When the little yers came back online, it was already several hourster.
They had slept very soundly and sweetly in another world, except for those unlucky ones who had been knocked out during the dungeon raid earlier. The remaining 39 came online simultaneously at the agreed-upon time.
It was the weekend today, so everyone could enjoy ying again.
However, when they woke up in the underground warehouse, which served as the “dungeon save point”, even the most dimwitted little yer could sense that the Blood Vulture Halls was vastly different from yesterday.
It was clearly much more solemn here than the day before, as if a sense of unease permeated even the air.
“You’ve finally awoken, warriors.”
Greeting them in front of the warehouse was Murphy’s loyal servant, Maxim.
This white-haired swordsman still exuded an intense aura of battle, but he maintained his frigidbat stance as he announced to the little yers through the Computation Bead:
“Thanks to your efforts and excellent coordination yesterday, we have now cleared the central part of the corridor. Lord Murphy has opened the final path to the Sacred Blood Pool. The most arduous challenge lies just ahead.However, there is one bad news you must be aware of!
The fallen Salrokdar is plotting something even more terrifying than we imagined. A sub-dimension rift is hidden in the Sacred Blood Hall, and it could open into the material world at any moment. If it sessfully opens, the entire Transia region will instantly copse and be torn apart.
Currently, we have received aid from the Blood Pact Knights. Lady Tris is making the final tactical adjustments.
I do not wish to conceal how difficult the uing battle will be. The fact is, none of us may live to see tomorrow’s moonlight.
However, we have no path for retreat!
Therefore, by Lord Murphy’smand, I must immediately lead you to the final battle. The stingy Witch Hunters have finally been persuaded by the grave reality to bring out their reserves from the bottom of the chest.”
Maxim pointed to therge quantities of vampire-ying sword oils and a series of mind protection scrolls ced nearby, and said to the little yers:
“Three each! They can only be used in the most dire circumstances. Once the scrolls’ protective effects are exhausted, you must immediately retreat from the battlefield, or it will result in rather severe consequences.
This is the first time for you, and for me, to engage in battle with sub-dimension abominations. We must be prepared to die!”
The little yers immediately became solemn.
On the team channel, everyone had already started discussing in chaos.
InvincibleTyrannosaurusCheche: 【Whoa! How did the story progress so deeply just from not being online for one night? What is this sub-dimension rift thing? It sounds really powerful, more dangerous than the astral rift that devoured Kadman City?】
AhYuen: 【This stupid Cheche is justme, didn’t you hear what the NPC said? That thing will tear apart the entire Transia region if it opens!
This is clearly a story kill!
It’s to match the final part of the prologue quest about the server restart, right? Obviously the dev team has thoughtfully written a background story for this story kill restart after a failed raid. I really appreciate their whole family!】
SwordSaintAshina: 【No no no~ It’s not just randomly made up. Yesterday I saw Lumina’s trantion post on the forum with some in-game texts, and it clearly says:
The spirit mages of this world have concluded that sub-dimension is the boundless dimension beyond the astral realm, the source of all spirit energy, but also the chaotic source of all evils in the world.
They believe that all sins and disasters in the material world are triggered by the mysterious fluctuations of sub-dimension. Although it sounds unbelievable, if you look into it carefully, after introducing the unscientific factor of spirit energy, the underlying logic of this system actually makes sense.】
OnboardJoyStick: 【！！！Is this the time for you to discuss the depth of the story and the worldview architecture? Brothers and sisters, hurry up! The NPC has already cleared the path to the final BOSS for us. Shouldn’t the next step be the enjoyable BOSS fight?
Take it seriously!
You experienced the difficulty of this dungeon yesterday yourselves. The final BOSS can’t possibly be weak.
Speaking of which, isn’t the dungeon flow a bit short, with only three BOSSes?】
MeowKing: 【It’s five! The remaining two BOSSes are hidden. I just saw the battle report released by Maxim. Yesterday when we were raiding number one and two, Lord Murphy and the old knight took a secret passage and struck deep into the halls.
They dealt with an Astral Manticore and a group of ghostly bandits in the secret passage.
It’s obvious!
This is the dev team’s remedial story after collecting our real-timebat data and realizing they made the monster stats too outrageous, so they let the NPCs step in and help us defeat the BOSS we currently can’t beat.】
LeadingPigeon: 【That’s too cunning! Doesn’t that mean the loot from those two BOSS is gone?】
Heaven’sChosenGrayman: 【You’re still thinking about loot at this point? Have you forgotten how we were ground into the floor by the BOSS yesterday? It’s obvious that this dungeon design is a bit outrageous and will definitely need adjustmentster. I reckon the official version of the dungeon will have loot drops, but not this time.】
SisterPomegranateUprootsTheWeepingWillows: 【Okay, enough arguing. Let’s hurry and follow the NPC to the final hall. I want to see what this sub-dimension rift looks like with my own eyes.】
Urged by Sister Pomegranate, a group of yers rushed after Maxim towards the final hall. They passed through the central corridor that had already been cleared by the Witch Hunters, but the closer they got to the Sacred Blood Hall, the more NPCs there were.
In front of that final door, they saw Murphy and old Finoch.
At this point, the two story leaders both bore visible marks of battle.
The old knight’s white oak armor bore ck corrosion marks, while Murphy’s cloak had be tattered and torn. He, who usually paid close attention to his demeanor, was now sitting on a chair panting, with the de of the Desire n by his side still dripping strange ck fresh blood.
Just thirty minutes ago, he and old Finoch had jointly dealt with thest dozen or so patriarch personal guards who had been seduced by the sub-dimension. Those fellows were true White Silver ranks, powerful individuals like Jed. It was only due to mental instability, sub-dimension corrosion, and blood source weakness that allowed Murphy to ambush them sessfully.
Admittedly, it was rather shameful. Out of just fifteen enemies in total, the formidable old knight single-handedly took down thirteen, while Murphy only managed to im two heads and ended up in a sorry state himself.
This Murphy was truly pathetic!
However, it didn’t matter much. For his current rank, being able to achieve this was already quitemendable, and the【Proof of Warrior】had also been sessfully obtained.
“You’ve finally arrived, my warriors.”
Murphy opened his eyes, and under the protection of Maxim, Lady Adele, and the youngdies, he stood up and looked towards his warriors.
Out of the original 60 people who had set out, only 39 remained, which showed the ferocity of the battle.
But the little yers who had survived such brutalbat were Murphy’s elites among elites. He had great confidence in them, even though their next opponent was one they were powerless against.
“The final battle is about to begin! I need you to escort the youngdy with me towards the Sacred Blood Pool.”
Murphy said solemnly:
“The youngdy will take on the responsibility of severing Salrokdar’s connection to the Sacred Blood Pool. Only afterpleting this process will Tris’ n to banish the chaotic forces to the astral realm be possible. Lord Finoch and I have cleared the final obstacles for you.
We also discovered that as long as we approached the polluted Sacred Blood Pool, sub-dimension fiends would emerge from within, for they do not wish to see their chance of setting foot in this world extinguished by us.
But that is precisely what we need to do.
You must establish a defensive line around the Sacred Blood Pool and hold out until the veryst moment.
It will be extremely difficult!
Almost a suicidal act, yet we must do it!
For thends we have painstakingly obtained, for the future we have sworn to establish, for the grand n we have already set in motion!
This time, I will fight alongside you to the very end!
Either we win everything, or we descend into hell together.”
The little yers sensed the resolve imbued in Murphy’s NPC lines. Although not everyone enjoyed deep role-ying and empathizing with NPCs like Lumina did, they had been together for over ten days, and under Murphy’s guidance, they had taken down one enemy after another and resolved one problem after another.
Now, seeing their NPC’s unwavering determination to die, even the most rational Joy Stick couldn’t help but tighten his grip on the gun in his hand. Of course, a rational guy like Brother Stick wouldn’t be incited by just a few words.
What concerned him more was that if the main story NPC died, wouldn’t his hard-earned save file be gone?
Could he ept that?
“You will not die here! We will not allow you to die here!”
The best actor, Ah Yuen, stepped forward and, like the knights dering oaths in movies, he raised the veteran’s sword in his hand and shouted:
“Murphy must prevail! Transia must prevail!”
But the imagined scene of everyone joining in his oath did not materialize. Ah Yuen turned around to find everyone looking at him like an idiot.
“Come on! Cooperate a little! I’m recording this.”
Ah Yuen shouted, and then scattered calls echoing the same words arose from the crowd. Brother Meow King halfheartedly raised his staff and waved it.
At this moment, the cunning society people’s attention was on the half-open door before them.
Malicious auras seeped out from within, giving this oak apprentice a strange feeling of having his heart gripped.
He tentatively reached out and pushed forward on the wooden door, peeking inside. At first nce, he saw the energy vortex dotted with dark purple lights hovering above the crimson holy pool.
It already had a physical presence in the material world.
Its constant, steady rotation was a dark singrity opened to the material world, or like an ominous eye wide open, ready to devour all light.
Brother Meow King’s attention was immediately drawn to the vortex. He felt as if his very spirit was being pulled into it.
The world before his eyes soon became distorted.
Strange mists and flickering wraiths seemed to extend from the darkness, while in that formless realm, terrifying spiritual forms also drifted, coldly watching him. It was as if a thousand voices simultaneously resounded ovepping phantasmal echoes in his mind and ears, speaking in anguage he could notprehend at all.
He wanted to see the true reality.
He wanted to hear those calls proiming the truth.
He also wanted to immerse himself in the warm, tranquil, elegant yet boisterous sea of dark celestial bodies before him and indulge in unrestrained wandering.
Brother Meow King’s gaze became vacant, as if his spirit and will were being extracted from this shell of a body and cast into another unknown realm. At this moment, in another world, the game helmet he was lying in bed with was emitting a piercing rm.
The connection program had entered the countdown to disconnect.
“What are you doing?”
A rebuke came from behind, startling Brother Meow King.
Before his brain, as if rusted, could restart, a tremendous force extended from his back, pulling him, who had already stepped halfway into the Sacred Blood Hall, back into the rear corridor.
In the moment Brother Meow King blinked his eyes and regained his senses, what greeted him was an ever-erging armored fist with intricate gauntlets and knuckle spikesing towards his face.
“Bang!”
A muffled sound, and Brother Meow King was knocked to the ground.
Had Murphy not pulled him back at thest second, that punch would have been enough to cave in the little yer’s skull.
“He has been seduced by chaos! A threat that must be eliminated.”
The one who pulled Brother Meow King back into the corridor was one of the three Blood Pact Knights who had previously arrived at the Kadman ruins, a t-chested vampire girl at the White Silver rank. She said coldly.
Murphy, however, shielded the still dazed Brother Meow King behind him, looked at the Blood Pact Knight before them, and loudly refuted:
“My warrior will not be seduced. Just now he only underestimated the situation recklessly. The same attack cannot be effective against them twice! I can guarantee it!”
“With all due respect, Lord Murphy, your courage is moving, but your warriors are not qualified to join such a battle!”
The Blood Pact female knight before them said coldly:
“They are too weak. Entering the battlefield would only make them servants of the sub-dimension and in turn be a nuisance to us. The current situation is already dire enough, please do not add to our difficulties.”
“No!”
The old knight Finoch, who had remained silent until now, raised his head at this moment and said to the three Blood Pact Knights who hade to aid them:
“Their presence is necessary. Murphy’s decision is not wrong. Apart from those who do not fear death like them, I do not trust any other reinforcements.”
Old Finoch knew that the yers were spirits from another realm.
They did not fear death, so when necessary, they would have no burden striking down temptedrades. Their disdain for death when confronting chaos would be the most precious gift.
This was an advantage that even the most outstanding Witch Hunters did not possess.
Even the most resolute will would waver in the face of death. Once the will wavered, the chaos of the sub-dimension would seize upon that weakness. Unless you never regarded death as a big deal from the very start, beneath such lofty magnanimity, the sub-dimension will would naturally find it difficult to influence you.
After all, if you didn’t even fear death, there were so few things in this world worth fearing.
“I’m puzzled, why are we quarreling amongst ourselves before the battle has even begun? Is it because the sub-dimension has influenced even you beautiful ones?”
As the three sides were at an impasse, a somewhat exaggerated andnguid male voice rang out from the shadows of the corridor.
This voice seemed to carry a certain maism, drawing everyone’s gaze towards the rear.
Under their watchful eyes, a nearly 2-meter tall, golden-red armored knight with a lion-head helmet tucked under his arm, carrying ance and heavy shield on his back, strode forth.
Handsome, dashing, and gentle were the first impressions this fellow gave everyone. The tinge of crimson in his blue pupils and his overly pale skin, however, were symbolic of his race.
Most audaciously, this guy even had a night rose fixed in ce by spirit energy on his chest te, exuding a roguish aura. Upon seeing him, the three Blood Pact Knights immediately stood at attention and saluted their knightmander.
“The de of Dignity,” the first knightmander of the Blood Pact Knights, waved his hand.
He surveyed his surroundings and upon seeing Lady Femis, Lady Adele, and the gray-haired demoness hunter Natalie, his eyes immediately lit up.
A beautiful rose glided forward, as if by magic producing three gorgeously blushing roses from his hand, which he presented to the threedies.
Lady Femis was clearly aware of this one’s character and sighed as she reached out to ept the rose, giving Lady Adele a look as well. As for the Witch Hunter side, the old knight Finoch, who had also heard of Lord Pnno Gaerci Cappadocia’s great name, covered his eyes and waved his hand dismissively.
Although she didn’t quite understand, Natalie also epted the rose with an odd expression.
Then, his eyes fell upon Sister Pomegranate, Lumina, and Orchid Huahua among the little yers, and lit up again as he once more produced three roses to present to them.
The atmosphere at the scene suddenly became awkward.
The yers’ expressions varied, but for some reason, the Ruthcium brothers suddenly felt a liking for this NPC who appeared rather formidable, tsk, this guy was a fellow connoisseur of beauty!
Only little Ashina gritted her teeth and drew the handgun from her waist.
These were all the girls here!
You gave one to everyone except me!
Tell me!
What’s the meaning of this?
Just as she was about to erupt, Pnno turned and produced a rose, handing it to her, delighting little Ashina.
But then she realized the rose in her hand was smaller in size.
A whole circle smaller than everyone else’s!
This vile and malicious implication made her nose crooked with anger.
Meanwhile, Murphy looked at this one who could be called handsome in every sense, and felt a slight threat from him. The biggest doubt floating in his mind was, does this guy have some kind of condition?
Where did he get so many roses?
Is it really okay to carry so many of these useless things on you?
But before Murphy could speak, that deranged knightmander turned and drew a blue rose different from the others, smiling as he presented it before Murphy’s eyes.
He said admiringly:
“I never expected to find someone of the same race so handsome that even I feel threatened. I have also heard your story from Lady Tris. Come, Murphy, ept this, as my tribute to you!
From one perfect gentleman to another.”
For a moment, Murphy stood stunned, but then he epted the blue rose with the most gracious smile and elegant demeanor, nodding to the other in acknowledgment.
Although he still didn’t quite understand what was happening.
But to be praised as handsome by such a dashing fellow, well, this guy wasn’t so bad after all.