Chapter 8: Partial Victory

The door of the prison cell was tightly shut, with any gaps sealed as much as possible. The small iron bars on the door were held in place from the inside with leather and pressed down by hand. Steel Fang let out a long sigh and cursed, “Wicked bastards! When we catch him, I’ll slice his flesh off piece by piece and roast it!”
“Boss, this poison gas doesn’t seem as terrifying as we thought!” one of the bandits explained. “I was panicky before and inhaled a few breaths. I thought I was going to die, but now I feel fine—actually, I feel even more energetic!”
The other bandits shared similar feelings though they didn’t say anything. They all looked at Steel Fang, waiting to hear what he had to say.
“That’s exactly what’s most terrifying,” said Steel Fang, who was quick-witted. “Could our enemies have prepared something beneficial for us to consume? Hmph! Feeling more energetic now? That’s just a taste of what’s to come. Once we lower our guard and take in more, problems will arise—big problems!”
The bandits nodded in agreement. Another bandit raised a new question, “Boss, with us trapped here like this, does that give our enemies time to deal with our brothers outside?”
“Don’t worry. The enemies don’t have many strong fighters. It won’t be easy for them to defeat our brothers. Lord Coppola has already prepared a batch of new energy potions for us, including Type II. I’ve decided that one of those potions will be for your brother. More and more of our brothers will gain combat power. We’ll only get stronger!”
Though this wasn’t the first time such words were spoken, Steel Fang’s promises still held considerable appeal. After all, nearly half of the bandits here had gained combat power through these potions. Although it wasn’t as good as natural combat power and there seemed to be some side effects, overall it was still worth it. Having combat power allowed them to rise quickly—compared to before, life was now comfortable: they had subordinates to follow them and girls to accompany them. Having experienced the benefits of power, they naturally looked forward to Type II even more.
Steel Fang glanced at the expressions of the bandits and realized he had once again resolved a trust crisis. “The hostage is lost—this failure must be made up for!” He knew well that if he messed things up completely this time, that ever-smiling Coppola would peel his skin off as a souvenir!
“Boss, sit here. It’s close to the ventilation shaft, so the air is fresh. Smell—there’s even the scent of plants!” The advantage of resolving a trust crisis was fewer problems from the subordinates and more flattery.
“Hmm, fresh air? Hmm? The scent of plants?” Steel Fang realized what was wrong. In this season, where could there be any such scent of plants? He immediately realized he had been deceived. The poison used by the enemies was a mixed toxin. Ingesting either toxin alone wasn’t serious, but when combined, their effects became deadly.

“Charge out!” There was no time for explanations. Steeltooth Dog suddenly rushed toward the door like a mad rabid dog, his body glowing with combat energy. He used that energy like a battering ram to smash the solid wooden door, sending splinters flying, then dashed forward while shouting, “Come with me quickly! The enemy is using a mixed poison—another type has been spread in the ventilation ducts…”

Only three of the bandits reacted in time. By the time the rest realized what was happening, it was too late to escape. Once the door was broken, the two poisons mixed thoroughly in the prison cells, causing their limbs to go weak and causing them to collapse and fall into a coma.

Steeltooth Dog led the remaining three to the passage blocked by thorny bushes. By now, new thorns had grown extensively, threatening to block the path again. Without hesitation, the bandits started slashing wildly to clear the thorns, then acted like expert diggers, digging furiously until they finally cleared the passage.

“Haha, haha!” As clean air rushed in, the bandits were overjoyed at being saved from certain death. They breathed deeply while laughing.

“Let’s go—out of here!” Steeltooth Dog patted one of the bandits on the shoulder.

“Mm!” The bandit scrambled out eagerly.

Then the second bandit.

“Dort! Mahishv?” Steeltooth Dog called out.

No response.

Steeltooth Dog flapped his nostrils, breathing heavily to calm his anger and fear. He knew Dort and Mahishv were dead. The enemy was lurking in the darkness outside, waiting for an opportunity.

“Help me!” Steeltooth Dog and the last remaining bandit worked hard to fill the hole, sealing off the passage they had just created. Now, they wouldn’t have to worry about the poisonous gas spreading through the air affecting them.

“Vine, the enemy is outside. Let’s rest here, widen the entrance, and then rush out together. We’ll move back-to-back—understood?”

“Mm!” Vine nodded firmly. He was extremely panicked. He was in a small underground cave, surrounded by loose soil layers that could collapse at any moment. The entrance ahead was tiny, it was dark outside and oppressive inside, plus there was that ghostly enemy—everything was terrible.

Five minutes later, with a muffled “bang!”, Steeltooth Dog and Vine broke through the soil. They first thinned the soil layer, then pushed together to blast through it and rush out. They relied on surprise to survive the most dangerous two seconds when escaping the cave.

However, Neo didn’t miss this rare opportunity. Using the noise from breaking through the soil as cover, two throwing knives hit Vine. By the time he hit the ground, he was too weak to run away. “Save me! Save me…” Vine’s cries for help echoed eerily in the dark and empty underground city. Without hesitation, Steeltooth Dog ran away with all his might. He was originally a true Level 5 fighter, but thanks to an energy potion, he had reached Level 7. His tactile sense was quite useful—it was as if he had a light that could illuminate an area within 3 meters. With this “light”, he could at least avoid hitting himself.

Everything was pitch black and silent; the vastness only served to amplify the terror. Steeltooth Dog had no idea from which direction the enemy would attack, nor when the deadly flying knives would come. All he wanted now was to escape this damned place as far as possible. He swore that even if he died of cold in the wilderness, he would never live in any underground city again.

A stone wall! Finally, he touched a stone wall—it felt like a drowning person clinging to a piece of driftwood. Steeltooth Dog moved along the wall and quickly figured out where it led and where he was. About five minutes later, out of breath, he returned to the large house. A comfortable room at the back belonged to him, containing a secret chamber known only to him. There, he kept his savings from over the years, along with enough food and water for five days. It didn’t matter if his subordinates were dead; as long as he had these savings, he could make a comeback. Among them were some treasures that even Lord Coppola would be tempted by—his backup plan.

After successfully escaping through a short corridor into the secret chamber, locking himself inside, and pouring down half a bottle of red wine from Edrith, he finally took a deep breath of relief and slumped in a chair. Then, a pounding heartbeat began to erode his consciousness wave after wave. He had never encountered an enemy like Neo—like a demon controlling darkness and death. Even those damned plants seemed to come from hell. To be honest, Steeltooth Dog had never imagined there could be plants that thrived with the power of ice and snow!

“Damn it!” he cursed under his breath, gulping down the remaining half bottle of wine. After burping, he couldn’t help but think of those people in the prison—the finest members of his team, all killed in one fell swoop! “Damn it! Those damned plants…”

Suddenly, an idea struck Steeltooth Dog. He quickly reached for his waist, and cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He had made a fatal mistake—he still had the Soul Collar on him instead of throwing it away!

As he hesitated whether to risk throwing the Soul Collar away, there was a knock on the door of the secret chamber. “Dolly, come open the door obediently. Maybe I can spare your life!”

Cornered, Steeltooth Dog’s eyes turned red, his face twisted in fury as he prepared for battle.

Soon after, the iron door shattered like paper and flew into the chamber. Then Steeltooth Dog saw Neo wearing fang-like armor. “I’ll fight you to the death!” With unmatched desperation, he charged at Neo. Neo sidestepped, and Steeltooth Dog missed, rushing back into the short corridor without looking back. He didn’t really want to fight to the death; his desperate behavior was just to escape. Now that his wish was fulfilled, he would surely leave without looking back.

But…

Bang!

“Ugh! How sneaky!”

Steeltooth Dog hadn’t expected Neo to set a trap at the entrance of the secret chamber. He had fallen for it. Now, not only could he not run, but he didn’t even have the strength to fight.

“One more chance for you to choose—meet my demands, and you can die painlessly!” Less than a minute later, the treatment dropped significantly in quality.
“Tch!” Steeltooth Dog spat out blood and phlegm. “Use whatever tricks you have. If Grandpa makes so much as a sound, he’s not a hero!”
“You never were…” Neo was about to act when he saw a large amount of blood flowing from Steeltooth Dog’s mouth. This time, Steeltooth Dog managed to confuse Neo, making him think the man still wanted to cling to life, then he used his steel-teeth to chew through his own tongue and destroy his combat energy system.
“Those on the verge of death speak well.” Here, it turned out to be nonsense. Until his death, Steeltooth Dog showed no remorse; he simply accepted defeat without admitting fault.
Reaching out to close Steeltooth Dog’s wide eyes, Neo said, “At least in the end, you acted like a boss!”
Neo didn’t profit from Steeltooth Dog’s body but only retrieved the Soul Collar. Later, that secret room became Steeltooth Dog’s tomb, with an inscription on the repaired tomb door: He found courage a bit too late.
After dealing with Steeltooth Dog, the other elite bandits were much less fortunate. Neo showed his cruel predator side—whether spellcasters or fighters, they all left this world in a coma forever.
“The food doesn’t seem very tasty!” While waiting for Nancy to help him regulate his energy, Neo chatted with her.
Having absorbed over a dozen elite bandits, the energy he gained was far less than he had expected. He had thought that through this battle, the restoration of the sacred artifact could reach 50%, but it only reached 48% and stopped there. Instead, he harvested a great deal of miscellaneous energy. Combined with what he had obtained in Wurtzburg earlier, its total amount was once again approaching the limit. In other words, he needed to find ways to distribute this power among the members of the Wind Team; there was no better way to use it.
“If professionals who break through to level 5 are game, then these are just poultry.”
Neo fully understood Nancy’s analogy. “Lately, I’ve heard a lot about potions being widely used. Even bandits can get their hands on such ‘fattening agents’!”
“That’s not hard to understand. I think you’ll soon encounter prisoners who’ve used potions too. Like the bandits, they’re used for potion testing and gathering real-world combat data. It also allows them to recover funds from bandits or turn prisoners into obedient, powerful enforcers—killing two birds with one stone. Though those researchers certainly won’t like you.”
“Yes, I not only killed their test subjects but also destroyed their experimental data,” Neo said, shaking his head.
It was an open secret that in Fury, some government agencies produced various specialized potions for the military, either by order or driven by profit. It was an important research topic in the alliance’s military field. The slogan was grand: to better protect soldiers’ lives and defend national sovereignty and citizens’ property.

But behind such grandeur lies the filth before our eyes—prisoners and bandits used as test subjects. These horrors seem distant from ordinary people. Once, Neo lived in remote areas like Turess and never paid much attention to them. Now it’s different; he has truly witnessed the harm involved—his loved ones, those who were robbed or suffered misfortune or died, even the slaves in the bandit lairs. He has seen the terror and suffering they endure. He can’t remain indifferent.

Sacrificing the rights and even lives of a small portion of the lower-class population to secure victory in geopolitical struggles between nations. Such sacrifices are within the tolerance of those in power. They manipulate cold data, using excuses like “I can’t handle violence” or “I’m doing this for the happiness of more people” to engage in a prolonged, intense, game-like struggle—perhaps between races, between nations, or even something less grand, merely driven by political rivals or out of mere precaution or whim. This is why those who see through the true nature of the system strive to rise to power: below, everyone is just a pawn.

As for those with a poor conscience, Neo thinks it probably depends on how many such despicable acts they’ve committed, not on whether they have any at all. Not to mention others, isn’t he himself already using pure evil to serve his own interests? If we’re being honest, who can say without bias or emotion that it’s only natural for bandits to die at the hands of monsters like Polyhedron?

The bandits in the stone hall never thought it was inevitable for them to be killed by monsters, so they fought back. Unfortunately, their assessment of Polyhedron’s cunning was still insufficient.

Polyhedron was like a wolf trying to kill a hedgehog but not knowing how—circling the bandit groups from afar, growing increasingly anxious, with growing attempts to break in. Even Depp and the other bandits thought that before long, the monster would lose patience and attack fiercely, only to be killed by their prepared defenses.

What happened? None of the bandits expected the crisis to arise from within their own ranks.

It was those two bandits who had survived earlier. Though their wounds were briefly treated, the poison turned them into serious patients—first falling into a coma, then experiencing convulsions. Suddenly, black thorny vines as thin as toothpicks burst through their bodies and shot out in all directions. The first to be hit were the bandits holding torches in the innermost circle, including Depp.

Depp had prepared a web spell, waiting for Polyhedron to charge so he could bind and kill it completely. But the sudden outbreak of thorny vines disrupted everything. Not only him, but the entire group was thrown into chaos. The vines wrapped around them, causing blood to flow. The toxins on those short thorns weren’t extremely strong, but they caused intense pain, and most bandits panicked due to the agony.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Duomian rushed forward at lightning speed from multiple directions. While ambushes were its forte, head-on attacks were no less effective. Its speed was even greater than that of a cheetah—covering 30 meters in less than 3 seconds. During this time, the thorny vines forming its limbs would rapidly unfold into countless serpentine strands, which were its true weapon. Instead of biting, tearing, clawing, or swatting with its tail, it used thrusts and entanglements. Those unfamiliar with it tended to refer to it as “one” or “one beast,” but in reality, it should be called “a swarm.”

A few arrows that posed no real threat struck Duomian’s body. The archers realized that this time, Duomian didn’t retreat as it had in previous battles. It could charge straight through the arrows. As the bandits prepared to resist with their shields, Duomian suddenly leaped into the air and spread out like a thrown fishing net, covering everything below. At the same time, the thorny vines rained down from above, forming countless black lines.

In this critical moment, Dep used the “Slippery Technique” on himself. Though in a mess, he managed to crawl out of the group. Immediately afterward, he cast the “Fire Cloud Spell.” Dep had gone all out, using his only half-second casting slot each day for this offensive fire spell.

The fire cloud rolled downward, hitting the swarm of thorny vines. Many bandits were also affected—their hair and skin caught fire and burned. This spell could generate intense heat in an instant, capable of melting even metal.

Dep thought that even if the fire couldn’t kill Duomian completely, it would at least injure it severely. But Duomian wasn’t afraid of fire at all. The only force that could truly harm it was holy light; otherwise, it had extremely high resistance to any other force. The thorny vines, like red-hot wires sparking, swung like whips, enveloping an area of dozens of square meters in flames. These flames were as sharp as blades, severing the weak parts of the bandits’ bodies—limbs or necks—wherever they passed. Those who tried to escape were pierced and pulled back by the flying thorns. Roars and screams filled the air, turning the place into a world akin to a monstrous octopus in the sea.

Duomian still didn’t have the ability to kill over 60 people at once. As the bandit group was destroyed, more than a dozen still managed to flee into the darkness. Duomian wasn’t in a hurry to chase them. It first enjoyed its feast. Most of the light sources had been extinguished. In the dim light, it tormented the bandits rather than killing them outright. Pain, despair, fear, hatred, anger—various negative emotions manifested in the bandits. This was Duomian’s way of “cooking”—its own delicacy.

What used to be a familiar dungeon had now become a place of terror. Darkness and silence reigned; all that could be heard were one’s own breathing, footsteps, and heartbeat…

“Damn it! Damn it…” A fleeing bandit pounded on the firmly locked gate. He no longer had the courage to turn back. To him, that terrifying monster seemed to be somewhere in the darkness, ready to pounce at any moment.

Some of the fleeing bandits managed to get torches, but that didn’t mean they felt safer. All the light in the dungeon had been extinguished; the small flames of the torches could only illuminate a very limited area. Everything around was dark and eerie, and they stood out like targets—no one would consider this safe.
“Is anyone here? Is anyone there?” The bandit’s voice trembled and sounded like crying. He had never desired light so much as at this moment; he longed to see people—even just a pair of slaves—he would rush at them and kiss them passionately. But it seemed like a luxury. The dungeon had turned into a graveyard, filled with clutter, and even bloodstains in some places, yet there was no one.
“Follow me! We’ll definitely be able to escape!” Deep repeated these words over and over, encouraging the bandits around him and himself. He gathered four people, forming the largest group of fugitives. Unable to find torches, they made do with sticks and torn clothes to create four makeshift ones. Then he controlled the flame to light them, and he also created his own indestructible flame that could replace a large torch, illuminating an area of about 10 meters. Relying on this light, they were the group with the most stable emotions among the fugitives.
Deep and his group didn’t go looking for Steeltooth Dog but headed straight for the main entrance. They wanted to escape this damned dungeon. Outside, there was moonlight, starlight, and snow reflecting the sky—various lights, far better than what existed here! Deep found it strange; the dungeon was like a huge tomb, and he hadn’t realized it until now after living there for so many years.
“It’s unbearably awful!” Deep shuddered and spat in frustration. The main entrance was just around the corner; he could even see one corner of the huge fire basket hanging from the ceiling.
Silence! That was the first impression Deep and his group had upon reaching the main entrance. What they wanted most was to see people, but here, apart from people, everything else was there—unchanged, intact, with no signs of battle or blood.
“Where are the people? Someone!” One of the bandits couldn’t help but shout. His emotions were still affected by the manifestations of evil; he felt as if the whole world was dead, leaving only them.
Neo stepped out from a shadowy corner and walked calmly into the light. The fire illuminated the mask, which only had its basic contours outlined—resembling Neo’s face in over 90% similarity. It was equally simple and eerie, with a chilling gaze. “Unfortunately, some people have escaped temporarily, but it’s definitely not you,” Neo said slowly.
Including Deep, the bandits all showed expressions of pain and despair…
Half an hour later, the battle was completely over. The fire baskets along the main roads in the dungeon were lit one by one. Neo asked Marian to arrange for the slaves to do a few things: eat, pack up, and get ready to leave.

Marian had excellent leadership skills. She first had a few prostitutes cook soups and meals, then ordered the slaves to gather items everywhere—mainly valuable small objects, daily necessities, and clothing. Next, she had the slaves use the tattered clothes as kindling to light over twenty large bonfires. They were then instructed to wash, dry, and iron the usable clothing, and everyone was told to strip down and use any available facilities to bathe. During this time, she selected some men in better physical condition to act as temporary managers, assigning clothes and distributing the food. The whole process was well-organized, orderly, and thorough—exactly like the procedure for receiving new slaves.

Nio watched with satisfaction. He gathered those in poor health and used the Water-type Softwood Totem along with Area Restoration spells to treat them; those in more serious condition were treated with Life Touch and Life Beads. While this wasn’t enough to eliminate the slaves’ fear of him, it at least made them understand that as long as they obeyed and worked hard, they could still be treated kindly—far better than their previous lives.

It was 2 a.m., and Nio didn’t order the slaves to migrate overnight but instead had them rest on the spot. Marian counted the supplies as instructed, while Nio thoroughly inspected the area. Then he called a few adult slaves and used the available tools and iron materials to forge some oddly shaped components.

It was with these components that Nio established a basic blockade around the entire area. Unless there were skilled craftsmen, it would be extremely difficult to restore normal use to this place.

Following his usual habit of being prepared, Nio set up supply points known only to him and a fast passage in and out, just in case. By the time everything was done, it was around 6 a.m. Nio returned to the slaves’ resting area and listened to Marian report the inventory.

The bandits didn’t have much food stock. With three meals a day and daily labor, it would only last the slaves less than a month—this was only counting grains, not including the lack of vegetables and meat. In fact, the slaves’ health was very poor, mainly due to a long-term lack of vegetables and minerals. Even Nio’s Life series of healing spells could only alleviate such conditions, not cure them, so there was a significant need for a variety of foods.

There weren’t many animals either—just over 20 chickens, over 10 ducks, 2 pairs of geese, 3 pigs, 6 sheep, and 2 cows. Judging from the number of animals and the number of bandits, it was clear they didn’t have much meat to eat regularly; probably only the elites could have meat at every meal. Marian told Nio that the bandits had their own sources and would buy some vegetables and meat every month. The reason there was still so much left this month was because the New Year was approaching.

There wasn’t a single mount. The bandits already had few mounts, all kept in stables near the main entrance, which they had ridden away when fleeing. This situation was naturally a major concern for Nio. Whether it was the migration team or the Wind Team, what they lacked most was carrying capacity.

The clothing provided is somewhat inadequate for keeping warm; mainly because the slaves themselves don’t have much cold-protective clothing, and the bandits also don’t wear much. Including the bedding and even the tent curtains they use, it can only barely prevent them from freezing to death outside. There are few tents as well, so camping becomes a major problem once they leave this city.

There is no shortage of vehicles. The bandits seize valuables and haul them into their lairs in carts, then sell the goods to unscrupulous merchants. Vehicles, which are easy to identify as belonging to someone, are piled up in stacks, covered in dust.Neo estimated that even if there were a migration group of ten to twenty thousand people, the supplies needed for a long journey could be transported using the vehicles here.

There is also plenty of iron material here, including some unprocessed black iron ingots. These ingots, when turned into weapons and armor, could equip a team of 300 people with basic gear—short swords, helmets, kneepads, elbow guards, wrist guards, and iron-reinforced wooden shields.

Supplies like coke, firewood, fodder, and bran are abundant enough to sustain a team of a thousand people until March of the following year. However, this brings up another issue: there isn’t enough carrying capacity to transport everything away.

The most valuable items are gold and silver treasures—things that can’t be eaten or drunk, and that were discarded like trash during the apocalypse. There are three large iron boxes, each 1.5 meters long and 1 meter wide and high, filled to the brim, shining brightly under the light of the fire. Naturally, the Steel-Tooth Dog’s private collection is of the highest quality—either large-carat diamonds or high-purity gold bars, along with magic crystals, and even a crystal core of some magical beast. It’s perfectly round and smooth, and just by looking at it, one can sense the powerful water element energy within. It’s unclear what kind of oceanic magical beast’s core it is, but its value is undeniable—after all, the oceans remain a dangerous and mysterious place for all three factions.

What pleasedNeo the most was that among the Steel-Tooth Dog’s precious collections were 7 Storm Crystals, stored in exquisite silver decorative boxes, looking exceptionally beautiful against the crimson velvet.

ForNeo now, these high-grade wind element crystals are the most valuable treasures. He promptly kept them close to himself. With these 7 Storm Crystals, he could establish a monument of wind elements within his body, thereby gathering all four elements. This would be an extremely important change, both for him and for the Holy Relic and the Sacred Tree. Nancy told him he needed about 72 hours to prepare for this significant transformation, as his primary ability attribute would be definitively determined during it, so he had to proceed with caution and avoid any mistakes.

Neo originally planned to take these slaves away from here, but after seeing the supplies, he decided it was better to let them stay for now. Before dawn, after resting for less than an hour,Neo returned to the migration group with Millien. He instructed Barret to go back to the Swift Wind Team’s camp and relocate their base to the city. Then he went alone to another bandit lair.

The bandits stationed here have left completely, leaving nothing but debris. The Falcon Thistle carried by Ji Ce has not returned yet. The most likely explanation is that the bandits chose a distant destination for their relocation and are still on the journey.

Nio has no intention of letting those bandits go so easily. He simply decided to skip these few days, especially today. According to his speculation, if the Church does not send anyone to the migration group today, it must mean something has gone wrong on Diuf’s side. Compared to dealing with those bandits, the attitudes of the Church and the Alliance are clearly more concerning. Moreover, after the Windstorm Team merged with the slaves, they will inevitably interact with the migration group. The families of the Windstorm Team also need to be moved out using this opportunity. He had already asked Barret to make the necessary preparations, and they had basically agreed—11 households, 34 people in total.

A few hours later, as noon approached, Nio was walking around the camp with Milien to reassure everyone. Suddenly, some people exclaimed in shock, “Look, airships! Such huge airships!”

Nio looked up and saw two airships flying toward the valley—one coming from the east and the other from the northwest. The one from the east was one of the Church’s Saint series, with a pure white hull and a bright red Church emblem. Its appearance was simple yet mysterious, with golden runes glowing on its surface, brighter than the sunlight. The one from the northwest was an Alliance airship, equally distinctive. It featured the most “technological and modern” elements, looking somewhat strange in its novelty, but its heavily armed appearance was quite imposing. Its hull was also pure white, but the emblem was a golden lion standing on its side, with golden fur curled around its limbs and wrists. It represented the Grand Duke of Ensbass.

Interestingly, both airships chose to land immediately for battle. Their elite members used magic glider wings, using their bodies and outstretched arms as axes to support triangular glider wings, diving from the sky toward the migration group’s camp. In an instant, nearly 1,500 flying clouds appeared in the sky, leaving the people below stunned. Having lived in the villages of the Erdrit territory for generations, had they ever seen such a spectacular sight?

“Go back to the tents! Everyone, go back!” Seeing the situation, Nio immediately sensed the tense standoff between the two sides and hurriedly urged everyone to return to their tents instead of standing there foolishly. He then called a few members of the guard team to inform the leaders of the migration group and sound the horn.

Duuu! This horn signaled a wartime alert. The people obeyed the order, stopping their curious observations and returning to their tents. The camp quickly became empty and quiet.

Meanwhile, the Church’s elite and the Principality’s elite had already landed, mostly on the top of the valley. A small number of highly skilled and brave individuals flew in arcs straight down to the valley bottom like paper planes. Their landing speed was fast and sudden, like arrows. Yet each of these people was powerful—some used a series of precise movements to absorb the impact, while others used violent explosive methods. With a loud “boom,” mud and snow flew everywhere, creating a hole in the ground, from which the person would stride out.

Standing under a Weeping Willow, Neo narrowed his eyes and observed carefully. So far, he hadn’t seen a single person below level 6, and these individuals truly lived up to being professionals—each one agile and quick-moving. Without any orders, they knew exactly what to do. No matter where they were scattered, they quickly gathered into streams of people, then into teams and groups.

Clang! The people from the Church drew out their Cross Swords. These swords were of a standard unique to the Church—the hilt was hollow, and the swords were golden in color. The cross-shaped intersections on the blade and hilt were exquisitely crafted and inlaid with a Light Crystal. People called such swords Holy Light Cross Swords.

The men from the duchy were not to be outdone. One man, who seemed to be an officer, roared in a deep voice, “The Kratz Werewolves dare to show their fangs to any hostile target!”

Roar! Amidst unified, thunderous shouts of anger, the elite troops sent by the duchy also drew their weapons.

These werewolves from the Claw Clan wore black iron armors equipped with three folding claw blades. When those terrifyingly curved, razor-sharp black iron claws unfolded, they truly looked like a sea of gleaming claws, dazzling and imposing.

“Damn it, do they think this place is some ancient Magic Crystal Forest ruin guarded by ancient Rainbow Dragons!?” Neo watched the scene from afar, filled only with frustration.