach.


    After practically turning the entire stomach inside out, John finally felt a coin-sized solid object, its surface cool to the touch.


    After wiping off the blood and taking a closer look, it was indeed the [Detox Clover] pendant.


    [Host obtained Detox Clover pendant, quality:mon]


    [Ding! Due to talent determination, it has been upgraded to a Rare Detox Clover pendant!]


    [Rare Detox Clover Pendant: Wearing it allows the yer to continuously regenerate 1% of their maximum HP.]


    "1% of maximum HP, with no condition limitations. Even in battle, if avoid damage for two minutes, One can fully recover his HP. This is a real treasure," John thought to himself.


    [Ding! Congrattions, yer, for obtaining the first rare item in the server. You''ve earned a random Store redemption opportunity. Do you want to use it?]


    [Ding! The yer''s level is too low. The Store has not yet been unlocked, and the redemption opportunity will remain avable until the Store is activated.]


    Something this good?


    John was very surprised, but for now, the most important thing was to deliver the quest.


    With that, the beginner guide quest wasplete.


    Hanging the pendant around his neck, John nced at the bloodwolf''s corpse and, after some hesitation, hoisted it onto his shoulder, ready to return to the vige.


    On the way back, John encountered a few unfamiliar faces.


    It was clear without a second thought that more yers were continuously entering this world.


    After all, their bewildered expressions were practically a sign announcing to others that they were fresh neers.


    In the past, John would have eagerly gone up to greet them, but now, not so much.


    Friendships and bonds weren''t as real as the heavy prey on his shoulder.


    ...


    "Uh... what''s going on?"


    Under the locust tree in the vige, a delicate figure hugged her knees, cautious and still unable to fully recover from the shock of the seven-day disaster. She looked around this unfamiliar world, utterly bewildered.


    In a daze, she heard a strange voice in her head. Almost unconsciously, she nodded, and by chance, she entered this world. Everything around her filled her with fear.


    As thoughts swirled in her mind, amotion seemed to rise nearby. She followed the sound and immediately noticed John pushing through the crowd, carrying the corpse of a monster on his shoulder, drenched in blood.


    The sight was so shocking that she momentarily forgot to breathe. It wasn''t until John approached closer that she anxiously lowered her head, afraid of being noticed.


    "He... he must be a yer too, right? He''s so strong, taking down such a huge monster on his own. Can I be like him?" She hesitated, holding a dagger in both hands.


    ...


    "Vige Chief Haren, are you home?"


    After struggling to squeeze out of the crowded Beginner''s Square, John knocked on the vige chief''s door. After waiting a moment, the wooden door creaked open, the sound making one''s teeth ache.


    "John, my boy! I didn''t expect you to really do it. Thank you on behalf of the vigers. Now, we can finally start nting! Here''s your reward!"


    "This is my duty. I don''t really need a reward, Chief."


    "Take it, son. You earned it. You''re the bravest young man in our vige. A small vige like this is certainly not the end of your journey. I''m looking forward to the day when your name is known throughout Mount Olympus. That day won''t be too far off."


    "Thank you, Chief."


    John nodded slightly, set down the bloodwolf''s corpse, and epted the pouch handed to him by the vige chief, as notifications echoed in his mind.


    "Congrattions! You''ve received amon bloodwolf bracer! Quality has been upgraded to exquisite!"


    "Congrattions! You''ve receivedmon bloodwolf boots! Quality has been upgraded to exquisite!"


    "Congrattions! You''ve received amon bloodwolf vest! Quality has been upgraded to exquisite!"


    "Congrattions! You''ve received 20 experience points! Based on system judgment, you''ve gained 2000 experience points, and your level has increased to 3!"


    Although the three pieces of armor initially had low stats, even upgrading them to the exquisite tier didn''t excite John much.


    After all,pared to the Beginner''s tunic he wore, the bloodwolf set provided only a slight increase in [Attack], [Stamina], and [Agility]. It was better than nothing.


    John was far more interested in the experience points.


    After all, only by reaching level 10 quickly could he unlock the ss change quest and leave Adra Vige for Calia City.


    There, he could be the first to conquer the elite dungeon and im the precious first-clear rewards!


    ...


    Late night, at the fields


    des shed in the darkness, and bloodwolves fell one after another with a dull thud.


    As he killed more bloodwolves, John became increasingly adept at throwing his dagger. Since every attack was a one-shot kill, no one else was rmed.


    [Ding! You''ve gained 200 Exp!]


    [Congrattions, yer 001 has reached Lv5. Do you want to unlock the Leaderboard feature?]


    John opened the Leaderboard. Even though it was only the first night, someone had already reached level 7.


    It seemed that aside from him, there were also some yers with fortuitous encounters.


    And, of course, there were also yers backed by corporations. In the previous life, Rosewood Corporate had spent a fortune hiring an entire guild to help their young master level up. A whole guild surrounded monsters with just a sliver of HP left, allowing the young master to get thest hit. The sight was truly absurd.


    "Don''t unlock it yet," John said.


    umte patiently and remain low-key.


    The bloody lessons from his previous life were still vivid. Arrogance only leads to ruin. John would remember this for the rest of his life.


    [Ding! You''ve gained 800 Exp!]


    [Congrattions, yer 001 has reached level 10 and can start the ss change quest. Would you like to start?]


    "Not yet."


    [Ding! You''ve gained 1,000 Exp!]


    [Congrattions, yer 001 has reached level 13 and can start the ss change quest. Would you like to start?]


    Looking at the leaderboard, where the top yer was at level 7, John coldly replied, "Not yet."

 Chapter 3 -3-Lily

    <h4>Chapter 3: Chapter3-Lily</h4>


    "Grandpa Chief! Are there any tasks you can give me today? Please don''t make it too difficult; I can''t finish the hard ones..."


    "Well... the task of catching bugs in the fields has already been assigned, so the only thing left is hunting woodear in the wild forest. Do you want to take that one, Lily?"


    As Vige Chief Haren finished speaking, a quest prompt appeared before Lily, but she hesitated.


    It had been two days since she arrived in this world, and after using a lit torch to chase away the bloodwolf, she had also taken on several quests. Most of the quests she had epted, however, were not difficult. They involved tasks like catching bugs in the fields or helping the vige farmers with nting, none of which posed any danger. But correspondingly, the rewards were meager.


    In two days, while most yers had already reached around level 5, she was still stuck at a pitiful level 3. But she couldn''t help it. Her talent was S-level [Affinity], which didn''t offer much in the way of offensive capabilities during the early stages of exploration.


    "How about this, Lily? You could try finding some suitablepanions in the vige, and maybe you could go together?"


    "Um... Grandpa Chief, isn''t there a simpler task?"


    "There really isn''t. As for my earlier suggestion, I can rmend a few people you might try to team up with."


    As soon as Vige Chief Haren finished speaking, a leaderboard listing all the yers appeared before her eyes, and at the top was a girl named Helena, who had already reached level 9 and was just one step away from the ss change.


    "Level 9? That''s amazing! How did she level up so quickly? I caught three hundred bugs and only got to level 3..."


    "That''s simple. It''s because Helena''s talent is SS-level [Exp Boost]. It''s only natural that her level is ahead of everyone else."


    The voice came from behind, startling Lily. She gasped and quickly covered her mouth before turning around.


    "I''m sorry, I... wait, I recognize you! You''re the yer I saw on the first day, carrying a bloodwolf''s corpse!"


    "...What a coincidence, I recognize you too."


    Looking at that familiar, porcin doll-like face, memories flooded John''s mind. The recollection of their past battles together washed over him like a tide, engulfing him in an instant��the joy of achieving first-clear aplishments, the sorrow ofrades'' sacrifices, and at the end of his memory, the delicate figure standing resolutely in front of him, now ovepping with the person in front of him.


    John opened his arms and pulled the girl in front of him into a hug. Breathing in that familiar, subtle fragrance, he couldn''t help but feel a little choked up.


    "Lily, it''s been a long time..."


    "Ah!"


    John''s sudden gesture caught Lily off guard. Feeling theforting warmth of his embrace, she was stunned for a moment, but soon a wave of embarrassment surged within her.


    "You! What are you doing?!"


    In a hurry, Lily pushed John away, crossing her arms over her chest as a blush spread across her cheeks, and her star-like eyes quickly clouded with tears.


    "Grandpa Chief, he''s bullying me..."


    That sudden hug was so embarrassing.


    The female Beginner tunic was quite loose and didn''t include any undergarments, so Lily was effectively goingmando. She had been troubled by this for a while and diligently caught bugs every day, hoping to buy a few sets of proper underclothes.


    But...


    She never expected to be taken advantage of like this.


    The thing that troubled Lily most was the stark reality of this experience; she could even feel her own body being squeezed and reshaped by John''s firm physique.


    "I, I didn''t mean that. I was just... a little excited."


    Lily could sense it, and naturally, so could John.


    At first, they were simply immersed in the joy of reuniting, but gradually emerging from that emotion, John couldn''t help but recall the softness he felt during their embrace...


    "So, you two know each other. That makes things easier.


    Here''s the thing, John. This child is struggling with a task, so why don''t you take her along and give her some training? Otherwise, letting this silly girl go out on her own, I, an old man, would feel uneasy."


    "No problem!"


    "No, no!"


    Lily shook her head vigorously like a rattling drum and looked at John warily,ining, "I don''t want to team up with him!"


    "..."


    John had often imagined what it would be like to meet Lily again.


    But he never expected it to unfold like this.


    It seemed that before anything could even begin, it was already about to be smothered in its cradle.


    However, just as John was grappling with how to exin things to Lily, the vige chief, Haren, spoke up at the right time.


    "Lily, John is the bravest young man in our vige. Up to now, he haspleted the most missions, totaling neen. If you train alongside him, you will make great progress too.


    Of course, I hope a lovely child like you could stay in the vige forever and grow up carefree, but do you really want to spend your whole life here catching bugs?


    You two are still young, you should go see the world outside, right?"


    "Um..."


    Hearing this, Lily couldn''t help but hesitate.


    She certainly wasn''t willing to spend her days catching bugs and watering nts, but she had a hard time trusting John.


    "Vige Chief Grandpa, if he bullies me again, can you help me?"


    "You are Grandpa''s favorite child, how could Grandpa stand idly by?"


    "Alright then..."


    Lily lightly bit her lip and, after much hesitation, finally agreed to Chief Haren''s suggestion.


    [yer: John has sent you a team invitation. Do you ept?]


    The dialogue box appeared in front of her eyes, and Lily no longer hesitated. She nodded slightly, which counted as her consent.


    [You have joined yer: John''s team. Current iplete quest: cksmith Ferris''mission, please provide bloodwolf fang X10 (repeatable quest)]


    "Hello, John. I''m Lily. Please take care of me."


    Seeing Lily extend her slender fingers, John gently squeezed them and then released, not wanting to be overly enthusiastic and make her ufortable.


    "When you''re ready, you cane to the cksmith shop to find me. I''ll be waiting for you there."


    "I understand."


    Seeing Lily agree, John exchanged a few simple words with the vige chief before turning and leaving.


    Once he had walked out of the chief''s house, John couldn''t help but shed tears, saying:


    "I finally saw you again, Lily..."


    ...


    "John, how''s the weapon I forged for you the other day? Does it handle well?"


    "The weapon is incredibly sharp and fits my hand perfectly. Ferris, I believe you have the potential to be a master cksmith."


    "Hahaha! I''ll take your word for it. But John, you''re leaving soon, right? I can sense that this small vige can''t hold you back anymore."


    As Ferris spoke, he raised his hammer and struck the red-hot iron billet heavily, sending sparks flying in all directions.


    Listening to the rhythmic hammering, John was silent for a moment before he smiled and said, "That was my original n, but now, I might wait a little longer."


    In a past life, John first met Lily in Calia.


    At that time, he was already an indispensable member of the pioneering team, while Lily was just a fledgling apprentice Mage who had only recently changed ss. By a stroke of luck, they became teammates on the same squad.


    Since they met here, how could John leave Lily behind and go to Calia alone?


    "I''m taking someone with me when I leave the vige."


    "Taking someone with you? That''s not like you, John. Tell me, who has caught your fancy? There are plenty of young women in the vige. Is it Helena? She''s definitely a greatpanion."


    "No, it''s not Helena. Look, she''s here."


    A faint knocking sounded at just the right moment. The door swung open, and Lily poked her head in tentatively, ncing around shyly before softly asking, "Excuse me, is John here?"


    "I''m here. Come in, Lily. Let''s rest for a bit and then we''ll head out."

 Chapter 4 -4-Level up!

    <h4>Chapter 4: Chapter4-Level up!</h4>


    "Lily, this is Ferris, the vige''s finest cksmith."


    "That''s because I''m the only cksmith in the vige, hahaha!"


    Ferris let out a heartyugh, his rough voice a bit overwhelming for Lily.


    "Ferris, it''s about time for us to head out. If Helenaes looking for me, tell her I''m not around and that I''m not interested in her proposal."


    "Got it. I really don''t get you. Helena''s such a fine girl. Why don''t you just give in?"


    Ferris waved them off, watching as John left.


    "Lily, what kind of tasks have you done before? Do you have any experience hunting bloodwolves?"


    Stepping out of the cksmith shop, John handed Lily a beautifully crafted bone dagger.


    "Um... I''ve only done bug-catching and seeding tasks. I''ve never hunted a bloodwolf before..."


    "No worries. Hunting bloodwolves isn''t too difficult. You''re at a limited level now, but it''ll get much easier as you level up. Take this bone dagger. It''s just amon weapon, but its sharpness is +10, much better than a crude iron dagger."


    "No, no, I can''t take it. This must be expensive, right?"


    "Ferris gave it to me for free, so just take it. I have another one."


    John patted the dagger on his waist, gesturing for Lily to ept it.


    Seeing this, Lily couldn''t help but feel tempted.


    After all, the crude starting weapon was really hard to use, not only blunt but also about to break.


    This bone dagger would be a perfect recement.


    "Thank you, John."


    "You''re wee. Do you need to prepare anything else before we leave the vige?"


    "No, I''m ready."


    "Then let''s head out."


    ...


    On the path to the forest, John had walked this route at least thirty times in just two days, and by now, it was as familiar as the back of his hand.


    But before John and Lily reached the bloodwolf territory, they encountered an uninvited guest.


    A head of fiery red hair came into view, so bold, so proud. Who else could it be but Helena?


    "What a coincidence, didn''t expect to see you here, John."


    "Helena, you''re level ten already? Congrattions, you''ll soon be the first yer toplete the ss change request, and you might even get a special reward."


    "John, what have you decided about my proposal?"


    "I''m not interested, thank you for the offer, but I''m used to working alone."


    "Working alone? And what about her?" Helena frowned and gazed at Lily with a hint of hostility.


    "John, you should understand that teaming up with me has countless benefits. We could always be the ones at the very top of the pyramid. Doesn''t that tempt you at all?"


    "In fact... not at all."


    John tugged at the corner of his mouth and smiled. "Even without you, I can still stand at the top of the pyramid. Besides, I don''t like bowing to others. Would you be willing to give up the captain''s spot if you invited me to join?"


    Hearing this, Helena fell silent, saying nothing.


    The power of the captain is too tempting, including but not limited to the right to decide the distribution of dungeon loot, the right to choose dungeons, and more.


    With Helena''s proud personality, how could she willingly take a subordinate position?


    "You see, you''re not willing to give up the captain''s power, so there''s nothing more to discuss. But as fellow yers struggling to survive in this world, I still wish you well.


    Lily, let''s keep moving."


    With that, John moved around Helena and set off with Lily.


    It wasn''t until Helena and the others hadpletely disappeared from sight that Lily poked John''s shoulder and asked, "John, is your rtionship with Helena really bad?"


    "Why would it be? We''re both neers here, and I haven''t even interacted with her."


    "In that case, why did you reject her proposal? I just checked the leaderboard, and she''s number one! If you worked with Helena, you could probably leave the beginner''s vige soon. Maybe you two could be the best yers! By the way, John, what level are you now, and why can''t I see your level?"


    "It''s a bitplicated to exin... but you could say that I don''t really like domineering girls." With that, John smiled and patted Lily on the head.


    At this, Lily blushed deeply and lowered her eyes.


    She didn''t say much more and obediently followed behind John.


    ...


    Not long after, the two finally reached the bloodwolves'' territory.


    After onest check of the quest information, John turned to Lily.


    "Nervous?"


    "A little bit... John, I''ve always had a question. If our characters die in [Apocalypse], can we still return to the real world?"


    "Dead means dead. Whether in the real world or this one, death means the end."


    "H-How could that be? But this ce is so dangerous!"


    Lily''s face went pale, and her voice quivered slightly.


    She had thought that even if she identally died in [Apocalypse], there would at least be a chance to start over.


    But now, it seemed she had been too naive.


    "Isn''t the real world just as dangerous? At least here, we have the chance to grow stronger.


    I understand how you feel. After going through such a big change and then diving right into another game of blood and flesh, it''s hard to ept. But this is our only chance to survive."


    As he spoke, John casually flicked his hand, sending out more than a dozen iron throwing knives that pierced deeply into the bloodwolves'' flesh, repeatedly triggering the [Hermes Dice] attack checks.


    After leveling up, John had 24 points in [Wisdom], which was enough to deal 144 points of magic damage.


    Watching John with such ease, Lily swallowed in surprise.


    "So impressive..."


    The continuous notifications of experience gain echoed in her ears, and in less than thirty minutes, Lily was stunned to find that her level had risen to level 5.


    Judging by the look of it, John still had no intention of stopping!


    "There are only thirty minutes left. We can''t waste time here. Lily, take the bloodwolf fangs to the cksmith. Listen carefully to what I''m about to say. After logging off, you..."


    Before he could finish, John''s voice abruptly stopped.


    To be precise, he disappearedpletely from Lily''s sight.


    "John, John! Where are you? How did you disappear?"


    "...Damn, is it forced logout time already?"


    Earth, Riverside suburbs.


    John rubbed his brow, feeling the hunger and exhaustion in his body, and couldn''t help but sigh.


    In the early stages of the game, since characters'' stats hadn''t been significantly boosted yet, small improvements couldn''t make much of a difference in the real world.


    So, to protect yers, there would be a forced logout every seventy-two hours to replenish the body with essential nutrients, with an interval ranging from thirty minutes to an hour.


    John initially forgot to keep track of time and thought he had about half an hour left.


    But on second thought, as yer 001, he had logged in earlier than everyone else, so he epted it.


    A wave of hunger washed over him, and John had to struggle to crawl out of his makeshift tent.


    He opened two cans, and without caring about the congealed white fat, he gulped them down.


    "I wonder how Lily is doing. Will she manage to collect all the bloodwolf fangs and bring them back to the cksmith shop? There are at least forty bloodwolf fangs there, which canplete four missions��800 experience points. It would be a waste not to use them."


    After scraping thest bit of oil from the can and popping it into his mouth, John rubbed his stomach with satisfaction.


    In this food-scarce state, even a little bit of fat provided him with the energy to survive; he couldn''t afford to be picky.


    Perhaps it was because he had put all his points into [Wisdom], but John felt his mind was much sharper now, and many originally vague memories were bing clearer.


    "I think I overheard Lily mention once that she followed her parents to live in nearby city from a young age..."


    After pondering for a moment, John stood up and fished out a map from among his belongings, carefully examining it.


    He finally identified nearby city''s location on the map.


    Estimating the distance on the map, the two cities were about a thousand kilometers apart as the crow flies.


    But in this world of ruins and remnants, monsters and mayhem, this distance was at least three times greater.


    "Sure enough, with my current strength, it''s still quite difficult to survive under the sun again in the real world..."

 Chapter 5 -5-Server Announcement

    <h4>Chapter 5: Chapter5-Server Announcement</h4>


    "Wha-what... what do I do now!"


    Lily held the bloodwolf fangs in her hands, pacing anxiously in ce.


    "Where''s John? Where''s Johnny? How could he just disappear!"


    Lily bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears.


    She stumbled back to Chief Haren''s house, crying all the way.


    The moment she knocked on the door, she disappeared as well.


    It wasn''t until she got the in-game notification that Lily realized John had been forcibly logged out.


    All she had to do was wait, and they''d meet again in the game.


    However, in this forced downtime, Lily didn''t know what to do.


    Eat to fill her stomach? But she had no food left to eat.


    Thest bit of food she had was half a chocte bar in her pocket.


    "Um... maybe I can hold out a little longer."


    Lily hesitated.


    Should she continue hiding here and survive on the chocte, or muster the courage to step out of the ruins and find herself some food?


    Undoubtedly, thetter.


    Lily rubbed her slightly aching stomach.


    After hesitating for a while, she finally poked her head out of the makeshift shelter.


    Confirming that there was no danger around, she quietly crawled out from the ruins.


    "Johnny said that these monsters have sensitive hearing, so if I don''t make any noise, I won''t be found..."


    Lily clenched her fists, repeatedly cheering herself on in her mind.


    However, despite having lived in this city for nearly ten years, it now felt incredibly unfamiliar to her.


    The skyscrapers had vanished, and ruins filled every corner of her sight. Lily could only move forward by relying on her memory.


    The city was eerily quiet.


    Perhaps some of John''s luck had rubbed off on her, for along the way she encountered no danger.


    Instead, she found a lot of still-edible food in the ruins of a supermarket.


    This time, she returned loaded with supplies.


    ...


    The rest period finally ended, and John was the first to re-enter [Apocalypse].


    Reappearing in the forest, he sighed with relief after confirming that no bloodwolf fangs were scattered nearby.


    It seemed that Lily had obediently taken the bloodwolf fangs back to the vige.


    However...


    John nced at the leaderboard. Four other yers had reached level 10 and could activate their ss change request at any time.


    Interestingly, these yers were familiar faces to John.


    Ranked third was Lawrence Andrew, a tall white man who believed in chivalry, with an S-level talent, [Unbreakable Light Shield].


    Ranked fourth was Exiled Immortal, a 16-year-old from Dragonia, if John remembered correctly, with an SS-level talent, [Windwhisper].


    Then there were Yuta Motoshi, ranked fifth, and Qing, ranked sixth.


    All four of these individuals, without exception, had joined Helena''s team. Only a straightforward talent like [Exp Boost] could have enabled their entire team to level up so quickly.


    In fact, John was just a hair''s breadth away from level 15, but he had no intention of leaving Adra Vige anytime soon, mainly for Lily''s sake.


    John had no ns to leave until she reached level 10.


    Moreover, only the first yer toplete the ss change request across the entire server would receive a special reward, and John wasn''t keen on stealing Helena''s thunder, so he preferred to take his time.


    On the other hand, John still had some ideas about his ss choice.


    As his thoughts surged, a pack of bloodwolves had gradually surrounded him, growling menacingly, hoping to scare off this intruder.


    Half an hourter, however, they had all turned into John''s experience points.


    "Congrattions, you''ve gained 214 experience points and reached level 15. The special ss change request is now avable. Would you like to take on the quest now?"


    "...Not yet."


    John shook his head and decided to postpone the ss change request for now.


    "I wonder if Lily is online yet..."


    John kept refreshing the party panel, and finally, on the twelfth refresh, Lily rejoined the party.


    "Finally back. I need to turn in the quest quickly! I wonder how Johnny''s doing, but since Johnny is so great, he should be fine, right?"


    Lily thought as she gently pushed open the door to Chief Haren''s house, only to bump right into John''s chest.


    "Ouch, ouch... wait, Johnny? What are you doing here?"


    Lily rubbed her now red nose, a hint of joy shing in her eyes.


    "I logged in early, so I came to find you first. Do you still have all the bloodwolf fangs with you?"


    "I have them all, 46 in total!"


    "Great. I have around 60 more here. Together, we can submit cksmith Ferris'' quest ten times, which will give us 2000 experience points. That should be enough to get you up to level 8."


    "Isn''t that wrong, though? You were the one who killed the bloodwolves, so is it really okay for me to turn in the quests?"


    "Just go ahead and turn them in, don''t worry about me."


    John waved his hand dismissively, but before he could say anything else, a server-wide announcement suddenly rang in their ears.


    [Congrattions to yer: Helena for being the first toplete the ss change request. A special reward has been issued!]


    The announcement repeated three times, and the deafening sound made Lily frown slightly.


    She stared nkly for a while before shaking her head, her eyes full of envy.


    "That''s incredible... To havepleted the ss change request so quickly. Ah, no, I don''t mean it like that. Johnny is great too! I think Johnny is no worse than Helena!"


    "There''s noparison. Besides, Helena is really impressive. You''ll probably hear a lot about her in the future.


    Alright, enough chit-chat. Let''s head to the cksmith shop. Oh, and here''s a pendant for you, a little gift."


    As he spoke, a dialog box popped up in front of Lily''s eyes.


    [yer: John has gifted you a **tier Detox Clover Pendant. Do you ept?]


    "Go ahead and take it. It''s not anything particrly valuable, but it''s a nice essory."


    Lily took the pendant, suddenly gasping, "John, this is rar-"


    John quickly covered her mouth and said, "Yes, this is probably the only rare-tier item avable right now. Keep it safe and don''t let anyone else know."


    Tears of gratitude welled up in Lily''s eyes, and she nodded, "Mm-hmm, I''ll do as Johnny says."


    "No problem. By the way, Lily, have you thought about which ss you''ll choose? It''s almost time for you to decide your ss path. Any preferences?"


    "Um... I haven''t thought about it."


    Lily tilted her head toward John, blinking her eyes before continuing, "Johnny, what ss do you think I should choose?"


    "If it were up to me, I''d definitely rmend you switch to either Priest or Mage. After all, your talent is the S-level [Affinity], and your affinity for the elements is far superior to others. Choosing one of these two sses would make your growth much more effective."


    "You''re right. I almost forgot. But wait, Johnny, how do you know my talent? Did I tell you?"


    Hearing this, John immediately blushed.


    Maybe Lily calling him "Johnny" so sweetly made John forget himself, and he identally let it slip.


    "Uh, well... don''t you remember? You told me before."


    "Did I? Maybe I forgot. I''ll go with what Johnny said. I''ll be a Priest. Priests can learn healing magic, right? That''s what they always say in anime and novels."


    "That''s right. You have great talent. Maybe one day you''ll be the number one Priest in Mount Olympus."


    ...


    Meanwhile, outside the Monster Cave!


    Helena smiled as she looked at the people in front of her, all different in height.


    "I dere the Pioneer Squad officially formed!"


    John''s rebirth clearly hadn''t affected the normal course of history.


    The Pioneer Squad was formed once again, and the five top yers who hadpleted their ss choices gathered, bing one of the most formidable exploration teams of their time and beyond.


    "Helena, are we setting off now? I can''t wait to head to the new map!" Qing said, carrying the battle axe he had chosen after changing sses, his eyes brimming with fighting spirit.


    "A new map will have new monsters, right? Bloodwolves and woodears, I''m sick of them."


    "Don''t be in such a hurry, little brother Exiled Immortal. Before that, I want to visit an old friend."


    Helena curved her lips in a captivating smile.

 Chapter 6 -6-Conflict

    <h4>Chapter 6: Chapter6-Conflict</h4>


    "Is it still that same John? Helena, I really don''t understand what makes that guy worth your repeated attempts to recruit him. Is he really that strong?"


    Yuta furrowed his brows, jealousy evident beneath his mask.


    As the fourth-ranked yer on the leaderboard, Yuta believed hisbat strength was certainly no less than Lawrence''s or Exiled Immortal''s.


    He couldn''t understand why Helena was so concerned about an unknown minor character.


    "Well... I''m not sure either, but don''t you think he has a certain irresistible charm?"


    "He carries the aura of a strong person."


    Lawrence chimed in at the right time, "If we could recruit him, it would be a huge boost for our Pioneer Squad."


    "Bingo! Lawrence and I think alike. We have plenty of time, so I still want to visit him again."


    "What if he rejects you this time as well?"


    "Then I''ll take him out!"


    Yuta half-closed his eyes, a ruthless gleam shing in them.


    "That won''t do! John has Dragonia blood in him, and if you try to harm him, I''ll cripple you right now!"


    Qing nced at Yuta and mmed his battle axe heavily into the ground, causing it to crack open.


    Exiled Immortal also nodded slightly and agreed, "Although in this apocalypse, all nations have already fallen, I still can''t stand people from your country."


    "You! Don''t forget, we''re allies now!"


    Seeing Exiled Immortal and Qing''s determined attitudes, Yuta snorted coldly but didn''t say much more.


    "Alright, enough arguing. Let''s go see him. If he refuses me again this time, then he''s too oblivious to good intentions."


    ...


    "Thank you! With these bloodwolf fangs, I''m one step closer to my dream of bing a master cksmith! Here is your reward; please ept it."


    "Thank you, Uncle Ferris!"


    With 2000 experience earned, Lily''s level skyrocketed to level 8. Looking at the surplus points, she was so happy that she hummed a little tune.


    "Brother John, which direction should I focus on? [Wisdom] or [Magic Affinity]?"


    "The former. Your [Magic Affinity] is already higher than others'', and with your talent, it will increase each time you level up. You won''t need to allocate extra points to it for a while.


    Of course, you should also put some points into Stamina. Until you learn magic, Stamina is very important."


    "Makes sense... Johnny, you''re so impressive. It feels like you understand everything."


    "That''s because I''ve yed a lot of games before, and the underlying logic is simr."


    John touched his nose, brushing off the question with a casual excuse. From the corner of his eye, he noticed several figures entering the cksmith shop one by one, blocking the doorway.


    The one with fiery red hair at the forefront was none other than Helena.


    "Helena, congrattions. The special reward must have been quite fancy, right?"


    "An exquisite piece of gear. If you like it, it''s yours."


    "No need. A gentleman doesn''t take what others favor. So, are you here to see Ferris?"


    "No, no, no. I came to see you."


    Helena walked forward slowly until she was staring directly into John''s eyes, a smile on her face.


    "Join me, John. I''m willing to appoint you as vice-captain. If I''m not around, you will have all the rights of the captain. How about it? This time, I came with sincerity."


    "I''ve answered this question many times, Helena. I don''t n to join for now."


    "Damn it, who do you think you are? Our captain has invited you repeatedly, but you won''t even give her an ounce of respect. You really think you''re something, don''t you?"


    Fuming with rage, Yuta shoved John and unsheathed his straight sword, which gleamed as it pointed at John''s shoulder.


    John remained unfazed by the sword''s cold glint, a faint smile always lingering on his lips.


    "Helena, is this what you want?"


    "Yuta, put the sword away."


    "But Captain!"


    "Put it away! I don''t want to repeat myself a third time."


    Helena''s voice was icy, her fiery red hair practically aze, exuding an overwhelming aura.


    "You''re lucky, kid. You''d better pray I don''t run into you out there, or I''ll show you what hell is!"


    With that, Yuta pushed John hard, sheathed his sword, and stepped back behind Helena.


    "I''m sorry, John. I don''t mean any harm."


    "I believe you don''t mean any harm. It''s just that jealousy can twist some people''s hearts. In any case, congrattions. See you in Calia."


    "So, I''m being rejected again? Alright, you really are a mysterious man. I don''t think I''ll give up on inviting you. I look forward to our next meeting."


    Helena said this as she took a pendant from around her neck, stood on tiptoe, and tied it around John''s neck. "I will conquer you," she said softly.


    Inhaling her rose-like scent and meeting her captivating gaze, John couldn''t help but feel a bit swayed.


    "I look forward to that day."


    "See you in Calia."


    Helena blew him a kiss, then turned away, leaving John with only a stylish silhouette.


    Seeing this, Yuta grew even angrier, but Helena''s warning still echoed in his ears, so he could only snort coldly and leave in frustration.


    In contrast, the other members of the Pioneer Squad were much friendlier.


    Not to mention that Lawrence was naturally kind-hearted. And since Exiled Immortal and Qing were also from Dragonia, they had no intention of giving John a hard time; they just greeted him briefly and left together.


    Only after they hadpletely disappeared from view did Lily finally breathe a sigh of relief.


    "They had such a strong aura... I didn''t even dare take a deep breath."


    "Is it really that exaggerated? I actually think girls like you are more likable."


    "W-What are you saying? I''m not even an adult yet..."


    "I know, you''ve got one more month."


    "How do you know?"


    John then gave a mysterious smile and lowered his voice, "Because I''m a prophet."


    "A prophet? Is that your talent, Brother John? Why don''t you say something? Why aren''t you responding?"


    ...


    "Congrattions, you have gained 30 experience points. You have reached level 10 and unlocked the ss change request. Would you like to ept the ss change request now?"


    "Finally, level 10!"


    "Don''t get too excited just yet. There''s still the ss change request. Are you ready?"


    "I''m ready!"


    Lily nodded eagerly, clearly having looked forward to this day for a long time.


    "Let''s go see the vige chief."


    Lily''s ss path was already set: she was determined to be a Priest. If sheter acquired a ss change stone, she could follow the path of a Light Priest.


    As for his own path, John was indeed uncertain.


    If he wanted to push his limits, then undoubtedly the ss paths based on the Mage would have the highest potential. Whether he became an Elemental Mage or a Battle Mageter, both would be considerably powerful.


    If he followed his previous life''s path and became a Rogue, eventually bing a Shadow Assassin, it would also be a good choice. At least that way, John would be well aware of all the crucial items he needed.


    But that would waste John''s talent too much.


    For this reason, John had yet to im the reward for sessfully choosing his first ss, instead continuing to grind levels. This was all for one hidden ss: Alchemist!


    In the previous life, this special ss was discovered by [Watchers] who stayed long-term in Adra Vige, not wanting to fight and kill every day.


    Bing an Alchemist had extremely strict requirements. yers had to reach level 15 without taking a ss change quest to trigger it.


    And Alchemists advanced differently from other sses, needing to constantly consume magical materials to brew potions and craft magical items.


    In the early stages of [Apocalypse], magical materials were expensive, gold coins were hard toe by, and the initial sess rate of alchemy was low.


    This made it incredibly resource-intensive to train an Alchemist to maturity!


    This was why very few people chose to be Alchemists in the previous life.


    However, while the Alchemist might have limitedbat power early on, once they obtained a ss change stone, they could follow the paths of a Marite Alchemist or a Contract Alchemist.


    The potential was high, and the talent-supported floor made their future prospects immeasurable.


    A clue from a hidden quest in a past life revealed that the Alchemist is a ss that even grasps the underlying logic of the world.


    The most powerful Alchemist can deconstruct magic, analyze the world, and ascend to the pinnacle of existence!


    This is the ss!


    The key point was that in his previous life, John had obtained a [Divine]-level special item rted to the Contract Alchemist, which waster auctioned for an astronomical price, paving the way for a Contract Alchemist''s rise.


    Moreover, the pain point of the Alchemist ss was its low alchemy sess rate, which John''s SSS talent, [Kiss of LUCK], perfectly solved!


    Thinking about this, John allowed himself a barely noticeable smile.


    "The Rogue''s potential is still too limited, and retracing my old path would be meaningless. So... Chief, I''d like to take on the Alchemist ss change request," John said.


    "A wise choice, child. I believe that one day, Mount Olympus will sing your name. Go, take this parchment. It will guide you!"


    As soon as he took the parchment, a notification rang in John''s ears:


    [ss change request is now open. Please collect chant essence X1 and Tear of Cave X10 in the Monster Cave.


    Quest reward: Basic Alchemy Manuscript, Beginner''s Alchemy Tools mon)]

 Chapter 7 -7-Class Change Request, A Pleasant Surprise!

    <h4>Chapter 7: Chapter7-ss Change Request, A Pleasant Surprise!</h4>


    "Um... Johnny, I don''t quite understand. Is this ''chant essence'' a special item?"


    "It is rtively rare right now, but it''ll be in high demandter. Every time you cast a spell, you''ll consume chant essence. Don''t worry, Monster Cave has plenty."


    "That''s good. So, when are we setting out, Johnny?"


    "No rush. The mission has a twelve-hour window, plenty of time. A wandering merchant will arrive shortly. We can pick up some useful things."


    "Great! I hope they have some nice clothes..." Lily mumbled to herself, slipping the parchment scroll into her bag before obediently following John.


    Not long after, at the entrance to Adra Vige, an unfamiliar figure appeared as expected, pushing a small cart and hawking an array of items.


    Most of the items weren''t exactly valuable; just a few trips to Calia and participation in some dungeons would yield the same trinkets. But that''s just John''s experience talking��others were still quite eager about it.


    "Lily, let''s go take a look."


    "Sure!"


    As a girl, Lily had a natural fondness for shopping. Even though there weren''t many items for sale, her curiosity was piqued.


    "Boss, do you have any mystery boxes?"


    John stepped forward with big strides, pushing his way through the crowd, and said in a low voice, "I''m very interested in mystery boxes."


    "Of course, my friend. How many mystery boxes would you like?"


    "Let''s talk price first. How much do you want for them?"


    "Well... one hundred silver coins each. Fair price, no tricks! There are some good things in these mystery boxes!"


    "Every wandering merchant says that."


    John rolled his eyes but still took out two hundred silver coins and ced them on the stall.


    "Bring out the mystery boxes. I''ll pick two."


    "Certainly! Here they are. Feel free to choose!"


    Looking at the differently sized boxes, John felt a bit overwhelmed.


    Indeed, with his high LUCK, John could more easily find treasures in mystery boxes than others, but it didn''t work every time.


    Two hundred silver coins was all that John had to his name at this point!


    "If I remember correctly, the first batch of mystery boxes from the wandering merchants could yield the game''s earliest exquisite-tier item..."


    During the early stages of the game, an exquisite-tier item could cause quite the stir among yers!


    "...I''ll take these two."


    John picked up a box in each hand and held them in his palms. After the wandering merchant counted the silver coins, he turned and squeezed through the crowd.


    Lily didn''t spend any money, though. She was always a little miser, more excited about saving money than spending it.


    "Johnny, did you finish shopping so quickly? What did you buy?"


    "I don''t know yet."


    John shook his head, took Lily to a corner, and smashed one of the mystery boxes with force.


    Unsurprisingly, it was just an iron dagger worth less than five silver coins, trash among trash, and John had bought it at twenty times the price.


    "One more chance..."


    Despite having opened countless mystery boxes in his previous life, John had never been as nervous as he was at this moment.


    With a crisp sound, the mystery box was smashed open again by John, and a finely crafted ringy quietly among the box''s fragments.


    "Got it!"


    John''s eyes lit up. After picking up the ring and examining it, he grew more delighted.


    "The exquisite-tier [Essence Ring] can store chant essence. This solves the shortage of chant essence in the early stages. Lily, you keep it," John said, tossing it to Lily.


    "A ring? You''re... giving it to me?"


    Lily was stunned for a moment. Her face blushed slightly, and she gently bit her lip, looking rather troubled.


    "Johnny, I... I''m still young. Isn''t it a bit early?"


    "Too early for what? This item will be very useful to you. Besides, you misunderstood, Lily. This will help you a lot. I didn''t mean anything else."


    Well, giving a ring out of the blue might indeed seem odd for a girl who hasn''t fully matured yet, and John hadn''t thought much about it.


    "Just take it. We''re heading to the Monster Cave now."


    "Understood."


    ...


    John had studied it carefully; the objectives of the ss change request were well designed.


    For instance, John intended to be an Alchemist, so his objective was alchemical materials, while Lily needed chant essence, which is crucial for all Priests and Mages.


    Even if one bes an elemental mage in the future, without chant essence, they''d be no better than a regr person.


    Perhaps this was how the game bnced the strength between different sses.


    The thief, with extremely high [Agility], has fewer offensive means and needs to change ss a second time to address this limitation.


    The warrior is bnced, but the ceiling is too lowter on, making it a ss whose limits are easily visible.


    The knight excels in abundant [Stamina], bing an imprable wall with the help of heavy armor. However, speed is significantly restricted as a result.


    There''s also the archer, the alchemist, and others. All sses have their pros and cons, and no ss is absolutely perfect.


    Amidst these swirling thoughts, John and Lily arrived at the Monster Cave, a ce one must pass through to leave Adra Vige. From the outside, it looked like an unremarkable cave.


    But John knew well that this seemingly unimpressive cave hid secrets that would excite the entire server well into the mid-game.


    "Nervous?"


    "A little bit..."


    Lily nodded, gripping her bone dagger tightly, and mustered up the courage to say, "But we''ll definitely seed, right?"


    "We will."


    Lighting the torches they had prepared in advance, John entered the cave, and the dim orange-yellow light illuminated the stone walls around them. The ground was smooth from the constant passage of yers.


    "Be careful, watch your step."


    "Got it."


    Maybe it was the cramped environment that made Lily inexplicably nervous, holding her dagger with one hand and gently tugging John''s sleeve with the other as they ventured further into the Monster Cave.


    "Ah! Something just jumped past!"


    Catching a glimpse of a shadow shing by, Lily screamed and tightly closed her eyes, hugging John from behind. John quickly became alert and looked in the direction Lily was pointing.


    "It''s just a swamp toad, mildly poisonous. If you get paralyzed, it could be troublesome. Let''s not provoke it, let''s move on," John said as he caught a glimpse of a pool shimmering with a faint glow, his eyes lighting up.


    "There it is, the Tear of Cave! The chant essence should be nearby, let''s gather it first."


    "Johnny, Johnny, is that a figure up ahead? Could it be another yer?"


    "Up ahead?"


    John was puzzled by the question and turned to look, furrowing his brows. Running into other yers in a dungeon wasn''t a good sign, especially those "red-named yers" who preyed on others for fun.


    But the shadow cast on the stone wall looked unusually thin, and yers, after leveling up, couldn''t be that skinny.


    "It''s not another yer. It''s probably a cave goblin."


    "A goblin? You mean like the ones from anime, those goblins?"


    "I think I understand what you mean. Yes, those goblins."


    Upon hearing this, Lily''s face turned pale, and she nervously crossed her arms over her chest.


    John couldn''t help but find her reaction strange.


    "What kind of response is that?"


    "Johnny, will they... drag me away?"


    John pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh.


    "What have you been watching? Don''t worry, what you''re imagining won''t happen. They''d more likely kill you and feast on your flesh."


    "That''s a relief. I thought, I thought..."


    Lily blushed, trailing off shyly, looking rather cute.


    "Watch less of that kind of anime," John said, patting Lily''s head.

 Chapter 8 -8-Brighter than the SUN!

    <h4>Chapter 8: Chapter8-Brighter than the SUN!</h4>


    Lily stuck out her tongue, realizing she was a bit confused about the situation.


    "Goblins are typically around level 7, and like in anime, they''re social monsters. If you kill one, you might provoke a whole bunch. Let''s take a detour."


    John said this as he tread lightly, intending to find a way around using another path.


    Suddenly, John''s footnded on a small animal bone, and the crisp crack of the bone echoed through the cave.


    John felt a chill in his heart.


    "Yiya Woka!"


    "Yiya wuwuwuw!"


    Instantly, the cave filled with shrill cries. A horde of goblins, with dark green skin, barely standing at 1.3 meters, sharp ears and teeth, and bizarre features, swarmed toward them!


    At this point, John steeled his nerves, reversed his grip on the bone dagger, and guarded himself, striking down hard on the leaping goblins. The sharp bone pierced through their tough skin in an instant, blood sttering everywhere!


    "Lily, don''t freeze up! There are too many goblins. Protect yourself!" John shouted, turning towards Lily.


    "I..."


    Lily hid behind John, her mind filled with strange thoughts. Her hands and feet were stiff, frozen in ce, unable to move.


    After all, she was still a young girl, supposed to be linking arms with her girlfriends, talking about which boy in their ss was the cutest.


    But the world had cruelly thrown her into this deadly game, and the fact she had made it this far wasmendable. Growth takes time.


    "There are too many of them!"


    Even with the LUCK of Kiss and [Hermes Dice] bonuses, John could only kill the goblins one by one.


    Against such overwhelming numbers, no amount of single-target damage could be enough!


    As the goblins swarmed closer, tightening the encirclement, their foul breath and heavy breathing filled the air around them.


    John turned his head and shouted, "Lily, listen carefully! I''m going to hold them off for five seconds. Use the shstone to stun them and get out of here, find the vige!"


    "Remember, don''t look back!"


    Lily wanted to say something but froze on the spot. She couldn''t even speak at that moment.


    "I''m so useless, I''m so useless," Lily muttered, trembling, as tears streamed down her cheeks.


    Suddenly, she felt a gentle hand on her forehead, and the softest voice she''d ever heard said, "It''s okay, my child. Now, raise your hand."


    Without thinking, Lily raised the hand holding the shstone.


    "Splendidus!"


    The ancient chant left Lily''s lips, and the shstone burst into dazzling light, illuminating the dark dungeon as if it were daylight.


    This light, is even brighter than the SUN!


    John couldn''t help but cover his eyes and fell to the ground.


    When he opened his eyes, hundreds of goblinsy on the ground like dolls, without a single wound on their bodies. A bewildered Lily stood next to John, shivering.


    "They''re... gone?"


    John took a deep breath and looked at Lily in shock.


    "You just..." But seeing the nk look in Lily''s eyes, John felt he wouldn''t get any answers and calmed his tone. "Now, let''s gather the spoils."


    "Spoils?"


    John pointed to the pile of goblin bodies.


    "Ah! When did that happen??"


    Lily looked where John was pointing, and the sight of the lifeless, twisted goblin bodies piled together made her feel sick to her core.


    "Cave goblins are quite good at collecting treasures. They gather shiny things to use as ornaments, showcasing their strength and status to attract female goblins," John exined as he moved forward, searching one of the bodies. After a moment, he found a stone that emitted a faint blue glow.


    "Cobalt blue gemstone��pretty valuable. It can be used for enchantingter on. Come on, give it a try. You''ll have to face this kind of thing often in the future; you can''t avoid it forever, right?"


    John beckoned Lily over, and seeing her still hesitate, he stepped forward, gently held her shoulders, and guided her to the goblin''s corpse.


    "I... I just can''t handle this..."


    Lily bit her lip and shook her head like a drum, still unable to ept these green-skinned humanoid monsters.


    Seeing this, John couldn''t force it and continued collecting the spoils himself.


    "What''s this?"


    John found an earring that looked finely crafted on one of the bodies. But the item didn''t have a qualitybel; instead, it had a short description:


    [A precious and exquisite earring, its value must be significant. But why is it here, and who lost it?]


    Judging by John''s experience, this was definitely a quest item. Oddly enough, though, John hadn''t heard any information about it.


    "Well, I''ll just keep it for now."


    The rest of the ss change request proceeded rtively smoothly. John and Lily collected the necessary materials, and John pped his hands together. "Alright, time to head back to the vige chief."


    ...


    However, half an hourter...


    John got lost.


    The truth is, John wasn''t very familiar with Monster Cave. In his previous life, he had only been here for the ss change request. The Monster Cave''s winding paths made it easy to lose direction.


    "Let me think... it should be this way, right?"


    "But we just came from this path."


    "We did? Then this must be the right path."


    "Johnny, we''ve already walked this path before, which is why we''re back here again."


    Lily didn''t have the heart to call John out directly.


    She sighed softly and tugged on John''s sleeve before continuing, "I think we should head this way."


    "...Alright."


    "Johnny, are you actually bad with directions?"


    John''s face flushed with embarrassment.


    He stammered, "It''s not entirely my fault. Every path here looks the same. I just have a poor sense of direction."


    John stubbornly defended himself for a moment but eventually sighed under Lily''s gaze. "Alright, I''m bad with directions."


    "I thought it was strange. Every time you took me into the forest for quests, you never took the same route. So this is why..."


    "Well, some people are just naturally bad with directions. It''s not their fault."


    "That''s alright. I think it makes you more approachable, Johnny, especially since you''re usually so tough."


    "Lily..."


    Looking at the girl''s sweet smile, John couldn''t help but feel a warmth in his heart.


    "In any case, we''ll rely on you to get us out of here."


    "No problem. Oops! What did I trip on..."


    Lily stumbled and looked down, only to find a bone protruding from the ground.


    The scene, right out of a horror movie, left Lily''s mind nk, and she could only scream.


    "Ah! There''s a hand!"


    "It must have been buried here for some time. Don''t worry, it''s long dead."


    John quickly moved forward, shielding Lily behind him, crouching down to examine the skeletal arm.


    A yer''s body doesn''t leave behind a corpse upon death��something John had personally verified many times.


    Without using special items, yers vanish the moment they die, while their real-world bodies enter a state of brain death.


    This arm undoubtedly belonged to a creature native to this world.


    But the vigers of Adra Vige were diligent NPCs, who only acted within set areas and rarely left their zones, let alone risked their lives entering dangerous ces like the Monster Cave.


    "Hmm... Could this be another quest item?"


    John furrowed his brow as he dug through thepacted soil. Within half an hour, he uncovered an intact skeleton encased in silver-white metal armor.


    Seeing the emblem engraved on the chest te, John recognized it immediately��it was the emblem of the Calia lord''s guard, possibly even their elite troops!


    After all, this armor alone was exquisite-tier, and regr guards wouldn''t be able to afford the high cost of maintaining it.


    "Maybe, like the earring earlier, this is also a quest item?"


    After pondering for a while, John decided to take the armor. It might have some useter.


    Breaking the bones into pieces, John packed the armor into his bag, and the item''s description confirmed his hunch.


    [The standard armor of Calia''s elite guard. Finely crafted, with remarkable defense. Its only drawback is the considerable speed restriction it imposes. However, this isn''t an issue for defensivebat, is it?]


    "It''s definitely rted to Calia. It seems we''ll have to wait until we reach the city to find out what these two items are for."


    "Johnny, what are you muttering to yourself?"


    "Nothing much. Lily, isn''t the exit up ahead?"


    "It should be in this direction."


    "Then let''s get out quickly. Many people have already gone to Calia to make their mark, and we can''t fall too far behind."


    Hearing this, Lily nodded eagerly, a glimmer of hope in her eyes.


    "Calia... what kind of ce will it be?"

 Chapter 9 -9-Setting Out for Calia!

    <h4>Chapter 9: Chapter9-Setting Out for Calia!</h4>


    "Child, I knew I was right about you. I am so grateful that a ce as peaceful as Adra Vige could produce a brave soul like you who does not shy away from hardship. You have proven that you possess the strength and courage to venture beyond this ce. It is time for you to see the world outside. But remember, no matter what happens out there, there will always be a ce for you here in Adra Vige."


    "Grandfather, the chief..."


    Listening to the vige chief''s stirring encouragement, ayer of moisture zed Lily''s eyes, her voice slightly choked up.


    For Lily, Chief Haren held a special significance unlike any other.


    It was his gentle encouragement, his warm smiles, time and again, that had sustained her up to this point.


    The thought of leaving made her feel a pang of reluctance.


    John, on the other hand, was much more nonchnt about it all.


    Having faced life and death countless times, what was a trip to Calia?


    Besides, once there, they could easily purchase magical teleportation scrolls to return at any time.


    Why make such a fuss?


    Of course, John refrained from voicing such mood-breaking thoughts and simply patted Lily gently on the shoulder,forting her softly, "We''lle back often."


    "So, we''re off then, Grandfather Chief. Take good care of yourself."


    "Don''t worry. As long as your names are not yet celebrated throughout all of Mount Olympus, nothing will happen to me. Go now, my child, and embrace your future!"


    Meanwhile, in Calia City.


    Helena flicked her fiery red hair, which shimmered like the sun, and found herself instinctively gazing towards the gates of Calia, hoping to catch a glimpse of that familiar figure.


    "Should be about time, right?" she mused.


    "Helena, are you still waiting for that John? Are you really that interested in him?"


    "Of course, I am! I''ve invited him no fewer than seven times��seven times! And he''s declined every single one. Naturally, I''m intrigued."


    Helena spoke while watching Exiled Immortal, who was engrossed in decoding, "He must have some secret story!"


    "In the idioms of our Dragonia, this is called ying hard to get. Maybe he''s refusing you just to pique your interest."


    "Well, he''s seeded��he''s certainly caught my attention!"


    "...Who would have thought that the renowned captain of Calia''s Pioneer Squad would be a maiden lost in thoughts of spring every day."


    Exiled Immortal sighed lightly, setting a newly unlocked puzzle box on the desk.


    After much effort, the box that was supposed to contain treasures yielded only amon-tier gear.


    Disgusted, Exiled Immortal tossed the worthless trinkets aside.


    "Helena, don''t you think our squad''s expansion is a bit too rapid? We started with just five people, and now we''re over twenty. And, I feel like Yuta is deliberately targeting us."


    "Targeting? What kind of targeting?"


    "Haven''t you noticed? All the yers who joined our squadtely have been exclusively female."


    At this, Helena furrowed her brows in thought, then realized, "No wonder, something did seem off."


    "Right? I suspect Yuta is up to something behind our backs. I advise you to check into it. If ites to it, I''ll take him down myself, to protect the honor of the Pioneer Squad."


    "Let me observe a little longer. If he truly crosses the line, I''ll handle it personally. By the way, about that hard-level dungeon, how''s your exploration going? Any leads?"


    "The process is stuck; it seems we''re missing some necessary precursor events or a special item. I haven''t found a way to continue yet."


    Exiled Immortal shrugged and calmly added, "Otherwise, with my skills, why would it have taken this long?"


    "That makes sense."


    Helena nodded slightly, her confidence in Exiled Immortal''s abilities unwavering.


    Even among the original five members of the Pioneer Squad, Exiled Immortal was the strongest, second only to her.


    As one of the only two SS-levelbat talents in the group, Exiled Immortal''s [Windwhisper] talent showcased its early advantages splendidly.


    As an archer who could manipte the wind, Exiled Immortal could, when exerting full power, even stir up a small hurricane.


    In dungeon exploration, this ability put him well ahead of Qing.


    Of course, the trade-off for such early power was a weakening in the mid tote phases.


    In contrast, Qing, who possessed the SS-talent [Roar of Ares], had a muchrger growth potential.


    "Let''s take it slow. Although we call ourselves pioneers, facing this entirely unfamiliar world, we need to pace ourselves."


    "I thought you''d be in a hurry. You always say you want to stay ahead of everyone else. I thought you''d be very interested in being the first to clear dungeons."


    "I am interested, but some things stille down to luck."


    That night, in the outskirts!


    Without a word, John stripped the armor off a skeleton and fitted it onto Lily, then with a forceful throw, he hurled thest of his iron throwing knives straight into the face of a fissure pig.


    With a gruesome squeal, the monster''s massive body heavily thudded to the ground.


    "That was thest one, we should be safe for now."


    [Ding, you have annihted the fissure pig tide, EXP + 2000, leveled up to Lv20]


    John knelt on the ground, gasping deeply, beads of sweat from his brow pattering down, spreading out upon the earth.


    Unluckily, just as John and Lily were nearing Calia, they stumbled upon a small horde of nearly thirty fissure pigs charging at them.


    If not for the armor obtained from the Monster Cave, John might have been able to save himself, but protecting Lily would have been difficult.


    "Are you okay?"


    "I''m fine, Johnny, but you''re hurt..."


    Lily looked at the gash on John''s calf, torn by the tusk of a fissure pig, biting her lip.


    "It''s just a scratch, no big deal."


    "Don''t move, let me heal you. Just wait a bit, Johnny, it won''t hurt soon."


    [Asclepius, deity of healing, I praise your noble name, let the light of healing descend upon this earth!]


    Lily sped her hands together, her eyes tightly shut as a gentle light began to emanate from her palms, slowly enveloping John.


    In the next moment, the wound on John''s leg healed at a visibly fast rate, leaving not even a scar behind.


    What puzzled John, though, was that along with the healing of his wound, his mind power seemed to have significantly strengthened.


    Seeing this, Lily''s heart leapt with joy, and disregarding her own weakness, she threw herself into John''s arms.


    "Too, too tight!"


    Seeing John''s face turn red from her tight embrace, Lily quickly stepped back, her cheeks flushed and she knelt awkwardly, tears brimming in her eyes.


    "I just need to rest a bit, it''s mainly because I''ve just be an Alchemist and I''m still not quite used to it."


    Now, although John had be an Alchemist, the problem was that he had no materials.


    Solvents, item enchantments, weapon poisoning, and other such methods were all unavable to John at the moment, otherwise, this encounter might not have been so strenuous.


    As for Lily, herbat abilities were in a rather awkward position.


    Before undergoing a second ss change, a Priest''s offensive capabilities are severely limited, mostly effective only against undead creatures, and practically useless against regr monsters.


    This means that even simple dazzling spells are more useful than a priest''s attacks, and naturally, John couldn''t expect too much from her.


    Once their energy was more or less restored, John struggled to his feet.


    After collecting materials from the fissure pig, they prepared to continue on their way.


    "Calia is just ahead. We should be able to get there before daylight. Once we''re in the city, we should find a ce to stay first. We''ll likely need to spend a considerable amount of time in Calia."


    "Johnny, I have a question. Don''t we need to rest or eat in this game world? Why don''t I feel tired at all?"


    "This is a bitplex to exin, but you can think of it like this: right now, what sustains us is the energy stored in our bodies in the real world. The longer and more intensely we engage, the greater the consumption on our bodies, which is why we need a ce to settle down. By resting at night, we can stay in the game world longer than others."

 Chapter 10 -10-Alchemy? Maybe It’s Not That Hard

    <h4>Chapter 10: Chapter10-Alchemy? Maybe It��s Not That Hard</h4>


    [Brave travelers, wee to Calia. Have a pleasant journey.]


    As the announcement ended, the gates of Calia slowly opened, revealing a neatly paved cobblestone path.


    Despite the early hours of the morning, the streets were still bustling with activity.


    Many yers stood by the roadside, either selling items they had acquired in dungeons or looking to recruit teammates for dungeon ventures.


    "It''s quite lively, shall we check it out?"


    John looked over at Lily, only to find her eyes already sparkling with excitement, eager to explore.


    "Let''s wander around nearby, there''s no danger anyway. Let''s meet back at... that church up ahead in half an hour."


    "Got it!"


    Compared to the somewhat impoverished and backward Adra Vige, neers to Calia were often struck with awe.


    Though not as bustling with neon lights as a modern city, for yers who had spent several days in Adra Vige, the impact was significant.


    "This is a good opportunity to stock up on some needed materials."


    After a brief stroll past yer-run stalls, the pitiful materials failed to catch John''s eye.


    With no other option, he headed to a professional alchemy materials shop.


    Pushing open the door, the tinkling of a wind chime greeted him.


    A drooling girl propped on the counter slowly sat up, wiping the clear drool from the corner of her mouth, and spokenguidly.


    "Wee to Fara''s Alchemy Materials Shop. What would you like to buy?"


    "Hmm, let me think..."


    John furrowed his brow and pulled out a Basic Alchemy Manuscript from his backpack, saying gravely, "Please prepare four cobalt blue gemstones, two rain frog''s poison sacs, two white ring viper venom sacs, two bundles of ice silkworm threads..."


    John reeled off a list of items like he was ordering dishes, and the girl behind the counter''s eyes lit up, staring intently at him.


    "And one piece of darkwood, preferably over three hundred years old. How many silver coins will all these materials cost?"


    "Just a moment, you need many items, and I''ll need to tally them up. Some materials might not currently be avable in my shop."


    Faced with such a major client, Fara couldn''t contain her excitement!


    This had to be an Alchemist��a definite Alchemist!


    Alchemists were rare, especially in a ce like Calia, which was far more remotepared to Everglow. It wasn''t unusual to go weeks without seeing a single Alchemist.


    Anyone who could afford to be an Alchemist was either a genius or had substantial family resources to back them; after all, maintaining such an expensive ss wasn''t for the faint of heart!


    With this in mind, Fara''s eyes gleamed brightly.


    Having finally encountered such a generous customer, Fara naturally weed him with enthusiasm.


    "Sir, aside from the three-hundred-year-old darkwood and the rain frog''s poison sac which we currently do not have in stock, the total for the other materials you needes to neen thousand seven hundred silver coins."


    "Neen thousand seven hundred silver coins?" John was almost skeptical, wondering if he had misheard.


    "That''s right, neen thousand seven hundred. Since you are purchasing these alchemical materials, you must be a distinguished Alchemist. You are surely aware of the value of these materials, and this price is absolutely fair."


    "What if I said I don''t have any money..."


    "No money? If you don''t have money, why are you shopping? You''re wasting time, get out, get out! Don''t disrupt my business!"


    Upon hearing the words "no money," Fara''s attitude flipped aplete one hundred eighty degrees.


    She waved her hands impatiently, wanting to shoo John away.


    "Hold on, although I don''t have money right now, I could make some potions as payment for the materials. How about that?"


    "No! Please leave now, or I''ll call the street guards!"


    Fara nced at John with disdain, tly rejecting his proposal.


    It wasn''t exactly unreasonable for Fara to be unamodating.


    Generally speaking, the sess rate for an average Alchemist making potions is less than thirty percent.


    Even after thousands of attempts and reaching master Alchemist status, this sess rate only fluctuates around fifty percent.


    For an unknown, self-taught Alchemist like John, a five percent sess rate would already be incredibly fortunate.


    Naturally, Fara couldn''t risk her livelihood on John''s experiments.


    "Wait! I can guarantee that if the mixture fails, I will cover the costs. I might not have twenty thousand silver coins, but I do have two thousand!"


    "Really?"


    "Absolutely true!"


    Fara was tempted.


    Even in a central city like Everglow, Alchemists were exceedingly rare.


    Hiring one to make potions or enchant weapons usually involved a significant sum, not to mention the expensive materials required.


    But here was this young man, offering to make potions for free and even willing to cover all the material costs!


    Still...


    Looking at the smile ying on John''s lips, Fara found it hard to believe that someone who appeared to be about her age could really be an Alchemist.


    "How about this, then? You make ten bottles of basic poison antidote potion. If you seed twice, I''ll hire you as the shop''s Alchemist. I''ll only take thirty percent of the proceeds from the potions or magical items you create. How does that sound?"


    "No problem! Hand over the materials."


    Perhaps others wouldn''t have such confidence, but for John, the moment the wager was set, he couldn''t lose.


    Making potions, whether basic or advanced, always involved a certain failure rate, regardless of the Alchemist''s skill level.


    This failure rate is determined by the often-overlooked attribute: LUCK. His talent, [Kiss of Luck], was practically made for alchemy!


    In no time at all, Fara had prepared the materials, neatly arranged in front of John.


    "You can start now."


    "Wait a moment."


    As if suddenly recalling something, John paused and said to Fara:


    "I need to bring someone back."


    "No! Once merfolk herb is removed from the soil, it willpletely wither and lose its medicinal properties within an hour. How do I know you''lle back after leaving? What if the merfolk herb is wasted? Who will cover that cost?" Fara responded anxiously.


    "This person is crucial for my potion making," John replied calmly.


    "No means no!" Fara seemed increasingly agitated, bing more convinced that the young man in front of her might skip out on the bill.


    "Five minutes, it won''t take long. Here, I can give you three hundred silver coins as a deposit. If I don''t return before the merfolk herbpletely withers, the three hundred silver coins are yours, okay?"


    "...That can work, but you better be quick."


    John nodded slightly, then turned and pushed the door open to leave.


    "If all goes well, at least Lily''s and my amodation in the city will be sorted, and working at the alchemy material shop will also make it more convenient for me to unlock further alchemical skills��a two-for-one deal."


    "Besides, I have some theories I need to verify," John murmured.

 Chapter 11 -11-What the Hell is This Potion??

    <h4>Chapter 11: Chapter11-What the Hell is This Potion??</h4>


    "I thought you had run off, but you actually dared toe back to honor the bet?"


    Watching John return, Fara slowly stood up, her gaze unintentionally catching the timid Lily behind him, her eyes lighting up instantly.


    "What a cute little sister! What''s your name?"


    "Hello sister, my name is Lily."


    "Fara Jones, you can call me Fara."


    Fara quickly stepped forward, sizing up Lily, pinching her cheeks and poking her belly as if she were handling a delicate toy.


    Indeed, Lily had a sweet appearance.


    Being underage, she still had the physique of a young girl, appearing mostly cute, but once she grew up, her body would develop into that of white stocking maturedy, the type John was familiar with.


    "Mmm... you smell so nice, Lily!"


    "Thank you, Sister Fara. Can you let go of me now?"


    "Ah, sorry sorry, I got a bit carried away."


    Fara stuck out her tongue yfully, then


    Fara stuck out her tongue, then turned to John and gave a soft cough. "You can start now."


    "Alright."


    John nodded slightly and slowly walked over to the alchemy workbench, taking a deep breath as he surveyed the diverse array of materials in front of him.


    He had never used an alchemy workbench before; everything would have to be done ording to the methods described in the Basic Alchemy Manuscript, starting from scratch.


    He began by grinding merfolk herb in a mortar, mixing it with slime fluid to create a blend, then filtering out the impurities.


    Next, he added powdered ice silkworm cocoons to ensure a thorough fusion.


    The final step was heating.


    The earlier processes were almost wless, something most alchemists could do in their sleep after numerous trials.


    The real differencey in the heat and technique of the heating��this was the critical point that decided sess or failure.


    Seasoned alchemists could determine the perfect heating temperature by painstakingly experimenting with each solution''sposition.


    But John had no need to worry about this!


    Though his movements were inexperienced, they were far from panicked.


    Each shake of the potion was timed perfectly.


    The alchemy station was enveloped in a haze of fragrant smoke, and one could vaguely see strands of silver threading around John''s form.


    The [Kiss of Fate] potion apanied him silently in this unassuming manner.


    Even Fara, who knew nothing about alchemy, was captivated by the spectacle.


    Watching the unknown liquid in the container begin to boil, John suddenly turned to Lily. "Quick, use the Light spell!"


    Lily immediately understood, lifting her staff as a soft glow bathed the potion.


    Immediately after, John turned off the heat, filtered the liquid, and poured it into a container.


    "Is that... it?"


    John hadpleted the potion much quicker than Fara had anticipated.


    It was also the first time she heard of an alchemist needing a priest''s help to make a potion.


    Fara scratched her head, moved closer, and carefully examined the transparent container.


    Once the light faded, a viscous light blue liquid appeared.


    This mysterious fluid did bear some resemnce to a poison antidote potion, but its viscous nature emitted a certain repulsiveness.


    It was easier to believe it was poison rather than a poison antidote.


    Seeing John about to start his second batch, Fara quickly intervened, "Wait! Is this supposed to be a poison antidote potion? Are you sure you know what you''re doing? Don''t waste the materials��I need to verify this first!"


    "How should I verify it? Do you want to inject yourself with some snake venom and I''ll give you a taste of this to try?"


    "Hmm... just give me a moment."


    Fara pondered for a while, then suddenly seemed to realize something and hurried back behind the counter.


    After rummaging around for some time, she finally found a small white mouse in a cage.


    "Let''s test it on this. If the potion works on him, you pass."


    "No problem."


    John dly epted, carefully removing a small amount of venom from a white-lipped pit viper and injecting it into the mouse.


    The rodent immediately let out a piercing squeal, clearly in agony from the venom.


    John then quickly injected the poison antidote potion into the mouse as well, staring intently at the animal.


    After a few convulsions, the previously frantic mouse, which had been mming against the sides of the cage, gradually calmed down and began to breathe more steadily.


    Not only that, the mouse''s patchy fur began to thicken and even the muscle outlines became faintly visible, its pure white fur emitting a soft glow.


    At this sight, Fara''s eyes widened in amazement.


    "Sessful on the first try?"


    "Not only that," John said. "Look at the attributes of this mouse."


    Fara then used a detection spell. [White Mouse, Lv5, Blessed by Holy Light, No Longer Fears Darkness.]


    "What?" Fara nearly lost her bnce in shock. "What in the world is this..."


    John, as if he hadn''t heard her, mused, "It seems I was right, there might really be some secrets with Lily. But why weren''t they discovered in the previous life? Just a hint of light from that light spell,bined with my alchemy, and it produced such a powerful potion..."


    "Respected Alchemist, may I ask for your name?" Fara''s words broke into John''s thoughts.


    "John."


    "John," Fara Jones continued, her voice earnest, "I, Fara Jones, in the name of the Jones family, solemnly swear before the God of Contracts and Oaths [Horks], to invite you to be a distinguished alchemist in the Jones household. You will forever be an esteemed guest of the Jones family..."


    "Johnny, what is she talking about?" Observing the suddenly serious Fara Jones, Lily seemed a bit ufortable and poked John''s shoulder, continuing, "She suddenly seems so devout..."


    "She is making a vow, simr to a legally recognized contract. Except here, they don''t need thew''s recognition but require the blessing of the gods. If the vow is broken, they will be punished by the gods."


    "I see... So, are you going to ept, Johnny?"


    "Why not? We''re going to be in Calia city for a while anyway, and staying here seems like a good choice."


    In front of him, Fara Jones''s chant continued.


    "Mr. John, would you be willing to inscribe your name on this parchment, a symbol of justice?"


    "No problem, but I have one condition. At no time may you or your family restrict me or mypanions for any reason or excuse. If you agree, then let''s sign the contract."


    "Of course, I swear to [Horks] that neither I nor my family will ever restrict you or yourpanions'' personal freedoms in any way."


    With that said, John had no more reservations. He took the feather pen and left his name on the parchment scroll.


    The next moment, John clearly saw an additional line appear on his character panel.


    [Contract with Fara Jones now established, effective duration: permanent]


    "I thought you would change your attitude only after I made a second batch of the poison antidote potion."


    "How could that be? It is an honor for the Jones family to coborate with an alchemist like Mr. John. If I continued to deliberately make things difficult for Mr. John, it would be a disgrace to my family."


    Fara was no fool. As soon as John could prove his credentials as an alchemist, how could she continue to be difficult?


    Alienating a true alchemist would be of no benefit to her.


    Legend has it that there are alchemists in the world who can turn decay into wonder and lead into gold, so every alchemist is a potential gold mine!


    Even if she couldn''t learn the legendary spells to transmute materials into gold, just the ability to turn rudimentary materials into miraculous potions was enough to make a fortune.


    "Mr. John, if you do not already have a ce to stay in Calia city, my shop has a few vacant rooms. If you wouldn''t mind, you could temporarily stay here. Additionally, I can provide all the materials you need free of charge...


    However, in return, could you please prepare potions for me at no cost?"


    "No problem, prepare the room first. Also, please deliver the materials I mentioned earlier to my roomter. I will make five bottles of poison antidote potion and five bottles of basic HP potion daily without charge, provided you supply the materials."


    "It would be my honor."


    Feeling Fara''s respectful demeanor, John couldn''t help but feel a bit sentimental.


    Reflecting on his past life, before his second ss change, he had endured disdain in every city under the thief ss.


    This only improved slightly when he changed his ss to assassin, though he was still mocked as a sewer rat.


    Now, simply revealing his identity had earned him such respect from Fara Jones...


    This world really is pragmatic...

 Chapter 12 -12-Eternal Alchemy Bible

    <h4>Chapter 12: Chapter12-Eternal Alchemy Bible</h4>


    Early in the morning, Fara had neatly arranged all the materials at the doorstep before knocking gently and saying:


    "Mr. John, all the materials you requested are here. Please, have a look. Also, I have prepared the ingredients for the poison antidote potion and the HP potion."


    "Thank you. By the way, Fara, have you heard about an adventurer squad called ''Pioneer'' that recently arrived in the city?"


    "Of course, I''ve heard of them. The Pioneer Squad�� their leader, Miss Helena, once visited my shop. Her fiery red hair left quite an impression on me."


    Hearing Fara urately name Helena, John smiled, "It seems she is quite famous?"


    "Absolutely! Since arriving in Calia city, Helena''s Pioneer Squad has cleared the surrounding area of monsters. Not only that, but Miss Helena has also taken on the task of exploring the underground city. Even Lord Calia holds her in high esteem!


    John, why do you suddenly ask about this? Are you friends with Helena?"


    "No, just making conversation."


    "Oh, that''s a pity. I was hoping I might get to meet Miss Helena through you. Her stature, truly something to aspire to...


    Of course, I don''t mean it in that way; I''m just a bit envious. I wish I could be an adventurer like Miss Helena, but unfortunately, it seems I don''t have the talent..."


    At this, Fara''s eyes couldn''t help but dim a little.


    As a member of the Jones family, Fara seemed not to have inherited her great-grandfather''s talent for bing a Mage, nor did she excel in any particr area.


    This was precisely why she had been assigned to such a remote location, running an alchemy materials shop in Calia.


    The Jones family was a well-known noble household in Everglow city, which made it easy to imagine how poorly Fara was treated within her family.


    "There''s a bird born without feet, so to avoid predators, it must learn to fly swiftly; once it leaves the ground, it can nevernd again.


    What I mean is, adventuring isn''t as morous as you think."


    "Mr. John, your way offorting people is really... clumsy."


    "I''m sorry, I don''t have much experience with this. Anyway, everyone has a unique talent; maybe you just haven''t fully discovered what you''re good at."


    "You mean... I might have a talent for learning alchemy!"


    John: "Whether you have a talent or not... I can''t say for sure, but if you''re really interested, I can teach you some basic alchemy."


    "Really, Mr. John?"


    Facing Fara''s hopeful gaze, John sighed softly and reluctantly nodded.


    "Yes, really."


    "That''s wonderful! Mr. John, you''re like my [Tyche] goddess."


    "Maybe so, but it''s gettingte, and I need to prepare potions."


    "I''ll leave you to it then. Mr. John, should I prepare dinner for you?"


    "No need, just don''t disturb me without my permission."


    "Understood!"


    Fara nodded, her gaze filled with increased respect as she bowed and quietly left the room.


    ...


    Collecting his thoughts, John calmed himself and neatly arranged the materials on the alchemy workbench before opening the Basic Alchemy Manuscript.


    Since making the enhanced poison antidote potion for Fara, he hadn''t had the chance to properly study this book.


    Just as his hand touched the cover, suddenly:


    [Ding, Kiss of LUCK activated, Basic Alchemy Manuscript fully unlocked]


    [Ding, Alchemy data recording]


    [Ding, Alchemy principles logged]


    ...


    [Ding, Basic Alchemy Manuscript upgraded to Eternal Alchemy Bible]


    The worn parchment before him suddenly transformed into a dark golden tome, hovering in front of John.


    "What''s this?" John started to reach out but stopped midway. "It seems Kiss of LUCK still has trigger conditions. Maybe it didn''t activate the first time I opened the manuscript because I was in front of Fara."


    With that thought, he reached out and opened the Eternal Alchemy Bible.


    The title page read: [This book is the legacy of the Goddess of Fate, only those favored by Fate are worthy to read.]


    "Ha, the Goddess of Fate, now that''s someone I''ve not heard much about."


    John then turned the page. However, the first page, the second page, the third page, all were nk!


    John frantically flipped through, "What''s going on? Could it be that the content has been erased? That''s impossible."


    Suddenly, the system''s voice rang out again:


    [Ding, Host initial LUCK detected over 100.]


    [Ding, authentication sessful, initiating connection.]


    As soon as the system''s voice ceased, the spine of the Eternal Alchemy Bible suddenly emitted a dazzling white light, shooting a beam directly into John''s forehead. In an instant, a tidal wave of information flooded into his brain, the searing pain causing him to curl up on the ground in agony, nearly passing out.


    After a short while, John slowly stood up.


    [Ding, congrattions Host, alchemy proficiency has increased by 20,000+, alchemy level upgraded from Lv1 to Lv99]


    Lv99! Alchemy training requires a substantial amount of materials, making leveling up notoriously slow. In his past life, many alchemists spent two years just to reach Lv50.


    But John had done it in mere minutes!


    "Very well," John said. "Now I can collect more materials and try more alchemy methods."


    He then took out the materials from the alchemy workbench and began crafting.


    In just three minutes, five bottles of poison antidote potion and five bottles of basic HP potion were neatly arranged in front of him.


    Whether in terms of color or scent, they were much improved from his first attempt.


    "Indeed, the higher the level, the better the effects of the potions produced."


    This time, John didn''t ask Lily for help.


    Prominence invites trouble, and potions with special enhancements would undoubtedly attract unwee visitors; the fewer people knew about them, the better��or rather, the fewer people knew they were made by him, the better.


    After organizing everything, John quickly ced the potions in a box by the door for Fara to collectter. Then, he tidied up the room, securely hid the Eternal Alchemy Bible, and decided to go find Lily.


    As he stepped outside, John happened to catch Lily squatting in the yard, giggling at ants moving their colony.


    John approached and said unexpectedly, "Is watching ants move that amusing?"


    "Ah! Johnny! Are you done with your work?"


    "Yeah, want to go out for a walk?"


    "Sure, sure! I want to visit the Armor Shop to look around. Although the Beginner''s robe isfortable, I still want to buy some other clothes."


    "No problem, I was nning to head to themercial district anyway. Let''s go together."


    ...


    Theyout and distribution of a city are the best reflections of a lord''s capability.


    Take, for example, Calia city where John currently resided.


    The residential areas andmercial districts were distinctly separated, and each area was patrolled by a guard team maintaining order.


    Most importantly, the city was rtively clean��streets free of waste and rubbish, with designated incineration points for trash disposal.


    These aspects made it clear that Lord Calia possessed considerablepetence.


    A chaotic city usually indicates a lordcking in ability.


    Of course, this did not apply to Spartonia.


    Primitive and savage are probably the most fitting words to describe the city of Spartonia��without exception.


    "Johnny, should we also visit the underground city?" Lily asked, looking around at the yers on the street calling out to recruitpanions, a hint of eagerness in her voice.


    "What''s the underground city like, Johnny?"


    "It''s quite simr to Monster Cave, filled with monsters, of course. There''s treasure too, but whether you find unimaginable wealth or get besieged by monsters depends on luck and strength."


    John exined this while examining the earring he had found in Monster Cave.


    Based solely on this description, John couldn''t glean much useful information.


    Left with no choice, he decided to take the earring to a pawnshop to ask the locals for more details.


    Since the elite Calia guard''s armor was found near this earring, there must be some connection between the two items.


    "Hello, can you appraise special items here?"


    At the corner of the street, there was a pawnshop. John, apanied by Lily, entered the shop and ced the earring on the counter.


    "Please wait a moment, our appraiser is on his way back. Could you wait five minutes?"


    "No problem."


    After a moment, the voice of the shop owner came through:


    "Master, there''s a customer who''d like you to appraise some equipment."


    "What is it? Bring it here for me to see."


    As the words echoed, an elderly man with white hair and beard pushed open the wooden door, his crow''s feet adding a touch of wisdom to his appearance.


    "What item do you need appraised, sir?"


    "This earring. Please take a look at it, and if you know its origin, that would be even better."


    John handed the earring to the old man, who furrowed his brow as he examined the finely crafted piece.


    "This... isn''t this the Source Crystal Earring that Lord recently acquired at an auction? It was bought to celebrate Miss Phoebe Calia''s birthday. How did it end up in your possession?"


    "I found this earring on a goblin in a Monster Cave. If it belongs to Miss Phoebe, then..."


    John paused, the rest of his words left unsaid.


    But it was clear to all; if the ring was found on a goblin, its owner had most likely met with misfortune.


    "How can this be? Miss Phoebe always has elite guards with her; how could such a misfortune ur?


    I''m sorry, sir, but given that this concerns Miss Phoebe, I may not be able to keep your customer information confidential. I must report this matter to Lord."

 Chapter 13 -13-Armor Shop

    <h4>Chapter 13: Chapter13-Armor Shop</h4>


    "I understand."


    John nodded slightly in agreement.


    Although John had not recognized the style of the earring before, the craftsmanship alone made it clear that it was of considerable value. What he had not anticipated was that it belonged to the daughter of Lord Calia, Phoebe Calia.


    Given that this involved the lord''s daughter, it was clear that the matter was no simple affair, nor was it something John was qualified to be involved in.


    Of course, John had no desire to get mixed up in such matters.


    "May I ask your name, sir?"


    "John."


    "No problem, Mr. John. Given that this involves the lord''s daughter, I need to report this matter as it is. Lord Calia might even seek you out to ask about the details. If it''s inconvenient for you, you could ry the details to me, and I can exin them to the lord on your behalf."


    Hearing this, John pondered for a moment before shaking his head, "No worries, I have enough spare time."


    "That''s good. Please make sure to return and keep the earring safe."


    "No problem."


    After discovering the owner of the earring, John had a vague feeling that this matter might be rted to some hidden quest.


    Yet, in his past life, John had never heard of any hidden quests involving Lord Calia. Most of the time, the tasks were straightforward, like clearing out monsters.


    "Johnny, do you think... the lord might think we killed Miss Phoebe and lock us up?"


    "It''s hard to say; I can''t be sure either."


    John sighed lightly, helplessly saying, "As far as I know, Lord Calia is a well-respected lord, but after all, it concerns his own daughter, and no one can guarantee he won''t lose his reason over it."


    "What should we do then? Should we leave the earring with the pawnshop owner and let him exin for us?"


    "It''s useless, the pawnshop owner already remembers us. If Lord Calia insists on seeing us, and considering Calia isn''t that big, we can''t leave for another city until we level up, we''ll have to face this matter eventually."


    "Okay..."


    Lily bit her lip corner, clearly still uneasy.


    "Let''s go to the Armor Shop. If the lord truly needs to find me, they definitely will."


    ...


    "Boss, I really don''t think this set of [Finely Forged Crimson Battle Armor] looks all that great, even though it''s exquisite-tier gear, it seems a bit too pricey."


    "Really? I think it''s quite pretty. Don''t you think it matches my hair?"


    In front of the magical mirror, Helena tossed her long hair and held her gauntlet sword across her chest, striking a very cool pose.


    Unfortunately, Exiled Immortal felt nothing, but that was normal; after all, he was even younger than Lily, a true teenage boy, which was probably why he chose a name like Exiled Immortal.


    "Boss, that John, what ss do you think he is? I scrolled through hundreds of pages on the Leaderboard a few days ago, looked at thousands of names, but didn''t notice his. Is it possible that he just looks extraordinary but is actually just bluffing?"


    "Have you noticed something strange?"


    Helena turned around, a hint of a smile shing in her eyes. "Although I''ve always been first on the Leaderboard, before I reached Lv7, every time I leveled up, I would receive a system''s extra +10% Exp bonus, but I haven''t seen that bonus in a long time."


    "Are you saying that someone deliberately hasn''t turned on the Leaderboard and has already..."


    "Yes, and my intuition tells me that this person..."


    Helena was about to continue speaking when she heard a delightful chime of wind bells, and the attentive clerk quickly came forward to greet them.


    "Wee to Navillette Armor Shop, esteemed customers. What type of armor are you looking for?"


    "We''ll just look around ourselves."


    Helena knew this voice all too well.


    Even without seeing the face of the voice''s owner, one could still discern his confidence, as if there was always a hint of a smile ying on his lips.


    "John, I didn''t expect to bump into you here in Calia City. Why didn''t you tell me you wereing?"


    "Helena, the illustrious captain of the Pioneer Squad, long time no see."


    John was somewhat taken aback as he slowly approached, smiling, "Congrattions."


    "Hmm, I actually find that seeing you here brings me more joy than any famed reputation out there."


    As she spoke, Helena turned around and spotted a set of leather armor in the disy case.


    After a moment of contemtion, she pointed at it and said, "Could you take that one out for me?"


    "No problem."


    The clerk bowed respectfully, opened the disy window, and carefully handed over the very sexy-looking leather armor.


    Helena received the armor, casting a meaningful nce at John before turning and entering the fitting room.


    In less than two minutes, the curtain of the fitting room was swept aside, and a leg as smooth as cream peeked out first��its skin gleaming, the calf well-formed, embodying beauty with strength.


    The next second, Helena fully came into John''s view.


    The snug leather armor contoured Helena''s graceful figure, revealing her t abdomen where the beginnings of toned abs could faintly be seen, her breasts pushing against the armor, round and full.


    However, what caught the most attention was her long, fiery red hair.


    No matter where she went, Helena was always the focal point of any crowd.


    Meeting John''s gaze, Helena felt no shyness; instead, she confidently spread her arms and twirled in front of him, asking, "Pretty, isn''t it?"


    "Beautiful."


    ...


    Noticing John''s fixed stare, Lily bit her lip gently.


    Looking at Helena''s full figure and then at her own, a sudden re of unnamed resentment sparked within her.


    "Showing your belly button like that, you''ll catch a cold someday!" Despite her reluctance, even Lily had to admit, Helena really looked stunning��confident, beautiful, and openly disying her gorgeous figure with such ease, a poise Lily might never learn. With that, she turned and walked away.


    "John, do you remember what I told you thest time we parted?" Helena asked.


    "Of course."


    "Join me. I''ll give you the captaincy of Pioneer Squad. Just say the word, and you''ll lead us. How about that?"


    John immediately replied, "I have a suggestion too. Why don''t you leave Pioneer Squad and join me instead?"


    "Hmm... that''s not impossible," Helena nodded slightly.


    "Definitely not happening!"


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal could hardly contain himself.


    The boss always seemed so rational, so why did she often make such irresponsible remarks whenever she saw this John?


    What was it about him?


    "Boss, what about us if you leave Pioneer Squad?"


    "Ah, it was just a joke, Exiled Immortal. Don''t take it seriously."


    "That kind of joke should be avoided in the future. Boss, you''re responsible not just to yourself, but to us too."


    "Alright, alright, I get it, from now on..." Helena was about to continue when suddenly a soft yet firm voice called out,


    "Johnny!"

 Chapter 14 -14-Lord Calia

    <h4>Chapter 14: Chapter14-Lord Calia</h4>


    John looked toward the sound only to see Lily shyly lowering her head, avoiding his gaze. But why be shy? She was clearly adorable!


    Her pure white dress gently swayed with the breezeing through the door, with white stockings ending abruptly at her thighs, revealing a hint of flesh.


    A golden pendant at her chest added a touch of the sacred to her pure appearance.


    And Lily''s waterfall-like white hair was tied up high.


    Despite having a face that could make anyone fall in love, she inexplicably exuded a sense of being a young wife.


    John was instantly thrown into disarray.


    Why had the two women inexplicably startedpeting?


    But after all... no matter what,pliments are never amiss.


    Before John could speak, however, Helena rushed forward, scooping Lily into her arms and deeply inhaling her faint fragrance.


    "She''s just too cute! I''d love to have one just like her as a daughter! So soft, so sweet..."


    "Um... Helena, you''re squeezing too tight!"


    "Oh sorry, sorry, I just think you''re so adorable, I couldn''t help myself. I''ve changed my mind, John. I want you and Lily to join me. Just seeing Lily''s cute little face every day would make me incredibly happy."


    Helena held Lily''s slightly chubby cheeks and showered her with kisses, leaving Lily''s face all wet.


    "Ahem, that''s enough, Helena. Lily is still young."


    "Oh, just one more kiss, just one! Please, Lily..."


    "Um, okay, but this is thest one, alright?"


    Bang!


    As the words fell, the door was abruptly kicked open, disrupting the warm scene.


    John instantly frowned unhappily and looked toward the sound, only to see a squad of Calia guards in uniform armor flooding into the shop.


    "Who is John? Pleasee with us."


    "What''s going on? Hey! I''m Helena Bailey; you can''t just take my friend away!"


    Helena''s brow furrowed as she stepped in front of John, continuing, "You have no right to take an adventurer without any charges."


    "Miss Helena, this is by Lord Calia''smand. Please do not interfere. As for the charges... plotting against Lord Calia''s daughter, Phoebe Calia, is this charge sufficient?"


    "How can this be?"


    Helena looked at John with disbelief, but he appeared calm and unconcerned.


    "John..."


    "It''s okay, I know what I''m doing, and besides, this has nothing to do with me."


    "That''s good then. Exiled Immortal, you go back first. I''ll go with John to Lord Calia''s manor."


    "I''d better stay with you, Boss. Without me around to remind you, who knows what rash decisions you might make."


    Exiled Immortal silently added in his mind, "Especially around this John."


    "Lead the way."


    "Put the shackles on him!"


    "Hold on. No one has the right to shackle me without a conviction."


    John frowned at the guard holding the shackles and continued, "If you want my cooperation, start by giving me my basic rights and respect."


    ...


    The captain of the guard stared hard at John, silent for a moment, then waved his hand, signaling for the guards to take them all away.


    "Johnny, we''re not going to be in trouble, are we?"


    Looking around at the fierce-looking guards, Lily swallowed hard and edged closer to John.


    She had only heard that Lord Calia might summon them, but she hadn''t expected it to be in this manner, treating John as if he were the murderer of Phoebe Calia!


    "Don''t worry, Lily, I have a feeling that this trip might not necessarily be a bad thing for us."


    After two years of experience in this world, John hade to understand it quite a bit.


    Usually, NPCs do not harm yers actively, especially not without concrete evidence.


    Only a few special NPCs might harm yers, and ording to John''s knowledge, there are no more than three such people. Clearly, Lord Calia is not one of them.


    Lost in thought, the group of four, under escort, had already arrived at Lord Calia''s manor, a castle made of milky white marble that looked imposing from the outside.


    Around the watchtowers, guards armed with longbows were on high alert, ready to turn any disturbance into a pincushion of arrows at a moment''s notice.


    Entering through the iron gate, a pathway paved with bluestone led straight into the manor.


    "Go on in; the Lord is waiting for you inside!"


    One of the guards pushed John roughly. He stumbled, nearly falling t on his face, but Helena supported him with her shoulder.


    "Hey, how about not manhandling my friend?"


    "Miss Helena, why bother befriending a murderer? If the charges stick, the Lord will surely execute him!"


    "Let''s wait until the charges stick then. For now, no one touches him!"


    It had to be said, Helena''s renown in Calia was indeed influential, evident from her daring to stand up to the Lord''s personal guards.


    "You... fine, go ahead."


    The guard at the door pushed open the heavy iron gate, the grinding sound on the ground making Helena frown slightly.


    "John, are you alright?"


    "Of course, no need to worry."


    John nodded confidently, his tone remarkably light.


    As the heavy iron door mmed shut, John raised his head to look at Lord Calia standing high upon the staircase and said calmly, "Adventurer John, at your service, Lord Calia."


    "John, where did you get my daughter''s earring from? Did you harm my daughter?"


    "No, I have never even met Miss Phoebe. I obtained this earring from a cave goblin in a Monster Cave."


    "What proof do you have? Where is this Monster Cave?"


    "I cannot prove that I did not kill Miss Phoebe, but, my lord, you also cannot prove that she definitely died at my hands, can you? As for the location of the Monster Cave, it is forty kilometers east from the eastern gate of Calia, deep within the forest."


    Upon hearing this, Lord Calia furrowed his brows in thought.


    "General Delvia."


    "My Lord."


    "I want you to take your men now, start from the eastern gate, and search eastward for the Monster Cave. You must find Phoebe''s body!"


    "Yes, my lord!"


    As the words fell, the tall, muscr man turned and headed towards the door. As he passed by John, General Delvia gave him a sharp nce, clearly struggling to restrain his anger.


    "Phoebe, my Phoebe... such a bright and beautiful child, why did this tragedy befall you!"


    "Lord, we are deeply sorry about Miss Phoebe''s situation, but my friend is truly not involved. I, Helena Bailey, am willing to vouch for him with the reputation of the Pioneer Squad!"


    "Helena, I am well aware of your aplishments, but until everything is clear, your friend cannot leave. We must determine who the real perpetrator is. Until then, you will stay in the prison."


    "You..."


    Helena bit her lip, about to say more, but John stopped her.


    Noticing John''s gaze, Helena sighed and fell silent.


    "My lord, I will not go to prison, as that would be unfair to me."


    "Fair? My Phoebe is dead! She was only eighteen, at the prime of her life, and she lost her life under mysterious circumstances. You ask me for fairness, whom shall I ask for fairness?"

 Chapter 15 -15-The Key? A Brand New Side Quest!

    <h4>Chapter 15: Chapter15-The Key? A Brand New Side Quest!</h4>


    "Lord, have you considered why Miss Phoebe left Calia and why she appeared nearly forty kilometers to the east in Monster Cave?"


    "After her birthday, she expressed a desire to see the world outside, so I... equipped her with an elite guard and let her go. If I had known this would happen, I wouldn''t have..."


    "It seems, Lord, that it was your consent that led to Miss Phoebe''s misfortune. You are aware of how dangerous Monster Cave is. Given Miss Phoebe''s character, it''s not impossible that she became interested in Monster Cave and insisted on entering despite her guards'' objections."


    "Phoebe is usually so sensible and obedient, how could she do something so reckless?"


    "Do you really know Miss Phoebe that well, Lord?"


    "She is my daughter, of course I know her!"


    "I''m not so sure about that."


    John said, pulling out a standard set of armor from the yer''s backpack andying it out in front of him.


    "This is... this is Calia''s standard armor!"


    "Yes, and I also found this in Monster Cave. At first, I thought it odd, but now it can be clearly exined. Lord, don''t you find this armor a bit strange?"


    "Strange? What''s strange about it?"


    Lord Calia stood up and walked down the lengthy stairs, scrutinizing the armor that shimmered with a silvery glow, and said solemnly, "I see nothing amiss."


    "Lord, wouldn''t you say Miss Phoebe''s build is simr to that of my friend?"


    John pointed to Lily, and Lord Calia, following his gesture, scrutinized her for a moment before conceding, "Indeed, there is a resemnce."


    "This armor, my friend can barely fit into it, but I cannot. If you do not believe me, Lord, feel free to summon some guards to try it on."


    Hearing this, Lord Calia also suddenly realized.


    Lord Calia himself had been involved in the design of the standard Calia armor, and he was intimately familiar with its dimensions. Prompted by John, he too found it strange that the armor was unusually small.


    Even John, who was not particrly robust, couldn''t fit into the armor, and considering that Calia''s guards were selected through strict standards, how could such a frail young man have slipped through?


    "You mean to say, this is my daughter Phoebe''s armor?"


    "I merely suggest it as a possibility. So, Lord, did you know that Miss Phoebe had this armor made secretly?"


    "I..."


    "It appears you were unaware. Do you know how long it takes to craft a suit of quality armor? I do not know, but surely, Lord, you must. Perhaps Miss Phoebe had nned this even before she asked to leave.


    Why then did Miss Phoebe wish to venture into the outside world?


    Perhaps she was not happy living here, her nature such that she yearns for freedom and the open sky. Yet she was forcibly changed by certain people, certain events.


    What do you think, Lord?"


    "Is it... because of the betrothal?"


    At the mention of the betrothal, John had a realization.


    "So, Miss Phoebe disliked her betrothal. She must have resisted you, Lord, but failed. You found a reason, forcing Miss Phoebe to ept.


    Therefore, Miss Phoebe chose to secretly craft armor and used her birthday as a pretext, preparing to leave Calia forever. s, she ultimately perished in Monster Cave, and her belongings ended up with me.


    It seems everything makes sense now, Lord. I am an innocent party."


    "How could this be? Phoebe has always been so well-behaved, and Delvia is Calia''s most valiant general. What is so bad about marrying him?"


    "It''s that very attitude that made Miss Phoebe give up on arguing with you."


    "But I am her father! I just want her to be happy. How could she defy her father like this?"


    "From the moment of birth, each person is an independent individual. She has her own thoughts, her own freedom.


    Why must Phoebe listen to you? Just because you are older, because you are her father?


    You will always be her father, always older than her��that can never change. Based solely on that, to erase a person''s free thinking, is that really fair?


    Do you really wish to control Miss Phoebe forever, turning her into your puppet? Is that truly love?"


    At this, John sighed softly, "This is the justice I seek, Lord."


    Hearing these words, Lord Calia staggered back a few steps and copsed on the stairs, his hands covering his somewhat wrinkled face, his breathing heavy.


    "May I leave now?"


    "...Go, call back Delvia. There''s no need to head to Monster Cave."


    "Thank you, Lord," said John as he turned to leave, but Lord Calia suddenly called out to him.


    "Please wait."


    Lord Calia stood up, hesitated, and then sighed lightly.


    "Helena, I know you''ve always wanted to conquer the underground city, but it has long been sealed by my people with mithril stone, and only this key can unlock it. I''ve hesitated to give it to you before because I was worried that if the monsters from the underground city were to overflow, you wouldn''t be able to handle them and would just walk away."


    "But now I believe that you are capable of dealing with this issue."


    "Damn! I was wondering why the progress on the underground city had stalled. So, this was the issue!" Exiled Immortal muttered under his breath, his gaze growing more fervent as he looked at the key.


    With this key, they could finally open the passage deeper into the underground city, and perhaps even achieve the first clear of the dungeon!


    "Lord, thank you."


    "There''s no need, consider it a thank-you for John''s wake-up call. Phoebe... died because of my pride, and only today have I realized that."


    "You are a lord worthy of respect, but not a father. I hope this serves as a wake-up call for you after this matter."


    John stepped forward to take the key, pondered for a moment, then stashed it in his yer''s backpack, ignoring Exiled Immortal''s eager gaze.


    Just kidding, this was a key earned through his own eloquence; he certainly couldn''t just hand it over easily.


    Helena might crave the dungeon''s first clear reward, but how could John not desire it too?


    The reward for the dungeon''s first clear is at least three times greater than that for subsequent clears. Plus, with John''s SSS-tier talent, [Kiss of Luck], it''s no exaggeration to say that clearing the dungeon could elevate John''sbat ability to a whole new level!


    At this thought, John grew eager. After parting with Lord Calia, he made ns to head immediately to the underground city.


    "Boss, you gotta say something! John''s already taken the key. If he enters the underground city, all our efforts so far will have been in vain!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, outside Adra Vige, at Monster Cave.


    A pale, delicate hand emerged from the pool, fingertips clutching desperately at the soil. Apanied by a soft groan, a frail figurepletely drenched by the pond water finally climbed out and copsed on the ground, gasping for air.


    "I''m finally free!"


    The girl removed the pendant from her right ear. Despite its considerable value, she tossed it into the pond without a second thought.


    "From today on, the Calia surname has nothing to do with me! I am Phoebe, Phoebe Freeman!"


    The girl rested for a long while before struggling to sit up. She moved slowly toward the faint light, step by step, and atst, she saw the exit.


    Her joyful heart caused her to stumble and fall, but rather than brace herself, she protected her body with her arms andnded squarely on her bottom. Her eyes suddenly misted with tears.


    "Ouch, ouch, ouch... I hope I didn''t break anything."


    The girl rubbed her sore behind, then pulled an ancient dark red leather-bound book from her undergarments, gently wiping off the dust that clung to it.


    Opening the cover, a mysterious and exquisite magical circle caught her eye, lighting up her face.


    "So beautiful..."

 Chapter 16 -16-Dungeon Boss

    <h4>Chapter 16: Chapter16-Dungeon Boss</h4>


    "Helena, shall we form a temporary team?"


    Before Helena could even respond, John had already sent out the invite to team up.


    Staring at the pop-up team invitation, Helena was momentarily taken aback.


    "You want to team up with us?"


    "Of course. As you can see, I''m not much of a fighter, and Lily is a Priest. Weck sufficient offensive capabilities, so teaming up with you guys is the best option.


    Of course, don''t get me wrong, I''m not looking to cooperate with the Pioneer Squad, just extending a personal invitation to you and Exiled Immortal."


    As he spoke, John pulled out the key from his backpack and, with a smirk, added, "You must be interested in the first-clear rewards as well, right?"


    "Absolutely! For this dungeon, we have..."


    Exiled Immortal started to say something, his gaze drifting towards Lily and unable to move away. After a brief, unintentional exchange of looks, Exiled Immortal''s face turned red with embarrassment, and he guiltily looked away.


    "Damn, that''s just too cute!"


    As a gaming addict, Exiled Immortal had yed countless games before diving into [Apocalypse] and even set numerous world-speedrunning records��a true prodigy.


    Of course, even a prodigy has his moments, just like now.


    Even with the sultry beauty Helena right beside him, Exiled Immortal paid her no heed.


    Compared to sultry and sexy, Exiled Immortal clearly preferred the cute type, like Lily.


    Of course, neither John nor Helena noticed Exiled Immortal''s little crush, as they seriously discussed the feasibility of forming a temporary team.


    Helena, as a [Hunter], boasts impressive attack power, while Exiled Immortal''s [Archer] ss can perfectlyplement the currentck of offensive capabilities in John and Lily''s team.


    As a [Priest], Lily also provides healing and enhancement buffs, further boosting theirbat effectiveness.


    As for John, with the blessing of [Hermes Dice], hisbat prowess is not to be underestimated.


    Moreover, John had already secretly prepared a number of potent poisons!


    "So, it''s decided then, happily."


    "Good, let''s prepare for ten minutes, then meet at the entrance to the underground city in ten minutes."


    "Exiled Immortal, let''s go back and get ready, Exiled Immortal?"


    "Uh? Oh! Yes, need to prepare."


    Exiled Immortal tore his gaze away, sheepishly touched his nose, and reluctantly followed Helena as they turned to leave.


    It was then that Lily poked John''s shoulder, puzzled. "Johnny, you''re so powerful, you could clear the dungeon on your own, right? Why invite Helena?"


    "Um... it''s a secret for now, I''ll tell youter."


    ...


    Ten minutester, at the entrance to the underground city!


    John and Lily were already there waiting. Lily had changed into a newly bought Priest''s long dress, with a clover pendant conspicuously disyed at her chest.


    John, on the other hand, was still in a dark gray robe, his face hidden under a hood, giving off a rather sinister vibe from a distance.


    Before long, Helena and Exiled Immortal arrived as promised. Helena was d in fiery red armor, and Exiled Immortal wore an elf outfit, with a water-blue longbow slung across his back.


    "You''ve quickly gathered a set of exquisite-tier equipment; it''s quite enviable."


    "What''s with the dark getup? You''re actually quite handsome, why hide your face?"


    "I''m afraid someone might see me and want to harm me."


    "Pfft... you really are narcissistic."


    Helena covered her mouth and giggled softly. After epting the team invitation, she spoke in a serious tone, "Inside the underground city, Exiled Immortal is more familiar, so he''ll lead the way. Once we enter the dungeon, aside from the first-clear reward, we''ll distribute the loot as needed."


    "I have no objections."


    "Me neither."


    Exiled Immortal shrugged, indifferent.


    You see, just his [Elven Archer''s Hunting Garb] and [Elven Guardian Longbow] alone are worth thousands of silver coins. He wouldn''t care for ordinary dungeon item drops; he''s only interested in the first-clear rewards.


    "Then let''s set off. For our first cooperation, I hope we can achieve great sess."


    "Before we depart, take these."


    John then pulled out several bottles of basic HP potions and poison antidote potions from his backpack, handing them to Helena and Exiled Immortal. After a moment''s thought, he also handed a bottle of poison to Exiled Immortal.


    "Is this... HP potion? Two thousand silver coins, and you bought so many? You''re a hidden tycoon!"


    It was surprising, indeed. In these early stages of pioneering, the price of basic HP potions at two thousand silver coins each was enough to deter most people.


    Compared to that, the church''s nuns were obviously a better choice, requiring only a bit of time wasted, which was better than spending two thousand silver coins.


    Even Helena herself had only bought one bottle to keep on hand, but John, on the other hand, had spent tens of thousands of silver coins in one go.


    "It''s free, just take it easy. Also, that poison bottle is moderately potent. Applying it to arrows might have a special effect."


    "Thanks."


    "John, I''ve been meaning to ask you, are you the one who snagged the first breakthrough level reward?"


    "What first breakthrough level reward?"


    ...


    Inside the underground city, everything matched John''s memory. The monster levels in the underground city weren''t too exaggerated, withmon den-dwelling goblins, slimes, and mechanical puppets filling the space.


    However, with Exiled Immortal''s presence, the journey was considerably easier.


    Watching the arrows floating around Exiled Immortal, even John had to admire his exaggerated talent.


    Using the talent [Windwhisper] to control the arrows and fend off nearby monsters was no easy feat. It required a mastery of the talent as if it were an extension of one''s own limbs, while also remaining vignt of the surroundings. The prodigy lived up to his reputation.


    Although the wind-manipted arrows weren''t particrly powerful, they were more than sufficient to clear these minor foes.


    Along the way, John continuously scanned the surroundings. They even found a treasure chest, which, after being forcibly opened, yielded some silver coins. Although with the boost from [Kiss of LUCK], the moment the silver coins entered his backpack they multiplied significantly, it didn''t bring any substantial improvement.


    Finally, after about half an hour of deeper pration, a thick golden gate blocked their path.


    Seeing the scratches and dents on the golden gate, John curled his lips into a smile, "You guys didn''t think about breaking through the gate with brute force, did you?"


    "Am I that stupid? Qing tried that, not only did he fail to break the gate, but he also ruined an exquisite-tier weapon. I told him that approach wouldn''t work."


    Exiled Immortal scoffed, stepped forward, and knocked on the golden gate, then turned to look at John.


    "Take out the key and open the gate."


    "It would be my honor."


    John stepped forward and inserted the key into the only slit in the golden gate. The dull sounds of gears turning echoed in the narrow room, causing Lily to frown and dutifully plug her ears.


    With a crisp ''click'', John cautiously reached out his hand, and indeed, the golden gate loosened. The four of them pushed the gate open together, and a dialogue box shed before each of their eyes.


    "Dungeon BOSS: The Stonehide Basilisk of the underground city is now active. Please prepare forbat, dungeon participants."


    Just as expected.


    The BOSS, which John remembered well, a Basilisk about four meters tall and nearly ten meters long, slowly crawled out from the shadows. Each time its massive ws hit the ground, the earth trembled.


    From the corners of its mouth dripped a viscous liquid emitting a fetid, rotting smell. Its vertical pupils stared directly at the group of four, as if sizing up its meal for the evening.


    "A level 25 dungeon BOSS?"


    The BOSS''s information unfolded before them, causing even Helena to gasp in surprise.


    Even she, currently at level 19 with about 2100 HP, found the sight daunting.


    The BOSS''s HP, however, was a terrifying five-digit number!


    "Don''t just stand there, move!"


    Exiled Immortal shouted, pushing Lily aside gently and leaping to the side himself. The next moment, the spot where they had just stood was instantly covered with poison, even corroding the hard bluestone pavement and emitting a grating, acidic sound.


    "That was close... Big sis, don''t zone out. We''ve worked too hard to screw up here!"


    "John, Lily, back off! Exiled Immortal, I''ll hold the BOSS, you deal the damage!"


    "Already on it!"


    Exiled Immortal clenched his teeth, his longbow fully drawn. With the sound of the air tearing, the arrow shot towards the Stonehide Basilisk''s face like a streak of light!

 Chapter 17 -17-Stonehide Basilisk!

    <h4>Chapter 17: Chapter17-Stonehide Basilisk!</h4>


    "This beast intentionally protects its weak spots; unless there''s a proper chance, I can''t do it!"


    "Then I''ll create that opportunity."


    John gripped his dagger in reverse, leaned slightly forward, and watched the Basilisk relentlessly pursue Helena. With a reckless determination, he charged at the Basilisk!


    Helena gasped in shock at the sight, but before she could utter a word of caution, John had already leaped up and clung to the Basilisk''s back, gripping the gaps between the scales with his bone dragger to keep from falling off.


    This move infuriated the Basilisk, who thenpletely ignored Helena and Exiled Immortal, leaping and bounding madly, even mming its massive body against the surrounding stone walls.


    "It''s no good, it''s getting too wild; I can''t get a clear shot!"


    "Just wait a moment... give me a little more time!"


    John bit down hard on his teeth, struggling to stand on the Basilisk''s back. Even as the sharp scales sliced open his palms, blood streaming freely, his expression remained unchanged.


    "Helena, help me, distract it, even for just a second!"


    John continued to climb upward, his face showing increasing strain. The blood from his palms was slick, making it difficult to climb any further.


    Watching this scene, Helena became even more anxious.


    Although she was not clear on John''s ss, she suspected he did not possess greatbat strength, otherwise, he would not have risked himself so dangerously.


    Initially, Helena had thought John might be a Mage, given his attire��a long, cumbersome robe that didn''t seem suited for closebat.


    However, John carried neither a staff nor showed any signs of casting spells, leaving Helena utterly baffled.


    But now was not the time for hesitation!


    John''s life hung by a thread; there was no room for doubt!


    With this thought, Helena hesitated no longer. She immediately pulled a scroll from her backpack and threw it at Lily.


    "Lily, activate the scroll!"


    "A scroll? But I don''t know how!"


    Lily caught the scroll, stumbling, and looked at its cryptic text, feeling utterly bewildered.


    "It''s simple, just channel mana into it, hurry!"


    "I��I got it!"


    Lily nodded vigorously, her fingertips glowing with a sacred light. The light detached from her fingers and slowly merged into the scroll, which shattered instantly.


    Beneath the Basilisk''s feet, a six-pointed star array sparkling with a pale blue light burst forth. The beams, like ropes, tightlytched onto the Basilisk''s limbs, pinning it firmly in ce.


    "John! You''ve got five seconds!"


    "Enough, Exiled Immortal, take your shot!"


    John steadied himself and lunged forward, plunging his bone dragger deep into the left eye socket of the Basilisk. A crisp cracking sound echoed as fluid from the eye spurted out, causing John to lose his footing and fall from the beast''s back!


    Seeing this, Helena quickly stepped forward, catching John in her arms. The two slid over ten meters across the ground beforeing to a halt.


    And then Exiled Immortal made his move.


    A noticeably thicker arrow rested lightly on his bowstring. Exiled Immortal took a deep breath, his breathing steadying.


    "Make it count!"


    With a loud shout from Exiled Immortal, the arrow flew from the string at a blistering speed. John only caught a fleeting glimpse of a blur. By the time he regained his senses, the arrow had already pierced the Basilisk''s right eye with ease.


    At that moment, the Scroll of Stasis''s effect finally ended. Piercing pain surged through it, and the Basilisk let out a roar that split the clouds, the sonic wave lifting the surrounding gravel like shrapnel that stung upon impact.


    "Be careful!"


    Exiled Immortal sheathed his longbow and lunged in front of Lily, shielding her with his rather lean shoulders, although it seemed Lily hardly needed it.


    A barrier of holy light protected them both, deflecting the iing gravel. Lily clung to her ears, eyes tightly shut.


    After several roars, the Basilisk wentpletely berserk, charging and crashing within the cave, attempting in vain to crush the cursed pests through such rampages, only to expedite the spread of poison through its veins, and nothing more.


    Watching the Basilisk''s HP drop steadily, John struggled to sit up, letting out a deep breath.


    "Thank goodness, it worked..."


    "Are you out of your mind? What if I didn''t have the Scroll of Stasis? Who could have saved you then?"


    Helena furrowed her brows, grabbing John''s wrist and gazing at the deep, bone-exposing wound in his palm with a pang of heartache.


    "But it did work, and about that item..."


    "A special reward for the first yer to choose a ss, just happened toe in handy. You got lucky."


    As Helena exined, she helped John up and they rejoined Exiled Immortal and Lily.


    "But... John, where did you get that toxin? It''s incredibly effective?"


    In just five minutes under the poison''s effect, the Basilisk''s HP had plummeted below five thousand, an astonishingly exaggerated effect.


    "It wasn''t purchased; whether it''s the toxin, the poison antidote potion, or the basic HP potion, all were personally concocted by Johnny. Johnny is the best Alchemist!"


    "Alc... Alchemist?!"

 Chapter 18 -18-First Clear Rewards, A Significant Power Boost!

    <h4>Chapter 18: Chapter18-First Clear Rewards, A Significant Power Boost!</h4>


    "Lily..."


    "I��I think Helena is a trustworthy ally, so I just..." Lily stuck out her tongue sheepishly.


    "Alright, actually, I found out by ident. At first, I hadn''t really thought through what ss to pick. As I leveled up and reached level fifteen, the system informed me that I could be a special ss, so I chose it."


    "There are hidden sses too? How lucky can you get?"


    Exiled Immortal furrowed his brow, clearly incredulous.


    Before his job change, he had hesitated too. After all, the offered sses were limited��a warrior was too brash, hunters weakened in theter stages, and mages took too long to develop. Most sses didn''t catch Exiled Immortal''s eye, and he reluctantly chose the archer ss.


    And now he was just finding out about hidden sses?


    "So, besides Alchemist, what other hidden sses are there?"


    "Alchemist, swordsman, those are the only ones I know of."


    "Damn, that''s a huge loss!"


    Hearing the word "swordsman," Exiled Immortal''s expression twisted in agony.


    Swordsman, swordsman!


    Hadn''t he named himself Exiled Immortal because he wanted to be a swordmaster who wielded his sword across the heavens, cutting through all the injustices of the world?


    Exiled Immortal had never imagined that he would miss out on his lifelong dream, which seemed so close yet so far.


    "Can I change my ss now, is it still possible?"


    "That... I''m afraid not."


    John shrugged, about to say something more, when the Basilisk suddenly charged in their direction. Helena quickly grabbed John by the cor and tossed him to the side, while she herself quickly pulled Lily away to safety!


    Exiled Immortal rose on the breeze, his demeanor rxed and at ease.


    "Let''s kill this beast first, we can chatter."


    Exiled Immortal stood poised, as the breeze beneath him lifted his form. Behind him, more than ten arrows floated up from his quiver, each one passing before him and getting coated with a lethal toxin.


    "Go!"


    Exiled Immortal, his fingers shaped like a sword, casually flicked them forward. The arrows shot towards the Basilisk like a tempest, striking precisely into its already shattered pupils. The poison buff umted rapidly, elerating the loss of HP!


    "John, how about you deliver the final blow?"


    "Forget it, I don''t want to draw so much attention. We all get the first clear rewards anyway. You take the kill."


    "If you dawdle any longer, I''ll take the first kill."


    Exiled Immortal curled his lip in disdain, urging them on. Helena no longer hesitated; as the Basilisk''s HP neared depletion, she drew her rapier and thrust it deeply into the center of its forehead, finishing it off!


    [Server Announcement! Congrattions to yer Helena for ying the dungeon boss Stonehide Basilisk. The team has earned the dungeon''s first clear rewards!]


    [The first clear rewards will now be randomly distributed. Please check your inventory!]


    [First clear rewards have now been distributed!]


    One announcement followed another, and John immediately opened his backpack to check his first clear rewards.


    "Holy smokes! Epic gear? For real? This must be the first piece on the server!"


    Before John could fully inspect his own rewards, Exiled Immortal eximed in surprise, pulling a shortsword from his backpack that was nearly as long as his forearm. The sword''s light weight contrasted sharply with its evident sharpness and durability.


    The serpentine design of the de made it look exceptionally exquisite!


    Exiled Immortal merely waved it slightly, and it seemed one could faintly hear the sound of the de slicing through the air!


    [Firewalker Dagger]


    Quality: [Epic] from the [Firewalker Set]


    Traits: [Slight increase in heat resistance and agility, attacks may inflict burn damage.]


    Undeniably, this was a piece of quite remarkable epic gear.


    Even in his past life, John had used dual Firewalker Daggers as his main weapons for a considerable time, attesting to the rarity of this dagger.


    But...


    "This doesn''t seem very useful to me..."


    Exiled Immortal scratched his head, somewhat helplessly.


    If it were a piece of gear or a weapon suited for an archer, it could have taken his abilities to the next level.


    But it was a shortsword. For Exiled Immortal to abandon his current attack methods for a shortsword seemed like putting the cart before the horse.


    With this thought, Exiled Immortal could only sigh lightly, stowing the [Firewalker] back into his backpack, and then turned to Helena.


    "Boss, what special reward did you get?"


    "[Legendary Alchemist Ondo��Barry''s Notes] Quality: [Epic]. It contains some of the legendary alchemist Ondo��Barry''s newer and bolder experiments in alchemy."


    As she spoke, Helena casually tossed the worn diary to John.


    "Too bad, I can''t use it, and we don''t have an Alchemist in the team right now, so it''s yours."


    "Thank you, I''m willing to trade something else for it!"


    The experience of a legendary alchemist was undoubtedly the most valuable thing for John.


    Learning powerful alchemical techniques from the notes could potentiallypensate for his current shorings inbat power!


    With that thought, John no longer hesitated and took out his first-clear reward from his backpack.


    "[Lord Michel''s Breeze Armor] quality: [Epic]. It seems more suitable for you?"


    John merely nced at the item''s description and thought of giving the armor to Exiled Immortal in exchange for the [Firewalker Dagger].


    On one hand, [Lord Michel''s Breeze Armor] would significantly enhance Exiled Immortal''s [Windwhisper] talent.


    On the other hand, the [Firewalker Dagger] was indeed something John desired.


    "Exiled Immortal, this armor is for you, consider it a thank you for Helena giving me the notes."


    "I won''t be shy then, it just so happens I can use it."


    Exiled Immortal nodded slightly, epting John''s gift and then turned to Helena.


    "Boss, are you keeping this dagger?"


    "I can''t use it, give it to John. He''s missing a handy weapon since his bone dragger got stuck in the Basilisk''s scales. Consider itpensation."


    "Are you crazy, boss? This is an [Epic] quality weapon, probably the only one in the entire server right now. Even if we can''t use it, we could sell it to someone else!"


    "Rather than leaving it for others, better to give it to John as a favor. Besides, you''ve taken his stuff, you should at least show some gratitude, right?"


    Helena lightly tapped Exiled Immortal''s forehead, spread her hand open, and continued, "Come on, hand it over."


    "I... Boss, didn''t you already give me the notes? Why do I need to contribute something else?"


    "The notes are most useful in John''s hands; keeping them would be pointless for me. Besides, the better John''s alchemy skills, the better for us too.


    I''m sure John will give us a discount on the potions he concocts, right?"


    Helena looked meaningfully at John, her eyes twinkling warmly. John nodded and smiled, "Of course."


    "Jo, Johnny, the item I got seems a bit different from yours?"


    Just then, Lily, who had been quiet for a while, stepped forward, pulling a pure white pill from her backpack.


    [Dreamweaver''s Mercy] Quality: ???


    Effect: [Effective on first use, resets current level and ss, limited to one use, subsequent consumption will have no effect.]


    "It looks like we can make a fair trade now."


    After John saw the unique properties of the [Dreamweaver''s Mercy], he turned to Exiled Immortal, who was already too excited to speak, his eyes filled with hopeful anticipation.


    "This must be valuable, right? It''s my first time seeing an item of this quality. Is it really okay to just give it to Exiled Immortal?"


    "The fundamental principle of alchemy is equivalent exchange; I''ve always adhered to this belief. So, Exiled Immortal, take it, it''s yours."


    Watching the pill tossed his way, Exiled Immortal''s heart nearly leapt to his throat, not calming until the pill was securely in his palm.


    "Might as well use it now, reset your level and ss. You''ll get an experience reward once we exit the dungeon," Helena suggested.


    "But that means all the equipment I''ve gathered would be a waste..."


    Exiled Immortal had invested considerable effort and resources to assemble his current gear. Resetting his level and ss would mean all his initial investments were squandered.


    "What''s there to worry about? I''ll always have your back, and it''s just a set of equipment. I''ll buy you a better one!"

 Chapter 19 -19-Legendary Alchemy

    <h4>Chapter 19: Chapter19-Legendary Alchemy</h4>


    Blushing under Helena''s doting gaze, Exiled Immortal bashfully nodded.


    The moment he swallowed the Dreamweaver''s Mercy, the pill dissolved into points of light that entered his body. He could vividly sense how the warm specks seemed to draw strength from him.


    Exiled Immortal watched, almost helplessly, as if a meter were running backwards��his level and experience bar rapidly declining. His ssbel, [Archer], was erased due to the loss of levels.


    Within a mere minute, Exiled Immortal shockingly found his quest panel had reverted to its original state from when he first entered the game.


    But instead of feeling disheartened, his eyes lit up with joy, and tion surged within him.


    "Fantastic! You could say, it''s like having a pillow when falling asleep��I never thought I''d actually find an item that could reset my level."


    "Aren''t you going to thank Lily?"


    "Li-Lily, thank you so much..."


    With cheeks flushed, Exiled Immortal awkwardly scratched his head, barely daring to meet Lily''s star-like eyes.


    In contrast, Lily appeared much moreposed, simply shaking her head and smiling. "No worries, as long as it''s useful to you. Can you give the Firewalker Dagger to Johnny now?"


    "Oh, right, right, I''ll give it to John now."


    Realizing what he needed to do, Exiled Immortal nodded, handing the Firewalker Dagger to John. Observing the dagger, which resembled a sinuous serpent, John felt an inexplicable sense of affinity.


    "Thank you."


    With the first-clear rewards distributed, there remained dungeon rewards for the group to im. Yet,pared to these trivial dungeon prizes, John was far more concerned with the body of the Basilisk.


    Its sturdy scales, venom-spewing tongue, and tough sinews were exceptional alchemical materials for John!


    He could forge aplete set of scale armor from the Basilisk''s scales, offering unparalleled defense!


    Fortunately, after the Basilisk''s death, its scales were no longer as neatly ovepped, creating just enough gaps for John to peel them off one by one.


    Of course, the venom was indispensable too��capable of corroding even bluestone, its toxicity was unimaginably extreme!


    It took nearly two hours for John to collect all the materials he needed from the Basilisk''s body, after which he and the others, including Helena, left the dungeon.


    The moment they stepped out of the dungeon chamber, the experience rewards were credited. The experience from a Level 25 Boss-level dungeon allowed the Level 19 Helena to gain three levels. Lily finally reached Level 18 and learned new spells.


    With the [Kiss of LUCK] boost, John''s level skyrocketed by ten levels, reaching a formidable Level 40!


    As for Exiled Immortal, the massive amount of experience brought him in one go to Level 15. Without a moment''s hesitation, he immediately epted the ss change request to be a swordsman.


    Since it was detected that Exiled Immortal was currently in Calia City, the quest location shifted from Adra Vige to the Calia region. Exiled Immortal had to head to the mines to gather the metals needed to forge his sword, so he left first.


    "So, shall we part ways here?"


    Emerging from the underground city, John had put his hood back on, his features shrouded in shadow, rendering his face indiscernible.


    After learning John''s little secret, Helena happily agreed to keep it, so she didn''t reveal John''s name. Instead, she just curved her lips into a seductive smile.


    "Shall we meet again another day?"


    "Another day indeed."


    "Little cutie Lily, next time we meet, I''ll have a gift for you."


    "There''s no need, Sister Helena."


    "How could I not? Our darling Lily deserves all the tenderness."


    Helena affectionately pinched Lily''s cheek. After saying goodbye to John, she prepared to return to the Pioneer Squad''s base.


    Overall, the rewards from their first dungeon clear were indeed substantial.


    Two pieces of [Epic] quality gear, two precious items��they had distributed these needs-wise, quite reasonably. But after some thought, Helena felt she might have been on the losing end.


    Not only had she used up scrolls, but she also ended up with none of the first-clear rewards.


    But...


    Well, never mind that. Items only mean something when they serve their purpose. Besides, the stronger Exiled Immortal became, the better it was for her.


    ...


    Meanwhile, back at the shop, John simply greeted Fara before secluding himself in his room to start crafting new potions and scale armor.


    But before that, he needed to peruse the journal of that Legendary Alchemist to see what useful experiences he could glean from it.


    Opening the first page of the journal, John''s eyes met with words he had read countless times before.


    "The world of alchemy is far grander than you could imagine."


    Though it was a simple sentence, John found it incredibly stirring.


    [Ding, host has detected the Alchemy Journal]


    [Ding, detected that the Alchemy Journal is iplete, Kiss of LUCK assessment in progress]


    [Ding, Kiss of LUCK assessment sessful, this journal is identified as a forbidden tome,pletion in progress]


    ...


    [Completion sessful!]


    The journal thickened instantly, and John eagerly started flipping from the back.


    This journal documented hundreds of Ondo��Barry''s alchemical experiments, detailing both failures and sesses. Ondo��Barry had meticulously recorded his experiences and even pinpointed the reasons behind them.


    Of course, the forbidden alchemy techniques John had hoped for were also included, with nearly ten different types recorded.


    These included experiments on living monsters, spell fusion, trait transfer, and equipment quality inheritance experiments, any of which could shake the world with their greatness if released. Gradually, John became so immersed that he lost track of time.


    It was only after he had read the entire journal, word for word, that John took a deep breath.


    Looking out the window at the night sky, he rubbed his temples, both shocked by Ondo��Barry''s brilliant talent and unbounded creativity, and in awe of his staggering practical skills.


    Just the ten-plus alchemical techniques recorded in the journal had been subjected to hundreds, if not thousands of trials, with both sesses and failures.


    "The reason this alchemy hasn''t been passed down might just be because it''s too against the natural order," John mused.


    "Some experiments were literally ying God, not too far from being a creator themselves!"


    The journal clearly recorded how Ondo��Barry once fused a high-ranking, intelligent monster, a three-eyed giant, with a low-ranking slime, resulting in a test subject that sessfully acquired the giant''s robust physique and the slime''s incredible regenerative ability.


    Even mortal wounds, unless instantly fatal, could be healed by the subject''s powerful regenerative capabilities.


    Creating an entirely new monster from two known species might be something only a creator could achieve.


    At this moment, John felt increasingly grateful for choosing the Alchemist ss. With Ondo��Barry''s journal, he could replicate those legendary alchemical techniques that existed only in myths and significantly enhance their sess rates.


    The SSS talent [Kiss of Luck] was a unique advantage that others did not possess!


    Of course, these things would require gradual exploration.


    For now, John was still a junior Alchemist. To replicate the feats of the legendary Alchemists, he would need to advance to a senior Alchemist and undergo a second ss change for a chance at sess.


    Putting his swirling thoughts aside, John turned around and focused on the Basilisk scales that had been cleaned and were soaking in acid.


    Using silver tongs, he lifted the scales out, which had undergone a dramatic transformation in flexibility.


    If the original scales were like a rigid iron sheet that would not bend, then after the acid soak, they had be tough alloys that retained their hardness but gained much more malleability.


    Thus, John began to craft the scale armor, meticulously picking out each scale, rinsing them in clear water to remove the acid, then starting the forging process.


    This task consumed two whole days.


    ...


    Standing outside the closed door, Lily bit her lip, clearly worried about John''s condition.


    While yers didn''t need sleep or food, nor did they feel fatigue or hunger, the concern was that if John continued to work relentlessly, he might disconnect at any moment.


    With this thought, Lily could no longer heed John''s potentialints and was about to knock on the door to persuade him to rest.


    But just at that moment, the door burst open, and John''s joyfulughter echoed from the room.


    "It worked, Lily, I did it!"

 Chapter 20 -20-The [Corrupted]

    <h4>Chapter 20: Chapter20-The [Corrupted]</h4>


    Watching John''s smile, Lily tiptoed and asked eagerly, "Johnny, what''s got you so happy? Did you learn a new skill?"


    "Sort of, but that''s not the main thing. Look at this!" John said as he pulled out [Scale Armor] from his yer backpack. "This is armor I crafted myself, and it''s reached [epic] quality! It''s my first attempt, and I never expected it to go so smoothly!"


    "Is it really [epic] quality? Wow, Johnny, that''s amazing!"


    Lily, bubbling with excitement, leapt into John''s arms to share his joy.


    John simply spun her around in the air a few times before setting her down andughing, "An [epic] quality armor, and there aren''t many of those around just yet. Lily, do you want to keep it for protection?"


    "Um... I think I''ll pass, Johnny. I feel pretty good in my Priest''s white robe."


    Lily pursed her lips politely declining his offer.


    Indeed, the defensive performance of [epic] quality armor was indisputably superior to her current white robe.


    But the problem was, the Scale Armor was just too ugly!


    The gray-ck scales ovepped each other, looking like skin ripped straight from a Basilisk''s body.


    Only the joints were not covered by the scales. Wearing it, one would look exactly like a humanoid Basilisk.


    Although Lily didn''t usually care much about appearances, this was exceptionally hideous.


    "Well, if you don''t want it, we could sell it for other items or simply exchange it for silver coins," John suggested.


    Defensive capabilities were also not a priority for John.


    As an Alchemist, he didn''t need to be on the front lines of battle. Most of the time, like Lily, his role was to provide buffs and debuffs.


    And besides...


    John also felt that the [Scale Armor] was excessively ugly...


    "Johnny, have you been working nonstop these past few days just for this armor?"


    "Yeah, although I tried some other alchemy too, that''s pretty much it."


    "Johnny, you shouldn''t push yourself too hard. It would be terrible if you harmed your health, and it could be dangerous if you suddenly disconnect likest time."


    "You''re right, I''ll be more careful next time. By the way, Lily, has anyone been looking for me these past couple of days?"


    Lily suddenly realized, "Oh, I almost forgot! That''s actually why I came. Last night, Helena stopped by. She brought something she wanted you to see."


    "What is it? A special item?"


    "Um... I''m not sure. It seems to be a [Corrupted] game item. Helena said the item has lost all its attributes and quality, and it can''t even be equipped normally. She was wondering if Johnny had any clue about this?"


    At these words, John''s smile abruptly froze, and a sh of shock crossed his eyes.


    "Lily, are you sure you heard right? It''s really Corrupted?"


    "Yes! The item is still in the shop. I''ll go get it for you to see."


    "Thanks... I appreciate it."


    Hearing John''s grave tone, Lily felt a bit puzzled but didn''t ask further, obediently turning to leave.


    Watching Lily''s departing figure, John''s brow furrowed, his expression growing increasingly solemn.


    "How is this possible? It shouldn''t be happening, not this soon, it shouldn''t be appearing at this time..."


    Amid his swirling thoughts, a segment of painful memories that John had tried to keep buried began to resurface.


    In his previous life, John had also encountered many yers.


    They huddled together for warmth, cheered each other on, and supported one another through many challenges.


    By the hundredth day after the advent of the game world, the world underwent a drastic change!


    Seven days after the catastrophe, overnight, seven bottomless pits appeared around the globe.


    Countless monsters emerged from these pits, apanied by formidable enemies who called themselves the [Apostles].


    These chasms, along with the cracks they spawned, were all referred to as the [Abyss].


    One such [Abyss] appeared in John''s city. Even though John had the capability to conquer hard level dungeons, he was utterly powerless against the [Apostles].


    Their god-like abilities, as described by the [Apostles] themselves, were [Authority] bestowed upon them by the master of the Abyss, making them akin to deities.


    The identities of the seven [Apostles] were unknown, as was the reason for their emergence from the Abyss, but one thing was clear to everyone.


    The [Apostles] were invincible and utterly impossible to defeat.


    John vividly remembered, after a harrowing escape from an [Apostle], returning to the game world only to find all his items marked as [Corrupted]. They could not be traded, worn, or even destroyed.


    As Lily handed him the ring, John''s pupils shook, and his thoughts became increasingly chaotic.


    There was no mistake��it was the same [Corrupted] status as in his past memories!


    But why so soon?


    Only ten days had passed to date. Neither the [Abyss] nor the [Apostles] should have appeared at this point!


    "Could it be because of me? Did my actions somehow cause the [Abyss] to arrive early?"


    Countless thoughts surged through John''s mind, like a massive stone pressing on his chest, making it nearly impossible for him to breathe.


    "Jo, Johnny, are you alright?"


    "I''m fine, I''m just probably too tired. I need some rest, Lily. Could you please contact Helena and tell her there''s something I need to exin about this item? Ask her to find some time toe to the shop."


    "I got it, Johnny. You should go rest as soon as you can."


    After watching Lily leave, John turned around, his feet stumbling, nearly causing him to fall.


    The joy of having crafted the Scale Armor had vanished, reced by a heavy cloud of worry that spread like a dark cloud over his heart.


    Lying on the spotless bed, John covered his eyes with his arms, trying to calm himself as much as possible.


    Perhaps it was just a coincidence, or perhaps in his previous life, [Corrupted] gear had appeared at this point and he was just unaware, or maybe...


    Despite the myriad reasons John conjured up to deceive himself, deep down, he couldn''t shake the belief that this was indeed a sign.


    The [Abyss], the [Apostle], those invincible enemies, seemed about to appear.


    Finally, a knock at the door pulled John from his tangled thoughts. He struggled to sit up and looked at Helena and Exiled Immortal as they entered, calmly cing the [Corrupted] item on the desk.


    "John, Lily mentioned you know the origin of this thing?"


    "Before I answer your question, I have a few of my own. First, who found this item, and where? Second, where is the first person who touched this equipment? I''d like to meet them. Third, besides us, who else knows about this item?"


    "Wait, wait a minute, John, you''re asking too fast. I need to organize my thoughts."


    John''s demeanor struck Helena as odd.


    In their previous meetings, no matter the circumstances, John''s lips seemed forever curved in a faint smile, aposure that piqued Helena''s interest in him.


    So, Helena had never seen John like this before.


    His expression was grave, his tone urgent, and even his gaze flickered evasively.


    It was as if... he was fearing something.


    "This equipment was found by a member of our squad in the underground city. We thought it was some kind of special item at first, but even after having it appraised by a professional, it still couldn''t be worn, so it was passed on to me.


    As for when this equipment was discovered... it seems to have been the night we first cleared the Basilisk dungeon."


    "Where is the person who found it now?"


    "He''s at the base. Should I have Exiled Immortal call him over?"


    John didn''t speak; he just nodded heavily.


    "I have a few more details to ask about, so if you wouldn''t mind, Exiled Immortal."


    "That''s no trouble at all, but you seem really off, John. Are you sure you''re okay?"


    "I''m fine, I know my own body."

 Chapter 21 -21-Noah

    <h4>Chapter 21: Chapter21-Noah</h4>


    Even without checking the status bar, it was evident just how dire John''s condition was.


    His face was ashen, his lips devoid of color, his eyes bloodshot and filled with traces of blood. His breathing was weak andbored, and it seemed like he could be forcibly disconnected at any moment. There was no way he could be fine, judging by his appearance.


    However, since John insisted otherwise, Exiled Immortal couldn''t refuse him. After getting a nod from Helena, he got up and left.


    "John, how did you end up like this?"


    "I originally had good news to share, but now there''s nothing worth mentioning."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, speaking weakly. "I can probably hold on for another thirty minutes before I''m forcibly disconnected. I''ll exin everything about this equipment once I reconnect next time. For now, I need to figure out some of my own issues."


    In less than five minutes, Exiled Immortal returned, bringing along a girl who appeared to be demure and delicate. However, when she spoke, her strong and confident voice left John momentarily stunned.


    "Ahem, let me introduce her, John. This is a new member of Pioneer Squad. Uh, he''s a guy."


    "That''s not important."


    John waved his hand, unwilling to waste precious time on discussing such trivial matters as gender.


    "Let me ask you, where exactly did you get this [Corrupted] equipment? Be specific, which part of the underground city?"


    "In the fourth level of the underground city, near the dungeon. I found this ring in a private room. Is there a problem?"


    "Just answer my questions. You don''t need to ask any. Were there any other items in the room besides this ring?"


    "Only some silver coins. Nothing else, really."


    "Are you sure there''s nothing else? Think carefully��anything you might have overlooked, symbols, engravings, anything at all."


    "No... there''s really nothing else. Aren''t the treasure chests in the underground city supposed to have random rewards?"


    Hearing this, John felt his headache intensify.


    If that was the only answer, it was as good as no answer at all.


    "After you got this item, did any of your other equipment show signs of being [Corrupted], or did you feel unwell in any way? What about your status bar? Any issues there?"


    Meeting John''s urgent gaze, the other person just shook his head, looking utterly confused.


    "...Forget it, never mind."


    Despite all the questions, there was no progress, leaving John more uncertain than ever.


    Was it a coincidence or a sign? John felt caught in a dilemma.


    "Captain, should I head back now?"


    "Go ahead. Also, if you feel unwell or anything unusual happens in the next few days, let me know immediately."


    "Understood, Captain."


    Helena withdrew her gaze and slowly walked to the bedside. She intended to gently touch John''s cheek but, considering their status, settled for cing her hand on his shoulder after a moment''s hesitation.


    "John, what''s really going on? Are you overly anxious?"


    "I wish it were just my imagination. This matter... I don''t know how to exin it to you. Give me some time to figure it out.


    By the way, there''s one more thing. This is the armor I crafted in the past few days, [Epic]-tier Scale Armor. I''ll leave it with you for now. If anyone in your team needs it, consider it a favor. If not, take it to the auction house and sell it to get some useful items for Lily.


    And here''s some poison, made from Basilisk venom. I''ve tested it��it has paralyzing effects in addition to its corrosiveness. You can have it too."


    "It''s just a forced disconnection. Why make it seem like a life-and-death farewell? We''ll see each other again in an hour. You can handle these things yourself."


    "Please, I might have to leave for a while. I need to get to the bottom of this as soon as possible."


    Hearing this, the smile on Helena''s face gradually faded.


    "Is it that serious?"


    "It concerns life and death."


    "...I understand. Don''t worry. I''ll take care of Lily while you''re gone."


    "Thank you."


    With that, John let out a long sigh,y back on the bed, closed his eyes, and waited for the disconnection.


    ...


    As the light before him was swallowed by darkness, John found himself back in that wastnd, surrounded by an eerie silence. Even the wind seemed to restrain itself, not stirring a single grain of sand.


    John crawled out of his sleeping bag, opened two cans to replenish his stamina, and for the first time, stepped out of his shelter.


    Since the seven-day catastrophe, this was the first time John had left the warehouse. The devastated world before him was just as he remembered.


    But there was no time for John toment. After determining his direction, he packed several days'' worth of rations and drinking water in his backpack and began his journey toward the city center, map in hand.


    Before the cataclysmic earthquake, the city center had suffered the most severe damage. Even just reaching the overpass leading to the city center, John''s pace inevitably slowed.


    Everywhere were signs of disaster��car idents, overturned trucks, charred ground from exploded oil tankers, and crushed cars reeking of decay, creating a natural barrier that separated the outskirts from the heart of the city.


    John couldn''t imagine what it must have felt like to sit in a car, awaiting death during a cataclysmic event akin to the apocalypse.


    It certainly couldn''t have been much worse than how he felt now.


    Facing the impending doom, perhaps those in their cars could have a final farewell with their families, share onest kiss with their loved ones.


    But what about John?


    Even if he revealed everything about the [Abyss] and the [Apostles], even if he exposed his identity as a reborn individual, who would believe him?


    Even Lily would think he was talking nonsense.


    At this moment, John felt like Noah. Before the flood came, no matter how he tried to warn everyone about the impending disaster, he was met with nothing but ridicule,beled a madman.


    Only when the flood arrived did people realize that Noah''s prophecy hade true. They rushed onto the ark, leaving most people behind to drown in the deluge.


    But they could have built more arks, saving more lives.


    All John could do was to make this ark asrge as possible before the flood hit.


    Looking down after climbing over the wall of car wreckage, John saw the scene below.


    Broken streets, copsed buildings, and heaps of rubble.


    And the blood-ck monsters wandering among them.


    "The city center is still about... thirty kilometers away. Given the current situation, the actual distance might be five times that."


    On one side were the monsters roaming the wild, and on the other, the weight on his heart. John almost immediately chose thetter.


    Though the city center didn''t seem to have changed significantly��after all, once the [Abyss] appeared, the number and level of monsters would far surpass the current scale��some things needed to be witnessed firsthand to be believed.


    With this thought, John leaped, plunging into the ruins below.


    In an instant, the sound drew the attention of the wandering monsters. They tilted their heads, trying to discern the direction of the noise. After all, those grotesque, hideous facescked eyes entirely, featuring only a gaping, scarlet maw from which viscous, foul-smelling liquid continuously dripped.


    However, the sound was distant and fleeting. After listening for a moment, the monsters resumed their aimless wandering.


    "Phew..."


    John emerged from the rubble, poking his head out and scanning the surroundings. Confirming that no monsters had noticed him, he cautiously climbed out.


    He had to admit, the time spent growing stronger in the game had resulted in a significant improvement in his physical condition. Otherwise, jumping from a height of several meters andnding on a pile of debris would have been enough to kill him!


    Yet, enhanced physical abilities alone wouldn''t be enough to tear through the monsters'' tough hides. John needed a suitable weapon, and the [Firewalker Dagger] was undoubtedly the best choice.


    With a mere thought, a dagger resembling a serpent flicking its tongue appeared in John''s hand.

 Chapter 22 -22-Offline Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 22: Chapter22-Offline Meeting</h4>


    With the [Firewalker Dagger] in hand, John''s confidence undoubtedly surged.


    After all, it was an [epic] tier weapon, capable of slicing through iron as if it were mud. Even against these unevolved monsters, it could inflict tremendous damage.


    In John''s memories from his past life, these monsters underwent a total of four evolutions, corresponding to the emergence of four [Apostles]. Each evolution significantly increased the monsters'' strength. Even after two years of growth in the game, facing a horde of [Evolution Type IV] monsters was still a formidable challenge.


    Of course, with John''s current power, he could effortlessly crush these monsters.


    Hiding the [Firewalker Dagger] behind him, John treaded lightly, trying not to attract any monsters'' attention. He moved painstakingly through the ruins, constantly orienting himself.


    In this drastically altered city, any sense of direction was long lost.


    "If I remember correctly, the [Abyss] rift appeared near the city center."


    John vividly recalled that night when the [Abyss] emerged. Thousands upon thousands of [Evolution Type IV] monsters surged into the city like a tidal wave, quickly spreading throughout.


    Apanying the monstrous tide was a deity-like presence.


    Even though John had gathered all the nearby yers, they still couldn''t hold back the invasion. The hard-won base established amidst the ruins was destroyed once again, along with hisrades who were ughtered.


    John had survived by stepping over the bodies of his friends.


    Lost in his thoughts, John suddenly heard a heart-wrenching scream. He jerked his head in the direction of the sound and immediately noticed someone running frantically through the ruins, with more than a dozen monsters in hot pursuit.


    In such situations, it was likely that the person had identally stumbled into his refuge after escaping from the game world, only to find monsters wandering around. Their instinctive scream had attracted even more monsters.


    John cast a brief nce before averting his gaze.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to help; he truly couldn''t.


    Facing more than a dozen monsters was beyond John''s capability. Trying to save that person might cost him his own life. John had more important tasks to attend to and couldn''t afford to stop here.


    So, John looked away and took advantage of the monsters being distracted to continue deeper into the ruins.


    In less than three minutes, the screams vanished. It was clear that the person had met a gruesome end, likely torn apart by the monsters, leaving not even bones behind.


    John couldn''t help but think about the person who had been running desperately, imagining their tragic fate.


    "Could I have saved them? Maybe they didn''t have to die?"


    These thoughts surged uncontrobly through his mind, so much so that John didn''t notice a monster approaching him head-on.


    When his peripheral vision caught sight of the blood and flesh clinging to the monster''s feet and the metallic gleam of its ws, John''s body froze in ce. He jerked his head up, and the monster''s stinking, blood-red maw was less than ten centimeters away!


    John could see the rotting flesh between the monster''s teeth, with maggots happily wriggling and squirming within.


    A surge of tension hit him, causing his heart to pound wildly, and his breath quickened.


    One monster posed no real threat to John in his current state, but the sudden closeness had startled him.


    Moreover, other monsters were still lurking nearby. John couldn''t flee, nor could he kill the monster. Any noise would attract attention, and his fate would be no better than that of the person before.


    In such moments, with no hope to ce in others, John could only rely on himself.


    Watching the monster as it listened intently, John covered his mouth and nose tightly, trying to slow his breathing and heartbeat as much as possible to avoid being noticed.


    At the same time, John slowlyy down, pressing his body against the ground, watching helplessly as the monster stepped over him.


    Its sharp ws identally shed his thigh, but he dared not make a sound.


    Only when the monster had moved away did John cautiously stand up, not daring to dy, and swiftly made his escape.


    Meanwhile, on top of a still rtively intact building, a young man had been watching the whole time.


    Seeing John narrowly escape death, the young man''s eyes lit up, and he slowly stood up, stepping into the air.


    But the expected scene of a rapid fall didn''t ur. Instead, the young man hovered steadily in midair, a blue vortex of energy lifting him high, making his clothes flutter!


    "Could it really be you?"


    ...


    That night!


    John hid among the ruins, using a shlight to study a map.


    After confirming his direction, he didn''t rush to move on. Instead, he took out some food to replenish his stamina.


    If John''s memory served him correctly, he was about two kilometers away from the spot where the [Abyss] appeared in his previous life.


    However, the closer he got, the fewer monsters were roaming around, which was clearly unusual.


    There were only two possibilities: either the [Abyss] hadn''t appeared yet, making this a low-probability random event, and he was being overly sensitive, or the location of the [Abyss] had changed due to the altered timeline.


    If John had to choose, he would naturally prefer the former. But since he was already here, he had to see for himself to be sure.


    After a simple stamina replenishment, John resealed the leftover canned food and, under the bright moonlight, continued on his way.


    Along the journey, John encountered many survivors, who had also emerged from the game world, either resting to restore stamina or scavenging for food.


    After seeing John''s unfamiliar face, some people grew restless while others kept their distance, but John could still feel eyes constantly on him.


    Not wanting to cause trouble or incite more chaos, John quickened his pace, finally reaching the city center before dawn.


    However...


    "This... how is this possible?"


    Staring at the high pile of rubble, John staggered and nearly fell.


    This was the ce, it couldn''t be wrong. John even recognized the building less than three hundred meters to his left.


    In his past life, he had cleared a shelter there that could hold thirty people. How could he possibly forget something so significant?


    "But the [Abyss] hasn''t appeared, and there''s not a single monster here. Was I really just being overly sensitive?"


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, leaning against the ruins. He picked up a piece of severely weathered cement, which crumbled into dust in his hand and sifted through his fingers.


    "The [Abyss] hasn''t appeared. My worry was unnecessary. This is good news. I should be relieved, so why do I have this troubled look on my face?"


    Johnughed at himself, took a moment to regain his stamina, and then stood up, exhaling deeply.


    "Maybe I really was just too sensitive. I need to get back to the game world quickly, or Lily and the others will worry."


    Just as John was about to head back, a shadow suddenly crashed heavily in front of him, the impact kicking up a cloud of dust that obscured his vision.


    This sudden change made John''s pupils contract.


    Without thinking, he instinctively drew the [Firewalker Dagger] and struck forward.


    A sharp ng echoed as the sh of metal sent a jolt through John''s wrist, making it numb.


    "Hey, hey, hey! I gave you that [Firewalker Dagger], and now you''re using it against me?"


    "Exiled Immortal?"


    "Bingo! Looks like you''re not so dumb, John."


    As the voice faded, a figure emerged from the swirling dust��a slightly immature-looking youth with a smirk full of adolescent bravado.


    "I just came out to grab something to eat and replenish my stamina. Who knew I''d run into you? I guess this counts as an offline meeting, huh? It feels like you''re taller than you are in the game world."


    Exiled Immortal cupped his chin, looking John up and down before his gaze settled on John''s backpack.


    "Why do I smell meat on you?"


    "Pork stew, canned."

 Chapter 23 -23-The Rift

    <h4>Chapter 23: Chapter23-The Rift</h4>


    Exiled Immortal: "..."


    John: "..."


    "Aren''t you going to say something?"


    "Say... what?"


    "Why do you have canned braised pork? Did you stock up on food in advance?"


    Meeting Exiled Immortal''s gaze, John nodded and continued, "I''m secretly a doomsday prepper. I like to stock up on canned food, and it turns out it came in handy. It''s not just braised pork; I''ve got other things too."


    As John spoke, he took off his backpack and unzipped it. Immediately, the rich aroma of meat stew filled the air.


    "I''ve got canned beef, canned ribs, military rations, fruit cans, and freeze-dried vegetables."


    Watching John pull out a dazzling array of cans one by one from his backpack, Exiled Immortal involuntarily swallowed, and his stomach growled loudly.


    "Hmm, that''s about it. There''s more where I live, but the variety is roughly the same, just different vors."


    After speaking, under Exiled Immortal''s longing gaze, John nonchntly put the cans back into his backpack one by one. The words that were about toe out of Exiled Immortal''s mouth were swallowed back down.


    Exiled Immortal: "?"


    John: "...Do you want to eat?"


    "Well, not really. I''m not interested in canned food. Who knows if the ingredients are clean?"


    Exiled Immortal turned his head away, clearly being stubborn.


    John nodded, put the backpack back on, and said, "Alright then."


    "Hey, no, no, no, I was just kidding. Don''t really put them away! It''s been over ten days, and I haven''t had any meat or even vegetables. I''ve been living on bread and I''m about to be sick of it. Come on, let me have a taste!"


    "Ha, you little rascal, you think I can''t handle you?"


    John rolled his eyes and pushed Exiled Immortal''s head away, saying in a low voice, "This isn''t the ce to eat. Can''t you see all those eyes watching us? Let''s leave here and go to my base."


    "By the way, can''t you fly? Take me with you. You can stay at my ce; I''ve got enough food tost us a long time."


    "Leave it to me. But John, I didn''t know you were from Riverside too. If not for this chance encounter, I''d never have known."


    "Same here. I never heard you mention it either."


    In his past life, John had lived in Riverside for many years but had never met Exiled Immortal offline.


    He had only heard Helena mention in passing that she had gotten a Targeted Teleportation Scroll that could be used in the real world, and Exiled Immortal had used it to visit Helena''s hometown.


    "Anyway, let''s get out of here."


    John scanned the surroundings. Ever since he had taken the food out of his backpack, many people had started eyeing him, inching closer. If they stayed any longer, chaos would likely ensue.


    "By the way, John, how much do you weigh?"


    "How much do I weigh? Isn''t that a bit of a presumptuous question?"


    "Oh,e on. You''re not a girl. Just tell me."


    "74 kilograms."


    "That''s not too bad. Just don''t move around too much when we take off."


    With that, Exiled Immortal grabbed John''s shoulder without giving him any time to prepare.


    In the next moment, a whirlwind of cyan winds surged around them, lifting them both into the air!


    As the ruins beneath them grew smaller and smaller, John clicked his tongue in admiration, feeling a twinge of envy.


    To achieve such a feat, besides the versatility of Exiled Immortal''s talent [Windwhisper], it also required Exiled Immortal''s own hard work.


    "I say, John, you''re definitely more than 74 kilograms! You lied about your weight!"


    Compared to the excited John, Exiled Immortal didn''t look as rxed.


    The weight of both of them was on his shoulders, and he had to concentrate every second to control enough wind to keep them afloat.


    "Are you stupid? I am 74 kilograms, but don''t forget the backpack filled with cans. It must weigh at least ten pounds."


    "Why didn''t you say so earlier! Where exactly do you live?"


    "We''re almost there. Why are you so impatient, kid?"


    "I''m already sixteen, not a kid anymore!"


    Exiled Immortal''s face flushed red as he clenched his fist in protest. But John''s next words ended the argument abruptly.


    "But in the game world, you still have a juvenile physique, and I''m an adult."


    "You! I won''t stoop to your level!"


    "Alright, alright. What''s wrong with being underage? Lily is underage too. She''s still a few days away from turning eighteen."


    "What, she''s older than me? She looks younger than I do."


    "That''s called being a little maiden. You''re not in the same league. Besides, once she''s an adult, she won''t be a little maiden anymore; she''ll be ady."


    Exiled Immortal was taken aback and asked in confusion, "John, how do you know?"


    "It''s for sure. Lily herself said she doesn''t want to be cute; she wants to be ady."


    "Why? I think being cute is pretty nice..."


    Exiled Immortal muttered softly. Following John''s direction, they slowly descended and finally arrived at John''s shelter: an abandoned warehouse that was still mostly intact.


    "This is it. You can stay here from now on. I have extra sleeping bags and plenty of food."


    "Is it really that great? Just so you know, I''m at an age where I''m growing, and I can eat a lot."


    Exiled Immortal pouted, obviously skeptical of John''s ims.


    But the moment they pushed open the warehouse door, Exiled Immortal was instantly stunned.


    "So much? John, are you rich or something?"


    He stared in amazement at the neatly stacked boxes of canned food, piled up like a small mountain.


    "Don''t mention it. If it weren''t for the earthquake, I would have had the whole warehouse full."


    "This isn''t just being a doomsday prepper; you''re a hardcore fan! This entire warehouse must be worth millions."


    "I think it cost over three million? Anyway, all the canned food in Riverside is here."


    John smirked, walked over to a handmade shopping area sign, pulled out a shopping cart, and smiled, "Life needs a sense of ritual. So, what do you want to eat?"


    "John, would you be willing to take care of me? I''m very handy, just need food..."


    Exiled Immortal quickly followed, overwhelmed by the sheer variety of cans.


    "This one, this one��mango cans! I love mangoes! And a meatball one, oh, oh! Canned yellow peaches, and ribs!


    Man, John, you even have military rations?"


    "Of course, boy! If you want it, just grab a pack!"


    "Thirteen days, thirteen days! How did I survive these thirteen days!"


    Before John could light the stove, Exiled Immortal eagerly opened a can of yellow peaches. Staring at the golden peaches, he swallowed hard.


    "Then I won''t hold back, John."


    "Go ahead. While I heat up the cans, I''ve got rice and drinking water here. We''ll make some rice to go with it. Carbs will lift your spirits."


    "John, from now on, you''re my big brother, really, even closer than the bossdy!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the center of Riverside.


    At the central ruins where John had lingered earlier, the ground seemed to tremble.


    Countless stones rolled off the top of the ruins, crashing down and stirring up clouds of dust.


    The monsters that had gathered there fled in terror, as the tremors grew stronger, as if the ground was about to split open again!


    No, the ground really was splitting open!


    The tremors appeared suddenly, then abruptly stopped, leaving nothing but chaos in their wake.


    No one knew what was happening, but it didn''t seem particrly dangerous.


    After all,st time the ground split, monsters poured out of the fissures.


    This crack was so small it could barely fit a leg through.


    How could any monsters crawl out of that?


    Some bolder souls stepped forward, eager to uncover the truth of the matter.


    He slowly approached the edge of the chasm and peered downward.


    The dark rift seemed bottomless, as if it could pierce through the entire. Just a single nce brought a sense of overwhelming oppression!


    Moreover, from within the fissure, there seemed to be a sound...


    It was like a whisper, like murmuring.


    "Time... has been... deceived."


    "But you cannot deceive me."

 Chapter 24 -24-Bountiful Harvest

    <h4>Chapter 24: Chapter24-Bountiful Harvest</h4>


    "I''m stuffed... I can''t eat another bite."


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand and copsed in a starfish position on his sleeping bag, his eyes vacant, clearly in a state of blissful detachment.


    "This is the best meal I''ve had since the apocalypse began!"


    "Rest up and log back in soon, so Helena and the others don''t worry. What happened after I logged out?"


    "Big Sis was really worried about you, but you know how she is��being from Eirys, she''s miles away from us, all she could do was fret.


    But she probably didn''t expect we''d end up in the same city, haha, it''s all fate."


    "I''d rather not have this kind of fate. With the way you eat, you''ll bankrupt me in no time."


    John rolled his eyes, extinguished the fire, made sure it wouldn''t reignite, and scanned the surroundings for any wandering monsters. Only after ensuring it was safe did he crawl back into his sleeping bag and find afortable position.


    "See you in a bit then."


    "Alright, John, see you soon!"


    ...


    Logging back into the game, John sat up on the bed, feeling refreshed and sharper than before.


    He nced at the party list��Lily was offline, likely taking a break too. Extended ytime was indeed taxing for her frail body.


    "Never mind, I''ll go for a walk. Might as well check on that Scale Armor."


    With this in mind, John got up and opened the door, only to find Fara struggling with a wooden box. When she noticed John, her eyes lit up instantly.


    "Careful there."


    John quickly steadied the box, taking it from Fara''s hands with a smile. "Restocking?"


    "Yes, even though my little shop is a bit out of the way, I must maintain my stock. It''s a matter of principle and pride as a merchant."


    "I have a feeling your alchemy supply shop is going to keep growing. By the way, where should I put this?"


    "Just ce it in the storeroom, I''ll handle the rest. By the way, mentor, have you been sleeping all this time?"


    "''Mentor''? What kind of title is that... never mind, whatever makes you happy. As for why I slept so long, I''ve been busy with alchemytely, used up a lot of energy, so I needed the rest. Has anyonee looking for me these past few days?"


    Fara tilted her head, thinking.


    "Hmm... I don''t think so. Most people came to buy poison antidote potions. Mentor, can you teach me how to make them? That way, even if you''re busy, I can handle it myself."


    "Sure, I''ll write down the ingredients and method for you. As a beginner, your sess rate won''t be great at first, but don''t worry about failing. Keep trying, and you''ll get the hang of it."


    "Got it, mentor! Don''t worry, I won''t let you down!"


    "Don''t worry, if your potions identally poison someone, I''ll run away myself and won''t let it implicate you."


    "I�� I wouldn''t do that..."


    Fara pouted, stopped chatting with John, and went back to sorting the alchemy materials in the storeroom.


    Watching Fara''s back, John smiled, feeling quite cheerful himself.


    John suddenly realized that having an apprentice like this was actually quite amusing��silly and earnest.


    "Hey John, I''ve been waiting for you for ten minutes. Why are you still in the shop?"


    Just then, the wind chime hanging by the door jingled, and John looked towards the sound. Exiled Immortal pushed open the door with a goofy grin, with Helena right behind him.


    "You''re here."


    "Yeah! John, since you were taking so long, we had toe find you, right, Big Sis?"


    "Alright, why are you so excited after just one meal?"


    "You don''t get it. There''s an old saying in our hometown: food is the most important thing for the people. You need to eat well to have the energy to work."


    Exiled Immortal patted his belly and winked at John, who chose to ignore him and turned his attention to Helena.


    "You''re back so soon. I guess there''s nothing to worry about?"


    "Pretty much. I was just being overly cautious earlier, but now I can finally rx."


    "That''s good. To be honest, John, you really scared me a few days ago. I''ve never seen you look so worn out. What happened to make you so concerned?"


    "I... I can''t exin it to you."


    John hesitated for a long time but ultimately chose to keep the truth hidden.


    On one hand, he couldn''t think of a good excuse to exin it away, and on the other hand, even if he did tell them, it wouldn''t change anything and would only add to their worries.


    "Can''t you give me a hint?"


    "...Sorry."


    "It''s okay. I''m just relieved to see you''re back to normal. Now, I have some good news to share with you. Actually, it''s good news for you."


    "Good news for me? What could it be?"


    Helena then smiled a knowing smile, her expression full of meaning.


    "Remember the piece of armor you gave me before you logged off? I sent it to the auction house, and under the condition of bartering only, I managed to exchange it for two items!"


    "Really? Two [epic] quality items?"


    "Of course! Would I be this happy if they were just exquisite quality? Ta-da! See for yourself."


    Seeing the dialogue box pop up in front of him, John epted without hesitation. The next moment, two purple [epic] quality items appeared in his inventory.


    [Astronomer''s Prayer]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Item Effect: [When activated, the item performs a random check. If sessful, it amplifies the next use of any magic, spell, martial art, or simr type of damage by up to 1.5 times.]


    Equipping this item increases [Wisdom] by 25 points and [Magic Affinity] by 15 points.


    Rmended sses: [Priest] [Mage]


    Item Description: [Crafted by a renowned astrologer, who imed there was nothing in the world he couldn''t foresee��until he failed to predict his own death, when a longsword pierced his forehead.


    Come on, I can see the smile on your face, don''t try to deny it! Please, show some restraint!]


    After reading the item description thoroughly, John felt a surge of excitement.


    All the previous conditions didn''t matter much to John, but the damage amplification of the same type was truly enticing.


    At this stage of the game, the damage cap that yers could inflict on each other was well-defined. Even with higher multipliers, without a solid base value, it wouldn''t make a difference.


    ording to Helena, even Qing, who had the highest stats in the Pioneer Squad, could barely deal a thousand points of damage to the Basilisk, even with all skills and buffs activated.


    But with this equipment, John could theoretically triple that damage cap!


    [Hermes Dice] and [Astronomer''s Prayer] would multiply their effects, pushing the damage limit of two thousand points to nearly three thousand with the secondary amplification of [Astronomer''s Prayer]!


    Great items, truly great items!


    But when John saw the second piece of equipment, his excitement reached an unprecedented level!


    [Epic Golem Remains]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Item Description: [From its appearance, it''s not hard to tell that it was forged for killing. Its body still retains the craftsmanship of a top-tier golemancer, but the passage of time has left the golem in a state of disrepair.


    However, looking at it another way, this pile of scrap metal might fetch a good price if sold to a cksmith, right?


    Haha! Just kidding. Wait... you''re not really nning to sell it, are you?]


    Abandoned Golem Remains!


    It''s important to know that in the future, Alchemists can choose between Marite Alchemist and Contract Alchemist for their secondary ss change. Getting ess to golem craftsmanship this early might allow John to unlock the Marite Alchemist skill tree ahead of time!


    Just imagining the scene of orchestrating battles from a distance while controlling a golem made John''s heart race with excitement!

 Chapter 25 -25-Golem Remains

    <h4>Chapter 25: Chapter25-Golem Remains</h4>


    "Judging by your expression, it seems these two items are just what you needed?"


    "You''ve been a great help, Helena. I might actually be able to repair this golem. If I seed, it will be a tremendous asset!"


    "Well, I wish you luck. I''m excited to see it in action. I bet it would look impressive, this hunk of scrap moving around."


    Helena spoke as she approached the counter, ncing at the neglected beginner HP potions. She smiled, "Are these all your creations?"


    "That''s right. After all, I''m a genius Alchemist."


    "John, I''ve always meant to ask, what''s your talent? I''ve never seen you use it. My talent is SS-level [Exp Boost], which is why I always stay in the top tier. Exiled Immortal has an SS-level talent [Windwhisper], a very versatile one. I even asked Lily privately; she has an S-level talent [Affinity]. But you, you never seem to mention yours."


    "Who says I haven''t mentioned it? I told Lily."


    At this, Helenaughed.


    "Do you think I''m as naive as sweet little Lily? A talent like [Prophet]��if that really existed, you''d be SSS-level."


    "Did I ever deny that I wasn''t?"


    "Hey, hey, don''t joke around. Are you really a [Prophet]?"


    "Of course not. I was just joking. My talent is E-level [Quick Thinking]. It''s not much use in battle, so I never brought it up."


    John waved his hand, smiling, making up an excuse to brush off the question.


    Although Helena''s expression suggested she didn''t quite believe him, it was better than exposing his real talent, right?


    "Forget it. You''ll tell me when you''re ready. There''s another reason I came to see you today. Recently, the number of monsters outside the city has suddenly increased, and their strength is rising too. Yesterday at noon, Qing''s squad found a level 25 wandering boss in the Araki Forest. What do you say? Want to team up again and take it down?"


    "A level 25 boss? Isn''t that as tough as a Basilisk? Are we up for it?"


    "Hard to say. For now, I''m thinking the core team should be the three of us, plus Lily and Qing. You know, Qing is very strong, not any less powerful than Exiled Immortal."


    "Hmm... let''s wait a bit. Since it''s a newly spawned wandering boss, it shouldn''t disappear before we take it down. I''ll see if I can repair this pile of scrap. If I can, it would be a great help."


    Helena nodded thoughtfully at John''s suggestion and finally agreed.


    Just as John said, rather than risking yers'' lives, it was better to let the golem take the brunt.


    After all, it could be repaired if damaged. But if a yer died, it would be for real.


    "Alright then, five days. Try to repair it as soon as possible. If it really can''t be done in that time, we''ll go and take down the boss directly. You know, Pioneer Squad isn''t just my call. I can get them to wait five days, but any longer might cause dissatisfaction. And a good opportunity could be snatched by someone else."


    "Wasn''t Pioneer Squad founded by you? How could it get out of your control? Never mind, five days should be enough."


    "I''ll be waiting for your good news. By the way, thanks for looking after Exiled Immortal."


    "No problem. If we get the chance, maybe we could meet offline too."


    "I would look forward to that day."


    ...


    After finishing her conversation with John, Helena left.


    There were still a ton of issues within Pioneer Squad waiting for her to address.


    She couldn''t spend all her time focusing on John. Perhaps, just as John had mentioned, Pioneer Squad was gradually slipping from her control.


    Helena was overwhelmed with the tasks of opening up new territories, and John was just as busy on his end.


    After taking that heap of scrap metal out of his yer''s backpack, John''s burden lightened significantly.


    Looking at the Golem Remains, which were nearlypacted into an iron ball, John felt a headacheing on.


    The second ss change would have to wait until around level 45 when he could obtain a 2nd ss change stone from a dungeon.


    Until then, John knew nothing about Marite Alchemy.


    There was nothing he could do about it; Ondo Barry was an Alchemist specializing in Contract Alchemy.


    His notes contained no information about golem-rted alchemy, only Barry''s scathing critique of it.


    "Combining a heap of meaningless elements into a lifeless metal artifact? Ha, utterly foolish! Marite Alchemists are the most idiotic people in the world. Do they not understand that only the fusion of life is the true essence of alchemy? But I long ago gave up on expecting those fools toprehend the greatness of alchemy. Moreover, their alchemy does have some redeeming qualities. But that doesn''t change the fact that Marite Alchemists are all idiots!"


    Ondo Barry''s words practically dragged Marite Alchemists through the mud.


    John figured he''d never understand Ondo Barry''s obsessive mindset in his lifetime.


    Whether it was living alchemy or golem alchemy, John didn''t care which was superior.


    He didn''t want to judge them.


    All he knew was that every form of alchemy served the Alchemist himself, and that was enough.


    "Looks like I''ll have to do this myself..."


    With that thought, John suppressed his irritation and began prying the Golem Remains piece by piece from the metal ball,ying them out on the ground.


    Before long, he had all the parts spread out, slowly forming the outline of a golem.


    It was a strength-type golem, resembling some kind of ape with long, powerful arms that hung down past its knees.


    Undoubtedly, this was once an excellent golem, having possibly seen countless battles and earned numerous des.


    However, it had suffered equally significant damage. There was hardly a single intact part on it.


    The exoskeleton and metal skin were in tatters, only vaguely suggesting the form of an ape.


    The internalponents were in even worse condition.


    The hollow abdomen and chest, which should have housedplex internal mechanisms, were now just empty cavities.


    Looking at the gaping void, John felt overwhelmed.


    If it were only a matter of missing some parts, John might have been able to piece it back together through trial and error.


    But now, with criticalponents entirely absent, leaving not even a single screw, this was no longer just a repair job; it was a full-scale reconstruction.


    Moreover, there was a more pressing problem that John had no idea how to solve.


    What powered this golem, which weighed nearly 700 kilograms and could weigh almost a ton when fully assembled?


    "It can''t possibly be electricity, right?"


    John chuckled to himself, slumping down and rubbing his temples.


    He waspletely clueless.


    "At least in modern times, there are user manuals. But here, I start with an empty shell and have to imagine all the parts."


    ...


    Meanwhile, outside the Pioneer base.


    Yuta pushed the door open abruptly, and seeing everyone''s eyes on him, he exined apologetically, "Sorry, I was dyed on the way here."


    "Sit down, and don''t bete next time."


    Helena furrowed her brows slightly but didn''t say more.


    "Now that everyone is here, let''s discuss the n to take down the wandering boss. Anyone below level 18 is not qualified to participate in the battle. Once the fighting starts, no one can protect you. Does anyone have any objections?"


    As she spoke, Helena looked around. Her tone left no room for doubt, silencing anyone who might have been discontent. Except for one person.


    "Captain, don''t you think this is a bit too authoritarian? Many members have just joined the squad and haven''t had enough time to level up quickly. That doesn''t mean theyck the capability to contribute. With a single sentence, you''re denying them the chance to earn rewards. Isn''t that a bit too arbitrary?"

 Chapter 26 -26-Internal Conflict

    <h4>Chapter 26: Chapter26-Internal Conflict</h4>


    As soon as the words fell, the room instantly fell silent, as if everyone could hear their own heartbeat.


    The tension grew.


    No one expected that someone would dare to stand up and challenge Helena''s authority within the Pioneer Squad. And that person turned out to be Yuta!


    As an original member, Exiled Immortal knew Yuta''s attitude towards Helena. It was nothing short of sycophantic, filled with ttery at every turn.


    But now, the person who had been so obsequious was standing up straight, openly confronting Helena.


    Exiled Immortal furrowed his brows, shifting his gaze from the puzzle in his hands to Yuta.


    "Sorry, I didn''t catch that. What did you say?"


    "I said..."


    Yuta hadn''t finished speaking when a cold gleam shed before him.


    When he came to his senses, a longsword, shimmering with metallic luster, was already hovering in front of his face, controlled by the breeze.


    "Who do you think you are? Do you think you have the right to speak here?"


    "Whoa, whoa, Exiled Immortal, calm down. This is the Pioneer Squad base. Are you sure it''s wise to attack me so rashly here?"


    "If it weren''t for the boss holding me back, I would have cut you down long ago, you know that?"


    "Exiled Immortal, I''ve worked tirelessly for the development of Pioneer Squad. The fact that it''s grown to this extent is inseparable from my efforts. Treating a contributor like this��what do you think others will make of it?"


    "Cut the crap! Bringing this bunch in, besides building your own faction, what other purpose does it serve?"


    Exiled Immortal blurted out without thinking. As soon as the words fell, everyone''s faces turned serious.


    That remark was indeed quite harsh.


    Exiled Immortal''s words effectively ced him at odds with all the members of Pioneer Squad.


    But this was exactly what Yuta had hoped for!


    He had emphasized his contributions repeatedly to provoke Exiled Immortal into saying something rash.


    In Yuta''s mind, what kind of sophistication could a sixteen-year-old kid have?


    Speaking without thinking wasmon for him, which was why Exiled Immortal had never been very popr within Pioneer Squad.


    On one hand, Exiled Immortal was straightforward, much like Qing, both of them speaking their minds freely.


    On the other hand, Exiled Immortal couldn''t be bothered to deal with meaningless interpersonal rtionships.


    So, when Exiled Immortal made that remark, Yuta knew he had achieved his goal.


    He had sessfully shifted the conflict from being between himself and Helena to being between Exiled Immortal and the rest of Pioneer Squad.


    Deflecting attention was his specialty.


    "Exiled Immortal, watch your words. Yuta is right; he has made significant contributions to Pioneer Squad. Put away your sword."


    Exiled Immortal realized he had misspoken. He red at Yuta but remained silent.


    "Yuta, what do you suggest for allocating spots for this mission?"


    "In my opinion, any member who wants to participate should be allowed to join. Although the mission is indeed dangerous, with the captain around, I don''t foresee any major problems. Members need to gain more experience to gradually increase their strength."


    "That''s a pretty cunning n! Letting so many people join just to snag rewards, while the boss and I do all the work, right?"


    "Exiled Immortal, why are you targeting me like this? We don''t have any personal grievances, do we? I''m just stating the facts. Besides, having more participants doesn''t necessarily mean the final rewards will decrease."


    "Yuta, don''t think I don''t know what you''re nning. This mission, even I can''t guaranteeing back unscathed. Sending in a bunch of people who''ve barely seen realbat��what use are they except to drag us down? You, on the other hand, stay out of the mission and y the hands-off leader. Do you really think I wouldn''t dare to kill you?"


    Exiled Immortal mmed the table, his eyes gleaming with a murderous intent that seemed almost tangible.


    Yet, despite this, Yuta remained calm and unruffled, smiling without a word.


    "Exiled Immortal, we know you''re strong. In this entire team, probably only Brother Qing can match you. But we are team members too. Do you really need to demean us like this?"


    "Yeah, just because your talent is better than ours, what''s there to be arrogant about? If it weren''t for the captain''s support, you wouldn''t be much stronger than us..."


    "What''s wrong with what Yuta said? You don''t give us a chance to fight, and then you me us for ourck of strength. Why should you have the final say?"


    Yes, Yuta no longer needed to speak.


    The others had already been stirred up by his words, collectively turning their resentment towards Exiled Immortal.


    "Shut your mouths! What kind of skill is it to murmur behind my back? If you really think you''re capable,e and stand before me. A bunch of brainless idiots, only knowing how to be led by the nose!"


    "That''s enough, Exiled Immortal, sit down!"


    Seeing the situation spiraling out of control, Helena shouted, putting an end to the farce.


    "Everyone, shut up! This matter will be discussedter!"


    "Captain, I think we should deal with this today..."


    "Yuta, I said it will be discussedter, do you understand?"


    Faced with Helena''s re, which seemed as if she could eat him alive, the smile on Yuta''s face froze instantly.


    Clearly, Yuta had overestimated his own position and underestimated Helena''s anger.


    "I-I understand, Captain."


    "Don''t. I can''t bear being called ''Captain'' by you."


    With a cold sneer, Helena gave Exiled Immortal a meaningful look before getting up and leaving the meeting room.


    Watching Helena''s departing figure, Exiled Immortal''s expression grew even darker.


    "Yuta, you''d better watch yourself. I''ve got my eye on you."


    After the heavy door of the meeting room mmed shut, Qing, who had been silent for a long time, finally let out a long breath.


    "Anyway, I''m not joining the expedition. Exiled Immortal is right. Bringing along a bunch of dead weight will only get me killed. This Pioneer Squad is starting to go downhill."


    With that, Qing pushed back his chair, pulled the spear that was embedded in the floor, slung it over his shoulder, and swaggered out.


    At this point, the room fellpletely silent.


    Yuta turned his gaze to Lawrence, whose approving look slightly eased his anxiety.


    Elsewhere, after leaving the Pioneer base, Exiled Immortal irritably scratched his head andined, "Big Sis, you shouldn''t have stopped me earlier. I should''ve just killed that bastard with one strike!"


    "And then what? Yuta''s death is a small matter, but this whole issue would be impossible to resolve!"


    "That would still be better than watching Yuta get bolder and bolder. This Pioneer Squad is almost bing his!"


    Exiled Immortal kicked a stone at his feet, squatted down, and kept rubbing the hilt of his sword, as if only that could calm his restless heart.


    "Don''t you get it, Exiled Immortal? This matter isn''t just about Yuta."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal suddenly looked up, confused. "Big Sis, do you mean that someone else wants to overthrow you?"


    "Haven''t you noticed? Since earlier, both Qing and Lawrence have been unusually silent."


    "...It does seem strange. I haven''t interacted much with Lawrence, but Big Brother Qing isn''t usually like this."


    "Qing is pretty straightforward and wouldn''t waste his energy on such things. If he wanted to rece me, he would most likely challenge me directly. He might be aware, but he wouldn''t get involved."


    "Then it''s Lawrence?"


    "I hope it''s just my imagination."


    Helena closed her eyes lightly, her expression somewhat pained.


    "Lawrence... he''s my friend. In the real world, we''ve been friends since childhood, what you might call... childhood sweethearts. I find it hard to believe he would orchestrate a plot against me."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal''s lips moved slightly, but he didn''t know what to say tofort Helena. Being betrayed by a friend of ten, twenty years must be unbearable.


    "Don''t trouble yourself. I know what you want to say, but it''s fine. This kind of thing won''t bring me down. I just find it a bit funny. For the first twenty years of my life, I thought we were the best of friends.


    But since this apocalypse suddenly appeared, I''ve gradually realized that I don''t seem to know him at all.


    Well, if he truly did n this, it only means I misjudged him. I can''t me anyone else."

 Chapter 27 -27-An Unexpected Delight

    <h4>Chapter 27: Chapter27-An Unexpected Delight</h4>


    "Big Sister..."


    "In truth, the reason I established Pioneer Squad was simply to help others as much as possible within my limited capacity, to refine strategies, and to minimize dangers for everyone. But it seems that wherever there are people, there will inevitably be schemes and conflicts. This isn''t the Pioneer Squad I wanted. Rather than continuing like this, perhaps it''s better to..."


    Her voice abruptly stopped.


    Helena bit her lip lightly, ultimately unable to voice the thought.


    After all, she had founded Pioneer Squad. She couldn''t bear to hand over her hard work to others.


    "Big Sister, let''s go find John first. Maybe he has a solution?"


    ...


    "A solution? You want a solution? That''s easy."


    Inside the alchemy materials shop!


    With a wrench clenched in his teeth, John continuously hammered away at the Golem Remains, speaking indistinctly, "Just kill him with one stroke, and all problems will be solved."


    "You see? Didn''t I tell you? John thinks the same way."


    Hearing John''s response, Exiled Immortal''s eyes lit up as if he had found a kindred spirit.


    "...But killing Yuta might make the situation uncontroble."


    "You''re overthinking it. Those people might have the guts to stir up trouble, but when a real life is taken right before their eyes, they''ll all be scared out of their wits. You, you worry too much. Yuta, and your childhood friend, what''s his name?"


    "Lawrence."


    "Ah, yes, Lawrence. Exiled Immortal could kill them both with ease, couldn''t he? With those two pests dead, everyone would be overjoyed."


    Having hammered thest bent piece of metal back into shape, John struggled to his feet, casually tossing the wrench and hammer aside.


    "Exhausted..."


    "Any ideas about this golem?"


    "None at all. I have no idea how to get this pile of scrap metal moving. I haven''t even figured out what to use as a power source."


    "Can''t you just supply it with electricity like a toy we yed with when we were kids?"


    Exiled Immortal chimed in at the right moment, immediately earning a re from John.


    "Buddy, if you don''t understand, don''t speak nonsense, okay? These things, including the parts, weigh at least a ton.


    Where''s the power source? Where''s the electricitying from? Do you know about internalbustion engines?


    They''re great at converting heat energy into kic energy. Even if you could magically create an internalbustion engine, do you know how much fuel it consumes?


    Driving a steel machine to performplex movements requires far more kic energy than just running an engine.


    Even strapping together two F1 car engines might not be enough. And taking a step back, do you have crude oil? What would you use as fuel?"


    Listening to John''s barrage of questions, Exiled Immortal felt a headacheing on. He hadn''t even graduated high school, and he was a poor student at that.


    He didn''t understand a word of what John was saying, so he could only scratch his head with a sheepish grin and remain silent.


    "Ultimately, this is a magical device. It can''t be exined by simple mechanical principles. s, it''s too thoroughly destroyed. If it still had its internalponents, I might be able to think of something."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, helplessly storing away the Golem Remains, and turned his gaze to Helena.


    "There''s no way I can finish this in five days. I don''t have a clue right now. Let''s focus on researching the wild roaming BOSS. I''m okay with forming a team for that, but only with you and Exiled Immortal.


    As for the rest of Pioneer Squad, I''m not interested, and I won''t take a bunch of ipetents on an adventure to hunt a BOSS. Sorry for being blunt, but I think you understand, Helena."


    "I understand, but right now, more and more yers are noticing this BOSS. What if some yers try to interfere while we''re fighting it?"


    "Warn them once. If they persist, I don''t mind taking action. Compared to others, I value my own life more."


    "You see? Big Sister, what did I tell you? It''s not just me being aggressive; John thinks the same way. There''s an old saying in our hometown: ''Indecision leads to trouble.'' Right now, we have two best options: either take out Yuta and reorganize Pioneer Squad to show them who''s the real captain, or simply quit. Frankly, joining John wouldn''t be so bad."


    Exiled Immortal spread his hands helplessly. "If we keep dragging this out, and Yuta and his crewpletely take over, it''ll be toote."


    "Let me think about it..."


    Helena''s hesitation was something John could fully understand. After all, it was a matter of life and death.


    If a yer dies in the game, their real-world body enters a state of brain death. So, if yers start killing each other, it would be like opening Pandora''s box.


    The reason there had been so few yer murders so far was that everyone was still rational and restrained.


    But once someone tore open that wound, public order and morals in this post-apocalyptic world would be aplete joke.


    yer-on-yer killing was about to begin in earnest!


    "Let''s do this, let''s have Lily weigh in. Lily, if it were you, what would you choose?"


    "Uh... me?"


    Lily, who had been ying the role of a wallflower for a long time, suddenly looked flustered when asked about this matter.


    "I-I don''t know. I just feel that killing is really not good, but I also don''t want to see Helena being bullied. Johnny, could you help Helena?"


    "Help? How can I help? I could kill Yuta, but that would turn an internal conflict into an external battle, putting Helena in an even tougher spot."


    "Then what should we do? Maybe you should quit, Helena. Johnny is very kind. If you join us, you and Johnny can look out for each other. What do you think, Johnny?"


    Lily, after all, had received a higher education. The moral teachings she had learned over eighteen years made it hard for her to ept such a drastic change.


    Having not yet witnessed the darker side of human nature, she couldn''t easily disregard the value of life.


    Unlike John, who had already died once and felt numb to the concept of killing.


    In his past life, John had killed many people for various reasons.


    He hade to terms with the idea that he could be killed withoutint.


    The principle of "those who kill are killed" was a naturalw to him.


    If his own killings were for treasure, the two traitors in his former team were driven by the same motive.


    There was no sense of one being more noble than the other. John''s only grievance was what those two bastards did to Lily.


    Bad people deserve punishment, but good people, especially kind-hearted ones like Lily, shouldn''t suffer. So if John ever encountered those two again, he would still act without hesitation.


    "If you really can''t bring yourself to do it, I don''t mind doing it for you. Whatever decision you make, I think we''ll all support you."


    "John... thank you so much."


    "No need to thank me, we''re friends after all."


    Before John could even sh a warm smile, the door was suddenly kicked open with a loud bang, capturing everyone''s attention. Out of breath but smiling, Fara stood in the doorway.


    "Fara, what''s going on?" John asked, frowning in confusion.


    "Mentor, I found it!"


    At these words, John''s eyes lit up. He stood up abruptly and asked eagerly, "Are you sure?"


    "Absolutely sure!"


    "Hurry, show me!"


    John rushed to meet Fara, following him out of the room. They reached the shop''s entrance, where two burly men were struggling to lift a crate off a wagon. John''s excitement grew even more.


    "Mentor, I had my friends in Everglow City inquire about it. Finding what you wanted cost me a lot of money!"


    "Don''t worry, as long as it''s the right thing, I''ll reimburse you fully and teach you a new alchemy technique!"


    "Deal! With your word, I''m relieved. Ta-da! Is this what you were looking for?"


    With that, Fara unlocked the crate and opened it, revealing an ellipsoid about two meters in diameter, covered in intricate patterns and mechanicalponents.


    "This is the [Golem Core] you wanted!"

 Chapter 28 -28-The Invitation

    <h4>Chapter 28: Chapter28-The Invitation</h4>


    John swallowed, feeling an inexplicable tension. This nervous excitement was like finally meeting the girl of your dreams after a long and arduous journey, filled with both anticipation and anxiety.


    "Mentor?"


    "Let me calm down and prepare myself first..."


    Taking a deep breath, John steadied his breathing.


    He walked slowly to the crate, extending his hand to gently touch the surface of the ellipsoid. In the next moment, a line of text appeared before his eyes.


    [Golem Core VI]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Item Effect: [Drives golem operations.]


    Item Description: [Though this is an old model, it still functions perfectly. It was retired only because it was too bulky and inconvenient to carry.]


    Yes!


    Reading the item''s description, John''s heart pounded faster, and his breathing grew rapid.


    He hadn''t dared to hope too much, merely asking Fara to try his luck.


    John had almost given up, thinking he would have to wait until he found a moreplete Marite Alchemist''s manual or simr item.


    But here it was, a [Golem Core], right before his eyes!


    With this [Golem Core], repairing the [Golem Remains] was now a possibility!


    "Fara, how can I ever thank you..."


    "Mentor, I''m your apprentice. There''s no need for thanks between us. I''m already happy that you''re willing to teach me alchemy. Besides, I want to see what it looks like when a golem, which only exists in records,es back to life."


    Fara had spent nearly all her savings, almost 200,000 silver coins, to buy this [Golem Core] from a collector. But she believed it was worth it.


    As a merchant and, more importantly, as John''s apprentice, she understood the immense value of the word "Alchemist."


    If she could learn alchemy, all her initial investments would be worthwhile.


    She would have the right to return to Everglow, to her family, and im what was rightfully hers.


    And those things were worth far more than 300,000 silver coins!


    "Mentor, I''ll leave you to it. Good luck!"


    "Yes, good luck!"


    After storing the [Golem Core] in his yer''s inventory, John returned to the room to share his joy with everyone.


    "Your apprentice, Miss Fara, really respects you," Helena remarked, gazing at the [Golem Core], itsplexity rivaling that of precision instruments. "You''re quite fortunate. If you can repair this [Golem Remains], its value will be immeasurable."


    "Rather than its value, I''m more interested in itsbat capabilities. Can it live up to its extravagant worth? Honestly, John, once you fix it, can I give it a try?"


    "Stop dreaming. What if you break it? Until I can create a [Golem Core] myself, the golem can only be used in crucial battles. If it gets damaged, the loss would be enormous."


    John''s immediate rejection left Exiled Immortal a bit disappointed.


    "Alright, since the core issue of driving the golem is solved, let''s put the wild BOSS hunt on hold and focus on repairing the golem. If we seed, ourbat strength will significantly increase. As for the internal matters of Pioneer Squad, Helena, let me know once you''ve made a decision."


    "I understand. If there''s anything else you need help with, just ask."


    Seeing Johnpletely absorbed in the [Golem Core], Helena gave a wry smile and prepared to leave.


    Having spent so much time with John, they hade to understand his personality.


    When he found something that interested him, he would throw himself into it entirely.


    Staying would only make John resent them for being unhelpful.


    So, Lily also quietly left without disturbing him further.


    ...


    The room fell silent once more as John began examining the internal structure of the [Golem Core].


    After a thorough inspection, he was astonished to discover the intricate mechanisms hidden within the two-meter-diameter ellipsoid.


    To support a nearly one-ton steel behemoth, the [Golem Core], in John''s eyes, did not entirely fall outside the realm of technology.


    Using his alchemical insight, John realized that this itembined advanced technology with the world''s alchemy and magic, resulting in a design that was both ingenious and cutting-edge.


    The preciseponents and intricate connecting rods left John dizzy.


    However, figuring out how to activate the ellipsoid became John''s immediate challenge.


    "Perhaps I should use chant essence? Hmm... It seems only pure mana can get it running."


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Pioneer Squad base.


    Qing threw a punch, his straight fist striking swiftly and powerfully, the force of it generating explosive sounds in the air.


    As an extreme power-type yer, Qing embodied the essence of brute strength, enhanced by his talent.


    His SS talent [Roar of Ares] had the effect of increasing all attributes by 2% each time he was attacked inbat, stacking up to ten times.


    This meant that when Qing''s talent was fully stacked, he gained a 20% boost to all attributes.


    Compared to Exiled Immortal''s [Windwhisper] and Lily''s [Affinity], Qing''s talent exemplified simplicity and raw power to the fullest! As a [Warrior], Qing naturally had high [Attack] and high [Stamina], making him, with the added boost from his talent, unquestionably the strongest yer in direct confrontations.


    In private, Exiled Immortal and Qing often sparred, engaging in friendly practice matches.


    When Qing''s talent wasn''t fully stacked, Exiled Immortal could barely manage to entangle him using his own talent. However, once Qing reached his peakbat state, Exiled Immortal couldn''t withstand his monstrous strength unless he remained airborne the entire time.


    A few days ago, Qing made an incredibly bold move by soloing the Basilisk dungeon, emerging victorious with only minor injuries, demonstrating his terrifyingbat prowess. However, his impressive physical strength seemed toe at the expense of his mental acuity.


    Recently, he had been feeling quite agitated. After smashing a wooden stake into splinters with a powerful blow, Qing sat down on a stump, wiping the sweat from his forehead and breathing heavily.


    "You came all this way. Why note over?"


    Draining an entire jug of warm water in one gulp, Qing continued, "Lawrence, you''re here about that thing we talked about, right?"


    "You didn''t give me a clear answerst time, just said you''d think about it. So, what have you decided?"


    "I''m not doing it. I''m not interested in your sneaky schemes, and I don''t want to get involved. I joined Pioneer Squad because of Big Sister''s charisma and her talent, which always keeps me a step ahead. Look at what Pioneer Squad has be now. Take Yuta, for example. Just now, I wanted to smash his head in. He''s nothing but a stray dog who thinks he''s the master."


    "That''s not entirely true. Yuta can be quite useful in certain ways."


    Lawrence approached with a smile, unbothered by Qing''s sweaty state, and sat down next to him. "We''ve both seen Helena''s strength. Her talent alone isn''t enough to control Pioneer Squad. The squad will only continue to grow. If we let it develop wildly like before, it will lead to its downfall. More and more, this ce feels like the real world, just with swords and magic. Only the strong can set the rules, and we are the strong ones."


    "With your strength and my intelligence, we can make Pioneer Squad the most powerful mercenary group. Helena''spassion is a burden holding us back."


    As Lawrence spoke, he took out a majestic, purple-quality war halberd, its ck body glinting with a sharp edge, and ced it before Qing.


    "So, why not consider working with me?"

 Chapter 29 -29-Roar of Ares

    <h4>Chapter 29: Chapter29-Roar of Ares</h4>


    Facing Lawrence''s meaningful smile, Qing''s brows furrowed, his expression sour.


    "You should know, I have no interest in these tricks. If you''re trying to use me to embarrass Helena, I advise you to give up. A favor received is a favor remembered for a thousand years. Without Helena, I couldn''t have leveled up so quickly fighting alone.


    In my eyes, Helena is the captain of this squad. No one has the right to rece her, especially not that clown.


    As for you, honestly Lawrence, I still don''t understand what you''re trying to do."


    Qing was well aware of Lawrence and Helena''s rtionship. Growing up together as childhood friends, shouldn''t they support each other?


    How could ite to this, with Lawrence now targeting Helena?


    "Qing, I think you''ve misunderstood. I''m not trying to harm Helena. On the contrary, I''m trying to protect her."


    "Protect? Are you kidding me?"


    "Isn''t it true? Helena, a girl in the spotlight, with limited strength. Though she always stays in the top tier, her stats are just average, and herbat power is quite limited.


    Otherwise, why does Helena keep Exiled Immortal by her side at all times? She''s also trying to protect herself. I want to protect her too. We should have the same goal.


    Think about it, if I be the captain of the Pioneer Squad, Helena will no longer be the target. If danger really arises, it will be directed at me, not Helena.


    Rather than have Helena sit in that position with constant fear, wouldn''t it be better for her to perform her role with peace of mind, without bearing unnecessary risks? Don''t you agree?"


    It was obvious that Lawrence''s words were nothing but twisted logic.


    Setting aside whether Helena had enough strength to protect herself, even if she didn''t, just her reputation alone would deter anyone from daring to mess with her.


    In the end, Lawrence simply thought Qing was easy to fool, hence concocting such a crude lie.


    "You, are you sure that''s what you think? You really won''t harm Helena?"


    "Of course! I love her deeply. If it weren''t to protect her, I wouldn''t want her to be harmed in the slightest! Qing, join me. Once it''s done, I promise Helena won''t be in any danger."


    "...Let me think about it."


    Qing''s lips twitched, his calloused hands scratching his head, showing his agitation.


    He felt there was something wrong with Lawrence''s words, but couldn''t pinpoint what it was at the moment.


    Since his own mind wasn''t clear, Qing decided to ask someone smarter, or better yet, ask Helena directly!


    With this thought, Qing waved his hand and said, "Give me some more time to think about it. If there''s nothing else, I''ll leave now."


    As he stood up, intending to shoulder his massive halberd, a sudden, piercing pain struck him. Qing''s forehead veins bulged as he looked down in disbelief at the blood-stained de protruding from his chest!


    "La... Lawrence?"


    "Sorry, Qing. The time left for you and me is running out. Since you won''tpromise, I have to send you on your way. After all, the Pioneer Squad is very important to me. I''ve been nning for so long, I can''t let you ruin it."


    Lawrence''s previously gentle face had turned hideous and terrifying, hisplexion reddening as he exerted all his strength, twisting the knife, grinding Qing''s internal organs into a mushy pulp!


    Watching his HP plummet, Qing could no longer afford to worry about the pain. He grabbed the turning de, wedging it firmly between his fingers, and gritted his teeth, "I knew it! You scoundrel never had good intentions!"


    "You realized it toote. I can''t imagine how someone could be as stupid as you. Couldn''t you have been just a little more foolish and agreed right away? You would have made an excellent loyal dog. If you were willing to serve me, I could give you everything you desire. Unfortunately, you chose the wrong person."


    With a grunt, Lawrence kicked Qing in the waist, sending him sprawling to the ground. The de in his hand tore through flesh, leaving a gaping wound in Qing''s chest.


    "Even now, I still find it hard to believe how realistic the sensations in this game are..."


    Lawrence rubbed his fingers, feeling the slick blood trickle down, then brought his fingers to his mouth and gently licked them.


    "Even the taste is indistinguishable from real blood. Ah! This taste, it drives me mad with desire!


    I can finally escape thew''s grasp, decide others'' fates at will, and pay no price for it. Can you feel my joy? Hahaha! I absolutely love this game!"


    Lawrence''s mouth twisted into a grin, eyes gleaming with a mad fervor, like a lunatic lost in his own delusions.


    But after his manicughter, Lawrence suddenly bowed his head, looking at Qing with pity, clicking his tongue.


    "Look at you now. What good are your talents and strength? Aren''t you still kneeling before me?


    Or perhaps you could beg me now. Maybe, just maybe, I''ll spare your life. Hahahaha!"


    Hearing this, Qingughed bitterly.


    Spitting out a mouthful of blood, he forced himself to stand, brandishing his massive halberd towards Lawrence.


    "You think you can kill me?"


    "Your HP is now less than four hundred, and you''re carrying a [bleeding] debuff. How much longer can you hold on? Three minutes? Five minutes?


    If you ask me, you can''tst even thirty seconds! I really don''t understand, where do you find the confidence?"


    "You''re right, thirty seconds is probably my limit."


    With each passing second, Qing''s HP continued to decline, and he had no items like HP potions at hand. Just as Lawrence said, his life was like a candle in the wind.


    "But thirty seconds is enough to do a lot of things!"


    Qing roared, fully activating his talent [Roar of Ares]. In his severely injured state, hisbat power surged to its peak. That terrifying [Attack], with just one step forward, caused the hard bluestone ground to shatter with a loud crash!


    "I''ll take you down with me before I go!"


    Boom!


    A dull sound exploded in front of Qing. Just a simple, unadorned straight punch generated a shockwave that even caused a sonic boom!


    Seeing this, Lawrence''s face changed dramatically.


    He instinctively took out his knight''s shield and held it in front of him. Still feeling unsafe, he activated the shield''s enchantment.


    The chant essence embedded in the shield was instantly refined, and an orange-yellow, semi-transparent barrier formed!


    However...


    Lawrence overestimated the safety of the enchanted knight''s shield and underestimated the fury and determination of a dying man!


    With just one encounter, the orange magical barrier shattered instantly, dissolving into stardust, and Qing''s fist mmed directly onto the knight''s shield, causing it to dent!


    Then came the second punch, the third punch!


    The relentless attacks fell like raindrops. Lawrence could hardly fathom how the monster before him could keepunching such powerful attacks while spewing blood!


    He was nothing less than a human-shaped monster!


    "Watch me smash your turtle shell!"


    The final punchnded, and the knight''s shield let out a mournful crack. The sessive blows had brought its mission to an end, shattering it like an eggshell.


    Yet Qing''s onught did not cease!


    Lawrence stared at the ever-nearing fist, its joints already exposing white bones, and his mind went nk.


    But the imagined scenario of his head being smashed and logging out on the spot did not ur.


    Lawrence only felt a warm sensation on his cheek. When he came to, Qing had vanished, leaving only the massive halberd standing where he had been.


    Lawrence reached out to touch his cheek, and a smear of crimson spread across his fingertips.


    He realized that the mere shockwave from the punch had ground the flesh off his cheek, leaving it a mess of blood and gore.


    Meanwhile, outside the alchemy materials shop, Helena abruptly stopped in her tracks, her eyes filled with shock.


    "Qing... is dead?"

 Chapter 30 -30-Without Hesitation

    <h4>Chapter 30: Chapter30-Without Hesitation</h4>


    "Uh, big sis, what did you say?"


    Exiled Immortal pushed open the door, the sound of the wind chime masking Helena''s murmur. He turned his head back, puzzled, "Who died?"


    "Exiled Immortal, Qing is dead."


    "Impossible! Big brother Qing can solo the Basilisk dungeon; even I might not be his match. Who could possibly kill him? Maybe he just logged off."


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand, dismissing it as a ridiculous joke.


    But Helena did not argue; she stood there in a daze, making Exiled Immortal''s heart fill with a sense of foreboding.


    "Hey, hey, hey, big sis, don''t joke around. Big brother Qing, he..."


    "Just now, I received a notification that our team member Qing is dead..."


    Hearing this, the smile on Exiled Immortal''s face gradually froze, reced by bewilderment and helplessness.


    They had all agreed to hunt the roaming BOSS together, and they had promised to settle who was stronger one day. Exiled Immortal never imagined the news of Qing''s death woulde so suddenly.


    "Big sis, is there a chance... you heard wrong?"


    "I wish I heard wrong, but Qing''s name has already disappeared from the leaderboard, and..."


    At this point, there was no need to argue the truth. After all, Exiled Immortal had noticed the change on the leaderboard as well��Qing had been removed.


    So, one major question simultaneously surfaced in the minds of Exiled Immortal and Helena.


    How did Qing die?


    The one who could single-handedly take on a Basilisk couldn''t possibly have died in a dungeon raid.


    Even if he was truly outmatched, once he entered a critical condition, the dungeon boss''s desire to attack would decrease, giving him the perfect opportunity to use an escape scroll and return to town.


    Could he have been murdered?


    This thought was beyond theprehension of both Exiled Immortal and Helena.


    "No, I have to go back to our base and check. Qing wouldn''t just die for no reason."


    "Boss, you think someone killed him? But who could pull that off?"


    "There might not be many who could, but I can think of three ways to kill Qing right now."


    With that, Helena gave Exiled Immortal no chance to question further and turned to leave.


    Watching her back, Exiled Immortal opened his mouth but could only sigh.


    "No, the boss must be out of her mind right now. I need to find John and figure this out..."


    First, there was Yuta''s provocation and Lawrence''s silence, then Qing lost his life. These two incidents couldn''t be unrted.


    With this thought, Exiled Immortal rushed into the shop, disregarding other yers picking out their items, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "John, stop what you''re doing! Something big has happened! Come out, now!"


    "Exiled Immortal? What brings you here? Johnny is..."


    "Lily, please, get John for me. I really need to talk to him!"


    "But Johnny said no one is to disturb him without his permission..."


    "Lily, it''s alright, you can go back to work."


    Before Lily could finish, John had already walked out from the room, his hood obscuring his face, making his expression unreadable.


    "Exiled Immortal, too many ears here. Let''s talk outside."


    "John, you..."


    "Shh..."


    John pressed a finger to his lips, signaling Exiled Immortal to stay quiet, and quickly left the shop.


    "Has Helena already gone back?"


    "Yes, as soon as she heard about Qing''s death, she rushed back immediately. John, aren''t you a seer? Can you predict who killed Brother Qing?"


    "Seer is just a term I use. In reality, I don''t have that ability."


    John shook his head and sighed helplessly before continuing, "However, I might have some clues about Qing''s death."


    In truth, Helena and Exiled Immortal weren''t the only ones shocked; even John was taken aback by the news.


    One must understand that in the previous life, Qing lived well until his betrayal and subsequent death. Yet now, he had died so inexplicably early, indicating that there was definitely something fishy going on.


    John also had a vague feeling that he was somehow connected to this incident.


    In the previous life, his rtionship with Helena was merely cooperative, nowhere near as close as it was now. Because of this, the historical trajectory of the previous life would inevitably be affected.


    What John hadn''t expected was the extent of this impact, to the point that someone who shouldn''t have died so soon had lost their life.


    Or perhaps, it was even worse.


    Qing''s death would hasten the opening of Pandora''s Box, much earlier than originally intended.


    Qing''s death was just the beginning.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Pioneer Squad base.


    Helena''s face was dark as she scanned everyone''s expressions.


    "Half an hour ago, Pioneer Squad''s founding member Qing died under mysterious circumstances. Does anyone know anything about this?"


    As she announced Qing''s death, Helena observed the initial reactions of everyone present.


    To her surprise, several of those she suspected the most seemed genuinely shocked. Even Yuta, upon hearing the news, showed not fear but bewilderment.


    "This, this can''t be possible! Captain, Qing was the strongest in our team. How could he die?"


    Yuta instinctively denied Helena''s words, but under her cold gaze, his voice faltered.


    "No, it can''t be..."


    "Yuta, are you unaware of this matter?"


    "Captain, you suspect me? I admit I have ambitions, but what good would killing Qing do me? Besides, with my strength, how could I kill Qing and remain unscathed?"


    "I was just asking. No need to be so nervous."


    Helena raised her hand to silence Yuta, then continued, "Where is Lawrence? Why isn''t he here?"


    Still, no one answered. The room fell into an eerie silence.


    The death of arade hung over them like a dark cloud, and for those truly unaware of the situation, staying silent was the best option.


    "Yuta, go find Lawrence. I have questions for him."


    "Cap-Captain, I know where Vice Captain Lawrence went..."


    A newly joined member timidly raised his hand and, upon receiving Helena''s attention, continued, "Not long ago, I saw Vice Captain Lawrence leaving the base, heading out to the outskirts. He said he was going to... hunt down a wandering dungeon boss. I didn''t think much of it."


    "Hunt down a boss? All by himself?"


    "Well, I only saw the Vice Captain alone."


    "When exactly did he leave? Can you be more specific?"


    Helena stood up abruptly, her voice full of urgency.


    "I... I really can''t remember, Captain. yers don''t pay much attention to the passage of time. After all, we don''t need to rest, and there''s no difference between day and night."


    Upon hearing this, Helena''s expression stiffened. After a long silence, she sighed softly.


    She didn''t doubt this statement; after all, most of the time, even she wouldn''t pay attention to such details.


    Moreover, the most troubling issue was that once a yer died, not even their body would remain, leaving no useful clues behind.


    "...A knight ss, suddenly inspired to hunt down a boss. Lawrence, you still think others are that naive."


    Though she had no concrete evidence, Helena''s suspicions were increasingly directed towards Lawrence.


    In recent times, he had been acting so unusually that he felt almost like a stranger to her.


    "Yuta, youe with me to the outskirts to assist Lawrence. Everyone else, do as you please."


    "Ca...Captain, can I opt out?"


    At this critical juncture, Yuta dared not challenge Helena. He only wanted to preserve his own life, and heading to the outskirts felt like a death sentence. Naturally, Yuta was unwilling to agree.


    But now, Helena had made up her mind.


    Since her indecision had cost Qing his life, there was no longer any need to consider so-called camaraderie.


    "This is an order. You have no right to refuse. Of course, you can choose to resist. I''d love to see what growth you''ve achieved during this time!"

 Chapter 31 -31-BOSS Area

    <h4>Chapter 31: Chapter31-BOSS Area</h4>


    "Captain, you must be joking. As a team member, it''s my duty to follow orders. I''ll prepare right away and join you immediately."


    "There''s no need to prepare; we''re leaving now. Besides, you have nothing to prepare."


    As an original member of the Pioneer Squad, Yuta was undoubtedly the weakest among them.


    Leaving aside Exiled Immortal and Qing, who ranked among the top inbat strength across all yers, even Lawrence was far from weak. His knight ss paired with his talent could only be bested head-on by someone as formidable as Qing.


    Yuta alone had neither exceptional talent nor ambition. If not for joining early, his own strength would have long seen him drop out of the top tier.


    Seeing Helena''s resolute attitude, Yuta swallowed hard, his anxiety growing.


    He was only following Lawrence''s orders, and now, with Lawrence absent, he found himself at a loss.


    At that moment, John and Exiled Immortal finally arrived at the Pioneer Squad''s base. Exiled Immortal pushed open the conference room door, only to be met with Helena''s intense gaze, which startled him.


    "B-Big Sister, what are you..."


    "Lawrence has gone to take on a roaming BOSS alone. How can he manage by himself? As the captain, it''s my duty to help him. Since you''re here, shall we team up?"


    Helena nced at John, who remained silent, tacitly agreeing.


    Things hade to this point, and Helena''s sense of belonging to the Pioneer Squad had all but vanished.


    She could ept being sidelined, challenged, even giving up her position as captain, as long as Lawrence faced her openly and told her he wanted to be captain. Helena would hand over the position without hesitation.


    But she could not ept this way of doing things, especially when it had led to someone''s death!


    "Exiled Immortal, Yuta, we''re leaving."


    "Got it, Big Sister."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Real World


    In the heart of Riverside City, at the rift.


    In just two days, the rift had grown from barely amodating a few fingers to being wide enough to surpass the width of an adult male''s waist, an expansion speed that was nothing short of extraordinary.


    More importantly, some people had identally fallen into the rift and never managed to climb back up.


    Despite this, countless people remained fascinated by the rift.


    On this day, the man who first discovered the rift arrived as usual, clutching a handful of stones. He sat down by the rift and casually dropped a stone into it, waiting a long time without hearing the sound of it hitting the bottom.


    "This is eerie. How deep can this be? Could it have pierced right through the?"


    To figure out what this rift really was, the man had already spent three days in the real world.


    It should be known that in the post-apocalyptic era, with food so scarce, staying in the real world required daily caloric intake to sustain normal bodily functions.


    In the game world, with enhanced physical abilities, one usually only needed to log out every ten days or so to replenish their strength.


    Aside from marveling at the man''s persistence, people couldn''t help but wonder how incredibly bored he must be.


    "So, what exactly is down there?"


    Having thrown all the stones he had, the man couldn''t be bothered to collect more. Instead, hey down on the edge of the rift to peer into its depths.


    And then, a pair of deep, dark, yet exceedingly shrewd eyes met his gaze.


    In that instant, the man''s heart raced. He instinctively wanted to scream, but no matter how hard he tried, his throat couldn''t produce any sound. All that came out were incoherent, stammering noises.


    Moreover, the man suddenly realized he had lost not only his ability to speak but also control over his entire body.


    "Hmm... this feeling. After twenty-one days, I have finally returned to this world."


    A deep voice echoed from the rift, sounding like an exceptionally elegant middle-aged man. Just hearing his voice would instinctively make one want to trust him.


    "So, who has managed to deceive time? Reversing more than two years in one go... I am growing more and more curious!


    Speaking of which, that parallel rift seems to be nearby. Perhaps... I can y a little trick and sneak past those foolish, self-righteous [Gods]."


    ...


    John suddenly felt a sense of unease.


    It was as if he had been targeted by a hidden viper, making him feel on edge.


    Thest time he had felt this way was when he encountered that [Corrupted] item.


    But he had checked carefully; there was no sign of the [Abyss], nor any indication of its presence...


    "Maybe I''m just overthinking it."


    John rubbed his temples and then looked at Helena.


    Unlike her usual fiery self, Helena seemed like a different person now.


    But perhaps this was the real Helena��a natural leader with immense charisma.


    Qing''s death hadpletely shattered Helena''s utopian ideals, making her calm down and consider things from a practical standpoint.


    "We''re almost there, Big Sister. Do you need me to scout ahead?"


    Exiled Immortal pointed to the dense forest ahead and continued, "I don''t think Lawrence is really out to hunt the monster. This might just be a trap to lure us in."


    "Exiled Immortal. Could you please..."


    "Come on, there''s no need for formalities between us."


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand, and with just a thought, a gust of green wind lifted him into the air, quickly transforming him into a small ck dot in the sky.


    In less than five minutes, Exiled Immortal returned with a definitive answer.


    "Lawrence is indeed battling the outdoor BOSS, and he''s alone. However, he seems to be seriously injured."


    "As long as he''s there, that''s enough."


    With Lawrence''s identity confirmed, there was no reason to hesitate.


    Leading John and the others into the dense forest, Helena soon encountered the gathered yers. Many had noticed the situation��a top-tier yer fighting a dungeon BOSS solo was a spectacle no one wanted to miss.


    Normally, Helena would be thrilled, genuinely happy for Lawrence''s growth. But now, his actions only deepened her suspicions.


    The faster Lawrence grew, the more Helena believed Qing''s death was linked to him.


    Reaching the outskirts of the BOSS area, Helena immediately recognized Lawrence, barely holding his ground before the giant wolf, his body covered in wounds, almost a bloody mess. And there, embedded in his back, was Qing''s great halberd.


    "That''s... Brother Qing''s weapon! So, it was him after all!"


    "Lawrence, use a teleport scroll to return to town. In your current state, you can''t defeat the giant wolf."


    "He-Helena, Exiled Immortal, what are you doing here?"


    "This has nothing to do with you. Exit the dungeon, Lawrence."


    "No! This damned beast killed Qing. Even if it means my death, I must avenge Qing!"


    Inside the area, Lawrence gritted his teeth, using cloth strips to bind the fragments of his shattered shield to his arm. His broken armor and numerous wounds only added to the tragic heroism of hisst stand.


    "You, the perpetrator, dare to speak so righteously!"


    Faced with Lawrence''s exnation, Exiled Immortal chose to ignore him.


    After all, this was just a level 28 outdoor BOSS,parable in strength to the Basilisk. If Qing could solo the Basilisk dungeon, how could he possibly die to a giant wolf?


    Such a flimsy excuse instantly made Helena lose patience.


    "If you won''te out, then I''ll have to go in and drag you out!"


    As a member of the same squad, Helena had the authority to enter the dungeon that a fellow member was challenging. Bringing her group into the dungeon area was a simple task.


    "Helena, this matter started because of me. How can I drag you all down with me?"


    "Lawrence, I''m genuinely curious, how can you lie so effortlessly without changing your expression?"

 Chapter 32 -32-The Battle

    <h4>Chapter 32: Chapter32-The Battle</h4>


    Facing Helena''s question, Lawrence remained unperturbed, even managing a smile despite his battered state.


    "Helena, I really don''t understand what you mean, but never mind. Come help me quickly; I truly can''t hold on much longer."


    The giant wolf let out a howl, its sonic waves almost tangible as they swept out, flinging Lawrence into the air before he crashed heavily to the ground, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.


    Seeing this, Helena''s heart twinged.


    Perhaps she could never be as ruthless as Lawrence. After all, they had nearly twenty years of friendship. Seeing him in this state, Helena sighed softly and signaled to Exiled Immortal. The two of them charged into the dungeon BOSS area together.


    The new challengers'' arrival was immediately noticed by the giant wolf. With the increased number of opponents, the giant wolf''s HP also multiplied.


    But at this point, what else could they do?


    "Exiled Immortal, don''t let him die."


    "Understood."


    Exiled Immortal nodded and, with a snap of his fingers, sent Lawrence soaring into the air.


    Meanwhile, outside the BOSS area, John stared directly at Yuta, smiling. "Aren''t you going in? Your captain and vice captain are fighting for their lives in there."


    "I-I''d better not. If I join, the giant wolf''s HP will increase again. With my strength, I really can''t be of much help. I''ll stay here, cheering you on. That''s good enough."


    Yuta forced a smile, his mind racing. Hearing this, Johnughed heartily and slowly approached Yuta.


    As John drew nearer, Yuta''s nervousness grew, his breath quickening.


    "W-What are you doing?"


    "Get in there now. I don''t want to repeat myself."


    "Who do you think you are? What right do you have to order me around? You''re not the captain of the Pioneer Squad. Why should I listen to you?"


    "Because if I wanted to, I could end your life at any moment. Is that reason enough?"


    ring at the shadow under John''s hood, Yuta gritted his teeth but dared not say more. Reluctantly, he followed John into the BOSS area.


    With two more yers joining, the giant wolf''s HP doubled again. However, unlike the cautious Exiled Immortal and Helena, John seemed much more at ease.


    "Yuta, did youe in here just to watch?"


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand, sending a wind-imbued sword flying at the giant wolf. The attacks, though relentless, did minimal damage against the giant wolf''s tough defenses.


    "Exiled Immortal, Helena, fire is this beast''s weakness. Can we ignite its fur?"


    "Ignite? We don''t have a mage here. How are we supposed to set it on fire?"


    Helena leaped back with a cloud-stepping technique, creating distance between herself and the BOSS. But looking at the gashes on her arm, she bit her lip as a wave of searing pain hit her.


    "I might have a way..."


    After a long silence, Yuta finally spoke up, "But I need someone to buy me some time."


    "You are not to be trusted. I won''t turn my back on someone like you."


    John immediately rejected Yuta without hesitation.


    "Then what do you propose? To me, you''re just here to mess things up. You barged in and did nothing but criticize me. And why are you wearing that hood? What are you hiding?"


    "How ironic to hear that from you. You have no right to use anyone, understand?"


    John removed his hood, and upon seeing his face, Yuta''s expression turned utterly grim.


    ### "W-Why is it you?"


    "Why shouldn''t it be me? If someone like you can survive this long, then it''s no surprise I made it too.


    Never mind, it''s pointless to waste words on you. Helena, step back. I''ll take your ce. Keep an eye on these two and make sure they don''t escape."


    "John, are you really..."


    Before Helena could finish her sentence, she suddenly felt the ground shake. When the golem appeared before her, she was stunned.


    "You... you fixed that thing?"


    "Of course. This is my greatest asset. Did you think it was these two fools?"


    John cast a disdainful nce at Yuta and Lawrence, then used his thoughts tomand the golem into the battle.


    Just yesterday, John had finally repaired the Golem Remains and sessfully activated it by installing the [Golem Core]. This one-ton mechanical monster had regained its vitality.


    After a simple functionality test, John had learned how to control this big guy, just like now!


    With a mere thought, John activated the golem. Energy surged through its magical devices, and it charged at the giant wolf,nding a heavy punch that forced the wolf to retreat!


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal gasped in shock, speechless.


    "That... that''s incredible."


    That single punch had dealt nearly three thousand points of damage, almost one-thirtieth of the giant wolf BOSS''s total HP!


    "This big guy can do more than just punch and kick."


    John maneuvered the golem to dodge the giant wolf''s attacks. Sparks flew as ws shed with metal.


    Then, the armor on the golem''s chest opened, revealing two dark methrowers aimed at the giant wolf. Scorching mes erupted, instantly igniting the giant wolf''s fur.


    ### The smell of burning fur filled the air. The giant wolf wasn''t about to sit idly by; with a roll in the sand, it extinguished the mes on its body.


    But Exiled Immortal wasn''t one to remain idle either.


    Taking thest three knight swords from his backpack, Exiled Immortal gritted his teeth and used all his might to control the swords, aiming them at the giant wolf!


    Seeing the resilient swords coated in a dark green liquid, the giant wolf felt an inexplicable unease, choosing to dodge for the first time instead of meeting the attack head-on!


    In fact, as a swordsman, Exiled Immortal should have been like a medieval knight, closing in for closebat.


    But being a Dragonian, who didn''t dream of flying swords?


    The fusion of the [Windwhisper] talent and the swordsman ss allowed Exiled Immortal to perfect this technique.


    Although the damage inflicted by the flying swords couldn''tpare to closebat, it was much safer.


    With the golem joining the battle, the situation reached a stalemate.


    The giant wolf could no longer act with impunity; the golem could withstand the pressure and even counterattack.


    John and Exiled Immortal were like two pesky flies, impossible to chase away and difficult to hit.


    With the current rate of damage, the giant wolf would lose nearly four thousand HP every minute. If this continued, they could sessfully defeat the giant wolf in less than half an hour!


    But things were destined not to go so smoothly.


    Exiled Immortal, having to control the flying swords and use the wind to restrain Lawrence, became increasingly unstable. He had no choice but to abandon Lawrence and focus entirely on the giant wolf.


    But this action nearly got Helena killed!


    Like a dead dog lying on the ground, Lawrence took advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention.


    He reached into a yer''s backpack, took out a smooth, jade-like pill, and secretly put it into his mouth.


    His wounds began to heal at a visibly rapid pace, and his HP swiftly recovered to around 80%.


    Despite having regained hisbat ability, he did not immediately rejoin the battle. Instead, he waited for an opportunity.


    Exiled Immortal and John hardly showed any ws, always facing the giant wolf and never turning their backs to him.


    Only Helena, worriedly observing the situation on the field, stood ready to join the fray at any moment.


    And this was precisely an opportunity!


    "Sorry, Helena. I didn''t want to do this, but you forced my hand!"


    In a ce unnoticed by everyone, Lawrence suddenly sprang towards Helena, his longsword glinting coldly as he aimed straight for her back!


    Just like when he ambushed and killed Qing, today everyone present would be buried along with this secret.


    Even if the person before him was his childhood friend!


    But...


    "Oh stars! Descend your light and protect all beings! Star Guardian!"


    An invisible light shield appeared behind Helena. With a dull thud, Lawrence''s greatsword was deflected and sent flying, crashing heavily into the ground!

 Chapter 33 -33-The Ten Thousand Blood Critical Strike!

    <h4>Chapter 33: Chapter33-The Ten Thousand Blood Critical Strike!</h4>


    "How... how is this possible!"


    Staring at the unscathed barrier, Lawrence''s face suddenly turned deathly pale.


    "Utter foolishness."


    Noticing themotion in the distance, John merely sneered, paying no mind.


    Knowing Yuta and Lawrence''s ill intentions, how could John not be prepared?


    Lily was John''s final line of defense!


    "I won''t let you hurt Helena!"


    Lily finally lowered the light curtain, her figure slowly appearing before everyone.


    Her pristine long dress swayed in the breeze, but her hands, gripping the staff, were unusually firm.


    "Lily! What are you doing here?"


    "Helena, Johnny had me continuously use Concealment Magic to secretly follow you into the dungeon, just to guard against these two scoundrels! Johnny was right; trusting your back to such scum is nothing but a death wish!"


    "... I''m sorry for troubling you, Lily. It was my oversight."


    "A Priest like you, what can you do? Yuta, are you still nning to watch from the sidelines at this point?"


    Lawrence''s face turned livid, veins bulging on his forehead, his anger reaching its peak.


    He thought he had ounted for everything, but never imagined John had another card up his sleeve.


    "Two against two, you have no chance now. Lawrence, I never thought there woulde a day when we would be enemies."


    Helena sighed deeply, a trace of bitterness surfacing in her heart.


    If she could, she would rather none of this had happened.


    They would still be childhood friends, and it wouldn''t matter if she had to leave the Pioneer Squad.


    But clearly, there was no turning back now.


    "Lawrence, are we doing this? Right here, right now?"


    "If we don''t kill them, do we have any chance of survival?"


    Lawrence picked up his greatsword and held it in front of him, then nced at Lily.


    This seemingly harmless little girl brought an enormous sense of pressure to Lawrence.


    Just one barrier had effortlessly deflected his attack��this woman was definitely not simple.


    Yuta was no match for Helena. If he wanted to survive, he had to deal with Lily first!


    "Die!"


    Lawrence shouted, shing a cross-shaped light de towards Lily with his greatsword!


    But this time, Lily didn''t even need to chant. [Star Guardian] activated immediately, blocking all of Lawrence''s attacks!


    "Johnny said, I''m not an ordinary Priest. I''m very strong!"


    "[Astreos, god of the stars, rain down your wrath and punish my enemies! Starfall!]"


    After chanting, Lily struck her staff heavily on the ground, and a sudden whistling sound filled the air!


    "W-what is that sound?"


    Yuta frowned, looking around constantly, and finally noticed, above their heads, a fiery red meteor falling at an incredible speed!


    With just one look, Yuta''s heart sank.


    Is this really something a Priest can do?


    Aren''t Priests supposed to only heal and buff, with no offensive capabilities?


    But now? Summoning a meteor?


    The descending star fell so quickly that by the time Yuta and Lawrence noticed it, it had already crashed down!


    Although the meteor itself was only about the size of a fist, its power was worthy of its name!


    Centering on Lawrence, it was as if a massive explosion had urred.


    The powerful shockwave even affected Exiled Immortal and John, knocking them to the ground, along with the golem and the giant wolf��no one was spared.


    At the moment the meteor fell, the death notification for yer Yuta sounded in Helena''s ear.


    With just one strike, it instantly killed a level 20 yer. This overwhelming power left Helena in disbelief.


    "This is just too much..."


    Helena swallowed hard, looking at Lily, whose face was pale and steps unsteady. She quickly rushed forward and embraced Lily.


    "Hel... Helena, did Lily help?"


    "Of course! Lily is the best!"


    The sheer, terrifying power left Helena speechless.


    "Don''t start chatting just yet; Lawrence isn''t dead, big sister!"


    Suspended in mid-air again, Exiled Immortal rubbed his forehead, feeling his consciousness blur. The impact of the scene just now was too overwhelming.


    Lawrence indeed wasn''t dead, as there was no notification of his death in the team.


    But his current state was almost indistinguishable from death.


    His entire armor was shattered, and it was only the final enchantment on his epic armor set that saved his life.


    But the flying shards still pierced Lawrence''s chest. Each breath was excruciatingly painful, perhaps because blood had already entered his lungs.


    "So this... is what it feels like when death approaches..."


    He could genuinely feel his body heat and blood slipping away, his breaths short andbored, his bones feeling as if they had been shattered, rendering himpletely powerless.


    And all of this had be more tangible now.


    As his HP continued to decrease, a series of debuffs such as [Fractured Bones], [Bleeding], [Hypothermia], and [Unconsciousness] appeared on Lawrence''s status bar.


    He was clearly at the end of his strength. Without any intervention, his HP would depletepletely within a minute.


    However, what puzzled Lawrence the most was the calmness in his heart. There was neither fear of facing death nor regret for everything that had happened.


    It felt like he was a newborn.


    "He... Helena, I lost to you again..."


    [yer Lawrence has died]


    The notification finally sounded. Helena''s body trembled, but she quickly regained herposure.


    "Lily, you should rest now."


    "I''m fine, Helena, I can still go on!"


    "No, you need to rest! You''ve done wonderfully, you know that?"


    Helena''s tone was firm and unquestionable. Hearing this, Lily''s lips quivered, but she didn''t dare to argue further.


    In fact, it was true. Ever since Lily identally triggered the bright light spell during the goblin tide, her skill tree had gained a growth skill called [Starfall].


    Lily was still at a low level, so the meteors she summoned were only about the size of a fist, yet they could already instantly kill a level 20 yer.


    It''s unimaginable how terrifying this skill could be in the future!


    However, as a trump card, [Starfall] wouldpletely drain her mana with a single use, requiring a considerable amount of time to recover.


    If she continued to use it without replenishing mana, it would deplete Lily''s HP.


    But then again, with such an extraordinary power, it would be too overwhelming if it could be used continuously.


    With no more worries, the task of subjugating the giant wolf was no longer a difficult one.


    With the golem bearing most of the pressure, all they needed to do was steadily chip away at the giant wolf''s HP.


    In less than ten minutes, the giant wolf''s HP had already dropped to around 50%, entering its second-stage berserk mode.


    Facing those blood-red wolf eyes, John curved his lips into a smile. He wanted to know the golem''sbat limits. As long as the Golem Core wasn''t damaged, even if the golem broke down, John could repair it! As for the chant essence consumption? Who cares!


    "Golem, full power."


    As John''s words fell, the golem suddenly stopped moving. The armor on its shoulders slowly unfolded, revealing two cannon barrels.


    The cannon barrels began to glow brighter, and the chant essence stored in the Golem Core dissolved visibly, converting into energy to power the golem.


    Finally, at the moment the chargingpleted, both light cannons fired simultaneously, striking the giant wolf''s body heavily!


    -6500!


    -6500!


    A total of 13,000 HP damage instantly reduced the giant wolf''s HP to one-fifth!


    Of course, this alsopletely exhausted the chant essence in the Golem Core. Without power, the golem became a heap of scrap metal, copsing to the ground with nobat capability left.


    But that was enough.


    Seeing the deep, bloody holes in the giant wolf''s waist and abdomen, from which flesh and internal organs were still falling out, Exiled Immortal couldn''t help but exim.


    Exiled Immortal really wanted to know if they were ying the same game.


    The power that John and Lily disyed was far beyond the level of early-stage yers!


    Lily could instantly kill a level 20 yer with a single strike, while John was even more exaggerated, dealing five-digit damage directly!


    Meanwhile, he was still scratching away with 300 damage hits.


    "WTF!"

 Chapter 34 -34-The Peculiar Settlement Phase

    <h4>Chapter 34: Chapter34-The Peculiar Settlement Phase</h4>


    "Push harder, this beast is on itsst breath!"


    John''s shout snapped Exiled Immortal and Helena back to reality.


    The two of them readied their stances again but refrained from rushing forward.


    A cornered beast always makes a desperate counterattack��this was the lesson they had learned over the past two months.


    The more critical the moment, the more cautious they must be!


    Sure enough, just as Exiled Immortal was about tounch an attack, the giant wolf swung its ws, unleashing a wind de!


    Had Exiled Immortal not dodged in time, that single wind de would have been enough to seriously injure him!


    "This beast still has a trick up its sleeve?"


    "It''s at the end of its strength. It can''t hold out much longer."


    John spoke as he took a vial of poison from his backpack and tossed it to Exiled Immortal.


    "Try to get this into its wound and end this battle quickly."


    Perhaps sensing its impending doom, the giant wolf''s attacks grew even more frantic and fierce.


    In the confined space, John and his team constantly dodged and repositioned, waiting for the right moment to strike.


    Their flying swords and long whips alternated in attacks, and John asionally threw his concocted poisons to assist.


    After fifteen grueling minutes, they finally drained the giant wolf''s HP. Now, only one final blow remained to y itpletely and achieve the first boss kill.


    Unanimously, John and the others turned their gaze to Lily.


    The massive experience gain from killing the boss wouldn''t be shared evenly, so it was undoubtedly best to let Lily, the lowest level member of the team, deliver the finishing blow.


    "If it''s too much for you, don''t push yourself. Your level will eventually increase."


    "No, it''s fine, Johnny. I''ve almost recovered."


    Lily shook her head with a smile, gripping her staff tightly as she began to chant again.


    [Astreos, Stars of the...]


    "Wait, Lily, casting [Starfall] again might be too much for your body."


    "But Johnny, I don''t know any other attack spells."


    "You just need to walk up and hit it on the head with your staff."


    At this moment, the giant wolf was in a dying state,pletely immobile. There was no worry that it wouldsh out and harm Lily; after all, monsters might lie, but HP doesn''t.


    Thisst bit of HP would dissipate on its own even if left alone.


    Hearing this, Lily hesitated no longer. She obediently walked forward and, with a determined shout, struck the giant wolf on the head with her staff, dealing just the right amount of damage.


    Almost simultaneously, a notification rang in the ears of all the yers.


    [Global Announcement! Congrattions to yer Lily for ying the BOSS Windwolf. The team is awarded the dungeon''s first clear reward!]


    [First clear rewards will be distributed randomly. Please check your yer inventory!]


    [First clear random rewards have been distributed!]


    "It''s finally over..."


    Exiled Immortal let out a long breath, habitually checking his yer inventory.


    [Wolfbone Staff]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Attributes: [Slightly increases chant speed, slightly increases chant cost, significantly increases wind magic power]


    Stats: [Increases Wisdom by 45, Stamina by 7, Attack by 7 when equipped]


    Item Description: [A staff crafted from the leg bone of a magic wolf. Though it doesn''t look particrly appealing, its cool touch has a calming effect.]


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Exiled Immortal handed the staff directly to Lily.


    At first, Exiled Immortal had some reservations about John and Lily, but now, those doubts hadpletely vanished.


    "Lily, this staff is for you. You''re still using the Beginner staff, right? Its stats are too low. Switch to this one."


    "Thank you, Exiled Immortal!"


    "Boss, what''s your first clear reward?"


    "You''ll see once I equip it."


    As Helena spoke, she clicked on the item in her inventory. Her fiery red armor was instantly reced by leather armor.


    The pure white chestte made of tanned fur was tightly fitted, exposing her smooth, t stomach and her shapely, snake-like legs, exuding a wild beauty.


    "So, how does it look?"


    Helena nced at John, her eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief.


    "It looks like it has great stats," John evaluated seriously.


    [Magic Wolf Leather Armor]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Attributes: [Slightly increases Agility, slightly increases Stamina, has a chance to reduce damage with each received attack.]


    Stats: [Increases Agility by 20, Stamina by 45, Attack by 20 when equipped.]


    Item Description: [Crafted from the fur of a magic wolf, it bnces aesthetics with maximum warmth, if it could cover the entire body.]


    "Lily, what did you get? Is it something I can use?"


    Seeing Helena already wearing her new armor, Exiled Immortal rubbed his hands together, looking at Lily with anticipation.


    "Well, you might... not be able to use this."


    As she spoke, Lily took out a six-sided die from her inventory.


    The moment John saw the dice, his eyes lit up.


    "Is that the [Hermes Dice]?"


    "Ah, Johnny, how did you know? But why is it an exquisite quality item?"


    "I know because I have one too."


    John pulled out his own [Hermes Dice] with a smile. "This was my reward for being the first yer to join the game world."


    "No way, John, you''re yer 001?"


    "That''s right. At this point, there''s no need to hide it. This dice is quite useful, but unfortunately, its tier is too low to keep up with the current pace."


    John shrugged, about to put the dice away, when a dialog box suddenly popped up.


    [Identical named growth equipment detected. Enhancement possible. After enhancement, identical named equipment will disappear, and tier will increase by one level.]


    Both John and Lily saw the notification.


    "Then it''s yours, Johnny! Only in your hands can it reach its full potential. After all, you''re much luckier than I am."


    "Then I won''t stand on ceremony. If I can enhance it, it might still be useful for a while."


    John nodded slightly, took the dice from Lily, and began the enhancement process.


    Enhancing the item would take an hour, with no way to shorten the time. So even though John was curious about the enhanced stats, all he could do now was wait.


    "John, what did you get? Show us! I can''t be the only one without new gear!"


    "Geez, you''re so impatient. I haven''t even��"


    As his inventory opened before him, the smile on John''s face froze abruptly.


    In thest slot of his inventory, a de named [Wolf Fang de]y quietly.


    This should have been a cause for celebration.


    If only the [Wolf Fang de] wasn''t [Corrupted].


    "How... how could this happen?"


    John took out the [Wolf Fang de]. Due to the [Corrupted] affix, he couldn''t even view its attributes.


    A shadow of gloom settled over him, his thoughts churning. He hadn''t noticed that the three who had been standing in front of him were now gone.


    "[Corrupted], again with [Corrupted]! What is going on? [Abyss] hasn''t appeared; I confirmed it myself!"


    Once might be a coincidence.


    But the second time was undeniably happening to John.


    With an SSS-level talent like [Kiss of LUCK], this sort of thing shouldn''t be possible for John.


    Yet it happened.


    "Maybe... we should leave the dungeon. I might need to log off for a while."


    John looked up, finally realizing that hispanions had vanished.


    "Lily? Exiled Immortal? Helena, where did they go?"


    "Shh... don''t make a fuss. I sent them away. They were in the way. How can old friends catch up with interruptions?


    So, how do you like the wee gift I gave you?"

 Chapter 35 -35-Deception Apostle

    <h4>Chapter 35: Chapter35-Deception Apostle</h4>


    This voice was one John would never forget for the rest of his life.


    Memories surged through his mind:rades rushing to their deaths amidst mockingughter, a disaster where countless monsters devoured them without resistance.


    John never imagined that he would meet the nightmare of his heart again at this time, in this way.


    "How are you here, [Deception Apostle]?"


    "Aha! I knew it! That reaction, you must be the one who deceived time!"


    Standing atop the giant wolf''s corpse, the [Apostle] rose, his eyes full of manicughter.


    "You really surprise me. How did you do it? Rewinding the timeline by two years, fooling even those other idiots, and you even... deceived the [Gods].


    Amazing, truly amazing, John. Leaving you alive was undoubtedly the right choice."


    [Deception Apostle] showered him with praise, the apuse unceasing until he stood before John, looking down on him.


    "Aren''t we old friends by now? After all, I killed so many of yourrades, and you hate me to the bone.


    Look, I even brought you a gift. What about you? No gift for an old friend?"


    The terrifying pressure bore down on him, causing John''s body to tremble instinctively.


    But John refused to show weakness in front of this man. He bit down hard, his face flushing red, determined to control his shaking body.


    "How did you awaken early?"


    "This is a grand deception. You fooled time, fooled the [Gods], but you can''t fool me."


    [Deception Apostle] grinned, a sinister smile spreading across his face as he spoke, "I wanted to see who orchestrated this grand deception, so I awakened and appeared before you. But you disappoint me. You''re as weak as an ant, even weaker than you were two years ago, incapable of even struggling."


    [Deception Apostle] opened his palm, and in the next moment, a still-beating, bright red chunk of flesh appeared in his hand.


    "Look, this is your heart. Why is it beating so fast? Are you perhaps afraid of me?"


    With just a slight squeeze, John felt a searing pain shoot through him, and his HP plummeted!


    "What... what do you want? To destroy the world? With your power, no one can stop you. Should I congratte you?"


    "Destroy the world? No, no, no, what are you talking about, old friend?"


    Hearing this, [Deception Apostle] burst into uproariousughter, doubling over as if he''d heard the funniest joke in the world, tears forming at the corners of his eyes.


    "If this is your wee gift, ha ha ha, I love it! Destroy the world? I have no interest in that.


    It doesn''t benefit me in any way. I don''t like being controlled by others. Besides, I''m genuinely curious to see what someone chosen by the [Gods] can achieve."


    "What are you talking about? Chosen by the [Gods]? Exin yourself!"


    John swallowed hard, his eyes filled with urgency.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, look at you. How pitiful. You thought you were the lucky one, fancying yourself as the savior, bearing the hope of humanity''s survival.


    Little did you know, you are merely a pawn, ced on the board, a tool in the chess game between [Gods]."


    With this, [Deception Apostle] paused, gradually reining in hisughter. Seemingly losing interest in tormenting John further, he restored his heart to its rightful ce.


    "Who am I mocking? After all, I''m just a pawn myself..."


    "The game between [Gods], what does it truly mean?"


    "Do you remember that disaster? Earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions��every known natural disaster happened simultaneously across the globe. Let me tell you a secret: that was the end of humanity.


    Humans were meant to bepletely wiped out, with no survivors. However, certain [Gods] disapproved of this annihtion and intervened, stopping the disaster after just seven days.


    But the end must continue, for humanity hasmitted unforgivable sins. Thus, this game was created, [Apocalypse]."


    [Deception Apostle] turned around, and a throne appeared out of thin air before him.


    "Take a seat. Let''s talk slowly."


    Before John could react, he found himself seated on the throne.


    "[Tyche] chose you, believing you would be the turning point to change everything. So, he granted you his Authority, which you call a talent. It''s the power bestowed upon you by the gods.


    Two years ago, when I first awakened, I noticed this. Though I don''t know why [Tyche] favors you so, I believe [Gods] have their reasons."


    "[Tyche]? They really exist?"


    "Of course! [Gods] are [Gods]. They are nearly impossible to kill and have lifespans that are almost eternal.


    Their humanity has been eroded by their long lives, and they have gone to a ce where they will never be noticed, merely observing from afar.


    How else would you exin the existence of this so-called game if not for divine intervention?


    This game is originally a game between [Gods], and you, a bunch of foolish, clueless guinea pigs, actually find joy in it. Howughable."


    John stood there in a daze, his lips quivering, unsure of what to say. The news was too shocking, relentlessly shattering his existing worldview into fragments.


    "But... why?"


    "Why what? Why the apocalypse? Why this tedious game? Why you? I''m not a [God]; how would I know what they''re thinking?


    Like you, I have my own mission. Humanity must prove its worth to survive, and I must do everything I can to stop you, to push the apocalypse forward.


    But don''t you find this incredibly boring? I refuse to be a pawn. I want to be the one ying the game."


    "What do you intend to do?"


    "Don''t rush. The mystery must be unveiled piece by piece to be truly interesting. The game is about to begin, John. Will you join me? Step out of the [Gods]'' game and into one that''s just between you and me."


    John fell silent.


    As he finallyprehended the true nature of this world, the determination that had kept him going suddenly snapped.


    What were they really fighting against, and why were they struggling to survive? Countless thoughts filled John''s mind, making his thoughts even more chaotic.


    "...What are you nning to do?"


    "Two years ago, the [Abyss] opened, and seven [Apostles] appeared. Do you know what the final oue was?


    Less than a month after your death, the [Apostles] joined forces and wiped out all life in the real world, achieving the apocalypse. We became the victors of this game. But it seems you changed all that, giving everyone a second chance. Remarkable.


    And you did all this as an ordinary person, not even a demigod. I''m truly curious��if you were to be a [God], what would you be capable of? So, I orchestrated this grand deception."


    [Deception Apostle] stood up, arms outstretched to the sky, a crazed expression on his face.


    "I deceived time and the [Gods] to find you. I have a n, which I call the [God-Making Project].


    That''s right, I intend to turn you into a [God]!"


    "You''re insane! Do you think that''s even possible?"


    John sneered, mocking [Deception Apostle] just as he had once been mocked.


    "Of course it''s possible. Even if you don''t believe me, at least have some faith in yourself. You possess half of [Tyche]''s Authority. Once you fully master this power, you can ascend to demigod status.


    Now, what if you also had my Authority?"


    At this point, the fanaticism in [Deception Apostle]''s eyes grew even more intense.


    "When luck and lies merge together, just imagine how interesting it will be! It''s decided, John, I will bestow my Authority upon you!


    What expression will the [Deities] have when they suddenly realize that a piece on their chessboard has gained powers equal to theirs?"


    "I-I don''t understand, what exactly are you trying to do? You want to give me your power? Stop joking, is that even possible?"


    "Of course, no one knows me better than I know myself. I was born to plunder, and naturally, I also bear the fate of being plundered. My power, my Authority, can indeed be taken away."


    [Deception Apostle] stood up, walked slowly to John, and said solemnly, "Without a doubt, you are the perfect vessel for it!"


    "No, I refuse to cooperate with you."


    Without a moment''s hesitation, John immediately rejected [Deception Apostle]''s proposal.


    Perhaps this time [Deception Apostle] wasn''t deceiving him, perhaps this world was indeed just a trivial game between [Deities] to pass their boring time, but John still didn''t want to make any deals with someone so fickle and unpredictable.


    Isn''t itughable to negotiate with a tiger for its skin?


    But...


    "Do you think you have the luxury of refusal? Our game has already begun, John. From the moment I met you, your future was already sealed.


    Would you like to check your status screen?"


    Upon hearing this, John was momentarily stunned, then he opened his character panel. In the status bar, a new and unknown status appeared. John looked closely, and his expression suddenly froze.


    [Curse of Deception Apostle: Life Countdown 712 days]

 Chapter 36-Deep Forest

    36 Chapter36-Deep Forest


    [When the countdown reaches zero, instant death effect will be triggered. It cannot be purified, nullified, or avoided by using sacrificial items.] Noticing John''s expression, [Deception Apostle]''s smile grew even more smug. "Now do you understand? You can never defy fate, nor can I. You can, of course, choose to refuse my cooperation, but in 712 days, two years from now, you will lose your life forever. Or, join me, and within those two years, I will do my utmost to help you gather all the [Apostles]'' Authorities, making you a true [Deity]!" "...What should I do?" "Just wait." As the words fell, a shadow spread instantly from beneath [Deception Apostle]''s feet, engulfing John like a ck cocoon! John felt his vision darken, as if he was plunged into a realm of chaos and void, where time ceased to flow, and even his heartbeat seemed to stop! Until the cocoon broke open, John felt as if he was reborn. The character panel unfolded before his eyes, John''s dark pupils gradually focused, and the blurred scene before him returned to rity. Name: [John] Level: [LV40]


    ss: [Alchemist: LV99][Trickster: LV1] Trickster? John''s pupils trembled, countless thoughts surged in his mind. "Introduce the [Trickster] ss." [Trickster: Constructs truth from lies.] [Skills avable to learn: Command, Affinity, Deception...] He had actually awakened an entirely new ss that John had never heard of before! Looking at the densely packed new skills on the skill tree, John felt his heartbeat elerating uncontrobly.


    "The lies I construct are your truth, Trickster... Heh, how long has it been since Ist heard that name? Anyway, my Authority is now entirely yours. As for now, it''s time for me to leave." [Deception Apostle] looked up, his gaze seemingly capable of crossing infinite distances to focus on the lofty [Deities]. "[They] seem to have started noticing me. Although I''d love to argue further on your behalf, I believe you''ll understand soon enough. The Trickster is a role tailor-made for people like us." With those words, [Deception Apostle] gave John no chance to ask further questions. His figure gradually dissolved into an illusion, and with a breeze, he vanished. Finally, John exited the wandering BOSS dungeon and reunited with Helena, Lily, and the others. "John! Are you okay? You suddenly disappeared just now, you scared us to death." Helena stepped forward, looking John up and down. Seeing that he seemed unhurt, she finally sighed in relief. "John, where did you go just now?" "I identally triggered a special scene item and got transported to another hidden dungeon. But the level of that dungeon was too high for me to handle alone, so I had to use an escape scroll to leave." Without batting an eye, John fabricated a lie more smoothly than usual. "As long as you''re safe. Let''s head back. Didn''t you say you were going to leave for a while? You need to prepare." "No need, I don''t have to leave anymore." John shook his head and smiled, "I''ve already gotten what I wanted, and that''s enough." "But I haven''t! So we came all this way to fight the BOSS, and I''m the only one who got nothing? No new gear or anything?" Exiled Immortal pouted, feeling a bit aggrieved. "Alright, stopining. Let''s go back first. John, I have some questions about that golem." "I''m all ears." ...


    Meanwhile, inside the wandering BOSS dungeon! [Deception Apostle]''s figure reassembled, his pitch-ck eyes noticing something as a mocking smile reappeared on his face. "Still not dead, huh? You can deceive the system? You''re a cunning human indeed. I might as well help you out." With that, [Deception Apostle] stepped forward, looking at the battered, unrecognizable body of Lawrence lying in a deep pit, and clicked his tongue. "Truly a pitiful sight." [Deception Apostle] extended his hand, a jet-ck beam of light emanating from his fingers and slowly merging into Lawrence''s forehead. In an instant, Lawrence''s twisted, broken body began to heal, and his HP gradually recovered. "A small experiment. Let''s hope the [Deities] won''t hold a grudge against me for this." The next moment, Lawrence''s eyes snapped open, his once sky-blue irises now pitch-ck, identical to [Deception Apostle]''s. "I''m... still alive?" Lawrence swallowed hard, his eyes filled with shock. He distinctly remembered being crushed into the ground by a meteor, reaching the end of his life. But now, not only was he alive, he waspletely unharmed, which astonished him. Looking at his shattered armor, Lawrence struggled to sit up, a chill spreading through his body, confirming he was truly not dead. But why? He even remembered the sensation of impending death, the breath of death itself��was it all just a dream? Then how could he exin being in the crater of a meteor? Lawrence couldn''t make sense of it, so he decided to stop trying. To him, it didn''t matter whether it was death or rebirth; what mattered was what he would do now that he was alive. Revenge? No, no, that was too shallow and foolish. Besides, with his current strength, even facing John and the others would result in instant death. Instead of courting death, Lawrence had better ns. With that thought, Lawrence climbed out of the pit, collected his first clear reward, and returned to Calia. ...


    Meanwhile, at the alchemy materials shop. With a thought, John summoned the golem, but without chant essence as an energy source, the golem was nothing more than a pile of immobile scrap metal. "Whoa... seeing it up close, this is so cool! We were just engaging in closebat, and here you are using high-tech mechas?" "Actually, the golem is far less convenient than you think. Without arge reserve of chant essence, it can''t operate for long." "Is chant essence very precious?" Helena asked in confusion. "Why can''t it be stored inrge quantities?" "Chant essence is just one type of alchemical material, not particrly rare, but storing it is quite troublesome. If the conditions aren''t met, the energy stored within the chant essence will gradually dissipate." Hearing this, Helena nodded thoughtfully. "But John, how much longer will we stay in Calia?" "Not much longer, I think. As a transit city, we''re not meant to stay long. I estimate there are one or two more hidden dungeons to clear before we can leave. Of course, that''s just my guess, and it might not be urate." John vaguely remembered that in his previous life, he left Calia around the level 30 mark to head to the next big map, [Deep Forest]. There, he would undergo his second ss change. However, even now, John hadn''t decided which ss to choose. Marite Alchemist or Contract Alchemist? For the former, John already had experience, and he had the golem for research. As for thetter, the god-like ability to create beings kept haunting John''s thoughts! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    Have some idea about my story? Comment it and let me know.


    Red_Skin_Duck

 Chapter 37: Chapter37-Targeted Teleportation Scroll

    "Big sister, what are you still hesitating about? What''s left in the Pioneer Squad worth holding on to? Brother Qing is dead, Yuta and Lawrence have been executed. The Pioneer Squad is no longer the same as you remember it. Leaving and joining Brother John is the best choice."


    "I understand everything you''re saying. It''s not that I still have expectations for the Pioneer Squad, it''s just that I can''t..."


    Helena bit her lip lightly, a trace of sadness flickering in her eyes.


    Seeing this, John sighed softly, patted Exiled Immortal on the shoulder, and led him outside.


    "John, why don''t you try to persuade big sister? Why leave it all to me?"


    "You''re too impatient. Helena has just gone through so much��losingrades, betrayal by close friends. Too many things are weighing on her heart, turning it into a mess. What we need to do now is give her time. We can''t push her too hard."


    "I''m just thinking of what''s best for big sister..."


    "Helena will understand your intentions. Let''s give her some more time."


    After convincing Exiled Immortal, John thought about returning to his room to continue studying alchemy and the [Trickster] ss.


    But as soon as John opened the door, he saw Helena standing in his room, her back to him, breathing heavily.


    "He-Helena, what are you doing here?"


    John swallowed hard; the atmosphere made him hesitant to approach.


    "John, Lawrence is dead."


    "Yes, he''s dead. He paid the price for his betrayal. He was just a traitor, not worth your sorrow."


    Hearing this, Helena nodded slightly, but soon shook her head again.


    "I just can''t ept that the next time I log out, a friend of so many years will never wake up again. Lawrence wasn''t like this before..."


    "But when mistakes are made, there are always consequences."


    "John, I''m feeling really confused. Can you hold me?"


    Helena''s abrupt statement left John momentarily distracted, and before he could react, Helena had already thrown herself into his arms.


    "Helena, you..."


    John''s words were cut off as a sweet scent overwhelmed his senses, followed by the soft touch at the corner of his lips.


    That damnably real sensation even allowed John to feel Helena''s rising body temperature!


    Their intertwined tongues finally parted, a transparent thread stretching and breaking between them.


    The sudden kiss left John''s mind nk, and he could only feel his flushed face and quickened heartbeat.


    "Did I scare you?"


    Helena didn''t seem asposed as she appeared, turning her head shyly, her cheeks flushed. Perhaps it was the sunlight reflecting off her fiery red hair that colored her cheeks.


    There was no denying that Helena was truly beautiful��a striking beauty with delicate features, a hot figure, and a passionate personality. Her asional disy of girlish charm made her even more vibrant, the kind that leaves asting impression at first nce.


    In their previous life, they hadn''t had much interaction, so aside from a few coborations, their rtionship remained superficial.


    But this time, they were deeply attracted to each other.


    "A little bit. Although I had mentally prepared myself, it was still too sudden."


    John rubbed his nose, feeling guilty.


    He couldn''t help it. It would have been one thing if he had just stood there, but his enthusiastic response was quite...


    "You never take the initiative! I warn you, I''m in a terrible mood right now. This counts as taking advantage of me, and you have to take responsibility!"


    "A kiss doesn''t require responsibility, right? Isn''t itmon to kiss on the cheek as a greeting where youe from?"


    "Then! What else do you want to do?"


    Noticing John''s gaze lingering on her chest, Helena rushed forward and stomped heavily on his foot.


    "Until we meet in the real world, don''t even think about it!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Pioneer Squad base.


    Lawrence, cloaked in a robe with his face hidden in the shadows, looked at thex guards and couldn''t help but sneer.


    "Good thing there''s this bunch of fools."


    With all his equipment destroyed, he couldn''t move on to the next big map like this.


    After sessfully blending in, Lawrence returned to his quarters, donned the full set of equipment that had been reced, and, after stealing arge amount of money, crushed a teleportation scroll.


    The scenery around him began to change, the azure teleportation array enveloping Lawrence and bursting with dazzling light.


    When he came to, Lawrence found himself outside Ad Vige.


    Since his resurrection, a new main quest had appeared in his task bar: head to [Deep Forest].


    However, starting from Calia wasn''t a wise choice. If he encountered John and the others on the way, he might end up dead again.


    So, Lawrence decided to set off from Ad Vige. Though it would be a bit of a detour, it was safer.


    Moreover, there was one more thing Lawrence needed to take care of before leaving.


    Finding a safe spot outside the vige, Lawrence logged out voluntarily, returning to the real world.


    After a moment of disorientation, Lawrence exhaled deeply, sat up from his bed, and looked out at the pitch-ck window.


    "Helena, when you wake up and find my body gone, what expression will you have?"


    With this thought, Lawrence curled his lips into a sinister smile.


    If he could, Lawrence would rush into Helena''s room right now and vent his desires.


    Unfortunately, [Apocalypse] seemed to have anticipated this. If the body was attacked or even touched in the outside world, the system would forcefully log them out to handle real-world dangers.


    Rather than exposing that he was still alive, it was better to use this to hide his identity and bide his time.


    As for this shelter, Lawrence clearly couldn''t stay here any longer. After packing his belongings, he took nearly all the food from the shelter, leaving Helena alone in the abandoned bunker.


    Lawrence needed a new ce to stay, and the food he had wouldst him ten days. If he didn''t find a new shelter or more food within ten days, he would die just the same.


    ��


    Not long after Lawrence left, Helena woke up as well.


    Despite their years as childhood friends, Helena couldn''t bring herself to let Lawrence''s body rot, even if it was for the sake of their deceased parents��she had to bury him.


    But��


    After a moment of waking up, Helena sat up and instinctively reached for something beside her, only to grab at empty air.


    "Strange, I clearly remember putting a bottle of water by the bed�� Did I misremember?"


    Helena furrowed her brows, thinking it was her own oversight.


    But when she went to the next room, Lawrence''s body, along with all the food in the shelter, was gone.


    Helena searched the entire bunker, finding only a final can of beans and half a bottle of water.


    It was clear that an intruder had stolen the food and Lawrence''s body.


    Now, Helena might still hold out for a while, but without the food, the bunker was no longer safe. These issues weighed heavily on Helena''s mind, making her expression increasingly grim.


    "Should I leave the bunker and find a new, safe shelter with enough food?"


    Helena''s unintended thought aligned with Lawrence''s, but unlike him, an image of John inexplicably floated into her mind.


    After hesitating for a moment, Helena decided to discuss the matter with John. She hid thest can of beans and logged back into the game.


    After exining her current situation to John, Helena asked, "John, you said we would meet soon. Do you have a way?"


    "The Targeted Teleportation Scroll. It''s a teleportation scroll that works in the real world. As long as the destination coordinates are set to my location, you can teleport here without incantations, ignoring the distance.


    However�� the Targeted Teleportation Scroll is extremely rare. It only has a small chance of dropping from BOSS-level dungeons, about one in a thousand."


    Hearing this, Helena''s newly kindled hope was extinguished once again, but she remained undeterred. "One in a thousand�� If I clear a thousand dungeons, I''ll get it eventually, right?"


    "Why go through all that trouble? I only said it''s rare, but since I have to take responsibility for you, I''ve already prepared one."


    John smiled and handed a parchment scroll to Helena.


    "Are you ready to meet me?"

 Chapter 38: Chapter38-Trickster (Part 1)

    "When... when did you prepare this?"


    Looking at the Targeted Teleportation Scroll in her hand, Helena bit her lip lightly, a hint of joy shing in her eyes.


    "Well... probably from the moment you decided to leave the Pioneer Squad. Since you''re a teammate, I need to take extra care of you. Besides, you''re out of food, right? Come to Dragonia; I have plenty of food here."


    "And Lily? Is she with you?"


    "She''s in another city, but we''ll find more of these scrolls in the future. If ites to it, I can bring Lily over in the real world. You don''t need to worry about her; focus on yourself first.


    But it''s strange... if someone identally stumbled into the bunker, why would they take Lawrence''s body?"


    John furrowed his brows in confusion. "Could it be someone you know?"


    "Impossible. After the apocalypse, our friends and parents... that''s why it''s so strange. Could it be that dying in the game world makes the real-world body disappear too?"


    "That definitely isn''t the case. There are only two possibilities: either the person who took Lawrence''s body has some peculiar hobby, or Lawrence isn''t dead at all and somehow managed to fool everyone.


    And it was him who took all your food in the real world."


    Hearing this, Helena frowned slightly and asked, "Is that possible?"


    "I can''t rule it out. Lawrence might have gotten his hands on some kind of sacrificial item. Of course, the odds are very slim. Do you want him to be alive?"


    "I don''t know... I just can''t believe that a friend of so many years could turn out to be like this."


    "People can surprise you. It''s perfectly normal. What you need to do now is decide whether or not toe to Dragonia, then have a good meal and rest."


    "Do I even have a choice? No food, no drinking water��I have toe to you, John. But let''s agree on this: when we meet, you better not bully me!"


    "Don''t worry."


    With those words, John and Helena exchanged a smile.


    "I''ll log off now and prepare. See you in ten minutes?"


    "Yes, see you in ten minutes."


    John nodded slightly, watching Helena disappear before him. The next moment, he suddenly remembered something.


    "No, no, I need to prepare. There are enough sleeping bags, but I can''t let her sleep with Exiled Immortal and me in the same room, can I? And I didn''t prepare any supplies for a girl..."


    After some thought, John also logged out of the game, waking up in the warehouse.


    Seeing Exiled Immortal still sound asleep beside him, John sighed softly. After tidying up the warehouse, he decided to light the stove and start preparing some food.


    At that moment, a hexagram magic circle appeared out of thin air before John, emitting brilliant light that shot straight into the sky, creating a passage connecting heaven and earth!


    Seeing this, John stood up nervously, his breathing instinctively quickening.


    As the light gradually dimmed, a figure began to emerge from the magic circle.


    "Helena, is that you?"


    "John, we''ve finally met!"


    Helena cheered as she jumped out of the circle and leaped straight into John''s arms.


    John gently caught Helena andughed, "You seem a bit heavier than in the game world?"


    "Nonsense! My weight has always been stable! Uh, where''s Exiled Immortal?"


    "Still in the game. I''ve prepared some food. Let''s fill our stomachs first and then give him a surprise."


    John pointed to the seemingly lifeless Exiled Immortal and smiled, "Do we look any different from what you imagined?"


    "Well... not much. Just as handsome as you are in the game!"


    Helena ruffled John''s hair yfully andughed, "Your hair is just a bit longer, but that''s no big deal.


    Mmm... it smells so good. What are we having? Let me see!"


    "It''s just some canned food. After the disaster, it''s hard to find fresh food."


    John turned around and took the boiling cans off the stove, cing them in front of Helena.


    Helena licked her lips, picked up a small piece of beef, and put it in her mouth, immediately showing a satisfied expression.


    "Although the texture is average, having hot beef in these times is quite a luxury. John, you really stocked up on a lot of food in advance. Are you some kind of prophet?"


    "It''s just a hobby that happened toe in handy. I''m not a seer. Go ahead and eat, I''ll step out for a bit. I''ll wake up Exiled Immortal to keep youpany."


    With that, John walked over to Exiled Immortal and kicked him on the butt. Due to the game mechanics, Exiled Immortal woke up instantly, looking at John in panic.


    "Damn, you scared me... John, what are you doing?"


    "Go see who''s here."


    "Who could possibly be here in this apocalypse... big sister?"


    Exiled Immortal followed John''s gesture and, upon seeing Helena''s signature fiery red hair, was stunned.


    "No way, big sister, how did you get here? Did you cross the ocean?"


    "Come here and let your sister give you a hug!"


    "Uh... better not. It''s improper for men and women to touch. Besides, you haven''t answered my question, big sister."


    "John gave me a Targeted Teleportation Scroll, so I came to Dragonia. Surprised and happy?"


    Exiled Immortal nodded and smiled, "That''s great! We can look out for each other from now on. John, you''re not fair. How could you not tell me about something so important until now?"


    "You eat my food, drink my water, and sleep in my ce. What''s the point of telling you? Alright, stopzing around and go chat with Helena. I''m heading out."


    "Where are you going, John? Big sister just got here, don''t you want to spend some time with her?"


    "I''m going to get some supplies. Helena might need them. Don''t worry about it; I''ll be back soon."


    With that, John didn''t give them a chance to ask further questions and left the warehouse directly.


    ...


    Actually, there was something John hadn''t told them.


    To understand the [Trickster] ss, he needed to return to the city center and meet [Deception Apostle] again.


    Thanks to his previous experience, the journey to the city center was much smoother this time. John reached the ruins in less than an hour.


    But the ruins had disappeared, reced by a bottomless chasm.


    "Sure enough, the [Abyss] has truly appeared."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed softly.


    When he hade herest time, there was no such chasm. It must have expanded rapidly after he left.


    However, John was unsure whether [Deception Apostle] still existed within the Abyss or if he had lost all his powers after transferring his Authority to John.


    Thinking of this, John walked straight to the edge of the [Abyss] and looked down. In that endless darkness, it felt as if a pair of soul-piercing eyes were staring back at him.


    "[Deception Apostle], can you hear my voice?"


    "To my surprise, what do you want from me?"


    Though the voice came from within the [Abyss], it felt as if it was directly transmitted into John''s mind. When he came to, [Deception Apostle]''s figure was already before him.


    "I thought you hadpletely disappeared."


    "You''ve only obtained my Authority, not my entire being. To make me disappear, you''d have to kill me, but with your current strength, that''s unlikely."


    [Deception Apostle] sneered, casting a disdainful nce at John, and continued, "So, speak inly. Why did youe looking for me?"


    "I want to know the full extent of the [Trickster]''s abilities. Or rather, what kind of help can your Authority provide me?"


    "I can teach you, but... I have one condition."


    "What condition?"


    "Once you have the power to kill a god, I want you to help me kill a [Deity]."

 Chapter 39: Chapter39-Trickster (Part 2)

    "Kill a god? Don''t be ridiculous. Two years ago, I couldn''t even defeat you. Now, in just two short months, you expect me to be capable of killing a god?"


    "You won''t know until you try. Besides, you underestimate my abilities."


    [Deception Apostle] turned around slowly, spreading his arms wide.


    "Lies, deceit, the most exquisite melodies of this world! You can achieve many unimaginable things with it, such as..."


    [Deception Apostle] paused, pointing to an empty spot beside him, and said in a deep voice, "Before your eyes, there should be a sword."


    "That''s impossible..."


    John instinctively questioned, but what happened next left him speechless.


    Before him, in the empty spot, a longsword appeared, embedded in the ground!


    "Go up and pull it out. Feel it carefully."


    [Deception Apostle] made a gesture of invitation, and John, incredulous, walked forward and grasped the sword.


    As he slightly swung his arm, the weight of the sword left him even more astonished.


    If this was the [Trickster]''s ability��to create objects out of thin air��it was unbelievably powerful!


    Seeing the confusion in John''s eyes, [Deception Apostle] chuckled and exined, "I told you, the lies I construct are the truth you see. The moment you believe it, it ceases to be a lie and bes reality.


    I told you there was a sword here. Though you expressed doubt, your inner hesitation made you believe my words for a moment, so the sword appeared."


    John was dumbfounded.


    He had imagined countless possibilities but never anticipated that the [Trickster]''s ability would manifest in such a manner.


    Understanding this power, it was no exaggeration to call it omnipotent!


    "But... what if the other person doesn''t believe it?"


    "Why wouldn''t they believe it? Have you forgotten the skills [Trickster] can learn at lower levels? Including Command and Affinity, as you grow, your words will be taken as gospel. At that point, every lie you utter will be truth.


    Of course, the ability''s activation requires certain conditions. Anything beyond the ability''s scope can''t be achieved, regardless of belief.


    For instance, if I said you have the power to kill a god right now, even if you believed it, you couldn''t kill a god because it''s far beyond my ability.


    Additionally, with your current strength, you can only use this power once every ten days. However, as you grow, the interval will shorten.


    Now, I have fully disclosed the [Trickster]''s abilities to you. You must agree to my condition, or our deal ends here."


    Hearing this, John frowned, hesitating.


    Killing a god.


    It sounded simple, but who knew how powerful these so-called [Deities] truly were?


    If [Deception Apostle] could alter reality with a single sentence, then what about the [Deities]?


    When a vague concept bes a tangible enemy you must face, despair naturally arises.


    "If it can be done, I won''t refuse."


    "John, don''t try to y such useless tricks with me. The moment I judge you capable of killing a god, our agreement takes effect. So, you can abandon any ideas of confusing me with vague concepts.


    Rest assured, I won''t send you to your death, as it would do me no good. Your task is to use all avable means to improve your abilities within the limited time, and I will provide you with assistance."


    "...I understand."


    John sighed. Though his little ploy was seen through, he didn''t feel too downhearted.


    After all, it was [Deception Apostle]; tricking him was exceedingly difficult.


    "Onest question."


    "Speak. Given that I''m in a good mood today, I might indulge you."


    "Besides you, when will the other [Apostles] and the [Abyss] appear? This is very important to me."


    "Soon. I can''t give you a precise time, but I can assure you their return isn''t far off. You have the means to restart everything, and the [Lord of Abyss] won''t sit idly by.


    Of course, their premature awakening will result in weakened power, which can be seen as giving you a fighting chance. How merciful."


    "If I want to contact you, besidesing to the [Abyss], is there any other way?"


    "For the time being, don''t contact me. I am being watched by certain entities."


    With these final words, [Deception Apostle]''s figure abruptly vanished from John''s sight, giving him no chance to ask more questions.


    But regardless, he had achieved one of his goals.


    The next task was to prepare some personal items for Helena.


    Arriving at the ruins near the supermarket, John frowned at the pile of rubble. After much hesitation, he decided to try using the [Trickster]''s ability.


    "The ruins blocking my path will disappear."


    Nothing happened.


    Unwilling to give up, John repeated themand, but the scene before him remained unchanged. He instantly felt as though he had been deceived, yet [Deception Apostle] had demonstrated this ability right before his eyes. There was no reason to joke about such a thing.


    "Am I using it the wrong way?"


    John scratched his head, still unable to pinpoint the issue. At that moment, Exiled Immortal, flying low with Helena, noticed John''s frustrated gestures andnded steadily in front of him.


    "John, I''ve been looking for you. What are you standing around here for?"


    "Exiled Immortal! Just in time,e over here."


    John''s eyes lit up as he hooked Exiled Immortal''s shoulder and pulled him close, pointing at the pile of rubble. "There should be some items and supplies left in the supermarket ruins, but the path is blocked."


    "Yeah, obviously. John, why are you stating the obvious?"


    "Don''t interrupt me. I ask you, do you believe I can make these ruins disappear?"


    "John, I''m young but not stupid. This is insulting. These ruins must weigh tens of tons. You say they''ll disappear just like that? How is that even possible?"


    "Ugh, forget it."


    Frustrated, John kicked Exiled Immortal aside and turned his attention to Helena.


    "Helena, do you believe me?"


    "Of course, as long as it''s you saying it, I believe everything!"


    As soon as the words fell, under the watchful eyes of the three, the pile of rubble began to diminish gradually until a path leading into the supermarket appeared!


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal was dumbfounded, unable to believe his eyes.


    "No way, John... John?"


    Exiled Immortal nced at John, only to find his face pale, sweat pouring down his forehead as if he had exhausted all his stamina. Seeing this, Exiled Immortal quickly moved to support John.


    "John, are you alright? Big sister,e over and check on him!"


    "Quiet, I''m fine. I just suddenly feel very tired..."


    John waved his hand, gasping for breath as he exined. He also understood [Deception Apostle]''s vague statement about not exceeding the scope of his abilities.


    The so-called "not exceeding the scope of abilities" meant aplishing something within a time frame, given his current strength.


    For example, with the rubble before him, given enough time, John could clear it all away. However, the stamina required was enormous.


    Thus, the rubble didn''tpletely disappear; it only formed a path.


    As a result, John had expended the stamina needed to clear that path, which was why he was so exhausted.


    "Damn bastard, how could he not exin something so important!"


    "Huh? John, what did you say?"


    "Nothing, nothing. Anyway, let''s go inside and see if we can find anything useful. Don''t worry about me. I just need... a rest."


    "Exiled Immortal, you go inside and check it out. I''ll stay here and look after John. Someone has already noticed this ce. Leaving him here alone makes me uneasy."


    "Alright, you two stay safe. I''ll be back soon."

 Chapter 40: Chapter40-Essentials

    "John, the ability you just disyed..."


    "Don''t ask for now. I still don''t know how to exin it to you. Give me some time."


    John shook his head, not answering Helena''s question.


    He truly didn''t know how to respond.


    Should he reveal the whole truth and tell them that the so-called game was merely a pastime for the [Deities]?


    Or should he tell them that no matter how hard he tried, it would be difficult to change his fate of dying in the end?


    These were things John couldn''t bring himself to say, so...


    "Sorry..."


    "You don''t need to apologize. Although I don''t know what you''re hiding, I believe you have your reasons. I won''t ask anymore until you''re ready to tell me."


    ...


    Thirty minutester, John finally recovered from his exhausted state, and Exiled Immortal returned with over a dozen floating boxes.


    "John! Look at what I found!"


    "What has you so excited?"


    "Just look!"


    Exiled Immortal eagerly approached, showing the contents of the boxes to John and Helena.


    Most of it was instant food and canned goods, and there were even some precious vegetables, though they looked a bit wilted. In these times, seeing a bit of green was a rare treat.


    But...


    "Is this all? There''s nothing else?"


    "Was there supposed to be something else?"


    Exiled Immortal blinked, clearly not understanding John''s question.


    There was food, water, even some precious drinks and vegetables. What could be more important than these?


    "Damn! Personal care items! Didn''t I say we needed personal care items?"


    "Don''t we already have plenty of toilet paper and toiletries at home? What else do we need?"


    "Uh... I think John means you should get some sanitary pads..."


    Helena pinched the bridge of her nose, helplessly saying, "He specifically mentioned women''s personal care items."


    "Sanitary pads? What are those?"


    "Forget it, just take Helena back home first. I''ll go back in and see if there''s anything we missed."


    John didn''t bother exining to Exiled Immortal. He was just a kid; it was normal for him not to understand. The time spent on these exnations would be enough for John to go in again.


    "John, inside, it''s mostly rubble. It can barely hold up, but it looks like it''s about to copse. Be careful and don''t take too long."


    "Don''t worry, I understand. You two go back first. Once Helena is safe,e back to get me."


    "You stay safe."


    After watching Exiled Immortal and Helena leave, John wasted no time and entered the supermarket through the passage.


    As Exiled Immortal had said, the ce had long lost its former glory. Large chunks of concrete from the upper floors had smashed through the ceiling, causing it to copse, and the asional groans of metal indicated it was barely holding up.


    Noticing this, John quickened his pace.


    Due to the new passage, many survivors had noticed this ce and rushed in, looting frantically and even fighting over a single can or bottle of water.


    But this was the apocalypse, and John had no room to criticize. If it were his former self, he would have done the same, risking his life for a chance to survive.


    Thinking of this, John took out the [Firewalker Dagger] and held it tightly, cautiously eyeing anyone who might pose a threat.


    However, John''s destination was different from the others.


    Food and water, though precious, were not in short supply for him at the moment. Instead, John headed towards the clothing section.


    The ce was a mess; many stores had been smashed by debris, making them inessible. John could only search nearby, gathering a few intact clothes and shoes before heading to the personal care section.


    John hadn''t prepared any women''s personal care items before, but with Helena''s arrival, he had to consider these needs.


    Fortunately, this area hadn''t been heavily looted, and no one seemed interested in these items. Within ten minutes, John collected hundreds of packs, wrapping them in cardboard and clothes. As he was about to leave, something caught his eye.


    Seeing the words like "ultra-thin," "snug fit," and rge particles" on the packaging, John''s face turned red.


    Feeling that it wouldn''t hurt to take some since he was already there, John grabbed a handful and stuffed them into the box.


    Additionally, he took any cigarettes and alcohol he came across, knowing they were valuable in the apocalypse.


    Although John didn''t smoke, others did, and these items could be traded for other resources.


    Nearly an hour had passed, and the creaking sound of metal grew more frequent. John nced at the still-scrambling crowd and sighed, "This ce is about to copse. Leave as soon as you can."


    His warning seemed to go unnoticed by most, but a few cautious individuals heeded it, choosing survival over staying, and left with their collected resources.


    As for the others, within thirty seconds of John''s departure, the metal framework could no longer hold and copsed, burying those inside forever.


    Seeing this, John felt no sorrow, nor did hement the deaths of those people.


    He had given a warning once, and that was enough. Even if he had managed to drive everyone away, saving them from the copse, they likely wouldn''t have been grateful. Instead, they might have started coveting John''s spoils.


    But in any case, the purpose of this trip was achieved.


    Not far away, Exiled Immortal had been waiting for a long time. Upon seeing John, he quickly approached.


    "John, thank goodness you made it out. The supermarket has copsed!"


    "It was lucky it held up for this long."


    "John, you were in there for quite a while. What did you manage to get?"


    "Don''t ask now. Let''s move. We''re already being watched."


    Feeling the gazes from all directions, John lowered his voice. "I''ll go back on my own."


    "Are you sure, John?"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll be fine."


    John nodded slightly, reassuring Exiled Immortal.


    What John could do in the game world, he could also do in the real world.


    For instance, falling from a height of over ten meters without a scratch.


    Or summoning a golem!


    Understanding this, Exiled Immortal didn''t waste any more words. With a thought, he used Qingfeng to lift the collected supplies into the air, ascending until they became a small ck dot in John''s vision.


    After Exiled Immortal left, John silently chanted, "Golem!"


    Instantly, a giant steel golem mmed into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust!


    The moment the golem appeared, those with ill intentions quickly abandoned their ns and turned to squabble among themselves.


    The appearance of such a steel monster was as impactful as seeing Exiled Immortal ascend into the sky.


    It''s best not to provoke such a formidable figure.


    Therefore, on his way back, John encountered no trouble, as no one dared to mess with him.


    After leaving the city, John breathed a sigh of relief, recalled the golem, and took out the [Firewalker Dagger].


    This was a necessary move.


    The journey had almost exhausted the golem''s chant essence, and the excessive energy consumption was giving John a headache.


    When he returned to the abandoned warehouse, he spotted Exiled Immortal waving at him from the top of the building, making John smile.


    "Get down quickly, before someone notices you."


    "What''s there to be afraid of? With your golem around, who would dare cause trouble?"


    Exiled Immortal grinned and said, "John, you''re smart, gathering so many supplies!"


    "Of course, these are essentials. Even if we don''t need them, we can trade them. Learn from this!"


    John appreciated Exiled Immortal''s praise and patted his head. However, when he opened the door, he saw Helena with a knowing smile, holding a box of ultra-thin 0.2.


    Seeing this, John froze in ce.


    "Well... you really did prepare thoroughly, Brother John~"


    "No, Helena, I didn''t..."


    "Didn''t what? Didn''t mean it? You clearly took so many! I knew you had ulterior motives! Exiled Immortal, go back to the game world. I have some questions for John!"

 Chapter 41: Chapter41-Grand Event

    "Can you let me in on the conversation too? I''m not exactly..." Exiled Immortal started to say, but the moment he lifted his head and noticed Helena''s gaze, he felt as if he had plunged into an icy abyss.


    The words that had been on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back down.


    That look, it was just like the one a teacher gives you after you''ve scored the worst in the ss��every little thoughtid bare, an all-seeing gaze that pierced straight to the soul.


    With just that one look, Exiled Immortal instantly mmed up, meekly crawled into his sleeping bag, and didn''t even dare to pretend to be asleep. He obediently logged into the game.


    Only then did Helena nod, and she immediately turned her gaze to John. "Exin this to me."


    "I thought it mighte in handy, and since I happened to be passing by, I just brought some back."


    At that moment, John wished he could find a hole to crawl into.


    The joy of the moment had clouded his mind, making him forget that he had brought the item back with him, only for Helena to discover it.


    Helena bit her lip lightly, a blush spreading across her cheeks. "I don''t even know you that well. Isn''t this a bit too soon?"


    "John, height 188 cm, weight 75 kg, age 21, no car, no house, no savings, and zero romantic experience. Anything else I missed?"


    "Hold on, hold on! Are you introducing yourself?"


    "Huh?"


    "That''s not what I meant at all! What I''m saying is, we could try to get to know each other. I admit, I have some feelings for you... but this is too much!"


    Helena shoved the item back into the box, stammering, "Right now, neither the atmosphere nor our rtionship is right for this."


    "I..."


    "I... I''ll log in first. Don''t do anything weird!"


    "...I won''t, don''t worry."


    With John''s reassurance, Helena felt a bit relieved.


    She crawled into the tent John had prepared for her andy down in the soft sleeping bag.


    Her eyes caught sight of a card hanging inside the tent, and she couldn''t help but frown.


    Helena reached out to pull the card down. Reading the words on it, she couldn''t help but smile.


    "Pretty sweet, though his mind is full of... indecent thoughts..."


    ...


    John and Helena logged in almost simultaneously.


    They were still in John''s room, and the atmosphere instantly became awkward.


    The ''ultra-thin'' incident was fresh in their minds.


    John couldn''t exin it, so he just scratched his head and greeted her awkwardly.


    Helena wasn''t much better off. With a bright red face, she turned around and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito, "I... I''ll go back to my room first. I''ll leave the Pioneer Squad, but give me a few more days."


    "No rush. Take your time. Besides, we should be leaving in a few days too."


    "Got it."


    Watching Helena leave, John sighed softly and sat down on the edge of the bed, staring nkly out the window.


    ording to the current main storyline, after one more major yer raid event, the main quests in Calia would be almostpleted.


    "Goblin Invasion... should being soon."


    As the firstrge-scale event that all yers in Calia would face together, the disparity in their strengths would be apparent from this moment on.


    When facing the cruel and bloodthirsty goblins, whether they could maintain theirposure and fight back would be the true test of a yer''s strength.


    John vividly remembered that after this major event, yers would be re-ranked based on the number of goblins they killed, and special rewards would be distributed ording to their ranks.


    Unfortunately, in his previous life, as a thief, John''s performance in such chaotic battles was quite limited, resulting in a dismal ranking and no substantial gear.


    At present, John only had two pieces of [Epic] equipment, and upgrading gear was always the most convenient and fastest way to strengthen oneself.


    With this in mind, John decided to prepare in advance.


    "Trigger traps might be a good choice... If I remember correctly, the [Legendary Alchemist Ondo Barry''s Journal] records a type of Trigger magic trap."


    John took out the journal and carefully reviewed it, his eyes growing brighter with each page.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that the Trigger magic trap described in [Legendary Alchemist Ondo Barry''s Journal] was practically made for situations like this!


    The principle of the Trigger magic trap was that, once activated, it would shoot out sea urchin-like spear tips from a magical device.


    These spear tips were inscribed with blood channels to collect the monster''s blood, which would then be converted into energy to power the magical device through an internal mechanism.


    The converted energy would reload the magical device, creating a continuous cycle.


    Of course, the processes of reloading and conversion both required time.


    Theoretically, if John could create more than five Trigger magic traps, he could achieve uninterrupted activation.


    But that was the ideal scenario.


    When the time came, there would be many unknowns.


    All John could do was prepare as thoroughly as possible.


    "Exiled Immortal and Helena aren''t a concern, but Lily..."


    Lily''s current strength was far from weak.


    The terrifying power of [Starfall] was something even John found intimidating.


    However, the problemy in its immense energy consumption, which Lily''s small frame couldn''t sustain.


    Without a continuous output method, Lily was destined to achieve only mediocre results.


    With this in mind, John was about to find Lily to exin the situation and offer her some feasible methods when there was a knock on the door.


    "Johnny,e quickly!"


    "What''s happening?"


    "You''ll see, Johnny!"


    Lily''s urgent voice came from outside the door, and John hurriedly opened it.


    To his astonishment, he saw Lily sitting sideways on the back of arge wolf, her eyes full of joy.


    Looking at the figure that closely resembled the giant wolf boss they had previously defeated, John widened his eyes in confusion. "What''s going on here?"


    "Just now, Ipleted a task for a nun at the church, and she taught me this spell called [Spirit Summoning]. When I used it, I unexpectedly awakened the spirit of the giant wolf stored in the [Wolfbone Staff]!"


    John: "..."


    Well, that worry was for nothing.


    With the giant wolf spirit under Lily, she was bound to achieve an impressive ranking in the goblin raid.


    In the end, he had been worrying needlessly.


    From the Monster Cave onward, John should have realized that Lily had changed drastically from her previous life.


    If he guessed correctly, Lily was likely chosen by one of the [Deities]. As to which one, John was unsure.


    Nheless, this was a good thing.


    At least under the protection of this power, John and Lily wouldn''t repeat their past mistakes.


    "Lily, don''t you think you''re a bit different from an ordinary Priest?"


    "Hmm... it does seem a bit different. The nuns at the church only heal others. Why is that?"


    "You don''t know either? Like, did you notice any changes in your body starting at some point?"


    Hearing this, Lily fell into deep thought. She wasn''t really sure about any changes.


    If she had to mention something different...


    Before entering Ad Vige, she had seen a figure standing among the stars. Did that count as special? After the Goblin Cave, a new side quest appeared on her skill panel, but aside from the first skill, [Starfall], the rest were shrouded in shadow.


    Seeing Lily remain silent, John sighed and stopped pressing the matter.


    "Anyway, it''s good that your strength is increasing. Based on my past gaming experience, there might be arge-scale eventing up. With your current strength, it''s almost certain you''ll earn special rewards. Keep it up."


    "You too, Johnny!"


    "Let''s both do our best, Lily. We each have our own reasons we have to survive."


    This cryptic statement clearly puzzled Lily.


    But she believed that anything Johnny said must be true.


    "Johnny, do you think our world will ever return to the way it was before the disaster?"


    "Maybe it will, maybe it won''t. Until then, we have to keep hope alive. We need something to hold on to, don''t we, to keep going?"

 Chapter 42: Chapter42-Goblin Invasion!

    [Server Announcement: Arge-scale event willmence in 12 hours. All yers within Calia City are eligible to participate. Please prepare ordingly. yers will be unable to log off during the event, so manage your stamina wisely.]


    The server-wide announcement ignited a passion in every yer.


    After two months of gamey, yers hadrgely divided into three groups.


    The first group, like John and hispanions, were always at the forefront of exploration, eager for the rewards of firstpletions.


    The second group consisted of ordinary yers who improved their skills by learning from the trailzers, seeking the most efficient ways to enhance their abilities.


    The third group, though smaller than the ordinary yers, were theid-back yers who went with the flow.


    They would seize opportunities when they arose but never actively sought them out.


    Within these three main categories, yers had further specialized.


    There were those passionate about farming, trading, forging, and various other sses, each finding something they enjoyed.


    The firstrge-scale event brought hope to those who refused to be left behind��a chance to catch up with others.


    Beneath the server announcement was a detailed description of the event, including its duration, gamey mechanics, and the method of redeeming rewards.


    In essence, yers would earn points by hunting goblins, which could then be exchanged for powerful items at a temporary point shop in Calia City.


    Among these items were [Epic] quality gear, though the points required were staggeringly high.


    "No objections if I im first ce in this event, right?"


    In the Alchemy Materials Shop, Exiled Immortal sat with his legs crossed, a smug expression on his face.


    His talent, [Windwhisper], was perfectly suited for this kind ofrge-scale raid event.


    Although his words had a touch of boasting, he indeed possessed the strength to back them up.


    "Look at you, so pleased with yourself. Anyone would think you''re already in first ce. Be careful you don''t end up eating your words," Helena remarked, clearly annoyed by Exiled Immortal''s demeanor.


    Indeed, Helena''s strength was nothing to scoff at, but shecked the means forrge-scale AOE attacks.


    In terms of efficiency, she was several notches below Exiled Immortal. She might rank in the event, but it wouldn''t be very high.


    "Being first isn''t just talk. Be careful you don''t crash and burn," John said with a roll of his eyes before turning to Lily. "How about you? Confident?"


    "Um... should be fine. With Big Wolf helping me, I''ll do my best!" Lily replied.


    "Don''t push yourself too hard. Just do what you can," John reassured her before taking out a nearly meter-wide sphere from his yer backpack and gently cing it on the table.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal frowned in confusion. "John, what''s that thing?"


    "Trigger magic trap. As for its effects, you''ll find out once the event starts. In any case, Exiled Immortal, if you want to secure first ce, you''ll have to work twice as hard as usual."


    "Tch, when ites to real strength, all tricks are just clouds in the sky, got it? The first-ce reward for this event is mine!" Exiled Immortal dered.


    The twelve-hour wait seemed much longer than expected.


    Every yer was immersed in the excitement of the uing event, eagerly anticipating its start.


    They failed to realize that, while the event promised rich rewards, it also carried significant risks.


    With an average level of around 15, the seemingly endless waves of goblins charging towards Calia City were far more terrifying and overwhelming than anyone had imagined.


    It was inevitable that many would perish in thisrge-scale event.


    This much was already clear, but everyoneforted themselves with the thought that they wouldn''t be the unlucky ones.


    [Countdown: 4 hours 17 minutes]


    "Why hasn''t it started yet? This waiting is killing me... John, are we really going to charge out of Calia? It seems really dangerous to me."


    "Staying in the city will be even more dangerous. Once the event begins, all NPCs will go into standby mode, and countless goblins will flood into the city to chase yers. In such a confined space, we won''t be able to move freely.


    Moreover, with so many yers around, it will quickly turn into chaos. Only by leaving the city and fighting outside can we avoid such a scenario. With our strength, as long as we stick together and watch each other''s backs, we''ll be fine."


    "John has a point. If the number of goblins is as overwhelming as he says, a significant number of yers won''t be able to handle the pressure and will panic. If they affect us, it won''t be worth the risk."


    "Exactly. So, just before the event starts, we''ll leave through the west gate and head to the nearby abandoned fortress to intercept the goblinsing from all directions.


    It doesn''t matter what methods we use, as long as we can kill the goblins.


    But remember one thing: at all times, the safety of ourpanions is the top priority.


    matter what danger we face, as long as it doesn''tpromise our own safety, we must rescue each other immediately. Understood?"


    "Understood."


    Unlike most optimistic yers, John wasn''t exactly pessimistic, but he wasn''t overly excited either.


    He had participated in over a dozen simrrge-scale events in his previous life and had seen countless yers perish in monster tides.


    The sacrifices of these people had taught John two things.


    Never becent, and never underestimate the enemy.


    Time passed little by little.


    With only five minutes remaining before the event started, John and hispanions left the alchemy materials shop.


    Since the event wouldn''t affect the NPCs in the city, Fara''s materials shop remained absolutely safe after they left. Following their n, they arrived at the abandoned fortress.


    Although it was a distance away from Calia City, it was still within Calia''s territory and would be affected by the goblin tide.


    Additionally, the fortress''s treacherous terrain made it easier to defend.


    John''s only worry was that if the fortress fell, they would have nowhere to retreat.


    However, with the sessful development of the Trigger Magic Trap by John, there was no need to worry anymore.


    "All thirteen Trigger Magic Traps are buried, John. By the way, are these things really effective?"


    Exiled Immortal squatted down, looking at the exposed trigger. Just as he was about to reach out and test it, John stopped him.


    "If you don''t want to be skewered like a porcupine, I''d advise you not to do that. You''ll die a miserable death."


    "...Is it really that exaggerated?"


    Though Exiled Immortal was reluctant to believe it, the thought of the exaggerated power of the golem that John had repaired made him withdraw his hand reluctantly.


    [Countdown: Five, Four, Three, Two...]


    "It''s starting."


    John let out a long breath.


    As soon as he finished speaking, a deafening bell rang out from Calia behind them.


    The next moment, at the farthest point of their vision, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of goblins surged forward like a tide!


    The green-skinned, short-statured, hideous creatures brandished their wooden spears or bone weapons, running wildly and letting out ear-piercing screams.


    For a moment, even John was a bit dazed.


    Not to mention Exiled Immortal, Lily, and the others, who had never experienced anything like this.


    They stood there, stunned.


    Seeing this, John quickly shouted, snapping everyone back to reality.


    "Stay calm, everyone. We''ve made ample preparations. Stick to the n!"


    The group awoke as if from a dream and each took their assigned positions.


    Exiled Immortal soared through the air, surrounded by dozens of sword shadows that whistled through the wind, effortlessly slicing through the goblins rushing forward!


    Lily cast Spirit Summoning, and the spirit of a giant wolf suddenly appeared.


    Its ws, powerful enough to split mountains and shatter stones, smashed down heavily, easily turning goblins into minced meat!


    Helena, donning her armor, wielded a long whip that danced through the air.


    The whip stirred up dust and stones, severing goblins with each crack!


    However, the most dazzling performance came from the golem and the Trigger Magic Traps.


    The golem, with its massive body and sturdy armor, moved through the goblin tide as if it were an unchallenged force.


    Each stomp, each swing, resulted in arge number of casualties.


    The Trigger Magic Traps performed far beyond John''s expectations!


    Each time a trap was triggered, spearheads shot out like a torrential downpour, reaping countless goblins!

 Chapter 43: Chapter43-Earn Points Like Crazy! (Part 1)

    "Damn! This is insane!"


    In midair, Exiled Immortal gasped as he watched arge number of goblins fall before the Trigger Magic Traps, instinctively putting in more effort.


    He had thought he was the chosen one to dominate this event, but it now seemed that everyone was just as formidable.


    There was no need to borate on John''s speed in harvesting goblins. Each time a trap was triggered, dozens of goblins were taken down.


    Plus, with the golem rampaging through the goblin horde, John''s killing speed was definitely the fastest.


    What was most surprising was Lily''s rapid umtion of points.


    The goblins killed by her were reanimated by Spirit Summoning, rejoining the battlefield.


    In just ten minutes, she had also harvested over a thousand points!


    Only Helena''s speed was slightly slower, but she specifically targeted high-level elite goblins.


    Although fewer in number, the quality of her kills ensured she kept pace with the others.


    "Don''t lose focus, the first wave of the monster tide ising!"


    Noticing the goblin chariots slowly approaching in the distance, John frowned.


    With a thought, the golem crushed the goblins in front of it into pulp and slowly advanced towards the goblin chariots.


    "Exiled Immortal, ascend and see when this wave of the monster tide might end!"


    "Not now... Damn it, these beasts have anti-air weapons! I''m pinned down!"


    A rain of arrows nketed Exiled Immortal, their sheer number forcing him to channel the azure wind to shield himself, deflecting the arrows.


    "Helena, fall back!"


    "Understood."


    Helena nodded slightly.


    The intense fighting of the past few minutes had indeed been physically taxing.


    In previous battles, most of thebat had been left to Exiled Immortal, as her talent did not provide her with additionalbat strength.


    After retreating into the fortress, John recalled the golem, replenished its chant essence, and waited for the goblin chariots to arrive on the battlefield.


    He observed the chariots, entirely made of wood, with an exaggerated design that included even more exaggerated ballista bolts, each nearly two meters in length, mounted on the back.


    John couldn''t quite understand how these green-skinned little creatures had managed to craft suchplex contraptions, but that wasn''t his primary concern at the moment.


    "There are two chariots in total. I''ll handle them. After this wave, there should be a brief respite. Use that time to replenish your stamina. Especially you, Exiled Immortal. Don''t overexert yourself.


    This major event willst at least a full day. If you exhaust your stamina now, what will you doter?"


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal blushed and nodded sheepishly, without retorting.


    He had indeed been a bit too eager, seeing his points fall slightly behind John and Lily''s, and John had noticed.


    "In any case, we need to hold out here as long as possible to earn more points. If anyone can''t hold on, retreat immediately. Don''t put yourself in danger and force others to rescue you. Understood?"


    "Understood!"


    As they spoke, the goblin chariots had already arrived outside the fortress.


    The goblins at the helm let out piercing screams, while the smaller goblins at the back quickly loaded the nearly two-meter-long bolts onto the ballistae.


    "The division ofbor is quite clear, but it''s a pity it''s of no use."


    John sneered,manding his golem to rejoin the battlefield. He aimed at the nearby goblin chariot as the armor on either side of its shoulders slowly unfolded, revealing two dark cannons.


    "Fire!"


    Boom!


    A thunderous explosion erupted in front of him, shaking the ground beneath his feet. In an instant, the once-menacing goblin chariot was reduced to dust, not even leaving a single piece intact!


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal swallowed hard and sighed.


    "I''vee to understand, winning first ce in this event probably has nothing to do with me. But can I at least strive for second ce?"


    "That''s not certain. While you were daydreaming, Lily''s points already surpassed yours."


    Helena curled her lips into a smile and said, "And the difference between us isn''t that great either. I think I still have a chance to surpass you."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal hurriedly opened the team panel, only to see that Lily had already broken through 3000 points, leaving him stunned.


    After all his hard work, he barely had around 2500 points, yet Lily had exceeded him by nearly 500 points!


    He then nced at Helena, who had 2300 points, very close to his own.


    As for John, he waspletely out of reach, with a terrifying score of over 5000 points that made Exiled Immortal tremble.


    "I-I''m not really chasing points. I just want to help everyone as much as possible..."


    Lily stuck out her tongue, a bit embarrassed, as she stroked her staff.


    "It''s alright, Lily. Earning those points is a testament to your skill, unlike some people who boasted grandly before the event started but are now left speechless."


    Helenaughed softly behind her hand, though her eyes never fully left the battlefield.


    After John dealt with the goblin chariot, the three rejoined the fray. Despite having already fought a major battle, they worked even harder, clearing the remaining monsters in less than twenty minutes.


    "I''m exhausted... absolutely spent..."


    Controlling his flying sword to pierce through thest surviving goblin, Exiled Immortal slowly descended, copsing to the ground and gasping for breath.


    It wasn''t that he had forgotten John''s advice to conserve his stamina; it was simply that Exiled Immortal had been targeted.


    In the four-person team, he was the only one with the ability to fly, and the goblin tide had no shortage of anti-air measures��spears, arrows, and even basic magical fireballs and ice spikes were continuouslyunched at him.


    He had to control his flying sword while also watching out for hidden projectiles from the shadows, which greatly drained his stamina.


    "Who told you to show off? That''s not how a swordsman ss is supposed to be yed. You could have charged into the monster horde and gone on a killing spree, but no, you had to float in the air like a target. I really don''t understand your thinking."


    John rolled his eyes and kicked Exiled Immortal aside, then found a spot to sit down.


    "You don''t get it, John. Sword flying... is a man''s romance."


    "A romance for immature brats, maybe. What kind of man are you?"


    "Enough with the chatter. Let''s take stock of our loot. The goblin corpses disappear automatically, and the dropped items go directly into our backpacks. Check if there''s anything useful; if not, exchange it for event points."


    "Right! I was wondering why it seemed so strange. With the number of goblins we''ve killed, their bodies should have piled up into a mountain by now. Turns out they disappear automatically? Hey, that''s quite a user-friendly design."


    Exiled Immortal smirked and then opened his yer inventory to take a look.


    The quantity of dropped items was immense and varied, but most weremon metals or low-quality weapons, useful perhaps to John butpletely worthless to Exiled Immortal.


    Helena and Lily were in a simr situation.


    After handing over any potentially useful materials to John, they exchanged the rest of the junk equipment for event points.


    As for John, he naturally found some valuable items.


    [Goblin Shaman''s Amulet]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Traits: [Increases Wisdom by 70 points when worn, but slows casting speed, casting time, and efficiency.]


    Panel Attributes: [Stamina increases by 5 points]


    Item Description: [@#$%@$#%!(Goblinnguage)]


    Looking at the hasty item description, John chuckled and handed the essory to Lily.


    After all, among the four of them, Lily was the only one with a mage-like role, making it useless to John himself.


    Next, John took out a second item.


    [Goblin Hunter''s Eye]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Traits: [Increases Agility moderately and Stamina slightly when worn. Increases field of vision moderately but gradually decreases sanity.]


    Panel Attributes: [Stamina increases by 25 points, Agility increases by 15 points]


    Item Description: [Don''t worry, you don''t need to rece your eye with this disgusting thing, nor do you need to swallow it. Just click to equip it. It''s that simple.


    Of course, be mindful of the duration of use.]

 Chapter 44: Chapter44-Raking in Points! (Part 2)

    "Helena, this is for you."


    "I don''t want it!"


    Seeing the eye, asrge as a goose egg and covered in blood and viscous fluid, Helena felt a wave of nausea.


    She couldn''t fathom how something so disgusting could be made into equipment.


    She wouldn''t wear it, not even if it killed her!


    "Give it a try. It might be very effective."


    "No way, absolutely no way! Take it away!"


    Seeing Helena''s genuine revulsion, John shrugged, not pressing the issue, and then turned his gaze to Exiled Immortal.


    "What about you? Want to try it?"


    "Why not? It''s just a game. If the equipment is strong, I''d even wear a pile of dung on my head!"


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand grandly, epting John''s gift and immediately equipping the eye.


    Seeing this, Helena quickly stepped back, looking at Exiled Immortal with a newfound sense of disdain.


    But she couldn''t deny the effectiveness of the equipment.


    The increased field of vision and enhanced attributes were a perfect match for Exiled Immortal, making his alreadymanding view even broader.


    "It''s great stuff, big sister! It''s a shame you don''t want it."


    "There''s no need. You keep it."


    "Hey, even if you begged, I wouldn''t give it... Whoa! John, the goblins areing again!"


    Looking into the distance, Exiled Immortal saw figures darting through the dense forest. He swiftly descended, urgently saying, "Is the second wave of the goblin tide about to start?"


    "Judging by the time... it seems like it. Prepare for battle. Exiled Immortal, I still rmend not staying airborne unless necessary."


    "I''m used to it, John. If you suddenly make me change, I won''t adapt."


    Without looking back, Exiled Immortal soared into the air, leaving John with only a graceful silhouette.


    Seeing this, John sighed softly and said no more.


    He just positioned his golem and awaited the arrival of the goblin tide.


    Compared to the first wave, the second wave showed a significant improvement in both quantity and quality.


    The main force had shifted from themon cave goblins to goblin warriors, with an average level around 18.


    Furthermore, elite units such as berserker goblins and cavalry goblins appeared at the rear.


    If John remembered correctly, thisrge-scale event''s goblin tide attackprised ten waves.


    In his previous life, John had only managed to withstand up to the sixth wave before being overwhelmed by the elite goblin troops and hastily withdrawing from the battlefield.


    This time, however, John wanted to see what kind of monsters would appear in the tenth wave.


    With that thought, he took a deep breath and quickly enteredbat mode.


    With John''s currentbat strength, along with the arrival of Exiled Immortal and Helena, they easily withstood the second wave and even obtained another [Epic] piece of equipment.


    Unfortunately, the equipment was only suitable for the warrior ss, so John decisively exchanged it for event points.


    Throughout Calia City, battles were everywhere.


    Countless goblins swarmed into Calia, causing immeasurable chaos.


    Even the likes of Exiled Immortal and Helena, the most elite of the pioneering teams, were awestruck by the sheer scale of the monster tide.


    It was even more daunting for ordinary yers.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that the sessive waves imed the lives of at least three hundred yers, who were torn apart by goblins and lost their livespletely.


    In fact, not just in this firstrge-scale event, but in every subsequent event, many yers would meet their end here.


    They came with the mindset of giving it a try, yetcking the strength to protect themselves, they ended up in a state of regret and frustration. John often witnessed such scenes.


    Compared to John''s tranquility, the city had descended into hell.


    Goblins swarmed every street and alley, but the yers struggled to mount a strong resistance. asionally, a small team managed to hold their ground, only to lose their will to fight against the overwhelming numbers.


    Until, exactly one hour after the event started, the server-wide announcement appeared again.


    [One hour into the event, the leaderboard will soon be activated, ranking yers based on the points they''ve earned. Only individual points will be counted, not team totals.]


    Upon hearing this, Exiled Immortal''s eyes lit up.


    "Hurry! Check my rank!"


    "What''s there to check? I don''t care at all."


    John smirked, pocketing the damaged Trigger magic trap, and continued, "I''m definitely in first ce anyway."


    "Yes, yes, John is the greatest~"


    Exiled Immortal pouted, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she opened the leaderboard.


    At the top was an anonymous yer, with 10,455 points. It was obvious that it was John, who never liked revealing himself.


    She was right behind, holding second ce with 7,441 points, just 10 points ahead of Lily in third ce.


    As for Helena, she was a bit further behind, with 5,632 points, ranking fifth.


    "So, the yer in fourth ce seems pretty good! John, should we recruit them?"


    "Fourth ce? What''s their name?"


    "Why don''t you check it yourself?"


    John frowned and red at Exiled Immortal, but he still opened the leaderboard.


    If this yer was as good as Exiled Immortal suggested, John might consider recruiting them.


    But...


    When John saw the ID, his smile froze, and his expression darkened.


    "S."


    John knew this ID all too well!


    The person who took the [Legendary] item he gifted, the one who ended his life with his own hands, who chose betrayal over loyalty, and evenmitted that disgraceful act against Lily��who else could it be?


    Just seeing this ID made John''s anger re up.


    Noticing John''s change in demeanor, Exiled Immortal hesitantly patted his shoulder, asking, "Jo-John, are you okay?"


    "Huff... I''m fine. Let''s not bring up this topic again. If any of you get the chance to meet this person, do me a favor and kill him."


    "...Got it, John."


    Exiled Immortal and the others exchanged nces, their curiosity piqued but unvoiced.


    It was the first time they had seen John like this, so enraged that his hands trembled uncontrobly.


    Usually, he always had a smile on his face, but now, showing such a state, how could they not be curious?


    "I know what you want to ask. All I can say is that there is an unresolvable grudge between him and me. If I see him, I''ll kill him at any cost. I was impulsive just now; this is my problem, and I shouldn''t drag you into it. If you see him, please let me know."


    "Johnny... I don''t know why you''re so angry, but Lily will support you!"


    "I haven''t killed anyone before, but if he''s your enemy, then he''s our enemy."


    "All I can say is, messing with us means this S. is out of luck!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in a certain alley in Calia,


    swung his greatsword with all his might, turning the goblin in front of him into mush, finally able to catch his breath for a brief rest.


    After sheathing his greatsword, S. slumped against the wall. Before he could even out his breathing, a chill ran down his spine.


    "Strange, what''s going on?"


    This feeling was like being watched by a hidden viper, making him feel prickly all over.


    If this was the immersion effect of the event, it was too exaggerated.


    "However, that anonymous yer is really strong, their points have already broken five digits. If I get the chance, I''d love to meet them. Maybe I could get some treasures from them.


    Speaking of which, my greatsword needs recing.


    Using an exquisite-quality item until now has be quite a strain; it can''t even crush those green monsters'' heads anymore. How about... I just steal one?"


    With that thought, S. fixed his gaze on a yer who had just acquired an [Epic] quality item and was strutting around proudly.


    After confirming his target, S. nonchntly drew the dagger from his waist and slowly crept closer.

 Chapter 45: Chapter45-Hunting Guild

    "Have you ever heard of the [Hunting Guild]?"


    After a long silence, John suddenly raised his head and looked at everyone, asking, "A yer-established organization."


    "Never heard of it, John. Are you making this up to fool us?"


    "Do I need to? This Hunting Guild was formed by thief yers. Due to the unique nature of their ss, they struggle to gain an advantage in dungeons andrge events, so they turned their attention to other yers instead.


    Though they aren''t skilled at dealing with monsters, when ites to killing, thief yers are among the best.


    So they gave uppeting inrge events and instead targeted yers who received valuable rewards butcked significant strength, and then they struck."


    At this point, John paused, a memory surfacing in his mind.


    "The thief ss has a special ability called [Cloud Hand], which allows them to loot or even steal equipment from other yers."


    "John, how do you know so much about this?"


    "..."


    John chose silence, unsure of how to answer Exiled Immortal.


    Should he reveal that he was once a member of the [Hunting Guild]?


    John felt ashamed.


    "In any case, from now on, be vignt. Whenever you encounter thief ss yers, stay on high alert and never fully trust them. Understood?"


    "Understood, John."


    ...


    "Are you insane? You''re killing people!"


    "Of course, I know what I''m doing. So, if you don''t want to die, hand over the [Epic] equipment you just got, and maybe I''ll consider sparing your life. Otherwise, you know what your fate will be."


    In the alleyway,


    held the dagger in a reverse grip, pressing it against the yer''s neck. The passerby yer felt a chill run down their spine, fear gripping them.


    "Aren''t you afraid I''ll spread the word about this?"


    "As long as you give me the item, you can say whatever you want. Reputation? I don''t care."


    In this damned apocalypse, reputation and integrity are the most useless things!


    Surviving at any cost is the ultimate rule!


    "My patience is limited. You''d better hand it over. I''ll give you three seconds. Three, two..."


    "Stop! I''ll give it to you!"


    Feeling the de pressing closer to his neck, the passerby yer couldn''t withstand the pressure and handed over the [Epic] equipment he had just obtained and hadn''t even used yet.


    Such scenes yed out all over Calia.


    Though not all thief yers could be condemned, the fact remained that most of them had done simr things to some extent.


    A ss that is weak against monsters but can strike hard against yers is destined to be unruly.


    Looking at the freshly acquired [Epic] equipment, S. felt great.


    The thief is arguably the only ss without any development restrictions.


    By continuously leveling up and allocating points, a thief can build themselves up to be a warrior like Qing, maxing out strength and endurance, or they can put all their points into wisdom and learn magic.


    In short, a thief yer can wield any kind of weapon.


    And this was an [Epic] quality dagger, perfect for S.!


    "Just one more piece of armor, and I''ll have a full set of [Epic] equipment. Now, which unlucky fool should I target next?"


    roamed continuously through Calia, using his limited rest time to search for his next prey.


    But just then, the third wave of the monster tide began!


    With the elite goblins increasing in number, the difficulty for the ordinary yers in the city skyrocketed.


    The berserker goblins grew fiercer and stronger with each battle.


    The cavalry goblins moved swiftly, elusively, making them hard to pin down.


    And the wizard goblins, capable of casting spells and even chanting in unison.


    Countless elite goblins joined the fray, bringing about another round of bloody chaos!


    "The numbers may be decreasing, but why does it feel even harder?"


    Exiled Immortal plummeted rapidly, his stamina clearly at its limit, his face pale as a ghost.


    Just as John had said, using this kind of output method not only wasted stamina but was also terribly inefficient. Using the green wind to control flying swords was barely effective against ordinary goblins, but against elite goblins, it was clearly insufficient.


    "Take a break and recover your stamina. We can hold out for now."


    The [Firewalker Dagger] slithered like a snake, asionally flicking its tongue, revealing its deadly fangs.


    With chant essence running low and three of his trigger magic traps destroyed, John had no choice but to join the battle.


    He had thought they could easily hold out until the sixth wave, but now it was clear he had been too optimistic.


    In his previous life, he had stayed in Calia with countless yers helping him share the burden, but this time, facing the monster tide head-on, he felt the pressure multiply!


    "Johnny, I have an idea."


    Lily bit her lip lightly, looking at John with a touch of concern.


    Since the battle began, she had consumed the least.


    The [essence ring] stored arge amount of Chant Essence, and John had even prepared dozens of mana recovery potions for her in advance.


    This allowed Lily to always fight at full strength.


    "If I use [Starfall], it might reduce the pressure on everyone. Plus, with Johnny''s mana recovery potions, I can quickly rejoin the battle!"


    "I understand your intention, but now is not the time."


    Hearing Lily''s suggestion, John immediately vetoed it without a moment''s hesitation.


    "But why not?"


    "This is only the third wave. Who knows how many more there will be? If we waste your ultimate move this early, the pressure will only increaseter, and we still won''t be able to hold out. Let''s manage for now. If any of you get Chant Essence, give it to me right away.


    As long as we have enough Chant Essence, the golem can temporarily withstand the pressure."


    Seeing that the number of elite goblins had dropped to less than a hundred, John exhaled deeply.


    "And besides, we can still hold on!"


    With that, Lily bit her lip, unsure of what to say, and let out a soft sigh.


    She began to cast buffs on John and the others while using Spirit Summoning to bring the fallen elite goblins back into the fray.


    The time it took to fend off the third wave was even longer than thebined time of the first two waves, but they managed to pull through without any major incidents.


    However, Helena and Exiled Immortal were now almostpletely exhausted.


    The massive consumption of stamina couldn''t be recovered in just a few minutes.


    Even though John had prepared some potions, it was like a drop in the ocean...


    "Wait, potions! How could I have forgotten!"


    If there was anything other thanrge-scale magic that could deal with this situation, it was undoubtedly poison!


    The goblin race''s natural weak resistance to poison meant that the poison would be 120% effective. With Exiled Immortal present, applying poison to their des would easily decimate the monsters!


    With this in mind, John didn''t hesitate for a moment.


    He took out the existing poison, giving part of it to Exiled Immortal and part to Helena.


    The rest he applied to the surface of the trigger magic traps.


    Using the remaining time to repair the damaged trigger magic traps, John then cleared out his backpack and opened the points shop.


    At the two-hour mark, the points shop had already opened, but John had been too busy to check it until now.


    Finally, he could see if there were any suitable items for him.


    The moment the list appeared before his eyes, John instantly noticed an [Epic] quality item that perfectly fit the current situation!


    "Redeem item 013 for me!"


    [Item 013 costs 20,000 points to redeem. Proceed with the redemption?]


    "Redeem it, quickly!"


    [Processing transaction... Redemptionplete. Current points bnce: 165.]


    [Congrattions! You have obtained the Epic item: Chant Essence Core, which has been added to your backpack.]

 Chapter 46: Chapter46-Perpetual Motion Machine

    [Chant Essence Core]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Feature: [Can convert alchemy materials into chant essence and store it, with a storage limit of 2500g]


    Item Panel: [This item cannot be worn.]


    Item Description: [What is a perpetual motion machine? This is a perpetual motion machine! Once activated, it never stops! As long as you have enough materials, your golem will never fall!]


    It was as if someone handed you a pillow just when you were about to doze off.


    With this [Chant Essence Core], the uptime of the golem would be significantly increased.


    Hunting monsters, acquiring materials, and then converting them into chant essence to power the golem.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that on this battlefield, the golem could be a perpetual motion machine!


    With this in mind, John didn''t hesitate for a moment. He directly integrated the [Chant Essence Core] into the golem''s original core. After the modification, there was no visible change on the outside.


    But as an old acquaintance once said,


    "Don''t look at its body, look at its heart!"


    This newly modified, bare core would turn into a formidable weapon!


    The rest time passed in the blink of an eye. This time, John no longer hesitated to use the chant essence,manding the golem to charge into the monster tide.


    John poured all the unused low-level materials into the Chant Essence Core. The refined materials were converted into chant essence, stored, and then sted out as energy beams!


    Each strike dealt nearly eight thousand points of damage, enough to annihte everything within John''s line of sight. Even elite goblins were obliterated the moment they were touched!


    The materials obtained from the kills were then replenished by John, transformed back into energy.


    Seeing the golem suddenly act as if it had been injected with adrenaline, Exiled Immortal gulped and stood in stunned silence.


    "Damn! John, if you had this trick up your sleeve, you should''ve used it earlier! I was exhausted."


    "I just spent twenty thousand points to get this, so it only worked out now. Do you think chant essencees for free?"


    John rolled his eyes, taking a moment amidst the chaos to nce at the leaderboard. Seeing his name still at the top, he felt a great sense of relief.


    The most considerate aspect of the leaderboard was that it only calcted the total points you had umted, not your current points.


    In other words, even after spending twenty thousand points, John had strengthened hisbat power without affecting his rank.


    Seeing his points umte again, John finally exhaled a sigh of relief.


    This way, he no longer had to worry about not being able to hold out. As long as no [Lord]-level goblins appeared, the golem''s exaggerated damage could handle everything else.


    The fourth wave, the fifth wave, and soon the sixth wave.


    Under John''s persuasion, Exiled Immortal and the others began to spend points to boost theirbat strength, making the battles increasingly manageable.


    Especially Helena, whosebat power nearly doubled after redeeming a [Blood Lord''s Hand Crossbow]!


    Each blood-formed bolt was capable of taking down elite goblins, and the blood harvested would continuously replenish Helena''s ammunition.


    John finally understood why, despite having an SSS-grade talent in his past life, he couldn''t significantly distance himself from others.


    Each major event was the best way to enhance one''s strength. John had simply chosen the wrong path, leading to twice the effort for half the results.


    "Fight! What a thrill!"


    Right on cue, Exiled Immortal''s ecstatic shout came from behind. John turned to see Exiled Immortal crashing into the monster horde like a cannonball, swinging his longsword wildly, sttering blood everywhere, and grinning maniacally.


    John couldn''t help but gulp.


    "Isn''t this just in insane?"


    He had thought that Exiled Immortal''s willingness to change was a good thing.


    But now, from a serene swordsman, he had turned into a madman!


    What could he do, though, when Exiled Immortal''s talent perfectly matched the [Lord Michel''s Breeze Armor]?


    [Lord Michel''s Breeze Armor]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Feature: [When enteringbat, wind attribute damage is converted into shield value, with a limit of 1000 points, replenishable at any time.]


    Just this one attribute was enough for Exiled Immortal to move through the battlefield unchallenged, enjoying the fight immensely.


    This piece of equipment, obtained from the giant wolf boss, was finally shining brilliantly in this major event.


    After swiftly clearing the remnants of the sixth wave of the monster tide, Lily healed Helena''s injuries and added several buffs.


    "Thanks, Lily."


    "It''s no problem, Helena. After all, this is all I can do. I''m just d I can help."


    "Lily, you should be more confident. By now, can''t you see that you''re never a burden? You''re an indispensable part of our team."


    Helena lovingly tousled the hair on Lily''s forehead and then turned to Exiled Immortal with a teasing tone, "Alright, stop grinning like an idiot! Keep it up, and I''ll smack you!"


    "Big sister, I just realized how thrilling fighting is! You wouldn''t understand."


    "That''s enough. I think we should leave."


    As they were still basking in the joy of their victory, John voiced a different opinion.


    "Leave? Why should we go, John? We''ve endured so many monsters; the monster tide might be ending soon."


    "Or, the difficulty of the uing waves could increase dramatically, and we might not survive. We could be wiped out here."


    John frowned, his expression far from optimistic.


    In his previous life, John had chosen to withdraw at this point, leaving Calia City during the rest period. Therefore, he had no idea what happened next or how much the difficulty of the monster tide would escte.


    He had some understanding of the earlier challenges, but now that his expectations were gone, John didn''t want to take any risks.


    "It''s not that extreme, is it? With our current strength, each of us can solo a boss. What goblin monster can stand against us?


    John, you''re so strong, but you''re being too cautious."


    "Being cautious isn''t a bad thing, Exiled Immortal. Have you forgotten who helped us hold out this long? If John thinks we should leave, then we really should. The difficulty has been increasing, and it''s already getting tough.


    What if the difficulty doubles starting from the seventh wave? It''s not impossible, and we must consider that."


    Clearly, a rare disagreement had arisen among the group.


    Exiled Immortal was still reveling in the thrill of battle, unwilling to leave, while John, not wanting to take any more risks, felt the urge to go.


    Unable to persuade Exiled Immortal or agree with his n, the situation reached an impasse.


    "...No matter what, we must leave. If the seventh wave of the monster tide isn''t dangerous, we can alwayse back to fight.


    Here''s the n: we''ll put some distance between us. Exiled Immortal will scout ahead, assess the situation with the monster tide. If the difficulty isn''t too extreme, we''ll return and hold the fort. But if it''s too much, we''ll leave.


    If you can''t agree to thispromise, then there''s nothing more to say. I''ll take Helena and Lily and leave."


    At this point, John''s stance was very clear.


    Although John was usually easygoing and preferred to listen to others'' opinions, in matters of life and death, he believed it was better to be more autocratic.


    "Well... alright, let''s do as you say, John."


    "Fine. Go scout the situation, and let us know immediately if anything unusual happens."


    "Understood."


    Exiled Immortal nodded slightly, then leaped into the air, bing a small ck dot in the sky.


    Seeing this, John sighed softly.


    "I''d like to make excuses for him, maybe wearing the [Goblin Hunter''s Eye] has affected his judgment."


    "Exiled Immortal is still just a kid. Don''t take it too hard, John. I believe he means no harm."


    Having spent so much time together, Helena felt she understood Exiled Immortal to some extent.


    He was naturally kind-hearted and somewhat innocent.


    He would neither attempt nor desire to challenge John''s position in the team.


    "Let''s hope so. But this incident has reminded me that it''s better to destroy items with negative effects."

 Chapter 47: Chapter47-Lord Goblin

    "John, did you hear something strange?"


    Inside the fortress, Helena suddenly sat up straight, her ears pricked as she listened intently, her brows gradually knitting together.


    "A sound? What sound?"


    "Very heavy footsteps. They seem to be getting closer!"


    Helena climbed over the fortress wall, carefully discerning the direction of the sound. But before she could pinpoint it, Exiled Immortal returned with unsettling news.


    "John! The seventh wave ising!"


    "How many? What kind of troops?"


    "I''ve never seen this kind of goblin before. And there''s only one of them."


    Boom... boom!


    As John snapped back to his senses, the heavy footsteps had already drawn near. Seeing the creature clearly, John gasped.


    It was a cavalry goblin, but its exaggerated size and the giant wolf beneath it made it clear that this monster was more powerful than any John had encountered so far!


    The giant wolf beneath the goblin was the very same formidable beast that John and his team had challenged in the boss dungeon.


    The mount alone was already level 30, and the goblin riding it had surpassed level 35!


    It''s crucial to note that once a yer exceeds level 35, they can initiate their second ss change.


    This meant that the monster before them required at least a second ss change to be defeated!


    Facing this monster at such close range, John knew that escaping was no longer an option.


    Even if they didn''t engage, the giant wolf under the Lord Goblin would swiftly catch up to them in no time, leaving no chance for escape.


    They had no choice but to fight!


    "John, I''ll hold off this monster. You all should escape!"


    Exiled Immortal, realizing the severity of the situation and feeling guilty for dragging John and the others into this mess due to his arrogance, was ready to take responsibility.


    But now wasn''t the time for self-reproach; it was time to give it their all!


    With this in mind, John stopped Exiled Immortal and said in a deep voice, "Don''t be so pessimistic. We might still have a chance. Lily, can you hold on?"


    "No problem, Johnny!"


    Lily nodded slightly, clutching her staff.


    "Helena, I''ll leave protecting Lily to you."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t let Lily get hurt."


    "If you feel you can''t hold on, retreat immediately. Safety first."


    The golem was redeployed. Facing such a gigantic monster, the Trigger magic trap was obviously ineffective.


    Whether they could withstand the pressure depended entirely on the golem''s performance!


    With a deep breath, John fired two beams of light from the golem''s shoulders, aiming at the Lord Goblin!


    Unfortunately, this time the expected oue didn''t happen.


    The Lord Goblin swung its long halberd, slicing through the light beams and causing them to explode behind it!


    "Damn it! Is it really that powerful? Lily, can you try to separate them?"


    "It''s... difficult!"


    Lily bit her lip, directing the spirit of the giant wolf to continually charge at the Lord Goblin.


    However, the spirit wolf was only level 20, and in its spirit form, its strength was at least thirty percent weaker than when it was alive.


    It was no match for the wolf cavalry.


    After a few rounds of attacks, it was shattered by a w swipe, dissipating into light particles!


    Invincible!


    This opponent, which required a second ss change to defeat, was clearly too much for John and his team at their current strength.


    John didn''t know how yers in his previous life managed to defeat such a monstrous being, but the fact that this monster appeared in a major event meant there had to be a way to ovee it.


    "Retreat! Use the golem to hold it off. We need to get back to Calia quickly; we can''t keep this up!"


    The reality was clear: this damned monster was beyond John and his team''s current abilities. Breaking through this would require help from others.


    "John, the golem will get destroyed!"


    "What''s more important, the golem or our lives? Shut up and move!"


    As John urged Exiled Immortal and the others to hurry, he controlled the golem to block the Lord Goblin''s path.


    As Exiled Immortal had pointed out, given the vast power difference, the golem could only dy for a limited time.


    Each swipe from the giant wolf and each strike from the goblin''s halberd inflicted almost irreparable damage on the golem. The outer armor was like a fragile eggshell, easily shattered to expose the soft and vulnerable golem core!


    Although John felt heartbroken, he couldn''t retract the golem yet.


    At such a short distance, if he pulled back the golem now, they would soon be caught again, rendering all prior sacrifices pointless!


    With this in mind, John steeled his resolve and stopped monitoring the golem''s status, letting events unfold.


    Finally, as Calia''s tall walls came back into view, John breathed a sigh of relief and quickly retracted the golem.


    Surprisingly, despite the golem''s outer armor being in tatters, its core remained mostly intact��somewhat of a silver lining.


    As long as the core wasn''t damaged, John was confident he could repair the golem. But first, they needed to deal with the Lord Goblin!


    Upon entering Calia, John saw not only the Lord Goblin but also tiger riders, winged cavalry, and more, rampaging within the city!


    Facing such overwhelming power, even John and his team found it extremely challenging. Ordinary yers were nearly hopeless!


    "John, the city is in chaos too. What do we do now?"


    "Don''t panic. The event''s difficulty can''t be this overwhelming. If we can''t handle it, no one else can either."


    Based on John''s experience from manyrge-scale events in his past life, it was around this time that the system would intervene. Otherwise, if things continued unchecked, these monsters might wipe out all the yers!


    Sure enough, at the sixth hour mark, a server-wide announcement appeared.


    [Lord Calia has now dispatched elite troops to intervene. Please be patient, yers!]


    "As expected, don''t worry. Reinforcements are on their way."


    John''s spirits lifted, and his worries eased somewhat.


    If he remembered correctly, the general under Lord Calia was a formidable level 40 pdin, havingpleted a second ss change. With his arrival, the tide of battle was sure to turn!


    "Thanks to your efforts, Calia City has held out until now. Brave adventurers, I will now join you in the fight!"


    From the city center, an elite force emerged, led by General Delvia. The average level of these troops was 35, just matching the monsters!


    "Members of the Order of the Radiant Knights, disperse immediately and assist the adventurers. For glory!"


    "For glory!"


    Next, a notification sounded in the ears of all yers, and a dialogue box appeared.


    [NPC members of the Order of the Radiant Knights have now joined your party.]


    "Lily, how''s the spirit of the giant wolf?"


    "Ready to be summoned again."


    "Then get ready. We''re going to hunt the Lord Goblin!"


    "Adventurer John, I am Brick, a member of the Order of the Radiant Knights. I will now join you in the defense of the city!"


    At that moment, a heavily armored pdin with an imposing presence approached, the emblem of Calia gleaming on his chest.


    "John! The goblin cavalry lord ising!"


    "Then let''s start with him! Brick, we''re counting on you!"


    "Protecting Calia is my duty! For glory and faith, charge!"


    The level 35 pdin, Brick, surged forward with a force that rivaled the Lord Goblin''s the moment he activated his ss skills!


    Despite the vast difference in size, Brick did not falter, swinging his massive sword and withstanding the pressure head-on!


    Seeing this, John''s spirits lifted.


    "Exiled Immortal, Lily, use every means to attack! Brick will hold the front!"


    "I should have chosen the knight ss when I had the chance. With the knights'' prowess, I can''t even participate in this battle properly now!"


    Even though she had redeemed a full set of [Epic] gear during the event, Helena felt that her current strength was inadequate for such high-levelbat.


    She sighed softly, clearly regretting her choice of the hunter ss.


    In contrast, Exiled Immortal had already leaped into action, charging forward.


    "Fight! What a thrill!"

 Chapter 48: Chapter48-The Event Ends, Power Surges!

    "This guy is way too fierce, not dodging at all, just taking the hits head-on, and he''s still perfectly fine."


    Exiled Immortal panted heavily, using his longsword to support himself as he withdrew from the battlefield to rest and regain his strength.


    Beside Exiled Immortal was John, who had already fallen back andy sprawled out on the ground in a star shape, gasping for breath.


    It couldn''t be helped.


    After all, his golem was nearly scrapped and couldn''t be used any longer. Triggering a magic trap wouldn''t be effective against such arge monster.


    John had no choice but to charge in with his [Firewalker Dagger], risking his life.


    "Well, he is... an NPC. His injuries auto-recover. With such a top-tier tank that automatically taunts enemies, he naturally withstands the pressure. We just need to focus on dealing damage."


    John reached out his hand, signaling Exiled Immortal to give him a pull.


    Leaning against the stone wall, his breathing gradually steadied.


    "If the seventh wave is like this, I can''t imagine what theter waves will be like. Will they throw a max-level goblin at us in the tenth wave?"


    "As a lower species, this should be their limit. Their level shouldn''t exceed 55. Of course, I can''t say there won''t be special cases, but given the current situation, it seems unlikely we''ll hold out until the tenth wave of monsters arrives."


    "ying this Lord Monster should drop some good loot, right? Is there a chance it could be [Legendary] quality?"


    "Don''t get your hopes up. Before the second ss change, it''s almost impossible to get [Legendary] quality items. Even if you did, you probably wouldn''t be able to use them because [Legendary] items and equipment have ss restrictions.


    Enough talk. The Lord Goblin has only a sliver of HP left. Just one more hit."


    John struggled to his feet, patting Exiled Immortal on the shoulder.


    Thetter, having barely recovered some strength, could only rejoin the fray.


    Such was the rule: if the final blow to the monster wasn''t dealt by a yer, the kill would be attributed to the NPC, and John and his team would receive no rewards.


    Despite being a tank, Brick''s output was astonishingly high.


    Each strike of his greatsword dealt over a thousand points of damage. John had saved Lily''s [Starfall] for this very moment!


    Seeing that the Lord Goblin had only two thousand HP left, Lily immediately understood.


    "[Astreos, God of the Stars, unleash your wrath and smite my enemies! Starfall!]"


    A powerful tremor hit, and zing meteors plummeted from the sky. Compared to the first time she cast [Starfall], this impact was even more intense!


    With her level increase came a massive boost in power!


    The meteors struck heavily, as if guided by precision, hitting the Lord Goblin squarely and dealing about four thousand points of damage, instantly depleting its HP.


    Lily sessfully secured the first kill of the Lord Goblin!


    As the first yer to y a Lord-tier monster, Lily''s name was broadcast server-wide, once again bringing her into the spotlight of all yers.


    A Priest ss, typically expected to fulfill the role of a full-time healer, was now acting as abat medic with remarkable prowess!


    [Ding, congrattions to yer Lily for gaining 20,000 Exp]


    [Ding, congrattions to yer Lily for reaching LV27]


    [Ding, congrattions to yer Lily for reaching LV32]


    ��


    [Ding, congrattions to yer Lily for reaching LV35!]


    Hearing the sessive level-up notifications, Lily stood in a daze. After a while, she snapped back to reality, looking at John with eyes full of joy.


    "Johnny, I think... I''ve reached level 35!"


    "So fast? Has it prompted you to change ss yet?"


    Lily nodded eagerly and responded, "I''ve already been prompted to obtain the corresponding ss change stone toplete the second ss change quest!"


    "Congrattions, you''re now a level 35 yer."


    Seeing the level 42 marker in the top left corner of his screen, John sighed.


    The goblin event had brought him a massive amount of experience, but in this game, level 35 was a significant milestone.


    Beyond that, the experience required for leveling up increased exponentially.


    No one understood better than John how dramatic the power boost from the second ss change was.


    To say it would overturn all existing paradigms was no exaggeration.


    Moreover, Lily was already an exceptional Priest, and John couldn''t help but anticipate what kind of ss change stone she would obtain.


    But for now, the event wasn''t over.


    "Second Sister, did it drop any good loot? Is it [Legendary] quality?"


    Exiled Immortal eagerly approached. As the youngest member of the team, he had willingly epted his position and fluently called Lily "Second Sister."


    "It''s [Epic] quality, and it seems you can''t use it."


    Lily stated truthfully, pulling the item out of her inventory.


    [Sack of Equivalent Exchange for Painful Memories]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Feature: [Meet the restriction conditions to perform a random draw. The rewards arepletely random.]


    Item Description: [Take a chance, turn a bike into a motorcycle! What you get and what you give depends entirely on your luck. Ultimate randomness is ultimate fairness.]


    John: "...What kind of item is this, a random loot box?"


    "It seems so. Maybe it''ll give something good? Let me see... the activation condition is... sacrificing ten corpses of monsters above level 25. We have plenty of those here, don''t we?"


    After easily gathering and sacrificing ten monster corpses, the sack visibly opened a small gap, just wide enough for a hand to fit through.


    Lily tentatively reached into the sack.


    After feeling around for a bit, she pulled out a ring, apparently made from the ground-up skull of some monster.


    It was [Epic] quality.


    Unfortunately, the item was restricted to the mage ss, so none of the four could use it, wasting this opportunity.


    "Hey! This looks fun! Let me try!"


    Exiled Immortal, seeing this, eagerly stepped forward, only to find that the sack required a twenty-four-hour cooldown before the next draw, instantly dampening his excitement.


    Overall, it was an item that could bring a pleasant surprise, but its practicality was rather limited.


    "Um... you keep it, John."


    "No problem. We''ll distribute the items we get from it as needed."


    With John''s battle concluded, the HP of other monsters in the city was also nearly depleted.


    Although John wanted to steal a few kills while others were distracted, everyone was fully aware this event was a free-for-all, vigntly watching their own prey, giving John no chance to intervene.


    After the seventh wave, John discussed with Exiled Immortal, Helena, and the others, and they decided to withdraw from thisrge-scale event.


    Their gains were already substantial. Without the NPCs'' intervention, they wouldn''t have survived the seventh wave.


    Continuing further would only increase the difficulty exponentially, making it unnecessary.


    "But John, where are we going now?"


    "First, let''s tally our loot, exchange all our event points, and then head to the next big map!"


    As the firstrge-scale event, [Goblin Invasion] offered extremely generous rewards.


    John and his team managed topletely upgrade their gear.


    The boost from a full set of [Epic] equipment was nothing short of a qualitative leap!


    Additionally, with their levels breaking past the 30 threshold, they were now close to meeting the conditions for the second ss change.


    There was no reason to stay in Calia any longer.


    yers were already moving on to the next big map, [Deep Forest], and John and his team certainly didn''t want to be left behind.


    After all, the rewards for being the first to clear a dungeon are always unimaginably generous.


    Moreover, in the special dungeon of the [Deep Forest], there is a treasure of immense importance to Alchemists, and John was determined to get his hands on it!


    After exhausting all their points, John and his team left the territory of Calia, and the countdown for the event duration ended.


    "John, we''re leaving just like that? What if the subsequent rewards aren''t distributed?"


    "Don''t worry, the rankings are still there. Besides, with our points, it''s unlikely we''ll be surpassed."


    At this moment, John''s points had already exceeded fifty thousand, leading by a wide margin.


    Even the second ce, Exiled Immortal, had only reached half of John''s total.


    With such a terrifying record, John didn''t believe anyone could surpass him!


    If someone actually managed to do so, what did it matter if they handed over the top reward?


    Thinking this, John let out a long sigh of relief.


    "In any case, let''s return to Ad Vige to rest, and then head straight to the [Deep Forest] to level up quickly andplete the second ss change."

 Chapter 49: Chapter49-Returning to Adela Village

    Mana flowed from Lily''s fingertips into the teleportation scroll, and a bright blue six-pointed star array instantly engulfed John and his team.


    The scenery around them changed dramatically.


    After a brief moment of dizziness, they found themselves back in Ad Vige!


    As the initial starting vige for all yers, every yer held a special sentiment for this ce.


    Even after nearly three months, some yers still chose to stay in Ad Vige, enjoying its rare tranquility.


    "I have to say,ing back asionally is quite nostalgic. I wonder how my little house is doing. Hopefully, no one else has taken it over."


    "Don''t worry about that. Each yer''s house is independent. Unless the owner permits, no other yer can enter."


    "John, does that mean, with over a billion yers, everyone started from the same vige? From the outside, the vige looks so small."


    A peaceful vige at the foot of a mountain couldn''t possibly amodate billions of yers at once.


    It seemed too far-fetched.


    "I''m not sure about that. It must be some kind of setting. Anyway, let''s move freely. We''ll meet at Vige Chief Haren''s house in an hour."


    The main reason John returned to Ad Vige was to meet Ferris.


    Ferris, the only cksmith in the vige, possessed remarkable skills yet willingly stayed in the novice vige to forge weapons for every adventurer.


    Although he was just an NPC, John had a deep fondness for him.


    Now, having obtained so many high-quality weapons and equipment, John naturally wanted to show them to Ferris.


    John vividly remembered that in his previous life, a yer had persistently helped Ferris collect various forging materials, even giving Ferris a [Legendary] quality weapon to study.


    This ultimately triggered Ferris''s special quest.


    It was said that uponpleting the quest, Ferris forged a [Divine] quality weapon, which was unique in the game.


    In other words, it was the only one in the entire game!


    Though John didn''t know exactly who obtained the weapon in his previous life, he was determined that this time, the [Divine] equipment would belong to him!


    With this in mind, John headed straight to the cksmith''s shop.


    As he pushed open the door, he almost collided with a small boy who looked about eight or nine years old, just about to leave.


    They bumped into each other.


    "Ouch! That hurts��"


    The boy staggered back a few steps, his nose turning red visibly, and his eyes welling up with tears.


    Seeing this, John quickly stepped back and apologized, "Sorry, I didn''t mean to bump into you."


    "It''s okay, it''s my fault for not watching where I was going. Big brother, are you here to see Uncle Ferris for a quest too?"


    John paused for a moment, then smiled and replied, "Yes, I''m here for a quest as well."


    "Really? I just got a quest and I''m off toplete it now. Bye, big brother!"


    The boy waved at John and then hopped out of the cksmith''s shop.


    Watching the boy''s retreating figure, John couldn''t help but sigh.


    Due to the previous disaster that had raged for seven days, most of the young children and the elderly had perished.


    Even having lived through two lives, this was the first time John had seen a yer so young, surviving for three months no less.


    John found it hard to imagine how such a young child managed to survive in the real world.


    While lost in thought, the sound of rhythmic hammering drew John''s attention.


    "John! My friend, long time no see! Have you returned from your adventures?"


    Ferris walked up,ughing heartily, and gave John a strong hug.


    "The adventure is far from over. I just came back during my free time to see you and to bring you some good stuff."


    "What good stuff? Is it ore? Demir iron from Calia! Or perhaps the unique entangled vines from the Deep Forest?"


    "You''ll have to see for yourself."


    John smirked, waving his hand.


    The ores and materials from his backpack materialized, piling up into a small mountain in Ferris''s workshop!


    "Ferris, a gift for you!"


    "This! So much? John, this is too precious, I can''t..."


    "Can''t what? Just take it. Didn''t we agree? When you be the best cksmith in the world, you''ll craft me the sharpest weapon ever. This is just the beginning."


    John said, extracting two [Epic] quality items, handing one to Ferris.


    "I can''t stay long this time. I''ll bring you more high-quality weapons and equipment in the future. Your job is to understand the forging principles of these items and be the best cksmith in the world!"


    Hearing this, Ferris''s skin, perpetually reddened from the heat of the forge, now seemed to flush as if stained with blood.


    He was so excited he could hardly speak.


    "John, my brother! I won''t let you down!"


    "Work hard, Ferris. We both must. For now, I need to reunite with mypanions. See you soon."


    Leaving the cksmith''s shop, John thought about it and decided there was nothing pressing at home.


    He headed straight to Vige Chief Haren''s house, surprised to find Lily and the others already there.


    "Ah! We were just talking about you, Johnny. Didn''t expect you back so soon!"


    "Oh? What were you saying about me? Not secretly badmouthing me, I hope?"


    John smiled as he walked forward, shaking Haren''s hand.


    "Chief, I''vee to see you."


    "Good child, you''ve grown stronger, and it seems taller too?"


    Vige Chief Haren patted John''s shoulder with a smile. "Since you left, I''ve been worrying about you and Lily, fearing you might encounter danger. Seeing your achievements now, it makes me very happy! I even heard that Lily is now the best adventurer!"


    "No way, I still have a long way to go, Chief..."


    Blushing at the praise, Lily shyly lowered her head.


    "The vige chief believes you can achieve great things, especially you, Lily. Make sure to take good care of yourself."


    "I will, Chief!"


    This is the difference that intimacy brings.


    Because John and Lily had raised their intimacy levels with Chief Haren to above level seven before leaving, Haren took a special interest in their rumors and news.


    yers like Exiled Immortal and Helena, who hadn''t paid attention to such details, could only feel envious now.


    In a game world, having someone who constantly thinks about you, always expecting the best for you like a family member, would make anyone envious.


    "If I had known, I would have raised my intimacy level too..."


    "Hmm? What did you say? Speaking of which, you seem a bit unfamiliar, child. Are you from Ad Vige, or are you a friend of John and hispanions?"


    Exiled Immortal: "..."


    "Chief, I''m from Ad Vige too. I just usually keep a low profile, so maybe you don''t recognize me."


    "Oh... that could be it. But you''re great too, of course."


    The vige chief patted Exiled Immortal on the shoulder, his smile noticeably less genuine and warm, making Exiled Immortal feel even more disheartened.


    "Chief, I have a few questions to ask you. Has anything strange happened in the vige recently?"


    "Strange? Not really, except the number of monsters near the vige has decreased significantly. I''m not sure if that counts as a change."


    "Hmm... that probably doesn''t count, given there are so manypanions in the vige. Don''t worry, Chief. I''m just asking casually. The vige''s peace and tranquility are good��they give it a homely feel.


    It''s gettingte. We came back just to visit on our way. We''re heading to the [Deep Forest] next, so we might not be able to visit for a while. Take care of yourself, Grandpa Chief."


    "Don''t worry. I won''t have any problems until I see your names celebrated on Mount Olympus. John, Lily, my children, may the gods be with you!"

 Chapter 50: Chapter50-The Destined One (Part 1)

    "John, are we leaving now?"


    Returning to Ad Vige after such a long time, the rare, tranquil, and peaceful atmosphere made Exiled Immortal and the others reluctant to leave.


    In Calia, they spent most of their time fighting, always thinking about how to get stronger, how to be the first to clear thetest dungeon, and how to advance the main storyline.


    But here, all their anxiety suddenly disappeared.


    They no longer had to worry about theirbat power and could enjoy the moment.


    These were things they could never experience in Calia.


    "Leaving is necessary, but before we go, I want to prepare some gifts for the vige chief."


    Since he had given arge amount of materials to the cksmith Ferris, naturally, he couldn''t forget Grandpa Chief. It had to be fair.


    "How about this: give me half an hour to brew some potions for Grandpa Chief, just in case. After all, once we leave, we can''t ensure his safety."


    Hearing this, Lily''s eyes lit up. "That''s a great idea! Although Grandpa Chief can''t use our equipment, he can still use consumables like these."


    It was understandable since, among the four of them, Lily had received the most care from Grandpa Chief.


    Those early simple quests were all assigned to her by the chief, who also introduced her to John.


    She had always wanted to repay him but hadn''t found the opportunity.


    Now that John was willing to brew some potions for Grandpa Chief, Lily was naturally overjoyed.


    "Johnny, do you need us to prepare anything for you? Materials?"


    "No need, I have all the materials I need. I''ll head back to my house first and find you in half an hour."


    John smiled and waved, bidding farewell to Lily and the others before returning to his small wooden house.


    In the safety of his hideout, John didn''t have to worry about being disturbed or ambushed while practicing alchemy.


    Besides, he also wanted to store away some materials he didn''t need at the moment.


    Meanwhile, at Vige Chief Haren''s house, Lily nced at the time, growing a bit anxious.


    "Johnny said it would only take half an hour, but it''s been forty minutes now. Do you think something happened to him?"


    "It shouldn''t be. John went back to his own ce, right? No one can get in without his permission. He''s probably just having some trouble with the crafting. Let''s wait a bit longer."


    Helena''s rationality led her tofort Lily, though she too felt a twinge of unease.


    She knew John had a strong sense of time.


    If he said thirty minutes, it was because he had ounted for unexpected dys.


    "Should we... go check on him?"


    Exiled Immortal rubbed his palms on his thighs, feeling the same unease.


    "I know where Johnny''s house is. I''ll go check on him. Maybe I''ll meet him on the way."


    Lily volunteered, and after a moment of thought, Helena didn''t object.


    "If anything seems off,e back and inform us immediately."


    "Don''t worry, Sister Helena."


    Lily nodded slightly, then hurriedly left Vige Chief Haren''s house and jogged towards John''s ce.


    When Lily arrived, she found the door tightly closed.


    She knocked gently, calling out, "Johnny, are you in there? You''ve been gone a while, and everyone''s a bit worried. Are you okay?"


    "..."


    There was no response from inside.


    Lily, unwilling to give up, asked a few more times, but still received no answer.


    "Johnny! Can Ie in? Why aren''t you responding?"


    Lily''s voice grew increasingly anxious, but John, inside the room, remained oblivious.


    "Where am I?"


    Gazing at the endless expanse of chaos around him, John furrowed his brow, puzzled.


    "Where am I?"


    He only remembered that after failing to craft the magical item, he wanted to rest for a bit and then rejoin Lily and the others. Suddenly, he found himself here.


    In this empty world, the only thing visible was a faint, star-like light flickering in the distance, seemingly guiding John forward.


    The only certainty was that this ce didn''t seem dangerous.


    After all, inside his small wooden house, it was unlikely anyone could ambush him.


    "This means it must be connected to me somehow. Is it the work of that [Deception Apostle], or something else? It has to be the [Deception Apostle]."


    As his thoughts raced, John noticed the distant light seemed to grow brighter. He instinctively moved towards it.


    "A new face."


    "No, it''s your body..."


    "Who''s speaking? Hello?"


    "Come towards the light. I''m waiting for you here!"


    After saying this, the voice seemed to run out of strength.


    No matter how much John called out, there was no further response.


    Helpless, John could only race towards the light.


    Here, time and space seemed infinitely stretched.


    John couldn''t tell how far or how long he had been walking, but the light never got any closer, always hanging distantly on the horizon.


    "Damn it! What do I do now?"


    Unable to approach or leave, John stood frozen, frowning deeply.


    "What, you can''t keep up after just a few steps?"


    "Can we drop the riddles? I can''t walk over to you, and you refuse to appear. What am I supposed to do?"


    John scratched his head, exhaled deeply, and continued towards the light. This time, it seemed the distance was shorter.


    He could vaguely make out a figure, but it was too ethereal, barely visible.


    "As long as you keep walking, I''ll be here waiting for you!"


    "I wish you coulde and get me! It''s easy for you to say, standing there. While I don''t feel tired, endlessly walking is really frustrating, you know?"


    "I... I can''t."


    "Who exactly are you? And where am I now?"


    "When you meet me, you''ll know."


    John: "..."


    Though it was incredibly annoying, this seemed like an opportunity, so John had to keep his patience and continue forward.


    To John, it felt like he had been walking for nearly four hours before he finally reached the edge of the light.


    A long shadow gradually emerged behind him.


    And that voice grew closer, as if right next to John''s ear.


    "I''ve finally met you, my destined one."


    "You better be stuck here, or you can forget about me forgiving you!"

 Chapter 51: Chapter51-The Destined One

    Finally!


    John reached the center of the light, with the shadow at his feet curling into a faint, trembling ball as he moved.


    "I''m here. Where are you?"


    "Your power is average, but your temper is quite fiery."


    "You called me over here, and now you won''t even show yourself. What''s the deal?"


    John retorted irritably, ready to turn and leave, when suddenly a figure appeared behind him.


    "Hmm, your talent is decent, but your alchemy skills... why are they so poor?"


    "What do you mean by that?" John asked.


    "Such a waste of good talent."


    John frowned, scrutinizing the beautiful woman who had appeared before him.


    Even in his two lifetimes, having seen so many beautiful women, she stood out, able to outshine them all.


    Her sky-blue eyes seemed to contain an endless expanse of stars, swirling within them.


    Her fair skin was as smooth as cream, and even the slightly loose robe she wore couldn''t hide her proud figure.


    "Don''t look at me like that. It''s very offensive."


    "You misunderstand. I''m just curious about what you are exactly. A ghost? Are you trying to possess me? I get the feeling you didn''t want to meet me. You''ve been in the Eternal Alchemy Bible for so long; why didn''t you show yourself earlier?"


    "Because you were too weak. You hadn''t even reached level 1000 in alchemy, and you wanted to meet me? But you''re somewhat interesting. Reaching level 100 in alchemy was enough to awaken me."


    The mysterious woman''s words left John in shock.


    Only a level 1000 Alchemist could meet her?


    The highest level Alchemist in his previous life was only level 112.


    Could this woman be stronger than a level 1000 Alchemist?


    Still cautious, John pressed on with his questions.


    "If you''re so powerful, why are you hiding in a book?"


    "Watch your tone! You are, after all, somewhat my disciple!"


    John scoffed and sat down, continuing his questioning. "Disciple? I don''t remember learning anything from you."


    "The alchemy you know came from me! How can you not be my disciple?"


    "Alchemy from you? That''s a poor lie. All the alchemy I use is from the [Legendary Alchemist Ondo Barry''s Notes]."


    "Legendary Alchemist Ondo Barry?"


    "You don''t know him?"


    "Oh, I remember now, the little blond kid from the Barry family? He wrote a book?"


    "How old are you?" John was stunned.


    "Don''t concern yourself with a youngdy''s age."


    "ording to you, all the world''s alchemyes from you. So, tell me, can you bring the dead back to life?"


    John rolled his eyes, not believing a word she said. He thought this question would expose her, but she actually started considering it seriously.


    "Bringing the dead back... that''s truly difficult. If the body is gone and the soul is missing, even alchemy can''t create life from nothing. But it''s not impossible. You would need to go to the [Abyss] to retrieve the soul. After that, I can help you.


    But with your current power, going to the [Abyss] is a death sentence."


    "You must be joking, right? I was just asking casually, but... you really can do it?"


    "What would be the point of lying to you?"


    "..."


    "Wait, let me get this straight... you''re saying that if I can bring the soul to you, you can bring him back to life?"


    "There might be a few failures, but the method is feasible. However, how do you n to survive the [Abyss]?"


    "That''s not your concern. I''ll figure out a way. I''ll bring the soul out and then hand it over to you."


    John pped his hands, struggling to stand up and took a deep breath.


    "Can you teach me some new alchemy? I don''t have much time and need to enhance my power quickly."


    "Of course, but I have one condition."


    "A condition? What condition?"


    "First, answer me one question," the mysterious woman said in a sudden serious tone.


    "Ask away."


    "What do you think alchemy is?"


    "Potion-making, creating items... a type of magic?"


    "Wrong." The mysterious woman gently waved her hand, and a crystal-clear, shimmering alchemy table appeared between them.


    "Have you ever taken a close look at an alchemy table, having used it so many times?"


    Pointing to the intricate yet elegant patterns on the alchemy table, the mysterious woman asked, "Do you know what this is?"


    "Magic patterns?" John was all too familiar with these.


    The patterns on alchemy tables worldwide were the same, and the texture of the patterns directly reflected the quality of the table.


    But such a dazzling and beautiful pattern was something John had never seen in his two lifetimes.


    "Correct, but it''s not that simple. Patterns are merely the ''grammar'' of this world," the mysterious woman continued. "A pattern is thenguage for a specific type of alchemy. An alchemy table greatly enhances alchemical efficiency, but once a pattern is engraved on it, its purpose is fixed for life. Apart from the alchemy described by the pattern, the table has no other use."


    "Now, if all the alchemy tables in the world have only one pattern, that means..."


    "Yes, all other forms of alchemy have been erased. The potion-making and gear-crafting you know are just the most peripheral functions of true alchemy."


    The peripheral functions are already so powerful? John''s heart was filled with shock. He continued to ask, "Why is it like this?"


    "I can''t tell you that now. Knowing this would do you no good. Remember, don''t seek this out. It will only harm those you care about most."


    Seeing the mysterious woman suddenly switch from a stern expression to a more serious one, John nodded slightly.


    "Promise me."


    "Okay, I promise," John said.


    "My alchemy is the [origin] of the world. It is both [creation] and [destruction]. I will teach you the fundamental logic of this world and the truth of magic. One day in the future, when you have mastered all my alchemy, I hope you can put an end to this farce.


    Always believe that alchemy can bring you miracles! Alchemy itself is a miracle."


    As she spoke, the woman reached out, lightly touching John''s forehead with her fingertip. A glimmer of light instantly entered John''s mind.


    "The alchemy I possess has the power to change the entire world, John. One day, you too will create your own unique alchemy, and when that timees, perhaps everything can start anew."


    Feeling the alchemical diagrams flooding his mind, John felt a tingling sensation in his scalp. The sheer quantity and breadth left him speechless.


    Life fusion alchemy, Titan alchemy, ocean alchemy, even divine force creation��some forms of alchemy John had never heard of, even difficult to imagine, now appeared before him. The impact was no less than what he felt at the moment of his rebirth.


    "Go, learn, explore, John. Never give up on alchemy. The miracles it can bring may far exceed your imagination."


    "It''s already beyond my imagination..."


    John pinched his forehead and took a deep breath.


    "Onest question��how can I bring you out of here?"


    "I... I don''t know. There might be a way, or perhaps there isn''t. I have been stuck on this question for thousands of years without finding an answer. The solution might only be found by you, who has inherited everything from me.


    Regarding alchemy, you cane to me anytime for guidance. I will train you to the best of my ability. Please, don''t lose hope, and don''t give up... on me."


    "I understand. When the dayes that I create a new form of alchemy, maybe I can rescue you."


    "I will eagerly await that day."


    "And, take care of the girl by your side for me."


    ...


    When John came to his senses, he found himself back in his room.


    The woman hadn''t given him a chance to ask more questions before ejecting him from that world.


    Looking down at the Eternal Alchemy Bible at his feet, John sighed deeply and picked it up.


    "Things are getting stranger and stranger. I should find some time to talk to the [Deception Apostle]. Maybe I can find a way to bring Qing back. After all, losing such a powerful ally will make the uing dungeons much harder."


    Moreover, Qing''s death was partly John''s fault.


    If he could bring Qing back to life, it would fulfill one of John''s deepest wishes.


    Just as he was contemting logging out of the game to find the [Deception Apostle], a series of urgent knocks interrupted his thoughts.


    ''Bang, bang, bang!''


    "John! Are you in there? If you can hear me, please respond, please!"


    Helena''s voice came from outside the door, and John realized that two hours had passed since they separated.


    He hurriedly opened the door, looking at Helena and the others with an apologetic expression.


    "I''m fine. Sorry to make you worry. Just now, I had a little ident with my alchemy. The magic device exploded and knocked me out..."


    "You scared us to death! Do you know it''s been two hours?"


    Helena''s eyes reddened as she saw that John was unharmed. Biting her lip, she rushed forward and pounded on his chest.


    "Ow, ow, ow... I just woke up, do you want to knock me out again?"


    "We couldn''t reach you, I was so worried!"


    "John, what were you working on that could knock you out like that? It won''t hurt Grandpa Chief, will it?"


    "I was thinking the same, so I decided to leave it at that. What I''ve made should be enough. Let''s give these to Grandpa Chief and get going. I''ve already wasted too much time, and we can''t afford any more dys."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the real world, in the [Abyss]!


    The [Deception Apostle] gazed at the ethereal projection from Mount Olympus before him and sighed deeply.


    "Master, you want me to help John kill the [Lust Apostle]? But he was your chosen one."


    "The [Lust Apostle] has lost control and no longer possesses rationality. He has lost his purpose for me. His power will be a great asset to John."


    "Knowing I''m just paving the way for another pawn, yet realizing that one day I too will be discarded, leaves a bitter taste in my mouth... But, I understand. I will follow your will and help John gather the power of the [Apostles] to resurrect that person."


    "Does Mother really have a chance to be resurrected? A thousand years have passed. When I see her again, what should I say?


    Never mind, I believe Mother will guide me from beyond."

 Chapter 52: Chapter52-Skirmish!

    John and the others had left.


    Compared to the cheerful Lily and the others, John''s mood was inevitably heavy.


    The countdown on the status bar was like a death sentence, urging John forward relentlessly, not daring to let his mind wander for a moment.


    His life had less than two years left.


    In two years, if John failed to attain [god]-level power, his life would end the moment the countdown reached zero.


    Sensing John''s emotions, Helena walked up and gently breathed into his ear.


    "Hey! Why the long face?"


    "No, nothing. Why would I have a long face?"


    "You absolutely do. Everyone saw your expression just now, John. I always feel like you''re hiding something from us."


    Hearing this, John felt a bit guilty.


    Astonished by a woman''s terrifying intuition, John avoided Helena''s gaze and smiled, "Everyone has secrets, right? Don''t worry, I''ll find the right time toe clean with you all."


    "I''m just worried that if you hold it in too long, you might drive yourself crazy."


    Helena took a few steps back, sighed softly, and said, "Smile more. No matter what happens, it won''t make this world any worse, right?"


    "..."


    John really wanted to tell Helena, no, that''s not the case.


    Things could get worse. Imagine a day when countless monsters emerge from the [Abyss], followed by nearly invincible [Apostles] harvesting the lives of every survivor like grim reapers.


    John didn''t need to imagine it; he had experienced it firsthand.


    Yet, these words remained unspoken, escaping only as a sigh.


    Walking through the dense forest, the group''s attention was entirely on John, leaving them unaware of the dark shadows flitting through the underbrush on either side.


    Momentster, the sharp sound of a crossbow bolt tearing through the air reached them, arriving in front of John in an instant!


    At the same moment, a shield of light appeared, blocking the near-fatal attack for John!


    Clearly, it was the equipment''s properties activating, saving John from the ambush.


    [Hermes'' Tunic]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Property: [When attacked, a roll is made; if the result is greater than 5 points, the damage is negated; otherwise, it does not activate. The damage absorption limit is four thousand points; damage exceeding this limit directly affects the yer.]


    Stats: [Stamina +40, Defense +40]


    Description: [If you''re lucky enough, without a doubt, this is the strongest armor below legendary quality! However, a one-sixth chance...]


    As armor John had acquired from a major event, there was no doubt that [Hermes'' Tunic], like [Hermes Dice], seemed tailor-made for him.


    After the ambush, Exiled Immortal was the first to react, his thoughts focused as a green wind swept his longsword forward, stabbing into the dense forest ahead!


    "Careful, my attack missed! The terrain here prevents me from taking to the air; the canopy obstructs my view!"


    "To the left rear! Lily, be careful!"


    At this moment, Helena, as a hunter, revealed her full advantage.


    With senses far sharper than those of other sses, Helena quickly pinpointed the enemy''s location.


    She loaded her [Blood Lord''s Hand Crossbow], and the blood-red bolt flew out.


    A dull thud followed, indicating a solid hit!


    "Watch out for theirpanions. The target is bleeding and won''t get far. Don''t pursue too deeply!"


    Seeing that Exiled Immortal was about to charge forward, John hurriedly stopped him.


    The [Firewalker Dagger] appeared in his hand, with searing mes enveloping the de.


    When the sounds from the underbrush ceased, John signaled Lily to use [Spirit Summoning] to clear the path ahead, and they followed closely behind.


    Entering the dense forest, they found blood sttered on the grass. John crouched down, dipped his fingers in the blood, brought it to his nose, and sniffed. He spoke in a low voice.


    "This scent, it must be elves. It seems we''ve been mistaken for intruders."


    "Elves? John, you mean the ones with pointy ears, smooth skin, and dumb expressions, who are beautiful regardless of gender?"


    "...Aside from the questionable intelligence part, yes, those elves. It''s normal; this world isn''t inhabited by humans alone.


    Ferris from the beginner''s vige is a giant, though not excessivelyrge. There are also goblins, spellwolves, and others.


    Where there''s intelligence, there are rules, and where there are rules, there are hierarchies, no matter the species."


    John stood up, wiped the blood from his fingers, and sighed. "It looks like we''ve been targeted. If we don''t clear this up, moving through the [Deep Forest] will be nearly impossible."


    This was elf territory, and provoking the local powers here would be fatal for John, even if he had ten lives.


    It was well known that the Elf Queen was a level 55 NPC, gaining strength within her domain.


    Countless yers in the past had met their end trying to challenge her, a testament to her formidable power.


    With this in mind, John turned to Exiled Immortal.


    "Exiled Immortal, I remember you exchanged points for a piece of armor, right?"


    "Yeah, but it doesn''tpare to Lord Michel''s Breeze Armor in terms of stats. Its traits are pretty mediocre, so I tossed it in the storage. Why, John?"


    "You''ll see soon enough," John replied with a mischievous smile, making Exiled Immortal feel a pang of fear.


    But it was a necessary measure.


    To show they meant no harm, they had to make some sacrifices.


    ...


    Meanwhile, within the elves'' sanctuary!


    Several figures rushed out from the dense forest.


    One of them was injured, with a gaping, bleeding wound in his chest that couldn''t be staunched by any means.


    "Your Majesty, Aeris is injured! We encountered humans in the forest, and they wounded Aeris! His wound won''t stop bleeding!"


    "Take him to the Holy Spring. It will heal all our wounds."


    In the depths of the pce, a curtain shielded the Elf Queen from view, her features obscured.


    But merely hearing her gentle voice stirred one''s imagination.


    "Your Majesty, what should we do with the outsiders?"


    "Send out another scout team. Make sure they avoid direct contact with the humans. Just follow them from a distance, and report back immediately if anything unusual happens."


    After calmly giving her orders, the Elf Queen bowed her head and sighed softly.


    "Humans have been appearing more frequentlytely. What is happening?"


    If their sanctuary were exposed, it would be a target for humans, goblins, and even filthy, foolish orcs.


    As the leader of the elves, she could not allow this to happen!


    Yet...


    "Why have I been feeling such inexplicable unresttely?"


    The Elf Queen massaged her temples, a blush creeping over her pale cheeks, her breathing growing a bit more rapid.


    With a dazed look in her eyes, the Elf Queen waved her hand, and vines surged from the ground, sealing off the entire pce from view.


    No one would witness her current state.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the real world!


    At the center of Riverside, within the rift of the [Abyss].


    The [Deception Apostle] suddenly opened his eyes and looked in a specific direction, a strange light flickering in his pitch-ck eyes.


    "Is it my imagination, or is the [Lust Apostle] really showing signs of awakening?"


    At this point in time, the awakening of a new [Apostle] was not good news for him.


    The [God Nurturing n] had only just begun.


    If John were to encounter another [Apostle] so soon, the consequences would be dire.


    "I''d better find an opportunity to warn John. The [Lust Apostle] is far more troublesome than I am. After all, it has no sense of reason; only desire can pique its interest."


    With a dazed look in her eyes, the Elf Queen waved her hand, and vines surged from the ground, sealing off the entire pce from view.


    No one would witness her current state.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the real world!


    At the center of Riverside, within the rift of the [Abyss].


    The [Deception Apostle] suddenly opened his eyes and looked in a specific direction, a strange light flickering in his pitch-ck eyes.


    "Is it my imagination, or is the [Lust Apostle] really showing signs of awakening?"


    At this point in time, the awakening of a new [Apostle] was not good news for him.


    The [God Nurturing n] had only just begun.


    If John were to encounter another [Apostle] so soon, the consequences would be dire.


    "I''d better find an opportunity to warn John. The [Lust Apostle] is far more troublesome than I am. After all, it has no sense of reason; only desire can pique its interest."

 Chapter 53: Chapter53-Elves (Part 1)

    "Why do I keep feeling like someone is watching me from the shadows, making my back feel cold?"


    Helena frowned, the sensation of being watched making her particrly uneasy.


    With Exiled Immortal having lost aerial control, Helena had taken on the role of the team''s eyes.


    As a hunter, her instincts were rarely wrong.


    John turned around, lowering his voice to a whisper that only a few could hear, "We are likely being watched by the elves who ambushed us earlier."


    "So what do we do? Should we try to find them?"


    "We can''t act rashly for now. The Elf Queen''s power is formidable, probably much stronger than General Delvia. It''s not wise to make her an enemy."


    The elves were not as easy to deal with as Lord Calia.


    If you showed hostility, the Elf Queen would not care about your yer status; anything that threatened the existence of the elves would be eradicated by nature itself!


    With this in mind, John continued, "If we get a chance, we should try to negotiate with them. If not, we must proceed with caution. In the [Deep Forest], the elves are a force we can''t avoid. If rtions turn sour, we might miss out on many opportunities."


    "Sigh, how troublesome. Does this mean we''ll always have to build good rtions with NPCs whenever we enter a new area?"


    "Most likely, yes."


    This is the charm of [Apocalypse].


    To yers, NPCs are just lines of code, mere tools. But to NPCs, aren''t yers just passersby?


    The purpose of this design is to make yers constantly aware that every decision they make will have corresponding consequences, even affecting their very lives.


    ...


    Deep in the Forest.


    Watching John and hispanions move steadily forward, the scout team grew increasingly anxious.


    Whether by coincidence or fate, John and his group were heading straight toward the elves'' sanctuary.


    If they weren''t stopped soon, they would inevitably intrude upon it.


    "Elowen, what should we do? The Queen forbids us from acting on our own. Are we just going to watch them enter the sanctuary?"


    "Absolutely not!"


    Elowen''s brows furrowed as he red intently at John''s back. She spoke coldly, "Lorien, return to the sanctuary immediately and inform the Queen of the situation. We''ll dy them for now. No humans are to approach the sanctuary until the Queen decides what to do!"


    "Be very careful. Those humans are strong!"


    "Don''t worry, we''ll be fine."


    As Elowen spoke, he drew an arrow from his quiver and nocked it, aiming at Helena''s back.


    "Watch out!"


    Before Elowen could even release the bowstring, Helena seemed to sense the danger and quickly ducked behind a tree, shouting, "There''s hostility!"


    "Elven scouts! We mean no harm! The earlier incident was a misunderstanding. We''re willing to make amends!"


    John raised his hands high, exposing himself in the clearing.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal and the others couldn''t help but feel a surge of anxiety for John.


    Though they knew John had acquired equipment that could absorb damage, there was no guarantee that luck would always be on their side.


    "Oh stars! Shine down and protect all beings! Starbeam Shield!"


    Lily chanted softly, and a gentle barrier formed in front of John.


    "Intruders! This is elven territory. Leave at once, or we shall fight to the death!"


    "Don''t shoot! Please listen to me! We unintentionally trespassed on elven territory. We are merely passing adventurers who happened toe here. We can leave!


    Earlier, we harmed yourpanion, and we are truly sorry. Here is a token of our apology."


    As he spoke, John nced at Exiled Immortal. Though reluctant, Exiled Immortal took out [Lord Michel''s Breeze Armor] and ced it on the ground.


    Sensing the gentle wind element emanating from the armor, Elowen, hidden in the shadows, furrowed his brow and became even more alert.


    "Humans are known for their deceit and treachery. We do not need your offerings. Take your belongings and leave the forest!"


    "It was you who attacked us first,unching an ambush. We were merely defending ourselves. Now I have shown you enough sincerity. Is this how elves treat their guests?"


    "You are intruders, not guests! Leave immediately, or face the consequences!"


    "Damn it! We''ve been polite enough. Why do you keep nagging? John, I say we take him down!"


    Affected by the negative status of his equipment or perhaps irritated by the elf''s unfriendly attitude, Exiled Immortal''s patience was wearing thin, and his mood was worsening.


    "No, if we conflict with the elves, we can''tplete the second ss change."


    John shook his head gravely, still unwilling to give up. He continued, "We can''t leave. Calia has encountered a Goblin Invasion. Arge number of goblins have appeared suddenly, and Calia cannot fend off such a vast number. We came to seek aid!


    Indeed, we are intruders, butpared to the mindless goblins, I believe a wise race would make a better neighbor.


    You must understand the principle that if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. If Calia is overrun by goblins, do you think the elves can remain unaffected?"


    "The elves fear no enemy!"


    "If you truly are unafraid, why hide in the forest?"


    Bullseye.


    Gazing at John''s calm expression, Elowen found himself in an internal struggle.


    The Goblin Invasion of Calia city didn''t need verification, as they had already dispatched several scout teams to investigate the situation.


    The grotesque and foolish creatures hadunched a frenzied attack on human territories, a highly unusual event.


    John''s words had undeniably nted seeds of concern.


    "Why should I believe you?"


    "Because right now, I''m still trying to persuade you rather than kill you. You''re right in front of me, in the treetop. The scent of an elf is easy to recognize."


    Hearing this, Elowen''s heart tightened.


    During the conversation, she had changed her position several times to confuse John and hispanions.


    Yet, this human had pinpointed her location, proving he had a way to track her all along but chose not to attack.


    Once they lost their home-field advantage, elves were known to be significantly weaker inbat.


    "...You''ve convinced me."


    Finally, Elowen put away his arrow and leaped down from the treetop, walking slowly towards John.


    It must be said, elves were indeed a beautiful race.


    With fair skin, delicate features, a well-proportioned body thatbined strength with grace, and those particrly noticeable pointed ears, they were truly striking.


    "However, if you wish to meet the Elf Queen, you will need to bind your hands. The elves can no longer afford any risks."


    "No problem."


    John agreed immediately, without even a thought of bargaining.


    Gaining the elves'' goodwill was already a significant achievement.


    As for binding their hands, it made little difference to John and hispanions. John had already shared a small trick with Helena and the others.


    Whenever yers disconnect from the game, their status bars are refreshed upon re-login, clearing all negative statuses, including but not limited to poisoning, bleeding, and paralysis.


    Unless inflicted with a fatal wound like Qing''s, which leads to unavoidable death, a simple disconnect and reconnect can solve many issues.


    This is why there are areas and zones where disconnection is not allowed.


    Following Elowen''s instructions, John bound his hands with vines, finally letting out a sigh of relief and revealing a gentle smile.


    "I''m d I could convince you. I really don''t want to be at odds with the elves. Also, regarding the earlier unpleasantness, here is somepensation. Please ept it and give it to the elf who was identally injured, as a sign of my sincerity."


    "...You better not be up to any tricks."

 Chapter 54: Chapter54-Elves (Part 2)

    "How humiliating! In Calia City, when have I ever endured such indignity?"


    Exiled Immortal tried to break free from the vines binding his hands, but the green tendrils were exceptionally tough.


    After several attempts, he couldn''t move them an inch and eventually gave up the thought.


    This encounter left him feeling quite disgruntled.


    After nearly three months of ying, Exiled Immortal had more or less grasped the uniqueness of this game, including the mutually respectful rtionship between yers and NPCs, which he hade to ept.


    But this unprovoked hostility really irked him.


    "Hang in there. We should be there soon. Haven''t you noticed the insect noises are getting weaker?"


    "Big brother, you even noticed that? No wonder you''re number one��such a freak."


    "Pay more attention. It''s actually quite fascinating. Some settings mirror the real world exactly. In ces where people gather, insect sounds diminish, or NPCs'' attitudes vary based on your reputation and ss. We''re here, just up ahead."


    After passing through the final barrier of green, their view suddenly opened up!


    A cluster of buildings nestled in the Deep Forest came into view.


    Unlike the medieval architecture of Calia, the buildings here seamlessly blended with nature.


    Wooden structures and bamboo houses were everywhere, with vines used for binding and bamboo nails for fastening.


    Everything was crafted from nature, exuding a stunning beauty.


    "Wow, it''s so beautiful..."


    Lily''s eyes sparkled with stars, and she was dazzled by the variety of flowers.


    "All this greenery, what''s so great about it..."


    Exiled Immortal muttered under his breath, then turned to Elowen with irritation, "So, when are you going to let us go?"


    "Once we confirm you''re not a threat."


    Elowen''s response was equally cold.


    It was evident that among the elves, he belonged to the militant faction.


    Just as human society has different viewpoints, the elves were also divided into factions.


    There were the conservatives who were unwilling to expand and content to stay within the dense forest.


    Then there were the militants who wanted to venture out of the forest and secure arger habitat.


    Naturally, there were also some who remained neutral, always observing and thus perpetually undecided.


    Elowen, being a highly respected young elf, was naturally unwilling to live only within the dense forest. The sky and rivers, mountains and valleys��everything in the world was a blessing from [The Nature Goddess Nymph]!


    As they walked through the elven habitat, John and his group, dressed in their peculiar attire, inevitably attracted the attention of other elves.


    Some elves were more curious than hostile, continuously scrutinizing John and hispanions.


    However, some were extremely angry, as if ming John and his group for all their misfortunes.


    They hurled curses, and some even threw stones.


    Fortunately, Elowen stopped them.


    To the other elves, these humans might have appeared as prisoners of war, but Elowen knew that John had willingly bound his own hands.


    If a conflict had erupted, it was highly likely he would have lost his life.


    Despite the situation, John showed no anger. Instead, he kept persuading hispanions not to mind, which made Elowen feel a twinge of guilt.


    "Sorry, some of my kin hold great hostility towards humans. It was my oversight; I should have had you wear hoods."


    "It''s alright. A few stones won''t hurt. Whether human or elf, judging a person''s worth solely based on their race or status is foolish and shallow. I don''t mind, of course."


    "Elves are not foolish! We are just..."


    "That''s a stereotype, unchangeable, just like how humans are seen as deceitful and cunning in your eyes, while elves are linked to foolishness. I''m here to break that stereotype, through my actions. Even if it means binding my hands and being pelted with stones, I have noints. But I don''t see any of yourpanions making any effort to change."


    Showing goodwill does not mean showing weakness.


    If John remainedpletely calm even in such a situation, he wouldn''t just be a good person; he would be a pushover.


    Hearing John''s words, Elowen lowered his head, a hint of shame shing in his eyes.


    John''s words left him speechless, because it was the truth.


    His kin, without understanding the circumstances, had unjustly directed their anger at John and hispanions.


    "Sorry..."


    "The ones who should apologize are those who attacked, not you."


    "I can''t change their minds, but I can change mine. What I mean is, human, please forgive my earlier rudeness. Regardless of race, you are a being worthy of respect."


    "Stop calling me ''human''; it sounds awful. My name is John."


    "Elowen, Elowen Vis."


    After exchanging names, John finally followed Elowen to the pce at the heart of the habitat.


    Gazing at the pce enveloped in vines, Elowen frowned in confusion.


    This was not the first time he had seen the pce covered in vines.


    It was known that only the Queen had the power to do this. But why would she?


    Unable to think of a reason, Elowen decided not to dwell on it and approached with utmost respect.


    "Your Majesty, Scout Squad Leader Elowen Vis reporting. I have brought back the humans and have restrained them. Please make your decision."


    There was only silence; Elowen received no response.


    Unwilling to give up, he was about to speak again when the vines covering the pce began to stir, eventually receding back into the ground.


    "Elowen, how could you bring humans into the habitat without permission?"


    "Your Majesty, earlier today, the Goblins invaded the human territory of Calia City, a matter you are already aware of. These humans... John and hispanions, havee from Calia seeking aid.


    To show their sincerity, John and hispanions willingly bound their hands and offered a suit of armor to mitigate the previous misunderstanding.


    ...In truth, it was I who attacked John and the others without orders.


    They were forced to defend themselves, which resulted in Aeris getting injured. I should bear full responsibility for this incident."


    Hearing this, John was genuinely surprised.


    He had thought Elowen was merely speaking, but he hadn''t expected him to actually admit the truth for their sake.


    If it weren''t for the long-standing conflicts between their races, he might have be good friends with this somewhat stubborn elf.


    "Why didn''t you exin the reason before?"


    "Before... I was afraid of being punished, so I concealed the truth. But John showed me his sincerity.


    On the way to the pce, when some of our kin threw stones at them, John only persuaded hispanions not to get angry.


    In the dense forest, I repeatedly provoked them, yet they, despite having the ability to kill me, chose to show restraint. Through these actions, I judged on my own that John is a trustworthy person."


    After speaking, Elowen lowered his head, biting his lip hard.


    ording to thews, causing harm to elven interests due to personal feelings would result in exile to the Whispering Forest.


    Elowen was already prepared for exile.


    However, after waiting for a long time, the Queen did not pronounce any punishment. Gathering his courage, Elowen looked up and met the Elf Queen''s gaze.


    "Elowen, do you understand the consequences if your judgment is wrong?"


    "I... I understand."


    "Yet, despite this, you chose to trust that human. You, who have such deep hatred for humans, were willing to make this change. Perhaps this human named John is indeed different. Therefore, let him enter the pce, but do not lift the restrictions on him and hispanions."


    "I understand, Your Majesty!"


    Elowen''s heart filled with joy as he hurried out of the pce, a smile spreading across his face.


    "John, the Queen is willing to see you!"


    "We heard. Thank you for mediating."


    "Consider it an apology for my earlier rudeness. However, I still can''t lift the restrictions on you and yourpanions for now."


    "No matter, this is already quite fortunate."


    John vividly remembered that in his previous life, his rtionship with the elves had always been strained.


    He had grinded until nearly level 50 withoutpleting his second ss change.


    It was only with Lily''s help that he managed to improve rtions with the elves, barely entering the Whispering Forest toplete his ss change quest.


    Compared to his previous life, this was already a perfect start. What was there toin about?


    Besides, it was almost time for John''s second ss, [Trickster], toe into y!

 Chapter 55: Chapter55-Happy Cooperation

    Following Elowen into the pce, John kept his eyes downcast, refraining from looking around.


    Perhaps at this moment, the Elf Queen was watching him from behind a curtain, or perhaps she wasn''t, but John didn''t want to leave a bad impression.


    They reached the center of the pce, where a long staircase led up to the throne.


    "Your Majesty, I have brought the man. He is John."


    "I understand. You may leave now, Elowen."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    Elowen nodded slightly, cast a nce at John, then turned and left with resolute steps.


    It wasn''t until Elowen hadpletely exited the pce and closed the door that the Elf Queen finally spoke.


    "John, you intruded into elven territory merely to seek aid?"


    "Seeking aid was just an excuse. Although the goblins are aggressive, Calia can still withstand their assault without reinforcements."


    "Elowen trusted you so much, and you''ve betrayed his trust. If you''re not here to seek help, then you may leave. The elves do not wee outsiders."


    "Your Majesty, I cannot leave. I have apelling reason to stay."


    Hearing this, the Queen frowned slightly. As a lofty figure, John''s attitude somewhat displeased her.


    "What is thispelling reason? Speak, and let me hear it."


    "My friends and I wish to venture into the Whispering Forest to find opportunities to grow stronger. Before that, we need to stay in the Deep Forest."


    "You absolutely cannot go to the Whispering Forest!"


    The Queen''s firm stance genuinely surprised John.


    Although the elves were a neutral force, he believed they yearned for peace.


    However, the Queen''s attitude seemed more akin to that of a malevolent force.


    "Your Majesty, we can remain in the Deep Forest under the supervision of the elves. Like you, I am someone who is steadfast once I''ve made a decision. You cannot change my mind, but I can attempt to change yours.


    If you allow us to stay in the Deep Forest, we can clear the area of monsters or explore dungeons andbyrinths.


    As long as it''s not a certain death situation, we are willing to do anything to earn an opportunity. Since the conflict between humans and elves was not caused by me, I shouldn''t bear the consequences, don''t you think?"


    "You''re eloquent; no wonder Elowen was persuaded by you. He has always been somewhat stubborn. It seems you are indeed quite capable."


    "Your Majesty tters me. I merely stated the facts, which is not a great feat. But you, managing the vast elven kingdom so meticulously, are superior even to the elven rulers of the past."


    "...I can tolerate your presence for ten days. That is my limit and the limit of all elves. After ten days, regardless of the oue, you must leave."


    "Twenty days, and I will offer a priceless treasure."


    "Human, do not push your luck!"


    "Whether I''m pushing my luck or not, Your Majesty should decide after seeing the treasure I offer."


    As he spoke, John lifted his head, looking towards the curtain at the end of the hall, as if he could see the Elf Queen''s face through it.


    Unfortunately, he couldn''t, though he did wish to behold the Queen''s beauty.


    "What kind of treasure can you offer?"


    "Your Majesty, you might not know, but I am an Alchemist. I can create many magical devices, like this one."


    With a casual wave, John made a Trigger Magic Trap appear before him.


    "This device is called a Trigger Magic Trap. It can be buried in the ground, and when a monster steps on it, it will shoot out steel spears, like this!"


    John struck the trap with his [Firewalker Dagger], simting the force of a monster''s step.


    The next moment, the trap activated,unching a dozen steel spears at the [Firewalker Dagger].


    Sparks flew and the sound of metal shing echoed through the hall.


    "I can make these as long as I have the materials. I''ve noticed that most of the elves in your habitat are elderly, women, and children, with very few capable of fighting.


    The Trigger Magic Trap can greatly reduce the burden on your patrols. Once positioned, it can free up your warriors."


    John was showing his sincerity, offering a solution to the elves'' immediate problem. He was certain the Elf Queen would be tempted!


    As expected, after a brief silence, the Queen spoke softly.


    "A hundred traps, and I will allow you to stay an additional ten days."


    "Your Majesty, it would take me twenty days just to make that many. Unless you agree that the time spent making the traps does not count against our stay."


    "In three days, you will give me twenty traps, and I will grant you an additional ten days. You can repay the rest gradually."


    "Repay... Haha, very well, I ept your terms."


    "Human, you have deceived Elowen once, but I am still willing to give you a chance. Do not disappoint me."


    "Trusting me is the best decision you have made in your life!"


    ...


    In a corner of the elven habitat, inside a bamboo house.


    Elowen gently knocked on the door, drawing the attention of Helena and the others towards the entrance.


    "Everyone, I have brought John back."


    "It seems you keep your promises. That''s much better than those other elves out there."


    Exiled Immortal sneered, looking at Elowen with obvious disdain. Clearly, he was still upset about being shackled earlier.


    "I sincerely apologize for the treatment you received earlier. It was my arrogance that caused you to be treated unfairly. I am truly sorry."


    Elowen sighed deeply and bowed low to Exiled Immortal and the others.


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal was taken aback.


    What was this? An apology just like that?


    What about all the words I had prepared?


    It felt like punching a pillow��having strength but nowhere to use it.


    "Alright, let bygones be bygones. There''s no point in dwelling on it. Anyway, thank you for putting in a good word for me earlier, Elowen."


    John smiled, patting Elowen on the shoulder. Elowen forced a small smile in return, and the two exchanged a nce of mutual understanding.


    "I guess we''ve gotten to know each other through conflict, haven''t we? By the way, Elowen, why do you elves harbor such hostility towards us humans?"


    "To be honest, I''m not entirely sure. It seems that a former elven ruler once trusted humans too much, was deceived, and even lost their life because of it.


    Whether this is true or not, I don''t really know. For now, you will have to stay in a more remote area.


    But I believe that once my kin spend some time with you, they will realize you are not bad people."


    "Of course we''re not bad people! Have you ever seen bad guys as handsome and valiant as us?"


    Elowen: "..."


    iming to be handsome and valiant in front of elves, known for their beauty, made Elowen feel that this young man was not very humble.


    "Anyway, thank you for bringing me back, Elowen. We might need your help in theing days, so I hope you won''t mind lending a hand."


    "Don''t worry. As long as it''s within my ability, I won''t refuse. It''s just..."


    Elowen lowered his head, hesitating for a long time without saying anything.


    "Oh,e on, just say it! What''s the matter?"


    "It''s just that I came here to ask for your help with something. Recently, many powerful monsters have appeared in the forest, especially a behemoth beast upying the elven habitat.


    It asionally preys on our kin. So, if possible, I would like to ask for your help. With your strength, only you can confront the behemoth. Of course, we will offerpensation."


    Hearing this, John''s eyes lit up.


    "Compensation isn''t necessary, but I do need the behemoth''s corpse."


    "No problem! As long as you can y the behemoth, I believe the Queen won''t mind giving you the corpse."


    "Then it''s settled. I can share the meat with you, but we will have the final say over the rest of the remains. Is that agreeable?"


    "Fair enough. So... happy cooperation?"


    "Happy cooperation."

 Chapter 56: Chapter56-Good News and Bad News

    "John, these elves clearly want to use us as tools, and you''re nning to help them with that behemoth or whatever? Just the name sounds like trouble."


    Exiled Immortal pouted, feeling rather resentful. In his opinion, they had no need to ingratiate themselves with the elves.


    The second ss change stone didn''t necessarily have toe from the Whispering Forest; hidden dungeons could drop it as well.


    Being confined and monitored like prisoners irked Exiled Immortal, as it was a restriction on their personal freedom.


    "Enough with theints. The elves'' main storyline is crucial. If we don''t establish a good rtionship with them, we might miss out on a lot."


    "There''s still some time before we set out to fight the behemoth. I''m logging out now, Exiled Immortal. Youe with me."


    With that, John disconnected, not giving Exiled Immortal a chance to ask questions.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal had no choice but to log out as well.


    The two woke up in the real world almost simultaneously.


    John rubbed his temples, feeling a bit of a headache.


    "Exiled Immortal, are you awake?"


    "Yeah, I''m awake. What''s so urgent that it has to be dealt with in the real world, John?"


    "Don''t ask too many questions. Just take me to the city center."


    "Alright, alright. Let me eat something first."


    Exiled Immortal stood up to head toward the food area, but John quickly stopped him.


    "Time is precious. You can eat whatever you want when we get back."


    Seeing John''s serious expression, Exiled Immortal became even more puzzled but didn''t say anything more.


    With a thought, a wind rose around them, enveloping them and propelling them skyward!


    As Exiled Immortal''s power continued to grow, his control over his abilities became more proficient.


    What used to be a struggle to carry both of them was now much easier.


    "Exiled Immortal, have you ever wondered if we really beat this game, could the world return to its original state?"


    "...I''ve never thought about it, John. What do you think?"


    "Will those who have died get another chance? I can''t help but think about it."


    "Maybe they will. Is there anything impossible anymore? We''re flying, aren''t we? If we can do that, maybe we can reset the world too.


    But honestly, I''m not as noble as you, John. Instead of erasing everything that happened, I''m d I got to know you, Big Sister, and Second Sister because of it. Besides... I don''t have much family."


    Exiled Immortal touched his nose, his gaze flickering.


    "Alright, we''re here, John. You go down. I''ll look around to see if there''s anything useful."


    "Got it. Meet me back here in thirty minutes."


    After parting ways with Exiled Immortal, John went straight to the Abyss rift in the city center.


    He couldn''t shake the feeling that the Abyss rift in front of him seemed to be expanding bit by bit.


    Of course, it was still far from the abyss of his previous life that prated the earth, spewing countless monsters.


    "[Deception Apostle], are you home? I have something to ask you."


    "John, you visit me quite frequently. As one of the chosen, it''s not good to interact with me often. What do you need?"


    The voice echoed from the Abyss, and when John looked back, [Deception Apostle] had already appeared behind him.


    Dressed in a pitch-ck suit, the shadow of his gentleman''s hat obscured his face, hiding his expression.


    "I need a favor. Can you retrieve a soul from the Abyss for me?"


    [Deception Apostle]: "?"


    "John, are you joking with me?"


    "I''m not joking. I''m serious."


    "Then you''re really joking! Retrieve a soul? Do you think the Abyss is some kind of detention center?


    It''s a ce where the dead fall, an eternal prison of unrest! Who do you think I am? I''m just an [Apostle] who can move freely between the two realms.


    Asking me to bring someone back��isn''t that a dream?"


    "...So can you do it or not?"


    "...I can."


    "Then why all the fuss?"


    "Damn it! I''m trying to make you understand that this is a very troublesome task, not something easily done! If it weren''t for my master telling me to..."


    Before finishing his sentence, [Deception Apostle] abruptly stopped, as if realizing something.


    "Anyway, leave it to me. I''ll bring the person to you in two days. By the way, what''s this person''s name?"


    "He died in the game world. His yer ID is Qing."


    "Qing... Oh, I remember now. That brute caused quite a lot of trouble for Wrath in the previous life. Wrath was always moring to kill him. How did he die so soon?"


    "He was betrayed. [Deception Apostle], thank you for this."


    "When don''t you owe me thanks? Oh, since you''re here, there''s something I need to tell you."


    [Deception Apostle] lowered his voice, whispering so only they could hear: "Things are developing beyond my expectations.


    The [Lust Apostle] is about to awaken."


    Hearing this, John felt as if he had been struck, his pupils shaking.


    "W-what did you say?"


    "I''m not sure why this is happening, but the fact is, he''s already showing signs of awakening.


    He will fully revive in as soon as ten days, or at thetest, two months. Although his power won''t be fully restored due to the early awakening, it will still be enough to deal with all of you.


    You must prepare in advance. When the timees, I will help you."


    "I understand. What do I need to do? How should I fight the [Lust Apostle]?"


    "I''ve given you half of my Authority, so I can''t use my full power. If I recklessly enter the game world, I might attract the attention of certain beings.


    So, I need a vessel to carry my presence."


    "That''s no problem. I''ll be your vessel when the timees."


    Without a moment''s hesitation, [Deception Apostle] firmly rejected John''s offer.


    "You are under the close watch of certain beings. Do you think they won''t notice if something happens to you? It''s best to find someone insignificant."


    "Understood. How should I contact you when the timees?"


    "I will contact you. Now, you should go. Being offline for too long will also raise suspicions."


    "And about Qing..."


    "I will do my best."


    With [Deception Apostle]''s assurance, John finally breathed a sigh of relief. If Qing could be brought back to life, he would be a powerful ally!


    Two years ago, Qing was one of the few who could contend with an [Apostle] and cause them considerable trouble. This time, he would only be stronger!


    While John was lost in thought, Exiled Immortal returned,ing up and patting John''s shoulder.


    "John... why are you standing here daydreaming? Be careful not to fall."


    "You came back just in time. Let''s go back."


    "Did you get everything done?"


    "Yes, it''s all taken care of. Let''s hurry back and not keep the others waiting too long."


    "No problem."


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand, and a green wind emerged from under John''s feet, gently lifting them both into the sky.


    In the blink of an eye, they were gone!


    Ten minutester, John and Exiled Immortal logged in simultaneously.


    Helena and Lily, who had been waiting anxiously, rushed to greet them. "John, why did it take so long? Did you run into trouble?"


    "There was a minor issue along the way, but it''s all sorted now. Sorry for making you wait. We shouldn''t dy any longer; it''s time to set out to defeat the behemoth."


    As John spoke, he suddenly turned to Helena and, on a whim, said something seemingly out of the blue.


    "Helena, do you think there''s a chance for dead yers toe back to life? If Qing were here, dealing with many dungeons and boss lords would be much easier, wouldn''t it?"


    "Yes, Qing was indeed a very reliable teammate. It''s such a pity..." Helena''s expression turned somber at the mention of Qing, her eyes filled with regret.


    "Maybe Qing really does have a chance toe back to life?"


    "How is that possible? It''s been so long. In the real world, Qing''s body has probably decayed or been torn apart by monsters. There''s no chance."


    "One must always hold onto hope, right? I believe that maybe one day, our fallen friends can return to us."

 Chapter 57: Chapter57-Defeating the Behemoth, Alchemy Shines!

    "Elowen, we''re ready. We can set off at any time."


    John opened the door and smiled at Elowen, who was waiting outside. "Could you draw us a map, marking the location of the behemoth?"


    "There''s no need for that; I''ll take you there myself."


    "Are you sure? The process of defeating the behemoth might be quite dangerous. Even if you don''t go, I won''t mind."


    "This is an issue for the elves. I''ve already troubled you by asking for help, so no matter what, I must apany you. My mind is made up, John; you don''t need to say more."


    Meeting Elowen''s determined gaze, John smiled wryly. "Then let''s go!"


    If John remembered correctly, the behemoth should be a high-level monster found in snowy mountain maps, with average strength exceeding that of yers undergoing their second ss change.


    He couldn''t understand why a behemoth would appear in the [Deep Forest].


    But now that they were here, they would only know if they could defeat it by confronting it.


    Following Elowen out of the elven habitat and back into the [Deep Forest], John patted Elowen on the shoulder.


    "Elowen, how much do you know about the behemoth?"


    "Well... not much. It suddenly appeared in the [Deep Forest], and even the Queen doesn''t know why. The behemoth is proficient in magic, making it difficult for ordinary people to approach.


    The Queen has to remain in the habitat and cannot act lightly, so we can only tolerate the monster''s rampage nearby.


    John, rest assured, if the behemoth proves too difficult to defeat, we will withdraw in time to avoid unnecessary sacrifices."


    "If it''s appeared in the [Deep Forest], an early-game area, it can''t be unbeatable. Don''t worry; we''ll be safe."


    "Early-game... area? What does that mean?"


    Faced with Elowen''s question, John only smiled wryly and did not exin.


    This remark was meant for hispanions, so it was natural that Elowen couldn''t understand it.


    As for why John hadn''t known about the behemoth''s previous appearance in the Deep Forest in his past life, it was likely due to his poor rtionship with the elves; naturally, they wouldn''t share such information with him.


    After speeding along for nearly two hours without catching sight of the behemoth, Elowen began to think he had led them the wrong way.


    However, John, with his map fully revealed, knew for certain that the behemoth was in this direction.


    "Could we have taken the wrong path? Maybe we should try a different direction."


    "It should be around here. Haven''t you noticed? The number of wild monsters has been decreasing.


    For powerful monsters, their territorial instincts are very strong. If an intruder enters their territory, they will attack indiscriminately.


    For the past half hour, I''ve noticed that the number of roaming wild monsters has been dwindling. I think we must have entered the behemoth''s territory."


    "Really?"


    Elowen scratched his head, a hint of embarrassment shing in his eyes.


    He had confidently dered he would lead the way, yet now they needed John and hispanions to confirm the behemoth''s location. It was somewhat...


    However, Elowen could sense that John and his group were probably formidable even in the human world.


    Otherwise, how could they have so easily injured hisrades?


    "Mr. John, can I ask you a question?"


    "Go ahead, if I know the answer."


    "Mr. John, you must hold a high position among humans, right? You''re very strong and always manage to stay calm."


    "In fact, I don''t hold any significant position. I''m just a passing adventurer."


    During their conversation, a sudden notification shed before John''s eyes.


    [You have entered the Behemoth roaming boss''s territory. Prepare for battle at any moment!]


    John wasn''t the only one who received the notification. Exiled Immortal and the others did as well.


    "Prepare forbat."


    "Huh? Mr. John, you said..."


    Before Elowen could finish her sentence, the ground started to tremble, the shaking so intense that they almost lost their footing!


    "It''s here!"


    Roar!


    A deafening roar echoed, causing John to furrow his brow and nce at Lily.


    [Stars above! Shine your light and protect all beings! Star Shield!]


    A cerulean barrier unfurled before John and the others, blocking the rippling sound waves entirely.


    "Elowen, find a ce to hide. Leave the rest to us!"


    Seeing the level disyed next to the Behemoth''s HP, John finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Level 39, simr to the lord-tier Goblin in therge-scale event.


    Just as John said, bosses appearing on early maps were never too overwhelming.


    "Lily, can you find a way to restrict its movements?"


    "It might be tricky, but I can give it a shot."


    "No problem. Exiled Immortal and I will create an opening for you. Helena, wait for the right moment to strike."


    "Understood!"


    With a casual wave, Exiled Immortal summoned a dozen longswords from his inventory.


    They hovered around him, and at hismand, the swords shot out like streaks of light!


    "Let me test if the alchemy that woman taught me is truly as terrifying as she imed."


    With a thought, John''s alchemy table materialized, and he began to perform alchemy on the spot!


    Following the alchemical diagrams in his mind, John retrieved various materials from his inventory, his umted experience over time making the process effortless.


    In less than five minutes, three alchemical products were freshly prepared.


    John grabbed three greenish-blue seeds and quickly tossed them to Exiled Immortal.


    "Exiled Immortal! Scatter these seeds around the Behemoth!"


    "What seeds?"


    Although puzzled, Exiled Immortal instinctively caught the seeds, soared into the air, and took advantage of a gap in the Behemoth''s attacks to throw the seeds down.


    The moment the seeds touched the ground, they instantly took root and sprouted.


    Thick stalks shot up, nearly ten meters long, with hideous, terrifying mouths hanging from them, dripping with a foul, sticky liquid!


    "What the hell! Are these man-eating nts?"


    "Precisely speaking, they are giant man-eating nts modified through alchemy!"


    Seeing the astonishing effectiveness of his newly learned alchemy, John''s spirits lifted!


    "Coordinate with the man-eating nts and strike at the right moment, but be careful not to get hurt by them!"


    John reminded them, his attention fully focused on the potion he was currently preparing.


    After evaporating thest drop of water, John ground the solid residue into powder, added chant essence powder, mixed it with spirit spring water, and carefully applied it to a magic scroll in a specific pattern before mming it onto the ground.


    "Come forth, Earth Golem!"


    Boom!


    As John''s words fell, the ground immediately cracked, spreading like a spider web.


    The ground beneath John''s feet seemed toe to life, rising and transforming into a three-meter-tall Earth Golem, which, under John''smand, charged at the Behemoth!


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal was momentarily stunned, forgetting he was still hovering mid-air.


    His body began to fall uncontrobly until Elowen''s reminder brought him back, prompting him to once againmand the green wind to lift himself up.


    "Damn! Is this alchemy too? This already seems like magic!"


    Exiled Immortal couldn''t understand. Both had hidden sses, so why was he still struggling while John was pulling out these powerful tools?


    Every bite from the giant man-eating nts and every strike from the Earth Golem dealt considerable damage.


    In just twenty minutes, the Behemoth''s HP had dropped to three-quarters.


    Apart from the minimal damage they inflicted, thebined firepower over twenty minutes totaled nearly forty thousand points!


    Moreover, judging by John''s stance, this was just the beginning!


    Bamboo Knight, Bramble Cage, Sleep Pollen��more and more alchemical skills were being deployed by John, making Helena and the others feel as if their presence in the battle was almost unnecessary.


    "If I''d known alchemists were this powerful, I wouldn''t have bothered bing a swordsman!"


    Imagining himself floating in the air, calmly performing alchemy and annihting all enemies, Exiled Immortal felt a surge of excitement.


    "Don''t zone out! The boss is entering its second phase!"


    "Second phase or not, with John alone, we could probably..."


    Before he could finish his sentence, a massive ice sphere, nearly thirty meters in diameter, began to form above the Behemoth''s head, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet!

 Chapter 58: Chapter58-Class Change Stone

    "What the hell... What kind of monsters are these?"


    Exiled Immortal swallowed hard, staring at the expanding ice sphere that grew to a diameter of thirty meters, covering everything around it with ayer of frost!


    The rapidly dropping temperature instantly froze the giant man-eating nts into frost, and the fragile stalks could no longer support the heavy blooms.


    The Earth Golem also turned into a pile of rubble under the Behemoth''s strike!


    Seeing this, John''s heart tightened, and he shouted, "Run!"


    "Lily! Get out of here!"


    Lily''s response was her incantation.


    [Astreos, Lord of the Chilly Stars, Master of the Boundless Sky, as your faithful follower, I implore you once more, smite my enemies, Wrath of the Stars!]


    So, it''s a spell duel?


    Sorry, never been afraid!


    At the end of her chant, a six-pointed star array spread out beneath the Behemoth''s feet. Looking up, a massive meteor farrger than the ice sphere mercilessly tore through the clouds, and the ice sphere vanished upon contact!


    [Fall!]


    Boom!


    A thunderous explosion erupted with the Behemoth at its center, the powerful shockwave rippling out and sweeping everything away, including John and Exiled Immortal!


    "Damn..."


    If John''s dazzling alchemy surprised Exiled Immortal, then Lily''s terrifying power utterly stunned him!


    It was no exaggeration to say that the recent attack alone caused a staggering thirty thousand points of damage, reducing the Behemoth''s HP to one-fifth, on the brink of death!


    Moreover, the subsequent burning effect continued to erode the Behemoth''s HP bit by bit!


    Staring at the massive crater left by the meteor''s impact, Exiled Immortal swallowed hard and tentatively asked, "It should be... dead, right?"


    "Looks like it''s dead..."


    "That power is a bit too overwhelming. Lily, when did you learn that move?"


    John nced at Lily, noticing her pale face and unsteady steps. He quickly rushed forward to support her.


    "Are you okay?"


    "Ugh... I''m so tired, Johnny."


    "It''s alright, you''ve just exhausted yourself. Just rest for a bit, Lily."


    "I could only help everyone this much��"


    "Help? Second sister, you almost crushed that Behemoth to death! You''re incredible!"


    Exiled Immortal approached eagerly,ughing, "Big sister and I were practically useless. You and John were enough to finish the fight."


    "Don''t say that... I''m starting to regret choosing the Hunter ss."


    Look at John, look at Lily, then look at himself. Were they even ying the same game?


    Helena pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a long sigh.


    "Anyway, just rest, Lily. We''ll take care of the rest."


    "Helena, please take care of her."


    "Of course. You''ve already done so much. If I can''t handle this, I''d be useless. Now, stop talking and rest."


    Seeing Lily drift off to sleep, Helena turned her gaze to John.


    "No problem, I''ll take care of the Behemoth. You all take good care of Lily. Once we collect the important materials, we''ll leave."


    As a monster encountered in theter snowy mountain maps, the Behemoth''s corpse was extremely valuable.


    Many materials were incredibly rare and valuable, even in thete game.


    After all, the Behemoth''s immense power and the difficulty of defeating it ensured its worth.


    After depleting the Behemoth''s remaining HP, a server-wide announcement followed.


    [Congrattions to the anonymous yer forpleting the dungeon first clear. The rewards have been distributed along with therge event rewards. Please check your inventory!]


    Hearing this, John realized that the moment the Behemoth died, therge event also ended, and the rewards had been deposited into his yer inventory.


    But now, John had no interest in checking what he had received. After collecting the materials, he prepared to leave.


    Having witnessed the entire battle, Elowen''s admiration for John and the others had reached an unparalleled level.


    "John, you are truly incredible! Everything that just happened, I can hardly believe my eyes!"


    First, the unheard-of alchemy, then the falling meteor, all continuously challenged Elowen''s understanding.


    "You''re too kind. I just did my best not to disappoint the Elf Queen''s expectations. Now that it''s over, we can head back."


    "No problem, I remember the way back. I''ll lead the way. John, you all should rest for a bit."


    Looking at the sleeping Lily, John couldn''t help but sigh.


    The power Lily disyed, so different from her previous life, made John almost certain she was also chosen by the gods.


    With this power, Lily was now the team''s greatest weapon, though the period of weakness after each spellcasting was somewhat...


    "But, we still have plenty of time."


    Lily''s growth could still be nurtured.


    As thoughts swirled in his mind, Exiled Immortal suddenly let out a cry of surprise, interrupting John''s reverie.


    "Look, look! John, you have to see what I got!"


    Exiled Immortal rushed forward excitedly, holding an irregrly shaped stone in his palm.


    "Is this... a ss change stone?"


    "That''s right! And it''s exactly the ss change stone I needed. Finally! I can get past this awkward phase and be one step closer to bing a Sword Immortal!"


    The second ss change for swordsmen had three paths: Sword Qi Master, Swordholder, and Swordsmith. For Exiled Immortal, Swordholder was undoubtedly the most suitable.


    Controlling flying swords to attack not only perfectly matched Exiled Immortal''s talents but also aligned with his vision of bing a Sword Immortal.


    "Is this the first clear reward for the Behemoth?"


    "No, no, it''s therge event reward. The first clear reward for the Behemoth was a sword, an Epic quality one, which I can use."


    "Nice, once we get back, you can start your ss change. Congrattions, you brat."


    "Hmph! Big sister, this time I''ve surpassed you. I''m the first one to undergo a second ss change!"


    "Uh... it seems you might not get that chance."


    As she finished speaking, Helena also pulled out a ss change stone from her inventory, smiling at Exiled Immortal, "When we get back, I must be the first to change ss!"


    "What! Why? You have one too?"


    "Unlike you, I got my ss change stone as the first clear reward from the Behemoth. Finally, I can change ss. If this went on any longer, I''d be almost useless."


    The Hunter ss also had three second ss change paths. As a growth ss, the Hunter''s true power would now begin to emerge.


    "Demon Hunter, Dragon Hunter, Pursuit Specialist... John, what''s the difference between these three sses?"


    "The first two sses can continually improve their stats by umting hunted targets.


    Hunting ten monsters of the same level will roughly increase one stat point, while hunting a dragon can boost ten stat points.


    As for thest ss, Pursuit Specialist, I don''t really rmend it. From what I know, it doesn''t have much potential and seems more suited for casual yers, much like the Swordsmith ss."


    "Got it, then I''ll choose Dragon Hunter! Hunting dragons sounds so thrilling!"


    "It''s a shame I wasn''t as lucky as you two. I didn''t get a ss change stone, only two items and one blind box."


    Moreover, these two items weren''t useful for John but were perfect for Helena.


    [Blood Lord''s Armor]


    [Blood Lord''s Pendant]


    Thesepleted the [Blood Lord Set].


    The set''s effect allows the wearer to convert the blood of hunted targets into their own HP, providing strong sustain.


    In group battles, it could keep Helena at full health almost constantly.


    As for Lily''s rewards, she was still asleep, so John wasn''t sure what she had received.


    Regardless, their main goal foring to the Deep Forest was at least halfway aplished.


    As for the remaining two ss change stones, John believed they weren''t too far off.

 Chapter 59: Chapter59-Divine Stone

    "Ugh..."


    Lily furrowed her brows slightly and let out a series of soft groans as her consciousness gradually returned.


    "You''re awake. How are you feeling?"


    Noticing Lily''s awakening, Helena quickly stepped forward and handed her a ss of water.


    "Is there any difort?"


    "Other than a slight headache, I''m fine, Sister Helena. By the way, how long was I asleep?"


    "Not too long, only three hours. And that was in the game world. If you had disconnected directly, we would have been really scared."


    "I didn''t expect to be so weak..."


    Lily stuck out her tongue, feeling a bit guilty for causing everyone concern.


    "It has nothing to do with your weakness. The spell you used against the Behemoth far exceeded your current level, so you ended up exhausted. You could have just dodged it, but you had to act recklessly. That headache must be terrible, right?"


    John returned, holding a cup of clear spring water.


    "Let this be a lesson. Next time, you won''t dare to show off."


    "I know... By the way, is the taskpleted?"


    "For now, it''s done. Thanks to you, the elves'' view of us has changed significantly. At least now, when we walk in their habitat, we won''t be met with unwarranted disdain."


    John smirked and turned to Exiled Immortal, saying, "Besides that, Exiled Immortal has made a friend, an elf girl who admires him?"


    At this, Exiled Immortal''s face immediately turned red, and he stammered, "No, no way! I just helped her out. I didn''t mean anything by it!"


    "But I saw that the elf girl seemed quite interested in you. She even asked for your name and gave you a pendant, which you''re wearing around your neck, aren''t you?"


    Hearing this, Helena''s eyes lit up, and she urged, "John, what''s going on? Tell us quickly!"


    "No, John, please don''t say anything!"


    "It''s nothing much. Earlier, we both went to see the Elf Queen. On our way back, we saw a young elf girl who had climbed to the top of a tree for fun.


    The tree was already showing signs of withering and looked unsteady, unable to support anyone climbing on it.


    In that desperate moment, Exiled Immortal soared into the air and princess-carried the girl down from the treetop.


    Oh, you should have seen it! The little girl''s eyes were full of stars, looking at Exiled Immortal like he was her hero!"


    "That''s not true! John, stop making things up!"


    "Hahaha! Look at you, so shy! What''s the big deal? You''re both at that tender age of budding feelings. It''s perfectly normal to have a crush on each other, right?"


    "I-I''m a yer! She''s just an NPC. How can it be the same?"


    Hearing this, Helena frowned and corrected him, "What''s the difference? Whether yer or NPC, aren''t we all characters living in this world? I think you should seize the opportunity!


    Imagine, the children you two could have in the future, half-human, half-elf��how adorable would they be?"


    "Oh,e on, stop it, sis! If you keep talking, I''m leaving!"


    Obviously, at Exiled Immortal''s age, he couldn''t ept such matters yet. His face was embarrassingly red, and he kept ncing at John with a resentful look.


    John chose to ignore him.


    "Of course, besides that, I also discussed some business with the Elf Queen. As long as I finish creating the trigger magic trap, the Elf Queen will open the Whispering Forest dungeon to us."


    "Finally, back to the main topic after all that... By the way, Lily, what rewards did you get? The rewards for the major event and the dungeon first clear were distributed together. Check them out."


    "Really?"


    Lily opened her inventory panel and took out two pieces of equipment, one by one.


    [The Last Words of the Hungry] (Pendant)


    Quality: [Epic]


    Trait: [Significantly reduces the wearer''s fullness and sanity.]


    Attribute Panel: [Stamina -10, Agility -10, Wisdom -10]


    Item Description: [These are thest words of a beggar who only wished to fill his belly before death, but even such a small wish remained unfulfilled. What a pitiable person.]


    John: "???"


    Seeing the attribute panel and traits of this equipment, John felt his scalp tingle.


    With no beneficial traits and nearly all attributes at -10, this equipment was, without a doubt, the worst John had ever seen in his two lifetimes.


    Yet, paradoxically, the equipment was still of [Epic] quality, which only further confused John.


    "Maybe... this pendant is just a bad joke?"


    This kind of situation wasn''t unheard of for Exiled Immortal. Many games have purely troll items, but this equipment was exceptionally terrible.


    "This is a treasure. Thinking it''s a bad joke just means you don''t recognize its value."


    Hearing these words, John was stunned and asked in confusion, "Did any of you just hear a voice?"


    "A voice? What voice?"


    Helena turned her head to look at John, waved her hand in front of his face, andughed, "You''re probably just hearing things, right?"


    "Could I have misheard?"


    "You definitely didn''t mishear. It was me speaking. Have you forgotten my voice already? And to think I taught you all my alchemy skills."


    The voice reappeared, and this time, John heard it clearly.


    "You... you can actuallymunicate with me?"


    "Of course. Once awakened, I won''t fall asleep again. I can see everything happening outside, andmunicating with you is no difficult task."


    "Let me tell you, sometimes you need to see beyond appearances to understand the essence of something. Like slime mucus, it''s clearly an alchemical material from the lowest level monsters, yet many high-level alchemy recipes require it. That''s what I''m talking about. Don''t judge a flower by its bud."


    Hearing this, John thought the woman had a point.


    Since it was a reward for third ce in a major event, it couldn''t possibly be worthless.


    There had to be something special about it.


    With this in mind, John said in a deep voice, "This equipment might not be as simple as we think. Can I borrow it to study for a while?"


    "Of course, no problem. It''s yours, John!"


    "Just borrowing is fine. By the way, what''s the other item?"


    [Astrologer''s Ritual Gown]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Trait: [When worn, the power of ster spells is slightly increased, and the casting cost is slightly reduced.]


    Attribute Panel: [Wisdom +75 points]


    Item Description: [The most basic standard gown of the Astrological Tower, suitable for both men and women. Though the style is a bit old-fashioned, it is extremelyfortable, making it excessively favored by many astrologers.]


    This item perfectly suited Lily''s current needs.


    The increased power of ster spells and the reduced casting cost were extremely important for her.


    And most importantly, the gown was truly beautiful.


    With just one look, Lily was captivated by it.


    The mysterious hexagram embroidered on the gown seemed to connect with the infinite starry sky.


    "So, I''m the only one who didn''t get anything useful? Wait, I still have a blind box."


    John pouted, took out the blind box from his backpack, and met the conditions to open it.


    He reached into the bag and groped around. When he seemed to touch something, a long-missed system notification sounded in his ear:


    [Ding, congrattions Host, you triggered the Kiss of Luck]


    John''s pinky finger seemed to touch some kind of metal. When he quickly pulled it out, his face instantly fell.


    "Ugh! It''s just a piece of broken stone."


    "Broken stone? What are you talking about! This is a fragment of the Temple of Olympus, a very rare material that can be used to make many things!"


    The woman''s voice suddenly exploded in his ear, making John instinctively cover his ears.


    "Sis, can you keep it down? Don''t startle me like that."


    "Who told you to be so unobservant? Mistaking a treasure for trash, calling a divine stone a broken stone? I''m telling you, you must keep this safe. It will definitelye in handy in the future!


    Oh, and didn''t you say you wanted to resurrect a friend? I canpletely use this divine stone as a material to create a brand new body for them!


    My goodness! Using a divine stone from the Temple of Olympus for alchemy, this is something I''ve always dreamed of!"

 Chapter 60: Chapter60-Resurrection

    "A piece of stone can be made into a body?"


    "Of course! What do you think alchemy is? The charm of alchemy lies in making the impossible possible! Let me think... Since we have the divine stone as a base, the restrictions on other materials can be rxed...


    Oh, I''ll also need that Behemoth heart of yours, it will be useful.


    Additionally, get me at least a hundred-year-old bloodvine, the eye of a dark raven, and if possible, some goblin spring water. That would be perfect!"


    John: "..."


    "Are you kidding me? I''ve never even heard of half the things you mentioned. And with my current capabilities, even if they exist, could I get them? Please, consider the current situation!"


    "This is already the minimum requirement. Any furtherpromise would waste such a good material as the divine stone. Anyway, if you want your friend to be a great help after resurrection, you''d better follow my instructions."


    "I... will do my best."


    John sighed deeply, rubbed his brow in helplessness, and then looked up to find Exiled Immortal and the others staring at him intently, which confused him.


    "Is there... something wrong?"


    "Yes... Ever since a while ago, you''ve been muttering about jokes and stones. John, are you really okay? I feel like ever since we came back from the Behemoth hunt, your mental state has been a bit off."


    Talking to oneself isn''t umon, but doing so under the watchful eyes of many people, and continuing unabated, is quite rare.


    Hearing this, John suddenly realized that he had spoken all those words out loud. He had thought the conversation was confined to himself and the woman!


    "I just... thought of something. It''s possible, I mean it''s possible, that I can bring Qing back to life."


    At this point, John saw no reason to hide the matter any longer.


    Since Qing''s resurrection was inevitable, it was better to prepare everyone mentally now to avoid any shockster.


    However, John didn''t realize the impact his words would have on Helena and the others.


    "What did you say? John, are you joking?"


    Helena''s eyes widened, and she stared at John, tentatively saying, "We shouldn''t joke about such things..."


    "Yeah, John, we all regret Qing''s death. If it were possible, I''d truly wish for something that could bring Qing back to life. But it''s been so long now. Even if such a treasure exists, it''s toote..."


    "Are you finished?"


    John clicked his tongue and said helplessly, "I understand that it''s hard for you to ept this suddenly, but I''m fifty percent sure I can bring Qing back. I''ve been preparing for this all along. If I wasn''t confident, I wouldn''t have told you.


    Qing''s strength is undeniable. With him, tackling some of the tougher dungeons will be much easier. It would be a waste for him to stay dead.


    I''m telling you this for two reasons.


    First, to prepare you mentally, so you won''t be scared out of your wits when Qing stands before you alive.


    Second, you must not tell anyone about this, especially that I have the ability to bring the dead back to life. It would cause us unnecessary trouble. Do you understand?"


    "I... I still don''t get it, John. Bringing someone back to life��is that also alchemy? How can there be such exaggerated alchemy in this world?"


    "Because imagination is limitless, and that''s why alchemy can create miracles!"


    ...


    [Deep Forest], within a certainbyrinth!


    Lawrence mmed his greatsword down heavily, apanied by the sttering of monster blood, and a satisfied smile appeared on his face.


    "That look, the helplessness in the face of death��ah! What a wonderful expression!"


    "Ugh, what a lunatic. I just don''t get it, why do we have to cooperate with such a pervert?"


    "Shh! Keep your voice down. It wouldn''t be good if he heard you! As crazy as he is, there''s no denying his strength. The monsters we''ve encountered so far, hardly any couldst ten rounds against him. It''s best not to provoke someone like that."


    Not far away, watching Lawrence repeatedly lift and m his greatsword until the monster''s body was a bloody pulp, a few of them exchanged nces, and in each other''s eyes, they saw fear.


    In the game world, yerse in all shapes and sizes, regardless of ss or personality.


    Nobody really cares.


    After all, whether you were a teacher, awyer, or even a criminal, it didn''t matter.


    After the catastrophe, everything reset, and no one was judged based on their past.


    But encountering someone as twisted as this was a first.


    Almost every time they faced a powerful monster, after defeating it, he would smash the corpse into a bloody mess.


    Sometimes, he would even scoop up a piece of the flesh and taste it.


    Just witnessing this process was enough to drive one mad.


    It was hard to imagine what kind of mental state this nearly pathological man must be in the real world.


    Most likely, he was a mental patient locked up in a prison or a serial killer.


    "Can we... can we move on now?"


    "Fuck off!"


    Lawrence suddenly turned around, his eyes bloodshot and looking incredibly fierce.


    "Who gave you permission to interrupt me?"


    "S-sorry!"


    "I warned you all not to disturb me during my hunt. This is your final warning. Next time, it will be you who ends up as pulp!"


    Lawrence said coldly, sheathing his greatsword.


    He had lost interest in continuing and turned to leave.


    The man who was nced at by Lawrence began breathing more rapidly, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, clearly scared out of his wits.


    The others felt sympathy for his predicament.


    Just being looked at by that lunatic was enough to make anyone feel deeply ufortable.


    "Brother, maybe it''s best if you don''t go..."


    The team leader walked up and patted the man''s shoulder, but before he could finish his sentence, he caught a whiff of a foul smell.


    Looking down, he saw that the man had wet himself out of fear.


    Leader: "...If you can''t handle it, you can withdraw and take a good rest."


    "I-I want to withdraw... I absolutely can''t stay with someone like that. He''s... he''s a madman!"


    ...


    After finishing the creation of twenty trigger magic traps, John stretched and let out a long sigh of relief.


    "Finally done. That was exhausting..."


    If there was a drawback to being an Alchemist, it was the tedious, high-intensity mechanical work that could drive anyone crazy.


    Although it only took four hours to make twenty trigger magic traps, it felt to John like an entire year had passed.


    "I''ll hand these over to the queen first. Tomorrow, I''ll find some time to check out the nearbybyrinth. Maybe I''ll find something unexpected."


    With this thought, John struggled to his feet, swept his hand over the alchemy table, and stored it in his yer inventory.


    As the most basic alchemy table, it was no longer meeting John''s needs.


    If he got the chance, he wanted to buy a more advanced alchemy table.


    Lost in thought, John left his quarters, only to see Helena sitting on a swing, staring nkly at the distant smoke as if she had something on her mind.


    John walked over to her and gently patted her shoulder.


    "Why are you here alone? Where are Exiled Immortal and Lily?"


    "Exiled Immortal went to find the elf girl, and Lily... Eh! Strange, she was just here. She must have gone back to her room."


    "I feel like you''re not in a good mood. Why don''t you tell me? Maybe I can help."


    "...John, what you said earlier about resurrecting the dead... is it true?"


    Hearing this, John realized something and sat down on the other swing, letting out a long sigh.


    "Yes, it''s true."

 Chapter 61: Chapter61-Elaria

    "If it''s true..."


    "I''m sorry, but I can''t agree to it."


    Before Helena could finish, John immediately refused.


    "But I haven''t even said it yet..."


    "Because I know what you want to say. You want to ask me to resurrect Lawrence as well and give him another chance, right?


    My answer is no.


    Apart from my personal reluctance, the most important reason is that I don''t have enough materials.


    To resurrect someone, the most crucial point is to find the target''s soul.


    After Qing''s death, I managed to collect his soul through various means. During this time, I''ve been constantly searching for materials.


    Even now, I''ve barely managed to gather most of them, but I''m still missing a few special ones.


    But what about Lawrence? I don''t have his soul. Without a soul, there''s no way to resurrect him.


    Helena, I don''t really understand your thoughts. Do you think that dying once might change Lawrence''s mindset?"


    John looked away into the distance, a bitter smile on his face. "I can tell you clearly, it won''t. Absolutely not.


    Someone who has died once no longer respects death.


    Even if I were to bring him back, he wouldn''t turn into a good person as you hope.


    He would probably be even more ruthless.


    Both emotionally and logically, I can''t resurrect Lawrence."


    Hearing this, Helena lowered her eyes, her gaze noticeably dimming.


    "I was too naive. I''m sorry..."


    "It''s okay. After all, he was your friend. It''s natural to have such thoughts. If anyone is to me, it''s me for not being able to help you.


    Besides, on the bright side, maybe Lawrence isn''t dead at all? Otherwise, how do you exin his disappearance?"


    John stood up, gently brushing Helena''s hair off her forehead, and smiled. "I have some things to take care of, so I won''t disturb you any longer."


    "John, if one day something happens to me, could you promise not to resurrect me?"


    Hearing this, John stopped in his tracks, turned around, and asked, "Can I ask why?"


    "I... I''m just a little scared. I''m afraid that after finally escaping from all of this, I won''t have the courage to face it again. So, if that day everes, please let me go."


    ...


    On the way to the pce, Helena''s words echoed in John''s mind, refusing to fade.


    It made sense.


    In such a treacherous world, ying these blood and flesh games with those heartless [gods] was a torment.


    To finally escape from this ordeal, would resurrection really be a good thing?


    Facing death takes courage, and so does living on.


    "Am I being too presumptuous?"


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, his thoughts growing increasingly chaotic.


    Even someone as strong as Helena could say such discouraging things. John couldn''t be sure how Qing truly felt about being brought back to life.


    "Forget it, I''ll take it one step at a time. At worst, I''ll personally send him on his way again."


    Unknowingly, John had already entered the pce. He looked around with interest at the simple yet beautiful architecture.


    From the outside, the pce appearedpletely covered in vines, imprable.


    "Again, this feeling..."


    Inside the bedchamber!


    The Elf Queen''s cheeks were flushed, her delicate face as if it could drip water, and her graceful body was curled up on the bed.


    "What on earth is happening!"


    As a centuries-old elf, the Elf Queen was well aware of her current state��clearly a manifestation of lust. But why?


    As the leader of her race, the Elf Queen had long since learned to suppress her emotions, including desire.


    But for some reason, she had started feeling her body heat up periodically.


    Each time this happened, the Elf Queen wouldpletely seal off the pce, lock herself in her room, and endure the ordeal.


    It was indeed excruciating, but as the leader of the elves, she couldn''t allow her people to see her in such a state!


    "If I ever find out who''s behind this, I will definitely..."


    The Elf Queen struggled to sit up, her consciousness already blurred by the rampant desire.


    So, when she stepped outside her bedchamber to cool off with some spring water, she ran into John, who was wandering around and happened toe by.


    Herst shred of rationality shattered!


    "You! What are you doing here? Who allowed you in?"


    John looked over at the sound of her voice, only to see the Elf Queen with her shoulders half-bare, her face flushed, and her eyes full of longing.


    He was instantly taken aback.


    Is this really the Elf Queen?


    She looks more like a subus!


    "I-I came to deliver something! The trigger magic traps are finished, so I brought them over. There was no one at the door to stop me!"


    John took a few steps back, hurriedly turning his back to the Elf Queen, looking flustered.


    "Uh... Your Majesty, I didn''t see or hear anything. I''ll leave the items here, and if there are any issues, you can contact me."


    With that, John waved his hand, cing the magic traps down and was about to make a swift exit when he felt a pair of soft arms wrap around his waist.


    Feeling the sweet breath on his ear and the soft touch against his back, John swallowed hard, his mind starting to wander.


    "Your Majesty, you are..."


    "Shut... shut up! Can''t you see I''m not in the right state?"


    "Of course, I can see that! So could you please let me go?"


    Those arms looked so soft and delicate, yet they were incredibly strong. John used all his strength but couldn''t budge an inch, like prey ensnared by an octopus.


    The more he struggled, the tighter the embrace became!


    "Your Majesty, calm down! I''m a human, you''re an elf, we''re different species, you know!"


    The Elf Queen, however, had no strength left to speak. If John hadn''t appeared, she might have barely managed to control her desire. But the moment she saw John, shepletely lost control of her body.


    She couldn''t understand how John had gotten in when she had sealed the entire pce. Had he entered before the pce was sealed?


    Countless thoughts swirled in the Elf Queen''s mind, but her body acted on its own, pressing against John''s back, forcing him into the spring water!


    "Glub glub... cough cough! Your Majesty, please calm down! I don''t even know your name and now you... mmm..."


    Before he could finish speaking, a pair of soft lips silenced him, swallowing his remaining words.


    "ria... Melfis ria, that''s my name."


    With that, riapletely surrendered to her desire, losing herself in it.


    After a while!


    John struggled to climb out of the pool, his upper body covered in kiss marks, his hair wet and hanging around his ears.


    In the pool, ria seemed to have regained herposure, re-draping her soaked dress over herself. Her voice was icy.


    "Your days are numbered, John."


    "Why? I was a victim here!"


    "I have strong suspicions that my current state is entirely your doing. Otherwise, why would it be you who conveniently barges into my chambers?"


    "Isn''t it possible that you were already like this before I came, and I just had the bad luck to stumble in? Not only did you overpower me, but you''re also turning the me on me? The great Elf Queen is really this kind of person?"


    Hearing this, ria bit her lip, her cheeks slightly flushed.


    "Everything that happened here today, you must keep to yourself! If I hear any rumors about this, you will bear the consequences!"


    "I''d love to keep it to myself, but look at all these kiss marks on me. How am I supposed to exin this if someone sees? Why did you have to suck so hard?"


    "You! Shut up!"


    "I won''t shut up! What can you do? Kill me? My twenty-plus years of virginity were taken by you, and you mustpensate me!"

 Chapter 62: Chapter62-Labyrinth

    "What! What do you want me topensate you for? You got what you wanted, don''t act innocent!"


    "Got what I wanted? What did I get? You, a several hundred-year-old, forcing yourself on a young man in his twenties. Have you no shame!"


    "Say that again?"


    "Say it again? You have no..."


    Before John could finish, he felt a sudden surge of killing intent. As he turned around, he noticed a vine shooting up from the ground, aiming straight for his heart!


    Seeing this, John quickly changed his tone.


    "Shut up! I''ve made it clear, nothing happened today, we did nothing. Remember that!"


    The Elf Queen turned around and with a wave of her hand, the vine coiled around John''s waist and abdomen, tossing him and his scattered clothes out of the chamber.


    "Ouch, ouch, ouch... What a crazy woman!"


    John struggled to get up, put on his robe, and covered the kiss marks on his chest. The image of her perfect body involuntarily shed in his mind.


    "Cough, cough... How does this old woman maintain her skin? It''s as smooth as a baby''s."


    "Of course. Elves live much longer than humans, easily living for thousands of years. So in human terms, she''s just a woman in her early thirties, at the peak of her charm."


    John: "???"


    "Wait, you saw... you saw everything?"


    "Yes, I did. Is there a problem?"


    "Of course there''s a problem!"


    John''s face turned beet red as he covered his face with his hands and muttered, "That was my first time. Being forced was bad enough, but to have someone watch... this is just..."


    "Who told you to always keep me around? Even if I didn''t want to look, I couldn''t help it. But you, you don''t know how to treat ady gently at all. Such a rough man."


    "I was just... Ugh, why am I even talking to you about this? You really need to break this habit. Spying on others is not a good thing, you know?"


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, let out a long sigh, and left the pce.


    On his way out, he ran into Elowen, who looked like he was in a hurry, as if something urgent had happened.


    John stopped him.


    "Elowen, why are you in such a rush? What happened?"


    "Master John, I was just about to find you! Near the habitat, abyrinth suddenly underwent a strange change. Many monsters that should only exist inside thebyrinth have suddenly emerged.


    The scout team we sent to investigate has also been trapped. I was on my way to report this to the Queen!"


    "No need to bother the Queen. I''ll handle this. Where is it? We''ll go check it out."


    "Well..."


    Hearing this, Elowen hesitated.


    It wasn''t that she doubted John and his group''s abilities��after all, they had defeated the terrifying behemoth. Their strength was unquestionable.


    Elowen just felt that John, being a human and only a temporary resident, had already done enough. It seemed unfair to trouble him with every issue.


    Sensing Elowen''s hesitation, John said wryly, "If you keep hesitating, your fellow tribesmen will be in danger."


    "Please, Master John!"


    "No problem. I''ll head back and get Exiled Immortal, and then we''ll set out."


    ...


    Meanwhile, Inside the Bedchamber


    Hearing the entire conversation between John and Elowen, ria''s tense nerves slightly rxed.


    "He may be a scoundrel, but he has a sense of justice..."


    A faint pain in her lower abdomen made ria bite her silver teeth gently.


    Her mind was filled with the images of her recent encounter with John��their bodies pressed tightly together, she could still feel John''s burning warmth and strong heartbeat.


    "What on earth is happening..."


    ��


    On the Other Side


    After returning to his quarters, John went straight to Exiled Immortal''s room and knocked on the door.


    A momentter, Exiled Immortal opened the door slightly, peeking out cautiously.


    "John, what''s up at this hour?"


    "Come with me. There''s abyrinth nearby, and it seems there''s some trouble."


    "Now? But it''s already dark..."


    "Stop whining and hurry up. Helena is taking care of Lily, so you''re the only idle one. If you don''te with me, who will?"


    Without waiting for a response, John grabbed Exiled Immortal by the ear and dragged him out of the room, then turned to Elowen.


    "Lead the way, Elowen. We''re heading out now."


    "Thank you, Master John."


    Although it was gettingte, John and Exiled Immortal, being yers, could still perceive their surroundings clearly.


    As for Elowen, the elves seemed to have a special ability to see their environment even in the dark, so the trio''s pace was as swift as during the day.


    Within an hour, they arrived near thebyrinth.


    Seeing the dried-up flesh at the entrance and the foul stench of rotting flesh in the air, John frowned and forced himself to approach, speaking in a low voice.


    "This... seems to be fragments of a Giant w Scorpion''s shell. The Giant w Scorpion should be a monster deep within thebyrinth. Why is it at the entrance?"


    "Not just that, Master John. Look here, this nt is called bloodvine, and it only grows deep within thebyrinth. This small piece of bloodvine is at least a hundred years old to be this thick."


    Elowen, having lived here all his life, knew far more about the area than John.


    To John, thebyrinth might just be a dungeon providing experience and gear for yers.


    But to Elowen, every minor change could lead to disastrous consequences, so he couldn''t afford to be careless.


    "Master John, is it possible that something within thebyrinth drove these monsters out of their habitats, forcing them to escape?"


    "Usually, that wouldn''t happen, but it''s not impossible. We''ll only know what''s going on once we enter thebyrinth. By the way, you said the elven scout team got lost inside. Can you locate them?"


    "It''s a bit difficult. I can only sense their position vaguely within a five-kilometer range, and it''s not very urate. If it were Her Majesty, she could precisely locate our people even from dozens of kilometers away."


    "Your queen is currently... unavable. Five kilometers... it''s not much, but it''s better than nothing. Exiled Immortal, stop yawning. Lives are at stake, so stay alert."


    "Got it, John."


    Exiled Immortal shrugged and, with a thought, a wind rose around him, lifting the dried flesh off the ground. He gathered it and buried it underground.


    As yers, they wouldn''t be affected by disease, but if the decaying flesh brought some sort of gue, it could be devastating for the natives.


    After clearing the entrance, John and the others prepared to enter thebyrinth. John took out a torch from his yer inventory.


    Exiled Immortal led the way, controlling his flying sword to circle around him, ready to fend off any enemies that might attack from the shadows.


    Elowen stayed in the middle, in a rtively safer position. Given his strength, it wouldn''t be fair to have him guard the rear.


    "Master John, if we encounter any unmanageable danger, please make sure you and Mr. Exiled Immortal leave this ce immediately."


    "If we leave, what about you?"


    "This is an elven matter. I already feel very guilty for troubling you repeatedly. If anything were to happen to either of you because of us, I would be truly remorseful, so..."


    "Alright, enough talk. If things get really bad, Exiled Immortal and I won''t hesitate to leave you behind. But with ourbined strength, I doubt you''ll get much of a chance to prove yourself."


    John smiled and patted Elowen on the shoulder, but out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a faint glow in the distance, fleeting but unmistakable.


    "Exiled Immortal."


    "Yes, it seems there''s someone or something ahead. Whether it''s another yer or a monster, let''s stay alert. I definitely don''t want to end up as a bug''s nest in this dark, damp ce."

 Chapter 63: Chapter63-Sonic Bat

    "Master John, I..."


    "Tsk, what is it now? Elowen, if you''re scared, you can leave. I won''t mind."


    "No, I''m not scared, Master John. I just wanted to tell you, I think I can sense my kin. They''re not far ahead."


    Following the direction Elowen pointed, and confirming it aligned with the faint glimmer he''d noticed earlier, John exhaled deeply, retrieving the [Firewalker Dagger].


    He also took out several giant carnivorous nt seeds, clutching them in his palm, ready to act at any moment.


    With this thought, Exiled Immortal and the others continued to advance.


    The deeper they went, the thicker and sweeter the metallic scent in the air became.


    "Such a heavy stench of blood..."


    Elowen pinched his nose; to him, the bloody smell was like a deadly poison, unbearably foul.


    "Watch out!"


    At that moment, Exiled Immortal suddenly shouted, his fingers forming a sword gesture.


    He directed his flying sword forward like a shooting star.


    In the next second, the sound of metal shing echoed as Exiled Immortal''s flying sword was easily deflected, falling to the ground.


    "John!"


    "Got it!"


    Understanding immediately, John pulled the pin on a re and hurled it into the distance.


    The dazzling light instantly illuminated the surroundings, allowing John to finally see the scene ahead.


    There stood a yer d in heavy armor, with only a pair of blood-red eyes exposed. Most likely, a knight ss!


    "It''s... it''s Lyra!"


    Unlike John, Elowen''s attention was entirely on the figures sprawled on the ground.


    Noticing the four-leaf clover pendant on the chest of one headless corpse, Elowen''s face turned deathly pale. Ignoring the danger, he rushed forward!


    Seeing this, John couldn''t even stop him and could only signal Exiled Immortal to cover Elowen.


    Strangely, as John and the others approached, the armored figure chose to stop fighting, sheathing the giant sword before turning to flee into the darkness.


    With the re burning out, thebyrinth returned to darkness, illuminated only by the faint glow of metal and fireflies.


    "Lyra, is it you, Lyra!"


    Elowen knelt on the ground, cradling the headless corpse, gripping the four-leaf clover ne tightly, his eyes bloodshot.


    There was no mistake, absolutely no mistake.


    Because he had heard that four-leaf clovers bring good luck, Elowen spent a long time searching in the dense forest until he finally found one. After preserving it in a special way, he made it into a ne and gave it to the girl he loved the most.


    Elowen vividly remembered the deep affection in Lyra''s eyes when she received the ne.


    They were supposed to be an enviable couple.


    Elowen had even nned to request a soul-binding ceremony from Her Majesty the Queen for himself and Lyra after some time.


    But he had never imagined that their reunion would be in such a manner.


    Tears of regret streamed down Elowen''s face. He hated himself more and more.


    Why had he agreed to Lyra''s request to join the scout team?


    It was his indirect decision that led to Lyra''s death!


    Listening to Elowen''s heart-wrenching cries, John''s lips quivered.


    He wanted to say something but didn''t know how, so he just patted Elowen on the shoulder.


    "My condolences."


    "We can almost be certain that the ones who killed Lyra and the elf scout team were humans."


    John understood the unsaid part of Exiled Immortal''s statement.


    The ones who killed them were not just humans but also a yer.


    "Master John, Master Exiled Immortal... I, Elowen Viss, swear by my life! If you two are willing to help me bring the murderer to justice, I will serve you both for the rest of my life!"


    "There''s no need for such heavy words. Even if you didn''t ask, we wouldn''t stand by and do nothing."


    John sighed softly, somewhat understanding Elowen''s feelings at that moment.


    "Are you in any condition to continue? I think you should take your kin''s bodies back to your haven. As for the murderer, we will help you avenge them."


    "I cannot agree to that."


    Elowen sniffled, cradling Lyra''s body as he struggled to stand, a determined look in his eyes.


    "I must avenge Lyra myself, even if it costs me my life!"


    At this, John and Exiled Immortal exchanged a nce. From Elowen''s words, it was clear he was resolute, so they let him be.


    Elsewhere in thebyrinth, Lawrence removed his helmet, a shadow crossing his eyes.


    "John, oh John, I never imagined I''d encounter you in a ce like this. If it weren''t for you, I wouldn''t be in this situation now."


    Hiding every day, never seeing the light, confined to thisbyrinth.


    "This time, I will make you pay!"


    ...


    "Elowen, are you sure you want to carry their bodies? I mean, I''m just worried that if we get into a fight, we might not be able to protect them."


    "I want to take them home. I can''t let their bodies rest forever in thisbyrinth. Master John, don''t worry, I will take care of myself and them."


    "Very well, be careful. The smell of blood might attract many monsters."


    To the monsters living in thebyrinth, the scent of fresh blood is the best bait, adding unnecessary trouble for John and his group.


    They had barely walked a kilometer when they encountered dozens of carrion worms.


    Although these creatures posed no real threat, Exiled Immortal could easily dispatch them with a single sword strike.


    But their sheer numbers were overwhelming.


    "This should be the right direction, but I can''t shake this feeling of unease. What is going on?"


    John frowned, staring intently at the shadows ahead.


    The tunnel before them seemed like a gaping maw, ready to unleash a bloodthirsty monster at any moment.


    "Uh... a friendly warning, you all should be careful. It looks like a wave of monsters is heading your way."


    The woman''s timely warning rang in John''s ears.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, he immediately alerted Exiled Immortal.


    "Something''sing!"


    "Wha..."


    Before Exiled Immortal could finish his sentence, a sharp screech exploded in front of him.


    By the time he realized what was happening, a bat with blood-red eyes had already charged at him!


    "Sword Dance!"


    Instinctively, Exiled Immortal attempted to use a ss skill he had learned after his second ss change.


    But the screech echoed again, forcibly interrupting his casting!


    "It''s a sonic bat! Exiled Immortal, don''t use skills, fall back quickly!"


    His casting interrupted, Exiled Immortal was momentarily disoriented.


    In that brief moment of distraction, the bat sank its teeth into his wrist.


    In an instant, the poisoned status refreshed on the status bar. John hurriedly took out a re, pulled the pin, and hurled it at the sonic bat. The intense light barely managed to drive it away!


    "Antidote!"


    "No good, there''s a paralysis effect. I can''t move!"


    Exiled Immortal gritted his teeth, watching helplessly as his HP continued to drop.


    At the crucial moment, John took out an antidote and tossed it to Elowen, who immediately understood, rushing forward to pour the antidote into Exiled Immortal''s mouth.


    Once the negative status was removed, Exiled Immortal quickly regained hisposure, using the green wind to form a barrier in front of him, keeping the sonic bat at bay.


    However, the overwhelming number of monsters made it impossible for John and the others to advance!


    If they were outside thebyrinth, this level of monsters wouldn''t pose any threat to John and Exiled Immortal at all.


    But within the narrow confines of thebyrinth, they couldn''t utilize their full strength.


    Despite racking his brains, John couldn''t think of any alchemy that could help.


    Fortunately, she was still there!


    "How foolish. To deal with such a weak swarm of monsters, just use incendiary bombs and it''s easily resolved."


    "Incendiary bombs? Is that alchemy?"


    "Of course! I distinctly remember teaching you this. You couldn''t think of it yourself? I told you, yourprehension is average. Admit it now, don''t you?"


    With the woman''s reminder, John suddenly realized and shouted, "Exiled Immortal! Buy me five minutes!"


    "You better hurry, John. It''s not just sonic bats, there seem to be other monstersing our way too!"

 Chapter 64: Chapter64-Familiar Faces

    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    In less than five minutes, ten incendiary bombs were freshly made.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, John hurled the bombs at the sonic bats.


    One of them hit a sonic bat squarely, rebounding off and colliding with the ground.


    The next moment, a deafening explosion erupted, and a wave of scorching heat rushed forward.


    Exiled Immortal instinctively raised a wind barrier, shielding John and the others.


    "It''s not over, keep throwing!"


    With the woman''s reminder, John threw the remaining incendiary bombs, finally managing to take out the sonic bat swarm along with many other monsters.


    In an instant, a massive amount of experience points surged into John''s mind.


    This attack alone leveled him up twice, bringing him to level 45.


    "Not bad. Though you''re a bit slow on the uptake, your execution skills are fine. Ten tries and not a single failure."


    The woman''s timely praise did little to lift John''s spirits.


    He truly despised the cramped confines of thebyrinth, unable to fully utilize his abilities.


    If they were outside, would he need to go through all this trouble?


    A single giant carnivorous nt seed would turn any pesky bats into fertilizer.


    "Whew... I thought I was a goner today."


    Even after dealing with the monster swarm, Exiled Immortal still felt a lingering fear.


    It was the closest he''d evere to death.


    With thebined effects of the sonic bat''s bites and the poison, Exiled Immortal''s HP had dropped by half.


    He quickly gulped down a basic HP potion, filling his health bar, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Daydreaming in abyrinth? What do you think this is, an amusement park?"


    John rolled his eyes and turned to Elowen.


    "What about you? Are you alright?"


    "I''m not hurt, just barely holding up."


    Elowen nodded.


    Besides looking a bit pale, he seemed fine.


    During the battle, though worried, Elowen could do little, making him the least involved and least exhausted among them.


    "Let''s move on. This time, stay alert. You were lucky this time, but next time might not be so forgiving. I''ll take the lead."


    John bypassed Exiled Immortal and took the front position.


    Thinking for a moment, he decided to take out all the useful items he had, ready to face any sudden challenges.


    Meanwhile, elsewhere in thebyrinth.


    Hidden in the shadows, Lawrence''s expression darkened as he saw John and his group emerge unscathed.


    These sonic bats had troubled him for a long time, and he hadn''t found a way to counter them. He had nned to use them to eliminate John and the others.


    But unexpectedly, John and his team had dealt with the bats so easily, using just a few items and some antidotes.


    Thinking of the trouble he had faced with the sonic bats made Lawrence''s expression even more bitter.


    "Damn it, damn it! Why can''t you just die obediently? Why!


    No... I still have a chance, I still have a chance! John, you can''t possibly know thisbyrinth better than I do. This time, I won''t fail. I will definitely take you down!"


    ...


    "Strange, where''s John? Exiled Immortal isn''t here either. Where did the two of them go?"


    Inside the dwelling!


    Helena pushed open the door, nning to discuss something with John. But after searching everywhere, she couldn''t find him, nor could she find Exiled Immortal.


    "Where could those two have gone?"


    John had mentioned going to see the Elf Queen, so he might not be back yet, which was understandable.


    But what about Exiled Immortal?


    He had never disappeared like this before.


    She nced at the status bars of John and Exiled Immortal. Both were still online, ruling out the possibility of them logging off.


    "Well... although it''s not very nice to do this, I should track their location."


    After her sessful ss change, the thing Helena was most pleased with was her ability to locate her teammates at any moment, at the cost of just a bit of stamina.


    Activating her ss skill, Helena unfolded the map. It clearly showed John and Exiled Immortal''s current location, deep within thebyrinth of the Deep Forest. She furrowed her brow.


    "Strange, why did those two suddenly go to thebyrinth?"


    Secretly leveling up seemed unlikely. With her talent boosting them, their levels had always been ahead of most yers. There was no risk of falling behind.


    Was it for equipment?


    That didn''t make sense either. While most yers were still transitioning with exquisite-tier equipment, they had already started pursuing set attributes for their gear.


    "No, I need to go check it out. Besides, Lily logged off to rest, and I''m bored alone."


    With that thought, Helena locked onto John''s current location, left her dwelling, and headed into the dense forest.


    ...


    At this moment, John faced a major dilemma.


    Before him were two diverging paths.


    The left path had more humid air, suggesting a swamp or ake environment inside.


    The other path looked incredibly dark, the ckness seemingly swallowing all light. Even when John threw in a re, it made no difference; nothing could be seen.


    This made the choice difficult.


    "So, which way should we go?"


    "Um... Master Exiled Immortal, what do you think?"


    "Damn! I have decision paralysis. I hate making choices. Don''t put this on me!"


    Exiled Immortal waved his hands in distress, looking at John for help. "John, you decide. We''ll follow whichever path you choose."


    "Alright then... Eenie, meenie, miney, moe, catch a tiger by the toe. If he hollers, let him go, eenie, meenie, miney, moe... right!"


    Exiled Immortal: "..."


    Elowen: "..."


    For such a critical decision, Exiled Immortal could never have imagined that John would use such a childish method to decide.


    However, John''s choice made Lawrence, who was hiding in the shadows, gasp in surprise.


    Lawrence had spent nearly a month in thebyrinth, gradually learning itsyout. Despite the right path looking dangerous, in reality, it waspletely empty, not even a single monster. It just looked intimidating.


    Lawrence never expected John to choose this path and proceed with unwavering determination!


    At this rate, they were likely to run into each other very soon!


    "Um... John, it''s too dark here. We can''t see anything. Should we go back and take the other path?"


    "Once we''ve chosen, there''s no turning back. That other path might be the real dead end. I''m not turning back until I''ve hit a dead end."


    John looked ahead, his steps firm, throwing res as if they were free, trying to illuminate everything around them.


    One of the resnded right at Lawrence''s feet, bursting with light and illuminating the area instantly.


    Lawrence''s unforgettable face was clearly seen by John and Exiled Immortal.


    In that moment, Lawrence reacted swiftly, first stomping out the re and then donning his helmet.


    He crushed a targeted teleportation scroll he''d prepared earlier, his figure bing ethereal within a hexagram array until hepletely vanished.


    Even at this moment, John and Exiled Immortal stood frozen, their eyes wide with shock.


    "Jo-John, there shouldn''t be ghosts in this game, right?"


    "I don''t think so�� Even if there were, they wouldn''t show up here."


    "So that means what we just saw wasn''t a ghost, but Lawrence?"


    John remained silent.


    Was it Lawrence?


    That face was unmistakable, etched in his memory.


    But if it really was Lawrence, how did he escape from Lily?


    Countless thoughts swirled in John''s mind, eventually converging into a single sentence.


    "Exiled Immortal, we absolutely cannot tell Helena about seeing Lawrence here today."


    "If Big Sis finds out, she''ll probably be really mad..."


    "Mad? Have you thought about what she might do if she knows Lawrence isn''t dead?


    Besides, I don''t intend to keep it from her forever, just haven''t figured out how to tell her yet. Just do as I say."


    "Got it," Exiled Immortal replied, a bit nervously.

 Chapter 65: Chapter65-Deep Within the Labyrinth

    "Master John, Master Exiled Immortal, do you recognize that person from before?" Elowen asked, confused.


    For a brief moment, they had been so close to the murderer.


    John and Exiled Immortal should have had every confidence in dealing a heavy blow to him, yet both had frozen in ce, not making a move.


    Facing Elowen''s question, John sighed deeply and replied, "I don''t mean to hide anything from you.


    The person we saw, I indeed recognize. He was once apanion of Helena and Exiled Immortal.


    In the end, however, he cruelly killed another teammate, forcing us to take action and eliminate him.


    The strange thing is, I thought he was dead. I never expected to encounter him here."


    John rubbed his temples, still finding it hard to believe what he had seen.


    Yuta, who had been directly hit by [Starfall], was instantly killed, and although Lawrence, being a knight, had more stamina, he shouldn''t have had any chance of escaping.


    After all, both the leaderboard and the friends list had shown Lawrence''s death status. How had hee back to life?


    "I''m sorry, Elowen. It was our momentary distraction that allowed Lawrence to escape. I will give you an exnation for this."


    "No, it''s alright. I understand your feelings, Master John. If an oldpanion came back to life, anyone would be stunned. But please understand my feelings as well. I won''t rest until I avenge Lyra''s death!


    It''s my oversight to impose this on both of you. I will continue to pursue that murderer. During this time, you can choose to stand aside. As long as you don''t interfere, I will be satisfied."


    "Elowen, you misunderstand. I have no qualms about helping you kill him. Lawrence''s sudden appearance just startled me. Next time we meet, I won''t hesitate to act."


    "Jo-John... who did you say you saw?"


    Unnoticed by everyone, Helena had somehow already made her way into thebyrinth. From a distance, she spotted John and the others.


    Initially, she intended to ask John and Exiled Immortal why they were acting alone, but she overheard the name Lawrence, which only deepened her curiosity.


    "I think I heard you mention Lawrence. Did you see him?"


    John''s face turned pale as he instinctively looked at Exiled Immortal.


    Thetter immediately turned his back, pretending to be on alert, clearly not intending to share John''s burden.


    But how was John supposed to answer Helena''s question?


    "H-How could that be? You must have misheard. How could we encounter Lawrence in a ce like this? He''s dead, after all. He can''t be here, right, Exiled Immortal?"


    John grabbed Exiled Immortal by the cor, pulling him over. Exiled Immortal''s legs iled like he was dog-paddling, his face nk as he stared at Helena.


    "That''s right, Big Sis, you misheard. We didn''t see Lawrence."


    "So, I misheard? No, that''s not the point! Why did you two sneak out? What are you up to? Tell me the truth!"


    "Elowen asked us for help. The elven scout team is trapped in thebyrinth. He hoped we could lend a hand. Since you were taking care of Lily and time was of the essence, we decided toe out on our own. Unfortunately, we were still a step toote. Elowen''spanions have already been..."


    John sighed deeply, filled with regret. If they hade sooner, perhaps there might have been a chance to save them.


    Now, not only did they fail to save anyone, but Lawrence also managed to escape.


    Hearing this, Helena finally noticed the bodies behind Elowen and apologized, "I''m sorry, Elowen..."


    "Miss Helena, I need to continue pursuing the murderer. Could you please take care of mypanions'' bodies? I cannot, and will not, leave them in this dark, damp ce. If possible, I want to take them home."


    "No problem, leave it to me."


    "Then it''s settled. Exiled Immortal, you stay here and protect Helena. I''ll go further into thebyrinth with Elowen."


    Without waiting for a response, John pushed Exiled Immortal aside and gave him a meaningful look.


    Exiled Immortal inwardlymented his fate.


    If he could, he really didn''t want to be left alone with Helena right now. After all, he had indeed seen Lawrence.


    If he identally let something slip and Helena found out, what then?


    But leaving Helena here by herself wasn''t appropriate either...


    "Alright, John, you... hurry back," Exiled Immortal said, waving them off. He didn''t want to dwell on it; the more they acted suspiciously, the more likely Helena would get suspicious.


    "Helena, if anything dangerous happens, don''t worry about Exiled Immortal. Just leave immediately. Thisbyrinth... something''s off. Everyone who enters is likely to experience hallucinations."


    "Hallucinations? Abyrinth like this exists?" Helena eximed in surprise,pletely believing John''s words without a hint of doubt.


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal couldn''t help but want to give John a thumbs up.


    With that exnation, even if Lawrence did show upter, Exiled Immortal would have some leeway and wouldn''t be immediately exposed.


    "Anyway... stay safe."


    "I understand."


    John nodded slightly, then turned and led Elowen deeper into thebyrinth.


    One thing John couldn''t shake off was the feeling of unease.


    He wasn''t sure if it was just his imagination, but when he saw Lawrence, he felt a trace of an aura that belonged to [Deception Apostle].


    But how could Lawrence be connected to [Deception Apostle]?


    "Elowen, if we encounter the murdererter, remember not to rush in. Leave everything to me."


    "Thank you, Master John, but if possible, I still hope to avenge Lyra myself."


    "At least wait until I understand the situation before you act."


    John''s sense couldn''t be wrong. It was indeed the aura of [Deception Apostle].


    Unfortunately, the situation was urgent, and John didn''t have the time to think too deeply about it.


    "Elowen, what lies in the deepest part of thisbyrinth?"


    "I''m not entirely sure, but you''ve reminded me, Master John. About a month ago, the Queen came to thebyrinth to suppress a monster uprising. After she left, she ordered the elves to stay away from thebyrinth unless absolutely necessary."


    "The Elf Queen was here?"


    That was strange.


    Would NPCs'' behavior logic prompt them to explore yer dungeons likebyrinths and underground cities?


    John couldn''t figure it out, so he decided not to dwell on it.


    As long as they found Lawrence, all these mysteries would naturally be solved.


    With this in mind, John exhaled deeply and nced at Elowen. His determined gaze showed no hint of hesitation.


    It was clear that Lyra''s death had been a huge shock to Elowen, making it hard for him to ept.


    John could fully understand Elowen''s feelings, but what concerned him more was the connection between Lawrence and [Deception Apostle].


    "Do you remember what the Elf Queen said when she returned?"


    "I can''t quite recall. She only warned us not to approach thebyrinth, saying it was very dangerous. Normally, our patrols don''t go near thebyrinth, so no one paid much attention at the time. Master John, is there a problem?"


    "I think I understand the changes in ria. It''s very likely rted to thebyrinth."


    A month ago, ria went to thebyrinth and then warned her people to stay away from it.


    Around the same time, ria''s desires started to intensify every few days, to put it bluntly, she constantly craved intimacy.


    Thinking of this, John felt a chill run down his spine.


    If his guess was correct, [Lust Apostle] must reside in the deepest part of thebyrinth!

 Chapter 66: Chapter66-Just a Laughable Lie (Part 1)

    "Damn it, damn it! I''m hungry again..."


    Lawrence leaned against the stone wall, his expression osciting between maniacalughter and pained sighs, as if two entirely different personalities were battling within his troubled mind.


    One voice kept urging him to continue the killing spree, while the other repeatedly questioned why he was there.


    The constant sh of these voices had driven Lawrence to madness.


    "I shouldn''t be here, I shouldn''t be... here."


    But no matter how hard he tried, Lawrence couldn''t remember where he was supposed to go.


    "No, John! I''m here to kill John. That''s right! If I kill John, my headache will stop."


    It was as if Lawrence had a moment of rity, and the voices in his head finally aligned.


    He had to kill John.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the sixth level of thebyrinth.


    The torch in John''s hand flickered in the wind, casting orange-yellow light that made his shadow dance on the ground.


    "What a horrible smell... like rotting corpses. Ugh, it''s unbearable!"


    John covered his nose and mouth, ncing at Elowen, whose face had turned deathly pale. John sighed softly.


    The scent of blood was the most repulsive smell to elves.


    Elowen had endured the difort and stayed with John until now, despite the adverse conditions.


    "If you can''t handle it, it''s alright to leave."


    "I''m fine, Master John. I just need some time to adjust..."


    "Don''t push yourself. Since I brought you here, I''ll make sure you get back safely. Otherwise, I won''t be able to face your queen."


    John extended the torch, trying to illuminate the path ahead as much as possible.


    And then, he saw a horrifying scene.


    Not far away, the ground was littered with gruesome remains, with signs of gnawing still visible on them.


    The sight was so repulsive that Elowen immediately fell to his knees and started retching.


    His physical difort couldn''t be hidden with a simple "I''m fine."


    Seeing Elowen in this state, John walked over and patted him on the shoulder.


    After a moment''s thought, he handed Elowen a gas mask he had made for use at the alchemy station.


    "Put this on. It might make you feel better."


    "Th-thank you..."


    Elowen steadied himself, wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and struggled to stand up. He put on the gas mask, and the stench lessened significantly.


    "By the way, Master John, I kept hearing a rustling sound earlier. I thought it was my imagination, but now that the smell has lessened, I still hear it."


    Elowen raised his hand, pointing in a direction, and said in a serious tone, "The sound ising from over there."


    "A rustling sound? Can you be more specific? Is it some kind of monster or footsteps?"


    "Um... neither."


    Elowen shook his head, his sharp ears twitching as if listening intently. John slowed his breathing, trying to make as little noise as possible.


    "It sounds more like... chewing?"


    "Chewing?"


    John frowned, feeling increasingly puzzled.


    "Let''s check it out. If it''s a monster, we''ll deal with it. If it''s Lawrence..."


    He didn''t finish the sentence, but they both understood. If it was Lawrence, he wouldn''t be leaving here alive.


    Using the faint light from the torch, John and Elowen cautiously moved forward.


    The chewing sound grew clearer to John, making them both tense up, ready for any sudden encounter with an unknown threat.


    Then, they saw it: a figure crouched on the ground, gnawing on a decaying corpse. John was startled by how close they had gotten without noticing.


    "Lawrence?"


    John''s brows furrowed as he tentatively called out, but the figure gnawing on the corpse gave no response.


    "Lawrence!"


    John''s shout finally stirred the figure on the ground. After a moment of dazedness, Lawrence turned his head towards John.


    His once fairly handsome face was now smeared with blood and grime, rotting flesh clinging to his skin.


    Upon closer inspection, there was even half a chewed insect wriggling at the corner of Lawrence''s mouth.


    Seeing this, Elowen couldn''t hold it in and vomited again. Fortunately, he managed to remove his gas mask before doing so, avoiding a mess inside the mask.


    John patted Elowen''s shoulder reassuringly and motioned for him to step back.


    "Step back. Leave the rest to me."


    "Sorry, Master John, I..."


    "It''s okay. I understand."


    John waved his hand dismissively, then turned his attention back to Lawrence.


    "Look at you, Lawrence. What a pitiful sight you''ve be."


    "John, you''re John!"


    "I''m surprised you still remember my name. Have you forgotten that you were once human?"


    John nced at the mangled corpse Lawrence had been feeding on, its ribs exposed. He sighed.


    "Why do this to yourself? If Helena saw you like this, what would she think?"


    As John spoke, his hidden hand gripped the [Firewalker Dagger] tightly.


    "Helena... who is that? No, it doesn''t matter! You''re John! I just need to kill you, and the damn voice will stop! Killing you is all I need!"


    Lawrence''s lips curled into a maniacal smile, his eyes wild with madness.


    In the next instant, a giant sword appeared out of nowhere. Lawrence swung it, and the gust of wind from the swing sent chunks of flesh flying towards John!


    The sudden turn of events didn''t throw John off bnce.


    He calmly threw out the giant carnivorous nt seed while positioning his short sword in front of his chest to brace against the blow.


    After all, Lawrence was a knight ss with high stamina and attack stats, making it impossible for John to match him in a direct confrontation. But, as the woman had said, alchemy could bring about miracles!


    Even if it meant stalling, John could oust him!


    In an instant, the giant carnivorous nt sprang up, piercing through the entire sixth level of thebyrinth.


    Its massive trunk exuded a tremendous pressure, standing firmly between John and Lawrence!


    This alchemical creation, capable of restraining and consuming behemoths, formed a barrier that seemed insurmountable for Lawrence.


    To kill John, Lawrence would have to cross this chasm!


    But Lawrence, who had rampaged through thebyrinth with impunity, wasn''t about to be stopped by a mere nt.


    "[ss Skill: Holy Light Cross sh!]"


    Lawrence shouted, his giant sword enveloped in blinding light. Each swing sent a radiant de flying out, striking the giant carnivorous nt''s trunk.


    After three shes, the nt''s stem was teetering, its life force rapidly draining as sap gushed from the wounds.


    "Thorn Cage!"


    John, shocked by the sight, quickly responded. Modified seeds, enhanced through alchemy, burrowed into the ground, and countless vines shot up, forming a cage around Lawrence!


    "[ss Skill: Unbreakable Barrier!]"


    Boom!


    With a thunderous crash, Lawrence drove his sword into the ground.


    A barrier of holy light erupted in front of him, grinding against the thorn cage, producing a nerve-wracking screeching sound as the two forces shed.


    However.


    The vines ultimately weren''t as resilient as the shield of light. With a series of snapping sounds, the vines all broke!


    "Now, what else do you have that can stop me, John?"


    As Lawrence shouted menacingly, John couldn''t help butugh. Hisughter was wild and unrestrained, causing John to double over.


    Lawrence was taken aback, clearly not understanding what was happening.


    "Shut up! What''s so funny? John, you''re on the brink of death!"


    "On the brink of death? Hahaha! You really are foolish! Before seeing you, I didn''t understand, but now, I think I get it. Why you''re still alive, yet your name isn''t on the Leaderboard. It''s because this is nothing more than a ridiculous lie."

 Chapter 67: Chapter67-Just a Laughable Lie (Part 2)

    "What... what lie? John, do you think I won''t kill you just because you''re spouting nonsense? It''s all your fault I''m like this!"


    "Wrong again. The fact that you ended up like this is entirely your own doing. You have no one to me but yourself."


    John scoffed, raising his head to look directly into Lawrence''s blood-red eyes. He spoke steadily.


    "After the disaster, allws disappearedpletely. Nothing could bind you anymore, so you unleashed the nature you had kept hidden inside.


    You were always cruel and inhuman; it was thew that forced you to suppress your nature. Now, your chance hase.


    Your almost pathological need for control makes you want to dominate everyone and everything around you.


    So, whenever someone or something beyond your control appears, you do everything you can to eliminate it.


    Qing, Helena, and I all faced this because you knew deep down that you could never control us, so you chose to kill us."


    John took a deep breath, put away the [Firewalker Dagger], and stood with his hands empty, calmly looking at Lawrence.


    "Aren''t you curious? You were clearly killed by Lily''s [Starfall], so how could you be alive again?


    Let me reveal the truth to you. There is no such thing as resurrection.


    Even if there were, a miracle like that would never happen to someone as rotten as you. The fact is, you''re dead. You just can''t ept it, so you''ve fabricated this lie that you''re still alive."


    At this point, John was certain that all this was the work of [Deception Apostle].


    Otherwise, how could Lawrence be standing here, alive, when all evidence pointed to his death?


    "I can even smell the foul stench of [Deception Apostle] on you. Don''t you get it? You''re already dead."


    Hearing this, a locked-away memory in Lawrence''s mind seemed to awaken. He took a few steps back, shock written all over his face.


    "This... this can''t be. I''m not dead! You''re talking nonsense!"


    "Stop deluding yourself. The whole world has epted your death. You''re the only one who can''t. What''s the point of clinging to this?"


    "No! Absolutely not! You''re lying. It''s you who''s lying! How could I..."


    Lawrence''s voice cut off abruptly.


    His chest swelled rapidly, like a scene from a horror movie where something is about to burst out from within.


    In that moment, a brief rity returned to Lawrence''s eyes.


    He looked up at John, a calm smile spreading across his face.


    "John, I''ll be waiting for you in the Abyss!"


    Bang!


    As soon as he finished speaking, his body exploded, sending shards of flesh and blood flying.


    John stepped back, staring intently at the figure of [Deception Apostle] rising from within Lawrence. His voice was unnervingly calm.


    "I knew it had to be you behind Lawrence''s situation."


    "Just a little joke. Besides, without him, how else could I get a vessel to sneak in?"


    [Deception Apostle] shrugged and smiled. "But regardless, I''m pleased to see you''ve mastered the abilities of a [Trickster]."


    "Even death can be deceived. The more I think about it, the more I realize that partnering with you was a mistake."


    "Don''t say that. Up until now, I''ve never lied to you."


    "Who knows? Enough talk. Why are you here?"


    "Two things."


    [Deception Apostle] brushed the bloodstains from his clothes and straightened the folds on his shoulders before speaking in a serious tone. "First, the soul you asked me to find��I brought it."


    With that, [Deception Apostle] tossed a pure white crystal, about the size of a fist.


    "This is Qing''s soul. Extracting it wasn''t easy."


    "Thanks. I owe you one for this. What''s the second thing?"


    "You''ve probably sensed it too, right? [Lust] is sealed here, in the deepest part of thebyrinth. He shouldn''t have appeared in the game world, but I don''t know the exact reason why he did."


    "Since you''re here now, help me kill [Lust] and take his power."


    "Sorry, no can do."


    [Deception Apostle] shook his head with a wry smile. "Do you think an [Apostle] is like a final boss in a game? No, no, no. It''s far moreplicated than that.


    I don''t know why [Lust] is here. The only thing I know for sure is that he is an immortal presence in this world.


    To put it in your terms, [Lust] is like a malignant bug. Only the game''s developers can delete this bug. We can''t."


    "What do we do then?"


    John frowned, his face darkening. Knowing that an [Apostle] was right there but being unable to do anything about it was a huge blow, making it hard for him to ept.


    "There is a way. When [Lust] wakes up, he will be at his weakest. If we can forcibly remove him from the game world then, we can figure out a way to eliminate him. I can help you."


    "And now you''re going to say you have a condition, right?"


    "Bingo! You''re pretty smart. I enjoy talking to smart people; it''s much easier."


    [Deception Apostle] smiled and then looked at the scattered remains of Lawrence''s body, a hint of regret in his eyes. "You killed the vessel I painstakingly found. You need to find me a new one, so I can appear in the game world whenever necessary."


    "Why should I help you? What''s in it for me?"


    Allowing such a ticking time bomb to freely switch between the real world and the game world was something John would never agree to unless he was out of his mind.


    But what [Deception Apostle] said next left John with no room to refuse.


    "What if I told you that before me, another [Apostle] had already awakened and infiltrated, hiding somewhere right now? Would you believe me?"


    John''s face changed dramatically.


    "What did you say?"


    "You heard me. I don''t need to repeat myself. You can choose not to believe me, and I will still help you. But the consequence will be that if this [Apostle] gathers enough power and fully restores their abilities, you, yourpanions, and even the entire world will be doomed. So, John, what will you choose?"


    Facing [Deception Apostle]''s smiling gaze, John remained silent.


    He couldn''t urately judge whether [Deception Apostle] was telling the truth, and he didn''t dare make a rash decision.


    If what he said was true, and another [Apostle] had already infiltrated, it would lead to a catastrophic disaster once they were ready!


    The only way to deal with a tiger was to set another tiger loose in the forest!


    With this thought, John exhaled deeply.


    "It seems you''ve made your choice."


    "Tell me, who has infiltrated the game world?"


    "[Betrayal Apostle]. Somehow, he didn''t fall into slumber. I only recently found out and came to you immediately."


    "[Betrayal Apostle]..."


    John rubbed his temples, his mind racing. In the end, he chose to agree. He really had no other option.


    "I''ll find a new vessel for you, but before that, you must do everything you can to help me kill [Lust]."


    "No problem. That''s why I came here today. I hope we can work well together."


    John hesitated for a moment before firmly shaking [Deception Apostle]''s outstretched hand.


    "[Lust] will take some time to awaken. In the meantime, you need to find a new vessel for me. Once [Lust] wakes up, we must remove him immediately. If he activates his power, even I won''t be able to handle it."


    "Handle it? Is [Lust]''s power that strong?"


    "It''s not about strength. It''s... a very twisted ability. You''ll understand once you experience it firsthand."

 Chapter 68: Chapter68-"This is Domestic Violence!"

    Noticing the strange expression on [Deception Apostle]''s face, John became even more puzzled.


    However, the Apostle''s name gave a clue about his abilities, likely rted to base desires, especially considering the changes in the Elf Queen...


    "I think I get it. He can control people''s lust, right?"


    "Seems you understand quite well. But it''s more than that. This is just a side effect of his power. The specifics, I don''t really know. He and I have never gotten along."


    "Got it. Anyway, wait for my message. I''ll find a new vessel for you as soon as possible. By the way, do you have any preferences for gender or appearance?"


    "If possible, I''d prefer a handsome man, someone fitting my aura."


    John: "��I''ll see what I can do."


    "Alright then, I''ll take my leave. Without a vessel, staying too long might draw attention. Oh, and you should deal with Qing''s soul quickly. Something from [Abyss] in the game world might cause errors. Use your best judgment."


    With that, [Deception Apostle] vanished before John could ask more questions.


    John sighed, his mood plummeting once again. Juggling three [Apostles] at once was exhausting.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, keeping secrets, are we? Didn''t know you were tangled up with [Apostles] too. I underestimated you, John."


    "You heard all that?"


    "Hard not to, you were practically shouting. So, when did you start getting involved with [Apostles]? From what I know, you should be enemies. They''re not exactly the good guys."


    John felt exasperated. Sure, the [Apostles] weren''t good, but at least they admitted it.


    But what about her?


    To this day, John had no clue about the woman''s origins. No matter how much he questioned her, she never revealed anything about herself.


    John waspletely in the dark.


    "At least the soul crystal he gave you is real. Is it the soul of the person you wanted to resurrect?"


    "Yes, it is. With this soul crystal, can you start the resurrection process?"


    "I told you before, I need other materials too. The divine stone alone isn''t enough."


    "Alright, we''ll take it slow."


    John waved his hand, not wanting to dwell on the topic any longer. He turned to Elowen.


    "Elowen, you saw everything earlier, right?"


    "Master John, the person who crawled out of the stomach, he is..."


    "He doesn''t belong to this world. It''splicated. Just keep this to yourself and tell no one. The person you wanted to kill, I''ve taken care of him for you. Is that a fair deal?"


    "No problem, Master John. I won''t mention this to anyone!"


    "Thanks."


    ...


    Lawrence was now truly dead, reduced to a pile of shredded flesh.


    Soon enough, the monsters in thebyrinth would devour his remains, erasing thest evidence of his existence in this world.


    But his death brought even greater troubles for John.


    The awakening of [Lust], the infiltration of the game world by [Betrayal], and the continuous emergence of [Apostles] weighed heavily on John''s shoulders, suffocating him.


    With only 34 months left on the countdown, how much time did he really have?


    After dealing with the [Apostles], there were still the [Gods]. And after the [Gods], what then? How could this bloody saga evere to an end?


    Unable to untangle his chaotic thoughts, John let his mind wander and led Elowen out of thebyrinth.


    Upon reaching the fourth level to regroup with Helena, they found Exiled Immortal on guard duty while Helena was meticulously cleaning the blood from the bodies of the elven scouts with a damp cloth.


    Seeing this scene, Elowen''s nose tingled, and his eyes quickly filled with tears.


    "Helena, thank you..."


    "It''s nothing. I''m just doing what I can. By the way, has the murderer been dealt with?"


    "Yes, it''s taken care of. It was another yer. I eliminated him," John said calmly, motioning for Exiled Immortal toe over.


    "You''re back, John. Is it resolved?"


    "Yes, it''s done."


    "That''s good..."


    Seeing Exiled Immortal''s expression of lingering fear, John could imagine how panicked he had been earlier.


    "Hey, hey! From the start, you two have been acting strange, saying things that don''t make sense. Is there something you can''t tell me?"


    Helena furrowed her brow and moved closer, staring directly at Exiled Immortal. "Spill it!"


    "N-Nothing, there''s nothing to tell. Big Sis, stop overthinking. Let''s just head back. I really don''t like this creepy ce..." Exiled Immortal averted his gaze nervously and hurriedly walked ahead. His unusual behavior made Helena even more suspicious.


    She felt like John and Exiled Immortal were hiding something from her. But since neither of them was willing to talk, she decided not to press further.


    By the time they returned to the elven haven, it was dawn. Lily had logged back in, looking much better.


    Her weak debuff had disappeared, suggesting she had regained her stamina in the real world.


    As one of the key participants in the events, John apanied Elowen to the pce to exin the situation to the Elf Queen.


    After the previous night''s chaos, ria seemed much better, herplexion notably more radiant.


    Of course, it was also possible that after calming down, seeing John reminded ria of the events of the previous night, causing her to blush.


    "Elowen, I understand the situation. John, thank you."


    "It''s nothing, just doing my duty."


    Doing his duty...


    Hearing those words, ria couldn''t help but feel that John was mocking her. Did this guy think he was the ruler of the elves?


    It was supposed to be just a fleeting romance!


    Even though it was her... first time.


    But so what? She was the Queen of the Elves! She had seen all kinds of things. Sleeping with a man was no big deal!


    ria mentally bolstered her confidence, finally daring to meet John''s gaze. But seeing his deep, ink-ck eyes made her feel a bit guilty.


    "My... Queen?"


    Elowen''s voice pulled ria back from her drifting thoughts. She coughed lightly in embarrassment and said, "Elowen, is there anything else?"


    "My Queen, this is a personal request. Please, allow me to bury Lyra and the others in the Whispering Forest. I know they haven''t made any significant contributions to the elves and don''t deserve to be buried there, but... please!"


    Elowen knelt heavily, lowering his head and not daring to look ria in the eyes. His heart was filled with anxiety.


    What if the Queen refused?


    After all, Lyra and the others did vite the Queen''s orders by approaching thebyrinth without permission.


    Even though their intentions were good, wrong was still wrong, with no excuses.


    Fortunately, ria was not a harsh or unkind person.


    "Do as you said, Elowen. I''m also very sorry about Lyra. I hope you can ovee your grief soon."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty. I shall take my leave now!"


    "Go ahead. John, stay here."


    "Is it already time for another round?"


    Elowen didn''t understand what John meant by that, but ria clearly did.


    "Shut up! This is about thebyrinth. I have some questions for you!"


    John immediately quieted down under ria''s intense gaze, shrinking back and not saying another word.


    Once Elowen had left the pce and it was just John and ria, the Queen dropped her regal demeanor.


    She lifted her gown, quickly descended the stairs, and gave John a hard kick.


    "You bastard! Didn''t I warn you not to say anything!"


    "Ouch! That hurts! What the hell! This is domestic violence!"

 Chapter 69: Chapter69-Your Choice

    "You, shut up! Don''t talk nonsense. Who''smitting domestic violence?"


    ria''s cheeks flushed as she stepped back, seemingly wanting to distance herself from John.


    "It''s you! Who else? You took advantage of mest night and now you''re turning your back on me? ria, you heartless woman! If I had known you were like this, I would never have let you have your way with me!"


    John bit his lip gently, looking as if he were about to cry, which made ria feel utterly disgusted.


    In truth, ria was not a woman who gave herself lightly.


    She had been on the throne for many years, with no partner and no children, truly embodying the principle of purity.


    A woman like her would never willingly surrender her chastity to anyone, especially not a human man she had never met before.


    But what was done was done, and ria had no choice but to ept it, no matter how reluctantly.


    But now, seeing John''s infuriating attitude, ria suddenly felt like her genuine feelings were fed to a dog!


    "Stop that disgusting act! You make me sick!"


    "Tsk, you should have said so earlier. I thought, as a queen, you might like this dominant woman-submissive man dynamic. Honestly, I find it pretty disgusting too."


    Hearing this, John dropped his earlier pretense and smiled. "But regardless, you have to take responsibility. We can agree on that, right?"


    "I-I never intended to shirk responsibility!"


    "Good. Based on your status, I''ve thought of a few options. Hear me out and consider them.


    The first option is that we both pretend this never happened. If we ever have the chance, we can findfort in each other''spany.


    The second option is simple. Since you took my innocence, you canpensate me somehow.


    We''ll treat it as a transaction. Neither of us loses out. I helped you with your difort, and youpensate me with wealth. It''s a win-win."


    As John rambled on, ria''s expression grew colder and colder.


    She had expected John to say something insightful, but it turned out to be such nonsense!


    "John, do you see me as a joke? Is this how you view me? I admit, I never had much fondness for you, but now you only make me feel disgusted!"


    "Are you done?"


    With a smile, John looked at ria and continued, "If you''re done, let me keep talking."


    "What more do you have to say? What else is there? You just think I took advantage of you, right?


    Fine! I did take advantage of you. Take whatever you want and leave! Then, never show your face in the elven haven again!"


    "Hold on, hold on. If you don''t let me speak, I''ll get really angry!"


    John reached out and grabbed ria''s soft cheek, impatiently saying, "What''s wrong with this woman? Not letting people finish their sentences."


    Rolling his eyes, John continued, "The third option, which is my personal favorite, is that I''ll take responsibility for you."


    Switching to a more serious tone, John said, "However, you know my situation. I''m an adventurer and a human; I can''t stay in the elven haven. If you think what happened between us can just be forgotten, then pretend I never said this. But if you''re okay with it, just nod."


    ria stood there, stunned, unsure of what to say. She had thought John might end the conversation with a joke or that he hadn''t thought things through. His formal tone caught her off guard.


    "If you can''t stay, how will you take responsibility?"


    "I can visit you every day, or you coulde with me?"


    John shrugged, casually expressing his deepest thoughts. He couldn''t stay. The two-year countdown was like a death sentence, preventing him from rxing even for a moment.


    "You know I can''t leave. The elves need me; my people need me."


    "I thought as much, which is why I think the first option is pretty good. We pretend it never happened, and that''s enough."


    John smirked, turning to leave.


    "Wait a moment, John."


    "Yes? Is there something else, my Queen?"


    John turned back, his smile gone, and he bowed his head respectfully, not daring to overstep.


    Seeing this, ria felt a pang of sadness.


    "I can''t leave the elves. Right now, they need a leader. That leader can be me or someone else.


    If you help me govern the elves well and resolve all the current issues within two months, I will step down from the throne and go adventuring with you."


    Hearing this, John looked up, a flicker of surprise in his eyes.


    "Would you really do that? You''re the beloved queen of the elves, and you''d give up your throne just for me?"


    "You said you''d take responsibility. Are you lying to me?"


    "That''s settled then. Tonight, put together a list of the current problems facing the elves. It''s time for you to witness the wisdom of modern people."


    "Mod... what people?"


    "Never mind, you wouldn''t understand even if I exined. Just write down your issues, and I''ll help you solve them. Then you''ll willinglye with me, right?"


    Hearing the words "willinglye with me," ria''s face flushed red. She turned away, her voice barely a whisper.


    "I''m just curious about the outside world, that''s all. It has nothing to do with you!"


    "Whatever you say."


    Leaving the pce, John''s mood was lifted. He had expected ria to tly refuse him, but she had offered apromise instead. It seemed that this woman, who was hundreds of years older than him, wasn''t so cold-hearted after all.


    And she seemed to be somewhat pleased with him?


    Thinking of this, John chuckled to himself.


    "What are youughing at, John? You look so silly!"


    Outside the pce, Exiled Immortal was bored out of his mind. Seeing Johne out with a smile, he quickly approached.


    "What happened, John? Tell me!"


    "You''re mistaken, I wasn''t smiling."


    "You were justughing like ''hehehe...'' and you say you weren''t? What''s going on? Come on, tell me, John! I''m dying of boredom here!"


    "Get lost! Kids shouldn''t hear this stuff, got it? Get out of here!"


    John gave Exiled Immortal a good-natured kick, making him stumble.


    "Ask one more question, and I''ll really hit you. Understand?"


    "Got it, got it, bro. I won''t ask anymore, okay?"


    Exiled Immortal pouted, grumbling internally but knowing better than to press further.


    At this moment, John was also somewhat surprised. The Trickster ss had already begun to affect his personality.


    Being able to act so freely and confidently in front of the Queen was something that would have been impossible for the John of his previous life.


    ��


    Returning to his dwelling, John began to ponder the possible issues ria might raise. For the elves, the main problems were likely their habitat and security.


    The former stemmed from some young elves wanting to leave the forest and explore the outside world, while thetter was due to the elves'' weakbat abilities.


    Even goblins could bully them. Being a naturally beautiful race, they inevitably had some shorings in terms of strength.


    "Solving thebat issue isn''t too difficult for me, but the habitat..."


    Territorial matters were always tricky. John couldn''t just wave his hand and allocate a new area for the elves.


    The other races living there wouldn''t simply agree to his demands.


    If John had that kind of influence, he wouldn''t be struggling so much.


    "Anyway, I''ll deal with thebat issue first. As for the habitat, if this girl has any sense, she won''t use it to make things difficult for me.


    Hey! Are you listening? I''m asking if there''s a way to improve thebat abilities of the elves?"


    "There is, but why should I tell you?"


    "You can choose to tell me, or I can throw you into the sewage. Your choice."

 Chapter 70: Chapter70-Seraphina

    "You wouldn''t dare! John, I''m warning you, if you throw me into the sewage, you''re dead!"


    "Watch me! You think you can control me, you pathetic remnant soul? I don''t need you to tell me anything! You''ve been ying mysterious games, not even revealing who you are. Do you think I''m easy to bully?"


    John half-squinted his eyes and flicked open the Eternal Alchemy Bible in his palm, threatening, "I''ve realized I''ve been way too gentle with you. How did I let a dead soul manipte me?


    Do what you want, you can choose not to cooperate. I''ll ept not learning alchemy. But I''m not letting you control me anymore! No more of your conditions!"


    "You insolent brat! Do you know who I am? How dare you speak to me like that?"


    "Yes, like this! If you won''t cooperate without threats, I won''t humor your whims. You can choose to stay silent. I''ll just put you in storage!"


    With that, John crushed a teleportation scroll.


    The hexagram beneath him glowed, teleporting him back to Ad Vige.


    John had made many such scrolls during his idle time, so he didn''t mind using one now.


    Back in Ad Vige, John headed straight to his small cabin, determined to deal with the troublesome spirit.


    He kicked the door open and took out the Eternal Alchemy Bible, mming it on the table.


    "This is yourst chance. Are you going to cooperate or not?"


    "With that attitude, I''d rather die than cooperate!"


    "Fine! You''re a brave woman, I respect that! Don''t worry, I won''t kill you. You''ll stay here, in storage, with plenty of time to think about whether it''s reasonable for a remnant soul to boss around a living person!


    Rest assured, you''ll have all the time you need.


    Even if I only have two years left to live, even after my death, you won''t disappear. You''ll stay here forever!"


    With that, John opened a storage box in the corner and tossed the Eternal Alchemy Bible inside.


    "John, you dare! If you lock me in this damn ce, you''ll regret it!"


    "I''ll be waiting for you to concoct yourself a body ande after me. Go cool off!"


    With that, John didn''t give her a chance to speak, mming the box shut. In that instant, it was as if the outside world had beenpletely cut off.


    No light, no sound��just an eerie silence as if her existence had been wiped away.


    "Jo! Hn!"


    The woman was furious. She had never met someone so infuriating, someone who needed her help yet had such a terrible attitude.


    Trying to force her to cooperate willingly?


    Ha! In his dreams!


    It was just a matter of being alone in this dark, silent ce, with no sense of time passing, no day or night, and no one to talk to or any way to pass the time... right?


    The woman''s anger gradually faded, reced by a deep sense of loneliness.


    After thousands of years of waiting, she knew all too well how terrifying loneliness could be.


    She could never truly get used to it, only forced to ept it.


    Now, she had finally seen a chance to reemerge into the world, but...


    "How long will I have to wait this time?"


    "Until you decide to cooperate."


    John''s voice echoed in her ear. She looked up sharply and saw John standing within the small world inside the Eternal Alchemy Bible, gazing at her with interest.


    "You dare toe see me?"


    "Of course, why wouldn''t I? What can you do, kill me?"


    "Leave! I''m telling you, John, no matter what you try, you''ll never force me to submit!"


    The woman bit her silver teeth, her eyes filled with resentment as she looked at John.


    "I didn''t n on forcing you to submit. I was just trying to scare you a bit. How could I dare lock you up? What if there''s someone behind you who could erase me with a flick of their wrist? I''d die in vain, wouldn''t I?


    Earlier, I couldn''t say certain things because someone was watching me. Now that I''m here, I don''t have to worry."


    John sat down in front of the woman, pointing to his chest, and continued, "You know, I made a deal with [Deception Apostle].


    He promised me the power of the [Gods] in exchange for helping him kill someone. I''m curious, how much do you know about the [Abyss]?"


    "Why should I tell you?"


    "Because if I die, you probably won''t have any chance of being resurrected. Is that reason enough?"


    John shrugged and smiled bitterly, "If you don''t cooperate, I''ll just leave now."


    As he said this, John stood up to leave. Watching his back, the woman sighed deeply.


    "I don''t know much about the [Abyss]. I only remember that it existed from the beginning. I don''t know when it first appeared.


    As for the [Lord of Abyss], that person is very mysterious. No one knows their identity, and naturally, their power is also a mystery.


    But one thing I can confirm is that the [Lord of Abyss] created the [Apostles] and granted them their powers."


    Hearing this, John''s eyes lit up.


    "Anything more specific?"


    "Specific? What do you mean?"


    "The identities of the [Apostles]? Why they were chosen, if there have been any iterations, and which one is the strongest?"


    "I don''t know. I told you, the [Abyss] gradually took shape after my death, bing what you know now. I only have a fragmentary understanding of it, and I''ve told you everything."


    "This... alright."


    John ruffled his hair in frustration and sighed, "And the matter with the elves...?"


    "Use automated sentries to monitor the area around the haven. If any outsiders approach, an alert will be triggered immediately.


    As for the elves'' weakbat abilities, you can create prosthetics to aid in battle."


    "Prosthetics? Alchemy can do that? Cyber elves?"


    "What cyber? Prosthetics are metal armor attached to the body. By inscribing magic patterns on them and activating them with chant essence, they function like most magical devices. As for the haven, there''s nothing I can do."


    "No problem, this is enough. Thanks."


    John stood up and took a few steps before turning back to the woman, staring at her.


    "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"


    "Well, at least tell me your name. How should I address you? It''s rude to just call you ''hey'' all the time."


    "I don''t want to tell you."


    "Tsk, then I''ll give you a name. How about... Invincible Alchemy Queen!"


    "That''s awful! What a terrible name! Just as bad as yours!"


    Hearing this, John was annoyed.


    "Ugh! My name was given by my grandfather. What''s wrong with it? It''s better than yours. At least I''m not too scared to say it!"


    "Who says I''m scared? Why should I tell you?"


    "Fine, whatever you say, Invincible Alchemy Queen. I''m leaving!"


    "Shut up! Don''t call me that! Call me Seraphina."


    John''s taunt worked. Seraphina fell for it, thanks to her fiery temper that hadn''t cooled over thousands of years. If she could adapt even a little, she wouldn''t be in this predicament.


    It seemed John had finally gotten the upper hand with Seraphina.


    "Seraphina... never heard of it, but it''s better than nothing. Thanks for the advice, I''ll head out."


    "Get lost! Just seeing your face annoys me!"


    "That''s too bad because for the next few years, you''ll be seeing a lot of it. You have no choice. Well, you could choose to lock yourself away and never see the light of day again."


    "Get out!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the deepestyer of the Deep Forestbyrinth...


    The seal engraved on the ground glowed with a holy light, but as the ground continued to tremble, that light dimmed slightly.


    From the cracks in the seal, a faint gray mist began to seep out.


    Any monster that happened to pass by and catch a whiff started trembling uncontrobly, bing increasingly frenzied and aroused!

 Chapter 71: Chapter71-The Vessel

    "Again... it''s happening again..."


    Inside the pce, riay on her side on the bed, her breathing bing increasingly rapid.


    Her cheeks flushed, her legs involuntarily rubbing against each other, emitting enticing moans.


    The desire struck her so suddenly that she waspletely unprepared.


    ording to past experiences, at the quickest, it would only ur every three days. But now, only a single day had passed.


    "It must be some mysterious presence deep within thebyrinth..."


    ria''s body grew hotter, and her mind started to blur, but she vividly remembered that to uncover the reason behind the monsters'' agitation, she had to leave her dwelling and venture into thebyrinth.


    Given ria''s strength, the monsters within thebyrinth were no match for her. She almost effortlessly swept through, reaching the finalyer.


    However, at the deepest part of thebyrinth, something she had never seen before suddenly appeared��a strange magic circle.


    Having lived in the Deep Forest for so many years and entered thebyrinth countless times, ria was certain that this peculiar magic circle had never appeared in thebyrinth before.


    Perhaps it was the appearance of this magic circle that had stirred the monsters near thebyrinth, subsequently affecting the elves.


    With this thought, ria intended to remove the magic circle. However, with her knowledge, she had never seen such a formation and had no idea how to remove it. Unable to figure it out, she had no choice but to add anotheryer of magic to reinforce the seal.


    But during this process, a wisp of ashen mist entered ria''s body. Perhaps this was the cause of her current predicament.


    "What kind of existence is that, truly?"


    Just a wisp of that mist was enough to affect her to this extent. If, one day, the being sealed within were to re-emerge into the world, what kind of disaster would it bring?


    ria dared not think about it, as she was already in unbearable agony.


    Perhaps it was due to the intimate encounter with John that she felt the effects even more this time. Her mind was inplete disarray.


    "Jo-John."


    In her daze, ria seemed to see a figure approaching, a bitter smile ying on his lips.


    "How did you end up like this?"


    "Y-You... How did you get here?"


    "Seeing the pcepletely sealed off with vines, I found a way to sneak in. As expected, it''s happening again, and this time seems worse than thest."


    Looking at ria, her eyes filled with seductive allure and her gaze muddled with desire, John let out a long sigh.


    "Calm down. You are the Queen of the Elves. Do not let yourself be ruled by desire."


    Seeing her like this, John felt a pang of heartache but was also reluctant to cross his boundaries again.


    It wasn''t that John was indifferent to ria. On the contrary, watching her enchanting body writhe before him stirred something within him.


    But he did not want to take advantage of her in this state.


    With this thought, John sat at the edge of the bed, gently holding ria''s hand. His expression remained unchanged as he spoke in a deep voice, "Take a deep breath. Steady your rhythm."


    "I... I can''t look at you."


    ria bit her lip hard, even breaking the skin and drawing blood, yet she continued to endure.


    "Seraphina, is there any way to help ria calm down?"


    "This is an [Apostle]''s authority. What do you expect me to do? Either she toughs it out until the authority''s influence passes, or you strip down, and I won''t watch this time."


    "Is there really no way? Not even to alleviate it a little?"


    "You''re surprisingly principled. Well...actually, easing it isn''t too hard. I''m just afraid you might not have the guts."


    John''s eyes lit up at this, and he pressed further, "What method?"


    "Knock her out. Once she''s unconscious, her body''s sensory perception won''t be as sharp, naturally relieving her."


    John: "...What a brilliant idea!"


    What kind of joke was this?


    Setting aside whether John could bring himself to do it, ria was one of the strongest warriors in the second district, at level 60. How was John supposed to knock her out?


    "Then there''s nothing I can do. Once under an authority''s power, unless you deal with the authority''s source or the [Apostle] willingly releases it, no one can interfere."


    "I understand..."


    John sighed deeply, gently freeing himself from ria''s grasp.


    "I''ll leave now. Hang in there; it will pass soon."


    "Don''t...don''t go..."


    Looking into ria''s eyes, now zed with ayer of moisture, John steeled himself and turned away.


    After leaving the pce, one thought dominated John''s mind.


    Find a vessel for that [Deception Apostle] right now, then quickly deal with this bastard [Lust]!


    Since the intervals between the authority''s activations were shortening, it meant that [Lust] was about to awaken, and trouble was imminent!


    "A vessel, a vessel...Finding a yer as a vessel isn''t a good choice. yers'' bodies disappear upon death. So, it has to be a creature already existing in the game world."


    The elves were too familiar, and considering what had transpired with ria, John couldn''t bring himself to target them...


    "But, if it''s just a simple vessel, goblins should do, right? After all, we don''t need to rely on the vessel''s abilities...


    Yes, goblins it is!"


    Goblins were numerous, virtually everywhere, and incredibly resilient. Even if half-dead, they could fully recover in just a few days, making them the perfect choice!


    With this in mind, John didn''t hesitate any longer. He crushed the teleportation scroll to Ad Vige, and momentster, he appeared outside the vige.


    This time, John didn''t return to the vige but headed in the opposite direction, intending to enter the Monster Cave.


    As the lowest-level dungeon for novice yers, the Monster Cave was filled with basic monsters like slimes and cave goblins in overwhelming numbers. Catching a few dozen was no problem at all.


    As expected, within ten minutes of entering the Monster Cave, John encountered a whole group of cave goblins, about fifteen or sixteen in total.


    However, what puzzled John was that these cave goblins were higher level than he had anticipated.


    Their average level was over fifteen, a strength sufficient even for the dungeons in Calia City.


    But given the urgency of the situation, John didn''t dwell on it. He assumed it was an adaptive adjustment of the dungeon. After all, they were just goblins.


    Using a weakened trigger magic trap device, John captured more than ten cave goblins, chained them up, and dragged them out of the Monster Cave.


    As he was leaving the cave, John encountered an unfamiliar face.


    It was a young girl who looked about seventeen or eighteen. Upon seeing John, she became noticeably flustered.


    This was quite strange.


    John knew all the NPCs in Ad Vige, but this girl was a new face. Additionally, since no yer ID appeared above her, she couldn''t be a yer.


    "Are you from Ad Vige?"


    "Um... I got separated from my family''s caravan a few days ago and somehow ended up here. I haven''t been able to contact my family, so I''ve been staying here temporarily."


    "So, a special quest NPC? Am I just being paranoid?"


    John pinched the bridge of his nose and smiled self-deprecatingly.


    Ever since learning that the [Betrayal Apostle] had infiltrated, John had be overly suspicious of everyone.


    Having confirmed her identity, John saw no reason to stay. He crushed a teleportation scroll and returned to the elves'' habitat with more than ten cave goblins in tow.


    The moment John appeared, many elves instantly surrounded him and the cave goblins, forming an imprable circle.


    After all, the sudden appearance of cave goblins had genuinely startled them.

 Chapter 72: Chapter72-The Arrival

    "Master John, why have you brought these filthy creatures back to our habitat?"


    "Master John, please kill them quickly. Cave goblins emit a scent that helps theirpanions locate them. If they stay too long, our habitat will be marked, and that would be troublesome!"


    "Yes, Master John!"


    Hearing the chorus of voices around him, John frowned slightly and, after a moment of silence, responded coldly, "Don''t worry. I will deal with these monsters swiftly."


    "Thank you for your understanding, Master John."


    In truth, over time, the elves'' perception of humans, at least of John and hispanions, had improved considerably.


    John was taciturn but very powerful, personally resolving many crises.


    The young Exiled Immortal was very enthusiastic and quickly bonded with the young elves, even gaining a group of admirers with his good looks and mboyant talents.


    Helena and Lily, both beauties with steady personalities, were quickly epted by the elves, especially with Lily''s [Affinity] talent.


    Although not all humans could be trusted, one thing was certain: no goblin could ever be trusted.


    The Creator was evidently fair, bestowing the elves with exceptional beauty, which made theirbat prowess weak and kept their poption from growing significantly.


    This seemed rted to their physical constitution.


    In contrast, the goblins epitomized ugliness to the extreme.


    With their oddly colored skin, short stature, beady eyes, and grotesque faces, the only simrity they shared with the elves was their pointed ears.


    However, their ugliness came with formidable strength. High-level goblins were quite difficult to deal with, including wizards, cavalry, and priests among their ranks.


    Their exaggerated reproduction rate surpassed even that of humans.


    Nearly all races despised these small creatures, seeing them as harbingers of misfortune. But for John, these goblins were perfect test subjects.


    However, concerning the elves'' habitat, John couldn''t act unterally. Since they couldn''t stay in the habitat, he would take them elsewhere.


    After calling Exiled Immortal, the two of them led the goblins out of the habitat.


    John casually killed two severely injured, heavily bleeding goblins, and then brought the rest to a randomly chosen spot in the Deep Forest.


    "Exiled Immortal, you keep an eye on these goblins. Try not to kill them. I might need to log off for a while, but it won''t be long. Make sure they don''t escape."


    "John, you dragged me all the way out here just to babysit a bunch of goblins? That''s too much!"


    What was the point of guarding goblins? If they died, they could just catch more. They were like locusts��impossible to eradicate.


    "Stop whining. If any of them try to escape or resist, kill them. But keep a close watch on the rest. I''ll be back soon."


    Without giving Exiled Immortal a chance to protest further, John cut off the connection and returned to the real world.


    Time was running short for John. After waking up, he quickly ate some fast food and headed straight for the city center.


    As his strength grew, navigating the ruins and rubble became almost second nature. He moved swiftly, like an extreme sports enthusiast, darting through the city, leaping from building to building.


    In less than ten minutes, John reached the city center. Although he encountered a monster on the way, he easily decapitated it with the [Firewalker Dagger].


    Finally, standing at the edge of the [Abyss], John looked down and spoke in a calm voice.


    "I''ve found a vessel for you, [Deception]."


    "That fast? It better not be an elf."


    "Cut the crap. I feel that [Lust] is about to awaken. You need to find a way to enter the game world and take him out as soon as he wakes up!"


    "Looks like you''re quite interested in [Lust]''s abilities. Hey, hey, hey, you''re not nning to use [Lust]''s power for something shady, are you?"


    "Get lost! Stop wasting time. I don''t have time to argue. Tell me how to help you descend into the vessel."


    Seeing John''s urgent expression, the [Deception Apostle] shrugged and spoke in a deep voice, "It''s simple. Take this hat. When you return to the game world, ce it on the vessel''s head, and I will descend on my own."


    John took the ck top hat from the [Deception Apostle], examined it briefly, and then stored it in his yer inventory.


    "In about twenty minutes, you can descend. As long as there''s a vessel, you won''t be noticed, right?"


    "Exactly. With my skills, fooling a few dumb [gods] is child''s y."


    "Dumb? Maybe not. Whatever, I don''t have time to argue with you. We''ll talk more in the game world."


    With the problem solved, John wasted no time and turned to leave.


    Watching John''s retreating figure, the [Deception Apostle] smirked mockingly.


    "John, John, you''re not asposed as you used to be. Sometimes, impulsiveness can lead to irreparable consequences."


    ...


    Under normal circumstances, John would have wandered around the city to gather useful supplies. But this time, he had no other thoughts. Returning to the warehouse, he immediately logged into the game.


    The bored Exiled Immortal noticed John''s sudden appearance and quickly approached him with bright eyes.


    "John, where did you go?"


    "To take care of something. Exiled Immortal, you can go back now. I''ll keep watch here."


    "No worries. I just found these cave goblins quite interesting. Let me tell you, John, I saw one goblin eating another goblin''s poop earlier. Do you think these goblins are hopelessly stupid?"


    John: "?"


    The act of eating poop was already disgusting, but Exiled Immortal observing the whole thing made it even more disturbing...


    "You... What kind of weird hobby is that?"


    "I just found it amusing. Don''t misunderstand, John!"


    Realizing he might have said something wrong, Exiled Immortal tried to exin but found it difficult to rify his intentions, mumbling without making much sense.


    "Alright, I get it. You don''t need to exin further. Just head back so Helena doesn''t worry. If they ask, tell them I''m handling some personal matters and will be back soon."


    "Got it."


    Exiled Immortal made an ''OK'' gesture, then casually waved his hand. A green wind swirled around him, lifting him into the sky and quickly out of John''s sight.


    Confirming on the map that Exiled Immortal had indeed left, John finally sighed in relief.


    If the [Deception Apostle] situation were to be exposed, John wasn''t sure how he would exin it to Exiled Immortal. It was better to keep it hidden as long as possible.


    With this in mind, John turned towards the cave goblins, bound tightly in chains and unable to escape. He selected a goblin with a rtively intact body and minor injuries, then gently ced the ck top hat on its ugly head.


    The next moment, the ck top hat began to constrict like a vice, squeezing the goblin''s skull. The intense pain made the goblin scream shrilly.


    John frowned, enduring the difort until the goblin gradually fell silent. [Deception Apostle]''s aura started to emanate from the goblin, gradually enveloping it until the descent wasplete.


    "So, this is the vessel you found for me?"


    Noticing he had be a goblin, [Deception Apostle]''s mood soured instantly.


    The dirty, smelly body, pitifully short stature, sparse hair, and raspy voice filled [Deception Apostle] with disgust!


    How did this match his refined demeanor? It waspletely the opposite!


    "Time was short, so I had to use a goblin. The effect is the same, isn''t it?"


    "I seriously suspect you did this on purpose!"

 Chapter 73: Chapter73-Signs of Awakening

    "I think now is not the time for idle talk. [Lust] might awaken soon. I can feel its influence expanding. If this continues, the entire elven habitat will be affected."


    "So what? You''re a yer. Do you have such deep feelings for NPCs?"


    "Cut the crap. Tell me, is there any way to elerate [Lust]''s awakening or counteract its authority?"


    Hearing this, [Deception Apostle] spread his arms, a sinister smile appearing on his grotesque face.


    "I''ve told you before, only authority can counter authority. I thought you were a smart man?"


    "Are you saying I can counteract the negative effects brought by [Lust]?"


    "Of course not. After all, [Lust] is a demi-god. You can''t even touch the pinnacle of mortals, so how could you oppose a demi-god?"


    "Then what do you mean?"


    "I mean, although you can''t, I can. Don''t forget, I am also a demi-god."


    As he spoke, [Deception Apostle] turned and looked in a certain direction.


    "One condition. I''ll help you once, fair and square. What do you say?"


    "What condition?"


    "I haven''t decided yet. I''ll let you know when I do."


    "When can you act?"


    "Please, you gave me a goblin as a vessel. Even if I wanted to help you, I need time to adapt to this body. Otherwise, how could I act?"


    After all, being in the body of apletely different species, [Deception Apostle] had no fondness for this filthy little creature.


    If it weren''t for his master''s orders, he would have already terminated the descent and returned to the real world.


    "How much time do you need?"


    "A day will suffice. In the meantime, find me a safe ce where no one will disturb me."


    "That''s easy. I can take you back to Ad Vige. No one will bother you there."


    With the matter settled, John wasted no time.


    He took [Deception Apostle] back to Ad Vige. After some disguising, he sessfully smuggled [Deception Apostle] into the vige and returned to his residence.


    As a yer''s safe house, the cabin was inessible to others without the owner''s permission.


    Naturally, once inside, leaving was also impossible. Locking [Deception Apostle] in here gave John some peace of mind.


    However, [Deception Apostle] noticed John''s cautious behavior and taunted, "I am your ally now. Isn''t this level of mistrust a bit much?"


    "Trust is earned, especially when you''re not even human."


    John cast a sideways nce at [Deception Apostle], pushed open the door, and motioned for him to enter.


    "Correction, before bing [Deception Apostle], I was human, just like you. If there''s any difference, it''s that I was a bit more handsome."


    "Heh, is that supposed to be a joke?"


    "What, you don''t believe me?"


    "You aren''t trustworthy. I don''t have the energy to argue with you now. When you''re ready, bang on the door, and I''lle get you immediately."


    "Understood."


    John had to admire [Deception Apostle]''s uncanny adaptability.


    Despite being in a goblin''s body, John could detect a certainposure in that grotesque face.


    "Before I leave, is there anything else you need to tell me?"


    "Not at the moment. You can go. Oh, and if you get the chance, give Qing my regards. We got along quite well in the Abyss."


    With that, John closed the door and left.


    "Now... where to go? Mount Olympus... I haven''t been to a ce like that in ages."


    Facing the closed door, [Deception Apostle] chuckled softly, stepped forward, and his body passed straight through it, emerging outside the room.


    Clearly, John had underestimated [Deception Apostle]''s abilities and overlooked one crucial detail.


    This guy''s authority was virtually omnipotent!


    "One day might not be enough time. I should have said more. But then again..."


    If [Deception Apostle]''s perception wasn''t mistaken, the aura of the [Betrayal Apostle] was quite close, seemingly in Calia City!


    "Time to visit an old friend."


    With a single step, [Deception Apostle] transformed the scenery before him from the wilderness of Ad Vige to the outskirts of Calia City.


    Meanwhile, his goblin body began to decay and dissolve into a pool of foul liquid.


    "Using such a thing as a vessel is aplete insult to me."


    Catching sight of a few chatting yers, [Deception Apostle]''s eyes lit up. His form swiftly merged into one of the yers. In an instant, the yer''s name vanished from the leaderboard!


    "Now... which one of you could it be?"


    After briefly adjusting to his new body, [Deception Apostle] nced at the nearby yers, whose faces had turned strange. Before they could speak, he gestured for silence.


    "Quiet. You have forgotten how to breathe. Just stay silent."


    As he spoke, the yers fell to the ground, their faces turning red until they stopped breathing entirely.


    At that moment, [Deception Apostle]''s gaze fixed on someone.


    Seeing the yer with the ID "S." above their head, [Deception Apostle] smiled with an exaggerated curve of his lips.


    "Aha, found you!"


    One thing puzzled him, though.


    Apostles could easily sense each other''s presence. Since [Deception Apostle] could detect [Betrayal Apostle] now, why hadn''t he noticed him?


    "Is he hiding his identity or is there some other reason?"


    This situation was clearly beyond [Deception Apostle]''s understanding, so he decided to investigate.


    Quickly catching up, [Deception Apostle] reached out and grabbed S.''s shoulder. Thetter turned around hurriedly, looking at [Deception Apostle] with a wary expression.


    "What? Oh, it''s you, Xu Quan. What do you want?"


    "You... you don''t recognize me?"


    "What are you talking about? Of course, I recognize you. We even did a dungeon together. What''s going on? Did you lose your mind?"


    brushed off [Deception Apostle]''s hand and asked in confusion, "Forget it. I was just about to find you. I''m nning to run another dungeon and try to get an ornament. Wanna join?"


    "Haha... Interesting, very interesting! So that''s it?"


    [Deception Apostle] suddenly began tough loudly, realizing something. Seeing this, S. stepped back, his brows furrowing.


    "Are you crazy? What''s so funny? Are youing or not?"


    "No need. It seems I''ve underestimated this world and the abilities of those [gods]. To achieve something like this... quite impressive."


    [Deception Apostle] no longer paid attention to S.''s reaction and turned to leave.


    Watching him walk away, S. became even more confused.


    "What an idiot."


    ...


    Leaving Calia City, [Deception Apostle] lost interest in wandering around and returned to the cabin.


    After seeing [Betrayal Apostle], he confirmed some of his suspicions.


    To be precise, [Betrayal Apostle] hadn''t awakened. His entry into the game world wasn''t intentional.


    For reasons unknown, [Betrayal Apostle] and this yer were brought back two years in a temporal regression.


    This happened so suddenly that [Betrayal Apostle] didn''t have time to escape and was forcibly sealed, falling back into slumber.


    Because of this, [Deception Apostle] could sense [Betrayal Apostle]''s presence, albeit faintly.


    "Now that this matter is resolved, I should report to my master. That [Betrayal Apostle] is unlikely to awaken again. Even if he does, he''ll be noticed and eliminated immediately.


    Or... I could seize his authority before he fully awakens and give it to John.


    As long as John gains [god]-level power, the process doesn''t matter much."

 Chapter 74: Chapter74-The Traits of Humanity

    Upon returning to the elven habitat, John noticed that the vines covering the pce had receded.


    After a moment of hesitation, he decided to check on ria.


    He had witnessed her earlier torment and appreciated her resilience in enduring it.


    Entering the pce, John found ria back to her usualposed state.


    Yet, when she caught sight of John, a fleeting hint of joy shed in her eyes before quickly disappearing.


    "Where did you go just now?"


    "I went to prepare something. Your problem might be rted to whatever is sealed deep within thebyrinth. I''m working on a way to deal with it."


    Hearing this, ria felt a warmth in her heart.


    "Th-Thank you."


    "Thank me for what?"


    "You know why. There''s no need to ask. By the way, about what we discussed earlier, are you ready?"


    "You mean helping to reorganize the elves? I''ve been ready for that."


    "Actually, the problems the elves face are quite simple--no more than two points."


    Before ria could finish, John interrupted, "First, the habitat. Second,bat strength. Right?"


    ria was momentarily stunned, then nodded helplessly.


    "You''re right. The issues facing the elves have been umting for a long time."


    "In essence, it''s the same issue. The elves are too weak. In terms ofbat strength, you''re even inferior to goblins. At least they have the advantage of numbers. How many among the elves are as strong as you? The most pressing matter now is to quickly enhance thebat strength of the elves."


    Unlike yers, NPCs can''t continually level up by gaining experience points to boost theirbat abilities.


    Since their inherent capabilities arecking, the solution muste from external aids.


    "Take a look at this. It''s something I''ve developed that might be useful."


    With that, John produced a seemingly unremarkable piece of soft armor and presented it to ria.


    "How do you use this?"


    "It''s simple. No technical skill required. Just wear it and charge it with chant essence..."


    As John spoke, he demonstrated for ria.


    When the chant essence transformed into energy and infused the magic patterns on the soft armor, a bright shield instantly formed around it, providing considerable defense.


    "As long as there''s enough chant essence, this state can be maintained indefinitely. The defense it offers is sufficient for most monsters in thebyrinth. Besides this, I''ve also designed a weapon that requires chant essence to enhance its attack power.


    However, the materials needed for these items are quite rare.


    Mass production would be difficult.


    With the materials I currently have, I can make only about thirty of each. Unless we can obtain more materials."


    "Thirty pieces..."


    For the elf poption of over ten thousand, thirty pieces of armor and weapons were a mere drop in the ocean.


    But ria knew John had already done a lot. How could she be ungrateful?


    "What materials are needed? Maybe I can help."


    "That''s what I was hoping. I''ve prepared a list of materials. You''ll need to send people to collect or purchase them. I can cover the cost of buying the materials."


    As she took the list from John, ria bit her lip lightly, hesitating.


    "John... if that night you hadn''t identally entered the pce, and none of what followed had happened, would you still be willing to make so many sacrifices for me and for the elves?"


    "Most likely, yes."


    "Wh-Why?"


    "Because I kind of like you."


    "You! I knew it, nothing good everes out of your mouth!"


    ria''s cheeks flushed visibly, and she couldn''t bring herself to meet John''s gaze, afraid that another nce would make herpletely fall for him.


    "Alright, we don''t have time for this banter. Get those materials as soon as possible. That thing deep in thebyrinth might wake up soon. When it does, you''ll be affected and unable to fight. Your people need to learn to protect themselves."


    "Yes, I believe they can... they definitely can..."


    ...


    The next morning!


    John rubbed his sore shoulders and dragged his exhausted body out of the room.


    He hadn''t slept a wink all night, tirelessly crafting magical soft armor and weapons.


    The repetitive, mechanical work nearly drained his enthusiasm for alchemy, but it also boosted his Alchemist level, reaching 125.


    His speed and precision improved significantly, though he didn''t unlock more alchemy recipes.


    Not that he needed them. With all alchemy knowledge in his mind, as long as he had the materials, John could probably handcraft a transformer if needed!


    Seeing the bright sunshine outside, John exhaled deeply, nning to set aside his tasks and enjoy some sunlight.


    Just then, apletely unfamiliar face suddenly appeared before him.


    John didn''t recognize the face, but the annoying look in the eyes and the smug grin on the lips unmistakably identified the person as [Deception Apostle].


    But how did he appear here, and why did he switch to a different yer as a vessel?


    A flood of questions overwhelmed John''s mind, leaving him momentarily frozen, his brain struggling to process.


    Seeing the confusion in John''s eyes, [Deception Apostle] smirked and said, "As you can see, your safe house couldn''t contain me. I didn''t like the goblin vessel, so I just picked another one. No problem, right?"


    "What else have you done?"


    "What else could I do? Leaving without permission and switching vessels already pushed your limits. What more could I risk doing?


    Anyway, we''re still allies, right? Please give me a bit more trust, or I''ll feel quite hurt."


    "Allies? That word from your mouth is incredibly ironic."


    John sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. But at this point, what good would ming [Deception Apostle] do? It wouldn''t change the oue.


    "Enough talk. Let''s get to the point. How long until [Lust] awakens, and what about [Betrayal Apostle]''s whereabouts? Don''t tell me you found nothing while you were out wandering."


    "Of course not! Don''t underestimate me. Beforeing here, I visited the Abyss to check on my old buddy [Lust]. He''ll definitely awaken within three days at most. As for [Betrayal Apostle], unfortunately, I couldn''t locate him."


    The lies slipped effortlessly from [Deception Apostle]''s tongue, and John had no reason to doubt him, merely nodding slightly.


    "Three days... enough time for me to prepare."


    "John, what do you n to do when [Lust] awakens? Are you still not going to tell yourpanions the truth?"


    "It''s not the right time yet. This matter doesn''t concern you, so don''t worry about it. I''ll find a reason to keep them here. When the timees, only you and I will face [Lust]. Can you handle it?"


    "It might be tricky, but we will win."


    "Let''s hope so. Do you have any other business? If not, you can leave. A stranger suddenly appearing in the elven habitat might raise suspicions. How do you n to exin your presence?"


    "Don''t worry. No one will notice me except you, not even the elven queen. But you''re right, staying here is indeed boring. We''ll meet in thebyrinth in three days. In the meantime, I need to rx. It''s been a while since I''ve felt this free!"


    [Deception Apostle] turned, looking at the blue sky, a smile flickering in his eyes.


    "Being stuck in that dark, dreary world, I almost forgot the sky was blue and how warm the sunlight feels on your skin."


    "You care about things like that?"


    "Of course! Before bing an [Apostle], I was human too. Do you know what the greatest trait of humans is?"

 Chapter 75: Chapter75-The Meeting of Apostles (Part 1)

    [Deception Apostle] turned back to John, smiling, and said each word deliberately.


    "The greatest trait of humans is their longing for freedom, no matter the circumstances. I''m no exception.


    Alright, enough talk. I''m off to enjoy my freedom. See you in three days."


    [Deception Apostle] waved and walked away, leaving John with a carefree gesture. His figure gradually became more ethereal until it vanished.


    After bidding farewell to [Deception Apostle], John leaned against the railing and let out a long, helpless sigh.


    Coborating with [Deception Apostle] felt like dealing with a devil.


    There was always the risk of being bitten.


    All John could do was to strengthen himself as much as possible before [Deception Apostle] turned against him.


    He never entertained the thought that [Deception Apostle] would help him obediently.


    He vaguely remembered [Deception Apostle] saying he wasn''t content with being just a pawn.


    John had every reason to suspect that everything [Deception Apostle] was doing now was justying the groundwork for bing a yer himself.


    The day he gains the power to control others'' fates, he would undoubtedly betray John without hesitation.


    Lost in thought, John didn''t notice Helenaing through the door and walking slowly up behind him.


    "Hey! Haha, did I scare you?"


    "A little... alright, you got me. How did you sleep?"


    Startled, John turned to face Helena''s smiling eyes and breathed a sigh of relief before asking, "I saw you log offst night. Did you sneak off to eat something?"


    "Of course not! I just felt a bit stuffy and wanted to go out for a walk. Although I studied abroad in your country, this is my first time in your capital. I had to go out and explore."


    "So, did you see what you wanted to see?"


    "Not at all. It''s all ruins and monsters everywhere. The whole world is like this. It''s no different from my home. Maybe this was once a beautiful city, but now, it''s all the same."


    "Actually, Riverside was never a beautiful city. You just had too high expectations."


    John shrugged and smiled, "Do you regret it? Leaving home toe here, only to find it''s nothing like you imagined?"


    "There''s nothing to regret. Even if I had to choose again, I would stille to you. But what have you been up to these days? Always so secretive. Spill it! Have you been up to no good behind my back?


    I asked Exiled Immortal yesterday, and he was all evasive, clearly hiding something!"


    "That terrifying female intuition... Why hasn''t Lily noticed anything?"


    "You think Lily''s stupid? She just doesn''t ask. It doesn''t mean she doesn''t know something''s off. Lily has noticed things aren''t right for a while, but you know her nature--always gentle and soft. If you don''t want to talk, she won''t press you.


    But I''m not like that. If you don''t tell me, I''ll get mad right now! Spill it!"


    "You... really want to know?"


    Facing Helena''s determined gaze, John hesitated, then sighed deeply.


    "I can tell you, but you need to be prepared."


    "Pr-Prepared for what?"


    "The day Exiled Immortal and I went to thebyrinth, we saw Lawrence."


    As John uttered Lawrence''s name, Helena''s smile froze. She stood there, stunned, unable to speak.


    After a long silence, Helena exhaled deeply and asked in confusion, "Lawrence... how could he be here? Isn''t he dead? And why didn''t you tell me this before?"


    "Because Exiled Immortal and I couldn''t exin it either. How Lawrence, who was supposed to be dead, suddenly appeared is beyond ourprehension. Also, I had my own reasons. I was worried that if you knew Lawrence was alive, you might act impulsively."


    John sighed deeply, feeling a pang of regret. If he had known he would have to tell Helena eventually, he might as well have told her from the beginning.


    "I... John, where is Lawrence now?"


    "That''s the second thing I need to tell you. I did see Lawrence, but he died again, right in front of me, turning into a pile of rotting flesh. If he were still alive, I would have brought him to you. But he died right before my eyes... I''m sorry, Helena. I didn''t mean to hide it from you, it''s just..."


    "I understand. You don''t need to apologize. I never intended to me you. It''s just a pity I couldn''t see Lawrence onest time. There were questions I wanted answers to."


    Helena was surprisingly moreposed than John had expected. He had anticipated a much more intense reaction, but she seemed to take it in stride.


    "What, did you think I''d throw a tantrum and start a huge fight with you? Someone who chose to betray us isn''t worth trusting anymore, and Lawrence is no exception. Alright, if there''s nothing else, I''ll head back. Even if I''m not sad, I still need to process this sudden news...


    So that''s that. From now on, no matter what happens, don''t hide it from me. Remember, we are friends, aren''t we?"


    " Friends... huh?"


    John lowered his head and let out a long sigh. "I understand. I''m sorry for making decisions on my own."


    ...


    Meanwhile, deep within thebyrinth!


    A series of crisp footsteps approached, tearing through the gray mist floating in the air as the figure advanced deeper into thebyrinth.


    "Even from afar, I could smell your stench. After all these years, haven''t you thought of taking a bath, [Lust]?"


    "...You, why are you here? Where is this ce?"


    "You don''t know why you''re here? Strange. Could it be that you were identally caught in the temporal flow of the time reversal as well? But that doesn''t matter. What matters is, [Lust], you''ve angered our master. Repeated insolence, defiance, and ignoring orders.


    You even conspired with [Betrayal Apostle] against the master''s kin. Do you think the master is unaware? It was just that the time wasn''t ripe, so you were spared. Now, the time hase, and your good days are over, [Lust]."


    "[Deception Apostle], you liar. Do you think I would believe you?"


    "Believe it or not, I''ve delivered the master''s message. Now you have only two choices. Either surrender all your authority, and I might find you a vessel to stay in this world. Or you can refuse, and when you fully awaken in three days, how much power will you have? A fifth? Probably not even that.


    When that timees, and I forcibly strip the authority from you, you''ll have no leverage left. If you''re smart, you''ll agree to my proposal. So, what will it be?"


    "Authority is a blessing personally granted by the master. No one else has the right to strip it away, not even you!"


    "It seems there''s nothing more to discuss then."


    [Deception Apostle] sighed, a hint of regret shing in his eyes.


    "In that case, there''s no need for me to stay here. I''ll see you again in three days when you awaken."


    "Wait!"


    Just as [Deception Apostle] turned to leave, [Lust] called out to stop him.


    "[Deception Apostle], are you sure the master really knows about that matter?"


    "What do you think? If even I know, how could the master be unaware? You conspired with [Betrayal Apostle] to kill John and did that to Lily. The master didn''t kill you on the spot because the time reversal was too sudden. Otherwise, formitting such a sin, you would be dead for sure!"


    "I... I spent nearly a thousand years to achieve what I have now. No one can make me give it up, not even the master! [Deception Apostle], you must help me, or I will reveal everything about that incident!"

 Chapter 76: Chapter76-The Meeting with the Apostle (Part 2)

    Upon hearing this, the [Deception Apostle] narrowed his eyes, a ruthless gleam shing within them.


    "Are you threatening me? It seems you still haven''t grasped your current situation. What right do you have to negotiate with me?"


    "I don''t care! I won''t give up! You should be well aware of the effort we''ve put in to get this far! If you don''t help me, once our master learns of what you''ve done, he won''t spare you either!"


    At this point, [Lust] was already in a state of reckless abandon, with what little sanity remained nowpletely gone.


    "[Deception Apostle], let''s cooperate! How about we join forces? If you help me escape, the two of us together might even stand a chance against the [Deity], don''t you think? Let''s team up!"


    "Should I call you naive, or adorably foolish? You''re overestimating yourself and underestimating the [Deity]. However... if you were to die, it would indeed affect my ns.


    I have a proposal. If you agree, we''ll cooperate. If you don''t, pretend I was never here. As for tattling, do as you wish."


    "What proposal?"


    "You can transfer part of your core authority to me. I''ll safeguard it temporarily. Once this affair is settled tomorrow, I''ll return the authority to you. This way, you save your life, and Iplete the task our master assigned me. It''s a win-win. How about it?"


    "Impossible!"


    Without a moment''s hesitation, [Lust] tly rejected [Deception Apostle]''s proposal.


    "You''re utterly untrustworthy. Besides, if I entrust my core authority to you, what if you don''t keep your word? You''re the embodiment of lies; I can''t possibly trust you recklessly!"


    Upon hearing this, the [Deception Apostle] couldn''t even be bothered to argue, turning to leave.


    "...Wait! I agree, but I have one condition!"


    As the words fell, the [Deception Apostle] paused once more, a sinister smile appearing on his face, still turned away from [Lust].


    "What condition?"


    "This part of the core authority, I will seal it. Besides me, not even the master can unlock it. I won''t allow anyone else to touch it. If you agree, we will cooperate."


    "No problem. But I also have one condition: if I help you through this, you must do something for me."


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, [Lust] understood their vulnerable position and did not argue further, merely giving a soft acknowledgment.


    "So, a pleasant cooperation?"


    "[Deception Apostle], even if just this once, I hope you will keep your word."


    "Why does everyone think I am untrustworthy?"


    "There''s no need for pretense. You know who you are. After this, I will do my utmost to help you."


    With that, [Lust] attacked the seal once more.


    The seal fortified by ria shattered instantly, and a red-ck light emerged from the fissure, willingly cing itself into [Deception Apostle]''s hand.


    Confirming that this light was indeed [Lust]''s core authority, [Deception Apostle] suddenly smiled.


    "Then, see you in three days?"


    "Don''t forget your promise!"


    ...


    As [Deception Apostle] stepped out of thebyrinth, he suddenly paused, unable to suppress the joy within, bursting intoughter.


    "[Lust], oh [Lust]! After all these years, why are you still so foolish? Despite everything, haven''t you realized that the one certainty is that you should never trust me?"


    Gazing at the radiant light in his palm, [Deception Apostle] took a deep breath.


    After a moment of silence, he abruptly tore open his chest, revealing a deep wound down to the bone, exposing his heart beating wildly within.


    "In the face of lies, nothing is absolute. After all these years, you still don''t understand. Since that''s the case, I will dly ept your authority."


    Merging the light into his heart, in an instant, this portion of the core authority waspletely under [Deception Apostle]''s control. As for the safeguards [Lust] had ced on it, they were effortlessly wiped away.


    From the beginning, [Deception Apostle] had never intended to cooperate with anyone, especially not a fool like [Lust]. Bing his ally would only bring harm, with no benefits whatsoever.


    "In three days, there will be no more [Lust] Apostle in this world. As for your authority, I will inherit it for you!"


    ...


    In a sh, three dayster!


    Before dawn, John knocked on the rooms of Exiled Immortal and the others, gathering everyone into one room.


    "Although we yers don''t need sleep and never feel tired, knocking on doors in the middle of the night is really not friendly, John. Can''t whatever it is wait until morning? Does it have to be today?"


    Exiled Immortal rubbed his temples, taking a deep breath before continuing, "So, what''s so urgent?"


    "Tomorrow, you all need to stay in the Elven habitat and protect it well. There might be some upheaval. Of course, it''s just a possibility, and hopefully, nothing will happen. But if danger arises, you need to protect the Elven habitat from being destroyed by rampaging monsters."


    Hearing this, Helena and Lily exchanged a puzzled nce.


    "John, is there some newrge-scale eventing up?"


    "No, it''s not exactly arge-scale event. Do you rememberst time when Exiled Immortal and I went to the depths of thebyrinth? There, I saw some peculiar existences. On a strange sealing array, there was a clear countdown of three days, and today is when the countdown reaches zero."


    "I''m a bit worried that something unexpected might happen. After much hesitation, I''ve decided to go and check it out personally. Once I confirm there''s no risk, I''lle back right away, so there''s no need to worry."


    "John, isn''t this a bit too risky? If there''s really something dangerous in the depths of thebyrinth, can you handle it alone?"


    "He''s not alone."


    Just then, the door suddenly opened, drawing everyone''s attention. When they saw who had entered, Helena and the others were stunned.


    "The Queen of the Elves?"


    There was no mistake. Even though they had never seen ria before, her unrivaled beauty and unique level 60 status clearly marked her identity.


    "Over the past few days, John has exined the situation to me. After dawn, I will apany John to the depths of thebyrinth to investigate. While I''m away, I must trouble you all to guard the Elven habitat. Once this matter is resolved, there will be generous rewards."


    ria approached the round table without changing her expression, doing her best to avoid ncing at John.


    "With the Elf Queen''s help, there should be no problem. John, just don''t be a burden!"


    "Get lost!"


    Back in Calia City, the general''s level wasn''t this exaggerated. He was already a reliable ally, but a level 60 Elf Queen? She could easily bring destruction.


    "Since no one has any objections, it''s settled. I''ve already given the light armor and weapons to the Elf Queen. There will be Elven warriors joining us to guard the habitat. As for the existence in the depths of thebyrinth... I''ll deal with it as quickly as possible!"


    "No matter what happens, make sure to protect yourself."


    Helena bit her lip gently, her eyes full of concern.


    "Don''t worry, I will return safely!"


    ...


    Outside, the sky gradually brightened, with the warm sun breaking through the clouds, casting its light upon the earth. John immediately stood up, exchanged a nce with ria, bid farewell to Helena and the others, and turned to leave.


    At the next corner, ria also paused.


    "John, are you sure you don''t need me toe along?"


    "Your situation is like a ticking time bomb. There''s no telling when it might suddenly go off. It''s safer for me to go alone than to bring you along."


    "I''m sorry... for such an important matter, yet I can''t do anything to help you."


    "You''ve already helped me a lot. The rest, I''ll handle. Don''t worry, I''ll be fine."


    "Then so be it... Just make sure youe back alive!"


    Meeting ria''s slightly reddened eyes, John smiled.


    "If Ie back alive, let''s go on a journey together. Staying here is too boring. I''ll take you to see the world outside."

 Chapter 77: Chapter77-A Hard Battle! (Part 1)

    John still left.


    The resurrection of [Lust] was imminent, leaving no time for him to entangle with ria or anyone else.


    If [Lust] were to fully awaken, it would spell catastrophic disaster for the entire world!


    With this in mind, John let out a deep breath, crushed the teleportation scroll, and arrived just outside thebyrinth.


    Here, there were hardly any other yers in sight, except for one personzily perched on a tree branch, chewing on a de of grass. Noticing John, he leapt down from the branch, dusting off his clothes.


    "You''re here early. Seems like you''re really scared of [Lust]."


    "Cut the crap. Tell me, what are our chances?"


    "Sixty percent? Maybe seventy. Who knows? After all, private fights between [Apostles] are forbidden. If caught, both would face severe punishment. So, it''s been a long time since Ist fought [Lust].


    Whether we can win depends on how much strength he has left."


    "Well... let''s hope we can win."


    "Don''t be so pessimistic. Come on, let''s go!"


    The [Deception Apostle] was surprisingly excited, seemingly eager to kill [Lust]. Since it was all to John''s benefit, he didn''t say much more and followed the [Deception Apostle] into thebyrinth.


    Perhaps influenced by [Lust], the monsters in thebyrinth had be unusually aggressive. On their way, John was attacked by at least a hundred monsters.


    Although dealing with them wasn''t particrly difficult, John''s stamina was inevitably drained, leaving him less than perfectly prepared to face [Lust].


    In contrast, the [Deception Apostle] remained calm, as if the monsters couldn''t see him, deliberately avoiding him and focusing all their attention on John.


    The [Deception Apostle] showed no intention of helping, clearly enjoying watching John struggle.


    "So, still holding up?"


    Facing the [Deception Apostle]''s slightly mocking gaze, John snorted and wiped the blood off his short sword.


    "Piece of cake."


    "That''s good. I was worried you might not be able to handle it and I''d be forced to help. I really don''t want to intervene. If certain entities notice me and decide to erase my existence, it wouldn''t be worth it."


    "I''m just a bit concerned. If the monsters inside thebyrinth are this aggressive, who knows how the ones outside are behaving? They might attack the Elven habitat."


    John sighed, a hint of helplessness shing in his eyes. At this point, all he could do was ce his hopes in Helena, Lily, and the others.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Elven habitat!


    ria''s condition was deteriorating.


    The influence of lust made it nearly impossible for her to think clearly, forcing her to iste herself and hand overmand to Elowen.


    "First squad,e here to receive chant essence. Make sure to hold off the monsterspletely. We cannot let them break through the defenses and enter the habitat!"


    "Archer squad! Use long-range attacks to continuously suppress the monsters, easing the burden on the first squad."


    "Logistics squad, constantly resupply strategic materials--arrows, chant essence, logs, chevaux de frise! We can''t afford anypses in the defense lines due to ack of supplies!


    This is a matter of life and death for the Elven race. Master John and Her Majesty the Queen are fighting formidable enemies in thebyrinth, risking their lives for our survival. We must not let the Queen down!


    We absolutely cannot let even a single monster break through the defense lines. Fight to the death!"


    Elowen raised her arm in a rallying cry, feeling immensely gratified as she looked at her fellow Elves, whose spirits were high.


    "As for you, Lady Helena, the task of breaking through the enemy lines is entrusted to you and your team. If any part of the defense line is overwhelmed, please resolve it immediately. Once this is over, the Elven race will offer generous rewards."


    "That''s fine. It''s been too long since we''ve had action; we''re starting to get rusty."


    Exiled Immortal smiled, and with a casual wave, a gust of green wind arose, like an invisible giant hand lifting him into the sky, overlooking the monsters below.


    Seeing this, Helena exchanged a nce with Lily, then both drew their weapons and leapt from the treetops into the fray!


    It was no exaggeration to say that this monster tide''s invasion was even more ferocious than the goblin invasion during therge-scale event!


    Under [Lust]''s influence, the monsters inhabiting thebyrinth had lost all reason, turning into mindless beasts driven solely by their basest instincts.


    Countless blood-red eyes fixed hungrily on the Elves.


    There was no count of one, two, three to start the battle, no countdown to announce the war''smencement. The ughter began abruptly!


    "Deploy chant essence! We must withstand the first wave of attacks!"


    Elowen crushed a chant essence, the shimmering light merging into the magic patterns on her body, and a light shield formed instantly!


    In these three days, the Elves had gathered as many materials as possible.


    John had managed to craft over a hundred sets of armor and weapons, barely enough to arm the Elves.


    Though this number was far from sufficient, it was all John could achieve in the limited time!


    Armed with light shields, the Elven warriors formed a wall of flesh and blood.


    As long as they stood, no monster would breach their defenses!


    "[ss skill * Sword Rain Fall!]"


    From the sky, Exiled Immortal shouted, and countless sword shadows formed behind him, flying out under hismand.


    The sword energy crisscrossed, forming an imprable web, turning the area before him into a vacuum in an instant!


    But the monstrous numbers filled the gaps in a blink, continuing their assault on the defenses!


    "[Astreos, God of the Stars, please unleash your wrath and punish my enemies! Starfall!]"


    As one of the few members with area-of-effect skills, Lily stood in the most perilous spot--a direct path leading from thebyrinth, where countless monsters gathered.


    Despite the danger, her beautiful face showed not a hint of fear.


    She simply gripped her staff tightly, her red lips parting to utter an intricate incantation.


    Then, meteors began to fall from the sky, exploding again and again within the monster tide.


    How many monsters she killed, Lily couldn''t tell. She could only hear the incessant chime of experience points being gained, ringing continuously in her ears!


    "Watch out!"


    At that moment, over ten sonic bats suddenly burst out from the monster tide.


    Having experienced their might before, Exiled Immortal immediately changed direction, ready to deal with them first.


    But just then!


    More than a dozen blood-red crossbow bolts shed and pierced through the ugly skulls of the sonic bats with ease, leaving them no chance to resist.


    They fell into the monster tide, trampled into pulp!


    Exiled Immortal looked towards Helena, who smiled.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll protect the both of you."


    "Big sis, thank you."


    For a moment, the situation reached a stalemate.


    But neither Helena and her team nor the Elven Elowen showed any sign of relief in their eyes. Everyone knew this was just the beginning; the real challenge had yet toe!


    "A gold-tier monster has appeared!"


    Noticing a monster about five meters tall, Exiled Immortal swiftly moved with the wind, rushing forward!


    If the gold-tier monster reached the defense line, the Elven warriors would not be able to hold it off. This monster had to be taken down now!


    "Exiled Immortal, don''t be reckless!"


    "Master Exiled Immortal!"


    The moment Exiled Immortal charged, both Elowen and Helena noticed, calling out to stop him, but it was already toote.


    With Exiled Immortal gone, the pressure on the defense line suddenly increased!


    Without someone who could see everything and strike with precision, the monster tide would no longer be held back!


    "[Spirit Summoning!]"


    Lily mmed her staff down, and the mountain of monster corpses before her moved like puppets on strings, attacking the monsters behind them.


    Yet even this could only hold back the monster tide for a brief moment.


    After all, the Elven warriors numbered only a hundred. Facing thousands, they couldn''t hold out for long.


    Unlike yers, NPCs, once injured or exhausted, would lose their fighting capabilitypletely.


    They needed reinforcements, more and stronger ones!


    Otherwise, the defense line would be breached in no time!

 Chapter 78: Chapter78-Fierce Battle! (Part 2)

    "Die...!"


    Exiled Immortal roared, his figure descending like a falling star, his longsword effortlessly piercing through the gold-tier monster''s skull, pinning it to the ground.


    But when Exiled Immortal turned around, he saw signs of the battle line copsing!


    "Damn it, there are just too many of them, and we''re too few. How much longer can we hold out?"


    They could have simply walked away. After all, this wasn''t a major event, nor was there any special reward. It was merely an unexpected situation they stumbled upon, nothing more.


    Once the defense was breached, tens of thousands of monsters would flood into the elven habitat, devouring and tearing apart every elf here.


    Should they leave?


    Staying here wouldn''t change the situation and might even lead to their deaths.


    Yet, leaving like this, Exiled Immortal''s conscience would be uneasy.


    Grinding his teeth, Exiled Immortal manipted the green wind to wrap around his longsword, shing through the monster tide, rapidly depleting his Stamina. Three longswords had already let out mournful cries, ultimately shattering, unable to hold on any longer.


    Despite this, the monster''s assault showed no signs of waning!


    It wasn''t until Exiled Immortal''s Stamina could no longer keep him afloat, forcing him to return to the ground, that he realized only thirty minutes had passed.


    Thirty minutes that felt like an eternity.


    Could they still hold on?


    Exiled Immortal nced around, arriving at a negative answer.


    Impossible. Both he and the elven warriors were nearing their limits.


    "I... I''ve done my best. In the end, there''s no reward for this. Why should I risk my life here?"


    "If this continues, we won''t even have a chance to escape!"


    "Think about your life, Exiled Immortal. You''ve worked so hard to achieve what you have today. Are you really willing to throw it all away for a bunch of NPCs?"


    Exiled Immortal ran his hands through his hair in frustration, lowering his head and gasping for breath.


    Not far away, the defensive line was continuously retreating, on the brink of copse.


    Helena was still darting around, relieving the pressure on the elven warriors.


    As for Lily, her mana was already exhausted, her face pale.


    "It''s time to go!"


    If they didn''t leave now, they would all die here.


    As this thought crossed his mind, Exiled Immortal struggled to stand. He inadvertently locked eyes with the elven girl he had once saved.


    Her tear-filled eyes sparkled with hope, piercing through Exiled Immortal''s facade, striking him to the core.


    "Please, save us..."


    "Exiled Immortal, I want to live..."


    Exiled Immortal stood there, stunned as if struck, his mind a nk.


    "Saving them is impossible. Unless the God of War arrives, no one can stop this monster tide.


    Hmm... Maybe John could? But that''s irrelevant. Whether John can even return is a question."


    Exiled Immortal exhaled deeply, drawing his sheathed sword once more and holding it before him.


    "Though I can''t save you, I can die with you."


    "Damn it, fight! Whoever chickens out is a coward!"


    With a loud roar, Exiled Immortal charged into the monster tide. With each sh and every downward strike, blood sttered everywhere!


    The sticky blood had almost turned Exiled Immortal into a figure of crimson. His entire body burned with pain--he must have been injured, though he wasn''t sure when.


    He could hardly think anymore, mechanically and numbly swinging his longsword. Monsters surrounded him on all sides, so his attacks never missed.


    "Master Exiled Immortal..."


    Elowen gritted his teeth, his vision growing increasingly blurry, his breathing rapid.


    Though he longed to charge in and kill to his heart''s content, he couldn''t.


    If he left the defensive line, it would be a breach, instantly overrun.


    "Will the elven race truly perish today?"


    "What did we do wrong?"


    "The elven race may face extinction one day, but it won''t be today!"


    As these words fell, the ground copsed with a thunderous roar. Countless vines and man-eating nts surged madly from the earth, mercilessly harvesting the monsters'' lives!


    "Y-Your Majesty!"


    Noticing that figure, Elowen''s expression lifted with renewed vigor.


    "The fate of the elven race is in our hands! My people, do not fear the wounds. As long as I stand, no one can harm you!"


    [Nature''s Breath!]


    ria spread her arms wide, the ground beneath her feet cracking like a spider''s web. Buds grew and blossomed, green light drifting from their centers. As soon as it touched the elven warriors, it absorbed into their bodies, healing their wounds.


    Vines shot up from the ground like the sharpest des, easily piercing through the monsters'' bodies, transforming the battlefield into a blood-stained garden!


    But it was still just a drop in the ocean.


    One must understand that ria was merely holding on by sheer willpower. [Lust] had not yet been dealt with, and her condition was deteriorating. How much longer she couldst was something even ria didn''t know.


    But she knew one thing.


    This was the elves'' homnd, and as their queen, she could not tolerate her people risking their lives while shey helpless in bed, watching the elven race perish!


    "How much longer..."


    ria gritted her teeth, her state worsening.


    Fighting the overwhelming surge of lust while maintaining [Nature''s Breath], ria felt she was about to faint.


    "John... please, help me, won''t you?"


    Inexplicably, ria''s mind was filled with images of John.


    This impolite human, who didn''t understand tenderness, had unknowingly be ria''s beacon of hope.


    She could only hope that there was still a chance.


    "Is there still hope?"


    Of course, there was!


    Knowing the terrifying influence of [Lust], how could John have left without any preparation?


    "Finally! Finally, it''s done! One of my greatest alchemical feats, resurrection of the dead!"


    In a secluded bamboo house within the habitat,


    Seraphina raised her arms in triumph, looking at the nearly perfect body before her, as if it were a work of art, her eyes filled with joy.


    "Now, the final step remains, to return his soul to the body..."


    Seraphina took out a pure white crystal, norger than a fist, which contained a human soul, asionally flickering and emitting a milky white glow.


    Seraphina crushed the crystal and embedded it into the lifeless body before her.


    And so!


    "The dead... shall rise!"


    ...


    Boom!


    A loud explosion erupted from within the elves'' habitat, immediately catching Helena''s attention.


    "Did a monster break through the defense line?"


    This thought shed in Helena''s mind. She was about to drag her exhausted body to deal with any stragglers when a cold glint shot past her cheek, plunging heavily into the monster tide!


    Immediately afterward, a figure descended from the sky,nding atop a long halberd,ughing loudly.


    "Damn it! Your daddy Qing is back!"


    Seeing this scene, Helena, Exiled Immortal, and the others stood in stunned silence, their minds nk!


    It was real...


    They had thought John was merely joking, but as Qing appeared before them, countless questions flooded their minds.


    "Yo, everyone''s here. Where''s John? Hahaha! I need to thank him properly!"


    Qing leapt down, hoisting the halberd onto his shoulder. With a casual punch, he opened a bloody hole in the face of a monster.


    "Qi-Qing?"


    "What, surprised to see me? Actually, I''m surprised too. But, catching up can wait. Let''s deal with the immediate trouble first."


    Qing shouted, his arms surging with immense power, like an unbreakable wall, protecting everyone behind him!


    "So, let me test the power of my new ability."


    Talent: SSS-level [God of War''s Unyielding Belief]


    After resurrecting, Qing''s talent had also evolved.


    When he killed a certain number of enemies, he would gain permanent attribute increases.


    And there was no limit!


    A terrifying, growth-oriented talent, paired with Qing''s monstrousbat prowess, made Qing the battlefield''s war god at this moment!


    In this moment, the countless monsters before Qing seemed like tempting packets of experience!


    "Now, the counterattack officially begins!"

 Chapter 79: Chapter79-Are You Serious?

    "Are you worried about them?"


    Noticing John''s unease, the [Deception Apostle] chuckled softly and said, "If you really can''t rest easy, why not go back? Even if it''s just me, I''m more than enough to handle [Lust]."


    "I trust my friends. They can hold out until I take down [Lust] and resolve the current crisis."


    "Hmm... rather than saying you trust your teammates, it seems more like you don''t trust me at all."


    Hearing this, John cast a sidelong nce at the [Deception Apostle] and said coldly, "Since you already know, why ask?"


    "How heartbreaking. I''ve been trying my best to help you, yet you repeatedly..."


    "Enough. Spare me the nonsense. I don''t want to hear your rambling."


    John impatiently waved his hand, cutting off the [Deception Apostle] as he focused on the crumbling seal before him.


    "[Lust]... ising."


    "Yes, it''sing."


    The seal was on the verge of copse, no external force needed; it would turn to dust in just a few minutes.


    "John, before that happens, I have a question for you. If you were to truly obtain [God] level power in the future, what would you do with it?"


    "I don''t know. I''ve never thought about it."


    "Doesn''t it excite you? That''s [God] level power! You could control anyone''s life and death at will. Such incredible power!"


    "I''m not interested in controlling others'' lives and deaths. However, if I were to gain [God] level power, the first person I''d kill would be you."


    Hearing this, the [Deception Apostle] shrugged and said no more. Or rather, there was no time left for idle chatter. At that moment, the seal shattered, the ground trembled, and an ethereal portal appeared before them.


    "[Deception Apostle], you beast! I knew I shouldn''t have trusted you!"


    Facing the enraged [Lust], the [Deception Apostle] smirked.


    "Even a three-year-old knows not to trust me, yet you fell for it. You''re exceptionally foolish."


    "I''ll kill you!"


    [Lust] roared, and the gray-ck mist thickened, surging toward John and the [Deception Apostle] like a tangible force.


    John knew that even a moment''s breath of this mist would render his desires uncontroble, so he immediately held his breath.


    Seeing this, the [Deception Apostle] rolled his eyes and said, "How long can you hold your breath? Besides, do you really think this stuff can affect us?"


    "Can it not?"


    "Of course not! Don''t forget, we are Tricksters! I can assure you, we can move freely in this mist. Do you believe me?"


    Meeting the [Deception Apostle]''s smiling gaze, John immediately understood.


    "Of course, I believe youpletely!"


    With those words, John tentatively took a breath. As he had expected, under the effect of the Trickster ability, the gray-ck mist no longer affected them in the slightest.


    "So, without the mist, what else do you have?"


    The [Deception Apostle] looked mockingly at [Lust], whose face was quickly turning red, barely able to contain hisughter.


    In truth, the exnation of an authority ability is quite simple.


    Every ability operates on a fundamental logic, no matter who or what the authority is, there are no exceptions.


    For example, the [Deception Apostle]''s Trickster ability, a seemingly perfect power, has an unavoidable premise: you must believe the lie for it to be reality.


    And [Lust] was no different.


    His powers could only be unleashed through the gray-ck mist, and now, he was helpless against John and the [Deception Apostle].


    As an [Apostle], his greatest reliance was his authority--an ability so terrifying it could affect even the [Gods], making [Lust] the third most powerful among the seven [Apostles].


    But he had the misfortune of encountering the [Deception Apostle], the second most powerful. In the face of the Trickster''s authority, [Lust] was powerless!


    "I don''t believe your ability canst indefinitely. As soon as you''re affected by my mist, you''ll undoubtedly lose! Until then, let them entertain you."


    [Lust] grinned maliciously, his bloated body writhing disgustingly.


    The mist spread relentlessly, soon filling the entirebyrinth.


    The hidden monsters, unable to escape its influence, turned bloodshot and uncontrobly attacked John and the [Deception Apostle]!


    Seeing this, the [Deception Apostle] rubbed his temples and said helplessly, "I''ll have to rely on you now. To counter his authority, I must exert all my strength. If I split my focus, we might be affected by the mist."


    "I wasn''t counting on you anyway."


    John rolled his eyes and, with a thought, summoned a golem to guard him.


    Under Seraphina''s guidance and modifications, John had tested and found the golem''sbat power to be nearly equal to a level 50 tinum-tier monster. He had kept the golem for such situations, and it had now proved its worth!


    "Are you seriously trying to fight an Alchemist in a positional battle?


    Believe me, this will be the worst decision you''ve ever made in your life, bar none."


    John spread his arms wide, scattering countless seeds. Thorny cages, giant man-eating nts, surging vines, Earth Golems--all these seemingly insignificant creations formed an entire army!


    "You''re right, authority does have its limits, but my alchemy does not. [Lust], who do you think will win?"


    "Damned human! Damn it! I should have devoured your soul along with your body back then!"


    "Too bad you won''t have that chance this time."


    With a casual wave, John sent the golem charging forward. Its massive body brought unimaginable destruction. Each stomp, each swing, effortlessly dealt heavy damage or even killed the crazed monsters!


    Not to mention the enhanced light cannon modified by Seraphina.


    The nearly doubled barrel expanded from the golem''s chest, drawing almost all the stored chant essence to unleash this devastating attack!


    Boom!


    The explosion erupted in front of the golem, tearing through the ground in its path. Every monster in the beam''s trajectory was instantly obliterated, reduced to dust, leaving no trace behind.


    Seeing this, even John was taken aback!


    He hadn''t tested this move before. The exaggerated power, even ria might not be able to match it!


    At this moment, the battle was decided.


    With authority nullified and the monster horde tactics failing, [Lust]''s control through the mist was sharp, but the life John casually created was even more formidable!


    At this point, anyone could see that continuing to fight was meaningless.


    "John, your name is John, right? Spare my life, and I''ll give you everything! My authority, my abilities, even my knowledge of this world--I can share it all with you, just spare my life!"


    "So, knowing you can''t win, you n to survive by groveling?"


    "[Deception Apostle], shut up! If it weren''t for your treachery, I wouldn''t be in this mess! John, just three days ago, the [Deception Apostle] came to me. He tricked me out of part of my core authority. Did you know that?


    Working with the [Deception Apostle], you''ll end up just like me--drained and discarded! He''s a self-centered madman. How could he willingly help you? He''s not to be trusted!"


    Looking at the nearly deranged [Lust], John blinked calmly.


    "I have one question for you. Answer truthfully, and I might spare your life."


    Hearing this, [Lust], as if grabbing at a lifeline, nodded eagerly and asked, "What question? Just tell me, and I''ll tell you the truth!"


    "Two years ago, during the time reversal, was my death rted to you?"


    As these words fell, [Lust]''s expression froze instantly. He stood there, stunned, unable to speak.


    "How... how do you know?"


    "I didn''t know before, but after smelling that foul stench on you, I had a pretty good guess. So now, do you still want to beg for mercy?"

 Chapter 80: Chapter80-Divinity!

    [Lust]''s expression was quite remarkable.


    After hearing John''s words, he first looked at the [Deception Apostle], who spread his arms and shrugged, then shifted his gaze back.


    "What''s wrong? Don''t know how to answer? Is it that hard to say yes or no?"


    "I-I was also deceived! It was the [Betrayal Apostle] who wanted to deal with you. It had nothing to do with me! John, since time has reversed, none of that has happened, right? If you spare me this once, I promise not to disappoint you. Killing me won''t benefit you in any way!"


    "Who said it wouldn''t?"


    John smirked and said, "I will take your authority. Not just yours--[Lust], [Betrayal Apostle], and the others. Do you think the grudges of my past life will be so easily forgotten? No, never! I wille for each of you. You can start now."


    "You are the boss."


    The [Deception Apostle] nodded slightly, a hint of murderous intent shing in his eyes as he looked at [Lust].


    "[Lust], you were never truly trapped in the game world. This is all just your delusion."


    This is the strength of the [Deception Apostle].


    You know there is a high probability that his words are lies, you tell yourself not to believe him, but your wavering heart makes you believe, even if just for a moment.


    And that brief moment is enough!


    As the [Deception Apostle] and [Lust] suddenly vanished before his eyes, John exhaled deeply.


    "Next, it''s going to be a tough battle."


    With his preparationsplete, John severed the connection and returned to the real world.


    Sensing the two terrifying presences emanating from the city center, John frowned.


    In the game world, due to the restrictions of its rules, neither of them could fully unleash their power.


    But back in the real world, it was their home ground.


    They no longer had to worry about certain entities noticing them, and the true terror of the [Apostles] was on full disy!


    By the time John arrived at the battlefield, the city center had beenpletely leveled. Even the ruins had been shattered into dust, and the impact had whipped up gusts of wind, forming a gray-brown sandstorm.


    At the very center of the storm, the [Deception Apostle] and [Lust] stood in the air, facing each other.


    The intensity of their battle was far more straightforward than John had imagined.


    Since their authorities were now ineffective against each other, they had abandoned them entirely, resorting to physicalbat!


    [Lust]''s bloated body shrank under the [Deception Apostle]''s relentless attacks. Finally, a man with a physique simr to the [Deception Apostle] and a face of extraordinary beauty emerged from the mass, catching the [Deception Apostle]''s strikes with ease.


    "This face, it''s been a long time. I almost forgot what you looked like."


    The [Deception Apostle] chuckled lightly, delivering a kick that sent [Lust] flying, smashing through an abandoned building and into the ground, raising clouds of dust!


    "[Deception Apostle], no one knows better than you that you can''t kill me. No one can kill me. The [Apostles] are immortal! By bringing me back to the real world, what do you n to do?"


    If he had stayed in the game world, [Lust] would have been easily suppressed, with no chance to fight back.


    "You made a mistake, [Deception Apostle]. Here, that human you pinned your hopes on, what help can he possibly offer?"


    "Let me correct you on one point. I never had high hopes for John. I only believe in myself. The one who made me do this is our master. You''re right, I can''t do much to you. I can''t kill you or seal you.


    There is no absolute counter between [Apostles]. We bnce each other, which was our master''s intention."


    The [Deception Apostle] paused, then looked up with a smile.


    "But I never said that I would be the one to kill you!"


    "What... what do you mean?"


    "The authority given can also be taken back. What do you think I mean?"


    As the [Deception Apostle] spoke, he suddenly knelt, a magic circle appearing beneath him, glowing with a bright blue light!


    The [Deception Apostle] began uttering obscure words, as if chanting or summoning something.


    Above the [Deception Apostle], a portal of light gradually opened in response to his chant, as if something terrifying was about to emerge!


    To John, this aura was incredibly familiar, but to [Lust], it sounded like the tolling of a death knell!


    "How... how is this possible? How can a single [Apostle] summon our master? Impossible! This must be an illusion! You''re deceiving me!"


    "Alone, I couldn''t. But don''t forget, I''ve already absorbed part of your core authority. By sacrificing it, summoning our master for a brief time is not difficult.


    My master! Your most loyal servant, the [Deception Apostle], has brought [Lust] to you. Please, deliver your judgment and cleanse this [traitor] of all his sins!"


    In response to the [Deception Apostle] was a beam of light piercing the sky, engulfing [Lust] instantly. The powerful energy explosion sent John flying hundreds of meters away!


    In the center of the light, [Lust]''s body began dissolving at a visible rate, exposing raw flesh and bone!


    In his daze, John heard a voice, like a whisper from above, resonating in his ears.


    Hearing this, the [Deception Apostle]''s eyes lit up.


    "Your authority has been reimed. You will pay for what you have done."


    This was the pronouncement from that terrifying entity, sealing [Lust]''s fate!


    However, John couldn''t shake the feeling that it might just be a hallucination.


    After witnessing [Lust] vanish into nothingness, John felt an overwhelming sense of dread, as if the presence from the heavens was pressing down on him, making it impossible to breathe!


    Fortunately, this sensationsted less than three seconds. The oppressive figure passed back through the portal, and the world returned to calm.


    John was left with lingering fear.


    The master the [Deception Apostle] spoke of, the master of the [Abyss], was undoubtedly a [God]-level being.


    Such terrifying power--just one nce nearly caused John to explode.


    How could one possibly defeat a [God]?


    It is only when you truly face a [God] that you realize the idea of ying one is a mere joke.


    That overwhelming power cannot be described by any words. Its abilities, its very essence, are immeasurable!


    "It''s... over?"


    "Yes, it''s over. [Lust]''s authority has been reimed, and even his existence has been erased. He is as dead as dead can be.


    As for you, you''ve gained a great benefit."


    The [Deception Apostle] flicked his fingers, and red-ck sparks instantly entered John''s body. For a moment, it felt like an electric shock, a tingling sensation spreading throughout his body.


    This feeling was not new to John.


    It was the same sensation he felt when he received the [Deception Apostle]''s authority.


    "Congrattions, John. You now possess the core authority of two [Apostles]. Unfortunately, your strength is too weak to fully utilize the power of the authority. However, it is enough to deal with any trouble you may encounter for now."


    Hearing this, John opened his character panel.


    Name: [John]


    ss: [Alchemist (Level 137)][Trickster (Level 11)]


    John''s gaze scanned until he saw an entirely unfamiliar term.


    [Debauchery (Level 1)]


    "Debauchery... is that [Lust]''s authority?"


    "To be precise, it''s the maniption of desire--not just your own, but the desires of others, creatures, anyone who has absorbed that mist. They can all be controlled by you."


    As the [Deception Apostle] exined, he stepped forward, looking at the ground pierced by the beam of light, and let out a long breath.


    "Next, I might disappear for a while. When I can return, I don''t know. The trouble with the [Betrayal Apostle] will have to be handled by you alone. However, with the power of two authorities, I don''t think you''ll be easily defeated."


    "You''re being targeted?"


    "No, it''s the master assigning me a new task. I cannot disobey the master''s orders."


    "You, of all people, speak of loyalty?"


    "It''s not loyalty."


    The [Deception Apostle] sneered at these words, turning to stare directly into John''s eyes, exining each word clearly.

 Chapter 81: Chapter81-Rebuilding and Expansion

    "You have no idea what that existence truly means..."


    "So, do you still think that one day I will be such a terrifying entity?"


    "I never thought you could, but the master says you will. While I don''t trust you, I unconditionally trust the master."


    The [Deception Apostle] stretched, then patted John''s shoulder and sighed.


    "In any case, the next time we meet, I hope you will have be strong enough."


    "I''d rather never see you again."


    "Don''t say that. I thought we were friends by now. Without me, wouldn''t your lifeck a bit of fun?"


    John''s response was silence.


    "Are you leaving now?"


    "Yes, it''s urgent, and I can''t dy. Goodbye."


    With that, the [Deception Apostle] turned and leapt into the abyss, giving John no chance to ask further questions.


    At this point, John didn''t care to ask more. Compared to these irrelevant matters, he was more concerned about Helena and the others.


    [Lust] was dead, and logically, the monster tide should have returned to normal. But such things could never be guaranteed, and he needed to check!


    After reconnecting, John immediately crushed the teleportation scroll. After a few seconds of casting, the scene before him had drastically changed.


    Looking at the elven habitat littered with corpses and the salty tang in the air, John frowned, his expression darkening.


    "Monsters... all monster corpses. But... where are the elves?"


    Not seeing any elven bodies was a good thing, but the problem was, John didn''t see anyone at all!


    Confirming Helena and the others'' statuses, he found they were all severely injured but at least still alive.


    The monster tide had receded, clearly over.


    "ria! Exiled Immortal!"


    "Lily! Helena!"


    "Where are you!"


    John called out repeatedly, his voice echoing through the forest, but there was no response.


    "All gone?"


    Seeing the pce sealed tightly by vines, John approached and knocked hard. In the next moment, the vines reacted swiftly, wrapping around John''s ankle, about to throw him away!


    At that moment, the vine''s controller seemed to sense something and released John. The vines covering the pce''s surface retreated into the ground.


    "Johnny!"


    Helena and Lily rushed out simultaneously, dragging their injured bodies into John''s embrace.


    "You''ve worked hard."


    Seeing Lily''s blood-stained little face, John couldn''t help but feel a pang of heartache.


    Unlike the previous major event, the goblin invasion, where they could retreat at any time to save themselves, this time they had no way out. If they had faltered, the entire elven race might have ceased to exist. Their bodies were thest line of defense.


    Even with ria and Qing joining, the battle''s tide wasn''t entirely turned.


    Especially Qing, if not for Exiled Immortal pulling him out of the monster tide at a crucial moment, he might have died again shortly after his resurrection.


    With no other options, ria had all the survivors hide in the pce, protectedyer byyer with vines, waiting for the disaster to end.


    Only after [Lust]''s death did the monsters regain their sanity, and the carnage drove them away by instinct.


    "Did... did we win?"


    ria''s eyes were red and wet as she looked pitifully at John. Hearing him say, "We won," her tears flowed uncontrobly, falling like a torrent.


    At that moment, ria also wanted to throw herself into John''s arms and share the joy of the moment.


    Unfortunately, with so many of her people around, she couldn''t let go of her pride.


    "John... thank you."


    "If it weren''t for the elven warriors fighting desperately, no amount of preparation on my part would have made a difference. This victory belongs to every one of us."


    "In theing days, the elven race will likely be incredibly busy."


    The habitat waspletely destroyed, with only the pce remaining intact.


    ria''s implication was that she couldn''t leave until the habitat was rebuilt.


    "This monster tide revolt has allowed us to eliminate arge number of monsters. Perhaps we can take this opportunity to expand our habitat. Your Majesty, if you permit, please let me lead our people to expand outward!"


    "The matter of expansion can be discussedter. For now, our priority is to rest and recover."


    ria immediately dismissed Elowen''s proposal, considering the bigger picture.


    However, John had a different perspective.


    "I actually think Elowen''s idea is good. The monster uprising likely affected more than just the elves. Although the losses were heavy, the casualties were minimal. This is an opportunity for the elves to expand outward.


    Rebuilding the habitat can be left to those withoutbat abilities. This is a chance that, if seized, could lead to the steady growth of elven power, eventually allowing us topletely control the forest."


    "But..."


    ria bit her lip, still hesitant.


    She understood John and Elowen''s thoughts, but after just experiencing a great battle, her people needed time to recover both physically and mentally.


    "Don''t hesitate anymore, ria. This experience should make you realize that standing still is a path to destruction.


    The decrease in poption and theck of high-levelbatants cannot be remedied by simply resting. More territory and more resources will lead to arger poption and stronger warriors!"


    Elowen also chimed in, "Your Majesty, I swear on my life that I will not disappoint you!"


    "...I understand. Elowen, once your injuries have healed, you may lead the first squad of warriors to expand outward. John, during this period, could you please stay with the elves and help them recover?"


    "Of course. I''ll stay until you''ve made your final decision, but don''t take too long."


    ...


    Destruction and renewal were proving true for the elves as well.


    After the great battle, much was left to be rebuilt.


    ria oversaw the reconstruction of their home, while Elowen led the elven warriors to expand outward, eradicating the remnants of goblins at the forest''s edge, annexing their territory, and establishing forward outposts and temporary bases.


    Although the poption issue couldn''t be resolved in a short time, the problem of insufficient habitat had already been addressed.


    Stepping out of the pce into the sunset, ria looked down at the smiling faces of her people.


    Though they had lost their homes, they had not lost hope.


    "Seeing this, you must be very pleased, right? It won''t be long before the elves are no longer the weak race they once were. They''ll stand up bravely against oppression and protect one another."


    John''s voice came from behind her, and ria turned, her eyes full of emotion.


    "I''m truly grateful I chose to let you stay that day. Without you, the elven race might have ceased to exist."


    "Without John, there might have been another yer. Actually, I''m the one who should be grateful. If I hadn''t insisted on staying, this beautiful scene before me would have nothing to do with me."


    "Are you leaving?"


    "My time is limited. I have less than two years left, so I must continue my journey to find a way to survive. ria, I''ve fulfilled my promise to you. What about you? Will you leave with me?"


    "I... I don''t know."


    ria lowered her head, unable to meet John''s eyes. She was afraid that if she looked into them, she would be lost, abandoning everything to leave with him.


    "The reconstruction of the elven habitat... it can''t bepleted in a short time. I''m worried that if I leave, and something happens to the elves..."


    "Sigh..."


    "John, I''m sorry..."


    "There''s nothing to apologize for. I''m just amazed at how smart I am, being able to predict this and prepare ordingly."


    "W-what?"


    ria looked up, puzzled, meeting John''s smiling gaze. "I don''t understand..."


    "You''ll understand soon enough. If it''s convenient, would youe outside with me?"

 Chapter 82: Chapter82-Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night

    "Elowen, after teaching you for so many days, how''s your progress?"


    As John and the queen walked out of the pce, they found Elowen waiting there. Seeing John and the queen walking side by side, Elowen hurriedly approached them.


    "I''ve lived up to your expectations, Master John!"


    "Good, show your queen what you''ve learned."


    "Understood!"


    Elowen''s expression became serious. He began chanting, and a directed teleportation array appeared beneath his feet.


    Momentster, a seven-meter-tall steel giant descended from the sky��it was the golem that Seraphina had modified!


    Considering that the elves wouldck top-tierbat power once ria left, John had pondered deeply and decided to leave the golem with Elowen.


    Elowen would control the golem to protect the elves, ensuring that ria''s departure would not cause a significant impact.


    Of course, since the golem was a machine, it would inevitably suffer damage over time.


    But that was not important, as John could return periodically to repair the golem.


    The key was whether Elowen could control the golem well and unleash its full potential.


    Fortunately, Elowen had not disappointed John.


    After this period of training, he had sessfully mastered the knack of controlling the golem.


    The cumbersome steel beast moved with surprising agility under Elowen''s control.


    "Your Majesty, I have tested the golem with Master John. Its power is quite considerable. With it, I can better protect everyone!


    Your Majesty, you''ve worked tirelessly for the elves for so many years. It''s time for you to pursue your own life."


    "Elowen, how did you know?"


    "Master John told me. He said you belong with him now, and that soon you would be journeying with him. He asked me to quickly learn to control the golem.


    Unless... Master John was lying to me?"


    "Why do you have to say everything?"


    ria''s cheeks flushed as she shot a fierce nce at John, then cleared her throat and said, "This matter should not be disclosed to other tribesmen..."


    "Don''t worry, I won''t tell anyone!"


    "Elowen, there''s something I''d like your opinion on."


    ria took a deep breath and said solemnly, "After I leave, I want to pass my position to you. I want you to lead the elves. What do you think, Elowen?"


    Hearing this, Elowen stood stunned, pinching his ear in disbelief. "Your Majesty, are you joking?"


    "Of course not. I''m serious, Elowen. After I leave, the elves will need a leader. In terms of ability and prestige, no one is more suitable than you."


    "You must be joking... Your Majesty, I can''t ept this. The elves can only have one leader, and that''s you. After you leave, I can temporarily lead the elves, but taking your ce... absolutely not!"


    "Why? If I pass my position to you, you''ll be able to manage the elves more legitimately, won''t you?"


    "No reason. If I must give one..."


    Elowen nced at John and said solemnly, "If one day, Your Majesty grows tired of traveling and returns to the elven habitat, it will always be your home."


    Hearing this, ria felt a warmth in her heart.


    "Hey, hey, hey! What do you mean by that, kid?"


    "Master John, I''m already 195 years old. You''re the kid."


    "Hey, learned to talk back, have you? Did Exiled Immortal teach you that?"


    John rushed forward, yfully putting Elowen in a headlock.


    Seeing this, ria smiled and said, "I understand your intention, but I must pass this position to you. Without a legitimate leader, things might be fine in the short term, but over time, problems could arise.


    As for the scenario you mentioned, I hope it never happens."


    ...


    John eventually left.


    The countdown felt like an inescapable shadow, always looming over John, urging him to keep moving forward. No matter how much he wanted to linger, he couldn''t stop.


    ria finally convinced Elowen, and they held the ceremony for the transfer of power.


    With the recent end of the great battle, Elowen''s leadership had be deeply ingrained in people''s hearts, so there was almost no opposition.


    Even if a few were envious, they wouldn''t publicly challenge it in such a setting.


    "So, ria ising with us?"


    Helena, one of thest to know, seemed a bit surprised.


    Although the NPCs in the game world had thought processes simr to ordinary people, the idea of traveling with an NPC still felt a bit strange.


    "Yes, now that the situation here is settled, the elves will continue to develop steadily. Even without ria''s protection, there shouldn''t be any major issues. So, ria found me and expressed her desire to continue the journey and adventure with us."


    "Well... I don''t have any objections. After all, ria''s strength is evident. Having her with us will be a great asset. Lily, Exiled Immortal, do you have any objections?"


    Helena turned around to see Exiled Immortal being yfully restrained by Qing, unable to break free.


    As for Lily, she wore an adorably confused expression, as if she didn''t understand what was being discussed. Helena sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation.


    "Since there are no objections, it''s settled then. We''ll rest for half an hour and then set off. As for our next destination..."


    John stood up, looking westward.


    "Next stop, [The zing ins, Talcavano!]"


    ...


    "Wired... why do I feel so uneasytely?"


    Inside Calia City, S. massaged his temples, feeling a persistent, sharp pain in his head, as if something was trying to burst out of his brain.


    "Anyway, it''s about time for me to hit the road. The dungeon levels around Calia City can''t support my growth anymore. But [Deep Forest]... no, I still won''t go there. I hate snakes and bugs. With my level, heading straight to the next major map shouldn''t be an issue."


    Since the first major event ended, yers had gained ess to a forum for exchanging experiences, which naturally included strategies for new maps and dungeons.


    The guide for [Deep Forest] was quiteprehensive. Some yers had even discovered a way to bypass NPCs and enter the Whispering Forest directly, with a decent sess rate.


    Unfortunately, S. had an innate aversion to forest environments.


    Perhaps because he had always hated insects since childhood, S. felt a deep-seated fear towards all multi-legged, multi-eyed bugs.


    The mere thought of the Whispering Forest, teeming with serpents and creepy crawlies, made S. feel nauseous.


    To achieve a second breakthrough, apart from dungeon drops, one could also engage in trading, though it might require a hefty sum.


    But money was no issue for S. After all, when it came to preying on others, he was a professional!


    With that in mind, S. opened the forum and posted a message.


    "Seeking to buy a second ss change stone for the rogue ss. Offering 10% above market price. Interested parties, please contact me. Willing to pay 30% deposit upfront."


    Such posts weremon on the forum, as yers were eager tomunicate after such a long wait. Naturally, these posts received a lot of attention.


    In less than half an hour, when S. logged back into the forum, his post had dozens of replies. Among the replies were genuine offers, and he found a seller.


    "I have a rogue ss second ss change stone. Where are you? I cane to trade, but you need to cover the cost of the teleportation scroll."


    Seeing this, S. grinned.


    See? Here''s the sucker!


    "No problem. I''m near the fountain in the center of Calia City. You cane over now."


    "Okay, I''ll head over right away."


    Seeing no further replies from the seller, S. also logged out of the forum.


    A fair trade was out of the question. All of S.''s current gear had been taken from others. Spending money was more painful than death for him.


    But figuring out how to snatch the second ss change stone from the seller would be a bit tricky.


    "Maybe... an ambush?"

 Chapter 83: Chapter83-Whispering Forest

    "John, just from the name, [zing ins] sounds really hot, doesn''t it? I hate the heat... Can''t we just skip this ce? Not every dungeon needs to be our first clear, right? I actually think it''s nice to let other yers have a go."


    Exiled Immortal sighed, looking at the increasingly dense forest around them with some confusion.


    "Also, are we really heading toward the zing ins in this direction?"


    "Of course not. There''s something we need to do before we leave."


    John turned to face Qing and Lily, speaking seriously, "Qing, Lily, and I still haven''t obtained our second ss change stones. Before we set off, we need to go through the Whispering Forest."


    "No wonder. The Whispering Forest... it must be pretty terrifying, right?"


    "It''s indeed a bit terrifying, but only for outsiders. To the elves, the Whispering Forest is a sacred ce."


    Before John could exin, ria spoke up first, "The Whispering Forest was originally just a cemetery for the elves, where we buried our deceased. Over time, the souls of our ancestors chose to stay there, guarding thest sanctuary of the elves.


    So, to us, the Whispering Forest is solemn and sacred, and no one is allowed to enter it!


    Besides, I don''t quite understand why the Whispering Forest holds such attraction for humans. It''s just a graveyard."


    "Well..."


    John tugged at the corner of his mouth, unsure how to exin to ria.


    He ended up using a random excuse to brush it off.


    In truth, the second ss change stone was almost unnecessary for John.


    Having mastered all alchemy in this world, whether it was golemancy or contracting, John had already memorized their alchemical diagrams.


    However, for Qing and Lily, the second ss change stone was essential.


    "Disturbing the rest of the elven ancestors, we deeply apologize, but ria, we truly have apelling reason to go there, so..."


    "No problem. If it''s you, I believe our ancestors won''t object. After all, you helped protect our habitat."


    "Heh, no need to be so polite, sister. I don''t know about anyone else, but I had a great time during that big battle!"


    Qing patted his chest, grinning widely, "Just that one battle increased all my stats by at least a hundred points!"


    "Alright, if your mouth gets any wider, we''ll see your stomach. Tone it down."


    John patted Qing''s shoulder dismissively. Qing, a towering figure over two meters tall, immediately toned it down, covering his face andughing lightly, looking both contrived and ridiculous.


    Since Qing was rescued from the abyss by John, he had be John''s ardent follower, obeying him without question.


    After all, it was a life-saving favor��how could he not repay it?


    Although John exined it as a win-win situation, needing Qing''s formidable strength, Qing was determined to follow John, and John let him.


    "Qing, you said your talent evolved to SSS-level. Can I see your stats panel?"


    "Of course, no problem! Here, take a look!"


    With a wave of Qing''s hand, a dialog box appeared before John, disying Qing''s unique attribute panel.


    This was truly a numerical monster.


    While most yers'' average attributes did not exceed one hundred and fifty points, most of Qing''s attributes had surpassed two hundred. His Stamina and Attack were an impressive three hundred points each!


    The only attributegging behind was Wisdom.


    But for Qing, a warrior, Wisdom was almost irrelevant.


    What really caught John''s attention was Qing''s SSS-level talent, [God of War''s Unyielding Belief].


    Gaining ten permanent points in all attributes, except Wisdom, for every fifty monsters killed��how absurd was that?


    If there were another major event, Qing could potentially use it to push all his attributes to 500 points!


    500 points was a threshold that could only be reached post-second ss change, with a full set of [Epic] quality equipment.


    And Qing was only level 24!


    "Strong, purely strong. Given time, you might be able to punch through Mount Olympus," John remarked, closing Qing''s attribute panel.


    "Hehe, it''s all thanks to you. If you hadn''t resurrected me, I wouldn''t have this insane talent."


    "A blessing in disguise. It''s not entirely my doing. For now, focus on leveling up quickly. Aim to reach level 35 for your second ss change. I have a good suggestion for your new ss, and we''ll discuss it when the timees."


    "Understood."


    Qing responded in his deep voice, about to say more when ria suddenly stopped.


    "I... I sense humans."


    "Humans? Maybe someone sneaked in."


    "But the strange thing is, if unauthorized humans enter the Whispering Forest, the souls of elven ancestors would immediately attack them. Why is it so calm?"


    "How many do you sense?"


    "Around thirty, and some other presences... very faint, I can''t be sure."


    Hearing this, John nodded thoughtfully and said in a serious tone, "Let''s go and take a look. If they''re up to no good, we''ll just drive them away."


    It was clear enough��these presences were most likely yers who had sneaked in, hoping to obtain a second ss change stone.


    As for their methods, John had some knowledge from his previous life, but they were so cruel that even he felt uneasy.


    "It seems we must strengthen the oversight of the Whispering Forest. I cannot tolerate anyone desecrating the resting ce of our ancestors without permission!"


    As they ventured deeper into the Whispering Forest, they followed a path and soon found many bloodstained footprints. The sole patterns indicated they were undoubtedly human.


    "This... this is the blood of the elves?"


    ria knelt, feeling the anguished cries of her kin emanating from the bloodstains, and her eyes immediately reddened.


    "Someone... took my people, drained their blood to douse themselves, tricking the sleeping ancestors. Such a vile method!"


    Sensing ria''s rising anger, John quickly stepped forward and gently took her hand.


    "Stay calm. With me here, I won''t let them run rampant."


    "I will make them pay!"


    John suddenly felt a pang of regret. He now questioned whether it was the right choice to have ria leave the elven habitat to adventure with him.


    The outside world, though beautiful, was also a cesspool of corruption and deceit. John worried that the harsh realities of the world would shatter ria''s expectations and bring her immense pain.


    "We''ll have to take it one step at a time..."


    John sighed lightly, following ria and continuing to track the footprints.


    The deeper they went, the more ria''s expression darkened, her eyes glistening with tears.


    The number of footprints increased, and graves on either side had been dug up. White bones were scattered everywhere, some corpses not yet fully dposed, left exposed and desecrated.


    Seeing this scene, even Qing and Helena were filled with fury, let alone ria, the former queen of the elves, whose anger was already burning intensely!


    "For their own selfish desires, they tortured my people and desecrated the remains of our ancestors. What won''t these people do?


    Unforgivable, absolutely unforgivable!"


    [Ancestors sleeping here, awaken and punish the intruders, protect the sacrednd of the elves!]


    As she finished her chant, a formation under ria''s feet burst forth with green light, resonating throughout the Whispering Forest.


    In the next moment, a spirit warrior emerged from a tombstone, kneeling devoutly before ria.


    "At the queen''smand, we shall fight the intruders, no matter the cost!"

 Chapter 84: Chapter84-Unbiased Purge

    "Purge! Exterminate every presence in the Whispering Forest except for the five of us!"


    "By the queen''smand!"


    As the strongest of the elves, even though ria had passed the throne to Elowen, she still retained the right to summon spirit warriors until he was fully matured. That was enough!


    "ria, isn''t an indiscriminate attack a bit..."


    "John, on this matter, I won''tpromise. I must make those people pay."


    ria turned to face John, her light green eyes filled with sorrow and anger, but unwavering in their resolve.


    Seeing this, John realized he couldn''t dissuade ria, so he gave up the idea.


    From ria''s perspective, Johnpletely understood her feelings. He certainly wouldn''t jeopardize his rtionship with her by helping the intruders.


    "I''ll help you."


    "It''s okay. If you feel reluctant to act against your own kind, you don''t have to force yourself."


    "Don''t worry, ria, we will definitely help you punish those invaders!"


    This time, before John could speak, Lily answered her first.


    Thus, the once-quiet Whispering Forest suddenly became restless.


    The yers hiding in the shadows began to realize something was wrong. The soul monsters that shouldn''t have detected them suddenly seemed to have a tracking system, urately pinpointing their locations. Even the slightest noise couldn''t save them from certain death.


    These soul monsters couldn''t be significantly damaged by physical attacks and were immune to most magical attacks. The only effective type of magic was holy magic. However, in this phase of the game, the early to mid-stage, very few sses had the qualifications to learn holy magic.


    "Damn it, what''s going on?"


    "If it gets too bad, we should retreat! If we live, there will always be another chance. This Whispering Forest is clearly not right, and if we stay, we might all die!"


    "I don''t care about you all, I''m leaving!"


    Seeing theirpanions'' souls torn apart, leaving only hollow bodies, some yers finally cracked under the pressure and wanted to leave the Whispering Forest. But it was then they discovered that the area had restricted the use of teleportation scrolls.


    To leave, there was only one way: fight their way out!


    But that was clearly impossible.


    In less than half an hour, the entire Whispering Forest was devoid of any life except for ria and herpanions. After confirming this, ria slowly opened her eyes, a tear slipping down her cheek.


    "Ancestors, you can finally rest in peace..."


    "ria, should we return to the elven habitat to inform Elowen and have him send some people to guard the area around the Whispering Forest?"


    "No need. From this moment on, any creature entering the Whispering Forest will awaken the ancestral spirits. Only after confirming their identity as an elf will the Whispering Forest ept them. John, I believe this is what you came for?"


    ria turned, and with a thought, vines erupted from the ground, lifting several irregrly shaped stones into her hands.


    "That''s right. We came for these. They can help us be stronger."


    "No wonder... so many humans resorted to extreme measures to enter the Whispering Forest. These are for you, John. Let''s leave this ce."


    John sighed softly, taking the second ss change stones from ria. He took the stones usable by warriors and priests, leaving the rest behind.


    Seeing this, Qing approached and poked John on the shoulder, puzzled. "John, aren''t you going to change ss?"


    "No need. Take them. Let''s leave here first. It''s gettingte, and we can''t waste any more time."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Calia City.


    opened the forum and checked his messages, frowning.


    "Strange, we''ve already agreed on the time and ce for the transaction, so why hasn''t anyone shown up? Could it be a double-cross?"


    The problem is, even if it were a double-cross, the person has to show up first, right?


    Now, the goods haven''t been delivered, and no money has been exchanged, so what''s the point of a double-cross?


    As his thoughts churned, S. noticed a forum post titled "Incident in Whispering Forest: Over Thirty yers Mysteriously Dead" rapidly gaining attention. He clicked on it and was instantly chilled to the bone.


    The yers who had gone to Whispering Forest in search of the second ss change stone had their rankings erased almost simultaneously. No one knew what had happened in the Whispering Forest, but after this incident, it was unlikely anyone would dare to sneak into the Whispering Forest anytime soon.


    "It seems this route is no longer viable... looks like I''ll have to spend a fortune on the ck market."


    As a yer-initiated trading market, the ck market was now located in the open space behind the Thor Tavern in Calia City.


    yers could trade items, equipment, and even captured ves there.


    After all, the auction house''s highmissions and the winner-takes-all system were not appealing to every yer.


    The ck market became the best alternative.


    As long as you weren''t worried about being double-crossed and had enough confidence in your strength, the ck market was a far more cost-effective ce than the auction house.


    With this in mind, S. went to Thor Tavern, downed a ss of strong liquor, and kicked open the back door, stepping into the crowded open space behind the tavern.


    The area was bustling with yers engaged in various trades. The goods on offer were diverse and bizarre.


    even noticed a few human girls in an iron cage, their cheeks stained with tears, clearly NPCs captured from somewhere to satisfy certain people''s disgusting fetishes.


    Although S. never considered himself a good person, he found such despicable actions utterly repugnant.


    However, as the saying goes, disrupting someone''s livelihood is akin to killing their parents. S. had no interest and certainly no inclination to meddle in these affairs.


    After wandering around, he finally came across a vendor with decent goods. He approached and asked in a low voice, "Do you have any second ss change stones?"


    "Just one left, a second ss change stone for the rogue ss. Are you interested?"


    The vendor rubbed his hands together, his beady eyes gleaming with shrewdness. He then held up four fingers and grinned, "Forty thousand silver coins, fixed price, no haggling!"


    "Forty thousand? Are you insane? The market price is only twenty thousand. You''re doubling it! Do you not want to do business in the ck market anymore?"


    "Customer, it''s not my fault. I''m sure you''ve seen that post too. Whispering Forest is a death trap now, and no one knows when it will return to normal. Second ss change stones are extremely valuable now. Forty thousand is already a friendly price. The vendor next door is selling it for forty-six thousand.


    If you don''t want it, don''t waste my time!"


    "Fine, damn it, just my luck! This had to happen now!"


    cursed a few times, pulled out a money bag from his backpack, and tossed it onto the vendor''s stall, saying in a low voice, "Forty thousand, all in here. Check it, and if it''s good, give me the stone."


    "Of course, I''ve been in this ck market for months, always dealing honestly."


    The man smirked, picked up the money bag, weighed it, and smiled even more broadly.


    "No problem! Here''s your item."


    Taking the second ss change stone from the vendor, S. immediately ced it into his yer backpack, unaware that his forty thousand silver coins had just gone down the drain.


    Watching S. walk away, the vendor grinned, quickly packed up his stall, and disappeared into the crowd.


    "Well, well, well, who would''ve thought a fake could pass for real! Looks like I made the right choice bing an Alchemist! But I''ll need toy low for a while; if they find me and seek revenge, it wouldn''t be worth it.


    Forty thousand silver coins should keep mefortable for quite some time!"

 Chapter 85: Chapter85-Talcavano

    [Talcavano, zing ins]


    Traveling westward, through the Deep Forest, John and hispanions found themselves in an endless desert, stretching beyond the horizon.


    The scorching heat created waves of mirage in the air, engulfing John and his party.


    Even as seasoned yers, they suffered from dehydration and heatstroke debuffs. ria, in particr, was weakened to an extreme.


    "I can''t take it anymore, John. I''m really going to die of heat. Isn''t there anything we can do to cool down? Look at Qing, he''s stripped down to just shorts and is still baking like a dog!"


    "It''s pointless. Our gear won''t change our body temperature. No matter how much we strip, we''ll still be hot. To cool down, we need to reach Talcavano City."


    If there was one map John despised the most, apart from Spartonia, it was definitely Talcavano.


    The former was merely ufortable due to its aggressive customs and rough ways, but thetter was an all-epassing nightmare for John.


    The endless sandstorms, the zing sun, the boundless desert, and the extreme temperature swings between day and night made it the most torturous environment John had ever encountered, bar none.


    Yet, within Talcavanoy a rare legendary item, making John''s journey there unavoidable. He had no choice but to press on.


    "Hang in there a little longer. We''re almost there."


    John exhaled deeply and took a water pouch from his backpack, handing it to ria.


    Without hesitation, ria grabbed the pouch and drank deeply, her cracked lips and overheated body finally finding some relief.


    "Just two more hours, and we''ll be there."


    In the distance, shrouded by the swirling sandstorms, the faint outline of a city emerged.


    Nestled in the heart of the desert, Talcavano awaited.


    As the only major settlement in the desert, almost all yers and NPCs congregate here.


    Due to the extreme temperatures and the abundance of mineral resources, this ce has be a haven for the dwarves and a paradise for all forging enthusiasts.


    Here, you can find any material you desire and forge any weapon or armor you can imagine.


    In his past life, John came here andmissioned a legendary dwarven master to craft a scale armor that helped him conceal his presence, making him almost invisible.


    "The outside world... it''s nothing like I imagined!" ria bit her lip lightly. As the queen of the elves, she had never experienced such a harsh environment.


    "This is just the beginning. There are snowy mountains, oceans, and even the underground world. There''s so much you haven''t seen yet. Isn''t that the point of traveling? To explore every corner of the world, leaving your own footprints, and finally, to climb Mount Olympus."


    Finally!


    Before their stamina ran out, John and hispanions reached Talcavano.


    Upon entering the city, John immediately headed to the cksmith''s shop and spent a hefty sum to buy six heat-absorbing bracelets, which he distributed to the group.


    These bracelets, made of Fei''del metal, could absorb and store body heat.


    During the day, they maintained a constant body temperature of 37 degrees, and at night, they released the stored heat tobat the cold.


    The price: twenty thousand silver coins.


    This wasn''t cheap, but it was a necessity for every yer who came to Talcavano.


    In his past life, John made a living for a while by stealing these heat-absorbing bracelets.


    They were expensive and easy to steal, fetching fifteen thousand each on the ck market.


    After putting on the heat-absorbing bracelets, the group''s condition finally improved.


    Qing put his clothes back on, shouldered his halberd, and said in a deep voice, "John, what do we do next?"


    "Since we''re new here, we should find a ce to rest. Given your current state, you probably don''t have much stamina left. Let''s take a break first."


    "However, this ce seems awfully busy. Why does it feel like there are more people here than in Calia City?"


    After walking a short distance, Exiled Immortal noticed at least five different races living together here: elves, humans, dwarves, cyclops, and even half-beasts.


    These races, which typically had strained or even hostile rtionships, were surprisingly getting along,ughing and chatting shoulder to shoulder.


    "That''s simple," John exined. "Talcavano strictly forbids any fighting within the city. If you''re caught, you''ll be invited to the city lord''s mansion for a ''cup of tea.'' If I remember correctly, the city lord of Talcavano is an actual dragon knight with a fire dragon as his mount."


    Hearing this, everyone instinctively looked at John, scarcely believing their ears.


    "John, are dragons really real?"


    "Of course! Otherwise, the Dragon Hunter ss would be pointless. However, the dragons here might differ from what you imagine. They''re more like giant lizards, and they don''t breathe fire; they can only perform physical attacks."


    After all, it''s impossible for wings of flesh to support such a massive creature, and organs that could convert their own energy into fire simply don''t exist.


    To support a creature over ten meters long in flight, the wingspan would need to be at least three times its body length.


    As for breathing fire, it''s the least efficient way to use energy, wasting enormous amounts of heat in the process.


    When John first learned this, his expression was just as disappointed as Exiled Immortal and the others were now.


    They arrived at a tavern, and after some thought, John rented six rooms.


    He had originally considered having the three men share a room while the women each had their own, but it felt inconvenient. So, he rented six rooms to ensure some privacy.


    "By the way, Lily, which city are you in? How much food do you have left after all this time? If you don''t mind, why note and join us? Helena and Exiled Immortal are here too."


    "It''s okay, Johnny. I still have enough food for a while, and... for some reasons, I can''t leave just yet."


    "No worries, just let me know when you''re ready. How about you, Qing? Do you still have food? Why note over and join me so we can look out for each other."


    "I don''t mind, John. Which city are you in? If it''s not too far, I could probably get there in three to five days."


    "I''m in Riverside."


    Hearing this, Qing pondered for a moment, then grinned and said, "That''s not too far. I''ll log off tomorrow and head your way."


    "No need for that. With a Targeted Teleportation Scroll, you can be here in the blink of an eye."


    John rolled his eyes and then looked over at ria.


    "I wonder if you cane to our world. But then again, there''s not much to see. After the disaster, it''s mostly ruins."


    During their journey to Talcavano, John had gradually exined their identities to ria, including the fact that they didn''t belong to this world and the catastrophe that had happened outside.


    This revtion had quite an impact on ria''s worldview.


    "Even if it''s ruins, I still want to see it with my own eyes. The steel jungles, the iron horses, and the giant birds soaring through the sky��what kind of sight must that be?"


    ...


    Calia City had be increasingly unsettledtely.


    Out of nowhere, arge number of counterfeit items had surfaced: second-ss change stones, antidotes, HP potions, and more, even resulting in numerous deaths.


    Yet no one knew who was behind these counterfeits.


    The craftsmanship was so convincing that even appraisals couldn''t detect any ws; only after using them did people realize they had no effect.


    was one of the victims.


    He had spent a hefty sum of forty thousand on a second-ss change stone, only to discover it was just a worthless piece of rock, fueling his rage instantly.


    As a result, trust among yers in Calia City plummeted to an all-time low.

 Chapter 86: Chapter86-Shadows of the Past

    "John, have you seen the forums? There''s a hugemotion in Calia City. The yer ck market has suddenly been flooded with counterfeit goods. Isn''t it interesting that there are even fakes in a game world?"


    "Probably some watchers chose the Alchemist ss and used it to create forgeries. If I wanted to, I could do it too, and even better."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal looked at John with curiosity. "Really? Alchemists can do that?"


    "I can turn a pile of scrap metal into a steel behemoth in my hands. Making counterfeits is just a trivial matter; I just don''t stoop to such things."


    "John, we could make a fortune doing this!"


    "Are you that short on money? Willing to do something so hical?"


    "Not really... I just thought it would be fun."


    Exiled Immortal shrank back, not daring to bring up the subject again.


    "I''m just so bored. We''ve been cooped up in our rooms for days since we arrived in Talcavano with nothing to do. I''m bored out of my mind. If I had known it would be like this, I would have stayed in the Deep Forest."


    "Be patient. I''m gathering information. Soon, there will be plenty to do, and you won''t even have the chance to say no."


    "Speaking of which, where are Helena and ria? They''ve been gone a long time. And Qing is missing too."


    "They took ria shopping for clothes. Girls have those kinds of interests, you know? They should be back soon. As for Qing, he got roped into being a bodyguard and a porter."


    Exiled Immortal tossed the magic cube aside and walked to the window, taking a deep breath.


    "I can''t stand it any longer. I''m going out to get some fresh air. John, want toe along?"


    "Hmm... alright, let''s go. Let''s head to the Adventurers Guild and see if there''s any work to kill time that isn''t too boring."


    With this in mind, John and Exiled Immortal got up and left the hotel, heading towards the Adventurers Guild.


    The so-called Adventurers Guild wasn''t a guild open to yers.


    In fact, it was mostlyposed of NPCs from the game world who regrly issued challenging tasks with equally generous rewards.


    At the Adventurers Guild, yers could also recruit NPCs to join their teams, bing powerful allies.


    This was one of the ways to strengthen a team within the game''s rules.


    However, with every gain, there was a cost.


    Adding NPCs to the team would reduce the experience points and rewards earned, roughly by ten percent for each NPC.


    epting one or two NPCs was manageable.


    Pushing open the door of the Adventurers Guild, a strong smell of alcohol hit them, causing John to wrinkle his nose and step back instinctively.


    "Damn... what a stench!"


    Exiled Immortal pinched his nose, but the smell seemed to permeate through his skin, hitting his soul directly.


    "Keep your voice down, do you want to get kicked out?"


    John red at Exiled Immortal, took a deep breath, and entered the Adventurers Guild.


    Truly, it was a testament to the diversity and inclusiveness of the city.


    From the Talcavano Adventurers Guild, one could glimpse the bigger picture.


    Lizardmen, dwarves, elves, half-beasts, and humans��racespletely different and often hostile to each other��were sitting at the same tables, drinking andughing together.


    Naturally, no one paid any attention to the two humans who had just arrived.


    "Wee, adventurers! Can I get you a drink?"


    "No, thanks. We''re here for a mission."


    John politely declined the receptionist''s offer and turned to the mission board. The sparse number of tasks made John frown.


    "Are there only this many missions?"


    "Talcavano has been quite peacefultely, so there aren''t many missions avable for adventurers. Most people are just drinking here. Only a few low-difficulty, low-reward tasks are left. Would you like to consider any of those?"


    "No, thanks. I''ll keep looking. Hmm... we''ll have two Slime Ales."


    "Certainly! Two Slime Ales, 80 silver coins."


    "Here''s 100, keep the change."


    "You''re very generous!"


    Taking the drinks from the receptionist, John and Exiled Immortal found a random ce to sit, observing the Adventurers Guild while waiting for new missions to appear.


    "Ugh, this tastes awful. Don''t they have any juice or sparkling water?"


    Exiled Immortal took a tentative sip, his face scrunching up in disgust as he pushed the drink aside.


    "It''s not meant for you to drink. Holding a drink is just to help us blend in. Wait a bit longer; there might be personal missions posted by adventurers. These are usually very challenging bute with high rewards."


    As he nced around, John noticed a dwarf NPC who seemed anxious, clutching his drink tightly and ncing towards the entrance now and then.


    This piqued John''s interest.


    "Go to the bar and order the most expensive drink."


    "Got it."


    Exiled Immortal nodded slightly, not questioning John''s motives.


    He walked to the bar and returned within a minute, carrying a ss of deep red liquid.


    "You stay here; I''ll go check out the situation."


    "I''lle along and join the fun."


    "Fine, but remember to watch and listen more than you speak, got it?"


    John picked up his ss and walked slowly over to the nervous dwarf. Pointing to the seat opposite, he smiled, "Is this seat taken?"


    "No, feel free."


    "Thanks."


    John nodded slightly and sat down, cing his ss in front of the dwarf.


    "You''re constantly ncing at the entrance. Are you waiting for someone?"


    "That''s none of your business. Noment!"


    "There''s no need for hostility. We''re all adventurers here. I''m just trying to help. Let me buy you a drink; it''s already paid for."


    cing the ming Blue liquor in front of the dwarf, John continued, "Care to borate?"


    "...Are you sure you want to hear?"


    "Of course, unless you prefer not to share."


    "You''re an outsider, aren''t you? You look unfamiliar. But that''s to be expected. If you were a local of Talcavano, you''d know that few people here want to be associated with me."


    The dwarf downed his drink in one gulp and mmed the ss heavily on the table.


    Leaning in, he lowered his voice, adopting a conspiratorial expression.


    "Young man, have you heard of... Shadows of the Past?"


    As he spoke, a dialogue box simultaneously popped up in front of John and Exiled Immortal.


    [Side Quest: Shadows of the Past epted]


    [Quest Reward: ???]


    Seeing this, John''s eyes lit up.


    "Shadows of the Past? Can you tell us more?"


    "Those are the apparitions of the deceased. Only a few can see them, and those who do usually die shortly after. But I am the exception. I saw the Shadows of the Past when I was thirteen, and yet here I am, still alive."


    "May I ask, how old are you?"


    "177. I''ll be 178 next month."


    John: "..."


    Seeing Shadows of the Past at thirteen and living until now?


    Either this dwarf was lying, or the Shadows of the Past weren''t as lethal as the rumors suggested.


    "Go on, continue."


    "At first, I thought it was just my imagination, but over time, whenever I left Talcavano for the zing ins, that shadow would always appear beside me. This was no hallucination��Shadows of the Past are real!"


    "Oh, old Mac, spinning your tales again?"


    Just as old Mac finished speaking, a group of lizardmen approached, their slitted eyes full of mockery.


    "Always muttering about Shadows of the Past. Even a three-year-old knows it''s just a myth. You only manage to fool the neers."


    One of the lizardmen swaggered over and sat next to John, slinging an arm around his shoulders.


    Heughed, "Brother, don''t believe him. There were others like you who believed old Mac, and they all ended up dead."


    "Dead? Doesn''t that prove the existence of Shadows of the Past?"


    "Of course not! Those people died at old Mac''s hands, not because of some Shadows of the Past. We''re just trying to warn you��stay away from this fraud."

 Chapter 87: Chapter87-Risk

    Facing the lizardmen''s disdainful gaze, old Mac''s face turned red with anger.


    He mmed his hand on the table and stood up, shouting, "Fischer! Stop ndering me! They were killed by the Shadows of the Past, not by me! You ignorant fools will be punished by the Shadows of the Past one day!"


    "Haha, I look forward to that day. Then everyone will see that Shadows of the Past is just a figment of your imagination."


    The lizardman named Fischer snorted but didn''t dare to confront old Mac any further.


    Instead, he got up and left.


    It wasn''t hard to understand why��old Mac was level 45, while the highest level among the lizardmen was only 30.


    They were no match for him.


    If old Mac decided to fight, they would be on the losing end.


    "In any case, neer, if you want to live longer in Talcavano, don''t believe people like him. It''ll only get you killed."


    "Thanks for the warning."


    After watching Fischer and his group leave, John took a deep breath and turned to old Mac.


    "Do you think I''m lying too?"


    "Half and half. Without seeing it for myself, I can''t just take your word for it."


    "I knew it. You fools will never understand!"


    "So, do you want to show me in person, or would you rather stay here and wallow in self-pity?"


    Hearing this, old Mac''s head shot up, and there was a glimmer of hope in his eyes as he looked at John.


    "You, you believe me?"


    "I believe my own judgment. If I determine that Shadows of the Past is just a load of nonsense, I''ll leave."


    "That''s enough. That''s all I need! Adventurer, what''s your name?"


    "John. Just John."


    "Mac Sanders. Call me Mac. John, if you''re willing to trust me, I''ll prove to you that Shadows of the Past is real!"


    "What''s your n?"


    John half-closed his eyes and downed the Slime Ale.


    The thick liquid and spicy taste nearly made him gag, but he managed to keep it down.


    "Tomorrow, I''ll be leaving the city to mine ore in the zing ins. If you''re avable,e with me. We might have a chance to see Shadows of the Past again!"


    "No problem. Tomorrow morning at nine, we''ll meet at the Adventurers Guild. Is that good for you?"


    "Perfect!"


    "Then it''s settled. Mac Sanders, don''t waste the trust I''m giving you."


    As they left the Adventurers Guild, Exiled Immortal finally voiced his concern.


    "John, we both received the quest. Doesn''t that prove that old Mac''s story is true?"


    "Of course, it proves something, but blindly believing it would make us look foolish, wouldn''t it? Besides, this quest is likely very dangerous. Once we get back, we''ll exin the situation to Helena and the others. It''s best to share the quest with them. It might be too difficult for just the two of us."


    "No problem. But I still don''t get one thing, John. If this Shadows of the Past is really something old Mac made up just to lure us out and kill us, what then?"


    "Then we kill him and continue with my investigation."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal scratched his head, puzzled. "So, John, what exactly are you investigating?"


    "Special dungeons, of course. The special dungeon in Ad Vige, the Monster Cave, can provide us with job change materials. The special dungeon in Calia City gives us high-quality equipment. The special dungeon in Deep Forest gives us second ss change stones. What do you think Talcavano''s special dungeon will offer?"


    "It can''t possibly be [Legendary] quality gear, can it?"


    "That''s not impossible."


    ...


    When they returned to their lodgings, Helena and the others had just finished a day of shopping.


    The women had quickly bonded, and with Helena''s enthusiastic nature, ria fit right in. As for Qing, he didn''t seem as pleased.


    After spending the entire day shopping with the women, he hadn''t even managed to get a piece of gear.


    He had no money to spend.


    After his resurrection, Qing''s yer inventory was wiped clean, and even the halberd he now carried was something John had prepared for him beforehand.


    He was basically penniless.


    "John, Exiled Immortal, why did it take you so long to get back? ria and I picked out some casual clothes for you two. Want to try them on?"


    "No rush. I have something to tell you all. Exiled Immortal and I took a quest at the Adventurers Guild. The rewards should be substantial, so we''re nning to share it with you."


    As John spoke, he sent a party quest invite to Helena, Lily, and Qing. Since ria didn''t have a yer system, she wasn''t included.


    "Shadows of the Past... what kind of quest is this?"


    "We''re not sure yet. We just talked to Uncle Mac who posted the quest. The details will only be clear once we leave the city tomorrow. From what Uncle Mac described, it seems quite dangerous. So, what do you think? Want to join?"


    "No problem at all! We''re partners, after all. We have to stick together no matter what!"


    Helena didn''t hesitate for a moment and immediately epted the quest invite. Lily, though silent, also clicked to ept. Only Qing seemed a bit hesitant.


    Noticing his expression, John asked, "Qing, what''s on your mind?"


    "It''s not exactly a concern, but... I''m a bit afraid of ghosts. This quest probably involves ghosts, right?"


    "It''s hard to say, but it likely does. No worries, it''s just a side quest. No one is forcing you."


    "Qing, you turned into a ghost yourself, and you''re still afraid of them?"


    "My brother used to scare me a lot when I was a kid, so it left asting impression. Honestly, sometimes I scare myself when I look in the mirror, worrying that I didn''t really revive and that I''m just a ghost..."


    Qing scratched his head sheepishly, making John and the others chuckle.


    "No worries, you can stay behind. Keep an eye out for any announcements from the city hall or any sightings of the city lord, that dragon knight. The dungeon''s activation might be tied to him."


    "Got it, leave that to me. You all be careful. I''ll be waiting for your good news."


    "Alright then, we''ll set off early tomorrow. Rest well tonight! Oh, ria, stay for a moment. I have something for you, something you might find useful."


    At these words, ria blinked, looking a bit bashful.


    As Helena and the others left, John gently closed the door and turned to ria.


    "Since arriving in Talcavano, can you still use your abilities?"


    "It''s quite difficult. The harsh environment here weakens my powers significantly."


    ria sighed softly, clearly frustrated by the situation.


    "So, I''m nning to try something. I''m not sure if it will work, so don''t get your hopes up too high."


    "A try? What kind of try?"


    "Because you mentioned feeling different from us, I''ve been thinking these past few days if there''s a way to turn you into a yer, giving you a yer interface. I don''t have any concrete leads yet, so I wanted to ask for your opinion. Would you be willing to try? This is a crucial question because I don''t know what risks you might face.


    It might seed, but there''s also a chance it could fail, and I might not even be able to protect your existence. So... ria, do you want to try?"


    For the past few days, John had been relentlessly questioning Seraphina.


    Since Seraphina had boasted that alchemy could create miracles, John hoped that turning ria into a yer wouldn''t be impossible.


    Unfortunately, this time, Seraphina''s research seemed to hit a snag.


    Reviving the dead essentially involved creating a new body, but the soul remained unchanged.


    However, converting an NPC from the game world into a yer presented far moreplex challenges.

 Chapter 88: Chapter88-Blazing Plains

    John''s idea wasn''t a spur-of-the-moment decision.


    It stemmed from his conversations with ria.


    ria, like a newborn child, was full of curiosity about the world and asked John many questions.


    When ria learned that there was another world outside of this one, which was John''s homnd, her curiosity peaked. She wanted to see John''s world.


    Upon realizing that, as a being of this world, she couldn''t travel between the two worlds, ria was disappointed.


    This was what inspired John to consider turning ria into a yer.


    He had consulted Seraphina about it.


    "No, it''s not possible," Seraphina had said without hesitation, directly rejecting John''s idea.


    "Why not?"


    "It''s just not possible. Do you know how many differences there are between your physical structures? Muscle density, magical resonance patterns within the body, even the number of bones are entirely different. Taking a person from a parallel world out of it is nothing but a fool''s dream. Don''t say I didn''t warn you, John. You should give up on this idea.


    Even if it were possible, what would be the point of wasting time and energy on it?"


    "Never mind the point. Can it be done or not?"


    John half-closed his eyes, a cunning smile ying on his lips. "Seraphina, didn''t you say alchemy could create miracles? I knew you were just bluffing."


    "Taunting me won''t work. No means no. Have you thought about what would happen if it fails? As an NPC, once she dies, her soul won''t enter the abyss. When that happens, you won''t even have the chance to revive her."


    So when Seraphina hinted that there might be a way, John hesitated, leading to today''s conversation.


    "So, ria, if it were up to me, I''d suggest giving up on this idea. My world is nothing but destion and ruins; there''s really nothing to see."


    "Let me think about it some more, can I?"


    "Of course, there''s no rush. We have plenty of time."


    ria stepped closer and gently embraced John, her intoxicating fragrance making his heart race.


    "Don''t, stop it, Helena''s just next door. She''ll hear us..."


    "Don''t worry, they won''t hear anything," ria said, her cheeks flushed.


    "I think you''re just..."


    Before John could finish, ria kissed him.


    The long-missed softness of her lips made him lose himself, gradually forgetting to resist.


    And so, the next morning!


    As the first rays of sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating ria''s smooth, baster shoulder, John realized they had gone too far.


    "It''s already morning! Let go of me!"


    ria bit her lip and kicked John away, grabbing her clothes to cover herself. "What if someone finds out I stayed in your room all night? How will you exin that?"


    Seeing ria''s embarrassed expression, John smirked.


    "Maybe you should stay and rest today. Just look at yourself. I''m worried you might get dehydrated."


    John pointed to the nearly soaked bedclothes and then to ria.


    Momentster, John, feeling drained, gulped down an HP potion, followed by another, until his HP was back to a safe level.


    As he stepped out of his room, he almost bumped into Exiled Immortal.


    Seeing John''s exhausted expression, Exiled Immortal rushed over, puzzled. "John, are you alright? You look so weak. Did a monster attack?"


    "No, no, nothing like that. Where are the others? Are they ready?"


    "Helena came to wake me up earlier. She said she and Lily went ahead. Qing is the same as always; he''s not joining us. As for the queen... I haven''t seen her."


    "No need to wait for her. ria isn''t feeling well, so she won''t being with us."


    "Then we''re all set. We can leave anytime."


    "Let''s go to the Adventurers Guild then. We don''t want to keep Helena and Lily waiting."


    ria was indeed exhausted. Fromst night until the early morning, they had been up all night.


    John could replenish his strength with potions, but ria needed sleep to regain her stamina.


    When they arrived at the Adventurers Guild, Helena and the others had been waiting for a while.


    Helena walked up to John, looking puzzled. "We asked around the guild, but no one has seen anyone named Mac. Are you sure he exists?"


    "Of course. We had a long conversation yesterday. Mac Sanders, that''s his name."


    "Could it be that he hasn''t arrived yet?"


    Helena frowned, a hint of confusion shing in her eyes.


    Just as John was feeling perplexed, the doors of the Adventurers Guild suddenly swung open.


    Mac Sanders entered, dragging a bag behind him, its contents unknown.


    Seeing this, John approached him, puzzled. "Mac, we''ve been waiting for you for a long time. Why are you sote?"


    "I had to prepare some things on the way, which took some time," Mac Sanders replied. "This time, we might need to leave Talcavano and head to a mining site in the zing ins. Are you sure you''re all ready?"


    "Of course, we''re fully prepared. What you should be more concerned about now is whether Shadows of the Past actually exists. If this is just a lie, old Mac, you know the consequences."


    "Shadows of the Past is real. It''s not my imagination. I''ll prove it to you!"


    Hearing old Mac''s resolute tone, John nodded slightly and turned to Helena and the others, saying, "If we''re all set, let''s go."


    Outside Talcavano, the zing ins, thergest desert in Olympus, contained countless mining sites.


    Even old Mac didn''t know exactly how many mines existed within the zing ins.


    The abundant underground resources made Talcavano one of the most popr cities, second only to Everglow.


    The rich mineral resources and skilled cksmiths led to low equipment prices, making Talcavano a preferred ce for yers to upgrade their gear.


    Compared to other cities, the cost of upgrading equipment in Talcavano was only about a third or even less.


    As long as you provided the materials, you could have Epic or even Legendary equipment crafted.


    "Mac, before we set off, I need to confirm something. Since you said you''ve seen Shadows of the Past with your own eyes, given your strength, what''s your chance of winning if you face it?"


    "...Less than twenty percent, maybe even lower."


    Old Mac sighed deeply and answered John''s question seriously. Hearing this, John frowned, feeling a bit worried.


    If what old Mac said was true, and Shadows of the Past was nearly unbeatable, then this journey would be fraught with danger.


    It was crucial to note that old Mac was already at level 45, making him a formidable forceparable to John.


    If even old Mac was helpless against Shadows of the Past, John and hispanions would stand no chance if they encountered it.


    However...


    "If someone as strong as you can''t contend with Shadows of the Past, how did you escape? Don''t tell me that in the past 160 years, Shadows of the Past has never once attacked you."


    "Maybe you don''t want to believe it, but... that''s the reality."


    Old Mac sighed deeply, lifting his head to meet John''s gaze. "I''ve had only one close encounter with Shadows of the Past."

 Chapter 89: Chapter89-Mine No. 3

    "Back then, I was around your age, in my twenties, still young. Even though so many years have passed, I still can''t forget it."


    Old Mac lifted his head, gazing at the sky as memories surfaced in his eyes.


    "When my father and I entered the mine to gather forging materials, the Shadows of the Past suddenly appeared. The storm they brought with them was so fierce that it turned the sky a dim yellow, obscuring the sun with wind and sand.


    The storm forced my father and me to stay in the mine pit. My father, trying to find a way out, left me alone in the pit and ventured out on his own. It was then that I saw the Shadows of the Past."


    Old Mac let out a long sigh. It was clear from his expression that this was a haunting memory.


    "I remember vividly, its massive form, as if it were an amalgamation of countless species and different monsters. It had the body of a giant, the eyes of a hungry wolf, limbs like a tiger, and a long chain tail like a whip that cracked sharply against the ground with each strike.


    It appeared before me so suddenly, its gray-ck eyes fixed on me. In that instant, my mind went nk, and I stood there, frozen, not knowing what to do.


    But strangely, it didn''t kill me. To this day, I don''t know why. My father, however, never returned after he walked into the storm."


    After recounting his memory, Old Mac lowered his head, seemingly immersed in his emotions. Seeing this, John and the others exchanged nces.


    "Since then, have you ever had close contact with the Shadows of the Past again?"


    Old Mac shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Since then, although it has appeared again, I could only observe from a distance, never having the chance to get close. I''ve told you everything I know. Whether you believe it or not is up to you."


    Old Mac let out a long breath, finished his drink, and looked at John with a hopeful gaze.


    "So, when can we set off?"


    "You... you believe me? Even after what happened yesterday?"


    "I''ve already answered that. I only believe what I see with my own eyes. So let''s not waste any more time. Let''s head to the mine."


    Upon hearing this, a hint of fervor appeared in Old Mac''s eyes. Clearly, the existence of the Shadows of the Past had be an obsession for him.


    "I''ve already prepared the mine cart. Let''s go! It will take about half an hour to reach Mine No. 3 in the zing ins. But before we set off, we need to prepare food and water. Sandstorms can arise at any time in the zing ins.


    If we get trapped without sufficient water and food, we''ll starve to death!


    But don''t worry, I''ll handle these preparations. Just give me an hour, and we''ll be ready!"


    Old Mac gave John and the others no chance to refuse as he got up and left the Adventurers Guild. Seeing this, Exiled Immortal scratched his head and asked, "John, should we tell him that we actually don''t need food or water?"


    "Let him be. Didn''t you see the look in Old Mac''s eyes? He''s like a devout believer who has long epted being called a heretic. Suddenly meeting people like us who understand him probably makes him very happy."


    John could somewhat empathize with this feeling.


    Both he and Old Mac had experienced things that others couldn''t or wouldn''t believe.


    Inparison, Old Mac was luckier than John.


    At least he found a group of yers willing to listen and believe him.


    But who could John share his long-burdened grievances with?


    In less than forty minutes, Old Mac returned, carrying a backpack taller than himself, filled with food and drinking water, along with some resources needed for mining.


    "Let''s go!"


    ...


    After getting on the mine cart, John realized that some races in the game world had also developed technology. Undoubtedly, the dwarves were among the best at this.


    The Creator took away their height but gave them strong bodies and nimble hands in return.


    Most importantly, they possessed an almost miraculous ability to utilize minerals.


    It seemed every dwarf was born a natural cksmith.


    No matter what kind of ore it was, they could craft anything you wanted with their extraordinary skills.


    The mine cart beneath them was a testament to this.


    At first nce, it looked like a small truck, only much smaller, with a heavier chassis and caterpir tracks for wheels, capable of withstanding small sandstorms.


    "Mac, did you rent this mine cart, or did you build it yourself?"


    "Rent? Of course not! If a dwarf can make something with their own hands, they never rent it. I built this mine cart myself. In fact, most of the mine carts in Talcavano were made by me!"


    Old Mac''s eyes were filled with pride as he spoke of this.


    In fact, apart from the matter of the Shadows of the Past, Old Mac held a very high status in Talcavano.


    A powerful, skilled cksmith with an imaginative mind was extremely popr, something John didn''t need much understanding to appreciate.


    "Old Mac, I have a question. What do you use to power the mine cart? An engine? What fuel does it use?"


    "It''s a magical device, crafted by my own hands. As for fuel, it uses coal essence."


    Alright, another magical device.


    John shrugged and stopped asking questions.


    Half an hour passed quickly as the mine cart entered the zing ins.


    The scorching sun hung high in the sky, and without the help of heat-absorbing bracelets, John and the others would have been roasted alive.


    However, John noticed that Old Mac wasn''t wearing a heat-absorbing bracelet.


    His shiny forehead was covered in sweat, which dripped down, soaking his hairy chin.


    "Mac, aren''t you wearing a heat-absorbing bracelet? This level of heat must be tough to endure."


    "Ah, I''m used to it. The temperature during forging is much higher than this, so it''s not a problem. As for those heat-absorbing bracelets, they''re just glorified radiators with no technical value, yet they sell for a ridiculous price of twenty thousand. It''s an insult to craftsmen. If I made them, I could create something far superior in no time!


    Alright, here we are. This is Mine No. 3."


    Old Mac walked to the edge of the mine and looked down.


    It was a massive pit with a diameter of several kilometers and a depth of over a thousand meters.


    Above it, a gigantic drill roared, and the huge scaffolding and mechanical arms on either side of the pit produced a cacophony of sounds.


    The noise blended with the wind, creating a background music for this world, noisy and piercing.


    For John and the others, the piercing noise was highly ufortable, but Old Mac was evidently used to it.


    As he unloaded his backpack, he shouted at the top of his lungs.


    "We''re taking the lift down!"


    "What did you say?"


    John could only see Old Mac''s furry mouth moving but couldn''t hear what he was saying.


    "I said, we''re taking the lift down!"


    Old Mac pointed to the lift beside him, and John and the others finally understood. They entered the lift, which began to descend slowly.


    Atst, John could see the full extent of the mine.


    Numerous densely packed mine tunnels were attached to the vertical walls of the enormous pit, resembling a Zerg hive from a sci-fi movie.


    He wouldn''t be surprised if countless bugs started swarming out of the tunnels at any moment.


    "Mine No. 3 has only been developed in thest few decades. Before this, Mines No. 1 and No. 2 were nearly exhausted and had be infested with monsters, making them increasingly dangerous as habitats!


    But even so, you need to be cautious. Those monsters are like seeds buried deep underground; no matter how you clear them, they will keep appearing!


    However, seeing as you all are professional adventurers, if we encounter enemies that are difficult to handle, I will protect you!"

 Chapter 90: Chapter90-The Sanders Family

    "Old Mac! What if the Shadows of the Past don''t appear? Wouldn''t this trip be in vain?"


    "How could it be? Even if the Shadows of the Past don''t show up, I wouldn''t let you make this trip for nothing! One of my purposes today is to show you the Shadows of the Past. The second is to mine ore so I can craft weapons for you myself!


    As adventurers, weapons are your most loyal partners. I think you understand thispletely, so rest assured. The fact that you are willing to trust me makes me very satisfied!"


    As Old Mac said this, a smile spread across his face.


    He was already eagerly anticipating the expressions on John and the others'' faces if the Shadows of the Past really appeared.


    As for the weapons, Old Mac had already nned this out before they set off.


    "Alright! This is it! The ore we need to mine is in this tunnel."


    Old Mac pped the lift to a stop and gazed at the pitch-ck tunnel ahead, turning on his heamp.


    "Watch your step. If you fall, it''s an abyss of no return."


    Old Mac grinned, thinking himself humorous, and led the way, striking the ground with his pickaxe to check for stability.


    In a casual nce, John was stunned. The pickaxe in Old Mac''s hand was actually of [Epic] quality!


    Not only that, but the heamp, the multifunctional jacket��almost all of his equipment was [Epic] quality, even more luxurious than what the yers had!


    "Mac, did you make all the gear you''re wearing yourself?"


    "Not the clothes. My daughter sewed them. How do you like it? She''s quite skilled, isn''t she?"


    When he mentioned his daughter, Old Mac''s eyes filled with warmth. He was clearly a loving father.


    In contrast, John and the others'' reactions were rather exaggerated.


    A craftsman capable of mass-producing [Epic] quality weapons and a tailor who could make [Epic] armor��what kind of family was this?


    Even if the God of Forging favored them, it seemed a bit too obvious!


    "Speaking of my daughter, if there''s a chance, I''d love to introduce you to her. Unfortunately, she''s no longer here."


    "Passed away?"


    "What? No, of course not!"


    Old Mac steadied his heamp and smiled wryly. "It''s my poor choice of words. I meant she''s left Talcavano. Recently, I received a letter from her. She''s doing well in Everglow, and I''m very relieved.


    As expected of the eldest daughter of the Sanders family, Florence never lets me down!"


    "Wait... what? Florence is your daughter? Florence Sanders, the dwarf who owns the tailor shop in Everglow?"


    "That''s right! Wait, how do you know? Have you been to Everglow?"


    "Ha... Florence''s name is practically legendary."


    Despite John already thinking highly of the Sanders family''s impressive lineage and the talents hidden in their bloodline, he had clearly underestimated them.


    Florence Sanders, the dwarf tailor, was an unavoidable NPC once you reached a certain stage.


    The reason was simple: this dwarf woman could sew [Legendary] quality armor and even imprint special effects on it based on the materials you provided!


    "It seems Florence is truly remarkable, so famous already? Haha! I really want to visit Everglow and see my daughter."


    "Why not? If we deal with the Shadows of the Past, you can leave Talcavano with us. We will eventually head to Everglow, where you can reunite with your daughter. Uncle Mac, do you have any other rtives in Talcavano?"


    "No, my wife died in a mining ident. My youngest son grew up and left Talcavano for Spartonia. I have no other attachments."


    "Then you cane with us. Our next stop is Spartonia. After that, we might go to the underwater city of Antis and then head straight to Everglow. How about it?"


    "Antis really exists? I thought it was just a legend!"


    Facing Mac''s astonished look, John smiled.


    In fact, in his past life, John had a simr reaction when he learned he would be heading to Antis.


    The beautiful, majestic underwater city was unforgettable for him.


    However, as John and Old Mac chatted away, Helena and the others felt a bit puzzled.


    "John, how do you know so much?"


    "Uh... you forgot? I''m a prophet, remember?"


    John nervously avoided Helena''s gaze. Perhaps in his eagerness to build a good rtionship with Old Mac and Florence, he had gotten a bit carried away.


    "Anyway, it''s settled then. Once we''ve dealt with or figured out the Shadows of the Past, you can join us, Mac."


    "No problem! After all these years in Talcavano, I''m getting tired of the wind and sand here. Every time I open the door, I get covered in dust. There''s always sand in my drink, no matter how much I clean it, and the rice always has pebbles that can break your teeth. It''s time to see the world outside!"


    Hearing this, John finally smiled. Inviting NPCs to join was allowed within the rules, and the two NPCs he invited were quite significant.


    ria, the Queen of the Elves, was already far above everyone at level 60, with formidablebat power and a deep rtionship with John.


    And Old Mac, a master craftsman with a daughter even more skilled in her craft, was certainly an invaluable ally.


    As they talked, the group delved deeper into the mine.


    The walls deep within the tunnel glimmered faintly with the hidden ore, making it possible to see the path ahead even without the heamps.


    Old Mac stopped, extending his rough hand to gently caress the tunnel wall as if it were a beloved partner.


    "This is it. The metal I need is right here! John, could you help me set up the supports to prevent a copse while I extract enough metal to craft weapons for you?"


    "That''s no problem."


    John nodded slightly and took the metal supports from Old Mac.


    The heavy weight surprised John.


    Despite having allocated some points to strength, he still found it a bit challenging to handle the supports, whereas Old Mac could lift them with one hand and still have strength to spare.


    "That strength might even rival Qing''s," John thought.


    John smacked his lips and, following Old Mac''s instructions, worked with Exiled Immortal and the others to secure the mine tunnel with supports.


    Afterward, they had some free time.


    Mining ore was not something John and his group were professionals at, and even though they wanted to try, Old Mac firmly refused.


    His exnation was that if they disrupted the stable structure of the tunnel, they could be buried alive.


    Some ores could be mined, but others were crucial for supporting the tunnel, and they couldn''t tell the difference.


    To avoid the risk, it was better to leave it alone.


    Remembering that in their previous lives, many yers had caused copses by mining on their own to save money on hiring professionals, John and the others quickly abandoned the idea.


    "But, John, are we really going to invite another NPC to join us? Won''t that affect our experience and rewards?" Exiled Immortal asked.


    "By about 20%, but in exchange, we get ria''s formidable strength and a craftsman who can consistently produce [Epic] quality weapons. I think it''s worth it. Besides, Old Mac will leave the team once we reach Everglow. If we build a good rtionship with him, his daughter might even make us [Legendary] quality armor! So I think it''s necessary."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal nodded thoughtfully.


    "Also, I don''t think Old Mac''s joining us is a bad thing. Think about it, he''s very skilled at forging, and you, Exiled Immortal, often run out of weapons. With him around, making dozens of [Epic] quality swords would be a breeze," Helena said, looking at Exiled Immortal.


    "Letting Old Mac join is a good choice."


    "Hmm... I think Uncle Mac is very kind and will be a reliablepanion!" Lily chimed in, agreeing.

 Chapter 91: Chapter91-Disaster!

    Halfway through the mining process, Old Mac had already filled two baskets with ore, each weighing several hundred pounds.


    John increasingly felt that it was a mistake not to bring Qing today.


    John couldn''t let Helena and Lily, the two girls, do such heavy work.


    Moreover, the wind currents in the mine were chaotic, rendering Exiled Immortal''s talent almost useless.


    So, John and Exiled Immortal had to manually carry the discarded g out of the mine.


    After several trips, they were covered in dust and dirt.


    However, Old Mac seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.


    His gaze at the ores was almost tender. Mining and smelting ore was deeply ingrained in Old Mac''s bones, an inseparable part of him.


    "Hmm... this should be about enough. If it''s convenient, could you tell me what kind of weapons you prefer? I''ll customize them for you."


    "I don''t really have a fixed preference... anything handy will do," John shrugged and then looked at Exiled Immortal.


    "Uncle Mac, I like swords! Any kind of sword will do, the sturdier the better!" Exiled Immortal said eagerly.


    "Got it... Exiled Immortal prefers long swords. How about you, Helena?"


    "A whip, if possible."


    "Of course! Don''t underestimate me, Helena! And finally, Lily, you''re a Priest, right? Your weapon is usually a staff..."


    At this, Lily seemed visibly surprised.


    "Uncle Mac, can you make a staff too?"


    "Yes, the main part of a staff is quite easy to make. The tricky part is the Starshard embedded in it, which is rare. Without a Starshard, a staff is just a walking stick with no special properties.


    But don''t worry, I''ve collected quite a few treasures over the years. I have a rather fine Starshard, which I''ll give you as a gift."


    "This is too valuable, isn''t it?" Lily asked, surprised.


    "It''s fine. Besides, I''m traveling with you, so I can''t take everything with me. If it helps you, I''ll be happy," Old Mac replied, wiping the sweat off his forehead.


    The mix of ore dust and sweat had turned into mud on his face, making him look quite disheveled.


    John couldn''t say much about Old Mac''s appearance since he wasn''t in much better shape himself.


    As they were transporting the mined ore back to the lift, preparing to leave, Old Mac suddenly froze and looked towards a certain mine tunnel with terror in his eyes.


    "Wait... is that the Shadows of the Past?"


    "Where?" John and the others immediately looked in the direction Old Mac indicated, but unfortunately, they didn''t see anything. Perhaps the entity had already disappeared, or maybe it was never there.


    In any case, John and his group did not notice the Shadows of the Past.


    However, Old Mac was adamant. "I saw it, right there! No, I have to go after it and find out the true nature of the Shadows of the Past!"


    With that, Old Mac leaped off the lift and climbed onto the scaffolding towards the tunnel where he had seen the Shadows of the Past, moving quickly!


    Seeing this, John pinched the bridge of his nose and turned to Helena and Lily, saying, "You two take the ore and leave the mine. Exiled Immortal and I will go after him and find out what''s going on."


    "Alright, be careful!" Helena replied, understanding that she and Lily wouldn''t be much help in this situation.


    Staying behind would only be a burden to John and Exiled Immortal.


    They took the lift and continued ascending while John and Exiled Immortal jumped onto the scaffolding.


    "Damn it, the wind here is too chaotic. I can''t control it!" Exiled Immortal said, his brow furrowed and his face grim.


    Despite his efforts, the erratic wind patterns made it impossible to utilize effectively.


    Forcing his way through could result in being caught in the turbulent currents and falling into the thousand-meter abyss below!


    "These scaffolds are sturdy enough, but we still need to be careful," John reminded, watching Old Mac move swiftly.


    Mimicking Old Mac, John crawled on the scaffolding like a lizard, using both hands and feet to move faster.


    Not far ahead, Old Mac had nearly reached the edge of the tunnel.


    Seeing John and Exiled Immortal catching up, he finally stopped and waited at the edge.


    Once he pulled John and Exiled Immortal into the tunnel, Old Mac lowered his head in guilt.


    "I''m sorry, I just acted on impulse. I shouldn''t have rushed ahead like that," he said, remorsefully.


    "Sorry, I got a bit impulsive. I just..."


    "Uncle Mac, wepletely understand how you feel, but you moved so quickly we couldn''t keep up. If we encounter danger, we won''t be able to support you in time," John said with a wry smile. He continued, "Since the Shadows of the Past have appeared, they must have left traces. Let''s follow the traces. We can''t act rashly, as we don''t know its strength. Staying together will be safer."


    "You''re right. I''m sorry for putting you in this position," Old Mac apologized.


    "When we get back to the Adventurers Guild, you owe us a good drink!" Johnughed.


    ...


    Meanwhile, above the mine.


    Helena and Lily had just brought the ore back to the mine cart and were thinking of checking on the situation when the sky suddenly changed.


    A massive sandstorm appeared out of nowhere on the horizon, carrying a huge amount of sand and stone, blocking out the sun!


    The scene looked like something straight out of a movie, entirely created with special effects and CGI, but it was real, right in front of them.


    The howling storm seemed to connect heaven and earth, and they felt so small in the face of it.


    "Helena! The sandstorm ising! Should we tell John and the others? Continuing down there could be very dangerous!"


    "There''s not enough time. Even if they climb up, the storm will block our way. We won''t be able to get out in time..." Helena bit her lip, her brow furrowed, showing her inner turmoil.


    "Lily, get in the car. We need to leave here and wait for the storm to pass before returning to the mine!"


    "Helena?"


    "No time. If the storm hits, it will tear apart everything on the surface! John and the others are in the mine and won''t be affected, but we will likely die horribly. Don''t worry. With John and Exiled Immortal''s strength, they''ll be fine."


    Helena, thinking quickly, finally came up with the best n.


    Before the storm hit, the best option was to leave.


    This was not cowardice.


    Once caught in the storm, nothing would survive.


    Lily understood Helena''s reasoning and didn''t argue.


    She obediently got into the car.


    Fortunately, the construction of the mine cart wasn''t tooplicated.


    Helena quickly got the hang of it, and with a firm press of the elerator, the engine roared to life.


    The mine cart, loaded with thousands of pounds of ore, started up at a high speed.


    The tracks rotated rapidly, and the cart shot out over a hundred meters.


    They would definitely be able to leave before the sandstorm hit!


    As for John and the others below the mine, even though Helena was reluctant to leave them behind, there was nothing they could do in the face of such a natural disaster.


    Meanwhile, below the mine, Old Mac seemed to realize something.


    His face darkened as hey on the ground, listening intently.


    After a while, he spoke gravely, "There''s a sandstorm outside, and it''s a big one!"


    "Sandstorm? Are you sure, Uncle Mac?"


    "This sound... there''s no mistaking it. It''s definitely a sandstorm! We won''t be affected in the mine, but Helena and Lily will be in great danger!"


    "Exiled Immortal, you need to leave and warn Helena. Tell them to take shelter in the mine or drive away!"


    "No need, Helena and Lily have already left."


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand, looking at the rapidly moving light on the map. He finally sighed in relief.


    "Helena must have realized the seriousness of the situation and drove away with Lily."


    Hearing this, John finally rxed.


    "That''s good, that''s good..."


    Old Mac nodded slightly and stood up, leaning against the wall. His eyes caught sight of a menacing scratch mark on the wall.


    "Is this... left by the Shadows of the Past?"


    "It seems we''re on the right track. It''s currently in this mine tunnel?" Exiled Immortal said as he moved closer.


    "Not necessarily. We still can''t even be sure what kind of creature it is. Who''s to say the mine tunnels aren''t interconnected? Anyway, let''s stay alert and be cautious," John replied.

 Chapter 92: Chapter92-Sandstorm

    "Finally... out of the sandstorm."


    About ten kilometers from the center of the sandstorm, Helena hit the brakes, and the tracks gradually came to a stop.


    She turned to look back.


    If they hadn''t chosen to leave immediately, they would have been swallowed by the storm by now.


    "So, so terrifying..."


    Lily took a deep breath, astonished by the power of the sandstorm, and couldn''t help but worry for John and the others.


    "Helena, do you think Johnny and the others will be alright?"


    "They definitely will. They''re inside the mine, so they won''t be affected by the sandstorm. The only thing that worries me is that so-called Shadows of the Past. What kind of existence is it? If that thing is incredibly strong..."


    Helena pinched her brow, seemingly unable to continue.


    "Anyway, let''s trust them. Once the sandstorm is over, we''ll go back and check on them. Until then, all we can do is wait."


    ...


    "Waiting here is definitely not a good idea! Shadows of the Paste and go without a trace. If we just sit here, we might never get the chance to uncover its mystery. I disagree!"


    Old Mac stood up and immediately rejected John''s suggestion without a moment''s hesitation.


    "But Mac, you said yourself that you don''t have an effective way to track Shadows of the Past, right? We''ve lost the trail three times already. The mine is full of tunnels; who knows where they lead? Maybe there''s an abyss beyond the cracks. Catching Shadows of the Past is important, but we must prioritize our safety!"


    Hearing this, Old Mac opened his mouth but couldn''t refute it.


    How could he not understand the dangers John mentioned? But with Shadows of the Past right in front of him, it was hard for him to stay calm.


    "In any case, safetyes first. Weck many things, but time isn''t one of them. Whether it''s a day or three, we can afford to wait. The sandstorm is raging outside, and we can''t leave for now. I refuse to believe we can''t catch the tail of Shadows of the Past."


    John stood up and walked towards the mine entrance.


    The flying sand blocked out the sky, making it impossible to open his eyes, let alone leave.


    Unable to discern direction, staying in the mine was undoubtedly the best choice.


    "No, the sandstorm''s appearance has made the wind field even more chaotic, like a pot of soup. Using our powers now could be deadly."


    Exiled Immortal timely reminded them, dispelling John''sst unrealistic hope. Helplessly, he retreated back into the mine.


    But at that moment, Old Mac suddenly stood up, rushed out of the mine, and struggled to open his eyes, staring straight into the sandstorm with increasing excitement.


    "Look! Look at the figure in the center of the sandstorm! There''s no mistake, it''s Shadows of the Past that brought the storm!"


    "What?"


    John followed Old Mac''s pointing finger and through the gaps in his fingers, he finally saw the figure.


    Just as Old Mac had described, it was as if countless lives were melded together to create an indescribable monster standing at the center of the sandstorm.


    "It, it really exists? But the storm is so huge, we can''t get close!"


    "Mac, it looks like we''ll have to give up this time. Maybe we''ll get another chance in the future. This storm feels like divine retribution, isting us outside, making it impossible to approach."


    John sighed and stepped forward to pat Old Mac on the shoulder, thinking this would dissuade him. But Old Mac''s next words left John stunned.


    "I''m going into the sandstorm!"


    "What? No! Have you gone mad, Mac!"


    Exiled Immortal rushed forward, eyes full of shock, and questioned, "Do you have any idea how fast the wind, carrying stones, can go? You don''t even need to get close; the flying sand and stones would turn your body into a sieve, let alone entering the center of the storm!


    Besides, even if you got in, what then? You don''t know the strength of Shadows of the Past. What if you can''t beat it? This is too risky. We can wait for another opportunity!"


    "But who knows how long the next opportunity will take? Tens of days? Months or even years? How long can I wait?


    Who knows whates first, tomorrow or an ident? I have thought like you countless times before: why does it have to be this time? Life is long, I''ll have another chance. But that''s not the reality!"


    Old Mac turned around, his eyes resolute, and continued, "This might be thest chance in my life to get close to, even confront, Shadows of the Past. I can''t help but think this way. I know it''s risky, so I''ll go alone.


    You two stay here, wait for the storm to end, and leave Mine No. 3. If, and I mean if... after the storm ends, you find my body, please take me back. But thinking positively, maybe I''lle back alive?"


    Old Mac tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a simple smile.


    "I''m really sorry, John. I promised to forge a weapon for each of you, but I probably can''t do that now. Aspensation, take this."


    As Old Mac spoke, he pulled a ne with a shattered crystal from his chest and ced it in John''s hand.


    "This was given to me by my daughter. Now, I''m giving it to you. If you ever go to Everglow City and meet my daughter, you might be able to exchange it for some armor. Consider itpensation for my broken promise.


    Ah... I wish I could go to Everglow City to see my grown-up Florence, but it seems I won''t have the chance.


    John, I''m very fortunate to have a group like you who believes in an old man''s crazy words. Thank you..."


    With that, Old Mac turned around, took out the pickaxe from his back, and struck it heavily into the rock wall.


    He tied one end of the safety rope to the pickaxe and the other end around his waist, preparing to climb up the scaffolding.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal scratched his head in frustration. After a long hesitation, he suddenly rushed forward and pulled Old Mac back.


    "Exiled Immortal, what are you doing!"


    "What am I doing? I''m stopping you from getting yourself killed! You''re underestimating a natural disaster! Do you know how fast the wind carrying stones can be? It can shred a mountain! You, a mere mortal, what can you do?


    Rely on sheer willpower?"


    "What other choice do I have? I have to try; I can''t let this opportunity slip away!"


    "Stop arguing, Mac! I''ll think of something..."


    Exiled Immortal took a deep breath, muttering to himself, "I don''t know if this will work... Since my second ss change, I''ve felt my abilities growing. Damn it, I''m betting on this! Mac, once this is over, you must forge twenty swords for me!"


    With that, Exiled Immortal ignored John and Old Mac''s attempts to stop him and rushed out of the mine. Facing the bottomless pit, he leaped!


    "Exiled Immortal!"


    "Exiled Immortal!"


    John rushed forward, reaching out to grab Exiled Immortal''s coat, but missed by just a centimeter.


    He could only watch as Exiled Immortal fell rapidly, disappearing from sight.


    He could faintly hear Exiled Immortal''s voice.


    "Mac, you''d better watch closely. Natural disasters aren''t so terrifying in front of me, Exiled Immortal!"


    "Damn it! Just a little more!"


    John gritted his teeth and punched the ground, causing the hardpiszuli surface to crack instantly.


    "E... Exiled Immortal, kid."


    Old Mac copsed to the ground, eyes nk, stunned.


    No one would have expected Exiled Immortal to suddenly jump into the pit.


    In such extreme weather, Exiled Immortal''s abilities would be minimal!


    To Old Mac, his impulsiveness had led to Exiled Immortal''s death. Guilt and regret filled his heart.


    "Again... another sacrifice..."


    Old Mac bowed his head, memories flooding in.


    He could no longer remember how many innocent people had died because of his quest to uncover the truth about Shadows of the Past. Ten? Twenty?


    Was there any chance of survival after such a fall?


    The answer to John''s doubt came in the form of a gust of green wind rising from the depths of the pit!

 Chapter 93: Chapter93-Master of the Wind!

    "Wind, heed my call!"


    Boom!


    A thunderous roar erupted beneath John''s feet as a figure shot into the sky at incredible speed!


    [Master of the Wind]!


    The violent, chaotic air currents responded to Exiled Immortal''s summons, gradually bing gentle and calm.


    The green wind gathered beneath Exiled Immortal''s feet, intertwining to form emerald wings that spread open from his back!


    Yes, it was a new storm!


    A storm under the control of Exiled Immortal, a green storm!


    The immense suction power seemed to pull everything around it, like a giant mouth wanting to swallow everything and still yearning for more!


    So, Exiled Immortal set his sights on the sandstorm!


    In just a few breaths, Exiled Immortal seemed to be the eye of the storm, letting the green wind tear through everything in the world, rapidly expanding!


    "Is... is that the kid Exiled Immortal?"


    Seeing this, Old Mac was almost too shocked to speak.


    Looking at the enormous tornado nearly level with the sandstorm, Old Mac instinctively stepped back a few paces, stumbling and copsing to the ground.


    "This is a miracle!"


    Old Mac was right; it was a miracle!


    The SSS-level ability [Master of the Wind] was a miracle itself!


    As the green tornado''s scale nearly surpassed the sandstorm, Exiled Immortal raised his arm and shouted!


    "Smash it for me!"


    With hismand, the green tornado let out a deafening roar and actually began to charge toward the sandstorm!


    In the distance, beyond the storm, Lily suddenly noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Shocked, she nudged Helena beside her.


    "He-Helena, look..."


    Helena, puzzled, followed Lily''s pointing finger, and the sight before her was something she would never forget.


    There, above the mine, two storms that seemed to connect heaven and earth were slowly colliding.


    The turbulent crosswinds threatened to tear everything around them to shreds.


    Even from over ten kilometers away, Helena could feel the terrifying impact, with sand flying wildly!


    "What on earth... is happening?"


    "Come on! Is that all you''ve got! Hahahaha!"


    At the center of the tornado!


    Exiled Immortal''s clothes pped wildly, his hair seemingly dyed green by the tornado, dancing in the wind!


    At this moment, he looked like a deity from Mount Olympus, controlling all the storms in the world.


    In John''s witness, Exiled Immortal manipted the tornado, forcefully tearing a gap in the sandstorm, forcing it to a halt!


    "Run? You still think you can run? Get back here!"


    Seeing Shadows of the Past attempting to escape, Exiled Immortal casually waved his hand, and the green wind instantly swept over, binding Shadows of the Past tightly and hurling it heavily towards the mine where John and Old Mac were!


    Witnessing this, John grabbed Old Mac by the cor and threw him deeper into the mine, using the recoil to leap out himself and cling to the scaffolding, barely avoiding the impact!


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that if he had been hit directly by such a terrifying force, John would be heading to the Abyss to drink with Deception right now.


    "Sorry, slipped..."


    Seeing John in such a sorry state, Exiled Immortal stuck out his tongue, about to say something when his face suddenly turned pale!


    "Damn... overdid it..."


    With those words, the green wind around Exiled Immortal instantly disappeared. He felt his vision go ck andpletely lost consciousness.


    Fortunately, Exiled Immortal''s fall was not too far from John. This time, John didn''t miss that crucial centimeter and grabbed Exiled Immortal''s ankle firmly.


    "What a damn lunatic..."


    Breathing a sigh of relief, John hauled Exiled Immortal back into the mine, then climbed back up the scaffolding himself.


    By now, Old Mac was already in tears.


    He knelt silently beside the tattered and barely alive Shadows of the Past, who had been ravaged by Exiled Immortal.


    "So, this is Shadows of the Past..."


    Aplete monster, its level 55 signified its formidable strength.


    Unfortunately, Shadows of the Past didn''t have the chance to demonstrate its might before being almost instantly annihted by Exiled Immortal.


    But... how could this be?


    Even though his century-long wish had finally been fulfilled, Old Mac didn''t seem happy.


    "Is it just... over like this? So what exactly is Shadows of the Past? Why did it appear, and why did it haunt me for so many years? It had countless opportunities to kill me, yet it never did?"


    Shadows of the Past was dead, but Old Mac''s questions remained unanswered.


    In fact, there was a high probability these questions would never be answered in his lifetime.


    "John, is the kid Exiled Immortal alright?"


    Old Mac turned to look at the unconscious Exiled Immortal, smiling bitterly. "I even said I would protect you all, but now it seems utterly ridiculous."


    "He''s passed out from overexertion, but overall, he doesn''t have any serious injuries. He''ll be fine after a few days of rest. As for that storm... Honestly, you''re not the only one shocked. It''s the first time I''ve seen Exiled Immortal disy such terrifying power. As you can see, it took a toll on him too."


    "Regardless, thank you, both of you. If it weren''t for you and Exiled Immortal, I probably would never have been able to kill Shadows of the Past in my lifetime."


    Old Mac struggled to his feet.


    After a moment of silence, he began dragging the body of Shadows of the Past towards the entrance of the mine.


    Seeing this, John quickly asked, "Mac, are you taking its body back?"


    "No, taking it back is pointless. Just leave it here, let it continue being a terrifying creature that only exists in rumors."


    "But this way, no one will believe that Shadows of the Past really existed. If you bring it back, you can silence those people, can''t you?"


    "There''s no need for that. Even if they saw it with their own eyes, people won''t believe what they don''t want to believe.


    Besides, if I took it back, I would always be tempted to dwell on it. It''s better to end it here. Shadows of the Past is dead, and my questions and doubts should disappear with it."


    With that, Old Mac grunted and with great effort, threw the body of Shadows of the Past off the cliff.


    At that moment, a notification of a sessfullypleted side quest popped up before John''s eyes, and the rewards were granted.


    John''s level increased to 57, making him the undisputed top yer on the server, surpassing even Helena by five levels!


    As John opened his inventory to check the quest rewards, he could hardly believe his eyes.


    [Echo of Shadows of the Past] (One-time Use Item)


    Quality: [Legendary]


    Effect: [Once used, summons Shadows of the Past (Level 55) to fight for two hours. During this period, Shadows of the Past will be absolutely obedient.]


    Description: [What is remembered lives on.]


    Even though it was a one-time-use item, it was incredibly valuable!


    After all, this was the first [Legendary] item John had obtained since his rebirth, and it was just frompleting a side quest!


    However, there was a slight disappointment: it seemed that Exiled Immortal, Helena, and the others did not receive any rewards, as their levels remained unchanged.


    It made sense though; Exiled Immortal was unconscious when the quest waspleted, and Helena and Lily were out of the quest range.


    If everyone had been present, they would have each received a [Legendary] item or equipment, which was quite a pity.


    Lost in thought, John heard someone calling his name.


    He looked up and saw Helena leaning over the top of the mine, waving at him.


    "John! Mac! Are you okay?"


    "We''re fine! What about Lily? Is she hurt?"


    "I''m not hurt, Johnny!"


    Hearing this, John finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    He then turned to Old Mac, tugged at the corners of his mouth, and smiled, "Mac, do you remember what Exiled Immortal said earlier?"


    "Wh-what did he say?"


    "He said that once this is over, you need to forge twenty longswords as a reward. You might not have heard it clearly, but I did.


    So, don''t think you can get out of it! Exiled Immortal fought so hard; he deserves that reward."

 Chapter 94: Chapter94-Messages in the Wind

    "I thought it was something else. Don''t worry, even thirty won''t be a problem!" Macughed heartily, slinging Exiled Immortal over his shoulder.


    He and John stepped into the elevator, and as it slowly ascended, old Mac finally withdrew his gaze from the depths of the massive pit, exhaling deeply.


    "It''s over, finally over..."


    "Mac, I actually have some thoughts about Shadows of the Past."


    Recalling the item description of Shadows of the Past, John turned to old Mac and asked, puzzled, "Mac, from whom did you hear the name Shadows of the Past?"


    "It was from my father. Is there a problem?"


    "I just find it a bit strange. Mac, could it be that you see Shadows of the Past more often than others because you''re fixated on it, so you notice its presence more frequently? But why? What does Shadows of the Past mean to you that it haunts you so much, making you willing to take such great risks?"


    "That''s... another story."


    Old Mac rubbed his temples, memories surfacing in his mind.


    "When I was young, my father used to scare me with stories about Shadows of the Past. He often said that if you were taken by Shadows of the Past, your soul would be absorbed, bing a part of them. I always believed that.


    Until the year my father disappeared in the storm. I never wanted to ept it and searched for over twenty years, but I never found him. So, I had to ept the fact that my father was dead.


    But... how I wished to see him one more time! If Shadows of the Past really absorbs the souls of the dead, then could my father''s soul be inside it too? This thought gradually turned into my obsession."


    At this point, old Mac suddenlyughed at himself, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Isn''t it silly? I''m such a grown man, yet I still believe in these stories, which are obviously lies."


    "Maybe it''s not a lie at all?"


    "What... what did you say?"


    Old Mac looked up, meeting John''s gaze, a sh of astonishment in his eyes.


    "I said, maybe this story isn''t a lie. Otherwise, how do you exin that Shadows of the Past has never actively attacked you? Perhaps your father has been secretly protecting you. While this may seem too idealistic, some things don''t always need a reasonable exnation. Leaving a bit of mystery isn''t necessarily a bad thing, right?


    Mac, I believe that your father would be very happy to see you be such a respected craftsman."


    "Really? My father has been protecting me all this time?"


    "Look at that storm. It rages between heaven and earth but never touches you. Haven''t you heard the voices in the wind, expressing your father''s longing?"


    Upon hearing this, old Mac closed his eyes for a long time.


    Although he knew deep down that John might be saying this just tofort him, even so, even so...


    "John, thank you for helping me find peace."


    "No problem. I''m just beautifying the facts a bit. What''s truly important is not what I say, but whether you''re willing to believe it."


    [Ding, Trickster skill activated. NPC Mac''s affection level is maxed out.]


    As the words fell, the elevator finally reached the top.


    John turned around, looking at the worried faces of Helena, Lily, and the others.


    He walked forward slowly and smiled, "Did you see that scene just now? A green storm appeared out of nowhere and tore the sandstorm to pieces!"


    "Of course! We saw the sandstorm disappear, so Lily and I rushed back to get you! Wait, hold on... a green storm, could it be...?"


    "That''s right, it was Exiled Immortal. That rascal must have been hiding it for a long time. I didn''t expect him to have such terrifying power!"


    That''s a natural disaster!


    Even with alchemy, which is said to create miracles, and ria, the strongest force in the game, one can only marvel at the insignificance of oneself in the face of such a cataclysmic event. But Exiled Immortal did it.


    Not a [God], but more like a [God].


    John had considered a hundred possibilities.


    Exiled Immortal might use various clever ways to disperse the sandstorm, but he chose the simplest and most effective method: he created a tornado with his hands and brutally collided it with the sandstorm until it was torn to shreds!


    "That''s really..."


    "Terrifying, right? Luckily, Exiled Immortal passed out from overexertion. Otherwise, I can already imagine how he would brag about himself. But, he does have the power. We owe him today. If it weren''t for him, who knows how long we would have been stuck in that mine, and we wouldn''t have had the chance to see Shadows of the Past in person."


    After cing Exiled Immortal on the mine cart, John also sat down, his tense nerves finally rxing a bit.


    Exiled Immortal''s condition was simr to Lily''sst timepletely drained of stamina and in aatose state.


    He just needed some rest to recover fully.


    As for old Mac, he probably wouldn''t have any time to visit the Adventurers Guild for a drink for quite a while.


    He would have to work overtime to forge all the swords he promised Exiled Immortal.


    Of course, John''s journey in Talcavano was far from over.


    The side quest was just a pleasant surprise.


    What really mattered to John was the main quest in Talcavano, which had a chance to reward a [Legendary] quality item��the dragon egg.


    John was determined to obtain it! Even though he wasn''t a Dragon Knight ss, just the thought of having a dragon made him excited!


    ...


    Meanwhile, inside Talcavano!


    Qing''s head bobbed like a pecking chicken, finally snapping up before he fellpletely asleep.


    He pped his face to wake himself up.


    "This is too much. Sleeping from morning till now and still not awake?"


    He nced at the time; it was gettingte outside, and there was still no sound from the room.


    Before leaving, John had specifically asked Qing to keep an eye out for news about the Dragon Knight Lord and to help protect ria.


    Qing had readily agreed.


    As a result, he ended up sitting at the door all day while ria slept inside all day.


    Had he known, he might as well have gone to the Adventurers Guild for a few drinks!


    As these thoughts ran through his mind, Qing suddenly heard footsteps approaching.


    He looked up and saw John.


    Qing''s heart lifted, and he hurried over, taking Exiled Immortal from John''s back and shouldering him himself.


    "John, what happened to Exiled Immortal?"


    "He passed out from exhaustion. Don''t worry about it, just throw him back in his room and let him sleep. Any news from the Lord''s side?"


    "None. He hasn''t shown up all day. I even paid people to keep an eye on him, and they were supposed to report back to me with any news. But those two haven''t returned all day."


    John: "..."


    "Is it possible that they just took your money and ran?"


    Qing: "...No way, NPCs can be that bad?"


    "Hard to say. By the way, where''s ria? Still in her room?"


    "She''s been sleeping all day. This Elf Queen, could she have narcolepsy or something? How can she sleep so much?"


    "Ha... maybe."


    John clearly didn''t want to talk more about this topic.


    Although Helena and Lily had already returned to their rooms downstairs, he decided it was better to say nothing more to avoid any mistakes.


    "Thanks for your hard work, Qing. Tomorrow you can move around freely. I''ll keep an eye on the Lord''s ce myself. By the way, it''s really a pity you missed Mine No. 3 today. You missed a movie-level scene."


    Hearing this, Qing immediately became interested and asked, "What? What kind of scene? It wasn''t like something out of a horror movie, was it?"


    John left with a casual wave and a smile as he opened the door, "Wait until Exiled Immortal wakes up and ask him. I''m sure he''ll be more than happy to give you a detailed ount. That rascal has probably been dying to tell someone."

 Chapter 95: Chapter95-Aeolus

    "Nonsense! Are you saying I slept for a whole thirty-six hours? Impossible! You didn''t see the scene at that moment. I was like a god! There''s no way I would have passed out from overexertion for that long!


    Absolutely not!"


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand dismissively and, after a moment of silence, looked back at Qing, puzzled, "Are you sure I slept that long?"


    "I think I''m sure, because it''s already the evening of the second day. If you don''t have anything else to do, I''m going to the Adventurers Guild for a drink. Want to join?"


    "Hey, Qing, what''s the point of drinking? Where were we in our conversation?"


    "Please, Exiled Immortal, you''ve been describing the scene to me for over four hours. I swear I can visualize it perfectly in my head. Just give me a break, will you?"


    Qing scratched his head in frustration and let out a long sigh.


    If he had known Exiled Immortal would be this verbose, he never would have asked about the incident.


    For four whole hours, Qing had just been listening to Exiled Immortal embellish his actions with various grandiose phrases, portraying himself as a divine hero descending from the heavens.


    The problem was, that storm had onlysted less than half an hour.


    No matter how much he exaggerated, he couldn''t possibly talk about it for that long.


    "By the way, Exiled Immortal, old Mac came by today."


    "Old Mac, oh right, I almost forgot. He owes me twenty swords. I need to go collect them."


    "I don''t think that''s necessary. He came today precisely for that reason."


    Saying this, Qing retrieved thirty swords from his yer inventory andid them out on the bed one by one.


    "Thirty [Epic] quality weapons. Congrattions, you''re now a rich man."


    "Wow... I thought it was just a joke. I didn''t expect he''d actually over-deliver."


    Looking at the gleaming swords, Exiled Immortal took a deep breath.


    To him, only two things could bring excitement:bat and swords.


    "This is like... heaven? Well, maybe not, but it''s really nice! Old Mac''s craftsmanship didn''t disappoint. Qing, if you see old Mac at the Adventurers Guild, give him my thanks."


    "I will, if I see him. Oh, and one more thing..."


    Qing turned around and patted Exiled Immortal on the shoulder, speaking in a serious tone, "John said to find him when you wake up. He has something to ask you."


    "Got it, I''ll go find himter."


    Exiled Immortal was clearly entranced by the allure of the thirty swords, and Qing wasn''t sure if he had even registered his words.


    But for now, Qing didn''t care.


    He had been in this room, looking after Exiled Immortal for thirty-six hours, and he was bored to the point of madness.


    He needed something to take his mind off things.


    With that thought, Qing pushed open the door, only to run into Johning back.


    "John, you''re back so early today?"


    "Yeah, the Adventurers Guild is closed, and there''s nowhere else to go, so I came back. Where are Helena and the others?"


    "What? The Adventurers Guild is closed? Damn! Where am I supposed to get a drink now? Oh right, there''s the tavern. Huh?


    You asked about Helena and the others? They should be in their rooms, I guess. I''m not really sure. Oh, by the way, Exiled Immortal woke up. He''s ying with the ''toys'' old Mac sent him."


    "He woke up so soon? I thought it would take three to five days."


    "Three to five days? Give me a break, will you? Thirty-six hours was already more than enough for me. You guys didn''t have to look after him. Seriously, John, I was bored to death!"


    Qing sighed deeply and plopped down on the stairs.


    "In the Deep Forest, at least I could have a good fight, battling monsters with all my might. But now? I''ve practically be a babysitter, either looking after that Elven Queen or this rascal Exiled Immortal."


    "When can we have a proper fight again? My bones are starting to rust! I''m a man who inherited the War God''s talent! If I can''t fight, what''s the point?"


    "Trust me, brother, it won''t be long now. When the timees, even if you want to refuse, you probably won''t have the chance. So... just be patient a little longer."


    John sighed, patted Qing on the shoulder, and then headed back to his room.


    In fact, John hadn''t expected therge event to take so long to start.


    If he remembered correctly, Talcavano had once hosted a major event called Dragon Hunt.


    In his previous life, during this event, Helena''s power had skyrocketed.


    As a Dragon Hunter, she was like a bamboo shoot taking root and absorbing nutrients from the soil, until the arrival of a spring rain caused her to grow rapidly.


    "But why is it taking so long?"


    It''s worth noting that nearly 400,000 yers had now arrived in Talcavano.


    Compared to Talcavano, which is a remote city not essential to the linear game progression, most people chose to go directly to Spartonia.


    As these thoughts swirled in his mind, John''s door was suddenly knocked on.


    He looked over to see Exiled Immortal pushing the door open a crack, poking his head through, and asking, "John, did you need me?"


    "Come in and sit down. I have a few questions about what happened at the mine a few days ago."


    John gestured for Exiled Immortal to take a seat.


    "Is there... is there a problem?"


    "Of course there is. As far as I know, your previous talent was SS-grade [Windwhisper], correct?"


    "That''s right, I''ve had that talent for the past few months."


    "Then that''s strange. Do talents evolve during the game? I''ve never heard of that. Don''t you and Qing find it odd?"


    "Strange? Talents... should be capable of growth, right?"


    "Of course not! Talents are called talents because they can''t be easily changed. Qing''s resurrection can be understood, but you? Evolving all of a sudden? Do you think that''s normal?"


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal frowned, sensing something was off.


    "Now that you mention it, John, I have been feeling a bit strange recently."


    "Be more specific."


    "I feel like I''ve gotten a lot stronger. Haven''t you noticed? I''ve grown taller. I''m now as tall as you. I thought you all had noticed."


    "Impossible! Really? Stand up, let me see."


    John stood up, and upon seeing Exiled Immortal''s eyes level with his own, his eyes widened in shock.


    "Damn... you really have. But why? Are you of age?"


    "Another year to go."


    Exiled Immortal sat back down, then started unbuttoning his shirt. Seeing this, John quickly stopped him, puzzled.


    "Exiled Immortal, what are you doing?"


    "What do you think? Taking off my clothes. Isn''t it obvious?"


    "Yeah, it''s obvious, but why are you suddenly stripping?"


    "To show you my changes. Everyone knows I''m not on the Attack route; Agility is my preference. But look."


    Exiled Immortal took off his jacket, revealing a muscr chest, with bulging muscles that even made John feel inferior.


    In just thirty-six hours, after one sleep, Exiled Immortal had evidently transformed from a kid into a muscr man. John waspletely clueless about this.


    "Have you seen any strange peopletely? Or had any strange dreams, perhaps about [Gods]?"


    "Funny you mention that! During my sleep... well, I didn''t realize I was unconscious. I thought I was still awake because it felt so real. Do you understand, John?"


    "Get to the point."


    "Alright, alright... the point is, I dreamt I became Aeolus! I lived on Mount Olympus, bing the god who controls the winds and storms!


    With just a wave of my hand, I could unleash storms across thend! Can you imagine that feeling, John? I absolutely loved it! It''s just a pity that it was only a dream, leaving me with nothing but empty joy. It''s truly disappointing."

 Chapter 96: Chapter96-Power and Shackles

    "Be a... god?"


    John attempted to extract the key points from Exiled Immortal''s rambling, though the key point was quite evident.


    "Are you sure it''s a god? Not some... bizarre dream?"


    "It felt incredibly real! The delicious wine, the beautiful music, and the paradise-like abode! And John, I had never even heard of the name Aeolus before. Until now, I have no idea what this name truly means."


    ...


    "Clearly, this is a sign. If this doesn''t count as a sign, then what does? A dream so real, coupled with a physical transformation, it must signify something!"


    "Does it signify that your little friend Exiled Immortal has really be a god? Come on, John, don''t make meugh."


    Seraphina barely held back herughter.


    Taking a deep breath, she looked John in the eye and asked, "Do you even understand what the word ''god'' means?"


    John shrugged and tentatively replied, "Unparalleled power?"


    "What? No! Of course not! Well, unparalleled power is only a small part of it. The truly important thing is responsibility.


    ''To whom much is given, much will be required.''


    Do you understand what this means?


    The prerequisite for having great power is the unavoidable responsibility thates with it.


    Do you think gods are just a bunch of immortal beings with monstrous power ying house, with Mount Olympus being their sandbox?


    Of course not!


    That responsibility will bind you tightly! There will never be a day of rest. Let''s take a simple example.


    Take some gods you are familiar with: Aeolus, the god of wind and rain, whose daily task is to deliver timely winds and rains to the world, ensuring the growth of crops, holding up the sky and clouds, and driving the change of seasons.


    And then there''s Astreos, the god of stars.


    The myriad stars in the sky move under her control, rising and setting, the tides ebbing and flowing.


    This is a long, unending responsibility with no day of rest.


    Do you think facing the same scene every day, performing repetitive mechanical tasks, watching the stars rise and set, and the breeze carrying the clouds, is something interesting?"


    "I can tell you responsibly that this so-called responsibility is absolute nonsense. They are given power, and there must be a chain tightly locking their necks. It is what you humans often talk about... freedom."


    "That sounds quite tragic. So, were you once one of them? Otherwise, how would you know so much?"


    John shrugged, looking into Seraphina''s eyes, and smiled, "Let me guess, you wouldn''t happen to be a discarded or besieged god, left with only this pathetic remnant of a soul struggling to survive, would you?"


    Seraphina: "..."


    "Oh my... did I really guess right?"


    "Although I hate the way you describe that past, it''s not far off."


    "Sorry, I didn''t mean it that way..."


    "It''s okay. I decided long ago to say goodbye to that past, so... it doesn''t matter anymore. Let''s return to the original topic, shall we?


    Regarding what you said about [gods] continuously interfering in this game and granting their powers to more people, it''s not impossible, but I think it''s unlikely. You might want to observe a bit more."


    "More observation? Astreos, Aeolus, and even Ares, the god of war��just around me, there are already three examples. Is that still a coincidence?"


    "This game shouldn''t have any party overstepping or interfering. So, until there is concrete evidence, I''m sorry I can''t give you any definitive answers. However, I have to advise you a bit. If, and I say if, gods are indeed interfering in this game, it means you need to be careful.


    Perhaps, in some ce you are unaware of, the development of the situation has already exceeded everyone''s imagination, forcing the gods to intervene secretly."


    Hearing this, John suddenly realized.


    No wonder, when he saw Lily, Qing, and now Exiled Immortal disying god-like powers, he felt an inexplicable unease. Now, John finally grasped the key point.


    "Your point is..."


    "Think carefully. In this game, what are you truly fighting against? Time? Heh, as far as I know, those three sisters have always been neutral. Someone wants to intervene in this game ahead of time. Maybe they find it boring, or maybe they''re afraid of losing.


    But you should understand that the reason doesn''t matter. What matters is the oue.


    How dire the situation has be and how much time you have left. That''s all I have to say.


    Stop trying to forcibly wake me. Without replenishing my strength, my remnant soul will only grow weaker. I must survive through sleep."


    With that, Seraphina''s figure became increasingly ethereal until she nearly vanished.


    "What can I do to help you?"


    "You can''t help me. Well, maybe you can? If you bring me more soul essence, it might alleviate my troubles."


    "Soul essence? The souls of the dead? What do you need that for?"


    "Of course, to shatter them and use the power contained in their souls to repair my body. What else? Revive them? Haha... I will never go through that again!"


    As she finished speaking, Seraphina gave John no chance to ask more questions and directly expelled him from the world inside the Eternal Alchemy Bible.


    After a moment of daze, John took a deep breath and rubbed his temples in frustration.


    "First [Apocalypse], then that mysterious [Lord of Abyss], and now even [gods] are getting involved. Great, who''s next? God or Satan?"


    "They belong to a different pantheon from us!"


    "I know, no need to remind me!"


    John snapped back at Seraphina, struggling to stand up. He needed to process this massive amount of information; otherwise, it would drive him mad.


    "How about... getting a drink?"


    With that thought, John logged out and returned to the real world.


    As his body grew stronger and his stats improved, the intervals between his returns to the real world to replenish his stamina lengthened.


    Even if he didn''t eat for months, he would be fine.


    But now, he just wanted to get drunk.


    Luckily, during hisst trip to the downtown supermarket, John had found quite a bit of alcohol.


    "Ah... so what are we really fighting against?"


    John had thought that as the game progressed and his strength continued to grow, the answer to this question would graduallye to the surface.


    But the truth was, the more he knew, the more shackles attached to that answer, and he had no clue where the key to those shackles was.


    Perhaps, as [Deception] had said, only when he finally had the power to face [gods] directly, to gain power equal to theirs, would he be qualified to leave the identity of a pawn and be a yer in the game.


    But this process seemed to be too long.


    ...


    The next morning, John slept in for the first time in a while, not in the game world''s sleep mode where one''s eyes close and open again at the set time, but truly, lying in his sleeping bag, in his favorite position, finally sleeping deeply.


    To be honest, it felt really nice.


    It wasn''t until this moment that John could somewhat understand why so many yers, even though they don''t feel hunger or fatigue in the game world, still prefer to return to the real world at night.


    Only under the starlit sky could they truly feel the vitality of life, with a heart that continuously leaps, hot and real, rather than just a string of code.


    When John returned to the game world, an announcement appeared that abruptly ended his worries.


    "Major Event �� Dragon Hunt Countdown: 4 hours, 7 minutes, 14 seconds."


    Finally!


    After a long wait, John''s long-anticipated second Dragon Hunt event was finally starting!

 Chapter 97: Chapter97-Dragon Hunt! (Part 1)

    "Damn! Did you see that, John? A major event! The second major event is about to start! And it''s hunting dragons? I''m about to lose my mind!"


    Exiled Immortal kicked the door open. Behind him, Qing, Helena, and others were also eager and clearly had been looking forward to this for a long time.


    Yes, although these peaceful days were rare, as pioneers at the forefront of all yers, only battles could truly excite them!


    "Helena, it''s your time to shine. Are you ready?"


    "In fact, I can''t wait any longer!"


    Hunting dragons!


    Helena had chosen the Dragon Hunter ss precisely for a day like this.


    She had thought she might never have the chance to use her Dragon Hunter ss bonus to be stronger, but now, it seemed the opportunity had arrived.


    "But... they''re dragons, creatures of legend. Can we really defeat them?"


    Lily hesitated for a long time before voicing her doubts. But clearly, Lily had missed the point.


    "Lily, actually, the dragons in this world are not quite the same as the dragons in our imagination. They''re just oversized lizards. Aside from their tough scales, there''s nothing particrly hard about them."


    "Can we use their scales and teeth to make armor and weapons? Like in Monster Hunter! We might have a chance to hunt some of those beasties!"


    "...Exiled Immortal, y fewer games."


    "You know what I''m talking about because you''ve yed it too, haven''t you?"


    At this, John opened his mouth but didn''t know how to refute, so he shrugged.


    "Alright, alright, let''s get back to the point. This event is different from thest major event, the Goblin Invasion. This time, the battlefield is not in Talcavano. We will be teleported to an unknown battlefield, facing unknown environments and powerful monsters. So, no going solo, no heroics, team cooperation, understand?"


    John looked around at everyone, his gaze pausing on Qing for a moment.


    "Well... alright, except for you, Qing. With your strength, you probably don''t need anyone else''s help to take on those dragons."


    "Haha! I can''t wait!"


    "But only Qing can go solo. He''s a warrior ss and is about to advance to berserker. We are different; we don''t have that much HP, nor do we have such exaggerated strength. So, I''ll repeat onest time: teamwork is essential, understood?"


    "Will Mac and ria join us?" Lily asked.


    "ria will join, but whether Mac participates depends on his decision. Any other questions, Lily?"


    "I''ll go ask Mac. I''m sure he''ll be very interested!"


    "Go ande back quickly. By the way, Helena, if I remember correctly, your ss gets rewards for participating in hunts, right?"


    "Yes, but if Ind the final blow, I get more attribute points."


    "Then it''s settled. You''ll deliver the finishing blow!"


    Helena excitedly nodded in agreement.


    "Alright... we have four hours left on the countdown. Make sure you''re fully prepared. The announcement clearly stated that this event willst six days, and you can''t log out or disconnect during that time. So, we absolutely can''t have any idents. This time, no matter what, we must get first ce!"


    "We''ve always been first, but John, why do you seem especially excited this time?"


    "Hehe, of course I''m excited, because you can''t imagine what the first-ce team reward is after the event ends."


    "That''s a dragon egg, about to hatch!"


    In his past life, John was just three heads short of victory, losing to Helena''s Pioneer Squad.


    He could only watch helplessly as Helena hatched the dragon egg, bing the first and only yer with a dragon mount.


    It made John incredibly jealous.


    Helena, being stubborn, refused to sell the dragon egg no matter how much John offered.


    This time, John was determined to seize it.


    No matter who tried to stop him from getting that egg, he wouldn''t show any mercy!


    Four hours flew by in the blink of an eye, leaving just thest ten minutes on the countdown.


    As the lord of Talcavano, the Dragon Knight also issued a city-wide announcement in his capacity as the city lord.


    The space rift was about to open, and dragons might cross into Talcavano.


    All residents must return home, shut their doors and windows.


    The guard squad would handle those damn giant lizards!


    Butpared to the silent Talcavano, a celebration exclusive to the yers was about to begin.


    As the countdown neared zero, John took a deep breath, smiling at ria and the others beside him, "See youter?"


    ...


    Boom!


    The sky changed color!


    The once cloudless, azure sky was instantly stained with red and ck, with not a single spot to stand on!


    The ferocious lightning and deafening thunder broke the tranquility of Talcavano!


    As the lord of Talcavano, Farrell sat on a dragon''s back, his fiery red armor the most conspicuous color in all of Talcavano.


    Then, a massive bolt of lightning struck, tearing space apart, revealing a vortex as if to swallow everything around!


    Farrell drew his sword from his waist, pointing it at the sky!


    "Protect Talcavano! Build a wall with your flesh and blood!"


    "Loading map... Major Event��Dragon Hunt officially begins!"


    After a moment of dizziness, John shook his head to clear his mind.


    Just like in his past life, he had already left Talcavano and arrived in a vast, scorched world.


    Even the sun on the horizon emitted a blood-red light, coloring the world with its hue.


    "Check your status. ria, how are you? Are you adjusting?"


    "I''m fine, just a bit dizzy, but I''ll be okay soon."


    "Good. Mac, how about you? How much did you drink? You reek of alcohol..."


    "Actually, I wanted to sleep at home, but that kid Exiled Immortal dragged me here."


    Old Mac burped, unsteadily stood up, and nted his giant axe into the ground to support his swaying body.


    "But don''t worry, I''ll be fine. The alcohol in my system will evaporate soon."


    "It better. We don''t have the energy or time to take care of you. Is everyone here?"


    "Uh... John, it seems we have an issue. Lily is missing."


    John: "What? What did you say?"


    "As you can see, Lily is gone. I thought she might have been teleported a bit farther away from us, but if you check the party list, Lily is offline."


    "You''ve got to be kidding me..."


    John opened the party list and refreshed it several times. The gray "offline" next to Lily''s name remained ringly visible.


    "Is it possible that Lily chose to log off at thest moment?"


    "No, Lily is kind but not cowardly. She would never choose to back down. Something must have gone wrong!"


    John frowned and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.


    To his knowledge, this had never happened in his past life!


    "But we can look on the bright side. Lily is only offline, not dead, right?" Qing shrugged, but noticing the looks from John and the others, he wisely kept his mouth shut.


    "John, what do we do now? Do we stick to the original n?"


    "We have no choice. We can''t exit, and we can''t disconnect. No matter what happened to Lily, we can only... wait until this event is over."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the infinite starry sky...


    Lily slowly opened her eyes, and the breathtaking surroundings made her gasp instinctively.


    "Where... where am I?"

 Chapter 98: Chapter98-Dragon Hunt! (Part 2)

    The boundless gxy, the twinkling stars.


    All of this, which should only exist in dreams, now appeared vividly before Lily, leaving her stunned and speechless with shock.


    But she was supposed to head to the rift and participate in the dragon hunt event right now!


    Moreover, what puzzled Lily the most was that she repeatedly tried to summon her character panel, but she failed, as if everything that had existed before had vanished into thin air!


    "Jo-Johnny? Helena! Can you hear me?"


    If this was the world behind the rift, then what kind of dragons were they hunting?


    What kind of beings lived among these stars?


    As thoughts swirled in her mind, a dazzling light reflected on Lily''s cheeks, making it nearly impossible for her to open her eyes. She could only vaguely see the world before her through the gaps between her fingers.


    It was a figure bathed in light. Lily couldn''t see the figure''s face clearly, but it seemed to be a woman?


    "You... you really resemble her, those brows and lips, you''re exactly like her."


    As the blinding light gradually dimmed, Lily tentatively lowered her hand to observe the woman in front of her. Facing a face of unparalleled beauty, Lily swallowed and asked in confusion, "Excuse me, where is this ce?"


    "As you see, this is the gxy and the source of your power."


    ��


    "Utterly disappointing. I really thought we could ride on the dragons and soar into the sky. But these dragons actually live under rocks?"


    With a single thought, Exiled Immortal recalled all the swords that surrounded him into his inventory.


    Looking at the corpse of the earth dragon, which had been pierced like a sieve by Exiled Immortal, John smirked.


    "I think I already told you not to get your hopes up."


    "These creatures aren''t worthy of being called dragons, are they? You''re right, John. They''re just oversized lizards with tough scales. They almost broke my precious flying swords!"


    "Give it a rest, Exiled Immortal. You have over fifty flying swords! I bet you can''t even remember the names of each one!"


    Rolling his eyes, Qing retrieved his long halberd from the shattered dragon''s head, flicking away an eyeball stuck on the tip.


    "Alright, what are we betting on?"


    "Unfortunately, I have no money and nothing you want. How about we bet on something else? If you win, I''ll do one reasonable thing for you unconditionally."


    "Deal. Let me tell you how I name my precious flying swords. This one''s Sword One, this one''s Sword Two..."


    "Get lost! Who wants to bet with you on that?"


    Watching Exiled Immortal and Qing bicker endlessly, John pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression still somewhat grave.


    His worry was not unfounded. Of course, it had nothing to do with these giant lizards d in heavy scales. John was worried about Lily.


    As if sensing John''s concern, ria stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder.


    "She''ll be fine. Maybe she just took an unexpected break. Didn''t you say you''d be forcibly returned to your own world?"


    "Lily pays attention to these details. She wouldn''t overlook something like this. I''m worried she might have been teleported somewhere else, which is why we can''t contact her."


    "It''s not impossible, but at least we can be sure she''s still alive."


    Helena sighed softly and reopened the yer leaderboard, saying helplessly, "Lily''s name is still in the seventh ce. That''s probably the only good news for now."


    "Sorry, I''ve been overthinking and it''s affecting our progress. Helena is right. No matter how worried I am, we can only wait until the big event is over."


    "Come on, John, cheer up."


    Old Mac stepped forward and tossed a brown bottle to John.


    "What''s this?"


    "Alcohol, what else? I brewed it myself. You can try it; it tastes pretty good."


    "Let''s save it for the victory party. Exiled Immortal! Be careful, another earth dragon is emerging!"


    "Perfect timing! Qing, let''s have a littlepetition. Let''s see who can deliver the fatal blow to the earth dragon the fastest!"


    Exiled Immortal''s eyes lit up, and a breeze gathered beneath his feet.


    In the blink of an eye, he soared into the sky.


    Nearly fifty flying swords flew out and hovered behind him, making it seem as if the legendary sword immortal had truly appeared!


    In contrast, Qing was much more straightforward and brutal.


    With a massive weapon and an exaggeratedly powerful attack that could almost go head-to-head with an earth dragon, Qing had unparalleled confidence!


    Seeing this, John signaled Helena with his eyes, and she immediately understood.


    Yes, this dragon hunt event was clearly a great opportunity for Helena''s growth, but not so much for Qing.


    Unlike Helena, who specialized in hunting specific species, Qing''s talent required umting numbers.


    The individually powerful and not-so-team-friendly earth dragons were not the ideal experience targets for Qing.


    Facing the small humans before it, the earth dragon opened its blood-filled mouth and roared mightily.


    Its numerous sharp teeth were even smeared with rotting flesh, emitting a nauseating stench!


    Seeing this, Qing felt no fear at all. Instead, he responded with a loud shout.


    "This is the life I want! I was going crazy being cooped up at home!"


    Qingughed heartily, leaped high with his long halberd, and then smashed it down heavily on the earth dragon, severing its thick tail.


    As the tail hit the ground, it continued to struggle and writhe!


    At the same moment, Exiled Immortal casually pointed, and his longsword shot out like falling leaves, piercing through the earth dragon''s eye and pulverizing its brain into mush!


    Since this was arge-scale event open to all yers, the difficulty was intentionally restrained.


    Along the way, John and the others encountered hardly any challenging dragons.


    Most of the time, Qing and Exiled Immortal attacked together, with Helena delivering the final blow, making it easy to dispatch the dragons.


    This time was no exception.


    As the earth dragon''s HP was about to be depleted, Helena drew her blood crossbow and fired a bolt made from refined dragon blood, which easily pierced the earth dragon''s forehead, depleting its HPpletely!


    "Hey! Helena big sis! I was betting with Qing! That was my kill!"


    "Not anymore. You two are like immature schoolchildren, making such childish bets. Have you forgotten our original goal? We need to help me improve my stats as much as possible before encountering higher-level dragons."


    "Whatever... Qing, I nearly one-shot the earth dragon just now, so I should win this round!"


    "Win? If I hadn''t decisively severed the earth dragon''s tail and drawn its attention, would you have hit your target so easily? So, this round is, at best, a tie."


    "How about this: you both lost to me, so you both owe me one favor, and that favor is to shut up and do more, talk less. Deal?"


    Helena stepped forward and lightly knocked on Exiled Immortal''s head.


    "Don''t waste time. These big lizards are so easy to kill, we haven''t gained much distance from the other teams. If we get overtaken, just wait for John to lose his temper with you."


    "Is John still in that state?"


    Exiled Immortal peeked over, stealing a nce at John. It was the first time he''d seen such a vacant expression on John''s face.


    "You know, he''s still worried about Lily, so he''s a bit distracted. Normally, he should be very excited."


    "Yeah, she just disappeared all of a sudden. I''m actually a bit concerned too."


    "Just a bit?"


    Helena narrowed her eyes, her gaze carrying a hint of usation. Seeing this, Exiled Immortal''s face immediately turned red.


    "Of course! Lily is our teammate, isn''t she? Not just me, but Qing, ria, and Mac��everyone is concerned about her whereabouts, afraid she might be in danger."


    "You better be. Alright, stop talking and keep moving. Let''s head to the central area to hunt higher-level dragons. Didn''t you want a challenge? Just hope you don''t wet your pants then."


    "I won''t!"

 Chapter 99: Chapter99-Dragon Hunt! (Part 3)

    "Seventeen ordinary-grade dragons so far. We''re still at the top of the leaderboard, but the second-ce team is close behind with fifteen dragons. They''re only a step away from us."


    Putting away her blood crossbow, Helena opened the event leaderboard.


    Despite their top position, she wasn''t as optimistic as she had expected.


    "By the way, this S. character was also ranked pretty high in thest major event, wasn''t he? Even though he''s a thief ss, a ss meant for assassination, he''s so proficient in hunting too?"


    "Maybe he has a group of strongpanions? Anyway, if we get the chance..."


    Before Helena could finish, John cut in, "If we get the chance, I''ll definitely kill that guy."


    "You''ve said that before, John. What grudge do you have with him?"


    "Nothing. I''ve never even met him."


    "Then why... never mind, it''s a secret. I didn''t ask."


    Helena shrugged and nced at a nearby unfamiliar team battling an earth dragon.


    On a whim, she drew her blood crossbow, aimed at the dragon''s vital spot, and gently pulled the trigger.


    Momentster, fifteen free attribute points were credited, marking their team''s eighteenth dragon kill.


    "No way! Did you really steal that kill? Big sis, you''re really good at kill-stealing!"


    "Shh, let''s get out of here before they notice us!"


    "But we''re not afraid of them. Why should we run?"


    "Uh... because we did something bad. People who do bad things need to flee the scene. That''s how it always happens in movies and TV shows. Haven''t you watched any?"


    ...


    "Why won''t you answer my questions? Who are you? Why did you bring me here? What about mypanions? What happened to them?"


    "Calm down. I just wanted to meet you, that''s all. As for yourpanions, they''re still in that world. Don''t worry, they''re safe."


    The woman sighed deeply and slowly approached Lily.


    Her breathtakingly beautiful face exuded immense pressure, causing Lily to instinctively step back.


    Seeing this, the woman immediately stopped, softened her voice, and said gently, "Lily, believe me, I mean no harm."


    "Who... who are you?"


    "I''m sorry, I can''t answer that question. But I believe one day, you''ll find the answer. It''s gettingte, and I can''t stay away for long. I''m really happy to have seen you in person."


    "I... I need to send you back."


    The woman reached out as if to touch Lily''s cheek but stopped just before contact.


    She silently withdrew her hand and sighed heavily.


    "Until I can tell you the whole truth, John will protect you."


    "Wait, you know Johnny? Who exactly are you..."


    Before Lily could finish her sentence, she felt everything around her undergo a dramatic change.


    The twinkling stars were reced by a blood-red sun, the air filled with the salty stench of blood.


    ws, corpses, and chunks of dragon flesh were scattered everywhere.


    Lily realized she had somehow been sent back to the event site.


    But...


    "How does she know John''s name?"


    Lily couldn''t make sense of it and decided to set it aside for now. The most important thing was to reunite with John and the others.


    Strangely, when Lily opened the map, it didn''t show John''s location or even a general direction.


    ...


    "Wait! Look! Lily is back online!"


    Exiled Immortal''s shout drew everyone''s attention.


    Upon hearing this, Helena immediately checked the status list, seeing that the "offline" note next to Lily''s name had disappeared!


    "John! Lily is back, but we can''t determine her location yet. At least we don''t have to worry anymore."


    "Good, she''s back... Wait, I think I can find Lily''s location. Do we have anything with her scent on it? Clothes, equipment, or even a strand of hair?"


    "...Lily''s handkerchief, will that work?"


    Everyone exchanged nces as Exiled Immortal took a handkerchief from his bag and ced it in his palm.


    Feeling that this might be misunderstood, Exiled Immortal quickly exined, "Lily gave me this handkerchief. Remember when I got injured and bledst time? I put it in my inventory and forgot about it."


    Taking the handkerchief from Exiled Immortal, John waved his hand, and an alchemy workbench appeared out of thin air.


    "Let me think... a device to track recorded scents. Hmm, this seems a bitplicated. Give me a moment."


    Although Seraphina was still dormant, John had mastered most alchemical techniques through learning, except for some extremely difficult, overlyplex, or prohibitively expensive ones.


    In less than ten minutes, a small bird-like magical device was freshly made.


    "It''s done. With this device, we can find Lily. Hmm... Exiled Immortal, this task is up to you. Follow the bird to find Lily and bring her back. We''ll wait here.


    You''re the fastest; no one else is more suitable."


    "No problem, I''m on it."


    "Hey! Did the sun rise from the west today? You didn''tin this time?"


    "Did I? Of course not. Lily is ourpanion. What if she''s in danger?"


    "Don''t worry. With Lily''s strength, she could probably crush this entire mountain. No earth dragon can threaten her."


    ...


    "Such... ugly dragons."


    As Lily continued to explore and move forward, she inevitably encountered earth dragons.


    She shared Exiled Immortal''s sentiments, finding these giant lizards equally distasteful.


    Theycked the nobility and mystery of Eastern dragons and the exaggerated wingspan of Western dragons.


    They just looked rather pathetic.


    "Alright, it''s only a level 30 earth dragon. It shouldn''t be too difficult to handle. Hmm... Starfall should be enough, so..."


    [Astreos, God of the Stars, please unleash your wrath and punish my enemies! Star...]


    [ss skill: Sword Rain Fall!]


    Just as she was finishing her chant, flying swords descended from the sky, piercing the earth dragon''s head with ease!


    At that moment, Exiled Immortal descended from the sky,nding steadily in front of Lily, holding the bird and striking a pose he thought was very cool.


    "Lily, are you alright?"


    "I''m... fine, Exiled Immortal. Why are you alone? Where are Johnny and the others?"


    "John sent me to find you. What happened to you just now? We were all scared to death when you suddenly disappeared. Everyone was really worried about you, and... I was really worried about you too."


    Lily shook her head and sighed softly.


    "I don''t know how to exin it. I went to a beautiful ce and met a beautiful person, but I don''t even know who she is, nor can I understand her strange words. Anyway, take me back first. Maybe Johnny has some ideas about this."


    "No problem."


    Exiled Immortal formed a sword with his fingers and pointed upwards, gathering a breeze that gently lifted Lily into the air.


    "Lily, I''ve also had a strange dream recently, where I met some odd people. Maybe your situation is simr to mine?"


    "Oh, Exiled Immortal, did you grow taller? You suddenly seem so much taller!"


    "Sigh, I thought you wouldn''t notice. How about now? Second sis, you have to look up at me, right? I''m two centimeters taller than John!"


    "Yeah, our little Exiled Immortal has grown up in the blink of an eye. Soon, I''ll have to stand on tiptoes to pat your head."


    "Don''t pat my head. I still want to surpass Qing in height!"

 Chapter 100: Chapter100-Rule Loophole

    In less than ten minutes, Exiled Immortal returned, bringing Lily back with him.


    Seeing this, Helena quickly stepped forward and embraced Lily, letting out a long breath.


    "You scared us to death. Thankfully, you''re okay..."


    "I was pretty scared too."


    "Where did you go, Lily?"


    Helena grasped Lily''s shoulders and looked her over, making sure she wasn''t injured before rxing a bit. "While you were gone, you were offline, and we couldn''t contact you at all."


    "I actually don''t know either. Johnny, I think you might have some idea. At the start of the event, I suddenly disconnected from the game and found myself in an endless starry sky. There, I met a very beautiful woman."


    "Starry sky? Wait, are you saying that after you went offline, some force took you to outer space?"


    "I''m not sure, but I think so."


    "Did that woman say anything? Her name? Or anything about you?"


    Hearing this, Lily fell into deep thought.


    After a long pause, she replied, "That beautiful woman said that my poweres from there. She also said that I look very much like someone she knows. When I asked her for that person''s name, she wouldn''t tell me. Oh, and she also said that until she can tell me the whole truth, John will protect me."


    Upon hearing this, John was momentarily stunned.


    "Lily, are you sure she said the name John and not someone else? She mentioned my name specifically?"


    "I''m sure. She definitely said your name, John."


    "This... how is that possible?"


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, his thoughts bing increasingly muddled.


    Someone who could take Lily to an endless starry sky, say such enigmatic things, and even urately call out John''s name��John couldn''t help but think of the word [deity].


    But in the end, John couldn''t say it out loud. He just shook his head and said regretfully, "Although I''m also very surprised, I have no idea what''s going on."


    "Well... at least there''s one thing to be happy about: I didn''tpletely miss the event, right?"


    "Actually, there are two things. The most important is that you came back safely."


    "John, I think the time we have left might be running out."


    At that moment, John suddenly spoke up, interrupting everyone.


    Looking at the event leaderboard disyed by Exiled Immortal, the top position had already been taken by the team led by S.


    In fact, they had surpassed John and his team by twenty kills!


    "It looks like if we want to get the top rewards, we need to hurry up!"


    ...


    "It seems my idea was correct."


    drew his short sword, flicking off the blood on the de, and struggled to stand up. A strange gleam flickered in his pitch-ck eyes.


    "By killing other teams, we can acquire all their hunting points. I''m a genius! Maybe there was a hidden rule or a loophole like this during thest major event, the Goblin Invasion, but I just didn''t notice it."


    "Betterte than never, right? We''ve already surpassed Helena''s team and reached first ce, twenty kills ahead of them! It''s crazy."


    Donovan panted heavily, struggling to pry his axe out of a skull.


    He continued, "But it''s strange. The bodies of these poor souls didn''t disappear. They should have turned into a bunch of light particles and vanished by now."


    "Maybe it just takes some time. Anyway, stop talking. If others notice this, we might get overtaken soon. Let''s find a few more targets, kill them, and secure our lead."


    As S. spoke, he opened the event leaderboard, quickly locking his gaze on the team currently ranked tenth.


    "These unlucky souls will do. I''ll locate them right now, and then we''ll sneak up on them. Boom! We''ll take them out!"


    "I think we should go directly after Helena''s team. If we take them out, no one will have a chance topete with us."


    "Dono..."


    turned and walked slowly towards Donovan, getting closer and closer, without any intention of stopping.


    "Hey, hey! You''re getting too close!"


    "This is my team. I''m the leader. I don''t want to repeat myself. So, don''t question my words. Just follow my orders. I don''t want to hear any dissent.


    If you want to die, you can leave anytime, but don''t drag us down with your foolish ideas. Understood?"


    Facing S.''s cold gaze, Donovan swallowed hard, nodded dumbly, and said in a low voice, "I understand..."


    "Does anyone else have any objections?"


    scanned the group, and seeing no one speak up, nodded in satisfaction.


    "Good, it looks like you all have grasped the essentials. Now, we can set off."


    found itughable.


    He couldn''t understand where this bunch of useless individuals, who were only good for killing, got the courage to want to challenge Helena''s team.


    It should be known that in thest major event, an anonymous yer in Helena''s team had secured the top spot within four hours, and no one could disce them.


    That team had amassed 28 hunting points solely through their own strength, with each member having astonishingbat power!


    Helena, whose level ranked among the highest in the entire server, Exiled Immortal, who ranked third on thebat power leaderboard, and Qing, who had suddenly made aeback after a period of inactivity.


    Not to mention Lily, the only Priest in the entire server who had mastered the magic of the stars, and the enigmatic yer whose identity was almost unknown to everyone.


    Unless S. had manure for brains, he would never provoke that team. It would be nothing short of suicide!


    "But who could this anonymous yer be? They were on the dungeon first-clear list back in Calia City. What kind of talent supports such strongbat power while also allowing for such rapid level advancement?"


    grew increasingly curious about this anonymous yer.


    ...


    "Why do I feel... a chill down my spine? Exiled Immortal, are you sure there''s no danger nearby?"


    John shifted ufortably, then turned to Exiled Immortal and asked, "Earth dragons or any yers hiding in the shadows trying to take us down for points, are you sure there''s none?"


    "I''ve checked very thoroughly, John. I haven''t found any other yers. As for earth dragons? Those things usually just lie on the ground, indistinguishable from rocks unless you enter their territory and provoke them."


    "Alright... Qing, Helena,e here for a moment."


    John waved, signaling the others toe closer.


    "I think I might know why this team''s hunting points are increasing so quickly. Five minutes ago, the team ranked tenth suddenly disappeared from the leaderboard, and S.''s team''s hunting points instantly increased by 14 points. There''s no gradual progression��it''s all these huge jumps. Do you understand what I''m saying?"


    "Are you saying that S. and his team are hunting other yers to steal their points?"


    "We can''t rule out that possibility. Otherwise, how could they surpass us by so much? A teamposed of thief ss yers? I suspect they never intended to hunt dragons from the start. Their target has always been other yers."


    John took a deep breath, a cold glint shing in his eyes.


    "So, what should we do? Should we also hunt other yers?"


    "Hunt other yers? No, of course not! I''m not that ruthless. It wouldn''t be fair to the other yers."


    John waved his hand, rejecting Exiled Immortal''s suggestion.


    "But the fact is, our speed in gaining points by hunting earth dragons can''t match theirs," Helena said helplessly.


    "So! We don''t need to worry about other yers. We just need to find S.''s team, keep a close eye on them, and then take them down. That will be enough!"

 Chapter 101: Chapter101-Above the Clouds

    "John, you make it sound easy, but who knows how big this world really is? If we don''t find them, it''s a real waste of time."


    "So for now, let''s focus on hunting dragons. If we encounter S.''s team, we''ll stick to them! If we''re unlucky and don''t find them, we''ll just do our best."


    The reason for the explosive increase in S.''s team''s hunting points is simply because most yers haven''t noticed this loophole in the rules and thus haven''t been too cautious.


    Once yers realize that their hunting points are increasing suspiciously fast, they''ll naturally be more vignt.


    Unfortunately, after John switched to the Alchemist ss, one of his biggest regrets was losing the unique thief ss skill [Blood Trail] that allowed for long-distance enemy tracking.


    This was something even alchemy couldn''t make up for.


    Although the bird could also track targets by their scent, there were some unavoidable usage limitations.


    For someone like S., whom John had never interacted with since his resurrection, using the bird for tracking was obviously unrealistic.


    As for Seraphina...


    Since the major event required entering the rift, John couldn''t be sure if it would affect Seraphina, so he sent her back to Ad Vige before the event started.


    Moreover, Seraphina was currently in a state of slumber.


    Otherwise, if she were awake, John might have been able to ask for her opinion.


    As thoughts churned in his mind, John suddenly felt the ground disappear beneath his feet.


    If it weren''t for Exiled Immortal''s quick reflexes, grabbing him just in time, John would have fallen into the abyss!


    "John! Stop daydreaming! I even reminded you, and you almost scared me to death!"


    Still shaken, John peeked over the edge.


    Below him was a bottomless chasm, its depths shrouded in mystery.


    But John knew what awaited him if he fell.


    He''d definitely end up as a sttered mess on the ground, impossible to scrape off.


    At the edge of the cliff, John finally took in the full view of this world.


    Red-brown peaks stood tall, and if you looked closely, you could see other yers atop the mountain summits.


    "I''ll go down and take a look. Wait for me here," Exiled Immortal said, taking a deep breath.


    He walked to the edge and leaped into the abyss.


    Seeing this, John wanted to stop him but thought better of it.


    With Exiled Immortal''s talents, he shouldn''t get hurt, but John was still worried about potential dangers below.


    He watched as Exiled Immortal''s figure disappeared from view, descending further and further.


    "If it''s really dangerous down there, should we return the way we came?" Qing asked, scratching his head in confusion.


    "No, returning the way we came would be pointless. If there''s nothing down there, we''ll have Exiled Immortal take us to the peak across the chasm," John replied.


    Unlike his previous life, where John started the dragon hunt event on an endless in that he couldn''t escape after six days, this time they were on a mountain.


    His luck had been poor back then.


    About ten minutester, Exiled Immortal soared back up from the chasm,nding gently in front of the group.


    John immediately went up to him and asked, "Are you hurt?"


    "No, I''m fine. I just looked around a bit and came back."


    "What did you see down there?"


    "I''m not sure how to describe it... it was like a graveyard. There were countless dragon carcasses scattered everywhere. I even saw dragons that were barely alive, lying by the road, waiting for death. There didn''t seem to be much worth exploring, so I came back quickly."


    "Was there nothing else of note?" John asked.


    Exiled Immortal frowned and thought for a moment before his eyes lit up. "Actually, there was one strange thing! I saw many massive skeletons down there, with the flesh rotted away, leaving only a pile of bones."


    "However, those bones are way toorge. They''re at least five times bigger than the dragons we''ve seen. Are there really such massive creatures here? And it''s not just one or two."


    "Perhaps what we''ve encountered so far aren''t true dragons. They might be juveniles or hybrids with mixed dragon blood."


    This matched John''s memories, particrly the giant dragon that hatched from the egg Helena obtained in his previous life.


    It was so massive it could be considered a small mountain!


    Moreover, after maturing, the dragon gainedbat power equivalent to a level 60 yer and continued to grow, bing an indispensable part of Helena''s path to conquest.


    "So, what do we do now? Head to the peak across the chasm?"


    "Let me think... John, can you take Helena and fly up high to scout the area? Look for any particrly tall mountains or ins nearby. We can''t stay here; it''s a waste of time."


    "Understood."


    "One more thing: if you see other yers, keep your distance. Don''t get close, to avoid encountering S.''s team and getting hurt."


    "Don''t worry, John. If we run into them, I''ll scatter them with a single sword strike!"


    Exiled Immortal pounded his chest confidently, making John sigh.


    "The strength of the thief ss lies in their mastery of various killing techniques.


    Unlike monsters, humans think and strategize. So, if you encounter them, don''t engage. Return to us immediately, got it?"


    "Yeah, yeah, got it, John. If we see them, we''lle back and get reinforcements, right?"


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand dismissively, gathering a breeze that gently lifted Helena by the waist, and the two of them soared into the sky.


    Wearing the goblin eye, Exiled Immortal''s field of vision expanded by 40%.


    He and Helena scanned the surrounding environment, but apart from the varied mountain peaks, they couldn''t spot any ins.


    "This ce is just a pile of rocks. Don''t those earth dragons need to eat? There''s nothing here that could possibly fill their bellies."


    Aside from the scattered rocks, there wasn''t a single nt or tree in sight.


    In such a barren world, how did those dragons survive?


    Lost in thought, Exiled Immortal noticed Helena gazing in a particr direction out of the corner of his eye and asked, "Big sis, what are you looking at?"


    "Look above the clouds. There''s a shadow moving quickly."


    Following Helena''s pointed finger, Exiled Immortal indeed saw something moving rapidly above the clouds.


    "Why worry about it? Let''s just fly up and see. Clear away the clouds to reveal the truth."


    With a thought, Exiled Immortal increased their altitude, ascending until they plunged into the clouds, leaving a trail behind.


    "Let''s see... this direction, right? The fog is obstructing our view, making it hard to discern the way."


    Exiled Immortal manipted the wind, blowing away the clouds around them.


    And then, Exiled Immortal found himself staring into a pair of golden vertical pupils.


    Right in front of them was a massive head, just like the dragons described in myths��hard scales, menacing teeth, a gigantic body, and fleshy wings that spread out, blocking out the sky!


    With just one look, Exiled Immortal was instantly paralyzed, as if his blood had frozen in that gaze.


    "Big, big sis, that''s a dragon, isn''t it?"


    "Run!"


    Almost colliding head-on with the massive creature, Exiled Immortal noticed the dragon, and naturally, the dragon noticed them too.


    In those massive pupils, a yful glint appeared as the dragon pped its wings and rapidly approached Exiled Immortal and Helena!


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal panicked.


    Forgetting about scouting, he dispelled the wind around him and grabbed Helena, plunging downwards at full speed!


    The dragon followed closely behind!


    "Damn it! I should never have rushed up there. Curiosity killed the cat!"


    "I thought there were no real dragons in this world! What''s going on?"


    Helena looked back to see the dragon''s mouth glowing with a clear light.


    In the next moment, mes burst out, nearly engulfing them in an instant!


    "It''s breathing fire! Dodge!"


    "It''s so hot! We''re in big trouble now, thanks to John!"

 Chapter 102: Chapter102-The Dragon!

    "It''s catching up!"


    Helena screamed, pointing at the dragon relentlessly chasing them. "Go faster, Exiled Immortal! We''re going to be eaten!"


    "I''m already giving it my all!"


    Exiled Immortal gritted his teeth, manipting the wind around him to create turbulence in an attempt to slow down the dragon.


    But against such a massive creature, all efforts seemed futile.


    Within a breath, the dragon was right in front of Helena, its colossal form casting an oppressive shadow!


    "It''s... it''s caught up!"


    "Damn it, there''s no other way. We''ll have to fight it! Big sis, I''ll hold it off while you escape. Go find John and get him to figure something out!"


    "No! You''ll die! You can''t take on a monster like this!"


    "If we keep running, we''ll both die! There''s no time!"


    Without giving Helena a chance to argue, Exiled Immortal threw her, letting the gentle breeze carry her safely to the ground.


    Exiled Immortal turned to face the dragon, raising his arms as he transformed into the eye of a storm.


    A green tornado began to form around him!


    But at that moment, the dragon seemed to sense something and suddenly halted its pursuit.


    It looked back, paused for a moment, and then, ignoring Exiled Immortal and Helena entirely, turned and left.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal''s heart raced, but he had no idea what was happening.


    "It just... left?"


    "No! That direction��John and the others are over there! Exiled Immortal, we need to get back!"


    "Big sis, you stay here. I''ll go check it out."


    Dissipating the storm, Exiled Immortal hesitated but ultimately decided not to take Helena with him.


    Leaving Helena here alone might expose her to danger, but bringing her back with him would be certain death!


    "No way! Exiled Immortal, take me with you! Exiled Immortal!"


    Watching Exiled Immortal leave without looking back, Helena stomped her foot in frustration.


    She understood his intentions, but what was the point of survival if it wasn''t with herpanions?


    "John, Exiled Immortal... please be safe!"


    ...


    Meanwhile!


    John, who had been resting with his eyes closed, suddenly jerked his head up as if he had heard something, and locked eyes with the dragon!


    "What in the world... is going on?"


    "John, run!"


    Behind the dragon, Exiled Immortal rode the wind at maximum speed but still couldn''t overtake the dragon.


    He shouted, "Jump off the cliff! I''ll catch you! Trust me!"


    "What the hell... what kind of monster is this?"


    Old Mac and the others naturally noticed the dragon''s massive form, casting a huge shadow on the ground and instantly enveloping them.


    "Jump down now! If you don''t, it will be toote!"


    "Do as he says! I''ll cover you!"


    John shielded ria and the others, his feet glowing with a six-pointed star array. Using the corpse of the earth dragon as a sacrifice, he cast a summoning spell!


    This spell was supposed to be used only after a second ss change to Contract Alchemist, and the mana cost was immense for John to perform it now.


    But he had no other choice!


    [I offer this sacrifice and request His arrival! O Master of Winter slumbering beneath the icebergs, heed my call, King Behemoth!]


    Suddenly, countless tentacles emerged from the six-pointed star array, tightly binding the earth dragon''s corpse and dragging it down.


    Within a few breaths, the earth dragon''s body vanishedpletely, reced by a w covered in frost and snow, smashing down heavily!


    Seeing this, ria and the others were stunned. Everything happening before them was beyond theirprehension.


    It was no secret that Alchemists, after a second ss change to Contract Alchemist, could summon monsters and form contracts through sacrifice.


    The problem was that John hadn''t yetpleted his second ss change and didn''t possess the appropriate second ss change stone for Alchemists.


    And could he really summon such a creature on his first try?


    But the unbelievable events didn''t stop there!


    With a thought, John summoned [Echoes of Shadows of the Past], which appeared in his hand.


    He crushed it forcefully, causing a whirlwind to rise and form a small sandstorm!


    From within the sandstorm, the figure of Shadows of the Past suddenly appeared!


    Seeing this, Mac''s face turned deathly pale!


    "Sh-Shadows of the Past!"


    "Qing! Take them and leave! I''ll try to hold him off!"


    "Got it! Be careful, don''t get caught up in the fight!"


    Qing nodded heavily, dragging Lily and ria as he jumped.


    Mac, who was frozen in ce, was hoisted onto Exiled Immortal''s shoulder as they plunged into the abyss below!


    Meanwhile, King Behemoth finally emerged from the six-pointed star array.


    Though its size was nowhere near as exaggerated as the dragon''s, it was equally imposing!


    However, due to the summoner''s limited power, King Behemoth''s level was capped at 50, even lower than Shadows of the Past.


    But this was the best John could do.


    The sacrificial summoning nearly drained John''s mana. He gulped down several mana potions, but the feeling of weakness lingered.


    But the most despairing moment for John was yet toe.


    King Behemoth mmed its arms into the ground, causing countless ice spikes to rise and extend toward the dragon.


    However, the dragon merely opened its mouth, spewing scorching mes that melted the ice spikes instantly!


    Then, with a single swipe of its w, the dragon shattered King Behemoth into pieces, dispersing it into particles of light!


    Witnessing the entire scene, John was filled with despair.


    Even though he knew the summoned King Behemoth was only a fraction of its true power, being so easily obliterated spoke volumes.


    If King Behemoth was this powerless, how long could Shadows of the Past hold out, even if it was slightly stronger?


    Yet, the anticipated fiery obliteration didn''t ur. The dragon simply stared at John, a strange glint in its eyes.


    "Finally... found you."


    John''s head shot up, eyes wide with shock!


    "You... you''re talking to me?"


    "I was sent by someone to deliver something to you."


    The dragon spoke!


    And it seemed to recognize him.


    This unexpected turn of events left John stunned. After a few seconds, he asked in confusion, "Who are you...?"


    "You don''t need to know who I am. Someone asked me to give you something."


    As the dragon spoke, the scales on its chest suddenly fell away, and a giant egg covered in me-like patterns dropped andnded firmly in front of John.


    Staring at the dragon egg, which was almost as tall as himself, John looked up and asked, "What is this...?"


    "He wanted me to remind you that changes areing soon. Until then, keep strengthening your abilities. This dragon egg is a gift to aid you."


    "Who is he? Has there ever been a ck dragon like you on Mount Olympus?"


    "I never said I was from Mount Olympus."


    The dragon exhaled deeply, the heat almost knocking John off his feet.


    "You must find the answer to your questions yourself, John. Don''t disappoint him."


    With that, the dragon gave John no chance to ask further questions. It pped its massive wings and soared into the sky!


    Seeing this, John''s heart continued to race.


    He had survived, but in such a strange manner.


    "What... just happened?"


    Looking at the dragon egg in front of him, which seemed to pulse with life, John tentatively reached out to touch it.


    "Hot! It''s so hot!"


    Seeing the burn debuff appear on his status bar, John took a sharp breath.


    Just a brief touch had burned his palm. John couldn''t imagine what kind of weapon this egg would hatch into!


    "Wait... if we win the dragon hunt event and get first ce, could I get a second dragon egg?"


    At this thought, John felt a surge of excitement.


    One thing was certain: once this egg hatched, it wouldn''t be a lowly earth dragon.


    It might even grow to rival the dragon he had just encountered.


    Thinking this, John felt a wave of heat in his heart.


    One dragon was already overwhelming. What if there were two?


    As his thoughts raced, John reached a conclusion.


    "S. must die!"

 Chapter 103: Chapter103-The Dragon of Destruction and Despair

    "Up there... it seems quiet?"


    Below the abyss, Exiled Immortal held everyone up, hiding along the cliff, waiting for the situation to change.


    But after a long wait, there was no sign of John jumping down, and the sound of pping wings gradually faded away.


    "Is it... over?"


    "Could it be that Johnny..."


    Lily''s face was pale, her voice trembling with a hint of tears.


    "Don''t think like that. John is still alive. Let''s go up and check."


    Exiled Immortal checked the status of the team members and, confirming that John was not in mortal danger, breathed a sigh of relief.


    Although he didn''t know how John managed it, escaping from the dragon was no small feat.


    Returning to the mountain peak, they saw John''s silhouette sitting slumped on the ground.


    Exiled Immortal hurried over and asked anxiously, "John, are you okay?"


    "I''m fine, I''m fine."


    "That''s good... But John, how did you escape from that dragon? It was a monster!"


    "To be precise, I didn''t escape. It didn''t harm me."


    John struggled to stand up. After a quick headcount, he asked, puzzled, "Where''s Helena? Wasn''t she with you, Exiled Immortal?"


    "We encountered the dragon and expected to fight it, but it suddenly turned and rushed towards you. I was worried the battle would endanger big sis, so I left her in a safe ce. Don''t worry, I remember the location. I''ll go get her back now."


    "Good, go bring Helena back. Once everyone''s here, I''ll exin what happened."


    With John saying this much, no one pressed further, even though they were curious.


    Exiled Immortal turned to leave, and ria and the others, relieved to be safe, took a deep breath.


    "However... that creature was unbelievably strong. Just looking at it made me freeze up. I couldn''t muster any will to fight."


    Old Mac took a swig of his drink, exhaling a breathced with alcohol, and said helplessly, "I really thought we were done for."


    "The aura of destruction from that dragon is a thousand, no, ten thousand times stronger than any creature I''ve ever seen! It''s like destruction and despair incarnate..."


    ria, still shaken, added, "For us elves who revere nature, the aura that dragon exuded is the most terrifying disaster imaginable."


    "Wait, destruction and despair incarnate? No, that can''t be..."


    John knew of a dragon that embodied destruction and despair.


    But that creature didn''t live on Mount Olympus.


    How could it have left the World Tree ande here?


    And then, the dragon said it was sent by someone.


    Who could possiblymand Nidhogg''s respect?


    John''s thoughts swirled, his mind growing increasingly chaotic. He decided to set the matter aside for now.


    Soon, Exiled Immortal returned with Helena. Seeing everyone safe, Helena finally rxed.


    "So, what exactly happened?" Helena asked, frowning. "Did the dragon leave?"


    "Sort of. I''m not sure if you''ve heard this story, but there''s a dragon that lurks under the roots of the World Tree, controlling a swarm of serpents. It gnaws at the roots of the tree, hoping one day to cause the World Tree to rot and bring about the end of the gods."


    "Are you talking about Nidhogg? That''s impossible!"


    "I think it''s unlikely too, but is there a better exnation?"


    John looked up, meeting Helena''s shocked gaze with a wry smile. "Not only that, Nidhogg��or whatever it was��brought me something."


    With a wave of his hand, the dragon egg appeared before them.


    "Nidhogg said it was sent by someone to deliver this dragon egg to me."


    "Is this really a dragon egg? Can it hatch into a dragon like Nidhogg?"


    Exiled Immortal, skeptical, moved closer and reached out to touch it, only to be instantly burned by the scorching heat.


    "Whoa, that''s hot! It must be real."


    "Although I don''t fully agree with your method of verifying its authenticity, I think it''s very likely genuine. If that dragon really was Nidhogg, it wouldn''t have traveled from the World Tree to Olympus just to give me a fake."


    John put the dragon egg away, a gleam of excitement in his eyes.


    "The real point is, if we win the dragon hunt event, we might get a second dragon egg!"


    Understanding dawned on Exiled Immortal instantly.


    "Whoa... John, you mean two dragons?"


    "Exactly! At that point, ourbat power will be far beyond anyone else''s!"


    The group immediately grew excited at this prospect.


    Only ria seemed less enthusiastic.


    But John understood why.


    The elves, who revered nature and life, would find it hard to coexist with dragons representing evil and destruction.


    "ria, are you okay?"


    "...Huh? Oh! I''m fine, just feeling a bit ufortable. I just need to rest a bit."


    ria forced a slightly strained smile.


    Seeing this, John hesitated, wanting to say something but unsure how to begin, and ended up just sighing.


    For now, he could only hope that during Seraphina''s slumber, she could figure out a way to turn ria into a yer.


    Only by doing this could they lift some of the restrictions on ria.


    After all, as an NPC from the second map, ria''s potential was nearly capped. Level 60 was her limit, and she couldn''t progress further.


    As the game progressed to mid andte stages, with monsters reaching levels 80, 90, and even beyond 100 bingmon, ria''s current importance might still hold, butter on, herbat power would be insufficient as the overall strength of the group increased.


    John and the others might not mind this, but clearly, this wasn''t ria''s way.


    She didn''t want to be a burden, which was evident from the moment the monsters invaded.


    Even in such an ufortable state, ria still forced herself to be present.


    If her strength couldn''t keep up with the progress, would ria be willing to be a useless decoration?


    The answer was obviously no.


    Luckily, for now, ria was still at her peakbat power, giving John some time to consider the situation.


    "In any case, my n remains the same: eliminate S., be the top team in this event, and obtain the second dragon egg. That''s our priority right now. However, we''ve just been through a tumultuous event and need to rest and relieve some mental stress. After a short break, Exiled Immortal, you and Helena continue searching for S. or any signs of a in."


    "No problem."


    Exiled Immortal readily agreed.


    To him, setting out immediately wasn''t an issue.


    Ever since his talent evolved, his control over the wind had be increasingly proficient, with minimal energy consumption, causing little difort.


    Still, taking a break wasn''t a bad idea.


    Currently, John and his team''s names were no longer in the top ten of the event leaderboard, having spent so much time without gaining points.


    Meanwhile, other teams'' points were steadily increasing, with S.''s team already surpassing 200 points.


    However, no matter how many points they umted, it wouldn''t matter.


    Once they found S., all their efforts would turn into benefits for John''s team.


    ...


    "What... what was that monster earlier?"


    When Nidhogg appeared, S. was on a nearby mountain peak, witnessing the entire process.


    The immense pressure from the dragon was overwhelming, even from a distance, making it hard for S. and his team to breathe.


    "Just a nce, and I felt the presence of death..."


    Abbot swallowed hard, not realizing his body was trembling like a leaf.


    "I... I need to get out of here! I can''t stay here anymore. That kind of monster is beyond human capability! I''m quitting, I''m leaving the event!"


    Finally, under Nidhogg''s immense pressure, someone''s resolve wavered, and they decided to give up.


    "I don''t want to die, I can''t die! If I had known such monsters existed, I would never have joined!"

 Chapter 104: Chapter104-Killing the Chicken to Scare the Monkeys

    "Shh... quiet."


    turned to face the terrified Abbot and spoke softly, "The dragon has left. We won''t be harmed. Right now, we are securely positioned at the top of the leaderboard. We absolutely can''t afford any mistakes. Do you understand what I mean, Abbot?"


    "I don''t care! I can''t die; I have a daughter! My daughter is still waiting for me in Ad Vige! I''m quitting, I''m done!"


    Abbot pushed S. aside and turned to leave.


    Seeing this, the other team members exchanged nces, but none dared to speak up.


    They were all terrified too, but none had the courage to oppose S.''s tyranny.


    Now, Abbot''s outburst made the others feel restless.


    Yes, they wanted to escape, to find a safe ce and wait out the six days.


    They didn''t want to die here!


    "Hmm... do you all feel the same as Abbot?"


    took a deep breath, scanning the group. Seeing no response, he smirked and sneered, "Good, your decision is wise."


    With that, S. extended his hand, and a short sword slid out from his sleeve, resting firmly in his grasp.


    In the next instant, S. vanished from his spot.


    Before anyone could react, he emerged from Abbot''s shadow, plunging the de through his heart, killing him instantly!


    The sight left everyone in shock.


    They couldn''t believe S. chose such a method to resolve the conflict��it was madness!


    "You..."


    "I said, no one is allowed to disrupt my n. If I let you leave, the others will follow suit, and that is something I cannot allow! Abbot, you brought this upon yourself."


    With a flick of his wrist, S. effortlessly sliced through Abbot''s heart with his razor-sharp short sword.


    In an instant, Abbot''s HP dropped to zero, and he copsed to the ground.


    ncing at Abbot''s lifeless body, S. showed no emotion.


    He turned around calmly and asked, "Now, does anyone else want to leave?"


    Silence.


    As the second strongest in the team, Abbot had recruited half of the members himself.


    Compared to S., they trusted Abbot, the seemingly kind middle-aged man, more.


    ording to him, he had mistakenly chosen the thief ss when he intended to be a knight.


    But now, seeing their dependablerade brutally killed by S., everyone was in shock and couldn''t ept what had just happened.


    "You... you''re insane! You killed Abbot? He was yourrade!"


    Donovan rushed forward, shoving S. and yelling, "You beast!"


    "My team doesn''t need useless trash. Since Abbot chose to back out, he was of no use to us. The same goes for the rest of you! If you want to leave, fine, but you''ll have to get past me first. If you can''t, then shut up and do as I say, or you''ll end up like him."


    nced at Abbot''s silent body and sneered, "If you''re afraid to die, you should have stayed in Ad Vige. What are you doing here? From the moment you joined this event, your lives belonged to me! Now, if anyone else wants to leave, step forward. Kill me, and you can leave anytime. If not, shut up!"


    The group fell silent, exchanging uneasy nces. No one dared to make a sound.


    It was an unavoidable reality. S. was undeniably the strongest among them.


    At level 44, S. was among the top-ranked yers on the leaderboard, cing sixth on thebat power rankings, even above Lily.


    This alone spoke to his terrifying strength.


    While his hunting skills might not be as effective against monsters, against other yers, S. was a deadly, invisible killing machine!


    Sure, if everyone attacked together, S. wouldn''t be able to kill them all. But the problem was, who would be the first to die?


    Everyone hoped to be the one who survived, not the one lying in a pool of blood.


    This fear meant that S. alone could intimidate the six team members into submission, leaving them too scared to even breathe loudly.


    Seeing this, S. nodded slightly, very satisfied.


    This was exactly the state he wanted.


    If anyone dared to challenge him, Abbot''s fate would be their example!


    This team didn''t need a second voice.


    ...


    "Over there... that seems to be the people John is looking for."


    In the air!


    Exiled Immortal squinted down, vaguely seeing several small ck dots moving slowly below.


    Since the Goblin Hunter''s Eye couldn''t be used for long periods, the task of observation naturally fell on Helena, whose vision was better.


    Following Exiled Immortal''s direction, Helena indeed noticed several yers dressed like thieves.


    Whether they were the ones John was looking for, she couldn''t be sure.


    "They''re too far away to see their yer IDs. We need to get closer."


    "Their senses are very sharp. If we get too close, we might be exposed... If it doesn''t work out, we should lock onto their direction and go back to find John."


    Remembering John''s instructions and aware of the number of enemies, Exiled Immortal didn''t want to take unnecessary risks.


    Hearing this, Helena readily agreed.


    Fortunately, John and the others weren''t far away.


    Within three minutes, Exiled Immortal had brought Helena back to the mountain peak and exined the situation to John.


    "From your description alone, I''m not sure... Do you remember their direction and location?"


    Exiled Immortal patted his chest and smiled. "Of course! I have a great sense of direction and have never gotten lost!"


    "That''s good. How long will it take you to get there as quickly as possible?"


    "If I take everyone with me, considering their speed... it will take at least ten minutes, maybe longer."


    "Then take ria and me first. Get there as fast as possible. Once I confirm their identities, you cane back and bring the others."


    "That''s the best n we have, John. Be careful!"


    Qing knew that he wouldn''t have much advantage against the thief ss.


    Their elusive movements could easily counter Qing.


    Even if he went along, it would be hard to make a decisive impact.


    ria, however, was different.


    Her high level and mastery of spells made her an excellent choice for holding the line in a battle.


    For thieves, the most challenging opponent is one who can cover all angles without blind spots!


    Everyone agreed with John''s proposal.


    With ria''s abilities, as long as the enemy didn''t have any hidden powerful tricks, she could handle seven opponents alone!


    "Let''s move quickly and intercept them. Helena, you stay here and wait. Once we engage, Exiled Immortal wille back to get you."


    "No problem."


    With the n set, Exiled Immortal wasted no time.


    He lifted John and ria into the air and then, after stretching a bit, shot up like a cannonball, disappearing into the clouds!


    Just as Exiled Immortal had estimated, within three minutes, they had pinpointed the team''s location.


    John took the Goblin Hunter''s Eye and looked closely. The leading thief was none other than S.


    "Heh... finally, I''ve found you, traitor!"


    ...


    "Is it just my imagination? I feel like the temperature is dropping."


    tightened his coat, noticing the low-temperature debuff on his status bar, feeling increasingly puzzled.


    The blood-red sun on the horizon hadn''t set, dominating most of the sky. In such scorching weather, how could he be feeling cold?


    As S. found this bewildering, the ground beneath him suddenly shattered.


    A dragon, nearly twice the size of an earth dragon, burst out of the ground, blocking their path!

 Chapter 105: Chapter105-Encounter Battle!

    "So, it''s a mutated individual, but this level 50 dragon is quite troublesome..."


    furrowed his brow, slowly retreating to the back of the group, using everyone in front of him as human shields.


    The mutated earth dragon before them was not to be trifled with!


    Its body was farrger than a typical earth dragon, and the spreading frost beneath it was enough to make S. tense.


    Even if an entire team of yers appeared, S. wouldn''t feel this level of danger, but this was a mutated earth dragon!


    Without a knight to draw its attention, without a mage to dealrge-scale damage, and without a priest to heal wounds, their teamposition was already abstract.


    Seven thieves facing a level 50 monster far surpassing their own level would be a disaster if they fought recklessly!


    But in times like these, backing down was not an option!


    Otherwise, all the authority S. had painstakingly built up would vanish instantly!


    Thinking this, S. shouted, "It''s just an ice-based earth dragon. With the six of us, we can take it down! I''ll lead the charge!"


    mightck humanity, but he wasn''t stupid.


    In this situation, if he backed down, the others would be even more terrified, leading toplete copse and death.


    So, S. charged forward!


    Unfortunately, the short sword that could easily cut through steel didn''t perform as expected.


    It only left a shallow white mark on the ice-based earth dragon''s scales. This exaggerated defense left S. dumbfounded!


    His short sword was an [Epic] quality hunting knife with a sharpness trait.


    It had easily pierced through earth dragons and other yers'' defenses before, but now it couldn''t even scratch the surface!


    "What are you standing around for? I''ll distract this beast; you guys wait for an opening! If I die, do you think you have any chance of surviving? Once other teams of yers find you, they''ll pounce on you without hesitation! Only if I survive do you have any hope!"


    Facing S.''s urging, Donovan swallowed hard, his body trembling with fear. To say he wasn''t scared would be a lie, but he also understood that S. had a point.


    If S. died, their hope of getting out of here would vanish!


    With this in mind, Donovan shouted and momentarily forgot his role. As a thief, he charged directly at the ice-based earth dragon.


    Seeing this, S.''s eyes shed with disdain. If he had a chance to do it over, he would never have recruited such an idiot into the team!


    However, Donovan''s charge sessfully diverted the dragon''s attention for a moment, allowing S. to escape!


    Seeing S. retreat rapidly, Donovan''s heart sank!


    "S. what are you doing!"


    "Thanks. Without you, that beast would have kept its focus on me. I wouldn''t have escaped otherwise."


    smirked coldly.


    "If I had a choice, I wouldn''t want to sacrifice you. But none of these bastards were willing to help you. Sorry, Donovan."


    "You bastard!"


    Donovan cursed, but no matter how angry he was, he couldn''t change his inevitable fate.


    Donovan was only level 38, having justpleted his second ss change.


    Hisbat power was mediocre, and as a thief ss, he was almost powerless against monsters.


    Even if his dagger was sharp enough to pierce the ice-based earth dragon''s defenses, it couldn''t reach its core.


    "S., remember this! Even if I die, I won''t let you have it easy!"


    Donovan''s eyes were bloodshot as he pulled out a scroll from his bag. Without a moment''s hesitation, he unfurled it.


    "I curse you, S. I curse you to die a horrible death!"


    As he finished speaking, a dialogue box popped up in front of S.


    [The curse scroll has taken effect]


    "Damn it! Even in death, you have to trip me up. Abandoning you was definitely the right choice!"


    Watching his HP drop rapidly, finally stabilizing around fifty percent, S.''s face grew even darker.


    He didn''t have any items to cleanse the curse, and the duration was a full 72 hours.


    During this time, his HP would be capped at fifty percent, no matter how many HP potions he drank.


    "Die, you bastard!"


    In a fit of rage, S. flicked his hand, sending over ten needles flying from his grasp, easily piercing Donovan''s shoulders.


    At the same moment, the frost breath engulfed Donovan, freezing him solid within seconds.


    In a few breaths, Donovan was dead, his body turned into an ice sculpture, which the ice-based earth dragon smashed into pieces with a single swipe!


    Seeing this, the rest of the team was terrified.


    It was impossible; even if they attacked together, they couldn''t possibly defeat the ice-based earth dragon!


    Faced with such overwhelming strength, courage seemed more like folly.


    In the air, John, having witnessed the entire scene, finally sighed in relief.


    "Exiled Immortal, lower us down. Then head back and bring the others."


    "Got it."


    Exiled Immortal nodded, descending and finally dropping John and ria from about thirty meters.


    From beneath S.''s feet, countless vines burst from the ground, intertwining and forming a staircase, catching ria and John steadily.


    Looking down at S., John smiled grimly.


    "S., long time no see. We meet again."


    "Do... do I know you?"


    looked up, meeting John''s murderous gaze, and his heart skipped a beat.


    "Of course! We''re old acquaintances."


    John began to descend the staircase slowly, continuing, "You might have forgotten, but I remember everything clearly."


    Catching sight of several yers trying to flee, John activated his power, and a gray-ck mist emanated from his body, spreading rapidly!


    With just a breath of this ck mist, S.''spanions instantly fell to their knees, their eyes bing increasingly zed, a lewd smile on their faces as if they were lost in fantasies.


    Seeing this, ria''s face turned pale, clearly recalling some unpleasant memories. Despite John having told her he had taken the power of the creature sealed in thebyrinth, seeing him use it was still unsettling for her.


    "I''ll take care of the others," John said gently, taking ria''s hand. The warmth of his touch slowly calmed her.


    "I''ll hold them off, but I won''t kill them."


    "Ipletely understand. Just make sure none of them escape. Though I doubt they have any thoughts of running now."


    Having inhaled the [Lust] mist, they had lost their sanity and be puppets at John''smand, making escape thest thing on their minds.


    "Now, it''s your turn, S."


    "...I get it, you''re that anonymous yer? But I don''t even know you; we have no enmity!"


    "Save your breath. You''re not getting away today. Killing me might be your only chance."


    "Don''t be so arrogant! Killing me is no different from murder!"


    "Coming from you, that''s a joke," John sneered, eyes full of mockery. "Do you even remember how many people you''ve killed? Probably not. But that''s okay, we have plenty of time. I''ll help you remember everything you''ve done."


    "In your dreams!"


    shouted, disappearing in an instant.


    The next moment, he sprang from John''s shadow, his dagger gleaming with a sinister light aimed straight at John''s forehead!


    But as S. thought victory was within his grasp, he suddenly realized John was smiling at him!

 Chapter 106: Chapter106-Betrayal Apostle

    "This kind of petty trick, did you really think I would fall for it?"


    Without a moment of hesitation, S. instantly distanced himself from John, retreating over ten meters, still feeling a lingering fear.


    "He saw through it? How is that possible?"


    Under normal circumstances, it''s almost impossible for anyone to discern his movements without understanding the current ss skill, which is why the thief''s assassinations are so lethal!


    But against the person in front of him, it failed in an unprecedented manner!


    The opponent not only noticed it but even made a preemptive judgment!


    Seeing the giant carnivorous nt growing frantically from under John''s feet, a cold sweat dripped from S.''s forehead.


    It was definitely not a matter of luck. The person in front of him genuinely predicted hisnding spot!


    But... how?


    "Are you also a thief?"


    "What? No, of course not. I''ve just seen too many of these foolish tricks."


    With a casual wave of John''s hand, the hexagram magic circle under his feet shed.


    At the moment the ice-based earth dragon charged forward, countless tentacles emerged, tightly binding the dragon''s body and dragging it into the void!


    Seeing this scene, S. was speechless with shock!


    That monster, which had nearly wiped out their team and whose defenses his attacks couldn''t even prate, just... disappeared?


    "Oh? Are you shocked? Don''t be too hasty; this is just the beginning."


    "I offer my sacrifice and request His descent! Lord of the skies, hear my summon - Griffin Lord!"


    Boom!


    Suddenly, a fierce wind rose!


    Countless feathers turned into sharp arrows, shooting forward at such speed that S. barely dodged them on instinct, yet his arm was inevitably scratched!


    In the next moment, an eagle-headed, lion-bodied monster suddenly appeared before S., its sharp eyes locking onto him, leaving him nowhere to hide!


    "What kind of monster is this?"


    "You don''t need to know. You just need to understand that today, you are certain to die."


    In fact, even without summoning magic, John had a tenfold chance of eliminating S. The massive gap in their strength was insurmountable.


    Any one of John''s killing moves could easily take S. down.


    But that would be too boring.


    The betrayal from his past life, and everything that happened to Lily, must be avenged!


    "Rip open his stomach, but remember, don''t let him die easily."


    Johnmanded the Griffin Lord.


    The Griffin Lord, with a level equal to that of the ice-based earth dragon, instantly transformed into a streak of light and wind, its foot-long ws effortlessly piercing through S.''s shoulder, pinning him to the ground.


    The sudden, intense pain made S. curse out loud.


    He could even feel the ws scraping against his bones, producing a tooth-grinding sound that was excruciating!


    "You... lunatic! I don''t even know you!"


    "John, remember that name? I''m John."


    "What nonsense, there''s no such John!"


    Before S. could finish speaking, the Griffin''s cold, sharp beak lightly pressed against his chest and slid downwards, instantly splitting his flesh open, revealing deep wounds that exposed the bone!


    "I... damn it!"


    "You love torturing others so much, why can''t you handle it when it''s your turn?"


    John remained calm, watching the Griffin continuously peck at S.''s entrails, feeling no emotional stirrings inside.


    John had witnessed, and even personally experienced, scenes far more gruesome than this.


    But for ria, this was evidently too much.


    It''s not that she couldn''t ept killing; even she had personally ended the lives of many monsters or traitors who had defected from the Elven race.


    But this wasn''t just killing; it was outright inhumane torture!


    If the personmitting these acts wasn''t named John, she would have rushed forward without hesitation to stop it.


    But he was John. Though deeply ufortable, ria could only close her eyes, refusing to witness the gruesome scene unfolding before her.


    From the beginning, S.''s roars and curses echoed incessantly, gradually weakening until now, where he could barely make a sound, only whimpering as his breath faded.


    But just then, John did something unexpected.


    John took out a bottle of high-grade HP potion, pried open S.''s mouth, and poured the potion in.


    S.''s nearly depleted HP instantly recovered to 50%.


    Though the wounds remained, it significantly prolonged S.''s time before death.


    "You... you''re a madman..."


    "I never denied that. This world has long gone mad. If I don''t act a bit crazy, I''ll end up dead at the hands of people like you."


    John stood up and signaled the Griffin Lord to continue. S.''s screams resurfaced.


    ria tightly shut her eyes, her brow furrowed, clearly reaching the limit of her endurance.


    But just as ria was about to stop John''s inhumane actions, an unexpected change urred!


    A powerful aura surged from S.''s body, ck-purple mes instantly engulfing the Griffin Lord, reducing it to ashes without any resistance!


    Seeing this, John''s expression changed abruptly, and he quickly distanced himself!


    "It hurts so much..."


    At this moment, S. seemed like a different person, struggling to stand up.


    His abdominal wounds still bled profusely, his ruptured organs continually slipping out. S. kept trying to push his intestines back in, but the more he did, the worse it got.


    "Hey... it really hurts, you know?"


    "ria, get back!"


    This aura, it couldn''t be mistaken. It was clearly the aura of an [Apostle]!


    "However, I should thank you, John. If it weren''t for you, I don''t know how much longer I''d have been sealed in this pathetic body."


    The man stopped his actions, raised his head, and gave John a sinister smile.


    "Don''t remember me? Your death is something I still recall vividly, and thinking back... it fills me with immense pleasure!"


    "[Betrayal], [Deception], that guy wasn''t wrong. You''ve indeed infiltrated here."


    "I didn''t want this either. Everything happened so suddenly, I didn''t even have a chance to escape before I was forcibly reversed in time and sealed away. But now that I think about it, maybe it''s not such a bad thing. To see you the moment I regain consciousness, do you know how happy that makes me, my old friend?"


    S., or rather the [Betrayal Apostle], casually waved his hand, and the ck-purple mes of vengeance surged forward like fiery serpents, melting even solid rock in their path!


    Seeing this, John was startled.


    "You know very well that such tricks don''t work on me!"


    At the crucial moment, John activated the inherent ability of the [Trickster]. The [Betrayal Apostle]''s brief distraction yed right into John''s hands!


    As the mes dissipated, John stood unscathed, though his clothes had been burned to ashes, drifting away.


    With a thought, John donned a new set of gear and sneered, "You seem much weaker, [Betrayal]."


    "Only about a fifth of my peak power, but it''s enough to deal with you."


    "Are you sure?"


    A grey-ck barrier formed, isting ria outside, creating a misty screen that left only John and [Betrayal] within.


    Seeing this, [Betrayal] paused momentarily, then burst intoughter, his eyes moist with tears of mirth. "I thought it was my imagination. So you really did take the powers of [Deception] and [Lust]?"


    "Don''t worry, soon your power will belong to me too."


    "Just with those two weaklings? Hahaha! This is interesting! I didn''t expect our reunion to unfold like this. Not bad, not bad. You''ve made me very happy!"


    As [Betrayal] spoke, he slowly lowered his head, staring directly into John''s eyes, and said, word by word, "This time, I will savor every moment of your dying breath. It must be delicious!"


    "The oue is still uncertain. With only a fifth of your power left, you don''t seem that formidable to me."


    "Why don''t we find out?"

 Chapter 107: Chapter107-Fierce Battle with Betrayal (Part 1)

    "If it were [Deception] standing before me, it might be more troublesome. But you? A fraud and impostor, you''re not worth mentioning."


    [Betrayal]''s eyes zed, and ck-purple mes surged around him, condensing into a long spear that he willingly grasped in his hand!


    Seeing this, John squinted slightly, maintaining aposed exterior, though he felt a tinge of panic inside.


    After all, this was John''s first true confrontation with an [Apostle].


    Even though [Betrayal]''s power was only about one-fifth of its peak, the umted battle experience far exceeded John''s.


    He couldn''t afford even the slightest mistake!


    With a thought, John retrieved the Firewalker Dagger from his backpack, holding it in a reverse grip, and fixed his gaze on the [Betrayal Apostle].


    ck mes erupted, exploding outward with [Betrayal] at the center. The intense heat wave alone made John extremely ufortable!


    In that brief moment of distraction, [Betrayal] charged forward, spear in hand!


    With no time to hesitate, John let out a shout and turned to flee!


    Seeing this, [Betrayal] paused for a moment, then burst intoughter.


    "Is this your choice? Fleeing in disgrace? I can''t understand how [Deception] and [Lust] fell at your hands."


    "It''s called a tactical retreat. Someone like you wouldn''t understand."


    John scoffed, not letting [Betrayal]''s taunts get to him.


    What a joke! His style was never suited for frontal assaults; fighting [Betrayal] head-on would be suicide!


    Besides, his allies were about to arrive on the battlefield; John had no reason to take such a risk.


    "John!"


    Suddenly, a shout came from above, and John''s eyes lit up.


    With a wave of his hand, the grey-ck mist surrounding them dissipated, revealing ria and the rest of hispanions lined up behind him.


    "Finally, you''re here. Where are the others?"


    "They''ve been taken care of. Is this S.? His aura is quite intimidating."


    "He isn''t S." John shook his head and took a deep breath. "S. is already dead. He is the [Apostle] sealed within S.''s body."


    "[Apostle]? What is that?" Exiled Immortal looked at John with a puzzled expression.


    "I''ll exin everything after this is over," John said seriously. "For now, let''s deal with this problem first."


    "No problem, whatever kind of apostle or messenger he is, let''s just fight him first!" Qingughed heartily andunched himself into the air with a Cloud Leap, crashing down towards the [Betrayal Apostle].


    The sheer force of his long spear''s momentum almost knocked John and the others off their feet!


    In terms of pure attack power, Qing was undoubtedly the top among all yers!


    Boom!


    With a dull explosion, Qing''s smile froze instantly.


    Something felt off!


    Sure enough, as the dust settled, it revealed [Betrayal] holding the ming spear with one hand, effortlessly blocking Qing''s powerful strike.


    He even had the strength to manipte the mes to thrust towards Qing''s chest!


    "Watch out!" John warned, but it was toote.


    Just as [Betrayal]''s attack was about tond, a vine shot up from the ground, wrapping around Qing''s waist and flinging him out of harm''s way.


    The ck mes, capable of burning everything, hit nothing but air!


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Qing turned around, looking gratefully at ria. "Thanks."


    "No problem." ria nodded slightly and said softly, "Attack freely. Even though I can''t use my full power in this deste ce, leave the defense to me!"


    "Damn it, I was careless just now. Let''s go again!" Qing rolled up his sleeves, and with a powerful kick, heunched himself like a cannonball towards [Betrayal] once more.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal and Old Mac exchanged a nce and joined the fray.


    The ck ming spear aimed straight at Qing''s face but was caught in a tangle of vines just before impact. In that split second, Qing closed the distance, his spear smashing heavily onto [Betrayal]''s shoulder, causing blood to stter!


    But the attack wasn''t over yet!


    "[ss Skill: Sword Rain Fall!]"


    As Qing retreated, a storm of sword shadows followed, their energy piercing through [Betrayal]''s flesh, tearing him to pieces like a sieve.


    By this time, Old Mac''s exoskeleton armor was fully assembled.


    The exoskeleton, akin to a small mech, provided Old Mac with incredible speed and strength.


    In a single breath, he charged forward, his mechanical fist smashing down and shattering [Betrayal]''s upper body into a mist of blood!


    Although this was the first time they had faced such a powerful enemy together, their coordination was impressively seamless!


    But then, suddenly!


    The three felt a tremendous force throw them back.


    In front of John and the others, vines rapidly spread out, forming an imprable shield that protected them!


    In the next moment, the ck mes exploded!


    The vines incinerated to ashes upon contact, forcing ria to continuously replenish them to barely hold off the attack.


    "How... how is this possible?"


    Helena peered through her fingers, gasping as she saw the figure struggling to rise from S.''s shattered body.


    [Betrayal] was now covered in white-blue mes. With every step, the ground beneath him melted!


    "Finally! Free from that feeble body!"


    [Betrayal] curled his lips into a sinister smile, his hollow eyes fixated on John as he said, "Now, the game officially begins!"


    "Stop pretending! I''ll beat you to death!"


    Qing grunted, hurling his spear with immense force.


    It flew like a streak of light, barely visible as it aimed straight for [Betrayal]''s face!


    However, somethingpletely unexpected happened at that moment!


    The [Epic]-quality spear didn''t even touch [Betrayal] before it meltedpletely into a pool of molten metal!


    Seeing this, Qing froze in ce, unable to believe his eyes.


    "This..."


    "Qing, fall back and help keep the nearby earth dragons and other yers from interfering," John ordered, stopping Qing. "The mes around him are too hot. They can easily melt metal. If you rush in, you''ll only get hurt."


    "But!"


    "Qing!" John shouted, meeting Qing''s reluctant gaze and nodding firmly. "Trust me."


    "...I''ll deal with those annoying pests ande back to help you."


    Though reluctant, Qing understood that his closebat fighting style was useless against the current situation.


    With no choice, Qing retrieved another weapon, turned, and headed toward the awakened earth dragons.


    There was no doubt; this was a battle ofpletely mismatched strength.


    The white-blue mes that could incinerate anything they touched,bined with [Betrayal]''s monstrous vitality, left John with no clear way to win.


    Realizing this, John turned to ria and the others, smiling bitterly. "This time, it looks like you''ll have to stay with me."


    "No problem. Since the day I left the Elven tribe, I was prepared for this," ria said, smiling softly as she gently held John''s hand. "Take the others and leave. I''ll do my best to hold him off and buy you time to escape."


    "Escape? None of you are getting away!" [Betrayal] waved his hand, and mes spread out, forming a cage that trapped everyone and cut off their escape route.


    "A chosen one and several who have inherited parts of the [Gods''] power��today is a real harvest! If I kill you all, it will surely disrupt their ns, won''t it? Haha, just thinking about it is satisfying! Now... who should I start with?


    "Why not you, the girl who inherited the power of the God of the Stars, Astreos? A god''s blood runs through your veins. I remember what happened two years ago very clearly!"


    As the ming spear rushed towards her, Lily''s mind went nk!

 Chapter 108: Chapter108-Fierce Battle with Betrayal (Part 2)

    In an instant, a green wind surged!


    Lily felt her feet lighten, and before she knew it, she was soaring a hundred meters into the sky!


    "E... Exiled Immortal?"


    "Don''t zone out! At times like this, a moment''s distraction could cost you your life!" Exiled Immortal sighed with relief, his long hair gradually turning from ck to green, blending with the surrounding wind!


    Seeing this, John also let out a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, Exiled Immortal reacted in time to save Lily; otherwise, that single strike would have been enough to kill her!


    "You dodged it, but it doesn''t matter. You were never my target anyway."


    [Betrayal] wasn''t discouraged by the missed attack.


    He immediately turned and charged at John!


    Seeing this, John waved his hand, summoning a giant carnivorous nt from the ground, its blood-red maw lunging at [Betrayal]!


    However, in the face of the searing mes, the nt turned to ash in an instant. John had nowhere to retreat!


    "Do you believe I can dodge this strike?"


    "Do you think you can deceive me with [Deception]''s tricks? Dream on!"


    [Betrayal] sneered, unwavering.


    But at that moment, John''s voice sounded from behind.


    "But I already dodged it."


    "How is that possible?"


    [Betrayal] turned to see a voice tube, repeatedly echoing the same phrase.


    However, in that brief distraction, John managed to escape from the seemingly fatal strike!


    "I never said I was going to use [Deception]''s tricks."


    John smirked, looking mockingly at [Betrayal], who finally realized what had happened andughed.


    "Illusions and reality... It seems you''ve truly learned from [Deception]. But unfortunately, against absolute power, all such petty tricks are meaningless."


    "Not necessarily."


    A hexagram lit up, and the summoning spell was cast again.


    The mana John had painstakingly recovered was drained instantly, leaving him feeling weak and nearly fainting.


    In just one hour, John had cast three summoning spells in session.


    The mana consumption was one thing, but the expenditure of mental energy was beyond what any ordinary person could endure.


    It was thanks to his training as an Alchemist, regrly performing alchemical rituals day and night, that John''s mental power far exceeded that of normal people.


    Otherwise, he would have been drained dry after the second summoning spell.


    The offering was consumed, and a bright orange me shed from the hexagram, gradually taking human form.


    This time, the monster John summoned was only level 45, an unavoidable drawback.


    Despite its lower levelpared to [Betrayal], this monster had an unbeatable characteristic.


    Being a pure fire element creature, it was nearly immune to all fire damage, including the white-blue mes used by [Betrayal]!


    "Hold him down!"


    "You''ve got quick thinking, but trickery won''t help you. Even if I can''t extinguish a pure fire elemental, so what? It can''t stop me either!"


    [Betrayal] sneered, his eyes full of contempt.


    "No, just holding you for a moment is enough!"


    John smirked and looked up to the sky, which had turned a greenish-blue.


    A tornado, carrying debris, swept across the sky like a natural disaster!


    At the eye of the storm, Exiled Immortal was pushing himself to the limit, draining all his stamina to keep the tornado going for as long as possible.


    Lily, clinging to his back, continuously cast blessings to enhance the tornado''s power and replenish Exiled Immortal''s stamina.


    "I was just a decoy. They are the main force."


    "John, move out of the way!" ria pointed at John, and vines instantly wrapped around his waist, flinging him out of Exiled Immortal''s attack range.


    The entire tornado then crashed into [Betrayal] without any reservation!


    The white-blue mes were torn apart and extinguished upon contact with the tornado.


    For the first time, [Betrayal]''s expression changed.


    He had thought that at this stage, no one could stop him.


    But now, it was clear that things were far beyond his expectations!


    The terrifying power Exiled Immortal disyed shocked [Betrayal]!


    He knew this was just the early to mid-stage of the game.


    If Exiled Immortal was given two years to grow, as in the previous life, he might indeed be able to confront [Betrayal] head-on!


    With this realization, [Betrayal] squinted and became more determined.


    He absolutely could not let these people leave alive!


    Blessed by the [Gods], if they were given time to grow, they would inevitably be Demigod tier beings. By then, it would be toote to stop them!


    With this thought, [Betrayal] held nothing back.


    The mes covering his body turned from white-blue to orange-red, the temperature rising again.


    The tornado controlled by Exiled Immortal was tinged with orange-red!


    The scorching waves spread out like ripples, and Exiled Immortal, at the center of the storm, suddenly tensed up.


    Just a moment ago, he could barely use the wind field to extinguish the mes, but now the tables had turned.


    [Betrayal]''s mes were growing more intense with the help of the wind field, even burning Exiled Immortal and Lily at the center of the storm!


    "Break the wind field and get out!"


    Seeing his ultimate move turned against him and nearly out of his control, Exiled Immortal made a swift decision, forcibly tearing open a gap in the tornado and escaping with Lily!


    But what greeted them was a ming spear that appeared instantly like a streak of light!


    "[ss Skill: Undying Fury]"


    A figure appeared just in time, shielding Exiled Immortal and Lily.


    The spear pierced through the armor with ease, leaving a gaping, glowing wound in the abdomen!


    Under the searing mes, Qing''s wound was cauterized instantly, preventing any blood from spilling.


    Qing survived this nearly fatal blow by sheer will and his ss skill!


    As his HP rapidly dwindled, Qing gritted his teeth, pushing Exiled Immortal and Lily away and using the momentum of the spear to fling himself dozens of meters back!


    "Qing!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m not dead yet! But I won''tst much longer."


    Struggling to his feet, Qing nced at his abdominal wound, the excruciating pain hitting him.


    His ss skill had locked his HP at one point.


    Though it would onlyst for less than thirty seconds, if he could heal his injuries and restore his HP after the skill ended, there was still a chance to survive.


    Qing had intended to use this skill as a game-changer, given that the ten-day cooldown would essentially take him out of the fight.


    But under these circumstances, he had no room for hesitation!


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Lily and ria simultaneously cast healing spells.


    Qing''s abdominal wound healed rapidly before their eyes, and his HP quickly restored to full.


    But without the Undying Fury skill, the situation reached another stalemate!


    "John, have you noticed something?"


    At that moment, the usually silent Helena spoke up, pointing to the ming footprints behind [Betrayal].


    She said seriously, "I''ve been observing this. Everywhere he steps, the footprints keep burning, even in Exiled Immortal''s storm. How can rocks burn?"


    Hearing this, John''s eyes lit up as a breakthrough suddenly came to his mind.


    No wonder! John had felt something was off but couldn''t pinpoint it.


    As an [Apostle], they needed a host to fully manifest their powers in this world. This had been proven more than once.


    [Deception] had also mentioned that their existence was intolerable in this world, and to avoid being erased by certain entities, they required a host.


    But clearly, [Betrayal] did not have a host at this moment.


    S.''s corpse had been almostpletely shattered into a blood mist, with only the lower half remaining on the ground. How was [Betrayal] exerting such power?


    As thoughts raced through his mind, John had a moment of rity.


    He saw a pattern hidden in the ming footprints, connecting S.''s remains to [Betrayal].


    John understood instantly!


    It was [Betrayal]''s overwhelming intimidation that made John overlook this crucial fact.

 Chapter 109: Chapter109-Fierce Battle with Betrayal (Part 3)

    For S., with his heart and brain shattered, survival was impossible.


    But for [Betrayal], that might not be the case.


    [Deception] could even bring a dead person back to life for a month. Even if [Betrayal] couldn''t achieve that level, a body under his control couldn''t be that fragile!


    With this realization, John instinctively looked at Lily.


    With [Betrayal] intentionally protecting his host, the only person capable of delivering arge-scale, decisive blow, especially with Exiled Immortal exhausted, was Lily!


    With almost everyone else out ofmission, John had no time to hesitate!


    "Lily! Use your strongest attack to destroy [Betrayal]''s host!"


    "Host?"


    Lily paused, her gaze locking onto S.''s remains. She immediately understood, and her staff burst into a blinding light!


    "[Astreos, Lord of the Cold Stars, Sovereign of the Infinite Sky, as your faithful follower, I, Lily, implore you once again, smite my enemy with the Wrath of the Stars!]"


    "[Fall!]"


    From above the clouds, a celestial body descended!


    The star tore through the atmosphere, illuminating the entire sky.


    Every yer in this world noticed this phenomenon and was stunned!


    It was the descent of a star, the wrath of the God of Stars, Astreos!


    "Damn it!"


    [Betrayal] looked up, seeing the descending star covering the entire sky.


    The sense of impending death surged through him!


    He had already yed his trump card to counter Exiled Immortal''s storm.


    The fading mes around him were proof that he couldn''t maintain the white-blue mes anymore!


    There was no way he could withstand this attack!


    [Betrayal] couldn''t believe that he was losing in this manner to John, who had died at his hands in the previous life!


    Even without the powers of [Deception] and [Lust], John had managed to be a Demigod tierbatant in the past.


    But now?


    John hadn''t even reached the pinnacle that a mortal could achieve, and yet he was winning?


    No! It wasn''t over yet!


    Watching the descending star, [Betrayal] did not choose to flee.


    Instead, he advanced, channeling all his remaining mes into a ck-purple ming spear, which he hurled at the star with all his might!


    However...


    The almost depleted [Betrayal] could not create the miracle he hoped for.


    The spear was obliterated the moment it touched the star.


    Realizing this, [Betrayal] knew that the moment his host was crushed, he would lose all his power.


    His authority was already in John''s grasp.


    But...


    "Don''t celebrate too soon, John. We are merely pawns. The real threat has yet to arrive. The seven areing!"


    "What seven? Exin yourself!"


    "You will see them soon. They are the true force behind the apocalypse. Believe me." [Betrayal] closed his eyes, calmly awaiting his end.


    "I''ll be waiting for you in the abyss, for our next encounter!"


    Boom!


    The star fell, turning the world before them into dust!


    The explosion echoed throughout the world, the intense shockwave reaching every corner of this realm.


    Many earth dragons hidden beneath the surface were shattered by the tremors, causing a surge in dragon hunt points, and with that, the battle finally came to an end.


    This battle was nothing short of brutal!


    Exiled Immortal, Lily, and Qing were almostpletely incapacitated, while Helena, Old Mac, ria, and John himself could barely contribute against [Betrayal].


    It was thanks to Exiled Immortal and Lily that they managed to turn the tide!


    Of course, Helena''s keen judgment also yed a significant role.


    As the explosion''s echoes gradually faded, John copsed onto the ground, panting heavily, clearly at his limit.


    Casting three summoning spells had drained John''s energy.


    If he could, he''d love nothing more than to sleep.


    But there was something more important to do first.


    After a while, John finally calmed his breathing and walked towards the crater created by the star''s impact.


    At the bottom of the pit, a glowing orb floated in the air.


    John reached out, and the orb seemed to respond to his call, flying towards him and merging into his fingertip.


    At that moment, a dialog box appeared before John''s eyes.


    "[Congrattions! You have unlocked a new ss��Transgression]"


    "[Trickster level has increased to 35! New skills unlocked, please visit the skill tree to learn!]"


    "[Debauchery level has increased to 24! New skills unlocked, please visit the skill tree to learn!]"


    "[yer level has increased to 60! Pleaseplete your second ss selection as soon as possible!]"


    "Finally! It''s over..."


    After everything was done, John cked out and lost consciousness.


    ...


    When John opened his eyes again, the sky had returned to its blood-red hue.


    ria and the others were sitting around him.


    Seeing him awake, they immediately approached.


    "John! Are you okay?"


    ria hugged John, and seeing this, Helena and Lily felt a twinge of jealousy.


    "I''m fine, just exhausted."


    John shook his head and struggled to sit up. "How long was I out?"


    "About forty hours. I just woke up not long ago myself."


    Exiled Immortal rubbed his temples, the lingering fogginess in his head reminiscent of a hangover.


    After that battle, Lily and Exiled Immortal also passed out.


    Lily woke up first, then Exiled Immortal, and finally John.


    "Forty hours... doesn''t that mean there''s not much time left in the dragon hunt event?"


    "Uh, you don''t need to worry about that. We''ve already secured the victory."


    Qing shrugged and showed John the event leaderboard.


    Their team had over four thousand dragon hunt points, far surpassing the second-ce team, whose total points didn''t evene close to half of theirs.


    Seeing this, John finally breathed a sigh of relief, his tension easing.


    "That''s good..."


    "Johnny, there are some things you need to tell us now, right?" Lily bit her lip, hesitating slightly. "The enemy we faced this time was clearly beyond the scope of any monster, and what he said keeps bothering me..."


    "Yeah, that strange man said we are [Apostles] blessed by the [Gods], and mentioned [Deception] and [Lust]. What''s going on?"


    Meeting Helena''s gaze, John instinctively lowered his head.


    With everything that happened, it was impossible for John to keep hiding the truth.


    Since he couldn''t hide it anymore, he decided to take this opportunity toe clean.


    With a deep breath, John began, "I''ll tell you everything. If you have any questions, feel free to interrupt me.


    "Actually, this is my second time ying this game. In my previous life, I lived in the game world for two years, until the appearance of the [Abyss]pletely changed everything."


    "The powerful [Apostles] nearly wiped out the few remaining survivors. Those who stayed alive lived in constant fear. It was during this time that [Betrayal] and [Lust] infiltrated the game world, using mypanions as hosts to kill me and Lily.


    "I thought my two years of struggle had ended, but unexpectedly, an item I possessed reversed time to two years before, back to when it all hadn''t started yet."


    John took a deep breath, the painful memories resurfacing.


    "So... that''s why you know everything that''s about to happen?" Helena''s long-standing doubts were finally answered by John''s exnation.


    "Yes, because of my two years of memories from the previous life, I know almost everything about this game world. However, the early awakening of the [Apostles] was beyond my expectations. ria, our meeting wasn''t part of my n; it was purely idental."


    "Uh... I have a question." Qing suddenly spoke up, interrupting John.


    "So, in the previous life, I got killed off early and logged out?"

 Chapter 110: Chapter110-The Shattered Truth

    "No, of course not. In the previous life... or more urately, in my memory, you were always there until the moment of my death," John shrugged helplessly.


    "Perhaps for some reason, the original course of events was altered, which led to you being killed by Lawrence."


    "No wonder... I always felt I wasn''t supposed to die so early. It would have been too embarrassing," Qing chuckled, suddenly remembering something.


    His eyes lit up as he asked, "So how strong was I in the previous life? I must have been really strong, right?"


    "Very strong. You could single-handedly fight against a full-strength [Apostle] like the one we just faced without falling behind," John replied.


    "And what about me? How strong was I?" Exiled Immortal eagerly stepped forward, asking excitedly, "I shouldn''t have been much weaker than Qing, right?"


    "Well... you weren''t quite there yet. In the previous life, your talent didn''t evolve, which limited your potential, and you struggledter on. Oh, and in the previous life, you guys didn''t leave the Pioneer Squad. Helena was always the leader of the Pioneer Squad and also mypetitor.


    As we all reached simr levelster on, you guys slightlygged behind, while the team Lily and I were part of gradually surpassed you."


    As John spoke, he turned to Lily, smiled, and said, "I almost forgot, Lily, happy birthday."


    Seeing the ne in John''s hand, Lily bit her lip, her eyes welling up with tears.


    "You remembered, Johnny..."


    "Of course. After tonight, our Lily will be a grown-up. How could I forget?"


    "So... your enmity with S. is from the previous life?" Helena sighed, her long-standing doubts finally resolved.


    "No wonder you were so hostile towards him. Is it because he caused your death?"


    "Not entirely. The more important reason is what they did to Lily. If it was just about killing and looting, I wouldn''t be so angry. I''ve done that myself, more than once."


    Hearing this, Lily''s lips trembled. She didn''t know what to say but felt a warm sensation in her heart.


    "Any other questions?" John asked.


    "I... I have a question," ria, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, catching John''s attention. "In the previous life, without your help, what was the final fate of the Elven tribe?"


    Hearing this, John hesitated for a moment. In the previous life, his interactions with the Elven tribe were minimal, but he was aware of their ultimate fate.


    Seeing John''s silence, ria smiled bitterly, "It''s hard to say, isn''t it?"


    John nodded and sighed, "I''m not entirely sure what happened during that time. After all, in my previous life, I was a thief ss, and not well-received by the Elven tribe. But I did hear about their ultimate fate. In the end, the Elven tribe faced annihtion."


    "So it really was like that..." ria didn''t seem surprised.


    Even if John''s arrival brought new challenges, without his help, the Elven tribe''s territory would have continued to shrink until they werepletely overrun.


    As the queen, she would have been powerless to rebuild their homnd alone.


    "John, in the previous life... did we fail?"


    Such a heavy topic brought everyone''s spirits down.


    The revtion that John was a reborn yer was as shocking as the first time they entered the game world.


    There were countless questions they wanted to ask John, but in the end, they all condensed into one.


    "Have we... already failed?"


    John looked up, meeting Exiled Immortal''s gaze, and said firmly, "No, we haven''t failed yet. Yes, I died in the previous life, but many yers still risked their lives to protect thest haven for humanity. They hadn''t lost yet!"


    "But the oue won''t be much different. Are the [Apostles] really that powerful? The [Apostle] we encountered a few days ago was only at one-fifth of its full strength and almost wiped us out. How can we possibly defeat such enemies?" Helena''s question wasn''t pessimistic; she simply couldn''t fathom how they could face opponents of that magnitude.


    "We''ll find a way," John said with determination.


    "To be honest, I''ve already obtained the authority of three [Apostles]. As long as I keep leveling up, I''ll have the confidence to confront them directly! And you all are different from the previous life; you''ve gained stronger abilities. I believe this time we can win!"


    ...


    Six days flew by, and the dragon hunt event came to a close.


    After defeating S.''s team, John''s team unsurprisingly topped the leaderboard, bing the winners of this major event.


    As they exited the rift, the event rewards were distributed.


    As John had anticipated, the winning team''s rewards were [Legendary] quality items!


    It made sense, as the game had progressed to its mid-stage.


    Their rapid advancement made it seem like the updates wereing too fast, while most yers were still in Calia City and Deep Forest.


    Lily and Helena received the [Legendary Wisdom Ne] and [Legendary Agility Ne], respectively.


    Exiled Immortal was thrilled to get a [Legendary] quality sword, the fabled [Sword of the Hero], belonging to the legendary hero Jason.


    The sword''s stats nearly doubled Exiled Immortal''s current attributes and significantly boosted his courage and strength when equipped!


    Qing, on the other hand, received a [Legendary] quality one-time use item, the [Death Substitute Puppet].


    Once bound to a yer, this item would take the fatal damage for the yer three times, effectively giving the yer three extra lives.


    Although he didn''t get a powerful weapon, Qing was delighted.


    As a berserker, his main concern was surviving fatal injuries rather than his attack methods.


    The three protections provided by the puppet gave Qing much more confidence.


    As for John, he received a dragon egg.


    Unlike John''s previous memory, the quality of this dragon egg seemed to faintly reach [Demigod tier], far surpassing the dragon egg Helena had obtained in the past life.


    Staring at the egg covered in dark green patterns, John pondered for a moment before turning to ria.


    "It''s yours."


    "Y-you''re giving it to me?" ria was clearly surprised.


    Having witnessed the terrifying power of a dragon firsthand, she knew how precious a dragon egg was.


    "But this is your dragon egg. Are you sure it''s okay to give it to me?"


    "I already have one. Everyone has gained something from this trip. Mac obtained a lot of forging materials and is quite satisfied. Without you, how many of us would be standing here unharmed today? This is what you deserve. I can feel the life force within this egg, and it resonates strongly with your aura.


    Giving it to you is the best choice."


    "Yes, ria, you should ept it. It''s also Johnny''s wish," Lily nodded.


    Unlike her usual demeanor, she now appeared more mature, showing her true personality only in front of John and the others.


    "This was originally John''s possession. Since he decided to give it to you, you should ept it. And don''t think we haven''t noticed; you two have been together for a while, haven''t you?"


    As Helena bluntly pointed out the truth, ria blushed deeply, lowering her head in embarrassment.


    "How... how did you guess..."


    "A woman''s intuition. Don''t worry, we have no objections. We''ve been through so much together; we''re already partners. Your rtionship with John isn''t something to be ashamed of. Of course, this doesn''t mean we''ll give up our feelings for John, right, Lily?"


    "Huh? I... I didn''t..."


    "Alright, stop denying it. Anyone can see through your little secret."


    "See, I told you, even if you keep it hidden, it will be discovered eventually," John shrugged, not surprised.


    He continued, "Come on, ept it. As for what I promised you before, I''lle up with a solution soon. From now on, if you encounter danger, it will protect you for us."

 Chapter 111: Chapter111-Auction House

    After returning to their residence, John and hispanions enjoyed a well-deserved rest.


    Although they had reached theter stages of the event and no longer went out to hunt Earth Dragons, staying in such a tense atmosphere still made it hard to rxpletely.


    However, before fully unwinding, John had an idea.


    It was midday when John quietly sat up, but he still identally woke ria, who was in his arms.


    ria murmured softly and gently wrapped her arms around John''s neck.


    No longer holding the lofty demeanor from their first meeting, she asked in a tender voice, "What time is it?"


    "It should be around noon. I n to go out for a bit. Do you want toe along?"


    "Sure, where are you going?"


    "I''m thinking of heading to the auction house. This event has yielded quite a few high-quality items. I want to check them out and upgrade our gear."


    "Give me ten more minutes, just ten minutes."


    "It''s okay, I''ll go by myself. You get some more rest."


    John chuckled softly and gave ria a gentle kiss on her forehead.


    Then he got dressed and left the room.


    Before heading to the auction house, John returned to Ad Vige.


    After retrieving the Eternal Alchemy Bible, he also visited the vige chief and Ferris the cksmith.


    The vige chief was the same as ever, still vigorous despite his age.


    As for Ferris, John left him with a lot of Earth Dragon scales and bones as forging materials, which almost moved Ferris to tears.


    At the current pace, John felt that triggering Ferris''s hidden quest was not too far off.


    The thought of that [Mythic tier] quality longsword made John''s heart race.


    [Mythic tier] quality gear!


    Even in his past life, John had never obtained a piece of [Mythic tier] equipment.


    He had acquired quite a few [Demigod tier] items, but [Demigod tier] was still [Demigod tier].


    It''s important to know that some [Mythic tier] equipment possesses the rule power of deities, making it game-changingly powerful and desirable for anyone!


    After bidding farewell to Ferris and the vige chief, John decided to take a detour to Calia City to visit his nominal apprentice.


    To John''s surprise, Fara had passed the Alchemist exam and became a genuine Alchemist, not just an amateur. This was a testament to John''s guidance.


    After leaving Fara with some basic alchemical knowledge, John crushed a teleportation scroll and returned to Talcavano, heading towards the auction house.


    In a city crowded with yers, there was bound to be an auction house.


    After all, aside from the unreliable ck market, yers primarily relied on auction houses for trading.


    Although the auction house charged a considerablemission fee, it was reliable��money and goods exchanged hands without the risk of foul y.


    John trusted the auction house more than the ck market.


    Unfortunately, when John arrived at the auction house, he was informed that due to a recent surge in transactions, the auction house had temporarily halted all trades.


    They would hold a public auction in two days, where valuable items would be auctioned.


    If John had items to auction, they could be included after a valuation.


    However, the items John had were all priceless treasures.


    The [Hermes Set] and the [Bag of Equivalent Exchange for Painful Memories] might be seen as useless by others and wouldn''t fetch a high price, but to John, they were invaluable.


    Unless he lost his mind, he would never auction these items.


    As for John''s equipment, they were ordinary [Epic] quality items, not worth much.


    Left with no choice, John returned to the residence and informed everyone about the auction in two days.


    "An auction! I''ve never been to one before, it should be fun, right?" Exiled Immortal said excitedly, waving his hands. "I definitely want to go!"


    "Who knows, there might be [Legendary] quality items up for auction. It''s unlikely they''d ept money alone; most likely, it will be a barter. It''s worth trying our luck."


    "Uh... I have a question. How much money do you all have?"


    Qing, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke up, interrupting everyone. He continued, "I have only a few thousand silver coins. You all probably have about the same, right?"


    "Let me check... I have about ny thousand," said Lily.


    "I have more, around one hundred seventy thousand. I haven''t spent much."


    "Hah! Big sis, I have more than you, a full two hundred thousand!"


    Exiled Immortal said proudly, looking every bit like a wealthy miser.


    Hearing this, John suddenlyughed.


    Two million? Was that a lot?


    "John, how much have you saved?"


    "Tell you and you might be shocked, I have over twenty million!"


    At this, Qing''s eyes widened in an instant.


    "Twenty million? Not... howe?"


    He couldn''t understand, nor could he ept it.


    While he was struggling to make ends meet, his pocket change could barely buy a few potions, yet John had quietly umted so much?


    It wasn''t that hard to understand, considering John''s ss was the ''printing press'' of Alchemists.


    Just the potions he left for Fara to sell earned him over ten million silver coins.


    Various qualities of potions were a necessity for all yers.


    After all, Priests, being the rarest ss, were quite expensive, and the healing fees kept getting higher.


    Compared to that, HP potions were clearly more cost-effective.


    "Twenty million sounds like a lot, but it''s not really. A single [Epic] quality piece of equipment costs millions. If you don''t believe me, ask Mac; he''s definitely loaded."


    Noticing the looks John and the others were giving him, old Mac put down his bottle, burped loudly, andughed, "Not much, just a few hundred million or so."


    Qing: "..."


    It was only at this moment that Qing realized how huge the wealth gap between them was.


    "Actually, if it weren''t for me buying forging materials everywhere over the years, it would be even more. Ten billion wouldn''t be enough, but money doesn''t mean much to me anymore. Precious forging materials can''t be measured in money. If you need them, take them and use them."


    "Is this the ugly face of the rich? You''re not interested in money, right?"


    "Mac, we really need you to provide some funds for this auction. Our savings are far from enough."


    "No problem, I''m a regr at the auction house, and the staff knows me. I''ll go with you all, and I have a private, exclusive box that can amodate all of us."


    "Then it''s settled. Through this auction, we''ll sell off the useless items and gear we''ve umted and update our equipment. After the auction, the dungeon at Mine No. 3 will be ready to open. Once it opens, we''ll get the first-clear rewards and head to Spartonia."


    ...


    Two days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was the day of the auction.


    Due to therge number of participants, the auction house officials set up several rules to limit entry, primarily to keep out yers who were just there for the excitement.


    These rules included, but were not limited to, a financial threshold: yers with less than twenty million were not allowed to enter and could only sell their items.


    The auction house also divided the auction into different tiers based on the participants'' wealth, to sell items of varying values.


    This system took multiple factors into consideration.


    Of course, these restrictions were meaningless for John and his group.


    When old Mac showed up with John and the others, the auction house manager personally came out to greet them and escorted them to old Mac''s private box.


    It was clear that old Mac''s status in Talcavano City was not just for show.


    Almost every NPC in the city, including the city lord, held him in high regard.


    Sitting in the exclusive box, overlooking the entire auction house from the top, the feeling of having everything under control was intoxicating for everyone.


    However, what surprised John even more was that even with the stringent restrictions in the highest-tier auction, the ce was nearly full.


    The wealth of these yers far exceeded John''s expectations.

 Chapter 112: Chapter112-The Auction

    "Look at them and then look at yourselves. You''re all yers, so why is there such a big gap? How do they make money? Why don''t you learn from them?"


    Old Mac watched with interest as figures moved about in the main hall. He even spotted a few familiar faces, including the city lord, the head of the Adventurers Guild, and the manager of the city''srgest entertainment venue. All of them were wealthy and held significant status.


    "Yeah, hey John, how do you think they make money? I can understand how you have twenty million, since you''re an Alchemist, but what about them?"


    "Isn''t it obvious? They make money by leveraging price differences."


    John rolled his eyes and gave Exiled Immortal a disdainful nce before continuing, "For example, in Calia City, meat costs about 10 silver coins per pound, but the same meat in Talcavano City might cost twice as much. And that''s just the basics.


    "Do you really think everyone is as interested in pushing the main storyline as we are? There are traders, farmers, businesspeople, and even yers who get married and have children in this world. You just never paid attention to them."


    John vividly remembered a yer in his previous life who became obsessed with business. Over two years, this yer nearly monopolized the seafood trade in Calia City, Talcavano City, Spartonia, and Everglow. By importing goods from Antis, they became the wealthiest yer, bar none.


    Of course, if they were just rich, John wouldn''t have remembered them so well. The key was that this yer was also incredibly lucky. They once obtained a [Demigod tier] item, [Pluto''s Pouch], from a dungeon.


    For most yers, this item would merely be an essory with decent base stats, but for this yer, it was like it was custom-made!


    The reason was simple: once [Pluto''s Pouch] was bound to a yer, it could enhance all attributes by depositing silver coins into it.


    This unique feature allowed the yer to leap into the top ten of thebat power rankings.


    So you see? In this world, no matter what you excel at, if you invest time and effort, you will be rewarded. This person was the best example.


    As thoughts swirled in his mind, the auction was about to begin. A beautiful, scantily d woman took the stage and used a magical device to amplify her voice, announcing the start of the auction. She was Peggy, the host for this auction.


    In this top-tier auction, every item up for bid was [Epic] quality or higher, and each had powerful traits. Common items didn''t even qualify to be here.


    Sure enough, the first item up for auction caught John''s eye.


    "The first item up for bid is an [Epic] quality [de of Silence]. Its special trait is that hitting a target will briefly silence them, preventing skill use for 0.75 seconds and having a 0.5-second effect on monsters. It can trigger every two seconds."


    "This is a good item," John remarked.


    John let out a long breath and smiled, saying, "In my past life, the [de of Silence] became a staple weapon for all thief yers. The silence effect it granted greatly increased the sess rate of assassinations. However..."


    However, at the moment, John was no longer a thief ss, and without the appropriate ss skills, this item''s usefulness to him was limited.


    As expected, the [de of Silence] was eventually sold for 3.5 million silver coins to a thief.


    What followed showcased the professionalism of the auction house. After an item was sold, the auction house didn''t immediately hand it over to the buyer. This was partly to protect the buyer''s identity and prevent potential problems, and it also reduced the need for excessive security.


    As for whether the item would be stolen after the transaction, that wasn''t the auction house''s concern. If it was stolen, it simply meant you weren''t capable enough to protect it.


    With the end of the first auction, the second item was promptly brought onto the stage. It was a piece of metallic material the size of a thumb, ced on a tray. Even the auction house officials weren''t sure what it was, so they set a vague base price of 1 million silver coins, with each bid increment being no less than 100,000.


    Initially, John had little interest in this item. But as it was about to be sold for 1.6 million, Seraphina''s voice suddenly rang in his mind.


    "Bid! Buy this item, and I''ll exin what it ister."


    Without hesitation, John pressed the bid button and calmly said to Mac, "1.9 million."


    "Alright! A bid of 1.9 million from the distinguished guest in Box 2! Anyone willing to bid higher? If not..."


    Before Peggy could finish, the yer who had previously bid 1.6 million raised their offer to 2.2 million, increasing the bid by 300,000.


    "2.2 million, does the guest in Box 2 wish to continue bidding?"


    "2.8 million."


    "Alright, 2.8 million! A single bid increase of 600,000! What kind of item is this to draw suchpetition? Any more bids?"


    "Are they crazy? Nearly 3 million for a piece of metal?"


    "If they can afford a private box, do you think theyck money?"


    "By that logic, this item might be a treasure. Why else would theypete for it?"


    One yer had this thought, and soon it spread from one to ten, then ten to a hundred.


    At first, it was just John and another yer bidding against each other. But soon, many yers who had no idea what the item was, and were purely bidding to annoy others, joined in. In the end, John won the piece of metallic material for 6.5 million silver coins.


    Saying he wasn''t pained would be a lie. Without old Mac''s financial support, this single item would have cost John almost a quarter of his savings!


    "So, what exactly is this thing?" John asked Seraphina, frowning.


    Seraphina''s response left John speechless.


    "If you still want to transform your little girlfriend into a yer, this item will help. 6.5 million isn''t a high price for that."


    John''s eyes lit up instantly.


    "So, you''ve figured out a way?"


    "There''s a lead, but many necessary conditions are still missing. So don''t get your hopes too high," Seraphina''s voice sounded weary. Despite her long sleep, she seemed as though she had been awake for days, making John feel deeply guilty.


    "The soul essence you mentioned before, I''ll find a way to collect some for you."


    "That would be best. Alright, enough talk. If something importantes up, I''ll let you know. Otherwise, don''t bother me."


    With that, Seraphina cut off the conversation before John could ask more questions. Just then, the third item was brought onto the stage.


    This time, the item wasn''t very attractive to John and his group��a badge for elemental mages that could boost elemental magic power. Unfortunately, none of John''s sevenpanions were elemental mages, so they didn''t bid.


    The fourth and fifth items followed suit, both being high-quality but not very useful to them. They were sold for 5.1 million and 5.7 million respectively.


    When the sixth item appeared, Seraphina spoke again.


    "This item must be acquired as well."


    "The next item is the sixth item of today''s auction, a [Legendary] quality single-use item called the [Key of the Underworld]. It can open a portal to the Underworld dungeon for three days! The starting bid is 30 million! Each bid must increase by no less than 1 million!"


    "35 million!"


    Almost the moment the host finished introducing the item, John immediately pressed the button, raising the bid by 5 million!


    This was a [Legendary] quality item. Even without Seraphina''s reminder, John would never let it slip by!


    Of course, John wasn''t the only one with this thought in mind.

 Chapter 113: Chapter113-Intermission at the Auction

    "37 million! 40 million! 43 million! The price keeps rising! After four rounds of bidding, the price has increased by 13 million!


    So, does any esteemed guest want to offer a higher price to win this [Legendary] quality one-time item?"


    On the stage!


    The female host''s eyes sparkled with excitement.


    It''s not hard to understand; after all, as the host of this auction, her sry is directly tied to the total sales of this event!


    ording to the rules, the auction house takes one percent of the final price of each item as a fee, and one percent of these umted fees is Peggy''s sry.


    Naturally, she hopes the final prices will be as high as possible!


    But this kind of slow and steady increase, like boiling a frog in warm water, makes one wonder what the final price will be.


    John pondered for a long time, then made a resolute decision and pressed the button again.


    "65 million."


    "Oh my god! The esteemed guest in VIP Box 2 has directly offered 65 million! Is there anyone else willing topete with this bid?


    Allow me to repeat once more, this item is the first [Legendary] quality item of this auction. I''m sure everyone present understands its preciousness!


    So, does anyone want to bid?"


    The audience fell silent.


    John had raised the bid by over 20 million in one go, a bold move that intimidated many yers.


    There was no other way.


    65 million is almost the entire fortune of most people present.


    Not everyone is willing to gamble their entire fortune on a possibility.


    "So... 65 million going once, going twice, going three times! Congrattions to the esteemed guest in VIP Box 2 for winning the first [Legendary] quality item!"


    As the gavel fell, John finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    65 million is definitely not a small amount. Even with Old Mac''s wealth backing him, John felt a bit of a headache.


    But fortunately, he got the item.


    Clearly, the appearance of a [Legendary] item hadpletely ignited the passion of the audience.


    The bidding for the next few items was quite intense, with prices quickly breaking the 10 million mark.


    However, these items were of little use to John and did not interest Exiled Immortal and hispanions, so they didn''t participate in the bidding.


    As the cheers in the hall continued, an iron cage was slowly pushed onto the stage.


    "So, the next auction item is somewhat special. For certain sses, its value even exceeds that of [Legendary] quality equipment!


    Next up is the twelfth item of this auction, an [Epic] quality essory��the Badge of the Barbarian Chieftain!"


    As the ck cloth covering the tray was lifted, a roughly crafted badge came into view.


    The badge''s main feature was a sharp axe and a long spear intertwined, polished from some unknown material and glued together with some nt sap, about the size of a palm.


    But what truly mattered was its almost divine attributes!


    "[Increases Attack based on the wearer''s lost HP, up to 60%. Upon killing an enemy, restores HP equal to 25% of the wearer''s maximum HP. This effect can be triggered once every 30 minutes.]"


    It''s no exaggeration to say that this badge was almost tailor-made for the warrior ss, especially the berserker ss!


    With the life-saving skill [Undying Fury], the berserker ss can lock their HP at one point for thirty seconds.


    During this period, the badge''s attribute bonus can be fully utilized, granting a 60% Attack increase and HP recovery upon kills.


    One could say that the only reason this item didn''t reach [Legendary] quality was due to its many restrictions, as almost only berserker ss yers could fully benefit from this bonus.


    However, most berserker ss yers were not particrly... wealthy. The starting bid of 15 million alone was enough to deter many.


    Noticing the fervor in Qing''s eyes, John smirked and pressed the button.


    "20 million."


    John''s bid instantly silenced the previously noisy auction hall.


    20 million was an astronomical amount for yers who were not adept traders!


    "Listen! Father Kent, if you help me buy this badge, I''ll serve you for the next ten years!"


    In a corner of the auction hall, a fierce-looking, burly man grasped the priest''s wrist, his eyes bloodshot as he spoke word by word, "I really need this item!"


    "Bradley, take your filthy hands off me!"


    Father Kent frowned, pulling his hand free from Bradley''s grasp, and said in a deep voice, "I don''t have that kind of money, so you''d better give up."


    "You clearly brought 100 million!"


    "That''s because I heard there''s a [Legendary] quality item for the Priest ss up for auction! Just because I brought you here doesn''t mean I''ll pay for you! Don''t forget, this is something Box 2 wants!"


    Father Kent nced at Bradley with exasperation and took a deep breath.


    "Haven''t you noticed? Any item Box 2 bids on, no one else can outbid them. Who knows how much money they have, so just give up. Even if I put all my money in, I wouldn''t win it. Besides, I have my own needs for that money."


    Hearing this, Bradley felt extremely reluctant, so he looked towards Box 2, only to meet Qing''s gaze.


    With just one look, both felt a surge of battle spirit.


    As fellow berserkers, Bradley also ranked high on the yer power rankings,fortably within the top twenty.


    As for the person in the box, if there were no surprises, it should be Qing, ranked fourth in power.


    Bradley had never seen Qing in person, but the intense aura made it easy to guess.


    "Qing, what are you looking at?"


    Seeing Qing staring out the ss window, Exiled Immortal approached and asked curiously, "Did you see someone you know?"


    "No, I just saw a worthy opponent. John, has anyone raised the bid?"


    "No, the badge is yours."


    "That''s good."


    Qing nodded slightly, finally breathing a sigh of relief.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that once he gets this badge, in the state of activating the Undying Fury skill and fully utilizing all the bonuses, he could probably break through ria''s vine barrier and even severely injure ria directly!


    One must know that ria is currently the absolute strongest.


    Even when facing Talcavano''s city lord, ria would not fall behind.


    yers who could severely injure her are not just few; there are almost none.


    The only ones who might be able to achieve this are Exiled Immortal gathering the storm and Qing in a near-death state.


    "So, congrattions to the esteemed guest in VIP Box 2 for winning the third item of today''s auction!


    It''s gettingte, and the sky outside is growing dark.


    We kindly ask everyone to move along.


    Today''s auction ends here for now, but there will be more treasures up for bid tomorrow.


    We also ask the winners to follow our staff to the back to collect your items."


    The first day of the auction ended there.


    John calcted that just these three items had cost Old Mac almost a third of his fortune, and there would be auctions for the next three days.


    It was clear that the money they brought was far from enough to win all the desired items, and John urgently needed arge sum of money.


    But before that, they should first take a look at the treasures they had won.


    Following the staff to the back, due to Old Mac''s status, they were greeted by the manager of the auction house.


    Following a maid into the room, the manager in a luxurious robe immediately approached with a warm smile.


    "Mac! My old buddy, long time no see. How have you been? Are these the friends you brought with you?"


    "The same as always, monotonous days without any difference."


    "My friend, have you stopped pursuing the Shadows of the Past? I''m d to see you''ve moved on."


    Hearing this, Old Mac snorted coldly in response.


    "Enough with the small talk, Barry. Where are the items we won? Bring them out quickly."


    "Don''t you want to catch up with an old friend? You''re still so impatient, old buddy. Don''t worry, I''ve already prepared the items you won."


    As he spoke, Barry beckoned with his finger, and two voluptuous women in revealing clothes swayed their hips as they approached.

 Chapter 114: Chapter114-Three Plans

    Seeing the almost naked bodies, the gentlemen all looked away simultaneously.


    Exiled Immortal was still young and naive about such things.


    Qing was a battle maniac, only interested in fighting and excitement, with no interest in such matters.


    As for John, he was forced.


    John would not refuse beautiful things, but it didn''t matter; someone else would refuse for him.


    The vine firmly wrapped around his eyes was the best answer.


    "You, you are not allowed to look!"


    ria bit her lip gently, but her eyes couldn''t move away from those fair bodies.


    Looking at their size, then lowering their heads to look at their own, a thought simultaneously appeared in the minds of the three women.


    "What''s wrong with being small? Small is also cute!"


    "Enough, Barry, let them go. Can''t you see my friends aren''t interested?"


    Old Mac rolled his eyes, plopped down on the leather couch, and took a sip from his ss.


    It wasn''t that Old Mac didn''t like women; it was simply that the dwarves'' aesthetics were a bit different.


    They preferred strong, robust women over these soft and voluptuous ones. What was the point of weak and delicate?


    This was also why elves and dwarves often didn''t get along.


    Elves thought dwarves were all ugly brutes, while dwarves thought elves were all effeminate, without a real man among them. Such situations weremon.


    So, if someone wanted to seduce Old Mac, a few muscr women would likely suit his taste better.


    "Did you hear that? Put the items down; they''re not interested in you."


    Barry smiled, cing the tray in front of Old Mac, and continued, "Old buddy, since you''re here, I have a favor to ask."


    "Don''t care, no time, not interested."


    Before Barry could finish, Old Mac interrupted him.


    However, Barry was clearly ustomed to Old Mac''s rudeness and just smiled without taking offense.


    "Recently, several people tried to infiltrate the auction house and steal items. Fortunately, my subordinates were reliable and thwarted the thieves, but this incident highlighted a problem. I need to arm the auction house!


    So, armor, weapons, the more, the better. Just name your price, it''s not an issue!"


    "I''ve already made it clear that I''m not intere��"


    "Wait! Mac, don''t be so quick to refuse."


    Upon hearing this, John''s eyes lit up, and he quickly covered Old Mac''s furry mouth.


    "Barry, right?"


    "Yes, and you are...?"


    "John, Mac''spanion. You said you want to arm the auction house, correct? I happen to have some solutions. Would Barry be interested?"


    Hearing this, Barry squinted and sized John up before smiling, "You forge weapons?"


    "No, I know nothing about forging. However, I am an Alchemist, and a rather exceptional one at that."


    Barry''s reaction made John''s heart skip a beat. Clearly, Barry was intrigued by John''s identity.


    "So you are the esteemed Alchemist! Please forgive my rudeness."


    "No problem, Barry. Let''s get back to the topic. I have three ns to arm your auction house.


    First, golems. If Barry has any golem cores, even damaged ones, I can restore them to fully functional golems withbat power far surpassing Mac''s.


    Second, I can create contract scrolls.


    If Barry can provide sufficiently precious offerings, you can summon powerful monsters, on par with or even surpassing the strength of Talcavano City''s lord, and bind them with a contract.


    As long as you provide the necessary sustenance, they will serve you indefinitely.


    Third, I can craft branded armor and weapons.


    By infusing chant essence, they can wield the power of magical brands.


    However, Barry will need to gather the materials required for crafting the armor.


    So, Barry, which n interests you?"


    Hearing John''s words, Barry was dumbfounded.


    He initially thought John was bragging. Maybe he was indeed an Alchemist, but his skills couldn''t be that exceptional, given how young he was.


    But looking at John''s confident expression, it didn''t seem like he was joking...


    To say he wasn''t tempted would be a lie. Strengthening the auction house''s security and befriending a highly skilled Alchemist? Barry was, of course, very tempted.


    However, alongside his temptation, Barry also considered the costs.


    How much would he need to pay to get everything John mentioned and to secure the friendship of this esteemed Alchemist?


    "So, esteemed Alchemist, what is the cost?"


    "Barry, you''re a smart man. But before I answer your question, I have a small request. Could I see the list of items for the uing days?"


    "Of course!"


    With a wave of his hand, Barry''s left index finger ring shed, and a list was presented to John.


    "Please, take a look."


    At this point, Barry somewhat understood John''s intention. He nned to barter his alchemical skills for the items in the uing auction, which Barry had anticipated.


    What truly concerned him was John''s appetite.


    After about twenty minutes, John meticulously examined every item on the list. During this time, Barry didn''t show the slightest hint of impatience or displeasure, maintaining a smile throughout.


    "I''ve finished reviewing the list. Thank you, Barry. Now we can discuss the terms."


    "I''m all ears."


    "First, I need you to fund the purchase of ten items for me. I''ve marked these items on the list.


    Additionally, I need you to help me gather the materials listed here. Don''t worry; I''ll pay market price for them."


    As a trade, I am willing to provide Barry with the second and third solutions. As for the golems, if Barry has golem cores, I wouldn''t mind helping you repair them, though that would be at an additional cost."


    Hearing this, Barry''s smile stiffened.


    The items John mentioned included seven [Legendary] quality items, two [Epic] quality items, and a super teleportation scroll that ignores restrictions, numbers, and distance. The initial estimate of the cost was around 1.5 billion.


    This was an outrageous demand!


    Unless the monsters John summoned were level 55 or higher and he was willing to craft 40 sets of branded armor and weapons, Barry would be at a significant loss, nearly losing everything!


    As for golem cores?


    How could he possibly have such things? Those valuable items were likely only found in major cities like Everglow or Spartonia!


    With this in mind, Barry exhaled deeply.


    "Esteemed Alchemist, your asking price is a bit too high for me to afford."


    "Don''t be so quick to refuse, Barry. I haven''t finished yet. Regarding the monsters, I can guarantee they will be level 55 or higher. As for the armor and weapons, as long as you provide enough materials, I can craft fifty sets. This way, Barry, you won''t suffer much of a loss, right?"


    "Even so, it''s still a bit..."


    Barry was a businessman whose principle was to spend the least amount of money on the most profitable deals. This deal clearly didn''t favor him.


    As the two reached an impasse, Old Mac snorted impatiently and said, "Barry, I advise you to think carefully. What''s more important: your immediate profit or establishing a good rtionship with someone destined to be a legendary Alchemist like John?


    If I were you, I wouldn''t care about monster contracts and branded weapons. What matters is this rtionship! Ten billion or so is just a significant expense for you, but don''t cry poor to me. I know exactly how much wealth you have.


    Be straightforward: yes or no!"


    "Old buddy, you''re putting me in a tough spot here..."


    Barry sighed deeply and, after a long silence, finally made up his mind.


    "Esteemed Alchemist, I agree to your proposal, but... I have one request."

 Chapter 115: Chapter115-Ten Treasures

    "What request?"


    "The monster''s level can be at fifty, the number of branded sets can be just twenty, and I can even provide you with the materials for free, as long as you agree to one request of mine.


    If one day I find myself in need, I ask that John lend me a hand to ovee any difficulties."


    Facing Barry''s sincere gaze, John suddenly smiled.


    "How about this, Barry? We''ll make a contract. For the next thirty years, whenever youe to me, as long as your request doesn''t involve my interests or those of anyone rted to me, I will help you to the best of my ability. Does that work?"


    "Then let''s wish for a pleasant cooperation."


    Barry extended his hand, looking sincerely at John. John also extended his hand, grasping Barry''s in a firm handshake.


    But in fact, John was making a small calction.


    After all, he had less than two years left, so a thirty-year promise was nonsense.


    However, to aplish the task at hand, John had no qualms about making big promises.


    "Summoning the monster requires offerings, usually the corpses of monsters.


    The higher the level and the greater the number, the stronger the summoned monster will be.


    With my current strength, it''s best to summon a level 60 monster. Barry, you can start collecting monster corpses now."


    "That''s no problem. I can provide them to Master John right now.


    The auction house deals in monster corpses, as many customers want to auctionplete monster corpses for collections or for forging materials.


    I''ll have someone bring them over immediately."


    "No problem. As soon as the offerings arrive, we can start the summoning ritual.


    Also, here is a list of materials needed for forging the branded weapons and armor.


    Please collect them ording to the quantity for twenty sets. It should take about two days toplete."


    "Thank you, Master John."


    Barry bowed respectfully, then looked at the maids behind him and coughed lightly, prompting them to step forward.


    "Master John, these maids have been well-trained and are very obedient. If you like, consider them a gift to celebrate our cooperation."


    "No, thank��"


    Before John could finish, three small hands pinched his waist simultaneously, causing him to gasp in pain.


    Facing the resentful gazes of the three women, John forced a smile and had to reluctantly refuse the offer.


    "It''s not appropriate, Barry. I appreciate the offer, but please keep the maids."


    As a businessman, Barry excelled at reading people. Noticing the hostility from ria and the others toward the maids, Barry quickly understood.


    Each of the three women beside John was a stunning beauty. The only thing they might feel insecure about was their body size.


    "I understand. It seems I was being inconsiderate, Master John. I''ll go hurry up my subordinates to speed things along. Please, take a rest here in the meantime."


    Watching Barry leave with the maids, John felt a pang of regret.


    "Still staring! Are you trying to get your soul hooked by them?"


    Helena''s cheeks flushed as she pped the back of John''s head, leaving him bewildered.


    "Ouch, ouch... What now, my deardy?"


    "What do you think? Do you just like women with big chests? Your eyes were practically glued to them!"


    "Exactly! What''s so good about being that big? It''s not even proportionate..."


    Lily muttered softly, looking very resentful.


    As for ria, she couldn''t be bothered to speak.


    As one of the three who had been intimate with John and could easily overpower him inbat, she didn''t need to say much.


    The gods gave her power precisely for times like this.


    In an instant, vines burst from the ground, quickly wrapping around John''s waist and squeezing tightly.


    "Shh... She, calm down. I didn''t do anything!"


    "What else do you want to do? Should I find a few dancers for you to indulge in? Do you believe I won''t gouge out your eyes if you look one more time?"


    ria had gradually epted Helena and Lily, as they had been John''spanions through many adventures.


    Her own connection with John was more idental.


    But these maids? Absolutely not!


    Just thinking about that scene, ria wanted to find a hole in the ground and stuff John into it!


    "I was wrong, I promise! I will never do anything like that again! Exiled Immortal, Qing! Please help me!"


    "Uh... sorry, John, but this is a family matter. I can''t get involved," Exiled Immortal said, shrugging.


    Qing was more interested in his much-coveted Badge of the Barbarian Chieftain than helping John escape.


    "She... I think I''m really... about to pass out!" John''s face turned red as he kicked and iled.


    Seeing this, ria couldn''t bear it anymore and released him.


    "Let this be a lesson. Don''t you dare do it again!"


    Not punishing John left her frustrated, but actually hitting him made her feel bad.


    She couldn''t remember when she had be so soft-hearted.


    Amid themotion, Barry finally returned.


    Fortunately, this time he didn''t bring the curvaceous maids but rather a dozen strong men carrying monster corpses to John.


    "Master John, are these sufficient?"


    "The quantity is about right, but the quality iscking... well, no matter. Before we start, does Barry have any specific requests for the type of monster?"


    "Hmm... can I actually make requests?"


    "Of course! My service is all about customization. Whether you prefer a specific type or species of monster, feel free to ask."


    "Well... I do have a particr request."


    Barry rubbed his hands and cautiously leaned in to whisper in John''s ear. John smiled knowingly.


    "Barry... you''ve got some hidden depths, don''t you?"


    "Not at all... Can you make it happen, Master John?"


    "Of course... not! A monster is a monster; I can''t fulfill that particr desire. But since you want a contract monster like a fox, I can help you with that.


    Now, let''s get started. Bring over all the monster corpses."


    With that, a dazzling light suddenly emanated from the six-pointed star formation under John''s feet.


    As more monster corpses were added, Barry could clearly feel the increasingly powerful aura hidden beneath the star formation.


    "I have offered the sacrifices, respond to my summons!"


    A strong light shed, causing Barry to hurriedly cover his eyes with his hands.


    Through the gaps between his fingers, he could vaguely see a multi-tailed fox emerging from the magic circle.


    "Frost fox, level 54. The quality of your sacrifices was ultimatelycking, so this is the best I could do."


    Looking at the immacte frost fox, its fur smooth like silk, Barry was instantly captivated.


    Although John couldn''t fulfill his little wish, seeing the frost fox in its entirety made any lingering disappointment vanishpletely.


    It was simply a work of art!


    With its slender body, six fluffy tails, alluring eyes, and the touch of azure between its brows, Barry couldn''t be more satisfied.


    "Barry, you can''t approach it yet."


    Seeing Barry itching to move closer, John quickly stopped him and exined, "The contract hasn''t been signed yet."


    "What do I need to do?"


    "It''s simple. Just give me a drop of your blood."


    "That''s easy!"


    Barry nodded heavily, took a dining knife from the tray, and swiftly cut his finger.


    Blood flowed like a spring, and with a thought from John, the frost fox stepped forward and swallowed Barry''s blood.


    "Finally, sign your name on the contract scroll."


    "Got it! Let me see... here! Barry, done!"


    "It''s finished. It''s yours now."


    With these words, Barry beamed with joy. Ignoring the presence of John and the others, he lunged at the frost fox!


    In response, the frost fox stepped forward, ice spreading from its paws, freezing Barry in ce.


    Its enchanting eyes seemed to say, "Who the heck are you? I''m a male!"

 Chapter 116: Chapter116-Barrys Painful Experience

    Seeing Barry''s predicament, John couldn''t help but chuckle.


    He casually summoned a ck me to melt the ice at Barry''s feet, allowing him to move again.


    Barry looked at John with a mixture of confusion and disappointment. "Master John, why did this happen?"


    "This level of monster has developed intelligence. Even though you''ve signed a contract, you can force the frost fox to do certain things, but physical contact isn''t one of them. Moreover, the most important thing is that this frost fox is male."


    "What? Male? But... it''s so beautiful. How could it be male?"


    "Beauty is a trait of the species, unrted to gender. In the end, restricting the species to fox-type monsters was already quite difficult, Barry. The quality of the sacrifices you provided was inconsistent; this was the best I could do."


    There was one thing John thought but didn''t say aloud.


    Damn it, if you like furry animals, wouldn''t it be better to keep a cat or dog?


    I put in so much effort to summon a monster, not to satisfy your strange fetishes!


    However, considering the conveniences Barry provided, John quickly let it go.


    "But Barry, if you want to get close to it, try to build a good rtionship with it. Right now, it''s been suddenly summoned and forcibly contracted as your monster. Anyone would have a hard time epting such an experience.


    So, if Barry can make the frost fox like you, your peculiar habits probably won''t be rejected."


    "Me? Build a good rtionship with it?"


    Barry was taken aback, instinctively ncing at the frost fox.


    The frost fox also looked back at Barry.


    Facing those azure blue eyes, Barry pulled a mournful face andmented, "Master John, what should I do?"


    "It''s simple, just cater to its preferences. Barry, this is a gradual process, and isn''t this what you chose? If you just wanted a strong monster as a henchman, we wouldn''t need to go through all this trouble, right?


    So, cheer up! I believe you will seed!"


    Hearing this, Barry opened his mouth, his lips twitching, but he couldn''t argue. He could only nod with a bitter smile.


    "Since Barry is satisfied, this monster can serve as a down payment. Over the next few days, I will bid on the items I''ve marked. As for the payment, I''ll leave that to you, Barry. Is that okay?"


    "No, no problem, but Master John! Please, don''t bid too aggressively, alright?"


    "Don''t worry, Barry, I''ll be reasonable."


    ...


    "75 million! Damn it, trying to outbid me? You''ve got guts! Come on! If you dare bid again, I''ll make sure you go bankrupt!"


    The next day at noon, in the auction house, inside VIP Box 2!


    Qing, with his voice resonating, shouted into the microphone, his tonemanding.


    After witnessing John''s auctioning prowess yesterday, Qing got excited and insisted on participating in today''s auction on John''s behalf.


    Since they had already reviewed the list, and John was only interested in the ten marked items, he decided to let Qing handle it.


    As it turned out, John overlooked one thing: Qing had little concept of money.


    To Qing, as long as someone else was footing the bill, he didn''t need to worry about whether the price was reasonable.


    He just wanted to have fun.


    So, after just four rounds of bidding, Qing sessfully raised the price of an item from a starting bid of 15 million to 75 million, a fivefold increase!


    To be honest, it was really impressive!


    Especially when they heard Qing''s bid, the yers who had originally wanted topete instantly quieted down.


    Who couldpete with such a wealthy patron?


    But sitting backstage, watching the auction process, Barry felt like his heart was bleeding!


    By his estimation, the value of this item was at most around 30 million.


    Bidding up to about 30 million would have scared off any otherpetitors.


    But Qing casually raised the bid by 50 million in one go.


    While Qing might be thrilled, Barry was in agony.


    Every single piece of gold was his hard-earned money!


    And this wasn''t the first time.


    For the previous item, Qing also paid about 20 million more than Barry had anticipated, iming ownership in a very grand manner.


    At this rate, the expenditure could exceed his expected budget by 40% or more. He couldn''t let Qing continue this reckless behavior!


    With this in mind, Barry immediately halted the auction and canceled Qing''s bid.


    He rushed to VIP Box 2 where Qing was.


    "Damn it, what''s going on? Why is the auction paused? Is myst bid not counted?"


    Inside the box, watching the host trying to calm everyone down, Qing frowned and muttered, "Pausing is one thing, but why cancel my bid?"


    "That''s because, Master Qing, your bid was unreasonable."


    At that moment, the door opened, and Barry entered with a sigh, walking over to Qing with a look of helplessness. "Master Qing, your bid... it doesn''t follow the rules!"


    "Rules? What rules? You tell me, isn''t the rule of the auction that the highest bid wins?"


    "Yes, that''s true."


    "Then there you go! I made a bid they couldn''t match and bought the item. What''s the problem?"


    "You''re not wrong, but... your bids are really unreasonable! Who raises the bid by 50 million in one go? That item isn''t even worth 50 million!"


    "Don''t worry about it. I can bid whatever I want. It''s my money, and you just need to pay. Why do you care so much? What? Are you nning to back out?"


    Qing shrugged, clearly not taking Barry''s warnings to heart.


    Now, it was Barry''s turn to have a headache.


    If John were here, he could reason with him and appeal to his emotions, getting John to restrain himself a bit.


    But Qing? With his build and demeanor, he was clearly not the reasonable type. Barry was even afraid that if he said something wrong, Qing might beat him up!


    It was Barry''s oversight. When he agreed to John''s terms, he forgot to mention that John had to participate in the auction himself.


    "I''m not trying to back out, Master Qing. You misunderstood. How about this: since you''re here for the auction, let me bid on your behalf? As long as we get the items Master John wants, isn''t that enough? We can try to spend less money wherever possible."


    "Ugh, you''re so stingy. You said you''d pay, and now you''re worried about how much I''m spending? Fine, fine, this auction is no fun anyway. The more I bid, the more annoyed I get. Just handle the bidding yourself."


    Qing''s enthusiasm was almost entirely spoiled.


    He decided to let Barry take over.


    Since he couldn''t enjoy himself, there was no point in participating.


    As long as they could bring the items back, nothing else mattered.


    Seeing Qing finallypromise, Barry sighed in relief and had the host resume the auction.


    As for the item, the bidding started over, and thanks to Barry''s keen business sense, he secured it for only 27 million, saving 48 millionpared to Qing''s original bid.


    Meanwhile, Qing, taking advantage of Barry''s distraction with the auction, had already left and gone to the Adventurers Guild to drink.


    "Next up is thest item. The remaining items in today''s auction are of no use to Mr. John. After this item, Master Qing, pleasee to the back. I have a few bottles of fine wine I''d like to share with you..."


    Barry wiped his brow and turned around to invite Qing, but seeing the empty box, he was stunned.


    "Where... where is he?"


    How could such a big person just disappear?


    "Did he leave because he was unhappy with my attitude? This is bad, very bad. If this angers Master John... Peggy, stop the auction! Today''s auction is over. I need to leave immediately!"

 Chapter 117: Chapter117-Attacked in the Streets

    "Mac, what''s the point of this auction anyway?"


    Adventurers Guild!


    When Qing arrived, he happened to catch old Mac sitting down with tworge mugs of beer.


    Qing joined him, picked up one of the mugs, and drank it clean before recounting the entire incident.


    Seeing this, old Mac chuckled and didn''t seem to mind.


    "Feeling stingy now? Why pretend to be a big spender if you don''t have the money? It''s pointless!"


    "Barry is just like that. He''s a businessman, after all, always penny-pinching. Don''t take it personally. But, what about the items you bid on? John trusted you to attend the auction."


    "What''s there to worry about? The auction won''t end until the afternoon. I''ll get back before it''s over. I just couldn''t stand it anymore, couldn''t take that crap!"


    "If you can''t take it, why are you drinking my beer? Go buy your own!"


    Hearing this, Qing scratched his head with a goofy smile and said, "Well, you see, I don''t have any money. If I had money, I wouldn''t be mooching off your drinks."


    "Figures. Speaking of which, John mentioned that you guys aren''t from this world, right?"


    Old Mac took a big gulp of beer and, lost in thought, finally spoke after a long silence. "Can you tell me about your world?"


    "Tell... I''m not good with words. I don''t know how to exin it."


    "Just chat casually. What did you do before?"


    At this, Qing perked up, grinning. "I''ve got plenty to say about that. Before the apocalypse, I was a soldier."


    "A soldier? Like those patrol guards on the street?"


    "Hey, don''tpare us to them! They''re just loafers. I was a soldier, a sacred profession! Protecting the country, you know?"


    "I know, I know. So, you were quite ambitious?"


    "Of course! It was my childhood dream!"


    Qingughed heartily, but then his smile faded, reced by a bitter expression.


    "But then, a disaster struck."


    "What kind of disaster?"


    "A disaster like the end of the world. The ground cracked open, earthquakes and storms raged for seven days straight. As a soldier, I couldn''t do anything in the face of it...


    I felt unworthy of my uniform."


    Qing sighed deeply, downing drink after drink, making old Mac feel a pang of sympathy.


    It wasn''t so much that old Mac felt sorry for Qing as it was for the beer.


    Each mug cost 200 silver coins, and in such a short time, Qing had downed more than a dozen!


    "And then what happened?"


    "What else? Out of the over four hundred in our unit, all died during rescue and relief efforts. I got injured and thought that was the end for me. But the disaster ended, and I survived.


    I ate tree bark, chewed on grass roots, swallowed bugs��anything that could be eaten, anything that could keep me alive, I consumed. Bit by bit, I held on and made it to today.


    Thinking back, I even admire myself. What exactly kept me going? I still can''t figure it out."


    "You''ve had it rough."


    Old Mac sighed, finished hisst drink, and patted Qing on the shoulder. "Alright, you should get back now. Take care of those items; they''re very important to John."


    "Don''t worry, John saved my life. Even if he wants to take it back someday, I''d ept it. I won''t neglect anything he asks."


    Qing huped, struggled to his feet, and although he could have taken an antidote to clear his head, he enjoyed this floating feeling. He staggered away.


    Making his way back to the auction house, Qing pushed open the door to Hall 001, only to find it empty.


    "Huh? That''s strange. Did Ie backte? It was supposed to end at five."


    Qing scratched his head, intending to find a staff member or NPC to ask, but after wandering around, he saw no one. The alcohol began to wear off, and Qing''s mind cleared.


    "Damn, if I don''t get the items, John will be pissed! I better head back and check."


    Qing drank an antidote to clear the alcohol from his system, his mind bing sharper, and hurried out of the auction house.


    But just then, he felt a chill from behind. Almost instinctively, he dodged, narrowly avoiding what could have been a fatal blow!


    "Quick reflexes, I must say. As expected from the yer ranked fourth on the power list, Qing, you did not disappoint me."


    Seeing the figure gradually emerging from the shadows, Qing narrowed his eyes, his battle spirit igniting.


    "You know who I am and still tried to ambush me. You''ve got some nerve!"


    With a thought, a long halberd appeared in Qing''s hand. He slung it over his shoulder and sneered, "Who sent you? Or are you just here for a simple robbery?"


    "A dead man doesn''t need to know so much."


    "Brother, do you really think you can kill me? Just you?"


    Qing suddenlyughed.


    John trusted Qing to attend the auction not only because he had clearly marked the items to bid on but also because he knew that even alone, no one could take anything from Qing.


    Because Qing was strong enough!


    "Alone, I may not be able to handle you, but a group of us might. Hmm... what''s the best way to deal with a berserker ss? Oh right, a war of attrition."


    The man in the white robe sneered, and suddenly dozens of men in white robes of varying heights emerged from all directions, surrounding Qing!


    Seeing this, Qing''s heart tightened, feeling a sense of crisis for the first time.


    Judging by their attire and weapons, it was clear they belonged to the same organization and came prepared!


    After all, the thief ss is arguably the best counter to the berserker ss.


    Their elusive movements were what troubled Qing the most!


    "Bringing over forty people, you really went all out."


    "Of course! To deal with a yer bearing the will of the war god Ares, we have to be on high alert. We won''t leave you a single chance to survive! Enough talk, kill him!"


    With that, the surrounding figures almost simultaneously vanished from their spots!


    Seeing this, Qing''s expression changed drastically.


    He swung his halberd heavily to the ground, shattering it with a powerful impact.


    The residual force rippled out, repelling the approaching thieves.


    "War god? I don''t know any war god! But judging by your look, you''re not here for the treasures, so I don''t need to hold back."


    "You may be misunderstanding something. Right now, you are the prey!"


    With that, the leading white-robed man swiftly appeared in front of Qing in the blink of an eye, thrusting a dagger straight at Qing''s face!


    Seeing this, Qing grunted, lifting his halberd from below to meet the dagger in a sh!


    The next moment, Qing gasped in surprise.


    This guy is strong!


    As a berserker, equipped with numerous Attack-boosting items, Qing''s attributes had long surpassed 600 points.


    Even against monsters, Qing could hold his own!


    But this man could contend with him, even without losing ground!


    [ss Skill: Battle Roar!]


    Activating the skill, Qing let out a thunderous roar, the sound shattering the air in front of the white-robed man.


    At that moment, Qing realized he was in an entirely unfamiliar location.


    The original street scene had been reced by a light curtain.


    He was trapped here!


    The situation was almost hopeless!


    Just as the white-robed man said, Qing''s weakest point was a war of attrition.


    Once dragged into their rhythm, without any way to contact John or others, the only thing awaiting him was death!


    "Then let''s end this quickly and take out you scum as fast as possible!"

 Chapter 118: Chapter118-Divine Emissary!

    Feeling a chilling presence behind him, Qing swiftly turned and delivered a punch, smashing the thief''s head into a cloud of blood!


    However, a dagger sliced his wrist in the process, causing blood to gush out and his HP to plummet rapidly!


    But this level of injury was insignificant for a stat monster like Qing.


    Within a few breaths, the wound on his wrist had stopped bleeding and nearly healed.


    "Heh, it''s like a bug bite, barely a scratch. Is that all you''ve got?"


    "It''s hard to say how much we''ve got, but you were right about one thing. This weapon is called ''Bug Sting,'' and it has a special effect��stacking poison. Once it reaches ten stacks, you''ll bleed uncontrobly."


    Hearing this, Qing instinctively checked his status bar. Among the various buffs, he found the negative debuff, already with one stack.


    If this continues, given their pervasive attacks, it won''t take many rounds to max out this debuff.


    Bleeding out... Once his HP hits zero, can John revive him again?


    Ultimately, relying on himself seemed a better bet than hoping for John''s intervention.


    With this thought, Qing took a deep breath.


    "You said I am a vessel for the war god''s will? Then you must be ready to stay here and be defeated by me, right?"


    "Of course. Since we came here, we never intended to leave alive."


    "Good... I''ve never used this skill before, but since it''s a [talent skill], it should be as impressive as Exiled Immortal''s storm."


    [Talent Skill: Shadow of War!]


    Qing shouted, and immediately behind him, over a dozen shadowy figures formed, each identical to him in size and shape.


    These shadows grew more solid, their auras rising until they almost matched Qing''s own strength!


    At the same time, a dialogue box popped up in front of Qing.


    As a talent skill, the summoned war shadows had the same attack power as Qing butcked any equipment, skills, or special buffs.


    But that was more than enough.


    Who could withstand the relentless assault of over a dozen warriors with the samebat power as Qing, unafraid of death?


    The answer so far was no one, not even the well-prepared white-robed thieves before him!


    "Hahaha! This feels amazing! Is this what it''s like to be a one-man army? Come on! Fight me!"


    Qingughed heartily, and the shadow warriors behind him charged forward, moving so fast they were almost a blur!


    Seeing this, the face of the white-robed man changed drastically.


    If it had been just Qing, they could have worn him down, even if it cost them their lives.


    But now, with over a dozen fearless helpers, this was an entirely different situation!


    Even though they were prepared for sacrifice, this one-sided massacre was uneptable.


    "We underestimated you, foolishly thinking we could kill the vessel of the god''s will with just this few people. But rest assured, next time we meet, I will kill you!


    Remember, [Divine Emissary] has set its sights on you."


    With that, the white-robed man didn''t give Qing a chance to attack, instantly turning into mist and dissipating, while the light curtain surrounding Qing also faded, revealing the original street scene.


    Seeing this, Qing let out a deep breath but couldn''t muster a smile.


    Sure, he had driven away the thieves.


    But the cost was nearly his own exhaustion.


    If the white-robed thieves had noticed Qing''s state, they might have staked their lives to hold out until Shadow of War ended!


    At this moment, Qing waspletely unable to move, barely holding on by sheer willpower.


    Even if the standoff hadsted another thirty seconds, Qing might have copsed into unconsciousness.


    But before that, Qing needed to inform John of the situation.


    Taking out themunicator John had made from his yer inventory, Qing pressed the button and slumped to the ground, letting out a long breath.


    "John... I''ve been targeted. I''m in the alley near the auction house. Come quickly... and help."


    With that, Qing felt his vision blur, and his world began to spin.


    When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his familiar home, hearing John and Exiled Immortal chatting nearby.


    Qing struggled to sit up, immediately catching John and Exiled Immortal''s attention.


    "Hey, Qing, you''re awake. How are you feeling? Any difort?"


    Exiled Immortal approached, helping Qing sit up and handing him a ss of water.


    "Just a headache... How long was I unconscious?"


    "Over three hours, not too long. What exactly happened? We got your message and rushed over, only to find you passed out at the alley entrance with no visible wounds."


    "John, we might have a problem."


    Qing''s face turned serious. "As I was leaving the auction house, I ran into some people who pulled me into a closed space and tried to kill me! I had no choice but to use my talent skill, which drained my stamina and caused me to pass out."


    "Did you kill them all? Not a single one left alive? Do you know who they are?"


    "No, I didn''t manage to kill them. After I used my talent skill, they fled. But I did catch something about their identity��they called themselves... [Divine Emissary]."


    Hearing this, John''s expression instantly hardened.


    "Qing, are you sure? You didn''t mishear or confuse it? They called themselves [Divine Emissary]?"


    Qing nodded firmly. "I''m sure. They wore pure white robes and masks, so I couldn''t see their faces. And they were all thieves, quite skilled."


    "This... this can''t be happening."


    John staggered, copsing into a chair, his expression growing increasingly grim.


    Upon hearing the words [Divine Emissary], the things [Betrayal] had said shed through John''s mind.


    He finally understood.


    Despite everything going rtively smoothly since his rebirth, with him having taken the powers of three out of the seven [Apostles], Seraphina had still made those ominous remarks.


    If some deities were secretly aiding them, it was only natural that others would seek to obstruct them.


    But this obstruction came too quickly, catching John off guard.


    "Did they say when they would return?"


    "No, they didn''t. I''m just worried. It''s clear they know a lot about me and are aware of our identities as yers. I''m afraid that one day they might target Helena or Lily, and that would be troublesome.


    If I could barely handle them, I''m worried..."


    Qing''s concern was valid. In terms ofbat power, even John wasn''t a match for Qing, let alone Helena or Lily.


    If they were targeted, and considering the [Divine Emissary]''s knowledge about them, it could lead to irreparable consequences!


    Thinking of this, John took a deep breath and looked at Exiled Immortal, saying in a serious tone, "Exiled Immortal, gather everyone. I have an announcement to make."


    "Understood."


    Exiled Immortal, realizing the gravity of the situation, didn''t joke around and promptly left to gather the others.


    "Although this will increase our burden, we have to do it for everyone''s safety..."


    "John, what are you nning?"


    "I''m going to have each of you sign a contract with a monster."


    This idea had been on John''s mind for a while, but he had never found the time to implement it.


    After all, the extra monsters would be a significant expense.


    But given the current circumstances, there was no choice.


    Before long, Helena and the others arrived.


    Noticing John''s serious expression, the three women and Old Mac also became solemn.


    "John, what happened?"


    "Listening to Qing made me realize we might have been targeted. Do you remember what [Betrayal] said during our fight? His words havee true."

 Chapter 119: Chapter119-The Last Stand

    "Could it be a coincidence... or something else? This is too much of a coincidence, isn''t it? Just after we dealt with [Betrayal], a [Divine Emissary] descended? This..." Exiled Immortal frowned deeply, clearly finding Qing''s words hard to believe.


    After all, in terms of individualbat strength, Qing was the strongest among them.


    If even Qing felt this way, what chance did they have if they were next?


    Thinking of this, Exiled Immortal took a deep breath and said solemnly, "John is right, we can''t act alone anymore. At least three people should move together, two people might not be enough."


    "Right! There''s something else!" Qing suddenly sat up as if remembering something, looking somewhat embarrassed as he turned to John. "John, the thing you asked me to retrieve... I didn''t get it. I drank too much and messed up. It''s my fault, no one else to me...


    I''m ready to take any punishment!"


    "No need for that, Qing. Barry himself came by and delivered everything to me. He also apologized, saying that some minor disagreements made you leave in anger. He hoped you wouldn''t mind."


    "Barry... he really said that?"


    "Of course. Barry said that you''re straightforward by nature, and his previous words were indeed inconsiderate. He hoped you wouldn''t take it to heart."


    "That''s good to hear... Haha, but you guys won''t believe it, it was quite a thrill. Just one word from me in the private room, and the whole ce went silent. Hey! That feeling." Qing chuckled a few times, and after confirming that Barry had indeed delivered the items, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "In any case, regarding the [Divine Emissary], I''ll gather more information. In the meantime, don''t act recklessly, and it''s best to move together. Especially Helena and Lily, you two are not allowed to sneak out shopping, even if Sier is with you. Understood?"


    Hearing this, the two girls immediately showed expressions of grievance on their faces, but given the urgency of the matter, they couldn''t refuse and simply nodded in response.


    "That''s it for now. Stay at our current residence for the next few days, don''t wander around. Alright, everyone, go back."


    With matters of life and death, there was no room for the slightest carelessness.


    John had to find someone to get the answers he needed.


    With [Deception] missing and out of contact for a long time, John could only ce his hopes on Seraphina.


    After seeing everyone off, John returned to his room with ria.


    Seeing the solemn expression on John''s face, ria lightly bit her lip and walked forward, gently nestling into John''s embrace.


    "John, don''t put too much pressure on yourself. As long as we''re together, there''s no challenge we can''t ovee!"


    "The unknown enemy is the most terrifying. We are in the open while they are in the shadows. I must figure out their identities, or I won''t be able to sleep peacefully."


    "But this isn''t just your responsibility. You can try to rely on us more. Don''t carry everything on your own shoulders."


    "...No, this is my responsibility. I brought them into this. Without me, they could have had a much easier time. I must bear this responsibility."


    John shook his head helplessly and turned to gently ruffle ria''s long hair.


    "Sorry, ria, for making you worry about me."


    "I''m just worried that you''re putting too much pressure on yourself."


    "It''s okay. I''ll find a solution to this problem soon. For now, there are still four [Abyss Apostles] left, and the number of [Divine Emissaries] is still unclear. The only thing I can do is to quickly improve my own strength."


    Suddenly, an idea popped into John''s mind: the [Key of the Underworld], a [Legendary] quality item that could open a hidden dungeon.


    "Once I figure out the identities of the [Divine Emissaries], I''ll open the dungeon."


    With this thought, John took a deep breath.


    After calming ria''s emotions, John no longer hesitated and directly entered the self-contained space within the Eternal Alchemy Bible.


    Seraphina seemed to still be asleep, and even when she sensed John''s presence, she didn''t react.


    John walked into the radiance and, with a sigh, said, "I''ve encountered some trouble."


    "The [Divine Emissary] has set their sights on Qing, but the key problem is that we don''t even know how many of them there are or what their abilities are. This feeling ofplete ignorance is unbearable."


    "��"


    "I know you can hear me. I will soon bring you the Soul Crystals. I''m about to head to the underworld, where you should be able to find what you need."


    It seemed that the mention of the underworld caught Seraphina''s attention, or perhaps she could no longer endure John''s rambling. She finally decided to awaken.


    "Regarding your question, I can''t reveal too much to you. What I can say is that [Divine Emissaries], like you, are chosen by the [Deities], but they might not necessarily be yers, or even humans.


    After being chosen, they have only one voice in their minds: to eliminate you. As for those you''ve mentioned, I believe they are not [Divine Emissaries] but rather their own followers.


    After all, the [Deities] couldn''t possibly grant their powers to so many people at once. So, those whoe to harass you are not the real issue.


    The key lies in the identities of the [Divine Emissaries]. In the alchemy techniques I''ve taught you, there''s a device that can detect the aura of [Deities]. Since you n to go to the underworld, there''s a necessary material for making this device.


    As for Soul Crystals, they might be there, but they''re likely very precious, and getting them will depend entirely on luck."


    Hearing this, John suddenly smiled.


    "You know I''ve always been lucky, don''t you?"


    "Maybe so, John, but I might... be running out of time."


    Seraphina sat up, the glow around her bing increasingly dim.


    "What, how could this be?"


    "This day was bound toe sooner orter. After all, I''m just a remnant soul and can''t sustain myself for long.


    Being able tost this long has already been a surprise. My soul is iplete, and my divine essence is not whole.


    My power is irreversibly fading every second, and there''s nothing either of us can do to stop it. So, perhaps it''s time to say goodbye."


    Looking at Seraphina''s sorrowful expression, John stood frozen in ce, not knowing what to say for a moment.


    "Isn''t there any other way? Do I just have to watch you dissipate into nothingness?"


    "There is a way, but for you, it''s as good as impossible."


    "No matter how difficult it is, I will do it! You can''t die yet. I still have countless questions about alchemy to ask you. How can you just die like this?"


    "Don''t waste time on the inevitable. In fact, spending thest moments of my existence with someone as interesting as you is quite a pleasant end."


    "Alright, my strength can no longer sustain my consciousness. That''s it. If necessary, I will remind you. You can leave now."


    With these words, Seraphina didn''t give John a chance to ask more questions.


    With a casual wave of her hand, she sent John out of the self-contained space within the Eternal Alchemy Bible.


    As his consciousness gradually returned, John felt increasingly bitter.


    Despite not having spent much time with Seraphina, he couldn''t ept ore to terms with the imminent death of this mentor and friend.


    "Is there really... no way?"


    ...


    "So, this is the item I was instructed to retrieve? An... eyeball?"


    Deep within the [Abyss], [Deception] sat on the ground, disheveled, continuously examining the vibrant eyeball in his hand, clicking his tongue in awe.


    "Thousands, even tens of thousands of years have passed, yet it still retains its vitality. Truly befitting of one who once ruled Olympus. The [Divine Power] hasn''t dried up."


    Unfortunately, this was something his master had repeatedly emphasized must be retrieved.


    No matter how extraordinary, [Deception] couldn''t im it for himself.


    "After all this trouble, it''s time to head back. Hmm... I wonder how little John is doing without my help.


    He should have encountered [Betrayal] by now, right? Maybe... haha, what am I thinking? How could John possibly be a match for [Betrayal]?"

 Chapter 120: Chapter120-Divine Battle

    The next morning!


    John stared at the ceiling in a daze.


    He had been in this position all night.


    He wasn''t sleepy, or rather, his chaotic thoughts had robbed him of sleep.


    The entire night, he had been lost in his thoughts about the [Divine Emissary] and Seraphina''s impending departure.


    Although John was very reluctant, from Seraphina''s tone, it seemed that with his current abilities, he couldn''t stop any of it.


    John had a headache.


    Despite trying his best to improve his strength, aiming for the first clear of dungeons, and spending a lot of money to upgrade his equipment, it all seemed to be in vain.


    He had thought that eliminating all the [Apostles] would secure the final victory in this game, but now there was this new threat of the [Divine Emissary].


    If he could, John really wanted to storm Mount Olympus, grab those so-called [Deities] by the cor, and demand to know what humanity had done wrong to deserve being pushed to the brink time and again.


    Unfortunately, John didn''t have the confidence to do that, and clearly, time was not on his side.


    As his thoughts churned, ria stirred, slowly opening her eyes and snuggling closer to John.


    "Stayed up all night?"


    "Mm..."


    "You''ll wear yourself out like this. You need rest."


    "I can''t sleep, and I don''t want to break the connection. My mind is too chaotic."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, sighed deeply, and continued, "I might have to leave for a few days."


    "Leave? Alone?"


    Hearing this, ria sat up, a hint of resistance in her beautiful eyes.


    "But you just said we shouldn''t act alone. Now you''re going to leave us all behind?"


    "That''s not what I mean. It''s just... there are things I must do, and they''re too dangerous. I don''t want to involve you all. Don''t worry, I''ll be fine. If it gets dangerous, I''lle back immediately."


    "Unless you take me with you, I won''t agree!"


    ria bit her lip, her eyes welling with tears.


    The more she got to know John, the more she felt there was a barrier between them.


    This barrier felt like an insurmountable chasm, separating them.


    ria tried everything to bridge this gap, but John kept retreating.


    This push and pull made ria very distressed.


    "The level of danger there is unpredictable. I might die."


    "So you n to let me watch you go to your death alone?"


    "That''s right. Besides, you can''t enter that ce. It''s a special dungeon that only allows yers to enter, and only one yer at that. Neither you nor anyone else can go."


    With that, John took out the [Key of the Underworld].


    "I''m not lying, Sier. There are too many things troubling me right now. I need to find a breakthrough, to understand or resolve everything that''s happening. So... wait for me toe back."


    With these words, even though ria was reluctant, she had no choice.


    "If... if I were a yer, maybe I could rece you..."


    "Don''t think that way. I''ve never considered sacrificing any of you for a moment of peace. I will stop all of this, no matter what!"


    ...


    John still left, only informing ria and not even saying goodbye to the others.


    He knew that the lie about only one yer being allowed to enter could deceive ria, but it would be meaningless in front of Helena and the others.


    But this time, he had to go alone.


    After clicking to use the item in his yer''s inventory, a door covered in ck-purple mes and flesh appeared before John.


    Seeing this, John didn''t hesitate for a moment.


    He inserted the [Key of the Underworld] and slowly pushed the door open. Before himy a void of chaos.


    This passage seemed endless, connecting to a strange, unknown world.


    Yet, John walked in resolutely.


    Some problems needed solving, and he alone had to bear the burden.


    As the door closed, the scenery before John changed dramatically.


    The once brightly lit room turned dark, and the wooden floor was reced by hard, red rock.


    But what really caught John''s attention was the ck river not far away.


    The river flowed quietly beneath him.


    The water wasn''t murky, but its color made it impossible for John to discern whaty within.


    Only the asional emergence of skeletons and the wails of souls revealed the river''s ominous nature.


    "This must be the so-called River of the Underworld... as deste as expected."


    John took a deep breath, feeling the temperature drop and shivered.


    This coldness wasn''t just a decrease in temperature; as a yer, John''s body temperature was hardly affected by the environment.


    But now, he felt incredibly cold, as if his limbs were freezing, even though he had changed into warmer clothes to no avail.


    Yes, this was the underworld.


    This was the domain of the deity Hades.


    After waiting for a moment, a main quest prompt finally appeared before John. With just a nce, John was stunned.


    [Main Quest: Eliminate Hades]


    [Main Quest: y the Dragon of the Underworld (Optional)]


    [Main Quest: Seize Hades'' Authority (Optional)]


    Optional?


    John found it amusing.


    Who was Hades?


    In all of Greek mythology, he was undoubtedly one of the top deities, the elder brother of Zeus!


    Me? Fight Hades?


    It would be no different than courting death.


    John finally understood why the item to open this dungeon was of [Legendary] quality. Here, he was going to face an actual deity!


    However, just as John was feeling utterly hopeless, a side quest prompt suddenly appeared before him.


    [Side Quest: Rescue Tyr imprisoned in the underworld]


    [Side Quest: Rescue Hera imprisoned in the underworld]


    John: "???"


    John rubbed his eyes in disbelief, and seeing that the side quests remained unchanged, his mind became even more confused.


    "Hades, the god of the underworld in Greek mythology, has imprisoned Tyr, the god of war, and Hera, the goddess of death from Norse mythology? Is this quest serious?"


    [Would you like to expand the quest background? This can help the yer better understand the origins of the events.]


    "Expand it."


    Since John had plenty of time and no clear idea where Tyr and Hera were imprisoned or theyout of the underworld, he thought it was better to understand the current situation rather than running around aimlessly.


    As the quest background unfolded before John''s eyes, his expression became increasingly animated.


    It turned out that this world contained not just one mythological system but multiple systems coexisting without interfering with each other.


    Of course, gods from different pantheons who held simr domains often fought each other.


    This was both to demonstrate their own strength and to uphold the dignity of their respective pantheons.


    Due to these reasons, a war broke out between Hera and Hades that almost involved half the gods from both pantheons.


    As gods of the underworld, Hades was more powerful, and Hera was overwhelmed.


    She called for Tyr, the god of war, to assist her, leading to more gods being drawn into the conflict until it spiraled out of control.


    In the end, Odin and Zeus intervened to stop the war, sending Hera and Tyr to Olympus for millennia as punishment to atone for their sins.


    The Olympus side also suffered the loss of three deities.


    Thus, the war ended, and the quest background concluded.


    "So... there are now three deities in the underworld: Hera, the goddess of death; Tyr, the god of war; and... Hades, the lord of the underworld?"


    John felt even more overwhelmed by the darkness ahead.


    Hades alone could easily crush John, and now there were two more deities.


    John couldn''t afford to underestimate Hera just because she lost to Hades.


    After all, he was still only a mortal.


    However, there might still be a glimmer of hope.

 Chapter 121: Chapter121-The Underworld

    It could be confirmed that after being imprisoned in the underworld for thousands of years, enduring both loneliness and the decline of their divine power, Hera and Tyr''s resentment towards Hades had reached an immeasurable level.


    If John could rescue Hera and Tyr, he might be able to use their hands to eliminate Hades!


    Thinking of this, John suddenly smiled.


    "What am I thinking? Even if I rescue Hera and Tyr, they might not be willing to face Hades again. Besides, with their divine power weakened, it''s uncertain if they could even be a match for Hades."


    In any case,pleting the main quest to kill Hades was almost impossible.


    John didn''t have the strength or the courage for it.


    If a deity were to fall because of John, he had no doubt that by tomorrow, his existence would be erased.


    So, the only optional quest left was to kill the dragon of the underworld.


    Although John had never heard of such a dragon in Greek mythology, he was certain that this dragon couldn''t be as troublesome as Hades.


    "What are the quest rewards?"


    [Based on performance, different levels of quest rewards will be given. The highest reward could be [divine] quality equipment or items.]


    "Then there''s no choice. I have toplete the quest, or this trip will be for nothing."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, finally sorting out the situation.


    Now, the first thing he needed to do became clear: he had to find where Hera and Tyr were imprisoned.


    Suppressing the cold, John stood up and walked onto the bridge of the underworld.


    In a trance, he seemed to hear a sound.


    The sound came from the pitch-ck River of the Underworld, as if calling out to John. He even had an urge to jump in.


    But soon, John regained his senses and took a few steps back, trying to stay as far away from the water as possible.


    Who knew what terrifying things were in that river?


    If he fell in, John feared he wouldn''t even have the chance to use a teleportation scroll to forcibly leave the dungeon; he would be instantly erased.


    The tricky part was that there wasn''t a single living creature in the underworld, leaving John with no opportunity to offer a sacrifice and perform summoning magic.


    Had he known this, John would have prepared plenty of monster corpses as offerings beforehand, but it was toote for regrets now.


    Crossing the underworld bridge, John continued deeper, his body surface even forming ayer of frost.


    His face turned pale, and his body trembled uncontrobly, clearly reaching his limit.


    Just then, Seraphina''s voice suddenly sounded in John''s ear.


    "As a living person, you are not epted by the underworld. If you go further, your physical body will diepletely, leaving only your soul. At that point, you will never be able to leave the underworld."


    "Then... what should I do?"


    "Separate your soul from your body and store your body in a safe ce. Enter the underworld in a soul state."


    "Wouldn''t that mean I''m dead?"


    "If I''m suggesting this, I won''t harm you. Don''t worry, I can help you."


    "But what about you? Aren''t your divine powers almost depleted?"


    John instinctively refused.


    He didn''t want Seraphina''s remaining soul to dissipatepletely before he could even leave the underworld.


    "Don''t worry about that. In the underworld, I can absorb some thin divine power to replenish myself. I won''t dissipate."


    "Are you sure? You''re not trying to fool me, are you?"


    "...I''m not that bored, and you don''t have much time left. Right now, Hades is not in the underworld. I can''t sense his presence. We must resolve everything before he returns."


    "Sigh, you should''ve said so earlier. You had me worried. If the main adversary isn''t here, there''s no need to be so cautious."


    "Don''t forget, there''s still a dead dragon here. If it finds you, your end won''t be pleasant either."


    "Speaking of the dead dragon, what''s the deal with it? Does Olympus have such creatures?"


    "Olympus doesn''t, but that doesn''t mean other pantheons don''t. This dead dragon was seized by Hades and imprisoned in the underworld, constantly eroded by the underworld''s aura, gradually being assimted.


    Its power is formidable, not yet at the level of a deity, but among demigods, it''s top tier. Even seven [Apostles]bined couldn''t match this dead dragon."


    Hearing this, John''s eyes widened.


    "Seven [Apostles]bined can''t beat it?"


    "Of course! You think [Apostles] are strong? They''re just vessels forcibly granted authority.


    To be honest, only that [Deception] is somewhat interesting. The rest are just fools, chatans."


    Listening to Seraphina''s disdainful tone, John''s feelings were mixed.


    If [Apostles] were the weakest among demigods, then how powerful were the deities?


    Even with only one-fifth of its strength, [Betrayal] almost wiped them out.


    This game seemed increasingly hopeless.


    "Alright, let me know when you''re ready. I will separate your soul from your body. After that, I''ll safeguard your physical form.


    But remember, no matter what happens, every 12 hours, you must let your soul return to your body, or you will die permanently."


    "Alright... I''m ready."


    "Then let''s begin."


    Seraphina''s voice echoed in John''s ear.


    In a trance, John seemed to see Seraphina emerging from the Eternal Alchemy Bible.


    Though she was just a wisp of a remnant soul, her presence was overwhelming!


    However, before John could fully grasp this, an excruciating pain struck him, making his vision go ck, and he nearly passed out!


    "I forgot to mention, the process of separating your soul is extremely painful.


    Essentially, it tricks your soul into thinking the body is dead, causing it to detach. So... you need to endure it."


    "So... every 12 hours, I have to endure this pain again?"


    "...Yes."


    Hearing this, John suddenlyughed.


    "Fortunately, pain keeps me awake. But in this dark ce, how will I know when 12 hours have passed?"


    "Don''t worry about that, I''ll remind you. Stop talking. The crucial part is next. You must stay awake and not lose consciousness."


    With that, Seraphina touched John''s forehead. In an instant, John felt as if countless ants were gnawing at his body.


    Each bite felt like it was directly biting into his soul, causing unbearable agony!


    "How... how long will thisst?"


    "Thirty seconds."


    Seraphina''s response was brief, clearly focused on separating John''s soul.


    But those thirty seconds felt longer than a lifetime to John.


    Each second brought soul-crushing pain, pushing him to the brink of unconsciousness.


    Fortunately, it finally ended.


    The pain abruptly ceased and vanished instantly.


    When John came to his senses, he noticed his physical body had copsed on the ground, its face pallid.


    "It... it worked..."


    Seraphina, clearly exhausted from the effort, sounded fatigued.


    "Are you alright?"


    "I''m fine. You should be more concerned about yourself.


    Without your body, many things in the underworld will pose a threat to you.


    Be very careful not to lose yourself here. Otherwise, even if I came back to life, I wouldn''t be able to save you.


    This is Hades'' domain, and only he has control over everything here."


    "I understand. But where should I go? I know nothing about this ce."


    "I have some memories of it. I''ll guide you."


    "Thank you."


    Without further ado, John followed Seraphina''s guidance and headed upstream along the river of the underworld.


    It was said that Hades'' pce was there, and only there might he find the cages holding Tyr and Hera.


    "So, Seraphina, how much do you know about Hades?"


    "..."


    "Seraphina? Have you fallen asleep?"


    "No, I was just thinking about how to describe Hades to you. In the end, Zeus'' description is the most fitting.


    An absolutelywful, immensely powerful demon. No one would want to be Hades'' enemy, including Zeus himself."

 Chapter 122: Chapter122-Never-Ending

    "I knew Hades was strong, but I didn''t realize he was this powerful..."


    "No, it''s not about strength. In the underworld, Hades is invincible. This is his domain, the final resting ce for all the souls from Olympus.


    As long as the underworld exists, Hades cannot be destroyed. He is also very strict about rules, never crossing the line and not allowing others to do so either, which makes him very difficult to deal with.


    Even though most deitiesck human emotions, they generally have little interest in killing.


    After all, humans are like ants to them.


    Would you go out of your way to torment ants?"


    Hearing this, John was momentarily at a loss for words.


    After a pause, he sighed, "If that''s the case, then why bring disaster to my homnd and drag us survivors into this damned game?"


    "That''s something I cannot exin."


    "Sigh... forget it."


    Unable to figure it out and with Seraphina unable to give a definite answer, John decided not to dwell on it.


    However, the River of the Underworld was much longer than John had anticipated.


    He didn''t know how long he had been walking, but when he looked back, the bridge that spanned the river was already out of sight.


    Despite walking such a great distance, he still couldn''t see the end of the river.


    ording to Seraphina, this river was filled with the souls of the dead, transcending time and space.


    As long as the underworld existed, the river would never cease.


    "Do these souls have any use for you?"


    "No, they''re just bodies with lingering souls. Erasing the imprints from their souls is too troublesome."


    John then had a peculiar thought.


    If monster corpses could be used as offerings to summon powerful monsters, what could be summoned using these souls as offerings? Even stronger spirits?


    Sensing John''s thoughts, Seraphina sighed and said helplessly, "I advise you not to have such strange ideas.


    First, manipting the souls of the dead is immoral. The deceased should rest in peace.


    Second, the realm of souls is beyond my expertise and could lead to things spiraling out of control.


    Third, and most importantly, you must not touch the River of the Underworld. If youe into contact with its water, you will never be able to return alive.


    You will end up like the lost souls, eternally drifting with the river without rest."


    "Is there no other way?"


    "No, John, I''m not joking. This time you absolutely cannot mess around, or you''ll lose your life!"


    Hearing Seraphina''s firm tone, John bit his lip and chose to remain silent.


    "I understand. I''ll listen to you, but how much longer do we have to walk?"


    "Don''t rely on me for everything. Use your brain. After all, you possess three types of authority within you. Can''t you think of a solution?"


    "You''re the expert here..."


    "What if I die? If you rely on me for everything and lose the ability to think independently, what will you do after I''m gone?"


    "No, I won''t let you die."


    John took a deep breath and fell silent after saying this.


    He continued walking for an indeterminate amount of time, far longer than an hour.


    During this period, John experienced the excruciating pain of soul separation again, an ordeal that felt unbearable.


    Fortunately, persistence paid off.


    Just when John was about to give up, a towering pce appeared in his line of sight, and his spirits lifted.


    "Finally! I finally made it!"


    "It''s too early to celebrate. Hades'' pce is vast, and no one knows where Tyr and Hera are imprisoned, or even if their true forms are here.


    They might only have a small fragment of Tyr''s finger or a lock of Hera''s hair.


    As long as it causes them pain, their true forms don''t need to be present."


    "Damn! What do I do then? Did Ie all this way for nothing? Is this quest item wasted?"


    If John had known the quest was this difficult, he wouldn''t have activated it now. He would have waited until he had Demigod-tier strength before attempting it.


    But now, there was no turning back. He had to leave here alive, and if possible, also kill that dead dragon.


    For the third time, John experienced the separation of soul and body.


    Perhaps due to his previous experiences, John''s body had started to adapt to the pain.


    He could stay conscious, and the excruciating pain seemed to have lessened somewhat.


    However, the brief moments of extreme cold he endured when his soul returned to his body were bing increasingly unbearable.


    This was the rule of the underworld rejecting John; as a living being, he wasn''t supposed to be here.


    "In just these few seconds, I can barely hold on. I can''t imagine what will happen when I go deeper into the underworld. Will I freeze to death?"


    "Don''t worry, freezing to death is impossible. At most, you''ll be crushed into pulp by the force of the rules."


    "Haha... you''re quite theforter."


    "Rest assured, if ites to that, I''ll protect you."


    Strangely, even though it was an empty promise, and Seraphina herself might not know when her remnant soul would dissipate, John felt unusually reassured.


    Perhaps it was the twenty-plus hours of walking that left John extremely bored, or maybe it was a question he''d always wanted to ask Seraphina but never had the chance. Now, seizing the moment, he voiced his curiosity.


    "Seraphina, I have a question."


    "What is it?"


    "The rtionships between deities must be veryplicated, right? I heard that [Zeus] had children with many female deities. Don''t you find it awkward when you meet each other?"


    "No, we don''t."


    "Such a decisive answer? But why? Imagine if you..."


    Before John could finish, he felt a chill pressing against his forehead.


    Realizing what was happening, he saw Seraphina had emerged from the Eternal Alchemy Bible, her cold hand pointing at him.


    John immediately backed down, shrinking back and giving a nervousugh, "Let me rephrase that! Suppose I''m a woman, and I have a daughter with [Zeus], and then that daughter is with [Zeus] again. Isn''t that strange?"


    "Not at all. What you consider strange or shamefules from a human perspective, using emotional thinking.


    But deities don''t have simr emotions. Well, to be more urate, most deities don''t have this sense of shame. Everything is just about continuation."


    John nodded slowly, absorbing her response while still feeling the lingering cold.


    "But there are so many other choices, right? Why do you deities on Mount Olympus get so entangled with [Zeus]?"


    "Because [Zeus] is powerful enough. If we were tobine with weaker gods, the offspring would be progressively weaker until theypletely lose their divine nature and be ordinary mortals.


    On Mount Olympus, this is not allowed. Offspring born from a deity''s travels and unions with mortals are not recognized by the gods.


    Even if they possess divine power, they are ultimately just mortals, with only a few exceptions being recognized."


    Hearing this, John finally understood.


    When reading stories, it always seemed like the gods had no sense of shame.


    Seraphina''s exnation rified that they trulycked shame and, for the most part, human emotions.


    But perhaps Seraphina was an exception?


    After all, in their time together, John had angered her more than once, indicating that she clearly had human emotions.


    "I''ve answered so many of your questions. Now, you should answer one of mine, right?"


    At these words, John was momentarily stunned.


    Then he shrugged and said casually, "Sure, as long as I know the answer, I''ll tell you."


    "If one day you truly possess power equal to or surpassing the deities, and you be one of them, would you ughter all the gods in the world?"

 Chapter 123: Chapter123-Wandering Souls

    "I... I don''t know. Why ask suddenly?"


    "Just curious. In my memory, no living person has ever dared to intrude on Hades'' domain like this. John, you''re quite unique."


    "If I had known it was this dangerous, I wouldn''t have risked it."


    "You''re lying. You knew this journey might be one of no return, which is why you left all yourpanions behind and chose toe alone."


    "...I''m not as noble as you think. I just didn''t want to put others in danger with me."


    John sighed, feeling as if the distance to the pce was growing longer.


    "Am I going in the wrong direction? Why am I not getting any closer to the pce?"


    "What? Are you sure?"


    "I''m sure. I''ve walked so far, but the distance to the pce doesn''t seem to have changed at all. What kind of trick is this?"


    "...If it''s not your imagination, John, we might be in trouble."


    "What do you mean...?"


    Before John could finish, a raspy voice suddenly echoed in his ear!


    The sound was as dry and brittle as breaking twigs, sending chills down John''s spine.


    The most unsettling part was the proximity of the voice.


    It seemed toe from right beside John''s ear, as if he could feel the faint breath on his cheek!


    "Wh... who''s there?"


    "Help... help me, please, take me away from here..."


    An oppressive presence spread from in front of him, and where there was once nothing, a figure abruptly appeared.


    The figure was so emaciated it was almost skeletal, with a faint, weak aura, stumbling forward and muttering the same phrase over and over.


    "Take me away from here."


    In an instant, every hair on John''s body stood on end! It wasn''t that John was cowardly, but the scene was too terrifying.


    Despite being mentally prepared, John found it difficult to breathe.


    "W-what is this thing..."


    John swallowed hard, his ears filled with the sound of his own rapidly beating heart.


    "It''s a soul, just like you.


    The only difference is that you can still maintain your sanity, but he seems to havepletely lost his mind and is already lost.


    Moreover, this soul''s identity is not ordinary.


    Remember, this is Hades'' domain.


    For him to influence other souls here, he must have been exceptionally powerful in life."


    "Exceptionally powerful meaning..."


    "He was at least a demigod."


    John: "..."


    A demigod, again!


    How many deities and demigods does Olympus have?


    They probably can''t even count themselves!


    It seems like anyone who shows up has a significant background.


    "Can you recognize his identity?"


    "It''s difficult. No one knows how long he''s been wandering here. Even in a soul state, there''s a limit to longevity. His soul is clearly reaching its end, and he may already be unrecognizable."


    "What should we do? Go around him? We don''t have much time left, right?"


    "If you can call out his true name, I might be able to help you."


    "Sigh... The gods of Mount Olympus are unbelievable. Do they spend their days having children just for fun?"


    Gazing at the eerie figure, John swallowed again and cautiously took a step closer. In an instant, the figure stopped and turned to stare at John!


    The gaunt face and deeply sunken eyes looked like those of a dying man, yet those bright blue eyes shone with a peculiar intensity.


    Meeting those eyes, John felt as if some force had pinned him in ce. For a moment, he even forgot to breathe!


    "You... you are not him. Where is he? Tell me! Where is he? Why won''t he see me!"


    The voice seemed to pierce through John''s ears and strike directly at his soul, intensifying his fear. Sensing John''s terror, Seraphina immediately spoke into his ear.


    "John! Calm down. It''s just a wandering soul. He''s not that terrifying! Calm down and don''t get drawn in!"


    "I... I can''t!"


    John clenched his teeth, feeling as though his body was moving on its own, slowly approaching the emaciated soul.


    Seeing this, Seraphina was frantic but could do nothing.


    As John was about to step forward, Seraphina made a desperate decision, merging John''s soul with his body.


    The piercing coldness snapped John back to reality!


    "Don''t get close! Your soul is too weak. It will be forcibly devoured and be his nourishment!"


    "I''m... I''m about to be a dead man myself!"


    John could feel his limbs losing sensation, turning a bluish-purple.


    Ayer of frost spread from his limbs towards his heart.


    It was clear that if the frostpletely covered John''s body, he would be done for.


    "Don''t worry. I''ll separate your body and soul again soon. Just stay calm and don''t get drawn in!"


    "I... I''ll try."


    John''s entire body trembled like a leaf, the frost havingpletely covered his limbs.


    He could no longer feel them. Fortunately, just as the frost was about to spread to his torso, Seraphina managed to separate his soul from his body again.


    The frost receded, and the sense of impending death faded.


    However, the soul''s call echoed in John''s ear once more!


    "Damn it, will this never end?"


    John frowned, trying his best to resist the maddening voice.


    If he could, he would have rushed forward and torn that soul apart.


    Unfortunately, in his soul state, he couldn''t even open his yer panel, let aloneunch an attack.


    Fortunately, the soul''s influence didn''tst long.


    Seeing that it couldn''t affect John, it seemed to give up on the idea and turned away, continuing its endless march towards the pce.


    Seeing this, Seraphina finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "It''s over... It seems it doesn''t harbor any malice towards you. It''s just driven by its body''s instincts."


    "Are there many such entities in the underworld?"


    John swallowed nervously, though without a physical body, he couldn''t actually do so.


    "Considering all the souls from Olympus gather here, even Hades himself probably doesn''t know how many souls are imprisoned here.


    Be careful; that was a soul that has almostpletely lost its self-awareness.


    The closer you get, the more you''ll encounter. Some souls might still retain memories of their past lives.


    If they realize you''re not dead, it could be very troublesome."


    "Could they possibly be revived?"


    "If they find a suitable body and pass through the [Gate of Life and Death] deep within the pce, they can leave the underworld. Although this isn''t true resurrection, it''s better than wandering the underworld endlessly."


    "So, essentially, I''m up against the entire underworld?"


    "Even though I don''t want to add more pressure, yes, that''s correct."


    "Well, that''s just great..."


    John sighed deeply, carefully bypassing the wandering soul and continuing his way towards the pce.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the game world:


    "Strange... John''s presence was clearly here, but why can''t I find him? He couldn''t possibly be dead, right?"


    Checking the yer leaderboard, the top rank was still held by an anonymous yer. If it wasn''t John, who else could it be?


    "Could he have been taken by those guys?


    That doesn''t make sense. If he had encountered the [Divine Emissary], he would have been directly erased without any chance of survival.


    So, I went through all the trouble of bringing this thing out from the depths of the [Abyss], only to find I can''t even get it to John?


    This is so frustrating!


    The problem is, now that it''s out of the divine power-filled environment, it''s clearly losing its vitality. I can''t just let it rot, can I?"


    [Deception] pinched the bridge of his nose, looking very distressed.


    If he could avoid it, he didn''t want to return to Hades'' domain.


    Thankfully, Hades wasn''t around, or he would surely suffer for it.

 Chapter 124: Chapter124-Palace of the Underworld

    "My existence cannot be known to others, so there''s only one way left, isn''t there?"


    [Deception] sighed deeply.


    He utterly despised that environment, a world filled with despair and vengeful spirits, where no hope could be seen.


    Although the depths of the [Abyss] were connected to the underworld, ultimately, [Deception] was only a demigod, and most of his power had been given to John.


    When facing Hades, a top-tier being even among the [deities], the fear of a superior was deeply ingrained in him.


    Even though they were on the same side, and Hades wouldn''t make things difficult for him, convincing Hades to let him take what his master hadmanded was no easy task.


    Moreover, [Deception] had sneaked the item out while Hades was away.


    If he ran into Hades upon his return, exining the situation would be troublesome.


    But he had to go back.


    Without finding John, the item he had retrieved wouldst no more than ten minutes beforepletely decaying due to the dissipation of its power.


    This responsibility was something [Deception] could not bear under any circumstances.


    With this in mind, [Deception] rubbed his brow but still severed the connection, returning to the real world.


    When he returned to the fissure of the [Abyss], [Deception] delved deeper with an anxious heart until he passed through the gate of life and death, arriving once more in the underworld.


    For a moment, [Deception] felt a surge of a familiar presence, one that seemed to share the same origin as him.


    Unfortunately, this brief moment was too short for [Deception] to discern the direction of the presence, so he dismissed it as a mere illusion.


    "But... since when were there footprints here?"


    On the Underworld Bridge.


    [Deception] furrowed his brow and crouched down to closely inspect the footprints.


    They looked fresh, likely left not long ago, and they disappeared after crossing the bridge.


    "Did Hades leave these?"


    The thought barely formed before [Deception] dismissed it.


    Clearly, someone hade to the underworld during his absence.


    "Hey, hey, hey... could it be you, John?"


    Although he was unharmed, he couldn''t sense John''s presence in the game world.


    Coupled with the current coincidence, a troubling thought began to form in [Deception]''s mind.


    "Damn... damn! Are you crazy, John!"


    Though it was just a guess, [Deception] increasingly felt that John could indeed do something this reckless.


    After all, when he returned to the game world, [Deception] had discovered that [Betrayal]''s presence hadpletely vanished, along with its host.


    It was obvious that John had taken [Betrayal] down.


    Even though [Betrayal]''s strength hadn''t fully recovered, it was still a being with Demigod-tier power.


    It wasn''t far-fetched to think that after defeating [Betrayal], John might have be overly confident and somehow ended up in the underworld, nning to cause havoc.


    As his thoughts swirled, [Deception]''s feelings grew moreplicated.


    Both John and the eye he had secretly taken were objects his master hadmanded him to protect.


    If anything happened to either, he would be to me!


    "No, I must find John as soon as possible!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the perimeter of the pce!


    Perhaps John''s talent finally took effect, as Apocalypse did not hinder him this time.


    Avoiding the wandering souls, John reached the outskirts of the pce without obstruction.


    From a distance, the pce stood incongruously within the underworld, but as John approached, he was rendered speechless by shock.


    Outside the pce wallsy countless bleached skulls, some human, others from creatures John had never seen before.


    The sight was chilling, and just being near it filled John with immense fear.


    "This... is Hades'' pce?"


    "To be precise, the entire underworld is Hades'' pce. This structure was created to showcase his identity as the king of the underworld.


    Look over there, there are even flowers blooming brightly. It''s hard to imagine that Hades, in private, would care about such things."


    Seraphina let out a coldugh, clearly finding Hades'' effort to transnt flowers from the divine mountain to the underworld amusing.


    "So, what now? Should we go in?"


    "Of course! Aren''t you curious about how many treasures Hades, the ruler of the underworld, is hiding? Any random item could be of [Demigod tier] quality or even [divine] artifacts!"


    "I''m more concerned about my safety than any potential rewards..."


    John sighed deeply, looking quite pessimistic.


    The underworld was a ce everyone avoided at all costs, fearing any connection with it, but John had somehow decided to charge in headfirst.


    Now, he was about to sneak into Hades''ir, which was utterly insane!


    "Don''t worry, Hades isn''t in the underworld right now, and that dead dragon is likely still asleep. As long as we don''t trigger certain wards, you''ll be fine."


    "You better not be lying to me."


    Given the situation, a treasure trove filled with countless riches and opportunitiesy just ahead.


    Not venturing in would indeed be a regret for John.


    Besides, he still had a teleportation scroll that could break through restrictions.


    If things got dangerous, he could always escape.


    With that in mind, John hesitated no longer and gently pushed open the pce doors.


    A crimson carpet, stained with fresh blood, came into view, with what appeared to be bits of flesh on it.


    "What kind of taste is this... a corpse carpet?"


    "I think it''s quite beautiful," Seraphina interjected with a different perspective, smiling. "You could take it with you. If you manage to craft it into gear, it would at least be [Legendary] grade armor."


    "Are you serious?"


    "Absolutely! Being constantly surrounded by the aura and divine power of the underworld, this carpet is far from ordinary material. It''s excellent for crafting armor."


    Since Seraphina said so, John naturally wouldn''t miss the opportunity. With a casual wave, he tried to store the carpet in his yer inventory.


    But...


    "Awkward... I forgot I can''t ess my yer panel right now. Do you think if I merge with my physical body inside Hades'' pce, I''ll freeze to death?"


    "You don''t need to worry about that. Hades'' pce isn''t part of the underworld; he brought it directly from the divine mountain. The underworld''s aura here is very weak and shouldn''t affect you."


    "That''s great!"


    John didn''t hesitate any longer and merged with his physical body. Indeed, the cold diminished significantly, almost to an ignorable level.


    The only issue was that, ording to Seraphina, if Hades returned, he would immediately sense John''s presence as a living being.


    But there was nothing more reassuring than still-flowing blood and a beating heart.


    Feeling his body gradually warming up, John breathed a sigh of relief and carefully stored the bloodstained carpet in his yer inventory.


    "Seraphina, can you sense the presence of Tyr or Hera?"


    "No, even if they were standing right in front of me, I wouldn''t be able to detect them. Different pantheons have different auras. Unless they actively reveal their position to me, I can''t do it."


    "Damn! So many limitations? What should I do? There are probably countless rooms in this pce, holding countless vicious monsters. If I search room by room, I''ll be dead tired!"


    "What can I say? You always have so many clever ideas, but when ites to critical moments, you act dumb. Though I can''t sense their presence, I can use that to track them inversely. If we can find where Hades keeps his prisoners, I can help you find them."


    "... Yeah! It must be the cold that''s made my thinking sluggish."


    John chuckled awkwardly, about to say something, when he suddenly felt as if something was watching him. The feeling made his skin crawl, freezing him in ce!


    "Something... something seems to have noticed me!"


    "This presence... is it that dead dragon? Strange, it should still be asleep. Why would it suddenly awaken now? John! Quickly, find a ce to hide, cover yourself entirely with the bloodstained carpet, and don''t emit any aura!"

 Chapter 125: Chapter125-Dragon of Death and Sin

    "Easy for you to say. It''s either open space or locked rooms here. Where can I hide?"


    John cursed inwardly but obediently took out the carpet and covered himself entirely.


    He then crouched in a corner, not daring to make a sound.


    The next moment, a nauseating, putrid stench of extreme decay surged from the far end, filling John''s nostrils and making him instinctively want to vomit.


    Finally, at the far end, a pair of blood-red eyes flickered, peering through the window as if scrutinizing the entire pce.


    Oddly, the presence of a living being hadpletely vanished, and after repeatedly confirming this, the dead dragon withdrew its gaze and returned to slumber.


    Seeing this, John finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Feeling his heart pounding wildly, he struggled to stand up, still shaken, and said, "So this is the oppressive aura of a demigod?"


    Byparison, the pressure from an [Apostle] seemed insignificant.


    "Not all demigods possess such overwhelming power.


    In fact, the dead dragon is even stronger than some weaker [deities].


    The reason it hasn''t ascended to godhood is due to Hades'' suppression."


    "Is it really called the dead dragon? I thought you were using it as a derogatory term."


    "It''s not a derogatory term.


    To be precise, it''s the Dragon of Death and Sin.


    Itmitted unforgivable crimes and was suppressed by Hades, turning it into a watchdog."


    Hearing this, John shivered.


    Leashing a demigod-level dragon as a guard dog��only a top-tier [deity] like Hades could do such a thing.


    "I''ve always wanted to ask you, since you know so much about the Olympus domain, where do you rank among the gods in terms of power?"


    "Why are you asking about that all of a sudden?"


    "I just think that your identity must be quite extraordinary. Otherwise, how would you know so many secrets and be acquainted with so many [deities]?"


    "Well... it doesn''t hurt to tell you. If I must say, I could probably match Zeus in a fight. As for Hades, I haven''t fought him, but I shouldn''t lose."


    John: "?"


    "Are you serious?"


    "Of course! Why would I lie to you?"


    "So you''re a pretty strong ally! How did you end up in this situation then?"


    "That''s a story for another time. I don''t want to talk about it, and you shouldn''t ask."


    Seraphina seemed very reluctant to discuss her demise, and John had no choice but to keep silent and not bring it up again.


    "In any case, I can help you solve most of the problems you encounter, but the condition is that I can still leave the underworld alive."


    "Leave the underworld alive? What do you mean? Is your remnant soul that weak?"


    "I''ve long since been at my limit, just holding on until now.


    After arriving in the underworld, the divine power here has somewhat replenished my constantly draining strength, but I''m like a broken pot with a cracked bottom.


    Once I leave the divine realm, I''llpletely dissipate."


    "Is there no way to fix it?"


    "Beforeing here, I had a sliver of hope.


    If I remember correctly, part of my authority is sealed in the underworld.


    If I could retrieve that part, I might have a chance to survive.


    But now, I can''t sense that authority at all. Perhaps Hades has refined it, or someone has stolen it. In any case, there''s no longer any hope."


    Hearing this, John''s lips moved, but he didn''t know what to say.


    Comfort her?


    Seraphina had long epted her fate of dissipating, but John couldn''te to terms with it.


    Even though John wanted to give Seraphina hope, he knew that without her guidance, he wouldn''tst ten minutes in Hades'' pce.


    What could he possibly offer to give her hope?


    With a deep sigh, John said helplessly, "So, once the mission is over, it''s time to say goodbye?"


    "I think so."


    "It''s a bit sudden. I''m not mentally prepared.


    After all, you''ve been like a mentor to me. How can you bear to see your unworthy disciple face the malice of the [deities] alone?"


    "Who said that? Among all my students, you''re the most talented, no exceptions.


    No one else has mastered my alchemy like you have. John, you''re actually quite remarkable."


    "I''ll take that as a sincerepliment..."


    Continuing forward, John finally reached the end of the first floor of the pce, where a staircase blocked his path.


    Beyond the staircase, through the window, he could see the sleeping Dragon of Death and Sin.


    Its massive body rose and fell rhythmically, asionally letting out low growls.


    John had no doubt that if he woke this damn dragon, he would be crushed into a pulp in an instant!


    With this in mind, John proceeded with extreme caution, trying not to make any noise as he ascended the stairs.


    Only after crossing thest step did he finally rx.


    Fortunately, he hadn''t woken the dragon.


    However, just as John thought the n was going smoothly, the pce''s main door suddenly swung open.


    The loud noise instantly woke the Dragon of Death and Sin, whose blood-red eyes fixed on the figure at the door!


    "Yo, Falms, we meet again!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Game World!


    The lord of Talcavano suddenly appeared and announced something that excited all the yers.


    Earlier this morning, Mine No. 3 discovered a massive pit connected to abyrinth.


    This news immediately ignited the enthusiasm of all the yers!


    Everyone knew that the word byrinth" was almost synonymous with rewards and opportunities.


    Many had thought Talcavano was just a stopover, not expecting a dungeon to finally open at this moment!


    Moreover, the lord also announced that the mine would be open to everyone, including NPCs and yers, who could go there to mine ores or hunt monsters.


    For people like Qing, who were tired of going to the auction house, sleeping there, and returning home with stuff, this was the best boost they could get.


    This monotonous, clock-punching lifestyle was finally over. They could finally engage in activities befitting adventurers��exploring thebyrinth!


    Upon hearing the news, Exiled Immortal immediately ran back to their ce and knocked on John''s door, excitedly saying, "John! The lord''s mansion finally has some news. Thebyrinth is about to open, and we can finally clear the dungeon first!"


    Meanwhile, inside the room.


    ria, who had been relieved at having passed undetected, suddenly turned pale.


    Two days ago, John had left, and during this time, ria hadn''t told anyone about this. Since the auction was still ongoing, it hadn''t aroused any suspicion.


    But the truth couldn''t be hidden forever.


    The moment thebyrinth dungeon was announced, ria knew this secret couldn''t be concealed any longer.


    So she took a deep breath, stood up, and opened the door. Facing Exiled Immortal''s ecstatic expression, she said emotionlessly, "Exiled Immortal, can you please gather everyone? I have something important to announce."


    "Uh... now? But everyone is..."


    Before Exiled Immortal could finish, ria repeated, "This matter is really important, so please, do it!"


    At this point, Exiled Immortal, though very puzzled, couldn''t refuse given ria''s close rtionship with John, which was no longer a secret.


    Even for John''s sake, Exiled Immortal wouldn''t say no.


    After calling everyone together, ria finally stepped back, making way.


    "Everyone...e in."


    "ria, what''s wrong?" Lily asked with a frown. "You look very tired. Do you need me to help you rx?"


    "No, it''s fine, Lily."


    "Strange, where''s John? I haven''t seen him leave his room these past few days."


    Exiled Immortal looked around and, not seeing John, turned to ria.


    Seeing the puzzled looks from everyone, ria decided to reveal the truth.


    "Two days ago, John activated that legendary dungeon and chose to enter it alone. He hasn''t returned since. I''m sorry I lied to you. There was no illness. It was all just my lie.


    I''m sorry, everyone..."

 Chapter 126: Chapter126-Mine Labyrinth

    "H-How could this happen?"


    Upon hearing ria''s exnation, everyone''s expressions changed drastically.


    They had felt something was off these past two days.


    John had imed he wasn''t feeling well and hadn''t shown up.


    Even when Lily offered to heal him, John refused.


    Now it seemed that ria had been imitating John''s voice to respond.


    "This is too risky! That dungeon was opened with a [Legendary] quality item, and John went in alone. Isn''t that a death sentence?"


    "But John said that the dungeon only allowed one yer to enter. I wanted to go with him, but he refused."


    "ria, if John really said that, he was probably lying to you..."


    Lily sighed and continued, "John might have said that just to keep you from joining him on this adventure."


    "How could that be..."


    "It might be rted to the [Divine Emissary] or [Apostle]. John probably didn''t want us to follow him into danger. He''s always been that kind of person. But this is too impulsive.


    There''s no need for John to open the dungeon at this time. The [Divine Emissary] did make an appearance, but it was just a probe.


    As long as we stick together, they can''t juste and kill us all, right?


    There must be a reason that forced John to take this risk.


    ria, have you heard John say anything strange recently?"


    Upon hearing this, ria fell into deep thought.


    Strange things��almost everything John said had elements she didn''t understand.


    But if it was the most peculiar...


    "Before John left, he mentioned that one of his friends was terminally ill. He said that person was very important to him and that he had to find a way to stop it. Could that be the reason?"


    "That''s most likely it. But does John have any friends we don''t know about?"


    Since they had been traveling together almost every day, if John had such a friend, he would have introduced them to the group by now.


    "ria, did John mention any other details? Like the identity of this friend or where they are now?"


    ria shook her head helplessly. "John only said that one sentence. I asked for more details, but he didn''t answer."


    "Then there''s nothing we can do..."


    Helena bit her lip, her heart full of worry for John.


    She felt both sad about John''s abrupt departure and a bit upset with ria for keeping it a secret.


    But thinking about it, she realized she might have made the same choice if she were in ria''s position.


    "Anyway, at least John is safe for now. We should trust him. If he encounters real danger, he has that teleportation scroll he bought, which can break through restrictions and be used in an emergency. He''ll be fine."


    Seeing the group looking lost and despondent, old Mac stood up and continued, "John went alone to protect us because we''re still too weak to help him. Instead of wallowing in self-pity, we should use this time to improve our own skills!


    Now, an opportunity has arisen with the sudden appearance of the minebyrinth. It''s the best chance we have.


    I may not have much chance to advance anymore, but you all are still young and full of potential!


    If you don''t want to experience something like this again, get your spirits up and go to thebyrinth to be stronger!


    When John returns, let him see how much you''ve grown!"


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal and Qing exchanged nces and sighed.


    "Uncle Mac, we know you''re trying to encourage us, but you''re really not good with words. This kind of thing is better left to John."


    "What should have been an inspiring speech loses its passioning from you, old Mac."


    "Stop nitpicking, you two. Just understand my point, okay? I''m just a cksmith; I''m not eloquent."


    "Uncle Mac is right. Since this has happened, we should trust John and believe he''ll return safely. And we need to push ourselves harder too!"


    Despite most of them having awakened their talents a second time, theirbat abilities hadn''t improved significantly.


    Their talent skills were still hugely draining, often causing them to faint immediately after use.


    The weaknesses of their original talents hadn''t been resolved either.


    Qing''s survival ability, the space Exiled Immortal needed to use his talent, and Lily''s chanting speed��all these issues still existed.


    As for Helena.


    Among the four, Helena was the only one whose talent hadn''t undergone a second advancement, causing the gap between her and the others to widen.


    In fact, on the current power ranking list, Helena was the only one not in the top ten.


    John was ranked first, Exiled Immortal second, Qing fourth, and Lily seventh. Each of them had their own proud abilities.


    Exiled Immortal had powerful crowd control abilities, Lily hadrge-scale destructive attacks, and Qing had unparalleled personal strength.


    Only Helena was gradually falling behind the pace and rhythm of the group.


    Although she didn''t want to admit it, Helena was often the one everyone instinctively protected, which pained her deeply.


    She didn''t want to be a burden, nor did she want herpanions to get hurt because of her.


    But this was the reality.


    Whether it was the Dragon Hunt operation, the battle against the Shadows of the Past in the mine, or even earlier, resisting monsters in the Deep Forest, once the fighting started, she would instantly be invisible.


    There was nothing Helena could do about it.


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Underworld


    John felt his heart racing, his expression growing increasingly grim.


    The door had opened, but who was it?


    Hades?


    No, that couldn''t be right.


    If it were Hades, this was his pce.


    He would have sensed John''s presence immediately.


    But if not him, who else could navigate Hades'' pce without getting lost?


    A multitude of thoughts raced through John''s mind until he heard that familiar voice.


    "Falms, I mean no harm. Don''t look at me like that. You know we''re on the same side. You''re Hades'' watchdog, and I''m the master''s servant.


    Why should we make things difficult for each other?"


    That voice��it couldn''t be mistaken��it had to be [Deception]!


    But...


    Why was [Deception] here?


    "A lowly demigod, daring to consider himself my equal? Have you stayed in the abyss so long that your mind is damaged, [Deception]?"


    "Say what you will. Where is your master? Has he not returned yet?"


    "Hades has gone to the divine mountain and won''t be back for a while.


    But if you think you can do whatever you want in the underworld just because Hades isn''t here, I advise you to drop that idea."


    The dragon opened its mouth and spoke in a clear voice, obviously warning [Deception].


    "Don''t worry, I''m just here to find someone. Once I find them, I''ll leave quickly. By the way, Falms, have you sensed the presence of a human?"


    "Are you challenging the dignity of the underworld?!"


    Something [Deception] said caused the dragon to suddenly rage, its deafening roar exploding behind John. Just a wall away was an enraged dragon!


    "No human can survive in the underworld. [Deception], you better watch your words, or I won''t hesitate to turn you into a pool of stinking blood!"


    "If you can, go ahead and try."


    [Deception] curled his lips into a confident smile, as if everything was under his control.


    John couldn''t understand where [Deception] got the courage to repeatedly provoke this dragon.


    Even at his peak, [Deception] probably wasn''t a match for the Dragon of Death and Sin.


    What was the source of [Deception]''s confidence?


    "Are you challenging me?"


    "A dragon that should have been majestic and revered by thousands, now reduced to this pitiful state.


    Stripped of your godhood and true name, imprisoned in the underworld, constantly subjected to the erosion of the underworld''s aura, causing your scales to decay and your flesh to rot.


    Heh... Drystan, this must be a bitter experience, right?"

 Chapter 127: Chapter127-Red Dragon Drystan

    "Drystan... how do you know my true name?"


    Since Hades brought him to the underworld, the name Drystan had beenpletely severed from his identity.


    He was no longer the proud and brave red dragon Drystan; he was the Dragon of Death and Sin, Falms.


    Even Drystan himself had gradually forgotten that name.


    Hearing it from [Deception]''s mouth after so long, Falms'' feelings became increasinglyplex.


    "This was never a secret, Falms. It''s just that no one cared about your origins. Honestly, if you weren''t Hades'' guard dog, who would care about beings like you and me?


    But if I remember correctly, you were a very powerful [deity] in your original domain, weren''t you? Have you never thought about breaking free from Hades'' control one day and returning to your domain?"


    [Deception] stepped forward, approaching the window, separated from the Dragon of Death and Sin by only a wall.


    "Or have you grown ustomed to the dark, damp, and decaying environment of the underworld and to groveling at Hades'' feet?"


    "[Deception], what exactly are you trying to say?"


    "Let''s cooperate. I can help you break free from Hades'' control and escape this damned underworld. All you have to do is help me kill someone."


    "Tell me who this person is first, then I''ll consider whether to cooperate with you."


    "One of the seven apostles, [Rage]. You''ve seen him, right? That brainless idiot who only solves problems with brute force."


    "What do you mean? You want me to kill yourpanion?"


    Hearing this, [Deception] let out a coldugh and continued, "He is not mypanion; at most, we are just colleagues. Besides, if he doesn''t die, certain developments will be very troublesome, so I must find a way to kill him.


    Coincidentally, you want to regain your freedom, and I need a powerful ally.


    This is a win-win situation, isn''t it?"


    At this, Falms fell into silence. As the once-proud red dragon Drystan, it certainly wasn''t content with being Hades'' guard dog.


    But having faced Hades in battle, Falms knew just how terrifying Hades'' power was��an enemy it could never hope to defeat.


    How could a mere demigod like [Deception] have the audacity to make such bold ims?


    "[Deception], how can I trust that you can really help me? Just knowing my true name doesn''t mean I''ll trust youpletely."


    "The contract you signed with Hades is now in my hands."


    With a thought, [Deception] produced an ancient-looking parchment. Sensing Hades'' unique aura emanating from it, Falms'' eyes lit up.


    "Where did you get that!"


    "It was in Hades'' bedchamber all along. He didn''t even bother hiding it, just left it on the table. If you had mustered up the courage even once, you might have left this ce long ago.


    And you, a red dragon symbolizing courage, were actually scared out of your wits."


    [Deception]''s tant mockery angered Falms. But with the hope of regaining its freedom in [Deception]''s hands, it didn''t dare act rashly.


    "Enough talk. When [Rage] revives, I''lle to find you. If you help me kill [Rage], I''ll give you this contract scroll. What you do with it afterward is up to you."


    Meanwhile, hiding in the shadows, John was growing restless.


    He never expected [Deception] to so easily manipte the Dragon of Death and Sin.


    The problem was, [Deception] was holding nothing at all!


    In other words, he never found the parchment contract between Hades and Drystan.


    What he held was a manifestation created by his abilities.


    Perhaps driven by the desperate hope for freedom, Falms hadn''t realized this.


    However, given the current situation, how could John remind [Deception] of his presence?


    If he removed the bloodstained carpet, Falms might arrest him on the spot. [Deception] might not even have time to intervene before John was crushed into paste.


    But if he didn''t say anything and just watched [Deception] leave, John''s main quest would be hopeless.


    With this in mind, John decided to take a risk.


    He lifted a corner of the carpet and used his [Lust] ability.


    Gray-ck mist spread out, instantly catching [Deception]''s attention.


    [Lust] was dead, a fact both John and [Deception] had witnessed.


    And now, this gray-ck mist was unmistakably [Lust]''s ability. In an instant, [Deception] realized that John was in the pce.


    "Alright, Falms, you can go back to sleep. I''ll leave before Hades returns. Now, I need to n."


    [Deception] bowed to the Dragon of Death and Sin and then slowly walked up the stairs.


    Seeing this, Falms felt no suspicion. Instead, its long-decayed heart was suddenly filled with a flicker of hope.


    Perhaps, after thousands of years in the underworld, it too might see the light of day again!


    Falms couldn''t help but think this way. Its heart, long as dead as the river in the underworld, suddenly rippled with the hope that [Deception] had nted.


    Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs, [Deception] immediately noticed John hiding around the corner.


    "I knew it... John, what are you doing here?"


    "I should be asking you! Have you been in the underworld this whole time?"


    "Not just here. The master assigned me many tasks toplete. The underworld is thest stop."


    [Deception] took a deep breath, ensuring Falms wasn''t paying attention, then urgently asked, "So, what are you doing here? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"


    "I came here to stay alive. After you left, the [Divine Emissary] appeared."


    Hearing this, [Deception]''s face changed drastically.


    "What did you say?"


    "You heard me. They suddenly appeared and attacked Qing.


    We''re out in the open while they''re hiding in the shadows.


    At this rate, we''ll be picked off one by one. I need to find a way to counter them or at least identify them before it''s toote."


    "How can that be? The [Apostle] hasn''t beenpletely eradicated yet. The [Divine Emissary] shouldn''t be appearing at this time. John, could you be mistaken?"


    "What do you think?"


    [Deception] knew John wouldn''t lie about something like this, which made the situation even more dire.


    With the [Apostle]''s authority not yet fully gathered and the [Divine Emissary] appearing so soon, the pressure on [Deception] was immense.


    "By the way, I need to ask you something, [Deception]. Did you know Hades is holding two deities from the Norse pantheon in the underworld?"


    [Deception] nodded slightly and said, "Yes, the Norse god of war and the goddess of death. I heard the master mention it before. They caused trouble and were suppressed here."


    "You know? That''s great. Can you take me to them? If possible, I want to release them and take down the Dragon of Death and Sin out there!"


    "What? No! Didn''t you hear our conversation? I barely managed to deceive it into helping us deal with [Rage]. You can''t kill it now!"


    "[Deception], how long do you think this lie can hold up before Falms realizes?


    Be grateful that the underworld''s aura has corroded Falms'' mind to such an extent that it can''t think straight.


    And you seriously expect to trick it into doing your dirty work?


    In contrast, I think the two Norse deities are more trustworthy.


    Right now, our interests align.


    Kill Falms, steal Hades'' treasures, take everything we can, and then pin it all on Tyr and Hera! Isn''t that more feasible than your n?


    Can you guarantee Falms won''t realize it''s a lie before [Rage] awakens?"

 Chapter 128: Chapter128-Mountain Toad

    John looked at [Deception], who had fallen silent, and understood that he had sessfully convinced him.


    This was not John being deceitful; it was simply the truth.


    Lies might work for a while, but they are lies after all, and will eventually be exposed.


    It''s all a gamble. Instead of betting on an uncertain unknown, it''s better to focus on the present!


    "[Deception], you were never this quiet before."


    "Well... you were never this good at sweet-talking either. Although I don''t want to admit it, you''ve convinced me.


    I can help you find Tyr and Hera and take down that foul-smelling dead dragon. However, I have one condition."


    "What condition?"


    "Help me find someone, an item? Or a thing? I''m not sure where she is now, but I know her name, Seraphina."


    Hearing this, John showed a trace of surprise in his eyes but remained expressionless, asking, "Who is Seraphina?"


    "Your eyes give you away; you know Seraphina, don''t you? Don''t worry, I mean no harm. I just want to exchange this item with her."


    As he spoke, [Deception] casually waved his hand, and a vibrant eyeball appeared in his palm out of thin air.


    For a moment, John even felt that the eyeball was staring at him.


    "Agree to it!"


    At the same time, Seraphina''s voice sounded in John''s mind.


    The undisguised joy in her tone revealed her inner surprise.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, John nodded slightly and said, "Deal. I will help you deliver this item to Seraphina."


    "That''s good. Nowe with me. I know where the two of them are being held. They are not in the castle."


    [Deception] took a deep breath, turned to look at the sleeping Falms, and lowered his voice, "Let''s leave here first."


    ...


    Meanwhile, at Mine Labyrinth!


    Qing led the way, gripping a torch tightly in one hand and a halberd in the other, ready to face any threats that might emerge from the darkness.


    "So, we''re still in the mine shaft and haven''t reached thebyrinth yet��"


    Helena unfolded the map and pondered, "No... ording to the map, we''re already in thebyrinth. Everyone, be careful."


    "Are you sure this is thebyrinth? Something feels... off," Exiled Immortal frowned, lifting his foot in disgust.


    The sticky liquid clinging to his shoe and the ground emitted a foul stench.


    "How could abyrinth be this disgusting? It''s gross!"


    As they walked, Exiled Immortal could clearly feel the temperature rising and the air bing increasingly humid.


    Most importantly, the wind seemed to have vanished, leaving an eerie silence.


    Even when he tried to manipte the wind, there was no response.


    "Do you also feel like the ground is getting softer?"


    The oppressive environment made ria struggle to breathe.


    She desperately wanted to leave, but thinking about John, who was risking his life for them, she forced herself to endure the difort.


    "It feels like... we''re walking on flesh."


    "Now that ria mentions it, I also sense something strange," Lily''s experience mirrored that of Exiled Immortal.


    While he couldn''t feel the wind, Lily couldn''t sense any magical energy.


    After a discussion, old Mac, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly turned pale.


    He drew a gleaming dagger from his waist and stabbed it into the ''ground.''


    Instantly, pale yellow liquid gushed out like a spring.


    "Uh-oh... we might be in trouble."


    Old Mac stood up, wiped the liquid off his dagger, and said gravely, "If my judgment is correct, we are currently inside the stomach of a monster."


    Everyone''s eyes immediately turned to him.


    "Mac, what did you just say?"


    Qing''s eyes widened in disbelief. "We were eaten?"


    "Look at this pale yellow liquid; it''s clearly the blood of a mountain toad. It''s possible that from the very beginning, the entrance to the mine was the mouth of the mountain toad. We are now moving inside its body."


    Although he didn''t want to believe it, the facts were undeniable, and old Mac felt helpless.


    "This mountain toad is a unique monster to Talcavano. It doesn''t actively attack humans.


    In its juvenile stage, it''s the size of a ground dragon and feeds on various minerals.


    Once it reaches adulthood, it can grow asrge as a mountain.


    Unfortunately, the one we encountered is clearly an adult."


    This was undeniably bad news.


    "What do we do now? Go back the way we came?"


    "I''m afraid... it''s toote."


    No sooner had old Mac finished speaking than a powerful suction force came from the endless darkness ahead.


    The group was pulled into it before they could steady themselves!


    After a dizzying whirl, they heard several sshes as they fell uncontrobly into some kind of liquid.


    There was no time for old Mac to think. Instinctively, he struggled to resurface, finding a foothold and pulling himself up.


    He then helped Exiled Immortal and the others out of the liquid.


    "Ugh! Damn it! I identally swallowed a mouthful when we fell!"


    Exiled Immortal copsed to the ground, his abdomen convulsing until he vomited a mouthful of ck blood.


    "This is mountain toad''s stomach acid. It can dissolve even rocks. Your esophagus and stomach are likely corroded."


    Old Mac helped Exiled Immortal stand, took the high-grade HP potion Lily handed over, and poured it into Exiled Immortal, restoring his HP above the healthy level.


    After treatment from Lily and ria, Exiled Immortal''s burned esophagus had mostly healed. However, their current situation had not improved at all.


    Now, they werepletely inside the mountain toad''s stomach.


    The ground beneath them was a powerful stomach acid capable of dissolving minerals.


    On both sides were extremely slippery, almost impossible to stand on, fleshy walls.


    Qing tried to damage them, but despite repeated attacks, the resilient flesh remained unharmed.


    "It''s no use! This stuff is too slippery and tough to destroy."


    "With no wind field, I can''t lift off the ground."


    "This ce istes us from the outside world. I can''t sense the stars, so even chanting won''t make them respond."


    Qing, Exiled Immortal, and Lily, the mainbatants, all shook their heads, indicating their helplessness.


    They had no choice but to pin their hopes on ria.


    Unfortunately...


    "Without the soil that sustains me, it''s impossible to create anything out of thin air."


    In other words, in a ce filled with corrosive liquid and minerals, ria couldn''t use her abilities.


    As for Uncle Mac...


    Well, hisbat abilities were mediocre at best, but his primary profession was smithing, and this situation was clearly not his area of expertise.


    "So, we''re just trapped here?"


    Exiled Immortal slumped down, smiling bitterly. "This is our first time acting without John, and we end up facing total annihtion?"


    Though Exiled Immortal knew it sounded overly pessimistic, the fact remained that they were trapped here with no way out.


    The atmosphere grew eerily silent.


    "We can''t just give up like this. Let''s try again; there must be a way!" Helena bit her lip and encouraged everyone, "Isn''t it too early to give up now?"


    "Although I hate to admit it, Helena, we seem to be out of options. Moreover, the rocks beneath our feet are dissolving. Once we lose ourst foothold, we''ll probably be dissolved just like these stones."


    "So, we just give up? We''ve been through so many hardships together. We even killed [Betrayal], and now we''re being driven to despair by a toad? There must be a way!"


    Helena gritted her teeth and looked at the bottomless stomach acid, which glowed with a faint green light. She said determinedly, "I will find a way for us to survive!"

 Chapter 129: Chapter129-Hades

    Although it was disheartening to say, life was precious, and Exiled Immortal and the others couldn''t just give up.


    The sudden change had caught them off guard, leaving them in shock.


    Once they recovered, they had to figure out a way to escape.


    Noticing Helena''s gaze, ria stepped forward and asked softly, "Helena, do you have any ideas?"


    "I''m wondering if there''s a way to escape beneath the stomach acid."


    "That... seems unlikely. Even if there is a way, the corrosive nature of the stomach acid is so strong that if we jump in, we''d be dissolved in no time."


    "Sigh..."


    Helena knew this too, but at the moment, there didn''t seem to be any better options.


    "Actually, I can give it a try."


    Just as the situation reached a stalemate, the silent Qing suddenly spoke up.


    "Qing, are you crazy? Even if you have a talent skill, if your muscles are corroded and you''re left with just a skeleton, not even Lily and ria can save you!" Exiled Immortal was the first to oppose.


    This was a suicide mission!


    "Do you have any other ideas? Someone has to go down and check!"


    "And then what? Even if the exit is below, how do we get through? No way, there''s no room for discussion. Give me some more time to think of a solution..."


    Exiled Immortal squatted down, biting his nails, his mind racing.


    But in this desperate situation, his brain felt like mush, and he couldn''te up with a reliable n.


    "Come on, Exiled Immortal... think about what John would do!"


    What would John do?


    No, he couldn''t think of it, he had no idea!


    After all, he wasn''t John. How could he possibly know what John would do at this moment?


    This thought crossed everyone''s mind simultaneously.


    ...


    "But... yeah, I''m not John, so how would I know what John would do?"


    Helena struggled to stand up, looking at the bottomless stomach acid, and a thought gradually formed in her mind.


    "Qing, I have an idea. Can you use your talent skill to summon the Shadow of War? If you can, limit the number to one or two, so you don''t exhaust yourself."


    "I... I don''t know, but I can try."


    "Please, Exiled Immortal, if I can create even a momentary wind field, can you seize the opportunity?"


    "Even a moment is enough; the wind will heed my call."


    "Lily, our escape depends on you." Helena turned to Lily, her gaze filled with hope.


    "I know it''s cruel to put all our hopes on your shoulders, but... we''ll create an opportunity for you.


    Once you make contact with the outside world, unleash your most powerful star magic.


    Don''t worry about hurting us; just aim it at the mountain toad. Can you do it?"


    "I... I can!" Lily bit her lip and nodded firmly.


    "Uncle Mac, ria, the rest is up to you!"


    ...


    "[Deception], you know the price of lying."


    "We''re on the same side. Do you think I would deceive you?"


    "I think you would. Do you know what this is?


    This is the River of the Underworld! All the souls of the Underworld are in there.


    Now you tell me Hera is suppressed beneath the River of the Underworld.


    What am I supposed to do? Use a pump to drain the river and rescue Hera?"


    "John, you asked me to tell you where Hera is suppressed. I''ve told you the location. How to proceed is your concern."


    [Deception] shrugged, feeling somewhat helpless.


    Even if he could avoid the influence of the Underworld''s aura and his soul wouldn''t be lost, jumping into the river would mean certain death as the souls would tear his soul apart instantly.


    "So, do you understand now why I don''t rmend this? Do you think no one has tried to rescue them over the years?


    They all failed. Even [Gods] can''t defy the rules of the Underworld.


    This is the final resting ce for the dead, the end of everything.


    You can''t take anyone from here, do you understand?"


    "...What if?" John looked up, struggling to stand, his body instinctively recoiling from the aura of the Underworld River, causing him to step back a few paces.


    "You''re right; this is the end of everything. But, looking at it from another angle, this is also the beginning of everything. Give me ten minutes. If I''m not back by then, you can proceed with your n."


    "John, what are you going to do? Calm down! This is the River of the Underworld! If you jump in, there''s no hope ofing back!"


    "I''m taking a gamble. What if I win?"


    The invincible Hades, the formidable Falms.


    From the start,ing to the Underworld was a mistake.


    If things continue as they are, John will gain nothing.


    He risked his life toe here and doesn''t want to leave empty-handed.


    "Wait, John!"


    [Deception] instinctively reached out to grab John, but in his current soul state, he could only watch helplessly as his hand passed through John''s shoulder, seeing John leap into the Underworld River!


    ...


    "Foolish."


    A sigh echoed behind [Deception], making him instantly tense. He recognized this voice all too well.


    The ruler of all souls, the sole master of the Underworld, and the older brother of the current king of the Olympian gods, Hades!


    "Hah... Hades? What are you doing here?"


    "Is he the one chosen by that little girl?"


    Hades walked straight to the edge of the River of the Underworld and looked down.


    The turbulent river continued to surge, countless souls drifting within it. Yet, not a trace of John could be seen.


    "Calm yet reckless, foolish yet clever, with just the right amount of madness. Indeed, only a person with such a character has the potential to create miracles."


    Hades turned around, a cold gleam shing in his inscrutable ck eyes.


    "So, why are you here? I don''t recall inviting you."


    "I... I came because my master sent me. She asked me to retrieve something."


    [Deception] swallowed hard, barely daring to breathe, exuding utmost humility.


    He was powerless.


    The figure before himmanded respect even from his master.


    Across the entire Olympian pantheon, those who could rival him could be counted on one hand.


    "Oh... So the time hase? I neglected that. You should have what you came for, correct?"


    "Yes..."


    "Good. Saves me another trip."


    With that, Hades fell silent, his gaze fixed on the River of the Underworld.


    [Deception] felt utterly at a loss.


    He had never expected Hades to appear at this critical moment, nearly disrupting all their ns.


    Facing such an unpredictable presence, [Deception] felt as if his soul was about to be crushed under the terrifying pressure��the pressure of a superior being.


    "Quiet. Do not disturb. Just watch and see how far he can go."


    Hades spoke in a deep voice.


    At some point, a stone throne had risen behind him.


    Hades sat down, reclining on the throne, gazing imperiously at the river.


    Meanwhile, beneath the River of the Underworld, John felt death closing in.


    A bone-chilling cold instantly spread through John''s body, covering him in ayer of frost.


    His blood nearly froze, and his heartbeat slowed drastically.


    He was on the brink of suffocation!


    The souls continued to tear at John''s spirit, and it was thanks to this excruciating pain that he remained conscious, preventing him from passing out entirely.


    "Just... a little more!"


    In a daze, John seemed to see a figure.


    Bound by chains at the bottom of the River of the Underworld, constantly enduring the torment of souls gnawing at her.


    She was kneeling on the ground, appearing utterly lifeless.

 Chapter 130: Chapter130-The Chosen One

    "He has seen it."


    Hades curled his lips into a satisfied smile, though to [Deception], it looked unsettlingly strange.


    "Seen... seen what?"


    "The death goddess Hera, the ruler of the Underworld in the Norse pantheon. Unfortunately, she''s still just a little girl, not fully matured."


    Hades seemed to be in a good mood and surprisingly willing to exin a few things to [Deception].


    After all, to [Deception], the River of the Underworld was just an unending, dark river.


    Indeed, John had seen it.


    John''s body continued to sink, his consciousness gradually fading.


    His heart, which had been beating frantically, now slowed to an asional spasm, each one barely keeping him alive.


    Noticing the approaching presence of a living being, Hera looked up, her gaze meeting John''s.


    "Human..."


    "Goddess..."


    John finally fell.


    Despite being at the end of his strength, he forced himself to stand and quietly looked at Hera.


    She was bound by chains, kneeling on the ground, while he was barely clinging to life.


    "What do I need to do to get her out of here?"


    "Hera is bound by chaos chains, forged from metals found in the deepest abyss of the Underworld. To my knowledge, nothing can cut through them."


    "So there''s still a chance?"


    "John! Calm down. If you keep going, you will surely die."


    "You said the same thing before, that I would die if I jumped into the Underworld River. But look at me now... I''m not dead yet, am I?"


    John grinned, stumbling towards Hera.


    After enduring centuries of torment, Hera had long lost her divine demeanor, now a broken, almost insane figure.


    But John had no time to dwell on that.


    Either he pulled out the damned chains, or he became just another lost soul in the Underworld River.


    "Good! A wise choice! His name is... John, isn''t it? What an interesting human, no wonder he was chosen by her."


    Hadesughed heartily, then suddenly stood up and, to [Deception]''s shock, leaped into the River of the Underworld.


    In an instant, the river erupted in massive waves!


    The water seemed toe alive, parting to create a path straight to Hera.


    The torment that had been continuously eroding John''s soul vanished, and even the cold began to subside.


    Unfortunately, John''s consciousness was too clouded to notice what was happening around him.


    He was focused solely on pulling out that damned chain!


    Hera was the first to notice Hades.


    As he slowly approached, her face turned pale, and she began to struggle wildly, rattling the chains.


    "Stop moving! I''m almost there... just a bit more..."


    John gritted his teeth, using every ounce of strength he had.


    Even as the chains wrapped around his arm threatened to break it, he seemed to feel no pain.


    "Don''t move!"


    To Hades'' surprise, as Hera continued to struggle, John raised his hand and pped her across the face.


    Hades paused for a moment, then burst intoughter.


    "The mighty... goddess of death, pped by a human! Hahaha... let me give you a hand."


    With a casual wave of his hand, the ground beneath John cracked open.


    The chains that seemed to span the entire Underworld shattered under Hades'' gaze, and the death goddess, who had been bound at the bottom of the river for millennia, was finally freed.


    But she remained kneeling, trembling, showing no intention of fleeing.


    John, now noticing the sudden appearance of Hades, was more curious than afraid due to his hazy state of mind.


    This king of the underworld didn''t seem as unapproachable as Seraphina had described.


    "Are you John?"


    "And... you are Hades?"


    "What do you n to do now that Hera is free?"


    "Of course, the n is to take down that dead dragon. But it looks like this so-called goddess of death is too scared to be of any use," John said, shrugging and copsing onto the ground in a starfish position, panting heavily.


    "The goddess of death is like this, so I suppose the war god Tyr isn''t in any better shape. None of them are reliable."


    "Indeed, the Norse godsck a certain boldness. In this regard, they don''t even have the awareness you possess as a human."


    "See? But having awareness isn''t enough. I can''t kill that dragon, and I can''t kill you. I can''t just go back empty-handed. I''ll take these chaos chains."


    "No problem. They are of little use to me anyway."


    Listening to the conversation between John and Hades, Seraphina couldn''t help but break out in a cold sweat.


    She didn''t understand why Hades hadn''t immediately erased John''s existence upon seeing a living person intruding into the Underworld.


    Now, she could only watch and see how things unfolded.


    "John, you should know that this is the resting ce of the dead. As a living person, you''ve vited the rules by intruding into the Underworld."


    As expected...


    It seemed Hades wasn''t nning to let John go after all. Seraphina''s heart tightened, ready to intervene at any moment.


    Fortunately, [Deception] had recovered some of her powers.


    If it was just a matter of dying Hades for a moment to buy John time to escape, it shouldn''t be a problem.


    However, Hades suddenly changed his tone.


    He walked slowly to John, squatted down, and looked at him with great interest.


    "But, I do have an intriguing proposition."


    "Let''s hear it."


    "ept my authority, be my chosen one, and gain a portion of the Underworld''s power. This will protect you from the erosion. What do you think?"


    Hearing this, John''s eyes widened, and his foggy mind cleared. He stared at Hades in shock.


    "You... you''re serious?"


    "Of course. I''ve observed this game long enough to find it interesting.


    If they can send agents to assassinate you, I can also grant you power.


    I don''t care whether humanity survives or perishes, but you... you intrigue me.


    If it''s you, how far can you go? ept my power, and I''ll help you kill the dead dragon.


    You won''t be bound by any of my restrictions.


    Face and change everything with your own ideas. What do you say?"


    "...Deal!"


    ...


    Mine Labyrinth, outskirts!


    The mountain toad, almost fused with the entire mine, finally awoke, causing the ground to crack, the earth to shake, and the sky to change colors!


    No one knew how long this monster had slept in Mine No. 3, but it seemed to have swallowed most of the mine.


    But something strange was happening...


    The mountain toad''s originallyrge body began to swell, especially its belly, which inted like a balloon several times over.


    In the next moment, a green wisp emerged from the mountain toad''s nostrils.


    Then, a massive green tornado forcefully pried open the mountain toad''s mouth, sweeping across the sky!


    The astonishment didn''t end there.


    Through the gaps in the tornado, a colossal meteor could be seen tearing through the sky, plummeting rapidly!


    "What in the world... is going on?"


    The yers, who were initially eager, lost their enthusiasm after witnessing this scene.


    Whether it was the mountain-sized mountain toad, the all-epassing tornado, or the falling star, it was evident that these were not challenges within their capabilities.


    The apocalyptic scene made everyone hesitant to proceed.


    Until the falling star crashed heavily onto the mountain toad, the explosion resonated, its deafening sound echoing across the entire zing ins.


    The mountain toad, shattered by the powerful impact, exploded into a mist of blood, staining the tornado with a gruesome red hue!


    "Finally!"


    "We did it..."


    ria hugged the unconscious Lily, a glimmer of joy in her eyes.


    They had seeded in escaping from the mountain toad''s stomach.

 Chapter 131: Chapter131-Eat It

    "I swear, I never want to go through that again. It was aplete nightmare..."


    Qing, carrying Exiled Immortal on his shoulder, copsed onto the ground, panting heavily.


    Looking at his legs, corroded by stomach acid until only bones remained, and his abdomen, deeply wounded, Qing felt overwhelmed.


    Even he was tormented by the excruciating pain.


    Since ria and old Mac were not yers, the HP potion had little effect on them.


    Qing had to shield everyone with arge rock to protect them from the tornado controlled by Exiled Immortal.


    Despite his efforts, they all suffered injuries to some extent.


    After Exiled Immortal lost consciousness, he fell into the stomach acid, his body corroded beyond recognition, as if suffering from severe second-degree burns.


    Lily had identally hit her leg with the meteor she summoned, causing her entire ankle to vanish instantly.


    She lost one-fifth of her health and fainted immediately.


    Helena, in a critical moment, hugged ria to protect her from the stomach acid, resulting in severe burns on her back.


    Despite everything, they had ovee the ordeal.


    Those still conscious looked at each other''s sorry state and couldn''t help but smile.


    "This is so embarrassing. If John saw us, who knows how much he''dugh at us."


    Helena bit her lip gently, the burning pain from her back still intense.


    The flesh corroded by the stomach acid wouldn''t heal naturally; they would need to remove the rotten flesh and then use healing to recover.


    "John wouldn''tugh. He''d just me himself for not protecting us," ria sighed, feeling a wave of worry and longing for John.


    It had been three days since theyst heard anything from him.


    All they knew was that he was alive, but nothing else.


    "Helena, no matter what, we owe our survival to you this time," old Mac struggled to stand.


    As a dwarf, he had been shielded by Qing and was the least injured.


    "Uncle Mac, don''t say that. It was everyone''s effort that allowed us to take down this mountain toad. By myself, I would have been digested into a puddle of blood long ago. Honestly, this is the only ce where I can be of any help..."


    Helena smiled bitterly, lowering her head in resignation.


    Somehow, Helena felt increasingly distant from herpanions.


    Whenever a battle urred, she would find herself on the sidelines, unable to contribute.


    Lost in thought, old Mac seemed to notice Helena''s feelings.


    He walked over and lightly tapped her on the head, causing her to cry out in pain.


    "Ow... Uncle Mac, what are you doing?"


    "Giving you a wake-up call."


    Old Mac sighed deeply and said, "No one is receable. Together, we form a team, and without any one of us, we are iplete.


    Yes, Exiled Immortal and Qing are progressing rapidly, making you feel left behind, but have you considered that your presence is part of their motivation?


    Besides, you''re just getting started. The future is long, so why be fixated on the present?


    "Talcavano had a saying, ''There are no useless materials, only half-baked cksmiths.'' You haven''t been left behind; you''re just waiting for your moment to shine. So, cheer up, Helena. You''re more important than you think."


    "Uncle Mac..."


    Helena bit her lip, her eyes suddenly filling with tears.


    No one understood better than Mac that moments of confusion were when one needed encouragement and support the most.


    Qing was thick-skinned, Exiled Immortal was still young and emotionally insensitive, Lily had noticed Helena''s mood but didn''t know how to address it, and ria, the backbone of the team, couldn''t fully understand Helena''s feelings.


    Only old Mac did. Once considered a madman for chasing the elusive Shadows of the Past, ridiculed and looked down upon, he knew exactly what Helena needed.


    "Enough. Exiled Immortal and Lily are passed out from stamina exhaustion, and we''ve all sustained various injuries.


    I suggest we avoid going further into thebyrinth to prevent any more mishaps.


    Let''s head back, rest, and regroup. I refuse to believe this mine holds another mountain toad!"


    ...


    At this moment, John''s mind was nk. He couldn''t understand why Hades would spare him and even offer a portion of his power.


    "Wait... wait a minute, this isn''t a hallucination, right? You really want to give me power and even help me take down the Dragon of Death and Sin?


    But... why? Why would you do this? Aren''t you on the side of the gods? What''s in it for you to help me?"


    "First of all, this is not a hallucination.


    Secondly, I never said I would protect that dragon.


    Lastly, I don''t take sides; or rather, I am a side unto myself. Helping you just seems like it will be very interesting, that''s all."


    "I... still don''t quite get it, but that''s not important. What matters is that I agree."


    Honestly, if Hades had set any conditions, like asking John to kill someone or find something, at least it would give John a reference point. But Hades asked for nothing.


    As the saying goes, the free things are often the most expensive, but John couldn''t fathom why a king of the underworld would need to manipte a mere human.


    With that thought, John felt at ease.


    He needed power, Hades was willing to provide it, and by gaining Hades'' power and defeating the Dragon of Death and Sin, Falms, John couldplete two main quests at once.


    It was a clear win-win-win situation.


    After all, Seraphina also regained some of her power on this journey, making it a solid three-way win. John had no reason to refuse.


    "We can start now."


    "I will grant you a portion of my authority, allowing you to withstand the aura of the underworld.


    Within the underworld, you will be able tomand the souls of the dead to fight for you.


    Additionally, you will be immune to all curses. How does that sound? Tempting, right?"


    Tempting was an understatement.


    If no one were watching, John would have dly bowed to Hades!


    Setting aside everything else, the ability to be immune to all curses alone was enough to drive everyone mad with envy!


    It''s well-known that a significant number of yers died from curses, and now John couldpletely ignore them, demonstrating the power he was about to gain.


    Seeing John''s eager expression, Hades chuckled.


    A yful glint appeared on his ethereal, handsome face as he continued, "Of course, if someday in the future your performance disappoints me or I lose interest in this game, I can take it back at any time."


    "No problem."


    "Then, I will grant your wish."


    As Hades finished speaking, a pair of ck wings unfurled from his back.


    The pristine feathers, free of any dust, were mesmerizing, like a ck hole drawing one in.


    Hades then plucked a unique feather from his wings and ced it in John''s palm.


    "Eat it."


    John: "?"


    "I said, eat it."


    "I heard you... but why do I have to eat a feather? Isn''t the process of bestowing power supposed to be simple? A glowing orb of authority enters my body, and that''s it, right? That''s how it was before!"


    "Are you backing out?"


    "No, no! I just... need a little time to mentally prepare."


    Staring at the thirty-centimeter-long feather, John gulped, feeling a deep sense of resistance.


    Besides the question of whether it was swallowable, the act of eating a feather itself was hard for John to ept.


    But the thought of having the power to ignore all curses made him reconsider.


    While he was caught in this inner struggle, [Deception] suddenly darted forward, grabbed the feather, and stuffed it into John''s mouth, giving him no chance to hesitate.

 Chapter 132: Chapter132-Tyr

    "What the hell are you doing?!"


    John instinctively pushed [Deception] away, but the expected unpleasant texture didn''t ur.


    In fact, the feather turned into light as soon as it entered John''s mouth and merged into his body.


    At the same time, a dialogue box popped up in front of John.


    [New ss Obtained: Death Herald]


    [Currently Awakened sses: Alchemist (Level 145), Trickster (Level 35), Debauchery (Level 24), Transgression (Level 1), Death Herald (Level 1)]


    [Current yer Level: 62]


    Seeing this, John couldn''t help butugh.


    While most yers were still struggling with their second ss change, he had awakened five sses at once, each incredibly powerful!


    The Trickster ss reced truth with lies, Debauchery summoned gray-ck mist, Transgression controlled ck mes, and so on.


    Each ss provided John with immensebat capabilities.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that John now had full confidence in taking down [Betrayal] on his own, smashing his head into his chest!


    "Alright, let''s go hunt down that Dragon of Death and Sin."


    Although the process was a bit lengthy, Hades was satisfied to see John swallow the feather.


    It was his little joke, as the feather had no physical form and was just to mess with John.


    But under the circumstances, John had no choice.


    Even if the feather were real, could John refuse? From the start, he had no right to refuse Hades.


    Their positions were unequal, and Hades could have killed him anytime, turning him into a wandering soul in the Underworld.


    [Main Quest Completed: Obtain Hades'' Power. Exit the Dungeon?]


    "No, not yet!"


    Without hesitation, John chose to continue.


    Since Hades had promised to help him kill Falms, why not take advantage of it?


    Killing Falms would undoubtedly yield even greater rewards for John!


    However, John didn''t realize that there is no such thing as a truly free lunch; anything taken must eventually be repaid.


    After restraining Hera once more, Hades led John and the others back to the pce.


    Falms instantly awoke, sensing the presence of the Underworld and lowered his proud head.


    "My king, you have returned and brought back a human?"


    "Hmm... Falms, how long have you been in the Underworld?"


    "Over four thousand two hundred years, my king. Falms is willing to serve you for the rest of my life."


    "Over four thousand years already? By now, you should have the ability to ascend to [godhood]. With all the power you''ve umted, I believe you fully deserve to be a god."


    "Whether it''s godhood or demigod status, it''s just a title. My only mission is to serve by your side, my king."


    Hearing this, John was speechless.


    A dragon could be this sycophantic?


    No wonder Hades kept Falms in the Underworld instead of killing him; it was all because of this endless ttery.


    "Falms, there''s an opportunity right now. You see this human? If you can kill him, I''ll help you ascend to godhood. If you can''t, prepare to face true death."


    "My king, are you certain he is my opponent?"


    If Hades wasn''t present, Falms might haveughed out loud!


    A human, someone who hasn''t even reached demigod status?


    Falms couldn''t imagine any scenario in which he would lose.


    All he had to do was open his mouth and unleash Abyssal Dragonfire to turn John into a charred corpse.


    This statement was clearly unexpected for John.


    His mind was racing with the thought, "Wait, I''m supposed to fight Falms?"


    This ispletely out of my league; this could actually get me killed!


    Unfortunately, as the weakest person present, John had no grounds to object.


    However, Hades'' next words brought him some relief and hope.


    "Of course, during your battle, I will suppress your strength, making your powers as equal as possible.


    Additionally, you must take human form. This is your restriction, Falms. Do you have any objections?"


    "My king, I have no objections. In fact, I am ready and can fight at any time!"


    "John, what about you?"


    "I have no objections."


    "Good. I hope you don''t disappoint me."


    Hades smiled, turning away.


    The pce floor beneath them transformed into an arena.


    Hades, along with [Deception], had moved to a high tform to watch the battle.


    Standing in the center of the arena, John clenched his teeth and watched Falms'' body shrink.


    With a thought, the chaos chains appeared in John''s hand.


    This fight was not unwinnable for John!


    With their strengths equalized, the one with the better tricks would have the upper hand.


    And when it came to hidden tricks, John had never feared anyone!


    As Falms transformed into a burly, naked man, John bowed politely.


    "John."


    "Doesn''t matter. I''m not interested in your name. You''ll be dead soon anyway."


    Falms sneered, not taking John seriously at all. And he had the arrogance to back it up.


    Suddenly, Falms, who had been standing more than a hundred meters away from John, vanished and reappeared behind him in the blink of an eye.


    His fist, covered in ck scales, was aimed straight at John''s face, apanied by a gust of wind.


    Seeing this, John remained calm.


    For a long time, John had trained countless times on how to react when someone got close.


    Compared to Qing, Falms'' punch was weaker!


    In an instant, ck mes erupted around John.


    Resembling the Ghost Rider, he swung his burning chains at Falms!


    Seeing this, Falms was visibly surprised.


    He looked at the ominous ck mes and decided against grabbing the chains, sidestepping instead.


    Abyssal Dragonfire erupted from his palm, engulfing Johnpletely!


    However!


    A powerful shockwave rippled out, effortlessly shredding the Abyssal Dragonfire.


    John brushed the mes off his shoulder,pletely unharmed.


    "It seems your mes have no effect on me. Want to try mine?"


    "You talk too much!"


    Falms crouched, his ck wings unfolding behind him, andunched himself into the air, then dove at John like a mortar shell!


    There was no doubt that if John were hit by a creature covered in scales like this, he would be done for.


    In truth, John wasn''t the type to go head-to-head. The reason he shed with Falms was just to buy time.


    Now, he had enough time!


    A giant carnivorous nt grew from beneath John''s feet, its bloody maw snapping at Falms.


    Yet Falms easily tore through the thick flesh.


    But the scene that followed made Falms gasp in shock!


    Then, suddenly, the wandering soul that had always lingered outside the pce appeared behind John, its blood-red eyes fixed on Falms, making him feel as though his very soul was trembling!


    For a brief moment, Falms was distracted.


    In that instant, John condensed the ck mes into a spear and shot it straight at Falms'' forehead!


    Unfortunately, striking a winged creature capable of flight was no easy task.


    The me spear merely grazed Falms'' shoulder, failing to prate his defenses.


    However, one thing was confirmed: this soul was indeed extraordinary!


    Even a Demigod-tier being like Falms was affected by it.


    John''s earlier predicament now made perfect sense. But who exactly was this powerful soul?


    Hades provided the answer.


    "Tyr, I should have warned you to stay away from the pce."


    As Hades spoke, John saw the soul suddenly freeze in ce, trembling uncontrobly like a leaf in the wind.


    "I... I didn''t mean to, I didn''t mean to, Hades! Please, please don''t torment me!"

 Chapter 133: Chapter133-Nemesis

    Tyr!


    This soul was actually Tyr!


    The legendary Norse god of war had been reduced to such a state?


    Neither man nor ghost, he had lost his physical body somewhere, and now he was as thin as a stick, with deep-set eyes that showed no trace of his former godly prowess.


    But thinking of the death goddess Hera, John understood.


    However, the next realization made John''s heart sink.


    How powerful was Hades?


    What kind of strength could instill such fear in two gods, making them tremble at the mere sound of his voice?


    "Enough, leave my pce, and I will spare you."


    Hearing this, Tyr fled from the arena in the blink of an eye, as if granted a pardon.


    "John, you cannot use the souls in this fight. It would be unfair to Falms."


    "I... I understand."


    Tyr''s plight made John realize once again that the figure sitting high in the stands was never a benevolent benefactor.


    He was the king of the underworld, a supreme god.


    Perhaps the joy of gaining power had clouded John''s caution, making him momentarily feel a fondness for Hades, which was utterly foolish!


    A god is a god.


    Unless John could rise to an equal footing, he would always be a mere pawn for amusement.


    With this realization, John''s expression darkened noticeably.


    Seeing this, Falms narrowed his eyes, clearly noticing the change in John.


    If John had previously been like an unsheathed, sharp sword, now he was a sword returned to its scabbard.


    Falms finally put away his contempt, saying in a deep voice, "John, right? I''ll remember your name."


    "No need, because soon you''ll be dead. Oh, right, you''ll be a dead dragon."


    John took a step forward, and gray-ck mist spread from his body, reaching out toward Falms like a giant hand!


    Although Falms didn''t know what the mist could do, he didn''t want to find out.


    With a p of his wings, he took to the air!


    Following closely behind was a wave of scorching mes!


    As John prepared to counter with his ck mes, Seraphina''s voice suddenly rang out.


    "John, don''t dodge. Absorb the mes!"


    "Absorb?"


    John was doubtful, but he chose to trust Seraphina.


    He allowed the dragonfire to engulf him, turning his robe to ashes.


    However, the expected scenario of being incinerated didn''t happen.


    Instead, the dragonfire surrounding John gradually dissipated, being absorbed into his body.


    Falms, watching this, had a feeling��perhaps a mistake��that the ck mes around John''s feet seemed to lighten slightly after absorbing the dragonfire.


    "I see... it seems the powers of you [Apostles] are not entirely useless."


    Like Seraphina, Hades had seen the truth and chuckled, "It seems the oue of this battle is already decided."


    Upon hearing this, [Deception]''s eyes lit up with joy, though he dared not show it.


    The oue already decided?


    Naturally, the winner would be John!


    As a dragon, Falms'' methods of attack were actually quite limited.


    Apart from his vaunted dragonfire, he relied on his massive size and strength to crush opponents into pulp.


    But now, his dragonfire was ineffective against John and even helped John''s ck mes evolve slowly.


    And the rules of the fight, set by Hades, prevented Falms from revealing his true form.


    [Deception] could see it clearly, and so could Falms.


    In just a few breaths, Falms assessed his situation and realized he was at aplete disadvantage.


    This human ant before him was far more troublesome than he had anticipated.


    But it made sense.


    If John were easy to deal with, Hades wouldn''t have granted him a portion of his authority.


    However, Falms didn''t believe he was entirely without hope.


    As long as he could snap John''s neck, he would still be the victor!


    With this thought, Falms hesitated no longer.


    He retracted his wings and crashed heavily to the ground, cracking the red stone tiles.


    "He''s getting serious. Even with his power suppressed, Falms is still a dragon, and his physical strength is immense. This is your disadvantage. Don''t engage him head-on!" Seraphina warned John while continually strategizing a way to win.


    The awkward reality was that while Falms couldn''t harm John, John didn''t have a decisive way to defeat Falms either.


    In a siege, John''s strength was undeniable, but when it came to breaching defenses, Qing was clearly superior.


    "If I remember correctly, Falms'' true form in a rtively small divine realm is apletely red dragon named Drystan."


    "Why are you giving me a lecture now?" John gritted his teeth, wrapping the chaos chains around his arms and bracing them against his chest, barely withstanding Falms'' cannon-like blow!


    "I''m trying to think of Falms'' weakness!" Seraphina bit her lip, looking troubled.


    Now that Seraphina had regained some of her strength, herbat power was almost equivalent to an [Apostle], which was still rtively weak among the demigods.


    Moreover, with Hades present, he wouldn''t allow John to rely on external help again.


    But if this stalemate continued, John would eventually make a mistake. After all, he wasn''t a warrior ss, and his stamina would eventually run out.


    "No, I can''t think of anything... John, do you have any items that could turn the tide? Think carefully; prolongedbat is not in your favor!"


    "If I had something, I would have used it already. Why wait until now?" John roared internally, but then a sudden realization lit up his eyes. "Wait, there is one thing."


    At this moment, the only thing that could create a miracle was the authority given to him by [Deception], the Trickster''s ss skill!


    "Falms! Saxon asked me to give you his regards!"


    Falms'' face changed abruptly, as if he had heard something forbidden.


    "Shut up! Saxon is dead; I killed him with my own hands!"


    "Yes, Saxon is dead, so now he''s here to take his revenge. He''s right behind you. Can''t you see him?"


    "How could... it be?"


    Falms felt a moment of doubt.


    And so, the lie reced the truth, bing reality.


    Seeing the enormous white dragon with pristine scales standing behind John, Falms was stunned, his eyes filled with shock.


    "No... impossible! You died in our divine realm. How can you appear in the Underworld?"


    "If a living person like me can appear in the Underworld, what else is impossible? You see him, don''t you? Your old friend and your nemesis!"


    Yes, Falms definitely saw it.


    That was a memory he could never forget.


    Those were the days when he was the red dragon, Drystan, perpetually battling the white dragon, Saxon.


    Unfortunately, Saxon wasrger and stronger, no matter what Drystan did, he was no match for Saxon, who suppressed himpletely, leaving him covered in wounds.


    Those painful memories resurfaced, awakening the deepest fears in Falms'' heart.


    In the next moment, the chaos chains wrapped around his neck.


    John looped the chains over his shoulder and pulled down hard, a sharp crack resounding as bones broke!


    The searing pain snapped Falms back to reality, and the apparition of Saxon vanished.


    He realized it had all been an illusion. But it was toote.


    The chaos chains crossed and tightened around Falms'' neck.


    Chains that could only be broken by the power of the rules tolled Falms'' death knell.


    Despite his best efforts, Falms managed to slip a finger into the gap, breaking it in the process, giving himself a moment''s reprieve.


    But in the next instant, ck mes climbed up to his brow!


    "Die!"


    John gritted his teeth and fought with all his might against Falms.


    He could feel the strength on the other end of the chain waning!

 Chapter 134: Chapter134-The Victor

    "No...impossible, how could I die here, die at the hands of a mere mortal!"


    Scales continued to shatter, the sharp fragments cutting through blood vessels.


    In an instant, blood sttered everywhere as chaos chains kept tightening.


    Falms felt suffocated, his brain so congested with blood that his thoughts were slowing down.


    In such dire straits, he could only rely on his body''s instincts!


    So, disregarding the restrictions set by Hades, Falms let out a series of sinister roars, his body swelling continuously.


    John was exerting all his strength, but how could a human stand against a dragon?


    The chains slipped from his grasp, leaving John''s palms bloody and mangled.


    At the crucial moment, Falms revealed his true form, breaking out of what seemed to be a certain death situation.


    "Damn it! This is cheating!"


    Feeling the burning pain in his palms, John cursed out loud, "Falms, you useless scum! To think you''d stoop so low to deal with a mere human like me!"


    But all Falms wanted at this moment was for John to die!


    His ws came down heavily, the immense force raising gusts of wind that locked John in ce, making him unable to move.


    All he could do was instinctively curl up and shield himself with his hands.


    But...how strange.


    The expected pain never came, nor did the scene of him being smashed into a bloody mist. Nothing happened?


    With lingering fear, John squinted through his fingers and saw a figure standing in front of him.


    With just a single finger, this figure had blocked Falms'' powerful strike and seemed to still have strength to spare.


    Naturally, it was Hades.


    "Whew...Falms, you lost. You vited the rules of this duel."


    Upon seeing Hades, the rage on Falms'' face finally eased slightly. As he calmed down, a deep-seated terror emerged from within.


    "Ha... Lord Hades, I..."


    "Enough, no need to exin. A loss is a loss, there''s no excuse for it. What truly angers me is that you dared to challenge the rules in the face of death. You deserve to die."


    "Lord Hades, I have served you loyally for many years. How can you abandon your most faithful follower for a mere human? This is..."


    Before Falms could finish his sentence, a muffled sound exploded from his massive body.


    Blood sttered everywhere, and chunks of his corpse fell into John''sp, the rotting flesh still wriggling.


    "Ugh, disgusting."


    Hades frowned and casually tossed the dragon''s head aside, as if he had not just killed a Demigod-tier dragon, but a mere ant.


    This scene left John utterly shocked.


    This was the power of a top-tier deity, so overwhelmingly strong that it crushed any thought of resistance.


    "Congrattions, John. You survived. I was genuinely worried for you. I couldn''t help but wonder, if you lost, would my previous words be for naught? Thankfully, you didn''t disappoint me."


    Hades turned around, facing John with emotionless eyes.


    John swallowed hard and struggled to sit up.


    "Can I... can I leave now?"


    If possible, John didn''t want to stay here for another second.


    "Of course, you can leave at any time. But are you sure you don''t want to take your trophy with you?"


    Following Hades'' finger, John saw Falms'' giant dragon head, now lifeless, its massive pupils dull.


    "I think I''ll..."


    "Take it!"


    Before John could finish, Seraphina spoke up again.


    Although John didn''t understand the significance of Falms'' head, he changed his mind without hesitation and said, "I''ll take it. It''s a symbol of my victory."


    "Very well then, John. I will be watching you closely. I''m looking forward to your next performance."


    Looking forward to it?


    John couldn''t help but break into a cold sweat.


    Having someone like him keeping an eye on you didn''t seem like a good thing.


    [Main Quest Part 2: y the Dragon of Death and Sinpleted. Do you wish to end this quest?]


    The dialog box popped up again. This time, John didn''t hesitate and chose to end the quest.


    A portal of light appeared behind John, and the key that had opened the gate to the underworld reappeared in his hand.


    Seeing this, [Deception] hurried over and grabbed John''s wrist.


    "Hey! You''re not going to leave me behind, are you? Take me with you!"


    "Aren''t you old acquaintances with Hades?"


    "I stole something from him! If he finds out, I''m dead! Quick, quick, let me go through first!"


    As [Deception] spoke, he rushed towards the portal without looking back, only to be ruthlessly bounced back.


    It was clear that the portal didn''t allow [Deception] to pass through. He tried a few more times, but the oue was the same. [Deception]''s face turned pale.


    "I''m done for... this is really the end!"


    With part of Seraphina''s authority missing, Hades would surely notice. By then, even if [Deception] returned to his master, Hades might stille after him. Staying in the underworld would be a death sentence!


    However, Hades seemed to see through [Deception]''s thoughts and sneered, "Don''t worry, that thing is useless to me now."


    "Re-really?"


    "Of course. Since it can''t be refined, keeping it is a waste."


    Hades stood up, and the king of the underworld looked down at [Deception] with disdain.


    "However, you did sneak into the underworld and steal my treasure. I need an exnation for that."


    Hearing this, [Deception] looked to John for help.


    But what could John do?


    At most, he wouldn''tugh.


    "Can''t help you there, good luck."


    John sighed and gave [Deception] a nonchnt farewell before stepping into the portal without looking back.


    What happened afterward no longer concerned John.


    After all, he was already overwhelmed by the sea of dungeon rewards, too distracted to care.


    [Legendary Dungeonpletion. Main questpleted: Acquired Hades'' power and in the Dragon of Death and Sin.


    Calcting dungeon rewards.


    Congrattions, yer John! You have gained 117,500 experience points. yer level increased to 63! All ss levels increased by 15!


    You have received the following item reward: [Curse of Death and Sin] - Demigod-tier one-time use item. Can summon the Dragon of Death and Sin to aid in battle for four hours!


    You have received the following equipment reward: [The Underworld King''s Intimidation] - Demigod-tier essory. When equipped, it significantly boosts your presence, intimidating yers or monsters of lower levels. It reduces their mana recovery speed by 50%, stamina recovery speed by 50%, speed by 50%, defense by 50%, and applies a [Fear] debuff!]


    You have received the following equipment reward: [The Peace-bringing Sword of Tyr] - Demigod-tier weapon. When equipped, all attributes increase by 55%, you gain the [Bravery] buff, and damage to higher-level yers or monsters increases by an additional 30%. It deals critical hits and can summon Tyr''s phantom to attack the target, dealing an additional 70% of the current damage!


    You have received the following equipment reward: [Crown of Hera] - Demigod-tier armor. When equipped, you gain the [Death''s Gaze] buff, magic recovery speed increases by 150%, spell power increases by 70%, casting speed increases by 20%, and mana consumption decreases by 40%!


    You have received the following equipment reward: [Huntress Goddess''s Divine Longbow] - Demigod-tier weapon. When equipped, Attack increases by 70%, you gain the [Divine Hunt] buff, making every attack a guaranteed hit and critical hit, applying the [Prey] debuff to the target, and reducing damage taken by 60%!


    You have received a hidden reward: [Underworld King''s Blood] - Divine one-time use item! Upon consumption, you gain the Underworld King''s Wing!


    Staring at the dazzling array of rewards, John was speechless with shock.


    He had thought that getting one or two Legendary-quality items or equipment would have made this trip worthwhile.


    But instead!


    Four Demigod-tier items and one divine item��what incredible generosity!


    Combined with John''s adventures in the underworld, this trip''s gains surpassed his previous two years'' worth of umtion in his past life!

 Chapter 135: Chapter135-Great Harvest

    The gray world before his eyes gradually became clear. John felt a refreshing breeze as if a gtle wind was brushing his face.


    Struggling, John oped his eyes and looked at the warm sunlight shining on his cheek through the window. His tse nerves finally began to rx.


    "It''s finally... over."


    John never wanted to experice another ordeal like the one in the underworld again in his lifetime.


    Although the rewards far exceeded his expectations, such a life-threating gamble was something best left as a one-time experice.


    Struggling to sit up, John looked a but didn''t see ria or anyone else.


    Giv the time, John had spt over six days in the underworld, and the flow of time in the game world should be the same.


    It was normal for ria not to be there��she wasn''t some caged canary of his; she had her own life.


    "Finally... I can rest properly."


    Sitting down on the bed, John summoned the [Underworld King''s Blood] and began to y with it in his hand.


    The other pieces of equipmt came with detailed descriptions, and oping the equipmt panel would show specific traits and exnations.


    But this hidd item only vaguely stated that drinking it would grant the Underworld King''s Wing.


    What these wings could do and their purpose were left unmtioned.


    "Do they really need to make it so mysterious?"


    John chuckled bitterly. After much hesitation, he decided to consume the Underworld King''s Blood.


    After all, he had obtained so many items, but not all of them were suited for him.


    The [Peace-bringing Sword of Tyr] was more fitting for the Exiled Immortal.


    [The Underworld King''s Intimidation] would be perfect for Qing, and [Crown of Hera] seemed tailor-made for Lily.


    As for the [Huntress Goddess''s Divine Longbow], it was ideal for H, the hunter ss.


    This left John with just this one item for himself.


    "Let''s hope it doesn''t disappoint."


    After consuming the [Underworld King''s Blood], John initially felt no differt.


    Apart from a slight increase in his yer stats, there were no noticeable changes.


    But just as John was about to feel disappointed by the mysterious reward, a searing pain suddly hit him!


    It felt like two razor-sharp daggers were slicing through every inch of skin on his back, as something seemed to be emerging from the wounds!


    The bones in his body cracked and popped, causing John to copse and curl up in pain, unable to move.


    At that momt, footsteps sounded outside the door, growing closer until they stopped right outside.


    The next momt, the door was pushed op, and ria immediately noticed John''s curled-up figure, his face flushed with pain and his breathing growing heavier.


    ''John!"


    ria cried out in rm and rushed forward, drawing the atttion of Exiled Immortal and the others, who quickly gathered a.


    "What...what''s going on?"


    Seeing John''s twisted and contorted body, ria bit her lip, eyes filled with pain. "I-I''ll heal your wounds right away!"


    ria began to softly chant, her fingertips emitting a gre glow full of vitality. But seeing this, John grabbed her wrist.


    "No...don''t do it!"


    "But your wounds!"


    Blood had already pooled on the floor, staining the hem of ria''s dress and spreading to Qing''s feet.


    Seeing this, Qing''s expression grew more serious.


    "Something''s wrong... ria, John doesn''t look like he''s just injured. Step back!"


    Finally, Lily seemed to notice something.


    She quickly stepped forward, pulling ria back a few paces, giving John ough space.


    At that momt, from John''s back, a pair of ck and  wings unfurled!


    Suspded in mid-air, wings pping behind him, John left Exiled Immortal wide-eyed in shock. "Am I seeing things? Did John actually grow a pair of wings?"


    "Unless we''re all hallucinating, yes... that''s what happed."


    Old Mac swallowed hard, also struggling to believe what he was seeing.


    Typically, the traits of each race are determined from birth.


    Whether human, elf, or dwarf, their characteristics are usually consistt.


    Tall or short, fat or thin, but always within a certain boundary.


    But now, a human suddly growing wings clearly exceeded that boundary.


    As the wings unfurled, the pain tormting John gradually faded. He gasped for breath, his face pale, but instead of pain, he burst intoughter.


    "What...what''s happing now? Has he gone mad? Driv crazy by the pain?"


    H raised her hand and punched Qing on the shoulder, her eyes still glisting with tears as she reproachfully said, "Don''t talk nonsse! He must havepleted the dungeon and received a reward."


    "Oh, right..."


    Qing scratched his head and grinned. "John, what treasure did you get to make you so happy?"


    It was only th that John snapped out of his tion, a sly smile on his face.


    "Don''t worry, there''s something for everyone!"


    At the same time, a dialog box popped up in front of Exiled Immortal and the others, showing a gift from yer John.


    Upon epting, each yer found a new piece of equipmt in their invtory, one of a color they had never se before.


    "This is... Demigod tier?!"


    Qing looked up sharply, taking out [The Underworld King''s Intimidation], a ring bearing Hades'' insignia, resting quietly in his palm. The overwhelmingly powerful attributes made Qing gasp.


    "Damn... I didn''t ev have any Legdary equipmt, and now I''m using Demigod tier? Exiled Immortal, did you get Demigod tier too?"


    "Looks like we all did."


    Exiled Immortal nodded slightly, taking out a bloodstained long sword andying it t in his palm.


    "What about you two? Do you like the gifts I prepared for you?"


    John looked at H and Lily. Perhaps it was the shock of the powerful equipmt, or perhaps another reason, but both of their eyes instantly turned red.


    "The underworld... it must have be very dangerous, right?"


    At these words, John''s smile froze: "He...H."


    "To get Demigod tier equipmt as a reward, the process must have be perilous... Honestly, your safe return is worth more than any item."


    H sniffed, taking out the longbow and gtly caressing it, her eyes full of emotion.


    "I really like your gift, but if there''s a next time, please don''t leave us behind like this, okay?"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Underworld!


    [Deception] swallowed nervously, feeling extremely tse.


    While John had be prest, Hades'' atttion was tirely focused on him, so [Deception] hadn''t felt too much pressure.


    But now, apart from a few of Hades'' subordinates, it was just the two of them left in the underworld. The oppressive atmosphere became almost unbearable.


    "Um... Lord Hades, may I leave now?"


    "No rush, I still have a few questions for you, [Deception]."


    "Lord Hades, I really don''t know anything. Please, have mercy on me!"


    "I hav''t ev asked yet, and you already im to know nothing? Are you brushing me off?"


    Under Hades'' gaze, [Deception] felt like he was falling into an icy abyss.


    Shaking his head vigorously, he replied, "No, no! How dare I brush you off? Please ask, Lord Hades. I will tell you everything I know!"


    "Not tirely satisfactory, but it''ll do. I''ll ask you now, which gods have involved themselves in this game and are opposing John? Tell me everything you know."


    "As far as I know, if we include you, five gods have interved. They are the [Goddess of the Hunt], [God of Light and Prophecy], [God of Fire and Craftsmanship], and Hermes. Beyond that, I''m not too sure."


    "Artemis is involved as well? But if I recall correctly, she has already granted a portion of her power to a human, hasn''t she?"


    "Yes, that''s true. However, Artemis is the most beloved daughter of Zeus. No one can fathom her inttions, so this behavior has be tacitly epted."


    "Interesting... Alright, you may leave now. But remember this: if it happs again, you''ll d up like Falms. Do you understand?"

 Chapter 136: Chapter136-Combat Power System Activated, Ten Thousand Battles Squad!

    [Deception] slunk out of the underworld, not daring to linger for ev a momt.


    In truth, Hades hadn''t made things difficult for him; just facing Hades was pressure ough for [Deception].


    But no matter how you looked at it, he had sessfullypleted his mission.


    Not only had he retrieved and delivered the item his master had ordered to John, but he also witnessed an incredible sce firsthand.


    Hades, ostracized by Mount Olympus and removed from the Twelve Olympians, was no longer standing idly by.


    He had granted his authority to John, making this game increasingly interesting.


    "Phew... now, I probably wouldn''t stand a chance against John, would I?"


    Reflecting on it, John now possessed four kinds of divine authority, a blessing from the Apocalypse, and seemed to have a close connection with Seraphina, along with other secrets [Deception] might not be aware of.


    All these factors had elevated John''sbat power to a terrifying level.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that soon, John could face Demigod-tier beings head-on.


    Ev if other [Apostles] awaked, they wouldn''t be able to do anything to John.


    However, this prested a headache for [Deception].


    His master''s task was for him to closely watch John, constantly guiding him towards the oue his master desired.


    But with John''s currt strgth, would he still list to [Deception]?


    "Sigh... I''ve be walking on thin ice all my life. Do you think I''ll ever reach the other side?"


    [Deception] looked down at a gre frog by his feet.


    Naturally, the frog didn''t understand what [Deception] was saying.


    It just croaked once and th hopped away.


    ...


    The Next Morning!


    John woke up feeling suffocated.


    Struggling to op his eyes, he found ria''s beautiful legs resting on his chest, making it hard for him to breathe.


    Gtly, he moved her legs aside and finally took a deep breath.


    "Phew... I slept so soundly."


    This was the first time in the game world he had slept so well.


    After yesterday''s overwhelming joy, the excitemt of his hanced power had significantly dulled.


    Thinking carefully, as long as John didn''t counter any extraordinary trouble, his currt strgth would allow him to handle it easily.


    However, he wasn''t tirely sure just how strong he had be.


    But th, a server-wide announcemt cleared up his confusion.


    [Server Announcemt!


    The first yer''sbat power has surpassed ,000 points, unlocking thebat power point panel. Each yer can now check theirbat power on their yer panel.


    Note: Combat power is determined by the yer''s overall strgth, including panel attributes, equipped gear, and special items, with the highest value tak for simr items.


    The top 0 yers on thebat power ranking will have theirbat power disyed.]


    Thetter part of the announcemt contained lgthy details, such as one point of Stamina converting to two points ofbat power, one point of Attack converting to four points ofbat power, and so on.


    John didn''t pay much atttion to these details.


    He was more curious about hispanions''bat power.


    Wh John oped the overallbat power ranking, he was stunned.


    As expected, they dominated the top five spots.


    John, at the top, had an astonishingbat power of ,300 points. Ev the second-ranked Qing had only 4,000 points, nearly 7,000 points less than John!


    The third to fifth ranks were Exiled Immortal, Lily, and H, respectively, but their differces were minimal, only a few doz points apart.


    However, from the sixth rank onward, there was a steep drop, withbat power only a 4,000 points, highlighting the vast gap betwe John and the others.


    Despite this, John couldn''t calm his excitemt.


    In fact, in John''s previous life, thebat power point ranking system also appeared in the mid-tote stages of the game.


    Thebat power point system would only be activated wh more than five yers had surpassed ,000 points.


    At that time, John''sbat power wasn''t ev in the top 0.


    Ev at the time of his death, he had barely reached 30,000 points.


    Yet now, only four months had passed.


    The next momt, a dialog box suddly popped up in front of John.


    "Congrattions on reaching the top of thebat power ranking. Do you wish to reveal your yer ID?"


    That question again.


    Four months ago, wh John was new and cautious, he chose to hide his idtity.


    But now, there was no need for that. He had be strong ough, had trustworthypanions, and there was nothing left that could threat him.


    With that in mind, John exhaled deeply.


    "Reveal my yer ID."


    "A server-wide announcemt is about to be made."


    [Server Announcemt: Congrattions to yer John for bing the first yer to surpass 0,000bat power points and reaching the top of thebat power ranking!]


    ...


    "0,000 points, the speed of this progress is much faster than I imagined..."


    [Deception], now possessing a physical form and recognized as a yer in the game world, could naturally see this server-wide announcemt.


    The rapid rise in John''sbat power left [Deception] with a headache.


    Indeed, thebat power disyed on the ranking reflects the totalbat power in extreme conditions.


    Normally, John''sbat power would hover a ,000 points.


    The problem was that [Deception]''s currtbat power was a mere 4,500 points, just barely cing him in the eighth rank.


    Besides John and hispanions, there were two ordinary yers ahead of him, which was quite embarrassing.


    Ev though part of the reason for John''s rapid growth was due to [Deception] granting him his authority, [Deception] felt that ev if he reimed his power, he might not be a match for John now.


    Althoughbat power points ar''t everything, and [Deception] was confidt he could defeat Exiled Immortal and the others over sevty perct of the time, John, with simr abilities and ev more, had clearly slipped out of control.


    Of course, [Deception] wasn''t the only one troubled by this.


    In a corner of Spartonia City!


    Staring at the yer ID at the top of the leaderboard, the man exhaled deeply.


    "John''s growth is too fast. Ev I find it troublesome, let alone those idiots.


    It seems the purging task needs to be elerated."


    As the man''s thoughts churned, there was a gtle knock on the door.


    "What is it?"


    "Lord [Divine Emissary], there is a visitor iming to be... Hermes."


    ...


    "John, I sse the presce of a [God]."


    While sparring with Qing, John''s face changed upon hearing Seraphina''s warning.


    As Qing''s powerful punch came towards him, John spread his wings and soared into the sky, dodging the heavy blow!


    "Qing, hold on a second, I''ll be right back!"


    With that, John shot up, his figure shrinking until he was just a tiny ck dot disappearing into the clouds.


    Seeing this, Qing scratched his head and looked at Exiled Immortal, who was watching from the sidelines.


    "What now? We were just getting into it. Exiled Immortal, how about you step in?"


    "If I must, I must!"


    Exiled Immortal summoned a breeze, which gtly carried him into the ara to face Qing from a distance.


    Meanwhile, above the clouds


    John swallowed hard, incredulously asking, "Seraphina, are you sure you ssed the presce of a [God]? Not a [Divine Emissary]?"


    "There''s no mistake, John. A [Divine Emissary] is too weak and wouldn''t differ much from your currt strgth, at most a 5,000bat power.


    But the power of that presce, if converted to yourbat power points... it would be at least 90,000 points!"


    "Wait, 90,000 points? Could it be Hades?"


    "Of course not. If my sses are correct, it should be Hermes who''s visiting."


    John was not unfamiliar with this name; he ev had a Hermes set in his yer invtory.


    "The God of Thieves?"


    "Don''t underestimate him. As the son of Zeus, his power is far greater than you might imagine."


    "But why would he appear here? Are [Gods] allowed to ter the game world?"


    "Absolutely not! The power of a [God] is too overwhelming. If they were to appear recklessly, it could cause the world to copse. That''s why I''m perplexed. But regardless, you need to be on high alert.


    He''s a staunch supporter of Zeus, and he holds his father''s words asw.


    His presce here doesn''t bode well for you.


    It''s possible he came specifically because of you.


    Your rapid increase in power has far exceeded the expectations of the gods, and unexpected changes oft mean danger."

 Chapter 137: Chapter137-Excessive Protection

    Hearing this, John''s face grew ev grimmer.


    If there was one thing Johncked the most right now, it wasn''t opportunities or chances. For John, the most preciousmodity was time.


    If John had another year, he could pottially rival not just the so-called [Apostles] or [Divine Emissaries], but ev [Gods]!


    But the problem was, he didn''t have ough time to improve his strgth.


    Since his rebirth, he had be gued by constant danger.


    First, [Deception] awoke, followed by [Lust].


    After barely dealing with [Betrayal], he thought he could finally rest, only to counter Hades and a [Divine Emissary] back-to-back.


    Each emy''s appearance was like adding fuel to the fire under John''s feet, ready to burn the wood nk he stood on and plunge him into an abyss.


    "Sigh... I can only take it one step at a time."


    "John, rather than waiting for death, why not take the initiative?"


    Seraphina shook her head and said gravely, "Think about it, why hav''t the [Divine Emissaries]unched a full-scale attack on you yet?


    In my opinion, it''s not because they don''t understand your strgth, but quite the opposite.


    They know your strgth and ar''t confidt they can take you downpletely.


    That''s why they hav''t attacked rashly.


    This proves that with your currt strgth, ev if you can''t win outright, you can at least hold your own.


    If you don''t take this time to clear out your emies, wh their strgth grows and they unite, you won''t stand a chance!"


    John bit his lip and remained silt for a long time before reluctantly saying, "Do you think I don''t understand that? The problem is, I have no idea where they are. I''m in the light, they''re in the dark. How can I take the initiative?"


    "For this, I have a solution! John, do you remember what I told you before you wt to the underworld?"


    "I think... I remember some of it."


    "I thought it was just a hope of mine, but you actually managed to kill Falms and get everything needed. Maybe I can help you locate their presce. You still have Falms'' head, right?"


    Hearing this, John''s eyes lit up, and he said, "Yes, I still have it. Can this stupid dragon actually be useful?"


    "Of course! Don''t underestimate Falms. Before being tamed by Hades, he was a creation at the level of a [God], much stronger than you might think."


    "What else can I do to help?"


    "For now, just give me the dragon head. However, I''ll be upied with this for a while, probably a t days."


    "No problem. T days... I should still be in Talcavano. It''s ough time!"


    With Seraphina''s assurance, John felt a bit more relieved.


    Being unable to pinpoint the emies'' location and constantly being on the defsive had be troubling him. But gaining the upper hand would change everything.


    Whether he chose to attack or toy low and develop, John would have more options, instead of passively waiting, which had be frustrating.


    Now, he didn''t need to worry about that anymore.


    ...


    That Night


    ria, blushing,y on John''s shoulder, her breath a bit heavy, asionally kissing his cheek.


    "It tickles..."


    "Just bear with it. This is a momt to deep our feelings, don''t spoil it."


    ria yfully red at John, th after a momt of silce, she suddly chuckled and said, "Honestly, John, I think everyone has developed a psychological aversion to Mine No. 3. It''s be a day, and no one mtions it at all."


    "It''s understandable. Being swallowed by a frog and almost digested would be a blow to anyone."


    "Actually, I think this is a good opportunity, John. Don''t you feel that you''ve be protecting us too much?


    I''m fine since my pottial is already limited. If I can''t be a yer, my strgth won''t improve.


    But it''s differt for H and the others.


    They still have a long way to go.


    By trying to face all the dangers alone, ar''t you being a bit unfair to them?"


    Hearing this, John fell into deep thought.


    ria was right. John''s inttion was to be a shield for hispanions, protecting them from all harm.


    But was that really the right thing to do?


    As yers, they were meant to face dangers and hardships, growing stronger through trials and tribtions.


    However, it seemed John''s protective nature was counterproductive to that goal.


    Thinking back, a simple Mountain Toad, a monster with no real offsive capabilities, had managed to put Exiled Immortal and the others in a desperate situation.


    Perhaps, as ria suggested, his protection was actually hindering their progress.


    "I... sigh, ev now, I''m not sure what the right thing to do is."


    "Give them some freedom. You can''t always be by their side, right?


    If someday we face danger and you''re not there, what will we do?"


    "Th... this time, for the Mine No. 3 dungeon, I''ll let you handle it on your own. Giv your strgth, you shouldn''t face any major difficulties.


    It''s just that in dangerous situations, you mightck someposure. Take this opportunity to train yourselves."


    John almost forgot that, in his previous life, ev without his help, H and the others still managed to reach the top of thebat power rankings.


    Their skills and confidce had only waned under his protection.


    "I think that''s a good idea. You can apany us, but unless it''s absolutely necessary, you should remain silt and let H take the lead.


    I believe she''ll make a great leader, maybe ev better than you.


    I can sse that H is gradually losing her confidce. She needs a chance, an opportunity to reim it."


    "You''re quite thorough in your thinking. It seems you''re gradually adapting to our currt life."


    John wrapped his arm a ria''s smooth waist, causing her to blush slightly.


    "Actually, I still sometimes miss our days in the Deep Forest. So, please don''t let me down, okay?"


    John lowered his head and, meeting ria''s affectionate gaze, nodded firmly.


    The Next Morning!


    During breakfast, wh everyone was gathered, ria proposed the idea of re-tering Mine No. 3 to be the first to clear Mine Labyrinth.


    Although she didn''t receive unanimous approval, no one opposed the idea either.


    It was clear that their previous counter had left Exiled Immortal and the others with a deep-seated aversion to Mine No. 3.


    However, they were reluctant to give up the opportunity for a first clear.


    As a level 4-46 dungeon, other yers could clear it at any time, and for Exiled Immortal and the others, who always pursued first clears, this was uneptable.


    "I think it''s a good idea. Besides, John is back now, so I support ria''s proposal."


    Exiled Immortal raised his hand in agreemt, followed closely by Qing.


    For a battle maniac like him, as long as there was a fight, he didn''t care about the danger.


    "Isn''t this a bit too hasty? John has only be back for two days. We don''t know if he has fully recovered. Are you sure it''s okay?"


    H frowned, still worried about John''s condition.


    "It''s fine, don''t worry about me."


    "Are you sure, John? Don''t push yourself too hard."


    With John''s affirmative response, H didn''t argue further and agreed to the n.


    At this point, opposing it was meaningless. Besides, everyone was eager for the first clear rewards of the dungeon, so they didn''t refuse anymore.


    Seeing this, ria nodded slightly and said firmly, "Alright th, let''s take a short rest.


    In two hours, we''ll set out for Mine No. 3. Our goal: to be the first to clear Mine Labyrinth!"

 Chapter 138: Chapter138-Abnormal Heat

    "What''s wrong, still feeling uneasy?"


    John had remained silt throughout the journey, prompting ria to ask curiously, "Are you worried about us?"


    "Well... a bit, I guess I''ve developed a habitual way of thinking."


    John exhaled deeply, gazing into the distance at the half-destroyed Mine No. 3. An inexplicable sse of irritation welled up inside him.


    This feeling came without reason, leaving John himself unsure of what was bothering him.


    His expression grew more rigid, making it difficult for him to bld in with the others.


    Noticing John''s odd behavior, Exiled Immortal quickly caught up to him and gtly patted his shoulder.


    "John, ever since you returned from the underworld, I''ve ssed something off about you. What exactly happed? Tell us about it. Talking it out might help you feel a bit better."


    "What happed... where should I begin? So many things happed, it''s like my worldview was trampled on."


    John gave a bitter smile, slowing his pace alongside Exiled Immortal. He said in a somber tone, "In the underworld, I saw [gods] and witnessed their overwhelming power, a power that evokes despair. I can''t fathom how we could ever hope to resist them."


    "Saw... [gods]?"


    Exiled Immortal swallowed hard, eyes filled with disbelief.


    "John, could it have be a hallucination?"


    "I wish it were, but... unfortunately, it wasn''t. The lord of the underworld, Hades, the Norse god of war, Tyr, the goddess of death, Hera��those names from myths stood right before me, shattering all my illusions.


    I can''t help but wonder, what has happed to this world?


    Why are we forced to partake in this damned game, risking our lives for a future that seems almost hopeless?"


    "And those beings who control us at will, deciding our life and death, why must they do this? I can''t understand, I really can''t. Maybe this is a question I will never get an answer to."


    As he finished speaking, John could clearly feel the group''s mood turn heavy.


    He could only give a helpless smile and say, "Ah, what am I evining about? Just ignore what I said, treat it as the ramblings of a madman."


    "John..."


    Lily gtly bit her lip and took my hand, softlyforting, "How about we go back, John? Take a good rest and don''t put so much pressure on yourself. None of this is your fault."


    "Yeah, John, putting too much pressure on yourself will only drive you crazy. I might not fully understand the boundaries betwe illusion and reality you speak of. To me, everything here is real, as real as can be.


    But I think, no matter the reason, any god who destroys your home and forces you into this world is aplete jerk!


    So, if you''ve lost your sse of purpose, let me give you one: revge. Make that jerk who caused all this pay!" Old Mac said, pulling out a medal embedded with a fiery red gem from his pocket and gtly pressing it against John''s chest.


    "This is..."


    "It was my father''s, made from a dragon''s eye, symbolizing great courage. I''m giving it to you, hoping it will help you find your strgth."


    Looking at the medal, as brilliant as the sun in the sky, John felt a warmth in his heart.


    "Uncle Mac, I can''t..."


    "Can''t what? I''m giving it to you, it belongs to you. It would be wasted with me.


    My father, Court Sanders, was a dwarf who vowed to climb Mount Olympus. He once said something very philosophical to me: ''Wh I reach the top of Mount Olympus, I will be taller than anyone else in the world.''


    But actually, my father, despite all his efforts, had limited talt, not ev as much as mine. But so what?


    "Wh I came of age, my father traveled with the advturing party, willing to do the dirtiest and most exhausting work, during ridicule and scorn, just to keep his journey going.


    I hadn''t se my father for many years. Thest time I saw that great dwarf was wh his bodyy in a simple coffin.


    Smart as you are, John, I think you can understand the real meaning behind my words. Whether dwarf, elf, or what you call NPCs and yers, we are not so differt.


    Everyone is a ve to something��dreams, beliefs, anger, or freedom.


    We must ce our hope in something; otherwise, we cannot survive."


    With that, Old Mac seemed to fall into some memories, letting out a long sigh.


    Seeing this, no one wanted to disturb him. They slowed their pace, giving Uncle Mac some time to reminisce.


    By the time they reached Mine No. 3, it was already noon.


    The scorching sun hung in one corner of the sky. Those wearing heat-absorbing bracelets might not feel the intse heat, but ev Old Mac, who spt years in the workshop, was now sweating profusely.


    "Damn it, why is it so hot!"


    Old Mac wiped his furry beard, now stuck to his cheeks from the sweat, looking rather disheveled.


    ria''s cheeks were also flushed, and her breathing became increasingly rapid. For the elves who worship nature, this extreme climate was too cruel.


    "Uncle Mac, wasn''t the temperature on the zing ins this high in previous years? It''s called the zing ins for a reason."


    John stepped forward and handed his heat-absorbing bracelet to ria. The momt he took it off, he felt a wave of heat hit him, almost making it hard to breathe.


    However, no matter how hot it got, John wouldn''t fall into a debuff state; this was the power granted to him by Hades.


    "I''m fine..."


    "Keep it on, you''ll get heatstroke otherwise."


    John gave a bitter smile, pinched ria''s flushed cheeks, and said softly, "Don''t worry about me."


    "Of course! The currt temperature is no differt from wh I''m forging weapons in the workshop. It''s eerily hot; something''s definitely wrong! Something must have happed."


    Old Mac spoke with conviction, pointing towards Mine No. 3, which was now within sight.


    He continued, "It looks like the heat ising from inside the mine. We must be careful. Ordinary things can''t cause such an abnormal temperature."


    ...


    Meanwhile, inside Mine No. 3!


    [Deception] looked at the scorching magma beath his feet and, without a momt''s hesitation, jumped straight in.


    However, the imagined scario of being instantly swallowed by the magma and melted into a pool of blood did not happ.


    On the contrary, [Deception]''s body continued to sink.


    As he was fully submerged in the magma, a sudd ssation of weightlessness came over him.


    "Found you!"


    The messger of [God of Fire and Craftsmanship Hephaestus]!


    "This aura... Ha, so it''s those maggots from the [Abyss]. I could smell the stch of decay from afar."


    "Oh, oh, oh, that''s not very polite. I came here with the inttion of making frids, and this is how you treat your guest?"


    [Deception] walked forward, casually picking up a dagger about the lgth of a forearm, and examined it closely.


    "The de is sharp, gleaming with a cold light, and the weight is just right. It''s neither too light to be ufortable nor too heavy to exhaust one''s strgth.


    I must say, it lives up to being crafted by the hand of Hephaestus''s messger.


    It''s an exceptional weapon in both appearance and functionality."


    "Put it down. A fool like you isn''t qualified to appreciate my work. State your purpose, [Deception]. Have youe seeking cooperation, or to challge me?


    If it''s the former, you can leave now. I''m not interested in coborating with the [Abyss].


    If it''s thetter, I hope you''re ready to leave your life here."


    As he spoke, [Divine Emissary] lifted his head, revealing a gigantic hammer in his hand. Just by looking at it, one could tell it weighed a thousand pounds!


    If that hammer struck, it would likely be a death blow on the spot!

 Chapter 139: Chapter139-Admonition

    "Unfortunately, it''s neither. Ie with sincerity, and I hope you can show some as well. After all, in the end, you and I are both dogs of the [Gods]. There''s no need for hierarchy between dogs, is there?"


    "Heh, you see things clearly. Enough nonsense, what is your purpose for seeking me?"


    "I want to ask you why Hephaestus suddenly changed his stance. He was originally a [God] on the side of humanity, so why did he suddenly defect at this critical moment? He even sent out a messenger. What''s going on here?"


    As soon as [Deception] finished speaking, he felt a strong impact, nearly knocking him off bnce. When he regained hisposure, he realized that Hephaestus''s messenger had already swung the giant hammer towards him, stopping just a centimeter from his cheek!


    "You do not have the right to address the God of Fire by his true name. I will not warn you a second time, [Deception]. Next time, I''ll smash you to pieces with my hammer!"


    "Before you smash me to pieces, answer my question. Why did Hephaestus do this?"


    "...I don''t know, and I don''t want to know."


    [Divine Emissary] was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned away, dragging the giant hammer back to the anvil. He swung the hammer heavily, causing the entire space to tremble.


    "The will of the [Gods] is not something we can fathom. Besides, as you can see, I have no intention of harming anyone, nor will I take any action. I just want to stay here and forge iron. Don''t bother me."


    "I''m afraid that''s not up to you. The [Divine Emissary] shouldn''t appear at this point in time. Someone is pushing all this behind the scenes. Do you think you can stay out of it? We''re all pawns on this chessboard. What makes you think you can stay out of it?


    If you want me to shut up, it''s simple! Tell me your purpose! What did Hephaestus convey to you? Don''t tell me it''s as simple as forging iron. Do you think I''ll believe that?"


    [Deception] walked up and kicked over the anvil, looking at the glowing hot iron embryo.


    [Divine Emissary] let out a long sigh and said in a deep voice, "The will conveyed to me by the God of Fire is... to join forces with others and bring about the apocalypse."


    "As expected..."


    [Deception] did not seem surprised by this answer and pressed further, "The reason? Why did the God of Fire suddenly change his mind?"


    "I don''t know. Didn''t you say it yourself? We are just pawns. Pawns are not qualified to question the yer''s decisions. I am equally perplexed. Otherwise, why do you think I stay here forging iron instead of going out to recruit followers and cause trouble for you?


    Even I haven''t figured out the true intentions of the God of Fire. How am I supposed to tell you?"


    "So, are you really going to be a traitor? Don''t forget how we survived! What our home and our world went through!


    Now, you want to see it all happen again?"


    [Deception] suddenly surged forward, grabbing [Divine Emissary] by the cor, roaring, "I have finally found something to hold onto, and I will not allow anyone to destroy it easily. Do you understand, Kaldaram!"


    At these words, [Divine Emissary] was clearly taken aback, a strange light shing in his eyes, as if shocked or lost in memory.


    After a long silence, Kaldaram suddenly let out a long breath and gave a bitter smile, "It''s been a long time since anyone called me by my name. Thinking about it, I kind of miss it..."


    "A name can be called countless times. Face my question. What are you going to choose!"


    "I have no choice! Do you think I have a choice? The will of the God of Fire is constantly echoing in my mind.


    It''s driving me crazy! Only when I''m forging can I barely calm my mind.


    I admit, my mind isn''t as sharp as yours, so I can only use this method to find peace and not think about those things. Therefore, I can''t make any promises to you."


    "Maybe someday in the future, I won''t be able to endure that voice in my head anymore,pletely bing a puppet and standing against you. But what can I do about it?"


    Kaldaram was gasping for breath, looking utterly helpless.


    So this time, [Deception] didn''t press him further.


    "...Good luck, my old friend."


    "And good luck to you. If there''s anyone among us survivors who is still truly persevering, it''s probably only you. I hope you seed."


    "I will. I will definitely seed. I have already found someone I can trust. He''s smarter than me, stronger than me, crazier than me. I will move forward with him towards the end we have always dreamed of!


    And you all, a bunch of cowardly, timid, selfish people, you don''t deserve to return to our homnd."


    ...


    "So hot!"


    At the edge of the mine, Exiled Immortal stomped his feet in frustration.


    The heat waves rising continuously from the pit had rendered the heat-absorbing bracelets useless.


    The waves of heat seemed to almost ignite everything around them!


    "Do we really have to go down there? I feel like we''ll be melted..."


    Helena bit her lip lightly, hesitating to proceed.


    Everyone turned their gaze towards John, hoping he would make the right decision at this moment.


    But surprisingly, John remained silent.


    "John, why aren''t you saying anything? Are we going further in?"


    "I don''t know. You guys decide."


    "We decide... John, are you okay?"


    "I''m fine. I just... don''t want to make any more hasty decisions."


    Hearing this, Helena hesitated, her lips moving as if to say something, but after a long silence, she said nothing and looked away.


    "Then... let''s continue, everyone. We have to at least try. What do you think?"


    "I don''t mind. It''s hot, but it''s bearable."


    Exiled Immortal was the first to speak in agreement.


    Although he also felt something was off with John''s behavior, he chose to trust Helena''s judgment.


    Following closely behind, Lily and Qing also expressed their agreement.


    Old Mac and ria hesitated slightly but did not refuse.


    "Then let''s go and take a look. Last time, we were swallowed by a mountain toad. Hopefully, we won''t be that unlucky this time. Uncle Mac, is the lift still operational?"


    "The lift is fine; it can still be used."


    "Exiled Immortal, I know the wind currents are a bit chaotic, but can you try to control them?"


    "It''s difficult, but I can manage."


    "That''s good. Let''s set off then."


    Helena organized everything methodically.


    Seeing this, John felt a sense of relief but also an inexplicable mncholy.


    He finally understood where his strange feelings came from.


    John just didn''t want to see hispanions no longer needing him.


    They didn''t need him to make decisions, solve dangers, or ovee obstacles.


    They couldplete dungeons and continue their journey without him.


    Thinking about this made John sad.


    Perhaps the so-called protection was a lie, a manifestation of John''s ego.


    He just wanted to feel needed, nothing more.


    Maybe sensing John''s emotions, ria gently took his hand and looked at him.


    "It''s okay."


    "...You''re right, it''s okay."


    The lift started operating, its rumbling echoing in their ears.


    As they descended, the heat waves rising from below became increasingly intense, making it nearly impossible to breathe and even scorching their airways.


    Exiled Immortal had to continuously control the wind currents to keep the heat away from them.


    Despite the difficulty, the situation improved significantly, and they finally reached the bottom of the mine.


    "This should be the right entrance," Helena said, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Due to the increased temperature, the number of yersing to Mine No. 3 has drastically decreased.


    Hardly anyone can withstand this heat to explore the maze, which is our advantage.


    But ria, can you still hold on? If you feel unwell, leave immediately. Your constitution isn''t suited for fighting here."


    "I can hold on a bit longer. If I can''t, I''ll withdraw in time. Don''t worry about me."

 Chapter 140: Chapter140-Trapped

    The Mine Labyrinth dungeon, rather than being a maze, is more like an underground minework, a vast web of interconnected mining tunnels.


    The mining marks near the entrance of thebyrinth were quite obvious.


    It seemed that many yers and NPCs had mined ores here before.


    However, the deeper they went, the fewer these mining traces became, until rare ores were visible everywhere, which brightened old Mac''s eyes and lifted his spirits.


    Even so, John felt something was strange.


    They had delved quite deep, passing through three tunnels without encountering a single monster. The eerie silence was unnerving.


    John wanted to voice his concern, but that would go against his initial intent. Luckily, Helena keenly noticed this.


    "Something''s wrong. It''s too quiet here..."


    Helena raised her hand to stop everyone and asked in confusion, "On the way here, did any of you see monsters? I didn''t see any. This is a level 42 dungeon. How could the monsters be so scarce?"


    "Could it be that the high temperature drove the monsters away?" Exiled Immortal wiped his sweat, saying helplessly, "We''re practically roasting here; the monsters probably can''t handle it either, right?"


    "No! Monsters can withstand elemental magic users'' fire spells.


    This temperature might be ufortable for them, but it wouldn''t be enough to drive them away. Something must have caused the monsters to disappear."


    Helena shook her head, dismissing Exiled Immortal''s guess, and furrowed her brows in deep thought.


    Everyone instinctively looked at John, only to see him lost in thought, seemingly uninterested in the discussion, so they had to give up.


    "We don''t know the reason yet, but no matter what, stay alert. If we encounter danger, look out for each other.


    Qing, please use your talent skill and summon the Shadow of War to lead the way."


    "No problem."


    Qing nodded in a muffled voice, the hot weather making him silent, as if speaking too much would waste a lot of stamina.


    After casting his talent skill and summoning the Shadow of War, under Qing''s control, the Shadow of War plunged into the darkness, maintaining a certain distance from John and the others.


    It was neither too far to lose control nor too close to be affected by sudden dangers.


    However, thebyrinth was winding andplex, and the internal paths were intricate. Unfortunately, the Shadow of Warcked the ability to think. After several rounds of circling, they found themselves back at the starting point.


    Seeing the symbols Old Mac had left on the wall, everyone exchanged nces.


    "We''re back here again..."


    "This is the third time. We''ve been going in circles for a long time."


    "There''s nothing we can do about it. The Shadow of War can''t recognize the marks, so it''s bound to take the wrong paths."


    "I''ll lead the way then. I''ll follow the Shadow of War and give directions. If I encounter danger, I''ll call for help."


    "No way! That''s too risky!"


    As soon as Old Mac made the suggestion, Helena and the others immediately rejected it.


    Not to mention how dangerous it was, if something unexpected happened, they wouldn''t be able to rescue him in time!


    "So are we just going to waste time here? The temperature is getting higher. How long can we endure this?


    We don''t have much time to hesitate. Let''s decide now. I''ll lead the way! Although I can''t tell the right path, I might be able to judge our position by the types of ores."


    "This..."


    Helena bit her lip lightly, still hesitant.


    At this moment, John, who had been silent for a long time, suddenly spoke, "I''ll protect Uncle Mac. The two of us will lead the way. We''ll be fine."


    Seeing John finally back to normal, Helena breathed a sigh of relief, and her tense posture rxed a bit.


    "Then it''s decided. John and Uncle Mac will lead the way. Stay in constant contact. If there''s any danger, we''ll provide support immediately."


    "No problem."


    John nodded slightly and then looked at Uncle Mac, giving him a signal.


    Old Mac understood and walked ahead with John, heading into the darkness.


    After they had walked some distance and were sure Helena and the others couldn''t hear their conversation, Old Mac spoke slowly, "Kid, what''s going on with you? You''ve been silent the whole way, making everyone ufortable."


    "Actually, I''m a bit unsure myself. ria thinks I''ve been protecting everyone too well. She says they need to grow, and it turns out she''s right.


    Helena is proving to be a keen leader, but under my influence, she has abandoned her instincts and fallen into severe self-doubt."


    "No wonder you kept silent above Mine No. 3. You had this n in mind. It''s true; they can''t rely on you forever.


    But your approach was sudden, so it''s natural they haven''t adapted yet. Take it slow; they''ll get used to it."


    As they continued, Old Mac asionally bent down to dig out a small piece of ore, identifying its type to determine their current location.


    Despite the intricate maze of tunnels, they weren''t going in circles and kept moving deeper into thebyrinthine mine.


    The downside was the sharply increasing temperature.


    Old Mac could still endure it, but ria had reached her limit.


    Her stamina was greatly depleted, and she was on the verge of copse.


    With no other choice, John gave her a teleportation scroll, allowing her to return home.


    After what felt like an eternity, John and the others were unsure of their exact location, but intermittently, they could hear rhythmic thudding soundsing from the depths of thebyrinth.


    "Could it be the heartbeat of some monster?" Exiled Immortal wondered aloud.


    "Doesn''t seem like it. It sounds more like a hammer striking an iron ingot," Old Mac replied, shaking his head.


    Hearing the sound gave him a sense of familiarity. Although he couldn''t be certain, Old Mac stuck to his opinion.


    "Uncle Mac, are you saying that someone is forging deep within this maze? That... that''s impossible, right?"


    "But there''s no mistaking that sound. It''s definitely the sound of forging. Could it be our imagination?"


    Hearing this, Helena shook her head and said firmly, "It''s impossible for everyone to have the same hallucination. If Uncle Mac believes it''s the sound of forging, then it likely is."


    At this point, John, who had been silent for a long time, finally spoke again, "The God of Fire and Forge, Hephaestus. Perhaps His emissary is hiding in these mines, which would exin the rising temperature and the faint sound of forging."


    "You mean the [Divine Emissary]?"


    John nodded slightly, "It''s not impossible."


    "So, what should we do? Should we keep going?"


    "I... I don''t know."


    John lowered his head, unwilling to say more. Seeing this, Helena could only sigh.


    "Uh... did I scare you?"


    At that moment, a voice suddenly came from behind John, causing everyone to gasp and draw their weapons.


    But John remained unusually calm and simply signaled everyone to stay calm.


    John knew this voice all too well. Who else could it be but [Deception]?


    But...


    "[Deception], what are you doing here?"


    Seeing that John seemed to know the person, Helena signaled everyone not to act rashly but did notpletely lower her guard, remaining cautious.


    "I came for an old friend, but our conversation didn''t go well. I happened to run into you, so I came to check. Hello, everyone. I am John''s friend, [Deception Apostle]."


    Deception made a gentlemanly bow, but it did little to ease the group''s concerns.


    "Hey, rx. I mean no harm. On the contrary, I''m here to provide you with information. John is right; the person inside is indeed the emissary of Hephaestus, the God of Fire.


    But it''s a bit different from what you think.


    He is currently deep in self-doubt, unwilling to rashly attack you, yet unable to defy the will of the God of Fire and his instincts as an emissary.


    So, I ask you all to help me free my old friend from his predicament and not let him remain trapped any longer."

 Chapter 38 - 38-Trickster (Part 1)

    "When... when did you prepare this?"


    Looking at the Targeted Teleportation Scroll in her hand, Helena bit her lip lightly, a hint of joy shing in her eyes.


    "Well... probably from the moment you decided to leave the Pioneer Squad. Since you''re a teammate, I need to take extra care of you. Besides, you''re out of food, right? Come to Dragonia; I have plenty of food here."


    "And Lily? Is she with you?"


    "She''s in another city, but we''ll find more of these scrolls in the future. If ites to it, I can bring Lily over in the real world. You don''t need to worry about her; focus on yourself first.


    But it''s strange... if someone identally stumbled into the bunker, why would they take Lawrence''s body?"


    John furrowed his brows in confusion. "Could it be someone you know?"


    "Impossible. After the apocalypse, our friends and parents... that''s why it''s so strange. Could it be that dying in the game world makes the real-world body disappear too?"


    "That definitely isn''t the case. There are only two possibilities: either the person who took Lawrence''s body has some peculiar hobby, or Lawrence isn''t dead at all and somehow managed to fool everyone.


    And it was him who took all your food in the real world."


    Hearing this, Helena frowned slightly and asked, "Is that possible?"


    "I can''t rule it out. Lawrence might have gotten his hands on some kind of sacrificial item. Of course, the odds are very slim. Do you want him to be alive?"


    "I don''t know... I just can''t believe that a friend of so many years could turn out to be like this."


    "People can surprise you. It''s perfectly normal. What you need to do now is decide whether or not toe to Dragonia, then have a good meal and rest."


    "Do I even have a choice? No food, no drinking water��I have toe to you, John. But let''s agree on this: when we meet, you better not bully me!"


    "Don''t worry."


    With those words, John and Helena exchanged a smile.


    "I''ll log off now and prepare. See you in ten minutes?"


    "Yes, see you in ten minutes."


    John nodded slightly, watching Helena disappear before him. The next moment, he suddenly remembered something.


    "No, no, I need to prepare. There are enough sleeping bags, but I can''t let her sleep with Exiled Immortal and me in the same room, can I? And I didn''t prepare any supplies for a girl..."


    After some thought, John also logged out of the game, waking up in the warehouse.


    Seeing Exiled Immortal still sound asleep beside him, John sighed softly. After tidying up the warehouse, he decided to light the stove and start preparing some food.


    At that moment, a hexagram magic circle appeared out of thin air before John, emitting brilliant light that shot straight into the sky, creating a passage connecting heaven and earth!


    Seeing this, John stood up nervously, his breathing instinctively quickening.


    As the light gradually dimmed, a figure began to emerge from the magic circle.


    "Helena, is that you?"


    "John, we''ve finally met!"


    Helena cheered as she jumped out of the circle and leaped straight into John''s arms.


    John gently caught Helena andughed, "You seem a bit heavier than in the game world?"


    "Nonsense! My weight has always been stable! Uh, where''s Exiled Immortal?"


    "Still in the game. I''ve prepared some food. Let''s fill our stomachs first and then give him a surprise."


    John pointed to the seemingly lifeless Exiled Immortal and smiled, "Do we look any different from what you imagined?"


    "Well... not much. Just as handsome as you are in the game!"


    Helena ruffled John''s hair yfully andughed, "Your hair is just a bit longer, but that''s no big deal.


    Mmm... it smells so good. What are we having? Let me see!"


    "It''s just some canned food. After the disaster, it''s hard to find fresh food."


    John turned around and took the boiling cans off the stove, cing them in front of Helena.


    Helena licked her lips, picked up a small piece of beef, and put it in her mouth, immediately showing a satisfied expression.


    "Although the texture is average, having hot beef in these times is quite a luxury. John, you really stocked up on a lot of food in advance. Are you some kind of prophet?"


    "It''s just a hobby that happened toe in handy. I''m not a seer. Go ahead and eat, I''ll step out for a bit. I''ll wake up Exiled Immortal to keep youpany."


    With that, John walked over to Exiled Immortal and kicked him on the butt. Due to the game mechanics, Exiled Immortal woke up instantly, looking at John in panic.


    "Damn, you scared me... John, what are you doing?"


    "Go see who''s here."


    "Who could possibly be here in this apocalypse... big sister?"


    Exiled Immortal followed John''s gesture and, upon seeing Helena''s signature fiery red hair, was stunned.


    "No way, big sister, how did you get here? Did you cross the ocean?"


    "Come here and let your sister give you a hug!"


    "Uh... better not. It''s improper for men and women to touch. Besides, you haven''t answered my question, big sister."


    "John gave me a Targeted Teleportation Scroll, so I came to Dragonia. Surprised and happy?"


    Exiled Immortal nodded and smiled, "That''s great! We can look out for each other from now on. John, you''re not fair. How could you not tell me about something so important until now?"


    "You eat my food, drink my water, and sleep in my ce. What''s the point of telling you? Alright, stopzing around and go chat with Helena. I''m heading out."


    "Where are you going, John? Big sister just got here, don''t you want to spend some time with her?"


    "I''m going to get some supplies. Helena might need them. Don''t worry about it; I''ll be back soon."


    With that, John didn''t give them a chance to ask further questions and left the warehouse directly.


    ...


    Actually, there was something John hadn''t told them.


    To understand the [Trickster] ss, he needed to return to the city center and meet [Deception Apostle] again.


    Thanks to his previous experience, the journey to the city center was much smoother this time. John reached the ruins in less than an hour.


    But the ruins had disappeared, reced by a bottomless chasm.


    "Sure enough, the [Abyss] has truly appeared."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed softly.


    When he hade herest time, there was no such chasm. It must have expanded rapidly after he left.


    However, John was unsure whether [Deception Apostle] still existed within the Abyss or if he had lost all his powers after transferring his Authority to John.


    Thinking of this, John walked straight to the edge of the [Abyss] and looked down. In that endless darkness, it felt as if a pair of soul-piercing eyes were staring back at him.


    "[Deception Apostle], can you hear my voice?"


    "To my surprise, what do you want from me?"


    Though the voice came from within the [Abyss], it felt as if it was directly transmitted into John''s mind. When he came to, [Deception Apostle]''s figure was already before him.


    "I thought you hadpletely disappeared."


    "You''ve only obtained my Authority, not my entire being. To make me disappear, you''d have to kill me, but with your current strength, that''s unlikely."


    [Deception Apostle] sneered, casting a disdainful nce at John, and continued, "So, speak inly. Why did youe looking for me?"


    "I want to know the full extent of the [Trickster]''s abilities. Or rather, what kind of help can your Authority provide me?"


    "I can teach you, but... I have one condition."


    "What condition?"


    "Once you have the power to kill a god, I want you to help me kill a [Deity]."

 Chapter 39 - 39-Trickster (Part 2)

    "Kill a god? Don''t be ridiculous. Two years ago, I couldn''t even defeat you. Now, in just two short months, you expect me to be capable of killing a god?"


    "You won''t know until you try. Besides, you underestimate my abilities."


    [Deception Apostle] turned around slowly, spreading his arms wide.


    "Lies, deceit, the most exquisite melodies of this world! You can achieve many unimaginable things with it, such as..."


    [Deception Apostle] paused, pointing to an empty spot beside him, and said in a deep voice, "Before your eyes, there should be a sword."


    "That''s impossible..."


    John instinctively questioned, but what happened next left him speechless.


    Before him, in the empty spot, a longsword appeared, embedded in the ground!


    "Go up and pull it out. Feel it carefully."


    [Deception Apostle] made a gesture of invitation, and John, incredulous, walked forward and grasped the sword.


    As he slightly swung his arm, the weight of the sword left him even more astonished.


    If this was the [Trickster]''s ability��to create objects out of thin air��it was unbelievably powerful!


    Seeing the confusion in John''s eyes, [Deception Apostle] chuckled and exined, "I told you, the lies I construct are the truth you see. The moment you believe it, it ceases to be a lie and bes reality.


    I told you there was a sword here. Though you expressed doubt, your inner hesitation made you believe my words for a moment, so the sword appeared."


    John was dumbfounded.


    He had imagined countless possibilities but never anticipated that the [Trickster]''s ability would manifest in such a manner.


    Understanding this power, it was no exaggeration to call it omnipotent!


    "But... what if the other person doesn''t believe it?"


    "Why wouldn''t they believe it? Have you forgotten the skills [Trickster] can learn at lower levels? Including Command and Affinity, as you grow, your words will be taken as gospel. At that point, every lie you utter will be truth.


    Of course, the ability''s activation requires certain conditions. Anything beyond the ability''s scope can''t be achieved, regardless of belief.


    For instance, if I said you have the power to kill a god right now, even if you believed it, you couldn''t kill a god because it''s far beyond my ability.


    Additionally, with your current strength, you can only use this power once every ten days. However, as you grow, the interval will shorten.


    Now, I have fully disclosed the [Trickster]''s abilities to you. You must agree to my condition, or our deal ends here."


    Hearing this, John frowned, hesitating.


    Killing a god.


    It sounded simple, but who knew how powerful these so-called [Deities] truly were?


    If [Deception Apostle] could alter reality with a single sentence, then what about the [Deities]?


    When a vague concept bes a tangible enemy you must face, despair naturally arises.


    "If it can be done, I won''t refuse."


    "John, don''t try to y such useless tricks with me. The moment I judge you capable of killing a god, our agreement takes effect. So, you can abandon any ideas of confusing me with vague concepts.


    Rest assured, I won''t send you to your death, as it would do me no good. Your task is to use all avable means to improve your abilities within the limited time, and I will provide you with assistance."


    "...I understand."


    John sighed. Though his little ploy was seen through, he didn''t feel too downhearted.


    After all, it was [Deception Apostle]; tricking him was exceedingly difficult.


    "Onest question."


    "Speak. Given that I''m in a good mood today, I might indulge you."


    "Besides you, when will the other [Apostles] and the [Abyss] appear? This is very important to me."


    "Soon. I can''t give you a precise time, but I can assure you their return isn''t far off. You have the means to restart everything, and the [Lord of Abyss] won''t sit idly by.


    Of course, their premature awakening will result in weakened power, which can be seen as giving you a fighting chance. How merciful."


    "If I want to contact you, besidesing to the [Abyss], is there any other way?"


    "For the time being, don''t contact me. I am being watched by certain entities."


    With these final words, [Deception Apostle]''s figure abruptly vanished from John''s sight, giving him no chance to ask more questions.


    But regardless, he had achieved one of his goals.


    The next task was to prepare some personal items for Helena.


    Arriving at the ruins near the supermarket, John frowned at the pile of rubble. After much hesitation, he decided to try using the [Trickster]''s ability.


    "The ruins blocking my path will disappear."


    Nothing happened.


    Unwilling to give up, John repeated themand, but the scene before him remained unchanged. He instantly felt as though he had been deceived, yet [Deception Apostle] had demonstrated this ability right before his eyes. There was no reason to joke about such a thing.


    "Am I using it the wrong way?"


    John scratched his head, still unable to pinpoint the issue. At that moment, Exiled Immortal, flying low with Helena, noticed John''s frustrated gestures andnded steadily in front of him.


    "John, I''ve been looking for you. What are you standing around here for?"


    "Exiled Immortal! Just in time,e over here."


    John''s eyes lit up as he hooked Exiled Immortal''s shoulder and pulled him close, pointing at the pile of rubble. "There should be some items and supplies left in the supermarket ruins, but the path is blocked."


    "Yeah, obviously. John, why are you stating the obvious?"


    "Don''t interrupt me. I ask you, do you believe I can make these ruins disappear?"


    "John, I''m young but not stupid. This is insulting. These ruins must weigh tens of tons. You say they''ll disappear just like that? How is that even possible?"


    "Ugh, forget it."


    Frustrated, John kicked Exiled Immortal aside and turned his attention to Helena.


    "Helena, do you believe me?"


    "Of course, as long as it''s you saying it, I believe everything!"


    As soon as the words fell, under the watchful eyes of the three, the pile of rubble began to diminish gradually until a path leading into the supermarket appeared!


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal was dumbfounded, unable to believe his eyes.


    "No way, John... John?"


    Exiled Immortal nced at John, only to find his face pale, sweat pouring down his forehead as if he had exhausted all his stamina. Seeing this, Exiled Immortal quickly moved to support John.


    "John, are you alright? Big sister,e over and check on him!"


    "Quiet, I''m fine. I just suddenly feel very tired..."


    John waved his hand, gasping for breath as he exined. He also understood [Deception Apostle]''s vague statement about not exceeding the scope of his abilities.


    The so-called "not exceeding the scope of abilities" meant aplishing something within a time frame, given his current strength.


    For example, with the rubble before him, given enough time, John could clear it all away. However, the stamina required was enormous.


    Thus, the rubble didn''tpletely disappear; it only formed a path.


    As a result, John had expended the stamina needed to clear that path, which was why he was so exhausted.


    "Damn bastard, how could he not exin something so important!"


    "Huh? John, what did you say?"


    "Nothing, nothing. Anyway, let''s go inside and see if we can find anything useful. Don''t worry about me. I just need... a rest."


    "Exiled Immortal, you go inside and check it out. I''ll stay here and look after John. Someone has already noticed this ce. Leaving him here alone makes me uneasy."


    "Alright, you two stay safe. I''ll be back soon."

 Chapter 43 - 43-Earn Points Like Crazy! (Part 1)

    "Damn! This is insane!"


    In midair, Exiled Immortal gasped as he watched arge number of goblins fall before the Trigger Magic Traps, instinctively putting in more effort.


    He had thought he was the chosen one to dominate this event, but it now seemed that everyone was just as formidable.


    There was no need to borate on John''s speed in harvesting goblins. Each time a trap was triggered, dozens of goblins were taken down.


    Plus, with the golem rampaging through the goblin horde, John''s killing speed was definitely the fastest.


    What was most surprising was Lily''s rapid umtion of points.


    The goblins killed by her were reanimated by Spirit Summoning, rejoining the battlefield.


    In just ten minutes, she had also harvested over a thousand points!


    Only Helena''s speed was slightly slower, but she specifically targeted high-level elite goblins.


    Although fewer in number, the quality of her kills ensured she kept pace with the others.


    "Don''t lose focus, the first wave of the monster tide ising!"


    Noticing the goblin chariots slowly approaching in the distance, John frowned.


    With a thought, the golem crushed the goblins in front of it into pulp and slowly advanced towards the goblin chariots.


    "Exiled Immortal, ascend and see when this wave of the monster tide might end!"


    "Not now... Damn it, these beasts have anti-air weapons! I''m pinned down!"


    A rain of arrows nketed Exiled Immortal, their sheer number forcing him to channel the azure wind to shield himself, deflecting the arrows.


    "Helena, fall back!"


    "Understood."


    Helena nodded slightly.


    The intense fighting of the past few minutes had indeed been physically taxing.


    In previous battles, most of thebat had been left to Exiled Immortal, as her talent did not provide her with additionalbat strength.


    After retreating into the fortress, John recalled the golem, replenished its chant essence, and waited for the goblin chariots to arrive on the battlefield.


    He observed the chariots, entirely made of wood, with an exaggerated design that included even more exaggerated ballista bolts, each nearly two meters in length, mounted on the back.


    John couldn''t quite understand how these green-skinned little creatures had managed to craft suchplex contraptions, but that wasn''t his primary concern at the moment.


    "There are two chariots in total. I''ll handle them. After this wave, there should be a brief respite. Use that time to replenish your stamina. Especially you, Exiled Immortal. Don''t overexert yourself.


    This major event willst at least a full day. If you exhaust your stamina now, what will you doter?"


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal blushed and nodded sheepishly, without retorting.


    He had indeed been a bit too eager, seeing his points fall slightly behind John and Lily''s, and John had noticed.


    "In any case, we need to hold out here as long as possible to earn more points. If anyone can''t hold on, retreat immediately. Don''t put yourself in danger and force others to rescue you. Understood?"


    "Understood!"


    As they spoke, the goblin chariots had already arrived outside the fortress.


    The goblins at the helm let out piercing screams, while the smaller goblins at the back quickly loaded the nearly two-meter-long bolts onto the ballistae.


    "The division ofbor is quite clear, but it''s a pity it''s of no use."


    John sneered,manding his golem to rejoin the battlefield. He aimed at the nearby goblin chariot as the armor on either side of its shoulders slowly unfolded, revealing two dark cannons.


    "Fire!"


    Boom!


    A thunderous explosion erupted in front of him, shaking the ground beneath his feet. In an instant, the once-menacing goblin chariot was reduced to dust, not even leaving a single piece intact!


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal swallowed hard and sighed.


    "I''vee to understand, winning first ce in this event probably has nothing to do with me. But can I at least strive for second ce?"


    "That''s not certain. While you were daydreaming, Lily''s points already surpassed yours."


    Helena curled her lips into a smile and said, "And the difference between us isn''t that great either. I think I still have a chance to surpass you."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal hurriedly opened the team panel, only to see that Lily had already broken through 3000 points, leaving him stunned.


    After all his hard work, he barely had around 2500 points, yet Lily had exceeded him by nearly 500 points!


    He then nced at Helena, who had 2300 points, very close to his own.


    As for John, he waspletely out of reach, with a terrifying score of over 5000 points that made Exiled Immortal tremble.


    "I-I''m not really chasing points. I just want to help everyone as much as possible..."


    Lily stuck out her tongue, a bit embarrassed, as she stroked her staff.


    "It''s alright, Lily. Earning those points is a testament to your skill, unlike some people who boasted grandly before the event started but are now left speechless."


    Helenaughed softly behind her hand, though her eyes never fully left the battlefield.


    After John dealt with the goblin chariot, the three rejoined the fray. Despite having already fought a major battle, they worked even harder, clearing the remaining monsters in less than twenty minutes.


    "I''m exhausted... absolutely spent..."


    Controlling his flying sword to pierce through thest surviving goblin, Exiled Immortal slowly descended, copsing to the ground and gasping for breath.


    It wasn''t that he had forgotten John''s advice to conserve his stamina; it was simply that Exiled Immortal had been targeted.


    In the four-person team, he was the only one with the ability to fly, and the goblin tide had no shortage of anti-air measures��spears, arrows, and even basic magical fireballs and ice spikes were continuouslyunched at him.


    He had to control his flying sword while also watching out for hidden projectiles from the shadows, which greatly drained his stamina.


    "Who told you to show off? That''s not how a swordsman ss is supposed to be yed. You could have charged into the monster horde and gone on a killing spree, but no, you had to float in the air like a target. I really don''t understand your thinking."


    John rolled his eyes and kicked Exiled Immortal aside, then found a spot to sit down.


    "You don''t get it, John. Sword flying... is a man''s romance."


    "A romance for immature brats, maybe. What kind of man are you?"


    "Enough with the chatter. Let''s take stock of our loot. The goblin corpses disappear automatically, and the dropped items go directly into our backpacks. Check if there''s anything useful; if not, exchange it for event points."


    "Right! I was wondering why it seemed so strange. With the number of goblins we''ve killed, their bodies should have piled up into a mountain by now. Turns out they disappear automatically? Hey, that''s quite a user-friendly design."


    Exiled Immortal smirked and then opened his yer inventory to take a look.


    The quantity of dropped items was immense and varied, but most weremon metals or low-quality weapons, useful perhaps to John butpletely worthless to Exiled Immortal.


    Helena and Lily were in a simr situation.


    After handing over any potentially useful materials to John, they exchanged the rest of the junk equipment for event points.


    As for John, he naturally found some valuable items.


    [Goblin Shaman''s Amulet]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Traits: [Increases Wisdom by 70 points when worn, but slows casting speed, casting time, and efficiency.]


    Panel Attributes: [Stamina increases by 5 points]


    Item Description: [@#$%@$#%!(Goblinnguage)]


    Looking at the hasty item description, John chuckled and handed the essory to Lily.


    After all, among the four of them, Lily was the only one with a mage-like role, making it useless to John himself.


    Next, John took out a second item.


    [Goblin Hunter''s Eye]


    Quality: [Epic]


    Traits: [Increases Agility moderately and Stamina slightly when worn. Increases field of vision moderately but gradually decreases sanity.]


    Panel Attributes: [Stamina increases by 25 points, Agility increases by 15 points]


    Item Description: [Don''t worry, you don''t need to rece your eye with this disgusting thing, nor do you need to swallow it. Just click to equip it. It''s that simple.


    Of course, be mindful of the duration of use.]

 Chapter 44 - 44-Raking in Points! (Part 2)

    "Helena, this is for you."


    "I don''t want it!"


    Seeing the eye, asrge as a goose egg and covered in blood and viscous fluid, Helena felt a wave of nausea.


    She couldn''t fathom how something so disgusting could be made into equipment.


    She wouldn''t wear it, not even if it killed her!


    "Give it a try. It might be very effective."


    "No way, absolutely no way! Take it away!"


    Seeing Helena''s genuine revulsion, John shrugged, not pressing the issue, and then turned his gaze to Exiled Immortal.


    "What about you? Want to try it?"


    "Why not? It''s just a game. If the equipment is strong, I''d even wear a pile of dung on my head!"


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand grandly, epting John''s gift and immediately equipping the eye.


    Seeing this, Helena quickly stepped back, looking at Exiled Immortal with a newfound sense of disdain.


    But she couldn''t deny the effectiveness of the equipment.


    The increased field of vision and enhanced attributes were a perfect match for Exiled Immortal, making his alreadymanding view even broader.


    "It''s great stuff, big sister! It''s a shame you don''t want it."


    "There''s no need. You keep it."


    "Hey, even if you begged, I wouldn''t give it... Whoa! John, the goblins areing again!"


    Looking into the distance, Exiled Immortal saw figures darting through the dense forest. He swiftly descended, urgently saying, "Is the second wave of the goblin tide about to start?"


    "Judging by the time... it seems like it. Prepare for battle. Exiled Immortal, I still rmend not staying airborne unless necessary."


    "I''m used to it, John. If you suddenly make me change, I won''t adapt."


    Without looking back, Exiled Immortal soared into the air, leaving John with only a graceful silhouette.


    Seeing this, John sighed softly and said no more.


    He just positioned his golem and awaited the arrival of the goblin tide.


    Compared to the first wave, the second wave showed a significant improvement in both quantity and quality.


    The main force had shifted from themon cave goblins to goblin warriors, with an average level around 18.


    Furthermore, elite units such as berserker goblins and cavalry goblins appeared at the rear.


    If John remembered correctly, thisrge-scale event''s goblin tide attackprised ten waves.


    In his previous life, John had only managed to withstand up to the sixth wave before being overwhelmed by the elite goblin troops and hastily withdrawing from the battlefield.


    This time, however, John wanted to see what kind of monsters would appear in the tenth wave.


    With that thought, he took a deep breath and quickly enteredbat mode.


    With John''s currentbat strength, along with the arrival of Exiled Immortal and Helena, they easily withstood the second wave and even obtained another [Epic] piece of equipment.


    Unfortunately, the equipment was only suitable for the warrior ss, so John decisively exchanged it for event points.


    Throughout Calia City, battles were everywhere.


    Countless goblins swarmed into Calia, causing immeasurable chaos.


    Even the likes of Exiled Immortal and Helena, the most elite of the pioneering teams, were awestruck by the sheer scale of the monster tide.


    It was even more daunting for ordinary yers.


    It''s no exaggeration to say that the sessive waves imed the lives of at least three hundred yers, who were torn apart by goblins and lost their livespletely.


    In fact, not just in this firstrge-scale event, but in every subsequent event, many yers would meet their end here.


    They came with the mindset of giving it a try, yetcking the strength to protect themselves, they ended up in a state of regret and frustration. John often witnessed such scenes.


    Compared to John''s tranquility, the city had descended into hell.


    Goblins swarmed every street and alley, but the yers struggled to mount a strong resistance. asionally, a small team managed to hold their ground, only to lose their will to fight against the overwhelming numbers.


    Until, exactly one hour after the event started, the server-wide announcement appeared again.


    [One hour into the event, the leaderboard will soon be activated, ranking yers based on the points they''ve earned. Only individual points will be counted, not team totals.]


    Upon hearing this, Exiled Immortal''s eyes lit up.


    "Hurry! Check my rank!"


    "What''s there to check? I don''t care at all."


    John smirked, pocketing the damaged Trigger magic trap, and continued, "I''m definitely in first ce anyway."


    "Yes, yes, John is the greatest~"


    Exiled Immortal pouted, her tone dripping with sarcasm as she opened the leaderboard.


    At the top was an anonymous yer, with 10,455 points. It was obvious that it was John, who never liked revealing himself.


    She was right behind, holding second ce with 7,441 points, just 10 points ahead of Lily in third ce.


    As for Helena, she was a bit further behind, with 5,632 points, ranking fifth.


    "So, the yer in fourth ce seems pretty good! John, should we recruit them?"


    "Fourth ce? What''s their name?"


    "Why don''t you check it yourself?"


    John frowned and red at Exiled Immortal, but he still opened the leaderboard.


    If this yer was as good as Exiled Immortal suggested, John might consider recruiting them.


    But...


    When John saw the ID, his smile froze, and his expression darkened.


    "S."


    John knew this ID all too well!


    The person who took the [Legendary] item he gifted, the one who ended his life with his own hands, who chose betrayal over loyalty, and evenmitted that disgraceful act against Lily��who else could it be?


    Just seeing this ID made John''s anger re up.


    Noticing John''s change in demeanor, Exiled Immortal hesitantly patted his shoulder, asking, "Jo-John, are you okay?"


    "Huff... I''m fine. Let''s not bring up this topic again. If any of you get the chance to meet this person, do me a favor and kill him."


    "...Got it, John."


    Exiled Immortal and the others exchanged nces, their curiosity piqued but unvoiced.


    It was the first time they had seen John like this, so enraged that his hands trembled uncontrobly.


    Usually, he always had a smile on his face, but now, showing such a state, how could they not be curious?


    "I know what you want to ask. All I can say is that there is an unresolvable grudge between him and me. If I see him, I''ll kill him at any cost. I was impulsive just now; this is my problem, and I shouldn''t drag you into it. If you see him, please let me know."


    "Johnny... I don''t know why you''re so angry, but Lily will support you!"


    "I haven''t killed anyone before, but if he''s your enemy, then he''s our enemy."


    "All I can say is, messing with us means this S. is out of luck!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in a certain alley in Calia,


    swung his greatsword with all his might, turning the goblin in front of him into mush, finally able to catch his breath for a brief rest.


    After sheathing his greatsword, S. slumped against the wall. Before he could even out his breathing, a chill ran down his spine.


    "Strange, what''s going on?"


    This feeling was like being watched by a hidden viper, making him feel prickly all over.


    If this was the immersion effect of the event, it was too exaggerated.


    "However, that anonymous yer is really strong, their points have already broken five digits. If I get the chance, I''d love to meet them. Maybe I could get some treasures from them.


    Speaking of which, my greatsword needs recing.


    Using an exquisite-quality item until now has be quite a strain; it can''t even crush those green monsters'' heads anymore. How about... I just steal one?"


    With that thought, S. fixed his gaze on a yer who had just acquired an [Epic] quality item and was strutting around proudly.


    After confirming his target, S. nonchntly drew the dagger from his waist and slowly crept closer.

 Chapter 50 - 50-The Destined One (Part 1)

    "John, are we leaving now?"


    Returning to Ad Vige after such a long time, the rare, tranquil, and peaceful atmosphere made Exiled Immortal and the others reluctant to leave.


    In Calia, they spent most of their time fighting, always thinking about how to get stronger, how to be the first to clear thetest dungeon, and how to advance the main storyline.


    But here, all their anxiety suddenly disappeared.


    They no longer had to worry about theirbat power and could enjoy the moment.


    These were things they could never experience in Calia.


    "Leaving is necessary, but before we go, I want to prepare some gifts for the vige chief."


    Since he had given arge amount of materials to the cksmith Ferris, naturally, he couldn''t forget Grandpa Chief. It had to be fair.


    "How about this: give me half an hour to brew some potions for Grandpa Chief, just in case. After all, once we leave, we can''t ensure his safety."


    Hearing this, Lily''s eyes lit up. "That''s a great idea! Although Grandpa Chief can''t use our equipment, he can still use consumables like these."


    It was understandable since, among the four of them, Lily had received the most care from Grandpa Chief.


    Those early simple quests were all assigned to her by the chief, who also introduced her to John.


    She had always wanted to repay him but hadn''t found the opportunity.


    Now that John was willing to brew some potions for Grandpa Chief, Lily was naturally overjoyed.


    "Johnny, do you need us to prepare anything for you? Materials?"


    "No need, I have all the materials I need. I''ll head back to my house first and find you in half an hour."


    John smiled and waved, bidding farewell to Lily and the others before returning to his small wooden house.


    In the safety of his hideout, John didn''t have to worry about being disturbed or ambushed while practicing alchemy.


    Besides, he also wanted to store away some materials he didn''t need at the moment.


    Meanwhile, at Vige Chief Haren''s house, Lily nced at the time, growing a bit anxious.


    "Johnny said it would only take half an hour, but it''s been forty minutes now. Do you think something happened to him?"


    "It shouldn''t be. John went back to his own ce, right? No one can get in without his permission. He''s probably just having some trouble with the crafting. Let''s wait a bit longer."


    Helena''s rationality led her tofort Lily, though she too felt a twinge of unease.


    She knew John had a strong sense of time.


    If he said thirty minutes, it was because he had ounted for unexpected dys.


    "Should we... go check on him?"


    Exiled Immortal rubbed his palms on his thighs, feeling the same unease.


    "I know where Johnny''s house is. I''ll go check on him. Maybe I''ll meet him on the way."


    Lily volunteered, and after a moment of thought, Helena didn''t object.


    "If anything seems off,e back and inform us immediately."


    "Don''t worry, Sister Helena."


    Lily nodded slightly, then hurriedly left Vige Chief Haren''s house and jogged towards John''s ce.


    When Lily arrived, she found the door tightly closed.


    She knocked gently, calling out, "Johnny, are you in there? You''ve been gone a while, and everyone''s a bit worried. Are you okay?"


    "..."


    There was no response from inside.


    Lily, unwilling to give up, asked a few more times, but still received no answer.


    "Johnny! Can Ie in? Why aren''t you responding?"


    Lily''s voice grew increasingly anxious, but John, inside the room, remained oblivious.


    "Where am I?"


    Gazing at the endless expanse of chaos around him, John furrowed his brow, puzzled.


    "Where am I?"


    He only remembered that after failing to craft the magical item, he wanted to rest for a bit and then rejoin Lily and the others. Suddenly, he found himself here.


    In this empty world, the only thing visible was a faint, star-like light flickering in the distance, seemingly guiding John forward.


    The only certainty was that this ce didn''t seem dangerous.


    After all, inside his small wooden house, it was unlikely anyone could ambush him.


    "This means it must be connected to me somehow. Is it the work of that [Deception Apostle], or something else? It has to be the [Deception Apostle]."


    As his thoughts raced, John noticed the distant light seemed to grow brighter. He instinctively moved towards it.


    "A new face."


    "No, it''s your body..."


    "Who''s speaking? Hello?"


    "Come towards the light. I''m waiting for you here!"


    After saying this, the voice seemed to run out of strength.


    No matter how much John called out, there was no further response.


    Helpless, John could only race towards the light.


    Here, time and space seemed infinitely stretched.


    John couldn''t tell how far or how long he had been walking, but the light never got any closer, always hanging distantly on the horizon.


    "Damn it! What do I do now?"


    Unable to approach or leave, John stood frozen, frowning deeply.


    "What, you can''t keep up after just a few steps?"


    "Can we drop the riddles? I can''t walk over to you, and you refuse to appear. What am I supposed to do?"


    John scratched his head, exhaled deeply, and continued towards the light. This time, it seemed the distance was shorter.


    He could vaguely make out a figure, but it was too ethereal, barely visible.


    "As long as you keep walking, I''ll be here waiting for you!"


    "I wish you coulde and get me! It''s easy for you to say, standing there. While I don''t feel tired, endlessly walking is really frustrating, you know?"


    "I... I can''t."


    "Who exactly are you? And where am I now?"


    "When you meet me, you''ll know."


    John: "..."


    Though it was incredibly annoying, this seemed like an opportunity, so John had to keep his patience and continue forward.


    To John, it felt like he had been walking for nearly four hours before he finally reached the edge of the light.


    A long shadow gradually emerged behind him.


    And that voice grew closer, as if right next to John''s ear.


    "I''ve finally met you, my destined one."


    "You better be stuck here, or you can forget about me forgiving you!"

 Chapter 53 - 53-Elves (Part 1)

    "Why do I keep feeling like someone is watching me from the shadows, making my back feel cold?"


    Helena frowned, the sensation of being watched making her particrly uneasy.


    With Exiled Immortal having lost aerial control, Helena had taken on the role of the team''s eyes.


    As a hunter, her instincts were rarely wrong.


    John turned around, lowering his voice to a whisper that only a few could hear, "We are likely being watched by the elves who ambushed us earlier."


    "So what do we do? Should we try to find them?"


    "We can''t act rashly for now. The Elf Queen''s power is formidable, probably much stronger than General Delvia. It''s not wise to make her an enemy."


    The elves were not as easy to deal with as Lord Calia.


    If you showed hostility, the Elf Queen would not care about your yer status; anything that threatened the existence of the elves would be eradicated by nature itself!


    With this in mind, John continued, "If we get a chance, we should try to negotiate with them. If not, we must proceed with caution. In the [Deep Forest], the elves are a force we can''t avoid. If rtions turn sour, we might miss out on many opportunities."


    "Sigh, how troublesome. Does this mean we''ll always have to build good rtions with NPCs whenever we enter a new area?"


    "Most likely, yes."


    This is the charm of [Apocalypse].


    To yers, NPCs are just lines of code, mere tools. But to NPCs, aren''t yers just passersby?


    The purpose of this design is to make yers constantly aware that every decision they make will have corresponding consequences, even affecting their very lives.


    ...


    Deep in the Forest.


    Watching John and hispanions move steadily forward, the scout team grew increasingly anxious.


    Whether by coincidence or fate, John and his group were heading straight toward the elves'' sanctuary.


    If they weren''t stopped soon, they would inevitably intrude upon it.


    "Elowen, what should we do? The Queen forbids us from acting on our own. Are we just going to watch them enter the sanctuary?"


    "Absolutely not!"


    Elowen''s brows furrowed as he red intently at John''s back. She spoke coldly, "Lorien, return to the sanctuary immediately and inform the Queen of the situation. We''ll dy them for now. No humans are to approach the sanctuary until the Queen decides what to do!"


    "Be very careful. Those humans are strong!"


    "Don''t worry, we''ll be fine."


    As Elowen spoke, he drew an arrow from his quiver and nocked it, aiming at Helena''s back.


    "Watch out!"


    Before Elowen could even release the bowstring, Helena seemed to sense the danger and quickly ducked behind a tree, shouting, "There''s hostility!"


    "Elven scouts! We mean no harm! The earlier incident was a misunderstanding. We''re willing to make amends!"


    John raised his hands high, exposing himself in the clearing.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal and the others couldn''t help but feel a surge of anxiety for John.


    Though they knew John had acquired equipment that could absorb damage, there was no guarantee that luck would always be on their side.


    "Oh stars! Shine down and protect all beings! Starbeam Shield!"


    Lily chanted softly, and a gentle barrier formed in front of John.


    "Intruders! This is elven territory. Leave at once, or we shall fight to the death!"


    "Don''t shoot! Please listen to me! We unintentionally trespassed on elven territory. We are merely passing adventurers who happened toe here. We can leave!


    Earlier, we harmed yourpanion, and we are truly sorry. Here is a token of our apology."


    As he spoke, John nced at Exiled Immortal. Though reluctant, Exiled Immortal took out [Lord Michel''s Breeze Armor] and ced it on the ground.


    Sensing the gentle wind element emanating from the armor, Elowen, hidden in the shadows, furrowed his brow and became even more alert.


    "Humans are known for their deceit and treachery. We do not need your offerings. Take your belongings and leave the forest!"


    "It was you who attacked us first,unching an ambush. We were merely defending ourselves. Now I have shown you enough sincerity. Is this how elves treat their guests?"


    "You are intruders, not guests! Leave immediately, or face the consequences!"


    "Damn it! We''ve been polite enough. Why do you keep nagging? John, I say we take him down!"


    Affected by the negative status of his equipment or perhaps irritated by the elf''s unfriendly attitude, Exiled Immortal''s patience was wearing thin, and his mood was worsening.


    "No, if we conflict with the elves, we can''tplete the second ss change."


    John shook his head gravely, still unwilling to give up. He continued, "We can''t leave. Calia has encountered a Goblin Invasion. Arge number of goblins have appeared suddenly, and Calia cannot fend off such a vast number. We came to seek aid!


    Indeed, we are intruders, butpared to the mindless goblins, I believe a wise race would make a better neighbor.


    You must understand the principle that if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. If Calia is overrun by goblins, do you think the elves can remain unaffected?"


    "The elves fear no enemy!"


    "If you truly are unafraid, why hide in the forest?"


    Bullseye.


    Gazing at John''s calm expression, Elowen found himself in an internal struggle.


    The Goblin Invasion of Calia city didn''t need verification, as they had already dispatched several scout teams to investigate the situation.


    The grotesque and foolish creatures hadunched a frenzied attack on human territories, a highly unusual event.


    John''s words had undeniably nted seeds of concern.


    "Why should I believe you?"


    "Because right now, I''m still trying to persuade you rather than kill you. You''re right in front of me, in the treetop. The scent of an elf is easy to recognize."


    Hearing this, Elowen''s heart tightened.


    During the conversation, she had changed her position several times to confuse John and hispanions.


    Yet, this human had pinpointed her location, proving he had a way to track her all along but chose not to attack.


    Once they lost their home-field advantage, elves were known to be significantly weaker inbat.


    "...You''ve convinced me."


    Finally, Elowen put away his arrow and leaped down from the treetop, walking slowly towards John.


    It must be said, elves were indeed a beautiful race.


    With fair skin, delicate features, a well-proportioned body thatbined strength with grace, and those particrly noticeable pointed ears, they were truly striking.


    "However, if you wish to meet the Elf Queen, you will need to bind your hands. The elves can no longer afford any risks."


    "No problem."


    John agreed immediately, without even a thought of bargaining.


    Gaining the elves'' goodwill was already a significant achievement.


    As for binding their hands, it made little difference to John and hispanions. John had already shared a small trick with Helena and the others.


    Whenever yers disconnect from the game, their status bars are refreshed upon re-login, clearing all negative statuses, including but not limited to poisoning, bleeding, and paralysis.


    Unless inflicted with a fatal wound like Qing''s, which leads to unavoidable death, a simple disconnect and reconnect can solve many issues.


    This is why there are areas and zones where disconnection is not allowed.


    Following Elowen''s instructions, John bound his hands with vines, finally letting out a sigh of relief and revealing a gentle smile.


    "I''m d I could convince you. I really don''t want to be at odds with the elves. Also, regarding the earlier unpleasantness, here is somepensation. Please ept it and give it to the elf who was identally injured, as a sign of my sincerity."


    "...You better not be up to any tricks."

 Chapter 54 - 54-Elves (Part 2)

    "How humiliating! In Calia City, when have I ever endured such indignity?"


    Exiled Immortal tried to break free from the vines binding his hands, but the green tendrils were exceptionally tough.


    After several attempts, he couldn''t move them an inch and eventually gave up the thought.


    This encounter left him feeling quite disgruntled.


    After nearly three months of ying, Exiled Immortal had more or less grasped the uniqueness of this game, including the mutually respectful rtionship between yers and NPCs, which he hade to ept.


    But this unprovoked hostility really irked him.


    "Hang in there. We should be there soon. Haven''t you noticed the insect noises are getting weaker?"


    "Big brother, you even noticed that? No wonder you''re number one��such a freak."


    "Pay more attention. It''s actually quite fascinating. Some settings mirror the real world exactly. In ces where people gather, insect sounds diminish, or NPCs'' attitudes vary based on your reputation and ss. We''re here, just up ahead."


    After passing through the final barrier of green, their view suddenly opened up!


    A cluster of buildings nestled in the Deep Forest came into view.


    Unlike the medieval architecture of Calia, the buildings here seamlessly blended with nature.


    Wooden structures and bamboo houses were everywhere, with vines used for binding and bamboo nails for fastening.


    Everything was crafted from nature, exuding a stunning beauty.


    "Wow, it''s so beautiful..."


    Lily''s eyes sparkled with stars, and she was dazzled by the variety of flowers.


    "All this greenery, what''s so great about it..."


    Exiled Immortal muttered under his breath, then turned to Elowen with irritation, "So, when are you going to let us go?"


    "Once we confirm you''re not a threat."


    Elowen''s response was equally cold.


    It was evident that among the elves, he belonged to the militant faction.


    Just as human society has different viewpoints, the elves were also divided into factions.


    There were the conservatives who were unwilling to expand and content to stay within the dense forest.


    Then there were the militants who wanted to venture out of the forest and secure arger habitat.


    Naturally, there were also some who remained neutral, always observing and thus perpetually undecided.


    Elowen, being a highly respected young elf, was naturally unwilling to live only within the dense forest. The sky and rivers, mountains and valleys��everything in the world was a blessing from [The Nature Goddess Nymph]!


    As they walked through the elven habitat, John and his group, dressed in their peculiar attire, inevitably attracted the attention of other elves.


    Some elves were more curious than hostile, continuously scrutinizing John and hispanions.


    However, some were extremely angry, as if ming John and his group for all their misfortunes.


    They hurled curses, and some even threw stones.


    Fortunately, Elowen stopped them.


    To the other elves, these humans might have appeared as prisoners of war, but Elowen knew that John had willingly bound his own hands.


    If a conflict had erupted, it was highly likely he would have lost his life.


    Despite the situation, John showed no anger. Instead, he kept persuading hispanions not to mind, which made Elowen feel a twinge of guilt.


    "Sorry, some of my kin hold great hostility towards humans. It was my oversight; I should have had you wear hoods."


    "It''s alright. A few stones won''t hurt. Whether human or elf, judging a person''s worth solely based on their race or status is foolish and shallow. I don''t mind, of course."


    "Elves are not foolish! We are just..."


    "That''s a stereotype, unchangeable, just like how humans are seen as deceitful and cunning in your eyes, while elves are linked to foolishness. I''m here to break that stereotype, through my actions. Even if it means binding my hands and being pelted with stones, I have noints. But I don''t see any of yourpanions making any effort to change."


    Showing goodwill does not mean showing weakness.


    If John remainedpletely calm even in such a situation, he wouldn''t just be a good person; he would be a pushover.


    Hearing John''s words, Elowen lowered his head, a hint of shame shing in his eyes.


    John''s words left him speechless, because it was the truth.


    His kin, without understanding the circumstances, had unjustly directed their anger at John and hispanions.


    "Sorry..."


    "The ones who should apologize are those who attacked, not you."


    "I can''t change their minds, but I can change mine. What I mean is, human, please forgive my earlier rudeness. Regardless of race, you are a being worthy of respect."


    "Stop calling me ''human''; it sounds awful. My name is John."


    "Elowen, Elowen Vis."


    After exchanging names, John finally followed Elowen to the pce at the heart of the habitat.


    Gazing at the pce enveloped in vines, Elowen frowned in confusion.


    This was not the first time he had seen the pce covered in vines.


    It was known that only the Queen had the power to do this. But why would she?


    Unable to think of a reason, Elowen decided not to dwell on it and approached with utmost respect.


    "Your Majesty, Scout Squad Leader Elowen Vis reporting. I have brought back the humans and have restrained them. Please make your decision."


    There was only silence; Elowen received no response.


    Unwilling to give up, he was about to speak again when the vines covering the pce began to stir, eventually receding back into the ground.


    "Elowen, how could you bring humans into the habitat without permission?"


    "Your Majesty, earlier today, the Goblins invaded the human territory of Calia City, a matter you are already aware of. These humans... John and hispanions, havee from Calia seeking aid.


    To show their sincerity, John and hispanions willingly bound their hands and offered a suit of armor to mitigate the previous misunderstanding.


    ...In truth, it was I who attacked John and the others without orders.


    They were forced to defend themselves, which resulted in Aeris getting injured. I should bear full responsibility for this incident."


    Hearing this, John was genuinely surprised.


    He had thought Elowen was merely speaking, but he hadn''t expected him to actually admit the truth for their sake.


    If it weren''t for the long-standing conflicts between their races, he might have be good friends with this somewhat stubborn elf.


    "Why didn''t you exin the reason before?"


    "Before... I was afraid of being punished, so I concealed the truth. But John showed me his sincerity.


    On the way to the pce, when some of our kin threw stones at them, John only persuaded hispanions not to get angry.


    In the dense forest, I repeatedly provoked them, yet they, despite having the ability to kill me, chose to show restraint. Through these actions, I judged on my own that John is a trustworthy person."


    After speaking, Elowen lowered his head, biting his lip hard.


    ording to thews, causing harm to elven interests due to personal feelings would result in exile to the Whispering Forest.


    Elowen was already prepared for exile.


    However, after waiting for a long time, the Queen did not pronounce any punishment. Gathering his courage, Elowen looked up and met the Elf Queen''s gaze.


    "Elowen, do you understand the consequences if your judgment is wrong?"


    "I... I understand."


    "Yet, despite this, you chose to trust that human. You, who have such deep hatred for humans, were willing to make this change. Perhaps this human named John is indeed different. Therefore, let him enter the pce, but do not lift the restrictions on him and hispanions."


    "I understand, Your Majesty!"


    Elowen''s heart filled with joy as he hurried out of the pce, a smile spreading across his face.


    "John, the Queen is willing to see you!"


    "We heard. Thank you for mediating."


    "Consider it an apology for my earlier rudeness. However, I still can''t lift the restrictions on you and yourpanions for now."


    "No matter, this is already quite fortunate."


    John vividly remembered that in his previous life, his rtionship with the elves had always been strained.


    He had grinded until nearly level 50 withoutpleting his second ss change.


    It was only with Lily''s help that he managed to improve rtions with the elves, barely entering the Whispering Forest toplete his ss change quest.


    Compared to his previous life, this was already a perfect start. What was there toin about?


    Besides, it was almost time for John''s second ss, [Trickster], toe into y!

 Chapter 66 - 66-Just a Laughable Lie (Part 1)

    "Damn it, damn it! I''m hungry again..."


    Lawrence leaned against the stone wall, his expression osciting between maniacalughter and pained sighs, as if two entirely different personalities were battling within his troubled mind.


    One voice kept urging him to continue the killing spree, while the other repeatedly questioned why he was there.


    The constant sh of these voices had driven Lawrence to madness.


    "I shouldn''t be here, I shouldn''t be... here."


    But no matter how hard he tried, Lawrence couldn''t remember where he was supposed to go.


    "No, John! I''m here to kill John. That''s right! If I kill John, my headache will stop."


    It was as if Lawrence had a moment of rity, and the voices in his head finally aligned.


    He had to kill John.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the sixth level of thebyrinth.


    The torch in John''s hand flickered in the wind, casting orange-yellow light that made his shadow dance on the ground.


    "What a horrible smell... like rotting corpses. Ugh, it''s unbearable!"


    John covered his nose and mouth, ncing at Elowen, whose face had turned deathly pale. John sighed softly.


    The scent of blood was the most repulsive smell to elves.


    Elowen had endured the difort and stayed with John until now, despite the adverse conditions.


    "If you can''t handle it, it''s alright to leave."


    "I''m fine, Master John. I just need some time to adjust..."


    "Don''t push yourself. Since I brought you here, I''ll make sure you get back safely. Otherwise, I won''t be able to face your queen."


    John extended the torch, trying to illuminate the path ahead as much as possible.


    And then, he saw a horrifying scene.


    Not far away, the ground was littered with gruesome remains, with signs of gnawing still visible on them.


    The sight was so repulsive that Elowen immediately fell to his knees and started retching.


    His physical difort couldn''t be hidden with a simple "I''m fine."


    Seeing Elowen in this state, John walked over and patted him on the shoulder.


    After a moment''s thought, he handed Elowen a gas mask he had made for use at the alchemy station.


    "Put this on. It might make you feel better."


    "Th-thank you..."


    Elowen steadied himself, wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand, and struggled to stand up. He put on the gas mask, and the stench lessened significantly.


    "By the way, Master John, I kept hearing a rustling sound earlier. I thought it was my imagination, but now that the smell has lessened, I still hear it."


    Elowen raised his hand, pointing in a direction, and said in a serious tone, "The sound ising from over there."


    "A rustling sound? Can you be more specific? Is it some kind of monster or footsteps?"


    "Um... neither."


    Elowen shook his head, his sharp ears twitching as if listening intently. John slowed his breathing, trying to make as little noise as possible.


    "It sounds more like... chewing?"


    "Chewing?"


    John frowned, feeling increasingly puzzled.


    "Let''s check it out. If it''s a monster, we''ll deal with it. If it''s Lawrence..."


    He didn''t finish the sentence, but they both understood. If it was Lawrence, he wouldn''t be leaving here alive.


    Using the faint light from the torch, John and Elowen cautiously moved forward.


    The chewing sound grew clearer to John, making them both tense up, ready for any sudden encounter with an unknown threat.


    Then, they saw it: a figure crouched on the ground, gnawing on a decaying corpse. John was startled by how close they had gotten without noticing.


    "Lawrence?"


    John''s brows furrowed as he tentatively called out, but the figure gnawing on the corpse gave no response.


    "Lawrence!"


    John''s shout finally stirred the figure on the ground. After a moment of dazedness, Lawrence turned his head towards John.


    His once fairly handsome face was now smeared with blood and grime, rotting flesh clinging to his skin.


    Upon closer inspection, there was even half a chewed insect wriggling at the corner of Lawrence''s mouth.


    Seeing this, Elowen couldn''t hold it in and vomited again. Fortunately, he managed to remove his gas mask before doing so, avoiding a mess inside the mask.


    John patted Elowen''s shoulder reassuringly and motioned for him to step back.


    "Step back. Leave the rest to me."


    "Sorry, Master John, I..."


    "It''s okay. I understand."


    John waved his hand dismissively, then turned his attention back to Lawrence.


    "Look at you, Lawrence. What a pitiful sight you''ve be."


    "John, you''re John!"


    "I''m surprised you still remember my name. Have you forgotten that you were once human?"


    John nced at the mangled corpse Lawrence had been feeding on, its ribs exposed. He sighed.


    "Why do this to yourself? If Helena saw you like this, what would she think?"


    As John spoke, his hidden hand gripped the [Firewalker Dagger] tightly.


    "Helena... who is that? No, it doesn''t matter! You''re John! I just need to kill you, and the damn voice will stop! Killing you is all I need!"


    Lawrence''s lips curled into a maniacal smile, his eyes wild with madness.


    In the next instant, a giant sword appeared out of nowhere. Lawrence swung it, and the gust of wind from the swing sent chunks of flesh flying towards John!


    The sudden turn of events didn''t throw John off bnce.


    He calmly threw out the giant carnivorous nt seed while positioning his short sword in front of his chest to brace against the blow.


    After all, Lawrence was a knight ss with high stamina and attack stats, making it impossible for John to match him in a direct confrontation. But, as the woman had said, alchemy could bring about miracles!


    Even if it meant stalling, John could oust him!


    In an instant, the giant carnivorous nt sprang up, piercing through the entire sixth level of thebyrinth.


    Its massive trunk exuded a tremendous pressure, standing firmly between John and Lawrence!


    This alchemical creation, capable of restraining and consuming behemoths, formed a barrier that seemed insurmountable for Lawrence.


    To kill John, Lawrence would have to cross this chasm!


    But Lawrence, who had rampaged through thebyrinth with impunity, wasn''t about to be stopped by a mere nt.


    "[ss Skill: Holy Light Cross sh!]"


    Lawrence shouted, his giant sword enveloped in blinding light. Each swing sent a radiant de flying out, striking the giant carnivorous nt''s trunk.


    After three shes, the nt''s stem was teetering, its life force rapidly draining as sap gushed from the wounds.


    "Thorn Cage!"


    John, shocked by the sight, quickly responded. Modified seeds, enhanced through alchemy, burrowed into the ground, and countless vines shot up, forming a cage around Lawrence!


    "[ss Skill: Unbreakable Barrier!]"


    Boom!


    With a thunderous crash, Lawrence drove his sword into the ground.


    A barrier of holy light erupted in front of him, grinding against the thorn cage, producing a nerve-wracking screeching sound as the two forces shed.


    However.


    The vines ultimately weren''t as resilient as the shield of light. With a series of snapping sounds, the vines all broke!


    "Now, what else do you have that can stop me, John?"


    As Lawrence shouted menacingly, John couldn''t help butugh. Hisughter was wild and unrestrained, causing John to double over.


    Lawrence was taken aback, clearly not understanding what was happening.


    "Shut up! What''s so funny? John, you''re on the brink of death!"


    "On the brink of death? Hahaha! You really are foolish! Before seeing you, I didn''t understand, but now, I think I get it. Why you''re still alive, yet your name isn''t on the Leaderboard. It''s because this is nothing more than a ridiculous lie."

 Chapter 67 - 67-Just a Laughable Lie (Part 2)

    "What... what lie? John, do you think I won''t kill you just because you''re spouting nonsense? It''s all your fault I''m like this!"


    "Wrong again. The fact that you ended up like this is entirely your own doing. You have no one to me but yourself."


    John scoffed, raising his head to look directly into Lawrence''s blood-red eyes. He spoke steadily.


    "After the disaster, allws disappearedpletely. Nothing could bind you anymore, so you unleashed the nature you had kept hidden inside.


    You were always cruel and inhuman; it was thew that forced you to suppress your nature. Now, your chance hase.


    Your almost pathological need for control makes you want to dominate everyone and everything around you.


    So, whenever someone or something beyond your control appears, you do everything you can to eliminate it.


    Qing, Helena, and I all faced this because you knew deep down that you could never control us, so you chose to kill us."


    John took a deep breath, put away the [Firewalker Dagger], and stood with his hands empty, calmly looking at Lawrence.


    "Aren''t you curious? You were clearly killed by Lily''s [Starfall], so how could you be alive again?


    Let me reveal the truth to you. There is no such thing as resurrection.


    Even if there were, a miracle like that would never happen to someone as rotten as you. The fact is, you''re dead. You just can''t ept it, so you''ve fabricated this lie that you''re still alive."


    At this point, John was certain that all this was the work of [Deception Apostle].


    Otherwise, how could Lawrence be standing here, alive, when all evidence pointed to his death?


    "I can even smell the foul stench of [Deception Apostle] on you. Don''t you get it? You''re already dead."


    Hearing this, a locked-away memory in Lawrence''s mind seemed to awaken. He took a few steps back, shock written all over his face.


    "This... this can''t be. I''m not dead! You''re talking nonsense!"


    "Stop deluding yourself. The whole world has epted your death. You''re the only one who can''t. What''s the point of clinging to this?"


    "No! Absolutely not! You''re lying. It''s you who''s lying! How could I..."


    Lawrence''s voice cut off abruptly.


    His chest swelled rapidly, like a scene from a horror movie where something is about to burst out from within.


    In that moment, a brief rity returned to Lawrence''s eyes.


    He looked up at John, a calm smile spreading across his face.


    "John, I''ll be waiting for you in the Abyss!"


    Bang!


    As soon as he finished speaking, his body exploded, sending shards of flesh and blood flying.


    John stepped back, staring intently at the figure of [Deception Apostle] rising from within Lawrence. His voice was unnervingly calm.


    "I knew it had to be you behind Lawrence''s situation."


    "Just a little joke. Besides, without him, how else could I get a vessel to sneak in?"


    [Deception Apostle] shrugged and smiled. "But regardless, I''m pleased to see you''ve mastered the abilities of a [Trickster]."


    "Even death can be deceived. The more I think about it, the more I realize that partnering with you was a mistake."


    "Don''t say that. Up until now, I''ve never lied to you."


    "Who knows? Enough talk. Why are you here?"


    "Two things."


    [Deception Apostle] brushed the bloodstains from his clothes and straightened the folds on his shoulders before speaking in a serious tone. "First, the soul you asked me to find��I brought it."


    With that, [Deception Apostle] tossed a pure white crystal, about the size of a fist.


    "This is Qing''s soul. Extracting it wasn''t easy."


    "Thanks. I owe you one for this. What''s the second thing?"


    "You''ve probably sensed it too, right? [Lust] is sealed here, in the deepest part of thebyrinth. He shouldn''t have appeared in the game world, but I don''t know the exact reason why he did."


    "Since you''re here now, help me kill [Lust] and take his power."


    "Sorry, no can do."


    [Deception Apostle] shook his head with a wry smile. "Do you think an [Apostle] is like a final boss in a game? No, no, no. It''s far moreplicated than that.


    I don''t know why [Lust] is here. The only thing I know for sure is that he is an immortal presence in this world.


    To put it in your terms, [Lust] is like a malignant bug. Only the game''s developers can delete this bug. We can''t."


    "What do we do then?"


    John frowned, his face darkening. Knowing that an [Apostle] was right there but being unable to do anything about it was a huge blow, making it hard for him to ept.


    "There is a way. When [Lust] wakes up, he will be at his weakest. If we can forcibly remove him from the game world then, we can figure out a way to eliminate him. I can help you."


    "And now you''re going to say you have a condition, right?"


    "Bingo! You''re pretty smart. I enjoy talking to smart people; it''s much easier."


    [Deception Apostle] smiled and then looked at the scattered remains of Lawrence''s body, a hint of regret in his eyes. "You killed the vessel I painstakingly found. You need to find me a new one, so I can appear in the game world whenever necessary."


    "Why should I help you? What''s in it for me?"


    Allowing such a ticking time bomb to freely switch between the real world and the game world was something John would never agree to unless he was out of his mind.


    But what [Deception Apostle] said next left John with no room to refuse.


    "What if I told you that before me, another [Apostle] had already awakened and infiltrated, hiding somewhere right now? Would you believe me?"


    John''s face changed dramatically.


    "What did you say?"


    "You heard me. I don''t need to repeat myself. You can choose not to believe me, and I will still help you. But the consequence will be that if this [Apostle] gathers enough power and fully restores their abilities, you, yourpanions, and even the entire world will be doomed. So, John, what will you choose?"


    Facing [Deception Apostle]''s smiling gaze, John remained silent.


    He couldn''t urately judge whether [Deception Apostle] was telling the truth, and he didn''t dare make a rash decision.


    If what he said was true, and another [Apostle] had already infiltrated, it would lead to a catastrophic disaster once they were ready!


    The only way to deal with a tiger was to set another tiger loose in the forest!


    With this thought, John exhaled deeply.


    "It seems you''ve made your choice."


    "Tell me, who has infiltrated the game world?"


    "[Betrayal Apostle]. Somehow, he didn''t fall into slumber. I only recently found out and came to you immediately."


    "[Betrayal Apostle]..."


    John rubbed his temples, his mind racing. In the end, he chose to agree. He really had no other option.


    "I''ll find a new vessel for you, but before that, you must do everything you can to help me kill [Lust]."


    "No problem. That''s why I came here today. I hope we can work well together."


    John hesitated for a moment before firmly shaking [Deception Apostle]''s outstretched hand.


    "[Lust] will take some time to awaken. In the meantime, you need to find a new vessel for me. Once [Lust] wakes up, we must remove him immediately. If he activates his power, even I won''t be able to handle it."


    "Handle it? Is [Lust]''s power that strong?"


    "It''s not about strength. It''s... a very twisted ability. You''ll understand once you experience it firsthand."

 Chapter 75 - 75-The Meeting of Apostles (Part 1)

    [Deception Apostle] turned back to John, smiling, and said each word deliberately.


    "The greatest trait of humans is their longing for freedom, no matter the circumstances. I''m no exception.


    Alright, enough talk. I''m off to enjoy my freedom. See you in three days."


    [Deception Apostle] waved and walked away, leaving John with a carefree gesture. His figure gradually became more ethereal until it vanished.


    After bidding farewell to [Deception Apostle], John leaned against the railing and let out a long, helpless sigh.


    Coborating with [Deception Apostle] felt like dealing with a devil.


    There was always the risk of being bitten.


    All John could do was to strengthen himself as much as possible before [Deception Apostle] turned against him.


    He never entertained the thought that [Deception Apostle] would help him obediently.


    He vaguely remembered [Deception Apostle] saying he wasn''t content with being just a pawn.


    John had every reason to suspect that everything [Deception Apostle] was doing now was justying the groundwork for bing a yer himself.


    The day he gains the power to control others'' fates, he would undoubtedly betray John without hesitation.


    Lost in thought, John didn''t notice Helenaing through the door and walking slowly up behind him.


    "Hey! Haha, did I scare you?"


    "A little... alright, you got me. How did you sleep?"


    Startled, John turned to face Helena''s smiling eyes and breathed a sigh of relief before asking, "I saw you log offst night. Did you sneak off to eat something?"


    "Of course not! I just felt a bit stuffy and wanted to go out for a walk. Although I studied abroad in your country, this is my first time in your capital. I had to go out and explore."


    "So, did you see what you wanted to see?"


    "Not at all. It''s all ruins and monsters everywhere. The whole world is like this. It''s no different from my home. Maybe this was once a beautiful city, but now, it''s all the same."


    "Actually, Riverside was never a beautiful city. You just had too high expectations."


    John shrugged and smiled, "Do you regret it? Leaving home toe here, only to find it''s nothing like you imagined?"


    "There''s nothing to regret. Even if I had to choose again, I would stille to you. But what have you been up to these days? Always so secretive. Spill it! Have you been up to no good behind my back?


    I asked Exiled Immortal yesterday, and he was all evasive, clearly hiding something!"


    "That terrifying female intuition... Why hasn''t Lily noticed anything?"


    "You think Lily''s stupid? She just doesn''t ask. It doesn''t mean she doesn''t know something''s off. Lily has noticed things aren''t right for a while, but you know her nature--always gentle and soft. If you don''t want to talk, she won''t press you.


    But I''m not like that. If you don''t tell me, I''ll get mad right now! Spill it!"


    "You... really want to know?"


    Facing Helena''s determined gaze, John hesitated, then sighed deeply.


    "I can tell you, but you need to be prepared."


    "Pr-Prepared for what?"


    "The day Exiled Immortal and I went to thebyrinth, we saw Lawrence."


    As John uttered Lawrence''s name, Helena''s smile froze. She stood there, stunned, unable to speak.


    After a long silence, Helena exhaled deeply and asked in confusion, "Lawrence... how could he be here? Isn''t he dead? And why didn''t you tell me this before?"


    "Because Exiled Immortal and I couldn''t exin it either. How Lawrence, who was supposed to be dead, suddenly appeared is beyond ourprehension. Also, I had my own reasons. I was worried that if you knew Lawrence was alive, you might act impulsively."


    John sighed deeply, feeling a pang of regret. If he had known he would have to tell Helena eventually, he might as well have told her from the beginning.


    "I... John, where is Lawrence now?"


    "That''s the second thing I need to tell you. I did see Lawrence, but he died again, right in front of me, turning into a pile of rotting flesh. If he were still alive, I would have brought him to you. But he died right before my eyes... I''m sorry, Helena. I didn''t mean to hide it from you, it''s just..."


    "I understand. You don''t need to apologize. I never intended to me you. It''s just a pity I couldn''t see Lawrence onest time. There were questions I wanted answers to."


    Helena was surprisingly moreposed than John had expected. He had anticipated a much more intense reaction, but she seemed to take it in stride.


    "What, did you think I''d throw a tantrum and start a huge fight with you? Someone who chose to betray us isn''t worth trusting anymore, and Lawrence is no exception. Alright, if there''s nothing else, I''ll head back. Even if I''m not sad, I still need to process this sudden news...


    So that''s that. From now on, no matter what happens, don''t hide it from me. Remember, we are friends, aren''t we?"


    " Friends... huh?"


    John lowered his head and let out a long sigh. "I understand. I''m sorry for making decisions on my own."


    ...


    Meanwhile, deep within thebyrinth!


    A series of crisp footsteps approached, tearing through the gray mist floating in the air as the figure advanced deeper into thebyrinth.


    "Even from afar, I could smell your stench. After all these years, haven''t you thought of taking a bath, [Lust]?"


    "...You, why are you here? Where is this ce?"


    "You don''t know why you''re here? Strange. Could it be that you were identally caught in the temporal flow of the time reversal as well? But that doesn''t matter. What matters is, [Lust], you''ve angered our master. Repeated insolence, defiance, and ignoring orders.


    You even conspired with [Betrayal Apostle] against the master''s kin. Do you think the master is unaware? It was just that the time wasn''t ripe, so you were spared. Now, the time hase, and your good days are over, [Lust]."


    "[Deception Apostle], you liar. Do you think I would believe you?"


    "Believe it or not, I''ve delivered the master''s message. Now you have only two choices. Either surrender all your authority, and I might find you a vessel to stay in this world. Or you can refuse, and when you fully awaken in three days, how much power will you have? A fifth? Probably not even that.


    When that timees, and I forcibly strip the authority from you, you''ll have no leverage left. If you''re smart, you''ll agree to my proposal. So, what will it be?"


    "Authority is a blessing personally granted by the master. No one else has the right to strip it away, not even you!"


    "It seems there''s nothing more to discuss then."


    [Deception Apostle] sighed, a hint of regret shing in his eyes.


    "In that case, there''s no need for me to stay here. I''ll see you again in three days when you awaken."


    "Wait!"


    Just as [Deception Apostle] turned to leave, [Lust] called out to stop him.


    "[Deception Apostle], are you sure the master really knows about that matter?"


    "What do you think? If even I know, how could the master be unaware? You conspired with [Betrayal Apostle] to kill John and did that to Lily. The master didn''t kill you on the spot because the time reversal was too sudden. Otherwise, formitting such a sin, you would be dead for sure!"


    "I... I spent nearly a thousand years to achieve what I have now. No one can make me give it up, not even the master! [Deception Apostle], you must help me, or I will reveal everything about that incident!"

 Chapter 76 - 76-The Meeting with the Apostle (Part 2)

    Upon hearing this, the [Deception Apostle] narrowed his eyes, a ruthless gleam shing within them.


    "Are you threatening me? It seems you still haven''t grasped your current situation. What right do you have to negotiate with me?"


    "I don''t care! I won''t give up! You should be well aware of the effort we''ve put in to get this far! If you don''t help me, once our master learns of what you''ve done, he won''t spare you either!"


    At this point, [Lust] was already in a state of reckless abandon, with what little sanity remained nowpletely gone.


    "[Deception Apostle], let''s cooperate! How about we join forces? If you help me escape, the two of us together might even stand a chance against the [Deity], don''t you think? Let''s team up!"


    "Should I call you naive, or adorably foolish? You''re overestimating yourself and underestimating the [Deity]. However... if you were to die, it would indeed affect my ns.


    I have a proposal. If you agree, we''ll cooperate. If you don''t, pretend I was never here. As for tattling, do as you wish."


    "What proposal?"


    "You can transfer part of your core authority to me. I''ll safeguard it temporarily. Once this affair is settled tomorrow, I''ll return the authority to you. This way, you save your life, and Iplete the task our master assigned me. It''s a win-win. How about it?"


    "Impossible!"


    Without a moment''s hesitation, [Lust] tly rejected [Deception Apostle]''s proposal.


    "You''re utterly untrustworthy. Besides, if I entrust my core authority to you, what if you don''t keep your word? You''re the embodiment of lies; I can''t possibly trust you recklessly!"


    Upon hearing this, the [Deception Apostle] couldn''t even be bothered to argue, turning to leave.


    "...Wait! I agree, but I have one condition!"


    As the words fell, the [Deception Apostle] paused once more, a sinister smile appearing on his face, still turned away from [Lust].


    "What condition?"


    "This part of the core authority, I will seal it. Besides me, not even the master can unlock it. I won''t allow anyone else to touch it. If you agree, we will cooperate."


    "No problem. But I also have one condition: if I help you through this, you must do something for me."


    Realizing the gravity of the situation, [Lust] understood their vulnerable position and did not argue further, merely giving a soft acknowledgment.


    "So, a pleasant cooperation?"


    "[Deception Apostle], even if just this once, I hope you will keep your word."


    "Why does everyone think I am untrustworthy?"


    "There''s no need for pretense. You know who you are. After this, I will do my utmost to help you."


    With that, [Lust] attacked the seal once more.


    The seal fortified by ria shattered instantly, and a red-ck light emerged from the fissure, willingly cing itself into [Deception Apostle]''s hand.


    Confirming that this light was indeed [Lust]''s core authority, [Deception Apostle] suddenly smiled.


    "Then, see you in three days?"


    "Don''t forget your promise!"


    ...


    As [Deception Apostle] stepped out of thebyrinth, he suddenly paused, unable to suppress the joy within, bursting intoughter.


    "[Lust], oh [Lust]! After all these years, why are you still so foolish? Despite everything, haven''t you realized that the one certainty is that you should never trust me?"


    Gazing at the radiant light in his palm, [Deception Apostle] took a deep breath.


    After a moment of silence, he abruptly tore open his chest, revealing a deep wound down to the bone, exposing his heart beating wildly within.


    "In the face of lies, nothing is absolute. After all these years, you still don''t understand. Since that''s the case, I will dly ept your authority."


    Merging the light into his heart, in an instant, this portion of the core authority waspletely under [Deception Apostle]''s control. As for the safeguards [Lust] had ced on it, they were effortlessly wiped away.


    From the beginning, [Deception Apostle] had never intended to cooperate with anyone, especially not a fool like [Lust]. Bing his ally would only bring harm, with no benefits whatsoever.


    "In three days, there will be no more [Lust] Apostle in this world. As for your authority, I will inherit it for you!"


    ...


    In a sh, three dayster!


    Before dawn, John knocked on the rooms of Exiled Immortal and the others, gathering everyone into one room.


    "Although we yers don''t need sleep and never feel tired, knocking on doors in the middle of the night is really not friendly, John. Can''t whatever it is wait until morning? Does it have to be today?"


    Exiled Immortal rubbed his temples, taking a deep breath before continuing, "So, what''s so urgent?"


    "Tomorrow, you all need to stay in the Elven habitat and protect it well. There might be some upheaval. Of course, it''s just a possibility, and hopefully, nothing will happen. But if danger arises, you need to protect the Elven habitat from being destroyed by rampaging monsters."


    Hearing this, Helena and Lily exchanged a puzzled nce.


    "John, is there some newrge-scale eventing up?"


    "No, it''s not exactly arge-scale event. Do you rememberst time when Exiled Immortal and I went to the depths of thebyrinth? There, I saw some peculiar existences. On a strange sealing array, there was a clear countdown of three days, and today is when the countdown reaches zero."


    "I''m a bit worried that something unexpected might happen. After much hesitation, I''ve decided to go and check it out personally. Once I confirm there''s no risk, I''lle back right away, so there''s no need to worry."


    "John, isn''t this a bit too risky? If there''s really something dangerous in the depths of thebyrinth, can you handle it alone?"


    "He''s not alone."


    Just then, the door suddenly opened, drawing everyone''s attention. When they saw who had entered, Helena and the others were stunned.


    "The Queen of the Elves?"


    There was no mistake. Even though they had never seen ria before, her unrivaled beauty and unique level 60 status clearly marked her identity.


    "Over the past few days, John has exined the situation to me. After dawn, I will apany John to the depths of thebyrinth to investigate. While I''m away, I must trouble you all to guard the Elven habitat. Once this matter is resolved, there will be generous rewards."


    ria approached the round table without changing her expression, doing her best to avoid ncing at John.


    "With the Elf Queen''s help, there should be no problem. John, just don''t be a burden!"


    "Get lost!"


    Back in Calia City, the general''s level wasn''t this exaggerated. He was already a reliable ally, but a level 60 Elf Queen? She could easily bring destruction.


    "Since no one has any objections, it''s settled. I''ve already given the light armor and weapons to the Elf Queen. There will be Elven warriors joining us to guard the habitat. As for the existence in the depths of thebyrinth... I''ll deal with it as quickly as possible!"


    "No matter what happens, make sure to protect yourself."


    Helena bit her lip gently, her eyes full of concern.


    "Don''t worry, I will return safely!"


    ...


    Outside, the sky gradually brightened, with the warm sun breaking through the clouds, casting its light upon the earth. John immediately stood up, exchanged a nce with ria, bid farewell to Helena and the others, and turned to leave.


    At the next corner, ria also paused.


    "John, are you sure you don''t need me toe along?"


    "Your situation is like a ticking time bomb. There''s no telling when it might suddenly go off. It''s safer for me to go alone than to bring you along."


    "I''m sorry... for such an important matter, yet I can''t do anything to help you."


    "You''ve already helped me a lot. The rest, I''ll handle. Don''t worry, I''ll be fine."


    "Then so be it... Just make sure youe back alive!"


    Meeting ria''s slightly reddened eyes, John smiled.


    "If Ie back alive, let''s go on a journey together. Staying here is too boring. I''ll take you to see the world outside."

 Chapter 77 - 77-A Hard Battle! (Part 1)

    John still left.


    The resurrection of [Lust] was imminent, leaving no time for him to entangle with ria or anyone else.


    If [Lust] were to fully awaken, it would spell catastrophic disaster for the entire world!


    With this in mind, John let out a deep breath, crushed the teleportation scroll, and arrived just outside thebyrinth.


    Here, there were hardly any other yers in sight, except for one personzily perched on a tree branch, chewing on a de of grass. Noticing John, he leapt down from the branch, dusting off his clothes.


    "You''re here early. Seems like you''re really scared of [Lust]."


    "Cut the crap. Tell me, what are our chances?"


    "Sixty percent? Maybe seventy. Who knows? After all, private fights between [Apostles] are forbidden. If caught, both would face severe punishment. So, it''s been a long time since Ist fought [Lust].


    Whether we can win depends on how much strength he has left."


    "Well... let''s hope we can win."


    "Don''t be so pessimistic. Come on, let''s go!"


    The [Deception Apostle] was surprisingly excited, seemingly eager to kill [Lust]. Since it was all to John''s benefit, he didn''t say much more and followed the [Deception Apostle] into thebyrinth.


    Perhaps influenced by [Lust], the monsters in thebyrinth had be unusually aggressive. On their way, John was attacked by at least a hundred monsters.


    Although dealing with them wasn''t particrly difficult, John''s stamina was inevitably drained, leaving him less than perfectly prepared to face [Lust].


    In contrast, the [Deception Apostle] remained calm, as if the monsters couldn''t see him, deliberately avoiding him and focusing all their attention on John.


    The [Deception Apostle] showed no intention of helping, clearly enjoying watching John struggle.


    "So, still holding up?"


    Facing the [Deception Apostle]''s slightly mocking gaze, John snorted and wiped the blood off his short sword.


    "Piece of cake."


    "That''s good. I was worried you might not be able to handle it and I''d be forced to help. I really don''t want to intervene. If certain entities notice me and decide to erase my existence, it wouldn''t be worth it."


    "I''m just a bit concerned. If the monsters inside thebyrinth are this aggressive, who knows how the ones outside are behaving? They might attack the Elven habitat."


    John sighed, a hint of helplessness shing in his eyes. At this point, all he could do was ce his hopes in Helena, Lily, and the others.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the Elven habitat!


    ria''s condition was deteriorating.


    The influence of lust made it nearly impossible for her to think clearly, forcing her to iste herself and hand overmand to Elowen.


    "First squad,e here to receive chant essence. Make sure to hold off the monsterspletely. We cannot let them break through the defenses and enter the habitat!"


    "Archer squad! Use long-range attacks to continuously suppress the monsters, easing the burden on the first squad."


    "Logistics squad, constantly resupply strategic materials--arrows, chant essence, logs, chevaux de frise! We can''t afford anypses in the defense lines due to ack of supplies!


    This is a matter of life and death for the Elven race. Master John and Her Majesty the Queen are fighting formidable enemies in thebyrinth, risking their lives for our survival. We must not let the Queen down!


    We absolutely cannot let even a single monster break through the defense lines. Fight to the death!"


    Elowen raised her arm in a rallying cry, feeling immensely gratified as she looked at her fellow Elves, whose spirits were high.


    "As for you, Lady Helena, the task of breaking through the enemy lines is entrusted to you and your team. If any part of the defense line is overwhelmed, please resolve it immediately. Once this is over, the Elven race will offer generous rewards."


    "That''s fine. It''s been too long since we''ve had action; we''re starting to get rusty."


    Exiled Immortal smiled, and with a casual wave, a gust of green wind arose, like an invisible giant hand lifting him into the sky, overlooking the monsters below.


    Seeing this, Helena exchanged a nce with Lily, then both drew their weapons and leapt from the treetops into the fray!


    It was no exaggeration to say that this monster tide''s invasion was even more ferocious than the goblin invasion during therge-scale event!


    Under [Lust]''s influence, the monsters inhabiting thebyrinth had lost all reason, turning into mindless beasts driven solely by their basest instincts.


    Countless blood-red eyes fixed hungrily on the Elves.


    There was no count of one, two, three to start the battle, no countdown to announce the war''smencement. The ughter began abruptly!


    "Deploy chant essence! We must withstand the first wave of attacks!"


    Elowen crushed a chant essence, the shimmering light merging into the magic patterns on her body, and a light shield formed instantly!


    In these three days, the Elves had gathered as many materials as possible.


    John had managed to craft over a hundred sets of armor and weapons, barely enough to arm the Elves.


    Though this number was far from sufficient, it was all John could achieve in the limited time!


    Armed with light shields, the Elven warriors formed a wall of flesh and blood.


    As long as they stood, no monster would breach their defenses!


    "[ss skill * Sword Rain Fall!]"


    From the sky, Exiled Immortal shouted, and countless sword shadows formed behind him, flying out under hismand.


    The sword energy crisscrossed, forming an imprable web, turning the area before him into a vacuum in an instant!


    But the monstrous numbers filled the gaps in a blink, continuing their assault on the defenses!


    "[Astreos, God of the Stars, please unleash your wrath and punish my enemies! Starfall!]"


    As one of the few members with area-of-effect skills, Lily stood in the most perilous spot--a direct path leading from thebyrinth, where countless monsters gathered.


    Despite the danger, her beautiful face showed not a hint of fear.


    She simply gripped her staff tightly, her red lips parting to utter an intricate incantation.


    Then, meteors began to fall from the sky, exploding again and again within the monster tide.


    How many monsters she killed, Lily couldn''t tell. She could only hear the incessant chime of experience points being gained, ringing continuously in her ears!


    "Watch out!"


    At that moment, over ten sonic bats suddenly burst out from the monster tide.


    Having experienced their might before, Exiled Immortal immediately changed direction, ready to deal with them first.


    But just then!


    More than a dozen blood-red crossbow bolts shed and pierced through the ugly skulls of the sonic bats with ease, leaving them no chance to resist.


    They fell into the monster tide, trampled into pulp!


    Exiled Immortal looked towards Helena, who smiled.


    "Don''t worry, I''ll protect the both of you."


    "Big sis, thank you."


    For a moment, the situation reached a stalemate.


    But neither Helena and her team nor the Elven Elowen showed any sign of relief in their eyes. Everyone knew this was just the beginning; the real challenge had yet toe!


    "A gold-tier monster has appeared!"


    Noticing a monster about five meters tall, Exiled Immortal swiftly moved with the wind, rushing forward!


    If the gold-tier monster reached the defense line, the Elven warriors would not be able to hold it off. This monster had to be taken down now!


    "Exiled Immortal, don''t be reckless!"


    "Master Exiled Immortal!"


    The moment Exiled Immortal charged, both Elowen and Helena noticed, calling out to stop him, but it was already toote.


    With Exiled Immortal gone, the pressure on the defense line suddenly increased!


    Without someone who could see everything and strike with precision, the monster tide would no longer be held back!


    "[Spirit Summoning!]"


    Lily mmed her staff down, and the mountain of monster corpses before her moved like puppets on strings, attacking the monsters behind them.


    Yet even this could only hold back the monster tide for a brief moment.


    After all, the Elven warriors numbered only a hundred. Facing thousands, they couldn''t hold out for long.


    Unlike yers, NPCs, once injured or exhausted, would lose their fighting capabilitypletely.


    They needed reinforcements, more and stronger ones!


    Otherwise, the defense line would be breached in no time!

 Chapter 78 - 78-Fierce Battle! (Part 2)

    "Die...!"


    Exiled Immortal roared, his figure descending like a falling star, his longsword effortlessly piercing through the gold-tier monster''s skull, pinning it to the ground.


    But when Exiled Immortal turned around, he saw signs of the battle line copsing!


    "Damn it, there are just too many of them, and we''re too few. How much longer can we hold out?"


    They could have simply walked away. After all, this wasn''t a major event, nor was there any special reward. It was merely an unexpected situation they stumbled upon, nothing more.


    Once the defense was breached, tens of thousands of monsters would flood into the elven habitat, devouring and tearing apart every elf here.


    Should they leave?


    Staying here wouldn''t change the situation and might even lead to their deaths.


    Yet, leaving like this, Exiled Immortal''s conscience would be uneasy.


    Grinding his teeth, Exiled Immortal manipted the green wind to wrap around his longsword, shing through the monster tide, rapidly depleting his Stamina. Three longswords had already let out mournful cries, ultimately shattering, unable to hold on any longer.


    Despite this, the monster''s assault showed no signs of waning!


    It wasn''t until Exiled Immortal''s Stamina could no longer keep him afloat, forcing him to return to the ground, that he realized only thirty minutes had passed.


    Thirty minutes that felt like an eternity.


    Could they still hold on?


    Exiled Immortal nced around, arriving at a negative answer.


    Impossible. Both he and the elven warriors were nearing their limits.


    "I... I''ve done my best. In the end, there''s no reward for this. Why should I risk my life here?"


    "If this continues, we won''t even have a chance to escape!"


    "Think about your life, Exiled Immortal. You''ve worked so hard to achieve what you have today. Are you really willing to throw it all away for a bunch of NPCs?"


    Exiled Immortal ran his hands through his hair in frustration, lowering his head and gasping for breath.


    Not far away, the defensive line was continuously retreating, on the brink of copse.


    Helena was still darting around, relieving the pressure on the elven warriors.


    As for Lily, her mana was already exhausted, her face pale.


    "It''s time to go!"


    If they didn''t leave now, they would all die here.


    As this thought crossed his mind, Exiled Immortal struggled to stand. He inadvertently locked eyes with the elven girl he had once saved.


    Her tear-filled eyes sparkled with hope, piercing through Exiled Immortal''s facade, striking him to the core.


    "Please, save us..."


    "Exiled Immortal, I want to live..."


    Exiled Immortal stood there, stunned as if struck, his mind a nk.


    "Saving them is impossible. Unless the God of War arrives, no one can stop this monster tide.


    Hmm... Maybe John could? But that''s irrelevant. Whether John can even return is a question."


    Exiled Immortal exhaled deeply, drawing his sheathed sword once more and holding it before him.


    "Though I can''t save you, I can die with you."


    "Damn it, fight! Whoever chickens out is a coward!"


    With a loud roar, Exiled Immortal charged into the monster tide. With each sh and every downward strike, blood sttered everywhere!


    The sticky blood had almost turned Exiled Immortal into a figure of crimson. His entire body burned with pain--he must have been injured, though he wasn''t sure when.


    He could hardly think anymore, mechanically and numbly swinging his longsword. Monsters surrounded him on all sides, so his attacks never missed.


    "Master Exiled Immortal..."


    Elowen gritted his teeth, his vision growing increasingly blurry, his breathing rapid.


    Though he longed to charge in and kill to his heart''s content, he couldn''t.


    If he left the defensive line, it would be a breach, instantly overrun.


    "Will the elven race truly perish today?"


    "What did we do wrong?"


    "The elven race may face extinction one day, but it won''t be today!"


    As these words fell, the ground copsed with a thunderous roar. Countless vines and man-eating nts surged madly from the earth, mercilessly harvesting the monsters'' lives!


    "Y-Your Majesty!"


    Noticing that figure, Elowen''s expression lifted with renewed vigor.


    "The fate of the elven race is in our hands! My people, do not fear the wounds. As long as I stand, no one can harm you!"


    [Nature''s Breath!]


    ria spread her arms wide, the ground beneath her feet cracking like a spider''s web. Buds grew and blossomed, green light drifting from their centers. As soon as it touched the elven warriors, it absorbed into their bodies, healing their wounds.


    Vines shot up from the ground like the sharpest des, easily piercing through the monsters'' bodies, transforming the battlefield into a blood-stained garden!


    But it was still just a drop in the ocean.


    One must understand that ria was merely holding on by sheer willpower. [Lust] had not yet been dealt with, and her condition was deteriorating. How much longer she couldst was something even ria didn''t know.


    But she knew one thing.


    This was the elves'' homnd, and as their queen, she could not tolerate her people risking their lives while shey helpless in bed, watching the elven race perish!


    "How much longer..."


    ria gritted her teeth, her state worsening.


    Fighting the overwhelming surge of lust while maintaining [Nature''s Breath], ria felt she was about to faint.


    "John... please, help me, won''t you?"


    Inexplicably, ria''s mind was filled with images of John.


    This impolite human, who didn''t understand tenderness, had unknowingly be ria''s beacon of hope.


    She could only hope that there was still a chance.


    "Is there still hope?"


    Of course, there was!


    Knowing the terrifying influence of [Lust], how could John have left without any preparation?


    "Finally! Finally, it''s done! One of my greatest alchemical feats, resurrection of the dead!"


    In a secluded bamboo house within the habitat,


    Seraphina raised her arms in triumph, looking at the nearly perfect body before her, as if it were a work of art, her eyes filled with joy.


    "Now, the final step remains, to return his soul to the body..."


    Seraphina took out a pure white crystal, norger than a fist, which contained a human soul, asionally flickering and emitting a milky white glow.


    Seraphina crushed the crystal and embedded it into the lifeless body before her.


    And so!


    "The dead... shall rise!"


    ...


    Boom!


    A loud explosion erupted from within the elves'' habitat, immediately catching Helena''s attention.


    "Did a monster break through the defense line?"


    This thought shed in Helena''s mind. She was about to drag her exhausted body to deal with any stragglers when a cold glint shot past her cheek, plunging heavily into the monster tide!


    Immediately afterward, a figure descended from the sky,nding atop a long halberd,ughing loudly.


    "Damn it! Your daddy Qing is back!"


    Seeing this scene, Helena, Exiled Immortal, and the others stood in stunned silence, their minds nk!


    It was real...


    They had thought John was merely joking, but as Qing appeared before them, countless questions flooded their minds.


    "Yo, everyone''s here. Where''s John? Hahaha! I need to thank him properly!"


    Qing leapt down, hoisting the halberd onto his shoulder. With a casual punch, he opened a bloody hole in the face of a monster.


    "Qi-Qing?"


    "What, surprised to see me? Actually, I''m surprised too. But, catching up can wait. Let''s deal with the immediate trouble first."


    Qing shouted, his arms surging with immense power, like an unbreakable wall, protecting everyone behind him!


    "So, let me test the power of my new ability."


    Talent: SSS-level [God of War''s Unyielding Belief]


    After resurrecting, Qing''s talent had also evolved.


    When he killed a certain number of enemies, he would gain permanent attribute increases.


    And there was no limit!


    A terrifying, growth-oriented talent, paired with Qing''s monstrousbat prowess, made Qing the battlefield''s war god at this moment!


    In this moment, the countless monsters before Qing seemed like tempting packets of experience!


    "Now, the counterattack officially begins!"

 Chapter 97 - 97-Dragon Hunt! (Part 1)

    "Damn! Did you see that, John? A major event! The second major event is about to start! And it''s hunting dragons? I''m about to lose my mind!"


    Exiled Immortal kicked the door open. Behind him, Qing, Helena, and others were also eager and clearly had been looking forward to this for a long time.


    Yes, although these peaceful days were rare, as pioneers at the forefront of all yers, only battles could truly excite them!


    "Helena, it''s your time to shine. Are you ready?"


    "In fact, I can''t wait any longer!"


    Hunting dragons!


    Helena had chosen the Dragon Hunter ss precisely for a day like this.


    She had thought she might never have the chance to use her Dragon Hunter ss bonus to be stronger, but now, it seemed the opportunity had arrived.


    "But... they''re dragons, creatures of legend. Can we really defeat them?"


    Lily hesitated for a long time before voicing her doubts. But clearly, Lily had missed the point.


    "Lily, actually, the dragons in this world are not quite the same as the dragons in our imagination. They''re just oversized lizards. Aside from their tough scales, there''s nothing particrly hard about them."


    "Can we use their scales and teeth to make armor and weapons? Like in Monster Hunter! We might have a chance to hunt some of those beasties!"


    "...Exiled Immortal, y fewer games."


    "You know what I''m talking about because you''ve yed it too, haven''t you?"


    At this, John opened his mouth but didn''t know how to refute, so he shrugged.


    "Alright, alright, let''s get back to the point. This event is different from thest major event, the Goblin Invasion. This time, the battlefield is not in Talcavano. We will be teleported to an unknown battlefield, facing unknown environments and powerful monsters. So, no going solo, no heroics, team cooperation, understand?"


    John looked around at everyone, his gaze pausing on Qing for a moment.


    "Well... alright, except for you, Qing. With your strength, you probably don''t need anyone else''s help to take on those dragons."


    "Haha! I can''t wait!"


    "But only Qing can go solo. He''s a warrior ss and is about to advance to berserker. We are different; we don''t have that much HP, nor do we have such exaggerated strength. So, I''ll repeat onest time: teamwork is essential, understood?"


    "Will Mac and ria join us?" Lily asked.


    "ria will join, but whether Mac participates depends on his decision. Any other questions, Lily?"


    "I''ll go ask Mac. I''m sure he''ll be very interested!"


    "Go ande back quickly. By the way, Helena, if I remember correctly, your ss gets rewards for participating in hunts, right?"


    "Yes, but if Ind the final blow, I get more attribute points."


    "Then it''s settled. You''ll deliver the finishing blow!"


    Helena excitedly nodded in agreement.


    "Alright... we have four hours left on the countdown. Make sure you''re fully prepared. The announcement clearly stated that this event willst six days, and you can''t log out or disconnect during that time. So, we absolutely can''t have any idents. This time, no matter what, we must get first ce!"


    "We''ve always been first, but John, why do you seem especially excited this time?"


    "Hehe, of course I''m excited, because you can''t imagine what the first-ce team reward is after the event ends."


    "That''s a dragon egg, about to hatch!"


    In his past life, John was just three heads short of victory, losing to Helena''s Pioneer Squad.


    He could only watch helplessly as Helena hatched the dragon egg, bing the first and only yer with a dragon mount.


    It made John incredibly jealous.


    Helena, being stubborn, refused to sell the dragon egg no matter how much John offered.


    This time, John was determined to seize it.


    No matter who tried to stop him from getting that egg, he wouldn''t show any mercy!


    Four hours flew by in the blink of an eye, leaving just thest ten minutes on the countdown.


    As the lord of Talcavano, the Dragon Knight also issued a city-wide announcement in his capacity as the city lord.


    The space rift was about to open, and dragons might cross into Talcavano.


    All residents must return home, shut their doors and windows.


    The guard squad would handle those damn giant lizards!


    Butpared to the silent Talcavano, a celebration exclusive to the yers was about to begin.


    As the countdown neared zero, John took a deep breath, smiling at ria and the others beside him, "See youter?"


    ...


    Boom!


    The sky changed color!


    The once cloudless, azure sky was instantly stained with red and ck, with not a single spot to stand on!


    The ferocious lightning and deafening thunder broke the tranquility of Talcavano!


    As the lord of Talcavano, Farrell sat on a dragon''s back, his fiery red armor the most conspicuous color in all of Talcavano.


    Then, a massive bolt of lightning struck, tearing space apart, revealing a vortex as if to swallow everything around!


    Farrell drew his sword from his waist, pointing it at the sky!


    "Protect Talcavano! Build a wall with your flesh and blood!"


    "Loading map... Major Event��Dragon Hunt officially begins!"


    After a moment of dizziness, John shook his head to clear his mind.


    Just like in his past life, he had already left Talcavano and arrived in a vast, scorched world.


    Even the sun on the horizon emitted a blood-red light, coloring the world with its hue.


    "Check your status. ria, how are you? Are you adjusting?"


    "I''m fine, just a bit dizzy, but I''ll be okay soon."


    "Good. Mac, how about you? How much did you drink? You reek of alcohol..."


    "Actually, I wanted to sleep at home, but that kid Exiled Immortal dragged me here."


    Old Mac burped, unsteadily stood up, and nted his giant axe into the ground to support his swaying body.


    "But don''t worry, I''ll be fine. The alcohol in my system will evaporate soon."


    "It better. We don''t have the energy or time to take care of you. Is everyone here?"


    "Uh... John, it seems we have an issue. Lily is missing."


    John: "What? What did you say?"


    "As you can see, Lily is gone. I thought she might have been teleported a bit farther away from us, but if you check the party list, Lily is offline."


    "You''ve got to be kidding me..."


    John opened the party list and refreshed it several times. The gray "offline" next to Lily''s name remained ringly visible.


    "Is it possible that Lily chose to log off at thest moment?"


    "No, Lily is kind but not cowardly. She would never choose to back down. Something must have gone wrong!"


    John frowned and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.


    To his knowledge, this had never happened in his past life!


    "But we can look on the bright side. Lily is only offline, not dead, right?" Qing shrugged, but noticing the looks from John and the others, he wisely kept his mouth shut.


    "John, what do we do now? Do we stick to the original n?"


    "We have no choice. We can''t exit, and we can''t disconnect. No matter what happened to Lily, we can only... wait until this event is over."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the infinite starry sky...


    Lily slowly opened her eyes, and the breathtaking surroundings made her gasp instinctively.


    "Where... where am I?"

 Chapter 98 - 98-Dragon Hunt! (Part 2)

    The boundless gxy, the twinkling stars.


    All of this, which should only exist in dreams, now appeared vividly before Lily, leaving her stunned and speechless with shock.


    But she was supposed to head to the rift and participate in the dragon hunt event right now!


    Moreover, what puzzled Lily the most was that she repeatedly tried to summon her character panel, but she failed, as if everything that had existed before had vanished into thin air!


    "Jo-Johnny? Helena! Can you hear me?"


    If this was the world behind the rift, then what kind of dragons were they hunting?


    What kind of beings lived among these stars?


    As thoughts swirled in her mind, a dazzling light reflected on Lily''s cheeks, making it nearly impossible for her to open her eyes. She could only vaguely see the world before her through the gaps between her fingers.


    It was a figure bathed in light. Lily couldn''t see the figure''s face clearly, but it seemed to be a woman?


    "You... you really resemble her, those brows and lips, you''re exactly like her."


    As the blinding light gradually dimmed, Lily tentatively lowered her hand to observe the woman in front of her. Facing a face of unparalleled beauty, Lily swallowed and asked in confusion, "Excuse me, where is this ce?"


    "As you see, this is the gxy and the source of your power."


    ��


    "Utterly disappointing. I really thought we could ride on the dragons and soar into the sky. But these dragons actually live under rocks?"


    With a single thought, Exiled Immortal recalled all the swords that surrounded him into his inventory.


    Looking at the corpse of the earth dragon, which had been pierced like a sieve by Exiled Immortal, John smirked.


    "I think I already told you not to get your hopes up."


    "These creatures aren''t worthy of being called dragons, are they? You''re right, John. They''re just oversized lizards with tough scales. They almost broke my precious flying swords!"


    "Give it a rest, Exiled Immortal. You have over fifty flying swords! I bet you can''t even remember the names of each one!"


    Rolling his eyes, Qing retrieved his long halberd from the shattered dragon''s head, flicking away an eyeball stuck on the tip.


    "Alright, what are we betting on?"


    "Unfortunately, I have no money and nothing you want. How about we bet on something else? If you win, I''ll do one reasonable thing for you unconditionally."


    "Deal. Let me tell you how I name my precious flying swords. This one''s Sword One, this one''s Sword Two..."


    "Get lost! Who wants to bet with you on that?"


    Watching Exiled Immortal and Qing bicker endlessly, John pinched the bridge of his nose, his expression still somewhat grave.


    His worry was not unfounded. Of course, it had nothing to do with these giant lizards d in heavy scales. John was worried about Lily.


    As if sensing John''s concern, ria stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder.


    "She''ll be fine. Maybe she just took an unexpected break. Didn''t you say you''d be forcibly returned to your own world?"


    "Lily pays attention to these details. She wouldn''t overlook something like this. I''m worried she might have been teleported somewhere else, which is why we can''t contact her."


    "It''s not impossible, but at least we can be sure she''s still alive."


    Helena sighed softly and reopened the yer leaderboard, saying helplessly, "Lily''s name is still in the seventh ce. That''s probably the only good news for now."


    "Sorry, I''ve been overthinking and it''s affecting our progress. Helena is right. No matter how worried I am, we can only wait until the big event is over."


    "Come on, John, cheer up."


    Old Mac stepped forward and tossed a brown bottle to John.


    "What''s this?"


    "Alcohol, what else? I brewed it myself. You can try it; it tastes pretty good."


    "Let''s save it for the victory party. Exiled Immortal! Be careful, another earth dragon is emerging!"


    "Perfect timing! Qing, let''s have a littlepetition. Let''s see who can deliver the fatal blow to the earth dragon the fastest!"


    Exiled Immortal''s eyes lit up, and a breeze gathered beneath his feet.


    In the blink of an eye, he soared into the sky.


    Nearly fifty flying swords flew out and hovered behind him, making it seem as if the legendary sword immortal had truly appeared!


    In contrast, Qing was much more straightforward and brutal.


    With a massive weapon and an exaggeratedly powerful attack that could almost go head-to-head with an earth dragon, Qing had unparalleled confidence!


    Seeing this, John signaled Helena with his eyes, and she immediately understood.


    Yes, this dragon hunt event was clearly a great opportunity for Helena''s growth, but not so much for Qing.


    Unlike Helena, who specialized in hunting specific species, Qing''s talent required umting numbers.


    The individually powerful and not-so-team-friendly earth dragons were not the ideal experience targets for Qing.


    Facing the small humans before it, the earth dragon opened its blood-filled mouth and roared mightily.


    Its numerous sharp teeth were even smeared with rotting flesh, emitting a nauseating stench!


    Seeing this, Qing felt no fear at all. Instead, he responded with a loud shout.


    "This is the life I want! I was going crazy being cooped up at home!"


    Qingughed heartily, leaped high with his long halberd, and then smashed it down heavily on the earth dragon, severing its thick tail.


    As the tail hit the ground, it continued to struggle and writhe!


    At the same moment, Exiled Immortal casually pointed, and his longsword shot out like falling leaves, piercing through the earth dragon''s eye and pulverizing its brain into mush!


    Since this was arge-scale event open to all yers, the difficulty was intentionally restrained.


    Along the way, John and the others encountered hardly any challenging dragons.


    Most of the time, Qing and Exiled Immortal attacked together, with Helena delivering the final blow, making it easy to dispatch the dragons.


    This time was no exception.


    As the earth dragon''s HP was about to be depleted, Helena drew her blood crossbow and fired a bolt made from refined dragon blood, which easily pierced the earth dragon''s forehead, depleting its HPpletely!


    "Hey! Helena big sis! I was betting with Qing! That was my kill!"


    "Not anymore. You two are like immature schoolchildren, making such childish bets. Have you forgotten our original goal? We need to help me improve my stats as much as possible before encountering higher-level dragons."


    "Whatever... Qing, I nearly one-shot the earth dragon just now, so I should win this round!"


    "Win? If I hadn''t decisively severed the earth dragon''s tail and drawn its attention, would you have hit your target so easily? So, this round is, at best, a tie."


    "How about this: you both lost to me, so you both owe me one favor, and that favor is to shut up and do more, talk less. Deal?"


    Helena stepped forward and lightly knocked on Exiled Immortal''s head.


    "Don''t waste time. These big lizards are so easy to kill, we haven''t gained much distance from the other teams. If we get overtaken, just wait for John to lose his temper with you."


    "Is John still in that state?"


    Exiled Immortal peeked over, stealing a nce at John. It was the first time he''d seen such a vacant expression on John''s face.


    "You know, he''s still worried about Lily, so he''s a bit distracted. Normally, he should be very excited."


    "Yeah, she just disappeared all of a sudden. I''m actually a bit concerned too."


    "Just a bit?"


    Helena narrowed her eyes, her gaze carrying a hint of usation. Seeing this, Exiled Immortal''s face immediately turned red.


    "Of course! Lily is our teammate, isn''t she? Not just me, but Qing, ria, and Mac��everyone is concerned about her whereabouts, afraid she might be in danger."


    "You better be. Alright, stop talking and keep moving. Let''s head to the central area to hunt higher-level dragons. Didn''t you want a challenge? Just hope you don''t wet your pants then."


    "I won''t!"

 Chapter 99 - 99-Dragon Hunt! (Part 3)

    "Seventeen ordinary-grade dragons so far. We''re still at the top of the leaderboard, but the second-ce team is close behind with fifteen dragons. They''re only a step away from us."


    Putting away her blood crossbow, Helena opened the event leaderboard.


    Despite their top position, she wasn''t as optimistic as she had expected.


    "By the way, this S. character was also ranked pretty high in thest major event, wasn''t he? Even though he''s a thief ss, a ss meant for assassination, he''s so proficient in hunting too?"


    "Maybe he has a group of strongpanions? Anyway, if we get the chance..."


    Before Helena could finish, John cut in, "If we get the chance, I''ll definitely kill that guy."


    "You''ve said that before, John. What grudge do you have with him?"


    "Nothing. I''ve never even met him."


    "Then why... never mind, it''s a secret. I didn''t ask."


    Helena shrugged and nced at a nearby unfamiliar team battling an earth dragon.


    On a whim, she drew her blood crossbow, aimed at the dragon''s vital spot, and gently pulled the trigger.


    Momentster, fifteen free attribute points were credited, marking their team''s eighteenth dragon kill.


    "No way! Did you really steal that kill? Big sis, you''re really good at kill-stealing!"


    "Shh, let''s get out of here before they notice us!"


    "But we''re not afraid of them. Why should we run?"


    "Uh... because we did something bad. People who do bad things need to flee the scene. That''s how it always happens in movies and TV shows. Haven''t you watched any?"


    ...


    "Why won''t you answer my questions? Who are you? Why did you bring me here? What about mypanions? What happened to them?"


    "Calm down. I just wanted to meet you, that''s all. As for yourpanions, they''re still in that world. Don''t worry, they''re safe."


    The woman sighed deeply and slowly approached Lily.


    Her breathtakingly beautiful face exuded immense pressure, causing Lily to instinctively step back.


    Seeing this, the woman immediately stopped, softened her voice, and said gently, "Lily, believe me, I mean no harm."


    "Who... who are you?"


    "I''m sorry, I can''t answer that question. But I believe one day, you''ll find the answer. It''s gettingte, and I can''t stay away for long. I''m really happy to have seen you in person."


    "I... I need to send you back."


    The woman reached out as if to touch Lily''s cheek but stopped just before contact.


    She silently withdrew her hand and sighed heavily.


    "Until I can tell you the whole truth, John will protect you."


    "Wait, you know Johnny? Who exactly are you..."


    Before Lily could finish her sentence, she felt everything around her undergo a dramatic change.


    The twinkling stars were reced by a blood-red sun, the air filled with the salty stench of blood.


    ws, corpses, and chunks of dragon flesh were scattered everywhere.


    Lily realized she had somehow been sent back to the event site.


    But...


    "How does she know John''s name?"


    Lily couldn''t make sense of it and decided to set it aside for now. The most important thing was to reunite with John and the others.


    Strangely, when Lily opened the map, it didn''t show John''s location or even a general direction.


    ...


    "Wait! Look! Lily is back online!"


    Exiled Immortal''s shout drew everyone''s attention.


    Upon hearing this, Helena immediately checked the status list, seeing that the "offline" note next to Lily''s name had disappeared!


    "John! Lily is back, but we can''t determine her location yet. At least we don''t have to worry anymore."


    "Good, she''s back... Wait, I think I can find Lily''s location. Do we have anything with her scent on it? Clothes, equipment, or even a strand of hair?"


    "...Lily''s handkerchief, will that work?"


    Everyone exchanged nces as Exiled Immortal took a handkerchief from his bag and ced it in his palm.


    Feeling that this might be misunderstood, Exiled Immortal quickly exined, "Lily gave me this handkerchief. Remember when I got injured and bledst time? I put it in my inventory and forgot about it."


    Taking the handkerchief from Exiled Immortal, John waved his hand, and an alchemy workbench appeared out of thin air.


    "Let me think... a device to track recorded scents. Hmm, this seems a bitplicated. Give me a moment."


    Although Seraphina was still dormant, John had mastered most alchemical techniques through learning, except for some extremely difficult, overlyplex, or prohibitively expensive ones.


    In less than ten minutes, a small bird-like magical device was freshly made.


    "It''s done. With this device, we can find Lily. Hmm... Exiled Immortal, this task is up to you. Follow the bird to find Lily and bring her back. We''ll wait here.


    You''re the fastest; no one else is more suitable."


    "No problem, I''m on it."


    "Hey! Did the sun rise from the west today? You didn''tin this time?"


    "Did I? Of course not. Lily is ourpanion. What if she''s in danger?"


    "Don''t worry. With Lily''s strength, she could probably crush this entire mountain. No earth dragon can threaten her."


    ...


    "Such... ugly dragons."


    As Lily continued to explore and move forward, she inevitably encountered earth dragons.


    She shared Exiled Immortal''s sentiments, finding these giant lizards equally distasteful.


    Theycked the nobility and mystery of Eastern dragons and the exaggerated wingspan of Western dragons.


    They just looked rather pathetic.


    "Alright, it''s only a level 30 earth dragon. It shouldn''t be too difficult to handle. Hmm... Starfall should be enough, so..."


    [Astreos, God of the Stars, please unleash your wrath and punish my enemies! Star...]


    [ss skill: Sword Rain Fall!]


    Just as she was finishing her chant, flying swords descended from the sky, piercing the earth dragon''s head with ease!


    At that moment, Exiled Immortal descended from the sky,nding steadily in front of Lily, holding the bird and striking a pose he thought was very cool.


    "Lily, are you alright?"


    "I''m... fine, Exiled Immortal. Why are you alone? Where are Johnny and the others?"


    "John sent me to find you. What happened to you just now? We were all scared to death when you suddenly disappeared. Everyone was really worried about you, and... I was really worried about you too."


    Lily shook her head and sighed softly.


    "I don''t know how to exin it. I went to a beautiful ce and met a beautiful person, but I don''t even know who she is, nor can I understand her strange words. Anyway, take me back first. Maybe Johnny has some ideas about this."


    "No problem."


    Exiled Immortal formed a sword with his fingers and pointed upwards, gathering a breeze that gently lifted Lily into the air.


    "Lily, I''ve also had a strange dream recently, where I met some odd people. Maybe your situation is simr to mine?"


    "Oh, Exiled Immortal, did you grow taller? You suddenly seem so much taller!"


    "Sigh, I thought you wouldn''t notice. How about now? Second sis, you have to look up at me, right? I''m two centimeters taller than John!"


    "Yeah, our little Exiled Immortal has grown up in the blink of an eye. Soon, I''ll have to stand on tiptoes to pat your head."


    "Don''t pat my head. I still want to surpass Qing in height!"

 Chapter 107 - 107-Fierce Battle with Betrayal (Part 1)

    "If it were [Deception] standing before me, it might be more troublesome. But you? A fraud and impostor, you''re not worth mentioning."


    [Betrayal]''s eyes zed, and ck-purple mes surged around him, condensing into a long spear that he willingly grasped in his hand!


    Seeing this, John squinted slightly, maintaining aposed exterior, though he felt a tinge of panic inside.


    After all, this was John''s first true confrontation with an [Apostle].


    Even though [Betrayal]''s power was only about one-fifth of its peak, the umted battle experience far exceeded John''s.


    He couldn''t afford even the slightest mistake!


    With a thought, John retrieved the Firewalker Dagger from his backpack, holding it in a reverse grip, and fixed his gaze on the [Betrayal Apostle].


    ck mes erupted, exploding outward with [Betrayal] at the center. The intense heat wave alone made John extremely ufortable!


    In that brief moment of distraction, [Betrayal] charged forward, spear in hand!


    With no time to hesitate, John let out a shout and turned to flee!


    Seeing this, [Betrayal] paused for a moment, then burst intoughter.


    "Is this your choice? Fleeing in disgrace? I can''t understand how [Deception] and [Lust] fell at your hands."


    "It''s called a tactical retreat. Someone like you wouldn''t understand."


    John scoffed, not letting [Betrayal]''s taunts get to him.


    What a joke! His style was never suited for frontal assaults; fighting [Betrayal] head-on would be suicide!


    Besides, his allies were about to arrive on the battlefield; John had no reason to take such a risk.


    "John!"


    Suddenly, a shout came from above, and John''s eyes lit up.


    With a wave of his hand, the grey-ck mist surrounding them dissipated, revealing ria and the rest of hispanions lined up behind him.


    "Finally, you''re here. Where are the others?"


    "They''ve been taken care of. Is this S.? His aura is quite intimidating."


    "He isn''t S." John shook his head and took a deep breath. "S. is already dead. He is the [Apostle] sealed within S.''s body."


    "[Apostle]? What is that?" Exiled Immortal looked at John with a puzzled expression.


    "I''ll exin everything after this is over," John said seriously. "For now, let''s deal with this problem first."


    "No problem, whatever kind of apostle or messenger he is, let''s just fight him first!" Qingughed heartily andunched himself into the air with a Cloud Leap, crashing down towards the [Betrayal Apostle].


    The sheer force of his long spear''s momentum almost knocked John and the others off their feet!


    In terms of pure attack power, Qing was undoubtedly the top among all yers!


    Boom!


    With a dull explosion, Qing''s smile froze instantly.


    Something felt off!


    Sure enough, as the dust settled, it revealed [Betrayal] holding the ming spear with one hand, effortlessly blocking Qing''s powerful strike.


    He even had the strength to manipte the mes to thrust towards Qing''s chest!


    "Watch out!" John warned, but it was toote.


    Just as [Betrayal]''s attack was about tond, a vine shot up from the ground, wrapping around Qing''s waist and flinging him out of harm''s way.


    The ck mes, capable of burning everything, hit nothing but air!


    Breathing a sigh of relief, Qing turned around, looking gratefully at ria. "Thanks."


    "No problem." ria nodded slightly and said softly, "Attack freely. Even though I can''t use my full power in this deste ce, leave the defense to me!"


    "Damn it, I was careless just now. Let''s go again!" Qing rolled up his sleeves, and with a powerful kick, heunched himself like a cannonball towards [Betrayal] once more.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal and Old Mac exchanged a nce and joined the fray.


    The ck ming spear aimed straight at Qing''s face but was caught in a tangle of vines just before impact. In that split second, Qing closed the distance, his spear smashing heavily onto [Betrayal]''s shoulder, causing blood to stter!


    But the attack wasn''t over yet!


    "[ss Skill: Sword Rain Fall!]"


    As Qing retreated, a storm of sword shadows followed, their energy piercing through [Betrayal]''s flesh, tearing him to pieces like a sieve.


    By this time, Old Mac''s exoskeleton armor was fully assembled.


    The exoskeleton, akin to a small mech, provided Old Mac with incredible speed and strength.


    In a single breath, he charged forward, his mechanical fist smashing down and shattering [Betrayal]''s upper body into a mist of blood!


    Although this was the first time they had faced such a powerful enemy together, their coordination was impressively seamless!


    But then, suddenly!


    The three felt a tremendous force throw them back.


    In front of John and the others, vines rapidly spread out, forming an imprable shield that protected them!


    In the next moment, the ck mes exploded!


    The vines incinerated to ashes upon contact, forcing ria to continuously replenish them to barely hold off the attack.


    "How... how is this possible?"


    Helena peered through her fingers, gasping as she saw the figure struggling to rise from S.''s shattered body.


    [Betrayal] was now covered in white-blue mes. With every step, the ground beneath him melted!


    "Finally! Free from that feeble body!"


    [Betrayal] curled his lips into a sinister smile, his hollow eyes fixated on John as he said, "Now, the game officially begins!"


    "Stop pretending! I''ll beat you to death!"


    Qing grunted, hurling his spear with immense force.


    It flew like a streak of light, barely visible as it aimed straight for [Betrayal]''s face!


    However, somethingpletely unexpected happened at that moment!


    The [Epic]-quality spear didn''t even touch [Betrayal] before it meltedpletely into a pool of molten metal!


    Seeing this, Qing froze in ce, unable to believe his eyes.


    "This..."


    "Qing, fall back and help keep the nearby earth dragons and other yers from interfering," John ordered, stopping Qing. "The mes around him are too hot. They can easily melt metal. If you rush in, you''ll only get hurt."


    "But!"


    "Qing!" John shouted, meeting Qing''s reluctant gaze and nodding firmly. "Trust me."


    "...I''ll deal with those annoying pests ande back to help you."


    Though reluctant, Qing understood that his closebat fighting style was useless against the current situation.


    With no choice, Qing retrieved another weapon, turned, and headed toward the awakened earth dragons.


    There was no doubt; this was a battle ofpletely mismatched strength.


    The white-blue mes that could incinerate anything they touched,bined with [Betrayal]''s monstrous vitality, left John with no clear way to win.


    Realizing this, John turned to ria and the others, smiling bitterly. "This time, it looks like you''ll have to stay with me."


    "No problem. Since the day I left the Elven tribe, I was prepared for this," ria said, smiling softly as she gently held John''s hand. "Take the others and leave. I''ll do my best to hold him off and buy you time to escape."


    "Escape? None of you are getting away!" [Betrayal] waved his hand, and mes spread out, forming a cage that trapped everyone and cut off their escape route.


    "A chosen one and several who have inherited parts of the [Gods''] power��today is a real harvest! If I kill you all, it will surely disrupt their ns, won''t it? Haha, just thinking about it is satisfying! Now... who should I start with?


    "Why not you, the girl who inherited the power of the God of the Stars, Astreos? A god''s blood runs through your veins. I remember what happened two years ago very clearly!"


    As the ming spear rushed towards her, Lily''s mind went nk!

 Chapter 108 - 108-Fierce Battle with Betrayal (Part 2)

    In an instant, a green wind surged!


    Lily felt her feet lighten, and before she knew it, she was soaring a hundred meters into the sky!


    "E... Exiled Immortal?"


    "Don''t zone out! At times like this, a moment''s distraction could cost you your life!" Exiled Immortal sighed with relief, his long hair gradually turning from ck to green, blending with the surrounding wind!


    Seeing this, John also let out a sigh of relief.


    Fortunately, Exiled Immortal reacted in time to save Lily; otherwise, that single strike would have been enough to kill her!


    "You dodged it, but it doesn''t matter. You were never my target anyway."


    [Betrayal] wasn''t discouraged by the missed attack.


    He immediately turned and charged at John!


    Seeing this, John waved his hand, summoning a giant carnivorous nt from the ground, its blood-red maw lunging at [Betrayal]!


    However, in the face of the searing mes, the nt turned to ash in an instant. John had nowhere to retreat!


    "Do you believe I can dodge this strike?"


    "Do you think you can deceive me with [Deception]''s tricks? Dream on!"


    [Betrayal] sneered, unwavering.


    But at that moment, John''s voice sounded from behind.


    "But I already dodged it."


    "How is that possible?"


    [Betrayal] turned to see a voice tube, repeatedly echoing the same phrase.


    However, in that brief distraction, John managed to escape from the seemingly fatal strike!


    "I never said I was going to use [Deception]''s tricks."


    John smirked, looking mockingly at [Betrayal], who finally realized what had happened andughed.


    "Illusions and reality... It seems you''ve truly learned from [Deception]. But unfortunately, against absolute power, all such petty tricks are meaningless."


    "Not necessarily."


    A hexagram lit up, and the summoning spell was cast again.


    The mana John had painstakingly recovered was drained instantly, leaving him feeling weak and nearly fainting.


    In just one hour, John had cast three summoning spells in session.


    The mana consumption was one thing, but the expenditure of mental energy was beyond what any ordinary person could endure.


    It was thanks to his training as an Alchemist, regrly performing alchemical rituals day and night, that John''s mental power far exceeded that of normal people.


    Otherwise, he would have been drained dry after the second summoning spell.


    The offering was consumed, and a bright orange me shed from the hexagram, gradually taking human form.


    This time, the monster John summoned was only level 45, an unavoidable drawback.


    Despite its lower levelpared to [Betrayal], this monster had an unbeatable characteristic.


    Being a pure fire element creature, it was nearly immune to all fire damage, including the white-blue mes used by [Betrayal]!


    "Hold him down!"


    "You''ve got quick thinking, but trickery won''t help you. Even if I can''t extinguish a pure fire elemental, so what? It can''t stop me either!"


    [Betrayal] sneered, his eyes full of contempt.


    "No, just holding you for a moment is enough!"


    John smirked and looked up to the sky, which had turned a greenish-blue.


    A tornado, carrying debris, swept across the sky like a natural disaster!


    At the eye of the storm, Exiled Immortal was pushing himself to the limit, draining all his stamina to keep the tornado going for as long as possible.


    Lily, clinging to his back, continuously cast blessings to enhance the tornado''s power and replenish Exiled Immortal''s stamina.


    "I was just a decoy. They are the main force."


    "John, move out of the way!" ria pointed at John, and vines instantly wrapped around his waist, flinging him out of Exiled Immortal''s attack range.


    The entire tornado then crashed into [Betrayal] without any reservation!


    The white-blue mes were torn apart and extinguished upon contact with the tornado.


    For the first time, [Betrayal]''s expression changed.


    He had thought that at this stage, no one could stop him.


    But now, it was clear that things were far beyond his expectations!


    The terrifying power Exiled Immortal disyed shocked [Betrayal]!


    He knew this was just the early to mid-stage of the game.


    If Exiled Immortal was given two years to grow, as in the previous life, he might indeed be able to confront [Betrayal] head-on!


    With this realization, [Betrayal] squinted and became more determined.


    He absolutely could not let these people leave alive!


    Blessed by the [Gods], if they were given time to grow, they would inevitably be Demigod tier beings. By then, it would be toote to stop them!


    With this thought, [Betrayal] held nothing back.


    The mes covering his body turned from white-blue to orange-red, the temperature rising again.


    The tornado controlled by Exiled Immortal was tinged with orange-red!


    The scorching waves spread out like ripples, and Exiled Immortal, at the center of the storm, suddenly tensed up.


    Just a moment ago, he could barely use the wind field to extinguish the mes, but now the tables had turned.


    [Betrayal]''s mes were growing more intense with the help of the wind field, even burning Exiled Immortal and Lily at the center of the storm!


    "Break the wind field and get out!"


    Seeing his ultimate move turned against him and nearly out of his control, Exiled Immortal made a swift decision, forcibly tearing open a gap in the tornado and escaping with Lily!


    But what greeted them was a ming spear that appeared instantly like a streak of light!


    "[ss Skill: Undying Fury]"


    A figure appeared just in time, shielding Exiled Immortal and Lily.


    The spear pierced through the armor with ease, leaving a gaping, glowing wound in the abdomen!


    Under the searing mes, Qing''s wound was cauterized instantly, preventing any blood from spilling.


    Qing survived this nearly fatal blow by sheer will and his ss skill!


    As his HP rapidly dwindled, Qing gritted his teeth, pushing Exiled Immortal and Lily away and using the momentum of the spear to fling himself dozens of meters back!


    "Qing!"


    "Don''t worry, I''m not dead yet! But I won''tst much longer."


    Struggling to his feet, Qing nced at his abdominal wound, the excruciating pain hitting him.


    His ss skill had locked his HP at one point.


    Though it would onlyst for less than thirty seconds, if he could heal his injuries and restore his HP after the skill ended, there was still a chance to survive.


    Qing had intended to use this skill as a game-changer, given that the ten-day cooldown would essentially take him out of the fight.


    But under these circumstances, he had no room for hesitation!


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Lily and ria simultaneously cast healing spells.


    Qing''s abdominal wound healed rapidly before their eyes, and his HP quickly restored to full.


    But without the Undying Fury skill, the situation reached another stalemate!


    "John, have you noticed something?"


    At that moment, the usually silent Helena spoke up, pointing to the ming footprints behind [Betrayal].


    She said seriously, "I''ve been observing this. Everywhere he steps, the footprints keep burning, even in Exiled Immortal''s storm. How can rocks burn?"


    Hearing this, John''s eyes lit up as a breakthrough suddenly came to his mind.


    No wonder! John had felt something was off but couldn''t pinpoint it.


    As an [Apostle], they needed a host to fully manifest their powers in this world. This had been proven more than once.


    [Deception] had also mentioned that their existence was intolerable in this world, and to avoid being erased by certain entities, they required a host.


    But clearly, [Betrayal] did not have a host at this moment.


    S.''s corpse had been almostpletely shattered into a blood mist, with only the lower half remaining on the ground. How was [Betrayal] exerting such power?


    As thoughts raced through his mind, John had a moment of rity.


    He saw a pattern hidden in the ming footprints, connecting S.''s remains to [Betrayal].


    John understood instantly!


    It was [Betrayal]''s overwhelming intimidation that made John overlook this crucial fact.

 Chapter 109 - 109-Fierce Battle with Betrayal (Part 3)

    For S., with his heart and brain shattered, survival was impossible.


    But for [Betrayal], that might not be the case.


    [Deception] could even bring a dead person back to life for a month. Even if [Betrayal] couldn''t achieve that level, a body under his control couldn''t be that fragile!


    With this realization, John instinctively looked at Lily.


    With [Betrayal] intentionally protecting his host, the only person capable of delivering arge-scale, decisive blow, especially with Exiled Immortal exhausted, was Lily!


    With almost everyone else out ofmission, John had no time to hesitate!


    "Lily! Use your strongest attack to destroy [Betrayal]''s host!"


    "Host?"


    Lily paused, her gaze locking onto S.''s remains. She immediately understood, and her staff burst into a blinding light!


    "[Astreos, Lord of the Cold Stars, Sovereign of the Infinite Sky, as your faithful follower, I, Lily, implore you once again, smite my enemy with the Wrath of the Stars!]"


    "[Fall!]"


    From above the clouds, a celestial body descended!


    The star tore through the atmosphere, illuminating the entire sky.


    Every yer in this world noticed this phenomenon and was stunned!


    It was the descent of a star, the wrath of the God of Stars, Astreos!


    "Damn it!"


    [Betrayal] looked up, seeing the descending star covering the entire sky.


    The sense of impending death surged through him!


    He had already yed his trump card to counter Exiled Immortal''s storm.


    The fading mes around him were proof that he couldn''t maintain the white-blue mes anymore!


    There was no way he could withstand this attack!


    [Betrayal] couldn''t believe that he was losing in this manner to John, who had died at his hands in the previous life!


    Even without the powers of [Deception] and [Lust], John had managed to be a Demigod tierbatant in the past.


    But now?


    John hadn''t even reached the pinnacle that a mortal could achieve, and yet he was winning?


    No! It wasn''t over yet!


    Watching the descending star, [Betrayal] did not choose to flee.


    Instead, he advanced, channeling all his remaining mes into a ck-purple ming spear, which he hurled at the star with all his might!


    However...


    The almost depleted [Betrayal] could not create the miracle he hoped for.


    The spear was obliterated the moment it touched the star.


    Realizing this, [Betrayal] knew that the moment his host was crushed, he would lose all his power.


    His authority was already in John''s grasp.


    But...


    "Don''t celebrate too soon, John. We are merely pawns. The real threat has yet to arrive. The seven areing!"


    "What seven? Exin yourself!"


    "You will see them soon. They are the true force behind the apocalypse. Believe me." [Betrayal] closed his eyes, calmly awaiting his end.


    "I''ll be waiting for you in the abyss, for our next encounter!"


    Boom!


    The star fell, turning the world before them into dust!


    The explosion echoed throughout the world, the intense shockwave reaching every corner of this realm.


    Many earth dragons hidden beneath the surface were shattered by the tremors, causing a surge in dragon hunt points, and with that, the battle finally came to an end.


    This battle was nothing short of brutal!


    Exiled Immortal, Lily, and Qing were almostpletely incapacitated, while Helena, Old Mac, ria, and John himself could barely contribute against [Betrayal].


    It was thanks to Exiled Immortal and Lily that they managed to turn the tide!


    Of course, Helena''s keen judgment also yed a significant role.


    As the explosion''s echoes gradually faded, John copsed onto the ground, panting heavily, clearly at his limit.


    Casting three summoning spells had drained John''s energy.


    If he could, he''d love nothing more than to sleep.


    But there was something more important to do first.


    After a while, John finally calmed his breathing and walked towards the crater created by the star''s impact.


    At the bottom of the pit, a glowing orb floated in the air.


    John reached out, and the orb seemed to respond to his call, flying towards him and merging into his fingertip.


    At that moment, a dialog box appeared before John''s eyes.


    "[Congrattions! You have unlocked a new ss��Transgression]"


    "[Trickster level has increased to 35! New skills unlocked, please visit the skill tree to learn!]"


    "[Debauchery level has increased to 24! New skills unlocked, please visit the skill tree to learn!]"


    "[yer level has increased to 60! Pleaseplete your second ss selection as soon as possible!]"


    "Finally! It''s over..."


    After everything was done, John cked out and lost consciousness.


    ...


    When John opened his eyes again, the sky had returned to its blood-red hue.


    ria and the others were sitting around him.


    Seeing him awake, they immediately approached.


    "John! Are you okay?"


    ria hugged John, and seeing this, Helena and Lily felt a twinge of jealousy.


    "I''m fine, just exhausted."


    John shook his head and struggled to sit up. "How long was I out?"


    "About forty hours. I just woke up not long ago myself."


    Exiled Immortal rubbed his temples, the lingering fogginess in his head reminiscent of a hangover.


    After that battle, Lily and Exiled Immortal also passed out.


    Lily woke up first, then Exiled Immortal, and finally John.


    "Forty hours... doesn''t that mean there''s not much time left in the dragon hunt event?"


    "Uh, you don''t need to worry about that. We''ve already secured the victory."


    Qing shrugged and showed John the event leaderboard.


    Their team had over four thousand dragon hunt points, far surpassing the second-ce team, whose total points didn''t evene close to half of theirs.


    Seeing this, John finally breathed a sigh of relief, his tension easing.


    "That''s good..."


    "Johnny, there are some things you need to tell us now, right?" Lily bit her lip, hesitating slightly. "The enemy we faced this time was clearly beyond the scope of any monster, and what he said keeps bothering me..."


    "Yeah, that strange man said we are [Apostles] blessed by the [Gods], and mentioned [Deception] and [Lust]. What''s going on?"


    Meeting Helena''s gaze, John instinctively lowered his head.


    With everything that happened, it was impossible for John to keep hiding the truth.


    Since he couldn''t hide it anymore, he decided to take this opportunity toe clean.


    With a deep breath, John began, "I''ll tell you everything. If you have any questions, feel free to interrupt me.


    "Actually, this is my second time ying this game. In my previous life, I lived in the game world for two years, until the appearance of the [Abyss]pletely changed everything."


    "The powerful [Apostles] nearly wiped out the few remaining survivors. Those who stayed alive lived in constant fear. It was during this time that [Betrayal] and [Lust] infiltrated the game world, using mypanions as hosts to kill me and Lily.


    "I thought my two years of struggle had ended, but unexpectedly, an item I possessed reversed time to two years before, back to when it all hadn''t started yet."


    John took a deep breath, the painful memories resurfacing.


    "So... that''s why you know everything that''s about to happen?" Helena''s long-standing doubts were finally answered by John''s exnation.


    "Yes, because of my two years of memories from the previous life, I know almost everything about this game world. However, the early awakening of the [Apostles] was beyond my expectations. ria, our meeting wasn''t part of my n; it was purely idental."


    "Uh... I have a question." Qing suddenly spoke up, interrupting John.


    "So, in the previous life, I got killed off early and logged out?"

 Chapter 141: Chapter141-Liberation (Part 1)

    "[Deception], what scheme are you up to now?"


    John pulled [Deception] aside and said in a low voice, "If the person inside really is the [Divine Emissary], engaging him in such an extreme environment will be to our disadvantage!"


    "John, this time I''m not joking. I really need your help. Right now, he can still resist the [God''s] will with his own, but who knows how long he can hold out?


    As the emissary of the God of Fire, he is definitely thest enemy you want to face.


    Given enough time, he could even create a fully armed army!


    Rather than giving him time to prepare, it''s better to end him here and now.


    The second reason is more personal.


    We used to be very good friends, but for certain reasons, we had to part ways. Instead of watching him suffer and struggle with himself, I hope to free him from this ordeal."


    At this point, [Deception] bowed deeply to John, his sincere attitude surprising even John.


    "I can help you kill him, but I have one condition."


    Hearing this, [Deception] was slightly taken aback.


    He vaguely remembered that a few months ago, John didn''t have his current strength and needed his help when facing the [Lust Apostle].


    Unknowingly, their roles had reversed. Now, it was [Deception] pleading for John''s help, and John who held the upper hand.


    Thinking of this, [Deception] smiled bitterly and said helplessly, "What condition?"


    "When this is over, tell me everything you know, and everything that has happened to you."


    "...Are you sure you want to hear it? It''s quite a boring story."


    "It doesn''t matter. I''m a pretty boring person myself."


    ...


    "So, here''s the situation. I''m nning to go deeper and take down the [Divine Emissary]. Does anyone have any objections?"


    As they were about to engage the [Divine Emissary], John naturally couldn''t stay on the sidelines any longer.


    He took charge, looked around, and seeing no opposition, he nodded slightly and said, "Then it''s settled. [Deception] will lead us to the depths of the maze and help alleviate the difort caused by the high temperatures. Our job is to take down the [Divine Emissary]!


    Of course, this is easier said than done.


    When we actually engage, there will undoubtedly be many uncertainties.


    At that time, everyone should look out for each other and prioritize the safety of ourpanions. Understand?"


    "John, it''s about time you spoke up. I was getting a bit ufortable with it."


    Exiled Immortal scratched his head with a sheepish grin, realizing he might have said something wrong, and looked towards Helena, "Big sister, I didn''t mean that you''re not good at making decisions. Don''t get the wrong idea!"


    "Don''t worry, I know what you mean. Am I such a petty person? Being able to focus solely on fighting without worrying about anything else isn''t necessarily a bad thing.


    And don''t forget, Exiled Immortal, mybat skills are now on par with yours!"


    With a thought, Helena summoned her divine hunting bow. The simple and unadorned longbow contained terrifying power.


    Seeing this, John nodded in satisfaction and said, "Since no one has any objections, let''s move out. Our goal is to defeat the [Divine Emissary]!"


    With [Deception]''s help, the journey ahead was significantly easier.


    They didn''t have to endure the scorching heat or navigate the confusing tunnels themselves.


    In less than an hour, they reached the deepest part of the maze.


    However, the boss room of the maze was now covered with scorching magma, and the boss had vanished without a trace.


    It was clear that this had something to do with the [Divine Emissary].


    Looking at the boiling magma, Exiled Immortal shivered and asked, "Is it really safe to jump down there?"


    "Don''t worry, this magma is just an illusion. We won''t be hurt."


    [Deception] spoke up, activating his ability again.


    To ease everyone''s concerns, he led by example and jumped into the magma without hesitation, quickly sinking down.


    Seeing this, everyone looked at each other, hesitating. Even John was reluctant to act rashly.


    Jumping in could easily result in being melted by the scorching magma if they were even slightly careless!


    ??��?����?��?��?


    "How about... I go down first and try it?"


    Qing stepped forward at the right moment.


    As a berserker, even if he were to be burned by the magma, he could withstand it long enough to secure a chance for survival.


    However, before anyone could protest, John walked straight into the magma, letting his body sink into the pool.


    Seeing this, everyone gasped and rushed forward to check on John.


    "It''s okay! His HP hasn''t changed; he should be unharmed."


    Exiled Immortal, looking at John''s team status panel and seeing that his HP was nearly unchanged, finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    With John''s attempt showing it was safe, everyone gathered their courage and jumped in one by one.


    It felt like being enveloped in warm liquid, allowing their bodies to sink slowly.


    When they regained their senses, they found themselves in a space beneath the magma. [Deception] was already waiting, and not far behind him was a burly man wielding a giant hammer, continuously striking an iron ingot.


    Seeing this, Old Mac gasped in shock, both at the [Divine Emissary]''s impressive attack and at finally understanding where the hammering sound hade from.


    "So, he''s the one you mentioned?"


    "Yes, but unfortunately, we came a bit toote."


    [Deception] nodded slightly, a hint of regret shing in his eyes.


    He exined, "His sanity has beenpletely devoured. Now, he''s just a shell acting on physical instinct. If you approach recklessly, he''ll attack you immediately."


    "Leave the rest to us."


    John patted [Deception] on the shoulder, then turned to the group and said in a deep voice, "Let''s get ready. Qing, I''m counting on you to lead the charge and take the brunt of the attack."


    "No problem! I want to see just how powerful that hammer really is!"


    Qing grinned, his eyes filled with confidence.


    "Lily, in this enclosed underground environment, you can''t easily use your celestial spells. Just keep buffing us continuously. Helena, you stay on the lookout and protect Lily."


    The two women responded with an understanding nod, and John then looked at Exiled Immortal.


    "As for you, act as you see fit."


    Honestly speaking, John wasn''t entirely sure if they could take down the [Divine Emissary] who had lost his sanity.


    His true strength was still an unknown factor. But as [Deception] said, this fight was inevitable and would happen sooner orter.


    So...


    "Action!"


    John shouted, wings spreading out from his back as he and Exiled Immortal soared into the air.


    Qing, standing firm, swung his halberd at the [Divine Emissary] before leaping forward like a cannonball to strike him!


    Sensing the attack, the [Divine Emissary] abruptly stopped forging.


    After taking a deep breath, he swung his giant hammer, deflecting the halberd, and punched Qing with a mighty blow!


    Bang!


    A heavy thud echoed as Qing collided with the [Divine Emissary] Kaldaram.


    One was the emissary of the God of Fire and Forge, the other the embodiment of the war god Ares''s will.


    Both renowned for their offensive power, they fought like war machines, disregarding defense andunching ferocious attacks at each other!


    Each punch sent powerful shockwaves, scattering iron fragments in all directions!


    Seeing this, even [Deception] couldn''t help but gasp in amazement.


    It was clear that those who had inherited the powers of two top-tier [Gods] were engaged in a sh far beyond the reach of ordinary beings!


    But Qing, on the other hand, was filled with battle lust!


    "Awesome!"


    Qingughed, facing Kaldaram''s iron fist head-on, refusing to dodge and instead taking the blow directly while delivering a heavy counterattack!


    Seeing this, John stopped the eager Exiled Immortal and said in a deep voice, "It''s not the right time yet."

 Chapter 142: Chapter142-Liberation (Part 2)

    The power Qing disyed far exceeded John''s expectations.


    Under the influence of [The Underworld King''s Intimidation], Qing fought more fiercely with each passing moment, even managing to hold the line on his own!


    Of course, upon closer inspection, Qing was inevitably falling behind.


    Every attack from Kaldaram left a mark on Qing, and after dozens of exchanges, Qing''s HP was critically low, forcing him to activate his ss skill, Undying Fury.


    At that very moment, John''s figure suddenly vanished.


    "Now!"


    A spear of ck me condensed in John''s hand, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Kaldaram, aiming a heavy strike at his neck!


    However!


    The ck me, which even Falms couldn''t withstand, had no effect on Kaldaram.


    It didn''t even leave a scratch on his body!


    But in that brief moment of distraction, Kaldaram''s attack came swiftly!


    Seeing the giant hammer crashing down, John felt a surge of panic and instinctively tried to evade, but the chilling aura locked onto him, rendering him immobile!


    At the critical moment, Exiled Immortal waved his hand, and a gust of wind wrapped around John''s waist, flinging him away with great force, causing Kaldaram''s attack to miss.


    Qing seized the opportunity to strike with his halberd!


    However...


    Just as Qing''s powerful blow was about tond, a massive shockwave erupted from Kaldaram, sending Qing flying a hundred meters away, crashing heavily!


    Seeing this, Lily''s heart tightened, and she rushed forward to help heal Qing''s injuries.


    "Damn... He''s like a block of iron, tougher than a turtle shell!"


    Qing shook his fingers, which had been fractured in the battle.


    As the adrenaline wore off, the pain finally set in.


    Seeing his HP recover to a safe level, Qing struggled to his feet, ready to rejoin the fray, but Helena stopped him.


    "Qing, be careful. You can''t go head-to-head with him anymore!"


    "Then what should we do? If I don''t take the pressure, John and the others will be in danger."


    "Qing, how familiar are you with joint techniques?"


    Upon hearing this, Qing frowned and asked in confusion, "Joint techniques, like an armbar or something?"


    "Something like that. I''m thinking if his body is so tough it can ignore most attacks, joint techniques might be our only option."


    "Well... I''ll give it a try."


    Qing nodded slightly, agreeing with Helena''s suggestion.


    The problem was, Qing had only learned basic military hand-to-handbat techniques and wasn''t well-versed in technical grappling, especially against a monstrous opponent like this.


    Qing wasn''t confident he could sessfully execute a joint lock.


    But at this point, Qing had no time to hesitate.


    Seeing John and the others struggling, Qing made up his mind, quickly removing his armor and baring his chest, charging back into the fray!


    Sensing the return of his formidable opponent, Kaldaram punched John away and readied himself to face Qing!


    Seeing this, Qing grinned andughed, "It''s been a long time since I faced someone like you. This will be a battle I''ll never forget!"


    Kaldaram''s response was a swift and powerful straight punch!


    This time, Qing didn''t choose to meet the blow head-on.


    Like a professional boxer, he guarded himself, sidestepping the attack andnding an uppercut to Kaldaram''s face!


    Unfortunately, for Kaldaram, this kind of attack was barely noticeable.


    Unless they could disable him, Qing''s attacks were nothing more than a tickle to a mindless killing machine like Kaldaram!


    "Joint techniques, joint techniques... Damn it! I don''t know how to do that!"


    Qing crossed his arms in front of him, barely blocking another hit, but felt a searing pain in his arms.


    When he looked down, he saw that Kaldaram''s attack had torn the muscles on his skin.


    Once, before the apocalypse, Qing had seen the use of joint techniques, but in the heat of battle, his mind went nk, leaving only three words.


    Fight, fun!


    As for joint techniques... ��???$??��?$


    To hell with joint techniques!


    With that thought, Qing let loose, no longer holding back, and once again engaged in a physical brawl with Kaldaram!


    Seeing this, Helena pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a bit helpless.


    "We have to create an opportunity for them!"


    Helena''s brow furrowed as she nocked an arrow to her bowstring.


    The golden arrow was ready to be released, but Helena hesitated.


    She only had one chance and needed to find a way to turn the tide within that limited opportunity.


    Otherwise, if they provoked the opponent, it would spell disaster!


    "Not now... it''s not the right time yet."


    Helena bit her lip lightly, wanting to help, but realizing the timing wasn''t right.


    She had hoped that Qing could use joint techniques to disable Kaldaram, but it wasn''t as simple as she had imagined.


    Qing attempted several holds but couldn''t manage to subdue his opponent, who easily broke free.


    Instead, Qing was repeatedly knocked to the ground and beaten.


    If not for the Badge of the Barbarian, Qing''s HP would have been depleted long ago!


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the underworld!


    Hades watched everything unfold, a smile flickering in his eyes.


    He was increasingly amused by this game��it was utterly fascinating!


    Watching those bearing divine wills fight each other, what could be more thrilling?


    Unfortunately, the arrival of an uninvited guest disrupted Hades'' pleasure.


    "Hephaestus, I don''t recall inviting you. What brings you to the underworld so suddenly?"


    "I came to rify something."


    From behind Hades, a tall man engulfed in scorching mes stepped forward, stopping behind him.


    "You interfered in this game, didn''t you?"


    "That''s right. Like the rest of you, I ced my bet. What? Are you here to use me?"


    "I don''t have the power to do that. I''m just a humble cksmith; how could Ipare myself to the King of the Underworld?"


    "What truly puzzles me is you. If I remember correctly, you have always sided with humanity. Why the sudden change?"


    With a wave of Hades'' hand, a throne emerged. Hephaestus sat down, taking a long breath.


    "Zeus... has started his reckoning."


    "Heh... my worthless brother loves to do such things. So, to protect yourself, you decided to switch sides?"


    "I had no choice. In this long life, the one thing I''ve learned is never to make too many enemies. You, my old friend, are a prime example of why."


    "Mocking me, are you? You''ve got guts. So, how does it feel to rece me and be one of the Twelve Olympians?"


    Hades nced at Hephaestus and, through the mask of mes, saw his grotesque face before silently looking away.


    "Not great. Being revered is far more bitter than I imagined.


    Every moment, I have to guard against the ambitious [Gods] and make every decision perfectly. I''m just a cksmith; I can''t handle all that."


    Hephaestus shook his head, his words full of resentment.


    "What do you n to do?"


    "I gave that hammer to my emissary. Although it''s unfortunate that he''s be a pawn in this, a sacrificialmb, it''s all I could do.


    Once John and his team kill Kaldaram and obtain the hammer, my goal will be achieved."


    "Aren''t you afraid of the reckoning that will follow?"


    "If that dayes, I will break the pir that connects Mount Olympus and the underworld,pletely muddying the waters."


    Hearing this, Hades smirked and shook his head in helplessness.


    "You''re a madman."


    "Same to you. If you hadn''t made that foolish move back then, the throne of the king wouldn''t belong to Zeus, even if it didn''t go to you. I think Poseidon would have been a good choice. He has a very simple mind."

 Chapter 143: Chapter143-Provocation

    "Poseidon? Heh... He would never be a great leader. If you ask me, Mount Olympus has never needed a leader, let alone... a King of the Gods."


    Hades stood up, a gloomy look shing in his dim eyes.


    "I''ve had enough of these rituals and formalities. Mount Olympus needs true liberation."


    Hearing this, Hephaestus was taken aback, his voice trembling, "Hades, you wouldn''t..."


    "The era of rule by a King of the Gods should end. Over the long ages, the only thing I''ve learned is that no god is qualified to lead me.


    So, Hephaestus, what will your choice be?


    Both you and I are outcasts. What choice will you make? I''m looking forward to it."


    "...This idea is too crazy, Hades. You''re simply a madman!"


    "I''ve never denied that."


    Hades shrugged and turned his gaze to John.


    "He is my means of bringing about the new world. Your time is running out, Hephaestus."


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the bottom of the Mine Labyrinth!


    With a muffled sound, Qing''s figure was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing into the mountainside.


    "Damn... I can''t break through his defense at all!"


    Qing struggled to crawl out of the mountain, feeling as if he had broken countless bones.


    In contrast, Kaldaram had hardly suffered any injuries. Whether it was Qing or John, their attacks had little effect on Kaldaram; they couldn''t break through his defense.


    "He''s like a war machine that feels no pain or fatigue..."


    Exiled Immortal panted heavily, constantly distancing himself from Kaldaram to avoid the aftermath of the battle.


    Hand-to-handbat hadn''t given Qing any advantage; this was the first time in his memory. Kaldaram''s strength exceeded all their expectations.


    "However, fortunately, as long as we get out of his sight, he stops attacking and goes back to hammering. It gives us some breathing room. We can''t act rashly anymore; we need a n."


    How to deal with a monster with immense strength and high physical defense?


    Helena couldn''t think of any solution and turned her gaze to John.


    But John was also helpless. In this kind of siege battle, his performance wasn''t necessarily better than Qing''s.


    If Kaldaram''s fist so much as grazed John''s body, it would take away nearly a third of his HP. Three hits would be fatal, so John didn''t dare get close.


    "[Deception], you brought us here to help. Are you just going to stand by and watch? Do you have any ideas? If so, spit them out!"


    "Of course, there''s a way, but the difficulty is about the same as defeating him head-on."


    [Deception] exhaled deeply and pointed to the giant hammer in Kaldaram''s hand, saying solemnly, "See that hammer in his hand? That''s the weapon of Hephaestus, the god of fire and forging. If we can snatch the hammer from him, we can use it to kill him."


    Following [Deception]''s finger, John pinched the bridge of his nose and said helplessly, "Your idea is no different from saying nothing."


    "See, you insisted I tell you. No need to force it. If it doesn''t work out, we can temporarily seal him here ande back to deal with him when we''re stronger."


    "Actually... I have an idea."


    John exhaled deeply and turned to [Deception].


    "Is there a way to send him to the underworld?"


    "Send him to the underworld? Why send him there?"


    "Don''t worry about that. Just tell me if there''s a way!"


    "In the game world, there''s no direct way to open a passage to the underworld, at least I can''t. I go to the underworld through the [Abyss]."


    Hearing this, John''s eyes suddenly lit up.


    "Then let''s do it. Take him away and go through the [Abyss] to the underworld. I have a way to kill him!"


    "Whoa, whoa, whoa... John, you can''t be serious... Are you crazy? Do you think Hades will allow it?"


    "He will. I inherited part of his authority, so I have the right to take whoever I want to the underworld. I trust Hades won''t refuse. Enough talk, get him out of here quickly!" ��%?#��?�ŧ�??-����-*


    With that said, despite [Deception]''sck of confidence, he could only choose to trust John''s determined expression.


    "We''re now back in the real world."


    As [Deception] finished speaking, John felt the world around him change dramatically. In an instant, they were back in the real world, next to the [Abyss] rift.


    Of course, only John, [Deception], and Kaldaram were affected. Exiled Immortal and the others were still in the Mine Labyrinth''s deepestyer, unaffected by [Deception]''s power.


    Seeing John''s sudden disappearance, everyone looked at each other in confusion, not knowing what to do.


    "So now, what... what should we do?"


    "The friends list shows John is offline, so he must have seeded. But we can''t just leave yet. When John logs back in, he''ll return here. At least one of us needs to stay."


    "I''m out ofmission; I need a good rest..."


    With the crisis averted, Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Pain and exhaustion washed over him like a tide, swallowing him whole. He copsed to the ground and fell into a deep sleep.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal shook his head with a wry smile and said helplessly, "Let''s rest here for now. John shouldn''t be too long."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Abyss!


    John looked down into the abyss, a seemingly endless maw that could swallow everything.


    Just a nce at it sent chills down his spine.


    "Putting aside whether I can jump in without problems, are you sure we can get this guy in there?"


    Looking at the now-frenzied Kaldaram, John couldn''t help but gulp.


    "The Abyss is a passage between the underworld and the human world. It''s very sturdy, so don''t worry about it breaking.


    As for what happens when he jumps in, I honestly don''t know. You''ll have to lure him into the abyss step by step."


    [Deception] shrugged helplessly, "If Hades had given you the authority to open the gate to the underworld, this would be much easier. Unfortunately, he didn''t."


    "You really can''t be relied on for anything..."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, pondered for a while, and then gathered himself.


    "I''ll lure him over. Be ready to support me at any moment."


    "I can''t be of much help. As you can see, my current form has less than five thousandbat power. If I get involved in this level of battle, I''d be instantly killed."


    [Deception] shrugged again, adding, "Of course, I can help distract him, but that''s all."


    "Why are you suddenly so weak? Never mind, I''ll figure it out myself."


    John waved his hand and turned his attention to Kaldaram.


    After leaving the game world, Kaldaram''s aura had noticeably weakened, likely due to the restrictions of the new environment.


    "I shouldn''t have decided to help you..."


    Despite his regret, there was no turning back now!


    With a thought, John''s wings spread out behind him. In a sh, he appeared in front of Kaldaram.


    "Hey, big guy,e and get me!"


    "Look at you, I can''t believe someone like you could be a [Divine Emissary]?"


    Kaldaram ignored John''s tauntspletely, giving no response at all.


    "Damn it, he''s really thick-headed... Hey! If I remember correctly, the god who granted you your power is Hephaestus, right?


    In my opinion, he''s an idiot for entrusting such an important mission to someone like you."


    As soon as John finished speaking, Kaldaram''s figure suddenly disappeared.


    When John realized what was happening, Kaldaram was already in front of him, his giant hammer crashing down.


    The terrifying force of it made John certain he''d be crushed into pulp!


    Without a doubt, John had thoroughly enraged Kaldaram!

 Chapter 144: Chapter144-Return to the Underworld

    "Damn it, damn it!"


    John''s wings fluttered behind him as he dashed forward, leaving a trail of afterimages as he shot over a hundred meters away.


    Behind him, Kaldaram was in hot pursuit, showing no intention of letting John escape.


    "No one can insult... Lord Hephaestus!"


    The god who had given him everything, who had helped him find the courage to live and the meaning of life��Hephaestus was Kaldaram''s ultimate faith.


    He would never allow anyone to insult Hephaestus!


    Even though he hadpletely lost his sanity, Hephaestus seemed to be branded into Kaldaram''s soul.


    Any mention of him would strongly agitate Kaldaram!


    Seeing this, [Deception] gasped in shock.


    He had expected John to take some action to provoke Kaldaram, but he hadn''t anticipated it would be in this manner.


    This was nothing short of a death wish!


    "Get out of the way!"


    John ran with all his might, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t shake off Kaldaram.


    All John could do was pray that Kaldaram''s attacks wouldn''tnd on him, as that would surely be his end!


    Finally, the [Abyss] was within sight. John gritted his teeth and pushed his speed to the limit, diving into the abyss just before Kaldaram''s massive hands could grab his ankle!


    Seeing this, Kaldaram didn''t hesitate for a moment and followed John into the abyss. [Deception] finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    They had finally brought Kaldaram into the abyss. Now, all that remained was to head to the underworld.


    The underworld, again...


    If he could avoid it, [Deception] really didn''t want to deal with Hades, but he had no choice.


    Entering the abyss, [Deception] navigated the familiar terrain as if he were back home and quickly caught up with John and the others.


    In this confined space, Kaldaram''s massive size was clearly a disadvantage, preventing him from attacking at will. This gave John a moment to catch his breath.


    "But... this is the Abyss? It''s different from what I imagined."


    John looked around, marveling at the pitch-ck solid rock.


    "So these are soul crystals?"


    From the corner of his eye, John spotted a milky white, translucent crystal. He picked it up and felt the soul within it pulsate.


    It''s a pity Seraphina isn''t here; otherwise, John could have given it to her directly. But now, there were more pressing matters at hand��no time to collect soul crystals.


    Racing ahead, John finally saw the portal connecting the underworld and the Abyss in the distance. It was ethereal and elusive yet undeniably real.


    Almost there, just a little more!


    Gritting his teeth, John pushed his stamina to the limit, crashing into the portal. The scent of death washed over him, only to quickly dissipate.


    Though he had reached the underworld, John didn''t dare let his guard down.


    He stood up, eyes fixed on the portal until Kaldaram''s massive form struggled through it. Then, John immediately turned and ran!


    This time, however, the situation was slightly different.


    With part of Hades'' authority, the underworld felt like home to John, but Kaldaram had to endure its constant, corrosive atmosphere.


    Moreover, John had the power to control souls.


    "Tyr! Where are you? Tyr!"


    John shouted, and the soul of Tyr, wandering near the pce, seemed to hear him. After a moment of hesitation, it ran toward the source of the voice.


    ...


    Meanwhile, inside the pce.


    Hades sighed and struggled to stand up, saying helplessly, "I didn''t expect them to cause trouble in the underworld.


    What do you think, should we go check it out? After all, Kaldaram is your most loyal follower. It would be a bit heartless to abandon him, wouldn''t it?"


    "As gods, we shouldn''t retain human emotions. It''s a major taboo, Hades."


    "So?"


    "...I''ll go with you."


    Hearing this, Hades nced at Hephaestus and rolled his eyes disdainfully. �Ҧ�?$�Ԧ�!-��+?%-%


    "You cane, but let me be clear: I intend to help John eliminate Kaldaram. If you can''t bear that, I suggest you stay here.


    If you change your mind and try to harm John, I''ll make sure you and your follower remain in the underworld for eternity. Understood?"


    "Don''t worry, I''m prepared for this."


    With that, Hades nodded slightly and left the pce.


    At this moment, John''s situation was not looking good.


    John had overlooked a crucial detail: Tyr was now merely a disembodied spirit, and Kaldaram had lost his sanity.


    Tyr''s presence had no deterrent effect on a madman. John was still on the run, being relentlessly pursued by Kaldaram.


    During this chase, John considered jumping into the River Styx, hoping the souls within would tear Kaldaram apart.


    However, [Deception] informed him that Kaldaram''s soul was already dead, leaving only his body acting on instinct.


    What kind of monster is this?!


    "Maybe I should find Hades... Yes! Ask Hades for help! After all, I''m his chosen one; he wouldn''t refuse to lend a hand for something this minor, right?"


    "Is this why you dragged the matter into the underworld without my permission?"


    While John''s thoughts were racing, he suddenly heard Hades'' voice behind him.


    Spinning around, he saw Hades, who had somehow appeared behind him, effortlessly immobilizing Kaldaram with a wave of his hand.


    "Phew... Finally, this madman is stopped."


    John wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his heart still racing. He nced at Hades'' grim smile and swallowed nervously, stammering, "Um... Lord Hades, let me exin."


    "Go ahead, I''m curious to see what excuse youe up with. You better make it convincing, or you know the consequences."


    "Well... There''s no need to hide it. I couldn''t defeat him, so I came back to get reinforcements. I thought, with your vast powers, Lord Hades, this small trouble would be a piece of cake for you."


    "Hahaha... You''re straightforward. Alright, I won''t tease you anymore. Bringing him to the underworld was indeed a clever idea.


    But John, this is a one-time exception, understood?


    The underworld is a ce of rest for the dead.


    It cannot be repeatedly disturbed. Can you imagine what would happen if the bridge between the dead and the living were destroyed?


    If that ever happened, the dead would never have peace, and the living would never die!


    I will not allow that to happen, so you better be careful. If it''s not a critical situation, avoiding to the underworld too frequently."


    John nodded thoughtfully.


    He didn''t fully understand, but that didn''t matter.


    All he needed to do was nod and agree with whatever Hades said.


    Unfortunately, Hades saw right through John''s little scheme and sighed, "You didn''t really understand, did you?


    Fine, just remember not to casually enter the underworld, especially not with others in tow.


    As for the one you brought this time, it''s convenient.


    The one who bestowed his power is here as a guest. Hephaestus, why don''t youe over and meet him?"


    Upon hearing this, John''s smile instantly froze.


    The one who bestowed power upon Kaldaram... wasn''t that the god of fire and forging, Hephaestus, one of the twelve Olympian gods!


    John never imagined that a conflict between two Divine Emissaries would involve their patrons.


    And he had just called Hephaestus an idiot right in front of Kaldaram. Did Hephaestus hear it?


    He probably didn''t, right?


    But if he didn''t, why did Hades have that expression?


    Could he have heard it?


    "...This is bad."


    John wanted to make a quick escape, but it was clear Hades wouldn''t give him the chance. His presence was firmly locked onto him, leaving no opportunity to flee.


    "Alright, put away those little thoughts of yours. Hephaestus won''t harm you. He promised me."


    "A promise? You believe that? What if he suddenly ps me to death?"


    "Then I''ll p him to death right after."

 Chapter 145: Chapter145-The Departed World

    Seeing Hades'' confident expression, John felt a strange sense of reassurance.


    Is this what it feels like to have a strong backer?


    Thinking back, what kind of life had he been living before!


    He had thought [Deception] was reliable, but that guy always dropped the ball at critical moments.


    As for Seraphina, she was full of knowledge but just a lingering soul. She couldn''t protect herself, let alone be relied upon by John.


    But now, John finally had a strong backer. Hades, who ruled the underworld, was John''s greatest support!


    Although Hades'' temper was unpredictable... he was at least dependable.


    "Why do I feel the atmosphere is a bit strange?"


    Watching Hephaestus walk towards Kaldaram, John smacked his lips and said, "You gods... do you also engage in same-sex rtionships?"


    "Do you even realize what you''re saying?"


    "Sorry, sorry, I just found it a bit strange. They seem awfully affectionate, don''t they?"


    "Kaldaram is Hephaestus'' most loyal follower, but Hephaestus himself pushed him into the abyss, sacrificing Kaldaram''s life to secure his own position. So, he feels very guilty."


    "Oh, guilt. I thought... never mind."


    Noticing Hades'' displeased look, John wisely chose to shut up.


    "Lord Hephaestus... why are you here?"


    "Kaldaram, my most loyal follower, please forgive me."


    "...My lord."


    In truth, Kaldaram had somewhat understood his fate ever since he left Mount Olympus.


    He had be a discarded pawn, and there was some resentment in his heart.


    He couldn''tprehend why he had to meet such an end when he had been so loyal.


    But upon seeing Hephaestus again, the doubts in Kaldaram''s heart vanished.


    To be precise, the reason no longer mattered.


    "My lord, I am willing to offer my life and everything I have to you! It is my honor to be chosen."


    "Forgive me, Kaldaram, forgive me..."


    Hephaestus sighed and turned to Hades, who understood immediately.


    With a mere thought, chaos chains erupted from the ground, effortlessly piercing Kaldaram''s body and erasing his existence.


    Seeing this, Hephaestus tightly closed his eyes.


    Though he didn''t want to face it, he could still sense Kaldaram''s demise.


    "Hades... thank you."


    "It''s nothing. I''ve fulfilled my promise to you. Now, it''s your turn to fulfill yours."


    "Of course, I will keep my word."


    Hephaestus nodded slightly and picked up the giant hammer.


    Intense heat surged from his palm, gradually melting the incredibly hard hammer into an irregrly shaped ellipsoid.


    "Take it."


    Hephaestus tossed the ellipsoid to Hades, who caught it steadily and, after examining it closely, nodded in satisfaction.


    "John, it''s yours now."


    "Mine?"


    John, who had just been watching the show, was surprised to receive an unexpected reward. Taking the ellipsoid, he asked, "What is this?"


    "It''s a valuable item, the Demigod-tier weapon [Everchanging] created by Hephaestus, the god of fire and forging.


    It can change shape ording to your thoughts.


    Many gods have coveted this thing, but Hephaestus was too stingy to give it to anyone.


    However, as part of our deal, he agreed to give it to me. Give it a try."


    Hearing this, John raised his eyebrows skeptically and started to imagine a reaper''s scythe in his mind.


    The next moment, the ellipsoid in his hand began to transform, one end extending into a long handle while the other curved into a scythe.


    The details matched exactly with what John had imagined.


    Seeing this, John was dumbfounded.


    "How is this possible?"


    "Although I''d love to know the principle behind this thing, it''s unfortunate that Hephaestus won''t reveal it.


    And ording to him, even he finds it difficult to recreate something like this. So, consider yourself lucky. What you hold in your hand is something countless gods would envy."


    "This is... truly unexpected!"


    An incredible stroke of luck!


    "I''ve solved your problem. Now you can get lost."


    "Of course, I''m leaving right away!"


    John was in a great mood and couldn''t be bothered to argue with Hades.


    Besides, he knew he couldn''t win an argument with Hades anyway.


    But no matter what, obtaining such a treasure put John in excellent spirits.


    After leaving the underworld through the portal, John kept his eyes fixed on [Everchanging].


    The ellipsoid in his hand transformed into a spear, then a scimitar, and even a rifle!


    Unfortunately, even when it took the form of a rifle, it couldn''t function properly and was just a solid stick good for hitting people.


    This was likely because John didn''t understand the intricate inner workings of a rifle, so it could only mimic the appearance��a nearly solid club.


    "Looks like I need to get some serious lessons on firearms from Qing when I get back."


    Just imagining pulling out a rifle and unleashing firepower while everyone else was fighting with swords and knives was thrilling!


    Lost in thought, John followed [Deception] out of the abyss. After putting away [Everchanging], he let out a long breath.


    Despite his joy, John didn''t let it cloud his judgment. He remembered the promise [Deception] had made and wasn''t going to forget it easily.


    "Now that the trouble is resolved, it''s time for you to fulfill your promise, right?"


    Walking alongside [Deception], John asked in a deep voice, "Tell me, how much do you know about this world?"


    "Not talking... is not an option. Why don''t you ask the questions, John? What do you want to know?"


    "First, you should tell me who you really are. It seems you knew Kaldaram. Were you both human?"


    Hearing this, [Deception] seemed to fall into a memory, and after a long silence, he smiled bitterly, "You''re right. We were once ordinary people.


    Everything that happened to you, I have experienced firsthand.


    The seven-day disaster, monsters everywhere, and that damned game��I went through it all.


    The only difference is that we lost. Miracles didn''t favor us. In my world, humanity was wiped out.


    Only we, the traitors who chose to serve the [Gods], survived as their followers."


    "Besides you, how many are left?"


    "Excluding those who have already died, there are less than twenty of us left. In an entire world, on an entire, only twenty people remain."


    "What was the apocalypse like, in your world?"


    "You probably expect me to use words like terrifying or hopeless, but unfortunately, when the apocalypse came, it was much quieter than you can imagine.


    In just an instant, every life on the died without warning. By the time I realized it, some people''s corpses had already started to rot. It was a silent end, a quiet extinction.


    So there was no struggle, no chance to resist. It happened so quickly and quietly that the world simply restarted."


    Hearing this, John bit his lip. He wanted to say something tofort [Deception], but the words wouldn''te. In the end, he just sighed.


    "Have you ever gone back to see it?"


    "No, I had the chance, but I decided against it.


    I am a traitor to humanity. What right do I have to return to that world? What kind of mindset should I have when facing my fallenrades who rest in unnoticed corners?


    I long ago lost the right to mourn them. That''s my reality��a remnant of a departed world."


    With that, [Deception] sighed deeply.


    "Let''s leave it at that. I don''t want to talk about it anymore."


    "...I''m sorry."


    "It''s not your fault, John. Do you know? Sometimes I really envy you.


    If I had had a chance to start over, like you... but it''s over now."

 Chapter 146: Chapter146-Everchanging

    "Forget what I said today; it''s not worth remembering."


    "I have onest question."


    "Then you need to ask quickly because I don''t want to talk about this anymore."


    "If it''s possible... is there a chance for that world to restart? To make everything start over, bring everyone back to life. I know it might sound like a foolish dream, but I..."


    Seeing John''s hesitant gaze, [Deception] suddenly smiled.


    "Maybe it can, maybe it can''t. Honestly, I don''t know if I will ever have the chance to return to my homnd. I don''t have that ability, but maybe you do.


    You''ve always been curious about my purpose, right?


    Now I''ll tell you. If possible, I hope you can kill Chronos, take his power, and then help me reverse time so I can return to my homnd."


    "I see..."


    At that moment, the lingering doubts in John''s mind were finally resolved. It exined why [Deception] had repeatedly gone out of his way to help him.


    "Alright, I''ve answered your question. It''s time for us to go back. Don''t keep yourpanions waiting too long."


    "Hey, we''ve known each other for so long. You should at least tell me your name, right? Calling you [Deception] all the time feels awkward."


    "I think it has a nice mysterious ring to it. Besides, I don''t have the courage to face my past right now, so... don''t ask."


    [Deception] waved his hand and jumped back into the abyss, returning to the game world.


    Seeing this, John could only sigh. Spreading his wings, he returned to the suburban warehouse, crawled back into his sleeping bag, and logged back in.


    In the blink of an eye, John was back in the Mine Labyrinth, immediately catching the attention of Exiled Immortal and the others.


    "John, you''re back! How did it go? Are you hurt?"


    Meeting Helena''s concerned gaze, John smiled and shook his head.


    "I''m fine. I killed Kaldaram, and I got this from him."


    With that, John took [Everchanging] out of his yer inventory.


    "This is the spoils from killing Kaldaram��a Demigod-tier weapon."


    "Demigod-tier... this? A little metal ball?"


    Qing scratched his head, clearly not understanding what was so special about it.


    "Don''t underestimate this thing, Qing. Haven''t you always liked long spears? Hold this and imagine the appearance of a long spear in your mind."


    "What? I don''t get it..."


    Qing took [Everchanging] skeptically, closed his eyes, and began to imagine.


    Momentster, [Everchanging] stretched and melted like liquid metal, perfectly forming into the long spear Qing had envisioned!


    "Wow! How did it do that?"


    Qing opened his eyes, looking at the majestic long spear in his hand. Heughed heartily and swung it a few times.


    It was not an exaggeration to say that its appearance, weight, and even the tiniest details matched his imagination exactly.


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal gasped in shock, struggling to find words.


    "Let me try!"


    "Sure."


    Exiled Immortal took [Everchanging] from Qing and muttered, "I want... Excalibur!"


    "...John, why didn''t it change?"


    Exiled Immortal looked to John for help, pointing at the small metal ball in his palm with confusion. "Why did Qing''s spear transform?"


    "Are you sure you envisioned it in your mind?"


    "I... I did imagine it. Is my imagination too weak? Okay, not Excalibur, how about Tensa Zangetsu?"


    In the next moment, [Everchanging] finally reacted, transforming into the appearance of Tensa Zangetsu.


    Of course, it was just the appearance and didn''t have the actual properties of the weapon, which was what Exiled Immortal had expected.


    "Wow... this looks amazing. John, can you give it to me?"


    "You want it?"


    "Yes, yes!"


    Exiled Immortal nodded eagerly, looking at John with hopeful eyes.


    "If you want it, go get your own. I worked hard to get this treasure; I''m keeping it. Unless you want to give me back Tyr''s Sword of War?"


    "Uh... never mind then."


    Exiled Immortal sheepishly withdrew, returning [Everchanging] to John.


    "Honestly, you guysck imagination.


    If it''s all about imagining, why not think of something you''d never get to use normally?"


    As he spoke, [Everchanging] transformed again, this time into a sniper rifle in John''s hands!


    "How about this? The times have changed!"


    "But... this thing can''t actually shoot, can it?"


    Qing, with his military background, quickly pointed out the issue.


    "While you''ve imagined the gun''s exterior, it''s clear from the barrel that there''s no rifling. Basically, it''s just a metal stick."


    "Alright, you''re right.


    That''s the problem. I don''t understand the internal structure of firearms well enough, so I can only imagine the exterior. It can''t function properly.


    Qing, you''re the expert in this area. Want to give it a try?"


    "I guess I could..."


    Qing nodded slightly, taking [Everchanging] again and closing his eyes for a long time. Gradually, some changes began to appear.


    "This is probably it... The internal structure is tooplex, so I''m not sure if it''s urate. If you have bullets, you could give it a try."


    "Bullets, huh? Let''s just carve one and see if it works."


    John picked up a piece of reasonably hard mineral from the ground and, following Qing''s specifications, carved it into the shape of a bullet. He then loaded it into the magazine.


    With a smooth sequence of actions, he chambered the round, disengaged the safety, aimed, and pulled the trigger!


    Unfortunately, there wasn''t even a sound.


    "Did something go wrong?"


    Lily opened one eye and cautiously nced at John, who was still standing in ce, finger on the trigger.


    "It''s still not working. I guess I was too optimistic, hoping it could replicate something like this."


    John shook his head with a wry smile and dispelled [Everchanging]''s transformation.


    "No, the internal structure should be correct... John, can I borrow this thing for a few days? If possible, I''d like to keep trying."


    "No problem. We''vepleted the dungeon, so we''ll be leaving Talcavano after resting for a few days.


    You can study it, Qing. It''d be great if you could figure out how to make a sniper rifle or a rocketuncher, haha, that would be exciting!"


    "Well... don''t get your hopes up too high."


    With the brief distraction over, the group realized that since Kaldaram had reced the original dungeon boss, killing him counted as a sessful first clear, earning them the first clear rewards.


    Of course, since this was a level 40 dungeon, there were no Legendary-quality items, only a few Epic-quality items, which was better than nothing.


    "I thought it would at least be Legendary quality. This is so stingy!"


    Exiled Immortal fiddled with the new ring he had received,ining, "And it doesn''t even have set bonuses. The stats arepletely unimpressive. Might as well auction it off."


    "You sure have a big appetite."


    "Of course, John. The Demigod-tier weapon you gave me is incredible. Imagine if I could get a full set of Demigod-tier gear; I''d be able to solo a [Divine Emissary]!"


    "It''s good to have dreams, but don''t be delusional."


    "Aren''t you curious? Demigod-tier items are already weapons used by [Gods]. How powerful must Divine-tier weapons be? One hit, 999 damage? John, did you ever get any Divine-tier equipment in your previous life?"


    "No, and almost no one did. As far as I know, only one kid, about thirteen or fourteen, got a Divine weapon. After that, I don''t know what happened."


    John shrugged, adding helplessly, "Do you think Divine-tier items are asmon as carrots? Even as levels increase, the highest you can reasonably hope for is Legendary items.


    Anything above that requires a lot of luck. At the very least, you need to clear a special dungeon to have a chance."

 Chapter 147: Chapter147-The Elven King

    "Wee back. Judging by your expressions, it seems everything went well."


    ria, who had been waiting patiently, sighed in relief upon seeing John and the others return safely.


    "We did encounter some trouble and nearly got wiped out, but in the end, we still won."


    "Too bad the reward was a pile of junk..."


    Exiled Immortal pouted, clearly still upset about the first-clear reward from the dungeon. Seeing his expression, Helena impatiently pinched his ear and scolded, "If you keep whining, I''ll twist your ear off! It''ll only cost you ten percent of your HP, and you can reattach it. Want to test that?"


    "No, no violence!"


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal quickly hid behind Qing, avoiding further confrontation.


    Unfortunately, Qing waspletely engrossed in researching handguns and sniper rifles with Old Mac and had no time to deal with him, so Exiled Immortal had to give in.


    "In summary, our journey in Talcavano is nearing its end, and we''ll soon be on the road again."


    "Sigh... Finally leaving this ce. Every day I open the door to endless sand and scorching heat. I can''t take it much longer."


    "Uncle Mac, you haven''t changed your mind about joining us, have you? Are youing with us?"


    John nced at Mac, who nodded slightly and smiled, "Of course. Spending time with you young folks makes me feel younger. Besides, I need to find my daughter. I won''t leave until we get to Everglow."


    "Then it''s settled. We''ll stay in Talcavano for another three days before we set off. Enjoy this rare moment of peace, everyone. Once we head to Spartonia, things won''t be so leisurely.


    That ce... heh."


    For John, it was a nightmare.


    "Alright, dismissed! Free time, but be cautious of the [Divine Emissary]."


    After advising everyone, John returned to his room to get some rest.


    There were still many questions troubling John, including how to transform ria into a yer, the item Seraphina mentioned that could track [Divine Emissaries], and most importantly...


    "These two dragon eggs aren''t duds, are they? Why haven''t they shown any signs?"


    John knocked on the shell of the dragon egg, but apart from the scorching heat, there was no response.


    "Tsk, no one told me how to hatch these things!"


    These were legendary dragons!


    If both hatched, it would bring a significant increase inbat power. Besides, who wouldn''t want to be a Dragon Knight?


    John had been thinking about this for a long time, but the two eggs remainedpletely inactive...


    "I should have asked [Deception] earlier; he might know how."


    After dealing with the trouble caused by Kaldaram, [Deception] had left, saying he needed to go to Spartonia ahead of them to scout and check on [Rage].


    If everything went as expected, that guy should wake up soon.


    Although John had never dealt with [Rage] directly, from [Deception]''s expression, it was clear that he wouldn''t be easy to handle.


    ording to [Deception], [Rage] has the ability to convert anger into strength, making him incredibly powerful.


    Moreover, he''s known for his short temper, getting angry at the smallest things.


    In the entire [Apostle] faction, [Rage] is undoubtedly the strongest.


    John was skeptical about [Deception]''s words, especially since he had previously imed that [Betrayal] had highbat power.


    Nevertheless, it''s always best to be prepared.


    These two dragon eggs were undoubtedly the quickest way for John to increase hisbat power.


    "Seraphina, Seraphina? Can you hear me?"


    "Shut up! I can hear you, you''re so annoying!"


    "...Are you still working on it?"


    "What do you think? With your knack for getting into trouble, if I don''t hurry and finish this thing, who knows when you''ll get yourself killed!


    So, if you have something to say, say it quickly and don''t bother me!"


    "Do you know how to hatch these two dragon eggs?"


    "It''s not time yet. The life within these eggs is still developing. To fully hatch, it will take about three months.


    If you want to speed up the process, provide them with the best hatching environment, and it might shorten the time to one month."


    "The best hatching environment?"


    John sat up and looked at the two dragon eggs.


    One had a surface covered in fiery red whirlpools, the shell constantly emitting high heat.


    The other was entirely different, looking lush and full of life.


    "One needs to be heated, and the other needs to be in a ce with a strong natural atmosphere?"


    "Looks like you''re notpletely hopeless. Now go do it and stop bothering me!"


    With that, Seraphina cut off their connection, not giving John any chance to ask more questions.


    Seeing this, John pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply.


    Finding a ce with abundant life is not difficult; [Deep Forest] is an excellent choice. However, the high temperature is a different issue...


    Theva inside Mine No. 3 could solve the high-temperature problem, but the eggs require an entire month to hatch, and John can''t stay here that long.


    "Never mind... let''s head back to [Deep Forest] first."


    Hearing this, ria''s eyes lit up, and she looked at John with delight. "John, are we going back?"


    "Yeah, we have a few days of free time. Do you want to go back and check on things?"


    "Yes! I''ve been worried and want to see how everyone is doing. Elowen should be an excellent leader by now, right?"


    "Get ready; we''ll leave in five minutes!"


    John considered calling Exiled Immortal and the others, but then decided against it, relishing the rare opportunity for some time alone with ria.


    He put away the two dragon eggs, and once ria had packed her belongings, he crushed the teleportation scroll.


    The scenery around them changed dramatically, and when they regained their bearings, they were near the elven settlement in [Deep Forest].


    As soon as they appeared, their presence was immediately detected.


    However, upon recognizing ria and John, the elven scouts hidden in the treetops revealed themselves.


    "Your Majesty! You''ve returned!"


    "And Master John! Long time no see, Master John!"


    "Perkins, Palmer, it''s been a while."


    ria correctly named the two scouts, making them feel extremely honored.


    "Your Majesty, we thought you wouldn''te back..."


    "How could that be? This is my homnd, our homnd. I''ll alwayse back whenever I have the time. So, how have things been for the elvestely?"


    Upon hearing this, Perkins'' eyes lit up. "Your Majesty, after you left, Lady Elowen followed your instructions.


    She expanded the settlement, strengthened our defenses, and engaged in friendly negotiations with nearby races.


    Now, the size of the elven settlement has at least doubled!"


    "There''s more! People from many other races are now allowed to enter the elven settlement. As long as they verify their identity and don''t carry weapons, they can stay temporarily.


    If they want to apply for long-term residence, they need a guarantor from the elven tribe, two people responsible for each other.


    Ah, I''m not very good with words, but the elven tribe is getting better and better. Your Majesty, you should go see for yourself!


    Lady Elowen will be very happy to know you''ve returned!


    My brother and I have tasks to attend to, so we can''t escort you the whole way. We hope you understand..."


    "It''s fine, having a sense of responsibility is a good thing. John and I can go back on our own. Thank you for your hard work."


    "It''s no trouble at all! Master John, thank you for the armor. It has saved our lives more than once."


    John smiled warmly. "This time, I''ll help you make more life-sustaining armor. Look forward to it."


    "Really? That''s wonderful! Thank you, Master John!"


    As soon as Perkins finished speaking, Palmer pped him on the back.


    "Are you stupid? Did you forget Lady Elowen''s instructions? When you see Master John, you''re supposed to call him the Elven King!"

 Chapter 148: Chapter148-Welcome Home!

    "Th...the Elven King? Me?"


    John was stunned for a few seconds before he couldn''t help but let out a few bitterughs.


    He could certainly understand Elowen''s thoughts. After all, his rtionship with ria was no longer a secret. But for a human like him to be the Elven King, it still felt a bit strange.


    "Well, you two brothers go ahead andplete your mission. I''ll go ahead with your queen."


    "Yes, Elven King!"


    Under the watchful eyes of Perkins and Palmer, John took ria''s hand and walked past the checkpoint, prompting a look of envy from Perkins.


    "Master John and the queen really are a match made in heaven..."


    "Indeed, Master John is so capable, handsome, and most importantly, powerful. It''s really enviable. But to be honest, I always thought only someone like Elowen would have a chance to win the queen''s heart."


    "Elowen? He''s too young, isn''t he? How could the queen like a kid?"


    "What are you talking about? Master John is not even thirty yet. Does that make him a little kid?"


    "Uh... seems like you''re right?"


    -chapter


    ...


    On the other side, John and ria had just arrived at the outskirts of the habitat and immediately caused a cheer from the elves. They shouted for the queen and the Elven King, attracting even more onlookers who didn''t know what was going on.


    "Everyone seems to like me, hahaha!"


    "You''ve done so much for this ce. The people have remembered it in their hearts. Of course, they would respect and adore you. In fact, even if you announced that you wanted to stay in the Elven tribe as the Elven King, no one would object."


    "Well... let''s skip that. I still prefer a bit of adventure."


    John gave a sillyugh and nodded to the surrounding crowd, making his way forward with difficulty.


    It had only been a month, yet John felt that the number of elves had more than doubled. Listening to ria''s exnation, he understood that the Deep Forest was home to many small elven tribes, not just their own habitat.


    Now, under Elowen''s leadership, their elven tribe had grown stronger, and these smaller tribes had epted this fact and were willing to join Elowen''s tribe for protection.


    "Thriving and flourishing, my former ideals have trulye to fruition. John... I am really grateful to you."


    "There''s no need for thanks between us. Alright, the fan meeting has gone on long enough. Let''s go find Elowen and discuss some serious matters."


    With that, wings unfurled behind John. The pitch-ck feathers, like an ink painting, lifted John and ria into the air.


    Avoiding the crowd, Johnnded steadily in front of the pce, where Elowen had been waiting for quite some time. Seeing John and ria again, Elowen''s eyes filled with tears.


    "Master John, Your Majesty, wee home!"


    "Not bad! I''ve only been gone for less than a month, and it seems you''ve grown quite a bit. Your shoulders are broader now."


    John walked up with a smile, patting Elowen''s shoulder, and continued, "It must have been tough during this time, right?"


    "Until I temporarily took on the queen''s responsibilities, I never realized the burden she carried. If my shoulders weren''t broad enough, how could I bear the hopes of our people?


    As for whether it was tough... to be honest, it was a bit. Since Master John and the queen left, I haven''t had a full night''s sleep. But amidst the hardships, there was more fulfillment.


    Seeing the smiles on our people''s faces, all the fatigue just melted away."


    Hearing this, ria''s eyes reddened. She had long regarded Elowen as a younger brother, and seeing his growth made her very gratified.


    "You''ve done wonderfully. Don''t put too much pressure on yourself. You have to know that every task you''vepleted now, neither I nor any previous Elven King could have aplished. Elowen, you''ve surpassed us."


    "Your Majesty, please don''t say that! Master John left everything ready for me before he left. I just had to follow the n. There''s really nothing worth praising.


    As for the Elven King... I admit, I did feel a tiny bit tempted, but only a tiny bit. You are the queen of the elves. That will never change."


    Meeting Elowen''s determined gaze, John suddenly smiled.


    "Alright, we''ll talk about thister. Once your strength improves, you won''t be able to avoid it even if you try. Let''s go inside. I have some things to discuss with you. No one has entered ria''s chambers, right?"


    "ria... You mean Her Majesty? Of course not! I''ve only kept part of the pce open for receiving guests and conducting business. The rest has been sealed off, with regr cleanings and no unauthorized entries."


    "That''s good."


    John couldn''t help but admire ria''s judgment. Elowen already had the demeanor of a leader, far exceeding his peers in both ability and temperament.


    It seems responsibility is indeed the best catalyst for a man''s growth.


    As they entered the pce, ria was momentarily dazed.


    The pce she had lived in for hundreds of years was still spotless, but now it had more decorations, adding a touch of prosperity.


    "Your Majesty, Elven King, please take your seats!"


    Elowen knelt on one knee, and for a moment, ria felt like she was back a month ago, before she had left.


    But now...


    "Elowen, stand up. I''ve told you, you are the leader of the elves now. You don''t need to kneel to me or anyone else!"


    "But..."


    "Stand up!"


    riamanded sternly, and Elowen stood up like a robot, not daring to hesitate.


    Sensing the awkward atmosphere, John quickly smiled and said, "Alright, alright, listen to me. Today, there are no queens or subjects, just friends who haven''t seen each other for a while. Let''s not bother with those formalities."


    "...Let''s do as John says. Elowen, you really don''t need to be so formal."


    "Understood, Que... Sister ria."


    "That''s more like it."


    Satisfied, ria nodded, then passed the initiative back to John.


    "Elowen, tell me about the current state of the Elven tribe. How many guards do we have, and how strong are they? What''s the resident poption in the habitat, and how many are transient? How''s the trade situation? You know all this, right?"


    "Don''t worry, Master John, I''ve kept records. Currently, the Elven Guard has over two thousand members, with their strength around level 35 on average. We also have an elite squad equipped with special armor."


    "Additionally, the habitat has a permanent poption of 640,000, with 550,000 being elves and 90,000 from other races. Most of these non-elf residents are from small tribes and have been ced on the outskirts of the habitat after undergoing multiple tests and approvals, pending further assessment.


    This month, the peak transient poption reached 150,000, mostly humans and dwarvesing here for trade. They usually don''t stay long but bring rare materials and weapons, which we''ve bartered for."


    "Not bad... Although there''s still some discrepancy from my expectations, given that our defensive strength is still somewhatcking, this is an excellent result.


    Rest assured, I''ve returned to help you solve this problem. Armor production is now scble; as long as we have enough materials, producing 5,000 sets shouldn''t be an issue. Additionally, I can provide three contract monsters. Tomorrow, choose three of your most trusted lieutenants and have them meet me. I''ll prepare the contract ceremonies for them.


    Also, the golems I taught you about can now be upgraded. You should stay and oversee that as well."


    Hearing this, Elowen''s eyes lit up, feeling a deep sense of gratitude.


    "Master John..."


    "Enough with the formalities. You call me ''big brother,'' and I won''t let you down. Take this. If you encounter a major disaster that the contract monsters and golems can''t handle, crush it. I''ll be alerted and wille to help immediately."


    As he spoke, John split a jade talisman in half, handing one part to Elowen and keeping the other for himself.


    This was themunication talisman John had earned as a reward from his first dungeon raid, now proving its worth here.

 Chapter 149: Chapter149-Make Your Own Decisions

    "Master John, how long will you and ria stay this time?"


    "Not too long, at most three days. After that, we need to continue our journey. Why do you ask?"


    "Nothing, I was just a bit curious. The outside world... it must be full of dangers, right?"


    "Of course, it''s very dangerous."


    ria nodded, as if recalling something, and said in a solemn tone, "Sandstorms that cover the sky, monsters that can control those sandstorms, and monsters as big as mountains. Every day brings new challenges and dangers."


    "In that case, why do Master John and ria still want to go back to adventuring? If you stayed in the habitat, you wouldn''t have to live on edge all the time. Wouldn''t that be better?"


    Elowen couldn''t understand John''s reasoning. To him, nothing was more important than stability. The daily routine was something every member of the tribe experienced. What was wrong with that?


    "Elowen, someday in the future, when you find someone worthy of entrusting the throne to, I hope you will also venture out into the world.


    Certainly, staying here allows you to enjoy a stable life, the respect of the tribe, and admiration.


    But there are always things that transcend life itself, and only those who have truly seen those things are really living.


    I didn''t quite understand this either until I left home and ventured into the outside world. It was then that I realized Deep Forest, our home, is just a very small, insignificant ce.


    You need to see the broader world."


    exclusive-to-MvLeMpYr


    ria spoke softly, her eyes full of longing for adventure.


    Talcavano was the starting point of ria''s adventures, but it was definitely not her final destination. One day, she wanted to visit every corner of this world and leave her mark.


    Perhaps only then could ria settle down, find a ce she truly yearned for, and live there forever.


    Listening to the lives John and ria described, Elowen also felt a tinge of longing in his eyes.


    But soon, that small longing was reced by the heavy burden on his shoulders.


    He couldn''t leave yet. He had to stay.


    The elves needed a leader, at least for now.


    "But... I think I understand what ria means now. If, in the future, I have the chance to go on an adventure, I hope I can follow in ria''s footsteps and explore the world."


    "Elowen, everyone in this world is unique. You don''t need to follow my footsteps. You''ll embark on your own adventure."


    ...


    On the first day back in the Elven habitat, John, ria, and Elowen stayed up almost all night.


    They shared stories from their adventures, listened to Elowen recount the current situations facing the elves, and John and ria offered their insights.


    Before they knew it, it was already dawn.


    The warm sunlight streamed through the window, casting a glow on Elowen''s face, making him realize he had lost track of time. He quickly stood up.


    "Master John, ria, it''s gettingte. You''ve finally got some free time, so you should rest. I won''t disturb you any longer."


    "Alright, don''t forget what I mentioned, Elowen. Materials, monster corpses, golems, and three trusted subordinates."


    "Don''t worry, Master John, I remember. I''ll have people waiting in the hall. When you and ria wake up, just contact me."


    As Elowen left, ria let out a long sigh and leaned gently on John''s shoulder.


    "It feels like the Elven tribe has changed so much in just this one month we''ve been away. Elowen has grown a lot too."


    "Shouldering the fate of an entire race must be quite a burden for Elowen, right? Although his mindset has matured significantly during this time, his strength hasn''t improved much. ria, do your elves have any methods to increase their strength?"


    "Unfortunately, every elf''s strength ceiling is determined at birth. When they reach 180 years old and their bodies mature, they reach their peak strength, whichsts for at least 900 years.


    If their innate talent isn''t sufficient, there''s almost no way to extend or forcibly increase this peak period."


    "That''s... really harsh."


    John rubbed his temples, unsure of what to say.


    Currently, Elowen''s strength is roughly equivalent to a level 45 yer. For an ordinary elf, this is certainly impressive. However, as the Elven King, his talent is somewhatcking.


    "The best I can do is to find more helpers for Elowen. With the increasing number of elves, including those from other tribes, who can guarantee they won''t have ulterior motives? If any unexpected situations arise, I hope Elowen can handle them on his own."


    With that, John struggled to stand up and looked toward the closed door leading to the bedchamber. He smiled and said, "Shall we go back to rest?"


    "No, it wouldn''t be proper... It''s broad daylight..."


    "No one will notice. Elowen has already ordered the pce to be sealed. No one wille in."


    ...


    At noon!


    John groggily climbed out of bed and instinctively reached out beside him, only to find the space empty.


    Turning around, he realized that ria was already gone.


    But he thought she must be too excited to sleep after returning to the habitat after such a long time.


    With this in mind, John let out a long breath, got dressed, and left the bedchamber. He happened to see ria forcibly pressing Elowen onto the throne, saying firmly, "You are now the Elven King. Why sit in such a humble seat? From now on, you will sit here!"


    "But, but..."


    "No buts! Did you forget what I told you before? Or do you think you''re so capable now that you can ignore my words?"


    "No, absolutely not!"


    "Then sit here. Also, after we leave, you should move into the bedchamber. That''s where the Elven Kings have always lived.


    Before I leave, I''ll take you to the Whispering Forest, so the spirits can witness the birth of the new king!"


    "I understand, ria."


    Hearing this, I stepped out and smiled, "Exactly, it''s about time. I haven''t slept this well in ages. ria, are you sure you don''t need to rest?"


    "I''m fine. The thought of returning to the Elven tribe kept me too excited to sleep, so I got up."


    "Fair enough. Since everyone is here, Elowen, how''s the preparation for the tasks I assigned you?"


    "Everything is ready, Master John. We''ve collected many monster corpses, as per your request, focusing on higher-level monsters, generally around level 40."


    "Level 40? Do you have some misunderstanding about high levels..."


    "Well, there''s not much we can do about it. The monsters we can hunt nearby are only around that level..."


    Elowen scratched his head, looking a bit helpless.


    But it''s not his fault. After all, Deep Forest is an early-stage map, so we can''t expect too much.


    With that in mind, John waved his hand and said in a serious tone, "If there are enough of them, we can overlook the details. Where are the monster corpses stored? Gather your men, and let''s go there now."


    "Due to therge number, I was worried about causing panic, so I had the monster corpses piled near thebyrinth and arranged for guards. We can head over now."


    "Wait, there''s one more thing before we leave."


    John shook his head, stopping Elowen.


    Hearing this, Elowen was puzzled and asked, "Master John, is there something else?"


    "Before we leave, bring the people you selected to meet me. Of course, it''s not that I don''t trust your judgment, Elowen, but I trust my own assessment more.


    If they meet my criteria, I''ll ensure they get contracts with powerful monsters. But if they don''t, we''ll have to find others."


    "No problem, I''ll call them right away, Master John."

 Chapter 150: Chapter150-Not Qualified

    "Master John, I''ve brought the people. Here they are."


    "Alright, you should all know me, but I don''t know you yet. So, introduce yourselves in detail. Help me get to know you better and make my judgment."


    Hearing this, the three of them looked at each other, clearly not understanding John''s intentions, and no one spoke up immediately.


    Seeing this, Elowen frowned and said displeasedly, "What are you waiting for? Introduce yourselves as Master John requested. Is that so hard?"


    "Well... I''ll go first then. Hello, Master John, my name is Alice. I''m 191 years old and currently part of the Elven King''s guard. I previously worked as a scout."


    "Very good, Alice. You''re courageous. Now, answer this question: what is your dream?"


    "My... dream?"


    "Yes, your lifelong wish. Just say what''s in your heart, no need to hold back."


    "My dream is to one day be as powerful as Lady ria, to take up the mission of the King from the current Elven King, and to protect the Elven tribe!"


    "Not bad, I like your honesty. But have you considered what else is needed to be the Elven King besides slogans?


    Time, effort, and even your entire future must be devoted to this family. It''s not just about shouting empty slogans. Are you sure you''re ready for that?


    Alice, look into my eyes! Answer me! Are you ready?"


    Under John''s scrutinizing gaze, Alice''s face turned pale, and her previously confident demeanor disappearedpletely. She looked at John, trembling, unable to speak.


    Seeing this, John had already made his judgment.


    After taking a deep breath, he said in a serious tone, "I''m sorry if I scared you. That wasn''t my intention. I just needed to confirm if you''re the right candidate. But now, it seems you are not suitable."


    "Is this the assessment? What is this? You''re not testing strength or leadership, but instead scaring a girl? What kind of test is this?"


    Before Alice could speak, a male elf behind her immediately stepped forward to confront John. Hearing this, John turned towards the voice and sized him up, then said disapprovingly, "Didn''t your parents teach you to introduce yourself before speaking?"


    "I! I am Eden! A member of Elowen''s personal guard, and I used to be part of the elite squad! My dream is..."


    "Stop. Just answer my question. No one cares about your damn dreams."


    John raised his hand to cut Eden off, causing Eden''s face to darken.


    "I know you are a hero who saved the Elven tribe, but you cannot insult me like this!"


    "Insult you? No, no, no, you misunderstand. I wouldn''t waste my breath insulting an idiot like you. Tell me, who allowed you to speak without my permission?


    Is Alice incapable of speaking? Is she mute, that she needs you to speak for her?"


    "That''s because Alice is already crying!"


    "Yes, she is crying!"


    John took a deep breath and then turned to Alice, saying coldly, "Someone who deres grand ambitions to seed Elowen as the Elven King, crying at the first sign of difficulty��howughable!


    Ask Elowen, ask ria, ask any of the past Elven Kings if any of them cried because of a single setback. Do you think being the Elven King is about saying a few pretty words?


    Completely wrong! The responsibility of the Elven King is to fulfill every promise, even at the cost of their life, not to cry at the first obstacle. That is why Alice is unqualified. Do you have any questions, Alice?"


    "No, I don''t... I''m sorry, Master John, I''ve disappointed you."


    "Disappointing me doesn''t matter. What''s important is not to disappoint yourself."


    John gave Alice a long, deep look, then turned his gaze towards Eden and walked slowly towards him.


    "Now it''s your turn. Tell me, Eden, who gave you permission to speak?"


    "I... no one gave me permission."


    "That''s right, no one did. With both the former and current Elven Kings present, what gives you the right to speak without permission? Who do you think you are?"


    "A hero saving a damsel in distress, stepping forward, unwilling to see the girl he loves shed a single tear? Hahaha... that''s hrious. Do you actually think you''re a qualified warrior? this-chapter-is-MVLeMpYr


    In terms of strength, I could easily crush you with one hand. In terms of leadership, you''ve already proven your stupidity. If you became a leader, you''d lead yourpanions to their deaths out of impulsiveness!


    Imagine a day when Alice is in danger, and you happen to be the leader. What would you do?


    Gather information? Try to negotiate? No, you would just lead people to their deaths, full of bravado butcking the brains and strength to match it. You''re a useless piece of trash. You can go back now. Next time, if you speak without permission, I''ll kill you on the spot.


    Understood?"


    When John finished speaking, he was less than ten centimeters away from Eden. The murderous look in his eyes seemed to pierce Eden''s soul, leaving him frozen in ce, his mind nk, his body trembling uncontrobly.


    Seeing this, John suddenly smiled.


    "Go back. Stop making a fool of yourself here."


    Although he had mentally prepared himself, Elowen still felt a bit helpless at this scene.


    He couldn''t me Master John for being too harsh. After all, John was about to entrust three cards, which could potentially save the Elven tribe, to three people.


    If any of the three failed to meet John''s expectations, they would have to be reced, regardless of Elowen''s personal connections with them.


    Now, only one person was left. Could he make it?


    With this in mind, Elowen instinctively looked at thest person.


    If there was anyone Elowen had the highest hopes for before bringing them to meet John, it was thisst candidate, Clevnd.


    "Well, you''re thest one. Do you have anything to say?"


    "Master John, permission to introduce myself!"


    "Go ahead. But I hope you''re smarter than these two idiots. An original introduction often makes a good impression."


    "Understood, Master John. Clevnd, personal guard of the Elven King!"


    With that, Clevnd stepped back into line.


    John was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and said, "And then? Is that all?"


    "Yes, that''s all. I believe a short and powerful introduction is better than meaningless boasting!"


    "Indeed. Hmm... Let me think, Clevnd, what should I have you do? Alright,e here right now and punch me with all your strength. Don''t hold back."


    "Yes, Master John!"


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Clevnd walked straight up and threw a punch aimed directly at John''s face.


    Seeing this, even Elowen gasped instinctively, wanting to stop Clevnd. But he caught a glimpse of ria''s smile out of the corner of his eye.


    "ria is... smiling?"


    But why?


    Elowen was puzzled. Before he could say anything, Clevnd''s fist had already been caught by John, firmly held in ce.


    "Good strength, but your speed iscking. In certain situations, if your speed is fast enough, your strength can approach infinity. You need to work on your agility. Your talent is promising; with proper training, you could be a real gem. Clevnd, you pass."


    "Understood! Thank you, Master John, for your guidance!"


    At that moment, Elowen finally understood John''s intentions, feeling warmth in his heart.


    "Master John..."


    "You get it now? Good, I''m d I didn''t waste my time offending people. Eden is a good seedling. With proper cultivation, he can be a pir of support in the future. As for the other two, they are unqualified in every sense."

 Chapter 151: Chapter151-The Assessment

    "Elowen, they might not grasp the seriousness of this situation, but you must. This is partly my fault for not exining it clearly from the start. But it''s not toote to exin now.


    What is the key to selecting these three candidates? Strength? Yes, but that''s not the whole story.


    With your current strength, most problems will be resolved when you show up.


    But if you encounter issues that even you can''t solve, the golems and contract monsters I leave for you wille into y.


    So, for those who will sign contracts with these beings, strength is not the main criterion.


    What matters is loyalty, courage in the face of adversity, and unwavering willpower and faith.


    These are the key factors in determining whether a person is qualified."


    John took a deep breath and nced at the departing figures of Alice and Clevnd, letting out a cold chuckle.


    "Alice is too opportunistic, always exaggerating her abilities to elevate herself butcks the corresponding strength and the ability to handle pressure. When faced with difficulties, she resorts to crying.


    As for Clevnd, he''s a foolish brute with an overinted ego and excessive self-esteem. I don''t even want toment further on him. Neither of these two are qualified, and I advise you not to keep such people around.


    Elowen, you are now the king of the elves, not the captain of the guard squad you once were. You can be kind and approachable to your people, but you can''t rely solely on kindness. Do you understand what I mean?"


    "I... I understand, Brother John. I was too soft-hearted."


    "Good to hear. In any case, Eden needs further observation. I thought I could solve the monster contract issue on this trip, but it seems three days isn''t enough. Here''s what we''ll do: you look for suitable candidates in the tribe based on certain criteria and gather them for training."


    "Training?"


    Elowen looked bewildered, clearly not fully grasping John''s words.


    "Tsk, I told you not to deal with idiots so much that you be one yourself. Training is just a pretext; the real purpose is assessment, to find those with truly high qualities. Let''s start with three candidates. Also, put Eden in the mix. If he''s truly trustworthy, he''ll pass the test."


    "That''s not difficult, but Master John, I''m unsure about the test contents."


    "It''s simple. Have you heard of the humanity test? For example, imagine I have a bomb in my hand... you can think of it as an overloaded chant essence that will explode with a strong impact.


    Now, if I throw it into a crowd, what kind of reaction would be considered qualified?"


    "Well... I can''t speak for others, but if it were me, I''d jump on it immediately to shield others from the st with my body."


    "That''s the standard heroic spirit. I knew I wasn''t wrong about you. You can conduct simr tests multiple times, but don''t tell anyone it''s a test. Just observe and record everyone''s reactions discreetly, thenpile the scores."


    Hearing this, Elowen nodded thoughtfully, beginning to understand John''s intentions.


    "I understand, Master John. I''ll instruct the others immediately. If possible, could you help mee up with a few more tests?"


    "Leave it to me. Now, go get ready. There''s no time to waste."


    "Understood."


    Watching Elowen leave, John sighed and sat back down on the steps, rubbing his temples bitterly.


    "If there was any other way, I wouldn''t want to be the bad guy here. That young girl must hate me by now."


    "You did it for the future of the Elven tribe. Elowen will understand."


    "I don''t seek his understanding. I just feel that this is your home. Seeing the Elven tribe evolving and growing should make you happy, right? I just want to make you happy." -read-first


    "I''m already very happy."


    ria felt warmth in her heart and leaned on John''s shoulder,ughing softly, "But honestly, you would make an excellent leader. It''s a pity you don''t want to stay."


    "A monotonous life and an unchanging environment are not what I want. Besides, I can train Elowen! This is the Elven King Training Program!"


    "Pfft... Where do you get all these weird ideas? And they even sound quite reasonable?"


    "Of course! Who do you think I am?"


    ...


    One had to admit, Elowen was quite efficient.


    Following John''s criteria, by the afternoon, Elowen had identified fifteen candidates and presented them to John.


    To John''s surprise, Alice and Clevnd were among them. After Elowen exined, John learned that Elowen hadn''t included them; they had volunteered. It wasn''t to seize the opportunity but to prove to John their determination to change.


    They say a reformed scoundrel is worth his weight in gold. John naturally wouldn''t refuse to give them a chance, but their initial scores were negative. John''s impression of them was terrible and not easily changed. It would be a long process for them to earn his respect.


    Looking at the slightly naive and immature faces before him, John squinted and smiled, "They all look pretty good."


    "After all, they were selected ording to your criteria, Master John."


    "Don''t be too happy yet. You can never fully know someone''s true nature just by their appearance. Whether they can make it will require long-term training."


    John slowly walked to the front of the group. After pausing to look at each face, he spoke in a serious tone, "I know you might be wondering why you''re here. Don''t worry, you''ll soon find out.


    Do you see the iron cage behind me? Inside are fifteen monsters, one for each of you. In ten minutes, I will open the cage, letting the monsters run wild and wreak havoc in the Elven habitat. During this time, I will not intervene unless ordinary citizens are endangered.


    Your task is to minimize the damage within two hours and either kill or capture all fifteen spellbeasts. I will evaluate each of you based on your performance.


    If anyone has questions, raise your hand now. If anyone wants to withdraw, the same applies."


    As soon as John finished speaking, someone immediately raised their hand.


    "Before asking your question, state your name. It''s basic courtesy. You in the second row, second from the left, what''s your question?"


    "During the hunt, can we use external assistance? For example, help from the guard squad."


    "I won''t give you any hints. How you choose to act is entirely up to you. Also, what''s your name? Didn''t I say to state your name before asking a question?"


    "S-sorry, my name is Puck."


    "Very well, Puck, you''ve sessfully made a poor first impression. I hope you can redeem yourself with your performanceter. Now, who else has a question? You there, what do you want to say?"


    "Sir! My name is Fischer Davis! I want to ask, under what circumstances will you intervene during the hunt?"


    "If things getpletely out of control, such as if you fail to kill or capture a single monster and there are casualties, I will step in immediately. Of course, this also means that all fifteen of you will be deemed unqualified.


    So, you''d better give it your all to control the situation as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the consequences will be more severe than just making a bad impression on me.


    Now, onest question. Who else wants to ask something? After answering this question, we''ll begin.


    Eden, what do you want to ask?"


    "During the waiting time, can we prepare in advance, such as setting up defenses or blockades?"


    "Do as you see fit. As I said, what you do is entirely up to your judgment. I''m only here to clean up any messes you might leave behind. That''s all I care about. Alright, Q&A time is over. The ten-minute countdown starts now!"

 Chapter 152: Chapter152-Smart Aleck (Part 1)

    "Master John, isn''t this a bit risky?"


    Watching the people leaving one after another, Elowen swallowed nervously, stepped forward, and said in a low voice, "The poption of the elven habitat is growing. If we recklessly introduce fifteen monsters into the habitat, it could cause irreparable damage and might copse the trust we''ve painstakingly built with other races."


    Upon hearing this, John turned around, patted Elowen''s shoulder, and smiled, "Go and look at the iron cage covered with the ck cloth at the back, and you''ll understand."


    Elowen was very puzzled.


    He couldn''tprehend what John meant, but he obediently walked over, lifted the ck cloth, and was stunned to see that the cage was empty.


    "There... are no monsters?"


    "Of course not! Do you think I would use the lives of the elves to test a bunch of inexperienced kids? Absolutely not! The monsters are fake, but the trial is real."


    "I don''t understand, Master John. If there are no monsters, how will we conduct the trial?"


    "You''ll know in a moment. Just wait... five more minutes."


    John tugged at the corners of his mouth, looking at the bewildered Elowen, and exined, "Imagine, Elowen, if you knew that in ten minutes, monsters would invade the elven habitat, what would you do?"


    "I would immediately inform the nsmen to seek refuge and simultaneously gather the guards to set up blockades at the possible entry points of the monsters."


    "A wise choice, maybe not the best, but definitely the correct one. There wouldn''t be a wrong choice. Now, Elowen, what do you think they will choose to do?"


    "I, I don''t know. It shouldn''t be much different, right?"


    "Hard to say. Let''s go and see."


    With that, John turned to ria.


    It was clear that ria already knew the truth, so she didn''t seem puzzled but just nodded slightly.


    After leaving the vicinity of the pce, John asked the guards along the way and finally determined the current locations of the fourteen people.


    Three were gathered at the trading route, six had joined forces to guard the only path leading to the pce, five had gone to the outskirts of the habitat, and one was missing.


    After obtaining this information, Elowen turned to John and asked, "Master John, who should we look for first?"


    "No rush. I''m more curious about the one who''s missing than these known positions. Can you find out where he is?"


    "It''s a bit troublesome. After Master John announced the disbandment, this kid immediately disappeared. We''ve searched the vicinity for a long time and couldn''t find him."


    "Hey! Interesting. What''s this kid''s name?"


    "Reporting to Lord John, the boy who''s currently missing is named Babylon Elliot. He''s from the Night Elf n and just turned one hundred eighty years old this year."


    "Night Elf? What''s the difference?"


    John furrowed his brows and turned to Elowen.


    Thetter immediately exined, "The Night Elf n is essentially the same as the Elven n, but besides worshipping the God of Nature, they also worship the Goddess of Night. Thus, they gain power from the moonlight. Their overall strength is decent, but correspondingly, their lifespan is shorter. They typically live around eight hundred years before passing away."


    "I see. A race that trades a shorter lifespan for greater power. Hmm... this kid is quite interesting."


    John half-closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and continued, "Make sure to find the whereabouts of this Babylon Elliot."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Watching the orderly departure of the guards, John became increasingly curious about what kind of person Babylon truly was.


    However, before that, John needed to check on the others'' statuses.


    First, they went to themercial street near the pce. With Elowen''s guidance, John quickly identified the three participants of the trial.


    At this moment, the three of them were as tense as facing a great enemy, bing rmed at the slightest disturbance.


    "Clearly, they chose to be closest to the pce butcked the courage and confidence to face the monsters.


    Among the three, only the elven girl leading them asionally showed a hint of determination in her eyes. It seems she was the decision-maker to stay here.


    As for the other two, regardless of the reason, they chose to follow blindly rather than think independently.


    "Unqualified."


    Hearing John''s evaluation, Elowen didn''t dare to dy and quickly recorded John''s words.


    "Alright, go inform those three to return to the clearing in front of the pce and wait."


    "Yes, Lord John!"


    "Next is a six-person team. Hey, Elowen, your two old buddies are among them. Do you want to go up and say hello?"


    "Master John, please don''t tease me. Business is business. I''ve taken note of it, and I will never make the same mistake again."


    "That''s good."


    John nodded with satisfaction. After passing through this essential path, they indeed saw a fortification and checkpoint at the end. read-more-at-MvLeMpYr


    Compared to the three who stayed on themercial street, the six here handled things much better.


    Perhaps it was because there were two of Elowen''s personal guards among them; everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.


    Two of them climbed up the treetops as scouts, responsible for observing the situation. If monsters appeared, they would be alerted immediately.


    Two others held long spears, standing behind the chevaux-de-frise, watching all directions and guarding against monsters that might suddenly emerge from the bushes.


    Thest two were responsible for exining the situation to passersby, maintaining order, and preventing panic.


    "Clear division ofbor, and there''s no sign of ck or fear.


    It seems someone has takenmand, and the person in charge is worth noting.


    However, setting up a checkpoint rashly may cause the elven citizens'' attention and panic.


    The handling needs improvement. Barely a pass, and themander can get an above-average rating."


    Elowen diligently wrote down John''s words.


    "Well... next are the three who fled to the outskirts of the habitat, right? No need to look, directly judged as unqualified.


    If today weren''t a test, such cowardly behavior would be punishable by death. The lives of elven citizens alwayse first, no matter what."


    "Understood, Master John. Now, the only one left is Babylon, who is still unounted for."


    "No rush, first call everyone else back. You will be in charge of the reprimand, using my summary as a basis. Add some humiliating terms as needed. For these self-proimed invincible kids, a harsh lesson is the key to promoting their growth."


    "Then I''ll lead the team back, Master John. If I find any news about Babylon, I''ll inform you immediately."


    "Got it. I''ll look around the area."


    John waved his hand, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, trying to spot Babylon. Unfortunately, he found nothing.


    It made sense; with nearly a million people in the elven habitat, finding one person was like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    Wandering around aimlessly wouldn''t solve anything either.


    "Alright, Babylon, let me guess what you''re thinking."


    If this boy named Babylon had seen through the essence of this test from the beginning and realized that the monsters were fabricated, then...


    "If it were me, I''d definitely stay near the pce to watch the show. A self-proimed genius, once his thoughts were validated, wouldn''t miss any opportunity to mock those he considers fools.


    Babylon, are you a genius?"


    With this in mind, John took a deep breath and, seeing that Elowen hadn''t gone far, immediately called out to him.


    "Master John, is there something else?"


    "Nothing else. I''ll go back with you all to verify my guess."


    This statement was cryptic, and Elowen didn''t understand John''s meaning at all. But it didn''t matter. In front of Master John, he didn''t need to think too much. Master John would naturally consider everything thoroughly, and he just needed to execute the orders.


    Meanwhile, on an ancient century-old tree near the pce!


    Babylon leaned against the tree,zily yawning, with a tear at the corner of his eye.


    "Why haven''t these foolse back yet? Could they still be looking for me? Sigh, so boring. I thought this human would be different."

 Chapter 153: Chapter153-Acting Smart (Part 2)

    "Oh? They''re back, they''re back, haha! Just as I expected, they came back after all!"


    From the treetop, Babylon''s eyes lit up as he caught sight of the returning group in the distance.


    "Look at these pathetic people, you can tell what happened just by their appearance. Tsk, tsk, tsk, being selected along with such people is really an insult to me."


    "Is it? I don''t think you''re that smart either."


    Just as Babylon was feeling smug, an unfamiliar voice suddenly came from behind, startling him and causing his body to jolt, making him identally fall from the treetop!


    With the treetop being nearly thirty meters off the ground, and with Babylon''s physical condition, falling headfirst would probably leave him severely injured, if not dead.


    Babylon could almost feel the excruciating pain of bones breaking and instinctively closed his eyes, shielding his head with his hands.


    But...


    The expected heavy impact never came.


    He seemed to have stopped falling and was now suspended in mid-air?


    Babylon cautiously opened his eyes and noticed that his hair was only about ten centimeters from the ground, and he was hanging upside down, with John holding him by the ankle.


    "Babylon Elliot, isn''t it?"


    John nced at Babylon with a mocking smile and said, "You think you''re smart, but did you ever consider ending up in such a sorry state?"


    "Jo-John? How did you find me?"


    "Do you really think you''re the smartest person in the world? People like you are easy to read, not hard to find."


    John let go of his grip, letting Babylon''s face hit the ground first, making him fall t on his face.


    "Ouch, ouch, ouch! If you''re going to let go, at least give a warning!"


    Babylon pouted, struggled to sit up, and rubbed his face.


    "Stop talking nonsense and get back to the team."


    John pointed to the neatly arranged group.


    Although Babylon Elliot was unwilling to be ordered by John, he obediently got up and rejoined the team.


    John then took another look at the group of boys and girls, connecting each name with a face.


    "As you can see, this little test has shown that there were no monsters. What I wanted to test was your on-the-spot reaction to unexpected situations. To be honest, I am very disappointed."


    John let out a heavy sigh and walked straight to the three people at the front of the team, stopping in front of the girl.


    MVLeMpYr-the-story-tform


    "You are Meryl, right?"


    "Y-yes, Lord John, I am Meryl."


    "I ask you, just now when the three of you stayed in themercial street, whose decision was that?"


    "It was mine, Lord John."


    Meryl swallowed hard, showing no intention of shirking responsibility or making excuses, and straightforwardly admitted it.


    "Very well, tell me your thoughts. Why did you decide to stay directly in such a crowded ce like themercial street? What was your reasoning?"


    "Lord John, themercial street is crowded and has many travelers from out of town with little to nobat power. If a monster were to appear, it could cause a panic.


    My thought was to control the situation and minimize losses as much as possible before support arrived, to reduce the panic."


    Despite John''s intimidating presence, Meryl''s voice was almost as faint as a mosquito''s, but she still clearly exined her reasoning.


    John couldn''t deny that her idea was good, although their execution was somewhatughable.


    "The idea is good, but there are a few points that need correction.


    First, standing in the middle of a chaotic crowd makes it impossible to fight the monster.


    If you were to use themercial street as the final line of defense, the first thing you should do is evacuate the nearby people.


    Second, you overlooked the most important basic aspect, which is your own strength.


    With the strength of the three of you, if you really encountered monsters five times your number, you would be food for the monsters within minutes.


    Lastly, the third point, it''s good that Meryl has her own ideas.


    Even though this idea is not entirely correct, it shows that you have some ability to respond to unexpected situations.


    Well done, girl. Keep up the good work."


    Hearing this, Meryl''s eyes lit up instantly. When she lifted her head, she met John''s gaze. Compared to earlier, his eyes were noticeably softer. After a moment of stunned silence, Meryl nodded dumbly and said, "I-I understand, Lord John."


    "Alright, next. You six set up a checkpoint on the only road connecting themercial street and the rest area, clearly divided your tasks, and worked methodically as a six-person team. Whose idea was this, and who organized it?"


    "Reporting to Lord John, it was me!"


    As soon as John finished speaking, Eden raised his hand sharply, a sh of pride in his eyes. As a member of the personal guard, Eden''s experience and thought process indeed surpassed that of the others, something even Alice couldn''tpare to.


    When mistakes are made, punishment is necessary, but when someone does well, they should be praised. John wouldn''t overlook Eden''s merits just because of his own prejudices.


    "In the face of a crisis, being able toe up with an appropriate response immediately, while also calming the civilians and being wary of monsters, Eden, you did well.


    Of course, don''t get too excited just yet. As I''ve said before, my attitude towards you won''t change easily. Besides, both you and Alice have far more experience than anyone else here. Achieving this only means you fulfilled your duty, it''s far from being exceptional, understand?


    So, don''t get toocent."


    "Yes, Lord John!"


    Strangely, after John''s reprimand, Eden''s attitude had undergone aplete change. He showed much more respect towards John and dared not speak insolently anymore.


    This is probably what they mean when they say a tree needs pruning to grow straight, and a child needs discipline to grow upright, right?


    John withdrew his gaze, nced at thest three-person team, and chose to skip over them directly.


    Suddenly being ignored like this would naturally be iprehensible to anyone, especially for a group of young, hot-blooded teenagers who couldn''t help but voice their confusion.


    "Lord John, why did you skip over the three of us?"


    "Do you really need to ask me that? I clearly told you that the monsters would be released from the clearing in front of the pce, yet the three of you ran to the far edge of the habitat. If this isn''t cowardice, then it''s sheer stupidity.


    Has no one ever told you that the purpose of the guard is to protect those who can''t protect themselves? Imagine if there had been a sudden monster attack today. With your actions, I could have chopped off your heads, and no one would have cared."


    John''s aggressive questioning made the three of them turn pale. They hadn''t expected John to have such an attitude, nor did he ask why they went to the edge of the habitat. From the incident itself, John was already extremely disappointed, making any exnation pointless.


    "B-but..."


    "No buts. You should be grateful I''m in a good mood today. Clevnd, tell them my rule!"


    "Without permission, no one is allowed to act on their own, including speaking."


    "Exactly, that''s my rule. You''d better understand this clearly, or I won''t hesitate to punish you harshly. I''m sure you wouldn''t want that, right?"


    "Y-yes, Lord John, we understand and are willing to ept the punishment..."


    Hearing John''s exnation, their leader, Kakarot, sighed deeply.


    He had initially thought that with so many monsters, it was impossible for all of them to be released near the pce.


    This would cause irreversible damage to themercial area.


    That''s why they had the sudden idea to go to the edge, nning to intercept the monsters there.


    John had to admit that these three had a lively way of thinking.


    The only problem was that it was too theoretical.


    They understood what to do but not how or why, making them overall more of a liability than an asset, thus failing to meet the standards.


    "Now, I''ve recorded detailed evaluations of all fourteen of you. Elowen will score your performances each time, so if you really want to be chosen, I suggest you start using your brains more."

 Chapter 154: Chapter154- Night Elf

    "Finally... it''s your turn, Babylon Elliot."


    John looked at Babylon Elliot, a knowing smile ying on his lips.


    "Shall we talk?"


    "Talk? About what?"


    Babylon swallowed hard and instinctively took a few steps back.


    Even though the man in front of him showed no sign of hostility, Babylon felt inexplicably nervous.


    It was as if he were facing a tiger that could pounce and tear him to pieces at any moment, filling him with dread.


    "Let''s talk about how you saw through my little trick. How proud are you of yourself?"


    "From the beginning, I suspected that hunting monsters was just a cover.


    Even if you really wanted to release fifteen unrestricted monsters into the habitat, Lord Elowen and Lord ria would never agree to it. Isn''t that obvious?"


    "Well said. Go on."


    "W-what else is there to say? After seeing through it, I lost interest and found a ce to rest."


    "Rest? I doubt it. Didn''t you just say you wanted to watch these idiots make fools of themselves? How do you feel about that now? Satisfied?"


    Hearing this, Babylon''s face turned red.


    He stammered, trying to retort, but couldn''t form aplete sentence and finally hung his head in silence.


    "Elowen, why don''t you give your evaluation of Babylon''s performance in this test?"


    Elowen met John''s gaze and was momentarily stunned.


    "M-me?"


    "Just say what you think."


    "Well... his observation skills are good, his thinking is agile, but his personality is too arrogant and self-centered, and his sense of teamwork is weak."


    "Having heard Elowen''s evaluation of you, what do you think?"


    "I-I have no thoughts, Lord Elowen is right..."


    "Really?"


    John suddenlyughed.


    "Let me guess, right now you''re thinking, why are you targeting me? Clearly, I''m the one who saw through the truth, much smarter than these fools who follow the crowd without independent thinking.


    Besides, what''s wrong with arrogance? I have the right to be arrogant... Am I right?"


    Seeing Babylon''s shocked expression, John knew he had guessed correctly.


    "I''ve seen many self-proimed smart people, so I naturally understand their mindset. Elowen, make a note and give him an excellent rating."


    "Excellent? Master John, are you sure?"


    "Of course! Did he make an incorrect judgment?"


    "Well, no..."


    Elowen scratched his head, still looking a bit hesitant.


    "Calmly analyzing the situation and quickly making a judgment deserves an excellent rating, doesn''t it? As for his personality traits, they shouldn''t factor into the score. Just do as I say."


    "Understood, Master John."


    With that, Elowen no longer hesitated and obediently gave Babylon an excellent rating.


    Thus, the first test concluded: six received a good rating, eight failed, and only Babylon received an excellent.


    "Alright, today''s test is over. You can leave now. Tomorrow, at the same time, gather here in this clearing. Don''t bete.


    Starting tomorrow, Elowen will conduct a three-month training program for you, with periodic assessments simr to today''s test.


    Each assessment, Elowen will score your performances.


    After a month, the three with the highest overall scores will be selected to join Elowen''s personal guard.


    There are only three spots, so I hope you all work hard."


    After watching everyone leave, John finally rxed, dropped his act, and sat down on the steps with a smile. "Elowen, what do you think of this group?"


    Elowen also rxed and sat down next to John.


    After a moment of contemtion, he remarked, "They have potential. With some training and correction, they could be the backbone of the Elf tribe in the future."


    "Tsk, what kind of evaluation is that? It''s so vague. Let me ask you another question: after today, who left the deepest impression on you? And don''t tell me everyone did. If you can''t give a reason, you''ll be punished just the same!"


    "This... you''re putting me on the spot, Master John. I''m fairly familiar with everyone, but if I had to choose, I''d say Meryl and Babylon."


    Elowen stroked his chin, recalling, "Previously, I already had some impression of Meryl. This girl... well, I''m not much older than her. In my opinion, Meryl has a somewhat indecisive personality.


    But her thinking is very agile, often finding the optimal solution in the shortest time, like in today''s test.


    Staying in themercial street and trying to dy the situation as much as possible was indeed the best way to minimize the disaster. hosted-on-NovelBin


    However, the problem is that Meryl''s courage is somewhatcking. Even when facing low-level monsters like cave goblins, she trembles with fear."


    "Does she have an almost instinctive fear of monsters? Did something happen to her when she was young?"


    "I''m not sure... I''ve asked people close to Meryl, but even her best friends don''t know why she''s like this."


    Elowen sighed, paused for a moment, then continued talking about Babylon.


    "As for Babylon, I don''t know much about him.


    On one hand, he''s a descendant of the Night Elves and only recently arrived here.


    On the other hand, he''s somewhat of a loner, rarely interacting with others, so he has no friends.


    Babylon''s most frequent activity is climbing the Tree of Life and staring at the sky in a daze. I often see him there alone when I pass by."


    "Sounds like a gloomy little kid, haha."


    "Actually, this might be rted to the fate of the Night Elves.


    Many years ago, around three thousand years ago, the Elf tribe was a vast race, and the entire forest was our home.


    Back then, the Elves were strong enough to be considered one of the three major races alongside humans and dwarves."


    At that time, a small portion of the elves began to waver in their faith in the Goddess of Nature and started worshipping other deities, including but not limited to the Goddess of the Sea, the Goddess of the Night, and so on.


    Initially, the Elven King didn''t pay much attention to this since it was only a small group changing their beliefs.


    However, their influence grew over time, and eventually, more than half of the tribe had changed their faith.


    This angered the Elven King, who then banished them from the habitat, leading to the emergence of branches like the Night Elves and Water Elves."


    Hearing this, John nodded thoughtfully.


    In fact, John, despite living two lifetimes, was unaware of these events, as they were secrets within the Elven tribe, known only to the Elven King.


    ria had never mentioned such matters to him.


    "And... what happened after that?"


    "Later, it''s said that some elves were dissatisfied with the Elven King''s decision, leading to an internal war.


    I''m not clear on the details of the war, but I know the oue.


    The Elven King couldn''t achieve a decisive victory and had topromise, dividing part of the forest to those elves as their habitat to stop the conflict."


    "Differences in faith causing such a split��it''s not surprising in a world teeming with deities. What about the Night Elves? ording to you, did they also participate in this war?"


    "More than just participating."


    Elowen sighed, shaking his head. "The Night Elves were nearly wiped out after that war, with fewer than a few hundred survivors struggling to survive.


    To this day, Night Elves have almost disappeared, and even Babylon isn''t a pure Night Elf; he only inherited part of their abilities."


    "So, does Babylon still hold a grudge against the Elven tribe?"


    "I don''t know, maybe he does, maybe he doesn''t. He never spoke about it, and I can''t make assumptions.


    All I can do is try to understand him better and learn about his thoughts."


    "If Babylon does harbor a grudge against the current Elven tribe and stays here with the intention of one day overthrowing it, what would you do?"


    At this, Elowen fell silent.


    "I... I don''t know. I don''t want to hurt him, but I can''t let my people be harmed either."

 Chapter 155: Chapter155-The Forbidden City of Magic

    "Master John, you are leaving in a day. Can you give me some advice on what to do next?


    I don''t have as many clever ideas as you, and I don''t know how to assess these fifteen people, nor what standards to use for grading. If you just leave like this, how am I supposed to lead this team?"


    Elowen pinched the bridge of his nose, looking quite troubled.


    It''s understandable. After all, Elowen has always developed the Elf tribe step by step, and John and ria had already pointed out the direction before they left. It''s normal for Elowen to be confused about this sudden task.


    "In fact, you don''t need to assess them ording to my methods.


    I like to set some vague goals, mixing truth and falsehood to obscure the achievement, but you don''t necessarily have to do this. Sometimes, a straightforward fight might solve the problem."


    "Master John, you mean..."


    "Sometimes, facing real danger reveals a person''s true nature.


    Today, there are no monsters, but who can guarantee that monsters won''t appear tomorrow?"


    Hearing this, Elowen finally realized.


    "I understand your meaning, Master John."


    "Elowen, you are not stupid, but sometimes you are too rigid. You need to broaden your thinking to deal with this group of youngsters.


    Let''s do this: tonight, I''ll give you a few ideas that shouldst until Ie back next time. Remember, mixing truth with falsehood is key.


    Never let this group guess your intentions. You must be the one in control, not led by them. The rest, you will gradually understand.


    Also, no matter the final assessment results, you must keep these people as your personal guards.


    You can divide them into three teams, each with a captain. My summoned monster will also sign a contract with each team''s captain. Remember, these people are your foundation.


    As the Elf King, you should cultivate your trusted aides. The Elf tribe is not what it used to be."


    John turned around, took a deep breath, and continued.


    "In the past, ria alone was enough to bnce all of you.


    That was because ria was strong enough, and at that time, the Elven tribe had absolute loyalty to ria. But now, the situation is different.


    The habitat is mixed with all kinds of people. Can you grasp everyone''s inner thoughts?


    You can''t, so you must stay alert and be careful. These fifteen people are your foundation.


    Of course, if any of them show disloyalty, don''t hesitate to deal with them immediately.


    You must prepare three teams for yourself, consisting of the best of the best.


    The members don''t necessarily have to be from these fifteen.


    Do you understand?"


    "Master John, I don''t quite understand..."


    "It''s okay if you don''t understand right away. I don''t expect you to. Just remember what I said.


    To be a truly excellent leader, the true king of the Elven tribe, you will eventually have to learn the art of bnce.


    As the Elven King, you can''t handle everything by yourself, nor can you delegate all the power to your subordinates.


    This is where the importance of bncees in."


    "Master John, were you also a king in your homnd?"


    Hearing this, John broke out in a cold sweat and quickly denied it: "Definitely not! Don''t say that.


    My situation is different from yours. Just follow what I say. I won''t mislead you."


    "Understood! ria also told me that the person in that position must discard personal feelings; otherwise, it will lead to disaster.


    I think it''s the same thing Master John is saying.


    Actually, my idea is simple.


    I just want to protect the Elven tribe in ce of ria. If doing so makes the Elven tribe better, then I... I don''t mind bing a king."


    Elowen raised his head, and the confusion in his eyes finally began to dissipate.


    Seeing this, John smiled lightly and said, "It seems you''ve finally made up your mind, Elowen."


    "Yes, I can''t continue being indecisive and causing unnecessary trouble for Master John and ria.


    I need to be your support so you don''t have to worry about me all the time. Master John, thank you for your efforts."


    "No problem. At least I didn''t let ria down. I hope you won''t either."


    ...


    Back in his chamber, Johny down on his desk, racking his brain toe up with ways to test this group of youngsters for Elowen.


    Actually, finding a way to interact isn''t difficult.


    John had seen countless tests of human nature in his past life, such as the ssic trolley problem, which is a quintessential dilemma for testing human nature.


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    However, the key issue is how to localize these problems, and that is what John needs to ponder.


    Watching John scratch his head in frustration, ria smiled softly and walked up to him, asking with a hint of doubt, "There''s no need to rush. After all, we can alwayse back, right?"


    "Actually, we can''t..." John gently stroked ria''s delicate hand on his shoulder and said helplessly, "Once we go to Spartonia, we can''t easily leave the city. Spartonia is extremely resistant to magical tools. To them, magic is nothing but a desecration of strength. So, within Spartonia, many magical tools can''t function. That''s why I said before that Spartonia is a nightmare for me."


    In his previous life, John was at least an assassin ss, yet he was still annoyed by Spartonia''s restrictive rules.


    Now, as an alchemist ss, he needed magical devices or tools for over ny-nine percent of hisbat power, making Spartonia an even bigger headache for him.


    "There''s really no better way around this..."


    "That''s why we need to handle this matter as quickly as possible before heading to Spartonia.


    Do you think I set a three-month deadline for no reason?


    We''ll need to stay in Spartonia for at least three months.


    It''s a huge city, filled with countless adventures and dungeons etched in my mind. Even if we want to get a head start, we need time."


    As the first superrge city, Spartonia is a paradise for warriors, samurais, and hunter sses.


    This is when closebat sses finally start to show their advantages.


    "I''ll be fine. You go rest first, ria. I''ll be there soon."


    "Alright, thank you... Unknowingly, you''ve done so much for me and the Elven tribe. How can I ever repay you?"


    Hearing this, John suddenlyughed.


    He turned around and embraced ria, their foreheads gently touching as they closed their eyes, feeling each other''s breath and heartbeat.


    "You are my greatest gift."


    Although he said this, John remained sleepless through the night.


    He didn''t feel tired, but it indirectly caused ria to sleep poorly as well.


    She sat by John''s side at the desk all night, watching him design one question after another, sometimes pondering, sometimes asking questions.


    "John, what exactly are these questions testing? They seem a bit strange, but upon careful consideration, they are quite profound."


    "Courage, loyalty,bat power, human nature��they epass many aspects. Let''s take this question as an example: A bomb is about to explode, and ten people are trapped in the same room.


    One of them knows the location and timing of the bomb but has reasons they cannot disclose.


    The others are aware that this person knows the location of the bomb.


    If you were one of the remaining nine, what would you do?


    On the surface, the answer seems obvious: you would naturally try to force the person to reveal the bomb''s location.


    But what method would you use?


    Essentially, this is a test of human nature, though the question is somewhat obscure."


    It took ria a long time to understand John''s words, and then she became interested and asked John, "John, since you are the one posing the question, what would you do if it were you?"

 Chapter 156: Chapter156-What System?

    "Hahaha, don''t try to trick me into answering. I refuse to answer that question."


    John smiled wryly and shook his head. This was clearly not the answer ria wanted to hear, so she gently wrapped her arms around John''s neck and yfully insisted, "No cheating! Come on, tell me, what would you do?"


    "My answer might disappoint you, but do you really want to hear it?"


    "Yes, I want to know."


    "Alright... my answer is that I would unhesitatingly find the person who knows, and use any means necessary to get the information about the bomb from them, even if it means torturing or killing them. Actually, I''m no different from most people; I can''t think of a surprising method. They have reasons they can''t tell, and I have reasons I must survive. Would my answer disappoint you?"


    Hearing this, ria was momentarily stunned, then she smiled and shook her head, gently cupping John''s face.


    "No matter what happens, no matter what means you have to use, you must survive!"


    ...


    The next morning!


    John struggled to stand up from the desk, looking proudly at the list he had made.


    "Honestly, if I could fully understand these questions, I''d be a great philosopher. Unfortunately, in this world, philosophy doesn''t seem to have much practical significance."


    John sighed deeply and then looked at ria, who was napping on the desk, feeling a warm sensation in his heart.


    After carrying ria back to her room, John lost his desire to rest and went directly to find Elowen.


    "Elowen, I''ve prepared what you asked for."


    "So early? Master John, you didn''t rest, did you?"


    Elowen was momentarily stunned, then he took the list from John''s hand, nced over it, and was shocked, "So much?"


    "I need to give you enough time. I hope that by the time I return, the Elven tribe will have regained the prosperity it had three thousand years ago, under your leadership. I need to help you so you don''t bear the hopes of everyone alone."


    John patted Elowen''s shoulder, and these words deeply moved Elowen.


    "Alright, don''t make that face. Now, send someone to gather everyone."


    "Now? Isn''t that a bit sudden?"


    "That''s the point, to test their adaptability to sudden situations. If monsters invaded today, would they send you a notice in advance?"


    "Master John, you have a point. I''ll go right away."


    Elowen shrugged, realizing that arguing with John waspletely pointless because he could never win. He decisively abandoned the idea.


    "Good, you''ve grown a bit more."


    John smiled in satisfaction and sat down on the steps, starting the timer.


    The fifteen people were housed in temporary amodations, with two people per room.


    Since there were three girls, Meryl was ced with Alice, and after asking the third girl''s opinion, she also joined Meryl and Alice in their room.


    Alice had no objections to this arrangement.


    The amodations were about a ten-minute walk from the pce, giving a total of twenty minutes for a round trip, which John excluded from the timing.


    He wanted to see how long it would take for this group of youngsters to gather after being woken up.


    After twenty-five minutes, four people arrived near the pce, including all three girls and an extra, Eden.


    As members of Elowen''s personal guard, they naturally managed this simple task.


    Over the next twenty-five minutes, others gradually arrived until only one person was missing: Babylon.


    As someone John focused on, Babylon was ced in the same room as Eden for easier management. But with Eden already present, where was Babylon?


    Thinking of this, John turned to Eden and asked, "Eden, was Babylon awake when you left?"


    "Reporting to Lord John, he was not! I tried to wake him, but he wouldn''t budge, so I had toe first!"


    "I understand. Elowen, go personally and bring that boy here. The rest of you stay and rest."


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    "Yes!"


    Seeing the others lounging around, John frowned but said nothing, simply waiting in silence.


    After another half-hour, Elowen finally returned, carrying the struggling Babylon on his shoulder.


    "Master John, I''ve brought him."


    Ignoring Babylon''s struggles, Elowen threw him in front of John.


    "Heh, Babylon, you''ve got some nerve. I had to send someone twice to get you here. Tell me, what were you busy with?"


    "Reporting to Lord John, I was busy sleeping..."


    Babylon struggled to sit up, still looking like he hadn''t fully woken up, yawning repeatedly. Even Elowen felt a headache watching him.


    "I appreciate your honesty, so I''ll be honest with you: you''re in big trouble, Babylon."


    "I understand, I ept the punishment."


    "Of course you do, because you have no choice. And it''s not just you; the other fourteen will be implicated because of you. As for the punishment, we''ll start with you."


    With that, John''s wings suddenly spread open behind him.


    He grabbed Babylon by the cor and shot into the sky at an incredible speed.


    Within moments, they broke through the clouds, bing a small ck dot!


    Seeing this, everyone gasped in shock!


    They had never seen John disy such power before.


    While they were astonished at John''s abilities, they also broke out in a cold sweat for themselves.


    This... could kill someone, right?


    As everyone''s minds were racing, a scream came from the sky, growing closer and closer. They finally saw what was happening in mid-air.


    At that moment, Babylon was being used like a skateboard, with John stepping on him and plummeting downward at a terrifying speed.


    In just three seconds, Babylon would have an intimate encounter with the ground!


    For a moment, the crowd collectively gulped!


    Of course, John wasn''t a demon.


    He wouldn''t actually let Babylon crash to his death.


    Just as Babylon was about to be a stter on the ground, John''s wings pped again, halting their descent.


    On one side, there was Babylon, crying and screaming, and on the other, John, casually smiling and mocking.


    One thought simultaneously urred to everyone in the crowd.


    Lord John... is like a devil!


    "Alright, punishment''s over. You can rejoin the group."


    John, satisfied, clicked his tongue and casually tossed Babylon aside, then turned his gaze to the crowd.

 Chapter 157: Chapter157- Absolute Obedience

    "Hmm... let me see who''s next. It''s you, Eden!"


    "What?!"


    "What do you mean ''what''? As his roommate, you share the responsibility for his tardiness. Get over here quickly, unless you want me toe over!"


    Hearing this, Eden felt a sense of despair. He knew there was no convincing John otherwise. Instead of throwing a fit, it was better to ept it calmly. With this thought, Eden swallowed hard and walked forward slowly.


    "Are you ready?"


    "Ready for wha��!!"


    Before Eden could finish his sentence, John repeated the same trick, sending Eden up into the clouds as well.


    This process was repeated a total of fifteen times. John kept his word and sent each person up into the sky one by one, even the girls were not exempt.


    In no time, a wave of resentment spread among the group. After all, the one responsible for them having to endure this ordeal was none other than Babylon, who had nowe to his senses and remained silent. Everyone was filled with resentment towards him.


    Babylon knew this, and of course, John knew it too. In fact, it could be said that John did it intentionally. For someone like Babylon, who was overly arrogant, his pride needed to be thoroughly shattered to transform him into someone worthy of trust.


    After all, John really saw potential in him.


    With this thought, John took a deep breath and shouted, "Everyone, line up in front of me within thirty seconds. If even one person is missing, I''ll make you all experience another round of flying!"


    This time, Babylon didn''t dare to dy and obediently stood in line.


    "Very good, it seems you are gradually learning how to interact with me, which is absolute obedience.


    Actually, I''m very easygoing. As long as you fulfill all my requirements, I won''t interfere with whatever you do. But on the contrary, if you fail to meet my demands, I''m sorry, but no matter how good our personal rtionship is, you will still have to face punishment.


    Don''t think of me as some kind of confidant. I''m only in my twenties. Our rtionship is very simple: I give orders, and your job is toplete them no matter what difficulties you encounter. Trust me, I won''t treat you unfairly.


    John said as he slowly approached Babylon, looking at his still trembling legs and smiled, "Especially you, remember what I said?"


    "Yes, yes, I remember."


    "That''s good. Let me make one thing clear in advance, and I don''t mind telling you. Starting tomorrow, I will be leaving because I have my journey to continue. I can''t spend all my energy on you ipetent people.


    But don''t think that you can do whatever you want after I leave. During this time, all your mistakes will be meticulously recorded by Elowen. When I have time toe back, I will make up for every overdue punishment ording to Elowen''s records.


    So, you''d better not have any wishful thinking because it will harm you. I hope you remember my advice.


    Now, everyone, get ready. We are moving out to the maze where we will conduct today''s test. You have ten minutes to prepare. Once the preparation time is over, we set off immediately. Elowen will lead the team."


    "Understood, Master John."


    Seeing the respectful attitude of the Elf King in front of John, everyone looked at each other and dared not say anything more. They had to obey.


    This is the result John wanted to see.


    In a limited time, cultivating a reliable team to depend on is most important, and that relies on obedience.


    The ten minutes passed in the blink of an eye. From standing up to standing firmly on the steps and clearing his throat, John took less than ten seconds. In those ten seconds, the previouslyx crowd instantly got into the right state, not daring to ck off any longer.


    "Hahaha! It seems you''ve all learned your lesson. This is a good change. Alright, Elowen, let''s move out."


    John naturally wouldn''t be apanying them. Instead, he nned to go ahead. The habitat was now less than an hour''s journey from the maze. If they sped up, forty-five minutes would suffice. John intended to set a few small surprises on their way to the maze.


    With wings spreading behind him, John soared into the sky, turning into a fleeting shadow across the horizon. Seeing this, Elowen clicked her tongue in envy.


    "Alright, stop daydreaming. If you think I''ll be more lenient than Master John, you''ll be disappointed. I have my principles too. Master John was right: harboring a hopeful mindset will only harm you."


    At the very back of the group, Babylon frowned, moving forward with the crowd but looking concerned about something. Noticing Babylon''s expression, Eden immediately walked up to him and said in a low voice, "Whatever you''re nning, I advise you to give it up. The collective punishment means if you make a mistake, it affects all of us. That''s not fair to us.


    Thanks to you, today we all saw the scenery above the clouds, beautiful to the point of unreality. But if possible, I don''t want to experience it again."


    "��Foolish and unaware."


    Babylon merely nced at Eden and said nothing more, just kept up with the group. Hearing this, Eden felt a surge of anger but, with Elowen at the front of the team, any small disturbance here would likely be recorded by her. He didn''t want to provoke that seemingly harmless human any further.


    "To think someone who always smiles could say such things without changing his expression... it really is a skill..."


    Recalling John''s expression, Eden couldn''t help but shiver.


    "Forget it, better catch up."


    Shaking off the chaotic emotions in his mind, Eden quickly caught up with the team.


    Due to the constant expansion of the habitat, the distance between its edge and the maze has been continuously shortening. To prevent monsters from the maze from causing trouble for the elves, this area naturally became heavily guarded. Elowen even dispatched three hundred people to take turns guarding the maze, to nip any danger in the bud.


    "However... there shouldn''t be any excessive danger in the maze now."


    Since [Lust] died, many powerful monsters have appeared in the maze, but their overall levels do not exceed 35. After all, this is an early-stage dungeon, and the difficulty couldn''t be set too high.


    "But the problem is, with so many people guarding it, the nearby monsters have probably been wiped out. That''s not good..."


    John slowly descended and walked towards the heavily guarded maze. The squad leader at the forefront gasped upon recognizing John and quickly approached, respectfully saying, "Lord John! What brings you here? Have you finished your journey?"


    "You are... oh, I remember, the kid who got his shoulder pierced by Helena''s arrow. I just finished a part of my journey, so I came back to check things out. By the way, is there any monster gathering area around here?"


    "Lord John, we can''t guarantee other things, but you can rest assured about this. We''ve thoroughly cleared the nearby monsters, almost turning over every inch of the ground. There is absolutely no monster left!"


    "��Well done."


    John sighed softly, patting the squad leader''s shoulder in encouragement, causing the squad leader to blush with excitement. This was praise from Lord John, the savior of the elves! Some people might never have this chance in their lifetime, but now he had been praised. What an honor!


    Of course, John didn''t know what was going on in the squad leader''s mind. After a moment of silence, he continued, "What about the monster corpses? There should be monster corpses, right?"


    "Some monster corpses retain toxins and can emit poisonous gases if left too long, so we''ve taken all the monster corpses into the maze for disposal. Lord John, why are you asking about this all of a sudden?"


    "Nothing, keep up the good work."


    With no monsters and the corpses disposed of, there was no reason for John to stay here. But he still needed some monsters for the assessment. If they were fully prepared by the time they reached the maze, the test would lose its meaning.


    "Maybe... I could use the monster corpses Elowen collected for me?" source-at-NovelBin


    Since monster corpses rot when left outside, John kept those corpses with him. However, these monsters were of higher levels, and naturally, the summoned monsters would also be at higher levels.


    "I originally nned to arrange for fifteen low-level monsters, but now... three should be enough, right?"


    Thinking this, John casually waved his hand, and a pile of corpses suddenly appeared in front of him. Immediately, a blue hexagram array emerged beneath his feet. If one looked closely, they could see some twisted and bizarre things hidden within the array, slowly wriggling!


    The next moment, countless tentacles shot out from the array, instantly devouring all the monster corpses!


    "Now, the offerings have been made. Respond to my summons!"


    ...


    Ten minutester, at the edge of the habitat.


    Elowen seemed to sense something, her brows furrowing tightly, but she quickly rxed, gradually slowing her pace and no longer walking at the front of the group.


    Seeing this, Babylon narrowed his eyes slightly and then felt a sudden jolt in his heart. He scanned the crowd continuously until he finally spotted Meryl beside Alice. He quickly rushed forward and grabbed Meryl''s wrist.


    "You, step back immediately, close your eyes, and cover your ears!"


    Babylon''s sudden action was clearly unexpected by everyone. Alice, standing beside them, even perceived it as a form of harassment and immediately stepped in front of Meryl protectively.


    "Babylon, let go of her hand!"

 Chapter 158: Chapter158-The Expected Attack (Part 1)

    "Something''s about to happen. I don''t know what exactly, but you''re afraid of monsters, right? I remember that, so close your eyes and cover your ears tightly!"


    Babylon released his grip but didn''t step back, urgently saying, "You''d better do as I say, or it''ll be toote!"


    "I, I''m not..."


    Despite Babylon''s keen senses and timely actions, he was still a step toote. Before Meryl could finish her sentence, a ferocious roar erupted from the forest in front of the group, and powerful shockwaves rippled out, washing over the surrounding ground!


    Seeing this, Babylon''s brows furrowed tightly.


    "Still a step toote..."


    Seeing Meryl''s face turn pale instantly, Babylon grabbed her shoulder and pushed her behind him.


    "If you''re scared, then stay away!"


    Almost simultaneously, Babylon quickly scanned his surroundings. Sure enough, as expected, amidst the chaos caused by the sudden appearance of the monsters, Elowen''s figure had quietly vanished.


    "It seems this is a premeditated attack."


    While his thoughts churned, three monsters emerged from the dense forest. Upon seeing their appearances, even Babylon felt a wave of disgust.


    One was a snail-type monster, standing about four meters tall. Every time it moved, it left a trail of corrosive slime on the ground, rotting the nts it passed into pools of green liquid.


    Behind the snail monster was a giant spider-type monster, roughly the same size as the snail. Its three crimson eyes scanned the group, its body covered in pitch-ck bristles, looking extremely menacing!


    Thest monster was one Babylon had never seen before. It resembled a kind of beetle, with a pair of nearly one-meter-long mandibles filled with sharp teeth, looking incredibly formidable.


    Even someone like Babylon, who wasn''t particrly afraid of bugs, broke out in a cold sweat upon seeing these three monsters. As for the others, some were so terrified that their legs gave way, causing them to copse to the ground!


    "Retreat!"


    Almost simultaneously, two distinct voices sounded from the crowd. Eden and Babylon were the first to respond, warning everyone to retreat. Unfortunately, most people were too frightened by the situation to move, their bodies frozen with fear.


    Seeing this, Babylon gritted his teeth and signaled to Eden. The two of them immediately began to drive the crowd back.


    However...


    One thing caught Babylon''s attention: the monsters weren''t attacking. This was highly unusual. Normally, monsters would attack the moment they appeared, trying to devour everything in sight to satisfy their hunger.


    But these monsters weren''t doing that. If his guess was correct, someone must be controlling them from behind the scenes.


    Most likely, it was Master John.


    "Such a nasty personality,ing up with a sudden attack like this. I should have figured it out sooner."


    Babylon had felt something was off ever since John left alone. He hadn''t known that John possessed the power to control monsters, so he hadn''t considered this possibility. But now, it all made sense.


    "Don''t panic! If I''m right, these three monsters are part of Master John''s test, evaluating our ability to handle sudden situations. So, stay calm! Although these monsters... are pretty disgusting, at least they haven''t attacked us yet!"


    Babylon''s shout snapped everyone out of their daze. Eden looked at the monsters and realized they really weren''t pursuing them; they were just watching coldly.


    "In any case, we must work together if we want any chance of passing this test!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, up in the treetops!


    John clicked his tongue, looking at Babylon with admiration in his eyes.


    "Elowen, what do you think?"


    "There''s not much to evaluate, Master John. You just want to hear me praise this kid. He''s meticulous, quick-thinking, and most importantly, he demonstrated a sense of team cohesion that he hadn''t shown even yesterday or earlier today."


    "That''s right. I''ve always believed that with proper training, Babylon could be a powerful elite. He''s strong and quick-witted butcks team awareness and tends to act independently. However, I must admit I misjudged him."


    m _v,l_e _mp|y|r chapter


    "Master John, you don''t really intend to have them deal with these three monsters, do you?" Elowen scratched her head, looking somewhat puzzled.


    "Is there a problem?"


    "These three monsters are pretty strong. Even I find them difficult to handle. They have no realbat experience, and I''m afraid someone might get hurt."


    "You don''t need to worry about that. I can control these three monsters. If any dangerous situations arise, I''ll intervene in time."


    "That puts me at ease... To be honest, I''m also a bit curious to see how they will perform."


    "Just wait and see."


    John nced at the time, a slight smile ying on his lips. "It''s about time to give them a bit more external stimtion. Let''s start."


    As soon as he finished speaking, the three monsters moved simultaneously!


    The carrion snail struck first, its antennae writhing and suddenly shooting out countless toxic arrows, raining down on everyone!


    The iron-armored spider quickly followed, reaching Babylon at the back of the group within a few breaths, raising its ws to strike!


    The shield beetle unfurled its wings, bing a blur as it blocked everyone''s escape route!


    "Watch out!"


    Seeing the iron-armored spider''s attack about tond, Eden gritted his teeth and yanked Babylon back by the shoulder. The ws descended, effortlessly piercing the ground where Babylon had just stood!


    Seeing this, Babylon gasped, almost scared out of his wits!


    "The speed... it''s too fast!"


    Escape was impossible; there was no way out!


    Not to mention that the snail-type monster was continuously corroding their range of movement, but with the incredibly agile spider-type and the flying insect, escape was simply impossible!


    "Master John, isn''t the pressure on them a bit too much?"


    "Too much? I think it''s just right."


    John smiled and shook his head, standing up on the tree crown, and continued, "They are all adults now, each at the peak of their strength. Don''t underestimate them. There''s a saying from my homnd, Elowen, that you should remember: ''Put them in a desperate situation, and they will fight to survive.''"


    ng!


    A sharp sound rang out as Eden was sent flying by the force of the impact. The shell of the spider-type monster was much tougher than he had imagined.


    Even the enchanted weapons Master John had crafted for them couldn''t prate the spider''s defense and were deflected.


    "Everyone, don''t panic..."


    Amidst the chaotic and tense situation, Meryl stood up, suppressing her inner fear, and took over the responsibility ofmanding. Even though her eyes were brimming with tears and her voice trembled, almost breaking into a sob, she resolutely said, "We must allocate some people to restrain the flying beetle. If it gains control, it will be a huge problem!


    Sister Alice, could you lead four people to hold off the beetle? You don''t necessarily have to harm it, just keep it upied!"


    "I''ll do my best."


    Alice nodded slightly. Despite the daunting task, she charged forward without hesitation, followed closely by four others.


    At this point, everyone had to contribute to survive. cking off or showing cowardice was tantamount to suicide!


    "Babylon, Brother Eden! We will create opportunities for you two, distracting the spider-type monster as much as possible. Please deal with the snail-type monster quickly, or we will all be corroded by the acid soon!


    Additionally, if possible, collect some of the snail''s acid. It is the key to breaking through this situation!"


    "Be very careful! Its attacks are fast and fierce; do not try to withstand them directly!"

 Chapter 159: Chapter159-The Expected Attack (Part 2)

    Watching the people below finally regain theirposure and start their counterattack, John suddenly smiled.


    "Fear, resilience, a sense of the bigger picture."


    "Pride, acuity, insight."


    "Recklessness, strength, leadership."


    "Elowen, don''t you think these three are worth nurturing? Although each has their ws, theyplement each other perfectly."


    Even though John didn''t name them directly, Elowen understood who he was referring to.


    There was no other way; the brilliance these three disyed in moments of crisis far outshone everyone else.


    "Meryl, Babylon, Eden. Master John, should we give them special attention?"


    "No need, we can''t rush their growth."


    John shook his head and chuckled, "I''m very much looking forward to seeing what other surprises they can bring me."


    Babylon, who acts as the eyes and ears, Meryl, who keeps a cool head at all times, and Eden, who delivers a direct blow to the enemy.


    Without a doubt, they were the ones John was expecting great things from.


    At this moment, on the battlefield!


    Meryl''s body trembled like a leaf, yet she forced herself to endure the fear, continuously observing the situation on the field and givingmands at the first opportunity.


    "Sister Alice, don''t engage the beetle monster head-on. Its back is its blind spot. Those wings are nothing like Master John''s; they can''t maneuver flexibly. Attack it from behind as much as possible!


    "Carter, the spider monster''s body is covered with extremely tough bristles. Ordinary weapons can''t break through! If possible, try attacking its eyes and abdomen!"


    As for Babylon and Eden, Meryl bit her lip but said nothing.


    These two were equally outstanding and didn''t need her guidance.


    Meryl believed that Babylon and Eden would surely seed in hunting down the snail monster!


    "Damn! This acid is so annoying!"


    Babylon kicked Eden away and used the recoil to retreat several meters, barely avoiding a direct hit from the acid.


    Seeing the corner being corroded, Babylon clenched his teeth, his face growing increasingly grim.


    "Eden, are you okay?"


    "The battle armor took part of the impact, I''m fine!"


    Struggling to stand up, Eden cast a grateful nce at Babylon.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that without Babylon''s kick, Eden would have been dissolved by the acid, turning into a pool of blood.


    "This beast''s acid seems endless. We can''t get close at all!" Eden said with a serious expression. "We need to find a way to get closer!"


    "We don''t necessarily have to get close..."


    Babylon frowned and said in a deep voice, "Have you noticed that the acid from this snail monster is sprayed from the antennae on its head? Except for its feet, the rest of its body doesn''t get any acid on it."


    "What... what does that mean?"


    "Eden, I have an idea and I need your help."


    "What are you nning to do?"


    now.


    "I''m not sure, but I think it could work. Please, Eden, help distract it!"


    At this point, Eden, although unclear about Babylon''s n, didn''t ask further questions. Dodging the acid, he took a deep breath.


    "As long as I can distract it, right? That''s simple enough."


    With that, Eden removed the enchanted battle armor from his chest, immediately feeling much lighter.


    "Basically, it''s just a dodgeball game. I''m good at this!"


    With those words, Eden let out a grunt and charged towards the snail monster at high speed!


    As Babylon expected, upon noticing Eden''s attempt to approach, the snail monster exhibited strong resistance, spraying acid frantically in an attempt to force Eden back!


    Without the enchanted battle armor, Eden''s speed was incredibly fast, so fast that the acid always missed him by a step!


    Because of this, Babylon finally confirmed his hypothesis.


    The beast that was corroding them with acid could not withstand its own highly concentrated acid!


    With this knowledge, the solution became clear.


    If they could corrode the snail monster''s shell with its own acid, it would be defeated without much effort!


    "But... achieving that is easier said than done."


    John naturally saw through Babylon''s n.


    Even he had to admit that Babylon''s idea was not wrong.


    After all, the reason John summoned such a monster was to provide them with a glimmer of hope.


    With their own strength, they couldn''t break through the monster''s defense. This was an undeniable fact.


    That''s why John summoned this creature, one that would be full of weaknesses once approached, even bing a monster that could be used against itself.


    In due course, they proved they didn''t waste John''s efforts, seizing the slim chance of survival amid overwhelming despair.


    It''s not an exaggeration to say that in a fleeting moment, John seemed to see a shadow of his past self in them.


    Facing the unknown with fear, yet finding a miracle to survive within that fear, and willing to do whatever it takes.


    "It''s over."


    "Huh? Master John, what did you say?"


    "I said it''s over. Although these monsters are still alive, the assessment has ended. This time, everyone scored full marks."


    Aside from the impressive performance of Meryl, Babylon, and Eden, what pleased John the most was the behavior of the others.


    In such a critical moment, no one exhibited excessive self-awareness.


    No one tried to be the main character by ignoring warnings and advice to insist on their own ideas.


    Everyone yed their roles well, which was the mostmendable aspect.


    "Although they are still very weak, and perhaps in the future their strength will never change, their thinking, experience, and courage will evolve through continuous honing.


    As for the strength that cannot be improved, I will solve that problem for them."


    ...


    "John and ria still haven''t returned. It''s already the third day. They said we would set off for Spartonia today.


    I''m really looking forward to seeing what a city blessed by the God of War looks like."


    "Haha, I fear it won''t disappoint you, Exiled Immortal boy. I''ve heard many people talk about Spartonia, and the mostmon description is... barbaric."


    Old Mac took a swig of wheat beer, sighed contentedly, and continued, "That world that esteems brute strength probably isn''t very friendly to my old bones. Oh, and Lily and ria too. They probably won''t have it easy in Spartonia.


    Spartonia values physical strength and rejects magic to an extreme degree.


    In Spartonia, almost no magic can be used.


    Once in Spartonia, Lily will be no different from an ordinary person."


    Upon hearing this, Lily''s eyes widened in shock. "Is it really that serious?"


    "Of course, the reality is even more exaggerated than what I described. So, the trip to Spartonia won''t be that easy. For Qing, though, going to Spartonia is like returning home. Spartonia doesn''t forbidbat; you can challenge anyone to a duel right on the street.


    As long as no lives are lost, you can fight all you want. The Spartonia marshals patrolling the streets won''t stop you. In fact, they might even punish the person who refuses the duel and cheer you on from the sidelines."


    "That really is... haha, quite a ce."


    Qing grinned, clearly very satisfied with Spartonia. Indeed, in a past life, after arriving in Spartonia, Qing single-handedly toppled half of Spartonia City, thriving as if he were a fish in water.


    Unfortunately, it was hard on Lily...


    "So, before we set off, you should enjoy the current peace as much as possible. Once we reach Spartonia, these quiet days will be scarce."


    "Uncle Mac, please stop. I have no interest in Spartonia anymore... If possible, I''d like to return to the Deep Forest and join you after you''ve left Spartonia."


    Lily sighed softly, her face showing some distress. If things were indeed as described, how was she, a Priest of the Stars, supposed to cope?

 Chapter 160: Chapter160-The Return

    "Haah... sigh."


    Babylon copsed on the ground, utterly exhausted.


    He didn''t care that the muddy water soaked his clothes.


    He was just too tired.


    After going through so much trouble to finally defeat the snail monster, they had used the acid sacs from its body to corrode the shells of the other two monsters.


    In the end, everyone piled on and managed to overwhelm the monsters with sheer numbers.


    John, who had witnessed the entire process from the treetops, was very pleased with everyone''s performance.


    From the initial encounter with the monster attack, they quickly stabilized the situation.


    Meryl took overmand and issued swift orders.


    Babylon and Eden''s impressive performance in taking down the snail monster was a sight to behold.


    The entire process could be described with one word: "Impressive."


    John had thought the sudden appearance of the monsters would catch them off guard, but these kids managed to withstand the pressure and exceeded his expectations.


    "Elowen, let''s go down."


    "Understood, Master John."


    John leaped down heavily,nding in front of the group, with Elowen following closely behind.


    "Well done, everyone. Sorry for being a bitte, but it looks like you handled the monsters quite well."


    John nced down at Babylon and smiled, "Good job."


    "Master John, at this point, there''s no need to pretend. These three monsters were part of the test, right?"


    "It was so sudden, I almost died of fright..."


    "Yes, if it hadn''t been for Meryl stabilizing the situation immediately, I can''t imagine how things might have spiraled out of control."


    The group muttered quietly, still shaken.


    John smiled knowingly and said, "I''m very pleased with your performance. Everyone did their part and fulfilled their roles admirably.


    I initially wanted to give special praise to Meryl, Babylon, and Eden, but after thinking it over, each of you deserves encouragement.


    So, this time, everyone did an excellent job."


    Upon hearing this, the crowd burst into cheers.


    They had risked their lives for the simple reward of an excellent rating.


    Although they still hadn''t figured out what this three-month training was all about, having John and Elowen, two significant figures, personally instruct them definitely meant it wasn''t a trivial matter!


    "Master John, can we disband now... and rest?"


    "Who said that? Didn''t I mention that we''re heading to thebyrinth for the assessment? Are we at thebyrinth yet?"


    The person was immediately at a loss for words and shook his head.


    "Exactly, we haven''t reached thebyrinth yet. How could this be considered the assessment? This was just a small test, an unexpected situation. The real assessment is still ahead."


    "What? No, Master John!"


    "I can''t take another step... Master John, please have mercy on us..."


    Cries ofint echoed all around, but John just smirked and said, "So, you''re all trying to y the pity card, huh?


    Fine, I''ll give you a chance. If anyone doesn''t want to participate, just step forward, and I''ll send you sky-high. see mvl,em,pyr for more


    You''ll be exempt from this assessment, and your grade will be marked as pass. How about it? Any takers?"


    The crowd fell silent immediately, exchanging nervous nces, but no one dared to step forward.


    Who would dare speak up?


    The thought of being taken up into the sky by John and experiencing free fall from thousands of meters, even though everyone knew John would catch them before they hit the ground, was too terrifying.


    The sensation of plummeting for nearly two minutes, feeling the strong wind cutting across their faces like knives, was something no one wanted to endure again.


    "Well... since no one''s speaking up, I''ll take it that none of you want to quit, right? So, anyone who dares toin again knows the consequences, right?


    Alright then, you have an hour to rest.


    After the break, we''ll continue our journey to thebyrinth.


    Don''t worry, Elowen will protect you during this time, so rx and rest well."


    "Honestly, it would have been better if Master John hadn''t said that. Now I feel... a chill down my spine," Eden said, shrugging as he looked at Babylon beside him.


    "Master John wouldn''tunch another surprise attack, would he?"


    "Don''t worry, he won''t. Too much of anything is bad, you know? In our current state, even a group of cave goblins could finish us off. Doing that wouldn''t make any sense. Just rest easy."


    "Now that you say that, I feel relieved. Finally, I can take a proper nap."


    John was more lenient than they had imagined.


    Although he had said they would get an hour of rest, he let them sleep for two hours before waking them up.


    "Alright, everyone, open your eyes and get up! I generously let you sleep an extra hour. Let''s see who''s still dragging their feet!"


    From the moment John ordered them to assemble, it took less than five minutes for everyone to be ready.


    Looking at the drowsy group, John narrowed his eyes.


    "Look at you all, still half asleep. If you love sleeping so much, you might as well go home and sleep! Now, you''re heading to thebyrinth, where you''ll face today''s assessment. Elowen will tell you what to do and what not to do.


    As for me, I need to continue my journey.


    Let''s add a little incentive.


    The first person to achieve seven excellent ratings will get to travel with me for a day, giving you a glimpse of the outside world.


    Conversely, the person with the lowest overall rating will take on the top performer''s daily training, which means double the work.


    Rewardse with punishments; it''s only fair.


    Alright, Elowen, I''m off. I''ll leave the rest to you."


    "Master John, may your path be smooth and your wishes fulfilled."


    "Hahaha, thanks, kid. I hope the next time we meet, your progress will astonish me."


    John patted Elowen''s shoulder appreciatively.


    Though he felt a bit reluctant to leave, he knew he had to go.


    Hispanions were waiting for him to continue their journey, and John couldn''t just stay here.


    "But... I''ll leave you something as a reward for today''s excellent performance."


    Saying this, John took out fifteen Epic-quality weapons from his yer inventory and asked Seraphina to erase the panel attributes.


    This way, even NPCs could use them normally and fully utilize their features.


    John had originally nned to give these rewards to the group after a few more days.


    However, since he couldn''t leave Spartonia in the short term, he decided not to keep them waiting any longer.


    With this thought, John let out a long sigh of relief.


    "Elowen, I''ll leave these things to you."


    "Understood, Master John."


    "Alright, see youter!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Talcavano!


    Exiled Immortal yed idly with a dagger, using the wind field to make it spin rapidly at his fingertips.


    With a casual flick, the dagger flew out, drawing a beautiful arc in the air beforending back in Exiled Immortal''s hand.


    "They''re still not back... I''m so bored!"


    "They should be back soon. Maybe they ran into some trouble and got dyed. But don''t worry, with John and ria, nothing bad will happen."


    Helena tried to calm Exiled Immortal while constantly refreshing her yer map.


    Finally, after persistent refreshing, the dot representing John appeared within the city of Talcavano. Helena''s eyes lit up, and she said, "They''re back! They''re already in the city."


    "They''re finally back! Hahaha! Off to Spartonia!"


    Qingughed heartily, feeling an indescribable joy.


    It''s no wonder Qing was so excited. If anyone was most eager to adventure in Spartonia, it was undoubtedly Qing.


    As a city that revered strength, as long as you were strong enough, you could gain anything you desired in Spartonia: power, money, status, and even beautiful women!


    So, Qing''s excitement was understandable.


    In contrast, Lily felt much more bitter.


    After all, the moment she stepped into Spartonia, herbat power would be no different from that of an ordinary person.


    If any unexpected situation urred, not only would she be unable to help, but she might also be a burden to herpanions.


    This thought weighed heavily on Lily''s mind.

 Chapter 161: Chapter161-Ownership

    "John, you''re finally back! If you hadn''t returned soon, Qing was nning to head back to the Deep Forest to drag you back himself."


    Seeing John''s return, everyone approached him eagerly. Exiled Immortal continued, "When are we setting off?"


    "My initial n was to leave tomorrow after a good night''s rest, but... judging by your expressions, you all seem quite impatient."


    "We''ve been waiting for this! If it weren''t for the fear of losing contact, I would have already set off for Spartonia by myself!" Qing patted his chest loudly andughed, "Let''s not wait until tomorrow. Let''s leave now!"


    Upon hearing this, John smirked but didn''t answer immediately. Instead, he looked at Lily.


    "Lily, are you okay with this? We don''t necessarily have to go to Spartonia. There are many other options. If you really don''t want to go, we can split up."


    "It''s okay. I also want to see Spartonia. But once we''re there, I''ll probably need everyone to protect me since I don''t have muchbat ability."


    "Don''t worry, second sister, we''ll definitely protect you!" Exiled Immortal chimed in with a smile.


    "Besides, it''s not like you can''t use any magic at all, right? That limitation seems too severe. Maybe only certain magic patterns won''t work."


    Exiled Immortal reassured her and gave John a knowing look. John understood and said, "No time like the present. Let''s set off now. If things get too tough, Qing can just fight our way out of the city."


    "No problem! Let''s see who dares to stop me! I''ll smash their heads in with a single punch!"


    "There''s no need to be so violent..."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Deep Forest, at thebyrinth!


    "As you can see, Master John has left to continue his journey. However, before leaving, he left some items for you."


    Elowen beckoned, and the guards behind him brought forth a chest.


    "Inside are weapons collected by Master John during his travels. These are far sharper than the ones you currently have. Master John intended these as rewards for your excellent performance.


    However, I think it would be too easy to just hand them over. You should know that the Elven tribe nevercks brave warriors!


    Only the bravest warriors are worthy of these divine weapons.


    Conveniently, the Elven guard is stationed near thebyrinth.


    I''ve decided on today''s assessment: each of you may choose any warrior to fight.


    I don''t expect you to win; you just need tost ten minutes, and the weapons will be yours.


    Of course, if anyone fails, their weapon will go to the Elven warrior until they can challenge and win it back.


    Does anyone have any objections?"


    With John as a shining example and having demonstrated so many times, Elowen had grasped the essence of his training methods firmly.


    Just as John had exined to him, during training, only the roles of officer and trainee mattered, with no personal feelings involved.


    Only this way could absolute fairness and justice be achieved.


    Even among the fifteen people, there were friends who had fought alongside Elowen and younger ones he had high hopes for, but all were treated equally.


    "You''ve had ample time to rest, so let''s not waste any more time. Aeris, bring over three squads."


    "Yes!"


    Aeris nodded and within five minutes returned with three squads, a total of seventy-five people, who stood behind Elowen.


    "These people are your potential opponents. You have five minutes to decide who you want to challenge. Once the five minutes are up, the matches will begin immediately.


    If anyone hesitates and can''t make a choice, that''s fine.


    I''ll choose for you, and I''ll be your opponent."


    This assessment was a sudden idea from Elowen.


    He originally nned to have everyone enter thebyrinth and hunt monsters in groups of three.


    The group that hunted the most monsters within a limited time would win.


    However, Elowen reconsidered.


    The difference inbat power was fixed from birth, making this somewhat unfair, especially for someone like Meryl who had a natural fear of monsters.


    Such an assessment would be extremely difficult for her.


    If grouping was necessary, Meryl would have to team up with Babylon and Eden to perform well. Otherwise, she would only drag the team down.


    Fortunately, Master John left these rewards, allowing Elowen to change the assessment content on a whim.


    The five minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and everyone had chosen their opponents. From Elowen''s perspective, their choices were quite reasonable.


    The three girls each chose three recently joined female warriors from the guard. While their strengths weren''t perfectly matched, the differences weren''t too great either.


    What surprised Elowen the most were Babylon and Eden.


    The two first asked Aeris about who was considered the strongest in the squad.


    After learning the identity, they both chose to challenge Aeris.


    Their courage wasmendable, but theycked a bit of rationality. The kids didn''t know, but Elowen was well aware of Aeris''s true strength.


    To say the least, among the nearly three hundred guards stationed near thebyrinth, not one of them could match Aeris.


    This guy''sbat power was something even Elowen had to respect.


    Aeris was not only stronger than Elowen by a significant margin but also far from a wise choice for Babylon and Eden to challenge in a moment of hot-headedness.


    Of course, Elowen wouldn''t give them a heads-up.


    He had made it clear: if they couldn''t win, they wouldn''t get the weapons John left behind.


    They had to bear the consequences of their choices.


    "Since you have all chosen your opponents, let''s not dy. We can start now... Meryl, you go first."


    Upon hearing this, Meryl was momentarily stunned but quickly stood up and walked slowly to stand before Elowen.


    Opposite her, a valiant elven warrior looked at her with an appreciative gaze and said with a smile, "Little sister, I will go easy on you. Ten minutes, I believe you can hold on."


    "I-I will!"


    Meryl bit her lip lightly, silently encouraging herself.


    As Elowen announced the start of the duel, Meryl immediately drew two short daggers from her waist, holding one in a standard grip and the other in a reverse grip.


    "Oh? Such weapons are umon, little sister. Are you sure you can handle them well?"


    "I-I can!"


    Meryl''s response was met with a swift arrow shooting towards her!


    It was clear that the female warrior wasn''t aiming to kill; otherwise, just that one strike could have ended Meryl''s life!


    The arrow whizzed past Meryl''s cheek, embedding itself deeply into the tree trunk behind her, causing splinters to burst out in all directions!


    Seeing this, Meryl was startled but kept herposure, her eyes fixed intently on the female warrior''s fingers, watching as she drew her bow and nocked another arrow.


    At the same moment, Meryl lowered her stance, dodging the attack and taking the opportunity to close the distance rapidly!


    But, as a skilled archer, the female warrior was well aware of Meryl''s intentions.


    Knowing she would be at a disadvantage if Meryl got too close, she ensured that wouldn''t happen!


    Three arrows were nocked simultaneously.


    The female warrior drew her bow like a full moon, not aiming directly at Meryl but anticipating her next move. She then released the bowstring.


    "Did she miss?"


    As Meryl furrowed her brows in confusion, she saw the three arrows converge, blocking her left, right, and forward paths.


    Such precise skill forced Meryl to retreat, widening the gap between her and the warrior.


    The situation seemed to reach a stalemate.


    If Meryl couldn''t get close, she would be worn down by the continuous attacks until her stamina was exhausted, leading to defeat.


    However, forcing her way in would expose her to multiple arrows from various angles, leaving no opening!


    Watching the battle, Elowen''s eyes lit up.


    "Fischer''s archery skills have improved significantly. At this rate, the next captaincy contest might be uncertain for Aeris!"

 Chapter 162: Chapter162-Continuing the Journey

    The ever-increasing strength of the elven warriors was exactly what Elowen wanted to see.


    Indeed, although talent limitations are decided at birth, they can still be surpassed through relentless study and training!


    Take Fischer, for example.


    Elowen vaguely remembered when she first joined the guard.


    She was just a girl who was good at archery.


    But it''s important to note that the elven race has no shortage of archers, so initially, Fischer didn''t stand out in the guard.


    Because archers have their limits, most archers choose to improve their stamina and supplement theirbat power with melee skills.


    Fischer, however, was an exception.


    Whenever there was a break, Elowen would always find Fischer practicing archery.


    Curious, Elowen once asked Fischer why she focused all her energy on archery instead of improving her overallbat power.


    Elowen vividly remembered that Fischer didn''t answer the question at the time but gave him a contemptuous look instead.


    Shortly after, Fischer answered with her actions.


    To this day, Elowen still doesn''t understand how Fischer managed to shoot arrows in different directions from the same bowstring.


    It was all the result of Fischer''s hard work and dedication.


    "So, Meryl, what will you do?"


    On the battlefield, the fight continued! Stay tuned with m _v _lemp _yr.


    In just three minutes, Meryl was already sweating profusely, her stamina nearly exhausted.


    She had no choice but to constantly move at high speed to avoid being hit by Fischer''s rain of arrows.


    Today, Meryl truly experienced what it means for one person to be an army.


    Fischer alone could shoot arrows as dense as a rainstorm,parable to an entire battalion.


    It was unimaginable how much practice and sweat this must have required.


    But...


    "I have endured countless hardships and sweat for this day as well. Even if I lose, I won''t lose so disgracefully!"


    Meryl gritted her teeth, lowering her stance like an agile leopard, continuously dodging and weaving in the limited space.


    As her movement space was increasinglypressed, Meryl chose to break through head-on!


    Seeing this, Fischer couldn''t help but sneer.


    "Ast-ditch effort, trying to make a final counterattack?"


    In Fischer''s eyes, Meryl had clearly reached her limit and had no chance of breaking through her blockade.


    Three arrows shot through the air like meteors, but this time, Meryl made no attempt to dodge, charging forward to meet the arrows head-on!


    Fischer''s heart tightened immediately.


    It wasn''t that she was worried about severely injuring Meryl, but she was astonished that Meryl had seen through her soul-chasing archery!


    Undoubtedly, this was a daring gamble!


    Meryl, betting on being severely injured by the arrows, chose to break through forcefully, and she won everything!


    Just as the arrows were about to hit Meryl, they suddenly changed direction.


    Although the arrows cut Meryl''s waist, they didn''t stop her from moving forward!


    In an instant, Meryl''s cold, gleaming daggers were at Fischer''s neck, and the oue was decided.


    Clearly, this result exceeded everyone''s expectations, including Meryl''s own.


    "I... I lost."


    Fischer put her longbow behind her and smiled wryly. "I didn''t expect you to see through it. Staying so calm in such a critical moment is not easy."


    Yes, Fischer knew well the weakness of her self-created soul-chasing archery.


    The three arrows would continuously change direction during flight until theypletely separated, attacking the target from different angles.


    If one could grasp the moment the arrows split, they wouldn''t be severely injured.


    If Meryl had only dodged, being led by Fischer''s moves, she would never have had a chance to break through.


    But Meryl noticed this and bet her life on it, finally winning the match. The time stopped at exactly five minutes.


    Defeating her chosen opponent in less than half the allotted time was indeed impressive, and when Meryl put away her daggers, thunderous apuse erupted.


    "An extraordinary understanding of situational analysis, with strong judgment and decisiveness, but her fear of monsters remains her most fatal weakness."


    Elowen nodded slightly, recording his evaluation truthfully, and then took out a pair of ck and white daggers from the wooden box.


    "Meryl, well done. These are yours."


    "Th-Thank you, Lord Elowen!"


    "No need to thank me. This is your reward. Go back and rest."


    Holding the pair of daggers, Meryl''s eyes sparkled with excitement.


    The des were about twenty centimeters long, one ck and one white, with blood-red patterns spreading across them.


    They felt almost weightless in her hands but made a sharp sound when swung through the air.


    A mere light sh left a scratch on her old daggers.


    These were undoubtedly fine weapons! "Um, Lord Elowen, did Master John say what these daggers are called?"


    "Master John didn''t say. Why don''t you give them names yourself? Next group, step forward!"


    ...


    Outside Talcavano City, in the zing ins!


    The scorching sun hung high in the sky, mercilessly casting its intense heat over the desert, making the sand underfoot blisteringly hot.


    In just two hours, everyone''s enthusiasm had beenpletely drained.


    "How much longer do we have to cross this fiery in? I''m about to die from the heat..."


    Since being swallowed by the mountain toad, their heat-absorbing bracelets had been corroded by stomach acid.


    Thinking they would soon leave, they hadn''t bought recements.


    Clearly, they had miscalcted.


    Looking ahead, even at the farthest point visible, there was still only yellow-brown desert and wastnd, with no end in sight.


    "Almost there... At our current pace, we should reach the abandoned Mine 1 in about an hour. Once we''re there, we can rest and wait for the temperature to drop before continuing. Besides, there are a lot of treasures buried around Mine 1."


    "Grave robbing, huh? Be careful, or the Talcavano City guard might arrest you..."


    John joked weakly, then asked, "Uncle Mac, why was Mine 1 shut down?"


    "I heard that the minerals in Mine 1 were nearly exhausted. If they kept mining, it could have caused a massive copse. After filling it with sand and stones, they closed the mine.


    Of course, I don''t believe that reason.


    The mineral output of Mine 1 is said to be more than double that of the other two minesbined.


    How could it be depleted so easily?


    But since it was ordered by the lord, we can''t question it."


    Additionally, the journey to Mine No. 3 was not as arduous and was much closer, so gradually everyone epted the situation. Speaking of which, when I was younger, I used to work in Mine No. 1."


    Old Mac tugged at the corners of his mouth as if reminiscing. Sweat constantly dripped from his bronzed skin, but Old Mac didn''t mind at all, clearly ustomed to such extreme temperatures.


    "Could there be some monster there? Or maybe your city lord is hiding some unspeakable secret."


    "I don''t know. Over the years, there have been frequent incidents of unauthorized mining at Mine No. 1, but whenever discovered, the punishment is quite severe��those caught are expelled from Talcavano and banned from entering the city ever again. So, no one dares to go near it anymore."


    "So what do we do?"


    "Don''t worry, if we''re just passing through, we won''t have any problems. The guards stationed there aren''t that heartless. However, if there''s a chance, I''d love to explore Mine No. 1 again."


    Old Mac smacked his lips, looking very eager.


    For a skilled craftsman like Old Mac, the three most important things are family,panions, and ore. Now, having the chance to observe closely, Old Mac naturally didn''t want to miss it.


    "Uncle Mac, are you sure we should go in? I have a feeling something bad might happen..."


    John rubbed his temples and muttered, "Let''s hope we get a bit lucky..."

 Chapter 163: Chapter163-Fierce Battle!

    "The No. 1 mine has had many rumors circting about it, some true, some false, but even after all these years, there are still a constant stream of people wanting to sneak in to mine the ores. The reason is simple."


    Old Mac took a deep breath, pointed to his pickaxe, and said in a deep voice, "Because only in the No. 1 mine can you find this kind of ore, which is incredibly sturdy, highly malleable, heat-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and rust-proof. If it has any drawbacks, it''s that its density is too high and its weight is extremely heavy. Just this small pickaxe weighs over a hundred pounds."


    "But for adventurers and craftsmen, it''s always the best metal material, irreceable.


    Unfortunately, the No. 1 mine was mysteriously shut down, so I can only use the stock I have on hand to make thisst pickaxe.


    If possible, I''d really like to mine some more and forge it into weapons."


    Listening to Old Mac''sment, Exiled Immortal''s eyes twinkled. "Actually, it''s not impossible to get in, Uncle Mac. I can help you, but I have one condition: you have to forge a weapon for me."


    As soon as these words were spoken, John instantly understood what Exiled Immortal was up to. "No, it''s too risky. We might involve innocent people, which isn''t our intention."


    "Don''t worry, John. I''ll control the range of the tornado. No one will get hurt. Aren''t you curious at all?"


    "No, I''m not. You already have a Demigod-tier weapon. Why do you need so many more? For a collection?"


    "Of course! Don''t you guys have a collection hobby? I''m an old hoarder. Even if I don''t use them, they''re proof of my growth."


    Exiled Immortal looked around, trying to gain the support of others.


    But since they all had updated their equipment and didn''t need as many weapons to support their Sword Rain skill like Exiled Immortal did, everyone disagreed with such a risky n.


    "Why is everyone silent? I promise I won''t hurt anyone! We''ll just go in for three, no, two hours! What do you say, Uncle Mac?"


    "...I''m a bit tempted, but isn''t it a bit too risky?"


    "It''s not risky. I''ve used my talent skill so many times, I''m already an expert. John, please agree, I''m begging you!"


    "Sigh... just this once, Exiled Immortal. We shouldn''tplicate things further. Remember, don''t hurt anyone."


    Exiled Immortal''s eyes lit up immediately, and he smiled, "No problem! I''ll make some preparations, and then we''ll set off. I''ll create a wind field to approach, and you guys can sneak in. Once we''ve mined the ores, we''ll slip away without anyone noticing!"


    ...


    "Eight minutes, just a little short of the required ten. It''s a pity, but rules are rules. Abbot, he''s yours."


    Elowen spoke sternly, tossing a long sword to Abbot without any trace of sympathy. Abbot''s eyes lit up as he caught the sword. The weight, the feel, the sharpness��it was far superior to any weapon he had traded with humans for!


    "Thank you, Lord Elowen!"


    "No need. You may step back now."


    Elowen slowly walked forward, surveying the crowd before continuing, "So far, thirteen people havepleted the test. Five havested ten minutes, six did not, and only one has achieved victory.


    Now, only the two of you have yet to start the assessment. Babylon, Eden, you''ve both chosen Aeris as your opponent. Aeris, what do you think?"


    "Haha! Let''s not waste everyone''s time. Both of youe at me together. A long sword and a spear are both weapons I handle well. I can''t wait!"


    "Did you hear that, you two? Aeris proposes to fight both of you simultaneously. What do you think?"


    "Hmph, don''t cry if you lose."


    After their previous encounter, Eden and Babylon''s rtionship had visibly softened. They no longer viewed each other as enemies, and their cooperation had improved significantly. Moreover, having an extra person reduced the pressure, so they naturally wouldn''t refuse.


    Seeing this, Elowen didn''t say anything more. After clearing the field, he handed the stage over to the three of them.


    "Hehe, Eden, you''ve got guts! Have you forgotten how I dealt with you when we were in the guard? And you still dare to challenge me?"


    "A brave man doesn''t dwell on past glories. Besides, I don''t necessarily have to beat you. Lasting ten minutes is the same, isn''t it?"


    "Ten minutes? With you? You can barelyst three minutes, believe it?"


    "Save the reminiscing for after the fight. Why waste words?"


    Babylon twirled his spear, slinging it across his back and urged, "Are you two going to fight or not?"


    "Hey, kid, you''ve got quite a temper. Haven''t had a proper beating yet, have you?"


    "That depends on the severity. I reckon you might not be..."


    Before Babylon could finish his sentence, he was sent flying like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily against a tree trunk!


    "Too much talk."


    Aeris smirked, withdrawing his foot and turning his gaze to Eden, grinning broadly.


    "Your turn!"


    "Damn it, going for a sneak attack, huh?"


    Before Aeris could respond, a sh of cold light attacked him, aiming straight for his forehead. He could only rely on his instincts to counterattack, barely deflecting the silver spear!


    However, Babylon followed up with a relentless pursuit,nding a solid kick on Aeris'' face, forcing him back over ten steps, repaying the favor!


    "Going for a sneak attack, huh? Huh?"


    "Hahaha! This is getting interesting!"


    The kick was hardly painful, not even breaking Aeris'' defense. He simply dusted himself off and stood back up, drawing the broadsword from his waist and testing its weight.


    "Come on, I''ll have some real fun with you two today!"


    Boom!


    A muffled sound echoed as Aeris'' figure vanished from where he stood. The ground beneath him cracked like a spider web, revealing the immense strength Aeris possessed!


    The broadsword swung down with tremendous force, as if it could split the mountain, crashing heavily towards Babylon!


    Seeing this, Eden quickly shoved Babylon aside, lifting his sword to counter from below. Though he deflected most of the force, his hands were left tingling!


    Babylon wouldn''t just stand by, he charged forward with his spear, aiming for Aeris, but was swept away with a horizontal strike, rolling on the ground!


    "Babylon?!"


    "I''m fine!"


    "Still have the energy to worry about others? Eden, your skills have improved!"


    Aeris burst intoughter,nding a straight punch right to Eden''s face, knocking him to the ground! Seeing this, Elowen sighed and shook his head, but he wasn''t surprised.


    Aeris was undeniably strong. If he fought with all his might, even Elowen might not be his match. Queen ria had once said that Aeris was an elf who had awakened his bloodline, possessing a taller stature, greater strength, and faster speedpared to most.


    The price for his extraordinary physical prowess was that he could hardly feel any blessings from the goddess of nature. From the moment Eden and Babylon made their choice, Elowen had anticipated this oue. Evensting just ten minutes was a significant challenge for them.


    "Well, do you want more?"


    Aeris sent Eden flying with a kick and knocked Babylon, who had just managed to stand up, back to the ground. Both of themy there, gasping for breath, with only one word in their minds: pain!


    Aeris'' strength was more akin to that of a dwarf than an elf, yet his reflexes andbat skills were exceptional. Even when outnumbered two to one, he overwhelmed thempletely. What incredible power! It was no wonder that Lord Elowen entrusted him with the crucial task of guarding thebyrinth. With Aeris there, no monster could likely get past this stage.


    "Babylon, Eden, do you want to continue?"


    "Continue! Why not? I can''t take this beating for nothing!"


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Babylon responded, using his spear to stand up, spitting out some blood, and grinning, "Even if we lose, we have to fight back! What about you, Eden?"


    "Help me up... I hit my stomach on your knee just now. It hurts a bit..."


    "..." m|vle mp _yr novel source


    "Keep going, I''m not giving up. But Aeris, you really went too hard. You knocked out one of my teeth!"

 Chapter 164: Chapter164-Overwhelming Victory

    Eden stood up with the help of Babylon''s power, spitting out a broken tooth and said helplessly, "Seriously, right in the face?"


    "What else? Didn''t you see Babylon''s moves just now? They were all aimed at vital points. Besides, I really like these two weapons. How about you surrender voluntarily? At least you can avoid some physical pain."


    Hearing this, Babylon and Eden turned their heads simultaneously. They looked at each other and, without saying a word, understood each other''s thoughts.


    Damn it, keep fighting!


    A sh of gunfire, and Babylon took the initiative, darting forward. The spear in his hand seemed toe to life, spinning incessantly! Enjoy reading at m _v _le _mp _yr.


    However, Aeris''s strength was overwhelming, and his body was incredibly hard.


    As long as he avoided vital points, he could withstand the spear''s attacks with his body.


    Two punches sent Babylon flying, but by then, Eden had taken over, shing down repeatedly with his sword, forcing Aeris to defend with all his might!


    But the situation was still not optimistic.


    It seemed that the two of them could fight Aeris to a standstill, going back and forth, but in fact, Eden and Babylon''s stamina was greatly depleted, and they were both injured.


    Especially the punch to Eden''s face; he felt like his nose was broken, burning with pain, and his facial bones seemed to have cracks, making it impossible to open his mouth.


    As for Babylon, his condition was even worse.


    The initial kick broke two of Babylon''s ribs.


    Luckily, they didn''t pierce his lungs, but even standing up caused unbearable pain.


    Seeing this, Elowen sighed and intended to stop the fight.


    But Babylon seemed to see through Elowen''s intention and quickly raised his hand to signal her to stop.


    "I can still continue."


    "This is just an assessment. If you get hurt, it''s not worth it."


    "No way, stopping now would be too much of a loss! I must hit him hard!"


    Babylon gritted his teeth, enduring the severe pain from his ribs, and stood up with unsteady steps, showing he was close to his limit.


    "Oh? You can still stand? Quite resilient, I must say. Fine, let me help you out. Just pass out already."


    Aeris grinned, throwing the broadsword from his waist with great force.


    The hilt struck Babylon''s forehead squarely, making a crisp sound.


    Babylon felt a ckness envelop him and copsedpletely unconscious.


    Elowen: "..."


    She thought this kid had some kind of trump card, which is why he stubbornly refused to give up.


    But this?


    He stood up just to take another hit?


    On the other side, seeing Babylon down, Eden knew he couldn''t possibly defeat Aeris alone.


    He was about to raise his hand to surrender but was grabbed by Aeris''srge hand and mmed into the ground.


    "I... damn..."


    Eden couldn''t even finish his sentence before being easily knocked out, joining Babylon in unconsciousness.


    "This... this is just too brutal."


    Witnessing the entire scene, the onlookers swallowed hard, expressing their regret.


    The strength was overwhelming.


    Even without the blessing of the nature goddess, Aeris easily crushed Babylon and Eden, two of the strongest among the fifteen, with just his physical power.


    He hardly got hit by their attacks, let alone injured.


    "Hehe, Lady Elowen, I''ve won. You can announce it now!"


    "Ah, yes, the winner is Aeris. These two weapons are yours."


    "Awesome! Hahaha! Next time if there''s another chance like this, be sure to choose me. I''m very weak, and I go down easily!"


    Aeris lovingly cradled the long sword, examining it as if it were not a cold weapon but a warm, flesh-and-blood lover.


    "What a fine weapon! Lady Elowen, you must teach me spear techniquester. I''ve decided to master both the sword and the spear, bing invincible!"


    "We''ll discuss thatter. For now, take the team away. I need to wrap things up here."


    "Got it!"


    Watching Aeris leave with his team, Elowen sighed deeply and turned to her guards.


    "Take those two to the Priest for treatment. If the Priest asks, say it was John''s idea."


    "...Mydy, ming John for this isn''t right, is it?"


    "You think I want to? But this has gotten way out of hand, and the Priest''s temper is... do you want to get scolded?"


    The guard shrank his neck and shook his head repeatedly.


    "Then what are you waiting for? Get them over there quickly!"


    "Yes!"


    Watching the guard leave, Elowen cleared her throat and continued with a pretense of formality, "Fourteen duels have concluded. Let''s summarize as usual. Among the fifteen, Meryl''s performance was excellent and she was the only one to win her match, deserving of praise.


    "However, Meryl, your final decision was too risky. It was all based on the assumption that Fischer wouldn''t directly kill you, which allowed for further possibilities. But on that basis, you gambled once again. Although you won the gamble, such behavior is still discouraged.


    "Imagine if the arrow had cut your neck? You would have lost too much blood in an instant, and not even the Priest could save you. Do you want Fischer to live in shadow and guilt for the rest of her life?"


    "I''m sorry, Sister Fischer..."


    "And then we have those two fools who were just sent to the Priest. They overestimated themselves and were stubborn, which is why they ended up battered and broken. Don''t emte this behavior. It''s not bravery, it''s stupidity!


    "And you, Aeris, you should feel a bit more guilty. You''re five or six hundred years old, beating two barely adult juniors like this. You went too far."


    "I... well, fine, fine. I''ll try to go easier next time."


    Aeris pouted indifferently, continuing to y with his weapon. As for Elowen''s advice, he didn''t really take it to heart.


    After this demonstration, he doubted anyone would dare challenge him again, which would be truly foolish!


    ...


    "I''m ready!"


    Exiled Immortal took a few deep breaths, signaling everyone to move away from him as he continued to approach Minefield No. 1. Exiled Immortal constantly sensed the surrounding wind fields.


    At his call, a green wind, mixed with yellow sand, surged into the sky, blocking out the sun!


    In just a few seconds, the once clear sky was covered by the swirling sand, and the tornado''s range seemed to be expanding!


    No matter how many times John saw this scene, he was always amazed.


    This could truly be called divine power,bating natural disasters without faltering!


    What gave John a bit of a headache was the reason for revealing such a trump card: it was merely to sneak into Minefield No. 1 to mine ores. Such a reason made John''s head ache.


    "This is a one-time thing. Never mess around like this again, Uncle Mac!"


    "Understood, John."


    "Qing, as per our n, you, Lily, ria, and Helena stay outside and wait. I''ll take Uncle Mac and sneak in."


    "No problem, with me here, they won''t be in any danger!"


    "It''s not that I''m worried about... never mind, let''s just move closer."


    The location where John and his team were wasn''t far from Minefield No. 1. Within three minutes, they could clearly see the massive drill that had stopped rotating in the distance, with numerous guards stationed around it, tightly patrolling.


    But for John, sneaking in wasn''t really a difficult task.


    As long as Exiled Immortal created enough of a disturbance to attract the guards'' attention, John could fly into the mine with Uncle Mac.


    After all, with the towering tornado right in front of them, who would pay attention to a fleeting ck shadow?


    Things went exactly as the team nned. Once they arrived at Minefield No. 1, Exiled Immortal began manipting the tornado to approach continuously. Someone immediately noticed this, and the stationed troops turned into a mess. Those who needed to evacuate did so, and those who needed to retreat did so as well. In short, no one wanted to face the sandstorm tornado directly.


    With the troops scattered, it naturally gave John an opportunity.


    His wings spread out behind him, and with a thought, John swiftly carried Uncle Mac and shot into Minefield No. 1!

 Chapter 165: Chapter165-The Hidden Truth

    "Ugh, I got a mouthful of sand!"


    John crawled out of the sandpile, spitting out the sand from his mouth and immediately started looking around for Uncle Mac.


    To avoid rming the stationed guards, John chose a weakly defended spot to infiltrate and rushed into the mine.


    However, the sandstorm tornado still had a significant impact.


    Dozens or even hundreds of tons of sand were thrown into the air.


    Although Exiled Immortal tried not to involve the mine, the terrain was still changed dramatically, nearly burying John and Uncle Mac alive.


    "Uncle Mac? Where are you?"


    "Here... over here!"


    Following the voice, John finally found Uncle Macpletely buried under the sand. After digging and scraping, he managed to rescue him.


    "Damn, I almost suffocated..."


    Uncle Mac, with lingering fear, pinched the bridge of his nose.


    Having lived in Talcavano for so many years, he was all too familiar with the feeling of being buried alive by sand��slowly suffocating in despair, with sand filling the mouth, nose, and even eyes, ultimately buried underground forever.


    In fact, if John hadn''t been there to dig him out, he wouldn''t havested much longer before suffocating to death.


    "What did I say? I told you all it was too risky, but did anyone listen? Sigh..."


    "Come on, we''re here now, let''s not dwell on it. Let''s hurry up and find the minerals, then get out of here. If I remember correctly, this kind of metal can only be found deep in the mine, so we need to go further in."


    Uncle Mac put on the specialized boots for walking on sand and handed a pair to John, so they wouldn''t sink while walking.


    They also equipped masks, gloves, and protective goggles, fully gearing up.


    "Now we''re ready. Let me think... we should go this way!"


    Uncle Mac said, pointing towards the entrance they hade through.


    "Going out might expose us..."


    "It won''t expose us. The sandstorm tornado is still raging. I know those guards; they value their lives too much toe out in this storm.


    Once we''re out, we jump straight down and won''t be seen. You can fly, right? You won''t get hurt."


    "...I''ll do my best."


    In such extreme conditions, John wasn''t sure if he could control it well, but given the situation, he had to try.


    "Two hours... if we''re lucky, that should be enough. Come on, let''s get to work!"


    Without giving John a chance to refuse, Uncle Mac jumped directly from the entrance.


    Seeing this, John was startled and immediately followed suit.


    John also felt a bit of a headache.


    Whenever it came to topics rted to minerals, Uncle Mac would get exceptionally excited, sometimes to the point of not considering the consequences, his bravery was surprisingly high.


    Just as Uncle Mac was about to fall heavily, John barely managed to grab hold of his coat and pulled him into a nearby mine shaft.


    Despite the danger, Uncle Mac waspletely unconcerned, muttering to himself.


    "Hmm... this depth should be fine, but there are a lot of mining marks here. Whether we can find the mineral we want will depend on our luck."


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    "Depend on luck... what if we don''t get lucky?"


    "Then we''ll have to leave. If we stay too long, it might attract attention."


    As Uncle Mac spoke, he continuously explored the surroundings, asionally stopping to take out a pickaxe and dig down.


    Sometimes he would shake his head and sigh.


    John followed behind for nearly thirty minutes with no results, feeling increasingly frustrated.


    "Uncle Mac, still no discoveries?"


    "Strange, very strange! Look, John, this kind of ore is called star silver ore. Typically, it appears alongside silver me rock.


    Yes, silver me rock is our target this time. But here, there''s arge amount of star silver ore and not a single piece of silver me rock.


    Clearly, someone has already mined all the silver me rock.


    "And judging by the mining marks, I''d estimate the mining happened no more than seventy-two hours ago. That''s what''s strange. Minefield No. 1 has been sealed for years, so how is it that mining traces suddenly appear in this tunnel?"


    "Uncle Mac, what exactly are you trying to say? Just say it."


    "I think the city lord sealed off Minefield No. 1 mainly to keep all the silver me rock for himself. As for the reasons he gave, they''re just fearmongering."


    "Does he have the authority to do that?"


    "Authority my ass! It''s ttering to call him the city lord. In harsh terms, he''s just a gatekeeper! Over a hundred years ago, Talcavano didn''t even have a city lord. He gave himself that title!


    "I never imagined Caliban could be so insidious, taking Minefield No. 1 for himself. But what does he need such arge mineral resource for?"


    "No matter what he ns to do, it doesn''t concern us anymore, Uncle Mac. We need to leave here right away; we can''t dy any longer."


    Hearing this, Uncle Mac immediately became serious and said, "Minerals are the wealth granted to us by the heavens, belonging to everyone. How can he monopolize them? No, I must get to the bottom of this!"


    John felt another headacheing on. He regretted not insisting on his opposition back then; otherwise, how would they have gotten entangled in such trouble?


    "Uncle Mac, what exactly are you nning to do?"


    "I want to return to Talcavano, expose Caliban''s lies, and return Minefield No. 1 to everyone!"


    "Sigh... Uncle Mac, you can''t just rush back in a fit of anger. Have you thought about how to do it? Are you going to directly use Caliban of being a fraud?


    Even if your argument convinces some people, aren''t you afraid that Caliban will send someone to take you out?


    If he''s hiding the truth, it means there are enormous interests at stake.


    Have you thought about the consequences of touching this interest?


    Anyway, my stance is clear: I don''t agree with you taking such a risk."


    "No, this is the one thing I can''t listen to you about, John!"


    "Didn''t you ignore my advice when you insisted oning in to mine the ore earlier?"


    Uncle Mac was momentarily speechless, stammering for a while without finding an excuse, and finally resorting to stubbornness.


    "Then let it be just these two things! In any case, I can''t stand by on this matter. You''re not a dwarf; you can''t understand my mindset. Forging the world''s strongest weapon is the lifelong wish of every dwarf craftsman!


    But now, the entire mine is monopolized by Caliban alone, and I can''t ept that. My mind is made up.


    You don''t need to persuade me anymore. I will return to Talcavano alone to resolve this.


    After this is done, I''ll go to Spartonia and continue our journey with you all."


    "Sigh... Uncle Mac, do you really think we could just stand by and watch you walk into danger alone? You''re practically coercing us.


    Alright, to be honest, I also have some doubts about going to Spartonia.


    Let''s leave here first, regroup with the others, and discuss this matter together."


    John had thought about the idea of abandoning Uncle Mac and continuing the journey without him.


    But doing so felt too cold-hearted, and leaving Uncle Mac to go back alone was almost like sending him to his death.


    After all they''d been through together, John couldn''t bear it.


    The problem was that not everyone might want to return to that sandy, windblown city.


    Leaving the mine with Uncle Mac, John unfolded a map and swiftly headed towards the group''s location.


    In less than three minutes, he reunited with Exiled Immortal and the others.


    Seeing John and Uncle Mac return so quickly, Exiled Immortal asked in confusion, "Why are you back so soon? John, were you discovered? Did you encounter any danger?"


    "No, but we did find something else... Never mind, Uncle Mac, you exin."


    "I apologize to everyone, but for certain reasons, I have to return to Talcavano. It might take quite a long time."


    "What? What should we do? We''vee this far! Why go back now?"


    Qing frowned and was the first to oppose. After all, he had been looking forward to Spartonia for a long time, and being told to temporarily shelve this n was naturally uneptable.


    "Uncle Mac suggests we continue our journey while he goes back alone, but I refused."

 Chapter 166: Chapter166-Splitting Up

    "Do you really have to go back? What''s so important, Uncle Mac? After staying in Talcavano for so long, I really don''t want to return."


    "Exactly, isn''t it better to go to Spartonia?"


    Exiled Immortal and Qing shared the same sentiment, both having a lukewarm impression of the desert city.


    "Minefield No. 1 was sealed off. I originally thought, like the rumors outside, that it was because the mineral resources were nearly exhausted.


    But after going in, I discovered that Caliban sealed the mine for his own selfish reasons, yet secretly continues to mine it himself. I can''t ept this."


    "Is it that important?" Qing asked, puzzled. "It''s just a few pieces of ore. If they''re gone, they''re gone. Is it really worth going back for this?"


    "Yes, it is. The ore veins are incredibly important to every craftsman. They can''t be monopolized by him alone!"


    "...Exiled Immortal, look at the trouble you''ve caused!"


    Qing red at Exiled Immortal, who knew it was all because of him. He shrank back, not daring to speak.


    "I''m definitely not going back. No matter what you all decide, I''m going to Spartonia. Dying the trip for this is just ridiculous!"


    "Uncle Mac, if you had a reasonable reason, I would support you, but for this, I disagree."


    "Qing, don''t say that."


    Helena sighed, feeling a bit conflicted.


    An asional argument was normal, as everyone had their own opinions.


    But this time, even Helena couldn''t see things from Uncle Mac''s perspective. Maybe it was because they weren''t craftsmen and couldn''t understand Uncle Mac''s thinking.


    In the end, Helena sided with Qing and Exiled Immortal, opposing a return to the city.


    This made it three against one.


    The only ones left without an opinion were John, Lily, and ria.


    "ria, what do you think?"


    John turned to ria, who hadn''t expected the question toe to her. After a moment''s pause, she sighed and said, "We arepanions and shouldn''t split up like this. Besides, Uncle Mac might have his reasons. rifying this matter shouldn''t take too long, right?"


    By implication, ria sided with Uncle Mac. As for Lily, her stance was obvious. As a Priest, Lily was highly averse to Spartonia and naturally chose to support Uncle Mac.


    "So you all nned this, didn''t you? Three against three, and the deciding vote is mine?" .


    John pinched his brow, feeling quite helpless.


    "John, buddy,e on! Why go back? The main quest is over, the events are done, and we''ve got the dungeon''s first-clear rewards. Going back to idle around for ten or twenty days is just too boring!"


    "Qing, I understand your point. I also somewhat understand Uncle Mac''s perspective. You can''t convince each other, so why don''t we split up?


    Helena, you take Exiled Immortal and Qing to Spartonia first. ria and Lily can go back to Deep Forest.


    I''ll stay and help Uncle Mac resolve this issue, and we''ll meet in Antis.


    After all, we can''t force ria and Lily to go to Spartonia if they don''t want to. Qing, what do you think?"


    "I''m not insistent on going to Spartonia. I just... find it really boring."


    "I have no objections."


    With that, Helena hesitated for a moment before reluctantly agreeing, "Then let''s do it this way. We''ll split up temporarily, so everyone''s wishes are considered."


    "Then it''s settled. We''ll escort you out of the zing ins, use a teleportation scroll to return to the city, and then ria and Lily can head back to Deep Forest. The environment here is indeed harsh for you."


    John wasn''t surprised by the disagreement. In fact, he had anticipated it happening sooner.


    He hadn''t expected it to erupt at this moment.


    But it made sense��Lily and ria were both mild-mannered and rarely expressed their discontent.


    John could see that they had long reached their limit with this ce.


    Instead of forcing everyone together and causing resentment, it was better to temporarily split up.


    Now that they had Demigod-tier items, theirbat power exceeded five digits.


    Even facing a Divine Emissary wouldn''t be out of the question.


    ria, back in her dojo, would be even stronger than Lily, so John didn''t have to worry.


    Uncle Mac, on the other hand, with his straightforward personality, might struggle with this issue.


    If something went wrong, John''s conscience wouldn''t be at ease.


    After John made the decision, the rest of the journey was much quieter.


    Uncle Mac led the way silently, Qing sulked, and although Helena wanted to lighten the mood, she didn''t know what to say.


    Exiled Immortal felt very guilty, knowing that if he hadn''t insisted on exploring Minefield No. 1, the group wouldn''t be splitting up.


    Lily and ria were relieved that they didn''t have to go to Spartonia.


    The result seemed satisfactory to everyone, but the reality was that their once strong friendship now had a slight crack.


    Late that night, they finally reached the edge of the seemingly endless desert. Uncle Mac stopped and let out a long breath.


    "This is it. We''ve exited the zing ins."


    "Then let''s split up. Helena, be sure to stay safe."


    "Don''t worry. I''ll keep an eye on these two and make sure they don''t do anything stupid."


    "That''s not my concern. Given your current strength, you shouldn''t have any trouble in Spartonia. But don''t ck off. I''m looking forward to seeing your dungeon first-clear announcement. We''ll meet in Antis."


    The suddenness of the separation caught them off guard.


    Although they knew they would reunite soon, everyone felt a bit uneasy.


    They had been together since Calia.


    Despite newpanions joiningter, John, Exiled Immortal, Helena, and Lily had always been a constant team.


    Now, they were splitting up due to differing opinions.


    Thinking it over, it seemed no different from his previous life.


    After watching Helena and the others leave, John let out a long breath.


    "Alright, we should head back too."


    "John, I''m sorry," Uncle Mac said, bowing his head and sighing silently. "It''s my stubbornness that caused the split, but this matter is really important to me!"


    "It''s okay. Let me tell you a little secret, Uncle Mac. I didn''t really want to go to Spartonia either. It''s a paradise for Qing and the others, but not so friendly to me. So, it''s fine if we don''t go. It''s not like we''ll never meet again.


    We still have chances to reunite."


    "Uncle Mac, I understand your feelings. The things you''ve always stood for don''t change no matter how others misunderstand them."


    At this moment, Lily, who had been silent, spoke softly, "Don''t me yourself too much, Uncle Mac."


    After using the teleportation scroll, the four of them returned to the gates of Talcavano. This city, which had stood through countless years of wind and sand, was still strong despite its hardships.


    After settling Uncle Mac down, John and the other two set off again, returning to Deep Forest. The endless sandstorms transformed into a refreshing floral scent, and Lily finally rxed.


    "I really can''t handle such extreme environments..."


    "We''ll stay here for a while. It won''t be too long, and I''ll visit whenever I can."


    Since it was already night, slowly traveling through Deep Forest to the elves'' dwelling could be dangerous. John took the two women and flew over the treetops, returning to the elven habitat.


    Come to think of it, it hadn''t even been ten hours since he left in the morning.


    Arriving at the pce''s outskirts, the guards immediately stopped them. But upon recognizing John and ria, the guards quickly sent someone to inform Elowen.


    Soon, Elowen, dressed casually, walked out of the pce to greet them.


    "John? It really is you. Howe you''re back so soon? And ria and Lily too? What happened?"

 Chapter 167: Chapter167-The Lost Kingdom

    "Just some trivial matters that piled up, making it quite a headache. I hope ourte-night visit isn''t disturbing you?" .


    "Not at all! Come in quickly. I''ll have someone prepare rooms for you. There are plenty of empty rooms in the pce that can be tidied up quickly for you to move in."


    "That''s good to hear. Anyway, ria and Lily might need to stay for a while. If they be a nuisance, you''ll have to bear with them, haha..."


    "Of course not! I''m actually delighted to have everyone back. Come in,e in!"


    Elowen weed them in and immediately ordered a banquet to be prepared. Despite John''s repeated refusals, Elowen''s enthusiasm left him no room to decline.


    "So, John, will you be staying for a while too? It would be great if you could train these youngsters."


    "Sorry to disappoint you, but I probably can''t stay. I might have to leave, though I''ll return frequently."


    "That''s fine too. By the way, where are Exiled Immortal, Qing, and Helena? I don''t see them."


    At this, John''s smile visibly froze for a moment.


    "We had some disagreements about our next destination, so we decided to split up temporarily. It''s for the best, really. A ce like Spartonia isn''t suitable for the three of us."


    "Spartonia? I can understand that..."


    Savage, primitive, violent. Even thousands of miles away, Spartonia''s reputation precedes it, and the stories are quite exaggerated.


    "So, John, where do you n to go?"


    "For now, I''ll stay in Talcavano. Once I finish my business here, I''ll head to the Silent Sea, to Antis."


    Hearing this, Elowen''s eyes lit up.


    "Antis... it really exists? I thought it was just a legend..."


    "If gods can be real, why not a lost kingdom?"


    "That''s true... By the way, John, you gave me those weapons today. I thought it would be too easy to just hand them to those kids, so I added a test. They had to choose warriors from the guards andst ten minutes against them to pass.


    John, why don''t you guess who passed the test?"


    "I might not be able to guess everyone who passed, but there are two people I''m certain didn''t make it: Babylon and Eden. Did they pass?"


    Elowen immediately gave a thumbs up and smiled, "John, you hit the nail on the head. They didn''t pass and got beaten pretty badly. They''re still being treated by the Priest."


    "If their injuries are severe, I can help," Lily suddenly offered, breaking her long silence and surprising Elowen.


    "That''s right!


    With Lily, a professional Priest, we don''t have to worry about those kids getting hurt!


    This is fantastic.


    Lily, you know, our elven Priests aren''t very skilled in healing magic, so the treatment process is particrly slow. But with you here, I''m relieved!"


    "Actually, there''s not much else I can do, just help with healing."


    "Oh no, don''t say that. You''ve already been a great help, truly!"


    "Elowen, don''t scare Lily."


    "Sorry, sorry, ria. I''m just too excited. It''s strange, you know, I used to lead a squad of a dozen people, but I''ve never been this excited. I guess John''s ideas really hit the mark."


    "This is just the basics. Once they grow a bit, I''ll teach you the advanced stuff. Within three months, I guarantee you''ll have a reliable team."


    "I''ll look forward to it!"


    ...


    By the time the banquet ended, it was already midnight. John thought about it and decided to stay at the habitat.


    It wasn''t the right time to storm into the City Lord''s mansion and take out Caliban and his men.


    He would make ns the next day.


    However, the events of the day kept troubling John, making it hard for him to sleep.


    Although he didn''t want to see his team split up, he wondered what he would do if that day ever came.


    Thinking about this, John sighed softly, careful not to disturb ria''s rest.


    He stood up and decided to take a walk outside the pce.


    Being in the central area of the habitat, it was very safe, and no one would intrude.


    Elowen had stationed guards only where necessary.


    John greeted the night guard and then sat down on the steps.


    Recently, things had been unusually peaceful.


    The Apostle had not awakened, and there had been no activity from the Divine Emissary.


    Yet, John had dyed for so long that he was running out of time.


    "Speaking of which, I wonder where that [Deception] guy has gone. No news at all."


    "Why, thinking about me?" A familiar voice came from behind him. John turned sharply, but there was no one there.


    "Don''t bother looking. I can''t show myself here. Leave this ce and find somewhere to talk. It would be troublesome if someone saw and we had to exin."


    "It''s really you? Where have you been all this time?"


    "Antis. Such a beautiful ce, a dreamlike kingdom lost under the sea. But sadly..."


    "Sadly what?"


    John eagerly pressed for more, but this time, [Deception] didn''t answer.


    With no other choice, John left the pce and walked into the night.


    Finding a secluded corner, John spoke again, "You can show yourself now. What did you mean by ''sadly'' earlier?"


    "I came here to tell you about this. On my way to Antis, I sensed the presence of a Divine Emissary. After infiltrating the ce, I soon confirmed their identity."


    The emissary who worships the God of Light and Prophecy has now be an honored guest of the kingdom of Antis.


    The king of Antis treats every word he says as gospel.


    Moreover, I don''t know what methods that guy used, but he has managed to transfer a still-sleeping Apostle to Antis.


    [Gluttony] is on the verge of awakening."


    Upon hearing this, John''s face changed dramatically.


    "The Divine Emissary and the Apostle have joined forces?"


    "To be precise, it''s not an alliance but exploitation. That guy used awakening as a condition, and [Gluttony] agreed to serve him.


    Once Gluttony awakens, it will devour almost half of Antis, turning into a mountain of flesh thousands of meters high.


    At that point, unless a god intervenes, no one will be able to stop that monster."


    "Is there any way to reverse the situation?"


    "That''s the crux of the problem. Gluttony''s awakening is progressing much faster than I expected.


    At this rate, it will fully awaken in less than a month, possessing all its power. A true demigod! Unlike the half-baked [Rage], this one is in a different league."


    As [Deception] described, this was indeed bad news. The already limited time was furtherpressed.


    If they couldn''t stop Gluttony before it fully awakened, the entire world could be consumed by it.


    "I... I''ll handle my current affairs as quickly as possible and head to Antis immediately."


    "How long will you need?"


    "Three days. No, two days. The situation is tricky, but I need time toe up with a n."


    "Just hurry. The situation is already out of control, with unforeseen changes constantly emerging.


    Time is tight, and the task is urgent. Don''t forget our agreement. I''ll be leaving soon to return to Antis to find a solution.


    When you arrive, find me here.


    Remember,e alone.


    Although I don''t mind if you bringpanions to help share the burden, the emissary of the God of Light and Prophecy is no easy opponent."


    "I understand. I''ll be quick."

 Chapter 168: Chapter168-Imminent Danger

    After [Deception] left, John let out a long breath. The little bit of sleepiness he had just felt instantly disappeared.


    With internal issues unresolved and now an external threat emerging, John felt overwhelmed.


    The sudden crisis in Antis was urgent, and John couldn''t afford to waste much time on Uncle Mac.


    What was originally a n to be carried out slowly now had to be expedited to resolve the trouble quickly.


    "Perhaps I should confront Caliban directly. I''ll bring along respected figures from the city and tear off the facade.


    If ites to it, I''ll just kill him! Uncle Mac made it clear that there was no city lord in Talcavano over a hundred years ago."


    With this thought, John narrowed his eyes and returned to the pce.


    Initially, he nned to leave in the morning after saying goodbye to ria and Lily, but time was of the essence. John left a note and then found Elowen.


    He took the monster corpses that Elowen had ordered to be hunted and teleported back to Talcavano.


    He arrived at the ce he had arranged for Uncle Mac.


    Fortunately, Uncle Mac was still awake, seemingly worried about Minefield No. 1. Seeing John return, he quickly sat up and asked, "John, why are you back sote?"


    "I was nning toe back tomorrow, but something urgent came up. We need to speed things up."


    "Urgent? What kind of urgent situation?"


    "I can''t say just yet. Uncle Mac, we need to go out and find someone."


    "Who?"


    "The auction house''s owner, Barry."


    John''s idea was simple: if he needed to find someone influential in the city, Barry was the best choice.


    As the owner of the auction house, Barry had significant influence over both NPCs and yers.


    Moreover, reopening Minefield No. 1 would be highly beneficial for Barry, unless he was also involved in the cover-up.


    John couldn''t think of a reason why Barry would refuse.


    Without wasting any time, John and Uncle Mac left their ce and headed to Barry''s private residence.


    John kicked over the guards blocking their way, who immediately treated him as an intruder.


    Fortunately, someone recognized John just in time and reported to the sleeping Barry, avoiding a fight.


    When John and Uncle Mac were ushered into the sitting room, Barry, dressed in his nightwear, looked at John with a troubled expression.


    "John, what on earth are you doing here sote, barging in like this?"


    "Cut the small talk, Barry. One question: do you know that Caliban has sealed off Minefield No. 1, iming the mineral resources are exhausted, but is secretly mining it himself?"


    "Is that true?" Barry''s eyes widened in disbelief. "John, where did you get this information? Is it urate?"


    "If it wasn''t urate, would Ie to you at this hour? We have evidence. Just today, Uncle Mac and I infiltrated Minefield No. 1.


    Uncle Mac found fresh mining traces inside, and more than one. Isn''t that enough evidence?"


    "This..." Barry frowned, clearly troubled. "Such evidence seems a bit flimsy. Perhaps it could be traces left by other intruders? There''s no direct proof that Caliban did this."


    "Barry, are you sure you''re not involved?"


    "By heaven and earth, John, I swear I had no idea about this. Minefield No. 1 is a treasure trove. I was as disappointed as anyone when it was suddenly sealed."


    "That''s for the best. Otherwise, I''d have to deal with you too, and I wouldn''t be too happy about that. Anyway, I n to confront City Lord Caliban tomorrow.


    I''ll force him to either reopen Minefield No. 1 or step down. After all, he doesn''t have the authority to seal it off arbitrarily. What do you say, are you interested in joining?" mp _y,r.


    At this, Barry, who had been indignant a moment ago, deted like a punctured balloon, bing silent.


    "John, I''m afraid I''ll have to decline."


    "Decline if you must, but tell me your reasons."


    "Isn''t it obvious? Talcavano has nearly four thousand guards, all quite capable. The three of us challenging Caliban is pure folly.


    No offense, John, but whether we seed or fail, you can always walk away and never return to Talcavano.


    But I can''t. My entire livelihood is here. I can''t take that gamble!"


    "Why are you so sure I''ll lose?"


    "Sure? No, it''s certain! John, I know you''re strong, probably even stronger than Lord Caliban. But so what?


    We''re talking about an entire army! An army, do you understand? People will die!"


    Barry pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed deeply. "As much as this angers me, I''m sorry.


    I can''t get involved. I can''t risk my livelihood. Besides, I''m just a businessman. Even if I spoke out, it wouldn''t matter."


    "No, you don''t understand. With your status in Talcavano, you have a significant influence.


    If you speak out, many will be willing to stand against Caliban with you. Barry, I need your help!"


    "Uncle Mac, there''s no need to say more. My mind is made up. Out of respect for our years of friendship, I''ll spread the word as much as I can.


    But I won''te forward. At least, I can''t let Caliban know I''m involved. He''s not someone to be taken lightly."


    "How about this, Barry? Let''s make a bet."


    "John, even if you say that, I can''t..."


    Before Barry could finish, John interrupted him. "You''re a businessman. Don''t you have the courage for a small wager? At least hear my terms before you refuse."


    Barry hesitated, then sighed. "Fine, go ahead."


    "My terms are simple. Tomorrow morning, I''ll storm the city lord''s mansion and force Caliban to show himself.


    If I can prove to you that his army is no match for me, you wille out and support me. If I lose, you don''t have to pay any price. What do you say, Barry?"


    "...Although I think it''s impossible, if this will satisfy you, John, then fine. I''ll bet with you!"


    "Tomorrow morning, wait for my news. Don''t sleep too soundly, Barry."


    "Knowing this, how could I sleep at all? John, we''ve known each other for a while, and you''re a valued customer.


    In the future, I''ll still need your help with my auction house.


    I can''t just sit back and benefit from your efforts. Here, I have a treasure I bought for a high price to save my own life. It''s yours now, John."


    With that, Barry took out a heartguard from his pocket. The mirror surface of the heartguard was slightly cracked, but it could still function.


    John epted the heartguard and examined it. As expected, it was a Legendary-quality item.


    The item''s property was to protect the wearer from one fatal blow, restoring their status to 75%. This status included the total amount of HP and manabined.


    It''s a shame that, given its current durability, it can only be used one more time before it shatterspletely.


    "It''s a fine item, Barry, and I appreciate your goodwill, but I really don''t need it. An army, you say? Well, it just so happens I have one too��a monster army!"


    ...


    The next morning!


    John looked at the warm sunlight streaming through the window but felt no joy. Gluttony and the Divine Emissary of the God of Light and Prophecy loomed over him like a constantly ticking clock. When the countdown reached zero, John would have no chance to recover.


    He had to resolve the current trouble quickly and head to Antis as soon as possible.


    Thinking of this, John took a deep breath and turned to Uncle Mac.


    "Uncle Mac, let''s go."


    "I''m really sorry, John. My stubbornness has forced you into this risky situation..."


    "Don''t say that, Uncle Mac. We''repanions. Besides, I do want to meet this mysterious city lord and see how strong he is to hold onto his position!"

 Chapter 169: Chapter169-This is Spartonia!

    "Sister, is there still no sign of Spartonia on your map?"


    Outskirts!


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand, sending his flying sword soaring into the sky to effortlessly kill the monster lurking in the grass. "We''ve been walking for a day and a night. Are we sure this is the right direction? We might be lost, right?"


    "John marked this direction. There''s no mistake."


    Hearing John''s name, Exiled Immortal fell silent. After a long pause, he sighed deeply.


    "Sister, do you think John... might be mad at us?"


    Qing chimed in, "Yeah, John has always been really good to us. He even gave us Demigod-tier items without a second thought. Thinking back, I might have been a bit too harsh yesterday..."


    "John won''t be mad; that''s not his nature.


    But we haven''t been very good friends.


    Uncle Mac truly cares about that issue.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have insisted on going back. I also didn''t think it through yesterday.


    But what''s done is done.


    We need to move forward. John didn''t n toe to Spartonia because he and the others would face various restrictions there.


    However, this is a main quest we can''t avoid.


    Even if it''s just the three of us, we need to get the rewards and quickly boost our strength.


    So, don''t regret our decision. And there''s one more thing."


    Helena closed the map and gazed ahead.


    "Spartonia is just up ahead."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal and Qing perked up, looking in the direction Helena pointed. They could vaguely see the outline of a city.


    "Still so far away!"


    "About three hours'' walk. Compared to our journey so far, it''s not far. Stopining and pick up the pace."


    ...


    Meanwhile, outside the City Lord''s mansion in Talcavano!


    John willed the Everchanging to transform into a long spear, slinging it over his shoulder. ck mes clung to the spear, emitting an ominous aura.


    "This is the City Lord''s mansion. Unauthorized personnel, leave at once!"


    "Go tell your city lord he has a visitor. If he asks for my name, tell him it''s John."


    "John? Never heard of you! Move along, or we''ll use force!"


    Hearing this, Johnughed.


    "No worries. You''ll know me soon enough."


    With that, John hurled the ck-med spear like a shooting star, instantly pinning the guard to the wall, silencing him immediately.


    Witnessing this, the nearby guards sounded the rm. Within moments, hundreds of soldiers surrounded John from all directions.


    Seeing this, John remained unfazed, smirking coldly. "With this level of skill, I don''t know what Barry was so worried about."


    "The offering has been made. Respond to my call!"


    The hexagram array flickered, and countless tentacles emerged from the magic circle, devouring the monster corpses that John had brought out.


    The ground began to heave, as if something was trying to break through.


    Finally, a giant w burst from the array and mmed heavily onto the ground, revealing the monster''s true form!


    "Three Snow Behemoths... and it took so many monster corpses to summon them. But this will suffice."


    At John''smand, the three Behemoths began their incantations.


    Frost spread from beneath their feet, and a blue stream gathered above their heads.


    In just a few breaths, the diameter of the ice sphere exceeded twenty meters!


    Seeing this, the guards surrounding John trembled in fear.


    "What are these monsters?"


    The three Level 60 Behemoths, with their mountain-like bodies and ice-controlling abilities, instantly dominated the battlefield!


    "Are you still not nning to show yourself, Caliban?"


    "John, why are you causing a ruckus at my mansion and injuring my guards?"


    Finally, the gates of the mansion slowly opened. Caliban emerged, riding a silver-gray dragon and d in fiery red armor, making him particrly conspicuous.


    "Caliban, you''re the one who ordered the sealing of Minefield No. 1, right?"


    "Yes, I did. But that was many years ago. Is there a problem?"


    "Why did you seal Minefield No. 1?"


    "Because the underground resources were nearly exhausted. To prevent over-extraction, I had no choice but to seal it."


    Hearing this, Johnughed abruptly.


    "You''re still sticking to that story. How do you exin secretly ordering the extraction of Silver me Rock from Minefield No. 1? You''ve been monopolizing it for years, making a fortune, haven''t you?"


    John watched Caliban''s reaction closely.


    As expected, a flicker of panic shed in Caliban''s eyes, although it was fleeting, John caught it.


    "Heh, it seems I hit the mark. You sealed the mine with a flimsy excuse just to monopolize the Silver me Rock for yourself, didn''t you?"


    "That''s nonsense! I''ve clearly exined why Minefield No. 1 was sealed. John, stop causing trouble here and leave immediately, or I''ll show no mercy!"


    "Just you? A Level 70 NPC riding a Level 65 Earth Dragon, and you think you''re invincible?"


    John sneered, not hiding the mockery in his eyes. He boldly advanced towards Caliban, thrusting his ck-med spear straight at Caliban''s face!


    "You asked for this! John, you provoked me, don''t me me for what happens next!"


    Caliban narrowed his eyes and swung his massive sword heavily, clearly intending to sh head-on with John!


    However, he underestimated the power of the ck mes and overestimated his own strength!


    The moment the ck-med spear collided with the sword, the ck mes spread, clinging to Caliban''s armor. The intense heat caused the armor to melt and deform. Instead of protecting him, the armor became a tool for John to burn Caliban''s body!


    Feeling the searing pain in his chest, Caliban gritted his teeth and pped the scales of the Earth Dragon. The dragon lunged forward with its massive jaws wide open, trying to swallow John whole!


    At that moment, the Snow Behemoth finally moved!


    The frost, which had been gathering for nearly five minutes, fell urately onto the Earth Dragon. If it took the hit, even if it didn''t die, it would be severely injured. Realizing this, Caliban didn''t hesitate for a moment and immediately controlled the Earth Dragon to retreat, putting distance between himself and John.


    "John, leave now, or you''ll be an enemy of Talcavano. I will use all my power to kill you!"


    "You? Not quite enough!"


    John waved his hand, and gray-ck mist poured out of him. Anyone who inhaled this mist instantly lost their sanity, bing ves to their desires.


    With this divine skill, even an army of a thousand or ten thousand wouldn''t matter. As long as they couldn''t break the talent skill [Indulgence],John couldn''t be surrounded!


    ...


    "Finally!"


    Qing looked up, taking in the wild style, the rugged architecture, and the muscr men guarding the gate with their bare chests, their muscles bulging like coiled dragons. Qing smiled knowingly.


    "This is exactly the feeling!"


    This is a nightmare for all mages but a paradise for warriors. Nearly all warriors stay here for a long time, and many choose to remain forever.


    This is Spartonia!


    "Hurry, hurry, hurry! I can''t wait to get into the city!"


    Qing''s excited shouts immediately drew a lot of attention. But seeing Qing''s imposing figure, people quickly looked away.


    There''s no helping it. Qing looks like someone you don''t want to mess with!


    "I want to enter the city!"


    Qing rushed forward, stopping in front of the Spartonia warrior, andughed loudly, "And I challenge you!"


    "Challenge me? Hey! First time in Spartonia, huh? Courageous folks like you aremon, but they never end up beating me."


    "I''m not like them. I can beat you to death!"


    "No, no, no. You are just like them. You''ll be beaten to death by me!"


    Indeed, this fierce style is unmistakably Spartonia.


    With just a nce, twopletely unrted people can start a battle of real men, engaging in a thrilling fistfight!

 Chapter 170: Chapter170-The Golem Army

    "What''s the matter, out of tricks? The army you spent so much money and effort training turned out to bepletely useless. Seeing this, how do you feel?"


    In fact, this was John''s first time facing Caliban, the City Lord of Talcavano, directly. Compared to ria, the man before him fit the image of a leader much better: confident, domineering, and strong-willed.


    Even now, with his entire guard force in a state of indulgence,pletely ignoring hismands, Caliban stood tall, utterly unconcerned.


    "They''re just a bunch of fools. I never expected them to stop you. I just didn''t think they''d fail to even buy some time."


    "Don''t act like you have everything under control. What trump card do you have left to turn the tide?"


    Caliban smirked and raised his hand, pointing upwards.


    John followed the direction of his finger and saw over a dozen golems crashing down, one after another,nding in front of Caliban!


    Seeing this, John narrowed his eyes, his expression growing serious.


    The sudden appearance of more than a dozen golems took John by surprise. He hadn''t expected Caliban to have dealings with a golemancer, let alone have the resources to create so many golems at once.


    "This is my trump card. You were right; Minefield No. 1 was never depleted. I sealed it off myself.


    Can you imagine how I felt when I discovered ancient golemancer ruins in Minefield No. 1 with sixteen perfectly preserved golems?


    I am the king of Talcavano!


    Crush them!"


    With a grunt, Caliban activated the sixteen golems.


    Their eyes glowed with a sinister red light, all focusing on John simultaneously.


    The golems''ser cannons locked onto John, ready to fire!


    Seeing this, John''s heart tightened. He spread his wings, grabbed Uncle Mac by the cor, and soared into the sky, narrowly avoiding the deadly barrage!


    If struck simultaneously by sixteen golems, death would be certain!


    "What kind of luck is this?" John muttered, "Just digging for minerals and finding perfectly intact golems? Why can''t I have that kind of luck?"


    John sighed, hovering high above the clouds. "Uncle Mac, this is a big problem. With so many golems, there''s no way to get close to Caliban.


    If we get tangled up, we might not make it out alive. So, my suggestion is to retreat. Minefield No. 1 isn''t going anywhere. We cane back and deal with it when we have the strength."


    "Isn''t there any other way?"


    "I don''t see any. Uncle Mac, can you please not be so stubborn? If we''re not careful, we''ll both lose our lives here!"


    "...John, I''m truly sorry. I shouldn''t have dragged you all into this. So, let me go. I''ll handle this myself."


    "Handle it? How? By going down there to die? Do you see those things? They can crush you into pulp in an instant! Is a mine really that important?


    More important than yourpanions, more important than your own life?"


    John couldn''t understand it. He didn''t want to leave Uncle Mac alone to handle this, but if Uncle Mac was so stubborn and determined to see this through, what could he do?


    "Sometimes, certain things are more important than life itself. I don''t want to burden you or anyone else.


    So go back, John. Continue your journey. When you see Exiled Immortal and the others, tell them I''m sorry. I might not be able to continue traveling with you."


    "Why are you so stubborn! What good will this do you? Do you think others will be grateful for your sacrifice?"


    "I''m not doing this for gratitude. It''s what I should do. You''re right, I know I can''t beat those golems.


    If it weren''t for you, I would have been vaporized by those beams. But if no one is willing to stand up and make this sacrifice, no one will dare to resist."


    At that point, Minefield No. 1 would truly be Caliban''s exclusive property. And in a few years, if his greed grows even more and he decides to annex Mine No. 3, what then?


    By then, Talcavano, the city of forging and a hundred races, will be nothing but an empty name.


    "Alright, I''ve said enough. I don''t expect you to understand me. Let me go. If my death can awaken the courage of others, then so be it."


    Uncle Mac forced a smile. "At least I resisted, unlike those cowards hiding in the crowd."


    "...I should never have agreed to Exiled Immortal''s request. None of this mess would have happened."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, then dove down and ced Uncle Mac in a safe spot. "Stay here, so I don''t have to worry about protecting you. Just this once, can you listen to me?"


    "John, you really don''t have to..."


    "Stop. It''s all pointless talk. We''ll deal with thister."


    With that, John turned back and returned to the center of the battlefield.


    Seeing John return, Caliban was visibly surprised and mocked, "You dare toe back? I thought you had already run off with your tail between your legs."


    "I originally nned to, but unfortunately, I know an old stubborn man who refuses to give up. So, I have no choice but to dismantle all this junk."


    "You think you can?"


    "Let''s find out."


    As the words fell, ck mes erupted, covering John''s entire body and transforming into a ming spear.


    John dashed forward, thrusting the spear straight at the golem''s core!


    However, the heat resistance and hardness of the Silver me Rock were exceptionally high.


    The ming spear only left a shallow white mark on its surface, nothing more.


    "Damn, this is tough. Now I understand why golemancer''s legacy almost vanished."


    With enough materials and time, one could build an entire golem army. It''s no wonder multiple races banded together to eliminate such a threat.


    Laser beams shot towards him.


    John vibrated his wings and dodged, constantly maneuvering within the limited space.


    He had to maintain the range of the Indulgence mist while evading golem attacks, which quickly drained his energy.


    If Exiled Immortal were here, dealing with these golems would be much easier.


    A tornado could lift these iron lumps into the sky, and when they fell, they''d all turn into scrap metal!


    Even if Qing were here, he could tear these big guys apart one by one.


    In the end, John stillcked powerful offensive means.


    But just then, Seraphina''s voice suddenly echoed in his ear.


    "John, where did you find these little toys I made?"


    "Seraphina? You''re alive?"


    "Thanks to you, I''m doing well. I''ve just been busy with a couple of things, so I isted myself from the outside world for a while. You still haven''t answered me��where did you find these?"


    "After I made these little toys, I went back to the Sacred Mountain andter couldn''t find them. I didn''t expect you to discover them."


    Hearing this, John''s eyes lit up.


    "Are you saying you made these golems?"


    "Who else? Hold on a moment, what was the controlmand I set back then? Oh right... I remember now. Let me borrow your body for a bit."


    Without giving John a chance to refuse, Seraphina took over John''s body, cleared her throat, and then spoke a string of obscure words.


    In the next moment, the golems that had been attacking John suddenly stopped, standing motionless, awaiting furthermands.


    Caliban was dumbfounded.


    "What did you do? How is this possible? How can you control these golems!"


    "Why not? I made them in the first ce. But... ah, it''s been so long since I''ve breathed fresh air. Is this what it feels like to be alive?"


    Compared to the golems, Seraphina was more interested in her current living state.


    She reveled in the sensation of hot blood boiling in her veins, a feeling she had long missed.

 Chapter 171: Chapter171-Unexpected Gains

    "This is impossible! How could you possibly know the golem control spell!"


    Caliban was no longerposed; he was bing increasingly frantic.


    These golems, which he had prided himself on, were a discovery that could overturn all of Talcavano and were his greatest asset in bing the true ruler of the city.


    Now, they were being taken over by an unknown adventurer?


    "I told you these... never mind, I''m toozy to exin. Tear this ce down."


    Seraphina, or rather Seraphina in John''s body, rolled her eyes andmanded the golems to level the City Lord''s mansion. Then, she propelled John''s body skyward.


    "After all these years, why is Olympus still the same?"


    "What do you mean? Olympus'' environment, or the gods on Mount Olympus?"


    "Both, I guess. I''ve been dead for many years. I thought there might be some drastic changes, but it seems no different from before I died."


    "So are you resurrected now? You used to be confined to your space within the Eternal Alchemy Bible, but now you can take over my body. Do you need me to find you a new body?"


    "No need."


    Seraphina refused without a second thought.


    "As long as I''m parasitic in your body, those old gods won''t find me.


    If you create a new body for me and they sense my presence, this fragment of my soul will have no chance of revival.


    Until I regain my strength, I need to be cautious. Right now, I''m not even at Demigod tier. Any emissary could kill me. I just want to use your body to experience the world a bit."


    After being confined in the Eternal Alchemy Bible for thousands of years, the torment was unimaginable to John.


    Since she finally had a chance to breathe fresh air, he decided to let her be.


    It wasn''t until nightfall that Seraphina, having indulged her excitement, returned control of the body to John.


    "Alright, I''ve had my fun. Here''s your body back. Oh, and I''ve left those golems for you. Consider them a reward for lending me your body. Once you''ve handled your current affairs, I''ll tell you about my discoveries."


    "Understood."


    John moved his body slightly to ensure everything was normal, then crushed the teleportation scroll and returned to Talcavano.


    The scene there was utter chaos.


    The sixteen golems had nearly leveled the entire City Lord''s mansion. Caliban had been obliterated by theser cannons, his body reduced to chunks of meat mixed with rubble,pletely unrecognizable.


    The golems, havingpleted Seraphina''smand, stood motionless, unresponsive to the chaos around them.


    Near the City Lord''s mansion, countless NPCs and yers had gathered, but none dared to approach.


    After witnessing the power of those iron behemoths, no one wanted to be reduced to a bloody mist by theser cannons.


    What exactly had happened here?


    Barry, one of the few who knew the inside story, was almost overwhelmed with excitement. From the beginning, he had hidden in the crowd.


    When he saw Caliban reveal his trump card, he thought John was doomed.


    He never imagined that John could still turn the tables even in such dire circumstances.


    Now, it was time for Barry to fulfill his promise.


    With this in mind, Barry stepped forward, walking to the front of the crowd and speaking loudly, "Everyone, quiet down! I''m Barry, the owner of the auction house. I know part of the story behind what happened here.


    City Lord Caliban, out of selfishness, sealed Minefield No. 1, monopolizing all its resources. It was Uncle Mac and John who discovered this. To lift the seal on Minefield No. 1, John killed Caliban.


    One hundred and thirty-five years ago, Caliban dered himself the City Lord of Talcavano without anyone''s permission.


    Seventy-five years ago, he sealed Minefield No. 1, also without anyone''s consent. But now, Caliban is dead, killed by John''s hand!


    From now on, Talcavano will need no master. Minefield No. 1 will be open to everyone!"


    Hearing this, some of the onlookers, especially the NPCs who lived in Talcavano, instantly burst into cheers.


    Caliban''s death didn''t mean much to most people in Talcavano.


    While he wasn''t a particrly bad city lord, he wasn''t exactly beloved either.


    He rarely appeared in public, so most residents had little to no interaction with him.


    But the reopening of Minefield No. 1 was undoubtedly great news!


    yers, on the other hand, were more curious about John.


    Even after scouring the top 100 of the power rankings, they couldn''t find anyone named John.


    The yers started discussing who this mysterious John might be.


    None of this concerned John anymore.


    After recalling the golems from the crowd, he turned and left, eventually finding Uncle Mac drinking heavily at the Adventurers Guild.


    Seeing him downing drink after drink, John sat down in front of him and asked, "Are you satisfied with this oue?"


    "Satisfied. John, you''re the hero of Talcavano, a true hero!"


    Uncle Mac grinned, pushing a drink towards John. "I have no more regrets."


    "If you''re satisfied, thene with me. Everyone is waiting for you to continue the journey. This time, you can''t have any more excuses, right?"


    "Let''s go. Let''s leave right now! Right..."


    Seeing Uncle Mac copse onto the table and fall into a deep sleep, John sighed.


    He picked Uncle Mac up, carried him back to his ce, and then returned to Deep Forest.


    The golems obtained from Caliban were undoubtedly a significant boost in strength.


    Unfortunately, where John was heading next, these golems wouldn''t be much use.


    After some thought, John decided to leave the golems in Deep Forest under Elowen''s control.


    This would not only quickly enhance the strength of the elven race but also allow John to reim them whenever he needed.


    It was a win-win situation.


    Elowen was more than happy to ept this arrangement.


    Knowing this, the golem John left behind had almost be a treasured artifact for the elven race. They would rarely use it unless faced with a significant threat, as they had no means to repair it if it was damaged.


    But now, with so many golems joining their ranks, even a monster horde would pose much less of a threat to them.


    However, there was another matter for John on this trip back.


    The original n was to rest for a while before heading to Antis. But now, having learned from [Deception] about the alliance between the Divine Emissary and an Apostle, Antis had undoubtedly be the most dangerous ce.


    John''s idea was to go to Antis alone to resolve the current trouble with [Deception], then return to fetch ria and Lily.


    If he were to tell ria and Lily the truth, they would insist on apanying him. But in such a situation, John''s own survival was uncertain, so he didn''t want ria and Lily to take the risk.


    So, he still didn''t have a good idea of how to broach the subject.


    "Sigh... this is really a headache."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Spartonia!


    "Sister, since we entered the city, how many times has it been now?"


    "The ninth time..."


    "The ninth time! When will it end? We''ve barely left this district. All we''ve been doing is watching Qing fight. We don''t have a single piece of information yet. Is this ever going to end?"


    Exiled Immortal scratched his head in frustration, feeling quite helpless.


    He had anticipated that Qing might cut loose upon arriving in Spartonia, but this was a bit too much. They had done nothing but watch Qing fight all day long. Qing, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying himself immensely, constantly looking for new opponents.


    "I give up, I surrender!"


    Finally! On the third time being knocked down by Qing, the NPC finally admitted defeat, pping the ground and expressing genuine respect for Qing.


    "Adventurer Qing, you won. You are a true warrior!"


    "Hahaha... Excellent! Come on, who''s next?"

 Chapter 172: Chapter172-The Lost Kingdom

    "Enough, Qing! You can''t just think about your own fun!"


    Seeing Qing still wanting to continue fighting, Exiled Immortal rushed forward, covered Qing''s mouth, and said helplessly, "At least wait until we find a ce to stay before you start another fight!"


    "Come on, we''re in Spartonia now, isn''t it all the same where we stay? I''ve been stuck in that godforsaken Talcavano for so long. Let me have some fun, just one more fight, thest one!"


    Qing casually pulled Exiled Immortal off his shoulder,ughed heartily, and walked towards a passing burly man, patting him on the shoulder, saying, "Come on, let''s have a fight!"


    "Ahhh! I give up!"


    "Forget it, Exiled Immortal. Let''s go find a ce to stay and leave him be."


    As it turned out, once Qing arrived in Spartonia, he truly felt at home, quickly adapting to and integrating into Spartonia''s fierce style.


    On the other hand, despite being prepared, Exiled Immortal and Helena were still quite shocked.


    As soon as they entered, Exiled Immortal was challenged by a burly man who looked simr in size to Qing. After learning that there were no restrictions on weapons, Exiled Immortal used a move called Sword Rain to subdue him, only to be used ofcking sportsmanship.


    How was that unsportsmanlike? I don''t get it...


    Leaving Qing, who was obsessed with fighting, aside for the moment, Exiled Immortal and Helena continued deeper into Spartonia City and finally found a ce to stay.


    The room was somewhat shabby, with just a bed and a table and hardly anything else. Even so, it cost 2000 silver coins per night.


    But there was no choice. After traveling so far, this was the only ce they found. Helena immediately booked three rooms and paid for a month in advance.


    However, during the checkout process, the tavern owner thoughtfully asked Exiled Immortal if he wanted to have a fight. If he won, they could get a 15% discount on their lodging fee.


    Exiled Immortal dly epted the challenge and won easily.


    After all, Exiled Immortal was now level 55, with stats significantly boosted. Dealing with a tavern owner was naturally a piece of cake.


    "It''s just... I''m still having a hard time epting this. It''s so fierce, getting into fights at the slightest disagreement?"


    Exiled Immortal plopped down on the bed. It was hard and cold, much worse than the amodations in Talcavano.


    "I thought you were mentally prepared for this. If you''re regretting it now, we can still go back."


    "I''m not going back. I don''t know how to face John. He must be really upset, right?"


    "Then you need to adapt here quickly. Let''s gather information, advance the main storyline and dungeons, and not let John down."


    "Big Sis, how long do you think we''ll stay in Spartonia? Will we eventually go our separate ways and never contact each other again?"


    "That''s impossible. We just have a temporary difference of opinion and are acting separately for now. Stop overthinking. Instead of worrying, figure out how to get Qing back."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Deep Forest.


    John hesitated for a long time but finally decided to tell ria and Lily the truth about the situation.


    The truth would eventuallye out, and no matter how much John tried to sugarcoat it, he couldn''t change the facts. Since he couldn''t hide it, he decided to be honest.


    "So... you know it''s impossible for us to stay while you go to Antis alone, right?"


    ria sighed and continued, "No matter how dangerous it is, we have to go with you. I believe Lily feels the same way, right, Lily?"


    "That''s right! We''ve be strong. We don''t need to hide behind you, John. Even if we face danger, we can face it together."


    "Even so, in Antis, we might encounter the most dangerous situations we''ve faced so far. Honestly, I''m still not sure if I cane back alive from Antis. So..."


    "Then we face it together. There''s absolutely no room for negotiation on this matter!"


    Facing ria''s determined gaze, John opened his mouth but could only sigh and say nothing more.


    "Time is running out. I n to leave for Antis tomorrow. Once I arrive and confirm it''s safe, I''lle back to get both of you. This is my final stance. I can''t watch you walk into danger. If you can''t agree to this, I''ll have to force you to stay."


    With that said, ria and Lily exchanged a nce, nodded reluctantly, and agreed.


    "You muste back to get us."


    "I promise, I won''t go back on my word."


    ...


    At dawn the next day, John set off, returning to Talcavano first. After exining the situation to Uncle Mac, Uncle Mac decided to stay in Talcavano temporarily. Once the matter was settled, he would continue the journey with John and the others.


    Time was of the essence, so John didn''t insist further. After settling Uncle Mac, he set off for Antis.


    Located in the far east of the game map, Antisy deep within the Tranquil Sea, thousands of kilometers from Talcavano. Even at John''s speed, it would take nearly two days of non-stop flying to reach the Tranquil Sea. Although slow, this was John''s limit.


    As for the flight, it was far more tedious than one might imagine. The sky was covered in clouds, making it difficult to discern direction. Fortunately, Seraphina volunteered to take control of John''s body to navigate to the Tranquil Sea, allowing John to think over their strategy during the journey. John dly epted.


    "Speaking of which, Seraphina, what do you know about the God of Light and Prophecy? Is He on the gods'' side?"


    "You mean Apollo? That guy is just a fool desperate for his father''s approval. He doesn''t have a clear stance. To be precise, whatever stance Zeus takes, so does he. I think you''re more interested in Apollo''s strength. Let me put it this way, he''s very powerful, possibly stronger than Tyr and Hera.


    Even if he''s not as strong as Hades, he''s still one of the topbatants on Mount Olympus. After all, the number of his followers is unimaginablyrge. Who wouldn''t yearn for light?"


    "So, as Apollo''s emissary, his strength shouldn''t be weak either, right?"


    "Hard to say. It depends on what powers Apollo has bestowed upon him. If Apollo granted him the ability to prophesy, well... he would undoubtedly be the most troublesome opponent you''ve ever faced. The ability to foresee the future means that in his presence, all your preparations, ns, and arrangements are exposed. So, John, it''s very likely that everything happening now is within his expectations.


    Have you thought about how to deal with him?"


    Hearing this, John furrowed his brows and sighed, "Honestly, I haven''t figured it out yet. But I think, since I was able to deceive time and restart everything, it shouldn''t be too hard to outsmart his ability to foresee the future, right?"


    "Oh, I almost forgot, the power of [Deception] is now within you as well. That makes things easier. Maybe you really can deceive those eyes."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Lost City of Antis!


    Miles seemed to sense something, slowly opened his eyes, and looked in a particr direction. His fiery gaze seemed capable of piercing through everything.


    "Though I glimpsed a corner of the future, I didn''t expect it toe so soon. Our time is running out, [gluttony]."


    "How much longer until my seal is broken?"


    "If you fully cooperate with me, I can have you free in no more than two weeks. But if you continue to be as uncooperative and passive as you are now, who knows how long it will take?"


    "...What do you mean?"


    "[Gluttony], stop pretending. Don''t you understand why the progress is so slow? You know the reason.


    Give me your soul imprint, or our future holds only death!"

 Chapter 173: Chapter173-The Vast Tranquil Sea

    "The Tranquil Sea, where the lost kingdom of Antis slumbers, finally..."


    John, or rather Seraphina controlling John''s body, finally arrived at the farthest east of the game map, an endless expanse of blue.


    In his previous life, many had attempted to cross this ocean and find the edge of the blue, but unfortunately, they all failed.


    John had once heard a few survivors describe it this way: when they reached the center of the blue, a terrifying presence beneath the sea awakened and brought them despair. But when John asked what exactly that terrifying presence was, they would fall silent.


    This matter had troubled John for two lifetimes. To this day, he still didn''t know what existed beneath the blue ocean.


    "So, Seraphina, do you know what kind of monster is down there?"


    Regaining control of his body, John stretched a bit and then slowly walked into the sea.


    "Or is it just a legend, a story to scare people?"


    "No, it''s real. This vast, endless sea is home to many monsters, some of which you''re very familiar with."


    "Like what?"


    "It depends on your luck. If you''re lucky, you might only encounter slightlyrger monsters. If you''re unlucky, you could run into sirens, krakens, Leviathans, oh, and J?rmungandr. For various reasons, they all live here. Of course, I don''t rmend provoking them. In their domain, you''ll meet a very ugly end."


    "J?rmungandr? Wait, are you serious? That''s not even from the same pantheon as you. Why is it here?"


    Seraphina sighed and continued to exin, "I only know that they seem to be here to guard something, but I don''t know exactly what they''re protecting. I hope you''re not really nning to cross the Tranquil Sea. That would be a very foolish decision."


    "I''m just curious, and I value my life too much to get swallowed by some slimy, sticky creature. That would be torture for me."


    John shrugged, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings until he finally spotted arge shell near the horizon. He carefully pried it open, took out a pearl, and ced it in his mouth before heading into the deep sea.


    "Hmm, you''re quite skilled at this. Is this not your first time here?"


    "I actually like it here. I spent a considerable amount of time in Antis in my previous life. Inparison, I don''t really like Everglow."


    "Ah, I get what you mean. Hypocrisy, ignorance, arrogance��a city created by those kinds of people. I don''t like it much either."


    John was obviously surprised and asked, "Haven''t you been dead for thousands of years? How do you even know about Everglow? Was this city already built before you died?"


    "That''s a sharp question. I refuse to reveal my age to you."


    "...Suit yourself."


    As John''s body waspletely submerged in the sea, something strange happened��the icy, bone-chilling seawater did not immediately invade his body. This was all thanks to the pearl he held in his mouth before entering the water. The Waterproof Pearl from the body of a water-repellent m was the key to entering Antis.


    Because of this, there was a time in his previous life when the price of Waterproof Pearls skyrocketed to an astronomical three million silver coins per pearl!


    However,ter on, alchemists developed a cheaper ''Water Gill Solvent,'' which allowed yers to grow gills and breathe underwater for a short time. The only downside was the thirst felt after the effects wore off. Naturally, the price of Waterproof Pearls plummeted.


    Interestingly, John once made a fortune using these. He ambushed an alchemist, stole thousands of ''Water Gill Solvents,'' and sold them all for ten thousand silver coins each, making a huge profit.


    But now, John no longer needed such tricks. After all, silver coins had be almost meaningless to him.


    Unlike in his previous life, John was now experiencing and enjoying this ce, treating it like a second home, just like most others. This time, he had to move forward quickly, going to ces he had never been before, to reim his and humanity''s home.


    This was a heavy and grand task that had fortuitously fallen on his shoulders. John wasn''t sure whether to feel excited or anxious. But since it hade to this, he decided to keep moving forward.


    The surrounding icy, bone-chilling seawater quickly sapped John''s body heat. Reluctantly, he took an anti-cold potion to warm himself up. As he continued to dive, the scenery around him constantly changed.


    From initially clear and transparent waters, teeming with small fish and corals, the water gradually became murky. Light could no longer prate through theyers, and everything around him turned pitch ck. He couldn''t see his hand in front of his face.


    Only a few faint lights moved around him, revealing terrifying, hideous faces as they approached. John grabbed an anglerfish and held it in front of him, using its light to barely see his surroundings.


    As someone without any deep-sea phobia, John felt as if he was returning home when he arrived in Antis. In his previous life, he had visited Antis countless times. He knew the path to the lost kingdom so well that he could walk it with his eyes closed.


    Of course, he couldn''t actually walk with his eyes closed.


    "Tch, encountered so soon?"


    John frowned, sensing the water''s movements around him. Grasping [Everchanging], which transformed into a trident, he shed through the water and thrust forward. Instantly, a faint red mist of blood spread in front of him.


    The monster finally revealed its true form��a massive squid continuously ejecting ck ink to obscure John''s vision and attempt an escape. Unfortunately for it, it had encountered John.


    The trident easily pierced the squid, and no matter how much it struggled, it couldn''t break free. It wasn''t a monster, just a creature native to the Tranquil Sea.


    But that wasn''t the point. The point was that its ink sac could help John ward off a particrly troublesome monster.


    "The Soul-Stinging Jellyfish, that thing is not to be trifled with. If those nearly transparent tentacles touch you, the pain will pierce your very soul. I definitely don''t want to experience that again."


    As he spoke, John casually sliced open the giant squid''s head, extracted a basketball-sized, slimy ink sac, and smeared the almost solid crystal inside it on himself before discarding the sac.


    "Hmm... let me think. Since I encountered a giant squid, I should be about three thousand meters below the surface. I need to dive another five thousand meters or so. By the way, Seraphina, are there no legendary monsters living near Antis? I''d really like to see one if possible."


    "Of course not. Those monsters reside in the deep-sea regions, tens of thousands of meters below the surface, much deeper than here. Besides, are you really that curious? Those creatures are so troublesome that even gods don''t easily provoke them. They''re tough and nearly impossible to kill.


    Despite having powerparable to gods, they only act on instinct. There are very few who can control them. As far as I know, only Poseidon has ever managed it. Only he can make those utterly irrational monsters bow down and willingly obey him. How he does it, I don''t know. If you ever get the chance, you might ask him.


    But of course, that simple-minded guy might not bother to answer you."


    "So, Poseidon must be really powerful, right? Those monsters are all his followers?"


    "What do you think? As the brother of Zeus, the King of the Gods, neither Hades nor Poseidon is to be trifled with. In their respective domains, they are invincible. Do you know what invincible means? It means that no matter how many gods oppose them or what happens, they will never lose."

 Chapter 174: Chapter174-Another Lie

    Hearing this, John was deeply puzzled.


    After pondering for a moment, he asked, "What about Aegir? He is the Norse god of the sea, right? How does hepare to Poseidon in terms of strength?"


    "Comparing gods from different pantheons is pointless. Are you trying to argue with me?"


    "Didn''t Hera lose?"


    "That''s an exception! Generally speaking, gods who wield the same authority are of equal strength. But Hera only controls the power of death, while Hades also governs the afterlife. Hera''s defeat was inevitable. But why am I exining this to you? You''re far from reaching that level.


    Instead of worrying about this, you should focus on dealing with the current problem."


    John shrugged and continued, "It''s just an academic discussion. Aren''t you curious? Odin and Zeus, Tyr and Ares, Apollo and Balder��don''t gods with the same authority have a desire to prove who''s superior?"


    "If they have such desires, it shows they''re not worthy gods."


    "And what about you? What''s your domain? If you were invincible in your domain, how did you die so miserably? So far, you''re the only dead god I''ve seen. Even Tyr, as wretched as he is, is still alive. You''re worse off than him."


    "You''re getting too cheeky. Do you want me to control your body and make you spit out the Waterproof Pearl, so you drown in seawater?"


    "See, you''re getting worked up again."


    John smirked and stopped talking to Seraphina. Mentioning her past always made her react like an agitated cat, full of hostility, which only deepened John''s confusion.


    "I advise you to give up on this line of questioning. Some things will be clear when you''re ready to know them. Until then, it''s pointless."


    As he conversed with Seraphina, John continued to dive deeper. Along the way, he encountered several monsters, but most were rtively weak, and he dispatched them effortlessly.


    Finally, in the pitch-ck water, a bright light appeared suddenly, like a solitary morning star.


    Next came a second star, then a third.


    Soon, the starlight formed a continuous line, and everything before John was fully revealed. It was a kingdom lost beneath the deep sea, a dreamlike realm.


    Countless luminous pearls illuminated the kingdom, with colorful coral reefs adding to its splendor. The scene was so breathtaking it seemed almost unreal.


    No matter how many times one looked at it, the beauty was always mesmerizing.


    John floated there in the water, dazed for nearly ten minutes, before Seraphina''s urging snapped him back to reality. He then ventured into the world enclosed by a giant bubble.


    In that instant, the icy seawater waspletely cut off from John. He spat out the Waterproof Pearl and greedily breathed in the slightly salty air.


    "I didn''t expect to return here so soon."


    "Are you going to say ''the more things change, the more they stay the same'' next?"


    "The more things change, the more they stay the same... Time has passed, and it seems nothing has changed, yet everything has changed..."


    "Are you showing off?"


    "Hmph, don''t think that knowing a few phrases makes you an expert. The culture of Dragonia is profound and vast, understand?"


    John smirked triumphantly, but something strange struck him��he didn''t see a single person.


    In his memory, Antis was always bustling with people, no matter the time. How could it be so deste now?


    Even without the presence of yers, the sea people lived here. They were the fortunate ones embraced by the ocean, citizens of Antis with considerablebat power, unaffected by the water.


    Most importantly, the sea people''s appearance was almost as striking as that of the elves.


    One side was vibrant, the other soft and graceful��two distinct beauties, each unparalleled.


    And...


    John had aplicated past with the sea people''s princess. Ahem... But that was in his previous life.


    "This is strange. In my memory, nothing like this has ever happened before. Seraphina, what do you think?"


    "What''s with that tone?"


    "Don''t worry about the details. Just tell me, what do you think is going on?"


    "What else could it be? This anomaly must be rted to the Divine Emissary and the apostles. Either he has foreseen your arrival in Antis and has taken measures against it, or [gluttony] has already devoured all of Antis. Which possibility do you lean towards?"


    "Of course, the former. [Gluttony] hasn''t awakened that quickly, I''m sure of that. Never mind, I won''t get any useful clues from you anyway. Luckily, I came prepared."


    With that, John took a deep breath, his aura spreading out, containing all the powers he had acquired so far.


    [Deception], [Lust], [Betrayal], and from Hades, [Death Herald].


    Four distinct yet equally potent auras exploded from within John and spread around him.


    In just a few breaths, a figure shimmered into view behind John. The man wore a meaningful smile and, upon seeing John, gave a gentlemanly bow and said, "John, I didn''t expect us to meet so soon. You''re two days ahead of my expectations."


    "I came as soon as I finished up over there. So, what''s going on? How can all of Antis bepletely empty?"


    "Ah, if you''re referring to the sea people living here, they''ve all gone to worship."


    "Worship? Is today Sea God''s Day? What are they worshiping? Do the sea people have a holiday I don''t know about?"


    "Of course not. To be precise, they''ve gone to worship the Divine Emissary."


    Hearing this, John frowned and asked, "Why would they worship the Divine Emissary? Don''t they worship Poseidon, the god of the sea?"


    "That used to be the case. But I have to admit, Miles is quite the skilled chatan. Using his abilities, he revealed several prophecies to the sea people, all of which came true. Since then, he has been revered as a deity. Recently, he revealed yet another prophecy."


    "In the prophecy, it is said that an enemy has already arrived in Antis. He will overturn everything here, destroy everything they know, and let the entire Antis sleep beneath the sea. My friend, can you guess who this person in the prophecy is? Guess right, and there''s a reward~"


    "Do I even need to think? I am that person."


    "You''re so clever, John, as expected. Here, your reward: a pretty seashell I picked up on the way. Quite beautiful, isn''t it?"


    "You still have the mood to joke around. Does that mean things aren''t so urgent?"


    At this, the smile on [Deception]''s lips froze, and he said helplessly, "If only the reality were as optimistic as I am. Unfortunately, it isn''t. [Gluttony] is about to break free."


    "...How much time do we have left?"


    "Twenty days? Two weeks, maybe less? I''m not sure. It depends on the Divine Emissary''s capabilities. But his skills must be quite good, otherwise, he wouldn''t have gathered so many loyal followers in such a short time. So, you''re in danger.


    If you reveal your identity in Antis, you will be the enemy of the entire kingdom. And there''s nothing you can do to change that because people believe that prophecies always show signs. As an outsider, you must be removed."


    This was undoubtedly bad news.


    Right now, Antis had almost be the stronghold of the Divine Emissary and [Gluttony]. John was the challenger. Not to mention thwarting their ns, even sneaking into Antis was a challenge for John.


    "Is there any way?"


    "Of course, my friend! To me, nothing in this world is truly impossible. Since the Divine Emissary has already made it impossible for you to infiltrate Antis from the root, why not change our approach? For instance...


    You, Morton Leonard, were born in this lost kingdom, Antis. You were never an outsider. After all, the best way to dismantle a lie is undoubtedly with another lie, right?"

 Chapter 175: Chapter175-And Then Make It the Truth

    John: "Are you surprised? I''m not surprised at all."


    Seraphina: "Not at all. What else could it be but a lie?"


    John: "Who could disagree?"


    [Deception]: "???"


    "Wait, do you have a better idea? And why can I hear another voice?"


    "That''s because I want you to hear it. That''s not the point. The point is, are you sure this will work? What if we''re found out?"


    "I infiltrated this way, so we won''t be discovered. The only ones who could see through this lie are the Divine Emissary and [Gluttony]. And our goal is to meet them, right?"


    "Are you saying you''ve been in Antis for so long and haven''t even seen either of them?"


    "You think it''s easy? That Divine Emissary, relying on his ability to see the future, rarely makes public appearances. I couldn''t find a chance to get close."


    "I thought you had found some concrete information..."


    John sighed, a bit disappointed with [Deception]''s performance.


    But given the situation, it wasn''t the time to me each other. After pondering for a moment, John continued, "Speaking of which, when will this worship ceremony end?"


    "By my estimation, it should be ending soon. Why? Do you have an idea?"


    "Don''t you think it''s strange that in such a vast Antis, only the two of us are moving around freely?"


    "Don''t worry. Once I''ve enacted the deception, no one will find it strange. So... what kind of identity do you want? I might be able to help."


    "You can choose an identity?"


    [Deception] then smiled proudly and said, "Of course. The moment the lie bes reality, Morton Leonard will be a living person, existing seamlessly in the memories of everyone connected to him. It''s wless, effortless. Do you think my proud abilities are just some minor tricks to change your appearance?"


    "You underestimate me. Once the deception is established, some people will have memories of you and firmly believe them. Unless someone realizes you shouldn''t exist and notices the gaps in their memory, your identity will remain intact.


    The simpler your identity, the harder it is to uncover. For example, I am Randall F, a frustrated painter who grew up on the outskirts of the kingdom after losing my parents. My identity is seamless, so no one will suspect. If you try to be the king''s son or a princess''s consort, trust me, your cover will be blown within three days."


    After hearing [Deception]''s exnation, John nodded thoughtfully.


    "Whatever, you choose for me. I don''t mind."


    "In that case, you are my childhood friend, Morton Leonard, aspiring to be a musician but also frustrated."


    "Heh, so we''re just a pair of losers?"


    "Exactly! Because that way, people will pay less attention to us, making the deceptionst longer. Look, herees someone."


    [Deception] caught sight of an approaching passerby and immediately put on a warm smile. He walked up and threw an arm around the person''s shoulder,ughing, "Old friend! Long time no see! I didn''t expect to run into you here!


    Remember my mom? Randall F? We used to y together! And this is my good friend, Morton Leonard. The three of us once spied on the neighbor''s older sister while she was bathing!"


    Hearing this, the passerby''s face turned red, and he whispered, "F, keep your voice down! I don''t want people to know about the silly things we did as kids!"


    "Sorry, sorry. I got carried away seeing an old friend. How have you been?"


    "Same as always. What else can change in life? A few days ago, I failed the marine guard exam for the sixth time. If I fail again next time, I''ll be over 350 and too old to take it again. Sigh... It''s frustrating!"


    "Don''t worry, my friend. There''s always a way. How about a drink to lift your spirits?"


    "But I..."


    The passerby nced at his nearby home, then reconsidered and sighed, "Alright, let''s go for a drink."


    "That''s the spirit, Leonard, let''s go."


    It took two reminders from [Deception] for John to snap out of it and realize that he was now Leonard.


    "I have to admit, your friend here has some impressive skills. He managed to fabricate apletely non-existent memory and make the other person believe it wholeheartedly. It''s really amazing. Can you do that?"


    "Maybe in the future, but not yet. I can only make reasonable lies seem real. Something like this can already be considered a miracle."


    Seraphina clicked her tongue, showing a newfound admiration for [Deception].


    Makes sense.


    Anyone who could survive such a brutal world and be chosen as an [Apostle] couldn''t possibly be a cker.


    "Old friend, don''t be so down. Even if you didn''t get into the marine guard, there are other jobs. You can always make a living."


    "That''s true, but Rachel said if I can''t join the marine guard, she won''t marry me... Oh right, do you remember Rachel? The girl next door, the older sister we spied on together?"


    "Of course, I remember! But you actually got together with Rachel?"


    "Not yet, I just have the idea. But Rachel... she''s been very vague. I always feel like she doesn''t have feelings for me."


    "Brother, you''re overthinking it. You''re too focused on the future and afraid of losing. That won''t do!"


    John watched as [Deception] chatted with the passerby about a past that never happened, as if he had really lived it. He couldn''t get a word in edgewise.


    It just showed that his grasp of lies was far from [Deception]''s level.


    "Take Leonard, for example. Do you remember the girl who pursued him? The one from the marine guard, almost quit for Leonard, what was her name..."


    "Wasn''t it Sherry?"


    "Exactly! Sherry! She was madly in love with Leonard, but now she''s moved on, right? So, brother, take it easy. With our lifespans stretching over a thousand years, who can really say who will be with whom until the end?"


    "...You''re right, F. I should loosen up a bit. It''s been a long time, and I didn''t expect you to have gone through so much."


    "No choice, we''re wanderers. We''ve seen a lot and gained a lot of insights. So, want to join us?"


    "No, I still want to try one more time. If it doesn''t work out this time... maybe then I''ll give up."


    "Alright, my friend. Good luck. It''s gettingte, and Leonard and I have to start our next journey. Wishing you all the best."


    "Wishing you both smooth travels. I''ll cover the drinks as a farewell gift."


    "You''re very generous, my friend."


    [Deception] stood up with a smile, put his arm around John''s neck, and they left the tavern. Once outside, John gave a thumbs-up.


    "This time, I''m truly impressed. You are indeed very skilled."


    "Hmph, now you understand? Don''t underestimate me, you fool."


    "But here''s the question: what is the purpose of all this?"


    "Purpose? Of course, there is one. For instance, we''ve made a new acquaintance."


    John furrowed his brows in confusion, "A new acquaintance? Are you talking about Rachel?"


    "Exactly. Next, we''re going to visit this Rachel!"


    "And then? Isn''t she just an ordinary person?"


    "She might be an ordinary person, but what if someone she knows is in a position of power? John, do you think a lie works just by iming I''m a guest of the king? Of course not! All lies need a gradual process. What we''re doing now is perfecting that process as much as possible, weaving a lie that no one can uncover, and making it the truth.


    Got it?"

 Chapter 176: Chapter176-Too Deep into the Role

    "So, what you''re saying is..."


    "Next, we''re going to find this Rachel and see if we can get any new clues from her. If that doesn''t work, we have a backup n, right? That marine guard named... Sherry! Yes, Sherry."


    "Wait, are you sure the fabricated memory of this pursuit won''t be exposed? And how do you even know where this Rachel lives?"


    [Deception] turned around, smiling, "Of course, I don''t know. But he does, doesn''t he?"


    As he finished speaking, the passerby from earlier walked out of the tavern, looking dejected. John clicked his tongue and whispered, "You''re nning to deceive him again?"


    "Tsk, how can you call it deception? In his eyes, we''re childhood friends, reunited after a long time. Now I''m giving him a hand when he''s down. Is that deception?"


    [Deception] rolled his eyes and walked over to the passerby.


    "F? And Leonard? I thought you had already left."


    "ns changed. I can''t bear to see my good friend suffer over a woman, so we''re going to help you."


    Hearing this, the passerby was stunned for a moment and asked, "Help me? How?"


    "Naturally, by apanying you to see Rachel. Here, this is a gift I prepared for you. I''ve seen a lot of good things during my travels. Take it and present it to Rachel in your name. I guarantee she''ll like it."


    With that, [Deception] took out a beautifully crafted bracelet. The passerby looked at it and quickly refused, "No, no! This is too valuable!"


    "Take it without worry. We''re friends, aren''t we? What do you think, Leonard?"


    [Deception] gave me a look, and I immediately understood, agreeing, "If we can see you and Rachel together, we''ll feel at ease to continue our journey. So, take it."


    "You guys..."


    Hearing this, the passerby teared up, looking as if he might cry.


    "I haven''t done anything, yet you''re doing so much for me..."


    "Alright! Swallow those tears and take us to see Rachel. It''s been so many years; I''m sure she''ll be pleasantly surprised to see us."


    "Alright! Let''s go, I''ll take you there!"


    The passerby put away the bracelet, then smiled and grabbed John and [Deception] by the wrists, leading them away. They passed through the outer city gate and traversed the streets of the middle district until they reached a residential area.


    "After all these years, I''ve only moved from the outer to the middle district. When I think about it, I''m still the least sessful among the three of us. You and Leonard can travel the world, and I can''t even pass the marine guard exam..."


    "Why are you starting with that again? I''m telling you, as a man, the most important thing is confidence! If you don''t believe in yourself, who will? Stand tall, keep your head up, and act like a man. Stop sighing all the time, it''s embarrassing. Alright, go knock on the door.


    Leonard and I will follow your lead."


    "Yeah, Rachel will be so happy to see you!"


    The passerby nodded heavily, then walked up and gently knocked on the gate of one of the small courtyards. Within a few breaths, soft footsteps could be heard from inside.


    "Who is it?"


    "Rachel, it''s me, Warner. I have a surprise for you. Open the door and see!"


    "Surprise? What surpri..."


    The gate opened slightly, and a gentle-looking woman peeked out, cautiously ncing behind Warner.


    [Deception] quickly put on a warm smile and waved enthusiastically. Seeing this, John quickly followed suit.


    "Is that..."


    "Rachel, have you forgotten us so soon? It''s me, F! And Leonard. We grew up together. How could you forget us so quickly? That would make us sad."


    Clearly, [Deception] used his ability again, and within a moment, the confusion in Rachel''s eyes vanished, reced by memories that never existed.


    "It really is you! You''ve both be such men! Come in,e in!"


    "Amazing..."


    John silently gave [Deception] a thumbs up as they walked into the courtyard with Rachel and Warner.


    "I can''t believe you two are back. What happened, couldn''t make it out there?"


    "How could that be? Leonard and I are famous out there! We''re doing great. We just happened to be passing by the Tranquil Sea and thought we''d visit you."


    "Yes, Rachel, you look even more beautiful after all these years."


    "Hmph~ Leonard is still as sweet-tongued as ever! But you don''t need to be so formal with me. Make yourselves at home. Oh! Leonard, you won''t believe who''s here with me today!"


    With that, Rachel suddenly remembered something and hurried back into the house. Shortly after, she returned with a strikingly brave-looking woman.


    "Tada! What do you think? Surprised?"


    "Sherry? Sherry-senpai? Why are you here too?"


    Warner immediately stood up, looking very nervous.


    "Rachel, you said you had a surprise for me. Where is it?"


    "Isn''t it right here? What, have you forgotten all those memories from decades ago?"


    Sherry looked puzzled, following Rachel''s finger to see John, locking eyes with him.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, [Deception] activated his ability, saying in a deep voice, "Sherry, don''t you remember us? F, Randall F. And as for him, I don''t need to introduce him, right? You two were madly in love back then. I had to persuade Leonard toe back."


    John: "???"


    What the hell, we met the real deal?


    John had no idea he had such a backstory. What should he say? What could he say at a time like this?


    John swallowed nervously, forcing a wry smile, and said in a low voice, "Long time no see..."


    "...When did youe back? Why didn''t you tell me? You leave without a word ande back just the same. What do you take me for?"


    Tears welled up in Sherry''s eyes, and she bit her lip before stepping forward and grabbing John''s cor.


    "Get out! I don''t want to see you! Leave!"


    "Sherry, I... I''m sorry."


    John almost choked on the words, sighing softly as he said, "I know it''s toote to say anything now. But I also know that if I hadn''t left with F back then, I wouldn''t have been able to leave once I saw you. You were young and sessful, joining the marine guard, and I... I was just a failed musician. I didn''t want to hold you back."


    "So you left me alone? Do you know how I''ve lived all these years? How could you be so heartless!"


    Sherry''s tears fell freely down her cheeks, making John''s scalp tingle.


    This is way too deep into the role.


    But John couldn''t fully rte to that deeply emotional memory.


    However, if it was just about solving the immediate problem, John did have an idea.


    With this in mind, John swallowed nervously, then broke free from Sherry''s grasp and pulled her into a hug.


    This sudden move caught everyone off guard. Rachel, after her initial surprise, showed a knowing smile. Warner looked on with admiration, recognizing his own shorings. Only [Deception] had a look of amused detachment, clearly enjoying the show.


    "You... how am I supposed to face you now..."


    Sherry''s voice was choked with emotion, her small fists lightly hitting John''s chest, more a release of pent-up feelings than any real attempt to hurt him.


    "I finally managed to forget you. Why did you have toe back now?"


    "I... I missed you. In all these years away, I''ve met many people who remind me of you, but none of them were you. I thought I could move on, but when I came back here, everything about you flooded my mind like a tidal wave, overwhelming me. I''m sorry..."

 Chapter 177: Chapter177-Schadenfreude

    "Alright, alright, it''s been so long since west met. Let''s talk about something happy."


    "Exactly, Sherry. I can vouch for this: Leonard has turned down countless women for you."


    "Shut up! If it weren''t for you stirring him up to leave, we could have been a happily envied couple. It''s all your fault!"


    "Alright, alright, it''s my fault, okay? But haven''t I brought him back to you now? Doesn''t that count as making amends?"


    [Deception] chimed in, then turned to Rachel with a smile, "Sister, aren''t you nning to do something for us? After all these years of traveling, the thing we miss the most is your cooking."


    "Eat, eat, eat! All you think about is eating! You''ve been eating since you were little, and you never get tired of it? Fine, wait here. I''ll cook something for you! Warner,e help me!"


    "Coming,ing!"


    Warner quickly stood up and followed Rachel into the kitchen.


    Meanwhile, under John''s sweet talk, Sherry finally softened, clinging to John''s arm and quietly sobbing.


    It was truly bizarre.


    Five people, all acting out a past that never existed. Warner and the others had been affected by [Deception]''s ability, causing them to create false memories.


    But John couldn''t fully immerse himself in this make-believe past.


    Talking about a shared history with people he didn''t know made John fear that one wrong word would blow his cover.


    The problem was that [Deception]''s ability only worked on ordinary people and had no effect on John. Sharing the same authority, John was almost immune to it.


    "Leonard, where have you been all these years? Can you tell me?"


    "Of course! Um... let me think, how about starting with Spartonia?"


    [Deception] quickly interjected, but before he could begin, Sherry shot him a look that silenced him.


    "Did I ask you? Shut up! I want to hear it from him!"


    "Alright, alright, I''ll shut up, okay?"


    [Deception] shrugged helplessly. With no other choice, John took a deep breath and began.


    "After we left Antis, we first went to the human city of Spartonia. It''s a city full of savagery and violence. In that city, violence erupts every moment. Twoplete strangers might start a fight just by making eye contact. To be honest, when F and I first arrived in Spartonia, we were really scared, weren''t we, F?"


    John gave [Deception] a pleading look, and he immediately understood.


    "Sherry, if it''s about telling stories, I''m the best at it. Why don''t I tell you?"


    "Hmph, fine, but make sure to tell me more about Leonard. I''m not interested in your stories!"


    "Don''t worry, you''ll be satisfied!"


    John had to admit, [Deception] was a natural storyteller. Thepletely fictional journey he described was thrilling and full of twists and turns, interspersed with numerous adventures, loves, and conflicts.


    As he continued, even John found himself getting immersed in the story, pping in appreciation.


    Thankfully, Sherry was too engrossed in the story to notice John''s odd behavior.


    "And that''s how we escaped from the Deep Forest. After that, Leonard was eager to return home, so we ended our journey and headed back."


    "...I had no idea you went through so much. The world outside must have been exhausting for you, right?"


    Sherry bit her lip lightly, intertwining her fingers with John''s. Her tender gaze almost overwhelmed him.


    "This journey can''t simply be described as exhausting, but... if I had to choose again, I''d take you with me to experience the world together. Antis is vast, with millions of our people living here all their lives. But to me, Antis is too small; it can''t contain my dreams. I often gaze at the sea, my mind filled with thoughts. Sherry, have you ever wondered what lies beyond the sea?


    Is the outside world really as dangerous as we''ve been told? I don''t want to, and I can''t, be trapped in this bubble, protecting Antis while feeling like I''m in a cage."


    "If... if you n to leave again, I can go with you!"


    "He won''t be leaving again, don''t worry, Sherry. This time we''re back for good."


    "Really?"


    "Of course, it''s true. I''ve seen the outside world and finally realized that my true home is where my heart belongs."


    John said, hating himself for it.


    Damn, this is sickening!


    But unfortunately, Sherry seemed to eat it up, looking at John with even more admiration.


    "What are you all talking about? So happy?"


    "Rachel, I''m just listening to them tell me about their adventures over the years!"


    "Is that so? I want to hear too. Let''s continue at the dinner table. The food is ready, let''s eat."


    "I''ll help, Rachel!"


    John started to stand up but was immediately pushed back down by [Deception].


    "How can you ruin this long-awaited private moment? I''ll handle it. You two continue, continue."


    John red at [Deception] with a look that could kill, wanting to punch his head in.


    But he couldn''t do anything about it and had to y along.


    "Leonard, tell me more. Did you really almost get killed by the Elven Queen when you were with the elves?"


    "Yes, that was a really thrilling experience, but let''s save it forter when F can tell it too. That way Rachel can hear it as well."


    "Alright, actually, I''m just really happy that you''re back. I dreamed about the day we might meet again, but I never thought it woulde so suddenly..."


    "I''ve been preparing for decades. How can it be sudden?"


    As soon as John finished speaking, Seraphina''sughter exploded in his mind.


    Yes, she had beenughing at him the whole time.


    Every word he said was met with Seraphina''s relentlessughter in his head, much like [Deception], who was also enjoying his misery.


    Damn it, if I had known it would be like this, I would have made [Deception] take on this role. This is pure torture!


    Talking sweetly to a woman he didn''t know at all made John feel embarrassed. Seraphina and [Deception] were just having a st at his expense.


    I need to take back control!


    With this in mind, John changed the subject and asked, "I''ve been talking about myself all this time. What about you? How have you been since I left?"


    "Not well! Your sudden departure left me heartbroken for a long time. I almost made mistakes at work and had to take some time off to cool down. It was only with Rachel''s help that I barely managed toe out of that shadow."


    After that, I focused on improving my abilities. During several patrol missions, I detected dangers in time and managed to achieve some merits. Now, I am already at the squad leader level, in charge of a dozen people under me!"


    Hearing this, John nodded thoughtfully.


    John had already seen through Sherry''s level: 52. Her strength was definitely not weak, with abat power of at least five thousand points, possibly even slightly stronger than Deception in normal condition.


    With such strength, she was only a squad leader in the Guard. It could only be said that, true to its reputation, thebat power in the mid-tote stage maps rose sharply.


    "Unfortunately, I''m past the age for that. Otherwise, I might consider joining the Ocean Guard and be a soldier under yourmand."


    "If you really have this intention, I can help you! But I wouldn''t want you to be just my soldier. I want you to be the general, in charge of the entire Ocean Guard! By then, I would leave the Guard and stay at home, taking care of the family."


    At this point, Sherry''s cheeks were already flushed, extremely shy.


    "General... that might be a bit difficult, don''t you think? I might not be up to it."


    "You can definitely do it! I can feel it. You have be much stronger. You''re no longer the Leonard who needed my protection. If it''s you, you can definitely do it!"

 Chapter 141 - 141-Liberation (Part 1)

    "[Deception], what scheme are you up to now?"


    John pulled [Deception] aside and said in a low voice, "If the person inside really is the [Divine Emissary], engaging him in such an extreme environment will be to our disadvantage!"


    "John, this time I''m not joking. I really need your help. Right now, he can still resist the [God''s] will with his own, but who knows how long he can hold out?


    As the emissary of the God of Fire, he is definitely thest enemy you want to face.


    Given enough time, he could even create a fully armed army!


    Rather than giving him time to prepare, it''s better to end him here and now.


    The second reason is more personal.


    We used to be very good friends, but for certain reasons, we had to part ways. Instead of watching him suffer and struggle with himself, I hope to free him from this ordeal."


    At this point, [Deception] bowed deeply to John, his sincere attitude surprising even John.


    "I can help you kill him, but I have one condition."


    Hearing this, [Deception] was slightly taken aback.


    He vaguely remembered that a few months ago, John didn''t have his current strength and needed his help when facing the [Lust Apostle].


    Unknowingly, their roles had reversed. Now, it was [Deception] pleading for John''s help, and John who held the upper hand.


    Thinking of this, [Deception] smiled bitterly and said helplessly, "What condition?"


    "When this is over, tell me everything you know, and everything that has happened to you."


    "...Are you sure you want to hear it? It''s quite a boring story."


    "It doesn''t matter. I''m a pretty boring person myself."


    ...


    "So, here''s the situation. I''m nning to go deeper and take down the [Divine Emissary]. Does anyone have any objections?"


    As they were about to engage the [Divine Emissary], John naturally couldn''t stay on the sidelines any longer.


    He took charge, looked around, and seeing no opposition, he nodded slightly and said, "Then it''s settled. [Deception] will lead us to the depths of the maze and help alleviate the difort caused by the high temperatures. Our job is to take down the [Divine Emissary]!


    Of course, this is easier said than done.


    When we actually engage, there will undoubtedly be many uncertainties.


    At that time, everyone should look out for each other and prioritize the safety of ourpanions. Understand?"


    "John, it''s about time you spoke up. I was getting a bit ufortable with it."


    Exiled Immortal scratched his head with a sheepish grin, realizing he might have said something wrong, and looked towards Helena, "Big sister, I didn''t mean that you''re not good at making decisions. Don''t get the wrong idea!"


    "Don''t worry, I know what you mean. Am I such a petty person? Being able to focus solely on fighting without worrying about anything else isn''t necessarily a bad thing.


    And don''t forget, Exiled Immortal, mybat skills are now on par with yours!"


    With a thought, Helena summoned her divine hunting bow. The simple and unadorned longbow contained terrifying power.


    Seeing this, John nodded in satisfaction and said, "Since no one has any objections, let''s move out. Our goal is to defeat the [Divine Emissary]!"


    With [Deception]''s help, the journey ahead was significantly easier.


    They didn''t have to endure the scorching heat or navigate the confusing tunnels themselves.


    In less than an hour, they reached the deepest part of the maze.


    However, the boss room of the maze was now covered with scorching magma, and the boss had vanished without a trace.


    It was clear that this had something to do with the [Divine Emissary].


    Looking at the boiling magma, Exiled Immortal shivered and asked, "Is it really safe to jump down there?"


    "Don''t worry, this magma is just an illusion. We won''t be hurt."


    [Deception] spoke up, activating his ability again.


    To ease everyone''s concerns, he led by example and jumped into the magma without hesitation, quickly sinking down.


    Seeing this, everyone looked at each other, hesitating. Even John was reluctant to act rashly.


    Jumping in could easily result in being melted by the scorching magma if they were even slightly careless!


    ??��?����?��?��?


    "How about... I go down first and try it?"


    Qing stepped forward at the right moment.


    As a berserker, even if he were to be burned by the magma, he could withstand it long enough to secure a chance for survival.


    However, before anyone could protest, John walked straight into the magma, letting his body sink into the pool.


    Seeing this, everyone gasped and rushed forward to check on John.


    "It''s okay! His HP hasn''t changed; he should be unharmed."


    Exiled Immortal, looking at John''s team status panel and seeing that his HP was nearly unchanged, finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    With John''s attempt showing it was safe, everyone gathered their courage and jumped in one by one.


    It felt like being enveloped in warm liquid, allowing their bodies to sink slowly.


    When they regained their senses, they found themselves in a space beneath the magma. [Deception] was already waiting, and not far behind him was a burly man wielding a giant hammer, continuously striking an iron ingot.


    Seeing this, Old Mac gasped in shock, both at the [Divine Emissary]''s impressive attack and at finally understanding where the hammering sound hade from.


    "So, he''s the one you mentioned?"


    "Yes, but unfortunately, we came a bit toote."


    [Deception] nodded slightly, a hint of regret shing in his eyes.


    He exined, "His sanity has beenpletely devoured. Now, he''s just a shell acting on physical instinct. If you approach recklessly, he''ll attack you immediately."


    "Leave the rest to us."


    John patted [Deception] on the shoulder, then turned to the group and said in a deep voice, "Let''s get ready. Qing, I''m counting on you to lead the charge and take the brunt of the attack."


    "No problem! I want to see just how powerful that hammer really is!"


    Qing grinned, his eyes filled with confidence.


    "Lily, in this enclosed underground environment, you can''t easily use your celestial spells. Just keep buffing us continuously. Helena, you stay on the lookout and protect Lily."


    The two women responded with an understanding nod, and John then looked at Exiled Immortal.


    "As for you, act as you see fit."


    Honestly speaking, John wasn''t entirely sure if they could take down the [Divine Emissary] who had lost his sanity.


    His true strength was still an unknown factor. But as [Deception] said, this fight was inevitable and would happen sooner orter.


    So...


    "Action!"


    John shouted, wings spreading out from his back as he and Exiled Immortal soared into the air.


    Qing, standing firm, swung his halberd at the [Divine Emissary] before leaping forward like a cannonball to strike him!


    Sensing the attack, the [Divine Emissary] abruptly stopped forging.


    After taking a deep breath, he swung his giant hammer, deflecting the halberd, and punched Qing with a mighty blow!


    Bang!


    A heavy thud echoed as Qing collided with the [Divine Emissary] Kaldaram.


    One was the emissary of the God of Fire and Forge, the other the embodiment of the war god Ares''s will.


    Both renowned for their offensive power, they fought like war machines, disregarding defense andunching ferocious attacks at each other!


    Each punch sent powerful shockwaves, scattering iron fragments in all directions!


    Seeing this, even [Deception] couldn''t help but gasp in amazement.


    It was clear that those who had inherited the powers of two top-tier [Gods] were engaged in a sh far beyond the reach of ordinary beings!


    But Qing, on the other hand, was filled with battle lust!


    "Awesome!"


    Qingughed, facing Kaldaram''s iron fist head-on, refusing to dodge and instead taking the blow directly while delivering a heavy counterattack!


    Seeing this, John stopped the eager Exiled Immortal and said in a deep voice, "It''s not the right time yet."

 Chapter 142 - 142-Liberation (Part 2)

    The power Qing disyed far exceeded John''s expectations.


    Under the influence of [The Underworld King''s Intimidation], Qing fought more fiercely with each passing moment, even managing to hold the line on his own!


    Of course, upon closer inspection, Qing was inevitably falling behind.


    Every attack from Kaldaram left a mark on Qing, and after dozens of exchanges, Qing''s HP was critically low, forcing him to activate his ss skill, Undying Fury.


    At that very moment, John''s figure suddenly vanished.


    "Now!"


    A spear of ck me condensed in John''s hand, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared behind Kaldaram, aiming a heavy strike at his neck!


    However!


    The ck me, which even Falms couldn''t withstand, had no effect on Kaldaram.


    It didn''t even leave a scratch on his body!


    But in that brief moment of distraction, Kaldaram''s attack came swiftly!


    Seeing the giant hammer crashing down, John felt a surge of panic and instinctively tried to evade, but the chilling aura locked onto him, rendering him immobile!


    At the critical moment, Exiled Immortal waved his hand, and a gust of wind wrapped around John''s waist, flinging him away with great force, causing Kaldaram''s attack to miss.


    Qing seized the opportunity to strike with his halberd!


    However...


    Just as Qing''s powerful blow was about tond, a massive shockwave erupted from Kaldaram, sending Qing flying a hundred meters away, crashing heavily!


    Seeing this, Lily''s heart tightened, and she rushed forward to help heal Qing''s injuries.


    "Damn... He''s like a block of iron, tougher than a turtle shell!"


    Qing shook his fingers, which had been fractured in the battle.


    As the adrenaline wore off, the pain finally set in.


    Seeing his HP recover to a safe level, Qing struggled to his feet, ready to rejoin the fray, but Helena stopped him.


    "Qing, be careful. You can''t go head-to-head with him anymore!"


    "Then what should we do? If I don''t take the pressure, John and the others will be in danger."


    "Qing, how familiar are you with joint techniques?"


    Upon hearing this, Qing frowned and asked in confusion, "Joint techniques, like an armbar or something?"


    "Something like that. I''m thinking if his body is so tough it can ignore most attacks, joint techniques might be our only option."


    "Well... I''ll give it a try."


    Qing nodded slightly, agreeing with Helena''s suggestion.


    The problem was, Qing had only learned basic military hand-to-handbat techniques and wasn''t well-versed in technical grappling, especially against a monstrous opponent like this.


    Qing wasn''t confident he could sessfully execute a joint lock.


    But at this point, Qing had no time to hesitate.


    Seeing John and the others struggling, Qing made up his mind, quickly removing his armor and baring his chest, charging back into the fray!


    Sensing the return of his formidable opponent, Kaldaram punched John away and readied himself to face Qing!


    Seeing this, Qing grinned andughed, "It''s been a long time since I faced someone like you. This will be a battle I''ll never forget!"


    Kaldaram''s response was a swift and powerful straight punch!


    This time, Qing didn''t choose to meet the blow head-on.


    Like a professional boxer, he guarded himself, sidestepping the attack andnding an uppercut to Kaldaram''s face!


    Unfortunately, for Kaldaram, this kind of attack was barely noticeable.


    Unless they could disable him, Qing''s attacks were nothing more than a tickle to a mindless killing machine like Kaldaram!


    "Joint techniques, joint techniques... Damn it! I don''t know how to do that!"


    Qing crossed his arms in front of him, barely blocking another hit, but felt a searing pain in his arms.


    When he looked down, he saw that Kaldaram''s attack had torn the muscles on his skin.


    Once, before the apocalypse, Qing had seen the use of joint techniques, but in the heat of battle, his mind went nk, leaving only three words.


    Fight, fun!


    As for joint techniques... ��???$??��?$


    To hell with joint techniques!


    With that thought, Qing let loose, no longer holding back, and once again engaged in a physical brawl with Kaldaram!


    Seeing this, Helena pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a bit helpless.


    "We have to create an opportunity for them!"


    Helena''s brow furrowed as she nocked an arrow to her bowstring.


    The golden arrow was ready to be released, but Helena hesitated.


    She only had one chance and needed to find a way to turn the tide within that limited opportunity.


    Otherwise, if they provoked the opponent, it would spell disaster!


    "Not now... it''s not the right time yet."


    Helena bit her lip lightly, wanting to help, but realizing the timing wasn''t right.


    She had hoped that Qing could use joint techniques to disable Kaldaram, but it wasn''t as simple as she had imagined.


    Qing attempted several holds but couldn''t manage to subdue his opponent, who easily broke free.


    Instead, Qing was repeatedly knocked to the ground and beaten.


    If not for the Badge of the Barbarian, Qing''s HP would have been depleted long ago!


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the underworld!


    Hades watched everything unfold, a smile flickering in his eyes.


    He was increasingly amused by this game��it was utterly fascinating!


    Watching those bearing divine wills fight each other, what could be more thrilling?


    Unfortunately, the arrival of an uninvited guest disrupted Hades'' pleasure.


    "Hephaestus, I don''t recall inviting you. What brings you to the underworld so suddenly?"


    "I came to rify something."


    From behind Hades, a tall man engulfed in scorching mes stepped forward, stopping behind him.


    "You interfered in this game, didn''t you?"


    "That''s right. Like the rest of you, I ced my bet. What? Are you here to use me?"


    "I don''t have the power to do that. I''m just a humble cksmith; how could Ipare myself to the King of the Underworld?"


    "What truly puzzles me is you. If I remember correctly, you have always sided with humanity. Why the sudden change?"


    With a wave of Hades'' hand, a throne emerged. Hephaestus sat down, taking a long breath.


    "Zeus... has started his reckoning."


    "Heh... my worthless brother loves to do such things. So, to protect yourself, you decided to switch sides?"


    "I had no choice. In this long life, the one thing I''ve learned is never to make too many enemies. You, my old friend, are a prime example of why."


    "Mocking me, are you? You''ve got guts. So, how does it feel to rece me and be one of the Twelve Olympians?"


    Hades nced at Hephaestus and, through the mask of mes, saw his grotesque face before silently looking away.


    "Not great. Being revered is far more bitter than I imagined.


    Every moment, I have to guard against the ambitious [Gods] and make every decision perfectly. I''m just a cksmith; I can''t handle all that."


    Hephaestus shook his head, his words full of resentment.


    "What do you n to do?"


    "I gave that hammer to my emissary. Although it''s unfortunate that he''s be a pawn in this, a sacrificialmb, it''s all I could do.


    Once John and his team kill Kaldaram and obtain the hammer, my goal will be achieved."


    "Aren''t you afraid of the reckoning that will follow?"


    "If that dayes, I will break the pir that connects Mount Olympus and the underworld,pletely muddying the waters."


    Hearing this, Hades smirked and shook his head in helplessness.


    "You''re a madman."


    "Same to you. If you hadn''t made that foolish move back then, the throne of the king wouldn''t belong to Zeus, even if it didn''t go to you. I think Poseidon would have been a good choice. He has a very simple mind."

 Chapter 145 - 145-The Departed World

    Seeing Hades'' confident expression, John felt a strange sense of reassurance.


    Is this what it feels like to have a strong backer?


    Thinking back, what kind of life had he been living before!


    He had thought [Deception] was reliable, but that guy always dropped the ball at critical moments.


    As for Seraphina, she was full of knowledge but just a lingering soul. She couldn''t protect herself, let alone be relied upon by John.


    But now, John finally had a strong backer. Hades, who ruled the underworld, was John''s greatest support!


    Although Hades'' temper was unpredictable... he was at least dependable.


    "Why do I feel the atmosphere is a bit strange?"


    Watching Hephaestus walk towards Kaldaram, John smacked his lips and said, "You gods... do you also engage in same-sex rtionships?"


    "Do you even realize what you''re saying?"


    "Sorry, sorry, I just found it a bit strange. They seem awfully affectionate, don''t they?"


    "Kaldaram is Hephaestus'' most loyal follower, but Hephaestus himself pushed him into the abyss, sacrificing Kaldaram''s life to secure his own position. So, he feels very guilty."


    "Oh, guilt. I thought... never mind."


    Noticing Hades'' displeased look, John wisely chose to shut up.


    "Lord Hephaestus... why are you here?"


    "Kaldaram, my most loyal follower, please forgive me."


    "...My lord."


    In truth, Kaldaram had somewhat understood his fate ever since he left Mount Olympus.


    He had be a discarded pawn, and there was some resentment in his heart.


    He couldn''tprehend why he had to meet such an end when he had been so loyal.


    But upon seeing Hephaestus again, the doubts in Kaldaram''s heart vanished.


    To be precise, the reason no longer mattered.


    "My lord, I am willing to offer my life and everything I have to you! It is my honor to be chosen."


    "Forgive me, Kaldaram, forgive me..."


    Hephaestus sighed and turned to Hades, who understood immediately.


    With a mere thought, chaos chains erupted from the ground, effortlessly piercing Kaldaram''s body and erasing his existence.


    Seeing this, Hephaestus tightly closed his eyes.


    Though he didn''t want to face it, he could still sense Kaldaram''s demise.


    "Hades... thank you."


    "It''s nothing. I''ve fulfilled my promise to you. Now, it''s your turn to fulfill yours."


    "Of course, I will keep my word."


    Hephaestus nodded slightly and picked up the giant hammer.


    Intense heat surged from his palm, gradually melting the incredibly hard hammer into an irregrly shaped ellipsoid.


    "Take it."


    Hephaestus tossed the ellipsoid to Hades, who caught it steadily and, after examining it closely, nodded in satisfaction.


    "John, it''s yours now."


    "Mine?"


    John, who had just been watching the show, was surprised to receive an unexpected reward. Taking the ellipsoid, he asked, "What is this?"


    "It''s a valuable item, the Demigod-tier weapon [Everchanging] created by Hephaestus, the god of fire and forging.


    It can change shape ording to your thoughts.


    Many gods have coveted this thing, but Hephaestus was too stingy to give it to anyone.


    However, as part of our deal, he agreed to give it to me. Give it a try."


    Hearing this, John raised his eyebrows skeptically and started to imagine a reaper''s scythe in his mind.


    The next moment, the ellipsoid in his hand began to transform, one end extending into a long handle while the other curved into a scythe.


    The details matched exactly with what John had imagined.


    Seeing this, John was dumbfounded.


    "How is this possible?"


    "Although I''d love to know the principle behind this thing, it''s unfortunate that Hephaestus won''t reveal it.


    And ording to him, even he finds it difficult to recreate something like this. So, consider yourself lucky. What you hold in your hand is something countless gods would envy."


    "This is... truly unexpected!"


    An incredible stroke of luck!


    "I''ve solved your problem. Now you can get lost."


    "Of course, I''m leaving right away!"


    John was in a great mood and couldn''t be bothered to argue with Hades.


    Besides, he knew he couldn''t win an argument with Hades anyway.


    But no matter what, obtaining such a treasure put John in excellent spirits.


    After leaving the underworld through the portal, John kept his eyes fixed on [Everchanging].


    The ellipsoid in his hand transformed into a spear, then a scimitar, and even a rifle!


    Unfortunately, even when it took the form of a rifle, it couldn''t function properly and was just a solid stick good for hitting people.


    This was likely because John didn''t understand the intricate inner workings of a rifle, so it could only mimic the appearance��a nearly solid club.


    "Looks like I need to get some serious lessons on firearms from Qing when I get back."


    Just imagining pulling out a rifle and unleashing firepower while everyone else was fighting with swords and knives was thrilling!


    Lost in thought, John followed [Deception] out of the abyss. After putting away [Everchanging], he let out a long breath.


    Despite his joy, John didn''t let it cloud his judgment. He remembered the promise [Deception] had made and wasn''t going to forget it easily.


    "Now that the trouble is resolved, it''s time for you to fulfill your promise, right?"


    Walking alongside [Deception], John asked in a deep voice, "Tell me, how much do you know about this world?"


    "Not talking... is not an option. Why don''t you ask the questions, John? What do you want to know?"


    "First, you should tell me who you really are. It seems you knew Kaldaram. Were you both human?"


    Hearing this, [Deception] seemed to fall into a memory, and after a long silence, he smiled bitterly, "You''re right. We were once ordinary people.


    Everything that happened to you, I have experienced firsthand.


    The seven-day disaster, monsters everywhere, and that damned game��I went through it all.


    The only difference is that we lost. Miracles didn''t favor us. In my world, humanity was wiped out.


    Only we, the traitors who chose to serve the [Gods], survived as their followers."


    "Besides you, how many are left?"


    "Excluding those who have already died, there are less than twenty of us left. In an entire world, on an entire, only twenty people remain."


    "What was the apocalypse like, in your world?"


    "You probably expect me to use words like terrifying or hopeless, but unfortunately, when the apocalypse came, it was much quieter than you can imagine.


    In just an instant, every life on the died without warning. By the time I realized it, some people''s corpses had already started to rot. It was a silent end, a quiet extinction.


    So there was no struggle, no chance to resist. It happened so quickly and quietly that the world simply restarted."


    Hearing this, John bit his lip. He wanted to say something tofort [Deception], but the words wouldn''te. In the end, he just sighed.


    "Have you ever gone back to see it?"


    "No, I had the chance, but I decided against it.


    I am a traitor to humanity. What right do I have to return to that world? What kind of mindset should I have when facing my fallenrades who rest in unnoticed corners?


    I long ago lost the right to mourn them. That''s my reality��a remnant of a departed world."


    With that, [Deception] sighed deeply.


    "Let''s leave it at that. I don''t want to talk about it anymore."


    "...I''m sorry."


    "It''s not your fault, John. Do you know? Sometimes I really envy you.


    If I had had a chance to start over, like you... but it''s over now."

 Chapter 152 - 152-Smart Aleck (Part 1)

    "Master John, isn''t this a bit risky?"


    Watching the people leaving one after another, Elowen swallowed nervously, stepped forward, and said in a low voice, "The poption of the elven habitat is growing. If we recklessly introduce fifteen monsters into the habitat, it could cause irreparable damage and might copse the trust we''ve painstakingly built with other races."


    Upon hearing this, John turned around, patted Elowen''s shoulder, and smiled, "Go and look at the iron cage covered with the ck cloth at the back, and you''ll understand."


    Elowen was very puzzled.


    He couldn''tprehend what John meant, but he obediently walked over, lifted the ck cloth, and was stunned to see that the cage was empty.


    "There... are no monsters?"


    "Of course not! Do you think I would use the lives of the elves to test a bunch of inexperienced kids? Absolutely not! The monsters are fake, but the trial is real."


    "I don''t understand, Master John. If there are no monsters, how will we conduct the trial?"


    "You''ll know in a moment. Just wait... five more minutes."


    John tugged at the corners of his mouth, looking at the bewildered Elowen, and exined, "Imagine, Elowen, if you knew that in ten minutes, monsters would invade the elven habitat, what would you do?"


    "I would immediately inform the nsmen to seek refuge and simultaneously gather the guards to set up blockades at the possible entry points of the monsters."


    "A wise choice, maybe not the best, but definitely the correct one. There wouldn''t be a wrong choice. Now, Elowen, what do you think they will choose to do?"


    "I, I don''t know. It shouldn''t be much different, right?"


    "Hard to say. Let''s go and see."


    With that, John turned to ria.


    It was clear that ria already knew the truth, so she didn''t seem puzzled but just nodded slightly.


    After leaving the vicinity of the pce, John asked the guards along the way and finally determined the current locations of the fourteen people.


    Three were gathered at the trading route, six had joined forces to guard the only path leading to the pce, five had gone to the outskirts of the habitat, and one was missing.


    After obtaining this information, Elowen turned to John and asked, "Master John, who should we look for first?"


    "No rush. I''m more curious about the one who''s missing than these known positions. Can you find out where he is?"


    "It''s a bit troublesome. After Master John announced the disbandment, this kid immediately disappeared. We''ve searched the vicinity for a long time and couldn''t find him."


    "Hey! Interesting. What''s this kid''s name?"


    "Reporting to Lord John, the boy who''s currently missing is named Babylon Elliot. He''s from the Night Elf n and just turned one hundred eighty years old this year."


    "Night Elf? What''s the difference?"


    John furrowed his brows and turned to Elowen.


    Thetter immediately exined, "The Night Elf n is essentially the same as the Elven n, but besides worshipping the God of Nature, they also worship the Goddess of Night. Thus, they gain power from the moonlight. Their overall strength is decent, but correspondingly, their lifespan is shorter. They typically live around eight hundred years before passing away."


    "I see. A race that trades a shorter lifespan for greater power. Hmm... this kid is quite interesting."


    John half-closed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and continued, "Make sure to find the whereabouts of this Babylon Elliot."


    "Yes, sir!"


    Watching the orderly departure of the guards, John became increasingly curious about what kind of person Babylon truly was.


    However, before that, John needed to check on the others'' statuses.


    First, they went to themercial street near the pce. With Elowen''s guidance, John quickly identified the three participants of the trial.


    At this moment, the three of them were as tense as facing a great enemy, bing rmed at the slightest disturbance.


    "Clearly, they chose to be closest to the pce butcked the courage and confidence to face the monsters.


    Among the three, only the elven girl leading them asionally showed a hint of determination in her eyes. It seems she was the decision-maker to stay here.


    As for the other two, regardless of the reason, they chose to follow blindly rather than think independently.


    "Unqualified."


    Hearing John''s evaluation, Elowen didn''t dare to dy and quickly recorded John''s words.


    "Alright, go inform those three to return to the clearing in front of the pce and wait."


    "Yes, Lord John!"


    "Next is a six-person team. Hey, Elowen, your two old buddies are among them. Do you want to go up and say hello?"


    "Master John, please don''t tease me. Business is business. I''ve taken note of it, and I will never make the same mistake again."


    "That''s good."


    John nodded with satisfaction. After passing through this essential path, they indeed saw a fortification and checkpoint at the end. read-more-at-MvLeMpYr


    Compared to the three who stayed on themercial street, the six here handled things much better.


    Perhaps it was because there were two of Elowen''s personal guards among them; everything was proceeding in an orderly manner.


    Two of them climbed up the treetops as scouts, responsible for observing the situation. If monsters appeared, they would be alerted immediately.


    Two others held long spears, standing behind the chevaux-de-frise, watching all directions and guarding against monsters that might suddenly emerge from the bushes.


    Thest two were responsible for exining the situation to passersby, maintaining order, and preventing panic.


    "Clear division ofbor, and there''s no sign of ck or fear.


    It seems someone has takenmand, and the person in charge is worth noting.


    However, setting up a checkpoint rashly may cause the elven citizens'' attention and panic.


    The handling needs improvement. Barely a pass, and themander can get an above-average rating."


    Elowen diligently wrote down John''s words.


    "Well... next are the three who fled to the outskirts of the habitat, right? No need to look, directly judged as unqualified.


    If today weren''t a test, such cowardly behavior would be punishable by death. The lives of elven citizens alwayse first, no matter what."


    "Understood, Master John. Now, the only one left is Babylon, who is still unounted for."


    "No rush, first call everyone else back. You will be in charge of the reprimand, using my summary as a basis. Add some humiliating terms as needed. For these self-proimed invincible kids, a harsh lesson is the key to promoting their growth."


    "Then I''ll lead the team back, Master John. If I find any news about Babylon, I''ll inform you immediately."


    "Got it. I''ll look around the area."


    John waved his hand, his eyes constantly scanning the surroundings, trying to spot Babylon. Unfortunately, he found nothing.


    It made sense; with nearly a million people in the elven habitat, finding one person was like searching for a needle in a haystack.


    Wandering around aimlessly wouldn''t solve anything either.


    "Alright, Babylon, let me guess what you''re thinking."


    If this boy named Babylon had seen through the essence of this test from the beginning and realized that the monsters were fabricated, then...


    "If it were me, I''d definitely stay near the pce to watch the show. A self-proimed genius, once his thoughts were validated, wouldn''t miss any opportunity to mock those he considers fools.


    Babylon, are you a genius?"


    With this in mind, John took a deep breath and, seeing that Elowen hadn''t gone far, immediately called out to him.


    "Master John, is there something else?"


    "Nothing else. I''ll go back with you all to verify my guess."


    This statement was cryptic, and Elowen didn''t understand John''s meaning at all. But it didn''t matter. In front of Master John, he didn''t need to think too much. Master John would naturally consider everything thoroughly, and he just needed to execute the orders.


    Meanwhile, on an ancient century-old tree near the pce!


    Babylon leaned against the tree,zily yawning, with a tear at the corner of his eye.


    "Why haven''t these foolse back yet? Could they still be looking for me? Sigh, so boring. I thought this human would be different."

 Chapter 153 - 153-Acting Smart (Part 2)

    "Oh? They''re back, they''re back, haha! Just as I expected, they came back after all!"


    From the treetop, Babylon''s eyes lit up as he caught sight of the returning group in the distance.


    "Look at these pathetic people, you can tell what happened just by their appearance. Tsk, tsk, tsk, being selected along with such people is really an insult to me."


    "Is it? I don''t think you''re that smart either."


    Just as Babylon was feeling smug, an unfamiliar voice suddenly came from behind, startling him and causing his body to jolt, making him identally fall from the treetop!


    With the treetop being nearly thirty meters off the ground, and with Babylon''s physical condition, falling headfirst would probably leave him severely injured, if not dead.


    Babylon could almost feel the excruciating pain of bones breaking and instinctively closed his eyes, shielding his head with his hands.


    But...


    The expected heavy impact never came.


    He seemed to have stopped falling and was now suspended in mid-air?


    Babylon cautiously opened his eyes and noticed that his hair was only about ten centimeters from the ground, and he was hanging upside down, with John holding him by the ankle.


    "Babylon Elliot, isn''t it?"


    John nced at Babylon with a mocking smile and said, "You think you''re smart, but did you ever consider ending up in such a sorry state?"


    "Jo-John? How did you find me?"


    "Do you really think you''re the smartest person in the world? People like you are easy to read, not hard to find."


    John let go of his grip, letting Babylon''s face hit the ground first, making him fall t on his face.


    "Ouch, ouch, ouch! If you''re going to let go, at least give a warning!"


    Babylon pouted, struggled to sit up, and rubbed his face.


    "Stop talking nonsense and get back to the team."


    John pointed to the neatly arranged group.


    Although Babylon Elliot was unwilling to be ordered by John, he obediently got up and rejoined the team.


    John then took another look at the group of boys and girls, connecting each name with a face.


    "As you can see, this little test has shown that there were no monsters. What I wanted to test was your on-the-spot reaction to unexpected situations. To be honest, I am very disappointed."


    John let out a heavy sigh and walked straight to the three people at the front of the team, stopping in front of the girl.


    MVLeMpYr-the-story-tform


    "You are Meryl, right?"


    "Y-yes, Lord John, I am Meryl."


    "I ask you, just now when the three of you stayed in themercial street, whose decision was that?"


    "It was mine, Lord John."


    Meryl swallowed hard, showing no intention of shirking responsibility or making excuses, and straightforwardly admitted it.


    "Very well, tell me your thoughts. Why did you decide to stay directly in such a crowded ce like themercial street? What was your reasoning?"


    "Lord John, themercial street is crowded and has many travelers from out of town with little to nobat power. If a monster were to appear, it could cause a panic.


    My thought was to control the situation and minimize losses as much as possible before support arrived, to reduce the panic."


    Despite John''s intimidating presence, Meryl''s voice was almost as faint as a mosquito''s, but she still clearly exined her reasoning.


    John couldn''t deny that her idea was good, although their execution was somewhatughable.


    "The idea is good, but there are a few points that need correction.


    First, standing in the middle of a chaotic crowd makes it impossible to fight the monster.


    If you were to use themercial street as the final line of defense, the first thing you should do is evacuate the nearby people.


    Second, you overlooked the most important basic aspect, which is your own strength.


    With the strength of the three of you, if you really encountered monsters five times your number, you would be food for the monsters within minutes.


    Lastly, the third point, it''s good that Meryl has her own ideas.


    Even though this idea is not entirely correct, it shows that you have some ability to respond to unexpected situations.


    Well done, girl. Keep up the good work."


    Hearing this, Meryl''s eyes lit up instantly. When she lifted her head, she met John''s gaze. Compared to earlier, his eyes were noticeably softer. After a moment of stunned silence, Meryl nodded dumbly and said, "I-I understand, Lord John."


    "Alright, next. You six set up a checkpoint on the only road connecting themercial street and the rest area, clearly divided your tasks, and worked methodically as a six-person team. Whose idea was this, and who organized it?"


    "Reporting to Lord John, it was me!"


    As soon as John finished speaking, Eden raised his hand sharply, a sh of pride in his eyes. As a member of the personal guard, Eden''s experience and thought process indeed surpassed that of the others, something even Alice couldn''tpare to.


    When mistakes are made, punishment is necessary, but when someone does well, they should be praised. John wouldn''t overlook Eden''s merits just because of his own prejudices.


    "In the face of a crisis, being able toe up with an appropriate response immediately, while also calming the civilians and being wary of monsters, Eden, you did well.


    Of course, don''t get too excited just yet. As I''ve said before, my attitude towards you won''t change easily. Besides, both you and Alice have far more experience than anyone else here. Achieving this only means you fulfilled your duty, it''s far from being exceptional, understand?


    So, don''t get toocent."


    "Yes, Lord John!"


    Strangely, after John''s reprimand, Eden''s attitude had undergone aplete change. He showed much more respect towards John and dared not speak insolently anymore.


    This is probably what they mean when they say a tree needs pruning to grow straight, and a child needs discipline to grow upright, right?


    John withdrew his gaze, nced at thest three-person team, and chose to skip over them directly.


    Suddenly being ignored like this would naturally be iprehensible to anyone, especially for a group of young, hot-blooded teenagers who couldn''t help but voice their confusion.


    "Lord John, why did you skip over the three of us?"


    "Do you really need to ask me that? I clearly told you that the monsters would be released from the clearing in front of the pce, yet the three of you ran to the far edge of the habitat. If this isn''t cowardice, then it''s sheer stupidity.


    Has no one ever told you that the purpose of the guard is to protect those who can''t protect themselves? Imagine if there had been a sudden monster attack today. With your actions, I could have chopped off your heads, and no one would have cared."


    John''s aggressive questioning made the three of them turn pale. They hadn''t expected John to have such an attitude, nor did he ask why they went to the edge of the habitat. From the incident itself, John was already extremely disappointed, making any exnation pointless.


    "B-but..."


    "No buts. You should be grateful I''m in a good mood today. Clevnd, tell them my rule!"


    "Without permission, no one is allowed to act on their own, including speaking."


    "Exactly, that''s my rule. You''d better understand this clearly, or I won''t hesitate to punish you harshly. I''m sure you wouldn''t want that, right?"


    "Y-yes, Lord John, we understand and are willing to ept the punishment..."


    Hearing John''s exnation, their leader, Kakarot, sighed deeply.


    He had initially thought that with so many monsters, it was impossible for all of them to be released near the pce.


    This would cause irreversible damage to themercial area.


    That''s why they had the sudden idea to go to the edge, nning to intercept the monsters there.


    John had to admit that these three had a lively way of thinking.


    The only problem was that it was too theoretical.


    They understood what to do but not how or why, making them overall more of a liability than an asset, thus failing to meet the standards.


    "Now, I''ve recorded detailed evaluations of all fourteen of you. Elowen will score your performances each time, so if you really want to be chosen, I suggest you start using your brains more."

 Chapter 158 - 158-The Expected Attack (Part 1)

    "Something''s about to happen. I don''t know what exactly, but you''re afraid of monsters, right? I remember that, so close your eyes and cover your ears tightly!"


    Babylon released his grip but didn''t step back, urgently saying, "You''d better do as I say, or it''ll be toote!"


    "I, I''m not..."


    Despite Babylon''s keen senses and timely actions, he was still a step toote. Before Meryl could finish her sentence, a ferocious roar erupted from the forest in front of the group, and powerful shockwaves rippled out, washing over the surrounding ground!


    Seeing this, Babylon''s brows furrowed tightly.


    "Still a step toote..."


    Seeing Meryl''s face turn pale instantly, Babylon grabbed her shoulder and pushed her behind him.


    "If you''re scared, then stay away!"


    Almost simultaneously, Babylon quickly scanned his surroundings. Sure enough, as expected, amidst the chaos caused by the sudden appearance of the monsters, Elowen''s figure had quietly vanished.


    "It seems this is a premeditated attack."


    While his thoughts churned, three monsters emerged from the dense forest. Upon seeing their appearances, even Babylon felt a wave of disgust.


    One was a snail-type monster, standing about four meters tall. Every time it moved, it left a trail of corrosive slime on the ground, rotting the nts it passed into pools of green liquid.


    Behind the snail monster was a giant spider-type monster, roughly the same size as the snail. Its three crimson eyes scanned the group, its body covered in pitch-ck bristles, looking extremely menacing!


    Thest monster was one Babylon had never seen before. It resembled a kind of beetle, with a pair of nearly one-meter-long mandibles filled with sharp teeth, looking incredibly formidable.


    Even someone like Babylon, who wasn''t particrly afraid of bugs, broke out in a cold sweat upon seeing these three monsters. As for the others, some were so terrified that their legs gave way, causing them to copse to the ground!


    "Retreat!"


    Almost simultaneously, two distinct voices sounded from the crowd. Eden and Babylon were the first to respond, warning everyone to retreat. Unfortunately, most people were too frightened by the situation to move, their bodies frozen with fear.


    Seeing this, Babylon gritted his teeth and signaled to Eden. The two of them immediately began to drive the crowd back.


    However...


    One thing caught Babylon''s attention: the monsters weren''t attacking. This was highly unusual. Normally, monsters would attack the moment they appeared, trying to devour everything in sight to satisfy their hunger.


    But these monsters weren''t doing that. If his guess was correct, someone must be controlling them from behind the scenes.


    Most likely, it was Master John.


    "Such a nasty personality,ing up with a sudden attack like this. I should have figured it out sooner."


    Babylon had felt something was off ever since John left alone. He hadn''t known that John possessed the power to control monsters, so he hadn''t considered this possibility. But now, it all made sense.


    "Don''t panic! If I''m right, these three monsters are part of Master John''s test, evaluating our ability to handle sudden situations. So, stay calm! Although these monsters... are pretty disgusting, at least they haven''t attacked us yet!"


    Babylon''s shout snapped everyone out of their daze. Eden looked at the monsters and realized they really weren''t pursuing them; they were just watching coldly.


    "In any case, we must work together if we want any chance of passing this test!"


    ...


    Meanwhile, up in the treetops!


    John clicked his tongue, looking at Babylon with admiration in his eyes.


    "Elowen, what do you think?"


    "There''s not much to evaluate, Master John. You just want to hear me praise this kid. He''s meticulous, quick-thinking, and most importantly, he demonstrated a sense of team cohesion that he hadn''t shown even yesterday or earlier today."


    "That''s right. I''ve always believed that with proper training, Babylon could be a powerful elite. He''s strong and quick-witted butcks team awareness and tends to act independently. However, I must admit I misjudged him."


    m _v,l_e _mp|y|r chapter


    "Master John, you don''t really intend to have them deal with these three monsters, do you?" Elowen scratched her head, looking somewhat puzzled.


    "Is there a problem?"


    "These three monsters are pretty strong. Even I find them difficult to handle. They have no realbat experience, and I''m afraid someone might get hurt."


    "You don''t need to worry about that. I can control these three monsters. If any dangerous situations arise, I''ll intervene in time."


    "That puts me at ease... To be honest, I''m also a bit curious to see how they will perform."


    "Just wait and see."


    John nced at the time, a slight smile ying on his lips. "It''s about time to give them a bit more external stimtion. Let''s start."


    As soon as he finished speaking, the three monsters moved simultaneously!


    The carrion snail struck first, its antennae writhing and suddenly shooting out countless toxic arrows, raining down on everyone!


    The iron-armored spider quickly followed, reaching Babylon at the back of the group within a few breaths, raising its ws to strike!


    The shield beetle unfurled its wings, bing a blur as it blocked everyone''s escape route!


    "Watch out!"


    Seeing the iron-armored spider''s attack about tond, Eden gritted his teeth and yanked Babylon back by the shoulder. The ws descended, effortlessly piercing the ground where Babylon had just stood!


    Seeing this, Babylon gasped, almost scared out of his wits!


    "The speed... it''s too fast!"


    Escape was impossible; there was no way out!


    Not to mention that the snail-type monster was continuously corroding their range of movement, but with the incredibly agile spider-type and the flying insect, escape was simply impossible!


    "Master John, isn''t the pressure on them a bit too much?"


    "Too much? I think it''s just right."


    John smiled and shook his head, standing up on the tree crown, and continued, "They are all adults now, each at the peak of their strength. Don''t underestimate them. There''s a saying from my homnd, Elowen, that you should remember: ''Put them in a desperate situation, and they will fight to survive.''"


    ng!


    A sharp sound rang out as Eden was sent flying by the force of the impact. The shell of the spider-type monster was much tougher than he had imagined.


    Even the enchanted weapons Master John had crafted for them couldn''t prate the spider''s defense and were deflected.


    "Everyone, don''t panic..."


    Amidst the chaotic and tense situation, Meryl stood up, suppressing her inner fear, and took over the responsibility ofmanding. Even though her eyes were brimming with tears and her voice trembled, almost breaking into a sob, she resolutely said, "We must allocate some people to restrain the flying beetle. If it gains control, it will be a huge problem!


    Sister Alice, could you lead four people to hold off the beetle? You don''t necessarily have to harm it, just keep it upied!"


    "I''ll do my best."


    Alice nodded slightly. Despite the daunting task, she charged forward without hesitation, followed closely by four others.


    At this point, everyone had to contribute to survive. cking off or showing cowardice was tantamount to suicide!


    "Babylon, Brother Eden! We will create opportunities for you two, distracting the spider-type monster as much as possible. Please deal with the snail-type monster quickly, or we will all be corroded by the acid soon!


    Additionally, if possible, collect some of the snail''s acid. It is the key to breaking through this situation!"


    "Be very careful! Its attacks are fast and fierce; do not try to withstand them directly!"

 Chapter 159 - 159-The Expected Attack (Part 2)

    Watching the people below finally regain theirposure and start their counterattack, John suddenly smiled.


    "Fear, resilience, a sense of the bigger picture."


    "Pride, acuity, insight."


    "Recklessness, strength, leadership."


    "Elowen, don''t you think these three are worth nurturing? Although each has their ws, theyplement each other perfectly."


    Even though John didn''t name them directly, Elowen understood who he was referring to.


    There was no other way; the brilliance these three disyed in moments of crisis far outshone everyone else.


    "Meryl, Babylon, Eden. Master John, should we give them special attention?"


    "No need, we can''t rush their growth."


    John shook his head and chuckled, "I''m very much looking forward to seeing what other surprises they can bring me."


    Babylon, who acts as the eyes and ears, Meryl, who keeps a cool head at all times, and Eden, who delivers a direct blow to the enemy.


    Without a doubt, they were the ones John was expecting great things from.


    At this moment, on the battlefield!


    Meryl''s body trembled like a leaf, yet she forced herself to endure the fear, continuously observing the situation on the field and givingmands at the first opportunity.


    "Sister Alice, don''t engage the beetle monster head-on. Its back is its blind spot. Those wings are nothing like Master John''s; they can''t maneuver flexibly. Attack it from behind as much as possible!


    "Carter, the spider monster''s body is covered with extremely tough bristles. Ordinary weapons can''t break through! If possible, try attacking its eyes and abdomen!"


    As for Babylon and Eden, Meryl bit her lip but said nothing.


    These two were equally outstanding and didn''t need her guidance.


    Meryl believed that Babylon and Eden would surely seed in hunting down the snail monster!


    "Damn! This acid is so annoying!"


    Babylon kicked Eden away and used the recoil to retreat several meters, barely avoiding a direct hit from the acid.


    Seeing the corner being corroded, Babylon clenched his teeth, his face growing increasingly grim.


    "Eden, are you okay?"


    "The battle armor took part of the impact, I''m fine!"


    Struggling to stand up, Eden cast a grateful nce at Babylon.


    It wouldn''t be an exaggeration to say that without Babylon''s kick, Eden would have been dissolved by the acid, turning into a pool of blood.


    "This beast''s acid seems endless. We can''t get close at all!" Eden said with a serious expression. "We need to find a way to get closer!"


    "We don''t necessarily have to get close..."


    Babylon frowned and said in a deep voice, "Have you noticed that the acid from this snail monster is sprayed from the antennae on its head? Except for its feet, the rest of its body doesn''t get any acid on it."


    "What... what does that mean?"


    "Eden, I have an idea and I need your help."


    "What are you nning to do?"


    now.


    "I''m not sure, but I think it could work. Please, Eden, help distract it!"


    At this point, Eden, although unclear about Babylon''s n, didn''t ask further questions. Dodging the acid, he took a deep breath.


    "As long as I can distract it, right? That''s simple enough."


    With that, Eden removed the enchanted battle armor from his chest, immediately feeling much lighter.


    "Basically, it''s just a dodgeball game. I''m good at this!"


    With those words, Eden let out a grunt and charged towards the snail monster at high speed!


    As Babylon expected, upon noticing Eden''s attempt to approach, the snail monster exhibited strong resistance, spraying acid frantically in an attempt to force Eden back!


    Without the enchanted battle armor, Eden''s speed was incredibly fast, so fast that the acid always missed him by a step!


    Because of this, Babylon finally confirmed his hypothesis.


    The beast that was corroding them with acid could not withstand its own highly concentrated acid!


    With this knowledge, the solution became clear.


    If they could corrode the snail monster''s shell with its own acid, it would be defeated without much effort!


    "But... achieving that is easier said than done."


    John naturally saw through Babylon''s n.


    Even he had to admit that Babylon''s idea was not wrong.


    After all, the reason John summoned such a monster was to provide them with a glimmer of hope.


    With their own strength, they couldn''t break through the monster''s defense. This was an undeniable fact.


    That''s why John summoned this creature, one that would be full of weaknesses once approached, even bing a monster that could be used against itself.


    In due course, they proved they didn''t waste John''s efforts, seizing the slim chance of survival amid overwhelming despair.


    It''s not an exaggeration to say that in a fleeting moment, John seemed to see a shadow of his past self in them.


    Facing the unknown with fear, yet finding a miracle to survive within that fear, and willing to do whatever it takes.


    "It''s over."


    "Huh? Master John, what did you say?"


    "I said it''s over. Although these monsters are still alive, the assessment has ended. This time, everyone scored full marks."


    Aside from the impressive performance of Meryl, Babylon, and Eden, what pleased John the most was the behavior of the others.


    In such a critical moment, no one exhibited excessive self-awareness.


    No one tried to be the main character by ignoring warnings and advice to insist on their own ideas.


    Everyone yed their roles well, which was the mostmendable aspect.


    "Although they are still very weak, and perhaps in the future their strength will never change, their thinking, experience, and courage will evolve through continuous honing.


    As for the strength that cannot be improved, I will solve that problem for them."


    ...


    "John and ria still haven''t returned. It''s already the third day. They said we would set off for Spartonia today.


    I''m really looking forward to seeing what a city blessed by the God of War looks like."


    "Haha, I fear it won''t disappoint you, Exiled Immortal boy. I''ve heard many people talk about Spartonia, and the mostmon description is... barbaric."


    Old Mac took a swig of wheat beer, sighed contentedly, and continued, "That world that esteems brute strength probably isn''t very friendly to my old bones. Oh, and Lily and ria too. They probably won''t have it easy in Spartonia.


    Spartonia values physical strength and rejects magic to an extreme degree.


    In Spartonia, almost no magic can be used.


    Once in Spartonia, Lily will be no different from an ordinary person."


    Upon hearing this, Lily''s eyes widened in shock. "Is it really that serious?"


    "Of course, the reality is even more exaggerated than what I described. So, the trip to Spartonia won''t be that easy. For Qing, though, going to Spartonia is like returning home. Spartonia doesn''t forbidbat; you can challenge anyone to a duel right on the street.


    As long as no lives are lost, you can fight all you want. The Spartonia marshals patrolling the streets won''t stop you. In fact, they might even punish the person who refuses the duel and cheer you on from the sidelines."


    "That really is... haha, quite a ce."


    Qing grinned, clearly very satisfied with Spartonia. Indeed, in a past life, after arriving in Spartonia, Qing single-handedly toppled half of Spartonia City, thriving as if he were a fish in water.


    Unfortunately, it was hard on Lily...


    "So, before we set off, you should enjoy the current peace as much as possible. Once we reach Spartonia, these quiet days will be scarce."


    "Uncle Mac, please stop. I have no interest in Spartonia anymore... If possible, I''d like to return to the Deep Forest and join you after you''ve left Spartonia."


    Lily sighed softly, her face showing some distress. If things were indeed as described, how was she, a Priest of the Stars, supposed to cope?

 Chapter 169 - 169-This is Spartonia!

    "Sister, is there still no sign of Spartonia on your map?"


    Outskirts!


    Exiled Immortal waved his hand, sending his flying sword soaring into the sky to effortlessly kill the monster lurking in the grass. "We''ve been walking for a day and a night. Are we sure this is the right direction? We might be lost, right?"


    "John marked this direction. There''s no mistake."


    Hearing John''s name, Exiled Immortal fell silent. After a long pause, he sighed deeply.


    "Sister, do you think John... might be mad at us?"


    Qing chimed in, "Yeah, John has always been really good to us. He even gave us Demigod-tier items without a second thought. Thinking back, I might have been a bit too harsh yesterday..."


    "John won''t be mad; that''s not his nature.


    But we haven''t been very good friends.


    Uncle Mac truly cares about that issue.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have insisted on going back. I also didn''t think it through yesterday.


    But what''s done is done.


    We need to move forward. John didn''t n toe to Spartonia because he and the others would face various restrictions there.


    However, this is a main quest we can''t avoid.


    Even if it''s just the three of us, we need to get the rewards and quickly boost our strength.


    So, don''t regret our decision. And there''s one more thing."


    Helena closed the map and gazed ahead.


    "Spartonia is just up ahead."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal and Qing perked up, looking in the direction Helena pointed. They could vaguely see the outline of a city.


    "Still so far away!"


    "About three hours'' walk. Compared to our journey so far, it''s not far. Stopining and pick up the pace."


    ...


    Meanwhile, outside the City Lord''s mansion in Talcavano!


    John willed the Everchanging to transform into a long spear, slinging it over his shoulder. ck mes clung to the spear, emitting an ominous aura.


    "This is the City Lord''s mansion. Unauthorized personnel, leave at once!"


    "Go tell your city lord he has a visitor. If he asks for my name, tell him it''s John."


    "John? Never heard of you! Move along, or we''ll use force!"


    Hearing this, Johnughed.


    "No worries. You''ll know me soon enough."


    With that, John hurled the ck-med spear like a shooting star, instantly pinning the guard to the wall, silencing him immediately.


    Witnessing this, the nearby guards sounded the rm. Within moments, hundreds of soldiers surrounded John from all directions.


    Seeing this, John remained unfazed, smirking coldly. "With this level of skill, I don''t know what Barry was so worried about."


    "The offering has been made. Respond to my call!"


    The hexagram array flickered, and countless tentacles emerged from the magic circle, devouring the monster corpses that John had brought out.


    The ground began to heave, as if something was trying to break through.


    Finally, a giant w burst from the array and mmed heavily onto the ground, revealing the monster''s true form!


    "Three Snow Behemoths... and it took so many monster corpses to summon them. But this will suffice."


    At John''smand, the three Behemoths began their incantations.


    Frost spread from beneath their feet, and a blue stream gathered above their heads.


    In just a few breaths, the diameter of the ice sphere exceeded twenty meters!


    Seeing this, the guards surrounding John trembled in fear.


    "What are these monsters?"


    The three Level 60 Behemoths, with their mountain-like bodies and ice-controlling abilities, instantly dominated the battlefield!


    "Are you still not nning to show yourself, Caliban?"


    "John, why are you causing a ruckus at my mansion and injuring my guards?"


    Finally, the gates of the mansion slowly opened. Caliban emerged, riding a silver-gray dragon and d in fiery red armor, making him particrly conspicuous.


    "Caliban, you''re the one who ordered the sealing of Minefield No. 1, right?"


    "Yes, I did. But that was many years ago. Is there a problem?"


    "Why did you seal Minefield No. 1?"


    "Because the underground resources were nearly exhausted. To prevent over-extraction, I had no choice but to seal it."


    Hearing this, Johnughed abruptly.


    "You''re still sticking to that story. How do you exin secretly ordering the extraction of Silver me Rock from Minefield No. 1? You''ve been monopolizing it for years, making a fortune, haven''t you?"


    John watched Caliban''s reaction closely.


    As expected, a flicker of panic shed in Caliban''s eyes, although it was fleeting, John caught it.


    "Heh, it seems I hit the mark. You sealed the mine with a flimsy excuse just to monopolize the Silver me Rock for yourself, didn''t you?"


    "That''s nonsense! I''ve clearly exined why Minefield No. 1 was sealed. John, stop causing trouble here and leave immediately, or I''ll show no mercy!"


    "Just you? A Level 70 NPC riding a Level 65 Earth Dragon, and you think you''re invincible?"


    John sneered, not hiding the mockery in his eyes. He boldly advanced towards Caliban, thrusting his ck-med spear straight at Caliban''s face!


    "You asked for this! John, you provoked me, don''t me me for what happens next!"


    Caliban narrowed his eyes and swung his massive sword heavily, clearly intending to sh head-on with John!


    However, he underestimated the power of the ck mes and overestimated his own strength!


    The moment the ck-med spear collided with the sword, the ck mes spread, clinging to Caliban''s armor. The intense heat caused the armor to melt and deform. Instead of protecting him, the armor became a tool for John to burn Caliban''s body!


    Feeling the searing pain in his chest, Caliban gritted his teeth and pped the scales of the Earth Dragon. The dragon lunged forward with its massive jaws wide open, trying to swallow John whole!


    At that moment, the Snow Behemoth finally moved!


    The frost, which had been gathering for nearly five minutes, fell urately onto the Earth Dragon. If it took the hit, even if it didn''t die, it would be severely injured. Realizing this, Caliban didn''t hesitate for a moment and immediately controlled the Earth Dragon to retreat, putting distance between himself and John.


    "John, leave now, or you''ll be an enemy of Talcavano. I will use all my power to kill you!"


    "You? Not quite enough!"


    John waved his hand, and gray-ck mist poured out of him. Anyone who inhaled this mist instantly lost their sanity, bing ves to their desires.


    With this divine skill, even an army of a thousand or ten thousand wouldn''t matter. As long as they couldn''t break the talent skill [Indulgence],John couldn''t be surrounded!


    ...


    "Finally!"


    Qing looked up, taking in the wild style, the rugged architecture, and the muscr men guarding the gate with their bare chests, their muscles bulging like coiled dragons. Qing smiled knowingly.


    "This is exactly the feeling!"


    This is a nightmare for all mages but a paradise for warriors. Nearly all warriors stay here for a long time, and many choose to remain forever.


    This is Spartonia!


    "Hurry, hurry, hurry! I can''t wait to get into the city!"


    Qing''s excited shouts immediately drew a lot of attention. But seeing Qing''s imposing figure, people quickly looked away.


    There''s no helping it. Qing looks like someone you don''t want to mess with!


    "I want to enter the city!"


    Qing rushed forward, stopping in front of the Spartonia warrior, andughed loudly, "And I challenge you!"


    "Challenge me? Hey! First time in Spartonia, huh? Courageous folks like you aremon, but they never end up beating me."


    "I''m not like them. I can beat you to death!"


    "No, no, no. You are just like them. You''ll be beaten to death by me!"


    Indeed, this fierce style is unmistakably Spartonia.


    With just a nce, twopletely unrted people can start a battle of real men, engaging in a thrilling fistfight!

 Chapter 178: Chapter178-Acting Becomes Reality?

    "Time to eat! Sherry and Leonard, go wash your hands."


    Finally, Rachel and the others returned, bringing the dishes to the table in the courtyard one by one. [Deception] had his arm around Warner''s shoulder, whispering something that no one else could hear.


    John stood up and, as he passed by [Deception], grabbed his shoulder and squeezed hard. In an instant, [Deception]''s face turned red.


    "Wha... What''s the matter?"


    "Nothing, any problem?"


    "No problem, not a bit."


    [Deception] took a deep breath, gritting his teeth to prevent himself from crying out in pain.


    "That''s good."


    "What are you two talking about? Come on, aren''t you hungry?"


    "Coming,ing."


    John squinted his eyes and gave [Deception] a fierce re before following Sherry away.


    Yes, John was getting his revenge. He had been put in a difficult position, and not retaliating wasn''t in his nature.


    When they returned to the table, [Deception] had already quickly blended in with the others. His enthusiastic expression made it seem as if he had really lived with Warner and the others, making John feel a bit of admiration.


    "You''re finally back, Leonard. I heard from F that during your travels, you saved a human girl? That human girl fell in love with you. What happened then? What happened next?"


    Facing Rachel''s eager gaze and the faint chill emanating from his side, John felt a shiver in his heart. Damn, there was no need to guess; this must be a trap set by [Deception]!


    "There''s no need to talk about that, right?"


    John sat down andughed awkwardly, "It''s not worth mentioning, let''s not talk about it."


    "Come on, we''re all curious. Sherry, aren''t you curious?"


    "Yes, I want to know too."


    "...Alright."


    John sighed softly, his mind racing, constantly thinking about how to gloss over the situation. After a long silence, he finally spoke.


    "That human girl was named Renara. We met her in Spartonia. The first time I saw her, she was a ve, locked in a cage and being sold as an object. I couldn''t bear to see her in such a miserable state, so I bought her for a small price. Since then, she traveled with us.


    Initially, she was terrified of us and the whole world, but she gradually opened up until she eventually mustered the courage to confess her feelings for me. However, I refused her, not because of her status as a ve, but for other reasons."


    John paused, appearing to be reminiscing, but in reality, he was still making up the story.


    "Later, we continued our journey. As you know, Leonard and I were away for nearly a hundred years. Our underwater race has a long lifespan, and as long-lived beings, a century is but a moment for us. But Renara was just a human. During our travels, I didn''t notice that she was aging. Until one day, Renara suddenly disappeared.


    When we went back to find her, I realized she had be a hundred-year-old woman, which is quite a long life for a human. Later, I buried her in Deep Forest, a world full of flowers."


    After finishing his story, John exhaled deeply, wondering if he had managed to pass it off, but then he heard the sound of sobbing.


    John quickly looked up to find Rachel and Sherry with tears in their eyes.


    "Her... her death must have made you very sad, right?" Sherry sniffed, choking on her words.


    "For us, a hundred years is just a small part of our lives, but for Renara, it seemed like her entire life was spent busy, trying to keep up with us, always chasing. So if you ask whether I felt sad about her passing, the answer is definitely yes.


    She was like a passerby in my life, from initially not being used to her, to gradually getting ustomed to her presence, until finally, she became like family to me. Yes, I was very sad."


    "Leonard..."


    Sherry bit her lip gently, lightly holding John''s hand, already sobbing uncontrobly. Rachel was also crying, leaning on Warner''s shoulder, being softlyforted by him.


    Seeing this scene, John gave [Deception] a challenging look, and thetter pped his hands in admiration.


    "Sorry, brother, for making you recall that."


    "No worries, I''ve alreadye to terms with it. It was my honor to be a part of her life."


    ��


    The long dinner finally ended. During the meal, [Deception] and John kept trying to trip each other up, yet both were masters at spinning tales, making their characters more vivid. By the end, [Deception] had sessfully portrayed himself as a yboy, while John had transformed into a lovesick romantic. Thankfully, it was finally over.


    John extricated himself from Sherry''s grip, grabbed [Deception] by the shoulder, and lowered his voice, saying, "Damn it, are you crazy? Why are you giving me such trouble? Can''t you just keep quiet?"


    "Ow, ow, ow... Brother, I was helping you! The more detailed our stories, the less likely we are to be exposed!"


    "Then why don''t you perfect your own story instead of making me fill in yours? Do you know how close we were to being found out?"


    "I was confident I could cover for you, that''s why I said it. Besides, you did great! The story of the human girl Renara, even I was moved."


    "You''re dead!"


    John, annoyed, kicked [Deception] away and continued, "We''ll leave in a while. You better not cause any more trouble. It''s obvious we can''t get any useful information from these people."


    "Who says that? From what I see, that girl from the Ocean Guard must know a lot. She''s a squad leader, after all."


    "Easy for you to say. How am I supposed to ask? What if it raises suspicion?"


    "Well..."


    [Deception] smirked knowingly.


    "We definitely can''t leave tonight. Leaving abruptly would be strange. As for how to ask and what to ask, that''s up to you, brother."


    John looked at [Deception]''s meaningful smile, feeling a chill down his spine.


    "What do you mean?"


    "It doesn''t matter what I mean. What matters is what she means to you. During dinner, her gaze was almost glued to you. Why not imagine what might happen if we stay here tonight? It''s clearly to your advantage!"


    "?"


    John was stunned for a moment before quickly realizing something, his face suddenly changing.


    "Damn it, this is all your fault!"


    "That''s ungrateful of you. Clearly, you''re the one benefiting, yet you act like the victim? John, I''m helping you."


    "Damn you!"


    John clenched his fist, ready to give [Deception] a hard punch, but Warner unfortunately walked up just in time and invited John and [Deception] to stay the night. Before John could speak, [Deception] quickly epted the offer.


    "Well, that''s settled then. F, you and Rachel can stay at my ce. I have plenty of empty rooms. As for Leonard, you can stay at Rachel''s ce with Sherry."


    "This... this doesn''t seem appropriate."


    "What''s inappropriate about it? This is an opportunity the guys have created for you. Don''t chicken out at such a crucial moment!"


    [Deception] fanned the mes at just the right time, and Warner chimed in, "Since you''re back and not leaving, Sherry has waited for you for so many years. If you can''t take on this responsibility, even I will look down on you a bit."


    Hearing this, John felt a headacheing on.


    Responsibility? This isn''t my responsibility at all! How can I take it on? If I really stay here tonight, then I would have to take responsibility for real!


    "No, no, this isn''t fair to Sherry. I can''t do this!"


    Warner then lowered his voice and said seriously, "Don''t worry, this was Sherry''s idea. We originally nned for the three of us to stay at my ce. It was Sherry who insisted that we all leave so you two could be alone. So... Leonard, good luck!"


    John: "?"

 Chapter 179: Chapter179-The Pursuit

    Watching [Deception] leave with a grin, John felt a growing headache. Role-ying within a role-ying game��wasn''t this a bit too much?


    Before John could say anything, Sherry''s voice came from behind, feigning ignorance, "Eh? Why did everyone leave?"


    "Not sure. They said they''re staying at Warner''s ce. What about Rachel? Did she go too?"


    "No, she''s just finished cleaning up the dishes."


    Sherry approached, gently taking John''s arm, and smiled, "It''s been so many years. You seem to have grown taller. I used to be able to look you in the eye, but now I have to look up at you."


    "Maybe I had another growth spurt. By the way, Sherry, aren''t you going home today?"


    "No, my house is in the inner city. It''s too far. Besides, I have to patrol again tomorrow, so it''s more convenient to stay here. Why? Do you want me to leave?"


    "Of course not, I was just asking."


    Facing Sherry''s wistful gaze, John forced a smile and nervously looked away.


    "So, now that you''re back, do you n to stay?"


    "I don''t know. I don''t know if the journey will continue."


    "Do you want to leave? To continue your journey?"


    "I don''t know. I''m a bit lost right now."


    John shook his head. It felt like he was speaking to Sherry, but also questioning himself.


    Since his rebirth, there seemed to be an invisible hand pushing him forward continuously: from being an apostle, to a messenger, and now a deity. If this journey had no end, did the scenery along the way still hold any meaning?


    Moreover, John didn''t even have time to stop and appreciate the scenery. He was forced to keep moving forward. Despite experiencing many things he hadn''t in his previous life, John no longer felt any sense of novelty.


    He had be a ve to some mission.


    "I know Renara''s situation hit you hard. If you can''t sort out your thoughts right now, just stay here for a while. If one day you finally move past that shadow and want to continue your journey, I think I will apany you."


    "Actually, you don''t have to change yourself for me."


    "You''re wrong there. I''m not changing for you; I''m changing for myself. Being by your side, sharing your joys and sorrows, is what I long for. Although I don''t know if this is what you hope for, I think I will slowly find out the answer."


    As she spoke, Sherry gently stood on her tiptoes and kissed John''s cheek.


    "The journey must have been tiring. Have a good rest."


    The expected didn''t happen. It was a peaceful night. Sherry justy quietly beside John, listening to him share amusing anecdotes from his travels, sometimesughing out loud, sometimes quietly sobbing.


    For a moment, John truly immersed himself in this identity that had never really existed, and his restless emotions calmed down.


    "After hearing your stories, I feel like leaving here to see the world outside, but unfortunately, I don''t have the courage like you do. Leonard, doesn''t the unknown journey scare you? I mean, you don''t even know where the chosen path will lead. Why do you still have the courage to walk it?"


    "Calling it courage...isn''t quite right. What sustains me is also fear. The future is uncertain, but I can always find a path because the road is under my feet, and where it leads is a choice I make. But the past... it''s like a relentless maw, indifferently devouring everything, making it impossible for me to stop moving."


    "I... I don''t quite understand. Why be afraid of the past?"


    "Because my past is chasing me."


    ...


    When John finished sharing most of his journey with Sherry, it was already early morning.


    In the sunless depths of the ocean, there is no real sense of dawn or night, only the passage of time.


    "I didn''t expect us to talk for so long. Just by listening to you, I can feel how difficult this journey has been for you. So, back to the original question, I can sense that you still long for a real journey. A journey where you don''t have to worry about disturbing thoughts, don''t have any attachments, and won''t be a ve to something. Just walking freely, appreciating the scenery along the way.


    Antis is truly beautiful. Every time I go into the deep sea and see this kingdom lying quietly on the ocean floor like a lost gem, I can''t help but stop and admire it. But this ce isn''t your destination. I hope you can untangle your heart and leave here to explore the world. And I hope I can gather the courage to leave with you."


    Looking at Sherry''s gaze, John forced a smile and said, "I hope so. Are you leaving now?"


    "Yes, it''s my turn to lead the patrol these days. This time we might go to a farther ce. I hope your return brings me good luck and we don''t encounter any trouble."


    "Be careful. If you encounter danger, run away. Surviving is the most important thing."


    "That''s not an option! I''m the captain of the Ocean Guard''s third squad. I can''t flee in the face of danger! Don''t worry, I''ve swum through this area countless times and always returned safely. This time will be no different."


    Seeing Sherry''s confident expression, John felt a pang of anxiety. Damn, this is clearly raising a g. Not mentioning it would be better. Saying it out loud almost guarantees something will go wrong!


    But after spending the night talking, John had a good impression of Sherry. It wasn''t about romantic feelings, just that he found this slightly naive, imaginative, yet righteous person shouldn''t lose her life for such a ridiculous reason.


    "Sherry, do you know about Contract Alchemists?"


    "Contract Alchemists? What''s that?"


    "It''s an ability. When I was traveling, I met a Contract Alchemist and learned a bit from him. Basically, I can make monsters sign a contract with you, acting ording to your wishes to protect you. I have a feeling that the ocean isn''t very safe recently. I''m really worried. How about this: wait for me for a few minutes, okay?"


    Hearing this, Sherry nodded thoughtfully.


    Although she didn''t fully understand what John��more urately, Leonard��meant, her intuition made her willing to believe him.


    John led Sherry to the courtyard, where he took out several monster corpses and piled them up. Apanied by the recitation of obscure andplex incantations, a hexagram appeared at John''s feet, glowing with a brilliant blue light that caught Sherry''s eye.


    "So... so beautiful. How did you do that?"


    "It''s not done yet. Wait a moment."


    John stopped Sherry from approaching and began offering the sacrifices one by one.


    "I have offered the sacrifices, respond to my summon!"


    The monster corpses were engulfed one by one, and in exchange, a giant w emerged from the magic circle, struggling to pull itself out. Its appearance was simr to an earth dragon but more slender, less cumbersome, and with webbed ws, indicating its ability to operate both onnd and underwater.


    "Given the limitations of the sacrifice''s quality, this is my limit. A dragon-like monster, the Frostscale Drakon. Though it''s only level fifty-five, it''s enough to handle most emergencies. At the very least, it can buy you some time."


    Seeing this almost miraculous scene, Sherry widened her eyes in shock, unable to speak for a long time.


    Summoning a monster from a pile of monster corpses was far beyond Sherry''s understanding.


    "How... how did you do this?"


    "The principles are a bitplicated to exin. This is something you can only see in the outside world. Anyway, let''s sign the contract first. Once the contract is established, it will sense your thoughts andmands and follow them strictly. When I can''t protect you, let it protect you."


    "Remember what I said, Sherry. If you encounter danger, don''t be a hero. Sacrifice it to buy yourself time and a chance to survive. You can always form a new contract with another monster if this one dies. But if you die, everything is over."

 Chapter 180: Chapter180-A Narrow Escape

    "Though I don''t really understand why you''re so worried... rest assured, I won''t do anything foolish. I still want to go to the outside world with yo��"


    Before Sherry could finish speaking, John quickly covered her mouth.


    "Please, don''t jinx it any further. The contract is signed, you can go now. Remember my words at all times, and you''ll be safe."


    Watching Sherry leave, John finally breathed a sigh of relief. He realized he still couldn''t handle situations as effortlessly as [Deception]. Most of the time, dealing with Sherry gave John a headache.


    In contrast, [Deception] truly embodied whatever role he imed to be. When he called himself a yboy, his words exuded an undeniable charm, making any task seem easy for him. Perhaps it was because [Deception] had experienced so much and met all kinds of people, enabling him to imitate so deeply.


    Before long, [Deception] finally arrived, with Warner and Rachel not in tow. John frowned and asked, "Where are those two?"


    "I used a little trick. They''re sleeping soundly now. But enough about that, how did things go on your end? What about the woman who''s infatuated with you?"


    "She left. Unfortunately, nothing happened as you imagined, and I didn''t manage to get any information out of her."


    "Sigh, I expected as much. Don''t worry, though. I did get some information from that woman named Rachel. At least now we can be certain that the Divine Emissary and [Gluttony] aren''t in the pce."


    [Deception] sat down, exhaled deeply, and continued, "Those two are smart. They know staying in the pce would eventually expose them, so they hid. They''re probably waiting for [Gluttony] to recover its strength before confronting us. If that''s the case, we''re in big trouble. When ites to fighting, I can''t help much. It''ll be you against both of them.


    How confident are you?"


    "Are you kidding? Whether it''s an Apostle or the Divine Emissary, they''re both Demigod-tier beings. How could I possibly fight them?"


    "Besides, we''re in their arena; we''re at a disadvantage in every aspect. It''s nearly impossible to match them unless you can also put in your full effort to help me."


    "Then stop hoping for that. I can still wield some power, but only because the long years of experience have left an indelible mark on my body, allowing me to barely exert the remnants of my strength. The torch has already been passed to you. Frankly, I''m just an ordinary yer now and can''t offer you much help."


    "Then we need to quickly find where they are hiding and take out the Divine Emissary before [Gluttony] awakens."


    But that''s easier said than done. How can we easily find a person in this vast, tranquil sea?


    "Should we move on then? Are we staying here any longer?"


    "Of course not, we''ve drained these people of their worth. There''s no point in staying."


    "Speaking of which, can you erase their memories rted to us?"


    "I could, but suddenly having a day of nk memory might cause memory confusion and risk exposing our identity. Are you sure you want to do that?"


    "I just think that retaining memories of us might interfere with our next moves. Never mind, I''ll leave a letter. Also, I may need to leave for a while, but I won''t be long. I should be back before nightfall."


    Previously, John had promised ria and Lily that he would contact them as soon as he reached Antis. Even if he didn''t bring them over, he needed to let them know he was safe, so they wouldn''t worry.


    Deception seemed to sense this too and didn''t say much more. He mentioned he would move ahead to search for traces of the Divine Emissary before turning to leave.


    Seeing him go, John took a deep breath and returned to his room to leave a note for Sherry.


    "When you read this letter, I should already be continuing my journey with F. Regrettably, I chose to leave without saying goodbye again. I''ve seen too many departures, yet I stillck the courage to truly ept them. May you be well��Leonard."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Deep Forest!


    John stepped out of the teleportation array, greeted the scout team, and then flew back to the settlement. When he arrived at the pce, Elowen was training Babylon and the others. John approached and greeted them, refreshing his presence in front of everyone.


    Instantly, it brought back some unpleasant memories for them, like being sent sky-high and experiencing the extremes of free-fall. A few with weaker nerves had their legs turn to jelly.


    John didn''t expect that he had left such a big psychological shadow on these youngsters. With a grin, he said, "Looks like you''re all pretty energetic. Not bad, not bad. Unfortunately, I''ve got some trouble on my hands and can''t stay long. You''re lucky. By the way, Elowen, how have these little brats been performingtely?"


    "Can''t say they''re excellent, but they haven''t been terrible either. They''re just average. A few have shown outstanding performance, but that doesn''t represent the majority."


    "No worries. Their good days are numbered. Once I deal with my current issues, I''lle back and properly handle these little brats. Especially you, Babylon, I''ve got my eye on you!"


    Facing John''s gaze, Babylon shrank back, not daring to make eye contact with him. Over time, under Elowen''s discipline, Babylon''s attitude had be much more restrained. He no longer acted out and learned to get along with his peers. It could be said that among those with outstanding performance mentioned by Elowen, Babylon was definitely one of them.


    "John, your sudden return must be for something important, right?"


    "Yeah, you could say that. Where are ria and Lily?"


    "ria should be in the pce. I''m not sure exactly where."


    "Got it. Keep training them. I''ll be on my way."


    John patted Elowen''s shoulder and then turned to leave. It wasn''t until John''s figure disappeared from sight that everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They couldn''t help it; the pressure he brought was immense, far more terrifying than Instructor Elowen.


    "Alright, stop looking around! Let me announce yesterday''s test results. Only one person passed the assessment. I think you''ve all been cking off..."


    On the other side, John entered the pce, first checking the sleeping quarters and then the garden, but he couldn''t find ria or Lily.


    "Strange, where have they gone?"


    John furrowed his brow and checked the map to confirm Lily''s location. The light representing Lily was almost ovepping with his own.


    "Could she be up there?"


    Looking up, a fond memory instantly shed through John''s mind. Above was the hot spring where he and ria had first met.


    When he reached the hot spring, he saw two figures through the steam. He cleared his throat and said, "ria, Lily, put on your clothes first. I have something important to discuss."


    Hearing this, the two women were startled at first, but then they rxed when they realized it was John.


    A momentter, they emerged from the steam, their beautiful bodies now hidden under robes, and stood before John.


    "You suddenly returned. Does that mean we''re going to Antis?" Lily''s eyes lit up, and she said excitedly, "We can leave anytime!"


    "I dide back to talk about that," John said, ncing at Lily''s smooth, porcin-like skin and feeling a bit guilty. He looked away and cleared his throat before continuing, "Right now, we have two choices. First, you both stay here until I deal with the trouble, then I''ll take you over."


    Without a moment''s hesitation, ria replied, "We choose the second option."


    "Are you sure? Antis currently has two Demigod-tier enemies. It''s beyond dangerous; it''s a situation where survival is slim to none."

 Chapter 181: Chapter181-The Arena

    "The preparations we''ve made long ago don''t need any more consideration. We''ve agreed to face this together, no matter how dangerous it may be. Our resolve will not waver."


    Listening to ria''s response, John wasn''t surprised at all.


    Beforeing back, John should have already prepared himself mentally for everything, so...


    "Since we''ve made the decision, you should also know what we''re about to face. Simply put, it''s the Divine Emissary of the God of Light and Prophecy, who intends to resurrect an apostle in Antis. If he seeds, we will have to face two Demigod-tier opponents at the same time, which will be extremely troublesome.


    Therefore, what we need to do now is to stop the Divine Emissary before he can resurrect the apostle. It''s best if we can kill him, but at the moment, we haven''t been able to pinpoint his exact location, leaving us in apletely passive position."


    Hearing this, ria frowned, realizing the difficulty they were facing.


    "But, no matter what, having one more person always means more strength, right? We can definitely stop all this before it bes irreparable."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Spartonia!


    In this world that worships martial prowess, Qing had already gained some fame, carving out a position for himself with his fists. Now, walking down the street, passersby would show their respect to Qing, and many women had be his admirers.


    In contrast, Exiled Immortal and Helena were much more restrained.


    During their time in Spartonia, Helena and Exiled Immortal had also gathered a lot of useful information, such as news about the main quest.


    In fact, every new area they arrived at had its corresponding main content.


    For example, the underground city of Calia, the maze of Deep Forest, and the mine maze of Talcavano.


    Naturally, the city of Spartonia also had its main quest: the arena.


    Unlike other ces, there were hardly any wandering monsters near Spartonia. After all, in front of these battle fanatics, where were the monsters? Clearly, they were prey. No monster could leave Spartonia unscathed.


    So, toplete the main quest, they had to join the arena and be a diator, defeat all their opponents in the challenges, and be the final winner to gain the chance to meet the king of Spartonia, earning glory and rewards.


    But here''s the problem: in the arena, there aren''t just NPCs; there are also other yers joining in. Additionally, the diators are divided into lower-tier, middle-tier, and upper-tier.


    Only by umting forty victories can a diator advance to the next tier. After bing an upper-tier diator, one must go through at least twenty-five battles against other upper-tier diators and win at least twenty of them to qualify for an audience with the King of Spartonia.


    In other words, toplete this main quest, one needs to go through at least a hundred battles, which clearly requires time and considerablebat power.


    They certainly have thebat power. Whether it''s Qing, Exiled Immortal, or Helena, each of them hasbat power exceeding five figures. It can be said that in the entire city of Spartonia, aside from the King, there are very few who can defeat them.


    But time...


    Even if they fought one hundred consecutive battles without rest and won all of them, it would probably still take a week. If you factor in the scheduling of matches, this time might be extended tenfold.


    "Sigh... What should we do?"


    Helena pinched her brow, looking particrly troubled.


    It had been almost a week since they split up with John, andpleting the main quest might take another two months or even longer. Helena was really worried about how things were going on John''s side.


    "If you ask me, there''s no need to worry at all. We know John''s strength; it''s unfathomable. Ordinary people can''t do anything to him."


    Qing, on the other hand, was carefree and enjoyed every day.


    "I''m still a bit uneasy. After all, the threat of the Emissary and the Apostle hasn''t been eliminated. If they target John at this time, and we''re not by his side..."


    "Believe in John. He''ll be fine. Who knows, we might see the server-wide announcement of John clearing the Antis dungeon before we evenplete our main quest."


    "Let''s hope so... By the way, Qing, how''s your injury?"


    "It''s nothing serious. A good night''s sleep should heal it. If you two have no objections, I n to apply to be a diator today. I''ll fight those hundred battles as soon as possible, then meet the head of Spartonia and im the first-clear rewards."


    "For now, that''s all we can do. Qing, you must be careful. Your safety is more important than victory."


    "Don''t worry, I know what I''m doing."


    Qing grinned and patted his chest confidently.


    After downing hisst ss of strong liquor, Qing let out a long sigh, as if suddenly remembering something, and said in a serious tone, "By the way, I discovered something new yesterday during my fight. I thought I should tell you guys.


    Yesterday, I randomly picked a fight with someone on the street. Before we started, I heard him mumbling something about... blessings of war and being invincible, things like that. It seemed strange to me.


    In Spartonia, shouldn''t they worship the God of War? How could this be rted to war blessings? Can these two things be mixed up?"


    Hearing this, Helena frowned, realizing that something seemed off.


    "Qing, are you sure the person mentioned blessings of war?"


    "I''m sure, because after the fight, he mumbled again about receiving blessings of war and how it was impossible to lose. At first, I thought he might just be crazy, but I heard simr words from two different people yesterday. That''s quite strange.


    Helena, do you think these blessings of war could be some sort of trick by a Divine Emissary?"


    "...It''s possible. But if there really is a Divine Emissary in Spartonia, we need to be extra cautious. ording to John, they are Demigod-tier enemies, not easy to deal with."


    Exiled Immortal nodded slightly and said, "Remember the apostle we encountered? John said he only had about one-fifth of his full power, and we still struggled to win. A Divine Emissary should be even stronger than an apostle, so we can''t take them lightly.


    Qing, you shouldn''t act alone for the next few days to avoid bing their target."


    Hearing this, Qing nodded and agreed readily.


    "Alright, I''ve had enough fun fighting these past few days anyway. A few days of rest won''t hurt. As for the main quest..."


    "Let''s put it on hold for now. We can''t act rashly until we understand the truth."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Silent Sea!


    "Here it is, Antis."


    John stood by the seaside, taking a deep breath, and said, "Antis is buried beneath this ocean. The teleportation scrolls can''t transport us there directly, so we''ll have to dive deep to reach it."


    "There... won''t be any sea monsters, will there?" Lily asked, looking at the deep ocean with a tremble in her voice.


    "Although I don''t want to scare you, there are many strange and even grotesque creatures down there that we will inevitably encounter during our dive."


    "But since we''vee this far, we can''t just turn back, right? Don''t worry, Lily, you just need to close your eyes. I''ll hold onto you tightly," ria reassured her.


    "ria, aren''t you afraid?" Lily asked.


    "A little, actually. I''ve never seen the ocean before, so I can''t really imagine how terrifying those monsters might be. I guess it''s true what they say: ignorance is bliss," ria smiled. "Besides, we have John to protect us. Don''t worry, we''ll be fine."


    "Alright... Here are two Waterproof Pearls. Keep them in your mouths, and you''ll be able to breathe underwater. No matter what we encounter, don''t panic. As long as we don''t provoke them, those sea monsters usually won''t bother us. Of course, if you really can''t handle it, turning back is always an option.


    Lily, are you okay with this?"


    "...I''m okay!"

 Chapter 182: Chapter182-Sirens

    Despite her words, John could still sense Lily''s fear.


    Hepletely understood. The fear of the deep sea,monly known as thssophobia, is essentially the fear of the unknown.


    When your entire body is submerged in the cold, bone-chilling water, and your vision is limited to just a few meters in front of you, it''s natural to imagine all sorts of scenarios, wondering if some monster might suddenly emerge from the depths.


    Especially those monstrous, hideous, and massive creatures.


    John had once seen a picture: on the left was the he lived on, and on the right, a blood-red fish farrger than the itself. That image had left a profound impact on John.


    And now, Lily was in that exact state of mind.


    But at this point, there was no turning back.


    To enter Antis, there was only one way, and it had to be through this process. It was something they had to go through.


    John didn''t rush her. He waited until Lily finally gathered her courage, put the Waterproof Pearl in her mouth, and slowly walked into the water. Then he turned to ria.


    "Are you alright?"


    "I should be... fine, I guess? After all, this is my first time truly seeing the ocean."


    ria took a deep breath and followed Lily into the water.


    John remained vignt.


    During their deep dive, they would inevitably encounter various creatures and even monsters. John just hoped that these encounters wouldn''t be too sudden.


    As they passed through the clear shallow waters, the underwater world before them gradually darkened. With John''s abilities, he could only see less than a meter ahead.


    So when the three of them nearly collided head-on with those ferocious fangs, John realized something had quietly approached.


    Looking at those eerie, glowing eyes, as big as a small mountain, Lily instantly felt her body stiffen, and even breathing became difficult.


    This was what she feared and worried about.


    It wasn''t just Lily; even ria was terrified by the sudden appearance and let out a scream.


    In contrast, John remained much calmer. He took out [Everchanging], held it in his hand, and exined in a low voice, "This is Arctios, meaning the vortex that swallows the sea. It''s a gold-tier monster and won''t attack us unless provoked. Stay calm. With me here, you''ll be safe."


    Whileforting Lily and ria, John transformed [Everchanging] into a spear and held it in front of him. He said in a steady voice, "Just stay close to me."


    "Jo... John, something seems to being towards us!"


    Lily swallowed hard and pointed towards a rapidly approaching light. John followed the direction of her finger, and his expression changed immediately.


    "Move quickly! These creatures are very dangerous!"


    John knew that light all too well. It was the ghostly blue glow emitted by a swarm of Rift-Toothed Fish. Although each fish was only about ten centimeters long and merely a weak bronze-tier creature��so weak that even a group of cave goblins could easily crush them��inrge numbers, they were among the most dangerous monsters in the Silent Sea. They were also the ones John hoped to avoid.


    When tens of thousands of Rift-Toothed Fish appeared together, they could devour a massive creature in front of them in a single breath.


    They probably appeared because they saw Arctios as food, not targeting them specifically. But if they didn''t leave quickly, they would be caught in the swarm.


    John had experienced being burrowed into by those tiny monsters, feeling them gnaw at his flesh. It was an experience he never wanted to repeat.


    With no time to lose, John thrust his spear, shing Arctios''s skin. Orange-yellow blood instantly spread through the water, and John seized the moment to grab Lily and ria by the waist and dive rapidly.


    "We''re almost there, just a little further!"


    John gritted his teeth and nced back. Arctios was nowpletely surrounded by the swarm of Rift-Toothed Fish. Its massive body rolled and thrashed, churning the surrounding water. If John and the others hadn''t escaped in time, they would have been caught in the chaos.


    But it seemed fate intended to leave asting impression of their first trip to Antis for the two women. Just as they escaped the Rift-Toothed Fish swarm, an ethereal song echoed from the depths, reaching John''s ears.


    Almost simultaneously, a warning from Seraphina sounded in John''s mind.


    "Trouble ahead. It looks like we''ve caught the attention of Sirens."


    "Damn it, of all times, it had to be now?"


    In his two lifetimes, this was John''s first encounter with Sirens, the legendary mermaids.


    Unfortunately, these creatures had nothing to do with the word "mermaid." They were ugly, hideous monsters.


    They used their enchanting songs to lure and mesmerize you into approaching. By the time you realized the truth, it was toote. They would reveal their grotesque forms, shing your throat in an instant, and then devouring you piece by piece.


    If encountering the Rift-Toothed Fish swarm was unlucky, then running into Sirens at this moment was downright disastrous.


    As diamond-tier monsters, Sirens didn''t just use their songs to lure you. If necessary, they would directly participate in the hunt, and theirbat strength was not to be underestimated.


    "Lily, ria, cover your ears quickly!"


    John''s warning came a moment toote.


    In the corner of his eye, he noticed Lily and ria''s eyes bing vacant and their bodies instinctively swimming towards the sound. John''s face darkened, and he held onto their waists tightly, urging, "Seraphina, is there any way to wake them up?"


    "There''s no time. The thing... it''s already here."


    As Seraphina''s words faded, a sharp scream erupted next to John. A slimy tentacle coiled tightly around his leg, attempting to drag him into the depths!


    "Damn it, what kind of luck is this!"


    John gritted his teeth, using all his strength to resist the powerful pull from the deep sea. But suspended in the water, with nothing to leverage, and with the two girls struggling in his arms, he found himself rapidly sinking.


    "Seraphina!"


    "Don''t shout, I''m thinking!"


    "If you don''t hurry... we''re all doomed!"


    "A solution... a solution, right! You can control ck mes, can''t you!"


    "This is seawater! Will ck mes even work?"


    "It''s better than doing nothing!"


    At her words, a surge of fear of death spurred John to try anything to survive.


    With a thought, ck mes ignited, forming a fiery spear in John''s hand. He thrust it along the tentacle, and a piercing scream rang out, weakening the tentacle''s grip.


    Taking advantage of this, John quickly broke free and swam towards Antis.


    But the Siren, its shoulder pierced by John''s fiery spear, wasn''t about to let him go so easily.


    Countless tentacles shot towards them at incredible speed. One even wrapped tightly around John''s neck, dragging him back, making the almost reachable Antis feel impossibly distant.


    Seeing this, John made a decisive move. He forcefully pushed the two women away. Enclosed in air bubbles, they quickly regained their consciousness, but the bacsh caused John to be tightly ensnared by the tentacles and dragged towards the depths!


    "Persistent bastards..."


    John gritted his teeth, his face turning redder by the second, on the brink of suffocation, his consciousness fading.


    Luckily, at this critical moment, ria used her vines to cut through the tentacles, narrowly saving John from disaster.


    As they descended into Antis, John copsed to the ground, gasping for breath, deep purple marks clearly visible on his neck.


    Fortunately, John hadn''t been dragged into the abyss; he survived.


    "This is... incredibly unlucky."


    After a while of heavy breathing, John finally came to his senses and stood up with ria''s help.


    "Congrattions, we finally made it to Antis."


    "I swear, I''ll never let this happen again!"


    Lily bit her lip, her face pale and bloodless.

 Chapter 183: Chapter183-Silent Scars

    "Ipletely understand. But we won''t always be this unlucky. Maybe next time won''t be so bad."


    John smiled wryly in an attempt tofort her, but Lily quickly shook her head and exined, "John, you might have misunderstood me. What I mean is, I won''t easily leave, but once I do, I''ll nevere back to Antis!


    I really, really hate these sea creatures."


    John: "I understand. Anyway, let''s head inside. I''ll try to contact Deception and see if he has gathered any useful information."


    "Uh... nothing yet. Those guys are hiding too well. I''ve practically turned Antis upside down and still haven''t found any useful clues."


    As soon as John finished speaking, Deception''s voice came from behind. John was momentarily stunned and then said helplessly, "When did you show up?"


    "Five minutes ago. I suddenly sensed a hint of betrayal and came over to check it out. I happened to see you getting choked by the Sirens. I really felt for you."


    "You saw that and didn''t help? I almost got dragged into the deep sea!"


    "I was powerless, my brother. I''m good at deceiving people, and the Sirens are equally good at that. I couldn''t do much against them."


    Deception shrugged, then looked at Lily and ria, gave a gentlemanly bow, and smiled, "We meet again, lovelydies. But... it seems we''re missing a few people? Where is Miss Helena?"


    "Don''t ask so many useless questions. Is that really what you should be concerned about? Come up with a n. Where do you think the Divine Emissary and the apostle might be hiding?"


    Deception squinted slightly, looked John up and down, then shrugged with a smile, "If they''re not in Antis, they must be hiding somewhere in this ocean."


    "That''s not helpful. I mean, which part of the sea do you think they might be in!"


    "My brother, why are you so irritable all of a sudden? That''s not like you."


    "Because you talk too much nonsense."


    John red at Deception and continued, "Here''s my thought. The Divine Emissary needs a ce that''s guaranteed to be undisturbed and extremely dangerous, but it also has to allow for [gluttony] so he can feed as soon as he wakes up. Among the seas I''m familiar with, there aren''t many ces that meet these criteria, but there is one."


    "I knew you woulde up with something, my good brother. Let''s hear it."


    "It''s simple. Leave Antis and dive deeper. About 300 kilometers from here, there''s a nearly 10,000-meter-deep trench. The Silent Scar fits both conditions."


    Hearing this, Lily''s face turned pale.


    "Are you saying... we need to dive into the deep sea again?"


    "It''s okay. You can stay here. Both you and ria should stay, as I can''t guarantee your safety in that trench."


    This time, Lily and ria didn''t argue. After all, the fear that came from deep within their bones wasn''t something they could ovee overnight.


    "John, tell us your reasoning. From what I know, there are monsters like the Kraken sleeping beneath the Silent Scar. Why do you think they would hide there?"


    "The reason is simple: borrowing the tiger''s might. You''re right, there is a monster sleeping beneath the Silent Scar, and I can even tell you its name: the Leviathan, a deep-sea dragon.


    But precisely because of this, the Leviathan is currently sleeping and won''t wake easily. The surrounding monsters fear the Leviathan''s presence and dare not approach. Once the Divine Emissary awakens [gluttony], they can easily replenish [gluttony]''s power in the deep sea. That''s my guess.


    Of course, this is a gamble. We have very little time left, and we might only get three attempts, maybe even less. If my guess is wrong, we''ll not only waste a lot of time verifying it but also face potential dangers along the way."


    John sighed deeply, his brows furrowed with unresolved anxiety.


    "I also want to hear your opinion. Should we stay here and continue looking for clues, or should we take a gamble and try our luck at the Silent Scar?"


    John looked at Deception, who, for once, had a serious expression, deep in thought.


    "There are no more clues in Antis. I''m certain of that. Rather than wasting time here, we should take the gamble!"


    "So, you believe in my judgment?"


    "No, I just believe in your luck."


    Deception shook his head, smiling. "You''ve always had the favor of the Apocalypse. Let''s hope this time is no different."


    "Hopefully... But before we set off, we have some issues to resolve. First, ria and Lily''s identities. With the Divine Emissary''s presence, Antis is highly wary of outsiders. We need to create usible identities for them.


    Second, we need to prepare some essentials, things that could save our lives at critical moments. Let''s split up for now. You handle their identities, and I''ll gather what we need."


    "No problem. Then,dies, please follow me."


    "John..."


    Seeing ria''s hesitant look, John nodded slightly and said, "Don''t worry, we can trust him for now. He won''t do anything inappropriate."


    "No, I''m just worried about your safety. I''d rather go with you."


    "It''s alright, ria. If you can''t ovee your inner fears, it''s better to stay here. If danger arises, I won''t have the capacity to protect everyone. So..."


    "I understand. I''m sorry. Even though we''re here, I still can''t do anything. We said we''d face this together, but we still end up being the ones protected..."


    "It''s not your fault. Don''t me yourself. Lily, you too. I''m already very happy that you''re willing to face this with me. But this journey is too dangerous, so let me handle it alone."


    ...


    After calming the two women, John took a deep breath, his expression turning somber.


    Heading to the Silent Scar wasn''t as easy as it sounded. Not only did they have to cross nearly 300 kilometers of ocean, but upon arrival, they also had to descend almost 10,000 meters into the trench. During this time, they would face countless dangers.


    John had been there once in his previous life and had witnessed the terrifying creatures of legend firsthand. A massive bodyy dormant at the bottom of the Silent Scar, and no other creature dared to approach it. The sense of oppression was something John had only ever felt in the presence of gods.


    "Let''s hope luck is on my side this time..."


    John pinched the bridge of his nose, then leaped back into the cold, bone-chilling water.


    The items John needed couldn''t be bought in Antis; he had to hunt for them himself. He needed the blood of a specific monster. This silver-white sma contained an aura that ocean creatures found extremely repulsive. Applying it would allow them to avoid most monster encounters.


    "I need to go deeper... Hopefully, I won''t encounter the Sirens again."


    John continued to descend, relying on his instincts. Despite the pitch-ck surroundings, he somehow managed to maintain his sense of direction. As Antis faded into the distance, John let out a long breath.


    "It should be around here."


    A grotesque, hideous monster appeared: a Snickers.


    This creature, with a human upper body and a fish tail, was different from the Sirens. While the Sirens lured their prey with enchanting songs, the Snickers were purely a symbol of brute strength.


    Of course, the Snickers were not nearly as powerful as the Sirens. With John''s current strength, hunting them wouldn''t be much trouble.


    The only tricky part was that these monsters'' blood was highly toxic. If it got into a wound during the fight, it would dissolve John into a puddle of blood within five minutes.


    But this is where the advantages of memorye in handy. In his previous life, a yer had already published a detailed guide on hunting Snickers. Now, John could use that knowledge to his advantage.

 Chapter 184: Chapter184-Snickers

    "Two lovelydies, what kind of identities would you like?"


    Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Antis.


    Deception stopped and turned to the two women, who were still on high alert, and smiled wryly. "I know you two still don''t trust me, but... never mind. Since John entrusted this task to me, I can''t disappoint him. Let me think..."


    Making ria and Lily blend in without attracting attention was no easy task. Just by looking at them, it was clear that unless they were among dwarves with their twisted sense of beauty, they would be considered absolute beauties. Avoiding attention was nearly impossible.


    "Unless... I can use a little trick to make you appear as men to others rather than women..."


    Deception thoughtfully stroked his chin and then pulled a passerby over, bringing him in front of ria and Lily.


    "Tell me, do you find them beautiful?"


    The passerby, initially startled, then nodded vigorously. "Very beautiful, as lovely as princesses!"


    "No, no, you misunderstood. They are men."


    "How could that be? I clearly see two beautiful women..."


    The passerby scoffed, looking again at ria and Lily. This time, instead of the stunning beauties he saw before, he saw two ordinary men.


    The passerby rubbed his eyes in disbelief, his jaw dropping in shock.


    "I-I could have sworn... that''s strange, was I really mistaken?"


    "It''s fine, you can leave now."


    Deception patted the passerby''s shoulder appreciatively, then turned around and let out a long breath. "A little trick, that''s all. Now, in everyone else''s eyes, you two lovelydies have be men. As long as you don''t interact too much with others, this trick should hold until we return."


    "You can really do something like this?" Lily frowned, a bit skeptical.


    "It''s no big deal for me. In fact, if John could master my powers, he could do it too. Simply put, it''s just a small lie.


    Alright, my task isplete. Now, I need to find John. I hope you twodies have a wonderful time in Antis.


    Oh, one more thing: I hope you can find some information about the Divine Emissary during this time. Although I believe in John''s luck, it''s always good to have a backup n.


    I''ll leave Antis in your hands."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the deep sea!


    John gritted his teeth as [Everchanging] transformed into a round shield, blocking the attack from the Snickers.


    As he remembered, this damn thing had incredible strength. John was using all his might just to avoid being torn to pieces!


    But now, John hadpleted the first step of the strategy: getting as close to the Snickers as possible.


    "Step two..."


    John gritted his teeth, took a bottle of toxic solvent from his backpack, bit off the stopper, and used his thumb to cover the opening. He then threw it forcefully at the Snickers.


    The solvent shattered upon contact with the Snickers'' tough scales, spreading the dark green liquid around its body.


    With the second steppleted, John could clearly feel the Snickers'' strength diminishing. Its resistance was no longer as fierce, indicating that the neurotoxin was taking effect.


    As he watched the Snickers'' body stiffen under the influence of the neurotoxin, its consciousness still clear but unable to control its body, John finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Time to head back..."


    I must say, this strategy was very effective. It avoided the possibility of being corroded by the Snickers'' blood and allowed me to capture it alive. Thinking back, John had seen many simr strategies in his previous life. Many yers treated this ce as a game that couldn''t be restarted, publishing all sorts of strategies.


    There were strategies for no-damagepletions, silver coin management, NPC favorability, and even detailed statistics on how many types of monsters could be encountered in the entire Olympus, especially in thete-game maps of the Silent Sea and the Snow Mountain.


    "Luckily, I read that guide..."


    John sighed in relief, tied up the Snickers with a rope, and took out another bottle of toxic solvent, pouring it into the Snickers'' mouth to ensure it wouldn''t regain its strength during the journey back.


    Thanks to the intimidating presence of the Snickers, John''s return trip was smooth, encountering no monsters as he made his way back to Antis.


    Deception had been waiting for a while.


    "Where are ria and Lily? Did you solve their problem?"


    "Sort of. I added a bit of psychological suggestion and a little lie to make them appear as ordinary male sea dwellers to others. This way, no one will trouble them.


    Given the limited time, creating a usible identity was indeed challenging."


    "That''s enough. Come over and give me a hand with this."


    John dropped the Snickers casually and exined, "This creature''s blood can help us avoid most troubles. But the problem is, its blood is highly corrosive. So, we need to skin itpletely and cover ourselves with its skin, then apply the blood all over our bodies to minimize the damage."


    Hearing this, Deception''s smile slowly faded. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Isn''t there any other way? Like using a teleportation scroll to take us directly there?"


    "How can we use a teleportation scroll to a ce we haven''t been? Besides, I don''t have such a precious Targeted Teleportation Scroll. If you''re confident in facing the thousands of monsters in the Silent Sea anding out unscathed, you don''t have to help. I won''t mind."


    "My dear brother John, you''re definitely going to protect me, right?"


    "Haha, stop dreaming, will you? Eithere over and help or figure out your own solution. It''s one or the other."


    Staring at the dagger John handed him, Deception hesitated. If he could avoid it, he really didn''t want to cover himself with the skin of such a grotesque and hideous monster. But there was no other choice.


    With a deep sigh, Deception crouched down with John and slit the Snickers'' neck, catching the orange-yellow blood in a container. Once the blood had nearly drained out, John inserted the knife at the neck and began separating the skin from the flesh bit by bit.


    The slimy texture made Deception instinctively want to retch, but for the sake of survival, he forced himself to follow John''s example, peeling the skin off piece by piece.


    At this moment, the Snickers''rge size was clearly a disadvantage. It took John and Deception nearly five hours topletely remove the skin, leaving only the raw red flesh behind.


    "Alright, throw it out of the bubble. Once I trim the skin and sew it onto our own, we can set off."


    "We have to sew it onto our own skin?"


    "What else? Do you think any adhesive will work underwater?"


    John shot Deception an annoyed look. "Are you afraid of pain? Don''t worry, even if you sew it all over your body, you''ll only lose about ten percent of your HP. One HP potion will fix that.


    This is the best option we have right now. If you have any better ideas, now''s the time to speak up. Otherwise, you''ll miss your chance."


    "Let''s just do it your way."


    Deception rubbed his temples, looking pained.


    In less than half an hour, John hadpletely cleaned the skin of any remaining flesh and rinsed it several times with fresh water, finally getting a tough, intact piece of skin.


    Carefully trimming a piece of skin with a small knife, John turned to Deception.


    "Are you going to sew it yourself, or should I do it? Where should we start?"


    Deception hesitated for a moment, then silently extended his arm and covered his eyes, resigned to his fate.

 Chapter 185: Chapter185-Trust

    Pain, excruciating pain!


    Deception gasped, wishing he could p John in the face to vent his anger!


    This bastard doesn''t know the first thing about sewing! With each stitch, he went straight through the flesh, and after a few stitches, Deception''s arm was already riddled with a dozen bloody holes!


    If he had known John''s skills were this poor, he would have done it himself!


    "Alright, switch arms."


    "Give me a moment to catch my breath, it really hurts..."


    "We''re on a tight schedule. You can''t handle a little pain? Deception, do you still want revenge or not?"


    Damn, that sounded familiar!


    Come to think of it, hadn''t he used these same words to deceive John before?


    Now it was John''s turn to deceive him!


    "You''re too rough. I might as well do it myself!"


    "Do it yourself? Do you have three hands or something? Just extend your arm and quitining!"


    Right now, he didn''t have the upper hand over John.


    The Authority had changed hands, leaving Deception with only its remnants. While John hadn''t fully matured yet, few could match his ability tobine four or five different Authorities, like some kind of chaotic stew.


    Although he wasn''t as proficient, having so many methods meant that even if he just cycled through them, Deception couldn''t keep up.


    He was no longer the demigod he once was. Without his immortal body, he was just an ordinary yer. A fatal injury would be the end of him, no matter how great his abilities once were. In truth, Deception was starting to dislike spending time with John.


    This bastard had grown more powerful and more temperamental. If he got annoyed, he''d make snide remarks; if he got really angry, he''dsh out. And Deception couldn''t even beat him in a fight.


    If he could, he would keep his distance and avoid unnecessary encounters!


    But he had no choice.


    The situation was as John said, critical, leaving no room for Deception''s antics.


    The Divine Emissary and the apostle working together was unprecedented in his memory; who knew how much trouble they could cause.


    With this in mind, Deception gritted his teeth, and the pain from the flesh wounds seemed to lessen a bit.


    Finally!


    By the time John finished sewing the Snickers'' skin onto Deception''s body, his HP had dropped to below half. If he hadn''t gulped down a life potion midway, it would have been even lower.


    "It''s your turn... Should I help you?"


    Deception took a deep breath, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.


    He had endured the pain for this moment, to exact his revenge on John.


    But the next second, John looked at Deception as if he were an idiot and asked, "Don''t you know that after marking the skin, it bes wearable armor? Once worn, it fits like real skin, seamless?"


    Deception: "?"


    "Why are you looking at me like that? I thought you knew! You didn''t ask! I thought you enjoyed the pain."


    "John!"


    "Keep your voice down. What if someone hears? If we get suspected, I''ll be the first to throw you out. My life is precious; many people''s hopes rest on me. You can die, but I can''t."


    Hearing this, Deception deted instantly.


    The words were harsh but sincere.


    Thinking about it, how many people had unwittingly joined this gamble, cing all their bets on John?


    The master, Seraphina, Hades, and even himself��their fates were all intertwined with John''s!


    "You''re ruthless!"


    "Thanks for thepliment. I believe in the principle that if you''re not ruthless, you won''t stay in power."


    John methodically branded the Snickers'' skin with magical marks and then wore it.


    Compared to Deception''s strange appearance, John''s looked much more fitting.


    It was worth noting that John had even sewn the skin onto Deception''s face, which was excruciatingly painful!


    "Everything is ready. It''s time for us to set off. And here, take this. If we encounter danger, use it immediately."


    As he spoke, John pulled an orange-red crystal from his yer inventory. It was about the size of a fist, and faint me patterns could be seen within the crystal.


    "Is this the remnant soul of the Drystan Red Dragon?"


    "To be precise, it''s the Dragon of Death and Sin. You''re a yer too, so you know how to use this. A Demigod-tier summon is incredibly valuable. Unless it''s absolutely necessary, don''t use it lightly."


    "You trust me that much?"


    "Wrong again, Deception. I feel like you''ve gotten dumber than before. Did you pass your brain along with the Authority to me? Do you think there''s any trust between us?


    I trust myself. You wouldn''t dare harm me now, with so many eyes on you. You''re more aware of that than I am.


    If you make any wrong move, you know the consequences."


    John rolled his eyes and dove into the ocean.


    Seeing this, Deception had nothing to say. He pocketed the crystal and followed John.


    "Aren''t you going to say goodbye to those two women? This time is really dangerous. There''s no guarantee you''lle back."


    "You said it yourself; it''s a fifty-fifty chance. What''s the point of saying goodbye? If I survive, it''s all good. If I die, why cause unnecessary worry?"


    "You? I bet you won''t die. Would you impulsively rush in without being sure? You can fool others but not me. John, you''re very cautious with your life. Unless you have a seventy percent chance of sess, you wouldn''t risk it."


    "Talk more if you can, to keep the trip from getting boring."


    John couldn''t be bothered to argue with Deception. He was more concerned about the sudden dangers that could arise at any moment.


    After all, this was an endless ocean, and no one knew how many dangers lurked within. If John didn''t stay vignt, he could lose his life at any moment.


    Deception could afford to be indifferent because even if he noticed anything, he would still have to rely on John.


    Being a mid-tote game map, it was still somewhat challenging for Deception.


    Of course, not wanting to be a burden to John, Deception wisely kept his mouth shut to avoid distracting him.


    Despite his mental preparation, Deception was still terrified by the various monsters in the deep sea. Giant fish with sharp teeth and grotesque faces, twisted and bizarre squids, and all sorts of strange creatures he couldn''t even name��most of them were only noticed when they were within three to five meters.


    Feeling the pitch-ck water around him, Deception swallowed hard, extremely tense. Looking down, it seemed like any moment, some monster could open its massive jaws and swallow them whole!


    But...


    Seeing John''s calm expression, Deception sighed and asked, "Aren''t you afraid?"


    "Yes."


    "But you seem veryposed. I thought these monsters didn''t scare you."


    "Look at those ferocious faces. How could I not be scared? But more than fear, I want to survive. I have to survive."


    John took a deep breath, pondered for a moment, and continued, "We''re moving too slowly. At this rate, it will take us at least two more days to reach the Silent Scar. The longer it takes, the more likely unexpected events will ur."


    "Do you have a good idea?"


    "Yes, but I need your help."


    John nodded slightly and looked at Deception.


    "I need you to help me hunt some monsters. The more, the better."


    "...Are you sure?"


    In such a dangerous ce, asking him to hunt monsters...


    It felt like John had ulterior motives.


    "Stop talking nonsense and just help me. You''ve been here long enough; you must have improved somewhat, right? Didn''t you get any powerful equipment or items?"


    "I rarely participate in dungeons, so my level and experience didn''t catch up. Where would I getbat power?"


    Hearing this, John rolled his eyes, annoyed. "Forget it. I knew I couldn''t rely on you. Just stay here and wait for me."


    "No, no! I''ll go with you. We''ll act together."


    Leaving him alone in this ce was as good as killing him. Any random monster could swallow him whole. Deception didn''t want to die so pathetically. He had been plotting all this time for revenge.


    Dying to a fish before getting his revenge was uneptable to Deception.

 Chapter 186: Chapter186-Encounter with the Divine Emissary

    In the center of the arena in Spartonia, Qing let out a powerful shout and punched forward, sending his opponent crashing to the ground. The opponenty there, twitching and unable to move for a long time before finally regaining consciousness.


    Seeing this, the referee in the arena waved a red g and shouted at the top of his lungs, "The winner, Qing!"


    "Fifteen matches, fifteen victories! What kind of monster is he?"


    "Hahaha! I''m rich! I won my bet!"


    "At this rate, it''s only a matter of time before he gets promoted to a mid-tier diator. If there were no match limits, this brute could probably advance to high-tier in a single day!"


    The audience was full of praise for Qing.


    Since Qing joined the arena and started participating in the main quest as a diator, three days had passed. At Qing''s insistence, he had fought fifteen matches in three days and won them all.


    He could have won more, but one of the arena''s rules was that a diator could not participate in more than five matches in a single day. This was to prevent serious injuries to the diators and to reduce the arena''s burden.


    Of the fifteen opponents Qing faced, none could walk out of the arena on their own. They either had broken bones or were knocked unconscious.


    And no one could stop him because every match was a one-sided crush. The new diator, Qing, had already be a rising star in the arena.


    "It was to be expected. If Qing couldn''t annihte opponents of this level instantly, it would mean he had a problem."


    In the audience, Exiled Immortal yawned, standing up and preparing to leave.


    He hadn''t wanted toe here to watch in the first ce. It was too boring, with no tense or exciting matches, and no spectacr scenes. It was just one-sided domination.


    But there was no way around it. Big Sis insisted that he keep an eye on Qing to prevent him from getting too carried away and causing trouble. Exiled Immortal couldn''t refuse Helena, so he had to obey.


    "Qing, at this rate, you''ll be promoted to a mid-tier diator in another six or seven days. You''re making good progress."


    "There''s no fun in it. They''re all a bunch of weaklings, not even as good as the people on the street. Is this what they call diators?"


    Qing sneered, grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off his body, and took a deep breath before continuing, "These fights are no fun at all! No way, I need to go out and have some real fun on the street!"


    "Forget it, Qing. Big Sis said you should head back as soon as you''re done here, to avoid unnecessary trouble with the Divine Emissary."


    "Divine Emissary this, Divine Emissary that, I''m so fed up! How can we be on guard all the time? I say, let''s just find that damn Divine Emissary and kill him! What''s the point of being so cautious every day?"


    "You think Big Sis doesn''t want to? We just haven''t found him yet. He''s hiding, and we''re exposed. We don''t have any decisive clues about his location right now, so we just have to be patient."


    "Ugh... We''vee all the way to Spartonia, and it''s still so frustrating."


    Qing scratched his head in frustration, but he didn''t defy Helena''s wishes. It was just a fewints, and Exiled Immortal let him vent.


    Despite his dissatisfaction, Qing knew that his impulsive nature could cause problems. Having Helena and Exiled Immortal keeping an eye on him meant there wouldn''t be any major issues. Otherwise, John wouldn''t have insisted that the three of them travel together, knowing Qing''s impulsive tendencies.


    "I wonder how John is doing over there. He''s a capable fighter; he shouldn''t have any problems."


    "Let''s go back first."


    Exiled Immortal sighed and got up to leave with Qing.


    He was also worried about John''s situation.


    But the problem was, they were barely able to protect themselves. If the Divine Emissary showed up, could the three of them really stand a chance against him?


    Even now, Exiled Immortalcked confidence. His strength had greatly diminished, and his talent skills were essentially unusable, as if he had lost an arm. Big Sis Helena was strong, but she heavily relied on equipment. Only Qing could exert his full strength, but could he alone stand against the Divine Emissary?


    Thinking about this, Exiled Immortal sighed and rubbed his temples.


    "I regret it. We shouldn''t have split up back then. Maybe John could have used our help."


    "...That was impulsive. I promise it won''t happen again!"


    Qing, rarely admitting his mistakes, left Exiled Immortal with nothing more to say. He simply patted Qing on the shoulder.


    As they walked through the streets, everything seemed normal, but Exiled Immortal felt something was off.


    "It''s a bit... too quiet? Qing, I think something''s up."


    "Something? What do you��"


    Before Qing could finish, a cold arrow shot through his shoulder, leaving a clear blood hole!


    The sharp pain made Qing gasp, and he kicked Exiled Immortal into a nearby shop, jumping in himself.


    Only then did Exiled Immortal snap out of his shock and quickly poured an HP potion into Qing''s mouth.


    "This power... it''s definitely the Divine Emissary."


    Exiled Immortal frowned, his expression grim.


    He had considered the possibility of facing the Divine Emissary, but he hadn''t expected the enemy to appear so openly and shoot an arrow right through Qing''s shoulder!


    But weren''t Big Sis''s clues rted to the Goddess of War? Could the Divine Emissary of the Goddess of War be so skilled with a bow?


    "Qing, are you alright?"


    "It went right through the bone. What do you think?"


    Qing red at Exiled Immortal, wincing as he tried to move his shoulder, the pain making him grit his teeth and take a sharp breath.


    "It''s hit the bone, and my whole right side is numb. Worse, I think I''m poisoned..."


    Looking at the poison debuff in his status bar, Qing drank an antidote, but the debuff persisted.


    "This poison can''t be cured! We''re in trouble..."


    Just as Qing finished speaking, another arrow whistled through the air, effortlessly piercing the wooden pir they were hiding behind and nearly grazing Exiled Immortal''s face.


    "Finally... found you."


    Outside, the melodious voice of the Divine Emissary reached them, and Exiled Immortal realized that the Divine Emissary was a woman. Her strength was astonishing!


    "Still hiding? It doesn''t matter. No matter what you do, you''ll end up full of arrows."


    The Divine Emissary half-closed her eyes, nocked another arrow, and released it with a twang of the bowstring.


    This time, the arrow didn''t miss. It struck Exiled Immortal''s calf, tearing a chunk of flesh. He felt his leg give out and nearly copsed to the ground.


    "Damn! This woman is ruthless! Qing, if this keeps up, we''ll be worn down and killed!"


    Exiled Immortal cried out in pain as the Sword of Tyr appeared in his hand.


    "We need to find a way to break out, preferably out of the city! Here, I can''t use my full power, and in a direct fight, we''ll be outmatched!"


    "Easier said than done. With just the two of us, it''s hard to get out alive. One of us might have to sacrifice. Her aim is too precise. We need someone to distract her."


    With that, Qing grinned and hefted his halberd onto his shoulder.


    "Damn it! Finally, a fight worth having. Exiled Immortal, you try to escape and find Helena. I''ll hold her off!"


    "No way! Big Sis said I have to bring you back. If I don''t, I can''t face her wrath."


    "Then we kill her! Damn it, she''s just a Divine Emissary. I don''t believe we can''t take her down together!"


    "Stubborn fools."


    The Divine Emissary scoffed. She had heard every word of their conversation, mainly because they hadn''t bothered to keep it secret.


    After all, they had no n to hide. What was there to expose?


    This was Spartonia, where no problem couldn''t be solved with a good fight. If one battle wasn''t enough, then another would do the trick!

 Chapter 187: Chapter187-Two?

    "Foolish, I''ll send you to your doom now."


    Under her veil, the Divine Emissary scoffed. With a slight release of her jade-like fingers, an arrow shot straight toward Exiled Immortal''s face!


    But since he was prepared, such an attack was naturally not going to hit. With a flick of his wrist, Exiled Immortal deflected the arrow.


    Despite avoiding injury, Exiled Immortal''s expression darkened.


    "The force is incredible..."


    Feeling his numb wrist, Exiled Immortal gritted his teeth and signaled to Qing, who instantly understood.


    Having fought side by side for so long, their camaraderie was undeniable. A single nce was enough.


    Qing grunted and stepped forward, crushing the ground beneath his foot. The scattered debris flew past the Divine Emissary''s face, but unfortunately, it didn''t hit.


    Even though the initial strike failed, Qing didn''t mind. It was just a feint.


    "Hit her!"


    Qing hurled his halberd like aet toward the Divine Emissary. But she didn''t even flinch, firing three arrows in rapid session. The first arrow halted the halberd''s momentum, the second removed most of its force, and the third sent the halberd flying away.


    Seeing this, Qing gasped.


    Exiled Immortal was right. This woman''s arrows were both fast and powerful!


    "Got her!"


    At that moment, Exiled Immortal appeared behind the Divine Emissary in a sh, his sword glinting with cold light as he aimed directly at her neck!


    But the Divine Emissary seemed to have eyes on the back of her head. She turned and used the bowstring to block the sword, then swiftly caught Exiled Immortal by the neck and mmed him into the ground.


    Exiled Immortal''s vision darkened as his HP plummeted by nearly 30%. Blood surged up his throat, choking him.


    "So reckless."


    Through the veil, Exiled Immortal met her piercing hawk-like eyes, momentarily stunned by their intensity and aggressiveness.


    "Come...back!"


    Gritting his teeth, Exiled Immortal flicked his fingers, and the Sword of Tyr, which had been knocked away, seemed to respond to his call, flying back toward the Divine Emissary''s back.


    The Divine Emissary smirked, lifting Exiled Immortal to shield herself, intending to let the sword impale him. Realizing this, Exiled Immortal quickly recalled the Sword of Tyr to his yer inventory, avoiding a fatal injury.


    This woman was terrifyingly strong, both in archery and instinct. She truly deserved the title of Divine Emissary.


    Moreover, the bow in her hands was no ordinary weapon. Even the Sword of Tyr, a semi-divine weapon, couldn''t cut through its string. Her bow was likely also a semi-divine weapon.


    "Let go of him!"


    Qing finally arrived, leaping forward and swinging his halberd down with great force. Exiled Immortal sensed danger, but before he could warn him, the Divine Emissary used Exiled Immortal as a shield to block the blow.


    Qing had no choice but to release his halberd mid-swing and switch to punching the Divine Emissary instead.


    But without his weapon, could Qing''s strength really match hers?


    The Divine Emissary casually tossed Exiled Immortal aside and met Qing''s punch head-on. The sound of bones cracking filled the air.


    The sound came from Qing''s fingers, not the Divine Emissary.


    Those fingers, not much thicker than chopsticks, contained such immense strength that Qing couldn''t help but frown.


    "Too weak. As prey, you''re inadequate. Real prey should make the hunter''s blood boil, willing to do anything to catch it. But you two are far from that."


    The Divine Emissary kicked Qing, sending him flying and crashing heavily onto Exiled Immortal.


    "This is boring. I''m tired of ying... Fine, I''ll send you on your way."


    The Divine Emissary sighed, drew her bow, aimed at Exiled Immortal''s forehead, and released the arrow!


    However, the expected arrow through the forehead did not happen. Exiled Immortal cautiously opened his eyes to see a captivating figure standing protectively in front of them.


    What shocked Exiled Immortal even more was that this person had caught the deadly arrow with just two fingers!


    "You''ve gone a bit too far," the woman said, ncing back at Exiled Immortal before flicking the arrow away with her fingers. She smiled and continued, "Didn''t we agree just to test their strength and not to kill them?"


    "These weaklings are useless. We might as well kill them," the Divine Emissary scoffed, clearly displeased but saying nothing more.


    "That won''t do. If we kill them, what about our mission? Their lives still have a purpose. This is the second time I''m warning you. I hope it''s thest."


    "...I understand."


    "That''s better. We''repanions; we must support each other and not cause trouble. Otherwise..." The woman half-closed her eyes, a chilling glint shing through them, like a venomous snake.


    After dealing with the situation, the woman finally turned to fully face Exiled Immortal and Qing, scrutinizing them before lightly smiling. "Exiled Immortal, chosen by Aeolus, the God of Wind, inheriting the Authority to control wind fields. Qing, chosen by Ares, the God of War, inheriting the Authority to grow stronger with each battle. It''s a pleasure to meet you both.


    Allow me to introduce us. She is the Divine Emissary of the Goddess of the Hunt, whose longbow you have experienced firsthand. And I am a devotee of the Goddess of War. As for my strength... as you can see, I''m just a defenseless woman."


    Hearing this, Exiled Immortal''s face grew even darker.


    They were truly unfortunate to have encountered a Divine Emissary.


    Even worse, they had encountered two at once.


    "What... what do you want?"


    "Of course, there is a purpose. For example... we want you two to join us. As you can see, we appeared too early, before you had fully developed your powers, so you are not our match. If you try to fight us head-on, it will only lead to your deaths."


    The woman who called herself a devotee of the Goddess of War crouched down, looking directly into John''s eyes, and smiled lightly. "Why not join us? I can guarantee that you won''t have to participate in this conflict anymore and that your lives will be spared."


    "That sounds wonderful, doesn''t it? Keeping our lives safe, how tempting," Exiled Immortalughed bitterly, then lifted his head, his eyes full of mockery. "But unfortunately, I refuse."


    Whoosh!


    As he finished speaking, an arrow of light grazed the face of the Divine Emissary of War, leaving a shallow cut.


    "Sorry, I arrived a bitte and didn''t expect this to happen," Helena said as she appeared.


    "That bow..."


    The Divine Emissary of the Hunt seemed to sense something and suddenly looked at the bow in Lily''s hand, her eyes filled with shock.


    There was no mistake. Having been by the side of the goddess for many years, she could not be wrong. That was undoubtedly the Godyer Bow!


    But how could it be in her hands?


    As the weapon of the Goddess of the Hunt, the Godyer Bow was reputed to have the power to pierce through immortal bodies. The gods feared it greatly, and because of this, the Goddess of the Hunt held a high status among them. She never expected the Godyer Bow to have ended up here.


    "Give me that bow, and I will spare your lives. I might even let all three of you leave."


    Before the Divine Emissary of War could speak, the Divine Emissary of the Hunt stepped forward, her eyes fixed on the bow in Helena''s hand. "This is your only chance to live. Hand it over."


    Her tone was calm, as if stating an indisputable fact.


    "Big Sis, these two... well, they''re tough to deal with," Exiled Immortal struggled to stand up, and with a casual wave, the Sword of Tyr reappeared.


    "Two Divine Emissaries..." Helena''s brow furrowed, her tension reaching its peak.


    She was acutely aware of her own strength.


    If the three of them faced either of the two Divine Emissaries alone, they might have a chance of winning, or at least escaping with their lives.


    But two at once...


    "Can you still move?" Helena asked Qing, who silently nodded.


    The wound in his shoulder was mostly healed, though it still throbbed with pain. But at this point, there was no time to worry about it.


    "This is yourst warning. Hand over the bow, and all three of you can leave."


    "Since when did you get to decide that?" The Divine Emissary of War cast a sideways nce at the Divine Emissary of the Hunt, who was unfazed.


    "My superior only told me to cooperate with you, but never said I had to obey you. That bow is very important."

 Chapter 188: Chapter188-War

    Meeting the gaze of the Divine Emissary of the Hunt, the Divine Emissary of War furrowed her brow. After a long stare, her expression slowly softened. She then curled her lips into a smile and said, "Don''t take it so seriously, I was just joking. I know how important that bow is to you. I''ll help you get it."


    "It can''t be taken by force," the Hunt said, casting onest nce at War before looking away. "Even though I don''t know how she did it, since she has already gained the recognition of the Godyer Bow, taking it by force won''t allow it to be used to its full potential. Unless she willingly hands it over to me."


    As the most loyal follower of the Goddess of the Hunt, she couldn''t tolerate seeing the goddess''s weapon in the hands of someone who showed no respect.


    But...


    "Do we have a chance?" Helena whispered to Qing, knowing he was the only one who could make a difference.


    "If we can get out of Spartonia, there''s a chance. For some reason, their abilities aren''t restricted here, but ours are. We need to find a way to escape and let Exiled Immortal use his full power."


    "Then we''ll break out!" Exiled Immortal took a deep breath, gently stroking the hilt of the Sword of Tyr. The feeling gave him immense reassurance.


    "It''s not going to be easy. Anyway, let''s give it our best shot."


    With that, Helena no longer hesitated. A light arrow formed and shot from her bowstring, aiming at the Hunt. She was now certain that this was indeed the Godyer Bow!


    But why?


    Why was the bow recognizing an unknown, ordinary person?


    "I''ll prove that I''m the best choice."


    The Hunt didn''t even draw her bow; she casually flicked out two arrows that met Helena''s light arrow, shattering it into fragments.


    Both the strength and uracy were so astounding that Helena realized they were outmatched. The only reason they hadsted this long was because their opponents hadn''t intended to kill them yet.


    "You two handle the other one and fight while retreating. I''ll take on the Divine Emissary of the Hunt."


    "Big Sis, don''t push yourself!"


    "She won''t kill me. Without the Godyer Bow''s recognition, my life is safe. Trust me."


    Three more light arrows shot out but were effortlessly deflected, further confirming Helena''s theory. If the Divine Emissary of the Hunt wanted to kill her, she could have done so in an instant. This hesitation was their chance.


    As for Qing and Exiled Immortal...


    They could only hope for the best.


    "Oh dear, two big men bullying a weak woman? How shameful."


    "The devotee of the Goddess of War, a weak woman?"


    "Of course. Look at me, so delicate. Two against one, what kind of men are you? Fine, I''ll put on my armor and y with you. If you lose, you must agree to my terms and join us willingly. Otherwise..."


    Before she finished speaking, a set of ornate armor instantly encased her body. The silver-white armor was adorned with blood-red patterns, looking particrly striking. Most importantly, after donning the armor, her voice sounded rougher, and sheughed deeply, "Face the consequences!"


    "You''re full of crap! Watch me smash your turtle shell!"


    Qing grunted, his attack power surging again. With the aid of his items, his momentum matched that of the Goddess of War''s devotee!


    Boom!


    In an instant, Qing and the war devotee vanished from their spots, colliding heavily. The powerful impact rippled out like waves, shaking the ground and kicking up dust.


    The shockwave alone nearly sent Exiled Immortal flying!


    Unfortunately, under the rules of Spartonia, he couldn''t use his talent skill to manipte the wind. Otherwise, leveraging this wind power would have made a significant difference!


    In the midst of the battlefield, Qing punched the war devotee''s armor, but it didn''t budge an inch. Instead, his bones cracked from the impact, producing a sharp sound.


    That sound certainly didn''t escape War''s ears. To her, it was the most beautiful melody in the world!


    "Quite strong, but your body iscking."


    "Talk all you want. If not for that turtle shell, I''d kill you with one punch!"


    Qing scoffed, ignoring his own injuries as he continued his ferocious assault. His fists rained down like a storm, yet War didn''t retaliate. She let Qing attack, remaining unscathed, with only her armor growing redder.


    Seeing his torn flesh and exposed bone, Qing gritted his teeth.


    The thick armor was much tougher than he had imagined. He hadn''t even managed to leave a scratch on it, let alone break it.


    "You might as well give up. This is the goddess''s armor. Even the Titan Giants couldn''t break it back then. Do you think you can?"


    War sneered, punching Qing squarely in the stomach. The blow nearly knocked Qing unconscious!


    Qing''s vision darkened, watching his HP plummet almost to zero.


    But this gave Qing the perfect opportunity to activate his skill!


    With his HP critically low, Qing''sbat power surged to its peak. His muscles swelled like coiled dragons, and his size expanded, exuding an overwhelming presence!


    Seeing this, War''s interest was piqued. She nced at the ongoing struggle with Hunt and smiled. "Now you almost resemble that great man. But you can''t maintain this for long, can you?"


    "Killing you will be enough!"


    Facing Qing''s blood-red eyes, War''s smile faded, and she finally assumed a proper stance, giving Qing the respect due to an opponent.


    "Only one will get their wish today, and that will be me."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Silent Sea!


    John motioned with his finger, and Deception reluctantly dragged over thest monster''s corpse, piling it onto the ritual circle.


    "This is thest monster."


    "That''s enough. Step back, so you don''t get hurt."


    John nced at Deception, who immediately retreated several dozen meters. If not for the fear of a monster suddenly appearing and swallowing him whole, he would have moved even further away.


    "Hurry up, John. The smell of blood is spreading, and I feel a lot of things approaching."


    "Do I need you to remind me?"


    [Offering the sacrifice, I summon thee to answer my call.]


    Yes, what John was doing was summoning a monster to quickly take him and Deception to the Silent Scar. Otherwise, the more time they wasted, the greater the unknown risks.


    Momentster, a monster resembling a Snickers but muchrger and more grotesque appeared before John. This time, it did not attack but simply watched John.


    "Take us to the Silent Scar."


    Upon hearing this, the monster reacted, allowing John and Deception to grab hold of its mutated exoskeleton as it swam rapidly.


    "This is so fast! John, how do you know this monster knows where the Silent Scar is?"


    "Because it lives in the Silent Sea. Summoning isn''t about creating something out of thin air. Creatures that don''t exist or only exist in fantasies can''t be summoned. Only real monsters can respond.


    Otherwise, I''d just summon Zeus and have him tten the Silent Scar for us, wouldn''t I?"


    John shot Deception an annoyed look, also marveling at the Snickers'' speed.


    At this rate, they would reach the Silent Scar in less than an hour!


    When they got there, it would be up to fate whether John''s luck would hold and whether the Divine Emissary and Gluttony would be there.


    While John was deep in thought, the Snickers suddenly stopped. Due to the inertia, John and Deception crashed into the Snickers'' exoskeleton, with Deception even losing a tooth.


    "Damn it! Why am I always the one getting hurt? John, what the hell is going on now?"


    First, he had to sew monster skin onto himself. Then, during the monster hunt, John nearly stabbed him in the gut with a spear. And now this. Deception seriously suspected that John''s luck came at the expense of everyone else''s misfortune!

 Chapter 189: Chapter189-Internal Strife

    "In the Silent Sea, Snickers are considered upper-tier monsters with significantbat strength. The one I summoned is level 65. It wouldn''t stop unless it sensed something terrifying. Either something is approaching, or... we''re directly above the Silent Scar."


    John let out a deep breath, unfolding his map. After constantly checking his position, he was pretty sure they had arrived.


    The Silent Scar was where Leviathan, a powerful creature,y dormant. It made sense for Snickers to be afraid to approach.


    "We probably need to dive deeper."


    John took a deep breath, looking down at the dark abyss below, feeling a rare chill down his spine.


    Leviathan, a legendary creature John had seen firsthand, had scalesrger than his entire body. It was unimaginable what kind of catastrophic disaster such a creature could cause if it woke up!


    So, they had to be extremely careful!


    Although such creatures wouldn''t easily awaken, if they encountered the Divine Emissary here, as a Demigod tier being, his attacks could potentially wake Leviathan, causing an uncontroble and irreversible disaster!


    With that thought, John exhaled deeply and looked at Deception.


    "If you''re really reluctant, stay here. Snickers will protect you."


    "It? Rely on a monster to protect me? Don''t be ridiculous! I''ll go with you. You can''t face the Divine Emissary alone."


    Deception''s rare show of loyalty was clearly just him masking his fear. John knew full well he wasn''t being gant; he was simply scared.


    Following John was more reassuring than staying behind.


    "Then let''s go. Remember, follow my lead unless you want to die here."


    ...


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    One after another, heavy thuds echoed as Qing was sent flying like a kite with a broken string. He crashed into the arrows casually thrown by Hunt, piercing his palm!


    "If given more time for you to fully grow, you might have been a formidable opponent. But you don''t have that chance. As long as I have this armor, you can''t defeat me."


    The Hunt was somewhat displeased with War interfering in her battle, but since they were currently on the same side, she couldn''t say much.


    "At this point, you''re all battered and broken. Are you still not willing to give up?"


    In just an hour, Qing had been beaten into a bloody mess by War, with barely any intact bones left.


    Exiled Immortal''s arms had been twisted and hung limply at odd angles, rendering him unable to fight. Helena was in the best condition among them, but she was also covered in wounds, with cuts from arrows all over her body.


    Indeed, the gap between them and a Divine Emissary couldn''t be bridged easily, not even with a Demigod tier piece of equipment.


    Especially these two Divine Emissaries before them, who were clearly highly skilled inbat.


    Theirbat strength was probably far superior to the Divine Emissary of the God of Fire and Forge they had encountered before. Even if all seven of them were present, the oue might not change.


    "This is your final warning: join us, or die."


    War stepped forward, lightly pressing her foot on Exiled Immortal''s chest. The immense pressure made it hard for him to breathe, his face turning red and then blue.


    But just then, to everyone''s surprise, the Hunt suddenly drew her bow, aiming an arrow at War, and released the string without a moment''s hesitation.


    A powerful force struck from behind, leaving a scratch on War''s armor and sending her flying. She staggered a few steps before barely managing to stand upright.


    "Do you realize what you''re doing?" War stared at Hunt in disbelief.


    In contrast, Hunt remained calm. "I said, as long as she willingly hands over the Godyer Bow, I will let them leave. So, you can''t kill these three yet."


    "You''re insane,pletely insane! It''s just a bow. Have you forgotten our mission?"


    "I haven''t forgotten the mission. Even if I spare them this time, I''ll kill them the next. But the Godyer Bow must stay!"


    "So, you''re ready to fight me?"


    "If it makes you understand my stance, I don''t mind."


    Seeing this, Exiled Immortal was bewildered, the pain in his arms seeming to lessen.


    "What... is going on? They''re suddenly fighting each other?"


    "Qing, you can''t keep pushing yourself. You''re too injured. If you keep fighting, you''ll die."


    Helena sighed, pouring HP potions into Qing''s mouth one after another, barely keeping his HP from dropping to a critical level.


    "We can''t beat them... We really can''t..."


    Qing couldn''t prate War''s armor. Moreover, War''s strength was immense, her attacks swift and herbat experience rich. Since she started taking the fight seriously, nine out of ten of Qing''s attacks missed, while he couldn''t take even a single hit without dire consequences. How could he possibly win?


    "I''m thinking of handing over the bow. There''s no other way."


    It''s just a bow. Although losing this Demigod tier weapon would severely weaken Helena''sbat power, these items couldn''tpare to the lives of herrades.


    If John found out that she sacrificed tworades for a weapon, he would be very disappointed.


    Meanwhile, War and Hunt continued their standoff.


    Although neither had attacked, the atmosphere was tense and on the verge of erupting.


    War was furious that Hunt had ruined her ns and opposed her at every turn. Hunt, focused solely on the Godyer Bow, was determined to fulfill her promise. Their conflicting goals left neither willing to back down.


    "You better think carefully, Hunt. Everything that happens today, our master will know in detail. Aren''t you afraid that letting them go will anger our master and leave you with no ce to hide?"


    "If I can gain the recognition of the Godyer Bow, what does it matter if I die? War, I won''t say it again. You can leave. I''ll handle the rest."


    War''s eyes were filled with murderous intent.


    But ultimately, reason prevailed over impulse. War unclenched her fists and said in a low voice, "When this is over, you''d better have a reasonable exnation for our master. Letting two people with Authority escape carries a heavy price."


    "I know, and it''s not your concern. Now, leave."


    Having said this much, War realized there was no convincing Hunt and decided to drop the idea.


    In the end, she didn''t dare to attack directly.


    If it were just Hunt alone, War would have rushed in to fight without hesitation.


    As fellow Divine Emissaries, theirbat strength was evenly matched, and either could seriously injure the other.


    She only needed one punch to critically wound Hunt, but if Hunt''s arrows hit the right spot, they could pierce her armor.


    It wasn''t worth the risk.


    Moreover, the other three were still present. If they chose to intervene suddenly, she''d be fighting four against one, significantly increasing her chances of falling.


    Thinking this through, War removed her armor, revealing a beautiful face, though her expression was far from pleasant.


    "Just be sure you''re ready for the consequences."


    War, realizing she had no advantage, turned to leave.


    Seeing this, Helena quickly spoke up, calling out to stop her.


    "Wait! You can''t leave yet!"


    "Seeking death!"


    "I have three conditions. If you meet them, I will hand over the Godyer Bow!"


    "What use do I have for that bow? Do you think I''m as foolish as Hunt?"


    "War, watch your words."


    Hunt cast a cold nce at War before returning her gaze to Helena, her voice steady. "State your conditions."


    "First, once I hand over the Godyer Bow, I don''t care how many Divine Emissaries, apostles, or other identities you have in Spartonia. You must all leave Spartonia."


    This first point was crucial. They had worked hard to understand the main quest of Spartonia, and abandoning it now would make it difficult to face Johnter.

 Chapter 190: Chapter190-Compass

    "Divine Emissaries are blessed by the gods, crossing rivers and mountains as if they were nothing. Who do you think you are to order us to leave?"


    War was seething with anger, Helena''s attitude grating on her nerves.


    But to everyone''s surprise, Hunt agreed immediately.


    "There are only the two of us in Spartonia, and we haven''t developed any followers. They''re just a rabble that poses no real threat to you, so I agree to this condition."


    "Hunt, are you insane? Not only are you refusing to act, but now you also n to let them off the hook?"


    War was furious, finding Hunt''s decisions iprehensible.


    "If you''re unwilling, shall we have a match?"


    Meeting Hunt''s nonchnt gaze, War gritted her teeth, her eyes burning with fury as if she wanted to devour her.


    But...


    "I agree!"


    "Good. Second condition: for three months, regardless of others, neither of you can make a move against us. You must give us three months."


    "Impossible!"


    "Agreed."


    Twopletely different responses came from War and Hunt. This time, War didn''t argue with Hunt.


    It wasn''t out of fear but simply unnecessary.


    Having been together for so long, War knew Hunt''s stubborn nature well. If Hunt didn''t get her way, she would relentlessly pursue War.


    "Agreed."


    This time, the answer was more unified.


    "Third, you need to answer one question, and you must not lie."


    "Go ahead, what''s the question?"


    "Is there anyone among yourrades in Antis?"


    "..."


    This time, Hunt fell silent, not responding immediately.


    Beside her, War burst intoughter, mocking Hunt with her eyes.


    "Speechless? Divine Emissaries must not reveal each other''s locations, or it counts as interference. If you go back, you''re dead for sure. No, you might not even make it back alive."


    "I can tell you that I do have arade in Antis. As for who he is and what he''s plotting, I cannot disclose."


    "That''s enough."


    Helena let out a deep breath, her mood growing darker.


    As she suspected, there was a Divine Emissary in Antis. She could only hope that John would handle it well...


    "Alright, those are my three conditions. But I can''t hand over the bow right now. If you suddenly change your mind and turn your arrows on us, we would be dead for sure."


    "...When will you hand over the Godyer Bow to me?"


    "Thirty days from now, at 1 PM, wait outside the east gate of Spartonia. I wille out and give you the bow. Remember, you muste alone. If there are others, you''ll have to wait another thirty days."


    "Agreed."


    Hunt agreed far more readily than Helena had expected, then turned and left.


    As for War, she had considered taking the opportunity to kill the three of them. But she sensed that Hunt, although seemingly leaving, was still focused on her. Any move she made would be met with a counterattack, so she dismissed the idea.


    Watching the backs of the two Divine Emissaries as they left, Helena finally rxed. The tension in her body eased, and pain flooded in like a tide.


    "We... survived. Exiled Immortal, can you still walk?"


    "Just barely... It''s not easy to get proper treatment for such serious injuries in Spartonia. Should we leave?"


    "Now isn''t the time to leave. Let''s go find a Priest."


    ...


    "John... I feel a chill down my spine. It''s like something is watching me."


    "That might not be your imagination. Something probably is watching you."


    "Damn it! Can''t you say something to ease the tension? I''m already scared to death!"


    "If you''re scared, go back. Don''t you have a teleportation scroll? Just leave."


    John nced at Deception, sensing something was off.


    Is this really Deception''s character?


    Clearly, it wasn''t. Even if hecked strength, Deception wouldn''t speak of fear or terror. He was always confident in himself, believing he could turn any situation around.


    His current demeanor suggested ulterior motives. John didn''t have a clear idea of what Deception was nning, so he decided to let it slide for now.


    "You say that, but we''re good friends. Have you forgotten all we''ve been through in Antis?"


    "I forgot, and I''m not interested in you reminding me. If you don''t want to die, stay quiet. We''ve run into trouble."


    John swallowed hard, staring at the blood-red eyes fixated on him, his body tensing.


    "It hasn''t noticed us yet. We just had the bad luck of running into it. Stay calm, stay quiet..."


    John whispered, trying to rx his body. Deception followed suit.


    After several minutes, the massive creature finally lost interest and swam away, disappearing from their sight.


    "Damn... when that thing showed up, I thought we were dead! John, aren''t we in the Silent Scar yet?"


    "We''re still far from it. We haven''t even touched the sea floor."


    Entering the deep-sea zone required utmost vignce. Stronger andrger monsters lived here, any of which could spell certain doom if provoked.


    Reluctantly, John slowed their descent, taking nearly ten times the usual travel time to reach the sea floor. The solid ground underfoot brought a sense of relief to Deception.


    The feeling of weightlessness had been deeply unsettling.


    "So, where exactly is the Silent Scar?"


    "Just ahead."


    Following John''s pointing finger, Deception saw a faint, shimmering light.


    As he followed John closer, he was stunned.


    Compared to the pitch-ck surroundings, the Silent Scar glowed with an eerie blue light, illuminating everything inside.


    "It must be some kind of mineral. I''m not sure exactly. If Uncle Mac were here, he might be able to identify it. Let''s go inside. At least here, we won''t have to worry about monsters bothering us. Just be careful not to wake Leviathan."


    John stepped into the Silent Scar, his body rapidly descending. Seeing this, Deception quickly followed.


    "It''s quite beautiful..."


    Deception reached out, trying to pry a piece of the glowing blue stone, but John stopped him.


    "The walls are crawling with monsters. If you don''t want your fingers eaten clean, I''d suggest not doing that."


    "Is it really that bad?"


    John didn''t reply but instead threw a weapon at the wall. Instantly, countless ck bugs swarmed over it, devouring the weapon within seconds.


    It was worth noting that the weapon John threw was of Epic quality, made of materials far more durable than flesh. Yet it waspletely consumed, leaving no trace behind.


    Seeing this, Deception quickly pulled his hand back, no longer daring to act recklessly.


    However, the Silent Scar was incredibly vast, with walls several kilometers apart and no end in sight.


    In such a huge ce, finding someone deliberately hiding seemed impossible.


    Deception was uncertain, suspecting that John might also be unsure. The only option was to search as thoroughly as possible.


    "John, if we can''t��"


    "Don''t talk!"


    John raised his hand, cutting Deception off.


    "I think I''ve picked up the Divine Emissary''s aura and location. He''s not far from us."


    "How do you know?"


    "Seraphina prepared apass for me. It can''t differentiate directions but can track the aura of a Divine Emissary. It''s very handy, though it has a distance limit. If they''re too far away, it won''t work."


    Despite its limitations, John was impressed by thepass.


    Seraphina''s reputation as the so-called alchemy progenitor was well-deserved.


    The immense effort she put into creating this tool showcased her remarkable skills.

 Chapter 191: Chapter191-Negotiation

    On the roulette, the light spot kept flickering, indicating that the Divine Emissary was right below John and Deception at this moment. It seemed that the Divine Emissary had not noticed John''s arrival.


    However, John hesitated and didn''t dive down immediately.


    "Is there a problem?"


    Noticing John''s expression, Deception stepped forward slowly and asked in confusion, "Why did you suddenly stop? Isn''t the Divine Emissary right below? As long as we find him, we can team up to kill him, and then take out [Gluttony], solving two major threats in one go!"


    Hearing this, John gave Deception a sideways nce, as if to say, are you kidding me?


    The Divine Emissary, a Demigod tier being, is not someone you can just decide to kill.


    Once a fight breaks out, Deception would be almost useless, and John would have to face Miles head-on, with very little chance of victory.


    Moreover...


    "Yes, he''s right below, but..."


    John took a deep breath, looking down with a deep gaze, as if his eyes could prate everything and discover the terrifying presence hidden in the silent depths. Although it was still dormant, who could be sure it wouldn''t suddenly awaken?


    "If we engage the Divine Emissary here and wake up that presence, we might all die here."


    "What should we do then? Draw him out?"


    "It''s useless. The reason he came here is because he''s certain we wouldn''t dare to fight him. As a Demigod tier Divine Emissary, he can wake up Leviathan anytime he wants."


    At this point, John took a deep breath and hesitated. Whether to continue diving deeper or to engage the Divine Emissary if encountered weighed heavily on his mind, making it hard for him to decide.


    Deception understood John''s meaning, frowned, and said, "But we''ve finally found him; we can''t just give up like this."


    "Deception, do you have any way to lure the Divine Emissary away from here, like you did with [Lust]? Anywhere else will do, but we absolutely cannot fight here."


    "I can''t do it."


    Deception refused John almost immediately, without a moment''s hesitation.


    "Now, the Authority is no longer within me. Even if it were, a fully powered Divine Emissary is on apletely different levelpared to a weakened [Lust]."


    "Then we''ll have to fight and pray we don''t wake Leviathan."


    ...


    In the depths of the Silent Abyss...


    Miles seemed to sense something and looked up nkly, his star-like eyes glimmering faintly.


    "Master... is this the guidance you have given me for my destiny? I didn''t expect... they would catch up so quickly."


    Miles sighed deeply, turned away from the core of the magic array, and left. The array instantly stopped operating, and the light gradually dimmed.


    [Gluttony] quickly called out to Miles, confused, "Don''t leave! We''re almost breaking the seal!"


    "At the current pace, it will take at least another five days to fully awaken you. But those who would stop us are already here."


    "What should we do then? Can you handle it alone? If you die, what will happen to me?"


    "Then you''ll die too."


    With that, Miles seemed to lose interest in arguing with [Gluttony], turned around, and left straight away.


    "Damn! I knew I shouldn''t have trusted you! Bringing me to this hellhole, I''ll definitely kill you first once I''m out!"


    Ignoring [Gluttony''s] cursing from behind, Miles kept ascending, proactively going to meet John.


    In less than an hour, they finally met.


    "John, I didn''t expect to see you so soon."


    "Are you the Divine Emissary of the God of Light and Prophecy?"


    "Miles, Miles Potter."


    "I''m not interested in your name. Since you can see the future, you should know why I''m here, right?"


    John thought for a moment, and [Everchanging] transformed into a long spear in his palm, which he rested on his shoulder.


    "You''re here to stop me because if [Gluttony] revives, everyone will die."


    "Then tell me, who wins?"


    "Both win and lose. I''ve seen thousands of possibilities, where both of us have victories and defeats. The best oue is that I kill both of you, take your Authority, then eliminate [Gluttony] and take his Authority too, using your power to ascend to godhood."


    "And the worst possibility?"


    "I sacrifice myself to awaken Leviathan, causing a massive tidal wave that wipes Antis off the map. In the end, the gods intervene to seal Leviathan again, and you die as well."


    "So, ording to you, I''m going to die no matter what?"


    John smiled bitterly and shook his head, pointing the spear at Miles.


    "Can you see all the futures?"


    "Only my master can glimpse all of the future. What I see is just the tip of the iceberg."


    "So, in many futures, I kill you, right? Well, that suits me just fine."


    "John, let me tell you this: if you dare to attack me, I will immediately sacrifice myself to awaken Leviathan, trading my life for both of yours. That''s a good deal. My mission is to stop you. Whether I can personally kill you doesn''t matter to me."


    Hearing this, John''s expression changed dramatically.


    As expected, the situation was not much different from what he had anticipated. Miles, this bastard, was relying on Leviathan''s presence to put himself in an invincible position.


    He could easily sacrifice himself, exchanging his life for John''s. But John couldn''t afford to die. If he died, all the efforts he had made over such a long time would go to waste!


    With this in mind, John gritted his teeth and, after a long silence, finally sighed deeply.


    "Tell me, what do you want?"


    "I can help you eliminate [Gluttony] and even give you his Authority. My condition is that you must give me Deception''s Authority."


    "Such treachery. Does your master know you''re doing this?"


    "That''s not for you to worry about. So, John, consider this: you give me Deception''s Authority. First, I help you kill [Gluttony]. Second, I swear I won''t attack you, and I can even help you with another problem. You might not know this, but there are two Divine Emissaries in Spartonia city��Hunt and War. They are not as easy to deal with as I am."


    "You, you''re sure?"


    John''s face turned pale.


    One Divine Emissary was already difficult to handle, and now there were two in Spartonia city. If they found Helena...


    "John! Calm down. He might be lying to you. You can''t be sure if he''s telling the truth right now!"


    "But he can''t be sure that I''m lying either. So, John, what''s your choice? Will you trade one Authority to save yourpanions and yourself, or will you insist on fighting me and risk losing everyone? I believe you''ll make the right choice."


    "John! You absolutely cannot give it to him!"


    Deception grabbed John''s wrist urgently. "If he gets my Authority, we''re all dead anyway!"


    "I told you, I will swear an oath."


    "Bullshit! Deception''s Authority can deceive even gods. Tricking an oath is a piece of cake! John, stay calm!"


    Seeing John''s silence, Deception became increasingly frantic.


    If someone who could see the future obtained his Authority, it wouldn''t be as simple as 1+1=2. Miles could potentially control the future! If he seeded, no one below the gods would be able to stop him!


    "Prove it to me."


    John lifted his head, a resolute glint in his eyes.


    "Prove to me you''re not lying, and I''ll give you the Authority."


    "I can''t prove it. You''ll have to choose to believe me, and I won''t make any guarantees. John, this is a gamble, and the stakes are either my life or the lives of all of you. You need to ce your bet. My patience is limited."


    "You get me [Gluttony]''s Authority first, and I''ll give you what you want."


    "You''re not in a position to bargain. Yes or no. I''ll give you onest minute to decide. If you still can''t make a choice..."


    Miles pointed to the Silent Abyss below and smirked.


    "Then I''ll make the choice for you. I''ll awaken Leviathan and wipe out everyone!"

 Chapter 192: Chapter192-A Glimpse from the Divine

    "John, you can''t seriously be considering this, can you?"


    "Do you have a better idea at this point?"


    John turned to meet Deception''s gaze.


    Deception felt as if he saw a sh of cold light in John''s eyes, though it was only for an instant...


    "How can you guarantee that after getting the Authority, he won''t just turn around and kill us?"


    "Right now, Miles holds all the cards and we have none. He''s right; we don''t have the leverage to negotiate.


    Miles, I''ve made up my mind. I''ll give you what you want."


    Hearing this, Miles suddenly smiled.


    "John, you''ve made a wise choice. Trust me, you won''t be disappointed."


    "John! Absolutely not!"


    Deception grabbed John by the cor, his face flushed with anger as he roared, "You''re going to get us all killed!"


    "I can''t gamble with their lives."


    John gave a bitter smile, gently broke free from Deception, and turned to Miles.


    "My condition is that after you get the Authority, you go to Spartonia City immediately to stop the Hunt and War. You must ensure that none of mypanions are harmed."


    "No problem, I promise you."


    Miles agreed without hesitation, his eyes growing more fervent.


    "In that case..."


    John sighed softly, reached out, and gently plucked a hair from his head, saying solemnly, "Eat this, and you''ll gain Deception''s Authority."


    "John, you better not be up to any tricks!"


    "Enough! I''ve already agreed to your terms, and yet you keep nagging. If ites down to it, we''ll fight. I''ll kill you right now! As for that damn Leviathan, so what if I die? You think I haven''t died before?"


    Faced with Miles'' repeated provocations, John''s expression darkened as his wings spread open and he lunged at Miles!


    Seeing this, Miles retreated quickly, exining, "Calm down, John! Calm down. Just give me the hair, and I''ll eat it."


    Watching the enraged John, Miles felt a pang of fear.


    If it really came to a fight, he wasn''t entirely confident he could defeat John.


    After all,pared to sheer strength, he was more of a strategist. Although he knew some spells, they required time to chant. John''s array of tactics made it highly likely that he could turn the tables.


    If it could be avoided, he didn''t want to be enemies with John. He had hoped to leverage the situation with Leviathan to pressure John a bit, but he hadn''t expected John to flip the table so quickly.


    "Miles, this is yourst warning. If you utter one more word of nonsense, I will kill you!"


    "..."


    Meeting John''s fierce gaze, Miles remained silent. He took the hair from John''s hand, rolled it into a ball, and swallowed it.


    In an instant, Miles could feel a terrifying power transferring into his body, filling every corner of his being!


    "This feeling..."


    Miles spread his arms wide, a fervent smile appearing on his face as he began tough maniacally.


    "Power! Power coursing through me! Finally... finally!"


    Theughter abruptly stopped as Miles lowered his gaze, looking straight at John.


    "John, I should thank you."


    "Cut the crap. Don''t forget what you promised me."


    "Promised you? Yes, that''s right, I promised you. So now, I''ll send you on your way."


    Miles smirked, a magic circle forming in front of him, quickly converging into a beam of light that shot towards John!


    Seeing this, Deception''s face darkened.


    "I knew it! This bastard was definitely lying!"


    "Yes, I lied. So what? Without the Authority, your power is greatly diminished. Do you think you can still defeat me now?"


    Miles pointed a finger, over a dozen magic circles forming behind him, locking onto John.


    But John showed no fear; instead, he smirked.


    "Yes, you really fooled me."


    "What do you mean? Do you think you still have a chance to turn the tables?"


    "Miles, open your eyes and take a good look. What Authority do you think you obtained that made you so happy?"


    "Of course it''s..."


    Miles froze mid-sentence, his expression suddenly turning from joy to horror.


    "This... this can''t be! It''s impossible! This is your trickery, you''re deceiving me!"


    "Did you really think you were the only one noticed by the gods?


    God of Light and Prophecy, it sounds impressive, but I wonder how itpares to Hades?"


    "Impossible... absolutely impossible! How could you be worthy of gaining the gaze of that entity?"


    "So, you didn''t foresee this future? It seems your abilities are still too limited. You have the ambition of a wolf, but if you weren''t so greedy, you might have been harder to deal with. But now, good luck."


    Hearing this, Miles'' expression changed, but before he could speak again, he felt a gaze upon him.


    It was from a ce deeper than the deepest sea, an eternal river of the dead flowing day and night.


    A castle built of flesh and bones, and within that castle, on a throne.


    A pair of eyes were staring at him unblinkingly.


    "H-Hades!"


    Boom!


    Miles'' body began to inte like a balloon, his pupils popping out of their sockets, expanding to more than twice their normal size.


    Until his body could no longer bear the immense pressure, with a muffled bang, Miles exploded into a mist of blood, dispersing into the air.


    Seeing this, John wasn''t surprised at all. He calmly reached out and collected Hades'' Authority along with the golden ring that hadn''t been destroyed in the explosion.


    [God of Light''s Ring]


    [Quality]: Demigod-tier essory


    [Attributes]: Wearing this increases Wisdom by 90%, raises spell proficiency to level three, reducing chanting time by 60%.


    Raising spell proficiency to level five allows spellcasting without chanting.


    Raising spell proficiency to level seven increases spell power by 50%.


    Automatically grants mastery over light spells upon wearing.


    Undoubtedly, this was another extremely powerful piece of equipment, most likely from the God of Light and Prophecy.


    As soon as John wore it, hundreds of light spells appeared in his mind, ranging from buffs to healing, andrge-scale offensive spells, covering all bases.


    It was no exaggeration to say that this one piece of equipment was enough topensate for John''s currentck of offensive means.


    "But, I didn''t expect Hades to actually help me. I thought it would be more troublesome," John said, turning to Deception with a grin.


    "Looks like my acting was pretty convincing, huh? Even you were fooled."


    "Who said I didn''t see through it? I was just ying along with you! Besides, don''t get cocky. It''s just that Miles didn''t know Hades had given his Authority to you. Otherwise, do you think you could have tricked him so easily?" Deception retorted, still stubbornly refusing to admit he was fooled.


    Alright, he had to admit that he was genuinely scared earlier, worried that John might hand over their trump card in a moment of rashness. Luckily, John didn''t do that.


    "Seeing how greedy he was, it was clear he had no intention of keeping his promise. Only if I were out of my mind would I make a deal with him..." John didn''t finish his sentence before everything went ck, and he lost consciousness.


    Seeing this, Deception was startled and quickly caught John to prevent him from falling.


    "What''s going on? Isn''t Miles dead? What are you doing now? John, John!" Deception shook John vigorously, but John''s consciousness had already been forcibly dragged into the underworld and could no longer hear Deception''s calls.


    Facing the indifferent expression of Hades on his throne, John swallowed nervously and forced a sycophantic smile.


    Okay, John had a premonition that Hades might cause trouble for him.


    After all, he had involved Hades without his permission, which might have caused significant issues for him.


    John hadn''t expected the retribution toe so swiftly, with Hades forcefully summoning him to the underworld!


    "L-Lord, long time no see."

 Chapter 193: Chapter193-The Target of All

    "You''ve got some nerve," Hades said, quietly staring at John. After a long silence, he suddenly sat up andughed, "You actually dared to give away what I bestowed upon you. You''ve got guts."


    "Lord, I was forced by the circumstances... No matter what kind of Authority Miles obtained, it would pose a significant threat to us. But if I handed your power over to him, I believed you wouldn''t stand by idly," John chuckled dryly, touching his nose and shifting his gaze away with a guilty conscience.


    No matter how he tried to exin, the fact remained that he had involved Hades without permission, and Hades wouldn''t listen to his excuses.


    Realizing this, John sighed and quickly admitted his mistake, saying, "Lord, I know I was wrong. I shouldn''t have involved you."


    "Previously, when I granted you a portion of my Authority, it wasn''t widely known, only a few were aware. But with your recent actions, the entire divine realm now knows I''ve suddenly taken sides. Heh, you''re in trouble, John."


    Hades stood up and slowly walked towards John.


    With every step Hades took down the stairs, the pressure on John intensified.


    By the time Hades stood before him, it felt like a mountain was pressing down on John''s shoulders, making it hard for him to breathe.


    "Now that I am exposed, having gained my support, you will inevitably be the target of all. I can tell you clearly that all the living Divine Emissaries have received the same task: to kill you. They cannot tolerate someone who has inherited Hades'' power to live, as it brings too many uncertainties. John, you have created quite a problem for yourself.


    Don''t worry, I won''t make it difficult for you. I am looking forward to seeing how you will face the uing situation," Hades said beforeughing loudly. With a wave of his hand, the scenery around John changed drastically. When he regained his senses, he found himself back in the Silent Depths, with Deception carrying him on his shoulder, muttering continuously.


    "John''s abilities are getting stronger, but this time he''s clearly messed with the wrong person. If Apollo finds out about his identity, it won''t end well. No, no, I need to find a way to slip away. I can''t meet with John for a while. If those Divine Emissariese after him, I''ll be implicated too!


    There are still three apostles that haven''t awakened, and those guys aren''t easy to deal with, especially [Rage], who can fight the Dragon of Death and Sin to a standstill. If he wakes up, we''re all doomed! I need to think of a way..."


    "Are you done? If so, put me down," John sighed, clearly exasperated by Deception''s muttering.


    Noticing John''s expression, Deception chuckled awkwardly. "You... you heard all that?"


    "More or less, I got the gist. You talk too much."


    "Damn! Can you me me? You suddenly passed out without any warning. I was already scared, and I had to protect you. What else could I do? What happened to you?"


    "It was Hades. He forcibly pulled my consciousness into the underworld and said a few things to me."


    "What did he say?"


    John looked up, nced at Deception, and smiled, "Are you sure you want to know?"


    "...Let''s hear it."


    "He said that our rtionship has been exposed, and all the surviving Divine Emissaries have been tasked to kill me at any cost. Actually, you should run away quickly. I estimate they are on their way now."


    Deception: "???"


    "Damn it! You should have told me such an important thing earlier! We''re done for now!"


    "Stop whining. You still have time to leave."


    "Leave? Are you kidding? Once they target you, there''s no escaping, even to the ends of the earth! John, you acted too rashly. How could you risk my life like this?"


    "Stop talking nonsense. Did I have a choice at that critical moment? Besides, who said we have no chance at all? I don''t believe they would dare to attack me here. Worst case, I''ll never leave the Silent Depths and use Leviathan''s influence as protection."


    Hearing this, Deception felt utterly hopeless.


    "Knowing you has brought me nothing but bad luck! Oh well, it''s toote to escape now anyway. Transfer my Authority back to me so I can regain my Demigod-tier power. I can hold off one of them for you, but as for the other four, you''ll have to figure that out yourself."


    "No rush. I''m sure they won''t act recklessly."


    Unlike the panicked Deception, John remained much calmer.


    "Not in a rush? When will you be? When they''re right at your doorstep?"


    "Think, how did Miles die? He was killed by Hades. Do you think the other Divine Emissaries don''t know that? The gods backing them might be wary of breaking the rules and won''t intervene easily, but Hades isn''t bound by those rules. They are afraid that if theye recklessly, Hades might wipe them out. So, rx, for now, we''re safe.


    What''s more important is to find [Gluttony] and take his Authority. Understand?"


    "Are you... are you sure they won''t team up to kill you?"


    "They won''t dare because if I were in their ce, I wouldn''t either. Unless they''re all a bunch of fools."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the Snow Mountain Pce...


    War smiled mockingly, "I was wondering who would be the next unlucky one, and it turned out to be Miles! Hahaha! Wasn''t he supposed to see the future? Didn''t he foresee his own death? How foolish to provoke Lord Hades!"


    "That''s enough, Windsor. Stop your mockery," Hunt nced at War and continued, "Kaldaram is missing, Miles is dead. Out of the seven Divine Emissaries, only five remain. Clearly, we can''t act recklessly anymore."


    "Sara, you had a chance to eliminate the emissaries of the War God and the Wind God. Why didn''t you do it?"


    In the hall, a man hidden in the shadows cast a nce at Sara. Sara''s heart tightened, then she averted her gaze and calmly said, "The Godyer Bow is in their hands. I need to find a way to retrieve it."


    "Are you certain?"


    "No mistake. I serve by the lord''s side. How could I not recognize the Godyer Bow?"


    "Very well, that bow is indeed important."


    The man seemed convinced by Sara and did not press the matter further. Seeing this, Windsor pursed his lips, clearly dissatisfied.


    "With Miles'' death, our previous ns arepletely disrupted. The master has given us orders to eliminate John at all costs. He possesses multiple Authorities and has gained Hades'' favor. If he fully masters his powers, he will be extremely troublesome."


    "Morgan, do you have any thoughts?"


    "Isn''t it simple? The five of us team up and easily kill John."


    "Fool, do you think Hades would allow that to happen? In such a dire situation, Hades wouldn''t stand by idly. If he can kill Miles, he can kill you too."


    "Windsor, are you provoking me?"


    "And what if I am?"


    Watching the group descend into chaos, Sara frowned, her expression dark.


    This was not unexpected. As Divine Emissaries, their powers and Authorities were nearly equal, and none of them were willing to take orders from another.


    When Miles was alive, his abilities made him a de facto leader.


    But now, with Miles dead, they had reverted to a disorganized, fractious group, teetering on the brink of copse.


    "Enough, stop arguing. The most important thing now is John. He can''t be allowed to live much longer. Windsor, Sara, I need you to go to Antis and bring back his head. Remember, don''t attack the city. If the situation turns unfavorable, retreat immediately.


    We only have five people left, don''t forget the task our master gave us!"


    "I''m not going! Miles was killed by him. Am I much stronger than Miles? You just want to send me to my death!" Windsor immediately refused, a hint of disdain shing in his eyes.


    "I will give you the artifact our master entrusted to me. With this artifact, bring back John''s head and present it to the gods."

 Chapter 194: Chapter194-The Elimination of Gluttony

    "Deal!" Windsor stopped, a slight smile curling his lips.


    "If you had said you were willing to lend me the artifact earlier, I would have agreed right away. Of course, I have one condition: you must inform our master to apply pressure on the underworld. If Hades intervenes again, no one will be able to stop him unless the gods themselvese."


    "I will ry your request to our master."


    "Good. So, where''s the artifact? Give it to me now."


    Windsor gestured, and the ck-robed man sitting at the head extended his hand.


    Instantly, the sky darkened, filled with swirling clouds mixed with wind and snow.


    The ck clouds grew heavier, and above them, fierce lightning seemed ready to tear the sky apart, followed by deafening thunder.


    The louder the thunder, the wider Windsor''s smile grew.


    "Take it, and set off."


    "Excellent. You cowards stay here and wait for my good news! Sara, let''s go."


    Hearing this, Hunt stood up and silently followed Windsor out. Watching their departing figures, the man sighed deeply.


    "Let''s hope those two can kill John andplete the mission that Miles failed."


    "You''re relying on that crazy woman? She might just go insane again! I don''t understand why you''d rather give the artifact to her instead of letting us handle it. Staying in this wretched snow mountain, what''s the point?"


    "Before leaving, the God of Prophecy gave me a prediction. Our final battle with John will take ce on this snow mountain. To this day, the prophecy is unfolding step by step. If, as the God of Prophecy foretold, Windsor and Sara fail to kill John on this trip..."


    As he spoke, the man stood up. Under his hood, his pale skin became visibly flushed.


    "We must be here, fully prepared to face John."


    ---


    "Found you!"


    Sensing the aura in the pit, John exhaled a long breath. It hadn''t been a waste to spend nearly two days searching. He had finally found the location where [Gluttony] was sealed. If he hade a few dayster, Miles might have seeded in awakening [Gluttony].


    "Deception,e here."


    Calling the wandering Deception back, John asked sternly, "We''ve found him. Is there any way to kill him and seize his Authority without breaking the seal?"


    "No."


    Deception refused immediately without hesitation. Seeing John''s unfriendly gaze, Deception quickly exined, "Don''t look at me like that. Have you forgotten the situation with Lust? He''s sealed now. With our means, there''s no way to kill him directly. No matter how much you re at me, there''s nothing I can do.


    However, we can forcefully break the seal and make [Gluttony] awaken prematurely. In this way, his power will be reduced to a tenth, and he won''t pose much of a threat."


    "Then why are you just standing there? Hurry up and get started."


    "I''m just exining the principle to you. I''ve noticed your attitude towards me has be worse and worsetely, John. You can''t just target me because my strength has weakened. After all, I''ve helped you so much before. Both emotionally and logically, you should give me the respect I deserve."


    Ignoring Deception''s incessantints, John rolled his eyes. ording to Deception, to forcibly break the seal, they would need to unleash Demigod-tier power to tear it apart. Miles could have done it, but he needed a fully restored [Gluttony], so he didn''t.


    Right now, with thebined strength of John and Deception, it was still challenging to unleash Demigod-tier power. There were ways, such as returning the Authority to Deception. In no more than three days, Deception could regain peak power, but John vetoed this idea.


    John had clearly heard Deception''s earlier grumblings. For someone always considering betraying him, he couldn''t be trusted. Giving him power would only result in him abandoning John without hesitation in times of danger.


    Deception was furious. After all the time they had known each other, didn''t his actions prove he was a trustworthy partner? How many times had he saved John from peril? Now, John simply refused to acknowledge it!


    But there was no helping it��John held the power now.


    "I''ve done everything I can to weaken the seal to its thinnest state. You only have one chance. If you can''t tear the seal with a single strike, it will only strengthen [Gluttony''s] resistance."


    Deception stood up, looking at the flowing magic circle in front of him. He took a deep breath and continued, "Are you ready?"


    "Let''s give it a try..."


    "Give it a try? John, are you serious? If you can''t do it, you should go back and get Lily, put that ring on her, and let her do it. You only have one chance. Do you think you''ll get another opportunity? If you fail, we won''t be able to stop [Gluttony''s] awakening!"


    "I know exactly what I''m doing; you don''t need to repeat it," John interrupted Deception, sliding the ring onto his finger.


    Time was of the essence. It was no longer feasible for John to return to Antis, help Lily ovee her fears, and make the long journey back to the Silent Depths. Moreover, the imminent threat of the Divine Emissaries left no room for hesitation.


    With this in mind, John took a deep breath. With Seraphina''s help, he selected the most powerful light-based spell. After setting up the magic circle, he began to chant.


    Hearing the arcane incantations flow from John''s mouth, Deception understood that there was no turning back. John was determined to resolve [Gluttony] here and now, and further persuasion was futile.


    [As a devout follower, I offer this earnest prayer to you. Please descend with divine wrath and incinerate all!]


    In an instant, a blinding light erupted from the magic circle beneath John''s feet, epassing the seal that held [Gluttony]. The purifying radiance rapidly eroded the seal, and within a few breaths, it was forcibly torn apart!


    Caught within the holy light, [Gluttony] had no way to escape and let out a piercing scream.


    "Damn it, damn it! I should never have trusted you, Miles!"


    Unaware of the outside world, [Gluttony] didn''t know that Miles was dead and that someone else was casting the spell. Unfortunately, he wouldn''t have the chance to find out.


    The surrounding seawater evaporated almost instantly from the soaring light, briefly creating a vacuum under the sea!


    Standing at the center of the magic circle, bathed in light, John looked like a deity, gazing down at [Gluttony].


    "Your Authority, I im it."


    ��


    Meanwhile, in the skies above the Silent Sea, Windsor stared at the light beam that seemed to tear through the clouds, filled with apprehension.


    "This aura... it''s the power of that lord. But isn''t Miles already dead? Sara, what do you think?"


    "The aura isrgely the same, but there are subtle differences. The user is someone else. It seems John must have acquired some sort of treasure from Miles."


    "The power of that strike is almost on par with your full force. No wonder those cowards were all talk and no action; they feared John''s strength."


    Windsor furrowed her brow, a cold glint shing in her eyes. Judging by that single strike, John''s strength was not inferior to hers, causing Windsor to hesitate.


    If they were to attack, they might be able to kill John, but it woulde at a great cost. One or both of them could die here today.


    Seeing Windsor''s hesitation, Sara spoke impassively, "What''s wrong? Afraid to make a move?"


    "If you think you can do it, be my guest. Can you guarantee you could take that hit head-on ande out unscathed? I don''t want to risk my life just to have someone else reap the benefits. We have time. I can wait. Once you retrieve the Godyer Bow, we can reconsider our approach."


    "What about the others? How will you deal with them?"


    "Deal with them? They cane and kill John themselves if they have the guts. Otherwise, they should shut up!"

 Chapter 195: Chapter195-Gaining Authority Again, Unlimited Growth!

    [Congrattions! You have gained 370,000 experience points. yer level has increased to 74!]


    [Alchemist ss level has increased to 151!]


    [Trickster ss level has increased to 81!]


    [Lust ss level has increased to 45! New ss skill avable.]


    [Transgression ss level has increased to 40! New ss skill avable.]


    [Harbinger of Death ss skill level has increased to 15! New ss skill avable.]


    [Congrattions! You have awakened a new ss��All-Devourer!]


    [ss talent: Continuously devour monsters to absorb their abilities and enhance your attributes. The higher the level of the devoured target, the greater the attribute boost, with no upper limit.]


    A series of notifications exploded in John''s mind. Aside from the ss level increases, what caught his attention the most was the new ss, All-Devourer.


    Unlike Trickster or Transgression, which provided John with considerablebat power or versatile utility, All-Devourer''s abilities far exceeded John''s expectations!


    John had long envied Qing''s talent, which allowed for unlimited attribute growth. Given enough time, Qing could widen the gap significantly with other yers. The advent of All-Devourer perfectly addressed this shoring for John!


    In truth, with multiple ss awakenings, John''s strength could no longer be assessed by typical yer standards. While John''s abilities were well-rounded, they were also somewhat mediocre without any particr standout specialization.


    In closebat, he was not as formidable as Qing. Inrge-scale damage, he couldn''tpare to Lily. His mobilitygged behind Exiled Immortal, and his ranged attacks were not as effective as Helena''s.


    However, All-Devourer presented new possibilities for John. Given enough time, John could turn his attributes into monstrous levels, eliminating any weaknesses.


    With this in mind, John felt a surge of joy and turned to Deception.


    "What�� What''s with that look, John? Calm down, what are you nning?"


    "Deception, how does [Gluttony] rank in strength among the Seven Apostles? Is he one of the stronger ones?"


    "Him? He wishes! That fat slob only hasbat strengthparable to Betrayal when he''s full, far inferior to me. Sure, his abilities are impressive, but his methods are limited. Even if he turns himself into a mountain of flesh, what''s the point? Of course, if you had his ability, that would be a different story."


    John''s myriad of techniques and attribute enhancements meant every ability was a significant boost for him, putting him on an entirely different level.


    "So, I just need to keep consuming, right?"


    "That''s true, but are you sure you can stomach some of the things you''ll need to eat?"


    "I can temporarily shut off my sense of taste. If I can''t taste it, it won''t be so hard to swallow. In any case, this journey has definitely been very fruitful."


    Not only did John acquire Demigod-tier equipment, but he also awakened a new ss. Given time, his strength would reach a whole new level! By then, even the Divine Emissaries might not be unbeatable!


    With this thought, John''s spirits lifted.


    For now...


    "We should head back and not let ria and Lily worry for too long."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in Spartonia:


    With the Priest''s healing, Qing and Exiled Immortal''s injuries had mostly healed. Aside from a few debuffs that couldn''t be removed quickly, which limited theirbat effectiveness to about seventy percent, their normal activities werergely unaffected.


    "However, this encounter has proven that with our current strength, it''s too naive to think we can oppose the Divine Emissaries."


    "Big sister, are you really nning to hand over the weapon to that Divine Emissary after a month? If she takes the weapon and then turns her arrows on us, we won''t stand a chance."


    "In such a situation, I have no choice. I can''t let you two lose your lives over a weapon."


    Hearing this, Qing''s face turned red with guilt.


    "I''m sorry... If it weren''t for me insisting oning to Spartonia, this might not have happened."


    "Don''t say that, Qing. No one could have predicted that two Divine Emissaries would appear in Spartonia. Even if there was only one, that battle would have been just as tough. And now, I''m even more worried about John''s situation. I saw on the forums that Antis is very dangerous, with many monsters lurking in those waters. I''m worried that John..."


    "Big sister, John will be fine. You know his strength well. Just an hour ago, hisbat power increased by four thousand points, breaking through twenty thousand. That''s almost twice as much as Qing''s. With him around, even facing a Divine Emissary might not be hopeless."


    "Let''s hope so... Anyway, Qing, you should stay and rest for the next few days. Dy your matches at the arena for now. Your injuries haven''t fully healed. Forcing yourself topete might cause a rpse of your old wounds."


    Unusually, Qing did not argue with Helena this time, seemingly still mired in the disappointment of the loss against War. She tacitly epted Helena''s suggestion.


    "As for you, Exiled Immortal, my idea is for you to leave Spartonia and head to Antis. Inform John of the situation here and check on how he''s doing. Since you''re traveling alone, you''ll be much faster."


    Exiled Immortal hesitated, "If I leave and those two Divine Emissariese back, won''t that be dangerous?"


    "I trust her to keep her promise. Listen, rest up today and leave early tomorrow. Get to Antis as soon as possible and find John to exin the situation."


    "...I understand. No need to wait until tomorrow, I can leave shortly. Big sister, you and Qing be careful."


    "Don''t worry about us, just be safe on the road."


    In fact, if it weren''t for Qing needing to push the main quest forward, Helena would have considered letting Qing go along as well, leaving her alone to face the Divine Emissaries. Their goal was only to take the Godyer Bow, so there was no need for everyone to stay.


    As nned, Exiled Immortal left Spartonia that afternoon, using a teleportation scroll to return to Talcavano. Following a yer-made map from the forums, he traveled southeast toward Antis.


    However, since Exiled Immortal manipted wind fields as part of his talent, his energy was limited. He couldn''t travel nonstop day and night, so it took him five days of intermittent travel to reach the Silent Sea.


    Near the ind sea, many yers had already gathered. Some hesitated, struggling to ovee their fear of the deep sea, torn between their curiosity about the lost kingdom beneath the waves and the dangers lurking in the ocean. Others set up tents on the nearby beach, selling Waterproof Pearls they had collected early on.


    Exiled Immortal bought one, spending two million silver coins, which made him wince in pain.


    After all, Exiled Immortal had been rapidly advancing the main storyline with John''s group, and apart from dungeon rewards, he had no other sources of silver coins. Moreover, Exiled Immortal was a money-guzzler, with his backpack filled with over a hundred swords that he couldn''t bear to part with.


    In fact, if he were willing to put his Legendary-quality Sword of the Hero up for auction, he could easily get tens of millions, even up to a billion silver coins. Unfortunately, Exiled Immortal had a collector''s obsession, preferring to keep items he didn''t even use.


    This left him with less than six million silver coins in savings, and purchasing the small Waterproof Pearl cost him nearly a third of his savings.


    Exiled Immortal had considered simply robbing someone, but doing so would vite the unwritten rules among yers, so he had no choice but to buy the pearl.


    With the Waterproof Pearl in his mouth, Exiled Immortal took a deep breath and slowly walked into the Silent Sea. Following the fastest route outlined in the guide, he dove deeper.


    Fortunately, on his way to Antis, Exiled Immortal encountered no real danger. The only monsters he saw were a few non-aggressive sea turtles that passed by him indifferently. Thus, he safely reached the undersea gem, Antis.

 Chapter 196: Chapter196-Reunion

    "This is... Antis?"


    Floating in the icy cold water, Exiled Immortal''s attention was entirely captivated by the breathtaking dreamlike vision before him. He voiced the awe that every yer felt upon reaching Antis.


    Compared to the wildness of Spartonia, Antis was undoubtedly a paradise.


    Exiled Immortal swallowed nervously, tentatively reaching out and passing his hand through the bubble, entering Antis.


    With Miles'' death, his so-called prophecies were naturally debunked, and no one believed his prediction of Antis'' downfall anymore. The arrival of numerous adventurers brought new life to this isted kingdom.


    "It''s a pity... Leonard and F are gone. If they were still here, they might have found many like-mindedpanions," Warner sighed, sitting in a tavern and watching the bustling crowd.


    Just over ten days ago, he had met those two old friends here, who had given him the confidence to pick himself up again. But Warner hadn''t expected their parting toe so suddenly. Just like in his memories, Leonard and F had left without a word, leaving him and others behind to continue their adventure.


    Thinking about it, Leonard and F were probably like these adventurers who came to Antis, traveling to every corner of the world and witnessing differentndscapes. What a vibrant and colorful life that must be.


    But sadly...


    "I don''t even have the courage to leave Antis and embrace the ocean. How can I be an adventurer and explore the outside world?"


    Draining hisst ss of wine, Warner smiled bitterly at himself and then stood up to leave the tavern. He vaguely saw two familiar figures and, before he could think, his body moved on its own. He rushed forward and grabbed one of them by the arm.


    "Le... Leonard? Is that you, my old friend?"


    "Shh... you''ve got the wrong person."


    "Huh? How could I be mistaken? You clearly are... wait, who are you again?"


    Warner stood there, dazed, his mind a jumble of confusion. Why had he chased after them? Why had he stopped this person? What was the name that had slipped from his mind?


    He couldn''t remember. It was as if his memory had been wiped clean, leaving a nk space.


    "Strange... I feel like I''ve forgotten two very important people... but who are they?"


    ...


    "I thought you nned to continue using that fake identity to swindle people in Antis," John nced at Deception and continued, "Are you giving up your deception so easily?"


    "Miles is dead, there''s no need to keep hiding. What''s the matter, still hung up on that woman?"


    "And you have the nerve to bring that up?"


    "Hahaha, just joking, my friend. Why so serious?" Deception smirked, draping an arm over John''s shoulder. "By the way, any leads on the main quest in Antis?"


    "No, in my previous life, I didn''tplete Antis'' main quest. I have no idea how to advance it, so I''m just waiting."


    "What about your lover, the princess of Antis? Are you nning to rekindle that romance?"


    "If you''re bored, just leave and stop babbling, alright?" John snapped, giving Deception a punch. He was about to return to his ce when he spotted Exiled Immortal hurrying over from the corner of his eye.


    Seeing his familiarpanion, John was surprised and quickly went to meet him. "Exiled Immortal? Why are you here in Antis? What about Helena and the others?"


    "John, it''s a long story. First, tell me how things are on your end. Have you encountered any Divine Emissaries?"


    "I encountered one, but it''s been taken care of."


    "Taken care of? That''s good. John, we encountered two Divine Emissaries in Spartonia!"


    Hearing this, John''s face darkened. Miles hadn''t lied; there were indeed two Divine Emissaries in Spartonia. But now, with only John present...


    Noticing John''s concern, Exiled Immortal quickly exined, "John, Helena and Qing are safe for now. The two Divine Emissaries we encountered were Hunt and War, we..."


    Before Exiled Immortal could finish, John interrupted, "This isn''t the ce to talk. Let''s go to my ce, and you can tell me everything in detail."


    "Alright!"


    When they arrived at the residence, John didn''t see ria or Lily, assuming they had gone out. Given that Antis was currently safe, he wasn''t worried.


    "Alright, Exiled Immortal, tell me everything that happened after we parted in Talcavano, and don''t leave out any details."


    "I understand, John. Since we parted..."


    ...


    "In the end, Helena agreed to Hunt''s conditions, agreeing to hand over the Godyer Bow to save Qing and me. Otherwise, we would have likely died at the hands of the War Divine Emissary."


    It took nearly an hour for Exiled Immortal to finally exin the situation to John.


    "Fortunately, you''re all safe. So, you''ve figured out Spartonia''s main quest, right?"


    "Yes, Qing is staying in Spartonia toplete the main quest as quickly as possible. John, what should we do next? Those two Divine Emissaries are very strong. Even Qing can''t match them in closebat."


    "I haven''t decided yet, but one thing is certain: we can''t let the Godyer Bow fall into their hands. If the Hunt Divine Emissary gets that weapon, we''ll be in danger."


    "The Hunt Divine Emissary promised us a month, so she won''t break her word. She''s very principled, so we can trust that," Exiled Immortal reassured him.


    Before John could respond, Deception chimed in, "As for the War Divine Emissary... let''s just say she''s a temperamental lunatic, and her strength is terrifying, at least stronger than Miles. The most critical thing is that she doesn''t care about rules. She''ll do whatever it takes to achieve her goals if it benefits her.


    Oh, and if I remember correctly, the War Divine Emissary and the Hunt Divine Emissary are sisters. War is the elder sister, and Hunt is the younger."


    "Doesn''t that mean Helena and the others are in danger now?"


    "No, I don''t think they''ll take action. If there''s one thing that lunatic War cares about, it''s her sister. So, I predict she won''t break her promise. Trading a month for the Godyer Bow is a good deal."


    John nodded slightly at this, saying, "If that''s the case... then for now, we''ll stay put. Let Qing continue advancing the main quest, and I''ll work on increasing my own strength. When the timees, I''ll return to Spartonia with you to resolve this issue."


    At the moment, they had no knowledge of War and Hunt''s whereabouts. Apart from waiting, there seemed to be no better option.


    However...


    "John, are you still mad at us? Because of a minor disagreement, we nearly lost our lives..."


    "Don''t overthink it. I won''t hold a grudge over something like this. It''s true that not every area suits every yer, and there''s nothing we can do about that. I understand how Qing feels," John said, shaking his head to reassure Exiled Immortal. After a moment of contemtion, he continued, "Anyway, I think Helena''s idea is for you to stay in Antis for now.


    There''s no rush to return until the agreed date arrives."


    "That seems to be the only option..."


    Although he didn''t want to admit it, the fact was that even if he returned to Spartonia, it seemed he wouldn''t be able to change anything. Still, Exiled Immortal felt a bit dissatisfied.


    For so long, he believed he had been growing stronger, bing someone who could stand on his own. But the truth showed he still had a long way to go.


    Certainly, the inability to use his talent skills within Spartonia City was a factor, but even if he could summon a tornado, could he really handle thebined might of those two Divine Emissaries?


    With this thought, Exiled Immortal sighed deeply. He needed to get stronger, and quickly, to catch up with John''s pace.

 Chapter 197: Chapter197-National War

    "Winner, Qing!"


    Inside the arena!


    Qing raised his right fist high as his opponent staggered and fell, signaling Qing''s victory.


    This was hisst match before advancing to the intermediate level of diators, achieving forty wins in forty battles.


    Qing had carved his name onto the arena''s stone tablet at record speed.


    "What a brave warrior, what immense power! Forty wins in forty matches. From this moment on, he is one of the 1,300 intermediate diators in the arena. Please give your loudest cheers to this heroic warrior!"


    The deafening cheers echoed throughout the arena, but Qing didn''t bask in the glory as he usually did.


    He took the intermediate diator badge, symbolizing his new status, and turned to leave the arena.


    In the corridor, Helena was already waiting for him.


    The two exchanged a nce, and Qing let out a long breath, saying solemnly, "Help me arrange the next battles as soon as possible. I want toplete the main quest within the remaining time."


    "There''s not enough time. You still need at least sixty-five more fights, and you must maintain a perfect record. Today, I checked out all the high-level diators. There are seventy-nine in total, with an average level of 60. Winning against at least twenty-five of them won''t be easy."


    "We''ll have to do our best. Otherwise, if those twoe back and get the Godyer Bow and then betray us, we''ll be in danger."


    Besides, once leaving Spartonia, all previous victories in the arena would be reset to zero, starting everything from scratch.


    This was why John had said that going to Spartonia would mean staying there for a considerable time.


    "I''ll try tomunicate with them, but don''t put too much pressure on yourself, Qing. You don''t seem to be in a good state."


    "I''m fine. Don''t worry about me."


    Qing let out a long breath and wiped the sweat off his forehead with a towel. Without waiting for Helena to speak, he got up and left.


    Helena could sense that Qing was deeply ming himself. In his view, everything that had happened was his fault. It was this sense of guilt that drove Qing to push himself so hard, even before his injuries had fully healed, throwing himself back into the arena to advance the main quest.


    Helena wanted to tell Qing that it wasn''t his fault, that he wasn''t the only one who had made this choice, and that he shouldn''t bear all the guilt alone. But Qing gave her no chance to exin.


    The appearance of the Divine Emissaries had only worsened the already strained team dynamics.


    With this in mind, Helena sighed and followed Qing out. There were less than twenty days left until her meeting with the Hunt Divine Emissary, and she still hadn''t thought of a better way to resolve the problem.


    If possible, she didn''t want to hand over the Godyer Bow, as it would mean bing the weakest link in the team again, a burden to herpanions. But facing the overwhelming power difference, Helena felt powerless.


    "We can only hope for a turn of events..."


    ...


    Meanwhile, in the royal pce of Spartonia!


    On the throne sat a man stronger than anyone else. He wore no helmet, and his face was covered in scars, trophies from countless battles that had paved his way to the throne.


    In front of him were fully armored Spartonian warriors, wielding long spears and carrying round shields on their backs. Their golden helmets left only their sharp eyes visible. Their muscr, bare bodies radiated strength and explosiveness, marking them as the elite of Spartonia.


    "Your Majesty, in recent days, more adventurers have arrived in Spartonia. Most of them have joined the arena you set up, and some have shown remarkable performances."


    "Bring it up."


    "Yes, Your Majesty."


    One man stepped forward from the ranks and respectfully presented a list to the man on the throne. The king took the list and nced down at it.


    "Nine days, forty battles, forty victories. The name is Qing... quite an unusual name."


    "This adventurer is extremely powerful. On average, he takes less than three minutes per battle. Neither other adventurers nor our warriors can withstand him. Your Majesty, I believe we should recruit him and test his loyalty. If he proves trustworthy, we could appoint him as a general. In three months, when weunch the war against Everglow, he will undoubtedly be a formidable asset!"


    "Victories in novice diator fights aren''t enough to assess his true worth. Let''s wait and see how he performs as an intermediate diator. If he continues to win, bring him to me. As for the others, handle them as you see fit."


    The man casually tossed the list aside and slowly stood up.


    "In three months, we willunch a full-scale attack on Everglow. This time, we will crush Everglow City and show those so-called civilized people the true power of the Spartonian warriors! Are you ready to embrace death in war, Spartonian warriors?"


    "Victory in battle!"


    "Victory in battle!"


    Almost simultaneously, a global announcement appeared, heralding the third major event.


    This third major event was called National War.


    [Global Announcement!]


    [In three months, Spartonia will mobilize its entire nation to wage war against Everglow. During this period, all yers will receive unlimited teleportation scrolls for travel between the two locations. Before the event begins, yers can choose which city to support and participate in the national war.


    During the event, rewards will be distributed based on individual performance, with military merits that can be exchanged for equipment, items, and materials. The top two yers who umte the most military merits will receive a mysterious reward!]


    As the announcement was made, it captivated nearly all the yers, filling them with excitement and anticipation.


    This was a war between two nations! One could only imagine how spectacr and grand the scenes would be!


    What intrigued people the most was the mysterious reward mentioned in the announcement.


    Everyone knew that each major event was the best opportunity to quickly bolster their strength. With the opening of mid-tote game maps, the rewards were naturally getting more substantial.


    In an era where Epic gear wasmon and most yers could obtain one or two pieces of Legendary-quality equipment, the so-called mysterious reward was especially enticing.


    This included John and his team. After reading the announcement, Exiled Immortal eagerly sought out John.


    "John, did you see it? The third major event is about to start!"


    "I saw it. Is it worth getting this excited over? We still have three months."


    "It''s a long-awaited major event! John, which side should we join? Should we choose Spartonia? But Everglow City also seems like a good option. We''ve never been to Everglow City before. It''s so intriguing!"


    "Calm down, Exiled Immortal. We need to focus on more immediate concerns. Don''t forget, we''re still under the threat of the Divine Emissaries."


    "I know, I''m just excited. John, when the timees, which faction do you think we should join?"


    John smiled and shook his head. He was pleased to see Exiled Immortal in high spirits, but the threat of the Divine Emissaries hadn''t been resolved yet. Before the major event began, John needed to find a way to deal with this issue.


    "It''s a shame Miles was crushed by Hades, his whole body exploded. Otherwise, his eyes, which could see the future, would have been quite useful," Seraphina said, clicking her tongue and sighing regretfully.


    "If I had those eyes, I might have been able to perfect your girlfriend''s body."


    Hearing this, John''s eyes lit up.


    "Seraphina, what did you say?"


    "You heard me. Why make me repeat myself? Hmph, the task you entrusted to me��it''s been a while, but I can finally give you an answer. Give me another month, maybe even less, and I can convert your girlfriend into a yer. No need to thank me; consider it a gift for helping me regain my strength."

 Chapter 198: Chapter198-Clue

    For John, this was undoubtedly the greatest surprise.


    It had been so long that John had almost given up hope on this matter.


    Despite Deception''s previous example, his method involvedpletely abandoning the physical body, taking over a yer''s body, and erasing their soul, a method clearly unsuitable for ria.


    Therefore, John had previously thought this task was impractical.


    But unexpectedly, after all this time, Seraphina had given him this wonderful surprise-she had already started working on helping ria reconstruct her body!


    "John, don''t get too excited just yet. Whether this will work is still uncertain. I''m only saying it''s a possibility."


    "I understand, I understand. Thank you so much, Seraphina!"


    "Actually, this is thanks to you. If I hadn''t regained this part of my strength, I would have long since vanished. So, like I said, consider it a thank you gift. The progress on reconstructing the body is already seventy percentplete. There are still some important materials you need to collect. I''ll give you a list.


    If there''s nothing critical, don''t disturb me."


    "Understood."


    John was overjoyed, his eyes filled with smiles, which left Exiled Immortal bewildered.


    "John, why are you suddenly smiling to yourself?"


    "Hmm? Oh! It''s nothing. By the way, why are you still here?"


    "Come on! What do you mean by that? Where else would I be? You still haven''t answered my question. When the major event starts, which faction are we joining?"


    Hearing this, John suddenly remembered.


    "Oh, you''re talking about that. It''s simple. Since the top contributors in both factions will receive hidden rewards, we should join both sides. You guys will go back to Spartonia and join Spartonia''s faction, while we''ll join Everglow''s faction. As long as we avoid each other and focus on racking up contributions, we''ll be fine."


    "Is that even possible?"


    "Of course we can. The announcement said the event is organized in small teams. When the timees, we can split into two teams and participate, securing the final mysterious reward. It''s the simplest and most straightforward method. Besides, it''s pointless to worry too much now. We have a full three months until the event starts.


    Who knows what changes might happen in that time? So, just rx and put your mind at ease. We can think about this again in two months, understood?"


    Having finally quelled Exiled Immortal''s curiosity, John breathed a sigh of relief.


    John wanted to share more details to help hispanions prepare in advance, but unfortunately, he only had limited knowledge about the national war event.


    In his previous life, John hadn''t participated in this major event, like many other assassin-ss yers.


    Their ss skills made them unsuitable forrge-scale battlefield engagements.


    In the face of tens of thousands of warriors, assassinating someone was nearly impossible; it was difficult to remain unseen among tens of thousands of eyes.


    Furthermore, no matter which side you joined, killing enemy soldiers or yers yielded very few military merits.


    There were countless other ways to earn military merits, not just through killing.


    So it was clear that this event wasn''t about testing individual or teambat strength.


    Such a scenario would obviously favor mages.


    With a team limit of five, just imagine if five mages simultaneously castrge-scale spells-what kind of damage would that cause?


    Clearly, to earn a lot of military merits, other methods would be needed. Unfortunately, John had no better ideas at the moment and would have to wait until the event officially started to figure things out.


    Moreover, John was more concerned about the immediate threat than about events three months away.


    Justst night, while everyone was resting, Seraphina suddenly alerted John that she sensed the presence of an apostle nearby.


    John quickly took out hispass and indeed detected a trace of a Divine Emissary''s presence. Although the aura soon disappeared, it still gave John quite a scare.


    Although the enemy didn''t get close, it was enough to prove that John was being watched. Why they hadn''t made a move yet was still unclear, but one thing was certain: John needed to be extra cautious. Perhaps his counterattack on Miles had made the Divine Emissaries feel threatened, or maybe epting the Authority from Hades was a game-changer in itself.


    Either way, the situation was far from optimistic.


    With this in mind, John took a deep breath, got up, and walked out of the room. He navigated through the noisy crowd and reached the edge of the bubble. At this moment, countless yers were still flocking to Antis, captivated by its beauty. But John couldn''t help but worry. If a battle were to break out here, it would undoubtedly cause irreparable, catastrophic damage to Antis.


    If possible, John wanted to avoid such a scenario.


    "John, finally, I found you. Why did you run off by yourself?"


    ria''s voice interrupted John''s thoughts. He turned around to see ria approaching with an urgent expression. John asked, "ria, what''s going on?"


    "Just now, Lily and I were wandering in the inner city when we suddenly saw the guards putting up these notices everywhere. I think it might be rted to the main quest you mentioned."


    As she spoke, ria handed John a flyer. John took it and scanned it quickly, his eyes lighting up.


    The flyer was simple: it was a recruitment notice from the royal family of Antis, seeking skilled healers or priests. However, it didn''t specify why they were needed. The flyer didn''t reveal who in the royal family was ill or injured. As the saying goes, "when something unusual happens, there is always a reason." John was almost certain that this flyer was rted to the main quest.


    Taking a deep breath, John smiled and said, "It''s highly likely. Where''s Lily?"


    "Lily stayed in the inner city to gather more information, to see if she could find out anything else."


    "No need to ask further. I''m almost certain this is closely tied to the main quest. Let''s make some preparations and head to the inner city immediately."


    "Okay. What about Exiled Immortal?"


    "I''ll go inform her. You go ahead and find Lily to avoid any unexpected situations."


    With this new lead, John finally felt a sense of relief.


    After all, they had wasted so much time in Antis without making any progress on the main quest. Now, there was finally a chance to push it forward.


    Once this matter was resolved, they still had to head to Spartonia to deal with Helena''s trouble, and John didn''t have much time to spare.


    Returning to the residence, John informed Exiled Immortal about the situation and then immediately headed to the inner city, where he finally reunited with Lily and ria at the city gate.


    "John, you''re here!"


    "Lily, did you find any important clues?"


    Lily shook her head and replied helplessly, "They were unwilling to reveal much, only some fragmented information. I heard from a passerby that a simr announcement was made a year ago, also seeking doctors to treat a royal family member. However, the identity of the patient was kept secret by the royal family. Besides that, I found a doctor who had entered the royal pce a year ago.


    When I asked him about it, he looked terrified and refused to speak, then hurriedly left."


    "So mysterious! There must be something fishy going on! Didn''t you follow him, Second Sister?" ria asked.


    "I followed him for a while, but he seemed to notice and turned into an alley. It was so intricate that I quickly lost track of him. I''m really sorry..."


    Seeing Lily''s guilty expression, John quickly reassured her, "No need to me yourself. If he didn''t want to talk, chasing him wouldn''t have changed the oue. Anyway, once we get into the royal pce, the truth wille to light."

 Chapter 199: Chapter199-Strange and Curious

    After some discussion, they finalized the n. John, ria, and Lily would enter the royal city to gather more intelligence and attempt to push the main quest forward, while Exiled Immortal would stay outside to provide support if needed.


    Among the four of them, only Exiled Immortal was entirely unfamiliar with healing methods, making him the ideal choice for the support role.


    "That''s settled then. We''ll head to the royal city shortly. Once we''re inside, Exiled Immortal, you stay in the inner city and continue gathering information," John instructed.


    "Got it, John. You all be careful."


    It was clear that the royal city would be a dangerous ce, teeming with Antis'' top warriors. If any trouble arose, John and hispanions could quickly find themselves surrounded. Having someone on the outside ready to help could be crucial.


    After giving these instructions, John looked at Lily to confirm the n. The three of them then headed towards the royal city entrance together.


    After passing through the inner city, they were met with a towering wall that separated the inner city from the royal city. As they approached, the guards stopped them, preventing any further progress.


    For the John of the previous life, this wall was no obstacle. With his assassin ss skills, John often sneaked into the royal city unnoticed to meet with the princess.


    The memory of those secret meetings made John blush slightly.


    Noticing the change in John''s expression, ria furrowed her brow and asked, "John, are you okay?"


    "Cough, cough! Yes, I''m fine. Why do you ask?"


    "Because your face suddenly turned red... John, did youe to Antis in your previous life?"


    "Yes, I spent quite a lot of time here. Why?"


    "Did you have a close rtionship with a member of the royal family? The queen? The princess?"


    John looked like a child caught in the act, guilty and avoiding eye contact. He fumbled for an answer.


    "How could that be? ria, stop making wild guesses. Besides, Antis has a king, not a queen."


    "John, you''re really bad at lying. So, if it''s not the queen, it''s the princess? It can''t be the queen consort, right? Come on, spill it! Who was it?"


    ria''s words piqued Lily''s interest, and both women stared at John, determined to get the truth. Feeling cornered, John finally admitted.


    "It was the princess of Antis..."


    Hearing this, ria''s face lit up with a look of triumph. "I knew it! Otherwise, why would you have that expression?"


    "John... was there something I did that made you unhappy?"


    Lily pouted, looking very hurt.


    "No, you can''t hold me ountable for past life events. As you said, that was in a previous life. I, John, ampletely innocent!"


    "Innocent, huh?" ria gave John a sidelong nce but said nothing more, pulling Lily away.


    Seeing this, John hurriedly followed, trying to exin, but he didn''t know how to start. They reached the gates of the royal city, where the guards stopped them and asked for identification.


    Before John could speak, ria stepped forward. "We saw the announcement. The royal family of Antis is looking for healers or priests. We meet the requirements."


    "Alright, are you threepanions?" asked the guard.


    "No, we two are together," ria said, patting Lily''s shoulder. John was taken aback.


    "ria, aren''t we together?"


    "No, we don''t know him. We just exchanged a few words on the way and decided toe together."


    "Alright, please provide your names for the record. You''ll be allowed entry after passing the test."


    "Understood."


    ria nodded and, along with Lily, provided their names.


    Shortly after, the guards brought over two injured soldiers.


    One had a visibly broken left arm, twisted at an odd angle.


    The other was covered in external wounds, barely able to stop the bleeding, with a frighteningly paleplexion.


    "These two are Ocean Guards who were injured during a monster attack today. Please treat them," the guard requested.


    ria exchanged a nce with Lily, indicating they could handle it.


    ria chose the soldier with the external injuries.


    With a thought, she summoned countless vines that wrapped around the soldier until he was entirely encased like a cocoon.


    Then, green light glowed from ria''s fingertips, slowly seeping into the cocoon.


    Within a few breaths, the vines receded, revealing the soldier whose wounds had mostly healed, hisplexion much improved.


    Although his clothes were still bloodstained, making him look a bit gruesome, his condition was much better.


    Seeing this, the guards were visibly impressed, treating ria with greater respect. "Please wait here while yourpanionpletes her test."


    "No problem."


    Lily, being a Priest, found healing such injuries trivial.


    Even if someone was on the brink of death, as long as she had time, she could bring them back from the gates of... no, from Hades'' domain.


    Lily closed her eyes slowly, holding her staff in front of her and chanting an iprehensible incantation, continuously praying. As the holy light enveloped the soldier, his expression changed dramatically, and he let out a painful howl.


    Lily reassured him, "Please don''t worry. The shattered bones will heal soon..."


    "It hurts... it hurts so much!"


    "It will heal soon," Lily said, biting her lip. She struck the ground with her staff, making the holy light even more intense, until it was almost blinding. Soon, the light dimmed, and everyone saw that the soldier''s broken arm was fully restored, with no sign of the previous injury.


    "Is it healed? It''s really healed! Thank you, thank you so much!"


    "You''re wee. So, have we passed the test?"


    "Of course. Here are your waist badges, honored Priests. Inside the royal city, you''ll be guided by someone."


    "Thank you."


    The two women took their badges, nced back at John with a smile, and entered the royal city. Seeing this, John became even more confused.


    "What''s going on? This is so strange..."


    Were they pretending not to know him because they were jealous? But what kind of jealousy was this? In this life, John hadn''t even met her...


    His thoughts were interrupted by a guard''s voice, bringing John back to reality.


    "Sir, it''s your turn. What is your name?"


    "John."


    "Alright, John. Next, we need your help."


    With that, two guards exchanged a nce, and soon a lightly injured woman was brought over.


    When John saw her face, his eyes widened in surprise.


    This woman was very familiar to John. In the past, when he had disguised himself as Leonard, he had almost gotten into a ridiculous situation with this woman.


    "Sherry?"


    "You know me?"


    Sherry frowned, looking at John''s face. He seemed familiar, but she couldn''t quite remember where they had met.


    "Anyway, please help me with my injuries."


    "No problem," John replied, still a bit stunned.


    John nodded slightly and with a casual wave, an alchemy workstation appeared in front of everyone. John had long been adept at crafting advanced HP potions, and in less than thirty seconds, he hadpleted the preparation. He poured the potion into a container and handed it to Sherry.


    "Drink half of it and apply the rest to your wounds. You''ll feel better in a minute."


    "Such a method... Are you an Alchemist?" The guards looked at John in shock.


    "Yes, I''m an Alchemist. Is there a problem?"


    "No, no problem! Captain Sherry, please take the potion."


    "Alright."


    Sherry nodded and closed her eyes, taking a sip of the potion. To her surprise, it wasn''t as bitter as she had expected. Instead, it was cool and slightly sweet.


    "The taste... is actually quite pleasant?"

 Chapter 200: Chapter200-Duke Faris

    "I added a bit of honey. It doesn''t affect the efficacy but makes it less bitter-a custom form."


    "No wonder... But I feel like I''ve seen you somewhere before. Is it just my imagination?" Sherry stared intently at John for a long time before finally shaking her head with a wry smile.


    "Sorry, just ignore my ramblings. Didn''t mean to trouble you."


    "No problem."


    In less than five minutes, the effects of the advanced HP potion became evident.


    Sherry''s wounds began to visibly heal, and herplexion improved significantly.


    From initially leaning against the wall, she was now able to stand on her own without support.


    The results were impressive.


    Seeing this, the guards exchanged nces and then said, "John, your skill has clearly passed the test. Please, go ahead."


    "Before I go in, can I ask a few questions?"


    "Well... we don''t have the authority to answer your questions. You''ll need to find someone inside to help you with that."


    "Alright."


    With that, John didn''t press further and walked into the walled area.


    ria and Lily were already out of sight, presumably having entered the pce.


    As John proceeded down the pathway, the magnificent pce that had stood underwater for countless years finally came into view.


    In truth, John was not unfamiliar with this ce.


    He knew the patrol schedules, the shifts of the guards, and theyout of the pce like the back of his hand.


    In his previous life, he had managed to infiltrate and stay in the pce for a long time without getting caught.


    Of course, now without the skills of an assassin ss, John''s methods of moving in and out of the pce had greatly diminished.


    He could no longer blend in as easily as before.


    Following the guards'' lead, John entered the pce.


    As soon as he stepped inside, he noticed that the ce was quite crowded.


    A quick estimate suggested there were around seventy people, mostly female yers.


    It made sense, considering that Priest was a ss not particrly suited forbat, thus not typically chosen by male yers.


    Male healers were a rarity.


    Soon, John spotted ria and Lily in the crowd, positioned at the back, just like him, gathering information.


    Sensing John''s gaze, ria turned and gave him a meaningful smile before turning back around, leaving John puzzled.


    "What are those two up to?" he wondered.


    Just as John was about to approach them for some answers, a middle-aged man of notable stature walked to the front and signaled for the crowd to be quiet.


    John looked over and immediately recognized him as Duke Faris, the younger brother of the king of Antis.


    Duke Faris was known for his cunning nature, and in John''s previous life, he had nearly been caught by him several times.


    It was odd to see someone of Duke Faris'' rank in such a setting.


    "Please, everyone, quiet down. I''m d you could all make it here. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Faris, Duke of Antis. I''m sure you''re all wondering why so many Priests have been invited to the royal city. I won''t hide the truth.


    The fact is, our princess has fallen ill with a strange disease and is now in aa. We have tried many treatments, but none have worked. So we have turned to you adventurers in hopes that you can help us save the princess."


    Hearing this, John frowned, finding the situation peculiar.


    As far as he knew, there was only one princess in the Antis royal family.


    John had never heard Dolores mention that she had ever been seriously ill.


    Moreover, if he remembered correctly, the main quest in his previous life didn''t unfold this way.


    Still, since he was here, John intended to get to the bottom of this.


    Duke Faris continued to give some instructions, primarily advising the adventurers not to cause trouble in the pce.


    John paid little heed to these warnings.


    He knew theyout of the pce intimately-where the dangers were, where the heavy guards were stationed, and where the security was weak.


    These threats meant nothing to him.


    After exining the princess''s condition, Duke Faris had the guards lead groups of yers to a side hall to examine the princess in hopes of finding a cure.


    Being thest yer to enter the pce, John naturally ended up at the end of the line.


    Given the number of people, it was clear he wouldn''t get his turn today.


    Faris arranged for the guards to escort theter-ranked yers to their respective resting ces.


    Taking this opportunity, John finally caught up with ria and Lily.


    "What''s up with you two? First, you pretend not to know me, and then you rush off. ria, Lily, what''s going on?"


    "We were just giving you a chance to rekindle your rtionship with the princess," ria teased.


    "Exactly," Lily chimed in.


    "Wait, hold on. When did I ever say I wanted to rekindle anything?"


    ria pouted, "With the way you were lost in thought earlier, who couldn''t tell you still have feelings for her? Lily and I were just trying to help, and now we''re the bad guys?"


    John felt a headacheing on.


    "Stop fooling around. Last night, I sensed the presence of a Divine Emissary. We''re still not out of danger, and this is not the time to be concerned with such matters. Besides, this doesn''t match my memories. I don''t remember Dolores ever being seriously ill. Something''s not right here."


    Hearing this, ria and Lily''s expressions turned serious. "What should we do now?" ria asked.


    "I''ll go gather some information. You two stay put and don''t do anything that might alert them. I''ll see if I can find out why things have suddenly changed."


    Unfortunately, after dealing with [gluttony] and Miles, Deception had left. Otherwise, getting information would have been much easier with him around.


    "John, be careful and stay safe," Lily urged.


    "Don''t worry. I''m very familiar with this ce. I''ll be fine."


    After reassuring the two women, John waited for a moment when the guards weren''t paying attention and slipped out of the room.


    He knocked out a guard around the corner, put on the guard''s armor, and started wandering around the pce.


    Aside from this incident not matching his memory, everything else seemed unchanged.


    Theyout of the pce and the guard positions were very simr to what he remembered.


    It didn''t take John long to find the entrance to the royal bedchambers.


    The only problem was the guards stationed at the entrance.


    Forcing his way in would surely alert them, so John needed a different approach.


    This was where the importance of his Trickster ss came into y.


    Following Deception''s approach, John crafted a quick n in his mind and confidently walked up to the guards. Before they could stop him, he spoke up first, "I thought my eyes were ying tricks on me, but it really is you two! Don''t you remember me? It''s Leonard! We took the guard exams together! Unfortunately, I didn''t make the cut, but you two did.


    I didn''t expect to see you here!"


    "Leonard? Oh... I remember now. You were the one who almost cried when you didn''t pass, right?" one of the guards said.


    "Hey, let''s not bring that up, my friend. Looks like you two are doing well, working as royal guards. Unlike me, still stuck in the inner city. If it weren''t for this temporary draft, we might not have seen each other for many years."


    John walked up to them in a familiar manner, but the next second, two spears were pointed at his chest armor simultaneously.


    "Hey, what''s this all about?"


    "Leonard, friendship is one thing, duty is another. The bedchamber is off-limits. Don''t make things difficult for us."


    "Misunderstanding, I didn''t intend to go in. I just wanted to say hello! Come on, put those things away. We''re all friends here, no need for this."


    "...You better not try anything funny. It''s a sensitive time now. Don''t do anything rash."

 Chapter 201: Chapter201-Conflict

    "Speaking of which, what''s the situation here? I suddenly got ordered to be transferred from the inner city to the royal pce. What''s going on? Are we really so short on manpower?"


    John''s eyes brightened, and he continued to guide the conversation, "Come on, tell me, has something happened?"


    "Well..."


    The two guards exchanged nces, still hesitant. John quickly seized the moment to persuade them further, "We''re all friends here. It''s fine to share a bit. Besides, I wouldn''t go around bbing. That would just get me and you into trouble. Trust me."


    "Alright, Leonard, but you have to promise not to tell anyone."


    "Don''t worry, I know how to keep my mouth shut."


    "Actually, it''s not much of a secret within the pce. Some time ago, an outsider iming to be a messenger of the gods arrived. To prove his identity, he made several predictions that all came true. Because of this, the king believed him wholeheartedly and consulted him on almost everything, asking for prophecies.


    "Then, about ten days ago, this person mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind one final prophecy that said an outsider would appear and cause the destruction of Antis. That scared the king terribly. With all the previous predictionsing true, who knows if this one will too?


    "So, the king tightened the pce guard''s strength. If you ask me, he was just a fraud!"


    The guard scoffed disdainfully and continued, "How long has it been since that fraud disappeared? The prophecy hasn''te true yet. Besides, that fraud left a bunch of strange magic circles in the pce that caused a lot of trouble. The princess fell into aa because she identally stepped into one of those circles!"


    Hearing this, John immediately understood. No wonder the events didn''t match his memories. If Miles was involved, it all made sense.


    "I see... Well, what can we do? Orders are orders, and we have to follow them. Alright, I''ll stop bothering you guys. I''ll be off. Let''s catch up over drinks sometime."


    "Don''t wander around the pce. Security is tight, and you might get caught."


    "Got it."


    John waved and left the two guards, turning away with newfound knowledge.


    Although the turn of events had somewhat exceeded John''s expectations, at least he had managed to figure out the cause of the unexpected change. Given Miles''s involvement, the situation was undoubtedlyplex. The Priests probably wouldn''t be able to wake up Dolores, but John believed he could.


    "Seraphina, what do you think?"


    "What''s with that tone, like you''re testing me?"


    "Don''t mind the details, just get to the point."


    "You''re bing increasingly disrespectful... Given that it involves Miles, it''s most likely a soul-rted issue. Falling into aa is understandable, considering it''s a method left by a Divine Emissary. If you meet the real person, waking her shouldn''t be difficult."


    "That''s all I needed to hear."


    Understanding the cause of Dolores''sa, John decided to return to find ria to prevent any idents.


    By the time John returned to the room, several Priests who had attempted to treat Dolores had alreadye back. Judging by their expressions, they hadn''t had any sess.


    Seeing John return, ria and Lily quickly approached and asked, "John, did you find out anything?"


    "Yes, if the information I got is correct, this definitely has something to do with Miles. But the exact reason will only be clear once I see Dolores."


    "Involving a Divine Emissary? That makes sense. But is this really part of the main quest? It feels more like an unexpected twist," ria remarked.


    "Most likely, it''s not. It''s just about treating Dolores and doesn''t involve any dungeon levels," John sighed, feeling somewhat helpless.


    This matter wasn''t part of the main quest, but the time avable to John and hispanions was quite limited.


    With Helena''s troubles also looming, once they finished here, there wouldn''t be much opportunity to continue exploring Antis.


    They would have to head to Spartonia to deal with the Divine Emissaries'' threat.


    Then, the third major event, the national war, would begin, making the schedule rather tight.


    "But since this matter involves a Divine Emissary, Lily and I have no reason to stay here. We should leave and inform Exiled Immortal about the situation to prevent him from worrying outside," ria suggested.


    "That might be a good idea, but I''m concerned Faris won''t let anyone leave easily," John responded.


    It was clear that the Priests who had failed to wake the princess weren''t allowed to leave.


    They were being closely watched, indicating that Faris didn''t want the news of the princess''sa to spread.


    The best way to ensure everyone''s silence would be to kill them all, unless someone managed to wake the princess.


    Realizing this, John''s expression changed.


    "ria, things might be worse than I thought. Unless Dolores wakes up, Faris never intended to let anyone leave the pce. The ambiguous flyer, the strict security, and the fact that failed Priests are still here all support this theory."


    John''s sense of urgency grew.


    "We need to find a way to get you two out. If a fight breaks out against thousands of guards, it will be extremely difficult."


    Considering they were in the pce, the strongest military point in Antis, fighting there was not a wise choice.


    "John, I have an idea..." Lily said, frowning and thinking for a moment. "We can try to stir up the emotions of the failed yers, provoke them into demanding to leave, and force Duke Faris to reveal his true intentions or to let us go. I tried using a teleport scroll earlier, but it didn''t work. There must be some rule preventing it in the pce."


    "Hmm... that''s a good n. Let''s split up and incite the dissatisfaction among the others, creating argermotion."


    Following Lily''s n, John and his group began to subtly stir up discontent among the other yers. Soon, the crowd grew restless, and voices of discontent began to rise. It didn''t take long before someone openly demanded to leave.


    As John expected, those who tried to leave were blocked by the guards. Hundreds of soldiers formed a phnx,pletely sealing off the only two exits and preventing anyone from leaving.


    During this time, John kept an eye on Faris, who sat at the front with his eyes half-closed, exuding an air of calm confidence, which only heightened John''s suspicions.


    This old fox had been nning this all along!


    Gradually, the situation escted from initial unrest to outright conflict, with yers even getting into physical altercations with the guards.


    The problem was that most of the yers present were Priests, who had limitedbat abilities.


    Facing guards who outnumbered them by several times, they stood little chance, which exined Faris''sposure.


    However, he hadn''t anticipated a few exceptions among the crowd.


    Seizing the moment when everyone''s attention was focused on themotion at the doors, John summoned three golems.


    In an instant, they changed the course of the conflict!


    A powerful energy cannon sted a huge hole in the wall behind them, causing everyone to gasp in shock. Immediately, the yers turned and rushed toward the breach!


    John controlled the golems to hold off the guards, ensuring none could get through.


    Seeing this, Faris finally lost hisposure. His face changed as the appearance of the golems had caught him off guard.


    "Close the passage between the inner city and the royal city! Capture everyone! The royal family''s secrets must not be leaked!"


    If the citizens learned of this, it would undoubtedly cause unnecessary turmoil, something the royal family could not afford.


    In their kingdom, there could be no room for dissenting voices.

 Chapter 202: Chapter202-Heading to Spartonia

    "ria, Lily, break away from the crowd. We won''t follow them. Let''s find a ce to hide first."


    As the yers rushed through the pce, John controlled the golems to create a diversion, but he and the two women slipped away unnoticed.


    "This is the royal pce, guarded by thousands of soldiers. They won''t be able to escape. Staying with them would make us bigger targets and put us in more danger. We''ll hide here for now. Once they move away, I''ll get us out."


    The situation had escted far beyond John''s expectations. Waking Dolores now seemed impossible. He needed to find a way out first and then sneak back in to wake her once things settled down.


    "But isn''t the Antis royal family afraid of angering the yers? There must be at least a thousand yers here. If they unite, that''s a considerable force."


    "Unlikely. Without a leader to unite them, they''re just a bunch of scattered sand. Not every yer has experienced this. Most won''t want to get involved in this mess."


    "That''s true..." Lily sighed, pressing her ear against the door to listen. After confirming there was no noise outside, she carefully pushed the door open and peeked out.


    "It looks...clear."


    "We need to move quickly."


    Using his knowledge of the pceyout, John led them through the pce, avoiding guards and heading towards the exit. It took nearly two hours, but they finally made it out. John spread his wings and took to the sky with the two women, escaping from the pce.


    As for the golems and the remaining yers, their fate was clear. Only a few managed to escape and posted about the incident on the forums, catching the attention of many yers.


    The fact that NPC forces had schemed against yers and even pursued them left many feeling uneasy. Some suggested that all yers should unite and demand an exnation from the royal family.


    Predictably, the suggestion went unanswered, sinking without a trace.


    Thousands of yers thinking they could oppose an entire kingdom was sheer folly; anyone with a bit of sense knew it was tantamount to suicide. With the chaos in Antis, progressing the main quest anytime soon seemed unlikely, making it pointless for John and hispanions to stay.


    After a brief rest, John gathered ria and Lily and reunited with Exiled Immortal. They used a teleportation scroll to return to Talcavano.


    Since John had exposed Caliban''s true nature, and with Seraphina''s help, took control of the golems, killed Caliban, and leveled the city lord''s mansion, Talcavano had returned to its original state without any restrictivews. However, the expected chaos andwlessness hadn''t ensued. Both yers and NPCs continued with their lives as usual, which surprised John.


    He had thought Talcavano would need a considerable amount of time to settle down, but Caliban''s absence seemed to make no difference. When John and his group found Uncle Mac in the Adventurers Guild, he was surprisingly sober, having only had one or two drinks. He sat there, mostly in a daze, until he saw them, and his eyes lit up.


    "Finally, I thought you had abandoned me!" Mac eximed.


    "How could we, Uncle Mac? We''repanions. We promised to take you to Everglow City, and we won''t go back on our word," John replied with a smile, then turned to Exiled Immortal. Thetter, looking embarrassed, hesitated before finally speaking up at John''s urging.


    "Uncle Mac, I''m really sorry for what happened before. It was my fault that caused a rift among us. I hope you won''t mind."


    "Ah, there''s no avoiding some conflicts amongpanions. Even the best of friends will have their differences. The fact that you came back for me is enough. Let''s leave the past behind," Mac said nonchntly, waving his hand before hopping off his seat and taking a deep breath. "So, where are we headed next?"


    "Spartonia. We have some unfinished business there, and Qing and Helena are waiting for us."


    ...


    Due to Uncle Mac''s return, their journey to Spartonia took a bit longer. What would have taken John a day ended up taking three. Upon arriving in Spartonia, ria and Lily did not enter the city. Instead, they used teleportation scrolls to return to Deep Forest.


    On one hand, ria and Lily could hardly exert anybat power in Spartonia, and on the other, ria wanted to return to check on the dragon egg they had sent to the Elven sanctuary, which was finally due to hatch.


    Upon entering Spartonia, John was surprised to learn that in less than a month, Qing had be a household name.


    Everywhere he went, he heard yers and NPCs discussing Qing.


    After inquiring further, John discovered that Qing had continued his winning streak even after advancing to a mid-tier diator, rarely facing any worthy opponents.


    Neither NPCs nor yers couldst more than five minutes against him.


    In less than ten days, Qing achieved an impressive record of eighty wins with no losses, setting a new record for the fastest advancement to high-tier diator in Spartonia''s history.


    As a result, Qing received an invitation from the king of Spartonia, who offered him the position of general as an incentive to join.


    Initially, Qing nned to decline, knowing he wouldn''t stay in Spartonia for long and didn''t want to be tied down by the title.


    However, upon learning about the uing third major event, the national war, Qing epted the king''s offer and became a general in the Spartonia army,manding nearly ten thousand troops.


    After searching the city for a while, John and hispanions finally found Qing.


    He and Helena had moved into the Spartonia royal pce.


    Helena was introduced as Qing''s sister, and her impressivebat skills earned her the respect she deserved.


    Today was Qing''s first match as a high-tier diator, and John and the others headed to the arena.


    After some effort, they found Helena.


    From her, they learned that there was less than a week until her agreed meeting with the Hunting Divine Emissary.


    The deadline was fast approaching.


    Fortunately, John''s timely return brought some relief to Helena.


    In the arena, Qing''s first opponent was quite formidable.


    ording to those nearby, this person was one of the most seasoned diators in the arena, having participated in hundreds of battles with more wins than losses and possessing a wealth ofbat experience.


    Enthusiastically, they even exined the opponent''s signature moves to John and hispanions.


    However, when the referee announced the start of the battle, it ended faster than the introductions had taken.


    The audience quickly realized just how powerful Qing was.


    When facing mid-tier diators, he hadn''t even shown his full strength.


    Otherwise, how could a high-tier diator be defeated so easily?


    Helena exined that Qing''s severe injuries had just healed, so he had been holding back to avoid aggravating them.


    After the match, they finally met Qing. Compared to when theyst parted, Qing had grown significantly stronger.


    Immersed in constant battles, his strength had increased rapidly.


    Of course, John wasn''t far behind.


    Since awakening the All-Devourer talent, John spent every spare moment gnawing on various strange monster jerky, and his attribute panel had increased by at least seventy points.


    It was important to note that only a week had passed. Given enough time, John''s attributes could grow to astonishing levels.


    After all, in six days, they would face two Divine Emissaries.


    Before then, they needed to do everything possible to strengthen themselves.


    John was reluctant to hand over the Godyer Bow unless absolutely necessary, as doing so could lead to disaster in the future.

 Chapter 203: Chapter203-Sudden Change

    "Qing, how many more days do you need toplete the main questline of Spartonia?" John asked, looking at Qing.


    Qing shook his head helplessly and replied, "That''s not up to me. If you ask me to fight twenty-five matches in one go, I can confidently win them all. But the problem is that I don''t control the schedule. Helena has already asked multiple times to have my matches scheduled more tightly, but this is the best they can do. By my estimation, it will take at least another month."


    Hearing this, John frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, "Then we have to put it on hold. We can push the main storyline when we have more time. Without you, our chances against two Divine Emissaries will be significantly lower."


    It was an unavoidable decision.


    Whether John alone could fight a Divine Emissary was still unknown.


    Naturally, having more allies was crucial, and there was simply no time to give Qing toplete the main questline.


    Qing felt some regret upon hearing this, but he didn''t object. The main quest could be tackled anytime, but losing apanion was something they couldn''t afford.


    With the decision made, the group split up. John took Exiled Immortal forbat training, while Helena and Qing went to the Spartonia royal family to request withdrawal from the tournament.


    Six days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Everyone did everything they could to enhance theirbat strength in preparation for facing the Divine Emissaries.


    ria and Lily returned from Deep Forest, arriving just outside Spartonia.


    ria initially wanted to bring the dragon hatchling, but reconsidered, realizing that the mere shockwaves of such a high-level battle could harm the dragon, so she decided against it.


    War and Hunt arrived on the sixth day as expected.


    Upon seeing John and his fully armed team gathered together, War immediately understood the situation.


    "Sara, it looks like some people have betrayed your kindness. They promised to hand over the Godyer Bow in a month, but now they''re backing out," War said.


    "Then there''s no need to hold back. Kill everyone else and leave only her alive," Sara replied, drawing her bow with an arrow aimed directly at John.


    There was no room for further argument; the battle was about to begin!


    With a thought, John''s wings unfurled behind him, and he stood beside Qing, ready to confront Windsor, while Hunt was left to be handled by ria and the others.


    "Holy Light Shield!"


    As Lily finished her incantation, the battle erupted!


    Arrows and light bolts collided with each other, shattering into fragments and causing deafening explosions. Lily raised a finger, and a meteor descended, crashing heavily toward Sara.


    On Lily''s finger was the Demigod-tier ring from Miles. With the ring''s enhancement, Lily could cast all her known spells instantly, without chanting!


    "Wind Rise, Swords Fall!"


    With a thought, Exiled Immortal gathered wind around him and leaped into the air. Behind him, a hundred sword shadows hovered, shooting toward Sara!


    Facing Sara''s arrow rain, ria simply waved her hand, and vines intercepted the arrows. The few that slipped through were deflected by the Holy Light Shield, causing no harm at all!


    "Don''t get distracted, your opponents are us," Qing rumbled, hurling his halberd. Windsor easily deflected it with a casual wave, summoning armor around himself.


    Qing wasn''t discouraged. He charged at Windsor like a cannonball, delivering a powerful punch. The shockwave rippled out, shaking the ground.


    As expected, Qing''s attack didn''t prate Windsor''s armor. The armor''s hardness exceeded Qing''s expectations.


    But with John there, even the toughest shell was useless!


    ck mes spread from John''s feet, engulfing Windsor in a breath. The mes clung to the armor, steadily increasing in temperature until the metal turned red-hot!


    "Aren''t you going to shed your armor? Or do you n on being roasted alive?"


    John sneered and intensified the mes. The ck fire grew hotter, gradually turning pure white. Feeling the searing heat on his skin, Windsor''s face turned ashen. Unable to endure the burning pain, he was forced to dispel his armor transformation.


    This was exactly what John had been waiting for!


    Without his armor, Qing''s formidable strength could be unleashed to its fullest!


    In a sh, Qing appeared before Windsor. With a talent skill, three Shadows of War materialized, cutting off all of Windsor''s escape routes. Qing''s fists rained down like a storm, leaving Windsor no choice but to defend himself.


    "Enough... you insects!" Windsor shouted.


    The injuries on Windsor''s body multiplied��bruises, fractures��and Qing showed no mercy, relentlessly beating Windsor. Windsor, unable to hold his ground, was pushed to the brink. The humiliation was unbearable for her. Though she had hoped to avoid using such drastic measures, it seemed there was no other choice.


    With a roar, Windsor unleashed a powerful shockwave, sending Qing flying back over ten meters. The sky darkened with rolling clouds, and lightning shed like scars across the heavens, threatening to tear the world apart. Windsor waved her hand, and the thunder rumbled. The lightning coalesced into a formidable spear, aimed directly at Qing.


    "Using a divine weapon against you insects is overkill, but... to avoid anyplications, I''ll finish you quickly."


    With a grunt, Windsor called down a bolt of lightning from the sky. It struck John, who felt a chill run through his heart. Instinctively, he tried to dodge, but his aura was locked on, leaving no room for escape. The lightning hit him dead center.


    As the lightning dissipated, John''s bodyy charred and lifeless, copsing to the ground.


    "John!" Qing''s eyes widened in fury. He charged at Windsor but was effortlessly impaled by the lightning spear, pinning him to the ground.


    "Insects should know their ce. You should be groveling," Windsor said, ncing at Qing with disdain. She seemed to have forgotten that just a minute ago, Qing had her on the brink of defeat.


    "Now, it''s your turn, you pesky little brat," she said, turning her attention to Exiled Immortal.


    Windsor looked up, locking eyes with Exiled Immortal. The intense gaze sent a chill down Exiled Immortal''s spine. With a thought, he activated his talent skill. A whirlwind erupted, forming a protective tornado around him.


    Unfortunately, Exiled Immortal underestimated the power of the lightning. The usually invincible tornado was torn apart the moment it touched the lightning, which then pierced through Exiled Immortal''s shoulder, causing him to plummet from the sky.


    In less than a minute, three allies had lost theirbat effectiveness. ria''s eyes reddened with fury.


    "You viin!" she shouted.


    "Even your insults are weak and powerless. Insects are truly insects. Since you like standing out so much, you''re next."


    Windsor turned her gaze to ria, her lightning spear crackling ominously. She thrust it forward, and the lightning roared down.


    But this time, the anticipated scene of ria being struck down did not ur. Instead, a ck wing shielded her, blocking the lightningpletely.


    Seeing this, Windsor''s face changed. She turned around to see John, who had clearly seemed lifeless before, now standing up.


    "How... is this possible?"


    "That weapon belongs to my useless brother, doesn''t it?" John raised his head, his dark eyes glinting with amusement.


    Recognizing the look and tone, Windsor''s face turned pale with disbelief. "You... you are... Lord Hades?"


    "Children ying games is something I can understand. Whether John wins or loses, I can ept it. After all, if John were truly killed by you, it would just prove his ipetence. But using such a thing is hardly fair. So, in the interest of bnce, I''ll be confiscating this. Consider it a warning," Hades said through John''s body, his voice chilling and authoritative.

 Chapter 202 - 202-Heading to Spartonia

    "ria, Lily, break away from the crowd. We won''t follow them. Let''s find a ce to hide first."


    As the yers rushed through the pce, John controlled the golems to create a diversion, but he and the two women slipped away unnoticed.


    "This is the royal pce, guarded by thousands of soldiers. They won''t be able to escape. Staying with them would make us bigger targets and put us in more danger. We''ll hide here for now. Once they move away, I''ll get us out."


    The situation had escted far beyond John''s expectations. Waking Dolores now seemed impossible. He needed to find a way out first and then sneak back in to wake her once things settled down.


    "But isn''t the Antis royal family afraid of angering the yers? There must be at least a thousand yers here. If they unite, that''s a considerable force."


    "Unlikely. Without a leader to unite them, they''re just a bunch of scattered sand. Not every yer has experienced this. Most won''t want to get involved in this mess."


    "That''s true..." Lily sighed, pressing her ear against the door to listen. After confirming there was no noise outside, she carefully pushed the door open and peeked out.


    "It looks...clear."


    "We need to move quickly."


    Using his knowledge of the pceyout, John led them through the pce, avoiding guards and heading towards the exit. It took nearly two hours, but they finally made it out. John spread his wings and took to the sky with the two women, escaping from the pce.


    As for the golems and the remaining yers, their fate was clear. Only a few managed to escape and posted about the incident on the forums, catching the attention of many yers.


    The fact that NPC forces had schemed against yers and even pursued them left many feeling uneasy. Some suggested that all yers should unite and demand an exnation from the royal family.


    Predictably, the suggestion went unanswered, sinking without a trace.


    Thousands of yers thinking they could oppose an entire kingdom was sheer folly; anyone with a bit of sense knew it was tantamount to suicide. With the chaos in Antis, progressing the main quest anytime soon seemed unlikely, making it pointless for John and hispanions to stay.


    After a brief rest, John gathered ria and Lily and reunited with Exiled Immortal. They used a teleportation scroll to return to Talcavano.


    Since John had exposed Caliban''s true nature, and with Seraphina''s help, took control of the golems, killed Caliban, and leveled the city lord''s mansion, Talcavano had returned to its original state without any restrictivews. However, the expected chaos andwlessness hadn''t ensued. Both yers and NPCs continued with their lives as usual, which surprised John.


    He had thought Talcavano would need a considerable amount of time to settle down, but Caliban''s absence seemed to make no difference. When John and his group found Uncle Mac in the Adventurers Guild, he was surprisingly sober, having only had one or two drinks. He sat there, mostly in a daze, until he saw them, and his eyes lit up.


    "Finally, I thought you had abandoned me!" Mac eximed.


    "How could we, Uncle Mac? We''repanions. We promised to take you to Everglow City, and we won''t go back on our word," John replied with a smile, then turned to Exiled Immortal. Thetter, looking embarrassed, hesitated before finally speaking up at John''s urging.


    "Uncle Mac, I''m really sorry for what happened before. It was my fault that caused a rift among us. I hope you won''t mind."


    "Ah, there''s no avoiding some conflicts amongpanions. Even the best of friends will have their differences. The fact that you came back for me is enough. Let''s leave the past behind," Mac said nonchntly, waving his hand before hopping off his seat and taking a deep breath. "So, where are we headed next?"


    "Spartonia. We have some unfinished business there, and Qing and Helena are waiting for us."


    ...


    Due to Uncle Mac''s return, their journey to Spartonia took a bit longer. What would have taken John a day ended up taking three. Upon arriving in Spartonia, ria and Lily did not enter the city. Instead, they used teleportation scrolls to return to Deep Forest.


    On one hand, ria and Lily could hardly exert anybat power in Spartonia, and on the other, ria wanted to return to check on the dragon egg they had sent to the Elven sanctuary, which was finally due to hatch.


    Upon entering Spartonia, John was surprised to learn that in less than a month, Qing had be a household name.


    Everywhere he went, he heard yers and NPCs discussing Qing.


    After inquiring further, John discovered that Qing had continued his winning streak even after advancing to a mid-tier diator, rarely facing any worthy opponents.


    Neither NPCs nor yers couldst more than five minutes against him.


    In less than ten days, Qing achieved an impressive record of eighty wins with no losses, setting a new record for the fastest advancement to high-tier diator in Spartonia''s history.


    As a result, Qing received an invitation from the king of Spartonia, who offered him the position of general as an incentive to join.


    Initially, Qing nned to decline, knowing he wouldn''t stay in Spartonia for long and didn''t want to be tied down by the title.


    However, upon learning about the uing third major event, the national war, Qing epted the king''s offer and became a general in the Spartonia army,manding nearly ten thousand troops.


    After searching the city for a while, John and hispanions finally found Qing.


    He and Helena had moved into the Spartonia royal pce.


    Helena was introduced as Qing''s sister, and her impressivebat skills earned her the respect she deserved.


    Today was Qing''s first match as a high-tier diator, and John and the others headed to the arena.


    After some effort, they found Helena.


    From her, they learned that there was less than a week until her agreed meeting with the Hunting Divine Emissary.


    The deadline was fast approaching.


    Fortunately, John''s timely return brought some relief to Helena.


    In the arena, Qing''s first opponent was quite formidable.


    ording to those nearby, this person was one of the most seasoned diators in the arena, having participated in hundreds of battles with more wins than losses and possessing a wealth ofbat experience.


    Enthusiastically, they even exined the opponent''s signature moves to John and hispanions.


    However, when the referee announced the start of the battle, it ended faster than the introductions had taken.


    The audience quickly realized just how powerful Qing was.


    When facing mid-tier diators, he hadn''t even shown his full strength.


    Otherwise, how could a high-tier diator be defeated so easily?


    Helena exined that Qing''s severe injuries had just healed, so he had been holding back to avoid aggravating them.


    After the match, they finally met Qing. Compared to when theyst parted, Qing had grown significantly stronger.


    Immersed in constant battles, his strength had increased rapidly.


    Of course, John wasn''t far behind.


    Since awakening the All-Devourer talent, John spent every spare moment gnawing on various strange monster jerky, and his attribute panel had increased by at least seventy points.


    It was important to note that only a week had passed. Given enough time, John''s attributes could grow to astonishing levels.


    After all, in six days, they would face two Divine Emissaries.


    Before then, they needed to do everything possible to strengthen themselves.


    John was reluctant to hand over the Godyer Bow unless absolutely necessary, as doing so could lead to disaster in the future.

 Chapter 204: Chapter204-Victory

    John, or rather Hades upying John''s body, casually waved his hand. Windsor''s lightning spear instantly dimmed and was seized by Hades, held firmly in his palm.


    Seeing this, Sara was struck speechless with shock. Her greatest fear hade true. Hades had intervened again, this time personally, taking away their only hope of victory. Their defeat was now inevitable.


    "Lord Hades, you... as a god, why are you siding with humans? I don''t understand!" Windsor''s face flushed as she looked at Hades, who had taken over John''s body, growing increasingly hysterical.


    "You remained neutralst time, not getting involved in such matters. But now, you''ve intervened again and again on the side of the humans. Why are you doing this?"


    "You don''t have the right to question me, not even the little girl who granted you the Authority. She doesn''t have the right to question me either. Besides, I just wanted to make this match fairer, that''s all. I''ll take this thing. If you haveints, have Zeuse and talk to me personally."


    With that, Hades pointed a finger, conjuring a phantom portal before him. Instead of walking through the portal with John''s body, he transformed into a dark bird, carrying the lightning spear in its beak as it flew through the portal.


    "Damn... damn it! You all deserve to die!" Windsor''s expression grew increasingly twisted as she looked at John in ria''s arms. With a thought, her armor materialized once more.


    Now, Qing was out ofmission, Exiled Immortal''s fate was unknown, and John was unconscious. Even without the lightning spear, she believed she could still win.


    However, Windsor underestimated John''s trump card. As she charged forward, intending to crush ria, white mes suddenly surged up, enveloping Windsorpletely.


    "How... how is this possible?" Windsor had clearly seen John fall unconscious!


    Indeed, John was truly unconscious. Surviving a direct hit from a divine weapon without disintegrating was already a testament to his training. So, at this moment, it wasn''t John controlling his body but Seraphina.


    "A mere Divine Emissary, when did you start dreaming of bing the master?"


    John''s eyes slowly opened, but this time, instead of his usual intensity, there was a graceful elegance, each movement imbued with a certain charm.


    Seeing this, Windsor immediately realized that someone else was controlling John''s body.


    "Though I''m still getting used to this... dealing with someone like you should be more than enough."


    Seraphina curled her lips, a touch of white me attached to John''s hair, dancing in the wind like a deity.


    "I''ve always told him thatpared to other methods, only alchemy can truly create miracles. Despite wielding supreme weapons, he insists on neglecting them. Well then, let me show you what real alchemy is."


    With a casual wave, the grass in front of her mutated, seeminglying to life as it wound its way toward Windsor, slipping through the cracks in her armor to pierce her body, drawing out blood.


    Sara was instantly rmed, quickly drawing her bow and firing arrows straight at Seraphina.


    "Oh my, sneak attacks aren''t a good tactic, especially when I''ve been watching you."


    Seraphina flicked her fingers, and the minerals hidden beneath the ground burst forth, forming a barrier that deflected the arrows aimed at her.


    "You stay put. Your turn wille soon."


    Without sparing Sara a nce, Seraphina simply thought, and the mutated nts tightly bound her, rendering her immobile.


    Then, Seraphina walked leisurely toward Windsor, flicking a finger at her helmet. The helmet decayed visibly, crumbling and turning to dust in the wind.


    "I wasn''t nning to intervene, but Hades had a point. Since you called for external help first, using Zeus'' power to suppress John, you can''t me me for being rude. I have no fondness for those hypocrites."


    Under Seraphina''s alchemical influence, Windsor''s prized armor crumbled like an eggshell, piece by piece, until it was easily stripped away.


    "Just killing you would be too easy. I don''t want to cause more ughter, so I''ll leave dealing with you to John."


    With that, Seraphina turned away gracefully, awakening John and returning control of his body to him.


    After a brief moment of confusion, John quickly grasped the situation.


    "Phew... Seraphina, I didn''t believe you before, but now I do."


    Just the techniques Seraphina had disyed could be called miraculous! No wonder she always said that while John had talent, he was far from mastering alchemy. It was a world of difference!


    A Demigod-tier armor, corroded at the flick of a finger �C this was beyond alchemy! However, despite his astonishment, John had more pressing matters to attend to.


    Windsor, now vulnerable and without her armor,y at his mercy. John knew this was his chance to put an end to the threat she posed.


    "You have onest chance, Windsor. Surrender and abandon your allegiance, or face the consequences," John dered, his voice firm and resolute.


    With a contemtive look, John turned his gaze to Windsor, who was now utterly defeated. Her once-proud armor waspletely destroyed, her prized artifact confiscated by Hades, and her body was covered in wounds. There was no trace of her former arrogance.


    "So, what kind of death should I grant you?" John squinted his eyes slightly, assessing Windsor as a white me spear formed in his hand.


    "Forget it. Wasting time on someone like you is unnecessary. I''ll make it quick."


    "A mere ant, if you kill me, you''ll only hasten your own demise!"


    "It doesn''t matter. I''ve died once already; I''m not afraid of dying again."


    With that thought, John raised his arm, aiming the spear at Windsor''s chest, ready to strike down!


    But at that moment, the long-silent Sara suddenly spoke up, stopping John.


    "Please, wait!"


    Hearing this, John paused, furrowing his brow in confusion. "What is it? Are you two so close that you''re willing to die in her ce?"


    "If possible, please spare Windsor. She no longer poses any threat to you. In exchange, I am willing to tell you everything I know about the other Divine Emissaries. Everything you want to know, as long as I am aware of it, I will share it all. Moreover, I can help you retaliate against the Divine Emissaries.


    After all, besides the already dead Miles and Kaldaram, and us who have been defeated, there are still three remaining Divine Emissaries. You won this time, but can you guarantee victory next time?"


    Sara sighed, pausing for a moment before continuing, "The remaining three are only stronger than us. Facing two was already so difficult; you need help, and I am willing to assist."


    Upon hearing this, John suddenlyughed.


    "Hunting Divine Emissary, are you sure you want to do this? Even if I let you live afterward, as a traitor, your fate will be worse than death."


    "I can foresee that. By proposing this, I have already prepared to ept such a fate."


    "Sara..."


    Sara''s plea was met with Windsor''s weak and disbelieving whisper, "Sara, you..."


    "Sister, I have to do this. It''s the only way to ensure our survival and help them fight against the greater threat."


    John stood silently, contemting the offer. The thought of having an insider''s perspective on the remaining Divine Emissaries was tempting. Finally, he nodded.


    "Alright, Sara. If you betray us, I will find you, and you will wish for death long before I grant it. Now, start talking."


    Windsor stood there stunned, tears streaming down her face as she looked at the resolute expression on Sara''s face.


    "Let her go. If you still don''t trust her, you can take her Authority. Just spare her life. I''ll surrender all my weapons and leave with you."


    Truth be told, John was indeed tempted by this proposal. Up until now, their battles with the Divine Emissaries had been like fighting in the dark, with no information about their identities, strengths, or any other details. But if Sara was willing to defect, it would give them a significant advantage.


    Of course, John couldn''t make such an important decision on his own. He needed to consult with the others first.


    Thinking this, John looked over at ria, and after exchanging nces, they quickly made their decision.


    "Alright, I ept your terms. I''ll spare her life, but you must sign a soul contract with me."


    Sara didn''t hesitate for a moment. "I agree. We can sign the soul contract anytime."


    "Very well. Lily, Helena, take Qing and Exiled Immortal back and tend to their wounds. As for you, Windsor, surrender your Authority. Don''t let your sister''s efforts go to waste."

 Chapter 205: Chapter205-The Large-Scale Event Begins

    "Sara, by doing this, you will incur the wrath of the gods. They will make you suffer a fate worse than death!" Windsor shouted, her body trembling with resistance as Sara approached.


    "John, you ant! Unless you kill me, you won''t take my Authority! Get away from me!"


    "Calm down. There''s nothing you can do now. Live your life well; your sister is earning it for you," John said with a smirk, watching as Sara cut the mutated nts binding Windsor and gently held her in her arms.


    "I''m sorry, sister. This is all my fault. If it weren''t for my insistence on getting the Godyer Bow, you could have killed them a month ago. But luckily, I still have a chance to make things right. So please, live well and stay out of these conflicts, okay?"


    "Sara, you can''t do this! How dare you! I''m your sister. You should listen to me, Sara!"


    "I''m sorry, sister. This might hurt a little, but it will be over soon."


    With her eyes closed and tears streaming down her face, Sara plunged the dagger into Windsor''s chest, feeling the blood flow over her palm.


    After a long internal struggle, she finally made up her mind.


    Her right fist punched through Windsor''s body, tearing out her Authority.


    The excruciating pain caused Windsor to faint instantly.


    Once it was done, Sara, looking deted and exhausted, stumbled and held Windsor in her arms.


    She handed the Authority to John, pleading, "Now my sister is just an ordinary person, posing no threat to you. Please, can you heal her? If we don''t act quickly, she will die."


    "Happy to oblige," John said, showing little emotion towards the touching scene of sisterly love.


    After all, they were on opposing sides.


    From the moment they arrived in this world, this oue was inevitable.


    If John had been the one to lose today, Windsor wouldn''t have shown any mercy towards him or hispanions.


    Thew of the jungle��survival of the fittest.


    John handed a high-grade HP potion to Sara and said, "Once she''s healed, I will send her to Deep Forest to be imprisoned. She will remain in the cell until you help us eliminate the other Divine Emissaries."


    "That''s fine. At least she won''t be harmed any further," Sara sighed, gently caressing Windsor''s face as if trying to etch her sister''s visage into her memory.


    They embraced for a long time until Windsor began to show signs of waking. Reluctantly, Sara stood up and said, "I''m ready."


    After signing a soul contract with Sara, John felt a sense of relief.


    With the soul contract in ce, he didn''t worry about Sara betraying them.


    He then asked ria to take Sara into the city while he carried Windsor and used a teleportation scroll to go to Deep Forest.


    John quickly found Elowen and exined the situation.


    He requested a significant number of guards to keep a close watch on Windsor, ensuring she wouldn''t be harmed or allowed to escape ormit suicide.


    Although Elowen found it difficult to understand, she agreed.


    After settling everything, John decided not to leave immediately.


    Instead, he stayed to ask about Babylon and the others.


    Under Elowen''s relentless training, the young warriors had now be disciplined fighters, following orders and no longer engaging in childish antics.


    Additionally, Babylon''s demonstrated strength greatly surprised Elowen.


    Perhaps due to the bloodline of the dark elves, Babylon''s potential seemed limitless.


    Each day after training, there was noticeable improvement in his abilities.


    Now, Babylon was clearly ahead of his peers and continued to grow stronger.


    Moreover, after spending time together, Elowen had mostly confirmed Babylon''s loyalty and had even begun to subtly groom him as a potential sessor.


    As for Meryl, she still had her old issues.


    Although she had ovee some of them, her fear of monsters was still evident.


    However, such matters could not be resolved overnight and required gradual guidance.


    After a brief chat, Elowen inquired about the recent experiences of John and hispanions. John answered truthfully.


    Honestly, these tales seemed almost unbelievable, evening from John.


    In just one month, they had experienced so much-battles in the skies and the seas, fierce fights against the Divine Emissaries, and intense conflicts with the Antis royal family.


    It was an adventure-packed month.


    However, when asked if Elowen wanted to experience such a life, he declined.


    His reason was that the elven tribe still needed him, and at least for now, he couldn''t leave.


    John didn''t push further, gave a few more instructions, and then left Deep Forest.


    Considering everything, John probably wouldn''t return for a long time.


    After returning to Spartonia, and following a few days of rest, both Qing and Exiled Immortal had mostly recovered.


    As promised, Sara behaved herself and answered all of John''s questions.


    She revealed the identities of the remaining three Divine Emissaries, who had received Authority from the Goddess of Order, the Goddess of Night, and the Goddess of Vengeance.


    Among them, the Divine Emissary of Night was the strongest, followed closely by the Divine Emissary of Vengeance.


    Although the Divine Emissary of Order had slightly weaker raw power, her methods were very tricky and equally formidable.


    John also learned their current location, which was in the Snow Mountain Mansion.


    Additionally, Sara disclosed their methods and trump cards without any reservations.


    To verify, John consulted Seraphina, who confirmed Sara''s information was urate, which put John''s doubts to rest.


    However, it was still too early tounch a counterattack. Their strength needed further improvement.


    Therefore, they stayed in Spartonia for nearly two months. During this time, Qing started from scratch andpleted Spartonia''s main quest line again.


    Unfortunately, the first-clear reward was quite disappointing, consisting of only a Legendary-quality armor, which Qing stored away in his warehouse.


    During this period, Seraphina also sessfully transformed ria into a yer.


    The newly reformed body was identical to her original one, allowing ria to finally see the world through John''s eyes.


    To John''s surprise, ria''s ss was a unique Nature Priest, and after bing a yer, her level increased significantly.


    John spent considerable effort to help ria acquire a batch of Legendary equipment and gave her Miles'' ring.


    Consequently, herbat power exceeded 15,000 points, ranking her third on the power leaderboard, just behind Qing.


    During this period, John also sent the dragon egg to the underground magma in Talcavano, where it finally hatched.


    The dragonling, resembling Nidhogg with its ck and red scales, although still in its juvenile stage, demonstrated impressivebat abilities, easily suppressing monsters around level 30.


    Finally, the long-anticipated third major event began.


    ording to their n, John, ria, and Lily joined the Everglow faction, taking old Mac to Everglow to reunite with his daughter.


    Meanwhile, Qing, Helena, and Exiled Immortal naturally joined the Spartonia faction, officially participating in the national war event.


    As John predicted, the methods to earn military merit were more focused on tasks like healing the wounded, which provided significantly more points than simply killing enemies.


    Other activities such as gathering supplies and organizing military equipment also contributed to earning military merit.


    John found various ways to help himself and Qing''s team umte points.


    During this time, John also sparred with Qing.


    Thanks to his continuous consumption of monster materials, John''s strength had grown to be on par with Qing''s.


    In a direct physical confrontation, he was nearly equal to Qing, except forcking the same level ofbat experience.


    Because of this, John gained considerable prestige within the Everglow faction and was appointed as a general by Everglow''s queen, directly opposing Qing, who served the Spartonia faction.


    ria and Lily, due to their exceptional healing abilities, formed a dedicated healing team, rapidly umting military merit.


    Everything seemed to be progressing in a favorable direction.

 Chapter 206: Chapter206-The Fall of the Divine Emissaries

    The month-long major event finally concluded, and as expected, John and Qing led their respective factions to achieve the highest military merits.


    In John''s camp, the first half of the campaign relied heavily on Lily and ria''s healing team, which amassed a significant amount of merit points.


    Within just seven days, they surpassed 10,000 points, almost ten times more than the second ce!


    In thetter half, John discovered a new method to earn merits-using alchemy to create weapons and armor for the Everglow army.


    John meticulously calcted that a Burn Mark Armor, which took about three minutes to craft, could earn him 100 merit points.


    John could produce hundreds of such items daily, resulting in thousands of merit points each day.


    On Qing''s side, the approach was more straightforward and brutal.


    Training troops, constructing fortresses, and other tasks were tightly contested by several merchant generals, but in the end, Qing managed a crucial overtake to secure the top position.


    The rewards for this major event were unexpectedly two pieces of Demigod-tier equipment, which surprised John.


    They received the Crown of the Goddess of Nature and the Staff of the Moon Goddess.


    These items significantly boosted ria''s capabilities. In exchange, ria gave the ring to Lily.


    With theirbat power greatly enhanced, John and his team began nning their counterattack against the Divine Emissaries.


    ording to Sara, the remaining three Divine Emissaries were currently gathered at the Snow Mountain Pce.


    As soon as they were ready, they couldunch their assault.


    Before setting off, John and his team devised a meticulous n.


    Sara would distract the Order Emissary, John and ria would confront the Night Emissary, while Qing and Exiled Immortal would handle the Vengeance Emissary.


    However, the snow mountain was an entirely new map, and none of them had ventured there before.


    Moreover, the distance between Everglow City and the snow mountain was considerable.


    The journey alone took nearly ten days.


    Upon arriving at the snowy mountain, being ate-stage map, John and his team encountered numerous formidable monsters along the way. Creatures like the behemoths they had once faced in the Deep Forest were nowmon in the snowy mountains, with average levels hovering around 70, making them extremely powerful adversaries.


    Despite their current strength, John and his team expended considerable effort to navigate through the dangers and reach the Snow Mountain Pce.


    As Sara had described, the three remaining Divine Emissaries, led by the Night Emissary, were all present.


    They were visibly surprised to see Sara and John''s group arriving together. Initially, they thought Sara had paid a high price to bring John and his team here.


    However, before the Night Emissary could even speak, the battle erupted.


    ording to their n, John and ria took on the strongest, the Night Emissary.


    It quickly became evident that had they recklessly charged up the mountain three months prior, they would have faced a tragic defeat.


    Despite the absence of divine blessings, the Night Emissary''s strength was leagues beyond War''s.


    John''s currentbat power had surpassed 35,000 points, marking him as the strongest and most formidable force.


    However, even with this immense strength, John struggled against the Night Emissary''s attacks.


    Without ria''s support, he would have likely been defeated within a hundred exchanges.


    Unexpectedly, the turning point came from Sara.


    Amidst the stalemate, where neither side could gain the upper hand, Sara suddenly erupted with power.


    She not only managed to break through the Night Emissary''s defenses but also seeded in fatally wounding the Order Emissary, pinning her to the ground.


    In an instant, everyone unleashed their most potent skills, overwhelming the Order Emissary with a torrent of attacks, ensuring her demise.


    With the death of the Order Emissary, the Divine Emissaries'' side faced an immense increase in pressure.


    Sara rejoined the battle, assisting John and ria in their fight against the Night Emissary.


    With Sara''s sharp long-range support and primary offensive power, the Night Emissary was quickly forced into a disadvantage, retreating under the relentless assault.


    Even at the end, when the Night Divine Emissary attempted to self-destruct her Authority, intending to take John down with her, Sara intercepted.


    An arrow from her bow pierced the Night Divine Emissary''s shoulder, pinning her to the wall and saving John from harm.


    As for the remaining Vengeance Divine Emissary, with all herrades fallen, she was quickly overwhelmed and in.


    Unfortunately, John was unable to capture the Authorities of the three Emissaries, and even their Demigod-tier equipment self-destructed, disappearing without a trace.


    However, despite not gaining any new power, John felt a significant weight lifted off his shoulders with the elimination of such a formidable threat.


    Now, only three apostles stood between him and his ultimate goals.


    Before addressing the remaining apostles, John had to fulfill his promise to Sara.


    He nullified the soul contract that bound her, restoring her freedom.


    John couldn''t deny that Sara''s actions during the battle had shown genuinemitment, decisively turning the tide in their favor.


    As for War Divine Emissary Windsor, John chose not to kill her, keeping her imprisoned in the Deep Forest where she was treated well, though Windsor herself did not appreciate it.


    Once a high and mighty demigod, she now found herself powerless, unable to defend herself even against young elf maidens, a life of humiliation she couldn''t ept.


    Tofort her sister or perhaps out of her own weariness of living in constant fear, Sara made one final request to John before heading to the Deep Forest: she wanted her Authority removed.


    Since Sara had voluntarily asked for this, John didn''t refuse and extracted the Huntress Goddess''s Authority, bestowing it upon Helena.


    After all, Helena, having earned the recognition of the Godyer Bow, was the ideal candidate to inherit the Huntress Goddess''s Authority.


    Anyone else would fall short in terms ofpatibility.


    With the Divine Emissary threat finally resolved, John and hispanions split into two groups.


    Qing, Helena, and Exiled Immortal stayed behind in the Snow Mountains to continue pushing forward with the main storyline, while John took the others back to Everglow City.


    Although therge-scale event had ended, the main quest for Everglow City had yet to begin.


    This time, John and his team had a significant advantage since the main quest in Everglow City was issued by Florence, Old Mac''s daughter.


    With this connection, they easily obtained the questline and spent nearly a monthpleting it, helping Florence collect hundreds of forging materials.


    Their reward was a Demigod-tier armor.


    Unfortunately, John found the armor impractical.


    It hindered his ability to deploy his wings and affected his use of ck mes.


    Reluctantly, he gave the armor to Qing.


    John genuinely admired the armor''s sleek design, which resembled powered exoskeletons, unlike the bulkier traditional armors.


    However,patibility issues left him no choice.


    On Qing''s side, progress with the Snow Mountains'' main quest was much slower.


    Over a month had passed with no significant breakthroughs.


    The main quest''s objective in the Snow Mountains remained unclear, leading to further dys.


    This meant that John had less than seven months left.


    Time was running out, and John''sbat power, though formidable, still fell short of the Demigod tier and was significantly behind the gods.


    For instance, Divine Emissaries like Sara typically had abat power around 40,000 points, qualifying them for the Demigod tier.


    Though John was close, making further progress was challenging.


    However, around this time, Deception, who had been missing for nearly half a year, suddenly reappeared, bringing with him some good news.


    He had finally located the remaining three apostles'' sealed locations in the Abyss and could help John obtain all their Authorities at once.


    For John, this was an invaluable opportunity.

 Chapter 207: Chapter207-Triple Apostle Kill

    John was just a step away from reaching the Demigod tier.


    If he could gather the power of all the apostles, breaking through to the Demigod tier would be a breeze.


    The problem, however,y in the Abyss, the apostles'' stronghold.


    The seals on the three apostles were nearly broken, and their powers had mostly recovered.


    If John forcibly broke one apostle''s seal, the other two would surely awaken.


    This would leave John to face three apostles at once.


    Hispanions, unable to assist due to the underworld''s aura, would be at risk of perishing upon entering the Abyss.


    Only John, having inherited Hades'' Authority, could withstand the underworld''s influence.


    This was a high-stakes gamble, but John decided to confront the apostles in the Abyss.


    It was inevitable that they would sh. Rather than waiting for the apostles to regain full strength, John chose to strike first and catch them off guard.


    With this resolve, John bid farewell to hispanions and entered the Abyss with Deception.


    He quickly realized that the Abyss was vastly different from what he had imagined.


    Guided by Deception, John spent three days reaching the location where the three apostles were sealed.


    There was no turning back. He first broke the seal of [Rage], causing the other two apostles to forcefully awaken.


    As Deception had estimated, the three apostles had recovered about seventy percent of their power.


    In a one-on-one battle, John could easily crush any one of them. Even Rage, facing John, could not muster his usual fury.


    But thereiny the problem.


    John was outnumbered three to one. It was a testament to his strength that he wasn''t instantly overwhelmed. The battle was fierce and relentless.


    Despite the odds, John held his ground.


    His newfound power and the skills he had honed through countless battles allowed him to face the apostles with confidence.


    The sh of divine and demigod forces echoed through the Abyss, a testament to the monumental struggle between them.


    Under thebined attacks of the three apostles, even the Night Divine Emissary would have struggled to hold on.


    After over a hundred exchanges, John was severely wounded.


    During this time, Deception had tried to help, but the sheer force of the battle''s aftermath made it impossible for him to get close, let alone alleviate the pressure on John.


    This grueling battle was undoubtedly the toughest John had ever faced.


    He was pushed to the brink of death multiple times.


    On one asion, Rage''s fist had pierced his chest, missing his heart by a hair''s breadth.


    But instead of sumbing, John seized the opportunity and impaled Rage with a ck me spear, destroying his heartpletely.


    Even with a demigod''s body, Rage couldn''t survive such a devastating blow.


    John imed Rage''s Authority, and at that moment, he awakened a new ss: Fury Surge.


    This ss enhanced John''sbat power based on his varying levels of anger.


    In the midst of the intense battle, John''s anger reached levels beyond description.


    With his newfound power, he began to adapt to thebined assault of the remaining two apostles, gradually gaining the upper hand.


    Ultimately, at the cost of losing an arm, he seeded in defeating thest two apostles.


    For John, losing an arm wasn''t even considered a severe injury; it was entirely curable.


    However, at that moment, hecked the stamina to move and sumbed to unconsciousness.


    The battle hadsted three whole days.


    John went from being overwhelmed to making aeback and finally achieving victory.


    The perilous nature of the fight was something only he understood.


    Every decision had to be perfect; any mistake would have resulted in utter destruction.


    Thankfully, John prevailed.


    When he opened his eyes again, he found himself back in Deep Forest.


    His severed arm had been reattached, good as new.


    Moreover, hisbat power had undergone a significant transformation.


    The three newly awakened sses provided John with nearly eight thousandbat points, pushing his strength to almost fifty thousand points, twice that of Qing, the second strongest.


    Undoubtedly, John now possessed Demigod-tier power.


    He was confident that even if thrown into the Silent Sea, he could escape unscathed.


    However, his journey was far from over.


    After seizing all the apostle Authorities, John finally met the Abyss Lord, the hidden force behind all his trials.


    The identity of this entity left John utterly shocked��it was none other than Seraphina''s biological daughter, Lily''s elder sister!


    It was then that Seraphina decided to share her past with John.


    She revealed that thousands of years ago, Zeus had already harbored thoughts of annihting humanity.


    Back then, the n wasn''t fully formed, and Zeus had crudely dispatched gods to a human world to ughter indiscriminately.


    The oue of the conflict was predictable: powerless humans versus seemingly omnipotent gods.


    Humanity''s pride in their technological weapons was futile against the gods.


    Even nuclear weapons, with their immense destructive power, were mere noise to the gods.


    As a result, the human world was obliterated in less than three days.


    Following this event, Seraphina and her faction of gods deemed Zeus''s actions unjust.


    Although humanity hadmitted many sins, their fate shouldn''t have been so ruthlessly decided.


    Thus, the concept of the End of Olympus was born.


    To make Zeuspromise, Seraphina paid with her life, as did many other benevolent gods.


    They were either suppressed, stripped of their godhood, or, like Seraphina, killed outright.


    As Seraphina''s daughter, the Abyss Lord''s fate was equally grim.


    At first, Phoebe wasn''t the Abyss Lord. Influenced by Seraphina, Phoebe faced severe rejection on Mount Olympus.


    Many gods saw her as a thorn in their side, and on several asions, she narrowly escaped death.


    With no other option, Phoebe pretended to submit.


    With Hades'' help, she created the Abyss and found seven apostles, bestowing upon them Authority, thus making them Abyss Apostles.


    Naturally, Phoebe became the Abyss Lord, aiding Zeus in advancing his apocalypse n.


    This was the only way for Phoebe to survive.


    To this end, she manipted the Abyss, repeatedly crushing humanity''s hopes and bing the primary culprit in the apocalypse.


    ording to Seraphina, the Apocalypse of Olympus had urred multiple times before.


    To date, neen human worlds had faced the trial of the Apocalypse of Olympus.


    Unfortunately, none of these worlds had managed to acquire the power needed to oppose the gods.


    Even over a span of centuries, without Authority, breaking through the Demigod tier barrier and bing a god was impossible.


    By the time of the eighteenth human world, Deception''s world, Phoebe had grown tired of the endless ughter.


    After the destruction of Deception''s world, Phoebe selected seven new apostles and granted them immense power.


    Her hope was that one day, if a worthy candidate appeared, she could ce all her bets on that person.


    Clearly, John was the one Phoebe had chosen.


    As the embodiment of Apocalypse, Phoebe secretly transferred a crucial part of her Authority to John.


    This enabled John to reverse time and start over, giving him another chance. Phoebe''s motive for all this was straightforward-she simply wanted to survive, even if it meant betraying her initial purpose.


    However, as she learned from Hades that her mother still had a chance of being resurrected, Phoebe''s goal began to shift.

 Chapter 208: Chapter208-Ascending to Godhood

    Phoebe wanted to resurrect her mother and make those hypocritical gods, who were all talk and no action, pay for their pretentiousness.


    Thus, Phoebe drastically altered her n, bing even more aggressive. She didn''t hesitate to abandon her carefully chosen apostles, personally transferring power to John, helping him grow stronger.


    In secret, Phoebe continued to gather information about her mother, attempting to bring her back to life. Phoebe seeded, but notpletely. Over the years, she managed to recover most of Seraphina''s soul and power, but the most crucial fragment of Seraphina''s soul remained on Mount Olympus, guarded by Zeus to prevent Seraphina from ever returning.


    Moreover, Zeus had never fully trusted Phoebe, making it impossible for her to approach Mount Olympus. Thus, she ced her hopes in John, covertly forming alliances. She reached out to the gods of fire and forge, the goddess of the hunt, the god of the underworld, and the god of death. Phoebe spared no effort in building her strength, and her influence grew steadily.


    Now, the final battle was imminent. John possessed the seven Authorities of the apostles. If he could refine and merge them into one, he would naturally acquire a godly status and wield the power to rival the gods. Although Qing and the others did not haveplete Authorities and couldn''t awaken godhood, theirbat power far surpassed ordinary Demigod tier beings.


    Moreover, their top-tier forces included powerful gods like Hades and the goddess of the hunt. While their numbers were significantly lower than those led by Zeus, their quality was not inferior. Hades alone, it was said, could take down the entirety of Mount Olympus save for Zeus and Ares. His power was that formidable. With Hades present, there was someone to counter Zeus.


    As for the gods who still wavered and chose neutrality, as long as they did not interfere, victory was not impossible.


    Phoebe then took John to the underworld to refine thebined Authorities, enabling him to obtain the true power of a god. John was submerged in the river of the underworld, enduring excruciating pain for three months as the Authorities within him shed and fused under Phoebe''s control.


    During this period, Qing and the others did not remain idle. They knew they could not simply stand by in this final battle. Even if they could not defeat the gods, they could at least confront the remaining Divine Emissaries, sharing the burden with John.


    In these three months, Qing first broke through to Demigod tier. He went to the snow mountains alone, nearly exterminating all the monsters there to increase his strength, sessfully surpassing 40,000 battle power.


    Helena adapted to the Authority of the hunting goddess, and with the Godyer Bow, she was on the verge of reaching Demigod tier.


    Lily and Exiled Immortal made rapid progress, both easily breaking through 40,000 battle power after mastering their existing skills.


    The most surprising was ria. Despitecking Authority, her innate talent was astonishing. Through rigorous training, she reached Demigod tier battle power.


    Meanwhile, the dragon hatched by John and ria grew rapidly due to continuous feeding during this time.


    Seraphina also used this time to reconstruct her body. Although shecked the most crucial Authority, her strength was mostly restored, reaching god-like battle power.


    Phoebe gathered all the allies she could. The god of death, the god of fire and forge, the goddess of the hunt, and others. Hades even went to the Silent Sea to find his brother Poseidon and convinced him to join.


    Unfortunately, Poseidon wanted to stay in his domain. As he said, with one being his elder brother and the other his younger brother, he couldn''t take sides in their conflict. However, Poseidon was also dissatisfied. In the end, he sent three creatures with god-like power��J?rmungandr, Leviathan, and the Kraken��to apany Hades.


    Although they couldn''t persuade Poseidon, the inclusion of such a giant entity silently alleviated a significant amount of pressure for them.


    Of course, everything happening in the doomed Olympus right now did not escape Zeus''s eyes on the mountain of the gods. He finally understood what his elder brother was trying to do. It was not just for amusement; his brother intended to overthrow the entire Olympus.


    This was obviously something Zeus could not ept. However, at the moment, he couldn''t send any gods to preemptively kill Hades. After all, looking at the entire mountain, there were very few gods who could even confront Hades, let alone kill him.


    Moreover, Hades had considerable support in the underworld. Norse war god Tyr and Norse death goddess Hel were currently imprisoned in his underworld. Who could guarantee they hadn''t made deals with Hades?


    The more Zeus thought about it, the more frightened he became. Helpless, he could only split a divine thought to confront Hades directly.


    Hades and Zeus''s divine thoughts conversed for a long time. The two brothers had entirely different philosophies. Zeus believed that even gods needed an absolute leader to guide them, as gods and humans were fundamentally different.


    But Hades believed that Zeus simply couldn''t let go of his power and his high throne. Neither brother could persuade the other, and they parted on bad terms. From that point on, the mountain of the gods fully entered a state of war readiness, and the gods became vignt.


    However, once this news spread, it inevitably shook some neutral gods. They didn''t want to oppose Hades, nor did they want to help Zeus, so they temporarily left the mountain of the gods.


    Of course, there were also some gods who, after learning of Hades''s n, chose to defect. This included the Three Fates, the Furies, and other deities, which made Zeus extremely angry but helpless.


    For Zeus, this was a tant betrayal. But in the end, he didn''t have the extra energy to punish these traitors. All he could do was seize every bit of strength he could and wait for the war toe.


    And all of this officially began when John finally gathered all the Authority in his body and ascended to godhood.


    After ascending to godhood, John clearly noticed the changes in his body. An almost invulnerable physique, an extraordinarily resilient soul, and endless methods.


    The moment John ascended to godhood, Zeus on the mountain of the gods immediately noticed it. He tried to dispatch gods to assassinate John, but unfortunately, John''s power far exceeded his expectations.


    Even a seasoned god like Hermes fell at John''s hands without any resistance. From that moment, Zeus realized he could no longer stop John.


    In the millennia-long history of the doomed Olympus, there finally emerged someone who broke the mold, transforming from a cocoon into a butterfly, and ascended to godhood! This officially marked the beginning of the divine war.


    However, when Hades revealed his full power, John was still shocked. Over thirty gods imprisoned in the underworld defected at the same time, joining Hades''s camp.


    Moreover, the news of Seraphina''s resurrection spread, giving hope to those gods who had suffered discrimination and unfair treatment over the years due to past incidents. They flocked to Seraphina.


    At this point, the two factions were fully established. Hades gathered nearly sixty gods, while Zeus''s faction had only half of Hades''s number.


    But sometimes, quantity doesn''t matter; quality is crucial.


    After another month, John fully adapted to his divine power, demonstrating impressivebat abilities. Even when facing Hades, he could hold his own in a fight, although he would ultimately be defeated. Nevertheless, this proved John''s formidable strength.


    "Then, let usunch our final attack on the mountain of the gods!"

 Chapter 209: Chapter209-The Final Chapter

    "I never thought that our first meeting in a hundred years would be like this," Hades said.


    On the mountain of the gods, Hades finally met his brother, who had been sitting on the throne of the god-king for tens of thousands of years. However, the tense situation John had imagined did not ur. Instead, Hades and Zeus were talking andughing, making John momentarily believe it was all an illusion, that Hades had never intended to rebel and had simply tricked everyone.


    But John had misunderstood.


    The reason for the apparent calm was that the conflict between the two sides had escted to a point of no return, where they could no longer agree or understand each other. This realization brought a sense of release.


    They both knew that attempting to persuade each other was impossible, so they didn''t waste their breath.


    While Hades and Zeus reminisced about the past, Seraphina stepped forward. Ignoring the chatting brothers, she walked straight into the depths of the mountain of the gods. She had no time to listen to their idle talk; she needed to reim her lost Authority.


    In terms ofbat power, if Seraphina returned to her peak, she would be as strong as Hades. Furthermore, before her divine status was shattered, she had been highly respected on the mountain of the gods. So, almost no one dared to stop her as she advanced.


    Finally, when Seraphina and John reached the peak of the mountain of the gods, where thest part of her Authority was sealed, they encountered their first battle of the day.


    "Seraphina, you''re already dead. Why struggle?"


    "Enough talk. Either step aside or fight me," Seraphina said, conjuring a long sword that pointed straight at Ares''s brow.


    At this point, she had no patience for words. It was either battle or move aside; there was no third option.


    But would Ares back down? Certainly not.


    Thus, the first battle broke outpletely!


    John and Seraphina teamed up against Ares! John alone was clearly not a match for a god renowned for his formidablebat prowess. However, John''s advantagey in Seraphina''s almost insanely powerful techniques.


    Once again, John was amazed at the true strength of alchemy. The battle between the threested for three whole days, ending with Ares exhausted and defeated. At this point, Seraphina regained all of her lost Authority.


    Zeus could clearly sense this. Despite his desire to stop it, Hades was not about to give him the chance. So, Zeus asked Hades the final question he had.


    "Must this divine war be initiated? You know very well that internal conflict in the divine realm will only benefit other realms."


    Hades''s response was thunder in his hand!


    "Using my own gods against me, brother, you are too arrogant!"


    "Arrogant? No, no, I just wanted to return this to you. Otherwise, this battle would be too boring."


    With a casual wave, Hades lifted the entire underworld into his grasp! Indeed, Hades''s domain was also his artifact!


    The battle erupted in full. Gods shed with gods, Divine Emissaries besieged Divine Emissaries. Truthfully, Qing and the others fought with great difficulty. There were only five of them in total, facing dozens of Demigod-tier Divine Emissaries, experiencing even more pressure than John.


    Fortunately, after Qing ascended to Demigod tier, his energy surged. Even using his talent skill to summon an entire army was manageable, barely allowing them to hold their ground against the Divine Emissaries.


    The once sacred Mount Olympus now resembled hell. Divine Emissaries fell in battle, gods perished, and even John faced the constant risk of falling.


    This was a battle among gods. Even Demigod-tier Divine Emissaries could only be spectators. Just approaching slightly would see them easily torn apart by the ripples of divine power.


    But inevitably, Zeus''s side fell into a disadvantage.


    Zeus was indeed strong, but with Hades countering him, the two were evenly matched, and neither could overpower the other. However, no one could single-handedly stand against Seraphina; it required two, or even more gods working together to barely hold their ground against her.


    Then, an unexpected twist urred.


    Towering waves rose from the Silent Sea, surging toward the mountain of the gods! Within the waves, countless hideous monsters could be vaguely seen!


    Yes, Poseidon had joined the battle.


    As a god, he could certainly sense everything happening on the mountain of the gods. Over ten gods had already fallen, and this was just the beginning. Even if he didn''t want to be involved in this conflict, he couldn''t stay out of it.


    The oue, however, deeply disappointed Hades. His favorite brother had betrayed him, standing on Zeus''s side, holding the trident of the sea god, and blocking Seraphina''s path.


    Seraphina recognized him, of course. Before her death, Poseidon had been an immature young god, but now he had grown into a powerful deity capable of rivaling her.


    "Brother, stop this. We can''t let more gods fall. I have no intention of being your enemy."


    "But you already have. Zeus, let me introduce someone familiar to you. I''m sure you''ll be delighted to see her."


    With a thought, Hades summoned a figure from the underworld. It was Zeus''s former consort, Hades''s sister, and the mother of the gods, Lyra!


    "Zeus, look at you now. Where is your majesty as the king of gods? You''ve brought shame to Olympus!"


    Lyra''s sudden arrival furtherplicated an already chaotic situation. Now, with the most powerful gods��Hades, Poseidon, Zeus, Seraphina, and Lyra��their battle would directly determine the fate of the mountain of the gods. The three-on-two advantage naturally favored Hades''s side.


    The divine war reached its most intense phase. At this point, the loss of anybatant on either side would be a catastrophic blow.


    The monsters brought by Poseidon were nearly indestructible. Even with fatal injuries, they could heal in a very short time, making them incredibly troublesome.


    Seeing the scales of victory tipping towards Zeus''s side, John finally decided not to hold back and yed his trump card. He sacrificed Leviathan''s body to cast another summoning spell.


    This time, the one who answered John''s call was a ck dragon symbolizing death and despair��Nidhogg!


    As a divine creature, Nidhogg''s strength was undeniable. Even when facing Hades, it could hold its own. Its inclusion became a significant factor in the fight for victory.


    Ultimately, Poseidon could not bear to see his subjects continue to suffer and be devoured by the dragon of despair. He was the first to withdraw, returning to the Silent Sea.


    With this, Zeus''s hope for victory vanished. The battle had reached a point where continuing was pointless. Defeat was inevitable, and the gods on Zeus''s side began to defect, choosing to join Hades''s faction and cease their resistance.


    However, there was one exception: John did not ept the surrender of the god of time, Cronus. John had promised Deception that if given the chance, he would kill Cronus, seize his Authority, and give Exiled Immortal a chance to start over.


    John was ready to fulfill his promise, but Seraphina intervened. Her reasoning was simple: if the god of time were to die, it would affect the entire mountain of the gods, making the situation uncontroble. Reluctantly, John had to give up. However, in return, he obtained a promise from Cronus that he would help Exiled Immortal.


    Thus, the battle ended in a decisive victory.


    Hades, Seraphina, and Lyra joined forces to banish Zeus from the mountain of the gods, never to set foot there again.


    When everyone expected Hades to ascend the throne, he surprised them by shattering the throne with a p and leaving the mountain, returning to the underworld.


    The divine war was over.


    John, as a newly ascended god, demonstrated his formidablebat abilities and earned everyone''s recognition. The divine essences of the fallen gods were inherited by Qing and others. Given enough time, they too could ascend to godhood.


    John had prevented humanity''s apocalypse. The doomed Olympus came to an abrupt end, and the world returned to the way it was before the seven-day cmity, as if nothing had ever happened.


    John and hispanions then set their sights on another world, one on the brink of death.


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